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Israel Crosses the Red Sea

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

Then the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, and the heart 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?” So he made his chariot ready and took his people with him; and he took six hundred choice chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. (F)And Yahweh [b]hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, with strength, and he pursued the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out with an [c](G)exalted hand. Then (H)the Egyptians pursued 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 Now Pharaoh drew near, and the sons of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very afraid; (J)so the sons of Israel cried out to Yahweh. 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? What is this you have done against us in [d]bringing us out of Egypt? 12 (L)Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘[e]Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than for us to die in the wilderness.” 13 But Moses said to the people, “(M)Do not fear! [f]Stand by and see (N)the salvation of Yahweh which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. 14 (O)Yahweh will fight for you, and (P)you will keep silent.”

15 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Speak to the sons of Israel so that they go forward. 16 As for you, raise up (Q)your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and split it, and the sons of Israel shall [g]go through the midst of the sea on dry land. 17 As for Me, behold, (R)I will [h]harden the hearts of the Egyptians with strength so that they will go in after them; and I will be glorified through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 (S)Then the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh, when I am glorified through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen.”

19 (T)Then 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 [i]along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not come near the other all night.

21 (U)Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and Yahweh [j]swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea into (V)dry ground, so (W)the waters were split. 22 (X)So the sons of Israel [k]went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and (Y)the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 Then (Z)the Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea. 24 Then at the morning watch, (AA)Yahweh looked down on the camp of the Egyptians [l]through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the camp of the Egyptians into confusion. 25 And He [m]caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, “Let [n]us flee from Israel, (AB)for Yahweh is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”

26 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “(AC)Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and (AD)the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak while the Egyptians were fleeing [o]right into it; then Yahweh [p](AE)overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, [q]even 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 a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

30 (AH)Thus Yahweh saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel (AI)saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Then Israel saw the great hand which Yahweh had [r]used against the Egyptians; and the people [s]feared Yahweh, and (AJ)they believed in Yahweh and in His servant Moses.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 14:4 Lit strengthen
  2. Exodus 14:8 Lit strengthened
  3. Exodus 14:8 Lit high hand
  4. Exodus 14:11 Lit so as to bring
  5. Exodus 14:12 Lit Cease from us
  6. Exodus 14:13 Or Take your stand
  7. Exodus 14:16 Lit enter the
  8. Exodus 14:17 Lit strengthen
  9. Exodus 14:20 Lit and the darkness
  10. Exodus 14:21 Lit caused to go
  11. Exodus 14:22 Lit entered the
  12. Exodus 14:24 Or in
  13. Exodus 14:25 Or removed
  14. Exodus 14:25 Lit me
  15. Exodus 14:27 Lit to meet it
  16. Exodus 14:27 Lit shook off
  17. Exodus 14:28 Lit in respect to
  18. Exodus 14:31 Lit done
  19. Exodus 14:31 Or reverenced

Yahweh Rescues Israel at the Red Sea

14 And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the Israelites[a] so that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea;[b] before Baal Zephon, which is opposite it, you will camp by the sea. And Pharaoh will say of the Israelites,[c] ‘They are wandering around in the land. The desert has closed in on them.’ And I will harden the heart of Pharaoh, and he will chase after them, and I will be glorified through Pharaoh and through all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh.” And they did so.

And it was told to the king of Egypt that the people fled, and the heart of Pharaoh was changed and that of his servants toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have released Israel from serving us!” And he harnessed his chariot and took with him his people. And he took six hundred select chariots and all the chariots of Egypt and officers over all of them. And Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and he chased after the Israelites.[d] (Now the Israelites[e] were going out boldly.[f]) And the Egyptians chased after them, and they overtook them encamped at the sea—all the horses of the chariots of Pharaoh and his charioteers and his army—at Pi-hahiroth before Baal Zephon.

10 And Pharaoh approached, and the Israelites[g] lifted their eyes, and there were the Egyptians traveling after them! And they were very afraid, and the Israelites[h] cried out to Yahweh. 11 And they said to Moses, “Because there are no graves in Egypt? Is that why you have taken us to die in the desert? What is this you have done to us by bringing us out from Egypt! 12 Isn’t this the word we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone so that we can serve Egypt!’ because serving Egypt is better for us than our dying in the desert.” 13 And Moses said to the people, “You must not be afraid. Stand still and see the salvation of Yahweh, which he will accomplish for you today, because the Egyptians whom you see today you will see never again. 14 Yahweh will fight for you, and you must be quiet.”

15 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to me? Speak to the Israelites[i] so that they set out.[j] 16 And you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it so that the Israelites[k] can go in the middle of the sea on the dry land. 17 And as for me, look, I am about to harden the heart of the Egyptians so that they come after them, and I will display my glory through Pharaoh and through all of his army, through his chariots and through his charioteers. 18 And the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh when I display my glory through Pharaoh, through his chariots, and through his charioteers.”

19 And the angel of God who was going before the camp of Israel set out and went behind them. And the column of cloud set out ahead of them, and it stood still behind them, 20 so that it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. And it was a dark cloud,[l] but it gave light to the night,[m] so that neither approached the other[n] all night.

21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh moved the sea[o] with a strong east wind all night, and he made the sea become dry ground, and the waters were divided. 22 And the Israelites[p] entered the middle of the sea on the dry land. The waters were a wall for them on their right and on their left. 23 And the Egyptians gave chase[q] and entered after them—all the horses of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his charioteers—into the middle of the sea. 24 And during the morning watch, Yahweh looked down to the Egyptian camp from in the column of fire and cloud, and he threw the Egyptian camp into a panic. 25 And he removed[r] the wheels of their chariots so that they drove them with difficulty, and the Egyptians said, “We must flee away[s] from Israel because Yahweh is fighting for them against Egypt.”

26 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, and let the waters return over the Egyptians, over their chariots, and over their charioteers.” 27 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned at daybreak[t] to its normal level, and the Egyptians were fleeing because of it,[u] and Yahweh swept the Egyptians into the middle of the sea. 28 And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the charioteers—all the army of Pharaoh coming after them into the sea. Not even[v] one survived among them. 29 But the Israelites[w] walked on the dry land in the middle of the sea. The waters were a wall for them on their right and on their left. 30 And Yahweh saved Israel on that day from the hand[x] of Egypt, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore of the sea. 31 And Israel saw the great hand[y] that Yahweh displayed against Egypt, and the people feared Yahweh, and they believed in Yahweh and in Moses his servant.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 14:2 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  2. Exodus 14:2 Literally “and between the sea”
  3. Exodus 14:3 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  4. Exodus 14:8 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  5. Exodus 14:8 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  6. Exodus 14:8 Literally “with a raised/high hand”
  7. Exodus 14:10 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  8. Exodus 14:10 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  9. Exodus 14:15 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  10. Exodus 14:15 Or “journey,” “move on,” “travel”
  11. Exodus 14:16 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  12. Exodus 14:20 Literally “the cloud was and the darkness”
  13. Exodus 14:20 Or “it illumined the night”
  14. Exodus 14:20 Literally “this did not come near to this”
  15. Exodus 14:21 Or “caused the sea to go,” “drove the sea”
  16. Exodus 14:22 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  17. Exodus 14:23 Or “pursued,” “chased”
  18. Exodus 14:25 Or “let turn aside”
  19. Exodus 14:25 Or “let us flee,” “let me run away”; the verb is singular, but it is plural in context
  20. Exodus 14:27 Literally “at the turning of morning”
  21. Exodus 14:27 Literally “to/for/from the meeting of it”
  22. Exodus 14:28 Literally “up to,” “as far as”
  23. Exodus 14:29 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  24. Exodus 14:30 Or “power”
  25. Exodus 14:31 Or “power”