Chapter 14
Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.
Just read this chapter →Scripture
KJV1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.
3For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
4And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.
5And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
6And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:
7And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
8And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
9But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.
10And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.
11And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
12Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
13And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
14The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
15And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
16But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
17And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
18And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
19And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
20And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
21And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
23And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
25And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
26And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
27And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
28And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
29But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
30Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
31And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.
“And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.”
Overview
God directs Israel to camp by the Red Sea, deliberately positioning them so that Pharaoh will think they are trapped. Pharaoh pursues with his entire army — chariots, horsemen, and soldiers. Israel sees the Egyptians approaching and cries out in terror, accusing Moses of bringing them to die in the wilderness. Moses commands them to stand still and see the salvation of the LORD. God moves the pillar of cloud between Israel and Egypt, and Moses stretches out his rod. The LORD drives the sea back with a strong east wind all night, and Israel walks through on dry ground with walls of water on either side. The Egyptians pursue, but God throws them into confusion, and at dawn the waters return, drowning the entire army. Israel sees the great work and believes the LORD.
Key Themes
Stand Still and See the Salvation of the LORD
At the moment of greatest crisis — enemies behind, sea before — God commands His people not to fight or flee but to stand still and watch Him save. Deliverance is His work, not ours.
God Fights for His People
The LORD Himself fights against Egypt — troubling their chariots, overthrowing them in the sea. Israel's deliverance is accomplished entirely by divine power, not human strategy.
Baptism Through the Sea
Israel passes through the waters of judgment into freedom — a death-and-resurrection passage that Paul identifies as a type of baptism (1 Corinthians 10:1-2), marking the end of the old life and the beginning of the new.
Study Questions
Why does God intentionally lead Israel into a position that appears to be a trap (vv. 1-4), and what does this teach about how God sometimes leads us into impossible situations for His glory?
What does Moses' command 'Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD' (v. 13) reveal about the nature of faith in crisis?
How does the crossing of the Red Sea serve as a picture of salvation — what is the 'Egypt' we leave behind, and what is the 'other side' we enter?
What is the significance of the same water that saves Israel being the water that destroys Egypt, and what does this teach about God's acts of salvation and judgment?
How does Israel's response of faith and fear of the LORD (v. 31) model the proper response to witnessing God's mighty acts?
Connection to Christ
The Red Sea crossing is the Old Testament's greatest picture of salvation: God's people pass through the waters of judgment and emerge free on the other side, while their enemies are destroyed. Paul identifies this as a type of baptism into Christ (1 Corinthians 10:1-2). As Israel was delivered from Pharaoh's army by God's mighty hand, so believers are delivered from sin, death, and Satan through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Exodus 14. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?