This is a new protest from people driven by their lack of water, accompanied by God’s attentive and compassionate response. Water and food, two vital elements for life, were provided by the mother to family members in ancient Near Eastern cultures. Here, the Lord patiently and promptly meets the needs of His people. This maternal aspect of the Lord, the invincible warrior who, with a mighty arm, led Israel out of Egypt, is emphasized. This passage should also be read symbolically: water is an essential element for life, while the rock represents the opposite, symbolizing extreme dryness in nature. These people cannot yet “produce” anything; they simply long for the life of Egypt and reject the idea of freedom. Only a process of formation can turn the rock-people into a source of water and bring the goals of solidarity and justice to fruition. Moses’ staff also plays an important role, “with which you struck the Nile” (5), indicating that it is the same divine hand, His teaching, that can strike and guide toward transformation.