Êxodo 14:19,20

The angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel — The “Jehovah” of Êxodo 13:21 becomes here “the angel of God,” as “the angel of Jehovah” in the burning bush (Êxodo 3:2) becomes “God” (Êxodo 14:4), and “Jehovah” (Êxodo 14:7). The angel is distinguished from the cloud, and represented as antedating its movements and directing them. It is clear that the object of the movement now made was double: (1) to check and trouble the Egyptians by involving them in “cloud and darkness;” and (2) to cheer and assist the Israelites by affording them abundant light for all their necessary arrangements. Although there is nothing in the original corresponding to our translators’ expressions, “to them,” “to these,” yet those expressions seem to do no more than to bring out the true sense. (Comp, the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, the Syriac Version, and the Commentaries of Rosenmüller, Maurer, Knobel, and Kaliseh.)