10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried(A) 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?(B) 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!”(C)

13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid.(D) Stand firm and you will see(E) the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see(F) again. 14 The Lord will fight(G) for you; you need only to be still.”(H)

15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me?(I) Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 Raise your staff(J) and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water(K) so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. 17 I will harden the hearts(L) of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them.(M) 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(N) when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”

19 Then the angel of God,(O) who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud(P) also moved from in front and stood behind(Q) them, 20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness(R) 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(S) over the sea,(T) and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind(U) and turned it into dry land.(V) The waters were divided,(W) 22 and the Israelites went through the sea(X) on dry ground,(Y) with a wall(Z) of water on their right and on their left.

23 The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen(AA) followed them into the sea. 24 During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud(AB) at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion.(AC) 25 He jammed[a] 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(AD) for them against Egypt.”(AE)

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.(AF) The Egyptians were fleeing toward[b] it, and the Lord swept them into the sea.(AG) 28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea.(AH) Not one of them survived.(AI)

29 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground,(AJ) with a wall(AK) of water on their right and on their left. 30 That day the Lord saved(AL) 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(AM) of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared(AN) the Lord and put their trust(AO) in him and in Moses his servant.

The Song of Moses and Miriam

15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song(AP) to the Lord:

“I will sing(AQ) to the Lord,
    for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver(AR)
    he has hurled into the sea.(AS)

“The Lord is my strength(AT) and my defense[c];
    he has become my salvation.(AU)
He is my God,(AV) and I will praise him,
    my father’s God, and I will exalt(AW) him.
The Lord is a warrior;(AX)
    the Lord is his name.(AY)
Pharaoh’s chariots and his army(AZ)
    he has hurled into the sea.
The best of Pharaoh’s officers
    are drowned in the Red Sea.[d]
The deep waters(BA) have covered them;
    they sank to the depths like a stone.(BB)
Your right hand,(BC) Lord,
    was majestic in power.
Your right hand,(BD) Lord,
    shattered(BE) the enemy.

“In the greatness of your majesty(BF)
    you threw down those who opposed you.
You unleashed your burning anger;(BG)
    it consumed(BH) them like stubble.
By the blast of your nostrils(BI)
    the waters piled up.(BJ)
The surging waters stood up like a wall;(BK)
    the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.(BL)
The enemy boasted,
    ‘I will pursue,(BM) I will overtake them.
I will divide the spoils;(BN)
    I will gorge myself on them.
I will draw my sword
    and my hand will destroy them.’
10 But you blew with your breath,(BO)
    and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
    in the mighty waters.(BP)
11 Who among the gods
    is like you,(BQ) Lord?
Who is like you—
    majestic in holiness,(BR)
awesome in glory,(BS)
    working wonders?(BT)

12 “You stretch out(BU) your right hand,
    and the earth swallows your enemies.(BV)
13 In your unfailing love you will lead(BW)
    the people you have redeemed.(BX)
In your strength you will guide them
    to your holy dwelling.(BY)
14 The nations will hear and tremble;(BZ)
    anguish(CA) will grip the people of Philistia.(CB)
15 The chiefs(CC) of Edom(CD) will be terrified,
    the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling,(CE)
the people[e] of Canaan will melt(CF) away;
16     terror(CG) and dread will fall on them.
By the power of your arm
    they will be as still as a stone(CH)
until your people pass by, Lord,
    until the people you bought[f](CI) pass by.(CJ)
17 You will bring(CK) them in and plant(CL) them
    on the mountain(CM) of your inheritance—
the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling,(CN)
    the sanctuary,(CO) Lord, your hands established.

18 “The Lord reigns
    for ever and ever.”(CP)

19 When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen[g] went into the sea,(CQ) the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.(CR) 20 Then Miriam(CS) the prophet,(CT) Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels(CU) and dancing.(CV) 21 Miriam sang(CW) to them:

“Sing to the Lord,
    for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver(CX)
    he has hurled into the sea.”(CY)

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 14:25 See Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint and Syriac; Masoretic Text removed
  2. Exodus 14:27 Or from
  3. Exodus 15:2 Or song
  4. Exodus 15:4 Or the Sea of Reeds; also in verse 22
  5. Exodus 15:15 Or rulers
  6. Exodus 15:16 Or created
  7. Exodus 15:19 Or charioteers

10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord.

11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?

12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

15 And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine 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, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:

20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

21 And 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 made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,

25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

26 And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.

27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.

28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.

29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.

31 And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses.

15 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.

The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.

Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.

The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.

Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.

And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.

The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.

11 Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

12 Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.

13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.

14 The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.

15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.

16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O Lord, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.

17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.

18 The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.

19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.

20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

21 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.