16 Go, H3212 and gather H622 the elders H2205 of Israel H3478 together, H622 and say H559 unto them, The LORD H3068 God H430 of your fathers, H1 the God H430 of Abraham, H85 of Isaac, H3327 and of Jacob, H3290 appeared H7200 unto me, saying, H559 I have surely H6485 visited H6485 you, and seen that which is done H6213 to you in Egypt: H4714
And Moses H4872 and Aaron H175 went H3212 and gathered together H622 all the elders H2205 of the children H1121 of Israel: H3478
Then G5119 assembled together G4863 the chief priests, G749 and G2532 the scribes, G1122 and G2532 the elders G4245 of the people, G2992 unto G1519 the palace G833 of the high priest, G749 who G3588 was called G3004 Caiaphas, G2533
The elders G4245 which are among G1722 you G5213 I exhort, G3870 who G3588 am also an elder, G4850 and G2532 a witness G3144 of the sufferings G3804 of Christ, G5547 and also G2532 a partaker G2844 of the glory G1391 that shall G3195 be revealed: G601
Having G2192 your G5216 conversation G391 honest G2570 among G1722 the Gentiles: G1484 that, G2443 whereas G1722 G3739 they speak against G2635 you G5216 as G5613 evildoers, G2555 they may G1392 by G1537 your good G2570 works, G2041 which they shall behold, G2029 glorify G1392 God G2316 in G1722 the day G2250 of visitation. G1984
But G1161 one G5100 in a certain place G4225 testified, G1263 saying, G3004 What G5101 is G2076 man, G444 that G3754 thou art mindful G3403 of him? G846 or G2228 the son G5207 of man, G444 that G3754 thou visitest G1980 him? G846 Thou madest G1642 him G846 a little G1024 G5100 lower G1642 than G3844 the angels; G32 thou crownedst G4737 him G846 with glory G1391 and G2532 honour, G5092 and G2532 didst set G2525 him G846 over G1909 the works G2041 of thy G4675 hands: G5495
Which G3739 also G2532 they did, G4160 and sent it G649 to G4314 the elders G4245 by G1223 the hands G5495 of Barnabas G921 and G2532 Saul. G4569
And G2532 shall lay G1474 thee G4571 even with the ground, G1474 and G2532 thy G4675 children G5043 within G1722 thee; G4671 and G2532 they shall G863 not G3756 leave G863 in G1722 thee G4671 one stone G3037 upon G1909 another; G3037 because G473 G3739 thou knewest G1097 not G3756 the time G2540 of thy G4675 visitation. G1984
What is man, H582 that thou art mindful H2142 of him? and the son H1121 of man, H120 that thou visitest H6485 him?
And upon the nobles H678 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 he laid H7971 not his hand: H3027 also they saw H2372 God, H430 and did eat H398 and drink. H8354
And Moses H4872 took H3947 the bones H6106 of Joseph H3130 with him: for he had straitly H7650 sworn H7650 the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 God H430 will surely H6485 visit H6485 you; and ye shall carry up H5927 my bones H6106 away H5927 hence with you.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 3
Commentary on Exodus 3 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 3
Ex 3:1-22. Divine Appearance and Commission to Moses.
1. Now Moses kept the flock—This employment he had entered on in furtherance of his matrimonial views (see on Ex 2:21), but it is probable he was continuing his service now on other terms like Jacob during the latter years of his stay with Laban (Ge 30:28).
he led the flock to the backside of the desert—that is, on the west of the desert [Gesenius], assuming Jethro's headquarters to have been at Dahab. The route by which Moses led his flock must have been west through the wide valley called by the Arabs, Wady-es-Zugherah [Robinson], which led into the interior of the wilderness.
Mountain of God—so named either according to Hebrew idiom from its great height, as "great mountains," Hebrew, "mountains of God" (Ps 36:6); "goodly cedars," Hebrew, "cedars of God" (Ps 80:10); or some think from its being the old abode of "the glory"; or finally from its being the theater of transactions most memorable in the history of the true religion to Horeb—rather, "Horeb-ward."
Horeb—that is, "dry," "desert," was the general name for the mountainous district in which Sinai is situated, and of which it is a part. (See on Ex 19:2). It was used to designate the region comprehending that immense range of lofty, desolate, and barren hills, at the base of which, however, there are not only many patches of verdure to be seen, but almost all the valleys, or wadys, as they are called, show a thin coating of vegetation, which, towards the south, becomes more luxuriant. The Arab shepherds seldom take their flocks to a greater distance than one day's journey from their camp. Moses must have gone at least two days' journey, and although he seems to have been only following his pastoral course, that region, from its numerous springs in the clefts of the rocks being the chief resort of the tribes during the summer heats, the Providence of God led him thither for an important purpose.
2, 3. the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire—It is common in Scripture to represent the elements and operations of nature, as winds, fires, earthquakes, pestilence, everything enlisted in executing the divine will, as the "angels" or messengers of God. But in such cases God Himself is considered as really, though invisibly, present. Here the preternatural fire may be primarily meant by the expression "angel of the Lord"; but it is clear that under this symbol, the Divine Being was present, whose name is given (Ex 3:4, 6), and elsewhere called the angel of the covenant, Jehovah-Jesus.
out of the midst of a bush—the wild acacia or thorn, with which that desert abounds, and which is generally dry and brittle, so much so, that at certain seasons, a spark might kindle a district far and wide into a blaze. A fire, therefore, being in the midst of such a desert bush was a "great sight." It is generally supposed to have been emblematic of the Israelites' condition in Egypt—oppressed by a grinding servitude and a bloody persecution, and yet, in spite of the cruel policy that was bent on annihilating them, they continued as numerous and thriving as ever. The reason was "God was in the midst of them." The symbol may also represent the present state of the Jews, as well as of the Church generally in the world.
4. when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see—The manifestations which God anciently made of Himself were always accompanied by clear, unmistakable signs that the communications were really from heaven. This certain evidence was given to Moses. He saw a fire, but no human agent to kindle it; he heard a voice, but no human lips from which it came; he saw no living Being, but One was in the bush, in the heat of the flames, who knew him and addressed him by name. Who could this be but the Divine Being?
5. put off thy shoes—The direction was in conformity with a usage which was well known to Moses, for the Egyptian priests observed it in their temples, and it is observed in all Eastern countries where the people take off their shoes or sandals, as we do our hats. But the Eastern idea is not precisely the same as the Western. With us, the removal of the hat is an expression of reverence for the place we enter, or rather of Him who is worshipped there. With them the removal of the shoes is a confession of personal defilement and conscious unworthiness to stand in the presence of unspotted holiness.
6-8. I am the God … come down to deliver—The reverential awe of Moses must have been relieved by the divine Speaker (see Mt 22:32), announcing Himself in His covenant character, and by the welcome intelligence communicated. Moreover, the time, as well as all the circumstances of this miraculous appearance, were such as to give him an illustrious display of God's faithfulness to His promises. The period of Israel's journey and affliction in Egypt had been predicted (Ge 15:13), and it was during the last year of the term which had still to run that the Lord appeared in the burning bush.
10-22. Come now therefore, and I will send thee—Considering the patriotic views that had formerly animated the breast of Moses, we might have anticipated that no mission could have been more welcome to his heart than to be employed in the national emancipation of Israel. But he evinced great reluctance to it and stated a variety of objections [Ex 3:11, 13; 4:1, 10] all of which were successfully met and removed—and the happy issue of his labors was minutely described.