15 Then the Lord said to Moses , "Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward . 16 "As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land . 17 "As for Me, behold , I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army , through his chariots and his horsemen . 18 " Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord , when I am honored through Pharaoh , through his chariots and his horsemen ." 19 The angel of God , who had been going before the camp of Israel , moved and went behind e them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before e them and stood behind e them. 20 So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel ; and there was the cloud along with the darkness , yet it gave light at night . Thus the one did not come near the other all night .

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 14:15-20

Commentary on Exodus 14:15-20

(Read Exodus 14:15-20)

Moses' silent prayers of faith prevailed more with God than Israel's loud outcries of fear. The pillar of cloud and fire came behind them, where they needed a guard, and it was a wall between them and their enemies. The word and providence of God have a black and dark side toward sin and sinners, but a bright and pleasant side toward the people of the Lord. He, who divided between light and darkness, Genesis 1:4, allotted darkness to the Egyptians, and light to the Israelites. Such a difference there will be between the inheritance of the saints in light, and that utter darkness which will be the portion of hypocrites for ever.