Exodus 14:13-15:21

New International Version

¹³Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid.^(A) Stand firm and you will see^(B) the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see^(C) again. ¹⁴The Lord will fight^(D) for you; you need only to be still.”^(E)

¹⁵Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me?^(F) Tell the Israelites to move on. ¹⁶Raise your staff^(G) and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water^(H) so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. ¹⁷I will harden the hearts^(I) of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them.^(J) And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. ¹⁸The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord^(K) when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”

¹⁹Then the angel of God,^(L) who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud^(M) also moved from in front and stood behind^(N) them, ²⁰coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness^(O) to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

²¹Then Moses stretched out his hand^(P) over the sea,^(Q) and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind^(R) and turned it into dry land.^(S) The waters were divided,^(T) ²²and the Israelites went through the sea^(U) on dry ground,^(V) with a wall^(W) of water on their right and on their left.

²³The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen^(X) followed them into the sea. ²⁴During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud^(Y) at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion.^(Z) ²⁵He 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^(AA) for them against Egypt.”^(AB)

²⁶Then 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.” ²⁷Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place.^(AC) The Egyptians were fleeing toward^[b] it, and the Lord swept them into the sea.^(AD) ²⁸The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea.^(AE) Not one of them survived.^(AF)

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

The Song of Moses and Miriam

15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song^(AM) to the Lord:

“I will sing^(AN) to the Lord,
for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver^(AO)
he has hurled into the sea.^(AP)

²“The Lord is my strength^(AQ) and my defense^[c];
    he has become my salvation.^(AR)
He is my God,^(AS) and I will praise him,
    my father’s God, and I will exalt^(AT) him.
³The Lord is a warrior;^(AU)
    the Lord is his name.^(AV)
⁴Pharaoh’s chariots and his army^(AW)
    he has hurled into the sea.
The best of Pharaoh’s officers
    are drowned in the Red Sea.^[d]
⁵The deep waters^(AX) have covered them;
    they sank to the depths like a stone.^(AY)
⁶Your right hand,^(AZ) Lord,
    was majestic in power.
Your right hand,^(BA) Lord,
    shattered^(BB) the enemy.

⁷“In the greatness of your majesty^(BC)
    you threw down those who opposed you.
You unleashed your burning anger;^(BD)
    it consumed^(BE) them like stubble.
⁸By the blast of your nostrils^(BF)
    the waters piled up.^(BG)
The surging waters stood up like a wall;^(BH)
    the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.^(BI)
⁹The enemy boasted,
    ‘I will pursue,^(BJ) I will overtake them.
I will divide the spoils;^(BK)
    I will gorge myself on them.
I will draw my sword
    and my hand will destroy them.’
¹⁰But you blew with your breath,^(BL)
    and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
    in the mighty waters.^(BM)
¹¹Who among the gods
    is like you,^(BN) Lord?
Who is like you—
    majestic in holiness,^(BO)
awesome in glory,^(BP)
    working wonders?^(BQ)

¹²“You stretch out^(BR) your right hand,
    and the earth swallows your enemies.^(BS)
¹³In your unfailing love you will lead^(BT)
    the people you have redeemed.^(BU)
In your strength you will guide them
    to your holy dwelling.^(BV)
¹⁴The nations will hear and tremble;^(BW)
    anguish^(BX) will grip the people of Philistia.^(BY)
¹⁵The chiefs^(BZ) of Edom^(CA) will be terrified,
    the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling,^(CB)
the people^[e] of Canaan will melt^(CC) away;
¹⁶    terror^(CD) and dread will fall on them.
By the power of your arm
    they will be as still as a stone^(CE)—
until your people pass by, Lord,
    until the people you bought^[f]^(CF) pass by.^(CG)
¹⁷You will bring^(CH) them in and plant^(CI) them
    on the mountain^(CJ) of your inheritance—
the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling,^(CK)
    the sanctuary,^(CL) Lord, your hands established.

¹⁸“The Lord reigns
for ever and ever.”^(CM)

¹⁹When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen^[g] went into the sea,^(CN) the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.^(CO) ²⁰Then Miriam^(CP) the prophet,^(CQ) Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels^(CR) and dancing.^(CS) ²¹Miriam sang^(CT) to them:

“Sing to the Lord,
for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver^(CU)
he has hurled into the sea.”^(CV)

Footnotes

Exodus 14:25 See Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint and Syriac; Masoretic Text removed
Exodus 14:27 Or from
Exodus 15:2 Or song
Exodus 15:4 Or the Sea of Reeds; also in verse 22
Exodus 15:15 Or rulers
Exodus 15:16 Or created
Exodus 15:19 Or charioteers