John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 7. And when they cried unto the Lord , etc.] That is, the Israelites, being in the utmost distress, the sea before them, Pharaoh’s large host behind them, and the rocks on each side of them; (see Exodus 14:10); he put darkness between you and the Egyptians ; the pillar of cloud, the dark side of which was turned to the Egyptians, and which was the reason of their following the Israelites into the sea; for not being able to see their way, knew not where they were; (see Exodus 14:20); and brought the sea upon them, and covered them ; or “upon him, and covered him” f528 ; on Pharaoh, as Kimchi; or on Egypt; that is, the Egyptians or on everyone of them, as Jarchi, none escaped; (see Exodus 14:26-28); and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt ; what signs and wonders were wrought there, before they were brought out of it, and what he had done to and upon the Egyptians at the Red sea; some then present had been eyewitnesses of them: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season ; forty years, where they had the law given them, were preserved from many evils and enemies, were fed with manna, and supplied with the necessaries of life, were led about and instructed, and at length brought out of it.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-14 - We must never think our work for God done, till our life is done. If he lengthen out our days beyond what we expected, like those of Joshua, it is because he has some further service for us to do. He who aims at the same mind which was in Christ Jesus, will glory in bearing the las testimony to his Saviour's goodness, and in telling to all around, the obligations with which the unmerited goodness of God has bound him. The assembly came together in a solemn religious manner. Joshua spake to them in God's name, and as from him. His sermon consists of doctrin and application. The doctrinal part is a history of the great thing God had done for his people, and for their fathers before them. The application of this history of God's mercies to them, is an exhortatio to fear and serve God, in gratitude for his favour, and that it migh be continued.
Original Hebrew ויצעקו6817 אל413 יהוה3068 וישׂם7760 מאפל3990 ביניכם996 ובין996 המצרים4713 ויבא935 עליו5921 את853 הים3220 ויכסהו3680 ותראינה7200 עיניכם5869 את853 אשׁר834 עשׂיתי6213 במצרים4714 ותשׁבו3427 במדבר4057 ימים3117 רבים׃7227
