Add parallel Print Page Options

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.”

Read full chapter

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.

Moses’ victory song

15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:

I will sing to the Lord, for an overflowing victory!
    Horse and rider he threw into the sea!
The Lord is my strength and my power;[a]
    he has become my salvation.
This is my God, whom I will praise,
    the God of my ancestors, whom I will acclaim.
The Lord is a warrior;
    the Lord is his name.

Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he hurled into the sea;
    his elite captains were sunk in the Reed Sea.[b]
The deep sea covered them;
    they sank into the deep waters like a stone.
Your strong hand, Lord, is dominant in power;
    your strong hand, Lord, shatters the enemy!
With your great surge you overthrow your opponents;
    you send out your hot anger; it burns them up like straw.
    With the breath of your nostrils the waters swelled up,
        the floods surged up in a great wave;
        the deep waters foamed in the depths of the sea.
The enemy said, “I’ll pursue, I’ll overtake,
    I’ll divide the spoils of war.
    I’ll be overfilled with them.
    I’ll draw my sword; my hand will destroy them.”
10 You blew with your wind; the sea covered over them.
    They sank like lead in the towering waters.
11 Who is like you among the gods, Lord?
    Who is like you, foremost in holiness,
    worthy of highest praise, doing awesome deeds?
12 You raised your strong hand;
    earth swallowed them up.
13 With your great loyalty you led the people you rescued;
    with your power you guided them to your sanctuary.
14 The peoples heard, they shook in terror;
    horror grabbed hold of Philistia’s inhabitants.
15 Then Edom’s tribal chiefs were terrified;
    panic grabbed hold of Moab’s rulers;
    all of Canaan’s inhabitants melted in fear.
16 Terror and fear came over them;
    because of your great power,
    they were as still as a stone
        until your people, Lord, passed by,
        until the people you made your own passed by.
17 You brought them in and planted them on your own mountain,
    the place, Lord, that you made your home,
        the sanctuary, Lord, that your hand created.
18 The Lord will rule forever and always.

19 When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and cavalry went into the sea, the Lord brought back the waters of the sea over them. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.

Miriam’s victory song

20 Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand. All the women followed her playing tambourines and dancing. 21 Miriam sang the refrain back to them:

Sing to the Lord, for an overflowing victory!
    Horse and rider he threw into the sea!

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 15:2 Or song
  2. Exodus 15:4 Or Red Sea