Jubilation

(Exodus 15:1 - 15:21)
 
Moses and the men of Israel sang a song to their god.  It went like this:

I sing to Jehovah joyously,
For he has triumphed gloriously,
Overturning horse and driver
And casting them into the sea.

Jehovah is the source of my strength
And the subject of my song of praise.
He has become my salvation.
He is my god, I glorify him!
God of my father, I exalt him!

Jehovah is like a man of war,
Mighty is the name of Jehovah!
The Pharaoh's army and chariots,
He did fling them into the water;
His chosen men and officers,
He did drown them in the Red Sea.
The waters covered them and they sank
To the bottom like a heavy stone.

In your right hand, O Jehovah,
Is strength amplified by glory.
By your right hand, O Jehovah,
Have you devastated the foe.

With your power and your glory
You put down those who rise against you.
In the fire of your seething wrath
Have you consumed them like stubble.
And in a blast of your anger
Were the waters gathered together;
The rushing currents standing on end,
Piled up in the middle of the sea. 

But Jehovah's enemy did vow,
"I will pursue and overtake them;
I will rob them and divide the spoils;
I will avenge myself upon them;
I will draw my sword and attack them,
Destroying them with my own hands."

Your breath blew a gale against them
So that the waters overwhelmed
And drowned them, so that they did sink
Like lead into the depths of the sea.

Who is your equal among the gods,
O Jehovah!  Who is your match?
So glorious in your godliness,
Inspiring adulation and awe,
Performing wondrous miracles ---
You stretched out your right hand and, lo!,
The earth swallowed up our enemies.

In loyal love have you led
Those you have set free from bondage;
And in godly might do you guide
Them to the land you have made holy.

Nations will hear the news and be alarmed.
Distress will seize the people of Palestine;
The sheiks of Edom will be sorely troubled;
Mighty men of Moab will tremble in fear;
The rulers of Canaan will faint dead away.
Overcome by fear and dread will they be,
Impassive as a stone before your power,
As your people, O Jehovah, pass through,
As those you have liberated make their way
To the land set aside as their legacy,
You will escort them there and settle them
In the home prepared for their habitation,
In the sanctuary, O Jehovah,
You have created for them with your own hands.

Jehovah will reign forever and ever!

(For the horses of the Pharaoh, with their chariots and drivers, went into the midst of the sea, but Jehovah brought the waters of the sea back down upon them, while the children of Israel walked through the middle of the sea dry shod.)

Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, picked up a tambourine and all the women followed her, playing their tambourines and cavorting in dance.  She answered the men's song with one of her own, which began,

Let us sing a song to Jehovah,
For he has triumphed gloriously,
Casting horse and driver into the sea.

Notes
1.  It is amazing that the Israelites, a race of brick-making slaves, are able, at almost a moment's notice, to compose a song to express their sense of triumph in their liberation.  In it they rightfully thank Jehovah, but seem to say nothing about the virtues of personal freedom or the greatness of the nation they are going to build.  The emphasis is, as always, on the negative and the destructive, getting revenge, intimidating and showing up other peoples.  It is also curious that they chose to mention the reaction of other countries and speak of events that are yet to occur.  Apparently a geopolitical sense has been instilled in this slave race.   

2.  Miriam is referred to as the sister of Aaron, but not, for some reason, as the sister of Moses.  At any rate, her family origin probably singled her out as a leader of the women and it is she who leads the women in a song to answer that sung by the men.  She plays the tambourine (or the ancient timbrel, a hand-held percussion instrument of Egyptian origin, not really any different from the modern tambourine, though, which is why I have used the modern term.) And she dances.  She must have been a pretty spry gal, for, if Moses was past 80 years old at the time, she would have been pushing 90.  Her song, not too strong on originality, seems to be a near duplicate of the men's song, but then, we don't know the tune, if there was one. 

3.  Miriam is spoken of as a prophetess, although we have yet to hear any of her prophecies or of her communion with Jehovah.  Was she privy to the plans of her brothers Moses and Aaron?  (It should be mentioned that in Islam she is not considered a prophetess, for, not surprisingly, in that religion only a man is worthy to be a prophet.)

4.  Many translations refer here to horses and riders.  This would not be strictly accurate because horses were not ridden at this period: they were only used to pull chariots. (Large horses were not yet bred and things like harnesses and saddles had yet to be invented.)  Therefore, unless the reference is anachronistic, it should refer to horses and drivers (of chariots).