Psalms 78:13

Psa 78:13 He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.

Ver. 13. He divided the sea] Making it fordable for them, and fixing those fluid waters, like stone walls, on each hand of them, while they passed through with ease and safety. Every main affliction is our Red Sea; which, while it threatens to swallow, preserveth us.

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.

Ver. 13. He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through. A double wonder, for when the waters were divided the bottom of the sea would naturally be in a very unfit state for the passage of so vast a host as that of Israel; it would in fact have been impassable, had not the Lord made the road for his people. Who else has ever led a nation through a sea? Yet the Lord has done this full often for his saints in providential deliverances, making a highway for them where nothing short of an almighty arm could have done so.

And he made the waters to stand as an heap. He forbade a drop to fall upon his chosen, they felt no spray from the crystal walls on either hand. Fire will descend and water stand upright at the bidding of the Lord of all. The nature of creatures is not their own intrinsically, but is retained or altered at the will of him who first created them. The Lord can cause those evils which threaten to overwhelm us to suspend their ordinary actions, and become innocuous to us.

Ver. 13. He made the waters to stand as an heap. The original word imports, those great heaps which are made use of as dykes or banks to restrain the waters. But the Jews have not only understood these expressions literally, but have likewise taken upon them to add particular circumstances, as if the history had been so concise, that it wanted to be supplied therewith. They say, that the sea had formed, as it were, twelve roads or causeways, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites. James Saurin.

Ver. 13. He made the waters to stand as an heap. God did not wish altogether to take the sea from the gaze of the Hebrews, but to interrupt and divide it, that like a wall it might stand firm on either side of the way. This was done, first, that the miracle might be evident, for in that sea there is no tidal rise or fall of the waters. Secondly, that the people might have greater joy at the sight of so great a miracle. Thirdly, that in their whole passage they might depend more upon the providence of God, who, in a single moment, could allow the sea to return to its bed and drown all of them. It is God's will than we should flee to him the more ardently as the aspect of present danger. Fourthly and lastly, that the people might pass over the more rapidly, since they knew not how long God wished the miracle to last. Thomas Le Blanc.

Ver. 12-16. God revealed in his deeds. The wonder working God --Ps 78:12-16. The avenging God--Ps 78:12. The interposing God--Ps 78:13. The guiding God--Ps 78:14. The Father God--Ps 78:14-16. C. D.

Ver. 12-17. Obstinacy of unbelief. It makes head against God's majesty--Ps 78:17; his gracious providence--Ps 78:14-16; his interposing care--Ps 78:13; his avenging justice-- Ps 78:12; his distinguishing grace--Ps 78:12-16. C. D.

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

13. (Psa 78:13) He slave the sea, and let them pass, and made the waters stand as a heap. This last expression is derived from Exo 15:8. See above, on Psa 33:7.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

78:13 God divided the sea when Israel crossed through the Red Sea (see Exod 14–15).

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

Verse 13. He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through] The reader is requested to consult the notes on the parallel passages marked in the margin on this verse and Ps 78:14-17, &c., where all these miracles are largely explained.

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

(13) As an heap.—See Note, Psa_33:7.

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

13. He divided the sea] Lit. clave, as in Psa_78:15; the word which is used in Exo_14:16; Isa_63:12; Neh_9:11.

as an heap] Cp. Exo_15:8; Psa_33:7.

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.

In the daytime also he led them with a cloud,.... Which was in the form of a pillar, and went before them, and the Lord in it, and directed their way, and protected them from heat; see Exo 13:21, Neh 9:12 this was typical of Christ, who is a shadow and security from the heat of a fiery law, the flaming sword of justice, the wrath of God, which is poured forth like fire, the fiery darts of Satan, and from hurt by any enemy whatever; see Isa 4:5, and who leads his people through the wilderness of this world by his Spirit, by his word, and by his own example; and who is the best and safest guide to follow:

and all the night with a light of fire; which also was in the form of a pillar, and went before them, and gave light in the night, and the Lord was in it; and this also was typical of Christ, who is the light of his people amidst all their darkness in this world.

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

He divided the sea ... - The Red Sea. Exo 14:21-22.

And he made the waters to stand as an heap - The word rendered “heap” means anything piled up, or a mound; and the idea is, that the waters were piled up on each side of them as a “mound.” See the notes at Psa 33:7. Compare Jos 3:13, Jos 3:16; Exo 15:8.

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

13. Waters to stand as a heap—Or, as a mound, a piled up mass; or, as in Exo_14:22; Exo_14:29, as a wall, which implies also, as the history states, a defence. Compare Hab_3:10. It is impossible, despite modern rationalism, to construe the Bible account into any thing less than a stupendous miracle. We must admit the miracle or abandon the history.

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

He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through. (see Exo_14:21, Exo_14:22) And he made the waters to stand as a heap. The expression is taken from the Song of Moses. (Exo_15:8) It must be understood poetically.

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

as a heap Heb. נד, a tall heap, as Onkelos renders (Exod. 15:8): “the flowing water stood up like a נֵד,” stood up like a wall.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.