Exodus 14:29

ESV But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

NIV But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

NASB But the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right and on their left.

CSB But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with the waters like a wall to them on their right and their left.

NLT But the people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, as the water stood up like a wall on both sides.

KJV But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

NKJV But the children of Israel had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

What does Exodus 14:29 mean?

This summarizes the difference between Israel's crossing of the sea (Exodus 14:21–22) with the terrifying death of the Egyptian army (Exodus 14:23–28). God supernaturally split the waters like walls and dried the sea floor. Once Israel was across, and the Egyptians pursued, God released the water and wiped out every soldier who had advanced. It's likely this included Pharaoh, himself (Exodus 14:5–7).

Some of the Lord's miracles in the story of the exodus may have involved natural mechanisms. Each was entirely the work of God, but not all needed to be supernatural. The parting of the sea was most certainly an act of direct, literal, and miraculous intervention by the Lord. Though God involved wind in the process (Exodus 14:21), no wind could have both pushed back the water and still allowed Israel to cross.

In the following chapter, Israel will celebrate this astounding miracle (Exodus 15).

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