Exodus 14:21

ESV Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

NIV Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided,

NASB Then Moses reached out with his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided.

CSB Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back with a powerful east wind all that night and turned the sea into dry land. So the waters were divided,

NLT Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the Lord opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land.

KJV And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

NKJV Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided.

What does Exodus 14:21 mean?

God instructed Moses to make this gesture over the sea (Exodus 14:16). This command came as Israel was trapped on the shoreline with an Egyptian army closing in (Exodus 14:1–2, 8–9). The Lord blocks Egyptian soldiers from making an attack (Exodus 14:19–20) to give Israel time to cross the sea. As promised, God sends a wind which drives the water back like walls (Exodus 14:22) and makes the seabed dry enough for travel. So begins the literal crossing of the Red Sea, which will permanently free Israel from Egyptian oppression (Exodus 14:13).

The book of Genesis describes God parting waters (Genesis 1:9). These events are recorded to demonstrate His ultimate power over creation. Less-spectacular versions of this miracle will occur for Joshua (Joshua 3:16–17) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:8). Scripture also makes several references to the Lord's control over winds (Numbers 11:31; Isaiah 59:19), and specifically the "east wind" (Exodus 10:13; Psalm 48:7; Jonah 4:8).

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