Richard Challoner

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.

Of tabernacles: Or, of storehouses.

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.

Moses: Or Moyses, in the Egyptian tongue, signifies one taken or saved out of the water.

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.

Madian: A city and country of Arabia, which took its name from Madian the son of Abraham, by Cetura, and was peopled by his posterity.

Raguel: He had two names, being also called Jethro, as appears from the first verse of the following chapter.

Gersam: Or Gershom. This name signifies a stranger there: as Eliezer signifies the help of God.

Knew them: That is, he had respect to them, he cast a merciful eye upon them.

The Lord appeared: That is, an angel representing God, and speaking in his name.

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.

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.

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.

The Lord met him, and would have killed him: This was an angel representing the Lord, who treated Moses in this manner, for having neglected the circumcision of his younger son; which his wife understanding, circumcised her child upon the spot, upon which the angel let Moses go.

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.

Uncircumcised lips: So he calls the defect he had in his words, or utterance.

The god of Pharao: Viz., to be his judge; and to exercise a divine power, as God's instrument, over him and his people.

I shall harden: not by being the efficient cause of his hardness of heart, but by permitting it; and by withdrawing grace from him, in punishment of his malice; which alone was the proper cause of his being hardened.

Magicians: Jannes, and Mambres, or Jambres, 2 Tim. 3. 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.