Exodus 14:9

Horsemen. Since the Egyptians had no cavalry at that time, though a single horseman is once depicted on a small monument, the word translated “horsemen” should rather be rendered “riders,” or “mounted men,” that is, those who drove the chariots. Understood thus, the text accords remarkably with the native monuments of that time, which represent the Egyptian army as consisting of two kinds of troops, chariotry and infantry.

Overtook them encamping. It is uncertain whether Pharaoh overtook the Israelites soon after they had pitched camp by the shores of the Red Sea, or whether they had already been there a day or even longer. Although Pharaoh obviously set out in pursuit of the Israelites at some time after their departure, he would be able to cover the distance of 80 mi. from Tanis (Rameses) to the northwestern shore of the Red Sea much more rapidly than the Israelites could possibly have done. It would have taken him at least two days to do so, the approximate time required by the Israelites to travel across the desert from Etham (see on v. 5). The description of events at the approach of the Egyptians seems to imply that the Israelites had barely halted to pitch camp when they discovered the Egyptians pursuing them (vs. 9, 10; PP 284).