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Bitter Water Made Sweet

22 Then Moses ordered Israel to set out from the Red Sea,[a] and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water.(A) 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter. That is why it was called Marah.[b](B) 24 And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”(C) 25 He cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood; he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.

There the Lord[c] made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he put them to the test.(D) 26 He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and give heed to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will not bring upon you any of the diseases that I brought upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you.”(E)

27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there by the water.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. 15.22 Or Sea of Reeds
  2. 15.23 That is, bitterness
  3. 15.25 Heb he

The Waters of Marah and Elim

22 Then Moses led Israel on from the Red Sea, and they went out to the Wilderness of Shur. They traveled for three days in the wilderness but found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they were not able to drink the waters of Marah, because they were bitter. That is why they named the place Marah.[a] 24 The people grumbled against Moses, and they said, “What will we drink?” 25 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him some wood. Moses threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.

There the Lord made a decree and ruling for them, and there he tested them. 26 So he said, “If only you would listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in his eyes, and pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his regulations, I would not place on you any of the diseases that I placed on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”

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

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 15:23 Marah means bitter.