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. ¹⁹ And Moses took ^(C)the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely ^[b]take care of you, and you shall bring up my bones from here with you.” ²⁰ Then they set out from ^(D)Succoth and camped in Etham on the edge of the wilderness. ^21 (E)And Yahweh was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to guide them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might go by day and by night. ^22 [c]He ^(F)did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.