*H And the Lord said to Moses: Now thou shalt see what I will do to Pharao: for by a mighty hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he cast them out of his land.
Ver. 1. Said, in answer to his prayer. — Cast out, so eager he will be to have you dismissed, after he has repeatedly felt my hand. C. iii. 19. H.
*H That appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, by the name of God Almighty: and my name ADONAI I did not shew them.
Ver. 3. My name Adonai. The name which is in the Hebrew text, is that most proper name of God, which signifieth his eternal self-existing being, (Exod. iii. 14,) which the Jews, out of reverence, never pronounce; but instead of it, whenever it occurs in the Bible, they read Adonai, which signifies the Lord; and therefore they put the points or vowels, which belong to the name Adonai, to the four letters of that other ineffable name, Jod, He, Vau, He. Hence some moderns have framed the name Jehovah: unknown to all the ancients, whether Jews or Christians: for the true pronunciation of the name, which is in the Hebrew text, by long disuse, is now quite lost. Ch. — This name was first clearly revealed to Moses, that he might have confidence in his special protection and love. M. — To know one by his name is to treat him with familiarity and distinction. Ex. xxxiii. 17. The pronunciation of the name of God might be known to Abraham, &c. but it was not so fully explained, nor the power and excellence of it declared in such a stupendous manner, as it was to Moses. D. — Or perhaps Moses made use of this name in the history of the patriarchs, because he wrote his account of them after this revelation. C. — The Sept. always put Kurios, "the Lord," instead of the ineffable name; and our Saviour and his apostles, citing texts where it occurs, follow their example. Mat. iv. 7. 10. Rom. xv. 11. W. — Philo informs us, that it was death to pronounce it out of the temple; and since that was destroyed, it has never been heard. C. — Galatinus, who wrote in 1518, is supposed to have invented the word Jehovah, (see Amama Antib. p. 319,) the year after the pretended reformation began. H. — S. Jerom (ep. 136 ad Marc.) explains the ten names of God, but never reads Jehovah. T.
*H And I will take you to myself for my people, I will be your God: and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from the work-prison of the Egyptians:
Ver. 7. God, Elohim, who will pass sentence in your favour, as a just judge. M.
*H And brought you into the land, concerning which I lifted up my hand to give it to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: and I will give it you to possess: I am the Lord.
Ver. 8. Hand; swearing. C. xiv. 22. 2 Esd. ix. 15.
*H And Moses told all this to the children of Israel: but they did not hearken to him, for anguish of spirit, and most painful work.
Ver. 9. Anguish: Sept. "pusillanimity." They would not even hope for a change. M. — The Samaritan copy records the speech which they made to Moses. Kennicott, p. 313.
*H Moses answered before the Lord: Behold the children of Israel do not hearken to me: and how will Pharao hear me, especially as I am of uncircumcised lips?
Ver. 12. Uncircumcised lips. So he calls the defect he had in his words, or utterance. Ch. — The Hebrews call the heart, &c. uncircumcised, when it has any natural or moral defect. Act. vii. 15. T. — "I do not speak the language in its purity." Sym. "I express my sentiments with difficulty." C. iv. 10. Onkelos.
*H These are the heads of their houses by their families. The sons of Ruben the firstborn of Israel: Henoch and Phallu, Hesron and Charmi.
Ver. 14. These. From this place to v. 26, is written in a kind of parenthesis: the remainder of the chapter is a recapitulation of what had been said. C. — Moses intends to give his own genealogy, and the state of affairs when he began to afflict Egypt. H. — He mentions three tribes, which Jacob had rebuked, lest any one might think they had forfeited their title to some distinctive tribes. M.
* Footnote * Genesis 46 : 9
The sons of Ruben: Henoch and Phallu, and Hesron and Charmi.* Footnote * Numbers 26 : 5
Ruben the firstborn of Israel. His sons were Henoch, of whom is the family of the Henochites: and Phallu, of whom is the family of the Phalluites:* Footnote * 1_Paralipomenon 5 : 1
Now the sons of Ruben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was his firstborn: but forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his first birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, and he was not accounted for the firstborn.* Footnote * 1_Paralipomenon 4 : 24
The sons of Simeon: Namuel and Jamin, Jarib, Zara, Saul:*H And these are the names of the sons of Levi by their kindreds: Gerson, and Caath, and Merari. And the years of the life of Levi were a hundred and thirty-seven.
Ver. 16. Levi died the last of his brethren, and Joseph the first. W.
* Footnote * 1_Paralipomenon 6 : 1
The sons of Levi were Gerson, Caath, and Merari.* Footnote * 1_Paralipomenon 23 : 6
And David distributed them into courses by the families of the sons of Levi, to wit, of Gerson, and of Caath, and of Merari.* Footnote * Numbers 3 : 19
The sons of Caath: Amram, and Jesaar, Hebron and Oziel:* Footnote * Numbers 26 : 57
This also is the number of the sons of Levi by their families: Gerson, of whom is the family of the Gersonites: Caath, of whom is the family of the Caathites: Merari, of whom is the family of the Merarites.* Footnote * 1_Paralipomenon 6 : 2
The Sons of Caath: Amram, Isaar, Hebron, and Oziel.* Footnote * 1_Paralipomenon 23 : 12
The sons of Caath were Amram, and Isaar, Hebron, and Oziel, four.*H And Amram took to wife Jochabed his aunt by the father's side: and she bore him Aaron and Moses. And the years of Amram's life, were a hundred and thirty-seven.
Ver. 20. Aunt: Heb. Doda is applied to various degrees of kindred. The Chaldeee says, Jochabed was daughter of Amram's sister, the Sept. assert of his brother, and consequently his own cousin. But she might be his aunt. C. ii. 1. C.
*H And Aaron took to wife Elizabeth the daughter of Aminadab, sister of Nahason, who bore him Nadab, and Abiu, and Eleazar, and Ithamar.
Ver. 23. Nahason, prince of the tribe of Juda. Num. i. 7. Observe the modesty of Moses, who passes over his own family almost in silence. M.
*H These are Aaron and Moses, whom the Lord commanded to bring forth the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their companies.
Ver. 26. Aaron is sometimes placed first, as the elder; sometimes last, as inferior in dignity, v. 27. — Companies, or bands, in order of battle. C. xiii. 18. C.