You blew with your wind; the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights the effortlessness of God's power; He doesn't exert immense force, but simply "blows," and the mighty Egyptian army is swallowed whole. This isn't just about a powerful wind, but the image of sinking "like lead" suggests a swift, absolute descent without struggle, emphasizing their utter helplessness against God's might.
You blew with your wind; the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is part of Moses' song of triumph, sung immediately after God's miraculous deliverance of Israel from the pursuing Egyptian army at the Red Sea. The song vividly recounts the destruction of Pharaoh's forces, who had been chasing the Israelites, by the mighty power of God, emphasizing God's intervention and the complete annihilation of their enemies.
What does it mean that God 'blew with His wind'? It's more than just weather!
In this powerful song, Moses isn't just describing a storm. He's highlighting the sheer, unstoppable power of God. The phrase 'You blew with your wind' is incredibly concise, conveying immense force with just a few words. It emphasizes that this wasn't a natural disaster that happened to Pharaoh's army, but a deliberate act of God's power. It's like a divine exhale that unleashes judgment. This 'breath' represents God's active, sovereign power that can instantly overwhelm and destroy even the most formidable opposition.
Why compare the Egyptians to lead? It speaks volumes about their finality.
The image of sinking 'like lead' is incredibly vivid. Lead is a dense, heavy metal that sinks quickly and surely to the bottom of the water, with no hope of returning. This isn't just a description of drowning; it's a picture of absolute, irreversible defeat. The Egyptians, so confident and powerful moments before, are utterly vanquished. Their strength, their chariots, their army – all became useless weight. Their sinking signifies a complete and final judgment, from which there was no escape or recovery.
Understand the original words
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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.
This verse is part of the "Song of the Sea," a powerful declaration of God's victory over Pharaoh's army at the Red Sea. It highlights the sudden and complete destruction of Egypt's mightiest warriors, emphasizing God's direct intervention through natural forces.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites Flee Egypt
After 400 years of slavery, the Israelites, led by Moses, depart from Egypt in a mass exodus. God miraculously parts the Red Sea, allowing them to cross on dry ground.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Egyptian Army Pursues Israelites
Pharaoh, regretting the loss of his enslaved workforce, mobilizes his army, including chariots and soldiers, to pursue the Israelites. They enter the parted waters after the Israelites have crossed.
c. 1446 BC
Red Sea Closes on Egyptians
As the Israelites reach the other side, God causes the Red Sea to return to its place. The pursuing Egyptian army, with all its might, is overwhelmed and drowned by the returning waters.
c. 1446 BC
Song of the Sea
In the immediate aftermath, Moses and the Israelites sing a victory song to the Lord, celebrating their deliverance and God's awesome power displayed in destroying their enemies.
This passage echoes the imagery of the waters parting and God's power displayed in the sea, specifically mentioning the 'deep' and 'waters' in relation to God's might.
Psalm 106:11This verse directly references the defeat of Pharaoh's army, stating that the waters covered their enemies and not one of them was left, reinforcing the finality of their destruction.
Nahum 1:4This prophetic passage describes God's power over the sea and rivers, rebuking them and making them dry, mirroring the divine control over the waters seen in Exodus.
Job 20:16This verse speaks of the wicked swallowing poison and sinking like lead, a strong parallel to the imagery of the Egyptians sinking like lead, illustrating complete and irreversible destruction.
Revelation 18:21This New Testament passage uses the striking image of a mighty angel casting a great millstone into the sea, signifying Babylon's complete destruction and 'sinking,' echoing the finality of the Egyptian defeat.
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 verse highlights the effortlessness of God's power; He doesn't exert immense force, but simply "blows," and the mighty Egyptian army is swallowed whole. This isn't just about a powerful wind, but the image of sinking "like lead" suggests a swift, absolute descent without struggle, emphasizing their utter helplessness against God's might.
This verse is part of Moses' song of triumph, sung immediately after God's miraculous deliverance of Israel from the pursuing Egyptian army at the Red Sea. The song vividly recounts the destruction of Pharaoh's forces, who had been chasing the Israelites, by the mighty power of God, emphasizing God's intervention and the complete annihilation of their enemies.
This verse is part of Moses' song of triumph, sung immediately after God's miraculous deliverance of Israel from the pursuing Egyptian army at the Red Sea. The song vividly recounts the destruction of Pharaoh's forces, who had been chasing the Israelites, by the mighty power of God, emphasizing God's intervention and the complete annihilation of their enemies.
"You blew with your wind; the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters." — The verse highlights the effortlessness of God's power; He doesn't exert immense force, but simply "blows," and the mighty Egyptian army is swallowed whole. This isn't just about a powerful wind, b…
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Last reviewed October 2026