Lexical Summary aram: To be crafty, shrewd, or cunning Original Word: עָרַם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance gather together A primitive root; to pile up -- gather together. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to be heaped up NASB Translation piled (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [עָרַם] verb Niph`al be heaped up (compare Sabean אערמחו plural of [ערם] dam, so Arabic ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrence ערם appears once in Scripture, in Exodus 15:8. The solitary usage links the term inseparably to Israel’s song of triumph after passing through the Red Sea. Narrative Context in Exodus 15 Immediately after Israel walks safely through the divided sea and Pharaoh’s army is overwhelmed, Moses and the people break into praise (Exodus 15:1–18). In verse 8 they describe how, “At the blast of Your nostrils the waters piled up; the flowing waters stood upright like a heap; the depths congealed in the heart of the sea”. The verb captures the sudden, orderly heaping of the waters—an image that transforms chaos into a monument to divine sovereignty. Manifestation of Divine Power The piling up of the waters demonstrates that creation itself obeys the command of its Maker. What no human hand could arrange is achieved instantly by the breath of God. The parted sea forms walls (Exodus 14:22) and a safe corridor, illustrating how the Lord can repurpose hostile elements as instruments of salvation for His people and judgment for His enemies (Exodus 14:23–28). Typological and Theological Themes 1. Creation Echoes: Just as Genesis 1 depicts God separating waters to create habitable space, Exodus 15:8 shows Him doing so again to create a path of deliverance. Liturgical and Devotional Usage The song of Moses became a template for later Israelite worship (Psalm 66:6; Psalm 106:9–12). Christian hymnody often echoes this imagery, reminding believers that the God who once piled up waters still shatters barriers to accomplish redemption. Historical and Geographical Considerations The event is situated near Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea (Exodus 14:2). Archaeological attempts to locate the exact crossing point remain inconclusive, yet the narrative’s emphasis lies not in topography but in divine intervention verified by Israel’s survival and Egypt’s downfall. Connections with the Exodus Motif in Later Scripture Prophets recall the event to bolster hope: In the New Testament, the Exodus pattern shapes the understanding of baptism as passage from death to life (1 Corinthians 10:1–2). Practical Ministry Applications • Encouragement in Crisis: Believers facing seemingly impassable obstacles are invited to remember that the Lord can still “pile up” hindrances and provide unexpected deliverance. Christological and Eschatological Foreshadowing The parted sea anticipates the greater rescue accomplished by Christ, who opens a new and living way through His flesh (Hebrews 10:20). Revelation 15:2–3 pictures the redeemed singing “the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb,” merging the first great deliverance with the final one. The once-in-history piling up of waters thus becomes a perpetual signpost pointing forward to the consummation of salvation. Forms and Transliterations נֶ֣עֶרְמוּ נערמו ne‘ermū ne·‘er·mū NeermuLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 15:8 HEB: וּבְר֤וּחַ אַפֶּ֙יךָ֙ נֶ֣עֶרְמוּ מַ֔יִם נִצְּב֥וּ NAS: the waters were piled up, The flowing KJV: the waters were gathered together, the floods INT: the blast of your nostrils were piled the waters stood 1 Occurrence |