After Moses and Aaron gather all Israel’s elders and tell them God’s words, they come to Pharaoh and ask to leave Egypt for the wilderness, three days’ journey away, to celebrate a festival to God:
And afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said unto Pharaoh: ‘Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Let My people go, that they may hold a feast unto Me in the wilderness.’ And Pharaoh said: ‘Who is the LORD, that I should hearken unto His voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, and moreover I will not let Israel go.’ And they said: ‘The God of the Hebrews hath met with us. Let us go, we pray thee, three days’journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest He fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.’ (Exodus 5:1–3)
...כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שַׁלַּח אֶת עַמִּי וְיָחֹגּוּ לִי בַּמִּדְבָּר. וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה מִי ה' אֲשֶׁר אֶשְׁמַע בְּקֹלוֹ לְשַׁלַּח אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יָדַעְתִּי אֶת ה' וְגַם אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחַ. וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֱלֹהֵי הָעִבְרִים נִקְרָא עָלֵינוּ נֵלֲכָה נָּא דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים בַּמִּדְבָּר וְנִזְבְּחָה לַה' אֱלֹהֵינו פֶּן יִפְגָּעֵנוּ בַּדֶּבֶר אוֹ בֶחָרֶב. (שמות ה' א-ג)
Later, after the plague of wild creatures, Moses rejects Pharaoh’s offer that Israel sacrifice within Egypt. He insists on going three days into the wilderness (Exodus 8:23: “דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים נֵלֵךְ בַּמִּדְבָּר”).
Shortly before the actual departure God asks Moses:
Speak now in the ears of the people, and let them ask every man of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold.’ (Exodus 11:2)
דַּבֶּר נָא בְּאָזְנֵי הָעָם וְיִשְׁאֲלוּ אִישׁ מֵאֵת רֵעֵהוּ וְאִשָּׁה מֵאֵת רְעוּתָהּ כְּלֵי כֶסֶף וּכְלֵי זָהָב. (שמות י"א ב)
I wish to focus on these two matters: the demand for a three-day journey and the borrowing of vessels. Both raise questions about their role and purpose. They appear unrelated, but closer examination reveals common ground.
What would the Israelites have done had Pharaoh agreed to the minimal demand of a three-day journey? Would they have kept their word and returned, or taken advantage of his permission, deceived him, and continued to Canaan? Why did Moses and Aaron not ask to leave permanently? After the severe plagues, would Pharaoh have refused to release Israel without stratagems?
Similar questions arise regarding the vessels. Their acquisition fulfills God’s promise to Abraham at the covenant between the pieces that his descendants would leave with great wealth. It also accords with the command to grant a release gift to a slave completing his service (Deuteronomy 15:13–15). Israel likewise deserved a grant for its long enslavement. Yet the need for deception through the request to leave for only three days remains unclear. A weaker party may justifiably use tactics to obtain its due, but why were they needed in the Exodus, where Israel was the stronger party because God fought for it with His mighty hand, signs, and wonders?
The Splitting of the Sea
The answer lies in the continuation of the Exodus story, its climax at the splitting of the sea. A superficial reading suggests that God saves Israel from pursuing Egyptians by drowning them. Closer examination reveals otherwise. First, the preceding verses suggest that the entire situation was staged:
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: ’Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal-zephon, over against it shall ye encamp by the sea. And Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel: They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he shall follow after them; and I will get Me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.’ And they did so. (Exodus 14:1–4)
וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל משֶׁה לֵּאמֹר. דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיָשֻׁבוּ וְיַחֲנוּ לִפְנֵי פִּי הַחִירֹת בֵּין מִגְדֹּל וּבֵין הַיָּם לִפְנֵי בַּעַל צְפֹן נִכְחוֹ תַחֲנוּ עַל הַיָּם. וְאָמַר פַּרְעֹה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נְבֻכִים הֵם בָּאָרֶץ סָגַר עֲלֵיהֶם הַמִּדְבָּר. וְחִזַּקְתִּי אֶת לֵב פַּרְעֹה וְרָדַף אַחֲרֵיהֶם וְאִכָּבְדָה בְּפַרְעֹה וּבְכָל חֵילוֹ וְיָדְעוּ מִצְרַיִם כִּי אֲנִי ה' וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כֵן. (שמות י"ד א-ד)
God asks Moses to maneuver the people so as to mislead Pharaoh into thinking they have lost their way. He also promises to strengthen Pharaoh’s resolve to pursue them, thereby gaining glory through Pharaoh and his army. Without Israel’s maneuver into a dead end, they could have left Egypt unhindered. This is bait and a planned ambush, rather than rescue from a dangerous situation they involuntarily encountered.
Second, even after Pharaoh pursues Israel, the sea closes over the Egyptians while they are fleeing the great confusion and returning toward Egypt. They therefore no longer threaten Israel, as the verses explicitly show; see “A Study of the Splitting of the Sea”:
And it came to pass in the morning watch, that the LORD looked forth upon the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and discomfited the host of the Egyptians. And He took off their chariot wheels, and made them to drive heavily; so that the Egyptians said: ‘Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.’ And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Stretch out thy hand over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.’ And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. (Exodus 14:24–27)
וַיְהִי בְּאַשְׁמֹרֶת הַבֹּקֶר וַיַּשְׁקֵף ה' אֶל מַחֲנֵה מִצְרַיִם בְּעַמּוּד אֵשׁ וְעָנָן וַיָּהָם אֵת מַחֲנֵה מִצְרָיִם. וַיָּסַר אֵת אֹפַן מַרְכְּבֹתָיו וַיְנַהֲגֵהוּ בִּכְבֵדֻת וַיֹּאמֶר מִצְרַיִם אָנוּסָה מִפְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי ה' נִלְחָם לָהֶם בְּמִצְרָיִם. וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה נְטֵה אֶת יָדְךָ עַל הַיָּם וְיָשֻׁבוּ הַמַּיִם עַל מִצְרַיִם עַל רִכְבּוֹ וְעַל פָּרָשָׁיו. וַיֵּט מֹשֶׁה אֶת יָדוֹ עַל הַיָּם וַיָּשָׁב הַיָּם לִפְנוֹת בֹּקֶר לְאֵיתָנוֹ וּמִצְרַיִם נָסִים לִקְרָאתוֹ... (שמות י"ד כד-כז)
The splitting of the sea, particularly Pharaoh’s army’s drowning, therefore aims not to rescue Israel but to punish Egypt for centuries of cruel enslavement.
I would argue that the request for precisely three days, together with borrowing the vessels, was designed from the outset to draw Pharaoh and the Egyptians into pursuit and bring them to their end in the sea’s depths. On the plain reading, contrary to a common misconception, Pharaoh’s agreement after the death of the firstborn was only for three days of worship in the wilderness, as Moses and Aaron had requested throughout:
And he called for Moses and Aaron by night and said: ‘Rise up, get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. Take both your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.’ (Exodus 12:31–32)
וַיֹּאמֶר קוּמוּ צְּאוּ מִתּוֹךְ עַמִּי גַּם אַתֶּם גַּם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְכוּ עִבְדוּ אֶת ה' כְּדַבֶּרְכֶם. גַּם צֹאנְכֶם גַּם בְּקַרְכֶם קְחוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתֶּם וָלֵכוּ וּבֵרַכְתֶּם גַּם אֹתִי. (שמות י"ב לא-לב)
Notice the phrases “as ye have said” and the Hebrew “כְּדַבֶּרְכֶם” and “כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתֶּם.” Pharaoh accepts Moses’ original three-day request. Previously he tried to restrict the departure to men; after the death of the firstborn he lets everyone go, but on the original terms, for only three days. Surprising though it is, Moses never asked Pharaoh for permanent release. This also explains the subsequent report that the people had fled (Exodus 14:5: “כִּי בָרַח הָעָם”). Why call it flight if Pharaoh agreed to release them? Because they did not return as agreed. Ibn Ezra explains precisely this:
Pharaoh understood Moses’ words about a three-day journey to mean that they would go and return to Egypt. (Ibn Ezra, short commentary on Exodus 11:4; translated from the Hebrew)
Ibn Ezra then explains why Moses and Aaron requested only three days:
In my view this was for two reasons. First, so that they would give them silver and gold vessels; had they known that they would not return, they would not have given them. Second, so that Pharaoh and his army would drown. Had they left with his permission, and had he not expected their return, he would not have pursued them. The proof is the report to Egypt’s king that the people had fled. (Ibid.; translated from the Hebrew)
The request for three days rather than permanent departure was thus intended to make Pharaoh pursue Israel and receive punishment at the sea.
The vessels’ “borrowing” should be understood similarly. Israel certainly deserved compensation for its years of slavery, but this could have been taken by force rather than deception. The reason for requesting a loan rather than taking the vessels was to draw the Egyptian people into agreeing to join Pharaoh’s pursuit. Hizkuni explains:
“Let them ask, every man”: The Holy One fulfilled the promise that afterward they would come out with great possessions (Genesis 15:14) through borrowing rather than a gift, so that the Egyptians would be eager to pursue them. (Hizkuni on Exodus 11:2; translated from the Hebrew)
Moses deliberately asks for the vessels as a loan rather than a gift to make the Egyptians eager to recover them.
Sforno takes a similar direction in explaining why Israel had to be urged to borrow, as suggested by the request word “please” in Exodus 11:2. Knowing they would not return, the Israelites feared that the borrowed property would spur Egypt to pursue them and were reluctant to request it. God assured them that they need not worry, since this was part of the plan leading to their deliverance.
Rashi summarizes the factors driving the pursuit: Israel’s failure to return after three days and the borrowed vessels in its possession:
He sent agents – impostors or spies – with them. When the three days set for their departure and return had passed and they saw that they were not returning to Egypt, they reported to Pharaoh… His servants’ hearts changed. Previously they had asked how long this would be a snare to them; now they turned to pursue them because of the property they had lent them. (Rashi on Exodus 14:5; translated from the Hebrew)
Misleading the Israelites
The deception of the three-day journey and borrowed vessels, and perhaps the return maneuver to encamp by Pi-hahiroth opposite the sea, apparently misled not only Egypt. It also concealed from Israel what was about to happen. Moses and Aaron’s mission required addressing both Israelites and Pharaoh:
And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. (Exodus 6:13)
וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל אַהֲרֹן וַיְצַוֵּם אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶל פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרָיִם לְהוֹצִיא אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם (שמות ו' יג)
They initially address Israel, and at first the people believe that God has taken notice of them (Exodus 4:29–31). Later Moses encounters difficulty: they do not listen because of anguish and hard labor (6:9: “וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ אֶל מֹשֶׁה מִקֹּצֶר רוּחַ וּמֵעֲבֹדָה קָשָׁה”). This difficulty is so great that Moses despairs of his mission, seeing no point in approaching Pharaoh when he cannot convince even Israel. He asks how Pharaoh will listen if Israel will not (6:12: “הֵן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא שָׁמְעוּ אֵלַי וְאֵיךְ יִשְׁמָעֵנִי פַרְעֹה”). Despite this internal failure, he approaches Pharaoh. His request only worsens matters: Pharaoh intensifies bondage by withholding straw. Moses again meets opposition at home, this time from Israel’s officers:
And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh; and they said unto them: ‘The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.’ (Exodus 5:20–21)
וַיִּפְגְּעוּ אֶת מֹשֶׁה וְאֶת אַהֲרֹן נִצָּבִים לִקְרָאתָם בְּצֵאתָם מֵאֵת פַּרְעֹה. וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם יֵרֶא ה' עֲלֵיכֶם וְיִשְׁפֹּט אֲשֶׁר הִבְאַשְׁתֶּם אֶת רֵיחֵנוּ בְּעֵינֵי פַרְעֹה וּבְעֵינֵי עֲבָדָיו לָתֶת חֶרֶב בְּיָדָם לְהָרְגֵנוּ. (שמות ה' כ)
Israel’s resistance does not disappear upon departure. It continues throughout the wilderness years and perhaps beyond. Seeing the pursuing Egyptians at the sea, they tell Moses:
And they said unto Moses: ‘Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to bring us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we spoke unto thee in Egypt, saying: Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.’ (Exodus 14:11–12)
וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל מֹשֶׁה הַמִבְּלִי אֵין קְבָרִים בְּמִצְרַיִם לְקַחְתָּנוּ לָמוּת בַּמִּדְבָּר מַה זֹּאת עָשִׂיתָ לָּנוּ לְהוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם. הֲלֹא זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְנוּ אֵלֶיךָ בְמִצְרַיִם לֵאמֹר חֲדַל מִמֶּנּוּ וְנַעַבְדָה אֶת מִצְרָיִם כִּי טוֹב לָנוּ עֲבֹד אֶת מִצְרַיִם מִמֻּתֵנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר. (שמות י"ד יא-יב)
Only a month after departure, they complain about harsh conditions and hunger and express a preference for remaining in Egypt:
And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness; and the children of Israel said unto them: ‘Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’ (Exodus 16:2–3)
וַיִּלּוֹנוּ כָּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל מֹשֶׁה וְעַל אַהֲרֹן בַּמִּדְבָּר. וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִי יִתֵּן מוּתֵנוּ בְיַד ה' בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בְּשִׁבְתֵּנוּ עַל סִיר הַבָּשָׂר בְּאָכְלֵנוּ לֶחֶם לָשֹׂבַע כִּי הוֹצֵאתֶם אֹתָנוּ אֶל הַמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה לְהָמִית אֶת כָּל הַקָּהָל הַזֶּה בָּרָעָב. (שמות ט"ז ב-ג)
Later, thirst at Rephidim prompts another complaint that they have been brought out against their will:
And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said: ‘Wherefore hast thou brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?’ (Exodus 17:3)
וַיִּצְמָא שָׁם הָעָם לַמַּיִם וַיָּלֶן הָעָם עַל מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמֶר לָמָּה זֶּה הֶעֱלִיתָנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם לְהָמִית אֹתִי וְאֶת בָּנַי וְאֶת מִקְנַי בַּצָּמָא. (שמות י"ז ג)
Numbers relates their complaints at Kibroth-hattaavah and their longing for Egypt:
And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting; and the children of Israel also wept on their part, and said: ‘Would that we were given flesh to eat! We remember the fish, which we were wont to eat in Egypt for nought; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic; but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all; we have nought save this manna to look to.’– (Numbers 11:4–6)
וְהָאסַפְסֻף אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבּוֹ הִתְאַוּוּ תַּאֲוָה וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וַיִּבְכּוּ גַּם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמְרוּ מִי יַאֲכִלֵנוּ בָּשָׂר. זָכַרְנוּ אֶת הַדָּגָה אֲשֶׁר נֹאכַל בְּמִצְרַיִם חִנָּם אֵת הַקִּשֻּׁאִים וְאֵת הָאֲבַטִּחִים וְאֶת הֶחָצִיר וְאֶת הַבְּצָלִים וְאֶת הַשּׁוּמִים. וְעַתָּה נַפְשֵׁנוּ יְבֵשָׁה אֵין כֹּל בִּלְתִּי אֶל הַמָּן עֵינֵינוּ. (במדבר י"א ד-ו)
Following the spies’ sin, they go beyond complaining and declare an intention to return:
And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron; and the whole congregation said unto them: ‘Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore doth the LORD bring us unto this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be a prey; were it not better for us to return into Egypt?’ And they said one to another: ‘Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.’ (Numbers 14:2–4)
וַיִּלֹּנוּ עַל מֹשֶׁה וְעַל אַהֲרֹן כֹּל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם כָּל הָעֵדָה לוּ מַתְנוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם אוֹ בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה לוּ מָתְנוּ. וְלָמָה ה' מֵבִיא אֹתָנוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת לִנְפֹּל בַּחֶרֶב נָשֵׁינוּ וְטַפֵּנוּ יִהְיוּ לָבַז הֲלוֹא טוֹב לָנוּ שׁוּב מִצְרָיְמָה. וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו נִתְּנָה רֹאשׁ וְנָשׁוּבָה מִצְרָיְמָה. (במדבר י"ד ב-ד)
Even many years later, while circling Edom as punishment for the spies’ sin, they again complain about the wilderness and their departure from Egypt:
And the people spoke against God, and against Moses: ‘Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.’ (Numbers 21:5)
וַיְדַבֵּר הָעָם בֵּאלֹהִים וּבְמֹשֶׁה לָמָה הֶעֱלִיתֻנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם לָמוּת בַּמִּדְבָּר כִּי אֵין לֶחֶם וְאֵין מַיִם וְנַפְשֵׁנוּ קָצָה בַּלֶּחֶם הַקְּלֹקֵל. (במדבר כ"א ה)
The fear that Israel would choose to return is so tangible that the royal legislation in Deuteronomy forbids the king’s multiplying horses lest he cause the people to return to Egypt:
Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses; forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you: ‘Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.’ (Deuteronomy 17:16)
רַק לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ סוּסִים וְלֹא יָשִׁיב אֶת הָעָם מִצְרַיְמָה לְמַעַן הַרְבּוֹת סוּס וַה' אָמַר לָכֶם לֹא תֹסִפוּן לָשׁוּב בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה עוֹד. (דברים י"ז טז)
Immediately after departure, too, the text emphasizes that God does not lead them through Philistine territory, despite its being the shorter route to Canaan. He fears that war over conquering the land will make them regret leaving and return to Egypt (Exodus 13:17).
To bring Israel out, Moses and Aaron had to convince both Israel and Pharaoh. As shown, the divinely commanded deceptions – three days’ departure and borrowed vessels – did not aim to trick Pharaoh into agreeing to let Israel leave. The powerful plagues, especially the death of the firstborn, achieved that and caused him to drive the people out. The deceptions instead drew him to final defeat. At the same time, they enabled Israel to leave by making the Israelites themselves think they would return. Had Moses disclosed that he did not intend to return after three days, there was a real danger that Israel would refuse to depart. For the same reason they were told to borrow vessels, not request gifts: borrowing implies an intention to return. Israel, fearful of permanent departure, thus did not think that was what would happen and did not resist it.
We have learned that borrowing the vessels was part of a divine plan to draw Egypt to crushing defeat at sea while enabling Israel to summon courage and leave for a new life of freedom, but also many challenges.
