Tambourine and drum

One of our examples in the Bible where we read about dance and music is in Ex.15: 20. Here Miriam leads the women in a round dance with singing, with the women using tambourines and drums as instruments.

Jewish commentators have been asking themselves why should the women have thought about taking drums and tambourines to take out of Egypt when they fled.
The repression was terrible, the plagues were frightening and now the women are still thinking about taking  instruments.

The famous Jewish scholar Rashi in the 12th century, writes that the righteous women of the Exodus consciously took their drums and tambourines with their other personal belongings for the journey as they prepare to leave Egypt.

The women were in these terrible days of slavery and oppression in Egypt so full of faith that, while the Pharaoh wanted to destroy them, they believed that they would be rescued from this terrible affliction. The Lord was looking after them, even if this was at that moment more invisible.
They believed with all their hearts that they would see deliverance and they took these instruments very consciously to celebrate this wonderful deliverance.

May we also as women of faith in our time with our own challenges not forget to look for deliverance from difficult and sometimes seemingly impossible situations. Let us ensure that we act like the righteous women of that time.

Psalm 68:20 “God is to us: God of deliverances.”