Exodus 12:37-14:31 PowerPoint Slides (PDF)
The time has come for God’s people to leave Egypt. They had been there for over 400 years, and as God had promised long ago he is bringing judgment upon the nation they have served (Gen 15:13-14). The deliverance Israel had hoped for has come, and God will bring them back to the land promised to them and their fathers.
The Exodus, 12:37-51
The greatness of the number in Israel is stated in verse 37. The men alone numbered 600,000. Notice the text also states that a large number of “mixed multitude” went with them. 1
Conservative estimates put the crowd at 1.5 to 2 million people. One can immediately see the logistical problem in caring for this many people on a long journey in a barren land. Yet, the covenant-keeping God of Israel would provide for them so that they might teach their children, “that they should put their confidence in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments” (Psalm 78:7).
The provision of bread the people brought with them (12:34) would be used immediately in an unleavened state since they had no time to prepare other provisions (12:39).
The four hundred and thirty years the children of Israel were in Egypt corresponds to the time the Lord told Abraham they would be in servitude there. 2 Verse 42 attributes the deliverance of the nation to Yahveh, and consequently the Passover meal memorial is to be a vigil unto him.
Verses 43-50 set out seven laws concerning the observance of the Passover (see the slide). 3 Verse 49 is a general law, and verse 50 the concluding formula. Exodus 12:51 is a transitional statement.
The Dedication of the Firstborn, 13:1-16
These verses give further regulations regarding the observance of the Passover and its accompanying ceremony of redemption of the firstborn. The main thought is focused upon the explanation of the redemption process (verses 2 and 11-16).
Verses 3-10 are a parenthetical reminder that the Passover is to be observed throughout Israel’s generation (cf. 12:24-25). A significant phrase occurs in verse 3 “the house of bondage/servitude” (see the slide on the reasons for the dedication of the firstborn). Israel’s existence in Egypt had become servile, a fact that it would lose sight of quickly in the wilderness (cf. 2:23; 16:3). The meal was given so that Israel might remind itself of the Lord’s care for his people, and that he delivers them from oppression. It is obvious that Israel needed this reminder, even as New Testament believers need reminded of the work of our Lord for us (cf. 2 Tim 2:8; Luke 22:19).
The redemption of firstborn sons, daughters 4 and animals is inseparably linked to the Passover since Yahveh passed over the firstborn of Israel. This requirement of the dedication of the firstborn will be transferred to the Levites who are substituted for the firstborn of Israel in Numbers 8:14-19. 5
God Leads by the Cloud and Pillar of Fire, 13:17-22
God begins moving the people out. The direction is a southerly one to avoid the Mediterranean route which lead into the land of the Philistines (13:17). The “way of the wilderness” (13:18) also identifies the route as a southern one.
No one knows for sure the crossing site of Israel through the sea (13:18). 6 It is likely it was in the region of the extension of the Gulf of Suez, perhaps in the Bitter Lakes area between the Mediterranean and the gulf. The locations mentioned are still yet to be positively identified.
Israel remembers to take the bones of Joseph with them (13:19). This is an important detail. Joseph’s last wish to his brothers is found in Genesis 50:24-25:
Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely take care of you and bring you up from this land to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.” Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones up from here.”
This act on the part of Joseph, an inheritor of the promises God swore to Abraham, shows a mature man of faith looking forward to God’s fulfilling the Abrahamic promise (Gen 15:13-21) in the generations to come. Moses is reminding us by including this detail that God is faithful to his covenant word.
God puts before the people a pillar. It was as fire by night and a cloud by day. The purpose of it was twofold: 1) for guidance; it led them (13:21), and 2) it also protected their backside at the sea (14:19-20). God was shepherding his people out of danger and into a land where they would be dependent upon him wholly for their every need. He still does!
God Leads through the Sea, 14:1-22
Whatever direction Israel turned here, it was designed to make Pharaoh think they were confused or about to be trapped (14:3). In fact, they were trapped against the sea; but the great lesson of scripture is: God is over the human situation.
God hardens Pharaoh again a final time (13:4, 5, 8), and he pursues Israel. God’s hardening of Pharaoh and the destruction of the Egyptian army will bring honor to his name (13:17).
Pharaoh takes the best of his army, his chariots. Chariots in ancient times were a frighteningly well-designed war machine, more so against an unarmed people. When Israel sees their pursuer, its response is fear (14:10). Israel was not ready for war. Consequently, it was not ready to enter the promised land, for when it did it would be required to conquer all its inhabitants. The years in the wilderness would prepare God’s people for the task; but as of yet, they were a feeble, frightened people who had a short memory of the oppression of enslavement (14:11-12).
The comfort of Moses in verses 13-14 shows the developing faith of Moses in Yahveh. Moses words of encouragement that “Yahveh will fight for them” (14:14) anticipates God’s action to the point that God essentially says to Moses, “Carry on, as you have said!” (14:15-18). 7
We do not know where the parting of the sea occurred. We can only imagine what it must have been like; but it would have been a jaw-dropper to watch.
God tells Moses to get moving (14:15-18). He is to stretch out his hand and divide the sea. This not only provides the escape route for Israel, but will also be the means of destroying the Egyptian army. Its defeat will show Yahveh as the one, true God to be feared.
The pillar of fire/cloud now moves to the rear to protect Israel. 8 We have the mention of “the angel of God” again, here associated with the pillar. One calls to mind Paul’s statement in 1 Cor 10:4 about Christ following the children of Israel in the wilderness. The Bible emphasizes here that the comfort to the Israelites was that God himself was with them. Immanuel was with the Israelites; and he is with us. 9 Israel was now protected from the rear and from the flanks (14:22). It only had to walk ahead in the dry path the Lord had prepared.
God Fights for Israel, 14:23-31
God’s salvation is twofold. He provides a way of escape (14:21-22)—Israel crosses on dry land through the sea bed—, but he also causes confusion among the enemy (14:24) and ultimately their destruction. This theme of confusion before defeat is found often in Israel’s war experience. 10 This confusion leads to the conclusion on the part of the Egyptians that the Lord is fighting for Israel (14:25).
While it is still night—the Israelites safely through—God tells Moses to close the water with his hand (14:26). The waters close over the Egyptian army just at daybreak, and the text says, “The Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea” (14:27). 11
Verses 28-29 recall the familiar formulas in the plague episodes, “not even one of them remained” and “But the sons of Israel …”. Yahveh had controlled the fate of the Egyptians as easily as he had the innumerable pests in the plagues, and the redemptive distinction between the Egyptians and the children of Israel is finalized! God’s salvation is complete. Israel will no more see the Egyptians (14:13). Israel is a freed people, a redeemed people who has seen Yahveh’s awesome deliverance. Fear is the natural response—fear which enhances faith (14:31).
© 2008, Scott Branyan
- The Hebrew phrase ’ereb rab refers to non-Israelites who joined the Hebrews at the time of the Exodus and is translated “rabble” in Numbers 11:4 in a number of translations. The Tanak renders it “riffraff.” ↩
- Genesis 15:13 has “four hundred years,” a rounded number. The mention of the time in Stephen’s sermon (Acts 7:6) is also rounded off since it is a quotation of Genesis. Paul, in Galatians 3:17, uses the 430 years. Acts 13:19 mentions 450 years but seems to include in that figure Israel’s entering the land of Canaan. This would also include the 40 years in the wilderness in a rough number. ↩
- Cassuto points out each of the laws are identified in the Hebrew text by the regulation concluding with the pronominal suffix third person ending (it). Exodus, p. 150. ↩
- The Hebrew term peter can refer to both male and female. ↩
- Paul also uses the imagery of the dedication of the firstborn along with Christ being our Passover and applies it to all believers (1 Cor 5:3-13; 1 Cor 6:11, 15, 19-20). ↩
- The Hebrew text uses the phrase, yam suf, “Sea of Reeds”, while the Greek OT has eruthran thalassan, or “Red Sea.” ↩
- Note the “as for you” in 14:16 and the “as for me” in 14:17. ↩
- See the sermon by C. H. Spurgeon on “The Glory in the Rear” available at www.spurgeon.org. ↩
- Isaiah 7:14; Matt 1:23. ↩
- Compare Gideon and the Midianites, Judges 7:13-14, 21; David and the Philistines, 1 Chronicles 14:8-17). ↩
- The Hebrew word for “overthrew” means, “to shake off.” ↩