God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines … Yhwh went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way (13:17, 21). Thou hast lead in thy steadfast love the people whom thou hast redeemed, thou hast guided them by thy strength to thy holy abode (15:13). The way exodus guidance appears in the poetry of Psalms 77 and 78 illustrates extension of metaphor, for of the four occurrences of nḥh, one retains the pillar of cloud, but in three (77:20 and 78:53, 72) this
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