Exodus 14

¹ Yahweh spoke to Moses saying: ² "Speak to the sons of Israel that they may return and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal-zephon. Over against it you shall encamp by the sea. ³ So Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel: They are perplexed in the land; the wilderness has closed in on them. ⁴ Thus I will make the heart of Pharaoh steadfast, so he will pursue after them. Then I will be glorified in Pharaoh and in all his army; and the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh." Hence they did so. ⁵ When it was told to the king of Egypt that the people had run away, the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned as to the people, and they said: "What is this we have done that we dismissed the sons of Israel from our service?" ⁶ So he hitched up his chariots and took his people with him. ⁷ And he took six hundred chosen chariots and all the riders of Egypt and third fighters in all of them. ⁸ Thus Yahweh made the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt steadfast; and he pursued after the sons of Israel. The sons of Israel were going forth with a high hand, ⁹ yet the Egyptians were pursuing after them, and they overtook them encamping by the sea - all the horse-chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army - at Pi-hahiroth before Baal-zephon. ¹⁰ So Pharaoh, he drew near. Then the sons of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were journeying after them. Now they became exceedingly fearful, and the sons of Israel cried to Yahweh. ¹¹ They said to Moses: "Is it for lack of tombs in Egypt that you have taken us to die in the wilderness? What is this you have done to us bringing us forth from Egypt? ¹² Is not this the word which we spoke to you in Egypt, saying: Leave off from us and let us serve the Egyptians, for it better for us to serve the Egyptians than for us to die in the wilderness." ¹³ Then Moses said to the people: "Do not fear! Station yourselves and see the salvation of Yahweh which He shall work for you today, for you see the Egyptians today, you shall not anymore see them again unto the eon. ¹⁴ Yahweh, He shall fight for you; as for you, you shall be silent." ¹⁵ Yahweh said to Moses: "Why are you crying to Me? Speak to the sons of Israel that they should journey. ¹⁶ And you, raise high your rod and stretch out your hand over the sea and split it, that the sons of Israel may enter into the midst of the sea on dry ground. ¹⁷ And I, behold Me making the heart of the Egyptians steadfast that they may enter after them; for I shall be glorified over Pharaoh and over all his army, over his chariots and over his horsemen. ¹⁸ Then the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh when I am glorified over Pharaoh, over his chariots and over his horsemen." ¹⁹ Hence the messenger of the One, Elohim, who was going before the camp of Israel, journeyed and went behind them. Also the column of cloud journeyed from before them and stood behind them. ²⁰ Thus he came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. Over there came the cloud and darkness, yet here he lightened up the night. So this one did not come near to that one all the night. ²¹ Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and, by a strong east wind all the night, Yahweh caused the sea to go. Thus He made in the sea a drained area when the waters were split apart. ²² Then the sons of Israel entered into the midst of the sea on dry ground, and the waters were to them a wall on their right and on their left. ²³ Now the Egyptians pursued and entered after them, all the horses of Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen, into the midst of the sea. ²⁴ It came to be, in the morning vigil, when Yahweh gazed on the camp of the Egyptians in the column of fire and cloud, that He discomfited the camp of the Egypt. ²⁵ Then He clogged the wheels of his chariots and made them drive heavily. Then the Egyptians said: "Let me flee from the face of Israel, for Yahweh, He fights for them against Egypt." ²⁶ Yahweh said to Moses: "Stretch out your hand over the sea that the waters may return on the Egyptians, on their chariots and on their horsemen." ²⁷ So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned before morning to its perennial flow, while the Egyptians were fleeing to meet it. Thus Yahweh shook off the Egyptians, in the midst of the sea, ²⁸ for the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, all the army of Pharaoh which had been entering after them into the sea. Not even one of them remained. ²⁹ Yet the sons of Israel, they went on dry ground in the midst of the sea, and the waters were to them a wall on their right and on their left. ³⁰ Thus Yahweh saved Israel on that day from the hand of Egypt. Then Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore of the sea; ³¹ and Israel discerned the great hand with which Yahweh had done this to Egypt. So the people feared Yahweh and believed in Yahweh and in Moses His servant.