The Passage in Question
In Exodus 15:2 (KJV), after Israel has crossed the Red Sea and seen Pharaoh’s army destroyed, Moses and the children of Israel sing:
“The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”
That phrase — “I will prepare him an habitation” — is what you are asking about.
Meaning in Context
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A Song of Deliverance
Exodus 15 is a song of praise after God miraculously delivered Israel. They had no weapons, no defenses, and were trapped between Pharaoh’s army and the sea. God parted the Red Sea, and when they passed through safely, He brought the waters back over the Egyptians. This song celebrates God as Deliverer, Redeemer, and King. -
“Habitation” (Dwelling Place)
The Hebrew word used here is naveh or neveh, which can mean a dwelling, habitation, pasture, or resting place. Moses is declaring a desire to prepare a place where God would dwell among His people.-
Immediately, this points toward the Tabernacle that God will command Moses to build later in Exodus (chapters 25–40).
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Ultimately, it foreshadows the Temple in Jerusalem, where God’s presence would rest in the Holy of Holies.
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Spiritually, it speaks of God’s people themselves being His dwelling place.
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A Personal Note
Notice Moses says, “my God” and “my father’s God.” There is both a personal relationship (“my God”) and a generational faith (“my father’s God”). Out of this relationship springs the desire to prepare a habitation.
Broader Biblical Themes
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The Tabernacle and Temple
Later, God explicitly commands: “Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8 KJV). The “habitation” mentioned in Exodus 15 anticipates this. Moses’ song was not just poetic—it was prophetic of what God would soon require. -
God Dwelling with Man
From Eden onward, God’s desire has been to dwell with His people. Israel’s Tabernacle was a temporary symbol of this.-
John 1:14 tells us: “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” — literally, “tabernacled among us.”
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1 Corinthians 6:19 reminds believers: “your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost.”
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Revelation 21:3 looks forward: “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them.”
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Our Response
The principle remains: those redeemed by God should desire to prepare Him a dwelling place. In the Old Testament it was physical; in the New Testament it is spiritual—our hearts, our lives, our homes, and our churches should be prepared places for His presence.
Practical Application
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Worship: Like Israel, we should celebrate deliverance and exalt God with song.
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Sanctification: Preparing a habitation means cleansing and dedicating ourselves for God’s presence.
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Anticipation: Just as the Tabernacle was built after the Red Sea, so we look forward to Christ’s coming kingdom when God will dwell with His people forever.
? Summary:
When Exodus 15 says “I will prepare him an habitation,” it is both a song of gratitude and a prophetic anticipation of the Tabernacle. It speaks of God’s desire to dwell with His people, and our responsibility to prepare a holy dwelling place for Him—whether that was Israel’s sanctuary, or in our day, our lives as temples of the Holy Spirit.
