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The Posuk says (Devarim 28:68):

וֶהֱשִׁיבְךָ יְ־הֹוָ־ה מִצְרַיִם בָּאֳנִיּוֹת בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ לֹא תֹסִיף עוֹד לִרְאֹתָהּ
And the LORD shall bring thee back into Egypt in ships, by the way whereof I said unto thee: 'Thou shalt see it no more again'

Why on boats?

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3 Answers

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The Chasam Sofer answers and says it is in contradistinction to leaving Egypt when Hashem split the Sea for the Jews.

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Ships are used for slaves and goods. It is dangerous to go on a ship, and they have a negative connotation.

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Indeed, Rashi simply says "in ships, in captivity," and Daas Zekeinim adds that this implies that women and children will be taken captive and sold too (whereas if the non-Jews would make the captives march on foot, they'd take only adults who would be capable of surviving such a trip). – Alex Feb 16 '12 at 15:40
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Rav Kanievsky answers it says in Medrash Eicha(פ"ד סי' כ) That the Jews had a treaty with Egypt's King Pharaoh the Limp and an enemy attacked the Jews they called on Egypt an the Egyptians were coming to save them. Hashem caused the bodies of the Egyptians who had drowned at the splitting of the sea to surface one asked the other who are these people they answered theses are our ancestors who the Jews drowned and the turned around and left.This is why the Boats are mentioned as this was the Payback for our sins.

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