Exodus 14:22-28

14:22 So the Israelites went through the middle of the sea on dry ground, the water forming a wall ¹  for them on their right and on their left.

14:23 The Egyptians chased them and followed them into the middle of the sea – all the horses of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen. 14:24 In the morning watch ²  the Lord looked down ³  on the Egyptian army ⁴  through the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw the Egyptian army ⁵  into a panic. ⁶  14:25 He jammed ⁷  the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving, ⁸  and the Egyptians said, “Let’s flee ⁹  from Israel, for the Lord fights ¹⁰  for them against Egypt!”

14:26 The Lord said to Moses, “Extend your hand toward the sea, so that the waters may flow ¹¹  back on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen!” 14:27 So Moses extended his hand toward the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state ¹²  when the sun began to rise. ¹³  Now the Egyptians were fleeing ¹⁴  before it, but the Lord overthrew ¹⁵  the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. 14:28 The water returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen and all the army of Pharaoh that was coming after the Israelites into the sea ¹⁶  – not so much as one of them survived! ¹⁷ 

Joshua 3:15-16

3:15 When the ones carrying the ark reached the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the ark touched the surface ¹⁸  of the water – (the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest time) ¹⁹  – 3:16 the water coming downstream toward them stopped flowing. ²⁰  It piled up far upstream ²¹  at Adam (the city near Zarethan); there was no water at all flowing to the sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea). ²²  The people crossed the river opposite Jericho. ²³ 

Joshua 4:18

4:18 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord came up from the middle of the Jordan, and as soon as they set foot on dry land, ²⁴  the water of the Jordan flowed again and returned to flood stage. ²⁵ 

Joshua 4:23-24

4:23 For the Lord your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you while you crossed over. It was just like when the Lord your God dried up the Red Sea before us while we crossed it. ²⁶  4:24 He has done this so ²⁷  all the nations ²⁸  of the earth might recognize the Lord’s power ²⁹  and so you might always obey ³⁰  the Lord your God.”

Nehemiah 9:11

9:11 You split the sea before them, and they crossed through ³¹  the sea on dry ground! But you threw their pursuers ³²  into the depths, like a stone into surging ³³  waters.

Psalms 18:15

18:15 The depths ³⁴  of the sea ³⁵  were exposed;

the inner regions ³⁶  of the world were uncovered

by ³⁷  your battle cry, ³⁸  Lord,

by the powerful breath from your nose. ³⁹ 

Psalms 66:6

66:6 He turned the sea into dry land; ⁴⁰ 

they passed through the river on foot. ⁴¹ 

Let us rejoice in him there! ⁴² 

Psalms 74:13-15

74:13 You destroyed ⁴³  the sea by your strength;

you shattered the heads of the sea monster ⁴⁴  in the water.

74:14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan; ⁴⁵ 

you fed ⁴⁶  him to the people who live along the coast. ⁴⁷ 

74:15 You broke open the spring and the stream; ⁴⁸ 

you dried up perpetually flowing rivers. ⁴⁹ 

Psalms 77:16-19

77:16 The waters ⁵⁰  saw you, O God,

the waters saw you and trembled. ⁵¹ 

Yes, the depths of the sea ⁵²  shook with fear. ⁵³ 

77:17 The clouds poured down rain; ⁵⁴ 

the skies thundered. ⁵⁵ 

Yes, your arrows ⁵⁶  flashed about.

77:18 Your thunderous voice was heard in the wind;

the lightning bolts lit up the world;

the earth trembled and shook. ⁵⁷ 

77:19 You walked through the sea; ⁵⁸ 

you passed through the surging waters, ⁵⁹ 

but left no footprints. ⁶⁰ 

Psalms 114:3-8

114:3 The sea looked and fled; ⁶¹ 

the Jordan River ⁶²  turned back. ⁶³ 

114:4 The mountains skipped like rams,

the hills like lambs. ⁶⁴ 

114:5 Why do you flee, O sea?

Why do you turn back, O Jordan River?

114:6 Why do you skip like rams, O mountains,

like lambs, O hills?

114:7 Tremble, O earth, before the Lord –

before the God of Jacob,

114:8 who turned a rock into a pool of water,

a hard rock into springs of water! ⁶⁵ 

Psalms 136:13-15

136:13 to the one who divided ⁶⁶  the Red Sea ⁶⁷  in two, ⁶⁸ 

for his loyal love endures,

136:14 and led Israel through its midst,

for his loyal love endures,

136:15 and tossed ⁶⁹  Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,

for his loyal love endures,

Isaiah 11:15-16

11:15 The Lord will divide ⁷⁰  the gulf ⁷¹  of the Egyptian Sea; ⁷² 

he will wave his hand over the Euphrates River ⁷³  and send a strong wind, ⁷⁴ 

he will turn it into seven dried-up streams, ⁷⁵ 

and enable them to walk across in their sandals.

11:16 There will be a highway leading out of Assyria

for the remnant of his people, ⁷⁶ 

just as there was for Israel,

when ⁷⁷  they went up from the land of Egypt.

Isaiah 63:11-13

63:11 His people remembered the ancient times. ⁷⁸ 

Where is the one who brought them up out of the sea,

along with the shepherd of ⁷⁹  his flock?

Where is the one who placed his holy Spirit among them, ⁸⁰ 

63:12 the one who made his majestic power available to Moses, ⁸¹ 

who divided the water before them,

gaining for himself a lasting reputation, ⁸² 

63:13 who led them through the deep water?

Like a horse running on flat land ⁸³  they did not stumble.

Hebrews 11:29

11:29 By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if on dry ground, but when the Egyptians tried it, they were swallowed up.

Revelation 16:12

16:12 Then ⁸⁴  the sixth angel ⁸⁵  poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and dried up its water ⁸⁶  to prepare the way ⁸⁷  for the kings from the east. ⁸⁸ 

[14:22]  ¹ tn The clause literally reads, “and the waters [were] for them a wall.” The word order in Hebrew is disjunctive, with the vav (ו) on the noun introducing a circumstantial clause.

[14:24]  ² tn The night was divided into three watches of about four hours each, making the morning watch about 2:00-6:00 a.m. The text has this as “the watch of the morning,” the genitive qualifying which of the night watches was meant.

[14:24]  ³ tn This particular verb, שָׁקַף (shaqaf) is a bold anthropomorphism: Yahweh looked down. But its usage is always with some demonstration of mercy or wrath. S. R. Driver (Exodus, 120) suggests that the look might be with fiery flashes to startle the Egyptians, throwing them into a panic. Ps 77:17-19 pictures torrents of rain with lightning and thunder.

[14:24]  ⁴ tn Heb “camp.” The same Hebrew word is used in Exod 14:20. Unlike the English word “camp,” it can be used of a body of people at rest (encamped) or on the move.

[14:24]  ⁵ tn Heb “camp.”

[14:24]  ⁶ tn The verb הָמַם (hamam) means “throw into confusion.” It is used in the Bible for the panic and disarray of an army before a superior force (Josh 10:10; Judg 4:15).

[14:25]  ⁷ tn The word in the text is וַיָּסַר (vayyasar), which would be translated “and he turned aside” with the sense perhaps of removing the wheels. The reading in the LXX, Smr, and Syriac suggests a root אָסַר (’asar, “to bind”). The sense here might be “clogged – presumably by their sinking in the wet sand” (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 120).

[14:25]  ⁸ tn The clause is וַיְנַהֲגֵהוּ בִּכְבֵדֻת (vaynahagehu bikhvedut). The verb means “to drive a chariot”; here in the Piel it means “cause to drive.” The suffix is collective, and so the verbal form can be translated “and caused them to drive.” The idea of the next word is “heaviness” or “hardship”; it recalls the previous uses of related words to describe Pharaoh’s heart. Here it indicates that the driving of the crippled chariots was with difficulty.

[14:25]  ⁹ tn The cohortative has the hortatory use here, “Let’s flee.” Although the form is singular, the sense of it is plural and so hortatory can be used. The form is singular to agree with the singular subject, “Egypt,” which obviously means the Egyptian army. The word for “flee” is used when someone runs from fear of immanent danger and is a different word than the one used in 14:5.

[14:25]  ¹⁰ tn The form is the Niphal participle; it is used as the predicate here, that is, the verbal use: “the Lord is fighting.” This corresponds to the announcement in v. 14.

[14:26]  ¹¹ tn The verb, “and they will return,” is here subordinated to the imperative preceding it, showing the purpose of that act.

[14:27]  ¹² tn The Hebrew term לְאֵיתָנוֹ (lÿ’etano) means “to its place,” or better, “to its perennial state.” The point is that the sea here had a normal level, and now when the Egyptians were in the sea on the dry ground the water would return to that level.

[14:27]  ¹³ tn Heb “at the turning of the morning”; NASB, NIV, TEV, CEV “at daybreak.”

[14:27]  ¹⁴ tn The clause begins with the disjunctive vav (ו) on the noun, signaling either a circumstantial clause or a new beginning. It could be rendered, “Although the Egyptians…Yahweh…” or “as the Egyptians….”

[14:27]  ¹⁵ tn The verb means “shake out” or “shaking off.” It has the significance of “throw downward.” See Neh 5:13 or Job 38:13.

[14:28]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “that was coming after them into the sea.” The referent of “them” (the Israelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:28]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “not was left among them as much as one.”

[3:15]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “dipped into the edge.”

[3:15]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest.”

[3:16]  ²⁰ tn Heb “the waters descending from above stood still.”

[3:16]  ²¹ tn Heb “they stood in one pile very far away.”

[3:16]  ²² tn Heb “the [waters] descending toward the sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) were completely cut off.”

[3:16]  ²³ map For the location of Jericho see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[4:18]  ²⁴ tn Heb “and the soles of the feet of the priests were brought up to the dry land.”

[4:18]  ²⁵ tn Heb “and the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and went as formerly over their banks.”

[4:23]  ²⁶ tn Heb “just as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea when he dried [it] up before us while we crossed over.”

[4:24]  ²⁷ tn Heb “in order that.”

[4:24]  ²⁸ tn Or “peoples.”

[4:24]  ²⁹ tn Heb “know the hand of the Lord that it is strong.”

[4:24]  ³⁰ tn Heb “fear.”

[9:11]  ³¹ tn Heb “in the midst of.”

[9:11]  ³² tn Heb “those who pursued them.”

[9:11]  ³³ tn Heb “mighty.”

[18:15]  ³⁴ tn Or “channels.”

[18:15]  ³⁵ tc Ps 18:15 reads “water” (cf. Ps 42:1); “sea” is the reading of 2 Sam 22:16.

[18:15]  ³⁶ tn Or “foundations.”

[18:15]  ³⁷ tn Heb “from.” The preposition has a causal sense here.

[18:15]  ³⁸ tn The noun is derived from the verb גָּעַר (ga’ar), which is often understood to mean “rebuke.” In some cases it is apparent that scolding or threatening is in view (see Gen 37:10; Ruth 2:16; Zech 3:2). However, in militaristic contexts this translation is inadequate, for the verb refers in this setting to the warrior’s battle cry, which terrifies and paralyzes the enemy. See A. Caquot, TDOT 3:53, and note the use of the verb in Pss 68:30; 106:9; and Nah 1:4, as well as the related noun in Job 26:11; Pss 9:5; 76:6; 104:7; Isa 50:2; 51:20; 66:15.

[18:15]  ³⁹ tn 2 Sam 22:16 reads “by the battle cry of the Lord, by the blast of the breath of his nose.” The phrase “blast of the breath” (Heb “breath of breath”) employs an appositional genitive. Synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the single idea. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971): 17-81.

[66:6]  ⁴⁰ sn He turned the sea into dry land. The psalmist alludes to Israel’s crossing the Red Sea (Exod 14:21).

[66:6]  ⁴¹ tn Because of the reference to “the river,” some understand this as an allusion to Israel’s crossing the Jordan River. However, the Hebrew term נָהָר (nahad) does not always refer to a “river” in the technical sense; it can be used of sea currents (see Jonah 2:4). So this line may also refer to the Red Sea crossing (cf. NEB).

[66:6]  ⁴² tn The adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”) is used here, as often in poetic texts, to point “to a spot in which a scene is localized vividly in the imagination” (BDB 1027 s.v.).

[74:13]  ⁴³ tn The derivation and meaning of the Polel verb form פּוֹרַרְתָּ (porarta) are uncertain. The form may be related to an Akkadian cognate meaning “break, shatter,” though the biblical Hebrew cognate of this verb always appears in the Hiphil or Hophal stem. BDB 830 s.v. II פָּרַר suggests a homonym here, meaning “to split; to divide.” A Hitpolel form of a root פָּרַר (parar) appears in Isa 24:19 with the meaning “to shake violently.”

[74:13]  ⁴⁴ tn The Hebrew text has the plural form, “sea monsters” (cf. NRSV “dragons”), but it is likely that an original enclitic mem has been misunderstood as a plural ending. The imagery of the mythological sea monster is utilized here. See the note on “Leviathan” in v. 14.

[74:14]  ⁴⁵ sn You crushed the heads of Leviathan. The imagery of vv. 13-14 originates in West Semitic mythology. The description of Leviathan should be compared with the following excerpts from Ugaritic mythological texts: (1) “Was not the dragon [Ugaritic tnn, cognate with Hebrew תַּנִין (tanin), translated “sea monster” in v. 13] vanquished and captured? I did destroy the wriggling [Ugaritic ’qltn, cognate to Hebrew עֲקַלָּתוֹן (’aqallaton), translated “squirming” in Isa 27:1] serpent, the tyrant with seven heads” (note the use of the plural “heads” here and in v. 13). (See CTA 3.iii.38-39 in G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 50.) (2) “For all that you smote Leviathan the slippery [Ugaritic brh, cognate to Hebrew בָּרִחַ (bariakh), translated “fast moving” in Isa 27:1] serpent, [and] made an end of the wriggling serpent, the tyrant with seven heads” (See CTA 5.i.1-3 in G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 68.) In the myths Leviathan is a sea creature that symbolizes the destructive water of the sea and, in turn, the forces of chaos that threaten the established order. In the OT, the battle with the sea motif is applied to Yahweh’s victories over the forces of chaos at creation and in history (see Pss 74:13-14; 77:16-20; 89:9-10; Isa 51:9-10). Yahweh’s subjugation of the waters of chaos is related to his kingship (see Pss 29:3, 10; 93:3-4). Isa 27:1 applies imagery from Canaanite mythology to Yahweh’s eschatological victory over his enemies. Apocalyptic literature employs the imagery as well. The beasts of Dan 7 emerge from the sea, while Rev 13 speaks of a seven-headed beast coming from the sea. Here in Ps 74:13-14 the primary referent is unclear. The psalmist may be describing God’s creation of the world (note vv. 16-17 and see Ps 89:9-12), when he brought order out of a watery mass, or the exodus (see Isa 51:9-10), when he created Israel by destroying the Egyptians in the waters of the sea.

[74:14]  ⁴⁶ tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a preterite in this narrational context.

[74:14]  ⁴⁷ sn You fed him to the people. This pictures the fragments of Leviathan’s dead corpse washing up on shore and being devoured by those who find them. If the exodus is in view, then it may allude to the bodies of the dead Egyptians which washed up on the shore of the Red Sea (see Exod 14:30).

[74:15]  ⁴⁸ sn You broke open the spring and the stream. Perhaps this alludes to the way in which God provided water for the Israelites as they traveled in the wilderness following the exodus (see Ps 78:15-16, 20; 105:41).

[74:15]  ⁴⁹ sn Perpetually flowing rivers are rivers that contain water year round, unlike the seasonal streams that flow only during the rainy season. Perhaps the psalmist here alludes to the drying up of the Jordan River when the Israelites entered the land of Canaan under Joshua (see Josh 3-4).

[77:16]  ⁵⁰ tn The waters of the Red Sea are here personified; they are portrayed as seeing God and fearing him.

[77:16]  ⁵¹ tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a preterite or as an imperfect with past progressive force.

[77:16]  ⁵² tn The words “of the sea” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[77:16]  ⁵³ tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a preterite or as an imperfect with past progressive force.

[77:17]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “water.”

[77:17]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “a sound the clouds gave.”

[77:17]  ⁵⁶ tn The lightning accompanying the storm is portrayed as the Lord’s “arrows” (see v. 18).

[77:18]  ⁵⁷ tn The prefixed verbal form may be taken as a preterite or as an imperfect with past progressive force.

[77:19]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “in the sea [was] your way.”

[77:19]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “and your paths [were] in the mighty waters.”

[77:19]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “and your footprints were not known.”

[114:3]  ⁶¹ sn The psalmist recalls the crossing of the Red Sea (Exod 14:21).

[114:3]  ⁶² tn Heb “the Jordan” (also in v. 5). The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[114:3]  ⁶³ sn The psalmist recalls the crossing of the Jordan River (Josh 3:13, 16).

[114:4]  ⁶⁴ sn The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs. This may recall the theophany at Sinai when the mountain shook before God’s presence (Exod 19:18).

[114:8]  ⁶⁵ sn In v. 8 the psalmist recalls the event(s) recorded in Exod 17:6 and/or Num 20:11 (see also Deut 8:15 and Ps 78:15-16, 20).

[136:13]  ⁶⁶ tn Or “cut.”

[136:13]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “Reed Sea” (also in v. 15). “Reed Sea” (or “Sea of Reeds”) is a more accurate rendering of the Hebrew expression יָם סוּף (yam suf), traditionally translated “Red Sea.” See the note on the term “Red Sea” in Exod 13:18.

[136:13]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “into pieces.”

[136:15]  ⁶⁹ tn Or “shook off.”

[11:15]  ⁷⁰ tn The verb is usually understood as “put under the ban, destroy,” or emended to חָרָב (kharav, “dry up”). However, HALOT 354 s.v. II חרם proposes a homonymic root meaning “divide.”

[11:15]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “tongue” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV).

[11:15]  ⁷² sn That is, the Red Sea.

[11:15]  ⁷³ tn Heb “the river”; capitalized in some English versions (e.g., ASV, NASB, NRSV) as a reference to the Euphrates River.

[11:15]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “with the [?] of his wind” [or “breath”]. The Hebrew term עַיָם (’ayam) occurs only here. Some attempt to relate the word to an Arabic root and translate, “scorching [or “hot”] wind.” This interpretation fits especially well if one reads “dry up” in the previous line. Others prefer to emend the form to עֹצֶם (’otsem, “strong”). See HALOT 817 s.v. עֲצַם.

[11:15]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “seven streams.” The Hebrew term נַחַל (nakhal, “stream”) refers to a wadi, or seasonal stream, which runs during the rainy season, but is otherwise dry. The context (see v. 15b) here favors the translation, “dried up streams.” The number seven suggests totality and completeness. Here it indicates that God’s provision for escape will be thorough and more than capable of accommodating the returning exiles.

[11:16]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “and there will be a highway for the remnant of his people who remain, from Assyria.”

[11:16]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “in the day” (so KJV).

[63:11]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “and he remembered the days of antiquity, Moses, his people.” The syntax of the statement is unclear. The translation assumes that “his people” is the subject of the verb “remembered.” If original, “Moses” is in apposition to “the days of antiquity,” more precisely identifying the time period referred to. However, the syntactical awkwardness suggests that “Moses” may have been an early marginal note (perhaps identifying “the shepherd of his flock” two lines later) that has worked its way into the text.

[63:11]  ⁷⁹ tn The Hebrew text has a plural form, which if retained and taken as a numerical plural, would probably refer to Moses, Aaron, and the Israelite tribal leaders at the time of the Exodus. Most prefer to emend the form to the singular (רָעָה, ra’ah) and understand this as a reference just to Moses.

[63:11]  ⁸⁰ sn See the note at v. 10.

[63:12]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “who caused to go at the right hand of Moses the arm of his splendor.”

[63:12]  ⁸² tn Heb “making for himself a lasting name.”

[63:13]  ⁸³ tn Heb “in the desert [or “steppe”].”

[16:12]  ⁸⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[16:12]  ⁸⁵ tn Grk “the sixth”; the referent (the sixth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:12]  ⁸⁶ tn Grk “and its water was dried up.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one.

[16:12]  ⁸⁷ tn Grk “in order that the way might be prepared.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one.

[16:12]  ⁸⁸ tn Grk “from the rising of the sun.” BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατολή 2.a takes this as a geographical direction: “ἀπὸ ἀ. ἡλίου…from the east Rv 7:2; 16:12; simply ἀπὸ ἀ. …21:13.”