Pharoah has a change of heart.
God speaks to Moses:
“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. Then Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are confused. They are trapped in the wilderness!’ And once again I will harden 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 the Lord!” So the Israelites camped there as they were told. Ex. 14:2 – 4. NLT
God gains glory by rewarding good and punishing evil. Dennis Prager: Exodus: God, Slavery, and Freedom.
Where Jehovah told Moses to have the Israelites camp left them in a place where they were trapped against the Red Sea.
Meanwhile, back at Pharaoh’s palace, he is now regretting (God is hardening his heart once more) his decision to free the Hebrews:
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. So Pharaoh harnessed his chariot and called up his troops. He took with him 600 of Egypt’s best chariots, along with the rest of the chariots of Egypt, each with its commander. The Lord 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. Ex. 14:5 – 8. NLT
When Pharaoh’s vast army became visible, the Israelites panicked – crying out to God and rebuking Moses, saying it would be better to be a slave in Egypt than to be killed in the wilderness.
However, this is not the same old Moses. Having been the conduit of God’s judgments upon Egypt, he has learned that Jehovah is a promise-keeper and that He is omnipotent. He addresses the people powerfully:
“Do not be afraid! Take your stand [be firm and confident and undismayed] and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for those Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you while you [only need to] keep silent and remain calm.” Ex. 14:13, 14. AMP
As per God’s instruction, Moses tells the Hebrews to face the sea. Then, again, at the behest of Jehovah, he raises his staff over the sea. Simultaneously, the angel of the LORD that was leading the people moved between the Hebrews and the Egyptian army, separating the two until the Hebrews could escape:
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind all that night and turned the seabed into dry land, and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the middle of the sea on dry land, and the waters formed a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. Ex. 14:21, 22. AMP
The Israelites crossed the sea. The Egyptian army pursued them, but things didn’t work out so well for them.
So it happened at the early morning watch [before dawn], that the Lord looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and put them in a state of confusion. He made their chariot wheels hard to turn, and the chariots difficult to drive; so the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.” Ex. 14:24, 25. AMP
Notice that the Egyptians finally recognized the God of the Hebrews and the true God. They tried to escape, but Jehovah had Moses wave his hand over the sea and the walls of water drown every single soldier and Pharaoh as well.
When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before him. They put their faith in the Lord and in his servant Moses. Ex. 14:31 NLT
Moses then composed a song to glorify God and His victory.[1]
The Hebrews have a short memory.
Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went into the Wilderness of Shur; they went [a distance of] three days (about thirty-three miles) in the wilderness and found no water. Then they came to Marah, but they could not drink its waters because they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah (bitter). The people [grew discontented and] grumbled at Moses, saying, “What are we going to drink?” Ex. 15:22 – 24. AMP
The people have been delivered from bondage by their Creator, Who demonstrated, through His plagues, that He is the Master of all aspects of the Universe and over life itself. And just 3 days prior, He parted the Red Sea and crushed their enemies. O ye of little faith…
Then he cried to the Lord [for help], and the Lord showed him a tree, [a branch of] which he threw into the waters, and the waters became sweet. Ex. 15:25a. AMP
When you think about it, this was a HUGE miracle. Two million plus people and their animals required sweet (potable) water to drink. God used that branch to convert what must have been a huge body of water.
Then, Jehovah tells His children how to have a better life:
It was there at Marah that the Lord set before them the following decree as a standard to test their faithfulness to him. He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.” Ex. 15:25b, 26. NLT
Afterwards, the people traveled to an oasis located about 60 miles southeast of Suez, named Elim, which is now called Wadi Garandel in present time. And they set up camp.
The Hebrews complain again:
Then the whole community of Israel set out from Elim and journeyed into the wilderness of Sin, between Elim and Mount Sinai. They arrived there on the fifteenth day of the second month, one month after leaving the land of Egypt. There, too, the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron. Ex. 16:1, 2. NLT
They are whining about not having meat or bread to eat and that they wished that God had killed them in Egypt instead of starving them to death in the wilderness. (Of course, they could have eaten some of their farm animals, but they needed them as provisions when they arrived in Canaan).
Our most patient Creator comes to their rescue:
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.” Ex. 16:4 NLT
Aaron and Moses are angry with the Israelites for complaining about God:
“By evening you will realize it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt. In the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaints, which are against him, not against us. What have we done that you should complain about us?” Then Moses added, “The Lord will give you meat to eat in the evening and bread to satisfy you in the morning, for he has heard all your complaints against him.” Ex.16:6 – 8. NLT
That very evening, huge flocks of quail entered the camp to provide meat, and in the next morning, the ground was covered with white wafers tasting of coriander and honey. The Israelites called it ‘manna’ which means ‘what is it?’
And Moses told them, “It is the food the Lord has given you to eat. These are the Lord’s instructions: Each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quarts for each person in your tent.” Ex. 16:15, 16. NLT
Moses also instructed them not to keep any manna overnight. Of course, there were some who disobeyed, and the manna became putrid and filled with maggots.
On the sixth day of the Jewish week, they were allowed to gather twice as much, so that on the seventh, they would not have to gather manna on the Shabbat (Sabbath). This provision did not spoil. Manna did not come on the seventh day, even though some Israelites disobeyed again and tried to find some.
Indeed, this was the commencement of the first Shabbat, as Moses explains:
“This is what the Lord commanded: Tomorrow will be a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath day set apart for the Lord…“Eat this food today, for today is a Sabbath day dedicated to the Lord.” Ex. 16:23 & 25. NLT
God is getting a little frustrated with those who disobey and asks Moses:
“How long will these people refuse to obey my commands and instructions? They must realize that the Sabbath is the Lord’s gift to you. Ex. 16:28, 29. NLT
Manna would stop flowing after the people would reach Canaan. So, God commanded that a two-quart container (called an ‘omer’), be filled with it and preserved for future generations to see. Moses eventually would place it in the ‘Ark of the Covenant’, kept in the Tabernacle that would be constructed when they got to Mount Sinai.
That journey now begins again:
At the Lord’s command, the whole community of Israel left the wilderness of Sin and moved from place to place. Eventually they camped at Rephidim, but there was no water there for the people to drink. So once more the people complained against Moses. “Give us water to drink!” they demanded.
“Quiet!” Moses replied. “Why are you complaining against me? And why are you testing the Lord?”
But tormented by thirst, they continued to argue with Moses. “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Are you trying to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?” Ex. 17:1 – 3. NLT
This is now the third time the Hebrews have complained against God and added Moses as their target as well. Moses entreats Jehovah to help him out, fearful for his very life. God answers:
The Lord said to Moses, “Walk out in front of the people. Take your staff, the one you used when you struck the water of the Nile, and call some of the elders of Israel to join you. I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.” So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders looked on. Ex. 17:5, 6. NLT
In short order, the Israelites were met with their fourth ‘crises, when attacked by the Amalekites. At this point, all we know is that they were descendants of Esau.[2] Neither do we know what motivated them to strike the Hebrews.
Moses commanded Joshua, “Choose some men to go out and fight the army of Amalek for us. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in my hand.” Ex. 17:9 NLT.
This is the first time Joshua is introduced. He would become a general for Moses and ultimately his successor. Battle time:
So Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill. As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage. Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset. As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle. Ex. 17:10 – 13. NLT
That was God working through Moses.
While still at Sinai, Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, came to visit, and reunited him with his wife and two sons. Jethro had heard of all the miraculous deliverances the God of the Hebrews provided for the Israelites.
Subsequently, Jethro declared that Jehovah was greater than all other gods, (he, being a Midianite, i.e., ‘pagan’ priest himself). He watched Moses’ methods of governance where he submitted himself alone to be an intercessor between the people and God and representing God’s will for the people. In addition, Moses would play the part of a magistrate, settling disputes between the people. It took all day, and people would have to wait for hours.
Jethro concluded that there was a better way, and offered Moses wise advice:
Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good. You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you [to bear]; you cannot do it alone. Now listen to me; I will advise you, and may God be with you [to confirm my advice]. You shall represent the people before God. You shall bring their disputes and causes to Him. You shall teach them the decrees and laws. You shall show them the way they are to live and the work they are to do. Furthermore, you shall select from all the people competent men who [reverently] fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; you shall place these over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. They shall judge the people at all times; have them bring every major dispute to you, but let them judge every minor dispute themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you will do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure [the responsibility], and all these people will also go [back] to their tents in peace.” Ex. 18:17 – 23. AMP
Moses did so with great success. So, what just happened here? A Midianite priest formulated the entire Israelite judicial system. Fancy that…
Next time, the Ten Commandments…
Goodnight and God bless.
[1] Ex. 15:1 – 19.
[2] Gn. 36:12