The answer is: No water to drink

Ex 15:23-24 - Marah means bitter. The water there was too bitter to drink initially.

Imagine leading a huge caravan of about two million people through the wilderness, and suddenly you come across a spot called Marah, which ironically means "bitter." That's the scene in Exodus where the Israelites, fresh out of Egypt and just witnessing monumental miracles, find themselves thirsty and frustrated. The excitement of freedom quickly gives way to despair; their first stop is a bitter water source!

Isn’t it a little funny how even miracle-seers can turn sour in sticky situations? It goes to show that even when we catch glimpses of divinity in our lives—like those parting seas—the thirst for our immediate needs can make us forget where we’ve come from. Historically, the Israelites had seen ten plagues of Egypt, and yet, just some days into their journey, they're grumbling and longing for better days—like some of us looking back on that job we thought was terrible, only to recognize the good once it’s gone!

Interestingly, Marah serves as a prime example of human resilience. After Moses, instructed by God, turned the bitter waters sweet, the Israelites learned the invaluable lesson of trust. Immediately afterward, they ended up at Elim, with its twelve springs and seventy palm trees—a brief taste of that promise land’s abundance. It's a divine framework showing that even during our grumblings, there’s potential growth and deliverance just ahead waiting for us to tap into!