Exodus 15 8

Exodus 15:8 kjv

And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.

Exodus 15:8 nkjv

And with the blast of Your nostrils The waters were gathered together; The floods stood upright like a heap; The depths congealed in the heart of the sea.

Exodus 15:8 niv

By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up. The surging waters stood up like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.

Exodus 15:8 esv

At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up; the floods stood up in a heap; the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea.

Exodus 15:8 nlt

At the blast of your breath,
the waters piled up!
The surging waters stood straight like a wall;
in the heart of the sea the deep waters became hard.

Exodus 15 verses

Exodus 15 8 Meaning

Exodus 15:8 describes the powerful, direct, and immediate action of God in parting the Red Sea during Israel's deliverance from Egypt. It poetically illustrates how by God's mere breath or blast, the vast waters defying their natural state, piled up into solid, towering heaps, and the deepest parts of the sea became firm as if congealed, allowing Israel to pass through on dry ground. This verse highlights God's absolute sovereignty over creation and His immense power in bringing salvation to His people and judgment upon their enemies.

Exodus 15 8 Context

Exodus 15:8 is part of the "Song of the Sea," or the "Song of Moses and the Children of Israel," a poetic hymn of praise and triumph sung by the Israelites after successfully crossing the Red Sea and witnessing the complete destruction of the pursuing Egyptian army. This chapter immediately follows the dramatic events of Exodus 14, where God delivers His people through a monumental display of power. The song is a theological interpretation and celebration of that historic deliverance. Verse 8, specifically, details how God parted the waters, emphasizing the miraculous nature of the event as an act of direct divine will, not a natural phenomenon. The historical and cultural context includes the sophisticated, polytheistic beliefs of Egypt, where various deities were associated with aspects of the Nile, primeval waters (Nun), and the chaotic sea. The song's powerful description of Yahweh's dominion over the very "deeps" and "floods" serves as a direct polemic, asserting Yahweh's singular, unmatched power over creation, thus debunking the authority of any Egyptian god.

Exodus 15 8 Word analysis

• And with the blast: Hebrew: וּבְרוּחַ (uveruach). Ruach signifies "breath," "wind," or "spirit." Here, it points to God's powerful, decisive exhalation. This suggests an immediate and effortless act of immense power emanating directly from God Himself, indicating that the miracle was not a product of natural forces but a deliberate, personal intervention.
• of Your nostrils: Hebrew: אַפֶּיךָ (appeka). Appeka is plural ("nostrils"), but often used in anthropomorphic language to denote the source of divine anger, resolve, or powerful utterance. It is an extremely vivid image, portraying God's action as direct, intimate, and originating from His very being. It signifies intense purpose and authority in effecting the miracle.
• The waters were heaped up: Hebrew: נֶעֶרְמוּ־מַיִם (ne'ermu-mayim). Ne'ermu comes from the verb aram, meaning "to pile up," "to make a heap" or "mound." This conveys the image of the water standing still, defying gravity, and forming solid, vertical walls. It highlights the unnatural and miraculous state of the water.
• The floods stood upright: Hebrew: נִצְּבוּ כַנֵּד נֹזְלִים (nitsvu khanned nozlim). Nitsvu from natsav means "to stand," or "to be stationed," emphasizing stability and an upright posture. Nozlim refers to "flowing waters" or "streams," emphasizing the vast, normally dynamic body of water. The term signifies that the currents ceased to flow and rose into rigid structures.
• like a heap: Hebrew: כַנֵּד (khanned). Ned means a "heap," typically a mound or pile. The repetition of the "heap" imagery (also implied by ne'ermu) reinforces the extraordinary solidity and stability of the water walls. It highlights that liquid behaved as a solid mass, an utter reversal of its natural properties.
• The deeps congealed: Hebrew: קָפְאוּ תְהֹמֹת (qafeu tehomot). Qafeu from qapha means "to curdle," "to freeze," or "to become stiff/firm." This powerful verb further underscores the complete transformation of the water from fluid to solid. Tehomot refers to the "deeps" or "abysses," often used to describe the primeval waters (as in Gen 1:2) or vast ocean depths. It implies God's power extended even to the very foundation and essence of the waters, not just the surface.
• in the heart of the sea: Hebrew: בְּלֶב־יָם (belev-yam). Belev means "in the heart," or "in the midst," signifying the innermost part. Yam is "sea." This phrase indicates that the miracle took place in the very core or center of the Red Sea, affirming the magnitude and totality of God's control. It was not a shallow part or an edge, but the heart of the great body of water that responded to His command.

Exodus 15 8 Bonus section

The choice of "blast of Your nostrils" in Exodus 15:8 ties into other biblical passages where God's breath or anger is associated with powerful natural phenomena and judgment, as seen in Psalm 18:15 where "the blast of the breath of Your nostrils" exposes the foundations of the world. This emphasizes that God's power is overwhelming and carries an aspect of righteous indignation against those who oppose Him, particularly Pharaoh's army. The Red Sea miracle serves as a prototype for God's deliverance and judgment throughout Scripture. It is cited as a foundation for Israel's identity and hope in future deliverances. Furthermore, the drying of the "deeps" can be seen as God's reclamation of order over chaos, akin to the Spirit hovering over the primordial deep in Genesis 1:2, asserting His authority not just over the Red Sea, but over the fundamental elements of creation itself.

Exodus 15 8 Commentary

Exodus 15:8 stands as a profound testament to the unchallengeable sovereignty and mighty power of God. Within the celebratory Song of the Sea, this verse encapsulates the awe-inspiring mechanism of the Red Sea parting, moving beyond merely stating that it happened to poetically explaining how. The imagery of God's "blast of Your nostrils" is profoundly anthropomorphic, yet it serves to emphasize the directness, immediacy, and personal nature of divine action; it required no strenuous effort from God, only His breath. The detailed description of the waters being "heaped up," standing "upright like a heap," and the "deeps congealed" provides vivid, almost paradoxical imagery. Water, by nature fluid, is here described as taking on the characteristics of a solid, stable structure. This highlights the radical reversal of natural order at God's command. The "deeps congealing" further signifies God's ultimate dominion, even over the most foundational, chaotic waters, mirroring His power in creation. This verse is not just a recounting of a historical event but a declaration of Yahweh's uniqueness and unmatched authority, delivering a strong theological blow against the perceived powers of any other deity, particularly those associated with natural forces in the ancient Near East. It teaches that true salvation and power come from God alone, who defies and controls nature for the sake of His covenant people.