1耶和華H3068曉諭H1696摩西H4872說H559： 2你吩咐H1696以色列H3478人H1121轉回H7725，安營H2583在比哈希錄H6367前H6440，密奪H4024和海H3220的中間，對著H6440巴力洗分H1189，靠近H5226海H3220邊安營H2583。 3法老H6547必說H559：以色列H3478人H1121在地中H776繞迷了H943，曠野H4057把他們困住了H5462。 4我要使法老H6547的心H3820剛硬H2388，他要追趕H7291他們，我便在法老H6547和他全軍H2428身上得榮耀H3513；埃及人H4714就知道H3045我是耶和華H3068。於是以色列人這樣行了H6213。 5有人告訴H5046埃及H4714王H4428說：百姓H5971逃跑H1272。法老H6547和他的臣僕H5650就向百姓H5971變H2015心H3824，說H559：我們容以色列H3478人去H7971，不再服事我們H5647，這做H6213的是甚麼事呢？ 6法老就預備H631他的車輛H7393，帶H3947領軍兵H5971同去， 7並帶著H3947六H8337百H3967輛特選H977的車H7393和埃及H4714所有H3605的車H7393，每輛都有車兵長H7991。 8耶和華H3068使埃及H4714王H4428法老H6547的心H3820剛硬H2388，他就追趕H7291以色列H3478人H1121，因為以色列H3478人H1121是昂然無懼H7311,H3027地出H3318埃及。 9埃及人H4714追趕他們H7291，法老H6547一切的馬匹H5483、車輛H7393、馬兵H6571，與軍兵H2428就在海H3220邊上，靠近H5921比哈希錄H6367，對著H6440巴力洗分H1189，在他們安營H2583的地方追上了H5381。 10法老H6547臨近H7126的時候，以色列H3478人H1121舉H5375目H5869看見埃及人H4714趕來H5265，就甚H3966懼怕H3372，向耶和華H3068哀求H6817。 11他們對摩西H4872說H559：難道在埃及H4714沒有墳地H6913，你把我們帶H3947來死H4191在曠野H4057麼？你為甚麼這樣H2063待H6213我們，將我們從埃及H4714領出來H3318呢？ 12我們在埃及H4714豈沒有對你說過H1696，不要H2308攪擾我們，容我們服事H5647埃及人H4714麼？因為服事H5647埃及人H4714比死H4191在曠野H4057還好H2896。 13摩西H4872對百姓H5971說H559：不要懼怕H3372，只管站住H3320！看H7200耶和華H3068今天H3117向你們所要施行H6213的救恩H3444。因為，你們今天H3117所看見H7200的埃及人H4714必永遠H5704,H5769不再H3254,H8686看見H7200了。 14耶和華H3068必為你們爭戰H3898；你們只管靜默H2790，不要作聲。 15耶和華H3068對摩西H4872說H559：你為甚麼向我哀求H6817呢？你吩咐H1696以色列H3478人H1121往前走H5265。 16你舉H7311手H3027向H5921海H3220伸H5186杖H4294，把水分開H1234。以色列H3478人H1121要下海H3220中H8432走H935乾地H3004。 17我要使埃及人H4714的心H3820剛硬H2388，他們就跟著H935下去。我要在法老H6547和他的全軍H2428、車輛H7393、馬兵H6571上得榮耀H3513。 18我在法老H6547和他的車輛H7393、馬兵H6571上得榮耀H3513的時候，埃及人H4714就知道H3045我是耶和華H3068了。 19在以色列H3478營H4264前H6440行走H1980神H430的使者H4397，轉H5265到H3212他們後邊H310去；雲H6051柱H5982也從他們前邊H6440轉到H5265他們後邊H310立住H5975。 20在埃及H4714營H4264和以色列H3478營H4264中間有H935雲H6051柱，一邊黑暗H2822，一邊發光H215，終夜H3915兩下H2088不得相近H7126。 21摩西H4872向海H3220伸H5186杖，耶和華H3068便用大H5794東H6921風H7307，使海H3220水一夜H3915退去H3212，水H4325便分開H1234，海H3220就成了H7760乾地H2724。 22以色列H3478人H1121下海H3220中H8432走H935乾地H3004，水H4325在他們的左H8040右H3225作了牆垣H2346。 23埃及人H4714追趕他們H7291，法老H6547一切的馬匹H5483、車輛H7393，和馬兵H6571都跟著H310下到H935海H3220中H8432。 24到了晨H1242更H821的時候，耶和華H3068從雲H6051火H784柱H5982中向埃及H4714的軍兵H4264觀看H8259，使埃及H4714的軍兵H4264混亂了H2000； 25又使他們的車H4818輪H212脫落H5493難以H3517行走H5090，以致埃及人H4714說H559：我們從以色列人H3478面前H6440逃跑罷H5127！因耶和華H3068為他們攻擊H3898我們了 26耶和華H3068對摩西H4872說H559：你向海H3220伸H5186杖，叫水H4325仍合在H7725埃及人H4714並他們的車輛H7393、馬兵H6571身上。 27摩西H4872就向海H3220伸H5186杖，到了天H1242一亮H6437，海H3220水仍舊復原H7725,H386。埃及人H4714避H7125水逃跑H5127的時候，耶和華H3068把他們H4714推翻H5287在海H3220中H8432， 28水H4325就回流H7725，淹沒了H3680車輛H7393和馬兵H6571。那些跟著H310以色列人下H935海H3220法老H6547的全軍H2428，連H5704一個H259也沒有剩下H7604。 29以色列H3478人H1121卻在海H3220中H8432走H1980乾地H3004；水H4325在他們的左H8040右H3225作了牆垣H2346。 30當日H3117，耶和華H3068這樣拯救H3467以色列H3478人脫離埃及人H4714的手H3027，以色列H3478人看見H7200埃及人H4714的死屍H4191都在海H3220邊H8193了。 31以色列H3478人看見H7200耶和華H3068向埃及人H4714所行H6213的大H1419事H3027，就敬畏H3372耶和華H3068，又信服H539他和他的僕人H5650摩西H4872。
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 2 GOD INSTRUCTS THE ISRAELITES AS TO THEIR JOURNEY. (Exo. 14:1-31)
Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp--The Israelites had now completed their three days' journey, and at Etham the decisive step would have to be taken whether they would celebrate their intended feast and return, or march onwards by the head of the Red Sea into the desert, with a view to a final departure. They were already on the borders of the desert, and a short march would have placed them beyond the reach of pursuit, as the chariots of Egypt could have made little progress over dry and yielding sand. But at Etham, instead of pursuing their journey eastward with the sea on their right, they were suddenly commanded to diverge to the south, keeping the gulf on their left; a route which not only detained them lingering on the confines of Egypt, but, in adopting it, they actually turned their backs on the land of which they had set out to obtain the possession. A movement so unexpected, and of which the ultimate design was carefully concealed, could not but excite the astonishment of all, even of Moses himself, although, from his implicit faith in the wisdom and power of his heavenly Guide, he obeyed. The object was to entice Pharaoh to pursue, in order that the moral effect, which the judgments on Egypt had produced in releasing God's people from bondage, might be still further extended over the nations by the awful events transacted at the Red Sea.
Pi-hahiroth--the mouth of the defile, or pass--a description well suited to that of Bedea, which extended from the Nile and opens on the shore of the Red Sea.
Migdol--a fortress or citadel.
Baal-zephon--some marked site on the opposite or eastern coast.
3 the wilderness hath shut them in--Pharaoh, who would eagerly watch their movements, was now satisfied that they were meditating flight, and he naturally thought from the error into which they appeared to have fallen by entering that defile, he could intercept them. He believed them now entirely in his power, the mountain chain being on one side, the sea on the other, so that, if he pursued them in the rear, escape seemed impossible.
5 the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, &c.--Alas, how soon the obduracy of this reprobate king reappears! He had been convinced, but not converted--overawed, but not sanctified by the appalling judgments of heaven. He bitterly repented of what he now thought a hasty concession. Pride and revenge, the honor of his kingdom, and the interests of his subjects, all prompted him to recall his permission to reclaim those runaway slaves and force them to their wonted labor. Strange that he should yet allow such considerations to obliterate or outweigh all his painful experience of the danger of oppressing that people. But those whom the Lord has doomed to destruction are first infatuated by sin.
6 he made ready his chariot--His preparations for an immediate and hot pursuit are here described: A difference is made between "the chosen chariots" and "the chariots of Egypt." The first evidently composed the king's guard, amounting to six hundred, and they are called "chosen," literally, "third men"; three men being allotted to each chariot, the charioteer and two warriors. As to "the chariots of Egypt," the common cars contained only two persons, one for driving and the other for fighting; sometimes only one person was in the chariot, the driver lashed the reins round his body and fought; infantry being totally unsuitable for a rapid pursuit, and the Egyptians having had no cavalry, the word "riders" is in the grammatical connection applied to war chariots employed, and these were of light construction, open behind, and hung on small wheels.
10 when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes--The great consternation of the Israelites is somewhat astonishing, considering their vast superiority in numbers, but their deep dismay and absolute despair at the sight of this armed host receives a satisfactory explanation from the fact that the civilized state of Egyptian society required the absence of all arms, except when they were on service. If the Israelites were entirely unarmed at their departure, they could not think of making any resistance [WILKINSON and HENGSTENBERG].
13 Moses said, . . . Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord--Never, perhaps, was the fortitude of a man so severely tried as that of the Hebrew leader in this crisis, exposed as he was to various and inevitable dangers, the most formidable of which was the vengeance of a seditious and desperate multitude; but his meek, unruffled, magnanimous composure presents one of the sublimest examples of moral courage to be found in history. And whence did his courage arise? He saw the miraculous cloud still accompanying them, and his confidence arose solely from the hope of a divine interposition, although, perhaps, he might have looked for the expected deliverance in every quarter, rather than in the direction of the sea.
15 the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? &c.--When in answer to his prayers, he received the divine command to go forward, he no longer doubted by what kind of miracle the salvation of his mighty charge was to be effected.
19 the angel of God--that is, the pillar of cloud [see on
Exod 13:21]. The slow and silent movement of that majestic column through the air, and occupying a position behind them must have excited the astonishment of the Israelites (
Isa 58:8). It was an effectual barrier between them and their pursuers, not only protecting them, but concealing their movements. Thus, the same cloud produced light (a symbol of favor) to the people of God, and darkness (a symbol of wrath) to their enemies (compare
2Cor 2:16).
21 Moses stretched out his hand, &c.--The waving of the rod was of great importance on this occasion to give public attestation in the presence of the assembled Israelites, both to the character of Moses and the divine mission with which he was charged.
the Lord caused . . . a strong east wind all that night--Suppose a mere ebb tide caused by the wind, raising the water to a great height on one side, still as there was not only "dry land," but, according to the tenor of the sacred narrative, a wall on the right hand and on the left [
Exod 14:22], it would be impossible on the hypothesis of such a natural cause to rear the wall on the other. The idea of divine interposition, therefore, is imperative; and, assuming the passage to have been made at Mount Attakah, or at the mouth of Wady Tawarik, an east wind would cut the sea in that line. The Hebrew word kedem, however, rendered in our translation, "east," means, in its primary signification, previous; so that this verse might, perhaps, be rendered, "the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong previous wind all that night"; a rendering which would remove the difficulty of supposing the host of Israel marched over on the sand, in the teeth of a rushing column of wind, strong enough to heap up the waters as a wall on each side of a dry path, and give the intelligible narrative of divine interference.
22 the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea, &c.--It is highly probable that Moses, along with Aaron, first planted his footsteps on the untrodden sand, encouraging the people to follow him without fear of the treacherous walls; and when we take into account the multitudes that followed him, the immense number who through infancy and old age were incapable of hastening their movements, together with all the appurtenances of the camp, the strong and steadfast character of the leaders' faith was strikingly manifested (
Josh 2:10;
Josh 4:23;
Ps 66:6;
Ps 74:13;
Ps 106:9;
Ps 136:13;
Isa 63:11-
Isa 63:13;
1Cor 10:1;
Heb 11:29).
23 the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea--From the darkness caused by the intercepting cloud, it is probable that they were not aware on what ground they were driving: they heard the sound of the fugitives before them, and they pushed on with the fury of the avengers of blood, without dreaming that they were on the bared bed of the sea.
24 Lord looked . . . through . . . the cloud, and troubled them--We suppose the fact to have been that the side of the pillar of cloud towards the Egyptians was suddenly, and for a few moments, illuminated with a blaze of light, which, coming as it were in a refulgent flash upon the dense darkness which had preceded, so frightened the horses of the pursuers that they rushed confusedly together and became unmanageable. "Let us flee," was the cry that resounded through the broken and trembling ranks, but it was too late; all attempts at flight were vain [BUSH].
27 Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, &c.--What circumstances could more clearly demonstrate the miraculous character of this transaction than that at the waving of Moses' rod, the dividing waters left the channel dry, and on his making the same motion on the opposite side, they returned, commingling with instantaneous fury? Is such the character of any ebb tide?
28 there remained not so much as one of them--It is surprising that, with such a declaration, some intelligent writers can maintain there is no evidence of the destruction of Pharaoh himself (
Ps 106:11).
30 Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea-shore, &c.--The tide threw them up and left multitudes of corpses on the beach; a result that brought greater infamy on the Egyptians, but that tended, on the other hand, to enhance the triumph of the Israelites, and doubtless enriched them with arms, which they had not before. The locality of this famous passage has not yet been, and probably never will be, satisfactorily fixed. Some place it in the immediate neighborhood of Suez; where, they say, the part of the sea is most likely to be affected by "a strong east wind" [
Exod 14:21]; where the road from the defile of Migdol (now Muktala) leads directly to this point; and where the sea, not above two miles broad, could be crossed in a short time. The vast majority, however, who have examined the spot, reject this opinion, and fix the passage, as does local tradition, about ten or twelve miles further down the shore at Wady Tawarik. "The time of the miracle was the whole night, at the season of the year, too, when the night would be about its average length. The sea at that point extends from six and a half to eight miles in breadth. There was thus ample time for the passage of the Israelites from any part of the valley, especially considering their excitement and animation by the gracious and wonderful interposition of Providence in their behalf" [WILSON].
