Bitter Water
/BIT-ter WAW-ter/
Summary
Undrinkable water at Marah made sweet by God's provision, and the water of testing for a wife suspected of adultery.
☩Marah
Three days after crossing the Red Sea, Israel came to Marah, where the water was bitter and undrinkable. When Moses cried to the Lord, God showed him a tree to cast into the water, making it sweet.
Key verses:Exodus 15:23-25
☩Test of Jealousy
If a man suspected his wife of unfaithfulness, the priest would make her drink 'bitter water'—holy water mixed with dust from the tabernacle floor—with curses written and washed into it. If guilty, the water would bring physical suffering; if innocent, she would be cleared.
Key verses:Numbers 5:11-31
