And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:
God led them ... The shortest and most direct route from Egypt to Palestine was the usual caravan road that leads by Belbeis, El-Arish, to Ascalon and Gaza. The Philistines, who then possessed the latter, would have been sure to dispute their passage, because between them and the Israelites there was a hereditary feud (1 Chronicles 7:21-22): and so early a commencement of hostilities would have discouraged or dismayed the unwarlike band which Moses led. Their faith was to be exercised and strengthened; and from the commencement of their travels we observe the same careful proportion of burdens and trials to their character and state as the gracious Lord shows to his people still in that spiritual journey of which the former was typical.