Exodus 14:19-31

19 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them,

20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

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

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

23 The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea.

24 During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion.

25 He jammed^[a] 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 for them against Egypt.”

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.”

27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward^[b] it, and the LORD swept them into the sea.

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

29 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

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

31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.

Exodus 14:19-31 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.

Cross References

• 1. S Genesis 16:7; Isaiah 63:9
• 2. S Exodus 13:21; 1 Corinthians 10:1
• 3. Isaiah 26:7; Isaiah 42:16; Isaiah 49:10; Isaiah 52:12; Isaiah 58:8
• 4. Joshua 24:7
• 5. S Exodus 7:19
• 6. S Exodus 4:2; Job 26:12; Isaiah 14:27; Isaiah 23:11; Isaiah 51:15; Jeremiah 31:35; Acts 7:36
• 7. S Genesis 41:6; Exodus 15:8; 2 Samuel 22:16; 1 Kings 19:11; Job 38:1; Job 40:6; Jeremiah 23:19; Nahum 1:3
• 8. S ver 22; S Genesis 8:1
• 9. 2 Kings 2:8; Psalms 74:13; Psalms 78:13; Psalms 114:5; Psalms 136:13; Isaiah 63:12
• 10. ver 16; Numbers 33:8; Joshua 24:6; Isaiah 43:16; Isaiah 63:11; 1 Corinthians 10:1
• 11. ver 21,29; S Exodus 3:12; Exodus 15:19; Deuteronomy 31:6-8; Joshua 3:16,17; Joshua 4:22; Nehemiah 9:11; Psalms 66:6; Psalms 77:19; Psalms 106:9; Isaiah 11:15; Isaiah 41:10; Isaiah 43:5; Isaiah 44:27; Isaiah 50:2; Isaiah 51:10; Isaiah 63:13; Jeremiah 46:28; Nahum 1:4; Hebrews 11:29
• 12. Exodus 15:8; Joshua 3:13; Psalms 78:13
• 13. ver 7
• 14. S Exodus 13:21; 1 Corinthians 10:1
• 15. Exodus 23:27; Joshua 10:10; 1 Samuel 5:9; 1 Samuel 7:10; 1 Samuel 14:15; 2 Samuel 5:24; 2 Kings 7:6; 2 Kings 19:7
• 16. S ver 14
• 17. S ver 9; Deuteronomy 32:31; 1 Samuel 2:2; 1 Samuel 4:8
• 18. Joshua 4:18
• 19. ver 28; Exodus 15:1,21; Deuteronomy 1:40; Deuteronomy 2:1; Deuteronomy 11:4; Psalms 78:53; Psalms 106:11; Psalms 136:15; Hebrews 11:29
• 20. ver 23; Exodus 15:19; Joshua 24:7
• 21. S ver 27; Exodus 15:5; Judges 4:16; Nehemiah 9:11
• 22. ver; 21,S 22; Joshua 24:11; 2 Kings 2:8; Psalms 74:15
• 23. Psalms 78:13
• 24. ver 29; 1 Samuel 14:23; 1 Chronicles 11:14; Psalms 44:7; Psalms 106:8,10,21; Isaiah 43:3; Isaiah 50:2; Isaiah 51:9-10; Isaiah 60:16; Isaiah 63:8,11
• 25. S Exodus 9:16; Psalms 147:5
• 26. Exodus 20:18; Deuteronomy 31:13; Joshua 4:24; 1 Samuel 12:18; Psalms 76:7; Psalms 112:1
• 27. S Exodus 4:5; Psalms 22:4; Psalms 40:3; Psalms 106:12; John 2:11; John 11:45

Footnotes

• [a] See Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint and Syriac; Masoretic Text "removed"
• [b] Or "from"