Throughout the 40 Days of Lent, our Words from the Servants podcast will feature brothers from around the world as they give daily commentary on the books of Exodus and Hebrews. This week our Filipino brother Abyong Calo will be providing commentary, starting with Exodus 13:17 – 14:9 today. Take a listen below or click here to download. You can find the full list of our meditation passages for this 40 Days here.
Exodus 13:17 – 14:9:
When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest the people repent when they see war, and return to Egypt.” But God led the people round by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him; for Joseph had solemnly sworn the people of Israel, saying, “God will visit you; then you must carry my bones with you from here.” And they moved on from Succoth, and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night; the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-ha-hi’roth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Ba’al-ze’phon; you shall encamp over against it, by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, `They are entangled in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.” And they did so.
When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him, and took six hundred picked chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt and he pursued the people of Israel as they went forth defiantly. The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamped at the sea, by Pi-ha-hi’roth, in front of Ba’al-ze’phon.
