Exodus 2
PATto slip into it, and lie with Sclomith, his wife, who took him for her husband. The plainest account and most likely, is this of Philo (in the place abovernentioned),.that some of Pharaoh’s officers, little differing from the most furious beasts, not at all mollified, but more exasperated by entreaties; one of them, of the most violent temper, fell in an outrageous manner upon an Hebrew, because he did not do his work so fast as ho would have him, beating him most cruelly till he had almost killed him. One of his brethren.] All the Hebrews were his brethren; but this man was of his own tribe, and one of the children of Kohath, as the forenamed authors take it. in the margin. For the word cohen indifferently signifies either priest or prince: but most anciently it signifies the latter (a prince), for so it is used in the Book of Job, xii. 19; he leadeth cohenim (princes) away spoiled. And in aftertimes it continued to have the same signification; David’s sons being called by this name of cohenim, 2 Sam. viii. 18. which in 1 Chron. xviiL 17. is expounded, " were chief at the hand of the king." And so Ira is called, 2 Sam. xx. 26. cohen, a chief ruler about David. And so I think it is to be taken here, for a ruler or governor, (see Gen. xli. 50.) not of the whole country of Midian, but of some province of it And it may be most truly rendered a prince (i. e. one of the princes, or rulers) of Midian. But in ancient time princes executed the priesthood also, as Plato observes they did among the Egyptians; and the consuls and emperors of Rome were ambitions of the same dignity: by which means the word cohen came to signify both. Though where the place or territory of which any person was cohen is mentioned, there it always signifies him to have been prince or civil governor of that place. So S. Jarchi observes, " the word cohen always denotes some Divine ministry or function, except where there is an addition of some particular principality to it, as Cohen of Midian, and Cohen of On, 93 (referring to this place, and that I now mentioned in Genesis), where it signifies a prince, though the priesthood might be joined with it. And so Artapanus in Eusebius, (lib. ix. cap. 27.) relating Moses’s flight into Arabia, saith he came to Raguel, rw twv tottw apxovri, the ruler of those parts. And the Jews, in their German translation of the Bible, call him Heer, Lord of Midian. See our most learned Selden, lib. i. de Synedr. c. ult. p. 648. I shall only add, that it is most likely that this prince (or priest) was a worshipper of the true God, and not an idolater: for Moses, we may be confident, would not have married his daughter, if she had been bred in a false religion. Had seven daughters, and they came and drew water, &c] He was but a small prince it appears by this; though it must be acknowledged it was a noble employment in old time (as I observed upon Genesis) to look after sheep: and we must not imagine these young women drew the water themselves, but had servants to attend them and obey their orders.
Exodus 2:1
JjlND there went a man of the house of Levi, &c. We are told both the man’s name, and the woman’s whom he married, (Exod. vi. 20. Numb. xxvi. 59.). Where Amram, grandson of Levi, is said to have been Moses’s father; and Jochabed, daughter of Levi, to have been his mother. So Amram married his father’s sister (as the text expressly tells us), which Moses was so ingenuous as not to conceal, though it might not be for his credit in future ages: when such marriages were forbidden by that law w r hich he gave them from God; though practised before tho giving of his law. (See Scldcn, lib. v. de Jure N. et G. cap. 9.) The Jews also, fancying his mother Jochabed to have been born as soon as the Israelites came into Egypt, make the birth of Moses a miracle: because she must be, by that “account, a hundred and thirty years old when he was born. But it may as well be thought that he was born to Levi in his old age, by another wife; and so she was younger than her nephew Amram, and but his half sister. Which makes thciT marriage no more strange than Abraham’s marriage with Sarah. Besides, it is not certain she was his father’s sister (in the strict sense of that word), but might be only one of his cousins, who in Scripture are frequently called sisters. And then, when it is said she was a daughter of Levi, the meaning must be, his granddaughter, ot the child perhaps of one of his grand-daughters: who, in these writings, are commonly called daugh* ters. And so all the objections against this marriage vanish; and the first words of this verse expound the last: A man of the house of Levi, took to wife a daughter of Levi; that is, one of the same house or family. But see vi. 20.
Exodus 2:2
And the woman conceived, and bare a son. She had one before this, viz. Aaron; who, it is probable, was born before this persecution begun, being three years older than Moses, (vii. 7.) And when she saw him, that he teas a goodly child.] His goodly aspect (which seems to have been an early indication of his future greatness) i£ taken notice of by strangers; particularly by Justin out of Trogus, an ancient heathen historian, lib. xxxvi. cap. 2. where he saith, That besides the inheritance of his father’s knowledge (whom he takes to have been Joseph), “etiam formas pulchritudo commendabat,” the gracefulness of his person recommended him to others. Insomuch, that the whole fable of Adonis among the heathen was framed (as Huetius conjectures) out of this story of Moses. For Apollodorus relates (lib. iii.) how Venus, admiring the great beauty of the infant, took him away privily, without the knowledge of the gods; and, hiding him in an ark, delivered him to Proserpine, &c. (See Dcraonstr. Evang. pfbpos. iv. cap. 3. n. 3.) She hid him three months.] R. Simeon, in Pirkc Eliezcr,, (cap. 48.) saith, she hid him in a vault under ground. But in Sota they say (in the Gemara, cap. i. sect. 38.) he being hid in a secret inner room of their house, was in danger to be detected by his crying; when some of the Egyptians came into the outer room, and brought a crying child with them on purpose; supposing the Israelites’ infants would answer, if any were in the house. But there is no certainty of this.
Exodus 2:3
And when she could no longer hide him. Some by Microsoft® 1G4 [chap. II. discovery being made of him, by some means or other, by their neighbours; or the search after new-born children being now more narrow aud diligent; she thought he could be no longer concealed, and therefore resolved to expose him, in the manner following. She took for him an ark of bulrushes.] Or of ivicker: for Kimchi observes the Hebrew word gome signifies the lightest wood. Patricides, an Arabian writer, saith it was made of that which the ancients call papyrus: and so the LXX. and Josephus, and Clemens Alexandrinus (Strom. i. p. 343. €k [5l(3Xov rfjc lyx^ptov gkzvog ti irotrifrafievoi), which was a fmtex that grew^ particularly upon the banks of Nile, as Salmasius shews in Solin. p. 1002, &c. And daubed it with slime and with jpitch.~] Of this M r ord slime, see Gen. xi. 3. It is most probable that this was used within, and pitch without, to keep the water from coming into the ark. And so I find in the Gemara of that title, in the Talmud called Sota, (cap. i. sect. 29”.) where this is said to have been an ancient tradition. Only they say, as many of the rabbins do, that chemar signifies plaster, not bitumen: because the bad smell of that, they think, would have been noisome to the child. It. Solomon’s opinion is, that it was pitched both within and without; and plastered within over the pitch. And she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.] That it might not be carried away with the stream; but she might come in the night and suckle it. Some think that the ark, notwithstanding, was made below An the form of a boat, that*, if it should chance to be carried from among the flags upon the shore, it might swim in the river. For it is certain the Egyptians made ships of the forenamed reed, as we find in Pliny and’ Solinus, who both mention papyracece naves; and in Theophrastus, who mentions nXota ££ ahrovy speaking of papyrus: a£ Salmasius observes in hi.s Plin. Exercit. p. 1003. 1115, 111G. Herodotus also mentions, IiXoia Ik t>7c aKav^jjc iroitifitva, in his Euterpe, cap. xcvi. (See Isa. xviii. 2.)
Exodus 2:4
Andhis sister stood afar off, to wit what, &c. By her mother’s order no doubt; that she might not seem to be set there, on purpose to watch him. We read of no * other sister he had but Miriam, (Numb. xxvi. 59.) who therefore is thought to be the person.
Exodus 2:5
And the daughter of Pharaoh. Called Thermutis by Josephus, (lib. ii. Antiq. cap/5.) but by Artapanus, in Euscbius’s Preepar. Evang. (lib.ix. cap. 27.) called Meris, or Merris. Which is her name, as Jacobus Capellus observes, in his Fasti Siculi. The same Artapanus there says, she was married to Cenephres, king of the country above Memphis; but had no child by him. Clemens Alexandrinus says the same, that she was not only a married woman, but had been long married, without being with child, tIkvqv ll hr&vikovaa, but very desirous to have one. (Lib. i. Strom, p. 343.) Come doum to wash herself at the river.] Not for pleasure, but for purification: this being an ancient rite of religion in all nations, to cleanse themselves, by washing their bodies, after any defilement. Thus Philo seems to understand it, in his book of the Life of Moses: where, speaking of this matter, he uses the word Trtpippavr()ot<i, which is proper to sacred cleansing. And it seems far more probable, than that the scorching heat of the weather (caused by an extraordinary hand of God) made her betake herself to the cool streams for her refreshment (as tho tale is told in tho Hebrew book called the Life of Moses), or that the desire of children carried her hither; the M r aters of Nile being thought to make women fruitful. Clemens Alexandrinus seems to have put both these together, refreshment and religion; when he saith she came hither, Xourpotc Kaiirzpippavrripiotf: xpy<™fji(vri, (lib. i. Strom, p. 343.) It is still a further fetch of Jonathan, who would persuade us that at this time God had smote the Egyptians with a burning ulcer; which made their flesh so hot, that they could not endure it, but run to the river to cool their bodies. And in Pirke Eliezer, (cap.xlviii.) this inflammation is said to have seized on Pharaoh’s daughter, whom ho calls Bathia. Which is indeed the name of a daughter of one Pharaoh, (1 Chron. iv. 18.) but to make her the daughter of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, (as G. Vorstius observes they do, in Schemoth Rabba, and Vaijra Rab.) is altogether senseless. And yet it is upon that ground they make her a proselyte also, and say in the title of the Talmud beforementioned, called Sota, (cap. i. of the Gemara, sect. 40.) that she went into the river to purge herself from the idolatry of her father’s house: i. e. to become a proselyte, who was received (in following times) into the Jewish religion by baptism. And her maidens walked along by the river side.] While she washed herself, in a private place, which, no doubt, was made by the king for that purpose. For it is not to be imagined,* that she washed herself publicly in the river; but in some inclosure, whereby she was separated from the sight of company. For Zoan (or Tanis) the royal city, it is certain, lay near the river; and it is likely the king’s gardens extended themselves to the very bank of it; where convenient bathing-houses were contrived for himself, and the royal family, to bathe in the river when they pleased. Patricides seems to say, that the river run through the city, or by the side of it; for so the words are: the ark teas put in the banks of the river Nile, ivhere the water zvas shallowest, in the city of Tzana, which was the metropolis of that part of the country.. And to the same purpose Elmacinus, another Arabian writer, as Hottinger observes in his Smegma Orientale, (lib. i. cap. 8. p. 400.) And when she saw the arlc among the flags.] In such a bathing-house, as I suppose her to have now been, there were lattices through which she could see what was done in the river, though nobody could see her. And she spying an unusual vessel among the flags, commanded it to be brought to her. Patricides saith, she heard the child cry. And Chuskuni observes, it was more easy for her who was in the river to espy the ark, than for her maidens win© walked above the banks. She sent her maids to fetch it.] The Hebrew word amatha, which we translate maid, is much diftcreiit from that for maidens mentioned just before: signifying one that waited immediately upon her, whom we call a handmaid: tho other properly signifying only young women; who were such, perhaps, as we now call ladies of honour. Ver. G. And when she had opened it, she saw* the child.] And together with him theSchechinah, or Divine Majesty, as Rabbi Jose saith in Sota: which is agreeable to their opinion who make her to be now proselyted, but hath no other foundation. And behold, the babe wept.] There is nothing strange in (5) CHAP. It.] UPON EXODUS. 1G5 this, that a babe (which perhaps had been a good while without the breast) should weep: but it is remarkable, that Pharaoh’s daughter should not find it, till tears ran down its checks: because this helped to move her compassion towards it, as it here follows. * And she had compassion on him.’] Resolved to preserve him, contrary to her father’s order. And said. This is one of the Hebrews’ children.’] None else, she thought, would expose so goodly a child; and she was confirmed in her opinion, when she found he was circumcised, as the same R.Jose conjectures. And the truth is, we havo-jio good reason to believe, that the Egyptians had, as yet, received circumcision.
Exodus 2:7
Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, &c. We cannot think his sister would be so imprudent as to step in immediately, upon the finding of the child, and ask if she should call a Hebrew nurse for it: but stayed some time (that she might not seem to know any thing of him, but what she heard them say), till they had tried other nurses (as the Hebrew doctors in Sota understand it, cap. i. sect. 43.) whose breasts the child refusing to suck, she took the opportunity to ask if she might see for a nurse among the Hebrew women. Josephus saith the very same.
Exodus 2:8
And PharaolCs daughter said unto her, Go. It is likely that Miriam addressed herself to her so discreetly, that it moved her easily to agree to her proposal. Though a singular providence of God guided this whole business. And the maid went and called this child’s mother.] Whose breast the child readily taking (having been used to it) she was instantly accepted to be his nurse. So it follows in the next verse. Ver..9. Take this child away, and nurse it for me, &c] Thus by the wonderful providence of God, Jochabed had the pleasure of suckling her own child; and was also well paid for her pains.
Exodus 2:10
And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter. The Hebrew writers say, that when he was two years old, he was taken from her: which is not so likely, as that he continued with her till he was grown capable to be instructed in true religion, and to understand and remember whose true child he was; whereby he was disposed to behave himself accordingly, when he came to live at court. And he became her soh.] She having no child of her own, adopted him for her son, with the consent, no doubt, of Pharaoh: not to succeed in the throne, as some have fancied; but to be the heir of her private estate.’ And accordingly she gave him a princely education, and took care he should be instructed in all thetvisdom of the Egyptians, as St. Stephen haih remembered, (Acts vii. 22.) and, as Philo (in the Life of Moses) would have it believed^sent for the ablest masters out of Greece (as well as out of Assyria, and other eastern countries), to teach him their learning. Which is a piece of Jewish vanity; for there was no learning among the Greeks in the days of Moses, who was ancientcr, not only than their philosophers and poets, but than most of their gods, as Clemens Alexandrinus demonstrates, Kai Beuv Spa rwv 7r\rffrr<jjv irap’ EXX-fjvwv ov fxovov t<ov Xeyofxiviov co^wv re koI 7Toiyitwv o Mwofjc ffptafSvTepog, (Iib.i. Strom, p. 323.) And what learning there was now in Egypt is not certain; for there is no evidence that the wisdom St. Stephen speaks of, comprehends the knowledge of so many* things, as some learned men are pleased to ascribe to them in those days. And she called his name Moses.] The reason of this name is given in the following words: And she said, Because I have drawn him out of the water.] This name seems to be derived from the Hebrew word mashah, which is never used an the Bible, but for drawing out of the water,(2 Sam. xxii. 17. Psalm xviii. 17. Isa.lxiii. 11.) And therefore there is no need to have recourse to any other language for the original* of his name; which Philo, Josephus, and Clemens Alexandrinus, will have to, be derived from the word Mw,which, in the Egyptian tongue, they say, signifies water, and ><jr$, which signifies saved. So that it is as much as saved from the waters, or preserved from drowning. It may be said, indeed, that it is not likely she should give him a name’ from any other language than her own: but it is to be considered, that the word mashah (from whence this name must naturally flow, and to which she herself said she had respect) might have the same sig nification in her language, that it had in Hebrew; there being a great affinity between these two tongues. (See Gen. xl.45.) Alexandrinus saith, that the name he had given him by his parents at his circumcision was Joachim. Which he had, I suppose, out of some fabulous book; for, in the same place, he speaks of the name that was given him after he was translated to heaven, (lib.i. Strom, p. 343.)
Exodus 2:11
And it came to pass in those days when Moses was groivn. When he was not only arrived at man’s estate, but was full forty years old, as St. Stephen observes, (Acts vii. 23.) and may be gathered from this history. That he went out unto his brethren, &c] He had a motion from God (as St. Stephen there seems to interpret it) to go, and acquaint himself with the condition of his brethren; and to own himself, more than he had done hitherto, to be one of them. The Jews tell many tales of what passed between him and Pharaoh till this time; but there is no more credit to be given to them, than to what Artapanus, a heathen historian, relates of his military exploits in a war with the Ethiopians, against whom Cenephres sent him as general of his forces: though this is remarkable, that his name and several passages of his life (mixed with some fables) were known to othemations, and by them magnified and admired. As appears by what Eusebius hath extracted out of Artapanus, Eupolemus, Demetrius, and other heathen writers, (lib. ix.Prsepar. Evang. cap. 26,27, &c.) And looked upon their burdens.] Which he did very often (as Philo understands it, lib. i. de Vita Mosis), and not without great grief and heaviness; that he was neither able to hinder their oppression, nor to help them under it. But he exhorted Pharaoh’s officers to moderate their severity; and the Israelites to be patient, in hope of deliverance. And he spied an Egyptian siniting an Hebrew.] The cause of it is reported (iu’the Life of Moses, in Hebrew, and in Schalschalah Hakkabalah) that this Egyptian had broken the Hebrew’s house, and bound him, and ravished his wife, and now endeavoured to murder him. But this looks like a tale; which is a little better told by the author of Schemoth Rabba, and others mentioned by Mr. Selden, (lib. ii. de Synedr. cap. 1.) who say, (hat this Egyptian was one of the taskmasters, who called this man out of his bed in the night to go to work, and then took his opportunity
Exodus 2:12
And he looked this way and that tvay, &c. Round about him; that he might not run into danger himself, by delivering his brother from it. He slew the Egyptian.] Being stirred up to it by a Divine motion; othenvays he could not have justified this fact to God and his own conscience. And therefore St. Stephen plainly makes this an indication to the children of Israel, that God intended to deliver them by his means; and says, Moses thought they would have so understood, (Acts vii. 25.) Nay, Maimonides himself gives this account of it (par. ii. cap. 45/ More Nevochim), where, he making this the first degree of prophecy, when a man is moved and animated by God to some great and heroic enterprise (either for the preservation of the whole church, or the deliverance of eminent men from oppression), he reckons Moses, among others, as an instance of it, in these words: “Moses was endued with this power, when he grew up to be a man; by the impulse of which he slew the Egyptian, and checked him who unjustly strove with one of his brethren/’ &c. The Hebrews generally say that Moses did not kill this man with a sword, or any other weapon, but merely by the word of his mouth, pronouncing him dead in the name of God. Which tradition is so old, that it is mentioned by Clemens Alexandrinus, (lib. i. Strom.) <pa<r\ Se ol Mvorcu \6yu> /iovy aveAetv top Alyvirrtov, &c. They that pretend to secrets, say, that he killed the Egyptian with his word alone, as Peter afterwards, in the Acts, killed Ananias and Sapphira. And hid him in the sand.] An inaccessible desert lay on the west of Egypt, as Diodorus Siculus observes; and there was another also on the east of it: so that if this happened upon the borders, there was sand enough wherein to bury him.
Exodus 2:13
Andivhcn he went out the second day. Having begun to act by the Divine commission, he seems to have resolved every day to give proofs of his authority; and awaken the people to expect deliverance by his means. And therefore went out, among them, this day, as he had done the day before. Behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together.] He was surprised to find two of his brethren contending one with another; when they were so grievously oppressed by the Egyptians. And he said to him that did the wrong t Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?] He had no less authority to admonish and reprove his brethren, than to chastise their oppressors.
Exodus 2:14
And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over as?. It is plain by this that he acted as one that had authority; but this man questioned from whence he had it. Jntendcst thou to killme, as thou killedst the Egyptian?] It is not likely the man thought he had any such intention, but meant only to fright Moses from meddling in his matters, by letting him know, that what he had done already was not such a secret as he thought it. And Moses feared.] He had not yet received a Commission from God to act publicly as their governor, and therefore durst not stay to answer a charge against him (which he thought might be possibly brought), for what he had done privately. Some have troubled themselves to reconcile this with what the apostle saith, Hebr. xi. 27. that " ho feared not the wrath of the king;” which doth not seem to agree with what is said here, that Moses feared. But there he may very well be thought to speak, not of his flight out of Egypt, but of his last departure with the whole body of the Israelites. Though if we should allow Moses, and the apostle, to speak of the same thing, there would be no contradiction between them. For he might so fear, as to make him cautious, and consult for his safety; rather than basely either deny or excuse what he had done, or ask paTdon for it; unto which no fear of the wrath of the king could have moved him.
Exodus 2:15
Now when Pharaoh heard this thing. Which was soon brought to his ears, as Moses suspected; and aggravated extremely by the great men of the court, as Philo represents it, (lib. i. de Vita Mosis.) He thought to slay him.] Not so much because he had killed the man, as because he pretended to assert the liberty of the Israelites, and to be their deliverer. Demetrius bears witness to this story, just according to what is here related, in Eusebius’s Praepar. Evang. lib. ix. cap. 29. And Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh.] Wisely foreseeing the danger, he avoided it by flight into another country where he was out of his reach. For though the time of Israel’s deliverance was not yet come, he was assured, that God intended to work it by his hand: and therefore thought it prudent to reserve himself till he received a further commission from God. But though this flight of Moses be here so plainly affirmed, yet the Jews aTe so fond of their own conceits, and so bold in their invention, that they say he was not only condemned to have his head cut off, but brought to the block; and when the executioner came to do his office, his sword would not enter; Moses’s neck being, by a miracle, turned into a pillar of marble; and from thence he called his son Eliezer, &c. So the tale is told by the author of Moses’s Life. What Pharaoh this was is not certain, but Eusebius calls him Orus (who succeeded Amenophis, in whose time Moses was born), and he is said to have reigned two-and-forty years. And dwelt in the land of Midian.] Where some of Abraham’s posterity were settled (Gen. xxv. 2.) in a part of Arabia Pctroea, And therefore Philo only saith, viravtx<*>- priaev elc rfiv o/ivpov’Apafitav, he withdrew into the neighbouring Arabia. Into which country he chose to flee, both because his escape was easy thither, and because they were descended from the same stock with himself; and continued still good people; or at least had some good governors and families among them, as appears by what follows: And he sat down by a well.] To refresh himself; and expecting, it is likely, to meet some company there, at the time when the flocks came to water. Ver. Hi. Now the priest of Midian.] Or pnwee, as it is
Exodus 2:17
And the shepherds came and drove them away. Some rude and idle shepherds would have made use of the water which they had drawn; and had the benefit of their pains, without any labour of their own. This looks like an argument that their father was not a prince, for then, one would think, these shepherds would not have dared to contest with them. But it is as much an argument that he was not a priest; for they were great men also in those days. And it seems probable to me, that these were the shepherds of some other greater prince in those countries; who made thus bold with Jethro’s daughters and their servants. For one cannot think, as I said, that they alone looked after this flock, but were overseers of those that did, like Ilebckah and Rachel. (See Gen. xxix. 9.) But Moses stood zip and helped them, &c] This was an act (as Maimonidcs suggests) of the same heroic spirit, mentioned before, (ver. 12.) which still rested on him, and moved him here, as it had done in Egypt. And thus Philo also represents him as ivOovma fxtTaixop<povfxevog, transported by such an enthusiasm when he spake to the shepherds, that it affrighted them from their attempt. Though it is not certain that he overcame them by persuasions, but the whole discourse seems rather to imply that he forced them to desist: which he could not do alone, but at. the head of those servants that belonged to these young women, and it is not improbable he had some servants of his own, who attended him in his flight. Certain it is, that the Arabians’ great employment was feeding of cattle, as Philo there notes, (lib. i. de Vita Mosis, Krr\vorpo(povaiv “Apaj3f£, &c.) " and that not only men, but women, young men and virgins, looked after them; and not those only of the meaner sort, aXka teal to)v ayav tTrupaviov, but they that were of noblo families.'*
Exodus 2:18
And when they came to Reuel their father. He is thought to be the same with Jethro, (iii. 1.) or was Jethro’s father; and so the grandfather of these young women; which Drusius thinks most probable. (Miscell. Centur. 2. cap. 69.) He said, How is it you are come so soon to-day?] It seems Moses not only valiantly defended and protected them; but so vigorously assisted them also in all their business,: that they dispatched it sooner than they were wont to do.
Exodus 2:19
And they said, An Egyptian. So they took Moses to be by his speech and his habit;, and perhaps he told them he came out of that country. Delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds.] This justifies what I said (ver. 17.) that these shepherds belonged to some other prince in those parts, who were wont, it seems, to infest those that were weaker; and that Moses by his extraordinary courage drove them away. And also drew water enough for us, &c] They had drawn water before, (ver. 16.) which the shepherds took from them: and he now did it with greater.expedition, and in great plenty.
Exodus 2:20
And he said unto his daughters, Where is he?. This is a form of chiding, as Philo observes, or upbraiding for their ingratitude; as appears by what follows. Why is it that ye have left the man?] Suffered him to remain in the field. Ye ought (as Philo explains it) to have invited him to my house; and if he had declined it, to have entreated and urged him to it. Call him, that he may eat bread.] Go back (as he goes on) with all speed, and pray him to come and refresh himself; and receive my thanks, which are due to him. This shews Moses had done them some considerable service.
Exodus 2:21
And Moses teas content to dwell with the man. After some conversation with him, Raguel liked Moses so well that he offered him such terms as he accepted, and became one of his domestics. And he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.] The Divine writers do not relate all the passages of a story (as other authors delight to do) but only the most material. Therefore we are to suppose a great many things to have preceded this: which was not accomplished presently after he was entered into Reuel’s house, but after he had had such experience of Moses’s other virtues, as well as of his valour. Though the observation of Philo here is not to be slighted, that’ApfStjXot at fityaXai