Exodus14
New American Standard
1Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2“Tell the sons of Israel to turn back and camp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you shall camp in front of Baal-zephon, opposite it, by the sea.
3For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’
4And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.
5When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said, “What is this that we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?”
6So he had horses harnessed to his chariot and took his people with him;
7and he took six hundred select chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them.
8So the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he chased after the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out boldly.
9Then the Egyptians chased after them with all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.
10As Pharaoh approached, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were coming after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord.
11Then they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt?
12Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘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!”
13But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will perform for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again, ever.
14The Lord will fight for you, while you keep silent.”
15Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.
16As for you, lift up your staff and reach out with your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land.
17And as for Me, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.
18Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots, and through his horsemen.”
19Then the angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them.
20So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Therefore the one did not approach the other all night.
21Then Moses reached out with his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided.
22So the sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right and on their left.
23Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea.
24But at the morning watch, the Lord looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion.
25He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians each said, “Let me flee from Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”
26Then the Lord said to Moses, “Reach out with your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.”
27So Moses reached out with his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing right into it; then the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
28The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained.
29But the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right and on their left.
30So the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
31When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Exodus 14.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: God directs the Israelites to Pihahiroth, Pharaoh pursues after them. (1–9). The Israelites murmur, Moses comforts them. (10–14). God instructs Moses, The cloud between the Israelites and the Egyptians. (15–20). The Israelites pass through the Red sea, which drowns the Egyptians. (21–31).
vv1-9
Pharaoh would think that all Israel was entangled in the wilderness, and so would become an easy prey. But God says, I will be honoured upon Pharaoh. All men being made for the honour of their Maker, those whom he is not honoured by, he will be honoured upon. What seems to tend to the church's ruin, is often overruled to the ruin of the church's enemies. While Pharaoh gratified his malice and revenge, he furthered the bringing to pass God's counsels concerning him. Though with the greatest reason he had let Israel go, yet now he was angry with himself for it. God makes the envy and rage of men against his people, a torment to themselves. Those who set their faces heavenward, and will live godly in Christ Jesus, must expect to be set upon by Satan's temptations and terrors. He will not tamely part with any out of his service.
vv10-14
There was no way open to Israel but upward, and thence their deliverance came. We may be in the way of duty, following God, and hastening toward heaven, yet may be troubled on every side. Some cried out unto the Lord; their fear led them to pray, and that was well. God brings us into straits, that he may bring us to our knees. Others cried out against Moses; fear set them murmuring as if God were not still able to work miracles. They quarrel with Moses for bringing them out of Egypt; and so were angry with God for the greatest kindness ever done them; thus gross are the absurdities of unbelief. Moses says, Fear ye not. It is always our duty and interest, when we cannot get out of troubles, yet to get above our fears; let them quicken our prayers and endeavours, but not silence our faith and hope. “Stand still,” think not to save yourselves either by fighting or flying; wait God's orders, and observe them. Compose yourselves, by confidence in God, into peaceful thoughts of the great salvation God is about to work for you. If God brings his people into straits, he will find a way to bring them out.
vv15-20
Moses' silent prayers of faith prevailed more with God than Israel's loud outcries of fear. The pillar of cloud and fire came behind them, where they needed a guard, and it was a wall between them and their enemies. The word and providence of God have a black and dark side toward sin and sinners, but a bright and pleasant side toward the people of the Lord. He, who divided between light and darkness, Ge 1:4, allotted darkness to the Egyptians, and light to the Israelites. Such a difference there will be between the inheritance of the saints in light, and that utter darkness which will be the portion of hypocrites for ever.
Key Words
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
שׁוּב: to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again
חָנָה: properly, to incline; by implication, to decline (of the slanting rays of evening); specifically, to pitch atent; gen. to encamp (for abode or siege)
פָּנִים: the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
פִּי הַחִירֹת: Pi-ha-Chiroth, a place in Egypt
מִגְדּוֹל: Migdol, a place in Egypt
יָם: a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the south
בַּעַל צְפוֹן: Baal-Tsephon, a place in Eqypt
Cross References
Exodus 14Paul cites Pharaoh's hardening to show how God raises up rulers to show His power.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Passing through the sea under the cloud as a type of baptism into Moses.
Supported by Matthew Henry
By faith Israel passed through the Red sea as by dry land, which Egyptians assaying were drowned.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Traces the precise geographic itinerary of the turn back to Pi-hahiroth and Migdol.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Paul explains that Israel was baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
Supported by Matthew Henry
He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up; leading them through the depths.
Supported by Matthew Henry
To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Explicitly confirms that Israel went out of Egypt triumphantly 'with an high hand'.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Reflects on Israel's early rebellion and lack of understanding at the Red Sea.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Echoes Moses' command to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Identifies the original position of the pillar of cloud that now moves behind them.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Rahab testifies that the terror of Israel fell on Canaanites because the Lord dried up the Red sea.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The Lord drying up the tongue of the Egyptian sea, a type of ultimate spiritual redemption.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Poetic description of the Red sea seeing and fleeing before the presence of God.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Then believed they his words; they sang his praise immediately following the deliverance.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Jethro acknowledges that the Lord is greater than all gods due to this victory.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Describes God turning the hearts of the Egyptians to hate and plot against His people.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Stephen notes how in their hearts the fathers turned back to Egypt.
Supported by John Calvin
Deuteronomy's standard military law that the Lord fights for Israel against their enemies.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The 'Angel of his presence' saved them, matching the Angel of God moving here.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallel miracle where Israel passes Jordan on dry ground, completing the journey begun at the Red sea.
Supported by John Calvin
Song of Moses recalls Pharaoh's horses and chariots going into the sea and Israel on dry land.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Fulfills Moses' promise: 'The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.'
Supported by Matthew Poole
Song of Moses captures the boastful, pursuing spirit of the enemy.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Joshua's farewell speech recounts Israel crying out and God putting darkness between them.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Matches the historical complaint of the Israelites when Moses first went to Pharaoh.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Moses executes the direct command to lift up his rod and stretch his hand over the sea.
Supported by JFB
He led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Fulfills 'the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more.'
Supported by Matthew Poole