7 'I will judge the nation to which they will be in bondage,' said God, 'and after that will they come out, and serve me in this place.'
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
The nation whom they shall serve. This judgment is joined with the deliverance of the people. For, whereas God doth punish the cruelty and tyranny of the wicked Egyptians, he doth that for his people's sake, whom he took into his tuition, that it may be seen that he is the deliverer of his Church. Therefore, so often as we are unjustly afflicted by the wicked, let us remember that God is the Judge of the world, who will let no injuries be unpunished. Let every man thus think with himself, Seeing that I am under the tuition of God, who is the Judge of the world, and to whom it belongeth to punish all injuries, those shall not escape his hand who trouble me now. There is the like place in Deuteronomy 32:43, where God saith that vengeance is his. Whence Paul gathereth that we must give place to wrath, (Romans 12:19;) as if he should say, that this ought to serve to reform impatience, and to bridle our evil affections, in that God promiseth that he will revenge; for he which revengeth himself doth take God's office from him. And let us still remember that which I have already said, that God is touched with an especial care to revenge injuries done to his children, as it is in the Psalm, "Hurt not mine anointed, and be not troublesome to my prophets." They shall come thence and serve me. Therefore their deliverance went before the temple and the worship of the law; whereupon it followeth, that the grace of God was not tied to ceremonies. Nevertheless, Stephen noteth the end of their deliverance, that God chose both a peculiar people and a peculiar place for the true worship of his name. Whence we gather again, that we must regard what he commandeth and alloweth. Other nations also were determined to worship God; but because their rites were corrupt and bastardly, [1] God doth separate the Jews from the rest, and assigneth them a place where he will have them to worship him sincerely and duly as they ought. This place teacheth us, that God's benefits must be referred to this end, that men might be brought to addict and give over themselves wholly to him. Now, since that God hath dispersed the treasures of his grace throughout the whole world, we must endeavor to sanctify him, by worshipping him purely and holily, in what country soever we dwell.
1 - "Degeneres," degenerate.
And the nation - Referring particularly to the Egyptians.
Will I judge - The word "judge," in the Bible, often means to "execute judgment" as well as to pronounce it; that is, "to punish." See John 18:31; John 3:17; John 8:50; John 12:47; Acts 24:6; 1-Corinthians 5:13, etc. It has this meaning here. God regarded their oppressive acts as deserving His indignation, and He evinced it in the plagues with which He visited upon them, and in their overthrow at the Red Sea.
Shall serve me - Shall worship me, or be regarded as my people.
In this place - That is, in the place where God made this promise to Abraham. These words are not found in Genesis, but similar words are found in Exodus 3:12, and it was a practice, in making quotations, to quote the sense only, or to connect two or more promises having relation to the same thing.
Will I judge - Κρινω εγω, I will punish, for in this sense the Greek word is frequently taken. "When," says Bp. Pearce, "a malefactor is brought before a judge, the judge does three things:
1. he tries or judges him;
2. he then gives his judgment or sentence; and,
3. he puts the law in execution, and punishes him.
Hence κρινω, at different times, signifies each of these things; and the sense of the word is to be determined by the context. Here it signifies to punish, as κριμα is used for punishment, in Romans 13:2; 1-Corinthians 11:29, compared with 1-Corinthians 11:30, 1-Corinthians 11:31." The Egyptians, to whom the Israelites were in bondage, were punished by the ten plagues, described Exodus 7:19-12:30.
And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage,.... At the end of the four hundred years, and which was the Egyptian nation:
I will judge, said God; that is, condemn and punish them, as he did, by inflicting the ten plagues upon them:
and after that they shall come forth; out of the land of Egypt, and their hard bondage there; and which was brought about by the judgments executed upon the Egyptians:
and serve me in this place; in the land of Canaan; though these words are not to be found in Genesis 15:13 what comes nearest them is in Exodus 3:12. "Ye shall serve God upon this mountain"; meaning Mount Horeb, where Moses then was, and from whence the law was afterwards given.
after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place--Here the promise to Abraham (Genesis 15:16), and that to Moses (Exodus 3:12), are combined; Stephen's object being merely to give a rapid summary of the leading facts.
They shall serve me - Not the Egyptians.
*More commentary available at chapter level.