Exodus 15:27

Then they came to Elim, ¹  where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there by the water.

Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.

Then they came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside the waters.

After leaving Marah, they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees. They camped there beside the springs.

They came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. They set up camp there by the water.

And they came to Elim where there were twelve water-springs and seventy palm-trees: and they put up their tents there by the waters.

Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; and they camped there by the water.

Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters.

Then they came to Elim, ¹  where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there by the water.

¹ sn Judging from the way the story is told they were not far from the oasis. But God had other plans for them, to see if they would trust him wholeheartedly and obey. They did not do very well this first time, and they will have to learn how to obey. The lesson is clear: God uses adversity to test his people’s loyalty. The response to adversity must be prayer to God, for he can turn the bitter into the sweet, the bad into the good, and the prospect of death into life.