Exodus 14:1-15:21
New King James Version
The Red Sea Crossing
14 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, (A)that they turn and camp before (B)Pi Hahiroth, between (C)Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, (D)‘They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.’ 4 Then (E)I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I (F)will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, (G)that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.
5 Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and (H)the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people; and they said, “Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” 6 So he [a]made ready his chariot and took his people with him. 7 Also, he took (I)six hundred choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt with captains over every one of them. 8 And the Lord (J)hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; and (K)the children of Israel went out with boldness. 9 So the (L)Egyptians pursued them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and overtook them camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon.
10 And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel (M)cried out to the Lord. 11 (N)Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? 12 (O)Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”
13 And Moses said to the people, (P)“Do not be afraid. (Q)Stand still, and see the (R)salvation[b] of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall (S)see again no more forever. 14 (T)The Lord will fight for you, and you shall (U)hold[c] your peace.”
15 And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. 16 But (V)lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 17 And I indeed will (W)harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will (X)gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. 18 Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
19 And the Angel of God, (Y)who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. 20 So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and (Z)made the sea into dry land, and the waters were (AA)divided. 22 So (AB)the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were (AC)a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24 Now it came to pass, in the morning (AD)watch, that (AE)the Lord looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He [d]troubled the army of the Egyptians. 25 And He [e]took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord (AF)fights for them against the Egyptians.”
26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.” 27 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and when the morning appeared, the sea (AG)returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. So the Lord (AH)overthrew[f] the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 Then (AI)the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained. 29 But (AJ)the children of Israel had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
30 So the Lord (AK)saved[g] Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel (AL)saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Thus Israel saw the great [h]work which the Lord had done in Egypt; so the people feared the Lord, and (AM)believed the Lord and His servant Moses.
The Song of Moses(AN)
15 Then (AO)Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying:
“I will (AP)sing to the Lord,
For He has triumphed gloriously!
The horse and its rider
He has thrown into the sea!
2 The Lord is my strength and (AQ)song,
And He has become my salvation;
He is my God, and (AR)I will praise Him;
My (AS)father’s God, and I (AT)will exalt Him.
3 The Lord is a man of (AU)war;
The Lord is His (AV)name.
4 (AW)Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea;
(AX)His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.
5 The depths have covered them;
(AY)They sank to the bottom like a stone.
6 “Your (AZ)right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power;
Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces.
7 And in the greatness of Your (BA)excellence
You have overthrown those who rose against You;
You sent forth (BB)Your wrath;
It (BC)consumed them (BD)like stubble.
8 And (BE)with the blast of Your nostrils
The waters were gathered together;
(BF)The floods stood upright like a heap;
The depths [i]congealed in the heart of the sea.
9 (BG)The enemy said, ‘I will pursue,
I will overtake,
I will (BH)divide the spoil;
My desire shall be satisfied on them.
I will draw my sword,
My hand shall destroy them.’
10 You blew with Your wind,
The sea covered them;
They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
11 “Who(BI) is like You, O Lord, among the [j]gods?
Who is like You, (BJ)glorious in holiness,
Fearful in (BK)praises, (BL)doing wonders?
12 You stretched out Your right hand;
The earth swallowed them.
13 You in Your mercy have (BM)led forth
The people whom You have redeemed;
You have guided them in Your strength
To (BN)Your holy habitation.
14 “The (BO)people will hear and be afraid;
(BP)Sorrow[k] will take hold of the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 (BQ)Then (BR)the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed;
(BS)The mighty men of Moab,
Trembling will take hold of them;
(BT)All the inhabitants of Canaan will (BU)melt away.
16 (BV)Fear and dread will fall on them;
By the greatness of Your arm
They will be (BW)as still as a stone,
Till Your people pass over, O Lord,
Till the people pass over
(BX)Whom You have purchased.
17 You will bring them in and (BY)plant them
In the (BZ)mountain of Your inheritance,
In the place, O Lord, which You have made
For Your own dwelling,
The (CA)sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.
18 “The(CB) Lord shall reign forever and ever.”
19 For the (CC)horses of Pharaoh went with his chariots and his horsemen into the sea, and (CD)the Lord brought back the waters of the sea upon them. But the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.
The Song of Miriam(CE)
20 Then Miriam (CF)the prophetess, (CG)the sister of Aaron, (CH)took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her (CI)with timbrels and with dances. 21 And Miriam (CJ)answered them:
(CK)“Sing to the Lord,
For He has triumphed gloriously!
The horse and its rider
He has thrown into the sea!”
Footnotes
- Exodus 14:6 harnessed
- Exodus 14:13 deliverance
- Exodus 14:14 Lit. be quiet
- Exodus 14:24 confused
- Exodus 14:25 Sam., LXX, Syr. bound
- Exodus 14:27 Lit. shook off
- Exodus 14:30 delivered
- Exodus 14:31 Lit. hand with which the Lord worked
- Exodus 15:8 became firm
- Exodus 15:11 mighty ones
- Exodus 15:14 Anguish
Exodus 14:1-15:21
English Standard Version
Crossing the Red Sea
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the people of Israel to (A)turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between (B)Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ 4 And (C)I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will (D)get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, (E)and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.
5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the (F)mind 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 ready his chariot and took his army with him, 7 and took (G)six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. 8 And (H)the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the people of Israel while (I)the people of Israel were going out defiantly. 9 The (J)Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them (K)encamped at the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.
10 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel (L)cried out to the Lord. 11 They (M)said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is not this what (N)we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” 13 And Moses said to the people, (O)“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For (P)the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. 14 (Q)The Lord will fight for you, and you have only (R)to be silent.”
15 The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. 16 (S)Lift up your staff, and (T)stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. 17 And (U)I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and (V)I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians (W)shall know that I am the Lord, (X)when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
19 (Y)Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, 20 coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night[a] without one coming near the other all night.
21 Then Moses (Z)stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by (AA)a strong east wind all night and (AB)made the sea dry land, and the waters were (AC)divided. 22 And (AD)the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being (AE)a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And in the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, 25 clogging[b] their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the (AF)Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.”
26 Then the Lord said to Moses, (AG)“Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.” 27 (AH)So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea (AI)returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the Lord (AJ)threw[c] the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. 28 The (AK)waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, (AL)not one of them remained. 29 But the (AM)people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
30 Thus the Lord (AN)saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 (AO)Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they (AP)believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.
The Song of Moses
15 Then Moses and the people of Israel (AQ)sang this song to the Lord, saying,
(AR)“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider[d] he has thrown into the sea.
2 (AS)The Lord is my strength and my (AT)song,
and he has become (AU)my salvation;
this is my God, and I will praise him,
(AV)my father's God, and (AW)I will exalt him.
3 The Lord is (AX)a man of war;
(AY)the Lord is his name.
4 (AZ)“Pharaoh's chariots and his host he cast into the sea,
and his chosen (BA)officers were sunk in the Red Sea.
5 The (BB)floods covered them;
they (BC)went down into the depths like a stone.
6 (BD)Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power,
your right hand, O Lord, (BE)shatters the enemy.
7 In the (BF)greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries;
you send out your fury; it (BG)consumes them like stubble.
8 At the (BH)blast of your nostrils the waters piled up;
the (BI)floods stood up in a heap;
the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea.
9 The enemy said, (BJ)‘I will pursue, I will overtake,
I (BK)will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them.
I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.’
10 You (BL)blew with your wind; the (BM)sea covered them;
they sank like lead in the mighty waters.
11 (BN)“Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
awesome in (BO)glorious deeds, (BP)doing wonders?
12 You stretched out (BQ)your right hand;
the earth swallowed them.
13 “You have (BR)led in your steadfast love the people whom (BS)you have redeemed;
you have (BT)guided them by your strength to your holy abode.
14 (BU)The peoples have heard; they tremble;
pangs have seized the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 Now are the chiefs of Edom (BV)dismayed;
trembling seizes the leaders of (BW)Moab;
(BX)all the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.
16 Terror and (BY)dread fall upon them;
because of the greatness of your arm, they are still (BZ)as a stone,
till your people, O Lord, pass by,
till the people pass by whom (CA)you have purchased.
17 You will bring them in and (CB)plant them on your own mountain,
the place, O Lord, which you have made for your abode,
(CC)the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established.
18 (CD)The Lord will reign forever and ever.”
19 For when (CE)the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, (CF)the Lord brought back the waters of the sea upon them, but the people of Israel walked on dry ground in the midst of the sea. 20 Then (CG)Miriam (CH)the prophetess, the (CI)sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and (CJ)all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing. 21 And Miriam sang to them:
(CK)“Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”
Footnotes
- Exodus 14:20 Septuagint and the night passed
- Exodus 14:25 Or binding (compare Samaritan, Septuagint, Syriac); Hebrew removing
- Exodus 14:27 Hebrew shook off
- Exodus 15:1 Or its chariot; also verse 21
Exodus 14:1-15:21
New American Standard Bible
Pharaoh in Pursuit
14 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “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. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ 4 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.
5 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?” 6 So he had horses harnessed to his chariot and took his people with him; 7 and he took six hundred select chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. 8 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. 9 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.
The Song of Moses and Israel
15 (AK)Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the Lord, [w]saying:
“[x](AL)I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted;
(AM)The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea.
2 [y](AN)The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
(AO)This is my God, and I will praise Him;
(AP)My father’s God, and I will (AQ)exalt Him.
3 (AR)The Lord is a warrior;
[z](AS)The Lord is His name.
4 (AT)Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has thrown into the sea;
And the choicest of his officers are [aa]drowned in the [ab]Red Sea.
5 The waters cover them;
(AU)They went down into the depths like a stone.
6 (AV)Your right hand, Lord, is majestic in power;
(AW)Your right hand, Lord, destroys the enemy.
7 And in the greatness of Your [ac]excellence You (AX)overthrow those who rise up against You;
(AY)You send out Your burning anger, and it (AZ)consumes them like chaff.
8 (BA)At the blast of Your nostrils the waters were piled up,
(BB)The flowing waters stood up like a heap;
The depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.
9 (BC)The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will (BD)divide the spoils;
[ad]I shall [ae]be satisfied against them;
I will draw my sword, my hand will [af]destroy them.’
10 (BE)You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them;
(BF)They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
11 (BG)Who is like You among the gods, Lord?
Who is like You, (BH)majestic in holiness,
(BI)Awesome in praises, (BJ)working wonders?
12 (BK)You reached out with Your right hand,
The earth swallowed them.
13 In Your [ag]faithfulness You have (BL)led the people whom You have (BM)redeemed;
In Your strength You have guided them (BN)to Your holy habitation.
14 (BO)The peoples have heard, they tremble;
Anguish has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 Then the (BP)chiefs of Edom were terrified;
(BQ)The leaders of Moab, trembling grips them;
(BR)All the inhabitants of Canaan have despaired.
16 (BS)Terror and dread fall upon them;
(BT)By the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone,
Until Your people pass over, Lord,
Until the people pass over whom You (BU)have purchased.
17 (BV)You will bring them and (BW)plant them in (BX)the mountain of Your inheritance,
(BY)The place, Lord, which You have made as Your dwelling,
(BZ)The sanctuary, Lord, which Your hands have established.
18 (CA)The Lord shall reign forever and ever.”
19 (CB)For the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, and the Lord brought back the waters of the sea on them, but the sons of Israel walked on (CC)dry land through the midst of the sea.
20 (CD)Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the (CE)tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with [ah](CF)dancing. 21 And Miriam answered them,
“(CG)Sing to the Lord, for He [ai]is highly exalted;
The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.”
Footnotes
- Exodus 14:4 Lit make strong
- Exodus 14:5 Lit the heart of Pharaoh...was changed
- Exodus 14:8 Lit made strong
- Exodus 14:8 Lit with a high hand
- Exodus 14:10 Lit lifted up their eyes
- 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 make strong
- Exodus 14:20 Lit and the darkness
- Exodus 14:21 Lit caused to go
- Exodus 14:22 Lit entered the
- Exodus 14:24 Lit camp
- Exodus 14:24 Or in
- Exodus 14:24 Lit camp
- Exodus 14:25 Or removed
- Exodus 14:27 Lit to meet it
- Exodus 14:27 Lit shook off
- Exodus 14:31 Lit hand
- Exodus 14:31 Lit done
- Exodus 14:31 Or revered
- Exodus 15:1 Lit and said, saying
- Exodus 15:1 Or Let me sing
- Exodus 15:2 Heb Yah
- Exodus 15:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Exodus 15:4 Lit sunk
- Exodus 15:4 Lit Sea of Reeds
- Exodus 15:7 Or exaltation
- Exodus 15:9 Lit My soul
- Exodus 15:9 Lit be filled with them
- Exodus 15:9 Or dispossess; or drive them out
- Exodus 15:13 Or mercy
- Exodus 15:20 Lit dances
- Exodus 15:21 Or has triumphed gloriously
Exodus 14:1-15:21
New International Version
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “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) 3 Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’ 4 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.
5 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!” 6 So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. 7 He took six hundred of the best chariots,(I) along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. 8 The Lord hardened the heart(J) of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly.(K) 9 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.
The Song of Moses and Miriam
15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song(BE) to the Lord:
“I will sing(BF) to the Lord,
for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver(BG)
he has hurled into the sea.(BH)
2 “The Lord is my strength(BI) and my defense[d];
he has become my salvation.(BJ)
He is my God,(BK) and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt(BL) him.
3 The Lord is a warrior;(BM)
the Lord is his name.(BN)
4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army(BO)
he has hurled into the sea.
The best of Pharaoh’s officers
are drowned in the Red Sea.[e]
5 The deep waters(BP) have covered them;
they sank to the depths like a stone.(BQ)
6 Your right hand,(BR) Lord,
was majestic in power.
Your right hand,(BS) Lord,
shattered(BT) the enemy.
7 “In the greatness of your majesty(BU)
you threw down those who opposed you.
You unleashed your burning anger;(BV)
it consumed(BW) them like stubble.
8 By the blast of your nostrils(BX)
the waters piled up.(BY)
The surging waters stood up like a wall;(BZ)
the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.(CA)
9 The enemy boasted,
‘I will pursue,(CB) I will overtake them.
I will divide the spoils;(CC)
I will gorge myself on them.
I will draw my sword
and my hand will destroy them.’
10 But you blew with your breath,(CD)
and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
in the mighty waters.(CE)
11 Who among the gods
is like you,(CF) Lord?
Who is like you—
majestic in holiness,(CG)
awesome in glory,(CH)
working wonders?(CI)
12 “You stretch out(CJ) your right hand,
and the earth swallows your enemies.(CK)
13 In your unfailing love you will lead(CL)
the people you have redeemed.(CM)
In your strength you will guide them
to your holy dwelling.(CN)
14 The nations will hear and tremble;(CO)
anguish(CP) will grip the people of Philistia.(CQ)
15 The chiefs(CR) of Edom(CS) will be terrified,
the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling,(CT)
the people[f] of Canaan will melt(CU) away;
16 terror(CV) and dread will fall on them.
By the power of your arm
they will be as still as a stone(CW)—
until your people pass by, Lord,
until the people you bought[g](CX) pass by.(CY)
17 You will bring(CZ) them in and plant(DA) them
on the mountain(DB) of your inheritance—
the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling,(DC)
the sanctuary,(DD) Lord, your hands established.
18 “The Lord reigns
for ever and ever.”(DE)
19 When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen[h] went into the sea,(DF) the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.(DG) 20 Then Miriam(DH) the prophet,(DI) Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels(DJ) and dancing.(DK) 21 Miriam sang(DL) to them:
Footnotes
- Exodus 14:9 Or charioteers; also in verses 17, 18, 23, 26 and 28
- Exodus 14:25 See Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint and Syriac; Masoretic Text removed
- Exodus 14:27 Or from
- Exodus 15:2 Or song
- Exodus 15:4 Or the Sea of Reeds; also in verse 22
- Exodus 15:15 Or rulers
- Exodus 15:16 Or created
- Exodus 15:19 Or charioteers
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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