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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Exodus, Chapter I].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1></center>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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[<A HREF="MHC02000.HTM">Previous</A>]
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[<A HREF="MHC02002.HTM">Next</A>]<BR>
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<TD ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP">
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1706)
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</TD></TR></TABLE>
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<A NAME="Page270"> </A>
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>E X O D U S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. I.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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We have here,
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I. God's kindness to Israel, in multiplying them
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exceedingly,
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+1:1-7">ver. 1-7</A>).
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II. The Egyptians' wickedness to them,
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1. Oppressing and enslaving them,
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+1:8-14">ver. 8-14</A>).
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2. Murdering
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their children,
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+1:15-22">ver. 15-22</A>).
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Thus whom the court of heaven
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blessed the country of Egypt cursed, and for that reason.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ex1_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Israelites Oppressed in Egypt.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1588.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Now these <I>are</I> the names of the
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children of Israel, which came
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into Egypt; every man and his household
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came with Jacob.
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2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
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3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
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4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
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5 And all
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the souls that came out of the loins of
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Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph
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was in Egypt <I>already.</I>
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6 And Joseph
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died, and all his brethren, and all that
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generation.
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7 And the children of
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Israel were fruitful, and increased
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abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed
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exceeding mighty; and the land was
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filled with them.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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In these verses we have,
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1. A recital of
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the names of the <I>twelve patriarchs,</I> as they
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are called,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ac+7:8">Acts vii. 8</A>.
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Their names are often
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repeated in scripture, that they may not sound
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uncouth to us, as other hard names, but that,
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by their occurring so frequently, they may
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become familiar to us; and to show how
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precious God's spiritual Israel are to him,
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and how much he delights in them.
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2. The
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account which was kept of the number of
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Jacob's family, when they went down into
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Egypt; they were in all <I>seventy souls</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+1:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>).
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according to the computation we had,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+46:27">Gen. xlvi. 27</A>.
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This was just the number of the
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nations by which the earth was peopled, according
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to the account given,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+10:1-32">Gen. x.</A>
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<I>For
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<A NAME="Page271"> </A>
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when the Most High separated the sons of
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Adam, he set the bounds of the people according
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to the number of the children of Israel,</I> as
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Moses observes,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+32:8">Deut. xxxii. 8</A>.
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Notice is
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here taken of this that their increase in Egypt
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might appear the more wonderful. Note, It
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is good for those whose latter end greatly
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increases often to remember how small their
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beginning was,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+8:7">Job viii. 7</A>.
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3. The death of
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Joseph,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+1:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>.
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<I>All that generation</I> by degrees
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wore off. Perhaps all Jacob's sons died much
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about the same time; for there was not more
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than seven years' difference in age between
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the eldest and the youngest of them, except
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Benjamin; and, when death comes into a
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family, sometimes it makes a full end in a
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little time. When Joseph, the stay of the
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family, died, the rest went off apace. Note,
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We must look upon ourselves and our brethren,
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and all we converse with, as dying and
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hastening out of the world. This generation
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passeth away, as that did which went before.
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4. The strange increase of Israel in Egypt,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+1:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
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Here are four words used to express
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it: They <I>were fruitful,</I> and <I>increased abundantly,</I>
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like fishes or insects, so that they
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<I>multiplied;</I> and, being generally healthful
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and strong, they <I>waxed exceedingly mighty,</I> so
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that they began almost to outnumber the
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natives, for the land was in all places filled
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with them, at least Goshen, their own allotment.
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Observe,
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(1.) Though, no doubt, they
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increased considerably before, yet, it should
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seem, it was not till after the death of Joseph
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that it began to be taken notice of as extraordinary.
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Thus, when they lost the benefit of
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his protection, God made their numbers their
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defence, and they became better able than
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they had been to shift for themselves. If
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God continue our friends and relations to us
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while we most need them, and remove them
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when they can be better spared, let us own
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that he is wise, and not complain that he is
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hard upon us. After the death of Christ, our
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Joseph, his gospel Israel began most remarkably
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to increase: and his death had an influence
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upon it; it was like the sowing of a
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corn of wheat, which, if it die, bringeth forth
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much fruit,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Joh+12:24">John xii. 24</A>.
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(2.) This wonderful
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increase was the fulfillment of the promise
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long before made unto the fathers. From the
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call of Abraham, when God first told him he
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would make of him a great nation, to the deliverance
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of his seed out of Egypt, it was 430
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years, during the first 215 of which they were
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increased but to seventy, but, in the latter
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half, those seventy multiplied to 600,000
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fighting men. Note,
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[1.] Sometimes God's
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providences may seem for a great while to
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thwart his promises, and to go counter to
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them, that his people's faith may be tried,
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and his own power the more magnified.
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[2.] Though the performance of God's promises is
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sometimes slow, yet it is always sure; <I>at the
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end it shall speak, and not lie,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Hab+2:3">Hab. ii. 3</A>.</P>
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<A NAME="Ex1_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_14"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>8 Now there arose up a new king
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over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
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9 And he said unto his people, Behold,
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the people of the children of Israel
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<I>are</I> more and mightier than we:
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10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them;
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lest they multiply, and it come to pass,
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that, when there falleth out any war,
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they join also unto our enemies, and
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fight against us, and <I>so</I> get them up
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out of the land.
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11 Therefore they
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did set over them taskmasters to afflict
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them with their burdens. And they
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built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom
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and Raamses.
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12 But the more
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they afflicted them, the more they
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multiplied and grew. And they were
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grieved because of the children of Israel.
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13 And the Egyptians made the
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children of Israel to serve with rigour:
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14 And they made their lives bitter
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with hard bondage, in mortar, and in
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brick, and in all manner of service in
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the field: all their service, wherein they
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made them serve, <I>was</I> with rigour.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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The land of Egypt here, at length, becomes
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to Israel a house of bondage, though hitherto
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it had been a happy shelter and settlement
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for them. Note, The place of our satisfaction
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may soon become the place of our affliction,
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and that may prove the greatest cross to us
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of which we said, <I>This same shall comfort us.</I>
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Those may prove our sworn enemies whose
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parents were our faithful friends; nay, the
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same persons that loved us may possibly turn
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to hate us: therefore cease from man, and
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say not concerning any place on this side
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heaven, <I>This is my rest for ever.</I> Observe here,</P>
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<P>
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I. The obligations they lay under to Israel
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upon Joseph's account were forgotten: <I>There
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arose a new king,</I> after several successions in
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Joseph's time, <I>who knew not Joseph,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+1:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>.
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All
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that knew him loved him, and were kind to
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his relations for his sake; but when he was
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dead he was soon forgotten, and the remembrance
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of the good offices he had done was
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either not retained or not regarded, nor had
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it any influence upon their councils. Note,
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the best and the most useful and acceptable
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services done to men are seldom remembered,
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so as to be recompensed to those that did
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them, in the notice taken either of their
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memory, or of their posterity, after their
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death,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ec+9:5,15">Eccl. ix. 5, 15</A>.
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Therefore our great
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care should be to serve God, and please him,
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who is not unrighteous, whatever men are,
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to forget our work and labour of love,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+6:10">Heb. vi. 10</A>.
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If we work for men only, our works,
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at furthest, will die with us; if for God, they
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will follow us,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+14:13">Rev. xiv. 13</A>.
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This king of
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Egypt knew not Joseph; and after him arose
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one that had the impudence to say, <I>I know
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<A NAME="Page272"> </A>
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not the Lord,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:2"><I>ch.</I> v. 2</A>.
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Note, Those that are
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unmindful of their other benefactors, it is to
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be feared, will forget the supreme benefactor,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Jo+4:20">1 John iv. 20</A>.</P>
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<P>
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II. Reasons of state were suggested for
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their dealing hardly with Israel,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+1:9,10"><I>v.</I> 9, 10</A>.
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1. They are represented as more and mightier
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than the Egyptians; certainly they were not
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so, but the king of Egypt, when he resolved
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to oppress them, would have them thought
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so, and looked on as a formidable body.
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2. Hence it is inferred that if care were not taken
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to keep them under they would become dangerous
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to the government, and in time of war
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would side with their enemies and revolt from
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their allegiance to the crown of Egypt. Note,
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It has been the policy of persecutors to represent
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God's Israel as a dangerous people,
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<I>hurtful to kings and provinces,</I> not fit to be
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trusted, nay, not fit to be tolerated, that they
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may have some pretence for the barbarous
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treatment they design them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ezr+4:12,Es+3:8">Ezra iv. 12, &c.; Esth. iii. 8</A>.
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Observe, The thing they feared
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was lest they should <I>get them up out of the
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land,</I> probably having heard them speak of
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the promise made to their fathers that they
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should settle in Canaan. Note, The policies
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of the church's enemies aim to defeat the
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promises of the church's God, but in vain;
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God's counsels shall stand.
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3. It is therefore
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proposed that a course be taken to prevent
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their increase: <I>Come on, let us deal wisely
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with them, lest they multiply.</I> Note,
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(1.) The
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growth of Israel is the grief of Egypt, and
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that against which the powers and policies of
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hell are levelled.
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(2.) When men deal wickedly,
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it is common for them to imagine that
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they deal wisely; but the folly of sin will, at
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last, be manifested before all men.</P>
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<P>
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III. The method they took to suppress
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them, and check their growth,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+1:11,13,14"><I>v.</I> 11, 13, 14</A>.
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The Israelites behaved themselves so peaceably
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and inoffensively that they could not
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find any occasion of making war upon them,
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and weakening them by that means: and
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therefore,
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1. They took care to keep them
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poor, by charging them with heavy taxes,
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which, some think, is included in the <I>burdens</I>
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with which they afflicted them.
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2. By this
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means they took an effectual course to make
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them slaves. The Israelites, it should seem,
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were much more industrious laborious people
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than the Egyptians, and therefore Pharaoh
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took care to find them work, both in building
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(they built him <I>treasure-cities</I>), and in husbandry,
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even <I>all manner of service in the
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field:</I> and this was exacted from them with
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the utmost rigour and severity. Here are
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many expressions used, to affect us with the
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condition of God's people. They had <I>taskmasters</I>
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set over them, who were directed,
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not only to burden them, but, as much as
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might be, <I>to afflict them with their burdens,</I>
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and contrive how to make them grievous.
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They not only made them serve, which was
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sufficient for Pharaoh's profit, but they made
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them <I>serve with rigour,</I> so that their lives became
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bitter to them, intending hereby,
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(1.) To break their spirits, and rob them of every
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thing in them that was ingenuous and generous.
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(2.) To ruin their health and shorten
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their days, and so diminish their numbers.
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(3.) To discourage them from marrying, since
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their children would be born to slavery.
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(4.) To oblige them to desert the Hebrews, and
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incorporate themselves with the Egyptians.
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Thus he hoped to cut off the name of Israel,
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that it might be no more in remembrance.
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And it is to be feared that the oppression
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they were under had this bad effect upon
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them, that it brought over many of them to
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join with the Egyptians in their idolatrous
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worship; for we read
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+24:14">Josh. xxiv. 14</A>)
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that
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they served other gods in Egypt; and, though
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it is not mentioned here in this history, yet
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we find
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+20:8">Ezek. xx. 8</A>)
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that God had threatened
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to destroy them for it, even while they were
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in the land of Egypt: however, they were
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kept a distinct body, unmingled with the
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Egyptians, and by their other customs separated
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from them, which was <I>the Lord's doing,
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and marvellous.</I></P>
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<P>
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IV. The wonderful increase of the Israelites,
|
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notwithstanding the oppressions they groaned
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under
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+1:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>):
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|
<I>The more they afflicted them the
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more they multiplied,</I> sorely to the grief and
|
|
vexation of the Egyptians. Note,
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|
1. Times
|
|
of affliction have often been the church's
|
|
growing times, <I>Sub pondere crescit--Being
|
|
pressed, it grows.</I> Christianity spread most
|
|
when it was persecuted: the blood of the
|
|
martyrs was the seed of the church.
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|
|
2. Those
|
|
that take counsel against the Lord and his
|
|
Israel do but imagine a vain thing
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+2:1">Ps. ii. 1</A>),
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|
and create so much the greater vexation to
|
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themselves: hell and earth cannot diminish
|
|
those whom Heaven will increase.</P>
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<A NAME="Ex1_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_20"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_21"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex1_22"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>15 And the king of Egypt spake to
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|
the Hebrew midwives, of which the
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|
name of the one <I>was</I> Shiphrah, and the
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|
name of the other Puah:
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16 And he
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|
said, When ye do the office of a midwife
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|
to the Hebrew women, and see
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|
<I>them</I> upon the stools; if it <I>be</I> a son,
|
|
then ye shall kill him: but if it <I>be</I> a
|
|
daughter, then she shall live.
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|
17 But
|
|
the midwives feared God, and did
|
|
not as the king of Egypt commanded
|
|
them, but saved the men children
|
|
alive.
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|
18 And the king of Egypt called
|
|
for the midwives, and said unto them,
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|
Why have ye done this thing, and
|
|
have saved the men children alive?
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|
19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh,
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|
Because the Hebrew women <I>are</I>
|
|
not as the Egyptian women; for they
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|
<I>are</I> lively, and are delivered ere the
|
|
midwives come in unto them.
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|
20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives:
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|
|
|
<A NAME="Page273"> </A>
|
|
|
|
and the people multiplied, and
|
|
waxed very mighty.
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|
21 And it came
|
|
to pass, because the midwives feared
|
|
God, that he made them houses.
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|
22 And Pharaoh charged all his people,
|
|
saying, Every son that is born ye shall
|
|
cast into the river, and every daughter
|
|
ye shall save alive.
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|
</FONT></P>
|
|
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|
<P>
|
|
|
|
The Egyptians' indignation at Israel's increase,
|
|
notwithstanding the many hardships
|
|
they put upon them, drove them at length to
|
|
the most barbarous and inhuman methods of
|
|
suppressing them, by the murder of their
|
|
children. It was strange that they did not
|
|
rather pick quarrels with the grown men,
|
|
against whom they might perhaps find some
|
|
occasion: to be thus bloody towards the infants,
|
|
whom all must own to be innocents,
|
|
was a sin which they had to cloak for.
|
|
Note,
|
|
|
|
1. There is more cruelty in the corrupt
|
|
heart of man than one would imagine,
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ro+3:15,16">Rom. iii. 15, 16</A>.
|
|
The enmity that is in the
|
|
seed of the serpent against the seed of the
|
|
woman divests men of humanity itself, and
|
|
makes them forget all pity. One would not
|
|
think it possible that ever men should be so
|
|
barbarous and blood-thirsty as the persecutors
|
|
of God's people have been,
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+17:6">Rev. xvii. 6</A>.
|
|
|
|
2. Even confessed innocence is no defence
|
|
against the old enmity. What blood so
|
|
guiltless as that of a child new-born? Yet
|
|
that is prodigally shed like water, and sucked
|
|
with delight like milk or honey. Pharaoh
|
|
and Herod sufficiently proved themselves
|
|
agents for that <I>great red dragon, who stood
|
|
to devour the man-child as soon as it was born,</I>
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+12:3,4">Rev. xii. 3, 4</A>.
|
|
Pilate delivered Christ to be
|
|
crucified, after he had confessed that he
|
|
found no fault in him. It is well for us that,
|
|
though man can kill the body, this is all he
|
|
can do. Two bloody edicts are here signed
|
|
for the destruction of all the male children
|
|
that were born to the Hebrews.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
I. The midwives were commanded to murder
|
|
them. Observe,
|
|
|
|
1. The orders given
|
|
them,
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+1:15,16"><I>v.</I> 15, 16</A>.
|
|
It added much to the
|
|
barbarity of the intended executions that the
|
|
<I>midwives</I> were appointed to be the executioners;
|
|
for it was to make them, not only
|
|
bloody, but perfidious, and to oblige them to
|
|
betray a trust, and to destroy those whom
|
|
they undertook to save and help. Could he
|
|
think that their sex would admit such cruelty,
|
|
and their employment such base treachery?
|
|
Note, Those who are themselves barbarous
|
|
think to find, or make, others as barbarous.
|
|
Pharaoh's project was secretly to engage the
|
|
midwives to stifle the men-children as soon
|
|
as they were born, and then to lay it upon
|
|
the difficulty of the birth, or some mischance
|
|
common in that case,
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+3:11">Job iii. 11</A>.
|
|
The two
|
|
midwives he tampered with in order hereunto
|
|
are here named; and perhaps, at this time,
|
|
which was above eighty years before their
|
|
going out of Egypt, those two might suffice
|
|
for all the Hebrew women, at least so many
|
|
of them as lay near the court, as it is plain
|
|
by
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+2:5,6"><I>ch.</I> ii. 5, 6</A>,
|
|
many of them did, and of
|
|
them he was most jealous. They are called
|
|
<I>Hebrew midwives,</I> probably not because they
|
|
were themselves Hebrews (for surely Pharaoh
|
|
could never expect they should be so barbarous
|
|
to those of their own nation), but
|
|
because they were generally made use of by
|
|
the Hebrews; and, being Egyptians, he
|
|
hoped to prevail with them.
|
|
|
|
2. Their pious
|
|
disobedience to this impious command,
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+1:17"><I>v.</I> 17</A>.
|
|
<I>They feared God,</I> regarded his law, and
|
|
dreaded his wrath more than Pharaoh's, and
|
|
therefore saved the men-children alive. Note,
|
|
If men's commands be any way contrary to
|
|
the commands of God, we must obey God
|
|
and not man,
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ac+4:19,5:29">Acts iv. 19; v. 29</A>.
|
|
No power
|
|
on earth can warrant us, much less oblige us,
|
|
to sin against God, our chief Lord. Again,
|
|
Where the fear of God rules in the heart, it
|
|
will preserve it from the snare which the inordinate
|
|
fear of man brings.
|
|
|
|
3. Their justifying
|
|
themselves in this disobedience, when
|
|
they were charged with it as a crime,
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+1:18"><I>v.</I> 18</A>.
|
|
They gave a reason for it, which, it seems,
|
|
God's gracious promise furnished them with--that
|
|
they came too late to do it, for generally
|
|
the children were born before they came,
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+1:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>.
|
|
I see no reason we have to doubt the truth
|
|
of this; it is plain that the Hebrews were
|
|
now under an extraordinary blessing of
|
|
increase, which may well be supposed to
|
|
have this effect, that the women had very
|
|
quick and easy labour, and, the mothers and
|
|
children being both lively, they seldom needed
|
|
the help of midwives: this these midwives
|
|
took notice of, and, concluding it to be the
|
|
finger of God, were thereby emboldened to
|
|
disobey the king, in favour of those whom
|
|
Heaven thus favoured, and with this justified
|
|
themselves before Pharaoh, when he called
|
|
them to an account for it. Some of the
|
|
ancient Jews expound it thus, <I>Ere the midwife
|
|
comes to them they pray to their Father
|
|
in heaven, and he answereth them, and they do
|
|
bring forth.</I> Note, God is a readier help to
|
|
his people in distress than any other helpers
|
|
are, and often anticipates them with the blessings
|
|
of his goodness; such deliverances
|
|
lay them under peculiarly strong obligations.
|
|
|
|
4. The recompence God gave them for their
|
|
tenderness towards his people: <I>He dealt well
|
|
with them,</I>
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+1:20"><I>v.</I> 20</A>.
|
|
Note, God will be behind-hand
|
|
with none for any kindness done to his
|
|
people, taking it as done to himself. In particular,
|
|
<I>he made them houses</I>
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+1:21"><I>v.</I> 21</A>),
|
|
built
|
|
them up into families, blessed their children,
|
|
and prospered them in all they did. Note,
|
|
The services done for God's Israel are often
|
|
repaid in kind. The midwives kept up the
|
|
Israelites' houses, and, in recompence for it,
|
|
<I>God made them houses.</I> Observe, The recompence
|
|
has relation to the principle upon
|
|
which they went: <I>Because they feared God,
|
|
he made them houses.</I> Note, Religion and
|
|
piety are good friends to outward prosperity:
|
|
|
|
<A NAME="Page274"> </A>
|
|
|
|
the fear of God in a house will help to build
|
|
it up and establish it. Dr. Lightfoot's
|
|
notion of it is, That, for their piety, they
|
|
were married to Israelites, and Hebrew
|
|
families were built up by them.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
II. When this project did not take effect,
|
|
Pharaoh gave public orders to all his people
|
|
to drown all the male children of the Hebrews,
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+1:22"><I>v.</I> 22</A>.
|
|
We may suppose it was made
|
|
highly penal for any to know of the birth of
|
|
a son to an Israelite, and not to give information
|
|
to those who were appointed to throw
|
|
him into the river. Note, The enemies of
|
|
the church have been restless in their endeavours
|
|
to <I>wear out the saints of the Most
|
|
High,</I>
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Da+7:25">Dan. vii. 25</A>.
|
|
But <I>he that sits in
|
|
heaven shall laugh at them.</I> See
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+2:4">Ps. ii. 4</A>.</P>
|
|
|
|
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