Crossing the Sea

¹⁷ When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”^{(A) 18} So God led^(B) the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.^[a] The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.^(C)

¹⁹ Moses took the bones of Joseph^(D) with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.”^[b](E)

²⁰ After leaving Sukkoth^(F) they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.^{(G) 21} By day the Lord went ahead^(H) of them in a pillar of cloud^(I) to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. ²² Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left^(J) its place in front of the people.

²³ The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen^(A) followed them into the sea. ²⁴ During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud^(B) at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion.^{(C) 25} He jammed^[a] the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting^(D) for them against Egypt.”^(E)

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 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place.^(F) The Egyptians were fleeing toward^[b] it, and the Lord swept them into the sea.^{(G) 28} The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea.^(H) Not one of them survived.^(I)

²⁹ But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground,^(J) with a wall^(K) of water on their right and on their left. ³⁰ That day the Lord saved^(L) Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. ³¹ And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand^(M) of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared^(N) the Lord and put their trust^(O) in him and in Moses his servant.