Berean Standard Bible
Exodus 14:21
21Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind that turned it into dry land. So the waters were divided,
Exodus 14:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And 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, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
- New International Version (NIV)Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided,
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then 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, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided.
Context of Exodus 14:21
19And the angel of God, who had gone before the camp of Israel, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from before them and stood behind them, 20so that it came between the camps of Egypt and Israel. The cloud was there in the darkness, but it lit up the night. So all night long neither camp went near the other. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind that turned it into dry land. So the waters were divided, 22and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left. 23And the Egyptians chased after them—all Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and horsemen—and followed them into the sea.
Read all of Exodus 14Exodus 14:21 word by word
וַיֵּ֨ט מֹשֶׁ֣ה אֶת־יָדוֹ֮ עַל־הַיָּם֒ וַיּ֣וֹלֶךְ יְהוָ֣ה׀ אֶת־הַ֠יָּם בְּר֨וּחַ קָדִ֤ים עַזָּה֙ כָּל־הַלַּ֔יְלָה וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־הַיָּ֖ם לֶחָרָבָ֑ה וַיִּבָּקְע֖וּ הַמָּֽיִם׃Read the interlinear
- Then Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- stretched outנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
- his handיָדyâd · handH3027
- overעַל‛al · uponH5921
- the seaיָםyâm · seaH3220
- and allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- that nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
- the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- drove backהָלַךְhâlak · to go: sendH1980
- with a strongעַז‛az · strongH5794
- eastקָדִיםqâdîym qâdim · eastH6921
- windרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
- that turnedשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
- into dry landחָֽרָבָהchârâbâh · dry groundH2724
- So the watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
- were dividedבָּקַעbâqa‛ · to break up/openH1234
Cross-references for Exodus 14:21
- Exodus 14:16And as for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.
- Exodus 15:8At the blast of Your nostrils the waters piled up; like a wall the currents stood firm; the depths congealed in the heart of the sea.
- Joshua 3:13When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth—touch down in the waters of the Jordan, its flowing waters will be cut off and will stand up in a heap.”
- Joshua 4:23For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, just as He did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over.
- Nehemiah 9:11You divided the sea before them, and they crossed through it on dry ground. You hurled their pursuers into the depths like a stone into raging waters.
- Job 26:12By His power He stirred the sea; by His understanding He shattered Rahab.
- Psalms 66:6He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the waters on foot; there we rejoiced in Him.
- Psalms 74:13You divided the sea by Your strength; You smashed the heads of the dragons of the sea;
- Psalms 78:13He split the sea and brought them through; He set the waters upright like a wall.
- Psalms 106:7Our fathers in Egypt did not grasp Your wonders or remember Your abundant kindness; but they rebelled by the sea, there at the Red Sea.
- Psalms 114:3The sea observed and fled; the Jordan turned back;
- Psalms 136:13He divided the Red Sea in two His loving devotion endures forever.
- Isaiah 51:10Was it not You who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made a road in the depths of the sea for the redeemed to cross over?
- Isaiah 63:12who sent His glorious arm to lead them by the right hand of Moses, who divided the waters before them to gain for Himself everlasting renown,
Commentaries on Exodus 14:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21The Lord caused the sea to go back - That part of the sea over which the Israelites passed was, according to Mr. Bruce and other travelers, about four leagues across, and therefore might easily be crossed in one night. In the dividing of the sea two agents appear to be employed, though the effect produced can be attributed to neither. By stretching out the rod the waters were divided; by the blowing of the vehement, ardent, east wind, the bed of the sea…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21A strong east wind - The agency by which the object effected was natural (compare Exodus 15:8 note): and the conditions of the narrative are satisfied by the hypothesis, that the passage took place near Suez. The waters were divided - i. e. there was a complete separation between the water of the gulf and the water to the north of Kolsum.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-31Verses 21-31 The dividing the Red sea was the terror of the Canaanites, Jos 2:9; the praise and triumph of the Israelites, Psa 114:3; 106:9; 136:13. It was a type of baptism, 1Co 10:1, 2. Israel's passage through it was typical of the conversion of souls, Is 11:15; and the Egyptians being drowned in it was typical of the final ruin of all unrepenting sinners. God showed his almighty power, by opening a passage through the waters, some miles over. God can…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-25The night before, the Hebrews were afraid and in a panic. Now the Egyptian army was confused and in disorder. Even though they were highly trained, they could not keep control. They realized that they faced a power greater than themselves. They could not understand it, and they could not control it.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. Moses stretched out his hand, &c.--The waving of the rod was of great importance on this occasion to give public attestation in the presence of the assembled Israelites, both to the character of Moses and the divine mission with which he was charged. the Lord caused ... a strong east wind all that night--Suppose a mere ebb tide caused by the wind, raising the water to a great height on one side, still as there was not only "dry land," but, according…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 14:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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