The Adopted Son

Rephidim. But here there was no water, and the people became so angry with Moses that they were ready to kill him. Then God told Moses to strike one of the rocks with his rod and water poured out in abundance.

[Illustration: "Water poured out in abundance."] "WATER POURED OUT IN ABUNDANCE."

Then a new trouble came upon the wandering nation. A people called the Amalekites attacked them, and for the first time since leaving Egypt they were obliged to defend themselves by fighting.

Moses chose a young man named Joshua to be the leader of a selected band and sent him to do battle for the children of Israel, while he held up his hands in prayer to God to help His people. So long as Moses' hands were uplifted Joshua was victorious, but when from weariness he let them fall then the Amalekites prevailed. So Aaron on one side and Hur on the other supported his weary arms and at sunset Joshua had won the battle.

Shortly after this Moses was visited by Jethro, his father-in-law, who brought