According to Exodus 13:17-22, the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to the Promised Land began with a divinely orchestrated detour. We’re told that “God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near.” Instead, He “led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea.” Why did God do that? Why did He use a detour, what does it teach us about Him, and how should His use of a detour impact our own journey homeward?