1Moses' song. 20Miriam and the women join in it. 22The people want water. 25The waters at Marah are bitter; a tree sweeteneth them. 27They remove to Elim.
1THEN sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, Ia will sing unto the LORD, for 1he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
a Psalm 106:12.
1 Hebr. exalting exalted.
2Theb LORD is my strength and 2song, and he is become 3my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him 4an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.
b Psalm 18:1; 118:14; Isa. 12:2.
2 That is, the Matter of my song, or, He Who hath given me cause to sing praises to Him.
3 See Exod. 14:13.
4 Or simply, a dwelling. Other, I shall glorify Him.
3The LORD is a man of war: the 5LORD is his name.
5 See Gen. 2:4; Exod. 3:15; 6:2.
4Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the 6Red sea.
6 Or, the reed Sea.
5Thec7depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
c Neh. 9:11.
7 That is, the high waters, which stood raised up like unto high walls, are fallen down upon them, Exod. 14:22.
6Thy right hand, Od LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
d Psalm 118:15, 16.
7And 8in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them 9that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, 10which consumed them as stubble.
8 Hebr. through the greatness of Thy highness.
9 That is, those who rose up against Thy people, for, everything that is done against the people of God, God accounts it as if done against Himself. See Zech. 2:8; Mat. 25:45; Acts 9:4.
10 This is an abrupt speech, and may be supplied or completed thus: which hath consumed them, as stubble is consumed by fire.
8Ande11with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were 12congealed 13in the heart of the sea.
e Isa. 63:12, 13; Hab. 3:10.
11 This is a description of the wind; see Exod. 14:21.
12 Or, solidified.
13 That is, in the great depth or the midst of the sea; as Psalm 18:15; 46:2; Ezek. 28:2; compare Deut. 4:11.
9The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, 14I will divide the spoil; 15my lust shall be satisfied upon them; 16I will draw my sword, my hand shall 17destroy them.
14 This used to be done with much joy, Isa. 9:3. Pharaoh and his men promised themselves the victory, but it failed them.
15 That is, (as some likewise do render it) my soul shall be filled of them, or, I shall vent my courage upon them. See Job 16 on verse 10.
16 Hebr. I will empty my sword.
17 Or, bring them back into my possession, or, make them poor.
10Thouf didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.
f Psalm 74:13; 106:11.
11Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, 18glorious in holiness, 19fearful in praises, doing wonders?
18 That is, adorned and surrounded with incomparable holiness.
19 That is, He Who ought to be worshipped, honored and praised with a great measure of filial fear, and reverence.
12Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, 20the earth swallowed them.
20 That is, the bottom or ground of the sea.
13Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hastg guided them in thy strength unto 21thy holy habitation.
g Psalm 77:20.
21 Understand the land of Canaan where God would give unto His people His holy worship service. See Psalm 78:52, 53, 54.
14The people shall hear, and 22be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.
22 See the fulfillment, Num. 22:3, 6; Joshua 2:10, 11; 5:1; Psalm 68:2.
15Thenh the dukesi of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
h Deut. 2:4.
i chief
16Fearj 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.
j Deut. 2:25; 11:25; Joshua 2:9.
17Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them 23in 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.
23 That is, in the mountainous country, such as Canaan is; Deut. 11:11. Others understand here Mount Moriah on which the temple was built afterwards.
18The LORD shall reign 24for ever and ever.
24 That is, both here and hereafter.
19For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again 25the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.
25 Which just previously stood up like mighty walls on both sides, Exod. 14:22.
20¶And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of 26Aaron, tookk a timbrell in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and 27with dances.
26 She was also a sister to Moses, but having lived a long time with Aaron, during Moses’ absence, she is therefore called Aaron’s sister.
k 1 Sam. 18:6.
l type of tambourine or drum*
27 Other, with flutes, or, pipes.
21And 28Miriam 29answered 30them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he 31hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
28 Together with the other women.
29 The men sang first, as above verse 1; the women sang the same thing over again after the men.
30 Namely, the men.
31 Hebr. exalting exalted.
22So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of 32Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
32 The name of a desert, between Egypt and Arabia. See Gen. 16:7.
23¶Andm when they came to 33Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.
m Num. 33:8.
33 When Moses came to this place with the Israelites, the name of it was not Marah yet, but it got that name then first from the bitterness of the water there, Marah signifies bitterness, as the text itself shows.
24And the people 34murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
34To murmur, is to perceive evil thoughts of God, His words and works in the heart, and to speak unworthily thereof with the tongue.
25And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, 35the waters were made sweet: there 36he made for 37them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
35 This water became sweet for the use and service of the Israelites for a time only, and remained not always sweet thereafter; as appears by Plinius, Naturalis historia, lib. 6, cap. 29, making mention of those bitter waters in his time. See 2 Kings 2:21.
36 Namely, God.
37 Namely, the people of Israel.
26And said, If thou wilt 38diligently 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 39I am the LORD that healeth thee.
38 Hebr. hearing shalt hear.
39 God the Lord wants to say: I am He, Who is able to heal and help thee in body and soul, and to keep and preserve thee presently from all hurt and misery, and in the future.
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.