The Significant Name of God (25)
The praise-song of Mosheh (Moses)
André H. Roosma
13 October 2024 (Dutch original:
27 Jan 2024)
Recently my wife Henriette and I read at the table the song, or rather:
the song of praise that Mosheh (Moses) cheerfully sang with the Israelites,
after crossing the Red Sea, on the way from Egypt. It struck me how beautiful
this song is, and how it gives us a good example for our praise to YaHUaH1.
Below I give you the rich text of this beautiful song of
praise; both the
Hebrew original, and an accurate English translation.
| 1 | Then Moses and the descendants of Israel sang this song to
YaHUaH, and they said: “I will sing to YaHUaH, for He has
triumphed gloriously, the horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea. |
אָ֣ז יָשִֽׁיר־מֹשֶׁה֩ וּבְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל
אֶת־הַשִּׁירָ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ לֵאמֹ֑ר אָשִׁ֤ירָה לֽ͏ַיהוָה֙
כִּֽי־גָאֹ֣ה גָּאָ֔ה ס֥וּס וְרֹכְב֖וֹ רָמָ֥ה בַיָּֽם׃ |
| 2 | YaH is my strength and my song-with-music, He has become my salvation
[Hebr.: לִֽישׁוּעָה - to
Yeshu‘ah]. He is my God, I glorify Him,
the God of my (fore)fathers, I exalt Him. |
עָזִּ֤י וְזִמְרָת֙ יָ֔הּ וַֽיְהִי־לִ֖י לִֽישׁוּעָ֑ה זֶ֤ה
אֵלִי֙ וְאַנְוֵ֔הוּ אֱלֹהֵ֥י אָבִ֖י וַאֲרֹמְמֶֽנְהוּ׃ |
| 3 | YaHUaH is a warrior; YaHUaH is His name. |
יְהוָ֖ה אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֑ה יְהוָ֖ה שְׁמֽוֹ׃ |
| 4 | The chariots of Pharaoh and his army He has thrown into the sea, and his
chosen charioteers were drowned in the Red Sea |
מַרְכְּבֹ֥ת פַּרְעֹ֛ה וְחֵיל֖וֹ יָרָ֣ה בַיָּ֑ם וּמִבְחַ֥ר
שָֽׁלִשָׁ֖יו טֻבְּע֥וּ בְיַם־סֽוּף׃ |
| 5 | The floods covered them; they sank in the depths like a stone. |
תְּהֹמֹ֖ת יְכַסְיֻ֑מוּ יָרְד֥וּ בִמְצוֹלֹ֖ת
כְּמוֹ־אָֽבֶן׃ |
| 6 | Your right hand, YaHUaH, is glorious in power; Your right hand,
YaHUaH, shattered the enemy. |
יְמִֽינְךָ֣ יְהוָ֔ה נֶאְדָּרִ֖י בַּכֹּ֑חַ יְמִֽינְךָ֥
יְהוָ֖ה תִּרְעַ֥ץ אוֹיֵֽב׃ |
| 7 | In the abundance of Your majesty You have destroyed those who rose up against
You; You have sent forth Your wrath, it has consumed them like stubble. |
וּבְרֹ֥ב גְּאוֹנְךָ֖ תַּהֲרֹ֣ס קָמֶ֑יךָ תְּשַׁלַּח֙
חֲרֹ֣נְךָ֔ יֹאכְלֵ֖מוֹ כַּקַּֽשׁ׃ |
| |
| 8 | By the breath of Your nostrils the waters were piled up; the streams stood
like a dam; the floods were solidified in the heart of the sea. |
וּבְר֤וּחַ אַפֶּ֙יךָ֙ נֶ֣עֶרְמוּ מַ֔יִם נִצְּב֥וּ
כְמוֹ־נֵ֖ד נֹזְלִ֑ים קָֽפְא֥וּ תְהֹמֹ֖ת בְּלֶב־יָֽם׃ |
| 9 | The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil;
my desire will be satisfied on them; I will draw my sword; my hand will
destroy them.’ |
אָמַ֥ר אוֹיֵ֛ב אֶרְדֹּ֥ף אַשִּׂ֖יג אֲחַלֵּ֣ק שָׁלָ֑ל
תִּמְלָאֵ֣מוֹ נַפְשִׁ֔י אָרִ֣יק חַרְבִּ֔י תּוֹרִישֵׁ֖מוֹ יָדִֽי׃ |
| 10 | You blew with Your breath, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the
mighty waters. |
נָשַׁ֥פְתָּ בְרוּחֲךָ֖ כִּסָּ֣מוֹ יָ֑ם צָֽלֲלוּ֙
כַּֽעוֹפֶ֔רֶת בְּמַ֖יִם אַדִּירִֽים׃ |
| 11 | Who is like You, O YaHUaH, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious
in awesome holiness? Praise be to You
Who does this wonder! |
מִֽי־כָמֹ֤כָה בָּֽאֵלִם֙ יְהוָ֔ה מִ֥י כָּמֹ֖כָה נֶאְדָּ֣ר
בַּקֹּ֑דֶשׁ נוֹרָ֥א תְהִלֹּ֖ת עֹ֥שֵׂה פֶֽלֶא׃ |
| 12 | You stretched out Your right hand, and the earth swallowed them up. |
נָטִ֙יתָ֙ יְמִ֣ינְךָ֔ תִּבְלָעֵ֖מוֹ אָֽרֶץ׃ |
| 13 | In Your lovingkindness You led forth the people whom You have redeemed;
You lead them in Your power to the lovely dwelling place of Your holiness. |
נָחִ֥יתָ בְחַסְדְּךָ֖ עַם־ז֣וּ גָּאָ֑לְתָּ נֵהַ֥לְתָּ
בְעָזְּךָ֖ אֶל־נְוֵ֥ה קָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃ |
| |
| 14 | The peoples heard it, and they trembled; fear seized the inhabitants of
Philistia. |
רְצֵ֣ה יְ֭הוָה לְהַצִּילֵ֑נִי יְ֝הוָ֗ה לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי
חֽוּשָׁה׃ |
| 15 | Then the chieftains of Edom were terrified, and trembling seized the
mighty men of Moab; all the inhabitants of Canaan melted away. |
אָ֤ז נִבְהֲלוּ֙ אַלּוּפֵ֣י אֱד֔וֹם אֵילֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב
יֹֽאחֲזֵ֖מוֹ רָ֑עַד נָמֹ֕גוּ כֹּ֖ל יֹשְׁבֵ֥י כְנָֽעַן׃ |
| 16 | Terror and dread fell upon them; by the mighty arm of Your arm they were as
dumb as a stone, until Your people, YaHUaH, passed over, Your people
whom You have bought passed over. |
תִּפֹּ֨ל עֲלֵיהֶ֤ם אֵימָ֙תָה֙ וָפַ֔חַד בִּגְדֹ֥ל זְרוֹעֲךָ֖
יִדְּמ֣וּ כָּאָ֑בֶן עַד־יַעֲבֹ֤ר עַמְּךָ֙ יְהוָ֔ה עַֽד־יַעֲבֹ֖ר עַם־ז֥וּ קָנִֽיתָ׃ |
| 17 | You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of Your inheritance;
the place which You, YaHUaH, have made for Your dwelling; the
sanctuary, my Lord, that Your hands have established. |
תְּבִאֵ֗מוֹ וְתִטָּעֵ֙מוֹ֙ בְּהַ֣ר נַחֲלָֽתְךָ֔ מָכ֧וֹן
לְשִׁבְתְּךָ֛ פָּעַ֖לְתָּ יְהוָ֑ה מִקְּדָ֕שׁ אֲדֹנָ֖י כּוֹנְנ֥וּ יָדֶֽיךָ׃ |
| 18 | YaHUaH reigns forever and ever. |
יְהוָ֥ה ׀ יִמְלֹ֖ךְ לְעֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ |
| 19 | For when Pharaoh’s horses and his chariots and his horsemen went into the
sea, YaHUaH brought back the waters of the sea upon them, but the
descendants of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea.” |
כִּ֣י בָא֩ ס֨וּס פַּרְעֹ֜ה בְּרִכְבּ֤וֹ וּבְפָרָשָׁיו֙
בַּיָּ֔ם וַיָּ֧שֶׁב יְהוָ֛ה עֲלֵהֶ֖ם אֶת־מֵ֣י הַיָּ֑ם וּבְנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל
הָלְכ֥וּ בַיַּבָּשָׁ֖ה בְּת֥וֹךְ הַיָּֽם׃ פ |
Exodus 15: 1-19
The first thing that stands out in this song is of course the frequent
use of God's wonderful Name YaHUaH (12 times in this section).
Mosheh speaks about the God of Israel as YaHUaH, and He also addresses
God with the Name YaHUaH. That is not so strange, because in the
previous chapters God Himself has regularly said that through the signs and
wonders that He performed in Egypt, the Israelites and the whole world would
know that He is YaHUaH. The making known of that wonderful Name was
an important goal of the whole event. In that Name lies that He is the God
Who IS THERE, and who takes action when necessary, for those who want to
belong to Him.
In verse 2 he sings: “YaH is my strength and my
song-with-music, He has been my salvation.” We can also translate:
He has been my rescue. In Hebrew it says that God has been him to Yeshu‘ah (Hebr.: לִֽישׁוּעָה
2). He continues: “He is my God, I glorify Him, the God
of my (fore)fathers, I praise Him.” It is not about just any God.
It is about that one God: YaHUaH - the God of Abraham, Yitschaq and
Ya‘aqob (think of how God made Himself known to Him in Exodus 3:6,14-15).
When we only sing songs of praise to ‘God’, which someone from another
religion can also sing, thinking of his or her god, then we are not very
clear, to say the least. Fortunately, Mosheh is very clear here.
And we may follow his example.
Besides the fact that Mosheh is very clear about which God he praises
and honors, he is also very clear about why he does this: because of the
great deeds of YaHUaH - everything He did to save them, His covenant
people, from the clutches of those who oppressed them. Mosheh describes it
in great detail, with much use of the Hebrew figure of speech of parallelism
- saying the same thing two or more times in slightly different words, so
that it becomes very clear. Besides, he does not even mention the name
of those oppressors (the Egyptians), nor the name of the pharaoh who pursued
them.3 They were not important; they perish
completely nameless and without any glory.
Not so the great Savior: YaHUaH; His wonderful deeds may well be
mentioned and His glorious Name may well be mentioned, praised and
glorified!
Hallelu YaHUaH !
And perhaps I should add:
Israel, put your hope again in
YaHUaH - your Great Deliverer !
Notes
| 1 |
The glorious Name of God I represent here as accurately
as possible from the oldest Hebrew original, instead of replacing this grand
personal Name of The Most High by a common word, such as ‘Lord’. For more
background information see:
André H. Roosma, ‘The
wonderful and lovely Name of the God Who was there, Who is there, and Who
will be there’  , extensive Accede! / Hallelu-YaH! study, July 2009.
See also the other articles on the
significant Name of God, on the articles page here. |
| 2 |
This is the third time that the Hebrew word Yeshu‘ah (Hebr.: ֽישׁוּעָה)
appears in the Bible. Before that in the previous chapter and in the blessing
of Ya‘aqob to his sons (Gen.49:18; Ex.14:13). |
| 3 |
To this day, there is no 100% certainty about which
pharaoh is involved in the Bible story. Though I find what Gerard Gertoux
discovered through intensive research most plausible. From analysis of special
star configurations etc. recorded at the time, he was able to deduce exactly
when the Exodus took place and which pharaoh was involved. A number of details
are remarkably correct. The pharaoh in question, Seqenenre Taa, died shortly
after his eldest son Ahmose Sapaïr (Ex.12:29) and his body was only mummified
when it was already in an advanced state of decomposition (after being fished
out of the Red Sea, or found on the beach next to it). Egyptian archaeology
shows that the Bible is spot on!
See: Gerard Gertoux, ‘The Pharaoh of the Exodus - Fairy tale or real history? - Outcome of the
investigation’, at Academia.edu. This extensive article/ e-book provides
a wealth of archaeological and historical evidence for the historicity of the
Biblical Exodus story, including observations concerning the pharaoh.
See also: Gerard Gertoux, ‘Egyptian chronology, 2838-342 BCE, through astronomically dated
synchronisms and comparison with carbon-14 dating’, at Academia.edu. |
In the revelations that John received, the song of
Moses is mentioned again, which has been sung or will be sung again in the
time to which this revelation relates. Note the gist of this song, as it is
summarized here:
| 1 | And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven
angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is
accomplished. |
| 2 | And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire, and
those who had the victory over the beast and over his image and over the
number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. |
| 3 | And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the
song of the Lamb, saying: Great and marvelous are Your works, YaHUaH God
Almighty; just and true are Your ways, King of the nations! |
| 4 | Who shall not fear, YaHUaH, and glorify Your name? For
You alone are holy. For all nations will come and worship before You, because
Your judgments are revealed. |
Rev. 15:1-4
Here too, this song is about glorifying God's Name
while describing the great saving work He has done. He is truly the King of
kings in power and in glory, in righteousness, truth/integrity and holiness!
All nations will know that and worship Him!
Hallelu YaHUaH !
Previous articles in this series on The significant
Name of God:
‘(24) His Name is exalted - call upon His Name!’ (a brief note on Is.12),
14 April 2024;
‘(23) The Speaking God of the Exodus and of the entire Bible’,
6 March 2024;
‘(22) The riches of the Title אֵל רַחוְּם
- ’El Rachum’, 13 March 2021;
‘(21) Why Christianity often ignored The Name YaHUaH’,
21 June 2020;
‘(20) YaHUaH - the true God of the Bible - is involved!’,
19 June 2020;
‘(19) The riches of the Title אֵל שַׁדַּי
- ’El Shaddai’, 17 June 2020;
‘(18) Why Rabbinic Judaism refuses to mention THE NAME’,
14 June 2020;
‘(17) What we learn from Jesus’ temptation in the desert’,
12 June 2020.
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