17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh H6547 had let the people H5971 go, H7971 that God H430 led H5148 them not through the way H1870 of the land H776 of the Philistines, H6430 although H3588 that was near; H7138 for God H430 said, H559 Lest peradventure the people H5971 repent H5162 when they see H7200 war, H4421 and they return H7725 to Egypt: H4714
And all the congregation H5712 lifted up H5375 their voice, H6963 and cried; H5414 and the people H5971 wept H1058 that night. H3915 And all the children H1121 of Israel H3478 murmured H3885 against Moses H4872 and against Aaron: H175 and the whole congregation H5712 said H559 unto them, Would God H3863 that we had died H4191 in the land H776 of Egypt! H4714 or would God H3863 we had died H4191 in this wilderness! H4057 And wherefore hath the LORD H3068 brought H935 us unto this land, H776 to fall H5307 by the sword, H2719 that our wives H802 and our children H2945 should be a prey? H957 were it not better H2896 for us to return H7725 into Egypt? H4714 And they said H559 one H376 to another, H251 Let us make H5414 a captain, H7218 and let us return H7725 into Egypt. H4714
And they said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Because there were no graves H6913 in Egypt, H4714 hast thou taken us away H3947 to die H4191 in the wilderness? H4057 wherefore H2063 hast thou dealt H6213 thus with us, to carry us forth H3318 out of Egypt? H4714 Is not this the word H1697 that we did tell H1696 thee in Egypt, H4714 saying, H559 Let us alone, H2308 that we may serve H5647 the Egyptians? H4714 For it had been better H2896 for us to serve H5647 the Egyptians, H4714 than that we should die H4191 in the wilderness. H4057
But he shall not multiply H7235 horses H5483 to himself, nor cause the people H5971 to return H7725 to Egypt, H4714 to the end that he should multiply H7235 horses: H5483 forasmuch as the LORD H3068 hath said H559 unto you, Ye shall henceforth H3254 return H7725 no more that way. H1870
And refused H3985 to obey, H8085 neither were mindful H2142 of thy wonders H6381 that thou didst H6213 among them; but hardened H7185 their necks, H6203 and in their rebellion H4805 appointed H5414 a captain H7218 to return H7725 to their bondage: H5659 but thou art a God H433 ready to pardon, H5547 gracious H2587 and merciful, H7349 slow H750 to anger, H639 and of great H7227 kindness, H2617 and forsookest H5800 them not.
And the whole congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 murmured H3885 against Moses H4872 and Aaron H175 in the wilderness: H4057 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto them, Would to God H4310 H5414 we had died H4191 by the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 in the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 when we sat H3427 by the flesh H1320 pots, H5518 and when we did eat H398 bread H3899 to the full; H7648 for ye have brought us forth H3318 into this wilderness, H4057 to kill H4191 this whole assembly H6951 with hunger. H7458
And the officers H7860 shall speak H1696 further H3254 unto the people, H5971 and they shall say, H559 What man H376 is there that is fearful H3373 and fainthearted? H7390 H3824 let him go H3212 and return H7725 unto his house, H1004 lest his brethren's H251 heart H3824 faint H4549 as well as his heart. H3824
Now therefore go to, H4994 proclaim H7121 in the ears H241 of the people, H5971 saying, H559 Whosoever is fearful H3373 and afraid, H2730 let him return H7725 and depart early H6852 from mount H2022 Gilead. H1568 And there returned H7725 of the people H5971 twenty H6242 and two H8147 thousand; H505 and there remained H7604 ten H6235 thousand. H505
Yet if they shall bethink H7725 themselves in the land H776 whither they were carried captives, H7617 and repent, H7725 H3820 and make supplication H2603 unto thee in the land H776 of them that carried them captives, H7617 saying, H559 We have sinned, H2398 and have done perversely, H5753 we have committed wickedness; H7561
And G2532 whosoever G3748 doth G941 not G3756 bear G941 his G846 cross, G4716 and G2532 come G2064 after G3694 me, G3450 cannot G3756 G1410 be G1511 my G3450 disciple. G3101 For G1063 which G5101 of G1537 you, G5216 intending G2309 to build G3618 a tower, G4444 sitteth G2523 not G3780 down G2523 first, G4412 and counteth G5585 the cost, G1160 whether G1487 he have G2192 sufficient to G4314 finish G535 it? Lest G3363 haply, G3379 after he G846 hath laid G5087 the foundation, G2310 and G2532 is G2480 not G3361 able G2480 to finish G1615 it, all G3956 that behold G2334 it begin G756 to mock G1702 him, G846 Saying, G3004 This G3754 G3778 man G444 began G756 to build, G3618 and G2532 was G2480 not G3756 able G2480 to finish. G1615 Or G2228 what G5101 king, G935 going G4198 to make G4820 war G4171 against G1519 another G2087 king, G935 sitteth G2523 not G3780 down G2523 first, G4412 and consulteth G1011 whether G1487 he be G2076 able G1415 with G1722 ten G1176 thousand G5505 to meet G528 him that cometh G2064 against G1909 him G846 with G3326 twenty G1501 thousand? G5505 Or else, G1490 while the other G846 is G5607 yet G2089 a great way off, G4206 he sendeth G649 an ambassage, G4242 and desireth G2065 conditions G4314 of peace. G1515
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 13
Commentary on Exodus 13 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 13
Ex 13:1, 2. The First-born Sanctified.
2. Sanctify unto me all the first-born—To "sanctify" means to "consecrate," to "set apart" from a common to a sacred use. The foundation of this duty rested on the fact that the Israelites, having had their first-born preserved by a distinguishing act of grace from the general destruction that overtook the families of the Egyptians, were bound in token of gratitude to consider them as the Lord's peculiar property (compare Heb 12:23).
Ex 13:3-10. Memorial of the Passover.
3. Moses said unto the people, Remember this day—The day that gave them a national existence and introduced them into the privileges of independence and freedom, deserved to live in the memories of the Hebrews and their posterity; and, considering the signal interposition of God displayed in it, to be held not only in perpetual, but devout remembrance.
house of bondage—literally, "house of slaves"—that is, a servile and degrading condition.
for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place—The emancipation of Israel would never have been obtained except it had been wrung from the Egyptian tyrant by the appalling judgments of God, as had been at the outset of his mission announced to Moses (Ex 3:19).
There shall no leavened bread, &c.—The words are elliptical, and the meaning of the clause may be paraphrased thus:—"For by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place, in such haste that there could or should be no leavened bread eaten."
4. month Abib—literally, "a green ear," and hence the month Abib is the month of green ears, corresponding to the middle of our March. It was the best season for undertaking a journey to the desert region of Sinai, especially with flocks and herds; for then the winter torrents had subsided, and the wadies were covered with an early and luxuriant verdure.
5-7. when the Lord shall bring thee—The passover is here instituted as a permanent festival of the Israelites. It was, however, only a prospective observance; we read of only one celebration of the passover during the protracted sojourn in the wilderness [Nu 9:5]; but on their settlement in the promised land, the season was hallowed as a sacred anniversary [Jos 5:10], in conformity with the directions here given.
8. thou shalt show thy son in that day, saying—The establishment of this and the other sacred festivals presented the best opportunities of instructing the young in a knowledge of His gracious doings to their ancestors in Egypt.
9. it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, &c.—There is no reason to believe that the Oriental tattooing—the custom of staining the hands with the powder of Hennah, as Eastern females now do—is here referred to. Nor is it probable that either this practice or the phylacteries of the Pharisees—parchment scrolls, which were worn on their wrists and foreheads—had so early an existence. The words are to be considered only as a figurative mode of expression.
that the Lord's law may be in thy mouth, &c.—that is, that it may be the subject of frequent conversation and familiar knowledge among the people.
Ex 13:11-16. Firstlings of Beasts.
12, 13. every firstling, &c.—the injunction respecting the consecration of the first-born, as here repeated, with some additional circumstances. The firstlings of clean beasts, such as lambs, kids, and calves, if males, were to be devoted to God and employed in sacrifice. Those unclean beasts, as the ass's colt, being unfit for sacrifice, were to be redeemed (Nu 18:15).
Ex 13:17-21. Journey from Egypt.
17. God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near, &c.—The shortest and most direct route from Egypt to Palestine was the usual caravan road that leads by Belbeis, El-Arish, to Ascalon and Gaza. The Philistines, who then possessed the latter, would have been sure to dispute their passage, for between them and the Israelites there was a hereditary feud (1Ch 7:21, 22); and so early a commencement of hostilities would have discouraged or dismayed the unwarlike band which Moses led. Their faith was to be exercised and strengthened, and from the commencement of their travels we observe the same careful proportion of burdens and trials to their character and state, as the gracious Lord shows to His people still in that spiritual journey of which the former was typical.
18. God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea, &c.—This wondrous expanse of water is a gulf of the Indian ocean. It was called in Hebrew "the weedy sea," from the forest of marine plants with which it abounds. But the name of the Red Sea is not so easily traced. Some think it was given from its contiguity to the countries of Edom ("red"); others derive it from its coral rocks; while a third class ascribe the origin of the name to an extremely red appearance of the water in some parts, caused by a numberless multitude of very small mollusca. This sea, at its northern extremity, separates into two smaller inlets—the eastern called anciently the Elanitic gulf, now the gulf of Akaba; and the western the Heroopolite gulf, now the gulf of Suez, which, there can be no doubt, extended much more to the north anciently than it does now. It was toward the latter the Israelites marched.
went up harnessed—that is, girded, equipped for a long journey. (See Ps 105:37). The Margin renders it "five in a rank," meaning obviously five large divisions, under five presiding officers, according to the usages of all caravans; and a spectacle of such a mighty and motley multitude must have presented an imposing appearance, and its orderly progress could have been effected only by the superintending influence of God.
19. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him—in fulfilment of the oath he exacted from his brethren (Ge 50:25, 26). The remains of the other patriarchs (not noticed from their obscurity) were also carried out of Egypt (Ac 7:15, 16); and there would be no difficulty as to the means of conveyance—a few camels bearing these precious relics would give a true picture of Oriental customs, such as is still to be seen in the immense pilgrimages to Mecca.
20. encamped in Etham—This place is supposed by the most intelligent travellers to be the modern Ajrud, where is a watering-place, and which is the third stage of the pilgrim-caravans to Mecca. "It is remarkable that either of the different routes eastward from Heliopolis, or southward from Heroopolis, equally admit of Ajrud being Etham. It is twelve miles northwest from Suez, and is literally on the edge of the desert" [Pictorial Bible].
21, 22. the Lord went before them—by a visible token of His presence, the Shekinah, in a majestic cloud (Ps 78:14; Ne 9:12; 1Co 10:1), called "the angel of God" (Ex 14:19; 23:20-23; Ps 99:6, 7; Isa 63:8, 9).