8125. Exodus 14
1. And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
2. Speak to the children of Israel, and let them turn back and encamp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal Zephon; over against it you are to encamp, close to the sea.
3. And Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are enmeshed in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.
4. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will be glorified in Pharaoh and in all his army; and the Egyptians will know that I am Jehovah. And they did so.
5. And it was pointed out to the king of Egypt that the people had fled; - and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people, and they said, What is this we have done, that we have sent Israel away from serving us?
6. And he harnessed his chariot, and took his people with him.
7. And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt; and there were tertiary commanders over them all. 1
8. And Jehovah hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; and the children of Israel went out with a lofty hand.
9. And the Egyptians pursued them; and they overtook them encamping close to the sea - all Pharaoh's chariot-horses, and his horsemen, and his army [did so], close to Pi Hahiroth before Baal Zephon.
10. And Pharaoh drew near. And the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were travelling after them; and they were in great fear, and the children of Israel cried out to Jehovah.
11. And they said to Moses, Were there no graves in Egypt, [since] you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What is this you have done to us, to bring us out of Egypt?
12. Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, Leave us alone, and let us serve the Egyptians; for it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness?
13. And Moses said to the people, Have no fear; stand firm and see the salvation of Jehovah, which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you will see again no more for ever.
14. Jehovah will fight for you, and you are to be silent.
15. And Jehovah said to Moses, Why do you cry to Me? Speak to the children of Israel, and let them travel on.
16. And you, lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it; and let the children of Israel come into the middle of the sea on dry ground.
17. And I, behold, I am hardening the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will come after them, and I will be glorified in Pharaoh, and in all his army, in his chariots, and in his horsemen.
18. And the Egyptians will know that I am Jehovah, when I am glorified in Pharaoh, in his chariots, and in his horsemen.
19. And the angel of God travelled on, marching before the camp of Israel; and he went behind them. And the pillar of cloud travelled from before them and stood behind them.
20. And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was cloud and darkness [for the former], and it lit up the night [for the latter]. And the latter did not come near the former the whole night.
21. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Jehovah caused the sea to go away by a strong east wind the whole night, and made the sea into dry ground; and the waters were divided.
22. And the children of Israel came into the middle of the sea on dry ground; and the waters were a wall for them on their right and on their left.
23. And the Egyptians pursued, and came after them - all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen - into the middle of the sea.
24. And so it was in the morning watch, that Jehovah looked out onto the camp of the Egyptians, from within the pillar of fire and cloud, and troubled the camp of the Egyptians.
25. And He took off the wheels of his chariots and made them 2 drive heavily; and the Egyptians said, Let us flee before Israel, for Jehovah fights for them against the Egyptians.
26. And Jehovah said to Moses, Stretch out your hand over the sea, and let the waters return onto the Egyptians, onto his chariots, and onto his horsemen.
27. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned, as morning was breaking, to its normal strength; 3 and the Egyptians were fleeing to meet it and Jehovah overturned 4 the Egyptians into the middle of the sea.
28. And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even all Pharaoh's army, coming after them into the sea; not so much as one of them remained.
29. And the children of Israel went on dry ground into the middle of the sea; and the waters were a wall for them on their right and on their left.
30. And Jehovah saved Israel on that day from the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
31. And Israel saw the great hand 5 which Jehovah displayed 6 among the Egyptians; and the people feared Jehovah, and they believed in Jehovah and in Moses His servant.
CONTENTS
This chapter deals in the internal sense with the first temptation, undergone by those belonging to the spiritual Church, and with their guidance through the middle of hell and protection then by the Lord. The chapter also deals with the submersion of those governed by faith separated from charity into the hell where falsities arising from evils prevail. Those belonging to the spiritual Church are represented by the children of Israel, and those governed by faith separated from charity by the Egyptians. The first temptation is described by the grumbling of the children of Israel when they saw Pharaoh's army. Hell is meant by the Sea Suph through which the children of Israel were guided in safety and in which the Egyptians were drowned, falsities arising from evils being meant by the waters that overwhelmed them.
Fusnotat:
1. A tertiary commander was possibly an officer ranking third after Pharaoh, or possibly one in charge of a chariot in which there was also a driver and a warrior.
2. i.e. the wheels
3. literally, to the strength of its flow
4. literally, shook out
5. i.e. the great work
6. literally, Jehovah did