Pharaoh Pursues the Israelites

1And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to the sons of Israel, that they turn back and camp before the face of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and between the sea, before the face of Baal-zephon. Before it you⁺ shall camp by the sea.

3And Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed in on them.’ 4And I will strengthen† the heart of Pharaoh, and he will pursue after them. And I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that Egypt shall know that I am YHWH.”

And they did so.

5And it was told to the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people, and they said, “What is this that we have done, that we have sent out Israel from serving us?”

6And he harnessed his chariot, and he took his people with him. 7And he took six hundred choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over all of them.

8And YHWH strengthened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the sons of Israel, and the sons of Israel were going out with hand held high.† 9And Egypt pursued after them—and all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh and his horsemen and his army—and overtook them camping by the sea by Pi-hahiroth before the face of Baal-zephon.

10And Pharaoh drew near, and the sons of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, Egypt was journeying after them, and they were very afraid. And the sons of Israel cried out to YHWH. 11And they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? What is this you have done to us, to bring us out from Egypt? 12Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone, and we will serve Egypt.’? For it is better for us to serve Egypt than to die in the wilderness.”

13And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still and see the salvation of YHWH, which He will do for you⁺ today; for the Egyptians whom you⁺ see today, you shall see never again, unto eternity. 14YHWH will fight for you⁺, and you⁺—you⁺ shall be silent.”

Parting the Red Sea

15And YHWH said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the sons of Israel, and they shall journey on. 16And you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the sons of Israel shall go in the midst of the sea on the dry land. 17And I, behold, I will strengthen the heart of the Egyptians, and they will come in after them. And I will gain honor through Pharaoh and through all his army, through his chariots, and through his horsemen. 18And the Egyptians shall know that I am YHWH, when I have gained honor for Myself through Pharaoh, through his chariots, and through his horsemen.”

19And the angel† of God, who was going before the face of the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before their face and stood behind them. 20And it came between the camp of Egypt and between the camp of Israel; and it was the cloud and the darkness, and it gave light by the night.† And this one did not come near to the other all the night.

21And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and YHWH drove back the sea by a strong east wind all that night, and He made the sea into the dry land, and the waters were divided. 22And the sons of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were a wall to them from their right and from their left.

23And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them—all the horses of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen—into the midst of the sea. 24And it came to pass in the watch of the morning that YHWH looked down to the camp of Egypt through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He threw into confusion the camp of Egypt. 25And He turned aside† the wheel of their chariots, and made it drive with heaviness. And Egypt said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for YHWH is fighting for them against Egypt.”

26And YHWH said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, and the waters shall return upon Egypt, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.” 27And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength at the turning of the morning. And Egypt was fleeing toward it, and YHWH shook Egypt in the midst of the sea. 28And the waters returned and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, to all the army of Pharaoh that had come in after them into the sea. Not so much as one of them remained.

29And the sons of Israel had walked on the dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them from their right and from their left. 30And YHWH saved Israel on that day out of the hand of Egypt, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the edge of the sea. 31And Israel saw the great hand which YHWH had done against Egypt, and the people feared YHWH, and they believed in YHWH and in Moses His servant.