Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 14:7
And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
7. all the chariots ] i.e. all the other chariots.
and knights upon (not ‘over’) all of them ] The Heb. shlsh is not the word usually rendered ‘captain’; but denotes apparently some superior kind of military officer: in 2Ki 7:2; 2Ki 7:17; 2Ki 9:25; 2Ki 10:25; 2Ki 15:25 it is used of a military attendant of the king, or, in the plural, of a body of such attendants, such as we might, for distinction, call a knight: the same rend. would suit also Exo 15:4, Eze 23:15; Eze 23:23 , 2Ch 8:9 (in 2Sa 23:8 = 1Ch 11:11 RVm. ‘three’ [ ] should probably be read for ‘captains’ [ ]). From the resemblance of the word to the Heb. for ‘three’ it has often been supposed to denote the third man in a chariot (cf. LXX. in Ex. and Kings, ), i.e. the shield-bearer (by the side of the driver and the bowman). But (1) as appears from pictorial representations (see ill. in Wilk.-B. i. 223 f.), the Egyptian war-chariot was manned, except in triumphal processions (Wilk.-B. l.c.; EB. i. 726), by only two occupants, the driver and the bowman ( EB. l.c.; Erman, p. 547); the chariots of the Hittites had three occupants (see ill. in EB. i. 729, or Erman, l.c.), but this, at the battle of Kadesh on the Orontes, under Rameses II, surprised the Egyptians (Erman, l.c.); the Assyrian chariots also carried only two occupants. (2) The shlshim, are not in any of the other passages where they are mentioned specially associated with chariots, even in 2Ki 9:25, Bidkar is not necessarily Jehu’s chariot -attendant; and in Exo 15:4 the expression, ‘the choice of his shlshim,’ would seem to suggest some more select and distinguished body than those who took only the third place in the chariots. We cannot be sure of the precise sense which was felt to attach to the word; but knight seems to suit all the passages in which it occurs. It may mean properly (Di.) ‘a man of the third rank.’
8 9 (P). The sequel to v. 4.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Six hundred chosen chariots – The Egyptian army comprised large numbers of chariots, each drawn by two horses, with two men, one bearing the shield and driving, the other fully armed. The horses were thoroughbred, renowned for strength and spirit. Chariots are first represented on the monuments of the 18th dynasty. By all the chariots of Egypt we are to understand all that were stationed in Lower Egypt, most of them probably at Rameses and other frontier garrisons near the headquarters of Pharaoh.
Captains – The word shalysh, literally third or thirtieth, may represent an Egyptian title. The king had about him a council of thirty, each of whom bore a title, Mapu, a thirty man. The word occurs frequently in the Books of Kings. David seems to have organized the Shalishim as a distinct corps (see 2Sa 23:8 Hebrew), retaining the old name, and adopting the Egyptian system.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. Six hundred chosen chariots, c.] According to the most authentic accounts we have of war-chariots, they were frequently drawn by two or by four horses, and carried three persons: one was charioteer, whose business it was to guide the horses, but he seldom fought the second chiefly defended the charioteer; and the third alone was properly the combatant. It appears that in this case Pharaoh had collected all the cavalry of Egypt; (see Ex 14:17); and though these might not have been very numerous, yet, humanly speaking, they might easily overcome the unarmed and encumbered Israelites, who could not be supposed to be able to make any resistance against cavalry and war-chariots.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Quest. How. could he use or carry his chariots, when all his horses were killed by that plague? Exo 9:6.
Answ. That plague slew only the horses which were in the field, Exo 9:3, not those kept in houses, as the chariot-horses generally were, and now are.
All the chariots, i.e. a great number; all that could be got together in haste, which the present service required.
Over every one of them; over the men that fought out of every chariot. Or, over all of them; the command of all these chariots being distributed to several captains or commanders.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And he took six hundred chosen chariots,…. The chief and best he had, war chariots, chariots of iron; perhaps such as had iron scythes to them, to cut down men as they drove along; these were taken partly for quickness of dispatch, that they might be able the sooner to overtake the Israelites, who had got several days’ marches before them; and partly for their strength and the annoyance of their enemies with them:
and all the chariots of Egypt: as many as could in so short a time be got together: for the words are not to be taken in the utmost latitude, but to signify a great number, and all that could be conveniently come at: the Greek version is, “all the horse”, the cavalry, which better distinguishes them from the former:
and captains over everyone of them: over everyone of the chariots, so that they must each of them have many in them, to have captains over them: and perhaps the infantry, or foot soldiers, for, quickness of expedition, were put into them; for, besides these, there were horsemen: Josephus p makes the whole number of his army to be 50,000 horse, and 200,000 foot, and the same number is given by a Jewish chronologer q: but Patricides, an Arabic writer, says r it consisted of 600,000, and Ezekiel s, the tragic poet, has made it amount to a million of horse and foot: should it be asked where horses could be had to draw the chariots, and horses for the horsemen after mentioned, when all were destroyed by the hail, Ex 9:25 it may be replied, that only those in the field were killed, not such as were in stables, where chariot horses and horses for war may be supposed to be: besides, as the Targum of Jonathan intimates, these might belong to these servants of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord, and took their cattle home, Ex 9:20.
p Antiqu. l. 2. c. 15. sect. 3. q Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 77. 4. r Apud Hottinger. Smegma, p. 464. s Apud Euseb. ut supra. (Praepar. Evangel. c. 27. p. 436.)
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(7) Six hundred chosen chariots.The chariot force was that on which the Egyptians chiefly relied for victory from the beginning of the eighteenth
dynasty. Diodorus Siculus assigns to his Sesostris (probably Rameses II.) a force of 27,000 chariots; but this is, no doubt, an exaggeration. The largest number of chariots brought together on any one occasion that is sufficiently attested, is believed by the present writer to be 3,940, which were collected by various confederates against an Assyrian king (Ancient Monarchies, vol. ii, p. 103, Note). In 1Sa. 13:5, 30,000 chariots are mentioned, no doubt by some numerical error. A force of 2,500 is said by Rameses II. to have been brought against him in his great Hittite campaign (Records of the Past, vol. ii., pp. 69, 71). Sheshonk I. (Shishak) invaded Judaea with 1,200 (2Ch. 12:3). The six hundred chosen chariots of the present passage are thus quite within the limits of probability. Most likely they constituted a division of the royal guard, and were thus always at the kings disposal.
And all the chariots of Egypt.The word all must not be pressed. The writer means all that were availablethat could be readily summoned. These could only be the chariots of Lower Egyptthose stationed at Memphis, Heliopolis, Bubastis, Pithom, Sebennytus perhaps, and Pelusium. They would probably amount to several hundreds.
Captains over every one of them.Rather, over the whole of them. These captains are again mentioned in Exo. 15:4. The word in the originala derivative from the numeral threeis supposed to have meant, primarily, persons occupying the third rank below the king.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Six hundred This was a picked chariot force, and Josephus adds, from traditional sources, that there were fifty thousand horsemen and two hundred thousand footmen . The word “all” is not to be taken absolutely, as if every chariot in Egypt was in the pursuit. See note on Exo 9:6.
Captains Literally, third men, one of three, because the chariot was sometimes manned by three .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Exo 14:7. He took six hundred chosen chariots These six hundred, most probably, were those which appertained to the king’s guard, and were always ready to attend him, being the very choice and strength of his army. Besides these, it is said, he took all the chariots of Egypt. Chariots were very early, and especially in the eastern countries, used in war; we read of them as quite common in Homer: Xenophon says, they were usually drawn by four horses. Egypt was a plain country, and very fit for them; and accordingly we read that its strength consisted in them. 2Ch 12:3. Isa 31:1. If these chariots were all drawn by four horses, the number required on this occasion must have been very great; and as it is said, ch. Exo 9:6 that all their cattle was destroyed, some have wondered whence they should have procured so many. But it is to be observed, that this is said only of the cattle which was in the field; the cavalry, as is usual, being kept in stables, and so preserved. “Of all the infatuated resolutions (to use the words of the learned Dr. Jackson, b. 10: ch. 11.) which either king or people adventured on, the pursuing the Israelites with such a mighty army, after they had so intreated and urged them to leave their country, may well seem, to every indifferent reader, the most stupid that ever was taken;” and so, indeed, the author of the Book of Wisdom, ch. Exo 19:3 justly censures it: for whilst they were yet mourning, says he, and making lamentation at the graves of the dead, they added another foolish device, and pursued them, as fugitives, whom they had intreated to be gone. But how much soever the Egyptians had suffered for detaining the Hebrews, yet, now that they were gone, they possibly might be of the same mind with the Syrians; (1Ki 20:23.) who fancied that the God of Israel might not be alike powerful in all places; or, if he was, they might, nevertheless, think that Moses’s commission extended no farther than the meridian of Egypt; or that, if it did, it might, however, have no power over mighty hosts and armies. They knew, at least, that the Israelites had no skill in military matters; no captains of infantry, no cavalry at all, no weapons or engines of war; whereas they were well furnished, and equipped with every thing of this nature: and upon these, and the like presumptions, it was that they became foolhardy and desperately resolute, either to bring back the Israelites to their slavery, or to be revenged upon them for all the losses they had sustained, and the penalties they had suffered. See Patrick’s Commentary.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Exo 14:7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
Ver. 7. Six hundred chosen chariots. ] They fought of old out of chariots armed with scythes and hooks; which at first were a terror, and after a scorn. a
a Veget., lib. i. cap. 24.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 14:23, Exo 15:4, Jos 17:16-18, Jdg 4:3, Jdg 4:15, Psa 20:7, Psa 68:17, Isa 37:24
Reciprocal: Gen 50:9 – chariots Jdg 1:19 – chariots 2Sa 23:13 – three 1Ki 20:1 – and horses
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 14:7. Six hundred chosen chariots The strength of ancient Egypt, which is a plain country, consisted in cavalry and military chariots. Indeed, it appears from sundry passages of Scripture, that the eastern nations in general, in the early ages of the world, made great use of armed chariots in war. Captains over every one of them Or rather over all of them, distributing the command of them to his several captains.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
14:7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and {d} all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
(d) Josephus writes that besides those chariots, there were 50,000 horsemen, and 80,000 footmen.