“And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.”
My Notes
What Does Exodus 15:21 Mean?
"And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea." Miriam — identified as a prophetess and Aaron's sister — leads the women of Israel in a response song after the Red Sea crossing. She takes a timbrel (tambourine) and the women follow her with dancing. Her song is a condensed version of Moses' longer song, capturing the essence of the deliverance in a single couplet.
Miriam is the first woman called a prophetess in the Bible. Her leadership of worship here is spontaneous, musical, and physical — she sings, plays an instrument, and dances. The women's celebration parallels but is distinct from the men's, suggesting complementary rather than subordinate worship leadership.
Reflection Questions
- 1.When was the last time you worshipped with Miriam's abandon — full-body, unrestrained?
- 2.What does Miriam's role as worship leader tell you about women's place in leading praise?
- 3.What 'horse and rider' has God thrown into the sea in your life that deserves celebration right now?
- 4.Why do we often hold back from exuberant worship — and what would it take to let go?
Devotional
Miriam grabs a tambourine and starts singing. She doesn't wait for permission. She doesn't check if it's appropriate for a woman to lead worship. She just watched God drown an army, and the only possible response is to sing and dance until the ground shakes.
"Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously." This is the oldest song in the Bible attributed to a specific woman. Miriam, who watched over baby Moses in the bulrushes, who helped orchestrate his adoption by Pharaoh's daughter, who waited decades through slavery for this moment — she leads the celebration. The women follow her with timbrels and dancing. This is not quiet, dignified worship. This is full-body, instrument-crashing, feet-stomping praise.
Miriam is called a prophetess — the first woman given that title in Scripture. Her worship leadership isn't an exception or an anomaly. It's prophetic. She speaks God's triumph into the moment with authority, and the women respond as a community of celebrants.
If you've been holding back your worship — waiting for the right moment, the right permission, the right level of composure — Miriam says: the horse and his rider are in the sea. Your enemy is drowned. What are you waiting for? Grab the tambourine. Lead the dance. You don't need anyone's permission to celebrate what God has done.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea,.... Or "caused them to journey" (a), which some think was done with…
Having read how that complete victory of Israel over the Egyptians was obtained, here we are told how it was celebrated;…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture