and showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, and against all his servants, and against all the people of his land; for you knew that they dealt proudly against them, and made a name for yourself, as it is today. You divided the sea before them, so that they went through the middle of the sea on the dry land; and you cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into the mighty waters. Moreover, in a pillar of cloud you led them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in the way in which they should go.
“You also came down on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments, and made known to them your holy Sabbath, and commanded them commandments, statutes, and a law, by Moses your servant, and gave them bread from the sky for their hunger, and brought water out of the rock for them for their thirst, and commanded them that they should go in to possess the land which you had sworn to give them.
“But they and our fathers behaved proudly, hardened their neck, didn’t listen to your commandments, and refused to obey. They weren’t mindful of your wonders that you did among them, but hardened their neck, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage. But you are a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and didn’t forsake them. Yes, when they had made themselves a molded calf, and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed awful blasphemies; yet you in your manifold mercies didn’t forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud didn’t depart from over them by day, to lead them in the way; neither did the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way in which they should go. You gave also your good Spirit to instruct them, and didn’t withhold your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst.
“Yes, forty years you sustained them in the wilderness. They lacked nothing. Their clothes didn’t grow old, and their feet didn’t swell. Moreover you gave them kingdoms and peoples, which you allotted according to their portions. So they possessed the land of Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan. You also multiplied their children as the stars of the sky, and brought them into the land concerning which you said to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.
“So the children went in and possessed the land, and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hands, with their kings and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they pleased. They took fortified cities and a rich land, and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns dug out, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, were filled, became fat, and delighted themselves in your great goodness.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv21–22 Though the way was tedious and long.
Though the way was tedious and long.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv10–25 Neh 9:10 And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh,…
Neh 9:10 And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as [it is] this day.
Ver. 10. And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh] That sturdy rebel, whom neither ministry, nor misery, nor miracle, nor mercy could possibly mollify. This was worse than any or all those ten plagues sent upon him, whereof see Exo 3:19. {See Trapp on "Exo 3:19"}
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For thou knewest that they dealt proudly, &c.] This the just and jealous God could not away with, Exo 18:11. His work in heaven is (said that heathen) to cast down the lofty, and to lift up the lowly, τα μεν υφηλα ταπεινουν, &c. (Aesop. Chilon).
So didst thou get thee a name] i.e. A great fame of thy power and justice, to the conversion of some (as Jethro, Exo 18:1) and conviction of others, as Deu 32:31 Jos 2:10 1Sa 4:8.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25 They dealt proudly against them; treating thy people with…
They dealt proudly against them; treating thy people with great scorn and contempt, like slaves and beasts.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv10–25 And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on…
And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land,.... By inflicting the ten plagues upon them:
for thou knowest that they dealt proudly against them; behaved haughtily to them, and despised them, see Exo 18:11
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so didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day; displayed his power on Pharaoh, and his goodness to Israel, the fame of which reached all over the world, and continued to that day, see Exo 9:16.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv13, 17, 22 Good statutes - The moral and judicial precepts were…
Good statutes - The moral and judicial precepts were all founded on natural equity. And even the ceremonial were tokens of God's goodness, being types of gospel-grace.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 22, 25 Verse 12. By a cloudy pillar] See the notes…
Verse 12. By a cloudy pillar] See the notes on the parallel passages, both here and in the other verses.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 25 Neh 9:13. And gavest them good statutes — The…
Neh 9:13. And gavest them good statutes — The moral and judicial precepts were all founded on natural equity. And even the ceremonial were tokens of God’s goodness, being types of gospel grace.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv17, 22, 25 In their rebellion - The Septuagint and several maunscripts…
In their rebellion - The Septuagint and several maunscripts have “in Egypt” (the words in the original differing by one letter only), and translate - “And appointed a captain to return to their bondage in Egypt.” Compare the margin reference. The appointment of a leader is regarded here as made, whereas we are only told in the Book of Numbers that it was proposed.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv10, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25 A name, Glorious, (Menochius) and to be feared by…
A name, Glorious, (Menochius) and to be feared by all, Exodus xiv.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v22 Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations--that is, put…
Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations--that is, put them in possession of a rich country, of an extensive territory, which had been once occupied by a variety of princes and people.
and didst divide them into corners--that is, into tribes. The propriety of the expression arose from the various districts touching at points or angles on each other.
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the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon--Heshbon being the capital city, the passage should run thus: "the land of Sihon or the land of the king of Heshbon."
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv10, 15, 16, 17, 22 10. Get thee a name — A wondrous fame…
10. Get thee a name — A wondrous fame for Almighty power over false gods. Jehovah made for himself such a name by the miracles which he wrought for Israel.
As it is this day — Jehovah’s fame had not departed, for in Nehemiah’s time the miracles of the Exodus were still remembered and extolled.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv10–25 10. and shewedst signs and wonders, &c.] This epitome…
10. and shewedst signs and wonders, &c.] This epitome of the history of the Plagues shows acquaintance with Deu_6:22, ‘And the Lord shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his house.’ Cf. Psa_105:27; Psa_106:7; Psa_135:9.
dealt proudly] Perhaps an echo of the use of the same verb in Exo_18:11, ‘yea, in the thing wherein they dealt proudly against them.’
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So didst thou get, &c.] R.V. and didst get. Not a recapitulation, but the continuance of the description. The Divine visitation upon Egypt is referred to in similar language, Exo_9:16, ‘And that my name may be declared throughout all the earth;’ Exo_14:17-18.
The words of our verse are best illustrated by Isa_63:12, ‘that divided the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name.’ 14, ‘so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name.’
as it is this day] The vivid impression of the deliverance from Egypt is indestructible. The recollection of the nation’s sin is referred to in the same way, Ezr_9:7.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 22 (11) As a stone into the mighty waters—Compare the…
(11) As a stone into the mighty waters—Compare the Song of Moses, and mark in the Hebrew both the identity and the variation.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25 They dealt proudly. The "proud dealing" of the Egyptians…
They dealt proudly. The "proud dealing" of the Egyptians is spoken of in Exo_18:11. That God "got himself a name" by the signs and wonders shown in Egypt is often declared. (see Exo_9:16 Exo_14:17 Exo_15:14-16, etc.)
The Divine self-made name.
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"So didst thou get make thee a name, as it is this day." "What is thy name?" is a question asked of God by thoughtful men in all ages. How shall we conceive and speak of God? The answer is found in the various manifestations he has made of himself. He is the maker and publisher of his own name.
I THE WAYS BY WHICH GOD HAS MADE FOR HIMSELF A NAME.
1. By his works. Of nature, providence, miracle, grace.
2. By his word. Directly instructing men how to think and speak of him, and enabling them to interpret his works.
3. Preeminently by the manifestation of himself in his Son. The character, teaching, and works of Christ present a perfect revelation of the invisible God. "I have declared thy name, and will declare it". (Joh_17:26)
II THE NAME HE HAS THUS MADE FOR HIMSELF. The Almighty, All-wise, All-good, the Holy, Just, Faithful, Merciful, Terrible, Father and Saviour of all, especially of believers, LOVE, etc.
III ITS ENDURANCE. "As it is this day." He remains the same; his name is so written that it can never be blotted out, so proclaimed that it shall resound through the world, through the universe, for ever.
IV WHY HE HAS MADE HIMSELF SUCH A NAME. For his own glory, and for the benefit of his creatures; that they may fear, trust, love, worship, and obey him, and thus be saved and blessed. Finally, we shall at length in our own personal experience know and illustrate the name of God. Which part of his name? This depends on how we are affected by and towards it now.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv12, 16, 17, 18 Moreover Thou leddest them in the day by a…
Neh_9:12
Moreover Thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar.
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The pillars of cloud and fire
The people who for forty years followed that fire-cloud have left footprints in the sands of time which serve us as an alphabet of life. The march of the Israelites is an allegory of the life of man. Like a providence palpable to the very eyes of man, the fire-cloud indexed that will of God which it is the longing of true hearts in every age to fulfil. This fire-cloud suggests--
I. That mans life on earth is a divinely-conducted discipline. The Israelites emerged from Egypt a huge bee-swarm of humanity making for another hive. From the dark superstitions of life and the coarse immoralities of antiquity they went into the wilderness to learn the rudiments of life. Outside the sphere of mans natural resources Israel had to learn faith in the supernatural environment of man, Their wilderness journey was the drill of a nation destined to be the vehicle of Divine revelation to a world. Our life on earth is mainly a prolonged and various discipline, and its significance lies in the finally resulting manhood. The main matter is not how long it takes us to cross this strip of earth, or how much we have while we travel, but what the journey makes of us as regards the naked, moral character of us all. Very suggestive, if you will ponder, is Israels inability to comprehend the meaning of a great deal of their march. Why they should lie still, and why move, were not always plain. We cannot readily comprehend the zigzag ways of life. Looking at our things, and not at our soul, we sometimes seem to be moving in a very resultless way--marking time rather than marching. Said a good and active man whose work is his life, By this sickness I have lost a month. How so? Through every day of his life henceforth he will carry a reverent thoughtfulness of God, and in all his character there will be the tinge of a mellow tenderness, the results of that lost months meditative realisations. Was the month lost, then? God leads and leaves us not where we would like to be, but where we have need to be. There is wisdom in every stage of lifes march and countermarch. Lifes roughest mile is ordered of the Lord, and its darkest place is illuminated by the pillar of fire. It is wisdom to store the lessons of experience. Child-like, we forget the back lessons. The teachings of sorrows school are forgotten in the playground of our joyfulness.
II. That throughout our life-journey we follow a God we never see. That fire-bordered cloud was not God. The cathedral window ablaze with its mingled glories hides the sun, while it is at the same time a many-coloured witness of his living radiance. Life leaves room for doubt, and gives worldliness its chance. Herein lies much of our probation. Those tokens of God which are evidence of things not seen are frequently familiarised into comparative powerlessness over the soul.
1. Some of the Israelites sinned under the very shadow of the pillar of fire. The sentiments of reverence and wonder are in danger of exile from the mind.
2. Nature, with its transformations of the seasons.
3. The Sabbath.
4. The house of God.
5. Prayer; our prayers may become like the winding of our watches--acts we do, scarcely sure whether they are done or not. We often see most of God in the night of experience.
III. That protection which Gods presence insures to those that follow him. Over the sleeping camp the cloud lay like a golden warrior-shield. Yet how slowly was Israel trained to courage! Every new danger created a coward hubbub in the camp. Their foes could do them no harm; but their imaginations were terrible to them as an army with banners. Their minds were made nervous by their own delusions. The Parisians have exhibited what they call a Panorama of the War. Climbing what appears to be a kind of tower, you seem to see the country around Paris alive with the grim activities of war. Nearest the spectator are placed real cannon and the like, and these shade off into painted forms beyond so perfectly as to produce an illusion like that of the painter who attracted the quick-eyed birds to his painted grapes. The illusion is wonderful, and you can all but smell the gunpowder. But there is no movement--the soldiers are still as stones, the bursting shell remains in the act of explosion, and the flame-flash continues from the cannon-mouth. That breaks the spell. It is but picture, after all. Thus we go at times up the tower of apprehension, and see besieging armies of trouble. Near to us are some real objects of fear, and from them we go on to paint a long perspective of morbid fancies, until life seems ringed round with innumerable foes. After awhile we find it is mostly picture--the very painting of our fear. Let the chief anxiety of all be to follow the great Leader of lifes pilgrimage. (Samuel Gregory.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v14 madest known unto them
madest known unto them
This important passage fixes beyond all cavil the time when the sabbath, God’s rest Gen 2:1-3 was given to man. Cf. Exo 20:9-11. In Exo 31:13-17 the sabbath is invested with the character of a sign between Jehovah and Israel. (See Scofield "Mat 12:1").
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel.
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you divided the sea
God divided
you ... threw those who pursued them into the depths, as a stone into deep waters
In this simile, the writer describes God throwing the Egyptians into the sea as easily as a person would throw a stone into water, and the stone would disappear under the water completely. (See: Simile)
translationWords
stone
water
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv10, 12, 24, 25 9:10-11 You have a glorious reputation: In the Exodus,…
9:10-11 You have a glorious reputation: In the Exodus, God had demonstrated his character with plagues, parting the sea, and defeating the arrogant Egyptian army (Exod 15:5, 9-10, 19).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.