mh_parser/vol_split/2 - Exodus/Chapter 6.xml

<div2 id="Ex.vii" n="vii" next="Ex.viii" prev="Ex.vi" progress="33.80%" title="Chapter VI">
<h2 id="Ex.vii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.vii-p0.2">CHAP. VI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.vii-p1">Much ado there was to bring Moses to his work, and
when the ice was broken, some difficulty having occurred in
carrying it on, there was no less ado to put him forward in it.
Witness this chapter, in which, I. God satisfies Moses himself in
an answer to his complaints in the close of the foregoing chapter,
<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.1" parsed="|Exod|6|1|0|0" passage="Ex 6:1">ver. 1</scripRef>. II. He gives him
fuller instructions than had yet been given him what to say to the
children of Israel, for their satisfaction (<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.2-Exod.6.8" parsed="|Exod|6|2|6|8" passage="Ex 6:2-8">ver. 2-8</scripRef>), but to little purpose, <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.9" parsed="|Exod|6|9|0|0" passage="Ex 6:9">ver. 9</scripRef>. III. He sends him again to
Pharaoh, <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.10-Exod.6.11" parsed="|Exod|6|10|6|11" passage="Ex 6:10,11">ver. 10, 11</scripRef>. But
Moses objects against (<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.12" parsed="|Exod|6|12|0|0" passage="Ex 6:12">ver.
12</scripRef>), upon which a very strict charge is given to him and
his brother to execute their commission with vigour, <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.13" parsed="|Exod|6|13|0|0" passage="Ex 6:13">ver. 13</scripRef>. IV. Here is an abstract of
the genealogy of the tribes of Reuben and Simeon, to introduce that
of Levi, that the pedigree of Moses and Aaron might be cleared
(<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.14-Exod.6.25" parsed="|Exod|6|14|6|25" passage="Ex 6:14-25">ver. 14-25</scripRef>), and then
the chapter concludes with a repetition of so much of the preceding
story as was necessary to make way for the following chapter.</p>
<scripCom id="Ex.vii-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6" parsed="|Exod|6|0|0|0" passage="Ex 6" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ex.vii-p1.9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.1-Exod.6.9" parsed="|Exod|6|1|6|9" passage="Ex 6:1-9" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.6.1-Exod.6.9">
<h4 id="Ex.vii-p1.10">The Promise of Deliverance. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.vii-p2">1 Then the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p2.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for
with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand
shall he drive them out of his land.   2 And God spake unto
Moses, and said unto him, I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p2.2">Lord</span>:   3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto
Isaac, and unto Jacob, by <i>the name of</i> God Almighty, but by
my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.   4 And I have also
established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan,
the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.   5
And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom
the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.
  6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I <i>am</i> the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p2.3">Lord</span>, and I will bring you out from
under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their
bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with
great judgments:   7 And I will take you to me for a people,
and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I <i>am</i> the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p2.4">Lord</span> your God, which bringeth you
out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.   8 And I will
bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to
give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you
for an heritage: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p2.5">Lord</span>.   9 And Moses spake so unto the
children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish
of spirit, and for cruel bondage.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p3">Here, I. God silences Moses's complaints
with the assurance of success in this negotiation, repeating the
promise made him in <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.20" parsed="|Exod|3|20|0|0" passage="Ex 3:20"><i>ch.</i> iii.
20</scripRef>, <i>After that, he will let you go.</i> When Moses
was at his wit's end, wishing he had staid in Midian, rather than
have come to Egypt to make bad worse—when he was quite at a loss
what to do—<i>Then the Lord said unto Moses,</i> for the quieting
of his mind, "<i>Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh</i>
(<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.1" parsed="|Exod|6|1|0|0" passage="Ex 6:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>); now that the
affair has come to a crisis, things are as bad as they can be,
Pharaoh is in the height of pride and Israel in the depth of
misery, now is my time to appear." See <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.12.5" parsed="|Ps|12|5|0|0" passage="Ps 12:5">Ps. xii. 5</scripRef>, <i>Now will I arise.</i> Note,
Man's extremity is God's opportunity of helping and saving. Moses
had been expecting what God would do; but now he shall see what he
will do, shall see his day at length, <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:Job.24.1" parsed="|Job|24|1|0|0" passage="Job 24:1">Job xxiv. 1</scripRef>. Moses had been trying what he
could do, and could effect nothing. "Well," says God, "now thou
shalt see what <i>I</i> will do; let me alone to deal with this
proud man," <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p3.5" osisRef="Bible:Job.40.12-Job.40.13" parsed="|Job|40|12|40|13" passage="Job 40:12,13">Job xl. 12,
13</scripRef>. Note, Then the deliverance of God's church will be
accomplished, when God takes the work into his own hands. <i>With a
strong hand,</i> that is, being forced to it by a strong hand,
<i>he shall let them go.</i> Note, As some are brought to their
duty by the strong hand of God's grace, who are made willing in the
day of his power, so others by the strong hand of his justice,
breaking those that would not bend.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p4">II. He gives him further instructions, that
both he and the people of Israel might be encouraged to hope for a
glorious issue of this affair. Take comfort,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p5">1. From God's name, Jehovah, <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.2-Exod.6.3" parsed="|Exod|6|2|6|3" passage="Ex 6:2,3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>. He begins with this,
<i>I am Jehovah,</i> the same with, <i>I am that I am,</i> the
fountain of being, and blessedness, and infinite perfection. The
patriarchs knew this name, but they did not know him in this matter
by that which this name signifies. God would now be known by his
name <i>Jehovah,</i> that is, (1.) A God performing what he had
promised, and so inspiring confidence in his promises. (2.) A God
perfecting what he had begun, and finishing his own work. In the
history of the creation, God is never called Jehovah till the
heavens and the earth were finished, <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.4" parsed="|Gen|2|4|0|0" passage="Ge 2:4">Gen. ii. 4</scripRef>. When the salvation of the saints is
completed in eternal life, then he will be known by his name
Jehovah (<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:Rev.22.13" parsed="|Rev|22|13|0|0" passage="Re 22:13">Rev. xxii. 13</scripRef>); in
the meantime they shall find him, for their strength and support,
<i>El-shaddai, a God all-sufficient,</i> a God that is enough and
will be so, <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p5.4" osisRef="Bible:Mic.7.20" parsed="|Mic|7|20|0|0" passage="Mic 7:20">Mic. vii.
20</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p6">2. From his covenant: <i>I have established
my covenant,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.4" parsed="|Exod|6|4|0|0" passage="Ex 6:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>.
Note, The covenants God makes he establishes; they are made as firm
as the power and truth of God can make them. We may venture our all
upon this bottom.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p7">3. From his compassions (<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.5" parsed="|Exod|6|5|0|0" passage="Ex 6:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>): <i>I have heard the groaning of
the children of Israel;</i> he means their groaning on occasion of
the late hardships put upon them. Note, God take notice of the
increase of his people's calamities, and observes how their enemies
grow upon them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p8">4. From his present resolutions, <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.6-Exod.6.8" parsed="|Exod|6|6|6|8" passage="Ex 6:6-8"><i>v.</i> 6-8</scripRef>. Here is line upon
line, to assure them that they should be brought triumphantly out
of Egypt (<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.6" parsed="|Exod|6|6|0|0" passage="Ex 6:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), and
should be put in possession of the land of Canaan (<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.8" parsed="|Exod|6|8|0|0" passage="Ex 6:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>): <i>I will bring you out.
I will rid you. I will redeem you. I will bring you into the land
of Canaan,</i> and <i>I will give it to you.</i> Let man take the
shame of his unbelief, which needs such repetitions; and let God
have the glory of his condescending grace, which gives us such
repeated assurances for our satisfaction.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p9">5. From his gracious intentions in all
these, which were great, and worthy of him, <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.7" parsed="|Exod|6|7|0|0" passage="Ex 6:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. (1.) He intended their happiness:
<i>I will take you to me for a people,</i> a peculiar people, and
<i>I will be to you a God;</i> more than this we need not ask, we
cannot have, to make us happy. (2.) He intended his own glory:
<i>You shall know that I am the Lord.</i> God will attain his own
ends, nor shall we come short of them if we make them our chief end
too. Now, one would think, these good words, and comfortable words,
should have revived the drooping Israelites, and cause them to
forget their misery; but, on the contrary, their miseries made them
regardless of God's promises (<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.9" parsed="|Exod|6|9|0|0" passage="Ex 6:9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>): <i>They harkened not unto Moses for anguish of
spirit.</i> That is, [1.] They were so taken up with their troubles
that they did not heed him. [2.] They were so cast down with their
late disappointment that they did not believe him. [3.] They had
such a dread of Pharaoh's power and wrath that they durst not
themselves move in the least towards their deliverance. Note,
<i>First,</i> Disconsolate spirits often put from them the comforts
they are entitled to, and stand in their own light. See <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Isa.28.12" parsed="|Isa|28|12|0|0" passage="Isa 28:12">Isa. xxviii. 12</scripRef>. <i>Secondly,</i>
Strong passions oppose strong consolations. By indulging ourselves
in discontent and fretfulness, we deprive ourselves of the comfort
we might have both from God's word and from his providence, and
must thank ourselves if we go comfortless.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ex.vii-p9.4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6" parsed="|Exod|6|0|0|0" passage="Ex 6" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ex.vii-p9.5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.10-Exod.6.13" parsed="|Exod|6|10|6|13" passage="Ex 6:10-13" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.6.10-Exod.6.13">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.vii-p10">10 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p10.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying,   11 Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king
of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.
  12 And Moses spake before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p10.2">Lord</span>, saying, Behold, the children of Israel
have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who
<i>am</i> of uncircumcised lips?   13 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p10.3">Lord</span> spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave
them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of
Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of
Egypt.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p11">Here, I. God sends Moses the second time to
Pharaoh (<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.11" parsed="|Exod|6|11|0|0" passage="Ex 6:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>) upon
the same errand as before, to command him, at his peril, that he
<i>let the children of Israel go.</i> Note, God repeats his
precepts before he begins his punishments. Those that have often
been called in vain to leave their sins must yet be called again
and again, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear,
<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.3.1" parsed="|Ezek|3|1|0|0" passage="Eze 3:1">Ezek. iii. 11</scripRef>. God is said
to <i>hew</i> sinners by his prophets (<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p11.3" osisRef="Bible:Hos.6.5" parsed="|Hos|6|5|0|0" passage="Ho 6:5">Hos. vi. 5</scripRef>), which denotes the repetition of
the strokes. <i>How often would I have gathered you?</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p12">II. Moses makes objections, as one
discouraged, and willing to give up the cause, <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.12" parsed="|Exod|6|12|0|0" passage="Ex 6:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. He pleads, 1. The unlikelihood
of Pharaoh's hearing: "<i>Behold the children of Israel have not
hearkened unto me;</i> they give no heed, no credit, to what I have
said; how then can I expect that Pharaoh should hear me? If the
anguish of their spirit makes them deaf to that which would compose
and comfort them, much more will the anger of his spirit, his pride
and insolence, make him deaf to that which will but exasperate and
provoke him." If God's professing people hear not his messengers,
how can it be thought that his professed enemy should? Note, The
frowardness and untractableness of those that are called Christians
greatly discourage ministers, and make them ready to despair of
success in dealing with those that are atheistical and profane. We
would be instrumental to unite Israelites, to refine and purify
them, to comfort and pacify them; but, if they hearken not to us,
how shall we prevail with those in whom we cannot pretend to such
an interest? But with God all things are possible. 2. He pleads the
unreadiness and infirmity of his own speaking: <i>I am of
uncircumcised lips;</i> it is repeated, <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.30" parsed="|Exod|6|30|0|0" passage="Ex 6:30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. He was conscious to himself that
he had not the gift of utterance, had no command of language; his
talent did not lie that way. To this objection God had given a
sufficient answer before, and therefore he ought not to have
insisted upon it, for the sufficiency of grace can supply the
defects of nature at any time. Note, Though our infirmities ought
to humble us, yet they ought not to discourage us from doing our
best in any service we have to do for God. His strength is made
perfect in our weakness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p13">III. God again joins Aaron in commission
with Moses, and puts an end to the dispute by interposing his own
authority, and giving them both a solemn charge, upon their
allegiance to their great Lord, to execute it with all possible
expedition and fidelity. When Moses repeats his baffled arguments,
he shall be argued with no longer, but God gives him a charge, and
Aaron with him, both to the children of Israel and to Pharaoh,
<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.13" parsed="|Exod|6|13|0|0" passage="Ex 6:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Note, God's
authority is sufficient to answer all objections, and binds us to
obedience, without murmuring or disputing, <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:Phil.2.14" parsed="|Phil|2|14|0|0" passage="Php 2:14">Phil. ii. 14</scripRef>. Moses himself has need to be
charged, and so has Timothy, <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p13.3" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.6.13 Bible:2Tim.4.1" parsed="|1Tim|6|13|0|0;|2Tim|4|1|0|0" passage="1Ti 6:13,2Ti 4:1">1
Tim. vi. 13; 2 Tim. iv. 1</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ex.vii-p13.4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6" parsed="|Exod|6|0|0|0" passage="Ex 6" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ex.vii-p13.5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.14-Exod.6.30" parsed="|Exod|6|14|6|30" passage="Ex 6:14-30" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.6.14-Exod.6.30">
<h4 id="Ex.vii-p13.6">Genealogies of Reuben, Simeon, and
Levi. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p13.7">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.vii-p14">14 These <i>be</i> the heads of their fathers'
houses: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and
Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these <i>be</i> the families of Reuben.
  15 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and
Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these
<i>are</i> the families of Simeon.   16 And these <i>are</i>
the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations;
Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi
<i>were</i> an hundred thirty and seven years.   17 The sons
of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families.  
18 And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and
Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath <i>were</i> an hundred
thirty and three years.   19 And the sons of Merari; Mahali
and Mushi: these <i>are</i> the families of Levi according to their
generations.   20 And Amram took him Jochebed his father's
sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of
the life of Amram <i>were</i> an hundred and thirty and seven
years.   21 And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and
Zichri.   22 And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan,
and Zithri.   23 And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of
Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and
Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.   24 And the sons of Korah;
Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these <i>are</i> the families of
the Korhites.   25 And Eleazar Aaron's son took him <i>one</i>
of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas:
these <i>are</i> the heads of the fathers of the Levites according
to their families.   26 These <i>are</i> that Aaron and Moses,
to whom the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p14.1">Lord</span> said, Bring out the
children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their
armies.   27 These <i>are</i> they which spake to Pharaoh king
of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these
<i>are</i> that Moses and Aaron.   28 And it came to pass on
the day <i>when</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p14.2">Lord</span> spake
unto Moses in the land of Egypt,   29 That the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p14.3">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, saying, I <i>am</i> the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p14.4">Lord</span>: speak thou unto Pharaoh king
of Egypt all that I say unto thee.   30 And Moses said before
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p14.5">Lord</span>, Behold, I <i>am</i> of
uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p15">I. We have here a genealogy, not an endless
one, such as the apostle condemns (<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.1.4" parsed="|1Tim|1|4|0|0" passage="1Ti 1:4">1
Tim. i. 4</scripRef>), for it ends in those two great patriots
Moses and Aaron, and comes in here to show that they were
Israelites, bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh whom they
were sent to deliver, raised up unto them of their brethren, as
Christ also should be, who was to be the prophet and priest, the
Redeemer and lawgiver, of the people of Israel, and whose genealogy
also, like this, was to be carefully preserved. The heads of the
houses of three of the tribes are here named, agreeing with the
accounts we had, <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p15.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.1-Gen.46.34" parsed="|Gen|46|1|46|34" passage="Ge 46:1-34">Gen. 46</scripRef>.
Dr. Lightfoot thinks that Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, are thus
dignified here by themselves for this reason, because they were
left under marks of infamy by their dying father, Reuben for his
incest and Simeon and Levi for their murder of the Shechemites; and
therefore Moses would put this particular honour upon them, to
magnify God's mercy in their repentance and remission, as a pattern
to those that should afterwards believe: the two former seem rather
to be mentioned only for the sake of a third, which was Levi, from
whom Moses and Aaron descended, and all the priests of the Jewish
church. Thus was the tribe of Levi distinguished betimes. Observe
here, 1. That Kohath, from whom Moses and Aaron, and all the
priests, derived their pedigree, was a younger son of Levi,
<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p15.3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.16" parsed="|Exod|6|16|0|0" passage="Ex 6:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. Note, The
grants of God's favours do not go by seniority of age and priority
of birth, but the divine sovereignty often prefers the younger
before the elder, so crossing hands. 2. That the ages of Levi,
Kohath, and Amram, the father, grandfather, and great grandfather,
of Moses, are here recorded; they all lived to a great age, Levi to
137, Kohath to 133, and Amram to 137. Moses himself came much short
of them, and fixed seventy or eighty for the ordinary stretch of
human life (<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p15.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.90.10" parsed="|Ps|90|10|0|0" passage="Ps 90:10">Ps. xc. 10</scripRef>);
for now that God's Israel was multiplied and had become a great
nation, and divine revelation was by the hand of Moses committed to
writing and no longer trusted to tradition, the two great reasons
for the long lives of the patriarchs had ceased, and therefore
henceforward fewer years must serve men. 3. That Aaron married
Elisheba (the same name with that of the wife of Zecharias,
Elizabeth, as Miriam is the same with Mary), daughter of Amminadab,
one of the chief of the fathers of the tribe of Judah; for the
tribes of Levi and Judah often intermarried, <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p15.5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.23" parsed="|Exod|6|23|0|0" passage="Ex 6:23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. 4. It must not be omitted that
Moses has recorded the marriage of his father Amram with Jochebed
his own aunt (<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p15.6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.20" parsed="|Exod|6|20|0|0" passage="Ex 6:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>);
and it appears by <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p15.7" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.59" parsed="|Num|26|59|0|0" passage="Nu 26:59">Num. xxvi.
59</scripRef> that it must be taken strictly for his father's own
sister, at least by the half blood. This marriage was afterwards
forbidden as incestuous (<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p15.8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.12" parsed="|Lev|18|12|0|0" passage="Le 18:12">Lev. xviii.
12</scripRef>), which might be looked upon as a blot upon his
family, though before that law; yet Moses does not conceal it, for
he sought not his own praise, but wrote with a sincere regard to
truth, whether it smiled or frowned upon him. 5. He concludes it
with a particular mark of honour on the persons he is writing of,
though he himself was one of them, <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p15.9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.26-Exod.6.27" parsed="|Exod|6|26|6|27" passage="Ex 6:26,27"><i>v.</i> 26, 27</scripRef>. These are <i>that Moses
and Aaron</i> whom God pitched upon to be his plenipotentiaries in
this treaty. These were those to whom <i>God spoke</i> (<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p15.10" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.26" parsed="|Exod|6|26|0|0" passage="Ex 6:26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), and who <i>spoke to
Pharaoh</i> on Israel's behalf, <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p15.11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.27" parsed="|Exod|6|27|0|0" passage="Ex 6:27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. Note, Communion with God and
serviceableness to his church are things that, above any other, put
true honour upon men. Those are great indeed with whom God
converses and whom he employs on his service. Such were that Moses
and Aaron; and something of this honour have all his saints, who
are made to our God kings and priests.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p16">II. In the close of the chapter Moses
returns to his narrative, from which he had broken off somewhat
abruptly (<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p16.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.13" parsed="|Exod|6|13|0|0" passage="Ex 6:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), and
repeats, 1. The charge God had given him to deliver his message to
Pharaoh (<scripRef id="Ex.vii-p16.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.29" parsed="|Exod|6|29|0|0" passage="Ex 6:29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>):
<i>Speak all that I say unto thee,</i> as a faithful ambassador.
Note, Those that go on God's errand must not shun to declare <i>the
whole counsel of God.</i> 2. His objection against it, <scripRef id="Ex.vii-p16.3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.30" parsed="|Exod|6|30|0|0" passage="Ex 6:30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. Note, Those that have at
any time spoken unadvisedly with their lips ought often to reflect
upon it with regret, as Moses seems to do here.</p>
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