The Deeps Covered Them and Egypt Sank Like a Stone

"The deeps covered them." Were there deeps there? Rather, it teaches that the lower deep rose and covered them and darkened the firmament over them and dimmed the luminaries over them. And so it says, "All the bright lights of heaven I will darken over you, and I will set darkness over your land, says the Lord GOD" (Ezekiel 32:8-9), and it says, "For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light... I will punish the world for its evil" (Isaiah 13:10-11), and it says, "At Tehaphnehes the day shall be dark when I break the yoke-bars of Egypt" (Ezekiel 30:18). Another interpretation: "the deeps covered them" — were there deeps there? Was it not a sandbank? Rather, it teaches that the lower and the upper deep rose and made war upon the Egyptians with every kind of calamity. Jonah went down to one deep, as it is said, "the deep surrounded me" (Jonah 2:6); but they went down to two deeps, as it is said, "the deeps covered them." "They went down into the depths." Were there depths there? Was it not a sandbank? Rather, it teaches that the Great Sea was broken open into it and made war upon them with every kind of calamity. Jonah went down to one depth, as it is said, "You cast me into the depth" (Jonah 2:4); but they went down to two depths, as it is said, "They went down into the depths." "Like a stone." This is the middling group among them. The fittest among them were tossed about like straw; the middling like a stone; the wicked sank like lead in the mighty waters. Another interpretation: "like a stone" — he said, "and look upon the birthstones" (Exodus 1:16); You too hardened the water upon them like stones, and they were struck upon the place of their own stones. Another interpretation: "like a stone" — because they hardened their hearts like stones. But You, in Your kindness and goodness and abundant mercy, and with Your right hand that is extended to all who come into the world, as it is said, "For Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your face, because You favored them" (Psalms 44:4).