AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WENT INTO THE MIDST OF THE SEA UPON THE DRY GROUND (XIV, 22). [How is this possible?] If they went into the sea, then why does it say UPON THE DRY GROUND? and if they went UPON THE DRY GROUND, then why does it say INTO THE MIDST OF THE SEA? This is to teach that the sea was divided only after Israel had stepped into it and the waters had reached their noses, only then did it become dry land. [footnote states: "(1) The idea being to test their faith."]
THAT PRESENTED HIS OFFERING, etc. This bears on the text, By Judah is God known, etc. (Ps. LXXVI, 2)....R. Judah ben Rabbi Il'ai expounded: When Israel stood by the Red Sea the tribes stood contending with each other, one saying, 'I will go in first,' and the other saying, 'I will go in first.' Thereupon Nahshon leapt into the waves of the sea and waded in. In allusion to him David said, Save me, O God; for the waters are come in even unto the soul (ib. LXIX, 2). Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moses: 'My beloved is drowning in the sea and you stand praying! Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward' (Ex. XXV, 15). This explains: 'By Judah is God known.' For this reason the Holy One, blessed be He, made great the name of Nahshon in Israel, inasmuch as he was privileged to be the first to present his offering; as it says, AND HE THAT PRESENTED HIS OFFERING THE FIRST DAY WAS NAHSHON. etc. Thus we have explained, 'His name is great in Israel.'
NAHSHON THE SON OF AMMINADAB, OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH (VII, 12). Why was he called by the name of Nahshon? Because he was the first to plunge into the billow (nahshol) of the sea. Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai explained: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: 'He who sanctified My name by the sea shall be the first to present his offering'; and that was Nahshon. And so he did. Accordingly it is written, NAHSHON THE SON OF AMMINADAB, OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH. Scripture thus traces his pedigree to his tribe; as much as to say, It is an honour to him, an honour to his father, and an honour to his tribe. Lest you suppose that he made a collection from his tribe and brought an offering, Scripture explicitly states, THIS WAS THE OFFERING OF NAHSHON THE SON OF AMMINADAB (VII, 17). He brought of his own. He did not make a collection from his tribe and bring.