"Where did Moses get water from a rock?" (Alleged Contradiction #E3259)
And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. … And the LORD said unto Moses, … thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. …
Exodus 17:1-6
Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. And there was no water for the congregation … Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.
Numbers 20:1-8
See also: Numbers 27:14; Deuteronomy 32:51; Numbers 33:11, 36.
Response
These are two completely different events. One was in the wilderness of Sin at Rephidim, the other in the desert of Zin at Kadesh. God told Moses to “smite the rock” in the first and to “speak…unto the rock” in the second.
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