EXERCISES.

In what year of the world did Jacob die? How long did Joseph live after the death of his father? What did Joseph's brethren say when they saw that their father was dead? How did Joseph treat them? What has been stated in regard to the history of Joseph? What was the most critical moment of his life, and the most decisive of his character? For what was the apology he made for the cruelty of his brethren remarkable? Was it any excuse for their crime?

Mention some of the virtues for which Joseph was so much distinguished. Should we not try to imitate Joseph in these virtues, and make them our own?

CHAPTER VI.

FROM THE DEATH OF JOSEPH TO THE GIVING OF THE LAW AT SINAI, A. M. 2369-2514.

The Israelites Increase, and are Oppressed in Egypt-The Birth of Moses-His Flight to Midian-The Bush Burning and not Consumed -Moses Sent by God to Deliver Israel-The Ten Plagues-The Israelites Leave Egypt-Pass through the Red Sea-Pharaoh and his Host are Drowned-The Israelities Murmur, &c.

Between the death of Joseph and the birth of Moses there was a period of sixty-five years, in which little is recorded concerning ISRAEL, except "that they were fruitful, and waxed exceeding mighty, and the land was filled with them." The obligations the Egyptians lay under upon Joseph's account were now forgotten, and a king reigned in Egypt that had not known him. "And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. Therefore they did set over them taskmasters, to afflict them with their burdens. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born," in Israel, "ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

And

And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And she bare a son: and when she saw that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. when she could no longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put

the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child; and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrew's children. Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse him for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed him. And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water."

Note.-Pharaoh cruelly sought the destruction of Israel, but his own daughter had compassion on a Hebrew child; and not only so, but, beyond her intention, preserved Israel's deliverer. O Lord, how wonderful are thy counsels! Moses was not only well provided with a good nurse, his own mother, but preferred to be the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He now stood fair for the preferments of the court, and, in the meantime, had the advantages of the best education; with the help of which, having a great genius, he became master of all the lawful learning of the Egyptians.

When Moses had passed forty years at the court of Pharaoh, he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens, and espied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no man, he slew the Egyptian, and boldly espoused the cause of God's people. The best exposition of which we have, Heb. xi. 24-26. "Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian." There he married Zipporah, the daughter of Reuel (or Jethro), the priest of Midian, and gained a settlement in that country, like unto that which Jacob gained in Syria.

When tending the flock of his father-in-law near to Horeb, the mountain of God, he was visited by an extraordinary manifestation of the Divine presence and glory. He saw a bush burning, but not consuming, and heard God in it speaking to him, and saying, "I AM the God of thy father, the God of Abra

ham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh?" &c.

Moses was the fittest of any man living for this work-eminent for learning, wisdom, and holiness; and yet, Who am I? The more fit any person is for service, commonly the less opinion he has of himself. God gives him His commission to Pharaoh, answers his objections, promiseth him His presence, and assures him of success. He joins Aaron in commission with him. Aaron could speak better than Moses, but was inferior to him in meekness and wisdom. They went to Pharaoh, and demanded leave, in the name of God, to worship in the wilderness. Pharaoh answers their demand with a defiance of God. They then beg leave in the name of Israel; and he answers their request with further orders to oppress Israel. These cruel orders were executed by the taskmasters, and were complained of to Pharaoh; afterwards by the people to Moses, and by him to God.

After this a strict charge is given to Moses and Aaron to execute their commission with vigour; and power given them to work several miracles, or signs and wonders, to convince the people of Israel, as well as Pharaoh, that they had their commission from the Almighty. Upon Pharaoh's refusing to let the people of Israel go, they brought ten miraculous plagues upon the king, and upon all the land, by the authority and power of God. See Exod. vii., viii., ix., x., xi., and xiv. ; Psal. cv. 26, &c. These plagues, in their order, were-1. Water turned into blood; 2. Frogs; 3. Lice; 4. Flies; 5. Murrain among cattle; 6. Boils and blisters on man and beast; 7. Thunder, lightning, and hail; 8. Locusts; 9. Thick darkness; 10. The firstborn slain.

When Pharaoh and his people saw that they were all like to be destroyed, for there was not a house wherein there was not one dead, then they hastened them out, and lent them jewels and gold to adorn their sacrifices and worship.-Exod. xii. 29-36. Then was the ordinance of the passover instituted and observed, after which the children of Israel left the land of their bondage, being in number about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, fit for war, besides women and children. This mighty host went towards the wilderness of the Red Sea, as they were guided by God himself marching before them in

a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. When Israel had gone out of Egypt, Pharaoh repented that he had let them go, and with a great army pursued them to the Red Sea, resolving to destroy them. As Pharaoh and his army drew nigh, the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord, whereon Moses bids them stand still, and see the salvation of God. Then, at the command of the Lord, Moses struck the sea with his rod, and the waters were divided, and the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left. While the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them in the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen, then, again at the command of the Lord, Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea, after them; there remained not so much as one of them. Then sang Moses and Israel a song unto the Lord,-Exod. xv.; the most ancient song of which we have any knowledge; admirable for its composition; in style lofty and magnificent; the images lively and proper; and the whole very moving. It is a holy song, consecrated to the honour of Goda song in which Moses gives God the glory, triumphs in Him, and challenges all other gods to compare with Him.

66

Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods?

*

Who is like thee,

Glorious in holiness,

Venerable in praises,
Doing wonders?

The children of Israel went wheresoever God guided them by the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire. They moved and they rested, according to the rest or the motion of this cloud. See Exod. xiii. 21; Numb. x. 33.

At every new difficulty they fell a murmuring against God, Moses, and Aaron; first at Marah, where the waters were bitter; next in the wilderness of Sin, where the whole congregation murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying, Ye have brought us forth into this wilderness to kill us with hunger. Then and there God fed them with manna, or bread that came down from heaven, and lay all round the camp.-Exod. xvi. 4, 15–35.

Having removed from the wilderness of Sin, and pitched in Rephidim, there again they chide with Moses, saying, Wherefore is this that ye have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? Then Moses struck the rock with his rod, and water gushed out in a river, which attended them in all their journeys, amounting to forty and two several encampments; for which see Numbers, chap. xxxiii. These wanderings for their sins occupied a space of forty years, during which their raiment waxed not old, nor did their shoes wear out.-Deut. xxix. 5.

"In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai; and there Israel camped before the mount. And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to-day and to-morrow; for the third day the LORD will come down in sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly." Now it was that the earth trembled at the presence of the LORD, and the mountains skipped like rams,—Psal. civ. 4–7; that Sinai itself, though rough and rocky, melted from before the LORD God of Israel,Judges v. 5. "And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish. So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them. And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was." Then laws, moral, ceremonial, and judicial, were given by God's own appointment,-Exod. xxiv. 12; given amid scenes of stupendous glory and grandeur, designed never to be forgotten. Moses comes down to the people, acquaints them with the laws