“When Pharaoh sent out the people, God did not lead them through the land of the Philistines because it was near, for God said, ‘Perhaps the people will reconsider when they see a war and they will return to Egypt.’ So God turned the people toward the way of the Wilderness, to the Sea of Reeds. The Children of Israel were armed when they went up from the land of Egypt. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had firmly adjured the Children of Israel saying, ‘God will surely remember you, and you shall bring up my bones from here with you.'”

“They journeyed from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, at the edge of the Wilderness. Yahweh went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them on the way; and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel day and night. He did not remove the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night from before the people. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Pharoah will say of the Children of Israel: ‘They are imprisoned in the land, the Wilderness has locked them in.’ I shall harden the heart of Pharoah and he will pursue them, and I will be glorified through Pharaoh and his entire army, and Egypt will know that I am Yahweh.”

“When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was hardened . . . and they said, ‘What is that that we have done that we have sent away Israel (from serving us)?’ He harnessed his chariot and took . . . all the chariots of Egypt, with officers on them all . . . and he pursued the Children of Israel. Egypt was journeying after them, and they were very frightened; the Children of Israel cried out to Yahweh. They said to Moses: ‘Were there no graves in Egypt that you took us to die in the Wilderness? What is this that you have done to us to take us out of Egypt? Is this not the statement that we made to you in Egypt, saying: “Let us be and we will serve Egypt? – for it is better that we should serve Egypt than that we should die in the Wilderness!” Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear! Stand fast and see the salvation of Yahweh that He will perform for you today; for as you have seen Egypt today, you shall not see them ever again! Yahweh shall make war for you, and you shall remain silent.”

“Yahweh said to Moses: ‘Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the Children of Israel and let them journey forth! And you, lift up your staff and stretch out your arm over the sea and split it; and the Israelites shall come into the midst of the sea on dry land. And I shall harden the heart of Egypt and they will come after them; and I will be glorified through Pharaoh and through his entire army, through his chariots and through his horsemen. Egypt will know that I am Yahweh, when I am glorified through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.’ The angel of God who had been going in front of the camp of Israel moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and went behind them. It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel and there were cloud and darkness – while it illuminated the night – and one did not draw near the other all night. Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh moved the sea with a strong east wind all the night, and He turned the sea to damp land and the water split. The Children of Israel came within the sea on dry land; and the water was a wall for them, on their right and on their left. Egypt pursued and came after them – every horse of Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen – into the midst of the sea.”

“It happened at the morning watch that Yahweh looked down at the camp of Egypt with a pillar of fire and cloud, and He confounded the camp of Egypt. He removed the wheels of their chariots and caused them to drive with difficulty. Egypt said, ‘I shall flee before Israel, for Yahweh is waging war for them against Egypt.’ Yahweh said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the sea; and the water will go back upon Egypt, upon its chariots and horsemen.’ Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and toward morning the water went back to its power as the Egyptians were fleeing toward it; and Yahweh churned Egypt in the midst of the sea. The water came back and covered the chariots and the horsemen of the entire army of Pharaoh, who were coming behind them in the sea – there remained not one of them. The Children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea; the water was a wall for them, on their right and on their left. On that day, Yahweh saved Israel from the hand of Egypt, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great hand that Yahweh inflicted upon Egypt; and the people revered Yahweh, and they had faith in Yahweh and in Moses, His servant” ((Ex 13:17-18, 14:3-8, 10-31).