Crossing the Reed Sea

1The LORD told Moses, 2“Tell the Israelis that they are to turn back and camp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. You are to camp in front of Baal-zephon, opposite it by the sea. 3Pharaoh will say about the Israelis, ‘They’re wandering aimlessly in the land, and the desert has closed in on them.’ 4I’ve made Pharaoh’s heart stubborna so he will pursue them. But I’ll receive honor by means ofb Pharaoh and his army, so that the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” So this is what the Israelisc did.

5When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mindsd of Pharaoh and his officialse changed toward the people, and they said, “What have we done in releasing Israel from serving us?” 6So Pharaohf had his chariot prepared and took his troopsg with him.

7He took 600 of the best chariots, and all the otherh chariots of Egypt with officers in charge of each one. 8The LORD made the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, stubborn,i and he defiantlyj pursued the Israelis as they were leaving. 9The Egyptians pursued them—all the chariot-horses of Pharaoh, along with his horsemen and army—and they overtook them camped by the sea, near Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal Zephon.

10As Pharaoh approached, the Israelis looked up, and there were the Egyptians bearing down on them! Extremely frightened, the Israelis cried out to the LORD. 11They alsok told Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you took us out to die in the desert? What have you done to us, by bringing us out of Egypt? 12Is this not what we told you in Egypt, when we said, ‘Leave us alone!’l and ‘Let us serve the Egyptians!’? Indeed, it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”

13Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid! Stand still and watch how the LORD will deliver you today, because you will never again see the Egyptians whom you’re looking at today. 14The LORD will fight for you while you keep still.”

15Then the LORD told Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelis to move out! 16You are to raise your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it, so the Israelis may go into the middle of the sea on dry land. 17Even now I’m hardening the heart of the Egyptians so they’ll go after the Israelis.m Then I’ll receive honor by means ofn Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. 18Then the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I receive honor by means ofo Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

19Then the angel of God, who was going in front of the camp of Israel, moved behind them. The pillar of cloud alsop moved from in front of them and stood behind them, 20coming between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. The cloud remained there evenq in the darkness,r illuminating the night, so that the one side did not come near the other all night.

21Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD caused the water to retreat by a strong east wind all night, turning the sea into dry land. As the waters were divided, 22the Israelis went into the middle of the sea on dry land, and the waters formed a wall for them on their right and on their left.

23The Egyptians pursued—all the horses of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen—and they went into the middle of the sea after them. 24In the morning watch, the LORD looked down on the Egyptian camp through the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw the Egyptian camp into confusion. 25He made the wheels of their chariots wobbles so that they drove them with difficulty. The Egyptians said, “Let’s flee from Israel because the LORD is fighting for them and against us.”t

The Egyptians Drown in the Sea

26Then the LORD told Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea and the water will come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots, and over their horsemen.” 27Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the water returned to its normal depth at daybreak. The Egyptians tried to retreat in front of the advancing water,u but the LORD destroyedv the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. 28The water returned, covering the chariots and the horsemen of Pharaoh’s entire army that had pursued the Israelis into the sea. Not a single one of them remained. 29But the Israelis walked through the middle of the sea on dry land, and the water stood like a wall for them on their right and on their left.

30On that day the LORD delivered Israel from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead along the seashore. 31When Israel saw the great forcew by which the LORD had acted against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed the LORD and Moses his servant.