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Song of Victory at the Sea

15 Then Moses and the Israelites[a] sang this song to Yahweh, and they said,[b]

“Let me sing to Yahweh because he is highly exalted;
    the horse and its rider he hurled into the sea.
Yah[c] is my strength and song, and he has become my salvation;[d]
    this is my God, and I will praise him—the God of my father—and I will exalt him.
Yahweh is a man of war; Yahweh is his name.
The chariots of Pharaoh and his army he cast into the sea,
    and his choice adjutants were sunk in the Red Sea.[e]
The deep waters covered them;
    they went down into the depths like a stone.
Yahweh, your right hand is glorious in power;
    Yahweh, your right hand destroyed the enemy.
And in the greatness of your majesty you overthrew those standing up to you;
    you released your fierce anger, and it consumed them like stubble.
And by the breath of your nostrils waters were piled up;
    waves stood like a heap;
    deep waters in the middle of the sea congealed.
The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide plunder,
    my desire will be full of them, I will draw my sword, my hand will destroy them.’
10 You blew with your breath; the sea covered them;
    they dropped like lead in the mighty waters.
11 Who is like you among the gods, Yahweh?
    Who is like you—glorious in holiness, awesome in praiseworthy actions, doing wonders?[f]
12 You stretched out your right hand;
    the earth swallowed them.
13 In your loyal love you led the people whom you redeemed;
    in your strength you guided them to the abode of your holiness.[g]
14 Peoples heard; they trembled;
    anguish seized the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 Then the chiefs of Edom were horrified; great distress seized the leaders of Moab;
    all of the inhabitants of Canaan melted away.
16 Terror and dread fell on them;
    at the greatness of your arm they became silent like the stone,
    until your people passed by, Yahweh,
    until the people whom you bought passed by.
17 You brought them and planted them on the mountain of your inheritance,
    a place you made for yourself to inhabit, Yahweh,
    a sanctuary, Lord, that your hands established.
18 Yahweh will reign as king forever and ever.”

19 When the horses[h] of Pharaoh came into the sea with his chariots[i] and with his charioteers, Yahweh brought back upon them the waters of the sea, and the Israelites[j] traveled on dry ground through the middle of the sea. 20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took her[k] tambourine in her hand, and all of the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances. 21 And Miriam answered,[l] “Sing to Yahweh because he is highly exalted; the horse and its rider he hurled into the sea.”

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 15:1 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  2. Exodus 15:1 Literally “and they said, saying”
  3. Exodus 15:2 a shortened form of “Yahweh”
  4. Exodus 15:2 Literally “he was for me for salvation”
  5. Exodus 15:4 Literally “sea of reed”
  6. Exodus 15:11 Hebrew “wonder”
  7. Exodus 15:13 Or “your holy dwelling”
  8. Exodus 15:19 Hebrew “horse”
  9. Exodus 15:19 Hebrew “chariot”
  10. Exodus 15:19 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  11. Exodus 15:20 Literally “the tambourine”
  12. Exodus 15:21 Literally “answered to them”

A Song of Deliverance

15 Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord:

“I will sing to the Lord,
    for he has triumphed gloriously;
he has hurled both horse and rider
    into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my song;
    he has given me victory.
This is my God, and I will praise him—
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him!
The Lord is a warrior;
    Yahweh[a] is his name!
Pharaoh’s chariots and army
    he has hurled into the sea.
The finest of Pharaoh’s officers
    are drowned in the Red Sea.[b]
The deep waters gushed over them;
    they sank to the bottom like a stone.

“Your right hand, O Lord,
    is glorious in power.
Your right hand, O Lord,
    smashes the enemy.
In the greatness of your majesty,
    you overthrow those who rise against you.
You unleash your blazing fury;
    it consumes them like straw.
At the blast of your breath,
    the waters piled up!
The surging waters stood straight like a wall;
    in the heart of the sea the deep waters became hard.

“The enemy boasted, ‘I will chase them
    and catch up with them.
I will plunder them
    and consume them.
I will flash my sword;
    my powerful hand will destroy them.’
10 But you blew with your breath,
    and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
    in the mighty waters.

11 “Who is like you among the gods, O Lord
    glorious in holiness,
awesome in splendor,
    performing great wonders?
12 You raised your right hand,
    and the earth swallowed our enemies.

13 “With your unfailing love you lead
    the people you have redeemed.
In your might, you guide them
    to your sacred home.
14 The peoples hear and tremble;
    anguish grips those who live in Philistia.
15 The leaders of Edom are terrified;
    the nobles of Moab tremble.
All who live in Canaan melt away;
16     terror and dread fall upon them.
The power of your arm
    makes them lifeless as stone
until your people pass by, O Lord,
    until the people you purchased pass by.
17 You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain—
    the place, O Lord, reserved for your own dwelling,
    the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hands have established.
18 The Lord will reign forever and ever!”

19 When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and charioteers rushed into the sea, the Lord brought the water crashing down on them. But the people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground!

20 Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine and led all the women as they played their tambourines and danced. 21 And Miriam sang this song:

“Sing to the Lord,
    for he has triumphed gloriously;
he has hurled both horse and rider
    into the sea.”

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Footnotes

  1. 15:3 Yahweh is a transliteration of the proper name YHWH that is sometimes rendered “Jehovah”; in this translation it is usually rendered “the Lord” (note the use of small capitals).
  2. 15:4 Hebrew sea of reeds; also in 15:22.