Miriam and Aaron are not mentioned in vcrs. 1, 2 by name. But the motive and imJ_mlse of inspiration are to be ta.ken into account. 'l'he object was to give the event which led to the Exodus, and to the constitution of the Jewish Church. From this point of view interest concentrates on Moses. Hence we infer the extraordinary greatness of his chMacter and oa.reer. 2. Born at a critical moment. See Acts vii. 20. So the Jewish proverb: "When the tale of bricks is doubled then comes Mc:ses." Note :-(1) At the moment of deepest darkness God sends' deliverance. (2) 'When he wants instruments he creates them. 3. Of no common beauty. Not only in his mother's eyes, which would be natural enough, but absolutely. Seo Acts ~ii. 20, as w~ll as Ex~d. ii. 2; and for interesting illustration, Jos. Antiq. ii. 9. 6. All this the promise of a higher beauty of character that opened out with the years. III. THE DANGER OF THE CHILD. 'l'he child born to great issues, and therefore must run the gauntlet of peril. Compare Jesus under the edict of Herod with Moses under that of Ph=h. No sooner born than a battle for life. The two only infants, but full of possibilities. Pharaoh I the babe you may crush; hereafter the m11.n sh~ ruin you. A seeming law in the case, to which witness the legends of many nations, e.g. Romulus and Remus, Cyrus, King Arthur. rv. LoTI: FENCING FOB THE CHILD. 1. Of tM motlier. (1) Concealing. Heb. xi. 23. How by faith? Went right on in the discharge of common duty to the child, not turning aside to observe the king's commandment. 'l'hen the love went t.o the other extreme :--(2) Exposing. Here narrate the facts, for which see the text and commentary above; e.g. impossibility of longer concealing a growing child, form and material of the ark, laid in a place of comparative safety, "in the flags" at "the lip of the river," the elements of danger-starvation, discovery-not crocodiles on the Tanitic branch of the river. But observe the feeling behind the facts. A mother's despair becoming hope, and then faith; but a faith provident and workful, for, living in the neighbourhood, she could not fail to know where the childless (so says tra- dition) princess was wont t.o bathe. J'USt there she placed the child. 2. Of the sister. lmJi.,,oi..ne her anxiety! The mother-heart in every girl. She was (1) Watchful: over the ark, against an enemy, for the princess; (2) Active; (3) Clever, full of resource; (4) Successful; (5) Became eminent; a prophetess, Ex..xv. 20. One of the three deliverers, Micah vi. 4. The adored of the people, Nu.m. xii. 10-15. In childhood are laid the foundations of character. 3. Of God. Before all, over all, and behind all! Love to the child, sister, parents, to Israel, and to the world to be blest through him. V. THE DELIVEB.ANCE OF Tl!E CBJLD. This of God, but note the part played by each of the following instruments :-1. The princess. Note the independent status of an Egyptian princess, the custom then of bathing in the open river, the probable locality, Zoan (Ps. lx.xviii. 43), that compassion was inculcated by the Egyptian religion, and the probable application t,o her of Acts x. 35. 2. The sister. 3. The 7/Wther. 4. Pk princess again; and possible lifelong parting from the mother. Finally, observe--L The d,eUver(1ITl,CU of God are wonderful. Only one person in all the la.nd of Egypt that could save Moses, and she came to the river. 2. The obfect of Gor£s deliverances does not centre and rest on the delivered. It passes beyond: Moses for Israel, Israel for the Messiah, Messiah for the world. So Abraham, Gen. xii. 2. So with elect spirits and elect nations in all ages. None for himself. 3. So is it with the great sal,vatwn. Wonderful ! The benediction thereof unresting, passing on from the first recipients. 4. But the retributions of God are ;'ust as marvellous. Moses was t,o be the ruin of the house of Pharaoh, and deservedly so. But in the providence of God the tyrant is made to pass by and even protect the instrument of his future punishment.-R.
EXPOSITION. Vers. 11-15.-FmsT ATTEMPT 011' MosE8 -hamg become by some means or other ac- TO DE:LIVEB BIS NATION, AND ITS FAILURE. quainted with the circUIIllitances of his birth, After Moses was grown up-e.ccording w the which had most probably never been con- tradition aecept.ed by St. Stephen ( Acts vii. cealed from him, be determined to "go out" 28), when he was " full forty years old " to bis brethren, see with bis owu eyes wbat liIT, II, 11-15.] THE IlOOK OF J<~XODUS. 35