Exodus 15:10
You blew with your wind; the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The seemingly simple phrase "sank as lead" hints at something incredible: the original Hebrew word here might not be the common word for sinking, but rather one suggesting a sudden, almost "whizzing" descent, like a bell plunging into water. This emphasizes not just the Egyptians' end, but the sheer, swift totality of God's decisive action.
This verse is part of a triumphant song sung by Moses and the Israelites immediately after God miraculously delivered them from the pursuing Egyptian army by parting the Red Sea. Pharaoh's army, attempting to cross on dry ground where Israel had just passed, was then utterly destroyed when the waters returned, swallowing them whole. The song emphasizes God's power and glory, recounting the annihilation of their enemies with vivid imagery.
It's easy to think of God as distant, but this verse shows His power is as immediate as His breath. Imagine the sheer force packed into that divine exhalation!
This verse paints a vivid picture of God's direct intervention. The phrase 'You blew with your wind' isn't just poetic language; it signifies God's active, intentional power unleashed.
Divine Exhalation
Why 'lead' of all things? This imagery isn't just about sinking; it's about absolute defeat and irreversible judgment.
The description of the Egyptians sinking 'like lead' is a powerful metaphor for the finality and totality of God's judgment.
Unrecoverable Descent
Understand the original words
ruach · Hebrew Noun
Refers to breath, spirit, or divine wind; it signifies God’s life-giving power or His breath of judgment and command over creation.
~1446 BC
Israelites Flee Egypt
Following the ten plagues, the Israelites depart from Egypt after 400 years of slavery, led by Moses.
~1446 BC
Parting of the Red Sea
A strong east wind parts the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry ground. This event is central to the Exodus narrative.
~1446 BC— this verse
Destruction of the Egyptian Army
As the Israelites finish crossing, the wind ceases, and the Red Sea returns to its normal state, drowning Pharaoh's pursuing army.
~1446 BC
Song of the Sea
Moses and the Israelites immediately sing a song of victory and praise to God for their deliverance and the destruction of their enemies.
This Psalm echoes the Exodus event, stating that the waters covered the enemies and not one of them was left. It reinforces the complete annihilation described in Exodus 15:10.
Psalm 77:16-19This passage vividly describes God's power displayed in the waters, with the thunder and lightning, and the deep. It aligns with the supernatural force behind the Red Sea's action in Exodus 15:10.
Job 20:27This verse speaks of God revealing iniquity and the heavens giving testimony against the wicked. The sinking of the Egyptians like lead is a powerful visual of divine judgment being revealed.
Nahum 1:4Similar to Exodus 15:10, this verse describes God rebuking the sea and making it dry, and causing all the rivers to fail. It highlights God's sovereign authority over the waters.
Revelation 18:21This verse speaks of a mighty angel casting a great millstone into the sea, symbolizing Babylon's complete destruction and its inability to ever be found again. This echoes the finality of the Egyptians sinking like lead.
cambridgeExodus 15:10: "Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters."
10 . God did but blow with His wind, and all their hopes were in a moment shattered; they sank and perished in the returning waters. sank ] The word occurs nowhere else in this sense: to judge from its derivatives, the root will have meant to whir, whiz, clang , &c.: so perhaps the idea is whizzed down , or (cf. Southey’s poem, The Inchcape Rock , l. 37, of a bell sinking) sank with a gu…
clarkeExodus 15:10: "Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters."
Exodus 15:16 Thou sentest forth thy wrath, Consuming them as stubble. And with the blast of thy nostrils The waters were gathered together. Thou didst blow with thy wind: The sea covered them. Terror and dread shall fall upon them: By the might of thine arm they shall be still as a stone. Job Deuteronomy Job 20:27
The seemingly simple phrase "sank as lead" hints at something incredible: the original Hebrew word here might not be the common word for sinking, but rather one suggesting a sudden, almost "whizzing" descent, like a bell plunging into water. This emphasizes not just the Egyptians' end, but the sheer, swift totality of God's decisive action.
This verse is part of a triumphant song sung by Moses and the Israelites immediately after God miraculously delivered them from the pursuing Egyptian army by parting the Red Sea. Pharaoh's army, attempting to cross on dry ground where Israel had just passed, was then utterly destroyed when the waters returned, swallowing them whole. The song emphasizes God's power and glory, recounting the annihilation of their enemies with vivid imagery.
This verse is part of a triumphant song sung by Moses and the Israelites immediately after God miraculously delivered them from the pursuing Egyptian army by parting the Red Sea. Pharaoh's army, attempting to cross on dry ground where Israel had just passed, was then utterly destroyed when the waters returned, swallowing them whole. The song emphasizes God's power and glory, recounting the annihilation of their enemies with vivid imagery.
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"You blew with your wind; the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters." — The seemingly simple phrase "sank as lead" hints at something incredible: the original Hebrew word here might not be the common word for sinking, but rather one suggesting a sudden, almost "whizzing"…
