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Introduction
The Second Book of Moses is called EXODUS, from the Greek word EXODOS, which signifies going out: because it contains the history of the going out of the children of Israel out of Egypt. The Hebrews, from the words with which it begins, call it VEELLE SEMOTH: These are the names. It contains transactions for 145 years; that is, from the death of Joseph to the erecting of the tabernacle.
Chapter 1
[11] Of tabernacles: Or, of storehouses.
[21] Because the midwives feared God: The midwives were rewarded, not for their lie, which was a venial sin; but for their fear of God, and their humanity: but this reward was only temporal, in building them houses, that is, in establishing and enriching their families.
Chapter 2 [10] Moses: Or Moyses, in the Egyptian tongue, signifies one taken or saved out of the water. [12] He slew the Egyptian: This he did by a particular inspiration of God; as a prelude to his delivering the people from their oppression and bondage. He thought, says St. Stephen, Acts 7. 25, that his brethren understood that God by his hand would save them. But such particular and extraordinary examples are not to be imitated. [18] Raguel: He had two names, being also called Jethro, as appears from the first verse of the following chapter. [22] Gersam: Or Gershom. This name signifies a stranger there: as Eliezer signifies the help of God.
Chapter 3 [2] The Lord appeared: That is, an angel representing God, and speaking in his name. [14] I am who am: That is, I am being itself, eternal, self-existent, independent, infinite; without beginning, end, or change; and the source of all other beings. [22] Shall spoil: That is, you shall strip, and take away the goods of the Egyptians. This was not authorizing theft or injustice; but was a just disposal made by Him, who is the great lord and master of all things, in order to pay the children of Israel some part of what was due to them from the Egyptians for their labours.
Chapter 4 [21] I shall harden: Not by being the efficient cause of his sin; but by withdrawing from him, for his just punishment, the dew of grace that might have softened his heart; and so suffering him to grow harder and harder.
Chapter 6 [3] My name Adonai: The name, which is in the Hebrew text, is that most proper name of God, which signifieth his eternal, self-existent being, Ex. 3. 14, which the Jews out of reverence never pronounce; but, instead of it, whenever it occurs in the Bible, they read Adonai, which signifies the Lord; and, therefore, they put the points or vowels, which belong to the name Adonai, to the four letters of that other ineffable name Jod, He, Vau, He. Hence some moderns have framed the name Jehovah, unknown to all the ancients, whether Jews or Christians; for the true pronunciation of the name, which is in the Hebrew text, by long disuse, is now quite lost. 12] Uncircumcised lips: So he calls the defect he had in his words, or utterance.
Chapter 7 [1] The god of Pharao: Viz., to be his judge; and to exercise a divine power, as God's instrument, over him and his people. [11] Magicians: Jannes, and Mambres, or Jambres, 2 Tim. 3. 8.
Chapter 8 [8] Pray ye to the Lord: By this it appears, that though the magicians, by the help of the devil, could bring frogs, yet they could not take them away: God being pleased to abridge in this the power of Satan. So we see they could not afterwards produce the lesser insects; and in this restraint of the power of the devil, were forced to acknowledge the finger of God. [15] Hardened his own heart: By this we see that Pharao was himself the efficient cause of his heart being hardened, and not God.-- See the same repeated in ver. 32. Pharao hardened his heart at this time also: likewise chap. 9. 7, 35, and chap. 13. 15. [16] Sciniphs: Or Cinifs, Hebrew Chinnim, small flying insects, very troublesome both to men and beast. [26] The abominations: That is, the things they worship for Gods: oxen, rams, etc. It is the usual style of the scriptures to call all idols and false gods, abominations, to signify how much the people of God ought to detest and abhor them.
Chapter 9 [6] All the beasts: That is, many of all kinds. [12] Hardened: See the annotations above, chap. 4. 21, chap. 7. 3, and chap. 8. 15.
Chapter 10 [21] Darkness upon the land of Egypt, so thick that it may be felt: By means of the gross exhalations, which were to cause and accompany the darkness.
Chapter 11 [10] The Lord hardened: See the annotations above, chap. 4. 21, and chap. 7. 3.
Chapter 12 [5] A kid: The phase might be performed, either with a lamb or with a kid: and all the same rites and ceremonies were to be used with the one as with the other. [18] Unleavened bread: By this it appears, that our Saviour made use of unleavened bread, in the institution of the blessed sacrament, which was on the evening of the paschal solemnity, at which time there was no leavened bread to be found in Israel. [22] Sprinkle: This sprinkling the doors of the Israelites with the blood of the paschal lamb, in order to their being delivered from the sword of the destroying angel, was a lively figure of our redemption by the blood of Christ.
Chapter 13 [2] Sanctify unto me every firstborn: Sanctification in this place means that the firstborn males of the Hebrews should be deputed to the ministry in the divine worship; and the firstborn of beasts to be given for a sacrifice.
Chapter 14 [20] A dark cloud, and enlightening the night: It was a dark cloud to the Egyptians; but enlightened the night to the Israelites by giving them a great light.
Chapter 19 [3] And Moses went up to God: Moses went up to mount Sinai, where God spoke to him.
Chapter 20 [4] A graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing: All such images, or likenesses, are forbidden by this commandment, as are made to be adored and served; according to that which immediately follows, thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them. That is, all such as are designed for idols or image-gods, or are worshipped with divine honour. But otherwise images, pictures, or representations, even in the house of God, and in the very sanctuary so far from being forbidden, are expressly authorized by the word of God. See Ex. 25. 15, and etc.; chap. 38. 7; Num. 21. 8, 9; 1 Chron. or Paralip. 28. 18, 19; 2 Chron. or Paralip. 3. 10.
Chapter 21 [6] To the gods: Elohim. That is, to the judges, or magistrates, authorized by God.
Chapter 24 [4] Titles: That is, pillars.
Chapter 25 [2] Firstfruits: Offerings of some of the best and choicest of their goods. [7] The ephod and the rational: The ephod was the high priest's upper vestment; and the rational his breastplate, in which were twelve gems, etc. [17] A propitiatory: a covering for the ark: called a propitiatory, or mercy seat, because the Lord, who was supposed to sit there upon the wings of the cherubims, with the ark for his footstool, from thence shewed mercy. It is also called the oracle, ver. 18 and 20; because from thence God gave his orders and his answers. [23] A table: On which were to be placed the twelve loaves of proposition: or, as they are called in the Hebrew, the face bread, because they were always to stand before the face of the Lord in his temple: as a figure of the eucharistic sacrifice and sacrament, in the church of Christ. [29] Libations: That is, drink offerings. [31] A candlestick: This candlestick, with its seven lamps, which was always to give light in the house of God, was a figure of the light of the Holy Ghost, and his sevenfold grace, in the sanctuary of the church of Christ.
Chapter 26 [33] The sanctuary: That part of the tabernacle, which was without the veil, into which the priests daily entered, is here called the sanctuary, or holy place; that part which was within the veil, into which no one but the high priest ever went, and he but once a year, is called the holy of holies, (literally, the sanctuary of the sanctuaries,) as being the most holy of all holy places.
Chapter 28 [15] The rational of judgment: This part of the priest's attire, which he wore at his breast, was called the rational of judgment; partly because it admonished both priest and people of their duty to God, by carrying the names of all their tribes in his presence; and by the Urim and the Thummim, that is, doctrine and truth, which were written upon it; and partly because it gave divine answers and oracles, as if it were rational and endowed with judgment. [30] Doctrine and Truth: Hebrew, Urim and Thummim: illuminations and perfections. These words, written on the rational, seem to signify the light of doctrine and the integrity of life, with which the priests of God ought to approach him.
Chapter 30 [1] An altar to burn incense: This burning of incense was an emblem of prayer, ascending to God from an inflamed heart. See Ps. 140. 2; Apoc. 5. 8, and 8. 4. [13] Half a sicle: A sicle or shekel of silver, (which was also called a stater,) according to the standard or weight of the sanctuary, which was the most just and exact, was half an ounce of silver, that is, about half a crown of English money. The obol, or gerah, was about three halfpence.
Chapter 32 [25] Naked: Having lost not only their gold, and their honour, but what was worst of all, being stripped also of the grace of God, and having lost him.
Chapter 33 [11] Face to face: That is, in a most familiar manner. Though as we learn from this very chapter, Moses could not see the face of the Lord. [23] See my back parts: The Lord by his angel, usually spoke to Moses in the pillar of the cloud; so that he could not see the glory of him that spoke familiarly with him. In the vision here mentioned he was allowed to see something of him, in an assumed corporeal form: not in the face, the rays of which were too bright for mortal eye to bear, but to view him as it were behind, when his face was turned from him.
Chapter 34 [29] Horned: That is, shining, and sending forth rays of light like horns.
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