What happened at the parting of the Red Sea?
When Pharaoh’s army cornered Israel against the sea, God parted the waters so Israel crossed on dry ground and let them rush back to drown the Egyptian army — the defining act of Old Testament salvation.
Trapped between Pharaoh’s chariots and the sea, Israel panicked. Moses said, "Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today."
Moses stretched out his hand, and "all that night the LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind," turning it into dry land. Israel crossed; when the Egyptians followed, the waters returned and swept them away.
On the far shore Israel sang the first great song of salvation in the Bible. Psalmists, prophets, and the New Testament point back to this crossing as the pattern of God’s saving power.
Original BibleDawn answer · reviewed 2026-06. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.