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Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 14:1-12

Israel stricken with terror by reason of a deliverance not yet completed. It is plain that the Israelites, going out of Egypt. in such circumstances as they did, must have gone out in a state of great exhilaration, almost beside themselves with joy at such a complete reversal of all their past experiences at the hands of Pharaoh. Moreover we are assured in Exodus 14:8 that they went out with a high hand. The power of God for the deliverance of Israel was manifested in great fulness. What... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 14:5-10

The pursuit "It was told the King of Egypt that the people fled," etc. Consider:— I. THE MOTIVES OF THE PURSUIT . The motives were various. 1 . Pharaoh had already repented of having let the people go ( Exodus 14:5 ). Their departure was a sore humiliation to him. Wounded pride was aggravated by the sense of material loss. "As serfs and bondagers, the Israelites were invaluable, and to let them go was to annihilate the half of Egypt's industry" (Hamilton). Pharaoh and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 14:10

They were sore afraid . Before the Israelites are taxed with cowardice, let it be considered— 1 . That they were unarmed. Egypt was so settled a government that civilians generally went unarmed; and slaves, like the Hebrews, would scarcely have been allowed to possess any arms, if the case had been otherwise. 2 . They had no military training. Whatever had been done to teach them order and arrangement in connection with their proposed journey, we may be sure there had been no drill... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 14:10-14

THE TERROR OF ISRAEL AND THE COURAGE OF MOSES . It has been argued that the Israelites, if they were so numerous as stated ( Exodus 12:37 ), must have been wretched cowards, if they were afraid to risk an engagement with such an army as that hastily levied one which Pharaoh had brought with him. But the difference between an army of trained soldiers, thoroughly equipped for war, with helmets, shields, breastplates, swords and spears, and an undisciplined multitude,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 14:10-14

Divine trial a touchstone to distinguish faith from unfaithfulness. The Israelites had almost as much ground as Moses to believe in God, and trust his providential care of them. They had seen the whole series of miracles which Moses had wrought. They had found themselves exempt from visitations which fell with the utmost severity on their near neighbours. They had heard from Moses God's positive promise to bring them into Canaan ( Exodus 13:5 , Exodus 13:11 ). Yet at the first... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 14:10-23

The deliverance. Consider on this section:— I. THE CRITICAL SITUATION OF THE ISRAELITES . 1 . Their position. "Encamping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baal Zephon" ( Exodus 14:9 ). The first view of the sea would probably be attractive to them. Its breeze, after the tedious travel of the desert, would be deliciously refreshing. They would look with a child's wonder and delight on the novel spectacle it presented. They would crowd to the beach to watch its... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 14:11

And they said to Moses . It was not unnatural that, while flying to God as their only refuge, they should be angry with Moses. Moses, they would argue, ought to have known better than to have brought them into a situation of such peril. He, the leader, should have known the geography of the country—he, the courtier, should have known the temper of the court. It is always a satisfaction to men to vent their anger upon some one when they are in a difficulty. No graves in Egypt. Egypt, with a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 14:11

Cruel words out of cowardly hearts. There was much, as we have seen, to excuse the terror of Israel; but there is one thing not so easy to excuse, and that is the sarcastic, unjust spirit in which these terrified Israelites treat their visible leader. Formerly ( Exodus 5:21 ) they had turned on him with bitter reproaches; but their conduct then was the effect of ignorance and hasty expectations, and their language, however strong, was simply the language of reproach. But now to reproach... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 14:12

Is not this the word that we did tell thee? The reference was probably to that time of depression, after their burdens had been increased, and before the series of miracles began, when the Israelites had addressed reproaches to Moses and Aaron ( Exodus 5:21 ), and refused to listen to words of encouragement ( Exodus 6:9 ). It was not true that they had uniformly held the same language, and desired Moses and Aaron to cease their efforts. It had been better for us to serve the Egyptians... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 14:13

And Moses said … fear ye not . Moses knew that the pursuit of Israel by the host of the Egyptians was a part of the counsel of God, and was to tend in some way or other to the promotion of God's honour and glory ( Exodus 14:4 ). He had sufficient faith to believe in a deliverance the nature of which it is not likely that he could anyway conjecture. Whether hail would fall from heaven and destroy them ( Joshua 10:11 ); or the earth gape and swallow them up ( Numbers 16:32 ); or the... read more

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