Exodus 15:3
ESV
The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is his name.
NIV
The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name.
NASB
The Lord is a warrior; The Lord is His name.
CSB
The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name.
NLT
The Lord is a warrior; Yahweh is his name!
KJV
The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.
NKJV
The Lord is a man of war; The Lord is His name.
What does Exodus 15:3 mean?
These statements are part of Moses' song to God (Exodus 15:1–2). The passage celebrates the Lord's miracle which rescued Israel from Egypt at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21–29).God is depicted as "a man of war," from a phrase which can also mean "a man of battle" (Psalm 24:8). His power is more than enough to defeat the chariots sent by Egypt (Exodus 14:5–9). Jeremiah uses a similar word picture (Jeremiah 20:11).
This verse also emphasizes the name which God presented to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:1–6). There, the Lord named Himself with the word YHWH, or Yahweh (Exodus 3:14–15). Later in Hebrew history, Jewish readers revered this name so much that they would not pronounce it when reading Scripture aloud. The Lord's name is associated with His power over evil and His goodness to His people.
