CHAPTER 14
“Tell
the Israelites
to
turn back
and encamp
before
Pi-hahiroth,
between
Migdol
and the sea.
You are to encamp
by
the sea,
directly opposite
Baal-zephon.
For Pharaoh
will say
of the Israelites,
‘They
are wandering the land
in confusion;
the wilderness
has boxed them
in.’
And I will harden
Pharaoh’s
heart
so that he will pursue
them.
But I will gain honor
by means of Pharaoh
and all
his army,
and the Egyptians
will know
that
I
am the LORD.”
So this is what
the Israelites did.
When the king
of Egypt
was told
that
the people
had fled,
Pharaoh
and his officials
changed
their minds
about
them
and said,
“What
have we done?
We have released
Israel
from serving us.”
He took
600
of the best
chariots,
and all
the other chariots
of Egypt,
with officers
over
all of them.
And the LORD
hardened
the heart
of Pharaoh
king
of Egypt
so that he pursued
the Israelites,
who were marching out
with fists
raised in defiance.
The Egyptians—
all
Pharaoh’s
horses
and chariots,
horsemen
and troops—
pursued
and
overtook
the Israelites
as they camped
by
the sea
near
Pi-hahiroth,
opposite
Baal-zephon.
As Pharaoh
approached,
the Israelites
looked up
and saw
the Egyptians
marching
after them,
and they
were terrified
and cried out
to
the LORD.
They said
to
Moses,
“Was it because
there are no
graves
in Egypt
that you brought us
into the wilderness
to die?
What
have you done
to us
by bringing us out
of Egypt?
Did we not
say
to you
in Egypt,
‘Leave us alone
so that we may serve
the Egyptians’?
For
it would have been better
for us
to serve
the Egyptians
than to die
in the wilderness.”
But Moses
told
the people,
“Do not
be afraid.
Stand firm
and you will see
the LORD’s
salvation,
which He will accomplish
for you
today;
for
the Egyptians
you see today,
you will never
see
again.
And as for you,
lift up
your staff
and stretch out
your hand
over
the sea
and divide it,
so that the Israelites
can go
through
the sea
on dry ground.
And I
will harden
the hearts
of the Egyptians
so that they will go in
after them.
Then I will gain honor
by means of Pharaoh
and all
his army
and chariots
and horsemen.
The Egyptians
will know
that
I
am the LORD
when I am honored
through Pharaoh,
his chariots,
and his horsemen.”
Then the Angel
of God,
who had gone
before
the camp
of Israel,
withdrew
and went
behind them.
The pillar
of cloud
also moved
from before them
and stood
behind them,
so that it came
between
the camps
of Egypt
and
Israel.
The cloud
was
there in the darkness,
but it lit up
the night.
So all
night long
neither camp
went near
the other.
Then Moses
stretched out
his hand
over
the sea,
and all
that night
the LORD
drove back
the sea
with a strong
east
wind
that turned
it
into dry land.
So the waters
were divided,
and the Israelites
went
through
the sea
on dry ground,
with walls
of water
on their right
and on their left.
Then the Egyptians
chased after them—
all
Pharaoh’s
horses,
chariots,
and horsemen—
and followed
them
into
the sea.
At morning
watch,
however,
the LORD
looked down
on
the army
of the Egyptians
from the pillar
of fire
and cloud,
and He threw their camp into confusion.
He caused their chariot
wheels
to wobble,
so that they had difficulty
driving.
“Let us flee
from
the Israelites,”
said
the Egyptians,
“for
the LORD
is fighting
for them
against Egypt!”
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.”
So Moses
stretched out
his hand
over
the sea,
and at daybreak
the sea
returned
to its normal state.
While the Egyptians
were retreating,
the LORD
swept them
into
the sea.
The waters
flowed back
and covered
the chariots
and horsemen—
the entire
army
of Pharaoh
that had chased
the Israelites
into the sea.
Not
one of them
survived.
But the Israelites
had walked
through
the sea
on dry ground,
with walls
of water
on their
right
and on their left.
That
day
the LORD
saved
Israel
from the hand
of the Egyptians,
and Israel
saw
the Egyptians
dead
on
the shore.
When Israel
saw
the great
power
that
the LORD
had exercised
over the Egyptians,
the people
feared
the LORD
and believed
in Him
and in His servant
Moses.