Focused Passage

Exodus 15:22-27

The Song of the Sea and the Testing at Marah

Israel praises the LORD for triumphing over Pharaoh at the sea, Miriam leads the women in responsive worship, the people enter the wilderness and complain over bitter water, and the LORD provides water while revealing Himself as healer and testing Israel’s obedience.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

22Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the Desert of Shur. For three days they walked in the desert without finding water.

23And when they came to Marah, they could not drink the water there because it was bitter. (That is why it was named Marah.)

24So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”

25And Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log. And when he cast it into the waters, they were sweetened. There the LORD made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He tested them,

26saying, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His eyes, and pay attention to His commands, 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.”

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

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 22

Original words

Then Mosesמֹשֶׁ֤הH4872Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerledוַיַּסַּ֨עH5265Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵל֙H3478Noun - proper - masculine singularfrom the Redס֔וּףH5488Noun - masculine singularSeaמִיַּם־H3220Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructand they went outוַיֵּצְא֖וּH3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralintoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe Desertמִדְבַּר־H4057Noun - masculine singular constructof Shurשׁ֑וּרH7793Noun - proper - feminine singularFor threeשְׁלֹֽשֶׁת־H7969Number - masculine singular constructdaysיָמִ֛יםH3117Noun - masculine pluralthey walkedוַיֵּלְכ֧וּH1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralin the desertבַּמִּדְבָּ֖רH4057Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularwithoutוְלֹא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlefindingמָ֥צְאוּH4672Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralwaterמָֽיִם׃H4325Noun - masculine plural
Verse 23

Original words

And when they cameוַיָּבֹ֣אוּH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralto Marahמָרָ֔תָהH4785Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singularthey couldיָֽכְל֗וּH3201Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralnotוְלֹ֣אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particledrinkלִשְׁתֹּ֥תH8354Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructthe waterמַ֙יִם֙H4325Noun - masculine plural[there]מִמָּרָ֔הH4785Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singularbecauseכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionitהֵ֑םH1992Pronoun - third person masculine pluralwas bitterמָרִ֖יםH4751Adjective - masculine pluralThat is whyעַל־H5921Preposition. . .כֵּ֥ןH3651Adverbit was namedקָרָֽא־H7121Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular. . .שְׁמָ֖הּH8034Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularMarahמָרָֽה׃H4785Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Marah means bitter.
Verse 24

Original words

So the peopleהָעָ֛םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singulargrumbledוַיִּלֹּ֧נוּH3885Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralagainstעַל־H5921PrepositionMosesמֹשֶׁ֥הH4872Noun - proper - masculine singularsayingלֵּאמֹ֖רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructWhatמַה־H4100Interrogativeare we to drinkנִּשְׁתֶּֽה׃H8354Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural
Verse 25

Original words

And [Moses] cried outוַיִּצְעַ֣קH6817Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe LORDיְהוָ֗הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularand the LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularshowed himוַיּוֹרֵ֤הוּH3384Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singulara logעֵ֔ץH6086Noun - masculine singularAnd when he cast itוַיַּשְׁלֵךְ֙H7993Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularintoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe watersהַמַּ֔יִםH4325Article | Noun - masculine plural[they]הַמָּ֑יִםH4325Article | Noun - masculine pluralwere sweetenedוַֽיִּמְתְּק֖וּH4985Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralThereשָׁ֣םH8033Adverb[the LORD] madeשָׂ֥םH7760Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularfor themל֛וֹPreposition | third person masculine singulara statuteחֹ֥קH2706Noun - masculine singularand an ordinanceוּמִשְׁפָּ֖טH4941Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularand thereוְשָׁ֥םH8033Conjunctive waw | AdverbHe tested themנִסָּֽהוּ׃H5254Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Verse 26

Original words

sayingוַיֹּאמֶר֩H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularIfאִם־H518Conjunctionyou will listen carefullyשָׁמ֨וֹעַH8085Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute. . .תִּשְׁמַ֜עH8085Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularto the voiceלְק֣וֹל׀H6963Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֗יךָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularand doתַּעֲשֶׂ֔הH6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularwhat is rightוְהַיָּשָׁ֤רH3477Conjunctive waw, Article | Adjective - masculine singularin His eyesבְּעֵינָיו֙H5869Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | third person masculine singularand pay attentionוְהַֽאֲזַנְתָּ֙H238Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularto His commandsלְמִצְוֺתָ֔יוH4687Preposition-l | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singularand keepוְשָׁמַרְתָּ֖H8104Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructHis statutesחֻקָּ֑יוH2706Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular[then] I will notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlebringשַׂ֤מְתִּיH7760Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularon youעָלֶ֔יךָH5921Preposition | second person masculine singularanyכָּֽל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructof the diseasesהַמַּֽחֲלָ֞הH4245Article | Noun - feminine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeI inflictedאָשִׂ֣יםH7760Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularon the Egyptiansבְמִצְרַ֙יִם֙H4714Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singularForכִּ֛יH3588ConjunctionIאֲנִ֥יH589Pronoun - first person common singularam the LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularwho heals youרֹפְאֶֽךָ׃סH7495Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 27

Original words

Then they cameוַיָּבֹ֣אוּH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralto Elimאֵילִ֔מָהH362Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singularwhereוְשָׁ֗םH8033Conjunctive waw | Adverbthere were twelveשְׁתֵּ֥יםH8147Number - fd. . .עֶשְׂרֵ֛הH6240Number - feminine singular constructspringsעֵינֹ֥תH5869Noun - common plural constructof waterמַ֖יִםH4325Noun - masculine pluraland seventyוְשִׁבְעִ֣יםH7657Conjunctive waw | Number - common pluralpalm treesתְּמָרִ֑יםH8558Noun - masculine pluraland they campedוַיַּחֲנוּ־H2583Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthereשָׁ֖םH8033Adverbbyעַל־H5921Prepositionthe watersהַמָּֽיִם׃H4325Article | Noun - masculine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.