Exodus 15:22
ESV
Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water.
NIV
Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water.
NASB
Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.
CSB
Then Moses led Israel on from the Red Sea, and they went out to the Wilderness of Shur. They journeyed for three days in the wilderness without finding water.
NLT
Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the desert of Shur. They traveled in this desert for three days without finding any water.
KJV
So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
NKJV
So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.
What does Exodus 15:22 mean?
This begins a new section, following the celebration of Israel's miraculous Red Sea crossing (Exodus 15:1). The people have come to this side of the sea by walking on dry land provided by God's supernatural power. The Egyptian army which pursued them was drowned attempting to follow (Exodus 14:21–29). Now Israel truly begins their journey through the "wilderness:" the sparsely inhabited regions of the Sinai Peninsula.Moses directs the people to head towards Shur (Genesis 20:1; 1 Samuel 15:7). This is where Hagar, Abraham's concubine, ran away from Sarah and met an angel (Genesis 16:7). The word shuwr literally means "wall," so this was likely an area near a mountainous ridge. Here, the Israelites meet their first major challenge: finding drinkable water. Even if they had taken ample quantities when they left Egypt (Exodus 12:33–39), three days is a long time without resupply. At the very least, most of the people would have been out of water with no immediate prospects to find more.
When they do locate water, it will be polluted somehow (Exodus 15:23). This will lead to unreasonable criticism against Moses (Exodus 15:24).
