²³ When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.^[a](A)) ²⁴ So the people grumbled^(B) against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”^(C)

²⁵ Then Moses cried out^(D) to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw^(E) 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.^{(F) 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^(G) all his decrees,^(H) I will not bring on you any of the diseases^(I) I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals^(J) you.”

² In the desert the whole community grumbled^(A) against Moses and Aaron. ³ The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!^(B) There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food^(C) we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”^(D)