Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/285

Rh The heads of the houses of three of the tribes are here named, agreeing with the accounts we had, Gen. 46. Dr. Lightfoot thinks that Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, are thus dignified here by themselves for this reason; because they three were left under marks of infamy by their dying father, Reuben for his incest, and Simeon and Levi for their murder of the Shechemites; and therefore Moses would put this particular honour upon them, to magnify God's mercy in their repentance and remission, as a pattern to them that should afterward believe: the two first, rather, seem to be mentioned only for the sake of a third, which was Levi, from whom Moses and Aaron descended, and all the priests of the Jewish church. Thus was the tribe of Levi distinguished betimes. Observe here,

1. That Kohath, from whom Moses and Aaron, and all the priests, derived their pedigree, was a younger son of Levi, v. 16. Note, The grants of God's favours do not go by seniority of age, and priority of birth, but the divine sovereignty often prefers the younger before the elder, so crossing hands.

2. That the ages of Levi, Kohath, and Amram, the father, grandfather, and great-grandfather of Moses, are here recorded; they all lived to a great age, Levi to 137, Kohath to 133, and Amram to 137; Moses himself came much short of them, and fixed 70 or 80 for the ordinary stretch of human life: (Ps. 90. 10.) for now that God's Israel was multiplied, and become a great nation, and divine revelation was by the hand of Moses committed to writing, and no longer trusted to tradition, the two great reasons for the long lives of the patriarchs ceased, and therefore from henceforward fewer years must serve men.

3. That Aaron married Elisheba, (the same name with that of the wife of Zecharias, Elizabeth, as Miriam the same with Mary,) daughter of Amminadab, one of the chief of the fathers of the tribe of Judah; for the tribes of Levi and Judah often intermarried, v. 23.

4. It must not be omitted that Moses has recorded the marriage of his father Amram with Jochebed his own aunt; (v. 20.) and it appears by Numb. 26. 59, that it must be taken strictly for his father's own sister, at least by the half blood: this marriage was afterward forbidden, as incestuous, (Lev. 18. 12.) which might be looked upon as a blot upon his family, though before that law; yet Moses does not conceal it, for he sought not his own praise, but wrote with a sincere regard to truth, whether it smiled or frowned upon him.

5. He concludes it with a particular mark of honour on the persons he was writing of, though himself was one of them, v. 26, 27. These are that Moses and Aaron, whom God pitched upon to be his plenipotentiaries in this treaty. These were they whom God spake to, (v. 26.) and who spake to Pharaoh on Israel's behalf, v. 27. Note, Communion with God and serviceableness to his church, are things that, above any other, put true honour upon men. Those are great indeed whom God converses with, and whom he employs in his service. Such were that Moses and Aaron; and something of this honour have all his saints, who are made to our God kings and priests.

In the close of the chapter, he returns to his narrative, which he had broken off from somewhat abruptly, (v. 13.) and repeats (1.) The charge God had given him to deliver his message to Pharaoh; (v. 29.) Speak all that I say unto thee, as a faithful ambassador. Note, Those that go on God's errand, must not shun to declare the whole counsel of God. (2.) His objection against it, v. 30. Note, Those that have at any time spoken unadvisedly with their lips, ought often to reflect upon it with regret, as Moses seems to do here.

CHAP. VII. In this chapter, the dispute between God and Moses finishes, and Moses pallies himself to the execution of his commission, in obedience to God's command, v. 1..7. II. The dispute between Moses and Pharaoh begins, and a famous trial of skill it was; Moses, in God's name, demands Israel's release; Pharaoh denies it. The contest is between the power of the great God, and the power of a proud prince; and it will be found, in the issue, that when God judgeth, he will overcome. 1. Moses confirms the demand he had made to Pharaoh, by a miracle, turning his rod into a serpent; but Pharaoh hardens his heart against this conviction, v. 8..13. 2. He chastises his disobedience by a plague, the first of the ten, turning the waters into blood; but Pharaoh hardens his heart against this correction, v. 14..25.

ND the said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. 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, 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 commanded them, so did they. 7. And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.

Here,

I. God encourages Moses to go to Pharaoh, and, at last, silences all his discouragements. (1.) He clothes him with great power and authority; (v. 1.) I have made thee a god to Pharaoh, that is, my representative in this affair, as magistrates are called gods, because they are God's vicegerents. He was authorized to speak and act in God's name and stead, and, under the divine direction, was endued with a divine power, to do that which is above the ordinary power of nature, and invested with a divine authority to demand obedience from a sovereign prince, and punish disobedience. Moses was a god, but he was only a made god, not essentially one by nature; he was no god but by commission. He was a god, but he was only a god to Pharaoh; the living and true God is God to all the world. It is an instance of God's condescension, and an evidence that his thoughts towards us are thoughts of peace, that when he treats with men, he treats by men, whose terror shall not make us afraid. (2.) He again nominates him an assistant, his brother Aaron, who was not a man of uncircumcised lips, but a notable spokesman; "He shall be thy prophet," that is, "he shall speak from thee to Pharaoh, as prophets do from God to the children of men. Thou shalt, as a god, inflict and remove the plagues, and Aaron as a prophet, shall denounce them, and threaten Pharaoh with them." (3.) He