1God instructeth the Israelites in their journey. 5Pharaoh pursueth after them. 10The Israelites murmur. 13Moses comforteth them. 15God instructeth Moses. 19The cloud removeth behind the camp. 21The Israelites pass through the Red sea. 23The Egyptians go in after them, 26and are drowned.
1AND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encampa before 1Pi-hahiroth, between 2Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.
a Num. 33:7.
1 Other, before the mouth of Chiroth, that is, before the narrow passage or entrance between the mountains of Chiroth.
2 The name of a city in Egypt, Jer. 44:1.
33For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, 4the wilderness hath shut them in.
3 Namely, when he shall hear that ye are turned back, and are encamped in a very inconvenient place.
4 Hebr. the wilderness has enclosed them.
4Andb I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will 5be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the 6Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And 7they did so.
b Exod. 4:21; 10:20.
5 God acquires Himself honor and glory, as well in punishing of the wicked, as in showing mercy to His chosen people, Ezek. 28:22; Rom. 9:22, 23.
6 As well those who shall now perish in the sea, as those who shall remain alive.
7 That is, they marched back, according as the Lord commanded.
5¶And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go 8from serving us?
8 Or, that they served us not? Hebr. from serving us.
6And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:
7And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and 9all the chariots of Egypt, and 10captains over every one of them.
9 Understand of those chariots which could be gotten together in haste.
10 The Hebrew word rendered captain is deduced from another word signifying three, or third, so that some do understand here those of the third sort, or order with the king.
8And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with 11an high hand.
11 That is, through the power of God. Compare Exod. 13:16. Other, openly, courageously; in good order, see Exod. 13:18, and in the sight of the Egyptians, Num. 33:3.
9Butc the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon.
c Joshua 24:6.
10¶And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, 12the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.
12 Other, Egypt went, or, journeyed, that is, the Egyptians.
11And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
12Isd not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
d Exod. 6:8.
13¶And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand 13still, and see 14the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom 15ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
13 That is, waver or stagger not in your heart.
14 That is, the victory which God shall work for you. See Gen. 49:18.
15 Other, as ye have seen them today.
14The LORD shall fight for you, and 16ye shall hold your peace.
16 As if he would say: You shall add nothing to it, neither in words, nor with deeds; the Lord shall fight for you. Or, Be ye but quiet, and forbear to murmur against God and me.
15¶And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
16But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
1717And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall 18follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
17 Other, As touching Me, behold, I shall.
18 Namely, into the sea.
18And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
19¶And the 19angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
19 Exod. 13:21 He is called the Lord.
20And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and 20darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
20 Darkness to the Egyptians, who came after, and gave light to the Israelites, who went before.
21And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, ande21made the sea dry land, andf the waters were divided.
e Psalm 66:6.
21 Hebr. set the sea to drought.
f Joshua 4:23; Psalm 78:13; 106:9; 114:3.
22Andg the children of Israel 22went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
g 1 Cor. 10:1; Heb. 11:29.
22 The children of Israel could have gone before that time a more convenient way than by the Red Sea, but it pleased God the Lord to make them take this way so that He would drown Pharaoh in the same with his entire host, and make His own power and judgments known.
23¶And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24And it came to pass, that in the morning watchh23the LORD 24looked unto the host of the Egyptians 25through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and 26troubled the host of the Egyptians,
h morning – 2:00 AM to 6:00 AM
23 The prophet David relates this with many circumstances, Psalm 77:17, 18, testifying that God the Lord showed Himself with lightnings, thunder and rain against the Egyptians.
24 That is, God has caused His power to be seen in extraordinary manner, out of the pillar of fire.
25 This pillar was fiery and light in front, but cloudy and dark behind.
26 Or, frightened, discomfited, disordered.
25And took off 27their chariot wheels, that they 28drave them heavily: so that the 29Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the 30LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
27 Hebr. of him, (likewise) did him, that is, each one, or it points to the preceding word host.
28 Hebr. He led them with heaviness.
29 Hebr. the Egyptian said: Let me flee.
30 Here is fulfilled what was foretold in verse 14.
26¶And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, 31that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
31 This the Lord did by a mighty wind, Exod. 15:10.
27And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned 32to his strength when 33the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled 34against it; and the LORD 35overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
32 That is, unto his usual course; for, before it was bound up.
33 Hebr. against the face, or return of the morning, That is, against daybreak.
34 Namely, against the sea, that is, which way so ever they turned themselves to flee, the sea came still against them.
35 Hebr. shook them out. This was a righteous judgment of God upon the Egyptians who had cast and flung the poor infants of the Israelites into the water to drown and perish there.
28Andi the waters 36returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea 37after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
i Psalm 78:53; 106:11.
36 Do understand: falling from the heaps in which they were mounted upon each other.
37 Namely, the Israelites.
29Butj the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
j Psalm 77:19.
30Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians 38dead 39upon the sea shore.
38 Other, dying.
39 Hebr. at the lip of the sea.
31And Israel saw 40that great work which the LORD 41did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, 42and his servant Moses.
40 That is, the mighty and glorious work of the Lord, as Psalm 109:27.
41 Hebr. done.
42 That is, they believed the word which Moses did speak unto them in the Name of God, as Exod. 19:9; 2 Chron. 20:20. The phrase here rendered is one and the same in the Hebrew text, but the difference expressed is taken from the nature of the thing.