Then GOD said to Moses, “Hold out your arm over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians and upon their chariots and upon their riders.”
(Exodus 14:21) "And Moses stretched his hand over the sea": and the sea resisted — whereupon Moses commanded it to split in the name of the Holy One Blessed be He; but it continued to resist. He showed him the staff, but it continued to resist. An analogy: A king had two gardens, one within the other. He sold the inner and the buyer came to take possession, but the watchman barred him. The buyer said: "In the name of the king," but he still resisted. He showed him the (king's) signet, but he still resisted — until he conducted the king himself there — at which the watchman began to flee. At this, the buyer said: The whole day I told you "In the name of the king," and you did not accept that. Why are you fleeing now? — whereupon the watchman said: I am not fleeing you, but the king. Thus, Moses stood at the sea and commanded it to split in the name of the Holy One Blessed be He, to no avail. He showed him the staff, to no avail — until the Holy One Blessed be He revealed Himself upon it in His full glory and strength — whereupon the sea fled, viz. (Psalms 114:3) "The sea saw and fled." Moses said to it: The whole day I said to you "In the name of the Holy One Blessed be He," and you resisted. Why do you flee now? "What ails you, O sea, that you are fleeing?" (Ibid. 5) — at which the sea replied: I am not fleeing you, son of Amram, but (Ibid. 7-8) "Before the Master, quake, O earth, before the G–d of Israel, who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water!"
(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."
“The Lord said to Moses: Extend your hand over the sea, and the waters will return upon Egypt, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen” (Exodus 14:26).
“The Lord said to Moses: Extend your hand over the sea, and the waters will return…” – that is what is written: “Catch for us foxes [shualim], little foxes, [that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom]” (Song of Songs 2:15). When He analogizes the kingdoms, He likens them only to beasts, as it is stated: “Four great beasts arose from the sea” (Daniel 7:3). When He analogizes Egypt, He likens them only to foxes. Just as this fox is smaller than the four beasts, so, Egypt is smaller than the kingdoms, as it is stated: “It will be the lowliest of the kingdoms” (Ezekiel 29:15).
Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Shimon said: The Egyptians were sly; that is why He likens them to foxes. Just as a fox walks and looks behind him, so the Egyptians were walking and looking behind them. What did they say? “Let us be cunning with it” (Exodus 1:10). They said: ‘Come and let us act against them wisely and consider how we can enslave them in such a manner that their God will not be able to bring upon us [a punishment] in a parallel manner. If we judge them by sword, He could bring a sword upon us. If by fire, He could bring fire upon us. We know that He took an oath that He would not bring a flood upon the world. Let us judge them with water, as He is unable to bring it upon us.’
The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘Wicked ones, I already took an oath that I will not bring a flood upon the world. But what will I do to you? I will bring you to the flood, and I will drag each and every one of you to his flood.’ That is what David said: “They will be hurled [yagiruhu] to the sword [ḥarev]; they will be prey for the foxes” (Psalms 63:11); these are the wicked Egyptians whom the Holy One blessed be He dragged [garar] to the dry land [leḥarbo] of the sea.