And the people murmured against Moses ,.... For bringing them into a wilderness where they could find no water fit to drink; saying: what shall we drink ? what shall we do for drink? where can we drink? this water is not drinkable, and, unless we have something to drink, we, and our wives, and children, and servants, and cattle, must all perish. read more
The people murmured - They were in a state of great mental degradation, owing to their long and oppressive vassalage, and had no firmness of character. See Clarke's note on Exodus 13:17 . read more
The well of bitterness. "For I am Jehovah that healeth thee" ( Exodus 15:26 ). A new chapter of history now opens, that of the wandering; it comprises the following passages. 1 . Two months to Sinai. 2 . Eleven months at Sinai. 3 . Thirty-eight years of virtual settling down in the wilderness of Paran. 4 . March upon Canaan in the last year. Introductory to this sermon give description of the journey from the sea to Marah, keeping prominent these points, the first... read more
Marah and Ellim. "So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea, anti they went out into the wilderness of Shur," etc. The main topics here are— I. THE SWEET FOLLOWED BY THE BITTER . Singing these songs of triumph, and praising God with timbrel and dance, on the further shores of the Red Sea, the Israelites may have felt as if nothing remained to them but to sing and dance the rest of their way to Canaan. They would regard their trials as practically at an end. It would be with... read more
The want of water and the want of faith-Marah and Elim. It will be noticed at once how the interest of this passage is gathered round that great natural necessity, water. It is a necessity to man in so many ways. He needs it for drinking, for cleansing, for cooking, and for helping to renew the face of the earth. We may note also that Israel was soon to discover the necessity of water in ceremonial duties. A great deal of water had to be used in the tabernacle service. ( Exodus 29:4 ; ... read more
I will hear what God, the Lord, will say. There is no reason why a powerful sermon should not be preached from a seemingly strange text. All depends on how the text is treated. God himself is the greatest of all preachers. See what sort of a sermon he preached from a text which most would have thought unpromising. I. THE TEXT ( Exodus 15:22-25 ). 1 . What it was . Israel three days without water; at length "a large mound, a whitish petrifaction," from which flowed a... read more
Trial and Blessing. I. THE CLOUD AND SUNSHINE OF THE PILGRIM LIFE . The weariness of the wilderness journey, the disappointment of Marah, and the comforts of Elim, all lie along the appointed way. II. A HEAVY TRIAL BADLY BORNE . The wilderness thirst had been endured without a murmur; but when in addition they were mocked by the bitter springs of Marah their spirit broke. 1 . The end of a prayerless faith is soon reached. If we have not learned to cast... read more
The trials and vicissitudes of life. Israel in the wilderness is a type of our pilgrimage through life. I. MONOTONY . The long weary sameness of days each exactly resembling the last ( Exodus 15:22 )—the desert all around us—and no water! No refreshing draughts from that living spring, which becomes in them that drink it "a well of water springing up into everlasting life" ( John 4:14 ). Israel was afflicted by want of earthly water for three days. Many poor pilgrims through the... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 15:22-27
It should seem, it was with some difficulty that Moses prevailed with Israel to leave that triumphant shore on which they sang the foregoing song. They were so taken up with the sight, or with the song, or with the spoiling of the dead bodies, that they cared not to go forward, but Moses with much ado brought them from the Red Sea into a wilderness. The pleasures of our way to Canaan must not retard our progress, but quicken it, though we have a wilderness before us. Now here we are told, I.... read more