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| 1 Then spake Yahweh unto Moses, saying: |
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| 2 Speak unto the sons of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea,–before Baal-zephon, over against it, shall ye encamp, by the sea. |
That they turn – This turn was perhaps necessary because of the great wall of Egypt, somewhat similar to the great wall of China, and the route taken was more favorable for pasturage, etc. R2919:2
From northeast to south; mis-interpreted by the Egyptians as becoming entangled in the land. R3997:4
And the sea – The Bitter Lakes, which lengthen out the northernmost tongue of the Red Sea. R3997:4
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| 3 Then will Pharaoh say, of the sons of Israel, Entangled, they are, in the land,–the desert hath closed in upon them. |
They are entangled – They are lost. R3997:4
Shut them In – Having passed between two mountain ranges, up against the northern arm of the Red Sea, they had gone into a pen from which there was no escape. R5277:5
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| 4 So will I let the heart of Pharaoh wax bold, and he will pursue them, that I may get me honour over Pharaoh, and over all his forces, and the Egyptians shall know, that, I, am Yahweh. And they did so. |
Harden Pharaoh's heart – See comment on Exodus 4:21
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| 5 And it was told the king of Egypt, that the people had fled,–and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people, and they said–What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us? |
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| 6 So he yoked his chariot,–and, his people, took he with him. |
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| 7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt,–with warriors, in every one. |
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| 8 And Yahweh let the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt wax bold, and he pursued the sons of Israel,–when, the sons of Israel, were going out with a high hand. |
Of Pharaoh – Type of Satan. R5273:2, R5419:5; F458
Of Egypt – Satan's dominion of sin and death. R5643:1, R5273:1; F458
And he pursued – The powers that be may possibly concede for a time the demands of the weak and helpless and then attempt their recapture under selfishness, and through a Red Sea of trouble the Lord will administer a final chastisement. R2920:1
Children of Israel – Type of all who ultimately become God's people. F458; R5641:1, R5870:1
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| 9 So the Egyptians pursued them, and overtook them, encamping by the sea–all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his forces,–by Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon. |
But the Egyptians – Typifying Satan's servants who have oppressed God's people. R5273:2, R5641:3; F458
All the horses – Symbolic of false doctrines. C316
And chariots – Symbolic of worldly organizations. C316
And his horsemen – Symbolic of the great leaders in false doctrines. C316
Symbolic of fallen angels and men. F458
By the sea – The Red Sea, representing the Second Death. F459
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| 10 Now, when, Pharaoh, had drawn near, the sons of Israel lifted up their eyes, and lo! the Egyptians, moving along after them, and they feared greatly, and the sons of Israel made outcry unto Yahweh. |
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| 11 Then said they unto Moses, Was it because there were no graves in Egypt, that thou didst fetch us, to die in the desert? What is this thou hast done to us, bringing us forth out of Egypt? |
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| 12 Is not this the word which we spake unto thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians,–for it is, better for us, to serve the Egyptians, than to die in the desert? |
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| 13 And Moses said unto the people–Do not fear, stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which he will work for you today,–for, as for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall not again see them any more, to times age-abiding. |
Stand still and see – The duty of God's people toward the perplexing questions of the present time. A342
Sometimes we come to the very end of all human possibilities. Then, and not till then, should we apply these words of Moses to ourselves. R5278:4
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| 14 Yahweh, will fight for you,–and, ye, shall, forbear. |
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| 15 And Yahweh said unto Moses, What outcry wouldst thou make unto me? Speak unto the sons of Israel, that they go forward; |
Go forward – There is a time to pray and also a time to act. R2919:4
In giving and obeying this command faith was demonstrated. Does not the Lord sometimes allow adversities and oppositions to hedge us in? This is the time to hearken to his voice and, in faith, go forward. R3997:6
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| 16 and, thou, lift high thy staff, and stretch forth thy hand over the sea, and cleave it asunder,–that the sons of Israel may enter into the midst of the sea, on dry ground; |
Go on dry ground – On a sand bar. R3998:2, R4623:5, R5277:6, R2919:5
Midst of the sea – The water at the upper end of the Red Sea is at no great depth, so that at times, when the tide is low, cavalry have forded it--for instance, Napoleon. R3998:1, R2919:6
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| 17 and, I, behold me, letting the heart of the Egyptians wax bold, that they may enter after them,–that I may get me honour over Pharaoh, and over his forces, over his chariots, and over his horsemen. |
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| 18 And the Egyptians shall know, that, I, am Yahweh,–when I have gotten me honour over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen. |
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| 19 And the messenger of God who was going on before the camp of Israel, removed, and came on behind them,–and the pillar of cloud removed from before them, and stood behind them; |
The angel of God – Not always a being; sometimes signifying the exercise of divine power in connection with human affairs. R5278:1
Cloud -An evidence of the Lord's special care over them, a great aid to their faith, discontinued when they crossed Jordan into Canaan. R3997:2
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| 20 so it came in between the camp of the Egyptians, and the camp of Israel, so it became a cloud and darkness, and yet lighted up the night,–so that the one came not near unto the other, all the night. |
A cloud – From the world's standpoint, very dark; from our standpoint, the healing rays of the sun. R577:2
And darkness – Josephus and other outside narratives declare that it rained, thundered and lightened appallingly. R2919:5
But it gave light – Matters appear differently from different standpoints. Since the storm is to scatter the powers of darkness, the sooner it comes the better. R577:2
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| 21 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and Yahweh carried away the sea by a mighty east wind, all the night, and turned the sea into dry land,–and the waters were cloven asunder. |
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| 22 Then went the sons of Israel into the midst of the sea, on the dry ground,–and, the waters, to them, were a wall, on their right hand, and on their left. |
Children of Israel – Type of all who ultimately become God's people. F458, R5641:1, R5870:1
A wall – A barricade, protection, shield. R3998:3, R4623:5, R5278:1
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| 23 And the Egyptians pursued, and entered after them–all the horses of Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen,–into the midst of the sea. |
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| 24 And it came to pass, in the morning watch, that Yahweh looked down into the camp of the Egyptians, through the pillar of fire and cloud, and confused the camp of the Egyptians; |
Host of the Egyptians – Typifying Satan's servants who have oppressed God's people. R5273:2, R5641:2; F458
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| 25 and he took off the wheels of their chariots, and made them drive heavily,–so that the Egyptians said–We must flee from the face of Israel, for, Yahweh, is fighting for them, against the Egyptians. |
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| 26 Then said Yahweh unto Moses, Stretch forth thy hand over the sea,–that the waters may return upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. |
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| 27 So Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned, towards morning, to its steady flow, when, the Egyptians, were fleeing to meet it,–thus Yahweh shook off the Egyptians, into the midst of the sea; |
Overthrew the Egyptians – At the end of the Millennial age Satan and all who are on his side will be forever destroyed. R3999:4
Midst of the sea – A reversal of the wind would cause the return of the waters. R4623:5
The present enslaving agencies will be overthrown by anarchy, in the great time of trouble, now near. R1657:5
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| 28 thus the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, even all the forces of Pharaoh, that were entering after them into the sea,–there was not left remaining among them, so much as one. |
The waters returned – Opposite Suez, the tide rises eight to nine feet when aided by strong winds, returning with unusual suddenness and power after the ebb. R3998:3*
The host of Pharaoh – Representing all who eventually will go into Second Death. R5870:1
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| 29 But, the sons of Israel, had gone their way on dry ground in the saidst of the sea,–and, the waters, had been to them a wall, on their right hand and on their left. |
Children of Israel – Type of all who ultimately become God's people. F458, R5641:1, R5870:1
Dry land – On a sand bar. R3998:2, R4623:5
Midst of the sea – Possibly two miles across. R3998:2
Were a wall – In its broadest sense merely signifies a barricade, protection, shield. R3998:3, R4623:5, R5278:1
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| 30 Thus did Yahweh, on that day, save Israel, out of the hand of the Egyptians,–and Israel saw the Egyptians, dead on the shore of the sea. |
The LORD saved – Picturing the deliverance of all the obedient after the plagues. (Rev. 16) R1657:3
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| 31 And, when Israel saw the mighty hand wherewith Yahweh had wrought against the Egyptians, then did the people revere Yahweh,–and they put their trust in Yahweh, and in Moses, his servant. |
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