So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the LORD threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "returned to its strength" doesn't just mean the waters came back, but that they surged with an overwhelming, unleashed power. The Egyptians weren't just caught by the tide; they were actively fleeing against this sudden, violent surge of the sea, making their demise a direct consequence of their desperate, but futile, attempt to escape.
So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the LORD threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After God miraculously parts the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to escape to dry ground, Pharaoh's Egyptian army pursues them into the middle of the seabed. As dawn breaks, Moses stretches out his hand again, and the powerful waters rush back, collapsing the walls and overwhelming the pursuing chariots and soldiers. This decisive act of divine judgment results in the complete destruction of Pharaoh's army, leaving none alive, while Israel watches safely from the shore.
Imagine standing on the shore, watching the impossible walls of water that saved you now rush back with terrifying force. What does it mean when nature itself becomes God's instrument of judgment?
The miracle of the Red Sea crossing wasn't just the parting of the waters; it was also the dramatic return of the sea to its full power.
Nature's Obedience
This wasn't just a natural tide coming back in; it was God unleashing the sea's full, unrestrained might as a weapon against His enemies.
The dramatic rescue of Israel was immediately followed by the swift and total destruction of Pharaoh's army. What does this intense reversal tell us about God's justice?
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This moment is a stark display of God's sovereign judgment – a complete and final overthrow of those who defied Him.
The Climax of Conflict
This event serves as a powerful reminder that God’s mercy shown to His people is matched by His righteous wrath against those who persistently oppose Him.
This dramatic event, occurring as dawn breaks, signifies not just a physical escape but a divine judgment and the establishment of God's power over nature and Pharaoh's might. The Egyptians' pursuit into the suddenly yielding sea, only to be engulfed by its returning force, highlights their own reckless presumption against God's chosen people.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites Depart Egypt
Following the ten plagues, Pharaoh finally allows the Israelites, led by Moses, to leave Egypt after centuries of enslavement.
c. 1446 BC
Pharaoh Pursues the Israelites
Pharaoh regrets letting the Israelites go and mobilizes his army, including 600 chariots, to pursue them and bring them back.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites Trapped at the Red Sea
The Israelites are encamped at Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, with the Egyptian army closing in behind them.
c. 1446 BC
The Sea is Divided
At God's command, Moses stretches his hand over the sea, and a strong east wind parts the waters all night, creating a dry path for the Israelites.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites Cross the Red Sea
The Israelites walk across the dry seabed, with walls of water on their right and left, escaping the pursuing Egyptian army.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
The Sea Returns and Engulfs Egyptians
As morning breaks, Moses stretches his hand over the sea. The waters return with their full force, drowning Pharaoh's chariots, horsemen, and entire army.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites See the Dead Egyptians
The Israelites witness the bodies of the Egyptians washed ashore, a powerful confirmation of God's deliverance and judgment.
This psalm directly recounts the Red Sea event, emphasizing how God saved Israel from their enemies and led them through the waters, paralleling the protective power shown in Exodus 14:27.
Psalm 136:13-15This passage praises God for His steadfast love, specifically mentioning His deliverance of Israel from Pharaoh and the overthrow of the Egyptians in the Red Sea, mirroring the judgment described in Exodus 14:27.
Isaiah 11:15This prophecy speaks of a future divine act where God will make a path through the Red Sea, just as He did for Israel, and will strike the waters to make them return, echoing the miraculous nature of the event in Exodus 14:27.
1 Corinthians 10:1-2Paul explicitly uses the Israelites' passage through the Red Sea as a type and example for Christians, illustrating how they were 'baptized' in the cloud and the sea, connecting the historical event to spiritual significance.
bensonExodus 14:27: "And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea."
Exodus 14:27 . The sea returned to its strength — Its force had, as it were, been checked and held back by the reins of the divine power; but now full scope is given to its impetuous rage. The expression implies that the sea returned not leisurely, as in ordinary tides, bu…
calvinExodus 14:26-31: "And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen."
And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared, and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
Et extendit Moses manum suam super mare, et reversum est mare quum mane illuxisset, secundum vim…
The phrase "returned to its strength" doesn't just mean the waters came back, but that they surged with an overwhelming, unleashed power. The Egyptians weren't just caught by the tide; they were actively fleeing against this sudden, violent surge of the sea, making their demise a direct consequence of their desperate, but futile, attempt to escape.
After God miraculously parts the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to escape to dry ground, Pharaoh's Egyptian army pursues them into the middle of the seabed. As dawn breaks, Moses stretches out his hand again, and the powerful waters rush back, collapsing the walls and overwhelming the pursuing chariots and soldiers. This decisive act of divine judgment results in the complete destruction of Pharaoh's army, leaving none alive, while Israel watches safely from the shore.
After God miraculously parts the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to escape to dry ground, Pharaoh's Egyptian army pursues them into the middle of the seabed. As dawn breaks, Moses stretches out his hand again, and the powerful waters rush back, collapsing the walls and overwhelming the pursuing chariots and soldiers. This decisive act of divine judgment results in the complete destruction of Pharaoh's army, leaving none alive, while Israel watches safely from the shore.
"So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the LORD threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea." — The phrase "returned to its strength" doesn't just mean the waters came back, but that they surged with an overwhelming, unleashed power. The Egyptians weren't just caught by the tide; they were acti…
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Last reviewed October 2026