Exodus 14:24

24 And it came to pass in the morning watch that the Lord looked forth on the camp of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and troubled the camp of the Egyptians,

Exodus 14:24 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 14:24

And it came to pass, that in the morning watch
The Romans divided the night into four watches, so the Hebrews; though some say into three only. The first began at six o'clock, and lasted till nine, the second was from thence to twelve, the third from thence to three in the morning, and the last from three to six, which is here called the morning watch; so that this was some time between three and six o'clock in the morning:

the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians, through the pillar of
fire and of the cloud;
the Angel of the Lord, and who was Jehovah himself, who was in it, he looked to the army of the Egyptians; not to know whereabout they were, he being the omniscient God; nor in a friendly manner, but as an enemy, with indignation and wrath. The Targum of Jonathan is,

``he looked through the pillar of fire, to cast upon them coals of fire, and through the pillar of cloud, to cast upon them hailstones.''

The Jerusalem Targum is,

``pitch, fire, and hailstones;''

and Josephus ^F17 speaks of storms and tempests, of thunder and lightning, and of thunderbolts out of the clouds; and Artapanus ^F18 of fire or lightning flashing out against them, by which many perished. Perhaps the psalmist may have reference to this in ( Psalms 106:10-15 )

and troubled the host of the Egyptians;
the thunder and lightning no doubt frightened the horses, so that they broke their ranks, and horsemen and chariots might run foul on one another, and the hailstones scatter and destroy many; however, the whole must be terrible and distressing to them, especially it being in the night season.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F17 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 2. c. 16. sect. 2.)
F18 Apud Euseb. ut supra. (Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27. p. 436.)

Exodus 14:24 In-Context

22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the water of it was a wall on the right hand and a wall on the left.

23 And the Egyptians pursued them and went in after them, and every horse of Pharao, and his chariots, and his horsemen, into the midst of the sea.

24 And it came to pass in the morning watch that the Lord looked forth on the camp of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and troubled the camp of the Egyptians,

25 and bound the axle-trees of their chariots, and caused them to go with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.

26 And the Lord said to Moses, Stretch forth tine hand over the sea, and let the water be turned back to its place, and let it cover the Egyptians both upon the chariots and the riders.