Israel Leaves Egypt
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camp of Israel, and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave
light by night to these. So that the one came not near the other all the
night.”
The Egyptians could not see the Hebrews, for the cloud of thick
darkness was before them, which cloud was all light to the Israelites.
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Thus did God display his power to prove his people, whether they
would trust in him after giving them such tokens of his care and love
for them, and to rebuke their unbelief and murmuring. “And Moses
stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord caused the sea to go
back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land,
and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the
midst of the sea upon the dry ground; and the waters were a wall unto
them on their right hand and on their left.” The waters rose up and
stood, like congealed walls on either side, while Israel walked in the
midst of the sea on dry ground.
The Egyptian host was triumphing through that night that the
children of Israel were again in their power. They thought there was
no possibility of their escape, for before them stretched the Red Sea,
and their large armies were close behind them. In the morning, as they
came up to the sea, lo, there was a dry path, the waters were divided,
and stood like a wall upon either side, and the children of Israel were
half way through the sea, walking on dry land. They waited a while to
decide what course they had better pursue. They were disappointed
and enraged, that, as the Hebrews were almost in their power, and they
were sure of them, an unexpected way was opened for them in the sea.
They decided to follow them. “And the Egyptians pursued, and went
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in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his
chariots, and his horsemen. And it came to pass, that in the morning
watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar
of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, and
took off their chariot-wheels, that they drave them heavily, so that the
Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the Lord fighteth
for them against the Egyptians.”
The Egyptians dared to venture in the path God had prepared for
his people, and angels of God went through their host and removed
their chariot-wheels. They were plagued. Their progress was very
slow, and they began to be troubled. They remembered the judgments
the God of the Hebrews had brought upon them in Egypt, to compel