Exodus 15:20

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 rule as king for ever! 19Pharaoh's horses, his chariots and his soldiers went into the sea. Then the Lord made the waters of the sea come back over them. But the Israelites walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground.’ Then Miriam, Aaron's sister, who was a prophet, took a tambourine in her hand. All the other women followed her, with tambourines in their hands. They danced while Miriam sang to them. 21This is the song that she sang: ‘Sing to the Lord, because he has shown his great power. He threw horses and their riders into the sea.’ 22Then Moses led the Israelites away from the Red Sea. They travelled into the desert called Shur. They walked into the desert for three days and they could not find any water to drink.

Exodus 15:20 word by word

וַתִּקַּח֩ מִרְיָ֨ם הַנְּבִיאָ֜ה אֲח֧וֹת אַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־הַתֹּ֖ף בְּיָדָ֑הּ וַתֵּצֶ֤אןָ כָֽל־הַנָּשִׁים֙ אַחֲרֶ֔יהָ בְּתֻפִּ֖ים וּבִמְחֹלֹֽת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Miriamמִרְיָםmiryâm · MiriamH4813
• the prophetessנְבִיאָהnebîy'âh · prophetessH5031
• the sisterאָחוֹת'âchôth · sisterH269
• of Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
• tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• a timbrelתֹּףtôph · tambourineH8596
• in her handיָדyâd · handH3027
• and all the womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• went outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• and with dancesמְחוֹלָהmechôlâh · danceH4246

Cross-references for Exodus 15:20

• Judges 4:4At that time, Lappidoth's wife Deborah was leading the Israelites. She was a prophetess.
• 1 Samuel 10:5Then you must go to God's special hill at Gibeah. Some Philistine soldiers have their camp there. When you reach the town, you will meet a group of prophets. They will be coming down from the hill where people worship God. They will be making music with their harps, tambourines, flutes and lyres. They will be prophesying as they go along.
• 2 Kings 22:14So Hilkiah, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to Huldah. Huldah was a prophetess who lived in the north part of Jerusalem. She was the wife of Shallum, the son of Tikvah. Tikvah was the son of Harhas, who took care of the king's clothes. The king's men told Huldah why they had come to meet her.
• Luke 2:36A very old woman called Anna was also there in the temple. She spoke messages that the Holy Spirit gave to her. She was the daughter of Phanuel, who belonged to the tribe of Asher. She had lived with her husband for seven years and then he had died.
• Acts 21:9He had four daughters who were not married. They spoke messages from God.
• 1 Corinthians 11:5But when a woman prays or she speaks a message from God, she should cover her head. If she does not cover her head, she does not respect the one who is her head. It would be as bad as if she cut off all her hair.
• 1 Corinthians 14:34The women should be quiet during the meetings. They should not speak. They should remember that they are under authority. That is also what God's Law teaches.
• Exodus 2:4The baby's sister stood not very far away. She wanted to see what would happen to the baby.
• Numbers 12:1Moses had married a woman who was a descendant of Cush. Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because he had married that woman.
• Numbers 20:1In the first month, the Israelites came to the Zin desert. They put up their tents at Kadesh. Miriam died there and the people buried her.
• Numbers 26:59The name of Amram's wife was Jochebed. She was a descendant of Levi, and she was born in Egypt. Amram and Jochebed were the parents of Moses and Aaron, and their sister Miriam.
• Micah 6:4I brought you out of Egypt. You were slaves in that country, but I made you free people. I sent Moses to lead you, and Aaron and Miriam with him.
• Judges 11:34After that, Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah. As he arrived, his daughter came out to meet him. She was dancing and making music with a tambourine. She was Jephthah's only child. He had no other son or daughter.
• Judges 21:21Watch carefully. When the young women of Shiloh come out to dance at the feast, run out from the vineyards. Each of you should catch one of the young women of Shiloh. Take them home to the land of Benjamin to be your wives.
• 1 Samuel 18:6After David had killed the Philistine, Goliath, he and the soldiers returned to their homes. Women came out from all the towns in Israel to meet King Saul. The women were happy as they sang songs and they danced. They made music with tambourines and lyres.
• 2 Samuel 6:5David and all Israel's people were singing and dancing with all their strength to praise the Lord. They made music with harps, lyres, tambourines, shakers 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

• Dancing
• Joy
• Miriam
• Music
• Prophetesses
• Song
• Thankfulness
• Timbrel
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Aaron
• Miriam
• Cherub
• Chosen
• Dance
• Exalt
• Exodus
• Fall
• Fearful
• Gloriously

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