Exodus 14:16–15:21

¹⁶And you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it so that the Israelites^k can go in the middle of the sea on the dry land. ¹⁷And as for me, look, I am about to harden the heart of the Egyptians so that they come after them, and I will display my glory through Pharaoh and through all of his army, through his chariots and through his charioteers. ¹⁸And the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh when I display my glory through Pharaoh, through his chariots, and through his charioteers.”

¹⁹And the angel of God who was going before the camp of Israel set out and went behind them. And the column of cloud set out ahead of them, and it stood still behind them, ²⁰so that it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. And it was a dark cloud,^l but it gave light to the night,^m so that neither approached the otherⁿ all night.

²¹And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh moved the sea^o with a strong east wind all night, and he made the sea become dry ground, and the waters were divided. ²²And the Israelites^p entered the middle of the sea on the dry land. The waters were a wall for them on their right and on their left. ²³And the Egyptians gave chase^q and entered after them—all the horses of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his charioteers—into the middle of the sea. ²⁴And during the morning watch, Yahweh looked down to the Egyptian camp from in the column of fire and cloud, and he threw the Egyptian camp into a panic. ²⁵And he removed^r the wheels of their chariots so that they drove them with difficulty, and the Egyptians said, “We must flee away^s from Israel because Yahweh is fighting for them against Egypt.”

²⁶And Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, and let the waters return over the Egyptians, over their chariots, and over their charioteers.” ²⁷And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned at daybreak^t to its normal level, and the Egyptians were fleeing because of it,^u and Yahweh swept the Egyptians into the middle of the sea. ²⁸And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the charioteers—all the army of Pharaoh coming after them into the sea. Not even^v one survived among them. ²⁹But the Israelites^w walked on the dry land in the middle of the sea. The waters were a wall for them on their right and on their left. ³⁰And Yahweh saved Israel on that day from the hand^x of Egypt, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore of the sea. ³¹And Israel saw the great hand^y that Yahweh displayed against Egypt, and the people feared Yahweh, and they believed in Yahweh and in Moses his servant.

Song of Victory at the Sea

15Then Moses and the Israelites^a sang this song to Yahweh, and they said,^b

“Let me sing to Yahweh because he is highly exalted;

the horse and its rider he hurled into the sea.

²Yah^c is my strength and song, and he has become my salvation;^d

this is my God, and I will praise him—the God of my father—and I will exalt him.

³Yahweh is a man of war; Yahweh is his name.

⁴The chariots of Pharaoh and his army he cast into the sea,

and his choice adjutants were sunk in the Red Sea.^e

⁵The deep waters covered them;

they went down into the depths like a stone.

⁶Yahweh, your right hand is glorious in power;

Yahweh, your right hand destroyed the enemy.

⁷And in the greatness of your majesty you overthrew those standing up to you;

you released your fierce anger, and it consumed them like stubble.

⁸And by the breath of your nostrils waters were piled up;

waves stood like a heap;

deep waters in the middle of the sea congealed.

⁹The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide plunder,

my desire will be full of them, I will draw my sword, my hand will destroy them.’

¹⁰You blew with your breath; the sea covered them;

they dropped like lead in the mighty waters.

¹¹Who is like you among the gods, Yahweh?

Who is like you—glorious in holiness, awesome in praiseworthy actions, doing wonders?^f

¹²You stretched out your right hand;

the earth swallowed them.

¹³In your loyal love you led the people whom you redeemed;

in your strength you guided them to the abode of your holiness.^g

¹⁴Peoples heard; they trembled;

anguish seized the inhabitants of Philistia.

¹⁵Then the chiefs of Edom were horrified; great distress seized the leaders of Moab;

all of the inhabitants of Canaan melted away.

¹⁶Terror and dread fell on them;

at the greatness of your arm they became silent like the stone,

until your people passed by, Yahweh,

until the people whom you bought passed by.

¹⁷You brought them and planted them on the mountain of your inheritance,

a place you made for yourself to inhabit, Yahweh,

a sanctuary, Lord, that your hands established.

¹⁸Yahweh will reign as king forever and ever.”

¹⁹When the horses^h of Pharaoh came into the sea with his chariotsⁱ and with his charioteers, Yahweh brought back upon them the waters of the sea, and the Israelites^j traveled on dry ground through the middle of the sea. ²⁰And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took her^k tambourine in her hand, and all of the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances. ²¹And Miriam answered,^l “Sing to Yahweh because he is highly exalted; the horse and its rider he hurled into the sea.”