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kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian?* And Moses feared, 15 and said, Surely this thing is known. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian : and he sat down by the well.

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Now the priest, or prince, of Midian, who was a descendant of Abraham, by Keturah, had seven daughters: and they came and drew [water,] and filled the troughs to water their father's flock; this was the employment of persons of rank in 17 those days. And the shepherds of some neighbouring prince came and drove them away, insisting that they would water their flocks first but Moses stood up and helped them, and 18 watered their flock. And when they came to Reuel their

father another, name for Jethro, or else his father, he said, How 19 [is it that] ye are come so soon today? And they said, An

Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and 20 also drew [water] enough for us, and watered the flock. And

he said unto his daughters, And where [is] he? why [is] it [that] ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread : 21 and they did so. And Moses was content to dwell with the man: thus he was sheltered for the present, and prepared for the greater services that were before him: and he gave to Mo22 ses Zipporah his daughter. And she bare [him] a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.†

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And it came to pass in process of time, after forty years (Acts vii. 30.) that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. Though there was a new king, yet the old oppression continued, 24 and their sufferings were as great as ever. And God heard their groaning, took notice of their afflictions and burdens, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, 25 and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel with a kind and compassionate regard, and determined to show them mercy, and God had respect unto [them.‡]

This was an impertinent and ungrateful speech; he upbraided him with that for which he ought to have praised him, and which was a specimen of their promised deliverance: and this refusal of Moses by one, is imputed to all the rest of the Israelites, (Acts vil. 35.) and God, for their unthankfulness, withdrew him for forty years.

The Syriac, Arabic, and Vulgate versions add here, She also bare another son to Moses, and he called him Eliezer, saying, The God of my fathers hath been my helper, &c. nicott.

Or, according to the LXX, And was made known unto them.

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REFLECTIONS.

EE how much of Providence is to be observed in those things which seem the result of chance. Providence appeared in the birth of Moses, and in supporting him till he was three months old, when he was better able to bear an abode in the ark. The same wise Providence laid him in the river, just at the time when Pharaoh's daughter came; she meant only to wash, but God intended other things. It was a providential circumstance to find the child weeping, to move her compassion. Had any other person came there and seen the child, it, most probably, had been thrown into the river, for to have rescued it would have been death. Let us adore the wisdom of Providence, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

2. On what minute accidents do the lives of men depend, yea, the lives of some of the best of men! In how precarious a situation was Moses! A little longer delay, and he had famished, or been carried away with the tide or stream of the river, or been devoured by the crocodiles. How many narrow escapes had those persons, whose names are so eminent in the Jewish and in the christian church! There are several instances in history, of most surprising events attending the births of the most eminent personages; in all which the wisdom and goodness of God is seen. The mercies of our infancy should be thankfully acknowledged. How many near escapes from death have we all had, though not in so remarkable a manner as Moses; by the same Providence we were taken out of the womb, hung on our mothers' breasts, and are preserved to this day.

3. Observe with pleasure, Moses choosing to suffer affliction with God's people: it was a wise choice, which the apostle Paul extols. There was every thing in Pharaoh's court, but religion, to engage him; nothing among the Israelites, but religion, to tempt him. He might have been serviceable to the Israelites at court; but he knew they were God's people, and therefore he chose to suffer with them. This choice we should make; we should form alliances with God's servants, and prefer affliction to sin, the reproach of Christ rather than the riches of Egypt, and should have respect to the recompense of reward, that is, to the glory which God hath promised.

4. How shameful are any contentions among brethren, especially under afflictions. It is a sad thing for them to quarrel, especially when they are joined in one common affliction. This is too often the case. The English exiles in Queen Mary's days, at Frankfort, quarrelled about habits and ceremonies. Those who were advocates for them, called the civil magistrate to interpose, and would not rest till they had driven out their brethren. There has often been great quarrels among sufferers, when persecuted by their brethren. Uncharitable contentions are shame

ful among christians, especially among those who are under national discouragements, though not under great oppressions. One would have thought these troubles should have united the Israelites, but we find they did not. Bp. HALL observes, had this Israelite had a spark of good nature, he must have relented at Moses's remonstrance.' It is sad to vex one another, while vexed by a common adversary. One would have thought they had blows enough from the Egyptians. And thus, still is our great enemy busy, and christians are too prone to contend with each other. Let us avoid this, and remember that we are brethren, that we are fellowchristians, fellowservants, and fellowsufferers. Let brotherly love continue; and leaving hatred and variance to the Egyptians, let us follow after peace with all men, and holiness, without which no mun shall see the Lord.

5. Those that are in the wrong are often most impatient of reproof. What a surly answer was given to Moses. This language we often hear, or something like it, when we admonish transgressors. Moses intended a kindness to both, and to prevent the effect of the quarrel: but one of them could not bear it, and he was the aggressor. Nay, had not the story mentioned this, we should have concluded it from his angry impatience, which was a sign of guilt. It is our duty to exhort and reprove: but we must expect to meet with those who will be peevish and angry, and question our authority, which indeed the law of God, and the common principles of humanity give us. Let us carefully avoid this temper ourselves, and take reproof kindly. What signifies who it is that reproves, or what his qualities are? it becomes us to consider what foundation there is for it. To call a man impertinent, and bid him look at home, is not clearing ourselves. Let the righteous smite us, and we should esteem it a kindness; take it well, and make a good use of it, from whatever hand it comes.

6. God has a gracious regard to his people under their heaviest afflictions; he hears their groanings, which affect his heart. He remembers his covenant, and has respect to them. See how tenderly God concerns himself for his people; as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him; therefore let us be patient, and cast our care upon him who careth for us.

CHAP. III.

Philo observes, that the feeding of sheep, is the best exercise and preparation for a kingdom, and the general government of mankind. We find here, that Moses was first a shepherd, and then raised to be a leader and governor of God's people.

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OW Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in

law, the priest of Midian :* and he led the flock to the back or side of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, so called because sanctified by God's appearing there now, (v. 5,) and giving the law there afterward, [even] to Horeb.f 2 And the angel of the LORD, that is, the Shekinah, appeared unto him in a flame of fire, out of the midst of a bush :‡ and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush [was] not consumed. This was something very unaccountable, 3 And Moses therefore said, I will now turn aside, and see this 4 great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses: calling him 5 by name, must greatly add to his surprise. And he said, Here [am] I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither, keep a respectful distance: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, in token of reverence and humility,|| for the place whereon thou standest [is] holy ground, made so by the special presence of God here. Thus he was excited to humility, reverence and godly fear. 6 Moreover he said, I [am] the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; engaged to them by covenant and promise, which I am now come to perform; and by this declaration he also intimated, (as Christ observes, Matt. xvii. 7.) that they were happy in another world, for God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God; his eyes were dazzled with the glory.

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And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which [are] in Egypt, diligently observed, and mercifully regarded and pitied their misery, and have heard their cry by reason of their task masters; for I know their sorrows; 8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, (this intimates the speed and certainty of their deliverance,) and to bring them up out of that land unto a good

This was not a man employment, great men and princes were often engaged in it; but it was mean for him who was bred at court, and perhaps might have looked forward to the crown of Egypt.

This mountain had two tops, one called Horeb, the other Sinai. In this retirement it is thought by some, that he wrote the books of Genesis and Job.

A bramble, or thorn bush, which might have been easily consumed; several heathen writers have mentioned this circumstance. See Patrick's Com. in loc.

It was customary for the Egyptians to do so in the presence of their princes or great men, or when entering into the temples of their deities.

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land and a large one, in comparison with Goshen, unto a land flowing with milk and honey, abounding with all the blessings of a fruitful land, not only for necessity, but delight; (Deut. viii. 7-9.) unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the 9 Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. He then gives him his commission and appoints him his ambassador or viceroy. 10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

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And Moses modestly declined the service, and said unto God, Who, [am] I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? 12 And he, that is, God, said to encourage him, Certainly I will be with thee; and this [shall be] a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people 13 out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.* And Moses said unto God, Behold, [when] I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What [is] his name? what shall I say unto them? which of thy names shall I use, whereby thy people may be encouraged to 14 expect deliverance from thee ?† And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.‡

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And God said moreover unto Moses, .Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this [is] my name forever, and this [is] my memorial unto all generations, by which I will be remembered, owned, and served by my people, and distinguished 16 from all others. Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, the heads of their tribes, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob,

Thus God gave him two tokens of his presence with him; the first was the burning bush, not consumed; and the other, that he should worship hereafter on this mountain. These were designed to encourage him to deliver his message to Pharaoh, and to support and comfort him under the obstinacy and rebellions of the people. Moses was the first that ever spoke to others in the name of God, under such a commission, and therefore had need of some extraordinary sign to confirm his faith.

+ It was customary in Egypt to give their gods some title of honour, beside the local name, taken from the place where they were worshipped, or their manner of doing it. So the Israelites would expect that some name or title of their God should be given them, be

side that of the God of Abraham.

This name was not only a title of honour, but it showed the vanity of other gods. It signifies, permanent, immutable, necessary existence, the same as JEHOVAH, I will be what I will be. This name would awaken the spirit, and encourage the hearts of all considerate Israelites. Many heathens after this inscribed it, or something similar to it, on their temples. Hilary, an ancient christian writer, says, these words charmed him, and gave him an high opinion of Moses, before he became a christian, there being no words se proper to describe the selfexistence of God.

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