Exodus 14, Egyptian Army Destroyed

The Israelites are headed the long way to Palestine, a path that leads them to the Sea of Reeds.

Exodus 14: 1-4, Enticing the Egyptians

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon. Pharaoh will think, `The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.' And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD." 

    

So the Israelites did this.

The Israelites follow the instructions God gives them, as one more statement is to be made about the power of their God.

There appears to be considerable debate as to where this occurs geographically.  Given the more than three millennia since this event, not only have the place names changed but even the Egyptian geography.

Exodus 14: 5-9, Pharaoh's heart hardened one last time

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, "What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!" So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. He took six hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them.

    

The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. The Egyptians--all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, horsemen and troops--pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon.

Israel appears to be trapped.  Always obstinate, Pharaoh continues to act foolishly, hurting himself and his people.

 

Exodus 14: 10-12, Israelites cry out

As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, `Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!"

Just as the Egyptians are enticed by this apparent dead end route, so too, the Israelites are frightened.

Exodus 14: 13-15, Trust but move!

Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

    

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on."

Moses says, "Be strong, stand firm!"  YHWH appears to say, "Yes, quit complaining. But MOVE!!"

Exodus 14: 16-18, Stretch out your hand

"Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.  The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen."

Here is how the Israelites will get out of the trap!

One of the results of this event will be that not just Israel, but Egypt, will "know" Who YHWH is.

Exodus 14: 19-20, The angel of God stands between Israel and Egypt

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, 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.

Meanwhile a very visible barrier protects the Israelites from the Egyptians.

Exodus 14: 21-23, A strong east wind

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, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea.

During the night, while the pillar of cloud stands between the Israelites and the Egyptians, a "strong east wind" blows across the waters. The Israelites cross the Sea of Reeds.  The Egyptians follow.

Where is this crossing?  It is not clear.  The name is inconclusive and it is even possible that this body of water no longer exists, since the geography has changed over the three millennia since this event.

There are dramatic storms that sweep away water.  I recall Hurricane Ian pulling the water out of Tampa Bay for a time.  In the next chapter we will see (Exodus 15:8) that this is described as a blast of the "nostrils of God" piling up the water.

Exodus 14: 24-28, The Egyptian army destroyed

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. He made the wheels of their chariots come off 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."

     

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

From the NIV footnotes, in verse 25, ancient manuscripts differ. The Masoretic "He made the wheels of their chariots come off" could be "He jammed the wheels of their chariots" (Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint and Syriac manuscripts.) Regardless, the Egyptians are aware that they have run into the actions of a powerful God.

(NIV footnotes: In verse 27, it is not clear if the Egyptians were fleeing toward or away from the sea.)

Long ago the Egyptians had tried to drown the newborn boys of Israel in the river.  Now it is the Egyptians that drown.  

Exodus 14: 29-31, Egyptians see God's power

But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. That day the LORD saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. And when the Israelites saw the great power the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant. 

 

This dramatic event should seal the Israelites understanding that YHWH is in complete control and that YHWH deserves their complete allegiance.  But (spoiler alert!) the Israelites are human....