Pillars of Cloud and Fire

¹⁷ Now it happened that when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not guide them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, “^(A)Lest the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” ¹⁸ Hence God turned the people to the way of the wilderness to the ^[a]Red Sea; and the sons of Israel went up ^(B)in battle array from the land of Egypt.