4 and his sister stationeth herself afar off, to know what is done to him.
And Miriam speaketh -- Aaron also -- against Moses concerning the circumstance of the Cushite woman whom he had taken: for a Cushite woman he had taken; and they say, `Only by Moses hath Jehovah spoken? also by us hath he not spoken?' and Jehovah heareth. And the man Moses `is' very humble, more than any of the men who `are' on the face of the ground. And Jehovah saith suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, `Come out ye three unto the tent of meeting;' and they three come out. And Jehovah cometh down in the pillar of the cloud, and standeth at the opening of the tent, and calleth Aaron and Miriam, and they come out both of them. And He saith, `Hear, I pray you, My words: If your prophet is of Jehovah -- in an appearance unto him I make Myself known; in a dream I speak with him; not so My servant Moses; in all My house he `is' stedfast; mouth unto mouth I speak with him, and `by' an appearance, and not in riddles; and the form of Jehovah he beholdeth attentively; and wherefore have ye not been afraid to speak against My servant -- against Moses?' And the anger of Jehovah burneth against them, and He goeth on, and the cloud hath turned aside from off the tent, and lo, Miriam `is' leprous as snow; and Aaron turneth unto Miriam, and lo, leprous! And Aaron saith unto Moses, `O, my lord, I pray thee, lay not upon us sin `in' which we have been foolish, and `in' which we have sinned; let her not, I pray thee, be as `one' dead, when in his coming out from the womb of his mother -- the half of his flesh is consumed.' And Moses crieth unto Jehovah, saying, `O God, I pray Thee, give, I pray Thee, healing to her.' And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `And her father had but spat in her face -- is she not ashamed seven days? she is shut out seven days at the outside of the camp, and afterwards she is gathered.' And Miriam is shut out at the outside of the camp seven days, and the people hath not journeyed till Miriam is gathered;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Exodus 2
Commentary on Exodus 2 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 2
This chapter begins the story of Moses, that man of renown, famed for his intimate acquaintance with Heaven and his eminent usefulness on earth, and the most remarkable type of Christ, as a prophet, saviour, lawgiver, and mediator, in all the Old Testament. The Jews have a book among them of the life of Moses, which tells a great many stories concerning him, which we have reason to think are mere fictions; what he has recorded concerning himself is what we may rely upon, for we know that his record is true; and it is what we may be satisfied with, for it is what Infinite Wisdom thought fit to preserve and transmit to us. In this chapter we have,
Exd 2:1-4
Moses was a Levite, both by father and mother. Jacob left Levi under marks of disgrace (Gen. 49:5); and yet, soon after, Moses appears a descendant from him, that he might typify Christ, who came in the likeness of sinful flesh and was made a curse for us. This tribe began to be distinguished from the rest by the birth of Moses, as afterwards it became remarkable in many other instances. Observe, concerning this newborn infant,
Exd 2:5-10
Here is,
Exd 2:11-15
Moses had now passed the first forty years of his life in the court of Pharaoh, preparing himself for business; and now it was time for him to enter upon action, and,
Exd 2:16-22
Moses here gains a settlement in Midian, just as his father Jacob had gained one in Syria, Gen. 29:2, etc. And both these instances should encourage us to trust Providence, and to follow it. Events that seem inconsiderable, and purely accidental, afterwards appear to have been designed by the wisdom of God for very good purposes, and of great consequence to his people. A casual transient occurrence has sometimes occasioned the greatest and happiest turns of a man's life. Observe,
Exd 2:23-25
Here is,