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Exodus 15
New American Standard Bible
Exodus 15
New American Standard Bible
The Song of Moses and Israel
15 (A)Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the Lord, [a]saying:
“[b](B)I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted;
(C)The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea.
2 [c](D)The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
(E)This is my God, and I will praise Him;
(F)My father’s God, and I will (G)exalt Him.
3 (H)The Lord is a warrior;
[d](I)The Lord is His name.
4 (J)Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has thrown into the sea;
And the choicest of his officers are [e]drowned in the [f]Red Sea.
5 The waters cover them;
(K)They went down into the depths like a stone.
6 (L)Your right hand, Lord, is majestic in power;
(M)Your right hand, Lord, destroys the enemy.
7 And in the greatness of Your [g]excellence You (N)overthrow those who rise up against You;
(O)You send out Your burning anger, and it (P)consumes them like chaff.
8 (Q)At the blast of Your nostrils the waters were piled up,
(R)The flowing waters stood up like a heap;
The depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.
9 (S)The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will (T)divide the spoils;
[h]I shall [i]be satisfied against them;
I will draw my sword, my hand will [j]destroy them.’
10 (U)You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them;
(V)They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
11 (W)Who is like You among the gods, Lord?
Who is like You, (X)majestic in holiness,
(Y)Awesome in praises, (Z)working wonders?
12 (AA)You reached out with Your right hand,
The earth swallowed them.
13 In Your [k]faithfulness You have (AB)led the people whom You have (AC)redeemed;
In Your strength You have guided them (AD)to Your holy habitation.
14 (AE)The peoples have heard, they tremble;
Anguish has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 Then the (AF)chiefs of Edom were terrified;
(AG)The leaders of Moab, trembling grips them;
(AH)All the inhabitants of Canaan have despaired.
16 (AI)Terror and dread fall upon them;
(AJ)By the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone,
Until Your people pass over, Lord,
Until the people pass over whom You (AK)have purchased.
17 (AL)You will bring them and (AM)plant them in (AN)the mountain of Your inheritance,
(AO)The place, Lord, which You have made as Your dwelling,
(AP)The sanctuary, Lord, which Your hands have established.
18 (AQ)The Lord shall reign forever and ever.”
19 (AR)For 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 (AS)dry land through the midst of the sea.
20 (AT)Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the (AU)tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with [l](AV)dancing. 21 And Miriam answered them,
“(AW)Sing to the Lord, for He [m]is highly exalted;
The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.”
The Lord Provides Water
22 (AX)Then Moses [n]led Israel from the [o]Red Sea, and they went out into (AY)the wilderness of (AZ)Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to (BA)Marah, they could not drink the waters [p]of Marah, because they were [q]bitter; for that reason it was named [r]Marah. 24 So the people (BB)grumbled at Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” 25 Then he (BC)cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him (BD)a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet.
There He (BE)made for them a statute and regulation, and there He (BF)tested them. 26 And He said, “(BG)If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and listen (BH)to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, (BI)I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, (BJ)the Lord, am your healer.”
27 Then they came to (BK)Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside the waters.
Footnotes
- Exodus 15:1 Lit and said, saying
- Exodus 15:1 Or Let me sing
- Exodus 15:2 Heb Yah
- Exodus 15:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Exodus 15:4 Lit sunk
- Exodus 15:4 Lit Sea of Reeds
- Exodus 15:7 Or exaltation
- Exodus 15:9 Lit My soul
- Exodus 15:9 Lit be filled with them
- Exodus 15:9 Or dispossess; or drive them out
- Exodus 15:13 Or mercy
- Exodus 15:20 Lit dances
- Exodus 15:21 Or has triumphed gloriously
- Exodus 15:22 Lit caused Israel to journey
- Exodus 15:22 Lit Sea of Reeds
- Exodus 15:23 Lit from
- Exodus 15:23 Heb Marim
- Exodus 15:23 I.e., bitterness
Exodus 15
New International Version
Exodus 15
New International Version
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)
2 “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.
3 The Lord is a warrior;(I)
the Lord is his name.(J)
4 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]
5 The deep waters(L) have covered them;
they sank to the depths like a stone.(M)
6 Your right hand,(N) Lord,
was majestic in power.
Your right hand,(O) Lord,
shattered(P) the enemy.
7 “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.
8 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)
9 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
- Exodus 15:2 Or song
- Exodus 15:4 Or the Sea of Reeds; also in verse 22
- Exodus 15:15 Or rulers
- Exodus 15:16 Or created
- Exodus 15:19 Or charioteers
- Exodus 15:23 Marah means bitter.
Exodus 15
Contemporary English Version
Exodus 15
Contemporary English Version
The Song of Moses
15 (A)(B) (C) Moses and the Israelites sang this song in praise of the Lord:
I sing praises to the Lord
for his great victory!
He has thrown the horses
and their riders
into the sea.
2 (D) The Lord is my strength,
the reason for my song,
because he has saved me.
I praise and honor the Lord—
he is my God and the God
of my ancestors.
3 The Lord is his name,
and he is a warrior!
4 He threw the chariots and army
of Egypt's king[a]
into the Red Sea,[b]
and he drowned the best
of the king's officers.
5 They sank to the bottom
just like stones.
6 With the tremendous force
of your right arm, our Lord,
you crushed your enemies.
7 What a great victory was yours,
when you defeated everyone
who opposed you.
Your fiery anger wiped them out,
as though they were straw.
8 You were so furious
that the sea piled up
like a wall,
and the ocean depths
curdled like cheese.
9 Your enemies boasted
that they would
pursue and capture us,
divide up our possessions,
treat us as they wished,
then take out their swords
and kill us right there.
10 But when you got furious,
they sank like lead,
swallowed by ocean waves.
11 Our Lord, no other gods
compare with you—
Majestic and holy!
Fearsome and glorious!
Miracle worker!
12 When you signaled
with your right hand,
your enemies were swallowed
deep into the earth.
13 The people you rescued
were led by your powerful love
to your holy place.
14 Nations learned of this
and trembled—
Philistines shook with horror.
15 The leaders of Edom and of Moab
were terrified.
Everyone in Canaan fainted,
16 struck down by fear.
Our Lord, your powerful arm
kept them still as a rock
until the people you rescued
to be your very own
had marched by.
17 You will let your people settle
on your own mountain,
where you chose to live
and to be worshiped.
18 Our Lord, you will rule forever!
The Song of Miriam
19 The Lord covered the royal Egyptian cavalry and chariots with the sea, after the Israelites had walked safely through on dry ground. 20 Miriam the sister of Aaron was a prophet. So she took her tambourine and led the other women out to play their tambourines and to dance. 21 Then she sang to them:
“Sing praises to the Lord
for his great victory!
He has thrown the horses
and their riders into the sea.”
Bitter Water at Marah
22 After the Israelites left the Red Sea,[c] Moses led them through the Shur Desert for three days, before finding water. 23 They did find water at Marah, but it was bitter, which is how that place got its name.[d] 24 The people complained and said, “Moses, what are we going to drink?”
25 (E) Moses asked the Lord for help, and the Lord told him to throw a certain piece of wood into the water. Moses did so, and the water became fit to drink.
At Marah the Lord tested his people and also gave them some laws and teachings. 26 Then he said, “I am the Lord your God, and I cure your diseases. If you obey me by doing right and by following my laws and teachings, I won't punish you with the diseases I sent on the Egyptians.”
27 Later the Israelites came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and 70 palm trees. So they camped there.
Exodus 15
The Message
Exodus 15
The Message
15 1-8 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to God, giving voice together,
I’m singing my heart out to God—what a victory!
He pitched horse and rider into the sea.
God is my strength, God is my song,
and, yes! God is my salvation.
This is the kind of God I have
and I’m telling the world!
This is the God of my father—
I’m spreading the news far and wide!
God is a fighter,
pure God, through and through.
Pharaoh’s chariots and army
he dumped in the sea,
The elite of his officers
he drowned in the Red Sea.
Wild ocean waters poured over them;
they sank like a rock in the deep blue sea.
Your strong right hand, God, shimmers with power;
your strong right hand shatters the enemy.
In your mighty majesty
you smash your upstart enemies,
You let loose your hot anger
and burn them to a crisp.
At a blast from your nostrils
the waters piled up;
Tumbling streams dammed up,
wild oceans curdled into a swamp.
9 The enemy spoke,
“I’ll pursue, I’ll hunt them down,
I’ll divide up the plunder,
I’ll glut myself on them;
I’ll pull out my sword,
my fist will send them reeling.”
10-11 You blew with all your might
and the sea covered them.
They sank like a lead weight
in the majestic waters.
Who compares with you
among gods, O God?
Who compares with you in power,
in holy majesty,
In awesome praises,
wonder-working God?
12-13 You stretched out your right hand
and the Earth swallowed them up.
But the people you redeemed,
you led in merciful love;
You guided them under your protection
to your holy pasture.
14-18 When people heard, they were scared;
Philistines writhed and trembled;
Yes, even the head men in Edom were shaken,
and the big bosses in Moab.
Everybody in Canaan
panicked and fell faint.
Dread and terror
sent them reeling.
Before your brandished right arm
they were struck dumb like a stone,
Until your people crossed over and entered, O God,
until the people you made crossed over and entered.
You brought them and planted them
on the mountain of your heritage,
The place where you live,
the place you made,
Your sanctuary, Master,
that you established with your own hands.
Let God rule
forever, for eternity!
19 Yes, Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and riders went into the sea and God turned the waters back on them; but the Israelites walked on dry land right through the middle of the sea.
* * *
20-21 Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine, and all the women followed her with tambourines, dancing. Miriam led them in singing,
Sing to God—
what a victory!
He pitched horse and rider
into the sea!
Traveling Through the Wilderness
22-24 Moses led Israel from the Red Sea on to the Wilderness of Shur. They traveled for three days through the wilderness without finding any water. They got to Marah, but they couldn’t drink the water at Marah; it was bitter. That’s why they called the place Marah (Bitter). And the people complained to Moses, “So what are we supposed to drink?”
25 So Moses cried out in prayer to God. God pointed him to a stick of wood. Moses threw it into the water and the water turned sweet.
26 That’s the place where God set up rules and procedures; that’s where he started testing them.
God said, “If you listen, listen obediently to how God tells you to live in his presence, obeying his commandments and keeping all his laws, then I won’t strike you with all the diseases that I inflicted on the Egyptians; I am God your healer.”
27 They came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. They set up camp there by the water.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
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The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson