The Second Book of Moses: Exodus

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 15 -

(Judges 5:1–31)

Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and they said: “Let us sing to the Lord, for he has been gloriously magnified: the horse and the rider he has cast into the sea.

The Lord is my strength and my praise, and he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I shall glorify him. He is the God of my father, and I shall exalt him.

The Lord is like a fighting man. Almighty is his name.

The chariots of Pharaoh, and his army, he has cast into the sea; his elect leaders have been submerged in the Red Sea.

The abyss has covered them. They descended into the depths like a stone.

Your right hand, O Lord, has been magnified in strength. Your right hand, O Lord, has struck down the enemy.

And in the multitude of your glory you have put down your adversaries. You sent out your wrath, which devoured them like stubble.

And by the breath of your fury, the waters were gathered together. The flowing waves stood still. The abyss was gathered into the midst of the sea.

The enemy said: ‘I will pursue and overtake them. I will divide the spoils. My soul will be filled. I will unsheathe my sword. My hand will put them to death.’

Your breath blew, and the sea covered them. They were submerged like lead into the mighty waters.

Who is like you in strength, O Lord? Who is like you: magnificent in sanctity, terrible and yet praiseworthy, accomplishing miracles?

You extended your hand, and the earth devoured them.

In your mercy, you have been a leader to the people whom you have redeemed. And in your strength, you have carried them to your holy dwelling place.(a)

Peoples rose up and became angry. Sorrows took hold of the inhabitants of Philistia.

Then the leaders of Edom were stirred up, and trembling took hold of the robust of Moab. All the inhabitants of Canaan were petrified.

Let fear and dread fall upon them, by the magnitude of your arm. Let them become immobilized like stone, until your people cross through, O Lord, until this, your people whom you possess, cross through.

You shall lead them in and plant them, on the mountain of your inheritance, in your most firm dwelling place, which you have formed, O Lord, your sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have made firm.

The Lord will reign in eternity and beyond.

For the rider Pharaoh, with his chariots and horsemen, was brought into the sea. And the Lord brought back upon them the waters of the sea. But the sons of Israel walked across dry ground in its midst.”

And so Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took up a timbrel in her hand. And all the women followed her with timbrels and dancing.

And she prophesied, saying: “Let us sing to the Lord, for he has been gloriously magnified. The horse and its rider, he has thrown into the sea.”(b)

The Waters of Marah

Then Moses took Israel from the Red Sea, and they went forth into the desert of Shur. And they wandered for three days through the wilderness, and they found no water.

And they arrived at Marah. They were unable to drink the waters of Marah because they were bitter. Therefore, he also established a name befitting the place, calling it ‘Marah,’ that is, bitterness.

And the people murmured against Moses, saying: “What shall we drink?”

So he cried out to the Lord, who showed him a tree. And when he had cast it into the waters, they were turned into sweetness. In that place, he established instructions for him, and also judgments. And he tested him there,

saying: “If you will listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and obey his commands, and keep all his precepts, I will not bring upon you any of the distress that I imposed on Egypt. For I am the Lord, your healer.”

Then the sons of Israel arrived in Elim, where there were twelve fountains of water and seventy palm trees. And they camped next to the waters.

Footnotes

(a)15:13 Which place is the ‘holy dwelling place’? It is the Promised Land and it is Mount Zion. The wording of this text indicates that it was written after the Israelites reached the land of Israel.(Conte)

(b)15:21 The word ‘præcinebat’ refers to predictions or prophecy. Miriam’s song, only the first part of which is given here, was viewed as prophetic. Not all prophecy predicts the future; some prophecy describes past events with prophetic insight.(Conte)

(Judges 5:1–31)

Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and said, “I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously. He has thrown the horse and his rider into the sea.

The LORD is my strength and song. He has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

The LORD is a man of war. The LORD is his name.

He has cast Pharaoh’s chariots and his army into the sea. His chosen captains are sunk in the Red Sea.

The deeps cover them. They went down into the depths like a stone.

Your right hand, LORD, is glorious in power. Your right hand, LORD, dashes the enemy in pieces.

In the greatness of your excellency, you overthrow those who rise up against you. You send out your wrath. It consumes them as stubble.

With the blast of your nostrils, the waters were piled up. The floods stood upright as a heap. The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.

The enemy said, ‘I will pursue. I will overtake. I will divide the plunder. My desire will be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword. My hand will destroy them.’

You blew with your wind. The sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

Who is like you, LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

You stretched out your right hand. The earth swallowed them.

“You, in your loving kindness, have led the people that you have redeemed. You have guided them in your strength to your holy habitation.

The peoples have heard. They tremble. Pangs have taken hold of the inhabitants of Philistia.

Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed. Trembling takes hold of the mighty men of Moab. All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.

Terror and dread falls on them. By the greatness of your arm they are as still as a stone, until your people pass over, LORD, until the people you have purchased pass over.

You will bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance, the place, LORD, which you have made for yourself to dwell in: the sanctuary, Lord, which your hands have established.

The LORD will reign forever and ever.”

For the horses of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought back the waters of the sea on them; but the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea.

Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances.

Miriam answered them, “Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously. He has thrown the horse and his rider into the sea.”

The Waters of Marah

Moses led Israel onward 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.

When they came to Marah, they couldn’t drink from the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore its name was called Marah.(a)

The people murmured against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”

Then he cried to the LORD. The LORD showed him a tree, and he threw it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There he made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there he tested them.

He said, “If you will diligently listen to the LORD your God’s voice, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am the LORD who heals you.”

They came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. They encamped there by the waters.

Footnotes

(a)15:23 Marah means bitter.