Exodus 14
14:2 a The precise locations of Pi-hahiroth, Migdol, and Baal-zephon are unknown.• the sea: See study note on 13:18.
14:4 b know that I am the Lord: This event was the climactic demonstration of the Lord’s character and power in the Exodus. Rescue for humans is by means of God’s self-revelation as he incarnates himself in our life and experience.
• as they were told: In this part of the book, the Israelites were obedient to God’s commands (12:35 c, 50 d). Unfortunately, this was not their continued pattern after the crossing.
Summary for Exod 14:5-14: 14:5-14 e Because there was no real repentance on the part of Pharaoh and his officials, once the immediate terror of their experience had worn off, their self-interest reasserted itself and they determined to recapture their slave labor.
Summary for Exod 14:6-7: 14:6-7 f chariot: At this point in history, the Egyptian light chariot was the ultimate weapon. Pulled by three horses, it was swift and highly maneuverable. Sometimes it was manned by only one person, but some ancient illustrations show a driver with a warrior. The reference to a commander may indicate such two-man teams. The greatest military power in the world of that day was being marshaled against the Hebrews.
14:9 g Even though today we don’t know exactly where these events took place (see study note on 14:2), there is no question that the narrator and his readers did. We need not conclude that this account is literary fantasy.
Summary for Exod 14:10-12: 14:10-12 h This complaint is the first occurrence of what was to become a sad refrain over the next forty years. Instead of believing that the God who had demonstrated his power so overwhelmingly could now save them, the Israelites turned on their rescuer. The cry of the unsurrendered heart is always, “Give me the security of slavery rather than the risk of faith.”
Summary for Exod 14:13-14: 14:13-14 i One person, at least, had learned the lesson of the plagues and applied it to this crisis of faith. Moses did not know what God would do, but in one of the great statements of faith in the Bible, Moses declared his confidence in God. It was not the Lord who would fail, but the Egyptians.
Summary for Exod 14:15-31: 14:15-31 j The escape through the Red Sea was the climactic moment of rescue.
14:17 k My great glory: The Hebrew word translated “glory” (kabod) connotes weightiness, significance, and reality. God demonstrated his authenticity while showing that all the political, military, and material glory of one of the greatest human cultures was only the thinnest of veils.
Summary for Exod 14:19-25: 14:19-25 l Whereas the Hebrews had been in a panic the night before, now the highly disciplined Egyptian army was thrown into disarray. They knew they were dealing with something far beyond their ability to comprehend or control.
14:22 m As with the plagues, naturalistic explanations for this event are beside the point. A strong, steady wind blowing across a relatively shallow, contained body of water can change its depth dramatically, but that does not produce dry ground, with walls of water on each side. The Lord can intervene in nature and do with it as he wishes.
14:25 n He twisted their chariot wheels: The ancient versions differ on the translation of this phrase. Perhaps there was deep sand where the water had been, and this broke the light wheels of the chariots. At any rate, the Egyptian charge through the sea failed, and they became terrified.
• The Lord is fighting for them: Certainly by this time everyone in Egypt was aware of the special relationship between the Lord and his people.
14:31 o Finally, the people of Israel were moved to put their faith in the Lord: Sadly, it was very short-lived (see 15:24 p; 16:3 q).
• To be the Lord’s servant is a position of high honor (see Isa 42:1-4 r; Matt 12:18 s).
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