A dramatic shift in strategy alters the course of the Exodus, setting the stage for a final, decisive confrontation with the Egyptian empire. Instead of continuing on a direct path toward the land of Canaan, the Israelites receive a surprising divine directive to reverse their course. They are instructed to camp at a narrow pass where the sea flows into a long inlet, situated directly across from the Egyptian idol Baal-zephon. This specific location, Pi-hahiroth, is identified as the city of Pithom, which earned its new name to commemorate the Israelites becoming a free people there [ביאור יש״ר]. By turning south and deviating from the standard route to Canaan, the Israelites appear to be wandering aimlessly and lost in the wilderness.
The commentators explore the reasoning behind God's use of such a diversionary tactic. One perspective emphasizes that human wisdom pales in comparison to God's intellect, suggesting it is inappropriate to question His profound motives for using deception to eventually draw Pharaoh into the sea [אבן עזרא]. However, others delve deeper into the divine plan, offering two primary explanations for this maneuver.
The first explanation suggests the goal was to embolden Pharaoh without stripping him of his free will. By creating circumstances that made the Israelites look confused and hopelessly trapped, God instilled a false sense of confidence in the Egyptian ruler. This illusion, combined with the realization that the Israelites were fleeing permanently with their wealth rather than merely leaving to offer sacrifices, caused Pharaoh to forget the terror of the plagues and mobilize his elite army for pursuit [אברבנאל].
A contrasting approach argues that God did not need to rely on deception, but rather intended to publicly demonstrate the absolute justice of His judgment. During the Plague of the Firstborn, Pharaoh appeared to surrender and repent. Yet God, who sees into the deepest parts of the human heart, knew this submission stemmed entirely from fear. The command to turn back served as a test for the Egyptians. Had their repentance been genuine, they would have humbly accepted God's decree. Instead, the moment they perceived weakness in the Israelites, they reverted to their cruelty, defied God, and launched a pursuit, decisively proving they deserved their impending destruction [ביאור יש״ר].
The ultimate drowning of the Egyptians served two broad historical purposes. First, it was meant to physically punish Pharaoh and reveal God's glory to the world. Second, it aimed to strike terror into the inhabitants of Canaan. Because the Israelites left Egypt as a weak and exhausted people, the overwhelming miracle at the sea was necessary to melt the courage of the Canaanite nations, thereby easing the future conquest of the land [אברבנאל].
As the Egyptian army closed in, the Israelites cried out to God. This cry was not a prayer, but a bitter complaint born of deep fear. They suspected that God intended to kill them or that Moses had orchestrated the Exodus on his own authority. Their sarcastic grievance about a lack of graves in Egypt was rooted in a grim reality: the Egyptians meticulously buried their dead to maintain the purity of their land, whereas the Israelites now faced the prospect of their unburied bodies rotting like dung in the open desert. Confronted with their despair, Moses calms the people, assuring them that they do not need to fight or surrender back into slavery. They are simply to stand firm and watch as God fights on their behalf [אברבנאל].