"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."
— Exodus 14:14 (NIV)
Exodus 14:14 is the "the Lord will fight for you" verse. This page gives the verse, where it sits in Exodus 14, and a plain reading. For more on the theme, see Bible verses about protection, Bible verses about peace, and Psalm 46:10.
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The verse
The King James reads: "The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."
"Fight" is lacham (H3898), to battle or make war. "Be still" (KJV "hold your peace") is charash (H2790), to be silent or keep quiet.
Where it sits in Exodus 14
Israel has just left Egypt and is camped by the sea when Pharaoh's army comes after them. "They were terrified and cried out to the Lord" (Exodus 14:10). Moses answers, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today" (Exodus 14:13). This verse is the end of what Moses says.
Right after it, the Lord says to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on" (Exodus 14:15), and tells him to stretch out his hand over the sea to divide the water (Exodus 14:16). The chapter ends with the people putting their trust in the Lord (Exodus 14:31).
What the verse is saying
The people were panicking, with an army behind them and water in front. Moses tells them the battle belongs to God. Their part is to stop shouting and let him act.
Being still here is not doing nothing forever. The very next verse tells them to move on, and they walk through the sea on dry ground. The stillness is about trust: quiet hearts that stop trying to save themselves, then obey when God opens the way. Deuteronomy 3:22 says the same thing to a later generation: "the Lord your God himself will fight for you."
Questions people ask
What does Exodus 14:14 say?
In the NIV it says, "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." The KJV says, "The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."
What does "you need only to be still" mean?
The Hebrew charash means to be silent or keep quiet. Moses is telling a terrified crowd to stop crying out in panic and trust God to act.
Who said Exodus 14:14?
Moses said it to the Israelites at the Red Sea, as Pharaoh's army approached (Exodus 14:10-14).
Is Exodus 14:14 the same as "Be still, and know that I am God"?
No. That line is Psalm 46:10, and it uses a different Hebrew word. Both call God's people to stop striving and trust him.
What other verses are like Exodus 14:14?
Deuteronomy 3:22 (the Lord your God himself will fight for you), 2 Chronicles 20:15 (the battle is not yours, but God's), and Psalm 46:10 (be still, and know that I am God) are close companions.
