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experimentally known them. The time, however, was now come, when God was to be known by his name 'Jehovah,' in the doing of what he had before decreed, and the fulfilling of what he had before promised. Accordingly in the words immediately following, which may be regarded as exegetical of the title under consideration, God goes on to assure them that he will make good his promise by establishing his covenant. Agreeably to this mode of interpretation it appears from other passages that God is said to make himself known under the high designation of 'Jehovah' by bringing to pass the grand predicted events of his providence. Thus, Ex. 7. 5. And that the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah, when I stretch forth my hand upon Egypt.' Again, v 17. Thou shalt know that I am Jehovah; for I will strike with the rod that is in thine hand upon the rivers, and they shall be turned into blood.' Ezek. 28. 22..' And they shall know that I am the Lord (Jehovah) when I shall have executed judgments in her and shall be sanctified in her.' It may be observed, moreover, that the Lord is not called 'Jehovah' till after he had finished the work of creation, Gen. 2. 4. ; and in like manner Christ, having fulfilled all things pertaining to our redemption, which is the new creation, manifested himself under the same significant name, not in its letter but in its interpretation, when he declared himself, Rev. 1. 8, 17, 18, to be The Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the ending, the Lord who is, and who was, and who is to come, even the Almighty.' The words of Moses, therefore, it is contended, are not to be understood as an abs lute but a comparative negative; for that the literal name 'Jehovah' was known to the patriarchs, is indubitable, from the following passages; Gen. 9. 26. Noah in his benediction of Shem says, 'Blessed be the Lord (Jehovah) God of Shem.' Gen. 15. 2. 'And Abraham said, Lord (Jehovah or Jehovih) God, what wilt thou give me ?' (ien. 22. 14. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh Certainly then the name 'Jehovah' must have been known to him. And so also to Isaac, Gen. 27. 7.; and to Jacob, Gen. 28. 20, 21. Such comparative modes of speech are not unfrequent in the scriptures, Thus Jer. 7. 22, 23. 'For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt,

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concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices. But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people; i. e. I gave no commandment respecting ritual duties compared with the inportance which I attached to moral duties. Otherwise it is evident that the language of the Most High militates with the recorded facts in the sacred history. Have established; Heb. 'have erected firm.'-' To give them ;' i. e. not in their own persons, but in their posterity.-'And I have remembered my covenant; i. e. my covenant entered into with Abraham, Gen. 15. 10, 11. and confirmed by solemn rites, in which I promised that I would judge that nation which should afflict his seed.'

What encouraging promises was Moses commanded to make known from God to the people? v. 6-8.

"I will bring-will rid-will redeem-will take &c.' these verbs are all, in the original, in the past instead of the future tense, denoting the absolute certainty of the accomplishment of the things promised, though for the present they were merely in futurition.-'I did swear to give it ;' Heb. 'I did lift up my hand to give it ;' an expression taken from the common custom of elevating the hand to heaven when taking an oath. Dan. 12. 7. And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware, &c.' See Deut. 32. 40. Is. 62. 8.

What was the effect of this announcement to the people, and what additional message was Moses commanded to deliver to Pharaoh? v. 9-11.

For anguish of spirit; Heb. 'for shortness or straitness of spirit;' i. e. extreme dejection and discouragement of soul mingled with irritation and impatience. That this is the force of the original will appear from the usage in the following passages. Prov. 14. 29. He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding; but he that is hasty of spirit (Heb. short of soul) exalteth folly.' Job, 21. 4. And if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled

(Heb. shortened).' Num. 21. 4. And the soul of the people was much discouraged (Heb. shortened) by reason of the way.' Judg. 16. 16. And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed (Heb. shortened) unto death.' The Gr. renders it from feeble-mindedness,' the same word in effect and nearly in form as that which occurs, 1 Thes. 5. 14. Comfort the feeble-minded.' It is to this period probably that allusion is had, Ex. 14. 12. 'Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians, for it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness;' which words in the Samaritan version are inserted in this place. To such a pitch of disheartening anguish had their sufferings wrought them that they chose to have all farther proceedings relative to their deliverance stayed.

How did Moses reply to this injunction, and what farther did God say to him and Aaron? v. 12, 13.

'Of uncircumcised lips;' Chal. ' of an heavy speech,' Gr. 'not eloquent.' As among the Jews the circumcision of any part denoted its perfection, so on the other hand uncircumcision was used to signify its defectiveness or inaptitude to the purposes for which it was designed. Thus the prophet says of the Jews, Jer. 6. 10. that thine ear was uncircumcised,' and adds the explanation of it, 'because they cannot hearken.' Again, ch. 9. 26. he tells us that the house of Isracl were uncircumcised in heart,' i.e. would not understand and learn their duty. In like manner uncircumcised lips' in the passage before us must mean a person who was a bad speaker and wanting_eloquence. Syr. mine is a stammering tongue.'-'The Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron &c.' It is not clear that the words of this verse are to be understood as the answer to what Moses had said in the verse before. They seem to be rather a brief recapitulation of what had been said in the three preceding verses. As he was about to interrupt the thread of the narrative by the insertion of a genealogical table, he here repeats the general fact of Moses and Aaron having received a charge to go into the

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presence of Pharaoh and renew their demand of the dismission of the people. The historian thus indicates the posture of things at that particular stage of the business where the continuity of his story is broken.

With what design is the genealogical record, v. 14-27, introduced?

Ans. To point out distinctly the stock and lineage of Moses and Aaron, of whom, as one was to be the great Legislator and Prophet, and the other the High Priest of the peculiar people, it might be of very great importance in after ages to have the true descent authenticated beyond a doubt.

Why is mention made of Reuben and Simeon in a genealogy which has reference mainly to the stock of Levi? v. 14-15.

As Reuben and Simeon were elder than Levi,from whom Moses and Aaron derived their pedigree, it seemed to be proper to state the rank which their progenitor held, in the order of birth, among the sons of Jacob.

What were the names of Levi's immediate sons, and to what age did he himself attain? v. 16. 'According to their generations.' The force of this expression may, perhaps, be better conceived by its being paraphrased thus: These are the names of the sons of Levi, viewed in connection with the respective lines of descendants proceeding from them.'-'The years of the life of Levi were 137 years.' Levi was four years elder than Joseph; consequently he was 43 when he came into Egypt, Joseph being then 39; was 114 at the death of Joseph, whom he survived 23 years; lived after coming into Egypt 94 years, and died 41 before the birth of Moses, and 121 before the exode from Egypt. His age is perhaps expressly stated, in order to afford aid toward settling the precise time of the fulfilment of the prophecy made to Abraham. Gen. 15. 13.

Who were the immediate parents of Moses and Aaron, and how were they related to each other?

What proof is furnished in this part of the record of the candor and impartiality of Moses, as a historian? See Lev. 18. 12.

Whom did Aaron marry, and what were the names of his sons? v. 23.

'Elisheba;' the same name with 'Elizabeth,' as it is rendered in the Greek. It signifies oath of God;' i. e. one divinely promised. She was of the tribe of Judah, being sister to Naashon, a prince of that tribe.

What was the parentage of Phinehas? v. 25. V. 26, 27. 'These are that Aaron,' &c. Heb. 'this is this that Aaron and (this is that) Moses.' The words of these two verses are designed merely as more minute specifications of the persons of Moses and Aaron, and not as a note of self-commendation.-' According to their armies;' i. e. tribes grown so numerous as to form each an army.

How does Moses return, after the preceding digression, and resume the thread of his history to the close of the chapter? v. 28-30.

The three last verses of the 6th chapter ought, perhaps, to be joined to the 7th, or the first seven verses of the 7th to be connected with the 6th. By the present arrangement there is a break in the midst of a paragraph.

HEADS OF PRACTICAL REFLECTION.

V. 1. When the Lord contends by judgments with the oppressors of his people, he sometimes not only procures their prompt dismission, but even their violent expulsion. V. 3. God's revelations of himself, from the beginning of the world, have been gradual. His powerful and promising name was made known anterior to his performing name.

V. 3. Where God becomes the covenant 'Jehovah' to any one, there all his promises are put into being.

V. Striking and unexpected deliverances form a ground of the fresh recognition of the covenant name and saving power of God.

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