OET-RV EXO Chapter 14

14 Then Yahweh told Mosheh, 2 “Tell the Israelis that they should turn and camp in front of Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-Zephon. You all are to camp by the sea opposite it. 3 Then Far’oh will say, ‘They are confused and lost—the wilderness has boxed them in.’ 4 I’ll strengthen Far’oh’s resolve and he’ll chase after them. Then because of Far’oh and all his army, I’ll be honoured and the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh.” So the Israelis camped where they were instructed.

5 When the king of Egypt was told that the Israelis had fled, he and his servants started thinking about their own people and they asked, “What have we done by letting the Israeli slaves go free?” 6 Then he hitched up his chariot and took his army with him. 7 He took 600 of the best chariots as well as all the other Egyptian chariots and officersto supervise them. 8 Yahweh strengthened the Egyptian king’s resolve and so Far’oh pursued after the Israelis after they had confidently marched out of Egypt. 9 The Egyptians pursued them and all of Far’oh’s horses and chariots, along with his mounted soldiers and his foot army, overtook them camping above the sea above Pi Hahiroth, across from Baal-Zephon.

10 As the Egyptians approached, the Israelis looked back, and to their horror, saw the army coming after them. They were extremely afraid and cried out to Yahweh. 11 They complained to Mosheh, “Is it because there weren’t any graves in Egypt that you brought us here to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us? Why did you bring us out from Egypt? 12 Isn’t this exactly what we told you in Egypt when we said, ‘Just leave us alone and let us serve the Egyptians’? Because serving the Egyptians sounds a lot better to us than dying out here in the wilderness.”

13 Then Mosheh told the people, “You mustn’t be afraid. Stand still and see how Yahweh saves you all—he’s going to do it today, because any Egyptians that you see today, you’ll never, ever see them again. 14 Yahweh himself will fight for you all—all you need to do is to remain calm.” 15 Then Yahweh scolded Mosheh, “Why are you still here crying out to me? Talk to the Israelis and get them moving forward. 16 As for you, raise your staff and stretch your arm out over the sea and divide it. Then the Israelis will go on onto dry ground through the middle of the sea. 17 Yes, watch me! I’ll strengthen the resolve of the Egyptians and they’ll enter between the sea after them. Then I’ll be honoured because of what will happen to Far’oh and all his army, and his chariots and his horsemen. 18 Because of that, the Egyptians will know that I’m Yahweh.”

19 Then God’s messenger who travelled ahead of the Israelis, moved and went behind them. Also the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and stood behind them 20 and so it was then between the coming Egyptians and the Israelis. Then the cloud became darkness on the Egyptian side, yet it lit up the other side, and no one could approach it all night. 21 Then Mosheh stretched his arm out over the sea and Yahweh sent a strong east wind. It blew all night and divided the sea on each side and dried the strip of land in the middle. 22 So then the Israelis entered through the middle of the sea on dry ground with a wall of water on each side of them.[ref] 23 However, the Egyptians pursued after them. Every one of Far’oh’s horses and chariots and his horsemen also entered into the middle of the sea. 24 By now morning was coming and Yahweh looked down through the pillar of fire and cloud, and he caused confusion for the Egyptian army. 25 He caused the wheels of their chariots to turn unevenly so they became difficult to drive, and the Egyptians complained, “Let’s retreat from following the Israelis, because Yahweh is fighting against Egypt and for them.”

26 On the other side, Yahweh told Mosheh, “Stretch your arm out over the sea and the waters will flow back onto the Egyptians and onto Far’oh’s chariots and his horsemen.” 27 So Mosheh stretched his arm out over the sea, and as the day broke, the sea began to return to its normal place. The Egyptians turned and fled before its impact but Yahweh shook the Egyptians off their horses and chariots in the middle of the sea. 28 So the sea returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen—even Far’oh’s entire army that had entered into the sea after the Israelis. Not even one of the pursuers remained. 29 But the Israelis had walked through the middle of the sea on dry land with a wall of water on each side of them.

30 So Yahweh saved Israel from Egypt’s power that day, and the Israelis saw the Egyptians’ bodies washed up on the shore. 31 All of Israel saw the incredible power that Yahweh had used against the Egyptians, and the people revered Yahweh, and put their trust in him and his servant Mosheh.