The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 1 – Section 3
SECT. I.
THe Egyptians being now in great diſtraction, and fill'd with ſorrow for the death of their Firſt-born, preſſed the Iſraelites to depart. The very next day therefore after the Paſsover (a)See Numb. 33.3.(the term of 430 Years from the firſt Promiſe made to Abraham, and his removing from Ʋz of the Chaldees being juſt now compleated)(b)See Gal. 3.17. the Iſraelites carring away with them their unleavened Dough (which was not well ſeaſoned, nor made up, by reaſon of their haſt, even lumps of Dough bound up in Cloaths upon their Shoulders,) together with the Spoils of the Egyptians, began their Journey, and marched away with an high hand in the ſight of all the Egyptians (Numb. 33.3.) from all Quarters to Rameſes their general Rendezvous; and there they all met, who either dwelt mix'd among the Egyptians, (ſee Exod. 3.22.) and were ſcattered up and down in Egypt, or elſe dwelt in Goſhen near Rameſes, where they were at firſt placed by Joſeph, (Gen. 47.11.) they being in all ſix hundred thouſand men of the Iſraelitiſh Race, beſides Women and Children; and to them a mixed multitude voluntarily joyned themſelves, viz. Servants and Strangers, who were willing to go away with them; and doubtleſs the rather, becauſe Egypt muſt needs be now in a ſad condition, by reaſon of the many Plagues God had lately inflicted on them; And (which ſpeaks the wonderful Providence of God over this people) in that vaſt multitude there was not one ſick or feeble perſon among them, as we read Pſal. 105. verſ. 37.
Exod. 12. from verſ. 34. to 43.
SECT. II.
FRom Rameſes, this vaſt multitude with their Flocks and Herds, and much Cattel, remove to Succoth (which ſignifies Booths) becauſe here they made themſelves Booths of the Boughs of Trees; in remembrance of which, the Feaſt of Tabernacles was afterwards appointed, as we may ſee Lev. 23.42, 43, Here Moſes receives ſome further Commands and Directions concerning the Paſsover. (1.) No Stranger or Forreigner was to eat thereof, unleſs he were firſt Circumciſed, and ſo incorporated into the Jewiſh Church. (2ly,) Servants that were Strangers after they were well inſtructed and circumciſed, might eat thereof; and that no Forreigner or Hireling might on other terms oat thereof. (3ly,) Every Lamb was to be eaten by one Company in the ſame houſe, and none of it to be carried out, to be eaten abroad. (4ly,) No bone of it was to be broken.(c)A Figure of Chriſt, whoſe bones were not broken, as the two Thieves bones were Joh. 19.33. to ſhew, that no man had power to take away his life, but that he voluntarily laid it down, John 10.18. (5ly,) All the Congregation of Iſrael were to prepare themſelves, and to eat the Paſsover as the Lord had Commanded, and he that neglected it was to be cut off, Numb. 9.13. (6ly,) The circumciſed Stranger ſhall enjoy the ſame right and benefit with the native Jews, one Law ſhall be to them both; God alſo Commands, That all their Firſt-born males of Man and Beaſt ſhall be conſecrated unto him, in a thankful Memorial that he ſaved their Firſt-born, when he deſtroyed the Firſt-born of the Egyptians, and therefore ſuch might not be given as a Vow or Free-will-Offering being before the Lords by a peculiar Right, Lev. 27.26. Yet the Firſtling of an Aſs (and ſo of all other unclean Beaſts, Numb. 18.15.) they might redeem with a Lamb, *But if they would not redeem it, they were to b…eak its neck, becauſe it was not fit that that which of right belonged unto God, ſhould be put to any other ordinary uſe.and the Firſt-born of Man they might redeem with five Shekels of Silver, Numb. 18.16. He Commands alſo, That the day of their going out of Egypt ſhall be had in perpetual Remembrance, and that the Feaſt of Ʋnleavened Bread ſhall be yearly kept in the Land of Canaan, that ſo that Deliverance may never be forgotten, and that they ſhall acquaint their Children from Generation to Generation with the Story, and the wonderful manner thereof, and ſhall inſtruct them in the meaning and ſignification of this Paſchal-Solemnity, which was Inſtituted upon that occaſion; telling them, That this Paſsover (d)Which was Oommemorative f their Deliverance, and Prefigurative of the Death and Paſſion of Chriſt.ought to be ſuch a kind of remembrance unto them of Gods extraordinary Mercy in delivering their Fathers out of the Bondage of Egypt, as if they wore any Signet or Token upon their Hands, or any Frontlet or Jewel upon their Foreheads between their Eyes,(e)Vide Deut. 6.8. & 11.18. Phariſaei, qui haec carnaliter, & craſſo modo intelligebant, alligabant Brachiis, & Fronti ſua Phylacteria, quae carpit Chriſtus, Math. 23.5. to put them in mind of ſome important thing which they ought by no means to forget. And ſo it will come to paſs that they will delight to think and ſpeak of the Law, and Commandments of God, to the Obſervance of which this admirable Deliverance will be a ſtrong engagement.
Exod. 12. from verſ. 43. to the end.
Exod. 13. from verſ. 1. to 17.
SECT. III.
FRom Succoth they march on in good array; that is, as 'tis probable in five Bodies, (f)Verſ. 18. Quini aſcenderunt, i. e. in quincurias diſpoſiti, Rivet. Quin que turmis aſcenderunt. Munſterus. See alſo Dutch Annotations in loc.or Brigads towards Etham, in the edge of the Wilderneſs, where was their next Encamping, the Lord conducting(g)Here it's ſaid, v. 21. that the Lord led them by this Pillar, Ch. 14. 19. 'tis ſaid the Angel of the Lord went before them. This therefore was the Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3.1. the Eternal Son of God, 1 Cor. 10.9. them by a Pillar of a Cloud by day, which was alſo a Pillar of Fire to them by Night, and a Sign of his gracious Preſence with them; This Sign of his Preſence was like a Pillar aſcending round, and ſtraight from the Earth towards Heaven; by Night it had the appearance of Fire, Numb. 9.15. In the day time, it ſeems, it diſperſed it ſelf abroad when need was, like a Cloud, and ſo ſhaddowed them from the Sun, (ſee Pſal. 105. verſ. 39.) when they were to reſt or ſtay in any place it removed back into the midſt of the Camp, and after the Tabernacle was made, it reſted upon that, and when it was taken up, and moved, whether by day or night, they were to march, ſee Numb. 9.18, 21. And out of this Cloudy Pillar the Lord ſpake to them, Pſal. 99.7. Numb. 12.5, 10. Deut. 31.15. The Lord therefore (as we ſaid before) by this Pillar conducted the Iſraelites to Etham; from whence through the Land of the Philiſtins was the neareſt and directeſt way to Canaan. But the Lord was not pleaſed to lead them that way, fore-ſeeing the Philiſtins were like to deny them paſſage thorow their Country, ſo that they muſt fight their way thorow them (who were a Warlike People) if they intended to paſs. And the Lord foreſaw, that the meeting with ſo formidable a difficulty at the firſt, might poſſibly diſcourage the Children of Iſrael, and make them repent that they left Egypt, and might diſpoſe them to return thither again. For this, and other reaſons, the Lord was pleaſed to order the people to march back from Etham to the Wilderneſs of the Red-Sea. And they carried Joſeph's bones with them, according to the Command given them, Gen. 50. And 'tis probable they carried the bones of the other Patriarchs (the Sons of Jacob) along with them alſo, according to what Stephen relates, Acts 7.15, 16.
Exod. 13. from verſ. 17. to the end.