20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: 21h And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to

h ch. 6. 9.

put a sword in their hand to slay us. 22 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord,wherefore hast thou so evil-entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me ? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people: neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

hope for better things.- ¶ Put a sword in their hands to slay us. That is, give them a plausible pretext for de

signs, it was not to be compared to the intolerable hardships which the vindictive despot, in consequence of this mission, laid upon them. For the fan-stroying us. A proverbial expression. cied invasion of his royal prerogative 22. And Moses returned, &c. Or and the wound given to his pride, he rather perhaps 'turned unto the Lord,' avenges himself upon the bleeding i. e. mentally, for we can conceive of shoulders of the poor vassals who could not redress themselves and who durst not complain.

no local return expressed by the term. He was evidently unprepared for this issue of the transaction, though he had 20. And they met Moses and Aaron, been assured by God himself, that Phawho stood in the way, as they came forth raoh would not, till driven to the utfrom Pharaoh. They doubtless having most extremity, consent to the departstationed themselves at some conveni-ure of the Israelites. While he could not ent stand on the way-side, where they could speedily learn the result of the interview.

21. The Lord look upon you, &c. The crimination of Moses and Aaron on this occasion was clearly as unjust and unreasonable as that of Pharaoh had been well deserved. They had given the best evidence of their devotedness to the interests of their countrymen, and of their zeal for their emancipation, and yet, from the accidental issues of their enterprise, they are reproached as accessaries to their slavery. But some allowance is to be made for their rashness on the principle mentioned by the Preacher, that 'oppression will drive a wise man mad,' so that he shall speak unadvisedly with his lips, and sometimes mistake a true friend for a bitter enemy. But let public benefactors learn from this, that they must expect to be tried, not only by the malice of declared opponents, but also by the unjust and unkind reflections of those from whom they had a right to

but be grieved to the heart to perceive that his efforts to serve his brethren had only contributed to plunge them deeper in distress, yet he was doubtless strongly sensible of the wrong that was done to him by their keen reproaches. But instead of retorting upon them in terms of equal harshness, he has immediate recourse to God and to him he pours out his complaint in a pathetic expostulation.- - Wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? That is, why hast thou suffered them to be so evilly treated, as is evident from the tenor of the next verse. But as we have seen before, this is entirely according to prevailing usage in the Scripture to represent God as doing that which he sovereignly permits to be done. Thus the petition in the Lord's Prayer, 'Lead us not into temptation,' is to be understood, not of any supposable direct and positive act on the part of God, but simply of sufferance and permission: 'Do not suffer us to be led into temptation.' Moses was evidently at a loss how to

3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty, but by

C

c Gen. 17 1. & 35. 11. & 48. 3.

my name & JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

d ch. 3. 14. Ps. 68. 4. & 83. 18. John 8. 58. Rev. 1. 4.

to be understood in their most exact and literal import, as teaching that the name

continuation of the address commenced in the preceding verse, or whether it was spoken to Moses on some subse-Jehovah' was utterly unknown to the quent occasion, is not easily determined. However this may be, the drift of the words is undoubtedly to show the sure foundation on which the fulfilment of the promise of deliverance rested. To this end he begins by declaring himself under the significant name of 'Jehovah,' by which he designed hereafter to be more especially recognized as the covenant God of their race. Hitherto the august title of 'Lord God Almighty' (El Shaddai) had been that with which they had been most familiar, and which had afforded the grand sanction and security to all his promises. In their various wanderings, weaknesses, and distresses, they had been encouraged to trust in a Being omnipotent to protect them, all-sufficient to supply their wants. But their posterity were henceforth to know him by another name, under a new character, even the incommunicable name 'Jehovah,' which denotes eternal unchangeable self-existence; deriving nothing from any, but conferring upon all, life, and breath, and all things; who is above all, through all, and in all; 'the same yesterday, to day, and for ever.' This glorious name he puts significantly in contrast with that by which he was known to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in order to minister to his people a more abundant ground of hope and confidence.

3. By my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. Gr. 'My name 'Lord' I did not manifest unto them.' Chal. My name' Adonai' I showed not.' A twofold mode of interpretation divides into two classes the great mass of commentators upon this passage. (1.) It is maintained by some that the words are

ancient patriarchs, and was first reveal-
ed to Moses at the burning bush, where,
when he asked the name which he
should announce to Israel, God declared
himself by the sacred denomination 'I
am that I am,' which is of the same
origin and import with 'Jehovah,' and
said moreover of the title 'Jehovah,'
'this is my name for ever, and this is
my memorial unto all generations.' The
advocates of this opinion, in answer to
the objection that the name in question
must have been known long before this,
as it occurs in repeated instances in the
course of the book of Genesis, reply,
that as there is no evidence that the
book of Genesis was written till after
the divine appearance at Horeb, when
this title was first revealed, the mere
fact of Moses' making use of the name
'Jehovah' in that book is no sufficient
proof that the name was known to those
of whom he writes, any more than his
mention of a place called 'Dan' in the
time of Abraham, Gen. 14. 14, proves
that the place was at that time known
by this name, whereas it was then called
'Laish.' They contend farther, that as
Moses wrote for the benefit of those of
his own age and their posterity, it was
specially fitting, that in writing the his-
tory of the Israelitish race from its
earliest period, he should proleptically
employ that peculiar name by which
the Most High would be known as their
God, the very same God who brought
them out of Egypt, and who, a little
before that deliverance, had made this
his name known to them as that by
which he would especially be called in
memory of that great event. As to the
passages where the patriarchs are re-

presented as expressly addressing the | the things promised. They believed in

Lord by his title 'Jehovah,' as for instance, Gen. 15. 2, these, they say, are corrupted in the original text, and that later writers have substituted Jehovah' for Elohim' or 'Adonai,' which Moses undoubtedly wrote, and this hypothesis, it must be confessed, is somewhat favored by the variation of several of the ancient versions from the present Hebrew reading. See Geddes' Critical Remarks on this passage, who observes, that if the name 'Jehovah' were known before it was here communicated to Moses, and were the common appellation of the God of the patriarchs, the question of Moses, Ex. 3. 13, was needless, was impertinent; for God had before told him, v. 6, that he was 'the God of his (Moses') fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' It is clear then that Moses, by asking, what was the name of this same God of his fathers, knew not that he had any particular name; and that particular Jehovah' is now, for the first time, made known as the peculiar God of the Israelitic nation.' These are the principal arguments adduced in favor of the first hypothesis: (2.) Others, and we think for better reasons, understand the words as implying, not that the literal name Jehovah' was unknown to the ancient fathers who preceded Moses, but that its true, full, and complete import-its force, burden, and pregnant significancy, was not before known; whereas now and hereafter, the chosen people should come to understand this august name, not in the letter merely, but in the actual realization of all which it implied. The name 'Jehovah,' as before remarked, natively denotes not only God's eternal existence, but also his unchangeable truth and omnipotent power, which give being to his promises by the actual perform ance of them. Now, although Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, had received promises, yet they had not enjoyed

these things, but they had not lived to see the actual accomplishment of them; they had not 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 designa. tion of 'Jehovah' by bringing to pass the grand predicted events of his provi dence. 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 shalt be turned into blood.' Ezek. 28. 22,And they shall know that I am the Lord (Jehovah) when I shall have executed judg ments 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 absolute but a comparative negative; for that the literal name 'Jehovah' was known to the patriarchs, is indubitable, from the fol

will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will k redeem you with a stretchedout arm, and with great judgments:

7 And I will take you to me for a people, and m I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out n from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

k ch. 15. 13. Deut. 7. 8. 1 Chron. 17. 21. Neh. 1. 10. 1 Deut. 4. 20. & 7. 6. & 14. 2. & 26. 18. 2 Sam. 7. 24. m Gen. 17. 7, 8. ch. 29. 45, 46. Deut. 29. 13. Rev. 21. 7. n ch. 5. 4, 5. Ps. 81.6.

brance my covenant entered into with Abraham, Gen. 15. 10. 11, and confirmed with solemn rites, in which I promised that I would judge that nation which should afflict his seed.

lowing 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?' Gen. 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, 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 importance which I attached to moral duties. Otherwise it is evident that the language of the Most High mi-¶ With a stretched-out arm. The word litates with the recorded facts in the sacred history.

6, 7. I am the Lord (Jehovah), and I will bring you out-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. But where God becomes a covenant 'Jehovah' to any soul or any people, the unfailing effect is to put his every promise into being, and it should not be forgotten that in Christ, under the Gospel, he becomes emphatically such to his church. Here the precious and glo. rious titles 'El Shaddai' and 'Jehovah,' power and performance, are sweetly combined in the person of him in whom the promises are all yea and amen.

here rendered 'stretched-out,' may also be rendered 'lifted up,' or 'high,' as it is in fact by the Chal. and Latin Vul. gate. The expression is borrowed from the circumstance of men's stretching out and lifting up their arms and hands with a view to strike their enemies 5. I have remembered my covenant. with greater force. In order to which, That is, I still bear in vivid remem-it was usual in those Eastern countries

4. I have also established my covenant with them. Heb. pn hakimothi, have made to stand, have erected.To give them. That is, not in their own persons, but in their posterity.