Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 4:17
And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.
17 21. Here vv. 17 18, 20b 21 are assigned to E on account of their imperfect connexion with the context: Exo 4:17 speaks of ‘the signs ’ to be done with the rod, whereas only one sign to be performed with it has been enjoined in vv. 1 9; Exo 4:21 mentions ‘portents’ to be done before the Pharaoh, whereas vv. 1 9 speak only of wonders to be wrought for the satisfaction of the people. Further, v. 19, from its contents, is not fitted to be the sequel of v. 18; it in fact states an alternative ground for Moses’ return into Egypt; and the name Jether (Jethro) makes it probable that v. 18 belongs to the same current of narrative as Exo 3:1 and ch. 18 (i.e. E); hence v. 19 will be referred to J. V. 20b goes naturally with v. 17 (the rod).
17 (E). this rod, &c.] Not the rod of vv. 2 4 (with which only one sign was to be wrought), but the rod often mentioned in E as borne by Moses ( v. 20b, Exo 7:15; Exo 7:17; Exo 7:20, Exo 9:23, Exo 10:13, Exo 14:16, Exo 17:5; Exo 17:9). In a previous part of E, which has not been preserved, it must have been told how Moses was equipped with a wonder-working rod, and what ‘the signs’ were which he was to perform with it before Pharaoh (so Di.).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 17. Thou shalt take this rod] From the story of Moses’s rod the heathens have invented the fables of the thyrsus of Bacchus, and the caduceus of Mercury. Cicero reckons five Bacchuses, one of which, according to Orpheus, was born of the river Nile; but, according to the common opinion, he was born on the banks of that river. Bacchus is expressly said to have been exposed on the river Nile, hence he is called Nilus, both by Diodorus and Macrobius; and in the hymns of Orpheus he is named Myses, because he was drawn out of the water. He is represented by the poets as being very beautiful, and an illustrious warrior; they report him to have overrun all Arabia with a numerous army both of men and women. He is said also to have been an eminent law-giver, and to have written his laws on two tables. He always carried in his hand the thyrsus, a rod wreathed with serpents, and by which he is reported to have wrought many miracles. Any person acquainted with the birth and exploits of the poetic Bacchus will at once perceive them to be all borrowed from the life and acts of Moses, as recorded in the Pentateuch; and it would be losing time to show the parallel, by quoting passages from the book of Exodus.
The caduceus or rod of Mercury is well known in poetic fables. It is another copy Of the rod of Moses. He also is reported to have wrought a multitude of miracles by this rod; and particularly he is said to kill and make alive, to send souls to the invisible world and bring them back from thence. Homer represents Mercury taking his rod to work miracles precisely in the same way as God commands Moses to take his.
, , ‘ ,
, ‘ .
Odyss., lib. xxiv., ver. 1.
Cyllenian Hermes now call’d forth the souls
Of all the suitors; with his golden WAND
Of power, to seal in balmy sleep whose eyes
Soe’er he will, and open them again. COWPER.
Virgil copies Homer, but carries the parallel farther, tradition having probably furnished him with more particulars; but in both we may see a disguised copy of the sacred history, from which indeed the Greek and Roman poets borrowed most of their beauties.
TUM VIRGAM CAPIT: hac animas ille evocat Orco
Pallentes, alias sub tristia Tartara mittit;
Dat somnos, adimitque, et lumina morte resignat
ILLA fretus agit, ventos, et turbida tranat.
AEneid, lib. iv., ver. 242.
But first he grasps within his awful hand
The mark of sovereign power, the magic wand;
With this he draws the ghosts from hollow graves,
With this he drives them down the Stygian waves;
With this he seals in sleep the wakeful sight,
And eyes, though closed in death, restores to light.
Thus arm’d, the god begins his airy race,
And drives the racking clouds along the liquid space.
DRYDEN.
Many other resemblances between the rod of the poets and that of Moses, the learned reader will readily recollect. These specimens may be deemed sufficient.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Both those which I have already made thee to do, and others as I shall direct and enable thee.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And thou shall take this rod in thine hand,…. Which he then had in his hand, and was no other than his shepherd’s staff:
wherewith thou shall do signs: wondrous things, meaning the ten plagues inflicted on Egypt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
17. And thou shalt take this rod. There is no doubt that God chose this shepherd’s rod to be the instrument of his power, in order the more to confound the pride of Pharaoh. For what but shame and reproach could it bring to Moses, that he should bear with him the crook with which he had heretofore guided his sheep in their folds and hovels? This symbol, then, of a rustic and contemptible occupation, was opposed to the scepter of Pharaoh, not without humiliation. In this respect, therefore, the obedience of Moses is worthy of praise, because he is not ashamed of a mean and humble appearance, but willingly carries his rod, and thus makes himself as nothing, and glorifies God. So is God usually wont to hide his treasures in earthen vessels, and to choose “the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty.” But from Moses being commanded to work the miracles with the rod, we gather that outward signs are often made use of by God, when He works by His own hand; not to derogate at all from his power, or to obscure his praise, but to make it manifest that the whole world is subject to him, and that he freely applies to whatever use he pleases, things which are otherwise of no account.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(17) This rod, i.e., the rod that had been changed into a serpent, as the LXX. paraphrase.
(18) Signs.Rather, the signs ( , LXX.); i.e., the signs which thou wilt have to perform, as already implied in Exo. 3:20.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. This rod This simple shepherd’s crook shall break the sceptre of Egypt, shall break the crook and flail of Osiris . So, long after, a shepherd’s sling delivered Israel; a Galilean fisher’s net enclosed the Gospel multitudes; and a Cilician tentmaker spread the gospel tabernacle over the Gentile nations . Thus the Dispensations ever harmonize . With this decisive command Jehovah closes the interview, and Moses humbly submits and obeys .
THE RETURN OF MOSES TO EGYPT, 18-31.
Moses, as far as we can see, says nothing at this time to Jethro about his divine commission, for as yet, probably, he could not have understood it.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Exo 4:17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.
Ver. 17. Wherewith thou shalt do signs. ] God, of his freewill, joining his operation thereunto; as likewise he doth to the outward signs in the two sacraments: and hence their energy, which else would be none.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 4:2, Exo 7:9, Exo 7:19, 1Co 1:27
Reciprocal: Exo 4:3 – it became Exo 4:14 – cometh Exo 4:20 – the rod of God Exo 14:16 – lift Lev 8:11 – General Num 17:2 – twelve rods Num 20:8 – the rod 2Ki 4:29 – take my 2Ki 13:17 – The arrow
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 4:17. Take this rod The staff or crook he carried as a shepherd, that he might not be ashamed of the mean condition out of which God called him. This rod must be his staff of authority, and must be to him instead of both sword and sceptre.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Exo 4:17 f. Moses obtains from Jethro leave of absence. For tide rod in Exo 4:17, cf. *Exo 4:2; Exo 4:20 b; also Jdg 6:21.