³ Then Moses said to the people, “Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt,^(A) out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand.^(B) Eat nothing containing yeast.^(C)

Crossing the Sea

¹⁷ When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”^{(A) 18} So God led^(B) the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.^[a] The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.^(C)

¹⁹ Moses took the bones of Joseph^(D) with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.”^[b](E)

²⁰ After leaving Sukkoth^(F) they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.^{(G) 21} By day the Lord went ahead^(H) of them in a pillar of cloud^(I) to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. ²² Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left^(J) its place in front of the people.

⁴ ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt,^(A) and how I carried you on eagles’ wings^(B) and brought you to myself.^(C)

¹³ I am the Lord your God,^(A) who brought you out of Egypt^(B) so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke^(C) and enabled you to walk with heads held high.