Exodus 14:15-16
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God's question, "Why do you cry to me?" isn't a rebuke for Moses' prayer, but a gentle redirection; God implies that while prayer is vital, it's time to transition from petition to action and to speak life and movement to the people. The instruction to "go forward" doesn't just mean to move, but to advance decisively into the unknown, trusting that God's power will create the path.
The LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Israelites have just been trapped, with the Egyptian army rapidly closing in behind them and the impassable Red Sea in front. In their panic, they cry out to the Lord, and Moses, though assured of God's deliverance, is also praying, perhaps wrestling with the immense responsibility and the people's despair. God's response to Moses is not to scold his prayer, but to redirect his focus from supplication to action, commanding him to lead the people forward into the very sea that blocks their path.
Moses is in a desperate situation, with the Egyptian army closing in. He's praying, but we don't hear his words. Yet, God hears him!
God Knows the Heart
We see Moses in a moment of intense pressure, and the text tells us he cried out to the Lord. While the people were loud in their fear and complaints, Moses' cry is described as fervent, though secret prayer.
This highlights that God doesn't just hear our spoken words; He hears the deep sighs, the silent tears, and the unspoken desires of our hearts. Even when we feel we can't articulate our needs, God understands our internal state and our burdens. He knows the desires He Himself has put within us.
Prayer Meets Action
God's response to Moses isn't a rebuke of his prayer. Instead, it's a redirection. 'Wherefore criest thou unto me?' doesn't mean 'Stop praying.' It means 'Your prayer is heard, and now it's time for action.' God acknowledges Moses' reliance on Him but calls him to lead the people forward.
The Israelites are trapped. The Red Sea is in front of them, the Egyptians behind them. The most logical thing seems to be to panic, but God's command is surprisingly simple: 'Go forward.'
Obedience in the Impossible
God's command to 'go forward' into the sea was seemingly illogical and impossible. It defied human reason and natural understanding. Yet, this is precisely where God often calls His people to step out in faith.
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This wasn't just about taking a physical step; it was a call to trust God's power to make a way where there seemed to be no way. It required Israel to move from a place of fear and paralysis to one of active obedience, trusting that God would handle the impossible situation.
Understand the original words
tsaaq · Hebrew Verb
A prayerful cry, lament, or plea for help. It denotes an intense expression of distress directed toward God, which He hears and responds to.
nasa · Hebrew Verb
A command indicating progress, obedience, and movement in the path designated by God. It signifies the transition from stationary fear to active faith in the face of obstacles.
matteh · Hebrew Noun
A rod, branch, or staff used as an emblem of authority, power, and leadership, often associated with the prophetic or kingly office as an instrument through which God performs signs and wonders.
This moment comes at the absolute peak of desperation for the Israelites. Caught between a vast army and an impassable sea, their fear is palpable. God’s response to Moses highlights a crucial truth: even in moments of deepest crisis, when prayer feels urgent, obedience and action are often the immediate next steps.
c. 1446 BC
The Exodus from Egypt
After centuries of slavery in Egypt, the Israelites, led by Moses, are finally released from Pharaoh's grip following a series of plagues.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Israelites Encamp at Pi-Hahiroth
Pharaoh, regretting the release of Israel, pursues them with his army. The Israelites find themselves trapped between the Red Sea and Egyptian forces.
c. 1446 BC
The Parting of the Red Sea
As the Egyptian army closes in, God instructs Moses to part the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry ground.
c. 1446 BC
Destruction of the Egyptian Army
Once the Israelites are safely across, God commands Moses to stretch out his hand, and the waters return, drowning Pharaoh's army.
This passage echoes God's command to Moses to be strong and courageous, showing that stepping forward into the unknown with faith is a recurring theme in biblical leadership.
1 Samuel 17:47Just as David faced Goliath with a declaration that the battle belonged to the Lord, Moses is instructed to move forward, trusting God's power rather than focusing on the overwhelming odds.
Jeremiah 2:13This verse speaks of people forsaking the 'fountain of living waters' (God) for broken cisterns, much like the Israelites cried out in fear instead of trusting God's ongoing provision and leading.
Romans 8:31This New Testament passage declares 'If God is for us, who can be against us?', which is the ultimate truth Moses and Israel needed to grasp as they faced the sea, knowing God's presence ensured their victory.
Hebrews 11:29The faithfulness of those who left Egypt is described as passing through the Red Sea 'as on dry land,' highlighting that the act of obedience to 'go forward' was key to their miraculous deliverance.
gillExodus 14:15: "And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:"
And the Lord said unto Moses, wherefore criest thou unto me?.... The Targum of Jonathan is,"why standest thou and prayest before me?''and no doubt this crying is to be understood of prayer, of mental prayer, of secret ejaculations put up by Moses to the Lord without a voice, for no mention is made of any: this shows, that though Moses most firmly believed that Go…
cambridgeExodus 14:15: "And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:"
15 . Wherefore criest thou unto me ?] This has not been mentioned before in the existing narrative. Moses, after what he had said in v. 13 f., would hardly have occasion to appeal to Jehovah: so the words will not be from J: probably (Di.) they are a notice from E (cf. Exodus 15:25 , Exodus 17:4 ,—both E). 15–18 . (in the main P). The Israelites are commanded to…
God's question, "Why do you cry to me?" isn't a rebuke for Moses' prayer, but a gentle redirection; God implies that while prayer is vital, it's time to transition from petition to action and to speak life and movement to the people. The instruction to "go forward" doesn't just mean to move, but to advance decisively into the unknown, trusting that God's power will create the path.
The Israelites have just been trapped, with the Egyptian army rapidly closing in behind them and the impassable Red Sea in front. In their panic, they cry out to the Lord, and Moses, though assured of God's deliverance, is also praying, perhaps wrestling with the immense responsibility and the people's despair. God's response to Moses is not to scold his prayer, but to redirect his focus from supplication to action, commanding him to lead the people forward into the very sea that blocks their path.
The Israelites have just been trapped, with the Egyptian army rapidly closing in behind them and the impassable Red Sea in front. In their panic, they cry out to the Lord, and Moses, though assured of God's deliverance, is also praying, perhaps wrestling with the immense responsibility and the people's despair. God's response to Moses is not to scold his prayer, but to redirect his focus from supplication to action, commanding him to lead the people forward into the very sea that blocks their path.
"The LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground." — God's question, "Why do you cry to me?" isn't a rebuke for Moses' prayer, but a gentle redirection; God implies that while prayer is vital, it's time to transition from petition to action and to spea…
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Last reviewed October 2026
