Exodus 15

Ex 15:1-27.

SONG OF

MOSES.

1. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel--The scene of this

thanksgiving song is supposed to have been at the landing place on the

eastern shore of the Red Sea, at Ayoun Musa, "the fountains of Moses."

They are situated somewhat farther northward along the shore than the

opposite point from which the Israelites set out. But the line of the

people would be extended during the passage, and one extremity of it

would reach as far north as these fountains, which would supply them

with water on landing. The time when it was sung is supposed to have

been the morning after the passage. This song is, by some hundred

years, the oldest poem in the world. There is a sublimity and beauty

in the language that is unexampled. But its unrivalled superiority

arises not solely from the splendor of the diction. Its poetical

excellencies have often drawn forth the admiration of the best judges,

while the character of the event commemorated, and its being prompted

peculiar to itself.

I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed

gloriously--Considering the state of servitude in which they had

been born and bred, and the rude features of character which their

subsequent history often displays, it cannot be supposed that the

children of Israel generally were qualified to commit to memory or to

appreciate the beauties of this inimitable song. But they might

perfectly understand its pervading strain of sentiment; and, with the

view of suitably improving the occasion, it was thought necessary that

all, old and young, should join their united voices in the rehearsal of

its words. As every individual had cause, so every individual gave

utterance to his feelings of gratitude.

20. Miriam the prophetess--so called from her receiving divine

revelations

(Nu 12:1;

Mic 6:4),

but in this instance principally from her being eminently skilled in

music, and in this sense the word "prophecy" is sometimes used in

Scripture

(1Ch 25:1;

1Co 11:5).

took a timbrel--or "tabret"--a musical instrument in the form of

a hoop, edged round with rings or pieces of brass to make a jingling

noise and covered over with tightened parchment like a drum. It was

beat with the fingers, and corresponds to our tambourine.

all the women went out after her with timbrels and with

dances--We shall understand this by attending to the modern customs

of the East, where the dance--a slow, grave, and solemn gesture,

generally accompanied with singing and the sound of the timbrel, is

still led by the principal female of the company, the rest imitating

her movements and repeating the words of the song as they drop from her

lips.

21. Miriam answered them--"them" in the Hebrew is

masculine, so that Moses probably led the men and Miriam the women--the

two bands responding alternately, and singing the first verse as a

chorus.

22. wilderness of Shur--comprehending all the western part of

Arabia-Petræa. The desert of Etham was a part of it, extending

round the northern portion of the Red Sea, and a considerable distance

along its eastern shore; whereas the "wilderness of Shur" (now Sudhr)

was the designation of all the desert region of Arabia-Petræa

that lay next to Palestine.

23. when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the

waters--Following the general route of all travellers southward,

between the sea and the tableland of the Tih ("valley of wandering"),

Marah is almost universally believed to be what is now called Howarah,

in Wady Amarah, about thirty miles from the place where the Israelites

landed on the eastern shore of the Red Sea--a distance quite sufficient

for their march of three days. There is no other perennial spring in

the intermediate space. The water still retains its ancient character,

and has a bad name among the Arabs, who seldom allow their camels to

partake of it.

25. the Lord showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the

waters, the waters were made sweet--Some travellers have pronounced

this to be the Elvah of the Arabs--a shrub in form and flower

resembling our hawthorn; others, the berries of the Ghurkhud--a bush

found growing around all brackish fountains. But neither of these

shrubs are known by the natives to possess such natural virtues. It is

far more likely that God miraculously endowed some tree with the

property of purifying the bitter water--a tree employed as the medium,

but the sweetening was not dependent upon the nature or quality of the

tree, but the power of God (compare

Joh 9:6).

And hence the "statute and ordinance" that followed, which would have

been singularly inopportune if no miracle had been wrought.

and there he proved them--God now brought the Israelites into

circumstances which would put their faith and obedience to the test

(compare

Ge 22:1).

27. they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of

water--supposed to be what is now called Wady-Ghurandel, the most

extensive watercourse in the western desert--an oasis, adorned with a

great variety of trees, among which the palm is still conspicuous, and

fertilized by a copious stream. It is estimated to be a mile in

breadth, but stretching out far to the northeast. After the weary

travel through the desert, this must have appeared a most delightful

encampment from its shade and verdure, as well as from its abundant

supply of sweet water for the thirsty multitude. The palm is called

"the tree of the desert," as its presence is always a sign of water.

The palms in this spot are greatly increased in number, but the wells

are diminished.