The Meaning of Exodus 14:25 Explained

Exodus 14:25

KJV: And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

YLT: and turneth aside the wheels of their chariots, and they lead them with difficulty, and the Egyptians say, 'Let us flee from the face of Israel, for Jehovah is fighting for them against the Egyptians.'

Darby: And he took off their chariot wheels, and caused them to drive with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, Let us flee before Israel, for Jehovah is fighting for them against the Egyptians!

ASV: And he took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for Jehovah fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And took off  their chariot  wheels,  that they drave  them heavily:  so that the Egyptians  said,  Let us flee  from the face  of Israel;  for the LORD  fighteth  for them against the Egyptians. 

What does Exodus 14:25 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 14:25 mean?

And He took off - wheels their chariot so that they drove them with difficulty and said Egypt let us flee from the face of Israel for Yahweh fights for them against Egypt -
וַיָּ֗סַר אֵ֚ת אֹפַ֣ן מַרְכְּבֹתָ֔יו וַֽיְנַהֲגֵ֖הוּ בִּכְבֵדֻ֑ת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מִצְרַ֗יִם אָנ֙וּסָה֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּ֣י יְהוָ֔ה נִלְחָ֥ם לָהֶ֖ם בְּמִצְרָֽיִם‪‬ פ

וַיָּ֗סַר  And  He  took  off 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
אֵ֚ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֹפַ֣ן  wheels 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֹופַן  
Sense: wheel.
מַרְכְּבֹתָ֔יו  their  chariot 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מֶרְכָּבָה  
Sense: chariot.
וַֽיְנַהֲגֵ֖הוּ  so  that  they  drove  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: נָהַג 
Sense: to drive, lead, guide, conduct.
בִּכְבֵדֻ֑ת  with  difficulty 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: כְּבֵדֻת  
Sense: heaviness, difficulty.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מִצְרַ֗יִם  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרִי  
Sense: Egyptian—an inhabitant or citizen of Egypt.
אָנ֙וּסָה֙  let  us  flee 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: נוּס  
Sense: to flee, escape.
מִפְּנֵ֣י  from  the  face 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  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.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
נִלְחָ֥ם  fights 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: לָחַם 
Sense: to fight, do battle, make war.
לָהֶ֖ם  for  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
בְּמִצְרָֽיִם‪‬  against  Egypt 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרִי  
Sense: Egyptian—an inhabitant or citizen of Egypt.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation