Exodus 13:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Scriptures recount that the Israelites journeyed from Succoth and camped at Etham, at the edge of the wilderness. The Lord guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, indicating the path, and at night with a pillar of fire, not departing from the presence of His people (Exodus 13:20-22). Here we see that God served as the guide for the Israelites escaping Egypt, symbolized by both the cloud and the fire, with Christ mirrored in these elements.

The initial encampment of the Israelites during their exodus from Egypt was in the city of Shokhof, located within the Egyptian territory. It is here that the law concerning the consecration of the firstborn was established (Num. 33: 6-7). Their second encampment occurred at Ophoth in the desert, which marked the last Egyptian settlement at the edge of the Arabian wilderness, situated near the northernmost point of the western Red Sea. (Num. 33: 6-7.) It is likely that Ophoth served as a waypoint on the trade route from Egypt to Asia. An Interpretation on the paremi in the book of Exodus highlights these events in the Vespers for Great Sabbath, referencing Exodus XIII, 20-22, XIV, 1-32, XV, 1-19.

As one reaches the conclusion of the wilderness, the pathway from the desert to Egypt opens into populated and cultivated lands. Epham serves as an example, situated close to Heropolis, which the Egyptians referred to as a stronghold of outsiders, signifying a border fortress. Scholars like Cook and Shabas have compared Epham to Pi-thum, a sanctuary dedicated to Tum, the sun-god, revered throughout lower Egypt, as indicated in Exodus 1:11. Epham’s strategic location obstructs the route between the gulf and the lake of Timsah, as can be seen on a map.