Old Testament Commentary - Exodus 14

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 14 Israel goes out of Egypt—They pass through the Red Sea on dry ground—The Lord overthrows the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they ^aturn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between ^bMigdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say^a of the children of Israel, *They are* entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in^a**.	*3^a Pharoah will say ... They are* entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in** Pharaoh's heart of hatred for Israel is persistent. Thus when he sees that Israel is boxed in by the sea and wilderness, he takes courage and determines to act against Israel despite all that hand befallen the Egyptians of the Lord by the hand of Moses and Aaron.	1^a OR consecrate or set apart. ^b Lev. 21:10 (10-15) ^c OR young bull (also vv. 3, 10-12, 14, 36).; Lev. 8:2; 1 Chr. 13:9 2^a Lev. 2:4 ^b HEB mingled OR smeared
4 ^aAnd I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured ^bupon Pharaoh, and upon all his ^chost; that the Egyptians may ^dknow that I am the LORD. And they did so.		1^a OR consecrate or set apart. ^b Lev. 21:10 (10-15) ^c OR young bull (also vv. 3, 10-12, 14, 36).; Lev. 8:2; 1 Chr. 13:9 2^a Lev. 2:4 ^b HEB mingled OR smeared
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? 6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: 7 And he took six hundred chosen ^achariots, and ^ball the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.		1^a OR consecrate or set apart. ^b Lev. 21:10 (10-15) ^c OR young bull (also vv. 3, 10-12, 14, 36).; Lev. 8:2; 1 Chr. 13:9 2^a Lev. 2:4 ^b HEB mingled OR smeared
8 ^aAnd 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 ^bwith an ^chigh hand. 9 But the Egyptians ^apursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside ^bPi-hahiroth, before 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. 11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to ^adie in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou ^bdealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 12 Is not this the ^aword 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 ^bserve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
13 ¶ And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will ^ashew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14 The LORD shall ^afight for you, and ye shall hold your ^bpeace.
15 ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: 16 But lift thou up thy ^arod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and ^bdivide it: and the children of Israel shall go on ^cdry ground through the midst of the sea. 17 ^aAnd I, behold, I will ^bharden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and ^cI will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his 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.
19 ¶ And the ^aangel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the ^bpillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: 20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; ^aand it was a cloud and ^bdarkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night. 21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the ^asea; and the LORD ^bcaused the ^csea to ^dgo back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea ^edry land, and the ^fwaters were ^gdivided. 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.
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. 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, 25 And ^atook 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.
26 ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine ^ahand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. 27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to ^ahis strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled ^bagainst it; and the LORD overthrew the ^cEgyptians in the midst of the sea. 28 And the ^awaters returned, and ^bcovered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the ^csea after them; there remained not so much as ^done of them.
29 But the children of Israel walked upon ^adry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. 30 Thus the LORD ^asaved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. 31 And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and ^abelieved the LORD, and his servant Moses.