MARAH (Heb. Mārāh, Septuagint Μέρρα "bitterness"). - A spring of bitter water in the desert of Shur (v.), where the Israelites stopped on the third day after the crossing of the Red Sea (Ex. 15:23-26). From the 4th century it was commonly identified with 'Ajūn Mūsā ("fountains of Moses"), 15 km southeast of Suez and 30 km from the Bitter Lakes.

In 1494 Fr. Suriano (v.) thought of a location closer to Sinai, and since 1822 it has been customary to identify M. with 'Ajn Ḥawārah, 82 km from Suez. The main reason for the shift is the convenience of the stages; however, given the scantiness of the water, some prefer to return to the traditional position. The location of M. is closely connected with that of the place where the crossing of the Red Sea occurred.

Bibliography4 works

BIBL.: A. Molini, s. v. in DB, IV, coll. 707-11; B. Meistermann, Guide du Nil au Jourdain, Paris 1909, pp. 55-57; C. Bourdon, La route de l'Essede, in Revue biblique, 41 (1932), p. 549; F.-M. Abel, Géographie de la Palestine, II, Paris 1938, pp. 210, 378.

Bellarmino Bagatti

@incollection{ec8_mara_ebr_marah_settanta_merra, author = {Bagatti, Bellarmino}, title = {Mara (Ebr. MĀRĀH, settanta μέρρα πικρία)}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VIII}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1952}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/mara-ebr-marah-settanta-merra-pikria} }

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