Yahweh made bitter water become good water to drink

22 Then Moses/I led the Israeli people away from the Red Sea (OR, Gulf of Suez). They/we went to the desert at Shur. They/We walked for three days, but they/we could not find any water. 23 So they/we went on and came to a place named Marah. There was water there, but they/we could not drink it, because it was bitter. That is why they named the place Marah, which is the Hebrew word that means ‘bitter’. 24 The people complained to Moses/me, saying, “What are we going to drink?” 25 So Moses/I prayed earnestly to Yahweh. Then Yahweh showed him/me a tree. So he/I cut off one of the branches and threw it into the water, and the water became good to drink. There at Marah, Yahweh gave them various laws to direct their lives. He also tested them there, to determine if they would obey him, 26 by saying, “I am Yahweh, your God. If you will carefully obey me when I speak to you, and do those things that I know are right, and pay close attention to all the things that I command you, I will keep you from being afflicted by all the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians. Do not forget that I am the one who heals you.”

27 After they/we left Marah, they/we came to a place named Elim. There were twelve springs of water and 70 palm trees there. So they/we camped there.