Exodus 15:1–2
After crossing the sea, Moses and Israel sing to YHWH, their strength and song
Study it word by word1Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to YHWH, and they said: “I will sing to YHWH, for he is highly exalted; horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.
2My strength and my song is Yah, and he has become my salvation. This is my El, and I will praise him; the Elohim of my father, and I will exalt him.
In its context
…
3YHWH is a warrior; YHWH is his name.
4Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has cast into the sea; and his choicest captains were sunk in the Sea of Reeds.
Its words in the original
- יָשִׁירyashir· sing
Sing; singer.
- מֹשֶׁהmoshe· Moses
Moses, the man God called to bring Israel out of Egypt and through whom he gave the Law. His name sounds like "draw out" (Exodus 2:10).
- בְנֵיvene· son
Son. In the plural it can include sons and daughters, and also grandsons and descendants. "Son of..." also says what group someone belongs to ("sons of Israel" = Israelites).
- יִשְׂרָאֵלyisrael· Israel
Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.
- שִּׁירָהshira· song
Song, singing.
- יהוָהyhva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- יֹּאמְרוּyomru· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- גָאֹהgao· rise up, be exalted
Rise up, grow tall; be majestic, be highly exalted.
- סוּסsus· horse
Horse.
- רֹכְבrochv· ride
Ride an animal or a chariot; in the causative form, set someone on a mount.
- רָמָהrama· deceive; throw
Deceive, betray; also throw, shoot.
- יָּםyam· sea, west
Sea, or any great body of water (also a lake). Since the Mediterranean lies west of Israel, the word also means "west".
- עָזִּazi· strength, might
Strength, power.
- זִמְרָתzimrat· song
Song of praise, melody.
- יָהּyah· Yah
Yah: the short form of the name YHWH. It is the form found in "Hallelujah" ("praise Yah").
- יְהִיyehi· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- ישׁוּעָהyshua· salvation
Salvation: the help with which God delivers from danger; also victory. The name "Jesus" (Yeshua) comes from the same root.
- אֵלִeli· El, God, god
"El", an ancient Hebrew word for "God". Alone or with another title it is a name of the God of Israel: El Elyon (God Most High), El Shaddai (God Almighty). Neighboring peoples used the same word for their gods; then this translation writes "god" in lower case. It also means "mighty".
- אַנְוֵanve· praise; dwell
Praise, celebrate with beauty (Exodus 15:2). In Habakkuk 2:5, stay at home, remain.
- אֱלֹהֵיelohe· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- אָבִavi· father
Father; also ancestor ("our fathers"), and the founder or head of a family or group.
- אֲרֹמְמֶaromme· be high, lift up
Be high, rise; in the causative form, lift up, raise, exalt.