Exodus 15 - Printer Friendly

What does Exodus 15 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

Israel has just experienced perhaps the most spectacular miracle of the Old Testament: the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21–29). They are free from Egyptian slavery (Exodus 1:11–14; 12:40–41) and will never need to fear being recaptured (Exodus 14:30). This chapter begins by recording their celebration.

Moses' song of celebration begins with the main reason for their joy: that the Lord overthrew the Egyptian army of chariots and horses (Exodus 14:5–9) in the Red Sea (Exodus 14:30–31). They declare God's power and His role in their salvation. This introduction repeatedly uses the name YHWH (Exodus 3:15) to refer to the Lord. The song expresses several variations of the story, each emphasizing the power of God. Despite Egyptian arrogance, their military was easily and utterly destroyed by the work of the Lord (Exodus 15:1–10).

The second half of this song proclaims God's unique position as the One True God (Isaiah 37:16). His love for Israel brought them to salvation. His power dramatically defeated a powerful enemy. This will strike fear into the wicked nations of Canaan (Deuteronomy 9:4). Israel is confident that the Lord will bring them into this Promised Land (Genesis 17:8). God's rule will be established for all eternity (Exodus 15:11–18).

Miriam, Moses' older sister (Exodus 2:4–7), leads the women of Israel in music and dancing. They repeat the same song of celebration. Scripture represents this by duplicating the first line of Moses' song (Exodus 15:19–21).

Now, Israel sets off for the first time as a securely freed, truly independent nation. Their first challenge is water. After three days, none is found. They can only locate a source with "bitter," undrinkable water. This place will come to be known as Mārāh, literally meaning "bitter," for that reason. The people seem to forget all the divine intervention which has happened. They complain against Moses. He brings their pleas to God. God provides a means to make the water drinkable. This leads into a stern warning: if the people obey, they can avoid the diseases which ravaged Egypt. Soon after, they arrive at an oasis with springs of water and many trees (Exodus 15:22–27).

Soon after, the people will complain again, this time about food. In response, God introduces them to one of the most famous substances in the Bible: manna (Exodus 16).

Exodus 15:1–18 is Moses' song of celebration. Israel has just been saved from an attacking Egyptian army (Exodus 14:5–9). God miraculously parted the waters of the sea so His people could cross safely; the pursuing soldiers were all drowned (Exodus 14:21–29). In this song, Moses recounts this amazing series of events. He also looks ahead to Israel's conquest of the Promised Land (Genesis 13:12, 14–16).

Exodus 15:19–21 restates Israel's recent miraculous rescue at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21–29). Moses has offered a song of praise (Exodus 15:1–18). His sister, Miriam (Exodus 2:4–7), leads women in singing and dancing. She repeats the first words of Moses' song as the people celebrate their freedom.

Exodus 15:22–27 records the first of God's sustaining miracles during Israel's time in the wilderness. The people left slavery (Exodus 12:40–41) and their pursuers were drowned (Exodus 14:21–29). Yet now, they have trouble finding drinkable water. Moses follows the Lord's advice to change undrinkable water into something clean. God indicates that He will keep Israel free from the kinds of plagues He sent on Egypt (Exodus 7:21; 8:6, 17, 24; 9:6, 10, 24; 10:14, 23; 12:29–32) so long as they obey His commands. The people then find a lush oasis with plenty of water and shelter.

Chapter Summary:

Israel celebrates the supernatural event which eliminated the Egyptian army. God's power parted the waters of the Red Sea for the Hebrews to cross, then collapsed the same waters over the pursuing soldiers (Exodus 14:21–29). Moses, his sister Miriam, and the other Israelites praise the Lord for His works. They anticipate that this event will strike fear into the hearts of the wicked Canaanite nations (Deuteronomy 9:4). Yet, when the only water they find is undrinkable, the Israelites complain and criticize Moses. God provides a means to purify the water. He then provides a clear message about obedience and leads the people to a well-watered oasis.

Chapter Context:

When the nation of Israel was freed (Exodus 12:40–41), God led them to a specific place (Exodus 13:17–18). The Egyptians sent an army in pursuit (Exodus 14:5–9). God completed Israel's salvation by leading them across the Red Sea and wiping out the Egyptian army (Exodus 14:21–28). Here, the people celebrate their freedom with singing and dancing. However, they will soon complain when water runs short. In the following chapter, they will complain about food and be given the gift of "manna" (Exodus 16).

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.

Accessed 6/15/2025 11:55:16 PM