שמות, פרק י״ד, פסוק כ״ד

In the final hours of darkness, just before dawn, a dramatic shift occurs in the confrontation at the sea. Throughout the night, pillars of fire and cloud served as a protective barrier for the Israelite camp. Now, God transitions to a direct, frontal assault within the pursuing Egyptian army, sowing destruction and panic.

This event takes place during the last third of the night, a period known as the morning watch. The concept is rooted in waiting and guarding, reflecting how the night is divided into shifts of angels singing praises, while humanity waits in anticipation for the morning light [רש"י, חזקוני, גור אריה]. The choice of this specific time is highly intentional. Although night is typically associated with divine strictness and judgment, God chose to act as morning approached, a time of favor when miracles are performed for the righteous. This early intervention was a reward for the Israelites, honoring the merit of Abraham, who woke up early in the morning to fulfill God's will at the Binding of Isaac. Just as Abraham overcame his naturally merciful disposition to follow God's command, God altered the natural progression of time to hasten the salvation of Abraham's descendants [אור החיים, קיצור בעל הטורים].

The divine intervention manifests as God directing His gaze toward the Egyptians. The primary approach among commentators is that this indicates a gaze of destruction from above. Throughout biblical history, such downward gazing consistently signals impending disaster and ruin, with the sole exception of giving gifts to the poor, an act powerful enough to transform divine anger into mercy [רש"י, מזרחי, אלשיך, רש"ר הירש]. A unique perspective suggests that this action was not merely visual but physical, denoting a forceful striking or slamming, much like a door violently hitting a doorframe [הכתב והקבלה]. This devastating blow was delivered either directly by God Himself [אור החיים] or through an angelic emissary [אבן עזרא].

The assault was executed using the pillars of fire and cloud, which were moved from their usual defensive positions and thrust directly into the Egyptian camp [ספורנו, מלבי"ם]. Commentators present two main approaches regarding how these pillars operated. The first approach describes a coordinated attack on the seabed. The thick pillar of cloud descended and saturated the previously dry ground—which the Israelites had safely crossed—turning it into a slippery layer of mud. Immediately following this, the pillar of fire heated and boiled the mud, causing the hooves of the Egyptian horses to slip and become hopelessly stuck [רש"י, גור אריה, משכיל לדוד]. The second approach suggests that this was not the work of the regular pillars, but rather a terrifying, supernatural storm. God unleashed hail, torrential rain, blazing lightning, and deafening thunder from heavy storm clouds [רשב"ם, שד"ל, רלב"ג, קאסוטו]. The mere combination of fire and cloud in the darkness of night, a phenomenon entirely foreign to the Egyptians, filled them with profound anxiety and dread [בכור שור, חזקוני].

The ultimate result of this assault was absolute chaos and confusion within the Egyptian ranks, leading to terror and impending destruction [רש"י, שד"ל]. This disarray manifested on multiple levels. Psychologically and strategically, God stripped the Egyptians of their senses and military tactical awareness. He dismantled their organizational structure, rendering their division flags useless, so that the soldiers lost all sense of direction and order [רש"י, ריב"א, ברטנורא]. Physically, the intense thunder, bolts of lightning, and severe heat from the fire panicked the horses, throwing the chariot formations into total madness [רשב"ם, העמק דבר, ביאור יש"ר]. Furthermore, some commentators maintain that during this chaos, God afflicted the Egyptians with terrible diseases and severe plagues, compounding their suffering and disorientation just moments before they drowned in the sea [ספורנו, הכתב והקבלה].