Numbers 33:3 describes the specific timing of the Israelites' departure from Egypt during the Exodus. Let's break it down:
"They traveled from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month...": This establishes the location of their departure (Rameses, a major city in Egypt) and the date. The "first month" is understood to be Nisan, the first month of the Jewish religious year (roughly corresponding to March/April). The fifteenth day of the month is key.
"...on the next day after the Passover...": This clarifies the timing relative to the Passover festival. Passover is celebrated on the fourteenth of Nisan. Therefore, the fifteenth of Nisan is the day after the Passover Seder meal.
"...the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians": This is a figurative expression describing the manner of their departure.
"with a high hand": This signifies a bold, triumphant, and defiant exit. It suggests that the Israelites weren't sneaking away in the dead of night, but leaving openly and confidently.
"in the sight of all the Egyptians": This reinforces the idea that the departure was not a clandestine escape. The Egyptians were aware of the Israelites leaving, likely overwhelmed by the recent plagues and the death of their firstborn sons, making them unable to stop the Israelites.
In Summary:
This verse emphasizes that the Israelites left Egypt openly and triumphantly on the day after Passover, the 15th of Nisan. Their departure was not a hidden escape, but a bold exit witnessed by all the Egyptians, signifying God's power and their liberation from slavery. It highlights the fulfillment of God's promise to deliver them with signs and wonders.
Numbers 33:3 describes the specific timing of the Israelites' departure from Egypt during the Exodus. Let's break it down:
"They traveled from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month...": This establishes the location of their departure (Rameses, a major city in Egypt) and the date. The "first month" is understood to be Nisan, the first month of the Jewish religious year (roughly corresponding to March/April). The fifteenth day of the month is key.
"...on the next day after the Passover...": This clarifies the timing relative to the Passover festival. Passover is celebrated on the fourteenth of Nisan. Therefore, the fifteenth of Nisan is the day after the Passover Seder meal.
"...the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians": This is a figurative expression describing the manner of their departure.
"with a high hand": This signifies a bold, triumphant, and defiant exit. It suggests that the Israelites weren't sneaking away in the dead of night, but leaving openly and confidently.
"in the sight of all the Egyptians": This reinforces the idea that the departure was not a clandestine escape. The Egyptians were aware of the Israelites leaving, likely overwhelmed by the recent plagues and the death of their firstborn sons, making them unable to stop the Israelites.
In Summary:
This verse emphasizes that the Israelites left Egypt openly and triumphantly on the day after Passover, the 15th of Nisan. Their departure was not a hidden escape, but a bold exit witnessed by all the Egyptians, signifying God's power and their liberation from slavery. It highlights the fulfillment of God's promise to deliver them with signs and wonders.