Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clearImportance=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV)During the day, Yahweh went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to lead them on the way, and at nighttime, he went in a pillar of fire to be light to them, so they could travel both in the daytime and at night.
Key: khaki:verbs, green:YHWH.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
BrLXXὉ δὲ Θεὸς ἡγεῖτο αὐτῶν, ἡμέρας μὲν ἐν στύλῳ νεφέλης, δεῖξαι αὐτοῖς τὴν ὁδόν· τὴν δὲ νύκτα ἐν στύλῳ πυρός. (Ho de Theos haʸgeito autōn, haʸmeras men en stulōi nefelaʸs, deixai autois taʸn hodon; taʸn de nukta en stulōi puros. )
BrTrAnd God led them, in the day by a pillar of cloud, to show them the way, and in the night by a pillar of fire.
ULTAnd Yahweh went before their faces by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them on the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to be light to them, to go by day or by night.
USTWhen they walked during the daytime, Yahweh went in front of them in a tall cloud to show them the way. During the night, he went in front of them in a tall flame so they had light and could travel in the daytime and also at nighttime.
BSBAnd the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel by day or night.
WEBBEThe LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night:
NETNow the Lord was going before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel day or night.
LSVand YHWH is going before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give light to them, to go by day and by night;
FBVThe Lord went ahead of them as a pillar of cloud to show them the way during the day, and as a pillar of fire to provide them with light at night. Like this they could travel by day or night.
T4TWhen they traveled during the daytime, Yahweh went in front of them in a tall white cloud to show them the way. During the night, he went in front of them in a tall cloud that looked like a fire. By doing that, he enabled them to travel in the daytime and also at nighttime.
LEBAnd Yahweh was going before them by day in a column of cloud to lead them on the way and by night in a column of fire to give light to them to go by day and night.
BBEAnd the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, guiding them on their way; and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light: so that they were able to go on day and night:
JPSAnd the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night:
ASVAnd Jehovah went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night:
DRAAnd the Lord went before them to shew the way by day in a pillar of a cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire: that he might be the guide of their journey at both times.
YLTand Jehovah is going before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give light to them, to go by day and by night;
DrbyAnd Jehovah went before their face by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them [in] the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; so that they could go day and night.
RVAnd the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night:
WbstrAnd the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them in the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light: to go by day and night.
KJB-1769And 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:
KJB-1611[fn]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 giue them light to goe by day and night. (Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)
BshpsAnd the Lorde went before them by day in a pyller of a cloude to leade them the way, and by nyght in a pyller of fire to geue them lyght, that they myght go both by day and nyght. (And the Lord went before them by day in a pyller of a cloud to leade them the way, and by night in a pyller of fire to give them light, that they might go both by day and night.)
GnvaAnd the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloude to leade them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to giue them light, that they might go both by day and by night. (And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to leade them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might go both by day and by night. )
CvdlAnd ye LORDE wete before the by daye in a piler of a cloude, to lede the ye right waye: and by night in a piler of fyre, that he might shewe the light to walke both by daie and night. (And ye/you_all LORD went before the by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead the ye/you_all right way: and by night in a pillar of fire, that he might show the light to walk both by day and night.)
WyclForsothe the Lord yede bifore hem to schewe the weie, bi dai in a piler of clowde, and bi nyyt in a piler of fier, that he schulde be ledere of the weie in euer either time; (Forsothe the Lord went before them to show the way, by day in a pillar of clowde, and by night in a pillar of fire, that he should be ledere of the way in ever either time;)
LuthUnd der HErr zog vor ihnen her, des Tages in einer Wolkensäule, daß er sie den rechten Weg führete, und des Nachts in einer Feuersäule, daß er ihnen leuchtete, zu reisen Tag und Nacht. (And the/of_the LORD pulled before/in_front_of to_them her, the dayss in einer Wolkensäule, that he they/she/them the rechten path führete, and the Nachts in einer firesäule, that he to_them leuchtete, to travel Tag and Nacht.)
ClVgDominus autem præcedebat eos ad ostendendam viam per diem in columna nubis, et per noctem in columna ignis: ut dux esset itineris utroque tempore.[fn] (Master however præcedebat them to ostendendam road through diem in columna nubis, and through noctem in columna ignis: as dux was itineris both tempore. )
13.21Dominus autem præcedebat eos, etc. ORIG. Cum a te tertiæ diei mysterium fuerit receptum, incipiet te deducere Deus et viam salutis ostendere. GREG. In igne terror, in nube visionis lene blandimentum. Dies, vita justi; nox, peccatoris. Unde Ephes. 5: Fuistis aliquando tenebræ, nunc autemlux in Domino, etc. In die per nubem columna monstrata est, et in nocte per ignem; quia omnipotens Deus et blandus justis, et terribilis apparebit impiis. Hos ad judicium veniens, per lenitatis mansuetudinem mulcet, illos per justitiæ districtionem terret. Aliter columna nubis in eremo populum præibat, et splendore ignis non in die, sed in nocte radiabat: quia Christus conversationis suæ exemplo ducatum sequentibus præstans, de justitia sua confidentibus nulla luce claruit; peccatorum vero tenebras agnoscentibus, igne sui amoris infulsit. Christus nubes et columna, quia rectus, et firmus, et fulciens infirmitatem nostram; quia nocte lucens, per diem non lucens, ut qui non vident, videant; et qui vident, cæci fiant Joan. 9.. Christi quoque sacramentum tanquam in die manifestum est in carne velut in nube: in judicio vero tanquam in terrore nocturno; quia tunc erit magna tribulatio, tanquam ignis lucebit justis, et ardebit injustis.
13.21Master however præcedebat them, etc. ORIG. Since from you(sg) tertiæ diei mysterium has_been receptum, incipiet you(sg) deducere God and road salutis ostendere. GREG. In igne terror, in nube visionis lene blandimentum. Dies, vita justi; nox, peccatoris. Unde Ephes. 5: Fuistis aliquando tenebræ, now howeverlux in Master, etc. In day through nubem columna monstrata it_is, and in nocte through ignem; because omnipotent God and blandus justis, and terribilis apparebit impiis. Hos to yudicium veniens, through lenitatis mansuetudinem mulcet, those through justitiæ districtionem terret. Aliter columna nubis in eremo the_people præibat, and splendore ignis not/no in die, but in nocte radiabat: because Christus conversationis suæ exemplo ducatum sequentibus præstans, about justitia his_own confidentibus nulla luce claruit; sinners vero tenebras agnoscentibus, igne sui amoris infulsit. Christus clouds and columna, because rectus, and firmus, and fulciens infirmitatem nostram; because nocte lucens, through diem not/no lucens, ut who not/no vident, videant; and who vident, cæci fiant Yoan. 9.. of_Christ too sacramentum tanquam in day manifestum it_is in carne velut in nube: in yudicio vero tanquam in terrore nocturno; because tunc will_be magna tribulatio, tanquam ignis lucebit justis, and ardebit injustis.
Here, before their faces means “in front of the people.” Alternate translation: “And Yahweh led them by going in front of them”
בְּעַמּ֤וּד עָנָן֙ & בְּעַמּ֥וּד אֵ֖שׁ
in/on/at/with,pillar cloud & in/on/at/with,pillar fire
The possessive here indicates characteristic. The cloud and fire looked like a pillar. Alternate translation: “in a cloud that looked like a pillar … in a fire that looked like a pillar” or “in a pillar-shaped cloud … in a pillar-shaped fire”
fire to=give_light to/for=them to=go by_day and,night
They could travel either by day or night because God provided light at night. You could reorder the cause and effect if that is more natural in your language. Alternate translation: “fire. They could go by day or by night because he was light to them.”
Like several other events recorded in Scripture, the Bible’s account of the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to Mount Sinai includes an abundance of geographical references, yet it remains one of the most hotly debated topics among scholars, and numerous theories have been offered. The vast majority of geographical references provided in the story are disputed, including the place where the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, the location of Mount Sinai (see Proposed Locations for Mount Sinai map), and the various stops along the Israelites’ journey. A few locations have been established with some degree of scholarly consensus, but even these are not without opposing viewpoints. Amidst this incredible diversity of opinion, however, a single verse provides one of the most helpful clues for weighing the merits of one viewpoint over another: “By the way of Mount Seir it takes eleven days to reach Kadesh-barnea from Horeb” (Deuteronomy 1:2). For those who assume the Bible’s account to be trustworthy, this verse appears to require the following for any theory to be considered viable: 1) Kadesh-barnea and Mount Sinai must have been located at a distance from each other that could reasonably have been expected to take eleven days for an entire nation of people with small children, flocks, equipment, and perhaps even elderly members to travel on foot; and 2) the pace established by this distance over eleven days should most likely be considered the typical pace for the Israelites as they traveled from place to place along the other parts of the journey. This two-pronged test clearly strains many of the theories put forth to this point, especially when one factors in the time references given for the start of the journey (Exodus 12:6; Numbers 33:3), the middle of the journey (Exodus 16:1; Numbers 33:8), and the end of the journey (Exodus 19:1). In short, the journey from Rameses to the Wilderness of Sin took 31 days, since it included the 15th day of the second month, and the rest of the journey took another 16 days, assuming they arrived at Mount Sinai on the 15th day (not the first day, etc.) of the third month. Along with these criteria, a theory’s overall congruence with other established geographical and archeological data should bolster its credibility over other proposals. Another consideration is the extreme similarity between the events at Rephidim (Exodus 17) and the events at Kadesh-barnea (Numbers 20:1-13; 27:12-14; Deuteronomy 32:51; Ezekiel 47:19; 48:28), raising the question of whether Rephidim (meaning “resting places”) is in fact Kadesh-barnea. With these things in mind, the map below proposes a route for the exodus that meets virtually all of these criteria. A careful analysis and explanation of all the elements of the map is far beyond the scope of this article, but a few key points should be noted. The term Red Sea, in addition to referring to what we now regard it, must have also applied to the interconnected lakes and marshlands that lay along what is now the Suez Canal. Also, the portion of the journey that passed through the wilderness for three days without water (Exodus 15:22; Numbers 33:8) may have been comprised of a partial first day, a full second day, and a partial third day, much like Jesus’ time in the tomb is reckoned as three days in Matthew 12:40. Most notably, Mount Sinai is placed on this map at Gebel Khashm et-Tarif, which is appropriately located near, but not in, Midian (Exodus 3:1; 18:5; Numbers 10:29-30). It is also located 89 miles from Kadesh-barnea (assuming Kadesh is at Tall al-Quderat), which establishes a reasonable pace of 7.6 miles (12.2 km) per day to travel between them in 11 days. This lines up well with several known sources of water along that route (e.g., `Ain Qedeis [Hazar-addar?], Tamilat Suwelima [Hor-haggiggad?], and the spring at Kuntillet al-Girafi [unknown ancient identification]). This general pace then synchronizes very well with the timetable and distances required by this map for the other parts of the journey. The distance from Rameses to the Wilderness of Sin (where it is located here) could be completed in under 26 days, leaving an acceptable buffer of about 5 days for the parting of the Red Sea and perhaps a slower pace through the Wilderness of Shur/Etham. The entire journey took about 60 days, and the journey from the Wilderness of Sin to Mount Sinai took about 29 days. This leaves an acceptable buffer of time to complete the rest of the journey (about 16 days of travel) with a very adequate two weeks of extra time for Jethro to visit Moses and the Israelites to do battle with the Amalekites (Exodus 17-18). It should be noted that this timetable generally assumes (but does not necessarily require) that travel continued on sabbath days, but Scripture does not make clear whether travel was prohibited as work prior to the giving of the law at Mount Sinai.
