Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. New Living Translation The LORD went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night. English Standard Version And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. Berean Standard Bible And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel by day or night. King James Bible And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: New King James Version And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. New American Standard Bible And the LORD was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night. NASB 1995 The LORD was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. NASB 1977 And the LORD was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. Legacy Standard Bible And Yahweh was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to guide them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might go by day and by night. Amplified Bible The [presence of the] LORD was going before them by day in a pillar (column) of cloud to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, so that they could travel by day and by night. Christian Standard Bible The LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to lead them on their way during the day and in a pillar of fire to give them light at night, so that they could travel day or night. Holman Christian Standard Bible The LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to lead them on their way during the day and in a pillar of fire to give them light at night, so that they could travel day or night. American Standard Version And Jehovah went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night: Aramaic Bible in Plain English And LORD JEHOVAH went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to encamp them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give light to them to go by day and by night: Brenton Septuagint Translation And God led them, in the day by a pillar of cloud, to show them the way, and in the night by a pillar of fire. Douay-Rheims Bible And the Lord went before them to shew the way by day in a pillar of a cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire: that he might be the guide of their journey at both times. English Revised Version And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night: GOD'S WORD® Translation By day the LORD went ahead of them in a column of smoke to lead them on their way. By night he went ahead of them in a column of fire to give them light so that they could travel by day or by night. Good News Translation During the day the LORD went in front of them in a pillar of cloud to show them the way, and during the night he went in front of them in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel night and day. International Standard Version The LORD went in front of them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so they could travel both day and night. JPS Tanakh 1917 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night: Literal Standard Version and YHWH is going before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give light to them, to go by day and by night; Majority Standard Bible And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel by day or night. New American Bible The LORD preceded them, in the daytime by means of a column of cloud to show them the way, and at night by means of a column of fire to give them light. Thus they could travel both day and night. NET Bible Now the LORD was going before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel day or night. New Revised Standard Version The LORD went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night. New Heart English Bible God went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night: Webster's Bible Translation And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them in the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light: to go by day and night. World English Bible Yahweh went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night: Young's Literal Translation and Jehovah is going before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give light to them, to go by day and by night; Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Pillars of Cloud and Fire…20They set out from Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness. 21And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel by day or night. 22Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place before the people.… Cross References 1 Corinthians 10:1 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud, and that they all passed through the sea. Exodus 14:19 And the angel of God, who had gone before the camp of Israel, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from before them and stood behind them, Exodus 14:24 At morning watch, however, the LORD looked down on the army of the Egyptians from the pillar of fire and cloud, and He threw their camp into confusion. Exodus 16:10 And as Aaron was speaking to the whole congregation of Israel, they looked toward the desert, and there in a cloud the glory of the LORD appeared. Exodus 33:9 As Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and remain at the entrance, and the LORD would speak with Moses. Exodus 33:10 When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they would stand up and worship, each one at the entrance to his own tent. Exodus 40:38 For the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel through all their journeys. Treasury of Scripture And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: Exodus 14:19-24 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: … Exodus 40:34-38 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle… Numbers 9:15-23 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning… Jump to Previous Ahead Cloud Fire Guide Guiding Lead Night Pillar Travel WayJump to Next Ahead Cloud Fire Guide Guiding Lead Night Pillar Travel WayExodus 13 1. The firstborn are sanctified to God3. The memorial of the Passover is commanded 11. The firstborn of man and beast are set apart 17. The Israelites go out of Egypt, and carry Joseph's bones with them. 20. They come to Etham 21. God guides them by a pillar of a cloud, and a pillar of fire (21) The Lord went before them.--In Exodus 13:17-18, the writer has declared that "God led the people;" he now explains how. from Succoth certainly, probably from Rameses, He moved in front of the host in the form of a pillar, which had the appearance of smoke by day and of fire by night. The Israelites marched, it is implied, some part of each day and some part of each night, which would be in accordance with modern practice, and is an arrangement introduced to get the march accomplished before the sun attains his full power. The pillar was at once a signal and a guide. When it moved, the people moved; when it stopped, they encamped (Exodus 40:36-38); where it went, they followed. It bore some resemblance to the fire and smoke signals which generals used when at the head of their armies (Lepsius, Denkmaler, vol. ii., pl. 150, 2; Papyr. Anastas, 1; Q. Curt, Vit. Alex. v. 2, &c), and indicated that God had constituted Himself the generalissimo of the host; but it was altogether of a miraculous and abnormal character. To go by day and night.--The night journeys of the people are mentioned again in Numbers 9:21. Verses 21, 22. - THE PILLAR OF THE CLOUD AND OF FIRE. Having stated, in verse 17, that "God led the Israelites," and determined their route for them, the writer here proceeds to explain how this leading was accomplished. With extreme simplicity and directness he states, that the conduct was effected by means of an appearance, which in the daytime was like a column or pillar of smoke ascending from earth to heaven, and in the night was like a pillar of fire. He considers the presence of God to have been in the pillar, which moved in front of the host, and showed them the way that they were to go. When it halted, they halted when it advanced, they advanced. Their journeys being made as much in the night-time as in the day, on account of the intense heat, the pillar took in the night the appearance of a column of fire, so as to be equally visible as by day. All attempts to give a rational explanation of the phenomenon are misplaced, since the writer, from whom alone we derive our information on the subject, clearly regarded it as miraculous; and both here and elsewhere (Exodus 14:19, 20, 24; Exodus 33:9; Numbers 12:5; Numbers 14:11) speaks of it as a form under which God was pleased to show himself. There is little doubt that fire and smoke signals were already used by commanders of armies for much the same purpose as that which God now accomplished in this way. The Egyptian documents of the period contain indications of the usage; and it is found among the Arabians, the Greeks, and the Persians. (See especially Q. Curt. Vit. Alex. 5:2; "Perticam, quae undique conspici posset, supra praetorium statuit, ex qua signum eminebat pariter omnibus conspicuum: observabatur ignis noctu, fiunus interdin.") The miracle was thus, in a certain sense, founded upon an existing custom, with the difference that God here gave the signals miraculously, which were wont to be given in a natural way by the human leaders of armies. He thus constituted himself the general of the host. Verse 21. - The Lord went before them. From Succoth at any rate; perhaps even on the journey from Rameses to Succoth. In a pillar of cloud. The pillar was seen - the presence of Jehovah, though unseen, was believed to be in it, and to move it. To go by day and night. Or, "so that they might march both by day and by night." Night marches are generally preferred by Orientals on account of the great heat of the days. The night-marches of the Israelites are again mentioned in Numbers 9:21.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew And the LORDוַֽיהוָ֡ה (Yah·weh) Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel went הֹלֵךְ֩ (hō·lêḵ) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk before them לִפְנֵיהֶ֨ם (lip̄·nê·hem) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 6440: The face in a pillar בְּעַמּ֤וּד (bə·‘am·mūḏ) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 5982: A column, a stand, platform of cloud עָנָן֙ (‘ā·nān) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6051: A cloud, the nimbus, thunder-cloud to guide לַנְחֹתָ֣ם (lan·ḥō·ṯām) Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 5148: To guide, to transport their way הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ (had·de·reḵ) Article | Noun - common singular Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action by day, יוֹמָ֜ם (yō·w·mām) Adverb Strong's 3119: Daytime, by day and in a pillar בְּעַמּ֥וּד (bə·‘am·mūḏ) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 5982: A column, a stand, platform of fire אֵ֖שׁ (’êš) Noun - common singular Strong's 784: A fire to give them light לְהָאִ֣יר (lə·hā·’îr) Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct Strong's 215: To be or become light at night, וְלַ֛יְלָה (wə·lay·lāh) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3915: A twist, night, adversity so that they could travel לָלֶ֖כֶת (lā·le·ḵeṯ) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk by day יוֹמָ֥ם (yō·w·mām) Adverb Strong's 3119: Daytime, by day or night. וָלָֽיְלָה׃ (wā·lā·yə·lāh) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3915: A twist, night, adversity Links Exodus 13:21 NIVExodus 13:21 NLT Exodus 13:21 ESV Exodus 13:21 NASB Exodus 13:21 KJV Exodus 13:21 BibleApps.com Exodus 13:21 Biblia Paralela Exodus 13:21 Chinese Bible Exodus 13:21 French Bible Exodus 13:21 Catholic Bible OT Law: Exodus 13:21 Yahweh went before them by day (Exo. 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