Exodus 13:17

17 Therefore when Pharaoh had sent out the people, God led not them out by the way of the land of Philistines, which is nigh; and areckoning lest peradventure it would repent the people, if he had seen battles rise against him, and the people would turn again into Egypt; (Now when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them out by the way of the land of the Philistines, which was near; reckoning that when they had seen battles rise up against them, perhaps they would repent, or would change their minds, and then the people would return to Egypt;)

Exodus 13:17 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 13:17

And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go
Gave them leave to depart out of Egypt, and even urged them to be gone in haste upon the death of his firstborn: that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines,
although that was near;
the land of the Philistines was the Pentapolis, or five cities of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath, which lay between Egypt and Canaan; and their way through it to Canaan, out of Egypt, was the nearest they could go; and was, as Aben Ezra says, about ten days' journey; but Philo the Jew says ^F12 it was but three days' journey; and it seems, by the sons of Jacob going to and fro for corn, that it was no very long journey: for God said:
within himself, or he declared the following reason of so doing to Moses: lest peradventure the people repent:
which is said not as ignorant or doubtful, but, as Aben Ezra says, after the manner of men: when they see war:
the Philistines coming out against them to hinder their passage through their country; they being a warlike people, bold and courageous, and the Israelites, through their long servitude, of a mean, timorous, and cowardly disposition; and indeed as yet unarmed, and so very unfit to engage in war, and therefore would at once be intimidated: and they return to Egypt;
judging it more eligible to continue in their former bondage, than to fall a prey into the hands of such fierce and cruel enemies. This is the only reason mentioned for not leading them this way; but there were other secret reasons for it, which afterwards opened in Providence, as the doing that wonderful work for them, leading them through the Red sea as on dry land, and the destruction of Pharaoh and his host in it; and by being brought into a wilderness, a solitude, they would be in the fittest place to receive and attend to the body of laws given them, and where they were formed into a commonwealth and church state, previous to their entrance into, and possession of, the land of Canaan; and here also they were humbled, tried and proved, and had such instances of the power and goodness of God to them, as were sufficient to attach them to his service, and lay them under the greatest obligation to him, as well as would be of use to strengthen their faith and hope in him in future times of difficulty and distress.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 De Vita Mosis, l. 1. p. 627.

Exodus 13:17 In-Context

15 for when Pharaoh was made hard in heart, and would not deliver us, the Lord slew all the first begotten thing in the land of Egypt, from the first begotten of man, till to the first engendered of beasts; therefore I offer to the Lord all thing of male kind that (first) openeth the womb, and I (shall) again-buy all the first begotten things of my sons. (for when Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not let us go, the Lord killed all the first-born things in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of man, unto the first-born of beasts; and so I offer to the Lord all the things of male kind that first openeth the womb, and I shall buy back all the first-born of my sons.)

16 Therefore it shall be as a sign in thine hand, and as a thing hanged for mind before thine eyes, for in a strong hand the Lord led us out of Egypt. (And so it shall be like a sign on thy hand, and like a thing hung up as a reminder before thine eyes, for by a strong hand the Lord led us out of Egypt.)

17 Therefore when Pharaoh had sent out the people, God led not them out by the way of the land of Philistines, which is nigh; and areckoning lest peradventure it would repent the people, if he had seen battles rise against him, and the people would turn again into Egypt; (Now when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them out by the way of the land of the Philistines, which was near; reckoning that when they had seen battles rise up against them, perhaps they would repent, or would change their minds, and then the people would return to Egypt;)

18 but God led the people about by the way of desert, which way is beside the Red Sea. And the sons of Israel were armed, and went up from the land of Egypt. (but God led the people out by the way of the wilderness, which was towards the Red Sea. And so the Israelites were armed, and went up from the land of Egypt.)

19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had charged the sons of Israel, and had said, God shall visit you, and bear ye out from hence my bones with you (and at that time carry ye away my bones from here with you).