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
The Voice
Throughout this redemption story, it is clear that the Lord has protected Israel while He has judged and frustrated Egypt. After the many wonders before the Passover and the miraculous guidance by the cloud and the pillar of fire, God destroyed the Egyptian army in the midst of the sea. For centuries people have sought to explain this great miracle and make sense of it. Was it a volcanic eruption and a tsunami that parted the waters? Was it a shallow lake that drowned Pharaoh’s army? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Only God knows. But reason cannot grasp all that took place that day. When God’s covenant people were on the verge of extinction, God stepped in to fight for them. No one survived that day except by the miraculous grace of God.
15 Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Eternal One.
Moses and the Israelites: I will sing to the Eternal, for He has won a great victory;
He has thrown the chariot into the sea: horse and rider.
2 The Eternal is my strength and my song,
and He has come to save me;
He is my God, and I will praise Him.
He is the God of my father, and I will exalt Him.
3 The Eternal is a warrior;
the Eternal is His name.
4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has thrown into the sea.
And his high-ranking officers are drowned in the Red Sea.
5 The deep waters covered them;
they sank to the muddy depths like a stone.
6 Your right hand, Eternal One, is magnificent in power.
Your right hand, Eternal, vanquishes the enemy.
7 In Your majestic greatness You conquer those who rise against You;
You unleash Your burning anger, and it consumes them like straw.
8 With a blast of Your anger the waters piled high,
the waves stood up like a wall;
in the heart of the sea, deep waters turned solid.
9 The enemy said, “I will go after them, chase them down, and divide the spoils;
my desire will be spent on them.
I will draw my sword; my powerful hand will take possession of them once again.”
10 But You blew Your breath-wind, and the sea covered them;
they sank like lead down into the mighty waters.
11 Who compares to You among the gods, O Eternal?
Who compares to You—great in holiness,
awesome in praises, performing marvels and wonders?
12 You raised Your right hand,
and the earth swallowed Your enemies.
13 With Your loyal love, You have led the people You have redeemed;
with Your great strength, You have guided them to Your sacred dwelling.
14 Already people have heard and they tremble;
those who inhabit Philistia are gripped by fear.
15 Even now the chiefs of Edom are deeply disturbed;
Moab’s leaders cannot stop trembling;
all who live in Canaan are deeply distressed and wasting away.
16 Horror and fear overwhelm them.
Faced with the greatness of Your power,
people are afraid to move; they fall as silent as stone,
Until Your people pass by, Eternal One,
until the people whom You purchased pass by.
17 You will bring them and plant them on the mountain of Your inheritance—
the place, Eternal, that You have designated to be Your dwelling,
the sanctuary, Lord, that Your hands founded and made ready.
18 The Eternal will reign as King forever and always.
19 When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot-drivers drove into the sea, the Eternal caused the waters to collapse upon them. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.
20 The prophetess, Miriam (Aaron’s sister), picked up a tambourine, and all the rest of the women followed her with tambourines and joyful dancing.
21 Miriam: Sing to the Eternal One, for He has won a great victory;
He has thrown the horse and its chariot into the sea.
22 Then Moses led Israel away from the Red Sea, and they entered the desert of Shur. They traveled for three days in the desert before they found water.
23 When they came to the place where they did find water, they could not drink it because it was so bitter. So they called the place Marah, or bitter. 24 Because they were very thirsty, the people complained to Moses.
Israelites: What are we supposed to drink?
25 Moses then asked the Eternal for help, and the Eternal showed him a log. Moses threw the log into the bitter water, and the water became sweet. At Marah the Eternal established an important principle and set a standard for His people so that He could test them.
Eternal One: 26 If you will listen closely to My voice—the voice of your God—and do what is right in My eyes, pay attention to My instructions, and keep all of My laws; then I will not bring on you any of the plagues that I did on the Egyptians, for I am the Eternal, your Healer.
27 Then they traveled on to an oasis called Elim, where there were 12 freshwater springs and 70 palm trees with dates. They set up camp there next to the waters.
Exodus 15
Complete Jewish Bible
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.
2 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.
3 Adonai is a warrior;
Adonai is his name.
4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army
he hurled into the sea.
His elite commanders
were drowned in the Sea of Suf.
5 The deep waters covered them;
they sank to the depths like a stone.
6 Your right hand, Adonai, is sublimely powerful;
your right hand, Adonai, shatters the foe.
7 By your great majesty you bring down your enemies;
you send out your wrath to consume them like stubble.
8 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.
9 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.
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
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.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
