Commentary on Exodus, Commentary · Chapter 1
A COMMENTARY UPON THE Second Book of MOSES, CALLED EXODUS.
BY The Right Reverend Father in God, SYMON, Lord Biſhop of ELY.
LONDON, Printed for Ri. Chiſwell, at the Roſe and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard, MDCXCVII.
A COMMENTARY UPON EXODUS.
ADVERTISEMENT.
BY reaſon of the Diſtance of the Author from the Preſs, ſeveral Errata's have hapned, which the Reader is deſired to Correct before he read the Book. He will find them printed at the end.
A COMMENTARY UPON THE Second Book of MOSES, CALLED EXODUS.
CHAP. I.
THIS Book hath its Name from the Principal Subject of it, viz. the Departure of the Children of Iſrael out of Egypt. For ſo the Greek word foreign ſignifies, going out, or, departing from one Place to another. It contains an Hiſtory of about an hundred forty and five years (ſome make it two or three years leſs) from the Death of Joſeph, to the Building of the Tabernacle. For it treats of ſeveral Things which went before their Departure; and which followed after it: but they all relate to that, and depend upon it.
Verſe 1. Now theſe are the Names of the Children of Iſrael which came into Egypt, &c.] Being to relate the Departure of the Children of Iſrael out of Egypt, it was very proper firſt to ſet down, the Number of thoſe who came into it; and the Heads of them: Whereby it might the better appear alſo how God had fulfilled his Promiſe to Abraham, of multiplying his Seed: Which Moſes had recorded in his firſt Book (Geneſis) where he ſhows this Promiſe was made at that very time, when he declared, after a long Affliction in Egypt, he would conduct his Poſterity into Canaan, XV Gen. 5, 13, 18.
Ver. 2, 3, 4. Reuben, Simeon, &c.]. He doth not ſet down their Names (in theſe three Verſes) according to their Birth: but firſt the Children of Leah; then one of Rachels; and then thoſe of his Handmaids; and laſt of all (in the next Verſes) Joſeph; who was in Egypt before.
Ver. 5. And all the Souls.] i. e. Perſons.
Who came out of the Loins.] In the Hebrew, out of the thigh, which ſignifies that part whereby Mankind is propagated: as was obſerved upon XLVI Gen. 26. And ſo the Author of the Tripartite Hiſtory uſes the word femur, when he ſpeaks of the Martyrdom of Benjamin (as Bochart obſerves, P. 2. Hierozoic. L. 5. cap. 15.) Alium rurſum acutum Calamum in ejus femur; unde humana origo deſcendit, juſſit immitti.
For Joſeph was in Egypt already.] In the Hebrew the Particle Vau (which we commonly tranſlate and, and here for) ſometimes alſo ſignifies with. See IV Gen. 20. And ſo it doth in this place: which ſhould be tranſlated ſeventy Souls, with Joſeph; who was in Egypt already. For Joſeph is not to be added to the LXX, but reckoned among them; to make up that number: as appears from XLVI Gen.
Ver. 6. And Joſeph died. See Gen. 26.
And all his Brethren, and all that Generation.] All that came with Jacob into Egypt.
Ver. 7. And the Children of Iſrael were fruitful, &c.] Here are ſeveral words for the ſame thing; to ſhow their extraordinary Increaſe, beyond what was uſual in that or any other Country. And becauſe there are ſix words in all, to expreſs this great Increaſe, ſome of the Hebrews conclude they brought forth ſix Children at a Birth. Which others of them gather from the ſecond word here uſed Jiſchretzu: which is a word whereby the Increaſe of Fiſhes is expreſſed in I Gen. 20. So Theodorick Hacſpan obſerves out of Baal-hatturim and Jalkut, and thinks the Tradition is not to be rejected, becauſe they bring frivolous Conceits to ſupport it. For Ariſtotle ſaith (L. VII. Hiſtor. Animal. c. 4.) the Egyptian Women were ſo fruitful, that ſome of them at four Births brought Twenty Children. No wonder then, if ſome of the Iſraelites brought Six at a time, by the extraordinary Bleſſing of God upon them. For Caſpar Schottus names the Wife of a Citizen in Florence, who had Two and fifty Children, and never brought leſs than Three at a Birth, L. III. Phyſ. Curioſae, Cap. XXIX. where he hath collected a vaſt number of Examples of ſuch ſtrange fruitfulneſs.
But no Body hath explained this Verſe now more ſoberly and unexceptionably than Abarbinel; who conſiders every one of the words here uſed, very judiciouſly; and ſhows they are not multiplyed in vain. For as the firſt word,
Were fruitful.] Signifies, he thinks, that none among them were barren; but brought forth every year, as Trees are wont to do. So the next word,
And increaſed abundantly.] Signifies, that they commonly brought forth more than One at a time, as creeping things do; to which this word alludes. And becauſe, when more than one are born at a Birth, they are frequently very weak, and not long lived; Therefore he adds,
And multiplied.] Which ſignifies, that they grew up to be Men and Women; and lived to have Children of their own. And thoſe not feeble, but luſty and ſtrong; as the next words, he thinks, imports, waxed exceeding mighty: of which more preſently.
Now this vaſt Increaſe began at their firſt coming into Egypt, XLVII Gen. 27, 28. and ſo continued till the death of all that Generation, mentioned in the foregoing Verſe. When it began to be taken notice of by the Egyptians; who thought it might prove dangerous to them. For the Iſraelites having multiplied exceedingly, during the ſpace of XVII years, that Jacob lived in Egypt; there is no doubt they increaſed proportionably in the ſpace of LIV years more, which Joſeph lived after the death of his Father. And ſo in LXIV years more, from the Death of Joſeph to the Birth of Moſes, muſt needs be grown ſo numerous, as to fill the Country. So that in LXXX years more, they were increaſed to Six hundred thouſand Men beſides Children, XII Exod. 37. And the next year their Number being taken, they were found to be Six hundred and three thouſand, five hundred and fifty Men, from Twenty years old and upward; as we read I Numb. 45, 46. And therefore reckoning Women, Children, and Youths under the Age of Twenty; we cannot but think they were three times as many: or perhaps Two Millions. Which is not incredible, by a moderate Computation, if we conſider how many might ſpring from LXX Perſons, in the ſpace of Two hundred and fifteen years (which the fore-named Sums make) as Bonfrerius, and ſeveral others from him in our own Language, have been at the pains to demonſtrate.
And waxed exceeding mighty.] This is commonly thought to ſignifie, that they were not only numerous, but robuſt and ſtrong. And it may as well denote, that their vaſt Numbers made them very Formidable to the Egyptians: who began, it appears by the Sequel, to be jealous of their power, if they ſhould have a will to attempt any thing againſt them.
And the Land was filled with them.] i. e. The Land of Goſhen; and perhaps ſome other Parts of the lower Egypt.
Ver. 8. Now there aroſe up a New King over Egypt.] Some by a New King underſtand a King of another Family, or Race (as Joſephus interprets it) nay, a Stranger, of another Nation: juſt as, New Gods are ſtrange Gods, in Scripture Language. Thus Sir John Marſham; and then it is no wonder, that he knew not Joſeph, as it here follows. But this is not certain: and the Conceit whereby Eben Ezra juſtifies it (which is, that the word roſe up implies as much) is juſtly cenſured by Abarbinel as frivolous: it being the common word, which is uſed every where, when a new King ſucceeds his Predeceſſor. It is moſt likely therefore that Moſes means no more, but that the King in whoſe time Joſeph died, being dead likewiſe (whom many take to have been Mephramuthoſis) and another after him, whom they call Thutmoſis; the next Succeſſor in the Throne (Amenophis) either had heard nothing of Joſeph; or did not mind what was ſaid of him. Our great Primate of Ireland gives a different account of the Succeſſion of the Egyptian Kings; and takes this King to have been Ramaſſes Miamum: but ſtill ſuppoſes him to have been of the old Line, and not a Stranger.
Who knew not Joſeph.] There is no doubt that Joſeph died, as he lived, in high Eſteem and great Reputation in that Country: and that his Memory continued precious, as long as any of that Generation laſted. For Diodorus Siculus ſaith (L. I.) that the Egyptians above all other People, foreign, were diſpoſed to be grateful to all thoſe who had any way merited of them: looking upon the requital of the kindneſs of Benefactors, to be one of the greateſt Supports of Humane Life. And ſomething to the ſame purpoſe is noted by Clemens Alexandrinus (L. 1. Strom. p. 303.) where having ſaid that Barbarous Nations highly honoured foreign, their Lawgivers and Inſtructers, whom they called Gods; he preſently adds that the Egyptians, foreign were very careful to Deifie ſuch Perſons. But if this was their inclination, in times ſo ancient as theſe of Moſes, we muſt not think them all to have been ſo diſpoſed; or that Time did not obliterate the Memory of Benefits. For this Prince (whom Artapanus in Euſebius, L. IX. Praep. Evang. c. 27. calls Palamanothes; ſo uncertain is his Name) not having ſeen Joſeph himſelf; nor having any knowledge perhaps of the Benefits his Country had received by his means, did not treat his Kindred ſo kindly, as they had been uſed, in former times. But this Phraſe, he knew not, is commonly interpreted he regarded not the Services which Joſeph had done; of which, he is ſuppoſed, not to have been ignorant. For words of Knowledge in Scripture, include the Affections alſo. As God is ſaid to know thoſe whom he loves; and not to know thoſe whom he doth not love, I Pſal. 6. VII Matth. 23. Whence the Jews have raiſed this Obſervation, That he who forgets the Benefits he hath received from other Men, at last forgets thoſe he hath received from God. For he of whom it is ſaid here, That he knew not Joſeph; ſaid not long after, I know not the Lord, Ver. 2. But this is grounded upon a miſtake; for it was another Pharaoh, long after this King, who ſpake thoſe words.
Ver. 9. And he ſaid unto his People.] He called a Council of the great Men of the Nation; to whom he repreſented how neceſſary it was to leſſen the Number, and weaken the Power of the Iſraelites.
Behold, the People of the Children of Iſrael are mo, and mightier than we.] This was not true (unleſs he meant that no part of Egypt of that bigneſs, had ſo many People and ſo ſtrong, as the Iſraelites in Goſhen) but he ſaid it to awaken his People to conſider how to Suppreſs them. And perhaps he was afraid of their Power, or out of Popularity would in the beginning of his Reign give a proof of his Care of his People, by Suppreſſing Forreigners.
Ver. 10. Come on.] The Hebrew word habah is ſometime uſed in Petitions (LX Pſal. ult.) but moſt commonly in Exhortations; when Men excite and ſtir up one another, not to be ſlack in any buſineſs. See XI Gen. 3.
Let us deal wiſely with them.] He would not go about to deſtroy them by Force, being loth to loſe ſo many Subjects; but was deſirous to diminiſh them by ſubtil Devices.
Lest they multiply.]. Grow ſtill more numerous and mighty.
Lest when there falls out any War.] With the Arabians, Ethiopians, or other neighbouring Nations. For I ſee no reaſon to believe that he means the ancient Egyptians (with whom the Iſraelites had lived in great Friendſhip, but now were expell'd by the Shepherd Kings) and the People of Thebais; who at length made War with thoſe Kings, who reigned in the lower Egypt. This is Sir J. Marſham's Conjecture (in his Canon Chron. Sec. VIII.) which I thought good to mention, though I do not follow it.
They joyn alſo to our Enemies, and ſight againſt us.] As it was natural for Men to do, who were under grievous Oppreſſions; and hoped thereby for Relief.
And ſo get them out of the Land.] They had heard the Iſraelites diſcourſe, it is likely, that they never meant always to ſtay there; their Fathers coming only to Sojourn in Egypt: and the nearer the time approached, when God promiſed to bring them from thence, the more, we may well think, they ſpake of it. Which raiſed this Jealouſie, that in caſe of any War, they would joyn with their Enemies; that by their Aſſiſtance they might be delivered.
Ver. 11. Therefore they did ſet over them Taskmaſters, &c.] This was the Reſult of the Council; that they ſhould be brought low by laying heavy Taxes upon them, to ſqueeze them of their Money; and by making them labour very hard, whereby they thought to weaken their Bodies. For the Hebrew word Miſſim, coming from Mas, which ſignifies Tribute, it may be reaſonably thought, that theſe Taskmaſters (as we call them) exacted great Sums of Money of them, as well as afflicted them with their burdens, i. e. hard Labours of all ſorts, as the Eaſtern Writers expound it.
And they built for Pharaoh.] They did not labour for themſelves, but for the King: who, it is likely, gave them no Wages; but uſed them as meer Slaves.
Treaſure Cities.] Fortified Cities, wherein he had his Magazeens (as we now ſpeak) of all ſort of Ammunition, and Stores of Corn, and publick Proviſions; as well as Treaſures of Money. For ſo we tranſlate this word Miskenoth, 2 Chron. 16.4. XVII. 12. Storehouſes: and XXXVI. 28. Storehouſes for Corn, and Wine and Oyl. There was great Labour, no doubt, imployed in building ſuch Cities; ſurrounded with Walls, and Towers, and deep Ditches, &c.
Pithom.] This is thought by Bochart to be the City which Herodotus calls foreign (L. 2. c. 158.) but Herodotus there ſaith it was foreign, a City of Arabia. And therefore Sir J. Marſham's Conjecture ſeems more reaſonable, who takes it for Peluſium: which was the moſt ancient fortified Place in Egypt, called by Ezekiel XXX. 15. the ſtrength of Egypt; and by Suidas, long after him, foreign, the Key of Egypt: becauſe it was the Inlet from Syria into this Country. Which was the reaſon, as Diadorus ſaith, (Lib. XV.) that they moſt of all fortified foreign, as his words are. And this agrees with the ſignification of Pithom, if D. Chytraeus gueſs aright, which is as much as Pi and tehom, i. e. the Mouth of the Deep: being ſeated near the Sea, at the Mouth of one of the Streams of Nile. And thus I find it expounded in the Talmud Tit. Sota, in the Gemara, Cap. I. Sect. 32.
And Rameſes.] It is an ignorant Conceit of Benjamin Tudelenſis that this City is that called Ein-Alſchemes, i. e. the Fountain of the Sun; in Greek Heliopolis. (See his Itiner. p. 120. and L'Empereur's Annot. p. 223.) for this City was in the upper Egypt; whereas Rameſes was in the lower, in the Land of Goſhen: and gave name to the whole Country where the Iſraelites dwelt, XLVII Gen. 11. And it is moſt likely, it was a Frontier Town, which lay in the entrance of Egypt from Arabia, or ſome of the neighbouring Countries. They that take the Name of the King, who now reigned, to have been Rameſſes, think this City had its Name from him, and the other called Pithom (as Mercator thinks) from the Name of his Queen.
Ver. 12. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew.] Here is a new word, different from all the former (Ver. 7.) to expreſs their extraordinary Increaſe; for ſo jiphrots ſignifies, breaking out; as Water doth which burſts out with a greater force, when it hath been pent up. This, as St. Auſtin obſerves, (L. XVIII. de Civ. Dei, c. 6.) is to be aſcribed to the Divine Bleſſing; for naturally tireſome Labours would have diſpirited them, and made them leſs fruitful.
And they were grieved becauſe of the Children of Iſrael.] It vext them to ſee this Device prove ſo unſuccesful, that it promoted what they thought to hinder.
Ver. 13. And the Egyptians; rather therefore.] The Egyptians reſolved to take a more ſevere Courſe with them.
Made the Children of Iſrael to ſerve with rigour.] Uſed them more tyrannically and cruelly; without any Mercy: whereby their ſtrength, in all likelyhood, would be broken, as the Hebrew word ſignifies. Some of the Jews think they beat and ſcourged them ſorely.
Ver. 14. And they made their Life bitter.] The Hebrews call all things bitter, which extreamly grieve and afflict the Soul, XXVII Gen. 34. III Lament. 15. Whence Naomi bids her Daughters call her no more by that pleaſant Name, but call her Mara, i. e. bitter: becauſe of the very great Afflictions ſhe had endured in a ſtrange Country.
With hard Bondage.] Such Drudgery as if they had been meer Bondſlaves.
In Mortar and in Brick.] foreign, by making Clay into Bricks (as Philo well interprets it, L. I. de Vita Moſis) or in working the Clay, and then turning it into Bricks. And ſo Bochart expounds it, by the figure of foreign, lateribus ex luto conficiendis. There was great ſtore of Clay in that place; Peluſium (one of the Cities which they built) having its name from thence, both in the Greek and in the Hebrew Languages. For Sin ſignifies the ſame with foreign, Clay, or Dirt.
And in all manner of Service in the Field, &c.] Not meerly in Ploughing, &c. but in digging Trenches, to convey the Water of Nile into their Ground (as Philo expounds it) and in cleanſing thoſe Trenches that had been formerly made; and in carrying Dung, as others add, into the Field; and ſuch like naſty Services. And all theſe, Moſes adds, were rigorouſly exacted of them: i. e. they did all they could to break their hearts, as we ſpeak.
Ver. 15. And the King ſpake to the Hebrew Midwives.] The former Device failing him, or contributing little to his end; he betakes himſelf to one that, if it were purſued, could not but prove effectual. Some will have theſe Midwives to have been Egyptians, but called Hebrew, becauſe the Women of that Nation made uſe of their Aſſiſtance, when they were in Labour. But it is not likely, that Hebrews had not Midwives of their Nation; or that Pharaoh would impoſe his Midwives upon them, and let them have none elſe: for that would have too plainly diſcovered his drift; whereas he intended to hide it, and to act cunningly againſt them, Ver. 10.
The name of the one was Siphrah, &c.] We cannot well think there were only two Midwives to ſerve the whole Nation: but theſe were the chief; who had the reſt under their government, and gave orders and directions to them. So Aben Ezra; whom Abarbinel contradicts; but with ſlight reaſons: to advance a ſubtil rather than ſolid Conceit of his own; that every Woman in Egypt had two Midwives, and thoſe were the common Names of them, ſignifying what each of them were to do for the Women in Travel. There are thoſe among the Jews who have fancied Jochebed the Mother of Moſes to be one of thoſe here named: and ſome of them, who are pleaſed with ſeeming ignorant of Nothing, ſay ſhe is the perſon here called Siphrah; her Daughter Miriam being the other, called Puah: So the Hieruſalem Targum.
Ver. 16. When ye do the Office of a Midwife, &c.] Are called to their Aſſiſtance in their Labour.
And ſee them upon the Stools.] The Hebrew word obanajim which we tranſlate Stools, is ſo obſcure, that the LXX content themſelves to tranſlate this Paſſage thus, When you ſee them delivered: which fully expreſſes the ſenſe; and muſt be ſuppoſed to be the meaning, if we take Stools for ſuch Seats as were purpoſely contrived for labouring Women to ſit on, that the Midwives might the better do their Office. For they could not tell whether they brought forth Male or Female, till they were delivered: unleſs the Hebrew Doctors ſay true, who conſtantly affirm, That Boys come into the World with their Faces downward, and Girls with their Faces upward; whereby they might know what Sex a Child was of before it was quite born. See Tit. Sota in the Gemara. Cap. 1. Sect. 33.
If it be a Son, then ye ſhall kill him]. The Egyptians feared the Men of Iſrael only; without whom they could have no Children at all, but ſuch as would be half Egyptians; and in time be wholly ingrafted into that Nation.
But if it be a Daughter, then ſhe ſhall live.] For as Clemens Alexandr. well obſerves, (L. I. Stromat. p. 343.) foreign, Women are feeble and unfit for War, therefore they had no fear of them, but reſerved them to increaſe the Egyptian breed.
Ver. 17. But the Midwives feared God, &c.] They that take them for Egyptians, ſay theſe Midwives were Proſelytes to the Jewiſh Religion. But ſuch Faith in God, as made them not fear a great King, is hardly to be expected from any but thoſe who had been always bred up in a deep ſenſe of his Divine Majeſty. Which gave them ſuch Courage, that, as Chytraeus expreſſeth it in Herodotus his Phraſe (which is in a manner the ſame with St. Peter's, V Acts 29.) foreign, they made account the things of God were to be preferred before thoſe of Men: and therefore would not obey the King's Command, by doing contrary unto God's.
Ver. 18. And the King called for the Midwives.] Sent out a Summons to appear before him.
And ſaid unto them, Why have you done this thing, &c.] Their being queſtioned for their Diſobedience, made their Conſtancy the more remarkable.
Ver. 19. For they are lively, and are delivered ere the Midwives come in unto them.] It doth not appear that theſe Midwives told a lye, but only concealed ſome of the Truth: which is not unlawful, but commendable, when it is to preſerve the Innocent. For many of the Hebrew Women might be ſuch as they here deſcribe, though not every one of them. The Hebrew word chajoth ſignifies three things; either vivaces, i. e. lively, or obſtetrices, Midwives (as Kimchi tells us) or animantia, living Creatures. The LXX follow the firſt notion, and ſo do we, which is very proper. Aquila follows the ſecond, who tranſlates this Paſſage thus, foreign, they can do the Office of Midwives themſelves, and are brought to Bed before we can get to them. Thus the Vulgar alſo take it, They have skill in Midwifry. And the Author of the Life of Moſes, (as ſeveral other Jews do) take it in the third ſenſe, expounding it thus; They are like other living Creatures, who do not need any Midwives to help their young ones into the World. And ſo Raſi alſo, and Theodotion, who thus tranſlates it foreign, which doth not ſignifie (as Gaulmyn obſerves) they bring forth living Children, but ad inſtar animantium pariunt, they bring forth like Animals. Such lively Women undoubtedly there have been, and are ſtill in ſome Parts of the World. For Varro reports (L. II. de R. R. cap. 10.) that the Women of Illyricum, when they found their Pangs coming, were wont to go a little aſide from the Work they were about, and preſently were delivered of a Child, quem non peperiſſe, ſed inveniſſe putes, which one would think they had found, not brought forth out of their Womb. Which place our Gataker mentioning in his Cinnus, p. 213. ſaith, it is credibly reported, by thoſe who had lived there a great while, that the Iriſh Women ſometime riſe from Table, and are delivered, and return to the Company again before all be taken away.
Ver. 20. Therefore God dealt well with the Midwives, &c.] He rewarded their Services; whereby the Children of Iſrael ſtill more multiplied and waxed very mighty.
Ver. 21. Becauſe the Midwives feared God, he made them Houſes.] Theſe words ſeem to declare, wherein God rewarded them; which was in making them Houſes. Some indeed (particularly Mr. Calvin) refer this to the Iſraelites; becauſe the word them is of the Maſculine Gender: and therefore cannot, they think, be meant of the Midwives; but muſt be interpreted, by this means the Children of Iſrael were exceedingly increaſed. But, beſides that this was ſaid juſt before, it is not unuſual in Scripture, when the Speech is of Women, to uſe the Maſculine Gender. Thus Ruth (1. 8.) prays for her Daughters in Law in theſe words, the LORD deal kindly with you, where in the Hebrew the Maſculine Gender is uſed, and not the Feminine. But we need go no further for an inſtance of this than the very next Chapter to this, (II Exod. 17.) where Moſes is ſaid to water their Flock, ſpeaking of Jethro's Daughters, and the word for their is of the Maſculine Gender. It agrees alſo beſt with the whole ſtory, to take it ſo here; that God made the Midwives Houſes, (ſo the Chaldee and the LXX underſtand it) that is, gave them a numerous Offspring, out of which aroſe many Families, which in Scripture Language are called Houſes, XXX Gen. 30. When ſhall I make my ſelf an Houſe? (the ſame Phraſe with this) i. e. take care of my own Family, XXV Deut. 9. IV Ruth 5. Or elſe the meaning may be, he increaſed their Eſtate, and gave them great Riches: which the Pſalmiſt may be thought to mean, when he ſaith, Except the Lord build the Houſe, (i. e. preſerve and increaſe the Eſtate of a Family) their labour is in vain that endeavour it. See alſo 2 Sam. VII. 11. CXIII Pſal. 9. Some that take theſe Midwives to have been Egyptian Women, proſelyted to the Jewiſh Religion, think the ſenſe may be, that they married to Iſraelites, and God made their Families eminent in Iſrael.
Ver. 22. And Pharaoh charged all his People, ſaying, every Son, &c.] Not being able to effect his end by the Midwives, he commanded every Body to inform his Officers when any Hebrew Woman fell in Labour, and appointed Searchers (it's likely) to examine whether they were delivered of Male or Female, and to act according to what is here ordered. Some that underſtand the foregoing words of the Iſraelites, make this the ſenſe of the two laſt Verſes: Becauſe the Midwives feared God, and thereby the Families of the Iſraelites were increaſed, not diminiſhed; Pharaoh took a new Courſe, and charged all his People to ſee that done, which the Midwives refuſed. The Jews (in the Book called The Life of Moſes) ſay that many of their People, upon this Decree of Pharaoh, reſolved not to marry, or not to come near their Wives: and thoſe who did, were forced to have them brought to Bed alone, and throw their Children into the Fields, where the Angels took care of them, &c. But this is confuted by what follows in the next Chapter. And yet they are ſo fond of ſuch Fables, that in one of their Medraſchim (or Books of Homilies) they ſay, God made Milk to come out of one Stone, and Honey out of another, to Suckle them, while they lay hid in the Earth. See Buxtorf of the Education of their Children, Synag. Judaic. Cap. VII.