When the Israelites were gone, peace settled down upon Egypt and all
things prospered. This was because Pharaoh had given freedom to the
people of Israel, and so had caused the displeasure of God to be removed
from the land.
But Pharaoh did not think of it in that way. He began, rather, to think
that he had done a most foolish thing in allowing 600,000 faithful
workmen and slaves to go out from the land. The Egyptians needed their
help in brick making, and in the planting and reaping of the heavy
crops.
The more he thought of it, the stronger grew his determination to bring
the Israelites back. He had forgotten the suffering that had come to his
people; and perhaps he began to think this suffering might more easily
have been kept away.
So what do you suppose the foolish, hard-willed, stubborn-hearted
Pharaoh did? He gathered together a great army and started out in
pursuit of the Israelites.
"If only we can overtake them before they reach the Red Sea," he
thought, "we shall easily drive them back into Egypt."
Now, the Lord heard the wicked plotting of Pharaoh, and although he
allowed him to set forth, he allowed no harm to come to his chosen
people.
A great cloud he had placed behind them and all around them as they
traveled by day, so that by it they were shielded from the view of any
enemy that might be lurking in the neighborhood of their march.
And by night this cloud became a pillar of fire, that by its light they
might be guided through the strange wilderness.
When Israel, of the Lord beloved,
Out from the land of bondage came,
Her fathers' God before her moved,
An awful guide in smoke and flame.
By day, along the astonished lands
The cloudy pillar glided slow;
By night Arabia's crimson sands
Returned the fiery column's glow.
There rose the choral hymn of praise,
And trump and timbrel answered keen;
And Zion's daughters poured their lays,
With priest's and warrior's voice between.
But when Pharaoh came upon the Israelites, with his great army of horse
and men and war chariots, they were resting beside the waters of the
Red Sea.
When the Israelites saw the army, they were stricken with fear. They
forgot that God had led them thus far, and that he had promised to guide
them and bring them at last, safe, into the promised land of Canaan.
They rose in terror; and many of them began to cry out against Moses,
who had allowed this danger to come upon them.
"Be not afraid!" said Moses. And just then the pillar of cloud moved
around so that it blinded the Egyptians. They could not see the
Israelites. They could hardly see each other; for it was like a dense
fog fallen upon them.
"Stretch out thy rod across the sea," said the voice of God to Moses.
Moses obeyed. The waters parted, and the Israelites passed over to the
other side unharmed.
But when they were half across the cloud lifted, and the Egyptians saw
the Israelites.
Down into the water-parting they plunged,--men, horses, chariots, all;
and on they dashed in quick pursuit.
Foolish Pharaoh! Did he not know that the parting of the water was not
for him? Had not he yet learned that God was with the Israelites?
The Israelites were now across the sea. They were climbing the opposite
bank. The last man had reached the top. Then Moses raised his rod again,
and the waters of the sea came together with a great rushing sound. They
foamed and seethed, and the great army of the Egyptians sank beneath the
great pillars of water that closed over them on either side. All were
drowned; and the Israelites were at last freed from Pharaoh, king of
Egypt.
"Fly, Misraim, fly!"--From Edom's coral strand
Again the prophet stretched his dreadful wand:--
With one wild crash the thundering waters sweep,
And all is waves--a dark and lonely deep;
And strange and sad the whispering breezes bore
The groans of Egypt to Arabia's shore.
Then the Israelites halted in their march and held a festival of
thanksgiving; for they were now free from their old enemy.
Then they went on into the wilderness. And Miriam, the prophetess, the
sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women event out
after her with timbrels. And Miriam said, "Let us sing to the Lord, for
He hath triumphed gloriously."
They offered sacrifices, they prayed and sang, and danced.