Discovery BoxExodus 14:26-27 
Context14:26 The Lord said to Moses, “Extend your hand toward the sea, so that the waters may flow 1 back on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen!” 14:27 So Moses extended his hand toward the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state 2 when the sun began to rise. 3 Now the Egyptians were fleeing 4 before it, but the Lord overthrew 5 the Egyptians in the middle of the sea.
1 tn The verb, “and they will return,” is here subordinated to the imperative preceding it, showing the purpose of that act.
2 tn The Hebrew term לְאֵיתָנוֹ (lÿ’etano) means “to its place,” or better, “to its perennial state.” The point is that the sea here had a normal level, and now when the Egyptians were in the sea on the dry ground the water would return to that level.
3 tn Heb “at the turning of the morning”; NASB, NIV, TEV, CEV “at daybreak.”
4 tn The clause begins with the disjunctive vav (ו) on the noun, signaling either a circumstantial clause or a new beginning. It could be rendered, “Although the Egyptians…Yahweh…” or “as the Egyptians….”
5 tn The verb means “shake out” or “shaking off.” It has the significance of “throw downward.” See Neh 5:13 or Job 38:13.
