Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. 9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words. 10 ¶ And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. 11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet, not ought of your work shall be diminished. 12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble instead of straw. 13 And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw. 14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task, in making brick both yesterday and to-day, as heretofore? 15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, ■ Heb. let the work be heavy upon the men.-t Heb. a matter of a day in his day. a Ch. 6. 9. obliged to work in clay for the formation of bricks, and others to gather straw for the same purpose, because straw is the bond by which the brick is held together-vou γαρ άχυρα δισμός. PHIL. Oper. Edit. MANG. vol. II. p. 86. And Philo's account is confirmed by the most intelligent travellers. Dr. Shaw says, that the straw in the bricks still preserves its original colour, which is a proof that the bricks were never burnt. Some of these are still to be seen in the cabinets of the curious, From this we may see the reason of the complaint made to Pharaoh, ver. 16. the Egyptians refused to give the necessary portion of straw for kneading the bricks; and yet they required, that the full tale, or number of bricks, should be produced each day, as they did when all the necessary materials were brought to hand; so the people were obliged to go over all the cornfields, and pluck up the stubble, which they were obliged to substitute for straw. See verse 12. Verse 8. And the tale of the bricks] Tale signifies the number, from the Anglo-Saxon tællan to number, to count, &c. For they be idle; therefore they cry-Let us go and sacrifice] Thus their desire to worship the true God in a proper manner, was attributed to their unwillingness to work; a reflection which the Egyptians (in principle) of the present day, cast on those, who, while they are fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, are not slothful in business, see below, ver. 17. Ver. 14. And the officers-see on ver. 6.—were beaten] Probably bastinadoed; for this is the common punishment in Egypt to the present day, for minor offences. The manner of it is this: the culprit lies on his belly, his legs being turned up behind erect, and the executioner gives him so many blows on the soles of the feet with a stick. This is a very severe punishment, the sufferer not being able to walk for many weeks after, and some are lamed by it through the whole of their lives. Verse 16. The fault is in thine own people] nen chatath, the six is in thy own people. 1st, Because they require impossibilities; and 2dly, Because they punish us for not doing what cannot be performed. Verse 17. Ye are idle-therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice] It is common for those who feel unconcerned about their own souls, to attribute the religious earnestness of others, who feel the importance of eternal things, to idleness, or a disregard of their secular concerns. Strange that they cannot see there is a medium! He who has commanded them to be diligent in business, has also commanded them to be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. He whose diligence in business is not connected with a true religious fervour of spirit, is a lover of the world; and whatever form he may have, he has not the power of godliness; and therefore is completely out of the road to salvation. Verse 19. Did see that they were in evil case] They 16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick; and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people. 17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD. 18 Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks. 19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task. u 20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh : 21 And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us. 22 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all. v Heb. to stink. Gen. 31. 30. 1 Sam. 13. 4. & 27. 12. 2 Sam. 10. 6. 1 Chron. 19. 6. w Heb. delivering thou hast not delivered. saw that they could neither expect justice nor merey; that their deliverance was very doubtful, and their case almost hopeless. Verse 21. The Lord look upon you, and judge] These were hasty and unkind expressions; but the afflicted must be allowed the privilege of complaining-it is all the solace that such sorrow can find; and if in such distress, words are spoken which should not be justified, yet the considerate and benevolent will hear them with indulgence. God is merciful: and the stroke of this people was heavier even than their groaning. Put a sword in their hand] Given them a pretence, which they had not before, to oppress us even unto death. Verse 22. And Moses returned unto the Lord] This may imply, either that there was a particular place into which Moses ordinarily went to commune with Jehovah, or it may mean, that kind of turning of heart and affection to God, which every pious mind feels itself disposed to practise in any time or place. The old adage will apply here-"A praying heart never lacks a praying place." Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people?] It is certain, that in this address, Moses uses great plainness of speech. Whether the offspring of a testy impatience and undue familiarity, or of strong faith, which gave him more than ordinary access to the throne of his gracious Sovereign, it would be difficult to say. The latter appears to be the most probable, as we do not find, from the suc ceeding chapter, that God was displeased with his freedom; we may, therefore, suppose, that it was kept within due bounds, and that the principles and motives were all pure and good. However, it should be noted, that such freedom of speech with the Most High should never be used, but on very special occasions, and then only by his extraordinary messengers. Verse 23. He hath done evil to this people] Their misery is increased, instead of being diminished. Neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.] The marginal reading is both literal and correct-And delivering, thou hast not delivered-Thou hast begun the work, by giving us counsels and a commission, but thou hast not brought the people from under their bondage. Thou hast signified thy pleasure relative to their deliverance, but thou hast not brought them out of the hands of their enemies. 1. It is no certain proof of the displeasure of God, that a whole people, or an individual, may be found in a state of great oppression and distress; nor are affluence and prosperity any certain signs of his approbation. God certainly loved the Israelites better than he did the Egyp tians; yet the former were in the deepest adversity, while the latter were in the height of prosperity.-Luther one observed, that if secular prosperity were to be considered as a criterion of the Divine approbation, then the Grand Turk must be the highest in the favour of God, as he was CHAPTER VI. God encourages Moses, and promises to show wonders upon Pharaoh, and to bring out his people with a strong hand, 1. He confirms this promise by his essential hame JEHOVAH, 2, 3 By the covenant he had made with their fathers, 4, 5. Sends Moses with a fresh message to the Hebrews, full of the most gracious promises, and confirms the whole by appealing to the name in which his unchangeable existence is implied, 6-8. Moss delivers the message to the Israelites, but through anguish of spirit they do not believe, 9. He receives a new commission to go to Pharaoh, 10, 11 He excuses himself on account of his unreadiness of speech, with a strong hand ▾ shall he drive them out of his land. 2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: 3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, 12 The Lord gives him and Aaron a charge both to Pharaoh, and to the children but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known of Israel, 13. The genealogy of Reuben, 14; of Simeon, 15; of Levi, from whom descended Gershom, Kohath, and Merari, 16. The sons of Gershom, 17; of Kohath, 18; of Merari, 19. The marriage of Amram and Jochebed, 20. The Bons of Izhar and Uzziel, the brothers of Amram, 21, 22 Marriage of Aaron and Elisheba, and the birth of their sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, 23. The sons of Korah, the nephew of Aaron, 24. The marriage of Eleazar to one of the daughters of Putiel, and the birth of Phinehas, 25. These genealogical accounts, introduced for the sake of showing the line of descent of Moses and Aaron, 26, 27. A recapitulation of the commission delivered to Moses and Aaron, 29; and a repetition of the excuse formerly made by Moses, 30. THEN HEN the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and x Ch. 3. 19.-y Ch. 11. 1. & 12. 31, 33, 39.-z Or, JEHOVAH-a Gen. 17. 1. & 35. 11. & 48. 3. at that time the most prosperous sovereign on the earth. An observation of this kind, on a case so obvious, was really well calculated to repress hasty conclusions drawn from these external states, and to lay down a correct rule of judgment for all such occasions. 2. In all our addresses to God, we should ever remember, that we have sinned against him, and deserve nothing but punishment from his hand. We should, therefore, bow before him with the deepest humiliation of soul, and take that caution of the wise man-" Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few. Eccl. v. 2. There is the more need to attend to this caution, because many ignorant, though well-meaning people, use very improper, not to say indecent freedoms, in their addresses to the Throne of Grace. With such proceedings, God cannot be well pleased; and he who has not a proper impression of the dignity and excellence of the Divine Nature, is not in such a disposition as is essentially necessary to feel, in order to receive help from God. He who knows he has sinned, and feels that he is less than the least of all God's mercies, will pray with the deepest humility, and even rejoice before God with trembling. A solemn AWE of the Divine Majesty is not less requisite to successful praying, than faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. When we have such a commission as that of Moses, we may make use of his freedom of speech: but till then, the publican's prayer will best suit the generality of those who are even dignified by the name of Christian-LORD, be merciful to ME, & SINNER! to them. с d b 4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. 5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. b Ch. 3. 14. Psa. 68. 4. & 83. 18. John 8. 53. Rev. 1. 4. Gen. 15. 18, & 17. 4, 7. teristic of God, Moses employs it in his history because of this circumstance; so that whenever it appears previously to this, it is by the figure called prolepsis or anticipation. 3. As the name JEHOVAH signifies existence, it may be understood in the text in question thus: "I appeared unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by my name God Almighty, or God All-sufficient, i. e. having all power to do all good; in this character I made a covenant with them, supported by great and glorious promises; but as those promises had respect unto their posterity, they could not be fulfilled to those fathers; but now as JEHOVAH, I am about to give existence to all those promises relative to your support, deliverance from bondage, and your consequent settlement in the promised land." 4. The words may be considered as used comparatively: Though God did appear to those patriarchs as JEHOVAH, and they acknowledged him by this name; yet, it was but comparatively known unto them-they knew nothing of the power and goodness of God, in comparison of what the Israelites were now about to experience. I believe the simple meaning is this, That though from the beginning, the name JEHOVAH was known as one of the names of the Supreme Being, yet what it really implied they did not know. El-Shaday, God AZIsufficient, they knew well, by the continual provision he made for them, and the constant protection he afforded them: but the name JEHOVAH is particularly to be referred to the accomplishment of promises already made; to the giving them a being, and thus bringing them in to existence, which could not have been done in the order of his providence sooner than here specified: this name, therefore, in its power and significancy, was not known unto them: nor fully known unto their descendants, till the deliverance from Egypt, and the settlement in the promised land. It is surely possible for a man to bear the name of a certain office or dignity before he fulfils any of its functions. King, mayor, alderman, magistrate, constable, may be borne by the several persons to whom they legally belong, before any of the acts peculiar to those offices are performed. The KING, acknowledged as such on his coronation, is known to be such by his Verse 2. I am the LORD] It should be, I am JEHO-legislative acts; the civil magistrate, by his distribution VAH, and without this, the reason of what is said in the 3d verse, is not sufficiently obvious. NOTES ON CHAPTER VI. Verse 1. With a strong hand] pin ❤yad chazakah, the same verb which we translate to harden: see on chap. iv. 21. The strong hand here means sovereign power, suddenly and forcibly applied. God purposed to manifest his sovereign power in the sight of Pharaoh and the Egyptians; in consequence of which, Pharaoh would manifest his power and authority, as sovereign of Egypt, in dismissing, and thrusting out the people. See chap. xii. 31-33. Verse 3. By the name of God Almighty] N ELSHADAY. God All-sufficient-God the dispenser or pourer out of gifts: see on Gen. xvii. 1. But by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.] This passage has been a sort of crux criticorum, and has been variously explained. It is certain that the name Jehovah was in use long before the days of Abraham, see Gen. ii. 4. where the words on Jehovah Elohim occur, as they do frequently afterward: and see Gen. xv. 2. where Abraham expressly addresses him by the name Adonai JEHOVAH; and see the 7th verse, where God reveals himself to Abram by this very name. And he said unto him, I am JEHOVAH, that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldecs-How then can it be said that by his name JEHOVAH, he was not known unto them? Several answers have been given to this question: the following are the chief. 1. The words should be read interrogatively, for the negative particle lo, not, has this power often in Hebrew. "I appeared unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by the name of God Almighty, and by my name Jehovah, was I not also made known unto them ?" 2. The name JEHOVAH was not revealed before the time mentioned here, for though it occurs so frequently in the book of Genesis, as that book was written long after the name had come into common use, as a principal charac of justice, and issuing warrants for the apprehending of culprits; and the constable by executing those warrants. All these were known to have their respective names, but the exercise of their powers alone shows what is implied in being king, magistrate, and constable. The following is a case in point which fell within my own knowledge. A case of dispute, between certain litigious neighbours, being heard in court before a weekly sitting of the magistrates, a woman, who came as an evidence in behalf of her bad neighbour, finding the magistrates inclining to give judgment against her mischievous companion, took her by the arm, and said, "Come away! I told you you would get neither law nor justice in this place." A magistrate, who was as much an honour to his function, as he was to human nature, immediately said, "Here constable! take that woman, and lodge her in bridewell, that she may know that there is some law and justice in this place." Thus the worthy magistrate proved he had the power implied in the name, by executing the duties of his office. And God, who was known as JEHOVAH, the Being who makes and gives effect to promises, was known to the descendants of the twelve tribes to be THat Jehovah, by giving effect and being to the promises which he had made to their fathers. Verse 4. I have also established my covenant] I have now fully purposed to give present effect to all my engagements with your fathers, in behalf of their posterity. 6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: 7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. S And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD. 9 And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for Panguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. 10 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 11 Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. 12 And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips. 13 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. f Ver. 2, 8, 29-g Ch. 3. 17. & 7. 4. Deat. 26. 8. Paa. 81. 6. & 136. 11, 12-h Ch. 15 13 Deat 7. 8. 1 Chron. 17. 21. Neh. 1. 10.-i Deut. 4. 20. & 7. 6. & 14. 2. & 26. 13 2 Sam. 7. 24k Gen. 17. 7, 8. Ch. 29. 45, 46. Deut. 29. 13. Rev. 21. 7.-1 Ch. 5. 4, 5. Pua. 81. 6-m Heb lift up my hand. See Gen. 14. 22. Deut. 32 40. Gen. 15. 18. & 26. 3. & 29. 13. & 35. 12-0 Ch. 5. 21. Verse 6. Say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out, &c.] This confirms the explanation given of ver. 3. which see. Verse 7. Iwill take you to me for a people, &c.] This was precisely the covenant that he had made with Abraham; see Gen. xvii. 7. and the notes there. And ye shall know that I am the LORD (JEHOVAH) your God] By thus fulfilling my promises, ye shall know what is implied in my name. See on ver. 3. 14 These be the heads of their fathers' houses: The sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these be the families of Reuben. 15 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon. 16 And these are the names of "the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were a hundred and thirty and seven years. 17 The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families. W 18 And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath were a hundred thirty and three years. Χ 19 And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations. 20 And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were a hundred and thirty and seven years. 21 And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri. 22 And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Sithri. pHeb. shortness, or straitness.-q Ver. 9.-r Ver. 30. Ch. 4. 10. Jer. 1. 6-8 Gen. 46.9. 1 Chron. 5. 3.--t 1 Chron. 4. 24. Gen. 46. 10-u Gen. 46. 11. Numb. 3. 17. 1 Chron. 6. 1, 16.- 1 Chron. 6. 17. & 23. 7.--w Numb. 26. 57. 1 Chron. 6. 2, 18.x 1 Chron. 6. 19. & 23. 21-y Ch. 2 1. Numb. 26. 59.-z Numb. 16. 1. 1 Chron 6. 37, 39.a Lev. 10. 4. Namb. 3. 3. but as this sense cannot be admitted, for the above reason, the word must refer to some natural impediment in his speech; and probably means a want of distinct ready utterance, either occasioned by some defect in the organs of speech, or impaired knowledge of the Egyptian language, after an absence of forty years. See the note on chap. iv. 10. Verse 14. These be the heads] rashey, the chiefs, or captains. The following genealogy was simply inBut why should God take such a most stupid, refrac- tended to show, that Moses and Aaron came in a direct tory, and totally worthless people for his people? 1. Be-line from Abraham; and to ascertain the time of Israel's cause he had promised to do so to their noble ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Judah, &c. men worthy of all praise, because, in general, friends of God, devoted to his will, and to the good of mankind. 2. As Bishop Warburton properly observes, "that the extraordinary providence by which they were protected, might become the more visible and illustrious for had they been endowed with the shining qualities of the more polished nations, the effects of that providence might have been ascribed to their own wisdom." 3. That God might show to all succeeding generations, that he delights to instruct the ignorant, help the weak, and save the lost: for if he bore long with Israel, showed them especial mercy, and graciously received them whenever they implored his protection, none need despair. God seems to have chosen the worst people in the universe, to give, by them, unto mankind, the highest and most expressive proofs, that he wills not the death of a sinner, but rather that he may turn from his iniquity and live. Verse 8. Which I did swear] ANN nashati et yadi, I have lifted up my hand. The usual mode of making an appeal to God, and hence considered to be a form of swearing. It is thus that Isai. lxii. 8. is to be understood-The Lord hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength. Verse 9. But they hearkened not] Their bondage was become so extremely oppressive, that they had lost all hope of ever being redeemed from it. After this verse the Samaritan adds, Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians; for it is better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. This appears to be borrowed from chap. xiv. 12. Anguish of spirit] sp ketzer ruach, shortness of spirit or breath. The words signify that their labour was so continual, and their bondage so cruel and oppressive, that they had scarcely time to breathe. Verse 12. Uncircumcised lips] The word by âral, which we translate uncircumcised, seems to signify any thing exuberant or superfluous. Had not Moses been remarkable for his excellent beauty; I should have thought the passage might be rendered protuberant lips; deliverance. The whole account from this ver. to ver. 26. is a sort of parenthesis, and does not belong to the narration: and what follows from ver. 28. is a recapitulation of what was spoken in the preceding chapters. Verse 16. The years of the life of Levi] "Bishop Patrick observes, that Levi is thought to have lived the longest of all Jacob's sons; none of whose ages are recorded in Scripture, but his and Joseph's, whom Levi survived twenty-seven years, though he was much the elder brother. Kohath, the second son of Levi, according to Archbishop Usher, was thirty years old when Jacob came into Egypt; and lived there one hundred and three years. He attained to nearly the same age with Levi, to one hundred and thirty-three years: and his son Amram, the father of Moses, lived to the same age with Levi. We may observe here, how the divine promise, Gen. xv. 16. of delivering the Israelites out of Egypt in the fourth generation was verified: for Moses was the son of Amram, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Jacob." DODD. Verse 20. His father's sister] dodato. The true meaning of this word is uncertain. Parkhurst observes, that dod signifies an uncle in 1 Sam. x. 14. Lev. xxv. 14. and frequently elsewhere. It signifies also an uncle's son, a cousin-german, compare Jer. xxxii. 8. with ver. 12. where the Vulgate renders dodi, by patruelis mei, my paternal cousin; and in Amos vi. 10. for dodo, the Targum has p karibiah, his near relation. So Vulgate, propinquus ejus, his relative, and the Septuagint OF DIXSION MUTOV, those of their household. The best critics suppose, that Jochebed was the cousin-german of Amram, and not his aunt. See chap. ii. 1. Bare him Aaron and Moses] The Samaritan, Septuagint, Syriac, and one Hebrew MS. add, And Miriam their sister. Some of the best critics suppose these words to have been originally in the Hebrew text. Verse 21. Korah] Though he became a rebel against God and Moses, see Numb. xvi. 1, &c. yet Moses, in his great impartiality, inserts his name among those of his other progenitors. Verse 22. Uzziel] He is called Aaron's uncle, Lev. x. 4. 27 These are they which spake to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, i to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron. 28 And it came to pass, on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt, 29 That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee. 30 And Moses said before the LORD, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me? CHAPTER VII. The dignified mission of Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh-the one to be as God, the other as a prophet of the Most High, 1,2. The prediction that Pharaoh's heart should be 2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land. 3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt, " by great judgments. 5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them. 6 And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they. 7 And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh. 8 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Show a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. a 10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before hardened, that God might multiply his signs and wonders in Egypt, that the inhabit Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became ants might know he alone was the true God, 3-6 The age of Moses and Aaron, 7. God gives them directions how they should act before Pharaoh, 8,9 Moses turns his rod into a serpent, 10. The magicians imitate this miracle, and Pharaoh's heart is hardened, 11-13 Moses is commanded to wait upon Pharaoh next morning, d a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. when he should come to the river, and threaten to turn the waters into blood, if he did and AND the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have b Rath 4. 19, 20. 1 Chron. 2 10. Matt. 1. 4.c Lev. 10. 1. Numb. 3. 2 & 26. 60. 1 Chron. 6. 3. & 2t. 1.-d Numb. 26. 11.-e Numb. 25. 7, 11. Josh. 24. 33-f Ver. 13. g Ch. 7. 4. & 12. 17, 51. Numb. 33. L-1 Ch. 5. 1, 3. & 7. 10. Ver. 13. Ch. 32. 7. &33. 1. Paa. 77, 20-k Ver. 2-1 Ver. 11. Ch. 7. 2m Ver. 12. Ch. 4 10.-n Ch. 4. 16. Jer. 1. 10.-o Ch. 4. 16. Verse 23. Elisheba] The oath of the Lord. It is the same name as Elizabeth, so very common among Christians. She was of the royal tribe of Judah, and was sister to Naashon, one of the princes. See Numb. ii. 3. Eleazar] He succeeded to the high priesthood on the death of his father Aaron, Numb. xx. 25, &c. Verse 25. Phinehas] Of the celebrated act of this person, and the most honourable grant made to him and his posterity, see Numb. xxv. 7-13. Verse 26. According to their armies] □ tsibotam, their battalions, regularly arranged troops. As God had these particularly under his care and direction, he had the name of a Yehovah tsebaoth, Lord of hosts, or armies. "The plain and disinterested manner," says Dr. Dodd, "in which Moses speaks here of his relations; and the impartiality wherewith he inserts in the list of them such as were afterward severely punished by the Lord, are striking proofs of his modesty and sincerity. He inserts the genealogy of Reuben and Simeon, because they were of the same mother with Levi; and though he says nothing of himself, yet he relates particularly what concerns Aaron, ver. 23. who married into an honourable family, the sister of a prince of the tribe of Judah." Verse 28. And it came to pass] Here the seventh chapter should commence, as there is a complete ending of the sixth with ver. 27. and the 30th verse of this chapter is intimately connected with the first verse of the succeeding. THE principal subjects in this chapter have been so amply considered in the notes, that little of importance remains to be done. On the nature of a covenant, (see ver. 4.) ample information may be obtained by referring to Gen. vi. 18. and xv. 9-18. which places the reader will do well to consult. Supposing Moses to have really laboured under some defect in speech, we may consider it as wisely designed to be a sort of counterbalance to his other excellencies; at least this is an ordinary procedure of Divine Providence; personal accomplishments are counterbalanced by mental defects, and mental imperfections often, by personal accomplishments. Thus the head cannot say to the foot, I have no need of thee. And God does all this in great wisdom, f 12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. p Ch. 4. 15-q Ch. 4. 21.-r_ Ch. 11. 9. Ch. 4. 7.-t Ch. 10. 1. & 11. 9. —a Ch. 6. 6. Ver. 17. Ch. 8. 22. & 14. 4, 18. Psa. 9. 16-w Ch. 3. 20-x Ver. 2 y Deut. 29. 5. & 31. 2 & 31. 7. Acts 7. 23, 30.-z Isai. 7. 11. John 2, 18. & 6. 30. Ch. 4. 2, 17.b Ver. 9.-c Ch. 4. 3.-d Gen. 41. 8. 2 Tun. 3. 8f Ver. 2. Ch. 8.7, 18 to hide pride from man, and that no flesh may glory in his presence. To be contented with our formation, endowments, and external circumstances, requires not only much submission to the providence of God, but also much of the mind of Christ. On the other hand, should we feel vanity because of some personal or mental accomplishment, we have only to take a view of our whole, to find sufficient cause of humiliation: and after all, the meek and gentle spirit only, is in the sight of God, of great price. NOTES ON CHAPTER VII. Verse 1. I have made thee a god] At thy word every plague shall come, and at thy command each shall be removed. Thus Moses must have appeared as a god to Pharaoh. Shall be thy prophet] Shall receive the word from thy mouth, and communicate it to the Egyptian king, ver. 2. Verse 3. I will harden Pharaoh's heart] I will permit his stubbornness and obstinacy still to remain, that I may have the greater opportunity to multiply my wonders in the land, that the Egyptians may know that I only am Jehovah, the self-existent God. See on chap. iv. 21. Verse 5. And bring out the children of Israel] Pharaoh's obstinacy was either caused or permitted, in mercy to the Egyptians, that he and his magicians, being suffered to oppose Moses and Aaron to the uttermost of their power, the Israelites might be brought out of Egypt in so signal a manner, in spite of all the opposition of the Egyptians, their king, and their gods, that Jehovah might appear to be All-mighty and All-sufficient. Verse 7. Moses was fourscore years old] He was forty years old when he went to Midian, and he had tarried forty years in Midian, see chap. ii. 11. and Acts vii. 30. And from this verse it appears that Aaron was three years older than Moses: and we have already seen that Miriam their sister was older than either, chap. ii. 4. Verse 9. Show a miracle for you] n mopheth, a miracle, signifies an effect produced in nature which is opposed to its laws, or such as its powers are inadequate to produce. As Moses and Aaron professed to have a divine mission, and to come to Pharaoh on the most extraordinary occasion, making a most singular and unprecedented demand; it was natural to suppose, if Pharaoh should even h 13 And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he 16 And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD hearkened not unto them; 5 as the LORD had said. God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, 14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pha-saying, Let my people go, that they may serve raoh's heart is hardened, he refuseth to let theme in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou people go. wouldest not hear. 15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river's brink against he come; and i the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand. g Ch. 4. 21. Ver. 4.-h Ch. 8. 15, & 10. 1, 20, 27.—i Ch. 4. 2, 3. & Ver. 10. give them an audience, that he would require them to give him some proof, by an extraordinary sign, that their pretensions to such a divine mission were well founded and incontestable. For it appears to have ever been the sense of mankind, that he who has a divine mission to effect some extraordinary purpose, can give a supernatural proof that he has got this extraordinary commission. Take thy rod] This rod, whether a common staff, an ensign of office, or a shepherd's crook, was now consecrated for the purpose of working miracles; and is indifferently called the rod of God, the rod of Moses, and the rod of Aaron. God gave it the miraculous power, and Moses and Aaron used it indifferently. Verse 10. It became a serpent] ran tannin. What kind of a serpent is here intended, learned men are not agreed. From the manner in which the original word is used in Psalm lxxiv. 13. Isa. xxvii. 1. h. 9. Job vii. 12. some very large creature, either aquatic or amphibious, is probably meant: some have thought that the crocodile, a well known Egyptian animal, is here intended. In chap. iv. 3. it is said that this rod was changed into a serpent; but the original word there is n nachash, and here on tannin, the same word which we translate whales, Gen. i. 21. As on: nachash seems to be a term restricted to no one particular meaning, as has already been shown on Gen. iii. ,tannim תנים tanninim תנינים,tannin תנין so the words and man tannoth, are used to signify different kinds of animals in the Scriptures. The word is supposed to signify the jackal, in Job xxx. 29. Psa. xliv. 19. Isai. xiii. 22. xxxiv. 13. xxxvii. 7. xliii. 20. Jerem. ix. 11, &c. &c. And also a dragon, serpent, or whale, Job vii. 12. Psa. xei. 13. Isai. xxvii. 1. li. 9. Jerem. li. 34. Ezek. xxix. 3. xxxii. 2. And is termed, in our translation, a sea-monster, Lam. iv. 3. As it was a rod, or staff, that was changed into the tannim in the cases mentioned here, it has been supposed that an ordinary serpent, is what is intended by the word, because the size of both might be then pretty nearly equal: but as a miracle was wrought on the occasion, this circumstance is of no weight: it was as easy for God to change the rod into a crocodile, or any other creature, as to change it into an adder or common snake. Verse 11. Pharaoh called the wise men] on chacamim, the men of learning. Sorcerers, DD cashephim, those who reveal hidden things, probably from the Arabic root cashafa, to reveal, uncover, &c. signifying diviners, or those who pretended to reveal what was in futurity: to discover things lost, to find hidden treasures, &c. Magicians, charetumey, decipherers of abstruse writings, see the note on Gen. xli. 8. 17 Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and " they shall be turned to blood. k Ch. 3. 18-1 Ch. 3. 12, 18. & 5. 1,3m Ch. 5. 2. Ver. 5.-n Ch. 4. 9-0 Rev. 16.4, 6. juggling or sleight of hand had nothing farther to do in Verse 14. Pharaoh's heart is hardened] 22 cabed, is become heavy, or stupid; he receives no conviction, notwithstanding the clearness of the light which shines upon him. We well know the power of prejudice, where persons are determined to think and act after a predetermined plan: arguments, demonstrations, and even miracles themselves, are lost on them, as in the case of Pharaoh here, and that of the obstinate Jews in the days of our Lord and his apostles. Verse 15. Lo, he goeth out unto the water] Probably for the purpose of bathing, or performing some religious ablution. Some suppose he went out to pay adoration to the river Nile, which was an object of religious worship among the ancient Egyptians. For, says Plutarch, De Iside, oud OUT TIMY AIGUTTIDIS INS o Naxos. "Nothing is in greater honour among the Egyptians, than the river Nile." Some of the ancient Jews supposed, that Pharaoh himself was a magician, and that he walked by the river, early each morning, for the purpose of preparing magical rites, &c. month, and in the following order. The first, the WATERS turned into BLOOD, took place, he supposes, the 18th day of the sixth month, ver. 20. They also did in like manner with their enchantments] The word on lahatim, comes from n lahat, to burn, to set on fire; and probably signifies such incantations as required lustral fires, sacrifices, fumigations, burning of incense, aromatic and odoriferous drugs, &c. as the means Verse 17. Behold I will smite] Here commences the of evoking departed spirits, or assistant demons, by whose account of the TEN plagues, which were inflicted on the ministry it is probable the magicians in question wrought Egyptians by Moses and Aaron, by the command and some of their deceptive miracles: for as the term miracle through the power of God. According to Archbishop signifies properly something which exceeds the powers ofUsher, these ten plagues took place in the course of one nature or art to produce, (see ver. 9.) hence there could be no miracle in this case, but those wrought through the power of God, by the ministry of Moses and Aaron. There can be no doubt that real serpents were produced by the magicians. On this subject there are two opinions: 1st, That the serpents were such as they, either by juggling or sleight of hand, had brought to the place, and had secreted till the time of exhibition, as our common conjurors do in public fairs, &c. 2dly. That the serpents were brought by the ministry of a familiar spirit, which, by the magic flames already referred to, they had evoked for the purpose. Both these opinions admit the serpents to be real, and no illusion of the sight, as some have supposed. The first opinion appears to me insufficient to account for the phenomena of the case referred to. If the magicians threw down their rods, and they became serpents after they were thrown down, as the text expressly says, ver. 12. The second, the plague of FROGS, on the 25th day of the sixth month, chap. viii. 1. The third, the plague of LICE, on the 27th day of the sixth month, chap. viii. 16. The fourth, grievous SWARMS of FLIES, on the 29th day of the sixth month, chap. viii. 24. The fifth, the grievous MURRAIN, on the 2d day of the seventh month, chap. ix. 3. The sixth, the plague of BILES and ELAINS, on the 3d day of the 7th month, chap. ix. 10. The seventh, the grievous HAIL, on the 5th day of the seventh month, chap. ix. 18. The eighth, the plague of LOCUSTS, on the eighth day of the seventh month, chap. x. 12. |