Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Exodus
Book: Exodus
Chapter: 13
Overview:
The
First-born sanctified to
God The remembrance of the
Passover commanded.
(1-10) The firstlings of beasts set apart.
(11-16) Joseph's bones carried with the Israelites, They come to
Etham.
(17-20) God guides the Israelites
By a
Pillar of
Cloud and
Fire.
(21,22)
1-10 In remembrance of the
Destruction of the
First-born of
Egypt, both of
Man and of
Beast, and the deliverance of the
Israelites out of
Bondage, the
First-born males of the
Israelites were set apart to the
Lord.
By this was set before
them, that their lives were preserved through the
Ransom of the
Atonement, which in due time was to be made for
Sin. They were
also to consider their lives, thus ransomed from
Death, as now
to be consecrated to the service of
God. The parents were not to
look upon themselves as having any right in their
First-born,
till they solemnly presented them to
God, and allowed his title
to them. That which is,
By special
Mercy, spared to us, should
be applied to
God's honour; at least, some grateful
acknowledgment, in
Works of
Piety and
Charity, should be made.
The remembrance of their coming out of
Egypt must be kept up
every
Year. The
Day of
Christ's resurrection is to be
remembered, for in it we were raised up with
Christ out of
Death's
House of
Bondage. The
Scripture tells us not expressly
what
Day of the
Year Christ Rose, but it states particularly
what
Day of the
Week it was; as the more valuable deliverance,
it should be remembered weekly. The Israelites must keep the
Feast of unleavened
Bread. Under the
Gospel, we must not only
remember
Christ, but observe his holy
Supper. Do this in
remembrance of him. Also care must be taken to teach children
the knowledge of
God. Here is an old
Law for catechising. It is
of great use to acquaint children betimes with the histories of
the
Bible. And those who have
God's
Law in their
Heart should
have it in their mouth, and often speak of it, to affect
themselves, and to teach others.
11-16 The firstlings of beasts not used in
Sacrifice, were to be
changed for others
So used, or they were to be destroyed. Our
souls are forfeited to
God's
Justice, and unless ransomed
By the
Sacrifice of
Christ, will certainly perish. These institutions
would continually remind them of their duty, to
Love and serve
the
Lord. In like manner,
Baptism and the
Lord's
Supper, if
explained and attended to, would remind us, and give us occasion
to remind one another of our profession and duty.
17-20 There were two ways from
Egypt to
Canaan. One was only a
few days'
Journey; the other was much further about, through the
Wilderness, and that was the way in which
God chose to lead his
people
Israel. The Egyptians were to be drowned in the Red
Sea;
the Israelites were to be humbled and proved in the
Wilderness.
God's way is the right way, though it seems about. If we think
he leads not his people the nearest way, yet we may be sure he
leads them the best way, and
So it will appear when we come to
our
Journey's
End. The
Philistines were powerful enemies; it was
needful that the Israelites should be prepared for the wars of
Canaan,
By passing through the difficulties of the
Wilderness.
Thus
God proportions his people's trials to their strength, 1Co
10:13. They went up in good order. They went up in five in a
rank,
So some; in five
Bands,
So others, which it seems rather to
mean. They took the bones of
Joseph with them. It was an encouragement to
their
Faith and
Hope, that
God would bring them to
Canaan, in
expectation of which they carried these bones with them while in
the
Desert.
21,22 The
Lord went before them in a
Pillar, or appearance of
the Divine Majesty.
Christ was with the
Church in the
Wilderness, 1Co 10:9. Those whom
God brings into a
Wilderness,
he will not leave nor lose there, but will take care to lead
them through it. It was great satisfaction to
Moses and the
pious Israelites, to be sure that they were under Divine
guidance. Those who make the
Glory of
God their
End, and the
Word of God their rule, the
Spirit of
God the guide of their
affections, and the
Providence of
God the guide of their
affairs, may be sure that the
Lord goes before them, though they
cannot see it with their eyes: we must now live
By Faith. When
Israel marched, this
Pillar went before, and pointed out the
place of encampment, as Divine
Wisdom saw fit. It sheltered
By
Day from the heat, and gave
Light By night. The
Bible is a
Light
to our feet, a lantern to our paths, with which the
Saviour's
Love has provided us. It testifies of
Christ. It is to us like
the
Pillar to the Israelites. Listen to that voice which cries,
I am the
Light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk
in
Darkness, but shall have the
Light of
Life, Joh 8:12.
Jesus
Christ alone, as shown in the
Bible, and as the Holy
Spirit, in
answer to
Prayer, recommends him to the soul, is the Way, the
Truth, and the
Life, Joh 14:6.