And thou shall take this rod in thine hand ,.... Which he then had in his hand, and was no other than his shepherd's staff: wherewith thou shall do signs : wondrous things, meaning the ten plagues inflicted on Egypt. read more
Thou shalt take this rod - From the story of Moses's rod the heathens have invented the fables of the thyrsus of Bacchus, and the caduceus of Mercury. Cicero reckons five Bacchuses, one of which, according to Orpheus, was born of the river Nile; but, according to the common opinion, he was born on the banks of that river. Bacchus is expressly said to have been exposed on the river Nile, hence he is called Nilus, both by Diodorus and Macrobius; and in the hymns of Orpheus he is named Myses,... read more
Verse 17 17.And thou shalt take this rod. There is no doubt that God chose this shepherd’s rod to be the instrument of his power, in order the more to confound the pride of Pharaoh. For what but shame and reproach could it bring to Moses, that he should bear with him the crook with which he had heretofore guided his sheep in their folds and hovels? This symbol, then, of a rustic and contemptible occupation, was opposed to the scepter of Pharaoh, not without humiliation. In this respect,... read more
The reluctance of Moses to undertake the part of leader, indicated by his first reply at his first calling, "Who am I that I should go?" etc. ( Exodus 3:11 ), was not yet overcome. God had promised that he would succeed; but he did not see how he could succeed, either with the people or with Pharaoh. It was not enough for him that God had declared, "They (the people) shall hearken unto thy voice" ( Exodus 3:18 ); he does not, cannot believe this, and replies: "Behold, they will not... read more
Divine supplements for human infirmity. "Now therefore go, and I will be with thee," etc. ( Exodus 4:12 .) It is not at all clear whether the four objections urged by Moses against receiving the Divine commission were presented at one interview with the manifested God, or whether the controversy recorded Ex 3:1-4:17, occupied weeks or months. The probabilities are in favour of some considerable time. See Exodus 4:10 , and specially in the Hebrews In dealing with this particular plea,... read more
Slow of speech. The longer Moses pondered the mission on which he was sent, the more he shrank from it. The difficulty which now oppressed him was his want of eloquence. It seemed to him that in this respect he was the least qualified person God could have chosen. There was needed for such a work a man of persuasive tongue, of fluent, forcible, and impressive speech; and his own utterance was hesitating and heavy. Overwhelmed with the sense of unfitness, he again appeals to God, and asks... read more
God's wrath will fall where his service is declined. I. MOSES ' OBJECTION AND GOD 'S ANSWER (10-12). 1 . He deems himself unfit to occupy the place even of spokesman to the Lord. The objection was based upon a real infirmity, which so far God had not removed. The same objection urged as a reason to-day for not engaging in Sunday-school work, etc. The want of power may be real, but is it a sufficient reason for refusal? 2 . God's answer. Our weakness will merely afford... read more
Thou shalt take this rod . Not any rod, but the particular one which had already once become a serpent. Wherewith thou shalt do signs . Rather, "the signs," i.e . the signs which thou wilt have to do, as already declared in Exodus 3:20 . It is quite gratuitous to suppose that God had already particularised them read more
The rod. The rod a fit emblem of "the word of the truth of the Gospel." 1 . The rod was something definite. "This rod." Not any rod, but the one which God gives us. 2 . The rod was perhaps the instrument of a despised calling. So is the preaching of the Cross "foolishness" ( 1 Corinthians 1:21-25 ). 3 . The rod was to be grasped and used: "in thine hand" Study, preach, expound, apply. 4 . By the rod, Moses was to do signs: "wherewith thou shalt do signs." Spiritual... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 4:10-17
Moses still continues backward to the service for which God had designed him, even to a fault; for now we can no longer impute it to his humility and modesty, but must own that here was too much of cowardice, slothfulness, and unbelief in it. Observe here, I. How Moses endeavours to excuse himself from the work. 1. He pleads that he was no good spokesman: O my Lord! I am not eloquent, Exod. 4:10. He was a great philosopher, statesman, and divine, and yet no orator; a man of a clear head, great... read more