Commentary on Exodus, Commentary · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
Verſe 1. BƲT behold they will not believe me, nor hearken to my voice, &c.] This ſeems directly to contradict what God had ſaid unto him, III. 18. They ſhall hearken to thy voice. Which Maimonides indeavours to reconcile, by ſaying, that Moſes was ſatisfyed they would believe what he told them concerning the Name of God who ſpake to him; but not believe, without further proof, that he was ſent by him. P. I. More Nevoch. c. 63. But the plaineſt Anſwer is, that God did not mean they would hearken to Moſes immediately: but that he would ſo convince them by undeniable ſigns and tokens, that they ſhould give credit to him, when he ſaid he came from God to them: Such ſigns he now asks, and God grants; that they might believe the LORD appeared to him, and gave him Commiſſion to deliver them.
Ver. 2. And the LORD ſaid unto him, What is that in thy hand?] He asks this queſtion to make way for what follows; and to move his attention to it.
And he ſaid, a Rod.] His Shepherd's Staff, it is moſt likely. For he takes occaſion from what was in his Hand to confirm his Faith; and he was now feeding his Father in Law's Sheep, when God appeared unto him. The Jews have a world of fabulous Stuff about this Rod; not worth the remembring.
Ver. 3. And he ſaid, Cast it on the ground, &c.] As he was to do when he came before Pharaoh (VII. 10.) that it might not be thought Moſes his Hand contributed any thing to the Change; but it might appear to be wrought by the Power of God.
And it became a Serpent.] foreign, (as Philo ſpeaks) immediately it was inlivened and crawled about. The word Nachaſh comprehends all ſorts of Serpents; and R. Eliezer takes it to have been a flying Serpent: but our Doctor Lightfoot rather thinks it was a Crocodile: for which there is ſome reaſon. For that which is here called Nachaſh (which moſt think ſignifies, a common Snake, or Serpent) when he threw down his Staff before Pharaoh (VII. 10.) is called Tannin: which ſignifies a Serpent of the largeſt Dimenſions (foreign, Philo here calls it) and as I proved upon I Gen. 21. includes in it Crocodiles, which Iſaiah calls the crooked Serpent, XXVII. 1. Unto whoſe devouring Jaws Pharaoh had expoſed the Hebrew Infants, when he commanded them to be caſt into the River Nile, (I. 22.) which abounded with Crocodiles.
And Moſes fled from before it.] It being a very frightful ſight; enough to diſmay the moſt couragious Man on Earth: as God himſelf deſcribes the Crocodile in the Book of Job, XLI. 14, 25. His Teeth are terrible round about. When he raiſes up himſelf the Mighty are aſraid.
Ver. 4. And the LORD ſaid unto Moſes, put forth thy hand and take it by the tail, &c.] This ſhows Moſes his Faith to have been great, which overcame his Fear. Moſt think this to have been an apt Repreſentation of the Condition of the Iſraelites in Egypt; and of their Deliverance there. R. Eliezer in his Pirke, Cap. XL. hath hinted the beſt Explication of it, if it have any ſuch meaning, when he ſaith; As a Serpent bites and kills thoſe on whom it ſeizes, ſo did Pharaoh and his People bite and kill the Iſraelites: Or rather he ſhould have ſaid; So ſhall the Egyptians be afflicted and tormented by the Rod which Moſes carries in his hand.
Ver. 5. That they may believe, that the LORD God of their Fathers, &c.] The meaning is; Thou ſhalt do thus before them, if they doubt whether I have appeared to thee (as he feared they would, v. 1.) to convince them of it.
Ver. 6. And the LORD ſaid furthermore unto him; Put now thy hand into thy boſom, &c.] He did not ask for a new ſign; but the LORD was graciouſly pleaſed to grant him a further Confirmation of his Faith; or rather, of the Faith of the Iſraelites.
And he put his hand into his boſom, and when he took it out, behold it was leprous as Snow.] It was a wonderful thing that out of the ſame place ſhould come both the Diſeaſe and the Cure (as we read in the next Verſe, that by putting his hand into his boſom again, it became ſound) and it was the greater wonder, becauſe the Leproſie was a Diſeaſe, that was very hard to be cured. R. Elieſer, in the place fore-named, doth not give ſo good a reaſon for this ſign, as for the former: though it is not a bad one. For, he making a Queſtion, Why God ſhould give them a ſign by an unclean thing, and not by a clean, makes this Anſwer to it; Becauſe as a Leper is unclean, and makes others ſo, in like manner Pharaoh and the impure Egyptians had defiled the Iſraelites: but God ſhowed by Moſes's drawing his hand out of his boſom again pure and clean, that he would deliver and purge the Iſraelites from the ſilthineſs of the Egyptians. I ſhould think rather, that the Leproſie repreſented God's ſmiting the Egytians with his Plagues; and the Cure of it, God's removal of thoſe Plagues at Moſes his Prayer. But there is no end of ſuch Conceits. Therefore I ſhall rarather obſerve, that God commanding him to work all theſe wonders before Pharaoh, (ver. 21.) it is very probable, this gave occaſion to the fabulous Story which was invented in future Ages; that Moſes was a Leper, and the Iſraelites infected with that, and other ſcabby Diſeaſes. For ſo Joſephus tells us (L. I. contra Apion.) the Tale was told in Manetho's Hiſtory, and thence deſcended unto others, that Moſes was driven out of the Country, foreign, (See Juſtin L. XXXV. c. 2. Tacitus L. V. Hiſtor. c. 3.) becauſe he had the Leproſie. Which as Manetho, perhaps, did not maliciouſly deviſe out of his own head, ſo thoſe Hiſtorians from whom he borrowed his Work, might have but an imperfect Tradition of the Truth, derived from this Paſſage of Moſes appearing with a leprous Hand before Pharaoh: which was preſently noiſed about the Country, without the other part, of his being immediately cured. And thus Helladius Beſantinus, an Egyptian Writer in his Chreſto-Mathia mentions one who ſaid Moſes was called foreign, becauſe his Body foreign, was markt with white leprous ſpots. And unto this lye he calls Philo to be a Witneſs. The very ſame is affirm'd by Philemaeus Hephaeſtionis, as J. Meurſius obſerves in his Notes upon the fore-named Author.
Ver. 7. And he plucked it out of his boſom, and behold it was turned again as his other fleſh.] A manifeſt token (as Con. Pellicanus rightly takes it) that God could, with as much eaſe, reſtore his oppreſſed People to perfect liberty.
Ver. 8. And it ſhall come to paſs, if they will not believe thee, nor hearken to the voice of the first ſign.] Here he gives the reaſon, why he was pleaſed to add another ſign to the former; that he might overcome the incredulity, which he foreſaw would be in many of them.
That they will believe the voice of the latter ſign.] Yield their conſent to that which is plainly taught them by both theſe ſigns, viz. that God had appeared to him, and ordered him to ſay what he did. And he ſaith they would believe; becauſe it was rational to ſuppoſe they would: though he likewiſe ſuppoſes in the next Verſe, ſome might ſtill remain incredulous; and therefore he adds another.
Ver. 9. Thou ſhalt take of the Water of the River, and pour it upon the dry Land; and the Water ſhall become Blood.] This ſign was not wrought now, when God talked with him, as the two former were: for he was in the Deſert, far from the River here ſpoken of, and near no River at all. Therefore, in caſe the Iſraelites did not believe upon the ſight of the two former ſigns, this is ordered to be wrought, when he came into Egypt, for their Conviction; by taking the Water of Nilus, and turning it into Blood. Which might be well looked upon as an Indication that God was able to ſpoil that Water, which was the great Inſtrument of the fertility of that Country, and make their Land barren. And alſo put them in mind that the cry of the innocent Blood of their Infants, which had been drown'd in that River, was come up to God.
There was a neceſſity that Moſes ſhould be inſtructed with all theſe Powers, becauſe with an unuſual Commiſſion: which would not have been credited, if he had not brought ſuch extraordinary proof of it. All the Prophets after him did not work Miracles, which were neceſſary only when ſome great Change was to be made in the World; as there was now at their bringing out of Egypt. After which they were to be put into a new form and order, by a body of peculiar Laws, both Civil and Religious: which when they were notoriouſly violated, God was pleaſed by ſuch wonders as Moſes wrought, to turn their hearts back again; as he did in the days of Elijah, 1 Kings XVIII. 37.
Ver. 10. And Moſes ſaid unto the LORD, O my Lord.] This is a Form of Speech, whereby he declines this great Imployment; and deſires to be excuſed. The Reaſon of which follows.
I am not Eloquent.] In the Hebrew, Am not a man of words; i. e. not a good Speaker; or, not accuſtomed to make Speeches; or, as ſome take it, a Man of few words: and therefore unfit to be ſent to the Iſraelites; and much more to the King of Egypt: to whom none but great Orators make Addreſſes. Clemens in his Epiſtle to the Corinthians, makes this an Argument of Moſes his Humility, and ſaith, he added theſe words (from I know not what Authour) foreign, I am a reek from a Pot.
Neither heretofore, nor ſince thou hast ſpoken unto thy Servant.] This hath been always my Imperfection, that I could not ſpeak fluently: nor do I find that I am altered, ſince thou haſt been pleaſed to appear to me, and give me this Commiſſion.
But I am ſlow of ſpeech, and of a ſlow tongue.] Cannot bring forth my words readily; nor pronounce them well. The Jews think he had ſome impediment in his Speech; ſo that he could not pronounce ſome Letters or Words exactly: at leaſt, not without ſuch difficulty, that it was long before he could bring them forth. But the LXX. underſtand theſe words ſlow of ſpeech, as if he had but a weak, ſmall, or ſlender voice; ſpeaking voce gracili & exili (as it may be tranſlated in Latin) which made him very unfit, he thought, to be an Ambaſſadour. And this doth not diſagree with what St. Stephen ſaith, that he was mighty in Words, as well as Deeds, VII Acts 22. for the ſenſe of what he ſpake was great and weighty; though his pronunciation was not anſwerable to it. Nor did his ill or weak pronunciation, nor his ſlowneſs in bringing forth his words, hinder him from being an excellent Judge, and deciding Cauſes from Morning to Night; as we read XVIII Exod. In the determination of which there was no need of Oratory; but of a quick Apprehenſion, exact Judgment, and proper Language; which he never wanted. One would think alſo, that by Uſe and Exerciſe he grew prompt in the delivery of his Mind; for he made ſeveral very long Speeches to the People: and eſpecially an incomparable Diſcourſe before his departure out of the World, in the beginning of the Book of Deuteronomy. In the latter end of which, his Song ſhows that he wanted no eloquent words, when he pleaſed to uſe them.
Ver. 11. And the LORD ſaid unto him, who hath made mans mouth, &c.] Cannot I who formed all the Organs of Speech, and made the reſt of mens Senſes, and when I pleaſe deprive them of their uſe, take away this Impediment of which thou complaineſt, and make thee to ſpeak as roundly and gracefully, as any Man living? The Authour of the Life of Moſes (who makes Pharaoh to have condemned Moſes for killing the Egyptian, &c. See II. 15.) fancies, that God puts him in mind of his Deliverance at that time: As if he had ſaid, Who taught thee to make thy Defence, when thou waſt Arraigned before Pharaoh? Who made the King dumb that he could not urge and preſs thy Execution? Who made the Executioner deaf that he could not hear the Sentence when pronounced? And who made them all blind, that they could not ſee, when thou madeſt thy eſcape? which is very ingeniouſly invented; but we have no aſſurance of the truth of this Explication.
Ver. 12. Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth; and teach thee what thou ſhalt ſay.] Excuſe thy ſelf no longer; but obey the Commiſſion I have given thee: and I will both help thy Speech, and ſuggeſt to thy Mind what thou ſhalt deliver. This doth not ſignifie, as I take it, that if he had without further diſputing gone about his Buſineſs, God would have given him a better Elocution: but that he would have made his words as powerful, as if they had been pronounced, with the greateſt advantage. Or the meaning may be, that he ſhould never want either words or thoughts, to inſtruct his Brother Aaron; whom God always intended to ſend along with him.
Ver. 13. And he ſaid, O my Lord.] The ſame form of Speech with that v. 10.
Send I pray thee by the hand of him, whom thou wilt ſend.] The Vulgar Latin having tranſlated the word SCHILO, XLIX Gen. 10. qui mittendus est, him that is to be ſent, it hath inclined ſeveral great Men to think, that Moſes here deſires God to ſend the MESSIAH. And ſeveral of the ancient Fathers (Juſt. Mart. Tertull. and S. Cyprian, &c.) were of this mind: as many later Interpreters, both of the Roman and of the Reformed Church, have been. Particularly Flacius Illyricus (in his Clavis upon the word MITTO) thus explains this Paſſage, Manda id functionis, &c. commit this Office to the true Meſſiah, or bleſſed Seed; whom thou hast reſolved to ſend: who will diſcharge this Truſt far better than I can do, &c. But there have been and are other very conſiderable Perſons, who think Moſes means no more than this; Send a more proper Perſon; one ſitter for this Imployment than I am. And the truth is, ſuch Speeches as theſe in Scripture, do not denote any certain Perſon or Thing; but ſignifie ſomething indeſinite, and in general. Examples of which we have in 1 Sam. XXIII. 13. 2 Sam. XV. 20. upon which Phraſe [Vado quo vado] I go whither I may, the ſame Flacius obſerves, that it denotes an uncertain motion. In like manner Moſes here determines his deſire to no particular Perſon: but only wiſhes God would ſend any Body rather than himſelf. And that he did not think of the Meſſiah, there is this Argument; that he had no reaſon to believe he was now born: and yet God's Promiſe was to ſend one immediately to relieve the Iſraelites. Upon which Errand alſo, if he had prayed God to ſend him, it would argue Moſes to have been in the ſame Errour with the preſent Jews, that the Meſſiah was to be a Temporal Deliverer.
Ver. 14. And the Anger of the LORD was kindled against Moſes.] Theſe words ſeem to import, that God was highly diſpleaſed with him; and conſequently that he had very much offended him. Yet ſome of the Fathers, particularly St. Hierom and St. Baſil, impute his backwardneſs to ſerve in this Imployment, unto his great Modeſty, Humility, and a deep Senſe of his own Infirmities: of which the wiſeſt and beſt Men are far more ſenſible than other Perſons. And then this Anger amounts to no more, than ſuch a Diſpleaſure as a Father hath at his Child, when he is too diſſident, notwithſtanding all that he hath ſaid and done to breed in him a juſt confidence. And therefore no Puniſhment followed this Anger (unleſs we think as R. Solomon doth, that becauſe of this backwardneſs God preferred Aaron's Family above his, or that this was the Cauſe he would not Cure his Imperfection of Speech) but only a Chiding: which we may ſuppoſe went before the following Queſtion, Is not Aaron the Levite thy Brother? which carries ſomething of ſharpneſs in it. And indeed this may be ſaid in Moſes his Excuſe, That the moſt Excellent Perſons, are the leaſt forward to embrace the Offers of great Advancement. According to the obſervation of Plato, L. I. de Republ. (which I find Euſebius alſo hath noted out of him, L. XII. Praep. Evang. c. 9.) that no Magiſtracy being deſigned for the Profit of him that Governs, but of thoſe that are Governed; I muſt needs conclude, ſaith he, foreign, that no Man (who is conſiderate he means) will voluntarily take upon him the Government of a People: but he muſt be hired to it; or he muſt be puniſhed if he will not undertake it. For he that will uſe his Power well, foreign; never doth that which is best for himſelf, but for thoſe whom he governs. Such an one was Moſes, who ſought not his own Profit or Glory (as thoſe that now ſeek for great Places, by which they deſign a Benefit to themſelves, and not to their Neighbours) and therefore was not eaſily perſwaded to accept of the high Authority, which was offered to him.
Is not Aaron the Levite thy Brother?] One would think by this, that Aaron was now a principal Perſon, and of moſt eminent Quality in the Tribe of Levi: as may be concluded alſo from his Marriage with the Siſter of the Prince of the Tribe of Judah, VI. 23. For it is but a fancy of R. Solomon's, that he is therefore called the Levite, becauſe the Levitical Order ſhould have proceeded from him, and the Prieſthood been entailed on Moſes his Family: but becauſe of Moſes his backwardneſs to ſerve God in this preſent Imployment, he in anger quite changed his Intention, and advanced Aaron to the Prieſthood.
I know that he can ſpeak well.] Is Eloquent, and can deliver his Mind in fluent words. There are two things which compleat a Commander, as Pericles ſpeaks in Theucydides; foreign Wiſdom and Eloquence; which do not often meet in one Perſon: but God is pleaſed to diſtribute theſe Gifts, as he did to theſe two Brethren. So Polydamas in Homer tells Hector; God's way is not to give all Accompliſhments to one Man; but ſome to one, and ſome to others. Iliad. IV. v. 730.
foreign
foreign, &c.
foreign, &c.
which he expreſſes admirably again, Odyſſ. Θ v. 168.
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foreign.
Behold he cometh forth to meet thee, &c.] By God's direction no doubt, who ſuggeſted to him that Moſes was coming by his order towards Egypt: which was ſuch comfortable News to him, that when he ſaw him (after ſuch a long Separation) it could not but be a very joyful Meeting. The fulfilling of this Prediction, was a new ſign unto Moſes, that God would be with him.
Ver. 15. And thou ſhalt ſpeak unto him, and put words in his mouth.] Tell him from me, what he is to ſpeak.
And I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth.] Thou ſhalt have Directions from me what to ſay to him: and I will enable him to ſpeak to the People and to Pharaoh.
And will teach you what you ſhall do.] Inſtruct you in all your Proceedings.
Ver. 16. And he ſhall be thy ſpokeſman to the People.] Acquaint them with what thou haſt to deliver to them.
And he ſhall be, even he to thee.] He doubles the words, to denote that he ſhould need no other Aſſiſtant, but Aaron: who being his Brother, he might the more ſecurely rely on his fidelity.
Inſtead of a mouth.] To ſpeak what thou canſt not ſo well deliver thy ſelf.
And thou ſhalt be to him, inſtead of God.] Deliver my Mind and Will to him. The Chaldee tranſlates the Hebrew word Elohim, in this place, a Prince, or a Judge: who hath the Power of Life and Death; (See Grotius in VII Acts 35. and L. de Dieu VII. 1.) For Moſes by God's order and appointment executed all thoſe Judgments upon Pharaoh, which Aaron pronounced. See Selden L. I. de Synedr. cap. ult. If Juſtin Martyr did not miſapprehend Diodorus Siculus, he ſaith the Jews called Moſes a God. For ſo he reports Diodorus his words (Adhort. ad Graecos, p. 10.) foreign: which now are otherways in the Books of Diodorus (Edit. Steph. p. 59.) where mentioning ſeveral Lawgivers, that pretended to receive their Laws from God, or ſome good Angel, names Moſes among the reſt, foreign who received his from the God called Jao: So they pronounced that Name which we call Jehovah.
Ver. 17. And thou ſhalt take this Rod in thy hand.] The Rod mentioned v. 2. which is v. 20. called The Rod of God; becauſe it was an Enſign of Divine Authority and Power; by which all the wonders were wrought.
Wherewith thou ſhalt do ſigns.] By ſtretching out ſo mean a thing as this Rod, at God's Command, great Miracles followed: which demonſtrated the Power of God, and not of Man.
Ver. 18. And Moſes went and returned. From Horeb, where he had all his Converſe with God, he returned to the Place where his Father in Law lived. See v. 1.
To Jethro.] In the Hebrew his Name is written Jether. And the Tradition is, in Semoth Rabba, that he was once a Gentile, and then his Name was Jether: but being proſelyted to the true Religion, there was a Letter added to his Name, as there was to Abrahant's, and he was called Jethro. And Mr. Selden obſerves he is called a Proſelyte in the Gemaru Babylon; and the firſt we ſind mentioned in Scripture, L. 2. de Jure N. & G. c. 2.
And ſaid unto him, let me go, I pray thee.] He did not think it honeſt to leave his Service, without his conſent: eſpecially ſince he entertain'd him, and gave him his Daughter, when he was a Stranger to him.
And return unto my Brethren, which are in Egypt.] To his Kindred and Country-men, (who called one another Brethren) whom he had not ſeen many years.
And ſee whether they be yet alive.] He concealed his main deſign from Jethro; not thinking it ſafe, perhaps, to truſt him (who though a good Man, was not an Hebrew) with his Commiſſion: or, fearing he might diſcourage him from that Undertaking, which he had already too much declined, but now was fully reſolved upon: and therefore loth to be again diſheartned.
It may ſeem ſtrange that Moſes in ſo long a courſe of time, as Forty years, ſhould not have heard of the ſtate of his Relations and Friends: But it is to be conſidered, that as he was afraid, perhaps, it ſhould be known where he was; ſo intercourſe with Nations, and very far diſtant, was not ſo eaſie then, as it is now adays.
And Jethro ſaid to Moſes, go in peace.] He diſmiſt him kindly, and wiſht him a proſperous Journey.
Ver. 19. And the LORD ſaid to Moſes in Midian.] Some tranſlate it, the LORD had ſaid, &c. to ſhow the Reaſon why he now deſired to have leave to viſit his Friends in Egypt. However that be, it is plain, this was a diſtinct Appearance of God to him from that in Horeb: for this was in Midian. Where God (who had ſet him no preciſe time before) enjoyns him to be gone preſently; and aſſures him, that there were none left in Egypt, who deſigned to be revenged of him for the ſlaughter of the Egyptian. So it follows:
For all the men are dead which ſought thy life.] This is an incouragement, which God reſerved as a Reward of his Obedience: having ſaid nothing of it, during the time of his Heſitancy and Reluctance.
Ver. 20. And Moſes took his Wife and his Sons.] We read hitherto but of one Son born to him: but it is plain he had another, from XVIII. 4. He carried his whole Family with him, to let his Brethren ſee he was ſo confident of their Deliverance, that he ventured not only himſelf, but his deareſt Relations in their Society.
And ſet them upon an Aſs.] One Aſs could not carry them all, with every thing neceſſary for their removal: therefore the ſingular number (as is very uſual) is put for the plural. Though one Aſs might perhaps carry her and two Children, one of which, if not the other, was very ſmall: See Druſius, Quaeſtiones per Epiſtol. 86. and Simeon de Muis in his Varia Sacra: Aſſes are vile Creatures here with us, but they were not ſo in thoſe Countries: for the nobleſt Perſons anciently rode on them; as appears by a great many places of Holy Scripture, XXII Gen. 1. XXII Numb. 21. 2 Sam. XIX. 6. and ſeveral others, which are reckoned up by Bochart, P. I. L. II. Cap. XIII. Hierozoic.
And he returned to the Land of Egypt.] Set out, and began his Journey to that Country.
And Moſes took the Rod of God.] So called, becauſe God ordered him to carry it with him, (v. 17.) and had appointed it to be the Inſtrument wherewith he ſhould work wonders.
In his hand.] As a ſign of his Authority. So Conr. Pellicanus hath not unfitly explained it; he returned with the Rod of God, ſigno Apoſtolatus & ducatus, a ſign or token of his Embaſſy and Government.
Ver. 21. And the LORD ſaid unto Moſes, when thou goest to return into Egypt.] When thou art come thither,
See that thou do all thoſe wonders before Pharaoh.] The Signs mentioned in the beginning of this Chapter, with which he was to begin.
Which I have put in thy hand.] Given thee power to do.
But I will harden his heart, &c.] The meaning is not, that God would harden his heart at the firſt, as ſoon as Moſes began to work his Signs: no more than that he would, at the firſt, ſlay his Firſt-born, as he threatens v. 23. But, as at laſt he intended to ſlay his Firſt-born, if he would not be humbled by other Plagues; ſo in concluſion he reſolved to harden his heart, after Pharaoh had often hardened it himſelf. There are three diſtinct words uſed in this Story, about this matter. The firſt is Chazak, the next is Raſhah, and the third is Cavad. Which ſeem to ſignifie a gradual increaſe of his Obſtinacy, till at laſt it grew very grievous. For the laſt word (Cavad) intends and increaſes the Senſe, whether it be in good or evil qualities.
Ver. 22. And thou ſhalt ſay unto Pharaoh.] In this God begins to fulfil his Promiſe to Moſes, that he would teach him what he ſhould ſay, v. 12. and 15, 16.
Thus ſaith the LORD.] This ſhows he came to Pharaoh in the Name and by the Authority of God.
Iſrael is my Son, even my First-born.] Moſt dear to me, and beloved above all People (as the First-born Son commonly is above the reſt of the Children) God having choſen and adopted them to be his peculiar People; on whom he beſtowed ſingular Priviledges and Bleſſings. Thus God ſpeaks of David, LXXXIX Pſal. 28. And Eben-Ezra's interpretation of this Phraſe is not improper; That Their Anceſtors from the beginning had been Worſhippers of him the true God.
Ver. 23. And I ſay unto thee.] I command and require thee (ſo the word ſay here ſignifies).
Let my Son go, that he may ſerve me.] Not to keep my People in thy Servitude any longer; but to diſmiſs them that they may worſhip me, as my Servants ought to do.
And if thou refuſe to let him go, behold I will ſlay thy Son, even thy First-born.] Not upon his firſt refuſal (See v. 21.) but after a long courſe of other Judgments, which would end, if he were not reformed by them, in this at laſt. With which he therefore terrifies him, that he might prevent it.
Ver. 24. And it came to paſs by the way.] To Egypt in the Inn where they took up their Lodging at Night.
That the LORD met him.] The SCHECHINAH I ſuppoſe, appeared to him, from whence an Angel was diſpatched, to do as follows. And ſo both the LXX and the Chaldee interpret it, The Angel of the LORD: becauſe the LORD ſent an Angel to Execute what is here related.
And ſought to kill him.] Appeared in ſuch a manner, as if he intended to fall upon him (with a drawn Sword perhaps, as he did to Balaam and David) which threatning Poſture could not but very much affright him, and put him into diſorder. Others imagine he inflicted a ſudden Diſeaſe upon him; or made as if he would ſtrangle him. They that interpret this of killing his Child, as many do (See Mr. Selden, L. I. de Synedr. Cap. VI. p. 88.) ſeem to me to have no reaſon on their ſide: there being no mention of a Child in the foregoing Story; but only of his Sons. Therefore Chaskuni hath rightly obſerved that this Verſe is connected with the laſt words of the 20th, (the three following coming by a Parentheſis) and can refer to none but Moſes. All the difficulty is to find, why the Angel of the Lord ſhould put him in fear of preſent death; when he was going upon God's Meſſage. The Reſolution of which ſeems to be contained in the following words.
Ver. 25. Then Zipporah.] His Wife preſently apprehended what was the Cauſe of Moſes his danger, viz. becauſe her Child (of which ſhe is ſuppoſed to have been not long ago delivered) was not Circumciſed. And therefore ſhe immediately diſpatcht that work: her Husband being in ſuch a Conſternation, that he could not do it himſelf; but (as Kimchi will have it) called to her to do it; or ſhe of her ſelf went about it, having been the Cauſe that it was not done before.
Took a ſharp Stone.] Or a ſharp Knife made of a Flint: for ſuch they uſed; which Juſtin Martyr (in his Dialogue with Trypho) calls foreign. And ſo the LXX: and the Jews ſay that Knives were commonly uſed in this work.
And cut the foreskin of her Son.] But how come Moſes to neglect this Duty? Moſt ſay his Wife was unwilling to it: not becauſe ſhe abhorred this Rite, as cruel and unnatural (for ſhe was of a Race, which came from Abraham, who firſt received this Command of Circumciſing all his Children; and ſhe underſtood, it appears, how to do it readily, without indangering the Child, which had ſcarce been poſſible, if ſhe had been a Stranger to it) but becauſe the Midianites perhaps did not Circumciſe ſo ſoon as the Iſraelites; but imitated their Neighbours the Iſhmaelites, who deferred it till their Children were Thirteen years old, at which Age Iſhmael was Circumciſed (XVII Gen. 25.) or rather, becauſe they were about to take a Journey, when ſhe thought it might be omitted; till they came to be ſetled among the Iſraelites. And truly, this ſeems to have been a good reaſon, to defer Circumciſion beyond the Eighth day: motion being dangerous, when the Child was ſore. But ſuch a Man as Moſes ſhould have truſted God to take care of his Child; and not have been afraid of the Conſequence, if he had performed his Duty. And becauſe he followed the tender Inclination of his Wife, rather than a plain Precept (XVII Gen. 12, 13, &c.) he fell into this great danger. Many other accounts are given of this, (for the truth is, the whole matter is very obſcure) but I ſee none more probable, than what I have mentioned.
And cast it at his feet.] It is uncertain at whoſe ſeet ſhe caſt it: whether at he Husband's, or the Child's, or the Angel's. The firſt ſeems moſt probable; if the next words be ſpoken to Moſes, as they ſeem to me to be.
And ſaid, ſurely a bloody Husband art thou to me.] If the foregoing Interpretation be true, theſe are not the words of an angry Woman; but ſpoken with great affection: ſignifying that ſhe had eſpouſed him again; having ſaved his Life by the Blood of her Son. Our famous Mr. Mede indeed, (Diſcourſe XIV.) carries the Senſe quite another way: becauſe an Huſband, he ſaith, is never called Chatan after the Marriage Solemnity was over. Which, if it be true, makes nothing againſt what I have ſaid; becauſe ſhe lookt upon her ſelf as a ſecond time eſpouſed (or married) to him by this act: which had reſtored him to her, when his Life was in danger. It muſt be granted that the word Chatan doth not ſignifie only a Spouſe; but ſometime a Son in Law: but why Zipporah ſhould call her own Child by this Name, I do not ſee. Yet ſo Mr. Mede underſtands it; and adds that the Rabbins tell us, it was the cuſtom of the Hebrew Women to call their Children, when they were Circumciſed, by the Name of Chatan, (i. e. Spouſe) as if they were now eſpouſed unto God. And indeed Aben-Ezra ſaith ſo: but I cannot find that this was an ancient Notion among them. If it were, his Interpretation might be the more eaſily embraced, which is this: That theſe were a ſolemn form of words uſed at Circumciſion; ſignifying as much, as I pronounce thee to be a Member of the Church by Circumciſion. Thus Val. Schindler alſo expounds it (in his Lexic. Pentaglot. p. 677.) a Child was called Chatan upon the Day of his Circumciſion, becauſe then he was firſt joyned to the People of God, and as it were eſpouſed unto God. And he thinks the Targum countenances this Senſe, when it thus expounds theſe words, by this Blood of Circumciſion a Spouſe is given to us. Which may as well be underſtood of Moſes being given to her, as of the Child: for he was, as I ſaid, reſtored to her and to his Family, upon the Circumciſion of the Child. So it follows in the next Verſe. They that have a mind to ſee the Senſe of an eminent Writer of our Church, concerning this Paſſage, may conſult Hooker's Eccleſiaſtical Polity, Book V. in the latter end of the LXII Section, where he thus far agrees with me, that theſe words were ſpoken out of the flowing of abundance of Commiſeration and Love, with her hands laid under his feet. For ſo he thinks theſe words, She cast it at his feet, import.
Ver. 26. So he let him go.] i. e. The Angel no longer threatned Moſes with death: but his Wife, to her great joy, ſaw him reſtored to her in ſafety. From which in after times ſprang the foreign, which were ſo famous among the Greeks and Egyptians, in the Feaſts of Bacchus and Oſiris: whoſe Stories Huetius hath lately ſhown were framed out of this of Moſes. From whence alſo, as he probably conjectures, they uſed Remedies for Diſeaſes, in forma faſcini, which they hung, as Amulets, about their Childrens Necks, Demonſtr. Evang. Propoſ. IV. Cap. IV. n. 3.
Then ſhe ſaid, or when ſhe ſaid, a bloody Husband thou art, &c.] i. e. As ſoon as Zipporah had Circumciſed the Child, and thrown the Foreskin at her Huſband's feet, and ſaid theſe words, Moſes was delivered from his danger. Or (according to our Tranſlation) as ſoon as her Husband was ſafe, ſhe repeated the foregoing words, ſaying, I have redeemed thy life, by circumciſing thy Son. They that make theſe words to have been ſpoken in a rage, becauſe ſhe was forced to do what ſhe did, ſuppoſe her to have had little kindneſs for her Husband; and as little regard to Circumciſion. I ſhould rather Tranſlate the words, So ſhe let him go; i. e. let Moſes go to Egypt; and went back her ſelf to her Father: only repeating theſe words before ſhe went, Remember me, how I have ſaved thy Life, and made thee my Husband again (when Death was at hand) by the Blood of thy Son, whom I have Circumciſed. There is only this Exception to it, that the Hebrew word for let him go is of the Maſculine Gender: which is of no great weight, becauſe it is uſual in this Language, when they ſpeak of Females (as I obſerved on I. 21.) and it is certain ſhe returned to her Father; but whether in this manner no Body can certainly determine. For we are not told any where, upon what occaſion ſhe went back to Jethro (unleſs it be here inſinuated) as we find ſhe did (XVIII. 2.) together with her Children. But it is very probable, that ſhe fearing ſome other danger, into which ſhe and her Children might fall by the way, or in Egypt: might deſire Moſes to ſend her home again, till he had finiſhed the work he went about: unto which he conſented.
Ver. 27. And the LORD ſaid unto Aaron.] In Egypt, I ſuppoſe, he received this order from God: but we do not know how; whether by an Apparition of the Divine Majeſty to him, or in a Dream or otherways.
Go into the Wilderneſs to meet Moſes.] The Wilderneſs was a wide place: therefore he directed him, no doubt, into what part he ſhould go.
And he went and met him in the Mount of God.] He went almoſt to Midian; that he might have the more time to hear what Moſes's Commiſſion was, before they came to Egypt.
Ver. 28. And Moſes told Aaron all the words of the LORD, &c.] Mentioned III. 6, 7, 8, &c. and in this Chapter 14, 15, 16, &c.
And all the ſigns, &c.] See v. 2, 3, &c. which he told him to confirm his belief, that God had ſpoken thoſe words to him.
Ver. 29. And Moſes and Aaron went.] Came into Egypt.
And gathered together all the Elders of the Children of Iſrael.] The chief Perſons in every Tribe, who bore a great ſway among them. See III. 16.
Ver. 30. And Aaron ſpake all the words which the LORD had ſpoken unto Moſes.] According to what God had promiſed, v. 15, 16.
And did the ſigns.] The Signs are done by Moſes, as the Words were ſpoken by Aaron, v. 17.
In the ſight of all the People.] Who came along with the Elders.
Ver. 31. And the People believed.] All the reſt of the People alſo, (to whom the Elders reported what they had heard and ſeen) believed that God had ſent Moſes to be their Deliverer.
And when they heard that the LORD had viſited, &c.] See III. 7, 16, 17.
Then they bowed their heads and worſhipped.] Moſt humbly acknowledged the Goodneſs of God, and his Faithfulneſs to his Word.