The Torah · Old Testament
Exodus 15
A song of deliverance is followed by the search for water
General context
Moses and Israel sing to the Lord after the sea crossing. The song praises the Lord as strength and salvation and celebrates the overthrow of Pharaoh's chariots and army. Images of the divine right hand, wind and covering depths contrast the enemy's confident plans with their defeat. The song declares the Lord's uniqueness in holiness and wonders, speaks of the redeemed people being led, anticipates fear among surrounding peoples and looks toward their being planted in the Lord's dwelling place. It declares that the Lord will reign forever. Miriam, identified as a prophetess and Aaron's sister, takes a timbrel; the women follow her with timbrels and dancing, and she calls for song. The journey then enters the wilderness of Shur. After three days without finding water, the people reach Marah, where the water is bitter, and complain to Moses. Moses cries to the Lord, who shows him a tree. When Moses casts it into the water, the water becomes sweet. A statute, testing and a conditional promise concerning obedience and disease follow. The people then camp beside the water at Elim.
Cited passages: Exodus 15:1, Exodus 15:2, Exodus 15:3, Exodus 15:4, Exodus 15:5, Exodus 15:6, Exodus 15:7, Exodus 15:8, Exodus 15:9, Exodus 15:10, Exodus 15:11, Exodus 15:12, Exodus 15:13, Exodus 15:14, Exodus 15:15, Exodus 15:16, Exodus 15:17, Exodus 15:18, Exodus 15:19, Exodus 15:20, Exodus 15:21, Exodus 15:22, Exodus 15:23, Exodus 15:24, Exodus 15:25, Exodus 15:26, Exodus 15:27
Exodus 15 (KJV)
1Then 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.
2The 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.
3The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.
4Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
5The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
6Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
7And 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.
8And 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.
9The 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.
10Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.
11Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
12Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.
13Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.
14The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.
15Then 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.
16Fear 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.
17Thou 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.
18The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.
19For 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.
20And 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.
21And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
22So 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.
23And 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.
24And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
25And 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,
26And 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.
27And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
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Historical context
The chapter identifies Miriam by her prophetic role and relationship to Aaron and describes the women's instruments and dancing. It names Shur, Marah and Elim without locating them on a modern map. Marah's name is connected in the account with bitter water. The tree used there is not identified by species, and the passage supplies no chemical explanation for the change. Elim is described as having twelve wells and seventy palm trees. The promise concerning diseases is addressed within the wilderness instruction and is conditional on hearing and obeying the Lord. This guide does not turn it into an unrestricted medical promise for readers.
Cited passages: Exodus 15:20, Exodus 15:21, Exodus 15:22, Exodus 15:23, Exodus 15:24, Exodus 15:25, Exodus 15:26, Exodus 15:27
Literary context
The song uses comparisons of sinking stone and lead, enemies consumed like stubble and the Lord's mighty hand to portray victory. The enemy's repeated declarations of what it will do are answered by the brief account of the sea covering it. The praise reaches beyond the crossing toward the people's anticipated settlement and the Lord's enduring reign. Miriam's refrain returns to the opening line about horse and rider. The following prose changes the immediate concern from victory over an army to finding drinkable water. Praise and complaint stand close together in the narrative, while the Marah episode introduces testing and an instruction to listen.
Cited passages: Exodus 15:1, Exodus 15:5, Exodus 15:6, Exodus 15:7, Exodus 15:8, Exodus 15:9, Exodus 15:10, Exodus 15:11, Exodus 15:13, Exodus 15:14, Exodus 15:15, Exodus 15:16, Exodus 15:17, Exodus 15:18, Exodus 15:20, Exodus 15:21, Exodus 15:22, Exodus 15:23, Exodus 15:24, Exodus 15:25, Exodus 15:26
Key moments
- Moses and Israel sing (Exodus 15:1). The people sing to the Lord about the overthrow of horse and rider in the sea.
- Miriam leads with a timbrel (Exodus 15:20). Miriam the prophetess takes a timbrel, and the women follow with timbrels and dances.
- The bitter water becomes sweet (Exodus 15:25). After Moses cries to the Lord, he casts the tree shown to him into the water, and it becomes sweet.
- The people camp at Elim (Exodus 15:27). Israel reaches twelve wells and seventy palm trees and camps beside the water.
For reflection
How does the move from the song to the water shortage affect your reading of Israel's wilderness journey?