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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - Exodus 15:1 - 15:1
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In the song of praise which Moses and the children of Israel sang at the Red Sea, in celebration of the wonderful works of Jehovah, the congregation of Israel commemorated the fact of its deliverance and its exaltation into the nation of God. By their glorious deliverance from the slave-house of Egypt, Jehovah had practically exalted the seed of Abraham into His own nation; and in the destruction of Pharaoh and his host, He had glorified Himself as God of the gods and King of the heathen, whom no power on earth could defy with impunity. As the fact of Israel's deliverance from the power of its oppressors is of everlasting importance to the Church of the Lord in its conflict with the ungodly powers of the world, in which the Lord continually overthrows the enemies of His kingdom, as He overthrew Pharaoh and his horsemen in the depths of the sea: so Moses' song at the Red Sea furnishes the Church of the Lord with the materials for its songs of praise in all the great conflicts which it has to sustain, during its onward course, with the powers of the world. Hence not only does the key-note of this song resound through all Israel's songs, in praise of the glorious works of Jehovah for the good of His people (see especially Isa 12:1-6), but the song of Moses the servant of God will also be sung, along with the song of the Lamb, by the conquerors who stand upon the “sea of glass,” and have gained the victory over the beast and his image (Rev 15:3).
The substance of this song, which is entirely devoted to the praise and adoration of Jehovah, is the judgment inflicted upon the heathen power of the world in the fall of Pharaoh, and the salvation which flowed from this judgment to Israel. Although Moses is not expressly mentioned as the author of the song, its authenticity, or Mosaic authorship, is placed beyond all doubt by both the contents and the form. The song is composed of three gradually increasing strophes, each of which commences with the praise of Jehovah, and ends with a description of the overthrow of the Egyptian host (Exo 15:2-5, Exo 15:6-10, Exo 15:11-18). The theme announced in the introduction in Exo 15:1 is thus treated in three different ways; and whilst the omnipotence of God, displayed in the destruction of the enemy, is the prominent topic in the first two strophes, the third depicts with prophetic confidence the fruit of this glorious event in the establishment of Israel, as a kingdom of Jehovah, in the promised inheritance. Modern criticism, it is true, has taken offence at this prophetic insight into the future, and rejected the song of Moses, just because the wonders of God are carried forward in Exo 15:16, Exo 15:17, beyond the Mosaic times. But it was so natural a thing that, after the miraculous deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt, they should turn their eyes to Canaan, and, looking forward with certainty to the possession of the promised land, should anticipate with believing confidence the foundation of a sanctuary there, in which their God would dwell with them, that none but those who altogether reject the divine mission of Moses, and set down the mighty works of God in Egypt as myths, could ever deny to Moses this anticipation and prospect. Even Ewald admits that this grand song of praise “was probably the immediate effect of first enthusiasm in the Mosaic age,” though he also ignores the prophetic character of the song, and denies the reality of any of the supernatural wonders of the Old Testament. There is nothing to prevent our understanding words, “then sang Moses,” as meaning that Moses not only sang this song with the Israelites, but composed it for the congregation to the praise of Jehovah.
Exo 15:1-5
Introduction and first strophe. - The introduction, which contains the theme of the song, “Sing will I to the Lord, for highly exalted is He, horse and his rider He hath thrown into the sea,” was repeated, when sung, as an anti-strophe by a chorus of women, with Miriam at their head (cf. Exo 15:20, Exo 15:21); whether after every verse, or only at the close of the longer strophes, cannot be determined. גָּאָה to arise, to grow up, trop. to show oneself exalted; connected with an inf. abs. to give still further emphasis. Jehovah had displayed His superiority to all earthly power by casting horses and riders, the proud army of the haughty Pharaoh, into the sea. This had filled His people with rejoicing: (Exo 15:2), “My strength and song is Jah, He became my salvation; He is my God, whom I extol, my father's God, whom I exalt.” עֹז strength, might, not praise or glory, even in Psa 8:2. זִמְרָת, an old poetic form for זִמְרָה, from זָמַר, primarily to hum; thence זִמֵּר רב́ככוים, to play music, or sing with a musical accompaniment. Jah, the concentration of Jehovah, the God of salvation ruling the course of history with absolute freedom, has passed from this song into the Psalms, but is restricted to the higher style of poetry. “For He became salvation to me, granted me deliverance and salvation:” on the use of vav consec. in explanatory clauses, see Gen 26:12. This clause is taken from our song, and introduced in Isa 12:2; Psa 118:14. אֵלִי זֶה: this Jah, such an one is my God. אַנְוֵהוּ: Hiphil of נָוָה, related to נאה, נאוה, to be lovely, delightful, Hiph. to extol, to praise, δοξάσω, glorificabo (lxx, Vulg.). “The God of my father:” i.e., of Abraham as the ancestor of Israel, or, as in Exo 3:6, of the three patriarchs combined. What He promised them (Gen 15:14; Gen 46:3-4) He had now fulfilled.
Exo 15:3-4
“Jehovah is a man of war:” one who knows how to make war, and possesses the power to destroy His foes. “Jehovah is His name:” i.e., He has just proved Himself to be the God who rules with unlimited might. For (Exo 15:4) “Pharaoh's chariots and his might (his military force) He cast into the sea, and the choice (the chosen ones) of his knights (shelishim, see Exo 14:7) were drowned in the Red Sea.”
Exo 15:5
“Floods cover them (יְכַסְיֻמוּ, defectively written for יְכַסְיוּ = יְכַסּוּ, and the suffix מוּ for מֹו, only used here); they go down into the deep like stone,” which never appears again.
Exo 15:6-10
Jehovah had not only proved Himself to be a true man of war in destroying the Egyptians, but also as the glorious and strong one, who overthrows His enemies at the very moment when they think they are able to destroy His people.
Exo 15:6-7
“Thy right hand, Jehovah, glorified in power (gloriously equipped with power: on the Yod in נֶאְדָּרִי, see Gen 31:39; the form is masc., and יָמִין, which is of common gender, is first of all construed as a masculine, as in Pro 27:16, and then as a feminine), “Thy right hand dashes in pieces the enemy.” רָעַץ = רָצַץ: only used here, and in Jdg 10:8. The thought it quite a general one: the right hand of Jehovah smites every foe. This thought is deduced from the proof just seen of the power of God, and is still further expanded in Exo 15:7, “In the fulness of Thy majesty Thou pullest down Thine opponents.” הָרַס generally applied to the pulling down of buildings; then used figuratively for the destruction of foes, who seek to destroy the building (the work) of God; in this sense here and Psa 28:5. קָמִים: those that rise up in hostility against a man (Deu 33:11; Psa 18:40, etc.). “Thou lettest out Thy burning heat, it devours them like stubble.” חָרֹן, the burning breath of the wrath of God, which Jehovah causes to stream out like fire (Eze 7:3), was probably a play upon the fiery look cast upon the Egyptians from the pillar of cloud (cf. Isa 9:18; Isa 10:17; and on the last words, Isa 5:24; Nah 1:10).
Exo 15:8-10
Thus had Jehovah annihilated the Egyptians. “And by the breath of Thy nostrils (i.e., the strong east wind sent by God, which is described as the blast of the breath of His nostrils; cf. Psa 18:16) the waters heaped themselves up (piled themselves up, so that it was possible to go between them like walls); the flowing ones stood like a heap” (נֵד cumulus; it occurs in Jos 3:13, Jos 3:16, and Psa 33:7; Psa 78:13, where it is borrowed from this passage. מֹזְלים: the running, flowing ones; a poetic epithet applied to waves, rivers, or brooks, Psa 78:16, Psa 78:44; Isa 44:3). “The waves congealed in the heart of the sea:” a poetical description of the piling up of the waves like solid masses.
Exo 15:9
“The enemy said: I pursue, overtake, divide spoil, my soul becomes full of them; I draw my sword, my hand will root them out.” By these short clauses following one another without any copula, the confidence of the Egyptian as he pursued them breathing vengeance is very strikingly depicted. נֶפֶשׁ: the soul as the seat of desire, i.e., of fury, which sought to take vengeance on the enemy, “to cool itself on them.” הורִישׁ: to drive from their possession, to exterminate (cf. Num 14:12).
Exo 15:10
“Thou didst blow with Thy breath: the sea covered them, they sank as lead in the mighty waters.” One breath of God was sufficient to sink the proud foe in the waves of the sea. The waters are called אַדִּרִים, because of the mighty proof of the Creator's glory which is furnished by the waves as they rush majestically along.
Exo 15:11-18
Third strophe. On the ground of this glorious act of God, the song rises in the third strophe into firm assurance, that in His incomparable exaltation above all gods Jehovah will finish the word of salvation, already begun, fill all the enemies of Israel with terror at the greatness of His arm, bring His people to His holy dwelling-place, and plant them on the mountain of His inheritance. What the Lord had done thus far, the singer regarded as a pledge of the future.
Exo 15:11-12
“Who is like unto Thee among the gods, O Jehovah (אֵלִים: not strong ones, but gods, Elohim, Psa 86:8, because none of the many so-called gods could perform such deeds), who is like unto Thee, glorified in holiness?” God had glorified Himself in holiness through the redemption of His people and the destruction of His foes; so that Asaph could sing, “Thy way, O God, is in holiness” (Psa 78:13). קֹדֶשׁ, holiness, is the sublime and incomparable majesty of God, exalted above all the imperfections and blemishes of the finite creature (vid., Exo 19:6). “Fearful for praises, doing wonders.” The bold expression תְהִלֹּת נֹורָא conveys more than summe venerandus, s. colendus laudibus, and signifies terrible to praise, terribilis laudibus. As His rule among men is fearful (Psa 66:5), because He performs fearful miracles, so it is only with fear and trembling that man can sing songs of praise worthy of His wondrous works. Omnium enim laudantium vires, linguas et mentes superant ideoque magno cum timore et tremore eum laudant omnes angeli et sancti (C. a Lap.). “Thou stretchest out Thy hand, the earth swallows them.” With these words the singer passes in survey all the mighty acts of the Lord, which were wrapt up in this miraculous overthrow of the Egyptians. The words no longer refer to the destruction of Pharaoh and his host. What Egypt had experienced would come upon all the enemies of the Lord and His people. Neither the idea of the earth swallowing them, nor the use of the imperfect, is applicable to the destruction of the Egyptians (see Exo 15:1, Exo 15:4, Exo 15:5, Exo 15:10, Exo 15:19, where the perfect is applied to it as already accomplished).
Exo 15:13
“Thou leadest through Thy mercy the people whom Thou redeemest; Thou guidest them through Thy might to Thy holy habitation.” The deliverance from Egypt and guidance through the Red Sea were a pledge to the redeemed people of their entrance into the promised land. The holy habitation of God was Canaan (Psa 78:54), which had been consecrated as a sacred abode for Jehovah in the midst of His people by the revelations made to the patriarchs there, and especially by the appearance of God at Bethel (Gen 28:16., Exo 31:13; Exo 35:7).
Exo 15:14
“People hear, they are afraid; trembling seizes the inhabitants of Philistia.”
Exo 15:15
“Then are the princes (alluphim, see Gen 36:15) of Edom confounded; the mighty men of Moab, trembling seizes them; all the inhabitants of Canaan despair.” אֵלִים, like אוּלִים in 2Ki 24:15, scriptio plena for אֵלִים, strong, powerful ones. As soon as these nations should hear of the miraculous guidance of Israel through the Red Sea, and Pharaoh's destruction, they would be thrown into despair from anxiety and alarm, and would not oppose the march of Israel through their land.
Exo 15:16
“Fear and dread fall upon them; for the greatness of Thine arm (the adjective גָּדֹול placed as a substantive before the noun) they are dumb (יִדְּמוּ from דָּמַם) as stones, till Thy people pass through, Jehovah, till the people which Thou hast purchased pass through.” Israel was still on its march to Canaan, an evident proof that Exo 15:13-15 do not describe what was past, but that future events were foreseen in spirit, and are represented by the use of perfects as being quite as certain as if they had already happened. The singer mentions not only Edom and Moab, but Philistia also, and the inhabitants of Canaan, as enemies who are so paralyzed with terror, as to offer no resistance to the passage of Israel through their territory; whereas the history shows that Edom did oppose their passing through its land, and they were obliged to go round in consequence (Num 20:18.; Deu 2:3, Deu 2:8), whilst Moab attempted to destroy them through the power of Balaam's curse (Num 22:2.); and what the inhabitants of Philistia and Canaan had to fear, was not their passing through, but their conquest of the land.
(Note: The fact that the inhabitants of Philistia and Canaan are described in the same terms as Edom and Moab, is an unquestionable proof that this song was composed at a time when the command to exterminate the Canaanites had not yet been given, and the boundary of the territory to be captured by the Israelites was not yet fixed; in other words, that it was sung by Moses and the Israelites after the passage through the Red Sea. In the words יַעֲבֹר עַד in Exo 15:16, there is by no means the allusion to, or play upon, the passage through the Jordan, which Knobel introduces.)
We learn, however, from Jos 2:9-10 and Jos 9:9, that the report of Israel's miraculous passage through the Red Sea had reached to Canaan, and filled its inhabitants with terror.
Exo 15:17-18
“Thou wilt bring and plant them in the mountain of Thine inheritance, the place which Thou hast made for Thy dwelling-place, Jehovah, for the sanctuary, Lord, which Thy hands prepared.” On the dagesh dirim. in מִקְּדָשׁ, see Exo 2:3. The futures are not to be taken as expressive of wishes, but as simple predictions, and are not to be twisted into preterites, as they have been by Knobel. The “mountain of Jehovah's inheritance” was not the hill country of Canaan (Deu 3:25), but the mountain which Jehovah had prepared for a sanctuary (Psa 78:54), and chosen as a dwelling-place through the sacrifice of Isaac. The planting of Israel upon this mountain does not signify the introduction of the Israelites into the promised land, but the planting of the people of God in the house of the Lord (Psa 92:14), in the future sanctuary, where Jehovah would perfect His fellowship with His people, and where the people would show themselves by their sacrifices to be the “people of possession,” and would serve Him for ever as their King. This was the goal, to which the redemption from Egypt pointed, and to which the prophetic foresight of Moses raised both himself and his people in this song, as he beholds in spirit and ardently desires the kingdom of Jehovah in its ultimate completion.
(Note: Auberlen's remarks in the Jahrb.f. d. Theol. iii. p. 793, are quite to the point: “In spirit Moses already saw the people brought to Canaan, which Jehovah had described, in the promise given to the fathers and repeated to him, as His own dwelling-place where He would abide in the midst of His people in holy separation from the nations of the world. When the first stage had been so gloriously finished, he could already see the termination of the journey.”...“The nation was so entirely devoted to Jehovah, that its own dwelling-place fell into the shade beside that of its God, and assumed the appearance of a sojourning around the sanctuary of Jehovah, for God went up before the people in the pillar of cloud and fire. The fact that a mountain is mentioned in Exo 15:17 as the dwelling-place of Jehovah is no proof of a vaticinium post eventum, but is a true prophecy, having its natural side, however, in the fact that mountains were generally the sites chosen for divine worship and for temples; a fact with which Moses was already acquainted (Gen 22:2; Exo 3:1, Exo 3:12; compare such passages as Num 22:41; Num 33:52; Mic 4:1-2). In the actual fulfilment its was Mount Zion upon which Jehovah was enthroned as King in the midst of his People.)
The song closes in Exo 15:18 with an inspiring prospect of the time, when “Jehovah will be King (of His people) for ever and ever;” and in Exo 15:19, it is dovetailed into the historical narrative by the repetition of the fact to which it owed its origin, and by the explanatory “for,” which points back to the opening verse.
Exo 15:19-21
In the words “Pharaoh's horse, with his chariots and horsemen,” Pharaoh, riding upon his horse as the leader of the army, is placed at the head of the enemies destroyed by Jehovah. In Exo 15:20, Miriam is called “the prophetess,” not ob poeticam et musicam facultatem (Ros.), but because of her prophetic gift, which may serve to explain her subsequent opposition to Moses (Num 11:1, Num 11:6); and “the sister of Aaron,” though she was Moses' sister as well, and had been his deliverer in his infancy, not “because Aaron had his own independent spiritual standing by the side of Moses” (Baumg.), but to point out the position which she was afterwards to occupy in the congregation of Israel, namely, as ranking, not with Moses, but with Aaron, and like him subordinate to Moses, who had been placed at the head of Israel as the mediator of the Old Covenant, and as such was Aaron's god (Exo 4:16, Kurtz). As prophetess and sister of Aaron she led the chorus of women, who replied to the male chorus with timbrels and dancing, and by taking up the first strophe of the song, and in this way took part in the festival; a custom that was kept up in after times in the celebration of victories (Jdg 11:34; 1Sa 18:6-7; 1Sa 21:12; 1Sa 29:5), possibly in imitation of an Egyptian model (see my Archäologie, §137, note 8).