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e Gen. 50. 25. Josh. 24. 32 Aets 7. 16.-f Numb. 33. 6-g Ch. 14. 19, 21. & 40. 38.

the right hand, and the desert of the Egyptian Arabia, which lies all the way open to the land of the Philistines See his account of these encampments at the to the left.

end of Exodus.

Went up harnessed] on chamushim. It is truly astonishing what a great variety of opinions are entertained After having marelative to the meaning of this word. turely considered all that I have met with on the subject, I think it probable, that the word refers simply to that orderly or well-arranged manner in which the Israelites commenced their journey from Egypt. For to arrange, array, or set in order, seems to be the ideal meaning of the word on chamash. As it was natural to expect, that in such circumstances, there must have been much hurry and confusion, the inspired writer particularly marks the contrary, to show that God had so disposed matters, that the utmost regularity and order prevailed; and had it been otherwise, thousands of men, women, and children, must have been trodden to death. Our margin has it, by five in a rank, but had they marched only five abreast, supposing only one yard for each rank to move in, it would have required not less than sixty-eight miles for even the 600,000 to proceed on regularly in this way: for 600,000 divided by fire gives 120,000 ranks of five each: and there being only 1760 yards a mile, the dividing 120,000 by 1760 will give the number of miles such a column of people would take up, which by such an operation will be found to be something more than 68 miles. But this the circumstances of the history will by no means admit. Harmer. The simple meaning therefore, appears to be that given above; and if the note on the concluding verse of the preceding chapter be considered, it may serve to place this explanation in a still clearer point of view.

Verse 19. Moses took the bones of Joseph] See the note on Gen. 1. 25. It is supposed that the Israelites carried with them the bones or remains of all the twelve sons of Jacob, each tribe taking care of the bones of its own patriarch, while Moses took care of the bones of Joseph. St. Stephen expressly says, Acts vii. 15, 16. that not only Jacob, but the fathers were carried from Egypt into Sychem; and this, as Calmet remarks, was the only opportunity that seems to have presented itself for doing this: and certainly the reason that rendered it proper to remove the bones of Joseph to the promised land, had equal weight in reference to those of the other patriarchs. See the note on Gen. xlix. 29.

Verse 20. Encamped in Etham] As, for the reasons assigned on ver. 17. God would not lead the Israelites by the way of the Philistines' country, he directed them toward the wilderness of Shur, ch. xv. 22. upon the edge or extremity of which, next to Egypt, at the bottom of the Arabian gulf, lay Etham, which is the second place of encampment mentioned. See the Extracts from Dr. Shaw at the end of Erodus.

Verse 21. The Lord went before them] That by the LORD here, is meant the Lord Jesus, we have the authority of St. Paul to believe, 1 Cor. x. 9. it was he whose spirit they tempted in the wilderness, for it was he who led them through the desert to the promised rest.

Pillar of a cloud] This pillar, or column, which appeared as a cloud by day, and a fire, by night, was the symbol of the Divine presence. This was the Sheckinah, or divine dwelling-place, and was the continual proof of the presence and protection of GOD. It was necessary that they should have a guide to direct them through the wilderness, even had they taken the most direct road; and how much more so when they took a circuitous route, not usually travelled, and of which they knew nothing Bebut just as the luminous pillar pointed out the way. sides, it is very likely, that even Moses himself did not know the route which God had determined on, nor the places of encampment, till the pillar that went before them became stationary, and thus pointed out not only the road but the different places of rest. Whether there was more If than one pillar is not clearly determined by the text. there was but one, it certainly assumed three different appearances, for the performance of THREE very important offices. 1. In the day time, for the purpose of pointing out the way, a column, or pillar of à cloud, was all that

21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night.

22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud
by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from
before the people.

Numb. 9. 15. & 10. 31. & 14. 14. Deut. 1. 33.
105. 39. Isai. 4. 5.

Neh. 9. 12, 19. Pea. 78. 14. & 99. 7. &
1 Cor. 10. 1.

was requisite. 2. At night, to prevent that confusion which
must otherwise have taken place, the pillar of cloud became
a pillar of fire, not to direct their journeyings, for they
seldom travelled by night, but to give light to every part
of the Israelitish camp. 3. In such a scorching, barren,
thirsty desert, something farther was neceessary than a
light and a guide. Women, children, and comparatively
infirm persons, exposed to the rays of such a burning sun,
must have been destroyed, if without a covering: hence
we find that a cloud overshadowed them: and from what
St. Paul observes, Cor. x. 1, 2. we are led to conclude,
that this covering cloud was composed of aqueous particles
for the cooling of the atmosphere, and refreshment of them-
selves and their cattle; for he represents the whole camp
as being sprinkled or immersed in the humidity of its va-
pours, and expressly calls it a being under the cloud, and
being baptized in the cloud. To the circumstance of the
cloud covering them, there are several references in Scrip-
Thus Psal. cv. 39. He spread a cloud for their co-
vering. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling-
place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies A CLOUD
and SMOKE BY DAY, and the shining of a FLAMING FIRE
by night; for upon all the glory shall be a DEFENCE-or
COVERING. Isai. iv. 5. which words contain the most
manifest allusion to the threefold office of the cloud in the
wilderness. See Numb. ix. 16, 17, 18, &c.

ture.

Verse 22. He took not away the pillar of the cloud] Neither Jews nor Gentiles are agreed how long the cloud continued with the Israelites. It is very probable that it first visited them at Succoth, if it did not accompany them from Rameses; and that it continued with them till they came to the river Jordan, to pass over opposite to Jericho; for after that, it appears that the ark alone was their See Josh. iii. guide, as it always marched at their head. 10, &c. But others think that it went no farther with them than Mount Hor, and never appeared after the death of Aaron. We may safely assert that while it was indispensably necessary, it continued with them; when it was not so, it was removed. But it is worthy of remark, that the ark of the covenant became its substitute. While a miracle was necessary, a miracle was granted; when that was no longer necessary, then the testimony of the Lord deposited in the ark, was deemed sufficient by Him who cannot So, under the Gospel dispensation, miracles were err. necessary at its first promulgation: but after that the canon of Scripture was completed, the new covenant having been made, ratified by the blood of the Lamb, and published by the Holy Spirit; then God withdrew, generally, those outward signs, leaving his word for a continual testimony, and sealing it on the souls of believers by the Spirit of truth.

It is also worthy of remark, that the ancient heathen writers, represent their gods, in their pretended manifestations to men, as always encompassed with a cloud. Homer and Virgil abound with examples of this kind; and is it not very probable, that they borrowed this, as they did many other things in their mythologic theology, from the tradition of Jehovah guiding his people through the desert, by means of the cloud, in, and by which, he repeatedly manifested himself?

1. EXTRAORDINARY manifestations, and interpositions of Providence and grace, should be held in contmual remembrance. We are liable to forget the hole of the pit whence we were digged, and the rock whence we were hewn. Prudence and piety will institute their anniversaries, that the merciful dealings of the Lord, may never be forgotten. The passover, and the feast of unleavened bread, by an annual commemoration, became standing proofs, to the children of Israel, of the divine origin of their religion and are supporting pillars of it to the pre sent day. For, when a fact is reported to have taken place, and certain rites or ceremonies have been instituted in order to commemorate it, which rites or ceremonies continue to be observed through succeeding ages, then the fact itself, no matter how remote the period of its occurrence may have been, has the utmost proofs of authenticity that it is possible for any fact to have; and such as every person, pretending to reason and judgment, is obliged to receive. On this ground, the Mosaic religion, and the 233

3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of The Israelites are commanded to encamp before Pi-hahiroth, 1, 2 God predicts the Israel, They are entangled in the land, the

CHAPTER XIV.

pursuit of Pharaoh, 3, 4. Pharaoh is informed that the Israelites are fled, and regrets that he sufferol them to depart, 5. He musters his troops and pursues them, 6—8. Overtakes them in their encampment by the Red sea, 9. The Israelites are terrified at his approach, 10. They murmur against Moses for leading them out, 11, 12. Moses encourages them, and assures them of deliverance, 13, 14. God commands the Israelites to advance, and Moses to stretch out his rod over the sea that

it might be divided, 15, 16: and promises utterly to discomfit the Egyptians, 17, 18 The angel of God places himself between the Israelites and the Egyptians, 19. The pillar of the cloud becomes darkness to the Egyptians, while it gives light to the Israelites, 20. Moses stretches out his rod, and a strong east wind blows, and the waters are divided, 21. The Israelites enter and walk on dry ground, 22. The Egyptians enter also in pursuit of the Israeliter, 23. The Lord looks out of the pillar of cloud on the Egyptians, terrifies them, and disjoints their chariots, 24, 25. Moses is commanded to stretch forth his rod over the waters, that they may return to their former bed, 26. He does so, and the whole Egyptian army is overwhelmed, 27,28, while every Israelite escapes, 29. Being thus saved from the hand of their adversaries, they acknowledge the power of God, and credit the mission Moses, 30, 31. ND the LORD spake unto Moses,

An. Exod. Isr. 1. Abib or Nisan.

A saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon; before it shall ye encamp by the sea.

k

h Ch. 13. 18.-i Numb. 33. 7.-k Jer. 44. 1.-1 Psa. 71. 11.-m Ch. 4. 21. & 7. 3.

facts recorded in it, are indubitably proved; and the Christian religion, and its facts, being commemorated in the same way, particularly by baptism and the Lord's supper, stand on such a foundation of moral certainty, as no other records in the universe can possibly boast. Reader, praise God for his ordinances: they are not only means of grace to thy soul, but standing irrefragable proofs of the truth of that religion, which thou hast received as from HIM.

2. A serious public profession of the religion of Christ has, in all ages of the church, been considered not only highly becoming, but indispensably necessary to salvation. He who consistently confesses Christ before men, shall be confessed by him before God and his angels. A Jew wore his phylacteries on his forehead, on his hands, and round his garments, that he might have reverence in the sight of the heathen-he gloried in his law, and he exulted that Abraham was his father. Christian, with a zeal not less becoming, and more consistently supported, let the words of thy mouth, the acts of thy hands, and all thy goings, show that thou belongest unto God; that thou hast taken his Spirit for the guide of thy heart, his word for the rule of thy life, his people for thy companions, his heaven for thy inheritance, and himself for the portion of thy soul. And see that thou hold fast the truth, and that thou hold it in righteousness.

3. How merciful is God in the dispensations of his providence. He permits none to be tried above what he is able to bear, and he proportions the burden to the back that is to bear it. He led not the Israelites by the way of the Philistines, lest, seeing war, they should repent and be discouraged. Young converts are generally saved from severe spiritual conflicts and heavy temptations, till they have acquired a habit of believing, are disciplined in the school of Christ, and instructed in the nature of the path in which they go, and the difficulties they may expect to find in it. They are informed that such things may take place, they are thus armed for the battle, and when trials do come, they are not taken by surprise: God, the most merciful and kind God, "tempers even the blast to the shorn lamb." Trust in him, therefore, with all thy heart, and never lean to thy own understanding.

4. The providence and goodness of God are equally observable in the pillar of cloud, and the pillar of fire. The former was the proof of his providential kindness by day, the latter by night. Thus he adjusts the assistance of his grace and Spirit, to the exigencies of his creatures; giving at some times when peculiar trials require it, more particular manifestations of his mercy and goodness, but at all times, such evidences of his approbation as are sufficient to satisfy a pious faithful heart. It is true, the pillar of fire, was more observable in the night, because of the general darkness, than the pillar of cloud was by day; yet the latter was as convincing, and as evident a proof of his presence, approbation, and protection, as the former. It is the duty and interest of every sound believer in Christ, to have the witness of God's Spirit in his soul at all times, that his spirit and ways please his Maker; but in seasons of peculiar difficulty, he may expect the more sensible manifestations of God's goodness. A good man is a temple of the Holy Spirit; but he who has an unholy heart, and who lives an unrighteous life, though he may have an orthodox creed, is a hold of unclean spirits, and an abomination in the sight of the Lord. Reader, let not these observations be fruitless to thee. God gives thee his word and his Spirit: obey this word, that thou grieve not his Spirit. The following

wilderness hath shut them in.

m

n

4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I " will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.

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5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and P the heart of Pharaoh, and of his servants, was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?

6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:

7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.

n Ch. 9. 16. Ver. 17, 18. Rom. 9. 17, 22, 23-0 Ch. 7. 5.-p Paa 105. 25.-q Ch. 15. 4.

figurative saying of a Jewish rabbin is worthy of regard. "God addresses Israel, and says, My son, I give thee my lamp, give me thy lamp. If thou keep my lamp, I will keep thy lamp; but if thou quench my lamp, I will extinquish thy lamp;" i. e. I give thee my word and Spirit, give me thy heart and soul; if thou carefully attend to my word, and grieve not my Spirit, I will preserve thy soul alive; but if thou rebel against my word, and quench my Spirit, then thy light shall be put out, and thy soul's blessedness extinguished in everlasting darkness.

NOTES ON CHAPTER XIV. Verse 2. Encamp before Pi-hahiroth] no pi-hachiroth, the mouth, strait, or bay of Chiroth. Between Migdol migdol, the tower, probably a fortress that served to defend the bay. Over against Baal-zephon, by baal tsephon, the lord or master of the watch, probably an idol temple, where a continual guard, watch, or light, was kept up for the defence of one part of the haven, or as a guide to ships. Dr. Shaw thinks that chiroth may denote the valley which extended itself from the wilderness of Etham to the Red sea; and that the part in which the Israelites encamped was called Piha-chiroth, i. e. the mouth or bay of Chiroth. See his Travels, p. 310, and his account at the end of Exodus.

Verse 3. They are entangled in the land] God himself brought them into straits, from which no human power or art could extricate them. Consider their situation when once brought out of the open country, where alone they had room either to fight or fly. Now they had the Red sea before them, Pharaoh and his host behind them, and on their right and left hand, fortresses of the Egyptians to prevent their escape: nor had they one boat or transport prepared for their passage! If they be now saved, the arm of the Lord must be seen, and the vanity and nullity of the Egyptian idols be demonstrated. By bringing them into such a situation, he took from them afl hope of human help, and gave their adversaries every advantage against them, so that they themselves said: they are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.

Verse 4. I will harden Pharaoh's heart] After relenting and giving them permission to depart, he now changes his mind and determines to prevent them, and without any farther restraining grace, God permits him to rush on to his final ruin: for the cup of his iniquity was now full.

Verse 5. And it was told the king-that the people fled] Of their departure he could not be ignorant, because himself had given them liberty to depart; but the word filed here, may be understood as implying, that they had utterly left Egypt without any intention to return, which is probably what he did not expect; for he had only given them permission to go three days' journey into the wilderness, in order to sacrifice to Jehovah; but from the circumstances of their departure, and the property they had got from the Egyptians, it was taken for granted, that they had no design to return; and this was in all likelihood, the consideration that weighed most with this avaricious king, and determined him to pursue, and either recover the spoil, or bring them back, or both. Thus the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we let Israel go from serving us? Here was the grand incentive to pursuit; their service was profitable to the state, and they were determined not to give it up.

Verse 7. Six hundred chosen chariots, &c.] According to the most authentic accounts we have of war chariots, they were frequently drawn by two, or by four horses, and

A. M. 2513. B. C. 1491.

CHAP. XIV.

8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with a high hand.

9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, (all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army,) and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon.

10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.

11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?

12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness?

13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you to-day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

r Ver. 4-8 Ch. 6. 1. & 13. 9 Numb. 33. 3-t Ch. 15. 9. Josh. 21. 6. 1 Mac. 4. 9. a Josh. 21. 7. Neh. 9. 9. Pan. 33. 17. & 107. 6-y Psa. 106. 7, 8-w Ch 5. 21. & 6.9. 2 Chron. 20. 15, 17. Isai. 41. 10, 13, 14-y Or, for whereas ye have seen the Egyptians to-day, &c.

carried three persons, one was charioteer, whose business it was to guide the horses, but he seldom fought; the second chiefly defended the charioteer, and the third alone was properly the combatant. It appears that in this case Pharaoh had collected all the cavalry of Egypt, see ver. 17. and though these might not have been very numerous, yet humanly speaking, they might easily overcome the unarmed and encumbered Israelites, who could not be supposed to be able to make any resistance against cavalry and war chariots.

Verse 10. The children of Israel cried out unto the Lord] Had their prayer been accompanied with faith, we should not have found them in the next verses murmuring against Moses, or rather against the Lord, through whose goodness they were now brought from under that bondage, from which they had often cried for deliverance. Calmet thinks that the most pious and judicious cried unto God, while the unthinking and irreligious murmured against Moses.

Verse 13. Moses said-Fear ye not] This exhortation was not given to excite them to resist, for of that there was no hope: they were unarmed, they had no courage, and their minds were deplorably degraded.

Stand still] Ye shall not be even workers together with God; only be quiet, and do not render yourselves wretched by your fears and your confusion.

See the salvation of the Lord] Behold the deliverance which God will work, independently of all human help and means.

Ye shall see them again no more] Here was strong faith, but this was accompanied by the spirit of prophecy: God showed Moses what he would do, he believed, and therefore he spoke in the encouraging manner related

Verse 14. The Lord shall fight for you] Ye shall have no part in the honour of the day-God alone shall bring you off, and defeat your foes.

Ye shall hold your peace] Your unbelieving fears and elamours shall be confounded; and ye shall see, that by might none shall be able to prevail against the Lord; and that the feeblest shall take the prey when the power of Jehovah is exerted.

Verse 15. Wherefore criest thou unto me?] We hear not one word of Moses's praying; and yet here, the Lord asks him why he cries unto him? From which we may learn, that the heart of Moses was deeply engaged with God, though it is probable he did not articulate one word; but the language of sighs, tears, and desires, is equally intelligible to God, with that of words. This consideration should be a strong encouragement to every feeble, discouraged mind-Thou canst not pray-but thou canst weep: if even tears are denied thee, for there may be deep and genuine repentance, where the distress is so great as to stop up those channels of relief, then thou canst sigh: and

14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall
hold your peace.

15 And the LORD said unto Moses, where-
fore criest thou unto me? speak unto the chil-
dren of Israel, that they go forward:

16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, and upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

19 And the angel of God, f which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:

20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians, and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and

z Ver. 25. Deut. 1. 30. & 3. 22. & 20. 4. Josh. 10. 14, 42. & 23. 3. 2 Chron. 20. 29. Neh. 4. 20. Isai. 31. 4.-a Isai. 30. 15-b Ver. 21, 26. Ch. 7. 19.-c Ver. 8. Ch. 7.3. d Ver. 4-e Ver. 4-f Ch. 13. 21. & 23. 20. & 32. 31. Numb. 20. 16. Isai. 63. 9. g See Isai. 8. 14. 2 Cor. 4. 3.-h Ver. 16.

God, whose Spirit has thus convinced thee of sin, righteousness, and judgment, knows thy unutterable groanings, and reads the inexpressible wish of thy burthened soul: a wish, of which himself is the Author, and which he has breathed with the purpose to satisfy it.

Verse 16. Lift thou up thy rod] Neither Moses nor his rod could be any effective instruments in a work, which could be accomplished only by the omnipotence of God; but it was necessary that he should appear in it, in order that he might have credit in the sight of the Israelites; and that they might see that God had chosen him to be the instrument of their deliverance.

Verse 18. They shall know that I am the LORD] Pharaoh had just recovered from the consternation and confusion with which the late plagues had overwhelmed him; and now he is emboldened to pursue after Israel, and God is determined to make his overthrow so signal by such an exertion of omnipotence, that he shall get himself honour by this miraculous act; and that the Egyptians shall know, i. e. acknowledge, that he is Jehovah, the omnipotent, selfexisting, eternal God.

Verse 19. The angel of God] It has been thought by some that the angel, i. e. messenger, of the Lord, and the pillar of cloud, mean here the same thing. An angel might assume the appearance of a cloud; and even a material cloud thus particularly appointed, might be called an angel or messenger of the Lord; for such is the literal import of the word NSD malac, an angel. It is however most probable, that the Angel of the Covenant, the Lord Jesus, appeared on this occasion, in behalf of the people: for, as this deliverance was to be an illustrious type of the deliverance of man from the power and guilt of sin, by his incarnation and death, it might have been deemed necessary, in the judgment of divine wisdom, that he should appear chief agent in this most important and momentous crisis. Gen. xvi. 7. xviii. 13, and Exod. iii. 2. On the word angel, and Angel of the Covenant, see on

Verse 20. It was a cloud and darkness to them, &c.] That the Israelites might not be dismayed at the appear ance of their enemies, and that these might not be able to from the front to the rear of the Israelitish camp, so as discern the object of their pursuit, the pillar of cloud moved perfectly to separate between them and the Egyptians. It appears also, that this cloud had two sides, one dark and the other luminous: the luminous side gave light to the whole camp of Israel, during the night of passage; and the dark side turned toward the pursuing Egyptians, prevented them from receiving any benefit from that light. How easily can God make the same thing an instrument of destruction or salvation, as seems best to his godly wis dom! He alone can work by all agents, and produce any kind of effect, even by the same instrument; for all things serve the purposes of his will.

Verse 21. The Lord caused the sea to go back] That 235

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made the sea dry land, and the waters were i divided.

22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea, upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them, on their right hand, and on their left.

23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch, the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,

25 And took off their chariot wheels, "that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

26 And the LORD said unto Moses, P Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters

h Psa. 66. 6.-i Ch. 15. 9. Josh. 3. 16. & 4. 23. Neh. 9. 11. Psa. 74. 13. & 106. 9. & 114. 3. Isai. 63 12-k Ver. 29. Ch 15. 19. Numb. 33. 8. Psa. 66. 6. & 78. 13. Isai. 63. 13. 1 Cor. 10. 1. Hebr. 11. 29. Hab. 3. 10.-m See Psa. 77. 17, &c.-n Or, and made them to go hearily.

part of the sea over which the Israelites passed, was, according to Mr. Bruce and other travellers, about four leagues across, and therefore might easily be crossed in one night. In the dividing of the sea, two agents appear to be employed, though the effect produced can be attributed to neither. By stretching out the rod, the waters were divided; by the blowing of the vehement, ardent east wind, the bed of the sea was dried. It has been observed, that in the place where the Israelites are supposed to have passed, the water is about fourteen fathoms, or twentyeight yards deep: had the wind mentioned here been strong enough, naturally speaking, to have divided the waters, it must have blown in one narrow track, and continued blowing in the direction in which the Israelites passed; and a wind sufficient to have raised a mass of water twenty-eight yards deep, and twelve miles in length, out of its bed, would necessarily have blown the whole six hundred thousand men away, and utterly destroyed them and their cattle. I therefore conclude that the east wind, which was ever remarked as a parching, burning wind, was used after the division of the waters, merely to dry the bottom, and render it passable. For an account of the hot drying winds in the east, see the note on Gen. viii. 1. God ever puts the highest honour on his instrument, Nature, and where it can act, he ever employs it. No natural agent could divide these waters and cause them to stand as a wall upon the right hand and upon the left; therefore God did it by his own sovereign power. When the waters were thus divided, there was no need of a miracle to dry the bed of the sea, and make it passable; therefore the strong desiccating east wind was brought, which soon accomplished this object. In this light I suppose the text should be understood.

Verse 22. And the waters were a wall unto them, on their right hand and on their left] This verse demonstrates that the passage was miraculous. Some have supposed that the Israelites had passed through, favoured by an extraordinary ebb, which happened at that time to be produced by a strong wind, which happened just then to blow! Had this been the case, there could not have been waters standing on the right hand and on the left: much less could those waters, contrary to every law of fluids, have stood as a wall on either side while the Israelites passed through; and then happen to become obedient to the laws of gravitation, when the Egyptians entered in! An infidel may deny the revelation in toto, and from such we expect nothing better; but to hear those who profess to believe this to be a divine revelation, endeavouring to prove that the passage of the Red sea had nothing miraculous in it, is really intolerable. Such a mode of interpretation requires a miracle to make itself credible. Poor infidelity! how miserable and despicable are thy shifts.

Verse 24. The morning watch] A watch was the fourth part of the time from sun-setting to sun-rising; so called from the soldiers keeping guard by night, who, being changed four times during the night, the periods came to be called watches. Dodd.

may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.

27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength, when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.

28 And the waters returned and "covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh, that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.

29 But the children of Israel, walked upon dry land, in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them, on their right hand, and on their left.

30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea-shore.

31 And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the peo

o Ver. 14-p Ver 16-q Josh. 4. 18.-r Ch. 15. 1, 7.-8 Heb shook of Deat 11. 4. Pea. 78. 53. Neh. 9. 11. Hebr. 11. 29-t Hab. 3. 8, 13- Psa. 105 11v Ver. 22. Psa. 77. 20. & 78. 52, 53.-w Psa. 106. 8, 10.-x Psa. 56. 10. & 59. 10y Heb. hand.

As the Israelites went out of Egypt at the vernal equinox, the morning watch, or according to the Hebrew, pan now be-ashemroth ha-boker, the watch of daybreak, would answer to our four o'clock in the morning. Calmet.

The Lord looked out] This probably means, that the cloud suddenly assumed a fiery appearance where it had been dark before; or they were appalled by violent thunders and lightning, which we are assured by the Pslamist did actually take place; together with great inundations of rain, &c. The clouds POURED OUT WATER, the skies sent out a SOUND, thine ARROWS also went abroad. The VOICE of thy THUNDER was in the heavens, the LIGHTNINGS LIGHTENED the world, the earth TREMBLED and SHOOK. Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters. Thou leddest thy people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron. Psal. lxxvii. 14-20. Such tempests as these would necessarily terrify the Egyptian horses, and produce generaí confusion. By their dashing hither and thither, the wheels must be destroyed, and the chariots broken; and foot and horse must be mingled together in one universal ruin: see ver. 25. During the time that this state of horror and confusion was at its summit, the Isra elites had safely passed over, and then Moses, at the command of God, ver. 26. having stretched out his rod over the waters, the sea returned to its strength, ver. 27. i. e. the waters by their natural gravity resumed their level, and the whole Egyptian host were completely overwhelmed, ver. 28. But as to the Israelites, the waters had been a wall unto them on the right hand and on the left, ver. 29. This, the waters could not have been, unless they had been supernaturally supported, as their own gravity would necessarily have occasioned them to have kept their level; or, if raised beyond it, to have regained it, left to their natural law, to which they are ever subject, unless in cases of miraculous interference. Thus, the enemies of the Lord perished; and that people who decreed that the male children of the Hebrews should be drowned, were themselves destroyed in the pit which they had destined for others. God's ways are all equal; and he renders to every man according to his works.

Verse 28. There remained not so much as one of them] Josephus says, that the army of Pharaoh consisted of fifty thousand horse, and two hundred thousand foot, of whom not one remained to carry tidings of this most extraordinary catastrophe.

Verse 30. Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore.] By the extraordinary agitation of the waters, no doubt multitudes of the dead Egyptians were cast on the shore, and by their spoils, the Israelites were probably furnished with considerable riches, and especially clothing and arms; which latter were essentially necessary to them in their wars with the Amalekites, Basanites, and Amorites, &c. on their way to the promised land. If they did not get their arms in this way, we know not how they got them; as there is not the slightest reason to believe that they brought any with them out of Egypt.

Verse 31. The people feared the Lord] They were convinced by the interference of Jehovah, that his power was unlimited; and that he could do whatsoever he pleased, both in the way of judgment and in the way of

As here, and in Sam. xi. 11. is mentioned the morning watch; so in Lam. ii. 19. the beginning of the watches; and in Judg. vii. 19. the middle watch is spoken of: in Luke xii. 38. the second and third watch; and in Matt. xiv. 25. the fourth watch of the night: which in Matt.mercy. xiii. 35. are named evening, midnight, cock-crowing, and day-dawning. Ainsworth.

And believed the Lord, and his servant Moses] They now clearly discerned that God had fulfilled all his pro

A. M. 2513. B. C. 1491.

CHAP. XV.

b

ple feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, | LORD; and spake, saying, I will sing unto the and his servant Moses.

CHAPTER XV.

Moses and the Israelites sing a song of praise to God for their late deliverance, in
which they celebrate the power of God, gloriously manifested in the destruction of
Pharaoh and his host, 1, express their confidence in him as their strength and pro-

tector, 2, 3, detail the chief circumstances in the overthrow of the Etypu,
4-8, and relate the purposes they had formed, for the destruction of God's people,
9, and how he destroyed them in the imaginations of their hearts, 10. Jehovah is
celebrated, for the perfections of his nature and hus wondrous works, 11-13. A
prediction of the effect which the account of the destruction of the Egyptians
should have on the Flomites, Moabites, and Canaanites, 11-16. A prediction of
the establishment of Israel in the promised land, 17. The full chorus of praise, 18.
Recapitulation of the destruction of the Egyptians, and the deliverance of Israel,
19. Miriam and the women join in and prolong the chorus, 20, 21. The people
travel three days in the wilderness of Shur, and find no water, 22 Coming to
Marah, and finding bitter waters, they murmur against Moses, 23, 24. In an-
swer to the prayer of Moses, Gol shows him a tree by which the waters are
sweetened, 25 God gives them statutes and gracious promises, 26. They come to
Elim, where they find twelve wells of water, and seventy palm trees, and there
they encamp, 27.

An. Exod. Ir. 1.
Abib or Nisan.

a

HEN Moses and the

LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the
horse and his rider, hath he thrown into the sea.
2 The LORD is my strength and song, and
he is become my salvation: he is my God, and
I will prepare him a habitation; my father's
God, and I will exalt him.

his

!

3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is

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4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host, hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also, are drowned in the Red sea.

5 The depths have covered them: m they sank into the bottom, as a stone.

n

6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath

Tdren of her el, this song to the dashed in pieces the enemy.

Ch. 4. 31. & 19 9. Ps. 106. 12. John 2. 11. & 11. 45-a Judg. 5. 1. 2 Sam. 22. 1.
Psa. 18 2 & 22. 3. & 59.
Psa. 106. 12 Wisd 10. 20.- Ver. 21.-c Deut. 10. 21.
17, & 62 6. & 109. 1. & 118. 14. & 140. 7. Isai. 12 2. Hab. 3. 18, 19.-d Gen. 23. 21,

mises; and that not one thing had failed of all the good which he had spoken concerning Israel. And they believed his servant Moses. They had now the fullest proof that he was divinely appointed to work all these miracles, and to bring them out of Egypt into the promised land.

Thus God got himself honour upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians, and credit in the sight of Israel. After this overthrow of their king and his host, the Egyptians interrupted them no more in their journeyings, convinced of the omnipotence of their Protector: and how strange, that after such displays of the justice and mercy of Jehovah, the Israelites should ever have been deficient in faith, or have given place to murmuring!

1. THE events recorded in this chapter are truly astonishing; and they strongly mark what God can do, and what he will do, both against his enemies, and in behalf of his followers. In vain are all the forces of Egypt united to destroy the Israelites: at the breath of God's mouth they perish: and his feeble, discouraged, unarmed followers take the prey! With such a history before their eyes, is it not strange that sinners should run on frowardly in the path of transgression; and that those who are redeemed from the world, should ever doubt of the all-sufficiency and goodness of their God! Had we not already known the sequel of the Israelitish history, we should have been led to conclude, that this people would have gone on their way rejoicing, trusting in God with their whole heart, and never leaning to their own understanding: but alas! we find that as soon as any new difficulty occurred, they murmured against God and their leaders, despised the pleasant land, and gave no credence to his word.

2. Their case is not a solitary one: most of those who are called Christians, are not more remarkable for faith and patience. Every reverse will necessarily pain and discompose the people who are seeking their portion in this life. And it is a sure mark of a worldly mind, when we trust the God of providence and grace no farther than we see the operations of his hand in our immediate supply; and murmur and repine when the hand of his bounty seems closed, and the influences of his Spirit restrained; though our unthankful and unholy carriage has been the cause of this change. Those alone who humble themselves under the mighty hand of God shall be lifted up in due season. Reader, thou canst never be deceived in trusting thy all, the concerns of thy body and soul, to Him who divided the sea, saved the Hebrews, and destroyed the Egyptians.

NOTES ON CHAPTER XV. Verse 1. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song] POETRY has been cultivated in all ages, and among all people, from the most refined to the most barbarous; and to it principally, under the kind providence of God, we are indebted for most of the original accounts we have of the ancient nations of the universe. Equally measured lines, with a harmonious collocation of expressive, sonorous, and sometimes highly metaphorical terms, the alternate lines either answering to each other in sense, or ending with similar sounds, were easily As these committed to memory, and easily retained. were often accompanied with a pleasing air or tune, the subject being a concatenation of striking and interesting events, histories formed thus, became the amusement of youth, the softeners of the tedium of labour, and even the solace of age. In such a way the histories of most nations have been preserved. The interesting events celebrated, the rythm or metre, and the accompanying tune

22. 2 Sam. 7. 5. Psa. 132. 5.-e Ch. 3. 15, 16.-f 2 Sam. 22. 47. Pea. 99. 5. & 118. 28. Isai. 25. 1.-g Psa. 24. 8. Rev. 15. 11-b Ch. 6. 3. Psa. 83. 18.-i Ch. 14. 28. k Ch. 14. 7.-1 Ch. 14. 28-m Neh. 9. 11.-n Paa. 118. 15, 16.

or recitativo air, rendered them easily transmissible to
posterity; and by means of tradition, they passed safely
from father to son, through the times of comparative dark-
ness, till they arrived at those ages in which the pen and
the press have given them a sort of deathless duration
and permanent stability, by multiplying the copies. Many
of the ancient historic and heroic British tales, are contin-
ued by tradition, among the aboriginal inhabitants of
Ireland to the present day; and the repetition of them
constitutes the chief amusement of the winter evenings.
Even the prose histories, which were written on the
ground of the poetic, copied closely their exemplars; and
the historians themselves were obliged to study all the
beauties and ornaments of style, that their works might
become popular; and to this circumstance we owe not a
small measure of what is termed refinement of language.
How observable is this in the history of Herodotus, who
appears to have closely copied the ancient poetic records,
in his inimitable and harmonious prose; and that his
books might bear as near a resemblance as possible, to
His work
the ancient and popular originals, he divided them into
nine, and dedicated each to one of the muses.
therefore seems to occupy the same place between the
ancient poctic compositions and mere prosaic historics,
as the polype does between plants and animals. Much
even of our sacred records, is written in poetry, which
God has thus consecrated to be the faithful transmitter of
remote and important events: and of this, the song before
the reader is a proof in point. Though this is not the first
specimen of poetry we have met with in the Pentateuch,
see Lamech's speech to his wives, Gen. iv. 23, 24. Noah's
prophecy concerning his sons, chap. ix. 25-27. and Ja-
cob's blessing to the twelve patriarchs, chap. xlix. 2-27.
and the notes there; yet it is the first regular ode of any
considerable length, having but one subject: and it is all
written in hemistichs, or half lines, the usual form in He-
brew poetry; and though this form frequently occurs, it
is not attended to in our common printed Hebrew Bibles;
except in this and three other places, Deut. xxxii. Judg.
v. and 2 Sam. xxii. all of which shall be noticed as they
But in Dr. Kennicott's edition of the Hebrew Bi-
ble, all the poetry, wheresoever it occurs, is printed in its
own hemistich form.

occur.

After what has been said, it is perhaps scarcely necessary to observe, that as such ancient poetic histories commemorated great and extraordinary displays of providence, courage, strength, fidelity, heroism, and piety; hence the origin of EPIC poems, of which the song in this chapter is the earliast specimen. And on the principle of preserving the memory of such events, most nations have had their epic poets, who have generally taken for their subject the most splendid or most remote events of their country's history, which either referred to the formation or extension of their empire, the exploits of their ancestors, or the establishment of their religion. Hence the ancient HEBREWS had their Shir ha Mosheh, the piece in question: the GREEKS their Ilias: the HINDOOS their Mahabarat: the ROMANS their Eneis: the NORwEGIANS their Edda: the IRISH and SCOTCH their Fingal and Chronological Poems: the WELSH their Taliessin and his Triads: the ARABS their Nebiun-Nameh (exploits of Mohammed) and Hamleh Heedry (exploits of Aly:) the PERSIANS their SHAH Nameh (book of kings:) the ITALIANS their Gerusalemme Liberata: the PORTUGUESE their Lusiad: the ENGLISH their Paradise Lost: and, in humble imitation of all the rest, (etsi non 237 passibus æquis,) the FRENCH their Henriade.

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