Êxodo 15

1 Então cantaram Moisés e os filhos de Israel este cântico ao Senhor, dizendo: Cantarei ao Senhor, porque gloriosamente triunfou; lançou no mar o cavalo e o seu cavaleiro.

2 O Senhor é a minha força, e o meu cântico; ele se tem tornado a minha salvação; é ele o meu Deus, portanto o louvarei; é o Deus de meu pai, por isso o exaltarei.

3 O Senhor é homem de guerra; Jeová é o seu nome.

4 Lançou no mar os carros de Faraó e o seu exército; os seus escolhidos capitães foram submersos no Mar Vermelho.

5 Os abismos os cobriram; desceram �s profundezas como pedra.

6 A tua destra, ó Senhor, é gloriosa em poder; a tua destra, ó Senhor, destroça o inimigo.

7 Na grandeza da tua excelência derrubas os que se levantam contra ti; envias o teu furor, que os devora como restolho.

8 Ao sopro dos teus narizes amontoaram-se as águas, as correntes pararam como montão; os abismos coalharam-se no coração do mar.

9 O inimigo dizia: Perseguirei, alcançarei, repartirei os despojos; deles se satisfará o meu desejo; arrancarei a minha espada, a minha mão os destruirá.

10 Sopraste com o teu vento, e o mar os cobriu; afundaram-se como chumbo em grandes aguas.

11 Quem entre os deuses é como tu, ó Senhor? a quem é como tu poderoso em santidade, admirável em louvores, operando maravilhas?

12 Estendeste a mão direita, e a terra os tragou.

13 Na tua beneficência guiaste o povo que remiste; na tua força o conduziste � tua santa habitação.

14 Os povos ouviram e estremeceram; dores apoderaram-se dos a habitantes da Filístia.

15 Então os príncipes de Edom se pasmaram; dos poderosos de Moabe apoderou-se um tremor; derreteram-se todos os habitantes de Canaã.

16 Sobre eles caiu medo, e pavor; pela grandeza do teu braço emudeceram como uma pedra, até que o teu povo passasse, ó Senhor, até que passasse este povo que adquiriste.

17 Tu os introduzirás, e os plantarás no monte da tua herança, no lugar que tu, ó Senhor, aparelhaste para a tua habitação, no santuário, ó Senhor, que as tuas mãos estabeleceram.

18 O Senhor reinará eterna e perpetuamente.

19 Porque os cavalos de Faraó, com os seus carros e com os seus cavaleiros, entraram no mar, e o Senhor fez tornar as águas do mar sobre eles, mas os filhos de Israel passaram em seco pelo meio do mar.

20 Então Miriã, a profetisa, irmã de Arão, tomou na mão um tamboril, e todas as mulheres saíram atrás dela com tamboris, e com danças.

21 E Miriã lhes respondia: Cantai ao Senhor, porque gloriosamente triunfou; lançou no mar o cavalo com o seu cavaleiro.

22 Depois Moisés fez partir a Israel do Mar Vermelho, e saíram para o deserto de Sur; caminharam três dias no deserto, e não acharam água.

23 E chegaram a Mara, mas não podiam beber das suas águas, porque eram amargas; por isso chamou-se o lugar Mara.

24 E o povo murmurou contra Moisés, dizendo: Que havemos de beber?

25 Então clamou Moisés ao Senhor, e o Senhor mostrou-lhe uma árvore, e Moisés lançou-a nas águas, as quais se tornaram doces. Ali Deus lhes deu um estatuto e uma ordenança, e ali os provou,

26 dizendo: Se ouvires atentamente a voz do Senhor teu Deus, e fizeres o que é reto diante de seus olhos, e inclinares os ouvidos aos seus mandamentos, e guardares todos os seus estatutos, sobre ti não enviarei nenhuma das enfermidades que enviei sobre os egípcios; porque eu sou o Senhor que te sara.

27 Então vieram a Elim, onde havia doze fontes de água e setenta palmeiras; e ali, junto das águas, acamparam.

Êxodo 15 Commentary

Chapter 15

The song of Moses for the deliverance of Israel. (1-21) The bitter waters at Marah, The Israelites come to Elim. (22-27)

Verses 1-21 This song is the most ancient we know of. It is a holy song, to the honour of God, to exalt his name, and celebrate his praise, and his only, not in the least to magnify any man. Holiness to the Lord is in every part of it. It may be considered as typical, and prophetical of the final destruction of the enemies of the church. Happy the people whose God is the Lord. They have work to do, temptations to grapple with, and afflictions to bear, and are weak in themselves; but his grace is their strength. They are often in sorrow, but in him they have comfort; he is their song. Sin, and death, and hell threaten them, but he is, and will be their salvation. The Lord is a God of almighty power, and woe to those that strive with their Maker! He is a God of matchless perfection; he is glorious in holiness; his holiness is his glory. His holiness appears in the hatred of sin, and his wrath against obstinate sinners. It appears in the deliverance of Israel, and his faithfulness to his own promise. He is fearful in praises; that which is matter of praise to the servants of God, is very dreadful to his enemies. He is doing wonders, things out of the common course of nature; wondrous to those in whose favour they are wrought, who are so unworthy, that they had no reason to expect them. There were wonders of power and wonders of grace; in both, God was to be humbly adored.

Verses 22-27 In the wilderness of Shur the Israelites had no water. At Marah they had water, but it was bitter; so that they could not drink it. God can make bitter to us that from which we promise ourselves most, and often does so in the wilderness of this world, that our wants, and disappointments in the creature, may drive us to the Creator, in whose favour alone true comfort is to be had. In this distress the people fretted, and quarrelled with Moses. Hypocrites may show high affections, and appear earnest in religious exercises, but in the time of temptation they fall away. Even true believers, in seasons of sharp trial, will be tempted to fret, distrust, and murmur. But in every trial we should cast our care upon the Lord, and pour out our hearts before him. We shall then find that a submissive will, a peaceful conscience, and the comforts of the Holy Ghost, will render the bitterest trial tolerable, yea, pleasant. Moses did what the people had neglected to do; he cried unto the Lord. And God provided graciously for them. He directed Moses to a tree which he cast into the waters, when, at once, they were made sweet. Some make this tree typical of the cross of Christ, which sweetens the bitter waters of affliction to all the faithful, and enables them to rejoice in tribulation. But a rebellious Israelite shall fare no better than a rebellious Egyptian. The threatening is implied only, the promise is expressed. God is the great Physician. If we are kept well, it is he that keeps us; if we are made well, it is he that recovers us. He is our life and the length of our days. Let us not forget that we are kept from destruction, and delivered from our enemies, to be the Lord's servants. At Elim they had good water, and enough of it. Though God may, for a time, order his people to encamp by the bitter waters of Marah, that shall not always be their lot. Let us not faint at tribulations.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 15

This chapter contains the song of Moses, and of the children of Israel, on the banks of the Red sea; in which they celebrate their passage through it, the destruction of Pharaoh and his host in it, and the glory of the divine perfections displayed therein, interspersed with prophetic hints of things future, Ex 15:1-19 which same song was sung by the women, with Miriam at the head of them, attended with timbrels and dances, Ex 15:20,21, an account is given of the march of the children of Israel from the Red sea to the wilderness of Shur, and of the bitter waters found at Marah, which occasioned a murmuring, and of their being made sweet by casting a tree into them, Ex 15:22-25 when they were told by the Lord, that if they would yield obedience to his commandments, they should be free from the diseases the Egyptians had been afflicted with, Ex 15:26, and the chapter is concluded with their coming to Elim, where they found twelve wells of water, and seventy palm trees, and there encamped, Ex 15:27.