Exodus 15 Commentary
Please choose a passage:
Exodus 15:1-3
Moses and the Israelites sang a song of praise to God.
Exodus 15:4-13
In the second part of the song (verses 4 – 13), the singers proclaim why they needed to lift up praises to the LORD for His great deliverance.
Exodus 15:14-18
In the third part of the song, the singers celebrate the result of their deliverance. This was not something that got swept under the rug. The surrounding nations heard all about it.
Exodus 15:19-21
The song that was sung by the men in verses 1 – 18 is followed by a reminder of the reason for the song (v. 19) and the celebration by Miriam and the women (vv. 20-21).
Exodus 15:22-27
Verses 22-27 is the first account of a larger section of Exodus describing the three-month journey (19:1) from the Red Sea to Mount Sinai (15:22 – 18:27).
Additional Resources
The book of Exodus is the second book of the Torah (“law”). It continues the story of Genesis concerning the migration of the family of Jacob (the Israelites) to Egypt (Genesis 50). It describes the commissioning of Moses and Aaron as God’s representatives on earth to accomplish God’s deliverance of His people from slavery in Egypt and lead them to the Promised Land (the land of Canaan). It also relates the miraculous deliverance from Egypt beginning with the plagues on Egypt and the crossing of the Red Sea. It then describes the journey to Mount Sinai and the establishment of the Mosaic covenant with the Israelites. The last part of the book involves the specifications and building of the tabernacle – the place where the Lord Himself dwelt amongst His people.
In the book of Exodus, the focus shifts to the deliverance of God’s people.
Chapter 15 contains the Song of the Sea that was sung by Moses and the men of Israel after the LORD had just delivered the Israelites and decimated the Egyptian forces. As they were singing verses 1 – 18, Miriam and the women contributed to the LORD’s praise by singing (v. 21).
Starting in verse 22, the people of Israel begin their journey to the land that the LORD promised to them. They travelled to Marah in search for drinkable water, and when they found none, they rebelled against Him. In His grace, the LORD miraculously provided all the water the people needed. This showed the people that He was not only their Deliverer, He was their Provider as well.
Chapter 15 can be outlined as follows:
- The Song of the Sea (15:1 – 21)
- The Men Sang (15:1 – 18)
- The Women Sang (15:19 – 21)
- The Journey to Marah (15:22 – 27)
View Exodus on the Timeline