Éxodo 15

1 Entonces Moisés y los hijos de Israel cantaron este cántico al SEÑOR, y dijeron: Canto al SEÑOR porque ha triunfado gloriosamente; al caballo y a su jinete ha arrojado al mar.

2 Mi fortaleza y mi canción es el SEÑOR, y ha sido para mí salvación; éste es mi Dios, y le glorificaré, el Dios de mi padre, y le ensalzaré.

3 El SEÑOR es fuerte guerrero; el SEÑOR es su nombre.

4 Los carros de Faraón y su ejército arrojó al mar, y los mejores de sus oficiales se ahogaron en el mar Rojo.

5 Los abismos los cubren; descendieron a las profundidades como una piedra.

6 Tu diestra, oh SEÑOR, es majestuosa en poder; tu diestra, oh SEÑOR, destroza al enemigo.

7 En la grandeza de tu excelencia derribas a los que se levantan contra ti; envías tu furor, y los consumes como paja.

8 Al soplo de tu aliento se amontonaron las aguas, se juntaron las corrientes como en un montón; se cuajaron los abismos en el corazón del mar.

9 El enemigo dijo: "Perseguiré, alcanzaré, repartiré el despojo; se cumplirá mi deseo contra ellos; sacaré mi espada, los destruirá mi mano."

10 Soplaste con tu viento, los cubrió el mar; se hundieron como plomo en las aguas poderosas.

11 ¿Quién como tú entre los dioses, oh SEÑOR? ¿Quién como tú, majestuoso en santidad, temible en las alabanzas, haciendo maravillas?

12 Extendiste tu diestra, los tragó la tierra.

13 En tu misericordia has guiado al pueblo que has redimido; con tu poder los has guiado a tu santa morada.

14 Lo han oído los pueblos y tiemblan; el pavor se ha apoderado de los habitantes de Filistea.

15 Entonces se turbaron los príncipes de Edom; los valientes de Moab se sobrecogieron de temblor; se acobardaron todos los habitantes de Canaán.

16 Terror y espanto cae sobre ellos; por la grandeza de tu brazo quedan inmóviles, como piedra, hasta que tu pueblo pasa, oh SEÑOR, hasta que pasa el pueblo que tú has comprado.

17 Tú los traerás y los plantarás en el monte de tu heredad, el lugar que has hecho para tu morada, oh SEÑOR, el santuario, oh Señor, que tus manos han establecido.

18 El SEÑOR reinará para siempre jamás.

19 Porque los caballos de Faraón con sus carros y sus jinetes entraron en el mar, y el SEÑOR hizo volver sobre ellos las aguas del mar; pero los hijos de Israel anduvieron por en medio del mar sobre tierra seca.

20 Y Miriam la profetisa, hermana de Aarón, tomó en su mano el pandero, y todas las mujeres salieron tras ella con panderos y danzas.

21 Y Miriam les respondía: Cantad al SEÑOR porque ha triunfado gloriosamente; al caballo y su jinete ha arrojado al mar.

22 Moisés hizo partir a Israel del mar Rojo, y salieron hacia el desierto de Shur; anduvieron tres días en el desierto y no encontraron agua.

23 Cuando llegaron a Mara no pudieron beber las aguas de Mara porque eran amargas; por tanto al lugar le pusieron el nombre de Mara .

24 Y murmuró el pueblo contra Moisés, diciendo: ¿Qué beberemos?

25 Entonces él clamó al SEÑOR, y el SEÑOR le mostró un árbol; y él lo echó en las aguas, y las aguas se volvieron dulces. Y Dios les dio allí un estatuto y una ordenanza, y allí los puso a prueba.

26 Y dijo: Si escuchas atentamente la voz del SEÑOR tu Dios, y haces lo que es recto ante sus ojos, y escuchas sus mandamientos, y guardas todos sus estatutos, no te enviaré ninguna de las enfermedades que envié sobre los egipcios; porque yo, el SEÑOR, soy tu sanador.

27 Llegaron a Elim, donde había doce fuentes de agua y setenta palmeras, y acamparon allí junto a 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. I.e., amargura

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.