Daily Bread

Crossing the Sea

¹⁷ When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”^{(A) 18} So God led^(B) the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.^[a] The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.^(C)

¹⁹ Moses took the bones of Joseph^(D) with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.”^[b](E)

²⁰ After leaving Sukkoth^(F) they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.^{(G) 21} By day the Lord went ahead^(H) of them in a pillar of cloud^(I) to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. ²² Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left^(J) its place in front of the people.

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, ² “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol^(K) and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon.^{(L) 3} Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’ ⁴ And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart,^(M) and he will pursue them.^(N) But I will gain glory^(O) for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.”^(P) So the Israelites did this.

⁵ When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled,^(Q) Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds^(R) about them and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!” ⁶ So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. ⁷ He took six hundred of the best chariots,^(S) along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. ⁸ The Lord hardened the heart^(T) of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly.^{(U) 9} The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses^(V) and chariots, horsemen^[c] and troops^(W)—pursued the Israelites and overtook^(X) them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon.^(Y)

¹⁰ As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried^(Z) out to the Lord. ¹¹ They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?^(AA) What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? ¹² 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!”^(AB)

¹³ Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid.^(AC) Stand firm and you will see^(AD) the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see^(AE) again. ¹⁴ The Lord will fight^(AF) for you; you need only to be still.”^(AG)