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The Song of Moses and Israel

15 Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this [a]song to the Lord, singing,

“I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously;
The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea.

“The Lord is my strength and my song,
And He has become my salvation;
This is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

“The Lord is a warrior;
The Lord is His name.

“Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has thrown into the sea;
His chosen captains are drowned in the [b]Red Sea.

“The deep [water] covers them;
[Clad in armor] they sank into the depths like a stone.

“Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in power;
Your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy.

“In the greatness of Your majesty You overthrow and annihilate those [adversaries] who rise [in rebellion] against You;
You send out Your fury, and it consumes them like chaff.

“With the blast of Your nostrils the waters piled up,
The flowing waters stood up like a mound;
The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.

“The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil;
My desire shall be satisfied against them;
I will draw my sword, my hand shall dispossess them and drive them out.’
10 
“You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them;
[Clad in armor] they sank like lead in the mighty waters.
11 
“Who is like You among the gods, O Lord?
Who is like You, majestic in holiness,
Awesome in splendor, working wonders?
12 
“You stretched out Your right hand,
The [c]sea swallowed them.
13 
“You in Your lovingkindness and goodness have led the people whom You have redeemed;
In Your strength You have guided them with care to Your holy habitation.
14 
“The peoples have heard [about You], they tremble;
Anguish and fear has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 
“Then the [tribal] chiefs of Edom were dismayed and horrified;
The [mighty] leaders of Moab, trembling grips them;
All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away [in despair]—
16 
Terror and dread fall on them;
Because of the greatness of Your arm they are as still as a stone;
Until Your people pass by and [into Canaan], O Lord,
Until the people pass by whom You have purchased.
17 
“You will bring them [into the land of promise] and plant them on the mountain (Mt. Moriah in Jerusalem) of Your inheritance,
The place, O Lord, You have made for Your dwelling [among them],
The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.
18 
“The Lord shall reign to eternity and beyond.”

19 For the horses of Pharaoh went with his war-chariots and his charioteers into the sea, and the Lord brought back the waters of the sea on them, but the sons of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea.

20 Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron [and Moses], took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her with timbrels and dancing.(A) 21 Miriam answered them,

“Sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously and is highly exalted;
The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea.”

The Lord Provides Water

22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went into the Wilderness of Shur; they went [a distance of] three days (about thirty-three miles) in the wilderness and found no water. 23 Then they came to Marah, but they could not drink its waters because they were [d]bitter; therefore it was named Marah (bitter). 24 The people [grew discontented and] grumbled at Moses, saying, “What are we going to drink?” 25 Then he cried to the Lord [for help], and the Lord showed him a tree, [a branch of] which he threw into the waters, and the waters became sweet.

There the Lord made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there [e]He tested them, 26 saying, “If you will diligently listen and pay attention to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and listen to His commandments, and keep [foremost in your thoughts and actively obey] all His precepts and statutes, then I will not put on you any of the diseases which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am the [f]Lord who heals you.”

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

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 15:1 It was natural enough to create and sing a song of celebration to the Lord at this point, but the song, with all its detail, undoubtedly served as a memory device as well, a way to embed the account of the miracle in the minds of the people of Israel.
  2. Exodus 15:4 Lit Sea of Reeds.
  3. Exodus 15:12 Lit earth.
  4. Exodus 15:23 The water may have been like that of the Dead Sea, which has such a high salt content that it is bitter, and the natural reaction when attempting to sample it is to spit it out immediately.
  5. Exodus 15:25 God tests His people to see if they are learning from past experiences and growing in spiritual maturity.
  6. Exodus 15:26 Heb YHWH (Yahweh)-Ropheeka.

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)

19 When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen[e] went into the sea,(BB) the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.(BC) 20 Then Miriam(BD) the prophet,(BE) Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels(BF) and dancing.(BG) 21 Miriam sang(BH) to them:

“Sing to the Lord,
    for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver(BI)
    he has hurled into the sea.”(BJ)

The Waters of Marah and Elim

22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert(BK) of Shur.(BL) For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water.(BM) 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.[f](BN)) 24 So the people grumbled(BO) against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”(BP)

25 Then Moses cried out(BQ) to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw(BR) it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.

There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test.(BS) 26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep(BT) all his decrees,(BU) I will not bring on you any of the diseases(BV) I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals(BW) you.”

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

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
  5. Exodus 15:19 Or charioteers
  6. Exodus 15:23 Marah means bitter.