Éxodo 15

1 ENTONCES cantó Moisés y los hijos de Israel este cántico á Jehová, y dijeron: Cantaré yo á Jehová, porque se ha magnificado grandemente, Echando en la mar al caballo y al que en él subía.

2 Jehová es mi fortaleza, y mi canción, Y hame sido por salud: Este es mi Dios, y á éste engrandeceré; Dios de mi padre, y á éste ensalzaré.

3 Jehová, varón de guerra; Jehová es su nombre.

4 Los carros de Faraón y á su ejército echó en la mar; Y sus escogidos príncipes fueron hundidos en el mar Bermejo.

5 Los abismos los cubrieron; Como piedra descendieron á los profundos.

6 Tu diestra, oh Jehová, ha sido magnificada en fortaleza; Tu diestra, oh Jehová, ha quebrantado al enemigo.

7 Y con la grandeza de tu poder has trastornado á los que se levantaron contra ti: Enviaste tu furor; los tragó como á hojarasca.

8 Con el soplo de tus narices se amontonaron las aguas; Paráronse las corrientes como en un montón; Los abismos se cuajaron en medio de la mar.

9 El enemigo dijo: Perseguiré, prenderé, repartiré despojos; Mi alma se henchirá de ellos; Sacaré mi espada, destruirlos ha mi mano.

10 Soplaste con tu viento, cubriólos la mar: Hundiéronse como plomo en las impetuosas aguas.

11 ¿Quién como tú, Jehová, entre los dioses? ¿Quién como tú, magnífico en santidad, Terrible en loores, hacedor de maravillas?

12 Extendiste tu diestra; La tierra los tragó.

13 Condujiste en tu misericordia á este pueblo, al cual salvaste; Llevástelo con tu fortaleza á la habitación de tu santuario.

14 Oiránlo los pueblos, y temblarán; Apoderarse ha dolor de los moradores de Palestina.

15 Entonces los príncipes de Edom se turbarán; A los robustos de Moab los ocupará temblor; Abatirse han todos los moradores de Canaán.

16 Caiga sobre ellos temblor y espanto; A la grandeza de tu brazo enmudezcan como una piedra; Hasta que haya pasado tu pueblo, oh Jehová, Hasta que haya pasado este pueblo que tú rescataste.

17 Tú los introducirás y los plantarás en el monte de tu heredad, En el lugar de tu morada, que tú has aparejado, oh Jehová; En el santuario del Señor, que han afirmado tus manos.

18 Jehová reinará por los siglos de los siglos.

19 Porque Faraón entró cabalgando con sus carros y su gente de á caballo en la mar, y Jehová volvió á traer las aguas de la mar sobre ellos; mas los hijos de Israel fueron en seco por medio de la mar.

20 Y María la profetisa, hermana de Aarón, tomó un pandero en su mano, y todas las mujeres salieron en pos de ella con panderos y danzas.

21 Y María les respondía: Cantad á Jehová; porque en extremo se ha engrandecido, Echando en la mar al caballo, y al que en él subía.

22 E hizo Moisés que partiese Israel del mar Bermejo, y salieron al desierto de Shur; y anduvieron tres días por el desierto sin hallar agua.

23 Y llegaron á Mara, y no pudieron beber las aguas de Mara, porque eran amargas; por eso le pusieron el nombre de Mara.

24 Entonces el pueblo murmuró contra Moisés, y dijo: ¿Qué hemos de beber?

25 Y Moisés clamó á Jehová; y Jehová le mostró un árbol, el cual metídolo que hubo dentro de las aguas, las aguas se endulzaron. Allí les dió estatutos y ordenanzas, y allí los probó;

26 Y dijo: Si oyeres atentamente la voz de Jehová tu Dios, é hicieres lo recto delante de sus ojos, y dieres oído á sus mandamientos, y guardares todos sus estatutos, ninguna enfermedad de las que envié á los Egipcios te enviaré á ti; porque yo soy Jehová tu Sanador.

27 Y llegaron á Elim, donde había doce fuentes de aguas, y setenta palmas; y asentaron allí junto á las aguas.

Éxodo 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.