Exodus 15:1ExegesisTAB

Exodus 15 : 1 Praise | Exaltation | Deliverance
1. Linguistic Exegesis
The verse begins with az {אָ֣ז | ʾāz} ‘then,’ a temporal adverb that shifts the narrative to triumphant praise. The imperfect yashir {יָשִֽׁיר | yāšîr} conveys an initiated action of singing. The coordinated subject moshe and u-vnei yisrael {מֹשֶׁה וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל | mōšeh ū-və-nê yiśrāʾēl} identifies the performers. The direct-object marker et {אֶת־ | ʾet} introduces ha-shirah ha-zot {הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת | ha-šîrāh ha-zōṯ} ‘this song,’ specifying the hymn. La-Yahweh {לַֽיהוָה | lā-yə-hō-wāh} marks the addressee. The vav-consecutive vayomeru le-emor {וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֵאמֹר | wayyōmerû lêʾōmor} signals the introduction of direct speech. The cohortative ashirah {אָשִׁירָה | ʾāšîrāh} expresses personal determination. The infinitive absolute gaoh followed by perfect gaah {כִּֽי־גָאֹ֣ה גָּאָ֔ה | kî gāʾōh gāʾāh} forms an emphatic clause intensifying divine exaltation. Finally, the perfect ramah with ba-yam {רָמָ֥ה בַיָּֽם | rāmāh ba-yām} ‘he has thrown into the sea’ completes the depiction of God’s victorious deliverance. The Hebrew fronted subjects and parallel infinitive clauses are mirrored in English to emphasize divine agency.

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