HarperCollins Study Bible

by Harold W. Attridge

  3The LORD is a warrior;

  the LORD is his name.

  4“Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he cast into the sea;

  his picked officers were sunk in the Red Sea.b

  5The floods covered them;

  they went down into the depths like a stone.

  6Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power—

  your right hand, O LORD, shattered the enemy.

  7In the greatness of your majesty you overthrew your adversaries;

  you sent out your fury, it consumed them like stubble.

  8At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up,

  the floods stood up in a heap;

  the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea.

  9The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake,

  I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them.

  I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.’

  10You blew with your wind, the sea covered them;

  they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

  11“Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods?

  Who is like you, majestic in holiness,

  awesome in splendor, doing wonders?

  12You stretched out your right hand,

  the earth swallowed them.

  13“In your steadfast love you led the people whom you redeemed;

  you guided them by your strength to your holy abode.

  14The peoples heard, they trembled;

  pangs seized the inhabitants of Philistia.

  15Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed;

  trembling seized the leaders of Moab;

  all the inhabitants of Canaan melted away.

  16Terror and dread fell upon them;

  by the might of your arm, they became still as a stone

  until your people, O LORD, passed by,

  until the people whom you acquired passed by.

  17You brought them in and planted them on the mountain of your own possession,

  the place, O LORD, that you made your abode,

  the sanctuary, O LORD, that your hands have established.

  18The LORD will reign forever and ever.”

  19When the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his chariot drivers went into the sea, the LORD brought back the waters of the sea upon them; but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.

  The Song of Miriam

  20Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing. 21And Miriam sang to them:

  “Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously;

  horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.”

  Bitter Water Made Sweet

  22Then Moses ordered Israel to set out from the Red Sea,c and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter. That is why it was called Marah.d 24And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25He cried out to the LORD; and the LORD showed him a piece of wood;e he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.

  There the LORDf made for them a statute and an ordinance and there he put them to the test. 26He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in his sight, and give heed to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will not bring upon you any of the diseases that I brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the LORD who heals you.”

  27Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; and they camped there by the water.

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  a Or song

  b Or Sea of Reeds

  c Or Sea of Reeds

  d That is Bitterness

  e Or a tree

  f Heb he

  15.1–19 The song of Moses proper, vv. 1b–18, written in “high,” archaic Hebrew verse, extensively using parallelism, expresses Israel’s trust (14.31; cf. Ps 106.12). Although the song refers to the events related in ch. 14, it does not narrate them in sequence and the descriptions do not entirely match.

  15.1 Moses. See note on 15.21. Israelites. Since the song is formulated in the first-person singular, perhaps Moses sings a line and the Israelites respond antiphonally. I will sing, or “let me sing.” The Hebrew rendered triumphed gloriously is used elsewhere of the sea’s excrescence (e.g., Ps 89.9) and of human arrogance (e.g., Isa 2.12); the basic sense is “to be high,” a polar contrast to the Egyptians (see vv. 5, 10). Horse. Egyptian reliefs and paintings of the late second millennium BCE show horses pulling chariots but not being ridden. Biblical texts of the eighth century BCE (e.g., Isa 31.1) know of Egyptians traveling on horseback. Rider, lit. “its rider.” Thrown, ironically homonymous with “high” in “high hand” (see note on 14.8).

  15.2 The LORD, the short name “Yah,” placed at the end of the clause in Hebrew, meaning that the Israelites declare that “Yah”—and no other—is their God; see v. 11. Salvation. See note on 14.13. Praise, lit. “enshrine.” My father’s God. Cf. 3.15–16. Exalt, cognate to “high” in (see note on) 14.8.

  15.3 Warrior, lit. “man of war,” typical of a storm god (see notes on 9.23; 13.21); cf. Ps 24.8. Name. See 3.13–15; 6.3.

  15.4 The language recalls 14.7. Red Sea. See note on 10.19.

  15.5 This verse chronologically follows vv. 8–10. Floods, plural of “the deep” (Gen 1.2).

  15.7 Majesty; in Hebrew cognate to triumphed (v. 1). The first clause of this verse forms the third line of the distinctively Canaanite “staircase” parallelism begun in v. 6; other “staircases” are vv. 11, 16b–17a. Staircases have a retarding, focusing effect.

  15.8 The mobile is turned stationary. Nostrils. Cf. Ps 18.8; cf. also Ex 14.21; Deut 11.4. Floods denotes “flow,” a different Hebrew term from that translated floods in v. 5. In Hebrew this clause alliterates. Heap, used nearly always of water; cf. wall in 14.22, 29. Deeps, rendered floods in v. 5. The sea, or “Sea,” a name of the Canaanite sea god; see note on 14.16.

  15.9 The first five Hebrew words (through spoil) alliterate. Destroy, lit. “dispossess,” an intention at cross-purposes with the Lord’s (see v. 17).

  15.10 Blew, a rare verb in Hebrew. Sank, a different Hebrew verb from that translated sunk in v. 4, echoing depths in v. 5. Lead. Cf. stone in v. 5. Mighty, in Hebrew cognate to glorious in v. 6.

  15.11 The second praise in direct address, also a “staircase” parallelism (see note on 15.7). Gods. See note on 12.12; cf. 2 Sam 7.22–23; Ps 86.8–10. Majestic, rendered glorious in v. 6, a repetition enhancing coherence. In holiness, or “among the holy ones” (so too in Ps 68.17 and perhaps 16.24).

  15.12 Stretched. See note on 14.16. Right hand. See v. 6. Earth, probably connoting the netherworld (e.g., Eccl 3.21; Isa 14.12), whose swallow (Num 16.32) is figurative of burial; cf. Isa 5.14 and the voracious appetite of the Canaanite death god Mot (Hab 2.5).

  15.13 The song turns to the Lord’s guidance of Israel to its land, using pastoral language: led, abode (lit. “pasture”) as in Ps 23.2–3. Steadfast love, used of covenantal as well as personal devotion. Redeemed. See note on 6.6. Strength recalls v. 2, lending coherence. Abode, in Hebrew cognate to exalt (v. 2), the land of Israel (see v. 17).

  15.14–16 Anachronistic anticipation of the reaction in the east to the news of Egypt’s destruction; cf. 18.1; Josh 2.9–11; but see note on 15.15.

  15.14 Philistia. See note on 13.17.

  15.15 The widespread dread suggested here (cf. Josh 9.9–10) is contradicted by the succeeding narrative; neither the Edomites (Num 20.14–21), the southern Canaanites (Num 21.1), nor the Amorites (Num 21.21–23) are intimidated by Israel; Moab conspires with Midian to defeat Israel by magic (Num 22.2–7). The terminology chiefs, lit. “bulls,” and leaders, lit. “rams,” reflects ancient Canaanite usage.

  15.16 Ps 105.38 attributes the same dread to the p
ost-plague Egyptians. As a stone. The simile’s repetition (see v. 5) links the second part of the song with the first. The Israelites passed by the peoples situated en route to Canaan (cf. Deut 29.16). Acquired. “Created” is more in keeping with archaic usage (e.g., Gen 14.19, 22; Deut 32.6; Pss 74.2; 78.54; 139.13; Prov 8.22).

  15.17 Mountain of…possession, an archaic expression referring either anachronistically to Mount Zion or to hilly Canaan (e.g., Deut 3.25). Abode, not the same Hebrew word as that rendered abode in v. 13 but cognate to established here. Sanctuary, the Jerusalem temple or a holy abode in general (cf. Ps 78.54). When Israel takes possession, the land becomes Israel’s holy (designated) place (Ps 114.2).

  15.18 Proclaiming the deity king is customary in Near Eastern creation myths; cf., e.g., Deut 33.5; Ps 29.10.

  15.19 This verse recapitulates and resumes the narrative in 14.27–29.

  15.20 Prophet, Miriam, so called only here; cf. Num 12.1–9; see Mic 6.4. Miriam. See note on 2.4. Aaron’s sister. See note on 6.23; she conspires with Aaron in Num 12. Tambourine. Archaeological finds depict a hand drum without jingles. Dancing, a form of (not only female) religious praise; e.g., 32.19; Judg 21.21; 2 Sam 6.5; Pss 149.3; 150.4.

  15.21 The victory song typically belongs to women (see Judg 11.34; 1 Sam 18.6–7); Miriam and her cohort may in an earlier tradition have initiated the song; note the exhortation sing in contrast to “let me sing” in v. 1; but in the present context the women answer the men.

  15.22–27 In parallel episodes in Numbers, Israel is punished for its complaints.

  15.22 Shur, the site of an oasis (see Gen 16.7), located between the Negeb and Egypt (Gen 20.1).

  15.23 Marah, often identified with Hawwarah, the site of a bitter spring down the eastern coast of the Gulf of Suez. Alternatively, a site along the heavily saline Bitter Lakes.

  15.24 Complained, the key verb in virtually all the complaint episodes.

  15.25 Showed, unusual usage of “to instruct” (“teach” in Deut 33.10), punning on the soundalike “Marah” and on statute…ordinance, synonyms of the Hebrew cognate torah, “instruction.” The reference of statute…ordinance is unclear; see 16.4. He put them. The Hebrew has the ambiguous “he put him to the test” Israel may be testing God’s reliability too (cf. 17.2).

  15.26 Diseases, not necessarily the plagues; Egypt is also otherwise portrayed as a diseased land (e.g., Deut 7.15). Heals, used of purifying water in a similar miracle tale (“made…wholesome” in 2 Kings 2.21–22), making the analogy plain: I can cure you as I cured the water—if you obey me.

  15.27 Elim, often identified with Wadi Gharandel, south of Hawwarah (see note on 15.23). The round numbers set a legendary tone.

  EXODUS 16

  Bread from Heaven

  1The whole congregation of the Israelites set out from Elim; and Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. 2The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

  4Then the LORD said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. 5On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.” 6So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your complaining against the LORD. For what are we, that you complain against us?” 8And Moses said, “When the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the LORD has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the LORD.”

  9Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the LORD, for he has heard your complaining.’” 10And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. 11The LORD spoke to Moses and said, 12“I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’”

  13In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?”a For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat. 16This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Gather as much of it as each of you needs, an omer to a person according to the number of persons, all providing for those in their own tents.’” 17The Israelites did so, some gathering more, some less. 18But when they measured it with an omer, those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of them needed. 19And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over until morning.” 20But they did not listen to Moses; some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul. And Moses was angry with them. 21Morning by morning they gathered it, as much as each needed; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.

  22On the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, two omers apiece. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23he said to them, “This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy sabbath to the LORD; bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning.’” 24So they put it aside until morning, as Moses commanded them; and it did not become foul, and there were no worms in it. 25Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. 26Six days you shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is a sabbath, there will be none.”

  27On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, and they found none. 28The LORD said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and instructions? 29See! The LORD has given you the sabbath, therefore on the sixth day he gives you food for two days; each of you stay where you are; do not leave your place on the seventh day.” 30So the people rested on the seventh day.

  31The house of Israel called it manna; it was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. 32Moses said, “This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, in order that they may see the food with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” 33And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the LORD, to be kept throughout your generations.” 34As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the covenant,b for safekeeping. 35The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a habitable land; they ate manna, until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 36An omer is a tenth of an ephah.

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  a Or “It is manna” (Heb man hu, see verse 31)

  b Or treaty or testimony; Heb eduth

  16.1–36 In the parallel episode in Num 11, God produces the quails only after the manna fails to suffice.

  16.1 The whole…came, lit. “They set out from Elim, and the whole congregation came,” an irregular variant on the typical travel formula (see Num 33). Sin, of uncertain identification, similar to Sinai. Second month. They have traveled exactly one month (see 12.6, 17–18), and this is the seventh stop (see 12.37; 13.20; 14.9; 15.22, 23, 27) and the t
hird complaint (see 14.11; 15.24). Departed, the theme word “exodus” (see note on 3.10).

  16.2 Aaron. In 15.24 the people complained against Moses alone. In the wilderness, superfluous information, suggesting perhaps that the wilderness is a factor (see v. 3).

  16.3 Cf. 14.11; Num 20.3–5.

  16.4 Rain. Cf. the hail the Lord “rained down” on Egypt (rendered cause…to fall in 9.18). Test. Cf. 15.25–26; Deut 8.16. Instruction, Hebrew torah; see note on 15.25.

  16.5 Prepare, in the sense of “set aside” (e.g., 23.20; Josh 4.3) or “measure” (“calculate” in Deut 19.3) as in v. 18. Twice as much, so that one portion can be saved for the sabbath, on which gathering is forbidden (Num 15.32–36); see vv. 22–30.

  16.6–7 There is no mention of quail, as in v. 13. Know. See note on 5.2; cf. v. 12. Glory, the divine aura (e.g., v. 10; 24.16; 33.18–23; 40.34–35; see notes on 13.21; 14.24), lit. “heaviness” (see note on 4.10). We, an unusual Hebrew form, repeated in v. 8.

  16.8 Meat, quail (v. 13). Bread, manna (vv. 13–15).

  16.9 To the LORD, lit. “before the LORD,” perhaps an anachronistic reference to the tabernacle; cf. vv. 33–34.

  16.10 Cf. Num 16.42.

  16.12 Twilight evokes Passover (12.6). Know. See v. 6; note on 5.2.

  16.13 Cf. Num 11.31–32. Quails migrate across the Red Sea to Europe in the spring, landing for rest at night.

  16.14 Lifted, rendered came up in v. 13. Flaky substance, an unusual word in Hebrew, possibly related to “sherd” in Aramaic.

  16.15 What is it, unusual dialectal language, a popular etymology of manna (v. 31). What it was, the Hebrew equivalent of what is it.

  16.16 Each of you, lit. “(each) man” apparently the head of each household collected for his family. Needs, in Hebrew “eats,” another (see note on 16.11) evocation of the Passover (see note on 12.4). Omer. See v. 36. A person, lit. a head as in 38.26. All, lit. “(each) man.”