1253 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Moses said unto God, who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh,.... A private person, an exile in a foreign country, a poor shepherd, unknown to Pharaoh, and had no interest in him; and he a great king, and possessed of numerous forces to defend his country, and prevent the Israelites' departure out of it: time was when he was known to a...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said, certainly I will be with thee,.... To encourage and strengthen him; to protect, defend, and preserve him, and to succeed and prosper him; to give him credit and respect with the people of Israel, and influence over Pharaoh to prevail upon him at length to let Israel go: and this shall be a token unto thee that I have sent thee; not...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Moses said unto God,.... Having received full satisfaction to his objection, taken from his own unfitness for such a service, and willing to have his way quite clear unto him, and his commission appear firm and valid to his people, he proceeds to observe another difficulty that might possibly arise: when I come unto the children of Israel: out...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And God said unto Moses, I am that I am,.... This signifies the real being of God, his self-existence, and that he is the Being of beings; as also it denotes his eternity and immutability, and his constancy and faithfulness in fulfilling his promises, for it includes all time, past, present, and to come; and the sense is, not only I am what I am...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And God said moreover unto Moses,.... As a further explanation of the above name, and of the design and use of it: thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: for their further instruction in the said name, and for the confirmation of the mission of Moses, and the success of it: the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Go and gather the elders of Israel together,.... Not all the ancient men among them, nor the "judges" of the people of Israel; for it does not appear there were such among them in Egypt, until they came into the land of Canaan, but the heads of tribes or families: and say unto them, the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And I have said,.... Within himself, resolved in his own mind, and had declared it to Moses: I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt: with which they were afflicted in Egypt, and by the Egyptians; this he both purposed and promised to bring them out of: unto the land of the Canaanites, c. then in the possession of the Canaanites, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they shall hearken to thy voice,.... The elders of Israel, who would give credit to his commission, attend to what he said, and obey his orders, and follow the directions that he should give them, and not slight and reject him, as some had done before: and thou shall come, thou, and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt: the elders of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go,.... Or "but" (c) "I am sure", c. though so reasonable a request was made him, yet it would not be granted this is observed to them, that they might not be discouraged when he should refuse to dismiss them, which the omniscient God knew beforehand, and acquaints them with it, that, when it...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And I will stretch out my hand,.... Or "therefore" (e) he would stretch out his mighty hand, exert his almighty power; and for this purpose was Pharaoh raised up, and his heart hardened, that God might show his power in him, and on him: and smite Egypt with all my wonders, which I will do in the midst thereof: with those wondrous plagues, the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians,.... That is, give the Israelites favour in their sight, a little before their departure, who should be ready to do anything for them, or bestow anything upon them; or however lend them what they would desire, being glad to be at peace with them, or get rid of them, for whose sakes...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house,.... Or "shall ask" (f), desire them to give or lend, what follows; and by this it appears, that the Israelites by reason of their great increase were spread about, and mixed with the Egyptians; and hence it was that there was such a mixed multitude that went up...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Exodus 4 This chapter is a continuation of the discourse that passed between God and Moses; and here Moses makes other objections to his mission; one is taken from the unbelief of the people of Israel, which is removed by giving him power to work miracles, by turning the rod in his hand into a serpent, and then into a rod again;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Moses answered and said,.... In reference to what Jehovah had declared to him in the latter end of the preceding chapter: but, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken to my voice; this seems to contradict what God had said to him, Exodus 3:18 that they would hearken to his voice; but it can hardly be thought, that so good a man, and so...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord said unto him,.... Not reproving him for contradicting him, or showing any diffidence of what he had said; but rather as approving the hint he gave of having some sign or miracle wrought, to command from the Israelites an assent unto him, as commissioned of God to deliver them: what [is] that in thine hand? which question is put, not...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said, cast it on the ground,.... That is, the rod or staff: and he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; not in appearance only, but in reality, it was changed into a real living serpent; for God, who is the author of nature, can change the nature of things as he pleases; nor is it to be supposed that he would only make it look to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord said to Moses, put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail,.... Which to do might seem most dangerous, since it might turn upon him and bite him; this was ordered, partly that Moses might be assured it was really a serpent, and not in appearance only; and partly to try his courage, and it suggested to him, that he need not be afraid...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
That they may believe,.... The elders and people of Israel; for this miracle was wrought not for the confirmation of Moses's faith; for, as Aben Ezra observes, the sign of the burning bush was given to him to confirm his faith, that it was God that appeared to him, and called him to this work; but this was wrought to confirm the faith of the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord said furthermore unto him,.... Continued his discourse, and gave him another sign: put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom; within his coat, under that part of the garment next to his breast: and when he took it out, behold, his hand [was] leprous as snow; that is, white as snow, as the Targums of Onkelos...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said, put thine hand into thy bosom again,.... With the leprosy on it: and he put his hand into his bosom again, and plucked it out of his bosom; quickly after he had put it in: and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh; it was cured of the leprosy, and recovered its colour, and was as sound as before, and as any other part of his...