marah Summary and Overview

bitterness, a fountain at the sixth station of the Israelites (Ex. 15:23, 24; Num. 33:8) whose waters were so bitter that they could not drink them. On this account they murmured against Moses, who, under divine direction, cast into the fountain "a certain tree" which took away its bitterness, so that the people drank of it. This was probably the 'Ain Hawarah, where there are still several springs of water that are very "bitter," distant some 47 miles from 'Ayun Mousa.

(bitterness), a place which lay in the wilderness of Shur or Etham, three days journey distant, #Ex 15:23; Nu 33:8| from the place at which the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, and where was a spring of bitter water, sweetened subsequently by the casting in of a tree which "the Lord showed" to Moses. Howarah, distant 16 1/2 hours (47 miles) from Ayoun Mousa, the Israelites' first encampment, has been by many identified with it, apparently because it is the bitterest water in the neighborhood.

MA'RAH (bitterness), a place in the wilderness of Shur or Etham, three days' journey, Num 33:8-9, from the place at which the Israelites crossed the Red Sea. There was at Marah a spring of bitter water, sweetened subsequently by the casting in of a tree which "the Lord showed" to Moses. Ex 15:23-24; Num 33:8-9. At 'Ain Hawarah, distant 47 miles from Aynn Mousa, is a spring whose fountain rises from a large mound in the Wadi el-Amarah, and is considered by the Arabs as the worst water in the district. The soil is impregnated with natron, which accounts for the bitterness. This spring has been identified with Marah. It is of course impossible to determine whether this is the precise spring of which the Israelites drank, but it is certain that it must have been in this neighborhood.

("bitterness".) A fountain in the desert of Shur, between the Red Sea and Sinai; Israel reached Marah three days after crossing to the Arabian side (Exodus 15:23; Numbers 33:8). Now Ain Huwarah, 47 miles from Ayun Muss, near the place of crossing the Red Sea. The beneficial effect of the tree cast into the bitter water by God's direction is probably the cause why now this fountain is less bitter than others in the neighborhood. The fountain rises from a large mound, a whitish petrifaction, deposited by the water, which seldom flows now; but there are traces of a formerly running stream. The Arabic Huwara means "destruction", analogous to the Hebrew "bitter". The cross is spiritually the tree which, when cast into life's bitterest waters, sweetens and heals them (Philemon 3:8; Acts 20:24; Acts 16:23-25; Acts 5:41; Romans 5:3).