14:1-19:2, The journey from Egypt to Mt. Sinai.
14:1-31, Freed Hebrews crossed the Red Sea by God's miracle.
14:1 AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES, SAYING,
14:2 SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, THAT THEY TURN AND ENCAMP BEFORE PI-HAHIROTH, BETWEEN MIGDOL AND THE SEA, OVER AGAINST BAAL-ZEPHON: BEFORE IT SHALL YE ENCAMP BY THE SEA.
A.They were now "encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness."
B.THAT THEY TURN: All had gone well thus far, and now they were on the edge of freedom and safety, with their goal not far away. But here God suspended their march and caused them to TURN south, still in Egypt, away from Palestine, and to place themselves where there would be a sea between them and Asia, and they would be in what is considered one of the most desolate areas in all the Continent of Africa.
C.OVER AGAINST (OPPOSITE, NKJ) BAAL-ZEPHON: Some who have studied the maps and the topography of the land say the people had come into an area where they were walled in by mountains on two sides, and the Sea on the third side, with an open valley on the fourth side, through which valley the Egyptian army could march straight in upon them. As someone said, "They were between the devil and the deep blue sea!" In this situation, only God could save them.
D.BEFORE IT SHALL YE ENCAMP BY THE SEA: God works in strange and mysterious ways! Why would He have them to make this unusual turn and get themselves in this position? Verses 3 and 4 give the answer. God knew that Pharaoh was still not completely conquered. If the Israelites were to go straight on into the desert, the Egyptians could overtake them and easily capture or annihilate them. So by what may have seemed a perplexing move, God was laying a surprising trap for Pharaoh.
14:3 FOR PHARAOH WILL SAY OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, THEY [ARE] ENTANGLED IN THE LAND, THE WILDERNESS HATH SHUT THEM IN.
A.Scouts would bring the report to Pharaoh that the people seemed to be afraid to cross the desert, and in trying to find another way to leave the country they apparently had become confused and perplexed, had lost their way, and were ENTANGLED IN (BEWILDERED BY, NKJ) THE LAND.
B.THE WILDERNESS HATH SHUT THEM IN: THE WILDERNESS of the desert country between the Nile Valley and the Red Sea had them blocked and fenced in. Pharaoh must have been thinking, "This
is a strategic blunder on their part; They are trapped -- hemmed in by mountains, the Sea before them, and I can soon have an army bearing down on them from behind -- it will be easy to overtake and capture them." He no doubt thought their only choice would be either to starve or to return to Egypt.
14:4 AND I WILL HARDEN PHARAOH'S HEART, THAT HE SHALL FOLLOW AFTER THEM; AND I WILL BE HONORED UPON PHARAOH, AND UPON ALL HIS HOST; THAT THE EGYPTIANS MAY KNOW THAT I [AM] THE LORD. AND THEY DID SO.
A.I WILL HARDEN PHARAOH'S HEART: Pharaoh had his plans, but God had other plans! The hardening of Pharaoh's heart is diffi-cult for us. Perhaps God was increasing his strength of will, but not taking away his privilege and responsibility to turn his will to the right instead of to the wrong. That remained Pharaoh's personal choice, for which only he was responsible.
B.HE SHALL FOLLOW AFTER THEM: With that strong will he would continue his viciousness toward these people by trying to catch them and punish them.
C.I WILL BE HONORED: The Egyptians and people everywhere will praise God for His wisdom, power, and victory over evil, and the Egyptians would finally be convinced that He really is the LORD Who rules over all.
D.AND THEY DID SO: The Israelites obeyed the Lord and camped where He told them to camp.
E.There would be at least three things accomplished by all this:
14:5 AND IT WAS TOLD THE KING OF EGYPT THAT THE PEOPLE FLED: AND THE HEART OF PHARAOH AND OF HIS SERVANTS WAS TURNED AGAINST THE PEOPLE, AND THEY SAID, WHY HAVE WE DONE THIS, THAT WE HAVE LET ISRAEL GO FROM SERVING US?
A.IT WAS TOLD: Just as God said it would happen, the scouts did their reconnaissance and made their report.
B.THAT THE PEOPLE FLED: They were truly gone, and their going was made to appear a breach of faith -- Pharaoh might argue that he allowed them to go only a short distance, and they obviously were taking advantage and leaving for good.
C.THE HEART OF PHARAOH AND OF HIS SERVANTS WAS TURNED AGAINST THE PEOPLE: They changed their minds about allowing 600,000 able-bodied slaves to get away without even a skirmish.
D.WHY HAVE WE DONE THIS: They were amazed that they had acted so stupidly in losing this low-cost service, and were ready to make an all-out effort to regain what they had lost.
14:6 AND HE MADE READY HIS CHARIOT, AND TOOK HIS PEOPLE WITH HIM:
14:7 AND HE TOOK SIX HUNDRED CHOSEN CHARIOTS, AND ALL THE CHARIOTS OF EGYPT, AND CAPTAINS OVER EVERY ONE OF THEM.
A.TOOK HIS PEOPLE: The army that he could muster on short notice.
B.It consisted of 600 CHOSEN (CHOICE, NKJ) CHARIOTS; And in addition to the best, there were ALL THE CHARIOTS OF EGYPT, and commanders to guide and use them. Those who are conver-sant with such situations estimate that in addition to these chariots there would have been at least 100,000 foot soldiers.
14:8 AND THE LORD HARDENED THE HEART OF PHARAOH KING OF EGYPT, AND HE PURSUED AFTER THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL: AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WENT OUT WITH AN HIGH HAND.
A.PHARAOH: In his hard-headed and hard-hearted stubbornness, he went after the Israelites. He had been humiliated by Moses, and had suffered great economic loss because of all the plagues; Now he regains his composure and feels a king again.
B.THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WENT OUT WITH AN HIGH HAND (WITH BOLD-NESS, NKJ): They were a proud people, set free at last from slavery, and on their way to the Promised Land, so they were moving out, not as fugitives, but with confidence.
14:9 BUT THE EGYPTIANS PURSUED AFTER THEM, ALL THE HORSES [AND] CHARIOTS OF PHARAOH, AND HIS HORSEMEN, AND HIS ARMY, AND OVERTOOK THEM ENCAMPING BY THE SEA, BESIDE PI-HAHIROTH, BEFORE BAAL-ZEPHON.
14:10 AND WHEN PHARAOH DREW NIGH, THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL LIFTED UP THEIR EYES, AND, BEHOLD, THE EGYPTIANS MARCHED AFTER THEM; AND THEY WERE SORE AFRAID: AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL CRIED OUT UNTO THE LORD.
A.THEY WERE SORE AFRAID: Although they had continually observed the power of God, and had benefitted by it, they recognized that they could not defeat this trained and disciplined army, although they were much larger in numbers.
B.They CRIED OUT UNTO THE LORD: It may seem strange to us that their faith was so weak that they were AFRAID, but at least they turned to the only Help they had. They knew that on their own they were helpless -- they were unarmed, had no military training, and had never experienced war.
14:11 AND THEY SAID UNTO MOSES, BECAUSE [THERE WERE] NO GRAVES IN EGYPT, HAST THOU TAKEN US AWAY TO DIE IN THE WILDERNESS? WHEREFORE HAST THOU DEALT THUS WITH US, TO CARRY US FORTH OUT OF EGYPT?
A.Those who lead in ways which are considered to be untried and unsafe will always meet resistance from those they lead. This is the first of many instances when these people turned on Moses with harsh words.
B.You can almost hear some bright wisecracker speaking out: "Wasn't there enough room in Egypt to bury us?"
C.WHEREFORE HAST THOU DEALT THUS WITH US: "As an Egyptian prince, you should have known the way Pharaoh would react, and with all your education you should have known the geography of the country, and not led us to this place."
14:12 [IS] NOT THIS THE WORD THAT WE DID TELL THEE IN EGYPT, SAYING, LET US ALONE, THAT WE MAY SERVE THE EGYPTIANS? FOR [IT HAD BEEN] BETTER FOR US TO SERVE THE EGYPTIANS, THAN THAT WE SHOULD DIE IN THE WILDERNESS.
A.IS NOT THIS THE WORD THAT WE DID TELL THEE: After straw was taken away and they still had to make the same number of bricks, they complained to Moses and Aaron about the problem they had caused the people (Ex 5:21); Then when Moses tried to comfort them and assure them of God's faithfulness to keep His promise to them, they would not listen (Ex 6:9).
B.BETTER FOR US TO SERVE THE EGYPTIANS, THAN THAT WE SHOULD DIE: They had grown up as slaves; As yet they had no national inde-pendence with its traditions; So they did not rise to heights of patriotism like Patrick Henry ("Give me liberty, or give me death!") They preferred living under the direction of a so-cialistic welfare state than to be free and independent.
14:13 AND MOSES SAID UNTO THE PEOPLE, FEAR YE NOT, STAND STILL, AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD, WHICH HE WILL SHEW TO YOU TODAY: FOR THE EGYPTIANS WHOM YE HAVE SEEN TODAY, YE SHALL SEE THEM AGAIN NO MORE FOR EVER.
A.AND MOSES SAID UNTO THE PEOPLE: In response to their reproach, what would have been spoken by a modern TV/movie "hero" out of his pride and bluster? Contrast the calmness and kindness of the great man Moses who did not return railing for railing.
B.FEAR YE NOT: Moses may not have had the slightest idea of what God would do, but he was confident that all things were part of God's plan, and that all would be well.
C.SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD: He knew that Jehovah was the only source of their deliverance.
D.YE SHALL SEE THEM AGAIN NO MORE: Perhaps the idea is not that they would never see an Egyptian again, but they would never
see these Egyptians again, and they would never see any of them with the power which they once had over the Israelites.
14:14 THE LORD SHALL FIGHT FOR YOU, AND YE SHALL HOLD YOUR PEACE.
**HOLD YOUR PEACE: "Don't be agitated, just remain at rest."
14:15 AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, WHEREFORE CRIEST THOU UNTO ME? SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, THAT THEY GO FORWARD:
A.WHEREFORE CRIEST THOU UNTO ME?: Some have considered this to be criticism, and a charge against Moses that he too had become anxious. Others say God was just telling him that at the moment he needed to cease praying and start some action.
B.THAT THEY GO FORWARD: Always the direction for God's people. They were to line up and march to the shore of the Sea, and stand ready to cross. Note that obedience was necessary to their salvation. This would prove their faith.
14:16 BUT LIFT THOU UP THY ROD, AND STRETCH OUT THINE HAND OVER THE SEA, AND DIVIDE IT: AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SHALL GO ON DRY [GROUND] THROUGH THE MIDST OF THE SEA.
14:17 AND I, BEHOLD, I WILL HARDEN THE HEARTS OF THE EGYPTIANS, AND THEY SHALL FOLLOW THEM: AND I WILL GET ME HONOUR UPON PHARAOH, AND UPON ALL HIS HOST, UPON HIS CHARIOTS, AND UPON HIS HORSEMEN.
14:18 AND THE EGYPTIANS SHALL KNOW THAT I [AM] THE LORD, WHEN I HAVE GOTTEN ME HONOUR UPON PHARAOH, UPON HIS CHARIOTS, AND UPON HIS HORSEMEN.
A.I WILL HARDEN THE HEARTS OF THE EGYPTIANS: The stubborn will of the Egyptians would be strengthened, so their desire to have the Israelites back would cause them to FOLLOW THEM.
B.I WILL GET ME HONOR: God would be praised by all who heard of what happened to Pharaoh and his army.
C.THE EGYPTIANS SHALL KNOW: God would have a final and complete victory that day, and there would be no doubt in the minds of the Egyptians that Jehovah is the true God, and the Ruler of all things; That He is superior to all Egyptian deities.
14:19 AND THE ANGEL OF GOD, WHICH WENT BEFORE THE CAMP OF ISRAEL, REMOVED AND WENT BEHIND THEM; AND THE PILLAR OF THE CLOUD WENT FROM BEFORE THEIR FACE, AND STOOD BEHIND THEM:
**All along the way the ANGEL OF GOD and the PILLAR OF THE CLOUD had preceded the multitude, now the CLOUD moved BEHIND THEM.
14:20 AND IT CAME BETWEEN THE CAMP OF THE EGYPTIANS AND THE CAMP OF ISRAEL; AND IT WAS A CLOUD AND DARKNESS [TO THEM], BUT IT GAVE LIGHT BY NIGHT [TO THESE]: SO THAT THE ONE CAME NOT NEAR THE OTHER ALL THE NIGHT.
**The CLOUD gave light to the Israelites, but made it dark for the Egyptians, making it impossible for the Egyptians to attack by night, while at the same time making it possible for the Israelites to get organized for the march across the Sea.
14:21 AND MOSES STRETCHED OUT HIS HAND OVER THE SEA; AND THE LORD CAUSED THE SEA TO GO [BACK] BY A STRONG EAST WIND ALL THAT NIGHT, AND MADE THE SEA DRY [LAND], AND THE WATERS WERE DIVIDED.
**THE WATERS WERE DIVIDED: The Sea opened up as God apparently used both natural and supernatural powers to cause it.
14:22 AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WENT INTO THE MIDST OF THE SEA UPON THE DRY [GROUND]: AND THE WATERS [WERE] A WALL UNTO THEM ON THEIR RIGHT HAND, AND ON THEIR LEFT.
14:23 AND THE EGYPTIANS PURSUED, AND WENT IN AFTER THEM TO THE MIDST OF THE SEA, [EVEN] ALL PHARAOH'S HORSES, HIS CHARIOTS, AND HIS HORSEMEN.
14:24 AND IT CAME TO PASS, THAT IN THE MORNING WATCH THE LORD LOOKED UNTO THE HOST OF THE EGYPTIANS THROUGH THE PILLAR OF FIRE AND OF THE CLOUD, AND TROUBLED THE HOST OF THE EGYPTIANS,
A.TROUBLED THE HOST OF THE EGYPTIANS: It seems they became confused and were in a panic, which is not hard to understand if you imagine what they saw and what they must have been thinking!
B.Perhaps most students look upon Psa 77:16-20 as speaking of this event, and as a commentary on this Verse: "16 The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled. 17 The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad. 18 The voice of thy thunder [was] in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook. 19 Thy way [is] in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known. 20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron."
14:25 AND TOOK OFF THEIR CHARIOT WHEELS, THAT THEY DROVE THEM HEAVILY: SO THAT THE EGYPTIANS SAID, LET US FLEE FROM THE FACE OF ISRAEL; FOR THE LORD FIGHTETH FOR THEM AGAINST THE EGYPTIANS.
A.TOOK OFF THEIR CHARIOT WHEELS: The Hebrew word(s) here are not clear as to whether the wheels were actually removed, or were
"bound/clogged" ("stuck" in the soft sand). Whatever the details as to how God did this, it was very difficult to make the chariots move. The Israelites, being on foot, with no wheeled vehicles, had crossed with no problem.
B.THE EGYPTIANS SAID: Moses had told the people that God would fight for them - Verse 14. These Egyptian soldiers can see it is true, so they say, "Let's leave these people alone! Great JEHOVAH is on their side, and He is fighting against us."
14:26 AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, STRETCH OUT THINE HAND OVER THE SEA, THAT THE WATERS MAY COME AGAIN UPON THE EGYPTIANS, UPON THEIR CHARIOTS, AND UPON THEIR HORSEMEN.
14:27 AND MOSES STRETCHED FORTH HIS HAND OVER THE SEA, AND THE SEA RETURNED TO HIS STRENGTH WHEN THE MORNING APPEARED; AND THE EGYPTIANS FLED AGAINST IT; AND THE LORD OVERTHREW THE EGYPTIANS IN THE MIDST OF THE SEA.
A.THE SEA RETURNED TO HIS STRENGTH (ITS FULL DEPTH, NKJ): The waters rushed toward the Egyptians from both sides.
B.THE EGYPTIANS FLED: They tried to get out of the path of the flood, but THE LORD OVERTHREW them.
14:28 AND THE WATERS RETURNED, AND COVERED THE CHARIOTS, AND THE HORSEMEN, [AND] ALL THE HOST OF PHARAOH THAT CAME INTO THE SEA AFTER THEM; THERE REMAINED NOT SO MUCH AS ONE OF THEM.
A.God's abundant power was again manifest as the Egyptian host was utterly destroyed. No "god of war" could deliver them. Truly, Jehovah had fought for Israel (See Verse 14).
B.ALL THE HOST OF PHARAOH: This does not say that Pharaoh him-self was included.
C.THERE REMAINED NOT SO MUCH AS ONE OF THEM: Some have accused God of wasting human life instead of being a God of mercy. They fail to see the other side of the "mercy" coin -- Its label is "justice." God will not permit sinners always to defy Him. Those who refuse to believe and repent will some day feel the weight of His wrath - 1Th 1:7-9, "7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power"
14:29 BUT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WALKED UPON DRY [LAND] IN THE MIDST OF THE SEA; AND THE WATERS [WERE] A WALL UNTO THEM ON THEIR RIGHT HAND, AND ON THEIR LEFT.
14:30 THUS THE LORD SAVED ISRAEL THAT DAY OUT OF THE HAND OF THE EGYPTIANS; AND ISRAEL SAW THE EGYPTIANS DEAD UPON THE SEA SHORE.
A.THUS THE LORD SAVED ISRAEL THAT DAY: This is an illustration of salvation by faith -- See Heb 11:27-29, "27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. 28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry [land]: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned."
B.See the simplicity -- God required an obedient faith for the salvation of Israel, and Paul says that this is an example unto us in this age. In other words, our salvation will be acquired in the same way, namely, by the obedience of faith.
14:31 AND ISRAEL SAW THAT GREAT WORK WHICH THE LORD DID UPON THE EGYPTIANS: AND THE PEOPLE FEARED THE LORD, AND BELIEVED THE LORD, AND HIS SERVANT MOSES.
A.ISRAEL SAW THAT GREAT WORK: The work of destruction of Pha-raoh's army, and the defeat and disgrace of the stubborn king.
B.THE PEOPLE FEARED THE LORD AND BELIEVED THE LORD: In reverence they worshipped Him; This is a great thing to say about peo-ple, but the fear and the faith need to be lasting -- This could not be said about Israel in their subsequent years.
C.AND HIS SERVANT MOSES: Their faith was fickle, as they proved in the wilderness; But for now, all was well.
D.At this point, having come at last to the Asian Continent, the people were filled with gratitude and reverence for Jehovah. "The wonder is that after so marvellous a deliverance they could ever again doubt Him." -- J.O. in PULPIT COMMENTARY.
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