The Israelites Leave Egypt

In the night, Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and told the Israelites to leave Egypt. He said they could take their flocks and herds and go and serve the Lord. The Egyptians urged the people to leave quickly, saying they feared they would all die.

The people left in haste. They carried their dough before it was leavened, with their kneading troughs wrapped in their clothes on their shoulders. They asked the Egyptians for silver, gold, and clothing, and the Lord gave them favour so that the Egyptians let them have what they asked for.

The Israelites travelled from Rameses to Succoth. There were about 600,000 men on foot, besides children. A mixed multitude went with them too, along with flocks, herds, and much livestock. They baked unleavened bread because they had been driven out so quickly and had not prepared other food.

The Israelites had lived in Egypt for 430 years. At the end of those years, to the very day, all the Lord’s companies went out from the land of Egypt. That night was to be remembered before the Lord through the generations, because he brought them out of Egypt.

God did not lead them on the nearest road through the land of the Philistines, even though it was closer. He said the people might turn back to Egypt if they saw war. So he led them by the wilderness road toward the Red Sea. Moses also took Joseph’s bones with him, because Joseph had made the Israelites promise to carry them up when God visited his people.

The people travelled from Succoth and camped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. The Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to lead them and give them light. The cloud by day and the fire by night stayed before the people as God led them on the way toward the sea.