And the people of Israel went … on dry ground is identical with verse 16 (see the comment there); the only difference indicated is the tense. The waters being a wall to them is literally “and the waters for them a wall.” New Revised Standard Version has “the waters forming a wall for them.” Good News Translation changes waters to “water” and a wall to “walls,” and speaks of “walls of water.” Contemporary English Version has “with a wall of water on each side.” The word for wall is the word for the city walls, which were solid and firm. It may be necessary to change the metaphor to a simile, as in Translator’s Old Testament, “with the water like walls on both sides of them.” On their right hand and on their left simply means “on both sides” (Good News Translation).

An alternative translation model for verses 21 and 22 is:

• Moses held out his hand [or, arm] over the sea, and the LORD caused a strong wind to blow from the east. It blew all night and made the water back up so that dry land appeared. The water opened up, and the Israelites walked on dry land between walls of water on each side.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .