Isaiah 52:12 - Exposition

With haste … by flight . As at the going forth from Egypt ( Exodus 12:33 ; Exodus 16:5 ). Then they were "thrust out;" now there would be no need of hurry. They would have the free permission of their sovereign to depart at their own time, and might proceed with calm deliberateness. God would go before them, as he did on that former occasion ( Exodus 13:21 ), though not now visibly; and he would also defend them from attacks by the way, being at once their Guide and their Rereward, or Rearguard.