Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:22
Israel is my son, even my firstborn - That is, The Hebrew people are unutterably dear to me. read more
ÊXodo 4:18-23 Nvt
Adam Clarke
Adam Clarke
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:23
Let my son go, that he may serve me - Which they could not do in Goshen, consistently with the policy and religious worship of the Egyptians; because the most essential part of an Israelite's worship consisted in sacrifice, and the animals which they offered to God were sacred among the Egyptians. Moses gives Pharaoh this reason Exodus 8:26 . I will slay thy son, even thy first-born - Which, on Pharaoh's utter refusal to let the people go, was accordingly done; see Exodus 12:29 . read more
John Calvin
John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:18
Verse 18 18.And Moses went. It is surprising that Moses should have suppressed the vision whereby the mind of his father-in-law might have been most inclined to let him go; for he speaks merely of human feelings, that he desired to revisit his brethren and relations. Yet it must have been disagreeable to his father-in-law to lose his services, and that diligence and industry by which he had largely profited; nor could it have been pleasant to send away his daughter and grandchildren to a... read more
John Calvin
John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:19
Verse 19 19.And the Lord said (56) unto Moses Some connect this sentence with what follows, as if God had spoken to his servant after permission to return had been given him by his father-in-law; but my opinion rather is, that what had before been omitted is here inserted out of its place. Such repetition is frequent in the Scriptures. (57) Moses, therefore, adds to what he had already said, that the fear of danger was removed, since God had testified that the recollection of his having slain... read more
John Calvin
John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:20
Verse 20 20.And Moses took his wife. By taking his wife and children with him, Moses clearly and freely professed, that he was returning to Egypt, to dwell there. The ass upon which he set them, is a plain proof how humble was his condition, and how slender his substance. For it is improbable that he left either money or silver vessels or precious garments with his father-in-law, so as to present himself to his people in poverty and nakedness. But as he had been content in the land of Midian... read more
John Calvin
John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:21
Verse 21 21.When thou goest to return. Moses had not previously enumerated the wonders; but from this verse we gather, that whatever we shall presently read to be done, was already commanded by God. There is then, no doubt, but that God had already advised him of his whole course of proceeding, lest he might yield to the obstinacy of the proud tyrant, and when two or three miracles had been wrought in vain, might cast away his rod, together with the charge committed to him. Now, therefore, God... read more
John Calvin
John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:22
Verse 22 22.Israel is my son, even my first-born. God thus refutes, by anticipation, the only pretext by which Pharaoh could justify his refusal to let the people go. For Jacob had spontaneously submitted himself and all his family to his government; he had then free power to retain the people, which, by the common law of nations, was subject to the dominion of Egypt. But if it be an act of impiety to violate the ordinance instituted by God, the demand of Moses might appear improper, that the... read more
John Calvin
John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:23
Verse 23 23.And I say unto thee, Let my son go. This was not the beginning of the legation, but its final clause; for Moses warned the desperate man of his son’s death, when everything else had been tried in vain. The meaning is, then, that the obstinacy of the tyrant must not prevent Moses from pressing him even to this final act. Therefore this injunction was an exhortation to perseverance; as appears from the context, when God declares that he will punish the obstinacy of the tyrant, because... read more
Spence, H. D. M., etc.
The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 4:18
My brethren probably means here "my relations" (compare Genesis 13:8 ; Genesis 29:12 ). Moses could scarcely doubt but that some of his countrymen were still living. It would not have been for the interest of the Egyptians to exterminate them. Go in peace means, "you have my leave— I do not oppose your going." read more
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Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:21
But I will harden his heart - The case of Pharaoh has given rise to many fierce controversies, and to several strange and conflicting opinions. Would men but look at the whole account without the medium of their respective creeds, they would find little difficulty to apprehend the truth. If we take up the subject in a theological point of view, all sober Christians will allow the truth of this proposition of St. Augustine, when the subject in question is a person who has hardened his own... read more