Exodus 13-15

1. Exodus 13-15 Trapped!

2. Exodus The tenth plague finally breaks Pharaoh Israel celebrates the first Passover God’s people assemble for their journey to Sinai Now that God has rescued them, everything should be pretty easy, right?

3. Exodus 12 37 That night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth. There were about 600,000 men, plus all the women and children.

4. Exodus 12 37 That night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth. There were about 600,000 men, plus all the women and children.

5. Exodus 12 37 That night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth. There were about 600,000 men, plus all the women and children. • Men should really be “soldiers” • Implies total population of 2-3 million • By comparison: • Total population of Egypt was 1.5-4 million during this era • Ancient Rome only had 1 million people • Modern Chicago has ~2.6 million

6. Exodus 12 37 That night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth. There were about 600,000 men, plus all the women and children. = 20,000 • Men should really be “soldiers” • Implies total population of 2-3 million • By comparison: • Total population of Egypt was 1.5-4 million during this era • Ancient Rome only had 1 million people • Modern Chicago has ~2.6 million

7. Exodus 12 37 That night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth. There were about 600,000 men, plus all the women and children. Men should really be “soldiers” Implies total population of 2-3 million Other problems: Deut 9:1 – You are crossing over the Jordan today to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, great cities fortified to heaven

8. Exodus 12 37 That night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth. There were about 600,000 men, plus all the women and children. Men should really be “soldiers” Implies total population of 2-3 million Other problems: Deut 7:19 – Yahweh your God will use this same power against all the people you fear. Found enough water without a miracle?

9. Exodus 12 37 That night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth. There were about 600,000 men, plus all the women and children. Men should really be “soldiers” Implies total population of 2-3 million Other problems: Lev 8:3 – “Assemble all the congregation at the doorway of the tent of meeting.” Twelve springs and seventy date palms is refreshing? (Ex 15:27)

10. Exodus 12 37 That night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth. There were about 600,000 men, plus all the women and children. Possible solution: “Thousand” is the word eleph

11. Exodus 12 37 That night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth. There were about 600 elephs of soldiers, plus all the women and children. • Possible solution: • “Thousand” is the word eleph • Eleph has a wide range of meaning: • “clan” or “family” • Gideon asked, “How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” (Jdg 6:15)

12. Exodus 12 37 That night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth. There were about 600 elephs of soldiers, plus all the women and children. • Possible solution: • “Thousand” is the word eleph • Eleph has a wide range of meaning: • “clan” or “family” • …the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered and spoke to the heads of the families of Israel. (Josh 22:21)

13. Exodus 12 37 That night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth. There were about 600 elephs of soldiers, plus all the women and children. Possible solution: “Thousand” is the word eleph This would give 600 groups of soldiers of varying sizes Average of 12 soldiers per eleph = ~7,200 soldiers, 30,000-40,000 Israelites (Stuart, NAC) Wenham: larger army w/ 70,000 Israelites

14. Exodus 12 42 On this night Yahweh kept his promise to bring his people out of the land of Egypt. So this night belongs to him, and it must be commemorated every year by all the Israelites, from generation to generation…

15. Exodus 13 1 Then Yahweh said to Moses, 2 “Dedicate to me every firstborn among the Israelites. The first offspring to be born, of both humans and animals, belongs to me.”

16. Exodus 13 13 A firstborn donkey may be bought back from Yahweh by presenting a lamb or young goat in its place. But if you do not buy it back, you must break its neck. However, you must buy back every firstborn son.

17. Exodus 13 14 “And in the future, your children will ask you, ‘What does all this mean?’ Then you will tell them, ‘With the power of his mighty hand, Yahweh brought us out of Egypt, the place of our slavery.

18. Exodus 13 15 Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, so Yahweh killed all the firstborn males throughout the land of Egypt, both people and animals. That is why I now sacrifice all the firstborn males to Yahweh—except that the firstborn sons are always bought back.’

19. Exodus 13 16 This ceremony will be like a mark branded on your hand or your forehead. It is a reminder that the power of Yahweh’s mighty hand brought us out of Egypt.” 1 Cor. 6:20 – For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

20. Exodus 13 17 When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”

21. Exodus 13 18 So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle.

24. Exodus 13 19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear to do this. He said, “God will certainly come to help you. When he does, you must take my bones with you from this place.”

25. Exodus 13 20 The Israelites left Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness.

26. Exodus 13 21 Yahweh went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night. 22 And Yahweh did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front of the people.

27. Exodus 14 1 Then Yahweh gave these instructions to Moses: 2 “Order the Israelites to turn back and camp by Pi-hahiroth between Migdol and the sea. Camp there along the shore, across from Baal-zephon. God deliberately led them into an impossible situation!

28. Exodus 14 3 Then Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are confused. They are trapped in the wilderness!’

29. Exodus 14 4 And once again I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after you.

30. Exodus Always translated “harden” Never translated “harden” Rest of OT

31. Exodus 14 4 And once again I will strengthen Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after you. I have planned this in order to display my glory through Pharaoh and his whole army. After this the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh!” So the Israelites camped there as they were told.

32. Exodus 14 5 When word reached the king of Egypt that the Israelites had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds. “What have we done, letting all those Israelite slaves get away?” they asked. May have already begun to feel the Israelites’ absence

33. Exodus 14 6 So Pharaoh harnessed his chariot and called up his troops. 7 He took with him 600 of Egypt’s best chariots, along with the rest of the chariots of Egypt, each with its commander.

34. Exodus 14 8 Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, so he chased after the people of Israel, who had left with fists raised in defiance.

35. Exodus 14 9 The Egyptians chased after them with all the forces in Pharaoh’s army—all his horses and chariots, his charioteers, and his troops. The Egyptians caught up with the people of Israel as they were camped beside the shore near Pi-hahiroth, across from Baal-zephon.

36. Exodus 14 10 As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to Yahweh,

37. Exodus 14 11 and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt?

38. Exodus 14 12 Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’”

39. Exodus 14 12 Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’” • Wrong on two counts: • That the Egyptians wanted to kill them • That God would not protect them

40. Exodus 14 13 But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand firm and watch Yahweh rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. 14 Yahweh himself will fight for you. Just be still.”

41. Exodus 14 13 But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand firm and watch Yahweh rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. 14 Yahweh himself will fight for you. Just be still.” There’s nothing wrong with having fears as long as you don’t listen to them

42. Exodus 14 13 But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand firm and watch Yahweh rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. 14 Yahweh himself will fight for you. Just be still.”

43. Exodus 14 13 But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand firm and watch Yahweh rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. 14 Yahweh himself will fight for you. Just be still.”

44. Exodus 14 13 But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand firm and watch Yahweh rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. 14 Yahweh himself will fight for you. Just be still.” Moses is holding it together But also crying out to God

45. Exodus 14 15 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! 16 Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground. Sometimes your “prayer” for direction is just glorified whining

46. Exodus 14 17 And I will harden [strengthen] the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will charge in after the Israelites. My great glory will be displayed through Pharaoh and his troops, his chariots, and his charioteers. 18 When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am Yahweh!”

47. Exodus 14 19 Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud moved from the front and stood behind them.

48. Exodus 14 20 The cloud settled between the Egyptian and Israelite camps. As darkness fell, the cloud turned to fire, lighting up the night. But the Egyptians and Israelites did not approach each other all night. It’s possible that Pharaoh left at this point

49. Exodus 14 21 Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and Yahweh opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. 22 So the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side!

50. Exodus 14 23 Then the Egyptians—all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and charioteers—chased them into the middle of the sea. 24 But just before dawn Yahweh looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw their forces into total confusion.