15. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Command the people of Israel to start moving.
16. Raise your walking stick and hold it over the sea. The sea will split. Then the people can cross the sea on dry land.
17. I have made the Egyptians stubborn so they will chase the Israelites. But I will be honored when I defeat the king and all of his chariot drivers and chariots.
18. I will defeat the king, his chariot drivers and chariots. Then Egypt will know that I am the Lord.”
19. The angel of God usually traveled in front of Israel’s army. Now the angel of God moved behind them. Also, the pillar of cloud moved from in front of the people and stood behind them.
20. So the cloud came between the Egyptians and the people of Israel. The cloud made it dark for the Egyptians. But it gave light to the Israelites. So the cloud kept the two armies apart all night.
21. Moses held his hand over the sea. All that night the Lord drove back the sea with a strong east wind. And so he made the sea become dry ground. The water was split.
22. And the Israelites went through the sea on dry land. A wall of water was on both sides.
23. Then all the king’s horses, chariots and chariot drivers followed them into the sea.
24. Between two and six o’clock in the morning, the Lord looked down from the pillar of cloud and fire at the Egyptian army. He made them panic.
25. He kept the wheels of the chariots from turning. This made it hard to drive the chariots. The Egyptians shouted, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them and against us Egyptians.”
26. Then the Lord told Moses, “Hold your hand over the sea. Then the water will come back over the Egyptians, their chariots and chariot drivers.”