Exodus 13

Exodus 13:2

• SAnctifie unto me] That is, set them apart for my use, that they may offer up themselves a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable in my sight, Romans 12:1. * Exodus 12:13. 15. & 22. 29. & 34. 19. Leviticus 27:16. Numbers 3:13. & Numbers 8:16. Luke 2:23.

all the first borne] The first borne of cleane creatures were to be sacrificed, Numbers 18:17. of the uncleane to be redeemed, and a price must be given to the Priests for their redemption; both of them, by way of gratefull memoriall of Gods mercy, in sparing the first borne of Israel, when he slew the first borne of Egypt, vers. 15. The first borne of men were to be set apart, for especiall service to God, and they were reckoned for the first borne, though a daughter had beene borne before: in stead of which first borne, the Lord afterward tooke the Levites to his service, Numbers 8:15-16. Under this title of dedication and appropriation of God, an especiall holinesse was required of them: and in regard of that holinesse, all that are sanctified, are called the first borne, Hebrews 12:23. * Genesis 4:4. Colossians 1:15. 1 Corinthians 5:20.

is mine] So are all things, by right of creation, and preservation: but the first borne are his by peculiar right, and to be offered to him for sacrifice, or for redemption, in remembrance of Gods mercy, as in the precedent Note. Of this generall and particular right of God, see Annot. 5. on Chap. 19. 5: 5.

Exodus 13:3

Remember] Chap. 23. 15. See Annot. on Chap. 12. 42.

bondage] Heb. of servants.

no leavened bread] To signifie, that they had not leasure to leaven their bread. See Annot. on Chap. 12. 19.

Exodus 13:4

Abib] When corne began to be ripe in that Countrey. See Annot. on Chap. 12. vers. 1.

Exodus 13:5

when the Lord shall bring thee] The Passeover seemeth here to be enjoyned but for the land of Canaan, and it was kept but once in the wildernesse, and the second Passeover was thirtie eight yeares after, Josh. 5. the reason whereof might be, first, because the keeping of the Passeover presupposed circumcision, which by reason of continuall travell was there intermitted: secondly, because in the Land of plenty, the people might be apt to forget their precedent pressure and deliverance from it: and therefore there especially they must keepe the memoriall of it.

flowing with] See Annot. on Chap. 3. 8.

Exodus 13:9

upon thine hand] Thou shalt have continuall remembrance thereof, as thou wouldest of a thing that is in thine hand, (as a seale-ring on thy finger) or before thine eyes: the Jewes (as in conformitie to this Law) had the Law of the Decalogue written in pieces of parchment, which they wore upon their armes, forheads, fringes or borders of their garments; these are the Phylacteries, which our Saviour mentioneth when he taxeth the hypocrisie of their degenerate posteritie, Matthew 23:5.

the LORDS Law in thy mouth] Joshua 1:8.

Exodus 13:11

of the Canaanites] Under which name other people called (elsewhere by severall titles) are contained: who might all be called Canaanites, as descending from Canaan, Genesis 10:6. though some sort (among them) more eminent then the rest, were called chiefly by that name.

Exodus 13:12

smite all the first borne] Chap. 12. 29.

the LORDS] This is spoken not of all, but of such beasts as were fit for food and sacrifice; as sheepe, goats, and beeves.

Exodus 13:13

of an asse] That is, of a she Asse, who is the damme and bringeth forth a foale: this is also to be understood of an Horse, and of other beasts that were unclean, which were not offered in sacrifice. For Asses both in Egypt, and in Canaan were in more ordinary use, then Horses, both for bearing of burdens, and for riding. See Jud. 10. 4. and 12. 14. and were not onely strong, but swift also, above those of other Countries.

shalt thou redeeme] When and at what rate, see Numbers 18:16.

break his neck] For if it were not redeemed, it rested as in Gods right and proprietie, and so man was not to make use of it, as his owne: and by his breaking, or cutting off the neck, for the word is used for cutting off, Deuteronomy 21:4. Esa. 66. 3. the ungratitude and hardnesse of the heart of the owner was to be noted, and hated, who would not give a Lambe or Kid, a creature of lesse price and use, for the life of an Asse that might live and doe service.

shalt thou redeeme] By offering a clean beast (for sacrifice) in his stead: for otherwise, (as in Gods right, and their owne desert) they might have beene offered up in sacrifice themselves: but they were to be redeemed, as Isaac was, by offering up a Ram, Genesis 22. vers. 12, 13. or by a payment of money, to wit, five shekels, Numbers 18:16.

Exodus 13:14

in time to come] Heb. to morrow. Because that is next to come.

what is this] * Deuteronomy 6:10. Joshua 4. vers. 6. 21. See Annotat. on Chap. 12. vers. 26.

Exodus 13:16

frontlets] Little plates, or pieces of parchment worn up on the forehead, called Phylacteries, according to the Greek, Matthew 23:56. from a word signifying to keepe, or preserve, that is, in memorie: for though they could not see betwixt their owne eyes, they might see in each others foreheads, that which should remember them of Gods deliverance of them: their right use was memorative, which (afterwards) was turned into supersitious preservatives against the power of sinne.

Exodus 13:17

for God said, Lest] God led them about, to traine them, before he put them to warre with their enemies: for warre is a terrifying evill, which if they should soon meet with, would dispose them to thinke it better to goe back into Egypt, then to make their way through the weapons of such enemies as had slaine some of their brethren before. (See 1 Chron. 7. 21.) Yet refusing this way, the way that was chosen for them, they were to fight with the Amalekites, and did so, Chap. 17. but that was not untill the fourtieth day of their journey out of Egypt, when it was too farre off to returne into Egypt, and that was but one fight, and in that God gave them a glorious victorie: but in the way by the countrey of the Philistines, they must have begun with warre, and (having begun) must have beene still provoked to goe on with it, since they were a wilfull and a warlike Nation. Herein God sheweth, that he graciously condescendeth to humane weakenesse. See Gen. 19. 20, 21. Deuteronomy 20:8. 1 Corinthians 10:13. And this doth God, (as observing the rule of his ordinary providence) for otherwise, he could easily have made the Philistines to favour them, as he did the Egyptians: or could have made his peoples courage more vigorous then their enemies, by victories over them.

Exodus 13:18

harnessed] Or, by five in a ranke. Joshua 1:14. It is not like they had much armour, besides their staves, unlesse when the armed Egyptians (pursuing them were drowned) they recovered any of their armes for a spoile, when they saw them lye dead upon the shore, Chap. 14. 30. And yet they might be allowed some armes for defence of that part of the country where they dwelled from the incursions of enemies, and might borrow armes, as well as other things of the Egyptians. The word Chamushim here used, hath the signification of five in it, and so it is taken for five in ranks, or for girding up their loynes, at the fift rib: the meaning is, that they went not out of Egypt (in a tumultuary manner) like fearefull fugitives, but trussed up, or girded up, and going on in an orderly manner, like a well ranked armie, so that none gave impediment to another.

Exodus 13:19

Moses tooke the bones] So Joseph ordered at his death, and (for more assurance) required a solemn oath, Gen. 50. 24, 25. The will of the dead in lawfull things, is faithfully to be fulfilled by their surviving friends. See Annot. on Genesis 50:25. With his bone, it is like the bones of the other Patriarchs were carryed, as appeareth by the speech of Stephen. Acts 7:16. at least this is evident thereby, that their bones also were brought into Canaan, though when, and by whom it be not certaine.

God will surely visit] Genesis 50:25. Joshua 24:32. See Annot. on Genesis 50:24.

Exodus 13:20

Succoth] Exodus 12:37.

Exodus 13:21

The Lord went] Chap. 14. Numbers 14:14. Deuteronomy 1:33. Psalms 78:14. called the angel of the Lord, Chap. 14. 19. by which is understood Christ, Exod. 23. from the 20. verse to the 23. who was typified by this cloud, as the allusion of the Prophet Isaiah intimates, Chap. 4. 5: 5, 6. and who was tempted by their disobedience, 1 Corinthians 10:9.

pillar of a cloud] Which was moved by him, with such variation as he thought it, for the guiding of their journey, and for their stations; for it went before them when they were to march, and when to stay it stood still, and when the tabernacle was built, it went backe and rested over it, where they were to test; and though it were narrowed toward heaven like a pillar, it was broad downwards, and diffused like a cloud, whereby it might serve for a shelter of the people from the heat of the Sunne. See Psalms 105:39.

Exodus 13:22

tooke not away] Nehem. 9. 19. The first mention of the cloud and fire, is at the third mansion, or pitching of the people: but that letteth not, but that they were guided by them before: for Josephs bones are not mentioned till then, and yet the people carryed them all the way, out of Egypt; and they (having need of such guides, by day and by night, both before and after, there is no doubt, but they continued all their journey in the wildernesse.

fire by night] Though they did not usually journey in the night, yet sometimes it is like they did: See Nehem. 9. 19. and though it were but sometimes, God was alwayes ready for them, and watching over them, as Psalms 121:4.