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3,811 commentary entries
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
Triumphant Song of the Israelites. (b. c. 1491.)
TRIUMPHANT SONG OF THE ISRAELITES. (B. C. 1491.) Having read how that complete victory of Israel over the Egyptians was obtained, here we are told how it was celebrated; those that were to hold their peace while the del…
The Waters of Marah. (b. c. 1491.)
THE WATERS OF MARAH. (B. C. 1491.) It should seem, it was with some difficulty that Moses prevailed with Israel to leave that triumphant shore on which they sang the foregoing song. They were so taken up with the sight,…
The Israelites Murmur for Bread. (b. c. 1491.)
THE ISRAELITES MURMUR FOR BREAD. (B. C. 1491.) The host of Israel, it seems, took along with them out of Egypt, when they came thence on the fifteenth day of the first month, a month's provisions, which, by the fifteent…
Manna Rained from Heaven. (b. c. 1491.)
MANNA RAINED FROM HEAVEN. (B. C. 1491.) Now they begin to be provided for by the immediate hand of God. I. He makes them a feast, at night, of delicate fowl, feathered fowl (Psalm 78:27), therefore not locusts, as some…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 16:22-31
We have here, 1. A plain intimation of the observing of a seventh day sabbath, not only before the giving of the law upon Mount Sinai, but before the bringing of Israel out of Egypt, and therefore, from the beginning, G…
A Pot of Manna Preserved. (b. c. 1491.)
A POT OF MANNA PRESERVED. (B. C. 1491.) God having provided manna to be his people's food in the wilderness, and to be to them a continual feast, we are here told, 1. How the memory of it was preserved. An omer of this…
The Israelites Murmur for Water. (b. c. 1491.)
THE ISRAELITES MURMUR FOR WATER. (B. C. 1491.) Here is, I. The strait that the children of Israel were in for want of water; once before the were in the like distress, and now, a second time, Exodus 17:1. They journeyed…
The Conflict with Amalek; The Defeat of Amalek. (b. c. 1491.)
THE CONFLICT WITH AMALEK; THE DEFEAT OF AMALEK. (B. C. 1491.) We have here the story of the war with Amalek, which, we may suppose, was the first that was recorded in the book of the wars of the Lord, Numbers 21:14. Ama…
Jethro's Visit to Moses. (b. c. 1491.)
JETHRO'S VISIT TO MOSES. (B. C. 1491.) This incident may very well be allowed to have happened as it is placed here, before the giving of the law, and not, as some place it, in connection with what is recorded, Numbers…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 18:7-12
Observe here, I. The kind greeting that took place between Moses and his father-in-law, Exodus 18:7. Though Moses was a prophet of the Lord, a great prophet, and king in Jeshurun, yet he showed a very humble respect to…
Jethro's Advice to Moses. (b. c. 1491.)
JETHRO'S ADVICE TO MOSES. (B. C. 1491.) Here is, I. The great zeal and industry of Moses as a magistrate. 1. Having been employed to redeem Israel out of the house of bondage, herein he is a further type of Christ, that…
The Covenant of Sinai. (b. c. 1491.)
THE COVENANT OF SINAI. (B. C. 1491.) Here is, I. The date of that great charter by which Israel was incorporated. 1. The time when it bears date (Exodus 19:1)—in the third month after they came out of Egypt. It is compu…
The Approach of God Announced. (b. c. 1491.)
THE APPROACH OF GOD ANNOUNCED. (B. C. 1491.) Here, I. God intimates to Moses his purpose of coming down upon Mount Sinai, in some visible appearance of his glory, in a thick cloud (Exodus 19:9); for he said that he woul…
The Divine Presence on Mount Sinai. (b. c. 1491.)
THE DIVINE PRESENCE ON MOUNT SINAI. (B. C. 1491.) Now, at length, comes that memorable day, that terrible day of the Lord, that day of judgment, in which Israel heard the voice of the Lord God speaking to them out of th…
The Ten Commandments. (b. c. 1491.)
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. (B. C. 1491.) Here is, I. The preface of the law-writer, Moses: God spoke all these words, Exodus 20:1. The law of the ten commandments is, 1. A law of God's making. They are enjoined by the infini…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 20:12-17
We have here the laws of the second table, as they are commonly called, the last six of the ten commandments, comprehending our duty to ourselves and to one another, and constituting a comment upon the second great comm…
Terror with Which the Law Was Given. (b. c. 1491.)
TERROR WITH WHICH THE LAW WAS GIVEN. (B. C. 1491.) I. The extraordinary terror with which the law was given. Never was any thing delivered with such awful pomp; every word was accented, and every sentence paused, with t…
The Law Concerning Altars. (b. c. 1491.)
THE LAW CONCERNING ALTARS. (B. C. 1491.) Moses having gone into the thick darkness, where God was, God there spoke in his hearing only, privately and without terror, all that follows hence to the end of Exodus 23:1-32,…
Judicial Laws. (b. c. 1491.)
JUDICIAL LAWS. (B. C. 1491.) The Exodus 21:1 is the general title of the laws contained in this and the two following chapters, some of them relating to the religious worship of God, but most of them relating to matters…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 21:12-21
Here is, I. A law concerning murder. He had lately said, Thou shalt not kill; here he provides, 1. For the punishing of wilful murder (Exodus 21:12): He that smiteth a man, whether upon a sudden passion or in malice pre…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 21:22-36
Observe here, I. The particular care which the law took of women with child, that no hurt should be done them which might occasion their mis-carrying. The law of nature obliges us to be very tender in that case, lest th…
Judicial Laws. (b. c. 1491.)
JUDICIAL LAWS. (B. C. 1491.) Here are the laws, I. Concerning theft, which are these:—1. If a man steal any cattle (in which the wealth of those times chiefly consisted), and they be found in his custody, he must restor…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 22:7-15
These laws are, I. Concerning trusts, Exodus 22:7-13. If a man deliver goods, suppose to a carrier to be conveyed, or to a warehouse-keeper to be preserved, or cattle to a farmer to be fed, upon a valuable consideration…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 22:16-24
Here is, I. A law that he who debauched a young woman should be obliged to marry her, Exodus 22:16-17. If she was betrothed to another, it was death to debauch her (Deuteronomy 22:23-24); but the law here mentioned resp…