11. How might Moses’ action of striking the rock have detracted from the miracle Jehovah performed?

¹¹ There is another possibility. Rock formations around the location of the first Meribah are solid granite. Regardless of how hard someone strikes granite, no one expects water to flow from it. However, cliff formations around the second Meribah are very different, usually consisting of softer limestone. Because of the porous nature of limestone, such areas often have underground reservoirs of water that can be tapped as a water supply. Could it be that when Moses struck such porous rock twice, he opened himself up to the accusation that the resulting flow of water was due to natural causes rather than to Jehovah? By striking the rock instead of speaking to it, was Moses, as it were, taking some of the miracle out of the miracle?b We cannot be certain.