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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Exodus, Chapter V].</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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<TD ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP">
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1706)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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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. V.</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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Moses and Aaron are here dealing with Pharaoh, to get leave of him to
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go and worship in the wilderness.
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I. They demand leave in the name of God
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:1">ver. 1</A>),
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and he answers their demand with a defiance of God,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:2">ver. 2</A>.
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II. They beg leave in the name of Israel
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:3">ver. 3</A>),
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and he answers their request with further orders to oppress Israel,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:4-9">ver. 4-9</A>.
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These cruel orders were,
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1. Executed by the task-masters,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:10-14">ver. 10-14</A>.
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2. Complained of to Pharaoh, but in vain,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:15-19">ver. 15-19</A>.
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3. Complained of by the people to Moses
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:20,21">ver. 20, 21</A>),
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and by him to God,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:22,23">ver. 22, 23</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Ex5_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_2"> </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>Sufferings of the Israelites Increased.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1491.</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 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus
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saith the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may
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hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.
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2 And Pharaoh said, Who <I>is</I> the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, that I should obey his
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voice to let Israel go? I know not the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, neither will I let
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Israel go.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Moses and Aaron, having delivered their message to the elders of
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Israel, with whom they found good acceptance, are now to deal with
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Pharaoh, to whom they come in peril of their lives--<I>Moses</I>
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particularly, who perhaps was out-lawed for killing the Egyptian forty
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years before, so that if any of the old courtiers should happen to
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remember that against him now it might cost him his head. Their message
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itself was displeasing, and touch Pharaoh both in his honour and in his
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profit, two tender points; yet these faithful ambassadors boldly
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deliver it, whether he will hear or whether he will forbear.</P>
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<P>
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I. Their demand is piously bold: <I>Thus saith the Lord God of Israel,
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Let my people go,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>.
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Moses, in treating with the elders of Israel, is directed to call God
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<I>the God of their fathers;</I> but, in treating with Pharaoh, they
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call him <I>the God of Israel,</I> and it is the first time we find him
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called so in scripture: he is called <I>the God of Israel,</I> the
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<I>person</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+33:20">Gen. xxxiii. 20</A>);
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but here it is Israel, the <I>people.</I> They are just beginning to be
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formed into a people when God is called their God. Moses, it is likely,
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was directed to call him so, at least it might be inferred from
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+9:22"><I>ch.</I> ix. 22</A>,
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<I>Israel is my son.</I> In this great name they deliver their
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message: <I>Let my people go.</I>
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1. They were God's people, and therefore Pharaoh ought not to detain
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them in bondage. Note, God will own his own people, though ever so poor
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and despicable, and will find a time to plead their cause. "The
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Israelites are slaves in Egypt, but they are my people," says God, "and
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I will not suffer them to be always trampled upon." See
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+52:4,5">Isa. lii. 4, 5</A>.
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2. He expected services and sacrifices from them, and therefore they
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must have leave to go where they could freely exercise their religion,
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without giving offence to, or receiving offence from, the Egyptians.
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Note, God delivers his people out of the hand of their enemies, that
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they may serve him, and serve him cheerfully, that they may hold a
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feast to him, which they may do, while they have his favour and
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presence, even in a wilderness, a dry and barren land.</P>
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<P>
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II. Pharaoh's answer is impiously bold: <I>Who is the Lord, that I
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should obey his voice?</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
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Being summoned to surrender, he thus hangs out the flag of defiance,
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hectors Moses and the God that sends him, and peremptorily refuses to
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let Israel go; he will not treat about it, nor so much as bear the
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mention of it. Observe,
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1. How scornfully he speaks of the God of Israel: "<I>Who is
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Jehovah?</I> I neither know him nor care for him, neither value him nor
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fear him:" it is a hard name that he never heard of before, but he
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resolves it shall be no bug-bear to him. Israel was now a despised
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oppressed people, looked on as the tail of the nation, and, by the
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character they bore, Pharaoh makes his estimate of their God, and
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concludes that he made no better a figure among the gods than his
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people did among the nations. Note, Hardened persecutors are more
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malicious against God himself than they are against his people. See
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+37:23">Isa. xxxvii. 23</A>.
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Again, Ignorance and contempt of God are at the bottom of all the
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wickedness that is in the world. Men know not the Lord, or have very
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low and mean thoughts of him, and therefore they obey not his voice,
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nor will let any thing go for him.
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2. How proudly he speaks of himself: "<I>That I should obey his
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voice;</I> I, the king of Egypt, a great people, obey the God of
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Israel, a poor enslaved people? Shall I, that rule the Israel of God,
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obey the God of Israel? No, it is below me; I scorn to answer his
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summons." Note, Those are the children of pride that are the
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<I>children of disobedience,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+41:34,Eph+5:6">Job xli. 34; Eph. v. 6</A>.
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Proud men think themselves too good to stoop even to God himself, and
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would not be under control,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+43:2">Jer. xliii. 2</A>.
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Here is the core of the controversy: God must rule, but man will not be
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ruled. "I will have my will done," says God: "But I will do my own
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will," says the sinner.
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3. How resolutely he denies the demand: <I>Neither will I let Israel
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go.</I> Note, Of all sinners none are so obstinate, nor so hardly
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persuaded to leave their sin, as persecutors are.</P>
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<A NAME="Ex5_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_9"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let
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us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and
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sacrifice unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> our God; lest he fall upon us with
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pestilence, or with the sword.
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4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses
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and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your
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burdens.
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5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now <I>are</I>
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many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.
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6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the
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people, and their officers, saying,
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7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as
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heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.
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8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore,
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ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish <I>ought</I> thereof:
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for they <I>be</I> idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go <I>and</I>
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sacrifice to our God.
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9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may
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labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Finding that Pharaoh had no veneration at all for God, Moses and Aaron
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next try whether he had any compassion for Israel, and become humble
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suitors to him for leave to go and sacrifice, but in vain.</P>
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<P>
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I. Their request is very humble and modest,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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They make no complaint of the rigour they were ruled with. They plead
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that the journey they designed was not a project formed among
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themselves, but that their God had met with them, and called them to
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it. They beg with all submission: <I>We pray thee.</I> The poor useth
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entreaties; though God may summon princes that oppress, it becomes us
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to beseech and make supplication to them. What they ask is very
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reasonable, only for a short vacation, while they went three days'
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journey into the desert, and that on a good errand, and
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unexceptionable: "<I>We will sacrifice unto the Lord our God,</I> as
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other people do to theirs;" and, <I>lastly,</I> they give a very good
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reason, "Lest, if we quite cast off his worship, he fall upon us with
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one judgment or other, and then Pharaoh will lose his vassals."</P>
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<P>
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II. Pharaoh's denial of their request is very barbarous and
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unreasonable,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:4-9"><I>v.</I> 4-9</A>.</P>
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<P>
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1. His suggestions were very unreasonable.
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(1.) That the people were idle, and that therefore they talked of going
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to sacrifice. The cities they built for Pharaoh, and the other fruit of
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their labours, were witnesses for them that they were not idle; yet he
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thus basely misrepresents them, that he might have a pretence to
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increase their burdens.
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(2.) That Moses and Aaron made them idle with vain words,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>.
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God's words are here called vain words; and those that called them to
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the best and most needful business are accused of making them idle.
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Note, The malice of Satan has often represented the service and worship
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of God as fit employment for those only that have nothing else to do,
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and the business only of the idle; whereas indeed it is the
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indispensable duty of those that are most busy in the world.</P>
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<P>
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2. His resolutions hereupon were most barbarous.
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(1.) Moses and Aaron themselves must get to <I>their burdens</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>);
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they are Israelites, and, however God had distinguished them from the
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rest, Pharaoh makes no difference: they must share in the common
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slavery of their nation. Persecutors have always taken a particular
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pleasure in putting contempt and hardship upon the ministers of the
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churches.
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(2.) The usual tale of bricks must be exacted, without the usual
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allowance of straw to mix with the clay, or to burn the bricks with,
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that thus more work might be laid upon the men, which if they
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performed, they would be broken with labour; and, if not, they would be
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exposed to punishment.</P>
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<A NAME="Ex5_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_14"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their
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officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith
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Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.
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11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of
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your work shall be diminished.
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12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land
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of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.
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13 And the taskmasters hasted <I>them,</I> saying, Fulfil your
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works, <I>your</I> daily tasks, as when there was straw.
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14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's
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taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, <I>and</I> demanded,
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Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both
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yesterday and to day, as heretofore?
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Pharaoh's orders are here put in execution; straw is denied, and yet
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the work not diminished.
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1. The Egyptian task-masters were very severe. Pharaoh having decreed
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unrighteous decrees, the task-masters were ready to write the
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grievousness that he had prescribed,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+10:1">Isa. x. 1</A>.
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Cruel princes will never want cruel instruments to be employed under
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them, who will justify them in that which is most unreasonable. These
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task-masters insisted upon the daily tasks, as when there was straw,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>.
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See what need we have to pray that <I>we may be delivered from
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unreasonable and wicked men,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Th+3:2">2 Thess. iii. 2</A>.
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The enmity of the serpent's seed against the seed of the woman is such
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as breaks through all the laws of reason, honour, humanity, and common
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justice.
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2. The people hereby were dispersed throughout all the land of Egypt,
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to gather stubble,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>.
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By this means Pharaoh's unjust and barbarous usage of them came to be
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known to all the kingdom, and perhaps caused them to be pitied by their
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neighbours, and made Pharaoh's government less acceptable even to his
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own subjects: good-will is never got by persecution.
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3. The Israelite-officers were used with particular harshness,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>.
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Those that were the fathers of the houses of Israel paid dearly for
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their honour; for from them immediately the service was exacted, and
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they were beaten when it was not performed. See here,
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(1.) What a miserable thing slavery is, and what reason we have to be
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thankful to God that we are a free people, and not oppressed. Liberty
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and property are valuable jewels in the eyes of those whose services
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and possessions lie at the mercy of an arbitrary power.
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(2.) What disappointments we often meet with after the raising of our
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expectations. The Israelites were now lately encouraged to hope for
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enlargement, but behold greater distresses. This teaches us always to
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rejoice with trembling.
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(3.) What strange steps God sometimes takes in delivering his people;
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he often brings them to the utmost straits when he is just ready to
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appear for them. The lowest ebbs go before the highest tides; and very
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cloudy mornings commonly introduce the fairest days,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+32:36">Deut. xxxii. 36</A>.
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God's time to help is when things are at the worst; and Providence
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verifies the paradox, <I>The worse the better.</I></P>
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<A NAME="Ex5_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_20"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_21"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_22"> </A>
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<A NAME="Ex5_23"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried
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unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy
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servants?
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16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to
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us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants <I>are</I> beaten; but the
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fault <I>is</I> in thine own people.
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17 But he said, Ye <I>are</I> idle, <I>ye are</I> idle: therefore ye say,
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Let us go <I>and</I> do sacrifice to the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>.
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18 Go therefore now, <I>and</I> work; for there shall no straw be
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given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.
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19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see <I>that</I>
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they <I>were</I> in evil <I>case,</I> after it was said, Ye shall not
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minish <I>ought</I> from your bricks of your daily task.
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20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they
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came forth from Pharaoh:
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21 And they said unto them, The L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> look upon you, and judge;
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because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of
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Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their
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hand to slay us.
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22 And Moses returned unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, and said, Lord, wherefore
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hast thou <I>so</I> evil entreated this people? why <I>is</I> it <I>that</I>
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thou hast sent me?
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23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath
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done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people
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at all.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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It was a great strait that the head-workmen were in, when they must
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either abuse those that were under them or be abused by those that were
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over them; yet, it should seem, rather than they would tyrannize, they
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would be tyrannized over; and they were so. In this evil case
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>),
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observe,</P>
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<P>
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|
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I. How justly they complained to Pharaoh: They <I>came and cried unto
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Pharaoh,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>.
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Whither should they go with a remonstrance of their grievances but to
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|
the supreme power, which is ordained for the protection of the injured?
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|
As bad as Pharaoh was his oppressed subjects had liberty to complain to
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|
him; there was no law against petitioning: it was a very modest, but
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|
moving, representation that they made of their condition
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|
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>):
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|
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<I>Thy servants are beaten</I> (severely enough, no doubt, when things
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|
were in such a ferment), and yet <I>the fault is in thy own people,</I>
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|
the task-masters, who deny us what is necessary for carrying on our
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|
work. Note, It is common for those to be most rigorous in blaming
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|
others who are most blameworthy themselves. But what did they get by
|
|
this complaint? It did but make bad worse.
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1. Pharaoh taunted them
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:17"><I>v.</I> 17</A>);
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|
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when they were almost killed with working, he told them they were
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|
idle: they underwent the fatigue of industry, and yet lay under the
|
|
imputation of slothfulness, while nothing appeared to ground the charge
|
|
upon but this, that they said, <I>Let us go and do sacrifice.</I> Note,
|
|
It is common for the best actions to be mentioned under the worst
|
|
names; holy diligence in the best business is censured by many as a
|
|
culpable carelessness in the business of the world. It is well for us
|
|
that men are not to be our judges, but a God who knows what the
|
|
principles are on which we act. Those that are diligent in doing
|
|
sacrifice to the Lord will, with God, escape the doom of the slothful
|
|
servant, though, with men, they do not.
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|
2. He bound on their burdens: <I>Go now and work.</I>
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|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:18"><I>v.</I> 18</A>.
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|
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|
Note, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked; what can be expected from
|
|
unrighteous men but more unrighteousness?</P>
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|
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|
<P>
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|
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|
II. How unjustly they complained of Moses and Aaron: <I>The Lord look
|
|
upon you, and judge,</I>
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|
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|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:21"><I>v.</I> 21</A>.
|
|
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|
This was not fair. Moses and Aaron had given sufficient evidence of
|
|
their hearty good-will to the liberties of Israel; and yet, because
|
|
things succeed not immediately as they hoped, they are reproached as
|
|
accessaries to their slavery. They should have humbled themselves
|
|
before God, and taken to themselves the shame of their sin, which
|
|
turned away good things from them; but, instead of this, they fly in
|
|
the face of their best friends, and quarrel with the instruments of
|
|
their deliverance, because of some little difficulties and obstructions
|
|
they met with in effecting it. Note, Those that are called out to
|
|
public service for God and their generation must expect to be tried,
|
|
not only by the malicious threats of proud enemies, but by the unjust
|
|
and unkind censures of unthinking friends, who judge only by outward
|
|
appearance and look but a little way before them. Now what did Moses do
|
|
in this strait? It grieved him to the heart that the event did not
|
|
answer, but rather contradict, his expectation; and their upbraidings
|
|
were very cutting, and like a sword in his bones; but,
|
|
|
|
1. He returned to the Lord
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:22"><I>v.</I> 22</A>),
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|
|
|
to acquaint him with it, and to represent the case to him: he knew
|
|
that what he had said and done was by divine direction; and therefore
|
|
what blame is laid upon him for it he considers as reflecting upon God,
|
|
and, like Hezekiah, spreads it before him as interested in the cause,
|
|
and appeals to him. Compare this with
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jer+20:7-9">Jer. xx. 7-9</A>.
|
|
|
|
Note, When we find ourselves, at any time, perplexed and embarrassed in
|
|
the way of our duty, we ought to have recourse to God, and lay open our
|
|
case before him by faithful and fervent prayer. If we retreat, let us
|
|
retreat to him, and no further.
|
|
|
|
2. He expostulated with him,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+5:22,23"><I>v.</I> 22, 23</A>.
|
|
|
|
He knew not how to reconcile the providence with the promise and the
|
|
commission which he had received. "Is this God's coming down to deliver
|
|
Israel? Must I, who hoped to be a blessing to them, become a scourge
|
|
to them? By this attempt to get them out of the pit, they are but sunk
|
|
the deeper into it." Now he asks,
|
|
|
|
(1.) <I>Wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people?</I> Note,
|
|
Even when God is coming towards his people in ways of mercy, he
|
|
sometimes takes such methods as that they may think themselves but ill
|
|
treated. The instruments of deliverance, when they aim to help, are
|
|
found to hinder, and that becomes a trap which, it was hoped, would
|
|
have been for their welfare, God suffering it to be so that we may
|
|
learn to cease from man, and may come off from a dependence upon second
|
|
causes. Note, further, When the people of God think themselves ill
|
|
treated, they should go to God by prayer, and plead with him, and that
|
|
is the way to have better treatment in God's good time.
|
|
|
|
(2.) <I>Why is it thou hast sent me?</I> Thus,
|
|
|
|
[1.] He complains of his ill success: "Pharaoh has done evil to this
|
|
people, and not one step seems to be taken towards their deliverance."
|
|
Note, It cannot but sit very heavily upon the spirits of those whom God
|
|
employs for him to see that their labour does no good, and much more to
|
|
see that it does hurt eventually, though not designedly. It is
|
|
uncomfortable to a good minister to perceive that his endeavours for
|
|
men's conviction and conversion do but exasperate their corruptions,
|
|
confirm their prejudices, harden their hearts, and seal them up under
|
|
unbelief. This makes them go in the bitterness of their souls, as the
|
|
prophet,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+3:14">Ezek. iii. 14</A>.
|
|
|
|
Or,
|
|
|
|
[2.] He enquires what was further to be done: <I>Why hast thou sent
|
|
me</I>? that is, "What other method shall I take in pursuance of my
|
|
commission?" Note, Disappointments in our work must not drive us from
|
|
our God, but still we must consider why we are sent.</P>
|
|
|
|
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