Matthew Poole's Commentary Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. God encourageth Moses, Exodus 6:1; reneweth his covenant, confirms it by his name Jehovah, Exodus 6:3-8. Their unbelief, Exodus 6:9. God commands Moses to speak to Pharaoh to let Israel go, Exodus 6:10-13. The genealogy of Reuben, Exodus 6:14; of Simeon, Exodus 6:15; of Levi, Exodus 6:16; of Aaron, Exodus 6:23. Moses and Aaron spake to Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go, Exodus 6:27 With a strong hand; being compelled to do so by my powerful and terrible works. And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: No text from Poole on this verse. And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. Quest. How is this true, when God was known to them, and called by the name Jehovah? Genesis 15:7 26:24, &c. Answ. 1. He speaks not of the letters or syllables, but of the thing signified by that name. For that denotes all his perfections, and, amongst others, the eternity, constancy, and immutability of his nature and will, and the infallible certainty of his word and promises. And this, saith he, though it was believed by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, yet it was not experimentally known to them; for they only saw the promises afar off, Hebrews 11:13. Answ. 2. This negative expression may be understood comparatively, as many others are, as Genesis 32:29 Matthew 9:13 1 Corinthians 1:17: q.d. They knew this but darkly and imperfectly, which will now be made known more clearly and fully. And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. No text from Poole on this verse. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. No text from Poole on this verse. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: With a stretched-out arm, i.e. my almighty power. A metaphor from a man that stretcheth out his arm, and puts forth all his strength to give the greater blow. With great judgments, i.e. punishments justly inflicted upon them, as the word judging and judgments is oft used, as Genesis 15:14 2 Chronicles 20:12 Proverbs 19:29. And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. Will take you to me for a people, i.e. for my people; ye shall no longer be the people and slaves of the king of Egypt, but my people and servants, whom I will bless and preserve. And I will be to you a God, to judge and deliver you. And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD. And therefore, have authority and power to dispose of lands and kingdoms as I please; and faithful to give you what I have promised. And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. Their minds were so oppressed with their present burdens and future expectations, that they could not believe nor hope for any deliverance, but deemed it impossible; and having been once deceived in their hopes, they now quite despaired, and thought their entertainment of new hopes, or use of further endeavours, would make their condition worse, as it had done. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, No text from Poole on this verse. Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. No text from Poole on this verse. And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips? i.e. Of polluted lips. Uncircumcision being a great defect and blemish, whereby men were rendered profane, contemptible, and unfit for many services and privileges, may note any defect, whether moral, and of the spirit, or natural, and of the body. So here it notes Moses’s inability to clothe God’s commands in such words as might prevail with Pharaoh. But this was a great weakness of faith, as if God could not effect his purpose, because the instrument was unfit. And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. No text from Poole on this verse. These be the heads of their fathers' houses: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these be the families of Reuben. This genealogy he describes here, to show the lineage of Moses and Aaron, by. whom this great work was to be effected. Only he promiseth in brief the genealogy of his two elder brethren. Reuben and Simeon, to make way for the third, which he intended more largely to insist upon. And he mentions them rather than any other, either to advance the favour of God in preferring that tribe before the descendants of their elder brethren; or to show that, although the parents were sharply censured, and rather cursed than blessed by Jacob, Ge 49, yet their posterity was not rejected by God, but received to mercy, and admitted to the same privilege with their brethren. And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon. No text from Poole on this verse. And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years. 1619 From each of which proceeded a distinct generation or family called by their father’s name. The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families. No text from Poole on this verse. And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years. No text from Poole on this verse. And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations. No text from Poole on this verse. And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years. His father’s sister or rather, kinswoman, or cousin, or niece; for so this Hebrew word is sometimes used, as appears from Jeremiah 32:8,9,12. Object. She is called the daughter of Levi, Exodus 2:1. Answ. Even nieces are oft called daughters, as we have showed. See Luke 1:5, and See Poole "Exodus 2:1". And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri. No text from Poole on this verse. And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri. 1530 No text from Poole on this verse. And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Amminadab a prince of the tribe of Judah, Numbers 1:7 Numbers 2:3. Marriages were not yet confined to their own tribes; and when they were, the Levites seem to have had this privilege, that they might marry a daughter of any other tribe, because indeed the reason of that law did not concern them, there being no danger of confusion or loss of inheritance on their part. And especially there were many marriages made between the tribes of Judah and Levi, to signify that both were united in Christ, who was to be both king and priest. It is observable, that Moses is here silent in his own progeny, but gives a particular account of his brother’s, not only from his great humility and modesty, which shines forth in many other passages, but because it was of more concernment; and the honour of priesthood given to Aaron was to be hereditary, and peculiar to his seed, and therefore it was necessary they should be exactly known; whereas Moses’s honour and government was only personal, and did not pass to his children. And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites. No text from Poole on this verse. And Eleazar Aaron's son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families. No text from Poole on this verse. These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the LORD said, Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies. i.e. According to their numerous families, which were equal to great armies, and which went out of Egypt like several armies in military order, and with great power. See Exodus 12:41,51 13:18 14:8. These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron. 1491 No text from Poole on this verse. And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt, No text from Poole on this verse. That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee. No text from Poole on this verse. And Moses said before the LORD, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me? No text from Poole on this verse. |
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