Pentateuch : The Crossing of the Sea of Reeds

The exit from Egypt and deliverance at the Reed Sea is the salvation high point of Israel's history. In this event Yahweh revealed his deep love and care for Israel. In biblical literature it became the prototype saving event. When at a later time the Israelites were alienated from the Promised Land and oppressed by foreign overlords, especially during the Babylonian exile, they recalled the great exodus from Egypt and were encouraged.

Comparing the Yahwist and Priestly accounts reveals notable differences in narrative emphasis. Each seems to portray the miracle and the role of Moses somewhat differently.

Yahwist version: (J) Source	Priestly version: (P) Source
YHWH drove the sea back with a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land (14:21b).	Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. . . . And the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground. The waters formed a wall on their right and on their left (14:21a, 21c-22).
According to this version the people were saved when God sent a wind to drive back the sea. In this version God acted directly. Overall, the Yahwist places primary focus on Yahweh and his activity. He was present in the cloud. He was the one that saved Israel. Moses' only role was to reassure the people that they would be saved. The Yahwist strand concentrates less on the details of the miracle and more on the faith response of the people. The Israelites moved from fear to faith as they stood back and observed what Yahweh had done.	In this version the miracle is more spectacular, with the water rising up on either side of the travelling Israelites. God acts indirectly through the agency of Moses rather than directly.

J Yahwist Exodus Account

14:19-20	19 The angel of God who was going ahead of the Israelite army moved and went behind them. The pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and stood behind them. 20 It came between the Egyptian army and the Israelite army. The cloud and the darkness were there. It lit up the night. Neither came near the other all night.
14:21b	21b YHWH drove back the sea with a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land.
14:24-25	24 At the morning watch YHWH looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud upon the Egyptian army. He threw the Egyptian army into a panic. 25 He clogged their chariot wheels so that they manoeuvred clumsily. The Egyptians said, "Let's get away from the Israelites, for YHWH is fighting for them against Egypt."
14:27b	27b The sea returned to its normal depth by dawn. The Egyptians fled from it, but YHWH tossed the Egyptians into the sea.
14:30-31	30 Thus YHWH saved Israel from the Egyptians that day. Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the marvellous work that YHWH did against the Egyptians. The people feared YHWH, and put their faith in YHWH and in his servant Moses.

P Priestly Exodus Account

14:15-18	15 YHWH said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. 16 Lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it so that the Israelites can go into the sea on dry ground. 17 I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. In that way I will get glory for myself over Pharaoh and his entire army, his chariots and his charioteers. 18 Then the Egyptians will know that I am YHWH, after I have gotten glory for myself over Pharaoh, his chariots and his charioteers.
14:21a	21a Then Moses stretched out his hands over the sea.
14:21c	21c And the waters were divided.
14:22-23	22 The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground. The waters formed a wall on their right and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued them, going into the sea right after them, all of Pharaoh's horses, chariots and charioteers.
14:26	26 YHWH said to Moses, "Stretch your hand out over the sea so that the water will come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and charioteers."
14:27a	27a So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea.
14:28-29	28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the charioteers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea. Not one of them survived. 29 But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground. The waters had formed a wall on their right and on their left.

The J source calls God by the name Yahweh. The stories in the Bible, especially in the book of Exodus, talks of Moses and the Israelites. The J source focuses more on the Israelites than Moses though. The author of the J source is presumed to be from Judah.

The P source is called the Priestly source, and is the easiest source to identify in the Bible. The P source unlike all of the other sources, give its reader details of dates and measurements. It also shows God as being “just”. This means that when a person sinned, they would have to be punished and possibly make a sacrifice to God

Historical consequence:

As the Egyptians confidently advanced with their chariots and horsemen in morning light, probably at the charge, they advanced into disaster. ‘Through the pillar of fire and of cloud’ may suggest mist and storm, or the direct action of Yahweh revealing His glory through the mist. Either way they were disoriented. Then the already churned up ground began to cling to their chariot wheels and many of the wheels were unable to take the strain and were torn off. Others simply became clogged up in the mud. The proud elite chariots of Egypt were being rendered useless. If there were extra horsemen they would do little better, wallowing through the mud, hindered by the useless chariots, and finding progress impossible. In such conditions they would recognise that they would be an easy prey for the enemy. Their easy victory was turning into a catastrophe.

There could only be one result. They recognised that their position was hopeless and determined to turn back. Indeed they saw in it the hand of the fearsome God of the Hebrews. They now recognised that it was He they had to face. It was He Who had done this. And as ever He was against the Egyptians. They had come to ‘know that He was Yahweh’, the God Who is there and acts. And they were afraid.

‘Israel’. As always the Egyptian terminology for the children of Israel. The stress on the children of Israel as ‘Israel’ once they have crossed the water out of Egypt Exodus: 14.30, 31 are surely significant, indicating a new situation for the children of Israel. Once they have crossed the sea they are now a clear ‘people’ and can be called ‘Israel’ in their own right. They can see themselves as a nation, as Israel.

Theological consequences:

In the New Testament Paul speaks of this deliverance at ‘the sea’ and likens it to baptism (1 Corinthians 10.1-2). The implication is that just as Israel were delivered through the sea, so are Christians delivered through Christ and by the Holy Spirit as exemplified in baptism (we are buried with Him in baptism unto death, so that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father we also should walk in newness of life (Romans 6.4)). The mighty forces of Pharaoh that were defeated can be compared with the mighty forces of evil that Jesus defeated through His death and resurrection (Colossians 2.15). At the Reed Sea the old Israel were delivered. At the cross it is all the true Israel who is delivered, whether old or new.