Exo 15:1-21 | Clarke | e4.org | CHAPTER XV Moses and the Israelites sing a song of praise to God for their late deliverance, in which they celebrate the power of God, gloriously manifested in the destruction of Pharaoh and his host , 1; express their confidence in him as their strength and protector , 2, 3; detail the chief circumstances in the overthrow of the Egyptians , 4-8; and relate the purposes they had formed for the destruction of God's people , 9, and how he destroyed them in the imaginations of their hearts , 10. Jehovah is celebrated for the perfections of his nature and his wondrous works , 11-13. A prediction of the effect which the account of the destruction of the Egyptians should have on the Edomites, Moabites, and Canaanites , 14-16. A prediction of the establishment of Israel in the promised land , 17. The full chorus of praise , 18. Recapitulation of the destruction of the Egyptians, and the deliverance of Israel , 19. Miriam and the women join in and prolong the chorus , 20, 21. The people travel three days in the wilderness of Shur, and find no water , 22. Coming to Marah, and finding bitter waters, they murmur against Moses , 23, 24. In answer to the prayer of Moses, God shows him a tree by which the waters are sweetened , 25. God gives them statutes and gracious promises , 26. They come to Elim, where they find twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees, and there they encamp , 27. NOTES ON CHAP. XV Verse 1. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song ] POETRY has been cultivated in all ages and among all people, from the most refined to the most barbarous; and to it principally, under the kind providence of God, we are indebted for most of the original accounts we have of the ancient nations of the universe. Equally measured lines, with a harmonious collocation of expressive, sonorous, and sometimes highly metaphorical terms, the alternate lines either answering to each other in sense , or ending with similar sounds , were easily committed to memory , and easily retained . As these were often accompanied with a pleasing air or tune , the subject being a concatenation of striking and interesting events, histories formed thus became the amusement of youth, the softeners of the tedium of labour, and even the solace of age. In such a way the histories of most nations have been preserved. The interesting events celebrated, the rhythm or metre , and the accompanying tune or recitativo air , rendered them easily transmissible to posterity; and by means of tradition they passed safely from father to son through the times of comparative darkness , till they arrived at those ages in which the pen and the press have given them a sort of deathless duration and permanent stability, by multiplying the copies. Many of the ancient historic and heroic British tales are continued by tradition among the aboriginal inhabitants of Ireland to the present day; and the repetition of them constitutes the chief amusement of the winter evenings. Even the prose histories, which were written on the ground of the poetic , copied closely their exemplars, and the historians themselves were obliged to study all the beauties and ornaments of style , that their works might become popular ; and to this circumstance we owe not a small measure of what is termed refinement of language . How observable is this in the history of Herodotus , who appears to have closely copied the ancient poetic records in his inimitable and harmonious prose; and, that his books might bear as near a resemblance as possible to the ancient and popular originals, he divided them into nine , and dedicated each to one of the muses ! His work therefore seems to occupy the same place between the ancient poetic compositions and mere prosaic histories , as the polype does between plants and animals . Much even of our sacred records is written in poetry , which God has thus consecrated to be the faithful transmitter of remote and important events; and of this the song before the reader is a proof in point. Though this is not the first specimen of poetry we have met with in the Pentateuch, (see Lamech's speech to his wives, ; Noah's prophecy concerning his sons, ; and Jacob's blessing to the twelve patriarchs, , and the notes there,) yet it is the first regular ode of any considerable length, having but one subject; and it is all written in hemistichs , or half lines, the usual form in Hebrew poetry; and though this form frequently occurs, it is not attended to in our common printed Hebrew Bibles, except in this and three other places, ( ; ; and ,) all of which shall be noticed as they occur. But in Dr. Kennicott's edition of the Hebrew Bible, all the poetry, wheresoever it occurs, is printed in its own hemistich form. After what has been said it is perhaps scarcely necessary to observe, that as such ancient poetic histories commemorated great and extraordinary displays of providence, courage, strength , fidelity, heroism , and piety ; hence the origin of EPIC poems , of which the song in this chapter is the earliest specimen. And on the principle of preserving the memory of such events, most nations have had their epic poets , who have generally taken for their subject the most splendid or most remote events of their country's history, which either referred to the formation or extension of their empire , the exploits of their ancestors , or the establishment of their religion . Hence the ancient HEBREWS had their Shir Mosheh , the piece in question: the GREEKS, their Ilias ; the HINDOOS, their Mahabarat ; the ROMANS, their AEneis ; the NORWEGIANS, their Edda ; the IRISH and SCOTCH, their Fingal and Chronological poems ; the WELSH, their Taliessin and his Triads ; the ARABS, their Nebiun-Nameh (exploits of Mohammed) and Hamleh Heedry , (exploits of Aly;) the PERSIANS, their SHAH Nameh , (book of kings;) the ITALIANS, their Gerusalemme Liberata ; the PORTUGUESE, their Lusiad ; the ENGLISH, their Paradise Lost ; and, in humble imitation of all the rest, ( etsi non passibus aequis ,) the FRENCH, their Henriade . The song of Moses has been in the highest repute in the Church of God from the beginning; the author of the Book of Wisdom attributes it in a particular manner to the wisdom of God, and says that on this occasion God opened the mouth of the dumb, and made the tongues of infants eloquent ; Wisdom 10:21 . As if he had said, Every person felt an interest in the great events which had taken place, and all laboured to give Jehovah that praise which was due to his name. "With this song of victory over Pharaoh," says Mr. Ainsworth, "the Holy Ghost compares the song of those who have gotten the victory over the spiritual Pharaoh, the beast , (Antichrist,) when they stand by the sea of glass mingled with fire , (as Israel stood here by the Red Sea,) having the harps of God , (as the women here had timbrels, ,) and they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb , the Son of God," . I will sing unto the Lord ] Moses begins the song, and in the two first hemistichs states the subject of it; and these two first lines became the grand chorus of the piece, as we may learn from . See Dr. Kennicott's arrangement and translation of this piece at the end of this chapter. . Triumphed gloriously ] ki gaoh gaah , he is exceedingly exalted , rendered by the Septuagint, ενδοξωςγαρ δεδοξασται, He is gloriously glorified ; and surely this was one of the most signal displays of the glorious majesty of God ever exhibited since the creation of the world. And when it is considered that the whole of this transaction shadowed out the redemption of the human race from the thraldom and power of sin and iniquity by the Lord Jesus , and the final triumph of the Church of God over all its enemies , we may also join in the song, and celebrate Him who has triumphed so gloriously, having conquered death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

‏ Exodus 15:1-21

CHAPTER XV

Moses and the Israelites sing a song of praise to God for their late deliverance, in which they celebrate the power of God, gloriously manifested in the destruction of Pharaoh and his host, 1;

express their confidence in him as their strength and protector, 2, 3;

detail the chief circumstances in the overthrow of the Egyptians, 4-8;

and relate the purposes they had formed for the destruction of God's people, 9,

and how he destroyed them in the imaginations of their hearts, 10.

Jehovah is celebrated for the perfections of his nature and his wondrous works, 11-13.

A prediction of the effect which the account of the destruction of the Egyptians should have on the Edomites, Moabites, and Canaanites, 14-16.

A prediction of the establishment of Israel in the promised land, 17.

The full chorus of praise, 18.

Recapitulation of the destruction of the Egyptians, and the deliverance of Israel, 19.

Miriam and the women join in and prolong the chorus, 20, 21.

The people travel three days in the wilderness of Shur, and find no water, 22.

Coming to Marah, and finding bitter waters, they murmur against Moses, 23, 24.

In answer to the prayer of Moses, God shows him a tree by which the waters are sweetened, 25.

God gives them statutes and gracious promises, 26.

They come to Elim, where they find twelve wells of water and

seventy palm trees, and there they encamp, 27.

NOTES ON CHAP. XV

Verse 1. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song] POETRY has been cultivated in all ages and among all people, from the most refined to the most barbarous; and to it principally, under the kind providence of God, we are indebted for most of the original accounts we have of the ancient nations of the universe. Equally measured lines, with a harmonious collocation of expressive, sonorous, and sometimes highly metaphorical terms, the alternate lines either answering to each other in sense, or ending with similar sounds, were easily committed to memory, and easily retained. As these were often accompanied with a pleasing air or tune, the subject being a concatenation of striking and interesting events, histories formed thus became the amusement of youth, the softeners of the tedium of labour, and even the solace of age. In such a way the histories of most nations have been preserved. The interesting events celebrated, the rhythm or metre, and the accompanying tune or recitativo air, rendered them easily transmissible to posterity; and by means of tradition they passed safely from father to son through the times of comparative darkness, till they arrived at those ages in which the pen and the press have given them a sort of deathless duration and permanent stability, by multiplying the copies. Many of the ancient historic and heroic British tales are continued by tradition among the aboriginal inhabitants of Ireland to the present day; and the repetition of them constitutes the chief amusement of the winter evenings. Even the prose histories, which were written on the ground of the poetic, copied closely their exemplars, and the historians themselves were obliged to study all the beauties and ornaments of style, that their works might become popular; and to this circumstance we owe not a small measure of what is termed refinement of language. How observable is this in the history of Herodotus, who appears to have closely copied the ancient poetic records in his inimitable and harmonious prose; and, that his books might bear as near a resemblance as possible to the ancient and popular originals, he divided them into nine, and dedicated each to one of the muses! His work therefore seems to occupy the same place between the ancient poetic compositions and mere prosaic histories, as the polype does between plants and animals. Much even of our sacred records is written in poetry, which God has thus consecrated to be the faithful transmitter of remote and important events; and of this the song before the reader is a proof in point. Though this is not the first specimen of poetry we have met with in the Pentateuch, (see Lamech's speech to his wives, Ge 4:23, 24; Noah's prophecy concerning his sons, Ge 9:25-27; and Jacob's blessing to the twelve patriarchs, Ge 49:2-27, and the notes there,) yet it is the first regular ode of any considerable length, having but one subject; and it is all written in hemistichs, or half lines, the usual form in Hebrew poetry; and though this form frequently occurs, it is not attended to in our common printed Hebrew Bibles, except in this and three other places, (De 32:1-43; Jud 5:1-31; and 2Sa 22:1-51,) all of which shall be noticed as they occur. But in Dr. Kennicott's edition of the Hebrew Bible, all the poetry, wheresoever it occurs, is printed in its own hemistich form.

After what has been said it is perhaps scarcely necessary to observe, that as such ancient poetic histories commemorated great and extraordinary displays of providence, courage, strength, fidelity, heroism, and piety; hence the origin of EPIC poems, of which the song in this chapter is the earliest specimen. And on the principle of preserving the memory of such events, most nations have had their epic poets, who have generally taken for their subject the most splendid or most remote events of their country's history, which either referred to the formation or extension of their empire, the exploits of their ancestors, or the establishment of their religion. Hence the ancient HEBREWS had their Shir Mosheh, the piece in question: the GREEKS, their Ilias; the HINDOOS, their Mahabarat; the ROMANS, their AEneis; the NORWEGIANS, their Edda; the IRISH and SCOTCH, their Fingal and Chronological poems; the WELSH, their Taliessin and his Triads; the ARABS, their Nebiun-Nameh (exploits of Mohammed) and Hamleh Heedry, (exploits of Aly;) the PERSIANS, their SHAH Nameh, (book of kings;) the ITALIANS, their Gerusalemme Liberata; the PORTUGUESE, their Lusiad; the ENGLISH, their Paradise Lost; and, in humble imitation of all the rest, (etsi non passibus aequis,) the FRENCH, their Henriade.

The song of Moses has been in the highest repute in the Church of God from the beginning; the author of the Book of Wisdom attributes it in a particular manner to the wisdom of God, and says that on this occasion God opened the mouth of the dumb, and made the tongues of infants eloquent; Wisdom 10:21. As if he had said, Every person felt an interest in the great events which had taken place, and all laboured to give Jehovah that praise which was due to his name. "With this song of victory over Pharaoh," says Mr. Ainsworth, "the Holy Ghost compares the song of those who have gotten the victory over the spiritual Pharaoh, the beast, (Antichrist,) when they stand by the sea of glass mingled with fire, (as Israel stood here by the Red Sea,) having the harps of God, (as the women here had timbrels, Ex 15:20,) and they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, the Son of God," Re 15:2-4.

I will sing unto the Lord] Moses begins the song, and in the two first hemistichs states the subject of it; and these two first lines became the grand chorus of the piece, as we may learn from Ex 15:21. See Dr. Kennicott's arrangement and translation of this piece at the end of this chapter. See Clarke on Ex 15:26.

Triumphed gloriously] ki gaoh gaah, he is exceedingly exalted, rendered by the Septuagint, ενδοξωςγαρ δεδοξασται, He is gloriously glorified; and surely this was one of the most signal displays of the glorious majesty of God ever exhibited since the creation of the world. And when it is considered that the whole of this transaction shadowed out the redemption of the human race from the thraldom and power of sin and iniquity by the Lord Jesus, and the final triumph of the Church of God over all its enemies, we may also join in the song, and celebrate Him who has triumphed so gloriously, having conquered death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

Verse 2. The Lord is my strength and song] How judiciously are the members of this sentence arranged! He who has God for his strength, will have him for his song; and he to whom Jehovah is become salvation, will exalt his name. Miserably and untunably, in the ears of God, does that man sing praises, who is not saved by the grace of Christ, nor strengthened by the power of his might.

It is worthy of observation that the word which we translate LORD here, is not JEHOVAH in the original, but JAH; "as if by abbreviation," says Mr. Parkhurst, "for yeheieh or yehi. It signifies the Essence οων, He who IS, simply, absolutely, and independently. The relation between Jah and the verb to subsist, exist, be, is intimated to us the first time Jah is used in Scripture, (Ex 15:2:) 'My strength and my song is JAH, and he is become ( vajehi) to me salvation.'" See Ps 68:5; 89:6; 94:7; 115:17, 18; 118:17.

JAH is several times joined with the name Jehovah so that we may be sure that it is not, as some have supposed, a mere abbreviation of that word. See Isa 12:2; 26:4. Our blessed Lord solemnly claims to himself what is intended in this Divine name

JAH, Joh 8:58: "Before Abraham was, (γενεσθαι, was born,) εγωειμι, I AM," not I was, but I am, plainly intimating his Divine eternal existence. Compare Isa 43:13. And the Jews appear to have well understood him, for then took they up stones to cast at him as a blasphemer. Compare Col 1:16,17, where the Apostle Paul, after asserting that all things that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, were created, εκτισται, by and for Christ, adds And HE IS (αυτοςεστι, not ην, was) before all things, and by him all things συνεστηκε, have subsisted, and still subsist. See Parkhurst.

From this Divine name Jah the ancient Greeks had their ιη ιη, in their invocations of the gods, particularly of Apollo (the uncompounded ONE) the light; and hence EI, written after the oriental manner from right to left, afterwards IE, was inscribed over the great door of the temple at Delphi! See Clarke on Ex 3:14, and the concluding observations there.

I will prepare him a habitation] veanvehu. It has been supposed that Moses, by this expression, intended the building of the tabernacle; but it seems to come in very strangely in this place. Most of the ancient versions understood the original in a very different sense.

The Vulgate has et glorificabo eum; the Septuagint δοξασω αυτον, I will GLORIFY him; with which the Syriac, Coptic, the Targum of Jonathan, and the Jerusalem Targum, agree. From the Targum of Onkelos the present translation seems to have been originally derived; he has translated the place veebnei leh makdash, "And I will build him a sanctuary," which not one of the other versions, the Persian excepted, acknowledges. Our own old translations are generally different from the present: Coverdale, "This my God, I will magnify him;" Matthew's, Cranmer's, and the Bishops' Bible, render it glorify, and the sense of the place seems to require it. Calmet, Houbigant, Kennicott, and other critics, contend for this translation.

My father's God] I believe Houbigant to be right, who translates the original, Elohey abi, Deus meus, pater meus est, "My God is my Father." Every man may call the Divine Being his GOD; but only those who are his children by adoption through grace can call him their FATHER. This is a privilege which God has given to none but his children. See Ga 4:6.

Verse 3. The Lord is a man of war] Perhaps it would be better to translate the words, Jehovah is the man or hero of the battle. As we scarcely ever apply the term to any thing but first-rate armed vessels, the change of the translation seems indispensable, though the common rendering is literal enough. Besides, the object of Moses was to show that man had no part in this victory, but that the whole was wrought by the miraculous power of God, and that therefore he alone should have all the glory.

The LORD is his name.] That is, JEHOVAH. He has now, as the name implies, given complete existence to all his promises. See Clarke on Ge 2:4, and "Ex 6:3".

Verse 4. Pharaoh's chariots-his host-his chosen captains] On such an expedition it is likely that the principal Egyptian nobility accompanied their king, and that the overthrow they met with here had reduced Egypt to the lowest extremity. Had the Israelites been intent on plunder, or had Moses been influenced by a spirit of ambition, how easily might both have gratified themselves, as, had they returned, they might have soon overrun and subjugated the whole land.

Verse 6. Thy right hand] Thy omnipotence, manifested in a most extraordinary way.

Verse 7. In the greatness of thine excellency] To this wonderful deliverance the Prophet Isaiah refers, Isa 63:11-14: "Then he remembered the days of old, Moses and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? Where is he that put his Holy Spirit within him? That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name? That led them through the deep, as a horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble? As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest; so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name."

Verse 8. The depths were congealed] The strong east wind (Ex 14:21) employed to dry the bottom of the sea, is here represented as the blast of God's nostrils that had congealed or frozen the waters, so that they stood in heaps like a wall on the right hand and on the left.

Verse 9. The enemy said] As this song was composed by Divine inspiration, we may rest assured that these words were spoken by Pharaoh and his captains, and the passions they describe felt, in their utmost sway, in their hearts; but how soon was their boasting confounded? "Thou didst blow with thy wind, and the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters!"

Verse 11. Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods?] We have already seen that all the Egyptian gods, or the objects of the Egyptians' idolatry, were confounded, and rendered completely despicable, by the ten plagues, which appear to have been directed principally against them. Here the people of God exult over them afresh: Who among these gods is like unto THEE? They can neither save nor destroy; THOU dost both in the most signal manner.

As the original words mi chamochah baelim Yehovah are supposed to have constituted the motto on the ensign of the Asmoneans, and to have furnished the name of Maccabeus to Judas, their grand captain, from whom they were afterwards called Maccabeans, it may be necessary to say a few words on this subject It is possible that Judas Maccabeus might have had this motto on his ensign, or at least the initial letters of it, for such a practice was not uncommon. For instance, on the Roman standard the letters S. P. Q. R. stood for Senatus Populus Que Romanus, i.e. the Senate and Roman People, and M. C. B. I. might have stood for Mi Chamochah Baelim Jehovah, "Who among the gods (or strong ones) is like unto thee, O Jehovah!" But it appears from the Greek μακκαβαιος, and also the Syriac [Syriac] makabi, that the name was written originally with koph, not caph. It is most likely, as Michaelis has observed, that the name must have been derived from makkab, a hammer or mallet; hence Judas, because of his bravery and success, might have been denominated the hammer or mallet by which the enemies of God had been beaten, pounded, and broken to pieces. Judas, the hammer of the Lord.

Glorious in holiness] Infinitely resplendent in this attribute, essential to the perfection of the Divine nature.

Fearful in praises] Such glorious holiness cannot be approached without the deepest reverence and fear, even by angels, who veil their faces before the majesty of God. How then should man, who is only sin and dust, approach the presence of his Maker!

Doing wonders?] Every part of the work of God is wonderful; not only miracles, which imply an inversion or suspension of the laws of nature, but every part of nature itself. Who can conceive how a single blade of grass is formed; or how earth, air, and water become consolidated in the body of the oak? And who can comprehend how the different tribes of plants and animals are preserved, in all the distinctive characteristics of their respective natures? And who can conceive how the human being is formed, nourished, and its different parts developed? What is the true cause of the circulation of the blood? or, how different ailments produce the solids and fluids of the animal machine? What is life, sleep, death? And how an impure and unholy soul is regenerated, purified, refined, and made like unto its great Creator? These are wonders which God alone works, and to himself only are they fully known.

Verse 12. The earth swallowed them.] It is very likely there was also an earthquake on this occasion, and that chasms were made in the bottom of the sea, by which many of them were swallowed up, though multitudes were overwhelmed by the waters, whose dead bodies were afterward thrown ashore. The psalmist strongly intimates that there was an earthquake on this occasion: The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven; the lightnings lightened the world; the EARTH TREMBLED and SHOOK; Ps 77:18.

Verse 13. Thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.] As this ode was dictated by the Spirit of God, It is most natural to understand this and the following verses, to the end of the 18th, as containing a prediction of what God would do for this people which he had so miraculously redeemed. On this mode of interpretation it would be better to read several of the verbs in the future tense.

Verse 15. The dukes of Edom] Idumea was governed at this time by those called alluphim, heads, chiefs, or captains. See Clarke on Ge 36:15.

Verse 16. Till thy people pass over] Not over the Red Sea, for that event had been already celebrated; but over the desert and Jordan, in order to be brought into the promised land.

Verse 17. Thou shalt bring them in] By thy strength and mercy alone shall they get the promised inheritance.

And plant them] Give them a fixed habitation in Canaan, after their unsettled wandering life in the wilderness.

In the mountain] Meaning Canaan, which was a very mountainous country, De 11:11; or probably Mount Zion, on which the temple was built. Where the pure worship of God was established, there the people might expect both rest and safety. Wherever the purity of religion is established and preserved, and the high and the low endeavour to regulate their lives according to its precepts, the government of that country is likely to be permanent.

Verse 18. The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.] This is properly the grand chorus in which all the people joined. The words are expressive of God's everlasting dominion, not only in the world, but in the Church; not only under the law, but also under the Gospel; not only in time, but through eternity. The original leolam vaed may be translated, for ever and onward; or, by our very expressive compound term, for EVERMORE, i.e. for ever and more-not only through time, but also through all duration. His dominion shall be ever the same, active and infinitely extending. With this verse the song seems to end, as with it the hemistichs or poetic lines terminate. The 20th and beginning of the 21st are in plain prose, but the latter part of the 21st is in hemistichs, as it contains the response made by Miriam and the Israelitish women at different intervals during the song. See Dr. Kennicott's arrangement of the parts at the end of this chapter.

Verse 20. And Miriam the prophetess] We have already seen that Miriam was older than either Moses or Aaron: for when Moses was exposed on the Nile, she was a young girl capable of managing the stratagem used for the preservation of his life; and then Aaron was only three years and three months old, for he was fourscore and three years old when Moses was but fourscore, (see Ex 7:7;) so that Aaron was older than Moses, and Miriam considerably older than either, not less probably than nine or ten years of age. See Clarke on Ex 2:2.

There is great diversity of opinion on the origin of the name of Miriam, which is the same with the Greek μαριαμ, the Latin Maria, and the English Mary. Some suppose it to be compounded of mar, a drop, (Isa 40:15,) and yam, the sea, and that from this etymology the heathens formed their Venus, whom they feign to have sprung from the sea. St. Jerome gives several etymologies for the name, which at once show how difficult it is to ascertain it: she who enlightens me, or she who enlightens them, or the star of the sea. Others, the lady of the sea, the bitterness of the sea, &c. It is probable that the first or the last is the true one, but it is a matter of little importance, as we have not the circumstance marked, as in the case of Moses and many others, that gave rise to the name.

The prophetess] hannebiah. For the meaning of the word prophet, nabi, See Clarke on Ge 20:7. It is very likely that Miriam was inspired by the Spirit of God to instruct the Hebrew women, as Moses and Aaron were to instruct the men; and when she and her brother Aaron sought to share in the government of the people with Moses, we find her laying claim to the prophetic influence, Nu 12:2: Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath he not SPOKEN ALSO BY US? And that she was constituted joint leader of the people with her two brothers, we have the express word of God by the Prophet Micah, Mic 6:4: For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt-and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. Hence it is very likely that she was the instructress of the women, and regulated the times, places, &c., of their devotional acts; for it appears that from the beginning to the present day the Jewish women all worshipped apart.

A timbrel] toph, the same word which is translated tabret, Ge 31:27, on which the reader is desired to consult the note. See Clarke on Ge 31:27.

And with dances.] mecholoth. Many learned men suppose that this word means some instruments of wind music, because the word comes from the root chalal, the ideal meaning of which is to perforate, penetrate, pierce, stab, and hence to wound. Pipes or hollow tubes, such as flutes, hautboys, and the like, may be intended. Both the Arabic and Persian understand it as meaning instruments of music of the pipe, drum, or sistrum kind; and this seems to comport better with the scope and design of the place than the term dances. It must however be allowed that religious dances have been in use from the remotest times; and yet in most of the places where the term occurs in our translation, an instrument of music bids as fair to be its meaning as a dance of any kind. Miriam is the first prophetess on record, and by this we find that God not only poured out his Spirit upon men, but upon women also; and we learn also that Miriam was not only a prophetess, but a poetess also, and must have had considerable skill in music to have been able to conduct her part of these solemnities. It may appear strange that during so long an oppression in Egypt, the Israelites were able to cultivate the fine arts; but that they did so there is the utmost evidence from the Pentateuch. Not only architecture, weaving, and such necessary arts, were well known among them, but also the arts that are called ornamental, such as those of the goldsmith, lapidary, embroiderer, furrier, &c., of which we have ample proof in the construction of the tabernacle and its utensils. However ungrateful, rebellious, &c., the Jews may have been, the praise of industry and economy can never be denied them. In former ages, and in all places even of their dispersions, they appear to have been frugal and industrious, and capable of great proficiency in the most elegant and curious arts; but they are now greatly degenerated.