578 Jacob and his sons are carried into Canaan to be buried. SECT. XIV. Stephen proceeds, in his discourse before the Sanhedrim, to enumerate several other facts in the Jewish history, all tending to the purpose of his own vindication, and their conviction. 15-36. Acts VII. ACTS VII. 15. ACTS VII. 15. SECT. Acts ST thers. TEPHEN, while he stood before the council So Jacob went down into Egypt, and with the radiancy of countenance taken no- died, he and our fatice of above, procceded in his discourse, and VII. 15. said, I have observed to you, brethren, and fathers, how Jacob went down into Egypt; and you well know, that having been supported about seventeen years by the filial gratitude and tenderness of Joseph, he died there; and our fathers also, the patriarchs his children, ended 16 their lives in the same country. And yet, by 16 And were carried over into Sythe way, they were solicitous not to be buried chem, and laid in there; but as Jacob was immediately brought the sepulchre that up, with solemn funeral pomp and procession, Abraham bought for to be buried in the cave of Machpelah with a sum of money of Abraham and Isaac, (Gen. xlix. 30,) so the patriarchis also, having been embalmed and put into coffins in Egypt, (Gen. 1. 26,) were, at the return of Israel from thence, carried over to Sychem, and were laid in the sepulchre which was made in that field which Jacob bequeathed to Joseph as a peculiar legacy; he having first, as Abraham had done in a like case, purchased it for a sum of money, that is, for an hundred a Which Abraham purchased, &c.] It is so evident from Gen. xxxiii. 19. and Josh. xxiv. 32, that the field at Sychem or Shechem, in which the boues of Joseph (and, as it should seem from this passage; and from what is asserted by Jerom, Epiaph. Paule, those of the other patriarchs,) were buried, was purchased, not by Abraham, but by Jacob, and also that Abraham's sepulchre was purchased, not of Emmor, or Hamor, the former proprietor of Jacob's ground, but of E. phron the Hittite, (Gen. xxiii. 10, & seq.) that it seems demonstrable, that this passage has suff red something by the addition or omission of transcribers; for to suppose, that Stephen or Luke designedly used the name of Abraham for Jacob, is, I think, one of the grossest affronts that can be offered to the character of either. A real slip of memory would be a trifle, pieces the when compared with such a designed prevarication. But, without supposing either, I apprehend with Beza in his admirable note on this text, that Luke probably wrote only which he (that is, as the connection fixes it, Jacob) bought, &c. which was the exact truth; and some officious transcriber, who fancied the verb wanted a nominative case, and thought be remembered the purchase of Abraham, (which it is plain he did not exactly distinguish,) put in his name. This solution, which is advanced by the learned Bochart (Hierozoic. Part I. lib. ii. cap. 43.) Dr. Benson, and others, is so natural, that I will not trouble the reader with the mention of several others, which may be seen in Dr. Whitby, Sir Norton Knatchbull, and Brennius; but shall only observe, that, if this be not allowed, (which has indeed no copy to support it, the ea The Israelites are cruelly oppressed in Egypt. 579 xiv. Acts the sons of Emmorte pieces of silver, of the sons of Emmor [the father] SECT. father of Sychein. of Sychem, from whom in particular, the place was named; and the Amorites having afterwards seized it, Jacob had by force recovered VII. 16. it out of their hands. (Compare Josh. xxiv. 32. with Gen. xlviii. 22.) And it was by their own direction the heads of our tribes were kept to be interred here, that they might testify thereby to their posterity, as long as their embalmed bodies continued unburied in Egypt, that they died in the faith of Israel's being led forth from thence and settled in the land of promise, which accordingly happened. 17 But when the drew nigh, which God. Egypt; And to make way for the accomplishment of 17 time of the promise this event, as the time of the promise drew near, had sworn to Abra- which God had sworn to Abraham, (Gen. xxii. ham, the people grew 16, 17.) the people of Israel, though they had and multiplied in such a small beginning, grew very numerous, 18 Till another king and multiplied exceedingly in Egypt: And 18 arose, which knew not they continued there for many years in very Joseph: comfortable circumstances, till another king arose, of a different race and family from the former, who knew not Joseph, and had no regard to his memory. (Exod. i. 8.) He there. 19 fore used them in a barbarous way, and forming crafty and treacherous designs against our cast out their young kindred, lest they in time should grow to be children, to the end too powerful, treated our fathers most injuriousthey might not live. ly, and cruelly contrived to cut them off from being a people, by causing all their male infants in obedience to a most inhuman order that he published, to be exposed or cast into the river Nile, that in a little time their race might perish, and be quite extinct. (Exod. i. 22.) 19 The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they 20 In which time Such was the miserable state to which our 20 Moses fathers were reduced, in which afflictive persecuting siest sense seems to be that which Mr. L'Enfant has given in his note, that Jacob died, he and our fathers, and they, [that is, our fathers] were carried over to Sychem, and buried: he that is, Jacob,] in the sepulchre which Abraham bought for a sum of money, and they [that is, the other patriarchs, in that which was bought of the sons of Emmor, the father of Sychem.-That Eμg Ex is very justly rendered Enor the futher of Sychem, (as he is declared to be in the Old Testament,) though the relation be not here expressed in the original, sufficiently appears from other passages, in which not only the relation of a son, of which we have frequent instances, but other relations too are left to be supplied. So Magia VOL. VII. Ianu is Mary the mother of James: (Luke 4 D b Exceeding 580 SFCT. xiv. Acts was Moses is born, and educated in the court of Pharaoh. cuting time it was, that the celebrated Moses was Moses was born, and born; and he was so exceeding beautiful, that exceeding fair, and nourished up in his parents were struck with a peculiar desire of his father's house three VII. 20. preserving him; and that they might, if pos- months: sible, secure him from the execution of the barbarous edicts I have just now mentioned, he was bred up with all the privacy that could be for three months in his father's house: But as they were unable to conceal him any longer, he was committed by them to the care of providence, and having put him in an ark of bulrushes, they laid him in the flags upon the brink of the 21 river Nile. (Exod. ii. 2, 3.) And being thus exposed, the providence of God so ordered it, that he was found by the daughter of Pharoah, who at the sight of him was moved with pity, and took him up and nourished him, with a pur22 pose of adopting him for her own son. And Moses by this means was educated in all the whole circle of arts and learning, which came and was mighty in within the system of the celebrated wisdom and words, and in deeds. philosophy of the Egyptians. And such was b Exceeding beautiful.] This our trans- his 21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's and nourished him for daughter, took him up, her own son. 22 And Moses was learned in all the wis dom of the Egyptians, whom he takes to have been Joseph, his beautiful appearance greatly recommended him. See Grotius and Whitby in loc. c The daughter of Pharoah took him up.] All these extraordinary circumstances rela ting to the birth, preservation, education, genius, and character of Moses, serve to aggravate the crime of Israel in rejecting him, when he offered himself to them as a deliverer under so many advantages, and when Providence had so wonderfully interested itself in his favour. d Educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians.] Geography, geometry, arithmetic, astronomy, natural history, physic, and hieroglyphics, are all mentioned by ancient writers, as branches of Egvptian literature. As for magic in the bad sense of the word, it is not to be imagined that so good a man would have any thing to do with it. Several ancient testimonies to the extraordinary learning of Moses may be seen in the following passages: Phil. de Vit. Mos. lib. i. p. 470. Justin Mart. Quæst. ad Orthod. xxv. Orig. contra Cels. lib. iii. p. 139. Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. i. p. 343.- I only add, it must have been a self-denial, which none but a lover of learning, and one who has made some progress in it, can understand, for a person of such a genius and education, in the prime of life, to leave the polite court of Egypt, and live as a retired shepherd in the Arabian desart. e Mighty When forty years old, he goes to visit his brethren. 23 And when he was full forty years old it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: 581 XIV. his remarkable proficiency, that he was mighty SECT. But when he was arrived at the full age of 23 forty years, he was conducted into a very different scene of life; for having been instructed in the knowledge of his real descent, and in the principles of the Jewish religion, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel; and his spirit was so impressed with it, that all the pleasure and grandeur at the court of Egypt could not make him easy, without going in person to take a survey of their state. And there beholding one [of them] 24 injured by an oppressive Egyptian task-master, who had subdued and got him down, and seemed about to take away his life, his generous spirit was not able to brook it; but he defended [him] and smiting the Egyptian with a mortal wound, he at once rescued and avenged him 25 For he supposed that was oppressed. (Exod. ii. 11, 12.) And 25) have understood, how as he did this action by a special impression that God by his hand from God on his mind, intimating the important would deliver them; work for which he was intended, so he supposed but they understood that his brethren, observing the remarkable circumstances of the fact, by which he substantially declared his readiness to venture, not only his fortune but his life in their service, would have understood that the action was expressive of what they might hope to obtain by his means, and intimated that God would give them salvation and deliverance by his hands: But they his brethren would not. e Mighty in discourses.] It may seem difficult to reconcile this with what Moses himself says of his own want of eloquence. (Exod. iv. 10.) Some have attempted to do it by explaining this expression, as importing the wisdom of the laws he gave as they explain the next clause, mighty in actions, of the miracles he wrought. But Stephen seems rather to refer to what he was in the court of Pharaoh, than to what he afterwards proved. I conclude therefore, that it expresses such a weight and solidity in his counsels and speeches, as may be very consistent with the want of a flowing elocution, and the remarkable calmness of his natural temper would render him more entirely master of himself on great occasions, rather than others of readier speech with warmer passions. were f And in actions.] Archbishop Tillotson (in his work, Vol. II. p. 23.) and many others think, that this refers to a story mentioned by Josephus, (Antiq. lib. ii. cap. 10. al. 5.) that, when Moses dwelt in Pharaoh's court, the Ethiopians invaded Egypt, and Moses, being made general in the war against them, gave them a total defeat, and drove back the small remainder of their forces in confusion to their own country. g He supposed that his brethren would have understood, &c.] They might have known, that the time drew near which God had prefixed in his promise to Abraham, in a prediction which might probably be delivered down by tradition, and which would be more likely to be remembered under their oppression, as the patriarchs had 4 D 2 in 582 SECT. They slight him, and he flies into the land of Midian. 26 And the next day to them as they strove, at one again, one to another? 27 But he that did thrust him away, say 28 Wilt thou kill were so exceeding stupid, that they did not unxiv. derstand it. And the next day he shewed himActs self again to two of them, as they were quarrel- he shewed himself unVII.26. ling together, and would have interposed be- and would have set tween them, and have persuaded them to live in them peace and friendship, saying, Men, my friends, saying, Sirs, ye are breconsider you are brethren, descended from thren; why do ye wrong Jacob our common ancestor, and now too joined in affliction as well as in religion, which ought doubly to cement your affections to each 27 other, why then do ye injure one another? But he that injured his neighbour, unable to bear his neighbour wrong, with his plain and faithful reproof, insolently ing, Who made thee thrust him away, saying, What hast thou to do a ruler and a judge with this controversy? Who hast made thee a over us? ruler and a judge over us? Wilt thou kill me, 28 as I know thou didst yesterday slay the Egyp- me, as thou didst the tian? His blood may cost thee dear enough Egyptian yesterday ? without adding mine to the account. (Exod. 29. 13, 14.) Then Moses, as he found the 29 Then fled Moses matter was discovered, and was apprehensive at this saying, and was that in consequence of it the Egyptian power of Madian, where he would be soon armed against him, while the begat two sons. Israelites were not inclined to use any efforts for his protection, nor to put themselves under his guidance, presently fled from Egypt at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian; where nevertheless Providence furnished him with a comfortable settlement, though in circumstances of great retirement; for he became the chief shepherd to Jethro, the prince of the country, and marrying Zipporah, his daughter, he begat two sons Gershom and Eliezer. 30 a stranger in the land And when forty years more were fulfilled, in 30 And when forty which Israel had continued under this bondage, there appeared to him years were expired, and Moses had been trained up in that humble in the wilderness of and retired life for the great work for which mount Sinai, an angel God had intended him, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in the midst of a of in dependance upon it directed, that their bones should continue unburied in Egypt: And when they saw a person of so much dignity, authority, and influence, whom God had so wonderfully preserved, interposing in this generous and heroic manner, which plainly shewed that he in good earnest intended at all bazards to do his utmost for their deliverance, it would have been highly reasonable for them to have taken occasion, from this action of his, to enter into some treaty with him relating to it. h He that injured his neighbour, thrust him away.] It is plain the speech of this single person is represented ver. 35. as expressing the sentimcuts of the whole body of the people, as their slowness afterwards to believe the mission of Moses, when attested by miracle, Exod. v. 20, 21.) seems evidently to shew that it was. Loose |