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 febufites.

8. And a large: Not very large in it felf, but yet large in respect to their dwelbig enough to receive ling in Goshen, and all the Ifraelites. Milk and honey: A Land of great plenty. See Deut. 8. 7,8,9.

9. Now therefore bebold, the cry of the children of Ifrael is come unto me: and I have also feen the oppreffion wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

10. Come now therefore, and I will fend thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayeft bring forth my people the children of Ifrael out of Egypt.

11. And Mofes faid unto God, Who am I, that I fhould go unto Pharaob, and that I should bring forth the children of Ifrael out of Egypt?

12. And be faid, Certainly I will be with thee; and this fhall be a token unto thee, that I have fent thee: When thou haft brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall ferve God upon this mountain.

12. This fhall be a token: Or, this (i.e. the appearance in the ken unto thee that I Bufh, v.2.) is a tohave fent thee. Upon

this mountain: This

was verified afterward at the giving of the Law. And this was a farther token that Mofes was fent by God, Ifa.7.14.

13. And Mofes faid unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Ifrael, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath fent me unto you; and they shall fay to me, what is his name? What fhall I fay unto them?

13. What is his name? The Ifraelites are fuppofed to inquire more particularly of the Nature of that God, who appeared to, peared to, and fent Mofes. God and his Name are one, and

the Name of God is put for God himself.

14. And

14. And God said unto Mofes, I AM THAT I AM: And he faid, Thus fhalt thou fay unto the children of Ifrael, I AM bath fent

14. I AM THAT 1 AM: i. e. He whofe Being is from indefectible. Who was, himfelf, neceffary and and is, and will be,

me unto you. Revel. 16.5. This imports God's Effence; and that whereas the Egyptian Gods were but Creatures, the God of Ifrael was the eternal Being; That they may learn the difference (fays one of the Ancients) between that which is, and that which is not. And that no Name can properly be given to me, to whom alone it appertains to be, [Phil. Jud. de Vit. Mof. 1.1.) An Idol is nothing, the Egyptian Deities were but Crea tures, the God of Ifrael the eternal Being. I AM: It may be rendred (as may the former words) I will be. As God is, fo He will be. And this belongs to him alone; no Creature can say I will be.

15. And God faid moreover un- 15. My memorial: to Mofes, Thus fhalt thou Say unto Whereby I will be the children of Ifrael, The LORD mentioned, Hof.12.5. God of your fathers, the God of A- Pfal. 135. 13. braham, the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob, Jent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

bath

16. Go and gather the elders of Ifrael together, and Say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Ifaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, faying, I have furely visited you, and feen that which is done to you in Egypt.

17. And I have faid, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt, unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.

18. And they fball hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Ifrael, unto the king of Egypt, and you fall fay unto him, The LORD God of the

18. Three days journey: i.e. To Horeb, V. 12. Pharaoh was to be tried with

this request.

Hebrews

Hebrews bath met with us; and now let us go (we be feech thee) three days journey into the wilderness, that we may facrifice to the LORD our God.

19. And I am fure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.

are rendred by the Vulgar Latin and

19. No, not by a mighty hand: Or, but by a strong hand. And to this sense the words the LXII. See v. 20.

20. And I will stretch out my hand, and fmite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midft thereof: and after that he will let you go.

21. And I will give this people favour in the fight of the Egyptians and it fhall come to pass, that when ye go, ye shall not go empty :

:

22. But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that fojourneth in her house, jewels of filver, and jewels of gold, and raiment and ye fhall put them upon your fons, and upon your daugh ters; and ye shall spoil the Egypti

ans.

22. Borrow: Or, ask and beg. For fo the Hebrew word

fignifies, Judg. 8:24. els, &c. were given, And then the Jewrather than lent: And this fpeaks the great kindness of the Egyptians to the Ifrae

lites at their departure, according to what is faid, v. 20. I will give this people favour in the fight of the Egyptians. And thus Jofephus relates it, who fays, That they honoured the Hebrews with gifts: Some to haften their departure, and others upon the account of their neighbourly converfation vid. ch. 11.2. and 12. 35. Spoil: Or, Empty, as the Chaldee hath it: i. e. You fhall leave them in a conditionlike thofe that are fpoiled. The Egyptians: Or, Egypt. See the Notes on ch. 11. 2.1

СНАР.

CHAP. IV.

The ARGUMENT.

Mofes is enabled to do marvellous Works to gain belief that he is fent by God. He pleads his want of Eloquence. God promifeth his affiftance, and appoints Aaron alfo as his Affiftant. Mofes leaves Jethro, and with his Wife and Sons makes towards Egypt. He is inftructed how to apply to Pharaoh for the deliverance of his People. His Son is circumcifed. He meeteth Aaron. The Ifraelites give them credence, and own the good Providence of God appearing toward their deliverance.

1. AND Moses answered, and

faid, But behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice for they will fay, The LORD hath not appeared unto

thee.

1. THey will not be

might well fuppofe that the Ifraelites and without a fign, would not prefently, give him credit. See with ch. 3. 18.

2. What is that in thine hand? Thefe words make way for that which follows.

3. And he said, Caft it on the ground, and he caft it on the ground, and it became a ferpent: and Mofes fled from before it.

4. And the LORD faid unto Mofes, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And be put forth his hand and caught it, and

it became a rod in his hand.

4. It became a rod in his hand: As this fign was defigned to gain the Ifraelites be lief, (v. 5.) fo it was very inftructive allo

to them: The turning of a rod or staffinto a Serpent, did fitly represent their past, and their prefent Condition under

Pharaoh:

Pharaoh: And the turning the Serpent into a Rod, or Staff, was a fair Symbol of that deliverance from their pre fent Bondage which was promised to them. Befides, Mofes is confirmed and encouraged in his Office, which he would have declined (as he fled from the Serpent) by his taking the Serpent by the Tail, and turning it into a Staff.

5. That they may be believe, &c. These words acquaint us of this Sign. See John with the great End sil20.31.01 voda Kaidiw 6. As fnow? This was afterward repu ted a fign of a moft dangerous fort of Le12.10,12,) and thereprofie; (see Numb. fore a fit Symbol of

the calamitous condition of the Ifraelites at this time.

As his other flesh And this might fairly put them in mind, that their prefent condition was not without hope.

7. And he faid, Put thine hand. into thy bofom again: and he put his hand into his bofom again, and plucked it out of his bofom, and be bold, it was turned again as his other flesh.

8. And it shall come to pass,if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first fign, that they will believe the voice of the latter fign.

they do the design and purpose 9. And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe alfo these two figns, neither bearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the

u

8. That they will believe: Or, that they may believe: For. thefe words do not fo much fore-tell the Event, (fee v. 9.) as of these Signs. 9. Shall become: Heb. Shall be, and hall be: i.e. It fhall certainly be fo.

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