mrn-orthy of credit. But it was not BO. The fraud "-" glaring villainy," and the like. The hee.rts of men e.re in God's he.nds, e.nd he dis· unfortunate transle.tion of a verb meaning posed those of the elders to receive the mes- " ask " by " borrow " in ver. 22, hllll gree.tly se.ge of his serre.nt, Moses, fnvoure.bly, e.nd helped the objector!!. In reality, what God believe in it. (See eh. iv. 29-Sl.) Thou here commanded and decla.red was this :-Tho ahalt oome, thou and the elders of Illl'B.el, Israelite women were told on the eve of their unto the king of Egypt. This future is per- departure from Egypt'to ask presents (bak/1• he.ps one of comme.nd rather the.n of prophetic sh008h) from their rich Egyptian neighbow-s, announcement. The elders do ·not seem to as a contribution to the necessary expenses of he.ve e.ctue.lly made their appee.re.nce before the long journey on which they were entering ; Pharaoh. (See eh. v. 1--4.) Tbeyme.y, how- and God promised that he would so favourably ever, he.ve e.uthorised Moses e.nd Aaron t,o incline the hearb; of these ne1ghboUJS towards speak in their ne.me. The Lord God of the them, that, in reply to their request, articles Hebrews hath met with us. Through our of silver e.nd of gold, together with raiment, representative Moses. "Met with us" is un- would be freely and bounteously bestowed ou doubtedly the true meaning. That we may them-so freely and so bounteously, that they eaori1ioe. There was reticence here, no doubt, might clothe and adom, not only themselves, but no falseness. It was a part of God's de- but their sons e.nd daughters, with the pre• sign that sacrifice, interrupted during the sent.s ; and the entire result would be that, sojourn in Egypt for various reasons, should instead of quitting Egypt like a nation of be resumed beyond the bounds of Egypt by slaves, in rags and penniless, they would go His people. So much of his purpose, and no forth in the gnise of an army of conqueror!!, more, he bade Moses lay before Pharaoh on laden with the good things of the country, the first occasion. The object of the reticence having (with their own good-will) "spoiled was not t,o deceive Phare.oh, but t,o test him. the Egyptians." No fraud, no deceit, was to Ver. 19.-I am sure. Litere.lly, "I know," be practised-the Egyptians perfectly well a better rendering, since, " I am sure " implies understood that, if the Israelites once went, something less than knowledge. No, not by a they would never voluntarily return-they mighty hand. Or " not even by a mighty were asked to give and they gave-with the hand." Pharaoh will not be willing to let you result that Egypt was " spoiled." Divine go even when my mighty hand is laid upon justice sees in this a rightful nemesis. Op· him. (See eh. viii. 15, 19, 32; ix. 12, 35; pres.sed, wronged, down-trodden, miserably x. 20, 27.) "But by strong hand" (marg.) paid for their hard labom during centuries, is e. rendering which the rules of grammar do the Israelites were to obtain at the last some- not permit. thing like a compensation for their ill-usage; Ver. 20.-I will stretch out my hand. To the riches of Africa were to be showered on encourage Moses e.nd the people, to support them. Egypt, "glad at their departing," them in_what we.s, hume.nly speaking, a most was t,o build them a bridge of gold to expedite unequal contest, this important promise is their flight, and to despoil herself in order to made. It is a confumation, and to some enrich her quondam slaves, of whom she was, extent, an explanation of the pledge already under the circumstances, delighted to be rid. given, "Certainly I will be with thee" Ver. 22.-Borrow. The Hebrew word (ver. 12). It shows how God would be with means simply" ask" ( al'Tf,cm, LXX. ; postula• him-be would .smite Egypt with all his ,bit, Vulg.). Of her neighbours. The inter- wonders-what those would be was left ob- ··mixture to some extent of the Egyptians with scme. He would come t,o his people's aid, the Hebrews in Goshen is here again implied, and openly assert himself, and afflict and strike as in chs. i. and ii. And of her that sojourn• terror into their enemies--until at last even eth in her houe. Some of the Israelites, it Phe.raoh's stubbom spirit would be broken, would seem, took in Egyptian lodgers superior and he wo111t1 consent to let them go. to them in wealth and rank. This implies Vers. 21, 22.-Tbe "spoiling of the Egyp· more friendly feeling between the two nations tie.ns " has called forth much bitter comment. than we should have expected ; but it is quite (See Kalisch, note on EL iii. 22.) It has natural that, after their long stay in Egypt, been tnmed e. combination of " fraud, decep- the Hebrews should have made a eertaiD tion e.nd theft ~-"base deceit and nefe.rioUB number of the Egyptie.ns their friends
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1, 2.-The Burning Buah.-All nations have seen in fire something emblelllB.tio of the Divine nature. The Vedic Indians made Agni (fire) an actual god, and sang hymns to him with more ·fervour ,than to almost any other deity. The Persians maintained perpetual fires on their fire-altars, and supposed them to have a divine character. Hephaistos in the Greek a'ld Vulcan in the Roman mythology were Oll, 111. l-G. THE BOOK OF EXODUS. r.9