Mazmur 66:6

66:6 He turned the sea into dry land; ¹ 

they passed through the river on foot. ² 

Let us rejoice in him there! ³ 

Mazmur 136:13

136:13 to the one who divided ⁴  the Red Sea ⁵  in two, ⁶ 

for his loyal love endures,

[66:6]  ¹ sn He turned the sea into dry land. The psalmist alludes to Israel’s crossing the Red Sea (Exod 14:21).

[66:6]  ² tn Because of the reference to “the river,” some understand this as an allusion to Israel’s crossing the Jordan River. However, the Hebrew term נָהָר (nahad) does not always refer to a “river” in the technical sense; it can be used of sea currents (see Jonah 2:4). So this line may also refer to the Red Sea crossing (cf. NEB).

[66:6]  ³ tn The adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”) is used here, as often in poetic texts, to point “to a spot in which a scene is localized vividly in the imagination” (BDB 1027 s.v.).

[136:13]  ⁴ tn Or “cut.”

[136:13]  ⁵ tn Heb “Reed Sea” (also in v. 15). “Reed Sea” (or “Sea of Reeds”) is a more accurate rendering of the Hebrew expression יָם סוּף (yam suf), traditionally translated “Red Sea.” See the note on the term “Red Sea” in Exod 13:18.

[136:13]  ⁶ tn Heb “into pieces.”