Exodus 15:8-18

8 "1At the blast of Your nostrils the waters were piled up, 2The flowing waters stood up like a heap; The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.
9 "3The enemy said, 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I will 4divide the spoil; My desire shall be gratified against them; I will draw out my sword, my hand will destroy them.'
10 "5You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; 6They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
11 "7Who is like You among the gods, O LORD? Who is like You, 8majestic in holiness, 9Awesome in praises, 10working wonders?
12 "11You stretched out Your right hand, The earth swallowed them.
13 "In Your lovingkindness You have 12led the people whom You have 13redeemed; In Your strength You have guided them 14to Your holy habitation.
14 "15The peoples have heard, they tremble; Anguish has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 "Then the 16chiefs of Edom were dismayed; 17The leaders of Moab, trembling grips them; 18All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.
16 "19Terror and dread fall upon them; 20By the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone; Until Your people pass over, O LORD, Until the people pass over whom You 21have purchased.
17 "22You will bring them and 23plant them in 24the mountain of Your inheritance, 25The place, O LORD, which You have made for Your dwelling, 26The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.
18 "27The LORD shall reign forever and ever."

Exodus 15:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References 27

  • 1. Exodus 14:22, 29; Job 4:9
  • 2. Psalms 78:13
  • 3. Ex 14:5, 8, 9
  • 4. Judges 5:30; Isaiah 53:12; Luke 11:22
  • 5. Exodus 14:27, 28
  • 6. Exodus 15:5
  • 7. Exodus 8:10; Exodus 9:14; Deuteronomy 3:24; 2 Samuel 7:22; 1 Kings 8:23; Psalms 71:19; Psalms 86:8; Micah 7:18
  • 8. Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8
  • 9. Psalms 22:23
  • 10. Psalms 72:18; Psalms 136:4
  • 11. Exodus 15:6
  • 12. Nehemiah 9:12; Psalms 77:20
  • 13. Exodus 15:16; Psalms 77:15
  • 14. Exodus 15:17; Psalms 78:54
  • 15. Deuteronomy 2:25; Habakkuk 3:7
  • 16. Genesis 36:15, 40
  • 17. Numbers 22:3, 4
  • 18. Josh 2:9, 11, 24; Joshua 5:1
  • 19. Exodus 23:27; Deuteronomy 2:25; Joshua 2:9
  • 20. Exodus 15:5, 6
  • 21. Exodus 15:13; Psalms 74:2; Isaiah 43:1; Jeremiah 31:11; Titus 2:14; 2 Peter 2:1
  • 22. Exodus 23:20; Exodus 32:34
  • 23. Psalms 44:2; Psalms 80:8, 15
  • 24. Psalms 2:6; Psalms 78:54, 68
  • 25. Psalms 68:16; Psalms 76:2; Psalms 132:13, 14
  • 26. Psalms 78:69
  • 27. Psalms 10:16; Psalms 29:10; Isaiah 57:15

Footnotes 4

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.