{"commentary":{"id":"adam-clarke","name":"Adam Clarke Bible Commentary","website":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Clarke","licenseUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/","licenseNotes":null,"licenseNotice":null,"englishName":"Adam Clarke Bible Commentary","language":"eng","textDirection":"rtl","sha256":"92e28c9363c876d215e296f2fe04abb3ab7e34a2aacebdf06bd62ae79c6e3dba","availableFormats":["json"],"listOfBooksApiLink":"/api/c/adam-clarke/books.json","listOfProfilesApiLink":"/api/c/adam-clarke/profiles.json","numberOfBooks":57,"totalNumberOfChapters":854,"totalNumberOfVerses":13318,"totalNumberOfProfiles":0,"languageName":"English","languageEnglishName":"English"},"book":{"id":"EXO","commentaryId":"adam-clarke","name":"Exodus","commonName":"Exodus","introduction":"The name by which this book is generally distinguished is borrowed from the Septuagint, in which it is called εξοδος, Exodus, the going out or departure; and by the Codex Alexandrinus, εξοδος αιγιπτου, the departure from Egypt, because the departure of the Israelites from Egypt is the most remarkable fact mentioned in the whole book. In the Hebrew Bibles it is called ואלה שמות Ve-Elleh Shemoth, these are the names, which are the words with which it commences. It contains a history of the transactions of 145 years, beginning at the death of Joseph, where the book of Genesis ends, and coming down to the erection of the tabernacle in the wilderness at the foot of Mount Sinai. In this book Moses details the causes and motives of the persecution raised up against the Israelites in Egypt, the orders given by Pharaoh to destroy all the Hebrew male children, and the prevention of the execution of those orders through the humanity and piety of the midwives appointed to deliver the Hebrew women. The marriage of Amram and Jochebed is next related; the birth of Moses; the manner in which he was exposed on the river Nile, and in which he was discovered by the daughter of Pharaoh; his being providentially put under the care of his own mother to be nursed, and educated as the son of the Egyptian princess; how, when forty years of age, he left the court, visited and defended his brethren; the danger to which he was in consequence exposed; his flight to Arabia; his contract with Jethro, priest or prince of Midian, whose daughter Zipporah he afterwards espoused. While employed in keeping the flocks of his father-in-law, God appeared to him in a burning bush, and commissioned him to go and deliver his countrymen from the oppression under which they groaned. Having given him the most positive assurances of protection and power to work miracles, and having associated with him his brother Aaron, he sent them first to the Israelites to declare the purpose of Jehovah, and afterwards to Pharaoh to require him, in the name of the Most High, to set the Israelites at liberty. Pharaoh, far from submitting, made their yoke more grievous; and Moses, on a second interview with him, to convince him by whose authority he made the demand, wrought a miracle before him and his courtiers. This being in a certain way imitated by Pharaoh's magicians, he hardened his heart, and refused to let the people go, till God, by ten extraordinary plagues, convinced him of his omnipotence, and obliged him to consent to dismiss a people over whose persons and properties he had claimed and exercised a right founded only on the most tyrannical principles. The plagues by which God afflicted the whole land of Egypt, Goshen excepted, where the Israelites dwelt, were the following: - 1. He turned all the waters of Egypt into blood. 2. He caused innumerable frogs to come over the whole land. 3. He afflicted both man and beast with immense swarms of vermin. 4. Afterwards with a multitude of different kinds of insects. 5. He sent a grievous pestilence among their cattle.6. Smote both man and beast with boils.7. Destroyed their crops with grievous storms of hail, accompanied with the most terrible thunder and lightning.8. Desolated the whole land by innumerable swarms of locusts. 9. He spread a palpable darkness all over Egypt; and, 10. In one night slew all the first-born, both of man and beast, through the whole of the Egyptian territories. What proved the miraculous nature of all these plagues most particularly was, 1st, Their coming exactly according to the prediction and at the command of Moses and Aaron. 2dly, Their extending only to the Egyptians, and leaving the land of Goshen, the Israelites, their cattle and substance, entirely untouched. After relating all these things in detail, with their attendant circumstances, Moses describes the institution, reason, and celebration of the passover; the preparation of the Israelites for their departure; their leaving Goshen and beginning their journey to the promised land, by the way of Rameses, Succoth, and Etham. How Pharaoh, repenting of the permission he had given them to depart, began to pursue them with an immense army of horse and foot, and overtook them at their encampment at Baal-zephon, on the borders of the Red Sea. Their destruction appearing then to be inevitable, Moses farther relates that having called earnestly upon God, and stretched his rod over the waters, they became divided, and the Israelites entered into the bed of the sea, and passed over to the opposite shore. Pharaoh and his host madly pursuing in the same track, the rear of their army being fairly entered by the time the last of the Israelites had made good their landing on the opposite coast. Moses stretching his rod again over the waters, they returned to their former channel and overwhelmed the Egyptian army, so that every soul perished. Moses next gives a circumstantial account of the different encampments of the Israelites in the wilderness, during the space of nearly forty years: the miracles wrought in their behalf; the chief of which were the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, to direct and protect them in the wilderness; the bringing water out of a rock for them and their cattle; feeding them with manna from heaven; bringing innumerable flocks of quails to their camp; giving them a complete victory over the Amalekites at the intercession of Moses; and particularly God's astonishing manifestation of himself on Mount Sinai, when he delivered to Moses an epitome of his whole law, in what was called the Ten Words or Ten Commandments. Moses proceeds to give a circumstantial detail of the different laws, statutes, and ordinances which he received from God, and particularly the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, and the awful display of the Divine Majesty on that solemn occasion; the formation of the Ark, holy Table and Candlestick; the Tabernacle, with its furniture, covering, courts, etc., the brazen Altar, golden Altar, brazen Laver, anointing oil, perfume, sacerdotal garments for Aaron and his sons, and the artificers employed on the work of the Tabernacle, etc. He then gives an account of Israel's idolatry in the matter of the golden calf, made under the direction of Aaron; God's displeasure, and the death of the principal idolaters; the erection and consecration of the Tabernacle, and its being filled and encompassed with the Divine glory, with the order and manner of their marches by direction of the miraculous pillar; with which the book concludes.","order":2,"numberOfChapters":40,"sha256":"40ba3e956510cb56019cd4a4cb9b5c35c98c7abc25e6dd193d6fc14a98b6dee1","firstChapterNumber":1,"firstChapterApiLink":"/api/c/adam-clarke/EXO/1.json","firstChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"adam-clarke","book":"EXO","chapter":1},"lastChapterNumber":40,"lastChapterApiLink":"/api/c/adam-clarke/EXO/40.json","lastChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"adam-clarke","book":"EXO","chapter":40},"totalNumberOfVerses":705},"chapter":{"number":39,"content":[{"type":"verse","number":1,"content":["Blue and purple, and scarlet - See this subject largely explained in the notes on Exo 25:4 (note)."]},{"type":"verse","number":2,"content":["Ephod - See this described, Exo 25:7 (note)."]},{"type":"verse","number":3,"content":["They did beat the gold into thin plates - For the purpose, as it is supposed, of cutting it into wires (פתילם) or threads; for to twist or twine is the common acceptation of the root פתל pathal. I cannot suppose that the Israelites had not then the art of making gold thread, as they possessed several ornamental arts much more difficult: but in the present instance, figures made in a more solid form than that which could have been effected by gold thread, might have been required."]},{"type":"verse","number":6,"content":["Onyx stones - Possibly the Egyptian pebble. See Exo 25:7, and Exo 28:17, etc."]},{"type":"verse","number":8,"content":["Breastplate - See Exo 28:15 (note)."]},{"type":"verse","number":10,"content":["And they set in it four rows of stones - See all these precious stones particularly explained in the notes on Exo 28:17 (note), etc."]},{"type":"verse","number":23,"content":["As the hole of a habergeon - The habergeon or hauberk was a small coat of mail, something in form of a half shirt, made of small iron rings curiously united together. It covered the neck and breast, was very light, and resisted the stroke of a sword. Sometimes it went over the whole head as well as over the breast. This kind of defensive armor was used among the Asiatics, particularly the ancient Persians, among whom it is still worn. It seems to have been borrowed from the Asiatics by the Norman crusaders."]},{"type":"verse","number":30,"content":["The holy crown of pure gold - On Asiatic monuments, particularly those that appear in the ruins of Persepolis and on many Egyptian monuments, the priests are represented as wearing crowns or tiaras, and sometimes their heads are crowned with laurel. Cuper observes, that the priests and priestesses, among the ancient Greeks, were styled στεφανοφοροι, or crown-bearers, because they officiated having sometimes crowns of gold, at others, crowns of laurel, upon their heads."]},{"type":"verse","number":32,"content":["Did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses - This refers to the command given Exo 25:40; and Moses has taken care to repeat every thing in the most circumstantial detail, to show that he had conscientiously observed all the directions he had received."]},{"type":"verse","number":37,"content":["The pure candlestick - See Clarke's note on Exo 25:31.\nThe lamps to be set in order - To be trimmed and fresh oiled every day, for the purpose of being lighted in the evening. See Clarke's note on Exo 27:21."]},{"type":"verse","number":43,"content":["And Moses did look upon all the work - As being the general superintendent of the whole, under whom Bezaleel and Aholiab were employed, as the other workmen were under them.\nThey had done it as the Lord had commanded - Exactly according to the pattern which Moses received from the Lord, and which he laid before the workmen to work by.\nAnd Moses blessed them - Gave them that praise which was due to their skill, diligence, and fidelity. See this meaning of the original word in the note on Gen 2:3 (note). See also a fine instance of ancient courtesy between masters and their servants, in the case of Boaz and his reapers, Rut 2:4. Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, The Lord be with You! And they answered him, The Lord bless Thee! It is, however, very probable that Moses prayed to God in their behalf, that they might be prospered in all their undertakings, saved from every evil, and be brought at last to the inheritance that fadeth not away. This blessing seems to have been given, not only to the workmen, but to all the people. The people contributed liberally, and the workmen wrought faithfully, and the blessing of God was pronounced upon All.\nThe promptitude, cordiality, and dispatch used in this business cannot be too highly commended, and are worthy of the imitation of all who are employed in any way in the service of God. The prospect of having God to dwell among them inflamed every heart, because they well knew that on this depended their prosperity and salvation. They therefore hastened to build him a house, and they spared no expense or skill to make it, as far as a house made with hands could be, worthy of that Divine Majesty who had promised to take up his residence in it. This tabernacle, like the temple, was a type of the human nature of the Lord Jesus; that was a shrine not made with hands, formed by God himself, and worthy of that fullness of the Deity that dwelt in it.\nIt is scarcely possible to form an adequate opinion of the riches, costly workmanship, and splendor of the tabernacle; and who can adequately conceive the glory and excellence of that human nature in which the fullness of the Godhead bodily dwelt? That this tabernacle typified the human nature of Christ, and the Divine shechinah that dwelt in it the Deity that dwelt in the man Christ Jesus, these words of St. John sufficiently prove: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (εσκηνωσεν εν ἡμιν, made his Tabernacle among us), full of grace and truth - possessing the true Urim and Thummim; all the lights and perfections, the truth and the grace, typified by the Mosaic economy, Joh 1:1, Joh 1:14. And hence the evangelist adds, And we beheld his glory; as the Israelites beheld the glory of God resting on the tabernacle, so did the disciples of Christ see the Divine glory resting on him, and showing itself forth in all his words, spirit, and works. And for what purpose was the tabernacle erected? That God might dwell in it among the children of Israel. And for what purpose was the human nature of Christ so miraculously produced? That the Godhead might dwell in it; and that God and man might be reconciled through this wonderful economy of Divine grace, God being in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, Co2 5:19. And what was implied by this reconciliation? The union of the soul with God, and the indwelling of God in the soul. Reader, has God yet filled thy tabernacle with his glory? Does Christ dwell in thy heart by faith; and dost thou abide in him, bringing forth fruit unto holiness? Then thy end shall be eternal life. Why shouldst thou not go on thy way rejoicing with Christ in thy heart, heaven in thine eye, and the world, the devil, and the flesh, under thy feet?"]}],"introduction":"Bezaleel makes the clothes of service for the holy place, and the holy garments, Exo 39:1. The ephod, Exo 39:2. Gold is beaten into plates, and cut into wires for embroidery, Exo 39:3. He makes the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, Exo 39:4. The curious girdle, Exo 39:5. Cuts the onyx stones for the shoulder-pieces, Exo 39:6. Makes the breastplate, its chains, ouches, rings, etc., Exo 39:7-21. The robe of the ephod, Exo 39:22-26. Coats of fine linen, Exo 39:27. The mitre, Exo 39:28. The girdle, Exo 39:29. The plate of the holy crown, Exo 39:30, Exo 39:31. The completion of the work of the tabernacle, Exo 39:32. All the work is brought unto Moses, Exo 39:33-41. Moses, having examined the whole, finds every thing done as the Lord had commanded in consequence of which he blesses the people, Exo 39:42, Exo 39:43."},"thisChapterLink":"/api/c/adam-clarke/EXO/39.json","thisChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"adam-clarke","book":"EXO","chapter":39},"nextChapterApiLink":"/api/c/adam-clarke/EXO/40.json","nextChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"adam-clarke","book":"EXO","chapter":40},"previousChapterApiLink":"/api/c/adam-clarke/EXO/38.json","previousChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"adam-clarke","book":"EXO","chapter":38},"numberOfVerses":11}