The song of Moses and Miriam
1Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:
‘I will sing to the Lord,
for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver
he has hurled into the sea.
2‘The Lord is my strength and my defence15:2 Or song;
he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
3The Lord is a warrior;
the Lord is his name.
4Pharaoh’s chariots and his army
he has hurled into the sea.
The best of Pharaoh’s officers
are drowned in the Red Sea.15:4 Or the Sea of Reeds; also in verse 22
5The deep waters have covered them;
they sank to the depths like a stone.
6Your right hand, Lord,
was majestic in power.
Your right hand, Lord,
shattered the enemy.
7‘In the greatness of your majesty
you threw down those who opposed you.
You unleashed your burning anger;
it consumed them like stubble.
8By the blast of your nostrils
the waters piled up.
The surging waters stood up like a wall;
the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.
9The enemy boasted,
“I will pursue, I will overtake them.
I will divide the spoils;
I will gorge myself on them.
I will draw my sword
and my hand will destroy them.”
10But you blew with your breath,
and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
in the mighty waters.
11Who among the gods
is like you, Lord?
Who is like you –
majestic in holiness,
awesome in glory,
working wonders?
12‘You stretch out your right hand,
and the earth swallows your enemies.
13In your unfailing love you will lead
the people you have redeemed.
In your strength you will guide them
to your holy dwelling.
14The nations will hear and tremble;
anguish will grip the people of Philistia.
15The chiefs of Edom will be terrified,
the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling,
the people15:15 Or rulers of Canaan will melt away;
16terror and dread will fall on them.
By the power of your arm
they will be as still as a stone –
until your people pass by, Lord,
until the people you bought15:16 Or created pass by.
17You will bring them in and plant them
on the mountain of your inheritance –
the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling,
the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established.
18‘The Lord reigns
for ever and ever.’
19When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen15:19 Or charioteers went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. 20Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing. 21Miriam sang to them:
‘Sing to the Lord,
for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver
he has hurled into the sea.’
The waters of Marah and Elim
22Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they travelled in the desert without finding water. 23When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.15:23 Marah means bitter.) 24So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, ‘What are we to drink?’
25Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.
There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test. 26He said, ‘If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.’
27Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.
Moses’ sang
1Da sang Moses og israelitterne denne sang for Herren:
Jeg vil synge for Herren,
ophøje ham for hans herlige sejr.
Han fældede hest og rytter,
kastede dem i havets dyb.
2Herren er min styrke og glæde,
han er den, som frelser mig.
Han er min Gud, og jeg vil prise ham,
mine forfædres Gud, jeg vil ophøje ham.
3Herren er en vældig kriger,
Herren er hans navn.
4Faraos vogne og hære blev opslugt af havet,
hans folk forsvandt i Det Røde Hav.
5Bølgerne slog hen over dem,
de sank som sten i havets dyb.
6Herre, din højre hånd er stærk,
du knuser dine fjender.
7Med din vældige magt vandt du
over dem, som var imod dig.
Din vrede flammede op
og fortærede dem som halmstrå.
8Ved dit åndepust hobede vandet sig op,
de brusende vande stod som en mur,
og havbunden tørrede ind.
9Fjenden tænkte: „Jeg forfølger dem,
indhenter dem og udrydder dem.
Jeg plyndrer dem og uddeler byttet,
jeg stiller min hævntørst på dem.
Jeg trækker mit sværd af skeden,
med magt vil jeg udrydde dem.”
10Men du pustede, og havet dækkede dem.
De sank som bly i de vældige vande.
11Hvem er som du blandt guder, Herre?
Hvem er som du, hellig og herlig,
forfærdelig i stråleglans,
forunderlig i styrke?
12Du løftede din hånd,
og jorden opslugte vores fjender.
13Du er en trofast leder for dit frikøbte folk.
Du har magt til at føre dem til din hellige bolig.
14Folkeslagene hører om det og skælver,
filistrene overvældes af frygt.
15Edoms høvdinge forfærdes,
Moabs fyrster ryster.
Kana’ans beboere taber modet.
16Rædsel og angst overvælder dem.
De står tavse af frygt med forstenede ansigter,
indtil dit folk er gået forbi, Herre,
til dit frikøbte folk er nået hjem.
17Du fører dem og planter dem på dit eget bjerg,
det sted, som skal blive din bolig, Herre,
den helligdom, du selv vil bygge.
18Herren er konge, evig og altid!
19Dengang Faraos heste, vogne og ryttere stormede ud i havet, lod Herren vandet styrte hen over dem. Men israelitterne gik tørskoede over. 20Da greb Arons søster, profeten Mirjam, en tamburin, og alle kvinderne fulgte hende i dansen, mens de spillede på deres tamburiner. 21Mirjam sang:
Syng for Herren,
han er større end alle andre.
Hest og rytter
kastede han i havets dyb.
Det bitre vand i Mara og Elims friske kilder
22Derpå førte Moses Israels folk videre fra Det Røde Hav ind i Shurs Ørken, og de gik i tre dage uden at finde vand. 23Da de kom til Mara,15,23 Det betyder: „bitter”. fandt de en lille sø, men vandet var bittert og ikke til at drikke. 24Så beklagede folket sig til Moses. „Hvad har du tænkt, vi skal drikke?” jamrede de.
25Da bad Moses Herren om hjælp, og Herren viste ham en bestemt slags træ, og da han kastede et stykke af træet i søen, blev det muligt at drikke vandet.
Det var her i ørkenen, at Herren gav Israels folk sine forordninger og retningslinier, og det var her, han satte dem på prøve, idet han sagde: 26„Hvis I vil lytte til Jahve, jeres Gud, følge mine forordninger og gøre det, som er rigtigt i mine øjne, så skal I ikke lide under de plager, jeg sendte over egypterne. Jeg er Herren, og jeg kan helbrede jer.”
27Da de gik videre fra Mara, kom de til Elim, hvor der var 12 vandkilder og 70 palmetræer, og de slog lejr ved kilderne.
