Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Exodus 13:18/רמב"ן על שמות י״ג:י״ח
אוְטַעַם וַחֲמֻשִׁים עָלוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לוֹמַר כִּי אע"פ שֶׁהֵסֵב ה' אוֹתָם דֶּרֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּר הָיוּ יְרֵאִים פֶּן יָבֹאוּ עֲלֵיהֶם פְּלִשְׁתִּים יוֹשְׁבֵי הֶעָרִים הַקְּרוֹבוֹת לָהֶם, וְהָיוּ חֲלוּצִים כְּמוֹ הַיֹּצְאִים לַמִּלְחָמָה. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים (ראב"ע) שֶׁסִּפֵּר הַכָּתוּב שֶׁיָּצְאוּ בְּיָד רָמָה וְחָשְׁבוּ לִהְיוֹת גְּאוּלִים, וְלֹא הָלְכוּ כִּדְמוּת עֲבָדִים בּוֹרְחִים:
1AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WENT UP ARMED OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT. This means that even though G-d led them about by the way of the wilderness, they still feared lest the Philistines who dwelt in the nearby cities come upon them. Therefore they were armed, as are people who go out to war. Some scholars11 say that Scripture is relating that they went out with a high hand,12 deeming themselves redeemed from bondage, and they did not leave like slaves escaping [from their master].