“Exodus 14–18,” Old Testament Institute Teacher Manual (2026)
Moses Parting the Red Sea, by Robert T. Barrett
Exodus 14–18
After Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, the Lord miraculously parted the waters of the Red Sea to allow them to cross. The Egyptian army pursued and were engulfed as the waters returned. The Israelites began to murmur in the wilderness because of a lack of food. The Lord blessed them with manna and instructed them to gather the miraculous food every morning except on the Sabbath. The children of Israel also murmured because of thirst, and the Lord commanded Moses to strike a rock, causing water to flow forth.
Additional Resources
Scripture Helps: Old Testament, “Exodus 14–18”
Note: The “Introduction to the Course” provides guidance on how to use the standard lesson elements that follow.
Encouraging Personal Study
Before class, consider sending students one or more of the following messages or some of your own:
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Elder Patrick Kearon said that God “does not put up roadblocks and barriers; He removes them” (“God’s Intent Is to Bring You Home,” Liahona, May 2024, 89). As you study Exodus 14:1–16, 19–22, 30, reflect on how the Lord can turn your barriers into opportunities.
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Think about how easy it can be to complain when things aren’t going well. How often do you find yourself doing this? As you study Exodus 15:22–25; 16:1–8; and 17:1–6, consider how you could murmur less and trust God more.
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In Exodus 16 we learn about how God helped the Israelites avoid starving in the wilderness. As you read this chapter, what do you learn that can help you remember and rely upon Jesus Christ every day? You could also watch the video “Daily Bread: Pattern” in Gospel Library.
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Questions and Sharing
Provide time for students to ask questions and share insights and truths they discovered in their personal study of Exodus 14–18.
Skill Training
The learning activity for Exodus 14 may be a good place to practice the skill “Looking for Contrasts in the Scriptures” in Scripture Study Skills.
Learning Activity Options
Multiple learning options are provided for you and your students. Prayerfully choose which option or options will be most meaningful for your class. You could also seek input from your students.
Improving Our Teaching and Learning
Help learners recognize the Lord’s love, power, and mercy in their lives. Your students not only need to know about the Lord’s love, power, and mercy, but they also need to experience it. As you teach, look for opportunities to help learners recognize the Lord’s love, power, and mercy—both in the scriptures and in their own lives. Doing so can help them understand and feel how the Lord can bless and help them. To learn more, see “Help Learners Recognize the Lord’s Love, Power, and Mercy in Their Lives” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 8).
How can the Lord deliver me?
Invite students to think about situations young adults might face that can make them feel trapped or fearful. Consider writing their responses on the board. You could also invite students to silently reflect on times when they have personally felt trapped and unable to see a way forward in their lives. Encourage them as they study today to seek inspiration from the Holy Ghost to help them know how to respond during these kinds of situations.
Remind students that after leaving Egypt, Moses and the children of Israel camped near the Red Sea. When Pharaoh and his army pursued them, the Israelites found themselves trapped with no way to escape (see Exodus 14:1–9). Ask students to imagine how they might have felt in that situation. You could show an image of the Red Sea to help them visualize the scene.
The Red Sea south of Eliat in Jordan.
Point out that it can be helpful to contrast the response of the Israelites in this situation with the response of Moses. (You can find ideas for introducing this skill in “Looking for Contrasts in the Scriptures” in Scripture Study Skills.)
Invite students to read Exodus 14:10–14, looking for differences between how the Israelites reacted to this situation and how Moses responded. You might also discuss the following questions together:
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What did the Israelites focus on in these circumstances? What did Moses focus on?
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What do you learn from this contrast? (Among other truths students may share, help them understand the following: We can overcome fear when we stand firm and look to the Lord.)
Invite students to study Israel’s crossing of the Red Sea in Exodus 14:15–31. Have them pay attention to what they can learn about the Lord from these verses. After sufficient time, invite the class to share insights by discussing the following questions with a partner:
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What did you learn about the Lord from this account?
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How can remembering the experience of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea help us with the challenges we face today?
Consider inviting students to think about times in their lives when the Lord helped them as they had faith in Him during their trials. You could invite a few willing students to share their experiences. Consider also showing the video “Feeling the Lord’s Love and Goodness in Trials” (4:17).
Exodus 15:22–25; 16:1–8; 17:1–6
What can help me avoid murmuring?
Consider displaying the following statements and giving students time to silently evaluate themselves using a scale from 1 (hardly ever true of me) to 5 (almost always true of me).
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I feel and express gratitude to God.
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I tend to complain when things are difficult.
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I strive to be grateful to God regardless of my circumstances.
Remind students that the Israelites faced many challenges after leaving Egypt. Invite them to study the following passages, looking for how the Israelites responded to their difficulties:
After students have studied these verses, consider asking:
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What stands out to you about the way the Israelites responded to their challenges?
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Why can it be easy to murmur or complain when things don’t go our way?
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How is murmuring and complaining different from appropriately raising concerns or asking for help?
Consider distributing the handout titled “Overcoming the Temptation to Murmur” and inviting students to complete it on their own or with a partner.
After students have completed the handout, invite them to share some of the principles they identified. Examples of truths they might mention include these: When we murmur against the Lord’s called servants, we are also murmuring against the Lord. Focusing on Jesus Christ can allow us to feel joy, regardless of our circumstances. Feeling gratitude helps us to experience happiness.
You could also discuss questions like the following:
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How do you think the truths you identified can help us overcome the temptation to murmur?
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Why do you think focusing on Jesus Christ can help us feel joy regardless of our circumstances?
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What has helped you to murmur less and trust God more?
You could have students ponder what actions they could take to avoid murmuring. Invite them to record insights and spiritual promptings they have received.
Why do I need to rely on Jesus Christ every day?
Begin by inviting students to reflect on their personal need to rely on Jesus Christ each day. One way you could do this is by reading, singing, or listening to the hymn “I Need Thee Every Hour” (Hymns) or another hymn about relying on Jesus Christ. Encourage students to share with the class or with a partner words or phrases that are meaningful to them and why.
Ask students to ponder their own efforts to rely on the Lord each day. They could think about specific actions they take that demonstrate reliance on the Lord. They could also consider areas for improvement. Encourage them as they study to be receptive to promptings from the Spirit about how they might more fully rely on the Lord each day.
Illustration of Israelites gathering manna.
Consider displaying an image that depicts the children of Israel gathering manna. Remind students that after the children of Israel were delivered from Egypt and miraculously crossed the Red Sea, they faced many hardships in the wilderness. One of these challenges was a lack of food. In response, the Lord provided them with manna from heaven to sustain them.
Give students time to study the following scriptures. As they study, invite them to record spiritual lessons they can learn from these teachings about manna.
When students have finished their study, invite them to share their insights in small groups. You could display the following questions and invite each student to choose at least one to respond to:
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What spiritual lessons did you learn from these teachings about manna?
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What did these teachings help you understand about relying on Jesus Christ?
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What can we do today that is similar to gathering manna?
Invite a few students to share insights from their discussions with the class. As students share, they could identify truths like these: If we rely on the Lord daily, He will bless us with spiritual nourishment. As we remember the Lord daily, our trust in Him will grow.
To help students better understand these truths, consider watching the video “Daily Bread: Pattern” (2:51). You could also ask questions like the following:
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Why is relying on the Lord each day better than having only occasional, powerful spiritual experiences?
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What are some ways you receive daily strength and nourishment through Jesus Christ? What difference have these practices made in your life?
Consider sharing the following statement by President Russell M. Nelson:
With frightening speed, a testimony that is not nourished daily “by the good word of God” [Moroni 6:4] can crumble. Thus, the antidote to Satan’s scheme is clear: we need daily experiences worshipping the Lord and studying His gospel. (“The Power of Spiritual Momentum,” Liahona, May 2022, 99)
Give students time to consider what they will do to more fully rely on the Lord each day. Encourage them to write down their goals and any spiritual impressions they received.