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Subject: The Childhood of Moses. Ex. h.'
Ito - Golden Text, Prov. XIII. G
Memory Verses, 7-1o Commentary
on the Days Lesson.
/. "a man." His name was Amram
and his wife's name was Jochsbed. ET; o:
20; Mum. 26: SO. House OF Lew. linus
Moses's parents were both Of the tribe OF
Levi. go,
9. "a son." There were two children
older than Moses, Miriam Us: 2O), who
was probably from eight to ten years old
er. and Aaron e: q, who was three years
older. e: y. "Goodly child" The text
simply says that he was good, which slgnll'
fes that he was not only perfect, wel!'
formed child, but that he was very beautl'
full. This very circumstance was wisely,
ordained by. the kind providence OF GOD
to be one means Of his preservation.
Scarcely anything interests the heart more
than the sight of a lovely babe in distress
His beauty would induce even ms parents
to double their exertons to save him, and
was probably the sole motive which led
the Egyptian princess to take such partic-
ular care of him. and to educate him as her
son, which in all likelihood she would not
have done had he been only an ordinary
child. "Hid him" That is, kept him
8. "Ark." A small covered box or bas.
ket. She did not make it then, but took
it and prepared it for her purpose. "Ot
bulrushes" The papyrus plant, thick,
strong and tough reed, which sometimes
reaches height of from ten to fifteen
feet. "slime." The mud of the Nile,
which, when hardened, is very tenacious.
"Pitch." Mineral tar. Boats Of this de-
scription are seen daily floating on the
surface of the river, with no other, calk'
ing than Nile mud lisa. lS:. q, and they
are perfectly water-tight unless the coat
ing is forced off by stormy weather.
"Flars." A general term for sea or liver
weed. The spot is traditionally said to
be the Isle of Rhoda, near old Cairo.
4. ellis sister," Miriam. It appears
that Moses had only one sister. Mum. IS:
SO. "Afar off," So as not to show her
anxiety. "To wit" "To know" P. v.
It was her duty to see whether Pharaoh's 8
daughter found him, and whether he was
in danger from any cause.
S. daughter of Pharaoh" 1t has
been estimated that she was about sixteen
wears of age at this time, and that Moses
was born in the sixth year OF the reign
of Rameses II. "To bathe" (R. W The
women of Egypt are now kept jealously
secluded in harems, and it Is not custom.
ary for them to bathe in the Nile. But 1t
has been shown that the women of an,
cient Egypt were quite unrestralned: ana
had liberties, such as women in Christian
lands do now, and bathing. in the river
was a common practice with them at that
time. "At the river" The water was
there fenced off as a protection from the
crocodiles, and doubtless the princess had
an enclosure reserved for her own use,
the road to which seems to have been
known to Jochebed. Walked along"
Hence the discovery Of the ark was not
made by them, but by the princess her
self, a providential circumstances, as 1t
led her to personal interest in the babe.
"Sent her handmaid" (R. W Her fmme'
diate attendant.
6. "Saw the child" As soon as she. saw
the child she knew that it was one of the
Hebrew children, for only Hebrew moth
this manner. "The babe wept." The
not fail to make the impression here men,
toned. See v. 2. 1t has been conjectured
that the cruel edict of the Egyptian king
did not continue long in force. See chap.
found a protector in the very family of
the king who decreed its death.
"Save the boys" Our great cities are
filled with children who are exposed to a
worse fate than Pharaoh's decree or croc'
! odiles in the river. Legislation is too stern
! and severe, and will destroy instead OF
save. Only recently two siX-year-old boys
were arraigned in the Chicago police, court.
Such course is the worst that couid pos
sibly be taken with such small children.
Il L., olc
trusted with the little life that must be
lifted out of the slum. Tender hands are
! needed to dry the tears of these. weep
ing babies" We must look to Christian
women. They should use their eyes to
see the facts, and not be so busy about
their own luxury and comfort that they
oass the poor ptch-covered box unnoticed.
and they should conquer the prejudices OF
race and the fear of lowering themselves.
7. "His sister," Miriam had drawn
near enough to see and hear everything.
No doubt the child had been carefully in:
structed by her mother. But Gods hand
! was directing matters and to Him, rather
than to any human wisdom, must the
praise be given. =, go,
some sense the recognized servant of the
princess; for otherwise how would she en-
joy more safety with her babe than be-
fore? "Thy wages" She was doubly
! paid She had not only the wages which
made her safe as the servant of the royal
princess. but she had the infinitely better
wages of seeing her son safe, and having
the privilege Of caring for him and train.
ing him. f'Took the child. !" No doubt
this God-fearing mother trained her child
very carefully. Children should be very
thankful when they have Christian par
ents who bring them up in the knowledge
10. "Unto Pharaoh's daughter" !"
we're a trial for Jochebed to part with him
the second time as the first, she was.
doubtless, reconciled to it by her belief
in his high destination ss the future de:
| liyerer of Israel. He became her SON."
By adoption, and the high rank afforded
| him advantages in education which, in the
! providence Of God, were made subseryient
TO far different purposes from what his
royal patroness intended. We can obtain
an idea of what mis- education was from
Acts T: @. But Moses had not only a
moral and an intellectual training, but
according to .Josephus. he had also prac.
tical preparation for the great work. that
was before him. 1t appears that the Eth
opians came into Egypt and routed the
army that was sent to resist them, where
upon the command was given to Moses
He Immediately took the field and de-
feated the enemy with great slaughter
His military achievements outshone in
popular estimation mis- intellectual attain
ments, and he returned from this cam
paign the most popular man in the king
dom. "Caled his name" What name. he
had from his parents VIC know not, but
whatever it might have been it was ever
after lost in the name given to him by the
princes OF Egypt.
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