This is the term commonly used to express the bringing out of the children of Israel from the slavery of Egypt. Under PLAGUES OF EGYPTare considered the preliminary dealings with Pharaoh which were intended to show him the power of that God whose people he was holdingin slavery. The death of the first-born all over Egypt made the Egyptians beg them to depart, and made them willing to give them many things for which the Israelites 'asked' (not 'borrowed'). There being 600,000 men, it is calculated that including the women and children the number of the Israelites would not have been less than two millions. There wasalso a mixed multitude which went with them, and very much cattle.It must have been a wonderful sight to have seen such a number moving away fromthe scene of their slavery, and it is often referred to as the workof the mighty God. "He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes. Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them." Psalm 105:37,38 .
We read that the Israelites went out 'harnessed,' or 'by five in a rank' as it reads in the margin. Exodus 13:18 . The same word, chamushim, is translated 'armed,' in reference to the way in which the Israelites crossed the Jordan, when they had plenty of time to arrange themselves in due order.Joshua 1:14; Joshua 4:12 . It is also translated 'armed' when it refers to the army of the Midianites and the Amalekites as they were arrayed in the camp previous to action. Judges 7:11 . From this we gather that the Israelites did not travel in disorder: the heads of each tribe would have control overit, and could arrange its march. It may be they were ranked in fives,aswe afterwards read of 'captains over fifties,' but it is clear that they marchedin order: it was God who was bringing them out, and it would have been unworthy of Him to have had them moving as a disorderly rabble. Another expression is that Jehovah brought them out 'by their armies.' Exodus 12:51 .
The people were led from Rameses to Succoth, thence to Etham, and to Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon. The position of these places is not known, and there is no means of telling where they crossed the Red Sea. Attempts have been made to fix upon a part of the Red Sea where the water is shallow, so that the east wind spoken of could have driven back the waters; but these are only efforts to get rid of the miracle, and of the God who wrought it for His people. The word is very plain that the waters stood 'a wall' on their right hand and on their left; and when the waters returned they were enough to drown all Pharaoh's army: it must therefore have been at a deep part of the river that they crossed. It also typified the death of the Lord Jesus for His people, when all the billows of God's wrath against sin flowed over His soul.Psalm 42:7 . The Red Sea may have extended farther north than at present, but this does not affect the question.
The deliverance was complete: they passed the Red Sea on dry land, and they saw their enemies dead upon the sea shore. God had brought them out: His pillar of fire had protected them. God had made them willing to come; for some at least had said, "Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians." Exodus 14:12 . That might have satisfied their poor craven hearts,but it would not satisfy God, nor be according to His promise to Abraham,Isaac, and Jacob. They must be delivered and they were; and then they could sing praises to God who had 'redeemed' them and had guided them in His strength unto His holy habitation. Exodus 15:13 . The manner of their deliverance thus became a type of the Christian being delivered from the thraldom of him who had the power of death, by the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.