The Second Book of Moses, called Exodus
Exodus 3
Chapter III · Vol. I, pp. 300–302
1 Moses keepeth Jethro's flock. 2 God appeareth to him in a burning bush. 7 He sendeth him to deliver Israel. 11 Moses inquireth, and is told the name of God. 15 God's message to Israel.
1 NOW Moses a kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the back-side of the desert, and came to the b mountain of God, even to Horeb.3
B.C. 1492.
a ch. 2.16,21. Ps. 78.70,71. Lu. 2.8. Am. 1.1; 7.14,15.
b ver. 5,12; ch. 18.5; 19.3,11; 24.15-17. 1 Ki. 19.8.
3 It would seem from a careful examination and comparison of several passages that Horeb was a name given to a group of mountains, while Sinai was the specific name of one prominent and noted peak. This peak, however, gave its name to a district, Ex. 19.1,2. It should also be noted that the names Horeb and Sinai are more than once interchanged, and are given to the same mountain.—P.
2 And the c Angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the d bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, f Moses, Moses! And he said, Here am I.
5 And he said, g Draw not nigh hither: h put off thy shoes from off thy feet; for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.4
g ch. 19.12,21.
4 In the East the shoes are always taken off on entering a mosque, church, or other sacred building; and even on entering a room. Where a gentleman would take off his hat in England, an Eastern, whether male or female, would take off the shoes. To facilitate this operation loose over-shoes are worn by the higher classes. P.—The eastern shoe, or sandal, was so constructed as to be easily removed, like the European slipper. In eastern countries, to take off the shoe, both in ancient and modern times, closely corresponds with the European custom of taking off the hat.—To render a place, a garment, or a vessel, or other inanimate object, holy, signified to set it apart from its common use to the service of God.—C.
6 Moreover he said, i I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses k hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
i Mat. 22.32. Ac. 7.32. Ge. 17.7,8. ver. 14, 15; ch. 4.5.
k Ac. 7.32. Ge. 17.3. 1 Ki. 19.13. Is. 6.2,5. Lu. 5.8. He. 12.21. Da. 10.7, 8. Mat. 17.7. Re. 1.17.
7 And the LORD said, I have surely l seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
l ch. 2.25. Ac. 7.34. Ge. 29.32. 1 Sa. 9.16. Ps. 106.44.
8 And I am m come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto n a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
A.M. 2512. B.C. 1492.
m Ge. 11.5; 15.14; 18.21; 46.4; 50.24. Is. 64.1. Ps. 18.9-19; 12.5; 22.4,5; 91.15.
n Ge. 15.18-21; 13.14,15. De. 1.7; 11.9,24; 8.7-9; 26.9. ch. 13.5; 33.2,3; 23.23-31; 34.11. Ne. 9.22-25. Ps. 44.2,3; 66.12; 78.54,55; 80.8,9; 105.44. Eze. 20.6,15.
9 Now therefore, behold, the o cry of the children of Israel is come unto me; and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
o See ch. 2.23; ver. 7.
10 Come now therefore, and I will p send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
p Ac. 7.34-36. Ps. 105.26; 77.20. Mi. 6.4. Is. 63.11,12. ch. v.-xiv. 1 Sa. 12.6. Ho. 12.13.
11 And Moses said unto God, q Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?5
q ch. 6.12; 4.10-13. Je. 1.6. 1 Sa. 18.18. 2 Sa. 7.18. 1 Ki. 3.7,9. 2 Co. 2.16; 3.5.
5 The impartiality of the sacred historian in recording his own infirmities, errors, and transgressions in this and the several succeeding verses, peculiarly deserves our attention. Moses narrates the various objections which his unbelief made to the divine call, and his presumption and obstinacy in adhering to them, notwithstanding all that God condescended to say in reply. This openness and impartiality seems to be peculiar to the inspired writers, of which we have many examples, such as Samuel recording his own mistakes to the chosen of God in the family of Jesse, and the reproofs he received from God on that account; and, likewise, John the Divine states the great danger he was in of falling into idolatry by worshipping an angel, and the check he received from the heavenly messenger; and many others, which will occur to the mind of the attentive reader.
12 And he said, Certainly r I will be with thee: and this shall be a s token unto thee that I have sent thee; When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, t ye shall serve God upon this mountain.
r Jos. 1.5. Is. 41.10, 13; 43.2. Ro. 8.31. He. 13.5. Ge. 15.1.
s As Is. 7.14; 37.30. Je. 43.9,10; 51.63,64. Ps. 86.17. Ge. 15.8. ch. 4.1-9. Ju. 6.17, 21, 36-40; 7.11,13,14.
13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
14 And God said unto Moses, u I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
u Re. 1.4,8. He. 13.8. Jn. 8.58. ch. 6.3. 2 Co. 1.20. Job 11.7.
15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, x The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my y memorial unto all generations.
x Ge. 17.7,8. ver. 6; ch. 4.5. Mat. 22.32.
y Ho. 12.5. Ps. 135.13; 102.12. He. 13.8. Mal. 3.6.
16 Go and gather the z elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely a visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:
17 And I have said, b I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.
b Ge. 15.14, 18-21. See ver. 8.
18 And they shall c hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath d met with us; and now let us go, we beseech thee, threee days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.6
c ch. 4.31; ver. 16.
d ch. 5.3. Nu. 23.3,4, 15,16. Ge. 48.3; 12.1; 15.1; 17.1.
e ver. 12; ch. 7.16; 8.27; 9.1. Je. 2.2,6.
6 There is no attempt at, or countenance of, deception here. This moderate request was in the first instance to be made to Pharaoh, so that in refusing he might be left without excuse. The request implied that the Israelites must be completely out of Egypt—away from the idols, the temples, the pollutions of the land, and the evil and restraining influences of the people—ere they could worship Jehovah freely and acceptably.—P.
19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, f no, not by a mighty hand.
f Or, but by strong hand, ch. 6.1; vii.-xiv. Ps. 136.11,12. Je. 32.20. Is. 63.12,13.
20 And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and g after that he will let you go.
g Ge. 15.14. Ju. 6.8; 8.16. Is. 26.11. ch. vii.-xii. Ps. 105.38.
21 And I will give this people h favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:
h ch. 11.3; 12.36. Ps. 106.46. Ge. 39.21. Pr. 16.7.
22 Buti every woman shall borrow7 of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall k spoil the Egyptians.
i ch. 11.2; 12.35. Ge. 15.14. Ps. 105.37.
7 Biblical critics and commentators are generally agreed in considering the word borrow as a maltranslation; the proper meaning of the Hebrew term shaal being 'to ask, or to solicit, or to demand;' and it is so understood in every other version but our own.—See note on this verse, foot of the page.
k Eze. 39.10. Job 27.17. Pr. 13.22. Is. 33.1.
Notes
Ver. 1. Horeb or Sinai was called the mount of God, as he at this time appeared on it, and soon after proclaimed his laws from it, ch. xix. xx.—[Horeb. Sinai and Horeb were the names of two eminences of the same mountain range. C.]
Ver. 2. This flame represented the awful majesty, perfect purity, and infinite power of God. The bush burning and not consumed, denotes the church of God, and particularly the Israelites, in their state debased, exposed, persecuted, and afflicted; but preserved by the presence and power of God, Jn. 16. 33; Ac. 14. 22. Ps. 46. 1-5. But perhaps it chiefly prefigured the Godhead as dwelling in the manhood of Christ; and the terrible execution of divine justice upon him, while he was preserved by his Godhead, and his Father's residence in him, Jn. 1. 14; Col. 2. 9; 1 Ti. 3. 16; Is. liii.; 2 Co. 5. 19, 21.—[The Angel of the Lord. That God is essentially 'invisible' is the revealed doctrine of Scripture, 1 Ti. 1. 17, and, when his infinity is considered, must be the deduction of reason. Yet to deny God the power of rendering himself visible were to limit both his omnipotence and his wisdom. Nay, it were to deny to God the capacity that he has actually bestowed upon the spirit of man; which, though invisible to the eye, makes its presence, its will, and its excellence visible by spirit and action in a body. On this occasion God renders himself visible by a flame of fire, by speech, promise, and command; and this appearance is called 'the Angel of the Lord,' ver. 2; 'JEHOVAH,' and 'God,' ver. 4; and the 'God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,' and 'God,' ver. 6. Now, it is declared, Jn. 1. 18, 'No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared (educed) him.' Therefore, this manifestation of the invisible God was 'the WORD that was with God, and was God.' C.]
Ver. 5. The pulling off his shoes marked with what holiness, humility, and reverence we ought to approach unto God.—The ground was holy, was occasionally consecrated by the special manifestation of God thereon.
Ver. 6. God was the God of Abraham, &c. He was engaged to them by manifold promises, which he was now come to perform.
Ver. 7. I have seen, &c. I have kindly observed, mercifully regarded, and pitied their misery.
Ver. 8. I am about to manifest my infinite power and condescension in their deliverance.—A land flowing with milk and honey, is one abounding with necessary and agreeable productions.
Ver. 12. In the view of this solemn fellowship with me, encourage yourself to promote this deliverance.
Ver. 13. Which of these names should I use, that they may be most encouraged to expect the deliverance?—[The names by which God revealed himself to his people in primeval times were descriptive of the attributes—of power, mercy, &c.—which he was about specially to manifest. At creation he was Elohim, the 'God of power;' to Abraham in a strange land he was El-Shaddai, 'God Almighty;' to Melchizedek he was El-Elyon, 'The Most High,' far above all other gods. Moses now asked for a name that would represent the aspect in which God was about to appear to Israel. P.]
Ver. 14. I am that I am, I am the Fountain of being, eternally and unchangeably existing in, of, from, and by myself.—[Moses having asked God by what name he would declare him to the Israelites, God gives the name Ehyeh, 'I am.' It signifies the self-existent, eternal, and immutable God. It signifies immutability exhibited especially in the fulfilment of promises after a long and almost hopeless interval. This was the character God was now about to manifest to the Israelites. Hence he said to Moses, 'Ehyeh is what I am,' that is, 'Ehyeh is my name:'—'Thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ehyeh hath sent me unto you.' The translation in the English version of what is in reality a proper name obscures the sense. P.]
Ver. 15. This is my character, whereby I will be remembered, owned, and served by my people, and distinguished from all others.
Ver. 19. Notwithstanding manifold plagues inflicted on his kingdom, he will not let you go but by mere constraint.
Ver. 22. The word here rendered borrow signifies merely to ask: it was no sin thus to ask the Egyptians' property. God, the original and supreme proprietor of all things, commanded it. The Egyptians had forfeited their right by their wickedness, with respect to him. Hereby, too, he, as a righteous Judge, ordered payment of their wages to the Hebrews, who had been defrauded.—[Borrow. This statement has often become the butt of the infidel's arrow, on the ignorant supposition that the God of the Hebrews meditated, planned, and approved robbery, under pretence of borrowing. The passage obtains a triumphant defence upon two principles. 1. The word translated borrow, simply signifies to ask. 2. Let the objector reflect how long Israel had served Egypt, in a state of cruel and unremunerated slavery; and then say, were all the treasures of Egypt sufficient to pay them reasonable wages? He that buys a slave has some pretence (and but a pretence) to use him as his property, and render him nothing beyond food and raiment; but he that makes a freeman a slave, as Pharaoh did, has not even that pretence. Let it be farther remembered, that the Hebrews were, at this period, not merely field-labourers, but practical architects (ch. 5. 14), and accomplished artisans (ch. 31. 3-6; 35. 30-35); and the amount of wages due will be still farther increased, and the 'spoiling of the Egyptians' such an act of common justice as an upright judge, in modern times, would inflict upon any one refusing to pay his servant's wages. C.]
Reflections.—However long God seem to neglect, he will visit me at last. Let me therefore attend to my lawful calling, however mean, expecting his countenance in the way of my duty. If I desire solemn fellowship with him, let me retire from the world, and inquire into what he hath revealed. Let me always approach his presence with strong faith, holy awe, clean hands, and a pure heart. Let me, with joy and wonder, behold him as in Christ crucified, and as present in his church, to preserve her in her hottest troubles. Let me trust in him as my own and my father's God, and rejoice in the firmness and perpetuity of his new-covenant relations to us. Let me admire his mercy and wisdom in appearing for the salvation of his people, when they have given over looking for him; and let me firmly hope, that, whatever be the unworthiness of the object, the weakness of the instrument, or the wickedness or power of the opposer, the Lord will exactly fulfil the promises of his grace. O may I have this great I am to do all for me, give all to me, and be all in all unto me! May I in everything study to have his call cleared up and certified to me! May I receive my directions from him, what I shall say or do! May I labour after faithfulness in my work; and then, leaving it to the Lord, he will succeed my endeavours, and graciously reward me on their account; and the wrongs done to me in this world will be all rectified at last!