17. It happened, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God didn’t lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and they return to Egypt;”
18. But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea; and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt.
19. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the children of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones away from here with you.”
20. They took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.
21. יהוה went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night:
22. The pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, didn’t depart from before the people.
Chapter 14
1. יהוה spoke to Moses , saying,
2. “Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal Zephon. You shall encamp opposite it by the sea.
3. Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, ‘They are entangled in the land. The wilderness has shut them in.’
4. I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will follow after them; and I will get honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies; and the Egyptians shall know that I am יהוה .” They did so.
5. It was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled; and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed towards the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?”
6. He made ready his chariot, and took his army with him;
7. And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over all of them.
8. יהוה hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel; for the children of Israel went out with a high hand.
9. The Egyptians pursued after them: all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen, and his army; and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baal Zephon.
10. When Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were very afraid. The children of Israel cried out to יהוה .
11. They said to Moses , “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way, to bring us forth out of Egypt?
12. Isn’t this the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians?’ For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.”
13. Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of יהוה , which he will work for you today: for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall never see them again.
14. יהוה will fight for you, and you shall be still.”
15. יהוה said to Moses , “Why do you cry to me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward.
16. Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground.
17. I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them: and I will get myself honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.
18. The Egyptians shall know that I am יהוה , when I have gotten myself honor over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.”
19. The angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them.
20. It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud and the darkness, yet gave it light by night: and the one didn’t come near the other all the night.
21. Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and יהוה caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22. The children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.
23. The Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the midst of the sea: all of Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24. It happened in the morning watch, that יהוה looked out on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and confused the Egyptian army.
25. He took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, “Let’s flee from the face of Israel, for יהוה fights for them against the Egyptians!”
26. יהוה said to Moses , “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come again on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.”
27. Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it. יהוה overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
28. The waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even all Pharaoh’s army that went in after them into the sea. There remained not so much as one of them.
29. But the children of Israel 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.
30. Thus יהוה saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
31. Israel saw the great work which יהוה did to the Egyptians, and the people feared יהוה ; and they believed in יהוה , and in his servant Moses .
Chapter 15
1. Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to יהוה , and said, “I will sing to יהוה , for he has triumphed gloriously: The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.
2. Yah is my strength and song, He has become my salvation: This is my God, and I will praise him; My father’s God, and I will exalt him.
3. יהוה is a man of war. יהוה is his name.
4. He has cast Pharaoh’s chariots and his army into the sea; His chosen captains are sunk in the Red Sea.
5. The deeps cover them. They went down into the depths like a stone.
6. Your right hand, יהוה , is glorious in power,Your right hand, יהוה , dashes the enemy in pieces.
7. In the greatness of your excellency, you overthrow those who rise up against you: You send forth your wrath. It consumes them as stubble.
8. With the blast of your nostrils the waters were piled up. The floods stood upright as a heap. The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.
9. The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil. My desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.’
10. You blew with your wind. The sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
11. Who is like you, יהוה , among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?
12. You stretched out your right hand. The earth swallowed them.
13. “You, in your loving kindness, have led the people that you have redeemed.You have guided them in your strength to your holy habitation.
14. The peoples have heard. They tremble. Pangs have taken hold on the inhabitants of Philistia.
15. Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed. Trembling takes hold of the mighty men of Moab. All the inhabitants of Canaan are melted away.
16. Terror and dread falls on them.By the greatness of your arm they are as still as a stone;Until your people pass over, יהוה , Until the people pass over who you have purchased.
17. You shall bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance, The place, יהוה , which you have made for yourself to dwell in;The sanctuary, Lord, which your hands have established.
18. יהוה shall reign forever and ever.”
19. For the horses of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and יהוה brought back the waters of the sea on them; but the children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea.
20. Miriam , the prophetess, the sister of Aaron , took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances.
21. Miriam answered them, “Sing to יהוה , for he has triumphed gloriously: The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”
22. Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
23. When they came to Marah, they couldn’t drink from the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.
24. The people murmured against Moses , saying, “What shall we drink?”
25. Then he cried to יהוה . יהוה showed him a tree, and he threw it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There he made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there he tested them;
26. And he said, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of יהוה your God, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you, which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am יהוה who heals you.”
27. They came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water, and seventy palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
Chapter 16
1. They took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.
2. The whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness;
3. And the children of Israel said to them, “We wish that we had died by the hand of יהוה in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots, when we ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
4. Then said יהוה to Moses , “Behold, I will rain bread from the sky for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.
5. It shall come to pass on the sixth day, that they shall prepare that which they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.”
6. Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, “At evening, then you shall know that יהוה has brought you out from the land of Egypt;
7. And in the morning, then you shall see the glory of יהוה ; because he hears your murmurings against יהוה . Who are we, that you murmur against us?”
8. Moses said, “Now יהוה shall give you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to satisfy you; because יהוה hears your murmurings which you murmur against him. And who are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against יהוה .”
9. Moses said to Aaron , “Tell all the congregation of the children of Israel, ‘Come near before יהוה , for he has heard your murmurings.’”
10. It happened, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of יהוה appeared in the cloud.
11. יהוה spoke to Moses , saying,
12. “I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At evening you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread: and you shall know that I am יהוה your God.’”
13. It happened at evening that quail came up and covered the camp; and in the morning the dew lay around the camp.
14. When the dew that lay had gone, behold, on the surface of the wilderness was a small round thing, small as the frost on the ground.
15. When the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, “What is it?” For they didn’t know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread which יהוה has given you to eat.”
16. This is the thing which יהוה has commanded: “Gather of it everyone according to his eating; an omer a head, according to the number of your persons, shall you take it, every man for those who are in his tent.”
17. The children of Israel did so, and gathered some more, some less.
18. When they measured it with an omer, he who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack. They gathered every man according to his eating.
19. Moses said to them, “Let no one leave of it until the morning.”
20. Notwithstanding they didn’t listen to Moses , but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and became foul: and Moses was angry with them.
21. They gathered it morning by morning, everyone according to his eating. When the sun grew hot, it melted.
22. It happened that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one, and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses .
23. He said to them, “This is that which יהוה has spoken, ‘Tomorrow is a solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to יהוה . Bake that which you want to bake, and boil that which you want to boil; and all that remains over lay up for yourselves to be kept until the morning.”
24. They laid it up until the morning, as Moses asked, and it didn’t become foul, neither was there any worm in it.
25. Moses said, “Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to יהוה . Today you shall not find it in the field.
26. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day is the Sabbath. In it there shall be none.”
27. It happened on the seventh day, that some of the people went out to gather, and they found none.
28. יהוה said to Moses , “How long do you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?
29. Behold, because יהוה has given you the Sabbath, therefore he gives you on the sixth day the bread of two days. Everyone stay in his place. Let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.”
30. So the people rested on the seventh day.
31. The house of Israel called the name of it Manna, and it was like coriander seed, white; and its taste was like wafers with honey.
32. Moses said, “This is the thing which יהוה has , ‘Let an omer-full of it be kept throughout your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.”
33. Moses said to Aaron , “Take a pot, and put an omer-full of manna in it, and lay it up before יהוה , to be kept throughout your generations.”
34. As יהוה commanded Moses , so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.
35. The children of Israel ate the manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land. They ate the manna until they came to the borders of the land of Canaan.
36. Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.
Chapter 17
1. All the congregation of the children of Israel traveled from the wilderness of Sin, by their journeys, according to יהוה s commandment, and encamped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink.
2. Therefore the people quarreled with Moses , and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test יהוה ?”
3. The people were thirsty for water there; and the people murmured against Moses , and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?”
4. Moses cried to יהוה , saying, “What shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
5. יהוה said to Moses “Walk on before the people, and take the elders of Israel with you,and take the rod in your hand with which you struck the Nile, and go.
6. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb. You shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
7. He called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because the children of Israel quarreled, and because they tested יהוה , saying, “Is יהוה among us, or not?”
8. Then Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
9. Moses said to Joshua , “Choose men for us, and go out, fight with Amalek . Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with God’s rod in my hand.”
10. So Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought with Amalek ; and Moses , Aaron , and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
11. It happened, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
12. But Moses ’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side. His hands were steady until sunset.
13. Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
14. יהוה said to Moses , “Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua : that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under the sky.”
15. Moses built an altar, and called the name of it יהוה our Banner.
16. He said, “Yah has sworn: ‘ יהוה will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.’”
To the Ashkenazic Haftarah To the Sephardic Haftarah