New King James Version
Exodus 13:21
21And 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night.
Context of Exodus 13:21
19And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had placed the children of Israel under solemn oath, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you.” 20So they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. 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. 22He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.
Read all of Exodus 13Exodus 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 14:19And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them.
- Exodus 40:34Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
- Numbers 9:15Now on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire.
- Numbers 10:34And the cloud of the Lord was above them by day when they went out from the camp.
- Numbers 14:14and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, Lord, are among these people; that You, Lord, are seen face to face and Your cloud stands above them, and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.
- Deuteronomy 1:33who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day.
- Nehemiah 9:12Moreover You led them by day with a cloudy pillar, And by night with a pillar of fire, To give them light on the road Which they should travel.
- Psalms 78:14In the daytime also He led them with the cloud, And all the night with a light of fire.
- Psalms 99:7He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar; They kept His testimonies and the ordinance He gave them.
- Psalms 105:39He spread a cloud for a covering, And fire to give light in the night.
- Isaiah 4:5then the Lord will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering.
- 1 Corinthians 10:1Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, 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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries