Exodus 15:2–9

Footnotes

1. 7 Heb “Yah.” Moses’ poem here uses a short form of the name Yahweh, traditionally rendered in English by “the LORD.”
2. 8 The word וְזִמְרָת (vézimrat) is problematic. It probably had a suffix yod (י) that was accidentally dropped because of the yod (י) on the divine name following. Most scholars posit another meaning for the word. A meaning of “power” fits the line fairly well, forming a hendiadys with strength—“strength and power” becoming “strong power.” Similar lines are in Isa 12:2 and Ps 118:14. Others suggest “protection” or “glory.” However, there is nothing substantially wrong with “my song” in the line—only that it would be a nicer match if it had something to do with strength.
3. 9 The word נָוָה (navah) occurs only here. It may mean “beautify, adorn” with praises (see 627 ). See also M. Dahood, “Exodus 15:2: ‘anwehu and Ugaritic snwt,” 59 (1979): 260–61; and M. Klein, “The Targumic Tosefta to Exodus 15:2,” 26 (1975): 61–67; and S. B. Parker, “Exodus 15:2 Again,” 21 (1971): 373–79.
4. 10 Heb “man of war” (so , ). “Warrior” is now the preferred translation since “man of war” is more commonly known today as a warship. The expression indicates that Yahweh is one who understands how to fight and defeat the enemy. The word “war” modifies “man” to reveal that Yahweh is a warrior. Other passages use similar descriptions: Isa 42:13 has “man of wars”; Ps 24:8 has “mighty man of battle.” See F. Cross, “The Divine Warrior in Israel’s Early Cult,” Biblical Motifs, 11–30.
5. 11 Heb “Yahweh is his name.” As throughout, the name “Yahweh” is rendered as “the Lord” in the translation, as is typically done in English translations.
6. 12 Gesenius notes that the sign of the accusative, often omitted in poetry, is not found in this entire song ( §117.b).
7. 13 The word is a substantive, “choice, selection”; it is here used in the construct state to convey an attribute before a partitive genitive—“the choice of his officers” means his “choice officers” (see §128.r).
8. 14 The form is a Qal passive rather than a Pual, for there is not Piel form or meaning.
9. 15 The verb form is יְכַסְיֻמוּ (yékhasyumu) is the Piel preterite. Normally a vav (ו) consecutive is used with the preterite, but in some ancient poems the form without the vav appears, as is the case frequently in this poem. That such an archaic form is used should come as no surprise, because the word also uses the yod (י) of the root ( §75.dd), and the archaic suffix form ( §91.l). These all indicate the antiquity of the poem.
10. 16 The parasynonyms here are תְּהֹמֹת (téhomot, “deep, ocean depths, deep waters”) and מְצוֹלֹת (métsolot, “the depths”); S. R. Driver says properly the “gurgling places” (Exodus, ).
11. 17 The form נֶאְדָּרִי (ne’dari) may be an archaic infinitive with the old ending i, used in place of the verb and meaning “awesome.” Gesenius says that the vowel ending may be an old case ending, especially when a preposition is inserted between the word and its genitive ( §90.l), but he suggests a reconstruction of the form.
12. 18 This expression is cognate with words in v. 1. Here that same greatness or majesty is extolled as in abundance.
13. 19 Here, and throughout the song, these verbs are the prefixed conjugation that may look like the imperfect but are actually historic preterites. This verb is to “overthrow” or “throw down”—like a wall, leaving it in shattered pieces.
14. 20 The form קָמֶיךָ (qamekha) is the active participle with a pronominal suffix. The participle is accusative, the object of the verb, but the suffix is the genitive of nearer definition (see §116.i).
15. 21 The verb is the Piel of שָׁלַח (shalakh), the same verb used throughout for the demand on Pharaoh to release Israel. Here, in some irony, God released his wrath on them.
16. 22 The word wrath is a metonymy of cause; the effect—the judgment—is what is meant.
17. 23 The verb is the prefixed conjugation, the preterite, without the consecutive vav (ו).
18. 24 The phrase “the blast of your nostrils” is a bold anthropomorphic expression for the wind that came in and dried up the water.
19. 25 The word “heap” describes the walls of water. The waters, which are naturally fluid, stood up as though they were a heap, a mound of earth. Likewise, the flowing waters deep in the ocean solidified—as though they were turned to ice (U. Cassuto, Exodus, ).
20. 26 W. C. Kaiser observes the staccato phrases that almost imitate the heavy, breathless heaving of the Egyptians as, with what reserve of strength they have left, they vow, “I will …, I will …, I will …” (“Exodus,” 2:).
21. 27 The form is נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”). But this word refers to the whole person, the body and the soul, or better, a bundle of appetites in a body. It therefore can figuratively refer to the desires or appetites (Deut 12:15; 14:26; 23:24). Here, with the verb “to be full” means “to be satisfied”; the whole expression might indicate “I will be sated with them” or “I will gorge myself.” The greedy appetite was to destroy.
22. 28 The verb רִיק (riq) means “to be empty” in the Qal, and in the Hiphil “to empty.” Here the idea is to unsheathe a sword.
23. 29 The verb is יָרַשׁ (yarash), which in the Hiphil means “to dispossess” or “root out.” The meaning “destroy” is a general interpretation.