Exodus 14:20

_AND IT CAME BETWEEN THE CAMP OF THE EGYPTIANS AND THE CAMP OF ISRAEL; AND IT WAS A CLOUD AND DARKNESS TO THEM, BUT IT GAVE LIGHT BY NIGHT TO THESE: SO THAT THE ONE CAME NOT NEAR THE OTHER ALL THE NIGHT._ No JFB commentary on this verse....

15-20 Moses' silent prayers of faith prevailed more with God than Israel's loud outcries of fear. The pillar of cloud and fire came behind them, where they needed a guard, and it was a wall between them and their enemies. The word and providence of God have a black and dark side toward sin and sinners, but a bright and pleasant side toward the people of the Lord. He, who divided between light and darkness, Genesis 1:4, allotted darkness to the Egyptians, and light to the Israelites. Such a difference there will be between the inheritance of the saints in light, and that utter darkness which will be the portion of hypocrites for ever....

Verse Exodus 14:20. _IT WAS A CLOUD AND DARKNESS_ TO THEM, _C._] That the Israelites might not be dismayed at the _appearance_ of their enemies, and that these might not be able to discern the object of their pursuit, the pillar of cloud moved from the front to the rear of the Israelitish camp, so as perfectly to separate between them and the Egyptians. It appears also that this cloud had _two_ _sides_, one _dark_ and the other _luminous_: the luminous side gave light to the whole camp of Israel during the night of passage and the dark side, turned towards the pursuing Egyptians, prevented them from receiving any benefit from that light. How easily can God make the _same_ thing an instrument of destruction or salvation, as seems best to his godly wisdom! He alone can work by all agents, and produce any kind of effect even by the same in...

EXPOSITION THE PASSAGE OF THE RED SEA. The Egyptians had arrived in the near neighbourhood of the Israelite camp, at the close of a long day's march, towards evening. Having ascertained that the fugitives were still, as they had expected them to be, shut in between the sea and the wilderness, they were content, and made no immediate attack, but encamped over against them. Hereupon, "the pillar of the cloud," which was at the time in front of the Israelite camp—probably near the point where God intended the passage of the sea to be effected "removed" from this position, and placed itself directly behind the Israelite encampment, between them and the Egyptians. This movement alone was calculated to alarm the latter, and prevent them from stirring till near daybreak; but, the better to secure their inaction, the pillar was made to overshadow them with a deep and

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 his spiritual Israel, whom he has redeemed by his blood, and their spiritual enemies, the Egyptians, the men of the world that hate them, from whose rage and malice Christ is their protection and safeguard: AND IT WAS A CLOUD AND DARKNESS [TO THEM]; to the Egyptians; it cast a shade upon them, and made the darkness of the night still greater to them, so that they could not see their way, and knew not where they were: BUT IT GAVE LIGHT BY NIGHT TO THESE; to the Israelites, so that they could see their way, and walk on in the midst of the sea, as on dry land; and such a light and guide they nee...

Exodus 14:1 _And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth between Migdol and sea, over against Baalzephon: before it ye shall encamp by the sea_ It might have been sufficient for the pillar of cloud to move that way; but it was really such an extraordinary thing for the Lord to lead the people right down to the sea that he gave a special command as well as the movement of the cloud. That Moses himself might not be staggered by what would seem to him to be such strange guidance the Lord tells him what to say to the people and then gives him this explanation: Exodus 14:3. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in. And I will harden Pharaoh's he

CHAPTER 14 THE PURSUIT OF THE ENEMY AND REDEMPTION BY POWER _ 1. The coming of Pharaoh announced (Exodus 14:1)_ 2. The pursuit and Israel troubled (Exodus 14:5) 3. Moses speaks to the people (Exodus 14:13) 4. The Lord speaks to Moses (Exodus 14:15) 5. The passages through the Red Sea (Exodus 14:19) 6. The Egyptians overthrown (Exodus 14:23) 7. The great work accomplished ...

EXODUS 14. (Exodus 14:1 P, Exodus 14:5 f. J, Exodus 14:7 a(b) E, Exodus 14:8 P Exodus 14:9 a E, Exodus 14:9 (b)c - Exodus 14:10 a (afraid) J, Exodus 14:10 b E, Exodus 14:11 J,...

IT CAME BETWEEN THE CAMP OF THE EGYPTIANS AND THE CAMP OF ISRAEL. When it took this position it seemed to the Egyptians like. dark bank of sea fog and had no appearance of being supernatural, but the side turned to Israel was bright and shone with light, so that they could see how to march. Thus it is with the manifestations of God, his word and his presence, dark for impenitent sinners, but full of light and promise for those that obey him....

A CLOUD AND DARKNESS. Figure of speech _Hendiadys_ (App-6). a very dark cloud....