Complete Bible Study Guide

What Does the Bible Say About Bitter Water?

11 Scripture references with full text and commentary

Understanding Bitter Water in the Bible

Discover 11 Bible verses about bitter water. This comprehensive collection of Scripture quotes reveals God's wisdom and guidance on bitter water, with verses from across the Old and New Testaments.

11
Total Verses
11
Old Testament
0
New Testament

Top 10 Verses About Bitter Water

  1. 1
    Exodus 15:23
    And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. Marah: that is Bitterness
    KJV
  2. 2
    Numbers 5:18
    And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and uncover the woman's head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse:
    KJV
  3. 3
    Numbers 5:19
    And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse: with another: or, being in the power of thy husband: Heb. under thy husband
    KJV
  4. 4
    Numbers 5:20
    But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee beside thine husband:
    KJV
  5. 5
    Numbers 5:21
    Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, The LORD make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the LORD doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell; rot: Heb. fall
    KJV
  6. 6
    Numbers 5:22
    And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.
    KJV
  7. 7
    Numbers 5:23
    And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water:
    KJV
  8. 8
    Numbers 5:24
    And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causeth the curse: and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter.
    KJV
  9. 9
    Numbers 5:25
    Then the priest shall take the jealousy offering out of the woman's hand, and shall wave the offering before the LORD, and offer it upon the altar:
    KJV
  10. 10
    Numbers 5:26
    And the priest shall take an handful of the offering, even the memorial thereof, and burn it upon the altar, and afterward shall cause the woman to drink the water.
    KJV

Subtopics of Bitter Water

At Marah
A ceremonial water used by the priest

Old Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Bitter Water? (11 Verses)

And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. Marah: that is Bitterness
And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and uncover the woman's head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse:
And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse: with another: or, being in the power of thy husband: Heb. under thy husband
But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee beside thine husband:
Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, The LORD make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the LORD doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell; rot: Heb. fall
And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.
And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water:
And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causeth the curse: and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter.
Then the priest shall take the jealousy offering out of the woman's hand, and shall wave the offering before the LORD, and offer it upon the altar:
And the priest shall take an handful of the offering, even the memorial thereof, and burn it upon the altar, and afterward shall cause the woman to drink the water.
And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, that, if she be defiled, and have done trespass against her husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman shall be a curse among her people.

How to Study What the Bible Says About Bitter Water

  1. 1

    Begin by reading through every verse listed on this page, noting which ones speak most directly to your current season of life. Write them down and revisit them throughout the week.

  2. 2

    Use a concordance or the search tools on this site to find additional passages about bitter water. Look for patterns across both the Old and New Testaments to gain a complete picture of what God reveals on this subject.

  3. 3

    Study the context of each verse. Read the surrounding chapter to understand who was speaking, who the audience was, and what circumstances prompted the passage. Context prevents misapplication.

  4. 4

    Memorise at least one key verse about bitter water and meditate on it daily. Scripture memory transforms thinking and equips you to apply God's Word in real-time situations.

Practical Application

Studying what the Bible says about bitter water is only the beginning. Scripture is meant to be lived out in daily obedience and faith. Here are practical steps to apply these truths:

  • Identify one area of your life where the biblical teaching on bitter water needs to be applied more consistently. Write a specific, actionable step you can take this week.

  • Share what you have learned about bitter water with a fellow believer or in a small group setting. Teaching others solidifies your own understanding and encourages mutual growth.

  • Pray through the key verses about bitter water, asking God to reveal how His Word applies to your relationships, decisions, and daily habits.

How Well Do You Know What the Bible Says About Bitter Water?

You have studied 11 verses about bitter water. Now test your knowledge with chapter-by-chapter quizzes covering the books where these verses appear.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Bible say about bitter water?
Discover 11 Bible verses about bitter water. This comprehensive collection of Scripture quotes reveals God's wisdom and guidance on bitter water, with verses from across the Old and New Testaments. The Bible contains 11 key verses about bitter water spanning both Old and New Testaments.
How many Bible verses about bitter water are there?
There are 11 key Bible verses about bitter water compiled in this study guide, drawn from books across both the Old and New Testaments.
What is the best verse about bitter water?
One of the most well-known and frequently cited verses about bitter water is Exodus 15:23 — "And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. Marah: that..."
Where in the Bible does it talk about bitter water?
Bitter Water is discussed throughout the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. You can find 11 references to this topic across multiple books including the Psalms, Proverbs, the Gospels, and the Epistles.

Continue Studying Bitter Water

Topics Included

This page consolidates Bible verses from 2 related topics:

bitter water