The Meaning of Exodus 14:22 Explained

Exodus 14:22

KJV: And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

YLT: and the sons of Israel go into the midst of the sea, on dry land, and the waters are to them a wall, on their right and on their left.

Darby: And the children of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry ground; and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

ASV: And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the children  of Israel  went  into the midst  of the sea  upon the dry  [ground]: and the waters  [were] a wall  unto them on their right hand,  and on their left. 

What does Exodus 14:22 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 14:21-31 - The Egyptians Destroyed In The Sea
As the front ranks of Israel approached the surf, the billows parted. The very waves they dreaded became a wall. By faith Israel passed through the Red Sea as on dry land. They went through the flood on foot. So shalt thou, oh frightened child of God! Behind thee, the terror of the foe; before thee, the horror of the unknown. But God is with thee. The sheen of the Presence-Cloud shines upon and before thee. Be of good cheer, though thou passest through the waters, thou shalt not be overwhelmed. See Psalms 66:6; Psalms 78:13; Isaiah 43:2.
The Egyptians owed their safety at first to the presence of Israel; but it was only for a time. The ungodly owe more to the presence of God's children than they realize. See Genesis 19:22. On which side of God's cloud are you? In Christ we may stand without fear before the searchlight of God! Compare Exodus 14:24 with Hebrews 4:13 and Revelation 6:16. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 14

1  God instructs the Israelites in their journey
5  Pharaoh pursues after them
10  The Israelites murmur
13  Moses comforts them
15  God instructs Moses
19  The cloud removes behind the camp
21  The Israelites pass through the Red sea, which drowns the Egyptians

What do the individual words in Exodus 14:22 mean?

So went the sons of Israel into the midst of the sea on the dry [ground] and the waters to them [were] a wall on their right hand and on their left
וַיָּבֹ֧אוּ בְנֵֽי־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בְּת֥וֹךְ הַיָּ֖ם בַּיַּבָּשָׁ֑ה וְהַמַּ֤יִם לָהֶם֙ חֹמָ֔ה מִֽימִינָ֖ם וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָֽם

וַיָּבֹ֧אוּ  So  went 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בְנֵֽי־  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
בְּת֥וֹךְ  into  the  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
הַיָּ֖ם  of  the  sea 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.
בַּיַּבָּשָׁ֑ה  on  the  dry  [ground] 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: יַבָּשָׁה  
Sense: dry land, dry ground.
וְהַמַּ֤יִם  and  the  waters 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
לָהֶם֙  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
חֹמָ֔ה  [were]  a  wall 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֹומָה  
Sense: wall.
מִֽימִינָ֖ם  on  their  right  hand 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: יָמִין  
Sense: right, right hand, right side.
וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָֽם  and  on  their  left 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: שְׂמֹאל  
Sense: the left, the left hand, the left side.