Exodus 13:17-15:21
Legacy Standard Bible
Pillars of Cloud and Fire
17 Now it happened that when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not guide them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, “(A)Lest the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” 18 Hence God turned the people to the way of the wilderness to the [a]Red Sea; and the sons of Israel went up (B)in battle array from the land of Egypt. 19 And Moses took (C)the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely [b]take care of you, and you shall bring up my bones from here with you.” 20 Then they set out from (D)Succoth and camped in Etham on the edge of the wilderness. 21 (E)And Yahweh was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to guide them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might go by day and by night. 22 [c]He (F)did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.
Israel Crosses the Red Sea
14 Now Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel so that they turn back and camp before (G)Pi-hahiroth, between (H)Migdol and the sea; you shall camp in front of Baal-zephon, opposite it, by the sea. 3 And Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are wandering in confusion in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ 4 Thus (I)I will [d]harden Pharaoh’s heart with strength, and (J)he will pursue them; and I will be glorified through Pharaoh and all his army, so that (K)the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh.” And they did so.
5 Then the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” 6 So he made his chariot ready and took his people with him; 7 and he took six hundred choice chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. 8 (L)And Yahweh [e]hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, with strength, and he pursued the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out with an [f](M)exalted hand. 9 Then (N)the Egyptians pursued them with all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea, (O)beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.
10 Now Pharaoh drew near, and the sons of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very afraid; (P)so the sons of Israel cried out to Yahweh. 11 Then (Q)they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What is this you have done against us in [g]bringing us out of Egypt? 12 (R)Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘[h]Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than for us to die in the wilderness.” 13 But Moses said to the people, “(S)Do not fear! [i]Stand by and see (T)the salvation of Yahweh which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. 14 (U)Yahweh will fight for you, and (V)you will keep silent.”
15 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Speak to the sons of Israel so that they go forward. 16 As for you, raise up (W)your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and split it, and the sons of Israel shall [j]go through the midst of the sea on dry land. 17 As for Me, behold, (X)I will [k]harden the hearts of the Egyptians with strength so that they will go in after them; and I will be glorified through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 (Y)Then the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh, when I am glorified through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen.”
19 (Z)Then the angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. 20 So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud [l]along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not come near the other all night.
21 (AA)Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and Yahweh [m]swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea into (AB)dry ground, so (AC)the waters were split. 22 (AD)So the sons of Israel [n]went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and (AE)the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 Then (AF)the Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea. 24 Then at the morning watch, (AG)Yahweh looked down on the camp of the Egyptians [o]through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the camp of the Egyptians into confusion. 25 And He [p]caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, “Let [q]us flee from Israel, (AH)for Yahweh is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”
26 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “(AI)Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and (AJ)the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak while the Egyptians were fleeing [r]right into it; then Yahweh [s](AK)overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, [t]even Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; (AL)not even one of them remained. 29 But the sons of Israel walked on (AM)dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
30 (AN)Thus Yahweh saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel (AO)saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Then Israel saw the great hand which Yahweh had [u]used against the Egyptians; and the people [v]feared Yahweh, and (AP)they believed in Yahweh and in His servant Moses.
The Song of Moses and Israel
15 (AQ)Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to Yahweh [w]and said,
“[x](AR)I will sing to Yahweh, for He [y]is highly exalted;
(AS)The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea.
2 [z](AT)Yah is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
(AU)This is my God, and I will praise Him;
(AV)My father’s God, and I will (AW)extol Him.
3 (AX)Yahweh is a warrior;
(AY)Yahweh is His name.
4 (AZ)Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea;
And the choicest of his officers are sunk in the [aa]Red Sea.
5 The deeps cover them;
(BA)They went down into the depths like a stone.
6 (BB)Your right hand, O Yahweh, is majestic in power,
(BC)Your right hand, O Yahweh, shatters the enemy.
7 And in the greatness of Your [ab]exaltation You (BD)pull down those who rise up against You;
(BE)You send forth Your burning anger, and it (BF)devours them as chaff.
8 (BG)And at the blast of Your nostrils the waters were piled up,
(BH)The flowing waters stood up like a heap;
The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.
9 (BI)The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will (BJ)divide the spoil;
My [ac]desire shall be fulfilled against them;
I will draw out my sword, my hand will dispossess them.’
10 (BK)You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them;
(BL)They sank like lead in the [ad]mighty waters.
11 (BM)Who is like You among the gods, O Yahweh?
Who is like You, (BN)majestic in holiness,
(BO)Fearsome in praises, (BP)working wonders?
12 (BQ)You stretched out Your right hand,
The earth swallowed them.
13 In Your lovingkindness You have (BR)guided the people whom You have (BS)redeemed;
In Your strength You have led them (BT)to Your holy habitation.
14 (BU)The peoples have heard, they tremble;
Anguish has seized the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 Then the (BV)chiefs of Edom were dismayed;
(BW)The leaders of Moab, trembling seizes them;
(BX)All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.
16 (BY)Terror and dread fall upon them;
(BZ)By the greatness of Your arm they are still as stone;
Until Your people pass over, O Yahweh,
Until the people pass over whom You (CA)have purchased.
17 (CB)You will bring them and (CC)plant them in (CD)the mountain of Your inheritance,
(CE)The place, O Yahweh, which You have made for You to inhabit,
(CF)The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.
18 (CG)Yahweh shall reign forever and ever.”
19 (CH)For the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, and Yahweh brought back the waters of the sea on them, but the sons of Israel walked on (CI)dry land through the midst of the sea.
20 (CJ)And Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the (CK)tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with [ae](CL)dancing. 21 And Miriam answered them,
“(CM)Sing to Yahweh, for He [af]is highly exalted;
The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.”
Footnotes
- Exodus 13:18 Lit Sea of Reeds
- Exodus 13:19 Lit visit
- Exodus 13:22 Or The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart
- Exodus 14:4 Lit strengthen
- Exodus 14:8 Lit strengthened
- Exodus 14:8 Lit high hand
- Exodus 14:11 Lit so as to bring
- Exodus 14:12 Lit Cease from us
- Exodus 14:13 Or Take your stand
- Exodus 14:16 Lit enter the
- Exodus 14:17 Lit strengthen
- Exodus 14:20 Lit and the darkness
- Exodus 14:21 Lit caused to go
- Exodus 14:22 Lit entered the
- Exodus 14:24 Or in
- Exodus 14:25 Or removed
- Exodus 14:25 Lit me
- Exodus 14:27 Lit to meet it
- Exodus 14:27 Lit shook off
- Exodus 14:28 Lit in respect to
- Exodus 14:31 Lit done
- Exodus 14:31 Or reverenced
- Exodus 15:1 Lit and said, saying
- Exodus 15:1 Or Let me sing
- Exodus 15:1 Or triumphed gloriously
- Exodus 15:2 The shortened form of Yahweh, found in poetry and praise (e.g. Hallelujah), and in names (e.g. Zechariah)
- Exodus 15:4 Lit Sea of Reeds
- Exodus 15:7 Or loftiness
- Exodus 15:9 Lit soul
- Exodus 15:10 Or majestic
- Exodus 15:20 Lit dances
- Exodus 15:21 Or has triumphed gloriously
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