Exodus15
New American Standard
1Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying: “I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea.
2The Lord is my strength and 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.
3The Lord is a warrior; The Lord is His name.
4Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has thrown into the sea; And the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea.
5The waters cover them; They went down into the depths like a stone.
6Your right hand, Lord, is majestic in power; Your right hand, Lord, destroys the enemy.
7And in the greatness of Your excellence You overthrow those who rise up against You; You send out Your burning anger, and it consumes them like chaff.
8At the blast of Your nostrils the waters were piled up, The flowing waters stood up like a heap; The depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.
9The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoils; I shall be satisfied against them; I will draw my sword, my hand will destroy them.’
10You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
11Who is like You among the gods, Lord? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, Awesome in praises, working wonders?
12You reached out with Your right hand, The earth swallowed them.
13In Your faithfulness You have led the people whom You have redeemed; In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation.
14The peoples have heard, they tremble; Anguish has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia.
15Then the chiefs of Edom were terrified; The leaders of Moab, trembling grips them; All the inhabitants of Canaan have despaired.
16Terror and dread fall upon them; By the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone, Until Your people pass over, Lord, Until the people pass over whom You have purchased.
17You will bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, The place, Lord, which You have made as Your dwelling, The sanctuary, Lord, which Your hands have established.
18The Lord shall reign forever and ever.”
19For the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, and the Lord brought back the waters of the sea on them, but the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea.
20Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing.
21And Miriam answered them, “Sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.”
22Then 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.
23When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, because they were bitter; for that reason it was named Marah.
24So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”
25Then he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet. There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them.
26And He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and listen to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer.”
27Then they came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside the waters.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Exodus 15.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The song of Moses for the deliverance of Israel. (1–21). The bitter waters at Marah, The Israelites come to Elim. (22–27).
vv1-21
This song is the most ancient we know of. It is a holy song, to the honour of God, to exalt his name, and celebrate his praise, and his only, not in the least to magnify any man. Holiness to the Lord is in every part of it. It may be considered as typical, and prophetical of the final destruction of the enemies of the church. Happy the people whose God is the Lord. They have work to do, temptations to grapple with, and afflictions to bear, and are weak in themselves; but his grace is their strength. They are often in sorrow, but in him they have comfort; he is their song. Sin, and death, and hell threaten them, but he is, and will be their salvation. The Lord is a God of almighty power, and woe to those that strive with their Maker! He is a God of matchless perfection; he is glorious in holiness; his holiness is his glory. His holiness appears in the hatred of sin, and his wrath against obstinate sinners. It appears in the deliverance of Israel, and his faithfulness to his own promise. He is fearful in praises; that which is matter of praise to the servants of God, is very dreadful to his enemies. He is doing wonders, things out of the common course of nature; wondrous to those in whose favour they are wrought, who are so unworthy, that they had no reason to expect them. There were wonders of power and wonders of grace; in both, God was to be humbly adored.
vv22-27
In the wilderness of Shur the Israelites had no water. At Marah they had water, but it was bitter; so that they could not drink it. God can make bitter to us that from which we promise ourselves most, and often does so in the wilderness of this world, that our wants, and disappointments in the creature, may drive us to the Creator, in whose favour alone true comfort is to be had. In this distress the people fretted, and quarrelled with Moses. Hypocrites may show high affections, and appear earnest in religious exercises, but in the time of temptation they fall away. Even true believers, in seasons of sharp trial, will be tempted to fret, distrust, and murmur. But in every trial we should cast our care upon the Lord, and pour out our hearts before him. We shall then find that a submissive will, a peaceful conscience, and the comforts of the Holy Ghost, will render the bitterest trial tolerable, yea, pleasant. Moses did what the people had neglected to do; he cried unto the Lord. And God provided graciously for them. He directed Moses to a tree which he cast into the waters, when, at once, they were made sweet. Some make this tree typical of the cross of Christ, which sweetens the bitter waters of affliction to all the faithful, and enables them to rejoice in tribulation. But a rebellious Israelite shall fare no better than a rebellious Egyptian. The threatening is implied only, the promise is expressed. God is the great Physician. If we are kept well, it is he that keeps us; if we are made well, it is he that recovers us. He is our life and the length of our days. Let us not forget that we are kept from destruction, and delivered from our enemies, to be the Lord's servants. At Elim they had good water, and enough of it. Though God may, for a time, order his people to encamp by the bitter waters of Marah, that shall not always be their lot. Let us not faint at tribulations.
Key Words
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
שִׁיר: to sing
שִׁיר: a song; abstractly, singing
כִּי: (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
גָּאָה: to mount up; hence, in general, to rise, (figuratively) be majestic
סוּס: a horse (as leaping); also a swallow (from its rapid flight)
רָכַב: to ride (on an animal or in a vehicle); causatively, to place upon (for riding or generally), to despatch
רָמָה: to hurl; specifically, to shoot; figuratively, to delude or betray (as if causing to fall)
Cross References
Exodus 15Explicitly named 'the song of Moses... and the song of the Lamb' celebrating final victory over beasts.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Directly quotes this verse: 'The Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.'
Supported by John Calvin
The historical account of the east wind that congealed the waters and made them stand.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Direct parallel tracking the three-day journey from the Red Sea to the wilderness of Shur.
Supported by JFB
Direct parallel describing the encampment at Elim, with its twelve fountains and seventy palm trees.
Supported by JFB
Echoes bringing the redeemed people to His holy border and the mountain purchased by His right hand.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Fulfillment of the prophecy that the inhabitants of Canaan would melt away with fear of Israel.
Lists Miriam alongside Moses and Aaron as leaders sent before Israel.
Supported by JFB
Illuminates the term 'prophetess' used of women participating in public, inspired worship.
Supported by JFB
Shows the pattern of Israel's repeated murmuring in the wilderness immediately following this first instance.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Poetic reflection on God testing and proving Israel at the waters of Meribah and Marah.
Supported by JFB
Explains the theological purpose of God leading Israel in the wilderness to prove and test them.
Supported by JFB
Explicit promise that God will take away sickness and put none of the evil diseases of Egypt on them.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Reflects the immediate historical response of Israel: 'Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.'
Parallels the personal, covenantal confession: 'This is our God... we will be glad and rejoice.'
Supported by John Calvin
Provides the historical details of the waters returning to cover the chariots and host.
Poetically describes the waters and deeps reacting to God's presence, echoing the song.
The 'Song of Moses and the Lamb' sung by those who triumph over the beast, echoing this deliverance.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Miraculous sweetening of bitter waters by casting in a material element, parallel to Elisha's miracle.
Supported by JFB
Parallel miracle where a natural substance (meal) is used to cure a deadly, bitter pot of stew.
Supported by JFB
Praises Yahweh as the one who forgives iniquities and heals all diseases, echoing 'I am Jehovah-Ropheka'.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The Song of Deborah, another key victory anthem in Israel's history of deliverance.
Expands on God as the believer's fortress, strength, and horn of salvation.
Internal connection celebrating the glorious power of Jehovah's right hand in crushing enemies.
Historical fulfillment of Edom's anxiety and refusal to let Israel pass through their borders.
Earlier mention of the wilderness of Shur, locating it on the way to Egypt.
Supported by JFB
Parallel crisis at Rephidim where the thirsty people again murmured against Moses for water.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The flipside of the promise: disobedience brings the diseases of Egypt back upon Israel.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Establishes the chronological itinerary as Israel journeys next from Elim into the wilderness of Sin.
Supported by JFB