Exodus14
English Standard Version
1Then the Lord to ,
2 the of to turn and in of , and the , in of ; you shall it, by the .
3For will of the of , They are in the ; the has .
4And I will , and he will them, and I will over and his , and the shall that I am the Lord. And they .
5When the of was that the had , the of and his was toward the , and they , is this we have , that we have let from us?
6So he his and his with him,
7and and the other of with of them.
8And the Lord the of of , and he the of while the of were going .
9The them, and and his and his , and them at the , , in front .
10When drew , the of their , and , the were them, and they . And the of to the Lord.
11They to , Is it because there are no in that you have to in the ? have you to us in out of ?
12Is we to you in : Leave us that we may the ? For it would have been for us to the to in the .
13And to the , not, , and the of the Lord, he will for you . For the you , you shall .
14The Lord will for you, and you have only to be .
15The Lord to , do you to me? the of to .
16 your , and your the and it, that the of may the on .
17And I will the of the so that they shall them, and I will over and his , his , and his .
18And the shall that I am the Lord, when I have gotten over , his , and his .
19Then the of who was the of and them, and the of from them and them,
20 the of and the of . And there was the and the . And it the the .
21Then his the , and the Lord the back by a and the , and the were .
22And the of into the of the on , the being a to them on their and on their .
23The and them into the of the , , his , and his .
24And in the the Lord in the of and of on the and the into a ,
25 their so that they . And the , Let us from , for the Lord for them against the .
26Then the Lord to , Stretch your the , that the may come upon the , upon their , and upon their .
27So his the , and the to its when the . And as the it, the Lord the into the of the .
28The and the and the ; of the of that had them into the , of them .
29But the of on the , the being a to them on their and on their .
30Thus the Lord that from the of the , and the on the .
31 the that the Lord against the , so the the Lord, and they in the Lord and in his .
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Exodus 14.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: God directs the Israelites to Pihahiroth, Pharaoh pursues after them. (1–9). The Israelites murmur, Moses comforts them. (10–14). God instructs Moses, The cloud between the Israelites and the Egyptians. (15–20). The Israelites pass through the Red sea, which drowns the Egyptians. (21–31).
vv1-9
Pharaoh would think that all Israel was entangled in the wilderness, and so would become an easy prey. But God says, I will be honoured upon Pharaoh. All men being made for the honour of their Maker, those whom he is not honoured by, he will be honoured upon. What seems to tend to the church's ruin, is often overruled to the ruin of the church's enemies. While Pharaoh gratified his malice and revenge, he furthered the bringing to pass God's counsels concerning him. Though with the greatest reason he had let Israel go, yet now he was angry with himself for it. God makes the envy and rage of men against his people, a torment to themselves. Those who set their faces heavenward, and will live godly in Christ Jesus, must expect to be set upon by Satan's temptations and terrors. He will not tamely part with any out of his service.
vv10-14
There was no way open to Israel but upward, and thence their deliverance came. We may be in the way of duty, following God, and hastening toward heaven, yet may be troubled on every side. Some cried out unto the Lord; their fear led them to pray, and that was well. God brings us into straits, that he may bring us to our knees. Others cried out against Moses; fear set them murmuring as if God were not still able to work miracles. They quarrel with Moses for bringing them out of Egypt; and so were angry with God for the greatest kindness ever done them; thus gross are the absurdities of unbelief. Moses says, Fear ye not. It is always our duty and interest, when we cannot get out of troubles, yet to get above our fears; let them quicken our prayers and endeavours, but not silence our faith and hope. “Stand still,” think not to save yourselves either by fighting or flying; wait God's orders, and observe them. Compose yourselves, by confidence in God, into peaceful thoughts of the great salvation God is about to work for you. If God brings his people into straits, he will find a way to bring them out.
vv15-20
Moses' silent prayers of faith prevailed more with God than Israel's loud outcries of fear. The pillar of cloud and fire came behind them, where they needed a guard, and it was a wall between them and their enemies. The word and providence of God have a black and dark side toward sin and sinners, but a bright and pleasant side toward the people of the Lord. He, who divided between light and darkness, Ge 1:4, allotted darkness to the Egyptians, and light to the Israelites. Such a difference there will be between the inheritance of the saints in light, and that utter darkness which will be the portion of hypocrites for ever.
Key Words
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
שׁוּב: to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again
חָנָה: properly, to incline; by implication, to decline (of the slanting rays of evening); specifically, to pitch atent; gen. to encamp (for abode or siege)
פָּנִים: the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
פִּי הַחִירֹת: Pi-ha-Chiroth, a place in Egypt
מִגְדּוֹל: Migdol, a place in Egypt
יָם: a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the south
בַּעַל צְפוֹן: Baal-Tsephon, a place in Eqypt
Cross References
Exodus 14Paul cites Pharaoh's hardening to show how God raises up rulers to show His power.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Passing through the sea under the cloud as a type of baptism into Moses.
Supported by Matthew Henry
By faith Israel passed through the Red sea as by dry land, which Egyptians assaying were drowned.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Traces the precise geographic itinerary of the turn back to Pi-hahiroth and Migdol.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Paul explains that Israel was baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
Supported by Matthew Henry
He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up; leading them through the depths.
Supported by Matthew Henry
To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Explicitly confirms that Israel went out of Egypt triumphantly 'with an high hand'.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Reflects on Israel's early rebellion and lack of understanding at the Red Sea.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Echoes Moses' command to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Identifies the original position of the pillar of cloud that now moves behind them.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Rahab testifies that the terror of Israel fell on Canaanites because the Lord dried up the Red sea.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The Lord drying up the tongue of the Egyptian sea, a type of ultimate spiritual redemption.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Poetic description of the Red sea seeing and fleeing before the presence of God.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Then believed they his words; they sang his praise immediately following the deliverance.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Jethro acknowledges that the Lord is greater than all gods due to this victory.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Describes God turning the hearts of the Egyptians to hate and plot against His people.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Stephen notes how in their hearts the fathers turned back to Egypt.
Supported by John Calvin
Deuteronomy's standard military law that the Lord fights for Israel against their enemies.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The 'Angel of his presence' saved them, matching the Angel of God moving here.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallel miracle where Israel passes Jordan on dry ground, completing the journey begun at the Red sea.
Supported by John Calvin
Song of Moses recalls Pharaoh's horses and chariots going into the sea and Israel on dry land.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Fulfills Moses' promise: 'The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.'
Supported by Matthew Poole
Song of Moses captures the boastful, pursuing spirit of the enemy.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Joshua's farewell speech recounts Israel crying out and God putting darkness between them.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Matches the historical complaint of the Israelites when Moses first went to Pharaoh.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Moses executes the direct command to lift up his rod and stretch his hand over the sea.
Supported by JFB
He led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Fulfills 'the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more.'
Supported by Matthew Poole