Bible Strands
Exodus 14:22
and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records the Israelites entering the divided waters immediately after Moses stretches out his hand and the east wind turns the sea into dry ground. This moment occurs during the night while Pharaoh’s chariots and horsemen pursue them into the same passage.
The words — The Hebrew בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם (bə-tôḵ hay-yām) literally means "in the middle of the sea." The noun חֹמָה (chō-māh) translates to "wall," describing the standing water that formed barriers on both sides.
The thread — The crossing is referenced in Hebrews 11:29 as a passage on dry land, repeated in Exodus 15:19 regarding the drowning of Pharaoh’s forces, and recalled in Psalms 66:6 as a divine turning of the sea into dry ground.
Why it lands — The text states that God created a dry path between standing waters while allowing pursuing armies to follow. It requires the reader to acknowledge that divine action can establish a way of escape and simultaneously execute judgment on those who oppose it.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
Cross-references
- Hebrews 11:29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were drowned.
- Exodus 15:19 For when Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and horsemen went into the sea, the LORD brought the waters of the sea back over them. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.
- Psalms 66:6 He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the waters on foot; there we rejoiced in Him.
- Exodus 14:29 But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.
- Psalms 78:13 He split the sea and brought them through; He set the waters upright like a wall.
- Exodus 15:8 At 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.
- Nehemiah 9:11 You 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.
- Isaiah 63:13 who led them through the depths like a horse in the wilderness, so that they did not stumble?
- 1 Corinthians 10:1 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud, and that they all passed through the sea.
- Numbers 33:8 They set out from Pi-hahiroth and crossed through the sea, into the wilderness, and they journeyed three days into the Wilderness of Etham and camped at Marah.