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Passaggio del mar Rosso

14 (A)Il Signore parlò così a Mosè: «Di’ ai figli d’Israele che tornino indietro e si accampino davanti a Pi-Achirot, fra Migdol e il mare di fronte a Baal-Sefon. Accampatevi davanti a quel luogo presso il mare. Il faraone dirà dei figli d’Israele: “Si sono smarriti nel paese; il deserto li tiene rinchiusi”. Io indurirò il cuore del faraone ed egli li inseguirà. Ma io sarò glorificato nel faraone e in tutto il suo esercito, e gli Egiziani sapranno che io sono il Signore». Ed essi fecero così.

Quando dissero al re d’Egitto che il popolo era fuggito, il cuore del faraone e dei suoi servitori mutò sentimento verso il popolo, e quelli dissero: «Che abbiamo fatto rilasciando Israele? Non ci serviranno più![a]» Allora il faraone fece attaccare il suo carro e prese il popolo con sé. Prese seicento carri scelti, tutti carri d’Egitto, e su tutti c’erano dei capitani. Il Signore indurì il cuore del faraone, re d’Egitto, ed egli inseguì i figli d’Israele che uscivano a testa alta[b]. Gli Egiziani dunque li inseguirono. Tutti i cavalli, i carri del faraone, i suoi cavalieri e il suo esercito li raggiunsero mentre essi erano accampati presso il mare, vicino a Pi-Achirot, di fronte a Baal-Sefon.

10 Quando il faraone si avvicinò, i figli d’Israele alzarono gli occhi; ed ecco, gli Egiziani marciavano alle loro spalle. Allora i figli d’Israele ebbero una gran paura, gridarono al Signore 11 e dissero a Mosè: «Mancavano forse tombe in Egitto, per portarci a morire nel deserto? Che cosa hai fatto, facendoci uscire dall’Egitto? 12 Era appunto questo che ti dicevamo in Egitto: “Lasciaci stare, ché serviamo gli Egiziani!” Poiché era meglio per noi servire gli Egiziani che morire nel deserto». 13 E Mosè disse al popolo: «Non abbiate paura, state fermi e vedrete la salvezza che il Signore compirà oggi per voi; infatti gli Egiziani che avete visti quest’oggi, non li rivedrete mai più. 14 Il Signore combatterà per voi e voi ve ne starete tranquilli».

15 Il Signore disse a Mosè: «Perché gridi a me? Di’ ai figli d’Israele che si mettano in marcia. 16 Alza il tuo bastone, stendi la tua mano sul mare e dividilo; e i figli d’Israele entreranno in mezzo al mare sulla terra asciutta. 17 Quanto a me, io indurirò il cuore degli Egiziani e anch’essi entreranno dietro di loro; io sarò glorificato nel faraone e in tutto il suo esercito, nei suoi carri e nei suoi cavalieri. 18 Gli Egiziani sapranno che io sono il Signore, quando sarò glorificato nel faraone, nei suoi carri e nei suoi cavalieri».

19 Allora l’angelo di Dio, che precedeva il campo d’Israele, si spostò e andò a mettersi dietro a loro; anche la colonna di nuvola si spostò dalla loro avanguardia e si fermò dietro a loro, 20 mettendosi fra il campo dell’Egitto e il campo d’Israele. La nuvola era tenebrosa per gli uni, mentre rischiarava gli altri nella notte. Il campo degli uni non si avvicinò a quello degli altri per tutta la notte.

21 Allora Mosè stese la sua mano sul mare e il Signore fece ritirare il mare con un forte vento orientale, durato tutta la notte, e lo ridusse in terra asciutta. Le acque si divisero, 22 e i figli d’Israele entrarono in mezzo al mare sulla terra asciutta; e le acque formavano come un muro alla loro destra e alla loro sinistra. 23 Gli Egiziani li inseguirono e tutti i cavalli del faraone, i suoi carri, i suoi cavalieri, entrarono dietro a loro in mezzo al mare. 24 E la mattina verso l’alba, dalla colonna di fuoco e dalla nuvola il Signore guardò verso il campo degli Egiziani e lo mise in rotta. 25 Tolse le ruote dei loro carri e ne rese l’avanzata pesante; tanto che gli Egiziani dissero: «Fuggiamo davanti a Israele, perché il Signore combatte per loro contro gli Egiziani».

26 Allora il Signore disse a Mosè: «Stendi la tua mano sul mare e le acque ritorneranno sugli Egiziani, sui loro carri e sui loro cavalieri». 27 Mosè stese la sua mano sul mare e il mare, sul far della mattina, riprese la sua forza, mentre gli Egiziani, fuggendo, gli andavano incontro. Il Signore precipitò così gli Egiziani in mezzo al mare. 28 Le acque ritornarono e ricoprirono i carri, i cavalieri e tutto l’esercito del faraone che erano entrati nel mare dietro agli Israeliti. Non ne scampò neppure uno. 29 I figli d’Israele invece camminarono sull’asciutto in mezzo al mare, e le acque formavano come un muro alla loro destra e alla loro sinistra.

30 Così, in quel giorno, il Signore salvò Israele dalle mani degli Egiziani, Israele vide gli Egiziani morti sulla riva del mare. 31 Israele vide la grande potenza con cui il Signore aveva agito contro gli Egiziani. Il popolo perciò ebbe timore del Signore, credette nel Signore e nel suo servo Mosè.

Footnotes

  1. Esodo 14:5 Che abbiamo fatto rilasciando Israele? Non ci serviranno più! lett. Che abbiamo fatto lasciando Israele dal servirci?
  2. Esodo 14:8 A testa alta, lett. a mano alzata; cfr. Nu 33:3.

Pharaoh in Pursuit

14 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Tell the sons of Israel to turn back and camp in front of (A)Pi-hahiroth, between (B)Migdol and the sea; you shall camp in front of Baal-zephon, opposite it, by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ And (C)I will [a]harden Pharaoh’s heart, and (D)he will chase after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and (E)the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, [b]Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said, “What is this that we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” So he had horses harnessed to his chariot and took his people with him; and he took six hundred select chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. So (F)the Lord [c]hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he chased after the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out [d](G)boldly. Then (H)the Egyptians chased after them with all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea, (I)beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

10 As Pharaoh approached, the sons of Israel [e]looked, and behold, the Egyptians were coming after them, and they became very frightened; (J)so the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord. 11 Then (K)they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, [f]bringing us out of Egypt? 12 (L)Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘[g]Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness!”

The Sea Is Divided

13 But Moses said to the people, “(M)Do not fear! [h]Stand by and see (N)the salvation of the Lord, which He will perform for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again, ever. 14 (O)The Lord will fight for you, while (P)you keep silent.”

15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. 16 As for you, lift up (Q)your staff and reach out with your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall [i]go through the midst of the sea on dry land. 17 And as for Me, behold, (R)I will [j]harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 (S)Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots, and through his horsemen.”

19 Then (T)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 [k]along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Therefore the one did not approach the other all night.

21 (U)Then Moses reached out with his hand over the sea; and the Lord [l]swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into (V)dry land, and (W)the waters were divided. 22 So (X)the sons of Israel [m]went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and (Y)the waters were like a wall to them on their right and on their left. 23 Then (Z)the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea. 24 But at the morning watch, (AA)the Lord looked down on the [n]army of the Egyptians [o]through the pillar of fire and cloud, and brought the [p]army of the Egyptians into confusion. 25 He [q]caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians each said, “Let me flee from Israel, (AB)for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”

26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “(AC)Reach out with your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.” 27 So Moses reached out with his hand over the sea, and (AD)the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing [r]right into it; then the Lord [s](AE)overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; (AF)not even one of them remained. 29 But the sons of Israel walked on (AG)dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right and on their left.

30 (AH)So the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel (AI)saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 When Israel saw the great [t]power which the Lord had [u]used against the Egyptians, the people [v]feared the Lord, and (AJ)they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 14:4 Lit make strong
  2. Exodus 14:5 Lit the heart of Pharaoh...was changed
  3. Exodus 14:8 Lit made strong
  4. Exodus 14:8 Lit with a high hand
  5. Exodus 14:10 Lit lifted up their eyes
  6. Exodus 14:11 Lit so as to bring
  7. Exodus 14:12 Lit Cease from us
  8. Exodus 14:13 Or Take your stand
  9. Exodus 14:16 Lit enter the
  10. Exodus 14:17 Lit make strong
  11. Exodus 14:20 Lit and the darkness
  12. Exodus 14:21 Lit caused to go
  13. Exodus 14:22 Lit entered the
  14. Exodus 14:24 Lit camp
  15. Exodus 14:24 Or in
  16. Exodus 14:24 Lit camp
  17. Exodus 14:25 Or removed
  18. Exodus 14:27 Lit to meet it
  19. Exodus 14:27 Lit shook off
  20. Exodus 14:31 Lit hand
  21. Exodus 14:31 Lit done
  22. Exodus 14:31 Or revered

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol(A) and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon.(B) Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’ And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart,(C) and he will pursue them.(D) But I will gain glory(E) for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.”(F) So the Israelites did this.

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled,(G) Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds(H) about them and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!” So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. He took six hundred of the best chariots,(I) along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. The Lord hardened the heart(J) of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly.(K) The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses(L) and chariots, horsemen[a] and troops(M)—pursued the Israelites and overtook(N) them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon.(O)

10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried(P) out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?(Q) What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”(R)

13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid.(S) Stand firm and you will see(T) the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see(U) again. 14 The Lord will fight(V) for you; you need only to be still.”(W)

15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me?(X) Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 Raise your staff(Y) and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water(Z) so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. 17 I will harden the hearts(AA) of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them.(AB) And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord(AC) when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”

19 Then the angel of God,(AD) who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud(AE) also moved from in front and stood behind(AF) them, 20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness(AG) to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand(AH) over the sea,(AI) and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind(AJ) and turned it into dry land.(AK) The waters were divided,(AL) 22 and the Israelites went through the sea(AM) on dry ground,(AN) with a wall(AO) of water on their right and on their left.

23 The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen(AP) followed them into the sea. 24 During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud(AQ) at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion.(AR) 25 He jammed[b] the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting(AS) for them against Egypt.”(AT)

26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place.(AU) The Egyptians were fleeing toward[c] it, and the Lord swept them into the sea.(AV) 28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea.(AW) Not one of them survived.(AX)

29 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground,(AY) with a wall(AZ) of water on their right and on their left. 30 That day the Lord saved(BA) Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. 31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand(BB) of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared(BC) the Lord and put their trust(BD) in him and in Moses his servant.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 14:9 Or charioteers; also in verses 17, 18, 23, 26 and 28
  2. Exodus 14:25 See Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint and Syriac; Masoretic Text removed
  3. Exodus 14:27 Or from