The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord . All Egypt would learn the destruction of the host, and the circumstances under which it occurred, whose miraculous nature could not be concealed. And the consequence would be a wide recognition of the superior might of Jehovah, the God of Israel, over that of any of the Egyptian deities. More than this the Egyptians were not likely to admit under any circumstances. read more
Final triumph over Egypt (13:17-14:31)When they left Egypt, the Israelites did not go by way of the Mediterranean coast, as this was well defended by the Egyptians and war would certainly have resulted. Instead they went east towards the Red Sea (17-18). (A literal translation for the name of this stretch of water is Sea of Reeds. It was not the 200 kilometre wide sea that we today call the Red Sea, but probably an extension of the Red Sea’s north-western arm, the Gulf of Suez. It seems to have... read more
I, behold , I. Figure of speech Epizeuxis, for emphasis. App-6 . behold . Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 . chariots . Hebrew, singular chariot. Note the alternation. Pharaoh (singular) His host (plural) Pharaoh's chariot (singular) His horsemen (plural) read more
PASSAGE OF THE RED SEA (THE COMMAND GIVEN)"And Jehovah said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the people of Israel that they go forward. And lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thy hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground. And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them: and I will get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his... read more
Exodus 14:17. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians— That is, I will suffer the hearts of the Egyptians to be hardened by their own violent and infatuating passions. See the note on ch. Exodus 9:34. I will get me honour] The original word signifies, to be glorified. Exodus 14:19. The Angel of God, which went] The Divine Messenger and Leader of the Israelites, who, as we have heretofore shewn, was Christ, caused the miraculous pillar to intervene between them and the Egyptians, in such a... read more
The strong east wind that God sent (Exodus 14:21) recalls the wind from God that swept over the face of the primeval waters in creation (Genesis 1:2). The cloud became a source of light to the fleeing Israelites but darkness to the pursuing Egyptians (Exodus 14:19-20)."Thus the double nature of the glory of God in salvation and judgment, which later appears so frequently in Scripture, could not have been more graphically depicted." [Note: Kaiser, "Exodus," p. 389.] The angel switched from... read more
Crossing the Red Sea2. At Etham the Israelites reached the Egyptian frontier, travelling in a northeasterly direction. Instead of crossing the frontier to the E. side of the Bitter Lakes they are commanded to turn southwards, keeping the Red Sea on their left. The reason for this change of route may have been a repulse by the garrison of one of the line of fortresses on the E. border of Egypt. None of the places mentioned here has been identified with certainty. There is even a doubt as to what... read more
(15-18) Wherefore criest thou unto me?—Like the people (Exodus 14:10), Moses had cried to Jehovah, though he tells us of his cry only thus indirectly. God made answer that it was not a time to cry, but to act: “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward,” &c. The Israelites were to strike their tents at once, and prepare for a forward movement. Moses was to descend to the edge of the sea, with his rod in his hand, and to stretch it out over the sea, and then await the... read more
Exodus 14:13 In explaining ( Apologia, pp. 262 f.) why he had not come forward in defence of Catholic truth against the scientific heresies of the age, Newman writes: 'It seemed to be specially a time in which Christians had a call to be patient, in which they had no other way of helping those who were alarmed than that of exhorting them to have a little faith and fortitude and to "beware," as the poet says, "of dangerous steps."' In this policy he also felt the Papal authorities would support... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 14:17
I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians . Here, and here only, are the hearts of the Egyptians generally said to have been "hardened." Whatever meaning we attach to the expression, there will be no more difficulty in applying it to them than to Pharaoh. They had made themselves partakers in the monarch's guilt by mustering in hot haste when he summoned them, and had allowed themselves to revel in the anticipation of plunder and carnage ( Exodus 15:9 ). Under such circumstances, the... read more