Kedumah 107 (17126) 166

וַיֻּגַּד לְמֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם, כִּי בָרַח הָעָם; וַיֵּהָפֵךְ לְבַב פַּרְעֹה וַעֲבָדָיו, אֶל-הָעָם, וַיֹּאמְרוּ מַה-זֹּאת עָשִׂינוּ, כִּי-שִׁלַּחְנוּ אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעָבְדֵנוּ. וַיֶּאְסֹר, אֶת-רִכְבּוֹ; וְאֶת-עַמּוֹ, לָקַח עִמּוֹ. וַיִּקַּח, שֵׁשׁ-מֵאוֹת רֶכֶב בָּחוּר, וְכֹל, רֶכֶב מִצְרָיִם; וְשָׁלִשִׁם, עַל-כֻּלּוֹ. וַיִּרְדְּפוּ מִצְרַיִם אַחֲרֵיהֶם. וַיִּירְאוּ מְאֹד, וַיִּצְעֲקוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל. וַיֹּאמְרוּ, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, הֲמִבְּלִי אֵין-קְבָרִים בְּמִצְרַיִם, לְקַחְתָּנוּ לָמוּת בַּמִּדְבָּר: מַה-זֹּאת עָשִׂיתָ לָּנוּ, לְהוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם. הֲלֹא-זֶה הַדָּבָר, אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְנוּ אֵלֶיךָ בְמִצְרַיִם לֵאמֹר, חֲדַל מִמֶּנּוּ, וְנַעַבְדָה אֶת-מִצְרָיִם: כִּי טוֹב לָנוּ עֲבֹד אֶת-מִצְרַיִם, מִמֻּתֵנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר. וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-הָעָם, אַל-תִּירָאוּ--הִתְיַצְּבוּ וּרְאוּ אֶת-יְשׁוּעַת יְהוָה, אֲשֶׁר-יַעֲשֶׂה לָכֶם הַיּוֹם: כִּי, אֲשֶׁר רְאִיתֶם אֶת-מִצְרַיִם הַיּוֹם--לֹא תֹסִפוּ לִרְאֹתָם עוֹד, עַד-עוֹלָם. יְהוָה, יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם; וְאַתֶּם, תַּחֲרִשׁוּן

וַיִּסַּע מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים, הַהֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵי מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל, וַיֵּלֶךְ, מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם; וַיִּסַּע עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן, מִפְּנֵיהֶם, וַיַּעֲמֹד, מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם. וַיָּבֹא בֵּין מַחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם, וּבֵין מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל, וַיְהִי הֶעָנָן וְהַחֹשֶׁךְ, וַיָּאֶר אֶת-הַלָּיְלָה; וְלֹא-קָרַב זֶה אֶל-זֶה, כָּל-הַלָּיְלָה. וַיּוֹלֶךְ יְהוָה אֶת-הַיָּם בְּרוּחַ קָדִים עַזָּה כָּל-הַלַּיְלָה, וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת-הַיָּם לֶחָרָבָה. וַיְהִי, בְּאַשְׁמֹרֶת הַבֹּקֶר, וַיַּשְׁקֵף יְהוָה אֶל-מַחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם, בְּעַמּוּד אֵשׁ וְעָנָן; וַיָּהָם, אֵת מַחֲנֵה מִצְרָיִם. וַיָּסַר, אֵת אֹפַן מַרְכְּבֹתָיו, וַיְנַהֲגֵהוּ, בִּכְבֵדֻת; וַיֹּאמֶר מִצְרַיִם, אָנוּסָה מִפְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל--כִּי יְהוָה, נִלְחָם לָהֶם בְּמִצְרָיִם

It was told to the king of Egypt that the people had fled; and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants became transformed regarding the people, and they said, "What is this that we have done that we have sent away Israel from serving us? " He harnessed his chariot and attracted his people with him. He took six hundred elite chariots and all the chariots of Egypt, with officers on them all. And Egypt pursued them. And they were very frightened; the Children of Israel cried out. They said to Moses, "Were there no graves in Egypt that you took us to die in the Wilderness? What is this that you have done to us to take us out of Egypt? Is this not the statement that we made to you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us be and we will serve Egypt'? — for it is better that we should serve Egypt than that we should die in the Wilderness!" Moses said to the people, "Do not fear! Stand fast and see the salvation of Hashem that He will perform for you today; for as you have seen Egypt today, you shall not see them ever again. Hashem shall do battle for you, and you shall remain silent."

Hashem said to Moses, "Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the Children of Israel and let them journey forth! And you — lift up your staff and stretch out your arm over the sea and split it; and the Children of Israel shall come into the midst of the sea on dry land. And I — behold! — I shall strengthen the heart of Egypt and they will come after them; and I will be glorified through Pharaoh and through his entire army, through his chariots and through his horse men. Egypt will know that I am Hashem, when I am glorified through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen." The angel of God who had been going in front of the Children of Israel moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and went behind them. It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel and there were cloud and darkness — while it illuminated the night — and one did not draw near the other all the night. And Hashem moved the sea with a strong east wind all the night, and He turned the sea to damp land. It happened at the morning watch that Hashem looked down at the camp of Egypt with a pillar of fire and cloud, and He confounded the camp of Egypt. He removed the wheels of their chariots and caused them to drive with difficulty. Egypt said, "I shall flee before Israel, for Hashem is waging war for them against Egypt."