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Ex 3:1-22.
英文原文
Ex 3:1-22.
DIVINE APPEARANCE AND COMMISSION TO MOSES.
1. Now Moses kept the flock--This employment he had entered on in furtherance of his matrimonial views (see on
Ex 2:21),
but it is probable he was continuing his service now on other terms like Jacob during the latter years of his stay with Laban
(Ge 30:28).
he led the flock to the backside of the desert--that is, on the west of the desert [GESENIUS], assuming Jethro's headquarters to have been at Dahab. The route by which Moses led his flock must have been west through the wide valley called by the Arabs, Wady-es-Zugherah [ROBINSON], which led into the interior of the wilderness.
Mountain of God--so named either according to Hebrew idiom from its great height, as "great mountains," Hebrew, "mountains of God"
(Ps 36:6);
"goodly cedars," Hebrew, "cedars of God"
(Ps 80:10);
or some think from its being the old abode of "the glory"; or finally from its being the theater of transactions most memorable in the history of the true religion to Horeb--rather, "Horeb-ward."
Horeb--that is, "dry," "desert," was the general name for the mountainous district in which Sinai is situated, and of which it is a part. (See on
Ex 19:2).
It was used to designate the region comprehending that immense range of lofty, desolate, and barren hills, at the base of which, however, there are not only many patches of verdure to be seen, but almost all the valleys, or wadys, as they are called, show a thin coating of vegetation, which, towards the south, becomes more luxuriant. The Arab shepherds seldom take their flocks to a greater distance than one day's journey from their camp. Moses must have gone at least two days' journey, and although he seems to have been only following his pastoral course, that region, from its numerous springs in the clefts of the rocks being the chief resort of the tribes during the summer heats, the Providence of God led him thither for an important purpose.
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2、3. 耶和华的使者向他显现,在火焰中——《圣经》惯于以执行神旨意的风、火、地震、瘟疫等自然界的元素与作用,作为神的「使者」。但在这些情形中,神自己虽不可见,却被视为真实地临在。此处那超自然的火焰,「耶和华的使者」一语可能主要指的就是它;但显而易见,在这象征之下,乃是神圣的本体临在,祂的名已被指明
(出 3:4, 6),
在别处又称为立约的使者——耶和华——耶稣。
从荆棘中——那旷野盛产的野生金合欢或荆棘,通常干燥易燃,以致在某些季节,一点火星就能使一片广阔的地域燃起大火。因此,火在这样一棵旷野荆棘之中,实在是「大异象」。一般认为,这是以色列人在埃及之境遇的象征——受着磨人的奴役和血腥的迫害,然而尽管那残酷的策略一心要灭绝他们,他们却依旧人数众多、兴旺如故。其原因乃是「神在他们中间」。这象征也可代表犹太人今日的境况,以及教会在世间普遍的处境。
英文原文
2, 3. the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire--It is common in Scripture to represent the elements and operations of nature, as winds, fires, earthquakes, pestilence, everything enlisted in executing the divine will, as the "angels" or messengers of God. But in such cases God Himself is considered as really, though invisibly, present. Here the preternatural fire may be primarily meant by the expression "angel of the Lord"; but it is clear that under this symbol, the Divine Being was present, whose name is given
(Ex 3:4, 6),
and elsewhere called the angel of the covenant, Jehovah-Jesus.
out of the midst of a bush--the wild acacia or thorn, with which that desert abounds, and which is generally dry and brittle, so much so, that at certain seasons, a spark might kindle a district far and wide into a blaze. A fire, therefore, being in the midst of such a desert bush was a "great sight." It is generally supposed to have been emblematic of the Israelites' condition in Egypt--oppressed by a grinding servitude and a bloody persecution, and yet, in spite of the cruel policy that was bent on annihilating them, they continued as numerous and thriving as ever. The reason was "God was in the midst of them." The symbol may also represent the present state of the Jews, as well as of the Church generally in the world.
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4. 耶和华神见他过去要看——古时神向人显现,总是伴随着清晰无误的记号,证明那启示确实来自天上。这确凿的证据也赐给了摩西。他看见火,却无点火的人;他听见声音,却无发声的人嘴;他看不见任何活物,但荆棘之中、烈焰之内,却有一位认识他并按名呼召他的。除了神圣的本体之外,这会是谁呢?
英文原文
4. when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see--The manifestations which God anciently made of Himself were always accompanied by clear, unmistakable signs that the communications were really from heaven. This certain evidence was given to Moses. He saw a fire, but no human agent to kindle it; he heard a voice, but no human lips from which it came; he saw no living Being, but One was in the bush, in the heat of the flames, who knew him and addressed him by name. Who could this be but the Divine Being?
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5. 脱鞋——这吩咐符合摩西所熟知的习俗,因埃及祭司在庙中也是如此,而在东方各国,百姓进圣所脱鞋脱履,正如我们脱帽一样。但东方的观念与西方并不尽同。在我们,脱帽是表示对所进之处——更准确地说,对在其中受敬拜之主的尊敬。在他们,脱鞋则是承认个人的污秽,以及自觉不配站在毫无瑕疵之圣洁面前。
英文原文
5. put off thy shoes--The direction was in conformity with a usage which was well known to Moses, for the Egyptian priests observed it in their temples, and it is observed in all Eastern countries where the people take off their shoes or sandals, as we do our hats. But the Eastern idea is not precisely the same as the Western. With us, the removal of the hat is an expression of reverence for the place we enter, or rather of Him who is worshipped there. With them the removal of the shoes is a confession of personal defilement and conscious unworthiness to stand in the presence of unspotted holiness.
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6-8. 我是你父亲的神……下来要救——神以祂立约的性情宣告自己,又传达了那令人欣慰的信息,摩西的敬畏之心必得着安慰(见
太 22:32)。况且,这次奇妙显现的时间和一切情况,都给了他神对祂应许信实的辉煌展示。以色列人在埃及的旅程与受苦的时期早已预言
(创 15:13),
而耶和华在燃烧的荆棘中显现,正是那仍须经过的期限的最后一年。
英文原文
6-8. I am the God . . . come down to deliver--The reverential awe of Moses must have been relieved by the divine Speaker (see
Mt 22:32),
announcing Himself in His covenant character, and by the welcome intelligence communicated. Moreover, the time, as well as all the circumstances of this miraculous appearance, were such as to give him an illustrious display of God's faithfulness to His promises. The period of Israel's journey and affliction in Egypt had been predicted
(Ge 15:13),
and it was during the last year of the term which had still to run that the Lord appeared in the burning bush.
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10-22. 故此现在你来,我要差遣你——考虑到昔日曾激荡摩西胸中的爱国情怀,我们或会以为,没有什么使命比承担以色列民族解放之工更合他心意了。但他却显出极大的不愿,并提出了种种推辞
[出 3:11, 13; 4:1, 10],
这一切都被成功地驳回和消除——而他劳苦的美好结局,也都被一一细述。
英文原文
10-22. Come now therefore, and I will send thee--Considering the patriotic views that had formerly animated the breast of Moses, we might have anticipated that no mission could have been more welcome to his heart than to be employed in the national emancipation of Israel. But he evinced great reluctance to it and stated a variety of objections
[Ex 3:11, 13; 4:1, 10]
all of which were successfully met and removed--and the happy issue of his labors was minutely described.
出埃及记 3:1-22.
神向摩西 显现并 差遣他
1. 摩西牧养——他为着成婚的打算而从事这职业(参见
出 2:21),
但如今他很可能像雅各在拉班那里的后几年一样,是按别的条件继续服侍
(创 30:28)。
领羊群往野外去——即往旷野的西边[GESENIUS],假定叶忒罗的总部在达哈布(Dahab)。摩西领羊群所走的路线,必是向西穿过阿拉伯人称为瓦迪·厄斯·祖革拉(Wady-es-Zugherah)的宽阔山谷[ROBINSON],由此进入旷野的腹地。
神的山——此名或是按希伯来文的惯用语,因其高度极大而得名,如「大山」,希伯来文作「神的山」
(诗 36:6);
「佳美的香柏树」,希伯来文作「神的香柏树」
(诗 80:10);
也有人认为,是因它从前是「荣耀」的居所;又或因它是真宗教历史中最难忘之事的舞台——往何烈——更准确地说,是「何烈方向」。
何烈——意即「干旱」、「荒凉」,是西奈所在、西奈为其一部分的那片山区的总称。(参见
出 19:2)。
此名用以指称那连绵不绝、高耸荒芜的群山;然而在其山麓,不但可见许多青葱的草地,几乎所有山谷(即所称的wady)都覆盖着一层薄薄的植被,愈往南便愈茂盛。阿拉伯牧人很少将羊群赶到离营超过一日路程的地方。摩西必已走了至少两日的路程;他似乎只是照着牧放的本分行事,但那地区因岩石裂缝中有许多泉水,是酷暑时节各支族的主要聚集地,神的护理便引导他前往那里,为要成就一个重要的旨意。