Exodus 3

Ex 3:1-22.

DIVINE

APPEARANCE AND

COMMISSION TO

MOSES.

1. Now Moses kept the flock--This employment he had entered on

in furtherance of his matrimonial views (see on

Ex 2:21),

but it is probable he was continuing his service now on other terms

like Jacob during the latter years of his stay with Laban

(Ge 30:28).

he led the flock to the backside of the desert--that is, on the

west of the desert [GESENIUS], assuming Jethro's

headquarters to have been at Dahab. The route by which Moses led his

flock must have been west through the wide valley called by the Arabs,

Wady-es-Zugherah [ROBINSON], which led into the

interior of the wilderness.

Mountain of God--so named either according to Hebrew

idiom from its great height, as "great mountains," Hebrew,

"mountains of God"

(Ps 36:6);

"goodly cedars," Hebrew, "cedars of God"

(Ps 80:10);

or some think from its being the old abode of "the glory"; or finally

from its being the theater of transactions most memorable in the

history of the true religion to Horeb--rather, "Horeb-ward."

Horeb--that is, "dry," "desert," was the general name for the

mountainous district in which Sinai is situated, and of which it is a

part. (See on

Ex 19:2).

It was used to designate the region comprehending that immense range of

lofty, desolate, and barren hills, at the base of which, however, there

are not only many patches of verdure to be seen, but almost all the

valleys, or wadys, as they are called, show a thin coating of

vegetation, which, towards the south, becomes more luxuriant. The Arab

shepherds seldom take their flocks to a greater distance than one day's

journey from their camp. Moses must have gone at least two days'

journey, and although he seems to have been only following his pastoral

course, that region, from its numerous springs in the clefts of the

rocks being the chief resort of the tribes during the summer heats, the

Providence of God led him thither for an important purpose.

2, 3. the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of

fire--It is common in Scripture to represent the elements and

operations of nature, as winds, fires, earthquakes, pestilence,

everything enlisted in executing the divine will, as the "angels" or

messengers of God. But in such cases God Himself is considered as

really, though invisibly, present. Here the preternatural fire may be

primarily meant by the expression "angel of the Lord"; but it is clear

that under this symbol, the Divine Being was present, whose name is

given

(Ex 3:4, 6),

and elsewhere called the angel of the covenant, Jehovah-Jesus.

out of the midst of a bush--the wild acacia or thorn, with which

that desert abounds, and which is generally dry and brittle, so much

so, that at certain seasons, a spark might kindle a district far and

wide into a blaze. A fire, therefore, being in the midst of such a

desert bush was a "great sight." It is generally supposed to have been

emblematic of the Israelites' condition in Egypt--oppressed by a

grinding servitude and a bloody persecution, and yet, in spite of the

cruel policy that was bent on annihilating them, they continued as

numerous and thriving as ever. The reason was "God was in the midst of

them." The symbol may also represent the present state of the Jews, as

well as of the Church generally in the world.

4. when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see--The

manifestations which God anciently made of Himself were always

accompanied by clear, unmistakable signs that the communications were

really from heaven. This certain evidence was given to Moses. He saw a

fire, but no human agent to kindle it; he heard a voice, but no human

lips from which it came; he saw no living Being, but One was in the

bush, in the heat of the flames, who knew him and addressed him by

name. Who could this be but the Divine Being?

5. put off thy shoes--The direction was in conformity with a

usage which was well known to Moses, for the Egyptian priests observed

it in their temples, and it is observed in all Eastern countries where

the people take off their shoes or sandals, as we do our hats. But the

Eastern idea is not precisely the same as the Western. With us, the

removal of the hat is an expression of reverence for the place we

enter, or rather of Him who is worshipped there. With them the removal

of the shoes is a confession of personal defilement and conscious

unworthiness to stand in the presence of unspotted holiness.

6-8. I am the God . . . come down to deliver--The

reverential awe of Moses must have been relieved by the divine Speaker

(see

Mt 22:32),

announcing Himself in His covenant character, and by the welcome

intelligence communicated. Moreover, the time, as well as all the

circumstances of this miraculous appearance, were such as to give him

an illustrious display of God's faithfulness to His promises. The

period of Israel's journey and affliction in Egypt had been predicted

(Ge 15:13),

and it was during the last year of the term which had still to run that

the Lord appeared in the burning bush.

10-22. Come now therefore, and I will send thee--Considering the

patriotic views that had formerly animated the breast of Moses, we

might have anticipated that no mission could have been more welcome to

his heart than to be employed in the national emancipation of Israel.

But he evinced great reluctance to it and stated a variety of

objections

[Ex 3:11, 13; 4:1, 10]

all of which were successfully met and removed--and the happy issue of

his labors was minutely described.