Chapter 15
Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.
Just read this chapter →Scripture
KJV1Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
2The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
3The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
4Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
5The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
6Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
7And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.
8And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.
9The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
10Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.
11Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
12Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.
13Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.
14The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.
15Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
16Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.
17Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O LORD, which thy hands have established.
18The LORD shall reign for ever and ever.
19For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.
20And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
21And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
22So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
23And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.
24And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
25And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
26And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
27And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
“The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.”
Overview
Moses and Israel sing a triumphant song of praise to the LORD for His victory at the Red Sea, celebrating His power, majesty, and faithfulness. Miriam leads the women in dancing and tambourines. The song declares that the LORD is a warrior, that He has triumphed gloriously, and that He will bring His people to the mountain of His inheritance. After this celebration, Israel travels three days into the wilderness of Shur and finds no water. At Marah they find water, but it is bitter. The people murmur, and God shows Moses a tree which, when cast into the waters, makes them sweet. God promises that if Israel obeys, He will keep them from the diseases of Egypt.
Key Themes
Worship as the First Response to Deliverance
Israel's first act after crossing the Red Sea is corporate worship — the Song of Moses is the first extended hymn in Scripture, establishing that God's saving acts demand praise.
The LORD Is a Warrior
The song celebrates God as a divine warrior who personally fights for His people — 'The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name' (v. 3).
From Praise to Complaint: The Fickleness of Faith
Only three days after the Red Sea, Israel grumbles about bitter water — the swiftness of the transition from worship to complaint reveals how quickly human faith can falter.
Study Questions
What elements of the Song of Moses (vv. 1-18) can enrich our own worship and prayer life today?
What does the title 'The LORD is a man of war' (v. 3) reveal about God's character, and how does it shape our understanding of spiritual warfare?
How can Israel move from exuberant worship at the Red Sea to bitter complaint at Marah in only three days, and what does this teach about the nature of faith?
What is the significance of God using a tree to make the bitter waters sweet (v. 25), and how might this point to deeper spiritual realities?
What does God's promise to be Israel's healer (v. 26) reveal about His desire to care for His people holistically?
Connection to Christ
The tree cast into bitter waters to make them sweet has long been seen as a picture of the cross, which transforms the bitterness of suffering and judgment into the sweetness of salvation. The Song of Moses is echoed in Revelation 15:3, where the redeemed sing 'the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb' — the redemption from Egypt and the redemption through Christ are one continuous story of praise.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Exodus 15. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?