Exodus Segment 4

The Great Escape: God Rescues His People 

God as part of establishing His covenant with Abraham, told him that He would be a God unto him, and to his seed after him. God Almighty also told Abraham that, even after his seed had entered the promise land for their own, He would still be their God. 

Out of all the people on the earth at this time, God first chose Abraham, then continued to make Himself available to Abraham’s seed. He did not forsake them while they were in bondage in Egypt. 

Leviticus 25:38 I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth [past tense] out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.

He brought them out so that He could give them the land of Canaan and that He could be their God. God was very interested that the nation of Israel should have Him as their God. From His point of view this was a very real serious matter, God wanted to be present with His people.  

Linked to God being their God was that they had to obey His voice, His commandments, His Word. We know from reading the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, and others that they did not stay true to their God, which was very unfortunate for them. 

God valued very highly His relationship of being their God and they being His people, and He urgently wanted then to walk in His ways. God thought highly enough about it to have allowed the nine plagues upon Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt.  

There was one more plague that will be taking place in the now desolate land of Egypt. None of the plagues were ordinary strength plagues. They were much more intense, and of the “supernatural” variety, than what “mother nature” could bring. 

This last plague was to be utilized as a major remembrance to the nation of Israel for years to come. There is also value to the Christian today as we remember what the body and blood of the lamb was to symbolize.  

Exodus 12:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,  

2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.  

This month, Abib or “green ear month” is later called Nisan. Tishri had been the first month it now becomes the seventh month of the year. 

3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:  

On the 10th of the now first month, they were to select a lamb. Jesus Christ was selected and approved as the Passover Lamb by God for all of mankind years later on this specific day. 

4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.  

5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:  

Goats were kept with sheep for movement that led to the protection of the sheep. 

6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. [between the two evenings, the decline of the sun (after noon) and its setting. The Talmud reads 2:30-3:30 P.M.] 

7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.  

8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.  

9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden [boiled] at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. [Inwards, inner parts] 

10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.  

11And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S Passover.  

God said to Moses that he should tell the people to do two things: (1) take the blood of the lamb and sprinkle it on the lintel and the side posts of the door and (2) eat the flesh.  

The blood and the flesh were equally important, equally significant. Both had to be done in order for the deliverance to happen. It was the Lord’s Passover.  

12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.  

13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.  

When the Lord was to pass over Egypt and the firstborn of the Egyptians would be slain, God protected the homes of the children of Israel because of the blood they sprinkled on the lintel and side posts. Only the blood protected them.  

They were told to eat the flesh of the lamb so that their physical needs would be met.  

Psalm 105:37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.  

Just as the blood of the lamb was the covering for the sins of the children of Israel, so the blood of Jesus Christ was shed for sin. The body of Christ was offered for the consequences of sin (sickness, disease and want) just as the eating of the flesh was the healing for the physical needs of the children of Israel. 

Jesus Christ was the Passover lamb for all of mankind.[1 Corinthians 5:7] 

The elements of the Passover for Israel are equivalent to Holy Communion for the Church today.  

The Passover lamb had two important parts: blood and flesh. So also, the death of the lamb of God had two elements: blood and flesh, symbolized in Holy Communion by the cup and the bread.  

Today, not Passover, but rather the remembrance of the free will giving by our Lord Jesus Christ; the shedding of his blood and the giving of his body to be sacrificed for mankind is what is to be celebrated. 

Exodus 12:14 And this day [Passover] shall be unto you for a memorial [today, communion]; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.  

21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the Passover.  

22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop [aromatic herb], and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.  

23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.  

28 And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.  

29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.  

30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.  

31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said.  

32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.  

Pharaoh was agreeing that they could go three days into the wilderness to sacrifice to their God, not for them to leave forever. 

33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.  

34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.  

The kneading-troughs was something you could carry dough or even bread in when you traveled. 

35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed [asked] of the Egyptians jewels [articles] of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:  

36 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent [gladly gave] unto them [omit italicized words] such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.  

The Hebrew verb is in the Hiphil mood and should be rendered “caused them to ask,”  indicating the Egyptians pressed them to take the articles. Why shouldn’t they spoil the Egyptians? It was because of Joseph, a man who walked by the spirit of God, that they were even alive, let alone had riches. 

37 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. {23. Handout #2: Map show location of Succoth} 

“Men” is not ish, males, but rather geber meaning the strong men, men of military age. So there was 600,000 men of military age plus women and children that left Egypt at this time. Some scholars say that it could be as many as 2 and ½ million people in all. 

38 And a mixed multitude [some Egyptians] went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.  

They left with everything they owned. Unfortunately, some Egyptians went with them who would cause problems later; maybe even some Egyptian spies were mixed in the multitude. 

Numbers 11:4 And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting [lusted exceedingly]… 

Exodus 12:39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual.  

40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.  

41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.  

From the calling of Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees to the  time of leaving Egypt was exactly 430 years. From the birth of Isaac to the Exodus was 400 years. 

The dwelling and sojourning are two separate parts that together make up these years; not all 430 years were in captivity in Egypt. The counting starts with the call of Abraham. This selfsame day was the day that Abraham left Ur of the Chaldees, 430 years prior. 

51 And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies [hosts].

Exodus 13:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,  

2 Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.  

Sanctify, or set apart the firstborn of man and beast for God. The first born now belonged to God. Well, why not? God had just saved the first born from the angel of death! Later God will trade the first born for all of the tribe of Levi. 

11 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee,  

12 That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD'S.  

13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.  

God is very serious about what to do with the firstlings and the firstfruits. 

17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:  

That establishes why they did not take the direct route to the Promised land. God was leading them. Remember at the first meeting that Moses and God had over a burning bush, God had told Moses that the proof of  Him being with Moses was that He would bring them back to Mount Horeb, the mountain of God to have them serve Him there. 

18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed [marshaled by fives, five in a rank, very orderly] out of the land of Egypt. {24. Show 2 routes on handout #2.} 

19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.  

The children of Israel first assembled at Succoth to start their journey from their homes and farms in the land of Goshen, or Rameses. Rameses was not one city because there was no one city where 2 ½ million Israelites could live. They lived spread out over the Nile delta area. 

Succoth was a military base on the eastern border of Egypt. The outpost of Succoth was large enough for 2 ½ million people with flocks to assemble in ranks to depart from Egypt in an orderly fashion. 

There was a line of guarded fortifications along the canal which connected the Gulf of Suez with the Mediterranean Sea known in ancient times as the Prince’s Wall. Satellite and infrared photos show the path of this ancient canal. At the point where you leave Egypt proper and went into the Sinai desert, there was the fortress and a bridge. {25.Show on handout #2 Prince’s Wall, canal} 

It wasn’t complete like the Great Wall in China. It was a chain of desert fortresses, outposts within signaling distance of each other which would stop Bedouins and slaves from trying to enter or leave, and then report back to Pharaoh. This wall marked the boundary to Egypt proper.  

When Abraham and Sarah first went into Egypt, these guards probably passed word to Pharaoh that there was a woman coming into the land that was worth taking.  

At Succoth or Tharu, the Egyptian army assembled in preparation for their military expeditions to the north. Armies consisted of immense numbers of men, horses and chariots which required a large area to assemble. This is where Moses organized the children of Israel for their journey. 

In our country we have military holding areas where troops and supplies gather before going overseas to do the work of the UN, Houston, San Diego. 

Most scholars agree that Moses was at least a general in the Egyptian army, if not heir to Pharaoh’s throne. As part of his military training he would have been trained to mobilize large armies and may even have gone on some military excursions that organized and left from Succoth. 

When the children of Israel left Succoth, they were out of Egypt proper just as the Lord had promised. There is tremendous evidence that the ancient Egyptians had built an elaborate fortress system throughout the Sinai Peninsula, especially along the trade routes.  

Inscriptions tell of their mining operations. Temples have been found, as well as ruins of their fortresses.  

Normally trying to flee with around two and a half million people that includes women, children, animals and all their personal belongings would be an impossibly difficult group to maneuver.  

However God was in charge with probably the most capable man of all history with the exception of the Lord Jesus Christ leading the pack. With God nothing is impossible. 

For many years scholars have made a critical and glaring error in their analysis of the Red Sea crossing. The glaring error is the assumption that Moses crossed the Red Sea three days after leaving Goshen. That is not what the Bible says.  

In Exodus 3:18 Moses’ had requested permission to go three days journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the God of the Hebrews, nothing is said about the Red Sea being three days away.  

There is good reason to believe that Pharaoh would not have given chase a day or two, or maybe even several days, following Moses’ departure.  

Psalms 105:38 told us that Egypt was glad when they departed. Moses had a head start of some kind. 

Remember Moses’ led a healthy people out of Egypt, not one feeble person among them, [Psalm 105:37] because they had just eaten physical wholeness to themselves when they had followed God’s instructions at the Passover meal. 

It would have taken Pharaoh some time to structure his militia and prepare them for the chase. Pharaoh would not be in a rush because he knew what he was chasing; not another army, but men, women, children and animals. 

The question for Pharaoh and his soldiers would not be if they should catch Moses and the rest of God’s people, it would be only a question of when. 

Even at that, if the royal army began immediately, they would not have caught Moses before he had made it to any of the proposed Red Sea crossings. 

Moses asked to go outside of Egypt for three days’ travel and was given permission. Egypt was in a state of shock, not only because of the death of the 1st born, but because God had struck Egypt time after time with plague after plague.  

As a final curse upon the nation of Egypt, the Israelites plundered the Egyptians. Thus they carried a substantial amount of clothing, silver, and gold with them when they departed. 

Where are they heading? Moses knew because of what God had originally told him in their first encounter. The apostle Paul also knew their true destination, Mt. Sinai in Arabia. 

Galatians 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.  

25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia. Arabia. 

Exodus 13:20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.  

The route they took led from Succoth through the "Wilderness of the Red Sea" along the caravan route through the mountainous land to Etham, the land that encircled the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba. {26. Etham on HO #2} 

Translators have had a field day with the differences between “Red” and “Reed” in determining which is the body of water Moses crossed. Since there is no Red Sea 3 or 4 days outside of Goshen, they say it should be the Reed sea.  

However, this Reed Sea, which in reality is the Bitter Lakes is too small a body of water, not deep enough to engulf and destroy Pharaoh’s army of some 600 chariots and tens of thousands of others. No artifacts have been found there. 

Another error is that Moses crossed a sea not a lake. Sea is the Hebrew word yam [3220], meaning sea; not lake, river, marsh, ocean, but sea. The correct location of the Red Sea crossing is the right finger of the Red Sea called the Gulf of Aqaba. {27. Gulf of Aqaba, HO #2} 

Is the sea itself red? No. It is one of the clearest, most beautiful waters one would ever see. The waters here are impeccably clean, with no red coloring. In fact there is a resort there that brags of its clear water for under sea diving. 

The word Edom means “red,” and while much of the land around the Gulf of Aqaba was controlled by the Edomites, the Israelites did not get along with them.  

Numbers 21:4 And they journeyed from mount Hor [Horeb] by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom.. 

How long before Pharaoh caught up with Moses?

Some things to consider are pharaoh’s spies backtracking from Moses’ camp back to Egypt, the preparation of the army, topography of the land, and the fact the Israelites traveled day and night. 

Moses knew he would be pursued by Pharaoh. Which means he must have had his people moving as fast as they could, “night and day,” to get out from under Pharaoh’s domain. 

Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:  

So the people could travel day and night during this daring great escape from Egypt.  

22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.  

Was this pillar of cloud by day like air-conditioning?

Exodus 14:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,  

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.  

A mountain range blocked them to the south, water from the Red Sea is ahead of them, Pihahiroth is to the north, leaving their only way out the way they came in. Unfortunately Pharaoh and his army were coming that way. {28. Pihahiroth} 

3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.  

4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.  

Josephus also has the Israelites traveling by the southern road through the wilderness bound by the two gulfs of the Red Sea. When the road turned north toward Canaan, God told Moses to turn south into the wadi road that led to Pihahiroth on the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba, opposite Baalzephon in Arabia. {29. Wadi Watir} 

Leaving the trade route, the Hebrews traveled along the Wadi Watir, a natural road through the wide mountain gorge. The Israelites would have been traveling for some time because the journey from Succoth to Pihahiroth on the western coast of the Gulf of Aqaba is about 200 miles.  

5 And it was told [by whom? Spies that had gone on the Exodus, or by his mountain fortresses?] the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?  

Pharaoh’s infiltrators, his spies were alert. They would have known for sure on the fourth day that this was not simply a three-day jaunt into the desert. If I’m a spy though, and after all that had taken place, I would stick around to the fourth day to make sure Moses’ God didn’t pull a fast one and get the people back to work by Monday morning.  

Also if they are fleeing I want to make plenty sure on the direction they are going. I want to know if they are going to split up into smaller groups to try and deceive a search party. How much food and water do they have. How fast are they traveling. Things like that, that good spies would need to know to answer all of Pharaoh’s questions when you report back to him. 

If Moses and his people are outside of Goshen three full days and nights, it’s going to take two to five days for the spies to get back to pharaoh. If they take four days to get back, Pharaoh must gather his troops and get them ready to chase Moses. How long would that take?  

Given the fact that Egypt had been decimated by the power of the Lord, a bare minimum of two days for the troops and soldiers of Egypt to be brought together and supplied. How much time does it take to bury your dead and have a period of mourning from this latest catastrophe? 

6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:  

Let’s review the math. Moses is already out of Goshen four days and is still moving. Pharaoh’s spies go back, another four-day trip, then add two days to prepare the army. That puts Moses may be ten days outside of Egypt before the pharaoh, all his army, and his 600 chariots begin the drive to their doom. 

Pharaoh is going to move faster in pursuit than Moses can travel, because of the number and nature of Moses’ people. God had given Moses some extra help with the pillar of fire so they could travel at night. Moses may have been slow, but he was steady. 

Considering Moses was about ten days outside Pharaoh’s reach before Pharaoh began his chase, the next question is how long would it take for Pharaoh to catch up with him. 

If Moses travels at two-thirds the speed of the Egyptian army, it should take Pharaoh and his charioteers approximately six days from Goshen to catch up to the point where Moses was when Pharaoh began his pursuit.  

That would give Moses another six days to be traveling, putting him out a total of sixteen days. It would take Pharaoh approximately four more days to catch up to where Moses was at that point. Moses now would have a three-day lead on the pharaoh. 

Finally, they should meet somewhere in the next 48 hours. This means that all together Moses would be out approximately 22 days from Goshen before Pharaoh and his troops would catch up with them. 

If pharaoh’s armies moved at twice the speed of Moses, that’s still approximately 12-15 days for Moses to be outside of Egypt proper before the fateful meeting. Plenty of time to get to the proper Red Sea crossing site. 

7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains [officers] over every one of them.  

Egyptian chariots usually had only two riders. They took three on this trip, each one with an extra officer. This was known to be done only at special times. Pharaoh would ride alone. 

Traditional sources indicate that in addition to there being 600 of the finest chariots of Egypt, there were approximately 18,000 cavalry and about 80,000 foot soldiers, so the two-thirds pace is probably accurate. 

Every soldier would want to go for revenge sake. They had just lost their firstborn. Plus, you would need a large army to fight against 600,000 able men of Moses even without weapons. 

8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.  

9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.  

A Phoenician column was located at the southern end of Nuweiba beach before Pihahiroth. Its inscriptions were defaced or eroded. Later an identical column was discovered at Baalzephon on the opposite shore in Arabia. {30. Column} 

Its inscriptions, which were intact, say they were erected by King Solomon in honor of Jehovah, and dedicated to the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea by Moses and the destruction of the Egyptian host. 

10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.  

11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?  

Real thankfulness. Real trust in God, even after what they had just seen with the plagues in Egypt. 

12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.  

They had asked God for help, but they wanted to reject the helper God had sent.  

13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.  

14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.  

The Wadi Watir leads through the mountains, opening on the middle of a wide sandy beach on the Gulf of Aqaba, a finger of the Red Sea. The beach at Nuweiba is large enough for Israel to "encamp by the sea" where the desert had "shut them in" (Exodus 14:2-3). This beach is 4 1/4  miles long by 2 miles wide. {31. Nuweiba Beach} 

A swatch of sea floor from Nuweiba Beach across to the Saudi Arabian shore was found. It’s depth is 900-2000 feet at the deepest point. On either side, large cracks in the earth extend down to almost 5,000 feet to the north and south, at 45 degree angles. 

However, this massive sandbar almost a mile wide at its summit, 7-10 miles across, slopes gently at six degrees until midway across the Gulf and then rises to the eastern (Midian) shore at the same kindly angle. {32. Sandbar? crossing site} 

This shows a consistent pathway across the gulf to the other shore that, with the water removed, could have easily been traveled across on dry land. 

Nature has formed this land bridge at the narrowest section of the Gulf by accumulating sediments washed from the mountains on either side when the wadis are in flood. 

At Nuweiba beach there are mountains that can be seen on the south end of the beach area which terminated at the sea; no passage would have been possible to the south.  

Chariot parts were found when diving on the southern end of the beach, this implies that the multitude traveled to this section of the beach. {33. Chariot parts} 

Pharaoh's army entered from the same wadi, which is the only entrance onto the beach. This wadi is located midway of the beach, and once the army entered the area, the multitude's only means of escape would have been to the south, unfortunately the mountains to the south extend all the way to the sea.  

On the northern end of the beach was Pihahiroth, whose ruins still stand as evidence of Egyptian strategic interest. This would have prevented them from going north after they entered the beach.  

The Egyptian fortress, Migdol, could have been a watchtower above the mountains from which the Egyptians observed shipping movements and other activities, relaying any intelligence from watch-tower to watch-tower by mirrors in the daytime and fires by night. Thus Pharaoh would have been constantly posted of Moses' progress.

Once Pharaoh's army had entered the gorge, Israel was "shut in" by the mountains. Pharaoh's army trapped Israel, but in spiritual reality, God had trapped Pharaoh's army.  

15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:  

16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.  

17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.  

18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.  

19 And the angel of God [Michael?], which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:  

This pillar stayed in the rear until they were all through the Red Sea. 

20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness [a very dark cloud] to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.  

21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.  

22 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.  

There is speculation that the waters froze in place. 

23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.  

24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch [2 AM- sunrise] the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,  

25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.  

There are underwater slides and video film of this site that show the remains of Egyptian chariots, hubs, wheels, skeletal remains of people and horses literally strewn all across the seabed. Coral encrusted chariot wheels in 80 feet of water have been found with wheels on axles, and others without wheels. {34. More chariot parts} 

Four, six, and even an eight spoked chariot wheel were found which were identified by the Department of Antiquities in Cairo as belonging to the 18th Dynasty. Apparently only during the 18th Dynasty were eight-spoked wheels used. 

The eight spoked wheel was an experiment by the Egyptian wheelwrights, like the DeLorean,  and when it proved unsuccessful they settled on the six as the standard. Monuments have been dated by the number of spokes in a chariot wheel. {35. Chariot, 6 spoked}  

A gold-veneered 4 spoked chariot wheel was found on the Egyptian side of the Gulf of Aqaba indicating that whoever was driving that particular model was at the rear of the army. {36. Gold wheel} 

No cartouses or Pharaoh markings were seen on it, so it is believed to have belonged to one of the priests, which would explain why it was at the back of the parade. The priests certainly would have gone along since they had been so ridiculed recently by the plagues that had mocked their gods, that they were seeking revenge also along with Pharaoh. 

As you go through the Wadi Watir you notice that rocks and boulders have been pushed to the side to make a clearing for a road. This type of a clearing continues under the Red Sea.  

Underwater from Nuweiba Beach to Baalzephon a pathway was cleared so people with carts and animals could travel quickly across the land bridge. 

Moses was familiar with this territory. He knew the way of escape to a place of safety in a land across the sea where he had friends and was respected. Although his in-laws probably didn't expect him to come with 2 ½ million of his relatives the way he did. 

Jethro, guess who’s coming to dinner! 

26 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.  

God continues to magnify Moses in their sight. Moses’ level of believing God wasn’t inspired by the earthly fellowship that he was keeping, because every time he turned around they were complaining against him, or accusing him. Despite the unbelief and the treatment they showed him, he stood fast, trusting God. 

27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength [irresistible might] when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.  

28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.  

This implies that Pharaoh himself did not escape. 

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.  

30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.  

31 And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.  

Exodus 15:1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD… 

20 And Miriam [Hebrew form of Mary] the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel [like a tambourine] in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.  

22a So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea...