EXPOSITION. Vers.10-14.-The command of Pha.ra.oh had Thns saith :Pharaoh. The exact words of gone forth-no straw was to be provided for the J'harao1! (ver. 7) are not repeated, but modi- fied, according to men's ordinlll'J' practice in Israelites, they were themselves to gather straw. similar cases. The t.askmasters could not soften the edict; they Ver. 11.-Get ::,on straw where ::,e ou could only promulgate it (vers. 10, 11). And find it. Straw was not valued in Egypt. the Israelites could only choose between re- Reaping was effected either by gathering the belling and endeavouring to obey. To rebel ears, or by cutting the staikB of the corn at a seemed hopeless ; Moses and Aaron did not short distance below the heads ; and the straw was then left al.most entirely npon the ground. advise rebellion, and so the attempt was made Grass was so plentiful that it was not re- to cany ont Pha.ra.oh's behest (ver. 12). But quired for fodder, &11d there was no employ• experience proved that obedience to it W&B ment of it as litter in farmyards. Thus impossible. Though the people did their best, abundance of straw could be gathered in the and the native officers set over them did their cornfields after harvest ; and as there were many harvests, some sort of straw was proba- best, and the Egyptian t.askmasters harried bly obtainable in the Delta at almost all them on as mnch as possible (ver. 13), the seasons of the year. To collect it, however, result was that the tale of bricks fell short. and chop it small, as required in brickmaking, Then, according to a barbarous practice said to consumed much time, and left too litUe for the be eoven now not unknown in Egypt (Kalisch), actual making of the bricks. Ver. 12.-The people were soattered abroad the native officers who had not delivered in throughout all the land of Egypt. The ex- the appointed "tale of bricks " were bastina- pression used is• hyperbolical, and not to be doed, suffering agonies for no fault of their understood litere.lly. A tolerably wide disper- own (ver. 16), but because the people had sion over the central and eastern portions of been set an impossible task the Delta ie ,l)robably intended. Stubble in- lltead of straw. Bather, "stubble for the Ver. 10.-The tulr:mutera ... went ont, straw." Teben, the word translated straw, i.e. quitted the royal pa.lace to which they had seems to be ,Properly "chopred lltraw" (stm- been summoned (ver. 6), and proceeded to the menta minutim conciaa, Cook . The Israelites, places where the people worked. The vicinity who had been accustomed to ve thisf rovided of Zoan was probably one ,ueat brick.field. for them, gathered now long stalks o stubble llH, V, 10-15,) 'fHE BOOK OF EXODUS. 129
in tho fields, which they had enbsequently to duce the "tale," were punished by the basti- make into teben by chopping it into short bite. nado at the close of the day not giving in thi, Vere. 13, 14. -The taskmasters hasted proper amount. Kalisch observes-" Even now them. Tbe Egyptian overseers, armed with the Arabic fellahs, whose position is very ana- rods,_ went abont o.mong the toiling Israelites logous to that of the Israelites described in ~ontmually, and "hasted them'' by dealing our text, are treated by the Turks in the same out blows freely on all who made any pause manner. Arabic overseers have to give an in their work. The unceasing toil lasted from account of the labours of their countrymen to morning to night; yet still tho required" tale" the Turkish task.masters, who often chastise could not be produced; and consequently the them mercilessly for the real or imputed of- native officers, whose business it was to pro- fences of the Arabic workmen."
HOMILETICS. Vers. 10-14.-.A blind obedience to the commands of tyrants not laudable. The Egyptia.n taskmasters seem to have carried out their monarch's orders to the full, if not with inward satisfaction, at any rate without visible repugnance. They published abroad the orders given without in any way softening them (vers. 10, 11), ha.rassed the Israelite people all day long by "ha.sting them" (ver. 13), and basti.nadoed the Israelite officers at night (ver. 14). How different their conduct from tha.t of the midwives, when another Pharaoh sought to make them the instruments of his cruelty! Weak women defied the tyrant and disobeyed his commands. Strong sturdy men were content to be his slavish tools and accomplices. But so it is often. "Out of weakness God perfects strength." He " makes the weak things of the world to confound the strong." _And the consequence is, that the weak, who show themselves strong, obtain his approval and the enduring praise of men, like the midwives; while the strong, who show themselves weak, are condemned by him, and covered with everlasting obloquy, like these taskmasters. Ver. 14.-Vicarious suffering. Vicarious suffering is a blessed thing only when undergone voluntarily. In all other cases it. is unjust, oppressive, cruel. .A.t the English court under the early. Stuarts there was a boy who had to receive all the punishments deserved by the heir-apparent. This was a piece of detestable tyranny. The execution of children for the offences of their parents, which prevailed under the judges (Josh. vii. 24, 25) and the kings of Israel (2 Kings ix. 26) was still worse; and had not even the show of justice about it, since it was not accepted in lieu of the parents' suffering, but was additional to it. The Oriental system of punishing "head men" for any offence or default of those under their jurisdiction, goes on the idea that they can and ought to prevent such sins of commission or omission. But thill idea is not in accord with facts. Frequently they cannot; sometimes they neither can nor ought. In all such cases the punishment inflicted is an injustice; and the system itself must consequently be regarded as no better than an organised and licensecl tyranny. Yet large tracts of Asia and .Africa groan under it. "How long, 0 Lord, how long?"