Exodus 15

Israel sings to God

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Existing One:

“I’ll sing out to God; he’s elevated,

Thrown into the sea, they’re terminated.

The Lord is my strength and celebration,

The Existing One is my salvation.

This Lord is my God who I’ll beautify,

My ancestor’s God; I’ll lift him up high.

A battle—a war—that’s what God became,

The Existing One is always his name.

God sent to the sea Pharaoh’s best horses,

Down to the bottom sank Egypt’s forces. 

They've been covered up—covered by the deep, 

Like stones in water they sank to their sleep.

Your right hand, Oh God, is mighty and great,

Our adversaries you will devastate.

Your anger consumes every contender,

Your rivals topple just from your splendor.

You split the water with breath from your nose,

Stacked into two piles the water arose,

All the sea’s water was held in a pose.

‘I’ll take back their loot,’ the rival will say,

‘With all of these people I will have my way,

I will draw my sword and then seize my prey.’

You blew the waters, hiding them instead,

In the mighty sea they sank down like lead.

Out of all the gods, which one is like you?

You’re matchless and great; you work wonders too,

Our respect and praise is what you imbue.

All you had to do was reach out your hand,

And they disappeared, swallowed by the land.

You kindly guided the people you bought,

Your sacred meadow is where we were brought.

The nations got scared when word reached their ear,

The Philistines heard and trembled with fear. 

The chiefs of Edom all became dismayed,

While Moab’s leaders were very afraid;

Locals of Canaan are melting away.

Upon them descend terror, dread, and fright,

They’re silent as stone when they see your might.

‘Til we pass over, they’ll stand there frozen,

‘Til we pass over, because we’re your chosen.

Take us to your estate where you reside;

Plant us in the place you like to abide—

The sanctuary that your hands supplied.

The Existing One will reign forever.”

That’s what they sang since the Existing One folded the water over Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and horsemen after they went into the seabed while the Israelites walked through the seabed on dry land. 

Miriam the prophetess (Moses & Aaron’s older sister) picked up a tambourine and led all the other women as they danced with tambourines. Miriam shouted,

“Sing to the Existing One, because he’s triumphantly exalted!

He hurled the horses and their riders into the sea!”

Bitter water becomes sweet

Then Moses led Israel away from the Red Sea and into the uninhabited land of Shur where they couldn’t find water for three days. They finally reached Marah (a spring) but its water wasn’t suitable for drinking, so everyone grumbled to Moses asking what they should drink. So Moses cried out to the Existing One, and the Existing One showed him a tree. Moses threw it into the water, and then it became suitable for drinking.

Obeying God prevents plagues

While they were there God gave them a mandate and tested them saying,

“If you listen to the Existing One’s voice, and do what is right in his sight, and listen to his instructions, and stay within all his boundaries, I won’t place any of the diseases on you that I laid on the Egyptians, because I—the Existing One—am your healer.”

Then they reached Elim where there were 12 springs of water and 70 date palms, and they camped there near the water.