- And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; opposite Baal-Zephon, before it, shall you encamp by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness has shut them in. And Pharaoh will harden his heart that he shall follow after them, and I will be honored upon Pharaoh and upon all his host, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. And they did so. And 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? And he made ready his chariot and took his people with him. And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. And Pharaoh hardened his heart and he pursued after the children of Israel, and the children of Israel went out with a high hand. But 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 Baal-Zephon.
- And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sorely afraid, and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord. And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt thus with us to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell you in Egypt — saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which he will show to you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.
- And the Lord said unto Moses, Why do you cry unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel that they set out, but lift up your rod and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the middle of the sea. And I, behold, I say unto you, the hearts of the Egyptians shall be hardened and they shall follow them, and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh and upon all his host, upon his chariots and upon his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I have gotten me honor upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. And the angel of God, who 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, and it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. And it was a cloud and darkness to the Egyptians, but it gave light by night to the Israelites, so that the one came not near the other all the night.
- And 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. And the children of Israel went into the middle of the sea upon the dry ground, and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left. And the Egyptians pursued and went in after them to the middle of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And 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, and took off their chariot wheels that they drove them heavily, so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians. And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. And 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 middle of the sea. And 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. But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the middle of the sea, and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left. Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore. 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.
- Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spoke, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider has he thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and song, and he has become my salvation. He is my God and I will prepare him a habitation, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is his name.
- Pharaoh’s chariots and his host has he cast into the sea. His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea. The depths have covered them, they sank into the bottom as a stone. Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power. Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed in pieces the enemy. And in the greatness of your excellence, you have overthrown them that rose up against you. You sent forth your wrath which consumed them as stubble. And with the blast of your nostrils, the waters were gathered together. The floods stood upright as a heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea. The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil. My lust shall be satisfied upon them. I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them. You did blow with your wind, the sea covered them, they sank as lead in the mighty waters.
- Who is like unto you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? You stretched out your right hand, the earth swallowed them. You in your mercy have led forth the people whom you have redeemed. You have guided them in your strength unto your holy habitation. The people shall hear and be afraid. Sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. Then the chiefs of Edom shall be amazed. The mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them. All the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. Fear and dread shall fall upon them. By the greatness of your arm, they shall be as still as a stone, until your people pass over, O Lord; until the people pass over whom you have purchased. You shall bring them in and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance; in the place, O Lord, which you have made for you to dwell in; in the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established. The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.
- For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought again the waters of the sea upon them. But the children of Israel went on dry land in the middle of the sea.
- And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances. And Miriam answered them, Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider has he thrown into the sea.
Chapter 9