Commentary on Exodus, Commentary · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Ver. 1. AND there went a Man of the Houſe of Levi, &c.] We are told both the Man's name, and the Womans whom he married, VI Exod. 20. XXVI Numb. 59. Where Amram, Grandſon of Levi, is ſaid to have been Moſes his Father; and Jochabed, Daughter of Levi, to have been his Mother. So Amram married his Father's Siſter (as the Text expreſly tells us) Which Moſes was ſo ingenuous as not to conceal, though it might not be for his Credit in future Ages: when ſuch Marriages were forbidden by that Law which he gave them from God; though practiſed before the giving of his Law. See Selden, L. V. de Jure N. & G. c. 9. The Jews alſo, fancying his Mother Jochabed to have been born as ſoon as the Iſraelites came into Egypt, make the Birth of Moſes a Miracle: becauſe ſhe muſt be, by that account, an Hundred and thirty years old, when he was born. But it may as well be thought, that ſhe was born to Levi in his old Age, by another Wife; and ſo ſhe was younger than her Nephew Amram, and but his half Siſter. Which makes their Marriage no more ſtrange, than Abraham's Marriage with Sarah. Beſides, it is not certain ſhe was his Father's Siſter (in the ſtrict ſenſe of that word) but might be only one of his Coſins, who in Scripture are frequently called Siſters. And then when it is ſaid, ſhe was a Daughter of Levi, the meaning muſt be, his Grandaughter, or the Child perhaps of one of his Grandaughters: who, in theſe Writings, are commonly called Daughters. And ſo, all the Objections againſt this Marriage vaniſh; and the firſt words of this Verſe expound the laſt. A Man of the Houſe of Levi, took to Wife a Daughter of Levi: that is, one of the ſame Houſe, or Family. But ſee VI. 20.
Verſe 2. And the Woman conceived, and bare a Son.] She had one before this, viz. Aaron; who, it is probable, was born before this Perſecution began; being three years elder than Moſes, VII. 7.
And when ſhe ſaw him, that he was a goodly Child.] His goodly Aſpect (which ſeems to have been an early indication of his future Greatneſs) is taken notice of by Strangers; particularly by Juſtin, out of Trogus an ancient Heathen Hiſtorian, L. XXXVI. c. 2. where he ſaith, That beſide the Inheritance of his Father's knowledge (whom he takes to have been Joſeph) etiam formae pulchritudo commendabat, the gracefulneſs of his Perſon recommended him to others. Inſomuch that the whole Fable of Adonis among the Heathen, was framed (as Huetius conjectures) out of this Story of Moſes. For Apollododorus relates (L. III.) how Venus, admiring the great Beauty of the Infant, took him away privily, without the knowledge of the Gods, and hiding him in an Ark, delivered him to Proſerpina, &c. See Demonſtr. Evang. Propoſ. IV. Cap. III. n. 3.
She hid him three Months.] R. Simeon, in Pirke Elieſer, Cap. XLVIII. ſaith, ſhe hid him in a Vault under ground. But in Sota they ſay (in the Gemara, Cap. I. Sect. 38.) he being hid in a ſecret inner Room of their Houſe, was in danger to be detected by his crying: when ſome of the Egyptians came into the outer Room, and brought a crying Child with them on purpoſe; ſuppoſing the Iſraelites Infants would anſwer, if any were in the Houſe. But there is no certainty of this.
Ver. 3. And when ſhe could no longer hide him.] Some diſcovery being made of him, by ſome means or other, by their Neighbours; or the ſearch after new born Children being now more narrow and diligent; ſhe thought he could be no longer concealed, and therefore reſolved to expoſe him, in the manner following.
She took for him an Ark of Bulruſhes.] Or of Wicker; for Kimchi obſerves the Hebrew word Gome ſignifies the lighteſt Wood. Patricides, an Arabian Writer, ſaith it was made of that which the Ancients call Papyrus: and ſo the LXX, and Joſephus and Clemens Alexandrinus (Strom. 1. p. 343.) foreign) which was a frutex that grew peculiarly upon the Banks of Nile, as Salmaſius ſhows in Solin. p. 1002, &c.
And daubed it with Slime and with Pitch.] Of this word Slime, ſee XI Gen. 3. It is not improbable, that this was uſed within, and Pitch without, to keep the Water from coming into the Ark. And ſo I find in the Gemara of that Title in the Talmud called Sota (Cap. I. Sect. 29.) where this is ſaid to have been an ancient Tradition. Only they ſay, as many of the Rabbins do, that Chemar ſignifies Plaiſter, not Bitumen: becauſe the bad ſmell of that, they think, would have been noiſom to the Child. R. Solomon's opinion is, that it was pitcht both within and without; and plaiſtred within over the Pitch.
And ſhe laid it in the flaggs by the Rivers brink.] That it might not be carried away with the Stream; but ſhe might come in the Night and ſuckle it. Some think that the Ark, notwithſtanding, was made below in the form of a Boat; that, if it ſhould chance to be carried from among the Flaggs upon the Shore, it might ſwim in the River. For it is certain the Egyptians made Ships of the forenamed reed, as we find in Pliny and Solinus, who both mention Papyraceae Naves; and in Theophraſtus, who mentions foreign, ſpeaking of Papyrus: as Salmaſius obſerves in his Plin. Exercit. p. 1003, 1115, 1116. Herodotus alſo mentions foreign, in his Euterpe, Cap. XCVI. See XVIII Iſa. 2.
Ver. 4. And his Siſter ſtood afar off, to wit what, &c.] By her Mothers order no doubt; that ſhe might not ſeem to be ſet there, on purpoſe to watch him. We read of no other Siſter he had but Miriam, XXVI Numb. 59. who therefore is thought to be the Perſon.
Ver. 5. And the Daughter of Pharaoh.] Called Thermutis by Joſephus (L. II. Antiq. c. 5.) but by Artapanus in Euſebius his Praepar. Evang. (L. IX. c. 27.) called Meris, or Merris. Which is her name (as Jacobus Capellus obſerves) in the Faſti Siculi. The ſame Artapanus there ſays, ſhe was married to Cenephres King of the Country above Memphis: but had no Child by him. Clemens Alexandrinus ſays the ſame, that ſhe was not only a married Woman, but had been long married, without being with Child, foreign, but very deſirous to have one, L. I. Strom. p. 343.
Came down to waſh her ſelf at the River.] Not for Pleaſure, but for Purification: this being an ancient Rite of Religion in all Nations, to cleanſe themſelves, by waſhing their Bodies, after any Defilement. Thus Philo ſeems to underſtand it, in his Book of the Life of Moſes: where, ſpeaking of this matter, he uſes the word foreign, which is proper to Sacred Cleanſing. And it ſeems far more probable, than that the ſcorching heat of the Weather, (cauſed by an extraordinary hand of God) made her betake herſelf to the cool Streams for her Refreſhment (as the Tale is told in the Hebrew Book, called The Life of Moſes) or that the deſire of Children carried her hither; the Waters of Nile being thought to make Women fruitful. Clemens Alexandrinus ſeems to have put both theſe together, Refreſhment and Religion: when he ſaith ſhe came hither, foreign, L. I. Strom. p. 343. It is ſtill a further fetch of Jonathan, who would perſwade us that at this time God had ſmote the Egyptians with a burning Ulcer; which made their Fleſh ſo hot, that they could not endure it, but run to the River to cool their Bodies. And in Pirke Elieſer, Cap. XLVIII. this Inflamation is ſaid to have ſeized on Pharaoh's Daughter, whom he calls Bathia. Which is indeed the name of a Daughter of one Pharaoh, 1 Chron. IV. 18. but to make her the Daughter of Pharaoh King of Egypt (as G. Vorſtius obſerves they do, in Schemoth Rabba, and Vaijra Rab.) is altogether ſenſleſs. And yet it is upon that ground they make her a Proſelyte alſo, and ſay in the Title of the Talmud before mentioned, called Sota (Cap. I. of the Gemara, Sect. 40.) that ſhe went into the River to purge her ſelf from the Idolatry of her Father's Houſe: i. e. to become a Proſelyte, who was received (in following times) into the Jewiſh Religion by Baptiſm.
And her Maidens walkt along by the Rivers ſide.] While ſhe waſhed her ſelf, in a private place, which, no doubt, was made by the King for that purpoſe. For it is not to be imagined, that ſhe waſhed herſelf publickly in the River; but in ſome Incloſure, whereby ſhe was ſeparated from the ſight of Company. For Zoan (or Tanis) the Royal City, it is certain, lay near the River; and it is likely the King's Gardens extended themſelves to the very Banks of it: where convenient Bathing-Houſes were contrived for himſelf, and the Royal Family, to bathe in the River when they pleaſed. Patricides ſeems to ſay, that the River ran through the City, or by the ſide of it: for ſo the words are; The Ark was put in the banks of the River Nile, where the water was ſhalloweſt, in the City of Tzana, which was the Metropolis of that part of the Country. And to the ſame purpoſe Elmacinus, another Arabian Writer, as Hottinger obſerves in his Smegma Orientale, L. I. c. 8. p. 400.
And when ſhe ſaw the Ark among the flaggs.] In ſuch a Bathing-Houſe, as I ſuppoſe her to have now been, there were Latices through which ſhe could ſee what was done in the River, though no Body could ſee her. And ſhe ſpying an unuſual Veſſel among the ſlags, commanded it to be brought to her. Patricides ſaith, ſhe heard the Child cry. And Chuskuni obſerves, it was more eaſie for her who was in the River, to eſpy the Ark, than for her Maidens who walked above upon the Banks.
She ſent her Maid to fetch it.] The Hebrew word Amatha, which we tranſlate Maid, is much different from that for Maidens mention'd juſt before: ſignifying one that waited immediately upon her, whom we call an Handmaid; the other properly ſignifying only young Women; who were ſuch, perhaps, as we now call Ladies of Honour.
Ver. 6. And when ſhe had opened it, ſhe ſaw the Child.] And together with him the SCHECHINAH or Divine Majeſty, as Rabbi Joſe ſaith in Sota: which is agreeable to their opinion, who make her to be now proſelyted; but hath no other foundation.
And behold the Babe wept.] There is nothing ſtrange in this, that a Babe (which perhaps had been a good while without the Breaſt) ſhould weep: but it is remarkable, that Pharaoh's Daughter ſhould not find it, till tears ran down its Cheeks; becauſe this helpt to move her compaſſion towards it, as it here follows.
And ſhe had Compaſſion on him.] Reſolved to preſerve him, contrary to her Father's Order.
And ſaid, this is one of the Hebrew's Children.] None elſe, ſhe thought, would expoſe ſo goodly a Child: and ſhe was confirm'd in her opinion, when ſhe found he was Circumciſed, as the ſame R. Joſe conjectures. And the truth is, we have no good reaſon to believe, that the Egyptians had, as yet, received Circumciſion.
Ver. 7. Then ſaid his Siſter to Pharaoh's Daughter, &c.] We cannot think his Siſter would be ſo imprudent as to ſtep in immediately, upon the finding of the Child, and ask if ſhe ſhould call a Hebrew Nurſe for it: but ſtaid ſome time (that ſhe might not ſeem to know any thing of him, but what ſhe heard them ſay) till they had tried other Nurſes (as the Hebrew Doctors in Sota underſtand it, Cap. I. Sect. 43.) whoſe Breaſts the Child refuſing to ſuck, ſhe took the opportunity to ask if ſhe might ſee for a Nurſe among the Hebrew Women. Joſephus ſaith the very ſame.
Ver. 8. And Pharaoh's Daughter ſaid unto her, Go.] It is likely that Miriam addreſſed her ſelf to her ſo diſcreetly, that it moved her eaſily to agree to her Propoſal. Though a ſingular Providence of God guided this whole buſineſs.
And the Maid went and called this Child's Mother.] Whoſe Breaſt the Child readily taking (having been uſed to it) ſhe was inſtantly accepted to be his Nurſe. So it follows in the next Verſe.
Ver. 9. Take this Child away, and Nurſe it for me, &c.] Thus by the wonderful Providence of God, Jochabed had the pleaſure of ſuckling her own Child; and was alſo well paid for her pains.
Ver. 10. And the Child grew, and ſhe brought him unto Pharaoh's Daughter.] The Hebrew Writers ſay, that when he was Two years old, he was taken from her: which is not ſo likely, as that he continued with her till he was grown capable to be inſtructed in true Religion, and to underſtand and remember whoſe true Child he was; whereby he was diſpoſed to behave himſelf accordingly, when he came to live at Court.
And he became her Son.] She having no Child of her own, adopted him for her Son, with the conſent, no doubt, of Pharaoh: Not to ſucceed in the Throne, as ſome have fancied; but to be the Heir of her private Eſtate. And accordingly ſhe gave him a Princely Education, and took care he ſhould be inſtructed in all the Wiſdom of the Egyptians, as St. Stephen hath remembred, VII Acts 22. and, as Philo (in The Life of Moſes) would have it believed, ſent for the ableſt Maſters out of Greece (as well as out of Aſſyria, and other Eaſtern Countries) to teach him their Learning. Which is a piece of Jewiſh Vanity; for there was no Learning among the Greeks in the days of Moſes: who was ancienter, not only than their Philoſophers and Poets, but than moſt of their Gods, as Clemens Alexandrinus demonſtrates; foreign, L. I. Strom. p. 323. And what Learning there was now in Egypt is not certain; for there is no Evidence that the Wiſdom St. Stephen ſpeaks of, comprehends the Knowledge of ſo many things, as ſome Learned Men are pleaſed to aſcribe to them in thoſe days.
And ſhe called his name Moſes.] The reaſon of this Name is given in the following words;
And ſhe ſaid, becauſe I have drawn him out of the Water.] This Name ſeems to be derived from the Hebrew word Maſhah, which is never uſed in the Bible, but for drawing out of the Water, 2 Sam. XXII. 17. XVIII Pſal. 17. LXIII Iſa. 11. And therefore there is no need to have recourſe to any other Language for the original of his Name; which Philo, Joſephus, and Clemens Alexandrinus, will have to be derived from the word foreign, which in the Egyptian Tongue, they ſay, ſignifies Water, and foreign, which ſignifies ſaved. So that it is as much, as ſaved from the Waters, or preſerved from drowning. It may be ſaid indeed, that it is not likely ſhe would give him a Name from any other Language than her own: but it is to be conſidered, that the word Maſhah (from whence this Name moſt naturally flows, and to which ſhe her ſelf ſaid ſhe had reſpect) might have the ſame ſignification in her Language, that it had in Hebrew; there being a great affinity between theſe two Tongues. See XL Gen. 45. Clem. Alexandrinus ſaith, that the Name he had given him by his Parents at his Circumciſion was Joachim. Which he had, I ſuppoſe, out of ſome fabulous Book; for, in the ſame place, he ſpeaks of the Name was given him after he was tranſlated to Heaven, L. I. Strom. p. 343.
Ver. 11. And it came to paſs in thoſe days when Moſes was grown.] When he was not only arrived at Man's eſtate, but was full Forty years old, as St. Stephen obſerves, (VII Acts 23.) and may be gathered from this Hiſtory.
That he went out unto his Brethren, &c.] He had a motion from God (as St. Stephen there ſeems to interpret it) to go, and acquaint himſelf with the Condition of his Brethren; and to own himſelf, more than he had done hitherto, to be one of them. The Jews tell many Tales what paſſed between him and Pharaoh till this time; but there is no more credit to be given to them, than to what Artapanus, an Heathen Hiſtorian, relates of his Military Exploits in a War with the Ethiopians, againſt whom Cenephres ſent him as General of his Forces: Though this is remarkable, that his Name and ſeveral Paſſages of his Life (mixed with ſome Fables) were known to other Nations, and by them magnified and admired. As appears by what Euſebius hath extracted out of Artapanus, Eupolemus, Demetrius, and other Heathen Writers, L. IX. Praepar. Evang. c. 26, 27, &c.
And looked upon their burdens.] Which he did very often, (as Philo underſtands it, L. I. de Vita Moſis) and not without great Grief and Heavineſs; that he was neither able to hinder their Oppreſſion, nor to help them under it. But he exhorted Pharaoh's Officers to moderate their Severity; and the Iſraelites to be patient, in hope of Deliverance.
And he ſpied an Egyptian, ſmiting an Hebrew.] The Cauſe of it is reported (in The Life of Moſes, in Hebrew, and in Schalſch Hakkabalah) that this Egyptian had broken the Hebrew's Houſe, and bound him, and raviſhed his Wife, and now endeavoured to murder him. But this looks like a Tale: which is a little better told by the Author of Schemoth Rabba, and others mentioned by Mr. Selden, L. II. de Synedr. c. 1. who ſay, that this Egyptian was one of the Taskmaſters, who called this Man out of his Bed in the Night, to go to work, and then took his opportunity to ſlip into it, and lye with Selomith his Wife, who took him for her Husband. The plaineſt account and moſt likely, is this of Philo (in the place above mentioned) that ſome of Pharaoh's Officers, little differing from the moſt furious Beaſts, not at all mollified, but more exaſperated by Intreaties; one of them, of the moſt violent temper, fell in an outragious manner upon an Hebrew, becauſe he did not do his work ſo faſt as he would have him, beating him moſt cruelly till he had almoſt kill'd him.
One of his Brethren.] All the Hebrews were his Brethren; but this Man, was of his own Tribe, and one of the Children of Kohath, as the forenamed Authors take it.
Ver. 12. And he looked this way and that way, &c.] Round about him; that he might not run into danger himſelf, by delivering his Brother from it.
He ſlew the Egyptian.] Being ſtirred up to it, by a Divine motion: otherways he could not have juſtified this Fact, to God and his own Conſcience. And therefore St. Stephen plainly makes this an Indication to the Children of Iſrael, that God intended to deliver them by his means; and ſays, Moſes thought they would have ſo underſtood it, VII Acts 25. Nay, Maimonides himſelf gives this account of it, (Pars II. Cap. XLV. More Nevochim) where, he making this the firſt Degree of Prophecy, when a Man is moved and animated by God to ſome great and heroick Enterpriſe (either for the Preſervation of the whole Church, or the Deliverance of eminent Men from Oppreſſion) he reckons Moſes, among others, as an Inſtance of it, in theſe words: Moſes was indued with this Power, when he grew up to be a Man; by the impulſe of which he ſlew the Egyptian, and checked him who unjuſtly ſtrove with one of his Brethren, &c. The Hebrews generally ſay that Moſes did not kill this Man with a Sword, or any other Weapon, but meerly by the word of his Mouth, pronouncing him Dead in the Name of God. Which Tradition is ſo old, that it is mentioned by Clemens Alexandrinus, L. I. Strom. foreign, &c. They that pretend to Secrets, ſay, that he killed the Egyptian with his word alone, as Peter afterwards, in the Acts, killed Ananias and Sapphira.
And hid him in the Sand.] An inacceſſible Deſert lay on the Weſt of Egypt, as Diodorus Siculus obſerves; and there was another alſo on the Eaſt of it: ſo that if this hapned upon the Borders, there was Sand enough wherein to bury him.
Ver. 13. And when he went out the ſecond day.] Having begun to Act by the Divine Commiſſion, he ſeems to have reſolved every day to give proofs of his Authority; and awaken the People to expect deliverance by his means. And therefore went out, among them, this day, as he had done the day before.
Behold, Two Men of the Hebrews ſtrove together.] He was ſurprized to find two of his Brethren contending one with another; when they were ſo grievouſly oppreſſed by the Egyptians.
And he ſaid to him that did the wrong, Wherefore ſmiteſt thou thy fellow?] He had no leſs Authority to admoniſh and reprove his Brethren, than to chaſtiſe their Oppreſſors.
Ver. 14. And he ſaid, Who made thee a Prince and a Judge over us?] It is plain by this that he acted as one that had Authority; but this Man queſtioned from whence he had it.
Intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian?] It is not likely the Man thought he had any ſuch intention; but meant only to fright Moſes from medling in his matters, by letting him know that what he had done already, was not ſuch a ſecret as he thought it.
And Moſes feared.] He had not yet received a Commiſſion from God to act publickly as their Governour, and therefore durſt not ſtay to anſwer a Charge againſt him (which he thought might be poſſibly brought) for what he had done privately. Some have troubled themſelves to reconcile this with what the Apoſtle ſaith, XI Hebr. 27. that he feared not the wrath of the King; which doth not ſeem to agree with what is ſaid here, that Moſes feared. But there he may very well be thought to ſpeak, not of his flight out of Egypt, but of his laſt departure with the whole body of the Iſraelites. Though if we ſhould allow Moſes, and the Apoſtle, to ſpeak of the ſame thing, there would be no contradiction between them. For he might ſo fear, as to make him cautious, and conſult for his Safety; rather than baſely either deny, or excuſe what he had done, or ask pardon for it; unto which no fear of the wrath of the King could have moved him.
Ver. 15. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing.] Which was ſoon brought to his ears, as Moſes ſuſpected: and aggravated extreamly by the great Men of the Court, as Philo repreſents it, L. I. de Vita Moſis.
He thought to ſlay him.] Not ſo much becauſe he had killed the Man, as becauſe he pretended to aſſert the Liberty of the Iſraelites, and to be their Deliverer. Demetrius bears witneſs to this Story, juſt according to what is here related, in Euſebius's Praepar. Evang. L. IX. c. 29.
And Moſes fled from the face of Pharaoh.] Wiſely foreſeeing the Danger, he avoided it by flight into another Country, where he was out of his reach. For though the time of Iſrael's Deliverance was not yet come, he was aſſured, that God intended to work it by his hand: and therefore thought it prudent to reſerve himſelf till he received a further Commiſſion from God. But though this flight of Moſes be here ſo plainly affirmed, yet the Jews are ſo ſond of their own Conceits, and ſo bold in their Invention, that they ſay he was not only condemned to have his Head cut off, but brought to the Block; and when the Executioner came to do his Office, his Sword would not enter; Moſes his Neck being, by a Miracle, turned into a Pilaſter of Marble; and from thence called his Son Eliezer, &c. So the Tale is told by the Author of Moſes his Life. What Pharaoh this was is not certain; but Euſebius calls him Orus (who ſucceeded Amenophis, in whoſe time Moſes was born) and he is ſaid to have reigned Two and forty years.
And dwelt in the Land of Midian.] Where ſome of Abraham's Poſterity were ſetled (XXV Gen. 2.) in a part of Arabia Petraea. And therefore Philo only ſaith, foreign, he withdrew into the neighbouring Arabia. Into which Country he choſe to flee, both becauſe his eſcape was eaſie thither, and becauſe they were deſcended from the ſame Stock with himſelf; and continued ſtill good People; or at leaſt had ſome good Governours, and Families among them, as appears by what follows.
And he ſat down by a Well.] To refreſh himſelf; and expecting, it's likely, to meet ſome Company there, at the time when the Flocks came to water.
Ver. 16. Now the Priest of Midian.] Or Prince, as it is in the Margin. For the word Cohen indifferently ſignifies either Priest, or Prince: but moſt anciently it ſignifies the latter (a Prince) For ſo it is uſed in the Book of Job XII. 19. He leadeth Cohenim (Princes) away ſpoiled. And in after times it continued to have the ſame ſignification; David's Sons being called by this Name of Cohenim, 2 Sam. VIII. 18. which in 1 Chron. XVIII. 17. is expounded, were chief at the hand of the King. And ſo Ira is called, 2 Sam. XX. 26. Cohen, a chief Ruler about David. And ſo I think it is to be taken here, for a Ruler or Governour (See XLI Gen. 50.) not of the whole Country of Midian, but of ſome Province of it. And it may be moſt truly rendred, a Prince (i. e. one of the Princes, or Rulers) of Midian. But in ancient time Princes executed the Prieſthood alſo, as Plato obſerves they did among the Egyptians; and the Conſuls and Emperours of Rome were ambitious of the ſame Dignity: by which means the word Cohen came to ſignifie both. Though where the Place or Territory of which any Perſon was Cohen, is mentioned, there it always ſignifies him to have been Prince or Civil Governour of that place. So S. Jarchi obſerves, The word COHEN always denotes ſome Divine Miniſtry or Function, except where there is an addition of ſome particular Principality to it, as COHEN of Midian, and COHEN of On (referring to this place, and that I now mentioned in Geneſis) where it ſignifies a Prince, though the Prieſthood might be joyned with it. And ſo Artapanus in Euſebius, L. IX. c. 27. relating Moſes his Flight into Arabia, ſaith he came to Raguel, foreign, the Ruler of thoſe parts. And the Jews in their German Tranſlation of the Bible, call him Heer, Lord of Midian. See our moſt Learned Selden, L. I. de Synedr. c. ult. p. 648. I ſhall only add, that it is moſt likely that this Prince (or Priest) was a Worſhipper of the true God, and not an Idolater: for Moſes, we may be confident, would not have married his Daughter, if ſhe had been bred in a falſe Religion.
Had ſeven Daughters, and they came and drew Water, &c.] He was but a ſmall Prince it appears by this; though it muſt be acknowledged it was a noble Employment in old time (as I obſerved upon Geneſis) to look after Sheep: and we muſt not imagine, theſe young Women drew the Water themſelves, but had Servants to attend them and obey their Orders.
Ver. 17. And the Shepherds came and drove them away.] Some rude and idle Shepherds would have made uſe of the Water, which they had drawn; and had the benefit of their pains, without any labour of their own. This looks like an Argument that their Father was not a Prince, for then, one would think, theſe Shepherds ſhould not have dared to conteſt with them. But it is as much an Argument that he was not a Priest; for they were great Men alſo in thoſe days. And it ſeems probable to me, that theſe were the Shepherds of ſome other greater Prince, in thoſe Countries; who made thus bold with Jethro's Daughters and their Servants. For one cannot think, as I ſaid, that they alone looked after his Flock, but were Overſeers of thoſe that did, like Rebekkah and Rachel. See Gen. XXIX. 9.
But Moſes ſtood up and helped them, &c.] This was an act (as Maimonides ſuggeſts) of the ſame Heroick Spirit, mentioned before, Ver. 12. which ſtill reſted on him, and moved him here, as it had done in Egypt. And thus Philo alſo repreſents him as foreign, tranſported by ſuch an Enthuſiaſm when he ſpake to the Shepherds, that it after frighted them from their attempt. Though it is not certain that he overcame them by Perſwaſions, but the whole Diſcourſe ſeems rather to imply that he forced them to deſiſt: which he could not do alone, but at the head of thoſe Servants that belong'd to theſe young Women: and it is not improbable he had ſome Servants of his own, who attended him in his Flight. Certain it is, that the Arabian's great Imployment was feeding of Cattle, as Philo there notes, (L. I. de Vita Moſes, foreign, &c.) and that not only Men, but Women, young Men and Virgins looked after them; and not thoſe only of the meaner ſort, foreign, but they that were of Noble Families.
Ver. 18. And when they came to Reuel their Father. He is thought to be the ſame with Jethro, III. 1. or was Jethro's Father; and ſo the Grandfather of theſe young Women: which Druſius thinks moſt probable, Miſaell. Centur. 2. c. 69.
He ſaid, How is it you are come ſo ſoon to day?]. It ſeems Moſes not only valiantly defended and protected them; but ſo vigorouſly aſſiſted them alſo in all their Buſineſs, that they diſpatcht it ſooner than they were wont to do.
Ver. 19. And they ſaid, An Egyytian]. So they took Moſes to be by his Speech and his Habit; and perhaps he told them he came out of that Country.
Delivered us out of the hand of the Shepherds.] This juſtifies what I ſaid (Ver. 17.) that theſe Shepherd's belong'd to ſome other Prince in thoſe parts, who were wont, it ſeems, to infeſt thoſe that were weaker; and that Moſes by his extraordinary Courage drove them away.
And alſo drew water enough for us, &c.] They had drawn Water before (ver. 16.) which the Shepherds took from them: and he now did it with greater Expedition, and in great Plenty.
Ver. 20. And he ſaid unto his Daughters, Where is he?] This is a form of chiding, as Philo obſerves, or upbraiding for their Ingratitude; as appears by what follows.
Why is it that you have left the Man?] Suffered him to remain in the Field. Ye ought (as Philo explains it) to have invited him to my Houſe; and if he had declined it, to have intreated and urged him to it.
Call him, that he may eat Bread.] Go back (as he goes on) with all ſpeed, and pray him to come and refreſh himſelf; and receive my Thanks, which are due to him. This ſhows Moſes had done them ſome conſiderable Service.
Ver. 21. And Moſes was content to dwell with the Man.] After ſome Converſation with him, Raguel liked Moſes ſo well, that he offered him ſuch terms as he accepted, and became one of his Domeſticks.
And he gave Moſes Zipporah his Daughter.] The Divine Writers do not relate all the paſſages of a Story (as other Authors delight to do) but only the moſt material. Therefore we are to ſuppoſe a great many things to have preceded this: which was not accompliſhed preſently after he was entertained into Reuel's Houſe, but after he had had much Experience of Moſes his other Vertues, as well as of his Valour. Though the Obſervation of Philo here is not to be ſlighted, that foreign Men of a great Genius quickly ſhow themſelves, and are not made known by length of time. And therefore, he thinks, that Reuel being ſtruck firſt with admiration of his goodly Aſpect, and then of his wiſe Diſcourſe, immediately gave him the moſt beautiful of all his Daughters to be his Wife: not ſtaying to enquire of any body what he was, for his own moſt excellent Qualities ſufficiently recommended him to his Affection, L. I. de Vita Moſes, p. 611.
Ver. 22. And ſhe bare him a Son, and he called his Name Gerſhom, &c.] This word Gerſhom ſignifies a deſolate Stranger; which he made the Name of this Child, becauſe he was born, not only in a Foreign Country, remote from his own People; but in a place where he had nothing but what he earned by his Labour. For it is not to be thought, that in an haſty Flight he could bring any great matter with him into Midian. Either this Son was born long after his Marriage, or he did not marry till he had been long in this Country: For when he left it, after 40 years ſtay in it, his Children were but young, as appears from IV. 20.
Ver. 23. And it came to paſs, in proceſs of time.] After many days (as it is in the Hebrew) i. e. years: for this King reigned a long time. See Ver. 15.
The King of Egypt died.] That King from whom Moſes fled, viz. Orus. After whom Euſebius makes Acenceres to have reigned; and after him Achoris: both which died before Moſes returned into Egypt.
And the Children of Iſrael ſighed by reaſon of the Bondage.] Their cruel Servitude did not end with the Life of Orus; but the new King, who ſucceeded him, was ſo far from giving them any eaſe, that he laid more heavy Burdens upon them.
And they cried.] This ſignifies they lay under the moſt grievous Oppreſſion; which grew intolerable.
And their cry came up unto God.] A Cry that comes up unto God, ſignifies in the Holy Language, the loudeſt and ſoreſt Cry. See XIX Gen. 13.
By reaſon of the Bondage.] This may be referred both to their Cry, and its coming up to God: who reſolved ſpeedily to free them from ſuch unſupportable Burdens.
Ver. 24. And God heard their groaning, and God remembred his Covenant, &c.] There are four different words in theſe two laſt Verſes (viz. heard; remembred; looked upon them; had reſpect unto them) which, every one of them, ſignifie God's kind intentions towards them; but ſeem alſo to me to denote that the Divine Providence determined to proceed gradually in the Deliverance of the Children of Iſrael from their cruel Servitude. For when he ſaith, God heard their groaning; the meaning is, he favourably condeſcended to grant their Petition; which was the first ſtep to their Deliverance. And then,
He remembred his Covenant with Abraham, &c.] This gives the Reaſon of it, becauſe he was mindful of his ancient Promiſes to their Forefathers; which was a further aſſurance of his Favour. And then he
Looked upon them.] i. e. Took notice of their Affliction and hard Labour (as Maimonides explains it, More Nev. p. 1. c. 48.) which was another Motive to relieve them. And in the laſt place,
God had reſpect to them.] Which imports that he determined to have mercy upon them (and that includes all Bleſſings in it) For ſo this Phraſe to reſpect another ſignifies, as Bochartus hath ſhown from many inſtances, particularly XXV Pſal. 12. LXVI Iſa. 2. Hierozoic. p. 1. L. II. c. 49.