Éxodo 15

1 Entonces cantó Moisés y los hijos de Israel este cántico al SEÑOR, y dijeron: Cantaré yo al SEÑOR, porque se ha magnificado grandemente, echando en el mar al caballo y al que en él subía

2 El SEÑOR es mi fortaleza, y mi canción, él me es por salud; éste es mi Dios, y a éste prepararé habitación; Dios de mi padre, y a éste ensalzaré

3 El SEÑOR, varón de guerra; el SEÑOR es su Nombre

4 Los carros del Faraón y a su ejército echó en el mar; y sus escogidos príncipes fueron hundidos en el mar Bermejo

5 Los abismos los cubrieron; como una piedra descendieron a lo profundo

6 Tu diestra, oh SEÑOR, ha sido magnificada en fortaleza; tu diestra, oh SEÑOR, ha molido al enemigo

7 Y con la multitud de tu grandeza has trastornado a los que se levantaron contra ti; enviaste tu furor; los tragó como a hojarasca

8 Con el soplo de tus narices se amontonaron las aguas; se pararon las corrientes como en un montón; los abismos se cuajaron en medio del mar

9 El enemigo dijo: Perseguiré, prenderé, repartiré despojos; mi alma se saciará de ellos; sacaré mi espada, los destruirá mi mano

10 Soplaste con tu viento, los cubrió el mar. Se hundieron como plomo en las impetuosas aguas

11 ¿Quién como tú, oh SEÑOR, entre los dioses? ¿Quién como tú, magnífico en santidad, terrible en loores, hacedor de maravillas

12 Extendiendo tu diestra, la tierra los tragó

13 Condujiste con tu misericordia a este pueblo, al cual redimiste; lo llevaste con tu fortaleza a la habitación de tu santidad

14 Lo oirán los pueblos, y temblarán; se apoderará dolor de los moradores de Filistea

15 Entonces los duques de Edom se turbarán; a los robustos de Moab les ocupará temblor; se abatirán 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 SEÑOR, hasta que haya pasado este pueblo que tú compraste

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

18 El SEÑOR reinará por los siglos de los siglos

19 Porque el Faraón entró cabalgando con sus carros y su gente de a caballo en el mar, y el SEÑOR volvió a traer las aguas del mar sobre ellos; mas los hijos de Israel pasaron en seco por en medio del mar

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

21 Y María les respondía: Cantad al SEÑOR; porque en extremo se ha magnificado grandemente, echando en el mar al caballo, y al que en él subía

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

23 Y llegaron a 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 al SEÑOR; y el SEÑOR le mostró un árbol, el cual cuando lo metió dentro de las aguas, las aguas se endulzaron. Allí les dio estatutos y derechos, y allí los probó

26 y dijo: Si oyeres atentamente la voz del SEÑOR tu Dios, e hicieres lo recto delante de sus ojos, y dieres oído a sus mandamientos, y guardares todos sus estatutos, ninguna enfermedad, de las que envié a los egipcios, te enviaré a ti; porque yo soy el SEÑOR tu Sanador

27 Y llegaron a Elim, donde había doce fuentes de aguas, y setenta palmas; y se asentaron 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.

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.