1 The Lord told Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to turn back and set up camp near Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. You are to camp beside the sea, opposite Baal-zephon. 3 Pharaoh will conclude about the Israelites: ‘They're wandering about the country in confusion—the desert has blocked them from leaving.’ 4 I will give Pharaoh a stubborn attitude so that he will chase after them to get them back.*“To get them back”: supplied for clarity. But I will gain respect through what happens to Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So the Israelites did as they were instructed.

5 When the king of Egypt found out that the Israelites had left in a hurry, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about what had happened and said, “What have we done? We have let all these Israelite slaves go!” 6 So Pharaoh had his chariot made ready and set out with his army. 7 He took 600 of his best chariots along with all the other chariots of Egypt, each with their officer-in-charge. 8 The Lord gave Pharaoh, king of Egypt, a stubborn attitude so he chased after the Israelites, who were leaving with their fists raised in triumph. 9 The Egyptians set out in pursuit—all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, horsemen and soldiers. They caught up with the Israelites while they were camped beside the sea near Pi-hahiroth, opposite Baal-zephon.

10 The Israelites looked back and saw Pharaoh and the Egyptian army approaching. They were absolutely terrified and cried out to the Lord for help. 11 They complained to Moses, “Were there no graves in Egypt that you had to bring us out here in the desert to die? What have you done to us by making us leave Egypt? 12 Didn't we tell you back in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone so that we can go on being slaves to the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to be Egyptian slaves than to die here in the desert!”

13 But Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand where you are and you will see how the Lord will save you today. The Egyptians you see right now, you will never see again! 14 The Lord is going to fight for you—you don't need to do anything.”

15 The Lord told Moses, “Why are you crying out to me for help? Tell the Israelites to move forward. 16 You are to pick up your walking stick and hold it out in your hand over the sea. Divide it so the Israelites can walk through the sea on dry ground. 17 I will give Egyptians a stubborn, hard-hearted attitude so that they will chase in after them. Then I will gain respect through what happens to Pharaoh and all his army, chariots, and horsemen. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain respect through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

19 The angel of God, who had been leading the Israelites, moved behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front of them and stood behind them, 20 so that it was positioned between the Egyptian and Israelite camps. Though the cloud was in darkness on one side, but it lit up the night on the other. No one from either camp went near the other during the night.

21 Then Moses held out his hand over the sea, and all through the night the Lord forced the sea back with a strong east wind, and turned the bottom of the sea into dry land. So the water was divided, 22 and the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water to their right and left.

23 The Egyptians chased after them—all Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and horsemen. They followed the Israelites into the sea. 24 But at the end of the night the Lord looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw them into a panic. 25 He made their chariot wheels get stuck so it was hard for them to drive. The Egyptians shouted out, “Retreat! We must run from the Israelites because the Lord is fighting for them against us!”

26 Then the Lord told Moses, “Hold out your hand over the sea, so that the water will pour back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” 27 So Moses held out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to normal. As the Egyptians retreated, the Lord swept them into the sea. 28 The water poured back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the whole of Pharaoh's army that had chased after the Israelites into the sea. Not a single one of them survived.

29 But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water to their right and left. 30 The Lord saved the Israelites from the threat of the Egyptians—the Israelites saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. 31 When the Israelites saw the great power that the Lord had used against the Egyptians, they were in awe of the Lord, and they trusted in him and in his servant Moses.