As an Egyptian military commander (PP 245) and as a fugitive from Pharaoh (see on ch. 2:15), Moses was already acquainted with the general route of march. Furthermore, God had instructed him that he was to lead Israel to Mt. Horeb (ch. 3:12). Nevertheless, to convince the people of God’s leadership and to guide Moses along the precise route to be followed, God personally directed their daily journey. Having stated in ch. 13:18 that God led the Israelites, Moses now explains how He did so. Ancient army commanders at times used smoke or fire signals to guide their marching forces through trackless wastelands. Israel’s pillar of cloud and fire, however, was not produced by ordinary means, but was a miraculous manifestation of the presence of Christ (1 Cor. 10:1-4, 9; PP 366) that appeared before them as they left Etham and entered the desert. There seems to have been but one “pillar” (Ex. 14:24), for even when shining in the dark it is still called “the pillar of the cloud” (v. 19) or simply “the cloud” (Num. 9:21). By day it appeared as a dark cloud, in contrast with the light of the sun, but by night as a radiant light (Num. 9:15, 16). In this cloud the Lord Himself was present with His people, and from the cloud He spoke to Moses. There the glory of the Lord, later known as the “Shekinah,” appeared (Ex. 16:10; 40:34). In a similar way the Lord had already revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush (ch. 3:2), and later appeared upon Sinai amidst thunder and lightning (ch. 19:16, 18). The fire and the cloud symbolized divine leadership and protection.

Literally, “for their journeying day and night.” It should not be inferred from this statement that God intended the Israelites to keep on traveling at night as well as in the daytime. Rather, they were on their journey both day and night until such a time as they should reach their destination. As clearly stated earlier in the verse, the pillar of cloud was to guide them by day along their way and to illuminate their camp at night. The added expression, “to go by day and night,” clarifies the fact that the cloud never left them. It includes the camping at night as well as the traveling by day. Both the KJV and the RSV imply, to the contrary, that they traveled by night, a concept not justified by the context.