Exodus 13:20

20 They set out from 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 the people by the roundabout way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of the land of Egypt prepared for battle.

19 And Moses took with him the bones of Joseph who had required a solemn oath of the Israelites, saying, "God will surely take notice of you, and then you must carry my bones with you from here."

20 They set out from Succoth, and camped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness.

21 The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night.

22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.