Numbers 33:1-37

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 33:1-49

This is a review and brief rehearsal of the travels of the children of Israel through the wilderness. It was a memorable history and well worthy to be thus abridged, and the abridgment thus preserved, to the honour of God that led them and for the encouragement of the generations that followed. Observe here, I. How the account was kept: Moses wrote their goings out, Num. 33:2. When they began this tedious march, God ordered him to keep a journal or diary, and to insert in it all the remarkable... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 33:1

These are the journeys of the children of Israel ,.... Which are related in this chapter following: which went forth out of the land of Egypt : whither their fathers went and stayed, and were kept in hard bondage, but in due time were delivered from it, and came out from thence: with their armies ; in great numbers, and in an orderly manner, in rank and file, and like so many squadrons, see Exodus 7:4 , under the hand of Moses and Aaron: who were sent to the king of Egypt to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 33:2

And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys, by the commandment of the Lord ,.... Which may be understood, either that their journeys were by the commandment of the Lord; so Aben Ezra takes the connection to be, and which is undoubtedly true, and which is expressed plainly elsewhere; for so it was, that when the cloud abode on the tabernacle they rested, and had their stations, and continued as long as the cloud tarried on it, and when that was taken up, then they marched;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 33:3

And they departed from Rameses ,.... A city in Egypt, where the children of Israel, a little before their departure, seem to have been gathered together in a body, in order to march out all together, as they did. This place the Targum of Jonathan calls Pelusium. Dr. Shaw F1 Travels, p. 307. Ed. 2. thinks it might be Cairo, from whence they set forward; see Exodus 12:37 and it was in the first month ; in the month Nisan, as the same Targum, or Abib, which was appointed the first... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 33:4

For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the Lord had smitten among them ,.... Which contributed much to the more easy and safe deliverance of the children of Israel; for their hearts were heavy with sorrow, and their hands were full, and they had other work to do, namely, to bury their dead, than to molest Israel; and besides, they knew it was for detaining them this stroke came upon them: upon their gods also the Lord executed judgments ; they were moved at the presence, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 33:5

And the children of Israel removed from Rameses ,.... Or Pelusium, as the same Targum again: and pitched in Succoth : where, as the same paraphrase says, they were covered with the clouds of glory, suggesting that to be the reason of its name; but that was rather because of the booths or tents the Israelites erected, pitched, and dwelt in, during their abode there: this, according to Bunting F2 Travels of the Patriarchs, &c.; p. 81. , was eight miles from Rameses; according to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 33:6

And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham ,.... Which was eight miles from Succoth: which is in the edge of the wilderness ; of the name, see Exodus 13:20 but Dr. Shaw F3 Travels, p. 308. makes this particular portion of the wilderness to be fifty miles from Cairo or Rameses. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 33:7

And they removed from Etham, and turned again to Pihahiroth ,.... Which was sixteen miles from Etham. This turning, Aben Ezra says, respects the cloud, or Israel; and indeed it may respect both, for, as the cloud turned, Israel turned, being directed by it; and this does not mean that they had been at Pihahiroth before, and now returned to it again; but that they by direction turned out of the straight way in which they were to go to Pihahiroth; for the word "again" may as well, or better,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 33:8

And they departed from before Pihahiroth ,.... Being forced by Pharaoh's army pressing upon them: and passed through the midst of the sea ; from shore to shore, as on dry laud: into the wilderness : that part of it which lay on the other side, for still it was the wilderness of Etham they went into, as follows: and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah ; so called from the bitterness of the waters there, and which is computed to be forty miles... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 33:9

And they removed from Marah, and came unto Elim ,.... Which was eight miles from Marah: and in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and three score and ten palm trees, and they pitched there ; being a convenient place of water for them, read more

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