Exodus 5

Exodus 5:11

11. — The Lord look upon you and judge; &c.] The Lord requite you, as you deserve; because you have made us offices in the sight of Pharaoh, and given him occasion or presence for destroying our whole nation. Bp. Patrick, Dr. Wells.

Exodus 5:12

12. And Moses returned unto the Lord, &c.] This plainly intimates, that the Lord had appeared to Moses since he came to Egypt, in some settled place, whether he might on all occasions resort to Him. Bp. Patrick.

— wherefore hast thou &c.] Moses himself appears to have been unable to give an account why the Lord should suffer their condition to grow worse rather than better, since he delivered His message to Pharaoh. The reflections, which had been cast upon him by the officers, so disturbed his mind, that he forgot himself to such a degree as to ask these unbecoming questions; and so complain that God had done nothing to fulfil His promise of deliverance to His people. Bp. Patrick.

It is the nature of man to murmur and complain, if our hopes are deferred, and things succeed not immediately according to our expectations: and even good men, as we see from this part of Moses’s conduct, are too apt to refuse, when they suffer themselves to be surprised. But if Moses did amiss in repining, he did well in “returning unto the Lord,” and making his complaint, not to others, but to Him. Let this example teach us, that whenever our frailty falls into discontent and uneasiness under the hand of God, we should avoid publickly

venting our griefs, as the Israelites did; but rather, with Moses, return to God, and pour out our complaints before Him. So did David, the man after God’s own heart; “When I am in heaviness,” saith he, “I will think upon God: when my heart is vexed, I will complain,” Ps. lxxvii. 3. So did St. Paul, when buffeted by the messenger of Satan, he applied himself to God for relief, and besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from him; but the answer was, (and he acquiesced in it,) “My grace is sufficient for thee,” 2 Cor. xii. 9. Wogan.

Chap. VI. ver. 1. — with a strong hand &c.] I will so terribly scourge him, that he shall not only suffer them to go, but thrust them out of Egypt, and be glad to be rid of them. Bp. Patrick.