Location
Overview
Marah — "bitter" — was the first water Israel found after the Red Sea, and the place of an early test of faith and an early promise of healing.
Three days without water
After the crossing, "they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. 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" (Exodus 15:22–23).
The tree that healed the water
When the people murmured, "the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet" (Exodus 15:25). There God set before them a statute and a test.
"I am the LORD that healeth thee"
At Marah God gave the promise tied to obedience: "I will put none of these diseases upon thee... for I am the LORD that healeth thee" (Exodus 15:26).
Events Here
The bitter waters of Marah are made sweet
Scripture References
3 versesExodus1 verse
Exodus 15:23
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. Marah: that is Bitterness
Numbers2 verses
Numbers 33:8
And they departed from before Pihahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah.
Numbers 33:9
And they removed from Marah, and came unto Elim: and in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and threescore and ten palm trees; and they pitched there.
Archaeology & History
Marah is traditionally identified with Ain Hawarah, a brackish spring in the western Sinai a few days' march from the traditional Red Sea crossing, though like the other wilderness stations its location is not certain. Its bitter, mineral-laden water matches the biblical description.
Frequently asked about Marah
Where is Marah today?
Today, Marah corresponds to Sinai Peninsula (Ain Hawarah, traditional).
What does the name Marah mean?
The name Marah means “Bitter”.
What happened at Marah in the Bible?
Key biblical events at Marah include the bitter waters of marah are made sweet.
Where is Marah first mentioned in the Bible?
Marah is first mentioned in Exodus 15:23.
How often is Marah mentioned in the Bible?
Marah is mentioned in 3 verses across 2 books: Exodus, Numbers.
What does Marah mean?
It means "bitter," named for the bitter, undrinkable water Israel found there after three days without water in the desert.
How was the water of Marah made sweet?
The LORD showed Moses a tree to cast into the water, and it became sweet — and there God revealed himself as "the LORD that healeth thee."