Israel was caught between Yam Suph and Pharaoh with his army camped in front of Hahiroth with impassable rugged mountains on either side that terminated at the sea. Josephus described the panic within Israel’s camp since they had no way of escaping or fighting without weapons¹. It appeared that the Israelites had only two choices: to give themselves up to the Egyptians or be slaughtered (Exo. 14:11-12). In their deep distress and despair, they forgot all the miracles YHWH had done to bring them out of Egypt, and they attacked Moses, even picking up stones² and mocking, “Were there no graves in Egypt”³ (Psa. 106:7; 78:10-13). Yet Moses, strong in faith that YHWH would not forsake them, saw a third option. He encouraged the children of Israel not to lose heart but to remember YHWH’s wonders and expect His deliverance out of their seemingly impossible, hopeless plight. Indeed, YHWH had already told them this was His plan so that His name would be honored in all the earth (Exo. 14:4). Instead of weeping, Israel should expect to witness the greatest miracle of all time.

Responding to their desperation, Moses gave Israel three commands. “Do not be afraid. Stand still and see the salvation of YHWH which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. YHWH will fight for you; you need only to keep quiet and not make a plan” (Exo. 14:13-14). His three commands occur elsewhere in the Tanakh. “Do not be afraid” is often accompanied by the assurance of YHWH’s presence to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Gen. 15:1 I am your wall and great reward; 26:24 I am with you; Gen. 28:15 I am with you and will keep you wherever you go; Jos. 1:9 YHWH your Elohim will go with you wherever you go). “Stand still and see YHWH’s salvation” means to set oneself in God’s salvation, yeshua, a term used 45 times in the Psalms and 19 times in Isaiah. The children of Israel were to secure themselves to the Rock of their salvation, yeshua (Deu. 32:15). And third, “be still” or “hold your peace” means to be without a scheme because YHWH will act on your behalf (Gen. 34:5; 1Ki. 19:11; Psa. 5:3; 83:1). The three commands establish YHWH as the divine Warrior, the Elohim who fights for Israel and against her enemies (Exo. 14:14a, 17-18; 15:3; Deu. 1:30; 3:22; 20:4; Neh. 4:20; Psa. 35:1).

If these three things proved true to the honor and glory of YHWH, then Moses and the Israelites must get moving. YHWH told His people to stop wailing and start forward. The Angel of YHWH set His two⁴ pillars of cloud and fire as a wall, separating the Egyptian camp from Israel’s camp and blocking any interaction between them. The thick cloud pillar shielded the pillar of fire’s light from the Egypt’s camp. Israel had light, but Egypt had dense darkness. Then Moses held his rod in hand out over the waters. YHWH divided the waters so the dry land appeared and sent an easterly tailwind all through the night to accompany the fleeing Hebrews⁵. A vertical wall of water held back the sea on the right (north) and left (south) of the highway through the sea.

As the cloud lifted, the Egyptians perceived the Israelites had fled through the sea without harm in the dark of night, so they made haste to pursue them. During the night’s last watch, YHWH looked down from the pillars, saw the approaching Egyptian army, and threw it into chaos, causing the chariot wheels to come off. Chariots careened into each other, unable to be driven (Exo. 14:24-25). By Moses’ upraised arm at daylight, the walled waters returned, convulsing the depths as torrents poured forth in storms of wind, resounding with thunder and dreadful lightning. Too late, the Egyptians realized they were fighting against the most powerful Being in the cosmos, the God of Israel. Like stones, they sank to the depths. Israel and all the known world knew YHWH alone was God! While the debris of destruction washed up on the shore, Israel feared YHWH and trusted in Him. For Israel, it was the dawn of a new creation, a birth through the darkness and sea of death, a new nation freed to complete the journey to YHWH’s holy mountain. As for their enemy, the waters covered them, and not one of them was left.

The sea crossing epic connects YHWH’s power to the creation account. YHWH divided the light from the darkness, separating Egypt from Israel, an evening and morning judgment (Gen. 1:4-5; Exo. 14:20, 27). God divided the waters (Gen. 1:7), a boundary on either side (Psa. 104:9), dry land appeared (Gen. 1:9), a wind blew all night (Gen. 1:2b), and Israel passed by faith through the baptism waters (mikveh, Gen. 1:10; 1Co. 10:2). YHWH destroyed Egypt’s tohu in the deep (tahom) chaos waters, yet rescued Israel like He did creation (Gen 1:2). Psalm 74:12-17 describes the creation, splitting the sea and defeating the tanninim and liwyatan monsters, like the exodus sea crossing and defeat of Egypt. The sea crossing saga also shares similitude with the Noachian flood when YHWH opened the fountains of the deeps and the heavens, and none were left alive except the eight persons brought to a new beginning.

The Red Sea (Yam Suph⁶) is mentioned 26 times in the Bible, 24 in the Old Testament, and 7 of those indicate its location at the Sea of Aqaba⁷. Geographically, was a crossing possible at Nuweiba? The beachhead is about five miles wide, covering an area of eight square miles, and likewise, the opposite Arabian shore has a broad, spacious beach⁸. For 2.5 million people and their livestock to cross the 9.7 miles during the night, a 4–5 mile wide path was necessary⁹. The Nuweiba underwater plateau is the only place in the Sea of Aqaba that would accommodate such a crossing¹⁰. The western descending slope into the sea has a 10.5% grade, and the eastern ascending slope has a 13% grade (maximum wheelchair ramp specification is 12.5%)¹¹. The greatest depth measures 2,780 feet¹². To displace that volume of water means YHWH’s dividing of the sea created tsunami-like vertical walls of water, a spectacular miracle remembered with trembling and fear by nations nearly a half-century later (recall Jericho’s terror). Hard to comprehend, YHWH’s power was inescapable and magnificent!

Josephus¹³ and Rashi¹⁴ claim the sea crossing was the seventh day from the night of the exodus, making it the seventh day of Unleavened Bread. For seven days, Israel fled from Egypt’s clutches. Turning after three days, they traversed through the holes of serpents and the walls of mighty waters to begin a new unleavened life with YHWH. Miraculously protecting and fighting for them to make His name great before the nations, YHWH showed the world that there was no other God besides Him.

Takeaway:
The Yam Suph crossing reveals the magnitude of YHWH’s power in moving mighty waters and destroying Israel’s oppressors. It is a new creation story, a history of victory over slavery to sinister monsters. Israel followed the pillar of light and passed between the water walls, walking through death by the power of the Spirit, and came out rejoicing, fearing God, and trusting YHWH. Yet, when the Egyptians attempted to do so, they were drowned, and none remained.

Fun Factors:
Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance YHWH will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again (Exo. 14:13). The sum of Exodus 14:13’s 97 letters of its 27 Hebrew words equals 7954, factored 2 × 41 × 97, the sum of two squares, 85² + 27² (85 is 5 × 17, numerically saying, “Behold His victory”). Both 41 and 27 relate to the tabernacle’s light and function of deliverance.

Exodus 14:14, “YHWH will fight for you; you need only to be still,” has 22 letters in 5 words, totaling 1625, 5³ × 13, the sum of two squares, 16² + 37², numerically saying, “the power of His house (16) and Name (37).”

The two verse’s 119 letters (7 × 17) have a value of 9579, 31 × 3 × 103 (103 = 27th prime), “El’s (31) sure (3) light (207),” in a pattern of 313103, referencing the 3-1-3 Genesis 1:1 and menorah configuration.