Place in Egypt called by Ezekiel XXX 15. the strength of Egypt and by Suidas long after him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Key of Egypt because it was the Inlet from Syria into this Country Which was the reason as Diadorus saith Lib. XV. that they most of all fortified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as his words are And this agrees with the signification of Pithom if D. Chytraeus guess aright which is as much as Pi and tehom i. e. the Mouth of the Deep being seated near the Sea at the Mouth of one of the Streams of Nile And thus I find it expounded in the Talmud Tit. Sota in the Gemara Cap. I. Sect. 32. And Rameses It is an ignorant Conceit of Benjamin Tudelensis that this City is that called Ein-Alschemes i. e. the Fountain of the Sun in Greek Heliopolis See his Itiner p. 120. and L' Empereur's Annot. p. 223. for this City was in the upper Egypt whereas Rameses was in the lower in the Land of Goshen and gave name to the whole Country where the Israelites dwelt XLVII Gen. 11. And it is most likely it was a Frontier Town which lay in the entrance of Egypt from Arabia or some of the neighbouring Countries They that take the Name of the King who now reigned to have been Ramesses think this City had its Name from him and the other called Pithom as Mercator thinks from the Name of his Queen Ver. 12. But the more they afflicted them the more they multiplied and grew Here is a new word different from all the former Ver. 7. to express their extraordinary Increase for so jiphrots signifies breaking out as Water doth which bursts out with a greater force when it hath been pent up This as St. Austin observes L. XVIII de Civ Dei c. 6. is to be ascribed to the Divine Blessing for naturally tiresome Labours would have dispirited them and made them less fruitful And they were grieved because of the Children of Israel It vext them to see this Device prove so unsuccesful that it promoted what they thought to hinder Ver. 13. And the Egyptians rather therefore The Egyptians resolved to take a more severe Course with them Made the Children of Israel to serve with rigour Used them more tyrannically and cruelly without any Mercy whereby their strength in all likelyhood would be broken as the Hebrew word signifies Some of the Jews think they beat and scourged them sorely Ver. 14. And they made their Life bitter The Hebrews call all things bitter which extreamly grieve and afflict the Soul XXVII Gen. 34. III Lament 15. Whence Naomi bids her Daughters call her no more by that pleasant Name but call her Mara i. e. bitter because of the very great Afflictions she had endured in a strange Country With hard Bondage Such Drudgery as if they had been meer Bondslaves In Mortar and in Brick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by making Clay into Bricks as Philo well interprets it L. I. de Vita Mosis or in working the Clay and then turning it into Bricks And so Bochart expounds it by the figure of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lateribus ex luto conficiendis There was great store of Clay in that place Pelusium one of the Cities which they built having its name from thence both in the Greek and in the Hebrew Languages For Sin signifies the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clay or Dirt. And in all manner of Service in the Field c. Not meerly in Ploughing c. but in digging Trenches to convey the Water of Nile into their Ground as Philo expounds it and in cleansing those Trenches that had been formerly made and in carrying Dung as others add into the Field and such like nasty Services And all these Moses adds were rigorously exacted of them i. e. they did all they could to break their hearts as we speak Ver. 15. And the King spake to the Hebrew Midwives The former Device failing him or contributing little to his end he betakes himself to one that if it were pursued could not but prove effectual Some will have these Midwives to have been Egyptians but called Hebrew because the Women of that Nation made use of their Assistance when they were in Labour But it is not likely that Hebrews had not Midwives of their Nation or that Pharaoh would impose his Midwives upon them and let them have none else for that would have too plainly discovered his drift whereas he intended to hide it and to act cunningly against them Ver. 10. The name of the one was Siphrah c. We cannot well think there were only two Midwives to serve the whole Nation but these were the chief who had the rest under their government and gave orders and directions to them So Aben Ezra whom Abarbinel contradicts but with slight reasons to advance a subtil rather than solid Conceit of his own that every Woman in Egypt had two Midwives and those were the common Names of them signifying what each of them were to do for the Women in Travel There are those among the Jews who have fancied Jochebed the Mother of Moses to be one of those here named and some of them who are pleased with seeming ignorant of Nothing say she is the person here called Siphrah her Daughter Miriam being the other called Puah So the Hierusalem Targum Ver. 16. When ye do the Office of a Midwife c. Are called to their Assistance in their Labour And see them upon the Stools The Hebrew word obanajim which we translate Stools is so obscure that the LXX content themselves to translate this Passage thus When you see them delivered which fully expresses the sense and must be supposed to be the meaning if we take Stools for such Seats as were purposely contrived for labouring Women to sit on that the Midwives might the better do their Office For they could not tell whether they brought forth Male or Female till they were delivered unless the Hebrew Doctors say true who constantly affirm That Boys come into the World with their Faces downward and Girls with their Faces upward whereby they might know what Sex a Child was of before it was quite born See Tit. Sota in the Gemara Cap. 1. Sect. 33. If it be a Son then ye shall kill him The Egyptians feared the Men of Israel only without whom they could have no Children at all but such as would be half Egyptians and in time be wholly ingrafted into that Nation But if it be a Daughter then she shall live For as Clemens Alexandr well observes L. I. Stromat p. 343. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Women are feeble and unfit for War therefore they had no fear of them but reserved them to increase the Egyptian breed Ver. 17. But the Midwives feared God c. They that take them for Egyptians say these Midwives were Proselytes to the Jewish Religion But such Faith in God as made them not fear a great King is hardly to be expected from
it As in 1 Sam. XVII 34. we meet with this very Expression concerning Goliath a man of war from his youth i. e. a great Warriour And in the foregoing Chapter David is called both isch Milchamah a Man of War and isch Toar a Man of Form or Beauty i. e. a beautiful or comely Person as we translate it 1 Sam. XVI 18. And in this very Book isch de varim a Man of Words is an Eloquent Man The LORD is his Name He seems to allude unto that which God said to Moses when he first appeared to him III. 14 15 16. VI. 3 4 6. Ver. 4. Pharaoh's Chariots The Hebrew word Mercavah comprehends the Horses by which they were drawn which were commonly four to each Chariot as Maimonides probably gathers from 1 Kings X. 29. Where a Horse is said to come up out of Egypt at an hundred and fifty shekels and a Chariot at six hundred because it comprehended four Horses More Nevoch P. I. c. 70. Chosen Captains The Hebrew word Schalish imports something extraordinary either in their Stature or in their Command which they had perhaps over three Squadrons as we now speak But Hen. Valesius a very Learned Man thinks the LXX rightly translated the word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he translates three fighting out of a Chariot For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are both words belonging to Military Discipline which they call Tacticks and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he takes to be of the same kind and rightly rendred by Rusinus ternos statores in Euseb Histor Eccles L. IX c. 9. p. 358. Ver. 5. Sank to the bottom as a stone The Waters which stood up like a Wall falling down with great violence upon them they sank under their weight to the bottom of the Sea from whence after some time they rose up again and were thrown upon the shore XIV 30. though not all of them but some seem to have been buried in the bottom of the Sea See v. 12. Ver. 6. Right hand Is frequently used for the height of Power exerted in the Preservation of good Men or the Destruction of the bad XX Psalm 6. XXI 8. Ver. 7. In the greatness of thy excellency c. All words being too low to declare the greatness of God's Power which appeared in the overthrow of the Egyptians he indeavours to rise higher and higher in his Expressions to show how much he admired it Thou sentest forth thy wrath He seems to allude unto God's looking upon them through the Pillar of Fire and of the Cloud XIV 24. and to the Thunder and Lightning which are supposed to have come from thence Ver. 8. And with the blast of thy nostrils This may relate to the strong Wind which drove the Sea back XIV 21. The waters were gathered together This word Aram or Haram signifies to heap up together From whence the Arabians call those great Banks which are raised to keep in Waters from over-flowing a Country by the name of Arem or Harem as Bochartus hath observed in his Phaleg L. II. c. 26. And so the word may be here translated the waters were heaped up as banks on each side of the Israelites Ver. 9. I will divide the spoil It belonged to Kings and chief Commanders to divide the Spoil as Moses David and Joshua did among the Soldiers My hand shall destroy them Or repossess them as it is in the Margin bring them back to their Slavery in Egypt Ver. 10. They sank like lead It signifies the suddenness of their destruction for a Talent of Lead sinks in a moment Ver. 11. Who is like unto thee among the Gods Or the mighty ones as it is in the Margin For Elim is the Plural of El which comes from Ejalah saith the Author of Sepher Cosri which denotes fortitude or strength For from him proceeds all Power and Might but is himself more Sublime and Eminent than to be likened to any other Power according to these words which he quotes for the proof of it Pars IV. Sect. 3. Fearful in Praises I see no solidity in the Gloss of R. Elieser that Moses speaks in the Plural Number because the Angels praised God above when the Israelites praised him below Pirke Elies c. 42. The plain meaning is that he ought to be praised with the greatest Reverence for to him alone as Conradus Pellicanus glosses belongs all Honour and Glory who can never enough be praised Ver. 12. The Earth swallowed them They who were drowned in the Sea are here said to be swallowed up in the Earth just as Jonah saith when he was in the Sea that he went down to the bottom of the Mountains and the Earth with her bars was about him for ever II. 6. because the Sea which swallowed both him and the Egyptians is in the Depths of the Earth R. Elieser thinks that they being thrown upon the Sea-shore XIV 30. the Earth opened her Mouth and swallowed them up Which is possible but there is no necessity of so understanding it Rather after the Israelites had spoiled them the Sea which had cast them on shore afterwards as is usual carried them off again and buried them in the Sand or Mud. Ver. 13. Thy holy habitation The Country where God himself intended to have a dwelling place v. 17. Ver. 14. The Inhabitants of Palestina The Philistins seem to have been the most valiant People in that Country to which the Israelites were to go and therefore here mentioned Ver. 15. The Dukes of Edom. Concerning the word Alluphe see XXXVI Gen. 18. By this it appears that Idumaea was at this time under the Government of Dukes though before Moses his Death they had Kings XX Numb 14. For they often changed their Government as I observed upon XXXVI Gen. where Moses gives an account both of their Dukes and of their Kings Ver. 16. Shall be as still as a stone The LXX translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turned into stones i. e. so struck with the terrour of the LORD that they remained unmoveable as stones having no heart to oppose the passage of the Israelites into Canaan Ver. 17. The Mountain of thine Inheritance Moses seems to have foreseen by the Spirit of Prophecy that God would place his Habitation upon Mount Sion Which he understood perhaps from the Sacrifice of Isaac upon Mount Moriah XXII Gen. Ver. 18. The LORD shall reign for ever and ever It may signifie that when they came thither they would always acknowledge him for their Sovereign who had done such mighty things for them Ver. 19. The Horse of Pharaoh went in with his Chariots c. In this which the Greeks call the Epiphonema of the Song Moses briefly comprehends the whole matter of it and makes it end as it began Ver. 20. And Miriam Or as the LXX the Syriac and others read it Mariam which some think comes from Marah which signifies bitterness as the Arabick word Marara doth and
it appears by the Book of Joshua and those that follow that many of the old Inhabitaints remained long after his death From the Red-sea to the sea of the Philistines These were the Bounds from East to West For though the Red-sea was towards the South yet the farthermost part of it lay East And the Sea of the Philistines is that now called the Mediterranean which was full West And from the Desert Of Arabia called Shur XV. 22. Vnto the River i. e. To Euphrates Which made the Southern and Northern Bounds of the Country God promised to them For I will deliver the inhabitants of the Land into thy hand This seems to relate to that Land which the VII Nations inhabited for as far as Euphrates they never drove out all the Inhabitants but only made them Tributaries And thou shalt drive them out before thee In such manner as is mentioned in the foregoing Verses Ver. 32. Thou shalt make no covenant with them i. e. With the People of the VII Nations But with other Gentiles they might make Covenants only not suffer them to live in their Land unless they renounced all Idolatry Nay Maimonides is of opinion that such of the VII Nations as renounced Idolatry were to be received into their Friendship For that Law in the XX Deut. which requires them to send a Summons to every City before they besieged it with an offer of Peace he extends even unto them and grounds his opinion upon XI Josh 19 20. As for that Objection which seems to lye against this about the Gibeonites who needed not by craft to have obtained a League with the Israelites if this were true Doctrine His Answer is That Joshua had sent a Summons with offers of Peace to them and all the rest which they rejected but would afterward have gladly accepted and then it was not to be admitted and therefore they contrived that cunning way to be received into Friendship with the Israelites See P. Cunaeus L. II. de Republ. Hebr. c. 20. And Selden L. VI. de Jure N. G. c. 13. where he quotes a Passage out of the Hierusalem Gemara which says That Joshua sent three Letters to the Gibeonites But he shows withal that other Jews contradict this and expresly declare the VII Nations were not to be invited to peace What the terms were on which others were invited See there cap. 14. All this considered I am inclined to think Maimonides his opinion too true which that place in Joshua very much favours and so doth the story of Rahab and the practice of Solomon who only put the Remainders of these Nations under Tribute 1 Kings IX 20 21. Nor with their gods This prohibits them to suffer any of the VII Nations to Exercise Idolatry among them as R. Levi of Barcelona interprets it Or rather he forbids them to make any Vows to their Gods or oblige themselves to perform any Act of Worship to them Ver. 32. They shall not dwell in thy land If a Gentile did renounce his Idolatry he might dwell among them and was called a Stranger Toshab dwelling or inhabiting But if he did not forsake it they might not sell him a Foot of Land nor let him Hire a House among them only he might come and sell Commodities to them as the same R. Levi expounds it But Maimonides says they might not so much as suffer them to pass through their Country when they had power to hinder it which others think too rigid an Opinion as Mr. Selden shows L. II. de Jure N. G. c. 3. p. 155 c. Lest they make thee sin against me All Society with Idolaters was forbidden lest they should infect the Israelites with their Infidelity as the same R. Levi speaks of which there was the greater danger because they were too prone to follow the Gentile Customs For if thou serve their gods This Caution being repeated three times in this Chapter ought to have been the more diligently observed by the Jews and made them more fearful of entring into Familiarity with Idolaters Who were of various sorts for not only every Nation had its proper and peculiar Gods but every City Town House n ay every Man made themselves Gods according to their fancy It will surely be a snare unto thee Bring great Calamities upon thee and at last be thy ruin as it is explained XXIII Josh 13. II Judg. 3. For instead of driving out the VII Nations they brought Israel under their yoke and grievously oppressed them as we read in the Story of the Judges particularly in the IVth Chapter CHAP. XXIV Verse 1. AND he said unto Moses When God had delivered the fore-going Laws unto Moses in the Mount where he was with him XX. 21. after he had spoken the X. Commandments he bad him go down as we read hear he did v. 3. and set them before the People XXI 1. And when he had engaged them in a Covenant to observe these Laws v. 7. of this Chapter then to come up to him again and bring Aaron and the rest that are here mentioned with him Come up To receive further Orders from the Divine Majesty together with the two Tables of Stone Vnto the LORD To the Mount where the Glory of the LORD appeared and from whence he had spoken the Ten words Thou and Aaron Nadab and Abihu c. But not all to the same nearness unto the Divine Majesty as appears by the following Verse And seventy of the Elders of Israel This seems to intimate that there were more than LXX called Elders But these were the Chief being perhaps the Heads of those Families which came into Egypt which were just Seventy See XVIII 12. For he doth not direct Moses how to chuse them as Corn. Bertram observes L. de Repub. Jud. c. 5. but speaks as if they were well known and distinguished from other Persons by the rank they held among them And therefore called v. 11. the Nobles or as the Latines speak Magnates seu Optimates the great Men of the best quality in Israel The reason of their being thus called up to God was to be Witnesses of Moses's ascending up to the place where the Divine Majesty appeared and that they also might have some sight of it v. 10. And worship ye afar off All of them before they came to the Mount were at a good distance from it to fall down prostrate before God that they might be possessed with such an holy Reverence to him as not to presume to approach nearer than they were ordered Ver. 2. And Moses alone shall come near the LORD Unto the very top of the Mount where the Glory of the LORD abode v. 16 17 18. unto which none was admitted but himself Who now came nearer than he had done before XX. 21. for he went into the midst of the Cloud v. 18. But they shall not come nigh Unto that part of the Mount whether he went but keep in a lower station Neither shall the
several sorts of Purple he shows this had in it the brightest and most storid redness the manner of dying which he also there demonstrates See also Bochartus concerning these two words Thecelet and Argaman in his Hierozoic P. II. L. V. c. 10 11. Tholaat-shani we also rightly translate Scarlet as the same Brannius shows c. 15. of the fore-named Book And very probably makes the word Scarlet signifie as much as the Colour of Tyre For Sar or Sarra is Tyre and lacea is a red colour Abarbinel most absurdly makes this to be the native colour of Silk without any dye See Bochart Hierozoic P. II. L. IV. c. 27. p. 624. And fine linen The Hebrew word Schesch signifies that pure fine linen called Byssus So the Chaldee calls it butz Which was peculiar to Egypt as some fancy where their Priests were clothed with it and thence called linigeri But Philostrutus saith there was a Byssus among the Indians with which the better sort of People were clothed And Pausanias saith it grew in Elis and in no other part of Greece See Salmasius Plin. Exercit. p. 998. and what I have noted on XLI Gen. 42. And Goats-hair In the Hebrew there is only the word izim which signifies Goats but all Interpreters by a common Ellipsis understand it of their Hair And Jarchi saith it signifies the flower of Goats-hair or as we speak the down the very softest part of it And no other Wool as they call it was accepted for the use of the Sanctuary if we may credit Abarbinel but only this For the Wool of Lambs and Sheep was vile in comparison with this which was precious in the Eastern Countries where excellent Cloth was made of it not inferiour to Silk in softness and brightness as the same Braunius observes L. I. de Vestitu Sacr. Hebr. c. 9. Ver. 5. And Rams-skins died red Or red Ram-skins for such there were in the Eastern Countries which were naturally of that colour And Badgers-skins The Hebrew word Thecasim which we translate Badgers following those who think Thacas to be the same with the Latin word Taxus the ancient Interpreters take for a colour And Bochartus hath at large endeavoured to prove that it signifies a kind of Violet or Purple Colour So that God commands them to offer red and violet Rams-skins See Hierozoic P. I. L. III. c. 30. And Shittim-wood Kimchi saith this was the best kind of Cedar But Aben-Ezra takes it for the Wood of a Tree which grew in the Wilderness not far from Mount Sinai in that place where the Israelites sometimes incamped XXV Numb 1. called Shittim from this Wood unless the Wood were so called from the place where it grew And thus St. Hierom seems to have understood it For he saith upon III Joel that they were great Trees which were not to be found in the Roman Countries or in cultivated Places but in the Desert of Arabia only Out of which very broad Boards might be cut exceeding strong and of incredible smoothness and beauty And upon XLI Isa he calls it Lignum imputribile an incorruptible Wood as the LXX also here translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very smooth excelling all Wood in firmness and brightness c. See Menochius L. V. de Repub. Hebr. c. 2. Ver. 6. Oyl for the light For the Lamp that was to burn continually in the Sanctuary Spices for anointing Oyl and for sweet Incense See XXX 23 c. and v. 34 35 c. Ver. 7. Onyx-stones Or Sardonyxes See 11 Gen. 12. And stones to be set in the Ephod and in the Brest-plate There were two Onyx-stones to be set in the Ephod XXVIII 9 10 c. and the other Stones whose names are there mentioned v. 17 18 c. were to be set in the Brest-plate These five Verses contain all the Materials which were to be used about the Sanctuary and the Garments of the Priests who were to attend there The only question is How they got such things in the Wilderness Some think they brought them with them out of Egypt as it is evident they did Gold Silver and Jewels And Abarbinel thinks they also trafficked with the neighbouring People while they remained here of whom they bought Oyl and Spices and Shittim-wood c. which is probable enough every thing being to be had for Money of which they brought good store from Egypt Ver. 8. And let them make me a Sanctuary Now follow Directions for the making an House for God and every thing belonging to it For so this place is sometimes called God's House or Habitation because there as Abarbinel observes the SCHECHINAH or Divine Majesty had its residence And it is called a Sanctuary or Holy Place because no uncircumcised or unclean Person might enter into it For under the Name of Sanctuary is comprehended as the Jews rightly understand it all the Courts belonging to it as well as the very House it self with all the Utensils or Sacred Vessels which are afterward prescribed for the Service of it That I may dwell among them God resolving to manifest himself as in a peculiar manner constantly present among them was pleased to order a Tent or Tabernacle to be built for him wherein while they sojourned in Tents in the Wilderness he dwelt among them in a visible manner by the SCHECHINAH or Habitation of the Divinity which was sixed here and was a special Type of God's future dwelling in Humane Nature In short this Sanctuary was his Palace saith Moses Nachmanides wherein he dwelt as their King And accordingly Schem Tob upon Maimon's More Nevoch P. III. c. 40. pertinently observes that God ordered all manner of things belonging to a Palace to be in this House particularly Ministers that constantly attended on him a Table with daily Provision all manner of Utensils such as Pots Spoons Forks c. a Closet proper to himself alone that the most Vulgar Understanding might conceive their King the LORD of Hosts continually resided there And indeed the Hebrew word Mikdash which we render Sanctuary sometimes signifies a Palace XXVIII Ezek. 18. and so Kimchi interprets it upon VIII Isa 14. Among them In the Hebrew in the midst of them For the Tabernacle when it was erected was placed in the midst of their Camps II Numb 17. Which was the reason that all unclean Persons were to be removed out of their Camp lest God who dwelt in it should be offended by the pollution V Numb 3. And this is the reason why God is said to walk among them XXVI Lev. 12. XXII Deut. 14. because he dwelt in that Tent which moved up and down as they did while they dwelt in the Wilderness Ver. 9. According to all that I shew thee the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all the Instruments thereof so shalt thou make it This signifies that God showed him a Model as we now speak of the House he was to make and of all the things belonging to it And accordingly he
over Egypt Some by a New King understand a King of another Family or Race as Josephus interprets it nay a Stranger of another Nation just as New Gods are strange Gods in Scripture Language Thus Sir John Marsham and then it is no wonder that he knew not Joseph as it here follows But this is not certain and the Conceit whereby Eben Ezra justifies it which is that the word rose up implies as much is justly censured by Abarbinel as frivolous it being the common word which is used every where when a new King succeeds his Predecessor It is most likely therefore that Moses means no more but that the King in whose time Joseph died being dead likewise whom many take to have been Mephramuthosis and another after him whom they call Thutmosis the next Successor in the Throne Amenophis either had heard nothing of Joseph or did not mind what was said of him Our great Primate of Ireland gives a different account of the Succession of the Egyptian Kings and takes this King to have been Ramasses Miamum but still supposes him to have been of the old Line and not a Stranger Who knew not Joseph There is no doubt that Joseph died as he lived in high Esteem and great Reputation in that Country and that his Memory continued precious as long as any of that Generation lasted For Diodorus Siculus saith L. I. that the Egyptians above all other People 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were disposed to be grateful to all those who had any way merited of them looking upon the requital of the kindness of Benefactors to be one of the greatest Supports of Humane Life And something to the same purpose is noted by Clemens Alexandrinus L. 1. Strom. p. 303. where having said that Barbarous Nations highly honoured 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Lawgivers and Instructers whom they called Gods he presently adds that the Egyptians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were very careful to Deifie such Persons But if this was their inclination in times so ancient as these of Moses we must not think them all to have been so disposed or that Time did not obliterate the Memory of Benefits For this Prince whom Artapanus in Eusebius L. IX Praep. Evang. c. 27. calls Palamanothes so uncertain is his Name not having seen Joseph himself nor having any knowledge perhaps of the Benefits his Country had received by his means did not treat his Kindred so kindly as they had been used in former times But this Phrase he knew not is commonly interpreted he regarded not the Services which Joseph had done of which he is supposed not to have been ignorant For words of Knowledge in Scripture include the Affections also As God is said to know those whom he loves and not to know those whom he doth not love I Psal 6. VII Matth. 23. Whence the Jews have raised this Observation That he who forgets the Benefits he hath received from other Men at last forgets those he hath received from God For he of whom it is said here That he knew not Joseph said not long after I know not the Lord Ver. 2. But this is grounded upon a mistake for it was another Pharaoh long after this King who spake those words Ver. 9. And he said unto his People He called a Council of the great Men of the Nation to whom he represented how necessary it was to lessen the Number and weaken the Power of the Israelites Behold the People of the Children of Israel are mo and mightier than we This was not true unless he meant that no part of Egypt of that bigness had so many People and so strong as the Israelites in Goshen but he said it to awaken his People to consider how to Suppress them And perhaps he was afraid of their Power or out of Popularity would in the beginning of his Reign give a proof of his Care of his People by Suppressing Forreigners Ver. 10. Come on The Hebrew word habah is sometime used in Petitions LX Psal ult but most commonly in Exhortations when Men excite and stir up one another not to be slack in any business See XI Gen. 3. Let us deal wisely with them He would not go about to destroy them by Force being loth to lose so many Subjects but was desirous to diminish them by subtil Devices Lest they multiply Grow still more numerous and mighty Lest when there falls out any War With the Arabians Ethiopians or other neighbouring Nations For I see no reason to believe that he means the ancient Egyptians with whom the Israelites had lived in great Friendship but now were expell'd by the Shepherd Kings and the People of Thebais who at length made War with those Kings who reigned in the lower Egypt This is Sir J. Marsham's Conjecture in his Canon Chron. Sec. VIII which I thought good to mention though I do not follow it They joyn also to our Enemies and sight against us As it was natural for Men to do who were under grievous Oppressions and hoped thereby for Relief And so get them out of the Land They had heard the Israelites discourse it is likely that they never meant always to stay there their Fathers coming only to Sojourn in Egypt and the nearer the time approached when God promised to bring them from thence the more we may well think they spake of it Which raised this Jealousie that in case of any War they would joyn with their Enemies that by their Assistance they might be delivered Ver. 11. Therefore they did set over them Taskmasters c. This was the Result of the Council that they should be brought low by laying heavy Taxes upon them to squeeze them of their Money and by making them labour very hard whereby they thought to weaken their Bodies For the Hebrew word Missim coming from Mas which signifies Tribute it may be reasonably thought that these Taskmasters as we call them exacted great Sums of Money of them as well as afflicted them with their burdens i. e. hard Labours of all sorts as the Eastern Writers expound it And they built for Pharaoh They did not labour for themselves but for the King who it is likely gave them no Wages but used them as meer Slaves Treasure Cities Fortified Cities wherein he had his Magazeens as we now speak of all sort of Ammunition and Stores of Corn and publick Provisions as well as Treasures of Money For so we translate this word Miskenoth 2 Chron. 16.4 XVII 12. Storehouses and XXXVI 28. Storehouses for Corn and Wine and Oyl There was great Labour no doubt imployed in building such Cities surrounded with Walls and Towers and deep Ditches c. Pithom This is thought by Bochart to be the City which Herodotus calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 2. c. 158. but Herodotus there saith it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a City of Arabia And therefore Sir J. Marsham's Conjecture seems more reasonable who takes it for Pelusium which was the most ancient fortified
thirty years old when he was born But it may as well be thought that she was born to Levi in his old Age by another Wife and so she was younger than her Nephew Amram and but his half Sister Which makes their Marriage no more strange than Abraham's Marriage with Sarah Besides it is not certain she was his Father's Sister in the strict sense of that word but might be only one of his Cosins who in Scripture are frequently called Sisters And then when it is said she was a Daughter of Levi the meaning must be his Grandaughter or the Child perhaps of one of his Grandaughters who in these Writings are commonly called Daughters And so all the Objections against this Marriage vanish and the first words of this Verse expound the last A Man of the House of Levi took to Wife a Daughter of Levi that is one of the same House or Family But see VI. 20. Verse 2. And the Woman conceived and bare a Son She had one before this viz. Aaron who it is probable was born before this Persecution began being three years elder than Moses VII 7. And when she saw him that he was a goodly Child His goodly Aspect which seems to have been an early indication of his future Greatness is taken notice of by Strangers particularly by Justin out of Trogus an ancient Heathen Historian L. XXXVI c. 2. where he saith That beside the Inheritance of his Father's knowledge whom he takes to have been Joseph etiam formae pulchritudo commendabat the gracefulness of his Person recommended him to others Insomuch that the whole Fable of Adonis among the Heathen was framed as Huetius conjectures out of this Story of Moses For Apollododorus relates L. III. how Venus admiring the great Beauty of the Infant took him away privily without the knowledge of the Gods and hiding him in an Ark delivered him to Proserpina c. See Demonstr Evang. Propos IV. Cap. III. n. 3. She hid him three Months R. Simeon in Pirke Elieser Cap. XLVIII saith she hid him in a Vault under ground But in Sota they say in the Gemara Cap. I. Sect. 38. he being hid in a secret inner Room of their House was in danger to be detected by his crying when some of the Egyptians came into the outer Room and brought a crying Child with them on purpose supposing the Israelites Infants would answer if any were in the House But there is no certainty of this Ver. 3. And when she could no longer hide him Some discovery being made of him by some means or other by their Neighbours or the search after new born Children being now more narrow and diligent she thought he could be no longer concealed and therefore resolved to expose him in the manner following She took for him an Ark of Bulrushes Or of Wicker for Kimchi observes the Hebrew word Gome signifies the lightest Wood. Patricides an Arabian Writer saith it was made of that which the Ancients call Papyrus and so the LXX and Josephus and Clemens Alexandrinus Strom. 1. p. 343. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was a frutex that grew peculiarly upon the Banks of Nile as Salmasius shows in Solin p. 1002 c. And daubed it with Slime and with Pitch Of this word Slime see XI Gen. 3. It is not improbable that this was used within and Pitch without to keep the Water from coming into the Ark. And so I find in the Gemara of that Title in the Talmud called Sota Cap. I. Sect. 29. where this is said to have been an ancient Tradition Only they say as many of the Rabbins do that Chemar signifies Plaister not Bitumen because the bad smell of that they think would have been noisom to the Child R. Solomon's opinion is that it was pitcht both within and without and plaistred within over the Pitch And she laid it in the flaggs by the Rivers brink That it might not be carried away with the Stream but she might come in the Night and suckle it Some think that the Ark notwithstanding was made below in the form of a Boat that if it should chance to be carried from among the Flaggs upon the Shore it might swim in the River For it is certain the Egyptians made Ships of the forenamed reed as we find in Pliny and Solinus who both mention Papyraceae Naves and in Theophrastus who mentions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of Papyrus as Salmasius observes in his Plin. Exercit. p. 1003 1115 1116. Herodotus also mentions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Euterpe Cap. XCVI See XVIII Isa 2. Ver. 4. And his Sister stood afar off to wit what c. By her Mothers order no doubt that she might not seem to be set there on purpose to watch him We read of no other Sister he had but Miriam XXVI Numb 59. who therefore is thought to be the Person Ver. 5. And the Daughter of Pharaoh Called Thermutis by Josephus L. II. Antiq. c. 5. but by Artapanus in Eusebius his Praepar Evang. L. IX c. 27. called Meris or Merris Which is her name as Jacobus Capellus observes in the Fasti Siculi The same Artapanus there says she was married to Cenephres King of the Country above Memphis but had no Child by him Clemens Alexandrinus says the same that she was not only a married Woman but had been long married without being with Child 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but very desirous to have one L. I. Strom. p. 343. Came down to wash her self at the River Not for Pleasure but for Purification this being an ancient Rite of Religion in all Nations to cleanse themselves by washing their Bodies after any Defilement Thus Philo seems to understand it in his Book of the Life of Moses where speaking of this matter he uses the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is proper to Sacred Cleansing And it seems far more probable than that the scorching heat of the Weather caused by an extraordinary hand of God made her betake herself to the cool Streams for her Refreshment as the Tale is told in the Hebrew Book called The Life of Moses or that the desire of Children carried her hither the Waters of Nile being thought to make Women fruitful Clemens Alexandrinus seems to have put both these together Refreshment and Religion when he saith she came hither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. I. Strom. p. 343. It is still a further fetch of Jonathan who would perswade us that at this time God had smote the Egyptians with a burning Ulcer which made their Flesh so hot that they could not endure it but run to the River to cool their Bodies And in Pirke Elieser Cap. XLVIII this Inflamation is said to have seized on Pharaoh's Daughter whom he calls Bathia Which is indeed the name of a Daughter of one Pharaoh 1 Chron. IV. 18. but to make her the Daughter of Pharaoh King of Egypt as G. Vorstius observes they do in Schemoth Rabba and Vaijra Rab. is altogether
consult for his Safety rather than basely either deny or excuse what he had done or ask pardon for it unto which no fear of the wrath of the King could have moved him Ver. 15. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing Which was soon brought to his ears as Moses suspected and aggravated extreamly by the great Men of the Court as Philo represents it L. I. de Vita Mosis He thought to slay him Not so much because he had killed the Man as because he pretended to assert the Liberty of the Israelites and to be their Deliverer Demetrius bears witness to this Story just according to what is here related in Eusebius's Praepar Evang. L. IX c. 29. And Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh Wisely foreseeing the Danger he avoided it by flight into another Country where he was out of his reach For though the time of Israel's Deliverance was not yet come he was assured that God intended to work it by his hand and therefore thought it prudent to reserve himself till he received a further Commission from God But though this flight of Moses be here so plainly affirmed yet the Jews are so sond of their own Conceits and so bold in their Invention that they say he was not only condemned to have his Head cut off but brought to the Block and when the Executioner came to do his Office his Sword would not enter Moses his Neck being by a Miracle turned into a Pilaster of Marble and from thence called his Son Eliezer c. So the Tale is told by the Author of Moses his Life What Pharaoh this was is not certain but Eusebius calls him Orus who succeeded Amenophis in whose time Moses was born and he is said to have reigned Two and forty years And dwelt in the Land of Midian Where some of Abraham's Posterity were setled XXV Gen. 2. in a part of Arabia Petraea And therefore Philo only saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he withdrew into the neighbouring Arabia Into which Country he chose to flee both because his escape was easie thither and because they were descended from the same Stock with himself and continued still good People or at least had some good Governours and Families among them as appears by what follows And he sat down by a Well To refresh himself and expecting it 's likely to meet some Company there at the time when the Flocks came to water Ver. 16. Now the Priest of Midian Or Prince as it is in the Margin For the word Cohen indifferently signifies either Priest or Prince but most anciently it signifies the latter a Prince For so it is used in the Book of Job XII 19. He leadeth Cohenim Princes away spoiled And in after times it continued to have the same signification David's Sons being called by this Name of Cohenim 2 Sam. VIII 18. which in 1 Chron. XVIII 17. is expounded were chief at the hand of the King And so Ira is called 2 Sam. XX. 26. Cohen a chief Ruler about David And so I think it is to be taken here for a Ruler or Governour See XLI Gen. 50. not of the whole Country of Midian but of some Province of it And it may be most truly rendred a Prince i. e. one of the Princes or Rulers of Midian But in ancient time Princes executed the Priesthood also as Plato observes they did among the Egyptians and the Consuls and Emperours of Rome were ambitious of the same Dignity by which means the word Cohen came to signifie both Though where the Place or Territory of which any Person was Cohen is mentioned there it always signifies him to have been Prince or Civil Governour of that place So S. Jarchi observes The word COHEN always denotes some Divine Ministry or Function except where there is an addition of some particular Principality to it as COHEN of Midian and COHEN of On referring to this place and that I now mentioned in Genesis where it signifies a Prince though the Priesthood might be joyned with it And so Artapanus in Eusebius L. IX c. 27. relating Moses his Flight into Arabia saith he came to Raguel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ruler of those parts And the Jews in their German Translation of the Bible call him Heer Lord of Midian See our most Learned Selden L. I. de Synedr c. ult p. 648. I shall only add that it is most likely that this Prince or Priest was a Worshipper of the true God and not an Idolater for Moses we may be confident would not have married his Daughter if she had been bred in a false Religion Had seven Daughters and they came and drew Water c. He was but a small Prince it appears by this though it must be acknowledged it was a noble Employment in old time as I observed upon Genesis to look after Sheep and we must not imagine these young Women drew the Water themselves but had Servants to attend them and obey their Orders Ver. 17. And the Shepherds came and drove them away Some rude and idle Shepherds would have made use of the Water which they had drawn and had the benefit of their pains without any labour of their own This looks like an Argument that their Father was not a Prince for then one would think these Shepherds should not have dared to contest with them But it is as much an Argument that he was not a Priest for they were great Men also in those days And it seems probable to me that these were the Shepherds of some other greater Prince in those Countries who made thus bold with Jethro's Daughters and their Servants For one cannot think as I said that they alone looked after his Flock but were Overseers of those that did like Rebekkah and Rachel See Gen. XXIX 9. But Moses stood up and helped them c. This was an act as Maimonides suggests of the same Heroick Spirit mentioned before Ver. 12. which still rested on him and moved him here as it had done in Egypt And thus Philo also represents him as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transported by such an Enthusiasm when he spake to the Shepherds that it after frighted them from their attempt Though it is not certain that he overcame them by Perswasions but the whole Discourse seems rather to imply that he forced them to desist which he could not do alone but at the head of those Servants that belong'd to these young Women and it is not improbable he had some Servants of his own who attended him in his Flight Certain it is that the Arabian's great Imployment was feeding of Cattle as Philo there notes L. I. de Vita Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and that not only Men but Women young Men and Virgins looked after them and not those only of the meaner sort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but they that were of Noble Families Ver. 18. And when they came to Reuel their Father He is thought to be the same with Jethro III.
1. or was Jethro's Father and so the Grandfather of these young Women which Drusius thinks most probable Misaell Centur. 2. c. 69. He said How is it you are come so soon to day It seems Moses not only valiantly defended and protected them but so vigorously assisted them also in all their Business that they dispatcht it sooner than they were wont to do Ver. 19. And they said An Egyytian So they took Moses to be by his Speech and his Habit and perhaps he told them he came out of that Country Delivered us out of the hand of the Shepherds This justifies what I said Ver. 17. that these Shepherd's belong'd to some other Prince in those parts who were wont it seems to infest those that were weaker and that Moses by his extraordinary Courage drove them away And also drew water enough for us c. They had drawn Water before ver 16. which the Shepherds took from them and he now did it with greater Expedition and in great Plenty Ver. 20. And he said unto his Daughters Where is he This is a form of chiding as Philo observes or upbraiding for their Ingratitude as appears by what follows Why is it that you have left the Man Suffered him to remain in the Field Ye ought as Philo explains it to have invited him to my House and if he had declined it to have intreated and urged him to it Call him that he may eat Bread Go back as he goes on with all speed and pray him to come and refresh himself and receive my Thanks which are due to him This shows Moses had done them some considerable Service Ver. 21. And Moses was content to dwell with the Man After some Conversation with him Raguel liked Moses so well that he offered him such terms as he accepted and became one of his Domesticks And he gave Moses Zipporah his Daughter The Divine Writers do not relate all the passages of a Story as other Authors delight to do but only the most material Therefore we are to suppose a great many things to have preceded this which was not accomplished presently after he was entertained into Reuel's House but after he had had much Experience of Moses his other Vertues as well as of his Valour Though the Observation of Philo here is not to be slighted that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men of a great Genius quickly show themselves and are not made known by length of time And therefore he thinks that Reuel being struck first with admiration of his goodly Aspect and then of his wise Discourse immediately gave him the most beautiful of all his Daughters to be his Wife not staying to enquire of any body what he was for his own most excellent Qualities sufficiently recommended him to his Affection L. I. de Vita Moses p. 611. Ver. 22. And she bare him a Son and he called his Name Gershom c. This word Gershom signifies a desolate Stranger which he made the Name of this Child because he was born not only in a Foreign Country remote from his own People but in a place where he had nothing but what he earned by his Labour For it is not to be thought that in an hasty Flight he could bring any great matter with him into Midian Either this Son was born long after his Marriage or he did not marry till he had been long in this Country For when he left it after 40 years stay in it his Children were but young as appears from IV. 20. Ver. 23. And it came to pass in process of time After many days as it is in the Hebrew i. e. years for this King reigned a long time See Ver. 15. The King of Egypt died That King from whom Moses fled viz. Orus After whom Eusebius makes Acenceres to have reigned and after him Achoris both which died before Moses returned into Egypt And the Children of Israel sighed by reason of the Bondage Their cruel Servitude did not end with the Life of Orus but the new King who succeeded him was so far from giving them any ease that he laid more heavy Burdens upon them And they cried This signifies they lay under the most grievous Oppression which grew intolerable And their cry came up unto God A Cry that comes up unto God signifies in the Holy Language the loudest and sorest Cry See XIX Gen. 13. By reason of the Bondage This may be referred both to their Cry and its coming up to God who resolved speedily to free them from such unsupportable Burdens Ver. 24. And God heard their groaning and God remembred his Covenant c. There are four different words in these two last Verses viz. heard remembred looked upon them had respect unto them which every one of them signifie God's kind intentions towards them but seem also to me to denote that the Divine Providence determined to proceed gradually in the Deliverance of the Children of Israel from their cruel Servitude For when he saith God heard their groaning the meaning is he favourably condescended to grant their Petition which was the first step to their Deliverance And then He remembred his Covenant with Abraham c. This gives the Reason of it because he was mindful of his ancient Promises to their Forefathers which was a further assurance of his Favour And then he Looked upon them i. e. Took notice of their Affliction and hard Labour as Maimonides explains it More Nev. p. 1. c. 48. which was another Motive to relieve them And in the last place God had respect to them Which imports that he determined to have mercy upon them and that includes all Blessings in it For so this Phrase to respect another signifies as Bochartus hath shown from many instances particularly XXV Psal 12. LXVI Isa 2. Hierozoic p. 1. L. II. c. 49. CHAP. III. Verse 1. NOW Moses kept the Flock So Moses was taken from the Sheepfold as David was in after times to be the Ruler of God's People LXXVII Psal 70. For as hunting of wild Beasts saith Philo is proper to Men of a Martial Genius and fits Men to be Captains and Generals of Armies so the feeding of Sheep is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the best Exercise and Preparation for a Kingdom and the gentle Government of Mankind Clemens Alexandrinus hath the same Notion and the same words L. I. Strom. p. 345. God's Power also herein appeared the more wonderful that he delivered his People from the Egyptian Tyranny by one that was contemptible or rather abominable to that Nation viz. a Keeper of Sheep Of Jethro It is most likely that Reuel mentioned in the foregoing Chapter Ver. 18. was now dead to whom Jethro his Son succeeded in that Principality where he Ruled for it was now Forty years since Moses came first into Midian His Father in Law This shows that the Seven Daughters spoken of II. 16. were the Children of Jethro and Reuel their Grandfather unless we will say as a great many do that
Jethro had two Names Nay they fancy he had three being called Hobab they think IV Judg. 11. where Hobab is said to be the Father in Law of Moses But the word Son is there to be supplied which in other places is sometime to be understood he seeming to be Jethro's Son Brother to Zipporah And accordingly is said X Numb 29. to be Son of Raguel the Midianite i. e. of Jethro as many understand it See there And he led the Flock to the backside of the Desert Or as St. Hierom understands it ad interiora deserti to the inner parts of the Desert where there was better Pasture than in the place where he was before to which he was conducted by the Providence of God who intended here to reveal himself more fully to him And came to the Mountain of God even to Horeb. Sheep delight to feed on Mountains as Bochart observes out of Theocritus and Virgil. Whence such mountainous Places are often called in Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sheep-walks they being wont to feed there as Eustathius and Hesychius interpret it See Hierozoic p. 1. L. II. c. 46. And this is called the Mountain of God because when Moses wrote this Book there had been a Divine appearance upon Horeb which St. Stephen calls Sinai VII Acts 30. For Horeb and Sinai seem to have been two tops of one and the same Mountain which it is plain by this was not far from the Country of Midian We understand also by St. Stephen's words when this fell out viz. after he had dwelt Forty years in Midian for so long it is certain he continued there VII Exod 7. But how he imployed all that time we are not told No doubt in something else than meer feeding Sheep For being learned in all the Egyptian Wisdom we may well think he both taught others and made also great improvements himself in studying the Records of that and all other Neighbouring Countries and besides received it is likely Divine Revelations There are those likewise who think he now wrote the Book of Job to comfort the Israelites by the example of his admirable Patience under their heavy Oppressions in Egypt and the Book of Genesis also that they might the better understand what Promises had been made to their Noble Ancestors Abraham Isaac and Jacob and that the Time drew near when they would be fulfilled It is noted by Ludovicus Capellus in his Chronolog Sacra that the Number Forty was much observed in the Administrations of Divine Providence Moses being XL years old when he fled into Midian and staying there another XL years and then leaving the World in the end of the next XL years of his Age. It was so many years before the Israelites got to Canaan after they were delivered out of Egypt Forty days Moses continued with God in the Mount both the first and second time of his going up thither So many days the Spyes were in searching out the Land and the Israelites had just so many Mansions in the Wilderness Their first Judge governed just XL. years and the next twice as many Deborah Barak Gideon Eli all judged XL years and so long David reigned Ver. 2. And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him So St. Stephen also VII Acts 30. By which some understand the Eternal WORD the Second Person in the Blessed Trinity But I think he is not called simply an Angel any where but with some addition as the Angel of the Covenant for it would be a dangerous insinuation that he was but a meer Creature Yet I believe he is not here to be excluded for I take this to have been the Appearance of the SCHECHINAH which comprehended both the LORD himself and the Angels that attended him as his Ministers One of which now appeared so gloriously that he showed God to be present and accordingly we find in the following words that he himself spake to Moses And thus the LORD is said to have sent his Angel when they cried to him and brought them out of Egypt XX Numb 16. Which Angel is called Michael by Menachem and the same which they also call Goel who redeemed Jacob from all evil XLVIII Gen. 16. In a flame of sire The Glory of the LORD as the SCHECHINAH is frequently called appeared in a flaming manner like fire exceeding bright and with an amazed splendor So it appeared though not so bright when the first Promise was made of their Deliverance XV Gen. 17 18. Out of the midst of a Bush To show say the Jews in Pirke Eliezer Cap. XL. that God was present with them in their great Affliction and Tribulation which was represented by this Bush of Thorns or Briers for so the Hebrew word signifies such a Bush as pricks those that touch it or as the Prophet Isaiah speaks LXIII 9. in all their affliction he was afflicted And by his Providence ordered things so that their Affliction did not consume them but rather multiplied and increased them for as it there follows the Angel of his presence saved them And thus Eusebius tells us in the latter end of L. V. Demonstr Evang. c. 13. some Christians understood it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This Fire also in the Bush might be intended to show that God would there meet with the Israelites and give them his Law in Fire and Lightning and yet not consume them For this is the place where God after they came out of Egypt delivered the Law to them which thence was called Sinai saith the fore-named Author in Pirke Elieser from this Bush which in Hebrew is Sene and signifies in Arabick a Thorn-bush whereas before this it was called Horeb from its driness and barrenness as that word imports And behold the Bush burnt with sire and the Bush was not consumed The Heathens had either read or heard of this wonder as appears by Artapanus who mentions it in Eusebius L. IX Praepar Evang. c. 27. but he disguises it and misreports it saying it was a Fire which suddenly broke forth out of the Earth and flamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when there was no Matter nor any kind of Wood in the place to feed it But in the next Chapter but one an ancient Tragaedian reports it exactly saying just as Moses doth here That the Bush burnt in a great fire and yet remained intire and green in the slame which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greatest Miracle The meaning of which I have already explained in the foregoing Observation There is a Story something like this in Dion Prusaeus Orat. XXXVI where he saith the Persians relate concerning Zoroaster that the Love of Wisdom and Vertue leading him to a Solitary Life separate from Company upon a Mountain he found it one day all in a flame shining with Celestial Fire out of the midst of which he came without any harm and instituted certain Sacrifices to God who then he made account appeared to him Which Joh. Henricus Vrsinus a
a while in the Air over the whole Country they came down and setled upon the Ground in every part of it Very grievous were they By their vast Numbers For so the word Caved I have often observed signifies and so the Vulgar Latin here translates innumerable Before them there were no such Locusts See v. 6. Neither after them shall be such i. e. Not in the Land of Egypt though in other Countries there might particularly in Judea when God brought this Plague upon it I Joel 2. Ver. 15. For they covered the Face of the whole Earth c. The word in the Hebrew which we translate Face signifying properly the Eye it induced Onkelos to translate this Passage they covered the Sun which is the Eye of the Earth That is there was such a thick Cloud of them before they fell that they darkned the Sun as when they were fall'n they darkned the Land as it here follows Or the meaning is there were such Numbers that they not only covered the Earth but the Sun also For many Authors mentions such prodigious Clouds of them as have so thickned the Sky that the Day hath been turned into Night See Bochart P. II. Hieroz L. IV. c. 5. And they did eat every Herb of the Land c. See v. 5. Ver. 16. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste This Dr. Jackson not improperly calls another raving sit or phrenetical symptom into which this new Calamity threw him I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you Whom he had lately caused to be driven out of his Presence v. 11. but now humbles himself before them more than he had done at any time before For this was such a Plague as all Men accounted a manifest Token of the Divine Displeasure According to that of Pliny L. XI c. 29. Deorum irae pestis ea intelligitur This is taken for a Plague of the Anger of the Gods or as some Copies have it Mira pestis a wonderful Plague sent from above Ver. 17. Now therefore forgive I pray you my sin only this once c. Nothing could be spoken more humbly and seemingly penitent than this Supplication which includes in it also a Promise never to offend again But there was no Sincerity in it being the effect only of a great fright which extorted this Confession and Submission from him without any serious meaning to continue in this Resolution Thus we all naturally think of Repenting as Pellicanus here piously reslects when we are in great straits nay and promise it too till we are out of danger when we perform little of what we promised as our whole Life testifies That he may take away from me this death only We cannot gather from hence that the Locusts killed Men and Women as the Hail did for the Fields and the Trees c. are said to die as well as Men XLVII Gen. 19. XIV Job 8 c. But the Locusts destroying the Supports of Life by eating up the Corn and the Grass c. might by consequence be said to kill the People In both which regards Pharaoh might call them deadly Locusts Ver. 18. And he went out from Pharaoh and intreated the LORD Both Moses and Aaron were called to Pharaoh and therefore now went both out But one only is mentioned viz. Moses because by his Prayers this Plague was removed Ver. 19. And the LORD turned This is supposed to be done the next day as I observed v. 12. according to what is said VIII 29. A mighty strong West-wind Strong Winds are the only Remedy to free a Country from this Plague as Pliny hath observed For if they die in those Fields on which they settle the Air is so corrupted by the stench that it breeds Pestilential Diseases Which took away the Locusts and cast them into the Red-sea That which we call the Red-sea the Hebrews call the Sea of Suph i. e. of Flags as we translate the word Suph in the second Chapter of this Book v. 3. because it was full of a certain Weed which the Latines call alga and the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some Travellers have affirmed to be of a red Colour and to make the Water appear as if it were red also from whence some fancy it was called the Red-sea Certain it is it had the Hebrew Name of Suph from hence there being such abundance of this Weed in that Sea that the Inhabitants of the Coast plucking it up out of the Water and laying it in heaps to be dried by the Sun it becomes so compact that they build Houses of it as Bochartus hath observed in his Phaleg L. IV. c. 29. But it is most likely to have had the Name of the Red-sea from this that what the Hebrews called the Sea of Suph the nearer Neighbours called the Sea of Edom from the Country which it washed viz. Idumaea 1 Kings IX 26. XXI Numb 4. From whence the Greeks who knew not the reason of the Name called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Red-sea because Edom in Hebrew signifies red as we find XXV Gen. 29. Now this Sea which late Writers call Sinus Arabicus lies East of Egypt and therefore a West wind was most proper to drive the Locusts thither There remained not one Locust in all the Land of Egypt The Power of God appeared no less in sweeping them all away than in bringing them upon the Country for both were done at the instance of Moses Ver. 20. But the LORD hardned Pharaoh 's heart c. See IX 12. He left him to himself and did not move him to persist in his late good Resolution Ver. 21. And the LORD said unto Moses He left off now to treat with Pharaoh and only proceeds in the Execution of the Sentence of utter Destruction which he had decreed against him Stretch out thine hand towards Heaven See IX 22. That there may be Darkness over the Land of Egypt So that they should not see any thing at Noon-day Even Darkness that may be felt In the next Verse he calls it thick Darkness which was made I suppose by such clammy Foggs that they sensibly affected the Egyptians Ver. 22. And there was thick Darkness in all the Land of Egypt three days Some think that during this three days Darkness the Israelites were Circumcised when the Egyptians by reason of the great Horrour they were in all that time could take no Advantage of them And so Dr. Lightfoot expounds CV Psal 28. They rebelled not against his word but submitted to be Circumcised For the words seem to signifie some special piece of Obedience which they then performed The Author of The Life and Death of Moses will have it that they punished and cut off several wicked People among the Israelites themselves which they did at this time that the Egyptians might not know it and rejoyce at it But that which is more certain is that if the former Plague ended on the ninth day this Judgment
that according to the Hebrew Doctors no Man was to be admitted a Proselyte to partake of the Paschal Lamb unless his whole Family was Circumcised with him both Children and Servants Ver. 45. A Foreigner The Hebrew word Toschab literally signifies a Dweller or Inhabitant by which Name those pious Gentiles were called who renounced Idolatry though they did not embrace the Jewish Religion because they were permitted to settle among them and dwell in their Country which was not allowed to other Foreigners who continued Idolaters See Selden L. II. de Jure N. G. c. 3. c. 5. Where he observes Maimonides makes this Exception That no such Persons might dwell in Jerusalem because of the singular Holiness of that City but any where else they might with the Profession of Judaism And no hired Servant Some of them were Servants to the Jews and so dwelt in the same House with them and were called Hirelings when they bound themselves to serve their Masters for three years as the Jews gather from XVI Isa 14. Ver. 46. In one House shall it be eaten c. In the first Night wherein this Sacrifice was slain they were enjoyned not to stir out of Doors v. 22. and therefore not to carry forth ought of the Flesh abroad into another House Besides they were in such haste that they had no time to send Messengers from one House to another which Maimonides makes the ground of this Precept More Nev. P. III. c. 46. In after-times also that Law being in force v. 4. that lesser Housholds who had not Company enough to eat the Lamb up should joyn with some other it is here explain'd that for maintenance of Friendly Society they should not divide the Lamb and carry half of it to another House but all meet together in one and feast upon it Which the ancient Fathers looked upon as a Figure of the Unity of the Church of Christ This seems to be the most natural Interpretation that it should be eaten under one Roof But R. Simeon saith That God only bound them to eat in one Company or Society not in two but it was lawful for that Family or Society to eat it in two places if they pleased Halicoth Olam P. IV. Sect. 3. Neither shall ye break a Bone thereof The Jews fancy this Law doth not speak of the lesser Bones but only of those in which there was some Marrow So Maimonides in his Treatise on this Subject c. 10. sect 1. And indeed being eaten in haste they could not have time to break the Bones and suck out the Marrow which in the place before-named in his More Nevochim he makes the Foundation of this Precept Which was exactly fulfilled in the true Paschal Lamb of which this was a Figure when he was offered for us as St. John observes XIX 33 36. Ver. 47. All the Congregation of Israel shall keep it Women and Children as well as Men. In after times indeed only Men were bound to come up at the three Feasts XXIII 17. XXXIV 23. XVI Deut. 16. But devout People were wont to carry up their Wives and Children with them as appears by Elkanah 1 Sam. I. 3 4. and by Joseph who went up with the Blessed Virgin II Luke 41. And that place in Samuel informs us that their Sons and Daughters did eat of the Sacrifice Ver. 48. When a Stranger shall sojourn with thee and will keep the Passover c. See v. 43 44. No uncircumcised Person shall eat thereof Which is the reason some have thought why they observed no Passover as far as we can sind after that in the very next year that followed their coming out of Egypt because they were generally Uncircumcised But this seems to relate to Men of another Nation who though they were not admitted to eat of the Lamb unless they received Circumcision yet having renounced Idolatry the Jews say they might eat of the unleavened Bread and of the bitter Herbs Ver. 49. One Law shall be to him that is home-born c. Nothing could be more equal than this that no Man should enjoy this Priviledge who was not of their Religion but whosoever embraced it should partake of the same Benefits Ver. 50. Thus did all the Children of Israel They kept this Passover and afterwards another by a special direction IX Numb but afterward during their stay in the Wilderness they seem to have omitted it because they omitted Circumcision without which v. 48. they were not capable to partake of it As the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron so did they Observed it according to all the Rites here enjoyned though in future Ages several of them were omitted as peculiar to this time Ver. 51. And it came to pass the self same day c. On the day after they celebrated the Passover they began their March out of Egypt Which was a thing so notorious that the memory of it was preserved in Nations far distant from them though the Story was much corrupted for want of the Knowledge of these Sacred Records For Strabo mentions it to name no more but saith the Report was that the Jews were descended from the Egyptians which might be believed by Strangers because they dwelt so long in that Country and that Moses was an Egyptian Priest who had a certain part of that Country but being dissatissied with the present state of things forsook it and many Worshippers of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 followed him For he affirmed and taught that the Egyptians had not right Conceptions who likened God to wild Beasts and Cattle nor did the Asricans or Greeks conceive of him better who represented him like to Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For there is but this one only God that which comprehends us all and the Earth and the Sea which we call Heaven and the World c. In which words he makes Moses not so foolish as the Egyptians and other Nations but attributes a sensless Opinion to him that the World which we see is God if this be the right reading of his words But I rather think the place is corrupted and it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For this is Moses his true Opinion with which he begins his Books that he only is God who made the Heaven and the Earth And this perfectly agrees with what follows in Strabo That no Image can be made of this God and therefore a Temple without any Image must be erected to him c. Which is not true if we take the visible World to be God for the Image of the Heaven and the Earth may be made as well as of a Man or a Beast However it is true which he adds That Moses perswaded many good Men and brought them into that Country where Jerusalem is the chief City where they lived a long time happily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doing justly and being sincerely Religious Which is a notable Testimony from a Pagan to be noted aureis literis with Letters