Exodus — Chapter 2

affirming that he was fent to them by God, propofed this dirkcultie before he tooke the Embacie vpon sim, For without good proote both the Ifraelites and AEgyptians might hauc reie&ed him, as feeming to come of his owne priuate fpirit , being no ordi- nari¢{uperiout , neither of the whole people , nor of his owne tribe ,-nor firft of hi, familie ;for Aaron was his clder brother, Therfore God gaue him pawer of working miracles to proue bis extraordinarie miflion truc and lavful. Which { fufficed to make cuen Pharao himfelfe ro know , that he wasfent from God Al- 7 mightic , though it mollified not his ftubborne hart , to obey Gods commande- } ment: and it fully fatishied the childrer of Hrael touching al things which he { denounced, believing him that God mercifully Looked vpon their aftlidtion and. ¢ would loay1o lean.15.. Mat. 93 Mari. ‘Moyfes EXODVS,. a5 would deliuer them. Whernpon they adored proftrate, as the laft wordstof this chaprer teftifie. Where we fee both the ncceflitie, and fulncieneie of miracles to proue the extraordinarie vocation of fuch as preach otherwife then was taught before. For this caufe our Sauiour himfelfe confirming his do@rinc by miracles, fayd tothe lewes: If you wil not belicuc ine, Geltene by works. Againc he faie of them: If [ bad motdone amerg them werks that no other man hath dene , they should mes haw: finne, And conformably fending his Apoftlesto preach the Ghofpel , gaue them power to worke miracles in his name, So did S. Peter and S, Iohn heale the lame, A@. 3. And S, Paul auouched miracles for the fignes of his Apoftle- fhip. 2. Cor, 12, CHAP V. Moyfes and Aaronrequire ef Pharao inthe bebalfe of God , to let his people the Hebrewes goe and facrifice sn the defert, Which he ccomemning ¢ . op- preffeth them more , denying them flraw » and yer txadiing the accufhamed number of brickes.20, The people oppreffed impute their miferie to Mioyfes and Aaron, 23, But Moyfes prayeth to God for them. We F TER thefe things Moyfes and Aaron went in, and a ms {aid to Pharao: This faith the Lord God of Ifrael : dift W3% miffe my people that they may facrifice to me in the de-: d fert. 2. But he an{wered ; Who is the Lord, that I fhould and Ifracl 1 wilnot difmiffe. 3, And they faid: The God of the He- brewes hath called vs to goe three dayes tourney into the wilderneffe, & to facrifice to the Lord our God : left perhaps there chance to vs pe- ftilence or fword. 4. The Kins of AEgypt faid to them: Why doe you Moyfes and Aaron folicite the people trom their workes ? Goe you to your burdens. 5. And Pharao faid: The people of the land is much: heare his voree , & difmiffe I{rae!? 1 know not the Lord, you fee that the multitude is feeretly increafed : (4) how much more if you giue them reft from their workes? €. Therefore he commanded in that day the ouerfeers of the workes and the exaCtouts of the peo- ple, faying : 7. Youfhal no more gine ftraw to the people for to make bricks , as before; but let themfelues goe and gather ftraw. x. Andthe taske of bricks , which they did before-, youihal put vpon them , ne1- ther fhal you dimtiniih any thing : for they are. idle , and therfore the crie , faying : Let vs goe ,and facrifice to our God. 9. Let them be op- preffed with workes, and let therm accomplifh them : that they hearken not to lying words. 10. Therefore the ouerfeers of the workes andthe exaCtours going forth {aid vnto the people : Thus faith Pharao : ] allow youno ftraw : 11. goe, and gather it you can find any-where : neither. fhal aniething of your worke be diminifhed. 12. And the people was difperfed through al the Land of AEgypt to gather ftraw. 13. And the 4. lincreafe moft a) Wordlie men thinke Gods people by reft, bre in- deed they mul- tiplie more when they are opprefied. §, . Cyprian de ex~ hort. Al &rt, C10 Y oucriecers 6) The craftie 152 EXODVS. Moyles ouerieers of the workes were inftant , faying : Fimifh your worke eue- rie day , as before you were wont to doe when ftraw was giuen vnto you. 14. And the ouerfeers of the workes of the children ot Ifracl were fcourged of Pharaos exactours , fayiag : Why doe you not make vp the taske of brickes as before , neither yefterday , nor to day? 15. And the ouerfecrs of the children of Ifrael came, and cried out to Pharao, fayin g : Why dealeft thou fo againft thy feruants > 16, Straw is not diue: snowing that ‘weake men affli@ed are eafcly ino- ued to mur- mur, ftirred this people againft their owne leaders, 5, Greg. i. 29. ic, 14. Mfoval, (¢) Geds pro- uidence fuffe- reth his chil~ dren to be moft afflt@ed, when reliefe is nere at hand, Theed. 4.13. in Exod, (d) Adonai is not the name there vttered to Mopfes, but is read in place of the vnkno- Wen name, iuenvs , and brickes are commanded vs in like fort : behold we thy peruants are beaten with whips , and thy people is vaiuitly dealt withal.

Iofephus writeth that Amram Moyfes father, being folicitous, when his wife was great, how to saue the infant if it were a man-child, God reuealed to him, that she had conceiued a sonne, who should not only be saued from Pharaos furie, but also be the deliuerer of the whole Hebrew nation from thraldome and seruitude of the AEgyptians. Wherupon they assuredly trusted that God would protect and prosper him, yet so, if they did their owne endeuour, which S. Augustin teacheth to be alwayes necessarie.

When she could not conceale him.] These godlie and prudent parents, considering that when the Ægyptians should perceiue such an infant to be borne, and not drowned according to the Kings Edict, they would destroy both the child and whole familie; to auoid the greater danger, chose the lesse: To bring him to the water side, not omitting their owne industrie, as wel by closing him in a basket, that would draw no water, as by setting his sister to watch what became of him.

(a) See what manner of re- uerence & de- uotion is pre- fcribed, to goe bare-footto holie places. (&) OF holie places, and of chriftian deuo- tid in going to them, s. Hier. writcth largc- ly Epif. 19. 18, and 27, burnt. 3. 146 ExopdDvs. Moyles, lofephus writeth that Amram Moyfes father, being folicirous , when his wife was great, how to fane the infant if it were a man-cinild , God reucaled to him, that she had conceined a fonne , who should not only be faued trom Pharaos fus ric, buralfu be the deliucrer of the whole Hebrew nation from thraldome and feruitude of the Agyptians. Wherupon tity afluredly trufted that God would prore& and profper him, yet fo, if they didtheir owne endcauour , which S, Auguftin'teacheth to be alwayes neceflarie, Iu. fie firucke the eA Exypuan.) Moyfes not of carnal Joue towards his brethren, nor of priuate pation , but by diuine infpiration killed the AEgyprian , as S$. Au- gaftin proueth (li, qq. in Exod. q. 2. ) by the teftimonie of S, Steen faying : Moyfes thouzhs hie brithren had underflood , thar Ged by his hand would fame them, Wherby appeareth that Moyfes himfelfe knew it was Gods pleafure he should kil tha: Argyptian inuading an Hebrew, Yet others may not imitate fuch parti- cular examples, Cageci), Rom. p. 3.6. 664. J.

them p-ffefion of Chanaan. 1.4. The Sencalogies of Ruben , Simeon , and efpecially oj Lexi are reciied , 26. t0 shew the origin of Moyfes and Aaron. , ND our Lord {aid to Moyfes ; Now thou halt fee what things 1 wil doe to Pharao : for by a mightie hand fhal he S difmiffe them , and ina ftrong hand flal he caft thezn our m of his land. 2. Andour Lord fpaketo Moyfes, faying :1 am the Lord 3. that appearcd to Abraham , to Ifaac, and to Jacob , inGod Almightie:and “myname (¢4) ADONAI I did not fhew them, 4. And I made a coucnant with them , to giuethem the Land of Chanaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were ftrangers. 5. And] haue heard the groning of the children of Ifrael , wherwith the AEgyptians haue oppreffed them : & I haue remembred my couenant. 6. Therfore fay tothe children of Ifrael :1 the I ord who wil bring you forth out of the worke-prifon of the AEgyptians , and wil deliuer you from {eruitude ; and redeeme youin a high arme , and great *patruce { lem pro patres, Gua Les. tne nen: dicssur. See a ree Moyles. EXODVS: 153 great iudgements. 5. And] wiltake you to me for my peopic, and I wil be your God: and you thal know that I am the Lord your God, that brought you forth out of the worke-prifon of the AEgyptians: &, and brought you into theland , ouer which I lifted vp my hand to giue itto Abraham ,lfaac, and Iacob: and I wil giuc it you to poffeffe : J the Lord. 9. Moyfes then told alto the children of Hracl: who did not hearken vuto him , foranguilh of {pirit , and moft painetul worke, ro, And our Lord fpake to Moyles , faying : 11. Goe in , and {peake to Pharaothe King of AEgypt , thathe difmiffe the children of I{racl out of his land. 12. And Moyfes anfwered before our Lord : Behold the children of Ifrael heare me not: and how wil Pharao heare, efpecially wheras I am of vncircumcifed lips? 13. And our Lord fpake to Moyfes and Aaron, and he gaue them commandement vnto the children of If racl, and vnto Pharao the King of AEgypr , that they fhould bring forth the children of Ifrael out of rhe land of AEgypt. 14. Thefe are Princes of theirhoufes by their families. The fonnes of Ru- ben the firft-begotten of Ifracl ; Henoch and Phallu , Hefron and Charmi. r<. Thefe are the kindreds of Ruben. The fonnes of Simeon: lamuel and Iamin, and Ahod , and Jachin ,and Soar ,and Saul the fon- -nes of the Caananiteffe , thefe are the progcnics of Simeon. 16. And thefe are the names of the fonnes of Leui by their kindreds : Gerfon and ‘Caath and Merari. And («j the ycares.of che lite cf Leyi were an hun- dred thirtie feuen. 17. The fonnes of Gerfon : Lobni and Semi, by their kinrcds. 18. The fonnesof Caath: Amram and Haar , and He- bron and Oziel. the veares alfo of Caaths life , were an hundred thirtie three. 19° The fonnes of Merari : Moholi and Mulizthefe be the kin dreds of Leui by their families. 20. And Amram rooke to wife Iq cabed(/) his * aunt by the fathers fide:w::o bare him Aaron & Moyfes, And the yeares of Amramis life were an hundred thirtie feven, 21. The fonnes alfo of Ifaar : Coree , & Neplieg, , & Zechri, 22. The fonnes alfo of Oziel ; Mizael,& Elizaphan, & Sethi. 23. And Aaron tooke to wife Elizabeth the daughter of Aminadab, filter ot Nahafon , who bare him Nadab , & Abiu, & Eleazar, & Ithamar. 24. The {cnnes alfo of Core: Afer,& Elcana,& Abiafaph,thefe be the Kindreds ofthe Corites.25.But Eleazar'the fonne ot Aaron'tooke a wife ofthe daughiers ot. Phuticl : who bare him Phinees. (g)} thefe are the heads ofthe Leuitical taruilics by. their kindreds. 26. This is Aaron and Moyfes 2 whom our Lord co- maded that they fhould bring forth the-children ctJfracl out ofthe land of AEgypt by their troups.2 7--Thefe are they that fpa keto Pharao the King of AEgypt, that they might bring forth the children of Hracl out ef AEgyptthis is Moyics,& Aaron, 26. in the day when our Lord ipake tq Moyfes in the land of AEyypt. 29. And our Lord {pake to Moy fes, faying :.1 the Lord : fpeake to Pharao the ing of AEgypt »ai things which I {fpeakc to thee.30. And Moyfes faid-betore our Lord:Loe ] am of vnciccumcifed lips , how. yuil Pharao heare me? Y2 A NWN O.. (in Exod, (e) The yeases of Iofeph dy- - jing firft of Io, ‘cobs fonnes Gen. so0.and of ;Leui living. _ jlongeft .and ‘none of the reft, are nor without iny-- ftery recorded’ inholie Scrip- tures, Chronol, bebr, f) SeeNum, 126.V.59, ig) It perteined] net to Movfes prefent pur- pofe , te pro- fecute the ve. nealogi¢s of - iacobs oiher. fonnes, -being] comero the engin of the Priv filte tribe uy icui the third forse. S, Aug. qe 1S. dIn place of the dname of God counted inef- jfable, is com- ‘menly read Adonai {Tebeweb isnot the right name of Gad, (a) Aaren alfo wasthe Pro- phet of God, but fubordi- nate wnder - Moyfes , and ouer Pharao. S. Ang. q. 17. in Exed, Z ExXoODvVS. Moyles. 154 ANNOTATIONS.

deb, an, ‘d) Oppreffion. :of ynnocents crieth to kea- nen for re- uenge, Movfes paréts did prudently expofe him to feme dar Cr, to avoid orcater, but Reuelations and Gods de- terminations doe not ex- ciude but in- clude wansen- \deauour, Thongh Moy- fes inftlykilled the AEgypta, ver others may not imitate his example, The three firft leffons on the

He strucke the AEgyptian.] Moyfes not of carnal loue towards his brethren, nor of priuate passion, but by diuine inspiration killed the AEgyptian, as S. Augustin proueth (li. qq. in Exod. q. 2.) by the testimonie of S. Steuen faying: Moyses thought his brethren had vnderstood, that God by his hand would saue them. (Act. 7.) Wherby appeareth that Moyfes himselfe knew it was Gods pleasure he should kil that AEgyptian inuading an Hebrew. Yet others may not imitate such particular examples.

God in the taeane time rewardeth the midwiues, that fearing him Aiiled nos she children, HESE be the names of the children of Ifrael, thar en- tred into Agypt with Jacob: they did enter in eucrie one with their houfes,2. Ruben , Simeon , Leui, Iudas, A 3- Ufachar, Zabulon,& Beniamin, 4. Dan,and Nepthali, Vv Gad,and Afer. 5. Therfore al the foules that came outof Jacobs thigh were feuentie: and Jofeph was in Aigypt. 6. Who being dead, and al his brethren , and al that generation, 7. the children of Ifcael increafed,and as it were {pringing vp did mukiplie, and growing {troug excecdingly , filled the land. 8.1n the meane time there arofe a new hing ouer Ajgypt ,that knew not lofeph: 9. and he faid to his people : Behold (4) the people of the children of Hrael is much , and fironger then we. 10. Come, let vs wifely oppreffe the fame, (a) left perhaps it nvultiplic : and if there fhal be anie warre againkt vs , it ioyne with our enemies,and we being ouerthrowane , they depart out of the land. 1:. Therfore(b)he fet ouer them Matters of the workes,to.affi@ them with burdens : and they built vnto Pharao cities of tabernacles, Phithom, vo Ad 42.10 Luc. 12. al. 4, @ {. 1.Pes.2. om. 13, Pfr, * 142. Tfraclites ExXxopDYv& 143 Phithom, and Rameffes.12. And the more they did oppreffe them , fo muchthe more they multiplied and increafed: andthe AEgyptians (4) hated rhechildren of Ifracl , and deriding atilited them: 14, and they brought their life into bitternes wita the hard workes of clay and bricke, & with al feruice , wherewith they were prefied in the workes of the earth. 15. And the King of AEgypt {aid to the midwiues of the loffes and bo- dilre paines , by prefling the with workes, Hebrewes , of whom one was called Sephora , the other Phua , 16. commanding them: (¢) When you fhal be midwiues to the Hebrew women, and thetime of deliueric is come, if it be aman-child, kil ic if a woman, referue her. 15.” But the midwiues feared God , and did not according to the commandement of the Kinz of AEgypt , but pre- ferued the men-children. 18.To whom being called vnto him, the King faid : What is this that you ment to doe , that you would faue the men- children? 19, Who anfwered: The ” Hebrew women are notas the AEgyptian women : tor they haue the knowledge to play the midwife themfelues , and before we come to them , they are deliuered. 20. God therfore did wel to the midwiues : and the people increafed , and be- came {trong exceedingly. 21. And” becaufe the midwiues feared God, he built them houfes. 22. Pharao therfore commanded al his people , faying : Whatfoeuer thal be borne of the male-fex (a) caftit into the riucr ; whatfoeuer of the female , reierue it. ANNOTATIONS. CHAP, I. 19> Bot the midwiues feared God. ) In commendation of the midwiues not obeying the Kings commandement , Moyfes oppofeth the feare of .God , to the feare of Princes;shewing thereby that when their commandments are contrarie, the tubie@s muft feare God , and not doe that the Prince commandeth. So did our Sauiour himfelf teach , and that for feare of damnation, faying : Feare him whe hath power toca insohel, And fo his Apoftles indowed with the Holie-Ghoft pradized , anfwering inthis cafe , that they muft heare God rather then men, Againe , God mnfi be obeyed rather shenmcn: Alwayes vniderftood , when they are contraric, For otherwife both S, Perer and S. Paul reach vs , that Princes, yea Infidels , of whom they efpecially fpeake , muft be obeyed,

Hercin the midwiues finned, Fer it is never law- ful to lye, Becaufe the law ef God is truth, whereby S, Auguftin proueth (li. cont, mend. c. 10, ) that whatfoceuer varicth from truth is vnlawful, When therfore (faith he) examples of lying are propofed to vs out of holie Scripture , cither they are not lies , but arethought to be whiles they are net vnderftood , ox if they be lies, they are nat tobeimitated, becaufe they arevniawful, S Gregorie tea- cheth the fame (ii, 18. Moral. c. 26.) Qua profed?o ab equitare difcrepat , omiquid a veritate difcordat, Becanfe affuredly what, cewer difagrees from veritse,d ffereth from equiiie, Ye: thefe fathers hold fuch an officious lye, as this was, tobea Ichic func, and more eafily pardoned , and purged by good workes folowing. ¢) The fecond was fecrce Lmurder, d) The third was opcn mur= der, God muft be ifeared before \Princes com- imanding con- trari¢e things, Princes muft be obevedin law ful things. Al lies ave fin- Ines and vine Jawful. Venial finncs x 21, bicawje Feare of God meritorious, Temporal re wardes pro- mifed inthe old Teftamét, eternal inthe new, (a) Mos,in the AEgyptian tongue fignif- eth water, and tes, faued, Yo- Sep. lib. 2, An- tq Clemens, Alexand, li, 1, Stromas, 144 EXODVS. affidted: 21, Because te midwines feared God, ] Feare of God as itis properly taken in holie Scripture , is that holie feare , by which the children ofGod refraine from finne, and that with temporal danger, left they fhould offend the diuine Maicftie, So thefe midwiues endangering their owne lines , by not fulfilling Pharaos com- mandment , had the true feare of God , and for the fame were rewarded , as is moft probable , eternally : though mention be here made only of temporal re- ward, after the manner of the old Teftament. Where fuch promifes were made to Abraham , and other maft godlie Patriarchs , for an eflay only and taft of cuerlafting life , which is more exprefly promifed inthe Ghofpel of Chrilt, as S, Hierom teacheth , Epi}. ad Dardanum.

forto kil vs. 22, And Moyfes returned to our Lord , and faid : Lord (c) why haft thou afflicted this people vvherfore haft thou fent me ? 23. For fince thetime that I entred in to ‘Pharao to fpeake in thy name, he hath aftlicted thy people : and thou haft not deliuercd them, CHAP Vi. Ged renealing bimfelfe more to Moyfes then he had done to former Patriarchs,

the workes ;.and (a) their crie afcendcd ynto-God from the works. 24. And.he heard thcir gto- ning , and remembred the couenant waiica he made with Abraham, Ifaac, and Iacob. 25. And our Lord looked vpon the children of L{rael. and knew them. ANNOTATIONS. CHAP IT, 3 Whessheromid not conceale hime. Thefe godlic and prudent t parents,confidering that when the A gyptians Should perceiue fuch an infant tu be borne , and net drowned according tothe Kings Edi& they: would deftroy both the child and whole familie ; to auoid the greater danger, chofe the lefie : ‘Tol bring lim to the water fide, not omitting their owns induftrie, as wel by cloiing him ina basher, that w ould draw nowarer ,as by fetting his Gfier to watch w hat became of him: that if better fuccefle happened not the firft day ,the nother might at cuening eine him fuck,and minifter other receflaries ; and fo exped an other day , crma- nie dayes Gods prouidence, til his diuine pleafure fhould moro appeare. x 2 lofephus loy ftaying, inot te fiercenes for the God (b) The guilrie perfon reic- cted Moyfes for lack of knowen au- thoritie , but Ss0d confr- med his com- mijion. AG,