8 And with the blast of thy nostrils, the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as a heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.

9

The enemy said, I will pursue, I will over

o Deut. 33 26.-p P. 50. 13.-r Isai. 5. 24. & 47. 14.9 Ch. 14. 21. 2 Sam. 22. 16. Job 4. 9. 2 Thess 2 8-t Psa 73 13. Hab. 3. 10.-u Judg. 5. 30.- Gen. 19. 27. Isai. 53. 12. Luke 11. 22.

The song of Moses has been in the highest repute in the church of God from the heginning: the author of the Book of Wisdom attributes it in a particular manner to the wisdom of God; and says that on this occasion, God opened the mouth of the dumb, and made the tongues of infants eloquent: chap. x. 21. As if he had said, Every person felt an interest in the great events which had taken place, and all laboured to give Jehovah that praise which was due to his name. "With this song of victory over Pharaoh," says Mr. Ainsworth, "the Holy Ghost compares the song of those who have gotten the victory over the spiritual Pharaoh, the beast (Antichrist) when they stand by the sea of glass mingled with fire (as Israel stood here by the Red sea) having the harps of God (as the women here had timbrils, ver. 20,) and they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, the Son of God." Rev. xv. 2-4.

I will sing unto the Lord] Moses begins the song, and in the two first hemistichs states the subject of it; and these two first lines became the grand chorus of the piece, as we may learn from ver. 21. See Dr. Kennicott's arrangement and translation of this piece at the end of this chapter.

Triumphed gloriously] ki gaoh gaah, he is exceedingly exalted; rendered by the Septuagint, dožes que disožara, he is gloriously glorified. And surely this was one of the most signal displays of the glorious majesty of God, ever exhibited since the creation of the world. And when it is considered, that the whole of this transaction shadowed out the redemption of the human race, from the thraldom and power of sin and iniquity, by the LORD JESUS, and the final triumph of the church of God over all its enemies, we may also join in the song, and celebrate him who has triumphed so gloriously, having conquered death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

Verse 2. The Lord is my strength and my song] How judiciously are the members of this sentence arranged! He who has God for his strength, will have him for his song: and he to whom Jehovah is become salvation, will exalt his name. Miserably, and untunably in the ears of God, does that man sing praises, who is not saved by the grace of Christ, nor strengthened by the power of his might.

It is worthy of observation, that the word which we translate LORD here, is not JEHOVAH, in the original, but JAH; as if by abbreviation, says Mr. Parkhurst, for yeheich, or yehi. It signifies the Essence, He who IS, simply, absolutely, and independently, o N. The relation between Jah, and the verb na to subsist, exist, be, is intimated to us, the first time Jah is used in Scripture, (Exod. xv. 2.)) "My strength and my song (is) JAH, vajchi, and he is become to me salvation." -See Psalm lxviii. 5. lxxxix. 9. xciv. 7. cxv. 17, 19. cxviii. 17.

JAH is several times joined with the name Jehovah so that we may be sure that it is not, as some have supposed, a mere abbreviation of that word. See Isai. xii. 2. xxvi. 4. Our blessed Lord solemnly claims to himself what is intended in this divine name JAH, John viii. 58. Before Abraham was (vir, was born) , I AM, not I was, but I am, plainly intimating his divine, eternal existence: compare Isai. xliii. 13. And the Jews appear to have well understood him: for then took they up stones to cast at him, as a blasphemer; compare Coloss. i. 16, 17. where the apostle Paul, after asserting that all things that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, were created, riera, by and for Christ, adds, And HE IS, UT, T, not, was, before all things, and by him all things over, have subsisted, and still subsist. See Parkhurst.

From this divine name, Jah, the ancient Greeks had their I, I, in their invocations of the gods, particularly of Apollo (the uncompounded ONE) the light; and hence 31, written after the oriental manner from right to left, afterward E1, was inscribed over the great door of the tem

W

10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters. 112 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

с

b

w Or, repossess.-x Ch. 14. 21. Psa. 147. 18.-y Ver. 5. Ch. 14. -z 2 Sam. 7. 22. 1 Kings 8. 23. Psa. 71. 19. & 86. 8. & 89. 6, 8. Jer. 10. 6. & 19. 19.-a Or, mighty ones.-b Isai. 6. 3.-c Paa. 77. 14.

ple at Delphi !-See the note on chap. iii. ver. 14. and the concluding observations there.

I will prepare him a habitation] m ve anevehu. It has been supposed that Moses, by this expression, intended the building of the tabernacle; but it seems to come in very strangely in this place. Most of the ancient versions understood the original in a very different sense. The Vulgate has et glorificabo eum; the Septuagint Sono autor, I will GLORIFY him, with which the Syriac, Coptic, the Targum of Jonathan, and the Jerusalem Targum agree. From the Targum of Onkelos the present translation seems to have been originally derived; he has translated the place, pa ve ebnei leyh makedash—" And I will build him a sanctuary," which not one of the other versions, the Persian excepted, acknowledges. Our own old translations are generally different from the present; Matthews', Cranmer's, and the Bishop's Bible, render it glorify, and the sense of the place seems to require it. Calmet, Houbigant, Kennicott, and other critics, contend for this translation. My father's God] I believe Houbigant to be right, who translates the original 2 Elohey abi, Deus meus, pater meus est-"My God is my Father." Every man may call the Divine Being his God; but only those who are his children by adoption through grace, can call him their FATHER. This is a privilege which God has given to none but his children. See Galat. iv. 6.

Verse 3. The Lord is a man of war] Perhaps it would be better to translate the words, Jehovah is the man, or hero of the battle. As we scarcely ever apply the term to any thing but first-rate armed vessels, the change of the translation seems indispensable, though the common rendering is literal enough. Besides, the object of Moses was to show, that man had no part in this victory, but that the whole was wrought by the miraculous power of God, and that therefore he alone should have all the glory.

The LORD (i. e. JEHOVAH) is his name.] He has now, as the name implies, given complete cristence to all his promises.-See the notes on Gen. ii. 4. and Exod. vi. 3.

Verse 4. Pharaoh's chariots-his host-his chosen captains] On such an expedition, it is likely that the principal Egyptian nobility accompanied their king, and that the overthrow they met with here, had reduced Egypt to the lowest extremity. Had the Israelites been intent on plunder, or had Moses been influenced with a spirit of ambition, how easily might both have gratified themselves, as, had they returned, they might have soon overrun and subjugated the whole land.

Verse 6. Thy right hand] Thy omnipotence, manifested in a most extraordinary way.

Verse 7. In the greatness of thy excellency] To this wonderful deliverance the prophet Isaiah refers, chap. Ixiii. 11-14.-"Then he remembered the days of old, Moses and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his Holy Spirit within him? That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name? That led them through the deep, as a horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble? As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest: so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name.'

Verse 8. The depths were congealed] The strong east wind, chap. xiv. 21. employed to dry the bottom of the sea, is here represented as the blast of God's nostrils, that had congealed or frozen the waters, so that they stood in heaps like a wall, on the right hand and on the left.

Verse 9. The enemy said] As this song was composed by divine inspiration, we may rest assured, that these words were spoken by Pharaoh and his captains; and the passions they describe, felt in their utmost sway in their hearts: but how soon was their boasting confounded! Thou didst blow with thy wind, and the sea covered themthey sank as lead in the mighty waters!

Verse 11. Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the

12 Thou stretchedst out 4thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.

13 Thou, in thy mercy, hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength, unto thy holy habitation.

146 The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. 15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall | take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.

16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm, they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, P which thou hast purchased.

d Ver. 6- P. 77. 15, 20. & 78 52 & 80. 1. & 106. 9. Isai. 63. 12, 13. Jer. 2. 6. Psa 75 51-g Numb. 14. 11. Dent. 2. 25. Josh. 29, 10-h Psa. 48. 6-i Gen. 36. 40-k Deut. 2 - Numb 22 3. Hab. 3. 7.-m Josh. 5. 1.-n Deut. 2. 25. & 11. 25. Josh. 29-0 1 Sam. 25. 37.-p Ch. 19. 5. Deut. 32. 9. 2 Sam. 7. 23. Psa. 74. 2. Isai.

43. 1, 3. & 51. 10. Jer. 31. 11. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 9. 2 Pet. 2. 1.-r Pra. 44. 2. & 80. 8. 8 Psa. 78. 54.-t Psa. 10. 16. & 29. 10. & 146. 10. Isai. 57. 15.-u Ch. 14. 2. Prov. 21. 31. Ch. 14. 28, 29.-w Judg. 4. 4. 1 Sam. 10. 5.-x Numb. 26. 59-y 1 Sam. 18. 6-2 Judg. 11. 34. & 21. 21. 2 Sam. 6. 16. Psa. 68. 11, 25. & 149. 3. & 150. 4.

lowing verses to the end of the 18th, as containing a prediction of what God would do for this people, which he had so miraculously redeemed. On this mode of interpretation, it would be better to read several of the verbs in the

mi camocah מי כמכה באלם יהוה As the original words

baelim Yehovah, are supposed to have constituted the motto, on the ensign of the Asmoneans; and to have furnished the name of Maccabeus to Judas, their grand captain, from whom they were afterward called Maccabeans; it may be necessary to say a few words on this subject. It is possible that Judas Muccabeus might have had this motto on his ensign, or at least the initial letters of it, for such a practice was not uncommon. For instance, on the Roman standard the letters S. P. Q. R. stood for Senatus Populus Que Romanus: i. e. the Senate and Roman People; and M. C. B. I. might have stood for Mi Camocah Baelim Jehovah-Who, among the gods, or strong ones, is like unto thee, O Jehovah! But it appears from the Greek Maxxx65, and also the Syriac o makabi, that the name was originally written with p koph, not caph; it is most likely, as Michaelis has observed, that the name must have been derived from app makkab, a hammer, or mallet; hence Judas, because of his bravery and success, might have been denominated the hammer or mallet, by which the enemies of God had been beaten, pounded, and broken to pieces. Judas, the hammer of the

Lord.

Glorious in holiness] Infinitely resplendent in this attribute, essential to the perfection of the divine nature. Fearful in praises] Such glorious holiness cannot be approached without the deepest reverence and fear, even by angels, who veil their faces before the majesty of God. How then should man, who is only sin and dust, approach the presence of his Maker!

Doing wonders?] Every part of the work of God is wonderful-not only miracles, which imply an inversion or suspension of the laws of nature, but every part of nature itself. Who can conceive how a single blade of grass is formed, or how earth, air, and water become consolidated in the body of the oak? And who can comprehend how the different tribes of plants and animals are preserved, in all the distinctive characteristics of their respective natures? And who can conceive how the human being is formed, nourished, and its different parts developed? What is the true cause of the circulation of the blood? or how different aliments produce the solids and fluids of the animal machine? What is life, sleep, death? And how an impure and unholy soul is regenerated, purified, refined, and made like unto its great which God alone works, and to Himself only are they fully known.

Verse 12. The earth swallowed them] It is very likely there was also an earthquake on this occasion, and that chasms were made in the bottom of the sea, by which many of them were swallowed up, though multitudes were overwhelmed by the waters, whose dead bodies were afterward thrown ashore. The Psalmist strongly intimates, that there was an earthquake on this occasion-The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven, the lightnings lightened the world, the EARTH TREMBLED and SHOOK, Psal. lxxvii. 18.

Verse 13. Thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation] As this ode was dictated by the Spirit of God, it is most natural to understand this and the fol

Verse 15. The dukes of Edom] Idumea was governed at this time, by those called Daluphim, heads, chiefs, or captains.-See the note on Gen. xxxvi. 15.

Verse 16. Till thy people pass over] Not over the Red sea, for that event had been already celebrated; but over the desert, and Jordan, in order to be brought into the promised land.

Verse 17. Thou shalt bring them in] By thy strength and mercy alone shall they get the promised inheritance. Thou shalt plant them] Give them a fired habitation in Canaan, after their unsettled wandering life in the wilderness.

In the mountain] Meaning Canaan, which was a very mountainous country, Deut. xi. 11. or probably Mount Zion, on which the temple was built. Where the pure worship of God was established, there the people might expect both rest and safety. Wherever the purity of religion is established and preserved, and the high and the low endeavour to regulate their lives according to its precepts, the government of that country is likely to be permanent.

Verse 18. The Lord shall reign for ever and ever] This is properly the grand chorus, in which all the people joined. The words are expressive of God's everlasting dominion, not only in the world, but in the church; not only under the law, but also under the Gospel; not only in time, but through eternity. The original leôlam vaâd, may be translated for ever and onward; or, by our very expressive compound term, for EVERMORE, i. e. for ever, and more-not only through time, but also through all duration. His dominion shall be ever the same, active and infinitely extending. With this verse the song seems to end, as with it the hemistichs or poetic lines terminate. The 20th, and beginning of the 21st, are in plain prose; but the latter part of the 21st is in hemistichs, as it contains the response made by Miriam and the Israelitish women, at different intervals during the song, See Dr. Kennicott's Arrangement of the Parts, at the end of this chapter.

Verse 20. And Miriam the prophetess] We have already seen, that Miriam was older than either Moses or Aaron; for when Moses was exposed on the Nile, she was a young girl, capable of managing the stratagem used for the preservation of his life; and then Aaron was only three years and three months old, for he was fourscore and three years old when Moses was but fourscore, see ch. vii. 7. so that Aaron was older than Mobably, than nine or ten year older than either, not less, or of age.-See on chap. ii. 2.

There is great diversity of opinion on the origin of the name of Miriam, which is the same with the Greek Magμ, the Latin Maria, and the English Mary. Some suppose it to be compounded of mar, a drop, (Isai. xl. 15.) and

yam, the sea; and that from this etymology, the heathens formed their Venus, whom they feign to have sprung from the sea. St. Jerom gives several etymologies for the name, which at once show how difficult it is to ascertain it—she who enlightens me-or she who enlightens them, or the star of the sea.-Others, the lady of the sea, the bitterness of the sea, &c. It is probable that the first or the last is the true one; but it is a matter of little importance, as we have not the circumstance marked, as in the case of Moses, and many others, that gave rise to the name.

21 And Miriam " answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. 22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur: and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.

23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.

a 1 Sam. 18. 7.-b Ver. 1.-c Gen. 16. 7. & 25. 18.-d Numb. 33. 8.-e That is, bitterness. Ruth 1. 20-f Ch. 16. 2. & 17. 3-g Ch. 14. 10. & 17. 4. Psa. 50. 15.

The prophetess]

ha nebiah. For the meaning of the word prophet, N Nabi, see the note on Gen. xx. 7. It is very likely that Miriam was inspired by the Spirit of God, to instruct the Hebrew women, as Moses and Aaron were to instruct the men; and when she and her brother Aaron sought to share in the government of the people with Moses, we find her laying claim to the prophetic influence, Numb. xii. 2. Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath he not SPOKEN ALSO BY US? And that she was constituted joint leader of the people with her two brothers, we have the express word of God by the prophet Micah, ch. vi. 4. For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. Hence it is very likely, that she was the instructress of the women, and regulated the times, places, &c. of their devotional acts; for it appears that from the beginning to the present day, the Jewish women all worshipped apart. A timbrel] toph, the same word which is translated tabret, Gen. xxxi. 27. on which the reader is desired to consult the note.

And with dances] mecholoth. Many learned men suppose, that this word means some instruments of wind music, because the word comes from the root n chalal, the ideal meaning of which is, to perforate, penetrate, pierce, stab, and hence to wound. Pipes, or hollow tubes, such as flutes, or hautboys, and the like, may be intended. Both the Arabic and Persian understand it as meaning instruments of music of the pipe, drum, or sistrum kind, and this seems to comport better with the scope and design of the place, than the term dances. It must however be allowed that religious dances have been in use from the remotest times; and yet in most of the places where the term occurs in our translation, an instrument of music, bids as fair to be its meaning, as a dance of any kind. Miriam is the first prophetess on record: and by this we find that God not only poured out his Spirit upon men, but upon women also; and we learn also that Miriam was not only a prophetess, but a poetess also, and must have had considerable skill in music, to have been able to conduct her part of these solemnities. It may appear strange, that during so long an oppression in Egypt, the Israelites were able to cultivate the fine arts; but that they did so, there is the utmost evidence from the Pentateuch. Not only architecture, weaving, and such necessary arts, were well known among them, but also the arts that are called ornamental, such as those of the goldsmith, lapidary, embroiderer, furrier, &c. of which we have ample proof in the construction of the tabernacle and its utensils. However ungrateful, rebellious, &c. the Jews may have been, the praise of industry and economy can never be denied them. In former ages, and in all places even of their dispersions, they appear to have been frugal and industrious, and capable of great proficiency in the most elegant and curious arts; but they are now greatly degenerated.

Verse 22. The wilderness of Shur] This was on the coast of the Red sea, on their road to Mount Sinai.-See the map.

Verse 23. Marah] So called from the bitter waters found there. Dr. Shaw conjectures, that this place is the same as that now called Coron del, where there is still a small rill, which, if not diluted with dews or rain, continues brackish.-See his account at the end of Exodus.

Verse 24. The people murmured] They were in a state of 'great mental degradation, owing to their long and oppressive vassalage, and had no firmness of character.-See the note on chap. xiii. 17.

Verse 25. He cried unto the Lord] Moses was not only their leader, but also their mediator. Of prayer and dependence on the Almighty, the great mass of the Israelites appear to have had little knowledge at this time. Moses, therefore, had much to bear from their weakness; and the merciful Lord was long-suffering.

The Lord showed him a tree] What this tree was, we know not: some think that the tree was extremely bitter itself, such as the quassia; and that God acted in this as

|

24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD showed him a tree, i which when he had cast into the waters the waters were made sweet. There he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,

26 And said, m If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes,

are not informed.

Many suppose that this tree, which healed the bitter waters, was symbolical of the cross of our blessed Redeemer, that has been the means of healing infected nature, and through the virtue of which, the evils and bitters of life are sweetened, and rendered subservient to the best interests of God's followers. Whatever may be in the metaphor, this is true in fact; and hence the greatest of apostles gloried in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world was crucified to him, and he unto the world.

It appears that these waters were sweetened only for that occasion, as Dr. Shaw reports them to be still brackish, which appears to be occasioned by the abundance of natron, which prevails in the surrounding soil. Thus we may infer, that the natural cause of their bitterness, or brackishness, was permitted to resume its operations, when the occasion, that rendered the change necessary, had ceased to exist. Thus Christ simply changed that water into wine, which was to be drawn out to be carried to the master of the feast: the rest of the water in the pots remaining as before. As the water of the Nile was so peculiarly excellent, to which they had been long accustomed, they could not easily put up with what was indifferent. See the note on chap. vii. ver. 18.

There he made for them] Though it is probable that the Israelites are here intended, yet the word ↳ lo, should not be translated them, but to him; for these statutes were given to Moses, that he might deliver them to the people.

There he proved them] nissahu, he proved HIM. By this murmuring of the people, he proved Moses, to see, speaking after the manner of men, whether he would be faithful, and in the midst of the trials to which he was likely to be exposed, whether he would continue to trust in the Lord, and seek all his help from him.

Verse 26. If thou wilt diligently hearken] What is contained in this verse, appears to be what is intended by the statute and ordinance mentioned in the preceding-Iƒ thou wilt diligently hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, &c. This statute and ordinance implied the three following particulars: 1. That they should acknowledge Jehovah for their God, and thus avoid all idolatry. 2. That they should receive his word and testimony as a divine revelation, binding on their hearts and lives, and thus be saved from profligacy of every kind, and from acknowledging the maxims, or adopting the customs, of the neighbouring nations. 3. That they should continue to do so, and adorn their profession with a holy life. These things being attended to, then the promise of God was, that they should have none of the diseases of the Egyptians put on them; that they should be kept in a state of health of body and peace of mind; and if, at any time, they should be afflicted, on application to God, the evil should be removed, because he was their healer or physician-I am the Lord that healeth thee. That the Israelites had in general a very good state of health their history warrants us to believe; and when they were afflicted, as in the case of the fiery serpents, on application to God they were all healed. The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel states, that the statutes which Moses received at this time were commandments concerning the observation of the sabbath, duty to parents, the ordinances concerning wounds and bruises, and the penalties which sinners should incur by transgressing them. But it appears, that the general ordinances already mentioned, are those which are intended here; and this