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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 2:1-4

Moses was a Levite, both by father and mother. Jacob left Levi under marks of disgrace (Gen. 49:5); and yet, soon after, Moses appears a descendant from him, that he might typify Christ, who came in the likeness of sinful flesh and was made a curse for us. This tribe began to be distinguished from the rest by the birth of Moses, as afterwards it became remarkable in many other instances. Observe, concerning this newborn infant, I. How he was hidden. It seems to have been just at the time of... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 2:5-10

Here is, I. Moses saved from perishing. Come see the place where that great man lay when he was a little child; he lay in a bulrush-basket by the river's side. Had he been left to lie there, he must have perished in a little time with hunger, if he had not been sooner washed into the river or devoured by a crocodile. Had he fallen into any other hands than those he did fall into, either they would not, or durst not, have done otherwise than have thrown him straightway into the river; but... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 2:4

And his sister stood afar off ,.... This was Miriam, as the Targum of Jonathan expresses it; who is supposed to be about ten or twelve years of age, others say seven: she was placed F5 תתצב "collocata fuerat", Vatablus. , as the word may be rendered, by her parents, or, "she placed herself" F6 "Stiterat sese", Junius & Tremellius, "stitit sese", Piscator, Drusius. , by their instruction, at some distance from the place where the ark was, that she might not be observed and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 2:5

And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river ,.... Her name, in Josephus F7 Antiqu. l. 2. c. 9. sect. 5. , is called Thermuthis, and by Artapanus F8 Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27. p. 432. , an Heathen writer, Merrhis, perhaps from Miriam, and frequently by the Jewish writers F9 T. Bab. Megillah, fol. 13. 1. Derech Eretz, fol. 19. 1. Pirke Eliezer, c. 48. Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 5. 2. , Bithia, which is the name of a daughter of another... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 2:6

And when she had opened it ,.... The ark, for it was shut or covered over, though doubtless there were some apertures for respiration: she saw the child in it , and, behold, the babe wept ; and which was a circumstance, it is highly probable, greatly affected the king's daughter, and moved her compassion to it; though an Arabic writer says F16 Patricides apud Hottinger. p 401. , she heard the crying of the child in the ark, and therefore sent for it: and she had compassion on... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 2:7

Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter ,.... Miriam the sister of Moses, who observing the ark taken up, and the maidens that were walking upon the bank of the river, and other women perhaps, gathering about it to see it; she made one among them, and after hearing their discourse about it, proposed what follows to Pharaoh's daughter: Jarchi says, that Pharaoh's daughter tried several Egyptian women to suckle it, but it would not suck of them: Josephus F18 Antiqu. l. 2. c. 9. sect. 5.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 2:8

And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, go ,.... She fell in at once with the proposal, being, no doubt, overruled, by the providence of God, to agree to have such a person called: and the maid went and called the child's mother ; and her own, whose name was Jochebed the wife of Amram, as observed in Exodus 2:1 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 2:5

And the daughter of Pharaoh - Josephus calls her Thermuthis, and says that "the ark was borne along by the current, and that she sent one that could swim after it; that she was struck with the figure and uncommon beauty of the child; that she inquired for a nurse, but he having refused the breasts of several, and his sister proposing to bring a Hebrew nurse, his own mother was procured." But all this is in Josephus's manner, as well as the long circumstantial dream that he gives to Amram... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 2:6

She had compassion on him - The sight of a beautiful babe in distress could not fail to make the impression here mentioned; see Clarke on Exodus 2:2 ; (note). It has already been conjectured that the cruel edict of the Egyptian king did not continue long in force; see Exodus 1:22 . And it will not appear unreasonable to suppose that the circumstance related here might have brought about its abolition. The daughter of Pharaoh, struck with the distressed state of the Hebrew children from... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 2:7

Shall I go and call a nurse - Had not the different circumstances marked here been placed under the superintendence of an especial providence, there is no human probability that they could have had such a happy issue. The parents had done every thing to save their child that piety, affection, and prudence could dictate, and having done so, they left the event to God. By faith, says the apostle, Hebrews 11:23 , Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw... read more

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