CROSSING THE RED SEA 2. At Etham the Israelites reached the Egyptian frontier, travelling in a northeasterly direction. Instead of crossing the frontier to the E. side of the Bitter Lakes they are commanded to turn southwards, keeping the Red Sea on their left. The reason for this change of route ma... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WILDERNESS is the Egyptian wilderness, a tract of desert land lying between the Nile and the Red Sea. To the south, in front of the advancing host, rose an impassable mountain chain, so that they found themselves ENTANGLED IN THE LAND. 7. The Egyptian chariots were low two-wheeled cars open beh... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH AN HIGH HAND] Confidently, boldly.... [ Continue Reading ]
HORSEMEN] It is doubtful whether the Egyptians at this time used cavalry. The horsemen may be the charioteers.... [ Continue Reading ]
NO GRAVES IN EGYPT] cp. Numbers 14:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
HOLD YOUR PEACE] The victory will be entirely the work of Jehovah. It is the part of His people to trust in Him and cease from murmuring: cp. Isaiah 30:15; 2 Chronicles 20:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
ANGEL OF GOD] see on Exodus 3:2, and cp. Exodus 13:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
In delivering His people, as in bringing the plagues on the Egyptians, God may have made use of natural means. A strong east wind blowing all night, and acting with the ebbing tide, may have laid bare the shallow neck of water joining the Bitter Lakes to the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to cross... [ Continue Reading ]
A WALL UNTO THEM] This need not mean that they stood up like a wall, but that the water on each side was a defence, preventing a flank attack by the enemy: cp. for this use of the term 'wall' 1 Samuel 25:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE MORNING WATCH] between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., the last of the three watches into which the Hebrews divided the night, in earlier times: cp. Lamentations 2:19; Judges 7:19; 1 Samuel 11:11. The Roman division was into four watches: see Mark 13:35; Matthew 14:25. It is here implied that the previous... [ Continue Reading ]
TOOK OFF] RM 'bound': made them stick fast. They became clogged with the soft ooze in the sea bed.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SEA RETURNED] In Exodus 15:10 this seems to have been effected by a change of wind.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND_ ALL THE HOST] RV 'even all the host.' It is not said that Pharaoh himself perished. The supposed discovery in modern times of the mummy of Merenptah is no argument against his being the Pharaoh of the exodus or against the truth of this narrative. Even though, he did lead his host in person in... [ Continue Reading ]
This notable deliverance naturally made a deep impression upon the Israelites. It justified their faith in Jehovah and it also confirmed the right of Moses to be regarded as their leader. AND BELIEVED THE LORD, AND HIS SERVANT MOSES] But when they turned away from the scene of their deliverance and... [ Continue Reading ]