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Exodus 15:8

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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.

And with the blast {H7307} of thy nostrils {H639} the waters {H4325} were gathered together {H6192}, the floods {H5140} stood upright {H5324} as an heap {H5067}, and the depths {H8415} were congealed {H7087} in the heart {H3820} of the sea {H3220}.

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.

At the blast of Your nostrils the waters piled up; like a wall the currents stood firm; the depths congealed in the heart of the sea.

And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were piled up, The floods stood upright as a heap; The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.

Commentary

Context

Exodus 15:8 is part of the "Song of Moses and Miriam," a powerful hymn of praise sung by the Israelites after their miraculous deliverance from Pharaoh's army at the Red Sea. Following their escape from Egypt, the Israelites found themselves trapped between the pursuing Egyptian chariots and the impassable sea. In a profound act of divine intervention, God commanded Moses to stretch out his hand, and the waters miraculously parted, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry ground. This verse describes the specific mechanics of that miracle, attributing the incredible division of the waters directly to God's overwhelming power. The full narrative of this pivotal event is recounted in Exodus chapter 14.

Key Themes

  • Divine Power and Sovereignty: The verse vividly portrays God's absolute control over creation. The "blast of thy nostrils" is a poetic metaphor emphasizing His effortless and immense power, capable of manipulating natural elements like water with a mere breath.
  • Miraculous Deliverance: It highlights the extraordinary nature of Israel's salvation. The parting of the Red Sea was not a natural phenomenon but a supernatural act of God, designed to deliver His people and demonstrate His might to both Israel and Egypt.
  • God as Warrior and Protector: The imagery of God's "blast" and the waters standing "upright as a heap" speaks to His active role as a divine warrior fighting for His people, protecting them from their enemies. This theme is central to the entire Song of Moses, beginning in Exodus 15:1.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "blast of thy nostrils" is a striking anthropomorphism, attributing human features to God to convey His intense power. The Hebrew word often translated as "blast" or "breath" here is ruach (רוּחַ), which can also mean "spirit" or "wind." In this context, it powerfully conveys a mighty, forceful wind emanating from God Himself, demonstrating His immediate and overwhelming presence. The word "congealed" (Hebrew: qapha, קָפָא) means to thicken, solidify, or freeze, emphasizing the incredible stability and firmness of the water walls that stood on either side of the Israelites as they crossed, defying natural laws.

Practical Application

Exodus 15:8 serves as a powerful reminder of God's limitless power and His willingness to intervene miraculously on behalf of His people. For believers today, this verse offers several profound insights:

  • Trust in God's Deliverance: When faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, like the Israelites at the Red Sea, we can trust that God's power is more than sufficient to make a way where there appears to be none.
  • Divine Intervention: It assures us that God is not a distant deity but actively involved in human affairs, capable of supernatural acts to fulfill His purposes and protect His own.
  • Praise and Worship: Understanding the magnitude of God's power should inspire profound worship and praise, just as it did for the Israelites in the Song of Moses. This powerful imagery of God's breath causing such a profound natural phenomenon echoes other biblical passages, such as Psalm 18:15, reminding us of His awe-inspiring might.
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Cross-References

  • Job 4:9 (6 votes)

    By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.

  • Psalms 78:13 (5 votes)

    He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.

  • Exodus 14:21 (4 votes)

    ¶ And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go [back] by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry [land], and the waters were divided.

  • Exodus 14:22 (4 votes)

    And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry [ground]: and the waters [were] a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

  • 2 Samuel 22:16 (3 votes)

    And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:8 (3 votes)

    And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

  • Habakkuk 3:10 (3 votes)

    The mountains saw thee, [and] they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, [and] lifted up his hands on high.