The paschal solemnity is to be observed; and the firstborn are to be consecrated to God. The people are conducted through the desert by a pillar of fire in the night, and a cloud in the day.
God commandeth to remember their deliuerie from Aegypt, by the solemnitie of Pasch 2. and by consecrating to him the first-borne. 17. And so leadeth them through the desert towards the red sea (Moyses taking with him Iosephs bones) by a piller of fire in the night; and a cloud in the day.
1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:E Il Signore parlò a Mosè, e disse:AND our Lord spake to Moyses, saing:Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens: 2Sanctify unto me every firstborn that openeth the womb among the children of Israel, as well of men as of beasts: for they are all mine.Consacra a me tutti i primogeniti, che aprono l'utero delle madri, tanto degli uomini, che de'giumenti, che nasceranno tra' figliuoli d'Israele: perocché sono mie tutte le cose.Sanctifie vnto me euerie first borne that openeth the matrice in the children of Israel, as wel of men as of beastes: for they are al mine.Sanctifica mihi omne primogenitum quod aperit vulvam in filiis Israël, tam de hominibus quam de jumentis: mea sunt enim omnia. 3And Moses said to the people: Remember this day in which you came forth out of Egypt, and out of the house of bondage, for with a strong hand hath the Lord brought you forth out of this place: that you eat no leavened bread.E Mosè disse al popolo: Abbiate memoria di questo giorno, in cui siete usciti dall'Egitto, e dalla casa di schiavitù; perocché con braccio forte havvi tratti fuori il Signore da questo luogo: per la qual cosa non mangerete pane fermentato.And Moyses said to the people: Remember this day in the which you went forth out of Aegypt, and out of the house of seruitude, because with a strong hand hath our Lord brought you forth out of this place: that you eate not leauened bread.Et ait Moyses ad populum: Mementote diei hujus in qua egressi estis de Ægypto et de domo servitutis, quoniam in manu forti eduxit vos Dominus de loco isto: ut non comedatis fermentatum panem. 4This day you go forth in the month of new corn.Voi uscirete oggi nel mese delle nuove biade.This day you goe forth in the moneth of new corne.Hodie egredimini mense novarum frugum. 5And when the Lord shall have brought thee into the land of the Chanaanite, and the Hethite, and the Amorrhite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite, which he swore to thy fathers that he would give thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey, thou shalt celebrate this manner of sacred rites in this month.E quando il Signore ti avrà introdotto nella terra del Chananeo, e dell'Hetheo, e dell'Amorrheo, e dell'Heveo, e dell'Jebuseo, la quale egli promise con giuramento a' padri tuoi di dare a te, terra, che scorre latte e miele, tu osserverai questo rito sacro in questo mese.And when our Lord shal haue brought thee into the Land of Chananeite and Hetheite and Amorrheite and Heueite and Iebuseite, which he sware to thy fathers that he would geue thee, a land that floweth with milke and honie, thou shalt celebrate this maner of sacred rites in this moneth.Cumque introduxerit te Dominus in terram Chananæi, et Hethæi, et Amorrhæi, et Hevæi, et Jebusæi, quam juravit patribus tuis ut daret tibi, terram fluentem lacte et melle, celebrabis hunc morem sacrorum mense isto.
6Seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be the solemnity of the Lord.Per sette giorni mangerai azzimi: e il settimo giorno sarà giorno solenne del Signore.Seuen daies shalt thou eate azimes: and in the seuenth day shal be the solemnitie of our Lord.Septem diebus vesceris azymis: et in die septimo erit solemnitas Domini. 7Unleavened bread shall you eat seven days: there shall not be seen any thing leavened with thee, nor in all thy coasts.Mangerete azzimi per sette giorni: non si vedrà presso di te, né dentro a' tuoi confini nulla di fermentato.Azimes shal you eate seuen dayes: there shal not be seene anie leauened thing with thee, nor in al thy coastes.Azyma comedetis septem diebus: non apparebit apud te aliquid fermentatum, nec in cunctis finibus tuis. 8And thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying: This is what the Lord did to me when I came forth out of Egypt.E in quel giorno racconterai al tuo figliuolo, e dirai: Questo, e questo fece per me il Signore, quando io uscii dall'Egitto.And thou shalt tel thy sonne in that day, saying: This is that which our Lord did to me when I came forth out of Aegypt.Narrabisque filio tuo in die illo, dicens: Hoc est quod fecit mihi Dominus quando egressus sum de Ægypto. 9And it shall be as a sign in thy hand, and as a memorial before thy eyes; and that the law of the Lord be always in thy mouth, for with a strong hand the Lord hath brought thee out of the land of Egypt.E ciò sarà quasi un sigillo nella tua mano, e come un monumento davanti a' tuoi occhi, affinché la legge del Signore sia sempre nella tua bocca: perocché con braccio forte ti trasse il Signore dall'Egitto.And it shal be as a signe in thy hand, and as a moniment before thine eyes: and that the law of our Lord be alwayes in the mouth, for in a strong hand our Lord hath brought thee out of Aegypt.Et erit quasi signum in manu tua, et quasi monimentum ante oculos tuos: et ut lex Domini semper sit in ore tuo, in manu enim forti eduxit te Dominus de Ægypto. 10Thou shalt keep this observance at the set time from days to days.Osserverai questo rito di anno in anno nel tempo stabilito.Thou shalt keepe this obseruation at the sette time from dayes to dayes.Custodies hujuscemodi cultum statuto tempore a diebus in dies. 11And when the Lord shall have brought thee into the land of the Chanaanite, as he swore to thee and thy fathers, and shall give it thee:E quando il Signore ti avrà introdotto nella terra del Chananeo, come giurò a te, e a' padri tuoi, e a te l'avrà data in dominio:And when our Lord shal haue brought thee into the Land of the Chananeite, as he sware to thee and thy fathers, and shal geue it thee:Cumque introduxerit te Dominus in terram Chananæi, sicut juravit tibi et patribus tuis, et dederit tibi eam:
12Thou shalt set apart all that openeth the womb for the Lord, and all that is first brought forth of thy cattle: whatsoever thou shalt have of the male sex, thou shalt consecrate to the Lord.Separerai pel Signore tutti i primi parti, e tutte le primizie de' tuoi bestiami: tutti i maschi, che avrai, li consacrerai al Signore.thou shalt separate al that openeth the matrice vnto our Lord, and al that is brought forth in thy cattel: whatsoeuer thou shalt haue of male sexe thou shalt consecrate to our Lord.separabis omne quod aperit vulvam Domino, et quod primitivum est in pecoribus tuis: quidquid habueris masculini sexus, consecrabis Domino. 13The firstborn of an ass thou shalt change for a sheep: and if thou do not redeem it, thou shalt kill it. And every firstborn of men thou shalt redeem with a price.Al primogenito dell'asino sostituirai una pecora: che se nol riscatti, lo ucciderai: ma i primogeniti de' tuoi figliuoli li riscatterai tutti con denaro.The first borne of an asse thou shal change for a sheepe: and if thou doe not redeeme it, thou shalt kil it. And euerie first borne of men among thy children, thou shalt redemne with a price.Primogenitum asini mutabis ove: quod si non redemeris, interficies. Omne autem primogenitum hominis de filiis tuis, pretio redimes. 14And when thy son shall ask thee to morrow, saying: What is this? thou shalt answer him: With a strong hand did the Lord bring us forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.E quando in appresso domanderà a te il tuo figliuolo: Che è questo? gli risponderai: Con braccio forte ci trasse il Signore dalla terra d'Egitto, dalla casa di schiavitù.And when thy sonne shal aske thee to morow, saying: What is this? thou shalt answere him: With a strong hand did our Lord bring vs forth out of the land of Aegypt, out of the house of seruitude.Cumque interrogaverit te filius tuus cras, dicens: Quid est hoc ? respondebis ei: In manu forti eduxit nos Dominus de terra Ægypti, de domo servitutis. 15For when Pharao was hardened, and would not let us go, the Lord slew every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man to the firstborn of beasts: therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that openeth the womb of the male sex, and all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.Imperocché essendosi Faraone ostinato a non voler lasciarci partire, uccise il Signore tutti i primogeniti nella terra d'Egitto, dal primogenito dell'uomo fino al primogenito dei giumenti: per questo io offerisco al Signore tutti i primi parti maschi, e riscatto tutti i primogeniti de' miei figliuoli.For when Pharaoes hart was indurate, and would not dismisse vs, our Lord slew euerie first-borne in the Land of Aegypt, from the first-borne of man to the first borne of beastes: therfore I sacrifice to our Lord al that openeth the matrice of the male sixe, and al the first borne of my sonnes I doe redeme.Nam cum induratus esset Pharao, et nollet nos dimittere, occidit Dominus omne primogenitum in terra Ægypti, a primogenito hominis usque ad primogenitum jumentorum: idcirco immolo Domino omne quod aperit vulvam masculini sexus, et omnia primogenita filiorum meorum redimo.
16And it shall be as a sign in thy hand, and as a thing hung between thy eyes, for a remembrance: because the Lord hath brought us forth out of Egypt by a strong hand.Questo adunque sarà come un sigillo nella tua mano, e come un ricordo, che penda tra l'uno e l'altr'occhio, e ti avverta come il Signore con forte braccio ci trasse dall'Egitto.It shal be therfore as a signe in thy hand, and as a thing hanged before thine eyes, for a remembrance: because our Lord by a strong hand hath brought vs forth out of Aegypt.Erit igitur quasi signum in manu tua, et quasi appensum quid, ob recordationem, inter oculos tuos: eo quod in manu forti eduxit nos Dominus de Ægypto. 17And when Pharao had sent out the people, the Lord led them not by the way of the land of the Philistines, which is near; thinking lest perhaps they would repent, if they should see wars arise against them, and would return into Egypt.Avendo adunque Faraone fatto andar via il popolo, Dio nol condusse per la vicina strada de' Filistei, sul riflesso, che egli forse non si ripentisse, e tornasse in Egitto, quando avesse veduto suscitarsi guerre contro di lui.Therfore when Pharao had sent forth the people, our Lord ledde them not by the way of the Philisthijns countrie which is neere: thinking lest perhappes it would repent them, if they should see warres arise against them, and would returne into Aegypt.Igitur cum emisisset Pharao populum, non eos duxit Deus per viam terræ Philisthiim quæ vicina est: reputans ne forte pœniteret eum, si vidisset adversum se bella consurgere, et reverteretur in Ægyptum. 18But he led them about by the way of the desert, which is by the Red Sea: and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt.Ma fece lor fare un giro pel deserto, che è presso al mar Rosso: e i figliuoli d'Israele uscirono armati dalla terra d'Egitto.But he ledde them about by the way of the desert, which is besides the Red sea: and the children of Israel went vp out of the Land of Aegypt armed.Sed circumduxit per viam deserti, quæ est juxta mare Rubrum: et armati ascenderunt filii Israël de terra Ægypti. 19And Moses took Joseph’s bones with him: because he had adjured the children of Israel, saying: God shall visit you, carry out my bones from hence with you.E Mosè prese seco anche le ossa di Giuseppe: perché questi se l'era fatto promettere da' figliuoli d'Israele con giuramento, quando disse: Dio vi visiterà: trasportate di qua con voi le mie ossa.Moyses also tooke Iosephes bones with him: because he had adiured the children of Israel, saying: God shal visite you, carrie out my bones from hence with you.Tulit quoque Moyses ossa Joseph secum: eo quod adjurasset filios Israël, dicens: Visitabit vos Deus; efferte ossa mea hinc vobiscum.
20And marching from Socoth, they encamped in Etham, in the utmost coasts of the wilderness.E partiti da Socoth posero gli alloggiamenti in Etham, che è nell'estremità del deserto.And marching from Socoth they camped in Etham in the vtmost coastes of the wildernesse.Profectique de Socoth castrametati sunt in Etham, in extremis finibus solitudinis. 21And the Lord went before them to shew the way, by day in a pillar of a cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire; that he might be the guide of their journey at both times.E il Signore li precedeva per insegnar loro la strada, di giorno con una colonna di nuvola, e di notte con una colonna di fuoco, la quale nell'uno e nell'altro tempo fosse loro scorta nel viaggio.And our Lord went before them to shew the way by day in a piller of a cloude, and by night in a piller of fire: that he might be the guide of their iourney both times.Dominus autem præcedebat eos ad ostendendam viam per diem in columna nubis, et per noctem in columna ignis: ut dux esset itineris utroque tempore. 22There never failed the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, before the people.Non mancò mai la colonna di nuvola di giorno, né la colonna di fuoco la notte dinanzi al popolo.There neuer failed the piller of the cloude by day, nor the piller of fire by night, before the people.Numquam defuit columna nubis per diem, nec columna ignis per noctem, coram populo.
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Challoner
Sanctify unto me every first-born. Sanctification in this place means, that the first-born males of the Hebrews should be deputed to the ministry in the divine worship: and the first-born of beasts to be given for a sacrifice. (Challoner)
Menochius
Sanctify, set apart. (Menochius)
Calmet
Openeth, the first male fruit of the womb. If a female was born the first, none of the children were to be redeemed. (Luke 2:23.) Jesus Christ submitted to this law; though many of the fathers have asserted that, on account of his miraculous conception and birth, he was not subjected to it; while others maintain the contrary. (Calmet)
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Calmet
Corn. Hebrew Abib; which was styled Nisan after the Babylonian captivity. At this time, peculiar names were not yet given to the months, by the Hebrews or Egyptians. (Calmet)
Haydock
They were distinguished by their respective order, productions, or appearances. (Haydock)
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Menochius
When. These regulations did not therefore take place in the desert. (Menochius)
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Haydock
And it, etc. The festivals appointed by God and his Church, naturally remind us of the favours which we have received, and help us to meditate on the law. (Haydock)
The Jews, understanding the precept literally, write verses taken from this chapter, and Deuteronomy 6. and xi., upon parchment, and bind these tephilins, or phylacteries, on their forehead. But if these scrolls were requisite, why do they not also put them in their mouth and in their heart? Jesus Christ condemns the vanity of the Pharisees, who wore these bandages extremely large, Matthew 23:5. The Mahometans teach their scholars, by writing the Coran upon a tablet, and exposing it to their view: (Calmet) a plan lately introduced in England with great success by Mr. Lancaster.
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Menochius
To-morrow. At any future period, Matthew 6:2. (Menochius)
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Worthington
Hardened. Hebrew, "by himself," or by his own malice. (Worthington)
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Haydock
It. This ordinance shall cause thee never to forget the goodness of God. (Haydock)
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Worthington
Lest. God maketh use of precautions, to shew the free-will of man. (Worthington)
Calmet
The Philistines had before made a great slaughter of the Ephraimites, 1 Paralipomenon 7:21. The Chanaanites would also be ready to oppose the Hebrews, if they had attempted to enter by the road of Pelusium, and perhaps the Idumeans and Amalecites also would have met them in front, while the Egyptians attacked their rear. (Calmet)
Menochius
This journey, Philo says, would not have taken up above three days. The battle with Amalec took place only 40 days afterwards, and God protected his people. (Menochius)
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Calmet
Armed, in order of battle. Hebrew chamushim, "by fives," or in five battalions. (Josue 1:14; Judges 8:11.) (Calmet)
Haydock
Calvin asks where the Hebrews could procure arms, as if to cavil with this translation. But surely they might get them in the same manner as the vessels of gold; and they undoubtedly were not destitute of arms when they encountered the Amalecites, ver. 17. (Haydock)
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Worthington
Joseph's. This attention to the dead is commended, Hebrews 11. (Worthington)
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Etham. A city on the banks of the Red Sea, giving its name to one of the gulphs, which the Greeks called after the city of Heropolis. (Pliny, Natural History 6:29.) The Septuagint translate, "They encamped at Othon, which is near the desert;" and (Numbers 32:6,) the Hebrews marched three days in the desert of Buthan, before they arrived at Mara.
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Calmet
Never. From the station of Etham; or, if we follow St. Jerome, from that of Socoth, or even from Ramesses, according to Bonfrere, till the passage of the Jordan, when the ark supplied its want, Josue 3:11. This cloud assumed different appearances, as the exigencies of the Hebrews required. It was a figure of baptism; (1 Corinthians 10:1) the fire designated Jesus Christ, and the cloud the Holy Ghost. (St. Ambrose, de Sac. 6.) (Calmet)
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Sanctify unto me every firstborn.... Sanctification in this place means that the firstborn males of the Hebrews should be deputed to the ministry in the divine worship; and the firstborn of beasts to be given for a sacrifice.
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• The first lesson at Mattins on Candlemasse day.
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The old Testament proposed cōmonly temporal rewardes. S Hierom. l•p. ad Dardanum.
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In the Hebrew. vvhen Pharao had indurated himselfe.
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Gods preuention to auoid tentations sheweth free wilin man
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By this appeareth how much Moyses estemed Iosephs charge concerning translation of his bones. Also S. Paul commendeth it. Heb. 11.
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 1.3.4
4. They moreover affirm that the Saviour is shown to be derived from all the Æons, and to be in Himself everything by the following passage: “Every male that openeth the womb.”
Tertullian † AD 220 On the Flesh of Christ 23
… it was the same sex that opened her womb. Indeed, hers is the womb on account of which it is written of others also: “Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 107.3
… You have exchanged a fertility bound up with sorrow for offspring which shall never die. For I am confident that having given to the Lord your first-born you will be the mother of sons. It is the first-born that is offered under the Law.
St Jerome † AD 420 Against the Pelagians 2
Ps. lviii. 3 . Sinners are estranged from the womb; that is, either, as St. Paul says ( Rom. v. 14 ), they sin “after the similitude of Adam”; or, “when Christ, as the firstborn, opened the virgin’s womb” (
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 41.2
… Were not the holy prophets led into captivity? And again, did not that very nation, when making bricks in Egypt, also serve hard rulers, not only in gold and silver, but also in clay? If you were never in bondage to any man, ungrateful people, why is it that God is continually reminding you that He delivered you from the house of bondage?
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 81.8
But when thou shalt have passed the Red Sea, when thou shalt have been led forth out of thine offences “with a mighty hand and with a strong arm,”
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St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 4.23
… and so the number of the days goes up to seven and then circles back again and begins at the first. This is the precious number with the Jews, God having ordained that it should be held in honour, and that in no chance fashion but with the imposition of most heavy penalties for the transgression
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St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 35.3
3. How is Gen. xv. 16 , “in the fourth generation they shall come hither again,” to be reconciled with
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 36
… Paul, Samuel, David, Elisha, all make mistakes, and holy men only know what God reveals to them.” He then goes on to give a mystical interpretation of the passage suggested by the martyr Hippolytus. Written the day after the previous letter.
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Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 8.8
… And according to the word of Joseph his brethren did, and kept the oath a hundred and twenty-five years. At that time when the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt, then Moses took up the bones of Joseph when he went forth.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 On the Holy Martyr, S. Babylas 2
… Yea Ezekiel standing near the bones themselves was not only not hindered by them, but added flesh, and nerves and skin to them, and brought them back to life again. But the great Moses did not stand near the bones of the dead, but bearing off the whole dead body of Joseph, thus foretold things to come.
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St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 45
… If thou doest this, and comest out of Egypt thus, I know well that thou shalt be guided by the pillar of fire and cloud by night and day.
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St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 2.6
… “And the Angel of the Lord spake unto me in dreams, I am God, whom thou sawest in the place of God where thou anointedst me a pillar of stone, and vowedst to me a vow.” Also in Exodus: “But God went before them by day indeed in a pillar of cloud, to show them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire.”
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 40
… And, to mention more Lights—it was Light that appeared out of Fire to Moses, when it burned the bush indeed, but did not consume it, to shew its nature and to declare the power that was in it. And it was Light that was in the pillar of fire that led Israel and tamed the wilderness.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 169.9
9. As for the sound of the voice, however, and the bodily form of a dove, and the cloven tongues which sat upon each of them, these, like the terrible wonders wrought at Sinai, and like the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 2.6
… A particular significative action was added to those already existing things; they did not, as that dove and fire, suddenly come into being in order simply so to signify. The dove and the fire, indeed, seem to me more like that flame which appeared to Moses in the bush, or that pillar which the people followed in the wilderness,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 68.8
… “the earth was moved,” to the faith earthly men were stirred up. But whence was it moved? “For the heavens dropped from the face of God.” Perchance here some one calleth to mind that time, when in the desert God was going over before His people, before the sons of Israel, by day in the pillar of cloud, by night in the brightness of fire;
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2. SANCTIFY TO ME EVERY FIRSTBORN, that is to say, Set apart from common use every firstborn, so that it may be said and offered to me. Note: God does not command here that this be done at this time, when all were occupied in the departure, but that it be done afterwards, when it shall be opportune, namely, when they shall have possessed the land of Chanaan, as is evident from verse 11; nevertheless God subjoins this law to the precept concerning the lamb, because, just as the immolation of the lamb, so also the oblation of the firstborn ought continually to refresh the memory of the Hebrews concerning their liberation from Egypt: for God effected and procured this through the slaughter of the firstborn of all Egypt; because therefore God struck down the firstborn of Egypt, so that he might liberate the Hebrews as it were his own firstborn from thence, and because he then preserved unharmed the firstborn of the Hebrews dwelling in Egypt, hence by this law he demanded that the same be offered to him, and as it were his own, and restored to him as preserved by him. Whence this oblation of the lamb equally as of the firstborn are the first laws of the old law, or Mosaic ceremonies. EVERY FIRSTBORN THAT OPENETH THE WOMB, — that which first, by opening the womb of the mother, in the natural manner comes forth into this light, and which is the beginning of maternal generation. Whence Cyrillus of Jerusalem, in his homily On the Meeting of the Lord, denies that this applies to Christ: for Christ being born did not open the womb of his mother, but penetrating the closed womb of the virgin mother, came forth into the light; and therefore he was not bound by this law, although he voluntarily subjected himself to it, and observed it. Thus Cyrillus and Pope Hormisdas, epistle I, chapter III, although Rupertus, the Abulensian, Jansenius teach the contrary, who think that opening the womb signifies nothing other than being born first, and thus Christ also opened the womb of his mother. But opening of the womb signifies more, as is evident from the terms. Thirdly, quite to the contrary, Origen, St. Ambrose, St. Chrysostom, St. Jerome, Theophylactus, Euthymius in Luke II, think that by this law Christ alone is comprehended, because he alone was born of a virgin, and therefore he alone in the birth opened the womb of his mother, that is, came forth from it hitherto closed; for in other women the womb is opened first, not in childbirth, but in marital intercourse before conception. But this sense is more subtle, and seems to overturn the letter. For here the Hebrews are commanded that each offer their own firstborn to God: therefore this law does not regard Christ alone, but rather excludes him. And so I say, that "which openeth the womb" is here added to firstborn: first, so that Christ may be excluded from this law; secondly, lest anyone think that the firstborn of the father alone were to be offered: for in beasts it is manifest that the firstborn of the mother, not of the father, ought to be regarded and offered: it is the same in men. Whence St. Augustine notes, in Question XXIII, that the firstborn here is called by the Septuagint πρωτότοκον from the first birth of the mother, but not πρωτογενή from the first generation of the father. Here conversely Scripture, when it speaks of the eternal and uncreated generation of the Son from the Father, calls him not μονότοκον, but μονογενῆ, that is, the only-begotten of the Father. Wherefore from this law a firstborn was not, if the father, a widower having children from elsewhere, had taken a widow already having offspring, and from her had begotten his first son; for this first son of his had not first opened the womb of the mother, inasmuch as others had already come forth from her before. On the other hand, he who had several wives ought to offer the firstborn of each by this law to God. Whence the Hebrew, Chaldean and Septuagint have, opening every womb; and Luke, chapter II, verse 23: "Every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord." Hence also Christ as the firstborn of his mother was offered to God; although he was not bound by this law, as I have said. Again, the firstborn here opening the womb of the mother to be consecrated to God, ought to be male, as is evident from verse 12, who was born first from her; for if a female had been born first from her, then a male, that male was not reckoned by this law a firstborn, because he did not first open the womb of the mother, inasmuch as it had already been opened before by his sister the female. Let parents of the New Testament learn here not to resist their sons, even firstborn sons, if they wish to enter Religion and consecrate themselves to God; for in the old law all parents were bound by God's law to offer all their firstborn to God, even if they were to be only sons. If the Jews did this at God's command, why should not Christians do the same at God's counsel and calling? Parents willingly offer their firstborn sons to kings and princes, that they may serve them in their courts: why should they not more willingly offer them to the King of kings and Lord of lords, that they may be citizens of the Saints, servants, indeed courtiers of God? Let them imitate the Blessed Anna, who offered her Samuel to God so willingly, and therefore received five offspring in return for one Samuel from God the rewarder. Allegorically, Christ the firstborn of all creation was sanctified and consecrated to God, and through Him all creation. Tropologically, we give our firstborn to God when we offer to Him the first fruits of our works, that they may redound to His praise and honor, and that they may be prospered and blessed by Him; which indeed not only in the morning, but also throughout the day wise and pious men often do at the beginning of any work: thus Rabanus. Again, our firstborn is the heart, because it is formed first among other members in the embryo. The heart of birds is usually given to hawks which prey upon them. Christ from the cross has preyed upon our heart: let us therefore offer it to Him: He Himself will return it to us pure, holy, peaceful, joyful and blessed. To Socrates (says Seneca, book I On Benefits, chapter VII) when many offered much, each according to his own means, Aeschines a poor student: "I find nothing worthy of you that I can give you," he said, "and in this way I feel myself to be poor. Therefore I give you what alone I have, myself: this gift I ask you, whatever it is, to accept in good part, and consider that while others gave you much, they kept more for themselves." To whom Socrates: "Why did you not give a great gift?" he said, "unless perhaps you esteem yourself cheaply: I shall therefore take care to return you to yourself better than I received you." Thus Seneca. But you imitate Aeschines: give not to Socrates, but to God your whole self. If you give, He will return you to yourself much better. IN HIS SONS,—among his sons. In Hebrew, the letter bet, that is in, is put for ben, that is among. FOR ALL THINGS ARE MINE,—not only by title of creation and dominion, which I have and possess over all things created by me; but also, and especially, by title of liberation and redemption, by which I protected your firstborn from the destroyer, redeemed them as it were from death, and led them out with you from Egyptian servitude: hence thirdly, they are mine, by title of this just precept, by which I most fairly exact them from you, indeed I reclaim them.
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3. YOU WENT OUT,—go out: this is an enallage of tense, and one fitting to this place; for we cannot remember except of things past. WITH A STRONG HAND,—with great strength and power afflicting Pharaoh with His plagues, and thus powerfully forcing him to let you go; therefore God led you out by this powerful vengeance of His.
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4. TODAY YOU GO OUT IN THE MONTH OF NEW FRUITS.—Thus the Hebrew, Chaldean and Septuagint; whence it is strange that Pagninus translates, today you go out in the month of July. For the Passover, by which the Jews went out, was not celebrated in July, but always in Nisan, that is March. Pagninus was deceived, because he himself took אביב abib for אב ab: for although these are similar in sound, they differ greatly in fact and meaning. For ab indeed signifies a certain month, namely July; but abib is not a proper name of a month, but an appellative name, signifying green, whether it be stalk or ear. Thus our Interpreter translated it elsewhere, as appears in Exodus ix, 31. Abib extends also to crops ripening into grain, but not yet fully ripe, as appears in Leviticus II, 14. For a sheaf of these was offered on the second day of unleavened bread, first toasted in the grain, then ground into flour, and is called abib: whence abib was further transferred, so as to signify the month in which these first barley fruits were produced and offered to God: which was the month of Passover, or Nisan; for which reason the Septuagint commonly call it "the month of new fruits," and our Interpreter "the month of new fruits," or "the first of spring," because it contained the vernal equinox, Deuteronomy chapter XVI, verse 1.
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5. AND WHEN THE LORD SHALL HAVE BROUGHT THEE INTO THE LAND OF THE CHANANEAN. — From this it is evident that this law of eating the Passover and unleavened bread, as also the preceding one concerning the offering of firstborn, did not bind the Hebrews throughout the whole 40 years during which they wandered unstably in the desert, with all things in disorder: the same must be said of the sacrifices prescribed in Leviticus. The same is evident from Deuteronomy, chapter XII, verses 1 and 9, where God also gives the reason for this matter, saying: "For you have not yet come to the rest and possession which the Lord your God will give you." You will say: In Numbers III, 10, 44, 12, at Sinai at the end of this year, in which they had gone out from Egypt, God demands firstborn from them. I answer that this is a new precept, and different from this one, yet it took occasion and origin from this one. Whence also there was a new form of offering of firstborn there: for there in verse 43, Moses by the command of the Lord numbered the firstborn of the children of Israel, and found them to be in number twenty-two thousand and 273; in place of whom God took to himself and to his worship all the Levites, who were found to be nearly the same number, namely twenty-two thousand; the remaining 273 firstborn, who remained in the people and exceeded the number of Levites, God commanded to be redeemed by the payment of five shekels per head; but the firstborn of cattle God wished to be given to the Levites, who were already his, and devoted to his worship. There therefore the offering is not properly prescribed, but only the numbering of the firstborn of Israel, and for this purpose that the Levites, who were the same in number, might be substituted in their place, to serve God in the tabernacle. Then therefore this law was first fulfilled, and was changed into Levites: afterwards, however, each firstborn was to be offered to God, and redeemed for five shekels, Numbers XVIII, 46.
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9. AND IT SHALL BE AS A SIGN IN THY HAND, AND AS A MEMORIAL BEFORE THY EYES. — Correct with the Roman, Hebrew and Chaldaic Bibles, between thy eyes; the Septuagint, however, translates, before thy eyes; but the matter comes to the same thing. The Jews understand these things crudely, and to satisfy this precept of God, they affix the law of the decalogue written on parchment to the arm, forehead, fringes, or doorposts of the house; and these are the phylacteries and fringes, which the Pharisees dilated, and which Christ reproves, Matthew XXIII, 5. For God did not will this here, nor does he speak of the law of the decalogue, but of the Passover and unleavened bread. God therefore commanded only by this phrase to the Hebrews, that they keep the continual memory of the benefit and of the law already stated, so that it as a matter hanging before their eyes might be perpetually before them, and this for this purpose, that by its sight and consideration they might be kindled to the reverence, love, and gratitude of God: this meaning is signified by the quasi, when he says: "It shall be as a sign, and as a memorial." Whence St. Jerome in Matthew XXIII thus explains: "The precepts will be in thy hand, that they may be fulfilled; they will be before thy eyes, that thou mayest meditate on them day and night."
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10. FROM DAYS TO DAYS, — that is, from year to year, as if to say, in a certain and continuous series of years. For the Hebrew יָמִים iamim, that is days in the plural, signifies a year.
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11. CHANANEAN. — Under this are understood the other nations dwelling in the promised land; for Chanaan was the father of all of these, Genesis X, 5.
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12. THOU SHALT SEPARATE — In Hebrew העברת haabarta, that is, thou shalt cause to pass, namely to the Lord, that is, thou shalt offer to the Lord all that openeth the womb both in men and in beasts. Tropologically, St. Ambrose, book I On Cain and Abel, chapter x: "The generations and offspring of the mind," he says, "are some feminine, such as malice, petulance, luxury, intemperance, and other vices of this kind, by which a certain manliness of our souls is weakened: others are masculine, such as chastity, patience, prudence, temperance, fortitude, justice, by which our mind and even our flesh is strengthened, and is raised up to eagerly fulfilling the duties of virtue, and therefore Isaiah says: In the womb we have conceived, and brought forth the spirit of salvation; he therefore brought forth and bore a male, who poured forth the spirit of salvation." AND WHATSOEVER IS FIRSTBORN IN THY BEASTS. — In Hebrew it is בהמה behema, that is to say, In thy beasts; beasts properly are animals that carry, which men or burdens bear, such as horses, asses, camels: cattle are those which provide pasture and food, such as sheep, oxen, goats. But Scripture does not always observe this distinction, but sometimes confuses these. Hence some think that by this law not only the firstborn of cattle, but of all beasts, namely horses, mules, camels, ought to have been offered to God; and this Philo teaches, at the beginning of the book On the Honors of Priests, where he adds that the firstborn of horses, asses, camels ought to be redeemed by price, and that by divine law; whence some think that they were redeemed by five shekels equally as the firstborn of men. But Scripture expresses nothing of this sort, nor divine law; indeed the firstborn, for example of a goat or sheep, was not worth at that time five, but only two or three shekels. I say therefore that here only the offering of the firstborn of cattle is commanded, that is of sheep, goats and oxen, but not of beasts, namely horses, camels, etc. This is evident: for in verse 15, it signifies that all these firstborn of beasts, that is of cattle, were wont to be sacrificed to God, and, as the Hebrews have it, to be sacrificed; but the Hebrews could only sacrifice sheep, goats and oxen, not horses, mules, camels, as is evident from Leviticus I, 2 and 10. Therefore only the firstborn of sheep, goats and oxen were to be offered to God; for they were offered for sacrifice. Add, concerning only the firstborn of an ass God determined in the following verse that it should be exchanged with a sheep; therefore he neglected and excluded the firstborn of horses, camels and other beasts. Something might be objected here from verse 15, but I shall resolve that there. Again, something might be objected which is said in Numbers XVIII, 15: "Every unclean animal thou shalt cause to be redeemed;" but Abulensis answers well that an unclean animal is called there, not that which is such according to species, such as a horse, camel, etc., but that which is such by accident, namely that which is unclean because it is blind, lame, diseased, so that it cannot be sacrificed to God, according to the law of Leviticus XXII, 22. Hence it follows that the firstborn of only five animals, namely sheep, oxen, goats, man and ass ought to have been offered to God, as Abulensis teaches. See more in Francis Suarez and Sebastian Barradius, treatise On the Purification of the Blessed Virgin. WHATSOEVER THOU HAST OF THE MALE SEX, THOU SHALT CONSECRATE TO THE LORD. — For males are more worthy than females.
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13. THE FIRSTBORN OF AN ASS THOU SHALT CHANGE FOR A SHEEP. — An ass, that is, a she-ass: for the womb of this is opened, and an ass is both male and female; whence to the paschal lamb is added "male," as I said cap. XII, vers. 5. You will ask, why God wished the ass before other beasts of burden, namely the firstborn of an ass, to be offered to Him, so that a sheep should be offered in its place? I answer, because thus it pleased Him: the moving cause, however, seems to have been that the Hebrews in Egypt had almost only oxen, and sheep, and goats among their cattle, and asses among their beasts of burden (thus the Hebrews and Abulensis), whose firstborn God spared, and they themselves brought them out safe from Egypt: and so God demanded to Himself the firstborn of all these, as it were by way of compensation, so that those to whom the use of asses was so familiar, and whose firstborn of asses God had preserved, should thereafter give the same to Him. Secondly, God perhaps wished to be given an ass, in order by this means to deter the Hebrews from the worship of Priapus; for an ass was sacrificed to him: hence that saying of Ovid concerning the ass, Fasti cap. I: "A victim pleasing to the Hellespont god"; and this on account of the genital parts of the ass, and the groin, concerning which the Prophet says: "Whose flesh is as the flesh of asses:" for which reason also the Emperor Commodus was called ονος, that is, an ass. But because this stupid animal was unworthy to be sacrificed to God, hence God commanded that it be exchanged for a sheep. Thirdly, God did not wish the young asses to be torn from their mother, lest it afflict the mother: for no animal loves its offspring as much as the ass and the ape. Tropologically St. Gregory, lib. XXVII Moral. cap. XV: To change, he says, the firstborn of asses for a sheep, is to convert the beginnings of an unclean life into the simplicity of innocence. Thus also Rupertus. Note: Asses (which in Palestine are swift and strong, like horses) the Jews were accustomed to use before horses and camels. Hence their princes rode on asses, as is evident Judg. cap. x, vers. 4, and cap. XII, vers. 14; whence also Christ the king of Sion entered Jerusalem carried on an ass: and indeed the use of horses, as some wish, or more truly the abundance of horses was forbidden to the Jews, as is evident Deut. cap. XVII, vers. 16; Psal. LXXI, vers. 7; Isai. cap. II, vers. 8, and this in Isai. cap. II St. Jerome, Basil and Procopius expressly teach. And these gave occasion to the Gentiles for fables, so that they fabricated that asses showed water to the Jews in the desert, and that the Jews worshipped an ass. The leader of these Gentiles was Apion, against whom Josephus writes, lib. II, cap. x. Cornelius Tacitus, lib. V; Plutarch in Sympos. lib. IV, Quæst. V followed Apion. Again, because Christians first came forth from the Jews, hence the same calumny was derived against them, as Tertullian reports concerning the ononychite, that is, the hoofed ass of that painter, Apolog. cap. XVI: he was, he says, with ass's ears, with one foot hoofed, carrying a book, and in a toga, with this inscription, God of the Christians. The same Cæcilius reproaches Octavius with in Minucius Felix. Although this calumny and reproach was compiled against Christians from the Gnostics; for the Gnostics, as Epiphanius testifies, heresy 62, said that the Lord Sabaoth had the form of an ass, because it was said and promised to Judah: "He shall bind his ass to the vine," Gen. cap. XLIX, vers. 11. And Num. cap. XXII, the ass of Balaam stood for the Jews and God's people; and when God commanded Joshua cap. XI, vers. 6 to hamstring the horses captured from the enemies, He nevertheless commanded the asses to be preserved Num. cap. XXXI, vers. 28. BUT IF THOU WILT NOT REDEEM IT, THOU SHALT KILL IT. — If the firstborn of the ass be viler than that you wish to redeem it with a fixed price, namely a sheep, then you shall not sacrifice it indeed, but you shall break its neck, and with the neck broken you shall kill it; for this is what the Hebrew ערף araph signifies, so that thus you may have a monument of the firstborn of Egypt, slain for your sake. It is remarkable that in the Septuagint for "thou shalt kill it," it reads "thou shalt redeem." For thus they have: ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀλλάξης, λυτρώσῃ αὐτό, that is, if truly you do not exchange it, you shall redeem it: perhaps they wished that if a sheep, with which the young ass was to be exchanged, were not at hand, then this young ass should be redeemed with the price of a sheep. Thus it seems St. Ambrose expounds it, lib. II De Cain, cap. II; but then the other part of the condition is lacking, namely this: If you do not wish to redeem this young ass either with a sheep or with the price of a sheep, then you shall kill it, as the Hebrew, Chaldean and our Interpreter have. BUT EVERY FIRSTBORN OF MAN AMONG THY SONS THOU SHALT REDEEM WITH MONEY, — five shekels, as is evident Num. cap. XVIII, vers. 16. God wished them to be offered to Him again to be redeemed. First, so that this redemption might refresh in them the memory of the redemption of the firstborn, when these were freed by the angel and from death. Secondly, because God had destined only the Levites for His tabernacle and worship; otherwise the multitude of priests and ministers of God would have been too great, who therefore would often have been idle, and yet would have had to be maintained by the people: which would have been a great burden on the people.
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14. TOMORROW, — in future times: it is a synecdoche.
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15. EVEN UNTO THE FIRSTBORN OF CATTLE. — For all the firstborn, even of cattle, namely horses, asses, camels, were slain in Egypt: in memory of which thing God did not demand from the Hebrews all the firstborn of cattle, but only the firstborn of flocks, and this because He chose only flocks for sacrifice to Himself in Leviticus. In like manner, although in Egypt the females also, which were firstborn, were slain, God nevertheless exacts from the Hebrews only the male firstborn, that the more worthy sex might be dedicated to God.
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16. IT SHALL BE THEREFORE AS A SIGN IN THY HAND, AND AS A THING HUNG BEFORE THINE EYES. — For "hung," others translate "frontlet." The Jews again understand this crudely of a parchment affixed to the forehead above the eyes, and stretched from one ear to the other, on which was written: "Sanctify unto me all the firstborn," and: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is one," etc. In this frontlet there is a marvelous superstition of the Jews: for they say that its little membrane ought to be taken from the skin of a clean animal, that the aforesaid words ought to be inscribed upon it in that part by which it adhered to the flesh of the animal, and this by the right hand, with the straightest lines, the parchment having no hole whatsoever: if it be in the bedchamber, it is not lawful to use conjugal relations unless it be shut up within a third chest, etc. Finally, these signs, which they themselves bind daily among their own people both to the head and to the left arm, that they may be admonished of the commandments of God, they call tephillin from the root תפלין taphal, that is, to join, to bind, to hang; or from תפלה tephilla, that is, prayer, as if to say Oratorial, because they themselves use them daily in their prayers, and by them they think themselves safe from all evil. Thus report it Father Fagius, Oleaster, Lipomanus and others. But I have given the genuine sense of this verse in verse 9.
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17. GOD LED THEM NOT BY THE WAY OF THE LAND OF THE PHILISTINES, WHICH IS NEAR. — This journey from Chanaan to Egypt through the Philistines is commonly said to be ten days; Philo says it is three days. LEST PERHAPS THEY SHOULD REPENT, IF THEY SAW WARS RISING UP AGAINST THEM. — You will say: Yet by another way they had to fight with Amalec, cap. XVII. I answer: That battle was a single one, begun forty days after the departure from Egypt, which was accomplished not so much by the arms of the Hebrews as by the singular aid of God: but if the Hebrews had passed through the Philistines, they would immediately and continually have had to fight with most warlike enemies; for such were the Philistines. "Spiritually," says Rupertus, "God does this in all His elect in the departure from Egypt, that is, in the beginning of conversion, that He may prepare for novices a way peaceful from vices, that they may depart tranquilly and delightfully, lest struck by sudden temptations they be deterred from the holy purpose scarcely begun." Beautifully also St. Gregory, lib. XXIV Moral. cap. XII: "There are," he says, "three modes of men converted to God, beginning, middle, and perfection: in the beginning, they find the blandishments of sweetness; in the middle time, the contests of temptation; at the end truly, the perfection of fullness. Therefore first sweet things receive them, which console; afterwards bitter things, which exercise; and finally pleasant and sublime things, which confirm: for indeed every man cherishes his bride first with sweet blandishments, but when already joined to him he proves her with harsh reproofs, and when proved he possesses her with secure thoughts. Whence also the people of Israel, when espousing themselves to God, were called from Egypt to the sacred nuptials of the mind, as if in place of earnest money first received the blandishments of signs; joined, however, they are exercised in probations in the desert; proved, however, in the land of promise they are confirmed with the fullness of virtue: thus also the life of each converted person, and the beginning sweetly caresses, and the harsh middle proves, and the full perfection afterwards strengthens." St. Gregory adds: "Often the contests of temptations are as long as the blandishments of beginnings were long; often also not: yet never does unequal labor of temptation follow perfection of firmness: because according to the measure of the contest, each one is rewarded with fullness of perfection." And he adds that novices commonly fail in this, that, while in the beginning they receive some gifts and consolations from God, they soon think themselves perfect; whence when struck by a sudden storm of temptation, they are dismayed, and almost think themselves lost; who if they had not attributed too much to the first sweetness, and had learned in prosperity to think of adversity, would have foreseen that these things were to be thus, and would not have been troubled, thinking this to be the manner and order of God.
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18. AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WENT UP ARMED OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT. For armed, the Hebrew is חטושים chamuschim, that is, five by five. Whence Calvin criticizes our Interpreter, who translated armed, and wishes it to be translated, arranged. But the Hebrews everywhere, as R. Abraham, Aben Esra, Andreas Masius in Joshua book I, chapter xiv, and others take chamuschim for חלוצים chalutsim, that is, armed, or girded about the loins. Aquila also and Symmachus translate it, καθωπλισμένα, that is, armed; and so the verse has been correctly translated by Aquila, all the benches of the synagogues agree, says St. Jerome to Damasus, Question II: because indeed five soldiers march in battle array armed, hence chamuschim, that is, five, is the same as armed, by a metonymy customary among the Hebrews. Otherwise Cajetan: Chamuschim, he says, is the same as quintate, that is, armed, or girded with swords and arms in the place of five ribs: for there we are accustomed to hang the sword. Calvin denies that the Hebrews had arms here: for whence, he says, would they, being poor, have procured so many and such great things for themselves? I answer, the more respectable had already possessed them at home before; others, already forewarned of the departure, had procured them for themselves; others had received them as a loan from the Egyptians: for that they had arms is evident from the war which they waged shortly after with the Amalekites. The Septuagint for armed translate, fifth generation. For chamuschim signifies the fifth, namely generation, as the Septuagint understand it. And this also is true, if you count the generations of the tribe of Judah. For Judah begat Phares; Phares begat Esron; Esron begat Aram; Aram begat Aminadab; Aminadab begat Naason, who was prince of the tribe of Judah in the desert. Otherwise if you count the generations of Levi; you will find only four: for Levi begat Caath; Caath begat Amram; Amram begat Aaron; Aaron begat Eleazar, who went forth from Egypt with his father. And by this reckoning the Lord promised Abraham that the Hebrews would go forth from Egypt in the fourth generation, Genesis chapter xv, verse 16. Thus St. Jerome to Damasus. Otherwise St. Augustine, Question XLIX: A generation, he says, is an age, namely a space of one hundred years: already in the fourth generation, that is, the fourth hundred years completed and the fifth begun, the Hebrews went forth from Egypt, as God had promised Abraham, Genesis chapter xv, verse 16. I note concerning armed: hitherto the Hebrews had served the Egyptians unarmed, handling bricks and clay; then, free to go forth from Egypt, they are armed for wars. Thus tropologically, whoever wishes to snatch himself from servitude and the kingdom of the world and the devil, ought to arm himself for battles: remember, O Christian, that you are a soldier of Christ, called to war, ought to handle arms. Paulus Aemilius, seeing soldiers concerned with things not necessary, ordered them to rest, and do nothing else than sharpen their swords, the rest would be his concern. He said these three things ought to be the concern of a soldier: the body, that he have it as strong and swift as possible; suitable arms; a mind prepared for sudden commands: to leave the rest to the gods and the commander. Livy is witness, book IV. C. Crassus, seeing a soldier running without a sword: "Hey," he said, "comrade, do you use your fist for a sword?" When many were asking Otho the Emperor not to abandon the army and the Republic after laying down his power, a certain soldier from the ranks, raising his sword, said: "Know, Caesar, that all are thus minded for you;" and immediately he cut his own throat: Suetonius is witness in Otho. When Antony was preparing a fleet to fight with Caesar, a certain military tribune, a brave man and trained in arms, showing Antony as he passed by his body marked with many scars, said: "O commander, why do you trust so little in these wounds or this sword, and place hope in fragile wood? Let the Phoenicians and Egyptians fight with a fleet: give us Romans land, in which we have been accustomed either to conquer the enemy or to meet death." Plutarch is witness in Antony. Cicero speaks excellently, book III of Tusculan Disputations: "It is necessary," he says, "that whoever is brave, be also of great soul; whoever is of great soul, unconquerable; whoever is unconquerable, he despises human affairs and considers them beneath him. But no one can despise those things on account of which he can be affected with grief, unless he is brave. From which it follows that a brave man is never affected with grief; but all wise men are brave." Let the Christian soldier apply these things to himself.
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19. HE ALSO TOOK THE BONES OF JOSEPH WITH HIM. The Historia Scholastica relates that the Nile, overflowing in that year in which the Hebrews departed, covered over the tomb of Joseph; when therefore Moses could not find it, he wrote the name of God, the tetragrammaton, on a golden plate; and that plate immediately swam to the tomb of Joseph and revealed it. Others hand down that this tomb was shown by a sheep, namely a sheep which accompanied the Hebrews and this tomb through the desert, and they think that this is signified in Psalm LXXIX, 1: "Thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep." But these are fables of the Talmudists. Note: It is probable that Moses also carried away with him the bones of the other Patriarchs, namely the brothers of Joseph. For in Acts VII, 16, it is established that they were all transferred to Palestine and buried in Sichem; nor does it appear at what other time than this they could have been transferred. However, mention is made here only of the bones of Joseph, because Joseph had adjured the Hebrews to do this, and he himself had foretold them this departure. But he wished the Hebrews to carry out his bones; because the care of a pious man concerning his burial among his own people touched him, and so that posterity, by the sight of these bones, might be mindful of the prophecy, and with certain faith and hope undertake the journey to the promised land. See what is said in Genesis XLVII, verses 29 and 30.
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20. AND DEPARTING FROM SOCOTH THEY ENCAMPED IN ETHAM. The Hebrews fixed their second camp in Etham, just as they had fixed their first in Socoth. Etham was situated in the uttermost wilderness, near the Red Sea, and in mountains that were steep: whence perhaps it also received its name. For Etham in Hebrew signifies strong, and from this rough and steep. Note here four miracles given to the Hebrews and continued for 40 years. The first was, that in so great a multitude of them no one was sick or weak, so that he would wish or need to remain in Egypt, but all were healthy and strong to undertake the journey readily and steadfastly; for God supplied to all of them strength and readiness, lest they bear the labour of the journey with reluctance and difficulty, and this is what is said in Psalm CIV: "And there was not a feeble one among their tribes," in Hebrew חושל chosel, that is, tottering, wavering, as if to say, Among them there was no one sick, indeed not even weak or infirm, but all were ready and equipped. The second, that their shoes and garments grew with the children, and for forty years were not worn out, nor consumed, as is said in Deuteronomy VIII, 1, and chapter XXIX, verse 5. The third was manna. The fourth was the pillar of fire and cloud, concerning which follows next.
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21. AND THE LORD WENT BEFORE THEM TO SHOW THE WAY BY DAY IN A PILLAR OF A CLOUD. "Went before them," not in the very encampment of the camp: for there it stood; but in the departure: for He led them out of Egypt, and thereafter always as they journeyed He led and went before them. Whence it follows that this pillar as a guide of the journey first appeared not in Etham, but in Ramesses; for from there the Hebrews first departed. St. Jerome seems to say the contrary, namely that this pillar was first seen in Etham; but he means to say that Holy Scripture first makes mention of this pillar in Etham: thus also it makes mention of the bones of Joseph being carried away only in Etham, although it is certain from Ramesses that they were exported. Again, this pillar went before the camp of the Hebrews, moved not by the circular motion of the heavens: for thus it would have been carried round in a circle: nor by the blast of winds; but being led by an angel, who was as it were the mover and charioteer of the pillar, as is evident from chapter XIV, verse 19. The angel therefore impelled it, so that it might go before the first line of the tribe of Judah as they departed, when the camps were to be changed and moved; but when they were to be pitched and fixed, the angel held it over the camps, namely over the first line of the tribe of Judah, as some wish, or rather over the middle of the camps, as others wish, as if fixed there; but after the tabernacle was afterwards built, he caused it to rest upon it, as is evident from the last chapter, verse 34. Note nine properties of this pillar. First, this pillar went before the Hebrews for 40 years, and led them from Egypt into Chanaan. Second, this pillar showed the way, so that they might know which way to go through the pathless and impassable deserts. Third, this pillar now moved, now rested: when it moved, the camps of the Hebrews moved; when it rested and lay over the tabernacle, the camps also rested. Fourth, this pillar was immense, long, wide and thick like a great tower, so that it could be seen from anywhere by so great camps, namely by three hundred thousand men, which easily occupied a space of ten Italian miles, as Pererius says. Fifth, the mover and stayer of the pillar was an angel. Sixth, by day it appeared as a pillar of cloud, by night as a pillar of fire to illuminate the camps; and this alternately and continually on each day and night. Seventh, in this pillar God often appeared and spoke to Moses and the Hebrews, and showed them His glory and magnificence. Eighth, this pillar of cloud entirely overshadowed the camps, and protected them from the heat of the sun, as I shall say below. Ninth, this cloud separated the Hebrews from the Egyptians, darkening these, illuminating those, and the Lord through it looking forth slew the army of the Egyptians, chapter XIV, verse 24. Hence Wisdom X, verse 17, concerning this pillar as a guide of the way it is said: "He led them in a wonderful way, and was to them a covering by day, and a light of stars by night." Allegorically, all these things are easily adapted to Christ and the Holy Spirit; for Christ is a pillar on account of His rectitude and stability, and because He Himself upholds the Church and our infirmities, and makes both the Church itself to be a pillar and foundation of truth, and the Saints themselves to be pillars. Hence Apocalypse III, 12, it is said: "He that shall overcome, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God." Again, Christ is a pillar on account of the cross. "For the cross of Christ is the pillar of the human race," says St. Jerome in Psalm XCV. Second, Christ is a cloud, as man; He is fire, as God: for, as St. Ambrose says in Psalm CXVIII, a cloud is the mist of our body, but in Christ light, that is, by the holy operation of the heavenly Holy Spirit, and not heavy with any filth, Isaiah XIX, 1. The sun therefore, so that it might be borne, came in a cloud, that is, God, so that He might dwell with men, came in flesh, by which He veiled and clothed His divinity. Third, Christ like this pillar overshadows His faithful, protects them, and leads them to the land of the living, which He promised to His elect; for He Himself is our guide, who says of Himself: "I am the way, the truth, and the life." But why is this column fire by night, cloud by day? St. Gregory answers, homily 21 in the Gospel, that it signifies Christ in the day, that is, in the life of the just, to be a cloud, that is, mild; but in the night, that is in the life of the sinner, to appear as it were fiery, that is, terrible. Again, Christ in the day, that is in this life, shows himself gentle, as a cloud; but in the night, that is in death, and the other life, namely in judgment and hell, he will show himself as it were a terrible fire. "In lightning," says St. Gregory, "there is the terror of fear, but in snow the gentleness of brightness: hence in the resurrection of Christ an angel appeared such as to terrify the reprobate by his appearance, and to soothe the pious. Whence the Hebrews walking through the deserts were preceded by a column of fire in the night, and a column of cloud in the day; for in fire there is terror, in cloud the gentle sweetness of vision; but the day is understood as the life of the just, and the night as the life of the sinner: therefore in the day the column of cloud was shown, and in the night the column of fire, because God coming in judgment through the gentleness of clemency will sweetly soothe the just, but will terrify sinners through the strictness of justice." Secondly, the column of fire can signify Christ, who is the light of the world; but the column of cloud can signify the Holy Spirit, and his overshadowing and sanctification: for Christ and the Holy Spirit are one column, that is, one divinity. Thus St. Ambrose, book II On the Sacraments, chapter VI, and from him many Interpreters in I Corinthians X, verse 1. Rightly does St. Gregory say: "The Holy Spirit," he says, "admonishes, moves and teaches: admonishes the memory, moves the will, teaches the reason; nor does he suffer the least straw to remain within the heart which he possesses, which he does not burn with the fire of circumspection and compunction: against foolishness he suggests wisdom, against dullness of intellect, against precipitousness counsel, against fear fortitude, against ignorance knowledge, against hardness piety, against pride the fear of God." And St. Bernard, sermon 2 On Pentecost: "The Holy Spirit," he says, "gives the pledge of salvation, the strength of life, the light of knowledge: the pledge of salvation, that he himself may bear witness to your spirit that you are a son of God; the strength of life, that what is impossible to you by nature, by his grace becomes not only possible, but also easy; the light of knowledge, that when you have done all things well, you may call yourself an unprofitable servant, and whatever good you find in yourself, ascribe it to him from whom all good comes. In these three things the Holy Spirit will teach you all things that pertain to salvation." And sermon 5: "Breathing more vehemently upon the fervor in the hearts of the perfect, he kindles a mighty fire of charity, so that they glory not only in the hope of the sons of God, but also in tribulations, bearing away the glory of insult." And St. Basil, On the Holy Spirit: "Just as," he says, "bodies that are bright and transparent, touched by a ray of the sun, become themselves splendid, and pour forth another brightness from themselves: so also souls breathed upon and illuminated by the Holy Spirit, become themselves spiritual, and emit grace to others. Hence the presence of future things, the understanding of mysteries, the comprehension of hidden things, the distributions of gifts, conversation with heaven, a choir with the angels; hence joy never ending, hence perseverance in God, hence likeness to God, and, than which nothing more sublime can be desired, hence it is that you become God." Oh that we might daily behold this column leading us to heaven, and zealously follow it! St. Charles Borromaeus, to one of his asking for some instruction by what means he could reach heaven and please God, gave this: "Whoever desires to make progress daily in the way of God, must first begin daily; that is, daily he ought to strive to serve God with that fervor, as if on that day he were beginning for the first time; secondly, let him walk actually in the presence of God; thirdly, let him set God alone as the end of all and each of his actions." In these three he has embraced the whole spiritual life, and the whole state and progress of the interior man. Thus the author of his Life relates it, book VIII, chapter XVIII, at the end. Tropologically therefore the columns of light are strong and illustrious Saints. "There came once Abbot Hilarion to Abbot Anthony, and Abbot Anthony said to him: Welcome, Lucifer, who rise in the morning. And Abbot Hilarion answered: Peace to you, column of light, who sustain the orb of the earth;" as is found in the Lives of the Fathers, book V, tract. 17, num. 4. Such a column of light was also Simeon Stylites, who, that he might draw all from the earth to heaven, stood upon a column for eighty years, scarcely eating and sleeping, and always either praying, or giving to those who came to him admonitions of salvation. And the Angel in Apocalypse X, verse 1, had feet as it were columns of fire. Thus Peter, James, and John in the Church "appeared to be pillars," says Paul in Galatians II, 9. For this reason Christ, in the Apocalypse III, 12, promises to the angel, that is to the Bishop of Philadelphia: "He that shall overcome," He says, "I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God." TO SHOW THE WAY. — Although indeed the common way from Egypt into Chanaan was well-trodden and generally known, yet no one knew that way by which God wished to lead the Hebrews through the deserts of Arabia into Chanaan. Genebrardus adds in Psalm CIV, verse 39, that God showed them the way, because in those Saracenic deserts there are no traces of roads, on account of the sands which are mobile and erasable by the light breath of the winds; and therefore travelers in them, like sailors on the sea, are forced to use certain instruments, as it were nautical quadrants, to indicate the quarters of the world, and according to these they direct their journeys. You will ask whether this pillar merely showed the way, or whether it also shaded the camps and protected them from the heat? Cajetan and Abulensis, in Question XIII, think that it merely showed the way; the reason is, because one pillar, being small and slender, could not shade the whole and such great camps. Secondly, if it had shaded the whole camp, it would have taken away from them the sight of the air, sky, and heavenly light, which is most pleasant to men. But others more probably think that this pillar not only showed the way, but also protected the camps from the heat of the sun; for, since the Hebrews journeyed through Arabia, which is scorched by the rays and heats of the sun, especially in valleys in which by the interposition of opposite mountains the rays of the sun are reflected, causing great heats, they would have had a most troublesome journey, had not God tempered these heats by opposing this cloud pillar to the rays of the sun. It is proved: for this is said in Psalm CIV: "He spread," it says, "a cloud for their protection;" and the Psalmist, in Psalm CXX, alludes to this saying: "The Lord keepeth thee, the Lord is thy protection; the sun shall not burn thee by day, nor the moon by night." Wisdom X: "He led them in a wonderful way, and was to them a covering by day;" and chapter XIX: "A cloud overshadowed the camps;" and chapter XVIII: "Thou didst furnish them with the sun without hurt to their good lodging," as if to say, Thou didst make that pillar cloud to be a guide to the Hebrews, and as it were a sun shining forth for their pilgrimage, and good lodgings, that is good and convenient stations in the desert for 40 years: a sun, I say, without hurt, that is, harmless, not harming, not burning the Hebrews. Hence finally the Apostle, in I Corinthians X, 1, says all the fathers were under the cloud. Thus St. Basil of Nyssa, Ambrose in Psalm CXVIII, Justin Against Trypho, Lyra, Pererius and others. You will say: How could a small pillar shade the whole camps? I answer: This pillar, when the Hebrews journeyed, went before the camps, and at the same time expanded itself, and as it were scattered forth another cloud from itself, which shaded the camps. Note here that this cloud was in the higher part of the air, directly opposite to the sun, and opposed to it wherever it moved, so that by its interposition the heat of the sun, and the rays refracted and repelled in it, reached the Hebrews so moderately that they brought light to the Hebrews, but not heat: that this is so is evident from Numbers XIV, 14, where it is thus said: "Let thy cloud protect them, and in the pillar of the cloud go before them;" where manifestly the cloud is distinguished from the pillar going before the camps, and it is said to have protected them, namely from the heat; for Moses prays that God would continue this protection of His. The same thing is also signified in Numbers X, 34, where it is said: "The cloud also of the Lord was over them by day when they marched." Where the Septuagint translates, καὶ ἡ νεφέλη Κυρίου ἐγένετο σκιάζουσα ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς, that is, and the cloud of the Lord was overshadowing over them. Whence it follows that this cloud was opposed to the sun, and was great and immense. For it was greater than the whole camps, which, as I said above, extended themselves to ten Italian miles; therefore the cloud also ought to extend to as many miles, as it were veiling the whole camps, shading them, and protecting them from the rays of the sun. Again, when the camps were stationary, this cloud was square. For the camps were fixed in a square form, as is evident from Numbers II; but when the camps moved, and the Hebrews, spreading out in a long line, proceeded in ordered series according to their tribes, then this cloud, which before had been square, likewise expanded itself lengthwise over all the lines, and equaled them both in length and in breadth. For all the Hebrews walked under this cloud as under a veil, or an umbrella, and therefore God is said to have led them in a wonderful way, Wisdom X, 17. I shall say more about this pillar in Numbers IX, 15.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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v. 1 « Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen dicens » :
Arg. — Iahve v. 2 antiquam primogenitorum consecrandorum legem humanam renovat. Quod mandatum Moysen nomine Iahve populo enarrasse, cum per se pateat, h. 1l. praetermittitur. Adseribitur autem v. 39-16 oratio aliqua ipsius Moysis, non Deo iubente pronuntiata, qua Hebraeos, ubi in terra promissa consederint, monet ut ritus azymorum et ritus primogenitorum sensum filüs suis gratis animis explicent. Orationis prodoses habes v. 5-7 et 11-13, apodoses v. 8-10 et 1^ sq. Cur vero haec explicare iubentur non statim in deserto, sed post plures tandem annos in terra sancta? In deserto aderat Moyses, haec eadem quotannis et saepius inculcaturus; oportebat vero, ut repetito haec a Moyse primum parentibus inculcarentur, quo hi eadem tandem liberis et vere et integre repeterent. Ea, quam suggerebamus quamque facile admittit grammatica, prodoseon et apodoseon distinctione eliminatur difficultas, legem eum primogenitorum tum azymorum tradi tantummodo in terra sancta, non vero in deserto servandam. Porro primogenitorum consecratio erat Moyse longe antiquior, cum et Abel immolaverit primogenita, ect primogenitorum fere consecratio consequatur primitiarum consecrationem, et apud ethnicos etiam reperiatur tamquam legis primitivae vestigium. Difficile credat quis, legem tam venerandae antiquitatis per quadraginta annos iubente Deo observari desiisse. Cuius in deserto etiam observandae nulla erat difficultas; imo Num. 3,11 sqqd. supponitur ea lex in deserto etiam viguisse, et Ex. 22,29 sq. nulla adscripta restrictione inculeatur. Azymorum lex, quantum novimus, Moyse non exstitit antiquior; Ex. 12,15. 19 sine ulla restrictione fertur, item Lev. 23,6 et Num. 28,17; ostendit vero Num. 9,3. 11 eam legem saltem ipso die Phase etiam in deserto fuisse observandam. Istae leges v. 9. 16 servandae statuuntur tamquam memorialia perpetua acceptorum beneficiorum : sed facile efficacia carebit memoriale, quod non nisi elapsis quadraginta annis observandum instituitur. Quomodo aequalium Moysis filii interrogaturi erant eorum rituum rationem : « Quid est hoc? » (Ex. 13,14 sq.; cf. v. 8), si eos ritus patres supponantur nequaquam observasse? Quod igitur Moyses oratione directe inculcat, non est ipsa primogenitorum et azymorum religio, sed eius explicatio a parentibus filiis in terra Chanaan proponenda, demortuo iam Moyse. 5
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v. 9 « Sanctifica inihi omne primogenitum, quod aperit » omnem « vulvam in filüs Israel », ergo primam prolem matris (Cat.), et quidem masculam secundum v. 12, « tam de hominibus quam de iumentis : mea sunt [enim omnta| », mea sunt illa primogenita. Cum in bona hominis non soli homini, sed Deo etiam sit ius, hine aliqua illorum pars Deo debetur, et quidem pars prima, non enim decet hominem anteponere Deo. Hinc primitiae sacrae habitae sunt, et in animantibus primogenita. Primogenita non ideo Deo saera habita esse, quod meliora censerentur iis, quae postea gignerentur, evincit Lev. 27,27; Deut. 15,21 sq. Tamen primog*?niti filii parentibus semper fuere apprime cari (cf. etiam ^ Reg. 3,97 et Mich. 6,7), ideoque Deus pereussit primogenitos Aegyptiorum. Hinc nova fluxit ratio primogenitorum Deo post exodum attribuendorum : dum interimebat primogenitos Aegypti, tam hominum quam animalium, servaverat Deus primogenitos Israelis. Meritoigitur ait : »ea sunt; cf. 34,19 sq.; Num. 8,16 sq.; Luc. 2,23. Non erant Deo dono danda, sed iure ad eum pertinebant Lev. 27,26 : quare optime h. l. quadrat nativa verbi sanctificare significatio, quae est a profano usu segregare. Arg. — Recordationem effectae liberationis inculcat Moyses. Cuius alterum monumentum, primogenitorum consecrationem in hoc exordio, non attingit, quod non sit recens instituta, non solam exodum in memoriam revocet. Primarium monumentum, azymorum religionem, attingit, eamque quotannis observandam. v. 3 est introductio tam ad v. 5-10 quam ad 11-16 : « Et ait Moyses ad populum : mementote diei huius, in. qua egressi estis de Aegypto |et] » — copula haec in eadem expressione deest v. 1*4; 20,2; Deut. 5,6; 6,13 (12); 8,1^;
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13, 10,11 ; (cf. v. 5. — Hebr. 6); Ios. 24,17 — « de domo servitutis, quoniam n manu forti eduxit vos Dominus de loco isto ». Memoria accepti tanti beneficii, ut beneficium celebrent, eos impellet. Pergit Vulg. : « ut non comedatis fermentatum panem ». v. ^ « Hodie egredimini mense novarum frugum »,seu nomine proprio retento, mense Abib. Ubi admirationem facit inserta h. 1l. animadversio chronologica superflua et manca: ubi enim de consilio tempus exodi | describebatur, oportebat praeter mensem efferri etiam diem, quae erat decima quarta mensis. Hod?;e ad priora trahit Sam., post eam vocem copulam inserens. Unice vere pro av Syr. legit 82 : Non comedetis fermentatum £n die egressus vestri, mense Abib ; habebisque planum eontextum. Dices, sic etiam desiderari diem mensis. Verum , illam non potuisse adscribi pandit v. 6. sq. Videlicet d?es v. ^ non intelligitur viginti quatuor horarum dies, sed universim £empus; aut dieas, diem ibi accipi sensu caeremoniali, qui ad octavam seu integrum septiduum pertingat. Syri lectio item eliminat difficultatem , Moysen in Socoth , uno saltem post egressum die, dixisse ^od?e egressos esse Israelitas. Arg. — Secundum ea , quae supra dicebamus, ita construe : Cumque introduxerit te Iahve in terram etc., cumque celebrabis cultum hunc mense hoc , — hic inseritur v. 6 sq. textus legis divinae 12,15 sq. eum cultum praecipientis — ?iarrabis filio tuo etc.
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v. 5 « Cumque introduzerit te Dominus in terram Chananaei et Hethaei et Amorrhaet et Hevaeit et Iebusaei » , — Syr. addit Pherezaeos, Sam. LXX praeter hos etiam Gergesaeos : parum refert, cum, quotcunque tandem nomina legantur, scriptor omnes terrae sanctae populos in mente habuerit (Sylv.) — « quam turavit patribus tuis, ut daret tibi, terram fluentem lacte et melle » (cf. 3,8), « celebrabis hunc morem sacrorum mense isto ». v. 6 « Septem » — Sam. LXX sez, fortasse imitati Deut. 16,8 : re idem est, cum lectio Hebr. primum diem includat, altera excludat — « diebus vesceris azymis, et in. die septimo erit solemnitas Domini ». Inde a v. 5 à plurali descenditur ad. singularem (cf. 12,21), quo numero antiquissimae leges exprimi consueverunt (Dillm.). Hic septimus festi dies vocatur in 12,14, et Lev. 23,7 primus. heapse uterque erat festum. et, licet 3n significet « saltare », tamen nomini 3n perperam affigitur significatio « peregrinationis ». In cuius locum Deut. 16,8 subintrat vox D*3Y , xavfytogtg.
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V. 1 « Azyma comedetis septem diebus » : — Hebr. comedetur — « non apparebit apud. te aiquid fermentatum , nec in cunctis finibus tuis ». 19,15 « 1n domibus ».
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v. 8 « Narrabisque filio tuo tn die illo dicens : Hoc est, quod fecit mihi Dominus, quando egressus sum de Aegypto ». Verbotenus : propter 1d, quod fecit mihi Dominus, — supple: hanc azymorum legem servo (Vat.). ^3 significatione zs, gu? etiam habetur Iob 19,19;15,17. « Docirina domestica praecipitur in solemnitate paschali » (Ca?.).
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v. 9 « Et erit » observatio legis azymorum « quas? signum zn mana tua », quod ipse non potes oblivisci, quia semper illud vides, « e quas? montmentum ante », seu verius, Znter, « oculos tuos » (cf. Deut. 15,1), ergo fronti impressum quodque alios nequit latere, « [e/| w£ lez Domani [semper| sit in. ore tuo », ut de illa saepe et libenter loquaris cum filiis aliisque (cf. Deut. 6,7;11,19), et hinc eam etiam habeas in corde , assidue mediteris. « /n manu enim forti eduxit te Dominus de Aegypto », et ideo meretur, ut eius beneficiorum recorderis.
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v. 10 « Custodies huiuscemodi cultum statuto tempore a. diebus in dies », i. e. « deanno in annum » (Ca?.). Arg. — Construas ita : Cumque introduxerit te Iahve etc., cumque separabis omne, quod aperit vulvam etc., — hic resumitur v. 12 sq. ipsa. lex, quae, quod videatur fuisse Moyse antiquior, in praecedentibus nondum recensebatur — cumque interrogaverit te filius tuus etc., respondebis ei etc.
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v. 11 « Cumque introduxerit te Dominus in terram Chananaei , sicut iuravit. [000 et patribus tuis, et dederit tib eam » :
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v. 49 « separabis omne , quod aperit vulvam, Domino; et quod primitivum est in pecoribus tuis , quidquid habueris masculini sexus, consecrabis Domino ». « Ex lege primogenitorum docendi sunt parentes non obsistere filiis tametsi primogenitis, imo et unigenitis, cupientibus ad religionem transire » (Sylv.). naVyn transire facies, evgo segregabis, consecrabis : haec significatio dici vix potest derivata, sed nativa. Quod ergo Lev. 18,21 etc. scribantur (?) filii « eonsecrari Moloch », non efficit ad eam impiam consecrationem h. l1. alludi (Keil), aut textum esse recentius scriptum (Wellh.). Cf. Dillm. — 3X Vulg. Chald.intellexere idem esse atque Qnm, et signifieatio vulva reapse a radice demisit, proiecit sat facile derivatur neque video, cur eadem non possit adstrui pro Deut. 7,13; 28,4. 18. 51. Sed eam h. l. non supponebant LXX : II&v 9t«votyov gx|cpav $x QouxoA(ov 7| i» xr9jvsol cou. Ubi p:p«v non est idem atque Qm, sed uti v. 13 e contextu sapienter suppletur; *]2V vero latet in priore duorum sequentium nominum (&x QooxoAtov), quae copula colligantur. Et nota LXX ignorare copulam ante citata verba ita, ut « omne aperiens vulvam » v. 11 videatur dividi v. 12 sq. in tres classes : omne aperiens (vulvam) mana àv, omne aperiens (vulvam) asini, omne primogenitum hominis. Pro- , fecto Tana 3v LXX, uti h. L., ita etiam Deut. 7,13; 28,4. 18. 15 vertunt t& BouxóAtx 10v ov cov; Chald. "mn "pa, armenta boum; itemque Syr. A radice 3 alii derivant significationem foetus. — mana nativa acceptione designat quadrupedes domesticos gregarios (cf. Gen. 1,24 sqq.; Lev. 1,2). Vocem quandoque latius sumi, non est mirandum : v. g. Num. 32,26 sermo est de « gregibus omnibusque T2523 »; Gen. 47,18 eo nomine praeter boves videntur includi oves, caprae, equi, asini; quandoque vox arctius etiam sumitur de quadrupedibus domesticis gregariis maioribus, exclusis minoribus AW, i. e. ovibus et capris. Sed hos includi h. 1l. inferas -ex Lev. 27,26; Num. 18,15 sqq. Agi h. l. de solis quadrupedibus mundis docet v. 15 («immolo »). Equi in Aegypto fere unice tum reservabantur regi atque exercitui; Hebraei usque ad Davidis regnum illis caruere. Cameli, quorum nomen habetur Ex. 9,3, tamen in Aegypto videntur fuisse rarissimi, nulla ante Graecorum imperium inscriptio aut pictura illos habet.
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v. 13 « Primogenitum asini mutabis ove ». Cur solus asinus efferatur, quaeritur. Non quia erat animal immundum, camelus quippe et alia aliqua item. erant immunda. Optimam rationem assignat Sy/v. , « quia ludaei asinorum opera maxime utebantur », et nota asinam unieum quotannis pullum parere. Ergo Deus hoc animal Hebraeis tam RUNE H APERIT V ISSPEMEN OEIL EE CEMENTO ETT eI EHE ICT NET UR « F y A ^ ] * utile futurum gratiose concessit, imo redimi permisit animali minoris pretii, ove. Quam legem suis rebus iniquam certe non effinxerunt sacerdotes. Lev. 27,91 (itemque Num. 18,15) agitur probabilius de animalibus specie quidem mundis, sed ob aliquem defectum immundis : ergo non habetur a nostro textu discrepantia. « Quodsi non redemeris, interficies » , « quia Del est et non redemptus » (Ca7.). ^v est «eoymAt- (ew, decollare, cervicem frangere. « Omne autem primogenitum hominis de filiis tuis [pretio] redimes ». Pretium h. ]l. nondum accuratius determinatur. Hic textus implicite condemnat sacrificia humana. v. 14-16 utique correspondet v. 8 sq. Cras hic et in textibus Ios. 4,6. 91, qui cum nostro textu unum sunt, evidenter idem sonat atque LXX ypexk «oca : « ponitur cras pro tempore futuro » (Tost.). v. 1^ « Cumque interrogaverit te filius tuus cras dicens : Quid est hoc? respondebis ei : In manu forti eduxit nos Dominus de terra Aegypti, de domo servitutis ».
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v. 15 « Nam cum induratus esset Pharao |et nollet! nos dimittere, occidit Dominus omne primogenitum n terra Aegypti a primogenito hominis usque ad primogenitum tumentorum. Idcirco immolo Domino omne , quod aperit vulvam masculini sexus, et omnia primogenita. filiorum meorum redimo ». Hinc colligas, primogenita iumentorum v. 12, et ovem vel capram v. 13 asino substitutam, destinata fuisse quae sacrificarentur.
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v. 16 « Erit igttur quasi signum tn manu tua et quas; appensum. quid [ob recordationem) tnter. oculos (uos, eo quod in manu forti edurit nos Dominus de Aegypto ». nov" evidenter simile quid sonat atque « monimentum » v. 9; quod Vulg. indicat insertis vocibus ob recordationem. Uti dicebamus ad v. 9, ex his textibus ortum sumpsit apud Iudaeos phylacteriorum usus, quod exprimens Chald. h. 1. scribit v5zn. Alii vertunt dubitantes et titubantes : LYX ào&Asuxov, immobile; Symm. Theod. cxAcoó- U.evov ; Aq. elc vaax& (?). Vox, undecunque tandem derivetur, radice una est cum Chald. ND5w*TO armilla (2 Reg. 1,10), NDS'OYO vitta vel tiara (Ez. 24,17. 23), ju vitta (Esth. 8,15). Sequentes tres versus fere sunt parenthesis instar, nomen gn5x habent, fortasse serius adiecti fuere ad supplendam piam rationem selecti itineris longioris, et ad ostendendam impletionem vaticinii Gen. 50,23 sq. —
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v. 17 « Igitur cum emasisset Pharao populum , non eos duxit Deus per viam terrae Philisthiim, quae vicina est »; — audaeler verte guia vicina erat : post quadraginta fere dies dimicavere Hebraei contra Amalec : sed cum Philisthaeis, hostibus bellicosissimis, pugnandum fuisset statim et assidue (Men.). Parcebat autem Deus populi infirmitati et, qui tot contra Aegyptios miracula decrevisset, nolebat miraculis contra Philisthaeos decertare (Tost.) : Aegyptii quippe propter gentis electae oppressionem ei exosi erant, Philisthael non item — « reputans, ne forte poeniteret eum, si vidisset adversum. se bella consurgere, et reverteretur in Aegyptum ». Locutio est anthro- - pomorphica : Deus non reputabat, coniiciebat, sed certissime praesciebat conditionate futura (Tosf.).
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v. 18 « Sed ctrcumduzit » gyro « per viam deserti , |quae est iuxta] Mare Rubrum. Et armati » (cf. quae diximus ad Gen. 15,16) « ascenderunt filii Israel de terra Aegypti ». Edicitur sane idem, quod 6,26; 19,41. 51; et cf. Ios. 1,1^ et 5,12. Habuerant ergo iam in terra Gessen Hebraei aliqua arma, quorum plura de cetero potuere esse simplicissima : baculi, arcus, fundae, lanceae. Initio regni dimicaverat Merenpthah in Aegypto inferiore contra Libyes aliosque : haud mirum igitur est, apud terrae Gessen incolas reperta esse arma.
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v. 19 « Tulit quoque Moyses ossa Ioseph secum, eo quod. adturasset filios Israel dicens * Visitabit vos Deus, efferte ossa mea hinc vobiscum » (Gen. 50,94). tibus sippe i. e. algam, aliis sebe i. e. arundinem, aliis tufi i. e. papyrum. Iunci et papyri in aquis salsis non reperiuntur; algae in Mari Rubro sunt plurimae, pauciores tamen in parte eius septentrionali; sed quod pauciores sint nune, non sequitur pauciores item fuisse antiquitus, imprimis cum Mare Rubrum longius tum pateret ad septentrionem, quam nunc patet. Quod ita probatur. Exstructus fuerat antiquitus canalis a Nilo apud Bubasten per Wadi Tumilat fluens in Lacum Timsah, atque ita circuitu quodam Mare Mediterraneum ei lacui iungens. Ubi vero canalis lacui iungebatur, ibi exstructa est urbs Arsinoe. Porro eadem urbs scribitur fuisse in litore Kemuer, i. e. aequoris nigri magni. Ergo Kemuer est ipse Lacus Timsah. Verum in aequor Kemuer vel Ptolemaeorum aevo penetrabant naves e Mari Rubro. Unde pronum est inferre, Mare Rubrum seu Suph tum usque ad Lacum Timsah pertigisse. Cf. Mueller p. 39 sqq. 391. Hic idem lacus videtur tum aquas Salsas habuisse, cum Aegyptius aliquis illue fuga delatus narretur siti esse cruciatus. — Notatu digna est pictura apud R. Lepsius : Denkmaeler III. 128 a. b (cf. H. Brugsch : Die Geographie des alten Aegyptens, Leipzig 1857, p. 261 sqq., tab. XLVIID). Depingitur sc. iter Seti I post devictos Asiae populos in Aegyptum ab oriente revertentis. Arces aliquas puteosque praetergressus rex venit ad aequor piscibus abundans, quod lacum Kemuer seu Timsah esse crediderim, quocum angulo recto iungitur aequor alterum crocodilis abundans ideoque aquas habens dulces, cui adscriptum est nomen Ta-tenat i. e. excavatio, quod. proprium est canalis, de quo modo dicebamus (Ebers, Gosen p. 471 sqq. 507 sq.). In eius canalis utraque ripa, ponte interiecto, cernitur urbs munita, cui adscriptum nomen Chatem i. e. circumvallatio. Hoc vero nomen a nomine Etham v. 20 nihil differt. Erat igitur Etham arx exstructa prope canalis illius in Lacum Kemuer seu Mare Rubrum ostium, fortasse eodem loco quo postea condita est Arsinoe. Erat ea Aegypti clavis, qua parte terra Gessen desertum prospiciebat, cui etiam nomen inditum deserti Etham (Num. 33,8); erat simul emporium Maris Rubri; nihilque magis erat obvium, quam ut Hebraei terra Gessen egressuri per Etham transirent. Sed aliud decrevit Deus, qui non po- " pulum solum liberare, sed Pharaonem confandere in animo habebat. — Unde Maris Rubri nomen ortum duxerit, explicat Ebers l. c. p. 518 sq. : sc. dum suam regio- .nem Aegyptii appellabant terram Kam seu nigram, deserta lybicum et arabieum vocabant terram teser seu rubram (ef. Herod. II. 12), et mare adiacens vocabant « Mare terrae rubrae ». v. 20-22 tertiam stationem breviter perstringit, quae fuit Etham. Quo loco dicendum erat de columna nubis et ignis, quae tum primum apparuit : gratuito quippe coniicit Bon/r., eam primum visam esse, quando de Ramesse Moyses proficiscebatur in Socoth; via de Ramesse in Socoth erat Hebraeis notissima, at, ubi e Socoth excessere, duce. profecto opus erat.
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v. 20 « Profectique de Socoth castrametati sunt in Etham in extremis finibus solitudinis », munitione in finibus deserti exstructa, uti modo dicebamus.
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v. 91 « Dominus autem praecedebat eos ad ostendendam viam per diem in columna nubis, et per noctem in columna ignis » ad lucendum eis, quod ineisum etiam LXX omittunt; «d eundum du noctuque, quod liberius sed vere reddit Vulg. : « ut dux esset itineris utroque tempore ».
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v. 92 « Nunquam defuit columna nibis per diem, nec columna ignis per noctem, coram populo », praecedens illum. Quae verba conscripta sint oportet aliquamdiu post exodum, quando aliqua iam experientia demonstraverat nubem illam non deficere. T*53Y certe dicit columnam, cf. Iud. 16,25. « Significat autem columna, Deum non posse imagine repraesentari » (Clem. Alex. : Strom. I. 24; M. 8.909). Haec columna nubis postmodum consedit in monte Sinai (19,9. 16) atque inde.arcae iuncta est (40,34 sqq.; Num. 9,15 sqq.; 10,11 sq; cf. Ex. 33,9) ; arca vero, uti antea sola nubes, populo in itinere praeibat. Nubes vocatur columma per comparationem; comparationes vero non solent semper eaedem adhiberi, habent natura aliquid varium atque incertum ; potuitque ea quandoque nubes ita deprimi aut ita supra solum elevari, ut non iam columnae prae se ferret similitudinem, quae et in altum procera attollitur et in solo fixas habet radices. In quibus omnibus nulla deprehenditur ratio duorum adstruendorum auctorum , quorum unus nubem illam inde ab ipsa exodo, alter nonnisi post exstructum tabernaculum adfuisse affirmct, unus columnae comparet, alter non ita. — Alexander Magnus (Curt. 5,2,7) Babyloniam et Susianam peragrans « perticam, quae undique conspici posset, supra praetorium statuit, ex qua signum eminebat , pariter omnibus conspicuum, observabatur ignis noctu, fumus interdiu ». Addunt aliqui, etiamnum in Arabia praeferri « caravanis « in pertica praealta vasa ferrea ligni ardentis plena. Sed monet Ebers 1. c. p. 530 eiusmodi praeferri, non quo itinerantium. agminibus via demonstretur, sed quo principibus viris honor exhibeatur. Nihil huiusmodi s. seriptorem narrare planum est; qui vero sentiunt, eiusmodi ignem in pertica gestatum in plebeculae mentibus mox transformatum esse in portentum columnae, ii veracitatem scripturae negant. 1. Hebraeorum et Aegyptiorum ad Mare Rubrum castra Ex. 15,1-1^. Arg. — Dominus Hebraeos iussit pedem referre et in Maris litore - castra ponere. Unde perspexit Pharao non recta illos sacrificii locum petere regnoque egressos ad se minime esse reversuros. Qui antea ut dimitterentur suaserant, iam indignatione in Hebraeos exarserunt. Pharao priorum portentorum immemor cum, universo exercitu fugientes est persecutus. Perterritis ac murmurantibus divinam Moyses promittit salutem , a solo Deo sine ipsis efficiendam. Cap. XIV.
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… A devotional practice among the Jews was that of the "phylacteries" (v.) with certain passages of the Bible (Ex. 13:1-16; Deut. 6:4-9), applied during prayer on the forehead and on the left arm (cf. Deut. 6:8); other similar parchments were buried under the thresholds of Jewish houses (māzūcōth).
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FIRSTBORN. - Every male that was the first birth (Heb. bēkhār, whose synonym is pēter rēhem, rendered exactly by the Vulgate as "qui aperit vulvam"), man or animal, was sacred to the Lord in the Mosaic Law (Ex. 13:2, 12, 15; 22:29 ff.; 34:19 ff.). …
… The subjection to the Law was shown in fulfilling, forty days after the birth, the command to redeem the firstborn (Num. 18:15-16) after having consecrated them to the Lord (Ex. 13:2). J. assumes the character of a victim offered to the Father (cf. the sacrificial sense of the word παραστῆσαι of Lk. 2:22 in Rom. 12:1; M.-J. …
Forty days after Jesus' birth, M. presents herself at the Temple for the rite of purification (Lev. 12, 2-8) and of the redemption of Jesus in obedience to the law on firstborns (Ex. 13, 2.11-16). Although the miraculous nature of her childbirth exempted M. from the common obligations, she, reluctant to reveal prematurely the mysteries accomplished
… precepts, the prohibitions against slaughtering sick animals or animals destined for pagan worship, the precept of Lev. 22, 28 and of Ex. 23, 19; 34, 26; Deut. 14, 21 and Deut. 22, 6. d) Bēkhōrōth "first-born", in 9 chapters: it concerns the precepts of Ex. 13, 2.12 f.; 34, 19 f.; Lev. 27, 26 f.; Num. 8, 16 f.; 18, 15 f. and Deut. 15, 19 f. e) 'Arākhīn "valuations": concerning vows (Lev. 25, 25 f.; 17, 2-20) and the persons who make the vows. f) …
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SEDER (Sēdher "Order"). - A Hebrew liturgical term, which refers in particular to the "order" or ceremonial to be used for the Jewish Passover supper and which aims, according to Ex. 13:3, 8, to narrate in an understandable way the story of the exodus from Egypt.
Unleavened (Greek: ἀζημός, from privative α and ζῆν, «without leaven»; Hebrew: maṣṣāḥ, pl. maṣṣōth)
… maṣṣāh, plur. maṣṣōth). - The Old Testament alludes to unleavened bread on the occasion of hasty flight (Gen. 19, 3; Ex. 12, 34; I Sam. 28, 24); this circumstance caused the use of unleavened bread in Israel's flight from Egypt (Ex. 12, 8-18; 13, 3; Deut. 16, 3). In remembrance of this, the law of eating unleavened bread during the seven days of the solemnity was joined to the commemorative feast of the miraculous exodus (v. …
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'ABIB (Septuagint: μὴν τῶν νεῶν; Vulgate: mensis novorum frugum). - First month of the ancient Hebrew calendar (Ex. 13:4; 23:15; 34:18; Deut. 16:1), called 'abib, "ear of grain" (Ex. 9:31; Lev. 2:14; Ex. 3:15: "Tell Abib"): it coincided with the beginning of spring. …
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… It is always included by the Bible in the enumeration of the pre-Israelite peoples (Gen. 15:21; Ex. 3:8; 13:5; 23:23; 32:2; 34:11; Deut. 7:1; 20:17; Josh. 3:10; 5:1; 9:1; 11:3; 12:8; 24:11; etc.), sometimes as the chief nucleus of the ethnic group alongside the Hittites (Num. 13:30), …
… of the world — these men, who can hope for nothing except from God, "will enter into possession of the land" promised to Abraham (Gen. 15:7-8, 18; Deut. 4:38) and to the people of Israel (Ex. 3:8, 17). This "land" full of delights ("milk and honey": Ex. 13:5; 33:3) represents the messianic Kingdom.
HEVITES (Heb. hā-hīwāš always with the article and in the singular; Septuagint ὁ Εὐαῖος, sometimes οἱ Εὐαῖοι). - A people settled in the land of Canaan and always included in the list of the whole group of peoples dwelling in the land before the Israelite conquest (Ex. 2, 11; 3, 8; 13, 5; 23, 28; Deut. 7, 1; 20, 17; Josh. 3, 10; 9, 1; 12, 8; 24, 11; Judg. 3, 5; 2 Kings 9, 29; 2 Chron. 8, 7; v. CANAAN).
… In Sacred Scripture, in fact, it is often said that God swears (e.g., Gen. 26:3; Ex. 6:8; 13:5; 33:1; Num. 32:11; Deut. 31:20; etc.); now certainly one cannot admit that God swears in the first sense indicated. …
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… for the following day: every leftover had to be burned (Ex. 12:10). Not even a bone of it was to be broken (ibid. 12:46; Num. 9:12). During the banquet the father of the family had to explain to his household the meaning of the feast (Ex. 12:26-27; cf. 13:8, and Pesahim, X, 4-5).
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Phylacteries (Greek: ΦΙΛΑΚΤΗΡΙΑ « Smultei »)
… Jud., IV, 21-23) and by ancient Christian writers, is connected to a false interpretation of the warm recommendation in Ex. 13:9, 16 and Deut. 6:8; 11:18, to remember and constantly observe the law of God.
… implies, "to show the way." Starting from this fundamental meaning ("indication" of the path to be followed), t. passes through three semantic stages: "directive," "instruction," and finally "law." T. does not occur in the J document, rarely in E (Ex. 13, 9; 16, 4; 18, 16, 20; 24, 12); it becomes frequent in Deuteronomy, in Leviticus and other so-called "priestly" documents down to Par.-Eid.-Neh., and increasingly so in the more …
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Exodus contemplates the possibility of the redemption of the firstborn of a donkey, by means of the sacrifice of a lamb (Ex. 13:12 ff.; 34:20). Leviticus (27:27) prescribes the redemption of every unclean animal according to the priest's assessment; the price is assigned to the sanctuary. …
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For human firstborn Yahweh sanctioned redemption (Ex. 13:13; 34:20) fixed at 5 silver shekels (Num. 3:47; 18:15 ff.); the substitution of the Levites, at the time of their establishment, took the place of redemption for an equal number of Israelite …
… The redemption of the firstborn (Ex. 13:13), rather than proving the contrary, confirms the divine prohibition of the sacrifice of human lives: since the firstborn (v.) of man could not be immolated (as was prescribed for the …
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… This consecration was linked to the destruction of the Egyptian firstborn (ibid. 13:14 ff.; Num. 3:13; 8:17).
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… In the Old Testament there is talk of the P. and of the Philistine land already in the time of the Patriarchs (Gen. 21:32, 34; 26:1, 8, 14 ff., 18), of the Exodus (Ex. 13:17) and of Joshua (Josh. 13:2), whether because of a purely literary anticipation of later terminology or because from the times of the Patriarchs the Egyptians maintained in that region …
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Red Sea (Gr. Ἡ Ἔρυθρά Θάλασσα; Heb. Jām Sūph)
… The Hebrew name jām sūph, "sea of seaweed" or "of reeds" (Ex. 10, 19; 13, 18; 15, 4), is of uncertain origin; but the identification is not in doubt, since its extremity is indicated (Ex. 23, 31; I Kings 9, 26; Jer. 49, 21) as the Elanitic Gulf, or Gulf of el-'Aqabah.
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ETHAM (Heb. 'Ethām). - The second stage or station of the Israelites on their journey toward the Promised Land (Ex. 13:20; Num. 33:6). The name is probably the Hebraized form of the Egyptian htm "fortress," and would indicate the place called Serapeum north of the Great Bitter Lake, the junction of all …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.