Exodus 17

Chap. XVII. Ver. 1—7. as the Oriental, which is gathered, particularly in Syria, Arabia and Persia, water.—“At the head of the myriads of Israel, Moses is now pursuing his march from Egypt to Canaan, following a guide who would not mislead them; protected by a power which bid defiance to every foe; and from day to day supplied by a bounty incapable of being exhausted. All these present and singular advantages, had the sweetness of hope mingled with them. They had just escaped from the most humiliating and oppressive of all servitude, and they were hastening to the inheritance of their fathers; yet we find them a people as peevish, irritable, and difficult to please, as if they had never known adversity; as if they had just issued from the lap of ease and indulgence.

One day, the bread is dry and stale; the next, the water is bitter; the third, there is a scarcity of it. The water is sweetened; manna descends; quails fall around their camp; but there is still ‘a cruel something unpossessed:’ all that went before is forgotten; all that is in possession becomes insipid. “Where does this censure fall? On that moody, murmuring race, the Jews only? Alas, it overwhelms Gneselvans [mankind] it bears hard, not upon individuals here and there, but upon mankind! We expect more from the world than it possibly can bestow; and when we discover its insufficiency, we charge God foolishly; and because we have not every thing we wish, we are satisfied with nothing. Solacing ourselves, like Jonah, under the shadow of a gourd, we fancy it is a perennial shelter.

We see not the worm which is gnawing its root; and when it is smitten down and withers, we are ready to say, with the sullen, testy prophet, (Jonah,) we do well to be angry.” —(Hunter’s Lect.) The murmuring adverted to in this chapter, was at Rephidim, a short distance from Horeb; for Moses is ordered to take with him the elders of Israel to that mountain: and, “Behold, (says the Lord,) I will stand before thee there upon the rock;” encircled, no doubt, in the cloud of the Shekinah; ‘and thou shalt smite the rock,” that is, with the rod which he was commanded to take with him; “and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.” This stream doubtless followed them to Rephidim, and perhaps much farther, and supplied them for a considerable time; hence it was said, figuratively, that the rock followed them.

And as it was customary, in those early times, to record events by giving names, this place, Rephidim was called Massah, “temptation,” because here they tempted God; and Meribah, “chiding,” or strife, because here they chided Moses. This rock, which by being wounded produced a copious stream of water, is also represented, by St. Paul, as typical of Christ. “They drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them” in a stream of living water, and that water— “that Rock was Christ.” ((1 Corinthians 10:4).) On this circumstance Ainsworth piously remarks, that “Christ (the spiritual Rock) being smitten by the rod of Moses, and plants. Hence Oedman supposes that it falls with the dew; being formed and bearing the curse of the law for our sins, from him floweth that spiritual drink wherewith all believers are refreshed.”

(See (John 19:34). 1 John v. 8.) So some of the Rabbins say, “the turning of the rock into water, signified the turning of judgment into mercy.” Ver. 8—16. The first battle with Amalek.—Soon after this event, Israel is, for the first time, engaged in war, and Amalek is his adversary. As one of the dukes of Edom, the grandson of Esau bore this name, he is generally supposed to be the enemy here named, though Scoté thinks this very doubtful. The attack was, however, unprovoked and cowardly, as he “smote the hindmost of the people, even all that were feeble behind;” including, no doubt, the women and children, as well as those that “were faint and weary” with their journey. The Amalekites were no doubt marauders, like the wandering Arabs, and their object was the baggage.

By order of Moses, the command of the Israelites devolved on Joshua, (or Oshea,) the son of Nun, a young man here first noticed, but who afterwards became captain-general of the army, and succeeded Moses in the government. He “discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword;” but the cause of victory must be traced to another source. Moses ascended a hill, probably a part of Horeb, which commanded a view of the battle, and bore up the rod of God with him; and while he held up his hands, Israel prevailed; but when he could hold them no longer, Amalek. Aaron and Hur therefore supported him till the sun set, and victory was decided. The Jerusalem Targum well explains this: “When Moses held up his hands in prayer, the house of Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hands from prayer, the house of Amalek prevailed.”

An example this, to show that “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” ((James 5:16).) and which beautifully “illustrates the exhortation of the prophet to ‘strengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.” ((Isaiah 35:3).) It may also remind us of One who is “sat down at the right hand of God, and ever liveth to make intercession for us,” ((Hebrews 1:3). vii. 25.) and for all who trust their cause in his hands. ** Kind Intercessor, there he sits, And loves, and pleads, and prays.” We must return, however, to the history. Moses is commanded to record this memorable transaction, first in a book, and to rehearse it in the ears of Joshua, with this awful decree against Amalek, who, though not one of the devoted nations had been guilty of this cruel and unprovoked attack: “I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”

2. He is to build an altar, to be called Jehovah-nissi, “the Lord is my banner;” a memento to them, that to fight ratively, to have followed the Israelites; meaning, that the water which under this banner, was to insure their victory. “For (or and) here prefer, as far the most perspicuous as well as literal,) with Amalek from generation to generation.” This text is i attacked beneath the shadow of that cloud? “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.” ((Zechariah 2:8).) about the rite of circumcision, left Moses on his entering into Egypt; but here returning with Jethro, and with both her children, is cordially received. Before he arrives, however, he has “said unto Moses,”

doubtless by the hand of a messenger, “I see te en et quently gave to, Moses, to appoint certain elders of the people to assist him in determining all petty controversies, which, among so discontented a people, were doubtless very numerous, and would soon wear out the strength of a younger man than to direct, that we may neither content ourselves with less than € Moses, however, following his advice, established an excellent and in all cases of peculiar difficulty. In nothing, however, is the wisdom of Jethro more apparent, than in the characters he advises Moses to select; “able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness;” and they were to “judge the people at all seasons;” thus securing all the important objects of a good government, a wise and impartial judgment, promptly administered; for nothing tends more to the increase of crime, than the delay and uncertainty of justice.

It is “because sentence is not executed speedily, that the hearts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil.” (Ecclesiastes 8:11). Jethro also shows his independence of mind, and the disinterestedness of his conduct, in that, after giving his advice, he immediately returns to his own country, without stopping to fill any one of those high departments, to which his talents and character would certainly have entitled him. Of Zipporah we hear little more; it is possible she might not long survive; if she did, her attention was wisely and prudently confined to her family and domestic concerns; and, perhaps, as she was a foreigner, with little intercourse with the children of Israel; for it seems she was viewed with a very jealous eye by Aaron and his sister.

(See (Numbers 12:1).) Chap. XIX. Ver. 1-25. The presence of God on mount Sinai.—This chapter prepares us for the awful scene that is to follow in the next. ‘“And Moses went up unto God:” that is, a certain distance up the mount Sinai, “and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain,” namely, from the sacred cloud which now rested on the top of it. But St. Stephen ((Acts 7:38).) says, it was the Angel that spake with Moses in the mount. “We find here, (says Dr. Hunter,) as in many other places of the Old Testament, the same person who is styled, in the course of the narration, the ‘Angel of the Lord,’ styling himself JEHOVAH, and God; exercising divine prerogatives, manifesting divine perfections, and claiming the homage which is due to Deity alone.

The person, therefore, thus described, can be none other than the uncreated “Angel of the Covenant,’ who ‘at sundry times, and in divers manners,’ in maturing the work of redemption, assumed a sensible appearance; and, at length, in the fulness of time, united his divine nature to ours, and dwelt among men; and made them ‘to behold his glory, as the glory of the only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.” This divine person spake to Moses, saying, “Tell the children of Jacob, Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings;” that is, he carried them above all opposition: so it is repeatedly said, they came out “with a high hand;”—with a display of almighty power. ‘“Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people; for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.” ‘St. Peter, who evidently refers to this passage, addressing the converted Jews, and the Christian

Notes on the verses

Chap. XVII. Ver. 1. After their journeys.—There were other intermediate stations, between their first encampment in the wilderness and Rephidim, which are here passed over. See (Numbers 33:12, 14). Ver. 6. The rock in Horeb.—The rock is shown to this day. It is of red granite, from twelve to fifteen feet square, with several holes and channels, which appear to have been formed by the bursting and running of water. See Norden, Shaw, and Pococke, as quoted in Dr. Clarke. ‘This rock is said, figu[ratively], flowed from it did so. ‘He brought streams out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.” (Psalms 78:16).; cv. 41. Ver. 14. In a book.—This is the first mention of writing “in a book,”

and gives Moses the honour of being the first inspired writer. It is not certain, however, that this was written immediately; nor whether it was to be written in hieroglyphics or alphabetical characters. Many are of opinion, that the ten commandments ((Exodus 20)) are the first example of the latter method. Ver. 16. The Lord hath sworn, &c. The Hebrew is evidently elliptical, and is literally, as in the margin of our Bibles, ‘Because of the hand upon the throne of JAH, therefore,” &c. as above explained. Chap. XVII. Ver. 1. Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law.—It may be seen, by turning to our notes on Chap. ii, 18, 21, and iii, 1. that the Hebrew word rendered “father-in-law” by our translators, is very indefinite.

Jerome translates it cognatus, kinsman; which is, perhaps, the best rendering, as Calmet says it is impossible to fix the relationship here intended. He brings Moses, however, his wife Zipporah, and her two children. The precise cause of their former separation we [are] not to ascertain; but it seems probable that she had entertained prejudices against the rite of circumcision, which occasioned the too long neglect of it; and when at length she performed it herself upon one of her children, she did it in a spirit which showed her dislike, and her ignorance of the true character of the God of Israel. See note on ch. iv. 24-26. Ver. 5. Unto Moses, &c.—(There are several reasons to induce us to believe, that this event did not take place till the second year of the Exodus.

The try following are the most conclusive: 1. From this verse it appears that Jethro came to Moses while he was encamped at the mount of God: but they did not arrive at Horeb till the third month of the Exodus, (ch. xix. 1,2.) 2. Moses (in (Deuteronomy 1:6, 9, 10, 12, 15).) relates, that when they were about to depart from Horeb, on the 20th day of the second month of the second year, he complained that he was not able to bear the burden of the government alone; and that he then appointed judges over thousands, hundreds, &c. the very transaction here recorded. |—Bagster. — Ver. 19. Be thou for the people to God-ward.—That is, in all matters that require an appeal to God, do thou thyself act, to present the cause before him.

Among the Arabians, the usual form of legal citation is, ‘Thou art invited to the tribunal of God.”—Orient. Lit. No. 190. Even in our own country, every criminal pleads to be “tried by God” as well as his country. Ver. 21. Rulers of thousands.—Whatever matter the decarch, or ruler over ten, could not decide, went to the pentecontarch, or ruler of fifty, and thence by degrees to the hecatontarch, or ruler over a hundred, to the chiliarch, or ruler over a thousand, to Moses, and at length to God himself. Each magistrate had the care or inspection of only ten men: the decarch superintended ten private characters; the hecatontarch ten decarchs; and the chiliarch ten hecatontarchs. An exactly similar system obtained in the kingdom of Peru.

See Heriot’s Contd Soko e IRS