1 And Moses hath been feeding the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, priest of Midian, and he leadeth the flock behind the wilderness, and cometh in unto the mount of God, to Horeb;
and he riseth, and eateth, and drinketh, and goeth in the power of that food forty days and forty nights, unto the mount of God -- Horeb.
And Moses saith to Hobab son of Raguel the Midianite, father-in-law of Moses, `We are journeying unto the place of which Jehovah hath said, I give it to you; go with us, and we have done good to thee; for Jehovah hath spoken good concerning Israel.'
Lo, I am standing before thee there on the rock in Horeb, and thou hast smitten on the rock, and waters have come out from it, and the people have drunk.' And Moses doth so before the eyes of the elders of Israel,
`The day when thou hast stood before Jehovah thy God in Horeb -- in Jehovah's saying unto me, Assemble to Me the people, and I cause them to hear My words, so that they learn to fear Me all the days that they are alive on the ground, and their sons they teach; --
And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon named Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a drag into the sea -- for they were fishers -- and he saith to them, `Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men,'
Remember ye the law of Moses My servant, That I did command him in Horeb, For all Israel -- statutes and judgments.
Words of Amos -- who hath been among herdsmen of Tekoa -- that he hath seen concerning Israel, in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the shaking;
They make a calf in Horeb, And bow themselves to a molten image,
And He fixeth on David His servant, And taketh him from the folds of a flock, From behind suckling ones He hath brought him in, To rule over Jacob His people, And over Israel His inheritance. And he ruleth them according to the integrity of his heart, And by the skilfulness of his hands leadeth them!
And to a priest of Midian `are' seven daughters, and they come and draw, and fill the troughs, to water the flock of their father,
`Jehovah our God hath spoken unto us in Horeb, saying, Enough to you -- of dwelling in this mount;
And Moses goeth up unto the mount, and the cloud covereth the mount; and the honour of Jehovah doth tabernacle on mount Sinai, and the cloud covereth it six days, and He calleth unto Moses on the seventh day from the midst of the cloud. And the appearance of the honour of Jehovah `is' as a consuming fire on the top of the mount, before the eyes of the sons of Israel;
And Moses riseth -- Joshua his minister also -- and Moses goeth up unto the mount of God;
and have been prepared for the third day; for on the third day doth Jehovah come down before the eyes of all the people, on mount Sinai.
And Jethro priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moses, heareth all that God hath done for Moses, and for Israel his people, that Jehovah hath brought out Israel from Egypt, and Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, taketh Zipporah, wife of Moses, besides her parents, and her two sons, of whom the name of the one `is' Gershom, for he said, `a sojourner I have been in a strange land:' and the name of the other `is' Eliezer, for, `the God of my father `is' for my help, and doth deliver me from the sword of Pharaoh.' And Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, cometh, and his sons, and his wife, unto Moses, unto the wilderness where he is encamping -- the mount of God; and he saith unto Moses, `I, thy father-in-law, Jethro, am coming unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.'
And Jehovah saith unto Aaron, `Go to meet Moses into the wilderness;' and he goeth, and meeteth him in the mount of God, and kisseth him,
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.