translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: EXO

label: NET translator note

text: The verb is יָשִׁיר ( yashir ), a normal imperfect tense form. But after the adverb “then” this form is to be treated as a preterite (see GKC 314-15 §107. c ).


text: Heb “and they said, saying.” This has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.


text: The form is the singular cohortative, expressing the resolution of Moses to sing the song of praise (“I will” being stronger than “I shall”).


text: This causal clause gives the reason for and summary of the praise. The Hebrew expression has כִּי־גָּאֹה גָּאָה ( ki ga ’ oh ga ’ ah ). The basic idea of the verb is “rise up loftily” or “proudly.” But derivatives of the root carry the nuance of majesty or pride (S. R. Driver, Exodus , 132). So the idea of the perfect tense with its infinitive absolute may mean “he is highly exalted” or “he has done majestically” or “he is gloriously glorious.”


text: Heb “Yah.” Moses’ poem here uses a short form of the name Yahweh, traditionally rendered in English by “the LORD.”


text: The word וְזִמְרָת ( vÿzimrat ) 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.


text: The word נָוָה ( navah ) occurs only here. It may mean “beautify, adorn” with praises (see BDB 627 s.v.). See also M. Dahood, “ Exodus 15:2 : ‘anwehu and Ugaritic snwt ,” Bib 59 (1979): 260-61; and M. Klein, “The Targumic Tosefta to Exodus 15:2 ,” JJS 26 (1975): 61-67; and S. B. Parker, “ Exodus 15:2 Again,” VT 21 (1971): 373-79.


text: Heb “man of war” (so KJV, ASV). “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.


text: 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.


text: Gesenius notes that the sign of the accusative, often omitted in poetry, is not found in this entire song (GKC 363 §117. b ).


text: 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 GKC 417 §128. r ).


text: The form is a Qal passive rather than a Pual, for there is not Piel form or meaning.


text: The verb form is יְכַסְיֻמוּ ( yÿkhasyumu ) 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 (GKC 214 §75. dd ), and the archaic suffix form (GKC 258 §91 .l ). These all indicate the antiquity of the poem.


text: The parasynonyms here are תְּהֹמֹת ( tÿhomot , “deep, ocean depths, deep waters”) and מְצוֹלֹת ( mÿtsolot , “the depths”); S. R. Driver says properly the “gurgling places” ( Exodus , 134).


text: 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 (GKC 253 §90. l ), but he suggests a reconstruction of the form.


text: 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.


text: 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 GKC 358 §116. i ).


text: The verb is the prefixed conjugation, the preterite, without the consecutive vav ( ו ).


text: 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 , 175).


text: 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.


text: 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.


text: The verb is יָרַשׁ ( yarash ), which in the Hiphil means “to dispossess” or “root out.” The meaning “destroy” is a general interpretation.


text: “But” has been supplied here.


text: Here “and” has been supplied.


text: The verb may have the idea of sinking with a gurgling sound, like water going into a whirlpool (R. A. Cole, Exodus [TOTC], 124; S. R. Driver, Exodus , 136). See F. M. Cross and D. N. Freedman, “The Song of Miriam,” JNES 14 (1955): 243-47.


text: The question is of course rhetorical; it is a way of affirming that no one is comparable to God. See C. J. Labuschagne, The Incomparability of Yahweh in the Old Testament , 22, 66-67, and 94-97.


text: S. R. Driver suggests “praiseworthy acts” as the translation ( Exodus , 137).


text: The verb is the prefixed conjugation, the preterite without the vav consecutive. The subject, the “earth,” must be inclusive of the sea, or it may indicate the grave or Sheol; the sea drowned them. Some scholars wish to see this as a reference to Dathan and Abiram, and therefore evidence of a later addition or compilation. It fits this passage well, however.


text: The verbs in the next two verses are perfect tenses, but can be interpreted as a prophetic perfect, looking to the future.


text: The particle זוּ ( zu ) is a relative pronoun, subordinating the next verb to the preceding.


text: This verb seems to mean “to guide to a watering-place” (See Ps 23:2 ).


text: This verb is a prophetic perfect, assuming that the text means what it said and this song was sung at the Sea. So all these countries were yet to hear of the victory.


text: The word properly refers to “pangs” of childbirth. When the nations hear, they will be terrified.


text: The verb is again a prophetic perfect.


text: This is a prophetic perfect.


text: This verb is imperfect tense.


text: The two words can form a nominal hendiadys, “a dreadful fear,” though most English versions retain the two separate terms.


text: The form is an imperfect.


text: The adjective is in construct form and governs the noun “arm” (“arm” being the anthropomorphic expression for what God did). See GKC 428 §132. c .


text: Clauses beginning with עַד (’ ad ) express a limit that is not absolute, but only relative, beyond which the action continues (GKC 446-47 §138. g ).


text: The verb קָנָה ( qanah ) here is the verb “acquire, purchase,” and probably not the homonym “to create, make” (see Gen 4:1 ; Deut 32:6 ; and Prov 8:22 ).


text: The verb is imperfect.


text: The verb is perfect tense, referring to Yahweh’s previous choice of the holy place.


text: The verb עָנָה (’ ana ) normally means “to answer,” but it can be used more technically to describe antiphonal singing in Hebrew and in Ugaritic.


text: The verb form is unusual; the normal expression is with the Qal, which expresses that they journeyed. But here the Hiphil is used to underscore that Moses caused them to journey – and he is following God. So the point is that God was leading Israel to the bitter water.


text: The infinitive construct here provides the direct object for the verb “to be able,” answering the question of what they were not able to do.


text: The causal clause here provides the reason for their being unable to drink the water, as well as a clear motivation for the name.


text: The עַל־כֵּן (’ al-ken ) formula in the Pentateuch serves to explain to the reader the reason for the way things were. It does not necessarily mean here that Israel named the place – but they certainly could have.


text: Heb “one called its name,” the expression can be translated as a passive verb if the subject is not expressed.


text: The verb וַיִּלֹנוּ ( vayyillonu ) from לוּן ( lun ) is a much stronger word than “to grumble” or “to complain.” It is used almost exclusively in the wilderness wandering stories, to describe the rebellion of the Israelites against God (see also Ps 59:14-15 ). They were not merely complaining – they were questioning God’s abilities and motives. The action is something like a parliamentary vote of no confidence.


text: The imperfect tense here should be given a potential nuance: “What can we drink?” since the previous verse reports that they were not able to drink the water. sn It is likely that Moses used words very much like this when he prayed. The difference seems to lie in the prepositions – he cried “to” Yahweh, but the people murmured “against” Moses.


text: The verb is וַיּוֹרֵהוּ ( vayyorehu , “and he showed him”). It is the Hiphil preterite from יָרָה ( yarah ), which has a basic meaning of “to point, show, direct.” It then came to mean “to teach”; it is the verb behind the noun “Law” ( תּוֹרָה , torah ). sn U. Cassuto notes that here is the clue to the direction of the narrative: Israel needed God’s instruction, the Law, if they were going to enjoy his provisions ( Exodus , 184).


text: Or “a [piece of] wood” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, TEV, CEV); NLT “a branch.” sn S. R. Driver ( Exodus , 143) follows some local legends in identifying this tree as one that is supposed to have – even to this day – the properties necessary for making bitter water sweet. B. Jacob ( Exodus , 436) reports that no such tree has ever been found, but then he adds that this does not mean there was not such a bush in the earlier days. He believes that here God used a natural means (“showed, instructed”) to sweeten the water. He quotes Ben Sira as saying God had created these things with healing properties in them.


text: Heb “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Heb “there he”; the referent (the Lord) is supplied for clarity.


text: Heb “for him” (referring to Israel as a whole).


text: This translation interprets the two nouns as a hendiadys: “a statute and an ordinance” becomes “a binding ordinance.”


text: The verb נִסָּהוּ ( nissahu , “and he tested him [them]”) is from the root נָסָה ( nasah ). The use of this word in the Bible indicates that there is question, doubt, or uncertainty about the object being tested. sn The whole episode was a test from God. He led them there through Moses and let them go hungry and thirsty. He wanted to see how great their faith was.


text: The construction uses the infinitive absolute and the imperfect tense of שָׁמַע ( shama ’). The meaning of the verb is idiomatic here because it is followed by “to the voice of Yahweh your God.” When this is present, the verb is translated “obey.” The construction is in a causal clause. It reads, “If you will diligently obey.” Gesenius points out that the infinitive absolute in a conditional clause also emphasizes the importance of the condition on which the consequence depends (GKC 342-43 §113. o ).


text: The word order is reversed in the text: “and the right in his eyes you do,” or, “[if] you do what is right in his eyes.” The conditional idea in the first clause is continued in this clause.


text: Heb “give ear.” This verb and the next are both perfect tenses with the vav ( ו ) consecutive; they continue the sequence of the original conditional clause.


text: The substantive כָּל־ ( kol , “all of”) in a negative clause can be translated “none of.”


text: The form is רֹפְאֶךָ ( rofÿ ’ ekha ), a participle with a pronominal suffix. The word is the predicate after the pronoun “I”: “ I [am] your healer .” The suffix is an objective genitive – the Lord heals them. sn The name I Yahweh am your healer comes as a bit of a surprise. One might expect, “I am Yahweh who heals your water,” but it was the people he came to heal because their faith was weak. God lets Israel know here that he can control the elements of nature to bring about a spiritual response in Israel (see ).