Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 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.
26, 27a. The sequel in P to v. 23. The waters are to return, as they were divided ( v. 21a, c), at the signal given by Moses’ hand.
26. come again ] come back; the word rendered ‘returned’ in vv. 27, 28. ‘Again’ in EVV., as in Old English generally, often means back.
27b. and the sea returned, &c.] By the cessation of the E. wind ( v. 21b); or, if Exo 15:10 is to be pressed, by a contrary wind beginning.
to its wonted flow ] The marg. is right: lit. to its perennial state. The word signifies properly everflowing (Amo 5:20 RVm., Psa 74:15 RVm., Deu 21:6 RV.); but its meaning was lost by the Jews; and as it occurs in many passages in which the rend. mighty, or strong, strength, would satisfy the context, the Jews interpreted it by these words, and hence the usual rendering of it in AV. The true meaning of the word was not recovered till in the 18th cent. Arabic began to be studied and compared with Hebrew, when Albert Schultens pointed out that the root in Arabic was used of a stream, and signified to be perennial, ever-flowing. Cf. the writer’s note on Amo 5:24; and Lex. p. 450 b .
appeared ] Heb. turned (to approach): an idiom, expression, occurring also Jdg 19:26, Psa 46:5, and, with ‘evening’ for ‘morning’, Gen 24:63, Deu 23:11.
and the Egyptians, &c.] The Heb. is more forcible: and (= as) the Egyptians were fleeing against it.
shook off ] The marg. is again right, ‘overthrew’ being a paraphrase: see Neh 5:13, where ‘overthrow’ for ‘shake out’ would obviously be impossible. Cf. the allusion in Psa 136:15 RVm. (the same word). (In Exo 15:7 the Heb. word is different.)
28a. The continuation of v. 27a in P, just as v. 21c is the continuation of v. 21a.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
That the waters may come – A sudden cessation of the wind, possibly coinciding with a spring tide (it was full moon) would immediately convert the low flat sand-banks first into a quicksand, and then into a mass of waters, in a time far less than would suffice for the escape of a single chariot, or horseman loaded with heavy corslet.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
And the Lord said unto Moses,…. Out of the pillar of fire and of the cloud, when the Egyptians were in all the confusion before described, and about to make the best of their way back again:
Stretch out thine hand over the sea; with his rod in it, by which all the wonders were wrought, and particularly by which the sea had been divided, and now it must be used to a different purpose:
that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen; the waters which stood upright as a wall, on the right and left, might be no longer kept in such a position, but fall down upon the Egyptians, their chariots and horsemen, being higher than they.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Then God directed Moses to stretch out his staff again over the sea, and the sea came back with the turning of the morning (when the morning turned, or approached) to its position ( perennitas , the lasting or permanent position), and the Egyptians were flying to meet it. “When the east wind which divided the sea ceased to blow, the sea from the north and south began to flow together on the western side;” whereupon, to judge from Exo 15:10, the wind began immediately to blow from the west, and drove the waves in the face of the flying Egyptians. “ And thus Jehovah shook the Egyptians (i.e., plunged them into the greatest confusion) in the midst of the sea, ” so that Pharaoh’s chariots and horsemen, to the very last man, were buried in the waves.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Verses 26-31:
Israel had safely passed through the Red Sea, in the path Jehovah had made for them. A wall of water rose on either side, but the path was dry. When they were safely across, and when the Egyptians chariots were in hot pursuit in the seabed, Jehovah instructed Moses to undo what he had done the previous day. He lifted his “rod” over the sea, and the waters rushed in upon the Egyptians. All those who were in the seabed, drowned.
This mighty demonstration of Jehovah’s power caused Israel to fear the Lord and to believe Him, and to believe Moses. It accomplished the total humiliation of Egypt. The land had been devastated by the plagues. Israel had stripped Egypt of much of her economic wealth, when they left the land. Egypt’s finest chariot corps was totally destroyed. And Pharaoh suffered a humiliating defeat; this campaign was his sole responsibility, and it was a disaster.
Other Scripture passages concerning the Red Sea crossing: Ps 78; Heb 11:29, 1Co 10:1, 2.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
26. And the Lord said unto Moses. Moses here relates how the sea, in destroying the Egyptians, had no less obeyed God’s command than when it lately afforded a passage for His people, for it. was by the uplifting of the rod of Moses that the waters came again into their place, as they had been before gathered into heaps. The Egyptians now repented of their precipitate madness, and determined, as conquered by God’s power, to leave the children of Israel, and to return home; but God, who willed their destruction, shut up the way of escape at this very crisis. But, that we may know how evident a miracle was here, Moses now adds the circumstance of time, for he says that the morning then appeared, so that the broad daylight might show the whole transaction to the eyes of the spectators. The waters, indeed, were heaped up in the night; but the pillar of fire, which shone on the Egyptians, and pointed out their way, did not allow God’s blessing to be hidden from them. The case of the Egyptians was otherwise: therefore it behooved that they should perish by day, and that the sun itself should render their destruction visible. This also tends to prove God’s power, because, whilst they were endeavoring to fly, He openly urged them on, as if they were intentionally drowning themselves.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(26) And the Lord said.Or, The Lord had said. Probably the command was given as soon as the Israelites were safe across. It would take some hours for the north-west wind to bring back the waters of the Bitter Lakes.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 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.
Ver. 26. That the waters may come again. ] By wind that God sent. Exo 15:10 “The winds blow, the waters flow.” Psa 147:18
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Stretch out: Exo 14:16, Exo 7:19, Exo 8:5, Mat 8:27
the waters: Exo 1:22, Jdg 1:6, Jdg 1:7, Mat 7:2, Jam 2:13, Rev 16:6
Reciprocal: Jos 4:18 – that the waters Isa 11:16 – like as it was
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 14:26. And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thy hand over the sea And give a signal to the waters to close again, as before upon the word of command they had opened to the right and the left. He did so, and immediately the waters returned to their place, and overwhelmed all the host of the Egyptians. Pharaoh and his servants, that had hardened one another in sin, now fell together, and not one escaped. An ancient tradition saith, that Pharaohs magicians, Jannes and Jambres, perished with the rest. Now God got him honour upon Pharaoh, a rebel to God, and a slave to his own barbarous passions; perfectly lost to humanity, virtue, and all true honour; here he lies buried in the deep, a perpetual monument of divine justice: here he went down to the pit, though he was the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
This miraculous deliverance produced fear (reverential trust) in Yahweh among the Israelites (Exo 14:31). Their confidence in Moses as well as in God revived (cf. Exo 14:10-12).
". . . whenever confidence in Moses increases, as here and at Sinai, it is because of an action of Yahweh." [Note: Durham, p. 197.]
"In view of the importance of the concept of faith and trust in God for the writer of the Pentateuch, we should take a long look at these verses. Just as Abraham believed God and was counted righteous (Gen 15:6), so the Israelites, under the leadership of Moses, also believed God. It seems reasonable that the writer would have us conclude here in the wilderness the people of God were living a righteous life of faith, like Abraham. As they headed toward Sinai, their trust was in the God of Abraham who had done great deeds for them. It is only natural, and certainly in line with the argument of the book, that they would break out into a song of praise in the next chapter. On the negative side, however, we should not lose sight of the fact that these same people would forget only too quickly the great work of God, make a golden calf (Psa 106:11-13), and thus forsake the God about whom they were now singing." [Note: Sailhamer, The Pentateuch . . ., p. 270.]
"Here [Exo 14:31] the title of ’servant’ is given to Moses. This is the highest title a mortal can have in the OT-the ’servant of Yahweh.’ It signifies more than a believer; it describes the individual as acting on behalf of God. For example, when Moses stretched out his hand, God used it as his own (Isa 63:12). Moses was God’s personal representative." [Note: The NET Bible note on 14:31.]
Many critics who have sought to explain away God’s supernatural deliverance of Israel have attacked this story. They have tried by various explanations to account for what happened in natural terms exclusively. It is obvious from this chapter, however, that regardless of where the crossing took place enough water was present to drown the army of Egyptians that pursued Israel (Exo 14:28). Immediately after this deliverance, the Israelites regarded their salvation as supernatural (Exo 15:1-21), and they continued to do so for generations (e.g., Psa 106:7-8). The people of Canaan heard about and believed in this miraculous deliverance, and it terrified them (Jos 2:9-10; Jos 9:9). The critic’s problem may be moral rather than intellectual. Some of the critics do not want to deal with the implications of there being supernatural phenomena so they try to explain them away. The text clearly presents a supernatural deliverance and even states that God acted as He did to prove His supernatural power (Exo 14:4; Exo 14:18).
"From the start of the exodus, it becomes clear, Yahweh has orchestrated the entire sequence." [Note: Durham, p. 198.]
The Lord finished the Israelites’ liberation when He destroyed the Egyptian army. The Israelites’ slavery ended when they left Egypt, but they began to experience true freedom after they crossed the Red Sea. The ten plagues had broken Pharaoh’s hold on the Israelites, but the Red Sea deliverance removed them from his reach forever. God redeemed Israel on the Passover night, but He liberated Israel from slavery finally at the Red Sea. [Note: See William D. Ramey, "The Great Escape (Exodus 14)," Exegesis and Exposition 1:1 (Fall 1986):33-42.] In Christian experience these two works of God, redemption and liberation, occur at the same time; they are two aspects of salvation.