MARA
“bitter, bitterness.”
(a) Fountain of bitter waters in the desert of Shur, on the road to Sinai. Three days or more after crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites camped at Marah.
The poor quality of the water made them murmur against Moses. With a certain wood, which God commanded them to throw into these waters, they made them sweet (Ex. 15:23-26; Num. 33:8, 9).
Mara is generally identified with “‘Ain Hawãrah”, about 75 km from Suez, and a few km from the Red Sea, from which Mara is separated by a chain of hills.
The well is much larger at the bottom than at the rim. Its depth is about 7 to 8 m. As the region’s soil is rich in sodium, the water is saline and bitter.
(b) Nickname Naomi gave herself to evoke his mourning (Rt. 1:20).