¹⁰ When Pharaoh approached, the children of Israel looked up and saw that the Egyptians were marching after them. The children of Israel were terrified and called upon the Lord. ¹¹ They said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out to the desert to die? Was it because there were not enough graves in Egypt? What have you done bringing us out of Egypt? ¹² Did we not tell you in Egypt, ‘Let us stay here and serve the Egyptians?’ It is better for us to serve than for us to die in the desert?”

¹³ Moses answered, “Do not be afraid. Be strong, and you will see the salvation that the Lord will work for you today, for you will never again see the Egyptians that you see today. ¹⁴ The Lord will battle for you. Be calm!”

¹⁵ The Children of Israel Cross the Red Sea.^[a] The Lord said to Moses, “Why do they cry out to me? Order the children of Israel to set out again. ¹⁶ You are to lift up your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it so that the children of Israel may pass through the midst of the sea on dry land. ¹⁷ I will harden the heart of the Egyptians so that they will enter after them. I will display my glory against Pharaoh and all his army, against his chariots and his horsemen. ¹⁸ The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I display my glory against Pharaoh, against his chariots and his horsemen.”

¹⁹ The angel of God, who had gone in front of Israel’s camp, now moved and went in back of them. The pillar of cloud also moved from their front to their back. ²⁰ They were, therefore, between the camps of the Egyptians and the children of Israel. The cloud was dark for the former group, while it lit up the night for the other. Thus, one group could not approach the other throughout the night.

²¹ Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. During the night the Lord caused the sea to move back with a strong east wind, producing dry ground. The waters split in two. ²² The children of Israel entered the sea on dry land, while the waters formed a wall on their right and their left. ²³ The Egyptians pursued them with all the horses of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen. They entered after them in the midst of the sea. ²⁴ Just before dawn the Lord of the column of fire and cloud looked upon the camp of the Egyptians and threw them into confusion. ²⁵ He clogged the wheels of their chariots so that they could hardly move. The Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the children of Israel for the Lord is fighting with them against the Egyptians.”

²⁶ The Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea. The waters will flow back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and their horsemen.”

²⁷ Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. At dawn the sea flowed back to its normal depth. While the Egyptians were fleeing right into it, the Lord overthrew them in the midst of the sea. ²⁸ The waters flowed back and covered the chariots and the horsemen of the whole army of Pharaoh. Not a single one of those who had entered the sea to follow the children of Israel escaped.

²⁹ The children of Israel had walked in the midst of the sea on dry land, the water forming walls on the right and the left. ³⁰ On that day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shores of the sea. ³¹ Israel saw the mighty hand that the Lord had extended against Egypt. The people feared the Lord and believed in him and in his servant Moses.