Exodus
Chapter 14
1 God spoke to Moses, saying,
2 Tell the Israelites to go and camp in front of Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, across from Baalzephon; you should camp by the sea in front of it.
3 The Pharaoh will think that the Israelites are trapped in the land, with the wilderness closing them in.
4 I will make Pharaoh’s heart stubborn, so he will chase them; and I will gain respect through Pharaoh and his army. Then the Egyptians will understand that I am God. And they did this.
5 The king of Egypt was told that the people had escaped. Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about the people and said, “Why did we let Israel leave and stop serving us?”
6 He prepared his chariot and took his followers with him.
7 He took six hundred select chariots, all of Egypt’s chariots, and leaders for each one.
8 God made the heart of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, stubborn, and he chased the Israelites. But the Israelites left boldly.
9 The Egyptians chased them with all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, riders, and army, and caught up to them as they camped by the sea near Pihahiroth, in front of Baalzephon.
10 When the king of Egypt came close, the Israelites looked up and saw the Egyptians coming after them. They were very scared and called out to God for help.
11 They asked Moses, “Were there no graves in Egypt? Have you brought us to the desert to die? Why did you do this to us, taking us out of Egypt?”
12 Didn’t we tell you in Egypt to leave us alone so we could serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert.
13 Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and you will see how God will save you today. You won’t ever see the Egyptians you’re seeing today again.”
14 God will fight for you; you must be quiet.
15 God said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move forward.”
16 Raise your staff and reach out your hand over the sea to split it, so the Israelites can walk on dry land through the sea.
17 I will make the Egyptians very stubborn, and they will chase after the Israelites. But I will be honored through Pharaoh and his entire army, his chariots, and his horsemen.
18 The Egyptians will know that I am God when I gain honor through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.
19 God’s angel, who had been leading Israel’s camp, moved and went behind them. The cloud pillar also moved from in front of them and stood behind them.
20 The cloud stood between the Egyptians and the Israelites. It was dark for the Egyptians but at night it lit up for the Israelites. So they did not come close to each other all night.
21 Moses reached out his hand over the sea; and God made the sea pull back with a strong east wind all night, turned the sea into dry ground, and split the waters apart.
22 The Israelites walked into the middle of the sea on dry land, with water like walls to their right and left.
23 The Egyptians chased them and followed them into the middle of the sea with all Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and riders.
24 During the morning watch, God saw the Egyptian army through the fire pillar and cloud and disturbed the Egyptian army.
25 They removed their chariot wheels, making them hard to drive, so the Egyptians said, “Let’s run away from Israel; God is fighting for them against us.”
26 God told Moses, “Reach out your hand over the sea so the water comes back on the Egyptians, their chariots, and their horsemen.”
27 Moses reached out his hand over the sea, and the sea became strong again at sunrise; the Egyptians ran from it, and God defeated the Egyptians in the sea.
28 The waters flowed back and covered the chariots, the riders, and all of Pharaoh’s army that had followed them into the sea; not even one of them was left.
29 The Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, with water like a wall on their right and left.
30 So God rescued Israel from the Egyptians that day, and Israel saw the dead Egyptians on the seashore.
31 Israel saw the amazing thing God did to the Egyptians; the people were afraid of God, and they trusted God and his servant Moses.