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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 14:15-20

We have here, I. Direction given to Israel's leader. 1. What he must do himself. He must, for the present, leave off praying, and apply himself to his business (Exod. 14:15): Wherefore cryest thou unto me? Moses, though he was assured of a good issue to the present distress, yet did not neglect prayer. We read not of one word he said in prayer, but he lifted up to God his heart, the language of which God well understood and took notice of. Moses's silent prayers of faith prevailed more with... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 14:21-31

We have here the history of that work of wonder which is so often mentioned both in the Old and New Testament, the dividing of the Red Sea before th 3b1a e children of Israel. It was the terror of the Canaanites (Josh. 2:9, 10), the praise and triumph of the Israelites, Ps. 114:3; Ps. 106:9; 136:13, 14. It was a type of baptism, 1 Cor. 10:1, 2. Israel's passage through it was typical of the conversion of souls (Isa. 11:15), and the Egyptians? perdition in it was typical of the final ruin of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 14:15

And the Lord said unto Moses, wherefore criest thou unto me ?.... The Targum of Jonathan is,"why standest thou and prayest before me?'and no doubt this crying is to be understood of prayer, of mental prayer, of secret ejaculations put up by Moses to the Lord without a voice, for no mention is made of any: this shows, that though Moses most firmly believed that God would work salvation for them, yet he did not neglect the use of means, prayer to God for it; nor was the Lord displeased with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 14:16

But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it ,.... Even the same rod with which so many wonders had been done in Egypt; and Artapanus, the Heathen, says F24 Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27. p. 436. , that Moses being bid by a divine voice to smite the sea with his rod, he hearkened to it, and touched the water with it, and so it divided, as it is said it did, Exodus 14:21 . and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 14:17

And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians ,.... That they shall have no sense of danger, and be fearless of it, incautious and thoughtless, hurried on with wrath and fury, malice and revenge: and they shall follow them ; the Israelites into the sea, supposing it to be as safe for the one as the other: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen : by the utter destruction of them, in just retaliation for the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 14:18

And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord ,.... Acknowledge him to be Jehovah, the self-existent, eternal, and immutable Being, the one only living and true God, who is wise and powerful, faithful, just, and true; that is, those Egyptians that were left behind in Egypt, hearing what was done at the Red sea; for as for those that came with Pharaoh, they all perished to a man: when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen ; by casting them into... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 14:19

And the Angel of God which went before the camp of Israel ,.... The Jews say F25 Pirke Eliezer, c. 42. this was Michael, the great prince, who became a wall of fire between Israel and the Egyptians; and if they understood by him the uncreated angel, the eternal Word, the Son of God, who is always in Scripture meant by Michael, they are right: for certainly this Angel of the Lord is the same with Jehovah, who is said to go before them in a pillar of cloud and fire, Exodus 13:21 , ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 14:20

And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel ,.... That is, the pillar of cloud, and the Angel of God, or Jehovah, in it, whereby the camp of Israel was secured from being annoyed by the camp of the Egyptians; and was an emblem of the gracious interposition of Christ between his spiritual Israel, whom he has redeemed by his blood, and their spiritual enemies, the Egyptians, the men of the world that hate them, from whose rage and malice Christ is their protection and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 14:21

And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea ,.... With his rod in it, as he was directed to, Exodus 14:16 . What the poet says F26 "Tu flectis amnes, tu mare barbarum--" Horat. Carmin. l. 2. Ode 19. of Bacchus is more true of Moses, whose rod had been lift up upon the rivers Egypt, and now upon the Red sea: and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night ; and the direction of the Red sea being nearly, if not altogether, north and south, it was in a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 14:22

And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground ,.... Some Jewish writers say F3 Pirke Elizer, c. 42. , that the tribe of Judah went in first, and then the other tribes followed; but it is most likely, what Josephus says F4 Antiqu. l. 2. c. 16. sect. 2. , that Moses first entered in, and then the Israelites, encouraged by his example, went in after him; and a very adventurous action it was, and nothing but strong faith in the almighty power and... read more

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