Exodus 14:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Who among us is unaware that the Egyptian army symbolizes our various mental struggles that keep mankind in bondage? These represent the steeds, the chariots, and their riders, along with the archers, the slingers, the heavily armed, and the rest of the multitude within the enemy's forces. Can anyone argue that troubled thoughts or the cravings for pleasure, sorrow, and greed are fundamentally different from this army?

This verse acts as a clarification of the preceding one. While the earlier verse discusses chariots broadly, here it specifies the count of 600, along with the notable status of those who were selected. The previous verse mentions all the men who gathered for the campaign, while this one focuses on the entirety of the cavalry. There is no mention of infantry participating in the march, as they would have been of little assistance in rapidly pursuing the presumed escapees to surround and strike them—though Josephus Flavius does indicate a force of 200,000 infantry. The Tristates, those occupying the third rank around the king, led the assembled army.

Chariots drawn by two horses are depicted in monuments from Egypt's XV⁴⁰;3 dynasty. Aahes is noted for utilizing them during the siege of Avaris. Throughout the military campaigns in Syria and Palestine, these war chariots played a critical role. During the 12th dynasty, as referenced in Genesis L, there is mention of chariots, although no visual representations appear on the monuments, likely indicating they had not yet been employed in battle.