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Exodus Chapter
Two
New King James Version
(NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO
EXODUS 2
This chapter relates the
birth of Moses, and his preservation in an ark of bulrushes, Exodus 2:1. His
being found by Pharaoh's daughter, took up, and put out to nurse by her, and
adopted for her son, Exodus 2:4, some
exploits of his when grown up, taking the part of an Hebrew against an Egyptian
whom he slew, and endeavouring to reconcile two Hebrews at variance, when one
of them reproached him with slaying the Egyptian, Exodus 2:11, which
thing being known to Pharaoh, he sought to slay Moses, and this obliged him to
flee to Midian, Exodus 2:15 where
he met with the daughters of Reuel, and defended them against the shepherds,
and watered their flocks for them, Exodus 2:16, which
Reuel being informed of, sent for him, and he lived with him, and married his
daughter Zipporah, by whom he had a son, Exodus 2:18 and the
chapter is concluded with the death of the king of Egypt, and the sore bondage
of the Israelites, and their cries and groans, which God had a respect unto, Exodus 2:23.
Exodus 2:1 And a man of
the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi.
YLT 1And there goeth a man of the house of Levi,
and he taketh the daughter of Levi,
And there went
a man of the house of Levi,.... This man was Amram, the son of Kohath,
and grandson of Levi, as appears from Exodus 6:18.
and took to
wife a daughter of Levi; one of the same house, family, or tribe; which was proper, that
the tribes might be kept distinct: this was Jochebed, said to be his father's
sister; see Gill on Exodus 6:20, her
name in JosephusF19Antiqu. l. 2. c. 9. sect. 4. is Joachebel, which
seems to be no other than a corruption of Jochebed, but in the Targum in 1 Chronicles 4:18
she is called Jehuditha.
Exodus 2:2 2 So
the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a
beautiful child, she hid him three months.
YLT 2and the woman conceiveth, and beareth a son,
and she seeth him that he [is] fair, and she hideth him three months,
And the woman
conceived, and bare a son,.... Which was not her first child, nor
indeed her first son, for she had both Aaron and Miriam before this: this son,
which was Moses, was born, as the Jews sayF20Shatshalet Hakabala,
fol. 5. 2. Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 7. 1. , in the thirty seventh year after
the death of Levi, A. M. 2365, (or, as others, 2368,) on a Wednesday, the
seventh of the month Adar, in the third hour of the day: some say it was on the
twenty fourth of Nisan; but, according to Bishop UsherF21Annal. Vet.
Test. p. 18. , he was born forty one years after the death of Levi, A. M. 2433,
and in the year before Christ 1571:
and when she
saw him that he was a goodly child; exceeding fair and
beautiful, as Stephen expresses it, Acts 7:20, the Jews
sayF23Pirke Eliezer, c. 48. fol. 57. 2. his form was like an angel
of God, and TrogusF24Justin e Trogo, l. 36. c. 2. , an Heathen
writer, says his beautiful form recommended him: this engaged the affections of
his parents to him, and who, from hence, might promise themselves that he would
be a very eminent and useful person, could his life be preserved:
she hid him
three months; in her bedchamber, some Jewish writers sayF25Chronicon
Mosis, fol. 3. 2. ; othersF26Pirke Eliezer, ut supra. (c.48. fol.
57.2) , in a house under ground, that is, in the cellar; however, it was in his
father's house, Acts 7:20.
Exodus 2:3 3 But
when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed
it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds
by the river’s bank.
YLT 3and she hath not been able any more to hide
him, and she taketh for him an ark of rushes, and daubeth it with bitumen and
with pitch, and putteth the lad in it, and putteth [it] in the weeds by the
edge of the River;
And when she
could no longer hide him,.... Because of her neighbours, who might hear the crying of the
child, or because of the diligent search made by Pharaoh's officers, which some
think was made every three months: the JewsF1Targum Jon. &
Jarchi in loc. have a notion that his mother was delivered of him at six
months' end, and therefore when the other three months were up women usually go
with child, she could hide him no longer, a birth of a child being then
expected, and would be inquired about:
she took for
him an ark of bulrushes; the word, according to KimchiF2Sepher Shorash. rad. גמא. , signifies a kind of wood exceeding light, so Gersom
and Ben Melech; an Arabic writerF3Elmacius apud Hottinger. p. 402.
calls it an ark of wood; it is generally taken to be the "papyrus" or
reed of Egypt, which grew upon the banks of the Nile, and of which, many
writers say, small vessels or little ships were made; see Gill on Isaiah 18:2.
and daubed it
with slime and with pitch; with pitch without and slime within, as
Jarchi observes; which being of a glutinous nature, made the rushes or reeds
stick close together, and so kept out the water:
and put the
child therein; committing it to the care and providence of God, hoping and
believing that by some means or another it would be preserved; for this, no
doubt, was done in faith, as was the hiding him three months, to which the
apostle ascribes that, Hebrews 11:23.
and she laid it
in the flags by the river's brink; among the sedge, weeds,
and rushes, that grew upon the banks of the river Nile; there she laid it, that
it might not be carried away with the stream of the river, and that it might be
seen and taken up by somebody that would have compassion on it, and take care
of it: the Arabic writersF4Patricides, p. 25. Elmacinus, p. 46. apud
Hottinger. Smegma, c. 8. p. 400. say, that Jochebed made an ark of the papyrus,
though in the law it is said to be of cork, and pitched within and without, and
put the child into it, and laid it on the bank of the Nile, where the water was
not so deep, by the city Tzan (or Zoan, that is, Tanis), which was the
metropolis of the Tanitic nome; but very wrongly adds, that it might be killed
by the dashing of the waves, and she might not see its death.
Exodus 2:4 4 And
his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.
YLT 4and his sister stationeth herself afar off,
to know what is done to him.
And his sister
stood afar off,.... This was Miriam, as the Targum of Jonathan expresses it; who
is supposed to be about ten or twelve years of age, others say seven: she was
placedF5תתצב "collocata fuerat",
Vatablus. , as the word may be rendered, by her parents, or, "she placed
herself"F6"Stiterat sese", Junius & Tremellius,
"stitit sese", Piscator, Drusius. , by their instruction, at some
distance from the place where the ark was, that she might not be observed and
be thought to belong to it, and yet so near as to observe what became of it,
which was the intent of her standing there, as follows:
to wit what
would be done to him; to know, take notice, and observe, what should happen to it, if
anyone took it up, and what they did with it, and where they carried it, for,
"to wit" is an old English word, which signifies "to know",
and is the sense of the Hebrew word to which it answers, see 2 Corinthians 8:1.
Exodus 2:5 5 Then
the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked
along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her
maid to get it.
YLT 5And a daughter of Pharaoh cometh down to
bathe at the River, and her damsels are walking by the side of the River, and
she seeth the ark in the midst of the weeds, and sendeth her handmaid, and she
taketh it,
And the
daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river,.... Her name,
in JosephusF7Antiqu. l. 2. c. 9. sect. 5. , is called Thermuthis,
and by ArtapanusF8Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27. p. 432.
, an Heathen writer, Merrhis, perhaps from Miriam, and frequently by the Jewish
writersF9T. Bab. Megillah, fol. 13. 1. Derech Eretz, fol. 19. 1.
Pirke Eliezer, c. 48. Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 5. 2. , Bithia, which is the
name of a daughter of another Pharaoh, 1 Chronicles 4:18
from whence they seem to have taken it: she came down from the palace of her
father, the gardens of which might lead to the Nile; for Zoan or Tanis, near to
which, the Arabiac writers say, as before observed, the ark was laid, was
situated on the banks of the river Nile, and was the royal seat of the kings of
Egypt; though perhaps the royal seat at this time was either Heliopolis, as
Apion testifiesF11Apud Joseph. Contr. Apion, l. 2. sect. 2. , that
it was a tradition of the Egyptians that Moses was an Heliopolitan, or else
Memphis, which was not far from it; for Artapanus, another Heathen writer, saysF12Apud
Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27. p. 433. , that when he fled, after he had
killed the Egyptian, from Memphis, he passed over the Nile to go into Arabia:
however, no doubt a bath was there provided for the use of the royal family;
for it can hardly be thought that she should go down and wash herself in the
open river: here she came to wash either on a religious account, or for
pleasure: the JewsF13Chronicon Mosis, fol. 3. 2. Ed. Gaulmin. say it
was an extraordinary hot season throughout Egypt, so that the flesh of men was
burnt with the heat of the sun, and therefore to cool her she came to the river
to bathe in it: othersF14Targum Jon. in loc. Pirke Eliezer, ut
supra. (c.48. fol. 57.2.) of them say, that they were smitten with burning
ulcers, and she also, that she could not wash in hot water, but came to the
river:
and her maidens
walked along by the river's side; while she washed
herself; though it is highly probable she was not left alone: these seem to be
the maids of honour, there might be others that might attend her of a meaner
rank, and more fit to do for her what was necessary; yet these saw not the ark,
it lying lower among the flags, and being nearer the bath where Pharaoh's
daughter was, she spied it from thence as follows:
and when she
saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it; the maid
that waited on her while the rest were taking their walks; her she sent from
the bath among the flags to take up the ark: the Targums of Onkelos and
Jonathan, and R. EliezerF15Ibid. Vid. T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 12. 1. ,
render it,"she stretched out her arm and hand, and took it;'the same word,
being differently pointed, so signifying; but this is disapproved of, by the
Jewish commentators.
Exodus 2:6 6 And
when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she
had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”
YLT 6and openeth, and seeth him -- the lad, and
lo, a child weeping! and she hath pity on him, and saith, `This is [one] of the
Hebrews' children.'
And when she
had opened it,.... The ark, for it was shut or covered over, though doubtless
there were some apertures for respiration:
she saw the
child in it, and, behold, the babe wept; and which was a
circumstance, it is highly probable, greatly affected the king's daughter, and
moved her compassion to it; though an Arabic writer saysF16Patricides
apud Hottinger. p 401. , she heard the crying of the child in the ark, and
therefore sent for it:
and she had
compassion on him, and said, this is one of the Hebrews' children; which she
might conclude from its being thus exposed, knowing her father's edict, and
partly from the form and beauty of it, Hebrew children not being swarthy and
tawny as Egyptian ones: the Jewish writersF17T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 12.
2. Aben Ezra in loc. say, she knew it by its being circumcised, the Egyptians
not yet using circumcision.
Exodus 2:7 7 Then
his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you
from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?”
YLT 7And his sister saith unto the daughter of
Pharaoh, `Do I go? when I have called for thee a suckling woman of the Hebrews,
then she doth suckle the lad for thee;'
Then said his
sister to Pharaoh's daughter,.... Miriam the sister of Moses, who
observing the ark taken up, and the maidens that were walking upon the bank of
the river, and other women perhaps, gathering about it to see it; she made one
among them, and after hearing their discourse about it, proposed what follows
to Pharaoh's daughter: Jarchi says, that Pharaoh's daughter tried several
Egyptian women to suckle it, but it would not suck of them: JosephusF18Antiqu.
l. 2. c. 9. sect. 5. says the same, and it also is in the TalmudF19T.
Bab. Sotah, ut supra. (fol. 12.1) ; and that, if true, gave Miriam a fair
opportunity to offer to do the following message for her:
shall I go and
call for thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for
thee? for she perceived that she was desirous of having the child
brought up as her own.
Exodus 2:8 8 And
Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the maiden went and called the child’s
mother.
YLT 8and the daughter of Pharaoh saith to her,
`Go;' and the virgin goeth, and calleth the mother of the lad,
And Pharaoh's
daughter said unto her, go,.... She fell in at once with the proposal,
being, no doubt, overruled, by the providence of God, to agree to have such a
person called:
and the maid
went and called the child's mother; and her own, whose name
was Jochebed the wife of Amram, as observed in Exodus 2:1.
Exodus 2:9 9 Then
Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and
I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him.
YLT 9and the daughter of Pharaoh saith to her,
`Take this lad away, and suckle him for me, and I -- I give thy hire;' and the
woman taketh the lad, and suckleth him.
And Pharaoh's
daughter said unto her,.... Being come, having made all possible haste:
take this child
away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages; by which
means she had not only the nursing of her own child, but was paid for it:
according to a Jewish writerF20Dibre Hayamim; sive Chronicon Mosis,
fol. 4. 1. , Pharaoh's daughter agreed with her for two pieces of silver a day.
Exodus 2:10 10 And
the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her
son. So she called his name Moses,[a] saying,
“Because I drew him out of the water.”
YLT 10And the lad groweth, and she bringeth him in
to the daughter of Pharaoh, and he is to her for a son, and she calleth his
name Moses, and saith, `Because -- from the water I have drawn him.'
And the child
grew,.... In stature and in strength, thriving under the care of its
mother and nurse, through the blessing of God:
and she brought
him unto Pharaoh's daughter; when grown up and weaned, and needed a
nurse no longer: a Jewish chronologerF21Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 5.
2. says, this was two years after his birth; and another saysF23Chronicon.
ib. Shalshal. ib. , that when he was three years old, Pharaoh sitting at table,
and his queen was at his right hand, and his daughter, with Moses, at his left,
and his mother before him, when Moses in the sight of them all took the crown
from Pharaoh's head:
and he became
her son; by adoption, for though she was a married woman, as some say,
yet had no children, though very desirous of them, which accounts the more for
her readiness in taking notice and care of Moses; so Philo the Jew saysF24De
Vita Mosis, c. 1. p. 604, 605. , that she had been married a long time, but
never with child, though she was very desirous of children, and especially a
son, that might succeed her father in the kingdom, or otherwise it must go into
another family: yea, he further says, that she feigned herself with child, that
Moses might be thought to be her own son: and ArtapanusF25Apud
Euseb, Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27. p. 432. , an Heathen writer, says that
the daughter of Pharaoh was married to one Chenephres, who reigned over the
country above Memphis, for at that time many reigned in Egypt; and she being
barren, took a son of one of the Jews, whom she called Moyses, and being grown
up to a man's estate, was, by the Greeks, called Musaeus:
and she called
his name Moses, and she said, because I drew him out of the water; by which it
appears, that this word is derived from the Hebrew word משה,
"Mashah", which signifies to draw out, and is only used of drawing
out of water, 2 Samuel 22:17
which Pharaoh's daughter gave him, he being an Hebrew child, and which language
she may very well be thought to understand; since there were such a large
number of Hebrews dwelt in Egypt, and she was particularly conversant with
Jochebed her Hebrew nurse; and besides, there was a great affinity between the
Hebrew and the Egyptian language, and therefore there is no need to derive the
word from the latter, as PhiloF26 and JosephusF1Ut supra,
(Antiqu. l. 2. c. 9.) sect. 6. do; who observe that "Mo" in the
Egyptian language signifies "water", and "Yses",
"saved"; besides, the Egyptian name of Moses, according to Aben Ezra,
who had it from a book of agriculture in that language, is Momos: the Jewish
writersF2Vajikra Rabba, sect. 1. fol. 146. 3. Shalshalet Hakabala,
fol. 5. 2. Chronicon Mosis, fol. 4. 1. give to Moses many names, which he had
from different persons, no less than ten: and ArtapannsF3Apud Euseb.
ut supra. (praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27. p. 432.) says, that by the Egyptian
priests he was called Hermes or Mercury, and probably was the Hermes of that
people; he is called by OrpheusF4De Deo, v. 23. υδογενης, "born in water", because drawn out of it.
Exodus 2:11 11 Now it came to pass in
those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked
at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.
YLT 11And it cometh to pass, in those days, that
Moses is grown, and he goeth out unto his brethren, and looketh on their
burdens, and seeth a man, an Egyptian, smiting a man, a Hebrew, [one] of his
brethren,
And it came to
pass in those days, when Moses was grown,.... To man's estate;
some of the Jewish writers say he was eighteen, others twenty years of ageF5Shalshalet
Hakabala, fol. 5. 2. , but Stephen, who is most to be credited, says he was
full forty years of age, Acts 7:23,
that he went
out unto his brethren the Hebrews: whom he knew to be his
brethren, either by divine revelation, or by conversing with his nurse, who was
his mother; who, doubtless, instructed him while he was with her, as far as he
was capable of being informed of things, and who might frequently visit her
afterwards, by which means he became apprised that he was an Hebrew and not an
Egyptian, though he went for the son of Pharaoh's daughter, which he refused to
be called when he knew his parentage, Hebrews 11:24 now
he went out from Pharaoh's palace, which in a short time he entirely
relinquished, to visit his brethren, and converse with them, and understood
their case and circumstances:
and looked on
their burdens; which they were obliged to carry, and were very heavy, and with
which they were pressed; he looked at them with grief and concern, and
considered in his mind how to relieve them, if possible:
and he spied an
Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren; the Egyptian was,
according to Jarchi, a principal of the taskmasters of Israel, who was beating
the Hebrew for not doing his work as he required, and the Hebrew, according to
him, was the husband of Shelomith, daughter of Dibri, Leviticus 24:11,
though others say it was DathanF6lbid. .
Exodus 2:12 12 So
he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian
and hid him in the sand.
YLT 12and he turneth hither and thither, and seeth
that there is no man, and smiteth the Egyptian, and hideth him in the sand.
And he looked
this way, and that way,.... All around, to observe if there were any within sight who
could see what he did; which did not arise from any consciousness of any evil
he was about to commit, but for his own preservation, lest if seen he should be
accused to Pharaoh, and suffer for it:
and when he saw
that there was no man; near at hand, that could see what he did, and be a witness
against him:
he slew the
Egyptian, and hid him in the sand; in a sandy desert place
hard by, where having slain him with his sword, he dug a hole, and put him into
it; See Gill on Acts 7:24. Of the
slaughter of the Egyptian, and the following controversy about it, DemetriusF7Apud
Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 19. p. 439. , an Heathen writer, treats of in
perfect agreement with the sacred Scriptures.
Exodus 2:13 13 And
when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he
said to the one who did the wrong, “Why are you striking your companion?”
YLT 13And he goeth out on the second day, and lo,
two men, Hebrews, striving! and he saith to the wrong-doer, `Why dost thou
smite thy neighbour?'
And when he
went out the second day,.... The day following:
behold, two men
of the Hebrews strove together; which the Jewish writersF8Targum
Jon. & Jarchi in loc. Shemoth Rabba, sect. 1. fol. 91. 4. Shalshalet
Hakabala, fol. 5. 2. Pirke Eliezer, c. 48. take to be Dathan and Abiram:
and he said to
him that did the wrong; who was the aggressor, and acted the wicked part in abusing his
brother:
wherefore
smitest thou thy fellow? friend and companion; signifying, that it was very unbecoming,
unkind, and unnatural, and that brethren and friends ought to live together in
love, and not strive with, and smite one another, and especially at such a time
as this, when they were so oppressed by, and suffered so much from their
enemies; See Gill on Acts 7:26.
Exodus 2:14 14 Then
he said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me
as you killed the Egyptian?” So Moses feared and said, “Surely this thing is
known!”
YLT 14and he saith, `Who set thee for a head and a
judge over us? to slay me art thou saying [it], as thou hast slain the
Egyptian?' and Moses feareth, and saith, `Surely the thing hath been known.'
And he said,
who made thee a prince and a judge over us?.... God had designed him
for one, and so he appeared to be afterwards; but this man's meaning is, that
he was not appointed by Pharaoh's order then, and so had nothing to do to
interfere in their differences and quarrels; though Moses did not take upon him
to act in an authoritative way, but to exhort and persuade them to peace and
love, as they were brethren:
intendest thou
to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? if this was Dathan, or however
the same Hebrew that he had defended and rescued from the Egyptian, it was very
ungenerous in him to upbraid him with it; or if that Hebrew had made him his
confident, and acquainted him with that affair, as it was unfaithful to betray
it, since it was in favour of one of his own people, it was ungrateful to
reproach him with it:
and Moses
feared; lest the thing should be discovered and be told to Pharaoh, and
he should suffer for it: this fear that possessed Moses was before he fled from
Egypt, and went to Midian, not when he forsook it, and never returned more, at
the departure of the children of Israel, to which the apostle refers, Hebrews 11:27 and
is no contradiction to this:
and said,
surely this thing is known; he said this within himself, he concluded
from this speech, that either somebody had seen him commit the fact he was not
aware of, or the Hebrew, whose part he took, had through weakness told it to
another, from whom this man had it, or to himself; for by this it seems that he
was not the same Hebrew, on whose account Moses had slain the Egyptian, for
then the thing would have been still a secret between them as before; only the
other Hebrew this was now contending with must hereby come to the knowledge of
it, and so Moses might fear, that getting into more hands it would come out, as
it did; See Gill on Acts 7:27. See Gill
on Acts 7:28. See Gill
on Acts 7:29.
Exodus 2:15 15 When
Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the
face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.
YLT 15And Pharaoh heareth of this thing, and
seeketh to slay Moses, and Moses fleeth from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelleth
in the land of Midian, and dwelleth by the well.
Now when
Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses,.... Both for
his killing the Egyptian, which by the laws of EgyptF9Diodor. Sicul.
Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 70. was death, whether bond or free; and for his taking
part with the Hebrews against the Egyptians, and knowing him to be a wise and
valiant man, might fear he would put himself at the head of the Hebrews, and
cause a revolt of them; and if there was anything in his dream, or if he had
such an one, and had the interpretation of it given by his magicians, that an
Hebrew child should be born, by whom Egypt would be destroyed; see Gill on Exodus 1:15, he
might call it to mind, and be affected with it, and fear the time was coming
on, and Moses was the person by whom it should be done; and he might be stirred
up by his courtiers to take this step, who doubtless envied the growing
interest of Moses in his court:
but Moses fled
from the face of Pharaoh; not through want of courage, but through prudence, to avoid
danger, and preserve his life for future usefulness; and no doubt under a
divine impulse, and by the direction of divine Providence, the time for him to
be the deliverer of Israel not being yet come:
and dwelt in
the land of Midian: a country so called from Midian, one of Abraham's sons by
Keturah, Genesis 25:2. JeromF11De
locis Heb. fol. 93. A. B. calls it a city, and says it was on the other side of
Arabia, to the south, in the desert of the Saracens, to the east of the Red
sea, from whence the country was called Midian; and PhiloF12De Vita
Mosis, l. 1. p. 609. says, that Moses went into neighbouring Arabia; and which
is confirmed by ArtapanusF13Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c.
27. p. 433. the Heathen historian, who says, that from Memphis, crossing the
river Nile, he went into Arabia; and this country was sometimes called Cush or
Ethiopia; hence Moses's wife is called an Ethiopian woman, Numbers 12:1.
and he sat down
by a well; weary, thoughtful, and pensive. It may be observed, that it was
usual with persons in such like circumstances, being strangers and not knowing
well to whom to apply for assistance or direction, to place themselves at a
well of water, to which there was frequent resort, both for the use of families
and of flocks; see Genesis 24:11. This
well is now called, as some say, Eyoun el Kaseb, fourteen hours and a half from
Magare Chouaib, or "the grot of Jethro"F14See a Journey
from Grand Cairo to Mecca, in Ray's Travels, vol. 2. p. 468. ; but if this was
so far from Jethro's house, his daughters had a long way to go with their
flock: but some other travellersF15Egmont and Heyman's Travels, vol.
2. p. 29. speak of a very neat and pleasant village, called Hattin, where they
were shown the grave of Jethro, Moses's father-in-law; and in the neighbourhood
of that place is a cistern, now called Omar, and is said to be the watering
place where Moses met with the daughters of the priest of Midian. A late
learned manF16See the Origin of Hieroglyphics, at the end of a
Journal from Cairo, to Mount Sinai, p. 55. Ed. 2. thinks, that Sharma, which is
about a day and a half's journey southeast from Mount Sinai, is the place where
Jethro lived. The Arabic geographerF17Climat. 3. par. 5. says, at
the shore of the Red sea lies the city Madian, greater than Tabuc, and in it is
a well, out of which Moses watered the flocks of Scioaib, that is, Raguel.
Exodus 2:16 16 Now
the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and
they filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
YLT 16And to a priest of Midian [are] seven
daughters, and they come and draw, and fill the troughs, to water the flock of
their father,
Now the priest
of Midian had seven daughters,.... Who being a descendant of Abraham might
have retained the knowledge of the true God, and might be a priest of his, as
Melchizedek was, or otherwise it may be thought improbable that Moses would
have married his daughter, as he afterwards did; and so Aben Ezra says, he was
a priest of God; though the word is sometimes used of a prince, ruler, and
governor; and is so rendered here by the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; and
ArtapanusF18Ut supra, (Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27.)
p. 434. , an Heathen writer, expressly calls him αρχων, a
"prince" of those places, that is, of Arabia; he might be both prince
and priest, as Melchizedek before mentioned was, and as has been the usage of
many countries:
and they came
and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock; which is no
contradiction to their being daughters either of a priest or a prince, which
were both high titles and characters; since it was usual in those early times,
and in those countries, for the sons and daughters of considerable persons to
be employed in such services; See Gill on Genesis 29:9.
Exodus 2:17 17 Then
the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and
watered their flock.
YLT 17and the shepherds come and drive them away,
and Moses ariseth, and saveth them, and watereth their flock.
And the
shepherds came and drove them away,.... The daughters of the
priest of Midian, and their flock likewise; these were shepherds of some
neighbouring princes or great men, who were so rude and slothful, and to save
themselves a little trouble of drawing water, brought up their flocks to drink
of the water those virgins had drawn, and to do this forced them and their
flocks away:
but Moses stood
up and helped them, and watered their flock; moved to see such rude
and uncivil treatment of the weaker sex, rose up from the ground on which he sat,
and took their parts, and obliged the shepherds to give way, and brought up
their flock to the troughs, and drew water for them, and gave them it; either
he did this alone, or together with the servants that waited upon the priest's
daughters, perhaps alone; and if it be considered that shepherds being usually
not of a very martial spirit, and these also in a wrong cause, and Moses a man
of an heroic disposition, and had doubtless the appearance of a man of some
eminence and authority, they were the more easily intimidated and overcome.
Exodus 2:18 18 When
they came to Reuel their father, he said, “How is it that you have come
so soon today?”
YLT 18And they come in to Reuel their father, and
he saith, `Wherefore have ye hastened to come in to-day?'
And when they
came to Reuel their father,.... Or Ragouel, as the Septuagint; and so
ArtapanusF19Ut supra. (Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27. p.
434.) calls him. The Targum of Jonathan has it, their father's father; and so
Aben Ezra says he was; and is the sense of others, induced thereto by Numbers 10:29, but
it does not follow from thence: he said:
how is it that
you are come so soon today? it being not only sooner than they were
wont to come, but perhaps their business was done in so short a time; that it
was marvellous to him that it could be done in it, so quick a dispatch had
Moses made, and they through his assistance; and especially it might be more
strange, if it was usual, as it seems it was, to be molested by the shepherds.
Exodus 2:19 19 And
they said, “An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he
also drew enough water for us and watered the flock.”
YLT 19and they say, `A man, an Egyptian, hath
delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also hath diligently drawn
for us, and watereth the flock;'
And they said,
an Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds,.... A man,
who by his habit and by his speech appeared to them to be an Egyptian, and upon
their inquiry he might tell them so, being born in Egypt, though of Hebrew
parents:
and also drew
water enough for us; or "in drawing drew"F20דלה
דלה "hauriendo bausit", Pagninus, Montanus,
Piscator. ; drew it readily, quickly and in abundance:
and watered the
flock; by which means their business was done, and they returned home
earlier than usual.
Exodus 2:20 20 So
he said to his daughters, “And where is he? Why is it that
you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.”
YLT 20and he saith unto his daughters, `And where
[is] he? why [is] this? -- ye left the man! call for him, and he doth eat
bread.'
And he said
unto his daughters, and where is he?.... By the account
Reuel's daughters gave of Moses, of his courage and humanity, he was very
desirous of seeing him:
why is it
that ye have left the man? behind them at the well, and had not
brought him along with them; he seemed to be displeased, and chides them, and
tacitly suggests that they were rude and ungrateful not to ask a stranger, and
one that had been so kind to them, to come with them and refresh himself:
call him, that
he may eat bread; take meat with them, bread being put for all provisions.
Exodus 2:21 21 Then Moses was content to
live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses.
YLT 21And Moses is willing to dwell with the man,
and he giveth Zipporah his daughter to Moses,
And Moses was
content to dwell with the man,.... After he had been called and brought
into the house, and had had some refreshment, and after some conversation had
passed between them, and perhaps after some days' stay in Reuel's house; Reuel
having observed his disposition and behaviour, and being delighted therewith,
proposed to him to take up his residence with him, with which motion Moses was
well pleased, and accepted of it:
and he gave
Moses Zipporah his daughter; to be his wife. It is not to be supposed
that this was done directly; though both PhiloF21De Vita Mosis, l.
1. p. 611. and JosephusF23Antiqu. l. 2. c. 11. sect. 2. intimate as
if it was done at first meeting together; but it is not likely that Reuel would
dispose of his daughter so suddenly to a stranger, though he might at once
entertain an high opinion of him; nor would Moses marry a woman directly he had
so slender an acquaintance with, so little knowledge of her disposition,
endowments of mind and religion. The Targum of Jonathan says it was at the end
of ten years; and indeed forty years after this a son of his seems to have been
young, having not till then been circumcised, Exodus 4:22. The
author of the Life of Moses saysF24Chronicon Mosis, fol. 9. 1. ,
that he was seventy seven years of age when he married Zipporah, which was but
three years before he returned to Egypt. This circumstance of Moses's marrying
Reuel's daughter is confirmed by ArtapanusF25Apud Euseb. Evangel.
Praepar. l. 9. c. 27. p. 434. an Heathen historian; and also by DemetriusF26Ib.
c. 29. p. 439. , and expressly calls her Sapphora, who he says was a daughter
of Jother or Jethro; and likewise by Ezekiel the tragedianF1lb. c.
28. .
Exodus 2:22 22 And
she bore him a son. He called his name Gershom,[b] for he
said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.”
YLT 22and she beareth a son, and he calleth his
name Gershom, for he said, `A sojourner I have been in a strange land.'
And she bare
him a son, and he called his name Gershom,.... Which signifies a
"desolate stranger"; partly on his own account, he being in a foreign
country, a stranger and sojourner; but not by way of complaint, but rather of
thankfulness to God for providing so well for him in it; and partly on his
son's account, that when he came to years of maturity and knowledge, he might
learn, and in which Moses no doubt instructed him, that he was not to look upon
Midian as his proper country, but that he was to be heir of the land of Canaan,
and which he might be reminded of by his name:
for he said, I
have been a stranger in a strange land; so Midian was to him,
who was born in Egypt, and being an Hebrew, was entitled to the land of Canaan;
this looks as if he had been at this time some years in Midian.
Exodus 2:23 23 Now
it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the
children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and
their cry came up to God because of the bondage.
YLT 23And it cometh to pass during these many days,
that the king of Egypt dieth, and the sons of Israel sigh because of the
service, and cry, and their cry goeth up unto God, because of the service;
And it came to
pass in process of time that the king of Egypt died,.... According
to Eusebius, Orus reigned in Egypt when Moses fled from thence, and that two
more reigned after him, Acenchres and Achoris, who both died before the deliverance
of the children of Israel; but according to Bishop UsherF2Annal Vet.
Test. p. 19. A. M. 2494. , this was the same king of Egypt under whom Moses was
born, and from whose face he fled, who died in the sixty seventh year of his
reign, Moses being now sixty years of age, and having been in the land of
Midian twenty years; and it was about twenty years after this that he was
called from hence, to be the deliverer of his people; for things are often put
close together in Scripture, which were done at a considerable distance. And
the intention of this notice of the death of the king of Egypt is chiefly to
show that it made no alteration in the afflictions of the children of Israel
for the better, but rather the worse:
and the
children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage; the severity
of it, and its long duration, and seeing no way for their escape out of it:
and they cried,
and their cry came up unto God; they not only sighed and groaned inwardly,
but so great was their oppression, that they could not forbear crying out
aloud; and such was the greatness and vehemency of their cry, that it reached
up to heaven, and came into the ears of the Almighty, as vehement cries are
said to do, whether sinful or religious; see Genesis 18:20.
by reason of
the bondage; which may either be connected with their "cry", that
that was because of their bondage; or with the "coming" of it unto
God, he was pleased to admit and regard their cry, because their bondage was so
very oppressive and intolerable.
Exodus 2:24 24 So
God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with
Isaac, and with Jacob.
YLT 24and God heareth their groaning, and God
remembereth His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob;
And God heard
their groaning,.... The petitions they put up to him with groans and cries:
and God
remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob; that he would
bring their seed out of a land not theirs, in which they were strangers, and
were afflicted, into the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession.
Exodus 2:25 25 And
God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.
YLT 25and God seeth the sons of Israel, and God
knoweth.
And God looked
upon the children of Israel,.... With an eye of pity and compassion, and
saw all the hardships they laboured under, and all the injuries that were done
unto them:
and God had
respect unto them; had a favourable regard to them; or "knew"F2וידע "et eognovit", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius
& Tremellius, Piscator. not only them, the Israelites, and loved them, and
approved of them, and owned them as his own, all which words of knowledge
sometimes signify; but he knew their sorrows and sufferings, and took notice of
what was done to them secretly; see Exodus 3:7.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New
King James Version (NKJV)
a.
Exodus 2:10
Literally Drawn Out
b.
Exodus 2:22
Literally Stranger There