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
And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her ,.... Being come, having made all possible haste: take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages ; by which means she had not only the nursing of her own child, but was paid for it: according to a Jewish writer F20 Dibre Hayamim; sive Chronicon Mosis, fol. 4. 1. , Pharaoh's daughter agreed with her for two pieces of silver a day. read more
And the child grew ,.... In stature and in strength, thriving under the care of its mother and nurse, through the blessing of God: and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter ; when grown up and weaned, and needed a nurse no longer: a Jewish chronologer F21 Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 5. 2. says, this was two years after his birth; and another says F23 Chronicon. ib. Shalshal. ib. , that when he was three years old, Pharaoh sitting at table, and his queen was at his right hand,... read more
And he became her son - From this time of his being brought home by his nurse his education commenced, and he was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, Acts 7:22 , who in the knowledge of nature probably exceeded all the nations then on the face of the earth. And she called his name - משה mosheh , because המים מן min hammayim , out of the waters משיתהו meshithihu , have I drawn him. משה mashah signifies to draw out; and mosheh is the person drawn out; the word... read more
Verse 10 10.And the child grew. Here, however, their grief is renewed, when his parents are again obliged to give up Moses, and he is torn as it were from their bowels. For, on this condition, he passed over to the Egyptian nation, not only that he should be alienated from his own race, but that he should increase the number of their enemies in his own person. And certainly it is scarcely credible that he could be long tolerated in the tyrant’s court, and amongst the most cruel enemies of... read more
The infancy of Moses. I . WE HAVE , IN THIS EXPERIENCE OF THE INFANT AND HIS MOTHER , A MOST AFFECTING ILLUSTRATION OF THE MISERABLE STATE TO WHICH ISRAEL HAD BEEN REDUCED . We come down from the general statement of the first chapter to the particular instance of the second. Moses was born, in all likelihood, just at the very height of Pharaoh's exasperation, and when the command of Exodus 1:22 was in process of being carried out. His... read more
THE BIRTH, ESCAPE, AND EDUCATION OF MOSES . Some years before the Pharaoh issued his edict for the general destruction of the Hebrew male children, Amram of the tribe of Levi, had married Jochebed, his kinswoman ( Exodus 6:20 ). They had already had two children — Miriam, a daughter, born probably soon after the marriage, and Aaron, a son, born some twelve years later. Soon after the issue of the edict, Jochebed gave birth to her third child, a son, who therefore came under its terms.... read more
By works was faith made perfect. Bad times; harsh decrees against the Israelites; doubts and misgivings which must have occurred to one in Amram's position; a hard experience and a dark prospect. Still the man believed in God, remembered the promises, and knew that God also must remember them; did not see how they were to be fulfilled, but was content to do his own duty and leave all else to God. See — I . How HIS FAITH WAS MANIFESTED BY HIS WORKS . We have — 1. His... read more
A picture of true faith. I . WHAT TRUE FAITH IS . 1. There was obedience to a Divine impulse: her heart was appealed to, she saw he was a goodly child, and she hid him three months. She read in the child's appearance an intimation of future greatness, and that God did not mean him to die in accordance with the king's commandment. The work of faith begins in obeying the Spirit's prompting in the heart. 2. She was not daunted by difficulties. She might have asked what could... read more
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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