Standard 3 · Lesson 8

The Waters of Marah

Reading Portion

Exo. 15:22-27

Exo. 15:22-27 ↗

After crossing the Red Sea, the children of Israel were filled with hope. God had promised to lead them to Canaan—a wonderful land flowing with milk and honey. So they packed their tents, gathered their families, and followed Moses into the wide, open wilderness.

For three days they walked under the hot sun. Their sandals grew dusty, and their water jars grew empty. Everyone—children, parents, and even their animals—was very thirsty.
At last they saw a place called Marah, where water sparkled in the distance. “Water! Water!” the people cried with joy as they ran toward it. But when they tried to drink it, their smiles faded. The water tasted terrible—so bitter they couldn’t swallow it.
The people grew upset. “What will we drink?” they murmured. “Why did we come here?”

1. The children of Israel set out with the hope of reaching Canaan, a land flowing…

  1. The children of Israel set out with the hope of reaching Canaan, a…

    The children of Israel set out with the hope of reaching Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey (Exo. 3:8).

2. They crossed the Red Sea and entered the wilderness (Exo.

  1. They crossed the Red Sea and entered the wilderness (Exo.

    They crossed the Red Sea and entered the wilderness (Exo. 15:22).

3. Then they came to Marah where the water was bitter (Exo.

  1. Then they came to Marah where the water was bitter (Exo.

    Then they came to Marah where the water was bitter (Exo. 15:23).

4. The people murmured because they could not drink the water (Exo.

  1. The people murmured because they could not drink the water (Exo.

    The people murmured because they could not drink the water (Exo. 15:23,24).

5. Moses cast into the waters the tree which the Lord showed and the waters became…

  1. Moses cast into the waters the tree which the Lord showed and the…

    Moses cast into the waters the tree which the Lord showed and the waters became sweet (Exo. 15:25).

6. The promise of Divine Healing (Exo.

  1. The promise of Divine Healing (Exo.

    The promise of Divine Healing (Exo. 15:26).

7. They came to Elim where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees (Exo.

  1. They came to Elim where there were twelve wells of water and seventy…

    They came to Elim where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees (Exo. 15:27).

Syllabus text

1. The children of Israel set out with the hope of reaching Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey (Exo. 3:8).

2. They crossed the Red Sea and entered the wilderness (Exo. 15:22).

3. Then they came to Marah where the water was bitter (Exo. 15:23).

4. The people murmured because they could not drink the water (Exo. 15:23,24).

5. Moses cast into the waters the tree which the Lord showed and the waters became sweet (Exo. 15:25).

6. The promise of Divine Healing (Exo. 15:26).

7. They came to Elim where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees (Exo. 15:27).

Moral

Just as God made the bitter water sweet for the children of Israel in the wilderness, Jesus turns all our bitter experiences sweet for us through His death on the cross.

Memory Verse

“And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.”

Exodus 23:25

Resources

The Waters of Marah — Bible story video

Video