Exodus 13:20

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

Exodus 13:20 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 13:20

And they took their journey from Succoth
On the second day, as Jarchi observes, from their coming out of Egypt, which was the sixteenth of Nisan: and encamped in Etham,
in the edge of the wilderness which had its name from it, and was called the wilderness of Etham, ( Numbers 33:8 ) . Etham is said to be eight miles from Succoth ^F19. Josephus ^F20 calls Succoth Latopolis, which had its name from the fish Latus, formerly worshipped them, where, he says, Babylon was built when Cambyses destroyed Egypt, and is thought by many ^F21 to be the same with Troglodytis, by the Red sea; and Etham is supposed to be the Buto of Herodotus ^F23, where were the temple of Apollo and Diana, and the oracle of Latona.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 Bunting's Travels, p. 81.
F20 Antiqu. l. 2. c. 15. sect. 1.
F21 See the Universal History, vol. 3. p. 387.
F23 Enterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 59, 63, 83, 155.

Exodus 13:20 In-Context

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.

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.”

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

21 The LORD 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 the LORD did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front of the people.