Crossing the Red Sea

LOOK at what is happening! That is Moses with his stick stretched out over the Red Sea. Those with him safely on the other side are the Israelites. But Pharʹaoh and all his army are being drowned in the sea. Let’s see how this came about.

As we learned, Pharʹaoh told the Israelites to leave Egypt after God brought the 10th plague on the Egyptians. About 600,000 Israelite men left, as well as many women and children. Also, a large number of other people, who had become believers in Jehovah, left with the Israelites. They all took their sheep and goats and cattle with them.

Before they left, the Israelites asked the Egyptians for clothes and for things made of gold and silver. The Egyptians were very much afraid, because of that last plague upon them. So they gave the Israelites everything they asked for.

After a few days the Israelites came to the Red Sea. There they rested. In the meantime, Pharʹaoh and his men began to feel sorry that they had sent the Israelites away. ‘We have let our slaves go!’ they said.

So Pharʹaoh changed his mind once more. He quickly got his war chariot and his army ready. Then he began to chase after the Israelites with 600 special chariots, as well as all the other chariots of Egypt.

When the Israelites saw Pharʹaoh and his army coming after them, they were very much afraid. There was no way to flee. The Red Sea was on one side of them, and here the Egyptians were coming from the other direction. But Jehovah put a cloud between his people and the Egyptians. So the Egyptians were not able to see the Israelites to attack them.

Jehovah then told Moses to stretch his stick out over the Red Sea. When he did, Jehovah caused a strong east wind to blow. The waters of the sea were parted, and the waters were held up on both sides.

Then the Israelites began to march through the sea on dry ground. It took hours for the millions of people with all their animals to get safely through the sea to the other side. Finally the Egyptians were able to see the Israelites again. Their slaves were getting away! So they rushed into the sea after them.

When they did, God caused the wheels of their chariots to fall off. The Egyptians became very much afraid and began to cry out: ‘Jehovah is fighting for the Israelites against us. Let’s get out of here!’ But it was too late.

This is when Jehovah told Moses to stretch his stick out over the Red Sea, as you saw in the picture. And when Moses did, the walls of water began to come back and cover the Egyptians and their chariots. The whole army had followed the Israelites into the sea. And not one of the Egyptians got out alive!

How happy all God’s people were to be saved! The men sang a song of thanks to Jehovah, saying: ‘Jehovah has won a glorious victory. He has thrown the horses and their riders into the sea.’ Moses’ sister Mirʹi·am took her tambourine, and all the women followed her with their tambourines. And as they danced with joy, they sang the same song as the men were singing: ‘Jehovah has won a glorious victory. He has thrown the horses and their riders into the sea.’