שמות, פרק ט״ו, פסוק י׳

In a single moment, reality completely reverses. The very same divine power that just served to split the sea and secure deliverance now transforms into a destructive force, wiping out the Egyptian army and demonstrating absolute mastery over the elements. God released a powerful blast of wind to carry out this destruction [רש״י, ביאור יש״ר, שד״ל]. Some traditions note that this sudden gust struck precisely at the break of dawn [אבן עזרא, אבן עזרא הקצר, הטור הארוך]. The exact nature of this wind is a subject of discussion. One perspective suggests it was the very same fierce eastern wind that had previously frozen the seabed dry for the Israelites, now returning to bury their pursuers [ספורנו, הכתב והקבלה, העמק דבר]. Others describe a miracle within a miracle: while one wind held the waters in towering heaps for the Israelites to cross, God summoned a second, opposing wind to crash the waters back down upon the Egyptians [אבן עזרא הקצר, רלב״ג, רש״ר הירש]. Adding another layer to this miraculous sequence, it is suggested that God first utilized a hot breath to freeze and hold the water in place, and then released a cold breath to instantly thaw the walls of the sea [הטור הארוך].

As the waters crashed back into place, the Egyptians plunged deep into the abyss [רש״י, גור אריה, אבן עזרא]. Their rapid descent is compared to lead, a heavy metal that quickly sinks out of sight [שד״ל] and uniquely turns to dust when buried in the earth [אבן עזרא, אבן עזרא הקצר, חזקוני]. This comparison highlights the sheer magnitude of the miracle. The Egyptian army consisted of skilled swimmers and cavalrymen equipped with wooden shields that naturally float. Under normal circumstances, many would have survived the flood. However, not a single person escaped, because God actively thrust them down to the ocean floor with immense force, stripping away their natural buoyancy [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך, רש״ר הירש]. This total submergence also served as a direct response to Pharaoh's arrogant plan to plunder the Israelites; even if the soldiers had somehow survived, all their wealth and spoils were permanently lost in the depths [אור החיים].

The final moments of the Egyptian army were marked by overwhelming power, though commentators differ on exactly where this might was concentrated. The simplest understanding is that the Egyptians were swallowed by fierce, violently churning waters [רשב״ם, בכור שור, תורה תמימה, רש״ר הירש]. Alternatively, the mightiness refers to the Egyptians themselves. The elite commanders, senior officers, and Pharaoh himself were the ones dragged into the depths [ספורנו, תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם, בכור שור, הדר זקנים, פרדס יוסף]. The manner of their drowning was a precise retribution for their cruelty. While plummeting like lead ensured their ultimate demise, the violent, churning currents prevented an immediate death. The turbulent waters repeatedly tossed them up to the surface and dragged them back down to the abyss. This prolonged their suffering, inflicting agonizing torment that perfectly mirrored the intense suffering they had intended to unleash upon the Israelites [אור החיים, הדר זקנים].