Exodus 14:22

KJV

And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry [ground]: and the waters [were] a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

KJV (with Strong's)

And the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478} went {H935} into the midst {H8432} of the sea {H3220} upon the dry {H3004} ground: and the waters {H4325} were a wall {H2346} unto them on their right hand {H3225}, and on their left {H8040}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Then the people of Isra'el went into the sea on the dry ground, with the water walled up for them on their right and on their left.

Berean Standard Bible

and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.

American Standard Version

And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Exodus 14:22 vividly describes the miraculous moment the Israelites, fleeing Egyptian bondage, walked through the divided Red Sea on dry ground, with the towering waters forming protective walls on both sides. This verse encapsulates God's astonishing power, unwavering faithfulness, and direct intervention to deliver His people from an impossible situation, setting the stage for their journey to freedom.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is the dramatic climax of the Red Sea crossing narrative. Immediately preceding it, [Exodus 14:21](/exodus/14-21 "Moses Parts the Sea") details Moses stretching out his hand, and the Lord driving back the sea with a strong east wind, creating the dry path. Following this verse, [Exodus 14:23](/exodus/14-23 "Pharaoh's Army Pursues") describes the Egyptians pursuing the Israelites into the sea, setting up their ultimate destruction and Israel's complete deliverance. The entire chapter builds to this pivotal moment of divine rescue, fulfilling God's promise to fight for Israel.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Exodus event occurred against the backdrop of ancient Near Eastern empires, where powerful pharaohs were considered divine or semi-divine, wielding absolute authority. Israel was a subjugated people, and their escape was an affront to Egyptian power and a challenge to their gods. The parting of the Red Sea was not merely a natural phenomenon but a profound theological statement, demonstrating Yahweh's supreme power over nature, over the gods of Egypt, and over the mightiest human empire. In a world where divine favor was often linked to military success, this act established Yahweh as the ultimate warrior and protector of His covenant people, turning a seemingly inescapable trap into a highway of salvation.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Dry Ground (יַבָּשָׁה, _yabashah_):** This Hebrew term literally means "dry land" or "continent," often contrasted with water. Its use here is crucial: it emphasizes that the path was genuinely solid and traversable, not muddy or treacherous, making the miraculous nature of the event even more pronounced. It was a firm foundation in the midst of chaos.
* **Wall (חוֹמָה, _chomah_):** This Hebrew word is typically used for fortified city walls or defensive ramparts. This choice of word is highly significant. It doesn't imply a gentle slope or a mere receding of water, but rather a colossal, vertical barrier, suggesting an immense, almost architectural, structure of water. This metaphor underscores the supernatural power required to suspend the laws of nature in such a dramatic fashion. The waters were not just parted; they stood firm and high, providing both a path and a protective barrier.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry [ground]":** This phrase highlights the immediate, courageous response of the Israelites. Despite the terrifying spectacle of the divided sea, they stepped forward, demonstrating a nascent faith in God's provision.
* **"and the waters [were] a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left":** This is the most striking image of the verse. It underscores the supernatural power required to suspend the laws of nature in such a dramatic fashion. The waters were not just parted; they stood firm and high, providing both a path and a protective barrier.

#### Literary Devices
The primary literary device employed here is a vivid **metaphor**: the waters becoming "a wall." This imagery transforms the fluid, dangerous sea into a solid, protective structure, emphasizing God's absolute control and the security He provided. The **hyperbole** inherent in waters standing as "walls" also amplifies the awe-inspiring nature of the miracle, underscoring the unprecedented scale of God's intervention. The scene is one of dramatic **juxtaposition**: the terrifying, overwhelming sea transformed into a pathway of salvation, framed by towering, liquid ramparts.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Exodus 14:22 is rich with theological significance, revealing profound truths about God and His relationship with humanity. This theme of miraculous deliverance and God's power over chaos resonates throughout the biblical narrative. Just as God created dry land from the waters in [Genesis 1:9-10](/genesis/1-9 "God Separates Land from Water"), He recreates a dry path through the waters here, signifying a new beginning for Israel. This event is remembered as a cornerstone of God's redemptive work, often referenced in later biblical texts as a testament to His faithfulness. It foreshadows God's ultimate act of salvation.

* **God's Absolute Sovereignty and Power:** The verse unequivocally demonstrates God's supreme authority over creation. He commands the elements, suspending natural laws to achieve His purposes. This act showcases a God who is not bound by the limitations of the physical world, but who is its Creator and Master.
* **Divine Deliverance and Salvation:** This event is a foundational narrative of salvation in the Old Testament. God actively intervenes to rescue His people from certain destruction, proving Himself to be their mighty Deliverer. It establishes a pattern of God making a way where there is no way.
* **Faith and Obedience:** The Israelites' act of walking into the sea, despite the terrifying walls of water, highlights the necessity of faith and obedience in response to God's command. Their deliverance was contingent on their willingness to step out in trust.
* [Psalm 78:13](/psalms/78-13 "God Divided the Sea")
* [Isaiah 43:16](/isaiah/43-16 "God Made a Way Through the Sea")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Exodus 14:22 is more than an ancient miracle; it's a timeless testament to God's ability to make a way where there is no way. For us today, this verse offers profound encouragement when we face seemingly insurmountable obstacles—whether they are financial crises, relational brokenness, health challenges, or spiritual despair. Just as the Israelites were trapped between the sea and Pharaoh's army, we often find ourselves in situations with no apparent escape. This passage reminds us that God's power is not limited by our circumstances. He can transform our greatest fears into pathways of deliverance, turning the very things that threaten to overwhelm us into walls of protection. It calls us to step out in faith, trusting that even when the path ahead seems impossible, God is capable of creating dry ground for us to walk on, guiding us safely through.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "walls of water" (seemingly impossible obstacles) are you facing in your life right now, and how might this verse encourage you to trust God to make a way?**
* **In what specific area of your life do you need to "step out on dry ground" in faith, even when the path ahead is unclear or intimidating?**
* **How does remembering God's past acts of deliverance (both in biblical history and in your own life) strengthen your faith for present and future challenges?**

### FAQ
**Was the "dry ground" truly dry, or just muddy?**

Answer: The Hebrew word _yabashah_ (יַבָּשָׁה) strongly implies genuinely dry, solid ground, suitable for walking. The text emphasizes that the path was not muddy or impassable, which would have hindered the Israelites and made the miracle less complete. This detail highlights the supernatural nature of the event, as the strong east wind not only parted the waters but also dried the seabed.

**How could the water stand up like "walls"? Is this scientifically possible?**

Answer: The biblical account presents this as a direct, miraculous act of God, not a purely natural phenomenon explainable by current scientific understanding. While some theories attempt to reconcile the event with natural occurrences (e.g., a strong wind pushing water in a specific basin), the text's description of "walls" of water standing on either side points to a suspension of natural laws by divine power. The purpose of the narrative is not to provide a scientific explanation but to declare God's omnipotence and His unique ability to intervene in creation for His people.

**Does this story suggest God only helps those who act in perfect faith?**

Answer: Not necessarily perfect faith, but a willingness to obey. The Israelites often wavered in their faith, even after this miracle. However, in this moment, they did step out onto the dry ground. The story emphasizes God's initiative and power in delivering them, and their obedience was a response to His command through Moses. It's more about God's faithfulness to His covenant and His power to save, which then calls for a response of trust and obedience from His people, rather than their perfect faith being the cause of the miracle.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The miraculous crossing of the Red Sea in Exodus 14:22 is a profound Old Testament type, powerfully fulfilled and reinterpreted in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Just as the Israelites passed through the waters from bondage to freedom, so too does Christ provide the ultimate passage from the slavery of sin and death to the new life of salvation.

* **A New Exodus and Deliverance:** Jesus inaugurates a "new Exodus," not from physical slavery in Egypt, but from spiritual bondage to sin. His death and resurrection are the ultimate act of deliverance, making a way for humanity to pass through the "waters" of judgment and death into the promised land of eternal life.
* **Christ as the "Way":** The dry ground through the sea prefigures Christ Himself, who declares, "I am [the way](/john/14-6 "Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life"), the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." He is the sole path through the otherwise impassable chasm of sin and separation from God.
* **Baptism as a Type:** The Apostle Paul connects the Red Sea crossing to Christian baptism, stating that the Israelites "were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea" ([1 Corinthians 10:2](/1_corinthians/10-2 "Israel Baptized in the Sea")). Just as the waters of the Red Sea brought death to Pharaoh's army but life to Israel, so baptism symbolizes dying to the old self and rising to new life in Christ, a passage from a life enslaved to sin to a life of freedom in Him.
* **New Creation:** The parting of the waters and the emergence of dry ground echoes the creation narrative (Genesis 1) and foreshadows the new creation brought about by Christ. Through Him, we are made new creatures, crossing from the old order into God's new kingdom.

In essence, Exodus 14:22 is a dramatic prelude to the greater salvation wrought by Christ, who is our ultimate Deliverer, our dry ground through the impossible, and the one who leads us to true freedom.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Hebrews 11:29

By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry [land]: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

Psalms 66:6

He turned the sea into dry [land]: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.

Exodus 15:19

For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry [land] in the midst of the sea.

Psalms 78:13

He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.

Exodus 14:29

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.

1 Corinthians 10:1

¶ Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

Nehemiah 9:11

And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters.