The people of Israel “departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. On the morrow after the Passover, the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians; for the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the Lord had smitten among them. Upon their gods also the Lord executed judgments” (Num. 33:3-43And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. 4For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the Lord had smitten among them: upon their gods also the Lord executed judgments. (Numbers 33:3‑4)). Thus does the divine record give the date of their departure, the point from which the departure was made, the manner of their outgoing, and the fear that lay upon the Egyptians.
On the fifteenth of the month, as Israel’s hosts gathered together, the moon was at full, the night was as day, every object was visible as evidently as in the sunlight, though garbed with a peculiar tenderness. Tanis stood “in the field of Zoan” (Psa. 78:1-21<<Maschil of Asaph.>> Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 2I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: (Psalm 78:1‑2)), and, as has been observed, it bore the name of Rameses, for Pharaoh loved to impress his name on such cities as he had restored to their earlier glory, as well as on those he built. Temple city as it was, it had been built for the glory of the king, whose huge statue “towered up above all surrounding buildings” over-capping the temples and obelisks, and could be “seen for miles across the plain.” In “the field of Zoan” was the great review ground for Egypt’s chariots, a Champ de Mars of unrivaled excellence, where “the hosts of the warriors were mustered to be exercised in the maneuvers of battle.”
It cannot at present be positively determined whether Israel departed from the city Rameses, or the district which bore the same name, neither can it be said with certainty that Tanis and the Rameses of the Bible are identical, but such a plain of assembly as the review ground of the chariots seems one highly suitable for the great muster of Jehovah’s armies, and one grandly adapted for their outgoing from their bonds “with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.”
On the brilliant moonlight night, the former slaves of Egypt fell into their appointed positions according to tribe and family. They were in haste. Pharaoh had urged them, “Take your flocks and your herds, and be gone” (Ex. 12:3232Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also. (Exodus 12:32)); their old masters were so eager for their departure that they were “thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry” (Ex. 12:3939And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual. (Exodus 12:39)). Egypt was terror-stricken; the fear of God had so fallen on its people that the very dogs reflected the spirit of their masters, and moved not a tongue against Israel (Ex. 11:77But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. (Exodus 11:7)). Jehovah had redeemed Israel, He had made them free; we may say they were “more than conquerors through Him that loved” (Rom. 8:3737Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (Romans 8:37)) them, and in the excellence of their freedom, they lifted up their heads, crowned with “the helmet of salvation” (Eph. 6:1-71Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2Honor thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 4And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 5Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; 6Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 7With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: (Ephesians 6:1‑7)).
Moses, on this never-to-be-forgotten night, was within call of the palace. The great cry still rang through Egypt when he received Pharaoh’s bidding to depart, a command carrying with it authority to governors of fortresses and canals to give the people free passage. The whole company of Israel extended itself over a large district, they had “very much cattle” (Ex. 12:3838And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle. (Exodus 12:38)) with them, wagons and beasts of burden. “The field of Zoan” was of great extent, and adjoined the district of Goshen, where Israel was largely planted, while again in Succoth there was wealthy pasturage. It seems impossible to follow the Bible narrative without allowing that Israel was extended over a considerable area of country. Moses was at the rear of the people, and on his receiving the kings word to go forward, the command, forwarded immediately, would, according to eastern methods of communication, spread like a swift flame over miles of ground.
For many a mile the colossus of Pharaoh could be seen watching the hosts of Israel filing off across the plain, gathering in numbers as they went. The terrors preceding their departure had shaken loose the fetters of many captives of many nations, and these formed the “mixed multitude” which accompanied the people. An incident illustrating the power accompanying Israel in their departure was the removal from On of the coffin of Joseph, an act which, in ordinary circumstances, would be regarded as an intolerable scandal.
The Kheta and the Egyptians were in alliance with each other, on friendly terms. The celebrated queen of Rameses II., Nefert-ari, was a royal lady of Kheta. Their old wars had ceased, and between the two countries “a constant intercourse was regularly maintained, and messengers went to and fro” from the respective courts. Had Israel taken the highway to their land of promise, armed Egypt would have been behind them with garrisons on the way, and an armed Canaan would have been in front of them.
But how could the miscellaneous host know which way it should go, and how should each member of it be assured of his direction? They came out from various of the towns of Goshen, and probably some may have even been camped near On! Here is the answer: “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” (Ex. 13:2121And 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 13:21)) All Israel rallied to Jehovah’s uplifted beacon, and with eyes fixed upon its movements each Israelite knew where next to place his foot, and each such step was a confirmation of faith. The pillar was of cloud and fire,* a visible and enduring sign of Jehovah’s presence with Israel all the way of their wilderness journey. Ancient armies had at times braziers carried aloft before them to guide the troops in trackless countries the “fire-look” of Israel was the glory-cloud of Jehovah.
Such was the haste with which Israel left Egypt that they took with them no stores for immediate use, save the dough and kneading troughs, which were bound upon their shoulders, together with their clothes. They were thus, in a peculiar way, wholly dependent upon Jehovah’s care. The haste of their departure was not necessary only to fulfill the urgency of the Egyptians – who were really God’s agents in the matter – but to ensure their exit at the preordered time of Jehovah’s appointment.
From Rameses, first passing through the land of Goshen, they went to Succoth; then the whole host swept along the green valley between the hills, and beside the Sweet Water Canal towards the lakes of Pithom and “Pharaoh’s farm,” where the nomads, the wandering tribes, were permitted to pitch their tents “in order to feed themselves and to feed their cattle in the great estate of Pharaoh.”
This city was one of those they had built. It has only recently been brought to light that is “recently” in relation to our times, for in the days of the Romans, and later, it was well known. The triad referred to on page 67 was dug up from the ruins of Heroopolis where Rameses sits between the sun-gods, to one of which, Tum, the city was dedicated – Pi-Tum, the dwelling of Tum. In it were chambers or “granaries, into which the Pharaohs gathered the provisions necessary for armies about to cross the desert, or even for caravans... which were on the road to Syria.” It was both a store city and a fortified city. Is it too much to suppose that Israel replenished their supplies from its store-chambers – the very ones they had themselves built? We have to remember that after leaving Egypt, Israel, for one month depended upon their own resources, for the supply of heavenly food was not afforded them until the fifteenth day of the second month.