1 Now Moses was looking after the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian: and he took the flock to the back of the waste land and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
So he got up and took food and drink, and in the strength of that food he went on for forty days and nights, to Horeb, the mountain of God.
Then Moses said to Hobab, the son of his father-in-law Reuel the Midianite, We are journeying to that place of which the Lord has said, I will give it to you: so come with us, and it will be for your profit: for the Lord has good things in store for Israel.
See, I will take my place before you on the rock in Horeb; and when you give the rock a blow, water will come out of it, and the people will have drink. And Moses did so before the eyes of the chiefs of Israel.
That day when you were waiting before the Lord your God in Horeb, and the Lord said to me, Make all the people come together, so that hearing my words they may go in fear of me all the days of their life on earth and give this teaching to their children.
And when he was walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, whose other name was Peter, and Andrew, his brother, who were putting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And he said to them, Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Keep in mind the law of Moses, my servant, which I gave him in Horeb for all Israel, even the rules and the decisions.
The words of Amos, who was among the herdsmen of Tekoa; what he saw about Israel in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam, the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earth-shock.
They made a young ox in Horeb, and gave worship to an image of gold.
He took David to be his servant, taking him from the place of the flocks; From looking after the sheep which were giving milk, he took him to give food to Jacob his people, and to Israel his heritage. So he gave them food with an upright heart, guiding them by the wisdom of his hands.
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came to get water for their father's flock.
The Lord our God said to us in Horeb, You have been long enough in this mountain:
And Moses went up into the mountain, and it was covered by the cloud. And the glory of the Lord was resting on Mount Sinai, and the cloud was over it for six days; and on the seventh day he said Moses' name out of the cloud. And the glory of the Lord was like a flame on the top of the mountain before the eyes of the children of Israel.
Then Moses and Joshua his servant got up; and Moses went up into the mountain of God.
And by the third day let them be ready: for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai, before the eyes of all the people.
Now news came to Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, of all God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, and how the Lord had taken Israel out of Egypt. And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her away, And her two sons, one of whom was named Gershom, for he said, I have been living in a strange land: And the name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, The God of my father was my help, and kept me safe from the sword of Pharaoh: And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to where Moses had put up his tent in the waste land, by the mountain of God. And he said to Moses, I, your father-in-law, have come to you, with your wife and your two sons.
And the Lord said to Aaron, Go into the waste land and you will see Moses. So he went and came across Moses at the mountain of God, and gave him a kiss.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Exodus 3
Commentary on Exodus 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
As prophecy had ceased for many ages before the coming of Christ, that the revival and perfection of it in that great prophet might be the more remarkable, so vision had ceased (for aught that appears) among the patriarchs for some ages before the coming of Moses, that God's appearances to him for Israel's salvation might be the more welcome; and in this chapter we have God's first appearance to him in the bush and the conference between God and Moses in that vision. Here is,
Exd 3:1-6
The years of the life of Moses are remarkably divided into three forties: the first forty he spent as a prince in Pharaoh's court, the second a shepherd in Midian, the third a king in Jeshurun; so changeable is the life of men, especially the life of good men. He had now finished his second forty, when he received his commission to bring Israel out of Egypt. Note, Sometimes it is long before God calls his servants out of that work which of old he designed them for, and has been graciously preparing them for. Moses was born to be Israel's deliverer, and yet not a word is said of it to him till he is eighty years of age. Now observe,
Exd 3:7-10
Now that Moses had put off his shoes (for, no doubt, he observed the orders given him, v. 5), and covered his face, God enters upon the particular business that was now to be concerted, which was the bringing of Israel out of Egypt. Now, after forty years of Israel's bondage and Moses's banishment, when we may suppose both he and they began to despair, they of being delivered and he of delivering them, at length, the time has come, even the year of the redeemed. Note, God often comes for the salvation of his people when they have done looking for him. Shall he find faith? Lu. 18:8.
Here is,
Exd 3:11-15
God, having spoken to Moses, allows him also a liberty of speech, which he here improves; and,
Exd 3:16-22
Moses is here more particularly instructed in his work, and informed beforehand of his success.