The song of Moses
1Moses and the Israelites sang this song in praise of the LORD:
I sing praises to the LORD
for his great victory!
He has thrown the horses
and their riders
into the sea.
2The LORD is my strength,
the reason for my song,
because he has saved me.
I praise and honour the LORD—
he is my God and the God
of my ancestors.
3The LORD is his name,
and he is a warrior!
4He threw the chariots and army
of Egypt's king
into the Red Sea,
and he drowned the best
of the king's officers.
5They sank to the bottom
just like stones.
6With the tremendous force
of your right arm, our LORD,
you crushed your enemies.
7What a great victory was yours,
as you defeated everyone
who opposed you.
Your fiery anger wiped them out,
as though they were straw.
8You were so furious
that the sea piled up
like a wall,
and the ocean depths
curdled like cheese.
9Your enemies boasted
that they would
pursue and capture us,
divide up our possessions,
treat us as they wished,
then take out their swords
and kill us there.
10But when you got furious,
they sank like lead,
swallowed by ocean waves.
11Our LORD, no other gods
compare with you—
Majestic and holy!
Fearsome and glorious!
Miracle worker!
12When you signalled
with your right hand,
your enemies were swallowed
deep into the earth.
13The people you rescued
were led by your powerful love
to your holy place.
14Nations learnt of this
and trembled—
Philistines shook with horror.
15The leaders of Edom and of Moab
were terrified.
Everyone in Canaan fainted,
16struck down by fear.
Our LORD, your powerful arm
kept them still as a rock
until the people you rescued
for your very own
had marched by.
17You will let your people settle
on your chosen mountain,
where you built your home
and your temple.
18Our LORD, you will rule for ever!
The song of Miriam
19The LORD covered the royal Egyptian cavalry and chariots with the sea, after the Israelites had walked safely through on dry ground. 20Miriam the sister of Aaron was a prophet. So she took her tambourine and led the other women out to play their tambourines and to dance. 21Then she sang to them:
“Sing praises to the LORD
for his great victory!
He has thrown the horses
and their riders into the sea.”
Moses leads the people to Mount Sinai
Bitter water at Marah
22After the Israelites left the Red Sea, Moses led them through the Shur Desert for three days, before finding water. 23They did find water at Marah, but it was bitter, which is how that place got its name. 24The people complained and said, “Moses, what are we going to drink?”
25Moses asked the LORD for help, and the LORD told him to throw a piece of wood into the water. Moses did so, and the water became fit to drink.
At Marah the LORD tested his people and also gave them some laws and teachings. 26Then he said, “I am the LORD your God, and I cure your diseases. If you obey me by doing right and by following my laws and teachings, I won't punish you with the diseases I sent on the Egyptians.”
27Later the Israelites came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees. So they camped there.
