Exodus 15
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Song of Moses
15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:
“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.(A)
2 The Lord is my strength and my might,[a]
and he has become my salvation;
this is my God, and I will praise him;
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.(B)
3 The Lord is a warrior;
the Lord is his name.(C)
4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he cast into the sea;
his elite officers were sunk in the Red Sea.[b](D)
5 The floods covered them;
they went down into the depths like a stone.(E)
6 Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power—
your right hand, O Lord, shattered the enemy.(F)
7 In the greatness of your majesty you overthrew your adversaries;
you sent out your fury; it consumed them like stubble.(G)
8 At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up;
the floods stood up in a heap;
the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea.(H)
9 The enemy said, ‘I will pursue; I will overtake;
I will divide the spoil; my desire shall have its fill of them.
I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.’(I)
10 You blew with your wind; the sea covered them;
they sank like lead in the mighty waters.(J)
11 Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
awesome in splendor, doing wonders?(K)
12 You stretched out your right hand;
the earth swallowed them.
13 In your steadfast love you led the people whom you redeemed;
you guided them by your strength to your holy abode.(L)
14 The peoples heard; they trembled;
pangs seized the inhabitants of Philistia.(M)
15 Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed;
trembling seized the leaders of Moab;
all the inhabitants of Canaan melted away.(N)
16 Terror and dread fell upon them;
by the might of your arm, they became still as a stone
until your people, O Lord, passed by,
until the people whom you acquired passed by.(O)
17 You brought them in and planted them on the mountain of your own possession,
the place, O Lord, that you made your abode,
the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hands have established.(P)
18 The Lord will reign forever and ever.”(Q)
19 When the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his chariot drivers went into the sea, the Lord brought back the waters of the sea upon them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.(R)
The Song of Miriam
20 Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing.(S) 21 And Miriam sang to them:
“Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.”(T)
Bitter Water Made Sweet
22 Then Moses ordered Israel to set out from the Red Sea,[c] and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water.(U) 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter. That is why it was called Marah.[d](V) 24 And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”(W) 25 He cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood; he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.
There the Lord[e] made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he put them to the test.(X) 26 He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and give heed to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will not bring upon you any of the diseases that I brought upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you.”(Y)
27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there by the water.(Z)
Exodus 15
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Israel’s Song
15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord. They said:
I will sing to the Lord,
for He is highly exalted;
He has thrown the horse
and its rider into the sea.
2 The Lord is my strength and my song;[a]
He has become my salvation.(A)
This is my God, and I will praise Him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.(B)
3 The Lord is a warrior;(C)
Yahweh is His name.(D)
4 He threw Pharaoh’s chariots
and his army into the sea;
the elite of his officers
were drowned in the Red Sea.(E)
5 The floods covered them;
they sank to the depths like a stone.(F)
6 Lord, Your right hand is glorious in power.
Lord, Your right hand shattered the enemy.(G)
7 You overthrew Your adversaries
by Your great majesty.
You unleashed Your burning wrath;
it consumed them like stubble.(H)
8 The waters heaped up(I) at the blast of Your nostrils;
the currents stood firm like a dam.
The watery depths congealed in the heart of the sea.
9 The enemy said:
“I will pursue, I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil.(J)
My desire will be gratified at their expense.
I will draw my sword;
my hand will destroy[b] them.”
10 But You blew with Your breath,
and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
in the mighty waters.
11 Lord, who is like You among the gods?
Who is like You, glorious in holiness,(K)
revered with praises, performing wonders?(L)
12 You stretched out Your right hand,
and the earth swallowed them.
13 You will lead the people
You have redeemed
with Your faithful love;
You will guide them to Your holy dwelling
with Your strength.(M)
14 When the peoples hear, they will shudder;
anguish will seize the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 Then the chiefs of Edom will be terrified;(N)
trembling will seize the leaders of Moab;
the inhabitants of Canaan will panic;
16 and terror(O) and dread will fall on them.
They will be as still[c] as a stone
because of Your powerful arm
until Your people pass by, Lord,
until the people whom You purchased[d] pass by.(P)
17 You will bring them in and plant them
on the mountain of Your possession;(Q)
Lord, You have prepared the place
for Your dwelling;
Lord,[e] Your hands have established the sanctuary.
18 The Lord will reign(R) forever and ever!
19 When Pharaoh’s horses with his chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. 20 Then Miriam the prophetess,(S) Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with their tambourines and danced.(T) 21 Miriam sang to them:
Sing to the Lord,
for He is highly exalted;
He has thrown the horse
and its rider into the sea.
Water Provided
22 Then Moses led Israel on from the Red Sea, and they went out to the Wilderness of Shur. They journeyed for three days in the wilderness without finding water. 23 They came to Marah, but they could not drink the water at Marah because it was bitter—that is why it was named Marah.[f] 24 The people grumbled to Moses, “What are we going to drink?”(U) 25 So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he threw it into the water, the water became drinkable.
He made a statute and ordinance for them at Marah and He tested them there.(V) 26 He said, “If you will carefully obey the Lord your God, do what is right in His eyes, pay attention to His commands, and keep all His statutes, I will not inflict any illnesses on you that I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am Yahweh who heals you.”(W)
27 Then they came to Elim, where there were 12 springs of water and 70 date palms, and they camped there by the waters.
Footnotes
- Exodus 15:2 Or might
- Exodus 15:9 Or conquer
- Exodus 15:16 Or silent
- Exodus 15:16 Or created
- Exodus 15:17 Some Hb mss, DSS, Sam, Tg read Lord
- Exodus 15:23 = bitter or bitterness
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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