Exo 14:2-3, 10 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 2. Encamp before Pi-hahiroth ] pi hachiroth , the mouth, strait , or bay of Chiroth . Between Migdol , migdol , the tower , probably a fortress that served to defend the bay. Over against Baal-zephon , baal tsephon , the lord or master of the watch , probably an idol temple, where a continual guard, watch, or light was kept up for the defence of one part of the haven, or as a guide to ships. Dr. Shaw thinks that chiroth may denote the valley which extended itself from the wilderness of Etham to the Red Sea, and that the part in which the Israelites encamped was called Pi-hachiroth , i.e., the mouth or bay of Chiroth . See his Travels, p. 310, and his account at the end of Exodus.

‏ Exodus 14:2-3

Verse 2. Encamp before Pi-hahiroth] pi hachiroth, the mouth, strait, or bay of Chiroth. Between Migdol, migdol, the tower, probably a fortress that served to defend the bay. Over against Baal-zephon, baal tsephon, the lord or master of the watch, probably an idol temple, where a continual guard, watch, or light was kept up for the defence of one part of the haven, or as a guide to ships. Dr. Shaw thinks that chiroth may denote the valley which extended itself from the wilderness of Etham to the Red Sea, and that the part in which the Israelites encamped was called Pi-hachiroth, i.e., the mouth or bay of Chiroth. See his Travels, p. 310, and his account at the end of Exodus.

Verse 3. They are entangled in the land] God himself brought them into straits from which no human power or art could extricate them. Consider their situation when once brought out of the open country, where alone they had room either to fight or fly. Now they had the Red Sea before them, Pharaoh and his host behind them, and on their right and left hand fortresses of the Egyptians to prevent their escape; nor had they one boat or transport prepared for their passage! If they be now saved, the arm of the Lord must be seen, and the vanity and nullity of the Egyptian idols be demonstrated. By bringing them into such a situation he took from them all hope of human help, and gave their adversaries every advantage against them, so that they themselves said, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.

‏ Exodus 14:10

Verse 10. The children of Israel cried out unto the Lord.] Had their prayer been accompanied with faith, we should not have found them in the next verses murmuring against Moses, or rather against the Lord, through whose goodness they were now brought from under that bondage from which they had often cried for deliverance. Calmet thinks that the most pious and judicious cried unto God, while the unthinking and irreligious murmured against Moses.