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Exodus 15
The Message
Exodus 15
The Message
15 1-8 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to God, giving voice together,
I’m singing my heart out to God—what a victory!
He pitched horse and rider into the sea.
God is my strength, God is my song,
and, yes! God is my salvation.
This is the kind of God I have
and I’m telling the world!
This is the God of my father—
I’m spreading the news far and wide!
God is a fighter,
pure God, through and through.
Pharaoh’s chariots and army
he dumped in the sea,
The elite of his officers
he drowned in the Red Sea.
Wild ocean waters poured over them;
they sank like a rock in the deep blue sea.
Your strong right hand, God, shimmers with power;
your strong right hand shatters the enemy.
In your mighty majesty
you smash your upstart enemies,
You let loose your hot anger
and burn them to a crisp.
At a blast from your nostrils
the waters piled up;
Tumbling streams dammed up,
wild oceans curdled into a swamp.
9 The enemy spoke,
“I’ll pursue, I’ll hunt them down,
I’ll divide up the plunder,
I’ll glut myself on them;
I’ll pull out my sword,
my fist will send them reeling.”
10-11 You blew with all your might
and the sea covered them.
They sank like a lead weight
in the majestic waters.
Who compares with you
among gods, O God?
Who compares with you in power,
in holy majesty,
In awesome praises,
wonder-working God?
12-13 You stretched out your right hand
and the Earth swallowed them up.
But the people you redeemed,
you led in merciful love;
You guided them under your protection
to your holy pasture.
14-18 When people heard, they were scared;
Philistines writhed and trembled;
Yes, even the head men in Edom were shaken,
and the big bosses in Moab.
Everybody in Canaan
panicked and fell faint.
Dread and terror
sent them reeling.
Before your brandished right arm
they were struck dumb like a stone,
Until your people crossed over and entered, O God,
until the people you made crossed over and entered.
You brought them and planted them
on the mountain of your heritage,
The place where you live,
the place you made,
Your sanctuary, Master,
that you established with your own hands.
Let God rule
forever, for eternity!
19 Yes, Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and riders went into the sea and God turned the waters back on them; but the Israelites walked on dry land right through the middle of the sea.
* * *
20-21 Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine, and all the women followed her with tambourines, dancing. Miriam led them in singing,
Sing to God—
what a victory!
He pitched horse and rider
into the sea!
Traveling Through the Wilderness
22-24 Moses led Israel from the Red Sea on to the Wilderness of Shur. They traveled for three days through the wilderness without finding any water. They got to Marah, but they couldn’t drink the water at Marah; it was bitter. That’s why they called the place Marah (Bitter). And the people complained to Moses, “So what are we supposed to drink?”
25 So Moses cried out in prayer to God. God pointed him to a stick of wood. Moses threw it into the water and the water turned sweet.
26 That’s the place where God set up rules and procedures; that’s where he started testing them.
God said, “If you listen, listen obediently to how God tells you to live in his presence, obeying his commandments and keeping all his laws, then I won’t strike you with all the diseases that I inflicted on the Egyptians; I am God your healer.”
27 They came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. They set up camp there by the water.
Exodus 15
New International Version
Exodus 15
New International Version
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)
2 “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.
3 The Lord is a warrior;(I)
the Lord is his name.(J)
4 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]
5 The deep waters(L) have covered them;
they sank to the depths like a stone.(M)
6 Your right hand,(N) Lord,
was majestic in power.
Your right hand,(O) Lord,
shattered(P) the enemy.
7 “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.
8 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)
9 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
- Exodus 15:2 Or song
- Exodus 15:4 Or the Sea of Reeds; also in verse 22
- Exodus 15:15 Or rulers
- Exodus 15:16 Or created
- Exodus 15:19 Or charioteers
- Exodus 15:23 Marah means bitter.
Exodus 15
King James Version
Exodus 15
King James Version
15 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.