Exodus 15:21

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 15:21

Miriam answered them. Miriam, with her chorus of women, answered the chorus of men, responding at the termination of each stanza or separate part of the ode with the refrain, "Sing ye to the Lord," etc. (See the "Introduction" to this chapter.) While responding, the female chorus both danced and struck their tambourines. This use of dancing in a religious ceremonial, so contrary to Western ideas of decorum, is quite consonant with Oriental practice, both ancient and modern. Other examples... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Exodus 15:20-21

Exodus 15:20-21. Miriam the prophetess So called, either in a general sense, because she was an instructer of other women in the praise and service of God, or in a more special sense, because she had the spirit of prophecy, Numbers 12:2; Micah 6:4. Miriam (or Mary, for it is the same name) now presided in an assembly of the women, who, according to the common usage of those times, with timbrels and dances, sung this song. Moses led the sacred song, and gave it out for the men, and... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Exodus 15:1-21

Click image for full-size versionMoses’ victory song (15:1-21)The song that Moses and the people sang was more than just a song of rejoicing over a fallen enemy. It was above all a song of praise to God, whose character the people had come to know better in the events of their deliverance from Egypt. He was a God of power who saved his people and overthrew their enemies, a God of terrible majesty and holiness who so directed the forces of nature that arrogant, rebellious people were destroyed... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Exodus 15:21

"And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to Jehovah, for he hath triumphed gloriously; The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.""And Miriam answered them ..." This appears to indicate that Miriam and the women accompanying her repeated these opening lines of Moses song as a chant at appropriate places in the hymn, which was evidently sung by all the people, or even, possibly, after every line of it. We can know nothing, really, of exactly how all this was done. See another comment on thus... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Exodus 15:21

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. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Exodus 15:1-21

3. Israel’s song of deliverance 15:1-21"The song is composed of three gradually increasing strophes, each of which commences with the praise of Jehovah, and ends with a description of the overthrow of the Egyptian host (Exodus 15:2-18). The theme announced in the introduction in Exodus 15:1 is thus treated in three different ways; and whilst the omnipotence of God, displayed in the destruction of the enemy, is the prominent topic in the first two strophes, the third depicts with prophetic... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Exodus 15:17-21

D. God’s completion of Israel’s liberation 13:17-15:21The Israelites now began their migration from Goshen to Canaan. read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 15:1-27

The Song of MosesOn the further shore of the Red Sea the Israelites celebrate their deliverance in a magnificent hymn of praise. It consists of three strophes or stanzas of increasing length, viz. Exodus 15:2-5, Exodus 15:6-10, Exodus 15:11-18. The first v. is introductory and may have been repeated as a chorus after each stanza: see on Exodus 15:21. On the structure of Hebrew poetry see Introduction to the Psalms. In language and style the song bears many marks of high antiquity. There can be... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Exodus 15:21

(21) Miriam answered them.—Miriam and her maidens at the close of each portion of the “Song”—i.e., at the end of Exodus 15:5; Exodus 15:10; Exodus 15:12; Exodus 15:18—sang the refrain which is here given—a refrain very slightly altered from the opening verse of the “Song” itself, marking, no doubt, the time with their timbrels, and moving gracefully through a stately and solemn dance. read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Exodus 15:1-27

Exodus 15:2 Happy the heart that has learned to say my God! All religion is contained in that short expression, and all the blessedness that man or angel is capable of. Thomas Erskine. 'He is my God... my father's God.' Compare the early reflection of Dr. John G. Paton, the New Hebrides missionary, as he watched the piety of his old father in the home: 'He walked with God; why may not I?' Lord, I find my Saviour's genealogy strangely chequered with four remarkable changes in four immediate... read more

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