And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took [to wife] a daughter of Levi. Ver. 1. _And took to wife._] His own aunt. Exodus 6:20 Num 26:59 The law against incest Lev 18:12 was not yet given, nor the state of Israel settled. But what excuse can there be for that abominable incest of the hous... [ Continue Reading ]
And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he [was a] goodly [child], she hid him three months. Ver. 2. _A goodly child._] "Fair to God" _a_ Act 7:20 See the note there. Art thou fair? be not like an Egyptian temple, where some beast is worshipped. Art thou foul? let thy sou... [ Continue Reading ]
And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid [it] in the flags by the river's brink. Ver. 3. _And she laid it in the flags._] This she did by the force of her faith; Heb 11:23 casting t... [ Continue Reading ]
And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. Ver. 4. _And his sister._] By a singular instinct of the Holy Spirit, as appears by the event. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord." Psa 37:23 "He keepeth the feet of his saints." 1Sa 2:9... [ Continue Reading ]
And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash [herself] at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. Ver. 5. _And the daughter of Pharaoh._] She was brought hither at this time by a special providence, to do... [ Continue Reading ]
And when she had opened [it], she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This [is one] of the Hebrews' children. Ver. 6. One of the Hebrews' children.] So called of Heber. _See Trapp on "_ Gen 13:14 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? Ver. 7. _A nurse of the Hebrew women._] God's providence excludeth not man's prudence. Here is a concurrence of both, for the preservation of the child.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother. Ver. 8. The child's mother.] None to her: as David said of Goliath's sword, "None to that.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give [thee] thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. Ver. 9. _And I will give thee thy wages._] The nurse expects not her pay from the child, but from the parents. Ministers, in case their peo... [ Continue Reading ]
And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water. Ver. 10. _She called his name Moses._] He was also by the Egyptians called MOneves, as Diodorus Siculus relateth; and Monies, as... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. Ver. 11. _When Moses was grown._] In stature and authority, being "mighty in words and deeds," Act 7:22 being a... [ Continue Reading ]
And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that [there was] no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. Ver. 12. _He slew the Egyptian._] This deed of his was heroic and extraordinary, and therefore not to be imitated by every Birchet, who, by this example of Moses and that oth... [ Continue Reading ]
And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? Ver. 13. _Behold, two men of the Hebrews strove._] What pity was it that brethren should strive, and one Hebrew smite another, as if blows e... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. Ver. 14. _And he said._] Yea, "he thrust Moses away." Act 7:27 Doing wickedly "with both hands earnestly." Mic 7:3 This act of h... [ Continue Reading ]
Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. Ver. 15. _But Moses fled._] God, by forty years' exile, fitted Moses for further light and advancement. Much he had learned in Egypt, Act... [ Continue Reading ]
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew [water], and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. Ver. 16. _Now the priest._] Or, Prince. The old Egyptians chose their kings from among the priests. Samuel was both a priest and a judge in Israel. The Emperor of Rome... [ Continue Reading ]
And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. Ver. 17. _And drove them away._] From the water that they had drawn, and so had most right unto. _Sic cedit viribus aequum._ Might oft overcomes right. See here what we owe to good laws well exe... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How [is it that] ye are come so soon to day? Ver. 18. _To Reuel their father._] Indeed, their grandfather. Num 10:29 Old men are usually about home, and can do little else but see to things, and advise.... [ Continue Reading ]
And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew [water] enough for us, and watered the flock. Ver. 19. _Delivered us out of the hand,_] Moses, if he may not in Egypt, will be doing justice in Midian. Christ went about doing good. The place is the better where... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said unto his daughters, And where [is] he? why [is] it [that] ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread. Ver. 20. _Call him, that he may eat bread._] If the watering of a sheep were thus rewarded, how shall God recompense a cup of cold water given to those of his little flock?... [ Continue Reading ]
And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. Ver. 21. _Zipporah his daughter._] A peevish piece; a cold armful. _a_ He had better, haply, have been married to a quartan ague. _Sulla felix si non hobuisset uxorem,_ &c. It is not ill to marry, but good to be w... [ Continue Reading ]
_And she bare [him] a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land._ Ver. 22. _I have been a stranger._] So we are all, while here. Our own place is paradise; haste to it.... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. Ver. 23. _Sighed by reason of the bondage._] They had changed their masters, but not their miseri... [ Continue Reading ]
And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. Ver. 24. _God heard their groaning._] Yea, their breathing. Lam 3:56 Men's very misery cries to God, as Hagar's did.... [ Continue Reading ]
And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto [them]. Ver. 25. _Had respect._] Heb., Knew them. He knew their souls in adversity. Psa 31:7... [ Continue Reading ]