Exodus 15

1 Then Moses/I sang this song, and the Israeli people sang with him: “I will sing to Yahweh, because he has triumphed gloriously; He has thrown the horses and their riders into the sea!

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: “I will sing to the Lord, for he is supreme! He has thrown the horses and their riders into the sea.

2 Yahweh is the one who makes me strong, and he is the one I sing about. He is the one who has saved me. He is (my God/God, the one I worship), and I will praise him. He is the one my father worshiped, and I will tell [others] how great he is.

The Lord gives me strength. He is the theme of my song. He saves me. He is my God, and I will praise him. He is my father's God, and I will honor him.

3 Yahweh is a warrior; Yahweh is his name.

The Lord is like a warrior. His name is the Lord.

4 He has thrown the king’s chariots and his army into the sea; His best officers all drowned in the Red Sea (OR, Gulf of Suez).

He threw Pharaoh's chariots and his army into the sea. Pharaoh's best officers were drowned in the Red Sea.

5 The [water covered them like] a flood; they sank to the bottom like a stone.

The flooding water covered them. They dropped down into the depths like a stone.

6 O Yahweh, your right arm has awesome power; with that power [MTY], O Yahweh, you have crushed/smashed the enemy into pieces.

Your power, Lord, is truly amazing! Your power, Lord, crushed the enemy.

7 You have gloriously defeated your enemies. Because you were angry with them, you have [destroyed them] like a fire burns up straw [SIM].

By your majestic power you destroyed those who opposed you. Your anger blazed out and burned them up like stubble.

8 You blew on the sea, and the water piled up high; the water stood up like two walls. In the deepest part of the sea [the water] became thick/solid, [as though] it was frozen.

You blew and the sea piled up. The waves stood straight like a wall. The depths of the ocean turned solid.

9 [Our] enemies said, ‘We will pursue them and catch up to them. We will draw our swords and strike them. After we defeat them, we will divide up the spoils. We will take [from them] all we want.’

The enemy bragged, ‘I will chase them and catch up with them. I will divide the plunder. I will eat them alive. I will swing my sword. By my hand I will destroy them.’

10 But you blew on them with your breath, and then the sea covered them. They sank like lead/rocks in the big waves.

But you blew with your breath and the sea swept over them. They sank down like lead in the swirling waters.

11 Yahweh, among their gods, there is no god like you [RHQ]! You are glorious, completely different from all that you made. (There is no god like you!/What god is like you?) [RHQ] There is no one who can perform all kinds of miracles [DOU] like you do [RHQ]!

Who is like you among the gods, Lord? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, awesome in wonder, doing miracles?

12 When you stretched out your right hand, the earth swallowed up [our enemies]

You acted, and the earth swallowed the Egyptians.

13 You faithfully loved the people you rescued; with your power you are leading them to the land that you have set apart.

You led the people you saved with your trustworthy love. You will guide them in your strength to your holy home.

14 The people of [other] nations will hear [what you have done]; and they will tremble. The people in Philistia will be terrified.

The nations will hear what has happened and will shake with fear. The people who live in Philistia will experience agonizing distress.

15 The chiefs in Edom will be dismayed. The leaders in Moab will be so afraid, they will shake. All those who live in Canaan will faint.

The Edomite chiefs will be terrified. The Moabite leaders will tremble. The people living in Canaan will melt away in panic.

16 They will be terrified and fearful because of your great strength [MTY]. But they will be as silent as stones until your people march past them, the people you freed from being slaves in Egypt,

Terror and fright will fall on them. Lord, because of your great power, they will be as still as stone until your people pass by, until the people you bought pass by.

17 to go to [Canaan land]. You will enable them to live [MET] on your hill, at the place that you, O Yahweh, have chosen to be your home, in the (holy place/temple) that you yourself will build.

You will take your people and plant them on the mountain that you own, the place that you, Lord, have prepared as your home, the sanctuary that your hands have built, Lord.

18 O Yahweh, you will rule forever!

The Lord will reign forever and ever!”

19 The Israeli people walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground. But when the king’s horses and chariots and horsemen tried to go through the sea, Yahweh caused the water to come back and cover them.”

When Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the water rushing back over them. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.

20 Then Miriam, who was Aaron’s older sister and a (prophetess/woman who spoke messages that came directly from God), picked up her tambourine,

Miriam the prophet, Aaron's sister, picked up a tambourine, and all the women followed her dancing and playing tambourines.

21 and she sang this song to Yahweh: “Sing to Yahweh, because he has triumphed gloriously [over his enemies]. He has thrown the horses and their riders into the sea.”

Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he is supreme! He has thrown the horses and their riders into the sea.”

22 Then Moses/I led the Israeli people away from the Red Sea (OR, Gulf of Suez). They/we went to the desert at Shur. They/We walked for three days, but they/we could not find any water.

Then Moses led Israel away from the Red Sea and into the Desert of Shur. For three days they walked in the desert but couldn't find any water.

23 So they/we [went on and] came to a [place named] Marah. [There was] water [there, but] they/we could not drink it, because it was bitter. That is why they named the place Marah, [which is the Hebrew word that means ‘bitter’].

When they arrived at Marah, the water there was too bitter to drink. (That's why the place is called Marah.)

24 The people complained to Moses/me, saying, “What are we going to drink?”

So the people complained to Moses, asking, “What are we going to drink?”

25 So Moses/I prayed earnestly to Yahweh. Then Yahweh showed him/me a tree. So he/I cut off [one of the branches] and threw it into the water, and the water became good to drink. There at Marah, Yahweh gave them various laws to direct their lives. He also tested them there, to determine if they would obey him,

Moses called out to the Lord for help, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. When he threw it into the water, it became sweet. There the Lord gave them rules and instructions and also tested their loyalty to him.

26 by saying, “I am Yahweh, your God. If you will carefully obey me when I speak [to you], and do those things that I know are right, and pay close attention to all the things that I command you, I will keep you from being afflicted by all the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians. Do not forget that I am the one who heals you.”

He told them, “If you pay attention to what the Lord your God says, do what is right in his sight, obey his commands, and keep all his regulations, then I will not make you suffer from any of the diseases I gave the Egyptians because I am the Lord who heals you.”

27 [After they/we left Marah], they/we came to a [place named] Elim. There were twelve springs of water and 70 palm trees there. So they/we camped there.

Then they traveled on to Elim, which had twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. They set up camp there beside the water.