Exodus 15:3

Exo 15:3 The LORD [is] a man of war: the LORD [is] his name.

Ver. 3. The Lord is a man of war.] Yea, he alone is a whole army of men, van and rear both. {Isa 52:12} He sends the sword; {Eze 14:17} musters the men; {Isa 13:4} orders the ammunition; {Jer 50:25} gives the victory: whence he is here styled by the Chaldee, The Lord and Victor of wars.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Exo_15:3

The Lord is a man of war.

The triumphs of Jehovah

I. The thought of Gods triumphs as a man of war seems to be valuable as giving in its degree a proof of the truth of Holy Writ. The moral expectations raised by our Lords first sermon on the Mount are being actually realized in many separate souls now. The prayer for strength to triumph against the devil, the world, and the flesh is becoming daily more visibly proved in the triumph of the Spirit, in the individual lives of the redeemed.

II. The triumphs of the Lord in the individual hearts among us give an increasing hope for unity throughout Christendom. We cannot deny the debt we owe to the labours of Nonconformists in the days of the Churchs lethargy and neglect. We cannot join them now, but we are preparing for a more close and lasting union, in Gods own time, by the individual progress in spiritual things.

III. We must do our part to set our seal to the triumphant power of Divine grace. It is the half-lives of Christians which are such a poor proof of the truth of our Lords words. They do not begin early enough; they do not work thoroughly enough. We have the promise that this song shall be at last on the lips of all who prevail, for St. John tells us in the Revelation that he saw those who had overcome standing on the sea of glass, having the harps of God, singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. (Bp. King.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Exo 15:3. The Lord is a man of war — Able to deal with all those that strive with their Maker. Houbigant renders the words bellator fortis, Jehovah is a strong warrior, or, mighty in war, a translation countenanced by the Samaritan Hebrew copy, and by the Septuagint, the Chaldee of Onkelos, the Syriac, and the Arabic versions. Jehovah, instead of Lord, should have been retained throughout this song, and especially in the last clause of this verse, Jehovah is his name.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15:3 The Lord is a warrior: He will aggressively defend his own. He is not an oppressor, nor does he fight for the love of violence. But when his people are helpless before the enemy, whether external or internal, they can know that Yahweh, “He Who Is,” is their defender (Isa 59:15-19; 63:1-6; Rev 11:17-18). Regarding the name Yahweh, see study note on Exod 3:15.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Ever constant in his promise.

In battle he overcometh ever.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 3. The Lord is a man of war] Perhaps it would be better to translate the words, Jehovah is the man or hero of the battle. As we scarcely ever apply the term to any thing but first-rate armed vessels, the change of the translation seems indispensable, though the common rendering is literal enough. Besides, the object of Moses was to show that man had no part in this victory, but that the whole was wrought by the miraculous power of God, and that therefore he alone should have all the glory.

The LORD is his name.] That is, JEHOVAH. He has now, as the name implies, given complete existence to all his promises. See Clarke on Ge 2:4, and "Ex 6:3".

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(3) The Lord is a man of war.—The directness and boldness of the anthropomorphism is markedly archaic, and is wisely retained by our translators. How turgid and yet weak are the Samaritan, “mighty in battle,” and the LXX., “crusher of wars,” in comparison!

The Lord is his name.—In the very name, Jehovah, is implied all might, all power, and so necessarily the strength to prevail in battle. The name, meaning “the Existent,” implies that nothing else has any real existence independently of Him; and if no existence, then necessarily no strength.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. a man of war] one who understands how to fight, and to vanquish his foes. The same figure, of Jehovah, Isa_42:13 (‘a man of wars’), Psa_24:8 (‘the mighty man [gibbôr] of battle [or of war]’); cf. also ch. Exo_14:14.

Yahweh is his name] an exultant ejaculation: ‘Yahweh’ is to the poet the great and powerful God, who helps, defends, and delivers His people. Cf. Amo_5:8; Amo_9:6; and ‘Yahweh of hosts is his name,’ Amo_4:13; Amo_5:27, Isa_47:4; Isa_48:2 al.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Lord is a man of war,.... A "man", which has respect to the future incarnation of Christ, for as yet he was not really man; though it was purposed, covenanted, agreed to, and prophesied of, that he should, as he after was; not a mere man, as appears by the following clause: "a man of war"; or a warrior; being engaged in war, and inured to it; having to do with very powerful enemies, Satan and his principalities and powers, the world, and the great men of it, antichrist, and all the antichristian states. A warrior well versed in all the arts of war, and abundantly qualified for it, having consummate wisdom, strength, and courage, and thoroughly furnished and accoutred for it; having on the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the garment of vengeance, and cloak of zeal, and a vesture dipped in blood; and with a sword girt on his thigh, or drawn, or coming out of his mouth; and with a bow and arrows, going forth conquering, and to conquer; for he is a victorious one, who has conquered sin, Satan, and the world, and will subdue all others, and make his people more than conquerors, through him. He is not a common man of war or warrior; he is the Captain of the Lord's host, the Leader and Commander of the people, the Generalissimo of the armies in heaven and earth, and is a Prince and King at the head of them:

the Lord is his name; or Jehovah, which proves him to be more than a man; and being so, it is no wonder that he is so mighty, powerful, and victorious.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The Lord. Septuagint, "breaking wars in pieces," a man of war, a conqueror. (Calmet) --- Almighty. Jehova, I am. This is the most awful and incommunicable name. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

A man of war; an eminent warrior; as the phrase is used 1Sa 17:33. Thus an eloquent man is called a man of words, Exo 4:10, and a mighty man, a man of arm, Job 22:8.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

a man of war. A strong anthropomorphism, but one that could scarcely be misunderstood man of war," meaning commonly "a warrior," or "one mighty in battle". (Psa_24:8) God"s might had just been proved, in that he alone had discomfited and destroyed the most potent armed force in the whole world. The Lord is his name. Jehovah the alone-existing One "truly describes him," before whom all other existence fades and falls into nothingness. On the full meaning of the name, see the comment on Exo_3:14.

Vers. 3-21. The results of deliverance to God"s people.

I THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE MARVELLOUSNESS OF GOD"S POWER (3-12).

1. The might of Egypt, when measured with the strength of God, was uttervanity (4, 5). The Lord"s right hand had dashed in pieces the enemy. What can make the heart afraid which knows the power of God?

2. The deadly malice of Egypt was extinguished in a moment like a sparkbeneath the heel. The picture of the foe"s deadly purpose set side by side with God"s deed: "Thou didst blow with thy wind they sank as lead in the mighty waters.

II CONFIDENCE FOE THE ONWARD WAY.

1. In his mercy and strength God will lead them to the rest he has promised( 13).

2. This deliverance will fight for them (14-16). The heart of their foes willdie within them. And when led into their land this fear of the Lord will be a wall between them and the nations round about. They shall not only be led in, but planted there in undisturbed security.

3. God will, as now, triumph through all the ages, and accomplish, nomatter how his people may fear and his enemies may vaunt themselves, all his righteous will. U

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Lord is a man of war - Able to deal with all those that strive with their maker.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

ה' איש מלחמה means The Lord is a Master of war; just as, (Ruth 1:3) “the איש (i. e. the master) of Naomi”. (Cf. Rashi on that verse). Wherever the words איש and אישך occur they must be translated by בעל; so, too, (1 Kings 2:2) “Be thou strong and show thyself an איש” — a mighty person.

ה' שמו THE LORD IS HIS NAME — His wars are not waged with martial weapons but He fights by means of His Name, just as David said, (I Samuel 17:45) “But I come against thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts”. Another explanation of ה׳ שמו — He is a man of war, but His Name is the Lord (the God of Mercy): even at the time when He battles against and avenges Himself upon His enemies He retains His attribute (that expressed by His name ה׳) showing pity to His creatures and feeding all the inhabitants of the world; not as is the nature of the kings of the world each one of whom when he is engaged in war turns aside from all other engagements, and has not the power to do both this and that (cf. Mekhilta).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

Ad-noy is the master of war, Ad-noy is His name. Even though as the master of war He executes strict judgment against the wicked, His name remains “Ad-noy,” signifying the attribute of mercy. Moreover, the eradication of those who cause the world to be destroyed is in itself a form of mercy.

Sforno on the Tanakh — English translation: “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.