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Exodus 15-16
Easy-to-Read Version
Exodus 15-16
Easy-to-Read Version
The Song of Moses
15 Then Moses and the Israelites began singing this song to the Lord:
“I will sing to the Lord!
He has done great things.
He threw horse and rider
into the sea.
2 The Lord is my strength.
He saves me,
and I sing songs of praise to him.[a]
He is my God,
and I praise him.
He is the God of my ancestors,
and I honor him.
3 The Lord is a great soldier.
The Lord is his name.
4 He threw Pharaoh’s chariots
and soldiers into the sea.
Pharaoh’s very best soldiers
drowned in the Red Sea.[b]
5 The deep water covered them,
and they sank to the bottom like rocks.
6 “Lord, your right hand is amazingly strong.
With your right hand, Lord, you broke the enemy to pieces.
7 In your great majesty you destroyed
those who stood against you.
Your anger destroyed them,
like fire burning straw.
8 The wind you sent in anger
piled the water high.
The flowing water became a wall,
solid to its deepest parts.
9 “The enemy said,
‘I’ll chase them and catch them.
I’ll take all their riches.
I’ll take it all with my sword.
I’ll take everything for myself.’
10 But you blew on them
and covered them with the sea.
They sank like lead
into the deep sea.
11 “Are there any gods like the Lord?
No, there are no gods like you—
you are wonderfully holy!
You are amazingly powerful!
You do great miracles!
12 You raised your right hand to punish the enemy,
and the ground opened up to swallow them.
13 But with your kindness
you led the people you saved.
And with your strength
you led them to your holy land.[c]
14 “The other nations will hear this story,
and they will be frightened.
The Philistines will shake with fear.
15 The commanders of Edom will tremble.
The leaders of Moab will be afraid.
The people of Canaan will lose courage.
16 They will be filled with fear
when they see your strength.
They will be as still as a rock, Lord,
while your people, the ones you made, pass by.
17 You will lead your people
to your own mountain.
You will let them live by the place that you, Lord, prepared as your home.
It is the Temple, Lord, that you yourself built.
18 “The Lord will rule forever and ever!”
19 Yes, it really happened! Pharaoh’s horses and riders, and chariots went into the sea. And the Lord brought all the water of the sea down on top of them. But the Israelites walked through that sea on dry land.
20 Then Aaron’s sister, the woman prophet Miriam, took a tambourine. She and the women began singing and dancing. 21 Miriam repeated the words,
“Sing to the Lord!
He has done great things.
He threw horse and rider
into the sea ….”
Israel Goes Into the Desert
22 Moses led the Israelites away from the Red Sea and into the desert of Shur. They traveled for three days in the desert. They could not find any water. 23 Then they came to Marah.[d] There was water at Marah, but it was too bitter to drink. (That is why the place was named Marah.)
24 The people began complaining to Moses. They said, “Now what will we drink?”
25 So Moses called to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a large piece of wood. When Moses put the wood in the water, the water became good to drink.
There the Lord put in place a law and a command for him and tested him to see if he would obey.[e] 26 He said to him, “I am the Lord your God. If you listen to me and do what I say is right, and if you obey all my commands and laws, then I will not give you any of the sicknesses that I gave the Egyptians. I am the Lord who heals you.”
27 Then the people traveled to Elim. At Elim there were twelve springs of water and 70 palm trees. So the people made their camp there near that water.
Israel Complains, So God Sends Food
16 Then all the Israelites left Elim. They reached the western Sinai desert,[f] between Elim and Mount Sinai, on the 15th day of the second month[g] after leaving Egypt. 2 Then the whole community of Israelites began complaining again. They complained to Moses and Aaron in the desert. 3 They said, “It would have been better if the Lord had just killed us in the land of Egypt. At least there we had plenty to eat. We had all the food we needed. But now you have brought us out here into this desert to make us all die from hunger.”
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will cause food to fall from the sky. This food will be for you to eat. Every day the people should go out and gather the food they need that day. I will do this to see if they will do what I tell them. 5 Every day the people will gather only enough food for one day. But on Friday, when the people prepare their food, they will see that they have enough food for two days.”[h]
6 So Moses and Aaron said to the Israelites, “Tonight you will see the power of the Lord. You will know that he is the one who brought you out of Egypt. 7 You have been complaining about the Lord, and he heard you. So tomorrow morning you will see the Glory of the Lord. You have been complaining and complaining about us. Maybe now we can have a little rest.”[i]
8 Then Moses said, “In the evening the Lord will give you meat to eat, and in the morning you will have all the bread you want. The Lord will do this because he has heard your complaining, which was against him, not us. What can we do? We do only what he tells us to do, so your complaints are really against the Lord.”
9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the whole community of Israelites to come together before the Lord, because he has heard their complaints.”
10 So Aaron spoke to all the Israelites. While he was talking, the people turned and looked into the desert. And they saw the Glory of the Lord appear in a cloud.
11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the complaints of the Israelites. So tell them, ‘Tonight you will eat meat. And in the morning you will have all the bread you want. Then you will know you can trust the Lord, your God.’”
13 That evening, flocks of quail came and filled the camp, and in the morning dew lay on the ground all around it. 14 After the dew was gone, something like thin flakes of frost was on the ground. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they asked each other, “What is that?” because they did not know what it was. So Moses told them, “This is the food the Lord is giving you to eat. 16 The Lord says, ‘Each of you should gather what you need, a basket[j] of manna for everyone in your family.’”
17 So that is what the Israelites did. Some people gathered a large amount, some people gathered a little. 18 But when they measured what they had gathered, there was no shortage and there was none left over. Everyone gathered just what they needed.
19 Moses told them, “Don’t save that food to eat the next day.” 20 But some of the people did not obey Moses. They saved their food for the next day. But worms got into the food and it began to stink. Moses was angry with the people who did this.
21 Every morning the people gathered as much food as they could eat, but by noon[k] the food melted and was gone.
22 On Friday the people gathered twice as much food—two baskets[l] for every person. So all the leaders of the people came and told this to Moses.
23 Moses told them, “This is what the Lord said would happen. It happened because tomorrow is the Sabbath, the special day of rest to honor the Lord. You can cook all the food you need to cook for today, but save the rest of this food for tomorrow morning.”
24 So the people saved the rest of the food for the next day, as Moses had commanded, and none of the food spoiled or had worms in it.
25 On Saturday, Moses told the people, “Today is the Sabbath, the special day of rest to honor the Lord. So none of you should be out in the fields. Eat the food you gathered yesterday. 26 You should gather the food for six days. But the seventh day of the week is a day of rest—so there will not be any of the special food on the ground.”
27 On Saturday, some of the people went out to gather some of the food, but they could not find any. 28 Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you people refuse to obey my commands and teachings? 29 Look, the Lord has made the Sabbath a day of rest for you. So on Friday he will give you enough food for two days. Then, on the Sabbath, each of you should sit down and relax. Stay where you are.” 30 So the people rested on the Sabbath.
31 The people called the special food “manna.[m]” It was like small white coriander seeds and tasted like thin cakes made with honey. 32 Moses told the people what the Lord said: “Save a basket of this food for your descendants. Then they can see the food that I gave to you in the desert when I took you out of Egypt.”
33 So Moses told Aaron, “Take a jar and fill it with a full basket of manna. Save this manna to put before the Lord. Save it for our descendants.” 34 (Aaron did what the Lord had commanded Moses. Aaron put the jar of manna in front of the Box of the Agreement.) 35 The people ate the manna for 40 years, until they came to the land of rest, that is, until they came to the edge of the land of Canaan. 36 (The measure they used for the manna was an omer. An omer was about 8 cups.[n])
Footnotes
- Exodus 15:2 The Lord … him Literally, “Yah is my strength and praise. He became my salvation.”
- Exodus 15:4 Red Sea Or “Reed Sea.” Also in verse 22. See 1 Kings 9:26.
- Exodus 15:13 holy land Israel, the special land God set apart for the Israelites.
- Exodus 15:23 Marah This name means “Bitter” or “Sad.”
- Exodus 15:25 There … he would obey Or “There the Lord put in place a law and a command for them and tested them to see if they would obey.”
- Exodus 16:1 western Sinai desert Literally, “desert of Sin.”
- Exodus 16:1 15th day of the second month That is, the 15th of Iyyar. The Israelites had been traveling for a month.
- Exodus 16:5 Friday, … two days This happened so that the people would not have to work on the Sabbath (Saturday), the day of rest.
- Exodus 16:7 You … rest Or “Who are we that you should be complaining about us?”
- Exodus 16:16 basket Literally, “1 omer” (2.2 l). Also in verses 32, 33.
- Exodus 16:21 noon Literally, “the heat of the day.”
- Exodus 16:22 two baskets Literally, “2 omers” (4.4 l).
- Exodus 16:31 manna This name is like the Hebrew phrase in verse 15 meaning “What is that?”
- Exodus 16:36 about 8 cups Literally, “1/10 of an ephah” (2.2 l).
Exodus 15-16
New International Version
Exodus 15-16
New International Version
The Song of Moses and Miriam
15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song(A) to the Lord:
“I will sing(B) to the Lord,
for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver(C)
he has hurled into the sea.(D)
2 “The Lord is my strength(E) and my defense[a];
he has become my salvation.(F)
He is my God,(G) and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt(H) him.
3 The Lord is a warrior;(I)
the Lord is his name.(J)
4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army(K)
he has hurled into the sea.
The best of Pharaoh’s officers
are drowned in the Red Sea.[b]
5 The deep waters(L) have covered them;
they sank to the depths like a stone.(M)
6 Your right hand,(N) Lord,
was majestic in power.
Your right hand,(O) Lord,
shattered(P) the enemy.
7 “In the greatness of your majesty(Q)
you threw down those who opposed you.
You unleashed your burning anger;(R)
it consumed(S) them like stubble.
8 By the blast of your nostrils(T)
the waters piled up.(U)
The surging waters stood up like a wall;(V)
the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.(W)
9 The enemy boasted,
‘I will pursue,(X) I will overtake them.
I will divide the spoils;(Y)
I will gorge myself on them.
I will draw my sword
and my hand will destroy them.’
10 But you blew with your breath,(Z)
and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
in the mighty waters.(AA)
11 Who among the gods
is like you,(AB) Lord?
Who is like you—
majestic in holiness,(AC)
awesome in glory,(AD)
working wonders?(AE)
12 “You stretch out(AF) your right hand,
and the earth swallows your enemies.(AG)
13 In your unfailing love you will lead(AH)
the people you have redeemed.(AI)
In your strength you will guide them
to your holy dwelling.(AJ)
14 The nations will hear and tremble;(AK)
anguish(AL) will grip the people of Philistia.(AM)
15 The chiefs(AN) of Edom(AO) will be terrified,
the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling,(AP)
the people[c] of Canaan will melt(AQ) away;
16 terror(AR) and dread will fall on them.
By the power of your arm
they will be as still as a stone(AS)—
until your people pass by, Lord,
until the people you bought[d](AT) pass by.(AU)
17 You will bring(AV) them in and plant(AW) them
on the mountain(AX) of your inheritance—
the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling,(AY)
the sanctuary,(AZ) Lord, your hands established.
18 “The Lord reigns
for ever and ever.”(BA)
19 When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen[e] went into the sea,(BB) the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.(BC) 20 Then Miriam(BD) the prophet,(BE) Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels(BF) and dancing.(BG) 21 Miriam sang(BH) to them:
“Sing to the Lord,
for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver(BI)
he has hurled into the sea.”(BJ)
The Waters of Marah and Elim
22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert(BK) of Shur.(BL) For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water.(BM) 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.[f](BN)) 24 So the people grumbled(BO) against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”(BP)
25 Then Moses cried out(BQ) to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw(BR) 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.(BS) 26 He 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(BT) all his decrees,(BU) I will not bring on you any of the diseases(BV) I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals(BW) you.”
27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped(BX) there near the water.
Manna and Quail
16 The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin,(BY) which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt.(BZ) 2 In the desert the whole community grumbled(CA) against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!(CB) There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food(CC) we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”(CD)
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven(CE) for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test(CF) them and see whether they will follow my instructions. 5 On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice(CG) as much as they gather on the other days.”
6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt,(CH) 7 and in the morning you will see the glory(CI) of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling(CJ) against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?”(CK) 8 Moses also said, “You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling(CL) against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.”(CM)
9 Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’”
10 While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory(CN) of the Lord appearing in the cloud.(CO)
11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling(CP) of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”(CQ)
13 That evening quail(CR) came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew(CS) around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost(CT) on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know(CU) what it was.
Moses said to them, “It is the bread(CV) the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer[g](CW) for each person you have in your tent.’”
17 The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. 18 And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.(CX) Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.
19 Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”(CY)
20 However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell.(CZ) So Moses was angry(DA) with them.
21 Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. 22 On the sixth day, they gathered twice(DB) as much—two omers[h] for each person—and the leaders of the community(DC) came and reported this to Moses. 23 He said to them, “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath(DD) to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’”
24 So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. 25 “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. 26 Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath,(DE) there will not be any.”
27 Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. 28 Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you[i] refuse to keep my commands(DF) and my instructions? 29 Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
31 The people of Israel called the bread manna.[j](DG) It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. 32 Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the wilderness when I brought you out of Egypt.’”
33 So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put an omer of manna(DH) in it. Then place it before the Lord to be kept for the generations to come.”
34 As the Lord commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna with the tablets of the covenant law,(DI) so that it might be preserved. 35 The Israelites ate manna(DJ) forty years,(DK) until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.(DL)
Footnotes
- Exodus 15:2 Or song
- Exodus 15:4 Or the Sea of Reeds; also in verse 22
- Exodus 15:15 Or rulers
- Exodus 15:16 Or created
- Exodus 15:19 Or charioteers
- Exodus 15:23 Marah means bitter.
- Exodus 16:16 That is, possibly about 3 pounds or about 1.4 kilograms; also in verses 18, 32, 33 and 36
- Exodus 16:22 That is, possibly about 6 pounds or about 2.8 kilograms
- Exodus 16:28 The Hebrew is plural.
- Exodus 16:31 Manna sounds like the Hebrew for What is it? (see verse 15).
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
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