Êxodo 14:26 Midrash: Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Shemot Rabbah, Midrash Tanchuma Buber & Yalkut Shimoni

(Exodus 14:26) "And the L–rd said to Moses: Stretch forth your hand over the sea": It will not stand against you and it will not deviate from your command. "and the waters will turn back upon Egypt, upon its chariots, and upon its riders": The "wheel" will turn back upon them. For with the counsel that they thought to destroy Israel, I will destroy them. They thought to destroy Israel by water, and it is by water that I will exact punishment of them, viz. (Psalms 7:16) "He has dug a pit and he has deepened it, and he will fill in the pit he has wrought", (Koheleth 105:8-10) "He who digs a hole will fall in it; he who breaches a fence will be bitten by a snake. He who quarries stones will be saddened by them; he who splits timbers will be imperiled by them", (Mishlei 26:27) "The digger of a pit will fall in it, etc." And thus Solomon says (Ibid. 12:14) "From the fruit of a man's mouth, he will be sated with good, and the payment of a man's hands will revert to him." And thus, Isaiah the prophet (Isaiah 59:18) "As with reward (for good), so will He return wrath to His enemies, payment to His foes — to (distant) isles will He bring retribution." And it is written (Ibid. 65:7) "And I will measure out (retribution for) their deeds, etc."

Another interpretation: “This month shall be for you” (Exodus 12:2) – that is what is written: “He sent Moses His servant, and Aaron whom He had chosen” (Psalms 105:26). When the Holy One blessed be He entered, as it were, He afflicted all their firstborn and their gods, as it is stated: “I afflicted Egypt” (Joshua 24:5), and likewise: “Upon their gods the Lord administered judgments” (Numbers 33:4). When He afflicted them with the plague of the firstborn, what did they do? They took their sons and concealed them in their temples of idol worship. Rabbi Berekhya said: The Egyptians were seeking and searching how to escape the plague but could not find [a way]. Why? It is as it is stated: “And the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape is lost from them” (Job 11:20). “The wicked” – these are the Egyptians, as it is stated: “And I and my people are wicked” (Exodus 9:27). What caused them to be afflicted by each plague? It was because they put their trust in their false gods. What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He smote their gods with them. Those that were made of wood rotted; [those] of stone dissolved; [those] of silver and of gold, He melted them into what they were originally, as it is stated: “Upon their gods the Lord administered judgments” (Numbers 33:4).
All the idols in the world were eliminated except for their Baal Tzefon. Why? It was in order to mislead them; that is why it is written: “He exalts the nations and eliminates them” (Job 12:23). Likewise, Isaiah says: “Who makes a way in the sea.… Who takes out chariot and horse, army and a mighty force” (Isaiah 43:16–17). When Israel departed from Egypt, the Holy One blessed be He said: “That they should return and encamp before Pi Haḥirot” (Exodus 14:2). “Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel: They are confused in the land; [the wilderness has closed in [sagar] on them]” (Exodus 14:3). He called all his armies and said to them: ‘Do you not know that Baal Tzefon has gathered all the lions in the wilderness against Israel, similar to the matter that is stated: “He sent an angel and closed [usegar] the mouth of the lions”’ (Daniel 6:23). Immediately, the angel of Egypt came down to eliminate them [the Israelites], as it is stated: “Behold, Egypt was traveling after them” (Exodus 14:10). It is not stated: Pharaoh traveling after them, but rather, “Egypt” – that is their angel. Immediately, [the Israelites] “were very frightened” (Exodus 14:10). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: “Do not fear” (Exodus 14:13).
The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “Extend your hand over the sea” (Exodus 14:26). Immediately, “Moses extended his hand” (Exodus 14:27). “Egypt was fleeing toward it [the sea]” (Exodus 14:27) – it should have said: Egypt was fleeing from it. Is there a person who flees from an entity and flees toward it? Rather, the Holy One blessed be He misled them, and they could not find where to flee, and they were fleeing toward it until the depths were reestablished, as it is stated: “The Lord tossed Egypt in the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:27), while the Divine Spirit was crying: “And the eyes of the wicked will fail and escape is lost from them” (Job 11:20). Regarding Baal Tzefon, upon which they relied, it is stated: “And their hope will turn into despair” (Job 11:20). So, in the future, when all the idolaters will enter [for judgment], bringing their false gods with them to rescue them, as it is stated: “For all the peoples will walk, each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God, for ever and ever” (Micah 4:5). When they come, what does the Holy One blessed be He do with them [the idols]? He melts them. And they see and are embarrassed, and they cast them away, and they go and conceal themselves in caves and among the boulders.
Likewise, Isaiah says: “For it is a day for the Lord of hosts against everyone proud and lofty” (Isaiah 2:12) – these are their priests. “The false gods shall utterly pass away” (Isaiah 2:18) – what will they [the priests of the false gods] do? They will go and conceal themselves, as it is stated: “They will come into caves of rocks, and into tunnels of dirt” (Isaiah 2:19). And it is written: On that day a person will cast away the idols of his silver and the idols of his gold” (Isaiah 2:20). The Holy One blessed be He will say to them: ‘Are you fleeing? Look what I have caused to be written: “Though they hide themselves on top of Carmel, I will search from there” (Amos 9:3). Ḥiel, who concealed himself for the Baal on Mount Carmel and [attempted] to ignite the wood, did not I smite him?⁴⁰According to a midrash, when Elijah challenged the priests of the Baal on Mount Carmel (I Kings, chap. 18), Ḥiel hid in order to kindle the Baal’s sacrifice surreptitiously and was bitten by a snake. See addendum to Devarim Rabba (Lieberman). “Though they hide from before My eyes…[from there I will command the serpent and it will bite them]” (Amos 9:3). And it says: “If they dig into the grave, [from there My hand will take them, and if they ascend heavenward, from there will I take them down]”’ (Amos 9:2). At that moment: “And the eyes of the wicked will fail” (Job 11:20). But regarding the righteous it says: “The name of the Lord is a tower of strength” (Proverbs 18:10).

(Exod. 9:20:) THOSE <OF PHARAOH'S SERVANTS> WHO FEARED THE WORD OF THE LORD. From here R. Simeon ben Johay said: <In dealing with> the best of snakes, crush its brain; and <in dealing with> the most worthy of the Egyptians, kill.¹¹²Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Beshallah 2. It is written (in Exod. 14:7): THEN HE TOOK SIX HUNDRED SELECT CHARIOTS. Where did they come from, in view of what is written (in Exod. 9:6): THEN ALL THE EGYPTIAN LIVESTOCK DIED…? It is simply that (according to Exod. 9:20–21): THOSE [OF PHARAOH'S SERVANTS] WHO FEARED THE WORD OF THE LORD HAD THEIR SERVANTS AND THEIR LIVESTOCK FLEE INTO THE HOUSES.¹¹³The argument here is that, although some Egyptians saved their livestock, Pharaoh led even this remnant, i.e., the SIX HUNDRED SELECT CHARIOTS, to their destruction (Exod. 14:26). BUT THOSE WHO PAID NO ATTENTION TO <THE WORD OF THE LORD LEFT THEIR SERVANTS AND LIVESTOCK IN THE FIELD >. <It was with reference to these that> the Holy One said (to Moses in vs. 22): HOLD OUT YOUR ARM TOWARD THE HEAVENS <THAT THERE MAY BE HAIL IN ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT >.