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Exodus 15:20 And Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing.

< Exodus 15:19
Exodus 15:21 >

      20. Miriam the prophetess--so called from her receiving divine revelations (Nu 12:1; Mic 6:4), but in this instance principally from her being eminently skilled in music, and in this sense the word "prophecy" is sometimes used in Scripture (1Ch 25:1; 1Co 11:5).
      took a timbrel--or "tabret"--a musical instrument in the form of a hoop, edged round with rings or pieces of brass to make a jingling noise and covered over with tightened parchment like a drum. It was beat with the fingers, and corresponds to our tambourine.
      all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances--We shall understand this by attending to the modern customs of the East, where the dance--a slow, grave, and solemn gesture, generally accompanied with singing and the sound of the timbrel, is still led by the principal female of the company, the rest imitating her movements and repeating the words of the song as they drop from her lips.

JFB.


Questions Related to this Verse

Where In Scripture Does It Talk About Dancing?

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Exodus 15 Images and Notes

Brief Summary: The Israelites sing the song of Moses, they praise the Lord because he is a great warrior and goes to battle for them, Israel rejoices over their deliverance out of Egypt, they come to Marah and the Lord heals the bitter waters, the Lord promises healing if he is trusted, they come to an oasis called Elim.

Outline
1 Moses' song
22 The people find water
23 The bitter waters at Marah are sweetened.
27 The people come to Elim where there were 12 wells of water.

Photo of Date Palms in the Jordan Valley
Photo of Date Palms in the Jordan Valley

Important Topics for Bible Study
Moses and all of Israel praise the Lord
fearful [in] praises
Israel arrived at the bitter waters of Marah
The people murmured against their leader Moses
Moses brings their cry before the Lord
The bitter waters are sweetened
He proved them
Jehovah Rapha
Israel comes to an oasis called Elim
They found 12 wells of water and 70 palm trees
 

Quick Reference Map
Map of the Route of the Exodus
Map of the Possible Route of the Exodus (Click to Enlarge)

Ancient Customs
Song
singing
timbrel and dancing
Pharaoh's chariots and his host
habitation
prophetess
murmured
a statute and an ordinance
encampment

Ancient People
God, Moses, Miriam
the LORD

Geography
Egypt
Edom
Moab
the Red sea
the wilderness
 

Quick Reference Maps

The Exodus of the Hebrews

Mount Horeb

The Red Sea

Map of the Red Sea
Map of the Red Sea and Egypt (Click to Enlarge)

The Old Testament

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Exodus Resources

Moses and the Exodus
The Giving of the Law
The Tabernacle
The Wilderness Wanderings