Exodus 14:1-22 ▼

1 THEN the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

2 Speak to the children of Israel that they turn back and encamp by the inlet of Kheritha, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; opposite it shall you encamp by the sea.

3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are strangers in the land, the wilderness has shut them in.

4 And the LORD said to Moses, I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them; and I will triumph over Pharaoh, and over all his army; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD. And they did so.

5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people had gone away; and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants changed against the people, and they said, What have we done that we have let Israel go from serving us?

6 And he made ready his chariots and took his people with him:

7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots and all chariots of the Egyptians and warriors over every one of them.

8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt and he pursued the children of Israel; but the children of Israel had gone out victoriously.

9 And the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamping by the inlet of Kheritha, before Baal-zephon.

10 And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes and saw the Egyptians marching after them; and they were terribly afraid; and the children of Israel prayed before the LORD.

11 And they said to Moses, Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt thus with us, and brought us out of Egypt?

12 Is not this the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in this wilderness.

13 And Moses said to the people. Fear not, wait, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will perform for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall see them again no more for ever.

14 The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.

15 And the LORD said to Moses. Why do you pray before me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward;

16 And as for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it; and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the sea.

17 And, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, so that they shall follow them; and I will triumph over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen.

18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have been triumphant over Pharaoh, over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen.

19 And the angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of he cloud moved from before them and stood behind them:

20 And it came between the army of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was cloudy and dark all the night, but it gave light all the night to the children of Israel, so that they could not draw near one to another all the night.

21 And Moses lifted up his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground; and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.