Hebrews 11:29
By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss is that the verse highlights the same action resulting in opposite outcomes based entirely on faith. The Egyptians "trying" the sea was a suicidal act of defiance, while the Israelites "passing through" was an act of trust in God's Word, making the impossible possible. This sharp contrast shows that our approach to God's commands and the challenges of life is everything.
This verse continues the author's impressive catalog of faith's actions, building on the previous mention of the Passover's observance. It recounts the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites, an event where their trust in God allowed them to pass through what appeared impassable. This is immediately contrasted with the Pharaoh and his army, whose attempt to follow suit, devoid of faith, resulted in their destruction by the returning waters.
The same waters, the same attempt, yet wildly different outcomes. What made the difference between survival and destruction at the Red Sea?
This verse paints a stark picture of faith's power, not just in what you do, but how you do it.
The Israelites' Faith:
The Egyptians' Failure:
This highlights a crucial truth: the object and source of our trust determine our end.
The word 'assaying' here isn't just about trying something; it carries a deeper meaning about the nature of the attempt.
The word used for the Egyptians' action, translated here as 'assaying,' carries a sense of testing or attempting, but without the underlying belief that makes such an attempt valid in God's eyes.
Rashness vs. Reliance:
This is the foundational event described in Hebrews 11:29, detailing God's miraculous parting of the Red Sea for the Israelites and the subsequent destruction of the pursuing Egyptian army.
Joshua 4:23This passage reflects on the Red Sea crossing, emphasizing God's power in driving back the waters for His people, echoing the 'dry land' miracle and its significance for future generations.
Psalm 106:10-12This Psalm recounts the Red Sea deliverance and highlights the people's subsequent praise to God, showing how the event solidified their trust and served as a testament to His saving power, directly paralleling the faith mentioned in Hebrews.
Nehemiah 9:11This prayer explicitly mentions God making a way through the sea for His people, acknowledging it as a divine act of salvation that enabled their exodus and subsequent journey.
1 Corinthians 10:1-4Paul uses the Red Sea crossing as an example of the Israelites being 'baptized' into Moses, emphasizing that their spiritual union with him was a divine act, much like the 'faith' that enabled their passage in Hebrews.
vincentHebrews 11:29: "By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned."
Passed through (διέβησαν)Only three times in N.T. See Luke 16:26; Acts 16:9. The simple Βαίνην does not occur in N.T.The Red Sea (τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν)Called by the Israelites the sea, Exodus 14:2, Exodus 14:9, Exodus 14:16, Exodus 14:21, Exodus 14:28, etc., and, specially, the sea of Suph (sedge, seeds). In lxx always as here except Judges 11:16, where it is θάλασσα…
meyerHebrews 11:29: "By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned."
Hebrews 11:29 . Comp. Exodus 14:22 ff. Πίστει ] Oecumenius: ἐπίστευσαν γὰρ διαβήσεσθαι καὶ διέβησαν · τοσοῦτον οἶδεν ἡ πίστις καὶ τὰ ἀδύνατα δυνατὰ ποιεῖν . διέβησαν ] namely, the Israelites under Moses . ὡς διὰ ξηρᾶς γῆς ] as through dry, firm land . The less usual διά with the genitive, alternating with the ordinary accusative in connection with διαβαίνειν , was probably…
What's easy to miss is that the verse highlights the same action resulting in opposite outcomes based entirely on faith. The Egyptians "trying" the sea was a suicidal act of defiance, while the Israelites "passing through" was an act of trust in God's Word, making the impossible possible. This sharp contrast shows that our approach to God's commands and the challenges of life is everything.
This verse continues the author's impressive catalog of faith's actions, building on the previous mention of the Passover's observance. It recounts the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites, an event where their trust in God allowed them to pass through what appeared impassable. This is immediately contrasted with the Pharaoh and his army, whose attempt to follow suit, devoid of faith, resulted in their destruction by the returning waters.
This verse continues the author's impressive catalog of faith's actions, building on the previous mention of the Passover's observance. It recounts the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites, an event where their trust in God allowed them to pass through what appeared impassable. This is immediately contrasted with the Pharaoh and his army, whose attempt to follow suit, devoid of faith, resulted in their destruction by the returning waters.
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The critical difference lies in the heart's posture. The Egyptians were probing God's limits out of arrogance, while the Israelites were stepping into God's provision out of trust.
"By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned." — What's easy to miss is that the verse highlights the same action resulting in opposite outcomes based entirely on faith. The Egyptians "trying" the sea was a suicidal act of defiance, while the Isr…
