15
The Song of Moses
1 Then Moses and the Israelites began singing this song to the LORD:
“I will sing to the LORD!
He has done great things.
He threw horse and rider
into the sea.
2 The LORD is my strength.
He saves me,
and I sing songs of praise to him.* The LORD … him Literally, “YAH is my strength and praise. He became my salvation.”
He is my God,
and I praise him.
He is the God of my ancestors,
and I honor him.
3 The LORD is a great soldier.
The LORD is his name.
4 He threw Pharaoh’s chariots
and soldiers into the sea.
Pharaoh’s very best soldiers
drowned in the Red Sea.† Red Sea Or “Reed Sea.” Also in verse 22. See 1 Kings 9:26.
5 The deep water covered them,
and they sank to the bottom like rocks.
6 “LORD, your right hand is amazingly strong.
With your right hand, LORD, you broke the enemy to pieces.
7 In your great majesty you destroyed
those who stood against you.
Your anger destroyed them,
like fire burning straw.
8 The wind you sent in anger
piled the water high.
The flowing water became a wall,
solid to its deepest parts.
9 “The enemy said,
‘I’ll chase them and catch them.
I’ll take all their riches.
I’ll take it all with my sword.
I’ll take everything for myself.’
10 But you blew on them
and covered them with the sea.
They sank like lead
into the deep sea.
11 “Are there any gods like the LORD?
No, there are no gods like you—
you are wonderfully holy!
You are amazingly powerful!
You do great miracles!
12 You raised your right hand to punish the enemy,
and the ground opened up to swallow them.
13 But with your kindness
you led the people you saved.
And with your strength
you led them to your holy land.‡ holy land Israel, the special land God set apart for the Israelites.
14 “The other nations will hear this story,
and they will be frightened.
The Philistines will shake with fear.
15 The commanders of Edom will tremble.
The leaders of Moab will be afraid.
The people of Canaan will lose courage.
16 They will be filled with fear
when they see your strength.
They will be as still as a rock, LORD,
while your people, the ones you made, pass by.
17 You will lead your people
to your own mountain.
You will let them live by the place that you, LORD, prepared as your home.
It is the Temple, Lord, that you yourself built.
18 “The LORD will rule forever and ever!”
19 Yes, it really happened! Pharaoh’s horses and riders, and chariots went into the sea. And the LORD brought all the water of the sea down on top of them. But the Israelites walked through that sea on dry land.
20 Then Aaron’s sister, the woman prophet Miriam, took a tambourine. She and the women began singing and dancing. 21 Miriam repeated the words,
“Sing to the LORD!
He has done great things.
He threw horse and rider
into the sea ….”
Israel Goes Into the Desert
22 Moses led the Israelites away from the Red Sea and into the desert of Shur. They traveled for three days in the desert. They could not find any water. 23 Then they came to Marah.§ Marah This name means “Bitter” or “Sad.” There was water at Marah, but it was too bitter to drink. (That is why the place was named Marah.)
24 The people began complaining to Moses. They said, “Now what will we drink?”
25 So Moses called to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a large piece of wood. When Moses put the wood in the water, the water became good to drink.
There the LORD put in place a law and a command for him and tested him to see if he would obey.* There … he would obey Or “There the LORD put in place a law and a command for them and tested them to see if they would obey.” 26 He said to him, “I am the LORD your God. If you listen to me and do what I say is right, and if you obey all my commands and laws, then I will not give you any of the sicknesses that I gave the Egyptians. I am the LORD who heals you.”
27 Then the people traveled to Elim. At Elim there were twelve springs of water and 70 palm trees. So the people made their camp there near that water.
*15:2 The LORD … him Literally, “YAH is my strength and praise. He became my salvation.”
†15:4 Red Sea Or “Reed Sea.” Also in verse 22. See 1 Kings 9:26.
‡15:13 holy land Israel, the special land God set apart for the Israelites.
§15:23 Marah This name means “Bitter” or “Sad.”
*15:25 There … he would obey Or “There the LORD put in place a law and a command for them and tested them to see if they would obey.”