By faith, they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do so, they were swallowed up.
Parallel translations
- KJV By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
- BSB By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were drowned.
- ESV By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.
- NKJV By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.
- NASB By faith they passed through the Red Sea as through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned.
- NLT It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
By faith the Israelites crossed the Red Sea on dry ground, while the pursuing Egyptians were drowned. Faith follows God through impossible deliverances that destroy the unbelieving.
Overview
Exodus 14 recounts the parting of the sea, by which Israel escaped and Egypt perished. The same waters that saved God's people in faith destroyed those who presumed to follow without it. This great act of redemption became a defining picture of salvation and judgment, anticipating the deliverance God works for his people through Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Exod 14:13Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which he will work for you today: for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall never see them again.
- Ps 106:9–11He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up; so he led them through the depths, as through a desert.
- Ps 78:13He split the sea, and caused them to pass through. He made the waters stand as a heap.
- Isa 63:11–16Then he remembered the days of old, Moses and his people, saying, “Where is he who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? Where is he who put his Holy Spirit among them?”
- Hab 3:8–10Was Yahweh displeased with the rivers? Was your anger against the rivers, or your wrath against the sea, that you rode on your horses, on your chariots of salvation?
- Ps 66:6He turned the sea into dry land. They went through the river on foot. There, we rejoiced in him.
- Josh 2:10For we have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom you utterly destroyed.
- Isa 51:9–10Awake, awake, put on strength, arm of Yahweh! Awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Isn’t it you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the monster?
- Ps 136:13–15To him who divided the Red Sea apart; for his loving kindness endures forever;
- Ps 114:1–5When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign language;
- Isa 11:15–16Yahweh will utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his scorching wind he will wave his hand over the River, and will split it into seven streams, and cause men to march over in sandals.
- Neh 9:11You divided the sea before them, so that they went through the middle of the sea on the dry land; and you cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into the mighty waters.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Hebrews is sustained worship of Christ: better than angels, Moses, and the priests; the great High Priest after Melchizedek who by one sacrifice perfects forever those he saves.
How Hebrews 11:29 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.