The Twelve Springs and Seventy Palms of Elim

"And they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees" (Exodus 15:27). Scripture tells us that this place was poorer in water than any other place, for there were only twelve sources there, and they supplied only seventy date palms. Yet when Israel came they encamped, six hundred thousand people, and the springs supplied them with water, and they lodged there and repeated and tripled their stay. "And they camped there by the waters." This teaches that Israel would encamp only by water, thus the words of Rabbi Yehoshua. Rabbi Elazar of Modi'in says: from the day the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world He created there twelve springs corresponding to the twelve tribes, and seventy date palms corresponding to the seventy elders. "And they camped there by the waters." This teaches that they would sit and occupy themselves with the words of the Torah that had been given to them at Marah.