Exodus 14:16–15:21

¹⁶Raise your staff^j and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water^k so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. ¹⁷I will harden the hearts^l of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them.^m 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 Lordⁿ when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”

¹⁹Then the angel of God,^o who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud^p also moved from in front and stood behind^q them, ²⁰coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness^r 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^s over the sea,^t and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind^u and turned it into dry land.^v The waters were divided,^{w 22}and the Israelites went through the sea^x on dry ground,^y with a wall^z of water on their right and on their left.

²³The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen^a followed them into the sea. ²⁴During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud^b at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion.^{c 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^d for them against Egypt.”^e

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.^f The Egyptians were fleeing toward^c it, and the Lord swept them into the sea.^{g 28}The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea.^h Not one of them survived.ⁱ

²⁹But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground,^j with a wall^k of water on their right and on their left. ³⁰That day the Lord saved^l 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^m of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people fearedⁿ the Lord and put their trust^o in him and in Moses his servant.

The Song of Moses and Miriam

15Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song^p to the Lord:

“I will sing^q to the Lord,

for he is highly exalted.

Both horse and driver^r

he has hurled into the sea.^s

²“The Lord is my strength^t and my defense^a;

he has become my salvation.^u

He is my God,^v and I will praise him,

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

³The Lord is a warrior;^x

the Lord is his name.^y

⁴Pharaoh’s chariots and his army^z

he has hurled into the sea.

The best of Pharaoh’s officers

are drowned in the Red Sea.^b

⁵The deep waters^a have covered them;

they sank to the depths like a stone.^b

⁶Your right hand,^c Lord,

was majestic in power.

Your right hand,^d Lord,

shattered^e the enemy.

⁷“In the greatness of your majesty^f

you threw down those who opposed you.

You unleashed your burning anger;^g

it consumed^h them like stubble.

⁸By the blast of your nostrilsⁱ

the waters piled up.^j

The surging waters stood up like a wall;^k

the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.^l

⁹The enemy boasted,

‘I will pursue,^m I will overtake them.

I will divide the spoils;ⁿ

I will gorge myself on them.

I will draw my sword

and my hand will destroy them.’

¹⁰But you blew with your breath,^o

and the sea covered them.

They sank like lead

in the mighty waters.^p

¹¹Who among the gods

is like you,^q Lord?

Who is like you—

majestic in holiness,^r

awesome in glory,^s

working wonders?^t

¹²“You stretch out^u your right hand,

and the earth swallows your enemies.^v

¹³In your unfailing love you will lead^w

the people you have redeemed.^x

In your strength you will guide them

to your holy dwelling.^y

¹⁴The nations will hear and tremble;^z

anguish^a will grip the people of Philistia.^b

¹⁵The chiefs^c of Edom^d will be terrified,

the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling,^e

the people^c of Canaan will melt^f away;

¹⁶terror^g and dread will fall on them.

By the power of your arm

they will be as still as a stone^h—

until your people pass by, Lord,

until the people you bought^di pass by.^j

¹⁷You will bring^k them in and plant^l them

on the mountain^m of your inheritance—

the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling,ⁿ

the sanctuary,^o Lord, your hands established.

¹⁸“The Lord reigns

for ever and ever.”^p

¹⁹When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen^e went into the sea,^q the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.^{r 20}Then Miriam^s the prophet,^t Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels^u and dancing.^{v 21}Miriam sang^w to them:

“Sing to the Lord,

for he is highly exalted.

Both horse and driver^x

he has hurled into the sea.”^y