In the narrative of the exodus of the Israelites our attention
is first arrested by the passage, Ex. xiii. 21, " And 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." That the pillar of cloud and of fire should
be mentioned just here, after the account of the arrival of the
children of Israel in Etham, has no basis in chronology, but only
one in fact. We stand immediately before the passage through
the sea, in which the symbol of the divine presence, which was
probably discontinued immediately on the Israelites' departure,
was to unfold its whole meaning. The best that has been said
concerning this symbol is given by Vitringa in the treatise de
Mysterio fads igneae " Israelitis in Arabia prjelucentis," in his
Observv. Sacr. i. 5, 14-17. There is much, it is true, that is
arbitrary and unfounded. The symbol of the divine presence
first mentioned here, led the Israelites afterwards in their whole
march through the wilderness. After the erection of the holy
tabernacle it descended upon it. In Ex. xl. 38 it is said, " The
cloud was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by
night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all
their journeys." With reference to the outward appearance of
this symbol, it seems that we have not to think of a gross
material fire: Ex. xxiv. 17, "And the sight of the glory of
the Lord was like devouring fire." Vitringa: "Ignis speciem
habuit, veris ignis non fuit." The pillar of cloud and of fire
was not the Angel of the Lord Himself, who, on the contrary,



282 SECOND PEEIOD— FIEST SECTION.
