mh_parser/vol_split/2 - Exodus/Chapter 11.xml

<div2 id="Ex.xii" n="xii" next="Ex.xiii" prev="Ex.xi" progress="36.07%" title="Chapter XI">
<h2 id="Ex.xii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xii-p0.2">CHAP. XI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xii-p1">Pharaoh had told Moses to get out of his presence
(<scripRef id="Ex.xii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.28" parsed="|Exod|10|28|0|0" passage="Ex 10:28"><i>ch.</i> x. 28</scripRef>), and
Moses had promised this should be the last time he would trouble
him, yet he resolves to say out what he had to say, before he left
him; accordingly, we have in this chapter, I. The instructions God
had given to Moses, which he was now to pursue (<scripRef id="Ex.xii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.1-Exod.11.2" parsed="|Exod|11|1|11|2" passage="Ex 11:1,2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>), together with the interest
Israel and Moses had in the esteem of the Egyptians, <scripRef id="Ex.xii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.3" parsed="|Exod|11|3|0|0" passage="Ex 11:3">ver. 3</scripRef>. II. The last message Moses
delivered to Pharaoh, concerning the death of the firstborn,
<scripRef id="Ex.xii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.4-Exod.11.8" parsed="|Exod|11|4|11|8" passage="Ex 11:4-8">ver. 4-8</scripRef>. III. A
repetition of the prediction of Pharaoh's hardening his heart,
(<scripRef id="Ex.xii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.9" parsed="|Exod|11|9|0|0" passage="Ex 11:9">ver. 9</scripRef>), and the event
answering to it, <scripRef id="Ex.xii-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.10" parsed="|Exod|11|10|0|0" passage="Ex 11:10">ver.
10</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="Ex.xii-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11" parsed="|Exod|11|0|0|0" passage="Ex 11" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ex.xii-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.1-Exod.11.3" parsed="|Exod|11|1|11|3" passage="Ex 11:1-3" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.11.1-Exod.11.3">
<h4 id="Ex.xii-p1.9">The Plagues of Egypt. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xii-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xii-p2.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague <i>more</i> upon
Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when
he shall let <i>you</i> go, he shall surely thrust you out hence
altogether.   2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let
every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her
neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold.   3 And the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xii-p2.2">Lord</span> gave the people favour in the
sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses <i>was</i> very
great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and
in the sight of the people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xii-p3">Here is, I. The high favour Moses and
Israel were in with God. 1. Moses was a favourite of Heaven, for
God will not hide from him the thing he will do. God not only makes
him his messenger to deliver his errands, but communicates to him
his purpose (as the man of his counsel) that he would bring one
plague more, and but one, upon Pharaoh, by which he would complete
the deliverance of Israel, <scripRef id="Ex.xii-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.1" parsed="|Exod|11|1|0|0" passage="Ex 11:1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>. Moses longed to see an end of this dreadful work, to
see Egypt no more plagued and Israel no more oppressed: "Well,"
says God, "now it is near an end; the warfare shall shortly be
accomplished, the point gained; Pharaoh shall be forced to own
himself conquered, and to give up the cause." After all the rest of
the plagues, God says, <i>I will bring one more.</i> Thus, after
all the judgments executed upon sinners in this world, still there
is one more reserved to be brought on them in the other world,
which will completely humble those whom nothing else would humble.
2. The Israelites were favourites of Heaven; for God himself
espouses their injured cause, and takes care to see them paid for
all their pains in serving the Egyptians. This was the last day of
their servitude; they were about to go away, and their masters, who
had abused them in their work, would not have defrauded them of
their wages, and have sent them away empty; while the poor
Israelites were so fond of liberty that they would be satisfied
with that, without pay, and would rejoice to get that upon any
terms: but he that <i>executeth righteousness and judgment for the
oppressed</i> provided that the labourers should not lose their
hire, and ordered them to demand it now at their departure
(<scripRef id="Ex.xii-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.2" parsed="|Exod|11|2|0|0" passage="Ex 11:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), <i>in jewels
of silver and jewels of gold,</i> to prepare for which God, by the
plagues, had now made the Egyptians as willing to part with them
upon any terms as, before, the Egyptians, by their severities, had
made them willing to go upon any terms. Though the patient
Israelites were content to lose their wages, yet God would not let
them go without them. Note, One way or other, God will give redress
to the injured, who in a humble silence commit their cause to him;
and he will see to it that none be losers at last by their patient
suffering any more than by their services.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xii-p4">II. The high favour Moses and Israel were
in with the Egyptians, <scripRef id="Ex.xii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.3" parsed="|Exod|11|3|0|0" passage="Ex 11:3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>. 1. Even the people that has been hated and despised
now came to be respected; the wonders wrought on their behalf put
an honour upon them and made them considerable. How great do they
become for whom God thus fights! Thus <i>the Lord gave them
favour</i> in the sight of the Egyptians, by making it appear how
much he favoured them: he also changed the spirit of the Egyptians
towards them, and made them to be pitied of their oppressors,
<scripRef id="Ex.xii-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.46" parsed="|Ps|106|46|0|0" passage="Ps 106:46">Ps. cvi. 46</scripRef>. 2. <i>The man
Moses was very great.</i> How could it be otherwise when they saw
what power he was clothed with, and what wonders were wrought by
his hand? Thus the apostles, though otherwise despicable men, came
to be magnified, <scripRef id="Ex.xii-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:Acts.5.13" parsed="|Acts|5|13|0|0" passage="Ac 5:13">Acts v. 13</scripRef>.
Those that honour God he will honour; and with respect to those
that approve themselves faithful to him, how meanly soever they may
pass through this world, there is a day coming when they will look
great, very great, in the eyes of all the world, even theirs who
now look upon them with the utmost contempt. Observe, Though
Pharaoh hated Moses, there were those of Pharaoh's servants that
respected him. Thus in Caesar's household, even Nero's, there were
some that had an esteem for blessed Paul, <scripRef id="Ex.xii-p4.4" osisRef="Bible:Phil.1.13" parsed="|Phil|1|13|0|0" passage="Php 1:13">Phil. i. 13</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ex.xii-p4.5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.4-Exod.11.10" parsed="|Exod|11|4|11|10" passage="Ex 11:4-10" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.11.4-Exod.11.10">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xii-p5">4 And Moses said, Thus saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xii-p5.1">Lord</span>, About midnight will I go out into the
midst of Egypt:   5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt
shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his
throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that <i>is</i>
behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.   6 And
there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such
as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.   7
But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his
tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xii-p5.2">Lord</span> doth put a difference between the
Egyptians and Israel.   8 And all these thy servants shall
come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get
thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I
will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.  
9 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xii-p5.3">Lord</span> said unto Moses,
Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be
multiplied in the land of Egypt.   10 And Moses and Aaron did
all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xii-p5.4">Lord</span> hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would
not let the children of Israel go out of his land.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xii-p6">Warning is here given to Pharaoh of the
last and conquering plague which was now to be inflicted. This was
the <i>death of all the first-born in</i> Egypt at once, which had
been first threatened (<scripRef id="Ex.xii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.23" parsed="|Exod|4|23|0|0" passage="Ex 4:23"><i>ch.</i> iv.
23</scripRef>, <i>I will slay thy son, thy first-born</i>), but is
last executed; less judgments were tried, which, if they had done
the work would have prevented this. See how slow God is to wrath,
and how willing to be met with in the way of his judgments, and to
have his anger turned away, and particularly how precious the lives
of men are in his eyes: if the death of their cattle had humbled
and reformed them, their children would have been spared; but, if
men will not improve the gradual advances of divine judgments, they
must thank themselves if they find, in the issue, that the worst
was reserved for the last. 1. The plague itself is here
particularly foretold, <scripRef id="Ex.xii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.4-Exod.11.6" parsed="|Exod|11|4|11|6" passage="Ex 11:4-6"><i>v.</i>
4-6</scripRef>. The time is fixed—about midnight, the very next
midnight, the dead time of the night; when they were all asleep,
all their first-born should sleep the sleep of death, not silently
and insensibly, so as not to be discovered till morning, but so as
to rouse the families at midnight to stand by and see them die. The
extent of this plague is described, <scripRef id="Ex.xii-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.5" parsed="|Exod|11|5|0|0" passage="Ex 11:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. The prince that was to succeed in
the throne was not too high to be reached by it, nor were the
slaves at the mill too low to be taken notice of. Moses and Aaron
were not ordered to summon this plague; no <i>I will go out, saith
the Lord,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xii-p6.4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.4" parsed="|Exod|11|4|0|0" passage="Ex 11:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>.
<i>It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God;</i> what is hell but this? 2. The special protection which the
children of Israel should be under, and the manifest difference
that should be put between them and the Egyptians. While angels
drew their swords against the Egyptians, there should not so much
as a dog bark at any of the children of Israel, <scripRef id="Ex.xii-p6.5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.7" parsed="|Exod|11|7|0|0" passage="Ex 11:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. An earnest was hereby given of
the difference which shall be put in the great day between God's
people and his enemies: did men know what a difference God puts,
and will put to eternity, between those that serve him and those
that serve him not, religion would not seem to them such an
indifferent thing as they make it, nor would they act in it with so
much indifference as they do. 3. The humble submission which
Pharaoh's servants should make to Moses, and how submissively they
should request him to go (<scripRef id="Ex.xii-p6.6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.8" parsed="|Exod|11|8|0|0" passage="Ex 11:8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>): <i>They shall come down, and bow themselves.</i>
Note, The proud enemies of God and his Israel shall be made to fall
under at last (<scripRef id="Ex.xii-p6.7" osisRef="Bible:Rev.3.9" parsed="|Rev|3|9|0|0" passage="Re 3:9">Rev. iii. 9</scripRef>),
and shall be found liars to them, <scripRef id="Ex.xii-p6.8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.29" parsed="|Deut|33|29|0|0" passage="De 33:29">Deut. xxxiii. 29</scripRef>. When Moses had thus
delivered his message, it is said, <i>He went out from Pharaoh in a
great anger,</i> though he was the meekest of all the men of the
earth. Probably he expected that the very threatening of the death
of the firstborn would have induced Pharaoh to comply, especially
as Pharaoh had complied so far already, and had seen how exactly
all Moses's predictions hitherto were fulfilled. But it had not
that effect; his proud heart would not yield, no, not to save all
the firstborn of his kingdom: no marvel that men are not deterred
from vicious courses by the prospects given them of eternal misery
in the other world, when the imminent peril they run of the loss of
all that is dear to them in this world will not frighten them.
Moses, hereupon, was provoked to a holy indignation, being grieved
(as our Saviour afterwards) for the <i>hardness of his heart,</i>
<scripRef id="Ex.xii-p6.9" osisRef="Bible:Mark.3.5" parsed="|Mark|3|5|0|0" passage="Mk 3:5">Mark iii. 5</scripRef>. Note, It is a
great vexation to the spirits of good ministers to see people deaf
to all the fair warnings given them, and running headlong upon
ruin, notwithstanding all the kind methods taken to prevent it.
Thus Ezekiel went in <i>the bitterness of his spirit</i> (<scripRef id="Ex.xii-p6.10" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.3.14" parsed="|Ezek|3|14|0|0" passage="Eze 3:14">Ezek. iii. 14</scripRef>), because God had told
him that the house of Israel would not hearken to him, <scripRef id="Ex.xii-p6.11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.7" parsed="|Exod|11|7|0|0" passage="Ex 11:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. To be angry at nothing
but sin is the way not to sin in anger. Moses, having thus adverted
to the disturbance which Pharaoh's obstinacy gave him, (1.)
Reflects upon the previous notice God had given him of this
(<scripRef id="Ex.xii-p6.12" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.9" parsed="|Exod|11|9|0|0" passage="Ex 11:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>): <i>The Lord
said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken to you.</i> The
scripture has foretold the incredulity of those who should hear the
gospel, that it might not be a surprise nor stumbling-block to us,
<scripRef id="Ex.xii-p6.13" osisRef="Bible:John.12.37-John.12.38 Bible:Rom.10.16" parsed="|John|12|37|12|38;|Rom|10|16|0|0" passage="Joh 12:37,38,Ro 10:16">John xii. 37, 38; Rom. x.
16</scripRef>. Let us think never the worse of the gospel of Christ
for the slights men generally put upon it, for we were told before
what cold entertainment it would meet with. (2.) He recapitulates
all he had said before to this purport (<scripRef id="Ex.xii-p6.14" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.10" parsed="|Exod|11|10|0|0" passage="Ex 11:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), that Moses did all these
wonders, as they are here related, before Pharaoh (he himself was
an eye-witness of them), and yet he could not prevail, which was a
certain sign that God himself had, in a way of righteous judgment,
hardened his heart. Thus the Jews' rejection of the gospel of
Christ was so gross an absurdity that it might easily be inferred
from it that <i>God had given them the spirit of slumber,</i>
<scripRef id="Ex.xii-p6.15" osisRef="Bible:Rom.11.8" parsed="|Rom|11|8|0|0" passage="Ro 11:8">Rom. xi. 8</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>