Old Testament Commentary - Exodus 15

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 15 Israel sings the song of Moses—They extol the Lord as a man of war, and rejoice in their deliverance from Egypt—Waters of Marah healed—The Lord promises to free Israel from the diseases of Egypt.	Israel sings a song unto the LORD—They extol the LORD as their salvation and as a man of war—
1 THEN ^asang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will ^bsing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. 2 The ^aLORD is my ^bstrength and song, and he is become my ^csalvation: he is my God, and I will ^dprepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will ^eexalt him.		1^a OR consecrate or set apart. ^b Lev. 21:10 (10-15) ^c OR young bull (also vv. 3, 10-12, 14, 36).; Lev. 8:2; 1 Chr. 13:9 2^a Lev. 2:4 ^b HEB mingled OR smeared
3 The LORD is a man of ^awar: the LORD is his ^bname. 4 Pharaoh's ^achariots and his host hath he ^bcast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the ^cRed sea. 5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a ^astone.		1^a OR consecrate or set apart. ^b Lev. 21:10 (10-15) ^c OR young bull (also vv. 3, 10-12, 14, 36).; Lev. 8:2; 1 Chr. 13:9 2^a Lev. 2:4 ^b HEB mingled OR smeared
6 Thy ^aright ^bhand, 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 ^astubble. 8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the ^awaters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an ^bheap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.		1^a OR consecrate or set apart. ^b Lev. 21:10 (10-15) ^c OR young bull (also vv. 3, 10-12, 14, 36).; Lev. 8:2; 1 Chr. 13:9 2^a Lev. 2:4 ^b HEB mingled OR smeared
9 The enemy said, I will ^apursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my ^blust 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.		1^a OR consecrate or set apart. ^b Lev. 21:10 (10-15) ^c OR young bull (also vv. 3, 10-12, 14, 36).; Lev. 8:2; 1 Chr. 13:9 2^a Lev. 2:4 ^b HEB mingled OR smeared
11 Who is ^alike unto thee, O ^bLORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in ^choliness, ^dfearful in praises, doing wonders? 12 Thou stretchedst out thy right hand^a, the earth swallowed them. 13 Thou in thy mercy^a hast ^aled forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.	12^a Thou stretchedst out thy right hand The 'right hand or right arm' of God refers to the power of God here. In other references, the right hand or arm of God refers to the relationship to God the Father and God the Son, that the Son is the 'right arm/hand' or stands at the right hand of the Father. In either case a parallel is seen in the fact that it is by the hand of the Son that all is done that is done in this second estate as it is the Son who does pertain to it and it is the Father who stands advanced beyond it. The Son was anoited and empowered of the Father in all things to act in the name of the Father, and for and in behalf of and in the stead of the Father in all things. The Father established the Son to be the God of this Earth, or this second estate, and the Son in turn returns all glory to the name of the Father. Thus it is by the power of God, that power given Jehovah of His Father, that Jehovah acts. By that power of the right hand or right arm of God is all done that is done. Thus the reference is a dual perspective reference to both the power installed in the Son Jehovah as obtained from the Father and it is the power of the Father as exercised by the Father's right hand or arm, the Son Jehovah. 13^a Thou in thy mercy God is a God of Justice and Mercy. The judgement of justice upon the wicked is the wrath of God. The mercy of God is held out to all those who believe and rely upon his name. And by that mercy is justice satisfied that those who do believe may have their sins remitted, that the wrath of God may be spared from coming upon them for their sins because of the atonement of salvation performed by the Son of God. Mercy satisfies the requirements of justice by placing the burden of the sin upon our vicarious Redeemer if we but believe in and follow after him and keep his commandments. Israel like the Egyptians was not without sin. It was through the mercy of God that judgement passed them by, 'passed over' their door by the blood of the lamb, to the extent that Israel accepted the Lord as their God and followed his direction. What justified the destruction of the Egyptians was their disbelief in and rejection of the Lord.
14 The people shall ^ahear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of ^bPalestina. 15 Then the ^adukes of ^bEdom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall ^cmelt away. 16 ^aFear and ^bdread 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 ^cpurchased.
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 ^aSanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established. 18 The ^aLORD 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 ^aMiriam the ^bprophetess, the ^csister of Aaron, took a ^dtimbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. 21 And Miriam answered them, ^aSing 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 ^aShur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
23 ¶ And when they came to ^aMarah, 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 ^amurmured 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 ^awaters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he ^bproved them, 26 And said, If thou wilt ^adiligently ^bhearken 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 ^ckeep all his statutes, I will put none of these ^ddiseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that ^ehealeth thee.
27 ¶ And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and ^athreescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.