When the Children of Israel Asked Moses (PBUH) for Water, Allah Told Him to Strike the Rock. How Many Springs Gushed Out?
عندما طلب بنو إسرائيل من موسى عليه السلام ماء ليشربوا، أمره الله تعالى أن يضرب الحجر بعصاه. كم عين ماء انفجرت من الصخر؟
Twelve springs gushed out. Each tribe knew its own drinking place and went to it. The sons of Yaqoub, peace be upon him, were twelve, and they are the ancestors of the tribes of the Children of Israel.
(And ˹remember˺ when Moses prayed for water for his people, We said, "Strike the rock with your staff." Then twelve springs gushed out, ˹and˺ each tribe knew its drinking place. ˹We then said,˺ "Eat and drink of Allah's provisions, and do not go about spreading corruption in the land.") Al-Baqarah 2:60
اثنتا عشرة عينًا. كل حزب عرف مصدر الماء التابع له فذهب ليشرب. أولاد يعقوب عليه السلام اثنا عشر، وهؤلاء هم أساس الأحزاب من بني إسرائيل.
(وَإِذِ اسْتَسْقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ فَقُلْنَا اضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ الْحَجَرَ فَانفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍ مَّشْرَبَهُمْ كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا مِن رِّزْقِ اللَّـهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ) البقرة 2: 60
1. One Strike, Twelve Precise Springs | ضربةٌ واحدة واثنتا عشرة عينًا بدقة
A single strike of Musa's staff against the rock produced not one general water source but exactly twelve distinct springs. This precision is itself part of the sign: the miracle did not simply meet the immediate need for water; it met it with a specific, structured outcome. The food and drink Allah gave them in the desert are gathered in Where Did Moses' People Get Their Food and Water While Wandering in the Desert?
أنتجت ضربة واحدة من عصا موسى للحجر لا مصدرا عاما واحدا للماء، بل اثنتي عشرة عينا متمايزة بالضبط. وهذه الدقة جزء من الآية نفسها: فالمعجزة لم تكتف بسد الحاجة العاجلة إلى الماء، بل سدتها بنتيجة محددة ومنظمة.
2. Matched Exactly to the Twelve Tribes | مطابقةٌ دقيقة للأسباط الاثني عشر
The number twelve corresponds directly to the twelve sons of Yaqoub (peace be upon him), the ancestral founders of the twelve tribes making up the Children of Israel, so the miracle matched the community's existing division into tribes. Yaqoub and his family line are introduced in Who Is the Father of Prophet Yusuf, and What Is His Full Lineage? The tribes themselves are explained in who the twelve tribes (al-Asbat) are.
يوافق عدد العيون عدد أبناء يعقوب الاثني عشر، وهم الأجداد المؤسسون للأسباط الاثني عشر الذين يتكون منهم بنو إسرائيل، فجاءت المعجزة موافقة لتقسيم القوم القائم إلى أسباط.
3. Each Tribe Knew Its Own Place, Avoiding Conflict | كل سبطٍ عرف مكانه فتجنبوا التنازع
The Ayah specifically notes that each group knew its own drinking place, built-in clarity that prevented competition or dispute over access to water among twelve distinct tribes sharing the same encampment. A resource that could easily have caused conflict was instead organized from the outset to avoid it.
تنص الآية تحديدا على أنه "قد علم كل أناس مشربهم"، وهو وضوح منع التزاحم أو النزاع على الماء بين اثني عشر سبطا متمايزا يجمعهم مخيم واحد. فمورد كان يمكن أن يسبب نزاعا بسهولة نُظّم منذ البداية بما يمنعه.
4. A Provision Paired With a Moral Instruction | عطاءٌ يقترن بتوجيهٍ أخلاقي
The Ayah does not end with the springs themselves; it adds an instruction: eat and drink from Allah's provision, but do not spread corruption on the earth. Attaching this command directly to the miracle ties the material blessing they received to an expected standard of conduct in response.
لا تنتهي الآية عند العيون نفسها؛ بل تضيف توجيها: "كلوا واشربوا من رزق الله ولا تعثوا في الأرض مفسدين". ويربط اقتران هذا الأمر بالمعجزة مباشرة النعمة المادية التي نالوها بمعيار للسلوك مطلوب منهم في مقابلها.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
How many springs gushed out when Moses struck the rock?
Twelve springs.
Why exactly twelve springs?
They matched the twelve tribes descended from the twelve sons of Yaqoub.
Did the tribes have to figure out which spring was theirs?
No; the verse states that each tribe knew its own drinking place.
What instruction did Allah give alongside this provision?
To eat and drink from His provision, but not to spread corruption on the earth.