The bitterThe Water of Marah, engraving by Gérard Jollain Water of Marah

Outline/Summary

The bitter Marah waters

After leading the Israelites through the Red Sea, Moses took the people into the Desert of Shur, where they traveled for three days and found no water. They arrived at Marah but could not drink because the waters were bitter (in Hebrew, Marah means “bitter”).

The people grumbled against Moses, “What can we drink?”

Moses cried out to God, and God showed him a tree branch. When Moses threw it into the water, the water became safe to drink.

There the Lord made a binding ordinance with the Israelites, and he tested them. He said,

“If you will diligently obey the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, and pay attention to his commandments, and keep all these statutes, then all the diseases I brought upon the Egyptians, I will not bring on you for I am your healer.”

The Israelites arrived at Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees. They camped there by the water.

What the story means to us today

Maintain faith in God

The Israelites are no more rescued from the Egyptians than they find themselves in yet another predicament. Their lack of water frightens them, then angers them. In their frustration, they lose faith and “grumble” against Moses and, by extension, God.

It will be a common refrain in Exodus (and Numbers) – the Israelites “grumbling” against God. They had just been saved from the pursuing Egyptians by the remarkable parting of the Red Sea, yet how quickly we forget the lessons history teaches us.

In response to their complaints, God makes a deal with them. If they obey his commands, he will bless them. This is a critical assignment for the Israelites who must learn to follow God’s simple commands before he can be assured they will follow his Law – and a good lesson for us today about the importance of maintaining faith in God.

Deeper thoughts and additional considerations

God leads us where he wants us to go

The Israelites followed Moses through the desert and to Marah. Moses was following God. Don’t let this escape you – God led the Israelites to the bitter water. They didn’t just stumble on it on their own.

In retrospect, we can see that God was testing their faith. He intended to teach the Israelites a lesson – that they must trust in him and follow his commands. It’s not up to us to question God’s plan. He leads us where we should go.

What could have made the waters bitter?

Many may seek a natural explanation for the bitterness (and purification) of the waters at Marah. There is a place called Ain Hawarah that has water that is notoriously brackish and, according to some, tastes bitter. However, God led the Israelites to Marah. He may have contributed to the making the water bitter by design.

The science behind the story

Where is the place called Marah?

The Israelites were led through the Desert of Shur for three days before they arrived at a place called Marah and found the water was too bitter to drink. The exact location of Marah is unknown.

Some have used the Bible’s mention of Mount Sinai to form a relationship between the potential locations. Numbers 33:9-10 tells us that after they left Marah, they camped by the Red Sea. As such, Ain Hawarah has been proposed as the biblical Marah since it is near the Red Sea. Ain Hawarah is a salty, bitter spring 47 miles southeast of Suez and about seven miles from the Red Sea (about a day’s journey). The waters are some of the worst in the area, renowned for their salty, bitter taste.

Marah is the Hebrew word for “bitter.”

Where is the place called Elim?

After God issued the ruling to the Israelites, they were led into a place called Elim, where they found twelve springs and seventy palm trees. The location of Elim is unknown but is theorized to be situated in the Wadi Gharandel, between the wilderness of Shur and the wilderness of Sin.

Bible text

NIV

22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah. c) 24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” 

25 Then Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink. 

There the LORD issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test. 26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.” 

27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water. 

NET Bible

15:22  Then Moses led Israel to journey away from the Red Sea. They went out to the Desert of Shur, walked for three days into the desert, and found no water. 15:23 Then they came to Marah, but they were not able to drink the waters of Marah, because they were bitter. (That is why its name was Marah.) 

15:24 So the people murmured against Moses, saying, “What can we drink?” 15:25 He cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When Moses threw it into the water, the water became safe to drink. There the Lord made for them a binding ordinance, and there he tested them. 15:26 He said, “If you will diligently obey the LORD your God, and do what is right in his sight, and pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, then all the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians I will not bring on you, for I, the LORD, am your healer.” 

15:27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there by the water. 

NKJV

22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet.

There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them, 26 and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.”

27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters.

The Message

      24 Moses led Israel from the Red Sea on to the Wilderness of Shur. They traveled for three days through the wilderness without finding any water. They got to Marah, but they couldn’t drink the water at Marah; it was bitter. That’s why they called the place Marah (Bitter). And the people complained to Moses, “So what are we supposed to drink?”

      25 So Moses cried out in prayer to GOD. GOD pointed him to a stick of wood. Moses threw it into the water and the water turned sweet.

      26 That’s the place where GOD set up rules and procedures; that’s where he started testing them.

      GOD said, “If you listen, listen obediently to how GOD tells you to live in his presence, obeying his commandments and keeping all his laws, then I won’t strike you with all the diseases that I inflicted on the Egyptians; I am GOD your healer.”

      27 They came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. They set up camp there by the water.

KJV

22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. 23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? 25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, 26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. 27 And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

Image Credits:
• The bitterThe Water of Marah, engraving by Gérard Jollain Water of Marah via Biblical Art by Gerard Jollain with usage type - Public Domain, 1670

Featured Image Credit:
• The bitterThe Water of Marah, engraving by Gérard Jollain Water of Marah via Biblical Art by Gerard Jollain with usage type - Public Domain, 1670

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