Berean Standard Bible
Exodus 15:20
20Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing.
Exodus 15:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
- New International Version (NIV)Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
Context of Exodus 15:20
18The LORD will reign forever and ever!” 19For when Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and horsemen went into the sea, the LORD brought the waters of the sea back over them. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing. 21And Miriam sang back to them: “Sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; the horse and rider He has thrown into the sea.” 22Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the Desert of Shur. For three days they walked in the desert without finding water.
Read all of Exodus 15Exodus 15:20 word by word
וַתִּקַּח֩ מִרְיָ֨ם הַנְּבִיאָ֜ה אֲח֧וֹת אַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־הַתֹּ֖ף בְּיָדָ֑הּ וַתֵּצֶ֤אןָ כָֽל־הַנָּשִׁים֙ אַחֲרֶ֔יהָ בְּתֻפִּ֖ים וּבִמְחֹלֹֽת׃Read the interlinear
- Then Miriamמִרְיָםmiryâm · MiriamH4813
- the prophetessנְבִיאָהnebîy'âh · prophetessH5031
- Aaron’sאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- sisterאָחוֹת'âchôth · sisterH269
- tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- a tambourineתֹּףtôph · tambourineH8596
- in her handיָדyâd · handH3027
- and allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- the womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- the womenאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- followed herיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- and dancingמְחוֹלָהmechôlâh · danceH4246
Cross-references for Exodus 15:20
- Judges 4:4Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.
- 1 Samuel 10:5After that you will come to Gibeah of God, where the Philistines have an outpost. As you approach the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying.
- 2 Kings 22:14So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District.
- Luke 2:36There was also a prophetess named Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, who was well along in years. She had been married for seven years,
- Acts 21:9He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
- 1 Corinthians 11:5And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for it is just as if her head were shaved.
- 1 Corinthians 14:34Women are to be silent in the churches. They are not permitted to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says.
- Exodus 2:4And his sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
- Numbers 12:1Then Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married, for he had taken a Cushite wife.
- Numbers 20:1In the first month, the whole congregation of Israel entered the Wilderness of Zin and stayed in Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.
- Numbers 26:59and Amram’s wife was named Jochebed. She was also a daughter of Levi, born to Levi in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam.
- Micah 6:4For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery. I sent Moses before you, as well as Aaron and Miriam.
- Judges 11:34And when Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him with tambourines and dancing! She was his only child; he had no son or daughter besides her.
- Judges 21:21and watch. When you see the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, each of you is to come out of the vineyards, catch for himself a wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
- 1 Samuel 18:6As the troops were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs, and with tambourines and other instruments.
- 2 Samuel 6:5David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all kinds of wood instruments, harps, stringed instruments, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.
Commentaries on Exodus 15:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20And Miriam the prophetess - We have already seen that Miriam was older than either Moses or Aaron: for when Moses was exposed on the Nile, she was a young girl capable of managing the stratagem used for the preservation of his life; and then Aaron was only three years and three months old, for he was fourscore and three years old when Moses was but fourscore, (see Exodus 7:7;); so that Aaron was older than Moses, and Miriam considerably older than either…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20And Miriam the prophetess - The part here assigned to Miriam and the women of Israel is in accordance both with Egyptian and Hebrew customs. The men are represented as singing the hymn in chorus, under the guidance of Moses; at each interval Miriam and the women sang the refrain, marking the time with the timbrel, and with the measured rhythmical movements always associated with solemn festivities. Compare Judges 11:34; 2 Samuel 6:5, and marginal…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-21In many ancient societies, men and women took part in ceremonies separately. Women often had special roles in songs of praise and in songs of mourning.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Miriam the prophetess--so called from her receiving divine revelations (Nu 12:1; Mi 6:4), but in this instance principally from her being eminently skilled in music, and in this sense the word "prophecy" is sometimes used in Scripture (1Ch 25:1; 1Co 11:5). took a timbrel--or "tabret"--a musical instrument in the form of a hoop, edged round with rings or pieces of brass to make a jingling noise and covered over with tightened parchment like a drum. It…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 15:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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