Single lesson
Bitter Water Becomes Sweet
Exodus 15:22–27
After crossing the Red Sea, Israel faced a new problem in the wilderness: they could not find water to drink. In this lesson, children follow the journey from Marah to Elim and notice what the passage says about people’s responses and Yahweh’s actions.
Before you teach
Israel travelled into the wilderness of Shur and found no water for three days. At Marah, they could not drink the water because it was bitter, so the people murmured against Moses. Moses cried to Yahweh, Yahweh made the water sweet, spoke to the people, and then brought them to Elim with many springs and palm trees.
Students will be able to retell the sequence in Exodus 15:22–27 and identify that Yahweh showed Moses what to do, made the water sweet, spoke commands, and said, “I am Yahweh who heals you.”
Welcome: The journey begins
4 minAsk children to imagine travelling for three days and still not finding water. Explain that Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea into the wilderness of Shur, and for three days they found no water. Tell the class to listen for the problem, the responses, and the outcome as the passage is read.
Exodus 15:22
Read and explain: Marah and the complaint
7 minRead Exodus 15:22–27 aloud. Explain that when Israel came to Marah, they could not drink the water because it was bitter. The place was called Marah. Point out the people’s response in the text: they murmured against Moses and asked, “What shall we drink?”
Exodus 15:23, Exodus 15:24
Discuss: What Yahweh did at Marah
7 minShow the contrast between the people and Moses. The people murmured against Moses, but Moses cried to Yahweh. Yahweh showed Moses a tree, Moses threw it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. The passage also says that there Yahweh made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there he tested them.
Exodus 15:24, Exodus 15:25
Make and respond: Sequence Marah to Elim
8 minChildren make simple sequence cards for the account: wilderness, no water, Marah, bitter water, complaint, Moses cried to Yahweh, tree, sweet water, Yahweh’s words, Elim. As they put the cards in order, explain that Yahweh told them to listen to his voice, do what is right in his eyes, pay attention to his commandments, and keep his statutes. He also spoke about the diseases put on the Egyptians and said, “I am Yahweh who heals you.” This verse tells the class what Yahweh said there, without making every sickness situation the same in every time and place.
Exodus 15:22, Exodus 15:23, Exodus 15:24, Exodus 15:25, Exodus 15:26, Exodus 15:27
Closing: From bitter water to many springs
4 minFinish by reading the end of the passage again. At Marah the water was bitter and the people could not drink it. At Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there by the waters. Review how the account moves from need at Marah to plentiful water at Elim.
Exodus 15:23, Exodus 15:27
Questions to explore
What problem did Israel face before and at Marah?
First, they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. Then at Marah they could not drink the water because it was bitter.
Exodus 15:22, Exodus 15:23
How did the people respond, and how did Moses respond?
Compare the two actions in the text: the people murmured against Moses, and Moses cried to Yahweh.
Exodus 15:24, Exodus 15:25
What does this passage say about Yahweh?
Look for Yahweh’s actions and words in the passage: he showed Moses what to do, made the water sweet, spoke commands, and said, “I am Yahweh who heals you.”
Exodus 15:25, Exodus 15:26
Make, think or respond
Journey Sequence Cards
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or markers
- scissors
- Bible
Try it together
- Write or draw one part of the account on each card: wilderness, no water, Marah, bitter water, complaint, Moses cried to Yahweh, tree, sweet water, Yahweh’s words, Elim.
- Mix the cards and ask children to work together to place them in the correct order from Exodus 15:22–27.
- Read the verses again and check the order as a group.
- Ask children to choose one card and say what happened there in their own words.
This activity helps children follow the order of the passage and notice the difference between Marah and Elim, along with the responses of the people, Moses, and Yahweh.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, prepare picture-based cards and let them retell the account with short phrases from each verse.
- For older children, ask them to sort the cards into problem, people’s response, Moses’ response, Yahweh’s action, Yahweh’s words, and outcome.
An optional closing prayer
You may pray: “Yahweh God, thank you for what you showed your people in the wilderness. Please help us listen carefully to your voice and remember what you say and do. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Exodus 15
22 Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
23 When they came to Marah, they couldn’t drink from the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore its name was called Marah.
24 The people murmured against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”
25 Then he cried to Yahweh. Yahweh showed him a tree, and he threw it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There he made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there he tested them.
26 He said, “If you will diligently listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you.”
27 They came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. They encamped there by the waters.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.