“Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day.”

Exodus 14:13 (KJV)

The story

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, his heart and the hearts of his servants turned against them, and they asked, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? Pharaoh made ready his chariot and took his people with him: six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, with captains over every one of them. The Egyptians pursued and overtook Israel encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon. Exodus 14:5-9

When Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes and saw the Egyptians marching after them, and they were sore afraid and cried out unto the LORD. Then they turned on Moses: Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? They said it would have been better to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness. Moses answered, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. Exodus 14:10-14

The LORD told Moses to stop crying out and to tell the people to go forward. Moses was to lift up his rod, stretch out his hand over the sea, and divide it, so that Israel could go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. Meanwhile the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them, and the pillar of the cloud went with him. It came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel, and it was a cloud and darkness to the Egyptians but gave light by night to Israel, so that the one came not near the other all the night. Exodus 14:15-20

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, made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. Israel went into the midst of the sea upon dry ground, with the waters a wall on their right hand and on their left. The Egyptians pursued them in. In the morning watch the LORD looked at their host through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, troubled them, and took off their chariot wheels, so that they said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them. Moses stretched out his hand again, the sea returned to his strength, and the waters covered the whole host of Pharaoh. Exodus 14:21-31

Quiz

1. Why did Pharaoh and his servants change their minds?

   • They had let Israel go from serving them
   • They wanted to give gifts
   • They feared a famine
   • They were commanded by a prophet

2. Where did the Egyptians overtake Israel?

   • At Rephidim
   • Encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth
   • In the wilderness of Sin
   • At Mount Sinai

3. What complaint did the people make to Moses?

   • That there was no water
   • That the way was too long
   • That there were no graves in Egypt, so he brought them out to die
   • That Pharaoh was too kind

4. What did Moses say the LORD would do?

   • The LORD shall fight for you
   • The LORD shall send bread
   • The LORD shall build a wall
   • The LORD shall wait

5. What did the LORD tell Moses to command the people to do?

   • To rest
   • To go forward
   • To turn back
   • To sing

6. What did the pillar of the cloud do for each camp that night?

   • It rained on both
   • It gave light to both
   • It was cloud and darkness to the Egyptians, but light to Israel
   • It burned the Egyptians

7. How long did the strong east wind blow?

   • All that night
   • Three days
   • One hour
   • Seven days

8. At what time did the LORD look on the host of the Egyptians?

   • At noon
   • In the evening
   • In the morning watch
   • At midnight

9. What did the Egyptians say when their chariot wheels came off?

   • Let us flee from the face of Israel
   • Let us call on Pharaoh
   • Let us build a bridge
   • Let us wait for morning

10. How many of Pharaoh's host that entered the sea remained?

    • Half of them
    • A hundred
    • Not so much as one
    • Only the horsemen