God Guides the People in the Desert

¹⁷ When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them along the road through the land of the Philistines, even though it was nearer, because God had said, “If the people face war, they may change their minds and return to Egypt.” ¹⁸ So God led the people the roundabout way of the desert toward the Reed^[a] Sea. The Israelis went up from the land of Egypt in military formation.^{[b] 19} Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, because Joseph^[c] had made the Israelis take this solemn oath: “God will certainly take notice of you, and then you must carry my bones up with you from here.” ²⁰ They left Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the desert. ²¹ The Lord went in front of them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so they could travel both day and night. ²² Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.