years And from his Families coming into Egypt till their departure was just as many more Which agrees perfectly with what the Apostle saith that the Promise made by God to Abraham and his Seed could not be made void by the Law which was four hundred and thirty years after III Galat. 16 17. How the first Promise made to Abraham was when God bad him go to Canaan XII Gen. 3. See XV Gen. 13. There are some indeed that reckon their stay in Egypt to have been only two hundred and ten years and then they took in the five years Abraham stay'd at Charran after he left Vr of the Chaldees to make up these four hundred and thirty years of which Opinion is Drusius in the place above mentioned But Josephus saith expresly that they departed out of Egypt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two hundred and fifty years after Jacob came into it L. II. Antiq. c. 5. All the Difficulties that have been raised by Commentators in the Exposition of these words are avoided by this Interpretation If we admit that is only these two Synechdoche's the figure of part for the whole first that under the Name of the Children of Israel is comprehended Israel himself with his Father and Grandfather and secondly that their sojourning comprehends the whole time that this Nation dwelt in a Land that was not theirs half of which time at least was spent in Egypt See Guil. Vorstius in his Notes upon Tzemach David p. 200. 205. Ludov. Capellus Chron. Sacra p. 135. But especially our most Learned Primate Vsher Chron. Sacr. c. 8. where he largely confutes the contrary Opinion which if any one desire to see defended I know none that hath done it better than Gerhardus J. Vossius in his Isagogue Chronologica Dissert VII c. 1 c. where he fairly represents the Arguments on both sides but inclines himself to think the Children of Israel dwelt CCCCXXX years in Egypt and indeavours to answer those who assert that Interpretation which I have given Cap. 12. But acknowledges ingenuously Cap. 6. that it is the sense not only of the ancient Jews but of the ancient Christians such as Eusebius Epiphanius and St. Chrysostom among the Greeks and St. Hierom St. Austin c. among the Latines and of a vast number of later Writers Ver. 41. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years These years says St. Hierom in III Galat. are to be computed ab eo tempore quo Deus ad Abrahamum locutus est c. from the time when God said to Abraham In thy Seed shall all Nations be blessed i. e. when he went first to Canaan Even the self same day it came to pass They all went out on one day or they went out that very day four hundred and thirty years after Abraham came to Canaan So faithful was God in his Promise to his faithful Servant That all the Hosts of the LORD c. So they are called for the LORD was become their King as I observed III. 10. and now led them forth as their Captain General And this word Hosts imports that they went out not confusedly but in good order See XIII 18. which is the more wonderful there being such a vast number of them v. 37 38. that one would think they could not so soon get together especially in any order But Josephus hath well resolved this That Moses having notice of God's Intentions some days before See v. 1. had disposed them for their Departure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and distributing them into several Companies had appointed them the place of general Rendevouz as we now speak or at least directed who should march first and what order they should observe that they might not hinder one another in their March Ver. 42. It is a Night to be much observed In the Hebrew as the Margin notes a Night of Observations That is a very remarkable Night or a Night in which there were many Precepts to be observed as some will have it Or as Conradus Pellicanus a Night in which the LORD after a special manner watched over the Children of Israel For which reason the Jews expect their Messiah to come in this Night foolishly imagining he will then find them all most ready to follow him to Jerusalem For they have now corrupted an ancient Tradition which I observed before v. 6. was remarkably fulfilled in our Saviour's suffering that very Evening when the Paschal Lamb was killed and the Children of Israel redeemed from the Egyptian Bondage Vnto the LORD In honour of him who had graciously begun to fulfil his Promise made to their Fore-fathers VI. 2 3 4. This is that Night of the LORD c. Which God hath commanded to be observed because they came out at that Season XVI Dent. 6. under his Conduct from the Egyptian Bondage Or it may be called that Night of the LORD because his Power and Mercy and Faithfulness to his Promises so signally appeared that Night Ver. 43. And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron At the same time I suppose that he instituted the Passover v. 1. he added this Caution about it This is the Ordinance of the Passover A further Rule to be observed at this Feast There shall no Stranger eat thereof Several of the Jewish Doctors by the Son of a Stranger understand an Apostate from the Religion of Israel to strange Worship i. e. Idolatry as Mr. Selden observes L. I. de Synedr c. 12. p. 479. But it is not to be so restrained as appears from the next Verse which is a further Explication of this Wherein he ordains that no Man who did not embrace their Faith and Religion should eat of the Passover though he was a Proselyte so far as to be permitted to live among them For this being a Commemoration of the great Deliverance bestowed upon the Israelites none but they were to partake of it unless they would be Circumcised and thereby come into the Covenant made with Abraham Which gave them a title to all the Priviledges of his Children and obliged them as well as the Natural Israelites to give Publick Thanks for this Work of their Redemption from Egyptian Bondage to Worship and Serve their God according as he directed Ver. 44. And every Man-servant that is bought for money As many were in those Times and Countries who became their Masters proper Goods as much as their Cattle When thou hast Circumcised him then shall he eat thereof He was not to be Circumcised against his Will but if he refused after a years trial as Maimonides expounds it to receive Circumcision his Master was to sell him again For it is very unreasonable to think that he was to be compelled to be Circumcised as those Hebrew Doctors seem to understand it who say That both Master and Servant were forbid to eat of it till the Servant was Circumcised See Selden L. II. de Synedr c. 1. Where he shows at large
Place in Egypt called by Ezekiel XXX 15. the strength of Egypt and by Suidas long after him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Key of Egypt because it was the Inlet from Syria into this Country Which was the reason as Diadorus saith Lib. XV. that they most of all fortified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as his words are And this agrees with the signification of Pithom if D. Chytraeus guess aright which is as much as Pi and tehom i. e. the Mouth of the Deep being seated near the Sea at the Mouth of one of the Streams of Nile And thus I find it expounded in the Talmud Tit. Sota in the Gemara Cap. I. Sect. 32. And Rameses It is an ignorant Conceit of Benjamin Tudelensis that this City is that called Ein-Alschemes i. e. the Fountain of the Sun in Greek Heliopolis See his Itiner p. 120. and L' Empereur's Annot. p. 223. for this City was in the upper Egypt whereas Rameses was in the lower in the Land of Goshen and gave name to the whole Country where the Israelites dwelt XLVII Gen. 11. And it is most likely it was a Frontier Town which lay in the entrance of Egypt from Arabia or some of the neighbouring Countries They that take the Name of the King who now reigned to have been Ramesses think this City had its Name from him and the other called Pithom as Mercator thinks from the Name of his Queen Ver. 12. But the more they afflicted them the more they multiplied and grew Here is a new word different from all the former Ver. 7. to express their extraordinary Increase for so jiphrots signifies breaking out as Water doth which bursts out with a greater force when it hath been pent up This as St. Austin observes L. XVIII de Civ Dei c. 6. is to be ascribed to the Divine Blessing for naturally tiresome Labours would have dispirited them and made them less fruitful And they were grieved because of the Children of Israel It vext them to see this Device prove so unsuccesful that it promoted what they thought to hinder Ver. 13. And the Egyptians rather therefore The Egyptians resolved to take a more severe Course with them Made the Children of Israel to serve with rigour Used them more tyrannically and cruelly without any Mercy whereby their strength in all likelyhood would be broken as the Hebrew word signifies Some of the Jews think they beat and scourged them sorely Ver. 14. And they made their Life bitter The Hebrews call all things bitter which extreamly grieve and afflict the Soul XXVII Gen. 34. III Lament 15. Whence Naomi bids her Daughters call her no more by that pleasant Name but call her Mara i. e. bitter because of the very great Afflictions she had endured in a strange Country With hard Bondage Such Drudgery as if they had been meer Bondslaves In Mortar and in Brick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by making Clay into Bricks as Philo well interprets it L. I. de Vita Mosis or in working the Clay and then turning it into Bricks And so Bochart expounds it by the figure of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lateribus ex luto conficiendis There was great store of Clay in that place Pelusium one of the Cities which they built having its name from thence both in the Greek and in the Hebrew Languages For Sin signifies the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clay or Dirt. And in all manner of Service in the Field c. Not meerly in Ploughing c. but in digging Trenches to convey the Water of Nile into their Ground as Philo expounds it and in cleansing those Trenches that had been formerly made and in carrying Dung as others add into the Field and such like nasty Services And all these Moses adds were rigorously exacted of them i. e. they did all they could to break their hearts as we speak Ver. 15. And the King spake to the Hebrew Midwives The former Device failing him or contributing little to his end he betakes himself to one that if it were pursued could not but prove effectual Some will have these Midwives to have been Egyptians but called Hebrew because the Women of that Nation made use of their Assistance when they were in Labour But it is not likely that Hebrews had not Midwives of their Nation or that Pharaoh would impose his Midwives upon them and let them have none else for that would have too plainly discovered his drift whereas he intended to hide it and to act cunningly against them Ver. 10. The name of the one was Siphrah c. We cannot well think there were only two Midwives to serve the whole Nation but these were the chief who had the rest under their government and gave orders and directions to them So Aben Ezra whom Abarbinel contradicts but with slight reasons to advance a subtil rather than solid Conceit of his own that every Woman in Egypt had two Midwives and those were the common Names of them signifying what each of them were to do for the Women in Travel There are those among the Jews who have fancied Jochebed the Mother of Moses to be one of those here named and some of them who are pleased with seeming ignorant of Nothing say she is the person here called Siphrah her Daughter Miriam being the other called Puah So the Hierusalem Targum Ver. 16. When ye do the Office of a Midwife c. Are called to their Assistance in their Labour And see them upon the Stools The Hebrew word obanajim which we translate Stools is so obscure that the LXX content themselves to translate this Passage thus When you see them delivered which fully expresses the sense and must be supposed to be the meaning if we take Stools for such Seats as were purposely contrived for labouring Women to sit on that the Midwives might the better do their Office For they could not tell whether they brought forth Male or Female till they were delivered unless the Hebrew Doctors say true who constantly affirm That Boys come into the World with their Faces downward and Girls with their Faces upward whereby they might know what Sex a Child was of before it was quite born See Tit. Sota in the Gemara Cap. 1. Sect. 33. If it be a Son then ye shall kill him The Egyptians feared the Men of Israel only without whom they could have no Children at all but such as would be half Egyptians and in time be wholly ingrafted into that Nation But if it be a Daughter then she shall live For as Clemens Alexandr well observes L. I. Stromat p. 343. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Women are feeble and unfit for War therefore they had no fear of them but reserved them to increase the Egyptian breed Ver. 17. But the Midwives feared God c. They that take them for Egyptians say these Midwives were Proselytes to the Jewish Religion But such Faith in God as made them not fear a great King is hardly to be expected from
For it is noted by Pliny that gaudet riguis toto anno bibere amat the Palm-Tree delights in places well watered and loves to drink all the year There were two sorts of these Trees the common and that which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it bare Dates as Salmasius hath observed in his Plinianae exercit p. 472. 1326. If these were of the latter sort they gave them the better entertainment And they encamped there by the water To refresh themselves and their Flocks in this delightful place CHAP. XVI Verse 1. AND they took their journey from Elim After they had rested a good while there as appears by the end of the Verse And all the Congregation came unto the Wilderness of Sin Not directly but first they went back towards the Red-sea which was their next Station after they left Elim as Moses tells us XXXIII Numb 10. where he gives an exact account of all their Stations one of which is here omitted because nothing remarkable I suppose fell out there and they did not stay long in it This Sin is different from that where Miriam died XX Nunth 1. and written with different Letters Which is betweem Elim and Sinai So the direct way to Sinai had been into this Wilderness of Sin but for some reason which we know not they first return'd to some part of that Sea where they had been before On the fifteenth day of the second Month c. Just a Month after they came out of Egypt And therefore it seems they stayed a good while at Elim where there was plenty of Water and some shade which was now very comfortable this second Month which they call Ijar answering to part of our April and May. Or otherwise we must suppose they spent some time at the Red-sea whether God conducted them perhaps to put them in mind of his late great Mercy to them there which might incline them to be more obedient to his Commands mentioned XV. 25 26. Ver. 2. And the whole Congregation of the Children of Israel Their Elders and all are included in these words they being the same with those v. 1. which certainly comprehend all that came out of Egypt Though its likely there were some more pious among them who were not guilty of what follows when the generality were so mutinous that they who were better disposed could scarce be discerned Murmured against Moses and Aaron This seems to be an higher discontent than the former XV. 24. because the whole Congregation were ingaged in it whereas there it is only said the People were concerned in it And there they quarrelled only with Moses but here with both their Leaders And as that was for want of Water so this for want of Bread all their Dough which they brought out of Egypt being now spent So Josephus and R. Bechai which latter saith the Dough they brought out of Egypt sufficed for a whole Month from the XVth of Nisan to the XVth of Ijar and the Night of the XVIth they still are of it And then on the XVIth he thinks the Manna descended which fell on the first day of the Week as he argues from those words v. 5. when on the sixth day they are commanded to gather twice as much as on other days Which was says he both the sixth day of the Week and of the descent of the Manna Ver. 3. Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD c. As some of the Egyptians did A strange wish proceeding from great ingratitude to God and forgetfulness of his Benefits When he sat That was the ancient posture of eating before this time XXXVII 25. XLIII 33. and afterward XXXII Exod. 6. XIX Judg. 6. By the Flesh-pots and did eat Bread to the full This is not likely when they were not only meer Slaves but under cruel Hardships But they untruly magnisie their former Condition that they may represent their present to be more miserable than really it was For ye have brought us forth into this Wilderness They were glad to be brought out of Egypt but their Discontent arose from their being brought into a Wilderness where they wanted all Provisions but what they brought along with them To kill this whole Congregation with hunger There was no danger of their perishing presently they having so many Flocks to feed them But without Bread this would not satisfie them and they were loth it is likely to lose any of their Stock which they hoped rather to increase than to diminish Or else they longed for Dainties as they did afterwards which moved God to send them great store of Fowl as we understand v. 12. Ver. 4. Then said the LORD Dunto Moses He spake to him out of the Cloud of Glory where the SCHECHINAH was as I observed above I will rain Bread Send you down that which shall supply the place of Bread in a very plentiful manner like drops of Rain from Heaven from above out of the Clouds Which was as Greg. Nyssen speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the most incredible of all Wonders that Bread should be given them not as usually out of the Earth but out of the Air where no Seed is ever sown L. de Vita Mosis p. 177. Every day It came down in daily showres as much only as would suffice for one day that they might be kept in a perpetual thankful dependence upon God's Providence and that this might more evidently appear to be a miraculous Work of his who made it fall at all times of the year alike The Heathen themselves preserved some Memory of this in that Fable of Pan whom Huetius shows to be Moses finding out Ceres when she had been long wanting to give Men bread when they were ready to starve with hunger That I may prove them Some think this relates to what goes before concerning his sending them Bread every day which was so ordered that he might prove whether they would murmur because they had not enough at once for a whole year or humbly hope in his Mercy for a constant supply But the following words whether they will walk in my law or no direct us to a larger sense which is that he tried whether they would be obedient to all his Commands when he let them want nothing to support and incourage them in his Service Prove them Not as if he was ignorant but that it might plainly appear to others and to themselves what they were Or as Maimonides interprets it that it might openly appear to the World that God sustains him who follows his Worship and Service by means that he did not think of So he expounds this very place More Novoch P. III. c. 24. That every one may see and know whether it be beneficial to give ones self to the Service of God or not Ver. 5. On the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in When they had gathered it and brought it into their Tents they were
Sabbath therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days You have no reason to seek it on the Sabbath being provided before-hand with as much as is sufficient for that day Let no man go out of his place The Jews say that a Man went out of his place if he went above Two thousand paces from his dwelling That is if he went beyond the Suburbs of his City XXXV Numb 5. Ver. 30. So the people rested on the seventh day The Reprehension which God gave them by Moses v. 28. and the solemn renewal of the Precept v. 29. wrought so much upon them that for the present they rested upon this day And they not having been used to this rest God did not immediately punish their Disobedience in going abroad to gather Manna though afterward he ordered a Man to be stoned for gathering Sticks on this day for he had often repeated this Law to them before that time Ver. 31. And the House of Israel called the name thereof Manna This is repeated again to show that the name which they gave it at first v. 15. continued to it afterward being so apt and proper to signifie God's Providence over them that they could find no better And it was like Coriander Seed Of a round sigure like that Seed v. 14. White Being like Bedolach as Moses saith XI Numb 7. which signifies Pearl as Bochartus shows in his Hierozoic P. II. p. 678. where he observes the Talmudick Doctors in the Title Joma expresly say it was like Margalith or Margarith i.e. Pearl The taste of it was like Wafers made with honey All things of a pleasant relish are compared in Scripture to Honey Whence those words of David XIX Psalm 11. CXIX 103. Onkelos saith Manna tasted like Escaritae which was a delicious Food at Rhodes as Bochart observes out of Julius Pollux between Bread and Cake like our Bisket I suppose which was so grateful that they who did eat it were never satiated but still desired more In the XI Numb 7 8. Manna is said to taste like fresh Oyl Which doth not contradict this for as Abarbinel and others observe the meaning is that when it first fell before it was prepared it tasted like Honey-wafers but when it was baked then it tasted like fresh Oyl And so the words XI Numb 8. plainly import they took it and beat it in a Mortar and baked it c. and the taste of it i. e. thus prepared was like the taste of fresh Oyl Nay the Jewish Doctors commonly say it had all manner of pleasant savours according to Mens different Palates and thence they fancy it is called v. 29. the Bread Mischne which we translate of two days because it was changed according to the diversity of those that did eat it Children young men and old Which conceit the Author of the Book of Wisdom follows XVI 20 21. Ver. 32. And Moses said This is the thing which the LORD commandeth I have this further Command to deliver from God concerning the Manna Take an Omer of it Just so much as was assigned to every one for his daily Bread v. 16. To be kept for your Generations For your Posterity in future Ages That they may see the Bread wherewith I have fed you c. For seeing with ones eyes saith Isaac Aramah mightily confirms a thing and leaves one in no doubt of it And he took care they should see both the Manna it self and the measure which he bountifully allowed to every one of them Ver. 33. And Moses said unto Aaron What God commanded Moses he now commands Aaron to do Take a Pot. He saith nothing of the matter of this Pot or Vrn which some say was an Earthen Pot others say of Lead Brass or Iron and Abarbinel thinks it was of Glass that one might see what was within But the Apostle hath setled this Controversie by calling it a Golden Pot IX Hebr. 4. and so do the LXX in this place And indeed all the Vessels of the Sanctuary being of Gold it was but reason that this which contained such a precious Monument of God's Mercy should be of the same Metal Lay it up before the LORD i.e. Before the Ark of the Testimony as it is explained in the next Verse Which shows that this Command was given after the building of the Tabernacle and is here mentioned because it belongs to the same matter which Moses relates in this Chapter Others suppose it was spoken by way of Prolepsis which seems not to me so probable Ver. 34. So Aaron laid it up When the Tabernacle was built Before the Testimony This is the same with before the LORD in the foregoing Verse For the Divine Glory dwelt between the Cherubims which were over the Ark which is commonly called the Ark of the Testimony XXX 6. XL. 3 5. But here and XXV 36. is simply called the Testimony by an Ellipsis or leaving out the first word which is very usual in other Instances For thus it is called the Ark of God's strength 2 Chron. VI. 41. but elsewhere the first word being omitted it is called only his strength LXXVIII Psalm 61. CV 4. And therefore the Ark is called the Testimony partly because there God gave them a special Token of his Dwelling among them and partly because the two Tables of Stone were in the Ark which are called the Testimony XL. 20. Where it is said Moses put the Testimony into the Ark and then immediately v. 21. he calls it the Ark of the Testimony Ver. 35. And the Children of Israel did eat Manna forty years Within a Month which wanted to make compleat forty years For it begun to fall just XXX days after they came out of Egypt on the XVth of April and ceased to fall on the XVth or XVIth of March the day after the Passover which they kept in the Fortieth year V Josh 11 12. Now in all Writers some days under or over are not wont to be considered when there is a round Number But there are those who fancy these words were put into this Book after Moses his death for which I can see no ground For it is certain he lived the greatest part of the Fortieth year after they came out of Egypt and brought them to the Borders of Canaan within sight of it I Dent. 3. XXXIV 1 2 c. And therefore may well be supposed to have added these words himself to this History as he did the foregoing v. 32. that all belonging to this matter might be put together in one place Vntil they came to a Land inhabited i. e. To Canaan or the Borders of it as it here follows For these words saith Aben-Ezra have respect to the Wilderness in which they now were which was not inhabited Vntil they came unto the Borders of the Land of Canaan That is saith he to Gilgal which was the Borders when they had passed over Jordan when they did eat of the Corn of the Land and had no
to thee and telling thee That now the LORD is presenting himself to thee And so we find he did XXXIV 6. And will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy This is the Substance of the words which he tells him he would proclaim after notice given of him of his coming to pass by him And their meaning is that he would dispense his Favours according to his own good pleasure as he did now to Moses unto whom he vouchsafed such a Revelation of himself as he did not make to others For thus he explains it XXXIV 6 7. where he tells him He would be very gracious patient and long-suffering unto some but punish severely the Iniquity of others Ver. 20. And he said Thou canst not see my face But as for thy request that I would make thee see my Glory in its full Splendor thou art not capable of it I know none that hath explained this whole matter better than R. Jehudah in Sepher Cosri P. IV. Sect. 3. For the Glory mentioned in Scripture there is one of such a nature that the Eyes of the Prophets could sustain it another all the Israelites saw as the Cloud and the consuming Fire but another so pure and bright to such an high degree that no Prophet is able to apprehend it but if he venture to look upon it his Composition is dissolved i. e. he dies Such was the Glory here spoken of a Splendor so great and piercing that none could behold it For there shall no man see me and live Accordingly we find when the SCHECHINAH or Divine Glory filled the Tabernacle Moses was not able to enter into it XL. 35. that is he could not with safety to his life look upon it And so it was after the Temple of Soloman was built and consecrated by Solemn Prayer to God The Glory of the LORD filled the House and the Priests could not enter into the House because the Glory of the LORD had filled the LORD's House 2 Chron. VII 1 2. From this Speech to Moses it is likely that Men in future times imagined they should die immediately when they saw only an Angel appear in such a high glittering manner that it amazed them Ver. 21. And the LORD said Behold there is a place by me It doth not plainly appear by the story from whence God now spake to Moses It is most likely from the Mount where he had long conversed with him Or if it was from the Tabernacle where his Glory appeared v. 9. and continued v. 11. that was not far from the Mount where he tells him he would make his Glory pass before him And thou shalt stand upon a Rock It is probable This was the Rock in Horeb where the LORD had formerly appeared to Moses XVII 6. Ver. 22. And it shall come to pass that while my Glory passeth by that I will put thee in a clift of the Rock Perhaps it was in one of the Clefts which was made in the Rock when God brought Water out of it LXXVIII Psal 15. into which he directed Moses For that is meant by putting him in the cleft showing him the place where he should be while the Divine Majesty passed by And I will cover thee with my hand c. That he might not be hurt by the splendour of that Glory as it passed by the Cleft This doth not certainly signifie that the Glory of the LORD appeared in an Human shape for Hands are ascribed to God in accommodation to us when nothing is meant but this invisible Power which now perhaps cast a Cloud about him that he might not be struck dead by the inconceivable brightness and force of those Rays which came from the Face of the Divine Majesty Ver. 23. And I will take away mine hand As soon as the Face as it is called v. 20. of the Divine Majesty was gone by him which it was impossible for him to behold and live he promises to remove that Cloud which covered him so that he should look upon the hinder Parts of his Glory though not upon the Face And thou shalt see my back parts In which the Glory of the Divine Majesty shone in a lower degree of Light which was not so piercing as to put out the Eyes and take away the Life of the Beholders And yet there was such a resplendent Brightness in it that Moses's Face shone when he came down from the sight of it XXXIV 29. For that lustre in his Countenance is to be ascribed in all probability to that sight which he had of the Divine Majesty at that time Some little Particles of Light remaining upon his Face and sticking to it if I may so speak from that exceeding great Splendour which shone upon him and passed before him as he lay in the hollow place of the Rock But my face shall not be seen My Glory in its full Lustre without any Vail before it cannot be seen See v. 20. There are many other Interpretations of this Verse as well as of the 18th and 19th Maimonides in his Book de Fundam Legis c. 1. n. 11. takes it thus God revealed that to Moses which no Man either before or after him ever knew he making him to apprehend something of his very Essence whereby God was separated in his Mind from all other Beings as a Man discerns another Man when he sees his back parts and by his Mind discerns his Proportions distinct from all other Men. But in his More Nevoch P. I. c. 21. he takes this Discovery to Moses to be the Knowledge God gave him of his Works and Attributes viz. those mentioned XXXIV 6. And thus Gregor Nazianzen Orat. XXXIV p. 559. expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Those things are the back Parts of God which are after him whereby he is known as the Sun is by its Image in the Water c. Upon which Elias Cretensis hath this ingenious gloss That the Face of God signifies his Essence before the beginning of the World and his hinder Parts his Creation and Providence in the Government of the World But Maimonides in the same place now mentioned acknowledges also that this may be interpreted according to the Targum That God made his Majesty that is an exceeding bright Representation of himself though not in its full Glory to pass before him Which Onkelos sometimes calls Jekara Glory sometimes Memra the Word and sometimes SCHECHINAH the Majesty Which seems to be the most litteral meaning that God himself particularly the Eternal WORD in a visible Glory or Majesty appeared unto him in so much Splendour as Human Nature was able to bear but not in his unvailed Brightness which is as the Apostle speaks inaccessible CHAP. XXXIV Verse 1. AND the LORD said unto Moses Having obtained a Promise of a Pardon for the People and of greater Favour to himself than had been hitherto shown him God directs him here to dispose things for
the performance of both How thee two Tables of stone like unto the first and I will write upon these Tables the words that were in the first Tables which thou brakest Every attentive Reader must needs observe the difference between the first Tables which Moses brake and those which he is now ordered to prepare For God did not only write his Laws with his own finger upon the first Tables but the Tables themselves also were the work of God XXXII 16. Whereas in these as Greg. Nyssen well expresses it de Vita Mosis p. 183. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The writing indeed was by the Divine Power but the matter of them framed by the hand of Moses So that at the same time God shewed he was reconciled he put them in mind that he had been offended and restored them to his favour with some abatement Ver. 2. And be ready in the morning On the XVIII day of July See XXXII 30. And come up in the morning unto Mount Sinai From whence God spake to the Israelites V Deut. 4 c. those very words which he intended to write upon the Tables He orders him to come up in the morning that all the People might see him ascend and carry the Tables with him And present thy self there to me in the top of the Mount Where the Divine Majesty appeared before in its Glory and where Moses stayed with him forty days and forty nights XIX 26. XXIV 17 18. Ver. 3. And no man shall come up with thee The same Precept is renewed which was given at his first ascent XXIV 1 2. Neither let any man be seen throughout the Mount XIX 12 21 c. Neither let the Flocks nor Herds feed before the Mount He seems to require their removal to such a distance that they should not be within view of the Divine Majesty By which means the People were naturally led to stand in greater awe of God and there was the less danger of any Beasts touching the Mount XIX 13. Ver. 4. And Moses hewed two Tables of stone c. These and the following words only declare that he did as God bad him v. 1 2. And took in his hand the two Tables of stone These he carried with him but the first Tables were given him when he came there XXIV 12. They seem to have been thin being no heavier than that he could carry them in one hand Ver. 5. And the LORD The SCHECHINAH or Divine Majesty called also the Glory of the LORD Descended in the Cloud Wherein it had been wont to appear from the beginning of their deliverance out of Egypt and had lately appeared to Moses in the Tabernacle XXXIII 9. when the Cloudy Pillar descended and stood at the door of it while the LORD talked with Moses there And it seems when that was done the Glory of the LORD in the Cloud went up again towards Heaven and now came down upon this occasion And stood with him there The Cloudy Pillar wherein the Glory of the LORD was rested upon the top of the Mount where Moses now was v. 2. And proclaimed the Name of the LORD Gave him notice of his Presence as he had promised XXXIII 19. and is more fully expressed in the next Verse Ver. 6. And the LORD passed by before him Which Onkelos translates the LORD made his Majesty to pass before him Which Exposition Maimonides acknowledges to be right and confirmed by the Scripture it self when it saith XXXIII 22. While my Glory passeth by c. which he confesses signifies not the Divine Essence it self but some created Splendour which no Eye was able to behold More Nevoch P. I. c. 21. And proclaimed As the Glory of the LORD passed by he heard a Voice proclaiming this Description of the Divine Nature The LORD Some joyn the next word to this as if the Voice said the LORD the LORD the more to awaken his Attention to mind what he heard See XXXIII 19. And this Name of his signifies his Self-Existence and his absolute Dominion over all Creatures which received their being from him See VI. 3. God The Hebrew word El signifies Strong and Mighty in one word his Irresistible Power Job IX 4. Merciful The word Rachum signifies that which we call tender Mercies such as Parents have to their Children when their Bowels yern towards them And gracious We call that Chaninah Grace or Favour saith Maimonides which we bestow upon any Man to whom we owe nothing XXXIII Gen. 5 11. And therefore God is here called Chanum Gracious with respect to those whom he created preserves and governs but is not obliged by any right to these things as his words are More Nevoch P. I. cap. 54. Long-suffering So slow to Anger that he doth not presently punish those that offend him but bears long with them Abundant in goodness The Hebrew word Chesed which we translate Goodness signifies as Maimonides saith More Nevoch P. III. cap. the excess and highest degree of any thing whatsoever it be but especially the greatest Benignity And therefore with the addition of rabh abundant denotes long continued Kindness as is more fully declared in the next Verse And truth Most faithful and constant to his Promises which he stedfastly keeps throughout all Generations The word abundant refers both to this and to his Benignity CXLVI Psal 6. Ver. 7. Keeping mercy for thousands The same word Chesed which before we translated Goodness we here translate Mercy and the Hebrews observing the â—etter Nun to be greater in the word Notzer keeping than is usual fancy that it denotes the immense Treasures of the Divine Bounty But the word thousands fully explains how abundant his Mercy is Forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin Here are three words to signifie all sorts of Offences which he passes by tell Men grow intollerably wicked But some distinguish them by making Iniquity signifie Offences against Men and Transgressions Offences against God himself and Sin all the Errours Childishnesses and Follies which Men are guilty of in the Conduct of themselves But they may as well signifie the Offences which were committed against the Moral Ceremonial and Political Laws And that will by no means clear the guilty These words according to Maimonides belong still to the loving kindness of God as all the foregoing do signifying that when he doth punish he will not utterly destroy and make desolate For so the Hebrew words Nakkeh lo Jenakkeh he thinks are to be litterally rendered in extirpating he will not extirpate as the word Nakah he observes is used III Isaiah 26. She shall sit desolate on the Earth And to the same sense these words are expounded by many Modern Interpreters particularly Lud. de Dieu When he empties he will not empty or make quite desolate For the Maxim of the Hebrew is as Maimonides there observes More Nevoch P. I. c. 54. that the property of Goodness far excels that of Severity For here being thirteen Properties of God mentioned I can
consider that this Nation is thy people I do not beg this meerly upon my own account but for those who have been redeemed by thee out of the Land of Egypt and have engaged themselves to be thine by a Solemn Covenant XXIV and now return unto thee by Repentance v. 6. Ver. 14. And he said My Presence shall go with thee In the Hebrew My face i. e. I my self as the LXX translate it My Majesty as the Chaldee He promises that is to continue with them as he had done hitherto and not meerly send an Angel to accompany them but to lead and guide them himself by the Pillar of the Cloud and his glorious Presence in the Tabernacle And I will give thee rest Some think these words are particularly spoken to Moses and signifie that God would give him ease in this Point and quiet his Spirit which was now very solicitous about his Departure from them by returning to them But as the foregoing words are a Promise that he would take the Conduct of the People again so is this that he would not leave them till he had brought them to their rest Ver. 15. And he said unto him If thy Presence go not with us Some translate the words for he i.e. Moses had said unto him i. e. to God if thy Presence c. So that these words and the following are the reason of God's Answer to him v. 14. And if they be not thus taken one would have expected Moses should rather have given God thanks for his gracious Promise than further pressed him to it But the 17th Verse doth not well agree with this and therefore these words are to be looked on only as part of what Moses said to God after his Promise that his Presence should go with him Which he acknowledged to be the greater favour because otherwise he had rather never stir from the place where they now were Carry us not up hence Let us go no further if thou thy self dost not lead and guide us in our way Ver. 16. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight How shall all the People round about us be convinced that we are not abandoned by thee in this Wilderness Is it not in that thou goest with us Is not this the great Demonstration of it that thou leadest us in a Pillar of Cloud and Fire Day and Night So shall we be separated I and thy people from all the people that are upon the face of the Earth This will distinguish us while it continues with us from all other People whatsoever none of which have such a Token of thy Presence with them The Manna indeed continued all this time to descend for their Sustenance which was a miraculous food but it might have been ascribed to other Causes if this glorious Token of God's Presence had not still appeared among them Ver. 17. And the LORD said unto Moses I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken Distinguish you from all other People not only by leading you in a Pillar of Cloud and Fire but dwelling among you as I designed XXV 8. For thou hast found grace in my sight and I know thee by name He owns Moses still to be most acceptable and dear to him as he had been v. 12. and therefore at his Intercession promises to be perfectly reconciled and return to his People Ver. 18. And he said I beseech thee Having obtained so much favour of God he presumes to ask something beyond all this but with all humility Shew me thy Glory In the Hebrew the word is hareni make me to see to signifie apprehend with the understanding not with the bodily eye More Nevoch P. I. c. 4. For by Glory he there understands cap. 54. the Divine Essence which he makes Moses to be desirous to apprehend which is not likely such a Man as he should think possible For thus he explains himself in his Book de Fundamentis Legis c. 1. n. 10. Moses desired to know the truth of the Divine Essence as one Man knows another whose Face he beholds and his Image is so engraven in his Mind that he Exists there distinguished from all other Men So he begs that the Divine Essence might be distinct in his Mind from all other Essences till he knew the truth of it as it is in it self But he confesses in another place of that Book cap. 64. That by the Glory of the LORD is many times understood a created Light or Splendor whereby God miraculously set forth his Majesty XXIV 26. and other places And I can see no reason why it should not so signifie here and the meaning be That he desired to see that glorious Presence or Face of God as it is called which he promised should go with them not vailed in a Cloud but in its full Splendor and Majesty For hearing him speak from the SCHECHINAH he supposed perhaps that God appeared therein in some visible shape which he desired to be acquainted withal To confirm this it is observable that God himself in his Answer to Moses calls this Glory his Face v. 20. as he had done v. 14 15. And thus R. Jehudah in the Book Cosri Pars IV. Sect. 3. towards the latter end of it seems to have understood it See upon v. 29. Ver. 19. And he said I will make all my goodness pass before thee Which Maimonides thinks signifies his making Moses to understand the Nature of all Creatures and how they are knit and united together and after what manner they are governed both in general and particular because when God had made all his Works he saw that they were very good I Gen. 31. But that Text is a very slender ground for such an Interpretation The LXX seem to come nearer to the matter who interpret this passage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will pass before thee with my Glory That is he promises to give him a Transient view of his Glory while it passed by him v. 22. though it could not be seen in its full Majesty And then the word tobhi which we translate my goodness must rather be rendred my beauty it being the same with glory only a softer word to express such a degree of its Splendor as would not hurt him but be delightful to him And thus the word tobh is used in the second Chapter of this Book v. 2. and 1 Sam. IX 2. Or if this be not the meaning all his goodness must signifie his gracious Intentions concerning the Children of Israel to whom he assures him he would fulfil all his Promises which was sufficient for him to know And I will proclaim the Name of the LORD before thee The LXX seem to have understood this right when they translated it I will call to thee by my Name saying the LORD is before thee That is lest when I pass by thee thou shouldst not observe it I will admonish thee by a Voice calling