Study Desk

Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.

The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. "For otherwise," they said, "we will all die!"

The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing.

The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.

With the dough they had brought from Egypt, they baked cakes of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves.

Because the LORD kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the LORD for the generations to come.

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "These are the regulations for the Passover: "No foreigner is to eat of it.

For seven days eat bread made without yeast and on the seventh day hold a festival to the LORD .

On that day tell your son, 'I do this because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.'

This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For the LORD brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand.

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt."

So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle.

And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD ." So the Israelites did this.

Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!"

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

He made the wheels of their chariots come off so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, "Let's get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt."

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD : "I will sing to the LORD , for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.

You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance- the place, O LORD , you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, your hands established.

The LORD will reign for ever and ever."

Miriam sang to them: "Sing to the LORD , for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea." The Waters of Marah and Elim