The Exodus from Egypt

Then Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt as God parted the waters of the Red Sea, preparing their way toward the promised land of Canaan.

Four hundred thirty years after Israel and his family moved to Egypt, the LORD led them—now a nation of two million—along with others and their livestock, out of Egypt. They walked from Rameses to Succoth.

But when Pharaoh and his officials realized Israel had left, they said, "What have we done? We let our slave labor go free!” So Pharaoh prepared his army with all its chariots and chased after the Israelites.

When the Israelites saw Pharaoh and his army marching after them, they were terrified and cried out to God. They whined to Moses, “Weren’t the cemeteries in Egypt large enough that you had to bring us out in the wilderness to die? Why did you do this? We would rather be slaves in Egypt than to die out here.”

Moses answered the people, “Don’t be afraid. Hang on, and you will see the LORD deliver you in such a way that you will never see these Egyptians again. The LORD will do the fighting; you won’t have to do a thing.”

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Get the people moving. Hold your walking stick up over the sea and divide it. The Israelites will walk right through the sea on dry ground. Meanwhile, I will make Pharaoh and his army stubborn in the chase so that they come in after you. The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I use their army, chariots, and horsemen to glorify Myself.”

The angel of almighty God had been leading the Israelites. He now went behind them, taking the pillar of cloud with him. Now, the cloud was between the Egyptians and the Israelites, bringing darkness to the Egyptians and light to the Israelites and separating them throughout the night.

Then Moses lifted his walking stick over the sea, and God, with a thunderous east wind, drove the sea back. The sea split in two, leaving dry ground in the middle. The Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground with a wall of water on each side.

The Egyptians went in after them. God looked down through the pillar and brought them into confusion. He clogged up the chariot wheels. The Egyptians began to shout, “Run from Israel! The LORD is fighting for them against us!”

On the other side, God told Moses, “Stretch your walking stick out over the sea so that the water will flow back over the Egyptian army.” Moses obeyed, the sea returned, and the LORD swept them into it. Not one of the army that pursued Israel into the sea survived. History shows that for several years after this, the Egyptian army did not go out to show its power; its power was so greatly diminished on that day.

But the Israelites had passed through the sea on dry ground. The LORD delivered Israel from the oppression of Egypt that day, leaving Egyptians to wash up dead on the shore. When the Israelites observed the tremendous power of the LORD, they gained a healthy, holy respect for Him and trusted in Him and His servant Moses.