2 "Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baalzephon; you shall encamp over against it, by the sea.
Pihahiroth means place of seaweed or shoals. It is at the northern end of the Gulf of Suez. Migdol is Aramaic for bound together or strength. Used here, it tells us that the consciousness is strengthened by being unified. The sea or water symbolizes the emotions. Ballezephon means a place of darkness. This is often the feeling one has after leaving the ordinary path for the Spiritual Path. We are in a new life and we begin to feel isolated.
3 For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, 'They are entangled in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.'
4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host; and the Egyptians shall know that I am YHVH." And they did so.
5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, "What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?"
6 So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him,
7 and took six hundred picked chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them.
8 And YHVH hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt and he pursued the people of Israel as they went forth defiantly.
9 The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamped at the sea, by Pihahiroth, in front of Baalzephon.
10 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were in great fear. And the people of Israel cried out to YHVH;
11 and they said to Moses, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, in bringing us out of Egypt?
12 Is not this what we said to you in Egypt, 'Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness."
The Pharaoh represents the leader of the material self, the lower physical. Even though we have passed over to a more elevated level of consciousness, lust and our lower passions continue to pursue us and tempt us. The horses represent the lower passions. The regret for having left is often times felt by those of us who venture down the "Road Less Traveled" for, at first, it is lonely and we may be ridiculed by those around us who are frightened by our change. Like Lot's wife, we want to go back to our customary ways. But, once we have awakened, there is no going back.
13 And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of YHVH, which he will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.
In our moment of doubt, when we question our decision to take this path, YHVH reminds us that we are not alone, for the spiritual powers support us. But we must "stand still" quiet the emotions or bring them under control. A response from on high (or from deep within), "Fear ye not, stand still and see the salvation of YHVH," encourages us to stand firm and not look back.
14 YHVH will fight for you, and you have only to be still."
15 YHVH said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.
16 Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go on dry ground through the sea.
The lifting of the rod has to do with the elevating or spiritualizing of the lustful passions and appetites, changing them into positive and loving ones. This lifting of the rod, or raising of the serpent upon the rod, indicating the positive use of the creative force, is a recurring theme in the Old Testament. This positive use is what parts the sea. The spiritual forces give light to the consciousness which is seeking light and darkness to the lower nature, which cannot comprehend it.
17 And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen.
18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am YHVH, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."
19 Then the angel of the gods who went before the host of Israel moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them,
20 coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness; and the night passed without one coming near the other all night.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and YHVH drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
23 The Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
The sea symbolizes the desires or emotions. Divided to the right are the uplifted desires, the higher passions or constructive emotions which are separated from the gross and lustful passions to the left. Our ability to pass through on dry ground is an indication that we are to walk between the two without being caught up in the emotions symbolized by the water.
24 And in the morning watch YHVH in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down upon the host of the Egyptians, and discomfited the host of the Egyptians,
25 clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily; and the Egyptians said, "Let us flee from before Israel; for YHVH fights for them against the Egyptians."
YHVH appears in a cloud by day and as fire by night. These represent the two pillars: the feminine or water and the masculine or fire. These are the two elements that must be brought into balance. Water is the intuitive, heart side of our consciousness while fire is the intellectual, mental side. The balance between the two acts as our guide in the wilderness.
26 Then YHVH said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen."
27 So Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its wonted flow when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled into it, and YHVH routed the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen and all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not so much as one of them remained.
29 But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
30 Thus YHVH saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore.
The lower passions, the Egyptians, are destroyed by YHVH, or the developing spiritual emotions; the water of the sea after it has been lifted up.
31 And Israel saw the great work, which YHVH did against the Egyptians, and the people feared YHVH; and they believed in YHVH and in his servant Moses.