Exodus 14:22

“The sons of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right and on their left.”
Exodus 14:22 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

The sonsוַ בְנֵיof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלwentיָּבֹאוּinto the midstבְּתוֹךְof the seaהַיָּםon dry ground,בַּיַּבָּשָׁהand the watersוְהַמַּיִםwere a wallחֹמָהto themלָהֶםon their rightמִימִינָםand on their left.וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָם

Theme · Hebrews 11:29

Go to Hebrews 11:29

Hebrews says that Israel crossed the sea as on dry land; Exodus 14:22 says that they went into the middle of the sea, on dry ground.

The same term appears in both passages.

יַּבָּשָׁהyabashaH3004ξηρᾶςxērasG3584“dry land”

Exodus 14:22, word by word

The sonsבְנֵיvene

descendant

A descendant or member of a people: "sons of Israel".

Where else “vene” appears

of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyisrael

Israel

Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.

Where else “yisrael” appears

wentיָּבֹאוּyavou

enter

To go into a place.

Where else “yavou” appears

into the midstתוֹךְtoch

midst

The central point of something, or the company of several: in the midst of them.

Where else “toch” appears

of the seaיָּםyam

sea

The sea, or a large lake.

Where else “yam” appears

on dry groundיַּבָּשָׁהyabasha

dry land

What is dry: dry land, in contrast with the sea.

Where else “yabasha” appears

and the watersמַּיִםmayim

water

Water: for drinking, of rivers or seas.

Where else “mayim” appears

were a wallחֹמָהchoma

wall

Wall, city wall.

Where else “choma” appears

on their rightימִינָymina

right side

The right side.

Where else “ymina” appears

and on their leftשְּׂמֹאלָsemola

left

The side of the hand that is not the right.

Where else “semola” appears

Translation note

The New Testament recalls this crossing in 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 and Hebrews 11:29.

The context

21Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and YHWH drove back the sea by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were split.

22 · This verse (above)

23The Egyptians pursued and went in after them, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen, into the midst of the sea.

Read all of Exodus 14

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