when they found any too difficult they were to refer it to be heard by Moses himself So R. Leviben Gersom explains it Every great Cause in which they know not what to judge they shall bring to thee and thou shalt show what is right or how it is to be decided There are those indeed who think there were several sorts of Causes that might not be brought before these Inferiour Courts but were to be reserved for Moses's hearing and judging These they make to be Four First All Sacred Matters or Things belonging unto God which they gather from v. 19. Secondly All Matters of Equity where the rigour of the Law was sit to be mitigated Thirdly All Capital Causes And lastly Such as the Chiliarchs i. e. Rulers of Thousands and the other Judges referred to him But this is said without ground for it is plain all sorts of Causes might be determined by the inferiour Courts if they were able to make an end of them whether Civil or Sacred Only those which were too difficult for them that is when they did not find a Law to direct them or it was obscure or they could not agree about the Punishment then they were to be brought before Moses So he himself charges not that the People should bring such Causes to him as they thought difficult but that the Judges themselves should bring them i. e. order an Appeal to him I Deut. 17. bring it unto me speaking to the Judges and I will hear it Which shows the Cause had been at the Bar of other Courts before and that it was not unlawful for them to meddle with it if they had been able to determine it And accordingly we read here below v. 26. that the Judges did so In short these words do not intimate that there were some Causes the other Judges might not try if they were able but only that such things as they found themselves not skilful enough to determine they should bring to him See Mr. Selden in the fore-named Book p. 633 c. But every small matter they shall judge Hitherto Moses but heard all Causes promiscuously great and small but Jethro well advises him to delegate the labour of judging all Causes liquidi juris as the Lawyers speak where the Right was clear and to reserve no part of the Judicature to himself but where the Law it self was either defective or obscure So shall it be casier for thy self c. Thou wilt ease thy self of a great burden by appointing others to take their share of it Ver. 23. If thou wilt do this thing and God command thee so If thou wilt follow this advice by God's approbation who was to be consulted whether he allowed it Then thou shalt be able to endure Thy days will be prolonged which otherwise will be shortned with this intolerable labour And the People go to their place in peace Go home very much satisfied with such quick dispatch and happy composure of their Differences Ver. 24. So Moses hearkened to the voice of his Father-in-law c. Followed his Counsel by God's approbation with whom no doubt he advised v. 23. Here the Samaritan Copy inserts those words of Moses I Deut. 9 c. I am not able to bear you my self alone the LORD your God hath multiplied you c. Which he spake indeed when he made this Constitution but did not set it down in this Book where he intended only a short account of these Transactions Ver. 25. And Moses chose able men c. Out of those who were presented to him by the People See v. 20. Ver. 26. And they judged the People at all Seasons Whensoever they resorted to them For some Court or other sate every day that was not appointed by God for other Business i. e. for Religion The hard Causes they brought to Moses c. It is plain by this that the Judges not the People brought the hard Causes unto Moses For the People could not know whether they might not have a Remedy nearer hand than by going to him on all occasions till they had tried Ver. 27. And Moses let his Father-in-law depart After he had staid some time with him and could not prevail with him to stay longer which he earnestly desired and go with them to see the Accomplishment of God's Promises to them as those words X Numb 29 c. are thought to signifie But perhaps that Hobab there mentioned was not Jethro himself but his Son whom Moses also perswaded not to return to his own Country for he makes no reply much less denies to stay with Moses when he pressed him the second time though he refused at first v. 32. But this I shall consider in that place And he went his way into his own Land To make his Children or the People of the Land Proselytes saith the Chaldee Paraphrase Which it's probable he indeavoured i. e. to bring them to true Religion and affected in some measure so that Piety was propagated in some Families among them to future Generations For the Rechabites came out of this Country 1 Chron. II. 55. whose vertue Jeremiah Praises in the latter end of the Jewish Church Chap. XXXV CHAP. XIX Verse 1. IN the third Month. Or in the third new Moon For the Hebrew word Chodesh signifies a new Moon as well as a Month nay that is the prime signification from whence the other is derived And so we are to understand it here that on the New Moon i. e. the first day of the third Month called Sivan after their coming out of Egypt they came into the Wilderness of Sinai Which was just XLV days after they departed out of Egypt For if we add to the XV. days of the first Month XXIX which made the second these put together with this New Moon make XLV Unto which if we add that day when Moses went up to God v. 3. and reported when he came down the Message God sent by him to the Elders of Israel and the next day after when he returned their Answer unto God v. 7 8. with the three days more which God gave them to prepare themselves for his coming down among them v. 10 11. there were just Fifty days from their Passover to the giving of the Law upon Mount Sinai which laid the Foundation of the great Feast of Pentecost The same day i. e. On the fore-mentioned New Moon of the third Month. Came they into the Wilderness of Sinai So called from that famous Mountain Sinai which gave the name to the Wilderness which lay before it This Mountain was also called Horeb IV Deut. 10. they being only different tops of one and the same Mountain but this higher than Horeb so that one may see the Red Sea from them as they that have travelled into those Parts affirm Who say it is now called by the Arabians Tur and by Christians the Mountain of St. Catherine Ver. 2. For they were departed from Rephidim c. They began to move from
the performance of both How thee two Tables of stone like unto the first and I will write upon these Tables the words that were in the first Tables which thou brakest Every attentive Reader must needs observe the difference between the first Tables which Moses brake and those which he is now ordered to prepare For God did not only write his Laws with his own finger upon the first Tables but the Tables themselves also were the work of God XXXII 16. Whereas in these as Greg. Nyssen well expresses it de Vita Mosis p. 183. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The writing indeed was by the Divine Power but the matter of them framed by the hand of Moses So that at the same time God shewed he was reconciled he put them in mind that he had been offended and restored them to his favour with some abatement Ver. 2. And be ready in the morning On the XVIII day of July See XXXII 30. And come up in the morning unto Mount Sinai From whence God spake to the Israelites V Deut. 4 c. those very words which he intended to write upon the Tables He orders him to come up in the morning that all the People might see him ascend and carry the Tables with him And present thy self there to me in the top of the Mount Where the Divine Majesty appeared before in its Glory and where Moses stayed with him forty days and forty nights XIX 26. XXIV 17 18. Ver. 3. And no man shall come up with thee The same Precept is renewed which was given at his first ascent XXIV 1 2. Neither let any man be seen throughout the Mount XIX 12 21 c. Neither let the Flocks nor Herds feed before the Mount He seems to require their removal to such a distance that they should not be within view of the Divine Majesty By which means the People were naturally led to stand in greater awe of God and there was the less danger of any Beasts touching the Mount XIX 13. Ver. 4. And Moses hewed two Tables of stone c. These and the following words only declare that he did as God bad him v. 1 2. And took in his hand the two Tables of stone These he carried with him but the first Tables were given him when he came there XXIV 12. They seem to have been thin being no heavier than that he could carry them in one hand Ver. 5. And the LORD The SCHECHINAH or Divine Majesty called also the Glory of the LORD Descended in the Cloud Wherein it had been wont to appear from the beginning of their deliverance out of Egypt and had lately appeared to Moses in the Tabernacle XXXIII 9. when the Cloudy Pillar descended and stood at the door of it while the LORD talked with Moses there And it seems when that was done the Glory of the LORD in the Cloud went up again towards Heaven and now came down upon this occasion And stood with him there The Cloudy Pillar wherein the Glory of the LORD was rested upon the top of the Mount where Moses now was v. 2. And proclaimed the Name of the LORD Gave him notice of his Presence as he had promised XXXIII 19. and is more fully expressed in the next Verse Ver. 6. And the LORD passed by before him Which Onkelos translates the LORD made his Majesty to pass before him Which Exposition Maimonides acknowledges to be right and confirmed by the Scripture it self when it saith XXXIII 22. While my Glory passeth by c. which he confesses signifies not the Divine Essence it self but some created Splendour which no Eye was able to behold More Nevoch P. I. c. 21. And proclaimed As the Glory of the LORD passed by he heard a Voice proclaiming this Description of the Divine Nature The LORD Some joyn the next word to this as if the Voice said the LORD the LORD the more to awaken his Attention to mind what he heard See XXXIII 19. And this Name of his signifies his Self-Existence and his absolute Dominion over all Creatures which received their being from him See VI. 3. God The Hebrew word El signifies Strong and Mighty in one word his Irresistible Power Job IX 4. Merciful The word Rachum signifies that which we call tender Mercies such as Parents have to their Children when their Bowels yern towards them And gracious We call that Chaninah Grace or Favour saith Maimonides which we bestow upon any Man to whom we owe nothing XXXIII Gen. 5 11. And therefore God is here called Chanum Gracious with respect to those whom he created preserves and governs but is not obliged by any right to these things as his words are More Nevoch P. I. cap. 54. Long-suffering So slow to Anger that he doth not presently punish those that offend him but bears long with them Abundant in goodness The Hebrew word Chesed which we translate Goodness signifies as Maimonides saith More Nevoch P. III. cap. the excess and highest degree of any thing whatsoever it be but especially the greatest Benignity And therefore with the addition of rabh abundant denotes long continued Kindness as is more fully declared in the next Verse And truth Most faithful and constant to his Promises which he stedfastly keeps throughout all Generations The word abundant refers both to this and to his Benignity CXLVI Psal 6. Ver. 7. Keeping mercy for thousands The same word Chesed which before we translated Goodness we here translate Mercy and the Hebrews observing the â—etter Nun to be greater in the word Notzer keeping than is usual fancy that it denotes the immense Treasures of the Divine Bounty But the word thousands fully explains how abundant his Mercy is Forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin Here are three words to signifie all sorts of Offences which he passes by tell Men grow intollerably wicked But some distinguish them by making Iniquity signifie Offences against Men and Transgressions Offences against God himself and Sin all the Errours Childishnesses and Follies which Men are guilty of in the Conduct of themselves But they may as well signifie the Offences which were committed against the Moral Ceremonial and Political Laws And that will by no means clear the guilty These words according to Maimonides belong still to the loving kindness of God as all the foregoing do signifying that when he doth punish he will not utterly destroy and make desolate For so the Hebrew words Nakkeh lo Jenakkeh he thinks are to be litterally rendered in extirpating he will not extirpate as the word Nakah he observes is used III Isaiah 26. She shall sit desolate on the Earth And to the same sense these words are expounded by many Modern Interpreters particularly Lud. de Dieu When he empties he will not empty or make quite desolate For the Maxim of the Hebrew is as Maimonides there observes More Nevoch P. I. c. 54. that the property of Goodness far excels that of Severity For here being thirteen Properties of God mentioned I can
in the Autumn ut uno tenore siccescant that they might dry by an equal heat they that were made at the Solstice being suddenly crusted over by the Sun and left too moist within L. II. de Architect c. 3. Ver. 8. And the tale of the Bricks which they did make heretofore you shall lay upon them c. It appears from v. 13 14. that there was a certain quantity exacted from them every day For they be idle and therefore they cry saying Let us go and Sacrifice to our God They have not work enough to employ their Thoughts which makes their Mind wander after other things Ver. 9. Let there more work be laid upon the Men. Or make it heavy upon them as it is in the Margin That they may labour therein Have no time to think of any thing else And let them not regard vain words So he calls the Message of Moses and Aaron who he pretends were meer Deceivers and fed their Hope with Lyes for so it is in the Hebrew words of falshood or lying words or at least he resolved their words should not prove true for he would not let the People go Ver. 10. Thus saith Pharaoh I will not give you Straw The Task-masters with their Officers proclaimed the King's Order that every Body might take notice of it Ver. 11. Go get you Straw where you can find it c. A heavy Sentence importing that whether they could find any or no no abatement would be made of the number of Bricks that was expected from them This was to drive them to Desperation by demanding things impossible And added as Conradus Pellicanus observes to the Burdens on their Bodies very sore Anguish of Mind For it tempted them to doubt of the Goodness of their God who they thought had sent a deliverer to them IV. 31. by whom they were now reduced into a more miserable Condition Ver. 12. So the People were scattered abroad throughout all the Land of Egypt c. Some part of them were forced to go and pick up Straw or for want of it Stuble and sometime travel a great way for it while the rest were working in the Brick-kilns without their help which they were wont to have whereby they were disabled from making so many Bricks as formerly they had done Ver. 13. And the Task-master hasted them c. Quickned them in their work when they saw they were likely to fall short of their wonted Task Ver. 14. And the Officers of the Children of Israel c. By this it appears as I said v. 6. that these Officers were Israelites And from this place Bonavent Bertram concludes Lib. de Rep. Hebr. Cap. IV. that there was a Civil Government among the Israelites all the time they were in Egypt and that these Schoterim as they are called in Hebrew were Men of the greatest Note among the Elders who executed all their Decrees and consequently of high Authority among the People For which reason Pharaoh's Task-masters chose them to Oversee and Direct the Labours of their Brethren But Mr. Selden L. I. de Synedr Cap. XV. hath made it appear that there was no such Judicature among them at this time and when there was this was the Name of those who executed the Sentence of the Judges being like to our Apparitors and such like under Officers See p. 621 c. Were beaten With Sticks or scourged with Rods. Wherefore have yet not fulfilled your Task both yesterday c. They punished the Officers as if they had been negligent in not pressing the People to their Duty Yet it seems they forbore them one day to see if they would mend their Fault the next V. 15. Then the Officers of the Children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh saying c. They had some hope this Oppression might proceed from the Task-masters and not from the King himself and therefore they represented their Case to him and petitioned for Relief It is said indeed v. 6. that Pharaoh laid this Command both upon the Task-masters and their Officers but it is not unlikely that he gave it immediately only to the Task-masters who were his own Ministers and by them to the Officers Ver. 16. Thy Servants are beaten but the fault is in thine own People This shows that they thought such Inhumane Usage was the effect of the Task-masters Cruelty Ver. 17. But he said ye are idle ye are idle c. He soon made them understand it was by his Decree and not his Servants pleasure that they were thus used And which was worse they saw he was sixed in his Resolution being void of all pity and mocking at their Complaints For nothing could be more Sarcastical than to tell them they were idle when they sunk under their Burdens Ver. 18. Go therefore now and work c. Do not spend your time in making Complaints to me but return immediately to your Labours and continue at them till my Commands be executed and expect no mitigation Ver. 19. And the Officers did see that they were in evil Case c. By this Answer they found themselves reduced to such Straits that now they despaired of all Relief the King himself being set against them Ver. 20. And they met Moses and Aaron who stood in the way as they came forth from Pharaoh They had placed themselves there on purpose to hear what Success the Officers had in their Petition Ver. 21. And they said the LORD look upon you and judge This seems to be an Imprecation or at least the Officers bid Moses and Aaron expect that God would take them to task as we speak for bringing his People into so bad a Case Ye have made our Savour to be abhorred in the Eyes c. Made us odious as this Phrase signifies XXXIV Gen. 30. To put a Sword into their hand to slay us Who may take an occasion from hence and make this a pretence for the destroying our whole Nation Ver. 22. And Moses returned unto the LORD this plainly intimates that the LORD had appeared to Moses since he came to Egypt as he did at Mount Horeb and that he appeared in some setled place where he might upon all Occasions resort to him And said LORD wherefore hast thou so evil intreated this People c. It was to no purpose to answer the Officers who expostulated with him for they were too much exasperated and thereby prejudiced against any thing he could say And therefore he chose rather to represent to God the Complaints they had made to him that he might be directed what Satisfaction to give them For he was not able of himself to give an account why the LORD should suffer their Condition to grow worse rather than better since he delivered his Message to Pharaoh No nor why he should send him on an Embassy which was not at all regarded Ver. 23. For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy Name he hath done Evil to this People neither hast thou
to have given to these three Patriarchs as the famous Primate Vsher observes the Land of Canaan for an Inheritance CV Psal 11. which was not fulfilled to them but to their Posterity And as the Possession of Posterity is attributed to the Fathers so upon the same ground he thinks the Peregrination of the Fathers is attributed here to the Children Chronol Sacra Cap. VIII Ver. 5. And I have also c. This Verse also begins with the same Particle vegam and must be translated although if the former Interpretation be right Or else those words by my Name Jehovah was I not known to them must come in by a Parenthesis and both these Verses be connected with what goes before appeared unto Abraham Isaac and Jacob by the Name of God Almighty to whom he so appeared as to make a Covenant with them which he perfectly remembred and having taken notice to what condition they were reduced was now come to deliver them Ver. 6. Say unto the Children of Israel I am the LORD Tell them I will now show that I am what this Name imports v. 2. And I will bring them from under the burdens of the Egyptians The heavy Oppressions under which you groan v. 5. And I will rid you of their bondage They were meer Slaves and lay also under such insupportable Loads as made it impossible for them to deliver themselves but it was to be the sole work of God And I will redeem you with a stretched out Arm. This word redeem implies their Servitude from which he rescued them by a Power superiour to Pharaoh's or any Power on Earth as appears by the following Story And with great Judgments When God first promised this Deliverance which Moses was about to effect he told Abraham I will judge that Nation which oppressed them XV Gen. 14. That is punish them which is one Office of a Judge according to their Deservings This now he intended to perform and thereby show himself to be Jehovah and that in a most terrible manner by inflicting not only very grievous but many Plagues upon them For Greg. Nyssen observes that all the Elements the Earth the Water the Fire and the Air were all moved against the Egyptians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as an Obedient Army L. de Vita Mosis p. 173. Thus Judgments and to Judge are used in many places for Punishing IX Psal 17. XIX Prov. 29. 2 Chron. XX. 12. Ver. 7. And I will take you to me for a People By the right of Redemption before mentioned And I will be to you a God He was so before but now after a peculiar manner And ye shall know that I am the LORD your God c. By seeing my Promises to Abraham Isaac and Jacob fulfilled Ver. 8. And I will bring you unto the Land concerning which I did swear to give it c. Two things were promised to Abraham in that Vision mentioned XV Gen. First That he would deliver his Seed from this Nation which oppressed them v. 14. And secondly That he would bring them into the Land of Canaan v. 16. Both these he now declares should be fulfilled the former in the foregoing Verse and the latter in this and thereby they should be convinced that he was indeed Jehovah true and constant to his word I am the LORD He concludes as he began having said this twice before v. 2 6. Ver. 9. And Moses spake so unto the Children of Israel He delivered this Message as he was commanded which one would have expected should have raised their drooping Spirits But quite contrary They hearkened not unto Moses They did not believe or receive what he said So Maimon More Nev. P. I. cap. 45. or it made no Impression upon them The Reason follows For anguish of Spirit In the Hebrew because of shortness of Breath They were so extreamly oppressed that they could scarce fetch their Breath as we speak Or had no heart so much as to think of Deliverance much less hope for it but sunk under their burdens And for cruel Bondage Common Slaves though they cannot deliver themselves rejoyce to hear the good News that they are likely to be delivered by those who have power and will to do it But in this Slavery they were used so cruelly that they were quite dejected and uncapable of any Comfort So the LXX translate the foregoing words for anguish of Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of faint-heartedness they being quite dispirited Ver. 10. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying It is likely that Moses finding the Israelites so regardless of what he said went to the usual place where he was wont to have recourse to the Divine Majesty See v. 22. to receive new Directions what to do Ver. 11. Go in speak unto Pharaoh King of Egypt c. The LORD bids him go again to Pharaoh and renew the Demand he made before v. 1. Ver. 12. And Moses spake before the LORD This Phrase liphne Jehovah before the LORD plainly denotes that God appeared unto him in a visible Majesty as I observed above v. 1. and See XI 4. Behold the Children of Israel have not hearkened to me how then shall Pharaoh hear me Their faint-heartedness disheartened Moses also and made him unwilling to renew his Address unto Pharaoh And there seems to be good reason in what he says if the Children of Israel whose interest it was to give ear to him did not believe him what hope was there that Pharaoh should comply against his interest Who am of uncircumcised Lips This Reason he had alledged before and was fully answered IV. 10 11 c. and therefore ought not to have been repeated now For his being of uncircumcised Lips signifies no more than that he was an ill Speaker and wanted Eloquence It being the manner of the Hebrews to call those parts Vncircumcised which are inept to the use for which they were designed and cannot do their Office Thus Jeremy saith of the Jews that their ear was uncircumcised and adds the Explication they cannot hearken VI Jer. 10. In like manner uncircumcised Lips are Lips that cannot utter words as uncircumcised in heart IX Jer. 26. are such as cannot understand St. Stephen puts both together uncircumcised in heart and ears VII Acts 51. Perhaps Moses thought it some disparagement to him that he was not able himself to deliver his Mind in an handsome manner unto Pharaoh and therefore mentions this again to move the Divine Majesty to circumcise his Lips as they speak that is remove this impediment Ver. 13. And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron Here is no express Answer made to his Objection but it seems to be included in God's speaking unto Moses and unto Aaron whereas before he had spoken only to Moses v. 1 10. And it is likely Moses was admonished that the LORD having given him Aaron to supply his defect he ought to be satisfied therewith and go with him and renew his Address both to the
Egypt which was so sudden and hasty that they had not time to bake the Dough they had prepared nor so much as put Leaven to it XII 39. There shall no leavened Bread be seen with thee From whence the Jews conclude That not only all such Bread is to be carefully sought for and thrown out of their Houses but all their Vessels that have been used the year before thoroughly scoured least any thing should remain in them that might give a tincture of acidity to the Bread that might be made in them In which work they spend some days before the Passover as Buxtorf observes in his Synag Jud. c. 17. Neither shall there be Leaven seen with thee c. For which Cause as he there observes they abstain all the time of this Feast from all such things as may possibly have some Leaven in them As from Honey and Sugar which are often adulterated with Flowre c. Ver. 8. And thou shalt shew thy Son in that day c. That is on the first day of Unleavened Bread it was to be a part of their Religion to instruct their Children in the meaning of their Killing the Lamb and their Abstinence from Leaven This the Jewish Doctors make one of the DCXIII Precepts that Parents should tell the whole Story of their going out of Egypt on the fifteenth day of Nisan when every one according to his Ability was bound in his own Language to bless and praise the Name of God for all his Miracles which he wrought for them They are the words of R. Levi of Barcelona Ver. 9. And it shall be for a Sign unto thee These seem to be still the words that the Parents were to say to their Children upon these Festivals whereby they taught them to look upon this Observation as a Token or Memorial of what God had done for their Forefathers when he brought them out of Egypt Vpon thy hand and for a memorial between thine eyes To make thee as sensible of God's Goodness as of that which thou hast in thy Hand or of a Thing that is continually before thine Eyes The Jewish Superstition about their Phylacteries took its rise from hence but without any good ground it being evident he speaks not of tying Parchments or any thing else about their Wrists c. but of teaching their Children the meaning of their Holy Rites And so some of themselves have expounded it particularly the forementioned R. Levi of Barcelona who gives this reason why such abundant care was taken to have these things remembred Because saith he this is the Foundation of our Law and of our Religion for which Cause in all our Blessings and Prayers we Commemorate our coming out of Egypt because it is a Sign to us and a perfect Demonstration of the Creation of the World and that our Lord God is the Author of all Creatures and doth what he pleases c. For who but he could change the Course of Nature and work such great and unheard of Signs as he did This is sufficient to confute those that deny the Creation of the World and to establish us in the belief of God most blessed and to perswade both that there is a Providence and that his Power extends to all things both in general and particular So he See v. 16. That the LORD's Law may be in thy mouth That their Children might be able to declare to their Posterity the Law of the LORD about these Matters For with a strong Hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt By slaying all their First-born in one Night See III. 19. Ver. 10. Thou shalt therefore keep this Ordinance Of the Passover and of the Feast of Unleavened Bread In this season from year to year On the fourteenth and the seven following days of the first Month. Ver. 11. And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the Land of the Canaanites c. Under the Name of Canaanites he comprehends all the rest of the seven Nations And these words seem to import that the Law of the First-born was not to take place till they came into the Promised Land Yet we find III Numb 12 13. that God demanded all the First-born of them though he took the Levites in their stead And both being numbred and there being Two hundred seventy three First-born Males more than there were Levites v. 41 42 43. he required them to be redeemed at five Shekels apiece and the Money to be given to the Priests v. 46 47 48. But perhaps after this the Law was not observed till they came to Canaan Which he sware unto thy Fathers c. See v. 5. Ver. 12. That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the Matrix Here he shows what he means by that Sanctification of the First-born which was mentioned v. 2. and for what end and reason this was ordained For that which is called Sanctifying there is here called setting apart or separating it from the rest of that kind of Creatures for another use viz. to be Sacrificed to the LORD For the word heevarta which we translate set apart is in the Hebrew make to pass over Which is explained XXII 30. Thou shalt give it unto me viz. to be offered at the Altar The Males The First-born are only mentioned v. 2. but here it is explained to signifie only the Males If a Female came first and afterward a Male that Male was not devoted unto God because it did not open the Womb a Female coming before it Shall be the LORD's And therefore set apart from common uses to be imployed in his Service That is every firstling Male of a Cow Sheep or Goat was to be offered in Sacrifice and the Blood being sprinkled on the Altar the Flesh of them was given to the Priests See XVIII Numb 17 18. where what is here briefly delivered is there more largely explained Ver. 8. And every firstling of an Ass There was the same reason for Horses and Camels but an Ass is only mentioned because abundance of Asses were bred in Judea where there were few Horses or Camels And therefore XVIII Numb 15. it is said in general The firstlings of unclean Beasts thou shalt redeem Thou shalt redeem with a Lamb. Which was to be Sacrificed to God If a Man had not a Lamb he was to give the price of one And because all Lambs were not of an equal price some being worth more than others the Rabbins say that a good eye i. e. a liberal Man gave a Shekel an evil eye half as much and a middle sort of Men gave three quarters It was to be redeemed also within thirty days If thou wilt not redeem it then thou shalt break or cut off its neck It was to die one way or other and not to be imployed in common use but thus to be disposed of if they would not give a Lamb or its value in exchange for it Which Men might sometimes be unwilling to
places And after all the pains that Franc. Gomarus hath taken in his Lyra Davidis to find of what sort of Numbers this and other Songs in Scripture consists he hath not given any satisfaction to Learned Men. Who think as Ludov. Capellus doth in his Animadversions on that Book that all the Bible may be made Verse according to his method Nay by his way of resolving Sentences all the Orations of Tully and Demosthenes may be turned into Verse of some sort or other The Author of Sepher Cosri seems to me to deal ingenuously who when the King of Cosar objects to them that the Songs in the Bible are not artificially composed according to Numbers and Quantities of Feet and Syllables makes the Jew answer That the Scripture Poetry was of a nobler sort not formed to tickle the Ear but affect the Heart by the great height and elevation of the Sense together with lofty Expressions whereby Men were moved to attend to it and to keep it in mind P. II. Sect. 69. c. And so much Abarbinel acknowledges upon this place That no such Verses consisting in the number and quantity of Syllables are to be found either in the Bible or in the Talmud either in the Mischna or the Gemara but are of later invention among the Jews in imitation of the Arabians and other Nations among whom they dwell in this long Captivity Yet in the Scripture Poetry there is a certain disposition of words which make them melodious and sit to be sung to Musical Instruments and so sententious that they might be more easily remembred than simple Narrations though now after so many Ages they cannot reduce this Poetry to Rules He tries indeed to bring this Song under certain Regulations fancying that it consists of eight Orders or Ranks as he calls them two of which are very short and two very long and four of a middle size which he prosecutes with much Subtilty but with little Satisfaction And spake saying I will sing unto the LORD c. Every one joyned in this Song of Praise which may be thus Paraphrased Ver. 1. We will joyfully praise the LORD for he hath in a most illustrious and magnificent manner shown his Power by throwing Horse and Men when they little thought of it into the Sea Ver. 2. It is he who hath given us this Victory and therefore he is to be praised and acknowledged as our Deliverer He is our most gracious and mighty God for whom we will prepare a Tabernacle wherein to Worship him Our Fathers had great Experience of his Goodness and therefore we are the more bound to make him our most thankful Acknowledgments and give him the highest Praises Ver. 3. There is none can stand before the LORD who hath perfectly subdued our Enemies and faithfully fulfilled his Promises to his Servants Ver. 4. For he hath cast Pharaoh and all his Chariots and great Commanders into the Sea as easily as one sends an Arrow out of a Bow Ver. 5. They are buried and shall rise up no more Ver. 6. Thou hast manifested thy Omnipotence O LORD most magnificently it was thy irresistible Power O LORD which dashed in pieces such mighty Enemies Ver. 7. It was a work of thy most excellent Power which will be ever magnified in the overthrow of such Adversaries With whom thou no sooner showedst thy self displeased but they vanished as stubble doth before the slame Ver. 8. Thou didst but give the Command and by a vehement Wind the Waters of the Sea were divided and heaped up so that they swelled into little Mountains and were campact like a Wall which was upheld from falling down till the People passed through the midst of the Sea Ver. 9. Our Enemies pursued us with a full considence that they should overtake and make a prey of us and after they had satisfied their Revenge upon us as certainly reduce us under their yoke as they drew their Swords against us Ver. 10. But with a turn of the Wind all their vain hopes sunk on a sudden together with themselves to the bottom of the Sea Ver. 11. There are none among all that are called Gods in Heaven or in Earth that are comparable to thee O LORD whose Perfections infinitely transcend all other and therefore art to be praised with the greatest fear and reverence for thy very works are wonderful and to be had in admiration Ver. 12. By thy mighty Power they were buried in the bottom of the Sea into which they sank Ver. 13. And in great mercy thou hast preserved thy People whom thou hast brought out of Egypt and rescued from cruel Servitude and conducted by a mighty Providence towards the holy Land which thou hast promised to them there to dwell among them Ver. 14. And why should we doubt of our coming thither The fame of this wonder shall go before us and strike a terrour into the most valiant Inhabitants of that Country Ver. 15. Nay all their Neighbours as well as they shall sind their hearts fail them and become as weak as Water Ver. 16. Such a terrour shall fall upon them that they shall be no more able to stir than a stone when they hear of this dreadful Execution but suffer thy People O LORD to pass to their Inheritance which thou hast prepared for them Ver. 17. Thither shalt thou bring them and there make them to take root in the highest Mountains of that Country where thou hast designed a place for thine own Dwelling of which thy Power also will lay the Foundation Ver. 18. And thou shalt do more Wonders since thy Dominion and Power endures to all Ages Ver. 19. For who can dethrone Thee Who in the same Sea hast made a Grave to bury the Egyptians and a Path for thy People Israel to walk in as if they had been on dry Ground And now having given the sense of the Song in this Paraphrase it may be proper to confirm it by the Explication of some Phrases in it Ver. 1. Hath he thrown into the Sea The Hebrew word ramah signifies a sudden Precipitation when they were in the heigth of their hopes to overtake and subdue the Israelites Ver. 2. He is my God Though some think the word El to be a Contraction of Elohim yet it seems to be derived from ajal and is generally thought to import might and strength But I have taken in the other Notion of goodness also See v. 11. Ver. 3. Prepare him an habitation As if they thought a Cloud too mean an Habitation for the Divine Glory they resolve to build him a Tabernacle just as David ashamed he should dwell in a Tabernacle designed to build him a Temple My Fathers God i. e. Jacob's of whom God took a singular care both before and after he came into Egypt Ver. 3. The LORD is a Man of War i. e. Gets great Victories as the Targum expresses it For when the Hebrews would express any eminent quality they put the word isch before
it As in 1 Sam. XVII 34. we meet with this very Expression concerning Goliath a man of war from his youth i. e. a great Warriour And in the foregoing Chapter David is called both isch Milchamah a Man of War and isch Toar a Man of Form or Beauty i. e. a beautiful or comely Person as we translate it 1 Sam. XVI 18. And in this very Book isch de varim a Man of Words is an Eloquent Man The LORD is his Name He seems to allude unto that which God said to Moses when he first appeared to him III. 14 15 16. VI. 3 4 6. Ver. 4. Pharaoh's Chariots The Hebrew word Mercavah comprehends the Horses by which they were drawn which were commonly four to each Chariot as Maimonides probably gathers from 1 Kings X. 29. Where a Horse is said to come up out of Egypt at an hundred and fifty shekels and a Chariot at six hundred because it comprehended four Horses More Nevoch P. I. c. 70. Chosen Captains The Hebrew word Schalish imports something extraordinary either in their Stature or in their Command which they had perhaps over three Squadrons as we now speak But Hen. Valesius a very Learned Man thinks the LXX rightly translated the word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he translates three fighting out of a Chariot For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are both words belonging to Military Discipline which they call Tacticks and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he takes to be of the same kind and rightly rendred by Rusinus ternos statores in Euseb Histor Eccles L. IX c. 9. p. 358. Ver. 5. Sank to the bottom as a stone The Waters which stood up like a Wall falling down with great violence upon them they sank under their weight to the bottom of the Sea from whence after some time they rose up again and were thrown upon the shore XIV 30. though not all of them but some seem to have been buried in the bottom of the Sea See v. 12. Ver. 6. Right hand Is frequently used for the height of Power exerted in the Preservation of good Men or the Destruction of the bad XX Psalm 6. XXI 8. Ver. 7. In the greatness of thy excellency c. All words being too low to declare the greatness of God's Power which appeared in the overthrow of the Egyptians he indeavours to rise higher and higher in his Expressions to show how much he admired it Thou sentest forth thy wrath He seems to allude unto God's looking upon them through the Pillar of Fire and of the Cloud XIV 24. and to the Thunder and Lightning which are supposed to have come from thence Ver. 8. And with the blast of thy nostrils This may relate to the strong Wind which drove the Sea back XIV 21. The waters were gathered together This word Aram or Haram signifies to heap up together From whence the Arabians call those great Banks which are raised to keep in Waters from over-flowing a Country by the name of Arem or Harem as Bochartus hath observed in his Phaleg L. II. c. 26. And so the word may be here translated the waters were heaped up as banks on each side of the Israelites Ver. 9. I will divide the spoil It belonged to Kings and chief Commanders to divide the Spoil as Moses David and Joshua did among the Soldiers My hand shall destroy them Or repossess them as it is in the Margin bring them back to their Slavery in Egypt Ver. 10. They sank like lead It signifies the suddenness of their destruction for a Talent of Lead sinks in a moment Ver. 11. Who is like unto thee among the Gods Or the mighty ones as it is in the Margin For Elim is the Plural of El which comes from Ejalah saith the Author of Sepher Cosri which denotes fortitude or strength For from him proceeds all Power and Might but is himself more Sublime and Eminent than to be likened to any other Power according to these words which he quotes for the proof of it Pars IV. Sect. 3. Fearful in Praises I see no solidity in the Gloss of R. Elieser that Moses speaks in the Plural Number because the Angels praised God above when the Israelites praised him below Pirke Elies c. 42. The plain meaning is that he ought to be praised with the greatest Reverence for to him alone as Conradus Pellicanus glosses belongs all Honour and Glory who can never enough be praised Ver. 12. The Earth swallowed them They who were drowned in the Sea are here said to be swallowed up in the Earth just as Jonah saith when he was in the Sea that he went down to the bottom of the Mountains and the Earth with her bars was about him for ever II. 6. because the Sea which swallowed both him and the Egyptians is in the Depths of the Earth R. Elieser thinks that they being thrown upon the Sea-shore XIV 30. the Earth opened her Mouth and swallowed them up Which is possible but there is no necessity of so understanding it Rather after the Israelites had spoiled them the Sea which had cast them on shore afterwards as is usual carried them off again and buried them in the Sand or Mud. Ver. 13. Thy holy habitation The Country where God himself intended to have a dwelling place v. 17. Ver. 14. The Inhabitants of Palestina The Philistins seem to have been the most valiant People in that Country to which the Israelites were to go and therefore here mentioned Ver. 15. The Dukes of Edom. Concerning the word Alluphe see XXXVI Gen. 18. By this it appears that Idumaea was at this time under the Government of Dukes though before Moses his Death they had Kings XX Numb 14. For they often changed their Government as I observed upon XXXVI Gen. where Moses gives an account both of their Dukes and of their Kings Ver. 16. Shall be as still as a stone The LXX translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turned into stones i. e. so struck with the terrour of the LORD that they remained unmoveable as stones having no heart to oppose the passage of the Israelites into Canaan Ver. 17. The Mountain of thine Inheritance Moses seems to have foreseen by the Spirit of Prophecy that God would place his Habitation upon Mount Sion Which he understood perhaps from the Sacrifice of Isaac upon Mount Moriah XXII Gen. Ver. 18. The LORD shall reign for ever and ever It may signifie that when they came thither they would always acknowledge him for their Sovereign who had done such mighty things for them Ver. 19. The Horse of Pharaoh went in with his Chariots c. In this which the Greeks call the Epiphonema of the Song Moses briefly comprehends the whole matter of it and makes it end as it began Ver. 20. And Miriam Or as the LXX the Syriac and others read it Mariam which some think comes from Marah which signifies bitterness as the Arabick word Marara doth and
to thee and telling thee That now the LORD is presenting himself to thee And so we find he did XXXIV 6. And will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy This is the Substance of the words which he tells him he would proclaim after notice given of him of his coming to pass by him And their meaning is that he would dispense his Favours according to his own good pleasure as he did now to Moses unto whom he vouchsafed such a Revelation of himself as he did not make to others For thus he explains it XXXIV 6 7. where he tells him He would be very gracious patient and long-suffering unto some but punish severely the Iniquity of others Ver. 20. And he said Thou canst not see my face But as for thy request that I would make thee see my Glory in its full Splendor thou art not capable of it I know none that hath explained this whole matter better than R. Jehudah in Sepher Cosri P. IV. Sect. 3. For the Glory mentioned in Scripture there is one of such a nature that the Eyes of the Prophets could sustain it another all the Israelites saw as the Cloud and the consuming Fire but another so pure and bright to such an high degree that no Prophet is able to apprehend it but if he venture to look upon it his Composition is dissolved i. e. he dies Such was the Glory here spoken of a Splendor so great and piercing that none could behold it For there shall no man see me and live Accordingly we find when the SCHECHINAH or Divine Glory filled the Tabernacle Moses was not able to enter into it XL. 35. that is he could not with safety to his life look upon it And so it was after the Temple of Soloman was built and consecrated by Solemn Prayer to God The Glory of the LORD filled the House and the Priests could not enter into the House because the Glory of the LORD had filled the LORD's House 2 Chron. VII 1 2. From this Speech to Moses it is likely that Men in future times imagined they should die immediately when they saw only an Angel appear in such a high glittering manner that it amazed them Ver. 21. And the LORD said Behold there is a place by me It doth not plainly appear by the story from whence God now spake to Moses It is most likely from the Mount where he had long conversed with him Or if it was from the Tabernacle where his Glory appeared v. 9. and continued v. 11. that was not far from the Mount where he tells him he would make his Glory pass before him And thou shalt stand upon a Rock It is probable This was the Rock in Horeb where the LORD had formerly appeared to Moses XVII 6. Ver. 22. And it shall come to pass that while my Glory passeth by that I will put thee in a clift of the Rock Perhaps it was in one of the Clefts which was made in the Rock when God brought Water out of it LXXVIII Psal 15. into which he directed Moses For that is meant by putting him in the cleft showing him the place where he should be while the Divine Majesty passed by And I will cover thee with my hand c. That he might not be hurt by the splendour of that Glory as it passed by the Cleft This doth not certainly signifie that the Glory of the LORD appeared in an Human shape for Hands are ascribed to God in accommodation to us when nothing is meant but this invisible Power which now perhaps cast a Cloud about him that he might not be struck dead by the inconceivable brightness and force of those Rays which came from the Face of the Divine Majesty Ver. 23. And I will take away mine hand As soon as the Face as it is called v. 20. of the Divine Majesty was gone by him which it was impossible for him to behold and live he promises to remove that Cloud which covered him so that he should look upon the hinder Parts of his Glory though not upon the Face And thou shalt see my back parts In which the Glory of the Divine Majesty shone in a lower degree of Light which was not so piercing as to put out the Eyes and take away the Life of the Beholders And yet there was such a resplendent Brightness in it that Moses's Face shone when he came down from the sight of it XXXIV 29. For that lustre in his Countenance is to be ascribed in all probability to that sight which he had of the Divine Majesty at that time Some little Particles of Light remaining upon his Face and sticking to it if I may so speak from that exceeding great Splendour which shone upon him and passed before him as he lay in the hollow place of the Rock But my face shall not be seen My Glory in its full Lustre without any Vail before it cannot be seen See v. 20. There are many other Interpretations of this Verse as well as of the 18th and 19th Maimonides in his Book de Fundam Legis c. 1. n. 11. takes it thus God revealed that to Moses which no Man either before or after him ever knew he making him to apprehend something of his very Essence whereby God was separated in his Mind from all other Beings as a Man discerns another Man when he sees his back parts and by his Mind discerns his Proportions distinct from all other Men. But in his More Nevoch P. I. c. 21. he takes this Discovery to Moses to be the Knowledge God gave him of his Works and Attributes viz. those mentioned XXXIV 6. And thus Gregor Nazianzen Orat. XXXIV p. 559. expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Those things are the back Parts of God which are after him whereby he is known as the Sun is by its Image in the Water c. Upon which Elias Cretensis hath this ingenious gloss That the Face of God signifies his Essence before the beginning of the World and his hinder Parts his Creation and Providence in the Government of the World But Maimonides in the same place now mentioned acknowledges also that this may be interpreted according to the Targum That God made his Majesty that is an exceeding bright Representation of himself though not in its full Glory to pass before him Which Onkelos sometimes calls Jekara Glory sometimes Memra the Word and sometimes SCHECHINAH the Majesty Which seems to be the most litteral meaning that God himself particularly the Eternal WORD in a visible Glory or Majesty appeared unto him in so much Splendour as Human Nature was able to bear but not in his unvailed Brightness which is as the Apostle speaks inaccessible CHAP. XXXIV Verse 1. AND the LORD said unto Moses Having obtained a Promise of a Pardon for the People and of greater Favour to himself than had been hitherto shown him God directs him here to dispose things for
holy And therefore the seven days appointed for that purpose were ended before the Consecration of the Priests began which continued seven days more and then the next day was the Feast of unleavened Bread Which was famous on a double account first because it was the first day of unleavened Bread and then it was the Octaves of the Consecration And this appears more plainly from I Lev. 1. where we find the following Commands were given to Moses out of the Tabernacle by the Divine Majesty who therefore dwelt there when he commanded the Priests to be consecrated which he did not till the Tabernacle was solemnly consecrated to be his Habitation There the Priests also are commanded to abide during the seven days of their Consecration VIII Lev. 33. which shows that all things belonging to its Sanctification were finished before their Consecration began As to that which is alledged from VIII Lev. 10 11 c. I shall consider it there Ver. 19. And he spread abroad the Tent over the Tabernacle The Ohel which we translate Tent sometimes signifies the whole House of God See v. 19. but here only the external part of it which covered that which was properly called Mischchan the Tabernacle Which Moses having erected with all its Sockets Boards Bars and Pillars v. 18. and hung it we must suppose with the inward Hangings which were the richest he spread abroad over them the Curtains of Goats-hair called the Tent XXVI 11. to be a covering over the Tabernacle XXVI 7. XXXVI 14 19. So the Tabernacle was an House within an House inclosed with strong Walls as we call them to secure it from the injury of the Weather And put the covering of the Tent upon it Mentioned in XXVI 14. Ver. 20. And he took and put the Testimony into the Ark. The two Tables of Stone as he had been commanded XXV 16. which he mentions again in the repetition of the Law X Deut. 5. Hence the Ark is called the Ark of the Covenant or Testimony in the next Verse and v. 3. of this Chapter Ver. 21. And he brought the Ark into the Tabernacle It is probable that he had placed the Ark after it was made in his own Tent which for the present was called the Tabernacle of the Congregation and had the Glory of the LORD in it XXXIII 7 9. but now he brought it into this Tabernacle which by God's order was prepared for it And set up the Vail of the Covering c. See v. 3. Ver. 22. And he put the Table in the Tent of the Congregation Here the whole House is called the Ohel or Tent as I observed upon Verse 19. But immediately the word Mischchan which we translate Tabernacle is used as the most proper expression for the inside of the House as the other most properly denotes the outside of it All is made more clear in the 34th Verse where we read that the Cloud covered the Tent of the Congregation that is the outside of the House and the Glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle within Though afterward v. 38. the Cloud is said to be upon the Tabernacle as v. 36. it is said to be over the Tabernacle because it was over the Tent which covered it Ver. 25. And he lighted the Lamps before the LORD c. In this and all that follows of burning sweet Incense v. 27. offering the Burnt-offering and Meat-offering v. 29. Moses acted as a Priest appointed by an extraordinary Commission from God only for this time that he might Consecrate the House of God and the Priests that were to minister therein which being done his Priesthood ceased And he did all that is mentioned in these Verses when the Tabernacle was Consecrated and the Glory of the LORD had filled it testifying the Divine Presence to be there Ver. 31. And Moses and Aaron and his Sons washed their hands c. This shows that Moses acted now as a Priest and therefore washed himself before he went to Sacrifice at the Altar as the Priest afterwards were always bound to do XXX 19 20 21. But it must be understood that neither this washing here spoken of nor his offering Sacrifice mentioned v. 29. was till some days after this See v. 17. Ver. 33. So Moses finished the work And then anointed the Tabernacle and all contained in it according to God's order v. 9 10 11. the execution of which though now not here mentioned in so many words is expresly said to be on the same day that he had compleatly set up the Tabernacle VII Numb 1. Ver. 34. Then a Cloud or then the Cloud covered the Tent of the Congregation After it was anointed and sanctified for the Divine Residence and the Princes perhaps had also finished that large Offering which we read VII Numb was made on this day God was pleased to fill this place with his glorious Presence For the cloudy Pillar which descended upon Moses his Tent and stood there before the door of it XXXIII 9. removed now from thence and came hither not standing at the door of it in the form of a Pillar but spreading it self all over the outside of the Tabernacle so that it was covered with it as we read also IX Numb 15. And the Glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle See v. 22. What God promised XXV 8 22. he now performed notwithstanding their Revolt from him by worshipping the Golden Calf Which made him withdraw himself from them XXXIII 7 c. till upon Moses's earnest Intercession for them and their Repentance he graciously consented to return to them and abide among them v. 14 15 c. As now he did by setling his glorious Presence in this Tabernacle which was set up in the midst of them For whereas the other Tabernacle of Moses was removed a Mile or two from their Camp XXXIII 7. this Tabernacle was pitched a month after this I Numb 1. in the midst of their Camps as we read II Numb 2 17. Ver. 35. And Moses was not able to enter into the Tent of the Congregation For the Glory of the LORD shone so bright and so strong beyond all that it had ever done that no Eye could look upon it And it filled not only the most holy Place but the whole Body of the Tabernacle so that he durst not adventure to come within it tell he was called I Lev. 1. After which time he seems to have had liberty to go in unto God when he pleased VII Numb 89. IX 8 9. For after this great day the Glory of the LORD retired into the most holy Place within the Vail and resided constantly there over the Ark of the Testimony from whence he spake to Moses when he came to consult him in the holy Place See the fore-mentioned VII Numb 89. Whence he is said to dwell between the Cherubims though on some occasion this Glory appeared without upon the Tabernacle but over the Ark it is likely XVI Numb 42. And so perhaps it did XI