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[340]
Now, while these Hebrews made no stay, but went on earnestly, as
led by God's presence with them, the Egyptians supposed first that they
were distracted, and were going rashly upon manifest destruction. But when
they saw that they were going a great way without any harm, and that no
obstacle or difficulty fell in their journey, they made haste to pursue
them, hoping that the sea would be calm for them also. They put their horse
foremost, and went down themselves into the sea. Now the Hebrews, while
these were putting on their armor, and therein spending their time, were
beforehand with them, and escaped them, and got first over to the land
on the other side without any hurt. Whence the others were encouraged,
and more courageously pursued them, as hoping no harm would come to them
neither: but the Egyptians were not aware that they went into a road made
for the Hebrews, and not for others; that this road was made for the deliverance
of those in danger, but not for those that were earnest to make use of
it for the others' destruction. As soon, therefore, as ever the whole Egyptian
army was within it, the sea flowed to its own place, and came down with
a torrent raised by storms of wind, 1
and encompassed the Egyptians. Showers of rain also came down from the
sky, and dreadful thunders and lightning, with flashes of fire. Thunderbolts
also were darted upon them. Nor was there any thing which used to be sent
by God upon men, as indications of his wrath, which did not happen at this
time, for a dark and dismal night oppressed them. And thus did all these
men perish, so that there was not one man left to be a messenger of this
calamity to the rest of the Egyptians.
1 Of these storms of wind, thunder, and lightning, at this drowning of Pharaoh's army, almost wanting in our copies of Exodus, but fully extant in that of David, Psalm 77:16-18, and in that of Josephus here, see Essay on the Old Test. Append. p. 15,1, 155.
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