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Exodus15

Moses and the children of Israel sing a triumphant song to the LORD, praising Him for His glorious victory over Pharaoh and his army at the Red Sea, where the Egyptians were drowned. Following this, they journey into the wilderness, encountering bitter waters at Marah, which the LORD miraculously makes sweet. The chapter concludes with God's promise of health for obedience and Israel's arrival at Elim, a place of abundant water.
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The Song of Moses: Praise for Deliverance

1
Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. ​
2
The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. ​
3
The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name. ​
4
Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
5
The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
6
Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
7
And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.
8
And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea. ​
9
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
10
Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.
11
Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? ​
12
Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.

Anticipation of the Conquest

13
Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. ​
14
The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. ​
15
Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
16
Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.
17
Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established. ​
18
The LORD shall reign for ever and ever.
19
For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.

Miriam and the Women Celebrate

20
And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. ​
21
And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

The Trial at Marah

22
So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. ​
23
And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. ​
24
And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
25
And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, ​
26
And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. ​

Provision at Elim

27
And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters. ​

Study Notes for Exodus 15

Verse 1

The 'Song of the Sea' is one of the oldest attested poetic traditions in the Bible, celebrating God’s triumph as a divine warrior. It functions as a liturgical response to the miraculous salvation at the Red Sea.

Verse 2

This verse establishes the foundational relationship: God is the source of strength and salvation. The phrase 'I will prepare him an habitation' (Hebrew ­nāwah) reflects the intention to worship and build a sanctuary (later realized in the Tabernacle).

Verse 3

Describing the LORD as a 'man of war' (’ish milchamah) emphasizes His active involvement in history and His role as the Divine Warrior fighting for Israel against cosmic and earthly foes.

Verse 8

The 'blast of thy nostrils' uses poetic personification to describe God’s powerful breath or wind, illustrating that the separation of the waters was an instantaneous and effortless act of divine power.

Verse 11

This rhetorical question (“Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods?”) serves as a challenge and declaration, asserting Yahweh's incomparable power, holiness, and uniqueness over all other supposed deities.

Verse 13

The song pivots here from celebrating past deliverance to anticipating future provision. God's ultimate goal is to guide the redeemed people to His 'holy habitation,' anticipating the Promised Land and Mount Zion.

Verse 14

Verses 14-16 function as a prophetic oracle, describing the terror the news of the Red Sea miracle will strike into the hearts of surrounding hostile nations, including the Philistines (Palestina), Edom, and Moab.

Verse 17

The 'mountain of thine inheritance' and 'Sanctuary' refer ultimately to Mount Zion in Jerusalem. This shows that the purpose of the Exodus was not merely freedom, but the establishment of a permanent place where God could dwell among His people.

Verse 20

Miriam is identified as a 'prophetess,' indicating she held a position of spiritual leadership alongside her brothers. Her leading the women in musical celebration is a key act of corporate worship.

Verse 22

This verse marks the transition from celebration back to historical narrative. The immediate lack of water introduces the crucial theme of testing and provision in the wilderness, contrasting sharply with the earlier praise.

Verse 23

The name *Marah* means 'bitter.' This location serves as the first major test of Israel's faith after the great deliverance, demonstrating their instant shift from sung praise to impatience and complaint.

Verse 25

After providing a supernatural solution (the tree), God immediately establishes a 'statute and an ordinance,' demonstrating that divine provision and covenant obedience are inseparable in the wilderness experience.

Verse 26

This verse contains the first declaration of a covenant name for God in the wilderness: *Yahweh Rophekha* ('I am the LORD that healeth thee'). This healing refers to both physical health and spiritual/national restoration contingent upon obedience.

Verse 27

Elim serves as a temporary oasis, providing twelve wells (perhaps symbolizing the twelve tribes) and seventy palm trees. This provision contrasts sharply with the trial at Marah, showing God's balance of testing and sustaining grace.

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