1. The journey from Succoth to Etham 13:17-22

 

"The way of the land of the Philistines"refers to the most northern of three routes travelers took from Egypt to Canaan (v. 17). The others lay farther south. The Egyptians had heavily fortified this caravan route, also called the Via Maris(the way of the sea). The Egyptians would have engaged Israel in battle had the chosen people gone that way.

The people marched in an orderly fashion (v. 18). This is the meaning of "martial array."Moses had not yet organized them as an army.

Succoth was evidently north and west of the Bitter Lakes (v. 20). Today the Suez Canal connects the Red Sea with the Mediterranean by way of the Bitter Lakes. Archaeologists have not yet identified certainly the sites referred to here such as Succoth and Etham as well as many of those mentioned in the records of the Israelites' journey (e.g., Num. 33). Consequently it is virtually impossible to pin down their exact locations. Many of these sites were nothing more than stopping points or oases. They were not established towns. Kaiser wrote concerning their locations, "Everyone is guessing!"²³¹

The wilderness referred to in this verse would have been the wilderness of Shur located to the east of the Nile delta.

There was only one cloudy pillar (v. 21; cf. 14:24).²³²

"Like the burning bush (3:2), the pillar was the visible symbol of God's presence among His people. The Lord Himself was in the pillar (13:21; 14:24) and often spoke to the people from it ([chs. 19-20; ] Num. 12:5-6; Deut. 31:15-16; Ps. 99:6-7). The later hymn-writers of Israel fondly remembered it (Pss. 78:14; 105:39). A similar cloud of smoke came to represent the glory of the Lord in the sanctuary throughout much of Israel's history (Exod. 40:34-35; 1 Kings 8:10-11; Isa. 4:5; 6:3-4)."²³³

The pillar of cloud and fire remained over the Israelites until they entered Canaan under Joshua's leadership (v. 22). Perhaps it appeared as Meyer imagined it.

"When the excessive heat made it necessary for Israel to march at night, the light of the Fiery Pillar was enough to light the way: and when in the day the scorching glare of the sun was blinding, the cloud spread itself abroad like a great umbrella, so that the women and children could travel in comparative comfort [cf. Ps. 84:11]."²³⁴