Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt,.... Or, "our fathers in Egypt" ; while they were there, they did not understand, or wisely consider and attend unto, the miracles there wrought, the plagues inflicted on the Egyptians.
These were done in their sight, they saw them with their eyes; yet had not hearts to perceive them, and understand the true use and design of them: not only that these were for the destruction of their enemies, and for their deliverance from them; but that they were proofs of the power of God, and of his being the one only and true God, in opposition to the idols of the Egyptians; and that he only ought to be adhered unto, worshipped, and trusted in.
Had they adverted to these things, they would not so easily have given in to a murmuring and repining spirit, to a distrust of the power and providence of God, and to idolatry, as they did; see De 29:2, something of this kind may be observed in the disciples of Christ, Mr 6:52.
They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; the mercies of God bestowed on his people are many, both temporal and spiritual; there is a multitude of them; the sum of them is great, it cannot well be said how great it is: but though they are so many as not to be reckoned up in order, yet a grateful remembrance of them should be kept up; it is sinful to forget them, and argues great ingratitude.
Past mercies should be remembered, both for the glory of God, and to encourage faith and hope in him, with respect to future ones, as well as to preserve from sinning against him. The stupidity and ingratitude of this people, here confessed, were the source of their rebellion against God, as follows:but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea; or, "sea of Suph" ; so called, either from a city of this name, which it washed, as Hillerus thinks; see Nu 21:14 or from the sedge and weeds in it, or reeds and rushes that grew upon the banks of it.
When they were come hither, though just brought out of Egyptian bondage, and had seen the wonders the Lord had done; and though now in the utmost distress, the Egyptian army behind them, and the sea before them; yet neither past mercies nor present danger could keep them from rebelling against the Lord.
They provoked him by their language to Moses;because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? Ex 14:11. The Targum is,"but they rebelled against thy word.'' Myrumb wnytwba "patres nostri in Aegypto", V.
L. Pagninus, Montanus, &c. Pwo Myb "in mari Suph", Pagninus, Vatablus, Schmidt; "in mare carecti", Montanus; "mare algosum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius. Onomastic. Sacr. p.