INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 14 This chapter begins with directions of God to Moses, to be given to the children of Israel about the course they were to steer in their journey, with the reason thereof, Exodus 14:1, which they observing, a report was brought to Pharaoh that they were fled, and this determ... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES,.... Out of the pillar of the cloud in which he went before them; either while they were at Etham, or when journeying from thence, and a little before they turned off to the right, as they were now directed: SAYING; as follows:... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, THAT THEY TURN,.... Not return to Egypt, or to the place, or towards the place from whence they came, but turn off, out of the road in which they were; for, as a late traveller says a, "there were two roads, through which the Israelites might have been conducted f... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR PHARAOH WILL SAY OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,.... The Septuagint version adds, "to his people", his ministers and courtiers, when he hears where they are: THEY ARE ENTANGLED IN THE LAND; have lost their way, and got into places they cannot easily get out of, and are perplexed in their minds, and... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL HARDEN PHARAOH'S HEART,.... Once more, as he had often done: THAT HE SHALL FOLLOW AFTER THEM: to Pihahiroth, and even into the sea after them: AND I WILL BE HONOURED UPON PHARAOH, AND UPON ALL HIS HOST; in his wisdom, faithfulness, power, and justice, by the destruction of them: THAT T... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT WAS TOLD THE KING OF EGYPT,.... By some of the Egyptians, or mixed multitude that went out with Israel, but returned upon their encampment at the Red sea, or by some spies Pharaoh sent with them to observe their motions: the Targums of Jonathan and Jarchi make use of a word which Buxtorf tran... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE MADE READY HIS CHARIOT,.... Which he usually rode in when he went forth to war; for this seems to be a military chariot, and not for show or grandeur; and this was got ready not by himself, as Jarchi, but rather by his orders, as Aben Ezra: AND TOOK HIS PEOPLE WITH HIM; the Greek version rea... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE TOOK SIX HUNDRED CHOSEN CHARIOTS,.... The chief and best he had, war chariots, chariots of iron; perhaps such as had iron scythes to them, to cut down men as they drove along; these were taken partly for quickness of dispatch, that they might be able the sooner to overtake the Israelites, who... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD HARDENED THE HEART OF PHARAOH KING OF EGYPT,.... As he said he would, Exodus 14:4, AND HE PURSUED AFTER THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL; took their rout in pursuit of them: AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WENT OUT WITH AN HIGH HAND: not once dreaming they should be pursued by Pharaoh as an enemy, w... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE EGYPTIANS PURSUED AFTER THEM,.... When they thought nothing of it, and had no fears about it: ALL THE HORSES AND CHARIOTS OF PHARAOH, AND HIS HORSEMEN, AND HIS ARMY; by the latter Aben Ezra understands the foot, as distinguished from the cavalry, the horses and horsemen; and perhaps these,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN PHARAOH DREW NIGH,.... Or "caused to draw nigh" t; that is, his army, brought it very near to the camp of the Israelites: THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL LIFTED UP THEIR EYES, AND, BEHOLD, THE EGYPTIANS MARCHED AFTER THEM; in great numbers, with full speed, threatening them with utter destruction:... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SAID UNTO MOSES,.... The Targum of Jonathan is, "the ungodly of that generation said unto Moses;'' but it seems rather to be understood of the body of the people in general, and is not to be limited to some particular persons of the worse characters among them: BECAUSE THERE WERE NO GRAV... [ Continue Reading ]
IS NOT THIS THE WORD THAT WE DID TELL THEE IN EGYPT,.... The thing they suggested to him, and talked with him about while they were in the land of Egypt, before they came out of it, particularly after their service and bondage were made more severe and cruel upon Moses and Aaron's demanding their di... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES SAID UNTO THE PEOPLE,.... Not in wrath and anger, but very coolly and sedately, agreeably to his character of the meekest man on earth; though what they had said to him was very insulting and provoking: FEAR YE NOT; Pharaoh and his numerous host, do not be dismayed at them or possess your... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD SHALL FIGHT FOR YOU,.... By commanding the wind of the heavens, and the waves of the sea, and employing them against their enemies, and on their behalf; they being unarmed, and so not in a condition to fight for themselves, as well as they had no heart or spirit for it: AND YE SHALL HOLD Y... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, WHEREFORE CRIEST THOU UNTO ME?.... The Targum of Jonathan is, "why standest thou and prayest before me?'' and no doubt this crying is to be understood of prayer, of mental prayer, of secret ejaculations put up by Moses to the Lord without a voice, for no mention is ma... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT LIFT THOU UP THY ROD, AND STRETCH OUT THINE HAND OVER THE SEA, AND DIVIDE IT,.... Even the same rod with which so many wonders had been done in Egypt; and Artapanus, the Heathen, says x, that Moses being bid by a divine voice to smite the sea with his rod, he hearkened to it, and touched the wat... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I, BEHOLD, I WILL HARDEN THE HEARTS OF THE EGYPTIANS,.... That they shall have no sense of danger, and be fearless of it, incautious and thoughtless, hurried on with wrath and fury, malice and revenge: AND THEY SHALL FOLLOW THEM; the Israelites into the sea, supposing it to be as safe for the o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE EGYPTIANS SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD,.... Acknowledge him to be Jehovah, the self-existent, eternal, and immutable Being, the one only living and true God, who is wise and powerful, faithful, just, and true; that is, those Egyptians that were left behind in Egypt, hearing what was done at... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE ANGEL OF GOD WHICH WENT BEFORE THE CAMP OF ISRAEL,.... The Jews say y this was Michael, the great prince, who became a wall of fire between Israel and the Egyptians; and if they understood by him the uncreated angel, the eternal Word, the Son of God, who is always in Scripture meant by Micha... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME BETWEEN THE CAMP OF THE EGYPTIANS AND THE CAMP OF ISRAEL,.... That is, the pillar of cloud, and the Angel of God, or Jehovah, in it, whereby the camp of Israel was secured from being annoyed by the camp of the Egyptians; and was an emblem of the gracious interposition of Christ between h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES STRETCHED OUT HIS HAND OVER THE SEA,.... With his rod in it, as he was directed to, Exodus 14:16. What the poet says z of Bacchus is more true of Moses, whose rod had been lift up upon the rivers Egypt, and now upon the Red sea: AND THE LORD CAUSED THE SEA TO GO BACK BY A STRONG EAST WIND... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WENT INTO THE MIDST OF THE SEA UPON THE DRY GROUND,.... Some Jewish writers say c, that the tribe of Judah went in first, and then the other tribes followed; but it is most likely, what Josephus says d, that Moses first entered in, and then the Israelites, encouraged by hi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE EGYPTIANS PURSUED,.... The Israelites going forwards towards the sea as they were ordered, and going into it: AND WENT IN AFTER THEM INTO THE MIDST OF THE SEA; which if fearful of, they might conclude it was as safe for them to go in as for the Israelites; but perhaps through the darkness o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, THAT IN THE MORNING WATCH,.... The Romans divided the night into four watches, so the Hebrews; though some say into three only. The first began at six o'clock, and lasted till nine, the second was from thence to twelve, the third from thence to three in the morning, and the last... [ Continue Reading ]
AND TOOK OFF THEIR CHARIOT WHEELS,.... The Targum of Jonathan renders it "cut" or "sawed them off"; perhaps they might be broken off by the hailstones. Milton s seems to have a notion of Pharaoh's chariot wheels being broken, when he says, "and craze" (i.e. break) "their chariot wheels"; or, as Jarc... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES,.... Out of the pillar of fire and of the cloud, when the Egyptians were in all the confusion before described, and about to make the best of their way back again: STRETCH OUT THINE HAND OVER THE SEA; with his rod in it, by which all the wonders were wrought, and partic... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES STRETCHED FORTH HIS HAND OVER THE SEA,.... Or towards it, as he was ordered, the rod being in his hand, as before observed: AND THE SEA RETURNED TO HIS STRENGTH WHEN THE MORNING APPEARED; being no longer detained by a superior power, contrary to the nature of it, to stand still as an heap... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WATERS RETURNED,.... To their place, and so in the above tradition related by Diodorus Siculus, it is said that the sea returning with a mighty force was restored to its place again; Exodus 14:22. AND COVERED THE CHARIOTS AND THE HORSEMEN; the wall they made being much higher than a man on... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WALKED UPON DRY LAND IN THE MIDST OF THE SEA,.... The bottom of it becoming so through the strong east wind, which blew all night until they came to the opposite shore, where they landed on "terra firma"; and so Noldius renders the phrase "through the sea"; that is, from s... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS THE LORD SAVED ISRAEL THAT DAY OUT OF THE HAND OF THE EGYPTIANS,.... For though it was now six or seven days since they had leave to go out of Egypt, and actually did depart, yet they could not be said properly to be saved, or to be in safety, till this day, when all the Egyptians their enemies... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ISRAEL SAW THE GREAT WORK,.... Or "hand" l; the hand of the Lord, the mighty power of God, and took notice of it, and seriously considered the greatness of it: WHICH THE LORD DID UPON THE EGYPTIANS; which mighty hand he laid upon them, and which great power he exercised on them, and which great... [ Continue Reading ]