Exodus 14

Pharaoh Pursues Israel

¹The LORD 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 the LORD.” 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.

⁸The LORD 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 the LORD.

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 the LORD, which he will work for you today; for you will never again see the Egyptians whom you have seen today.

¹⁴The LORD will fight for you, and you shall be still.”

Crossing the Red Sea

¹⁵The LORD 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 the LORD 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 it gave light by night. One didn’t come near the other all night.

²¹Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD 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, the LORD 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 the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians!”

²⁶The LORD 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. The LORD 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 the LORD 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 the LORD did to the Egyptians, and the people feared the LORD; and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.

Previous Exodus 13

Next Exodus 15

God orchestrates Israel's apparent entrapment at the Red Sea to demonstrate His supreme power over Egypt. When Pharaoh pursues the fleeing Israelites with his army, the people panic and complain to Moses, but God miraculously parts the sea for their escape while destroying the Egyptian forces. This climactic deliverance establishes God's sovereignty and completes Israel's liberation from Egyptian bondage.

Context

This chapter serves as the climactic conclusion to the exodus narrative that began in chapter 1, fulfilling God's promise to deliver Israel from Egyptian slavery.

Key Themes

Outline

1-4
God's Strategic Positioning The LORD directs Israel to camp by the sea, anticipating Pharaoh's pursuit to display His glory.
5-9
Pharaoh's Pursuit Pharaoh regrets releasing Israel and mobilizes his entire army to recapture them.
10-12
Israel's Fear and Complaint Trapped between the sea and Egyptian army, the Israelites panic and blame Moses.
13-18
God's Promise of Deliverance Moses reassures the people while God commands him to part the sea and promises victory.
19-25
Divine Protection and Crossing God's presence shields Israel as they cross the sea on dry ground, while Egypt follows.
26-31
Egypt's Destruction and Israel's Faith The sea returns, drowning Pharaoh's army and inspiring Israel to believe in God and Moses.

Pharaoh Pursues Israel

14:1–14:14

narrative dialogue fearful

Pharaoh pursues the fleeing Israelites with his army, trapping them by the sea and causing great fear among the people. Moses encourages them to trust in God's salvation, setting up the dramatic confrontation at the Red Sea.

person_contrast

Moses transforms from lawgiver to prophet of divine warfare, declaring "The LORD will fight for you" while commanding Israel's complete passivity—a rare reversal of his typical call to obedience.

Crossing the Red Sea

14:15–14:31

narrative narration triumphant

God miraculously parts the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross on dry ground, then destroys Pharaoh's army when the waters return. This demonstrates God's supreme power and completes Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage.

person_contrast

Moses transforms from lawgiver to miracle-worker here, wielding divine power over nature rather than delivering commandments—a rare role reversal among his 95 biblical appearances.

Insight Character Study

Moses transforms from lawgiver to prophet of divine warfare, declaring "The LORD will fight for you" while commanding Israel's complete passivity—a rare reversal of his typical call to obedience.

Insight Character Study

Moses transforms from lawgiver to miracle-worker here, wielding divine power over nature rather than delivering commandments—a rare role reversal among his 95 biblical appearances.

Cross-References

Connected passages across Scripture

Exodus 14:2 2 references

Lexicals 2

Numbers 33:7 Lexical

They traveled from Etham, and turned back to Pihahiroth, which is before Baal Zephon, and they encamped before Migdol.

4 shared words

Numbers 33:8 Lexical

They traveled from before Hahiroth, and crossed through the middle of the sea into the wilderness. They went three days’…

Exodus 14

Pharaoh Pursues Israel

Crossing the Red Sea

Pharaoh Pursues Israel

Crossing the Red Sea

Insights

Cross-References

Exodus 14:2 2 references

Exodus 14:4 2 references

Exodus 14:9 5 references

Exodus 14:10 2 references

Exodus 14:13 1 reference

Exodus 14:16 2 references

Exodus 14:17 5 references

Exodus 14:18 3 references

Exodus 14:19 1 reference

Exodus 14:20 5 references

Exodus 14:21 3 references

Exodus 14:22 5 references

Exodus 14:23 5 references

Exodus 14:24 5 references

Exodus 14:26 3 references

Exodus 14:28 5 references

Exodus 14:29 5 references

Interlinear

Historical Context

Timeline

Exodus

Exodus