The canticle of Moses. The bitter waters of Mara are made sweet.
Moyses with the people sing a Canticle of thanks-geuing, for their deliuerie. 22. The people being three daies in the desert without water, then finding that is bitter, do murmure. 25. It is made swete. 27. Coming to Elim they finde twelue fountaines, and seuentie palmetrees.
1Then Moses and the children of Israel sung this canticle to the Lord, and said: Let us sing to the Lord: for he is gloriously magnified, the horse and the rider he hath thrown into the sea.Allora cantò Mosè, e i figliuoli d'Israele questa laude al Signore, dicendo: Diamo gloria al Signore, perocché egli si è gloriosamente esaltato; ha gettato nel mare il cavallo, e il cavaliere.THEN sang Moyses and the children of Israel this song to our Lord, and said: Let vs sing to our Lord: for he is glouriously magnified, the horse and the rider he hath throwen into the sea.Tunc cecinit Moyses et filii Israël carmen hoc Domino, et dixerunt: Cantemus Domino: gloriose enim magnificatus est, / equum et ascensorem dejecit in mare. 2The Lord is my strength and my praise, and he is become salvation to me: he is my God, and I will glorify him: the God of my father, and I will exalt him.Mia fortezza, e oggetto delle mie lodi egli è il Signore, ed è stato mio salvatore: egli è il mio Dio, e io Io glorificherò: il Dio del mio padre, ed io lo esalterò.My strength, and my praise is our Lord, and he is made vnto me a saluation: this is my God, and I wil glorifie him: the God of my father, and I wil exalt him.Fortitudo mea, et laus mea Dominus, / et factus est mihi in salutem: / iste Deus meus, et glorificabo eum: / Deus patris mei, et exaltabo eum. 3The Lord is as a man of war, Almighty is his name.Il Signore qual forte campione: il suo nome è l'Onnipotente.Our Lord is a man of warre, omnipotent is his name.Dominus quasi vir pugnator, / Omnipotens nomen ejus, 4Pharao’s chariots and his army he hath cast into the sea: his chosen captains are drowned in the Red Sea.Egli ha precipitati nel mare i cocchi di Faraone, e il suo esercito: i migliori suoi condottieri sono stati sommersi nel mar Rosso:Pharaoes chariottes and his armie he hath cast into the sea: his chosen princes are drowned in the red sea.currus Pharaonis et exercitum ejus projecit in mare: / electi principes ejus submersi sunt in mari Rubro. 5The depths have covered them, they are sunk to the bottom like a stone.Sono sepolti negli abissi, son caduti nel profondo qual pietra.The depthes haue ouerwhelmed them, they are sonke into the botome like a stone.Abyssi operuerunt eos; / descenderunt in profundum quasi lapis. 6Thy right hand, O Lord, is magnified in strength: thy right hand, O Lord, hath slain the enemy.La tua destra, o Signore, ha dimostrato una sovraggrande fortezza: la tua destra, o Signore, ha percosso il nemico.Thy right hand ô Lord is magnified in strength: thy right hand, ô Lord, hath striken the enimie.Dextera tua, Domine, magnificata est in fortitudine: / dextera tua, Domine, percussit inimicum.
7And in the multitude of thy glory thou hast put down thy adversaries: thou hast sent thy wrath, which hath devoured them like stubble.E con la molta possanza tua hai dispersi i tuoi avversarii: l'ira tua fu spedita da te, la quale li divorò come paglia.And in the multitude of thy glorie thou hast put downe thy aduersaries: thou hast sent thy wrath, which hath deuoured them like stuble.Et in multitudine gloriæ tuæ deposuisti adversarios tuos: / misisti iram tuam, quæ devoravit eos sicut stipulam. 8And with the blast of thy anger the waters were gathered together: the flowing water stood, the depths were gathered together in the midst of the sea.E al soffio del tuo furore si ammontarono le acque: l'onda corrente fermossi, si acquagliarono in mezzo al mare i flutti profondi.And in the spirite of thy furie were the waters gathered together: the flowing water stoode, the depthes were gathered together in the middes of the sea.Et in spiritu furoris tui congregatæ sunt aquæ: / stetit unda fluens, congregata sunt abyssi in medio mari. 9The 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.Il nemico avea detto: Inseguirò, e raggiungerò: dividerò le spoglie, le mie brame saran soddisfatte: sguainerò la mia spada, la mia mano gli ucciderà.The enimie said: I wil pursew and ouertake, I wil diuide the spoiles, my soule shal haue his fil: I wil draw forth my sword, my hand shal kil them.Dixit inimicus: Persequar et comprehendam, / dividam spolia, implebitur anima mea: / evaginabo gladium meum, interficiet eos manus mea. 10Thy wind blew and the sea covered them: they sunk as lead in the mighty waters.Soffiò il tuo spirito, e il mare li ricoperse: affondaron qual piombo nelle acque precipitose.The spirit blewe and the sea ouerwhelmed them: they sanke as lead in the vehement waters.Flavit spiritus tuus, et operuit eos mare: / submersi sunt quasi plumbum in aquis vehementibus. 11Who is like to thee, among the strong, O Lord? who is like to thee, glorious in holiness, terrible and praise-worthy, doing wonders?Chi de' forti è simile a te, o Signore? Chi è simile a te, glorioso nella santità, terribile e laudabile, operator di prodigii?Who is like to thee, among the strong ô Lord? who is like to thee, magnifical in sanctitie, terrible and laudable, doing meruailes?Quis similis tui in fortibus, Domine ? / quis similis tui, magnificus in sanctitate, / terribilis atque laudabilis, faciens mirabilia ? 12Thou stretchedst forth thy hand, and the earth swallowed them.Tu stendesti la mano, e la terra gl'ingoiò.Thou didst stretch forth thy hand, and the earth deuoured them.Extendisti manum tuam, et devoravit eos terra.
13In thy mercy thou hast been a leader to the people which thou hast redeemed: and in thy strength thou hast carried them to thy holy habitation.Tu nella tua misericordia fosti il condottiere del popolo, cui riscattasti: e colla tua fortezza Io hai portato fino al tuo santo soggiorno.Thou hast in thy mercie bene a guide to the people which thou hast redemed: and in thy strength thou hast caried them vnto thy holie habitation.Dux fuisti in misericordia tua populo quem redemisti: / et portasti eum in fortitudine tua, ad habitaculum sanctum tuum. 14Nations rose up, and were angry: sorrows took hold on the inhabitants of Philisthiim.I popoli si son messi in movimento, e son pieni di sdegno: gli abitanti della Palestina sono in affanno.Nations rose vp, and were angrie: sorowes possessed the inhabiters of Philisthijm.Ascenderunt populi, et irati sunt: / dolores obtinuerunt habitatores Philisthiim. 15Then were the princes of Edom troubled, trembling seized on the stout men of Moab: all the inhabitants of Chanaan became stiff.I principi di Edom sono sbigottiti, tremano i campioni di Moab: tutti gli abitatori di Chanaan sono istupiditi.Then were the princes of Edom trubled, trembling ceazed on the sturdie of Moab: al the inhabiters of Chanaan were starke.Tunc conturbati sunt principes Edom, / robustos Moab obtinuit tremor: / obriguerunt omnes habitatores Chanaan. 16Let fear and dread fall upon them, in the greatness of thy arm: let them become immoveable as a stone, until thy people, O Lord, pass by: until this thy people pass by, which thou hast possessed.Cada sopra di essi paura e spavento merce del tuo braccio grande: rimangano immobili come pietra, fino a tanto che passi, o Signore, il popol tuo, sino a tanto che passi questo tuo popolo, di cui tu sei il padrone.Let feare and dread fal vpon them, in the greatnes of thy arme: let them become vnmoueable as a stone, vntil thy people ô Lord shal passe, vntil thy people shal passe, this which thou hast possessed.Irruat super eos formido et pavor, in magnitudine brachii tui: / fiant immobiles quasi lapis, / donec pertranseat populus tuus, Domine, / donec pertranseat populus tuus iste, quem possedisti. 17Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thy inheritance, in thy most firm habitation, which thou hast made, O Lord; thy sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.Tu li condurrai colà, e li pianterai sul monte di tuo retaggio, nella sicurissima abitazione tua, che tu, o Signore, ti sei fabbricata: nel tuo santuario fondato, o Signore, dalle tue mani.Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountaine of thy inheritance, in thy most firme habitation, which thou hast wrought ô Lord: thy sanctuarie Lord, which thy handes haue confirmed.Introduces eos, et plantabis in monte hæreditatis tuæ, / firmissimo habitaculo tuo quod operatus es, Domine: / sanctuarium tuum, Domine, quod firmaverunt manus tuæ.
18The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.Il Signore regnerà pe' secoli, e ancor di là.Our Lord shal reigne for euer and euermore.Dominus regnabit in æternum et ultra. 19For Pharao went in on horseback with his chariots and horsemen into the sea: and the Lord brought back upon them the waters of the sea: but the children of Israel walked on dry ground in the midst thereof.Imperocché entrò il cavaliere Faraone coi suoi cocchi e co' suoi cavalieri nel mare: e il Signore ripiegò sopra di loro le acque del mare: ma i figliuoli d'Israele camminaron per esse a piedi asciutti.For Pharao on horsebake entred in with his chariottes and horsemen into the sea: and our Lord brought backe vpon them the waters of the sea: but the children of Israel walked on drie ground in the middes therof.Ingressus est enim eques Pharao / cum curribus et equitibus ejus in mare: / et reduxit super eos Dominus / aquas maris: / filii autem Israël ambulaverunt per siccum in medio ejus. 20So Mary the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand: and all the women went forth after her with timbrels and with dances.Allora Maria profetessa, sorella di Aronne, prese in mano un timpano: e tutte le donne le andarono dietro coi timpani, tessendo carole,Marie therfore the prophetesse, Aarons sister, tooke a tymbrel in her hand: and al the wemen went forth after her with tymbrels and daunces,Sumpsit ergo Maria prophetissa, soror Aaron, tympanum in manu sua: egressæque sunt omnes mulieres post eam cum tympanis et choris, 21And she began the song to them, saying: Let us sing to the Lord, for he is gloriously magnified, the horse and his rider he hath thrown into the sea.Tra le quali ella intonava, dicendo: Diamo laude al Signore; perocché egli si è gloriosamente esaltato: ha gettato nel mare il cavallo e il cavaliere.to whom she beganne the song, saying: Let vs sing to our Lord, for he is gloriously magnified, the horse and his rider he hath cast into the sea.quibus præcinebat, dicens: Cantemus Domino, gloriose enim magnificatus est: / equum et ascensorem ejus dejecit in mare. 22And Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea, and they went forth into the wilderness of Sur: and they marched three days through the wilderness, and found no water.Or Mosè menò via gl'Israeliti dal mar Rosso, ed entrarono nel deserto di Sur: e camminarono tre dì nella solitudine, e non trovavano acqua.And Moyses remoued Israel from the red sea, and they went forth into the desert Sur: and they walked three dayes through the wildernesse, and found not water.Tulit autem Moyses Israël de mari Rubro, et egressi sunt in desertum Sur: ambulaveruntque tribus diebus per solitudinem, et non inveniebant aquam.
23And they came into Mara, and they could not drink the waters of Mara because they were bitter: whereupon he gave a name also agreeable to the place, calling it Mara, that is, bitterness.E giunsero a Mara, e non potevano bere le acque di Mara per la loro amarezza: donde pose egli conveniente nome a quel luogo, chiamandolo Mara, cioè Amarezza.And they came into Mara, neither could they drinke the waters of Mara, because they were bitter: wherupon he gaue a name also agreable to the place, calling it Mara, that is, bitternesse.Et venerunt in Mara, nec poterant bibere aquas de Mara, eo quod essent amaræ: unde et congruum loco nomen imposuit, vocans illum Mara, id est, amaritudinem. 24And the people murmured against Moses, saying: What shall we drink?E mormorò il popolo contro Mosè, dicendo: Che berem noi?And the people murmured against Moyses, saying: What shal we drinke?Et murmuravit populus contra Moysen, dicens: Quid bibemus ? 25But he cried to the Lord, and he shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, they were turned into sweetness. There he appointed him ordinances, and judgments, and there he proved him,Ma egli alzò sue voci al Signore, e fugli da lui mostrato un legno: il quale dopo che da lui fu gettato nelle acque, si addolcirono. In questo luogo (Dio) diede loro alcuni precetti, e leggi, e ivi fece prova di essi.But he cried to our Lord. who did shew him a peece of woode: which when he had cast into the waters, they were turned into swetenesse. There he appointed him precepts, and iudgements, and there he proued him,At ille clamavit ad Dominum, qui ostendit ei lignum: quod cum misisset in aquas, in dulcedinem versæ sunt: ibi constituit ei præcepta, atque judicia, et ibi tentavit eum, 26Saying: If thou wilt hear the voice of the Lord thy God, and do what is right before him, and obey his commandments, and keep all his precepts, none of the evils that I laid upon Egypt, will I bring upon thee: for I am the Lord thy healer.E disse: Se tu udirai la voce del Signore Dio tuo, e farai quello che è giusto negli occhi di lui, e obbedirai ai suoi comandi, e osserverai tutti i suoi insegnamenti, io non manderò sopra di te alcuno de' mali, onde ho aggravato l'Egitto: perocché io il Signore tuo medico.saying: If thou wilt heare the voice of the Lord thy God, and doe that is right before him, and obey his commandementes, and keepe al his preceptes, none of the maladies, that I layd vpon Aegypt, wil I bring vpon thee: for I am the Lord God thy curer.dicens: Si audieris vocem Domini Dei tui, et quod rectum est coram eo feceris, et obedieris mandatis ejus, custodierisque omnia præcepta illius, cunctum languorem, quem posui in Ægypto, non inducam super te: ego enim Dominus sanator tuus.
27And the children of Israel came into Elim, where there were twelve fountains of water, and seventy palm trees: and they encamped by the waters.Giunsero di poi i figliuoli d'Israele ad Elim, dov' erano dodici fontane di acque, e settanta palme: e posero gli alloggiamenti in vicinanza delle acque.And the children of Israel came into Elim, where there were twelue fountaines of water, & seuentie palme trees: and they camped byside the waters. The end of the third age.Venerunt autem in Elim filii Israël, ubi erant duodecim fontes aquarum, et septuaginta palmæ: et castrametati sunt juxta aquas.
15:1
Haydock
Canticle. Origen reckons this to be the most ancient piece of poetry. It is truly sublime, and calculated to fill the souls of those, who saw their late cruel masters, now prostrate at their feet in death, with sentiments of the greatest gratitude and piety towards their almighty benefactor. (Haydock)
Calmet
God miraculously gave utterance to the dumb on this occasion, (Widsom 10:21.) and taught the whole congregation of Israel to join in harmonious concert. (De Mirab. S. S. inter. op. St. Augustine) This mode of perpetuating the memory of past benefits by canticles, is very common in Scripture. (Calmet)
Haydock
Let us sing. So the Septuagint The Hebrew has "I will sing...for he hath triumphed gloriously." This canticle was composed by Moses, about 1491 years before Christ. (Haydock)
15:2
Kennicott
Praise. The printed Hebrew is here irregular, but some manuscripts agree with the Vulgate, Chaldean, and Arabic. (Kennicott, 1:p. 400.)
Haydock
To him my praise is due on all titles. (Haydock)
Menochius
God. Hebrew el, "the strong one." (Menochius)
15:3
Calmet
The Lord. Septuagint, "breaking wars in pieces," a man of war, a conqueror. (Calmet)
Haydock
Almighty. Jehova, I am. This is the most awful and incommunicable name. (Haydock)
15:4
Calmet
Captains. Literally, Princes. Hebrew shalishim, chiefs. The three great officers, Exodus 14:7. We find three were entrusted with the highest power in the empire of Chaldea, (Ezechiel 23:15; Daniel 5:7.) as well as at the court of David. (2 Kings 23:8; 1 Paralipomenon 11:10.) Hadino, Eleazar, and Semma, had various other princes under them. (Calmet)
15:7
15:8
Calmet
Together. "Congealed on either side," as the Chaldean and Septuagint express it. (Calmet)
15:9
Enemy. Miracles make but small impression upon the wicked. They pursue their schemes of destruction, which end in their own ruin!
Haydock
Slay. Hebrew, "despoil." Septuagint, "bring them into subjection." (Haydock)
15:10
Calmet
Wind. Septuagint, "spirit," which St. Ambrose and St. Augustine understand as the Holy Ghost. (Calmet)
15:11
Haydock
Who...Lord. The initials of these four Hebrew letters, which the Maccabees placed on their banners, (m c b i) probably gave that title, to those stout heroes, who rose up in defence of their religion. (Haydock)
Strong, may be applied either to men, or to the pretended gods of the Gentiles, which seems to agree best with the sequel. Septuagint, "among the gods...wonderful in praises."
Calmet
Terrible and. Hebrew, "terrible to praise," requiring that we should perform that duty with awe. (Calmet)
15:12
Earth. When their carcasses were corrupted, such as were not eaten by fishes, mixed with the earth at the bottom, or on the shore of the sea.
15:13
Haydock
Hast been. This is a prophecy of what should happen to the Hebrews till they should be put in quiet possession of Chanaan, (Calmet) of which they had an earnest, in the protection which they had already experienced. (Haydock)
Menochius
Holy, on account of the temple, and of the patriarchs, and Jesus Christ, who dwelt there. (Menochius)
15:15
Stiff, with consternation. See Josue 9:9. The nations of Chanaan found auxiliaries even among the near relations of the Hebrews, the children of Esau, (who were not governed by princes, Alphim, as in Genesis xxxvi.) and of Lot. We easily forget our relations, when our interest is at stake! Hebrew, instead of being stiff, says, they "melted away." Both words insinuate, that their heart was under such a violent struggle, that they could perform no duty.
15:16
In the, etc. When they shall behold thy wonders, wrought in our defence.
Haydock
Let them cease to make opposition. Hebrew, "let them be silent as a stone." (Haydock)
15:17
Calmet
Mountain. Chanaan was very mountainous, and different from Egypt. (Calmet)
Menochius
Sion was the peculiar mountain of God, consecrated to his worship. (Menochius)
15:18
Calmet
And ever. Literally, et ultra, "and beyond;" holam, which denotes a long duration, is often used to mean a time that will have an end. To add the greater emphasis to it, the latter term is sometimes used when eternity is meant. The Septuagint, "The Lord shall reign over this generation, or age of the Mosaic law, and over an age lasting from Christ to the end, and still." His kingdom shall extend over all eternity. (Calmet)
15:19
Haydock
For, etc. He is not tired with repeating this wonderful judgment, which gave him reason to hope that God would complete his work; and at the same time, give a sanction to his mission. If the most potent of the monarchs of the earth could so little withstand his power, what had he to fear from a few jarring clans of barbarians and shepherds? (Haydock)
15:20
Mary, or Mariam, as it was formerly pronounced, though the Masorets now read Miriam: may signify one "exalted, lady, star, bitterness of the sea."
Prophetess; having revelations from God, (Numbers 12:1,) and singing his praises.
Calmet
Of Aaron. Moses passes over himself out of modesty. She is known by this title, whence it is supposed she never married. (St. Ambrose) (Calmet)
Timbrels, which were already used in solemn worship.
And dances. Choris may mean companies of women, singing and dancing in honour of God. The men repeated what Moses had entoned, and the women did the same after Mary; unless, perhaps, the multitude of both sexes, respectively, repeated only the first verse by way of chorus; or Mary and her band took up each verse "in answer" to the men, as the Hebrew insinuates. This divine canticle will afford joy even to the elect, Apocalypse 15:3.
15:22
15:23
Calmet
Mara, about half-way between Suez and Mount Sinai. The waters are said to be still potable, though of a disagreeable nitrous taste. (Calmet)
15:25
Calmet
A tree, (lignum,) or piece of wood, which had the natural property here ascribed to it, Ecclesiasticus 38:4. (Calmet)
Haydock
Though we can hardly suppose, that all that collection of waters would be thus rendered sweet, unless God had given it a miraculous efficacy. (Haydock)
Theodoret
It foreshewed the virtue of the cross. (Theodoret, 9:26.)
Haydock
Him, Moses, and the people of Israel, of which he was now the sole head or king. (Haydock)
Du Hamel
God proved on this occasion the disposition of the Hebrews to enter into the alliance, of which he proposes to them the heads, ver. seq.[following: ver. 26.?] Josue 24:25, makes use of nearly the same words. God begins to take upon himself the administration of the republic, appointing the forms of judicature, Jeremias 7:22. What regarded sacrifices, was given upon occasion of their idolatry. (Du Hamel)
15:26
Healer. God delivered his people from every infirmity, which might prevent any one from joining the rest of their tribes on the night of the exit, Psalm 104:37.
15:27
Haydock
Elim, to the north-west of Sinai. Shaw says there are now only nine fountains. (Haydock)
Calmet
Strabo mentions a place of this description, five days' journey from Jericho, which was consecrated to the gods. (B. XVI. p. 511.) (Calmet)
Haydock
We might here, (at the conclusion of the third age, according to those who call the deluge the first, and Abraham's call, the second,) pause, with Dr. Worthington, to take a view of the progress of the Church, and of the true doctrine, which has at all times been believed. But the attentive reader of the sacred text, and of these notes, will find this done to his hand almost in every page. Meditate upon these things...Take heed to thyself and to doctrine, be earnest in them, 1 Timothy 4:15. The holy Job probably lived about this time, so that his book may serve to corroborate those truths, which were the objects of faith to some good men living among the Gentiles, as well as to the more favoured nation of the Jews. (Haydock)
15:1
The first of al Canticles, sacred or prophane. Origen. ho. 6. in Exod.
15:4
God only suffered them to goe into the sea. For they went of their owne accord supposing they might folowe where the Israelites went before. S. Aug. ser. 89. de temp.
15:20
Musical instrumēts vsed before the law of Moyses in the seruice of God.
15:22
These things chanced to them in figure 1. Cor. 10.
15:25
The wholsome wood of the Crosse made the bitter sea of gentiles, swete. Theodoret. q. 26. in Exod.
15:1
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 9.9.7
… horse and rider hath he thrown into the sea; a helper and a protector hath he become for my salvation;”
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Life of Constantine 1.38
… “Let us sing unto the Lord, for he hath been glorified exceedingly: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. He is become my helper and my shield unto salvation.” And again, “Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, marvelous in praises, doing wonders?”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 3
… But rejoicing in afflictions, we break through the furnace of iron and darkness, and pass, unharmed, over that terrible Red Sea. Thus also, when we look upon the confusion of heretics, we shall, with Moses, sing that great song of praise, and say, ‘We will sing unto the Lord, for He is to be gloriously praised
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 4
… ‘We will sing unto the Lord, for He is to be gloriously praised; the horse and his rider He hath cast into the sea
St Jerome † AD 420 The Life of S. Hilarion 6
… Meanwhile all at once in the bright moonlight he saw a chariot with dashing steeds rushing upon him. He called upon Jesus, and suddenly before his eyes, the earth was opened and the whole array was swallowed up. Then he said,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 106.10
… “And praised praise unto Him;” such an expression as when we say, “This servitude he served,” “such a life he lived.” He is here alluding to that well-known hymn, commencing, “I will sing unto the Lord, for He hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and the rider hath He thrown into the sea.”
Pseudo-Clement The Second Epistle of the Same Clement 14
… With beautiful and well-ordered arrangements did they march without stumbling. For lo! the Scriptures bear testimony to my words: “When the children of Israel had crossed over the Sea of Suth, Moses and the children of Israel sang the praises of the Lord, and said: We will praise the Lord, because He is exceedingly to be praised.”
15:2
St Methodius † AD 311 Oration Concerning Simeon and Anna On the Day that They Met in the Temple 1
… Hymn with gladsome song the Lord, who is always and everywhere present, and Him who from Teman, as says the prophet, hath thought fit to appear, and that in the flesh, to the race of men. Say, with Moses, “He is my God, and I will glorify Him; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 3.5
40. It would be a lengthy matter were I to pass in review each several place where we read of His being “made,” not indeed by nature, but by way of gracious dispensation. Moses, for example, saith: “Thou art made my Helper and Protector, to save me;”
15:4
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Life of Constantine 1.38
… For as once in the days of Moses and the Hebrew nation, who were worshipers of God, “Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea and his chosen chariot-captains are drowned in the Red Sea,”
15:5
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Life of Constantine 1.38
… For as once in the days of Moses and the Hebrew nation, who were worshipers of God, “Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea and his chosen chariot-captains are drowned in the Red Sea,” —so at this time Maxentius, and the soldiers and guards with him, “went down into the depths like stone,”
15:6
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 3.3
11. So , too, the Spirit is also called the Finger of God, because there is an indivisible and inseparable communion between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. For as the Scripture called the Son of God the Right Hand of God, as it is said: “Thy Right Hand, O Lord, is made glorious in power. Thy Right Hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy;”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 3.4
20. And this may also be gathered from the Song of Moses, for he, after leading the people of the Jews through the sea, acknowledged the operation of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, saying: “Thy Right Hand, O Lord, is glorious in power, Thy Right Hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.”
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.26
… Hence the Psalmist says, Save me with thy right hand ( Ps. cvii. 7 ). For he says not, with thy hand , but with thy right hand; in order, that is, to indicate, in saying right hand , that it was eternal salvation that he sought. Hence again it is written, Thy right hand, O Lord , hath dashed in pieces the enemies (
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Life of Antony. (Vita Antoni.) 16
… one, as I said before, strikes terror by speaking great things, as again the Lord convicted him saying to Job, for “he counteth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood, yea he counteth the sea as a pot of ointment, and the depth of the abyss as a captive, and the abyss as a covered walk .” And by the prophet, “the enemy said, I will pursue and overtake
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Defence of His Flight. (Apologia de Fuga.) 23
… They cannot say, from the Saints . No, but from the Devil (that is the only answer which is left to them);—from him who says, ‘I will persue, I will overtake
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Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 9.9.7
7. Thus, then, the bridge over the river being broken, the passageway settled down, and immediately the boats with the men disappeared in the depths, and that most impious one himself first of all, then the shield-bearers who were with him, as the divine oracles foretold, “sank like lead in the mighty waters”;
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Life of Constantine 1.38
… And first the wretch himself, then his armed attendants and guards, even as the sacred oracles had before described, “sank as lead in the mighty waters.”
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 On Virginity 18
… The Psalmist also, when expounding the doctrine of a full confession , calls this restless suffering tumultuous life, “waters coming in even unto the soul,” “depths of waters,” and a “hurricane”; in which sea indeed every rebellious thought sinks, as the Egyptian did, with a stone’s weight into the deeps
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 3.4
… “Thy Right Hand, O Lord, is glorious in power, Thy Right Hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.” Here you have his confession of the Son and of the Father, Whose Right Hand He is. And farther on, not to pass by the Holy Spirit, He added: “Thou didst send Thy Spirit and the sea covered them, and the water was divided by the Spirit of Thine anger.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Mysteries 3
12. There is also a third testimony, as the Apostle teaches us: “For all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were all baptized to Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” And further, Moses himself says in his song: “Thou sentest Thy Spirit, and the sea covered them.”
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Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 9.9.7
… horse and rider hath he thrown into the sea; a helper and a protector hath he become for my salvation;” and “Who is like unto thee, O Lord; among the gods, who is like unto thee glorious in holiness, marvelous in glory, doing wonders.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 4.12
161. Thus far the one insult. As for the other, it lies herein, that if the Son is the Vine in respect of His eternally-begotten Person, then, He having said: “I am the Vine, ye are the branches,” that divinely-begotten One appears to be of one substance with us. But “who is like unto Thee among the gods, O Lord?”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 1
That is, we did not receive the Spirit, that we should shrink from exertion, but that we may speak with boldness. For to many He gives a spirit of fear, as we read in the wars of the Kings. “A spirit of fear fell upon them.” (
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Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 11.14
… But you might also say this, that even if it were the Father of Jesus who “brought in and planted the people,” when it came out of Egypt, “to the mountain of His own inheritance, to the place which He had prepared for Himself to dwell in,”
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Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 7.26
That your Excellency, though placed in so great a tumult of affairs, is full of the fruitfulness of the sacred word, and incessantly pants after eternal joys, for this I give great thanks to Almighty God , in that in you I see fulfilled what is written of the elect fathers, But the children of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea (
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St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 18.28
… of holding festival, or paying funeral honours to one no longer here? O those tears! which were shed at that time by all the people. O voices, and cries, and hymns blended with the psalmody! From the temple they sought the priest, from the sacred rite the celebrant, from God their worthy ruler, with my Miriam to lead them and strike the timbrel
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 On Virginity 19
But besides other things the action of Miriam the prophetess also gives rise to these surmisings of ours. Directly the sea was crossed she took in her hand a dry and sounding timbrel and conducted the women’s dance
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Concerning Virgins 1.3
12. But some one will say: “But Elijah is seen to have had nothing to do with the embraces of bodily love.” And therefore was he carried by a chariot into heaven, therefore he appeared glorified with the Lord, and therefore he is to come as the forerunner of the Lord’s advent. And Miriam taking the timbrel led the dances with maidenly modesty.
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Concerning Virgins 2.2
17. What a procession shall that be, what joy of applauding angels when she is found worthy of dwelling in heaven who lived on earth a heavenly life! Then too Mary, taking her timbrel, shall stir up the choirs of virgins, singing to the Lord because they have passed through the sea of this world without suffering from the waves of this world.
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose 63.24
34. What shall I say concerning the other Mary, the sister of Moses, who as leader of the women passed on foot the straits of the sea?
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 22.41
… When, the Red Sea past and Pharaoh drowned with his host, Miriam, Aaron’s sister, her timbrel in her hand, shall chant to the answering women: “Sing ye unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.”
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St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 54.13
… Fasting is her sport, and prayer she makes her pastime. Like Miriam after the drowning Pharaoh she takes up her timbrel and sings to the virgin choir, “Let us sing to the Lord for He hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.”
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Tertullian † AD 220 An Answer to the Jews 13
… For this “tree” in a mystery, it was of yore wherewith Moses sweetened the bitter water; whence the People, which was perishing of thirst in the desert, drank and revived;
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St Gregory Thaumaturgus † AD 270 Four Homilies 2
… And “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” And appropriately was grace sent to the holy Virgin. For this word also is contained in the oracle of the evangelic history: “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house and lineage of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary;”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Mysteries 3
14. Marah was a fountain of most bitter water: Moses cast wood into it and it became sweet.
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 22.9
… and when all cried out with one voice: “There is death in the pot,” the man of God did not storm at the cooks (for he was not used to very sumptuous fare), but caused meal to be brought, and casting it in, sweetened the bitter mess with spiritual strength as Moses had once sweetened the waters of Mara.
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 69.6
… thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces.” For this reason adders and scorpions haunt dry places and whenever they come near water behave as if rabid or insane. As wood sweetens Marah so that seventy palm-trees are watered by its streams, so the cross makes the waters of the law lifegiving to the seventy who are Christ’s apostles.
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 125.10
10. Quite recently we have seen to our sorrow a fortune worthy of Crœsus brought to light by a monk’s death, and a city’s alms, collected for the poor, left by will to his sons and successors. After sinking to the bottom the iron has once more floated upon the surface, and men have again seen among the palm-trees the bitter waters of Marah.
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Tertullian † AD 220 On Baptism 9
… What figure more manifestly fulfilled in the sacrament of baptism? The nations are set free from the world by means of water , to wit: and the devil, their old tyrant, they leave quite behind, overwhelmed in the water . Again, water is restored from its defect of “bitterness” to its native grace of “sweetness” by the tree
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St Ephrem the Syrian † AD 373 Ephraim Syrus: Nineteen Hymns on the Nativity of Christ in the Flesh 13.25
25. In the twenty-first year, let the waters of the desert praise Thee. They are sweet to them afar off, they are bitter to them
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Mysteries 9
… Did not grace work a result contrary to nature, so that the rock poured forth water, which by nature it did not contain? Marah was a most bitter stream, so that the thirsting people could not drink. Moses cast wood into the water, and the water lost its bitterness, which grace of a sudden tempered.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Christian Doctrine 1.2
… but things are learnt by means of signs. I now use the word “thing” in a strict sense, to signify that which is never employed as a sign of anything else: for example, wood, stone, cattle, and other things of that kind. Not, however, the wood which we read Moses cast into the bitter waters to make them sweet,
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St Justin Martyr † AD 165 Dialogue with Trypho 86
… God appeared from a tree to Abraham, as it is written, near the oak in Mamre. The people found seventy willows and twelve springs after crossing the Jordan.
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.24
He chose also seventy other missionaries besides the twelve. Now why, if the twelve followed the number of the twelve fountains of Elim, should not the seventy correspond to the like number of the palms of that place?
St Hippolytus † AD 235 The Refutation of All Heresies 5.9
… power of the convulsion, which, ever in motion, and presenting the colour of water, whirls things on that are stationary, restrains things tremulous, sets things free as they proceed, lightens things as they abide, removes things on the increase, a faithful steward of the track of the breezes, enjoying the things disgorged from the twelve eyes of the law,
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In what meter this song and canticle, the most ancient of all (for it preceded the hymns and songs of Linus, Musaeus and Orpheus by more than three hundred years), was written is unknown to modern Hebrews and Latins: for the ancient poetry of the Hebrews has perished. Josephus asserts that this song was composed in hexameter verse, but he does not explain what its feet are, what its measures are. We can now observe in this song in the Hebrew a different style and vein, and poetic schemes; for thus it abounds in paronomasias, anaphoras, similarly cadenced phrases, and other figures; thus it is so full of exultant spirit, that you seem not so much to hear a choir leaping to a festive song, as to see it. 1. THEN MOSES AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SANG THIS CANTICLE TO THE LORD, — by which, exulting over so happy a crossing of the sea and the submersion of the Egyptians, they give thanks to God and celebrate His magnificence and power; then they prophesy their introduction into Chanaan. This song is therefore epinician, prophetic and eucharistic. Allegorically, Christians, especially the Blessed, who through baptism and the blood of Christ have conquered sin and the devil, and have entered into the promised land, sing this canticle in the heavens; this is indeed what St. John says, Apocalypse XV: "I saw, he says, as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire, and them that had overcome the beast, and the image thereof, standing on the sea of glass, having the harps of God, and singing the canticle of Moses, the servant of God, and the canticle of the Lamb, saying: Great and wonderful are Thy works, O Lord God Almighty." O how glorious, how joyful it is and will be for us to sing this canticle for all eternity! LET US SING. — In Hebrew it is אשירה ashira, that is, I shall sing: for Moses composed this song at the suggestion of the Holy Spirit, in the name not so much of himself as of the whole and one people, and the whole people with Moses leading, as it were one Republic and Church, sang it forth. Whence he speaks in the singular, saying: "My strength (not our strength) and my praise is the Lord, and He is become my salvation: this God is mine," etc. Philo relates that Moses dictated each verse and led it, which the people then took up, as is done in choirs and dances. Abulensis adds that the Hebrews, taught this song by Moses, afterwards sang it many times. The Author, book I On the Wonders of Holy Scripture, cited by St. Augustine, cap. XXI, notes here an open miracle, namely that children, old men, men, youths in such great number, as it were from one mouth, inspired by the same breath, sang the same words and sentences: for although Moses led, he nevertheless could not be heard by many in such a crowd. The same happened with the women, who, with Mary leading, the whole assembly took it up. Note here, and imitate the piety of the ancient Saints, who, having received benefits from God, were accustomed immediately to break forth into praises and hymns to God. Thus David did throughout the whole psalter; thus Anna did when Samuel was born; thus Debora did when Sisara was slain; thus Judith did when Holofernes was slain; thus Zacharias did when John was born; thus the Blessed Virgin did when Christ was conceived; thus Simeon did when he saw Christ, singing that swan-like song: "Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word in peace." GLORIOUSLY INDEED HAS HE BEEN MAGNIFIED. — The Hebrew ki gao gaa, because magnifying He has been magnified, that is, He has been wonderfully magnified, because He exercised great power and vengeance. THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER HE HATH THROWN INTO THE SEA, — that is, the horse and the Egyptian riders, and especially Pharaoh himself, He hath thrown into the sea. Thus St. Hilarion, hearing the roarings of wolves, lions and other beasts, which demons were feigning to strike him down, arming himself with the sign of the cross, wished to see those whose voices he heard; soon he saw a terrible chariot rush upon him, but when he called upon Jesus it vanished; then he said: "The horse and his rider He hath cast into the sea," as St. Jerome says in his Life. Tropologically, the horse is the carnal, proud, unjust man; the rider is the demon. "If therefore an impious man persecutes you, know that he is the horse, but the rider is the devil; this one runs, that one strikes with his lance; this one is driven by spurs, and unwillingly rages; that one acts, and goads," says St. Jerome in Psalm LXXV, and Origen and Rupertus here. Again Philo: The horses, he says, are rage and concupiscence; the former male, the latter female. The charioteer is the intellect, which if he loosens the reins to these horses, these horses drive both themselves and the charioteer and the whole soul headlong.
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2. MY STRENGTH — not formally, but causally, that is, strengthening me, is the Lord, as if to say: We ascribe this victory not to our own strength, but to God's; for this is what is said in Psalm XIX: "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will call upon the name of the Lord our God." AND MY PRAISE IS THE LORD. — For praise in Hebrew is זמרח zimra, that is, a song, that is, the matter and object of song, as if to say: God is He whom I ought to praise, to whom I ought to sing a hymn. For Lord in Hebrew is יה Yah, which is one of the ten names of God, and is connected in hallelujah, and is the very name tetragrammaton, but abbreviated; for it consists of its first and last letter: indeed Theodoret, Question XV, asserts that the Jews pronounced the tetragrammaton name as Iah, namely by abbreviation and contraction. Note: We ought to praise God continually, both with tongue, and with mind, and with morals, and therefore our life ought to be nothing other than continuous praise of God: first, because God is immense and infinite majesty, liberality, justice, beauty, etc.; second, because He has bestowed innumerable benefits upon us, and bestows them daily; third, because all irrational creatures by their beauty, order and number testify to the glory of their Creator, and inflame men to know and praise Him. "For the invisible things of Him, from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made; His eternal power also and divinity," Rom. cap. I, 20; and "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth forth the work of His hands." Fourth, because this is the work of the pious, and is most noble. Thus David did in Psalm CXLIV: "I will exalt Thee, O my God my king, and I will bless Thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless Thee, and I will praise Thy name for ever and ever." Thus did St. Job in affliction, serene and praising God: "The Lord, he says, gave, and the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord." Thus the three youths in the fiery furnace invite all creatures to praise God with them: "All ye works of the Lord, bless the Lord," etc., Daniel III. For, as Lactantius says, lib. VI Divin. Instit. cap. ult.: "The highest rite of worshipping God is praise directed from the mouth of a just man to God, which nevertheless, in order that it be acceptable to God, requires the greatest humility and fear and devotion." Fifth, because it is the proper work of the Angels and the Blessed, who praise God throughout all eternity. Whence at the birth of Christ they sang: "Glory to God in the highest;"; Apocal. XIX, 5: "A voice came out from the throne, saying: Give praise to our God, all ye His servants, and you that fear Him, little and great." The same do the 24 elders, Apocal. IV, 10. Note: God is praised more by a pious life than by voice, namely by charity, humility, purity, confession of one's infirmity, etc. St. Augustine in Ps. XXXIV, 28: "I suggest, he says, a remedy, whereby you may praise God all day long if you wish. Whatever you do, do it well, and you have praised God." This therefore is the joy and perfection of a Christian, in all things both adverse and prosperous to praise God, who works all things for good for His own. AND HE IS BECOME MY SALVATION, — as if to say: I will praise God, because He has become my savior, because He saved me in the Red Sea. Note: and is causal, signifying for, because. Such is also Gen. XIV, 19, in the Hebrew: "And he himself priest of God most high," that is, for he himself was a priest. Isaiah LXIV, 5: "Behold Thou art angry, and (that is, because) we have sinned." Thus often and elsewhere the particle and is taken for because. THIS GOD OF MINE. — The pronoun this, says St. Basil, designates the true God, as if to say: This God, who saved us in the Red Sea, is the true God: Him therefore alone will we glorify, to Him alone will we serve, not to Apis, not to false idols and gods, whom we worshipped before in Egypt. The Hebrews add that this designates the visible form and appearance of a warrior and fighter, in which God then appeared to the Hebrews in the Red Sea, so that they all then saw God more perfectly than the Prophets saw Him afterwards, and therefore pointed Him out with their finger, saying: "This is my God." But these are their fables: the pronoun this designates no other than God looking through an Angel in the pillar, over the camp of the Hebrews and Egyptians, who destroyed these, saved those, cap. XIV, 24. Note: For God in Hebrew is אל el, that is, strong, which is one of the ten names of God, as if to say: The gods of the Egyptians are weak, but this God of ours is a strong God. Again he calls this God the God of his father, namely of Abraham the patriarch, who is the father of believers, and the father of circumcision, namely of the Hebrews. AND I WILL GLORIFY HIM. — The Hebrew וְאָנוּהוּ veanvehu, which the Chaldean translator rendered, I will build him a sanctuary, in which namely I will worship him; whence God willed that this victory over Pharaoh be perpetually represented in the ark and the Cherubim, as it were in his triumphal chariot, and preserved in the temple, as I shall say at chapter XXV, verse 18. Cajetan translates it, I will dwell in him, that is, I will assist him with mind, vows, praises, affections and works. Thirdly, Vatablus translates it, I will adorn him. For the Hebrew נוה nava means both to adorn, and to glorify, and to dwell, and to construct a dwelling; for the root naue signifies a beautiful and comely tabernacle. I WILL EXALT HIM, — him I will openly confess to be most high, and, as much as I am able, I will proclaim. Note: God is most high. First, in the height of substance, because he transcends all essences of things immeasurably, and contains them all eminently in himself. Secondly, in the height of knowledge: for this in God is incomprehensible. Romans XI: "O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how incomprehensible are his judgments!" Thirdly, in the height of power, because he made all things whatsoever he willed in heaven and on earth. Fourthly, in the height of majesty and dominion, in that all things are subject to his empire, and all ought to adore and venerate him: "To me," he says, "every knee shall bow," Isaiah XLV. Fifthly, in the height of dwelling, because he dwells in the empyrean heaven, as it were in the throne of his glory, where all Angels and the Blessed celebrate him. Hence Ecclesiasticus admonishes, chapter XLIII, verse 32: "Glorify the Lord as much as ever you can; for he will yet exceed, and his magnificence is admirable. Blessing the Lord exalt him as much as you can: for greater is he than all praise; exalting him be filled with strength, that you labour not: for you shall not comprehend."
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3. THE LORD AS A MAN OF WAR, THE LORD OMNIPOTENT IS HIS NAME. — The Chaldean translator renders it, The Lord is the victor of wars, Adonai is his name. In Hebrew it is the name of the tetragrammaton, Jehova, or rather Ieheva, a man of war (he is most warlike), Ieheva is his name. He alludes here to Ieheva, from the root hova, which signifies breaking and crushing: whence the Septuagint translates it, God who crushes wars, as if to say, Truly God is Ieheva, that is, the crusher of Pharaoh and the Egyptians. He alludes again to the saying of Pharaoh, chapter V, verse 2: "Who is Ieheva, that I should hear his voice?" as if to say, What can your Ieheva do? with what arms will he compel me to obey him? So the Hebrew Saddai, which signifies God as it were bountiful and most liberal, elsewhere alludes to שדד scadad, that is, to lay waste. Thus Oleaster: nay, he himself wishes this to be the proper and genuine meaning and etymology of the name of the tetragrammaton Ieheva, as I said at chapter VI, verse 3.
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4. HE CAST HIS ARMY INTO THE SEA. — For cast, in Hebrew it is ירה iara, that is, he hurled, as if to say, So easily and mightily did God cast down the Egyptians, as easily and mightily does an archer hurl an arrow.
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5. THE ABYSSES (the gulfs of waters) COVERED THEM, THEY DESCENDED INTO THE DEEP AS A STONE, — as if to say, The Egyptians, with the waters of the sea returning and meeting them, when they strove to ascend and swim, were driven back by the force of the waves and descended into the deep of the sea.
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6. THY RIGHT HAND IS MAGNIFIED IN STRENGTH, — it has been made manifest to all that thy right hand, that is, thy strength and power, is great, from the strength and mighty crushing of the Egyptians which thou didst exercise. Whence Vatablus translates it, Thy right hand hath shone forth with excellent virtue.
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7. AND IN THE MULTITUDE OF THY GLORY THOU DIDST DESTROY THY ENEMIES. — "Glory," that is, strength, by which thou wast gloriously glorified; it is a metonymy: for the effect is put for the cause. For the sake of ornament and poetry, Moses expresses the same thing in various ways, says Euthymius. For destroyed the Hebrew is תהרוס taharos, that is, thou didst overturn, thou didst scatter. THOU DIDST SEND THY WRATH, — namely punishments and penalties, which are the effects of thy wrath, that is, of thy avenging divine justice; it is a metonymy. Thus Euthymius. Aptly he joins wrath, or burning and fire (for hence wrath is called by the Hebrews) with stubble: for fire consumes this.
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8. AND IN THE SPIRIT OF THY WRATH THE WATERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER. — "In the spirit," that is, in the impulse, in the thrust, or in indignation: for thus spirit is sometimes taken, as Psalm CXXXVIII, verse 7: "Whither shall I go from thy spirit?" Isaiah chapter XXX, verse 18: "His spirit as a torrent overflowing;" Zechariah chapter VI, verse 8: "They made my spirit to rest," namely my wrath. The spirit of wrath therefore is furious indignation, so that by this phrase he might signify the grave and keen wrath of God, that is, the most just will of avenging; for this reason God divided, and gathered together, or congregated the waters of the sea into a heap, so that, the Hebrews having crossed over, he might overwhelm the Egyptians with them, as with mounds and mountains. It can secondly be translated, in the spirit of thy nose the waters were gathered together. For the nose is to the Hebrews a symbol of wrath, because it is its index: whence that saying: They breathe out angers through their nostrils. Note: "The waters were gathered together," namely those which had previously been divided by Moses: whence the Septuagint substitutes this here and translates it, διέστη τὸ ύδωρ, that is, the water was divided: then the waters already divided into heaps, and as it were walls on both sides were aggregated. THE FLOWING WAVE STOOD. — In the Hebrew it is added: "As a heap;" whence Psalm LXXVII, verse 13, it is said: "He set the waters as in a bottle." Note on flowing, which namely by its nature would have flowed down into a lower channel, had it not been held back by God. GATHERED TOGETHER (Hebr. קפאו capheu, that is coagulated) ARE THE ABYSSES, — that is, that vast and deep mass of waters standing like a wall, as if coagulated ice appeared to stand. The Septuagint translates it, ἐπάγη τὰ κύματα, that is, the waves were compacted, or conglutinated.
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9. MY SOUL SHALL BE FILLED, — my desire shall be satisfied. For thus often soul is taken for desire, hope, wish. Whence to lift up the soul is to desire, or to hope, as Jeremiah chapter XXII, verse 27: "Into the land to which they lift up their soul (which they hope for, toward which they long), they shall not return;" Psalm CXLII, verse 8: "To thee have I lifted up my soul," as if to say, In thee have I hoped. MY HAND SHALL SLAY THEM. — The Hebrew is torischemo, that is it shall drive out, shall exterminate, and, as Vatablus says, shall destroy, and, as the Chaldean, shall consume them: for this is the act of the sword; wherefore Cajetan translated it coldly, shall impoverish. Nor is there any doubt that the tyrant Pharaoh, although he strove to bring the Hebrews back into servitude, would nevertheless at the first impulse and assault of his wrath have given many of them to death.
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10. THY SPIRIT BLEW, AND THE SEA COVERED THEM. — Cajetan always takes spirit here for wind, by which he thinks the waters were divided, and again recalled. But I have already said at chapter XIV, verse 21, that by no wind, but by the rod of Moses stretched out immediately through the Angel the sea was split. Therefore Moses repeats and inculcates the same thing here by poetic anaphora, namely that God sent forth his vengeance, by which he drowned the Egyptians: for he names his power of avenging spirit, as St. Jerome says in Proverbs chapter II, of which it is said Job chapter IV, verse 9, that the impious perished from God blowing, and were consumed by the spirit of his wrath. Although it is likely that God, together with lightnings, thunders and storms, also stirred up a strong wind, by which with more horrible and more powerful force the waters were driven, so that they might overwhelm the Egyptians; for this is what the word blew signifies. Mystically St. Augustine, Question LV, and Ambrose, book III On the Holy Spirit, chapter IV, understand by spirit the Holy Spirit, so that the mystery of the Trinity might be insinuated here: namely the Son at the right hand of God, that is of the Father, the Holy Spirit in spirit.
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11. WHO IS LIKE THEE AMONG THE STRONG, O LORD? — that is, as the Septuagint: Who is like thee among the gods, O Lord; for the name of God is אל el, that is, strong: hence elim, that is, strong ones, are called gods, that is, those who are held to be gods, although they are not truly gods, as is said in I Corinthians chapter VIII, verse 5, as if to say, Who among the idols and gods of the Gentiles can be compared to thee, O Lord, in strength? surely none, and the reason is that thou art magnificent in holiness, terrible and praiseworthy, that is, as Symmachus translates: "Neither in holiness nor in powers is anyone to be equalled with thee;" for by holiness and power thou art so adorned, so dost thou excel, that all men and angels are astonished. The Hebrews hand down that the Maccabees used this verse, as it were a badge of war and victory, and displayed it in their camps and battles on their standards, and by it they laid low the strongest and most numerous enemies with a small force, and from this they are said to be called in Hebrew מכבי machabi, that is, Maccabees: namely from the Hebrew letters, which are the initial letters of the individual words of this verse, which in Hebrew thus reads מי כמך באלים יהוה mi camocha baelim iehova: for if from the first word mi thou takest the first letter m, from the second the first ch, from the third the first b, from the fourth i, and thou joinest them together, thou makest machabi, that is, Maccabaeus. Thus R. Isaac ben Hole relates it, Reuchlin in book III of the Cabala, Mercer in the Abbreviations of Hebrew, Sixtus Senensis in book I of the Library, and Genebrard in the Chronology. By a similar contraction the Hebrews call R. Moses ben (that is son of) Macon, four initial letters conflated into one word, Rambam. TERRIBLE AND PRAISEWORTHY. — In Hebrew נורא תהלת nora tehillot, that is, terrible in praises, because his praises are a terror not only to men, but also to angels: for the strength, tongues and minds of all who praise him are surpassed, and therefore with great fear and trembling all Angels and Saints praise him; whence, as if explaining what he had said, and assigning the reason for what was said, he adds, "doing wonders." Thus Cajetan, Vatablus, Lipomanus. Hence the name of God is פלא pele, that is, wonderful, Judges chapter XIII, verse 18. Let them therefore invoke God pele, who think great things and undertake them, that through them God may do great and wonderful things.
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12. THE EARTH DEVOURED THEM. — "Earth," that is, the sea mixed with earth, namely the bed of the sea: for earth and water together make one globe, and Scripture is accustomed to express the world with all its elements by the name of heaven and earth. Thus Augustine, Questions LIV. Secondly, Vatablus takes it properly, and thus explains it: "Not only were the Egyptians absorbed by waters, but also the earth opened itself and swallowed them; which if true, a new prodigy occurred here, by which not only the sea but also the earth consumed the Egyptians." Tropologically Origen: "The wicked, he says, the earth devours even today: those who always think of the earth, do earthly things, speak of the earth, quarrel, desire the earth, and place their hope in it; they do not look to heaven, they do not think of the future, they do not fear the judgment of God, nor do they desire his promises; when thou seest such a one, say: Because the earth devoured him; and if thou seest anyone given over to luxury and bodily pleasures, in whom the spirit avails nothing, but lust possesses all, say: Because the earth devoured him," and soon the underworld will devour him.
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13. THE PEOPLE WHOM THOU HAST REDEEMED, — whom thou didst free from the servitude of Egypt. AND THOU HAST CARRIED THEM IN THY STRENGTH TO THY HOLY HABITATION: — Hence begins the second part of the song, namely the prophetic part, which extends to verse 16, in which he predicts and foretells the victories that shall befall the Hebrews against the Idumeans, Moabites and Canaanites, and their happy entrance into Canaan. Hence he uses the past tense for the future in the prophetic manner, on account of the certainty of future things. Thus Euthymius in this song. Note: "Holy habitation," he calls the land of Canaan, because it was once inhabited by the holy patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Secondly, because it was promised to their faithful and holy seed. Thirdly, because in it the temple was to be, and the holy worship of God. Fourthly, because in it Christ was to be born and to die, who is the Holy of holies. Fifthly, because in it the Blessed Virgin, the Apostles, and all the first Christians were to live, and the whole primitive Church, which was most holy; whence we still call Judea the Holy Land.
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14. THE PEOPLE ASCENDED, AND WERE ANGRY. — Hebr. heard the peoples, and trembled, that is, shall hear of this passage of the Hebrews through the sea, and the submersion of the Egyptians, and therefore shall tremble against the Hebrews; for the remote nations could not yet have heard of this present and recent deed. Our translator, for "heard," renders "ascended," so that with a single word he may express all things; for the peoples heard these things, consulted, and finally ascended, or went forth to battle against the Hebrews: all these things are said prophetically, and therefore the past tense is to be understood for the future.
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15. THEY WERE BENUMBED, — of vital spirit, and their strength vanishing from fear, they became like those stupefied and rigid with apoplexy: for this is what the Hebrew נמגו namoggu signifies, that is, they were dissolved, melted away like wax brought near to fire.
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16. LET THEM BE IMMOBILE. — Hebrew, let them be silent as a stone; Septuagint, λιθωθήτωσαν, that is, let them turn to stone, let them become immobile from fear and stupor, like stones, so that they who cannot bar us from entering the promised land, and who cannot attack us in battles and defend themselves, may be rendered powerless: thus Lyra. Moses prays that the enemies of the Hebrews may not move; God granted more than this, when the Hebrews conquered them with God's aid, and they fell almost to utter destruction. UNTIL THY PEOPLE PASS OVER, — into the promised land of Chanaan.
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Ies. 17. Introduce them, and plant them (so that they may establish a firm, stable and natural dwelling place there, like plants and trees fixed with deep roots) in the mount OF THY INHERITANCE, — namely in mount Sion or Moria, on which Moses in the spirit of prophecy foresaw that a temple was to be built for God, and therefore he calls it the inheritance of God. Whence the Chaldean renders it, the place of the house of the majesty of God; whence also follows: "thy sanctuary, O Lord," namely is, or will be this dwelling place of which I speak. Note: Moses here calls mount Sion and Jerusalem, and consequently all Judaea, first, "the dwelling place of God," because in it, namely in his people, as in his Church, God was about to dwell. Second, "the mount of the inheritance of God," because the temple to be built on Sion was to be the house and inheritance of God. Third, "the sanctuary of God," because in it all sacrifices were to be performed, all sanctification of the people, and all sacred worship of God. Again, past tenses are here put for future: "which thou hast wrought," that is, which thou wilt work; "which thy hands have established," that is, which thy hands will establish: for the temple built by Solomon on Sion stood for more than a thousand years: for so many years there are from Solomon to Titus and Vespasian, who overthrew the temple with the city. Anagogically, these things apply better to Sion and the heavenly Jerusalem, in which is the blessed and glorious House of God, founded and established by God for eternity, of which it is said: "Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, O Lord, they shall praise thee for ever and ever."
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THE LORD SHALL REIGN FOR EVER, AND BEYOND. — Verse 18. You will say: Nothing can be or be imagined beyond eternity. I respond first, that eternity is often called a very long age, whose end and limit is not foreseen, even if it is not truly and properly eternal; for this is what the Hebrew עולם olam signifies, as I said in chapter IV. When therefore the Hebrews wish to signify absolute eternity, so as to remove all doubt, they add to eternal vaed, that is, and beyond, or, as the Chaldean translates it, into ages of ages, and, as the Septuagint, into age and still, and, as Pagninus, into age, and even into perpetuity, that is, into all eternity. Thus Lyra, Cajetan, Lipomanus and others. Whence also some explain it thus: The Lord shall reign through all the present age, and beyond, namely through the age to come after the day of judgment, that is through all eternity. Second, if anyone wishes to understand by eternal, absolute eternity, let him say with Abulensis, that beyond is added by hyperbole, from the abundance of the heart, and with great desire desiring plainly the perpetual, immense and endless duration of God, His kingdom, glory and praise; as if to say: I wish that God may reign for ever, and if a further duration could be given or imagined, through that further duration always, and further without end may He reign; because indeed men conceive eternity in the manner of something finite (for they cannot conceive the infinite in a definite way), as if eternity were some limited duration, and therefore comprehensible by our mind: for we conceive eternity as it were a maximum duration, which embraces very many thousands of years: hence that it may be shown that all eternity transcends our comprehension and conception, there is added and beyond, as if to say, as Origen says: "Do you think God will reign into age of ages? He will reign still, or beyond; and whatever you say, the Prophet will always say to you concerning the spaces of His kingdom: And still, or beyond." See here how great, how long eternity is. How long will God and the Saints reign? how long will the damned burn in hell? for ever. How much is eternity? Think of a hundred thousand years, you have thought nothing in respect to eternity: think of ten times a hundred thousand years, nay of ages, you have still taken nothing from eternity: think of a thousand millions of years, eternity still remains equally whole: think of a thousand cubes of millions of years, you have not yet begun eternity: think of so many millions of cubes as there are drops in the sea, you have not yet come to the beginning of eternity, eternity remains equally eternal for the joys of the Saints, and the torments of the damned. If God should say to the damned: Let the earth be filled with the finest sand, so that the whole world be filled with these grains of sand from earth to the empyrean heaven; and every thousandth year let an angel come, and take away from this heap of sand one grain, and when after so many thousands of years as there are grains, he shall have exhausted them, I will free you from hell: O how the damned would exult! they would not esteem themselves damned; but now after all these thousands there remain other thousands in infinity, for ever and beyond. This is the heavy weight of eternity, which oppresses the damned. Think, O sinner, of this weight hanging over you, unless you repent. But how this weight recreates and expands the Saints! for they shall reign with God, with Christ, with the Blessed Virgin, with the angels, in all glory and joy, in all delights and honors, into ages of ages, for ever and beyond. O blessed eternity, O eternal blessedness! how is it that we think of you so rarely, so little, so in passing? how is it that we do not labor for you more, are not more solicitous about you? this is our stupor, this is our dullness. For if we penetrated you, we would say with St. Paul: "The momentary and light tribulation of our suffering works for us above measure in the sublimity an eternal weight of glory." Third, St. Thomas, First Part, Question X, article 2, to the second objection, answers that God is said to be beyond, or above eternity and to reign, because He has eternity without beginning, and because He has it from Himself, and because He has all His being at once without any change. Hear him: "It is said," he says, "that God reigns beyond eternity, because although something else might always exist, as some philosophers make the motion of heaven eternal, nevertheless God reigns beyond, in that His kingdom is all at once. Similarly the author of the book On Causes said God is before eternity, intelligences are with eternity, but our soul is after eternity, and above time: for although we should suppose intelligences from eternity, nevertheless, because God has in Himself all and the whole being at once, intelligences however have their being limited, and participated from God: for this reason God would truly be said to be before eternity, namely participated by creatures." But this response is more acute and subtle than more genuine. Note: With this beautiful epiphoneme: "The Lord shall reign (both among the Egyptians and other peoples, and especially among the Hebrews and other faithful, both on earth and especially in heaven) for ever and beyond," Moses closes this song; for what follows: "For he went in," etc., is only a repetition of the matter of the song, which as he proposed it in the first verse, so he repeats the same in this last verse.
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20. Mary the prophetess therefore took. — Verse 20. Note on therefore, as if to say: Because Mary saw men singing praises to God, lest women, who are by nature more inclined to devotion, should concede anything to men concerning the praises of God, she herself sang a song before them, which they themselves might sing in response. Mary. — Concerning this name, note first, that the Masoretes corrupted the vowel points; for they read Miriam, whereas both the Septuagint and St. Jerome, the Syriac version, and all the ancients read Mariam, with an a, not with an i. Second, that this name in Hebrew is disyllabic, and has the letter m at the end, and is pronounced Mariam; for thus the Hebrews, Chaldeans, and Septuagint have it. But the Greeks and later Latins, adapting this name to the idiom of their language, omitted the letter m, and made from the disyllabic Mariam a trisyllabic Maria, as they did in many other names, which common usage of all has now worn smooth. Third, the Angel Caninius in his work on Hebrew Names of the New Testament teaches that the m in Maria is servile, not radical. For he says the root of the name Maria is rum, that is, to exalt, so that Maria is the same as exalted, sublime. But in this way the letter resh, which is the first radical letter of the verb rum, would be torn away from its root in the name Maria, and joined with the servile m: for the Hebrews pronounce Mariam as a disyllable: which division of radicals, especially quiescent ones, is gaping and unusual for Hebrews. I say therefore: The name Maria is composed from mor, that is, myrrh, or rather from mera, that is, mistress and lady, and yam, that is, of the sea; for the initial m here can be radical (which Caninius denies without reason), as is evident from names such as Mara, Melcha, Messias, Moses, Machir, Melchisedech, in which it is clear that m is radical: Maria therefore is the same as myrrh of the sea, because, as the Hebrews relate, when Mary was being born, the bitter tyranny of Pharaoh began, commanding the Hebrew infants to be drowned. Or rather Maria is the same as mistress or lady of the sea: for this name was as it were a prognostication in the mind of God (although her parents at Mary's birth knew or thought nothing of such a thing), first, because this Mary was to be the leader of the Hebrew women, and to go before them both in the crossing of the Red Sea and in this triumphal song sung to God: whence at this place Mary herself is first called by name; for in chapter II, verse 4 and 7, she is called not Mary, but the sister of Moses, as if to say: She was fittingly called the sister of Moses, Mary, that is, lady and mistress, because we now experience her to be such. Second, because this virgin Mary was to be a type (as St. Ambrose teaches in his Exhortation to Virgins) of the virgin mother, namely the Blessed Mary, Mother of God, who is the lady and mistress of this world's sea. For mora in Hebrew, and mara in Syriac, signifies both lady and mistress, especially among the Syrians. Hence comes that word Maran atha, that is, Our Lord has come: for the Syrians call their master Lord. Thus also the Hebrews call the Lord Rab, Rabbi, Rabboni, which commonly signify master. That this is the true etymology of the name Maria, to signify lady, is evident first, from the fact that Epiphanius thus interprets the name Maria in his sermon On the Praises of the Virgin; Damascene in book IV On the Faith, chapter XV; Eucherius in book II of his Instruction; Chrysologus in sermon 146; Bede in chapter I of Luke; second, from the fact that R. Haccados, a Hebrew teacher most celebrated in learning and holiness before Christ, predicted that the mother of the Messiah (namely the Blessed Mary) should be called lady; third, from the fact that the liturgies of St. James, Basil, and Chrysostom, alluding to the etymology of Maria, call her δέσποιναν ἡμῶν, that is, our lady; fourth, from the fact that all Christians call the Blessed Virgin in every language, Our Lady, Notre Dame, Nuestra Señora, Onse Lieve Vrouwe, as if by her proper name. For she is the mother of Christ, who is the firstborn and lord of all creation: whence also R. Haccados calls her the first of creatures, and the first human being. Wherefore Victorinus wrongly interprets Maria as wretched, and Luther most ignorantly interprets Maria as a little drop of water. See Canisius at the beginning of his Mariale, and Matthew Galenus in his Catechisms, folio 48 and 119. Prophetess, — because God spoke with her and revealed mysteries to her, as is evident from Numbers, chapter XII, verse 2. Second, "prophetess," that is, teacher, mistress; third, "prophetess," that is, precentress. See what is said in I Corinthians, chapter XIV, at the beginning. Sister of Aaron, — and consequently of Moses; she is called sister of Aaron, not of Moses, because Aaron was older than Moses, and was born immediately after Miriam. Hence Gregory of Nyssa, in his book On Virginity, cap. VI, teaches that this Miriam was a virgin: for if she had been married, she would have been named after her husband, not after her brother, and would be called not sister of Aaron, but wife of such and such a husband. Secondly, because Scripture never makes mention of her husband or of her children. The same is taught by St. Ambrose, Exhortation to Virgins, and by Apponius, VI Commentary on the Canticles. This Miriam was therefore a type of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and just as she sang: "Let us sing to the Lord," so the Blessed Virgin sang: "My soul doth magnify the Lord." Josephus, however, holds the contrary opinion, and says that this Miriam was married to Hur, who is mentioned in Exodus XXIV, 14. But Josephus, like the Jews in the Old Testament, with few exceptions, did not know virgins and virginity. AND ALL THE WOMEN WENT OUT AFTER HER WITH TIMBRELS AND DANCES, — with pious leapings to the rhythm of the timbrel; these indeed are dances. For a dance is a multitude of singers or dancers, and is derived from χαρά, that is, joy, as Plato says in book II of his Laws; or, as Festus says, from a circle. That this custom of maidens singing the praises of God and leading dances was practiced among the Hebrews is evident from Psalm LXVII, verse 26: "The princes went before, joined with the singers, in the midst of the maidens (Hebrew: virgins) playing on timbrels." Thus in 1 Esdras cap. II, verse 65, among the Hebrews returning from Babylon there were two hundred singers and singing women, namely to lighten the hardship of the journey and to gladden the spirits of the returning captives. Thus Solomon: "I made, he says, singers and singing women for myself," Ecclesiastes cap. II, verse 8. Thus the Lacedaemonians used trichoria, a dance instituted by Lycurgus. This dance consisted of three choirs, of old men, of boys, of young men. The first song of the old men was: "We were once vigorous youths;"; the second, of the boys: "We shall be superior in the future;"; the third, of the young men: "But we are now, or try if you wish." Plutarch is witness to this, in his commentary On Self-Praise. Furthermore, against lascivious dances and dancing see St. Basil, sermon On Drunkenness and Luxury; Chrysostom, homily 49 on Matthew; Ambrose, book III On Virginity; Augustine on Psalm XXXII. Someone aptly said: "A dance is a circle whose center is the devil, and whose circumference is all his angels." Hence the Council of Laodicea in the year of the Lord 364, cap. LV, thus decrees: "Christians going to weddings ought neither to dance nor to leap; but to dine or eat chastely, as is fitting for Christians." Note here how and why Miriam and her companions went out, namely not to frivolous dances, not to taverns, but to modest and pious dances in praise of God. Let virgins hear the golden teaching of Chrysostom, sermon That Regular Women Cohabit with Men, at the end of volume V: "When a virgin goes out in public," he says, "she ought to display the appearance of all philosophy, and convert all to amazement. Just as an Angel, if now descending from heaven, and as some Cherub, if appearing on earth, would convert all men to amazement: so a virgin ought to lead all who see her into admiration and amazement at her holiness." If a virgin ought to go out and proceed in this manner, with what modesty, with what gravity of manners, with what chastity, like an angel descended from heaven, ought an Ecclesiastic to walk, and especially a Religious! With timbrels. — Calvin here counts timbrels, organs and other musical instruments among the legal ceremonies of the Old Testament, which Christ therefore abolished as repugnant to the simplicity of the Gospel. But these timbrels and dances of Miriam and the Hebrews existed before the ceremonial law was given by God; and if it was lawful to use them then, why is it not lawful now? Secondly, if singing and instruments pertain to the ceremonial law, then by the same right singing itself and psalmody, in which the Calvinists so greatly glory, will pertain to the same. Thirdly, even if we were to grant that these were ceremonial, the Church could adopt the same ceremony for its own uses, as it has adopted the ornaments of pontiffs and priests, the use of lights, temples, oblations, and other things which were ceremonial in the old law, and this for the dignity and majesty of the sacred rites of the new law. Thus it revoked certain judicial precepts of the old law, and enacted them in the new law: for our temples, in which those awesome mysteries are performed, are far more worthy of all dignity, all joy and harmony than those old shadowy ones, unless Calvin, a rustic in the temple, wishes to appear, and courtly at home, and prefers music for his own pleasure rather than for the praise of God. Tropologically, the timbrel, which is made from skin, signifies the mortification of the flesh, without which no soul can present itself as a worthy singer to God; hence it is said: "Praise God in the timbrel and dance;"; for they play the timbrel to God who mortify and strike the flesh with St. Paul. Thus Origen, Rupert, and St. Ambrose To Virgins.
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Vers. 21. TO WHOM HE SANG BEFORE, SAYING: LET US SING TO THE LORD: FOR HE IS GLORIOUSLY MAGNIFIED. — In Hebrew it is ותען vattahan lahem, that is, and he answered them, namely to Moses and the other men (for lahem is masculine) singing before. Thus Vatable and the Hebrews. Whence Philo, in the book On Agriculture, thinks that here two choirs were made, one of women, the other of men, standing opposite each other, and responding to one another with alternating songs; and Oleaster thinks that the men, with Moses singing before, each sang the verses of the canticle; then Maria with the women responded to each verse by joining in and repeating this refrain: "Let us sing to the Lord: for He is gloriously magnified, His horse and rider He hath thrown into the sea." For that alone is attributed here to Maria and the women; for this was done in other canticles in turn, as in Psalm CXXXV, the choir sang: "Give praise to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endureth for ever," and thereafter proceeded with other verses: but the assembly responded to each verse and repeated: "For His mercy endureth for ever." Thus also Genebrardus in Psalm LXVII. This opinion is very probable: for the masculine להם lahem favours it, and the verb תען taan, which properly signifies to answer, to sing responsively or alternately, as if to say: The women answered and joined in while the men sang before, Maria as it were leading the way and beginning the same song which Moses and the Hebrews had sung before: for if the women had made a choir separately from the men, and had sung, they would not have repeated the song of the men, but would have sung another that came to hand. Others however think that Maria with the women sang separately from the men (for this seems to be indicated by "they went out") and after the men sang that same entire song from beginning to end, which the men had sung: so that Maria first learned it, either from Moses, or from the Holy Spirit (for she was a prophetess), and the others joined in with her singing, as is customary in a choir. This opinion also is probable.
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22. AND MOSES TOOK ISRAEL FROM THE RED SEA. — Vers. 22. "Took," in Hebrew יסע iassa, that is, caused to depart, moved, led; "Israel," that is the people of Israel, the sons of Israel, namely the descendants of Jacob. Our Translator by the word took indicates the provident care of Moses toward the Hebrews, as a mother cherishing her children in her bosom; concerning which see Num. XI, 12.
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Vers. 23. AND THEY WENT OUT INTO THE WILDERNESS OF SUR, — in which the angel found Agar the handmaid of Abraham wandering, between Cades and Barad, Gen. XVI, 7. Thus St. Jerome. And hence perhaps, namely from Agar, this wilderness is called Agra by the Chaldean here; this wilderness Sur is also called by another name Etham, Num. XXXIII, 7, concerning which I spoke in the preceding chapter, vers. 29. AND THEY CAME TO MARA. — This is the fifth encampment of the Hebrews in the desert, which was called Mara, from the bitterness of the waters, which were מרים marim, that is, bitter. Hence it is clear that this place is called Mara by anticipation: for it was not called Mara when the Hebrews first came there; but it was called Mara by Moses after he tasted its bitter waters, as is said here.
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25. Who (the Lord) showed him a tree, which when HE HAD CAST INTO THE WATERS, THEY WERE TURNED INTO SWEETNESS. — In Hebrew it is, he taught him a tree; from this it appears that this was a certain kind of wood, endowed with secret and wondrous power of sweetening, especially if it were sprinkled abundantly into the waters, and it actually sweetened them, both by drawing out the saltiness from the waters and by imparting to them its own innate sweetness: for thus physicians employ glycyrrhiza or barley water to sweeten water for drinking; but the power of this wood was far swifter and more efficacious than that of glycyrrhiza. Thus Cajetan. From this it follows that this power of sweetening in this wood was natural, such as is in honey and sugar canes; but it was far greater and more efficacious in this wood: for if a single drop of oil of vitriol or sulphur infects an entire glass of water with its bitterness and taste, why could not this wood of most efficacious virtue, unknown to us though it be, yet most known to God, do the same in sweetening the waters? If the tree of life by its innate power could prolong life to man eternally, why could not God give some wood which by its innate power could sweeten a vast quantity of water? And this is signified clearly enough by Ecclesiasticus, chapter XXXVIII, verse 4: "The Most High, he says, created medicine from the earth, and a wise man will not abhor it; was not water sweetened from a tree?" namely in this place of Exodus, to which Ecclesiasticus without doubt alludes: but he himself speaks of the natural property and virtue which herbs, woods and medicines have for healing men. Thus Lyra, Cajetan and others. Although Rabbi Solomon, and from him Abulensis think otherwise: This wood, they say, is commonly called adelpha, which is bitter in itself and deadly; God therefore willed it to be used for sweetening the waters, so that the miracle might be the greater, since its bitterness is more contrary to sweetness, and so that the type of the cross and the most bitter passion of Christ might be more express, of which I shall speak presently. Thus Abba Bessarion walking by the sea, when his disciple Dulas was thirsty, praying converted the salt water of the sea into sweet, by which the disciple quenched his thirst, as is found in the Lives of the Fathers, chapter III, number 215. By a similar miracle Eliseus healed the barren waters by salt, which is accustomed to dry and consequently to make barren, IV Kings II, 20. But what I said before is more true. Allegorically, this wood signifies the wood of the cross of Christ: for by its virtue, memory and meditation, all labour and pain becomes sweet to the Saints. Thus Origen, Theodoret, Gregory of Nyssa, Rupert, Ambrose, in the book On those initiated into the mysteries, chapter III, Cyril (or rather Clichtovaeus: for he repaired eight middle books of Cyril, which had been lost, from his own ingenuity, so as to complete and perfect the mutilated work of Cyril) in John, book VIII, XVII, where he enumerates various figures of the holy cross in a heap; and Cyprian, in the book On Zeal and Envy, at the end, where he teaches how anger and bitterness are to be softened and sweetened by the cross of Christ: "Vomit forth the poisons of gall, exclude the venom of discord: let the mind be purged, which serpentine malice had infected; let all bitterness which had dwelt within be softened by the sweetness of Christ. If you take both food and drink from the sacrament of the cross, the wood which profited at Mara in image for the sweetness of taste, shall profit you in truth for the gentleness of soothing the breast. Love those whom you formerly hated, cherish those whom you envied with unjust detraction." Hear also Cassiodorus in Psalm IV: "The cross, he says, is the unconquered protection of the humble, the casting down of the proud, the victory of Christ, the perdition of the devil, the destruction of hell, the confirmation of the heavenly, the death of the unfaithful, the life of the just: concerning which St. Chrysostom: The cross is the hope of Christians, the cross the victory of Romans, the resurrection of the dead, the guide of the blind, the way of the converted, the staff of the lame, the consolation of the poor, the tree of resurrection, the wood of eternal life." And Damascene, book IV On the Faith, chapter XII: "The cross of Christ is the key of paradise: this is the staff of the infirm, the rod of shepherds, the guidance of those converting, the perfection of those making progress, the salvation of soul and body, the aversion of all evils, the giver of all goods." And Rabanus, On the Praise of the Cross: "You holy, he says, cross, are the remission of sinners, the exhibition of piety, the increase of merits, the remedy of the infirm, the refuge of the weary, the safety of the healthy, the security of the despairing, the happiness of the unfortunate." Rightly therefore St. Bernard: "I can go around, O Lord, heaven and earth, sea and dry land, and nowhere do I find you, except on the cross: there you sleep, there you feed, there you rest at midday. For your cross is my faith, whose breadth is charity, length is long-suffering, height is hope, depth is fear. On this cross whoever finds you finds it: on this cross the soul is suspended, and plucks sweet apples from the wood." THERE HE ESTABLISHED FOR HIM PRECEPTS AND JUDGMENTS. — God gave to Israel in Mara certain ceremonial and judicial laws: what these were, Scripture does not express; for what Rabbi Solomon says, that these precepts were two: first, concerning the observance of the Sabbath; second, concerning the burning of the red heifer, so that from its ashes water for lustration might be made, by which the unclean might be purified, of which in Num. XIX: this, I say, is a plainly fabulous and erroneous fiction, as the Abulensian rightly shows. AND THERE HE TEMPTED HIM. — Namely, God tempted the people of Israel, by bearing and sanctioning the laws already mentioned, by which he determined to test and try the obedience of the people, is evident from what follows.
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26. ALL SICKNESS, — flowing from ulcers, thirst, plague and other Egyptian plagues. FOR I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, YOUR HEALER. — In Hebrew אני רפאך ani ropheecha, that is, I am your physician. Learn here that in sicknesses one must have recourse to God as to a chief physician, and must rely especially upon him. Again, God often sends sicknesses and diseases on account of sins: if these cease, often the diseases will cease as well.
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27. AND THEY CAME TO ELIM, WHERE THERE WERE TWELVE FOUNTAINS OF WATER, AND SEVENTY PALM TREES, — as if to say, They came to Elim, where there was then both a wonderful pleasantness of trees and fountains, and abundant drink and food: for palm trees provide their dates for food. This is the sixth encampment at Elim. Tropologically St. Jerome to Fabiola: "Beautiful, he says, is this order of virtues: after the victory of the Red Sea follows temptation, after temptation refreshment: from Mara, that is bitterness, we come to Elim, that is to the rams and strong princes of the Christian flock, where twelve fountains of Apostolic doctrine, and seventy palms of victorious faith, the seventy disciples of the Lord refresh us." So also Tertullian, lib. IV Against Marcion, cap. XXIV, understands by the twelve fountains the twelve Apostles, by the seventy palms the seventy disciples of Christ. The palm does not yield to burden, is not bent by weight, but against weight strives upward: hence it is a symbol of a strong man, who does not yield to burdens, mockeries, detraction; is not bent downward, but strives and rises to higher things, and by his patience conquers all things. Again, note here that the life of the faithful is a continual progress, and that they ought to go from virtue to virtue, so that they may reach the promised land in the heavens, until they see the God of gods in Sion. Jacob saw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven: by this way we must ascend in a long and toilsome journey; let us therefore hasten: for a great way remains for us to perfection, to blessedness. For this purpose St. Charles Borromaeus, lately Cardinal, used an excellent practice. For although he was delicately nurtured, and strove for remarkable holiness, he began to mortify and overcome himself in small things, to undertake easy penances, to perform easy acts of individual virtues. Then daily he progressed further to graver and more difficult things; and he had this fixed in his mind not to cease, not to stop, but daily to progress, until he should reach the highest summit of virtue, for example, one week he abstained from wine, another from meat, a third from fish, a fourth from eggs, etc., and so at length he came to this, that in the last years of his life he lived daily on bread and water alone, except on feast days, when he added something of food, but not meat, nor fish, nor eggs, nor wine: from these he always abstained. In Lent also he abstained from bread, and lived only on figs and beans. In Holy Week he lived only on lupines (which is a kind of bitter peas). His bed was a straw sack, or a seat; for he said that a bishop ought to watch over his flock, and therefore should sleep sparingly and sitting, as strenuous commanders do in war. He used a rough hair shirt, which the Milanese still preserve; he chastised his body with rough discipline; he continually undertook continuous and very great labors. For he said it was the mark of a generous and unconquered spirit always to undertake greater things, and to progress in spiritual life with great strides. For just as merchants intent on profit add something daily; and just as gardeners daily cultivate their garden, painters daily polish and perfect the image they are painting: so much more ought he who is devoted to virtue daily add something to it. Thus he did, until he came to this, that scarcely anything remained by which he could progress further, except to say with St. Paul: "I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ:" whence also shortly after he departed from this life. Thus the author of his Life narrates it, lib. VIII, cap. XXI.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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v. 2 « Fortitudo mea et laus mea Dominus », hic primum uti 17,16 brevi forma 5 expressus. Sensus omnino is est, quem Vulg. Chald. exprimunt; sed admirationem faciunt Hebr. Sam. n?» sine suffixo possessivo. Pronum est dicere, iod suffixi sequente iod vocis ?' excidisse (Houó.) : tamen Is. 19,2 et Ps. 117 (118), 14, verba nostra repetentes, item ignorant suffixum alterum. Dicas igitur, vel n'25 esse formam archaisticam pro nv27 (Ges.), vel esse contractam e 'nwo5 (Hupfeld). LXX videntur corrupte legisse nzvo*5 *5 mn not v7, adiutor et refugium factus est mihi in salutem. Fortitudo populi hebraei est Iahve, quia ipso potissimum, multoque magis quam viribus naturalibus, roborantur : sed in transitu Maris Rubri fuit Iahve tota ipsorum fortitudo, cum ipsi viribus naturalibus nihil omnino ad portentum contulerint. Quia vero hac ratione Iahve est fortitudo, ;deo idem est laus seu canticum (Hebr.), quod scribitur per synecdochen pro cantici themate seu materia. Vox canticum huie membro adscribitur intuitu tudo, quam unam respicit sequens incisum : « ef factus est mihi in salutem », seu « salvator » (Men.). Copulam interpretare e£ ita (Dillm.) : cum sit fortitudo mea, factus est salvator. Non interpretare nam (Sylv.) : siquidem non ideo Iahve est fortitudo mea, quia me salvavit; sed vice versa, quia est fortitudo mea, ideo. factus est meus salvator. « Iste Deus meus » est solus (Bonfr.); non dii Aegyptiorum (Sylv.); « et glorificabo eum ». Verbum m3 semel Hab. 2,5 coniugatione kal legitur significatione habitandi, permanendi; et hoc uno loco coniugatione hiphil, ubi LXX Syr. vertunt uti Vulg. E contra Chald. : et aedificabo ei sanctuarium, eum habitare faciam. Hune sensum h. 1. esse dimittendum, et parallelismus docet cum sequenti inciso, et stilus cantici concinnus et vigoris plenus, ab eiusmodi quaesito sensu abhorrens. « Deus patris mei, et exaltabo eum ». Dicitur non Deus patrum, sed patris, Deus avitus, uti 3,6, ut eam expressionem JD/Im. censeat velut ex 1psius Moysis ore sonare. Deus avitus fideliter retentus eo 1pso agnoscitur Deus verus, cum genus humanum primitus verum Deum novisse supponatur. Israelitarum vero avi, paucis in Mesopotamia exceptis, hune Deum coluere. Ceterum avitus hic dicitur Deus imprimis, quod Abrahae posteriorumque patriarcharum fuerit Deus, quibus factae sunt promissiones. A generaliori ad particulariorem expressionem progreditur vates. In exodo aegyptiaca fortitudinem et salutem se praebuit Iahve pugnans pro populo suo; hine
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v. 3: « Dominus [quasi| vir pugnator », Syr. heros et bellator, Chald. magister superans bello, robore et arte ad bellandum instructus. Eo secus titulo homines fortes insigniuntur Ios. 17,1; 2 Reg. 17,8; Deus Ps. 23 (94), 8 dicitur man» wai. « Omnipotens nomen eius » : non erat hie versione supprimendum id , quod omnino praeciinseritur, non mere quo intelligatur alius nemo praeter Iahven hie celebrari (Di/Im.), sed quia herois nomen herois simul est tessera bellica, quam inclamans proruit ad certamen, ipse et populus eius. Deseribitur Aegyptiorum clades.
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v. & « Currus Pharaonis et exercitum eius proiecit in mare ». Hic, ubl v. 4 dieta nonnihil evolvuntur, praeter eurrus cum equis et aurigis, etiam pedites lubet commemorare. v, uti v. 1 2^, dicit proiectionem violentam, et utrumque de iacienda sagitta adhibetur : sed cave, ne cum Men. Aegyptios sagittae compares. Non sunt ipsi Domini sagittae, sed, si placet, sagittis fulgurum eius configuntur. « Electi principes eius » (cf. 14,1) « submersi sunt in Mari Rubro ». Submersione puniuntur pro submersis pueris Hebraeorum (Sylv.).
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v. 5 « Abyssi operuerunt eos, descenderunt in profundum quasi lapis », seu quasi « plumbum » v. 10 : quae comparationes efferunt, eos illico et nulla relicta salutis spe esse submersos (Tost.). Arg. — Universim rursus v.6 sq. celebrat Iahve fortitudinem percutientis, deturbantis, consumentis. Cuius exemplum afferuntur v. 8-10 undae maris primum recedentes, dein in Aegyptios insequentes revertentes. . Verborum v. 6 sq. tempora produnt non agi de uno aliquo facto, sed de communi agendi ratione Dei.
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v. 6 « Dextera tua, Domine, magnificata. est in. fortitudine ; dextera tua, Domine, percussit. inimicum ». Hebr. : Dextera tua, Iahve inclyte robore, dextera tua, Iahve, confringit inimicum.
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v. 5 « Et in multitudine gloriae tuae » — seu magnificentiae tuae : est enim eadem atque v. 1 radix — « deposuisti adversarios tuos »; Hebr. convellis adversarios tuos : verbum alias de aedificiis demoliendis adhibetur (P. 27 [28], 5; ler. 42,10). « M;isisti iram tuam », proprie zncendiwm quod sensu translato furorem significat (2 Esdr. 13,18; Ps. 2,5; 87 [88], 17). « Quae devoravit eos sicut stipulam ». Etiam haee verba verte praesenti : mittis iram (uam, quae devorat eos sicut. stipulam. Dominus ictu confringit adversarios , convellens subvertit, spirans comburit. Hanc porro indolem egregie illustravit in transitu Maris Rubri.
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v. 8 « Et in spiritu furoris tut congregatae sunt aquae », LXX &i£szn1. e. divisae sunt, Chald. cale- [actae sunt, sc. ope venti urentis 14,21. Non agitur hic de aquis post Hebraeorum transitum rursus coactis ad suffocandos Aegyptios, sed de aquis primum divisis ad accessum praebendum primum Hebraeis ac postea Aegyptiis. Sequens incisum agit de aquis instar muri consistentibus, tertium agit de contractis seu coagulatis aquarum massis in ipsum eor maris, in partes eius remotiores : totus versus est de mari siccato atque nudato, v. 9 est de Aegyptiis in mare siccatum irruentibus, v. 10 de Aegyptiorum interitu. Reapse, cum 2^7 in kal sonet nudare, non est cur in niphal loco nudari induat significationem congregari. Cf. Cai., Men. « Stetit unda fluens »; Hebr. : substiterunt instar cumuli fluentes. « Congregatae sunt abyssi in medio mari ». Eae quae antea abyssi fuerant imperviae agmini hominum, iam in secretiores oceani partes diffluxerant aquae. At, quaerunt aliqui, quomodo haec omnia effecta scribuntur 2n spritu furoris Dei, cum imprimis processerint ex eius in Hebraeos misericordia? Respondeas, duplici motivo eo in portento actum esse Deum, misericordiae in Hebraeos, furoris in Aegyptios. Ceterum nihil vetat, quominus "EN n'accipias sensu non translato : n vento narium tuorum, cf. v. 10. Sequenti versu notat Keil, asyndetis exprimi Aegyptiorum mentes vindictae avidas quietisque expertes.
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v. 9 « Dixit inimicus : Persequar [et] comprehendam », 1. e. assequar, « dividam spolia , implebitur anima mea », Chald. saturabitur spoliis, greges quippe multos et res pretiosas secum Hebraei asportabant. « Evaginabo gladium meum, interficiet eos manus mea ». Repugnabat iam Ca?., quominus v", cui alias semper significatio Iribuendae et adimendae possessionis competat, hic et Num. 15,12 ad significaüionem :nterficiendi seu. destruendi detorqueatur : « Non ad occidendum Hebraeos persequebantur, sed ad redigendum eos in servitutem; et propterea evaginatio gladii non ad interficiendum , sed ad spoliandum Hebraeos rebus scribitur ». LXX xvogisócei. Verte : dabit eos in possessionem, rediget eos in servitutem manus mea. Etiam Num. 15,129 commode vertitur : et possessione eum privabo.
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v. 10 « F/avit spiritus tuus, et operuit eos mare ». Hebr. : insufflasti spiritu tuo. Ventus depingitur ut flatus a Deo procedens : unico flatu Deus audacia illa consilia fallit, neque plus Aegyptii efficere valent, quam plumbum in aquas demissum. An. monet, de hoc vento nihil haberi 15,27 : nihil habetur, sed sat facile per se intelligitur (cf. 10,13.19), neque variorum scriptorum hine nascitur argumentum. « Submersi sunt quast plumbum in aquis vehementibus ». *»1N id denotat, quod praeclarum est : praeclarae videbantur Hebraeis illae aquae, quae Aegyptiorum exercitum tam subito universum oppresserant. Cur? Quia (v. 11) tam praeclare manifestabant Dei sanctitatem etc. Arg. — Thema cantici concinne enuntiatur. Chorus primus Iahven supra deos, imprimis Aegypti, extollit ratione sanctitatis; chorus secundus ratione gloriose et portentose actorum contra inimicos; chorus rursum primus ratione benignitatis, qua populum suum traducit ad locum, quo suam ei sanctitatem est manifestaturus. v.141 « Quis similis tui in fortibus » ,seu verius 2n diis, « Domine? Quis similis tui »,seu quis sicut tu, « magnificus 2n sanctitate? » Aliqua PESE INS GB ASQ e e TIER ARA Sa TRE INS CERO ION DOE TO IUS qe tend EAST AER e PNIS HO Men Sn LS PLE T. FR Lo CRI PN, Ve Ra TES AAPTHL IRI d RA qur ME E ATUS etiam in Aegyptiorum sacris sanctitas deprehendebatur, sed externa, quae constaret ablutionibus, ritibus sacrificiorum et ciborum, vox aegyptia Ue'b, sacerdos, idem sonat atque purus (Erman p. 321.391.436). At, quot morum religionisque spurcitias externa haec sanctitas adiunctas habebat! Comparatione cuius Iahve iure merito magnificus in sanctitate dicitur.
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« Terribilis atque laudabilis, faciens mirabilia ». Etiam haec accipere poteris imprimis enuntiari de lahve comparatione deorum aegyptiorum. Facillime intelligitur altera expressio : comparantur Iahve portenta cum maleficorum aegyptiorum potissimum praestigiis. Et nota, N55 designare miraculum stricte divinum (ef. Knabenbauer ad Is. 9,6). Porro expressio noonn wv: omnino econformatur expressioni NDS nvy, licet aliam exigat constructionem : Zerribilis (quoad) laudes, faciens portenta. « Laudes » vero vocantur ipsa « laudabilia », veluti continens pro contento; Dei autem portenta eo aptius h. l. exhibentur tamquam « laudabilia », quod reapse laudis cantico celebrentur. Terribilem vero portentorum patratorem se exhibet Deus Aegyptiorum interitu, qui brevi formula enuntiatur :
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v. 19 « Eztendisti manum tuam », non pugnantis instar (Tost.), sed quando 15,26 sq. iussisti Moysen extendere manum suam; « [ef] devoravit eos terra ». Nullo alio opus fuit, nisi ut manum extenderes iubentis ritu (Ca?.). Vox terra quandoque, uti Gen. 1, aridam et aquas designat (Aug.) monetque Caím., etiam Ps. 105 [105],30 dici terram edidisse ranas, cum eae Ex. 8,5 sq. ex aquis fluminis narrentur esse natae. Felicius LXX xazézie» , deglutivit. Portentis terribilibus opponitur suavitas, qua Deus populum electum tractavit.
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v. 13 « Duz fuisti in misericordia tua populo, quem rede- Tsti ». n3, proprie dirigere, initium potius itineris eiusque rectam directionem respicit, quam terminum. « Ef portasti eum tn fortitudine ua ad habitaculum sanctum. tuum ». Sam. ronz, possedisti : sed hoc constructio non patitur. Notabat iam Caz. 5n2 non edicere completam ad terminum , sed inchoatam tantum deductionem : reapse vox significat ducere more pastoris, cum magna cura. Expressio 177p n: secus non legitur; vertenda est hab:taculum sanctum tuum ; nulla est ratio vertendi Aabztaculum sanctuarii tut. Is. 32,18 felicitas regni messianici describitur, ut homines habitaturi sint « in habitaculo pacis », mv m2, imagine sane a terra sancta, non vero a templi monte petita. Os. 9,13; Is. 35,7; 65.10; Ier. 23,3 n": significat campum, imprimis eum ubi pascuntur greges : ergo apte eadem vox Ex. 15,13 selecta est. Quod autem Deus « magnificus in sanctitate » non ad alia pascua, quam quae sint « habitaculum sanctum », gregem suum Israel ducturus sit, quis miretur? Ceterum habitaculum hoc sanctum non est necessarlo intelligenda terra sancta, sed potest commode cum Calm. intelligi mons Sinai. Arg. — Describitur iam effectus, quem illa portenta producere debent in gentibus, quae terram promissam tum obtinebant aut prope eius fines incolebant. Ubi non enumerantur eae nationes, quarum toties in Genesi mentio habebatur, sed nomina produnt poetam prope Aegyptum constitutum. Primi nominantur Philisthaei, per quorum fines, qui ex Aegypto veniebant, Chanaanitiden ingredi consueverant (cf. 13,17); dein Edomitae, Sinaitiden inter et Chanaanitiden incolen- v. 1*4 « Ascenderunt » — sed reliqui omnes audierunt — « populi et trati sunt ». 53» primitus sensum habet commotus est (cf. Bonfr.) : hine melius Symm. izap&y0noav , Áq. Exkovfoaoav. « Dolores obtinuerunt habitatores Phalisthiim », seu verius Philisthaeae. 5n proprie partus dolores (LXX) exprimit, quibus puerperae, ut quidquam agant aut a quoquam se defendant, prorsus redduntur incapaces. Pulchre his atrocibus doloribus corripi scribuntur Philisthaei, gens prae aliis bellicosa, sed quae aliis etiam propius aberat a loeis, ubi tanta Iahve egerat portenta.
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v. 15 « Tunc conturbati sunt principes Edom , robustos Moab obtinuit tremor, obriquerunt » — dif fluxerunt, LXX &awnoav — « omnes habitatores Chanaan ». Ceterum cum v. 1^ sq. cf. quae p. 34 citabamus ex hymno in laudem Pharaonis Merenpthah. Censet Dillm., voce 5N demonstrari vatis tempus fuisse tempore Moysis et transitus Maris Rubri recentius, ergo vatem non esse Moysen. Sed 5N non semper de praeteritis adhiberi, sed etiam de futuris, evincunt Ps. 95 [96], 12; Soph. 3,9; Iob 3,13. Ubi in narratione certissime futurorum forma verbi perfecta adhibetur pro futura, ibi etiam futuri eventus tempus adverbio yN demonstrari potest. Frequentissime 5N in antiquissimis carminibus adhibetur (Gen. 49,4; Iud. 5,8. 11.13. 19. 22), ubi facile adverbii usus potuit esse paulo diversus ab eo, qui postmodum obtinuit. — mU5tN alii vertunt « robustos », alii « arietes ». Dillm. censet, uti principes Edomitarum D'z*N (Gen. 36,15) , ita Moabitarum D'9N vocari consuevisse. Recte v. 16-18 omnia verba dicta accipiuntur « per modum optantis et obsecrantis » (Sy/v.), licet aliqua, v. g. v. 17 dieta, ob divinas promissiones sciebat vates certissime esse eventura.
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v. 16 « Irruat super eos formido et pavor in magnitudine brachii tui », dum vident hanc magnitudinem portentis manifestatam. Ceterum reliqui ultimas duas voces ad sequentia trahunt. « Fiant immobiles quasi lapis ». am significat quzetum esse, quem sensum varie varii huie loco adaptare conati sunt. Infelicius Syr. imitatus v. 5, demergantur sicut lapis; an mergendi ad tempus, donec etc.? Ag. Theod. Chald. : taceant sicut lapis. LXX petrificentur. Optime Symm. &xivqzct £ocvso«, quocum. consentit Vulg. : sane, quod maxime in votis est in hoste, non tam est ut taceat, quam ut non moveatur. Arg. — E benignitate Iahve v. 13 celebrata concipit chorus fiduciam, porro item Iahven populum fore benigne deducturum, et in terra promissa cum illo perpetuo habitaturum atque regnaturum. « Donec pertranseat populus tuus, Domine, donec pertranseat populus tuus iste, quem possedisti », « in terram promissam » (Men.). Cum nova incipiat antistropha, pro "Y puneta 7? : /n posterum etiam pertranseat populus tuus adversa omnia. Verba interpretare optativos.
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v. 17. « Introduces eos et plantabis in monte haereditatis tuae , firmissimo habitaculo tuo, quod operatus es, Domine », — Hebr. : loco, quem ad requiem. tuam fecisti, Iahve — « sanctuarium. tuum, domine, quod firmaverunt manus tuae ». Plantabis, « ut stabilem, firmam et naturalem instar plantarum et arborum fixis radicibus sedem obtineant » (Men.). « Exiguum enim videretur et esset beneficium in eam induci, nisi etiam firma babitatio promitteretur » (Bonfr.). Mons seribitur in oppositione ad Aegyptum, regionem planam (705/.) : non vero intelligitur, quod suggerit Ca/m., Sinai, neque Moria (Bonfr.), sed tota terra Chanaan montuosa (Tost., Ca?.). Dicitur autem mons possessionis e& hine etiam Aaereditatis Iahve, quia ab eo patriarchis fuerat assignatus in posteris possideudus, et hine etiam haereditate transmittendus. Nota porro animadversionem Cai., a (ribus nominari terram promissam : a monte, ab habitaculo, a sanctuario. Reapse tria v. 17 membra omnia respiciunt terram sanctam : non templum (Targ.). Obiieiunt, similes expressiones postmodum de templo edici consuevisse, ergo easdem h. l. de templo esse intelligendas, extremam cantici stropham esse addititiam. Sed res aliter, et quidem facilius, explanari potest. Primum terra sancta universim dicebatur locus habitaculi Det, sanctuarium lahve etc. : ubi postea Iahve specialem terrae.sanctae locum, montem Moria suo cultui et habitationi destinavit, illarum expressionum significatio ad unum montem Moria contracta est.
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v. 18 « Dominus regnabit in aeternum et ultra » in terra sancta, in saecula saeculorum. Sed eiusmodi expressiones non semper absolutam significare aeternitatem , apud omnes constat. Omnino « significare videtur Moyses regnum Dei super Israelem legi subditum » (Calm.); et pergere licet cum eodem : « sublimior sensu animum erigit ad regnum eeclesiae Iesu Christi et electorum tandem in aeternitate ». Ubi Israel excrevit in populum, voluit Deus agnosci eius populi Deus assumpto nomine Iahve, et hinc etiam eius populi rez; quare in Chanaanitide ei populo pro patria attributa Iahve regnabit seu rez erit, ibidem habitabit, requiescet, sanctuarium nanciscetur, et quidem tamdiu, quamdiu Israel regionem obtinebit et autonomia fruetur. Kn., Dillm. censuere, v. 11-18 non potuisse esse Moysis auctoris, quod ingressum in Chanaanitiden et sanctuarium ibidem erectum tamquam facta praeterita celebret. Unicum, quod aliquam probabilitatis speciem habeat, argumentum desumitur e veraevo Davidis aut Salomonis; Dillm. duas cantici adstruit recensiones, primam ab ipso Moyse profectam, ad quam certe primi tres versus pertinuerint, alteram brevi post occupatam Chanaanitiden natam. Per se, dummodo cantici summa Moysis esse auctoris concedatur, non repugnat, aut illud forma aliqua recentiore, aut appensa etiam recentiore aliqua stropha, a sacrorum documentorum coollectore aliquo, v. g. ab Esdra, canoni esse insertum. Non enim ita premere oportet verba « cecinit Moyses carmen hoc », ut singula verba, versus, imo strophae Moysi adscribantur auctori. Tamen hypotheses, quales supra describebamus, gratuito h. l. affingi, patet ex ea quam dedimus interpretatione et imprimis e cantici structura (cf. Zenner). mx. 45,9. — ! 161 Explicatio maxime obvia ceterisque praeferenda nobis videtur esse haec. Prima vice haec solemnitas habita est ipso post exodum die, repetenda deinceps quotannis ad tanti beneficii memoriam renovandam. Ad eam vero memoriam non sufficiebat recitari solummodo canticum, quod eventum supponeret magis quam narraret; sed absolutum canticum exeipiebat narratio aliqua seu fortasse mimica repraesentatio effectae liberationis, cuius v. 19 tria capita primaria indicat : Aegyptios in mare post Hebraeos irruentes, eosdem fluctibus oppressos, Hebraeos incolumes servatos. J Nominis m'v5 etymologiam nuper solide excutiebat O. Bardenhewer in : Biblische Studien I. 1, Freiburg i. B. 4895. Nomen, si e lingua hebraica explicetur, non e duabus vocibus coaluit (myrrha maris, stilla maris), neque e suffixo nomini adseripto (contumacia eorum, 6es.). Est unica vox, quam A. Caninius (De locis S. Scr. hebraicis commentarius , Antw. 1600, p. 63 sq.) a mm repetit (excelsa), M. Afiller (Onomasticum sacrum, Tubingae 1706, p. 173) a *w5 (contumax), P. Schegg (Die hl. Evangelien übersetzt u. erklárt I. 1. p. 419, München 18506) a x2 (pinguis, corpulenta, hinc formosa). Ultimam hanc derivationem praetulerim ; servatque illa suum valorem tum etiam, si nomen supponas origine aegyptium postea ad formam magis semiticam esse revocatum. Opinio vero, nomen esse e lingua aegyptia derivandum, sicut nomen Moyses et fortasse etiam nomen Aaron, suam habet probabilitatem ; mery, meryt apud Aegyptios significat dilectus, — dilecta. Mariam vere fuisse prophetissam disce ex Num. 12,2, ubi Deus ei affirmatur locutus esse; hoc autem sufficit ad veri nominis prophetiam, neque requiritur (Sylv.) eventurorum praenuntiatio. An una praeter Moysen et Aaron Maria prophetiae charismate eminebat? Et cur soror Aaron scribitur, cum ipsa aeque atque Moyses et Aaron ex Amram et Iochabed Num. 26,59 orieinem duxerit? Suggerebat Ca:., Mariam aetate Aaroni fuisse propinquiorem quam Moysi : infirma ratio, cum tamen in tota narratione Moyses super Aaron plurimum emineat et solus v. 4 nomine appelletur.. Potuit antiquissimo tempore * nv?2 e textu excidere. Quod Mariae maritus nullibi recenseatur, censuere (reg. [Nyss. (De Virg. cap. 19; M. 46. 396), Ambr. (De Instit. virg. cap. 17; Exhort. virg. cap. 5; Epist. 62; M. 106. 331. 344. 1198) aliique fuisse virginem. Econtra Z7os. Ant. III. 2. 4 et 6. 1 maritum ei tribuit Hur, filium Beseleel. Silente scriptura prudentius esse monet Bonfr., nihil affirmare.
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v. 20 « Swumpsit ergo Maria prophetissa, soror Aaron, tympanum in manwu sua; egressaeque sunt omnes mulieres post eam cum tympanis et choris ». Cf. Ps. 29 (30), 12; 149,3; 150,4; cf. item Iud. 11,35; 1 Reg. 18,6; Gen. 31,27.—
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v. 91 « Quibus praecinebat dicens : Cantemus Domno, gloriose enim magnaficatus est, equum et ascensorem erus deiecit in mare ». Sed Hebr. : 605 vy, et respondit eis, sc. viris : vvv (mase.), cantate. Qua lectione suggeritur fere, mulieres ipsius cantici v. 1-18 nihil pronuntiasse, non antistrophas, sed solum hunc primum versum ingeminasse. Quando id fecerint, ex data v. 19 explicatione facile colligitur; res enim, quo ordine actae sunt, eodem narrantur. Primi canticum in choros distincti decantavere viri; dein recitabatur factae liberationis historia; qua finita mulieres choros cum tympanis agentes circumfundebantur, ac tandem omnia ingeminato sexcenties primo cantiei versu resonabant. Priora, qua ratione a Moyse praescripta fuerant, peracta sunt : tum Maria, subito divino impulsu abrepta, (« prophetissa ») tympanum prehendit etc. Partim vera igitur partimque falsa scribit Proc. : « Chori erant duo, virorum alter, cuius praecentor et dux erat Moyses; alter mulierum, quem gubernabat et moderabatur Moysis soror Maria pulsans tympanum... Carmen quidem unum est, et a duplici eanitur choro vicissim canente et respondente ». A duobus choris decantabatur canticum , quorum alterum fuisse mulierum perquam improbabile est. Sed finito cantico tertius omnium mulierum chorus in medium prodiit. Arg. — Murmurante populo ob aquae inopiam, aquas amaras Moyses mutat in dulces. Praecepta inculcat, obedientiae praemium nomine « Iahve sanatoris » promittit immunitatem a plagis, quas in Aegypto conspexerant. d Plagis aegyptiis edoctus fuerat Pharao Iahven esse Deum Hebraeorum, denegati obsequii poenas tulerat. Oportebat vero Hebraeos penitius adhuc perspicere eandem veritatem « Ego Iahve Deus vester », cui mox legum omnium auctoritas erat superstruenda, eamque harum legum constanti obsequio profiteri. Ad 1d Aegypto vix egressi manuducuntur tribus divinis portentis, aquae Marae sanatae, duplicis cibi coelestis concessi, aquae rursum e petra elicitae. Marae manifestatur Deus ut « lahve sanator » (15,26), in deserto Sin ut « Iahve Deus Israel » (16,19), in Raphidim ut « Iahve tentator » (17,15). Sanando et tentando se Deum exhibet, hoc duplex Dei Israel officium. « Sanator » boni pastoris (15,17 sq.) partes agit. « Tentat » imponendo mandata, quibus et obedientiam exigit et inobedientiae occasionem praebet. Sic tentavit Israelem Marae (15,26), in deserto Sin (16,28). At quandoque vicissim tentat Israel Deum, quando vel « sanatoris » diffidentiam murmurando prodit (17,7) vel mandata negligit (16,28). Meminisse autem Israelem decet, mandata etiam non solius esse Dei tentantis, sed etiam sanantis et consolantis; quorum observatio panis sit animae et potus salutaris (Deut. 8,3). v. 92. « Tulit autem », seu fecit proficisci, « Moyses Israel de Mari Rubro , et egressi sunt in desertum Sur » (cf. Gen. 16,7; 20,1; 25,18; 1. Reg. 15,7 ; 27,8), quod idem Num. 33,8 vocatur desertum Etham, a Chald. desertum Nan ( — Bered Gen. 16,14), à Ps. Jon. desertum NYn, quod loci nomen ignoramus. Sc. eiusmodi deserta nomina accipiebant a varis urbibus vel locis, quae desertum illud attingebant. In extrema porro eius deserti meridiem versus parte situm videtur Elim, ultra quem locum 16,1 incipiebat desertum Sin. Sur vero intelligi murum a Pharaonibus exstructum ad nomadas Asiae arcendos, dicebamus ad Gen. 16,7. « Ambulaveruntque tribus diebus per solitudinem, et non inveniebant aquam ». Iter fecerunt ea ratione, qua fieri consuevit in deserto, quiescentes quantum hominum pecorumque vires requirebant, neque invenerunt nisi fortasse exiguos aliquos fontes, qui tot viatoribus reficiendis nequaquam essent satis. Fortasse aliquid aquae secum tulerant. Tres dies commemorantur, non ut temporum rationem, sed ut sitis magnitudinem edoceamur.
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v. 23 « Et venerunt in Mara , nec poterant bibere aquas de Mara , eo quod essent amarae; unde [et congruum loco| nomen imposuit » , non necessario Moyses sed aliquis, quare potuit iam antea loco nomen esse Mara; « [rocans tllum]| Mara , |t. e. amaritudinem] ». Ttineris Hebraeorum stationes plures definiri vix possunt. Nominum antiquorum cum hodiernis quibusdam nominibus consonantiae deceptioni patent. Quod fontes quidam tenues hodie emittant aquas, imo videantur esse prorsus exsiccati, non efficit eos Moysis aevo aquis non abundasse. Vel nune varia in quibusdam est copia aquarum variis anni temporibus. Estque satis probabile, totam illam inter Ghanaanitiden, Aegyptum et Sinaitiden regionem antiquitus fuisse minus aridam minusque sterilem : sed iam deserti arenae omnia opplent. Notat Ebers p. 120, Beduinas consuevisse arbores in oasibus excidere procurandi carbonis gratia; qua ratione aliae quaedam regiones quondam fertilissimae in deserta sunt mutatae. Porro Mara et Elim auctores variis locis demonstrant, prout varium Hebraeorum trans mare iter descripserunt. Nobis ceteris magis arridet sententia Htzig , Mara idem esse atque 'Ain Naba vel "Ain el Gharqada, quod tribus horis distat a Suez meridiem versus habetque fontem abundantissimum aquae salsae. Ab hoc loco horae itinere meridiem versus abest 'Ain Musa (Fons Moysis), oasis fertilis, ubi plures sunt fontes aquae parum tantummodo salis habentis. Cf. Ebers p. 68sqq. Omnino crediderim "Ain Musa alterutrum esse locum, aut Maram aut Elim. Ne vero cum Calm. Maram constituamus » medio ferme itinere e Suez ad Sinai », praeter alia illud vetat, quod vix aequum videatur desertum, quod a Sur nomen sumpsit, tantopere meridiem versus producere : desertum Sur ille sane deserti tractus audiebat, qui non ita longe abesset a Sur.
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v. 94 « Et murmuravit populus contra Moysen dicens : Quid bibemus? »
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v. 95 « At ille clamavit ad Dominum , qui ostendit ei lignum; quod cum misisset in aquas, in dulcedinem versae sunt ». Ex Eccli. 38, sq. inferunt naturalem fuisse eam ligni virtutem : « Altissimus creavit de terra medicamenta, et vir prudens non abhorrebit illa. Nonne a ligno indulcata est aqua amara? » Qui textus, « ex professo depraedicans vim medicam variarum rerum naturalium, pro exemplo dat id, de quo hic agimus, lignum » (T7r.). E contra, an naturalis fuerit ligni virtus, ambigit Aug. et negat Ps. Aug. (De Mirab. S. Ser. I. 22; M. 35. 2167 sq.). Aquas amaras reddi dulces iniectis quibusdam foliis, fructibus, lignis, corticibus, impossibile non est : eiusmodi quid agunt Tamuli et Peruani. Cf. Ros. : Altes u. neues Morgenland II. 28 sqq. (apud Dillm.). « Qui mecum erant Arabes », inquit Ebers, Gosen p. 117 sq., « nullam norant plantam, quibus populares sui aquas amaras mutarent in dulces. Affirmat tamen Lesseps audivisse se à quibusdam Arabum ducibus, eos, quo aquas salsas potarent , immittere spinae quoddam genus (épine-vinette), quod in deserto reperiatur ». Arabes eiusmodi secretum non cuivis viatori europaeo communicare, quis miretur? E. H. Palmer (The desert of the exodus, London 1871, I. 83) ait, in Beduinorum dialecto voce « ligni » (schejer) designari medicamentum quodlibet. Lignum illud Aug. aliique crucem Christi adumbrare pronuntiant. « Ibi constituit ei », non « Moyses populo » (Mar.), sed Deus populo (Men.), quod evincunt verba v. 26, « praecepta atque 2udicia, et ibi tentavit eum ». Commoratio in Mara minime fuit otiosa; tamen, quae ibi acta sunt, ideo tantum attinguntur, quo divinam v. 26 promissionem edoceamur. Praecepta, quae ibi data sunt, non videntur fuisse nova, inquit Vat., sed vetera inculeabantur, imprimis, quod coniiciunt Cuz. alique, lex sabbati, quae illico cap. 16 vigere supponitur. Vel potest dici voce praecepta et similibus h. l. non tam intelligi leges divinas generales, quae omnes pariter et perpetuo obligarent, sed imprimis oracula particularia, qualia 18,13 sqq. deseribuntur. Tentavit Deus, ut plures volunt, non alia ratione, quam praecepta dando, quo appareret an ea acceptarent et observarent, Deique agnoscerent auctoritatem. Ca/m. comparat Ios. 24,15, ubi Iosue Dei in populum beneficiis recensitis optionem Israelitis dedit, utrum servire mallent Domino an illum abiicere, dein foedus inivit et proposuit « praecepta » atque « iudicia»; qua in re Calm. suggerit, Iosue imitatum esse acta Moysis in Mara. Idem auctor comparat textum Ier. 7,22 sq. : « Non sum locutus cum patribus vestris et non praecepi eis 1n die, qua eduxi eos de terra Aegypti de verbo holocautomatum et victimarum. Sed hoc verbum praecepi eis dicens : Audite vocem meam, et ero vobis Deus, et vos eritis mihi populus, et ambulate in omni via, quam mandavi vobis, ut bene sit vobis ». Quem textum alii ad Ex. 19,5-8 referunt; sed potest idem cum 15,26 conferri. Verbotenus neutrum textum exprimit, quoad sensum utrique affinis est et, si ad. nostrum textum referatur, edicit Deum in Mara non nova edidisse praecepta, sed ad summum vetera Noe et Abrahae imposita inculeasse, et generaliori modo obedientiam postulasse. Sieut igitur eventus cap. 15-17 illustrabant formulam illam constanter iam adhibendam « Ego lahve Deus vester », ita quae eorum occasione Deus ad populum dirigebat alloquia, ea praeter paucas leges divinas tum editas (de sabbato etc.) inculeabant illam generalem formulam item constanter repetendam « Custodite leges meas etc. ». Et cur non Marae aliquot dies subsistens Moyses suppleverit eorum, qui nondum circumcisi essent, circumcisionem (cf. 129,48)?
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v. 26 « Dicens - Si audieris vocem Domini Dei tui, et quod rectum est coram eo feceris, et obedieris mandatis eius, custodierisque omnia, praecepta illius, cunctum. languorem, quem posui in Aegypto , non inducam super te : ego enim Dominus sanator tuus ». Igitur promittit Deus Hebraeos, si bene egerint, immunes fore a peste et ulceribus et hinc, quod facili illatione perspicitur, a malis omnibus. Pulchre Deus senator exhibetur is, qui modo aquas amaras sanaverat. Verbum x2* de sanatione aquarum seribitur 4 Reg. 2,22; Ez. 47,8. Etiam brevis haec oratio formula « Ego Iahve » quasi sigillo obsignatur. |
15:27
v. 21 « Venerunt autem in Elim |filii Israel], ubi erant duodecim fontes aquarum et septuaginta palmae, et. castrametati sunt quzta aquas ». Cf. Num. 33,9. De Elim diximus p. 163. Locus commemoratur ob abundantes aquas, et probabilius Hebraei ibi aliquamdiu substitere. Insumperunt mensem e Ramesse, unde profecti sunt 15* mensis primi (12,17. 41. 51), ad desertum Sinai 16,1. Ipsa illa 15* die venerunt in Socoth (12,37), 19* in Etham (13,20), summa quippe festinatione tum procedebant. At quamdiu in Phihahiroth substiterint, nescimus. A Mari Rubro ad Mara tres saltem insumpserunt dies (15,22), Marae sine dubio substiterunt. Textum huius capitis esse in quibusdam deformatum, alii ante nos i 3 f agnovere. v. 8 idem plane habet quod v. 6 sq., constructione planiore; ut videatur scriba aliquis textum v. 6 sq. voluisse clarius exprimere, | quae glossa postmodum in ipsum textum irrepserit; imprimis ille v. 8. - carnes et panes expressit, qui v. 6 sq. tacebantur, etita, ut nobis videtur, . capitis contextum obscuravit. Igitur v. 8 tamquam glossam expungimus. Haec explanatio facilior altera, quam suggerit Bonfr., v. 6-8 legi « antieipative » eo quo nunc leguntur loco; proprium eorum locum esse post v. 12. At ibi certe abundarent portentique narrationem | haud opportune discinderent. Di//m. putat v. & sq. a contextu discordare, solum panem, non carnes promittere, murmurationes non ear- . pere, sed tentationem promittere nescio quam. Nos accurata textus expositione has obiectiones diluemus, simulque narrationis unitatem demonstrabimus, quae nequaquam constet centonibus ex A et C depromptis. | Arg. — Murmurante populo ob annonae inopiam, Deus soli Moysi suum aperit eonsilium largiendi populo cibi coelestis, colligendi de. die in diem, die vero ante sabbatum pro biduo colligendi; simul finem aliquem eoncedendi beneficii indicat, velle se experimento probare populi in re sabbati fidem. Moyses populo brevi adfuturam gratiam - generatim annuntiat, finem illum prudenter reticet : illa quippe ten- - tatio si praenuntiabatur, vera tentatio iam non erat. aliam inter hane stationem et inter Elim commemorat stationem, illam se. « super Mare Rubrum » seu in conspectu eius. Potuit ea esse Wadi Gharandel, minus octodecim horarum itinere distans ab 'Ain Musa, una e maximis Sinaitidis oasibus. Aquam habet potabilem, licet amariorem. Oasis, si descriptiones peregrinorum saeculi decimi quinti consulas, videtur tum florentior fuisse, quam nunc est. Cf. Ebers, Gosen p. 119 sqq. Alii Wadi Tajibeh , quod octo fere horis a Wadi Gharandel distat, ei stationi assignarunt : illud fontes habet paucos et malos. Cap. XVI
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… The first to be employed were the aforementioned canticle of Moses at the Red Sea (Ex. 15:1 ff.) and that of the three youths in the furnace (Dan. 3:52 ff.), which are, one might say, the typical canticles. …
In the standard canons - with original meter and melody - the first strophe of each ode begins, by way of allusion or association, from a preestablished biblical hymn: the I from the canticle of the Israelites (Ex. 15, 1-8); the II - the canticle of Moses near death (Deut. 32, 1-43); the III - the canticle of Hannah (I Sam. 2, 1-10); the IV - the prayer of Habakkuk (Hab. 3, 2-19); the V - the prayer …
… prayer; both of souls tried by spiritual desolation, as in the prayer of Tobit (Tob. 3, 1-6), of Sarah (ibid. 3, 13-23), of Christ in Gethsemane (Mt. 26, 39-42; Lk. 22, 42 etc.); and of others in moments of joy and exultation, as in the canticle of Moses (Ex. 15, 1-8), in the prayer of Solomon (I Kings 8, 23-26), of Azariah (Dan. 3, 26-45), of the three young men in the furnace (ibid. 3, 52-90). Many Psalms contain affections for other situations …
Red Sea (Gr. Ἡ Ἔρυθρά Θάλασσα; Heb. Jām Sūph)
ARCHAEOLOGY. - Christian art depicted the scene of the crossing of the Red Sea (Ex. 14:21-36; 15:1-6) in the 4th century, on the front of certain sarcophagi: there, for the most part, from a great door on the left come horsemen and foot soldiers, preceded by Pharaoh on his chariot, …
15:4
Red Sea (Gr. Ἡ Ἔρυθρά Θάλασσα; Heb. Jām Sūph)
The general opinion, supported by the biblical texts, is that the miraculous passage of the Hebrews through the R. S. (Ex. 15, 4-22) took place in the Gulf of Suez, which at that time, by means of natural channels, was joined to the basin of the Bitter Lakes. …
15:11
… In an improper sense, it is also used for the false divinities of other peoples, just as the plural 'elīm (Ex. 15, 11; Dan. 11, 36). Cf. F. Zorell, p. 51 ff.
15:13
… Jewish theology regarding the covenant present significant divergences, and one comes to say that a single Israelite is worth before God all the peoples of the earth (Siphrē on Deut. 14:2) and that Israel is the only people of God (Mē-khilthā on Ex. 15:13-16).
15:15
EDOM (IDUMEA). - Name by which are called: 1) the adult Esau (Gen. 25, 30; 36, 19); 2) his descendants and their land (Ex. 15, 15; Num. 20, 14 ff.; Judg. 5, 4; 11, 17 f.; II Sam. 8, 14; I Kings 9, 26; 11, 14 ff.; II Kings 3, 8 f.; 8, 20-22, etc.). …
15:18
Samaritans (Heb. Sōmērōnīm; Gr. Οἱ Σαμαρεῖται)
… In 1948 in the village of Salbit, 3 km. east of Qubâb on the Jerusalem-Ramleh road, a synagogue was discovered, facing Mount Gerizim, with an inscription of Ex. 15, 18.
15:20
… In Sacred Scripture, dance occurs as a collective manifestation of joy (Ex. 15, 20; Judg. 11, 34; I Sam. 18, 6), as an act of festivity (Judg. 21, 21) and as a sign of honor to God (Ps. 67, 26; 149, 3). In the episode of the golden calf, the Hebrews sin by dancing …
… The mythical school of Strauss claimed that the story of E. was a myth modeled on the account of the wife of Aaron, E., and of Mary, his sister (Ex. 6:23; 15:20); a tendentious and arbitrary assertion.
… have his own mother given to him as a nurse by the daughter of Pharaoh (Ex. 2:4-10). At the crossing of the Red Sea, M. was 90 years old (Ex. 7:7) and as a prophetess led, under divine influence, the dances and songs of joy and thanksgiving to Yahweh (Ex. 15:20 ff.; Mic. 6:4; cf. Num. 12:2). In the desert, at Hazeroth, she murmured with Aaron against the authority of Moses, as though they too were not prophets, made jealous by the influence that …
… the most important are those required by the rite of the sacred dances, which were an integral part of Israelite liturgy: first of all the tōph, a kind of tambourine with which the prophetess Miriam accompanied herself singing the canticle of Moses (Ex. 15, 20) and which the daughter of Jephthah joined to the dance (Iud. 11, 34); other instruments of the kind are the cymbals or bronze plates ṣelsēlim, played by the Levites and of which …
The biblical sources recall, after Moses, the great prophet (Os. 12:14 [Vulg. 13]; Num. 11:25; 12:6; Deut. 18:15, 18; 34:10): Miriam his sister (Ex. 15:20; Num. 12:2; cf. Mt. 6:4); Joshua (Ecli. 46:1); during the period of the Judges: Deborah and an anonymous nābhi (Iude. 4:4; 6:8), an anonymous "man of God" who announces to …
15:21
… The locality was located "on the edge of the desert" of Shur (Ex. 15:21; Num. 38:8) which extended to the east of the great wall (Heb. ṣār) protecting the isthmus of Suez.
15:22
… Besides this, three other fragments of D. have been preserved by Eusebius, Praeparatio evangelica, IX, 21: history of Jacob, from his departure to Mesopotamia until his death; 29, 1-3: genealogy of Zipporah, wife of Moses, from Abraham and Keturah; 29, 15: story of the bitter water (Ex. 15, 22 ff.); PG 21, 714-22, 738 ff., 746. Eusebius draws them from the collection of Alexander Polyhistor (80-40 B.C.). …
SUR (Heb. Šûr "Wall"). - Desert crossed by the Israelites after a three days' march following the crossing of the Red Sea (Ex. 15:22), called in Num. 33:8 the desert of Etham. …
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Mara (Hebrew: mārāh; Septuagint: Mérra Pikría)
MARAH (Heb. Mārāh, Septuagint Μέρρα "bitterness"). - A spring of bitter water in the desert of Shur (v.), where the Israelites stopped on the third day after the crossing of the Red Sea (Ex. 15:23-26). From the 4th century it was commonly identified with 'Ajūn Mūsā ("fountains of Moses"), 15 km southeast of Suez and 30 km from the Bitter Lakes.
15:27
The Roman rite of today is formed by a Missa catechumenorum, that is, by an antiphon of the Introit (Mt. 21:9; without psalm), by the prayer « Deus, quem diligere », by the reading of Ex. 15:27 and 16:1-7, by the responsory Collegium (Jo. 11:47; 49, 50, 53) or In monte Oliveti (Mt. 26:39 and 41), by the Gospel Cum appropinquasset (ibid. 21:1-9; in ancient times also Mc. 11:1 …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.