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Chapter 15

The Song of Moses and Miriam.[a] Moses and the children of Israel therefore sang this song to the Lord:

“I will sing in honor of the Lord, for he is gloriously triumphant,
    horse and horseman he has cast into the sea.
My strength and my song is the Lord,
    for he has saved me.
He is my God, and I wish to praise him,
    the God of my father, and I wish to exalt him.
“The Lord is a warrior,
    Lord is his name.
He has cast Pharaoh’s chariots and his army into the sea.
    His choice troops were drowned in the Red Sea.
The depths covered them
    and they sank like a stone.
“Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in its power.
    Your right hand, O Lord, has destroyed the enemy.
With the greatness of your majesty you have overthrown those who rose up against you.
    You sent forth your anger and it devoured them like straw.
At the breath of your nostrils, the waters piled up.
    The flood waters piled up and stood like a mound;
    the deep waters congealed in the midst of the sea.
“The enemy had said, ‘I will pursue and overtake them.
    I will divide the spoil, and my passion will be satisfied on them.
    I will draw my sword, and my hand will destroy them.’
10 You blew your wind, and the sea covered them.
    Like lead they sank in the mighty waters.
11 “Who is like you among the gods, O Lord?
    Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
    awesome in praise, doing wonders?
12 You extended your right hand
    and the earth swallowed them.
13 “In your mercy you guided the people you had redeemed.
    You guided them with strength to your holy dwelling.
14 The people will hear and be afraid.
    Anguish will seize the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 The leaders of Edom tremble,
    the mighty ones of Moab are gripped with fear,
    all the inhabitants of Canaan melt away.
16 Fear and terror fall upon them.
    The greatness of your arm makes them still as stone,
    until your people have passed over, O Lord,
    until your people whom you have acquired have passed over.
17 You will bring them in and plant them
    on the mountain of your inheritance,
    in the place that you have prepared for your dwelling, O Lord,
    the sanctuary that your own hands have founded.
18 The Lord reigns forever and ever.”

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 15:1 Although this hymn is here put into the mouth of the leader, it shows the extent to which the biblical poets were determined to magnify the wonders that accompanied the crossing of the Red Sea (see Ps 106:9; Wis 19:6-9). The refrain attributed to Miriam, Moses’ sister (Ex 15:21), may be regarded as the seed out of which the poem grew; it was later expanded (vv. 4-5, 8) and subsequently completed, for the song also in fact extols the journey to the Promised Land (vv. 13-16) and the building of the Temple (v. 17), both of which were other signs of God’s merciful presence in the midst of his people.

The Song of Moses and Miriam

15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song(A) to the Lord:

“I will sing(B) to the Lord,
    for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver(C)
    he has hurled into the sea.(D)

“The Lord is my strength(E) and my defense[a];
    he has become my salvation.(F)
He is my God,(G) and I will praise him,
    my father’s God, and I will exalt(H) him.
The Lord is a warrior;(I)
    the Lord is his name.(J)
Pharaoh’s chariots and his army(K)
    he has hurled into the sea.
The best of Pharaoh’s officers
    are drowned in the Red Sea.[b]
The deep waters(L) have covered them;
    they sank to the depths like a stone.(M)
Your right hand,(N) Lord,
    was majestic in power.
Your right hand,(O) Lord,
    shattered(P) the enemy.

“In the greatness of your majesty(Q)
    you threw down those who opposed you.
You unleashed your burning anger;(R)
    it consumed(S) them like stubble.
By the blast of your nostrils(T)
    the waters piled up.(U)
The surging waters stood up like a wall;(V)
    the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.(W)
The enemy boasted,
    ‘I will pursue,(X) I will overtake them.
I will divide the spoils;(Y)
    I will gorge myself on them.
I will draw my sword
    and my hand will destroy them.’
10 But you blew with your breath,(Z)
    and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
    in the mighty waters.(AA)
11 Who among the gods
    is like you,(AB) Lord?
Who is like you—
    majestic in holiness,(AC)
awesome in glory,(AD)
    working wonders?(AE)

12 “You stretch out(AF) your right hand,
    and the earth swallows your enemies.(AG)
13 In your unfailing love you will lead(AH)
    the people you have redeemed.(AI)
In your strength you will guide them
    to your holy dwelling.(AJ)
14 The nations will hear and tremble;(AK)
    anguish(AL) will grip the people of Philistia.(AM)
15 The chiefs(AN) of Edom(AO) will be terrified,
    the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling,(AP)
the people[c] of Canaan will melt(AQ) away;
16     terror(AR) and dread will fall on them.
By the power of your arm
    they will be as still as a stone(AS)
until your people pass by, Lord,
    until the people you bought[d](AT) pass by.(AU)
17 You will bring(AV) them in and plant(AW) them
    on the mountain(AX) of your inheritance—
the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling,(AY)
    the sanctuary,(AZ) Lord, your hands established.

18 “The Lord reigns
    for ever and ever.”(BA)

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 15:2 Or song
  2. Exodus 15:4 Or the Sea of Reeds; also in verse 22
  3. Exodus 15:15 Or rulers
  4. Exodus 15:16 Or created