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4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I fwill be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; g that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.

e ca. 4. 21. & 7. 3. fch. 9. 16. ver. 17, 18. Rom. 9. 17, 22, 23. g ch, 7, 5.

this of course did not enter his thoughts. 'What seems to tend to the church's ruin, is often overruled to the ruin of the church's enemies.' Henry.

4. I will be honored upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host. Heb. 77 ikkabedah, I will be glorified. The ultimate scope to which all the counsels of Pharaoh were to be overruled is here stated; viz. the bringing of a larger measure of glory to the great name of God. This is in fact the end of all his judgments upon wicked men. As all creatures are made for his honor and glory, if they do not willingly and cordially render him his due, he will extort it from them in the righteous doom to which he condemns them. Comp. Ezek. 38. 22, 23.—¶ And they did so. That is, the Israelites did as they had been commanded relative to changing their route.

5. It was told the king that the people had fled. Pharaoh could not be ignorant that the Israelites had left Egypt, for the avowed purpose of holding a sacrifice in the desert, as they had gone out with his permission, and their departure had been hastened by his own people. But this he seems not to have regarded as a 'flight.' He is now, however, informed that they had 'fled ;' i. e. that they discovered a very different intention from that of going three days' journey into the wilderness and returning again, as he had been led to expect. He now understood that they had no intention of returning. It was in this sense that Pharaoh learned that they had 'fled.' He probably received his

5 ¶ And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled and h the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said. Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?

b Ps. 105. 25.

information from some of the mixt multitude who returned upon the route being changed, for which they could see no reason, and therefore concluded it not safe to trust themselves longer to such an uncertain guidance.—¶ And the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned, &c. This inexorable mon. arch was left in a previous chapter stricken with terror and dismay at the death of the first-born. We saw him overpowered by that signal display of divine wrath against him, and inwardly constrained to send away the Israelites in haste out of his dominions. We could fain have hoped that the terrible chastisement he had already experi enced would have been sufficient to humble the pride of his spirit, and bring him in penitence and prayer to the footstool of divine mercy. But, alas! the power of a reprobate sense shows itself as strong as ever. Every conviction and alarm had passed away from his obdurate mind, like breath from the polished surface of a mirror. He repented indeed, but only that he had let them go. He repented that he had been obedient to the command of God, and he would retract his permission. Pride, resentment, avarice, reassumed their empire over his heart, and goaded him on to the mad attempt to recover his escaping captives. His subjects, so far as they had a profitable interest in the labors of the Israelites, would naturally share in the feelings of the king, and the intimation of loss would not fail to alarm those who had 'lent' to the He brews their 'jewels of silver and jewels

6 And he made ready his chariot, | of Israel: and the children of Is and took his people with him: 7 And he took i six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.

8 And the LORD hardened the neart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children

1 ch. 15. 4. k ver. 4.

of gold,' and who by this time had found leisure to think that they had too easily parted with their wealth. Thus it is that the wicked show themselves as prone to repent of their welldoing as the righteous of their ill. doing.

rael went out with an high hand.
9 But the m Egyptians pursued af
ter them (all the horses and chari-
ots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen,
and his army) and overtook them
encamping by the sea, beside Pi-
hahiroth, before Baal-zephon.

1 ch. 6. 1. & 13. 9. Numb. 33. 3. m ch. 15. 9. Josh. 24. 6.

va-yesor eth rikbo,

120 joined or bound his chariot; i. e. the horses to the chariot. Gr. Elene yoked. The word 'chariot,' though in the singular, is to be understood in a plural sense. He ordered all his chariots to be got ready. The same term in the 6. He made ready his chariot. Heb. next verse is also singular.

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7. Went out with an high hand. That a high hand,' Num. 15. 30, is to sin is, openly, boldly, powerfully, in the openly, fearlessly, and au laciously. full view of the Egyptians, and with 9. Overtook them encamping by the the air not of a company of renegadoes, sea. Upon this passage the Editor of out of a mighty army. So to sin 'with the Pictorial History of Palestine re

10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and narks, 'We do not agree with those who think that the king of Egypt came upon the encamped Hebrews through the valley of Bedea, in the plain at the mouth of which they were encamped. As he was so glad to find how they had 'entangled themselves in the land,' he was not likely to take a course which would deprive him of all the advantages derivable from their apparent oversight. This he would do by coming upon them through the valley of Bedea, for this would have left open to them the alternative of escaping from their position by the way they entered; whereas, by coming the same way they had come, he shut up that door of escape; and if they fled before him, left them no other visible resource but to march up the valley of Bedea, back to Egypt, before the Egyptian troops. That this was really the advantage to himself which the king saw in their position, and that it was his object to drive them before him back to Egypt through this valley, or to destroy them if they offered to resist, we have not the least doubt: and it is unlikely that he would take any road but that which would enable him to secure these benefits.' To this view of the subject we do not object as far as the main body of Pharaoh's army is concerned. They would no doubt pursue the Hebrew caravan in the same route which it travelled, but as the Egyptians doubtless kept themselves informed of every movement of the Is raelites, we would suggest the probability that a detachment of Pharaoh's forces took their march through the valley of Tih, in order to intercept their escape through that avenue. They would thus be effectually hemmed in on every side, and no possible mode of extrication remained for them, unless

they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.

n Josh. 24. 7. Neh. 9. 9. Ps. 34. 17. & 107.6.

the sea opened to let them pass through it. The Egyptians being satisfied that they had secured their prey, and that it was impossible for their fugitive bondsmen to escape, were in no haste to assail them. They were themselves also probably wearied by their rapid march. They therefore encamped for the night

for it was towards evening when they arrived― intending, no doubt, to give effect to their intentions in the morning.

10. And when Pharaoh drew nigh, &c. However much reason we have before had to wonder at the obstinacy and unbelief of Pharaoh, we have here occasion to vent our astonishment at the unbelief of those in whom we should least expect it. The sight of their old oppressors struck the Israelites with terror. Pervaded by a general panic, their faith and their courage seemed to desert them at once. They deplored the rash adventure in which they had engaged, and their servile minds looked back with regret and envy upon the enslaved condition under which they had so recently sighed. But wherefore did they now give way to fear? Could they not look back upon the wonders which God had wrought for them so short a time before? Could they not remember the recent death of all the first-born in Egypt? Could they not fix their eye on the pillar of cloud, and encourage them. selves in that immediate token of God's presence with them and his care for them? True indeed, they were in a strait, a very great strait, and their peril was imminent. They were surrounded with dangers on all sides. The mountains, the sea, the pursuing hosts of Egypt pressed close upon them on every hand. In ordinary circumstances there was no doubt, occasion for the greatest

11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to

o Ps. 106. 7, 8.

alarm. But they were not in ordinary circumstances. They had lately witnessed a series of most extraordinary proofs that God had taken up their cause. They knew, moreover, that it was the same God who had so miraculously appeared in their behalf, and brought them out of Egypt, that had conducted them to the perilous position which they now occupied, and they were bound to believe that in all this he intended them good and not evil, and that his omnipotence would in some way make sure their rescue. Their fears therefore were groundless, and their complaints inexcusable. They showed in this too much of the spirit of Pharaoh himself. They were as forgetful of the Lord's mercies which they had experienced, as he of the judgments which he had suffered. The similarity however of our own conduct in trying circumstances should no doubt abate our surprise at the perverseness of Isael. Alas, how little can we ourselves exercise faith and trust, in our own dangers and troubles! How prone are we to forget our past mercies, how incapable to see our present help, how ready to count God our enemy when his providence frowns, and after all our experience of his truth to cry out, 'We shall one day perish?' Let then the spirit of elf-reproof temper our condemnation of unbelieving Israel.

11. And they said unto Moses, Because, &c. Had the Israelites merely given way to the inward promptings of an ignoble fear, or confined the expression of it to one another, we should have been less disposed to condemn, although even then we should not have been able to excuse it. But when we see their fears exciting them to murmur against Moses, as the procuring cause of their

die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?

distresses, we can scarcely prevent a feeling of the indignant from mingling with our surprise. It was at once an ebullition of rank injustice and ingrati tude towards Moses, and a gross provocation of God, in obedience to whose orders he had taken every step towards their deliverance. We do not forget, although they did, that all his great interests were embarked with theirs in this enterprise. His lot was cast into the common lap. He had made a sacrifice unspeakably greater than any other individual of the immense congregation. His prospects, either for himself or his family, were no more bright or flatter. ing than those of the obscurest Hebrew. If there were danger from the pursuing host of Pharaoh, his share, assuredly, was not less than that of any other man. He had rendered himself peculiarly obnoxious to the unrelenting tyrant, and must have been among the first victims of his resentment. In view of this treatment we feel that if others might be offended, Moses might burn; and yet in the midst of these trying circumstances, he affords us a noble example of the meekness and forbearance for which he was so distinguished. In the danger which appeared, and in the unreasonable and wicked complaining of the people against him, he stood unmoved. Far from remonstrating with them or vindicating himself, he discovered the most admirable composure of mind, aiming to comfort and encour age instead of chiding them, and assuring them that they had nothing to do but to remain quiet and wait. They need neither flee nor fight. That was the last time that the Egyptians should cause them either fear or trouble. The Lord should fight for them and they should soon see the unreasonableness

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and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to-day : for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

14 r The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

r ver. 25. Deut. 1. 30. & 3. 22. & 20. 4. Josh 10. 14, 42. & 23. 3. 2 Chron. 20. 29. Neh. 4. 20. Isai. 31. 4. s Isai. 30. 15.

¶ See the salvation of the Lord. That
is, experience, enjoy the salvation. See
on this peculiar use of the word 'see'
the Note on Gen. 42. 1.————¶ For the
Egyptians whom ye have seen, &c. Heb.
'For in what manner ye have seen the
Egyptians to-day ye shall not add to
see them any more for ever;' i. e. ye
shall not see them alive any more.

14. Ye shall hold your peace. Heb.

taharishun, ye shall be silent; a term denoting here, as in many other instances, not so much a cessation from noise as from action, equivalent to remaining still, quiet, or inert. Thus, 2 Kings, 19. 11, 'Why are ye the last to bring the king back from his house?' Heb. 'Why are ye silent from bringing,' &c.; i. e. why are ye negligent? Ps. 83. 1, 'Keep not thou silence, O God;' i. e. do not forbear to act. Ps. 5.

12. Is not this the word, &c. We do not indeed previously read of their uttering these precise words, but this was the spirit, the drift, of their desponding expostulations with Moses and Aaron when they found their burdens increased. The language breathes the most deplorable sordidness and pusillanimity of soul, as if their spirits had been utterly broken down and crushed by their long bondage. Because their liberty was attended with some dangers and difficulties, they speak of it with virtual contempt, as if a state of servitude were to be preferred! Had they possessed the generous spirits of men, they would have said it was better, if needs be, to die on the field of honor than to live in the chains of slavery. Why should the idea of a grave in the wil-3, 'Our God shall come and not keep derness be so dreadful to them? Why should they prefer to it a grave in Egypt? It was but a grave at the worst; only if they died now, they died at once; died like men defending their lives, liberty, and families; not pouring out their lives, drop by drop, under the whip of a cruel taskmaster. But slavery had done its work in extinguishing the nobler impulses of their nature, and the native unbelief and depravity of the human heart had put the finishing stroke to their perverseness.

13. Fear ye not, stand still. Heb. hithyat zebu, stand firm; waver not stagger not, in your minds.

silence;' i. e. shall not remain inactive. By this usage of the term we are assisted in the interpretation of Rev. 8. 1, 'And when we had opened the seventh seal there was slence in heaven about the space of half an hour;' i. e. there was a respite from action; the various symbolical agents who had hitherto been so busily employed in the vision ary heaven, came to a temporary pause representing some epoch in the state of the church when a series of stirring and momentous events, a succession of wars and commotions, were followed by a profound, though not a lasting calm. Such is the import of the symbol, and

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