In the song of triumph which the children of Israel sang after their passage of the Red Sea, Miriam, with cymbal in hand, led the women in their part of the glad song of deliverance. It does not appear how far the Hebrew women joined in the song, that is, the part led by Moses, but in the antiphony, Miriam repeats the opening words, in the form of a command to the women, saying, “Sing ye to Jehovah, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea.”
“Sound the loud timbrel o’er Egypt’s dark sea!
Jehovah has triumphed, His people are free!
Sing, for the pride of the tyrant is broken;
His chariots, his horsemen, all splendid and brave;
How vain was their boasting! the Lord hath but spoken,
And chariots and horsemen are sunk in the wave.
“Sound the loud timbrel o’er Egypt’s dark sea!
Jehovah has triumphed, His people are free!
Praise to the Conqueror, praise to the Lord!