Exodus 14:11

11 They said to Moshe, "Because there were no graves in Mitzrayim, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way, to bring us forth out of Mitzrayim?

Exodus 14:11 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 14:11

And they said unto Moses
The Targum of Jonathan is,

``the ungodly of that generation said unto Moses;''

but it seems rather to be understood of the body of the people in general, and is not to be limited to some particular persons of the worse characters among them:

because there were no graves in Egypt;
as if there had been none, when there were so many; the Egyptians being more solicitous about their graves than their houses, as Diodorus Siculus reports ^F21; thus upbraiding Moses in a sarcastic way for what he had done:

hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?
that so there might be room and graves enough to bury them in, for nothing but death was before their eyes:

wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
which was very ungrateful and disingenuous.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 47.

Exodus 14:11 In-Context

9 The Mitzrim pursued after them: all the horses and chariots of Par`oh, his horsemen, and his army; and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pi-Hachirot, before Ba`al-Tzefon.

10 When Par`oh drew near, the children of Yisra'el lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Mitzrim were marching after them; and they were very afraid. The children of Yisra'el cried out to the LORD.

11 They said to Moshe, "Because there were no graves in Mitzrayim, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way, to bring us forth out of Mitzrayim?

12 Isn't this the word that we spoke to you in Mitzrayim, saying, 'Leave us alone, that we may serve the Mitzrim?' For it were better for us to serve the Mitzrim, than that we should die in the wilderness."

13 Moshe said to the people, "Don't be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today: for the Mitzrim whom you have seen today, you shall never see them again.