q Or, Cruelty, or tyrrany ; with hard words and cruel uſage without mercy, or mitigation. This God permitted for wiſe = Juſt reaſons ; 1. As a puniſhment of their-Idolatry into which di vers of them fell there, Joſ: 24: 14. Ezek. 29: Sf 8. and 2+- . 2. To wean them from the Land of Egypr, which otherwiſe a s 2 plentiful and defirabJe Land, and to quicken their deſires _-
.ter Canaan, 3. To prepare the way for God's glori | Jfael's deliverance. 7 8'0r10us works, and
14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bon- dage, * in morter, and in brick, and in ail manner of ſervice in the field 7 : all their ſervice wherein they made them ſerve, was with rigour.
'r Which was the baſeſt and moſt laborious of all their ſer-
VICES.
f y \8$1,
TY 5 |
Chap. II, 15 4 And the king of Egypt ſpake to the Hebrew
midwives-s, ( of which the name of one was Shiphran,
and the name of the other : Puah. )
5 Such as not only were employed about the Hebrew Women, but were Hebrews themſelves, not Egyptians, as ſome ſuppoie, as may appear, 1. Becauſe they are expreſly called not the midwives of the Hebrews, but the Hebrew midwives. 2. The Egyptian midwives would not willingly employ their time and pains among the meaneſt and , pooreſt of Servants,as theſe were. And if they were ſent in deſign by the King, he had loſt his end, which was to cover his crue'ty with cunning, and to perſwade the People that their dearth wa nurf: cn his Intention, but from the chances and dangers of Chilu- bearing. 3. The Hebrew Women as they had doubtleſs midwives of their on, ſo they would never have admitted others. 4: They are ſaid to fear God, werſe 17:21. &You are not. to think rhar theſe were the only midwives to ſo many thouſands of Hebrew Women, but they were the moſt eminent among them ; and it may be for their excellency in that profeſſion called to the fervice of fome Egyptian Ladies, and by them known to Pharaoh, who might therefore think by their own intereſt, and by the promiſe of great rewards, or by {e. ere threatnings, to oblidge them to comply with his deliies ; and if he met with the deſired ſucceſs by them, he meant to proceed fur- ther, and to engage the reſt in like manner.
16 And he ſaid, When ye do the office of: a mid- wife to the Hebrew women, and ſee them upon the ſtools «, if it be a ſon, then ye ſhall kill him x : but if it be a daughter, then ſhe ſhall live p.
#u A ſeat uſed by Women when ready to be delivered, conveni- ently framed for the midwives better diſcharge of her office. x Which it was not difficult for them to do, without much objerva- tion. y Either 1. Becauſe he feared not them, but the males only; and ſome add.that he was adviſed by one of their Magicians, that a male-child ſhould be born of the If aeh gs, who ſhould be a dread- ful ſcourge to the Ezyprians. Or, 2. They reſerved them for their Juſt, or for ſervice, or for the increaſe of their People, and the rai- 'fing of a fairer Breed by them.
17 But the midwives feared God z, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but ſaved the men- children alive.
z More th:n the King, and therefore choſe to obey God ra- ther than the King, their Commands being contrary each to other. :
18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and ſaid unto them, Why have ye done tas thing, and have ſaved the men-chiidren alive ?
19 And the miewives {aid unto Pharaoh, Becauſe the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women, for they are lively a, and are deiivered ere the mid- wives come in unto them 6.
a Or, Yigorous and aftive in promoting the Birth of their own Children : Or, like the beaſts ; which withour any help of others bring forth their young. So the Hebrew word fignuies, and ſforthere is only a defe& of the Particle of fimilitude, which is trequeat, as T have noted before. b This might be no lye, as many ſuppoſe, but a truth concerning many of them, and they do not athrim it to be ſo with all And 1o it might be, either becauſc their daily and exeeſſive labours joyned with the fears of the Execution of the King's Command, whereof they ſeem to have gotren notice, dd haſten their Birth, as the ſame cauſes do commonly in other Wo- men ; or becauſe they underſtanding their danger, would not ſend for the midwives, but committed themſelves to God's Providence, and the care of ſome of their Neighbours preſent with them. So here was nothing but Truth, though they did not ſpeak the whole Truth, which they were not oblidged to do.
20 Therefore c God dealt well with the midwives ; and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty
c Becauſe they feared God, and ſpared the Children, werſe 17. whereby they expoſed themſelves to the King's diſpleaſure ; becauſe they would not offend God by murdering the Children, which they
ing purpoſe, þ viz,
might have done many times ſecietly, and therefore it was only the fear of God which reſtrained them from it.
2s And it came to paſs, becauſe the midwives feared Ged, that he made them houſes 4. | d (1, e.) God greatly increaſed their Families both in Children and Poſterity, anu in Wealth, and other outward Bleflings. So this phraſe is uſed Gen: 30: 30. Deut: 25: 9. 1 Sam: 2: 35. 1 Kings 2. 24 and 171. 38. Pſal: 127: 1. As houſes are commonly put for PO, ſo building is put for procreating of Children, Gen: 16: 2, and 3o: 3.
22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, ſaying, Every ſon that is born, ye ſhall caſt into the river, and every daughter ye ſhall fave alive, |
CHAP. IL
Moſes's parentage and bir th, r, 2. His muther makes an ark, puts him therein; 3. Pharaoh s daughter going to waſh her ſelf, ſeeth him, takes him for her own child, ap{ gives him to his mather to nurſe, 4, 5, 6, 1,8, 9. Moſes ſeeing an Tſraclite wronged by an Egyptian, kills him, 11, 12. Pharath hearing this, ſeeks to ſlay Moſes ; he flees to Midian, I5. There he reſcues Reuel's daughters from the wiolence of the ſhepherds, 17. Serves Reuel, and marries his daughter Zipporah, 21. She bears -
him a Jon,his name, and the reaſon of it, 22. God heareth the cry of the Iſraelites, 25. ;
N D there went a * a man of the houſe of Levi , / \ b, and took fs wife a daughter of Levi c. a From the place of his abode to another place: for the follow- "3x
dmram, Exod; 6s 20, Numb; 26. 58, 59.
£ Namely
1 Chro;
| £0
90 BR: TOO TIO RYE 5
3 EIEALE( He IOTSY: 3 Ee
ae CHOEAMAD SS 7
}* Chap. 11. EXODUS. Chap. I].