Chapter 14

1 God instructeth the Israelites in their journey. 5 Pharaoh pursueth after them. 10 The Israelites murmur. 13 Moses comforteth them. 15 God instructeth Moses. 19 The cloud removeth behind the camp. 21 The Israelites pass through the Red sea, 23 which drowneth the Egyptians.

2. Turn and encamp. Hitherto the march of the Israelites had been in a general southeasterly direction. Another day’s journey in the same direction would have carried them well beyond the eastern border of Egypt. But God ordered a change that must have seemed to them strange and unaccountable. They were to set their course in a southwesterly direction, which would soon place the Red Sea between them and their destination. Although the geographical location of the next camping place is here described in considerable detail, not one of the places named has yet been identified. The name Pi-hahiroth is apparently Egyptian, but its meaning and site remain uncertain.

Between Migdol and the sea. Migdol means “tower,” or “fortress.” This no doubt refers to a number of localities along the eastern border of Egypt (see Num. 33:7; Jer. 44:1; 46:14; Eze. 29:10; 30:6). These “migdols” were probably not different cities, but strongholds that formed part of the border fortification system (see on Ex. 13:20).

Over against Baal-zephon. This place is unknown, though the name Baal-zephon was applied also to a Canaanite deity. It means, literally, the “Baal,” or “lord of the north,” a god mentioned on Egyptian monuments as well as in north Canaanite inscriptions. One Phoenician text declares him to be the chief god of the Egyptian Delta city of Daphnae (Biblical Tahpanhes, modern Tel Defenneh). The place mentioned here may have received its name from this Canaanite god, whose shrine or sanctuary, to which peoples of the eastern desert came to worship, was in the town.

So exact a geographical description, unique in the Pentateuch, suggests, first, that Pi-hahiroth itself was not well known, and, second, that the author of Exodus was familiar with the geography of the country. No late writer could have ventured to give such local detail.

3. Pharaoh will say. This passage explains the purpose of God in leading the Israelites in so unusual a direction (see on v. 2). To human judgment this route appeared to be the most foolish that could have been taken. Canaan lay to the northeast of Egypt, yet the pillar of cloud led them in a southwesterly direction when they reached the eastern borders of Egypt. It would be only natural for Pharaoh, learning of the strange route the Israelites had taken, to think that they had lost their way and were wandering about in confusion in the eastern Egyptian desert. Escape now appeared impossible. God, however, had arranged this very situation that Egypt and the surrounding nations might learn to fear and respect His name (see v. 4).

4. Harden. See on ch. 4:21.

5. Why have we done this? Pharaoh had apparently intended his permission to be limited to a three-day journey into the eastern Egyptian desert. When it became apparent that the Israelites were pressing rapidly through the desert toward the Red Sea, Pharaoh set out in pursuit (PP 283). A short respite from suffering had given him time to recover from the horrors of the tenth plague, and he now regretted his rash act. When no further calamity followed the death of the first-born, the Egyptians may have thought the power of the Hebrew God broken, and of themselves as once more lords over their land and masters of the situation. The loss of a large body of laborers would upset the economy of the country and bring hardship upon those who remained.

7. Six hundred chosen chariots. With the Eighteenth Dynasty, chariots came to be standard Egyptian army equipment. From that time on the kings always went forth to war in chariots. Two royal chariots of the Eighteenth Dynasty have survived to the present day, and their construction is therefore well known. They were open at the rear, and consisted of a semicircular standing board made of wood, encircled by a rim that rose in a graceful curve to the height of approximately 21/2 ft. above the standing board. The chariots had two wheels and a tongue, and were drawn by two small horses. They were usually manned by two men, a warrior and a charioteer.

Captains. In Hebrew, as well as in other Semitic languages, “the third one,” here probably meaning “the third one on the chariot.” In Assyria it became the technical term for the driver of the chariot. In Hebrew, however, the word seems to have been synonymous with “distinguished warrior” (see 2 Kings 9:25; etc.). Inasmuch as two men are regularly depicted on Egyptian chariots, it would seem that the word here translated “captain” should be rendered “distinguished warrior.” The 600 chosen chariots with their crews probably belonged to the king’s bodyguard, and could be made ready for action, such as the pursuit of the Israelites, at the moment’s notice.

8. The Lord hardened. A significant fact mentioned three times (vs. 4, 8, 17) in connection with Pharaoh’s pursuit of the Israelites (see on ch. 4:21).

With an high hand. That is, in triumph over the pursuing Egyptians. The RSV renders this expression as “defiantly.” In Num. 33:3, where the same expression occurs, the RSV gives it as “triumphantly.”

9. Horsemen. Since the Egyptians had no cavalry at that time, though a single horseman is once depicted on a small monument, the word translated “horsemen” should rather be rendered “riders,” or “mounted men,” that is, those who drove the chariots. Understood thus, the text accords remarkably with the native monuments of that time, which represent the Egyptian army as consisting of two kinds of troops, chariotry and infantry.

Overtook them encamping. It is uncertain whether Pharaoh overtook the Israelites soon after they had pitched camp by the shores of the Red Sea, or whether they had already been there a day or even longer. Although Pharaoh obviously set out in pursuit of the Israelites at some time after their departure, he would be able to cover the distance of 80 mi. from Tanis (Rameses) to the northwestern shore of the Red Sea much more rapidly than the Israelites could possibly have done. It would have taken him at least two days to do so, the approximate time required by the Israelites to travel across the desert from Etham (see on v. 5). The description of events at the approach of the Egyptians seems to imply that the Israelites had barely halted to pitch camp when they discovered the Egyptians pursuing them (vs. 9, 10; PP 284).

10. They were sore afraid. To human eyes their plight appeared hopeless. Shut in on the east by the sea, on the south by a rugged mountain, on the west by mountainous deserts, and on the north by the pursuing Egyptians, they probably concluded that escape was impossible. Furthermore, they were unarmed and unprepared for battle. Finally, they had not yet learned to place their trust in the power and protection of God.

Cried out unto the Lord. Had their prayer been accompanied by faith, v. 11 would not preserve a record of murmuring against Moses. Some commentators have suggested that the more pious among the Israelites cried to God (v. 10), whereas the irreligious murmured against Moses (v. 11).

11. Die in the wilderness. Men have ever found satisfaction in blaming someone else for the difficulties they encounter. In this case it was Moses who became the target of their indignation. They argued that he, as leader, should have known better than to bring them into so perilous a situation. And the pillar of cloud—had it not led them into this trap, from which there appeared no escape? Cynically they asked whether Egypt, a land of tombs if there ever was one, could not provide graves for them.

12. We did tell thee in Egypt. The people presented Moses with an exaggerated statement of the facts. It had only been when oppression increased, following Moses’ first interview with Pharaoh, that they complained of what Moses had done (ch. 5:21), whereas at first they gladly accepted his proposals (ch. 4:31). In leaving Egypt they had complied willingly with his directions.

It had been better. It is a common tendency to prefer death to slavery, where these are the only alternatives. It is not strange that a people fully accustomed to servitude and lacking a tradition of independence did not rise to the heroic heights that have been attained by freemen.

13. Fear ye not. Although the alarm of the Hebrews is understandable, the noble courage and confidence of Moses is surprising. A truly remarkable transformation had come over him since the time he timidly remonstrated with the Lord (chs. 4:1, 10, 13; 5:22, 23). Though he may have but vaguely understood that God would “be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host” (v. 4), he now remained calm and confident that all would be well. His own quiet confidence is reflected in his admonition to the people to wait patiently for the Lord to deliver them. There was obviously little else they could do. Moses knew not how God might accomplish His will, but his own experience in working with God in the land of Egypt made it certain He was fully able to rescue His people, however unlikely such a prospect might appear. Moses himself was distressed that his people manifested so little faith (PP 284).

The Egyptians. That is, Pharaoh’s great host. The word order in the original favors the marginal rendering, which, with but one slight change, is from the LXX. The latter reads, “For as ye have seen the Egyptians today, ye shall see them again no more for ever.” Phrased thus, the statement means that they would see their enemies only as lifeless forms on the shores of the Red Sea (v. 30).

15. Wherefore criest thou? These words of the Lord imply that Moses had appealed to God for help, perhaps laying the complaints of the people before Him. They do not imply divine reproof, but constitute an admonition to resolute action.

16. Lift thou up thy rod. The Israelites were not to remain completely inactive while the Lord brought about their deliverance. They were to move forward, and as they did so, to witness the mighty power of God. He could have divided the Red Sea without the assistance of Moses, if the lifting up of the rod may be called assistance. God again chose to work through Moses in order that the people might come to trust more fully in their appointed leader. God ever operates in accordance with the principle of utilizing consecrated human agencies to accomplish His work on earth, whenever and wherever possible.

17. I will harden. Here only is it stated that God hardened the hearts of the Egyptians, apparently in the same sense that He hardened the heart of Pharaoh (see on ch. 4:21). By folowing his bidding they had become partakers of his guilt (cf. Rev. 18:4). Without doubt the Egyptians eagerly anticipated the recovery of their lost treasure, and bloody revenge upon any who should resist capture (chs. 12:35; 15:9). Under the circumstances human nature would be quite sufficient to make them cold and heartless.

They shall follow them. Ordinary common sense, based on previous experience, would have made the Egyptians cautious about becoming involved in so dangerous an adventure as following the Hebrews through the sea. It was stupidity and blood-thirstiness which urged them forward into danger (see Rom. 1:21, 22). Rash action usually characterizes those who deliberately spurn the leading of God’s Spirit. Heedless of the judgments of God so recently experienced, infatuated with confidence in themselves, they defied to the last the God of Israel (see 2 Thess. 2:9–12; Rev. 17:14; 19:19; 20:7–9).

19. The angel of God. The Divine Presence manifested in the pillar of cloud is called “the Lord” in v. 24 and ch. 13:21, but here “the angel of God” (see PP 366). Similarly, the One appearing to Moses in the burning bush is termed both “God” and “the angel of the Lord” (ch. 3:2–6).

20. It came between. The Egyptians apparently reached the vicinity of the Israelites camp at the close of a long day’s march (PP 287). Like an impenetrable wall of fog rolling in from the sea, the cloudy pillar settled between the pursued and the pursuers, forcing the latter to halt. Convinced that the Hebrews could not escape, the Egyptians postponed the attack to the next day (vs. 23, 24; 4T 24; PP 287).

It was a cloud. The expressions “to them” and “to these,” while not in the Hebrew but supplied by the KJV translators, are apparently justified by the context (see also PP 287). The night drew on apace, intensifying the impenetrable wall of darkness provided by the cloud. Meanwhile, on the side facing the Israelites the pillar presented the appearance of a brilliant torch, lighting up the whole camp and making it as easy to prepare for the march as it would have been by day. Thus, the flocks could be gathered, the beasts of burden collected and laded, and the various tribes and families arranged in marching order (see PP 281). They awaited only the signal to start.

21. A strong east wind. The word translated “east wind” may apply to any wind coming from a general easterly direction, from southeast to northeast, since the Hebrews used special terms for the four quarters of the compass only. Even now the ebb tide in the Gulf of Suez is strengthened by a strong northeast wind. Before the construction of the Suez Canal, it is reported, part of the gulf which lies north of the city of Suez was sometimes laid completely dry during the ebb flow of the tide, by a strong northeast wind. As a result, one could ride across the gulf or ford it on foot. However, an ebb tide strengthened by an east wind cannot account for the drying up of the sea here described, because in such a case the water is all driven southward, not in two opposite directions as the Sacred Record indicates. Such a separation of the waters could be produced only by a miracle (see PP 287). The exact spot of the crossing is unknown.

22. The waters were a wall. The depth of the waters on either side of the “dry ground” is not known. For this reason it is not clear whether the waters took the position of a literal, perpendicular “wall,” or whether the term “wall” is used figuratively in reference to the fact that the Israelites were protected from attack “on their right hand, and on their left.” The words of inspiration may be construed either way (see v. 21; PP 287), perhaps with preference for the former suggestion (4T 24, 25).

23. The Egyptians pursued. When the last Israelite left the western shore of the Red Sea, the cloud followed and permitted the Egyptians to see that the Hebrews had escaped. The Egyptians advanced immediately to the seashore, and finding the channel still dry, hastily entered and pressed forward in hot pursuit. Only when the entire Egyptian host was in the midst of the sea did the pillar of cloud become for them a pillar of fire and reveal to them their precarious location (1T 265; 4T 25).

24. In the morning watch. The “morning watch” of the Hebrews lasted from about 3 a.m. until sunrise, which, at this time of the year, would occur about 5:45.

The Lord looked. In Ps. 77:17–19 a description of what happened at this point is given. A sudden cloudburst was accompanied by lightning and thunder. Pressing forward on the bed of the Red Sea, whose heaped-up waters they could now see on either side, the Egyptians must have been terrified (see also Josephus Antiquities ii. 16. 3).

25. Took off their chariot wheels. The word here translated “took off” may also be rendered “gave away,” meaning perhaps that the wheels sank into the sand up to the axles, to be extricated again only with difficulty and to sink in once more a few yards farther on. The RSV, following the LXX and other versions, speaks of God “clogging their chariot wheels.” The Egyptians were still able to drive their chariots, but “drave them heavily.” This would imply that although the wheels had not been lost, they were not functioning properly (see 4T 25).

The Lord fighteth. The miraculous darkness which had at first separated them from the Israelites (v. 20), the mysterious opening of a pathway through the Red Sea, the heavy thunderstorm, and finally the difficult going, brought the Egyptians to the belated realization that the God of the Hebrews was actively aiding His people and effectively obstructing their own advance. Convinced that it was no use to further persevere in a mission apparently doomed to failure, they began their retreat.

27. The sea returned. When Moses again stretched out his staff over the sea, the east wind ceased to blow and the waters returned (see v. 21). It seems that the return of the waters was as much the result of the blowing of the wind as the opening of a pathway had been (see ch. 15:10). A strong west wind, suddenly caused to blow instead of the east wind of v. 21, may have hastened the process. As the Egyptians fled they were met by surging billows that poured in from each side.

28. All the host of Pharaoh. That is, all that set out across the sea in pursuit of the Hebrews. Commentators have reasoned that there may have been sections of Pharaoh’s army which remained on the western shore and consequently were not destroyed. The expression “the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host” does not support the opinion of many commentators that only the chariotry had entered the sea, and the infantry had stayed behind. Ellen G. White seems to imply that the entire Egyptian host was annihilated (PP 287; 1T 265).

30. Israel saw the Egyptians. Josephus (Antiquities ii. 16. 6) says that after the crossing of the sea by the Israelites a west wind set in (see on v. 27). Such a wind, assisted by the current, would drive the bodies of the drowned Egyptians to the eastern shore. In this way, according to Josephus, Moses obtained weapons and armor for the Israelites.

31. The people feared the Lord. The guidance of Israel through the sea was designed by God to establish in the hearts of the people reverence and faith in Him. But faith in the Lord was inseparably connected with faith in Moses as His representative, and for this reason the miracle had been wrought through Moses. Still babes in the faith, the Israelites were in need of miracles and divine manifestations. Belief followed, and was founded upon, sight. Our Lord, however, pronounced a blessing upon those “that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29). A faith that continues to lean upon sight is far from perfect. This was true of Israel. If we knew nothing of the consequent history of Israel, we would conclude that henceforth they must have continued their journey with rejoicing, trusting in God with all their hearts, and never again showing distrust, no matter how great the crisis. But on the contrary, we find them continually discontented with God and Moses, murmuring against them, and despising their counsel. While we look in amazement at the perfidy of the Israelites, we should not be hasty in condemning their dullness of heart. We are certainly by no means superior to them if we trust God no further than our natural sight can perceive His will and His ways.

Ellen G. White comments

1-31PP 283-288

1-4PP 283

3, 4 4T 22

5-9PP 283

9     1T 265

9-124T 21

10   SR 121

11-14PP 284; SR 122

12   4T 22

13   8T 128

13, 14  4T 23

15   PP 290; TM 417; 4T 25, 26, 28; 5T 583; 6T 150; 9T 271, 273

15, 16  PP 287; SR 122; 4T 24

15-271T 265

17-22SR 123

19   4T 22, 23

20   PP 290; 4T 23

21, 23  4T 24

23, 24  PP 287

23-25SR 124

25   4T 25

25-28PP 287

26-31SR 125

27   1T 265-266

27, 28  PP 283; 4T 25; 5T 119-120