Exodus 14

1 The LORD told Moses,ISV — Exodus 14:1

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.ISV — Exodus 14:2

3 Pharaoh will say about the Israelis, ‘They’re wandering aimlessly in the land, and the desert has closed in on them.’ISV — Exodus 14:3

4 I’ve made Pharaoh’s heart stubborn ^{a14:4 Lit. strong} so he will pursue them. But I’ll receive honor by means of ^{b14:4 Or over} Pharaoh and his army, so that the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” So this is what the Israelis ^{c14:4 Lit. they} did.ISV — Exodus 14:4

5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the minds ^{d14:5 Lit. heart} of Pharaoh and his officials ^{e14:5 Or servants} changed toward the people, and they said, “What have we done in releasing Israel from serving us?”ISV — Exodus 14:5

6 So Pharaoh ^{f14:6 Lit. he} had his chariot prepared and took his troops ^{g14:6 Or people} with him.ISV — Exodus 14:6

7 He took 600 of the best chariots, and all the other ^{h14:7 The Heb. lacks other} chariots of Egypt with officers in charge of each one.ISV — Exodus 14:7

8 The LORD made the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, stubborn, ^{i14:8 Lit. strong} and he defiantly ^{j14:8 Lit. with a high hand} pursued the Israelis as they were leaving.ISV — Exodus 14:8

9 The 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.ISV — Exodus 14:9

10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelis looked up, and there were the Egyptians bearing down on them! Extremely frightened, the Israelis cried out to the LORD.ISV — Exodus 14:10

11 They also ^{k14:11 The Heb. lacks also} 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?ISV — Exodus 14:11

12 Is this not what we told you in Egypt, when we said, ‘Leave us alone!’ ^{l14:12 Lit. cease from us} and ‘Let us serve the Egyptians!’? Indeed, it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”ISV — Exodus 14:12

13 Moses 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.ISV — Exodus 14:13

14 The LORD will fight for you while you keep still.”ISV — Exodus 14:14

15 Then the LORD told Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelis to move out!ISV — Exodus 14:15

16 You 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.ISV — Exodus 14:16

17 Even now I’m hardening the heart of the Egyptians so they’ll go after the Israelis. ^{m14:17 Lit. them} Then I’ll receive honor by means of ^{n14:17 Or over} Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen.ISV — Exodus 14:17

18 Then the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I receive honor by means of ^{o14:18 Or over} Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”ISV — Exodus 14:18

19 Then the angel of God, who was going in front of the camp of Israel, moved behind them. The pillar of cloud also ^{p14:19 The Heb. lacks also} moved from in front of them and stood behind them,ISV — Exodus 14:19

20 coming between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. The cloud remained there even ^{q14:20 The Heb. lacks even} in the darkness, ^{r14:20 Lit. and the darkness} illuminating the night, so that the one side did not come near the other all night.ISV — Exodus 14:20

21 Then 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,ISV — Exodus 14:21

22 the 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.ISV — Exodus 14:22

23 The Egyptians pursued—all the horses of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen—and they went into the middle of the sea after them.ISV — Exodus 14:23

24 In 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.ISV — Exodus 14:24

25 He made the wheels of their chariots wobble ^{s14:25 Or fall off} 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.” ^{t14:25 Lit. for them against the Egyptians}ISV — Exodus 14:25

26 Then 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.”ISV — Exodus 14:26

27 Moses 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, ^{u14:27 Lit. of it} but the LORD destroyed ^{v14:27 Lit. shook off} the Egyptians in the middle of the sea.ISV — Exodus 14:27

28 The 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.ISV — Exodus 14:28

29 But 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.ISV — Exodus 14:29

30 On that day the LORD delivered Israel from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead along the seashore.ISV — Exodus 14:30

31 When Israel saw the great force ^{w14:31 Lit. hand} by which the LORD had acted against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed the LORD and Moses his servant.ISV — Exodus 14:31