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 15:23KJV
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Exodus 15:23 (KJV)

What does Exodus 15:23 mean?

Exodus 15:23 describes how the Israelites, after traveling in the wilderness, arrived at a place called Marah but could not drink the water there because it was bitter. The bitterness of the water led them to name the place Marah, which means "bitter."

In this verse, the Israelites have just crossed the Red Sea and are journeying through the desert under Moses' leadership. They are in desperate need of water, but when they find it at Marah, it turns out to be undrinkable. The naming of the place highlights their disappointment and the challenging conditions they faced in the wilderness.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 15:23

  • מָרָה (Marah, transliterated "Marah") means "bitter" or "bitterness." The name directly reflects the character of the water and the experience of the people, showing how place names in the Bible often capture the events that happened there.
  • מַיִם (mayim, transliterated "waters") is the word for "waters," emphasizing that it was not just a small spring but a notable source that turned out to be unusable.
  • מָר (mar, transliterated "mar") means "bitter." This word is used to describe the taste or quality of the water, not just its emotional impact, making clear that the problem was physical and immediate.

Why Exodus 15:23 matters

  • This verse sets up the next part of the story, where God responds to the people's need, showing the pattern of challenge and divine provision that runs through the wilderness journey.
  • The naming of Marah connects the physical experience of bitterness with the emotional and spiritual struggles of the Israelites, making the story more vivid and relatable.
  • Understanding that "Marah" means "bitter" helps readers see how the Bible often uses names to capture the meaning of events, which can add depth to reading other passages with named places.

Where else these words appear

“Marah” Hebrew H4785 · used in 3 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.

“bitter” Hebrew H4751 · used in 35 verses

  • Genesis 27:34 And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.
  • 2 Samuel 17:8 For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.
  • Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!