Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me ,.... See Exodus 2:23 , and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them ; which is repeated to observe the great notice he took of it; and the reason of his descent and appearance in this wonderful manner, as well as of the urgent necessity of Moses's going to deliver the people from their oppression. read more
Come now therefore ,..... Leave thy flock, thy family, and the land of Midian: and I will send thee unto Pharaoh : this Pharaoh, according to Eusebius, was Cenchres, the successor of Achoris; but according to Bishop Usher F21 Annal. Vet. Test. p. 19. , his name was Amenophis, who immediately succeeded Ramesses Miamun, under whom Moses was born. Clemens of Alexandria F23 Stromat. l. 1. p. 320. relates from Apion, and he, from Ptolemy Mendesius, that it was in the times of... read more
And Moses said unto God, who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh ,.... A private person, an exile in a foreign country, a poor shepherd, unknown to Pharaoh, and had no interest in him; and he a great king, and possessed of numerous forces to defend his country, and prevent the Israelites' departure out of it: time was when he was known to a Pharaoh, dwelt in his court, and made a figure there, and had great interest and authority there, being the adopted son of the king's daughter; but now... read more
And he said, certainly I will be with thee ,.... To encourage and strengthen him; to protect, defend, and preserve him, and to succeed and prosper him; to give him credit and respect with the people of Israel, and influence over Pharaoh to prevail upon him at length to let Israel go: and this shall be a token unto thee that I have sent thee ; not the promise now made, nor the vision he had seen, but what follows: when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God... read more
And Moses said unto God ,.... Having received full satisfaction to his objection, taken from his own unfitness for such a service, and willing to have his way quite clear unto him, and his commission appear firm and valid to his people, he proceeds to observe another difficulty that might possibly arise: when I come unto the children of Israel : out of Midian into Egypt: and shall say unto them, the God of your fathers hath sent me unto you ; with a message to them to receive him as... read more
And God said unto Moses, I am that I am ,.... This signifies the real being of God, his self-existence, and that he is the Being of beings; as also it denotes his eternity and immutability, and his constancy and faithfulness in fulfilling his promises, for it includes all time, past, present, and to come; and the sense is, not only I am what I am at present, but I am what I have been, and I am what I shall be, and shall be what I am. The Platonists and Pythagoreans seem to have borrowed... read more
Jethro his father-in-law - Concerning Jethro, see Clarke's note on Exodus 2:18 . Learned men are not agreed on the signification of the word חתן chothen , which we translate father-in-law, and which in Genesis 19:14 , we translate son-in-law. It seems to be a general term for a relative by marriage, and the connection only in which it stands can determine its precise meaning. It is very possible that Reuel was now dead, it being forty years since Moses came to Midian; that Jethro was... read more
The angel of the Lord - Not a created angel certainly; for he is called יהוה Jehovah , Exodus 3:4 , etc., and has the most expressive attributes of the Godhead applied to him, Exodus 3:14 , etc. Yet he is an angel, מלאך malach , a messenger, in whom was the name of God, Exodus 23:21 ; and in whom dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, Colossians 2:9 ; and who, in all these primitive times, was the Messenger of the covenant, Malachi 3:1 . And who was this but Jesus,... read more
Put off thy shoes - It is likely that from this circumstance all the eastern nations have agreed to perform all the acts of their religious worship barefooted. All the Mohammedans, Brahmins, and Parsees do so still. The Jews were remarked for this in the time of Juvenal; hence he speaks of their performing their sacred rites barefooted; Sat. vi., ver. 158: Observant ubi festa mero pede sabbata reges . The ancient Greeks did the same. Jamblichus, in the life of Pythagoras, tells us that... read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 3:8
And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians ,.... Which must be understood consistent with the omnipresence of God, who is everywhere, and strictly speaking cannot be said to remove from place to place, or to descend; but such a way of speaking is used, when he gives some eminent display of his power or goodness, as here in a wonderful manner he appeared in a burning bush, and manifested himself in a way of grace and kindness to his people, signifying that he would... read more