Exodus 15:25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed 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,

Exodus 15:25 Then he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree; and he threw [it] into the waters, and the waters became sweet. There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them.

25. the Lord showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet--Some travellers have pronounced this to be the Elvah of the Arabs--a shrub in form and flower resembling our hawthorn; others, the berries of the Ghurkhud--a bush found growing around all brackish fountains. But neither of these shrubs are known by the natives to possess such natural virtues. It is far more likely that God miraculously endowed some tree with the property of purifying the bitter water--a tree employed as the medium, but the sweetening was not dependent upon the nature or quality of the tree, but the power of God (compare Joh 9:6). And hence the "statute and ordinance" that followed, which would have been singularly inopportune if no miracle had been wrought.
and there he proved them--God now brought the Israelites into circumstances which would put their faith and obedience to the test (compare Ge 22:1).

JFB.

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Exodus 15 Images and Notes

Brief Summary: The Israelites sing the song of Moses, they praise the Lord because he is a great warrior and goes to battle for them, Israel rejoices over their deliverance out of Egypt, they come to Marah and the Lord heals the bitter waters, the Lord promises healing if he is trusted, they come to an oasis called Elim.

Outline
1 Moses' song
22 The people find water
23 The bitter waters at Marah are sweetened.
27 The people come to Elim where there were 12 wells of water.

Photo of Date Palms in the Jordan Valley

Important Topics for Bible Study
Moses and all of Israel praise the Lord
fearful [in] praises
Israel arrived at the bitter waters of Marah
The people murmured against their leader Moses
Moses brings their cry before the Lord
The bitter waters are sweetened
He proved them
Jehovah Rapha
Israel comes to an oasis called Elim
They found 12 wells of water and 70 palm trees

Quick Reference Map

Map of the Possible Route of the Exodus (Click to Enlarge)

Ancient Customs
Song
singing
timbrel and dancing
Pharaoh's chariots and his host
habitation
prophetess
murmured
a statute and an ordinance
encampment

Ancient People
God, Moses, Miriam
the LORD

Geography
Egypt
Edom
Moab
the Red sea
the wilderness

Quick Reference Maps

The Exodus of the Hebrews

Mount Horeb

The Red Sea

Map of the Red Sea and Egypt (Click to Enlarge)

The Old Testament

Exodus Resources

Moses and the Exodus
The Giving of the Law
The Tabernacle
The Wilderness Wanderings