8586. Verse 7 And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the wrangling of the children of Israel, and because of their tempting Jehovah, saying, Is Jehovah in the midst of us or not?

'And he called the name of the place Massah' means the essential nature of the state of the temptation. 'And Meribah' means the essential nature of the complaining. 'Because of the wrangling of the children of Israel' means complaining on account of the bitterness of the temptation, so severe that they were close to giving in. 'And because of their tempting Jehovah' means that the complaining is against the Divine, from whom they despair of receiving aid. 'Saying, Is Jehovah in the midst of us?' means that they were near to believing that the Lord does not bring aid to His own.