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 sons of Israel swear to do this. He said, “God will certainly come to help you. When he does, you must take my bones with you from this place.” 20The Israelites left Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness. 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. 22And the Lord did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front of 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 14:19Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them.
• Exodus 40:34Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.
• Numbers 9:15On the day the Tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered it. But from evening until morning the cloud over the Tabernacle looked like a pillar of fire.
• Numbers 10:34As they moved on each day, the cloud of the Lord hovered over them.
• Numbers 14:14Now if you destroy them, the Egyptians will send a report to the inhabitants of this land, who have already heard that you live among your people. They know, Lord, that you have appeared to your people face to face and that your pillar of cloud hovers over them. They know that you go before them in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.
• Deuteronomy 1:33who goes before you looking for the best places to camp, guiding you with a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day.
• Nehemiah 9:12You led our ancestors by a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night so that they could find their way.
• Psalms 78:14In the daytime he led them by a cloud, and all night by a pillar of fire.
• Psalms 99:7He spoke to Israel from the pillar of cloud, and they followed the laws and decrees he gave them.
• Psalms 105:39The Lord spread a cloud above them as a covering and gave them a great fire to light the darkness.
• Isaiah 4:5Then the Lord will provide shade for Mount Zion and all who assemble there. He will provide a canopy of cloud during the day and smoke and flaming fire at night, covering the glorious land.
• 1 Corinthians 10:1I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground.

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