Exodus 15:9

THE MESSAGE

The enemy spoke, "I'll pursue, I'll hunt them down, I'll divide up the plunder, I'll glut myself on them; I'll pull out my sword, my fist will send them reeling."

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
The enemy said, 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil. My desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.'

King James Version
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

Lexham English Bible
The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide plunder, my desire will be full of them, I will draw my sword, my hand will destroy them.'

New Century Version
"The enemy bragged, ‘I'll chase them and catch them. I'll take all their riches; I'll take all I want. I'll pull out my sword, and my hand will destroy them.'

New English Translation
The enemy said, ‘I will chase, 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.'

Amplified Bible
"The enemy said, 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; My desire shall be satisfied against them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall dispossess them and drive them out.'

New American Standard Bible
"The enemy said, 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoils; I shall be satisfied against them; I will draw my sword, my hand will destroy them.'

Geneva Bible (1587)
The enemie sayd, I wil pursue, I wil ouertake them, I will deuide the spoyle, my lust shall bee satisfied vpon them, I will drawe my sworde, mine hand shall destroy them.

Legacy Standard Bible
The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil;My desire shall be fulfilled against them;I will draw out my sword, my hand will dispossess them.'

Contemporary English Version
Your enemies boasted that they would pursue and capture us, divide up our possessions, treat us as they wished, then take out their swords and kill us right there.

Complete Jewish Bible
The enemy said, ‘I will pursue and overtake, divide the spoil and gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword; my hand will destroy them.'

Darby Translation
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my soul shall be sated upon them; I will unsheath my sword, my hand shall dispossess them.

Easy-to-Read Version
"The enemy said, ‘I'll chase them and catch them. I'll take all their riches. I'll take it all with my sword. I'll take everything for myself.'

English Standard Version
The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them. I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.'

George Lamsa Translation
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my soul will devour them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

Good News Translation
The enemy said, ‘I will pursue them and catch them; I will divide their wealth and take all I want; I will draw my sword and take all they have.'

Christian Standard Bible®
The enemy said:“I will pursue, I will overtake,I will divide the spoil.My desire will be gratified at their expense.I will draw my sword;my hand will destroy them.”

Literal Translation
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my soul shall be filled with them; I will draw my sword; my hand will destroy them.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The enemie thought: I will folowe vpon them, and ouertake them, and deuyde ye spoyle, and coole my mynde vpon them. I wil drawe out my swerde, and my hande shal destroye them.

American Standard Version
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; My desire shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

Bible in Basic English
Egypt said, I will go after them, I will overtake, I will make division of their goods: my desire will have its way with them; my sword will be uncovered, my hand will send destruction on them.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
The enemie sayde, I wyll folowe [on the] I wyll ouertake [them] I wyll deuide the spoyle, and my lust shalbe satisfied vppon them: I wyll drawe my sworde, myne hande shall destroy them.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
The enemy said: 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.'

King James Version (1611)
The enemie said, I will pursue, I wil ouertake, I wil diuide the spoile: my lust shall be satisfied vpon them: I will draw my sword, mine hand shall destroy them.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoils; I will satisfy my soul, I will destroy with my sword, my hand shall have dominion.

English Revised Version
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil: My lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

Berean Standard Bible
The enemy declared, 'I will pursue, I will overtake. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword; my hand will destroy them.'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The enemy seide, Y schal pursue, and Y schal take; Y schal departe spuylis, my soule schal be fillid. I schal drawe out my swerde; myn hond schal sle hem.

Young's Literal Translation
The enemy said, I pursue, I overtake; I apportion spoil; Filled is my soul with them; I draw out my sword; My hand destroyeth them: --

Update Bible Version
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; My desire shall be satisfied on them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

Webster's Bible Translation
The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

World English Bible
The enemy said, 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil. My desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.'

New King James Version
The enemy said, "I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; My desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, My hand shall destroy them.'

New Living Translation
"The enemy boasted, ‘I will chase them and catch up with them. I will plunder them and consume them. I will flash my sword; my powerful hand will destroy them.'

New Life Bible
Those who hated us said, ‘I will go after them. I will catch them. I will divide the riches taken from them. My soul will have its way against them. I will take out my sword and my hand will destroy them.'

New Revised Standard
The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.'

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Said the fee - I will pursue - overtake divide spoil, - Take her fill of them - shall my soul, I will bare my sword, root them out - shall my hand.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The enemy said: I will pursue and overtake, I will divide the spoils, my soul shall have its fill: I will draw my sword, my hand shall slay them.

Revised Standard Version
The enemy said, 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"The enemy said, 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; My desire shall be gratified against them; I will draw out my sword, my hand will destroy them.'

Contextual Overview

¹Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to God , giving voice together, I'm singing my heart out to God —what a victory! He pitched horse and rider into the sea. God is my strength, God is my song, and, yes! God is my salvation. This is the kind of God I have and I'm telling the world! This is the God of my father— I'm spreading the news far and wide! God is a fighter, pure God , through and through. Pharaoh's chariots and army he dumped in the sea, The elite of his officers he drowned in the Red Sea. Wild ocean waters poured over them; they sank like a rock in the deep blue sea. Your strong right hand, God , shimmers with power; your strong right hand shatters the enemy. In your mighty majesty you smash your upstart enemies, You let loose your hot anger and burn them to a crisp. At a blast from your nostrils the waters piled up; Tumbling streams dammed up, wild oceans curdled into a swamp. ⁹ The enemy spoke, "I'll pursue, I'll hunt them down, I'll divide up the plunder, I'll glut myself on them; I'll pull out my sword, my fist will send them reeling." ¹⁰You blew with all your might and the sea covered them. They sank like a lead weight in the majestic waters. Who compares with you among gods, O God ? Who compares with you in power, in holy majesty, In awesome praises, wonder-working God? ¹²You stretched out your right hand and the Earth swallowed them up. But the people you redeemed, you led in merciful love; You guided them under your protection to your holy pasture. ¹⁴When people heard, they were scared; Philistines writhed and trembled; Yes, even the head men in Edom were shaken, and the big bosses in Moab. Everybody in Canaan panicked and fell faint. Dread and terror sent them reeling. Before your brandished right arm they were struck dumb like a stone, Until your people crossed over and entered, O God , until the people you made crossed over and entered. You brought them and planted them on the mountain of your heritage, The place where you live, the place you made, Your sanctuary, Master, that you established with your own hands. Let God rule forever, for eternity! ¹⁹ Yes, Pharaoh's horses and chariots and riders went into the sea and God turned the waters back on them; but the Israelites walked on dry land right through the middle of the sea. ²⁰Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine, and all the women followed her with tambourines, dancing. Miriam led them in singing, Sing to God — what a victory! He pitched horse and rider into the sea!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I will pursue: Genesis 49:27, Judges 5:30, 1 Kings 19:2, 1 Kings 20:10, Isaiah 10:8-13, Isaiah 36:20, Isaiah 53:12, Habakkuk 3:14, Luke 11:22

destroy: or, repossess, Exodus 14:5, Exodus 14:9

Reciprocal: Exodus 14:23 - General Deuteronomy 11:4 - how he made Joshua 8:6 - They flee Judges 20:41 - were amazed 1 Samuel 23:7 - he is shut 1 Kings 20:3 - General 2 Kings 3:23 - now therefore 2 Kings 19:24 - with the sole 2 Chronicles 32:14 - your God Esther 8:12 - one day Job 20:5 - the triumphing Psalms 10:3 - boasteth Psalms 12:3 - tongue Psalms 17:10 - with Psalms 35:25 - so Psalms 37:36 - General Psalms 64:5 - encourage Psalms 76:10 - Surely Psalms 94:4 - boast Psalms 106:10 - And he Psalms 124:6 - who hath not Proverbs 11:7 - General Proverbs 16:19 - than Proverbs 27:22 - General Isaiah 33:10 - now will I be exalted Isaiah 37:24 - By the Isaiah 51:13 - were ready Jeremiah 31:2 - The people Jeremiah 46:8 - I will go Jeremiah 46:17 - Pharaoh Ezekiel 21:3 - will draw Ezekiel 38:11 - go up Daniel 3:19 - he spake Daniel 4:31 - the word Luke 1:51 - he hath scattered 1 Thessalonians 5:3 - then James 3:5 - so James 4:6 - God

Cross-References

Genesis 22:13
Abraham looked up. He saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

Leviticus 1:3
"If the offering is a Whole-Burnt-Offering from the herd, present a male without a defect at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting that it may be accepted by God . Lay your hand on the head of the Whole-Burnt-Offering so that it may be accepted on your behalf to make atonement for you. Slaughter the bull in God 's presence. Aaron's sons, the priests, will make an offering of the blood by splashing it against all sides of the Altar that stands at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Next, skin the Whole-Burnt-Offering and cut it up. Aaron's sons, the priests, will prepare a fire on the Altar, carefully laying out the wood, and then arrange the body parts, including the head and the suet, on the wood prepared for the fire on the Altar. Scrub the entrails and legs clean. The priest will burn it all on the Altar: a Whole-Burnt-Offering, a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God .

Leviticus 1:10
"If the Whole-Burnt-Offering comes from the flock, whether sheep or goat, present a male without defect. Slaughter it on the north side of the Altar in God 's presence. The sons of Aaron, the priests, will throw the blood against all sides of the Altar. Cut it up and the priest will arrange the pieces, including the head and the suet, on the wood prepared for burning on the Altar. Scrub the entrails and legs clean. The priest will offer it all, burning it on the Altar: a Whole-Burnt-Offering, a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God .

Leviticus 1:14
"If a bird is presented to God for the Whole-Burnt-Offering it can be either a dove or a pigeon. The priest will bring it to the Altar, wring off its head, and burn it on the Altar. But he will first drain the blood on the side of the Altar, remove the gizzard and its contents, and throw them on the east side of the Altar where the ashes are piled. Then rip it open by its wings but leave it in one piece and burn it on the Altar on the wood prepared for the fire: a Whole-Burnt-Offering, a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God ."

Leviticus 3:1
"If your offering is a Peace-Offering and you present an animal from the herd, either male or female, it must be an animal without any defect. Lay your hand on the head of your offering and slaughter it at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron's sons, the priests, will throw the blood on all sides of the Altar. As a Fire-Gift to God from the Peace-Offering, present all the fat that covers or is connected to the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat around them at the loins, and the lobe of the liver that is removed along with the kidneys. Aaron and his sons will burn it on the Altar along with the Whole-Burnt-Offering that is on the wood prepared for the fire: a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God .

Leviticus 3:6
"If your Peace-Offering to God comes from the flock, bring a male or female without defect. If you offer a lamb, offer it to God . Lay your hand on the head of your offering and slaughter it at the Tent of Meeting. The sons of Aaron will throw its blood on all sides of the Altar. As a Fire-Gift to God from the Peace-Offering, present its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, all the fat on and connected to the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat around them on the loins, and the lobe of the liver which is removed along with the kidneys. The priest will burn it on the Altar: a meal, a Fire-Gift to God .

Leviticus 12:8
"If she can't afford a lamb, she can bring two doves or two pigeons, one for the Whole-Burnt-Offering and one for the Absolution-Offering. The priest will make atonement for her and she will be clean."

Leviticus 14:30
"At the last, he will sacrifice the doves or pigeons which are within his means, one as an Absolution-Offering and the other as a Whole-Burnt-Offering along with the Grain-Offering. Following this procedure the priest will make atonement for the one to be cleansed before God ."

Isaiah 15:5
Oh, how I grieve for Moab! Refugees stream to Zoar and then on to Eglath-shelishiyah. Up the slopes of Luhith they weep; on the road to Horonaim they cry their loss. The springs of Nimrim are dried up— grass brown, buds stunted, nothing grows. They leave, carrying all their possessions on their backs, everything they own, Making their way as best they can across Willow Creek to safety. Poignant cries reverberate all through Moab, Gut-wrenching sobs as far as Eglaim, heart-racking sobs all the way to Beer-elim. The banks of the Dibon crest with blood, but God has worse in store for Dibon: A lion—a lion to finish off the fugitives, to clean up whoever's left in the land.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The enemy said,.... That is, Pharaoh, who repented that he had let Israel go; an emblem of Satan, who when the people of God are taken out of his hands is uneasy at it, and seeks to recover them again into his possession; or of antichrist breathing out threatening and slaughter to the saints, the reformers departed from him, and delivered out of his captivity:

I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; which words being expressed without the copulative "and", show the passion he was in, the hastiness of his expressions, and the eagerness of his mind; and being delivered in such an absolute manner, "I will", "I will", c. denote not only the fixed resolution and determination he had made to pursue, but the assurance he had of carrying his point he thought as surely, as he pursued he should overtake, and overtaking should conquer, and get into his hands all the riches the people of Israel went out of Egypt with:

my lust shall be satified upon them; both his lust of covetousness to possess himself of the wealth the people had of their own, and which they had spoiled the Egyptians of, by borrowing of them; and also his lust of revenge and cruelty upon them; as appears from what follows:

I will draw my sword; out of its scabbard, and sheathe it in them:

my hand shall destroy them; which he made no doubt of, they being an unarmed people; and therefore, though numerous, were unable to engage with him, and defend themselves; see Revelation 6:14 and with it compare Isaiah 10:11.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

With the deliverance of Israel is associated the development of the national poetry, which finds its first and perfect expression in this magnificent hymn. It was sung by Moses and the people, an expression which evidently points to him as the author. That it was written at the time is an assertion expressly made in the text, and it is supported by the strongest internal evidence. In every age this song gave the tone to the poetry of Israel; especially at great critical epochs of deliverance: and in the book of Revelation Exodus 15:3 it is associated with the final triumph of the Church.

The division of the song into three parts is distinctly marked: Exodus 15:1-5; Exodus 15:6-10; Exodus 15:11-18 : each begins with an ascription of praise to God; each increases in length and varied imagery unto the triumphant close.

Exodus 15:1

He hath triumphed gloriously - Literally, He is gloriously glorious.

The horse and his rider - The word “rider” may include horseman, but applies properly to the charioteer.

Exodus 15:2

The Lord is my strength and song - My strength and song is Jah. See Psalms 68:4. The name was chosen here by Moses to draw attention to the promise ratified by the name “I am.”

I will prepare Him an habitation - I will glorify Him. Our Authorized Version is open to serious objection, as suggesting a thought (namely, of erecting a temple) which could hardly have been in the mind of Moses at that time, and unsuited to the occasion.

Exodus 15:3

A man of war - Compare Psalms 24:8. The name has on this occasion a special fitness: man had no part in the victory; the battle was the Lord’s.

The Lord is his name - “Jah is His name.” See Exodus 15:2.

Exodus 15:4

Hath He cast - “Hurled,” as from a sling. See Exodus 14:27.

His chosen captains - See Exodus 14:7 note.

Exodus 15:5

As a stone - The warriors in chariots are always represented on the monuments with heavy coats of mail; the corslets of “chosen captains” consisted of plates of highly tempered bronze, with sleeves reaching nearly to the elbow, covering the whole body and the thighs nearly to the knee. The wearers must have sunk at once like a stone, or as we read in Exodus 5:10, like lumps of lead.

Exodus 15:7

Thy wrath - Literally, Thy burning, i. e. the fire of Thy wrath, a word chosen expressly with reference to the effect.

Exodus 15:8

The blast of God’s nostrils corresponds to the natural agency, the east wind Exodus 14:21, which drove the waters back: on the north the waters rose high, overhanging the sands, but kept back by the strongwind: on the south they laid in massive rollers, kept down by the same agency in the deep bed of the Red Sea.

Exodus 15:9

The enemy said - The abrupt, gasping utterances; the haste, cupidity and ferocity of the Egyptians; the confusion and disorder of their thoughts, belong to the highest order of poetry. They enable us to realize the feelings which induced Pharaoh and his host to pursue the Israelites over the treacherous sandbanks.

Exodus 15:10

Thou didst blow with thy wind - Notice the solemn majesty of these few words, in immediate contrast with the tumult and confusion of the preceding verse. In Exodus 14:28, we read only, “the waters returned,” here we are told that it was because the wind blew. A sudden change in the direction of the wind would bring back at once the masses of water heaped up on the north.

They sank as lead - See the note at Exodus 15:5.

Exodus 15:11

Among the gods - Compare Psalms 86:8; Deuteronomy 32:16-17. A Hebrew just leaving the land in which polytheism attained its highest development, with gigantic statues and temples of incomparable grandeur, might well on such an occasion dwell upon this consummation of the long series of triumphs by which the “greatness beyond compare” of Yahweh was once for all established.

Exodus 15:13

Thy holy habitation - Either Palestine, regarded as the land of promise, sanctified by manifestations of God to the Patriarchs, and destined to be both the home of God’s people, and the place where His glory and purposes were to be perfectly revealed: or Mount Moriah.

Exodus 15:14

The inhabitants of Palestina - i. e. the country of the Philistines. They were the first who would expect an invasion, and the first whose district would have been invaded but for the faintheartedness of the Israelites.

Exodus 15:15

The dukes of Edom - See Genesis 36:15. It denotes the chieftains, not the kings of Edom.

The mighty men of Moab - The physical strength and great stature of the Moabites are noted in other passages: see Jeremiah 48:29, Jeremiah 48:41.

Canaan - The name in this, as in many passages of Genesis, designates the whole of Palestine: and is used of course with reference to the promise to Abraham. It was known to the Egyptians, and occurs frequently on the monuments as Pa-kanana, which applies, if not to the whole of Palestine, yet to the northern district under Lebanon, which the Phoenicians occupied and called “Canaan.”

Exodus 15:17

In the mountain of thine inheritance - See Exodus 15:13.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 15:9. 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!"