Exodus 14

— Pi-hahiroth.] The Arabs call the narrow passes in the mountains Fum, as the Hebrews did Pi, “the mouth.” Fum el Beder is the mouth of Beder: Fum el Terfowey, the passage or mouth of Terfowey: Pi or Phi-Hiroth, the mouth of the valley cut through with ravines. Bruce.

— Baal-zephon.] Nothing could tend more to wean the Israelites from their fondness for Egyptian superstitions, than God’s shewing His superiority over all their deities, and his judgments upon their votaries. Baal-zephon was probably a place of worship, designed for the use of manners, where stood the statue of some serpentine deity, the supposed guardian of those seas. The children of Israel may have been particularly directed towards this part of the coast, that they might see another proof of the futility of such worship. This must have been the consequence, when in the morning they beheld the dead bodies of the Egyptians, lying upon the beach, almost within the precincts of the idolatrous inclosure, ver. 30. Bryant.

Chap. XV. ver. 1. Then sang Moses &c.] On this memorable deliverance Moses composed a thanksgiving which he and the Israelites sang unto the Lord. It is also a sublime prophecy, foretelling the powerful effect of this tremendous judgment on the neighbouring nations of Edom, Moab, Palestine, and Canaan; the future settlement of the Israelites in the promised land; and the erection of the temple and sanctuary on mount Sion; and the perpetuity of the dominion and worship of God. Dr. Hales.

The most ancient of all poems, now extant, at least of those, the age of which has been ascertained, is this thanksgiving ode of Moses after the passage of the Red sea: it is at the same time most perfect in its kind. It shows the early connexion which subsisted between poetry and religion: and is an example of that species of poetical composition, which the Hebrews cultivated more than all other sorts, and in which they particularly excelled; namely, the rendering of publick thanks in songs of triumph to God, for prosperity in their enterprises and for success in war. Bp. Lowth.

Exodus 14:2

2. — I will prepare him an habitation;] I will build Him a tabernacle. Dr. Hales. Meaning, I foresee by that spirit of prophecy, which He has given me, that He shall have a tabernacle reared up for Him by His people. Bp. Hall. Let this mighty God and Defender be the object of our constant adoration, in attending upon the stated place of His publick worship. Pyle.

Exodus 14:3

3. — a man of war.] A noble warriour. Bp. Hall. He gets great victories. Bp. Patrick.

— the Lord is his name.] Rather “Jehovah is His name.” It is hereby meant, that He hath performed

Exodus 14:4

4. — I will harden Pharaoh’s heart.] I will in just judgment so besot Pharaoh, that, forgetting his former experience of My power, he shall, in hopes of prevailing, follow after you. Bp. Hall.

Exodus 14:5

5. — and the heart of Pharaoh — was turned.] As good motions are long ere they can enter into hard hearts, so they seldom continue long. No sooner were the backs of the Israelites turned to depart, than Pharaoh’s heart and face are turned after them, to fetch them back again. It vexes him to see so great a command, so much wealth, cast away in one night; which now he

Exodus 14:7

7. — chariots.] Scripture speaks of two sorts of chariots; one for princes and generals to ride in, the other to break the enemy’s battalions, by rushing in among them, being armed with iron, which made terrible havoc. The most ancient chariots of war we find mentioned are Pharaoh’s, which were overthrown in the Red sea. The Canaanites, whom Joshua engaged at the waters of Merom, had cavalry, and a multitude of chariots, Josh. xi. 4. Sisera, general of Jabin, king of Hazor, had 900 chariots of iron, Judg. iv. 3. Judah could not get possession of the lands belonging to their lot, because the ancient inhabitants of the country were strong in chariots of iron, Judg. i. 19. The Philistines, in their war against Saul, had 30,000 chariots, and 6,000 horsemen, 1 Sam. xiii. 5. David having taken 1,000 chariots of war from Hadadeser, king of Syria, hamstrung the horses, and burned 900 chariots, reserving only 100, 2 Sam. viii. 4; 1 Chron. xviii. 4.

It does not appear that the kings of the Hebrews used chariots in war. Solomon had a considerable number, 1 Kings x. 26; but we do not know of any military expedition wherein they were employed. As Judea was a mountainous country, chariots were of no use. In 2 Mac. xiii. 2, there is mention of chariots armed with scythes, which the king of Syria led against Judea. Calmet.

Exodus 14:8

8. — he pursued after the children of Israel.] Of all the infatuated resolutions, that either king or people adventured on, the pursuing of the Israelites with such a mighty army, after they had so intreated and urged them to leave their country, may well seem to every indifferent reader the most stupid that ever was conceived. So the author of the book of Wisdom justly censures it, chap. xix. 3. Possibly the Egyptians might think with the Syrians, that the God of Israel might not be alike powerful in all places, 1 Kings xx. 23: or they might think that Moses’s commission did not extend beyond Egypt: or that he might not have power over mighty hosts and armies. They knew at least, that the Israelites had no military skill, no captains of infantry, no cavalry, no weapons or engines of war; of all which the Egyptians had great abundance. On these and the like presumptions they became fool-harily, and desperately resolved to be avenged on the children of Israel, for all the losses they had sustained by Moses and Aaron. Stackhouse.

— with an high hand.] Visibly by the miraculous and over-ruling power of God. Dr. Wells.

The Israelites murmur. The cloud removeth behind the camp. Before CHRIST 1491.

Exodus 14:11

11. — Because there were no graves in Egypt, &c.] This sarcastical and reproachful language argues the height of their discontent, or rather rage, against their deliverer. Bp. Patrick. Their fear, and disposition to submit without resistance to their oppressors, “Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians,” justify the wise precaution of Providence, that would not expose them to warfare with the Philistines, when their spirits were depressed and debased by bondage. See chap. xiii. 17. Dr. Hales.

Exodus 14:13

13. — ye shall see them again no more] Ye shall not see them alive any more. The spirit of Moses is most admirable. Instead of resenting the reproaches of the

Israelites, or being dismayed at the approach of Pharaoh, he meekly and sedately exhorts the people to be

of good courage and to trust in God; who, he assures them, would accomplish what He had begun. Bp. Patrick.

If Moses had, humanly speaking, betrayed unparalleled imprudence in exposing his host to their present

danger, by leading them into a defile, with mountains on either side, and the sea in front, the high strain of

confidence, which he now speaks in, is equally unparalleled. “Fear ye not,” says he to the terrified multitude: does he add, Rouse your courage; there is no

way to avoid slavery or death, but by one manly effort; turn then on your pursuers, and your God will aid you? No: his language is, “Stand ye still, &c.” See verses 13, 14. What would this be in any mere human leader, but the ravings of frenzy? Yet, wonderful to relate, the event accords with it. The Israelites escape “by the way of the sea:” the Egyptians perish in the same sea. Dr. Graves.

Exodus 14:14

14. — ye shall hold your peace.] Ye shall have no occasion to strike a single blow. Bp. Patrick. We may well imagine how great must have been the anxiety of the people, who had not true faith in their leader, and saw no possible means for their escape. Pharaoh

was seen approaching in the very article of their encampment. Night now came on, which must have

increased their horrors and their murmurs against Moses. At last the word of command was given; and the Lord spake unto Moses, who seems to have been looking up to heaven for assistance, “Wherefore criest thou unto Me? &c.” Bryant.

Exodus 14:19

19. And the angel of God.] The Lord Himself is said to go before them, chap. xiii. 21. But we must understand, that where the Lord is, He is attended by

His angels; some of which were sent from the Schechlnah, which was in the cloud, to conduct the Israelites,

and take care of them. Bp. Patrick. The Angel of the Covenant, which was Christ, removed the signs of His presence from before the Israelites behind them. Bp. Hall. — and the pillar of the cloud &c.] Wonder now justly strove with fear in the Israelites, when they saw the cloud remove behind them, and the sea give way before them. They were not used to such bulwarks. God stood behind them in the cloud: the sea reared them up walls on both sides of them. That, which they feared would be their destruction, protected them.

— How easily can God make the cruelest of His creatures both our friends and patrons! Bp. Hall.

Exodus 14:21

21. And Moses &c.] The precise place of this passage has been much contested. Some place it near

Suez, at the head of the gulph: others, with more pro- Before CHRIST 1491. The Israelites pass through the Red sea. Before CHRIST 1491. d Josh. 4. 53. Ps. 114. 3. e Ps. 78. 13. l Cor. 10. 1. Hebr. 11. 29.

east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

Exodus 14:22

22. And the children of Israel went &c.] It has been asked, whether there were not some ridges of rocks, where the water was shallow, so that an army at particular times may pass over? And, whether the Etesian winds, which blow strongly all summer from the northwest, could not blow so violently against the sea, as to keep it back on a heap; so that the Israelites might have passed without a miracle? Bruce’s observations on these queries are excellent. “These doubts do not merit any attention to solve them. This passage is told us by Scripture to be a miraculous one; and if so, we have nothing to do with natural causes. If we do not believe Moses, we need not believe the transaction at all, seeing that it is from his authority we derive it. If we believe in God, that He ‘made’ the sea, we must believe He could ‘divide’ it, when He sees proper reason: and of that He must be the only judge. It is no greater miracle to divide the Red sea than to divide the river Jordan.

“If the Etesian wind, blowing from the northwest in summer, could keep up the sea as a wall on the right, or to the south, of fifty feet high: still the difficulty would remain of building the wall on the left hand, or to the north. Besides, water standing in that position for a day must have lost the nature of fluid. Whence came that cohesion of particles, which hindered that wall to escape at the sides? This is as great a miracle as that of Moses. If the Etesian winds had done this once, they must have repeated it many a time before and since, from the same causes.

“Were all these difficulties surmounted, what could we do with the ‘pillar of fire?’ The answer is, we should not believe it. Why then believe the passage at all? We have no authority for the one, but what is for the other: it is altogether contrary to the ordinary nature of things: and if not a miracle, it must be a fable.”

Still such queries have their use; they lead to a stricter investigation of facts, and tend thereby strongly to confirm the truth of the history. Thus it appears, from the accurate observations of Niebuhr and Bruce, that there is no ledge of rocks running across the gulph any where, to afford a shallow passage. And the second query, about the Etesian or northerly wind, is refuted by the express mention of a strong “easterly” wind, blowing across, and scooping out a deep passage: not that it was necessary for OMNIPOTANCE to employ it there as an instrument, any more than at Jordan: but it seems to be introduced in the Sacred History by way of anticipation, to exclude the natural agency that might in aftertimes be employed for solving the miracle: and it is remarkable that the monsoon in the Red sea blows the summer half of the year from the north, and the winter half from the south, neither of which could produce the miracle in question. Dr. Hales.

Exodus 14:24

24.—in the morning watch] The Hebrews, as well as the Romans, divided the night into four parts, or watches, of about three hours each; so called, because at the beginning of each part, the guard of soldiers, who kept watch, was changed. The morning watch was the last of them, immediately before sunrise. Bp. Patrick.

—the Lord looked] Or, frowned upon them. Dr. Hales. The Lord, who had seemed all this while to wink at the enterprises of the Egyptians, began, according to our apprehension, to take notice of this their pursuit, &c. Bp. Hall.

Exodus 14:25

25.—took off their chariot wheels.] It is probable, that, when the Egyptians were thus troubled and disordered, they did not follow the regular way of those whom they pursued, but got among the rocks, and mud, and those other impediments, with which the Red sea particularly abounds. These broke their wheels, and disabled their chariots, so that they made little way. Bryant.

Exodus 14:27

27.—the Egyptians fled against it:] Against the sea, as it was returning to its strength; that is, to its former place and situation. Dr. Wells. They turned back; and like men distracted, ran and met the waters, which rushed upon them with a mighty force, and overwhelmed them. Bp. Patrick.

Wicked men make equal haste both to sin, and from judgment. But they shall one day find, that it is not more easy to run into sin, than impossible to run away from judgment. Bp. Hall.

Exodus 14:28

28. And the waters returned, &c.] Thus the Egypt- Pharaoh and his host are drowned. Moses’ song.

covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.

Exodus 14:31

31. — the people feared the Lord.] They considered the powerful hand of God, which appeared in this great work; and this begat in them for the present high and awful thoughts of Him, and devout affections towards Him. And so they “believed the Lord;” that is, they believed the promises which He had made to them; and had faith in Moses, as His true prophet and “servant.” Bp. Patrick, Pyle.

The fame of this deliverance was spread abroad among the heathen, as we read in several places of Holy Scripture, and in other authors. And the application, which St. Paul and the Fathers of our Church have made of it, shows, that they understood it to be a type of our Christian baptism, and consequently of our resurrection and immortal life in the kingdom of God. (See 1 Cor. x. 2, and the first prayer in the Ministration of Baptism.) And this is the reason why the chapter, which contains the narrative of this signal deliverance, is appointed to be read in the churches on the festival of our Lord’s Resurrection. It contains in it the mysteries of our resurrection to a state of grace here, and of our passage through the grave to the glorious inheritance of our heavenly Canaan.

This consideration ought to fill our hearts with the praises of God, and a thankful remembrance of all His benefits. Did Israel praise Him for their deliverance out of Egypt, and is he not much more to be magnified and exalted for rescuing us from the slavery of sin and Satan, into the glorious liberty of the children of God? Were they so sensible of the happiness of their escape from those, who could only kill the body, and shall we not celebrate Him, who hath redeemed us from such enemies, as would ruin us, soul and body, to all eternity? They escaped the Egyptians and the sea: we are ransomed from death and hell. They were under the ministry of Moses: we are under the conduct and pro-

scocteneth them. 27 At Elim are twelve wells, and seventy palm trees. a Wind. 10. 20.

THEN sang a Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.