Font Size
Exodus 14-15
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Exodus 14-15
Holman Christian Standard Bible
14 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you must camp in front of Baal-zephon, facing it by the sea.(A) 3 Pharaoh will say of the Israelites: They are wandering around the land in confusion; the wilderness has boxed them in. 4 I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue them. Then I will receive glory by means of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh.” So the Israelites did this.(B)
The Egyptian Pursuit
5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about the people and said: “What have we done? We have released Israel from serving us.” 6 So he got his chariot ready and took his troops[a] with him; 7 he took 600 of the best chariots and all the rest of the chariots of Egypt, with officers in each one. 8 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the Israelites, who were going out triumphantly.[b](C) 9 The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, his horsemen,[c] and his army—chased(D) after them and caught up with them as they camped by the sea beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.
10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw the Egyptians coming after them. Then the Israelites were terrified and cried out(E) to the Lord for help. 11 They said to Moses: “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you took us to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Isn’t this what we told you in Egypt: Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”(F)
13 But Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see(G) the Lord’s salvation He will provide for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you must be quiet.”(H)
Escape through the Red Sea
15 The Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to break camp. 16 As for you, lift up your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.(I) 17 I am going to harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them, and I will receive glory by means of Pharaoh, all his army, and his chariots and horsemen. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh when I receive glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
19 Then the Angel of God,(J) who was going in front of the Israelite forces, moved and went behind them. The pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and stood behind them.(K) 20 It came between the Egyptian and Israelite forces. The cloud was there in the darkness, yet it lit up the night.[d] So neither group came near the other all night long.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back with a powerful east wind all that night and turned the sea into dry land. So the waters were divided,(L) 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with the waters like a wall to them on their right and their left.(M)
23 The Egyptians set out in pursuit—all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen—and went into the sea after them. 24 Then during the morning watch, the Lord looked down on the Egyptian forces from the pillar of fire(N) and cloud, and threw them into confusion. 25 He caused their chariot wheels to swerve[e][f] and made them drive[g] with difficulty. “Let’s get away from Israel,” the Egyptians said, “because Yahweh is fighting for them against Egypt!”
26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back on the Egyptians, on their chariots and horsemen.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal depth. While the Egyptians were trying to escape from it, the Lord threw them into the sea.(O) 28 The waters came back and covered the chariots(P) and horsemen, the entire army of Pharaoh, that had gone after them into the sea. None of them survived.
29 But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with the waters like a wall to them on their right and their left. 30 That day the Lord saved Israel from the power of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 When Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and believed(Q) in Him and in His servant Moses.
Israel’s Song
15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord. They said:
I will sing to the Lord,
for He is highly exalted;
He has thrown the horse
and its rider into the sea.
2 The Lord is my strength and my song;[h]
He has become my salvation.(R)
This is my God, and I will praise Him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.(S)
3 The Lord is a warrior;(T)
Yahweh is His name.(U)
4 He threw Pharaoh’s chariots
and his army into the sea;
the elite of his officers
were drowned in the Red Sea.(V)
5 The floods covered them;
they sank to the depths like a stone.(W)
6 Lord, Your right hand is glorious in power.
Lord, Your right hand shattered the enemy.(X)
7 You overthrew Your adversaries
by Your great majesty.
You unleashed Your burning wrath;
it consumed them like stubble.(Y)
8 The waters heaped up(Z) at the blast of Your nostrils;
the currents stood firm like a dam.
The watery depths congealed in the heart of the sea.
9 The enemy said:
“I will pursue, I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil.(AA)
My desire will be gratified at their expense.
I will draw my sword;
my hand will destroy[i] them.”
10 But You blew with Your breath,
and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
in the mighty waters.
11 Lord, who is like You among the gods?
Who is like You, glorious in holiness,(AB)
revered with praises, performing wonders?(AC)
12 You stretched out Your right hand,
and the earth swallowed them.
13 You will lead the people
You have redeemed
with Your faithful love;
You will guide them to Your holy dwelling
with Your strength.(AD)
14 When the peoples hear, they will shudder;
anguish will seize the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 Then the chiefs of Edom will be terrified;(AE)
trembling will seize the leaders of Moab;
the inhabitants of Canaan will panic;
16 and terror(AF) and dread will fall on them.
They will be as still[j] as a stone
because of Your powerful arm
until Your people pass by, Lord,
until the people whom You purchased[k] pass by.(AG)
17 You will bring them in and plant them
on the mountain of Your possession;(AH)
Lord, You have prepared the place
for Your dwelling;
Lord,[l] Your hands have established the sanctuary.
18 The Lord will reign(AI) forever and ever!
19 When Pharaoh’s horses with his chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. 20 Then Miriam the prophetess,(AJ) Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with their tambourines and danced.(AK) 21 Miriam sang to them:
Sing to the Lord,
for He is highly exalted;
He has thrown the horse
and its rider into the sea.
Water Provided
22 Then Moses led Israel on from the Red Sea, and they went out to the Wilderness of Shur. They journeyed for three days in the wilderness without finding water. 23 They came to Marah, but they could not drink the water at Marah because it was bitter—that is why it was named Marah.[m] 24 The people grumbled to Moses, “What are we going to drink?”(AL) 25 So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he threw it into the water, the water became drinkable.
He made a statute and ordinance for them at Marah and He tested them there.(AM) 26 He said, “If you will carefully obey the Lord your God, do what is right in His eyes, pay attention to His commands, and keep all His statutes, I will not inflict any illnesses on you that I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am Yahweh who heals you.”(AN)
27 Then they came to Elim, where there were 12 springs of water and 70 date palms, and they camped there by the waters.
Footnotes
- Exodus 14:6 Lit people
- Exodus 14:8 Lit with a raised hand
- Exodus 14:9 Or chariot drivers
- Exodus 14:20 Perhaps the cloud brought darkness to the Egyptians but light to the Israelites; Ex 10:22-23; Ps 105:39.
- Exodus 14:25 Sam, LXX, Syr read He bound their chariot wheels
- Exodus 14:25 Or fall off
- Exodus 14:25 Or and they drove them
- Exodus 15:2 Or might
- Exodus 15:9 Or conquer
- Exodus 15:16 Or silent
- Exodus 15:16 Or created
- Exodus 15:17 Some Hb mss, DSS, Sam, Tg read Lord
- Exodus 15:23 = bitter or bitterness
Exodus 14-15
New International Version
Exodus 14-15
New International Version
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol(A) and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon.(B) 3 Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’ 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart,(C) and he will pursue them.(D) But I will gain glory(E) for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.”(F) So the Israelites did this.
5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled,(G) Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds(H) about them and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!” 6 So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. 7 He took six hundred of the best chariots,(I) along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. 8 The Lord hardened the heart(J) of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly.(K) 9 The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses(L) and chariots, horsemen[a] and troops(M)—pursued the Israelites and overtook(N) them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon.(O)
10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried(P) out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?(Q) What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”(R)
13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid.(S) Stand firm and you will see(T) the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see(U) again. 14 The Lord will fight(V) for you; you need only to be still.”(W)
15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me?(X) Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 Raise your staff(Y) and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water(Z) so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. 17 I will harden the hearts(AA) of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them.(AB) And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord(AC) when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”
19 Then the angel of God,(AD) who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud(AE) also moved from in front and stood behind(AF) them, 20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness(AG) to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand(AH) over the sea,(AI) and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind(AJ) and turned it into dry land.(AK) The waters were divided,(AL) 22 and the Israelites went through the sea(AM) on dry ground,(AN) with a wall(AO) of water on their right and on their left.
23 The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen(AP) followed them into the sea. 24 During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud(AQ) at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion.(AR) 25 He jammed[b] 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(AS) for them against Egypt.”(AT)
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.(AU) The Egyptians were fleeing toward[c] it, and the Lord swept them into the sea.(AV) 28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea.(AW) Not one of them survived.(AX)
29 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground,(AY) with a wall(AZ) of water on their right and on their left. 30 That day the Lord saved(BA) 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(BB) of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared(BC) the Lord and put their trust(BD) in him and in Moses his servant.
The Song of Moses and Miriam
15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song(BE) to the Lord:
“I will sing(BF) to the Lord,
for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver(BG)
he has hurled into the sea.(BH)
2 “The Lord is my strength(BI) and my defense[d];
he has become my salvation.(BJ)
He is my God,(BK) and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt(BL) him.
3 The Lord is a warrior;(BM)
the Lord is his name.(BN)
4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army(BO)
he has hurled into the sea.
The best of Pharaoh’s officers
are drowned in the Red Sea.[e]
5 The deep waters(BP) have covered them;
they sank to the depths like a stone.(BQ)
6 Your right hand,(BR) Lord,
was majestic in power.
Your right hand,(BS) Lord,
shattered(BT) the enemy.
7 “In the greatness of your majesty(BU)
you threw down those who opposed you.
You unleashed your burning anger;(BV)
it consumed(BW) them like stubble.
8 By the blast of your nostrils(BX)
the waters piled up.(BY)
The surging waters stood up like a wall;(BZ)
the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.(CA)
9 The enemy boasted,
‘I will pursue,(CB) I will overtake them.
I will divide the spoils;(CC)
I will gorge myself on them.
I will draw my sword
and my hand will destroy them.’
10 But you blew with your breath,(CD)
and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
in the mighty waters.(CE)
11 Who among the gods
is like you,(CF) Lord?
Who is like you—
majestic in holiness,(CG)
awesome in glory,(CH)
working wonders?(CI)
12 “You stretch out(CJ) your right hand,
and the earth swallows your enemies.(CK)
13 In your unfailing love you will lead(CL)
the people you have redeemed.(CM)
In your strength you will guide them
to your holy dwelling.(CN)
14 The nations will hear and tremble;(CO)
anguish(CP) will grip the people of Philistia.(CQ)
15 The chiefs(CR) of Edom(CS) will be terrified,
the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling,(CT)
the people[f] of Canaan will melt(CU) away;
16 terror(CV) and dread will fall on them.
By the power of your arm
they will be as still as a stone(CW)—
until your people pass by, Lord,
until the people you bought[g](CX) pass by.(CY)
17 You will bring(CZ) them in and plant(DA) them
on the mountain(DB) of your inheritance—
the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling,(DC)
the sanctuary,(DD) Lord, your hands established.
18 “The Lord reigns
for ever and ever.”(DE)
19 When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen[h] went into the sea,(DF) the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.(DG) 20 Then Miriam(DH) the prophet,(DI) Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels(DJ) and dancing.(DK) 21 Miriam sang(DL) to them:
“Sing to the Lord,
for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver(DM)
he has hurled into the sea.”(DN)
The Waters of Marah and Elim
22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert(DO) of Shur.(DP) For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water.(DQ) 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.[i](DR)) 24 So the people grumbled(DS) against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”(DT)
25 Then Moses cried out(DU) to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw(DV) it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.
There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test.(DW) 26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep(DX) all his decrees,(DY) I will not bring on you any of the diseases(DZ) I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals(EA) you.”
27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped(EB) there near the water.
Footnotes
- Exodus 14:9 Or charioteers; also in verses 17, 18, 23, 26 and 28
- 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
- Exodus 15:23 Marah means bitter.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.