The Wilderness Way^(A)

¹⁷ Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people ^(B)change their minds when they see war, and ^(C)return to Egypt.” ¹⁸ So God ^(D)led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt.

¹⁹ And Moses took the ^(E)bones of ^(F)Joseph with him, for he had placed the children of Israel under solemn oath, saying, ^(G)“God will surely ^[a]visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you.”

²⁰ So ^(H)they took their journey from ^(I)Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. ²¹ And ^(J)the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. ²² He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.

¹⁸ Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

¹⁹ And the Angel of God, ^(A)who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. ²⁰ So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.

²¹ Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and ^(B)made the sea into dry land, and the waters were ^(C)divided. ²² So ^(D)the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were ^(E)a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. ²³ And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

²⁴ Now it came to pass, in the morning ^(F)watch, that ^(G)the Lord looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He ^[a]troubled the army of the Egyptians.

⁹ Then Moses spoke to Aaron, “Say to all the congregation of the children of Israel, ^(A)‘Come near before the Lord, for He has heard your complaints.’ ” ¹⁰ Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord ^(B)appeared in the cloud.

¹¹ And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ^12 (C)“I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ^(D)‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and ^(E)in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”