5 When the King of Egypt Was Told That the People Had Fled, the Minds of Pharaoh and His

Exodus 14 J1 Exodus 14 P 5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people 1Then Yahweh said to Moses:4 had fled, the minds of Pharaoh and his officials 2 Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in front 2 3 were changed toward the people, and they said, of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front "What have we done, letting Israel leave our of Baal-zephon; you shall camp opposite it, by the service?" 6 So he had his chariot made ready, and sea. 3 Pharaoh will say of the Israelites, "They are took his army with him; 7 he took six hundred wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has picked chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt closed in on them." 4 I will harden Pharaoh's heart, with officers over all of them. and he will pursue them, so that I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army; and the Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh. And they did so. 10 As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites looked 8 Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of back, and there were the Egyptians advancing on Egypt6 and he pursued the Israelites, who were them. And they were in great fear. 11 They said to going out boldly. 9 The Egyptians pursued them, all Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Pharaoh's horses and chariots, his chariot drivers Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the and his army; they overtook them camped by the wilderness? What have you done to us, bringing us sea, by Pi-hahiroth7, in front of Baal-zephon. out of Egypt? 12 Is this not the very thing we told 10The Israelites cried out to Yahweh.8 you in Egypt, 'Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." 13 But Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that Yahweh will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. 14 Yahweh will fight for you, and you have only to keep still."5

1 This division into sources is based on Joel S. Baden, The Composition of the Pentateuch (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2012), 193-213. Modified translation of NRSV by Ralph W. Klein, October 23, 2012.

2 Pharaoh repeatedly changes his mind in J. This is his last and fatal change.

3 First speech of the Egyptians.

4 First speech of Yahweh.

5 Yahweh fights to deliver Israel in J while in vv. 17-18 in P Yahweh uses the Egyptians to gain greater glory for himself.

6 This hardening of heart is the fulfillment of v. 4.

7 See v. 2 for the mention of this locale.

8 Verse 10 is divided between J and P. Note that in v. 11 (J) the Israelites speak directly to Moses. 19 The angel of God who was going before the 15 Then Yahweh said to Moses,12 "Why do you cry Israelite army moved and went behind them; and out to me?13 Tell the Israelites to go forward. 9 the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and 16 But you lift up your staff, and stretch out your 20 took its place behind them. It came between the hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the may go into the sea on dry ground. cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the 17 10 Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so night; one did not come near the other all night. that they will go in after them; and so I will gain 21Yahweh drove the sea back by a strong east glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army, his wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land11 chariots, and his chariot drivers. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh, when I have gained glory for myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his chariot drivers." 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea…and the waters were divided. 24 At the morning watch Yahweh in the pillar of fire 22 The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and and threw the Egyptian army into panic. on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued, and went 25 He clogged their chariot wheels so that they into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh's horses, turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said,14 "Let us chariots, and chariot drivers. flee from the Israelites, for Yahweh is fighting for them against Egypt. 27and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled toward it, Yahweh tossed the Egyptians into the sea. 30 Thus Yahweh saved Israel that day from the 26 Then Yahweh said to Moses,17 "Stretch out your Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on hand over the sea, so that the water may come the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great work that back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and Yahweh did against the Egyptians. So the people chariot drivers." 27 So Moses stretched out his feared Yahweh15 and believed in Yahweh and in hand over the sea, 28 The waters returned and his servant Moses.16 covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. 29 But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.18

9 See Exodus 13:21-22 for the pillar of cloud.

10 In J this event at the sea takes place over two days.

11 Note that these words are preceded and followed by words from P.

12 Second speech of Yahweh

13 This seems to contradict vv. 13-14 where Moses does not cry out. Hence this is a different source.

14 Second speech of the Egyptians.

15 In v. 10 the Israelites feared the Egyptians. In v. 13 Moses urged them not to be afraid.

16 Exod 4:1 Moses: But suppose they do not believe me. 4:31 the people believed the report of Moses.

17 The third speech of Yahweh.

18 Just as described in v. 22. In J the Egyptians flee right into the on-rushing sea. In P the Israelites pass through the split sea in a liturgical procession.