Moses & The Crossing of The Red Sea: Book of Exodus (Part 7)

When Pharaoh had let the people of Israel go, the Lord God Yahweh did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. For the Lord said, If the people are faced with battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt. So the Lord led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness, toward the Red Sea, and the Israelites left Egypt well equipped for battle. After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert, and the Lord went before them in a pillar of cloud by the day to guide their way, and in a pillar of fire by the night to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. And neither the pillar of cloud by the day, nor the pillar of fire by the night left its place in front of the people. When they reached a place called Pihahiroth, located between the Red Sea and a region known as Migdol, the Lord said to Moses, Tell the Israelites to rest here and camp along the shore. Alas, Pharaoh saw where the people of Israel had encamped and thought, They are wandering the land in confusion, and the wilderness has trapped them. And Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds and regretted that they let the Israelites go, for they said to themselves, What have we done? We have released Israel from serving us. So Pharaoh prepared his chariot and assembled his army, and taking with him six hundred of his best chariots, along with the rest of the chariots of Egypt, each one with its commander, they pursued the children of Israel. When the Israelites looked up and saw the Egyptians drawing dangerously close to their encampment, they became terrified and cried out to the Lord. Then they rebuked Moses and said to him, Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Did we not 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. But Moses said to the people, Do not be afraid. Stand firm, and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. For the Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. Then the Lord said to Moses, Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea, and it shall divide, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. As the Lord said this, the angel of the Lord, who had been travelling in front of the host of Israel, withdrew from the front and stood behind them, and so did the pillar of cloud, for the pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind the Israelites. And the cloud spread in between the armies of Egypt and the camps of Israel like a veil, that throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the side of the Egyptians and light to the side of the Israelites, and so neither of the two went near the other all night long. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a mighty east wind, dividing the waters, so that there appeared dry land all through the night. And what a marvellous sight as the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground, with giant walls of water standing on their right and on their left. When dawn came, and as the veil of darkness cleared from around the Egyptians, the Egyptians continued their chase, for Pharaoh and his horsemen and their chariots followed the Israelites into the sea. Watching them from the pillar of cloud, the Lord threw the forces of Egypt into confusion, for he jammed the wheels of their chariots, causing them to fall apart. And the Egyptians, in panic, cried out, Let us flee from the Israelites, for the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt. Then the Lord said to Moses, Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the giant walls of seawater began crashing down to their normal places, and the Egyptians tried to flee from it. But alas, they were thrown into the sea, the horses, the chariots and the horsemen, buried by the Red Sea, never to be seen again. Thus, on that day, the Lord saved Israel from the hand of the Egyptians, and as the people of Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore, they broke into songs of victory and worshipped the Lord. And Miriam the prophet, who was Aaron's sister, took a tambourine and led all the women as they played their tambourines and danced. And all of Israel sang unto the Lord, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously, the horses and their chariots have been thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my defence, he has become my salvation and my God, and I will praise him and exalt him. Who is like him among the gods, glorious in holiness, awesome in splendour and performing great wonders? The Lord is a warrior, Yahweh is his name and his reign is forever.