That is to say, God demonstrated His holiness and power in the merciful act of causing the waters to gush forth in the presence of the people. Further, He meted out judgment even to His favored leaders when they departed from His command.
Meribah.
A similar use of the word is found in Ex. 17:7 and Deut. 32:51. The Hebrew root from which the word is formed means “to strive,”“to contend,”“to agitate,”“to quarrel noisily,” often with bodily violence.