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.

15 Then Moshe and the people of Isra’el sang this song to Adonai:

“I will sing to Adonai, for he is highly exalted:
the horse and its rider he threw in the sea.

Yah is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.
This is my God: I will glorify him;
my father’s God: I will exalt him.
Adonai is a warrior;
Adonai is his name.

Pharaoh’s chariots and his army
he hurled into the sea.
His elite commanders
were drowned in the Sea of Suf.
The deep waters covered them;
they sank to the depths like a stone.

Your right hand, Adonai, is sublimely powerful;
your right hand, Adonai, shatters the foe.
By your great majesty you bring down your enemies;
you send out your wrath to consume them like stubble.

With a blast from your nostrils the waters piled up —
the waters stood up like a wall,
the depths of the sea became firm ground.
The enemy said, ‘I will pursue and overtake,
divide the spoil and gorge myself on them.
I will draw my sword; my hand will destroy them.’
10 You blew with your wind, the sea covered them,
they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

11 Who is like you, Adonai, among the mighty?
Who is like you, sublime in holiness,
awesome in praises, working wonders?

12 You reached out with your right hand:
the earth swallowed them.
13 In your love, you led the people you redeemed;
in your strength, you guided them to your holy abode.

14 The peoples have heard, and they tremble;
anguish takes hold of those living in P’leshet;
15 then the chiefs of Edom are dismayed;
trepidation seizes the heads of Mo’av;
all those living in Kena‘an are melted away.
16 Terror and dread fall on them;
by the might of your arm they are still as stone
until your people pass over, Adonai,
till the people you purchased pass over.

17 You will bring them in and plant them
on the mountain which is your heritage,
the place, Adonai, that you made your abode,
the sanctuary, Adonai, which your hands established.

18 Adonai will reign forever and ever.

19 For the horses of Pharaoh went with his chariots
and with his cavalry into the sea,
but Adonai brought the sea waters back upon them,
while the people of Isra’el walked on dry land
in the midst of the sea!”

20 Also Miryam the prophet, sister of Aharon, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines, dancing, 21 as Miryam sang to them:

“Sing to Adonai, for he is highly exalted!
The horse and its rider he threw in the sea!”

22 Moshe led Isra’el onward from the Sea of Suf. They went out into the Shur Desert; but after traveling three days in the desert, they had found no water. 23 They arrived at Marah but couldn’t drink the water there, because it was bitter. This is why they called it Marah [bitterness]. 24 The people grumbled against Moshe and asked, “What are we to drink?” 25 Moshe cried to Adonai; and Adonai showed him a certain piece of wood, which, when he threw it into the water, made the water taste good. There Adonai made laws and rules of life for them, and there he tested them. 26 He said, “If you will listen intently to the voice of Adonai your God, do what he considers right, pay attention to his mitzvot and observe his laws, I will not afflict you with any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians; because I am Adonai your healer.”

(A: v, S: iv) 27 They came to Eilim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and camped there by the water.

The Song of Moses(A)

15 Then (B)Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying:

“I will (C)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 (D)song,
And He has become my salvation;
He is my God, and (E)I will praise Him;
My (F)father’s God, and I (G)will exalt Him.
The Lord is a man of (H)war;
The Lord is His (I)name.
(J)Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea;
(K)His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.
The depths have covered them;
(L)They sank to the bottom like a stone.

“Your (M)right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power;
Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces.
And in the greatness of Your (N)excellence
You have overthrown those who rose against You;
You sent forth (O)Your wrath;
It (P)consumed them (Q)like stubble.
And (R)with the blast of Your nostrils
The waters were gathered together;
(S)The floods stood upright like a heap;
The depths [a]congealed in the heart of the sea.
(T)The enemy said, ‘I will pursue,
I will overtake,
I will (U)divide the spoil;
My desire shall be satisfied on them.
I will draw my sword,
My hand shall destroy them.’
10 You blew with Your wind,
The sea covered them;
They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

11 “Who(V) is like You, O Lord, among the [b]gods?
Who is like You, (W)glorious in holiness,
Fearful in (X)praises, (Y)doing wonders?
12 You stretched out Your right hand;
The earth swallowed them.
13 You in Your mercy have (Z)led forth
The people whom You have redeemed;
You have guided them in Your strength
To (AA)Your holy habitation.

14 “The (AB)people will hear and be afraid;
(AC)Sorrow[c] will take hold of the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 (AD)Then (AE)the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed;
(AF)The mighty men of Moab,
Trembling will take hold of them;
(AG)All the inhabitants of Canaan will (AH)melt away.
16 (AI)Fear and dread will fall on them;
By the greatness of Your arm
They will be (AJ)as still as a stone,
Till Your people pass over, O Lord,
Till the people pass over
(AK)Whom You have purchased.
17 You will bring them in and (AL)plant them
In the (AM)mountain of Your inheritance,
In the place, O Lord, which You have made
For Your own dwelling,
The (AN)sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.

18 “The(AO) Lord shall reign forever and ever.”

19 For the (AP)horses of Pharaoh went with his chariots and his horsemen into the sea, and (AQ)the Lord brought back the waters of the sea upon them. But the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.

The Song of Miriam(AR)

20 Then Miriam (AS)the prophetess, (AT)the sister of Aaron, (AU)took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her (AV)with timbrels and with dances. 21 And Miriam (AW)answered them:

(AX)“Sing to the Lord,
For He has triumphed gloriously!
The horse and its rider
He has thrown into the sea!”

Bitter Waters Made Sweet

22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of (AY)Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no (AZ)water. 23 Now when they came to (BA)Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called [d]Marah. 24 And the people (BB)complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. (BC)When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet.

There He (BD)made a statute and an [e]ordinance for them, and there (BE)He tested them, 26 and said, (BF)“If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the (BG)diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord (BH)who heals you.”

27 (BI)Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 15:8 became firm
  2. Exodus 15:11 mighty ones
  3. Exodus 15:14 Anguish
  4. Exodus 15:23 Lit. Bitter
  5. Exodus 15:25 regulation