God Leads the People

¹⁷ So it happened, when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was nearer; for God said, “The people might change their minds when they see war [that is, that there will be war], and return to Egypt.” ¹⁸ But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the ^[a]Red Sea; the sons of Israel went up in battle array (orderly ranks, marching formation) out of the land of Egypt. ¹⁹ Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had solemnly ordered (placed under an oath) the Israelites, saying, “God will assuredly take care of you, and you must carry my bones away from here with you.”^{(A) 20} They journeyed from Succoth [in Goshen] and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness. ²¹ The [presence of the] Lord was going before them by day in a pillar (column) of cloud to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, so that they could travel by day and by night. ²² He did not withdraw the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from going before the people.