Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/280

248 same work, should use a mutual freedom, and endeavour rightly and fully to understand one another.

III. How the elders of Israel met him in faith and obedience: when Moses and Aaron first opened their commission in Egypt, said what they were ordered to say, and, to confirm that, did what they were ordered to do, they met with a better reception than they promised themselves, v. 29..31. 1. The Israelites gave credit to them; the people believed, as God had foretold, (ch. 3. 18.) knowing that no man could do those works that they did, unless God were with him. They gave glory to God, they bowed their heads and worshipped; therein expressing not only their humble thankfulness to God, who had raised them up and sent them a deliverer, but also their cheerful readiness to observe orders, and pursue the methods of their deliverance.

CHAP. V. Moses and Aaron are here dealing with Pharaoh, to get leave of him to go worship in the wilderness. I. They demand leave in the name of God, (v. 1.) and he answers their demand with a defiance of God, v. 2. II. They beg leave in the name of Israel, (v. 3.) and he answers their request with further orders to oppress Israel, v. 4..9. These cruel orders were, 1. Executed by the taskmasters, v. 10..14. 2. Complained of to Pharaoh, but in vain, v. 15..19. 3. Complained of by the people to Moses, (v. 20, 21.) and by him to God, v. 22, 23.

ND afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. 2. And Pharaoh said, Who is the, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the, neither will I let Israel go.

Moses and Aaron, having delivered their message to the elders of Israel, with whom they found good acceptance, are now to deal with Pharaoh, to whom they come in peril of their lives; Moses particularly, who perhaps was outlawed for killing the Egyptian forty years before, so that if any of the old courtiers should happen to remember that against him now, it might have cost him his head; however, the message itself was displeasing, and touched Pharaoh, both in his honour and in his profit, two tender points; yet these faithful ambassadors boldly deliver their errand, whether he will hear, or whether he will forbear.

1. Their demand is piously bold; (v. 1.) Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go. Moses, in treating with the elders of Israel, is directed to call God the God of their fathers; but, in treating with Pharaoh, they call him the God of Israel, and it is the first time we find him called so in scripture: he is called the God of Israel, the person, (Gen. 33. 20.) but here it is Israel, the people. They are just beginning to be formed into a people, when God is called their God. Moses, it is likely, was directed to call him so, at least, it might be inferred from ch. 4. 22, Israel is my son. In this great name they deliver their message, Let my people go. (1.) They were God's people, and therefore Pharaoh ought not to detain them in bondage. Note, God will own his people, though ever so poor and despicable, and will find a time to plead their cause. "The Israelites are slaves in Egypt, but they are my people," says God, "and I will not suffer them to be always trampled upon." See Isa. 52. 4, 5. (2.) He expected services and sacrifices from them, and therefore they must have leave to go where they could freely exercise their religion, without giving offence to, or receiving offence from, the Egyptians. Note, God delivers his people out of the hand of their enemies, that they may serve him cheerfully; that they may hold a feast to him; which they may do, while they have his favour and presence, even in a wilderness, a dry and barren land.

2. Pharaoh's answer is impiously bold; (v 2.) Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice? Being summoned to surrender, he thus hangs out the flag of defiance, hectors Moses and the God that sends him, and peremptorily refuses to let Israel go; he will not treat about it, nor so much as bear the mention of it.

Observe, (1.) How scornfully he speaks of the God of Israel; "Who is Jehovah? I neither know him, nor care for him; neither value him, nor fear him:" it is a hard name that he never heard before, but he resolves it shall be no bugbear to him. Israel was now a despised oppressed people, looked on as the tail of the nation, and by the character they bore, Pharaoh makes his estimate of their God, and concludes that he made no better a figure among the gods, than his people did among the nations. Note, [1.] Hardened persecutors are more malicious against God himself, than they are against his people. See Isa. 37. 23. [2.] Ignorance and contempt of God are at the bottom of all the wickedness that is in the world. Men know not the Lord, or have very low and mean thoughts of him, and therefore they obey not his voice, nor will let any thing go for him.

(2.) How proudly he speaks of himself; "That I should obey his voice; I, the king of Egypt, a great people, obey the God of Israel, a poor enslaved people? Shall I, that rule the Israel of God, obey the God of Israel? No, it is below me, I scorn to answer his summons." Note, They are the children of pride, that are the children of disobedience, Job 41. 34. Eph. 5, 6. Proud men think themselves too good to stoop even to God himself, and would not be under control, Jer. 43. 2. Here is the core of the controversy, God must rule, but man will not be ruled: "I will have my will done;" says God; "But I will do my own will," says the sinner.

(3.) How resolutely he denies the demand, Neither will I let Israel go. Note, Of all sinners none are so obstinate, nor so hardly persuaded to leave their sin, as persecutors are.

3. And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword. 4. And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? Get you unto your burdens. 5. And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and you make them rest from their burdens. 6. And Pharaoh commanded the same day the task-masters of the people, and their officers, saying, 7. Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8. And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, you shall lay upon them; you shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. 9. Let there more work be laid