Exodus 13:21

Exodus 13:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
• New International Version (NIV)By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night.

Context of Exodus 13:21

19Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the Israelites solemnly swear, “God will surely attend to you, and you will carry my bones up from this place with you.” 20They journeyed from Sukkoth and camped in Etham, on the edge of the desert. Now the Lord was going before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel day or night. 22He did not remove the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people.

Exodus 13:21 word by word

וַֽיהוָ֡ה הֹלֵךְ֩ לִפְנֵיהֶ֨ם יוֹמָ֜ם בְּעַמּ֤וּד עָנָן֙ לַנְחֹתָ֣ם הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְלַ֛יְלָה בְּעַמּ֥וּד אֵ֖שׁ לְהָאִ֣יר לָהֶ֑ם לָלֶ֖כֶת יוֹמָ֥ם וָלָֽיְלָה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• wentהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• them by dayיוֹמָםyômâm · by dayH3119
• in a pillarעַמּוּד‛ammûd ‛ammûd · pillarH5982
• of a cloudעָנָן‛ânân · cloudH6051
• to leadנָחָהnâchâh · to leadH5148
• them the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
• and by nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
• of fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• to give them lightאוֹר'ôr · to lightH215
• to goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212

Cross-references for Exodus 13:21

• Exodus 14:19The angel of God, who was going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them.
• Exodus 40:34Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
• Numbers 9:15On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle – the tent of the testimony – and from evening until morning there was a fiery appearance over the tabernacle.
• Numbers 10:34And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day, when they traveled from the camp.
• Numbers 14:14then they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, Lord, are among this people, that you, Lord, are seen face to face, that your cloud stands over them, and that you go before them by day in a pillar of cloud and in a pillar of fire by night.
• Deuteronomy 1:33the one who was constantly going before you to find places for you to set up camp. He appeared by fire at night and cloud by day, to show you the way you ought to go.
• Nehemiah 9:12You guided them with a pillar of cloud by day and with a pillar of fire by night to illumine for them the path they were to travel.
• Psalms 78:14He led them with a cloud by day, and with the light of a fire all night long.
• Psalms 99:7He spoke to them from a pillar of cloud; they obeyed his regulations and the ordinance he gave them.
• Psalms 105:39He spread out a cloud for a cover, and provided a fire to light up the night.
• Isaiah 4:5Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over its convocations a cloud and smoke by day and a bright flame of fire by night; indeed a canopy will accompany the Lord’s glorious presence.
• 1 Corinthians 10:1For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea,

Commentaries on Exodus 13:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21The Lord went before them - That by the Lord here is meant the Lord Jesus, we have the authority of St. Paul to believe, 1 Corinthians 10:9; : it was he whose Spirit they tempted in the wilderness, for it was he who led them through the desert to the promised rest. Pillar of a cloud - This pillar or column, which appeared as a cloud by day, and a fire by night, was the symbol of the Divine presence. This was the Shechinah or Divine dwelling place, and was…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Pillar of cloud - The Lord Himself did for the Israelites by preternatural means that which armies were obliged to do for themselves by natural agents. The Persians and Greeks used fire and smoke as signals in their marches, and in a well-known papyrus, the commander of an Egyptian expedition is called “A flame in the darkness at the head of his soldiers.” By this sign then of the pillar of cloud, the Lord showed Himself as their leader and general Exodus…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-22Verses 21-22 The Lord went before them in a pillar, or appearance of the Divine Majesty. Christ was with the church in the wilderness, 1Co 10:9. Those whom God brings into a wilderness, he will not leave nor lose there, but will take care to lead them through it. It was great satisfaction to Moses and the pious Israelites, to be sure that they were under Divine guidance. Those who make the glory of God their end, and the word of God their rule, the Spirit…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21The pillar of cloud and pillar of fire stayed with the Israelites for the next 40 years.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-2221-22. the Lord went before them--by a visible token of His presence, the Shekinah, in a majestic cloud (Psa 78:14; Ne 9:12; 1Co 10:1), called "the angel of God" (Ex 14:19; 23:20-23; Psa 99:6, 7; Is 63:8, 9).Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 13:21

• Cloud
• Fire
• God Continued...
• Israel
• Miracles
• Symbols and Similitudes

In the dictionaries

• Day and Night
• Cloud
• Daub
• Encamp
• Frontlets
• Mouth
• Murmur
• Passover
• Pillar
• Repent

Commentaries on Exodus 13

• 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