The Bible — World English Bible
Exodus 14
In brief
Exodus 14 tells the story of the crossing of the Red Sea. Pharaoh regrets letting Israel go and pursues them with his army. The people, caught between the water and the chariots, cry out in fear. Moses answers that Yahweh will fight for them. God opens the sea, Israel crosses on dry ground, then the waters close over the Egyptians. The chapter ends with the fear of Yahweh and the faith of the people, who see the deliverance God has accomplished.
The chapter in 4 parts
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2“Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal Zephon. You shall encamp opposite it by the sea.
3Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, ‘They are entangled in the land. The wilderness has shut them in.’
4I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will follow after them; and I will get honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies; and the Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh.” They did so.
5The king of Egypt was told that the people had fled; and the heart of Pharaoh and of 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?”
6He prepared his chariot, and took his army with him;
7and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, with captains over all of them.
8Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; for the children of Israel went out with a high hand.
9The Egyptians pursued them. All the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen, and his army overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baal Zephon.
10When Pharaoh came near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were very afraid. The children of Israel cried out to Yahweh.
11They said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way, to bring us out of Egypt?
12Isn’t this 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 to die in the wilderness.”
13Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which he will work for you today; for you will never again see the Egyptians whom you have seen today.
14Yahweh will fight for you, and you shall be still.”
15Yahweh said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward.
16Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. Then the children of Israel shall go into the middle of the sea on dry ground.
17Behold, I myself will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will go in after them. I will get myself honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.
18The Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh when I have gotten myself honor over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.”
19The angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them.
20It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. There was the cloud and the darkness, yet gave it light by night. One didn’t come near the other all night.
21Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22The children of Israel went into the middle of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.
23The Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the middle of the sea: all of Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24In the morning watch, Yahweh looked out on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and confused the Egyptian army.
25He took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, “Let’s flee from the face of Israel, for Yahweh fights for them against the Egyptians!”
26Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come again on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.”
27Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it. Yahweh overthrew the Egyptians in the middle of the sea.
28The waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even all Pharaoh’s army that went in after them into the sea. There remained not so much as one of them.
29But the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle 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 out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
31Israel saw the great work which Yahweh did to the Egyptians, and the people feared Yahweh; and they believed in Yahweh and in his servant Moses.
Key verses
Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which he will work for you today; for you will never again see the Egyptians whom you have seen today. Yahweh will fight for you, and you shall be still.”
Moses tells the people not to be afraid and to watch the salvation of Yahweh. In a situation with no human way out, Israel is called to trust rather than to act on its own.
Yahweh said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward.
God tells them to stop crying out and to go forward. After calling for trust, he calls for concrete obedience: deliverance and the step forward go together.
Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
It is Yahweh who drives the sea back with a strong east wind all night, after Moses stretches out his hand. The work is God's, and Moses is only the servant.
Israel saw the great work which Yahweh did to the Egyptians, and the people feared Yahweh; and they believed in Yahweh and in his servant Moses.
The chapter closes on the fear of Yahweh and the faith of the people. Seeing God at work leads to trusting him, and the servant he has chosen.
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Frequently asked questions about Exodus 14
What does “Yahweh will fight for you” mean in Exodus 14:14?
Moses tells the people, caught between the sea and Pharaoh's army, that victory will come from God and not from their own strength. This does not mean doing nothing: in the next verse, God orders them to go forward. The text invites us to trust God for the battle while obeying what he asks.
How did the Red Sea open according to Exodus 14?
The text says that Moses stretches out his hand and that Yahweh drives the sea back with a strong east wind all night, which makes the sea dry land. The waters form a wall on the right and on the left. Some readers see a direct miracle, others point to the use of a wind, but the account presents the event as the work of God.
What should we take from Exodus 14 for our lives today?
The chapter shows a newly freed people who find themselves at a dead end. God is faithful there: he speaks, he opens a way, he saves. Many Christians find encouragement here to bring their stuck situations to God, to tell him their fear without hiding it, then to move forward at the pace he indicates.
Articles quoting Exodus 14
- 25 Bible Verses About Courage and Strength
- "Show Me Your Glory": Soon and Later, You Will See Deliverance
- Isaiah 50: There Is Still Time to Seek the Lord
- 1 Samuel 3: God Speaks, Do You Know How to Listen?
- Romans 8: Taking Christ Means Receiving All Things
- Romans 6: What You Declare in the Waters of Baptism
World English Bible translation — public domain.