The song that Israel sings at the sea (Shirat Hayam) offers an enduring glimpse into Israel’s state of mind as they internalize the great miracles that have taken place. The song expresses jubilation, excitement and awe as the newly emancipated nation proclaims of God’s deeds and uniqueness.
Surprisingly, however, only the first half of the song relates to the recent events. Shemot 15:1-11 describes the drowning of the Egyptian army, the splitting of the sea, and the mighty victory of God over Pharaoh. The second half of the song (Shemot 15:12-18) addresses a different subject entirely. Rather than dwelling longer on the events at the sea, the song turns its attention to the nation’s movement to the land of Israel, the installation of Israel in its land, and the establishment of the Temple.
Despite its past tense, Ibn Ezra (on Shemot 15:13) observes that this second section of the song looks toward the future. God guides Israel to His sacred pasture in verse 13, which Rashbam and Bechor Shor both agree is the Land of Israel. (Ramban maintains that this refers to the Temple. Ibn Ezra posits that the sacred pasture is Sinai, a critical stop in their journey toward the land.) This causes the nations proximate to the Land of Israel (Philistines, Edom, Moab, Canaanite nations) to tremble in panic and fear of God (Shemot 15:14-15). In verse 16, Israel crosses over into the land (Rashbam posits that the verb ya’avor indicates the nation’s passage over the Jordan River), where the nation then strikes roots on the mountain of God’s inheritance, namely the place of the Temple (Shemot 15:17).
How easily and seamlessly this song transitions us from one event to the next! No sooner does Israel emerge from the perils of the encroaching Egyptian army than the nation turns its attention to the next lofty goal, bound for the Land of Israel.
But the nation whose eyes are upon its future is a very different sort of nation than the one that was so recently gazing backward toward the sea. In the first part of the song, the focus is on God’s might against the Egyptian enemy. The Israelite nation seems to be made up of static bystanders, who watch the events passively as they unfold, reacting with reverence and joy.
When Israel looks toward the future, the nation becomes central and dynamic; proactive rather than reactive. It is the other nations who react, watching from the sidelines as Israel assumes its role at the center of history. This second part of the song is surrounded by the phrase am zu, “this nation,” which appears in verses 13 and 16. “This nation” glides ineluctably toward kedusha, holiness, a word that also appears at the beginning and end of the song’s second section (in verses 13 and 17). Israel’s future is defined as a journey toward sanctity, which will begin to take shape as the nation enters the holy land.
It turns out, then, that the Song of the Sea is not solely about the splitting of the sea, nor does it primarily express gratitude for Israel’s emancipation from the power of Egypt. The song looks backward at a past defined by passivity, and forward toward a future in which Israel actively shapes its destiny. It represents both the end of Israel’s prolonged slavery and the beginning of the road to nationhood. Most significant of all, this song marks Israel’s movement from the sidelines of world history to its upcoming central role in the world. When they sing the song at the sea, Israel’s task has only just begun.
Dr. Yael Ziegler is a lecturer in Bible at Herzog Academic College and at Matan Jerusalem. She is a member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau ( www.mizrachi.org/speakers ).
