Blood was par

The word lex, law, among the Romans, has been
derived from lego, I read; because when a law or
statute was made, it was hung up in the most public
places, that it might be seen, read, and known by all
men, that those who were to obey the laws might not
break them through ignorance, and thus incur the
penalty. This was called promulgatio legis, q. pro-lated to punish, correct, and reform them.
vulgatio, the promulgation of the law, i. e., the laying
it before the common people. Or from ligo, I bind,
because the law binds men to the strict observance of
its precepts. The Greeks call a law vouos nomos,
from veuw, to divide, distribute, minister to, or serve,
because the law divides to all their just rights, appoints
or distributes to each his proper duty, and thus serves
or ministers to the welfare of the individual and the
support of society. Hence where there are either no
laws, or unequal and unjust ones, all is distraction,
violence, rapine, oppression, anarchy, and ruin.

objects also of their adoration, died.
ticularly offensive to them, and the touch of any dead
animal rendered them unclean. When then their great
god, the river, was turned into 'blood, and its waters
became putrid, so that all the fish, minor objects of
their devotion, died, we see a judgment at once calcu-
Could they

ever more trust in gods who could neither save them-
selves nor their deluded worshippers?

Verse 51. By their armies.] Dny tsibotham, from tsaba, to assemble, meet together, in an orderly or regulated manner, and hence to war, to act together as troops in battle; whence n tsebaoth, troops, armies, hosts. It is from this that the Divine Being calls himself xay ni Yehovah tsebaoth, the LORD of HOSTS or armies, because the Israelites were brought out of Egypt under his direction, marshalled and ordered by himself, guided by his wisdom, supported by his providence, and protected by his might. This is the true and simple reason why God is so frequently styled in Scripture the Lord of hosts; for the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their ARMIES.

2. Mr. Bryant has endeavoured to prove that frogs, the SECOND plague, were sacred animals in Egypt, and were dedicated to Osiris: they certainly appear on many ancient Egyptian. monuments, and in such circumstances and connections as to show that they were held in religious veneration. These therefore became an awful scourge; first, by their numbers, and their intrusion into every place; and, secondly, by their death, and the infection of the atmosphere which took place in consequence.

3. We have seen also that the Egyptians, especially the priests, affected great cleanliness, and would not wear woollen garments lest any kind of vermin should harbour about them. The THIRD plague, by means of lice or such like vermin, was wisely calculated both to humble and confound them. In this they immediately saw a power superior to any that could be exerted by their gods or their magicians; and the latter were obliged to confess, This is the finger of God!

4. That flies were held sacred among the Egyptians and among various other nations, admits of the strongest proof. It is very probable that Baal-zebub himself was worshipped under the form of a fly or great cantharid. These, therefore, or some kind of

the FOURTH plague; and if the cynomyia or dog-fly be intended, we have already seen in the notes with what propriety and effect this judgment was inflicted.

5. The murrain or mortality among the cattle was the FIFTH plague, and the most decisive mark of the power and indignation of Jehovah. That dogs, cats,

On this chapter the notes have been so full and so explicit, that little can be added to set the subject be-winged noxious insects, became the prime agents in fore the reader in a clearer light. On the ordinance of the PASSOVER, the reader is requested to consult the notes on verses 7, 14, and 27. For the display of God's power and providence in supporting so great a multitude where, humanly speaking, there was no provision, and the proof that the exodus of the Israelites gives of the truth of the Mosaic history, he is referred | monkeys, rams, heifers, and bulls, were all objects of And for the meaning of the term LAW, their most religious veneration, all the world knows. These were smitten in a most singular manner by the hand of God; and the Egyptians saw themselves deprived at once of all their imaginary helpers. Apis, their ox-god, in whom they particularly trusted, now suffers, groans, and dies under the hand of Jehovah. Thus does he execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt. See ver. 12.

to ver. 37.
to ver. 49.
On the ten plagues it may be but just necessary,
after what has been said in the notes, to make a few
general reflections. When the nature of the Egyptian
idolatry is considered, and the plagues which were
sent upon them, we may see at once the peculiarity
of the judgment, and the great propriety of its being
inflicted in the way related by Moses. The plagues
were either inflicted on the objects of their idolatry, or
by their means.

1. That the river Nile was an object of their worship, and one of their greatest gods, we have already As the FIRST plague, its waters were therefore turned into blood; and the fish, many of which were

seen.

Even

6. The SIXTH plague, viz., of boils and blains, was as appropriate as any of the preceding; and the sprinkling of the ashes, the means by which it was produced, peculiarly significant. Pharmacy, Mr. Bryant has observed, was in high repute among the Egyptians; and Isis, their most celebrated goddess, was considered as the preventer or healer of all diseases. "For this

General observations

EXODUS.

on the ten plagues. goddess," says Diodorus, Hist., lib. i., "used to reveal a species of idolatry which had been long prevalent in herself to people in their sleep when they laboured that and other countries, viz., the worship of the celesunder any disorder, and afford them relief. Many who tial luminaries. The sun and moon were both adored placed their confidence in her influence πapadows as supreme deities, as the sole dispensers of light and vylaivɛobal, were miraculously restored. Many like-life; and the sun was invoked as the giver of immorwise who had been despaired of and given over by the physicians on account of the obstinacy of the distemper, were saved by this goddess. Numbers who had been deprived of their eyes, and of other parts of their bodies, were all restored on their application to Isis.” By this disorder, therefore, which no application to their gods could cure, and which was upon the magicians also, who were supposed to possess most power and influence, God confounded their pride, showed the folly of their worship, and the vanity of their dependThe means by which these boils and blains were inflicted, viz., the sprinkling of ashes from the furnace, was peculiarly appropriate. Plutarch assures us, De Iside et Osiride, that in several cities of Egypt they were accustomed to sacrifice human beings to Typhon, which they burned alive upon a high altar; and at the close of the sacrifice the priests gathered the ashes of these victims, and scattered them in the air "I presume," says Mr. Bryant, "with this view, that where an atom of their dust was wafted, a blessing might be entailed. The like was done by Moses with the ashes of the furnace, that wherever any, the smallest portion, alighted, it might prove a plague and a curse 10. The TENTH and last plague, the slaying of the to this cruel, ungrateful, and infatuated people. Thus first-born or chief person in each family, may be conthere was a designed contrast in these workings ofsidered in the light of a Divine retribution: for after Providence, an apparent opposition to the superstition of the times."

ence.

7. The grievous hail, the SEVENTH plague, attended with rain, thunder, and lightning, in a country where these scarcely ever occur, and according to an express prediction of Moses, must in the most signal manner point out the power and justice of God. Fire and water were some of the principal objects of Egyptian idolatry; and fire, as Porphyry says, they considered μɛyav eivai Deov, to be a great god. To find, therefore, that these very elements, the objects of their adoration, were, at the command of a servant of Jehovah, brought as a curse and scourge on the whole land, and upon men also and cattle, must have shaken their belief in these imaginary deities, while it proved to the Israelites that there was none like the God of Jeshurun.

8. In the EIGHTH plague we see by what insignifi, cant creatures God can bring about a general destruction. A caterpillar is beyond all animals the most contemptible, and, taken singly, the least to be dreaded in the whole empire of nature; but in the hand of Divine justice it becomes one of the most formidable foes of the human race. From the examples in the notes we see how little human power, industry, or art, can avail against this most awful scourge. Not even the most contemptible animal should be considered with disrespect, as in the hand of God it may become the most terrible instrument for the punishment of a criminal individual or a guilty land.

tality and eternal blessedness. Porphyry, De Abstin., 1. 4, preserves the very form used by the Egyptian priests in addressing the sun on behalf of a deceased person, that he might be admitted into the society of the gods: Ω δέσποτα Ήλιε, και Θεοι παντες, οἱ την ζωην τους ανθρωποις δοντες, προσδέξασθε με, και παραdore Tois aidions cois σVVOLKOV. "O sovereign lord the sun, and all ye other deities who bestow life on mankind! receive me, and grant that I may be admitted as a companion with the immortal gods!" These objects of their superstitious worship Jehovah showed by this plague to be his creatures, dispensing or withholding their light merely at his will and pleasure; and that the people might be convinced that all this came by his appointment alone, he predicted this awful darkness; and that their astronomers might have the fullest proof that this was no natural occurrence, and could not be the effect of any kind of eclipse, which even when total could endure only about four minutes, (and this case could happen only once in a thousand years,) he caused this palpable darkness to continue for three days!

that their nation had been preserved by one of the Israelitish family, "they had," says Mr. Bryant, "contrary to all right, and in defiance of original stipulation, enslaved the people to whom they had been so much indebted; and not contented with this, they had proceeded to murder their offspring, and to render the people's bondage intolerable by a wanton exertion of power. It had been told them that the family of the Israelites were esteemed as God's first-born, chap. iv. 22; therefore God said: Let my son go, that he may serve me; and if thou refuse-behold, I will slay thy son, even thy FIRST-BORN, ver. 23. But they heeded not this admonition, and hence those judgments came upon them that terminated in the death of the eldest in each family; a just retaliation for their disobedience and cruelty." See several curious and important remarks on this subject in a work entitled, Observations upon the Plagues inflicted on the Egyptians, by Jacob Bryant, 8vo., 1810.

On the whole we may say, Behold the goodness and severity of God! Severity mixed with goodness even to the same people. He punished and corrected them at the same time; for there was not one of these judgments that had not, from its peculiar nature and circumstances, some emendatory influence. Nor could a more effectual mode be adopted to demonstrate to that people the absurdity of their idolatry, and the inefficacy of their dependence, than that made use of on this occasion by the wise, just, and merciful God.

9. The NINTH plague, the total and horrible dark-At the same time the Israelites themselves must have ness that lasted for three days, afforded both Israelites and Egyptians the most illustrious proof of the power and universal dominion of God; and was particularly to the latter a most awful yet instructive lesson against

received a lesson of the most impressive instruction on the vanity and wickedness of idolatry, to which they were at all times most deplorably prone, and of which they would no doubt, have given many more examples,

The law concerning the

CHAP. XIII.

first-born of man and beast.

had they not had the Egyptian plagues continually be- risk of greater by an attempt to escape from their prefore their eyes. It was probably these signal displays sent bondage. This is proved by their murmurings, of God's power and justice, and these alone, that in-chap. xvi., from which it is evident that they preferred duced them to leave Egypt at his command by Moses Egypt with all its curses to their situation in the wiland Aaron; otherwise, with the dreadful wilderness derness, and never could have been induced to leave before them, totally unprovided for such a journey, in it had they not had the fullest evidence that it was the which humanly speaking it was impossible for them will of God; which will they were obliged, on pain and their households to subsist, they would have rather of utter destruction, to obey. preferred the ills they then suffered, than have run the

God establishes the law concerning the first-born, and commands that all such, both of man and beast, should be sanctified unto him, 1, 2. Orders them to remember the day in which they were brought out of Egypt, when they should be brought to the land of Canaan; and to keep this service in the month Abib, 3–5. Repeats the command concerning the leavened bread, 6, 7, and orders them to teach their children the cause of it, 8, and to keep strictly in remembrance that it was by the might of God alone they had been delivered - from Egypt, 9. Shows that the consecration of the first-born, both of man and beast, should take place when they should be settled in Canaan, 10-12. The first-born of man and beast to be redeemed, 13. The reason of this also to be shown to their children, 14, 15. Frontlets or phylacteries for the hands and forehead commanded, 16. And the people are not led directly to the promised land, but about through the wilderness; and the reason assigned, 17, 18. Moses takes the bones of Joseph with him, 19. They journey from Succoth and come to Etham, 20. And the Lord goes before them by day in a pillar of cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire, 21, which miracle is regularly continued both by day and night, 22.

Verse 1. The Lord spake unto Moses] The commands in this chapter appear to have been given at Succoth, on the same day in which they left Egypt.

Verse 2. Sanctify unto me all the first-born] To sanctify, p kadash, signifies to consecrate, separate, and set apart a thing or person from all secular purposes to some religious use; and exactly answers to the import of the Greek άyiago, from a, privative, and yn, the earth, because every thing offered or consecrated to God was separated from all earthly uses. Hence a holy person or saint is termed άytos, i. e., a person separated from the earth; one who lives a holy life, entirely devoted to the service of God. Thus the persons and animals sanctified to God were employed in the service of the tabernacle and temple; and the animals, such as were proper, were offered in sacrifice.

The Hindoos frequenly make a vow, and devote to an idol the first-born of a goat and of a man. The goat

4 This day came ye out, in the month Abib.

A. M. 2513. B. C. 1491. An, Exod. Isr. 1. Abib or Nisan.

5 And it shall be, when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he

sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.

6 Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD.

c Heb. servants. d Chap. vi. 1.xxiii. 15; xxxiv. 18; Deut. xvi. 1. vi. 8. - Chap. xii. 25, 26.

Le Chap. xii. 8.-
Chap. iii. 8.-
Chap. xii. 15, 16.

f Chap. Chap.

is permitted to run wild, as a consecrated animal. A child thus devoted has a lock of hair separated, which at the time appointed is cut off and placed near the idol. Hindoo women sometimes pray to Gunga (the Ganges) for children, and promise to devote the firstborn to her. Children thus devoted are cast into the Ganges, but are generally saved by the friendly hand of some stranger.-Ward's Customs.

Whatsoever openeth the womb] That is, the firstborn, if a male; for females were not offered, nor the first male, if a female had been born previously. Again, if a man had several wives, the first-born of each, if a male, was to be offered to God. And all this was done to commemorate the preservation of the first-born of the Israelites, when those of the Egyptians were destroyed.

Verse 5. When the Lord shall bring thee into the land] Hence it is pretty evident that the Israelites were not obliged to celebrate the passover, or keep

The annual celebration

A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.

EXODUS.

7 Unleavened bread shall be An. Exod. Isr. 1. caten seven days; and there Abib or Nisan. shall 1no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.

8 And thou shalt show thy son in that day, saying, This is done, because of that which the LORD did unto me, when I came forth out of Egypt.

9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine

1 Chap. xii. 19. Ver. 14; chap. xii. chap. xii. 14; Num. xv. 39; Deut. vì. 8; xlix. 16; Jer. xxii. 24; Matt. xxii. 5.

26. See ver. 16; xi. 18; Prov. i. 9; Isa. Chap. xii. 14, 24.

the feast of unleavened bread, till they were brought into the promised land.

of the passover commanded.

eyes, that the LORD's law may be
in thy mouth for with a strong
hand hath the LORD brought thee
out of Egypt.

A. M. 2513.
B. C. 1491.

An. Exod. Isr. L.
Abib or Nisan.

10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season, from year to year.

11 And it shall be, when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee,

12 P That thou shalt a set apart unto the LORD P Ver. 2; chapter xxii. 29; xxxiv. 19; Lev. xxvii. 26; Num. viii. 17; xviii. 15; Deut. xv. 19; Ezek. xliv. 30.——— Hebrew, cause to pass over.

lacteries on their heads and on their hands. And the Pharisees, who in our Lord's time affected extraordi

they might have many sentences written upon them, or the ordinary portions in very large and observable letters.

It appears that the Jews wore these for three dif

1. As signs or remembrancers. This was the original design, as the institution itself sufficiently proves.

2. To procure reverence and respect in the sight of the heathen. This reason is given in the Gemara, Berachoth, chap. i.: “Whence is it proved that the phylacteries or tephillín are the strength of Israel? Ans. From what is written, Deut. xxviii. 10: All the people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD (~17 Yehovah) and they shall be afraid of thee."

3. They used them as amulets or charms, to drive away evil spirits. This appears from the Targum on Canticles viii. 3: His left hand is under my head, &c. "The congregation of Israel hath said, I am elect above all people, because I bind my phylacteries on my left hand and on my head, and the scroll is fixed to the right side of my gate, the third part of which looks to my bed-chamber, that demons may not be permitted to injure me.”,

Verse 6. Unleavened bread] See on chap. xii. 15, 16.nary piety, made their phylacteries very broad, that Verse 9. And it shall be for a sign—upon thine hand] This direction, repeated and enlarged ver. 16, gave rise to phylacteries or tephillin, and this is one of the passages which the Jews write upon them to the present day. The manner in which the Jews understood,ferent purposes: and kept these commands may appear in their practice. They wrote the following four portions of the law upon slips of parchment or vellum: Sanctify unto me the first-born, Exod. xiii., from verse 2 to 10 inclusive. And it shall be, when the Lord shall bring thee into the land, Exod. xiii., from verse 11 to 16 inclusive. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, Deut. vi., from verse 4 to 9 inclusive. And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently, Deut. xi., from verse 13 to 21 inclusive. These four portions, making in all 30 verses, written as mentioned above, and covered with leather, they tied to the forehead and to the hand or arm. Those which were for the HEAD (the frontlets) they wrote on four slips of parchment, and rolled up each by itself, and placed them in four compartments, joined together in one piece of skin or leather. Those which were designed for the hand were formed of one piece of parchment, the four portions being written upon it in four columns, and rolled up from one end to the other. These were all correct transcripts from the Mosaic text, without one redundant or deficient letter, otherwise they were not lawful to be worn. Those for the head were tied on so as to rest on the forehead, Those for the hand or arm were usually tied on the left arm, a little above the elbow, on the inside, that they might be near the heart, according to the command, Deut. vi. 6: And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart. These phylacteries formed no inconsiderable part of a Jew's religion; they wore them as a sign of their obligation to God, and as representing some future blessedness. Hence These passages seem to be chosen in vindication of they did not wear them on feast days nor on the Sab- the use of the phylactery itself, as the reader may see bath, because these things were in themselves signs; on consulting them at large. Bind them for a SIGN but they wore them always when they read the law, or upon thy HAND; and for FRONTLETS between thy EYES; when they prayed, and hence they called them on write them upon the POSTS of thy HOUSE and upon thy tephillin, prayer, ornaments, oratories, or incitements to GATES; all which commands the Jews take in the prayer. In process of time the spirit of this law was most literal sense. To acquire the reputation of exlost in the letter, and when the word was not in their traordinary sanctity they wore the fringes of their mouth, nor the law in their heart, they had their phy-garments of an uncommon length. Moses had com

One of the original phylacteries or hon tephillin now lies before me; it is a piece of fine vellum, about eighteen inches long, and an inch and quarter broad. It is divided into four unequal compartments; the letters are very well formed, but written with many apices, after the manner of the German Jews. In the first compartment is written the portion taken from Exod: xiii. 2-10; in the second, Exod. xiii. 11–16; in the third, Deut. vi. 4-9; in the fourth, Deut. xi. 13-21, as before related. This had originally served for the hand or arm.

all that openeth the matrix, and | first-born of man, and the firstAn. Exod. Isr. 1. every firstling that cometh of a born of beasts: therefore I sacri- An. Exod. Isr. 1. Abib or Nisan. beast which thou hast; the males fice to the LORD all that openeth shall be the LORD'S. the matrix, being males; but all the firstborm of my children I redeem.