24, 25. Premonitory warnings of the disaster about to fall upon the Egyptians.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

In the morning watch – At sunrise, a little before 6 a.m.in April.

Troubled – By a sudden panic.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 24. The morning watch] A watch was the fourth part of the time from sun-setting to sun-rising; so called from soldiers keeping guard by night, who being changed four times during the night, the periods came to be called watches. – Dodd.

As here and in 1Sa 11:11 is mentioned the morning watch; so in La 2:19, the beginning of the watches; and in Jud 7:19, the middle watch is spoken of; in Lu 12:38, the second and third watch; and in Mt 14:25, the fourth watch of the night; which in Mr 13:35 are named evening, midnight, cock-crowing, and day-dawning. – Ainsworth.

As the Israelites went out of Egypt at the vernal equinox, the morning watch, or, according to the Hebrew, beashmoreth habboker, the watch of day-break, would answer to our four o’clock in the morning. – Calmet.

The Lord looked unto] This probably means that the cloud suddenly assumed a fiery appearance where it had been dark before; or they were appalled by violent thunders and lightning, which we are assured by the psalmist did actually take place, together with great inundations of rain, c.: The clouds POURED OUT WATER the skies sent out a SOUND: thine ARROWS also went abroad. The VOICE of thy THUNDER was in the heaven; the LIGHTNINGS LIGHTENED the world; the earth TREMBLED and SHOOK. Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters. Thou leddest thy people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron; Ps 77:17-20. Such tempests as these would necessarily terrify the Egyptian horses, and produce general confusion. By their dashing hither and thither the wheels must be destroyed, and the chariots broken; and foot and horse must be mingled together in one universal ruin; see Ex 14:25. During the time that this state of horror and confusion was at its summit the Israelites had safely passed over; and then Moses, at the command of God, (Ex 14:26), having stretched out his rod over the waters, the sea returned to its strength; (Ex 14:27); i.e., the waters by their natural gravity resumed their level, and the whole Egyptian host were completely overwhelmed, Ex 14:28. But as to the Israelites, the waters had been a wall unto them on the right hand and on the left, Ex 14:29. This the waters could not have been, unless they had been supernaturally supported; as their own gravity would necessarily have occasioned them to have kept their level, or, if raised beyond it, to have regained it if left to their natural law, to which they are ever subject, unless in cases of miraculous interference. Thus the enemies of the Lord perished; and that people who decreed that the male children of the Hebrews should be drowned, were themselves destroyed in the pit which they had destined for others. God’s ways are all equal; and he renders to every man according to his works.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

The night was anciently divided, not by hours, as now it is, but by watches, which sometimes were accounted four, and sometimes but three; howsoever the last of them was called the morning watch. Then when they hoped for most advantage in the pursuit, they met with their greatest disaster.

The Lord; called the Angel of God, Exo 14:19. By which promiscuous use of these titles it sufficiently appears that this was no ordinary angel, but the Son of God.

The Lord looked with an eye of indignation and vengeance, (as that phrase is used, Job 40:12 see also Amo 9:4), and troubled them with most terrible and prodigious winds, and rains, and lightnings, and both claps and bolts of thunder, as may be gathered from Exo 15:10; Psa 77:18,19; and, as some ancient historians relate, with terrors also in their minds, &c.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

24, 25. Lord looked . . . through .. . the cloud, and troubled themWe suppose the fact to havebeen that the side of the pillar of cloud towards the Egyptians wassuddenly, and for a few moments, illuminated with a blaze of light,which, coming as it were in a refulgent flash upon the dense darknesswhich had preceded, so frightened the horses of the pursuers thatthey rushed confusedly together and became unmanageable. “Let usflee,” was the cry that resounded through the broken andtrembling ranks, but it was too late; all attempts at flight werevain [BUSH].

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And it came to pass, that in the morning watch,…. The Romans divided the night into four watches, so the Hebrews; though some say into three only. The first began at six o’clock, and lasted till nine, the second was from thence to twelve, the third from thence to three in the morning, and the last from three to six, which is here called the morning watch; so that this was some time between three and six o’clock in the morning:

the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians, through the pillar of fire and of the cloud; the Angel of the Lord, and who was Jehovah himself, who was in it, he looked to the army of the Egyptians; not to know whereabout they were, he being the omniscient God; nor in a friendly manner, but as an enemy, with indignation and wrath. The Targum of Jonathan is,

“he looked through the pillar of fire, to cast upon them coals of fire, and through the pillar of cloud, to cast upon them hailstones.”

The Jerusalem Targum is,

“pitch, fire, and hailstones;”

and Josephus q speaks of storms and tempests, of thunder and lightning, and of thunderbolts out of the clouds; and Artapanus r of fire or lightning flashing out against them, by which many perished. Perhaps the psalmist may have reference to this in Ps 106:10

and troubled the host of the Egyptians; the thunder and lightning no doubt frightened the horses, so that they broke their ranks, and horsemen and chariots might run foul on one another, and the hailstones scatter and destroy many; however, the whole must be terrible and distressing to them, especially it being in the night season.

q Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 2. c. 16. sect. 2.) r Apud Euseb. ut supra. (Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27. p. 436.)

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

24. And it came to pass, that, in the morning-watch. In the morning the angel began to look upon the Egyptians, not that they had escaped his sight before; but for the purpose of destroying them by sudden submersion, though he had seemed previously to forget them, when hidden by the cloud. (157) And first, He opened their eyes, that too late they might see whither their mad impetuosity had brought them; and also that they might perceive how they were contending not with man only, but with God; and that thus, being overwhelmed with sudden astonishment, they might not be able to escape to the shore in time; for they were on this account overtaken in the midst of the sea, because terror had thrown them into utter confusion, when they perceived that God was against them. They saw that there was no greater hope of safety than to retreat, because God fought for Israel; but being in complete disorder, they could make no way, and whilst they rather proved hindrances to each other, the sea ingulfed them all.

(157) La nuit. — Fr.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(24) In the morning watch.Between 2 a.m. and 6.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

24. In the morning watch In New Testament times, the Jews divided the night into four watches, but in the Old Testament history mention is made of three only: the first, or “beginning of the watches,” from sunset to ten P . M . , (Lam 2:19😉 the “middle watch,” from ten P . M . to two A . M . , (Jdg 7:10😉 and the morning watch, from two A . M . to sunrise . It was, then, after two o’clock in the morning when the cloud, that had hung like a black curtain over and before the Egyptians, opened, and Jehovah “looked upon them” through his lightnings . Thus the Psalmist describes the scene . To appreciate its awfulness to the Egyptians we must remember that thunder and lightning are extremely rare in Egypt, and that the fearful grandeur of our thunderstorms is there wholly unknown . “The clouds streamed water, the skies lifted up their voice, yea, thine arrows (thunderbolts) flew . The voice of thy crash rolled round, (like a chariot in heaven;) lightnings illumined the world; trembled and shook the earth . ” Psa 77:17-18.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Exo 14:24. In the morning-watch A watch was a fourth part of the time from sun-setting to sun-rising; so called, from soldiers keeping guard by night; who being changed four times during the night, the periods came to be called watches. See Mat 14:25. Mar 13:35. Luk 12:38. It was in the morning-watch, the last of the four, that the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians, through the pillar of fire and of the cloud. It is difficult to say, what is implied by this look of the Lord; or how, by means of it, the host of the Egyptians was troubled: it was, no doubt, a look of anger and displeasure; see Psa 104:32 but, whether it was attended, as some suppose, with dreadful thunders, lightning, and hailstones, shot from the cloud, is difficult to determine. Dr. Hammond supposes, that the 77th psalm, Exo 14:16-20 refers to this event; and if so, it is a noble exposition of it. Some render troubled the host, by debilitated the host: but the true meaning of the word hamam, seems to be that which our translation gives; to trouble, or put into tumult and confusion. It does not appear by the text, that the Egyptians were sensible that they were entering into the sea; and it is more than probable, that they were too eager after their pursuit, and had too little light, to perceive the danger they were running into: unless we should suppose, with Josephus, that, because they saw the Israelites march safely through the sea, they vainly hoped that they might do the same; and were not undeceived till it was too late.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

How often before the Lord smites doth he alarm the ungodly. Act 24:25 . But yet further, Rev 6:16 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Exo 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,

Ver. 24. In the morning watch. ] God “watcheth upon the evil to bring it” upon his enemies then when he may do them a greatest mischief. Dan 9:14 He picketh his times for vengeance: “Now will I rise, saith the Lord; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself.” Isa 33:10

The Lord looked unto the host. ] He set his eyes upon them; as Paul did upon Elymus the sorcerer; with highest offence, and utmost indignation. After which lightning follows that terrible thunderclap, wherewith he troubled them and took off their wheels. See Psa 77:18-19 ; Psa 18:15 .

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

that in the: 1Sa 11:11

looked unto: Job 40:12, Psa 18:13, Psa 18:14, Psa 77:16-19, Psa 104:32

through: Exo 14:19, Exo 14:20

and troubled: Exo 14:25, Job 22:13, Job 23:15, Job 23:16, Job 34:20, Job 34:29, Psa 48:5

Reciprocal: Exo 40:34 – a cloud Num 9:15 – the cloud Deu 1:33 – in fire Jdg 7:19 – in the beginning 1Ki 8:9 – when Psa 46:5 – and that Psa 78:14 – General Psa 81:7 – secret Psa 90:7 – are we Psa 105:39 – spread Isa 4:5 – a cloud Eze 30:3 – a cloudy Amo 5:8 – maketh Zec 9:14 – seen Mar 6:48 – the fourth Act 7:35 – by

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Exo 14:24. The Lord Called the angel before; looked unto the host of the Egyptians He looked upon them in anger, Psa 104:32. He visited them with marks of his displeasure, and troubled the Egyptians with terrible winds, lightnings, and thunders, Exo 15:10; Psa 77:18-19; also, with terror of mind. Through the pillar of fire and of the cloud It seems not improbable but that, whereas the cloudy part of the pillar had been toward the Egyptians hitherto, it now turned the other side toward them, and confounded them with showing them their situation.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

14:24 And it came to pass, that in the morning {l} 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,

(l) Which was about the last three hours of the night.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes