I am to be gathered unto my people: dbury GENESIS, L. CHAP. 50.-B. C. 1689. 9 And devout men carrial, and made great lamentation over him. me with my fathers in the cave that is in the Lion, and lift up himself ried Stephen to his bufield of Ephron the Hittite, 30 In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a burying-place. 31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah. 32 The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth. 33 And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people. 4 And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, die: in and 5 My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I in my grave f which I have digged for me the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, bury my father, and I will come again. 6 And Pharaoh said, Goup and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear. 7¶ And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, CHAP. 49.-B. C. 1689. LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in c And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace: a a sis, 15, 15. d Let thy servant, I again, that I may die in mine own city, and CHAP. 50.-B. C. 1689. Acts, 8, 2 His funeral. ren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. 9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company. 10 And they came to the threshing-floor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days. 11 And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called 2 Abel-mizraim, which is beyond Jordan. 12 And his sons did unto him according as he seph shall put his hand his ears: in prosperity commanded them: b And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. Gen. 23, 2 Now Elisha was fal len sick of his sickness whereof he died. And face, and said, "O my father, my father, the in And they buried him which he had made for the destroyer shall come 3 charged. k He that covereth his 13 For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field Of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the the field for a possession of a burying-place of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre." but whoso confesseth sins shall not prosper: shall have mercy. Prov. 1 See chapter 49, 25. field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood your sheaves stood 14 And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to upright; and, behold, bury his father, after he had buried his father. obeisance to my sheaf. and made 15 And when Joseph's brethren saw that Genesis, 37, 7. their father was dead, they said, Joseph will that hath said, Ven-peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite me. I will recompense, us all the evil which we did unto him. saith the Lord. Heb. 16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, Saying, Thy father did command before he died, Saying, For we know his own sepulchres, made a very great burn- Aaron was dead, they of Israel wept for Moses of weeping and mourn- e And came even before the king's gate; for none king's gate clothed with What hast thou here? and whom hast thou heweth him out a se- 8 And all the house of Joseph, and his breth-tion for himself in the 10, 30. o Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me Howbeit he meaneth in his heart to destroy and cut off k 17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their a few. Isaiah, 10, 7. sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants fathers, bath glorified of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. p The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our his son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and de nied him in the pre- 18 And his brethren also went and m fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. 19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not; "for But I say unto you, am I in the place of God? Love your enemies, bless 20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; you, and pray for them but God meant it unto good, 2 to bring to pass, you, and persecute you as it is this day, to save much people alive. which despitefully use at a distance, it was very expedient, Joseph complied with it on this occasion; and for similar reasons the survivors afterwards embalmed his body. (26.)—S. A PATRIARCH'S FUNERAL.-We have here an account of Jacob's funeral. Of the funerals of the kings of Judah, usually, no more is said than this, They were buried with their fathers in the city of David; but the funeral of the patriarch Jacob is more largely and fully described, 1. To shew how much better God was to him than he expected; he had spoken more than once of dying for grief, and going to the grave bereaved of his children, but, behold, he dies in honour, and is followed to the grave by all his children. 2. Because his orders concerning his burial were given and observed in faith, and in expectation both of the earthly and of the heavenly Canaan. Ruler of all his father's children, and the Conqueror of all his father's enemies; and he it is, that is the praise of all the saints. (2.) He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, as he is called with reference to this here, (Rev. 5, 5,) who, having spoiled principalities and powers, went up a Conqueror, and couched so as none can stir him up, when he sat down on the right hand of the Father. (3.) To him belongs || the sceptre; he is the Lawgiver, and to him shall the gathering of the people be, as the Desire of all nations, (Hag. 2, 7,) who, being lifted up from the earth, should draw all men unto him, (John 12, 32,) and in whom the children of God, that are scattered abroad, should meet, as the centre of their unity, John, 11, 52. (4.) In him there is plenty of all that which is nourishing and refreshing to the soul, and which maintains and cheers the divine life in it; in him we may have wine and milk, the riches of Judah's tribe, without money, and without price, Isa. 55, 1.—H. A CENSUS.-When the Israelites were first numbered in the wilderness, the descendants of Joseph amounted to 72,200, and those of Judah to 74,600, which was a vast proportion out of 600,000.-At the second numbering, they amounted to 85,900, or 9,400 more than Judah. At this period, Ephraim was so decreased as to be above 20,000 less than Manasseh; yet, when Moses blessed them just afterwards, he confirmed Jacob's prophecy, saying, "they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh;" and it is evident from the whole history, that the Ephraimites were shortly increased to an immense multitude, and in all respects exceeded the Manassites. For while the two divisions of Manasseh, on each side Jordan, belonged to the kingdom of Israel, the political influence of Ephraim so vastly preponderated, that the whole kingdom was called Ephraim, as distinguished from Judah, during the whole term of its continuance.It is well known, that Joshua, the conqueror of Canaan, was an Ephraimite; but, instead of taking measures to advance his own tribe, he rejected the application of both Ephraim and Manasseh, when they requested a larger inheritance, because they "were a great people, and the Lord had blessed them hitherto,' "and ought to be greatly lamented. Stephen dies a martyr, and yet devout men (Joshua, 17, 12-18.)-S. CHAP. L. EMBALMING.-The Egyptians were eminent for the art of preserving dead bodies from putrefaction, by the skilful use of spices and drugs. Several of these bodies remain to this day, and are called Egyptian mummies, being preserved as great curiosities; and some of them have probably continued in this state above 2000 years.-The same persons who were consulted as physicians for the living, embalmed the dead bodies; and at least forty days were requisite to complete the process. These physicians were generally retained as servants in the courts of princes and the families of great men; and Joseph, in his high station, had several of them in his household. As, therefore, the custom was not sinful, and as in the case of Jacob's body, which was to be buried Now, 1. It was a stately funeral: he was attended to the grave, not only by his own family, but by the courtiers, and all the great men of the kingdom, who, in token of their gratitude to Joseph, showed this respect to his father for his sake, and did him honour at his death. Though the Egyptians had had an antipathy to the Hebrews, and had looked upon them with disdain, ch. 43, 32, yet, now that they were better acquainted with them, they began to have a respect for them. Good old Jacob had conducted himself so well among them, as to gain universal esteem. Note, Professors of religion should endeavour, by wisdom and love, to remove the prejudices which many may have conceived against them, because they do not know them. There went abundance of chariots and horsemen, not only to attend them a little way, but to go through with them. Note, The decent solemnities of funerals, according to a man's situation, are very commendable; and we must not say of them, To what purpose is this waste? See Acts, 8, 2; Luke, 7, 12. 2. It was a sorrowful funeral; v. 10, 11; standers-by took notice of it as a grievous mourning. Note, The death of good men is a great loss to any place, make great lamentations for him. The solemn mourning for Jacob gave a name to the place, Abel-mizraim, The mourning of the Egyptians; which served for a testimony against the next generation of the Egyptians, who oppressed the posterity of this Jacob to whom their ancestors shewed such respect.-H. GOOD OUT OF EVIL.-Joseph extenuates his brethren's fault, from the consideration of the great good which God wonderfully brought ought of it, which, though it should not make them the less sorry for their sin, yet it might make him the more willing to forgive it; v. 20, Ye thought evil, to disappoint the dreams, but God meant it unto good, in order to the fulfilling of the dreams, and the making of Joseph a greater blessing to his family than otherwise he could have been. Note, 1. When God makes use of man's agency for the performance of his counsels, it a Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob's first-born. Gen. 46, 8. their fathers' houses: names of the children These be the heads of CHAP. 1.-B. C. 1635. no more in remembrance. Psalm 83, 3, 4. h He taketh the wise and the counsel of the long. Job, 5, 13. The that wanteth in their own craftiness: froward is carried head 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, min mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour. 15 And the verbs, 25, 16. The same Pro- Hebrew spake NOW & these are the ma into Egypt; every mona of Teuken the understanding is also low midwives; of which the name of the of man and his household came with Jacob. noch,and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these be the families of Reuben. And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel,and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman, etc. Exodus, 6, 1 thigh. 5 And all the souls that came out of the loins 14, 15. of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already. 6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. d 7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten perand now the LORD thy God hath great oppressor. dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their end they might not live. young children, to the Acts, 7, 19. And he said unto ty that thy seed shall that is not theirs. Gen. Abram, Know of a sure be a stranger in a land one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah; ye 16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools, if it be a son, then shall kill him; but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. 17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but And Pharaoh said, saved the men-children alive. 15, 13. And the Egyp made thee as the stars eSo Joseph died, being hundred and ten e So Joseph died, being an years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put laid upon us hard bond the land now are many, Behold, the people of and ye make them rest from 0 18 And the king of Egypt called for the midhis shoulder from this thing, and have saved the men-children their burdens. wives, and said unto them, Why have ye done Exodus, I remov in a coffin in Egypted Genesis, 50, 26, So Jacob the burden: his hands went down into Egypt, were delivered from the alive? and died, he, and our fathers. Acts, 7, 15. d One generation passeth away, and another generation but the earth abideth for ever. Eccl. 1, 4 e And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go Egypt; for I pots. Psalm 81, 6. k And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave the land of Egypt, n 19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, them possession in Because the Hebrew women are not as the the best of the land, in Egyptian women; for they are lively, and as Pharaoh had com- are delivered ere the midwives come in unto the land of Rameses, manded. Gen. 47, 11. 2 And as they amicted them. them, so they multipli will there make of thee a great nation. Gene-ed, etc. 10 Come on, let us deal wisely with lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, there falleth out any war, they join also unto ly; and made them our enemies, and fight against us, and so them up out of the land. mies Psalm 105, 24. But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn grew and multiplied in 7 How our fathers and we have dwelt in went down into Egypt, Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers. Numbers, 20, 15, He that oppresseth the Abraham, the people poor reproacheth his 11 Therefore they did set over them task-to masters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. f See Psalm 105, 24. The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. Psalm crafty counsel against 10, 2 They have taken thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be is common for him to mean one thing, and them another, even the quite contrary; but God's counsel shall stand. See Isa. 10, 7. 2. God often brings good out of evil, and serves the designs of his providence, even by the sins of men; not that he is the Author of sin, far be it from us to think so; but his infinite wisdom so overrules events, and directs the chain of them, that, in the issue, that ends in his praise, which in its own nature had a direct tendency to his dishonour; as the putting of Christ to death, Acts, 2, 23. This does not make sin the less sinful, nor sinners the less punishable, but it redounds greatly to the glory of God's wisdom.-H. THE UPWAKING FRIEND.-Joseph comforted them with the assurance of their return to Canaan in due time; v. 24, I die, but God will surely visit you. To this purport Jacob had spoken to him, ch. 48, 21. Thus must we comfort others with the same comforts with which we ourselves have been comforted of God, and encourage them to rest on those promises which have been our support. Joseph was, under God, both the protector and the benefactor of his brethren; and what would become of them, now that he was dying? Why, let this be their comfort, God will surely visit you. Note, God's gracious visits will serve to make up the loss of our best friends. They die; but we may live, and live comfortably, if we have the favour and presence of God with us. He bids them be confident; God will bring you out of this land, and therefore, 1. They must not hope to settle there, nor look upon it as their rest for ever; they must set their hearts upon the land of promise, and call that their home. 2. They must not fear sinking, and being ruined there; probably, he foresaw the ill-usage they would meet with there after his death, and therefore gives them this word of encouragement; "God will bring you in triumph out of this land at last." Herein he has an eye to the promise, ch. 15, 13, 14, and, in God's name, assures them of the performance of it.-H. THE COVENANT WITH THE DUST.-He charges them to keep him unburied till that day, that glorious day, should come, when they should be settled in the Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor. Proverbs, 14, 31. m See Psalm 81, 6. n By mercy and truth iniquity is purged; and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. Prov. 16, 6. 20 Therefore God dealt well with the midWives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. 21 And it came to pass, because the midwives. feared God, that he made them houses. 22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive. CHAPTER II. 1 Moses is born, and laid among the flags: 6 he is found, and brought up by Pharaoh's daughter: 12 he slayeth an Egyptian, and fleeth into Midian. 21 He marrieth Zipporah. 22 She beareth Gershom. land of promise, v. 25. He makes them promise him with an oath, that they would bury him in Canaan. In Egypt, they buried their great men very honourably, and with abundance of pomp; but Joseph prefers a significant burial in Canaan, and that deferred too almost two hundred years, before a magnificent one in Egypt. Thus Joseph, by faith in the doctrine of the resurrection, and the promise of Canaan, gave commandment concerning his bones, Heb. 11, 22.-He dies in Egypt; but lays his bones at stake, that God will surely visit Israel, and bring them to Canaan. The death of Joseph, and the reservation of his body for a burial in Canaan, v. 26. He was put in a coffin in Egypt, but not buried till his children had received their inheritance in Canaan, Josh. 24, 32. Note, 1. If the separate soul, at death, do but return to its rest with God, the matter is not great, though the deserted body find not at all, or not quickly, its rest in the grave. 2. Yet care ought to be taken of the dead bodies of the saints, in the belief of their resurrection; for there is a covenant with the dust, which shall be remembered, and a commandment is given concerning the bones.-H. CHAP. I. THE INCREASE.-Though, no doubt, they increased considerably before, yet, it should seem, it was not till after the death of Joseph that it began to be taken notice of as extraordinary. Thus, when they lost the benefit of his protection, God made their numbers their defence, and they became better able than they had been to shift for themselves. If God continue our friends and relations to us while we most need them, and remove them when they can be better spared, let us own that he is wise, and not complain that he is hard upon us. After the death of Christ, our Joseph, his gospel-Israel began most remarkably to increase; his death had an influence upon it, it was like the sowing of a corn of wheat, which, if it die, bringeth forth much fruit, John, 12, 24. This wonderful increase was the fulfilment of the promise long before made unto the fathers: The finding of Moses. AND a ND there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. 2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. 4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. 5¶ And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. 13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: chebed, the daughter of the sand it was about and he said to him that did the Levi, whom her mother and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sis ter. Numbers, 26, 59. b In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourther's house three ished up in his famonths Acts, 7, 20. he was born, was hid rents, because they saw By faith Moses, when three months of his pa he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. Heb. the one in 6 And when she had opened it, she saw child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is of the Hebrews' children. 7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the for thee? child Go. 8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, And the maid went and called the child's mother. 9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. 10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name 1 Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water. 11 ¶ And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he e phetess, the sister of her hand; and all 4, 6. g See chapter 3, 1. 3 Or, prince, as in Gen. 41, 45. See Genesis, 29, 10. And as they went up found young maidens the hill to the city, they going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here? 1 Sam. 9, 11. i Called also Jethro, or, Jether. Numbers, 10, Aaron, took a timbrel and tarried all night in the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. Ex. 15, 20. For I brought thee up out of the land thee out of the house of of Egypt, and redeemed servants; and I sent be fore thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. Micah, 6, from the call of Abraham, when God first told him he would make of him a great nation, to the deliverance of his seed out of Egypt, it was 430 years, during the first 215 of which they were increased but to seventy, but, in the latter half, those seventy multiplied to 600,000 fighting men.-H. OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND.-The obligations the Egyptians lay under to Israel, upon Joseph's account, were forgotten; v. 8; There arose a new king, after several successions in Joseph's time, which knew not Joseph. All that knew him loved him, and were kind to his relations for his sake; but, when he was dead, he was soon forgotten, and the remembrance of the good offices he had done was either not retained, or not regarded, nor had it any influence upon their councils. Note, The best and the most useful and acceptable services, done to men, are seldom remembered, so as to be recompensed to those that did them, in the notice taken either of their memory, or of their posterity, after their death, Eccl. 9, 5, 15. And therefore our great care should be to serve God, and please him, who is not unrighteous, whatever men are, to forget our work and labour of love, Heb. 6, 10. If we work for men only, our works, at furthest, will die with us; if for God, they will follow us; Rev. 14, 13. This king of Egypt knew not Joseph; and after him arose one that had the impudence to say, I know not the Lord, ch. 5, 2. Note, Those that are unmindful of their other benefactors, it is to be feared, will forget the Supreme Benefactor, 1 John, 4, 20.-H. PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.-Ver. 8-22. It is an old practice of "the accuser of the brethren" and his servants, to vindicate their cruel treatment of God's people, by aspersing their characters, pretending to suspect them of bad designs, or averring that their increase would be dangerous to the state; they therefore should endeavour, by well-doing and patient suffering, to confute such calumnies, and prove themselves quiet and useful members of society. But though we may suffer unjustly from men, God is just in all that he inflicts upon us by their hands: and it is a singular favour to be kept from sinful compliances, or conformity to the world, even by severe corrections.-The word of God frequently calls that deceit, injustice, cruelty, yea, folly, which men account "acting wisely;" for, such "wisdom is earthly, sensual, devilish," and such politicians are eventually "taken in their own craftiness."-There is no degree of treachery and inhumanity, to which the spirit of persecution will not prompt; and they, who are actuated by it, seldom fail of finding instruments as destitute of honour and conscience as themselves. But if they meet with those, who truly fear God, neither bribes nor terrors will prevail upon them to sin against him: and he will plead their cause, and recompense their conscientious disobedience to the unlawful commands of men.--But as we see in this history, the church of God groaning under persecution; so we may, by viewing the object in another light, see the miserable condition of Satan's wretched bond-slaves; who are so enslaved to their lusts that they never can deliver themselves, however miserable or affrighted, until the Lord sends them redemption by his word and powerful grace. Nor should we here forget, that this enemy, who by Pharaoh aimed to destroy the church in its very infancy, is equally busy to stifle the first risings of serious reflections in the heart of man; and thence to "take away the seed of the word, lest we should believe and be saved;" and lest these feeble beginnings should increase, and we grow strong enough to renounce his service. Let them therefore who would escape, "take more earnest heed to the things which they hear;" be afraid of 43, 25. bread there. Genesis, bread there. Genesis, 4 That is, A stranger here. k And her two sons; of which the name of 14 And he said, Who made thee 2 a prince and a judge over us? Intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. 15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by ƒ a well. 16 Now the 3 priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. 17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 18 And when they came to 'Reuel their father, the one was Gershom; he said, How is it that ye are come so soon toan alien in a strange day? suaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pil grims on the earth. Hebrews, 11, 13. m And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh. Exodus, 7, 7. And when forty years were expired, there ap peared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an Angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. Acts, 7, 30. 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. 22 And she bare him a son, and he called his name 4 Gershom: for he said, I have been 'a stranger in a strange land. k 23 ¶ And it came to pass " in process of time, sinning against the testimony of their consciences; and without delay cry fervently to the Lord for deliverance, and continue to pray with persevering constancy. S. CHAP. II. BIRTH OF MOSES.-Probably, the mother of Moses was full of anxiety in the expectation of his birth, now that this edict was in force, and was ready to say, Blessed are the barren that never bare, Luke, 23, 29. Better so, than bring forth children to the murderer, Hos. 9, 13. Yet this child proves the glory of his father's house. Thus that which is most our fear, often proves, in the issue, most our joy. Observe the beauty of providence: just at the time when Pharaoh's cruelty rose to this height, the deliverer was born, though he did not appear for many years after. Note, When men are projecting the church's ruin, God is preparing for its salvation. And Moses, who was afterward to bring Israel out of this house of bondage, had himself like to have fallen a sacrifice to the fury of the oppressor; God so ordering it, that, being afterward told of this, he might be the more animated with a holy zeal for the deliverance of his brethren out of the hands of such bloody men.-H. MIRIAM.-Miriam, Moses' sister, must have been at least ten years older than he, as it is evident from the history of this chapter: and Aaron was three years older than Moses: but it does not appear that his preservation was attended with any peculiar difficulty; and from this we may infer, with some degree of probability at least, that the last bloody edict was not then enacted. Aaron was born eighty-three years before the exodus, and Joseph died about a hundred and fortyfive years before that event: the edict therefore could not be passed less than sixty-two years after the death of Joseph. But it is not known, how long that prince, "who knew not Joseph," had reigned before the edict was made. -Moses when born appeared to be a goodly child: and the notice taken of this in several places, indicates that something extraordinary was observed in him, which was considered as an intimation of his future greatness. His mother therefore hid him three months, which the apostle informs us was done in faith. Heb. 11, 23. Either she had some peculiar assurance given her of his preservation, or, in general, believing the promises of deliverance to Israel, she was encouraged to conceal her infant, in dependence on God, though perhaps at the hazard of her own life.-S. MOSES IN THE BASKET.-Come, see the place where that great man lay, when he was a little child; he lay in a bulrush-basket by the river's side. Had he been left to lie there, he must have perished in a little time with hunger, if he had not been sooner washed into the river, or devoured by a crocodile. Had he fallen into any other hands than those he did fall into, either they would not, or durst not, have done otherwise, than have thrown him straightway into the river; but Providence brings no less a person thither than Pharaoh's daughter, just at that juncture, guides her to the place where this poor forlorn infant lay, and inclines her heart to pity it, which she dares do, when none else durst. Never did poor child cry so seasonably, so happily, as this did; the babe wept, which moved the compassion of the princess, as, no doubt, his beauty did, v. 5, 6. Note, 1. Those are hard-hearted indeed, that have not tender compassion for helpless infancy. How pathetically does God represent his compassion for the Israelites in general, considered in this pitiable state! Ezek. 16, 5, 6. 2. It is very commendable in persons of quality, to take cognizance of the distresses of the meanest, 3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. he said, Here am I. e And put off 5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. 6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. 7¶ And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, Psalm 12, & ry against thee unto builded. Gen. 11, 5. j And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LonD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies. Exodus, 12, 51. k And they took of the fruit of the land in It is a good land which o At his day thou shalt bath. James, 5, 4. p And I have also ed his covenant for he commanded to a .. For he remembered his holy promise, and Psalm 105, 8, 42 Abraham his servant. 5 knew. CHAP. 3.-B. C. 1491. went in the strength of And for the precious the good will of him dwelt in the bush. In all affliction 63, 9. The works of Psalm 111, 2 d See Deuteronomy, 33, 1, 25. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sent us, and surely it 10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. 11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? 12 And he said, ' Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee that I have floweth with milk and sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the fruit of it. Numbers, people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon honey; and this is the the LORD made a cove- nant with Abram, say, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the n See chapter 1, 11, 13, o He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen. Psalm, 105, 26. p See Jeremiah, 1, 6. There shall not any man be able to stand with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will sake thee. Joshua, 1, say to these things? If be against us? Romans, Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, unto tions. Psalm 13. 8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land 'flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And Joshua did so. my fathers Abraham Genesis, 48, 15. 13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, "What is his name? what shall I say unto them? t 14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. 15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. 16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, "The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, " I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt: 17 And I have said, "I will bring you up out toughput m 155, 1 of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the "God, before whom Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and Isane did walk and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the And as touching the to his brethren, I die: And Joseph said un- Jebusites,unto a land flowingwith milk and honey. have ye not read in the visit you, and bring 18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and the bush God spake you out of this, and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, the God of Abraham, ware to abraham, to unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto and the God of Jacob? him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath " met whom they shall serve with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, wards shall they come three days' journey into the wilderness, that we * And Balaam said un- may sacrifice to the LORD our God. 9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the chiland to be helpful and charitable to them. 3. God's care of us in our infancy ought to be often made mention of by us to his praise. Though we were not thus exposed, (that we were not, was God's mercy,) yet many were the perils we were surrounded with in our infancy, out of which the Lord delivered us, Ps. 22, 9, 10. 4. God often raises up friends for his people even among their enemies. Pharaoh cruelly seeks Israel's destruction, but his own daughter charitably compassion-sumed; perplexed, but not in despair; cast down, but not destroyed.-H. ates a Hebrew child, and not only so, but, beyond her intention, preserves Israel's deliverer. O Lord, how wonderful are thy counsels!-H. was not in a tall and stately cedar, but in a bush, a thorny bush, so the word signifies; for God chooses the weak and despised things of the world, such as Moses, now a poor shepherd, with them to confound the wise; he delights to beautify and crown the humble. 3. The bush burned, and yet was not consumed; an emblem of the church now in bondage in Egypt, burning in the brick-kilns, yet not con MOSES IN MIDIAN.-God guided Moses to Midian, because the Midianites were of the seed of Abraham, and retained the worship of the true God among them, so that he might have not only a safe, but a comfortable, settlement among them. And through this country he was afterward to lead Israel, with which (that he might do it the better) he now had opportunity of making himself acquainted. -H. MODEST WOMEN.-Concerning the seven daughters of Reuel, the priest or prince of Midian; 1. They were humble and very industrious, according as the employment of the country was; they drew water for their father's flock, v. 16. If their father was a prince, it teaches us, that even those who are honourably born, and are of quality and distinction in their country, yet should apply themselves to some useful business, and what their hand finds to do, do it with all their might. Idleness can be no one's honour.-If their father was a priest, it teaches us that ministers' children should, in a special manner, be examples of humility and industry. 2. They were modest, and would not ask this strange Egyptian to come home with them, (though handsome, and a great courtier,) till their father sent for him. Modesty is the ornament of that sex.-H. CHAP. III. THE BURNING BUSH.-To Moses' great surprise, he saw a bush burning, when he perceived no fire either from earth or heaven to kindle it, and, which was more strange, it did not consume, v. 2. It was an angel of the Lord that appeared to him; some think, a created angel, who speaks in the language of him that sent him; others, the second person, the Angel of the covenant, who is himself Jehovah. It was an extraordinary manifestation of the divine presence and glory; what was visible, was produced by the ministry of an angel, but he heard God in it speaking to him. 1. He saw a flame of fire; for our God is a consuming fire. When Israel's deliverance out of Egypt was promised to Abraham, he saw a burning lamp, which signified the light of joy which that deliverance should cause; (Gen. 15, 17,) but now it shines brighter as a flame of fire, for God in that deliverance brought terror and destruction to his enemies, light and heat to his people, and displayed his glory before all. See Isaiah, 10, 17. 2. This fire SHOES OFF.-Put off thy shoes from off thy feet; the putting off the shoe was then what the putting off the hat is now, a token of respect and submission. "The ground, for the present, is holy ground, made so by this special manifestation of the divine presence there, and during the continuance of that; therefore tread not on that ground with soiled shoes." Keep thy foot, Eccl. 5, 1. Note, We ought to approach to God with a solemn pause and preparation; and, though bodily exercise alone profits little, yet we ought to glorify God with our bodies, and to express our inward reverence, by a grave and reverent behaviour in the worship of God, carefully avoiding every thing that looks light and rude, and unbecoming the awfulness of the service.-H. THE GOD OF The Living.-Abraham was dead, and yet God is the God of Abraham; therefore Abraham's soul lives, to which God stands in relation; and, to make his soul completely happy, his body must live again in due time. This promise made unto the fathers, that God would be their God, must include a future happiness; for he never did any thing for them in this world sufficient to answer to the vast extent and compass of that great word, but, having prepared for them a city, he is not ashamed to be called their God; (Heb. 11, 16,) and see Acts, 26, 6, 7; 24, 15. 1. To assure Moses of the performance of all those particular promises made to the fathers; he may confidently expect that, for by these words it appears God remembered his covenant, ch. 2, 24. Note, (1.) God's covenant-relation to us as our God, is the best support in the worst of times, and a great encouragement to our faith in particular promises. (2.) When we are conscious to ourselves of our own great unworthiness, we may take comfort from God's relation to our fathers, 2 Chron. 20, 6.-H. THE MEEKEST MAN.-Moses objects his own insufficiency for the service he was called to; v. 11. Who am I? He thinks himself unworthy of the honour, and not par negotio-equal to the task. He thinks he wants courage, and therefore cannot go to Pharaoh, to make a demand which might cost the demandant his head: he thinks he wants conduct, and therefore cannot bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt, they are unarmed, undisciplined, quite dispirited, utterly unable to help themselves, it is morally impossible to bring them out. 1. Moses was incomparably the fittest of any man living for this work, eminent for learn EXODUS, IV. CHAP. 3-B. C. 1491. to Balak, Stand by thy the LORD will come to I meet me and whatso- 23, 3. 1 Or, but by strong hand. y And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and of Egypt. Exodus, 7, 3. CHAP. 4.-B. C. 1491. g Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: for I will give you a mouth and flee unto Tarshish from He departs from Jethro. of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: dand the water, which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land. e 10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not 2 eloquent, neither 3 heretofore, But Jonah rose up to nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant; the presence of the but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 11 And the LORD said unto him, f Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, take heed to speak that or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I which the Lot, hath the LORD? to Joppa, etc. Jonah, 4 Or, shouldest. i And he answered and said, Must I not put in my mouth. Numdealt proudly against bers, 23, 12 I will raise rach, and on all his ser- thee a name, as it is among their brethren, them up a Prophet from And he called for put my words in his serve the LORD, as ye have said. Exodus, 12, 27 31. ND Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee. 2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. 3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. cast it on the ground, and it became a and Moses fled from before it. And he serpent; 4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: to be pitied of all those that carried them cap When a man's ways maketh even his ene him. Prov. 16, 7. will I judge: and after ward they come stance. Genesis, 15, 14. it stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the command- thou shalt teach them, that they may do them Deuteronomy, 5, 31. k Hearken now unto thee counsel, and God mayest bring the causes unto God. Exod. 18, 19. 7 Arise, and take the Job, 27, 17. A good man are dead which sought but the just shall put of the sinner is laid up 13, 22 CHAP. 4-B. C. 1491. unto Moses, Lo, I come 5 That they may "believe that the LORD Goda of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee. 6 T And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. 7 And he said, Put thine hand into thy again. And he put his hand into his again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. bosom 8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. young child and his 2, 20. gather thou the assem Aaron thy brother, and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt water out of the rock: may hear when I speak beasts drink. And Mo- parted from off the ta- 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. 13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. 14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. 15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put Words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and i will teach you what ye shall do. 16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. 17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs. 18 ¶ And Moses went and returned to 5 Jethro his father-in-law, and said unto him, Let me go, ses took the rod from I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which commanded him. Num. are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. For it was of the And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace. 20, 8, 9. LORD to harden their And the LORD said and Aaron looked upon she was leprous. Num c See now that I, even is no god with me: I kill, that can deliver out of d See chapter 7, 19. 1 shall be and shall be. 2 a man of words. 3 Since yesterday, nor since the third day. Then said T. Ab e I, 6. 19 And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, battle, that he might Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead and that they might which sought thy life. destroy them utterly, have no favour, but 11, 20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and nded Moses, Joshua, set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the " rod of God o When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. Hosea, 11, 1. in his hand. Who are Israelites; to and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the promises. Rom. 9,4 p I am a father to Is rael, and Ephraim is my first-born. Jeremi- the word of truth, that 9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not f He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, 94, 9. ing, wisdom, experience, valour, faith, holiness; and yet, he says, Who am I? Note, The more fit any person is for service, commonly the less opinion he has of himself: see Judges, 9, 8, etc. 2. The difficulties of the work were indeed very great, enough to startle the courage, and stagger the faith, of Moses himself. Note, Even wise and faithful instruments may be much discouraged at the difficulties that lie in the way of the church's salvation. 3. Moses had formerly been very courageous when he slew the Egyptian, but now his heart failed him: for good men are not always alike bold and zealous. 4. Yet Moses is the man that does it at last; for God gives grace to the lowly. Modest beginnings are very good presages.-H. we should be a kind of 21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in thine hand: but " I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. 22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my first-born: gotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him."-When the Lord subjoined "I AM," or, HE THAT EXISTS, "hath sent me unto you," it was intended to give authority to the message, and to ensure the accomplishment of his purpose, by his incomprehensible power and perfection.-S. CHAP. IV. MOSES' ROD.-The rod in his hand is made the subject of a miracle, a double miracle: it is but thrown out of his hand, and it becomes a serpent; he resumes it, and it becomes a rod again, v. 24. Now, 1. Here was a divine power manifested in the change itself, that a dry stick should be turned into a living serpent, a lively one, so formidable a one, that Moses himself, on whom, it should seem, it turned in some threatening manner, fled from before it, though we may suppose, in that desert, serpents were no strange things to him; but what was produced miraculously was always the best and strongest of the kind, as the water turned to wine: and then, that this living serpent should be turned into a dry stick again, this was the Lord's doing. 2. Here was an honour put upon Moses, that this change was wrought, upon his throwing it down and taking it up, without any spell, or charm, or incantation: his being empowered thus to act under God, out of the common course of nature and providence, was a demonstration of his authority, under God, to settle a new dispensation of the kingdom of grace. We cannot imagine that the God of truth would delegate such a power as this to an impostor. 3. There was a significancy in the miracle itself; Pharaoh had turned the rod of Israel into a serpent, representing them as dangerous, ch. 1, 10, causing their belly to cleave to the dust, and seeking their ruin; but now they should be turned into a rod again: or thus, Pharaoh had turned the rod of government into the serpent of oppression, from which Moses had himself fled into Midian; but, by the agency of Moses, the scene was altered again. 4. There was a direct tendency in it to convince the children of Israel that Moses was indeed sent of God to do what he did, v. 5. Miracles were for signs to them that believed not, 1 Cor. 14, 22.-H. I AM THAT I AM.-I AM THAT I AM; (or, I WILL BE THAT I WILL BE,) signifies, I am he that exists, and implies, self-existence, independence, unchangeableness, incomprehensibility, eternity, and consummate perfection. "I am, and there is none else beside me." All else have their being from God, and are entirely dependent on him.-There is a majestic simplicity and an expressive dignity in this language, which disgraces beneath contempt the high-sounding pompous titles, which mortals have been proud to arrogate to themselves.-JEHOVAH, (a name of similar signification,) thus distinguished himself from the idols of the nations, which are nothing in the world; and from all creatures, which have only a derived, dependent, mutable, existence in him and from him. Thus he proposed himself as the only object of his people's worship, the sure foundation of their hopes, and the all-sufficient fountain of their felicity. I AM THAT I AM. Not I was, but I am, and will be. With him past, present and to come are all one. Let us not forget him, whom the apostle declares to be, "the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever:" whom another apostle introduces saying, "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last;" and who, dwelling in human flesh, said, with a noble disregard to the rules of human language, "Before Abraham was I AM." This evident assumption of this title, I AM THAT I AM, the unbelieving Jews at that day fully understood, and for it attempted to stone him; though modern unbelievers TRUE ELOQUENCE.-Moses pleads that he was no good spokesman; v. 10; O my cannot, or will not, perceive it! There is no doubt, however, but the speaker is Lord! I am not eloquent; he was a great philosopher, statesman, and divine, and the same in both places; for "no man hath seen God at any time; the only be-yet no orator; a man of a clear head, great thought, and solid judgment, but had |