Exodus 14

Exodus 14:1

Then the LORD said to Moses,

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Exodus 14:2

"Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. You are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal-zephon.

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Pi-hahiroth Pi̇hachiroth , "the mouth of Chiroth ," as it is rendered by the LXX. Dr. Shaw is of opinion , that Chiroth denotes the valley which extends from the wilderness of Etham to the Red Sea. "This valley ," he observes , "ends at the sea in a small bay made by the eastern extremities of the mountains (of Gewoubee and Attackah , between which the valley lies) which I have been describing , and is called Tiah-Beni-Israel , i.e. , the road of the Israelites , by a tradition that is still kept up by the Arabs , of their having passed through it; so it is also called Baideah , from the new and unheard of miracle that was wrought near it , by dividing the Red sea , and destroying therein Pharaoh , his chariots , and his horsemen."

Baalzephon This may have been the name of a town or city in which Baal was worshipped; and probably called zephon , from being situated on the north point of the Red sea , near the present Suez.

Exodus 14:3

For Pharaoh will say of the Israelites, 'They are wandering the land in confusion; the wilderness has boxed them in.'

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Exodus 14:4

And I will harden Pharaoh's heart so that he will pursue them. But I will gain honor by means of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD." So this is what the Israelites did.

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Exodus 14:5

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, "What have we done? We have released Israel from serving us."

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Exodus 14:6

So Pharaoh prepared his chariot and took his army with him.

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Exodus 14:7

He took 600 of the best chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them.

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Exodus 14:8

And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out defiantly.

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Exodus 14:9

The Egyptians—all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, horsemen and troops—pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi-hahiroth, opposite Baal-zephon.

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Exodus 14:10

As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw the Egyptians marching after them, and they were terrified and cried out to the LORD.

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Exodus 14:11

They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us into the wilderness to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?

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Exodus 14:12

Did we not say to you in Egypt, '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."

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Exodus 14:13

But Moses told the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the LORD's salvation, which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again.

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for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day or , for whereas ye have seen the Egyptians to-day , etc

Exodus 14:14

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

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Exodus 14:15

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to go forward.

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Exodus 14:16

And as for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.

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the sea This sea was what is called in Scripture yam suph , "the sea of weeds;" so called , according to Mr. Bruce , from the vast quantity of coral which grows in it. In the LXX it is called טבכבףףב וסץטסב , and by the Latins Rubrum mare , and we from them the Red Sea; so called it is supposed , from Edom (red) or Esau , whose territories extend to its coasts. It separates Arabia from Egypt and Ethiopia , and is computed to be 150 leagues in length from Suez to the straits of Babelmandel. The upper part is divided into two gulfs , that to the East called the Elanitic , from the city Elana at the northern extremity , and that to the west , the Heroopolitic , from the city of Heroopolis. The former is called by the Arabians Bahr el Akaba , the sea of Akaba; and the latter Bahr el Kolzum , the sea of destruction , or Clysmז; which was that which the Israelites passed.

Exodus 14:17

And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. Then I will gain honor by means of Pharaoh and all his army and chariots and horsemen.

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Exodus 14:18

The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I am honored through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."

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Exodus 14:19

And the angel of God, who had gone before the camp of Israel, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from before them and stood behind them,

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Exodus 14:20

so that it came between the camps of Egypt and Israel. The cloud was there in the darkness, but it lit up the night. So all night long neither camp went near the other.

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Exodus 14:21

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind that turned it into dry land. So the waters were divided,

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Exodus 14:22

and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.

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and the waters This #### Verse demonstrates that this event was wholly miraculous , and cannot be ascribed , as some have supposed , to an extraordinary ebb , which happened just then to be produced by a strong east wind . for this would not have caused the waters , contrary to every law of fluids , to stand as a wall on the right hand and the left.

Exodus 14:23

And the Egyptians chased after them—all Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and horsemen—and followed them into the sea.

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Exodus 14:24

At morning watch, however, the LORD looked down on the army of the Egyptians from the pillar of fire and cloud, and He threw their camp into confusion.

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Exodus 14:25

He caused their chariot wheels to wobble, so that they had difficulty driving. "Let us flee from the Israelites," said the Egyptians, "for the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt!"

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that they drave them heavily or , and made them to go heavily

Exodus 14:26

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."

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Exodus 14:27

So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal state. As the Egyptians were retreating, the LORD swept them into the sea.

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overthrew Heb. shook off

Exodus 14:28

The waters flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had chased the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.

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Exodus 14:29

But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.

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Exodus 14:30

That day the LORD saved Israel from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore.

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Exodus 14:31

When Israel saw the great power that the LORD had exercised over the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and believed in Him and in His servant Moses.

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work Heb. hand