Exodus 14; Exodus 15; Matthew 17

1 Then the LORD said to Moses,

2 "Tell the Israelites to go back and set up their camp facing Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. Set up your camp facing north--by the sea.

3 Pharaoh will think, 'The Israelites are [just] wandering around. The desert is blocking their escape.'

4 I will make Pharaoh so stubborn that he will pursue them. Then, because of what I do to Pharaoh and his entire army, I will receive honor, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD." So that is what the Israelites did.

5 When Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) was told that the people had fled, he and his officials changed their minds about them. They said, "What have we done? We've lost our slaves because we've let Israel go."

6 So Pharaoh prepared his chariot and took his army with him.

7 He took 600 of his best chariots as well as all the other chariots in Egypt, placing an officer in each of them.

8 The LORD made Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) so stubborn that he pursued the Israelites, who were boldly leaving Egypt.

9 The Egyptians pursued the Israelites. Pharaoh's army, including all his horse-drawn chariots and cavalry, caught up with them as they were setting up their camp by the sea at Pi Hahiroth facing north.

10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw that the Egyptians were coming after them. Terrified, the Israelites cried out to the LORD.

11 They said to Moses, "Did you bring us out into the desert to die because there were no graves in Egypt? Look what you've done by bringing us out of Egypt!

12 Didn't we tell you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone! Let us go on serving the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!"

13 Moses answered the people, "Don't be afraid! Stand still, and see what the LORD will do to save you today. You will never see these Egyptians again.

14 The LORD is fighting for you! So be still!"

15 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to start moving.

16 Raise your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide the water. Then the Israelites will go through the sea on dry ground.

17 I am making the Egyptians so stubborn that they will follow the Israelites. I will receive honor because of what I will do to Pharaoh, his entire army, his chariots, and cavalry.

18 The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I am honored for what I did to Pharaoh, his chariots, and his cavalry."

19 The Messenger of God, who had been in front of the Israelites, moved behind them. So the column of smoke moved from in front of the Israelites and stood behind them

20 between the Egyptian camp and the Israelite camp. The [column of] smoke was there when darkness came, and it lit up the night. Neither side came near the other all night long.

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. All that night the LORD pushed back the sea with a strong east wind and turned the sea into dry ground. The water divided,

22 and the Israelites went through the middle of the sea on dry ground. The water stood like a wall on their right and on their left.

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

24 Just before dawn, the LORD looked down from the column of fire and smoke and threw the Egyptian camp into a panic.

25 He made the wheels of their chariots come off so that they could hardly move. Then the Egyptians shouted, "Let's get out of here! The LORD is fighting for Israel! He's against us!"

26 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the water will flow back over the Egyptians, their chariots, and their cavalry."

27 Moses stretched his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the water returned to its usual place. The Egyptians tried to escape, but the LORD swept them into the sea.

28 The water flowed back and covered Pharaoh's entire army, as well as the chariots and the cavalry that had followed Israel into the sea. Not one of them survived.

29 Meanwhile, the Israelites had gone through the sea on dry ground while the water stood like a wall on their right and on their left.

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

31 When the Israelites saw the great power the LORD had used against the Egyptians, they feared the LORD and believed in him and in his servant Moses.

1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: "I will sing to the LORD. He has won a glorious victory. He has thrown horses and their riders into the sea.

2 The LORD is my strength and my song. He is my Savior. This is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will honor him.

3 The LORD is a warrior! The LORD is his name.

4 He has thrown Pharaoh's chariots and army into the sea. Pharaoh's best officers were drowned in the Red Sea.

5 The deep water covered them. They sank to the bottom like a rock.

6 Your right hand, O LORD, wins glory because it is strong. Your right hand, O LORD, smashes your enemies.

7 With your unlimited majesty, you destroyed those who attacked you. You sent out your burning anger. It burned them up like straw.

8 With a blast from your nostrils, the water piled up. The waves stood up like a dam. The deep water thickened in the middle of the sea.

9 "The enemy said, 'I'll pursue them! I'll catch up with them! I'll divide the loot! I'll take all I want! I'll use my sword! I'll take all they have!'

10 Your breath blew the sea over them. They sank like lead in the raging water.

11 "Who is like you among the gods, O LORD? Who is like you? You are glorious because of your holiness and awe-inspiring because of your splendor. You perform miracles.

12 You stretched out your right hand. The earth swallowed them.

13 "Lovingly, you will lead the people you have saved. Powerfully, you will guide them to your holy dwelling.

14 People will hear of it and tremble. The people of Philistia will be in anguish.

15 The tribal leaders of Edom will be terrified. The powerful men of Moab will tremble. The people of Canaan will be deathly afraid.

16 Terror and dread will fall on them. Because of the power of your arm, they will be petrified until your people pass by, O LORD, until the people you purchased pass by.

17 You will bring them and plant them on your own mountain, the place where you live, O LORD, the holy place that you built with your own hands, O Lord.

18 The LORD will rule as king forever and ever."

19 When Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and cavalry went into the sea, the LORD made the water of the sea flow back over them. However, the Israelites had gone through the sea on dry ground.

20 Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand. All the women, dancing with tambourines, followed her.

21 Miriam sang to them: "Sing to the LORD. He has won a glorious victory. He has thrown horses and their riders into the sea."

22 Moses led Israel away from the Red Sea into the desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water.

23 When they came to Marah, they couldn't drink the water because it tasted bitter. That's why the place was called Marah [Bitter Place].

24 The people complained about Moses by asking, "What are we supposed to drink?"

25 Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the LORD set down laws and rules for them to live by, and there he tested them.

26 He said, "If you will listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what he considers right, if you pay attention to his commands and obey all his laws, I will never make you suffer any of the diseases I made the Egyptians suffer, because I am the LORD, who heals you."

27 Next, they went to Elim, where there were 12 springs and 70 palm trees. They camped there by the water.

1 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John (the brother of James) and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone.

2 Jesus' appearance changed in front of them. His face became as bright as the sun and his clothes as white as light.

3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them and were talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it's good that we're here. If you want, I'll put up three tents here--one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

5 He was still speaking when a bright cloud overshadowed them. Then a voice came out of the cloud and said, "This is my Son, whom I love and with whom I am pleased. Listen to him!"

6 The disciples were terrified when they heard this and fell facedown on the ground.

7 But Jesus touched them and said, "Get up, and don't be afraid!"

8 As they raised their heads, they saw no one but Jesus.

9 On their way down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen. Wait until the Son of Man has been brought back to life."

10 So the disciples asked him, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"

11 Jesus answered, "Elijah is coming and will put everything in order again.

12 Actually, I can guarantee that Elijah has already come. Yet, people treated him as they pleased because they didn't recognize him. In the same way they're going to make the Son of Man suffer."

13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking about John the Baptizer.

14 When they came to a crowd, a man came up to Jesus, knelt in front of him,

15 and said, "Sir, have mercy on my son. He suffers from seizures. Often he falls into fire or water.

16 I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn't cure him."

17 Jesus replied, "You unbelieving and corrupt generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me!"

18 Jesus ordered the demon to come out of the boy. At that moment the boy was cured.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, "Why couldn't we force the demon out of the boy?"

20 He told them, "Because you have so little faith. I can guarantee this truth: If your faith is the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

21

22 While they were traveling together in Galilee, Jesus told them, "The Son of Man will be betrayed and handed over to people.

23 They will kill him, but on the third day he will be brought back to life." Then the disciples became very sad.

24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter. They asked him, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?"

25 "Certainly," he answered. Peter went into the house. Before he could speak, Jesus asked him, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the world collect fees or taxes? Is it from their family members or from other people?"

26 "From other people," Peter answered. Jesus said to him, "Then the family members are exempt.

27 However, so that we don't create a scandal, go to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that you catch. Open its mouth, and you will find a coin. Give that coin to them for you and me."