Exodus 15
GOD’S WORD Translation
The Song of Moses
15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:
“I will sing to the Lord.
He has won a glorious victory.
He has thrown horses and their riders into the sea.
2 The Lord is my strength and my song.
He is my Savior.
This is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will honor him.
3 The Lord is a warrior!
The Lord is his name.
4 He has thrown Pharaoh’s chariots and army into the sea.
Pharaoh’s best officers were drowned in the Red Sea.
5 The deep water covered them.
They sank to the bottom like a rock.
6 Your right hand, O Lord, wins glory because it is strong.
Your right hand, O Lord, smashes your enemies.
7 With your unlimited majesty, you destroyed those who attacked you.
You sent out your burning anger.
It burned them up like straw.
8 With a blast from your nostrils, the water piled up.
The waves stood up like a dam.
The deep water thickened in the middle of the sea.
9 “The enemy said, ‘I’ll pursue them!
I’ll catch up with them!
I’ll divide the loot!
I’ll take all I want!
I’ll use my sword!
I’ll take all they have!’
10 Your breath blew the sea over them.
They sank like lead in the raging water.
11 “Who is like you among the gods, O Lord?
Who is like you?
You are glorious because of your holiness
and awe-inspiring because of your splendor.
You perform miracles.
12 You stretched out your right hand.
The earth swallowed them.
13 “Lovingly, you will lead the people you have saved.
Powerfully, you will guide them to your holy dwelling.
14 People will hear of it and tremble.
The people of Philistia will be in anguish.
15 The tribal leaders of Edom will be terrified.
The powerful men of Moab will tremble.
The people of Canaan will be deathly afraid.
16 Terror and dread will fall on them.
Because of the power of your arm, they will be petrified
until your people pass by, O Lord,
until the people you purchased pass by.
17 You will bring them and plant them on your own mountain,
the place where you live, O Lord,
the holy place that you built with your own hands, O Lord.
18 The Lord will rule as king forever and ever.”
19 When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and cavalry went into the sea, the Lord made the water of the sea flow back over them. However, the Israelites had gone through the sea on dry ground.
The Song of Miriam
20 Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand. All the women, dancing with tambourines, followed her. 21 Miriam sang to them:
“Sing to the Lord.
He has won a glorious victory.
He has thrown horses and their riders into the sea.”
God Provides Water for the Israelites
22 Moses led Israel away from the Red Sea into the desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. 23 When they came to Marah, they couldn’t drink the water because it tasted bitter. That’s why the place was called Marah [Bitter Place]. 24 The people complained about Moses by asking, “What are we supposed to drink?”
25 Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed [a] him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.
There the Lord set down laws and rules for them to live by, and there he tested them. 26 He said, “If you will listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what he considers right, if you pay attention to his commands and obey all his laws, I will never make you suffer any of the diseases I made the Egyptians suffer, because I am the Lord, who heals you.”
27 Next, they went to Elim, where there were 12 springs and 70 palm trees. They camped there by the water.
Footnotes
- 15:25 Samaritan Pentateuch, Syriac, Targum, Latin; Masoretic Text “taught.”
Exodus 15
New King James Version
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!
2 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.
3 The Lord is a man of (H)war;
The Lord is His (I)name.
4 (J)Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea;
(K)His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.
5 The depths have covered them;
(L)They sank to the bottom like a stone.
6 “Your (M)right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power;
Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces.
7 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.
8 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.
9 (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
- Exodus 15:8 became firm
- Exodus 15:11 mighty ones
- Exodus 15:14 Anguish
- Exodus 15:23 Lit. Bitter
- Exodus 15:25 regulation
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
