1 Disse Jeová a Moisés:2 Fala aos filhos de Israel que retrocedam e se acampem em frente de Pi-Hairote, entre Migdol e o mar, diante de Baal-Zefom; defronte dele assentareis o campo junto ao mar.3 Faraó dirá dos filhos de Israel: Eles estão embaraçados na terra, o deserto os encerrou.4 Endurecerei o coração de Faraó, e ele os perseguirá; glorificar-me-ei em Faraó e em todo o seu exército; e os egípcios saberão que eu sou Jeová. Eles assim o fizeram.5 Foi dito ao rei dos egípcios que o povo havia fugido; mudou-se o coração de Faraó e dos seus servos para com o povo, e disseram: Que é isto que fizemos, permitindo que Israel nos deixasse de servir?6 Faraó mandou aprontar o seu carro, e tomou consigo o seu povo;7 também tomou seiscentos carros escolhidos e todos os carros do Egito com capitães sobre todos eles.8 Jeová endureceu o coração de Faraó, rei do Egito, e este perseguiu os filhos de Israel; pois os filhos de Israel saíram afoitamente.9 Perseguiam-nos os egípcios, a saber, todos os cavalos e carros de Faraó, e os seus cavaleiros e o seu exército, e alcançaram-nos acampados junto ao mar, perto de Pi-Hairote, defronte de Baal-Zefom.10 Quando Faraó se chegou perto, levantaram os olhos os filhos de Israel, e eis que os egípcios marchavam atrás deles; os filhos de Israel tiveram muito medo, e clamaram a Jeová.11 Disseram a Moisés: Foi porque não havia sepulcros no Egito que nos tiraste para morrermos no deserto? por que motivo nos trataste assim, fazendo-nos sair do Egito?12 Não é isto mesmo o que te dissemos no Egito: Deixa-nos, para que sirvamos aos egípcios? Pois melhor nos fora servir aos egípcios, do que morrermos no deserto.13 Respondeu Moisés ao povo: Não temais, estai quietos e vede o livramento que Jeová vos há de dar hoje; porque os egípcios que vedes hoje, nunca jamais os tornareis a ver.14 Jeová pelejará por vós, e vós vos calareis.15 Disse Jeová a Moisés: Por que clamas a mim? fala aos filhos de Israel que marchem.16 E tu, levanta a tua vara, estende a mão sobre o mar e divide-o, para que os filhos de Israel caminhem pelo meio do mar em seco.17 Eis que eu hei de endurecer os corações dos egípcios, e entrarão atrás deles; glorificar-me-ei em Faraó e em todo o seu exército, nos seus carros e nos seus cavaleiros.18 Os egípcios saberão que eu sou Jeová, quando me tiver glorificado em Faraó, nos seus carros e nos seus cavaleiros.19 Então o anjo de Deus, que ia adiante do campo de Israel, se retirou e ia atrás deles; a coluna de nuvem retirou-se de diante deles, e pôs-se atrás deles,20 e veio entre o campo do Egito e o campo de Israel. Havia a nuvem e as trevas, contudo brilhava de noite. Toda a noite não se aproximou um do outro.21 Então Moisés estendeu a mão sobre o mar. Jeová fez retirar-se o mar por um forte vento oriental toda a noite, e fez do mar terra seca, e as águas foram divididas.22 Os filhos de Israel entraram no meio do mar em seco; e as águas foram-lhes como um muro à direita e à esquerda.23 Os egípcios perseguiram e entraram atrás deles no meio do mar, todos os cavalos de Faraó, os seus carros e os seus cavaleiros.24 Na vigília da manhã olhou Jeová para o exército dos egípcios por entre a coluna de fogo e de nuvem e alvorotou o exército dos egípcios.25 Tirou-lhes as rodas dos carros, e fe-los andar dificultosamente; de modo que os egípcios disseram: Fujamos de diante de Israel, porque Jeová está pelejando por eles contra os egípcios.26 Disse Jeová a Moisés: Estende a mão sobre o mar, para que se voltem as águas sobre os egípcios, sobre os seus carros e sobre os seus cavaleiros.27 Moisés estendeu a mão sobre o mar, e o mar, ao romper da manhã, voltou à sua força; os egípcios fugiram de encontro a ele, e Jeová derribou os egípcios no meio do mar.28 As águas voltaram a cobrir os carros e os cavaleiros, sim todo o exército de Faraó, que atrás deles entrou no mar; deles não ficou nem sequer um.29 Porém os filhos de Israel caminhavam a pé enxuto no meio do mar; e as águas foram-lhes como um muro à direita e à esquerda.30 Assim Jeová salvou a Israel naquele dia da mão dos egípcios; e Israel viu os egípcios mortos na praia do mar.31 Viu Israel o grande poder que Jeová exercitou contra os egípcios, e o povo temeu a Jeová; creram em Jeová e em seu servo Moisés.
1 Jehovah said to Moses:2 »Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in front of Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the Red Sea, near Baal Zephon.3 »The king will think that the Israelites are wandering around in the country and are closed in by the desert.4 »I will make him stubborn. He will pursue you. My victory over the king and his army will bring me honor. Then the Egyptians will know that I am Jehovah!« The Israelites did as they were told.5 The king of Egypt was told that the people had escaped. He and his officials changed their minds and said: »What have we done? We have let the Israelites escape, and we have lost them as our slaves!«6 The king got his war chariot and army ready.7 He commanded his officers in charge of his six hundred best chariots and all his other chariots to start after the Israelites.8 Jehovah made the king so stubborn that he went after them. The Israelites proudly went on their way.9 The kings horses and chariots and soldiers caught up with them while they were camping by the Red Sea near Pi-Hahiroth and Baal-Zephon.10 The Israelites saw the king coming with his army. They were frightened and begged Jehovah for help.11 They also complained to Moses: Was there not enough room in Egypt to bury us? Is that why you brought us out here to die in the desert? Why did you bring us out of Egypt?12 »Did we not say in Egypt: Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert.«13 But Moses said to the people: »Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of Jehovah. He will accomplish this for you today. The Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.14 »Jehovah will fight for you while you keep silent.«15 Jehovah said to Moses: »Why are you crying out to me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.16 »As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. The sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land.17 »I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.18 »Then the Egyptians will know that I am Jehovah, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen.«19 The angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them. The pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them.20 So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. There was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not come near the other all night.21 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. Jehovah swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land. The waters were divided.22 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.23 The Egyptians pursued them. Pharaohs horses, chariots, and cavalry followed them into the sea.24 Just before dawn, Jehovah looked down from the column of fire and smoke and threw the Egyptian camp into a panic.25 He made the wheels of their chariots come off. They could hardly move. Then the Egyptians shouted: »Let us get out of here! Jehovah is fighting for Israel! He is against us!«26 Jehovah then said to Moses: »Hold out your hand over the sea, and the water will flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and drivers.«27 Moses held out his hand over the sea. At daybreak the water returned to its normal level. The Egyptians tried to escape from the water. But Jehovah threw them into the sea.28 The water returned and covered the chariots, the drivers, and all the Egyptian army that had followed the Israelites into the sea. None of them were left.29 On the other hand, the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on both sides.30 That day Jehovah saved the people of Israel from the Egyptians. The Israelites saw them lying dead on the seashore.31 The Israelites saw the great power with which Jehovah had defeated the Egyptians. So they stood in awe of Jehovah. They had faith in Jehovah and in his servant Moses.