Exodus 14:16–15:21

¹⁶As 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.^{c 17}As for me, 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. ¹⁸The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I receive glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

¹⁹Then the angel of God,^d 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.^{e 20}It came between the Egyptian and Israelite forces. There was cloud and darkness, it lit up the night, and neither group came near the other all night long.

²¹Then 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,^{f 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.^g

²³The Egyptians set out in pursuit—all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen—and went into the sea after them. ²⁴During the morning watch, the Lord looked down at the Egyptian forces from the pillar of fire^h and cloud, and threw the Egyptian forces into confusion. ²⁵He caused their chariot wheels to swerve^AB and made them drive^C with difficulty. “Let’s get away from Israel,” the Egyptians said, “because the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!”

²⁶Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the water may come back on the Egyptians, on their chariots and horsemen.” ²⁷So 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.^{i 28}The water came back and covered the chariots^j and horsemen, plus the entire army of Pharaoh that had gone after them into the sea. Not even one of them survived.

²⁹But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with the waters like a wall to them on their right and their left. ³⁰That day the Lord saved Israel from the power of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. ³¹When Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and believed^k in him and in his servant Moses.

ISRAEL’S SONG

15Then 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.

²The Lord is my strength and my song;^A

he has become my salvation.^l

This is my God, and I will praise him,

my father’s God, and I will exalt him.^m

³The Lord is a warrior;ⁿ

the Lord is his name.^o

⁴He threw Pharaoh’s chariots

and his army into the sea;

the elite of his officers

were drowned in the Red Sea.^p

⁵The floods covered them;

they sank to the depths like a stone.^q

⁶Lord, your right hand is glorious in power.

Lord, your right hand shattered the enemy.^r

⁷You overthrew your adversaries

by your great majesty.

You unleashed your burning wrath;

it consumed them like stubble.^s

⁸The water heaped up^t at the blast from your nostrils;

the currents stood firm like a dam.

The watery depths congealed in the heart of the sea.

⁹The enemy said:

“I will pursue, I will overtake,

I will divide the spoil.^u

My desire will be gratified at their expense.

I will draw my sword;

my hand will destroy^B them.”

¹⁰But you blew with your breath,

and the sea covered them.

They sank like lead

in the mighty waters.

¹¹Lord, who is like you among the gods?

Who is like you, glorious in holiness,^a

revered with praises, performing wonders?^b

¹²You stretched out your right hand,

and the earth swallowed them.

¹³With your faithful love, you will lead the people

you have redeemed;

you will guide them to your holy dwelling

with your strength.^c

¹⁴When the peoples hear, they will shudder;

anguish will seize the inhabitants of Philistia.

¹⁵Then the chiefs of Edom will be terrified;^d

trembling will seize the leaders of Moab;

all the inhabitants of Canaan will panic;

¹⁶terror^e and dread will fall on them.

They will be as still^C as a stone

because of your powerful arm

until your people pass by, Lord,

until the people whom you purchased^D pass by.^f

¹⁷You will bring them in and plant them

on the mountain of your possession;^g

Lord, you have prepared the place

for your dwelling;

Lord,^A your hands have established the sanctuary.

¹⁸The Lord will reign^h forever and ever!

¹⁹When Pharaoh’s horses with his chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the water of the sea back over them. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. ²⁰Then the prophetess Miriam,ⁱ Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women came out following her with tambourines and dancing.^{j 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.