Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 24:7
And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season.
7. when they cried unto the Lord ] The Israelites were encamped on the western shore of the Red Sea, when suddenly a cry of alarm ran through the vast multitude. Over the ridges of the desert hills were seen the well-known horses, the terrible chariots of the Egyptian host; “Pharaoh pursued after the children of Israel, and they were sore afraid.”
he put darkness ] “He settide derknessis bitwix ou and Egipcians,” Wyclif. A grand, poetical description. In the midst of the terror and perplexity of the Israelites the Angel of God, who went before them in the pillar of cloud and fire, stationed himself behind them so as to deepen the gloom in which the Egyptians were advancing, and afford light and encouragement to the Israelites. Comp. Exo 14:20; Psa 78:12-14.
and brought the sea upon them ] Determined to prevent the escape of their prey, the Egyptians had rushed on amidst the pitchy darkness that surrounded them into the pass between the walls of water standing up on either side of the Chosen People, but the hand of Moses was uplifted, and straightway the waters began to break and give way, and the sea to return in his strength. The engulphing waves closed over them; all efforts to escape were fruitless; horse and chariot and horseman “sank like lead in the mighty waters” (Exo 15:10).
and covered them ] “And hilide hem,” Wyclif. A good illustration of the meaning of the A. S. hlen = to cover, conceal, whence the word Hell, the covered place, the invisible underworld.
your eyes have seen ] The trembling panic-stricken host stood still and saw “the salvation of the Lord” (Exo 14:13), and the great work which He did upon the Egyptians (Exo 14:31).
a long season ] Even forty years, a year for each day the spies had been engaged in searching out the land” (Num 14:33-34), during which time every one of the generation from twenty years old and upwards died, and their carcases lay bleaching in the wilderness (1Co 10:5; Heb 3:17).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He speaketh this to the elders, Jos 24:1, who were so, not only by power and dignity, but many of them by age; and there being now not sixty years past since those Egyptian plagues, it is very probable that a considerable number of those here present had seen those things in Egypt, and being not twenty years old, were exempted from that dreadful sentence of destruction, passed upon all who were then of more years standing, Num 14.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And when they cried unto the Lord,…. That is, the Israelites, being in the utmost distress, the sea before them, Pharaoh’s large host behind them, and the rocks on each side of them; see Ex 14:10;
he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; the pillar of cloud, the dark side of which was turned to the Egyptians, and which was the reason of their following the Israelites into the sea; for not being able to see their way, knew not where they were; see Ex 14:20;
and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; or “upon him, and covered him” y; on Pharaoh, as Kimchi; or on Egypt; that is, the Egyptians or on everyone of them, as Jarchi, none escaped; see
Ex 14:26;
and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt; what signs and wonders were wrought there, before they were brought out of it, and what he had done to and upon the Egyptians at the Red sea; some then present had been eyewitnesses of them:
and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season; forty years, where they had the law given them, were preserved from many evils and enemies, were fed with manna, and supplied with the necessaries of life, were led about and instructed, and at length brought out of it.
y – “super eum, et operuit eum”, Munster, Vatablus, Pagninus, Montanus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
7. Ye dwelt in the wilderness This was true of the adults of the nation, many of whom were born there. Joshua gives no hint of the painful cause of their long sojourn in the wilderness.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jos 24:7 And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season.
Ver. 7. And ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season. ] Where ye had pluviam escatilem et petram aquatilem, as Tertullian phraseth it: never was prince so served in his greatest pomp as ye were all that while.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
darkness. Hebrew. ophelah, thick and intense darkness. (Occurs only here.
and the. Note Figure of speech Ellipsis (App-6) = “and [between] the”.
have seen = saw. have
done = did.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
And when: Exo 14:10
he put: Exo 14:20
brought: Exo 14:27, Exo 14:28
your eyes: Exo 14:31, Deu 4:34, Deu 29:2
ye dwelt: Jos 5:6, Num 14:33, Num 14:34, Neh 9:12-21, Psa 95:9, Psa 95:10, Act 13:17, Act 13:18, Heb 3:17
Reciprocal: Exo 10:23 – but all Job 19:8 – set Mal 1:5 – your Heb 3:9 – and
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 24:7. Your eyes hare seen what I have done in Egypt He speaks this to the elders, (Jos 24:1,) who were such not only in power and dignity, but many of them by age; and as there were not sixty years past since the plagues were inflicted on Egypt, it is probable that a considerable number of those present had been witnesses of them, and had seen with their own eyes the Egyptians lie dead upon the sea-shore, Exo 14:30. And, not being twenty years old at that time, they were exempted from the dreadful sentence denounced and executed upon all that were older.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
24:7 And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a {d} long season.
(d) Even forty years.