Exodus 13:20

_AND THEY TOOK THEIR JOURNEY FROM SUCCOTH, AND ENCAMPED IN ETHAM, IN THE EDGE OF THE WILDERNESS._ They took their journey from Succoth - (see the notes at Exodus 12:37; also at Leviticus 23:43; Numbers 33:5). AND ENCAMPED IN ETHAM, IN THE EDGE OF THE WILDERNESS - [Septuagint, Othoom para teen ereemon. Jablonsky considers Etham an old Egyptian word, ATIOM, signifying 'boundary or border of the sea'-the name implying what, in the opinion of many travelers, is indisputably established, that the gulf extended anciently much further to the north, 20 or 30 miles to the salt marsh (Lord Valentia's 'Travels'). But others, and those acute scientific explorers, are doubtful 'whether the basin of th

17-20 There were two ways from Egypt to Canaan. One was only a few days' journey; the other was much further about, through the wilderness, and that was the way in which God chose to lead his people Israel. The Egyptians were to be drowned in the Red sea; the Israelites were to be humbled and proved in the wilderness. God's way is the right way, though it seems about. If we think he leads not his people the nearest way, yet we may be sure he leads them the best way, and so it will appear when we come to our journey's end. The Philistines were powerful enemies; it was needful that the Israelites should be prepared for the wars of Canaan, by passing through the difficulties of the wilderness. Thus God proportions his people's trials to their strength, 1 Corinthians 10:13. They went up in good order. They went up in five in a rank, some; in five bands, so others, which it seems rather t...

Verse Exodus 13:20. _ENCAMPED IN ETHAM._] As for the reasons assigned on Exodus 13:17, God would not lead the Israelites by the way of the Philistines' country, he directed them towards the wilderness of _Shur_, Exodus 15:22, upon the edge or extremity of which, next to Egypt, at the bottom of the Arabian Gulf, lay _Etham_, which is the second place of encampment mentioned. See the extracts from Dr. Shaw at the end of Exodus. Exodus 40:38, Exodus 40:38....

ETHAM - The house or “sanctuary of Tum” (the Sun God worshipped especially by that name in Lower Egypt), was in the immediate vicinity of Heliopolis, called by the Egyptians the fortress of Zar, or Zalu (i. e. of foreigners); the frontier city where the Pharaohs of the 18th dynasty reviewed their forces when about to enter upon a campaign on Syria. The name Pithom (see Exodus 1:11) has precisely the same meaning with Etham, and may possibly be identified with it....

EXPOSITION THE DIRECTION OF THE JOURNEY.—The direct road from Tanis to Palestine—a road much frequented under the nineteenth dynasty—lay along the coast of the Mediterranean, and conducted to Philistia. If we look at the map, and observe the position of Tanis (now San) on the old Tanitic branch of the Nile, now nearly dried up, we shall see that the route which would naturally suggest itself to any one wishing to proceed to the Holy Land from Tanis would be one running almost due east, from Tanis to Pelusium, and from Pelusium, south of Lake Serbonis, to Rhinocolura; and thence, following the course of the coast to Gaza, Ascalon, and Ashdod, the chief towns of the Philistine country. It is true that a marsh region intervenes between Tanis and Pelusium which might seem to bar the route; but the Egyptian remains show that, in the times of the eighteenth and nineteenth dynasties,

AND THEY TOOK THEIR JOURNEY FROM SUCCOTH,.... On the second day, as Jarchi observes, from their coming out of Egypt, which was the sixteenth of Nisan: AND ENCAMPED IN ETHAM, in the edge of the wilderness which had its name from it, and was called the wilderness of Etham, Numbers 33:8. Etham is said to be eight miles from Succoth s. Josephus t calls Succoth Latopolis, which had its name from the fish Latus, formerly worshipped them, where, he says, Babylon was built when Cambyses destroyed Egypt, and is thought by many u to be the same with Troglodytis, by the Red sea; and Etham is supposed to be the Buto of Herodotus w, where were the temple of Apollo and Diana, and the oracle of Latona. s Bunting's Travels, p. 81. t Antiqu. l. 2. c. 15. sect. 1. u See the Universal History, vol. 3. p. 387. w Enterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 59, 63, 83, 155....

6. REDEMPTION BY POWER CHAPTER 13:17-22 From Succoth to Etham _ 1. God's leading (Exodus 13:17)_ 2. Joseph's bones carried away (Exodus 13:19) 3. The pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire (Exodus 13:20) Jehovah now begins to lead His redeemed people forward. God chose their way for them, as He chooses the way for us. He was with His people, therefore He led them in His way. If His people are in His way He is with them and all is well. If we are not in His way He cannot be with us in the fullness of His power. What grace and tenderness is revealed in the fact that the Lord did not permit them to go through the land of the Philistines! They had to learn lessons in God's way, which the

ROUTE OF THE EXODUS (Exodus 13:17 E, Exodus 13:20 P). The religious insight of the writer (God led the people) is sounder than his knowledge of history: the Philistines-' presence cannot have been the reason for avoiding the usual and shortest route, the N. or coast road, for they were immigrants of a later date (p. 56, Amos 9:7 *). The choice of the more easterly route, of the two now as then most practicable, probably arose from the aim to reach Kadesh. The host went by the way to the (Egyptian) wilderness to the Red Sea better Reed-sea, as Luther. The N.W. arm then probably extended from Sue z into Lake Timsâ h, which grows reeds, which are not now found in the salt Red Sea. (On the route see further p. 64.) It is not certain th

FROM SUCCOTH, AND ENCAMPED IN ETHAM— The Lord for wise and good reasons, not thinking proper to lead the people directly into Canaan _through the land of the Philistines,_ which was but a journey of a few days, (see Exodus 13:17.) conducted them towards the wilderness of Shur, ch. Exodus 15:22.; upon the edge or extremity of which, next to Egypt, at the bottom of the Arabian gulph, lay _Etham,_ where they made their second encampment. See Numbers 33:8. REFLECTIONS.— God is their Deliverer, and now becomes their Guide. The direct way was short; but God led them not by the shortest, but the safest way. If his ways seem winding, we may be satisfied he is a sure Guide. The Philistines were before them, and

THE TEXT OF EXODUS TRANSLATION 13 AND JE-HO-VAH SPAKE UNTO MO-SES, SAYING, (2) SANCITFY UNTO ME ALL THE FIRST-BORN, WHATSOEVER OPENETH THE WOMB AMONG THE CHILDREN OF IS-RA-EL, BOTH OF MAN AND OF BEAST: IT IS MINE. (3) And Mo-ses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from E-gypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand Je-ho-vah brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. (4) This day ye go forth in the month A-bib. (5) And it shall be, when Je-ho-vah shall bring thee into the land of the Ca-naan-ite, and the Hit-tite, and the Am-or-ite, and the Hi-vite, and the Jeb-u-site, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month. (6) Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to Je-ho-vah. (7) Unleavened bread...