10 give help! let us act wisely concerning it, lest it multiply, and it hath come to pass, when war happeneth, that it hath been joined, even it, unto those hating us, and hath fought against us, and hath gone out up of the land.'
this one, having dealt subtilely with our kindred, did evil to our fathers, causing to expose their babes, that they might not live;
Against Thy people they take crafty counsel, And consult against Thy hidden ones. They have said, `Come, And we cut them off from `being' a nation, And the name of Israel is not remembered any more.'
and now, come, I pray thee, curse for me this people, for it `is' mightier than I; it may be I prevail -- we smite it -- and I cast it out from the land; for I have known -- that which thou blessest is blessed, and that which thou cursest is cursed.'
Capturing the wise in their subtilty, And the counsel of wrestling ones was hastened,
If they say, `Come with us, we lay wait for blood, We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,
There is a way right before a man, And its latter end -- ways of death.
And day having come, certain of the Jews having made a concourse, did anathematize themselves, saying neither to eat nor to drink till they may kill Paul;
Let no one deceive himself; if any one doth seem to be wise among you in this age -- let him become a fool, that he may become wise, for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, for it hath been written, `Who is taking the wise in their craftiness;' and again, `The Lord doth know the reasonings of the wise, that they are vain.'
this wisdom is not descending from above, but earthly, physical, demon-like, for where zeal and rivalry `are', there is insurrection and every evil matter; and the wisdom from above, first, indeed, is pure, then peaceable, gentle, easily entreated, full of kindness and good fruits, uncontentious, and unhypocritical: -- and the fruit of the righteousness in peace is sown to those making peace.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Exodus 1
Commentary on Exodus 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
An Exposition, With Practical Observations, of
The Second Book of Moses, Called Exodus
Chapter 1
We have here,
Exd 1:1-7
In these verses we have,
Exd 1:8-14
The land of Egypt here, at length, becomes to Israel a house of bondage, though hitherto it had been a happy shelter and settlement for them. Note, The place of our satisfaction may soon become the place of our affliction, and that may prove the greatest cross to us of which we said, This same shall comfort us. Those may prove our sworn enemies whose parents were our faithful friends; nay, the same persons that loved us may possibly turn to hate us: therefore cease from man, and say not concerning any place on this side heaven, This is my rest for ever. Observe here,
Exd 1:15-22
The Egyptians' indignation at Israel's increase, notwithstanding the many hardships they put upon them, drove them at length to the most barbarous and inhuman methods of suppressing them, by the murder of their children. It was strange that they did not rather pick quarrels with the grown men, against whom they might perhaps find some occasion: to be thus bloody towards the infants, whom all must own to be innocents, was a sin which they had to cloak for. Note,