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The Song of Moses

15 Then Moses and the Israelites began singing this song to the Lord:

“I will sing to the Lord!
    He has done great things.
He threw horse and rider
    into the sea.
The Lord is my strength.
    He saves me,
    and I sing songs of praise to him.[a]
He is my God,
    and I praise him.
He is the God of my ancestors,
    and I honor him.
The Lord is a great soldier.
    The Lord is his name.
He threw Pharaoh’s chariots
    and soldiers into the sea.
Pharaoh’s very best soldiers
    drowned in the Red Sea.[b]
The deep water covered them,
    and they sank to the bottom like rocks.

Lord, your right hand is amazingly strong.
    With your right hand, Lord, you broke the enemy to pieces.
In your great majesty you destroyed
    those who stood against you.
Your anger destroyed them,
    like fire burning straw.
The wind you sent in anger
    piled the water high.
The flowing water became a wall,
    solid to its deepest parts.

“The enemy said,
    ‘I’ll chase them and catch them.
I’ll take all their riches.
    I’ll take it all with my sword.
    I’ll take everything for myself.’
10 But you blew on them
    and covered them with the sea.
They sank like lead
    into the deep sea.

11 “Are there any gods like the Lord?
    No, there are no gods like you—
    you are wonderfully holy!
    You are amazingly powerful!
    You do great miracles!
12 You raised your right hand to punish the enemy,
    and the ground opened up to swallow them.
13 But with your kindness
    you led the people you saved.
And with your strength
    you led them to your holy land.[c]

14 “The other nations will hear this story,
    and they will be frightened.
    The Philistines will shake with fear.
15 The commanders of Edom will tremble.
    The leaders of Moab will be afraid.
    The people of Canaan will lose courage.
16 They will be filled with fear
    when they see your strength.
They will be as still as a rock, Lord,
    while your people, the ones you made, pass by.
17 You will lead your people
    to your own mountain.
You will let them live by the place that you, Lord, prepared as your home.
    It is the Temple, Lord, that you yourself built.

18 “The Lord will rule forever and ever!”

19 Yes, it really happened! Pharaoh’s horses and riders, and chariots went into the sea. And the Lord brought all the water of the sea down on top of them. But the Israelites walked through that sea on dry land.

20 Then Aaron’s sister, the woman prophet Miriam, took a tambourine. She and the women began singing and dancing. 21 Miriam repeated the words,

“Sing to the Lord!
    He has done great things.
He threw horse and rider
    into the sea ….”

Israel Goes Into the Desert

22 Moses led the Israelites away from the Red Sea and into the desert of Shur. They traveled for three days in the desert. They could not find any water. 23 Then they came to Marah.[d] There was water at Marah, but it was too bitter to drink. (That is why the place was named Marah.)

24 The people began complaining to Moses. They said, “Now what will we drink?”

25 So Moses called to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a large piece of wood. When Moses put the wood in the water, the water became good to drink.

There the Lord put in place a law and a command for him and tested him to see if he would obey.[e] 26 He said to him, “I am the Lord your God. If you listen to me and do what I say is right, and if you obey all my commands and laws, then I will not give you any of the sicknesses that I gave the Egyptians. I am the Lord who heals you.”

27 Then the people traveled to Elim. At Elim there were twelve springs of water and 70 palm trees. So the people made their camp there near that water.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 15:2 The Lord … him Literally, “Yah is my strength and praise. He became my salvation.”
  2. Exodus 15:4 Red Sea Or “Reed Sea.” Also in verse 22. See 1 Kings 9:26.
  3. Exodus 15:13 holy land Israel, the special land God set apart for the Israelites.
  4. Exodus 15:23 Marah This name means “Bitter” or “Sad.”
  5. Exodus 15:25 There … he would obey Or “There the Lord put in place a law and a command for them and tested them to see if they would obey.”

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.