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Miriam · Lesson 2 of 3

Sing to the LORD

Exod 15:19-21 · Read 2 min · think and write 20 min

← Miriam For leaders

The last lesson read that Pharaoh’s daughter named the child Moses (Exod 2:10). Later, the LORD sent Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. When they came to the sea, Pharaoh’s army was pursuing them from behind.

“Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided” (Exod 14:21). “The children of Israel went into the middle of the sea on the dry ground; and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left” (Exod 14:22).

This lesson reads what happened after they had crossed the sea.

Read TogetherExod 15:19-21

19For the horses of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought back the waters of the sea on them; but the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea.

20Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances.

21Miriam answered them, “Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously. He has thrown the horse and his rider into the sea.”

Think It Through

What do you see?

  1. What happened to Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen? And to the children of Israel? (v. 19)
  2. How does the passage introduce Miriam? What did she have in her hand? Who went out after her? (v. 20)
  3. What did Miriam call the people to do? What reason did she give? (v. 21)
  4. The song that Moses and the children of Israel sang begins, “I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously. He has thrown the horse and his rider into the sea” (Exod 15:1). Compare it with verse 21: what is the same, and what is different?

If I were there

  1. Imagine you are one of the women who went out after her: you have just walked on dry land in the middle of the sea (v. 19), and now, with a tambourine, you go out after Miriam (v. 20). What would you be thinking? (The passage does not record what was in the women’s hearts. This question asks you to put yourself in their place.)
  2. Imagine you are Miriam: you have a tambourine in your hand, all the women go out after you, and you answer them, “Sing to the LORD” (vv. 20–21). What would you be thinking? (The passage records only that she took a tambourine and said these words; it does not record what was in her heart. This question asks you to put yourself in her place.)

What is God like?

  1. “The LORD brought back the waters of the sea on them; but the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea” (v. 19). Reading this, what comes to mind?
  2. Miriam calls the people to sing to the LORD, and the reason she gives is “for he has triumphed gloriously” (v. 21). Reading this, what comes to mind?

What does it mean for me?

  1. Has there been a time when you remembered something God did for you, and wanted to thank him and sing his praise? What did you do then?
  2. Miriam did not sing alone; she said to the others, “Sing to the LORD” (v. 21). Is there something you would like to ask the people around you to thank God for together with you?

Notes

Dry land in the sea. “For the horses of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought back the waters of the sea on them; but the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea” (v. 19).

Miriam the prophetess. “Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances” (v. 20). This is the first time the Bible gives her name.

Answered them. “Miriam answered them, ‘Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously. He has thrown the horse and his rider into the sea’” (v. 21). She calls the people to sing to the LORD, and says why.

The song of Moses. At the beginning of this chapter, “Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and said, ‘I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously. He has thrown the horse and his rider into the sea’” (Exod 15:1). Verses 2 to 18 are the rest of this song. After its first words, what Miriam answered is the same as the opening of this song.

Afterwards. “Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur” (Exod 15:22). The next lesson reads how, on the way through the wilderness, the LORD said to the three of them, “You three come out to the Tent of Meeting!” (Num 12:4).

For Them Then

Later the prophet Micah spoke the LORD’s words, and the LORD said to Israel: “For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage. I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam” (Mic 6:4).

Readers can see this: in this chapter Exodus records, “Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances” (v. 20).

For You Today

Perhaps you have been through something that, looking back, you can only say God helped you through: an illness healed, a way opened that you could not see, a hard time that passed. Or perhaps you are still waiting, and it is not yet a time when you can sing.

This lesson does not say that you can only sing his praise after something great has happened; nor does it say that those who cannot sing or play a tambourine cannot praise him. What it shows you is this: the children of Israel “walked on dry land in the middle of the sea” (v. 19); Miriam “took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her” (v. 20); she said, “Sing to the LORD,” and said why: “for he has triumphed gloriously” (v. 21).

This week: Write down one thing you would like to thank God for. This week, tell a brother or sister in Christ about it, and ask them to thank God for it together with you.

Scripture: World English Bible.