The bitter waters of Marah EXO 15:23
Three days into the wilderness of Shur the singing has stopped. The people find water at last and cannot drink it, because it is bitter, and the name of the place says so. They grumble against Moses, who cries out to the Lord; he is shown a piece of wood, throws it into the water, and the water becomes sweet. It is the first of many complaints, and the first lesson that the God who opened the sea also means to be trusted for a drink.
The passage
EXO 15:23 · Read the passage21And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
22So 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.
23And 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. {Marah: that is Bitterness}
24And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
25And 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,
26And 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.
27And they came to Elim, where {were} twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
