Christian Standard Bible
Exodus 14:20
20It came between the Egyptian and Israelite forces. There was cloud and darkness, it lit up the night, and neither group came near the other all night long.
Exodus 14:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
- New International Version (NIV)coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.
- English Standard Version (ESV)coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.
Context of Exodus 14:20
18The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I receive glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.” 19Then the angel of God, who was going in front of the Israelite forces, moved and went behind them. The pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and stood behind them. It came between the Egyptian and Israelite forces. There was cloud and darkness, it lit up the night, and neither group came near the other all night long. 21Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back with a powerful east wind all that night and turned the sea into dry land. So the waters were divided, 22and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with the waters like a wall to them on their right and their left.
Read all of Exodus 14Exodus 14:20 word by word
וַיָּבֹ֞א בֵּ֣ין׀ מַחֲנֵ֣ה מִצְרַ֗יִם וּבֵין֙ מַחֲנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיְהִ֤י הֶֽעָנָן֙ וְהַחֹ֔שֶׁךְ וַיָּ֖אֶר אֶת־הַלָּ֑יְלָה וְלֹא־קָרַ֥ב זֶ֛ה אֶל־זֶ֖ה כָּל־הַלָּֽיְלָה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- between the campמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
- of the Egyptiansמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- and it was a cloudעָנָן‛ânân · cloudH6051
- and darknessחֹ֫שֶׁךְchôshek · darknessH2822
- but it gave lightאוֹר'ôr · to lightH215
- by nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
- so that the one came not nearקָרַבqârab · to present: comeH7126
- the otherזֶהzeh · thisH2088
Cross-references for Exodus 14:20
- Psalms 18:11He made darkness his hiding place, dark storm clouds his canopy around him.
- Proverbs 4:18The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
- Isaiah 8:14He will be a sanctuary; but for the two houses of Israel, he will be a stone to stumble over and a rock to trip over, and a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
- 2 Corinthians 2:15For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
Commentaries on Exodus 14:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20It was a cloud and darkness to them, etc. - That the Israelites might not be dismayed at the appearance of their enemies, and that these might not be able to discern the object of their pursuit, the pillar of cloud moved from the front to the rear of the Israelitish camp, so as perfectly to separate between them and the Egyptians. It appears also that this cloud had two sides, one dark and the other luminous: the luminous side gave light to the whole camp…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-20Verses 15-20 Moses' silent prayers of faith prevailed more with God than Israel's loud outcries of fear. The pillar of cloud and fire came behind them, where they needed a guard, and it was a wall between them and their enemies. The word and providence of God have a black and dark side toward sin and sinners, but a bright and pleasant side toward the people of the Lord. He, who divided between light and darkness, Ge 1:4, allotted darkness to the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-25The night before, the Hebrews were afraid and in a panic. Now the Egyptian army was confused and in disorder. Even though they were highly trained, they could not keep control. They realized that they faced a power greater than themselves. They could not understand it, and they could not control it.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-312. Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp--The Israelites had now completed their three days' journey, and at Etham the decisive step would have to be taken whether they would celebrate their intended feast and return, or march onwards by the head of the Red Sea into the desert, with a view to a final departure. They were already on the borders of the desert, and a short march would have placed them beyond the reach of pursuit, as…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 14:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Commentaries