God Leads the People

¹⁷ Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, “^(A)The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” ¹⁸ Therefore God led the people around by way of the wilderness to the ^[a]Red Sea; and the sons of Israel went up ^(B)in battle formation 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 certainly ^[b]take care of you, and you shall carry 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 And ^(E)the Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, so that they might ^[c]travel by day and by night. ^22 [d]He ^(F)did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from the presence of the people.