Introduction:
Marah is a significant location mentioned in the Old Testament, specifically in the Book of Exodus. It is known for its bitter waters and serves as a pivotal moment in the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. The name "Marah" itself means "bitter" in Hebrew, reflecting the nature of the waters found there.

Biblical Account:
The account of Marah is found in Exodus 15:22-26. After the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, Moses led the Israelites into the Desert of Shur. They traveled for three days without finding water, and when they finally arrived at Marah, they could not drink the water because it was bitter. The people grumbled against Moses, asking, "What are we to drink?" (Exodus 15:24).

In response to the people's complaints, Moses cried out to the LORD, who showed him a piece of wood. Moses threw the wood into the water, and the water became sweet and drinkable. This event was not only a physical provision but also a spiritual lesson for the Israelites. The LORD used this occasion to test the faith and obedience of His people.

Theological Significance:
Marah represents a test of faith and reliance on God. The Israelites' experience at Marah highlights the human tendency to doubt and complain in times of hardship. Despite witnessing God's power in the plagues of Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea, the Israelites quickly forgot His provision and protection.

The transformation of the bitter waters into sweet water symbolizes God's ability to turn difficult situations into blessings. It serves as a reminder of His sovereignty and faithfulness. The LORD's instructions to Moses and the subsequent miracle underscore the importance of obedience and trust in God's guidance.

Covenant and Commandments:
At Marah, God established a statute and ordinance for the Israelites, promising them health and protection if they obeyed His commands. He declared, "If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His eyes, if you pay attention to His commandments and keep all His statutes, then I will not bring on you any of the diseases I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you" (Exodus 15:26).

This covenantal promise at Marah foreshadows the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai and emphasizes the conditional nature of God's blessings based on obedience. It introduces the concept of God as Jehovah Rapha, "the LORD who heals," highlighting His role as both healer and protector.

Lessons for Believers:
The account of Marah offers several lessons for believers today. It encourages trust in God's provision, even when circumstances seem dire. It also serves as a reminder to remain faithful and obedient to God's commands, trusting in His wisdom and timing. The transformation of the waters at Marah is a testament to God's power to change bitterness into sweetness, offering hope and encouragement to those facing trials.

Conclusion:
While the entry does not include a conclusion, the narrative of Marah continues to resonate with believers as a powerful example of God's provision, testing, and faithfulness. It remains a poignant reminder of the importance of trust and obedience in the journey of faith.Marah

(bitterness), a place which lay in the wilderness of Shur or Etham, three days journey distant, (Exodus 15:23; Numbers 33:8) from the place at which the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, and where was a spring of bitter water, sweetened subsequently by the casting in of a tree which "the Lord showed" to Moses. Howarah , distant 16 1/2 hours (47 miles) from Ayoun Mousa , the Israelites' first encampment, has been by many identified with it, apparently because it is the bitterest water in the neighborhood.

Marah

Bitterness, a well near the Red Sea, three days' journey from the point where the Israelites crossed it. The well was sweetened for the use of the distressed Hebrews by the miraculous efficacy imparted to the branches of a certain tree which Moses threw in, Exodus 15:23-25. No plant is now known possessed of such a quality. The name Amarah now marks the dry bed of a wintry torrent, a little south of which is a well called Hawara, which answers well to the description. Its water, after remaining a few seconds in the mouth, becomes exceedingly nauseous. The Arabs do not drink it though their camels will. See also Ruth 1:20.

Bitterness, a fountain at the sixth station of the Israelites (Exodus 15:23, 24; Numbers 33:8) whose waters were so bitter that they could not drink them. On this account they murmured against Moses, who, under divine direction, cast into the fountain "a certain tree" which took away its bitterness, so that the people drank of it. This was probably the `Ain Hawarah, where there are still several springs of water that are very "bitter," distant some 47 miles from `Ayun Mousa. MARAH

ma'-ra, mar'-a (marah, "bitter"): The first camp of the Israelites after the passage of the Red Sea (Exodus 15:23 Numbers 33:8 f). The name is derived from the bitterness of the brackish water. Moses cast a tree into the waters which were thus made sweet (Exodus 15:23).

See WANDERINGS OF ISRAEL.

4785. Marah -- a bitter spring in the Sinai peninsula
... 4784, 4785. Marah. 4786 . a bitter spring in the Sinai peninsula. Transliteration:
Marah Phonetic Spelling: (maw-raw') Short Definition: Marah. ...
/hebrew/4785.htm - 6k

4759b. marah -- a mirror
... 4759a, 4759b. marah. 4760 . a mirror. Transliteration: marah Short Definition:
mirrors. ... 4759a, 4759b. marah. 4760 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/4759b.htm - 5k

4759a. marah -- vision
... 4759, 4759a. marah. 4759b . vision. Transliteration: marah Short Definition:
vision. ... 4759, 4759a. marah. 4759b . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/4759a.htm - 5k

4784. marah -- to be contentious or rebellious
... 4783, 4784. marah. 4785 . to be contentious or rebellious. Transliteration:
marah Phonetic Spelling: (maw-raw') Short Definition: rebelled. ... marah. 4785 . ...
/hebrew/4784.htm - 6k

4751. mar -- bitter, bitterness
mar or marah. 4750, 4751. mar or marah. 4752 . bitter, bitterness. Transliteration:
mar or marah Phonetic Spelling: (mar) Short Definition: bitter. ...
/hebrew/4751.htm - 6k

4811. Merayah -- an Israelite priest
... priest NASB Word Usage Meraiah (1). Meraiah. From marah; rebellion; Merajah, an
Israelite -- Meraiah. Compare Yimrah. see HEBREW marah. see HEBREW Yimrah. ...
/hebrew/4811.htm - 6k

4805. meri -- rebellion
... Word Origin from marah Definition rebellion NASB Word Usage rebellion (3), rebellious
(16), rebellious man (1), rebellious ones (1), rebels (1). ...
/hebrew/4805.htm - 6k

4850. Merathayim -- perhaps "double rebellion," another name for ...
... Word Origin perhaps from marah Definition perhaps "double rebellion," another
name for Bab. NASB Word Usage Merathaim (1). Merathaim. ...
/hebrew/4850.htm - 6k

3236. Yimrah -- an Asherite
... Word Origin from marah Definition an Asherite NASB Word Usage Imrah (1). Imrah.
Probably from yamar; interchange; Jimrah, an Israelite -- Imrah. ...
/hebrew/3236.htm - 6k

Marah
... THE BOOK OF EXODUS MARAH. 'And when they came to Marah, they could not drink
of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/marah.htm

Marah
... HYMNS MARAH. "The Lord showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters,
the waters were made sweet.""Exodus 15:25. Richard Rolle, 1349. ...
/.../bevan/hymns of ter steegen and others second series/marah.htm

Marah; Or, the Bitter Waters Sweetened
... Marah; or, The Bitter Waters Sweetened. A Sermon (No.987). Delivered On
Lord's-day Morning, April 23rd, 1871, by. CH SPURGEON,. At the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/marah or the bitter waters.htm

The General Service to the Venerated and vivifying Cross.
... 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. ...
/.../anonymous/the general menaion/chapter iii the general service.htm

Moses, the Mighty Intercessor
... It was at Marah, where the waters were bitter and the people grievously murmured
against Moses and God. Here is the Scripture account: ...
/.../bounds/prayer and praying men/iv moses the mighty intercessor.htm

Early Afflictions
... Viewed from the standpoint of mature life, those early years remind me of the
experience of the Israel-ites when they came to Marah, where the waters were ...
/.../cole/trials and triumphs of faith/chapter ii early afflictions.htm

Apostolic Exhortation
... I do not understand, I must confess, why Moses was told to cut down a tree and put
it in the bitter waters of Marah; I cannot see any connection between a tree ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 14 1868/apostolic exhortation.htm

Expositions of Holy Scripture
... A PATH IN THE SEA. 'MY STRENGTH AND SONG'. THE SHEPHERD AND THE FOLD. THE ULTIMATE
HOPE. MARAH. THE BREAD OF GOD. JEHOVAH NISSI. GERSHOM AND ELIEZER. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/

Never! Never! Never! Never! Never!
... possesses real power. Cast this divine tree into the bitter waters of
your Marah, and learn how it will sweeten them. Take this ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 8 1863/never never never never never.htm

A Miracle of Grace
... the people of God with the sword, and sinning with a high hand, she must have been
ready to say, "Call me no more Hephzi-bah, but call me Marah, for the Lord ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 62 1916/a miracle of grace.htm

Marah (4 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. MARAH. ma'-ra ... 23). See WANDERINGS OF ISRAEL.
Multi-Version Concordance Marah (4 Occurrences). Exodus ...
/m/marah.htm - 8k

Couldn't (6 Occurrences)
... (WEB). Exodus 15:23 When they came to Marah, they couldn't drink from the waters
of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore its name was called Marah. (WEB). ...
/c/couldn't.htm - 18k

Bitter (203 Occurrences)
... bit'-er, bit'-er-nes (mar, or marah = "bitter" (literally or figuratively); also
(noun) "bitterness" or (adverb) "bitterly"; "angry," "chafed," "discontented ...
/b/bitter.htm - 42k

Drinking (114 Occurrences)
... (BBE NIV). Exodus 15:23 And when they came to Marah, the water was no good for drinking,
for the waters of Marah were bitter, which is why it was named Marah. ...
/d/drinking.htm - 38k

Wanderings (7 Occurrences)
... FIRST JOURNEY 1. Mode of Traveling 2. The Route: the First Camp 3. Waters
of Marah 4. Camp by the Red Sea 5. The Route to Sinai III. ...
/w/wanderings.htm - 40k

Grief (252 Occurrences)
... sorrow"; Psalm 69:26, the Revised Version, margin "or pain"; Isaiah 53:3, "a man
of sorrows"; 53:4, "Surely he hath carried our sorrows"); marah and marar ...
/g/grief.htm - 45k

Grieve (29 Occurrences)
... sorrow"; Psalm 69:26, the Revised Version, margin "or pain"; Isaiah 53:3, "a man
of sorrows"; 53:4, "Surely he hath carried our sorrows"); marah and marar ...
/g/grieve.htm - 23k

Elim (5 Occurrences)
... It was a contrast to the previous camp called "Marah" because of the bitterness
of the waters, for there "were twelve springs of water, and threescore and ten ...
/e/elim.htm - 9k

Mara (1 Occurrence)
... MARA. ma'-ra, mar'-a (marah, "bitter"): The term which Naomi applies to herself
on her return from Moab to her native country (Ruth 1:20). ...
/m/mara.htm - 7k

Pihahiroth (4 Occurrences)
... This identification of the route of the exodus beyond the Sea requires the place
of the crossing to be within 3 days' journey of Marah, which puts it somewhere ...
/p/pihahiroth.htm - 10k

Who/what is Marah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What is the meaning of bitter water in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean that God is Jehovah-Rapha? | GotQuestions.org

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