Exodus 13

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:14

When thy son asketh thee . Compare Exodus 12:26 , and the comment ad loc. read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:15

When Pharaoh would hardly let us go . Bather, "when Pharaoh hardened himself against letting us go." At his last interview with Moses, Pharaoh had absolutely refused to let them go with their cattle ( Exodus 10:24-27 ), and Moses had absolutely refused to go without them. I sacrifice all that openeth the womb, being males . And being clean animals. The common sense of the reader or hearer, is expected to supply the restriction. Of my children . Rather, as in Exodus 13:13 , "of my... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:16

A sign … frontlets . See the comment on Exodus 13:9 . It is the custom among the Jews to write this entire passage— Exodus 13:1-16 —on two of the four strips of parchment contained in the tephillin. The others have inscribed on them Deuteronomy 6:4-9 , and Deuteronomy 11:13-21 . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:17

Although that was near . Rather "because it was near" ( ὅτι ἐγγὺς ἧν , LXX .)— i.e. ; " God did not, because it was near, lead them this way, but a longer one." Lest peradveature the people repeat when they see war . The Philistines were a powerful and warlike race half a century after this, in the time of Joshua, and were masters of the five important cities of Gaze, Ascalon, Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron, which seem to have formed a confederacy ( Joshua 13:3 ). It would appear... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:17-20

Moses, at this point of his narrative, being about to trace the onward march of the Israelites from Succoth to Etham, in the direction of the Red Sea, anticipated, it would seem, an objection on the part of his reader, who would naturally ask, Why was not the direct route eastward taken and Canaan entered on the south-west after some half-dozen marches? In Exodus 13:17 , Exodus 13:18 , he gives the reply— 1 . God led them, they did not determine their own route; and 2. God... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:17-21

The way of the wilderness by the Red Sea. The direct road to Canaan lay through the land of the Philistines. God, however, did not lead the people by this way, but round by the Red Sea. "For God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt" ( Exodus 13:17 ). Another reason was that he designed to make his covenant with them, and give them laws, in the solitude of the "mountain of God" ( Exodus 3:12 ). I. REDEEMED FROM EGYPT , THE ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:17-22

Israel's journey the emblem of the Christian's pilgrimage. I. GOD 'S TENDER CARE FOR HIS PEOPLE . 1 . Trials and temptations are proportioned to their ability to-bear them. "He led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines." The conflict with these was not too much for his strength, but it was too much for Israel's faith. They would have made shipwreck at the very outset. He will not suffer us to be tempted beyond that we are able to bear. 2 . It "was... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:17-22

Fire and cloud. "And the Lord went before them," etc. ( Exodus 13:21 ). Israel might have been in Canaan within ten days. Reason why not is given Exodus 13:17 . This however, not a reason for the forty years wandering: but only for the circuitous route by the desert of Sinai. The line of Israel's march for the first two days is soon given. They start from Rameses , capital of Goshen, a store city, recently built by the Hebrews, the king there possibly. The first stage was Succoth ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:18

God led the people about . Or "led the people a circuit," i.e; made them take a circuitous route to Canaan, the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea — i.e; by the southern wilderness, or what is now called "the wilderness of Sinai." Kalisch shows the wisdom of this course—how it gave time for the nation to be "gradually accustomed to fatigues and hardships by a long and tiresome march in the desert"—to learn obedience to their chief—and finally to be "trained to military discipline and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:18-21

It is the method of the Divine action to accomplish ends by circuitous means. God "led the Israelites about." Instead of conducting them straight from Tanis to Canaan in the course of six or seven days, he carried them down nearly to the furthest point of the Sinaitic peninsula, at least two hundred miles out of the direct line of route. He afterwards made them occupy in desert wanderings the space of forty years, and brought them into Canaan on the side furthest from Egypt—that which... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:14

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:15

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:16

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:17

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:17-20

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:17-21

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:17-22

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:17-22

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:18

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 13:18-21

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