Exodus 13:14-22
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
14 And when your son asks you later on, ‘What does this mean?’ you will tell him, ‘With a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of a house of slavery. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, the firstborn of human being and beast alike. That is why I sacrifice to the Lord every male that opens the womb, and why I ransom every firstborn of my sons.’ 16 It will be like a sign on your hand and a band on your forehead that with a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”(A)
IV. The Deliverance of the Israelites from Pharaoh and Victory at the Sea
Toward the Red Sea. 17 Now, when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the Philistines’ land,[a] though this was the nearest; for God said: If the people see that they have to fight, they might change their minds and return to Egypt. 18 Instead, God rerouted them toward the Red Sea by way of the wilderness road, and the Israelites went up out of the land of Egypt arrayed for battle. 19 Moses also took Joseph’s bones(B) with him, for Joseph had made the Israelites take a solemn oath, saying, “God will surely take care of you, and you must bring my bones up with you from here.”
20 Setting out from Succoth, they camped at Etham(C) near the edge of the wilderness.
21 (D)The Lord preceded them, in the daytime by means of a column of cloud to show them the way, and at night by means of a column of fire[b] to give them light. Thus they could travel both day and night. 22 Neither the column of cloud by day nor the column of fire by night ever left its place in front of the people.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 13:17 By way of the Philistines’ land: the most direct route from Egypt to Palestine, along the shore of the Mediterranean.
- 13:21 A column of cloud…a column of fire: probably one and the same extraordinary phenomenon, a central nucleus of fire surrounded by smoke; only at night was its luminous nature visible; cf. 40:38.
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