New Living Translation
Exodus 14:21
21Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the Lord opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land.
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
19Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them. 20The cloud settled between the Egyptian and Israelite camps. As darkness fell, the cloud turned to fire, lighting up the night. But the Egyptians and Israelites did not approach each other all night. Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the Lord opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. 22So the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side! 23Then the Egyptians—all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and charioteers—chased them into the middle of 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 14:16Pick 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.
- Exodus 15:8At the blast of your breath, the waters piled up! The surging waters stood straight like a wall; in the heart of the sea the deep waters became hard.
- Joshua 3:13The priests will carry the Ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth. As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall.”
- Joshua 4:23For the Lord your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea when he dried it up until we had all crossed over.
- Nehemiah 9:11You divided the sea for your people so they could walk through on dry land! And then you hurled their enemies into the depths of the sea. They sank like stones beneath the mighty waters.
- Job 26:12By his power the sea grew calm. By his skill he crushed the great sea monster.
- Psalms 66:6He made a dry path through the Red Sea, and his people went across on foot. There we rejoiced in him.
- Psalms 74:13You split the sea by your strength and smashed the heads of the sea monsters.
- Psalms 78:13For he divided the sea and led them through, making the water stand up like walls!
- Psalms 106:7Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by the Lord’s miraculous deeds. They soon forgot his many acts of kindness to them. Instead, they rebelled against him at the Red Sea.
- Psalms 114:3The Red Sea saw them coming and hurried out of their way! The water of the Jordan River turned away.
- Psalms 136:13Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever.
- Isaiah 51:10Are you not the same today, the one who dried up the sea, making a path of escape through the depths so that your people could cross over?
- Isaiah 63:12Where is the one whose power was displayed when Moses lifted up his hand— the one who divided the sea before them, making himself famous forever?
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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