Search Tools


 
So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and 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.
And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

New Defender's Study Bible Notes

15:24 the people murmured. Note God’s responses to the murmurings (complainings) of Israel, acting for a while in grace and patience, but eventually acting in judgment. He first provided pure water (Exodus 15:25), next He provided food (Exodus 16:2,7,8,9,12), and then a continuous water supply (Exodus 17:3). But eventually God sent them into exile in the wilderness (Numbers 14:2,27,29,36) and even put many to death (Numbers 16:11,41). Finally, their murmurings ceased after the miracle of the budding of Aaron’s rod, which was a symbol of the resurrection (Numbers 17:5,10). God’s attitude toward murmuring on the part of believers today is indicated in I Corinthians 10:10 and Philippians 2:14.


15:25 shewed him a tree. The miracle here may be simply that of revealing to Moses a tree whose bark or leaves had the ability to react chemically with the noxious waters of Marah (meaning “bitter”) to make them potable. This possibility cannot be pursued in the present absence of knowledge concerning the nature of either the waters or the tree. Of course, the phenomenon could also have been an actual physical miracle. In any case, the complaints of the people gave God an occasion again to show Himself able to meet their needs but also to urge them henceforth to be obedient and believing people.


15:26 none of these diseases. The Israelites were familiar with “the evil diseases of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 7:15), but obedience to God’s laws, which included numerous laws of sanitation not understood until modern times, would keep them in good health.


About the New Defender's Study Bible