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14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to turn back to Pi Hahiroth and to camp between Migdol and the Red Sea. Camp across from Baal Zephon, on the shore of the sea. The king will think, ‘The Israelites are lost, trapped by the desert.’ I will make the king stubborn again so he will chase after them, but I will defeat the king and his army. This will bring honor to me, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” The Israelites did just as they were told.

The King Chases the Israelites

When the king of Egypt was told that the Israelites had left, he and his officers changed their minds about them. They said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites leave. We have lost our slaves!” So the king prepared his war chariot and took his army with him. He took six hundred of his best chariots, together with all the other chariots of Egypt, each with an officer in it. The Lord made the king of Egypt stubborn, so he chased the Israelites, who were leaving victoriously. The Egyptians—with all the king’s horses, chariot drivers, and army—chased the Israelites. They caught up with them while they were camped by the Red Sea, near Pi Hahiroth and Baal Zephon.

10 When the Israelites saw the king and his army coming after them, they were very frightened and cried to the Lord for help. 11 They said to Moses, “What have you done to us? Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in the desert? There were plenty of graves for us in Egypt. 12 We told you in Egypt, ‘Let us alone; we will stay and serve the Egyptians.’ Now we will die in the desert.”

13 But Moses answered, “Don’t be afraid! Stand still and you will see the Lord save you today. You will never see these Egyptians again after today. 14 You only need to remain calm; the Lord will fight for you.”

15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Command the Israelites to start moving. 16 Raise your walking stick and hold it over the sea so that the sea will split and the people can cross it on dry land. 17 I will make the Egyptians stubborn so they will chase the Israelites, but I will be honored when I defeat the king and all of his chariot drivers and chariots. 18 When I defeat the king, his chariot drivers, and chariots, the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.”

19 Now the angel of God that usually traveled in front of Israel’s army moved behind them. Also, the pillar of cloud moved from in front of the people and stood behind them. 20 So the cloud came between the Egyptians and the Israelites. This made it dark for the Egyptians but gave light to the Israelites. So the cloud kept the two armies apart all night.

21 Then Moses held his hand over the sea. All that night the Lord drove back the sea with a strong east wind, making the sea become dry ground. The water was split, 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry land, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

23 Then all the king’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers followed them into the sea. 24 When morning came, the Lord looked down from the pillar of cloud and fire at the Egyptian army and made them panic. 25 He kept the wheels of the chariots from turning, making it hard to drive the chariots. The Egyptians shouted, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them and against Egypt.”

26 Then the Lord told Moses, “Hold your hand over the sea so that the water will come back over the Egyptians, their chariots, and chariot drivers.” 27 So Moses raised his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its place. The Egyptians tried to run from it, but the Lord swept them away into the sea. 28 The water returned, covering the chariots, chariot drivers, and all the king’s army that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.

29 But the Israelites crossed the sea on dry land, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 30 So that day the Lord saved the Israelites from the Egyptians, and the Israelites saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashore. 31 When the Israelites saw the great power the Lord had used against the Egyptians, they feared the Lord, and they trusted him and his servant Moses.

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “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) Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’ 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.

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!” So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. He took six hundred of the best chariots,(I) along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. The Lord hardened the heart(J) of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly.(K) 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.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 14:9 Or charioteers; also in verses 17, 18, 23, 26 and 28
  2. Exodus 14:25 See Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint and Syriac; Masoretic Text removed
  3. Exodus 14:27 Or from