Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 2 · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
… Moses his wife and two sonnes. … him, and sheweth him what the … for Israele …, Iethro beesseth God, and offreth Moses sitting alone to judge the people … to appoint Iudges for inferiour's … the burden might be eased. 24, Moses … to his counsell, and chooseth able men into of… owne land▪
AND Iethro the Priest of Midian, the father in law of Moses, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for … people that Iehovah had brought forth Israel out of Egypt. And Iethro Moses father in law, took Zipporah Moses wife, after he had sent her backe. And her two sons, of which the name of the one was Gershom: for he said, I have beene an alien in a strange land. And the name of the other was Eliezer: for the God of my father hath been my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh. And Iethro Moses father in law, came, and his sons & his wife, unto Moses into the wildernesse, where he was encamping, at the mountaine of God. And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Iethro, am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sonnes with her. And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and bowed himselfe downe and kissed him; and they asked each other of their peace; and they came into the tent. And Moses told his father in law, all that Iehovah had done unto Pharaoh, and to the Egyptians for Israels sake: all the travaile that had found them in the way, and how Iehovah had delivered them. And Iethro rejoyced for all the goodnes which Iehovah had done to Israel: whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Iethro said, Blessed … Iehovah, 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. Now I know that Iehovah is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly, (he was) above them. And Iethro Moses father in law, tooke a burne offring and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the Elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses father in law, before God. And it was on the morrow, that Moses sate to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses, from the morning unto the evening. And Moses father in law saw all that he did to the people: and he said, what is this thing that thou dost to the people? why sittest thou thy selfe alone, and all the people stand by thee, from morning unto evening? And Moses said unto his father in law: because the people commeth unto me to enquire as God. When they have a matter (every one) commeth unto me; and I judge betweene … man and his neighbour: and I make knowne the statutes of God, and his lawes. And Moses father in law said unto him: the things not good which thou doest. Fading thoe wilt fade away; both thou and this people that is with thee: for the thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to do it thy selfe alone. Now hearken unto in▪ voice, I will give thee counsell, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward; and thou shalt bring the matters unto God. And admonish them of the statutes and the lawes; and make knowne unto them the way wherein they shall walke, and the worke that they shall doe. And thou provide out of all the people, men of ability, fearing God; men of truth, hating covetousnesse: and set them over them, (to be) rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And let them judge the people at all time: and let this be, every great matter, let them bring unto thee, and every small matter let them judge: so make thou (the burden) lighter for thy selfe; and let them beare it with thee. If thou shalt doe this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to stand; and all this people also, shall come to their place in peace. And Moses hearkned to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said. And Moses chose men of ability out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people; rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And they judged the people at all time: the hard matter they brought unto Moses, and every small matter they judged themselves. And Moses sent away his father in law; and he went his way unto his owne land.
Annotations.
foreign Here beginneth the 17. Section of the law: see Gen. 6. 9.
THe Priest] the Chaldee calleth him prince; the Greeke, Iothor priest of Madiam: see Exodus 2. 16. and 3. 1.
Vers. 2. he had sent her backe] Heb. after her sending backe: that is, she and her children were sent back by Moses, for that trouble which befell in the way, Exod. 4. 26.
Vers. 3. an alien] or, forreiner so Ger, the first part of his name signifieth: fee Exod. 2. 22.
Vers. 4. Eliezer] by interpretation, My God is … Abrams ste…d was of this name, Gen. … hath beene my helpe] Hebr. in my helpe; which the Greeke translateth my helper: the Chaldee … hath beene for my helpe.
… God] the mountaine (saith the Chaldee,) … glory of God was revealed, that was … God gaue his Law, Ex. 3. 1. Deut. 5. 2.
Vers. 6. he said] … by messengers sent before … said unto Iesus, that which … messengers spake, Matth. 8. 6. 8. compared with Luke 7. 3. 6. To make this plaine, the Greeke changeth the phrase thus, And it was told Moses, saying; Loe Iothor thy father in law commeth, &c.
Vers. 7. each other] Hebr. man his neighbour: this speech the Greeke explaineth, they saluted one another: and to aske, may imply not onelyonly a question, but a wish of their welfare, as Psal. 122. 6. So in 1 Sam. 25. 5. and 10. 4.
Vers. 8. found them] that is, befallen, or come upon them: as the Greeke explaineth it. A phrase often used for afflictions that come upon any, as Nehem. 9. 32. Psal. 116. 3. and 119. 143. Esth. 8. 6.
Vers. 9. rejoyced] the Greeke translateth, was astonished. Accordingly all that love Ierusalem are willed to rejoyce with her, Esa. 66. 10.
Vers. 10. the hand,] that is, the power and tyranny: as the Chaldee translateth it, the anguish of the dominion of the Egyptians.
Vers. 11. in the thing] Hebr. in the word: which is often used for any thing or cause. The Greeke translateth, for this cause. he was above them] that is, above the Egyptians. Or, wherein they dealt proudly against them, that is, against the Israelites. This sense the Greeke affordeth: and so we are to understand words wanting, as therein hath hee beene greater then the Egyptians; and hath gotten himselfe a name, as is expressed in Nehem. 9. 10. which place giveth light unto this. For Iethroes speech is broken off, through that joyfull astonishment of his, verse 9. as passions of the minde doe often swallow up words: as is noted on Exodus 4. 5. The Chaldee paraphrase here saith, in the thing wherein the Egyptians thought to judge Israel, in that are they judged. They drowned the children of Israel in the river, Exod. 1. 22. and themselves were drowned in the sea, Exod. 14.
Vers. 12. tooke a burnt-offring] the Greeke translateth, tooke burnt-offrings: (wherof see Gen. 8. 20.) These he tooke for, or tooke and offered unto God; as taking of gifts, Psal. 68. 19. is by the Apostle expounded giving of gifts, Ephes. 4. 8. So Exod. 25. 2. sacrifices] to wit, of peace, or for thanksgiving, which word is sometime added, as in Ex. 24. 5. and they now keeping a banquet before the Lord, it is to be understood of peace offrings, which men did eat of, Lev. 7. 15. whereas no man did eat of the burnt-offring, Lev. 1. 9. bread] which word is used for all meat, Gen. 3. 19. and 21. 14. and eating of bread, is here for feasting; as bread is put for a feast. Eccl. 10. 19. Dan. 5. 1. and the flesh of the sacrifices, is also called bread, Lev. 3. 11. and 21. 6. Num. 28. 2. before God] so it was a religious banquet, eaten before the Majestie of GOD, appearing in the cloud; as after in the place chosen of God for his worship, they offered sacrifices, and did eat before the Lord, Deut. 12. 5. 7. 1 Chron. 29. 21. 22.
Vers. 15. to enquire of God] or, to seeke God: which the Greeke explaineth, to seeke judgement of God; and the Chaldee, to seeke doctrine from the face of the Lord: which was done by Moses, bringing their matters unto God, v. 19. Num. 27. 5. 6. & 15. 33. 34. 35. & for doubtfull things, they used in Israel to enquire of God by the Prophets, 1 Sam. 9. 9. Hereupon Moses told the Iudges whom he appointed under …, that the judgment was Gods, Deut. 1. 17. And this teacheth such as goe to law one with another, not to seeke after their owne affections, but after the will of God, and therein to rest.
Vers. 16. a matter] Hebr. a word: which the Greeke rightly translateth, a controversie; so in Exod. 24. 14. See also Deut. 1. 12. make knowne] the Greeke saith, I instruct them: which version the holy Ghost approveth, 1 Cor. 2. 16. from Esa. 40. 13
Vers. 18. fade away] a similitude from the leafe of a tree, which fadeth for want of moisture: so the care of judging so great a people, would weary and weare him out. This Moses himselfe acknowledged, Deut. 1. 9. 12.
Vers. 19. God shall be with thee] and consequently will prosper thy proceedings for the good of thy selfe and thy people: see Gen. 31. 3. and 32. 9. and 39. 2. The Chaldee translateth, the Word of the Lord shall be thy helpe. to God-ward] Chald. inquiring doctrine from the face of the Lord: as verse 15. thou shalt bring] or, bring thou the matters; (or words:) in Greeke, their words: meaning their hard controversies, which could not bee determined without counsell from God; as sometime fell out, Num. 15. 33. 34. 35. and 27. 5. 6.
Vers. 20. the worke] or deed: in Greeke, the works. This Moses explaineth to bee all the things which they should doe, Deut. 1. 18.
Vers. 21. men of ability] or, of power, vertue, and activity; that is, vertuous, active, and able men, in body and minde, as Gen. 47. 6. 1 Chron. 26. 6. The Greeke translateth able (or mighty) men. The Hebrewes describe them thus: Anshei chajil (that is, Men of ability,) are such as bee mighty in the commandements, and exactly looke to themselves, and subdue their affections; so that there bee no dishonest (or contemptible) thing in them, nor evill name. And generally, able men are such as have a strong (or couragious) heart, to deliver the oppressed out of the oppressors hand; as it is said of Moses, he stood up and saved them, (Exod. 2. 17.) Maimony in Sanhedrin, chap. 2. S. 7. men of truth] the Greeke calleth them just men. So in Zach. 7. 9. judgement of truth, the Greek there translateth just judgement. Againe, justice is put for truth, in Psal. 52. 5. because these vertues are neere allied. So in the Hebrew canons it is explained; Men of truth are such as follow after justice, for it selfe, out of their owne minde doe love the truth, and …te violent wrong, and flee from all kinde of injustice. Maimony in Sanhedrin, c. 2. S. 7. covetousnesse] or gain…, lucre. The Chaldee translateth, hating to receive Mammon. The Apostle expoundeth it, not greedy of filthy lucre, 1 Tim. 3. 3. 8. Sometime there is added, gaine of money, as Iudg. 5. 19. which the Apostle calleth love of money, 1 Tim. 6. 10. The Hebrewes explaine it thus, Hating covetousnesse, even … owne Mammon (or Riches) they hasten not thereto, … …greedy to gather riches; for whose hasteneth …h, want shall … upon him, Maimony in San… c. 2. S. 7. The love of lucre is the corruption … …stice, Deut. 16. 19. 1 Sam. 8. 3. Prov. 1. 19. Ezek. … Esa. 56. 11. VntoUnto the foure properties here …ed, we may adde three …oe, which are na… Deut. 1. 13. Wise …en, and understanding, and knowne: under which seven, all other vertues and good qualities are implyed. The Hebrew Doctors say, of the most inferiour magistrates, whom they call the Court of three men: there must be in every one of them these seven things; wisedome, meeknesse, the feare of God, hatred of Māmon, love of the truth, love of their (fellow) creatures, (that is, of other men,) and that they be men of good name. Maimony in Sanhedrin, c. 2. S. 7. See Num. 11. Deut. 1. and 17. rulers] or princes, captaines of thousands; in Greeke Chiliarchs; such we English Chiefe Captaines, Acts 21. 31. 32. Revel. 6. 15. as the next, Centurions.
Vers. 22. at all time] alwaies ready to heare the causes brought: the Greeke saith, every houre. But the Sabbaths and feast daies were excepted from these, as from all other civill affaires, Levit. 23. 3. 7. 8. 21. &c. and by the Iewes canons, the evening before the Sabbath was also excepted from such judgments, notwithstanding this generall speech, at all time. Maimony in Sanhedrin, c. 11. S. 2. and 3. And they used in Israel, (as hee there sheweth in Sanhedrin, c. 3. S. 1.) the lesser courts, to sit from morning prayer till the sixt houre of the day, that is, till noone: and the greater court sate, from the daily sacrifice in the morning, till the daily evening sacrifice. let this be] or, it shall be, &c. make thou the burden] so Moses calleth it in Deut. 1. 1….
Vers. 23. to stand] that is, to endure. come to their place] that is, the land of Canaan, whither they are travelling; as Num. 10. 29. or, return home with an end of their controversies, without long waiting. So ones house, or home is called his place. Iudg. 7. 7. and 9. 55. and 19. 28. 29.
Vers. 25. Moses chose] by the peoples consent, who brought fit men unto him, Deut. 1. 13. 14. &c. made them] Hebr. gave (or set) them heads, that is, rulers. This he did, with a charge unto the rulers to judge justly: see Deut. 1. 16. 17.
Vers. 27. his way] or, himselfe: as Gen. 12. 1. And by Num. 10. 29. 32. it appeareth, that Moses earnestly requested his comming againe, to guide the people.