The Book of Exodus · The Sea
Stand still,and see.
An army closing behind them and deep water in front, and the only instruction on offer is the least practical one imaginable. Then the wind blows all night, and by morning there is a road where a sea used to be — and the story does the thing the paintings never do: it walks down it with them. Every scene below is a real frame from our animated film.
Back in Egypt the grief has had two days to turn into something else, and it turns out a man who has lost everything and a man who has changed his mind can look identical from the outside. What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go? He takes six hundred chosen chariots and every other chariot in the country — and sends the fastest army on earth after a column of families walking. Exodus 14 : 5–7
They are camped by the water when it appears on the far shore: a line of dust and torchlight, miles long, and getting closer. There is sea in front of them and desert on either side. Everyone turns at the same moment — parents pulling children in against their legs — and every single person there does the same arithmetic. Exodus 14 : 9–10
And the fear comes out the way fear often does — as sarcasm, aimed at whoever is standing closest. Were there no graves in Egypt, that you brought us out here to die? Didn't we tell you to leave us alone and let us serve the Egyptians? They are pulling at his sleeves as they say it. Four days ago these people walked out of slavery singing. It does not take long. Exodus 14 : 11–12
What Moses gives them back is not a plan, because there isn't one. Don't be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh… Yahweh will fight for you, and you shall be still. Then the view pulls up, and there he is: one old man at the waterline with an entire nation gathered in a horseshoe behind him, waiting to see what he does next. Exodus 14 : 13–14
Stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh. Yahweh will fight for you, and you shall be still.
And then the pillar that has walked in front of them all week does something it has never done: it goes round behind. It comes down between the army and the people and stands there all night — darkness on one side of it, light on the other — and neither camp comes near the other until morning. The thing that was leading them becomes the thing standing between them and what is coming. Exodus 14 : 19–20
He shuts his eyes before he does it, which is the detail worth keeping. Then he walks down to the edge in the dark, with his cloak going sideways in the wind and the Egyptian fires burning on the horizon behind him, and puts one arm out over the water. It is a very small gesture to make at an entire sea. Exodus 14 : 21
The Night of the East Wind · Playable
The wind blows all night. Hold the staff steady.
Yahweh caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
Exodus 14 : 21
The wind gets up out of the east and blows all night — not an instant, a whole night's work — and by first light there is a road where the sea was. Walls of water on both sides with the moon hanging in the gap at the far end, light coming down through them in shafts, coral and stones underfoot, and shoals of silver fish carrying on with their evening on the other side of the glass. Exodus 14 : 21–22
And halfway across, a small girl stops and puts her hand up flat against the wall of the sea — and it is the same child, holding the same doll, who stood in the lamplight a week ago and asked her father why there was blood on their door. She has been a slave her whole short life. Nobody has ever shown her anything before. Exodus 14 : 22
Interlude · Your turn
A wall of standing sea. Put your hand against it.
She is not afraid. The fish are watching her back.
Press and hold — lay your hand flat against the wall of the sea, like she does.
The adults do not take it nearly as well. One father goes through with his daughter's hand gripped hard in his, looking straight up the whole way at several million tons of sea standing over his head and not falling. She is fine. She is looking at the fish. It is the grown-ups who cannot get a breath, and nobody in this story pretends otherwise. Exodus 14 : 22
And then, walking up the middle of the seabed with fish drifting past on both sides of it, a goat. It has been through the plagues, the Passover and the flight out of Egypt without once being impressed by any of it, and it is not going to start now. It is the funniest shot in the book, and it is doing a job: this is happening to ordinary households, with their animals, on a Tuesday. Exodus 14 : 22
Somebody starts singing before they are across. Miriam — ninety years old, tambourine already out — gets it going down in the corridor itself, with a newborn being carried past in a basket and a boy dancing beside her and the walls of the Red Sea still standing on either side. She is not waiting until it is safe. The goat, beside her, declines to join in. Exodus 15 : 20
Behind them the chariots pour into the gap, hundreds of them, filling the road between the walls — and the ground that carried a nation on foot does not carry iron wheels. They start to founder. And there is one close-up of an Egyptian officer's face at the moment he understands what is about to happen, which is the only time we are shown one of them properly, and he is not made into a monster for it. Exodus 14 : 23–25
And at dawn the sea goes home. It comes down on itself in one enormous white collapse, and then it is over, and there is nothing there at all — just flat gold water and the sun coming up and a horizon with nothing on it. No bodies are shown. Not one. The story stays on this side of the water and lets the silence afterwards do the whole of the work. Exodus 14 : 26–28
On the far shore she picks it back up, and this time the whole beach goes with her — four hundred years of slavery coming out of several hundred thousand people at once, at sunrise, in a noise you could probably hear from Egypt. It is one of the oldest songs in the Bible. And down at the front of it, chewing, entirely unmoved, stands the goat. Exodus 15 : 1, 20–21
I will sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously.
After the story
Everyone paints the parting. Almost nobody paints the walk.
The picture we all grow up with is the wide shot — the walls up, the arm out, the moment of the miracle. But the miracle had an inside. Israel went into the middle of the sea on dry ground, the waters a wall on their right hand and on their left — a corridor, crossed at walking pace, by families. A girl puts her hand flat against a wall of standing sea. Her father grips her other hand and cannot stop staring at what is over his head, because the adults are terrified and the children are delighted, and nobody pretends it was the other way round. Somebody's goat walks the whole way chewing. And Miriam gets her tambourine out before they are even across, which may be the truest thing in the whole crossing: she does not wait until it is safe to start singing.
Voices of the sea · hover or tap to turn
Moses
"Don't be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which he will work for you today."
— Exodus 14:13
The People
"Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness?"
— Exodus 14:11
Miriam
"Sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea."
— Exodus 15:21The Book of Exodus
How closely were you watching?
1. What does Moses tell the people when the army appears?
Exodus 14:13–14. No plan, no weapons, no escape route — just stop, and watch.
2. What does the pillar of cloud and fire do?
Exodus 14:19–20. Dark on one side, light on the other, and neither camp came near the other all night.
3. How long does the sea take to open?
Exodus 14:21. Not a snap of the fingers — a whole night of wind, and a road by first light.
4. Who leads the song afterwards?
Exodus 15:20–21. The prophet Miriam, at ninety — with her tambourine out before they have even finished crossing.
What this story teaches
“Stand still” is an instruction, not a shrug.
With chariots closing and no way out, they are told to stop moving and watch. It is the least practical thing anyone could be told, and it is the only thing that was ever going to work.
"Yahweh will fight for you, and you shall be still." Exodus 14:14The fire moves to the back.
The pillar had gone in front of them all week. On the worst night it goes behind — between them and what is chasing them. Guidance turns into a shield without being asked.
"The pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them." Exodus 14:19She sang before she was safe.
Miriam starts the song down in the corridor with the water still standing on both sides, not on the shore afterwards. Ninety years old, and not waiting for the all-clear.
"Yah is my strength and song. He has become my salvation." Exodus 15:2Read the scripture itself. Exodus 14–15 · World English Bible
Exodus 14
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2“Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal Zephon. You shall encamp opposite it by the sea.
3Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, ‘They are entangled in the land. The wilderness has shut them in.’
4I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will follow after them; and I will get honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies; and the Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh.” They did so.
5The king of Egypt was told that the people had fled; and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed towards the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?”
6He prepared his chariot, and took his army with him;
7and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over all of them.
8Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; for the children of Israel went out with a high hand.
9The Egyptians pursued them. All the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen, and his army overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baal Zephon.
10When Pharaoh came near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were very afraid. The children of Israel cried out to Yahweh.
11They said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way, to bring us out of Egypt?
12Isn’t this the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians?’ For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”
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.
14Yahweh will fight for you, and you shall be still.”
15Yahweh said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward.
16Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go into the middle of the sea on dry ground.
17Behold, I myself will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them: and I will get myself honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.
18The Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh, when I have gotten myself honor over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.”
19The angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them.
20It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud and the darkness, yet gave it light by night: and one didn’t come near the other all night.
21Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22The children of Israel went into the middle of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.
23The Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the middle of the sea: all of Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24In the morning watch, Yahweh looked out on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and confused the Egyptian army.
25He took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, “Let’s flee from the face of Israel, for Yahweh fights for them against the Egyptians!”
26Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come again on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.”
27Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it. Yahweh overthrew the Egyptians in the middle of the sea.
28The waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even all Pharaoh’s army that went in after them into the sea. There remained not so much as one of them.
29But the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.
30Thus Yahweh saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
31Israel saw the great work which Yahweh did to the Egyptians, and the people feared Yahweh; and they believed in Yahweh, and in his servant Moses.
Exodus 15
1Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to Yahweh, and said, “I will sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.
2Yah is my strength and song. He has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
3Yahweh is a man of war. Yahweh is his name.
4He has cast Pharaoh’s chariots and his army into the sea. His chosen captains are sunk in the Red Sea.
5The deeps cover them. They went down into the depths like a stone.
6Your right hand, Yahweh, is glorious in power. Your right hand, Yahweh, dashes the enemy in pieces.
7In the greatness of your excellency, you overthrow those who rise up against you. You send out your wrath. It consumes them as stubble.
8With the blast of your nostrils, the waters were piled up. The floods stood upright as a heap. The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.
9The enemy said, ‘I will pursue. I will overtake. I will divide the plunder. My desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.’
10You blew with your wind. The sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
11Who is like you, Yahweh, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
12You stretched out your right hand. The earth swallowed them.
13“You, in your loving kindness, have led the people that you have redeemed. You have guided them in your strength to your holy habitation.
14The peoples have heard. They tremble. Pangs have taken hold on the inhabitants of Philistia.
15Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed. Trembling takes hold of the mighty men of Moab. All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.
16Terror and dread falls on them. By the greatness of your arm they are as still as a stone— until your people pass over, Yahweh, until the people you have purchased pass over.
17You shall bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance, the place, Yahweh, which you have made for yourself to dwell in; the sanctuary, Lord, which your hands have established.
18Yahweh shall reign forever and ever.”
19For the horses of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and Yahweh brought back the waters of the sea on them; but the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea.
20Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances.
21Miriam answered them, “Sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”
22Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
23When they came to Marah, they couldn’t drink from the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore its name was called Marah.
24The people murmured against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”
25Then he cried to Yahweh. Yahweh showed him a tree, and he threw it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There he made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there he tested them;
26and he said, “If you will diligently listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you, which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you.”
27They came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water, and seventy palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
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