The Israelites have departed, guided by the Lord. However, Pharaoh relents (4-8) and decides to pursue them (5). The sight of the Egyptians frightens the people, who, “scared to death,” begin to sense impending doom and voice their complaints (10-12). Their trust in the Lord remains lacking. Moses’ response is emphatic: “Do not be afraid… the Lord will fight for you; you keep still” (13f).
Verses 15-18 are the response of the Lord, who announces that he will work through Moses. The Lord announces His plan to destroy Pharaoh; it will be a sign of His glory.
Verses 19-31, which describe the fulfillment of the Lord’s words in his previous speech, intertwine two theological-literary traditions, the Yahwist (J) and the priestly (P). Both seek to emphasize that the deliverance from Egypt is an event performed by the Lord. Note that, without fighting, the people arouse the fear of the Egyptians, who seriously think of withdrawing (25).
It is highly significant that this final battle against Egypt takes place precisely in the sea and concludes with the scene in which the sea waters engulf Pharaoh and his army. For the Israelites, the sea is a symbol of something mysterious. It is inhabited by monsters that attack those who enter it, monsters that no one has yet defeated. Here, however, the sea opens, not to swallow the people, but to allow them to pass through, and closes, eating the enemy. This “opening” and “closing” is thanks to the power of the Lord, so that the Lord alone can overcome the mysterious and powerful beings of the sea.
Another symbolic aspect of this scene is the fact that Pharaoh perished in the sea. Egypt and Pharaoh are personifications of the project of death, a project that must disappear from the face of the earth. The sea is thus the place, the abyss of the waters, where all the projects of death and injustice would have to go.