New International Version
Exodus 15:20
20Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels 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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine and led all the women as they played their tambourines and danced.
Context of Exodus 15:20
18“The Lord reigns for ever and ever.” 19When 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 prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. 21Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.” 22Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled 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
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 4:4Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time.
- 1 Samuel 10:5“After that you will go to Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine outpost. As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, timbrels, pipes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying.
- 2 Kings 22:14Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.
- Luke 2:36There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
- Acts 21:9He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
- 1 Corinthians 11:5But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.
- 1 Corinthians 14:34Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says.
- Exodus 2:4His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
- Numbers 12:1Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite.
- Numbers 20:1In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.
- Numbers 26:59the name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, a descendant of Levi, who was born to the Levites in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron, Moses and their sister Miriam.
- Micah 6:4I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam.
- Judges 11:34When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of timbrels! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter.
- Judges 21:21and watch. When the young women of Shiloh come out to join in the dancing, rush from the vineyards and each of you seize one of them to be your wife. Then return to the land of Benjamin.
- 1 Samuel 18:6When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres.
- 2 Samuel 6:5David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, 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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