Exodus 14 15

Exodus 14:15 kjv

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

Exodus 14:15 nkjv

And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.

Exodus 14:15 niv

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.

Exodus 14:15 esv

The LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.

Exodus 14:15 nlt

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!

Exodus 14 verses

Exodus 14 15 Meaning

Exodus 14:15 reveals the LORD's immediate directive to Moses amidst Israel's fear and desperation at the Red Sea. God questions Moses' distressed cries not as a rebuke of prayer itself, but as an indicator that the time for earnest supplication has passed, and the moment for decisive action has arrived. He commands Moses to instruct the people of Israel to "go forward," signifying a call to obedient movement into the seemingly impassable barrier, thereby stepping out in faith to witness God's miraculous deliverance. This verse marks a pivotal shift from panic and prayer for intervention to active faith and confident advancement under divine command.

Exodus 14 15 Context

Exodus chapter 14 describes a critical juncture for the newly freed Israelites. Having departed from Egypt, they find themselves trapped between Pharaoh's pursuing army (Exod 14:9) and the impassable Red Sea (Exod 14:1-2). Overwhelmed with fear, the people cry out to the LORD (Exod 14:10) and then complain bitterly to Moses, wishing they had remained in slavery rather than face death in the wilderness (Exod 14:11-12). Moses, in response, encourages the people not to fear, promising that the LORD would fight for them and deliver them (Exod 14:13-14). It is precisely at this moment of intense human fear and despair, following Moses's declaration of faith and his own desperate crying out to God, that the LORD intervenes with the direct command of Exodus 14:15, shifting the focus from helpless fear to an immediate and unprecedented act of obedient advancement.

Exodus 14 15 Word analysis

• The LORD: The Hebrew term is YHWH (יְהוָה, Yahweh), the covenant name of God. This emphasizes His personal, active, and promise-keeping nature. It is this specific God, the One who made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and who delivered Israel from bondage, who is speaking and about to act on their behalf. This underscores His supreme authority and commitment to His people.
• said: This indicates direct, authoritative divine communication. God's word carries ultimate power and intent.
• to Moses: Highlighting Moses's unique role as mediator and leader between God and the people. The command is specifically to him, who then must relay and enact it.
• Why: (מַה־ mah-) This interrogative particle questions the current action.
• do you cry: (תִּצְעַק titz'ak) From the Hebrew verb צָעַק (tsa'aq), meaning to cry out, to implore, to scream. It denotes a strong, urgent, desperate cry, usually for help in distress. While prayer is essential, this question isn't a rebuke of prayer itself but signals that the form of distressful pleading is no longer the appropriate response; the situation requires action, as God has already determined the deliverance. It implies, "You already know what I am about to do, or what must be done, so stop crying and get to it."
• to Me?: (אֵלָי elay) Directly indicating that the crying is directed towards God.
• Tell: (דַּבֵּר dabber) An imperative form of the verb דָּבַר (davar), "to speak" or "to command." It's a strong directive, signifying that Moses must give an order, not merely advise.
• the people of Israel: God's covenant people, the nation He is delivering and leading. The command is for the collective.
• to go forward: (וְיִסְעוּ v'yis'u) From the root נָסַע (nasa), meaning to journey, pull up stakes, depart, set out. It literally means "let them pull up camp" or "let them journey." Given their position at the edge of the sea with mountains or wilderness on either side, "going forward" means marching directly into the impassable waters. This command demands absolute faith and obedience to an apparently irrational, impossible, and dangerous action.

• "The LORD said to Moses": Establishes divine authority and the singular channel of revelation and leadership for the nation. God is actively engaged and communicating His will.
• "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the people of Israel": This juxtaposition marks a significant transition. It shifts from Moses's desperate personal intercession (or perhaps a moment of feeling overwhelmed despite his declaration in Exod 14:13-14) to God's authoritative command for a communal act. God has heard; now action is required, both from Moses as the leader and from the people as a unified body. It indicates a pivot from waiting on God to acting in faith upon God's word.
• "Tell the people of Israel to go forward": This phrase encapsulates the heart of the command. It's a directive for immediate, collective movement in a humanly impossible situation. It is not about waiting for God to part the sea first before moving, but about moving because God has commanded it, trusting that He will provide the way as they step out. This active obedience is essential to witnessing the miracle.

Exodus 14 15 Bonus section

This command to "go forward" despite an impassable sea serves as a foundational archetype for future biblical events, particularly demonstrating God's pattern of calling His people into seemingly impossible situations where their obedience precedes His miraculous intervention. The Red Sea crossing is often viewed as Israel's "baptism" into nationhood (1 Cor 10:2), symbolizing a separation from the old life of bondage and a divine covenant into a new identity under God. It's not merely a physical journey but a spiritual pilgrimage, teaching utter dependence on the Almighty. This event strongly polemicizes against the power of Egyptian deities associated with the Nile or chaos, clearly asserting Yahweh's ultimate dominion over nature and empires, establishing Him as the supreme deliverer and God who "makes a way in the sea" (Isa 43:16). The very act of stepping into the water without visible a path first demanded a collective act of audacious faith.

Exodus 14 15 Commentary

Exodus 14:15 is a concise yet profoundly significant verse, marking a crucial turning point in Israel's exodus journey. God's questioning, "Why do you cry to Me?", is not a dismissive retort to Moses's prayer. Instead, it underscores that the stage of desperate pleading has transitioned into the time for immediate, decisive action commanded by God Himself. Moses and the Israelites were trapped, physically hemmed in by the Red Sea and an advancing army, and emotionally by fear and despair. Yet, God's command is strikingly counter-intuitive: "Tell the people... to go forward." This directive to march into an apparently insurmountable watery barrier serves as a powerful test of faith and an undeniable demonstration of God's sovereignty. It teaches that faith often involves taking a step into the impossible, trusting that God will make a way where there is none, not by passive waiting alone, but by active, obedient progression. The verse illustrates that while God hears and answers prayer, there are moments when He calls His people to step out in obedience to manifest His power and fulfill His plan. It’s a call to move from spiritual lamentation to Spirit-led execution of divine command, knowing God has already promised to deliver.