Exoduschapter 14

The Egyptians Drown in the Sea — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain

A.Pharaoh Pursues to the Seavv. 1-9

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. You are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal-zephon. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the Israelites, ‘They are wandering the land in confusion; the wilderness has boxed them in.’ 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue them. But I will gain honor by means of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” So this is what the Israelites did. 5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, “What have we done? We have released Israel from serving us.” 6 So Pharaoh prepared his chariot and took his army with him. 7 He took 600 of the best chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. 8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out defiantly. 9 The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen and troops—pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi-hahiroth, opposite Baal-zephon.

B.Stand Still and See the Salvationvv. 10-18

10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw the Egyptians marching after them, and they were terrified and cried out to the LORD. 11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us into the wilderness to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Did we not say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” 13 But Moses told the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the LORD’s salvation, which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” 15 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. 16 And as for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. 17 And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. Then I will gain honor by means of Pharaoh and all his army and chariots and horsemen. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I am honored through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

C.The Sea Split; Israel Walks Throughvv. 19-25

19 And the angel of God, who had gone before the camp of Israel, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from before them and stood behind them, 20 so that it came between the camps of Egypt and Israel. The cloud was there in the darkness, but it lit up the night. So all night long neither camp went near the other. 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind that turned it into dry land. So the waters were divided, 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left. 23 And the Egyptians chased after them—all Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and horsemen—and followed them into the sea. 24 At morning watch, however, the LORD looked down on the army of the Egyptians from the pillar of fire and cloud, and He threw their camp into confusion. 25 He caused their chariot wheels to wobble, so that they had difficulty driving. “Let us flee from the Israelites,” said the Egyptians, “for the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt!”

D.The Waters Return on Egyptvv. 26-31

26 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal state. As the Egyptians were retreating, the LORD swept them into the sea. 28 The waters flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had chased the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. 29 But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left. 30 That day the LORD saved Israel from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore. 31 When Israel saw the great power that the LORD had exercised over the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and believed in Him and in His servant Moses.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

The Red Sea.

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The Red Sea. Pharaoh pursues; Israel cries out in panic; Moses says, ‘fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD’. The angel of God and the pillar of cloud remove to stand between the two camps. Darkness to Egypt, light to Israel. Moses stretches out his hand; the east wind divides the waters all that night; Israel walks through on dry ground, wall of water on right and left. Pharaoh's host pursues; the wheels drag; the waters return. Egypt dead upon the shore. ‘Israel saw that great work which the LORD did … and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.’ The pattern of baptism (1 Cor 10:1–2).

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Law · Moses — Exodus overview

A. 1–9 Pharaoh Pursues to the Sea
B. 10–18 Stand Still and See the Salvation
C. 19–25 The Sea Split; Israel Walks Through
D. 26–31 The Waters Return on Egypt

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Exodus 148 verses
- Exodus 14:2“Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. You are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal-zephon.
- Exodus 14:4And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue them. But I will gain honor by means of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” So this is what the Israelites did.
- Exodus 14:8And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out defiantly.
- Exodus 14:14The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
- Exodus 14:16And as for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.
- Exodus 14:17And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. Then I will gain honor by means of Pharaoh and all his army and chariots and horsemen.
- Read Exodus 14: 2 more there →
Exodus 155 verses
- Exodus 15:4Pharaoh’s chariots and army He has cast into the sea; the finest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea.
- Exodus 15:8At the blast of Your nostrils the waters piled up; like a wall the currents stood firm; the depths congealed in the heart of the sea.
- Exodus 15:9The enemy declared, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword; my hand will destroy them.’
- Exodus 15:19For when Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and horsemen went into the sea, the LORD brought the waters of the sea back over them. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.
- Exodus 15:23And when they came to Marah, they could not drink the water there because it was bitter. (That is why it was named Marah.)
- Read Exodus 15 →
Psalms 1064 verses
- Psalms 106:7Our fathers in Egypt did not grasp Your wonders or remember Your abundant kindness; but they rebelled by the sea, there at the Red Sea.
- Psalms 106:8Yet He saved them for the sake of His name, to make His power known.
- Psalms 106:9He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; He led them through the depths as through a desert.
- Psalms 106:10He saved them from the hand that hated them; He redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
- Read Psalms 106 →
Exodus 73 verses
- Exodus 7:5And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out from among them.”
- Exodus 7:17This is what the LORD says: By this you will know that I am the LORD. Behold, with the staff in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will turn to blood.
- Exodus 7:19And the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over their rivers and canals and ponds and reservoirs—that they may become blood.’ There will be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in the vessels of wood and stone.”
- Read Exodus 7 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

2 Chronicles 202 verses
- 2 Chronicles 20:15And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.
- 2 Chronicles 20:17You need not fight this battle. Take up your positions, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you.’”
- Read 2 Chronicles 20 →
Psalms 782 verses
- Psalms 78:52He led out His people like sheep and guided them like a flock in the wilderness.
- Psalms 78:53He led them safely, so they did not fear, but the sea engulfed their enemies.
- Read Psalms 78 →
Numbers 332 verses
- Numbers 33:3On the fifteenth day of the first month, on the day after the Passover, the Israelites set out from Rameses. They marched out defiantly in full view of all the Egyptians,
- Numbers 33:7They set out from Etham and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, opposite Baal-zephon, and they camped near Migdol.
- Read Numbers 33 →
Exodus 132 verses
- Exodus 13:17When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them along the road through the land of the Philistines, though it was shorter. For God said, “If the people face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”
- Exodus 13:21And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel by day or night.
- Read Exodus 13 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.