Israel Crosses the Red Sea

1Now Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to the sons of Israel so that they turn back and camp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you shall camp in front of Baal-zephon, opposite it, by the sea. 3And Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are wandering in confusion in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ 4Thus I will [†]harden Pharaoh’s heart with strength, and he will pursue them; and I will be glorified through Pharaoh and all his army, so that the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh.” And they did so.

5Then the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” 6So he made his chariot ready and took his people with him; 7and he took six hundred choice chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. 8And Yahweh [†]hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, with strength, and he pursued the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out with an [†]exalted hand. 9Then the Egyptians pursued them with all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

10Now Pharaoh drew near, and the sons of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very afraid; so the sons of Israel cried out to Yahweh. 11Then they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What is this you have done against us in [†]bringing us out of Egypt? 12Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘[†]Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than for us to die in the wilderness.” 13But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! [†]Stand by and see the salvation of Yahweh which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. 14Yahweh will fight for you, and you will keep silent.”

15Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Speak to the sons of Israel so that they go forward. 16As for you, raise up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and split it, and the sons of Israel shall [†]go through the midst of the sea on dry land. 17As for Me, behold, I will [†]harden the hearts of the Egyptians with strength so that they will go in after them; and I will be glorified through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18Then the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh, when I am glorified through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen.”

19Then the angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. 20So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud [†]along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not come near the other all night.

21Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and Yahweh [†]swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea into dry ground, so the waters were split. 22So the sons of Israel [†]went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23Then the Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea. 24Then at the morning watch, Yahweh looked down on the camp of the Egyptians [†]through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the camp of the Egyptians into confusion. 25And He [†]caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, “Let [†]us flee from Israel, for Yahweh is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”

26Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.” 27So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak while the Egyptians were fleeing [†]right into it; then Yahweh [†]overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, [†]even Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained. 29But the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

30Thus Yahweh saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31Then Israel saw the great hand which Yahweh had [†]used against the Egyptians; and the people [†]feared Yahweh, and they believed in Yahweh and in His servant Moses.