Exodus 13:17-18:27 Summary

The Israelites took the bones of Joseph with them from Egypt, and traveled toward the Red Sea. The Lord guided the people with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (13). After the Lord led the people to make camp, he hardened Pharaoh’s heart and Pharaoh decided to chase after the Israelites. When the people heard Pharaoh’s chariots coming, they panicked saying, “Better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!” Moses calmed the people down, and then lifted his staff over the Red Sea. The sea split in two and the Israelites passed through on dry ground. When the Egyptians pursued them, the Lord closed the waters and swept them away (14). Miriam and Moses led the people in celebratory singing. But not long after this, the people complained against Moses at Marah because they were running low on water. The Lord heard their cries and worked a miracle through Moses to provide them with water (15). Next the people complained against Moses and Aaron because they were running low on food. God provided them with quail and a bread called manna, but the Lord only allowed them to collect enough for one day and never allowed them to collect on the Sabbath. Some people tried to save the food, but it would always go rotten. The only exception was a small amount of manna that Aaron collected and put in the ark of the covenant. This was to teach the people to trust in the Lord’s provision (16). When the people moved on to Rephidim, there was again no water for them to drink so they complained against Moses. The Lord commanded Moses to hit a rock with his staff, and when he did, water gushed out, so Moses named the place Meribah. While the people were at Rephidim, some Amalekites attacked them and Moses sent Joshua into battle against them, and the Lord helped Joshua prevail (17). Now Moses had sent his wife, Zipporah, and their two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, back to Jethro, his father-in-law. But when Jethro heard about all that had happened he came to visit Moses. Jethro gave him some wise advice about leadership and then returned home to Midian (18).