1Jehovah said to Moses: 2»Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in front of Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the Red Sea, near Baal Zephon. 3»The king will think that the Israelites are wandering around in the country and are closed in by the desert. 4»I will make him stubborn. He will pursue you. My victory over the king and his army will bring me honor. Then the Egyptians will know that I am Jehovah!« The Israelites did as they were told. 5The king of Egypt was told that the people had escaped. He and his officials changed their minds and said: »What have we done? We have let the Israelites escape, and we have lost them as our slaves!« 6The king got his war chariot and army ready. 7He commanded his officers in charge of his six hundred best chariots and all his other chariots to start after the Israelites. 8Jehovah made the king so stubborn that he went after them. The Israelites proudly went on their way. 9The king’s horses and chariots and soldiers caught up with them while they were camping by the Red Sea near Pi-Hahiroth and Baal-Zephon. 10The Israelites saw the king coming with his army. They were frightened and begged Jehovah for help. 11They also complained to Moses: Was there not enough room in Egypt to bury us? Is that why you brought us out here to die in the desert? Why did you bring us out of Egypt? 12»Did we not say in Egypt: Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert.« 13But Moses said to the people: »Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of Jehovah. He will accomplish this for you today. The Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. 14»Jehovah will fight for you while you keep silent.« 15Jehovah said to Moses: »Why are you crying out to me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. 16»As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. The sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land. 17»I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18»Then the Egyptians will know that I am Jehovah, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen.« 19The angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them. The pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them. 20So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. There was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not come near the other all night. 21Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. Jehovah swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land. The waters were divided. 22The Israelites went through the middle of the sea on dry ground. The water stood like a wall on their right and on their left. 23The Egyptians pursued them. Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and cavalry followed them into the sea. 24Just before dawn, Jehovah looked down from the column of fire and smoke and threw the Egyptian camp into a panic. 25He made the wheels of their chariots come off. They could hardly move. Then the Egyptians shouted: »Let us get out of here! Jehovah is fighting for Israel! He is against us!« 26Jehovah then said to Moses: »Hold out your hand over the sea, and the water will flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and drivers.« 27Moses held out his hand over the sea. At daybreak the water returned to its normal level. The Egyptians tried to escape from the water. But Jehovah threw them into the sea. 28The water returned and covered the chariots, the drivers, and all the Egyptian army that had followed the Israelites into the sea. None of them were left. 29On the other hand, the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on both sides. 30That day Jehovah saved the people of Israel from the Egyptians. The Israelites saw them lying dead on the seashore. 31The Israelites saw the great power with which Jehovah had defeated the Egyptians. So they stood in awe of Jehovah. They had faith in Jehovah and in his servant Moses.