And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp
of
Israel
That is, the pillar of cloud, and the Angel of God, or Jehovah,
in it, whereby the camp of Israel was secured from being annoyed
by the camp of the Egyptians; and was an emblem of the gracious
interposition of Christ between his spiritual Israel, whom he has
redeemed by his blood, and their spiritual enemies, the
Egyptians, the men of the world that hate them, from whose rage
and malice Christ is their protection and safeguard:
and it was a cloud and darkness [to them];
to the Egyptians; it cast a shade upon them, and made the
darkness of the night still greater to them, so that they could
not see their way, and knew not where they were:
but it gave light by night to these;
to the Israelites, so that they could see their way, and walk on
in the midst of the sea, as on dry land; and such a light and
guide they needed; for it was now the twenty first day of the
month, seven days after the full of the moon, when the passover
began, and therefore could have no benefit from the moon. The
Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem say, that half the cloud was
light, and half darkness; and it seems plain from the account,
that that side of it which was towards the Egyptians was dark,
and that which was towards the Israelites was light, and so an
hinderance to the one and a benefit to the other: thus Christ is
set for the rising of some, and the fall of others; and his
Gospel is to some the savour of death unto death, and to others
the savour of life unto life; to the one it is a hidden Gospel,
and lies in darkness and obscurity, and to others a great and
glorious light:
so that one came not near the other all the
night;
an emblem of that division and separation which the grace of God,
the blood of Christ, and the light of the Gospel, make between
the true Israel of God, and the men of the world; and which will
continue throughout time, and to all eternity, so that they will
never come near to each other; see ( Luke 16:26 ) .
