_MOSES AND AARON GO IN TO PHARAOH. PHARAOH CONTEMNS THEM; AND INCREASES THE BURDENS OF THE ISRAELITES. THE OFFICERS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL COMPLAIN TO PHARAOH; BUT IN VAIN: AND THEN EXPOSTULATE WITH MOSES AND AARON._ _Before Christ 1491._... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AFTERWARD MOSES, &C.— The elders of Israel, being convinced of the Divine commission wherewith Moses was invested, ch. Exodus 3:18 accompany him and Aaron to Pharaoh. Pharaoh's answer, in the second verse, shews that the Hebrew name _Jehovah_ should have been retained in our version. _Thus saith... [ Continue Reading ]
PHARAOH SAID, WHO IS THE LORD?— _Who is Jehovah?_ His thoughts were full of the superstitious belief of local or tutelar deities; an opinion which prevailed generally among the Heathens. He does not, therefore, speak as an atheist, who believed not in any God; but as a blind devotee to false gods. H... [ Continue Reading ]
LET US GO—THREE DAYS—INTO THE DESERT— They do not open their whole purpose at once. It was not necessary, and it would not have been prudent. They urge the strong motive of religious fear, to work upon Pharaoh; Exodus 5:3 _lest he fall upon us with the pestilence, or with the sword._ Nor was this a... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE DO YE, MOSES AND AARON— Though the elders of Israel were with them, Pharaoh addresses and considers Moses and Aaron as the principals: and so far from attending to, or granting their petition, he treats them as ringleaders of a seditious multitude; and, with haughty insolence, remands them... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR OFFICERS— See verses 14, 15, 19.... [ Continue Reading ]
STRAW TO MAKE BRICK— The straw was mixed with clay and mud: "The composition of bricks in Egypt," Dr. Shaw tells us, "was only a mixture of clay, mud, and _straw,_ slightly blended and kneaded together, and afterwards baked in the sun. _Paleis cohaerent lateres,_ (_the sides of the bricks cohere to... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TASKMASTERS HASTED THEM, &C.— Bad men will usually find bad instruments to serve them. The taskmasters severely urge the people: and though, without straw, it was impossible to fulfil their tale of bricks, they are beaten. What a blessing is liberty ! How highly should we value it?... [ Continue Reading ]
THE OFFICERS—CAME AND CRIED UNTO PHARAOH— Theirs was an evil case, no doubt. The remonstrance they made was as just and humble, as the answer they receive is tyrannical and severe. For, 1. They are his servants, willing to labour, and are beaten, when the fault is in Pharaoh's people. It is ever the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD LOOK UPON YOU, AND JUDGE— See Genesis 16:5 and, for the latter clause of the verse, Genesis 34:30. _HAVE MADE OUR SAVOUR TO BE ABHORRED_— Or, _have made us odious._ The last clause of the verse, _to put a sword in their hands to slay us,_ is proverbial; importing, "to give them a handle to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MOSES RETURNED UNTO THE LORD— This either implies, that there was some particular place, where the Lord condescended to meet with, and reveal himself to Moses; or else we must understand the words in the sense which the LXX give them; _he turned to the Lord,_ επεστρεψε προς κυριον; he addressed... [ Continue Reading ]