Couldn’t drink water from Mara. Because it was so bitter. This is why the name ‘Mara’ was given to the place.
Marina Raj – Vatican
Moses led the Israelites out of the Red Sea. They traveled for three days in the desert of Sur. No water was visible there. Then they reached Mara. They could not drink the water from the Mara. Because it was so bitter. This is why the name ‘Mara’ was given to the place. The people murmured against Moses, saying, ‘What shall we drink?’ He also raised his voice to the Lord. Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water tasted good. There the Lord tested them by giving laws and regulations. And he said, “If you will carefully listen to the voice of the Lord your God and do what seems good in his eyes, keep his commandments and keep all his laws, I will not bring upon you the plagues that I brought upon Egypt. Because I am the Lord who heals you. Then they reached Elim. There were twelve fountains and seventy palm trees. The Israelites camped by the water.