²⁹ At midnight^(A) the Lord^(B) struck down all the firstborn^(C) in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock^(D) as well. ³⁰ Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing^(E) in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.

The Exodus

³¹ During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship^(F) the Lord as you have requested. ³² Take your flocks and herds,^(G) as you have said, and go. And also bless^(H) me.”

³³ The Egyptians urged the people to hurry^(I) and leave^(J) the country. “For otherwise,” they said, “we will all die!”^(K)

⁵ When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled,^(A) Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds^(B) 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,^(C) along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. ⁸ The Lord hardened the heart^(D) of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly.^{(E) 9} The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses^(F) and chariots, horsemen^[a] and troops^(G)—pursued the Israelites and overtook^(H) them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon.^(I)

¹⁰ As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried^(J) 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?^(K) 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!”^(L)

¹³ Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid.^(M) Stand firm and you will see^(N) the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see^(O) again. ¹⁴ The Lord will fight^(P) for you; you need only to be still.”^(Q)

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

³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.^(A) In this world you will have trouble.^(B) But take heart! I have overcome^(C) the world.”