The Bible — World English Bible

Exodus 15

In brief

Exodus 15 opens with the song of Moses and Israel, a hymn of praise to the God who threw Pharaoh's army into the sea. The song celebrates his strength, his holiness and his faithfulness to his people, and it ends with Miriam taking it up with the women and their tambourines. The tone changes at once: three days of walking without water, the bitter waters of Marah, the people grumbling, Moses crying out to the Lord. God makes the water sweet, tests his people and presents himself as the Lord who heals, before the oasis of Elim.

The chapter in 5 parts

  1. v. 1-12The song of Moses: the Lord has defeated Pharaoh
  2. v. 13-18God leads his people to his dwelling
  3. v. 19-21Miriam and the women sing with tambourines
  4. v. 22-26Marah: the bitter water, the tree and the test
  5. v. 27Elim: twelve springs and seventy palm trees

1Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to Yahweh, and said, “I will sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously. He has thrown the horse and his rider into the sea.

2Yah is my strength and song. He has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

3Yahweh is a man of war. Yahweh is his name.

4He has cast Pharaoh’s chariots and his army into the sea. His chosen captains are sunk in the Red Sea.

5The deeps cover them. They went down into the depths like a stone.

6Your right hand, Yahweh, is glorious in power. Your right hand, Yahweh, dashes the enemy in pieces.

7In the greatness of your excellency, you overthrow those who rise up against you. You send out your wrath. It consumes them as stubble.

8With the blast of your nostrils, the waters were piled up. The floods stood upright as a heap. The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.

9The enemy said, ‘I will pursue. I will overtake. I will divide the plunder. My desire will be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword. My hand will destroy them.’

10You blew with your wind. The sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

11Who is like you, Yahweh, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

12You stretched out your right hand. The earth swallowed them.

13“You, in your loving kindness, have led the people that you have redeemed. You have guided them in your strength to your holy habitation.

14The peoples have heard. They tremble. Pangs have taken hold of the inhabitants of Philistia.

15Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed. Trembling takes hold of the mighty men of Moab. All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.

16Terror and dread falls on them. By the greatness of your arm they are as still as a stone, until your people pass over, Yahweh, until the people you have purchased pass over.

17You will bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance, the place, Yahweh, which you have made for yourself to dwell in; the sanctuary, Lord, which your hands have established.

18Yahweh will reign forever and ever.”

19For the horses of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and Yahweh brought back the waters of the sea on them; but the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea.

20Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances.

21Miriam answered them, “Sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”

22Moses led Israel onward 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.

23When they came to Marah, they couldn’t drink from the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore its name was called Marah.

24The people murmured against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”

25Then he cried to Yahweh. Yahweh showed him a tree, and he threw it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There he made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there he tested them.

26He said, “If you will diligently listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you, which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you.”

27They came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water, and seventy palm trees. They encamped there by the waters.

Key verses

Verse 2
Yah is my strength and song. He has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

The people confess that the Lord is their strength, the subject of their song and their salvation. Praise is born from what God has done, before it depends on what we feel.

Verse 11
Who is like you, Yahweh, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

The question “Who is like you” affirms that no other god equals the Lord, glorious in holiness and doing wonders. It is the heart of the song.

Verse 18
Yahweh will reign forever and ever.”

The song closes on the eternal kingship of the Lord. The people have not yet reached the promised land, but they already proclaim that God reigns.

Verse 25
Then he cried to Yahweh. Yahweh showed him a tree, and he threw it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There he made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there he tested them.

At Marah, Moses cries out to the Lord, who shows him a tree to throw into the water, and the water becomes sweet. The text adds that God also tests his people at this place.

Verse 26
He said, “If you will diligently listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you, which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you.”

God presents himself as the Lord who heals you, in connection with listening to his voice and obeying his commandments. The verse is addressed to Israel, in the context of the covenant.

Characters in this chapter

Pray about this

What the sermons say

Frequently asked questions about Exodus 15

What is the song of Moses in Exodus 15?

It is the song in which Moses and the Israelites celebrate the crossing of the Red Sea, right after the defeat of Pharaoh's army. It praises the strength, holiness and faithfulness of the Lord, announces that the neighboring peoples will tremble, and ends with the proclamation that the Lord will reign forever and ever. Miriam then takes it up with the women, dancing.

What happened at Marah in Exodus 15?

After three days of walking without water, Israel arrives at Marah and cannot drink, because the water is bitter. The people grumble against Moses, who cries out to the Lord. God shows him a tree, which he throws into the water, and the water becomes sweet. It is also at this place that God gives a statute and an ordinance and tests the people.

What does the promise of healing in Exodus 15:26 mean?

God promises Israel that he will spare them the diseases he sent on Egypt if they listen to his voice and obey his commandments, and he presents himself as the one who heals. Christians see in it a revelation of God's goodness, without turning it into a guarantee of healing in every situation.

Articles quoting Exodus 15

← All chapters

World English Bible translation — public domain.