Chap. vi. ver. 28--<:hap. vii. ver. 7.-God still glorified amid human weakness and sin. l. MosEs' WEAKNESS (chap. vi. vers. 28-30). The co=and was-" Speak thou unto Pharaoh." Moses in his despondency is overpowered by the sense of bis infirmity. He fears the ridicule of the Egyptian court. There are times when the sense of our unfitness for speaking God's words crushes us. Let us take heed lest lowly self- judgment pass into unbelief and disobedience. The loss of faith in ourselves is no reason why we should cease to trust God. II. GoD'B REMEDY (chap. vii. vers. 1, 2). Moses' slowness of speech is veiled by unthought-of glory. He that feared the derision of Pharaoh is surrounded with dreadful majesty and made as God to him. 'l'o obedient faith, felt incompetency for the task God calls us to, will only be the occasion of his bestowing upon us more abundant honour. Our very defects can be transformed into power. A man's very awkwardness often disarms criticism and appeals to the heart as the most faultless elegance can never do. III. JEHOVAH WILL DE GLORIFIED IN PlIARAOH'S UNBELIEF (vers. 3-5). 1. They are forewarned of Pharaoh's stubborn refusal. vVe are not sent on God's errand with false expectations. 2. God's purpose will be accomplished, not defeated, by that opposition. His defiance will only call forth the revelation of God's terribleness. Wbere sin has sought to dwell and to reign, the terrors of God's judgment will a.lone be remembered. 3. Egypt will also know that God is Jehovah-the faithful One. God's name will be written in their punishment as well as in Israel's redemption. IV. THE VERY AGE OF GoD's SERV.U.'TB WILL PRAJSE HIM (ver. 7). The childhood of Samuel, the youth of Daniel, the old age of Moses and Aaron are arguments of unconquerable strength for the feeble and despised to trust and toil. 1. There is a. place for all. 2. No man's day is over if he will only yield to God. The dying thief who believed in his dying agonies has been among the mightiest preachers of God's infinite grace.-U.
EXPOSITION. Vers. 10-13.-THE FIRST SIGN, AND ITS ground the rod which Moses had brought from FAILURE TO 0ONVIN0E. Obeying the command Midian, and it became a serpent (ver. 10). given them (vers 2, 9), Moses and Aaron Possibly Pharaoh may hs.ve been prepared went to the court a second time, and enter- for this. He may have been told that this ing into the royal presence, probably repeated· was one among the signs which had been their demand-as from God-that the king done in the sight of the elders and people of would let the Children of Israel go ( eh. vi. 11 ), Israel when the two brothers first came back when Pharaoh objected that they had no from Midian (eh. iv. 30). If he knew of it, authority to speak to him in God's nome, and no doubt the "magicians" knew of it, and required a.n evidence of their authority, either hail prepared themselves. Pharaoh sum- in the actual words of verse 9 (" Shew 11, moned them, as was natural, to his presence, miracle for you"), or in somo equivalent and consulted them with respect to the ones Aaron hereupon cast down on the portent, whereupon they too cust d0wn th1;1 166 'l'HE BOOK OF EXODUS. [err. vn. 10-12.
rods which they were cenying in their hand!!, knowledge to impress men with a belief in e.nd they "became ~erpents ; but Aaron's rod their supematurel power. The words used to swallowed up their rods" (ver. 12). (For the express "mngicians " and " enchllJltmente " explanation of these facts, see the comment support this view. The magicie.ns e.re called khak.imi'.m, " wise men," "men educated in below). Phare.oh was to some extent im- hume.nanddivinewisdom"(Keile.ndDe!it!'.'!ch); pressed by the mire.de, bnt not so as to yield. mlkashshlphim, "charmers," "mutterers of His heart remained he.rd, e.nd he refused to let magic words" (Gesenius); e.nd khartummim, the people go. "·hich is thought to mee.n either "sacred sr,ribes " or " bearers of sacred words " (Cook)· Ver. 10.-Ae.ron oe.st dowu his rod. The The word translated " enchantments " 1s rod is called indifferently " Aaron's rod" and l.lhatim, which means "secret" or "hidden "Moses' rod," because, though properly the arts" (Gesenius). On the whole, we regard it rod of Moses (eh. iv. 2), yet ordinarily it was as most probable thnt the Egyptian "magi- placed in the hands of Aaron ("ers. 19, 20; cians" of this time were jugglers of a high eh. ,·iii. 5, 17, etc.) It beoa.me a serpent. class, well skilled in serpent-charming and The word for " serpent " is not the same as other kindred arts, but not possessed of any we.s used before (eh. iv. 3); but it is not clear supernatural powers. The magiaians of Egypt that a different species is meant. More did in like :me.nner with their enohantments. probably it is regarded by the writer IIS a The magicians, awe.re of the wonder which svnonvm . would probably be wrought, he.d prepared • Ver. 11.-Pha.raoh also called the wise themselves ; they had brought serpents, men and the.sorcerers. The.t magic was an charmed and stiffened so as to look like rods object of much attention e.nd study in Egypt ( a common trick in Egypt : ' Description do is abundantly evident from " The We of l'Egypte,' vol. i. p. 159) in their hands ; e.nd Setnan" (' Records of the Past,' vol. iv. pp. when Aaron's rod became a serpent, they 133--148)," The Magic Papyrus" (ibid. vol. x. threw their stiffened snakes upon the ground, pp. 137-158), and many other writings. It and disenchanted them, so that they were consisted, to a large extent, in eh.arms, which seen to be what they were--snakes, and not were thought to have power over men and really rods. beasts. especially over reptiles. What amount Ver. 12 .-But Aaron's rod swallowed up of skill and power the Egyptian magicians their rods, Aaron's serpent turned upon its pos.sessed may perhaps be doubted. Many rive.le and devoured them, thus exhibiting a commentators believe them to have been in marked superiority. actue.l communication with the unseen world. Ver. 13.-And he hardened Phare.oh'& and to have worked their wonders by the heart. Rather, "But Phare.oh's heart was assist.ance of evil spirits. Others, who reject hard." The verb emplo,ed is not active, but this explanation, believe that they themselves neuter ; and " hie bee.rt ' is not the accusative, were in possession of certain supernatural but the nominative. Phe.re.oh's bee.rt was too gifts. But the commonest view e.t the present hard for the sign to make much impression on day regards them as simply persons who had it. He did not see that Moses he.d done much a knowledge of m.a.ny secrets of n.e.ture which more the.n his own magicians could do As were generally wilmown, and who used this the Lord had so.id. See ver. 4