Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 2 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Ver. 1. And took to wife]
HIs own Aunt. Exod. 6.20. Num. 26.59. The Law againſt Inceſt, Levit. 18.12. was not yet given, nor the ſtate of Iſraël ſettled. But what excuſe can there bee for that abominable Inceſt of the Houſ of Auſtria by Papal diſpenſation? Spec. Europ.King Philip of Spain was Uncle to himſelf, Couſin-german to his Father, Husband to his Siſter, and Father to his Wife. And what ſhal wee ſay of our Modern Sectaries, whoſe practiſing of Inceſt is now avowed publickly in Print? they ſhame not to affirm that thoſe marriages are moſt lawful that are betwixt perſons neareſt in blood, brother and ſiſter, father and daughter, See Mr Bayly his diſſwaſion part. 2. and Mr Edwards Gangr. par. 3.mother and ſon, uncle and neece. The prohibition of degrees in Leviticus is to bee underſtood, ſay they, of Fornication, not of Marriage. Tamar did not doubt to bee her brother Amnon's wife, but deteſted the act of Fornication, &c. Lo here, Little Nonſuch. p. 5.6.7.what noon-day devils do now, in this unhappie open-tide, walk with open face amongſt us.
Ver. 2. A goodly child] Fair to God. Act. 7.20. See the note there. Art thou fair? bee not like an Egyptian temple, foreignwhere ſom beaſt is worſhipped: Art thou foul? let thy Soul bee like a rich pearl in a rude ſhell.
Ver. 3. And ſhee laid it in the flags] This ſhee did by the force of her Faith. Heb. 11. Caſting the childe upon God, and under hope believing againſt hope.
Ver. 4. And his Siſter] by a ſingular inſtinct of the holy Spirit, as appear's by the event. The ſteps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, Pſal. 37.23. Hee keepeth the feet of his Saints, 1 Sam. 2.9.
Ver. 5. And the daughter of Pharaoh] ſhee was brought hither at this time by a ſpecial providence, to do that which ſhee little dreamt of. So when Heidelberg was taken by the Imperialiſts, the copie of Ʋrſinus's Catechiſm enlarged by Pareus, was among many other papers carried away by a plundering Souldier; but happily dropt in the ſtreets, and found the next daie by a young Student: who knowing his maſter's hand, reſtored it to his ſon Philip Pareus; Vita David Pa…e… per Philippum filium.who afterwards publiſhed that golden book, to the great Glorie of God, who had ſo graciouſly preſerved it.
Ver. 6. One of the Hebrews] ſo called of Heber: ſee the Note on Gen. 13.14.
Ver. 9. And I will give thee thy wages] The nurſ expect's not her paie from the childe but from the parents. Miniſters (in caſe their people prove unkinde or unthankful) muſt look up.
Ver. 10. Shee called his name Moſes] Hee was alſo by the Egyptians called Mneves, as Diodorus Siculus relateth: and Monios, as Aben-Ezra. Muſaeus calleth him foreign, Water-ſprung, becauſ drawn (as David was afterwards) out of manie waters, Pſal. 18. ver. 17.
Ver. 11. When Moſes was grown] In ſtature and autoritie, beeing mightie in words and deeds, Act. 7.22. beeing a great Orator, a great warriour. See the Note on Heb. 11.24. Hee was (as Plinie ſaith of Cato Cenſorius) optimus Orator, optimus Imperator, optimus Senator, omniúmque bonarum artium magiſter, a man everie waie accompliſh't. That hee went out unto his Brethren] Aſſociateing himſelf to them, though afflicted, and refuſing the pleaſures and treaſures of Egypt: for hee had reſpect to the recompenſ of reward, Heb. 11.26. foreign hee caſt an eie, hee ſtole a look from glorie, when hee was on his journie, and ſo got freſh encouragement.
Ver. 12. Hee ſlew the Egyptian] This deed of his was heroïck and extraordinarie, and therefore not to bee imitated by every Birchet, who by this example of Moſes and that other of Ehud, perſuaded himſelf it was lawful to kill ſuch as oppoſe the truth of the Goſpel: Camdens Eliſa. fol. 174.whereupon hee wounded Hawkins, ſlew his keeper, and thought hee had a calling to kill a great perſonage in this Kingdom, whom hee took to bee God's enemie. The like madneſs is reported of the Monaſterian Anabaptiſts.Maſter Baylies diſſwaſ. par. 2.
Verſ. 13. Behold two men of the Hebrews ſtrove] What pitie was it that brethren ſhould ſtrive and one Hebrew ſmite another; as if blows enow were not dealt them by the Egyptians! Still Satan is thus buſie, and Chriſtians are thus malicious. Thus wee have ſeen doves beat, and ſheep butt one another.
Verſ. 14. And hee ſaid] Yea hee thruſt Moſes awaie, Act. 7.27. Doing wickedly with both hands earneſtly, Mich. 7. This act of his is imputed to the whole people, who therefore were deprived of Moſes for fortie years. So true is that of the wiſe man, One ſinner deſtroieth much good.Eccleſ. 9.18.
Verſ. 15. But Moſes fled] God by fortie years exile ſitted Moſes for further light and advancement. Much hee had learned in Egypt, Act. 7.22. but more in Midian. Maſter Aſcham was a good Schoolmaſter to Q. Eliſabeth, but Affliction was a better. Men commonly beat and bruiſ their links before they light them, to make them burn the brighter. Moſes had neither been ſo illuminate a Doctor nor ſo excellent a Ruler, if not firſt humbled, as here.
Verſ. 16. Now the prieſt] Or Prince. The old Egyptians choſe their Kings from among the Prieſts. Samuel was both a Prieſt and a Judg in Iſrael. The Emperor of Rome had for one of his Titles Pontifex Maximus the High-Prieſt. Among the Turks, the Judges at this daie are ever Eccleſiaſtical perſons, Blunts voiage. pag. 89.whereby both Orders joined give reputation to one another, and manteinance. And they came and drew water] They were not ſo delicately bred as our daintie dames are now-a daies, but did earn it before they eat it.
Verſ. 17. And drove them away] From the water that they had drawn, and ſo had moſt right unto. Sic cedit viribus aequum, Might oft overcom's right, ſee here what wee ow to good laws well executed; No man elſ ſhould enjoie ſo much as his own water.
Verſ. 18. To Revel their father] Indeed, their grand-father, Num. 10.29. Old men are uſually about hom and can do little elſ but ſee to things, and adviſe.
Verſ. 19. Delivered us out of the hand] Moſes if hee may not in Egypt, hee will bee doing juſtice in Midian. Chriſt went about doing good: the place is the better wherever a good man cometh: his trade, ſaith one, is a compound of charitie and juſtice.
Ver. 20. Call him that hee may eat bread] If the watering of a ſheep were thus rewarded, how ſhall God recompenſ a cup of cold water given to thoſe of his little Flock?
Ver. 21. foreign. Lycophron.Zipporah his daughter] a peeviſh piece; a cold armful. Hee had better, haply, have been married to a quartan ague. Sylla felix ſi non hahuiſſet uxorem, &c. It is not ill to marrie, but good to bee warie; leſt wee make ſhipwrack in the haven.
Ver. 22. I have been a ſtranger] So wee are all, whiles here: Our own place is paradiſe: haſte to it.
Ver. 23. Sighed by reaſon of their Bondage] They had changed their maſters, but not their miſeries, foreign. but ſeldom com's a better. Job's ſtroke was heavier then his groaning chap. 23.2.
Ver. 24. God heard their groaning] Yea their breathing. Lam. 3.56. men's verie miſerie crie's to God, as Hagar's did.
Ver. 25. Had reſpect] Heb. Knew them. Hee knew their ſouls in adverſitie. Pſal. 31.7.