After the miracle of the splitting of the sea, it is said (Shemot 14:30-31): "Thus Hashem saved Israel that day from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. And Israel saw the great hand that Hashem used against Egypt, etc." We need to contemplate why the Torah refers to the people here as 'Israel' and not 'Bnei Yisrael' (Children of Israel), as it has referred to them up until now.

I found in the Sefat Emet (Likutim Parashat Bo) that he brings in the name of the Zohar HaKadosh (53a) something remarkable. This is the language of the Zohar: "And Israel saw the great hand, etc." - This verse is not referring to the beginning as its end and not its end as its beginning. At first, it says, "and Israel saw," and afterward, "and the people feared Hashem." Rabbi Yehuda said, that elder who went down with his sons into exile and endured the exile upon himself and brought his sons into exile, he truly saw all those acts of vengeance and all the mighty deeds that the Holy One, blessed be He, performed in Egypt. This is what is written, "and Israel saw," meaning Israel himself. Rabbi Yehuda said, the Holy One, blessed be He, ascended to that elder and said to him, "Arise, see your children who are coming out from among a mighty people. Arise, see the mighty deeds I have done for your children in Egypt." This is what Rabbi Yisa said, at the time that Israel was brought down to the Egyptian exile, a great fear and dread fell upon him. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Yaakov, "Why are you afraid? 'Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt' (Bereishit 46:3)." From the fact that it says 'do not be afraid,' it implies that he was indeed afraid, etc. He said to him, "And I will surely bring you up again" (ibid. 46:4), 'I will bring you up' – to be buried in the grave of your forefathers, 'and also bring you up' – to see the salvation of your children and the mighty deeds I will do for them. And on that day when Israel came out of Egypt, the Holy One, blessed be He, ascended to Yaakov and said to him, "Arise, see the salvation of your children, and the many mighty deeds I have done for them," and Yaakov was there and saw everything. This is what is written, "and Israel saw the great hand," end of quote.

In these words of the Zohar, our question is also resolved, as the text here changes its language from what it used to be, and says 'Israel' and not 'Bnei Yisrael,' because indeed, it is not referring to the children of Israel but to Israel the father himself. Nevertheless, it is appropriate to find a reason for this change in language even according to the simple understanding that the words pertain to the people of Israel.