Exodus 6

Verse 1. Said, in answer to his prayer.—Cast out, so eager he will be to have you dismissed, after he has repeatedly felt my hand. Calmet. 3:19. Bible.

Verse 3. My name Adonai. The name which is in the Hebrew text, is that most proper name of God, which signifieth his eternal self-existent being, (Exod. 3:14,) which the Jews, out of reverence, never pronounce; but instead of it, whenever it occurs in the Bible, they read Adonai, which signifies the Lord; and therefore they put the points or vowels, which belong to the name Adonai, to the four letters of that other ineffable name, Jod, He, Vau, He. Hence some moderns have framed the name Jehovah: unknown to all the ancients, whether Jews or Christians: for the true pronunciation of the name, which is in the Hebrew text, by long disuse, is now quite lost. Challoner.—This name was first clearly revealed to Moses, that he might have confidence in his special protection and love. Menochius.—To know one by his name is to treat him with familiarity and distinction. Exodus 33:17. The pronunciation of the name of God might be known to Abraham, and so forth but it was not so fully explained, nor the power and excellence of it declared in such a stupendous manner, as it was to Moses. D.—Or perhaps Moses made use of this name in the history of the patriarchs, because he wrote his account of them after this revelation. Calmet.—The Septuagint always put Kurios, “the Lord,” instead of the ineffable name; and our Saviour and his apostles, citing text where it occurs, follow their example. Matthew 4:7, 10. Romans 15:11. Worthington.—Philo informs us, that it was death to pronounce it out of the temple, and since that was destroyed, it has never been heard. Calmet.—Galatinus, who wrote in 1518, is supposed to have invented the word Jehovah, (see Amama Antib. p. 319,) the year after the pretended reformation began. Bible.—S. Jerom (ep. 136 ad Marc.) explains the ten names of God, but never reads Jehovah. Tirinus.

LORD or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah.

Verse 7. God, Elohim, who will pass sentence in your favour, as a just judge. Menochius.

Verse 8. Hand; swearing. Calmet. 14:22. 2 Ezra 9:15.

Verse 9. Anguish: Septuagint “pusillanimity.” They would not even hope for a change. Menochius.—The Samaritan copy records the speech which they made to Moses. Kennicott, p. 313.

Verse 12. Uncircumcised lips. So he calls the defect he had in his words, or utterance. Challoner.—The Hebrews call the heart, and so forth uncircumcised, when it has any natural or moral defect. Acts 7:15. Tirinus.—“I do not speak the language in its purity.” Sym. “I express my sentiments with difficulty.” Calmet. 4:10. Onkelos.

Verse 14. These. From this place to verse 26, is written in a kind of parentheses: the remainder of the chapter is a recapitulation of what had been said. Calmet.—Moses intends to give his own genealogy, and the state of affairs when he began to afflict Egypt. Bible.—He mentions three tribes, which Jacob had rebuked, lest any one might think they had forfeited their title to some distinctive tribes. Menochius.

Verse 16. Levi died the last of his brethren, and Joseph the first. Worthington.

Verse 20. Aunt: Hebrew Doda is applied to various degrees of kindred. The Chaldeee says, Jochabed was daughter of Amram’s sister, the Septuagint assert of his brother, and consequently his own cousin. But she might be his aunt. Calmet. 2:1. Calmet.

Verse 23. Nahason, prince of the tribe of Juda. Numbers 1:7. Observe the modesty of Moses, who passes over his own family almost in silence. Menochius.

Verse 26. Aaron is sometimes placed first, as the elder; sometimes last, as inferior in dignity, verse 27.—Companies, or bands, in order of battle. Calmet. 13:18. Calmet.