Exodus 14:21-31

21 And when Moses had stretched forth his hand on the sea, the Lord took away the sea, the while a great wind and a burning (one) blew in all the night, and turned the sea into dryness; and the water was parted. (And when Moses had stretched forth his hand over the Red Sea, the Lord took away the sea, by a great burning wind that blew all that night, and turned the sea into dry land; and so the waters were parted.)
22 And the sons of Israel entered by the midst of the dry sea; for the water was as a wall at the right side, and the left side of them. (And the Israelites entered into the midst of the sea on dry land; for the water was like a wall on their right side, and on their left side.)
23 And the Egyptians pursued, and entered after them, all the riding of Pharaoh, his chariots, and [his] knights, by the midst of the sea. (And the Egyptians pursued them, and entered into the midst of the sea after them, yea, all the horses of Pharaoh, and his chariots, and his soldiers.)
24 And the watch of the morrowtide came then, and lo! the Lord beheld on the castles of the Egyptians, by a pillar of fire, and of cloud, and killed the host of them; (And the morning watch came then, and lo! the Lord looked down through the pillars of fire, and of cloud, on the army of the Egyptians, and he panicked all the soldiers;)
25 and he destroyed the wheels of [the] chariots, and those were borne into the depth (and he clogged up the wheels of the chariots, and they turned with great difficulty). Therefore the Egyptians said, Flee we (from) Israel; for the Lord fighteth for them against us.
26 And the Lord said to Moses, Hold forth thine hand on the sea, that the waters turn again to [the] Egyptians, on the chariots, and on the knights of them. (And the Lord said to Moses, Stretch forth thy hand over the sea, so that the waters return onto the Egyptians, yea, onto their chariots, and onto their soldiers.)
27 And when Moses had held forth his hand against the sea, it turned again first in the morrowtide to the former place (And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and early in the morning it returned to its former place); and when the Egyptians fled, the waters came (up) against them, and the Lord wrapped them (up) in the midst of the flood.
28 And the waters turned again, and covered the chariots, and [the] knights of all the host of Pharaoh, which followed, and entered into the sea; soothly not one of them was (left) alive. (And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and all the soldiers of Pharaoh's army, who had followed the Israelites, and had entered into the sea after them; truly not one of them was left alive.)
29 Forsooth the sons of Israel went through the midst of the dry sea, and the waters were to them as for a wall, on the right side, and on the left side. (But the Israelites went through the midst of the sea on dry land, and for them the waters were like a wall, on their right side, and on their left side.)
30 And in that day the Lord delivered Israel from the hand of [the] Egyptians, and they saw the Egyptians dead on the brink of the sea, (And on that day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and they saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashore,)
31 and they saw the great hand, or power/or might, which the Lord had used against the Egyptians; and the people dreaded the Lord, and they believed to the Lord, and to Moses his servant (and they saw the great power, or the great might, which the Lord had used against the Egyptians; and the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord, and in his servant Moses.)

Exodus 14:21-31 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 14

This chapter begins with directions of God to Moses, to be given to the children of Israel about the course they were to steer in their journey, with the reason thereof, Ex 14:1-4, which they observing, a report was brought to Pharaoh that they were fled, and this determined him and his servants to get ready and pursue after them, as they did with a great army, Ex 14:5-9, which when the Israelites saw, it put them in great fear, and set them to murmuring and complaining against Moses for bringing them out of Egypt, Ex 14:10,11,12, who desired them to be still and quiet, and they should see the salvation of the Lord, Ex 14:13,14, and he is bid to order the people to go on in their journey, and to take his rod and stretch it over the sea and divide it, that Israel might pass through it on dry ground, and the Egyptians follow them, whereby God would be honoured and glorified, Ex 14:15-18, upon which the Angel of the Lord in a pillar of cloud removed from before there, and went behind them for their protection, Ex 14:19,20, and Moses stretching out his hand over the sea, and a strong east wind blowing upon it, the waters divided and the Israelites went into it, and the Egyptians followed them, but their host being troubled by the Lord, and their chariot wheels taken off, they found themselves in great danger, and were thrown into a panic, Ex 14:20-25 and upon Moses's stretching out his hand again over the sea, the waters returned, and Pharaoh and his host were drowned, but the Israelites passed through safely, as on dry land, Ex 14:26-29, which great work of the Lord being observed by them, influenced their fear of him, their faith in him and his servant Moses, Ex 14:30,31.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.