Verse:
Exodus 4:31
And the people believed (faith / 'aman): 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.
Commentary by Adam Clarke
The people believed They bowed their heads and worshipped.
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. Source
See a similar act mentioned, and in the same words, Genesis 24:26. The bowing the head, 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.
Genesis 24:26
Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD ,
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 Matthew 8:2the leper is said to worship our Lord, ??????????????. but in Luke 5:12 he is said to have fallen on his face, ????????????????. 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 Genesis 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, ?????????, 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.
Luke 5:12 Genesis 17:3
While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."
Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,
Commentary by Coffman
And the people believed Source
God was right, after all, as He always is. All of the fears and apprehensions by Moses that they would not hear him were ill founded and inaccurate. Furthermore, this does not contradict the statement in Exo. 6:9 that they would not listen to Moses. They gave heed to Moses at first, but since instant deliverance did not come, in their disappointment and impatience, they would not (at that time) listen to him. Nevertheless, this initial acceptance of Moses and Aaron was a true indication that, despite all lapses and hindrances, Israel would indeed follow them out of Egypt.
Exo. 6:9
Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage.
Commentary by Geneva Study Bible
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. Source
So that Moses had experience of Gods promise that he would have good success.
Commentary by David Guzik
Moses and Aaron present themselves to the people of Israel. Source
a. It happened just as God said that it would; God had promised then they will heed your voice (Exodus 3:18), and the people of Israel did - and their excitement was real as they anticipated the deliverance of the nation. b. One must wonder if Moses told the leaders of Israel all what God had told him; at this point, he may have only said that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, without specifying that they were going to take the whole nation across the desert to Canaan!
Exodus 3:18
"The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, 'The LORD , the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God.'
Commentary by Jamieson, Fausset, Brown
29-31. Moses and Aaron went--towards Egypt, Zipporah and her sons having been sent back. (Compare Ex 18:2). Source
Ex 18:2 gathered . . . all the elders--Aaron was spokesman, and Moses performed the appointed miracles--through which "the people" (that is, the elders) believed (1Ki 17:24; Jos 3:2) and received the joyful tidings of the errand on which Moses had come with devout thanksgiving. Formerly they had slighted the message and rejected the messenger. Formerly Moses had gone in his own strength; now he goes leaning on God, and strong only through faith in Him who had sent him. Israel also had been taught a useful lesson, and it was good for both that they had been afflicted.
After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her
1Ki 17:24 Jos 3:2
Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth."
After three days the officers went throughout the camp,
Commentary by John Gill
And the people believed and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel;
That Moses was sent of God, and would be the deliverer of them: and that he had looked upon their affliction;
in a way of grace and mercy, by raising such a redeemer and deliverer in the midst of them: then they bowed their heads, and worshipped;
with an eye of pity and compassion: Source
adoring the goodness of God, and expressing their thankfulness for the notice he took of them, and signifying their readiness to obey all instructions and directions that should be given them.
Commentary by Matthew Henry
How the elders of Israel met him in faith and obedience. When Moses and Aaron first opened their commission in Egypt, said what they were ordered to say, and, to confirm it, did what they were ordered to do, they met with a better reception than they promised themselves, The Israelites gave credit to them: The people believed, as God had foretold (Exodus 3:18), knowing that no man could do those works that they did, unless God were with him. They gave glory to God: They bowed their heads and worshipped, therein expressing not only their humble thankfulness to God, who had raised them up and sent them a deliverer, but also their cheerful readiness to observe orders, and pursue the methods of their deliverance. Source
Exodus 3:18
"The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, 'The LORD , the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God.'
About Commentary Authors
Prepared by William C. Barman for George Young Memorial United Methodist Church -- Palm Harbor, FL on 9/22/03; 9:36:44 AM