1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:

“I will sing to the Lord, for he is supreme! He has thrown the horses and their riders into the sea.

2 The Lord gives me strength. He is the theme of my song. He saves me. He is my God, and I will praise him. He is my father's God, and I will honor him.

3 The Lord is like a warrior. His name is the Lord.

4 He threw Pharaoh's chariots and his army into the sea. Pharaoh's best officers were drowned in the Red Sea.

5 The flooding water covered them. They dropped down into the depths like a stone.

6 Your power, Lord, is truly amazing! Your power, Lord, crushed the enemy.

7 By your majestic power you destroyed those who opposed you. Your anger blazed out and burned them up like stubble.

8 You blew* Literally, “by the breath of your nostrils.” and the sea piled up. The waves stood straight like a wall. The depths of the ocean turned solid.

9 The enemy bragged, ‘I will chase them and catch up with them. I will divide the plunder. I will eat them alive. I will swing my sword. By my hand I will destroy them.’

10 But you blew with your breath and the sea swept over them. They sank down like lead in the swirling waters.

11 Who is like you among the gods, Lord? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, awesome in wonder, doing miracles?

12 You acted, and the earth swallowed the Egyptians.

13 You led the people you saved with your trustworthy love. You will guide them in your strength to your holy home.

14 The nations will hear what has happened and will shake with fear. The people who live in Philistia will experience agonizing distress.

15 The Edomite chiefs will be terrified. The Moabite leaders will tremble. The people living in Canaan will melt away in panic.

16 Terror and fright will fall on them. Lord, because of your great power, they will be as still as stone until your people pass by, until the people you bought pass by.

17 You will take your people and plant them on the mountain that you own, the place that you, Lord, have prepared as your home, the sanctuary that your hands have built, Lord.

18 The Lord will reign forever and ever!”

19 When Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the water rushing back over them. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.

20 Miriam the prophet, Aaron's sister, picked up a tambourine, and all the women followed her dancing and playing tambourines. 21 Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he is supreme! He has thrown the horses and their riders into the sea.”

22 Then Moses led Israel away from the Red Sea and into the Desert of Shur. For three days they walked in the desert but couldn't find any water. 23 When they arrived at Marah, the water there was too bitter to drink. (That's why the place is called Marah.)

24 So the people complained to Moses, asking, “What are we going to drink?” 25 Moses called out to the Lord for help, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. When he threw it into the water, it became sweet.

There the Lord gave them rules and instructions and also tested their loyalty to him.† “Loyalty to him”: supplied for clarity. 26 He told them, “If you pay attention to what the Lord your God says, do what is right in his sight, obey his commands, and keep all his regulations, then I will not make you suffer from any of the diseases I gave the Egyptians because I am the Lord who heals you.”

27 Then they traveled on to Elim, which had twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. They set up camp there beside the water.