When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The text highlights that the Israelites "lifted up their eyes" – a physical action that precedes their emotional response of fear. This suggests their cry to God wasn't just a reflex, but a desperate, upward turn of their gaze, revealing their immediate recognition of their hopeless situation and their only possible recourse.
When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Fresh from Egypt and expecting freedom, the Israelites suddenly find themselves trapped between the sea and a pursuing Egyptian army. Seeing the enemy bearing down on them, panic sets in, and they cry out to the Lord in their terror. This moment of intense fear and desperation immediately precedes Moses' confrontation with God and the miraculous parting of the sea.
Imagine seeing an unstoppable army bearing down on you, with nowhere left to run. That was the terrifying reality for Israel at the Red Sea. How did they end up in such a hopeless situation?
A Deliberate Dead End
The Israelites found themselves in a seemingly impossible predicament. Pharaoh, with his chariots and army, was right behind them. But what made their situation so dire wasn't just the approaching enemy; it was their location.
Fear is a powerful emotion. It can paralyze us, or it can drive us to desperate measures. See how Israel's fear quickly morphed into something God found deeply disappointing.
The Cry of Despair, Not Faith
Ask a follow-up
The people of Israel cried out to the LORD. It sounds like prayer, right? But the context reveals a crucial difference between a cry born of panic and a cry rooted in trust.
Understand the original words
yare · Hebrew Verb
A deep, reverential awe, or in this context, a paralyzing terror in the face of judgment or danger. It is the human reaction to perceived powerlessness in the presence of imminent destruction.
tsa'aq · Hebrew Verb
To call out loudly, often in distress or petition. Biblically, it signifies an earnest prayer or plea for divine intervention when human help is exhausted.
The terror of the Israelites wasn't just about facing a military force; it was the crushing realization of being trapped by their former oppressors after tasting freedom, highlighting the stark contrast between human fear and divine power.
c. 1446 BC
The Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites, after centuries of slavery in Egypt, are miraculously led out of bondage by Moses and the power of God.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Pharaoh Pursues Israel
Upon learning that the Israelites have escaped, Pharaoh, angered and regretting their departure, mobilizes his army to recapture them.
c. 1446 BC
Israel Trapped at the Sea
The Israelites find themselves cornered between the impassable Red Sea, Egyptian forts, and the approaching Egyptian army, leading to panic.
c. 1446 BC
Moses Encourages the People
Despite the people's fear and cries, Moses urges them to stand firm and witness the salvation of the Lord.
c. 1446 BC
The Parting of the Red Sea
God intervenes dramatically, parting the Red Sea to create a dry path for the Israelites to escape.
c. 1446 BC
Destruction of the Egyptian Army
As the Israelites cross, the waters return, engulfing and destroying Pharaoh's pursuing army.
This Psalm recounts Israel's history, highlighting their fear and outcry at the Red Sea, mirroring the immediate reaction in Exodus 14:10 and showing it was a recurring pattern of behavior.
Joshua 24:7This passage references the Israelites crying out to the Lord in their distress in Egypt, connecting their cry in Exodus 14:10 to their long history of suffering and seeking divine help.
1 Samuel 12:10Here, the people confess their sin of asking for a king, admitting 'we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.' This echoes the Israelites' turn to complaining and fear in Exodus 14:10, even after God's deliverance, revealing a tendency to forget God's past faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:8This verse speaks of the cry of distress when prayer seems cut off, reflecting the desperate cry of the Israelites in Exodus 14:10 when trapped between the sea and the pursuing army.
cambridgeExodus 14:10: "And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD."
10 . the Egyptians marched ] Heb., more graphically, Egypt was marching. Cf. on v. 25, and v. 30. cried out , &c.] cf. Joshua 24:7 (E). 10–14 . The sequel to vv. 5–7. The alarm of the Israelites, as they see the Egyptians approaching, and their encouragement by Moses, ‘told very grap…
clarkeExodus 14:10: "And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD."
The children of Israel cried out unto the Lord - Had their prayer been accompanied with faith, we should not have found them in the next verses murmuring against Moses, or rather against the Lord, through whose goodness they were now brought from under that bondage from which they ha…
The text highlights that the Israelites "lifted up their eyes" – a physical action that precedes their emotional response of fear. This suggests their cry to God wasn't just a reflex, but a desperate, upward turn of their gaze, revealing their immediate recognition of their hopeless situation and their only possible recourse.
Fresh from Egypt and expecting freedom, the Israelites suddenly find themselves trapped between the sea and a pursuing Egyptian army. Seeing the enemy bearing down on them, panic sets in, and they cry out to the Lord in their terror. This moment of intense fear and desperation immediately precedes Moses' confrontation with God and the miraculous parting of the sea.
Fresh from Egypt and expecting freedom, the Israelites suddenly find themselves trapped between the sea and a pursuing Egyptian army. Seeing the enemy bearing down on them, panic sets in, and they cry out to the Lord in their terror. This moment of intense fear and desperation immediately precedes Moses' confrontation with God and the miraculous parting of the sea.
"When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD." — The text highlights that the Israelites "lifted up their eyes" – a physical action that precedes their emotional response of fear. This suggests their cry to God wasn't just a reflex, but a desperate…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026