The eagle is a prominent bird in the Bible and in Jewish thought. The eagle is able to fly higher than most other birds. According to the medieval commentator Rashi, Hashem(God) uses the metaphor of the eagle when describing the Exodus of the Children of Israel from Egypt for this exact reason. Most other types of birds carry their young from their legs, dangling beneath them. Alternatively, eagles who fly higher than other birds, carry their young on their backs. Since the eagle flies higher than other birds, it fears no other flying predators. The eagle’s only concern is people who may shoot at it’s young from below, and so it uses its own body as a shield for its children. Similarly, Hashem placed His angel between the Children of Israel and the Egyptians to protect His children from any potential attacks.