Exodus 15:6

(6) Thy right hand.—Here is a second anthropomorphism, following naturally on the first, and occuring in the later Scriptures frequently, though now used for the first time.

Hath dashed in pieces.—Rather, dashes in pieces. The verb is in the future, but is a future of continuance.

Thou hast overthrown . . . —Heb., thou overthrowest them that rise up against thee; thou sendest forth thy wrath: it consumeth them like stubble.

The blast of thy nostrils.—The “east wind” of Exo_14:21. (Comp. Psa_18:15.) As a physical effect, the gathering together of the waters, is ascribed to the “blast,” we must understand a physical cause. Otherwise, God’s wrath might be meant, as in Job_4:9.

The floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed.—The literalism which, taking its stand on these phrases, maintains that the water “gave up its nature (Kalisch) indicates an inability to distinguish poetry from prose, and fact from imagery. As well might it be held that the east wind was actually the breath of God’s nostrils. (See the Note on Exo_14:22.)

(6-10) The second stanza, or strophe, expands the subject-matter of the first. It begins, like the first, with some general expressions, setting forth the glory and power of Jehovah (Exo_15:6-7), as shown in the recent catastrophe. From this it proceeds to the catastrophe itself, which it describes in considerable detail, noting (1) the sudden rise of the wind (Exo_15:8); (2) the gathering together of the waters into separate masses (ibid.); (3) the boastful and vindictive temper of the Egyptians (ibid.); (4) the rise of a second wind (Exo_15:9); (5) the consequent return of the waters; and (6) the submerging of the host by them. The second stanza is considerably longer than the first, consisting of twelve, whereas the first consists of only seven, lines.

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

Exo 15:6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

Ver. 6. Hath dashed in pieces.] "It is a fearful thing to fall into the" punishing "hands of the living God." {Heb 10:31} For "who knoweth the power of his anger?" {Psa 90:11}

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.

15:6-12 The personal tone continues as the Lord is referred to as you and is contrasted dramatically with them (15:7). All that the enemy intended (15:9) was brought to nothing (15:10) before the mighty power of God.

15:6 Your right hand: This was typically a warrior’s sword arm.

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

Or, power.

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

Verse 6. Thy right hand] Thy omnipotence, manifested in a most extraordinary way.

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

6.Thy right hand, O Yahweh glorious in power,

Thy right hand, O Yahweh, did dash in pieces the enemy.

The text can only be so rendered, ‘glorious’ (which is masc.) agreeing with ‘Yahweh’ (cf. v. 11), and the subject, ‘Thy right hand,’ being repeated for emphasis in v. 6b before the predicate (just as in Psa_92:9; Psa_93:3; Psa_94:3). If we desire to render as in RV., we must read נאדרה for נאדרי. The figure of the ‘right hand,’ as Isa_51:9, Psa_118:15-16 al.

glorious] Cf. v. 11; and the cognate adj. אדיר, of Jehovah, Isa_10:34 (EVV. a mighty one), Isa_33:21 (RV. in majesty), Psa_76:4 (render, ‘Illumined [but read probably Terrible, as vv. 7, 12] art thou and glorious’), Psa_93:4 (EVV. mighty); cf. Psa_8:1; Psa_8:9 (render, ‘How glorious is thy name in all the earth!’). The idea of the word is noble, grand, magnificent.

did dash in pieces] only besides Jdg_10:8 (EVV. weakly vexed: render, ‘brake and crushed’); cf. the same word in Jdg_9:53 Targ.

6–10. How Jehovah, by His power, had annihilated the foe: elated with the hope of plunder, and confident of victory, they pursued Israel into the path cut through the sea; He but blew with His wind, and the waters closed upon them.

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.

Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power,.... In bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt, and through the Red sea, and in the destruction of Pharaoh and the Egyptians; and so the right hand of Christ, expressive of his power, he has in and of himself, and is the same with his Father's, and is mighty, yea, almighty, is become glorious, famous, and illustrious, in the redemption and salvation of his people, by bearing their sins, and working out a righteousness for them; and in the destruction of their enemies, sin, Satan, the world, and death, as is more fully expressed in the next clause:

thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy; in a literal sense, Pharaoh and his host, the avowed enemies of Israel; and, in a spiritual sense, those before named, together with all the antichristian party, those enemies of Christ, and his people, whom he wilt break to shivers as a potter's vessel, Rev 2:27.

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

6-8. Second strain. Now the poet breaks out into a bold apostrophe to Jehovah. Here are seven lines in two couplets and one triplet, rising in climax from a declaration of his power to a description of its manifestation at the Red Sea, first in plain language, and then in tropes which steadily rise in fervour and boldness.

Blast of thy nostrils — Sublime imagery for the “strong east wind” which God made to blow “all that night.”

Rise like a heap… stiffen — The waters are poetically painted as solid masses, heaped up like walls. Habakkuk sang in a yet bolder strain: The deep lifted up his voice, (and) raised his hands on high. Hab_3:10.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 6-18. Between verses 5 and 6, Miriam"s chorus was probably interposed "Sing ye unto the Lord," etc. Then began the second strophe or stanza of the ode. It is, in the main, expansive and exegetical of the preceding stanza, going into greater detail, and drawing a contrast between the antecedent pride and arrogance of the Egyptians and their subsequent miserable fall.

Thy right hand, O Lord. Another anthropomorphism, here used for the first time. Compare ver. 12; Deu_33:2; and the Psalms, passim. Is become glorious Or "is glorious. Kalisch rightly regards verses 6 and 7 as containing "a general description of God"s omnipotence and justice," and notes that the poet only returns to the subject of the Egyptians in verse 8. So also Knobel. Hath dashed in pieces. Rather, "Will dash in pieces," or "dashes in pieces a general statement.

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

Your right hand, Yahweh, is glorious in power

Moses speaks of God as if God had hands. The right hand refers to God's power or the things God does powerfully. AT: "Yahweh, your power is glorious" or "Yahweh, what you do is glorious in power" (See: Metonymy)

your right hand, Yahweh, has shattered the enemy

Moses speaks of God as if God had hands. The right hand refers to God's power. AT: "Yahweh, your power has shattered the enemy" or "Yahweh, by your power you have shattered the enemy" (See: Metonymy)

has shattered the enemy

Moses speaks of the enemy as if it were fragile and could be shattered like glass or pottery. AT: "has completely destroyed the enemy" (See: Metaphor)

those who rose up against you

Rebelling against God is spoken of as rising up against him. AT: "those who rebelled against you" or "your enemies" (See: Metaphor)

You sent out your wrath

Moses speaks of God's wrath as if it were a servant that God sent out to do something. AT: "You showed your wrath" or "You acted according to your wrath" (See: Personification)

it consumed them like stubble

Moses speaks of God's wrath as if it were fire that could completely burn up things. His enemies were completely destroyed like stubble in a fire. AT: "it completely destroyed your enemies like a fire that burns up straw" (See: Metaphor and Simile)

By the blast of your nostrils

Moses speaks of God as if God had a nose, and he speaks of the wind as if God blew the wind from his nose. AT: "You blew on the sea and" (See: Personification)

translationWords

right hand

glory

power

majesty

send

wrath

consume

water

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

ימינך... ימינך THY RIGHT HAND — twice! — When Israel performs the will of the Omnipresent the left hand (intended for punishment) becomes a right hand (bestowing reward, so that God has two right hands as it were) (Mekhilta).

ימינך ה' נאדרי בכח THY RIGHT HAND, O LORD, IS GLORIOUS IN POWER to deliver Israel, and thy second right hand dashes the enemy in pieces. But it seems to me that if we have to take it in the sense: Thy right hand is glorious to save, thy right hand dashes in pieces etc. the explanation is that the self-same right hand itself dashes the enemy in pieces, something which it is impossible for a human being — to do two actions with one hand. But the literal sense of the text is: “Thy right hand, that is glorious in power — what does it do?” — “Thy right hand, O Lord, dashes the enemy in pieces”. There are many Scriptural verses exactly in this poetical form, e. g., (Psalms 92:10) “For, behold, thine enemies, O Lord, for behold, thine enemies shall perish” and others similar.

נאדרי The י is redundant as in (Lamentations 1:1) “full of (רבתי) people... princess (שרתי) amongst the provinces”; (Genesis 31:39) “stolen (גנבתי) by day”.

תרעץ אויב means, it always crushes and shatters the enemy; similar in meaning to it is, “And they crushed (וירעצו) and broke the children of Israel”, in the Book of Judges (Judges 10:8). [Another explanation is: Thy right hand that is glorious in power shatters and punishes the enemy, and these words must be connected with the following:

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.

THY RIGHT HAND, O ETERNAL, GLORIOUS IN POWER, THY RIGHT HAND, O ETERNAL, DASHETH IN PIECES THE ENEMY. Rashi commented: “The literal sense of the text is as follows: ‘Thy right hand that is glorious in power — what does it do? Thy right hand, O Eternal, dasheth in pieces the enemy.’ There are many Scriptural verses that follow this form. For lo Thine enemies, O Eternal, for lo Thine enemies shall perish;, 92:10. The meaning then would be: “For lo Thine enemies, O Eternal, what shall happen to them? For lo Thine enemies shall perish.” Eternal, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult?, 94:3. The floods have lifted up, O Eternal, the floods have lifted up their voice.”, 93:3. In my opinion, however, this is not correct. Verses repeat words in order to indicate that such will always be the case, without identifying what they refer to until they mention it the second time. Had Scripture said here, “Thy right hand, thy right hand, dasheth in pieces the enemy” it would have been exactly like the other verses Rashi mentions. [But instead it says here, Thy right hand, O Eternal, ‘glorious in power,’ Thy right hand, O Eternal, dasheth… and consequently it is unlike the other verses mentioned.] Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that the verse means: “Thy right hand, O Eternal, Thou Who art glorious in power, may Thy right hand dash in pieces the enemy.” In that case, the verse here is similar in form to the verses mentioned [by Rashi].A more correct interpretation would be to explain it thus: “Thy right hand, O Eternal, is glorious in power to humble all proud and lofty; Thy right hand, O Eternal, dashes in pieces the enemy with great power.” It mentions the right hand both in the masculine and feminine forms, ” is in the masculine gender; “Thy right hand… ‘tir’atz’ (dasheth)” is in the feminine. just as in the verse, Behold, a hand was put forth unto me; and lo, a roll of a book was therein, (put forth) is a feminine form; bo (therein) is a masculine. and is repeated as is customary in prophecies.The student learned [in the mystic lore of the Cabala] will understand the way of the Truth in this verse from the first verses I have explained. And so did the Rabbis say it: “With the very same hand with which He sank the Egyptians, He delivered Israel,” for it is “the power” that saves, as it is said, And now, I pray Thee, let the power of the Eternal be great.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.