extent an Egyptian tinge, and involves philological inquiries of considerable difficulty and importance. Altogether the Book is one of extraordinary and diversified interest, and necessitates a number of disquisitions of a more or less abstruse character. § 2. DIVISIONS. It is usual to divide Exodus into two portions only, the first extending from eh. i. to the end of eh. xix., and treating of the circumstances under which the deliverance from Egypt was effected; the second, commencing with eh. xx. and reaching to the end of the book, containing an account of the giving of the Law, and the institutions by which the organisation of the people was completed. But, for the purposes of a comment such as the present, something more than this broad distinction and single line of demarcation is needed. It is not, however, necessary to have recourse to artificial or imaginary termini. The Book itself bears a markedly sectional character, which has been accounted for on the supposition that it was composed at different times, and written on separate parchments or papyri, each section being of such a length as suited it for congregational reading. 1 The first and second chapters together form such a section. Its main subject is the oppression of the Israelites by the Egyptians, with which is inter- woven an account of the birth of Moses, and the first wholly abortive attempt which he made to right the wrongs of his people and improve their social position. This is followed by a section on the call of Moses, and the Divine commission given to him, whereby he was empowered to take the oversight of his people, to act for them, to plead for them with Pharaoh, and ulti- mately to lead them out of Egypt ; the section terminating with the people's acknowledgment of his mission, and acceptance of him as their chief (eh. iv. 31). The third section is co-extensive with eh. v. It contains the record of Moses' first application to the king of Egypt on behalf of Israel, and of its unhappy result. Section 4 is the sequel to this. It consists of eh. vi. vers. 1 to 27, and tells of the depression of the people in con- sequence of their fncreased affiiction, the encouragement vouchsafed by God to Moses, and the fresh "charge" given by God to him and Aaron to persist in their efforts and effect the people's release. The next section is a long one. It begins at verse 28 of eh. vi. and continues to the end of eh. xi. The subject is an account of the nine ineffectual plagues, against which Pharaoh" hardened his heart," prefaced by a description of the one miracle wrought as a mere sign to accredit the mission of the brothers, and followed by the announcement of the tenth and last plague, before which even Pharaoh's stubborn will was to bend. Section 6 contains the institution of the Pae1,over, tho tenth plague, and the actual hasty departure of the
I I Speaker's Com:µle11uu·r ,' vol. i. pp. 237-~ b-2 INTRODUCTION.
Israelites from R.ameses, whe.n Pharaoh finally "thrust them out." It consists of the first forty-two verses of eh. xii. Section 7 contains directions with respect to the Passover and the sanctification of the firstborn. It extends from eh. xii. 43 to eh. xiii. 16, and constitutes a document apart, of a purely legal character, which was probably inserted at this point, as the fittest place for it, when the various sections were finally put together by their author. In the next section ( eh. xiii. 17-ch. xv.), the historical narrative is resumed, and the march of the Israelites is traced from Succoth to the shores of the Red Sea ; their pursuit by the Egyptians is related, together "'ith their miraculous passage across the bed of the sea, and the destruction of Pharaoh's host by the return of the waters. Section 9 contains the song of Moses and Miriam, and consists of the first twenty- one verses of eh. xv. In section 10 the further march of the Israelites is traced, and \hey are conducted from the Red Sea to Sinai, where God proposes to enter into a covenant with them ( eh. xv. 22 to the end of eh. xix. ). Section 11 contains the Decalogue, together with the " Book of the Covenant," and extends from eh. xx. 1 to eh. xxiii. 33. Section 12 comprises-the acceptance of the covenant; the revelation of God's presence to Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders; together with the ascent of Moses into the cloud that covered the mountain, and his continuance there for forty days ( eh. xxiv. ). Section 13 contains the directions given by God for the construction of the Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, the altar of burnt-offering, and the oourt of the Tabernacle ; for the sacerclotal garments, and the ceremonial of priestly consecration; for the altar of incense; and for the composition of the incense and of the oil of consecration (eh. xxv.-xxx.). Section 14 contains the appointment of Bezaleel and .Ab.oliab as the artists to execute the required works; the appointment of the Sabbath as a sign; and the delivery to Moses of the two Tables of stone, written with the finger of God. It is coincident with eh. :x:x.xi. Section 15 is purely historical. It gives an account of the terrible sin of the people in setting up the golden calf, and the consequences of this dreadful sin-the breaking of the two Tables, the slaughter of three thousand guilty persons by the Levites, and the threat of the withdrawal of God's presence, which however was revoked at the prayer of Moses (chs. xxxii.-xxxiii.). Section 16 (eh. xxxiv.) is the sequ,el to section 15. ] t records the renewal of the two Tables of stone, and the descent of Moses from Sinai with them in his hand, and with a glory on his face that the lleople could not bear to look on, whence the necessity of his veiling himself. The remaining section (chs. xxxv.-xl.) contains the historical account of the construction of the Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, the altars of incense and burnt-offering, the priests' dresses, etc., the setting of all th.i.r.gs in their places, and the sanctification of the whole by the visible entrance of the Shechinah into thfl sacred dwelling-place. INTilODuCTION. V