Ex. 13:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Ex. 13:2 Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.
The LORD speaks to Moses again. All the firstborn of man and beast in Israel are to be sanctified (set apart) for God.
Ex. 13:3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.
Then Moses reminds the people how by “strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place.” This place of Egypt has been a house of bondage (slavery). They are to remember this and not eat leavened bread during the seven days set aside for the feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread each year.
Ex. 13:4 This day came ye out in the month Abib.
Ex. 13:5 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.
Ex. 13:6 Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD.
Ex. 13:7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.
They are to observe the anniversary (the day and month of Abib) that they were delivered from Egypt. Even when they enter the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites and Jebusites (the promised land), a land flowing with milk and honey (no shortage of wonderful things to eat), they are to keep the Passover feast. They are to eat nothing with leaven in it for the seven days of the feast. The seventh day is to be celebrated as a feast unto the LORD. Reminder: Leaven represents sin.
Guzik: “The purity of the feast of Unleavened Bread followed upon the blood-deliverance of Passover. This illustrates the principle that we can only walk in purity before the LORD after the blood-deliverance at the cross.”
Ex. 13:8 And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.
Ex. 13:9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD’S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.
Ex. 13:10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.
One of the main purposes of the yearly Passover was to provide an opportunity to teach the young people about God’s mighty hand of deliverance from Egypt to ensure that they did not forget God’s mighty power and protection on their behalf. (Remembrance and repetition are important tools for learning.) Verse 9 makes me think about the phylacteries, which have yet to come into use at this point. When I looked up the word for hand, it indicated the open hand as a symbol of power. Their own hands acting in obedience to God’s command were a reminder of the power of Almighty God.
“A memorial between thine eyes” I think is referring to placing this event as an important memory in the brain; to ensure that these events aren’t forgotten, they will celebrate with feasting every year as a reminder. By observing the Passover according to God’s instructions, they are given opportunity to teach their children the importance of obeying God. Emphasis is to be made that it is GOD who brought them out of Egypt. This is a landmark event in the history of the nation of Israel that is to be celebrated every year to remind them of God’s power and protection.
Ex. 13:11 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee,
Ex. 13:12 That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD’S.
Ex. 13:13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.
Verse 11 again emphasizes when (not if) the LORD brings them into Canaan, they are to set apart to the LORD the firstborn male of every beast. The firstborn of an ass could be redeemed with the sacrifice of a lamb—if not, they were to break the neck of the firstborn ass. The firstborn males among the children were also to be redeemed. This is all pointing to the fact that God’s only Son, Jesus, His firstborn, would be the sacrifice for the redemption of man.
Romans 8:29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
Colossians 1:13–14 “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins….”
We learn from the book of Numbers that the price of redemption for the firstborn sons was five shekels.
Numbers 3:47–48 “Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:) And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.”
Ex. 13:14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:
Ex. 13:15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.
“matrix” = womb
As the children questioned their fathers in generations to come, they were to use the opportunity to teach them how the LORD had delivered their people from bondage in Egypt. They were to tell them how stubborn Pharaoh was about letting them go. Then they were to explain how God killed all the firstborn of man and beast in Egypt. Because of that, the firstborn male beasts are sacrificed, and the firstborn male children are redeemed. Through God’s mercy and provision, the firstborn of Israel were spared.
Ex. 13:16 And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.
The message is repeated as given in verses 8-10 above, I believe, because of the importance that God places on the observance of the Passover in obedience to Him. It is to serve as a reminder; tokens and frontlets are representative of something—in this case, the Passover and God’s mighty deliverance of His people. He knows our every weakness. We generally learn much more easily when things are taught using visual methods and involving all our senses.
Ex. 13:17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:
Ex. 13:18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.
As the people left Egypt, God took them on a roundabout path. The quickest way out would have been to go through the land of the Philistines, but God knows His people. He knew they weren’t ready to face the Philistines in battle. If confronted, they would probably have headed straight back to Egypt. So He led them through the wilderness of the Red Sea. The word “harnessed” in verse 18 indicates that the people were able bodied men. I would assume that having worked such hard labor for so long would have caused them to develop muscular strength and fitness.
Ex. 13:19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.
Ex. 13:20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.
Moses also took the bones of Joseph with them. Joseph had known that God would take His people from the land of Egypt, and he made his sons swear to take his bones with them. It’s pretty impressive to me that 400 years later his request has been remembered and honored. It is interesting, though, that it is stated that Moses took the bones of Joseph. I would assume that Joseph’s request was widely known among the people, but it wouldn’t surprise me to know that the LORD Himself reminded Moses not to forget Joseph. They continued their journey through the wilderness (desert) from Succoth to Etham, at the edge of the wilderness, where they camped.
Courson: “Although the trip from Egypt to the Promised Land would have been a ten-day journey as the crow flies, it was God’s intent that His people spend a full year getting there, stopping at seven specific campsites, learning seven important lessons on the way. Why? Because it was one thing for God to get His people out of Egypt—and quite another to get Egypt out of His people.”
Courson’s application: “I will find myself discouraged, disoriented, and defeated unless I understand life is meant to prepare me for Heaven.”
And another: “How can the Lord teach us He is truly with us except to take us to the desert? When everything is fine, we go on our merry way as if His presence in our life is optional. It’s only when we’re on the brink of disaster that we realize how much we need Him.”
Ex. 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
Ex. 13:22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.
The LORD guided them on their journey with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. They were never inhibited as to when they could travel because of the light provided by the pillar of fire. This pillar was always in front of the people—leading them as God directed.
Often, I have been very jealous of the direct methods God used to communicate with the Old Testament saints. I know part of the reason He was so verbal and visual in Old Testament times was to establish His identity in so certain a manifestation for a period of time as to leave the people a wonderful legacy to hand down to generations to come to bolster their faith. It was laying a strong foundation for their trust in Him. God provided so many miraculous events throughout their history through so many types of messengers that you really couldn’t ignore Him without making a determined effort to do so. It still doesn’t keep me from sometimes wanting to be able to hear God tell me personally what His will is concerning certain choices or steps in new directions—verbally, father to daughter.
Ex. 14:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Ex. 14:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.
Ex. 14:3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
Ex. 14:4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.
Again, the LORD speaks to Moses and tells him to have the Israelites turn back and encamp by the sea in a specific area to make the Pharaoh think that they are wandering the desert in confusion. He is going to harden Pharaoh’s heart to the point that he will pursue them. This will allow God to put the exclamation point on the fact that He is THE LORD. The Israelites obeyed.
Ex. 14:5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
Ex. 14:6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:
Ex. 14:7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
Ex. 14:8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
Ex. 14:9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.
Sure enough, once Pharaoh figured out that his slave labor was gone, he decided to go after them. He took 600 of their best chariots and all the other chariots in Egypt and their commanders. The Israelites had left “with an high hand” (confident and bold). The Egyptians pursued the Israelites and caught up to them at the sea.
Guzik: “We sometimes think that Satan will let us go easily, or we think that that once we leave his kingdom he forgets about us. Yet just like Pharaoh after Israel, Satan pursues us, attempting to keep us at least on the fringes of his domain and hoping to destroy us if he can.”
Ex. 14:10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.
Ex. 14:11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
Ex. 14:12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
As soon as the Israelites realized that they were caught, they were no longer bold and confident—they were scared. They began crying out in fear to the LORD and to Moses. All of a sudden, they were wishing they had never left Egypt; it would have been better to stay in slavery there than to die in the desert.
These people had witnessed first hand the mighty power of God through the plagues in Egypt, and still they gave Him no credit for being able to save them. I’d like to think that even my hard head would have trusted the LORD implicitly after witnessing His awesome power so recently, up close and personal. The sad thing is that when I examine my own life, I can see the same lack of faith after times of great blessing. It grieves me to know how that must sadden my “Father.” The desire of my heart is to have a strong, conquering faith that never waivers, despite what the enemy throws in my path. “LORD, I believe; help my unbelief.”
Mark 9:24 “…Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”
Ex. 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
Ex. 14:14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
Moses patiently speaks to the people. He tells them not to be afraid because God is going to deliver them from the Egyptians once for all. All they have to do is be still and watch the LORD fight for them.
Ex. 14:15 And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
Ex. 14:16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
Ex. 14:17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
Ex. 14:18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
“Wherefore criest thou unto me?” - This is thought-provoking to me. Was God referring to silent cries of the heart? It seems obvious that Moses needed direction. He had just told the people that the LORD would deliver them, but they couldn’t go forward until God provided a way.
The LORD basically tells Moses to tell the people to quit crying and move forward. Moses was to raise his staff and stretch out his hand over the sea and the water would divide so that the Israelites could cross over on dry ground. The pride of the Egyptians would cause them to follow right after them because of their hardened hearts. God would be glorified as He destroyed the Egyptians. The people of Egypt would have to recognize God as LORD.
Clarke: “Neither Moses nor his rod could be any effective instrument in a work which could be accomplished only by the omnipotence of God; but it was necessary that he should appear in it, in order that he might have credit in the sight of the Israelites, and that they might see that God had chosen him to be the instrument of their deliverance.”
Ex. 14:19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
Ex. 14:20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
Ex. 14:21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
Ex. 14:22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
The angel of God that had been leading the Israelites withdrew to their rear. The pillar of cloud also moved to the rear to come between the armies of Egypt and the Israelites. It kept the Egyptians in the dark and the Israelites in the light for the rest of the night. Moses stretched out his hand, and God used an east wind to drive the sea back and dry the ground in between the divided waters. The Israelites crossed on the dry ground between the walls of water. It reads so simply, but the miracle was so great! The sea floor turned to dry ground flanked by great walls of water!
1Corinthians 10:1-4 identifies Christ as the spiritual rock that followed them.
1Corinthians 10:1-4 “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed (Greek = accompanied) them: and that Rock was Christ.”
Wiersbe: Paul saw Israel’s march through the sea as a baptism, for the water was on either side like a wall and the cloud of God’s presence was behind them and over them. Through this ‘baptism,’ the people of Israel were identified with Moses, just as in water baptism God’s people today are identified with Jesus Christ.”
Ex. 14:23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
Ex. 14:24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
Ex. 14:25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
Ex. 14:26 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
Ex. 14:27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
Ex. 14:28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
In the morning, the Egyptians pursued the Israelites through the midst of the waters. The LORD threw them into great confusion and made the wheels of their chariots come off. They realized that the LORD was intervening for Israel and tried to run. But Moses stretched out his hand again in obedience to God, and the waters came together again. Not one of the Pharaoh’s army survived.
Ex. 14:29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
Ex. 14:30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
Ex. 14:31 And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.
That day the Israelites again experienced the deliverance of God. They saw the Egyptians lying dead on the sea shore. After witnessing God’s mighty hand of power on their behalf again, the people feared the LORD and believed Him and His servant Moses. This belief represented more of a head knowledge and not a heart knowledge as future actions will prove.
Usually, I think of the fear of the LORD as reverential awe and wonder. I would imagine that after such a display of God’s power on their behalf, some of the people were actually in fear and trembling.
Throughout history, men have tried to explain away this great miracle. Some have even tried to explain that the reference was to a much smaller sea of reeds. Scripture declares otherwise.
Psalms 106:9–11 “He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness. And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left.”
Isaiah 51:10 “Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?”
The LORD brought His people through the depths of the sea and drowned every single one of their enemies (the Pharaoh’s troops and their chariots).
Guzik: “We can say that the deliverance of Passover and the miracle of the Red Sea go together. If not for the victory won at the Red Sea, the redemption at Passover would have meant nothing. But they would have never made it to the Red Sea without the miracle of God’s redemption at Passover. In the same way, the redemption of the cross would mean nothing without the miracle of the resurrection. The two works of deliverance must go hand in hand.”