Exodus 4:31

Exo 4:31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

Ver. 31. They bowed their heads.] An ordinary gesture among the Jews then: as at this day, the reverence they show is in standing up, and the gesture of adoration in the bowing forward of their bodies: for, kneeling they use none, neither stir they their bonnets in their synagogues to any man, but remain still covered. {a}

{a} Spec. Europ.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Exo_4:31

The people believed.

Lessons

1. The peoples faith should closely follow upon Gods word ministered, and by His works confirmed. A good connection.

2. Where God promiseth success to His ministers in the faith of others, there they shall believe (Exo_3:18).

3. All professed believers, receive not Gods word with the same faith.

4. Hearing is the usual sense of bringing in faith and the fruits of it.

5. Gods gracious visitation of His Church, and providential sight of its afflictions, is very good to be heard by them.

6. Such hearing of Gods visiting love and redeeming providence must affect Gods Israel.

7. Faith working by this sense stirs up souls to suitable returns unto God.

8. The humblest and sincerest worship in body and spirit is the most suitable return to God for His redemption. (G. Hughes, B. D.)

Human and Divine attitudes

I. The attitudes predicated of the people.

1. Their belief.

2. Their reverence.

3. Their devotion.

II. The attitudes predicated of God.

1. He saw the affliction of Israel.

2. Visited Israel. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)

Faith easy when in the line of desire

People are a great deal more apt to receive a message as from God when it is in the line of their own longings. The Israelites were quick to receive from God a promise of relief from Egyptian brick-making, readier to worship than when they wanted water or meat on the desert and failed to find it ready at hand for them. And they were very much like the rest of us in all this. How we should bow our heads and worship if the one inner longing of our hearts at this moment were granted to us, or even promised of God, all of a sudden! But how is it while God keeps back from us that which we long for, and we know that He is prompted to His course by both wisdom and love? Do we bow our heads and worship, all the same? Well, we bow our heads; but not always to worship. (H. C. Trumbull.)

Confidence in God

The Roman noblemen could give no greater proof of their confidence in their city and army, than when they bought the land on which their Carthaginian enemies were encamped around the city. And we can give no greater proof of our confidence in God, than by trusting Him in the land which our enemies, darkness and sickness and trouble, seem to possess, and acting as if He were their master, and mightier than they all. (W. Baxendale.)

The believing people

I. God always furnishes sufficient evidence to justify belief. Moses was a stranger to the people; Aaron doubtless well known. He had a welcome message--deliverance. Miracles in outward form: miracles typical in character: rod changed to a serpent and back, Moses changed from a shepherd to a ruler; cleansing of leprosy, the purifying of the human for Divine use.

II. Hearing precedes believing. God sent Aaron to speak. Ministers sent to preach.

III. The Israelites manifest their faith publicly. We must confess Christ in token of faith.

IV. God prepares the way for the reception of His truth. Aaron called to meet Moses. Gods Spirit precedes and accompanies the truth we utter.

V. Faith secures deliverance. By it the Israelites secured theirs. So must we by ours. It is unto us according to our faith. (Dr. Fowler.)

Bowed heads

1. Some heads are bowed with business cares. During the last four years many homes have been broken, and others sadly reduced, not so much through mens own folly, as from the long and serious depression in trade.

2. Some heads are bowed with sorrow over sinful children. That never-fading picture of the Prodigal Son, painted by a master hand, is often too truly representative of our own families. Young men, think of all the pain and anguish you cause for those dear parents by your lives of sin.

3. Some heads are bowed with bereavement. To many of us there have come dark days of sorrow and pain. Roses have withered in our domestic gardens; buds have been nipped before they had time to bloom; lights we loved have gone out. (Charles Leach.)

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The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Exo 4:31. The people believed — That Moses was God’s messenger, sent for their deliverance, and bowed their heads, and worshipped Jehovah as the true God, and the God of their fathers, acknowledging his goodness, and testifying their gratitude for his thus graciously visiting them.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4:31 the people of Israel were convinced: The initial response to the good news was one of faith and worship. Contrast the response of panic in 14:10-12, when they saw Pharaoh chasing them.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

So that Moses had now experience of God’s promise that he should have good success.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 31. The people believed] They credited the account given of the Divine appointment of Moses and Aaron to be their deliverers out of their bondage, the miracles wrought on the occasion confirming the testimony delivered by Aaron.

They bowed their heads and worshipped.] See a similar act mentioned, and in the same words, Ge 24:26. The bowing the head, c., here, may probably refer to the eastern custom of bowing the head down to the knees, then kneeling down and touching the earth with the forehead. This was a very painful posture and the most humble in which the body could possibly be placed. Those who pretend to worship God, either by prayer or thanksgiving, and keep themselves during the performance of those solemn acts in a state of perfect ease, either carelessly standing or stupidly sitting, surely cannot have a due sense of the majesty of God, and their own sinfulness and unworthiness. Let the feelings of the body put the soul in remembrance of its sin against God. Let a man put himself in such a position (kneeling for instance) as it is generally acknowledged a criminal should assume, when coming to his sovereign and judge to bewail his sins, and solicit forgiveness.

The Jewish custom, as we learn from Rabbi Maymon, was to bend the body so that every joint of the backbone became incurvated, and the head was bent towards the knees, so that the body resembled a bow and prostration implied laying the body flat upon the earth, the arms and legs extended to the uttermost, the mouth and forehead touching the ground. In Mt 8:2 the leper is said to worship our Lord, προσεκυνει αυτω. but in Lu 5:12 he is said to have fallen on his face, πεσων επι προσωπον. These two accounts show that he first kneeled down, probably putting his face down to his knees, and touching the earth with his forehead; and then prostrated himself, his legs and arms being both extended. See Clarke on Ge 17:3.

THE backwardness of Moses to receive and execute the commission to deliver the children of Israel, has something very instructive in it. He felt the importance of the charge, his own insufficiency, and the awful responsibility under which he should be laid if he received it. Who then can blame him for hesitating? If he miscarried (and how difficult in such a case not to miscarry!) he must account to a jealous God, whose justice required him to punish every delinquency. What should ministers of the Gospel feel on such subjects? Is not their charge more important and more awful than that of Moses? How few consider this! It is respectable, it is honourable, to be in the Gospel ministry, but who is sufficient to guide and feed the flock of God? If through the pastor's unfitness or neglect any soul should go astray, or perish through want of proper spiritual nourishment, or through not getting his portion in due season, in what a dreadful state is the pastor! That soul, says God, shall die in his iniquities, but his blood will I require at the watchman's hands! Were these things only considered by those who are candidates for the Gospel ministry, who could be found to undertake it? We should then indeed have the utmost occasion to pray the Lord of the harvest, εκβαλλειν, to THRUST OUT labourers into the harvest, as no one, duly considering those things would go, unless thrust out by God himself. O ye ministers of the sanctuary! tremble for your own souls, and the souls of those committed to your care, and go not into this work unless God go with you. Without his presence, unction, and approbation, ye can do nothing.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

31. The people believe in Moses’ commission, as Jehovah had assured him that they would do (Exo_3:18 a, Exo_4:8-9); and bow the heads in reverence and gratitude when they hear that Jehovah has visited (Exo_3:16) His people.

and when, &c.] Heb. and they heard …, and they bowed. LXX. for and they heard (וישמעו) have and they rejoiced (וישמחו); no doubt rightly.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Had visited, i.e. taken cognizance of their cause and condition, and resolved to deliver them,

they bowed their heads and worshipped; acknowledging and adoring the kindness and faithfulness of God thereto.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The people believed. This ready faith stands in strong contrast with the ordinary incredulous temper of the Israelitish people, who were "a faithless and stubborn generation a generation that "believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation". (Psa_78:22) It would seem that under the pressure of affliction having, humanly speaking, no hope the stubborn spirit of the people had given way, and they were content to look to Jehovah and accept his promises, and believe in his messengers, notwithstanding their natural scepticism. No doubt the novelty of miracles helped to produce this state of feeling; and the fact that they were not called upon at present for any active exertion made acquiescence in what Moses put before them easier. When they heard that the Lord had visitedi.e. when the message contained in Exo_3:16 was delivered to them. And that he had looked upon their affliction. Compare, Exo_3:7. They bowed their heads. Rather "they bowed down" (Kalisch) or "inclined themselves." And worshipped. Some understand an act of respect and ho-mage done to Moses and Aaron, in token of their acceptance by the people as leaders; but, though the words employed are sometimes used in this sense, the context is opposed to their having this sense in this place. "When the people heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel they bowed down and worshipped." Whom? Surely, the Lord.

Worship the proper outcome of thankfulness.

Israel, down-trodden, oppressed, crushed beneath an intolerable tyranny, no sooner hears the promise of deliverance, than it displays its gratitude by "bowing the head and worshipping." Many Christians talk of being thankful for God"s blessings vouchsafed to them, but never think of showing forth their thankfulness by any extra act of worship, or even any increased intensity in that portion of their ordinary worship which consists in thanksgiving. A sad sign this of modern lukewarmness, an indication that the "last times are drawing near, when "the love of many shall wax cold." Time was when each national success was at once celebrated by a "Te Deum," and when each blessing granted to an individual drew forth a special offering. The thankfulness that does not show itself in some such overt act must be a very poor thankfulness, a very weak and washed-out feeling.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.