darkness; a kind of homceopathic treatment, which, if it do not cure, may kill. [lllu.,tration. '!'he frozen stream. Light fire upon the surface. Clouds and flame shut out tho sunlight more than ever, yet heat may melt the ice covering, and, if so, then light can enter. If not, when fire is extinguished, the ash-strewn surface more impervious to light than ever.] Pharaoh at first seemed to be thawing (x. 24), but ho only felt the heat, he did not recognise the light. When the heat passed, darker than ever (27-29). '!'he last chance gone, what left? (Jude 13). God still meets this self- chosen moral darkness by similar methods, Judgments which may be felt flash momentary light upon the self-inflicted darkness which is not felt. He wills that all men should come to repentance; if we shut our hearts to the inner voice, he su=ons 118 by outer voices, which cannot but attract attention. They may, however, be disregarded; the power of man's self-will in this world seems strong enough to resist anything. III. LIGHT IN THE DWELLINGS. 1. Physiool. Egyptians bad made a difference between themselves and Israel, a difference which had driven Israel to seek help from God. Now God con.firms that difference. The light, perhaps, not perfect. [If darkness caused by sand-storm from S.W. may have been such light as was obtainable at the fringe of the storm cloud.] Still it was sufficient, a sign of God's care and watchfulness for those who were prepared to receive and recognise it. And this the Israelites were prepared to do, for the light in the dwelling was the type of light in the heart. 2. Moral. They had been" in darkness," the darkness of slavery and idolatry (cf. Josh. xxiv. 14); but the light had dawned upon them, and, however imperfectly, they had recognised and welcomed it. The cry in the darkness (Ps. cm. 6) had been heard and answered. Ily God's help the inner light lw-l been quickened and fostered; and to those who have the inner light, however feeble, he gives help that it may grow brighter. He will not quench the smoking flax, but fan it to a flame (cf. Ps. xviii. 27-28) . .Application. There is one who is the Light of the World. The great thing for us is to walk in the light (1 John i. 5-7). If we do not, darkness can but deepen till the night come (John ix. 4; cf. Job xviii. 18). Yet even those in darkness of their own making, God, in his love, still tries to lighten ( cf. his dealings with the Egyptians ; also our Lord's with the Jews, John ix. 39). If the light is still resisted, then cf. Matt. xxv. 80. If we do walk in the light so far as we know it, then cf. Prov. iv. 18. Even when dark for others, still light for us, Is. lx. 1, 2 ; and if the darkness does, as it sometimes will, overshadow us, even so Ps. ex.ii. 4; Is. 1. 10.-G.
EXPOSITION. neighbours for e.ny articles of gold and silver CHAPTERXI. that they possessed, e.nd would receive them Vers. 1-3.-We have here e. parenthetic (ver. 2). The reasons for this extraordinary statement of something that had previously generosity on the pa.rt of the Egyptians a.re happened. Before Moses was summoned to then mentioned, in prolongation of the paren- appear in the presence of Pharaoh as rel.e.ted thesis. 1. God "gave the people favour in in eh. x. 24, it hnd been expressly revealed to the sight of the Egyptians " ; and 2. The cir- him by God, 1. That one more plague, and cumstances of the time had exalted Moses, one only, was impending; 2. That this inflic- and, made him be looked upon es " very great " tion would be effectual, and be followed by (ver. 3), so that there was e. general inclina- the departure of the Israelites ; o.nd, 3. That tion to carry out his wishes. instead of reluctantly allowing them to with- Ver. 1.-And the Lord spake unto Moses. draw from his kingdom, the monarch would Rather, "Now the Lord had said unto Moses." be eager for their departure and would actually The Hebrew has no form for the pluperfect hasten it. He had also been told that the tense, e.nd is conseqnently obliged to mo.ke up time was now come when the promise mndo for the grammatical deficiency by using the to him in Mount Horeb, thnt his peoplo should simple preterite in e. pluperfect sense. We cannot definitely fix the time when Moses had "spoil the Egyptians" ( eh. iii. 22), would received this revelation ; but the expression, receive its accomplishment. The Isrnelites, one plague more, shows that it was e.fter the before depe.rting, were to ask their Egyptian commencement of the "plngue of darkness," 'l'RE BOOK OF EXODUS. [cu. x,. 1-3.