The enemy said, "I will chase, I will overcome, I will divide the spoils. My appetite will be sated by them. I will unsheathe my sword; my hand will dispossess them." You blew with Your breath and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in mighty waters.
The Ohr Hachaim explains these two pessukim, and why they seem to be repeating the story, with an understanding of Par’oh’s plans for Klal Yisroel.
The miracle that occurred had multiple layers. When Hashem split the sea to save Klal Yisroel, there was no need to keep the sea split after Klal Yisroel had entered the sea. It could have closed up immediately behind them. Hashem commanded the sea to stay piled up and split into two in order to trick the enemy that he should enter the sea and that he would be able to grab the loot that Klal Yisroel had taken with them.
The Mitzrim had three plans. First, they planned on taking all of Klal Yisroel's possessions. Second, they wished to return Klal Yisroel to their state of slavery. Third, they wished to kill Moshe, Aharon, and the rest of the leaders.
All three of these are in the possuk - אֲחַלֵק שָלָל - I will divide the spoils, is referring to the first objective, of looting Klal Yisroel’s possessions. תִמְלָאֵמוֹ נַפְשִי - My appetite will be sated by them, is referring to the second objective, of returning the slaves, which are connected to the Nefashos – the souls. אָרִ יק חַרְ בִי - I will unsheathe my sword, is referring to the third objective, of killing out the leaders of Klal Yisroel. This is alluded to with the following words תוֹרִ ישֵמוֹ יָדִי - my hand will dispossess them. Chazal say that Par’oh tried to kill Moshe, but the sword had no effect on him. Moshe indeed thanked Hashem וְשֵם הָ אֶחָד א לִיעֶזֶר כִי א לוקי אָבִי בְעֶזְרִ י וַיַצִלֵנִי מֵחֶרֶב פַרְ עֹה - and the other was named Eliezer, for "The G-d of my father was my help and saved me from Paroh's sword." Moshe was saved from the sword, and now Par’oh was threatening to use his sword on him.
Hashem visited three punishments on the Mitzrim, for their three nefarious plans. Hashem blew with His breath, and כִּסָמוֹ יָם – the sea covered them. Their horses and all of their possessions were drowned. Instead of taking Klal Yisroel’s possessions, they lost theirs.
They wished to take Klal Yisroel as slaves and kill their leaders. For this, they צָלְלוּ כַעוֹפֶרֶת בְמַיִם אַדִירִ ים - sank like lead in mighty waters. They were killed instead of killing. Not only did they get killed, Chazal tell us they died a horrible death. They were flung to the Heavens and back down to the depths. Eventually they all died. First, they sunk like lead, then the water’s might flung them to the heights.
