9 And it shall be for a sign H226 unto thee upon thine hand, H3027 and for a memorial H2146 between thine eyes, H5869 that the LORD'S H3068 law H8451 may be in thy mouth: H6310 for with a strong H2389 hand H3027 hath the LORD H3068 brought thee out H3318 of Egypt. H4714
Therefore shall ye lay up H7760 these my words H1697 in your heart H3824 and in your soul, H5315 and bind H7194 them for a sign H226 upon your hand, H3027 that they may be as frontlets H2903 between your eyes. H5869 And ye shall teach H3925 them your children, H1121 speaking H1696 of them when thou sittest H3427 in thine house, H1004 and when thou walkest H3212 by the way, H1870 when thou liest H7901 down, and when thou risest up. H6965
My son, H1121 keep H5341 thy father's H1 commandment, H4687 and forsake H5203 not the law H8451 of thy mother: H517 Bind H7194 them continually H8548 upon thine heart, H3820 and tie H6029 them about thy neck. H1621 When thou goest, H1980 it shall lead H5148 thee; when thou sleepest, H7901 it shall keep H8104 thee; and when thou awakest, H6974 it shall talk H7878 with thee. For the commandment H4687 is a lamp; H5216 and the law H8451 is light; H216 and reproofs H8433 of instruction H4148 are the way H1870 of life: H2416
This book H5612 of the law H8451 shall not depart H4185 out of thy mouth; H6310 but thou shalt meditate H1897 therein day H3119 and night, H3915 that thou mayest observe H8104 to do H6213 according to all that is written H3789 therein: for then thou shalt make H6743 thy way H1870 prosperous, H6743 and then thou shalt have good success. H7919 Have not I commanded H6680 thee? Be strong H2388 and of a good courage; H553 be not afraid, H6206 neither be thou dismayed: H2865 for the LORD H3068 thy God H430 is with thee whithersoever thou goest. H3212
Then the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Now shalt thou see H7200 what I will do H6213 to Pharaoh: H6547 for with a strong H2389 hand H3027 shall he let them go, H7971 and with a strong H2389 hand H3027 shall he drive them out H1644 of his land. H776 And God H430 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 and said H559 unto him, I am the LORD: H3068 And I appeared H7200 unto Abraham, H85 unto Isaac, H3327 and unto Jacob, H3290 by the name of God H410 Almighty, H7706 but by my name H8034 JEHOVAH H3068 was I not known H3045 to them. And I have also established H6965 my covenant H1285 with them, to give H5414 them the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 the land H776 of their pilgrimage, H4033 wherein they were strangers. H1481 And I have also heard H8085 the groaning H5009 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 whom H834 the Egyptians H4714 keep in bondage; H5647 and I have remembered H2142 my covenant. H1285 Wherefore H3651 say H559 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 I am the LORD, H3068 and I will bring H3318 you out from under the burdens H5450 of the Egyptians, H4714 and I will rid H5337 you out of their bondage, H5656 and I will redeem H1350 you with a stretched H5186 out arm, H2220 and with great H1419 judgments: H8201 And I will take H3947 you to me for a people, H5971 and I will be to you a God: H430 and ye shall know H3045 that I am the LORD H3068 your God, H430 which bringeth H3318 you out from under the burdens H5450 of the Egyptians. H4714 And I will bring H935 you in unto the land, H776 concerning the which I did swear H5375 H3027 to give H5414 it to Abraham, H85 to Isaac, H3327 and to Jacob; H3290 and I will give H5414 it you for an heritage: H4181 I am the LORD. H3068 And Moses H4872 spake H1696 so unto the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 but they hearkened H8085 not unto Moses H4872 for anguish H7115 of spirit, H7307 and for cruel H7186 bondage. H5656 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559 Go H935 in, speak H1696 unto Pharaoh H6547 king H4428 of Egypt, H4714 that he let the children H1121 of Israel H3478 go out H7971 of his land. H776 And Moses H4872 spake H1696 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 saying, H559 Behold, the children H1121 of Israel H3478 have not hearkened H8085 unto me; how then shall Pharaoh H6547 hear H8085 me, H589 who am of uncircumcised H6189 lips? H8193 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses H4872 and unto Aaron, H175 and gave them a charge H6680 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and unto Pharaoh H6547 king H4428 of Egypt, H4714 to bring H3318 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 out of the land H776 of Egypt. H4714 These be the heads H7218 of their fathers' H1 houses: H1004 The sons H1121 of Reuben H7205 the firstborn H1060 of Israel; H3478 Hanoch, H2585 and Pallu, H6396 Hezron, H2696 and Carmi: H3756 these be the families H4940 of Reuben. H7205 And the sons H1121 of Simeon; H8095 Jemuel, H3223 and Jamin, H3226 and Ohad, H161 and Jachin, H3199 and Zohar, H6714 and Shaul H7586 the son H1121 of a Canaanitish woman: H3669 these are the families H4940 of Simeon. H8095 And these are the names H8034 of the sons H1121 of Levi H3878 according to their generations; H8435 Gershon, H1648 and Kohath, H6955 and Merari: H4847 and the years H8141 of the life H2416 of Levi H3878 were an hundred H3967 thirty H7970 and seven H7651 years. H8141 The sons H1121 of Gershon; H1648 Libni, H3845 and Shimi, H8096 according to their families. H4940 And the sons H1121 of Kohath; H6955 Amram, H6019 and Izhar, H3324 and Hebron, H2275 and Uzziel: H5816 and the years H8141 of the life H2416 of Kohath H6955 were an hundred H3967 thirty H7970 and three H7969 years. H8141 And the sons H1121 of Merari; H4847 Mahali H4249 and Mushi: H4187 these are the families H4940 of Levi H3878 according to their generations. H8435 And Amram H6019 took H3947 him Jochebed H3115 his father's sister H1733 to wife; H802 and she bare H3205 him Aaron H175 and Moses: H4872 and the years H8141 of the life H2416 of Amram H6019 were an hundred H3967 and thirty H7970 and seven H7651 years. H8141 And the sons H1121 of Izhar; H3324 Korah, H7141 and Nepheg, H5298 and Zichri. H2147 And the sons H1121 of Uzziel; H5816 Mishael, H4332 and Elzaphan, H469 and Zithri. H5644 And Aaron H175 took H3947 him Elisheba, H472 daughter H1323 of Amminadab, H5992 sister H269 of Naashon, H5177 to wife; H802 and she bare H3205 him Nadab, H5070 and Abihu, H30 Eleazar, H499 and Ithamar. H385 And the sons H1121 of Korah; H7141 Assir, H617 and Elkanah, H511 and Abiasaph: H23 these are the families H4940 of the Korhites. H7145 And Eleazar H499 Aaron's H175 son H1121 took H3947 him one of the daughters H1323 of Putiel H6317 to wife; H802 and she bare H3205 him Phinehas: H6372 these are the heads H7218 of the fathers H1 of the Levites H3881 according to their families. H4940 These H1931 are that Aaron H175 and Moses, H4872 to whom H834 the LORD H3068 said, H559 Bring out H3318 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 from the land H776 of Egypt H4714 according to their armies. H6635 These H1992 are they which spake H1696 to Pharaoh H6547 king H4428 of Egypt, H4714 to bring out H3318 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 from Egypt: H4714 these are that Moses H4872 and Aaron. H175 And it came to pass on the day H3117 when the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses H4872 in the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 That the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559 I am the LORD: H3068 speak H1696 thou unto Pharaoh H6547 king H4428 of Egypt H4714 all that I say H1696 unto thee. And Moses H4872 said H559 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 Behold, I am of uncircumcised H6189 lips, H8193 and how shall Pharaoh H6547 hearken H8085 unto me?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 13
Commentary on Exodus 13 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 13
Ex 13:1, 2. The First-born Sanctified.
2. Sanctify unto me all the first-born—To "sanctify" means to "consecrate," to "set apart" from a common to a sacred use. The foundation of this duty rested on the fact that the Israelites, having had their first-born preserved by a distinguishing act of grace from the general destruction that overtook the families of the Egyptians, were bound in token of gratitude to consider them as the Lord's peculiar property (compare Heb 12:23).
Ex 13:3-10. Memorial of the Passover.
3. Moses said unto the people, Remember this day—The day that gave them a national existence and introduced them into the privileges of independence and freedom, deserved to live in the memories of the Hebrews and their posterity; and, considering the signal interposition of God displayed in it, to be held not only in perpetual, but devout remembrance.
house of bondage—literally, "house of slaves"—that is, a servile and degrading condition.
for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place—The emancipation of Israel would never have been obtained except it had been wrung from the Egyptian tyrant by the appalling judgments of God, as had been at the outset of his mission announced to Moses (Ex 3:19).
There shall no leavened bread, &c.—The words are elliptical, and the meaning of the clause may be paraphrased thus:—"For by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place, in such haste that there could or should be no leavened bread eaten."
4. month Abib—literally, "a green ear," and hence the month Abib is the month of green ears, corresponding to the middle of our March. It was the best season for undertaking a journey to the desert region of Sinai, especially with flocks and herds; for then the winter torrents had subsided, and the wadies were covered with an early and luxuriant verdure.
5-7. when the Lord shall bring thee—The passover is here instituted as a permanent festival of the Israelites. It was, however, only a prospective observance; we read of only one celebration of the passover during the protracted sojourn in the wilderness [Nu 9:5]; but on their settlement in the promised land, the season was hallowed as a sacred anniversary [Jos 5:10], in conformity with the directions here given.
8. thou shalt show thy son in that day, saying—The establishment of this and the other sacred festivals presented the best opportunities of instructing the young in a knowledge of His gracious doings to their ancestors in Egypt.
9. it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, &c.—There is no reason to believe that the Oriental tattooing—the custom of staining the hands with the powder of Hennah, as Eastern females now do—is here referred to. Nor is it probable that either this practice or the phylacteries of the Pharisees—parchment scrolls, which were worn on their wrists and foreheads—had so early an existence. The words are to be considered only as a figurative mode of expression.
that the Lord's law may be in thy mouth, &c.—that is, that it may be the subject of frequent conversation and familiar knowledge among the people.
Ex 13:11-16. Firstlings of Beasts.
12, 13. every firstling, &c.—the injunction respecting the consecration of the first-born, as here repeated, with some additional circumstances. The firstlings of clean beasts, such as lambs, kids, and calves, if males, were to be devoted to God and employed in sacrifice. Those unclean beasts, as the ass's colt, being unfit for sacrifice, were to be redeemed (Nu 18:15).
Ex 13:17-21. Journey from Egypt.
17. God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near, &c.—The shortest and most direct route from Egypt to Palestine was the usual caravan road that leads by Belbeis, El-Arish, to Ascalon and Gaza. The Philistines, who then possessed the latter, would have been sure to dispute their passage, for between them and the Israelites there was a hereditary feud (1Ch 7:21, 22); and so early a commencement of hostilities would have discouraged or dismayed the unwarlike band which Moses led. Their faith was to be exercised and strengthened, and from the commencement of their travels we observe the same careful proportion of burdens and trials to their character and state, as the gracious Lord shows to His people still in that spiritual journey of which the former was typical.
18. God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea, &c.—This wondrous expanse of water is a gulf of the Indian ocean. It was called in Hebrew "the weedy sea," from the forest of marine plants with which it abounds. But the name of the Red Sea is not so easily traced. Some think it was given from its contiguity to the countries of Edom ("red"); others derive it from its coral rocks; while a third class ascribe the origin of the name to an extremely red appearance of the water in some parts, caused by a numberless multitude of very small mollusca. This sea, at its northern extremity, separates into two smaller inlets—the eastern called anciently the Elanitic gulf, now the gulf of Akaba; and the western the Heroopolite gulf, now the gulf of Suez, which, there can be no doubt, extended much more to the north anciently than it does now. It was toward the latter the Israelites marched.
went up harnessed—that is, girded, equipped for a long journey. (See Ps 105:37). The Margin renders it "five in a rank," meaning obviously five large divisions, under five presiding officers, according to the usages of all caravans; and a spectacle of such a mighty and motley multitude must have presented an imposing appearance, and its orderly progress could have been effected only by the superintending influence of God.
19. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him—in fulfilment of the oath he exacted from his brethren (Ge 50:25, 26). The remains of the other patriarchs (not noticed from their obscurity) were also carried out of Egypt (Ac 7:15, 16); and there would be no difficulty as to the means of conveyance—a few camels bearing these precious relics would give a true picture of Oriental customs, such as is still to be seen in the immense pilgrimages to Mecca.
20. encamped in Etham—This place is supposed by the most intelligent travellers to be the modern Ajrud, where is a watering-place, and which is the third stage of the pilgrim-caravans to Mecca. "It is remarkable that either of the different routes eastward from Heliopolis, or southward from Heroopolis, equally admit of Ajrud being Etham. It is twelve miles northwest from Suez, and is literally on the edge of the desert" [Pictorial Bible].
21, 22. the Lord went before them—by a visible token of His presence, the Shekinah, in a majestic cloud (Ps 78:14; Ne 9:12; 1Co 10:1), called "the angel of God" (Ex 14:19; 23:20-23; Ps 99:6, 7; Isa 63:8, 9).