God’s Word Translation
Exodus 14:21
21Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. All that night the Lord pushed back the sea with a strong east wind and turned the sea into dry ground. The water 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
19The Messenger of God, who had been in front of the Israelites, moved behind them. So the column of smoke moved from in front of the Israelites and stood behind them 20between the Egyptian camp and the Israelite camp. The ⌞column of⌟ smoke was there when darkness came, and it lit up the night. Neither side came near the other all night long. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. All that night the Lord pushed back the sea with a strong east wind and turned the sea into dry ground. The water divided, 22and the Israelites went through the middle of the sea on dry ground. The water stood like a wall on their right and on their left. 23The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and cavalry 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- stretched outנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
- his handיָדyâd · handH3027
- over the seaיָםyâm · seaH3220
- and the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- to goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- by a strongעַז‛az · strongH5794
- eastקָדִיםqâdîym qâdim · eastH6921
- windרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
- all that nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
- and madeשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
- dryחָֽרָבָהchârâbâh · dry groundH2724
- and the watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
- were dividedבָּקַעbâqa‛ · to break up/openH1234
Cross-references for Exodus 14:21
- Exodus 14:16Raise your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide the water. Then the Israelites will go through the sea on dry ground.
- Exodus 15:8With a blast from your nostrils, the water piled up. The waves stood up like a dam. The deep water thickened in the middle of the sea.
- Joshua 3:13The priests who carry the ark of the Lord, the Lord of the whole earth, will stand in the water of the Jordan. Then the water flowing from upstream will stop and stand up like a dam.”
- Joshua 4:23The Lord your God dried up the Jordan ahead of you until you had crossed, as he did to the Red Sea until we had crossed.
- Nehemiah 9:11You divided the sea in front of them so that they could walk through the sea on dry ground. You threw into deep water those who pursued your people as someone throws a stone into raging water.
- Job 26:12With his power he calmed the sea. With his insight he killed Rahab ⌞the sea monster⌟.
- Psalms 66:6He turned the sea into dry land. They crossed the river on foot. We rejoiced because of what he did there.
- Psalms 74:13You stirred up the sea with your own strength. You smashed the heads of sea monsters in the water.
- Psalms 78:13He divided the sea and led them through it. He made the waters stand up like a wall.
- Psalms 106:7When our ancestors were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles. They did not remember your numerous acts of mercy, so they rebelled at the sea, the Red Sea.
- Psalms 114:3The Red Sea looked at this and ran away. The Jordan River turned back.
- Psalms 136:13Give thanks to one who divided the Red Sea— because his mercy endures forever.
- Isaiah 51:10Didn’t you dry up the sea, the water of the great ocean? You made a road in the depths of the sea so that the people reclaimed ⌞by the Lord⌟ might pass through it.
- Isaiah 63:12Where is the one who sent his powerful arm to support the right hand of Moses? Where is the one who divided the water in front of them to make an everlasting name for himself?
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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