Exodus 15 Study Notes

15:1-18 This poetic review of the exodus event demonstrates a technique found in extrabiblical ancient Near Eastern literature as well as elsewhere in the OT (Dt 32-33; 2Sm 1:17-27; 22:1-23:7), particularly the song of Deborah (Jdg 5). Other poetic reflections on the exodus include Pss 77; 78; 105; 106; Is 63:7-14. The introduction of this song conveys a change of atmosphere and highlights the importance of the occasion. While the prose account speaks about the Lord, the song speaks to the Lord and is more personal. Since Moses had complained about being inarticulate, it is something of a surprise as well. It also contrasts with the grumbling and skepticism that often typified the Israelites.

The vivid language of poetry can invite readers to use their imaginations to view the same event in multiple ways. For example, the song celebrates that the Lord threw horse and rider into the sea (Ex 15:1), he threw Pharaoh’s chariots and army into the sea (v. 4), his “right hand shattered the enemy” (v. 6), he overthrew his enemies by virtue of his majesty (v. 7), and he unleashed his wrath (v. 7). These and other descriptions of the same victory help readers to enter into the experience and celebrate the events.

15:1 Other victories of the Israelites were also celebrated with singing and dancing (Jdg 5; 11:34; 1Sm 18:6-7; Jr 31:4).

15:2-3 This is my God affirms the Lord’s objective that the Israelites would know him as their God (6:7). Israel had not selected him; rather, he had shown himself to be their God based on his actions. My father’s God ties this event to the covenant relationship between the Lord and the patriarchs (2:24; 3:6). The Lord is his name celebrates that his reputation was growing.

15:7 Stubble recalls how the Egyptians had troubled the Israelites over obtaining straw for bricks, forcing them to scrabble about for “stubble” (5:12). Now the Egyptians had been reduced to stubble.

15:11 The truth of God’s unequaled power is one of the lessons of the plagues (8:10; 9:14; Dt 4:39; Ps 86:3-10; 96:4-5; 135:5,15-17).

15:12 The earth swallowed them is a poetic way of saying that they died (Ps 63:9; 71:20; Pr 1:12; Jnh 2:6).

15:13 The word translated faithful love refers to displays of loyalty and kind provisions of help between family members or friends, often in situations where the needy party would have no legal right to the assistance (20:6; 34:6-7 contain the other uses of the word in Exodus; cp. Ru 1:8; 2:20; 3:10; 1Sm 20:8; 2Sm 9:1).

15:14-16 As he intended, the Lord was becoming widely known (cp. 9:16; 18:11; 32:12). The nations are listed in the order Israel would encounter them during the exodus: first the people of Philistia, then those in Edom (descended from Esau), Moab (descended from Lot), and Canaan (descended from Ham’s son Canaan). The idea that God purchased or redeemed Israel is also found elsewhere (see Ps 74:2; Is 11:11, where “recover” translates the same verb). The verb is often used of buying a slave (Gn 39:1; Ex 21:2) or land (Gn 47:20; 2Sm 24:21).

15:17 Earlier in Exodus the land was described as spacious and fertile, as well as occupied by other nations (3:8,17; 13:5); the song describes it in ways that imply privilege and fellowship. In short, the Lord was taking the Israelites to be at home with him (cp. Jn 14:1-3).

15:19 Here is a summary of what happened to the Egyptians and the Israelites.

15:20 Moses and Aaron were already familiar with the work of prophets and prophecy (4:14-16; 6:30-7:2). Their sister Miriam shared in the work (6:20; Nm 12:1-15; 26:59; cp. Jdg 4:4; 2Kg 22:12-20; Neh 6:14; Is 8:3; Ezk 13; Jl 2:28-29).

15:21 The last lines of the song repeat the first, except that the first is a declaration of resolve to praise and the last is a command, an exhortation to praise. The song was sung antiphonally (cp. Ps 136).

15:22-17:16 In this section, the primary conflict is no longer the Lord and Moses versus Pharaoh and the Egyptians, but the Lord and Moses versus the Israelites, who still tended to look back to Egypt for provision (13:17; 17:3). The Lord graciously showed them that when it came to matters basic to survival, he was capable of sustaining them.

15:22-27 The account of water provided at Marah introduces themes prominent in the accounts of Israel’s time in the wilderness: grumbling, testing, and the need for attention and obedience to the Lord’s commands.

15:22 The Wilderness of Shur, in the Sinai Peninsula, has been mentioned in connection with Hagar (Gn 16:7-14) and Abraham (Gn 20:1). Since Shur means “wall,” this area may have received its name by being associated with fortifications protecting Egypt’s eastern border and referred to in Egyptian records as the “Wall of the Ruler.”

15:24 The word translated grumbled signals a hostile question and is used mostly to describe the Israelites’ rebellious complaining (chaps. 15-17; Nm 14-17).

15:25-26 The word translated tested is used once before in the Pentateuch when the Lord tested Abraham by commanding him to sacrifice Isaac (Gn 22:1-2). The changing of bitter water recalls when God did the opposite to Egypt’s water (Ex 7:17-24; cp. 23:25). At issue in the call for obedience was Israel’s distinct identity; they were supposed to be different from Egypt. The Lord had “healed” the water for them and would provide healing for the Israelites in other ways as well (Dt 32:39; 2Kg 2:21-22; Ezk 47:8-9). There is no naturalistic or herbal explanation of how a tree made the water drinkable.

15:27 Elim may be modern Wadi Gharandel, in western Sinai, Egypt.