Epic

How Nave’s arranged it

• (Heroic poetry)
• Miriam's songExodus 15:1–19Exodus 15:21
• Deborah's songJudges 5
• David's war song2 Samuel 22
• See Poetry

The passages, in Bible order (4)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 4 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Exodus 15:1–19

   Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: “I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted. The horse and rider He has thrown into the sea.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 15:1–192 voices

   “THIS is the first song unto the Lord which is recorded in Holy Scripture. In Jacob's blessing of his children there are verses which may be regarded as songs, but they are mere fragments and can scarcely be said to be sung unto the Lord. There are other couplets in the Book of Genesis, but this is the first connected song upon record. I should think that Abraham often sang unto the Lord, but we have no record of it.

   “With the deliverance of Israel is associated the development of the national poetry, which finds its first and perfect expression in this magnificent hymn. It was sung by Moses and the people, an expression which evidently points to him as the author. That it was written at the time is an assertion expressly made in the text, and it is supported by the strongest internal evidence.

   Everything gathered on Exodus 15:1–19→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Exodus 15:21

   And Miriam sang back to them: “Sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; the horse and rider He has thrown into the sea.”

   ›Commentary on Exodus 15:212 voices

   “Miriam answered them--"them" in the Hebrew is masculine, so that Moses probably led the men and Miriam the women--the two bands responding alternately, and singing the first verse as a chorus.

   “When God brought Israel out of Egypt, it is said ( Micah vi. 4 ), He sent before them Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, though we read not of any thing memorable that Miriam did but this. But those are to be reckoned great blessings to a people who assist them, and go before them, in praising God.

   Everything gathered on Exodus 15:21→

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Judges 5:1

   On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:

   ›Commentary on Judges 5:12 voices

   “Then sang Deborah and Barak . . . on that day--This noble triumphal ode was evidently the composition of Deborah herself. The meaning is obscurely seen in our version; it has been better rendered thus, "Praise ye Jehovah; for the free are freed in Israel--the people have willingly offered themselves" [ROBINSON].

   “Deborah, as “a prophetess,” both composed and sang this noble ode, which, for poetic spirit and lyric fire, is not surpassed by any of the sacred songs in the Bible. And, as Miriam took up the first verse of the song of Moses Exo 15:21, and sang it as an antiphony, so Barak, with the chorus of men, answered the song of Deborah by singing Jdg 5:2, which is also exactly suited for an antiphon, summing up as it does the subject matter of the whole ode. Compare David’s example 2Sa 6:15.

   Everything gathered on Judges 5:1→

   Verse page →Original language →

4. 2 Samuel 22:1

   And David sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.

   ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 22:12 voices

   The fifth song is in Second Samuel, when "David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul." He said, "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God will be my protector."

   “This song, which is found with scarcely any material variation as Ps. 18, and with the words of this first verse for its title, belongs to the early part of David’s reign when he was recently established upon the throne of all Israel, and when his final triumph over the house of Saul, and over the pagan nations 2Sa 22:44-46, Philistines, Moabites, Syrians, Ammonites, and Edomites, was still fresh 2 Sam. 21. For a commentary on the separate verses the reader is referred to the commentary on Ps. 18.

   Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 22:1→

   Verse page →Original language →