do he sheweth unto Pharaoh 29. Behold there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt 30. And there shall arise after them seven years of famine and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt and the famine shall consume the land 31. And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following for it shall be very grievous 32. And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice it is because the thing is established by God and God will shortly bring it to pass 33. Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise and set him over the land of Egypt 34. Let Pharaoh do this and let him appoint officers over the land and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years 35. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh and let them keep food in the cities 36. And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt that the land perish not through the famine 37. And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants 38. And Pharaoh said unto his servants Can we find such a one as this is a man in whom the Spirit of God is 39. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this there is none so discreet and wise as thou art 40. Thou shalt be over my house and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled only in the throne will I be greater then thou 41. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph See I have set thee over all the land of Egypt 42. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand and put it upon Joseph's hand and arayed him in vestures of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck 43. And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had and they cried before him Bow the knee and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt 44. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph I am Pharaoh and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt 45. And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-Paaneah and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On and Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt 46. And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went throughout all the land of Egypt 47. And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfulls 48. And he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt and laid up the food in the cities the food of the field which was round about every city laid he up in the same 49. And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea very much untill he left numbering for it was without number 50. And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him 51. And Joseph called the name of the first-born Manasseh for God said he hath made me forget all my toil and all my father's house 52. And the name of the second called he Ephraim for God hath caused me to be fruitfull in the land of my affliction 53. And the seven years of plenteousness that was in the land of Egypt were ended 54. And the seven years of dearth began to come according as Joseph had said and the dearth was in all lands but in all the land of Egypt there was bread 55. And when all the land of Egypt was famished the people cried to Pharaoh for bread and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians Go unto Joseph what he saith to you do 56. And the famine was over all the face of the earth and Joseph opened all the store-houses and sold unto the Egyptians and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt 57. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn because that the famine was so sore in all lands 1. PHaraoh A Name that was common to the Kings of Egypt See v. 44. River Nilus or some branch of it whose Waters rendred Egypt fruitfull 2. Kine The increase whereof together with that of Corn v. 5. serve greatly toward the sustenance of life 3. Vpon the brink of the river Not feeding in a Medow as the fat Kine did v. 2. but on the dry Banks of that River the over-flowing of which rendred the Land fruitfull Deut. 11.10 11. 8. The Magicians i. e. Interpreters says the Greek Version They were a sort of Men professing a skill in interpreting Dreams Dan. 2.10 and that used inchantments Exod. 8.18 9. My faults i. e. My offences against thee He might also remember now his ingratitude to Joseph ch 40.14 23. 13. Him he hanged i. e. He did foretell what afterward came to pass that he should be hanged 14. Out of the dungeon Where he was possibly ministring to the Prisoners who were committed to his charge 16. It is not in me God c. See chap. 40.8 24. None that could Which confirms the truth of what Joseph had said before v. 16. and ch 40.8 30. Shall be forgotten i. e. It shall be as if it had not been at all by reason of the Famine which was to succeed The Land i. e. The People of the Land says the Chaldee 32. Established i. e. Fully confirmed The Greek render it true which Greek word signifies that which is not onely true but sufficiently confirmed and attested Joh. 5.31 and ch 8.13 14. 34. Let Pharaoh do this c. Or Let Pharaoh constitute and appoint What we render do signifies to make or appoint as doth also the Greek word which answers to it See Mark 3.14 and Acts 2.36 Of the Land i. e. Of the growth and increase of the Land 35. Vnder the hand of Pharaoh Under the hand of Pharaoh or of those whom Pharaoh should appoint 36. Store Not to be touched till the Famine came 38. In whom the Spirit of God is This Pharaoh concludes from the interpretation which Joseph had given of his Dream Dan. 5.11 as also from Joseph's words v. 16. The Chaldee hath it the Spirit of Prophecy 40. Over my house He made him Lord of his house and ruler of all his substance Psal 105.21 Shall all my people be ruled i. e. They shall be obedient as the Vulgar and Greek Versions have it He had power to bind his Princes at his pleasure Psal 105.22 Act. 7.10 42. His ring As a mark of his favour to Joseph and perhaps of the authority which he gave him Esth 3.10 and 8.2 43. In the second Chariot As an argument that he was next in honour to the King himself 2 Chron.
35.24 Esther 6.2 Bow the knee They were to do homage to Joseph as to the second person in the Kingdom as one who was the Father of the King and Country ch 45.8 The Chaldee renders it This is the Father of the King 44. I am Pharaoh i. e. I am King Pharaoh was the common Name of the King as Ptolomy was in after-times Gen. 12.15 And as the Ptolomies were distinguished by other additional or proper Names so were the Pharaohs also Thus we read of Pharaoh-necoh 2 Kings 23.9 compare Jer. 44.30 And thus were the Caesars among the Romans distinguished from one another Pharaoh in this place implies the Soveraign authority as is implied by what follows Without thee shall no man lift up his hand c. i. e. No man shall have power to do any thing without his leave at least not against his will 45. Zaphnath-paaneah A revealer of secrets says Josephus Priest Or Prince and Governor of On or Heliopolis say the Greek He might be both Prince and Priest ch 14.18 47. By handfulls i. e. In great abundance v. 49. CHAP. XLII The ARGUMENT Jacob sendeth his Sons into Egypt to buy Corn Joseph chargeth them as being Spies They make their Answer They are imprisoned and set at liberty upon condition that they would bring Benjamin into Egypt Their remorse for their former ill usage of Joseph Simeon is left in Egypt as a pledge The rest are sent back with Corn and their Money in their Sacks of Corn. They relate to Jacob what had befallen them who is not willing to send Benjamin 1. NOW when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt Jacob said unto his sons Why do ye look one upon another 2. And he said Behold I have heard that there is corn in Egypt get you down thither and buy for us from thence that we may live and not die 3. And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt 4. But Benjamin Joseph's brother Jacob sent not with his brethren for he said Lest peradventure mischief befall him 5. And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came for the famine was in the land of Canaan 6. And Joseph was the governor over the land and he it was that sold to all the people of the land and Joseph's brethren came and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth 7. And Joseph saw his brethren and he knew them but made himself strange unto them and spake roughly unto them and he said unto them Whence come ye And they said From the land of Canaan to buy food 8. And Joseph knew his brethren but they knew not him 9. And Joseph remembred the dreams which he dreamed of them and said unto them Ye are spies to see the nakedness of the land you are come 10. And they said unto him Nay my lord but to buy food are thy servants come 11. We are all one man's sons we are true men thy servants are no spies 12. And he said unto them Nay but to see the nakedness of the land you are come 13. And they said Thy servants are twelve brethren the sons of one man in the land of Canaan and behold the youngest is this day with our father and one is not 14. And Joseph said unto them That is it that I spake unto you saying Ye are spies 15. Hereby ye shall be proved by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence except your youngest brother come hither 16. Send one of you and let him fetch your brother and ye shall be kept in prison that your words may be proved whether there be any truth in you or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies 17. And he put them all together into ward three days 18. And Joseph said unto them the third day This do and live for I fear God 19. If ye be true men let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison go ye carry corn for the famine of your houses 20. But bring your youngest brother unto me so shall your words be verified and ye shall not die And they did so 21. And they said one to another We are verily guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us 22. And Reuben answered them saying Spake I not unto you saying Do not sin against the child and ye would not hear therefore behold also his blood is required 23. And they knew not that Joseph understood them for he spake unto them by an interpreter 24. And he turned himself about from them and wept and returned to them again and communed with them and took from them Simeon and bound him before their eyes 25. Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn and to restore every man's money into his sack and to give them provision for the way and thus did he unto them 26. And they laded their asses with the corn and departed thence 27. And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn he espied his money for behold it was in his sack's mouth 28. And he said unto his brethren My money is restored and lo it is even in my sack and their heart failed them and they were afraid saying one to another What is this that God hath done unto us 29. And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan and told him all that befell unto them saying 30. The man who is the lord of the land spake roughly to us and took us for spies of the country 31. And we said unto him We are true men we are no spies 32. We be twelve brethren sons of our father one is not and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan 33. And the man the lord of the country said unto us Hereby shall I know that ye are true men leave one of your brethren here with me and take food for the famine of your housholds and be gone 34. And bring your youngest brother unto me then shall I know that you are no spies but that you are true men so will I deliver you your brother and ye shall traffick in the land 35. And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks that behold every man's bundle of money was in his sack and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money they were afraid 36. And Jacob their father said unto them Me have ye bereaved of my children Joseph is not and Simeon is not and ye will take Benjamin away all these things are against me 37. And Reuben spake unto his father saying Slay my two sons if I bring him not to thee deliver him into my hand and I will bring him to thee again 38. And he said My son shall not go down with you for his brother is dead and he is
left alone if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave 1. SAw The Scripture sometimes puts seeing for hearing Thus all the people saw the thundrings Exod. 20.18 And so here when Jacob saw i. e. when Jacob heard as it is expressed Acts 7.12 and v. 2. of this Chapter Corn The Hebrew word signifies breaking Corn being a principal thing wherewith we break our fast or hunger Psal 104 1â— Why do ye look one upon another i. e. Why are ye negligent or slothfull as the Greek and Vulgar render it 2. Get you down thither Egypt was lower than the Land of Canaan And we find the coming from Egypt thither expressed by a word that signifies to ascend as the going from Canaan to Egypt is expressed by going down ch 45.9 13. 4. Lest peradventure He was the more concerned for Benjamin as being the onely Son as he supposed of Rachel whom he loved 6. Governor The word in the Hebrew hath great affinity with the word Sultan and seems to be its Original He it was that sold i. e. He did it partly in his own Person and partly by his Servants and Officers Bowed down And by doing so fulfilled the Dream ch 37.7 9. Ye are Spies This is to be understood as a Charge rather than a positive Affirmation Upon this occasion his Dreams are more fully made good Nakedness i. e. The weakest and most undefended places Thus we call a Man without defensive Arms naked and so we call a City without Walls or Garrison And Joseph might the more plausibly charge his Brethren as Spies because the way which they came from Canaan into Egypt is observed to be the way that was least defensible against Spies or Common Enemies 11. One man's sons And it is not likely that one man would venture so many children upon so dangerous a design as that of spying the nakedness of a Land nor need a whole Country apprehend any danger from one Family 13. Is not i. e. Is dead ch 44.10 15. By the life of Pharaoh This is at least a vehement asseveration or apprecation of life and health to Pharaoh which Joseph useth to assure his Brethren of his intentions Thus much the phrase elsewhere seems to import 1 Sam. 1.26 And then the sense of Joseph's words is as if he had said As sure as Pharaoh lives Or As sincerely as I desire the life and welfare of Pharaoh vid. Ezek. 33.11 Ye shall not go i. e. Ye shall not all go Except c. i. e. Unless you do agree to bring with you your youngest Brother 21. We are verily guilty c. Thus their affliction brings their sin to remembrance Hos 5.15 When they stand in need of mercy they remember the time when they refused to shew it 22. Reuben answered Compare ch 37.21 22. 23. By an Interpreter Who possibly was out of the way at this time 24. Simeon The eldest Son next to Reuben who endeavoured his deliverance and was the more blameable for not pleading for Joseph He was of a cruel disposition ch 34.25 and ch 49.5 and 't is like had shewed it in his carriage to Joseph 25. To restore An act of Mercy in Joseph this was considering his Father's necessity at present 28. Afraid Guilt makes Men so Levit. 26.36 God hath done They justly own the hand of God 33. Take food for the famine The words are Elliptical in the Hebrew and import that they should take that provision which was wanting in their family As the Chaldee hath it 35. Afraid They might fear to be accused of Theft ch 43.22 38. Alone i. e. The onely Child as he supposed of his Mother See v. 4. CHAP. XLIII The ARGUMENT Jacob is hardly perswaded to send Benjamin into Egypt Joseph entertaineth his Brethren at a Feast 1. AND the famine was sore in the land 2. And it came to pass when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt their father said unto them Go again buy us a little food 3. And Judah spake unto him saying The man did solemnly protest unto us saying Ye shall not see my face except your brother be with you 4. If thou wilt send our brother with us we will go down and buy thee food 5. But if thou wilt not send him we will not go down for the man said unto us Ye shall not see my face except your brother be with you 6. And Israel said Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother 7. And they said The man asked us straitly of our state and of our kindred saying Is your father yet alive have ye another brother and we told him according to the tenor of these words Could we certainly know that he would say Bring your brother down 8. And Judah said unto Israel his father Send the lad with me and we will arise and go that we may live and not die both we and thou and also our little ones 9. I will be surety for him of my hand shalt thou require him if I bring him not unto thee and set him before thee then let me bear the blame for ever 10. For except we had lingred surely now we had returned this second time 11 And their father Israel said unto them if it must be so now do this take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels and carry down the man a present a little balm and a little honey spices and myrrh nuts and almonds 12. And take double money in your hand and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks carry it again in your hand peradventure it was an over-sight 13. Take also your brother and arise go again unto the man 14 And God Almighty give you mercy before the man that he may send away your other brother and Benjamin if I be bereaved of my children I am bereaved 15. And the men took that present and they took double money in their hand and Benjamin and rose up and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph 16. And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them he said to the ruler of his house Bring these men home and slay and make ready for these men shall dine with me at noon 17. And the man did as Joseph bad and the man brought the men into Joseph's house 18. And the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph's house and they said Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in that he may seek occasion against us and fall upon us and take us for bondmen and our asses 19. And they came near to the Steward of Joseph's house and they communed with him at the door of the house 20. And said O sir we came indeed down at the first time to buy food 21. And it came to pass when we came
them that stood by him and he cried Cause every man to go out from me and there stood no man with him while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren 2. And he wept aloud and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard 3. And Joseph said unto his brethren I am Joseph Doth my father yet live And his brethren could not answer him for they were troubled at his presence 4. And Joseph said unto his brethren Come near to me I pray you and they came near and he said I am Joseph your brother whom ye sold into Egypt 5. Now therefore be not grieved nor angry with your selves that ye sold me hither for God did send me before you to preserve life 6. For these two years hath the famine been in the land and yet there are five years in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest 7. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance 8. So now it was not you that sent me hither but God and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt 9. Haste you and go up to my father and say unto him Thus saith thy son Joseph God hath made me lord of all Egypt come down unto me tarry not 10. And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen and thou shalt be near unto me thou and thy children and thy children's children and thy flocks and thy herds and all that thou hast 11. And there will I nourish thee for yet there are five years of famine lest thou and thy houshold and all that thou hast come to poverty 12. And behold your eyes see and the eyes of my brother Benjamin that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you 13. And you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt and of all that you have seen and ye shall hast and bring down my father hither 14. And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept and Benjamin wept upon his neck 15. Moreover he kissed all his brethren and wept upon them and after that his brethren talked with him 16. And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house saying Joseph's brethren are come and it pleased Pharaoh well and his servants 17. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph Say unto thy brethren This do ye lade your beasts and go get you unto the land of Canaan 18. And take your father and your housholds and come unto me and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt and ye shall eat the fat of the land 19. Now thou art commanded this do ye Take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives and bring your father and come 20. Also regard not your stuff for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours 21. And the children of Israel did so and Joseph gave them wagons according to the commandment of Pharaoh and gave them provision for the way 22. To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of raiment 23. And to his father he sent after this manner ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt and ten she-asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way 24. So he sent his brethren away and they departed and he said unto them See that ye fall not out by the way 25. And they went up out of Egypt and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father 26. And told him saying Joseph is yet alive and he is governour over all the land of Egypt And Jacob's heart fainted for he believed them not 27. And they told him all the words of Joseph which he had said unto them and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him the spirit of Jacob their father revived 28. And Israel said It is enough Joseph my son is yet alive I will go and see him before I die 1. COuld not refrain himself i. e. He could no longer forbear being moved by the words of Judah Go out Joseph was not willing that any should be Witnesses of his own Passion or his Brethren's former Faults 2. The Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh i. e. The Egyptians who went out hearing it soon told it to the House of Pharaoh Compare v. 16. 4. Whom ye sold He tells them this to gain belief rather than to upbraid them 5. God did send c. i. e. I was sent hither not without the special Providence of God 8. Not you that sent me hither but God The good event of the thing was intirely to be imputed to God though the fault were theirs 10. Land of Goshen A fruitfull part of the Land of Egypt lying towards Canaan ch 46.28 29. 47.1 6 27. 12. That it is my mouth They might not onely discern some resemblance from his Countenance by which they might call him to mind but his speaking to them in their own Language without an Interpreter Compare v. 1. with ch 42.23 might farther confirm them 15. Talked with him Having now overcome their fears 16. The fame thereof c. Being quickly carried from one to another See the Note on v. 2. 18. Fat of the land i. e. The best of it Compare Ps 63.5 Numb 18.12 20. Regard not Let not your Eye spare Compare Deut. 7.16 22. Three hundred pieces of silver i. e. Three hundred Shekels See the Note on ch 20.16 24. See that ye fall not out by the way Be not angry as the Latin and Greek have it They would be apt to reproach each other now for their former cruelty to Joseph 26. Fainted Through his fear and distrust 27. Revived iâ— Jacob now believing the truth of what his Sons had said 28. It is enough Joseph my son is yet alive Two things his Sons told him viz. That Joseph was alive and that he was Governour of Egypt And the latter of the two Joseph required them to tell his Father v. 9. But for Joseph's Glory and Dominion Jacob does not rejoice as one greatly affected with it 'T was his Life gave him the Joy He said It is enough Joseph my son is yet alive It is enough if Joseph be yet alive as the Vulgar Latin hath it See ch 46.30 CHAP. XLVI The ARGUMENT Jacob cometh to Beer-sheba God appears to him and encourageth his going into Egypt whence he with his Family goes down into Egypt A particular account of his Family which went thither Joseph meets his Father and instructs his Brethren what they should say unto Pharaoh 1. AND Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beer-sheba and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac 2. And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night and said Jacob Jacob. And he said Here am I. 3.
reckoned here as coming with Jacob but as all the Souls of his House or Family 28. Judah Who had given a good proof a little before how he was concerned for his Father ch 45.18 To direct his face i. e. To shew him the way 2298. 1706. 30. Now let me die since Jacob had now obtained his desire Compare ch 45.28 and Luk. 2.29 32. Shepherds Joseph is not ashamed of his Brethren s Employment but freely acquaints Pharaoh with it though he knew that the Egyptians detested Shepherds 34. That ye may dwell in the land of Goshen In a fruitfull Country and toward the Confines of Canaan to which they were to return Far from the snares of the Court and out of the way of the Egyptians which hated them and detested that Employment For every Shepherd c. The soft Egyptians hated Men of that hardy Employment and possibly upon account of some loss from that sort of Men and upon the score of their own Superstition they detested the Employment See the Note on ch 43.32 CHAP. XLVII The ARGUMENT Joseph presents five of his Brethren to Pharaoh Jacob also appears before him The Famine encreaseth The Egyptians for Corn part with their Money and Cattel and their Land The Land of the Priests was exempted A fifth part of the encrease of the Land is reserved for Pharaoh Jacob's Age. He sweareth Joseph to bury him with his Fathers 1. THen Joseph came and told Pharaoh and said My father and my brethren and their flocks and their herds and all that they have are come out of the land of Canaan and behold they are in the land of Goshen 2. And he took some of his brethren even five men and presented them unto Pharaoh 3. And Pharaoh said unto his brethren What is your occupation And they said unto Pharaoh Thy servants are shepherds both we and also our fathers 4. They said moreover unto Pharaoh For to sojourn in the land are we come for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan now therefore we pray thee let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen 5. And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph saying Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee 6. The land of Egypt is before thee in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell in the land of Goshen let them dwell and if thou knowest any man of activity amongst them then make them rulers over my cattel 7. And Joseph brought in Jacob his father and set him before Pharaoh and Jacob blessed Pharaoh 8. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob How old art thou 9. And Jacob said unto Pharaoh The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years few and evil have the days of the years of my life been and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage 10. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from before Pharaoh 11. And Joseph placed his father and his brethren and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt in the best of the land in the land of Rameses as Pharaoh had commanded 12. And Joseph nourished his father and his brethren and all his father's houshold with bread according to their families 13. And there was no bread in all the land for the famine was very sore so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine 14. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the corn which they bought and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house 15. And when money failed in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan all the Egyptians came unto Joseph and said Give us bread for why should we die in thy presence for the money faileth 16. And Joseph said Give your cattel and I will give you for your cattel if money fail 17. And they brought their cattel unto Joseph and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses and for the flocks and for the cattel of the herds and for the asses and he fed them with bread for all their cattel for that year 18. When that year was ended they came unto him the second year and said unto him We will not hide it from my lord how that our money is spent my lord also hath our herds of cattel there is not ought left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands 19. Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes both we and our land buy us and our land for bread and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh and give us seed that we may live and not die that the land be not desolate 20. And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh for the Egyptians sold every man his field because the famine prevailed over them so the land became Pharaoh's 21. And as for the people he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof 22. Onely the land of the priests bought he not for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them wherefore they sold not their lands 23. Then Joseph said unto the people Behold I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh lo here is seed for you and ye shall sow the land 24. And it shall come to pass in the increase that you shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh and four parts shall be your own for seed of the field and for your food and for them of your housholds and for food for your little ones 25. And they said Thou hast saved our lives let us find grace in the sight of my lord and we will be Pharaoh's servants 26. And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day that Pharaoh should have the fifth part except the land of the Priests onely which became not Pharaoh's 27. And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt in the country of Goshen and they had possessions therein and grew and multiplied exceedingly 28. And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years 29. And the time drew nigh that Israel must die and he called his son Joseph and said unto him If now I have found grace in thy sight put I pray thee thy hand under my thigh and deal kindly and truly with me bury me not I pray thee in Egypt 30. But I will lie with my fathers and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying-place And he said I will do as thou hast said 31. And he said Swear unto me And he sware unto him And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head 1. GOshen See the Note on chap. 45.10 2. Some of his brethren
kindness I pray thee unto me and make mention of me unto Pharaoh and bring me out of this house 15. For indeed I was stollen away out of the land of the Hebrews and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon 16. When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good he said unto Joseph I also was in my dream and behold I had three white baskets on my head 17. And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bake-meats for Pharaoh and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head 18. And Joseph answered and said This is the interpretation thereof the three baskets are three days 19. Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee and shall hang thee on a tree and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee 20. And it came to pass the third day which was Pharaoh's birth-day that he made a feast unto all his servants and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants 21. And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand 22. But he hanged the chief baker as Joseph had interpreted to them 23. Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph but forgat him 3. In ward Or Custody as the Hebrew word imports Captain of the guardâ— This Office did belong to Potiphar ch 37.36 and probably Joseph was cast into a Prison belonging to him where the Keeper oâ— the Prison might have information of the wrong wâ—â— was done him Prison See ch 39.20 Was bound Oâ— had been bound and where he was still confined 4. Captain of the guard Who upon better Information might think fit to trust Joseph A season Hebr. Days i. e. Certain days 5. Dreamed See the Notes on ch 20.3 According to the interpretation i. e Such as did signifâ—â— the Event which â—â—seph did foretell 6. Sad Being thoughtfull upon the account of their Dreams 8. There is no interpreter They were shut up and could not have the liberty to consult the Magicians and Wise-men ch 41.8 To God ch 41.8 16. 12. Are three days i. e. They do signifie three days 13. Lift up thine head Or Take an account of thee when he shall survey his Family Exod. 30.12 See v. 20. of this Chapter Vnto thy place i. e. Unto thy former Office and Dignity 15. Stollen away So he was by his Brethren His Father knew not what became of him Land of the Hebrews i. e. The Land of Canaan where Abraham the Hebrew dwelt ch 14.13 and which God promised to his posterity I have done nothing i. e. Nothing amiss which deserves this confinement 19. From off thee By taking it from thee Pharaoh removed him from his Office and perhaps also took off his head before his body was hanged on a Tree 23. Forgat him Joseph after this continued two years in Prison ch 41.1 CHAP. XLI The ARGUMENT The two Dreams of Pharaoh are interpreted by Joseph who also adviseth Pharaoh what he should do Joseph is highly advanced by Pharaoh Unto Joseph are born Manasseh and Ephraim The beginning of the Famine fore-told by Joseph 1. AND it came to pass at the end of two full years that Pharaoh dreamed and behold be stood by the river 2. And behold there came up out of the river seven well-favoured kine and fat-fleshed and they fed in a medow 3. And behold seven other kine came up after them out of the river ill-favoured and lean-fleshed and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river 4. And the ill-favoured and lean-fleshed kine did eat up the seven well-favoured and fat kine So Pharaoh awoke 5. And he slept and dreamed the second time and behold seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk rank and good 6. And behold seven thin ears and blasted with the east-wind sprung up after them 7. And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears and Pharaoh awoke and behold it was a dream 8. And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all the wise men thereof and Pharaoh told them his dream but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh 9. Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh saying I do remember my faults this day 10. Pharaoh was wroth with his servants and put me in ward in the captain of the guard 's house both me and the chief baker 11. And we dreamed a dream in one night I and he we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream 12. And there was there with us a young man an Hebrew servant to the captain of the guard and we told him and he interpreted to us our dreams to each man according to his dream he did interpret 13. And it came to pass as he interpreted to us so it was me he restored unto mine office and him he hanged 14. Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon and he shaved himself and changed his raiment and came in unto Pharaoh 15. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph I have dreamed a dream and there is none that can interpret it and I have heard say of thee that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it 16. And Joseph answered Pharaoh saying It is not in me God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace 17. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph In my dream behold I stood upon the bank of the river 18. And behold there came up out of the river seven kine fat-fleshed and well-favoured and they fed in a medow 19. And behold seven other kine came up after them poor and very ill-favoured and lean-fleshed such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness 20. And the lean and the ill-favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine 21. And when they had eaten them up it could not be known that they had eaten them but they were still ill-favoured as at the beginning So I awoke 22. And I saw in my dream and behold seven ears came up in one stalk full and good 23. And behold seven ears withered thin and blasted with the east-wind sprung up after them 24. And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears and I told this unto the magicians but there was none that could declare it unto me 25. And Joseph said unto Pharaoh The dream of Pharaoh is one God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do 26. The seven good kine are seven years and the seven good ears are seven years the dream is one 27. And the seven thin and ill-favoured kine that came up after them are seven years and the seven empty ears blasted with the east-wind shall be seven years of famine 28. This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh what God is about to
Or the meanest of them as the Hebrew word will bear 1 Kings 12.31 and not the goodliest whom Pharaoh might have desired for his Court. 3. Occupation The Hebrew word signifies Work 4. To sojourn Not to dwell in Egypt and therefore they desire Goshen as near to Canaan 7. Jacob blessed Pharaoh i. e. He saluted him and gave him thanks as the Hebrew word signifies 2 Kings 4.29 Numb 6.23 24. Compare Matt. 26.26 with Luk. 22.19 9. Pilgrimage Jacob's life was a Pilgrimage It was spent in many places of Canaan in Padan-Aram and then in Canaan again and now in Egypt Heb. 11.9 13. An hundred and thirty years Hence it is evident that Jacob was about Ninety years old when Joseph was born Evil Though Jacob in some respect were a prosperous Man yet he met with many Evils He fled from Esau served Laban Twenty years He was defeated in his hope of Rachel and she was barren also He fled from Laban feared Esau halted He was afflicted in Dinah in Simeon and Levi and in Reuben and upon the score of Joseph In the Sons of Judah and in Thamar Besides the death of Rachel and the sending away of Benjamin Have not attained c. Abraham lived an Hundred seventy five years and Isaac an Hundred and eighty Gen. 25.7 and ch 35.28 10. Blessed At his going out as at his coming in See the Note on v. 7. 11. Land of Rameses So called here by Anticipation the Israelites built a City of that Name afterward Exod. 1.11 and 12.37 12. According to their families Or as a little Child is nourished Heb. According to the little ones 13. Land of Egypt i. e. The People of the Land as the Chaldee hath it 17. Fed them Heb. Led them 18. Second year i. e. The year after and not the second year of the seven years famine 21. He removed them The better to secure to Pharaoh the propriety from the People says Josephus And also it was a good means to prevent their Sedition which they would be tempted to if they had continued in their old Patrimonies 22. Priests Tho' the Hebrew word sometimes signifie Princes or great Officers Yet the ancient Versions the Chaldee Greek and Vulgar understand it of Priests here And so does Josephus and the Syriack Version of this place And what is here said of the Priviledge of the Priests is confirmed by what we read to the same purpose in the Second Book of Herodotus 24. Fifth part Ch. 41.34 29. Vnder my thigh See the Note on ch 24.2 30. With my fathers i. e. In the Land of Canaan where Abraham and Isaac were buried That the Israelites might be mindfull of their return thither 31. Swear unto me Jacob requires an Oath not because he distrusted Joseph but that he might furnish him with an argument to prevail with Pharaoh and accordingly we find Joseph making use of it ch 50.5 Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head i. e. He worshipped God raising himself upon the head of his Bed And possibly he might also lean upon the top of his Staff as the Greek hath it See Heb. 11.21 CHAP. XLVIII The ARGUMENT Joseph with his two Sons visits his Father in his sickness Jacob puts him in mind of God's promise and taketh Ephraim and Manasseh for his own Sons He blesseth them and preferrs Ephraim before Manasseh He fore-tells the Israelites return into Canaan And gives Joseph a portion of Land 1. AND it came to pass after these things that one told Joseph Behold thy father is sick and he took with him his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim 2. And one told Jacob and said Behold thy son Joseph cometh unto thee and Israel strengthened himself and sat upon the bed 3. And Jacob said unto Joseph God Almighty appeared unto me 〈◊〉 Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me 4. And said unto me Behold I will make thee fruitfull and multiply thee and I will make of thee a multitude of people and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession 5. And now thy two sons Ephraim and Manasseh which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt are mine as Reuben and Simeon they shall be mine 6. And thy issue which thou begettest after them shall be thine and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance 7. And as for me when I came from Padan Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath the same is Beth-lehem 8. And Israel beheld Joseph's sons and said Who are these 9. And Joseph said unto his father They are my sons whom God hath given me in this place And he said Bring them I pray thee unto me and I will bless them 10. Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age so that he could not see And he brought them near unto him and he kissed them and embraced them 11. And Israel said unto Joseph I had not thought to see thy face and lo God hath shewed me also thy seed 12. And Joseph brought them out from between his knees and he bowed himself with his face to the earth 13. And Joseph took them both Ephraim in his right hand towards Israel's left hand and Manasseh in his left hand towards Israel's right hand and brought them near unto him 14. And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it upon Ephraim's head who was the younger and his left hand upon Manasseh's head guiding his hands wittingly for Manasseh was the first-born 15. And he blessed Joseph and said God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk the God which fed me all my life long unto this day 16. The Angel which redeemed me from all evil bless the lads and let my name be named on them and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth 17. And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim it displeased him and he held up his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head 18. And Joseph said unto his father Not so my father for this is the first-born put thy right hand upon his head 19. And his father refused and said I know it my son I know it â—e also shall become a people and he also shall be great but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he and his seed shall become a multitude of nations 20. And he blessed them that day saying In thee shall Israel bless saying God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh and he set Ephraim before Manasseh 21. And Israel said unto Joseph Behold I die but God shall be with you and bring you again unto the land of your fathers 22. Moreover I have given to thee one portion above
physicians to embalm his father and the physicians embalmed Israel 3. And forty days were fulfilled for him for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days 4. And when the days of his mourning were past Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh saying If now I have found grace in your eyes speak I pray you in the ears of Pharaoh saying 5. My father made me swear saying Lo I die in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan there shalt thou bury me Now therefore let me go up I pray thee and bury my father and I will come again 6. And Pharaoh said Go up and bury thy father according as he made thee swear 7. And Joseph went up to bury his father and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh the elders of his house and all the elders of the land of Egypt 8. And all the house of Joseph and his brethren and his father's house onely their little ones and their flocks and their herds they left in the land of Goshen 9. And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen and it was a very great company 10. And they came to the threshing-floor of Atad which is beyond Jordan and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation and he made a mourning for his father seven days 11. And when the inhabitants of the land the Canaanites saw the mourning in the floor of Atad they said This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians wherefore the name of it was called Abel-mizraim which is beyond Jordan 12. And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them 13. For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a burying-place of Ephron the Hittite before Mamre 14. And Joseph returned into Egypt he and his brethren and all that went up with him to bury his father after he had buried his father 15. And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead they said Joseph will peradventure hate us and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him 16. And they sent messengers unto Joseph saying Thy father did command before he died saying 17. So shall ye say unto Joseph Forgive I pray thee now the trespass of thy brethren and their sin for they did unto thee evil And now we pray thee forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father And Joseph wept when they spake unto him 18. And his brethren also went and fell down before his face and they said Behold we be thy servants 19. And Joseph said unto them Fear not for am I in the place of God 20. But as for you ye thought evil against me but God meant it unto good to bring to pass as it is this day to save much people alive 21. Now therefore fear ye not I will nourish you and your little ones And he comforted them and spake kindly unto them 22. And Joseph dwelt in Egypt he and his father's house and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years 23. And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees â—4 And Joseph said unto his brethren I die and God will surely visit you and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob. 25. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel saying God will surely visit you and ye shall carry up my bones from hence 2369. 1635. 26. So Joseph died being an hundred and ten years old and they embalmed him and he was put in a coffin in Egypt 2. Physicians Those to whom the care of Embalming belonged To embalm i. e. So to apply Spices to the Body that it might be preserved from Putrefaction 3. Threescore and ten days i. e. Thirty days according to the custom of the Hebrews Numb 20.29 Deut. 21.13 with Deut. 34.8 besides the forty days of embalming mentioned before which were likewise days of Mourning 4. Vnto the house of Pharaoh He does not speak to Pharaoh himself and that perhaps because he was a Mourner and for that reason might not come into his Presence See Esth 4.2 5. Which I have digged It was usual for Men to dig their Sepulchres in their life-time And the place which Abraham bought was spacious enough for Jacob to build his burying-place in 2 Chron. 16.14 Isa 22.16 Matt. 27.60 Gen. 23.17 7. All i. e. A great number of them Matt. 3.5 10. Atad A place not far 't is probable from Hebron Beyond Jordan In respect to Moses who writes this Relation 13. Machpelah See Notes on Gen. 23.9 14. He had buried He was principally concerned in it and was obliged by Oath ch 47.31 19. For am I in the place of God q. d. It belongs not to me to punish you for your sins nor will it become me to remember your former faults since God hath turned your Evil into Good 20. God meant it c. Joseph does not vaunt his own Wisdom and Skill but owns God as the Author of the Good which befell him and his Father's House 23. Ephraim's children See ch 48.19 20. 25. An oath See ch 47.29 Of the children of Israel It is not said Of his Brethren For besides that 't is very probable they were most of them dead so they were least concerned had they now been alive because the Israelites were not like to return during their life Hence i. e. When ye go hence He was obliged by Oath to carry his Father's Body forthwith and this he alledges v. 5. To have ordered his own Burial there forthwith might have been thought a contempt of the Land of Egypt and brought mischief on his Brethren He is willing his Body should be left in Egypt a Memorial of his Benefaction to the Egyptians and to his own People a Pledge of their Deliverance 2369. 1635. 26. Died viz. in Egypt THE BOOK OF EXODUS THE General Argument OF THE Second Book of MOSES CALLED EXODUS THIS Second Book of Moses treats of the Departure of the Children of Israel out of Egypt and with respect thereunto it is called Exodus from a Greek word which imports a Departure or going out And though some other Matters are herein treated of yet that is the principal Subject of this Book For the main of the other Matters herein related are either such as were preparatory thereunto or consequent thereupon Of the first sort there are several Particulars related in this Book And they are these which follow I. The Names of the Children of Israel and the Number of them which came down into Egypt who were of that Race Of this we have an account Exod. I. v. 1 2 3 4 5. II. The Miseries which these
from that it being one of the most difficult and obscure Passages of the whole Pentateuch But still here is nothing proved That Moses wrote this Book called The Wars of the Lord appears not And granting it to be true it is nothing to the purpose For why might not Moses cite a Book of his own Writing as well as another and later Author And what if Moses did write the Wars of Amalek must he therefore write that of the Amorites Warring against the Moabites before he was concerned with them also These kind of pretences may amuse some that are not given to Thinking they can never prevail with them that consider duly Obj. X. 'T is pretended that the Pentateuch was not written by Moses but rather of him And that because Moses is generally mentioned by the Writer as a third Person And besides that we find Moses is commended in the Pentateuch Numb 12.6 8. Deut. 34.10 And if we take him for the Writer of those Books we must suppose him also to have commended himself which will hardly be granted in a Man of so great Humility and Wisdom as Moses was I answer 1. As to the Pretence that Moses is not the Author because he speaks of himself as of a third Person then it follows That whoever does in his History or Work mâ—ntion himself as Moses in these Books is supposed to do he cannot be the Author of that Book or Relation This wou'd be to conclude too much And yet if this Proposition be not true tâ—â—â— Objection hath so far as it goes no manner of force in it That he cannot be the Author of a Book that mentions himself as a third Person may be affirm'd indeed easily but can never be proved If this were admitted we must discharge several Authors of the Books of the Holy Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament also and then we must not believe that Julius Caesar wrote the Commentaries that go under his name or Josephus that part of his reputed Works where he speaks of himself as of a Third Person 'T is hardly credible that the Objectors can believe the Consequence of this Objection and I think there is no fear if they should that any indifferent Person shou'd believe with them 2. As to the second Part of the Objection That we cannot suppose that Moses wou'd commend himself nor consequently that he shou'd write the Pentateuch where he is commended I answer That this Objection whatever may be inferr'd from it does not conclude that Moses was not the Author of these Books For 't is not impossible for a Man to write an Encomium of himself But let us consider the Matter more closely 'T is said indeed that the Man Moses was very meek above all the Men which were upon the face of the Earth Numb 12.3 This is said upon occasion of what was said against him by Miriam and Aaron They spake against him very sharply Upon which 't is said And the Lord heard it Moses is not said to take notice of it himself He was not like to give any just offence nor apt to fall into anger when others reproach'd him It follows Now the man Moses was very meek c. I do not see what there is in these words unbecoming Moses Here 's no boasting or pride no shadow or foot-steps of it He had a just occasion to mention that he had neither provoked these angry persons nor did he highly resent the reproaches they followed him with He might say this well enough and ascribe due honour to God who had wrought this Temper in him The best Man in the World may well be allowed to defend his own Innocence and to own the great Things which God hath done for him The Objection will lie against Job against the Psalmist against St. Paul as well as against Moses if a good Man may not lawfully upon any occasion speak well of himself For what follows in v. 6 7 8. where Moses is preferr'd to any other Prophet 't is certain that they are the Words not of Moses but of God himself And well might he write what God himself said upon this occasion especially when it tended so much to justifie his Divine Mission upon the credit whereof the success of all his Ministry intirely depended The Sin of Moses is related Numb 20.12 and the Punishment inflicted on him on that account The relating of this is as strong an Objection against another Person 's writing these Books as what is nam'd above is against Moses For supposing another Person had been the Writer that Writer must be suppos'd not onely to relate what we read Numb 20. but to repeat it frequently also Obj. XI It is pretended that Moses cannot be supposed to be the Author of those words Exod. 6. These are that Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies These are they which spake to Pharaoh King of Egypt to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt These are that Moses and Aaron v. 26 27. 'T is suppos'd that Moses wou'd not write thus of himself I answer 1. That he may well be suppos'd to write as a Third Person as hath been shewed before And then 2. Allowing him to write for the sake of Posterity and not onely for the Persons of that present Age of which there can be no doubt He may well be granted to be the Writer of these words concerning himself and Aaron who were both greatly concerned in the Matters related afterwards Obj. XII The Author of the Book call'd Tractatus Theologico politicus mentions some other Books written by Moses and wou'd thence inferr by a way of reasoning peculiar to himself that Moses was not the Author of the Pentateuch He mentions the Book of the Covenant Exod. 24. This Book he says contains very little viz. Those Precepts onely which are found from Exod. 20.24 to chap. 24. And he allows that Moses wrote the Book of the Law of God Deut. 31.9 which Joshua afterwards enlarged viz. with the Relation of the Covenant which the People enter'd into in his Time Josh 24.25 26. And because we have no Book that contains at once the Covenant of Moses and that of Joshua he concludes that this Book of the Law is lost He grants that Moses wrote a Book of the Law and gave it to the Priests with a Command that it shou'd be at a certain time read unto the People which cou'd not therefore be the Pentateuch that being too great a Volume to be read at one Solemnity He grants also that Moses wrote the Song mentioned Deut. 32. And this Book of the Law containing part of the Deuteronomy and this Song is all that he will allow him to have written and left to Posterity I answer 1. I am willing to grant that the Book of the Covenant might not contain more than three or four Chapters of Laws And let it
from above He tells how many Cubits the Waters rosâ— above the Mountains and how many days the Waters kept above the Earth and the Effects of the Floud as to living Creatures 8. He relates by what means the Waters asswaged 9. In what month and day the Ark rested and in what place it did so 10. He relates when Noah opened the Window of the Ark and of his sending out the Raven and the Dove 11. He tells the month and the day when the Earth was dried 12. He relates the going out of Noah c. And 13. He tells of the Sacrifice of Noah and 14. Of God's promise not to send such another Deluge chap. 6 7 8. Here are all the marks of a true and complete Historian nor can the Wit of Man make any such Objections as will destroy the credibility of these Relations Moses next relates how God blessed Noah and his Sons forbad the eating of Bloud and Murder Covenanted not thus to destroy the Earth again and appointed the Rain-bow as a sign of this Covenant He tells also how Noah was over-come with Wine of the Curse denounced against Canaan and of the Blessing of Shem and Japhet and the Death of Noah chap. 9. Moses gives account of the Sons of Japheth of Ham where he speaks more particularly of Nimrod and of the Sons of Shem chap. 10. which is a most excellent piece of Antiquity A Relation of the Building of Babel and of the Children of Shem unto Abram Abram comes with his Father to Haran He receives the Promise of the Messias and comes into the Land of Canaan to Sichem Thence he removes to Bethel c. and on occasion of a Famine goes with Sarai to Egypt whom he gave out to be his Sister Pharaoh having taken her restores her to Abram being informed that she was his Wife chap. 11. and 12. Abram returns out of Egypt to Canaan with great Wealth His Kinsman Lot was with him who had also much Substance They part from each other and Lot pitched his Tent toward Sodom God promiseth to Abram the Land of Canaan chap. 13. Lot is taken Prisoner in the Battel between four Kings with five He is rescued by Abram who is blessed by Melchizedek Abram's Answer to the King of Sodom chap. 14. After this Moses relates how Abram was encouraged by God and assured that his Posterity should inherit the Land of Canaan The Birth of Ishmael by Hagar the Change of Abram s Name the Institution of Circumcision the Change of Sarai's Name and the Promise of Isaac and Circumcision of Abraham and Ishmael chap. 15 16 17. Moses goes on to relate Abraham's Hospitable entertaining of three Angels who appeared to Him in the likeness of Men Their Message is related the Birth of Isaac predicted and Sarah's Amazement and Weakness mentioned The Wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrha and Abraham's Intercession for Sodom The Destruction of these Places Lot preserved The incestuous Original of Moab and Ammon chap. 18 19. Abraham sojourns at Gerar The King thereof takes Sarah but being warned of God restores her Isaac is born and circumcised Hagar and Ishmael are dismissed Hagar being in great distress is relieved by God Abimelech makes a Covenant with Abraham chap. 20 21. Abraham is commanded to offer up his Son Isaac He readily obeys God accepts of this Obedience and preserves Isaac Abraham is again blessed Of the Posterity of Nahor chap. 22. After this we have an account of the Age and Death of Sarah Of the Purchase of a Burying place for her Of Abraham's sending his Servant to procure a Wife for Isaac Of the Servant's exemplary diligence and success and of the Marriage of Isaac and Rebekah ch 23 24. Of Abraham's Sons by Keturah Of his Age and Death Of the Posterity of Ishmael and of his Death c. Of the Birth of Jacob and Esau and how Esau sold his Birth-right Of the Journey of Isaac to Gerar c. Of a Covenant between Abimelech and Isaac and of the Marriage of Esau chap. 25 26. Moses proceeds to relate after what manner Jacob obtained the Blessing which Isaac bestowed on him and which he designed for Esau As also the Journey of Jacob to Padan-Aram and several Passages relating thereunto chap. 27 28. Jacob is entertained by Laban and contracts with him for his Service He Marries Leah and afterwards Rachel the Daughters of Laban The Children of Jacob Laban upon Jacob's desire to depart from him makes a new contract with him upon which Jacob useth policy and grows rich upon it chap. 29 30. Jacob leaves Laban privately Laban pursues him and enters into a Covenant with him at Galeed Jacob goes on and sends a Message to Esau whom he much feared He prays to God on this occasion and sends a Present to Esau He wrestles with an Angel and is called Israel Jacob meets Esau and is kindly received by him Jacob comes to Succoth thence toward Shechem in the Land of Canaan he purchaseth some Land there and builds an Altar Dinah is ravished and the Shechemites destroyed chap. 31 32 33 34. Jacob goes to Bethel where he builds an Altar His Name is changed into that of Israel God blesseth him Rachel dies and we have an account also of the Death of Isaac chap. 35. Moses relates an account of Esau of his Wives and Children and also of the Horites chap. 36. We have next a very particular Relation of Joseph one of the younger Sons of Jacob Of his Dreams and the hatred that his Brethren bore towards him Of their conspiring his Death and of his being carried into Egypt chap. 37. Of the Children of Judah another of Jacob's Sons Of the Birth of Pharez and Zarah by Tamar chap. 38. The History of Joseph is continued He is advanced in the House of Potiphar and resisteth the temptation of his Mistress he is however accused falsely and cast into Prison where God prospers him He interprets the Dreams of two of the King of Egypt's Servants who were in Prison with him to whom it hapned as Joseph fore-told The Dreams of Pharaoh King of Egypt are interpreted by Joseph who predicted a great Plenty and great Famine Upon this Joseph is greatly advanced in Egypt Of the Children of Joseph and the beginning of the Famine Ten Sons of Jacob are sent upon the occasion of the Famine to buy Corn in Egypt when Joseph saw them he accused them for Spies They are furnished with Corn and their Money returned into their Sacks They are required to bring with them Benjamin their younger Brother and their Brother Simeon is detained as a Pledge Joseph's Brethren return with Benjamin and are entertained by him They are sent away with Corn but brought back again to Egypt and accused of Theft The pathetical Supplication of Judah upon this occasion Joseph makes himself known to his Brethren minds them of God's Providence sends for his Father and being plentifully provided for they report to their Father that Joseph was
five and thirty years and begat Salah 13. And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years and begat sons and daughters 14. And Salah lived thirty years and begat Eber. 15. And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years and begat sons and daughters 16. And Eber lived four and thirty years and begat Peleg 17. And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years and begat sons and daughters 18. And Peleg lived thirty years and begat Reu. 19. And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years and begat sons and daughters 20. And Reu lived two and thirty years and begat Serug 21. And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years and begat sons and daughters 22. And Serug lived thirty years and begat Nahor 23. And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years and begat sons and daughters 24. And Nahor lived nine and twenty years and begat Terah 25. And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years and begat sons and daughters 2008. 1996. 26. And Terah lived seventy years and begat Abram Nahor and Haran 27. Now these are the generations of Terah Terah begat Abram Nahor and Haran and Haran begat Lot 28. And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity in Vr of the Chaldees 29. And Abram and Nahor took them wives the name of Abram's wife was Sarai and the name of Nahor's wife Milcah the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah 30. But Sarai was barren she had no child 31. And Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran his sons son and Sarai his daughter in law his son Abram's wife and they went forth with them from Vr of the Chaldees to go into the land of Canaan and they came unto Haran and dwelt there 32. And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years and Terah died in Haran 1. ONE language At this time the whole Race of Mankind spake one language Some think 't is probable it might be the Hebrew Tongue 2. From the East i. e. As they were journeying they came immediately from the East Shinar See Ch. 10. v. 10. Dwelt there By what follows it appears that they did intend to dwell there for the future contrary to God's command of replenishing the Earth ch 9.1 3. They said Nimrod very probably which Josephus affirms did encourage others of his Race and Temper to this contempt of God Brick The place being a Plain not affording Stone Slime A natural Cement to be found in Pits and lower Grounds 4. Build In this attempt they were guilty I. Of contempt of God's declared Will chap. 9. verse 1. which they endeavour to make void II. Of proudly seeking their own Fame and advancing their Power and Dominion Let us make us a Name They are by some also thought guilty III. Of a distrust of God's Truth who had declared that he would not drown the World any more whereas they are supposed to design a City and high Tower against the danger from another Floud To Heaven It is expressed Hyperbolically and imports a great height Deut. 9.1 A Name i. e. A Fame and Renown Compare Gen. 6.4 1 Chron. 17.8 with 2 Sam. 7.9 Lest we be Thus while they consult to defeat God's purpose they do that which was the occasion of bringing it to pass 5. Came down to see This is spoken after the manner of Men. God is then said to descend when he reveals himself by word or deed to us who live in this lower World The Chaldee renders it he appeared c. 6. Restrained They will give farther instances of their Rebellion and Tyranny if they be not defeated 7. Vs See Gen. 1.26 with the Note there 9. From thence From that very place which they intended to build to prevent their being scattered abroad v. 4. 10. These c. As ch 5. we have an account of the Generations from Adam to Noah who was the tenth from Adam So we have here an account from Noah to Abram who was the tenth from Noah And from hence we may learn that the Age of Man's life was much shortned after the Floud The whole time from the Floud to the Birth of Abram is but 352 years whereas from Adam's Creation to the Floud was no less than 1656. 26. Begat Abram Not that Abram was the first-born But he then began to beget Gen. 5.32 'T is supposed that Haran was the eldest and Abram the youngest That Abram was not the eldest is evident from this That Sarah the Daughter of Haran was but ten years younger than Abram and then Haran will be supposed to have begotten her when he was about nine years old Abram must be born the 130th year of Terah's life For Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran ch 12. v. 4. And this was after Terah's death 2008. 1996. who lived 205 years v. 32. 28. Before i. e. In Terah's life-time Vr of the Chaldees The name of a place in Mesopotamia Act. 7.2 It received its Name from the Chaldees who as they might subdue it at first so lived in it and gave it its denomination afterwards Vr in the Hebrew Tongue signifies Fire 29. Iscah The same with Sarai This is the opinion of the Jews nor is there cause to reject it 31. Terah took Abram c. Terah removed from his own Country with Abram who had received a Command from God to come out of it Gen. 12.1.15.7 Act. 7.3 And though this Command were the chief reason of this remove yet 't is thought that Terah was rendred inclinable to remove from the grief which he took at the Death of Haran there as well as at the Barrenness of Sarai v. 28 30. See Joseph Antiq. l. 1. c. 7. and Abravenel on the place Haran This is the name of a place in Mesopotamia Dwelt there It is likely that the occasion of their stay there was from the sickness or weakness of Terah When he was dead Abram went into Canaan CHAP. XII The ARGUMENT God calleth Abram from his own Country and encourageth his Remove with a promise to bless him and a particular promise of the Messias Abram's age when he left Haran He comes into the land of Canaan and sojourns there Vpon occasion of a famine in Canaan he goes into Egypt He owns Sarai as his Sister there Sarai is taken into the house of Pharaoh King of Egypt who by plagues was forced to restore her and dismisseth both Abram and Sarai and all that belonged to Abram 1. NOW the LORD had said unto Abram Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred and from thy fathers house unto a land that I will shew thee 2. And I will make of thee a great nation and I will bless thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing 3. And I will bless them
that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed 4. So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken unto him and Lot went with him and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran 2083. 1922. 5. And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brothers son and all their substance that they had gathered and the souls that they had gotten in Haran and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan and into the land of Canaan they came 6. And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem unto the plain of Moreh And the Canaanite was then in the land 7. And the LORD appeared unto Abram and said Vnto thy seed will I give this land and there builded he an altar unto the LORD who appeared unto him 8. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent having Beth-el on the west and Hai on the east and there he builded an altar unto the LORD and called upon the Name of the LORD 9. And Abram journeyed going on still toward the south 10. And there was a famine in the land and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there for the famine was grievous in the land 11. And it came to pass when he was come near to enter into Egypt that he said unto Sarai his wife Behold now I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon 12. Therefore it shall come to pass when the Egyptians shall see thee that they shall say This is his wife and they will kill me but they will save thee alive 13. Say I pray thee thou art my sister that it may be well with me for thy sake and my soul shall live because of thee 14. And it came to pass that when Abram was come into Egypt the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair 15. The Princes also of Pharaoh saw her and commended her before Pharaoh and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house 16. And he intreated Abram well for her sake and he had sheep and oxen and he-asses and men servants and maid-servants and she-asses and camels 17. And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife 18. And Pharaoh called Abram and said What is this that thou hast done unto me Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife 19. Why saidst thou She is my sister so I might have taken her to me to wife now therefore behold thy wife take her and go thy way 20. And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him and they sent him away and his wife and all that he had 1. HAD said viz. Before he came to Haran Act. 7.2 3. with Gen. 11.31 Get thee out i. e. Go thou at least whether thy Relatives go with thee or no So it follows Of thy country and from thy kindred and from thy father's house I will shew thee God did not tell him whither and Abram's obedience was therefore the greater argument of his faith in God that he went out not knowing whither he went Heb. 11.8 with Isa 41.2 2. Great Nation i. e. The Head and Father of a great Nation See ch 17. v. 4. Bless thee viz. In all things ch 24. v. 1. Not onely with Temporal but Spiritual Blessings Gal. 3.9 14. Thy Name i. e. Thy Renown and Fame I will make great See ch 23.6 and ch 6.4 with the Note on ch 11.4 Thou shalt be Or be thou as it is in the Hebrew 3. And I will c. God in this promise to Abram assures him that he will not onely bless him but his friends and that he that should be Abram's enemy should be cursed In thee i. e. In thy seed ch 22. v. 18. And that Seed is Christ Gal. 3.16 Act. 3.25 All the families i. e. Not onely the Jews and those that descended from Abram according to the flesh but all the faithfull Rom. 4.11 Gal. 3.7 9. 4. So Abram i. e. Upon this Promise or Covenant on God's part Abram departed first from Vr and then after his father's death from Haran Here begin the 430 Years mentioned Exod. 12.40 41. Gal. 3.17 2083. 1922. 5. The souls that they had gotten i. e. The Persons which they had gotten the possession of Their Domesticks and especially their Servants who were part of their Possessions The word we render Souls signifies Persons ch 14. v. 21. And Servants ch 36. v. 6. Rev. 18.13 And the word we here render gotten signifies to procure or get the possession of a thing Deut. 8.17 The Jews add that these Souls which they had gotten were instructed in the true Religion which opinion of theirs as it is very ancient and constantly received among them so it is so far from being inconsistent with the Text that it will appear highly probable to him that compares ch 14 v. 14. ch 17. v. 23. with ch 18. v. 19. 6. The place of Sichem i. e. The place where afterwards Sichem was See ch 34. v. 24. Plain of Moreh i. e. A Plain beset perhaps with Oaks called Moreh of which see ch 35.4 Josh 24.25 26. Jud. 9.6 Canaanite Abram's worshipping the true God among this wicked people was the more commendable and for that reason it may be mentioned in this place By Canaanite in this place is probably meant some particular Tribe or Families more specially so called who in Abram's time dwelt in that part of the Country For sometime the word Canaanite is to be taken in that restrained sence as Gen. 13. v. 7. Exod. 3.8 17. It is evident that those are reckoned as a distinct Tribe or People from the Canaanites who were yet the Off-spring of Canaan and consequently Canaanites Compare Gen. 10.15 7. An Altar For Sacrifice To which we may suppose him moved by the promise above mentioned Appeared See ch 13.3 4. 8. Beth-el It is the name of a place called Luz and after this Beth-el which word signifies the House of God ch 28. v. 19. Tent He did not build an House being but a Sojourner in a strange Land Heb. 11.9 Called upon i. e. Worshipped Prayed says the Chaldee 11. To look upon i. e. Of Aspect She was now but about her middle age ch 23.1 had born no children and may well be supposed of that vigour and comeliness which might be a temptation to the Egyptian people 13. My sister And so she was But of that see the Notes on ch 20. v. 12. My soul shall live i. e. I shall be spared and well used Because of thee Because of thy words says the Chaldee 15. Pharaoh This is the common name of the Kings of Egypt for a long time after 17. With great Plagues Josephus tells us that it was with disease and sedition It is probable that a disease was at least part of the infliction God here made good his promise to Abram v. 3. Compare Psal
unto him and he sold his birth right unto Jacob. 34. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils and he did eat and drink and rose up and went his way thus Esau despised his birth-right 1. TOok a Wife Or a Concubine as she is called 1 Chron. 1.32 whose Children did not inherit v. 6. and ch 22.24 Abraham's taking this Wife contributed toward the fulfilling the promise made ch 17. v. 6. Now was Sarah dead and Isaac married 2. She bare By the particular and special blessing of God upon Abraham and in order to the fulfilling his promise ch 17. v. 6. Rom. 4.19 Midian See Numb 25.6 7. Shuah Job 2.11 3. Sheba Job 1.15 4. Epher From whom Africa is thought to be called Joseph Antiqu. l. 1. c. 16. 5. All that he had unto Isaac i. e. He made Isaac his Heir having in his life-time given gifts to his other Children and sent them away v. 6. See ch 24.36 and ch 21.12 6. From Isaac And by this means prevented a future quarrel about the inheritance East-country viz. Arabia the happy says Josephus 2183. 1821. 8. Gave up the ghost Or expired Several of the ancient Versions have so rendred it that they seem to imply that Abraham died an easie death A thing not improbable see ch 15.15 it being said that he died in a good old age Was gathered i. e. He passed into the state of the dead following his deceased Ancestors 9. Ishmael Who though he were sent away from Abraham's family and might not inherit yet was not so far removed but that he was at hand to attend upon his Father's funeral Machpelah See ch 23.9 11. Blessed his Son i. e. He entailed upon him the blessing and promise made to his Father ch 17.19 Lahai-roi See ch 16.14 and ch 24.62 12. Generations Or the account of the Off-spring of Ishmael as also of the fulfilling the promise made to his Father Abraham ch 17.19 13. Nebaioth Whence the Region Nabathaea was so called His Posterity dwelt in Arabia Isa 60.7 Kedar Compare Ezek. 27.21 Isa 21.16 14. Dumah Isa 21.11 15. Tema Hence the people called Temanites Job 2.11 Jetur 1 Chron. 5.19 16. By Or in which agrees well with the Hebrew and is confirmed by the Greek i. e. in their several Towns and Castles thus they were called Twelve Princes According to the promise ch 17.20 18. From Havilah unto Shur Havilah seems to be so called from Havilah the Son of Cush ch 10.7 Of Shur See ch 16.7 These two are put for the extreme borders of the Sons of Ishmael 1 Sam. 15.7 As thou goest Or as one goes from Egypt toward Assyria He died Or fell as it is in the Hebrew i. e. His lot or country was in the presence of his brethren We have an account of Ishmael's death before v. 17. and here of the Country where he dwelt The ancient Versions render the word to this sense He fell i. e. He dwelt say the Chaldee and the Greek The Hebrew word is used in this sense elsewhere Judg. 7.12 Numb 34.2 1 Sam. 29.3 Psal 78.55 According to this sense that is fulfilled which was fore-told of Ishmael that he should dwell in the presence of all his brethren ch 16.12 He might therefore be said there to fall where his dwelling or inheritance happened See Ezek. 47.22 As the words lie in the Hebrew Compare Psal 16.6 19. The generations i. e. The history not onely of his Off-spring but of what happened to him Compare ch 5.1 20. Syrian Aramite according to the Hebrew which signifies a Syrian Compare Luk. 4.27 with 2 King 1.1 Of Padan-Aram i. e. Of that part of Syria which was called Padan-Aram This is the same with Mesopotamia ch 24.10 and called onely Padan ch 48.7 and seems to be the most cultivated part of that Country it being called the Country or Field of Aram or Syria Compare Hos 12.12 21. For his Wife The Hebrew Text seems to imply that his Wife joined with him in his prayer 22. If it be so why am I thus q. d. If so that God hath heard our prayers why am I in this disorder Went to enquire Either by prayer or to some holy Man and possibly to Abraham who was now living v. 7. with v. 26. 23. Two Nations i. e. The heads of two Nations the Edomites and Israelites The Elder shall serve Rom. 9.12 This was in great measure fulfilled when the Edomites were made subject to the Israelites 2 Sam. 8.14 with 2 Chron. 25.11 12. which subjection continued some considerable time 2 Kings 8.20 25. Esau i. e. Made or perfected according to the Hebrew as if born more like to a Man than to a Babe This Birth of Esau and Jacob though it be mentioned after the Death of Abraham yet it came to pass about fifteen years afterwards as will evidently appear to the diligent Reader The Order of Time is not always observed in these Books See chap. XX. v. 1. As also chap. XXVI 26. Jacob i. e. A Supplanter His taking hold of his Brother's heel was the reason of that name as the Hebrew Text intimates and the Vulgar expressly affirms Compare ch 27. v. 36. 27. In Tents As Abraham did Heb. 11.9 31. Birth-right Of the advantages whereof see the Note on Gen. 49.3 33. He sold his birth-right He parted with it at so mean a price that he is said to despise it v. 34. and therefore called Profane Heb. 12.16 CHAP. XXVI The ARGUMENT Vpon occasion of a famine Isaac removes to Gerar. God appears to him forbids him to go into Egypt renews his Promise and his Oath made unto Abraham Isaac gives out that Rebekah was his Sister Abimelech discovers the pretence Isaac's prosperity at Gerar. He is hereupon envied and removes He diggeth Wells Of the Wells called Esek Sitnah and Rehoboth Isaac builds an Altar and enters into Covenant with Abimelech The Wives of Esau 1. AND there was a famine in the land besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham and Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar. 2. And the LORD appeared unto him and said Go not down into Egypt dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of 3. Sojourn in this land and I will be with thee and will bless thee for unto thee and unto thy seed I will give all these countries and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father 4. And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven and will give unto thy seed all these countries and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed 5. Because that Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge my commandments my statutes and my laws 6. And Isaac dwelt in Gerar. 7. And the men of the place asked him of his wife and he said She is my sister for he feared to say She is my wife lest said he the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah
And he said I am God the God of thy father fear not to go down into Egypt for I will there make of thee a great nation 4. I will go down with thee into Egypt and I will also surely bring thee up again and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes 5. And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father and their little ones and their wives in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him 6. And they took their cattel and their goods which they had gotten in the land of Canaan and came into Egypt Jacob and all his seed with him 7. His sons and his sons sons with him his daughters and his sons daughters and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt 8. And these are the names of the children of Israel which came into Egypt Jacob and his sons Reuben Jacob's first-born 9. And the sons of Reuben Hanoch and Phallu and Hezron and Carmi. 10. And the sons of Simeon Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jachin and Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman 11. And the sons of Levi Gershon Cohath and Merari 12. And the sons of Judah Er and Onan and Shelah and Pharez and Zerah but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul 13. And the sons of Issachar Tola and Phuvah and Job and Shimron 14. And the sons of Zebulun Sered and Elon and Jahleel 15. These be the sons of Leah which she bare unto Jacob in Padanâ—râ—m with his daughter Dinah all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three 16. And the sons of Gad Ziphion and Haggai Shuni and Ezbon Eri and Arodi and Areli 17. And the sons of Asher Jimnah and Ishuah and Isai and Beriah and Serah their sister and the sons of Beriah Heber and Malchiel 18. These are the sons of Zilpah whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter and these she bare unto Jacob even sixteen souls 19. The sons of Rachel Jacob's wife Joseph and Benjamin 20. And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim which Asenath the daughter of Pâ—tipherah priest of On bare unto him 21. And the sons of Benjamin were Bela and Becher and Ashbel Gera and Naaman Ehi and Rosh Muppim and Huppim and Aâ—d 22. These are the sons of Rachel which were born to Jacob all the souls were fourteen 23. And the sons of Dan Hushim 24. And the sons of Naphtali Jahzeel and Guni and Jezer and Shillem 25. These are the sons of Bilhah which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter and she bare these unto Jacob all the souls were seven 26. All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt which came out of his loins besides Jacob's sons wives all the souls were threescore and six 27. And the sons of Joseph which were born him in Egypt were two souls all the souls of the house of Jacob which came into Egypt were threescore and ten 28. And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph to direct his face unto Goshen and they came into the land of Goshen 29. And Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father to Goshen and presented himself unto him and he fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while 2298. 1706. 30. And Israel said unto Joseph Now let me die since I have seen thy face because thou art yet alive 31. And Joseph said unto his brethren and unto his father's house I will go up and shew Pharaoh and say unto him My brethren and my father's house which were in the land of Canaan are come unto me 32. And the men are shepherds for their trade hath been to feed cattel and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have 33. And it shall come to pass when Pharaoh shall call you and shall say What is your occupation 34. That ye shall say Thy servants trade hath been about cattel from our youth even untill now both we and also our fathers that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians 1. BEer-sheba A place that was in the South part of Canaan and in the way to Egypt See the Note on ch 21.31 Sacrifices Eucharistical ones for his Safety Joseph's Life and many other Blessings which he had received 2. In the visions of the night See ch 15.1 3. Fear not to go Upon several accounts Jacob might fear to go with his whole Family especially into Egypt Abraham had been injured there ch 12.15 It had been foretold that his Seed should be afflicted by the Egyptians ch 15.13 Isaac had been warned not to go into Egypt ch 26.2 The Egyptians were Men of very different Usages and Manners from the Hebrews v. 34. and ch 43.32 They were also of a different Religion and Jacob besides might fear lest by this means his Posterity should be deprived of the Land of Canaan A great nation And this was made good There were Seventy that went into Egypt and they in the space of Two hundred and ten or fifteen years encreased to about Six hundred thousand Exod. 12.37 Deut. 10.22 4. Bring thee up His Body was brought into Canaan ch 50.3 13. and his Posterity also returned thither 6. Had gotten Or had possessed as the Vulgar renders it Jacob who is therefore to be reckoned in the number of those who went into Egypt See v. 8. 7. His daughters and his sons daughters It appears not that he had above one Daughter viz. Dinah and one Grand-daughter Serah v. 17. But this Enallage of number is very usual with the Sacred Writings in the like case See v. 17. and v. 23. with ch 21.7 8. Jacob and his sons He with his Children says the Vulgar These words do also intimate that Jacob is to be reckoned in the number of the Seventy with his Sons See v. 6. 10. Of Simeon Exod. 6.15 Jemuel called Nemuel Num. 26.12 1 Chron. 4. 24. Ohad omitted Numb 26.12 and 1 Chron. 4.24 and that probably because he died without Children Jachin otherwise called Jarib 1 Chron. 4.24 Zohar called also Zerah Numb 26.13 and 1 Chron. 4.24 15. Thirty and three Reckoning Jacob in the number See v. 8. 19. Jacob's wife She was the Wife which he desired and loved most 21. The sons of Benjamin He was now about the Age of Twenty and seven years allowing him to be twelve or thirteen years younger than Joseph See ch 35.18 Belah 1 Chron. 8.1 Becher 1 Chron. 7.8 23. Sons of Dan See the Note on v. 7. 26. Threescore and six Jacob and Joseph and his two Sons are not to be put into this number 27. Threescore and ten To make up this number Jacob and Joseph with his two Sons ought to be reckoned This being the number of this Family Jacob himself the Head of it is of that number They are not
the birth and preservation of Moses of the Wonders wrought in Egypt of the Israelites most miraculous deliverance thence of their travel in the Wilderness and the wondrous things which happened there If we be taken with the knowledge of Laws here we shall find that which will entertain us also For besides the moral Precepts in which all Mankind are concerned we have an account of the Laws of the Israelites by which they were to be governed in their own Land And tho' it be true that these judicial Laws were given to the Hebrews and that they were concerned in them and that other Nations must be governed by the Laws of their several Countries yet certain it is that the Justice and the Equity on which these Laws are founded and which they recommend are worthy the consideration and imitation too of other Nations And if inquisitive persons think it worth their while to look into the Laws of Sparta and Athens of Rome and other Kingdoms and Commonwealths certainly they must judge the Laws of Moses which came from God himself are well worthy their looking into and their serious consideration Again if Religion or the way of worshipping God and the Holy Rites and Ceremonies thereunto belonging will entertain us we have here some account of that also and a farther afterwards and of the Persons appointed to minister in Holy Things of their Vestments Separation and solemn Consecration to their Office Or lastly If our Curiosity leads us to consider curious Mechanism or the Work of the most able Artificers we have an account of the Structure of the Tabernacle of its several parts and dimensions of its Instruments and Utensils and the curious Work made use of about that and the Priest's Holy Garments Secondly Here is also to be found a Symbolical Representation of better things to come For several Matters related here are Symbols and Types of something else which was to be revealed in the days of the Messias which does mightily enhanse the value of these Relations and which exalts them above the rate of other Relations It would be too long to dilate upon Particulars I shall onely observe that the Redemption of the Israelites from Egypt was a great Symbol and Type of Christ's far greater Redemption of Mankind And that the Structure and Frame of the Tabernacle was a Type also of Evangelical Things And whoever will take the pains to compare what Josephus says of the parts of the Sanctuary and the mystical meaning thereof with what is said by the Divine Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews on that occasion will be farther convinced of the truth hereof Thirdly This Book lays before us a lively Idea of God's special Providence and Care of his People and consequently lays a great foundation for Piety particularly for Obedience to his Precepts and trust and affiance in him under all Events Moses is preserved notwithstanding all Arts used to destroy him The Israelites live and increase under the severest hardships The Bush is burnt with Fire but not consumed All the Wit and Malice and Power of Men cannot defeat God's Counsels nor destroy the People whom he will preserve They whom God will save Man cannot destroy They are safe who are under his protection He can find Meat and Drink for them in a barren Wilderness While they obey and follow God they are safe And therefore our greatest Care and highest Wisdom is with all imaginable care to do the Will of God and then to trust to him for a supply of our Necessities and a defence against our Enemies and a certain relief under our most pressing straits and difficulties And all this is powerfully recommended to us from the Matters laid before us in this Book of Moses called Exodus NOTES ON THE Book of EXODUS CHAP. I. The ARGUMENT The Names of the Sons of Israel who came into Egypt They multiply there when oppressed by a new King The Midwives obey not the King who commanded them to kill the Male-children of the Hebrews after which the same Command is given to the People of Egypt 1. NOW these are the names of the children of Israel which came into Egypt every man and his houshold came with Jacob. 2. Reuben Simeon Levi and Judah 3. Issachar Zebulun and Benjamin 4 Dan and Naphtali Gad and Asher 5. And all the souls that came out of the loyns of Jacob were seventy souls for Joseph was in Egypt already 6. And Joseph died and all his brethren and all that generation 7. And the children of Israel were fruitfull and increased abundantly and multiplyed and waxed exceeding mighty and the land was filled with them 8. Now there arose up a new king over Egypt which knew not Joseph 9. And he said unto his people Behold the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier then we 10. Come on let us deal wisely with them lest they multiply and it come to pass that when there falleth out any war they join also unto our enemies and fight against us and so get them up out of the land 11. Therefore they did set over them task-masters to afflict them with their burdens And they built for Pharaoh treasure-cities Pithom and Raamses 12. But the more they afflicted them the more they multiplied and grew And they were grieved because of the children of Israel 13. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor 14. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage in mortar and in brick and in all manner of service in the field all their service wherein they made them serve was with rigor 15. And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives of which the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah 16. And he said When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women and see them upon the stools if it be a son then ye shall kill him but if it be a daughter then she shall live 17. But the midwives feared God and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them but saved the men children alive 18. And the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said unto them Why have ye done this thing and have saved the men-children alive 19. And the midwives said unto Pharaoh Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women for they are lively and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them 20. Therefore God dealt well with the midwives and the people multiplyed and waxed very mighty 21. And it came to pass because the midwives feared God that he made them houses 22. And Pharaoh charged all his people saying Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river and every daughter ye shall save alive 1. THESE are the names God had promised to Abraham that he would exceedingly multiply his seed Gen. 15.5 And by comparing the number of those that went into Egypt with the number that came out thence we may
hearken to the voice of the first sign that they will believe the voice of the latter sign 9. And it shall come to pass if they will not believe also these two signs neither hearken unto thy voice that thou shalt take of the water of the river and pour it upon the dry-land and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry-land 10. And Moses said unto the LORD O my Lord I am not eloquent neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue 11. And the LORD said unto him Who hath made man's mouth or who maketh the dumb or deaf or the seeing or the blind have not I the LORD 12. Now therefore go and I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say 13. And he said O my Lord send I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou wilt send 14. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother I know that he can speak well And also behold he cometh forth to meet thee and when he seeth thee he will be glad in his heart 15. And thou shalt speak unto him and put words in his mouth and I will be with thy mouth and with his mouth and will teach you what ye shall do 16. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people and he shall be even he shall be to thee in stead of a mouth and thou shalt be to him in stead of God 17. And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand wherewith thou shalt do signs 18. And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law and said unto him Let me go I pray thee and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt and see whether they be yet alive And Jethro said to Moses Go in peace 19. And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian Go return into Egypt for all the men are dead which sought thy life 20. And Moses took his wife and his sons and set them upon an ass and he returned to the land of Egypt And Moses took the rod of God in his hand 21. And the LORD said unto Moses When thou goest to return into Egypt see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in thine hand but I will harden his heart that he shall not let the people go 22. And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh Thus saith the LORD Israel is my son even my first-born 23. And I say unto thee Let my son go that he may serve me and if thou refuse to let him go behold I will slay thy son even thy first-born 24. And it came to pass by the way in the inn that the LORD met him and sought to kill him 25. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the fore-skin of her son and cast it at his feet and said Surely a bloudy husband art thou to me 26. So he let him go then she said A bloudy husband thou art because of the circumcision 27. And the LORD said to Aaron Go into the wilderness to meet Moses And he went and met him in the mount of God and kissed him 28. And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him and all the signs which he had commanded him 29. And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel 30. And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people 31. And the people believed and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel and that he had looked upon their affliction then they bowed their heads and worshipped 1. THey will not believe Moses might well suppose that the Israelites would not presently and without a sign give him credit See v. 9. and compare it with ch 3.18 2. What is that in thine hand These words make way for that which follows 4. It became a rod in his hand As this sign was designed to gain the Israelites belief v. 5. so it was very instructive also to them The turning of a rod or staff into a Serpent did fitly represent their past and their present Condition under Pharaoh And the turning the Serpent into a Rod or Staff was a fair Symbol of that deliverance from their present Bondage which was promised to them Besides Moses is confirmed and encouraged in his Office which he would have declined as he fled from the Serpent by his taking the Serpent by the Tail and turning it into a Staff 5. That they may be believe c. These words acquaint us with the great End of this Sign See John 20.31 6. As snow This was afterward reputed a sign of a most dangerous sort of Leprosie see Numb 12.10 12. and therefore a fit Symbol of the calamitous condition of the Israelites at this time 7. As his other flesh And this might fairly put them in mind that their present condition was not without hope 8. That they will believe Or that they may believe For these words do not so much fore-tell the Event see v. 9. as they do the design and purpose of these Signs 9. Shall become Heb. Shall be and shall be i. e. It shall certainly be so 10. Eloquent Heb. A man of words i. e. He was not of a ready speech or utterance Heretofore Heb. Since yesterday nor since the third day An usual form of speech among the Hebrews this is by which they describe the time past Nor since thou hast spoken c. i. e. This want of utterance hath not been removed since thou hast given me Commission to go into Egypt 12. With thy mouth See Matth. 10.19 Mark 13.11 Luke 12.11 13. Wilt send Or shouldest send Many have thought that Moses means the Messias whom God would send Send by the hand of him who is fit to be sent says the Chaldee 16. Thou shalt be to him instead of God Vid. Ch. 7. 1. Thou shalt command him and make my Will known to him 20. Sons His two Sons Gershom and Eliezer An ass The Greek renders it in the Plural the Enallage of Number is very usual with the Sacred Writers The rod of God i. e. The Rod or Staff which God commanded him to take v. 17. and with which he was to work Signs 21. I will harden c. i. e. I will after he hath hardened his own heart leave him to his stubbornness and impenitence See ch 9.34 22. First-born i. e. Beloved and favoured more than the other Nations as the first-born 24. The LORD met him The Angel of the Lord say the Greek and Chaldee Sought to kill him i. e. Inflicted probably some disease upon him 25. Sharp stone Or knife which according to the Custom then was made of a sharpened stone vid. Josh 5.2 Cast it Heb. Made it touch His feet i. e. The
Child 's whom she circumcised Surely a bloody Husband art thou to me What we translate Husband is observed to signifie Son-in-law And these words are with great probability supposed to express that her Son was now circumcised and to be referred to her Son not to Moses who is called a bloudy Son because of the Circumcision By Circumcision persons were admitted into Covenant and received into the Church and Family of the true God And he that was thus received might very fitly be called by this Name which signifies one received into a Family by Marriage He was henceforth a Son of God and obliged to obey the Laws of this Church or Family Gal. 5.3 compare Josh 5.9 See Mr. Mede's Disc on the place 30. Spake Vid. v. 16. And did i. e. Moses did see v. 17. 31. Bowed Out of Reverence and Thankfulness to God CHAP. V. The ARGUMENT Pharaoh refuseth to let the Israelites go out of Egypt instead of that does encrease their task and refuseth to hear their just Complaints They thereupon apply themselves to Moses and Aaron and Moses represents their case to God 1. AND afterwards Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh Thus saith the LORD God of Israel Let my people go that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness 2. And Pharaoh said Who is the LORD that I should obey his voice to let Israel go I know not the LORD neither will I let Israel go 3. And they said The God of the Hebrews hath met with us let us go we pray thee three days journey into the desart and sacrifice unto the LORD our God lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword 4. And the king of Egypt said unto them Wherefore do ye Moses and Aaron let the people from their works get you unto your burdens 5. And Pharaoh said Behold the people of the land now are many and you make them rest from their burdens 6. And Pharaoh commanded the same day the task-masters of the people and their officers saying 7. Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick as heretofore let them go and gather straw for themselves 8. And the tale of the bricks which they did make heretofore you shall lay upon them you shall not diminish ought thereof for they be idle therefore they cry saying Let us go and sacrifice to our God 9. Let there more work be laid upon the men that they may labor therein and let them not regard vain words 10. And the task-masters of the people went out and their officers and they spake to the people saying Thus saith Pharaoh I will not give you straw 11. Go ye get you straw where you can find it yet not ought of your work shall be diminished 12. So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble in stead of straw 13. And the task-masters hasted them saying Fulfill your works your daily tasks as when there was straw 14. And the officers of the children of Israel which Pharaoh's task-masters had set over them were beaten and demanded Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day as heretofore 15. Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh saying Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants 16 There is no straw given unto thy servants and they say to us Make brick and behold thy servants are beaten but the fault is in thine own people 17. But he said Ye are idle ye are idle therefore ye say Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD 18. Go therefore now and work for there shall no straw be given you yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks 19. And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case after it was said Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task 20. And they met Moses and Aaron who stood in the way as they came forth from Pharaoh 21. And they said unto them The LORD look upon you and judge because you have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants to put a sword in their hands to slay us 22. And Moses returned unto the LORD and said Lord wherefore hast thou so evil intreated this people why is it that thou hast sent me 23. For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name he hath done evil unto this people neither hast thou delivered thy people at all 1. GO Viz. Out of Egypt See ch 4.23 That they may hold a feast unto me i. e. A Religious feast Let my Son go that he may serve me Ch. 4.23 Sacrifice was a considerable part of this Service v. 3. In the Wilderness The Wilderness was a convenient place for the Service and Worship of God which requires great attention and abstraction The Labors of Egypt and the Wars and Conquests of Canaan could not but be in great measure an hindrance to them And Philo brings in Moses and Aaron saying thus to Pharaoh viz. That they must in the Wilderness perform their sacred Rites which were different from those of other Men and that also after such a way and manner as required recess because of the different usages in this Divine Worship from what was elsewhere practised or allowed De vit Mos 2. Who is the LORD c. The Name of the Lord is not revealed unto me says the Chaldee See ch 3.19 3. The God of the Hebrews hath met with us Vid. Ch. 3.18 The God who wrought great Deliverances for the Hebrews and particularly for Abraham Isaac and Jacob who were of that Race and is therefore able to save his Servants Lest he fall upon us c. Which would prove a loss to Pharaoh 4. Wherefore do ye c. Pharaoh takes no notice of what Moses and Aaron said v. 3. which contained Motives to persuade him to let them go 6. Task-masters of the people and their officers These Task-masters were Egyptians appointed to exact Labour from the Israelites But the Officers were Israelites who were by the Egyptians set over their Brethren and to see that they did their task and were to answer for their neglect See v. 14. and v. 19. These are rendred by the Greek by a word that signifies Scribes and were probably of the Elders of the People ch 3.18 7. Straw to make Brick This Straw was either to mingle with the Earth of which the Bricks were made or perhaps to burn the Brick with which latter is a sense not at all repugnant to the words used in the Hebrew 8. Therefore c. Their desire of going out of Egypt to serve God is by Pharaoh imputed to idleness both here and v. 17. Whereas in truth though the Worship of God require Abstraction from worldly Cares see the Note on v. 1. Yet he that serves and worships God as he ought to do is so far
from being idle that he is not onely employed in the main and greatest business but does it with all his Power and Might It requires the whole Man and the greatest Application that is possible 9. Let there more work c. Heb. Let the work be heavy upon the men 13. Your daily tasks Heb. A matter of a day in his day i. e. so much as is expected every day 14. The officers of the children of Israel who were Israelites See v. 6. 15. Vnto Pharaoh And not unto the Task-masters who were set over them upon a presumption that Pharaoh did not allow of their oppression and out of hopes that he would redress it 16. In thine own people i. e. In the Task-masters They do not here charge Pharaoh 21. To be abhorred Heb. To stink i. e. We are rendred vile in the sight of Pharaoh 22. Vnto the Lord Who was alone able to help them in their Calamity 23. Neither hast thou delivered thy people at all Hebr. Delivering thou hast not delivered CHAP. VI. The ARGUMENT God reneweth his Promise of delivering the Israelites out of Egypt Of the name JEHOVAH Moses is again commanded to go unto Pharaoh Of the Families of Reuben Simeon and Levi. 1. THEN the LORD said unto Moses Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh for with a strong hand shall he let them go and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land 2. And God spake unto Moses and said unto him I am the LORD 3. And I appeared unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them 4. And I have also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan the land of their pilgrimage wherein they were strangers 5. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage and I have remembred my covenant 6. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel I am the LORD and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians and I will rid you out of their bondage and I will redeem you with a stretched-out arm and with great judgments 7. And I will take you to me for a people and I will be to you a God and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians 8. And I will bring you in unto the land concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob and I will give it you for an heritage I am the LORD 9. And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage 10. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 11. Go in speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt that he let the children of Israel go out of his land 12. And Moses spake before the LORD saying Behold the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me how then shall Pharaoh hear me who am of uncircumcised lips 13. And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt 14. These be the heads of their fathers houses The sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel Hanoch and Pallu Hezron and Carmi these be the families of Reuben 15. And the sons of Simeon Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jachin and Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman these are the families of Simeon 16. And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations Gershon and Kohath and Merari And the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years 17. The sons of Gershon Libni and Shimi according to their families 18. And the sons of Kohath Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Vzziel And the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years 19. And the sons of Merari Mahali and Mushi these are the families of Levi according to their generations 20. And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife and she bare him Aaron and Moses And the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years 21. And the sons of Izhar Korah and Nepheg and Zichri 22. And the sons of Vzziel Mishael and Elzaphan and Zithri 23. And Aaron took him Elisheba daughter of Aminadab sister of Naashon to wife and she bare him Nadab and Abihu Eleazar and Ithamar 24. And the sons of Korah Assir and Elkanah and Abiasaph these are the families of the Korhites 25. And Eleazar Aaron's son took him one of the daughters of Pâ—tiel to wife and she bare him Phinehas these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families 26. These are that Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies 27. These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt these are that Moses and Aaron 28. And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt 29. That the LORD spake unto Moses saying I am the LORD speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee 30. And Moses said before the LORD Behold I am of uncircumcised lips and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me 1. WITH a strong hand i. e. Being thereunto compelled with severe Judgments V. c. 3. v. 19 20. 3. God Almighty Or God All-sufficient V. Gen. 17.1 God gave unto Abraham Isaac and Jacob great proofs of his Almighty Power and many promises also of the Land of Canaan But by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them It is not said That this name was not known to them See Gen. 22.14 Nor can the words be understood of the Letters of the Name but it is by my name JEHOVAH was I not known c. By this name must be understood that which it doth signifie JEHOVAH denotes not onely God's Eternal Being but his giving of Being to other things and especially the performing his Promise Now Abraham Isaac and Jacob had received Promises but enjoyed not the thing promised The time was now come in which God would bring to pass what he had promised and now they should know that he is the Lord V. Isa 49.23 c. 52.6 c. 60.16 The knowing him by his name JEHOVAH implies the receiving from him what he had promised before He is not called JEHOVAH till he had finished the Creation Gen. 2.4 The doing of that which He before decreed and promised speaks Him to be JEHOVAH See Exod. 20.2 This Interpretation agrees exactly with the Context For in the very next words God lets them know that he would make good his Promise which is expressed
by establishing his Covenant v. 4. and declares that he remembers his Covenant v. 5. And then follow these words Wherefore say unto the children of Israel I am JEHOVAH and I will bring you out c. V. 6. with v. 7 8. For the farther clearing of this matter it is to be remembred That God is said to make himself known to those whom he takes into Covenant Thus in Judah is God known Psal 76.1 Again In the day when I chose Israel and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob and made my self known unto them in the land of Egypt when I lifted up my hand unto them saying I am the Lord your God In the day that I lifted up my hand unto them to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them c. Ezek. 20.5 6. When God entred into Covenant with Abraham it was by the name of God Almighty Gen. 17.1 upon which he promiseth to his Seed the Land of Canaan v. 8. By this name Isaac blesseth Jacob and bestows on him the Blessing of Abraham ch 28.3 4. By this name Jacob blesseth Joseph ch 48.3.49.25 God lets them here know that he who had made a Promise to their Fathers by the name of God Almighty would now confirm His Covenant to them and make his Promise good by the name of JEHOVAH Say unto the children of Israel I am JEHOVAH i. e. I will make good to you what I promised by the name of God Almighty And ye shall know that I am JEHOVAH your God And I will bring you into the land concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob and I will give it you for an heritage I am JEHOVAH Exod. 6.6 7 8. 4. My covenant with them God promised Abraham the Land of Canaan Gen. 15. and renewed this promise afterward 6. Wherefore say c. i. e. Assure them I will make good my promise See v. 7 8. 8. I did swear H. Lift up my hand See Gen. 14.22 9. For anguish of spirit Heb. Shortness or Straitness They were dejected in their Spirits through their bondage and not prone to believe the tidings of their Deliverance See the LXXII 12. Vncircumcised lips That is not eloquent He complained before of an impediment which not being taken away he calls his Lips Uncircumcised 14. The sons of Reuben V. Gen. 46.9 1 Chron. 5.3 This following account is to make way to the stock of Moses and Aaron who descended from Levi the third Son of Jacob and hence it is that the following account of Reuben and Simeon is premised lest they should be thought to be contemned 15. And the sons 1 Chron. 4.24 16. Of the sons of Levi Num. 3.17 1 Chron. 6.1 18. Sons of Kohath Numb 26.57 1 Chron. 6.2 20. Amram V. ch 2.2 Numb 26.59 His father's sister See the Notes on ch 2.1 25. She bare him V. Numb 25.11 27. These are that Moses and Aaron See the Notes on v. 14. 29. I am the LORD The JEHOVAH v. 3. who am ready to accomplish what I have formerly promised 30. Vncircumcised See v. 12. CHAP. VII The ARGUMENT Moses is farther directed and encouraged in his Message to Pharaoh His Rod is turned into a Serpent The Magicians of Egypt do the like Pharaoh's Heart is hardened The Waters are turned into Blood The Magicians do so Pharaoh's Heart is hardened 1. AND the LORD said unto Moses See I have made thee a god to Pharaoh and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet 2. Thou shalt speak all that I command thee and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh that he send the children of Israel out of his land 3. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt 4. But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you that I may lay my hand upon Egypt and bring forth mine armies and my people the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by great judgments 5. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them 6. And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them so did they 7. And Moses was fourscore years old and Aaron fourscore and three years old when they spake unto Pharaoh 8. And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying 9. When Pharaoh shall speak unto you saying Shew a miracle for you then thou shalt say unto Aaron Take thy rod and cast it before Pharaoh and it shall become a serpent 10. And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh and they did so as the LORD had commanded and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants and it became a serpent 11. Then Pharaoh also called the wisemen and the sorcerers now the magicians of Egypt they also did in like manner with their inchantments 12. For they cast down every man his rod and they became serpents but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods 13. And he hardened Pharaoh's heart that he hearkened not unto them as the LORD had said 14. And the LORD said unto Moses Pharaoh's heart is hardened he refuseth to let the people go 15. Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning lo he goeth out unto the water and thou shalt stand by the river's brink against he come and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand 16. And thou shalt say unto him The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee saying Let my people go that they may serve me in the wilderness and behold hitherto thou wouldest not hear 17. Thus saith the LORD In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD behold I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river and they shall be turned to blood 18. And the fish that is in the river shall die and the river shall stink and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river 19. And the LORD spake unto Moses Say unto Aaron Take thy rod and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt upon their streams upon their rivers and upon their ponds and upon all their pools of water that they may become blood and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone 20. And Moses and Aaron did so as the LORD commanded and he lift up the rod and smote the waters that were in the river in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood 21. And the fish that was in the river died and the river stunk and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt 22. And the magicians of Egypt did so
with their inchantments and Pharaoh's heart was hardened neither did he hearken unto them as the LORD had said 23. And Pharaoh turned and went into his house neither did he set his heart to this also 24. And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink for they could not drink of the water of the river 25. And seven days were fulfilled after that the LORD had smitten the river 1. A God i. e. A Prince or Master See the Chaldee and the Notes on ch 4.16 Thy Prophet Thy Interpreter says the Chaldee Thy Mouth to speak for thee See ch 4.16 that being one great Office of a Prophet Deut. 18.18 See ch 6.30 4. My hand My powerfull Plague or Stroke as the Chaldee hath it The Hand being the Instrument whereby we effect what we desire does fitly express the Power of him that doth effect Mine armies V. ch 6.26 and ch 12.41 5. Shall know that I am the LORD See ch 6.7 and the Note on ch 6.3 7. Fourscore years old This agrees well with Act. 7.30 and speaks God's Power and Providence V. Deut. 34.7 2 Cor. 12.9 9. A serpent V. ch 4.3 The Greek render it a Dragon 11. The magicians Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses says the Apostle 2 Tim. 3.8 and the Chaldee Paraphrase called Jonathan's calls them Janis and Jambres These Magicians are mentioned not onely among the Jewish Writers but among the Heathen also particularly by Apuleius With their inchantments i. e. With their secret sleights or jugglings The Hebrew word is thought to import an hidden and secret and therefore a commonly unaccountable Art 12. They became serpents Not without the Divine Permission But then their Rods which became Serpents were swallowed up by the Rod of Aaron And though the Magicians turned Water into Blood and brought Frogs upon Egypt we do not find that they were able to turn that Blood into Water and send away the Frogs which they had brought upon the Land as Moses did ch 8.13 They were permitted to punish but had not power to relieve the Egyptians 13. And he hardened Pharaoh's heart Or And Pharaoh's heart waxed strong or hard i. e. Pharaoh's Heart was hardened as the Vulgar and Chaldee render it And we find the same words in the Hebr. so rendered v. 22. not onely by the Greek and Latin but by the English Version also Nor is there any person mentioned either in the one place or in the other See ch 8.32 and the Note upon it That he hearkened not Or And he hearkened not Hebr. 14. Is hardened Or is heavy and dull and not easily moved 15. Goeth out Moses is directed to take this opportunity of meeting with Pharaoh it not being perhaps easie for him to have access to his Court. 16. In the wilderness See the Note on ch 5.1 17. I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand God commands Moses directs and Aaron smites v. 19 20. And God may be therefore said to do that which by his Command was done and by his Power To blood This was a great plague to the Egyptians who wanted Rain Deut. 11.10 11. and were by this means deprived of their Food from the Fish v. 18. and Numb 11.5 and of their Drink also v. 18. 20. Turned to blood And that so it was appears from what follows v. 21. that the Fish died and the River did stink so that the Egyptians could not drink as formerly 22. And the Magicians of Egypt did so And that they might do the Waters being changed successively and not all at once besides that they digged for Waters as appears from vers 24. Vid. Wisd 17.7 23. Neither did he set his heart i. e. He regarded not This speaks his wilfull neglect See v. 16. CHAP. VIII The ARGUMENT The Plague of Frogs The Magicians do also the like Pharaoh sues to Moses and Aaron for the removal of the Frogs and promiseth thereupon to dismiss the Israelites The Frogs are removed Pharaoh hardens his Heart The Plague of Lice The Magicians not able to do the like The Plague of Flies Pharaoh inclines to let the Israelites go but upon the removal of them hardens his Heart 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses Go unto Pharaoh and say unto him Thus saith the LORD Let my people go that they may serve me 2. And if thou refuse to let them go behold I will smite all thy borders with frogs 3. And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly which shall go up and come into thine house and into thy bed-chamber and upon thy bed and into the house of thy servants and upon thy people and into thine evens and into thy kneading-troughs 4. And the frogs shall come up both on thee and upon thy people and upon all thy servants 5. And the LORD spake unto Moses Say unto Aaron Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams over the rivers and over the ponds and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt 6. And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt 7. And the magicians did so with their inchantments and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt 8. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Intreat the LORD that he may take away the frogs from me and from my people and I will let the people go that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD 9. And Moses said unto Pharaoh Glory over me when shall I intreat for thee and for thy servants and for thy people to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses that they may remain in the river onely 10. And he said To morrow And he said Be it according to thy word that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God 11. And the frogs shall depart from thee and from thy houses and from thy servants and from thy people they shall remain in the river onely 12. And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh and Moses cried unto the LORD because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh 13. And the LORD did according to the word of Moses and the frogs died out of the houses out of the villages and out of the fields 14. And they gathered them together upon heaps and the land stank 15. But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite he hardened his heart and hearkened not unto them as the LORD had said 16. And the LORD said unto Moses Say unto Aaron stretch out thy rod and smite the dust of the land that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt 17. And they did so for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod and smote the dust of the earth and it became lice in man and in beast all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt 18. And the magicians did so with their inchantments to bring forth lice but they could not so
there were lice upon man and upon beast 19. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh This is the finger of God And Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he hearkened not unto them as the LORD had said 20. And the LORD said unto Moses rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh lo he cometh forth to the water and say unto him Thus saith the LORD Let my people go that they may serve me 21. Else if thou wilt not let my people go behold I will send swarms of flies upon thee and upon thy servants and upon thy people and into thy houses and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies and also the ground whereon they are 22. And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen in which my people dwell that no swarms of flies shall be there to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth 23. And I will put a division between my people and thy people to morrow shall this sign be 24. And the LORD did so and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants houses and into all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies 25. And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron and said Go ye sacrifice to your God in the land 26. And Moses said It is not meet so to do for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God Lo shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes and will they not stone us 27. We will go three days journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as he shall command us 28. And Pharaoh said I will let you go that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness onely you shall not go very far away intreat for me 29. And Moses said Behold I go out from thee and I will intreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh from his servants and from his people to morrow but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD 30. And Moses went out from Pharaoh and intreated the LORD 31. And the LORD did according to the word of Moses and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh from his servants and from his people there remained not one 32. And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also neither would he let the people go 2. All thy borders i. e. The whole Land of Egypt 3. Kneading-troughs Or Dough. 7. And the magicians Wisd 17.7 See the Notes on ch 7.12 8. Intreat the LORD Pharaoh is forced to this his Magicians not being able to remove the Frogs which they were permitted to bring upon the Egyptians 9. Glory over me Or Have this honour over me i. e. Have thou the honour of appointing me the time when I shall intreat the Lord for thee See v. 10. and Judg. 7.2 When Or Against when To destroy Heb. To cut off 10. To morrow Or Against to morrow 12. Because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh Or Concerning the appointed time which was agreed on before for the removing the Frogs In this Sense the Greek understood the words 15. Respite i. e. That the Plague was removed 17. Lice One of the Ancients inquires Why God punished the Egyptians with such vile and inconsiderable Animals rather than with Bears Leopards Lions and such ravenous Creatures or the Serpents of Egypt which would quickly have destroyed theâ— And his answer is That God designed to correct not to destroy the Egyptians For had he designed their destruction he needed not the help of any Animals he might have done it by Plague or Famine When Men says he wage War they furnish themselves with the most powerfull assistance but the powerfull God when he designs to inflict evils makes use of the smallest and most inconsiderable Instruments what smaller than Lice and yet the Egyptians were forced to own the Finger of God Phil. de vit Mos l. 1. 18. Did so i. e. They attempted to do the like 19. This is the finger of God Or This Plague is of God's inflicting See the Chaldee The Power of God is represented by his Hand or Finger in the Scripture Phrase Ps 8.3 See Luk. 11.20 The Magicians do here confess God's Work and are not able to do the same And Pharaoh's heart was hardened These are the same words in the Hebr. with those ch 7.13 and they do imply that Pharaoh hardened his own Heart He continued in his obstinacy after the Magicians were baffled and were forced to acknowledge the Finger of God See v. 32. 21. Swarms of flies Or A mixture of noisom Beasts 22. I will sever c. By making this wonderfull difference this Plague was rendered the more convictive and Pharaoh the more inexcusable 23. A division Heb. A redemption And so it was to the Israelites a Rescue and Redemption and a distinguishing Mercy See Psal 111.9 Isa 43.2 3. To morrow Or By to morrow 24. There came See Wisd 16.9 A grievous swarm Not onely a very troublesome but a very numerous swarm Corrupted Or destroyed 26. It is not meet It is not right God having called the Israelites out of Egypt V. ch 3.18 The abomination of the Egyptians Or The things which the Egyptians worship as the Vulgar and the Chaldee understand the words at least the Beasts which the Egyptians abstain from and will neither eat nor kill V. Gen. 43.32 and the Notes on that place 27. As he shall See ch 3.18 32. Hardened his heart at this time also As he had done before v. 19. so he did again after a new Plague that spoke not onely the Power but the peculiar Providence of God v. 22 23. and all this after his Magicians had acknowledged the Power of God CHAP. IX The ARGUMENT A grievous Murrain Pharaoh's Heart is hardened The plague of Boyls The plague of Hail and the grievous Effects of it Pharaoh sues to Moses and Aaron to be delivered from it and promiseth to let the Israelites go The Hail is removed and Pharaoh thereupon hardens his Heart and refuseth to let the People go 1. THen the LORD said unto Moses Go in unto Pharaoh and tell him Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews Let my people go that they may serve me 2. For if thou refuse to let them go and wilt hold them still 3. Behold the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattel which is in the field upon the horses upon the asses upon the camels upon the oxen and upon the sheep there shall be a very grievous murrain 4. And the LORD shall sever between the cattel of Israel and the cattel of Egypt and there shall nothing die of all that is the childrens of Israel 5. And the LORD appointed a set time saying To morrow the LORD shall
do this thing in the land 6. And the LORD did that thing on the morrow and all the cattel of Egypt died but of the cattel of the children of Israel died not one 7. And Pharaoh sent and behold there was not one of the cattel of the Israelites dead And the heart of Pharaoh was hardned and he did not let the people go 8. And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron Take to you handfulls of ashes of the furnace and let Moses sprinkle it towards the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh 9. And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt and shall be a boyl breaking forth with blains upon man and upon beast throughout all the land of Egypt 10. And they took ashes of the furnace and stood before Pharaoh and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven and it became a boyl breaking forth with blains upon man and upon beast 11. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boyl for the boyl was upon the magicians and upon all the Egyptians 12. And the LORD hardned the heart of Pharaoh and he hearkned not unto them as the LORD had spoken unto Moses 13. And the LORD said unto Moses Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh and say unto him Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews Let my people go that they may serve me 14. For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart and upon thy servants and upon thy people that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth 15. For now I will stretch out my hand that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence and thou shalt be cut off from the earth 16. And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up for to shew in thee my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth 17. As yet exaltest thou thy self against my people that thou wilt not let them go 18. Behold to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even untill now 19. Send therefore now and gather thy cattel and all that thou hast in the field for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field and shall 〈◊〉 it be brought home the hail shall come down upon them and they shall die 20. He that feared the word of the LORD amongst the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattel flee into the houses 21. And he that regardeth not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattel in the field 22. And the LORD said unto Moses Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt upon man and upon beast and upon every herb of the field throughout the land of Egypt 23. And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven and the LORD sent thunder and hail and the fire ran along upon the ground and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt 24. So there was hail and fire mingled with the hail very grievous such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation 25. And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field both man and beast and the hail smote every herb of the field and brake every tree of the field 26. Onely in the land of Goshen where the children of Israel were was there no hail 27. And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron and said unto them I have sinned this times the LORD is righteous and I and my people are wicked 28. Intreat the LORD for it is enough that there be no more mighty thundrings and hail and I will let you go and ye shall stay no longer 29. And Moses said unto him Assoon as I am gone out of the city I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD and the thunder shall cease neither shall there be any more hail that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD's 30. But as for thee and thy servants I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God 31. And the flax and the barley was smitten for the barley was in the ear and the flax was bolled 32. But the wheat and the rie were not smitten for they were not grown up 33. And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD and the thunders and hail ceased and the rain was not poured upon the earth 34. And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased he sinned yet more and hardned his heart he and his servants 35. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardned neither would he let the children of Israel go as the LORD had spoken by Moses 3. A very grievous murrain i. e. A great and general Mortality as appears from v. 6. What we render Murrain signifies the Pestilence when it is referred unto Men and is very frequently by the Greek rendered by a word which signifies Death 4 5. And the LORD c. This great Plague was accompanied with some circumstances which did render it more fit to work upon Pharaoh Viz. I. That the Israelites did not suffer by it which was an argument of God's particular care and providence v. 4. And II. That God set a time when it should happen which was an argument that it was God's work v. 5. 6. All the cattel i. e. All that was in the Field v. 3. 7. And Pharaoh sent c. And by this means he was assured of the truth of what is said v. 4. and therefore left without excuse for his Infidelity 10. And Moses sprinkled It is very probable that Aaron did so likewise it being said of them both that they took ashes A boyl See Rev. 16.2 11. Could not stand before Moses These Magicians at the first withstood Moses but now are not able to stand before him their folly being now manifest 2 Tim. 3.8 9. 12. And the LORD hardned This God is not said to have done till now after five Plagues were past and Pharaoh had hardened his own heart God left him to the wickedness of his own heart when he had sundry times hardened himself before As the LORD Ch. 4.21 14. All my plagues i. e. All that I have determined to inflict Thine heart Which shall be wounded with grief and fear 16. For this cause Rom. 9.17 Have I raised thee up Heb. Made thee stand i. e. I have preserved thee and kept thee alive notwithstanding the foregoing Plagues which have been inflicted He may be said to be raised up who is preserved alive when he was in danger of dying Jam. 5.15 Thou hast been kept or preserved so the Greek render it 18. Since the foundation thereof i. e. Since it became a nation v. 24. 19. Thy cattel Which escaped the
Murrain v. 6. 26. Was there no hail See Notes on v. 4. and 5. and Isa 32.18 19. 28. Mighty thundrings Heb. Voices of God Psal 29.4 5. 29. I will spread abroad my hands I will extend my hands in Prayer says the Chaldee See v. 28. and 1 Tim. 2.8 The Earth Psal 24.1 32. Not grown up Heb. Hidden or dark i. e. They were not so forward as the Barley 35. As the LORD had spoken As the Lord had commanded says the Vulgar referring it to the words immediately going before By Moses Heb. By the hand of Moses CHAP. X. The ARGUMENT Pharaoh is threatned with a most grievous Plague of Locusts Vpon this and his Servants request he inclines to terms But they being refused God sends the Plague of Locusts and removes them at his request After which he refuseth to let the people go After this succeeded the Plague of Darkness Pharaoh is hardned and warneth Moses to come no more into his presence 1. AND the LORD said unto Moses Go in unto Pharaoh for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants that I might shew these my signs before him 2. And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son and of thy sons son what things I have wrought in Egypt and my signs which I have done amongst them that ye may know how that I am the LORD 3. And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh and said unto him Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews How long wilt thou refuse to humble thy self before me Let my people go that they may serve me 4. Else if thou refuse to let my people go behold to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast 5. And they shall cover the face of the earth that one cannot be able to see the earth and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped which remaineth unto you from the hail and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field 6. And they shall fâ—ll thy houses and the houses of all thy servants and the houses of all the Egyptians which neither thy fathers nor thy father's fathers have seen since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day And he turned himself and went out from Pharaoh 7. And Pharaoh's servants said unto him How long shall this man be a snare unto us Let the men go that they may serve the LORD their God Knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed 8. And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh and he said unto them Go serve the LORD your God but who are they that shall go 9. And Moses said We will go with our young and with our old with our sons and with our daughters with our flocks and with our herds will we go for we must hold a feast unto the LORD 10. And he said unto them Let the LORD be so with you as I will let you go and your little ones look to it for evil is before you 11. Not so go now ye that are men and serve the LORD for that you did desire And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence 12. And the LORD said unto Moses Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts that they may come up upon the land of Egypt and eat every herb of the land even all that the hail hath left 13. And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt and the LORD brought an east-wind upon the land all that day and all that night and when it was morning the east-wind brought the locusts 14. And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested in all the coasts of Egypt very grievous were they before them there were no such locusts as they neither after them shall be such 15. For they covered the face of the whole earth so that the land was darkned and they did eat every herb of the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left and there remained not any green thing in the trees or in the herbs of the field through all the land of Egypt 16. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste and he said I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you 17. Now therefore forgive I pray thee my sin onely this once and intreat the LORD your God that he may take away from me this death onely 18. And he went out from Pharaoh and intreated the LORD 19. And the LORD turned a mighty strong west-wind which took away the locusts and cast them into the Red sea there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt 20. But the LORD hardned Pharaoh's heart so that he would not let the children of Israel go 21. And the LORD said unto Moses Stretch out thine hand toward heaven that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt even darkness which may be felt 22. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days 23. They saw not one another neither rose any from his place for three days but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings 24. And Pharaoh called unto Moses and said Go ye serve the LORD onely let your flocks and your herds be stayed let your little ones also go with you 25. And Moses said Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt-offerings that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God 26. Our cattel also shall go with us there shall not an hoof be left behind for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God and we know not with what we must serve the LORD untill we come thither 27. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart and he would not let them go 28. And Pharaoh said unto him Get thee from me take heed to thy self see my face no more for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die 29. And Moses said Thou hast spoken well I will see thy face again no more 1. FOR c. Or Though Ch. 4.21 2. Mayest tell c. See ch 9.16 Deut. 6.20 22. Psal 78.5 6 7. 4. Locusts Wisd 16.9 5. The face Heb. The eye i. e. the superficies of the Earth The Jewish Writers by the Eye of the Earth understand the Sun and that the multitude of Locusts did intercept the light of the Sun and hinder the Egyptians from seeing the Earth which agrees very well with what follows in this Verse and with vers 15. vid. Abravenel and the Chaldee on the place The residue Ch. 9.32 Every tree Though the Trees were broken by the Hail yet it does not thence follow that they were altogether rendred unfruitfull 6. Have seen Vid. Vers 14. 7. A snare i. e. An occasion of our ruine 8. Who Heb. Who and who c. 10. Let the LORD c. These words seem to be spoken scoffingly q. d. You may assoon expect I should wish you all manner
of good as that I should let your little ones go 11. For that you did desire Or if you desire that As the words may well be rendred q. d. If you sincerely persist in that desire 13. An east-wind The Greek render it a South-wind And it might possibly be a South-East Wind. See Numb 11.31 with Psal 78.26 14. Before them there were no such c. For their multitude and the hurt which they did there had not been the like nor should there be in the Land of Egypt What we read Joel 1.2 ch 2.2 is not repugnant to what is affirmed here 16. Called Heb. Hastned to call 17. This deaths This Plague of the Locusts which may well be called Death either because they killed Men as well as the Hail as is affirmed Wisd 16.9 or else because they did destroy the remaining supports of Life 19. Cast Heb. Fastned They were so cast that as to the event of things it was as if they had been fastned Red-sea In the Hebrew it is the Sea of Rush so called 't is probable from the Rushes or Flaggs that grew about it It was called the Red-sea because it bordered upon the Country of Edom which in the Hebrew Tongue signifies Red 1 King 9.26 Gen. 25.30 21. Even darkness which may be felt Heb. That one may feel darkness This we call Palpable Darkness and it proceeds from the thick Mists and Foggs of the Air. But the Hebrew word being derived from a word that signifies to feel or to remove the Chaldee renders it in the latter sense thus After the darkness of the night was gone intimating that the day should be turned into dark night 23. Neither rose any from his place i. e. Not to any considerable distance See ch 16.29 But all c. Wisd 18.1 25. Vs Heb. Into our hands 26. With what we must serve the LORD untill we come thither i. e. What Beasts we may be obliged to offer up till God give his Command 29. I will see thy face again no more Moses hence seems to have spoken the following words c. 11. where he foretells the death of the First-born before he went out of Pharaoh's presence CHAP. XI The ARGUMENT The Israelites are directed to ask of their Neighbours Jewels of Gold and Silver God gives them Favour with the Egyptians Pharaoh is threatened with the death of the First-born Moses leaves Pharaoh in great anger 1. AND the LORD said unto Moses Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt afterwards he will let you go hence when he shall let you go he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether 2. Speak now in the ears of the people and let every man borrow of his neighbour and every woman of her neighbour jewels of silver and jewels of gold 3. And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people 4. And Moses said Thus saith the LORD About mid-night will I go out into the midst of Egypt 5. And all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne even unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill and all the first-born of beasts 6. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt such as there was none like it nor shall be like it any more 7. But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue against man or beast that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel 8. And all these thy servants shall come down unto me and bow down themselves unto me saying Get thee out and all the people that follow thee and after that I will go out and he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger 9. And the LORD said unto Moses Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt 10. And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh and the LORD hardned Pharaoh's heart so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land 1. SAID Or had said As it may be rendred and is Gen. 12.1 See Exod. 10.29 and vers 8. of this Chapter Thrust you out Ch. 12.31 33. 2. Borrow Or Ask or Beg. What they received was a gift agreeably hereunto it is said The Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians v. 3. The Greek and Latin render it to the same sense and Josephus tells us That the Egyptians honoured the Hebrews with Gifts partly to hasten their departure and partly upon the score of that familiarity which was between them as Neighbours Jos Antiq. l. 2. c. 5. See the Notes on ch 3. v. 22. Jewels Ch. 3.22 and 12.35 3. Moses Ecclus 45.1 4. About midnight Ch. 12.29 5. That sitteth upon his throne i. e. Who was to have sat upon the Throne of his Kingdom or to reign after him to which sense the Chaldee renders the words Behind the mill It was the custom to put Slaves to grind in a Mill. See Judg. 16.21 7. Move his tongue i. e. The Israelites were quiet and undisturbed Vid. Jos 10.21 8. That follow thee Heb. That is at thy feet That are with thee saith the Chaldee A great anger Heb. Heat of Anger CHAP. XII The ARGUMENT The beginning of the Year is changed The Passover instituted The Rites of this first Passover The Feast of Vnleavened-bread and the time of it The meaning of the Passover to be taught The First-born of the Egyptians slain The Egyptians hasten the Israelites out of Egypt They come to Succoth The time when they left Egypt Rules concerning the Passover 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying 2. This month shall be unto you the beginning of months it shall be the first month of the year to you 3. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel saying In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb according the house of their fathers a lamb for an house 4. And if the houshold be too little for the lamb let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb 5. Your lamb shall be without blemish a male of the first year ye shall take it out from the sheep or from the goats 6. And ye shall keep it up untill the fourteenth day of the same month and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening 7. And they shall take of the blood and strike it on the two side-posts and on the upper door-posts of the houses wherein they shall eat it 8. And they shall eat the
flesh in that night rost with fire and unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it 9. Eat not of it raw nor sodden at all with water but rost with fire his head with his legs and with the purtenance thereof 10. And ye shall let nothing of it remain untill the morning and that which remaineth of it untill the morning ye shall burn with fire 11. And thus shall ye eat it with your loins girded your shooes on your feet and your staff in your hand and ye shall eat it in haste it is the LORD's passover 12. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt both man and beast and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment I am the LORD 13. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where you are and when I see the blood I will pass over you and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt 14. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial and you shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever 15. Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day untill the seventh day that soul shall be cut off from Israel 16. And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you no manner of work shall be done in them save that which every man must eat that onely may be done of you 17. And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread for in this self-same day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever 18. In the first month on the fourteenth day of the month at even ye shall eat unleavened bread untill the one and twentieth day of the month at even 19. Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses for whosoever eateth that which is leavened even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel whether he be a stranger or born in the land 20. Ye shall eat nothing leavened in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread 21. Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said unto them Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families and kill the passover 22. And ye shall take a bunch of hysop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin and strike the lintel and the two side-posts with the blood that is in the basin and none of you shall go out at the door of his house untill the morning 23. For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel and on the two side-posts the LORD will pass over the door and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you 24. And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever 25. And it shall come to pass when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you according as he hath promised that ye shall keep this service 26. And it shall come to pass when your children shall say unto you What mean you by this service 27. That ye shall say It is the sacrifice of the LORD 's Passover who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and delivered our houses And the people bowed the head and worshipped 28. And the children of Israel went away and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron so did they 29. And it came to pass that at midnight the LORD smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon and all the first-born of cattel 30. And Pharaoh rose up in the night he and all his servants and all the Egyptians and there was a great cry in Egypt for there was not an house where there was not one dead 31. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night and said Rise up and get you forth from among my people both you and the children of Israel and go serve the LORD as ye have said 32. Also take your flocks and your herds as ye have said and be gone and bless me also 33. And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people that they might send them out of the land in haste for they said We be all dead men 34. And the people took their dough before it was leavened their kneading-troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders 35. And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver and jewels of gold and raiment 36. And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians so that they lent unto them such things as they required and they spoiled the Egyptians 37. And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth about six hundred thousand on foot that were men besides children 38. And a mixed multitude went up also with them and flocks and herds even very much cattel 39. And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt for it was not leavened because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not tarry neither had they prepared for themselves any victual 40. Now the sojourning of the children of Israel 2513. 1491. who dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years 41. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years even the self-same day it came to pass that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt 42. It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations 43. And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron This is the ordinance of the passover there shall no stranger eat thereof 44. But every man's servant that is bought for money when thou hast circumcised him then shall he eat thereof 45. A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof 46. In one house shall it be eaten thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house neither shall ye break a bone thereof 47. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it 48. And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee and will keep the passover to the LORD let all his males be circumcised and then let him come near and keep it and
12. That thou Ch. 22.29 and 34.19 Ezek. 44.30 Set apart Heb. Cause to pass over i. e. Thou shalt not reckon it thine own but God's Vid. Levit. 27.32 13. Of an Ass Of unclean beasts Numb 18.15 The Ass is named that creature being very common among them Jud. 10.4 and 12.14 And the Ass therefore seems named here as a most common Beast and comprehending other Creatures that were not fit for Sacrifice And Philo the Jew when he mentions this Law reckons Horses Asses and Camels and such-like de Sacerdot Honor. l. Lamb Or Kid vid. ch 12.3 14. In time to come Heb. To morrow Vid. Matt. 6.34 16. And it shall be for a token upon thine hand and for frontlets between thine eyes See verse 9. Hence the Jews understanding these words literally took up a custom of using their Phylacteries Matt. 23.5 which they wore on their Hands and Foreheads These were made of Skins of a clean Beast in which were written four Tracts or little Sections of their Law viz. Deut. 6.4 to the end of v. 9. Exod. 13.1 to the end of v. 10. Exod. 13.11 to the end of v. 16. Deut. 11.13 to the end of v. 21. 18. Harnessed Or by five in a rank i. e. They went in good order and having their Loins girded See ch 12.11 19. The bones of Joseph Vid. Act. 7.16 God will c. Gen. 50.25 Josh 24.32 20. They took c. Numb 33.6 21. The LORD Numb 14.14 Deut. 1.33 Nehem. 9.19 Psal 78.14 1 Cor. 10.1 He is called the Angel of God ch 14.19 And it is supposed that he is the Son of God it being said that they tempted Christ in the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10.9 And Philo the Jew thinks it credible that a certain invisible Angel accompanied the Cloud as the Conductor of the People Whom says he we may not see with bodily eyes Vid. Phil. de Vit. Mos l. 1. And there is ground for this opinion of his from the place compared with ch 14.19 where it is said And the Angel of God which went before the Camp of Israel removed and went behind them And the Pillar of the Cloud went from before their face and stood behind them 22. The Pillar The Pillar of a Cloud and of Fire seem to be but one Pillar ch 14.19 20 24. Spread as a Cloud by day and having the appearance of Fire by night for the guidance of the People CHAP. XIV The ARGUMENT The Israelites are directed in their Journey Pharaoh pursues them The Israelites are much afraid Moses endeavours to quiet them The Angel and Cloud remove behind the Camp of Israel The Israelites pass through the Red sea the Egyptians following them are drowned 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. Speak unto the children of Israel that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth between Migdol and the sea over against Baal-zephon before it shall ye encamp by the sea 3. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel They are entangled in the land the wilderness hath shut them in 4. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart that he shall follow after them and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh and upon all his host that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD And they did so 5. And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people and they said Why have we done this that we have let Israel go from serving us 6. And he made ready his chariot and took his people with him 7. And he took six hundred chosen chariots and all the chariots of Egypt and captains over every one of them 8. And the LORD hardned the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt and be pursued after the children of Israel and the children of Israel went out with an high hand 9. But the Egyptians pursued after them all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh and his horse-men and his army and overtook them encamping by the sea beside Pihahiroth before Baal-zephon 10. And when Pharaoh drew nigh the children of Israel lift up their eyes and behold the Egyptians marched after them and they were sore afraid and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD 11. And they said unto Moses Because there were no graves in Egypt hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us to carry us forth out of Egypt 12. Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt saying Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians then that we should die in the wilderness 13. And Moses said unto the people Fear ye not stand still and see the salvation of the LORD which he will shew to you to day for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day ye shall see them again no more for ever 14. The LORD shall fight for you and ye shall hold your peace 15. And the LORD said unto Moses Wherefore criest thou unto me Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward 16. But lift thou up thy rod and stretch out thine hand over the sea and divide it and the children of Israel shall go on dry-ground through the midst of the sea 17. And I behold I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians and they shall follow them and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh and upon all his host upon his chariots and upon his horse-men 18. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh upon his chariots and upon his horse-men 19. And the angel of God which went before the camp of Israel removed and went behind them and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face and stood behind them 20. And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel and it was a cloud and darkness to them but it gave light by night to these so that the one came not near the other all the night 21. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east-wind all that night and made the sea dry-land and the waters were divided 22. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry-ground and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left 23. And the Egyptians pursued and went in after them to the midst of the sea even all Pharaoh's horses his chariots and his horse-men 24. And it came to pass that in the morning-watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud and troubled the host of the Egyptians 25. And took off their chariot-wheels that they drave them heavily so that the Egyptians said Let us flee from the face of Israel for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians 26. And the LORD
for the Israelites Jethro rejoiceth at it and adviseth Moses to teach the People Laws and to appoint Judges among the People Moses follows the Advice of Jethro who afterward departed from him 1. WHEN Jethro the priest of Midian Moses's father-in-law heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt 2. Then Jethro Moses's father-in-law took Zipporah Moses's wife after he had sent her back 3. And her two sons of which the name of the one was Gershom for he said I have been an alien in a strange land 4. And the name of the other was Eliezer for the God of my father said he was my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh 5. And Jethro Moses's father-in-law came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness where he encamped at the mount of God 6. And he said unto Moses I thy father-in-law Jethro am come unto thee and thy wife and her two sons with her 7. And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and did obeisance and kissed him and they asked each other of their welfare and they came into the tent 8. And Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake and all the travail that had come upon them by the way and how the LORD delivered them 9. And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians 10. And Jethro said Blessed be the LORD who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians 11. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them 12. And Jethro Moses's father-in-law took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God And Aaron came and all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses's father-in-law before God 13. And it came to pass on the morrow that Moses sat to judge the people and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening 14. And when Moses's father-in-law saw all that be did to the people he said What is this thing that thou doest to the people Why sittest thou thy self alone and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even 15. And Moses said unto his father-in-law Because the people come unto me to enquire of God 16. When they have a matter they come unto me and I judge between one and another and I do make them know the statutes of God and his laws 17. And Moses's father-in-law said unto him The thing that thou doest is not good 18. Thou wilt surely wear away both thou and this people that is with thee for this thing is too heavy for thee thou art not able to perform it thy self alone 19. Hearken now unto my voice I will give thee counsel and God shall be with thee be thou for the people to Godward that thou mayest bring the causes unto God 20. And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk and the work that they must do 21. Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men such as fear God men of truth hating covetousness and place such ever them to be rulers of thousands and rulers of hundreds rulers of fifties and rulers of tens 22. And let them judge the people at all seasons and it shall be that every great matter they shall bring unto thee but every small matter they shall judge so shall it be easier for thy self and they shall bear the burden with thee 23. If thou shalt do this thing and God command thee so then thou shalt be able to endure and all this people shall also go to their place in peace 24. So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said 25. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people rulers of thousands rulers of hundreds rulers of fifties and rulers of tens 26. And they judged the people at all seasons the hard causes they brought unto Moses but every small matter they judged themselves 27. And Moses let his father-in-law depart and he went his way into his own land 1. JEthro Vid. Chap. 2.16 2. After he had sent her back That is After Moses had sent her back from the Inn when he was going into Egypt Vid. Chap. 4.24 25. 3. Name Ch. 2.22 Gershom That is A stranger there 4. Eliezer That is My God is an help 5. At the mount of God The Mountain on which the glory of God was revealed says the Chaldee This was Horeb where God gave his Law Exod. 3.1 Deut. 5.2 6. He said He sent Messengers that in his name told Moses of his coming Vid. Matth. 8.5 compared with Luk. 7.3 7. Welfare Heb. Peace 8. Come upon them Heb. Found them 9. Hand i. e. The Dominion or Tyranny as the Chaldee hath it 11. For in the thing c. Ch. 1.10 16 22. and 5.7 and 14.18 The Egyptians justly suffered for their Pride and Arrogance and God did defeat them in their Designs and inflicted on them that very evil which they designed to afflict the Israelites with Compare ch 1.22 with ch 22.29 and ch 14.28 12. Sacrifices i. e. Other Sacrifices for no man might eat of the Burnt-offering it being intirely offered up Lev. 1.9 whereas in Peace-offerings the Priest and People had their share Lev. 7.14 Deut. 27.7 Before God Before the glory of God appearing in the Cloud and possibly before the Tabernacle For there are those that think that this passage of Jethro's coming to Moses related in this Chapter did happen in the following year after the Law was given and the Tabernacle erected And that Opinion is grounded upon what we read v. 12. and v. 16. compared with Deut. 1.9 Numb 10.29 30. 15. To enquire of God i. e. To enquire of the mind of God in things which were doubtfull This they did by consulting his Servant and Prophet 16. One and another Heb. A man and his fellow 18. Thou wilt surely wear away Heb. Fading thou wilt fade Thou art not c. Deut. 1.9 19. To God-ward Seeking instruction from the presence of God says the Chaldee This Counsel Moses followed Num. 15.34 35. and ch 27.5 21. Hating covetousness Or Hating gain and free from the love of riches 26. At all seasons i. e. At all occasions and times when they were not forbid by some other superior Law whereby they were obliged to attend upon God's more immediate worship CHAP. XIX The ARGUMENT The Israelites come to Sinai Moses goes up into the Mount and receives a Message to the People which he delivers and returns their Answer unto God He is commanded to Sanctifie the People
That is thou shalt be prosperous whether thou livest in the City and followest the Imployment of Citizens or in the Country and art imployed in Country Affairs such as Plowing and Sowing and breeding of Cattel c. 4. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body i. e. Thou shalt be prosperous and happy in thy Children This Blessing does in common concern those of a City and of the Country whereas those which follow do relate especially to them who lead a Country life 5. Blessed c. That is thy Basket and other Receptacles of thy encrease shall be replenished and thou shalt have abundance 6. Blessed c. That is thou shalt be blessed in all thy Undertakings safe in thy Dwellings and in thy Journeys 9. Shall establish thee an holy people unto himself That is he will own thee before all the World for a separate and peculiar People 10. That thou art called by the name of the LORD i. e. Thou art a peculiar People of the Lord's 12. His good treasure i. e. The Heaven as it follows or the lower Heaven This is called the treasure of snow and hail Job 38.22 and of the rain in this place 20. Cursing vexation and rebuke The first of these words is more general and imports adversity But vexation seems to denote the disquiet of Mind under it and rebuke the disappointment and unsuccessfulness which do attend upon it as it follows in all that thou settest thine hand unto 22. And with blasting and with mildew These two are the plagues of Corn with which Men are nourished 1 King 8.37 in which they may be said to be smitten when their Food is thus corrupted 23. Thy heaven that is over thy head c. That is though God send Rain upon other Countries yet he will restrain it from thy Land Levit. 26.19 24. The LORD c. That is instead of Rain thy Land shall be filled with Dust 28. Madness i. e. With distraction that thou shalt not be able to consult wisely Blindness Or ignorance of fit means to be used see v. 29. for that it is to be understood of such Blindness is evident from what follows not onely in the next Verse but from v. 31. and v. 34. 36. Thee and thy king This was fulfilled in the Captivity of Babylon 2 Chron. 36 6. And there shalt thou serve c. Either by choice or by constraint See Jer. 44.17 18 19. Dan. 3.6 37. An astonishment i. e. So great shall thy plagues be that the Beholders thereof shall be astonished See 1 King 9.7 A proverb and a by-word i. e. A common subject of reproach and scorn 43. The stranger c. Not only their Foreign Enemies should prevail over them but those who lived among them by permission and were in a condition much inferior to them shall prosper when they themselves shall decline 46. They shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder i. e. These Curses shall not appear like the common afflictions and miseries which fall upon Mankind but they shall be very signal and wonderfull and such as shall draw Men's Eyes after them as things very extraordinary 48. Therefore c. This is highly just that they who refuse the service of God should be Slaves to their Enemies See 2 Chron. 12.8 and instead of the easie yoke of God's Law should be put under a yoke of Iron 49. A nation against thee from far It is very probable from what follows that this referrs to the Romans to whom the Jews were subject under their second Temple and by whom their City and Temple and People were destroyed in the days of Vespasian and Titus 52. He shall besiege thee Of this see Josephus's History of the Jewish War 53. The fruit of thine own body Of this also see Josephus 58. Name The Name of God is God himself and so it is here for it follows The LORD thy God 64. Scatter thee c. It is a great Addition to the Misery of Exiles that they are dispersed from each other and this hath been remarkably the Lot of the Jews Which neither thou nor thy fathers have known This is not said v. 36. and the reason of the Difference seems to be this that though they did know the Gods of Babylon which was nearer to them they did not know those of the Romans at a greater Distance 66. Hang in doubt viz. It shall be at the pleasure of thine Enemies amongst whom thou art 67. In the morning c. That is thou shalt be restless weary of the Day in which thou beholdest grievous Objects and of the Darkness of the Night in which thou fearest an unseen Danger 68. Egypt Where we find Numbers of them when they were subdued by the Romans Joseph Jewish Wars l. 7. By the way Or To the way i. e. Egypt Compare Deut. 17.16 And no man shall buy you So vile they will be that though exposed to sale and some of them sold yet the Market will be overstocked and glutted with them CHAP. XXIX The ARGUMENT Moses minds the Israelites of the Works of God which they had seen and thence exhorts them to Obedience All are to enter into Covenant with God The Wrath of God against him who should flatter himself in an Evil way The Miseries which their Disobedience would bring upon them Secret things belong unto God 1. THese are the words of the covenant which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb. 2. And Moses called unto all Israel and said unto them Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh and unto all his servants and unto all his land 3. The great temptations which thine eyes have seen the signs and those great miracles 4. Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day 5. And I have led you forty years in the wilderness your clothes are not waxen old upon you and thy shooe is not waxen old upon thy foot 6. Ye have not eaten bread neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink that ye might know that I am the LORD your God 7. And when ye came unto this place Sihon the king of Heshbon and Og the king of Bashan came out against us unto battel and we smote them 8. And we took their land and gave it for an inheritance unto the Reubenites and to the Gadites and to the half tribe of Manasseh 9. Keep therefore the words of this covenant and do them that ye may prosper in all that ye do 10. Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your God your captains of your tribes your elders and your officers with all the men of Israel 11. Your little ones your wives and thy stranger that is in thy camp from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of to
Expeditions Hear his voice O Lord when in his distress he shall call upon thee and bring him safely back from the Wars to his own People Strengthen his hands O Lord and save him from his Enemies It hath been thought that Simeon is here included though he be not expressed And that may the more reasonably be supposed because not onely Simeon's Inheritance was within the Inheritance of Judah Josh 19.1 but he was also joined with Judah in those Wars against the Canaanites in which the Divine Aid is implored for Judah here in those Words Hear Lord which words import the reason of Simeon's Name Compare Gen. 29.33 8. Let thy Thummim and thy Vrim be with thy holy one The Vrim and the Thummim were placed in the Breast-plate and this Breast-plate was appropriate to Aaron and to the succeeding High-Priests the Sons of Aaron Exod. 28.30 and the meaning of these words is q. d. Let the great Dignity of the High-Priesthood continue in the Posterity of Aaron who was of this Tribe of Levi and dignified with this separate and holy Office Whom thou didst prove at Massah viz. Whom thou hast sufficiently tried and proved Massah signifies Trial or Proof and is not a proper Name And the words may be rendred Whom in proving thou didst prove And this Sense is confirmed by the Greek Vulgar Latin and Chaldee and Syriac and the Hebrew Text narrowly considered gives great ground to preferr this Sense Because the Particle here which we have translated as signifies in and is not the same which we translate at in the following Words Thou didst strive i. e. Whom thou didst punish or chastise as that Hebrew word does signifie Isa 49.25 Jer. 2.9 but not deprive of the Dignity of the Priesthood At the waters of Meribah See Numb 20.13 9. Who said c. Which Tribe of Levi in that general Defection Exod. 32. did upon God's Command without all respect of persons or favour to their nearest Relations slay those who had been guilty of Idolatry v. 28 29. They have observed c. Compare Mal. 2.5 6. and Psal 99.7 10. They shall teach c. That is the Priests the Levites Compare Ezek. 44.23 24. Levit. 10.11 11. His substance That is his Store Compare Deut. 8.18 He had no Inheritance but yet had his Provisions allotted him by God 12. The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him i. e. Benjamin favoured of God shall have his Inheritance in a safe place viz. about Jerusalem the Holy City and the Temple or Place of God's special Residence among the Israelites Compare Josh 18.11 28. He shall dwell between his shoulders i. e. His Temple shall be situated in his land as the Chaldee renders the last Words Compare Numb 34.11 and Josh 15.10 13. For the deep c. i. e. for the Springs in the lower Parts of the Land 14. Brought forth Or ripened By the Moon Or Monthly 15. Lasting hills See the Note on Gen. 49.26 16. Of him that dwelt in the bush That is Of God who appeared in the Bush to Moses Exod 3.2 17. Like the firstling of his bullock viz. for Strength and Power See Ps 68.9 The ten thousands c. Gen. 48.19 18. Rejoice Zebulun c. See the Notes on Gen. 49. v. 13. and v. 15. 19. Vnto the mountain viz. Of God's House as appears from the following words Compare Isa 2.2 3. Sacrifices of righteousness i. e. Sacrifices of Praise and Thanksgiving for the abundance of all things Compare Ps 4.5 with Psal 50.14 and 51.19 They shall suck i. e. They shall by their Traffick and Merchandise get great Riches which is expressed by the abundance of the Seas and treasures hid in the Sand Because their Wealth came to them from the Seas into their Ports or Sea-shoars 20. That enlargeth Gad That is who hath given him a large possession and will deliver him out of his straits See the Note on Gen. 49.19 As a lion and teareth c. These words speak his great Courage and Conquest over the Power of his Enemies Of both which see 1 Chron. 12.8 and 1 Chron. 5.8 with v. 19 20 21 22. 21. He provided the first part for himself That is he chose his Inheritance with the first on this side Jordan Numb 32.1 Portion of the Lawgiver i. e. That part of the Country which Moses the Lawgiver entred upon and which he divided Numb 32.33 Seated Heb. Cieled or hid They were protected in fenced Cities which they built for the security for their Wives and Children Num. 32.34 35 36. And he came c. That is after he had made provision for the safety of his Family and Cattel he accompanied the Leaders and Captains of the People and assisted them in conquering the Land and destroying the Inhabitants who were justly by God devoted to destruction Josh 1.14 22. Dan is a lion's whelp he shall leap from Bashan i. e. Dan is nimble and ready for Prey like a young Lion from Bashan a place of Flocks and Cattel that skips at the Lambs or other prey 23. Possess thou the west and the south His Tribe lay North and East but yet he was so situated that by Zebulun who lay next him and upon the Coast of the great Sea he could easily be possessed of the Commodities of the Sea which we here translate West Again lying upon the River Jordan Josh 19.33 he had the advantage of enjoying those Commodities which came down that River from the Southern parts of the Land 24. Dip his foot in oyl i. e. He shall have plenty of Oyl Compare Job 29.6 and Gen. 49.20 25. Thy shooes shall be iron c. Or under thy feet shall be iron Compare Deut. 8.9 As thy days so shall thy strength be i. e. Thy strength shall bear proportion to thy days That shall be great and they shall be many 26. Who rideth upon the heaven in thy help i. e. He does dispose the Heavens above for thy aid and assistance which he affords thee readily From the Clouds he sends Thunder and Lightning Hail and Tempest to the discomfiting his People's Enemies Thus had God done Exod. 9.23 and thus did he do afterward Josh 10.10 11. Compare Psal 18.9 10. In his excellency c. See Psal 68.33 34. 28. The fountain of Jacob i. e. Jacob's Posterity that came from him as from a Fountain which is here put for the Streams as in Psal 104.10 Compare Psal 68.26 and Isai 48.1 29. The sword of thy excellency i. e. It is not thy own Sword hath gotten thee the Victory and thy Renown but God's Assistance Thine enemies c. Such shall be thy Conquests and Success over the Power called here the high places of thine Enemies that they who are such shall yet not own their Enmity but at least yield a feigned subjection to thee Compare Deut. 32.13 Psal 44.18 and 66.3 CHAP. XXXIV The ARGUMENT Moses goeth up unto Mount Nebo and takes a view of the Land from thence He dieth there Of his Burial and Age and the time which the People mourned for him Joshua succeeds him Moses commended 1. AND Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo to the top of Pisgah that is over against Jericho and the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead unto Dan. 2. And all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh and all the land of Judah unto the utmost sea 3. And the south and the plain of the valley of Jericho the city of palm-trees unto Zoar. 4. And the LORD said unto him This is the land which I sware unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob saying I will give it unto thy seed I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes but thou shalt not go over thither 5. So Moses the servant of the the LORD died there in the land of Moab according to the word of the LORD 6. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab over against Beth-Peor but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day 7. And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died his eye was not dim nor his natural force abated 8. And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended 9. And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom for Moses had laid his hands upon him and the children of Israel hearkened unto him and did as the LORD commanded Moses 10. And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the LORD knew face to face 11. In all the signs and the wonders which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land 12. And in all that mighty hand and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel 1. ALL the land of Gilead unto Dan i. e. The Land of Gilead on this side Jordan unto a place called afterwards Dan in the Northern Border of the Land of Canaan Josh 19.47 Judg. 18.29 2. Vtmost sea That is the Mediterranean-sea the Western Border of the Land See Deut. 11.24 5 According to the word c. That is as God had foretold he should 6. He buried him That is the Lord buried him by the Ministry of Angels or at least without imploying any of the Israelites therein Compare Gen. 7.16 No man knoweth of his sepulchre c. That there might be no occasion of Idolatry or Superstition given to the Israelites 8. Thirty days Compare Numb 20.29 9. Wisdom This is here mentioned as that which is very necessary in a Governour of others Compare 1 King 3.9 For Moses had laid his hands upon him The laying of the Hands of Moses is not brought in as a cause but as a sign of Joshua's Wisdom For Moses laid his Hands on him by God's direction and to make it known that he was the person appointed and fitted by God for the Employment he was called to Take thee Joshua the son of Nun a man in whom is the spirit and lay thine hands upon him Numb 27.18 10. There arose not a prophet c. See Numb 12.8 FINIS