The Meaning of Exodus 14:29 Explained

Exodus 14:29

KJV: But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

YLT: And the sons of Israel have gone on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters are to them a wall, on their right and on their left;

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

ASV: But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But the children  of Israel  walked  upon dry  [land] in the midst  of the sea;  and the waters  [were] a wall  unto them on their right hand,  and on their left. 

What does Exodus 14:29 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 14:29 mean?

But the sons of Israel had walked on dry [land] in the midst of the sea and the waters to them [were] a wall on their right hand and on their left
וּבְנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הָלְכ֥וּ בַיַּבָּשָׁ֖ה בְּת֣וֹךְ הַיָּ֑ם וְהַמַּ֤יִם לָהֶם֙ חֹמָ֔ה מִֽימִינָ֖ם וּמִשְּׂמֹאלָֽם‪‬

וּבְנֵ֧י  But  the  sons 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, 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.
הָלְכ֥וּ  had  walked 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בַיַּבָּשָׁ֖ה  on  dry  [land] 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: יַבָּשָׁה  
Sense: dry land, dry ground.
בְּת֣וֹךְ  in  the  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
הַיָּ֑ם  of  the  sea 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.
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.