_A.M. 2513. B.C. 1491._ This chapter, (1,) Continues and concludes God's discourse with Moses, concerning bringing Israel out of Egypt. 1, Moses objects the people's unbelief, Exodus 4:1, and God answers that objection by giving him a power to work miracles. First, To turn his rod into a serpent, a... [ Continue Reading ]
_They will not believe me_ He means, they would not take his bare word, unless he showed them some sign. He remembered how they had once rejected him, and feared it would be so again.... [ Continue Reading ]
_He said, A rod_ Probably this was his shepherd's staff, for he was feeding his father-in-law's flocks when God appeared to him.... [ Continue Reading ]
_It became a serpent_ Was really changed into a serpent. There was a significancy in this sign: it intimated what and how pernicious his rod would be to the Egyptians. _It became a rod in his hand_ When stretched forth by the hand of Moses or Aaron, it became a token to Israel of guidance, encourage... [ Continue Reading ]
_That they may believe_ The sentence is imperfect, but the meaning is, _This thou shalt do before them that they may believe. His hand was leprous as snow_ For whiteness. This signified, that Moses, by the power of God, should bring sore diseases upon Egypt, that at his prayer they should be removed... [ Continue Reading ]
_It was turned again as his other flesh_ The inflicting of this disease, and curing it again in an instant, was so much the greater miracle, as the leprosy is a disease generally reckoned incurable by human art, especially the _white leprosy_, so called, because it overspreads the skin with white sp... [ Continue Reading ]
_The voice of the first sign_ The expression here is peculiarly proper and forcible; for God's _works_ have a voice as well as his _word_, to which we ought diligently to attend. And these miracles spoke aloud in the ear of reason, and said, _Believe in him whom God hath sent._ Bishop Warburton obse... [ Continue Reading ]
_O my Lord, I am not eloquent_ He was a great philosopher, statesman, and divine, and yet no orator; a man of a clear head, great thought, and solid judgment, but had not a _voluble tongue_, nor ready utterance; and therefore he thought himself unfit to speak before great men and about great affairs... [ Continue Reading ]
_Send by whom thou wilt send_ By any but me. _The anger of the Lord was kindled_ Even self-diffidence, when it grows into an extreme, when it either hinders us _from_ duty, or clogs us _in_ duty, is very _displeasing_ to him. _I know that he can speak well_ Moses excelled in wisdom and conduct, Aaro... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will be with thy mouth and with his mouth_ Even Aaron that could _speak well_, yet could not speak to purpose, unless God were _with his mouth;_ without the constant aids of divine grace, the best gifts will fail. _Instead of God_ To teach and to command him.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Take this rod_ The staff or crook he carried as a shepherd, that he might not be ashamed of the mean condition out of which God called him. “This rod must be his staff of authority, and must be to him instead of both _sword_ and _sceptre._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Moses returned to Jethro_ Justice and decency required Moses to acquaint his father-in-law with his intention of going into Egypt; but he thought fit to conceal from him the errand upon which God sent him, lest he should endeavour to hinder or discourage him from so difficult and dangerous an enter... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord said unto Moses_ This seems to have been a second vision, whereby God calls him to the present execution of the command given before. _The rod of God_ His shepherd's crook, so called, as it was God's instrument in so many glorious works.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Which I have put in thy hand_ In thy power: _I will harden his heart_ After he has frequently hardened it himself, wilfully shutting his eyes against the light, I will at last permit Satan to harden it effectually. _ Thus saith the Lord_ This is the first time that preface is used by any man, whic... [ Continue Reading ]
_By the way in the inn_ Here our translation uses the modern word _inn:_ but the original signifies only the place where they rested that night, which was probably in some cave, or under some shade of trees. _The Lord met him_ The Septuagint says, _The angel of the Lord_, with which agree the Chalde... [ Continue Reading ]
_Zipporah took a sharp stone_ Or a knife made of flint, a species of knives commonly used, as ancient writers assure us, in those days; and _cut off the foreskin of her son_ She perceived, it seems, the danger of her husband, and the cause of it, and he being disabled from performing the office, whe... [ Continue Reading ]
_He met him in the mount of God_ Almost as soon as he had set out. For while Moses had met with many delays, through his family, Aaron had made great haste. And, no doubt, his coming was a great encouragement to Moses. _Moses told Aaron all_ Those that are fellow- servants to God, in the same work,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Aaron did the signs_ By the direction of Moses. Hereby full proof was given to the people of the divine mission of Moses, and their concurrence was gained before he applied to Pharaoh in their behalf.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The people believed_ That Moses was God's messenger, sent for their deliverance, and _bowed their heads, and worshipped Jehovah_ as the true God, and the God of their fathers, acknowledging his goodness, and testifying their gratitude for his thus graciously visiting them.... [ Continue Reading ]