A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1

George Rawlinson [1812-1902] · 322,442 words · 351 reading sections

SECTION 301

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 301

EXPOSITION. Vers. 40--42.-The narrative of the depar- twice repeated, so the.t uthe mistake of a ture from Egypt is follawed, not unnaturally, copyist" is almost impossible. by a notification of the length of the sojourn, Ver. 40.-The sojourning of the ohildren which is declared to he.ve been a. space of of Israel, w…

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SECTION 302

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 302

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 40-43.-The Exodus. View it in three lights. I. As AN EMANCIPATION OF SLA VEB. God is the sworn foe of the slave-holder. Only in a very modified sense was slavery tolerated in Israel; and the laws were such as gradually to undermine the system. Historica.lly, God's religion has prove…

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SECTION 303

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 303

may havo been to mo.rk the unity of the Ver, 50.-Thus did all the children of Church in Christ thnt his bones were not Isro.el - i. e., the Israelites, at their fust broken, and in view especinlly of that unity, po.ssover, e.cted in e.ccordance with these pre- that the type was mnde to correspond in this cepts, especia…

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SECTION 304

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 304

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 43-51.-The spirit of the Passover ordi-nance. The features to be specified reappe!lr in the Lord's Supper. The ordinance was- 1. ExcLUSIYE. (Vers. 43, 45, 48.) A stranger, an uncircumcised person, and a hired t!ervant, were not to be permitted to eat of it. Their relation to Israe…

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SECTION 305

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 305

them, and u.lso the first-born of beeats, BB His of "greenness," or of "green ears of corn" own. The clean beasts bec11me his by sacri• would be both appropriate and intelligible. ' flee ; but the unclean ones could not be Ver. 5.-The land of the Canaanites, ctc Compare eh. iii. 8, 17. The six no.tions of 1imil11rly t…

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SECTION 306

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 306

rather be m·gcd in its favour. The Egyptia.n agreeable to the Egyptian monuments, by practice of wee.ring I\S amulets " forms of which the camel appears to have been rara words "Titten on folds of papyrns tightly in Egypt at this time, e.nd the horse e.s yet rolled up e.nd sewn in linen ' (Wilkirumn's me.inly used for…

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SECTION 307

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 307

the priests. Christians C(lnnot do this. Though some of their sons may ultimately have 11, call to the ministry, this will not be the case with all, and they must act aR if H would not bo the case with any. 'fhey must take their children back to their houses, give them o. secular education, and prepare them in most ins…

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SECTION 308

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 308

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. 'Vers. 1-3, 11-17.-The sanctifioo,tion of tlie first-born. This command has its basis in the fa.et that on the night when God executed his tremendous jud,,"lllent against Egypt, the :first-born of Israel was spared. Because this great mercy had been shown to israel, the first-born of ma…

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SECTION 309

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 309

Yors. 3-11.-"Remember this day." The exhortation in these verses may very well bo applied to Christians. They are to remember the fact and the might of their redemption. They a.re to commemorate it by observance of appointed ordinances. They are to beware of forgetting it in days of prosperity. They are to show their r…

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SECTION 310

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 310

II. ~n's DEMA'll'D. 1. His cle.im upon the siwed life: "It is mine." (1) Ilia right to our service. He bas bought us with a great price. (2) His delight in us. We nre a t-r<",nsure and a joy to him. Because he loved us he ge.ve Christ to die for us. 2. 'l'ho lifo which Christ has redeemed is to be set apart for God (Ro…

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SECTION 311

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 311

EXPOSITION. Ver. 17-20.-TBE DIRECTION OF THE JOUR- not determine their own route ; and 2, God NEY,-The direct road from Tanis to Palestine would not lead them by the direct route, -a road much frequented under the nineteenth because it would have conducted them tl) the dynasty-lay a.long the coast of the Mediter- Phil…

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SECTION 312

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 312

HOMILETICS. Vers. 18-21.-It i,s the method of the Divine action to accomplish ends by ctrcuitous means. God "led the Israelites about." Instead of conducting them straight from Tanis t.o Canaan in the course of six or seven days, he carried them down nearly to the furthest point of the Sinaitic peninsula, at least tw…

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SECTION 313

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 313

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AU'l'HORS. , ers. 17-21.-" The way of the wilderness by the Red Sea." The direct road t.o Canaan lay through the land of the Philistines. God, however, did not lead the peopla by this way, but round by the Red Sea. "For God said, Lest r.radventure the peopla repent when they see war, and they re…

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SECTION 314

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 314

would have provml too much for them. They must be allowed time to aather exporionco, to throw off the habits of their servitude, to be brought under discipli~e for war, to acquire steadiness and courage in facing an enemy. Led up against the Philis- tines in their presont undisciplined condition, they would have fled a…

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SECTION 315

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 315

III. A HINT OF THE RESURRECTION. Whence this care of Joseph for the bestowal of his bones? 'What matters it-it may be asked-where the dust is laid, if only the a;piri t is secure? In one way it matters ,•ery little, though affection naturally inspires the wish to sleep beside one's kindred. 'l'h(ll'0 may have been more…

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SECTION 316

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 316

IIOMILETICS. Vers. 21, 22.-Gorl'.~ guidance of his people. The Israelites had quitted Egypt, had broken off from their old life, were about to plunge into that wild waste of sand and rock which separates Africa from Asia by an almost impassable barrier. If they took the northern line of march, they would come upon the…

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SECTION 317

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 317

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 21, 22.-The fiery-cloudy pillar. The visible pillar is no longer beheld, but God's fiery-cloudy presence still attends the Church in her wanderings, and confers upon her benefits analogous to those enjoyed by the ancient people. God's presence, as manifested in the pillar of cloud…

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SECTION 318

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 318

"lu the time of trouble shall ho hide me in his pavilion; in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me" (Pe. xxvii, 5). IV. Gummo, 'l'he pillar went before the camp of Israel "to lead them the way " (cf. Deut. i. 33). The cloud pointed the way in the daytime, the fire by night. The Church and the individual believ…

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SECTION 319

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 319

EXPOSITION. CIIAPTER XIV. or "turn aside," and is translated here d1ro• <rTp/1/,a.v'Tua.nd not a.va.crTpe,j,a.vres by the Vers. 1-4. - THE DIRECTION 01!' THE LXX. Dr. Brugsch supposes that the turn JOURNEY CHANGED. Hitherto the ma.rch of made was to the north, and the " sea " reached the Israelites had been to the s…

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SECTION 320

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 320

HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-4. GorJ)s trials of His faithful ones. .All hitherto had gone well with the departing Israelites. The Egyptians indeed had "thrust them out "-had hurried their departure--had felt insecure till they were beyond the borders. But they haa freely given of their treasures to speed the parting guests, a…

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SECTION 321

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 321

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1--.:.--.The command to encamp by the sea. These verses introduce the narra- tive of what tne Lord "did in the Red Sea" (Num. xxL 14), when his people" passed through . . . as by dry land ; which the Egyptians, assaying to do, were drowned " (Reh. ::tl. 2S). This crossing of the R…

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SECTION 322

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 322

how this was to be accomplished. Ordinary fords were out of the question for so vaat a multitude, Hemmed in by the mountains, with an impassable stretch of water in front, and no way of escape from an enemy bearing down upon them from behind, the Egyptian king might well judge their situation to be a hopeless one. Yet …

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SECTION 323

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 323

,.er11. 1-12.-Jsmcl stricken with terror by reason of a, delivemnce not yet completed. It is plain that the Israelites, going out of Egypt in such circumstances as they did, must have gone out in a state of great exhilaration, almost beside themselves with joy at such a complete reversal of all their past experience…

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SECTION 324

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 324

A catastrophe of tho Red Sea magnitude harl to come, and the sooner it now came, the better. Israol ho.cl dangers onough in front and within; from Amalekites, Amoritcs, Canaanitos, and all the rest of their opponents; from their own character, their :>wn depravity, blindness of heart, sensuality, and idolatrous disposi…

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SECTION 325

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 325

EXPOSITION. Vers. 5-9.-TJm PURSUIT OP lsRAEL BY placing as much distance as they could be- TllE EGYPTIANS. A short respite from suffer- tween themselves and the Egyptian head- ing ,..-w; snfficient to enable Pharaoh to recover quarters. But this report a.Ione would scarcely from his extreme a.1a.rm. No further deat…

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SECTION 326

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 326

HOMILETICS. Ver. 5.-The good resolutions of the worldly are short-lived. By a long series of judgments, culminating in the destruction of all the first-born both of man and beast throughout his whole territory, Pharaoh had been brought down from his original hardness and pride, had acknowledged God's hand, and allowed…

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SECTION 327

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 327

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 5-10.-The pttrS'/J,it " It was told the King of Egypt tha.t the people :fled," etc. Consider :- I. THE MOTIVl!:S OF THE PUllSUlT. The motives were va.rious. 1. Pharaoh had alrea,dy repented of hauing let the pecple go (ver. 5). Their departure was a sore humiliation to him. Wound…

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The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 328

waR called into requisition. "All the horses o.nd chariots of Pho.mob, and his horsemen and his army" (ver. 9). Pharaoh, at the head of this glorious cavalcade, amidst thi~ sheen of weapons, must have folt himself a greater man, and would wonder anew how he could have been so befooled as to let bis slaves depart. And l…

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SECTION 329

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 329

Ver. 8.--Jehovah liardening Pharaoh's he,a,rt. I. NoTicE THE EMPHASIS WITH wmoa 'l'HIB FAOT IB STATED. The hardening of Pharaoh's he9.rt is mentioned, not in one place only, but in many. If it were mentioned in one place only, it might be in some doubtful way, such as would excuse us for passing it over without much…

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The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 330

evidence there was of God's presence, and next, what consistency there wa8 with hie acknowledged dealings. It is only too plain that Pharaoh's heart was hardened, that he became ever more settled in his resolution to keep hold of Israel as long as he could. But when we are told that God hardened Pharaoh's heart, then w…

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SECTION 331

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 331

tion, this will-energy, and do with it, as we know that Jesus in me.ny of his miracles did with defective or absent faculties? To the blind, Jesus gave vision, and he who could thus ca.11 a non-existent faculty into existence, evidently could increase a faculty act.ually existing to any degree such 11.S man might be…

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SECTION 332

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 332

EXPOSITION. Vere.1O-14.-TIIE TERROR OF IsRAEL AND would have been regarded by the Egyptian9 THE COURAGE 011' MosES. It hae been argued as open rebellion. 3. They were quite un- that the Israelites, if they were so numerous e.a accustomed to warfare. The Pharaohs muin- tained large garrisons of Egyptian and mer- state…

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SECTION 333

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 333

HOMILETICS. 't"ers. 10-14.-Divine trial a touchstone to distinguish faith from unfaithfulness. The Israelites had almost as much ground as Moses to believe in God, and trust his pro,·ideu tial care of tbem. They had seen the whole series of miracles which Moses had wrought. They had found themselves exempt from vis…

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The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 334

lts d£1ncing, white-tipped waves, nnd curiously to listen to its soft, lapping ripple on the shore. Yet this sea, which is to-day their joy and plaything, will have become by the f!lorrow their terror and despair-th~ir impregnable prison ba~er. The experi- onco 1s not uncommon. How often does 1t happen that the very th…

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The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 335

They could do nothing for themselves. The ea.lve.tion muet be God's from first to lr.~t. (2) God would bring them this salvation. The fact thnt he had brought them into this strait was of itself& pledge that he would find them a way out of it. 'l'he believer who finds himself in situations of difficulty, may cherish…

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The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 336

the see., certe.inly, would not be wHhout its difficulties. The violent gale, the thunderinge e.nd lightnings (Ps. lxxvii. 18), the darkness, the boom of the distant we.tere, the lurid light of the fiery cloud, the uneven passage, the panic and confusion, the stre.ngeness and fearfulness of the entire situation, would …

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The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 337

irresistible temptation to m&ke it &S sh&rp &nd striking as possible; and truth cannot but suffer in the process. Epigrams &re always to be distrusted. How clearly the i11justfre of sharp sayings comes out in the illustration before u.~ ! The speech &bout these grn'l"es w&s & witty, clever one, but bow unjust I As i…

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The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 338

e.nd he went inn. path where he was called a gluttonous man arrd a winebibber a friend of publicans and sinners. If he was sneered at on the very Cross, it is babyi;h on our part to complain because the world sneers at us in the comparatively easy paths we have to tread. Our strength, our joy, and our serenity must not…

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The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 339

splendid cities of tombs in Egypt rose to the memory, But here eoon e. sort of gig11ntic 11nticipation of Isandula. A cry against Moses, and unto Jehovah. The moral attitude of Moses mixed-----cheer for the people-a fainting heart before God. His silent prayer. "The upward glancing of an eye." The word of assurance.…

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The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 340

HOMILETICS. Vers. 15-18.-The reward of faith. God rewarded the faith and trust of Moses by a revelation of the manner of that deliverance which he so confidently expected. Hitherto the manner had been involved in mystery; and it is scarcely likely that any one had even conjectured it as a possible thing. There was no …

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The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 341

II. FORWARD !-IN OO~"'TRAST WITH VAIN LAMENTATIONS, AND UNBECOMING EXPOBTU• LATIO~'ll. WITH_ ~ROVIDENCE. J'hese ~o no. goo~ but m~ch harm. 'l'hey betray an un_believm!!i spmt. If _God 1;mngs us mto s1tuat1ons of tnal, the fact that it is he who brings us mto them 1s of itself a pledge that with the trial, he will make …

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The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 342

with his conduct in eh, v. 22-23.) The peril is to the natural eye overwhelmin(J' but it is not peril to him, for God has filled him with the spirit of faith. He hi~self, unfearing, can toll the people not to fear. He himself, calmly expectant that some great deliverance is on the way, can recommend, his face not belyi…

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The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 343

with no Pharaoh behind, with no enclosing mountains on either ha.nd, they might ha.vo rebelled. But circumstances lent a strong compulsive aid. We know not what we can do, what triumphs of faith we can achieve till God shuts us up to them. Then there was something also in the sight of the rod. God commanded. Moses t…

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The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 344

ehape eettled for agee to come, just like the shape of the solid hills around. The only thing to explain their conduct is the momentum that had been produced in their own breasts. It was with them just as it is with the runner when he haR gained a. certain speed. Suppose in his headlong career he comes to a chasm, stop…

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The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 345

sea should be sufficiently dry. Moses, 11bout go back by a strong eut wind. The LXX nightfall, descending to the water's edge, t.ro.nslnte " I\ strong south wind" ( Iv &vlµlf' stre1chC'd forth his rod over the ~·ayes, and, vdTq, fl,aiq,) ; but the Hebrew kadim is cer- an east wind at once springing up-accom- tl\inly…

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SECTION 346

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 346

ho does it in mercy. The temporary obscuration will advantage the soul under the_ circums~ance~. T~ere is perhaps some secular work to be clone which require~ all its attention, hko this passage, where every step had to be taken with care. Short se~arntions aro said to intensify affection; and the sense of the Divine p…

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The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 347

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ven:. 19, 20.-Uglit to the frtend, d,a,rkness to tke foe, We l\re told that as the Ismelites were Rbout to cross the Red Sea, the fiery-cloudy pillar changed its position and CRID:e between them a1;1d the Egyptians. It was the self-same pillar, but it wor~ 11 very different aspect to fn…

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SECTION 348

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 348

Ver. 22.- We wallc by faith, not by sight. The great mistake of most people is, that they trUBt too much to their own eyes. They will not take into consideration anythin"' th11t lies beyond the field of sensible experiences. Now God and his eternity, ~hou"'h IDlll1ifosted in this field, are practically outside it; the …

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The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 349

thus grclltly retarded. So that the Egyptians wars; _and (2) the defeat and disgmr,c of the snld, "Let us flee." Literally," And I~gypt Egrptian k.ing himself, in an experlition for k1tid, 'I will flee.'" The Lord ftghteth for which he wes alone re,iponsible, involving them. Comparo the promise of Moses (ver. permanent…

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SECTION 350

The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 350

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 23----31.-.The O'IJerthrow of the EgyptianB. "The Egyptians pursued, and wenl in aaer them to the midst of the sea," etc. On this observe:- L THE INFATUATION OF THE PURSUERS (ver. 23). We do not speak of the lesson~ they had alread,y received as to the folly of contending with Jehov…

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The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 1 — Section 351

Those arc surP, to drive heavily, who drive in the face of God's Inhibition, and under hie ban. 3. God bi-ought the sea back upon them (ver. 26). Swiftly, fatally at the stretching forth of Moses' rod, the s011. returned in its strength, and utte;ly over- :1-helmcd them. And such, in its main outline, is the receptio…

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Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.

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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.