Exodus 13:17-22

Crossing the Sea

17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”
18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.[a] The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.
19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.”[b]
20 After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.
21 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.
22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

Exodus 13:17-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 13

This chapter begins with an order to sanctify or set apart the firstborn of man and beast to the Lord, Ex 13:1,2 and the people of Israel are charged to keep the feast of unleavened bread in its season, from year to year, when they came into the land of Canaan, the reason of which they were to acquaint their children with, Ex 13:3-10 and they are also directed, when come into the land of Canaan, to set apart every firstling of a beast unto the Lord, and particularly the firstling of an ass was to be redeemed with a lamb, or its neck to be broke, and all the firstborn of men were to be redeemed also, Ex 13:11-13, and when their children inquired the reason of it, they were to be told it was on account of the Lord's slaying the firstborn of men and beast among the Egyptians, when Pharaoh would not let Israel go, and of saving the firstborn of his people, Ex 13:14-16, and it is observed, that when the children of Israel went out of Egypt, they were not led by the nearest way, the way of the land of the Philistines, but a round about way, the way of the wilderness of the Red sea, when they took the bones of Joseph with them, as he had adjured them to do, Ex 13:17-19, and the chapter is concluded with an account of their journeying from Succoth to Etham, the Lord going before them in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night, Ex 13:20-22.

Cross References 10

  • 1. Exodus 14:11; Numbers 14:1-4; Deuteronomy 17:16; Hosea 11:5
  • 2. Exodus 15:22; Psalms 136:16; Ezekiel 20:10
  • 3. Joshua 1:14; Joshua 4:13
  • 4. Joshua 24:32; Acts 7:16; Hebrews 11:22
  • 5. S Genesis 47:29-30; Genesis 50:24-25
  • 6. S Exodus 12:37
  • 7. Numbers 33:6
  • 8. Exodus 32:1; Exodus 33:14; Deuteronomy 2:7; Deuteronomy 31:8; Judges 4:14; Judges 5:4; Psalms 68:7; Psalms 77:20; Jeremiah 2:2; Habakkuk 3:13
  • 9. Exodus 14:19,24; Exodus 24:16; Exodus 33:9-10; Exodus 34:5; Exodus 40:38; Numbers 9:16; Numbers 12:5; Numbers 14:14; Deuteronomy 1:33; Nehemiah 9:12,19; Psalms 78:14; Psalms 99:7; Psalms 105:39; Isaiah 4:5; 1 Corinthians 10:1
  • 10. Nehemiah 9:19

Footnotes 2

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