The Torah describes Pharaoh's pursuit force with the word "shalishim" — a term the Mekhilta unpacks through three different interpretations, each revealing a different dimension of Egypt's military preparation (Exodus 14:7).
The first reading identifies "shalishim" as elite warriors. The proof comes from (Ezekiel 23:23), where the prophet lists "shalishim and notables — all riders of horses" among the military ranks. These were not ordinary soldiers. They were the finest fighters Egypt could field, handpicked for the pursuit of Israel.
The second reading takes "shalishim" from the root meaning "three" and interprets it as "triple-armed." Each warrior carried three weapons — a complete arsenal that made them formidable in close combat, at range, and in chariot warfare. Pharaoh equipped his men for every possible scenario, leaving nothing to chance.
Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel offered a third interpretation that focused not on weapons but on chariot design. In standard Egyptian warfare, two men rode in each chariot — a driver and a fighter. Pharaoh added a third man to every chariot, creating "shalishim" — triplets. The extra crew member meant the chariots could pursue at greater speed and with more endurance, since the men could rotate duties.
Rebbi — Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi — pushed the innovation even further into history, noting that while Pharaoh introduced three-man chariots, Solomon later added a fourth. Military technology evolved, each generation building on the last. But Pharaoh's triple-crewed chariots, for all their innovation, raced straight into the closing waters of the Red Sea.