Matthew Poole and continuators on Exodus 2

1 AND there went a man of the house of Levi , and took to wife a daughter of Levi .

From the place of his abode to another place for the following purpose.

viz. Amram, Exod. 6. 20. Numb. 26. 58, 59.

Namely Iochebed, Numb. 26. 59. called a daughter not strictly but more largely, to wit, a grandchild, as the words father and Son are oft used for a grandfather and a grandson, as hath been shewed before. And so the word sister, Exod. 6. 20. is to be taken largely, as brother is oft used for a cousin. This seems more probable, than that an Israelite should marry his own sister, which even heathens by the light of nature have condemned, especially now when he had such abundant choice elsewhere.

Marginal references: 1 Chron. 23.13.

3 And when she could not longer hide him , she took for him an ark of bulrushes , and daubed it with slime and with pitch and put the child therein, and she laid it in the flags by the rivers brink.

To wit, with safety to her self, because they now grew more violent in executing that bloody decree, and the child growing up was more likely to be discovered, especially seeing the Egyptians dwelt among them, Exod. 3. 22.

That boats were made of such materials in those parts is evident from Isa. 18. 2. and from the testimonies of Herod. Pliny, and others.

Slime within, and pitch without.

Which grew near the rivers side, partly that the vessel might not be carried away and overturned by the violence of the winds and water, and partly that the child might be sooner discerned and more easily taken out thence by any kind hand, which she hoped for.

4 And his sister stood afar off , to wit what would be done unto him.

That she might not be thought to have laid the child there, or to be related to it.

6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and behold the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews children .

This she might very probably guess both from the circumstances in which she found him, and from the singular fairness and beauty of the child, far differing from the Egyptian hew, and she might certainly know it by its circumcision.

10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaohs daughter, and he became her son . And she called his name Moses : and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

By adoption, Heb. 11. 24. For as Philo. reports, she, though long married, had no child of her own; and therefore treated him as her own and gave him royal education and instruction: see Act. 7. 21.

It matters not whether this be an Egyptian name, or an Hebrew name answering to it in signification, seeing the meaning of it is here explained.

Marginal references: That is, drawn out.

11 And it came to pass in those dayes , when Moses was grown , that he went out unto his brethren , and looked on their burdens, and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.

Whilest Moses lived at court, and was owned as the son of Pharaohs daughter, and, as some write, designed to succeed Pharaoh in the Throne.

To maturity, being 40 years old, Act. 7. 23.

Partly by natural affection and inclination, that he might learn the state of his brethren, and help them, as occasion should offer it self; and partly by divine instigation, and in design, that he might give some manifestation to them that he was raised and sent of God to deliver them, as may be gathered from Act. 7. 25.

12 And he looked this way and that way , and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian , and hid him in the sand.

Not from conscience of guilt in what he intended, but from humane and warrantable prudence.

This action of Moses was extraordinary, and is not to be justified by the common right of defending the oppressed, which belongs not to private persons, Rom. 12. 19. but onely by his divine and special vocation to be the ruler and deliverer of Israel. Which call of his, howsoever manifested, whether by his father, as Iosephus saith, or immediately to himself, was evident to his own conscience, and he gave this as a signal to make it evident to the people.

13 And when he went out the second day , behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: And he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?

The next day after that atchievement, he returns to execute the office in which God had set him, as a Judge, whose work it is both to destroy enemies and to reconcile brethren.

14 And he said, Who made thee a Prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? and Moses feared , and said, Surely this thing is known.

Through the weakness of his faith, which afterwards growing stronger, he feared not, that which now he did fear, the wrath of the King, Heb. 11. 27. Distinguish the times, and Scriptures agree which seemed to clash together.

Marginal references: Heb. a man, a Prince.

15 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 sate down by a well.

Not out of zeal to punish a murderer, but to secure himself from so dangerous a person, probably supposing, that this was the man foretold to be the scourge of Egypt and the deliverer of Israel.

16 Now the Priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their fathers flock.

Not of Idols, for then Moses would not have married into his family, but of the true God, for some such were in those antient times, here and there, as appears by Melchisedeck, though his manner of worshipping God might be superstitious and corrupt: Or the Hebrew Cohen may here signify a Prince, or a Potent[illegible: 1+ letters]te, as Gen. 41. 45. Nor doth the employment of his daughters contradict that translation, both because principalities were then many of them very small and mean, and because this employment then was esteemed noble and worthy of great mens daughters, as appears from Gen. 24. 15. and 29. 6. &c.

Marginal references: Or, Prince.

17 And the shepherds came and drove them away : but Moses stood up and helped them , and watered their flock.

That they might enjoy the fruit of their labours, and make use of the water which they had drawn for their own cattle.

Either by perswading them with fair words, or by force, for Moses was strong and full of courage and resolution, wherewith the Shepherds were easily daunted.

18 And when they came to Reuel their father , he said, How is it that you are come so soon to day?

Either 1. Strictly, and then he is the same who elsewhere is called Iethro, Exod. 3. 1. and 18. oft-times, and, as some think, Hobab, Iudg. 4. 11. Or 2. largely, i. e. their grandfather, for such are oft called fathers, as Gen. 31. 43. 2 King. 14. 3. &c. and 16. 2. and 18. 3. so he was the father of Iethro, or Hobab, Numb. 10. 29.

19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.

So they guessed him to be by his habit and speech, or he told them that he came from thence.

Heb. in drawing dr[illegible: 1+ letters]w, which notes that he drew it very diligently and readily, which caused their quick return.

20 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.

Heb. have left thus, or now, at this time of the day, when it is so late, and he a stranger and traveller.

21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter .

Or, consented to his desire or offer. And so his present and temporary repose there is turned into a settled habitation.

Whom Moses married not instantly, but after some years of acquaintance with the family, as may probably be gathered from the youngness and uncircumcisedness of one of his sons 40 years after this, Exod. 4. 25. In which time as Moses would not fail to instruct them in the knowledge of the true God, which he was able excellently to do, so it is likely he had succeeded therein in some measure, and therefore married Zipporah.

23 And it came to pass in process of time , that the King of Egypt died, and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cryed, and their cry came up unto God, by reason of the bondage.

Heb. in those many days, viz. in which he lived or abode there, i. e. after them. In is put for after here, as it is Numb. 28. 26. Isa. 20. 1. Mark 13. 24. compared with Mat. 24. 29. Luk. 9. 36. After 40 years, as appears by comparing Exod. 7. 7. with Act. 7. 30.

And after him one or two more of his sons or Successors, and the rest who sought for Moses his life, Exod. 4. 19.

Because though their great oppressor was dead, yet they found no relief, as they hoped to do.

Marginal references: Num. 20. 16.

25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them .

Heb. knew them, so as to pity and help them, as words of knowledge are oft used, as Psal. 1. 6. and 31. 7. he, who seeme[illegible: 1+ letters] to have rejected them, now owned them for his people, and came for their rescue.

Marginal references: Heb. knew.; chap. 3. 7.