Exodus - 14:7



7 and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over all of them.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Exodus 14:7.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots that were in Egypt: and the captains of the whole army.
and he taketh six hundred chosen chariots, even all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over them all;
And he took six hundred carriages, all the carriages of Egypt, and captains over all of them.
And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and whatever chariots were in Egypt, and also the leaders of the whole army.
Tulit itaque sexcentos currus electos, omnes currus AEgypti, et duces super quenque illorum.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

Six hundred chosen chariots - The Egyptian army comprised large numbers of chariots, each drawn by two horses, with two men, one bearing the shield and driving, the other fully armed. The horses were thoroughbred, renowned for strength and spirit. Chariots are first represented on the monuments of the 18th dynasty. By "all the chariots of Egypt" we are to understand all that were stationed in Lower Egypt, most of them probably at Rameses and other frontier garrisons near the headquarters of Pharaoh.
Captains - The word שׁלישׁ shâlı̂ysh, literally "third or thirtieth," may represent an Egyptian title. The king had about him a council of thirty, each of whom bore a title, Mapu, a "thirty man." The word occurs frequently in the Books of Kings. David seems to have organized the Shalishim as a distinct corps (see 2-Samuel 23:8 Hebrew), retaining the old name, and adopting the Egyptian system.

Six hundred chosen chariots, etc. - According to the most authentic accounts we have of war-chariots, they were frequently drawn by two or by four horses, and carried three persons: one was charioteer, whose business it was to guide the horses, but he seldom fought; the second chiefly defended the charioteer; and the third alone was properly the combatant. It appears that in this case Pharaoh had collected all the cavalry of Egypt; (see Exodus 14:17); and though these might not have been very numerous, yet, humanly speaking, they might easily overcome the unarmed and encumbered Israelites, who could not be supposed to be able to make any resistance against cavalry and war-chariots.

And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and (d) all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
(d) Josephus writes that besides those chariots, there were 50,000 horsemen, and 80,000 footmen.

And he took six hundred chosen chariots,.... The chief and best he had, war chariots, chariots of iron; perhaps such as had iron scythes to them, to cut down men as they drove along; these were taken partly for quickness of dispatch, that they might be able the sooner to overtake the Israelites, who had got several days' marches before them; and partly for their strength and the annoyance of their enemies with them:
and all the chariots of Egypt: as many as could in so short a time be got together: for the words are not to be taken in the utmost latitude, but to signify a great number, and all that could be conveniently come at: the Greek version is, "all the horse", the cavalry, which better distinguishes them from the former:
and captains over everyone of them: over everyone of the chariots, so that they must each of them have many in them, to have captains over them: and perhaps the infantry, or foot soldiers, for, quickness of expedition, were put into them; for, besides these, there were horsemen: Josephus (p) makes the whole number of his army to be 50,000 horse, and 200,000 foot, and the same number is given by a Jewish chronologer (q): but Patricides, an Arabic writer, says (r) it consisted of 600,000, and Ezekiel (s), the tragic poet, has made it amount to a million of horse and foot: should it be asked where horses could be had to draw the chariots, and horses for the horsemen after mentioned, when all were destroyed by the hail, Exodus 9:25 it may be replied, that only those in the field were killed, not such as were in stables, where chariot horses and horses for war may be supposed to be: besides, as the Targum of Jonathan intimates, these might belong to these servants of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord, and took their cattle home, Exodus 9:20.
(p) Antiqu. l. 2. c. 15. sect. 3. (q) Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 77. 4. (r) Apud Hottinger. Smegma, p. 464. (s) Apud Euseb. ut supra. (Praepar. Evangel. c. 27. p. 436.)

Captains over every one of them - Or rather over all of them; distributing the command of them to his several Captains.

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