English Standard Version
Exodus 14:16
16Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground.
Exodus 14:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
- New International Version (NIV)Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground.
Context of Exodus 14:16
14The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent." 15The Lord said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. 17And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. 18And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."
Read all of Exodus 14Exodus 14:16 word by word
וְאַתָּ֞ה הָרֵ֣ם אֶֽת־מַטְּךָ֗ וּנְטֵ֧ה אֶת־יָדְךָ֛ עַל־הַיָּ֖ם וּבְקָעֵ֑הוּ וְיָבֹ֧אוּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בְּת֥וֹךְ הַיָּ֖ם בַּיַּבָּשָֽׁה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But lift thou upרוּםrûm · to exaltH7311
- thy rodמַטֶּהmaţţeh maţţâh · tribe: rodH4294
- and stretch outנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
- thine handיָדyâd · handH3027
- over the seaיָםyâm · seaH3220
- and divideבָּקַעbâqa‛ · to break up/openH1234
- it: and the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- shall goבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- on dryיַבָּשָׁהyabbâώâh · dry landH3004
- through the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
Cross-references for Exodus 14:16
- Exodus 14:21Then 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.
- Exodus 4:2The Lord said to him, "What is that in your hand?" He said, "A staff."
- Exodus 7:9"When Pharaoh says to you, 'Prove yourselves by working a miracle,' then you shall say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.'"
Commentaries on Exodus 14:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Lift thou up thy rod - Neither Moses nor his rod could be any effective instrument in a work which could be accomplished only by the omnipotence of God; but it was necessary that he should appear in it, in order that he might have credit in the sight of the Israelites, and that they might see that God had chosen him to be the instrument of their deliverance.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-20Verses 15-20 Moses' silent prayers of faith prevailed more with God than Israel's loud outcries of fear. The pillar of cloud and fire came behind them, where they needed a guard, and it was a wall between them and their enemies. The word and providence of God have a black and dark side toward sin and sinners, but a bright and pleasant side toward the people of the Lord. He, who divided between light and darkness, Ge 1:4, allotted darkness to the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-31The escape through the Red Sea was the climactic moment of rescue. It was the highest point of God’s saving work in the exodus from Egypt.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1815-18. the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? &c.--When in answer to his prayers, he received the divine command to go forward, he no longer doubted by what kind of miracle the salvation of his mighty charge was to be effected.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 14:16
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries