The forty-two stations in this chapter typify forty-two generations, from Abraham to Christ (Matt. 1:17 and note Matt. 1:17¹, par. 3). The goal of the forty-two stations was the good land, and the goal of the forty-two generations was Christ. The correspondence here indicates that God’s intention is to bring all His people into the good land, which typifies Christ (see note Deut. 8:7¹), as the goal. In the Old Testament God’s people journeyed and then arrived at the goal, but in the New Testament we, the believers, having been baptized into Christ (Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27), are already in the goal (1 Cor. 1:30; Col. 2:6 and note).

Lit., with a high hand.

According to many MSS and some ancient versions; the Hebrew text reads, before Hahiroth.

God has ordained Christ to be our portion for our enjoyment (Col. 1:12), but we must cooperate with God’s ordination by driving out everything within us that is other than God and Christ. We must destroy all the idols within us and not leave any ground within us for the worship of idols (1 John 5:21 and note 1 John 5:21^3a, par. 1). Only then can we have the genuine enjoyment of Christ. See note Exo. 23:23^1a and note Exo. 23:31³.

The children of Israel were to inherit the land according to their tribes and by lot. See note Num. 26:55^1a.