Exodus 5

Moses at length submits, and the more readily, as he is informed “‘All the men are dead which sought thy life;” alluding to the circumstance which occasioned him to flee into the land of Midian. Perhaps the fear of these might, in fact, lie at the bottom of his objections. Now, however, he takes leave of Jethro, meets with Aaron by the way, returns into Egypt with a divine commission, and full directions for his conduct. They now contrive to collect together the elders of Israel; Aaron addresses them, and, contrary to the forebodings of Moses, they “believed, and bowed their heads and worshipped.” Gall. V. Ver. 1—23. Pharaoh refuses to let Israel go.—It must be recollected, in reading the Old Testament, that many circumstances are omitted through the brevity of the narrative,

which would certainly render the history much clearer, and answer many questions now unanswerable. It has, for instance, been asked, If the Israelites were in such hard bondage in Egypt, how is it that Moses and Aaron could gain access to them to deliver their message, and perform the signs (or miracles) which we find they did? Still more incredible may it seem, that Moses and Aaron should gain so easy access to the haughty monarch, and dare to address him in such language. But it is to be recollected, that their God was the God of Providence, whose “* Hand unseen Doth turn and guide the great machine.” It may be easily conceived, therefore, that circumstances occurred to favour their designs which are not recorded, and which, perhaps, are not conceivable by us.

As to Moses, he had been brought up at court; and though probably unknown to the present sovereign, he might be known to some of the at the name of Jehovah, God of Israel, which was, that they might hold a feast in the wilderness of Horeb. This was a solemn claim of the rights of worship and of conscience; and as they had served the king incessantly for forty years in abject bondage, it is but little to ask a few days for the service of their God. But it was to hold a feast; and why not ask leave to hold it in Egypt? The reason is obvious: their feast must be accompanied with sacrifices, and they wished neither to insult or provoke the people, by sacrificing before their eyes the objects which | sat in the highest veneration, and, indeed, were This may afford us a practical lesson, not to insult others in the practice of their religious rites while we perform our own.

Moses, however, was not listened to. Pharaoh insolently replied, Who is Jehovah? I know not Jehovah, neither will I let Israel go.” And as to ye, Moses and Aaron, “Wherefore do ye let (that is, hinder) the perks from their work? Get you unto your burdens.” And the same day their burdens were increased—they were commanded to “make bricks without straw;” and when they found it impossible to continue their full tale of bricks, as before, while they had to seek for straw, they were beaten by their cruel taskmasters. And when they appealed to the king by respectful petition, they were spurned from his presence without redress. “Ye are idle, ye are idle: and therefore ye say, Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.” Their case now became more desperate.

They met Moses and Aaron, who waited for them as they came from the pa Se a ae ee ase is it that thou hast so evil entreated this people? Why is it that thou hast sent me?” His feelings were, doubtless, shocked by the atheism of Pharaoh; but his heart was filled with anguish, when he saw that the effect of his interference increased the sufferings of his brethren. He now begins to repent that he had undertaken the commission that had been assigned to him, and sinks into despondency under the disap-

Notes on the verses

Chap. V. Ver 4. Let the people from their works.—{Taphreeoo, from para, to loose, pry i; and which we render let, from the Anglo-Saxon lettan to hinder. Ye hinder the people from their work: “Get you unto your burdens.” “Let religion alone and mind your work:”—‘The language not only of tyranny, but of the basest irreligion.}—Bagster, Ver. 6. The taskmasters of the people and their officers.—The former were Egyptians, and the latter Israelites. [Shoterim, from the Arabic satara, to overlook, superintend, seems to denote, as musaytar, in Arabic also does, overseers, superintendents.—They may probably have been somewhat like the chiefs of trades, who are found in every city in the East; where “every trade has a head, who is entrusted with authority over them, knows every individual of the body to which he belongs, and is in some measure answerable for them to Government.”]—Bagster.

Ver. 7. Straw to make brick.—{The straw was mixed with clay in order to make the bricks. This is expressly affirmed by Philo, (vit. Mos.) who was himself a native of Alexandria, in Egypt, who says, describing the oppression of the Israelites, that some were obliged to work in clay, and others to gather straw for the formation of bricks, because straw is the binding of the brick. Philo’s account is confirmed by Dr. Shaw, who says, that, “some of the Egyptian pyramids are made of brick, the composition whereof is only a mixture of clay, mud, and straw, slightly blended and kneaded together, and afterwards baked in the sun. The straw which keeps the bricks together, and still preserves its original colour, seems to be a proof, that these bricks were never burnt or made in kilns.”

The same materials are now used for building in Egypt. Baumgarten says, “The houses are for the most part of brick that are only hardened by the heat of the sun, and mixed with straw to make them firm.” —Bagster, Ver. 9. Let more work, &c.—Hebrew, “Let the work be heavy upon the men.”: Ver. 12. Stubble.—The lower part of the stalks, after reaping. Ver. 14. The officers…. were beaten.—That is, the Hebrew superintendents were punished, probably bastinadoed, (a very severe punishment,) if the tale (or number) of bricks was short.—Dr. Clarke.