Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 5:2
And Pharaoh said, Who [is] the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
2. The Pharaoh replies contemptuously that he knows nothing of Jehovah, and need not therefore listen to His behests.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I know not the Lord – Either Pharaoh had not heard of Yahweh, or he did not recognize Him as a God.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Exo 5:2
Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice?
Pharaohs question answered
If we would know God as He is, we should neither take our own idea nor adopt the worlds estimates, but see Him as He has revealed Himself in His Word, especially in the Gospel which began to be spoken by His Son, the only Teacher competent to instruct us here.
1. God is One, indeed, who will punish sin, etc. As a Holy God, He hates it; and, as a Just God, He will by no means clear the guilty, etc.
2. But, at the same time, He is One who would rather not, and who will not unless He must. Judgment is His strange work, and He would have all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
3. One, too, so averse to punish that He spared not His own Son, etc. Abraham could give no higher proof of his love to God than by his willingness to offer up his son, his only son, Isaac. God so loved, etc.
4. One, too, who, in addition to giving His Son, strives with men by His Word, ordinances, Spirit, Providence, to dispose them to accept that Son and find peace and joy in believing.
5. One, again, who has filled His Word with warnings to arouse, invitations to attract, directions to instruct, promises to encourage, etc.
6. One, too, who has thrown the door of hope wide open to all, and imposed no impossible, or even difficult, condition in the case of any.
7. One, in fine, who can say, What more could I have done for My vineyard that I have not done in it? One whose plan, provision and proffer of salvation is such that if any fail of its privileges, they can but blame themselves. This is the Lord! Not only our Creator (that itself should summon our service; see Psa 100:1-5.), nor only our Preserver (living by His bounty, should we not live by His bidding, too?); but also our Redeemer: the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Surely, then, if there be any voice, we should obey, it is His. That voice, further, is the voice of One who knows us; knows our frame, knows what suits us, knows what will contribute to our well-being. His commands are so far from being arbitrary that in the very keeping of them there is great reward; and, following the course they indicate, we shall ever have growing reason to say, The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; while, on the other hand, all experience, as well as revelation, declares, the way of transgressors is hard. The sinner flies from Gods voice, thinking it a voice of anger; whereas, did he but stop and listen, he would wonder at the gracious words that proceed out of His mouth. Only let us acquaint ourselves with Him, and we shall be at peace, and good shall thereby come to us. But if we follow after lying vanities, we forsake our own mercies. (David Jamison, B. A.)
Lessons
1. Proud imperious spirits are hasty to reply roughly upon Gods messengers.
2. Idolaters are apt to despise God in the true revelation of Him.
3. Hardened souls vent their contempt upon God Himself more than on His Church.
4. Contempt of Jehovah suffers not men to hear His voice.
5. Disobedience to God ushers in oppression to His people.
6. Scorners of God can never come to the right knowledge of God or acknowledgment of Him.
7. Wicked wretches glory in the contempt of knowing God.
8. Denial of knowing God denieth all good commanded for His people. (G. Hughes, B. D.)
God entitled to an obedience
I. We ought to obey God, because He is the benevolent Creator of the universe.
II. We are bound to obey God, because He is the constant preserver of the creatures of His power.
III. We are under yet greater obligations to obey God, because He is the perfect Governor of the universe.
IV. We are obligated in the highest degree to obey God, because He is the Merciful Redeemer of sinners. (C. Coffin, D. D.)
Gods claim on our obedience
I. Some particulars relative to Gods voice.
1. The persons to whom He speaks–Mankind.
(1) His favourite creatures.
(2) Ignorant creatures.
(3) Improvable creatures.
2. The means by which He speaks.
(1) His works.
(a) Of creation.
(b) Of providence.
(2) His Word.
3. What He says to us. He speaks to us variously, according to our various states, as sinful, submissive, and reclaimed creatures. As sinful creatures, who transgress His laws, He speaks to us in the language of reproof; charging us with rebellion (Isa 1:1-2); and ingratitude (Deu 32:6); and in the language of warning; showing us that we are rejected by Him (Pro 15:8; Pro 15:26); under His curse (Gal 3:10); and under the sentence of eternal death (Eze 18:20; Rom 6:21). As submissive creatures, who desire to obey Him, He speaks to us in the language of kind authority (Isa 55:6-7; Mat 11:28-29); of encouragement (Isa 1:16-18); and of caution against delay. (Psa 95:7-8). As reclaimed creatures, restored to His favour and service, He speaks in the language of instruction (Mic 6:8; Tit 2:12); and in the language of consolation, (Isa 40:1; Psa 84:11).
4. With what design He speaks. This is to engage our obedience. His works teach us to glorify Him as God (Rom 1:21). His Word requires practical piety as mans indispensable duty (1Sa 15:22; Mat 7:21; Jam 1:22; Jam 1:25). The obedience thus required must be prompt, without delay (Job 22:21). Universal, without defect (Psa 119:6). Persevering, without intermission (Rom 2:7); and humble, without arrogance. It must be humbly ascribed to Divine grace (Isa 26:12); humbly presented through Christ for acceptance (1Pe 2:5); and humbly as unprofitable at best (Luk 17:10). Such being the obedience which God requires, let us consider–
II. His claims on our obedience to His voice. These will appear by answering the inquiry here instituted–Who is the Lord? etc.
1. He is our indisputable Proprietor.
2. He is our acknowledged Sovereign.
3. He is our best Friend, and kindest Benefactor.
4. He is the Disposer of our eternal destiny.
(1) Omniscient.
(2) Just.
(3) Powerful. (Sketches of Sermons.)
Pharaohs impious interrogation
I. God has spoken to mankind.
II. Why and how you should hear.
1. Why.
(1) Because of His right in and over you.
(2) Because of His condescension to you.
(3) Because of the design of His speaking–your present and eternal welfare.
2. How. With awe, sacred attentions, holy anxiety.
III. The impiety and folly of refusing to hear the voice of God.
1. It is a flagrant contempt of God.
2. It is open rebellion against authority.
3. It must be eventually ruinous to the sinner. (J. Burns, D. D.)
Scorners of God
1. They hear not His voice.
2. They perceive not His revelations.
3. They recognize not His claims.
4. They insult His servants.
5. They enslave His people.
6. They are obstinate in their denials. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)
Pharaoh fighting against God
A certain king used to wander about in disguise. Once he fell into a quarrel, and was getting rather roughly handled. But as soon as his assailant knew that he was pummeling the king, he dropped on his knees, asking for mercy. It is a good thing to know against whom we are fighting. Pharaoh did not realize that. When Job came to see that he was fighting against God, he said, Behold, I am vile . . . I will lay mine hand upon mine mouth.
I know not the Lord-agnosticism of the heart and will
A kind of agnosticism more prevalent than agnosticism of a scientific kind. There is an agnosticism of the heart; there is an agnosticism of the will. Men reason foolishly about this not knowing. Men imagine that because they know not the Lord, the Lord knows not them. There is a vital distinction. We do not extinguish the sun by closing our eyes. If men will not inquire for God in a spirit worthy of such an inquiry, they can never know God. Pharaohs no-knowledge was avowed in a tone of defiance. It was not an intellectual ignorance, but a spirit of moral denial. Pharaoh practically made himself god by denying the true God. This is the natural result of all atheism. Atheism cannot be a mere negative; if it pretend to intelligence it must, in some degree, involve the Godhead of the being who presumes to deny God; the greatest difficulty is with people who know the Lord, and do not obey Him. If they who professedly know the Lord, would carry out His will in daily obedience and sacrifice of the heart, their lives would constitute the most powerful of all arguments. (J. Parker, D. D.)
Dangerous ignorance
He says he does not know Jehovah; he does not recognize His authority or admit His claims. His soul is full of practical unbelief in God–a fact which commonly lies at the bottom of all the hardening of sinners hearts in every age. Pharaoh did not at first contemplate crossing swords and measuring strong arms with the Almighty God. If he had taken this view of the case he might have paused a while to consider. So it usually is with sinners. Unbelief in God conduces to launch them upon this terrible conflict. Once committed, they become more hardened; one sin leads on to more sinning till sin becomes incurable–shall we say it?–an uncontrollable madness. (H. Cowles, D. D.)
Who is the Lord?
This is–
1. The language of independence. Who is the Lord? I am the lord of Egypt, etc.
2. Of decided opposition; a setting up of his will against that of Jehovah; Who is the Lord that I should obey Him?
3. Of contemptuous rejection of Divine authority. He says, Let My people go; but I say, I will not.
4. Of insolent defiance, braving all terrors. Are we not struck with horror at the impiety of Pharaohs answer to the message of Jehovah?
But what, if in this congregation, there be a man or woman in whose heart the same principle of rebellion reigns!
1. I address myself first to the young–My son, give Me thine heart. Now what is the answer of many? is your heart either divided, or altogether devoted to worldly,pursuits and gratifications? if so then the principle, if not the words of Pharaoh is yours.
2. I would address those who are more advanced in life. Ye men of business, I have a message to you. Let me ask you if, on account of worldly gain, you do not sometimes violate your conscience? Then is not your language, Who is the Lord? I must mind my business first, I know not the Lord, neither will I let my gains go. (George Breay, B. A.)
Pharaohs ignorance self-imposed
We may think that this would be of course the language of a heathen king, of one who was not in the covenant. The Scripture does not teach us so. We are told that the Lord spoke to Laban and to Abimelech, and that they understood His voice. When Joseph told Pharaoh who was reigning in his day, that the Lord had sent him his dream, and had interpreted it, he believed the message and acted accordingly. It is never assumed in any part of Scripture that God is not declaring Himself to heathens, or that heathens may not own Him. We shall find precisely the opposite doctrine in the Old Testament as in the New. When then this Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice? we are to understand that he had brought himself into a condition of ignorance and darkness, which did not belong to him in consequence of his position, or of any natural disadvantages. He had come to regard himself as the Lord, his will as the will which all things were to obey; therefore he said inevitably, Who is the Lord? He had lost the sense of a righteous government and order in the world; he had come to believe in tricks and lies; he had come to think men were the mere creatures and slaves of natural agencies. Had God no voice for such a man, or for the priests and the people whom he represented, and whose feelings were the counterparts of his? We shall find that He had. (F. D. Maurice, M. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 2. Who is the Lord] Who is Jehovah, that I should obey his voice? What claims has he on me? I am under no obligation to him. Pharaoh spoke here under the common persuasion that every place and people had a tutelary deity, and he supposed that this Jehovah might be the tutelary deity of the Israelites, to whom he, as an Egyptian, could be under no kind of obligation. It is not judicious to bring this question as a proof that Pharaoh was an atheist: of this the text affords no evidence.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I am the sovereign lord of Egypt, and I own no superior here.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. And Pharaoh said, Who is theLordrather “Jehovah.” Lord was a common name appliedto objects of worship; but Jehovah was a name he had never heard of.Pharaoh estimated the character and power of this God by the abjectand miserable condition of the worshippers and concluded that He heldas low a rank among the gods as His people did in the nation. Todemonstrate the supremacy of the true God over all the gods of Egypt,was the design of the plagues.
I know not the Lord, neitherwill I let Israel goAs his honor and interest were bothinvolved he determined to crush this attempt, and in a tone ofinsolence, or perhaps profanity, rejected the request for the releaseof the Hebrew slaves.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Pharaoh said, who is the Lord,…. Jehovah, they made mention of, which, whether he took it for the name of a deity, or of a king, whose ambassadors they declared themselves to be, was a name he had never heard of before; and this being expressed and pronounced, shows that this name is not ineffable, or unlawful to be pronounced, as say the Jews:
that I should obey his voice, to let Israel go? he knew of no superior monarch to him, whose orders he was obliged to obey in any respect, and particularly in this, the dismission of the people of Israel out of his land, though it was but for a short time:
I know not the Lord; who this Jehovah is, that made this demand, and required Israel’s dismission. The Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it,
“I have not found the name of Jehovah written in the book of angels, I am not afraid of him.”
An Egyptian book, in which, the paraphrast supposes, were written the names of gods and of angels; and no such name being there, he was the more bold and insolent:
neither will I let Israel go; determining he would pay no regard to such an unknown Deity, or King, be he who he would.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
2. And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord? It is scarcely credible that there should be such madness in a mortal as, by thus wantonly scorning God, to fly, as it were, in the face of heaven! (67) But we must observe, that the tyrant being devoted to idolatries, thus insulted the God of Israel, that he might manifest his great piety towards his false gods. For his mockery, in scornfully bandying back the name of Jehovah, must be referred to the words of Moses, as much as to say, Why do you bring against me this unknown phantom under the title of the eternal God, as though we had no god of our own? Thus Pilate, when Christ said, “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth,” asks ironically, and not without mockery, “What is truth?” (68) (Joh 18:37.) In short, Pharaoh did not conceive himself to be dishonoring the Deity, when he rejected this false ( prodigiosum) God, as he thought. Yet his error did not avail to justify him, since it arose from insane audacity and contempt of God. Admit that he was unwilling that any should depreciate his idols, and that he thus imagined himself to perform a religious duty; still it was an act of very gross impiety, so carelessly to repudiate the name of the true God, and even to assail it with mockery. We may remark a like madness in all idolaters. Being intoxicated by their errors they boldly mock at God, and deign not to make inquiries about Him. The cry of the Papists now-a-days is, that we are imposing a new God on the world; and, applauding themselves in their wildest ravings, they do not hesitate to condemn our whole doctrine as impious; not because they are persuaded that they are themselves worshipping God aright; but they are willfully blind, that they may elude, with impunity, the sacred majesty of God, and stupify their consciences, and preserve to themselves their death-like slumber. They seem to themselves to be sharp-witted and facetious, when they are scoffing at the novelty of our doctrine; though its truth would be plain enough, if they would only open their eyes. The Epicureans, too, (of which pestilent sect the world is now full,) although they foam and rage against God, still invariably take refuge in some cloud, under which their detestable madness may be concealed: for they pretend that amidst such a multitude of opinions, it is scarcely possible to discern who is God, or what He commands. Still, however, this is their constant object, viz., that they may have nothing to do with God, and yet may conceal by jests the shame of their impiety; as if it were free for them to reject what they are willfully ignorant of. But after Pharaoh had indirectly derided the message of Moses, as a ludicrous affair, he more openly and more contemptuously vents his pride, implying that he cares not for that God, with whose name Moses and Aaron would frighten him.
(67) Quasi in coelum conspueret. — Lat.
(68) Comme s’il disoit, Penses tu que je soye un petit enfant, pour ne discerner point entre le blanc et le noir? as much as to say, Do you think I am a little child unable to distinguish black from white? — Fr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(2) Who is the Lord?Heb., Who is Jehovah? If Jehovah was a name, the use of which had been laid aside, as would seem to have been the case by the later chapters of Genesis, and which was revived by the scene at the burning bush, Pharaoh may very probably not have heard of it.
That I should obey his voice.The king means to say, that, whoever Jehovah is, He can have no authority over him, as He is not one of his gods. The Egyptians were accustomed to the idea of local gods, and quite expected every nation to have a deity or several deities of its own; but they regarded the power of each as circumscribed, certainly not extending beyond the race or nation to which the god belonged.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Who is Jehovah? It is possible that Pharaoh had never heard the name, for hitherto it had not been much used among the Hebrews in Egypt . At least he refuses to recognise Jehovah’s authority .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Exo 5:2. Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord? Who is Jehovah? His thoughts were full of the superstitious belief of local or tutelar deities; an opinion which prevailed generally among the Heathens. He does not, therefore, speak as an atheist, who believed not in any God; but as a blind devotee to false gods. He esteemed Jehovah one of these local deities; whom, therefore, he pretends not to know. Moses, in the subsequent verse, informs him, that this Jehovah was the GOD of the Hebrews; and the following train of miracles was to convince Pharaoh and his people, that Jehovah was not only the GOD of the Hebrews, but the Supreme Ruler of all the world, in opposition to their false and idolatrous faith. See note on ch. Exo 3:13.
REFLECTIONS.Moses and Aaron make no delay. Observe,
1. They boldly deliver their message. God’s people are his peculiar portion, and those who injure or oppress them do it at their peril. They must hold a feast to him, and the sacrifice which points to the atonement is the substance of the feast. Faith in the atoning blood of Jesus makes the sweetest feast for the soul.
2. Pharaoh’s impious answer, and flat denial. They who oppress God’s people, will despise their God: they neither know him, nor fear him. Note; (1.) The cause of every sin is ignorance of God; for where there is no knowledge, there is no fear of him. (2.) Obstinate sinners go from iniquity to impiety. They first offend, and then defy the God of Israel: but it shall be to their cost.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
DISCOURSE: 67
PHARAOHS IMPIETY
Exo 5:2. And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice, to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.
MANY of the characters in the Old Testament are set forth to us as examples; and their history is recorded for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come [Note: 1Co 10:6; 1Co 10:11.]. Amongst these, Pharaoh holds a very conspicuous place. When he persisted in his rebellion against God, Moses was inspired to declare to him what a monument of Gods indignation he should be made to all future generations, and that God had raised him up to his exalted station for that express purpose. Not that God had infused any evil disposition into his mind; but by investing him with regal authority, and continuing him in the exercise of that authority notwithstanding his impious abuse of it, he enabled Pharaoh to display more conspicuously the wickedness of his heart, and to involve himself and his whole kingdom in more awful judgments than he could have done if he had moved in the situation of a private man. St. Paul quotes this declaration, in order to shew, that God disposes of men according to his sovereign will and pleasure, either converting them unto himself, or permitting them to proceed in their wickedness, in such a way as shall ultimately conduce most to the honour of his own name, and to the accomplishment of his own eternal purposes [Note: Compare Exo 9:16 with Rom 9:15-18.]. In this view, the passage before us is commended to us, as of singular importance. It shews us, not only what Pharaoh was, but what human nature itself is, if left to manifest its dispositions without restraint. I shall take occasion from it, therefore, to shew,
I.
The impiety of Pharaoh
I will bring it before you in a brief but comprehensive way. Mark,
1.
Its source
[It arose from pride and ignorance. Because there was no man of greater eminence than himself on earth, this unhappy monarch imagined that there was none above him even in heaven. Poor foolish worm! swelling with his own importance, whilst the plagues inflicted on him shewed how impotent he was to repel the assaults of the meanest insects. What insufferable arrogance was there in that question, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice? And what horrible impiety in that declaration, I know not the Lord; neither will I let Israel go! True, thou son of Belial, thou hast unwittingly assigned the real cause of thine obstinacy: I know not the Lord [Note: 1Sa 2:12.]. As St. Paul says of the Jews, Had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory [Note: 1Co 2:8.], so say I to thee: Hadst thou known what a great and holy Being thou wast resisting, thou wouldst not have dared to withstand him thus. No: thou wouldst have bowed before him, and submitted instantly to his commands. Thy profaneness was proof enough of thine ignorance.]
2.
Its operation
[His obstinacy was irreclaimable, whether by judgments or by mercies. Nine successive plagues, and the removal of them all at thy request, were insufficient to subdue the pride and haughtiness of thy spirit. Not even the tenth, the greatest and heaviest of them all, prevailed on thee to desist from fighting against God. Thy relentings were only momentary: thy hardness returned the very instant thou wast out of the furnace: thine own consent thou didst recall; and follow with murderous rage those thou hadst permitted to go forth from, thy land. How blinded wast thou by the wickedness of thine own heart! Thou wast alike insensible to the evil and the danger of thy ways. And in this thou hast shewn what is, in every place and in every age, the sad effect of sin.]
3.
Its issue
[Whither did it lead this devoted monarch, but to shame and ruin? Thou saidst, Neither will I let Israel go. But when that Jehovah whom thou defiedst put forth his hand against thee, thou didst thrust them forth from thy land: and so anxious were thy whole people to get rid of them, that they loaded them with all their most valuable jewels, and with every thing that could be desired to speed their way.
But when they seemed to be entangled in the land, and an opportunity was afforded thee, as thou thoughtest, for their destruction, thou couldst not forbear: thou wouldst seize the occasion, and summon all thine hosts, and execute upon them thy vengeance to the uttermost. Thou sawest the sea opening for them a way: but hadst thou yet to learn that God would put a difference between the Israelites and Egyptians? Presumptuous wretch! thou wouldst follow them even through the sea itself, and lead on in passion thine infatuated hosts. I see thee enter within the watery walls which Omnipotence had raised: but there thou hastenest to thy destruction. Now escape from the snare into which thine impiety has led thee. Thou canst not: thy chariot wheels are broken; and too late dost thou find that Jehovah fights for Israel. Of all that followed this infuriated monarch, not one escaped; the sea came upon them, and overwhelmed them all; not so much as one was left, to report to Egypt the calamity they had sustained.]
But, not to dwell any longer on the impiety of Pharaoh, I shall proceed to that which is of more immediate interest to ourselves; namely, to shew,
II.
To what an extent a similar spirit prevails amongst us
To you the messages of heaven are sent
[We, Brethren, are ambassadors of God to you, and in his sacred name do we bring you the counsels which we offer; and every word that is so delivered, in accordance with his mind and will, must be received, not as the word of man, but as the word of God himself. To every different class of hearers have we a message suited to their state. We call upon the licentious to forsake their evil ways; the worldling to seek for better things than this world can give; the formal and self-righteous to renounce their self-dependence, and to make the Lord Jesus Christ the ground of all their hopes.]
But who amongst you can be prevailed upon to obey the word?
[The same spirit by which Pharaoh was actuated, pervades the great mass of mankind; every one displaying it in a way suited to his own particular state. Some will openly say, with Pharaoh, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice? Others, who would not altogether express themselves in such impious terms, will yet in effect maintain the same language, and practically follow the some ungodly course. The inspired writers give this precise view of the ungodly world. Job speaks of them, as saying to God in his day, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways, what is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him [Note: Job 21:14-15.] ? David gives a similar representation of them in his day: They have said, With our tongues shall we prevail: our lips are our own: who is Lord over us [Note: Psa 12:4.] ? The Prophet Jeremiah gives exactly the same character of those in his age: all classes of the community said to his very face, in answer to the messages he delivered to them from the Lord, As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee: but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, or cometh into our own hearts [Note: Jer 44:16-17 with 23:17.]. Now from these testimonies it is evident that I am not putting an undue construction on the words of Pharaoh, or pressing them too far, when I represent them as characterizing the spirit of the present day. It is clear that men do at this day reject the word of the Lord, and cast it behind them, and, in effect, say as he did, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice? It is obvious, too, that they do this in the midst of all the judgments and mercies with which God is pleased to visit them. There may be in many an occasional relenting, or purpose to amend: but all endeavour to lower the commands of God to the standard that is agreeable to their own minds; nor do any, except those who have been savingly converted to God, through Christ, ever surrender up themselves to God, or yield an unreserved obedience to his commands.]
And in what must your disobedience issue?
[Ask of persons in their career of sin, and they will tell you that they have nothing to fear. The confidence of Pharaoh and all his host exactly represents their state. Behold that whole army: onward they go, in prosecution of their bloody purpose: but little do they think how soon they will rue their folly, and how irretrievable will their ruin be m the space of a few moments. See them pressing forward: how little do they apprehend the fate that awaits them! So be-hold the various classes of ungodly men: how little do they dream of the destruction to which they are hastening! Wait but a few short moments, and they will all sink into everlasting perdition. But will not their confidence deliver them? No: the greater their confidence, the more certain is their ruin. But surely we may hope that their numbers will be some protection No: of the whole Egyptian army, not one soul escaped: nor, if the unconverted world were a million times more numerous than they are, should one single soul escape the wrath of God. They are willingly and determinately treasuring up wrath to themselves against the day of wrath: and at the appointed season it shall come upon them to the uttermost. Then they will know who that Lord is, whom now they so despise: and they shall find, to their cost, that those who walk in pride he is able to abase [Note: Dan 4:37.].]
See then, from hence,
1.
How great is the folly of ungodly men!
[Were a child to contend in battle with a man, who would not upbraid him for his folly and presumption in entering into so unequal a contest? But what shall we say of those who set themselves in array against the Majesty of heaven? Truly, a contest of briers and thorns against a devouring fire would not be more absurd. And this is the very comparison which is made by God himself: Who would set briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, and burn them up together [Note: Isa 27:4.]. I pray you, Brethren, remember against whom it is that you fight. It is against Him, who by a word spake the universe into existence, and by a word could reduce it in an instant to absolute nonentity. Look at the fallen angels, and see the consequence of rebelling against God! Look at the antediluvian world, and say, whether it be not an evil and bitter thing to sin against him, and to provoke his displeasure. Were it possible for you to withstand his power or to elude his search, you might have some excuse for casting off his light and easy yoke: but indeed you must, ere long, be summoned to his tribunal, and receive at his hands a doom which can never be reversed. And will ye be strong in the day that he shall deal with you, or will ye thunder with a voice like his? I pray you, lay down the weapons of your rebellion without delay, and implore mercy at the Saviours hands, whilst yet the day of salvation lasts, and the accepted time is continued to you.]
2.
How greatly are they to be pitied!
[See how secure they are in their own apprehensions, and how confidently they expect a successful termination of their conflicts! Unhappy men! Methinks I see you in the agonies of death, and behold you at the instant of your entrance into the presence of your God. Oh! could we but conceive your terrors, and hear your cries, and witness your unavailing lamentations, how should we pity you! Could we further behold the triumphant exultations of that cruel fiend, who was once your tempter, and will then be your tormentor to all eternity, how should we weep over you! And lastly, if we could behold you suffering the vengeance of eternal fire, under the wrath of Almighty God, methinks it would be too much for us to endure: the very sight would overwhelm us, even though we had no fears for ourselves. Verily, it was with good reason that the Saviour wept over the devoted city of Jerusalem: and we would that our eyes also were a fountain of tears, to run down day and night on account of your present obduracy, and on account of the miseries that await you in the eternal world!]
3.
How desirable is the knowledge of God, as revealed in the Gospel!
[Never was there one who sought the face of God in vain. No: however long ye may have rebelled against God, there is mercy for you, if you turn to him with your whole hearts. Think how many of those who crucified the Lord of glory obtained mercy at his hands: and so shall you also, if you will humble yourselves before him, and seek for mercy through his atoning blood. Not so much as one of you should perish, if you would but go to him. No truly, there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. All that believe in him shall be justified from all things. Acquaint, then, Yourselves with God, and be at peace. Seek that knowledge of him which is life eternal. And know, that, whilst they who know him not, and obey not his Gospel, shall be banished from the presence of his glory, his believing and obedient servants shall both serve him, and be served by him, in his kingdom and glory, for ever and ever.]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
Reader! Pause over this awful confession of the impious monarch: he knew not the Lord! a dreadful state. And yet this want of the knowledge of the Lord is the cause of all the sin and contempt of the Lord throughout the earth. See Job 21:14-15 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
“Handfuls of Purpose”
For All Gleaners
“I know not the Lord.” Exo 5:2 .
A kind of agnosticism more prevalent than agnosticism of a scientific kind. There is an agnosticism of the heart; there is an agnosticism of the will. Men reason foolishly about this not-knowing. Men imagine that because they know not the Lord, the Lord knows not them. This is a vital distinction. We do not extinguish the sun by closing our eyes. If men will not inquire for God in a spirit worthy of such an inquiry they can never know God. Pharaoh’s no-knowledge was avowed in a tone of defiance. It was not an intellectual ignorance, but a spirit of moral denial. Pharaoh practically made himself God by denying the true God. This is the natural result of all atheism. Atheism cannot be a mere negative; if it pretend to intelligence it must, in some degree, involve the godhead of the being who presumes to deny God; the greatest difficulty is with people who know the Lord and do not obey him. If they who professedly know the Lord would carry out his will in daily obedience and sacrifice of the heart, their lives would constitute the most powerful of all arguments.
Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker
Exo 5:2 And Pharaoh said, Who [is] the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
Ver. 2. Who is the Lord? ] God’s attributes either show what he is, or who he is. To the question of Moses – What he is? – God gave a short answer, “I am.” To this second by Pharaoh, Who he is? – God made a large reply, till Pharaoh was compelled to answer himself, “The Lord is righteous.”
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Who is the LORD? Figure of speech Erotesis (App-6). Note the repetition of Pharaoh’s “I”, answered by Jehovah’s “I “eighteen times in Exo 6:1-8.
voice. Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause). App-6. Voice put for commands uttered by it.
Israel. Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct). App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Who: Exo 3:19, 2Ki 18:35, 2Ch 32:15, 2Ch 32:19, Job 21:15, Psa 10:4, Psa 12:4, Psa 14:1
I know not: 1Sa 2:12, Joh 16:3, Rom 1:28, 2Th 1:8
neither: Exo 3:19, Jer 44:16, Jer 44:17
Reciprocal: Gen 3:5 – as gods Exo 7:17 – thou shalt Exo 8:8 – Entreat Exo 18:11 – in the thing Jdg 2:10 – knew not 1Sa 25:10 – Who is David 1Ki 12:13 – answered 1Ki 18:21 – if the Lord 2Ki 19:22 – Whom Neh 9:10 – they Job 15:25 – strengtheneth Job 18:21 – knoweth Job 41:34 – he is Psa 17:10 – with Psa 73:9 – set Pro 18:23 – rich Pro 30:9 – Who Isa 36:20 – that the Lord Isa 37:23 – Whom hast Jer 42:13 – General Jer 43:2 – all the Jer 48:26 – for he Jer 50:33 – they refused Dan 3:15 – and who Mal 3:13 – Your 2Co 10:5 – and every Gal 4:8 – when Jam 3:5 – so
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 5:2. Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice? I am the sovereign lord of Egypt, and I own no superior here. The Hebrew name Jehovah ought to have been retained in this and the preceding verse, and not to have been translated Lord. Thus saith Jehovah who is Jehovah I know not Jehovah. The Egyptians, it must be observed, and other nations were at this time sunk in idolatry, and knowing nothing of the true God, the possessor of heaven and earth, each nation had a god or gods of its own. Pharaoh, therefore, did not speak as an atheist, or mean that he knew nothing of any god whom he ought to obey; but he knew nothing of the God of the Hebrews, whom they termed Jehovah, imagining him to be like one of the gods of Egypt, or of some other country, a mere local deity, whom therefore it neither concerned him to know nor to obey. Now the train of miracles which followed were intended to teach Pharaoh and his people, that Jehovah was not only the God of the Hebrews, but of all the world, having an uncontrolled and sovereign power over universal nature.