Exodus 15:5 — Word Study
WLCתְּהֹמֹ֖ת יְכַסְיֻ֑מוּ יָרְד֥וּ בִמְצוֹלֹ֖ת כְּמוֹ־ אָֽבֶן׃
BSA◂The depthstᵉhôwm [abyss, the deep waters] have covered themkâçâh▸ they sankyârad■ [went down, descended] [there]mᵉtsôwlâh likekᵉmôw [as, in the manner of] a stoneʼeben [rock, weight]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| תְּהֹמֹ֖ת | [the] deeps | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
| יְכַסְיֻ֑מוּ | they have covered them | Verb piel imperfect third person masculine plural, suffix |
| יָרְד֥וּ | they went down | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| בִמְצוֹלֹ֖ת | in [the] depths | Preposition, noun common feminine plural absolute |
| כְּמוֹ־ | like | Preposition |
| אָֽבֶן׃ | a stone | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The depths have covered them; they sank there like a stone. |
| KJV | The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone. |
| ASV | The deeps cover them: They went down into the depths like a stone. |
| YLT | The depths do cover them; They went down into the depths as a stone. |
| WEB | The deeps cover them. They went down into the depths like a stone. |
| BBE | They were covered by the deep waters: like a stone they went down under the waves. |
The translations agree on the key phrases in this verse.
The main verb governs the clause, with additional phrases providing context and comparison.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
subjectתְּהוֹם
verbיָרַד
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Exodus 15:5
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Song of Mosesgenerated
Exodus 15:5 recounts the moment when the depths of the sea covered the pursuing Egyptian army, illustrating God's power in delivering Israel from slavery. This verse is part of a larger song celebrating the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, where the Israelites witnessed God's judgment against their oppressors. The imagery of the depths emphasizes the totality of the defeat, as the enemies sank like stones, reinforcing the theme of divine salvation and retribution.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exodus 14:28 | The waters flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had chased the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. |
| 2 | Ezekiel 27:34 | Now you are shattered by the seas in the depths of the waters; your merchandise and the people among you have gone down with you. |
| 3 | Jonah 2:2 | saying: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me. From the belly of Sheol I called for help, and You heard my voice. |
| 4 | Micah 7:19 | He will again have compassion on us; He will vanquish our iniquities. You will cast out all our sins into the depths of the sea. |
| 5 | Matthew 18:6 | But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — תְּהֹמֹ֖ת, te.ho.Motgenerated
The word תְּהוֹם (tehom) refers to the deep waters of the ocean or sea, including subterranean water supplies. It can also describe the primeval ocean or abyss, emphasizing the chaotic forces that God controls. The parsing indicates it is a feminine plural noun, often used in contexts that convey depth and vastness.
In this verse, תְּהוֹם signifies the overwhelming nature of the sea that covers the Egyptians, highlighting both the physical depth of the water and the metaphorical depths of despair for the enemies of Israel.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations generally agree on the meaning of the verse.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb is יְכַסְיֻ֑מוּ, they have covered, which governs the subject תְּהֹמֹ֖ת and the object מוּ. The structure emphasizes the action of the depths covering the Egyptians, leading to their sinking.
The phrase יָרְד֥וּ (they went down) follows, indicating the result of the covering, with the prepositional phrase בִמְצוֹלֹ֖ת (in the depths) providing further context to the location of their descent.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates תְּהוֹם as πόντῳ (sea), which narrows the focus to the sea as a specific entity rather than the broader concept of deep waters. This choice highlights the immediate danger faced by the Egyptians.
The Greek word κατέδυσαν (they sank) captures the same sense of descent as the Hebrew, reinforcing the imagery of their overwhelming defeat.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Exodus 15:5 tells us that the depths of the sea covered Pharaoh's army, causing them to sink like stones. This verse is part of Moses' song after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, celebrating God's power in saving them and defeating their enemies.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies that the sea overwhelmed Pharaoh's army, leading to their complete destruction as they sank beneath the waters.
This imagery emphasizes the total defeat and helplessness of the Egyptians against the power of God, illustrating their inability to escape.
This verse highlights God's deliverance of Israel and judgment against their oppressors, a central theme throughout the book of Exodus.
The Song of Moses serves as a celebration of God's victory and a reminder of His faithfulness to Israel, reinforcing their identity as His chosen people.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I seen God deliver me from difficult situations in my life?
- How can I remember and celebrate God's faithfulness, as Moses did in this song?
- What does it mean to me that God has power over the chaotic forces in my life?
- How can I share the story of God's deliverance with others, like Moses shared this song?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers, such as Augustine of Hippo, referenced this verse in their writings, often discussing the implications of the Egyptian defeat as a metaphor for spiritual truths.
But if our enemies “went down into the depths like a stone,” the only ones the devil remains in possession of and the only ones who have the hardness of the devil are those about whom it is written,Early Church Fathers on Exodus 15 →
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Exodus 15:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe depths have covered them,.... The depths of the sea covered Pharaoh and his host, so as to be seen no more; and in like manner will mystical Babylon, or antichrist, be destroyed, and be no more
Read John Gill on Exodus 15 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone. They sank into the bottom , [ bimtsowlowt (H4688)] - in the abysses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 15 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsExodus 15:5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.Ver. 5. As a stone.] So shall Rome. The Jews, saith Montanus, took those things they abominated as filthy and unclean, and threw them into the sea. Ex lib. Misna. cap. de Phase.
Read John Trapp on Exodus 15 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(5) The depths have covered them.—Rather, covered them. The first stanza, or strophe, here terminates—the first historical review is completed. In it attention is concentrated on the one great fact of the deliverance by the destruction of the Egyptians in the Red Sea. At the close it is probable that Miriam, with her chorus of women, took up the refrain of Exo 15:1, and slightly modifying it, sang, as recorded in Exodus 15:21, “Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath glorified himself gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.”
Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 15 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges5. The deeps] chiefly a poet. word: Psalms 77:16; Psalms 106:9, Isaiah 63:13 (all with reference to the passage of Red Sea); and elsewhere. did cover them] The tense used represents the action vividly as it was taking place, something in the manner of the Greek imperfect. Song of Solomon vv6, 7. It cannot be reproduced idiomatically in English. ‘Cover’ is probably meant by the Revisers to be a historical present: but even this is inadequate; and the word is very liable to be misunderstood as an actual present (‘cover them now’). the depths] Micah 7:19, Psalms 68:22; Psalms 107:24, Nehemiah 9:11 (an allusion to the present passage), al. Properly, perhaps, the gurgling-places (cf. on v. 10).…
Read Cambridge on Exodus 15 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible2-5. First strain. JAH — A poetic abbreviation of JAHVEH, restricted in use to the higher kinds of poetry, and found often in compound names, as Yirm’jah, (Jeremiah;) also in certain formulas, as
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Exodus 15 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
The depths have covered them; they sank there like a stone.
The deeps cover them. They went down into the depths like a stone.
The depths have covered them; they sank there like a stone.
The depths have covered them, they went down to the bottom like a stone.
Tyndale line
The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
The deeps cover them: They went down into the depths like a stone.
The deeps cover them: They went down into the depths like a stone.
The depths have covered them: they sunk to the bottom as a stone.
The depths haue couered them, they sanke to the bottome as a stone.
Strictly literal
The depths covered them; they sank to the bottom as a stone.
The depths do cover them; They went down into the depths as a stone.
The depths cover them; They went down into the depths as a stone.
The depths have covered them; they went down to the bottom as a stone.
The depths covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone.
From the Latin
The depths have covered them, they are sunk to the bottom like a stone.
Simplified
The flooding water covered them. They dropped down into the depths like a stone.
They were covered by the deep waters: like a stone they went down under the waves.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with all six words matched. The Samaritan Pentateuch shows some variation, with three words differing: תהומות (primeval ocean), יכסמו (cover), and מצלות (depth), indicating a slightly different emphasis on the nature of the depths.
תְּהֹמֹ֖ת יְכַסְיֻ֑מוּ יָרְד֥וּ בִמְצוֹלֹ֖ת כְּמוֹ־ אָֽבֶן׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
תהומות יכסמו ירדו במצלות כמו אבן
3 words differ from the Masoretic Text: תהומות (primeval ocean), יכסמו (cover), מצלות (depth)
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Exodus 15:5
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
תְּהוֹם (tehom) refers to a deep or abyss, often associated with the sea or subterranean waters. It encompasses meanings such as depths, the primeval ocean in Hebrew cosmology, and can also denote the grave. The word is typically feminine and is derived from a root meaning 'to surge.'
תְּהוֹם n.f. et m. deep, sea, abyss
deep, of subterranean waters
(deep) sea
primaeval ocean, deep, in Heb. cosmogony
deep, depth
abyss
base
H8415 תְּהוֹם deep, sea, abyss . deep, of subterranean waters
. (deep) sea
. primaeval ocean, deep, in Heb. cosmogony
. deep, depth
. abyss
8415 thowm teh-home'
or thom {teh-home'}; (usually feminine) from 1949; an abyss
(as a surging mass of water), especially the deep (the main
sea or the subterranean water-supply):--deep (place), depth.
see HEBREW for 01949
תְּהוֹם (te.hom) — abyss.
1) deep, depths, deep places, abyss, the deep, sea
1a) deep (of subterranean waters)
1b) deep, sea, abysses (of sea)
1c) primeval ocean, deep
1d) deep, depth (of river)
1e) abyss, the grave
N-cp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa
The Hebrew word כָּסָה (*kacah*) primarily means to cover or conceal. It encompasses a range of meanings, including to clothe, hide, or overwhelm. The entries describe various forms of the verb, such as being covered or covering oneself, and its use in contexts like protection or sin. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
[כָּסָה] vb. cover
Qal
conceal
pass. (cstr.) covered in respect of sin (by God, which he thus puts out of sight)
Niph. covered
Pi.
cover, clothe
cover, conceal blood
cover (with covering of protection)
cover, spread over
cover, overwhelm
cover over
Pual.
be covered
be clothed
Hithp. cover, clothe oneself
base
H3680 כָּסָה cover .. conceal
. pass. (cstr.) covered in respect of sin (by God, which he thus puts out of sight)
. covered
. . cover, clothe
. cover, conceal blood
. cover (with covering of protection)
. cover, spread over
. cover, overwhelm
. cover over
. . be covered
. be clothed
. cover, clothe oneself
3680 kacah kaw-saw'
a primitive root; properly, to plump, i.e. fill up hollows;
by implication, to cover (for clothing or secrecy):--clad
self, close, clothe, conceal, cover (self), (flee to) hide,
overwhelm. Compare 3780.
see HEBREW for 03780
כָּסָה (ka.sah) — to cover.
1) to cover, conceal, hide
1a) (Qal) conceal, covered (participle)
1b) (Niphal) to be covered
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to cover, clothe
1c2) to cover, conceal
1c3) to cover (for protection)
1c4) to cover over, spread over
1c5) to cover, overwhelm
1d) (Pual)
1d1) to be covered
1d2) to be clothed
1e) (Hithpael) to cover oneself, clothe oneself
V-Piel-Imperf-3mp | Suff — Verb piel imperfect third person masculine plural · suffixHVpi3mp/Sp3mp
The Hebrew word יָרַד (yarad) means to come or go down, covering various contexts such as descending from mountains, going to battle, or sinking in water. It can also refer to divine manifestations descending or being prostrated. The word has different forms including Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, which indicate various nuances of bringing down or being brought down.
יָרַד 380 vb. come or go down, descend
Qal 306
come or go down
go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle
go down to (acc.) threshing-floor
go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt
from Jerusalem
from altar
go down
= sink, in water
go down to She’ôl
fig. going down (dissolving) in tears
= be prostrated
of divine manifestations: descend
of inanimate things
Hiph.
cause to come or go down
bring down
send down rain = cause to flow down
= lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor
bring down to She’ôl
take down (from cart)
let down
Hoph.
be brought down
be taken down
base
H3381 יָרַד come or go down, descend .. . come or go down
. go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle
. go down to (acc.) threshing-floor
. go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt
. from Jerusalem
. from altar
. go down
. = sink, in water
. go down to She’ôl
. fig. going down (dissolving) in tears
. = be prostrated
. of divine manifestations: descend
. of inanimate things
. . cause to come or go down . bring down
. send down rain = cause to flow down
. = lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor
. bring down to She’ôl
. take down (from cart)
. let down
. . be brought down
. be taken down
3381 yarad yaw-rad'
a primitive root; to descend (literally, to go downwards; or
conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary,
the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to
bring down (in all the above applications); -X abundantly,
bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down,
fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, X
indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to,
let) run down, sink, subdue, take down.
יָרַד (ya.rad) — to go down.
1) to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go or come down
1a2) to sink
1a3) to be prostrated
1a4) to come down (of revelation)
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to bring down
1b2) to send down
1b3) to take down
1b4) to lay prostrate
1b5) to let down
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be brought down
1c2) to be taken down
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
מְצוֹלָה (metsolah) refers to a deep place, particularly in relation to water or mud, encompassing meanings like depth and the deep sea. It is derived from a root associated with depth (H6683). The entries consistently emphasize its application to deep areas, without notable disagreement among the lexicons.
[מְצוֹלָה], מְצוּלָה n.f. depth, deep
base
H4688 מְצוֹלָה, מְצוּלָה depth, deep
4688 mtsowlah mets-o-law'
or mtsolah {mets-o-law'}; also mtsuwlah {mets-oo-law'}; or
mtsulah {mets-oo-law'}; from the same as 6683; a deep place
(of water or mud):--bottom, deep, depth.
see HEBREW for 06683
מְצוֹלָה (me.tso.lah) — depth.
depth, the deep, the deep sea
Prep | N-fp — Preposition · noun common feminine plural absoluteHR/Ncfpa
כְּמוֹ (kemo) is an adverb and conjunction meaning 'like' or 'as,' often used to draw comparisons or indicate similarity. It can also mean 'when' or 'according to.' The word is derived from a pleonastic form of the prefix כְּ (k-) and is related to the word מוֹ (mo). There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons.
כְּמוֹ adv. and conj. like, as, when (lit. the like of what (viz.) …, a pleon. form of כְּ (v. מוֹ), and, like it, prop. a subst.)
base
H3644 כְּמוֹ adv. and conj. like, as, when (lit. the like of what (viz.) …, a pleon. form of כְּ (v. מוֹ), and, like it, prop. a subst.)
3644 kmow kem-o'
or kamow {kaw-mo'}; a form of the prefix "k-", but used
separately (compare 3651); as, thus, so:--according to, (such)
as (it were, well as), in comparison of, like (as, to, unto),
thus, when, worth.
see HEBREW for 03651
כְּמוֹ (ke.mo) — like.
adv
1) like, as, the like of which
conj
2) when, according as, as it were
כְּמוֹ (ke.mo) — (Geruth) Chimham.
Combined with ge.rut (גֵּרוּת "Geruth" H1628)
Prep — PrepositionHR
The Hebrew word אֶ֫בֶן (*eben*) means 'stone' and encompasses various types, including common stones, precious stones, and stones used as weights or tools. It can also refer to metaphorical uses, such as a hardened heart or sinking in water. The entries highlight its physical and symbolic significance, with no notable disagreements among lexicons.
אֶ֫בֶן 274 n.f. stone
in natural state
stone, as material
precious stone, gen. with modifying word
stone containing metal, = ore
a weight, as orig. stone
plummet
objects like stone
in sim. (mostly poet.) of sinking in water
In topogr. terms
base
H68 אֶ֫בֶן stone . in natural state
. stone, as material
. precious stone, gen. with modifying word
. stone containing metal, = ore
. a weight, as orig. stone
. plummet
. objects like stone
. in sim. (mostly poet.) of sinking in water
. In topogr. terms
68 'eben eh'-ben
from the root of 1129 through the meaning to build; a
stone:--+ carbuncle, + mason, + plummet, (chalk-, hail-,
head-, sling-)stone(-ny), (divers) weight(-s).
see HEBREW for 01129
אֶ֫בֶן (e.ven) — stone.
: stone
1) stone (large or small)
1a) common stone (in natural state)
1b) stone, as material
1b1) of tablets
1b2) marble, hewn stones
1c) precious stones, stones of fire
1d) stones containing metal (ore), tool for work or weapon
1e) weight
1f) plummet (stones of destruction) also made of metal
1g) stonelike objects, eg hailstones, stony heart, ice
1h) sacred object, as memorial Samuel set up to mark where God helped Israel to defeat the Philistines
1i) (simile)
1i1) sinking in water, motionlessness
1i2) strength, firmness, solidity
1i3) commonness
1j) (metaph)
1j1) petrified with terror
1j2) perverse, hard heart
אֶ֫בֶן (e.ven) — stone: weight.
: weight
1) stone (large or small)
1a) common stone (in natural state)
1b) stone, as material
1b1) of tablets
1b2) marble, hewn stones
1c) precious stones, stones of fire
1d) stones containing metal (ore), tool for work or weapon
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
Stone
Stones were commonly used for buildings, also as memorials of important events (Gen. 28:18; Josh. 24:26, 27; 1 Sam. 7:12, etc.). They were gathered out of cultivated fields (Isa. 5:2; comp. 2 Kings 3:19). This word is also used figuratively of believers (1 Pet. 2:4, 5), and of the Messiah (Ps. 118:22; Isa. 28:16; Matt. 21:42; Acts 4:11, etc.). In…
The allusion in Re 2:17 may be to the practice at the Olympic games of giving the successful competitor a white stone, inscribed with his name and the value of his prize; or to the mode of balloting with black and white stones on the question of the acquittal of an accused person, or his admission to certain privileges; if the stones deposited in the urn by the judges were all white, the decision was favorable. In early ages, flint-stone knives were in common use, instead of steel, Ex 4:25 Jos 5:2.
It was also customary to raise a heap or mound of stones in commemoration of any remarkable event, Ge 31:46 Jos 4:5-7 7:26 8:29…