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Exodus and wilderness

Bitter water made sweet at Marah

1491 BCUssher date

Exodus 15:22–27

After three days without water, Israel found only bitter water at Marah; God showed Moses a tree that made it sweet, then led them to the springs of Elim.

Then he cried to Yahweh. Yahweh showed him a tree, and he threw it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There he made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there he tested them.

Exodus 15:25 (World English Bible)
Great SeaRamesesSuccothRed Sea crossing(traditional area)MarahElimRephidimMount Sinai(traditional site)proposed alternateSinai (Midian)Kadesh BarneaEzion-geberMount HorNeboJerichoEdomMoabWilderness of ParanYears 1–2: Egypt to Sinai to KadeshYear 40: Kadesh around Edom to the plains of MoabCoastlines simplified
The Exodus route on the traditional southern Sinai view. Many sites, and the crossing point itself, are debated.

Three days after singing of God's victory, the people were grumbling. God answered with a lesson: if they would listen to him, he would be “Yahweh who heals you” (15:26). Their next camp, Elim, had twelve springs and seventy palm trees.

Places

Red SeaShurMarahElim

Dating notes

A few days after the Red Sea crossing (Ussher, 1491 BC).

Open on the timelineRead Exodus 15:22–27