Exodus 14:25

Hebrew Bible

24 In the morning watch the Lord looked down on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw the Egyptian army into a panic. 25 He jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving, and the Egyptians said, “Let’s flee from Israel, for the Lord fights for them against Egypt! 26 The Lord said to Moses, “Extend your hand toward the sea, so that the waters may flow back on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen!”

Onkelos Exodus 14:25

Targum

24 And it was in the morning watch that the Lord looked upon the host of the Mizraee from the column of fire and cloud, and perturbed the host of the Mizraee. 25 And he removed the wheels of the chariots, so that they drove them by strength; and the Mizraee said, Let us flee from before Israel; for this is the power of the Lord which does battle for them against Mizraim. 26 And the Lord said to Mosheh, Stretch out your hand over the sea, and the waters shall return upon the Mizraee, upon their chariots and their horsemen.

 Notes and References

"... Our targumist adds this entire phrase, which is absent in the biblical text, in order to avoid having God involved directly in undignified fighting. It is possible that he does not change 'Egypt' into 'Egyptians' (against the Egyptians) as is done elsewhere in the chapter because the Mekhilta, from which he draws his understanding of Scriptures, suggests that just as Egyptians were struck at the sea, so were they struck throughout Egypt ..."

Drazin, Israel, and Stanley M. Wagner Onkelos on the Torah, Exodus: Understanding the Bible Text (p. 85) Gefen, 2006

 User Comments

Do you have questions or comments about these texts? Please submit them here.