22 And you are to say to Pharaoh, The Lord says, Israel is the first of my sons:
When Israel was a child he was dear to me; and I took my son out of Egypt.
They will come with weeping, and going before them I will be their guide: guiding them by streams of water in a straight way where there is no falling: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is the first of my sons.
If now you will truly give ear to my voice and keep my agreement, you will be my special property out of all the peoples: for all the earth is mine: And you will be a kingdom of priests to me, and a holy nation. These are the words which you are to say to the children of Israel.
You are the children of the Lord your God: you are not to make cuts on your bodies or take off the hair on your brows in honour of the dead;
Be not very angry, O Lord, and do not keep our sins in mind for ever: give ear to our prayer, for we are all your people.
And will be a Father to you; and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord, the Ruler of all.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Exodus 4
Commentary on Exodus 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
This chapter,
Exd 4:1-9
It was a very great honour that Moses was called to when God commissioned him to bring Israel out of Egypt; yet he is with difficulty persuaded to accept the commission, and does it at last with great reluctance, which we should rather impute to a humble diffidence of himself and his own sufficiency than to any unbelieving distrust of God and his word and power. Note, Those whom God designs for preferment he clothes with humility; the most fit for service are the least forward.
Exd 4:10-17
Moses still continues backward to the service for which God had designed him, even to a fault; for now we can no longer impute it to his humility and modesty, but must own that here was too much of cowardice, slothfulness, and unbelief in it. Observe here,
Exd 4:18-23
Here,
Exd 4:24-31
Moses is here going to Egypt, and we are told,