Exodus 14:31 Meaning and Explanation
“And 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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →A mighty rescue seeks more than astonishment. Exodus closes this chapter by showing the response awakened in Israel after they see the sea's aftermath and recognize who delivered them. Their fear is reverence before the LORD's greatness, and their belief reaches both the God who acted and the servant he appointed. The verse helps us consider how remembered acts of God form faith and faithful hearing.
After witnessing the LORD's great work against Egypt, Israel responds with reverent fear, faith in the LORD, and trust in Moses as the servant through whom God led them.
The Context of Exodus 14:31
Exodus 14 begins with Israel trapped between the sea and Pharaoh's approaching army. The people fear and complain, while Moses directs them to see the salvation of the LORD. God divides the sea through Moses' outstretched hand, Israel crosses on dry ground, and Egypt follows. The LORD troubles the Egyptians, and the waters return over Pharaoh's host. Verse 30 summarizes that the LORD saved Israel from Egypt and that Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the shore. Verse 31 records Israel's response to the "great work" they had seen. Exodus 15 immediately continues with Moses and Israel singing praise to the LORD for this deliverance.
What Does Exodus 14:31 Mean?
Israel "saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians." The chapter has repeatedly made the LORD the actor: he protected Israel, divided the waters, troubled the host, and saved his people. Seeing the work means more than observing an extraordinary event. Israel sees the defeat of the force that had enslaved and pursued them, and they see that their rescue came from the LORD. Therefore "the people feared the LORD." In this setting fear names a reverent response before God's power and holiness. Their experience of salvation leads them to take the LORD with seriousness, wonder, and trust.
The next words describe the content of their faith: they "believed the LORD, and his servant Moses." Trust in Moses does not rival trust in the LORD, because the verse identifies Moses as "his servant." Throughout the chapter Moses receives God's words and carries out God's commands before the people. Israel's faith includes recognizing the servant God has sent to lead them. This ending also answers the chapter's earlier fear and complaint. At the sea they questioned Moses and wished for the security of Egypt's bondage. After deliverance, they believe the LORD and receive Moses in his God-given service. Exodus 15 turns that faith into a song of praise.
A particularly direct canonical echo appears in Hebrews 11:29, which says that Israel passed through the Red sea by faith. Hebrews remembers the crossing as an act of faith while Exodus 14:31 records faith arising from what Israel saw the LORD do. Together, these passages show faith shaped by God's mighty acts and expressed in going forward where he leads. The chapter also points beyond itself toward the pattern of God's saving work: he delivers a people who cannot rescue themselves and forms them to trust his word. Christians can rightly remember Christ as the one through whom God's saving purpose reaches its fullness, while honoring the distinct deliverance Exodus records.
Bible Verses Related to Exodus 14:31
“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.”
- Exodus 14:13
“Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.”
- Exodus 15:1
“By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.”
- Hebrews 11:29
“Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.”
- Psalm 106:12
Where Exodus 14:31 Echoes in Scripture
Hebrews 11:29 directly recalls Israel's passage through the Red sea, saying that they passed through it by faith. Exodus 14:31 supplies the chapter's own account of their response: they saw the LORD's great work, feared him, and believed. The echo joins God's prior saving action with the faith by which his people move forward under his guidance.
How to Apply Exodus 14:31 Today
We often remember God's help only as a private relief and then move quickly to the next concern. Israel's response suggests a fuller practice: name the work God has done, receive it with reverence, and let it deepen trust in his word. Shared remembrance matters as well. Families, congregations, and friends can tell true accounts of provision, deliverance, repentance, and sustained help without exaggeration. This verse also encourages respect for faithful servants of God, while keeping the LORD himself as the source of salvation and the proper object of worship.
Reflection & Prayer
Which works of God in our life or community have we seen without pausing to receive them in faith? We might pray: "LORD, give us reverent hearts, strengthen our trust in your saving work, and help us honor those who serve under your call."