» Or, mouth to mout5,-as Numb. 12. 8. Not that God hath Face or Mourh. br that Moſes could behold it, which is denied, Yerſe 20. But the ſenſe is, He ſpake with him freely and f:miliarly, and immedi- ately, not by an Angel in adre:zm- or vifien, as hedid to other Prophets. See Deut: 34. 10. o Who abode there either to k:ep it from injury or inconvenience ; for as it was fer up by man's help, ſo it needed man's care to preſerve it ; or to affi!t and direQ thoſe who reſorted thither to ſeek Ged in Moſes his ablence. And Joſhua ſeems to be appointed for this work rather than Aaron, or any orher of the Elders, becauſe they had one way or other been guilty of the late Idolartry, and God would hereby puniſh them with a temporary ſuſpenſion from his ſervice, and their office.
:2 E And Moſes ſaid unto the LORD, See, thou fayeſt unto me, Bring up this people, and chou haſt not ler me know whom thou wilt ſend with me p. Yet thou haſt ſaid, I know thee by name q, and thou hait
alſo found grace in my ſight. Þ (7.0. ) What Angel it is, whether it'be a created Angel ; for then I profeſs I am unſatisfied with him, Yerſe 15. or the ſame increated Angel Chriſt, who hath hitherto accompanied us, and then I am cont=nr. Bur I am ar a great loſs by thy withdrawing thy cloudy Pillar froin the people to whom it is to be a guide. K (7. e.) Diſtin&ly and familiarly, as one whom I have much converfe with, and great kindneſs for ;. thy name is written in my Book. Compare Exod: ; 2: 32, 33. Pſal: 87: 5, 6: Phil: 4 3. And knowing here notes approbation and afte&ion, as Pſal: 1: 6: Matth: 1: 23: compare Fer: 1: 5. 13 Now therefore I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy ſight, ſhew me now thy way r, that I may know thee s, that I may find grace in thy ſight ; and conſider
that this nation is thy people . 7 The courſe and manner of thy dealings with men, and particu. larly thy purpoſe and will concerning me and thy people,
mind herein ; men are ſaid ro know God when they know his mind !
and will ; or that I may experimentally know thee to be what thou © - "haſt promiſed thou wut be to me and to thy people ; or rather, that ſee my back-parts k : but my face (ball not be ſeen. |
1 may thereby know thee, namely tka? I ſhall find grace in thy fight, ag it |
EXODUS.
-time I will bring them to their reſting place and ſertled habiration ;
' grace in my fight, and I know thee by name.
Chap. XXX&IH,
follows ; that Imay be aſſured that thou wilt be reconciled to, and preſent with me and thy people. t Both by thy own choice and purpoſe, and Promiſe to their Parents, and by their recognition of thee for their God, and their returning to thee again.
14 And he {aid * My preſence « ſhall go ich thee, * 2 Sam:
and I will give thee reft x. 17: 11: u Heb. My face, i. e. T my ſelf, by comparing this with 2 Sam:
17.11. The Angel of my preſence, Iſa: 63: 9: the pledge of my
preſence, the cloudy Pillar ; and I will not turn thee over to an
Angel as I threatned, Yerſe 2. See Dent: 4: 34+ x Not only reſt from
thy preſent anguiſh and perplexity of mind for thy people, bur in due
for it is evident from werſe 15. 16. that Moſes his care and prayer was more for the people than for himſelf.
15 And he ſaid unto him, If thy preſence go not w1:h me, Carry us not up hence y.
y Let us rather live and die in the Wilderneſs with thy preſence and favour, than go into Cana withour it ; for even that promiſe of reſt I value not without thy preſence. So he ecchoes back God's words to himſelf, and turns God's promiſe into a prayer.
i6 For wherein ſhall it be known here z, that I and thy people have found grace in thy ſight? 7s is not in that thou goeſt with us ? ſo * ſhall we be ſeparated, I, * Chip: | and thy people, from all the people « that areupon the 34 19. | face of the earth. |
z By what other token ſhall other Nations and after Ages know. a ( i.e. ) Diſtinguiſhed by thy peculiar kindneſs and priviledges afforded ro us. Or, be made wonderful, or eminent, or glorious above all other people.
17 And the LORD ſaid unto Moſes, I will do this thing alſo that thou haſt ſpoken : for thou haſt found
18 And he ſaid, I beſeech thee ſhew me thy glory, b (i.e. ) Thy glorious Majeſty, the brightneſs of thy countenance, ſome ſuch manifc{tation of thy ſelf as becomes thy excellency, and
together with an humane voice, thou haſt now aſſumed. Bur for the eſſence of God, as that was and is and ever will be inviſible to bodily eyes, 1 7im.6. 16. ſoa man. of ſuch great reaſon and deep knowledge in Divine Things, and univerſal Learning could not be ignorant of it, and therefore would not deſire its
19 And he ſaid, I will make all my goodneſs c paſs before thee, and I will proclaim the Name of the LORD 4 before thee ; * and will be gracious to whom , I will be gracious e, and' will ſhew mercy on whom I
will ſhew mercy.