Exodus 13:17-22

Summary of Travel

17 And when Pharaoh released the people, God did not lead them the way of the land of the Philistines, though it [was] nearer, because God said, "Lest the people change their mind when they see war and return to Egypt."
18 So God led the people around [by] the way of the desert [to] the {Red Sea}, and the {Israelites} went up in battle array from the land of Egypt.
19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because [Joseph] had made the {Israelites} solemnly swear an oath, saying, "God will surely attend to you, and you will take up my bones from here with you."
20 And they set out from Succoth, and they encamped at Etham on the edge of the desert.
21 And Yahweh was going before them by day in a column of cloud to lead them [on] the way and [by] night in a column of fire to give light to them to go by day and night.
22 The column of cloud by day and the column of fire [by] night did not depart from before 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.

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Literally "sea of reed"
  • [b]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
  • [c]. Hebrew "he"
  • [d]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.