One, even with the roundabout way, the people did not avoid experiencing battles, as Pharaoh chased them at Yam Suf, 14,8,9, and then they had a war with Amalek, 17:8. The war with Pharaoh is particularly surprising since 14:2 records that G-d caused the people to turn around in order that Pharaoh would chase them. It could be that had they followed the direct route to Israel they would have avoided this war with Pharaoh. Thus, it cannot be that the roundabout way was to completely avoid all wars, but maybe it was to reduce the number of wars. Or, maybe it was only to avoid natural wars, but not wars where G-d would do miracles for the people, as by Yam Suf and Amalek.
Two, the roundabout way did not solve the problem that the people would not want to return to Egypt. When Pharaoh chased them, the people stated that it was better had they not left Egypt, 14:11,12. Even a year later, by the sin of the spies, Bemidbar 14:3,4 records that the people expressed their desire to return to Egypt. Thus, even by going the long way to Israel, still the people wanted to return to Egypt. Also, in the end, it did not matter that the people wanted to return to Egypt since G-d was not going to allow them to return to Egypt because that would have contradicted the whole point of the Exodus.
Many answers have been suggested as to why the people took the roundabout way.
Rashi (on 13:17) explains that the purpose of going the long route is that when a war would happen it would be difficult to return to Egypt since they were not on the direct road.
The Ramban (on 13:17) explains that the roundabout was to avoid a war with the Philistines.
Sarna (1991, p. 69) notes that the roundabout way avoided Egyptian fortifications on the coastal road from Egypt to Israel.
One of the most interesting approaches is the Rambam’s idea (1963, Moreh 3:32) that “the deity used a gracious ruse in causing them to wander perplexedly in the desert until their souls became courageous- it being well known that life in the desert and lack of comforts for the body necessarily develop courage… And, until, moreover, people were born who were not accustomed to humiliation and servitude.”
Thus, according to the Rambam, the roundabout was to build up the courage of the people, and, according to this idea, with this courage, the people would be able to fight against the people of Canaan using natural means. N. Leibowitz (1976a, p. 242) notes that according to this idea, the diversion was not just “a preventive act to stop the people from running back to Egypt, but also an educative measure of positive significance to train the people for greater tasks in the future.” Accordingly, the “ruse” was that G-d was telling the people that they were traveling in a roundabout way in order that they would not see war, but really the reason was to toughen the people up or even to wait for the next generation. Yet, would this travelling in a roundabout way have been enough time to develop the courage of the people? How much longer did the roundabout add to the trip, a month?
Instead, maybe the roundabout was due to the Decalogue. Could the Decalogue and the establishment of the covenant have occurred in Israel or by the Mediterranean coast? Luzzatto (on 13:17) writes that one reason the people traveled roundabout was in order to receive the Torah together. He suggests that had they entered the land of Israel immediately, then each person would have wanted to go to their share of the land and Moshe could not have taught everybody together the Torah. Thus, G-d had to give the people the Torah when they were together before they entered the land of Israel.
My guess is that the Decalogue could only have been told to people who had experienced the Exodus, and who had begun the process of doing the mitzvot such as the korban pesach and the mahn. Only then were the Jewish people able to attempt the experience of G-d speaking to them. The Decalogue could not have occurred in a place where other people could just “pop in.” (Was Yitro an exception or did he leave as recorded in 18:27? See our discussion on 18:13-27, "The need for a judicial system.") Thus, the Decalogue could not have been stated in the populated land of Canaan. In addition, the area on the Sinai coast was also not feasible since this was the main route between Israel and Egypt, which meant that other people could accidentally be present when G-d was declaring the Decalogue. Consequently, the people had to travel to a deserted area to hear the Decalogue.
With this understanding, 13:17 is expressing two independent reasons for the roundabout. One, the main and first reason, was that the people were not to travel on the coastal road, "the way of the Philistines" because it was close, which meant that other people also travelled on this route, and the goal was for the Decalogue to be declared by G-d in a deserted place. Two, the people were travelling a roundabout way to avoid war with regard to the Philistines (as mentioned by the Ramban on 13:17). In addition, the last phrase “return to Egypt” was meant as a warning to the people not to express any desire to return to Egypt. The people ignored this warning, Shemot 14:11,12, and later by the sin of the spies, they were punished for saying they wanted to return to Egypt, Bemidbar 14:29.
Instead, maybe the roundabout was due to the Decalogue. Could the Decalogue and the establishment of the covenant have occurred in Israel or by the Mediterranean coast? Luzzatto (on 13:17) writes that one reason the people traveled roundabout was in order to receive the Torah together. He suggests that had they entered the land of Israel immediately, then each person would have wanted to go to their share of the land and Moshe could not have taught everybody together the Torah. Thus, G-d had to give the people the Torah when they were together before they entered the land of Israel.
My guess is that the Decalogue could only have been told to people who had experienced the Exodus, and who had begun the process of doing the mitzvot such as the korban pesach and the mahn. Only then were the Jewish people able to attempt the experience of G-d speaking to them. The Decalogue could not have occurred in a place where other people could just “pop in.” (Was Yitro an exception or did he leave as recorded in 18:27? See our discussion on 18:13-27, "The need for a judicial system.") Thus, the Decalogue could not have been stated in the populated land of Canaan. In addition, the area on the Sinai coast was also not feasible since this was the main route between Israel and Egypt, which meant that other people could accidentally be present when G-d was declaring the Decalogue. Consequently, the people had to travel to a deserted area to hear the Decalogue.
With this understanding, 13:17 is expressing two independent reasons for the roundabout. One, the main and first reason, was that the people were not to travel on the coastal road, "the way of the Philistines" because it was close, which meant that other people also travelled on this route, and the goal was for the Decalogue to be declared by G-d in a deserted place. Two, the people were travelling a roundabout way to avoid war with regard to the Philistines (as mentioned by the Ramban on 13:17). In addition, the last phrase “return to Egypt” was meant as a warning to the people not to express any desire to return to Egypt. The people ignored this warning, Shemot 14:11,12, and later by the sin of the spies, they were punished for saying they wanted to return to Egypt, Bemidbar 14:29.
Alter, Robert, 2004, The five books of Moses: A translation and commentary, New York: W. W. Norton and Company
Leibowitz, Nehama (1905-1997), 1976a, Studies in Shemot, translated by Aryeh Newman, Jerusalem: The World Zionist Organization.
Rambam (1138-1204), 1963, Guide to the perplexed (Moreh Nevukhim), translation by Shlomo Pines, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Sarna, Nahum (1923-2005), 1991, The JPS Torah Commentary: Exodus, Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society.
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