Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 2 · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. Ver. 1. Heard of all]
ANd thereby was converted, (ſaie the Rabbins) beeing the firſt Proſelyte to the Jewiſh Church that wee read of in in Scripture.
Ver. 2. After hee had ſent her back] Becauſ ſhee was troubleſom with her peeviſhneſs, and a hinderance to the good work in hand. Chap. 4.25, 26. Sylla felix fuiſſet ni uxorem duxiſſet; Adrianus ni imperitâſſet. Moſes, both.
Ver. 3. In a ſtrange land] See the Note on Chap. 2.22.
Ver. 4. Eliezer] Or Lazarus. Wee ſhould write God's mercies upon the names of our children, or ſom other waies perpetuate the memorie of them.
Ver. 5. At the Mount of God] Horeb, whither they were removed from Rephidim, though the remove bee not mentioned.
Ver. 6. And hee ſaid] That is, ſent him word: ſo God's meſſages to us are to bee received as his own immediate words. Hee that heareth you, heareth mee.
Ver. 7. And did obeiſance] Sr. Thomas More Lord Chancellor, would in Weſtminſter-hall beg his Father's bleſſing on his knees.
Ver. 8. All that the Lord bath don] It is not enough to relate God's mercies to us in the lump, and by whole ſale; but wee muſt inſtance the particulars both to God and men. [That had com upon them] Heb. Had found them; yet not without a providence. Job 5.6. God cut's us out our ſeveral conditions: it is his hand that finde's us when wee ſuffer ought.
Ver. 9. And Jethro rejoiced] So muſt all Sion's ſons, Iſa. 66.10.
Ver. 10. And Jethro ſaid &c.] Cheerfulneſs make's thankfulneſs. Luke 1.46. Jam. 5.13.
Ver. 11. Now I know] See the Note on Ver. 1. So the people knew that Jehovah was God. 1 King. 18.37. See 2 Cro. 33.13. [Hee was above them] God ſit's in the heavens. Pſal. 2.4. where hee ſee's that their daie is coming. Pſal 37.16. and mean while ſcorneth theſe ſcorners. Prov. 3. Fright's them, as hee did thoſe Syrians. 2 King. 7.6. Over-aw's them, as hee did Laban. Divert's them, as hee did Saul, Senacherib, &c. or otherwiſe defeat's them, as hee did Benhadad, diſcloſing their counſels, blaſting their deſigns, &c.
Ver. 12. Before God] i.e. as in his preſence, with reverence and godlie fear. To feed without fear is a foul fault. Jude 12. See my Common-place of Abſtinence.
Ver. 13. And the people ſtood by Moſes] Beeing haply (as the French are ſaid to bee) verie litigious, and thereunto abuting Moſes's lenitie: whereas had they been ſoundly whipped (as among Mahumetans they are, that go to law for light …att…rs) there would have been but few and ſhort ſuits amongſt them. Sure it is, that if men's hearts were not bigger then their ſuits, there would not bee half ſo manie.
Ver. 14. What is this thing] A man by good counſel may becom an Angel; nay, a God to another. Alexander beeing requeſted by ſom Embaſſadors to ſhew them his treaſures, ſhewed them his faithful Counſellors.
Ver. 15. To enquire of God] For a divine ſentence is in the mouth of the Judg: therefore alſo the place of Judicature is called the holie place. Eccleſ. 8.10. Let thoſe that go to law inquire of God, and reſt in his will.
Ver. 16. When they have a matter] In our ordinarie ſuits there is, for the moſt part more malice then matter. The late Judg Dier, if there came anie ſuch trilling controverſies to bee tried before him, would uſually ſaie, That either the parties are wilful, or their neighbors without charitie, becauſ their ſuits were not quietly compromiſed.
Ver. 17. Is not good] Wee commonly ſaie, Hee that receiv's a curteſie, ſell's his libertie. But ſo did not Jethro.
Ver. 18. Thou wilt ſurely wear away] Heb. Fading, thou wilt fade, as a leaf that wanteth moiſture. Melanchthon was wont to ſaie, that none labored ſo hard as Travelling women, Magiſtrates, and Miniſters. Politici & Eccleſiaſtici labores maximi ſunt, ſaith Luther. Atterunt enim corpus, & tanquam ex imis medullis exhauriunt ſuccum.
Ver. 19. I will give thee counſel] A Midianite counſel's Moſes: God hereby teacheth him humilitie.
Ver. 21. Out of all the people] Magiſtrates muſt bee drained from the dregs, ſifted from the bran of the ordinarie ſort of people. [Able men] Able and active, ſtrong and ſtouthearted, wealthie alſo, and well underlaied. See Jethro's Juſtice of Peace in a Sermon by Mr. Sam. Ward.
Ver. 22. So ſhall it bee eaſier, &c.] How thankleſs is their labor that do wilfully over-ſpend themſelvs in their ordinarie vocations?
Ver. 23. To their place] To the promiſed land, Or to their own homes, well apaid, and with good content.
Ver. 24. So Moſes hearkned] Of a meek man it is ſaid that a childe ſhall lead him Iſa 11.6. how much more ſo grave a counſellor as Jethro? Dio. in Auguſto.Auguſtus foreign was over-joyed with the plain dealings of his friends and counſellors: as of Mecoenas.
Ver. 25. And Moſes choſe] Not without the peoples conſent. Deut. 1.13, 14.
Ver. 27. Into his own land] An honeſt man's heart is where his calling is: ſuch a one when hee is abroad is like a fiſh in the air; whereinto if it leap for recreation or neceſſitie, yet it ſoon return's to his own element.