A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Exodus · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Verſ. 1. ANd there went a man of the houſe of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.]
To wit, as we reade, Exod. 6. 19. Amram the ſonne of Kohath, and grandchild of Levi, married Jochebed his Aunt, the daughter of Levi, as ſhe is here called, whom her mother bare unto Levi in Egypt, as is expreſſed Num. 26. 59. and ſo the ſiſter of his father Kohath. And though ſuch marriages between the aunt and nephew were afterward expreſly forbidden by the law, as inceſtuous and againſt the law and light of nature, Levit. 18. 12. Thou ſhalt not uncover the nakedneſſe of thy fathers ſister; yet conſidering the confuſion of thoſe times, no wonder it is though even the faithfull ſervants of God did not ſee and conſider the evil thereof, but did what was cuſtomarily done though not warrantable, till God gave them an expreſſe law againſt it. However obſervable herein again is the faithfulneſſe of Moſes, who would not conceal the truth herein, though it were no little blemiſh to him, that he was born of ſuch an inceſtuous marriage.
Verſ. 2. And the woman conceaved, and bare a ſonne.]
To wit, Moſes; but yet this was not their firſt child: for Mary or Miriam a daughter, and Aaron a ſonne, were both born before him, as it is evident Exod. 7. 7. and Moſes was foureſcore years old, and Aaron foureſcore and three years old, &c. and in the fourth verſe of this chapter, And his ſister stood afarre off, to wit what would be done; where we ſee that Miriam was ſet to watch what became of her brother, becauſe ſhe as a child would be leaſt in danger of being ſuſpected. And hereby it is manifeſt that Amram and Jochebed, the parents of Moſes, were married, and had their two elder children Miriam and Aaron, before that cruell edict came forth, for the drowning of all the male-children of the Iſraelites, about the time when Pharaoh ſought by the help of the midwives to make them away in the birth, and that Moſes was born immediately after he had commanded them to be drowned.
She hid him three moneths.]
That is, his mother; for though it is evident that his father did alſo yield his conſent and help hereto, Heb. 11. 23. By faith Moſes when he was born was hid three moneths of his parents, yet Moſes here aſcribes it particularly to his mother, becauſe ſhe had the chief hand in the managing of it, and perhaps did firſt motion it to her husband. And herein their faith was obſervable, as the Apoſtle hath noted, becauſe out of their naturall affection to their child, quickned by the rare beauty they beheld in his countenance, they reſolved to do what they could to ſave him, being not afraid of the Kings commandment, but truſting that God would be with them, and ſo hid him three moneths; and then when they could hide him no longer, becauſe happely ſome notice was taken of it, or ſome ſtricter ſearch was to be made, they laid him out in an ark of bulruſhes, ſetting his ſiſter withall to watch what became of him.
Verſ. 10. She brought him unto Pharaohs daughter, and he became her ſonne.]
That is, ſhe made him her adopted ſonne, and accordingly afforded him ſuch princely education as was ſeemly for her ſonne, training him up in all the learning and wiſdome of the Egyptians, Acts 7. 22. And thus the Lord by his ſecret providence fitted him for the ſervice for which he intended him, his known wiſdome and ſingular learning being afterwards no doubt a ſpeciall means to make him the more feared and honoured both amongſt the Egyptians and his own people, and every way the fitter for the government of the Commonwealth of Iſrael.
Verſ. 11. And it came to paſſe in thoſe dayes, when Moſes was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, &c.]
To wit, when he was full fourtie years old, Acts 7. 23. from the time of his weaning (when by his mother-nurſe he was brought home, and delivered up to Pharaohs daughter) unto that age he continued in the court of Egypt as her adopted ſonne, and became famous amongſt them, mightie both in words and deeds, as S. Stephen ſaith, Acts 7. 22. that is, of great abilities both for diſcourſing, and giving counſel concerning any buſineſſe propounded, and for the wiſe and ſucceſſefull managing of any affairs that he undertook. During this time it cannot well be thought, that he never went out to viſit his brethren, as compaſſionating their miſeries, ſince moſt probable it is, that his mother having recourſe unto him, as his nurſe, would inſtruct him, and put him in mind of all things that concerned him as one of Gods Iſrael▪ But this going forth unto his brethren, which Moſes here ſpeaks of, was when at fourty years age he went forth with a full purpoſe to abandon his honours in Pharaohs Court, and to joyn himſelf to the poore oppreſſed people of God, and to lend them what help he poſſibly could for their deliverance, and that as finding himſelf inwardly, as by a ſpeciall inſtinct of Gods ſpirit, called thereto; whence it is that Stephen ſaid, Acts 7. 25. that when he ſlew the Egyptian that wronged the Iſraelite, he ſuppoſed that his brethren would have underſtood, how that God by his hand would deliver them; of which the Apoſtle alſo ſpeaks, Heb. 11. 24, 25, 26. By faith Moſes, when he was come to years, refuſed to be called the ſonne of Pharaohs daughter, chooſing rather to ſuffer affliction with the children of God, then to enjoy the pleaſures of ſinne for a ſeaſon, eſteeming the reproch of Christ greater riches then the treaſures in Egypt.
Verſ. 12. And he looked this way, and that way, and when he ſaw there was no man he ſlew the Egyptian, &c.]
Moſes had doubtleſſe the warrant of an extraordinary calling from God to ſlay the Egyptian, as it is evident by thoſe words of Stephen before mentioned, Acts 7. 25. He ſuppoſed …is brethren would have u… derstood how that God by his hand would deliver them: for though the time which God had ordained for their deliverance was not yet come, yet God intended that hereby he ſhould give even at preſent ſome intimation to the people, both of Gods purpoſe to deliver them by him▪ & ofhis willingneſſe to undertake the work. But why then did he thus look about, as afraid to have it known? I anſwer it is no wonder though at his firſt calling his faith was mixed with doubtings and fears; but beſides, he might do this out of a prudent circumſpection and care not to have it known, and not out of fear, becauſe he knew that things were not yet in a readineſſe for the publick deliverance of the people, even as Magiſtrates will ſometimes execute offenders the more privately, when they fear any tumult amongſt the people.
Verſ. 14. And Moſes feared, and ſaid, &c.]
What the Apoſtle therefore ſaid of Moſes, Heb. 11. 27. By faith he forſook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King, muſt be underſtood of his ſecond leaving Egypt, when he carried away the Iſraelites with him. Now he left Egypt for a time onelyonly, and that to ſave himſelf from the wrath of a King who ſought to ſlay him: but then he quite forſook Egypt, and boldly carried away his brethren, though he might well ſuſpect that Pharaoh would purſue them, not fearing his wrath and malice in this regard, but looking to that inviſible God who was able to defend him.
Verſ. 15. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he ſought to ſlay Moſes.]
Not onelyonly to puniſh that fact of his in ſlaying the Egyptian, but alſo doubtleſſe eſpecially out of a jealouſie which hereupon he had conceived concerning Moſes, knowing him to be an Hebrew, and having by experience found that he was a man of rare abilities, and ſingularly wiſe and learned, when he ſaw that he had left the Court, and joyned himſelf to his own people, and had now in revenge of an Iſraelites wrong ſlain an Egyptian, no marvell though he ſuſpected what Moſes might hereafter attempt, on the behalf of that people, and ſo reſolved preſently to cut him off.
Verſ. 16. Now the Prieſt of Midian had ſeven daughters.]
The word in the originall ſignifieth either a Prieſt, or, a Prince, but becauſe this imployment of attending and watering their fathers flocks was more likely to be the imployment of a Prieſt then a Princes daughters; and ſecondly, it is no way probable that the ſhepherds durſt daily offer ſuch violence to their Princes daughters, as we reade here they did to theſe, it is more probable that in this place the word in the originall is to be underſtood of a Prieſt then a Prince. A Prieſt of the true God, we may well think he was, becauſe Moſes married his daughter, yet withall perhaps he was corrupt in his religion, and had gone aſide to many heatheniſh ſuperſtitions, till by Moſes in the time of his abode there he was more perfectly inſtructed. The moſt difficult queſtion concerning theſe words is, Who this Prieſt of Midian was, that had ſeven daughters, whether the father or the grandfather of Zipporah, who was doubtleſſe one of theſe ſeven daughters, and afterward became the wiſe of Moſes. It is manifeſt that in the next verſe but one this Prieſt of Midian is c…lled Reuell, When they came to Reuell their father, he ſaid, How is it that ye are come ſo ſoon to day? and verſ. 21. that he gave Moſes Zipporah his daughter to wife. But becauſe the father of this Zipporah, and father in law of Moſes, is elſewhere called Jethro, yea immediately in the firſt verſe of the next chapter, Moſes kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the Priest of Midian, and alſo Hobab, Judg. 4. 11. Heber the Kenite was of the children of Hobab, the father in law of Moſes; and this Jethro or Hobab the father in law of Moſes is ſaid to have been the ſonne of Raguel the Midianite, Num. 10. 29. Moſes ſaid unto Hobab the ſonne of Raguel the Midianite, the father in law of Moſes, &c. it may ſeem very queſtionable, why this Reuell, the Prieſt of Midian, is here ſpoken of as the father of theſe ſeven daughters, of whom Zipporah the wife of Moſes was one. The moſt of Expoſitours do hold that Reuell this Prieſt of Midian was the grandfather of Zipporah, and the ſame that is called alſo Raguel the Midianite Num. 10. 29. Jethro, who was alſo called Hobab, was (they ſay) the father of Zipporah, and the ſonne of Reuell or Raguel, and ſo they hold that Zipporah is called the daughter of this Reuell, becauſe ſhe was his ſonne Jethro's daughter: and indeed uſually in the Scriptures grandfathers are called fathers, and grandchildren ſonnes and daughters; ſo Laban ſaith of his daughters children, Gen. 31. 43. Theſe children are my children; and Maachah is called the mother of Aſa, who yet was his grandmother, 1. King. 15. 13. But yet becauſe there can be no probable reaſon given, why in this place there ſhould be no mention made of the father, but of the grandfather onelyonly, and though the grandfather be ſometimes in the Scriptures called a father, yet no inſtance can be given where in ſetting down the number of a mans daughters, it is yet meant of his grandchildren, I rather conceive that this Prieſt of Midian, here ſpoken of, that had ſeven daughters, was the father of Zipporah, and father in law of Moſes, and ſo conſequently that he had three names, Reuell as in the 18. verſe of this chapter, Jethro chap. 3. 1. and Hobab Judg. 4. 11. and that Raguel the Midianite, mentioned onelyonly Num. 10. 29. was the father of this Reuell.
Verſ. 17. And the ſhepherds came, and drove them away. &c.]
That is, though theſe daughters of the Prieſt of Midian had with all diligence haſtened to the well, that they might water their flocks firſt (which happely in thoſe dry countreys they did the more earneſtly ſtrive for, becauſe thoſe that came laſt were ſometimes ſcanted of water) yet when the ſhepherds came, they barbarouſly drove them, and their flocks away, and with the water, which theſe Virgins had drawn, ſought to water their own cattle, and ſo to make them wait till they had done: the injuſtice whereof when Moſes perceived, he ſtood up in their defence, withſtood the ſhepherds (though a ſtranger) and helped them to water their flock. Probable enough it is, conſidering in how great eſteem Moſes had lived in Egypt, that he had ſome ſervants attending him, that might aid him herein; if he were alone, there was doubtleſſe a ſpeciall hand of God in it, that one man ſhould by force prevail againſt all the ſhepherds.
Verſ. 20. Why is it that ye have left the man?]
That is, being a ſtranger, and now thus late towards evening, unprovided happely of a place to lodge in, why did you not bring him home with you?
Verſ. 21. And he gave Moſes Zipporah his daughter.]
That is, Reuell, the Prieſt of Midian, gave Moſes Zipporah his daughter to wife. How long after Moſes his coming this match was made, it is not expreſſed; moſt likely it is that it was not till by living a while together they had learnt by experience that which might induce them on both ſides to deſire it: which we may the rather incline to think alſo, becauſe fourty years after his coming into Midian, when God commanded him to return into Egypt, one of his two ſonnes by his wife Zipporah was but a very little one, and as yet uncircumciſed: chap. 4. 25. Then Zipporah took a ſharp ſtone, and cut off the foreskin of her ſonne, &c.
Verſ. 22. And he called his name Gerſhom: for he ſaid, I have been a ſtranger in a ſtrange land.]
Gerſhom is by interpretation a deſolate ſtranger: Now ſo he named his eldeſt ſonne, both to teſtifie his faith concerning the land of promiſe, which he looked upon, becauſe of Gods promiſe, as his true countrey, and the inheritance of his children; and profeſſed therefore that his children were but ſtrangers in the land of their nativitie: and likewiſe to expreſſe his thankfulneſſe to God for affording him this comfort to ſupport him in the time of his affliction, when he lived after the manner of a baniſhed man in a ſtrange countrey. Another ſonne Moſes had by his wife Zipporah, whom he called Eliezer, as we may ſee, chap. 18. 4. but the firſt-born onelyonly is mentioned here.
Verſ. 23. And it came to paſſe in proceſſe of time, that the king of Egypt died, and the children of Iſrael ſighed, &c.]
The death of the king of Egypt is here mentioned, to ſhew the miſery of the poore Iſraelites, who were no way eaſed of their burdens upon the death of the former oppreſſing tyrant, but had as much cauſe of ſighing under their burdens as ever they had before.