Exodus 14
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
The Lord told Moses,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.
“Tell the Israelites to turn back and set up camp near Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. You are to camp beside the sea, opposite Baal-zephon.
3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They [are] entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
Pharaoh will conclude about the Israelites: ‘They're wandering about the country in confusion—the desert has blocked them from leaving.’
4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I [am] the LORD. And they did so.
I will give Pharaoh a stubborn attitude so that he will chase after them to get them back. But I will gain respect through what happens to Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So the Israelites did as they were instructed.
5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
When the king of Egypt found out that the Israelites had left in a hurry, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about what had happened and said, “What have we done? We have let all these Israelite slaves go!”
6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:
So Pharaoh had his chariot made ready and set out with his army.
7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
He took 600 of his best chariots along with all the other chariots of Egypt, each with their officer-in-charge.
8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
The Lord gave Pharaoh, king of Egypt, a stubborn attitude so he chased after the Israelites, who were leaving with their fists raised in triumph.
9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses [and] chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon.
The Egyptians set out in pursuit—all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, horsemen and soldiers. They caught up with the Israelites while they were camped beside the sea near Pi-hahiroth, opposite Baal-zephon.
10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.
The Israelites looked back and saw Pharaoh and the Egyptian army approaching. They were absolutely terrified and cried out to the Lord for help.
11 And they said unto Moses, Because [there were] no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
They complained to Moses, “Were there no graves in Egypt that you had to bring us out here in the desert to die? What have you done to us by making us leave Egypt?
12 [Is] not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For [it had been] better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
Didn't we tell you back in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone so that we can go on being slaves to the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to be Egyptian slaves than to die here in the desert!”
13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
But Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand where you are and you will see how the Lord will save you today. The Egyptians you see right now, you will never see again!
14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
The Lord is going to fight for you—you don't need to do anything.”
15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
The Lord told Moses, “Why are you crying out to me for help? Tell the Israelites to move forward.
16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry [ground] through the midst of the sea.
You are to pick up your walking stick and hold it out in your hand over the sea. Divide it so the Israelites can walk through the sea on dry ground.
17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
I will give Egyptians a stubborn, hard-hearted attitude so that they will chase in after them. Then I will gain respect through what happens to Pharaoh and all his army, chariots, and horsemen.
18 And the Egyptians shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain respect through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
The angel of God, who had been leading the Israelites, moved behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front of them and stood behind them,
20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness [to them], but it gave light by night [to these: ] so that the one came not near the other all the night.
so that it was positioned between the Egyptian and Israelite camps. Though the cloud was in darkness on one side, but it lit up the night on the other. No one from either camp went near the other during the night.
21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go [back] by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry [land], and the waters were divided.
Then Moses held out his hand over the sea, and all through the night the Lord forced the sea back with a strong east wind, and turned the bottom of the sea into dry land. So the water was divided,
22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry [ground: ] and the waters [were] a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
and the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water to their right and left.
23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, [even] all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
The Egyptians chased after them—all Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and horsemen. They followed the Israelites into the sea.
24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
But at the end of the night the Lord looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw them into a panic.
25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
He made their chariot wheels get stuck so it was hard for them to drive. The Egyptians shouted out, “Retreat! We must run from the Israelites because the Lord is fighting for them against us!”
26 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
Then the Lord told Moses, “Hold out your hand over the sea, so that the water will pour back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.”
27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
So Moses held out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to normal. As the Egyptians retreated, the Lord swept them into the sea.
28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, [and] all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
The water poured back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the whole of Pharaoh's army that had chased after the Israelites into the sea. Not a single one of them survived.
29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry [land] in the midst of the sea; and the waters [were] a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water to their right and left.
30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
The Lord saved the Israelites from the threat of the Egyptians—the Israelites saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore.
31 And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.
When the Israelites saw the great power that the Lord had used against the Egyptians, they were in awe of the Lord, and they trusted in him and in his servant Moses.
