Being Chosen & Who Has First Choice

Numbers 20:13 ASV

These are the waters of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with Jehovah, and he was sanctified in them.

Numbers 20:3 ASV

And the people strove with Moses, and spake, saying, Would that we had died when our brethren died before Jehovah!

977. בָּחַר‎ bāḥar: A verb whose meaning is to take a keen look at, to prove, to choose. It denotes a choice, which is based on a thorough examination of the situation and not an arbitrary whim. Although this word rarely means to prove, it does communicate that sense in Isaiah 48:10, where it describes the way God tested Israel in order to make a careful choice: “I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” In most contexts, the word suggests the concept to choose or to select. It can designate human choice (Gen. 13:11; Deut. 30:19; Josh. 24:15; Judg. 10:14) or divine choice (Deut. 7:7; 1 Sam. 2:28; Neh. 9:7; Ps. 135:4); however, in either case, it generally has theological overtones. This word can also have the connotations to desire, to like, or to delight in. A good example is Isaiah 1:29, where the word is in synonymous parallelism with ḥāmaḏ (2530), meaning to desire or take pleasure in.

7378. רִיב‎ riyḇ, רוּב‎ rûḇ: A verb meaning to strive, to contend, to dispute, and to conduct a lawsuit. The verb means to conduct a lawsuit or legal case and all that it involves. The Lord conducts His case against the leaders of His people (Isa. 3:13). He relents in His case from accusing humankind, knowing how weak they are (Isa. 57:16). David pleaded with the Lord to give him vindication in his case (1 Sam. 24:15[16]); as did Israel when God contended for them (Mic. 7:9).

The word means to contend or to strive for some reason in a nonlegal setting as well. The servants of Isaac and Abimelech contended over wells they had dug or claimed to own (Gen. 26:21). Two men could quarrel and come to blows (Ex. 21:18; Judg. 11:25). Jacob and Laban disputed with one another (Gen. 31:36). The people of Israel complained bitterly against the Lord at Meribah (Num. 20:13).1

1 Baker, W. and Carpenter, E.E. (2003) The complete word study dictionary: Old Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.

11 Baker, W. and Carpenter, E.E. (2003) The complete word study dictionary: Old Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.