Hebrews 11:29

Heb_11:29

Passed through the Red Sea

Israelites passage through the Red Sea

I.

HISTORICALLY, AS A NOTABLE PATTERN OF PROVIDENCE; and so it represents to us two things

1. Unspeakable comfort to all believers in the midst of their extremities. God can disentangle and help them out, for He is with them in all their dangers (Isa_43:2).

2. It speaks terror to the wicked, and such as maliciously pursue the people of God, as the Egyptians did here.

II. SACRAMENTALLY (1Co_10:2).

1. They were baptized unto Moses in the sea; that is, Moses ministry was confirmed by that miracle, and so they were bound to take Moses for their leader and lawgiver; as the miraculous dispensations by Christ assure us that He was sent by God as our Lawgiver, whom we should hear and obey.

2. It is called a baptism, because it signified the difference that God puts between His people and their enemies, or the deliverance of His people from the common destruction of mankind was sealed to them by this passing through the sea, for here God shows that He would put a difference between His people and others.

3. They were baptized in the cloud and sea, because by submitting to Gods command they gave up themselves to Gods direction and the conduct of His providence by this initiating act, that He should lead them through the wilderness unto Canaan, and the land of promise; as we pass through the waters of baptism, that we may give up ourselves to be led through this world, which answers to the wilderness, to heaven, to Canaan, the land of promise, to be commanded and governed by Him till He brings us to our rest.

III. APPLICATIVELY, with respect to the use for which the apostle brings these instances; and it is to confirm believers in the faith of Christ, though they were sorely pushed at, and endured great sufferings for Christs sake.

1. I shall show what is the nature of faith, which we may learn from this instance.

(1) Faith inclined them to obey Gods command, and upon obedience to expect the mercy promised: Go through the Red Sea and you shall be saved. Now this is the common nature of all faith (Psa_119:66).

(2) For the command, faith gives courage to obey God in the most difficult cases.

(3) For the promise, the Red Sea was as a grave to them in visible appearance, and for a considerable time they walked every moment in the valley of the shadow of death. But this is the nature of faith, it teaches us to depend upon Gods promises in the greatest extremities.

2. This instance doth very much commend to us the excellency of this grace of faith, which was so necessary to believers in that age, when they were exposed to such great sufferings. Now, how it is manifested from this instance.

(1) Gods promise produces its miraculous effect through faith, and not otherwise. God could do it, whether the Israelites did believe, yea or nay; but their faith must concur.

(2) Here is another circumstance which commends faith likewise: this faith was weak at first, and mingled with unbelief; for first they murmured Exo_14:11-12). Now, when after such great faults God takes it so kindly, we will believe the promise, we should address ourselves to believe in Him.

(3) There is yet another circumstance in this instance; all of them were not true believers, but the faith of some made others partakers of the benefits. The ungodly receive many temporal benefits by the faith of others Act_27:24).

(4) It is commended to us again by the distinction God makes between believers and unbelievers; the one pass through the sea as on dry land, and the other sink as lead, and are drowned. We see our privileges in their destruction. Having laid this foundation, the doctrine is this--that they who, upon the belief of Gods promises, do resolve to run all hazards with Christ in the performance of their duty to Him, are only capable of salvation by Him. To evidence this, take these five considerations--First, that true faith receives the promise of God, with the terms and conditions which it requireth. Secondly, that the conditions which God requireth are, partly a belief of the promise, and partly obedience to the command annexed; as the Israelites were to believe that God would carry them safe and sound to the next shore through the Red Sea as upon firm land; and therefore, believing this, they were, upon the authority of Gods Word, to resolve to go down into the great deep, and try what God would do for them. Thirdly, these being the conditions, the belief of the promise, and thorough obedience to submit to the appointed way; lest we deceive ourselves with a notion, God loves to try us, to see if we have received the promise sincerely, whether we thoroughly believe His word, and are fully obedient to His commands (Jam_1:12). Fourthly, because we are fickle creatures, God will have us, by the solemn profession of such a faith, visibly to enter into His covenant. Fifthly, having thus solemnly entered into covenant with God, certainly we are bound to make it good, if we would have benefit by it. For it is not enough to make covenant, but all the promises run to him that keepeth covenant. Salvation is promised not to the undertaker, but the conqueror (Rev_2:7). (T. Manton, D. D.)

Gods care of His Church:

What a standing record is here of Gods care of His Church! Does the flood come upon them? Then He will build an ark for them. Have they to go through a wilderness? He will make the wilderness a place of safety and comfort. Are they in want of bread? They shall have manna. Do they come to the Red Sea? He will smite the tongue of the Red Sea. Nothing shall hinder Him from watching over the people, who are dear to Him as the apple of His eye.

I. GOD LEADS HIS PEOPLE FROM TIME TO TIME INTO STRAITS FROM WHICH NO POWER OF MAN CAN EXTRICATE THEM The Word of God declares it, and there are but few of Gods saints but have the testimony of it in their own hearts, and all sooner or later shall. Sometimes this is seen in providential difficulties: the Lord brings them into them. True it is that they are sometimes the means of bringing themselves into straits: but then still the Lord is with them. And we see this too, in spiritual things. He does bring His people to be tried in a way that they had no conception of. Thus the young convert frequently cometh, with his low looks, in great sorrow, wondering whether it is possible for one to be a child of God, and to be assaulted as I am by the powers of darkness. He thought all should be smooth before him: he thought all should be plain under his feet. Perhaps he saw so much in Jesus as made him begin his way happy in God; he thought his enemies were all dead upon the sea-shore. And instead he finds himself let and hindered in prayer. But all these things are of an indispensable necessity: I do not learn what worldliness is by seeing it in my brother, but I learn what it is by seeing it in my own soul; I must know an evil before I can loathe it. And therefore be assured, you that are learning out some of these lessons, painful to your nature, humiliating to your pride, yet be assured of this, we never can know the worth of Jesus but as we try, and never can we know what there is in God but as the creature sinks, and is brought down to his right place before Him. This is Gods mercy, this is Gods wisdom, this is Gods goodness, this is God!s faithfulness, that He brings His people from time to time into such straits as no power on earth but Himself can extricate them from.

II. BUT OBSERVE NOW THAT THE LORD DELIVERS THEM. And if you ask why He delivers them, it is because He loves them. But for whose sake is it that He loveth His covenant people? Is it for Abrahams sake? No; it is for His Sons sake: even as God, for Christs sake, hath forgiven you. It is for His own names sake, and because He had compassion on them, and chose them, and redeemed them, that in time He preserves them; and as long as that blessed Intercessor standeth up at the right hand of God, with your names upon His heart, as long as His great work goeth up with its much incense moment by moment, be assured of this, it is as much impossible for God not to remember His covenant, as it is impossible for God to deny Himself.

III. BUT OBSERVE, NOW, THE WAY AND THE MEANS BY WHICH THE LORD DELIVERED IN THIS CASE. It was a way through the Red Sea, typical of Jesus, the way through the Red Sea to Canaan, and that Red Sea typical of the vials of Gods wrath, the trials and temptations of the way, the floods of evil by which we are surrounded in this poor dying world; and yet Jesus is the way to the land of Canaan, by which all the Israel of God shall pass, and not one shall perish. Is it not a wondrous way to see an incarnate God standing in the breach? Is it not a wondrous way to see Jesus by His own blood opening a way for His ransomed to pass over, yea, bringing life and immortality to light in His own death? See what it has cost: the blood of Gods own Son. See what your sins deserved. See what Gods love was. See what Jesus is. And remark, too, that these very waters, that seemed in themselves as if they must destroy, became a wall on the right hand and on the left, became, as it were, a supporter. Oh, is it not a truth to die upon, when a man turning upon his pillow is enabled to look up and rest in Jesus, the Spirit bearing witness with his spirit that he is a child of God, to see the debt completely paid? Do you think anything like this can bear up a dying bed? And now consider the means. It was by faith. Faith, resting upon the promise, went into the sea; presumption, without a promise, rushed into the sea; faith was safe; presumption was destroyed. Here was faith, with its meek look, resting upon the promise going forward. So it is with you, casting yourselves, in your feebleness, in your beggary, m your vileness, simply upon Gods promise of life in Christ Jesus to every soul that believeth, Now, as faith enters into the mighty waters, it can see righteousness and peace all in glorious perfection. It can stand up, in the midst of providences, and say, not a drop of wrath is here. Mighty faith! O Lord, increase our faith. (J. H. Evans, M. A.)

The Hebrews and Egyptians at the Red Sea: a picture of modern men

I. THEY WERE ALL EMBARKED IN A COMMON ENTERPRISE. The pursuit of happiness is universal. Men seek it in different directions: some in sensual indulgence, some in worldly wealth, some in scenes of revelry and debauch, some in spheres of mental culture and religion. All are trying to cross some Red Sea in its pursuit. They will brave the greatest dangers, and venture their all if haply they may find it.

II. SOME SUCCEEDED AND SOME FAILED. The vast majority get engulfed in the sea of worldly anxieties, spiritual conflicts, moral remorse, and dread forebodings.

III. FAITH EXPLAINS THE SUCCESS OF SOME AND THE FAILURE OF OTHERS. It is certain, says Southey, that all the evils in society arise from want of faith in God, and of obedience to His laws; and it is no less certain that, by the prevalence of a lively and efficient belief, they would all be cured. (Homilist.)

Faith enabling us to do what seems impossible

I. THE DIFFICULTIES WHICH OPPOSED MOSES FAITH

1. The task itself to which he was called seemed impossible.

2. The committing so vast a multitude to the strange pathway was full of peril.

3. The unworthiness of the people seemed to forbid Divine help on their behalf.

II. THE GROUNDS OF MOSES FAITH.

1. Gods revealed purpose.

2. Gods past dealings.

3. Gods glory over His enemies.

III. THE TRIUMPH OF MOSES FAITH.

1. Faith can do what is impossible without it.

2. This because it secures the aid of Omnipotence.

3. And this, by simply doing fearlessly what God bids. (C. New.)

Of sinners perishing by that which preserves saints

1. This comes to pass through mans abuse of the means which God affords for his good.

2. God being provoked by such men turns blessings into curses. This may afford us a good direction about the use of those means which we see to be successful to others.

For this end

1. Be sere of thy warrant for the use of such and such means. These Egyptians had no warrant so to rush into the sea as they did. When the Israelites presumed to go up against the Amalekites and Canaanites without Gods warrant, they were discomfited (Num_14:44-45).

2. Use warrantable means after a right manner: herein David failed (1Ch_15:13).

3. Aim at a right end. The King of Assyria aimed at a wrong end in the successes that God gave him (Isa_10:12-13).

4. In all lawful things seek Gods blessing, for it is not means, but Gods blessing on means, whereby we come to prosper (Deu_8:3; Pro_10:22). (W. Gouge.)

Fear and courage:

While at war with each other a small company of Thebans under Pleopidas unexpectedly met their Lacedaemonian enemies on the road. One ran and told Pleopidas, We are fallen into the enemies hands. And why not they, said he, into ours? (Plutarch.)

Folly of presumption:

Presumption is a fire-work made up of pride and foolhardiness. It is indeed like a heavy house built upon slender crutches. Like dust, which men throw against the wind, it flies back in their face, and makes them blind. Wise men presume nothing, but hope the best: presumption is hope out of her wits. (T. Adams.)

Reckless presumption

A noble ship was bearing in to port. It was the evening hour, and too late to enter without a pilot. There were two passages into the harbour: one a dangerous narrow channel, the other a wide and safer one. The captain determined to pilot himself by the narrow passage. A storm was coming up; and the passengers, with fear and consternation, begged him to take the wider channel. He laughed at their cowardice, and swore he would do as he pleased. As the night advanced, the gale increased. Soon arose a cry, Breakers ahead, breakers ahead I The captain flew to the wheel; the sails were struck; the wind had the mastery; and the captain found a will that could defy his own. The vessel made a fearful plunge, struck the foreship deep into the sand, to be shattered by the wild waves pleasure. Few survived the terrors of that fearful night; but among the dead thrown up by the rising tide was the body of the wilful and presumptuous captain. (New Cyclopedia of Illustrations.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11:29 The rescue through the Red Sea (see Exod 13:17–14:21) constitutes the greatest moment of deliverance in Israel’s history. The people’s fear and accusation at the time (Exod 14:10-12) do not obviously exemplify faith, but the people went forward when told to do so despite their fear. The episode demonstrates that obedience is central to faith.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Heb 11:29. Διέβησαν, they passed through) Moses and Israel.—ἐρυθρὰν, red) The Sea of Edom: אדם, red.—πεῖραν λαβόντες, attempting) Rashness is denoted without faith. [By a daring not unlike this many rush into eternity.—V. g.] When two do the same thing, it is not the same thing. So far does the apostle draw his examples out of the writings of Moses, and his Genesis and Exodus: in what follows, examples are derived from the earlier and later prophets.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Heb_11:29. Comp. Exo_14:22 ff.

Πίστει] Oecumenius: ἐπίστευσαν γὰρ διαβήσεσθαι καὶ διέβησαν· τοσοῦτον οἶδεν ἡ πίστις καὶ τὰ ἀδύνατα δυνατὰ ποιεῖν.

διέβησαν] namely, the Israelites under Moses.

ὡς διὰ ξηρᾶς γῆς] as through dry, firm land. The less usual διά with the genitive, alternating with the ordinary accusative in connection with διαβαίνειν, was probably occasioned by the reading of the LXX. Exo_14:29 (οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ ἐπορεύθησαν διὰ ξηρᾶς ἐν μέσῳ τῆς θαλάσσης).

ἧς πεῖραν λαβόντες οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι κατεπόθησαν] in the essaying of which the Egyptians were drowned.

ἧς refers back to τὴν ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν, not, as Böhme, Kuinoel, Klee, Stein, Stengel, Bloomfield, Delitzsch, Kurtz suppose, to ξηρᾶς γῆς. For the former is the main thought, of which the readers are reminded anew by κατεπόθησαν, whereas ὡς διὰ ξηρᾶς contains only a subsidiary feature, attached by way of comparison.

πεῖραν λαμβάνειν τινός stands here in the active sense. Otherwise Heb_11:36.

καταπίνεσθαι, however (comp. Exo_15:4), is a more general expression for the more definite καταποντίζεσθαι, which latter (κατεποντίσθησαν) is found also in our passage, in some cursives, as likewise with Chrysostom and Theodoret.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The red sea.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

they--Moses and Israel.

Red Sea--called so from its red seaweed, or rather from Edom (meaning "red"), whose country adjoined it.

which . . . assaying to do--Greek, "of which (Red Sea) the Egyptians having made experiment." Rashness and presumption mistaken by many for faith; with similar rash presumption many rush into eternity. The same thing when done by the believer, and when done by the unbeliever, is not the same thing [BENGEL]. What was faith in Israel, was presumption in the Egyptians.

were drowned--Greek, "were swallowed up," or "engulfed." They sank in the sands as much as in the waves of the Red Sea. Compare Exo 15:12, "the earth swallowed them."

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 29. By faith they passed through the Red Sea] See the notes on "Ex 14:22". The Egyptians thought they could walk through the sea as well as the Israelites; they tried, and were drowned; while the former passed in perfect safety. The one walked by faith, the other by sight; one perished, the other was saved.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

29. By faith they passed, etc. It is certain, that many in that multitude were unbelieving; but the Lord granted to the faith of a few, that the whole multitude should pass through the Red Sea dry-shod. But in doing the same thing, there was a great difference between the Israelites and the Egyptians; while the former passed through safely, the latter coming after them were drowned. Whence was this difference, but that the Israelites had the word of God, and that the Egyptians were without it. The argument then derives its force from what happened to the contrary; hence, he says, that the Egyptians were drowned. That disastrous event was the punishment of their temerity, as on the other hand, the Israelites were preserved safe, because they relied on God’s word, and refused not to march through the midst of the waters.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(29) Which the Egyptians assaying to do.—Literally, Of which the Egyptians making trial were swallowed up (Exodus 14, 15). In the same “trial,” but with the support of the word of God, had consisted Israel’s faith. The word land is not in the ordinary Greek text (and hence stands in italics), but is found in the best MSS. It is with this word that the following clause (“of which . . .”) connects itself.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

29. they] Moses and the Israelites.

were drowned] Lit., “were swallowed up” (Exo_14:15-28; Psa_106:9-12).

which the Egyptians assaying to do] The Greek words must mean “of which sea” (or “of which dry land”) the Egyptians making trial.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By faith the harlot Rahab,.... The Targum on Jos 2:1 calls her , "a woman, that kept a victualling house": this paraphrase is taken notice of by Jarchi and Kimchi on the place, who interpret it, "a seller of food": and even the Hebrew word is so explained by a considerable Jewish writer (p); and this may rather seem to be the sense of the word, and to be her proper business, from the spies going to her house, as being an house of entertainment; and from Salmon's marrying her, which might be thought strange that a prince of Israel would, had she been a person of ill fame; to which may be added, the encomiums of her for her faith and works, both by our apostle, and by James: but yet, the constant use of the word, in this form, the testimonies of two apostles, and her making no mention of her husband and children, when she agreed with the spies, confirm the generally received character of her, that she was an harlot. Some Jewish writers say (q) that she was ten years of age when the Israelites came out of Egypt; and that all the forty years they were in the wilderness, "she played the harlot"; and was one and fifty years of age when she was proselyted. She is called an harlot; not with respect to her present, but past life. In the Greek text, she is here called Raab, as also in Jam 2:25 and so in the Septuagint in Jos 2:1. Rachab, which exactly answers to the Hebrew word Jos 2:1 and by Josephus (r) "Rachabe". This woman was a wonderful and singular instance of the free, sovereign, distinguishing, powerful, and efficacious grace of God; being one that sprung from Canaan, and was of the nations that were abhorred; but, being called by grace, became an eminent believer: she believed that the God of the Israelites was God in heaven and on earth; that he had given the land of Canaan to them; she received the spies, and hid them through that faith; she caused them to swear by the Lord, that they would show mercy to her, and her family; and gave credit to them; and observed their instructions: and so she

perished not with them that believed not; the inhabitants of Jericho, who were unbelievers, and disobedient, and all perished by the sword: but Rahab perished not, neither temporally, nor eternally; her temporal salvation was an emblem and type of her spiritual salvation; her receiving the spies was an emblem of a soul's receiving the Gospel, and the ministers of it; the scarlet thread, that was hung out, was an emblem of the blood of Christ, by which sins, though as scarlet, are made white as wool; and the saving of her whole family is an emblem of the complete salvation of all the elect, soul and body, by Christ:

when she had received the spies with peace; and had hid them, for some time, in her house, and then let them down by the wall; and who, at the taking of the city, saved her, and hers, according to their promise and oath: the number of these spies were two, according to Jos 2:1. The Jews (s) say one of them was Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the high priest; and others (t) of them say they were Phinehas and Caleb.

(p) R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 24. 1. (q) T. Bab. Zebachin. fol. 116. 2. Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 7. 2. (r) Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 2. (s) Laniado in Josh. ii. 1. (t) Tanchuma apud Masum in ib.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

Ver. 29. They passed through the Red Sea] Which threatened to swallow them, but yet preserved them. Faith will eat its way through the Alps of seemingly insuperable difficulties, and find unexpected exits.

As by dry land] "Israel saw no way to escape here, unless they could have gone up to heaven, which because they could not, saith one, heaven comes down to them, and paves them away through the Red Sea.

Assaying to do were drowned] Here that holy proverb was exemplified, "The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead," Pro 11:8. See Isa 43:3. God usually infatuateth those whom he intendeth to destroy, as these.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land - Exo 14:22, Exo 14:29. That is, it was only by confidence in God that they were able to do this. It was not by power which they had to remove the waters and to make a passage for themselves; and it was not by the operation of any natural causes. It is not to be supposed that all who passed through the Red sea had saving faith. The assertion of the apostle is, that the passage was made in virtue of strong confidence in God, and that if it had not been for this confidence the passage could not have been made at all. Of this no one can entertain a doubt who reads the history of that remarkable transaction.

Which the Egyptians assaying to do, were drowned - Exo 14:27-28. Evidently referred to here as showing the effects of not having faith in God, and of what must inevitably have befallen the Israelites if they had had no faith. The destruction of the Egyptians by the return of the waters in accordance with natural laws, showed that the Israelites would have been destroyed in the passage if a divine energy had not been employed to prevent it. On the passage through the Red sea, see Robinson’s Biblical Researches, vol. 1, pp. 81-86.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: the same faith enabled Moses eminently, and those other believers, as Aaron, Caleb, Joshua, &c.; for all Israel believed not, 1Co 10:5, yet for the faithful’s sake were they kept from drowning, after Moses had, at God’s command, (when the Israelites were ready to be fallen on by the Egyptians), lifted up his rod, and stretched his hand over the Red Sea, when God immediately, by an east wind, divided it, made the waters to stand up on each side like walls of crystal, and the bottom of it to be dry; then entered Moses and lsrael into the empty and dry space, and walked through it on dry ground, and not a soul of Israel miscarried, but might see astonishing power and mercy in it, Exo 14:22.

Which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned: in the mean time the Egyptians, with their king, pursuing Israel for their ruin, find their own; for presumptuously adventuring to pursue them through this miraculous space, guided by sense, and not by faith, and thinking to pass as safe as Israel, when they had no word for it, God troubles them by his angels in their motion, makes them drive heavily; and having brought them into his pit in the midst of the channel, the crystal walls dissolve, and the waters, returning to their fluid nature, quickly overwhelmed and swallowed up all that host, so as not one of these unbelieving, presumptuous, persecuting wretches escaped. God’s great work in this, as to Israel, had a double meaning; literal, their salvation from the Egyptians; mystical, their baptismal initiation into the covenant of God by Moses: though all of them had not faith unfeigned, yet they professed faith in God; and the doctrine Moses brought from him, was accounted sufficient to attain both, 1Co 10:2.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

29. They—The Israelites under Moses, implied but not expressed.

Drowned—Were swallowed down, as if the sea were a sea monster to them.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Faith and presumption in terrible contrast.

I A WAY MADE WHERE NONE SEEMS POSSIBLE. It must be remembered how completely the Israelites were shut in. The land had shut them in; mountains on each side which they could not overpass; the sea in front of them; the Egyptian host behind. Something they must do either turn upon their pursuers, or march on into the sea, or submit without a struggle. The choice which God gave to them was that of trust in him or destruction. As it were he drove them into the necessity of faith. He did not first of all make the channel through the waters and let the whole of Israel see it, fur in that there would have been no calling forth of faith. They were told to go forward while as yet there was no sign of escape. God never makes interferences with the ordinary course of nature unless for a sufficient reason, and therefore he does not make them before the time. Enough was done if the waters opened to let God"s people pass and closed again the moment they were through. Our business is to listen and wait for the Divine command telling us what to do. That is our only safety when difficulty and danger appear in every direction. There are many positions in life when human prudence will do something; there is at least a choice between going on in the lower path of human prudence or changing to the higher one of conformity with the will of God. But there are also positions when acceptance of God"s provisions is the only chance of safety. After all, difficulty and danger are relative words. They only indicate our weakness. They are meaningless in relation to the power of God. To him there is neither ease nor difficulty, danger or absence from danger. The greatest difficulty and danger men have to face come from being opposed to God. God can make a way through the deepest waters for his friends, and where his enemies appear to have a smooth and straight way he can suddenly fill it with causes of the worst disaster.

II A WAY CLOSED WHERE ONE SEEMS OPENED. "When two do the same thing, it is not the same thing," says Bengel. The Israelite is one sort of man, the Egyptian quite another. The Israelite is involved in a covenant, a purpose, and a plan. He has not come into this present strait by a kind of chance; he has not drifted there by his own negligence, or rushed there by his own folly. Therefore a way is made for him through the sea. But the Egyptian goes down into this way through the sheerest presumption. The conduct of the Egyptian host is perhaps never sufficiently considered when this narrative is being dealt with. The power of Jehovah, the miracle itself, so fills the mind that the amazing rashness of the Egyptians does not appear. And yet how rash they were! Their recollections of the immediate past should have combined with their present observations to make them pause while yet they were safe. True it is that God destroyed them, but equally true is it that they were self-destroyed. A man cannot be reckoned presumptuous when he acts in accordance with the nature of things, but here were people presuming on the continuance of a miracle. The greatest unbelievers are ever the greatest presumers. Y.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They - Moses, Aaron, and the Israelites. Passed the Red Sea - It washed the borders of Edom, which signifies red. Thus far the examples are cited from Genesis and Exodus; those that follow are from the former and the latter Prophets.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

29. By faith they passed through the Red Sea. See Exod. 14:13–22. In obedience to God's command they marched into the sea and “were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (1 Cor. 10:1, 2).

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

General Information:

Here the first word "they" refers to the Israelites, the second "they" refers to the Egyptians, the third "they" refers to the walls of Jericho.

they passed through the Sea of Reeds

"the Israelites passed through the Sea of Reeds"

they were swallowed up

This can be stated in active form. AT: "the water swallowed up the Egyptians" (See: Active or Passive)

they were swallowed up

The water is spoken of as if it were an animal. AT: "the Egyptians drowned in the water" (See: Personification)

they had been circled around for seven days

This can be stated in active form. AT: "the Israelites had marched around them for seven days" (See: Active or Passive)

seven days

"7 days" (See: Numbers)

had received the spies in peace

"had peacefully received the spies"

translationWords

faith

Sea of Reeds

Egypt

Jericho

day

Rahab

prostitute

disobey

peace

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

29. διέβησαν. They, i.e. Moses and the Israelites.

ἧς πεῖραν λαβόντες. “Of which sea (or “of which dry land”) the Egyptians making trial.”

κατεπόθησαν. Lit., “were swallowed up” (Exo 14:15-28; Psa 106:9-12).

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

29.] By faith, they (see above) crossed (the verb διαβαίνω is used of crossing water, whether in boats, or on a bridge, or swimming or wading: e. g. Herod. i. 75, of the river Halys, Κροῖσος, … κατὰ τὰς ἐούσας γεφύρας διεβίβασε τὸν στρατόν: … ἀπορέοντος ὅκως οἱ διαβήσεται τ. ποταμὸν ὁ στρατός: … ἐπεί τε καὶ ἐσχίσθη τάχιστα ὁ ποταμός, ἀμφοτέρῃ διαβατὸς ἐγένετο. Here it is used of a bridge, of crossing, generally, and of a ford. See other examples in Bl.) the red sea (so the LXX always for יַם־סוּף, the sea of (red) weeds) as through dry land (we should rather expect ὡς ξηρὰν γῆν; but the unusual expression is apparently borrowed from the narrative in Exodus (ref.), οἱ δὲ νἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ ἐπορεύθησαν διὰ ξηρᾶς ἐν μέσῳ τῆς θαλάσσης): of which (viz. of the red sea, not, of the dry land, as Böhme, Kuinoel, and Klee. For as Lün. observes, the idea of the sea is necessarily called up again by κατεπόθησαν, shewing that it, and not the dry land, is the leading idea) the Egyptians making experiment (here, πεῖραν λαμβάνειν is in an active sense: in ver. 36, in a passive. Both are sufficiently common: e. g. for the active, Plato, Protag. p. 342 a, εἰ βούλει λαβεῖν μου πεῖραν ὅπως ἔχω: ib. 348 a: Gorg. 448 a: Polyb. ii. 32. 5, ἔκριναν τῆς τύχης λαβεῖν πεῖραν. See many others in Bleek: and for the other sense, on ver. 36) were swallowed up (by the sea. The verb is a general one, qualified by the particular mode of καταπίνεσθαι. So in reff. Exod. and Num.: Diod. Sic. i. 32, τῶν δʼ ἀποσχιζομένων μερῶν τὸ μὲν.… ὑπʼ ἄμμου καταπίνεται. And Polyb. ii. 41. 7, using the word of drowning, qualifies it: Ἑλίκης, τῆς.… ὑπὸ τῆς θαλάττης καταποθείσης. There is something to be said for the reading κατεποντίσθησαν, though it is weakly supported by mss.,—as being the Alex. reading of the LXX in Exo 15:4, and found in Chrys. and Thdrt. Bleek inclines to think that our Writer may have had it in his Alexandrine LXX).

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

29. διέβησαν] The subject has already been suggested by αὐτῶν (0. 28). The Faith of the people met the Faith of the leader. Thcophylact Yightly marks the importance of the els ὑπόδειγμα.

Compare Ps. evi. ο ff.; cxiv. 5; Is. xlili. 16; H. 10.

Tho word διαβαίνειν is found in N. T. aleo in Lk. xvi. 26; Acts xvi.g. Ἢ ἐρ. θάλ., tho Lxx. rondering of Ὁ Ὁ" ‘the sea of weed,’ occurs again Acts vii, 36.

fc w. λαβόντες] Vulg. quod experts, which essaying to do, literally ‘of which (.¢. sea) making trial.’ KarewdΚαταπίνω is found not unfrequently in N. T. in a metaphorical sense: eg. 1 Cor. xv. 54; 1 Pet. v. 8.

Brooke Foss Westcott (1825–1901), The Epistle to the Hebrews (1889) and The Epistles of St John (1883) — public domain (pre-1929). Text recovered from Internet Archive / Google Books OCR scans. Westcott’s Gospel of John commentary is not included (its OCR lost the chapter running-heads required for reliable verse-keying). Some Greek quoted in the Hebrews volume is imperfectly rendered by the OCR.