b 1 Chron. 4. 24. c Numb. 3. 17. b Simeon, and Levi. Before CHRIST 23 And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of about 1530. Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 24 And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites. 25 And Eleazar Aaron's son took 11. 15 And the sons of Simeon; Je-him one of the daughters of Putiel muel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Ja- to wife; and she bare him Phinehas: Numb. 25. chin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son these are the heads of the fathers of of a Canaanitish woman: these are the Levites according to their famithe families of Simeon. lies. 16 And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their 1 Chron. 6. 1. generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and 1619. d Numb. 26. 57. seven years. 17 The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families. 18 And the sons of Kohath; Am1 Chron. 6. 2. ram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel and the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years. e Chap. 2. 1. Numb. 26.59. 66 26 These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the LORD said, Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies. 27 These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron. 28 ¶ And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt, 29 That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak 19 And the sons of Merari; Ma-thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all hali and Mushi: these are the fami- that I say unto thee. lies of Levi according to their gene- 30 And Moses said before the rations. LORD, Behold, I am of uncircum20 And Amram took him Jo-cised lips, and how shall Pharaoh chebed his father's sister to wife; and hearken unto me? she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years. 21 And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zithri. 22 And the sons of Uzziel; shael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri. CHAP. VII. 1 Moses is encouraged to go to Pharaoh. 7 heart is hardened. 14 God's message to Mi-AND the LORD said unto Moses, the Hebrews to call those parts uncircumcised, which were unprepared for the use for which they were designed. Thus Jeremiah says of the Jews, that their ear was uncircumcised;" and adds the consequence, "that they cannot hearken," Jer. vi. 10. Again he says, that the house of Israel were "uncircumcised in the heart;" that is, they would not understand and learn their duty, chap. ix. 26. St. Stephen puts both together-" uncircumcised in heart and ears," Acts vii. 51. As circumcision was the first and greatest sacrament among the Jews, so uncircumcision was esteemed by them the greatest scandal and disgrace. Bp. Patrick, Stackhouse. See the note on Jer. vi. 10. 14. These be the heads of their fathers' houses:] The principal persons of the several families of Israel. Moses here gives an account of the genealogy of himself and Aaron, that he might leave it on record to posterity, that they were both true Israelites. Accordingly he briefly sets down the heads of the two eldest families of Israel, VOL. I. 1491. and enlarges on the third, that of Levi, from which he was himself descended. Bp. Patrick. 20.- his father's sister] Jochebed was daughter of Levi, born in Egypt, Numb. xxvi. 59. It is a proof of the truth of Moses as an historian, that he does not scruple to relate the consanguinity of his parents; which in after ages, when the law against such marriages was enacted, might be thought disgraceful to his family; though before perhaps it was approved. Stackhouse. 23. Naashon,] A prince of the house of Judah, and chief commander of their host when they went from Egypt, Numb. ii. 3. Bp. Patrick. 27.these are that Moses and Aaron.] He repeats this, that all generations might mark, who were the men employed by God in this great and hazardous work of demanding the liberty of the children of Israel from Pharaoh's servitude. Bp. Patrick. Chap. VII. ver. 1.—I have made thee a god to PhaL Moses encouraged to go to Pharaoh. Before CHRIST 1491. : CHRIST 1491. to Pharaoh and Aaron thy brother | old, and Aaron fourscore and three Before shall be thy prophet. years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh. 2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land. 3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. 5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them. 6 And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they. 7 And Moses was fourscore years raoh :] I have made thee, not only my ambassadour to speak in my name, but also my substitute to punish Pharaoh for disobedience to me. Dr. Wells. I have made thee a terrible instrument, to execute my judgments upon Pharaoh, which He shall take, as wrought by me, through thy hands. Bp. Hall. It denotes that he was God's ambassadour to speak to him in his name, with a power ready to execute all that he desired, for humbling Pharaoh, and punishing his disobedience to the Divine message. Bp. Patrick. Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.] Shall interpret thy mind, as prophets interpret the mind of God. Bp. Patrick. 3.- multiply my signs &c.] The first plagues, that were inflicted on Pharaoh, proving ineffectual, it was necessary to send more and greater, that, if it had been possible, his stubborn heart might have been softened. Bp. Patrick. 7.- Moses was fourscore years old,] This seems to be noticed, to shew that Moses and Aaron were arrived at an age of settled gravity, when God made choice of them for this weighty employment. Bp. Patrick. 12. they became serpents:] Either they became real serpents, God permitting these sorcerers to work by the assistance of evil spirits; or they became serpents only in appearance, a mist being cast over the eyes of Pharaoh and his courtiers; or the sorcerers brought thither real serpents in the place of their rods which they conveyed away. Bps. Patrick and Kidder, Dr. Wells.' The original phrase, for "they did so," or, "in like manner," may only indicate the attempt, and not the deed; as afterwards in the plague of lice, when "they did so with their enchantments, but could not," chap. viii. 18. And indeed, the original term, rendered "their enchantments," fitly expresses the secret deceptions of legerdemain, or sleight of hand, to impose on spectators. And the remark of the magicians, when unable to imitate the production of lice, which was beyond their skill and dexterity, on account of their minuteness, "this is the finger of God," seems to strengthen the supposition; especially as the Egyptians were famous for legerdemain, and for charming serpents; and the magicians having had notice of the miracle, which they were expected to 8 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. 10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. il Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. 12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. imitate, they might make provision accordingly, and bring live serpents, which they might have substituted for their rods. And though Aaron's serpent swallowed up their serpents, shewing the superiority of the true miracle over the false, 2 Thess. ii. 9, it might only lead the king to conclude, that Moses and Aaron were more expert jugglers than Jannes and Jambres, who opposed them, 2 Tim. iii. 8. Dr. Hales. See the note on chap. viii. 18. The following reasons may be given for God's suffering the magicians to act thus: 1st, It was necessary that the magicians should be suffered to exert the utmost of their power against Moses, in order to clear him from the imputation of magick or sorcery, to which, considering the notions that then prevailed, he might have been exposed, if they had not entered into this competition with him, and been at length overcome. 2dly, In order to confirm the faith of the wavering and desponding Israelites, by making them see the difference between Moses, who acted by the power of God, and the magicians, who acted by some inferiour power. 3rdly, In order to preserve them afterwards from being seduced, by any false miracle, from the worship of the true God. Universal History. but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.] This shews the superiour power by which Moses acted. Bp. Patrick. In relating these miracles of the Egyptian sorcerers, Moses expresses himself throughout, as if they really operated the same effects which he himself did: so that Pharaoh and his whole court were probably persuaded, that the power of their magicians was equal to that of Moses, till the magicians not being able to produce lice, as Moses had done, chap. viii. 18, they were constrained to own that "the finger of God" was concerned in it. Calmet. In order to confirm the wavering faith of the Israelites, and to exhibit to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians the strongest testimony of the Divine mission of Moses, this contest between Moses and the magicians appears to have been permitted, that the disparity of persons, acting, the one by the power of God, and the others by infernal, or merely human power, might be more conspicuous. Hereby the truth of Moses's pretensions was established, and Pharaoh's God's message unto Pharaoh. Before CHRIST 1491. CHRIST 1491. 13 And he hardened Pharaoh's | behold, I will smite with the rod that Before heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said. 14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go. 15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river's brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand. 16 And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear. 17 Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: 18 And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river. 19 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their + pools + Heb. of water, that they may become their waters. blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone. 20 And Moses and Aaron did so, gathering of obstinacy and infidelity rendered inexcusable. Stack-progress, was to make Pharaoh know and confess that house. How easily might the Egyptians have thought, that He, who caused their serpents not to be, could have kept them from being; and that they, who could not keep his serpent from devouring, could not secure them from being consumed! Bp. Hall. 13. And he hardened Pharaoh's heart,] It should be, And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, so that "he hearkened not unto them, as the Lord had said," or foretold. The original is so rendered by all the ancient versions without exception, and by the most judicious modern translations. Our present translators incorrectly render, "and he hardened Pharaoh's heart," inconsistently with their rendering of the same phrase, and of a phrase with the same construction, afterwards, ch. vii. 22; viii. 19; ix. 7; for Pharaoh hardened his heart several times before God began to harden it. They seem to have been led into this errour by the expression, "as the Lord had said," referring to the foregoing, "But I will harden his heart," chap. iv. 21; and, "I will harden Pharaoh's heart," chap. vii. 3. But this did not take place till Pharaoh became obdurate and incorrigible, chap. ix. 12. Dr. Hales. There is not in any of these three verses, the 13th, the 14th, and the 22nd, of this chapter, the least mention of any person by whom his heart was hardened. Nor is there any other hardening implied, than what proceeded from his own settled resolution, not to lose the service of the Israelites. Bp. Patrick. 15.-lo, he goeth out unto the water ;] God knew beforehand that Pharaoh would go out in the morning of the next day, either to walk for recreation by the bank of the river, or else to worship the river Nile, as was usual with the Egyptians; Bp. Patrick; or to perform his morning purification; the Egyptians esteeming it a part of their religion to wash themselves in the river twice or thrice a day. Shuckford. Moses was perhaps directed to take this opportunity of meeting with him, because it may not have been easy for him to get access to the court. Bp. Kidder. 17. In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord :] Pharaoh had asked in a contemptuous manner, "Who is the Lord ?" God therefore now bids Moses tell him, He would make him know that He is the Almighty Lord of the world. Bp. Patrick. The design of these visitations growing more awful and tremendous in their the GOD OF THE HEBREWS was the SUPREME LORD; to exhibit his power and his justice in the strongest light to "all the nations of the earth," and to execute judgment upon the Egyptians, and "upon all their gods," inanimate and bestial, for their cruelty to the Israelites, and for their grovelling polytheism and idolatry, chap. xii. 12. Dr. Hales. - behold, I will smite &c.] God commands; Moses directs; and Aaron smites; ver. 19, 20. God may therefore be said to do that which was done by his command and by his power. Bp. Kidder. As the river Nile was to Egypt, instead of heaven, to moisten and fatten the earth; so their confidence was more in it than in heaven. Men are sure to be punished most and soonest in that which they make a rival with God. Bp. Hall. See below, note on ver. 20. 19.-upon the waters of Egypt, upon their stream s,&c.] The particularity here employed, in enumerating the various kinds of places for containing water, deserves notice: the streams, or divisions of the river; the river itself; the ponds; the pools of water; and whatever water was already drawn from them, and set apart for drinking, whether kept in vessels of wood, or vessels of stone. In Egypt are reservoirs of water higher than the Nile, which fill themselves when the river rises, and in which the water preserves itself a long while, as in a kind of cistern. These reservoirs are of great antiquity, and no doubt as early as the days of the Pharaohs. When the river Nile is rising, the waters turn red, and sometimes green and in some years they become corrupt; during which time the inhabitants use the water of their cisterns, or reservoirs. But in order to distinguish this miracle from any such natural occurrence, not merely the waters of the river and its canals, but also those more distant, and those already drawn, partook of the general change. Even the reservoirs, which were higher than the level of the Nile, and had no communication with it, became blood. Fragments to Calmet. in vessels of wood, and of stone.] In which water was kept in private houses for their present use. Bp. Patrick. Perhaps these words may mean the filtering vessels, through which they used to purify the waters of the Nile for drinking: and the sense may be, that the water should be so nauseous, that no method whatever of purifying it should succeed. Harmer. 20. - smote the waters that were in the river,] This judgment brought on the Egyptians is very remarkable, and introduced with great propriety, though the scope of it may not at first be obvious. It was a punishment particularly well adapted to that blinded and infatuated people as it shewed them the baseness of those elements which they reverenced, and the insufficiency of the gods in which they trusted. And this knowledge was very salutary to the Israelites; as it warned them not to fall into the same, or any similar, idolatry: when they had seen it thus debased and exposed, and attended with such accumulated evil. The Egyptians honoured the Nile with a religious reverence; and valued themselves much upon the excellence of their river. Nor was this blind regard confined to the Egyptians only, but obtained in many parts of the world: so that it was expedient for the children of Israel to be timely warned against such blindness and infatuation. But no nation carried their reverence to such an extravagant degree of idolatry as the Egyptians. They looked upon their river not only as consecrated to a deity; but, if we may believe some authors, as their chief national god: and worshipped it accordingly. There was therefore a great propriety in this judgment. They must have felt the utmost astonishment and horrour, when they beheld their sacred stream changed and polluted; and the divinity whom they worshipped so shamefully foiled and debased. And these appearances must have had a salutary effect upon the Israelites; as they were hence warned not to accede to this species of idolatry, but to have it ever in contempt, as well as abhorrence. Bryant. The Egyptians still retain a religious veneration for the Nile; they call it holy, blessed, sacred: and on the appearance of the new waters, mothers are seen plunging their infants into the stream, from a belief that it has a Divine virtue, such as the ancients attributed to every river. Volney's Travels. and all the waters-were turned to blood.] God might, if it had been the Divine pleasure, have many different ways tainted and polluted the streams of Egypt. But he thought proper to change them to blood. Now the Egyptians, and especially their priests, were particularly nice and delicate in their outward habit, and rites: and there was nothing which they abhorred more than blood. They seldom admitted any bloody sacrifices; and with the least stain of gore they would have thought themselves deeply polluted. Hence this evil brought upon them must have been severely felt; as there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt," ver. 21. It is moreover said, that "the fish that were in the river died; and the river stank." The offensive vapour from the waters must have been a great aggravation of the evil to people of such external purity as the Egyptians, who abhorred all animal corruption. And what the historian mentions concerning the fish is of consequence: for all the natives of the 66 the river stinketh. 22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said. 23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also. 24 And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river. Before CHRIST 1491. c Wisd. 17.7. river were in some degree esteemed sacred. In many parts the people did not feed upon them. The priests in particular never tasted fish; and this on account of their reputed sanctity. For they were sometimes looked upon as sacred emblems: at other times worshipped as real deities. These punishments then, brought upon the Egyptians, bore a strict analogy to their crime. They must have been greatly alarmed, when they beheld their sacred stream defiled with blood, their land infected, and themselves almost poisoned with their stinking deities. The evil reached the land of Goshen : for it seemed proper that the Israelites should partake in it; that the impression might be the stronger on their minds. One great reason for this part of the punishment was to give them a thorough disgust to this worship, that they might not afterwards lapse into this popular idolatry. For it is to be observed, as they were to be conducted to the land of Canaan and the confines of Syria, that there were many nations in those parts among whom this worship was common. Bryant. 21. And the fish that was in the river died;] Diodorus Siculus, in his description of Egypt, informs us, that the river Nile abounded with all manner of fish. The food of many of the Egyptians, who abstained from eating most animals, consisted of the fruits of the earth, and the fish of the river. Stackhouse. could not drink of the water] It appears from the reports of travellers, that there are few wells in Egypt, and that their waters are not used by the inhabitants to quench their thirst, being unpleasant and unwholesome: but that the water of the Nile is universally used in that country, being esteemed very wholesome and extremely delicious. Thus, by the effect of this miracle, they were made to "lothe" those waters, which they before preferred to all others. Harmer. 22. the magicians did so with their enchantments :] That is, they made an appearance of the same change in some of the waters. It may be conjectured, that Moses did not in a moment change all the waters of the country, but only those of the river at first, (see ver. 20,) and afterwards by degrees all the rest, when the magicians had tried their art upon some of them. Bp. Patrick. See notes on ver. 12, and chap. viii. 18. 23. — neither did he set his heart &c.] He did not seriously consider this miracle and the difference between it and the attempts of the magicians. This shews his wilful neglect; and was the cause of his heart being hardened, as are the hearts of all men, who will think of nothing but the gratification of their own perverse humours. Bps. Patrick and Kidder. 24.- - digged round about the river for water to drink ;] All the waters in the country being spoiled, they were forced to try to procure water for quenching their thirst by the great labour of digging wells. Bp. Patrick. This particular in the conduct of the Egyptians may be illustrated by a circumstance in Plaisted's journey over the great desert from Busserah to Aleppo. "We encamped near a standing pool of water, which was so muddy, it was not fit to drink: for which reason three wells were dug by our people pretty near it, wherein they met with very good water. If this method was practised oftener, especially where the situation of the ground gives hopes of success, I am persuaded the scarcity of water, so much complained of, would be greatly lessened." Fragments to Calmet. 25. seven days were fulfilled,] The change made in the waters lasted seven days, before the plague was removed. Bp. Patrick. Chap. VIII. ver. 1. And the Lord spake &c.] Philo, the Jew, has a fine observation on the plagues of Egypt. "Some perhaps may enquire, why did God punish the country by such minute and contemptible animals, as frogs, lice, flies, rather than by bears, lions, leopards, or other kinds of savage beasts, which prey on human flesh or if not by these, why not by the Egyptian asp, whose bite is instant death? But let him learn, if he be ignorant, first, that God chose rather to correct than to destroy the inhabitants: for if He desired to annihilate them utterly, He had no need to have made use of animals as his auxiliaries, but of the Divinely inflicted evils of famine and pestilence. Next, let him further learn that lesson, so necessary for every state of life, namely, that men, when they war, seek the most powerful aid to supply their own weakness; but GOD, the highest and greatest power, who stands in need of nothing, if at any time He chooses to employ instruments, as it were to inflict chastisement, chooses not the strongest and greatest, disregarding their strength; but rather the mean and the minute, which He endues with irresistible power to chastise offenders." Dr. Hales. 2.- if thou refuse &c.] God again threatens the plague, before He inflicts it, that Pharaoh might know, it came not by chance, but by his determinate counsel; and that he might prevent it by repentance and submission to the Divine commands. Bp. Patrick. I will smite all thy borders with frogs :] This evil, like the former, arose from their sacred river, in which they so much confided, and of whose sanctity and The plague of frogs. Before CHRIST 1491. thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine and into thy || kneading or, dough. ovens, troughs: 4 And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants. 5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. 6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. || 7 And the magicians did so with a Wisd. 17.7. their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt. excellence they were so much persuaded. Its streams by these means became a second time polluted and disgraced, to the utter confusion both of their gods and priests. The land also was equally defiled, and their palaces and temples rendered hateful; so that every native was infected, and had no way to perform any lustration, and to cleanse himself from the filth with which he was tainted. Every stream and every lake was in a state of pollution. Whether the frog among the Egyptians was an object of reverence or of abhorrence, is uncertain: but thus much is certain, that it was very consistent with Divine wisdom and justice to punish the Egyptians either by what they abominated, or by what they idly revered. Bryant. 3.-come into thine house, &c.] The frogs were to choke up the river, cover the land, crawl upon their houses, beds, tables, vessels, &c.; infest the very persons of all ranks, from the prince to the beggar, and nothing should be clear from their loathsomeness and annoyance. Pyle. The production of a number of frogs, if produced in a perfect state, was a very remarkable instance of a power overruling the ordinary course of nature. The miracle further consisted in giving an impulse to these creatures, and raising in them a desire to quit the cool waters, for the dry land, the plains, the city, &c. so contrary to their natural residence. Script. illust. 7. And the magicians did so &c.] They brought forth frogs out of some parts of the river and ponds, where they stood: God permitting them to do what contributed to the greater punishment of the Egyptians. It is probable that Pharaoh afterwards ordered them to try their skill and power in removing or destroying the frogs, which Moses had brought up; and that they were unable to do it: God hereby shewing them, that they could do no more than He thought fit to permit them. Dr. Wells. In these accounts of the wonders wrought by the Egyptian sorcerers, whether they are supposed to have been wrought in reality, or in appearance only; by sleight of hand, or by the power of evil spirits, through the permission of God, who was willing to make his power known in this grand contest; the superiority of the God of Israel was manifested, and the contest yielded by the adversaries, who could not protect themselves or their friends from |