Gods service and their cattle for themselves as Gods ministers and for their support in Gods work in stead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel 42 And Moses numbred as the LORD commanded him all the first-born among the children of Israel 43 And all the first-born males by the number of names from a month old and upward of those that were numbred of them were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen 44 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 45 Take the Levites k To wit the 22000 reckoned up ver 39. of which see the notes there in stead of all the first-born among the children of Israel and the cattle of the Levites in stead of their cattle and the Levites shall be mine I am the LORD 46 And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the first-born of the children of Israel which are more than the Levites 47 Thou shalt even take five shekels a piece l Which was the price to be paid for the redemption of a first-born a month old Numb 18. 15 16. but this mony though paid for these 273 persons was probably paid out of the common stock of all except lots were cast who should pay which is not probable in so small a concern accompanied with so much trouble by the poll after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them * â—…xod 30. 13. 〈◊〉 27. 25. 〈◊〉 18. 16. 〈◊〉 45. 12. the shekel is twenty gerahs 48 And thou shalt give the number wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons m To whom all the Levites were given and therefore the mony which came in their stead 49 And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites 50 Of the first-born of the children of Israel took he the money a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary 51 And Moses gave the mony of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons according to the word of the LORD as the LORD commanded Moses CHAP. IV. 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying 2 Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi after their families by the house of their fathers 3 From thirty years old a This age was prescribed as the age of full strength of body and therefore most proper for their present laborious work of carrying the parts and vessels of the Tabernacle and of maturity of judgment which is necessary for the right management of holy services Whence even Iohn and Christ entred not upon their Ministery till that age And it may still seem to be the fittest season for mens undertaking the Ministery of the Gospel except in case of extraordinary abilities or the Churches pressing necessity Object They might enter upon this work at their 25th year Numb 8. 24. and in David's time and afterward at their twentieth year Answ. 1. Their first entrance upon their work was at their five and twentieth year when they began as learners and acted onely under the inspection and direction of their brethren but in their thirtieth year they were compleatly admitted to a full discharge of their whole office 2. David being a Prophet and particularly directed by God in the affairs of the Temple might and did make a change in this matter which he might the better do both because it was but a change in a circumstance and because the magnificence of the Temple and the great multitude of sacred utensils and sacrifices required a greater number of attendants than formerly was necessary and upward even until fifty years old b When they were exempted from the toilsome work of carrying burdens but not discharged from the honourable and easie work done within the Tabernacle Numb 8. 26. all that enter c i. e. That do and may enter having no defect Levit. 21. 17. nor other impediment into the host d The society of sacred Ministers he calls an host because of that excellent order which was among them as to persons place time the matter and manner of their services to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation 4 This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation about the most holy things e Hereafter mentioned as the Ark Table Altar c. Compare Numb 3. 31. 5 And when the camp setteth forward Aaron shall come and his sons and they f For upon this necessary occasion the inferiour Priests are allowed to come into the Holy of Holies which otherwise was peculiar to the High-priest Heb. 9. 7. shall take down the covering vail g The second vail of which see Exod. 26. 31 c. Levit. 4. 6. Heb. 9. 3. wherewith the Ark was covered while the Tabernacle stood Exod. 40. 3. and cover the ark h Because the Levites who were to carry the Ark might neither see nor immediately touch it of testimony with it 6 And shall put thereon the covering of badgers-skins i Whereby the Ark was secured from the injuries of the weather and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue and shall put in the staves thereof k Object How could these staves be put in when they were never to be taken out Exod. 25. 15. compared with 1 King 8. 8. 1. Answ. These places may speak of the staves while the Ark and Tabernacle stood but when they were to be removed the posture of all things was altered 2. The Hebrew verb doth not signifie putting in but barely putting or placing or disposing and may be understood not of putting the staves into the rings wherein they constantly remained but of the putting of them either upon their shoulders to try and fit them for carriage or into the holes or receptacles which probably were made in these coverings for the receiving and covering of these guilded staves to keep them both from the touch of the Levites and from the inconveniences of bad weather 7 And upon the * Exod. 2â—… 3â—… table of shew bread l Heb. Of faces or presence for of the bread of faces or presence i. e. of the bread which was continually standing in the presence of the Lord. they shall spread a cloth of blue and put thereon the dishes m Upon which the shew-bread was put and the spoons and the bowls and covers to ‖ Or. pour out withal cover withall and the continual bread n i. e. Shew-bread so called because it was continually to be there even in the wilderness where though they had onely Manna for themselves yet they reserved corn for the weekly making of these loaves which they might with no great difficulty procure from some of the people bordering upon the wilderness in the
them 22 And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before Aaron and before his sons t In their presence and by their direction and appointment as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites so did they unto them 23 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 24 This is it that belongeth unto the Levites from * 1 Chron. 23. 24. Num. 1. 3. twenty and five years old u See on Numb 4. 3. and upward they shall go in †Heb. to wâ—… the warfarâ—… of c. to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation 25 And from the age of fifty years they shall †Heb. 〈◊〉 from the 〈◊〉 of the service cease waiting upon the service thereof x i. e. Upon the difficult and cumbersome part of their work and shall serve no more 26 But shall minister with their brethren y By way of advise and assistance in lesser and easier works in the tabernacle of the congregation to keep the charge and shall do no service thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge CHAP. IX 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai in the first month of the second year a And therefore before the numbring of the people which was not till the second moneth Numb 1. 1 2. But it is placed after it because of a special case relating to the Passe-over which hapned after it and which is here related upon occasion whereof he mentions the command of God for the keeping of the Passe-over in the Wilderness which was done but once and without this command they had not been obliged to keep it at all till they came to the land of Canaan See Exod 12. 25. after they were come out of the land of Egypt saying 2 Let the children of Israel also keep * Exod. 12. â—… c. Lev. 23. 〈◊〉 chap. 28. 16. Deut. 16. 〈◊〉 the passe-over at its appointed season 3 In the fourteenth day of this month †Heb. 〈◊〉 the two â—…ings at even ye shall keep it in its appointed season according to all the rites of b So far as concerned the Lamb and the unleavened bread c. for there were some things peculiar to the first Passe-over in Egypt as that they were to eat it in 〈◊〉 with their loins grided their shoes on their feet and their staffe in their hand which were not properly Rites or Ceremonies of the Passe-over but circumstances of their present condition being then Travellers and ready to depart c Qu. Whence had they meal to make unleavened bread Answ. They were not now in haste and so had time enough to procure it out of the land of Midian by the help of Moses his Father-in-law who lived there which land was not far from Horâ—…b or Sinai as appears from Exod. 3. 1. it and according to all the ceremonies thereof shall ye keep it 4 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel that they should keep the passe-over 5 And they kept the passe-over on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai according to all that the LORD commanded Moses so did the children of Israel 6 And there were certain men who were * chap. 5. 3. defiled by †Or the 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 ch 6. 〈◊〉 the dead body of a man c By the touch of a dead body or something belonging to it See Numb 19. 11. that they could not keep the passe-over d Because unclean persons were prohibited to eat of holy things See Levit. 7. 20. and 22. 3. on that day and they came before Moses e For resolution of their difficulty and before Aaron on that day 7 And those men said unto him We are defiled by the dead body of a man wherefore are we kept back that we may not offer f Which if we neglect we must be cut off and if we keep it in these circumstances we must also be cut off What shall we do an offering of the LORD g i. e. The Passeover so called because it was both killed and eaten in obedience to Gods command and to Gods honour and as a thank-offering to God for his great mercies in its appointed season among the children of Israel 8 And Moses said unto them stand still and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you h God having promised to answer and direct him upon his address to him in difficult cases 9 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 10 to Speak unto the children of Israel saying If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body or be in a journey i Under these two instances the Hebrews think that other hinderances of like nature are comprehended as if one be hindred by a disease or by any other such kind of uncleanness which may seem probable both from the nature of the thing and the reason of the Law which is the same in other cases and from the application of this rule to other cases 2 Chron. 30. afar off k In some remote countrey whence he cannot return sooner yet ye shall keep the passeover unto the LORD 11 The * 2 Chron. 30. 2 15. fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs 12 * Exod. 12. 10. They shall leave none of it unto the morning l But either eat or burn it before that time * Exod. 12. 46. Joh. 19. 36. nor break any bone of it according to all the ordinances of the passeover they shall keep it 13 But the man that is clean and is not in a journey and forbeareth to keep the passeover m Through contempt or neglect without these or any other just impediments as before even the same soul shall be cut off from his people because he brought not the offering of the LORD in its appointed season that man shall bear his sin 14 And if a stranger n To wit a Proselyte shall sojourn among you and will keep the passeover unto the LORD according to the ordinance of the passeover and according to the manner thereof so shall he do * Exod. 12. 49. ye shall have one ordinance both for the stranger and for him that was born in the land 15 And * Exod. 40. 34. on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud o Of which see Exod. 13. 12. covered the tabernacle namely the tent of the testimony p Or The Tabernacle towards or above the tent of the Testimony i. e. that part of the Tabernacle in which was the Testimony or the ark of the Testimony for there the cloudy pillar stood Levit. 16. 2. This was an evident token of Gods special presence with and providence over them See Exod. 14.
unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the Name of * Gen. 17. 1. and 48. 3. God Almighty but by my Name * chap. 3. 14. JEHOVAH was I not known to them * Quest. How is this true when God was known to them and called by the name Iehovah Gen. 15. 7. and 26. 24. c. Ans. 1. He speaks not of the letters or syllables but of the thing signified by that name For that denotes all his perfections and amongst others the eternity constancy and immutability of his nature and will and the infallible certainty of his word and promises And this saith he though it was believed by Abraham Isaac and Iacob yet it was not experimentally known to them for they onely saw the promises afar off Heb. 11. 13. Ans. 2. This negative expression may be understood comparatively as many others are as Gen. 32. 29. Mat. 9. 13. 1 Cor. 1. 17. q. d. They knew this but darkly and imperfectly which will now be made known more clearly and fully 4 And I have also established my covenant with them * Gen. 17. 8. and 28. 4. to give them the land of Canaan the land of their pilgrimage wherein they were strangers 5 And * chap. 2. 24. I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage and I have remembred my Covenant 6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel I am the LORD and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians and I will rid you out of their bondage and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm b i. e. My almighty power A metaphor from a man that stretcheth out his arm and puts forth all his strength to give the greater blow and with great judgments c i. e. Punishments justly inflicted upon them as the word judging and judgments is oft used as Gen. 15. 14. 2 Chron. 20. 12. Prov. 19. 29. 7 And I will take you to me for a people d i. e. For my people you shall no longer be the people and slaves of the King of Egypt but my people and servants whom I will bless and preserve and I will be to you a God e To judge and deliver you and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians 8 And I will bring you in unto the land concerning the which I did †Heb. list up my hand See Gen. 14. 22. Deut. 32. 40. swear * Gen. 15. 14. 26. 3. 35. 12. to give it to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob and I will give it you for an heritage I am the LORD f And therefore have authority and power to dispose of lands and kingdoms as I please and faithful to give you what I have promised 9 And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel but they hearkened not unto Moses for †Heb. shortness or straitness anguish of spirit g Their minds were so oppressed with their present burdens and future expectations that they could not believe nor hope for any deliverance but deemed it impossible and having been once deceived in their hopes they now quite despaired and thought their entertainment of new hopes or use of further endeavours would make their condition worse as it had done and for cruel bondage 10 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 11 Go in speak unto Pharaoh King of Egypt that he let the children of Israel go out of his land 12 And Moses spake before the LORD saying Behold the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me how then shall Pharaoh hear me * chap. 4. 10. who am of uncircumcised lips h i. e. Of polluted lips Uncircumcision being a great defect and blemish whereby men were rendred profane contemptible and unfit for many services and priviledges may note any defect whether moral and of the spirit or natural and of the body So here it notes Moses his inability to cloath Gods commands in such words as might prevail with Pharaoh But this was a great weakness of faith as if God could not effect his purpose because the instrument was unfit 13 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel and unto Pharaoh King of Egypt to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt 14 These be the heads of their fathers houses i This genealogy he describes here to shew the linage of Moses and Aaron by whom this great work was to be effected Onely he premiseth in brief the genealogy of his two elder brethren Reuben and Simeon to make way for the third which he intended more largely to insist upon And he mentions them rather than any other either to advance the favour of God in preferring that tribe before the descendants of their elder brethren or to shew that although the parents were sharply censured and rather cursed then blessed by Iacob Gen. 49. yet their posterity was not rejected by God but received to mercy and admitted to the same priviledge with their brethren * Gen. 46. 9. 1 Chron. 5. 3. The sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel Hanoch and Pallu Hezron and Carmi these be the families of Reuben 15 * 1 Chro. 4. 24. And the sons of Simeon Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jachin and Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman these are the families of Simeon 16 And these are the names of the * Numb 3. 17. 1 Chron. 6. 1. sons of Levi according to their generations k From each of which proceeded a distinct generation or family called by their fathers name Gershon and Kohath and Merari and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years 17 The * 1 Chro. 6. 17. and 23. 7. sons of Gershon Libni and Shimi according to their families 18 And * Numb 26. 57. 1 Chron. 6. 2. the sons of Kohath Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Uzziel And the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years 19 And the sons of Merari Mahali and Mushi these are the families of Levi according to their generations 20 And * chap. 2. 1. Numb 26. 59. Amram took him Jochebed his fathers sister l Or rather kinswoman or coâ—…sin or neece for so this Hebrew word is sometimes used as appears from Ier. 32. 8 9 12. Obj. She is called the daughter of Levi Exod. 2. 1. Ans. Even Neeces are oft called daughters as we have shewed See Luk. 1. 5. and the notes on Exod. 2. 1. to wife and she bare him Aaron and Moses and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years 21 And * 1 Chro. 6. 37 38. the sons of Izhar Korah and Nepheg and Zichri 22 And * Levit. 10. 4. Num. 3. 30.
impostures and the real miracles wrought by Moses and Aaron as appears from the next verse and from chap. 8. 18. and from other passages And this is a great evidence of the truth of Scripture-story and that it was not written by fiction and design For if Moses had written these books to deceive the world and to advance his own reputation as some have impudently said it is ridiculous to think that he would have put in this and many other passages which might seem so much to eclipse his honour and the glory of his works with their inchantments 12 For they cast down every man his rod and they became serpents l Either 1. in appearance For the Scripture oft speaks of things otherwise then they are because they seem to be so And therefore as the Devil appearing to Saul in the likeness of Samuel is called Samuel so may these rods upon the same account be called Serpents because through Diabolical illusion they seemed to be so Or 2. really in manner expressed ver 11. but Aarons rod swallowed up their rods m By which it was evident either that Aarons rod was turned into a real serpent because it had the real properties and effects of a serpent viz. to devour or at least that the God of Israel was infinitely more powerful then the Egyptian Idols or Devils 13 And he †The Lord to whom this act of hardening is frequently ascribed both in this book and elsewhere hardened Pharaohs heart that he hearkened not unto them * chap. 4. 21. as the LORD had said 14 And the LORD said unto Moses * chap. 8. 15. 〈◊〉 1 20 27. Pharaohs heart is hardened n Is obstinate and resolved in his way so as neither my word nor works can make any impression upon him he refuseth to let the people go 15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning lo he goeth out unto the water o i. e. Nilus whither he went at that time either for his recreation or to pay his morning-worship to that river which the Egyptians had in great veneration as Plutarch testifies and thou shalt stand by the rivers brink against he come and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take into thine hand 16 And thou shalt say unto him The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee saying Let my people go * chap. 3. 12 18. 5. 1 3. that they may serve me in the wilderness and behold hitherto thou wouldest not hear 17 Thus saith the LORD In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD p Because thâ—… saidst 〈◊〉 is the Lord and I know not the lord chap. 5. 2. thou 〈◊〉 know him experimentally and to thy cost * chap. 4. 9. behold I will smite q viz. by Aarons hand who shall do it by my command and direction Thus Pilate is said to give Christs body to Ioseph Mark 15. 45. because he commanded it to be delivered by others to him The same action is ascribed to the principal and instrumental cause with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river r Nilus which was one of their principal Gods and therefore it was inexcusable in them that they would not renounce those â—…eeble Gods which were unable to help not onely their worshippers but even themselves nor embrace the service and commands of that God whose almighty power they saw and felt and they shall be turned * Rev. 16. 6. to blood s Which was a very grievous Plague to them both because it was an eternal dishonour to their Religion and because from hence they had both their drink Deut. 11. 10 11. Ier. 2. 18. and their meat Numb 11. 5. for greater and lesser cattel they would not eat Exod. 8. 26. And it was a very proper punishment for them who had made that river an instrument for the execution of their bloody design against the Israelitish infants Exod. 1. 22. 18 And the fish that is in the river shall die and the river shall stink and the Egyptians t Therefore the Israelites were free from this plague and those branches of Nilus which they used were uncorrupted when all others were turned into bloud shall loath u Or shall weary themselves in running hither and thither in hopes of finding water in some parts or branches of the river to drink of the water of the river 19 And the LORD spake unto Moses Say unto Aaron Take thy rod and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt upon their streams upon their rivers and upon their ponds and upon all their †Heb. gathering of their waters pooles of water x Not that he was to go to every pool to use this ceremony there but he stretched his hand and rod over some of them in the name of all the rest which he might signifie either by his words or by the various motions of his rod several ways that they may become blood and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone 20 And Moses and Aaron did so as the LORD commanded and he * chap. 17. 5. lift up the rod and smote the waters that were in the river in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants and all the * Psal. â—…8 44. and 105. 29. waters that were in the river were turned to blood 21 And the fish that was in the river died and the river stunk and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt 22 * Wisd. 17. â—… And the Magicians of Egypt did so with their inchantments y It was not difficult for the Devil to convey bloud speedily and unperceivably and that in great quantity which might suffice to infect with a bloody colour those small parcels of water which were left for them to shew their art in Qu. Whence could they have water when all their waters were turned into blood Ans. 1. It might be had either 1. by rain which at that time God was pleased to send down either for this purpose or to mitigate the extremity of the plague or for other reasons known to him though not to us For that rain sometimes falls in Egypt though not much nor often is affirmed by antient writers and late travellers Or 2. from Goshen which was not far from the Court or from some houses of the Israelites who dwelt amongst the Egyptians as appears from many places of this history and who were free from these Plagues See Exod. 8. 22. and 9. 26. and 10. 23. and 12. 13. c. Or 3. from the pits which they digged ver 24. Or 4. from some branch of Nilus or some vessels in their houses whose waters were not yet changed For this change might be wrought not suddenly
27. boil g God multiplying that dust and heating it and then dispersing it over all the land and causing it to fall and rest upon the bodies of the Egyptians breaking forth with blains upon man and upon beast 11 And the Magicians could not stand before Moses h As they hitherto had done both as spies and as adversaries for though their understandings were convinced of Gods hand and infinite power yet their hearts were not changed but for their worldly interest they persisted to rebel against their light and therefore are justly plagued It was no favour to Pharaoh that the plague was not upon him but onely a reservation to a greater mischief as it follows because of the boiles for the boil was upon the Magicians and upon all the Egyptians 12 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh and he hearkened not unto them * chap. 4. 21. as the LORD had spoken unto Moses 13 And the LORD said unto Moses Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh and say unto him Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews Let my people go that they may serve me 14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart i Or into thy heart Thou hast hitherto not felt my plagues upon thy own person or thy body but I shall shortly reach and wound it and that not onely in the skin as the magicians and others are now smitten but even to thy heart such as shall make thy heart sick Mic. 6. 13. such as shall give thee a mortal and irrecoverable wound Some understand it of inward and spiritual judgments upon Pharaohs heart such as hardness of heart But that plague had been inflicted upon him and is recorded before this time And Pharaohs heart being here opposed to his servants and people seems rather to denote his person the heart or soul being often put Synecdochically for the whole man and upon thy servants and upon thy people that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth 15 For now I will stretch out mine hand that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence k i. e. Not properly so called but largely as the word is used Hos. 13. 14. with an utter and irrecoverable destruction This relates partly to the killing of the first-born which plague did more immediately and nearly concern both him and his people and principally to their destruction in the Red Sea and thou shalt be cut off from the earth 16 And in very deed for this cause have I †Heb. made thee stand raised thee up l So the Hebrew word is translated Rom. 9. 17. I have raised thee up out of thy first nothing into thy being and life and kingdom and upheld thy being and reign even in the midst of thy tyranny Heb. I have made thee to stand i. e. to remain alive and untouched when thy Magicians could not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…1 I have preserved thee in life not for want of power to destroy thee as thou mayst fancy nor for want of provocation from thee but for my own glory for to shew in thee my power m In those mighty works which have been occasioned by thy rebellion and obstinacy and that my Name n My being and providence and my manifold perfections my patience in bearing thee so long my justice in punishing thee my power in conquering thee my wisdom in over-ruling thy pride and tyranny and cruelty to thy own destruction and the redemption of my oppressed people and my faithfulness in making good my promises to them and my threatnings to thee may be declared throughout all the earth 17 As yet exaltest thou thy self against my people o i. e. Against me acting for my people The gracious God takes what is done to or against his people as done to or against himself See Zech. 2. 8. Matth. 25. 40 45. Act. 9. 4 5. that thou wilt not let them go 18 Behold to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof p Since they were a Kingdom or a Nation even until now 19 Send therefore now and gather thy cattel q This forewarning God gives partly to mitigate the severity of the judgment partly that a considerable number of Horses might be reserved for Pharaohs expedition chap. 14. partly to shew the Justice of God in punishing so wicked and obstinare people as would take no warning neither from Gods words nor from his former works and partly to make a difference between the penitent and the incorrigible Egyptians and all that thou hast in the field for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field and shall not be brought home the hail shall come down upon them and they shall die 20 He that feared the word of the LORD amongst the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses 21 And he that †Heb. set not 〈◊〉 heart unto regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field 22 And the LORD said unto Moses stretch forth thine hand toward heaven that there may be * Rev. 16. 21. hail in all the land of Egypt upon man r i. e. Upon those men that presumed to continue in the field after this admonition and upon beast and upon every herb of the field throughout all the land of Egypt 23 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven and the LORD sent thunder and hail and the fire ran along upon the ground s Devouring both Herbs and Cattle which were upon it Ps. 78. 47 48. and 105. 32 33. and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt 24 So there was hail and fire mingled with the hail t Which strange mixture much increased the miracle very grievous such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a Nation u For that Hail and Rain did sometimes though but seldom fall in Egypt is attested by divers eye witnesses 25 And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field both man and beast and the hail smote every herb of the field and brake every tree of the field x i. e. Most of them or Herbs and Trees of all sorts as appears from chap. 10. 12 15. See before ver 6. 26 * chap. 8. 22. and 11. 7. Onely in the land of Goshen y It seems the Egyptians that dwelt there were spared for the sake of their Neighbours the Israelites Which great obligation probably made them more willing to lend their jewels to them chap. 12 35. where the children of Israel were was there no hail 27 And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron and said unto them I have sinned this time y I now
1. there remained not so much as * Psal. 106. 11. one of them 29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left 30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea-shore n Which was done either 1. By the natural power of the Sea which casteth up its dead bodies after a certain time till which time God caused the Israelites to abide near the Sea that they might see this for their comfort Or. 2. By the mighty power of God which brought them and their arms too as many probably conceive to shore before the usual time Quest. How could the Israelites both they and their Cattle in so little time get over that great Sea Answ. 1. The Hebrew and some other interpreters deny that they went over and tell us that they onely went into the Sea and fetched a compass in it that they might allure the Egyptians to follow them and then by Moses his conduct returned to the Egyptian shore again The principal ground of which opinion is this that as they went into the Sea out of the Wilderness of Etham Exod. 13. 20. So they came again out of the Sea into the Wilderness of Etham Numb 33. 8. But the sameness of the name doth not prove that it is the same place nothing being more frequent in Scripture than for divers places to be called by one and the same name And the Israelites might possibly give the name of Etham to this Desert on the Arabian side of the Red-sea either for its great resemblance to that Desert so called on the Egyptian side or to intimate that God by dividing the Sea had made that and this to be one continued Desert Or the name of Etham might be common to all that Desert at the end of the Red-Sea and on both sides of it Answ. 2. They might all conveniently pass over the Sea to the Arabian shore in the time allowed for it either by the mighty power of God which could easily make both men and beasts to do it in much less than ordinary time or even by the ccurse of nature For that part of the Sea was not above eight or nine miles over as Geographers and others affirm And the time allotted for their passage seems to me to be much more than Interpreters have assigned for it For the Egyptians and Israelites were divided one from another by the cloudy pillar all the night ver 20. and a strong East wind blew all that night ver 21. The next morning as I apprehend it the Cloud still keeping between them and possibly covering the Egyptians with gross and horrible darkness which hindred their march the whole body of the Israelites and their Cattle too are drawn by Moses his direction near the shore and it may be the Cattle were put into the Sea all which might well take up most of that day then towards the evening they enter into the Sea and so proceed and the Cloud withdrawing further from the Egyptians and following the Israelites the Egyptians pursue after them and as it is very probable from the nature and reason of the thing stand debating some considerable time when they came to the shore whether they should venture to follow them into the Sea or no. At last the worst Counsel prevails as it general happens when a people are under a divine infatuation and into the Sea they go and by the beginning of the morning watch they draw near the Israelites when God seasonably appears for Israels succour and puts a stop to the march of the Egyptians So the morning-watch mentioned ver 24. I take to be not the morning watch of that night mentioned ver 20. 21. for all that night and therefore the morning watch of that night which was a third or at least a fourth part of it was now past and gone but the next morning-watch after that night and the succeeding day which seems much more reasonable then to shrink up the march first of the Israelites and then of the Egyptians into about three hours time which is the time between the midnight and the morning watch Nor is there any thing in the text which in the least contradicts this opinion but onely that this dayes interval and work is not mentioned in this story whereas such omissions are frequent in Scripture-relations in which the substance onely is mentioned and many circumstances omitted whereof we have seen some instances already and shall meet with many more hereafter 31 And Israel saw that great †Heb. hand work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians and the people feared the LORD and believed the LORD and his servant Moses CHAP. XV. 1 THen sang * Moses and the children of Israel 〈◊〉 1. 20. a Moses composed the Song and he together with the Israelites sung it this song unto the LORD b Unto the honour and praise of God and spake saying I will sing unto the LORD for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea 2 The LORD is my strength and * Deuâ—… 〈◊〉 21. Psal. 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 â—… and 109. 1. and 118. 14. Isa. 12. 2. song ‖ The matter or subject of the present song of praise and he is become my Salvation he is my God and I will prepare him an habitation c A place for his service and worship where he will dwell by his special presence my fathers God and I will exalt him 3 The LORD is a man of war d An eminent Warriour as the phrase is used 1 Sam. 17. 33. Thus an eloquent man is called a man of words Exod. 4. 10. and a mighty man a man of arm Iob 22. 8. the LORD is his Name 4 Pharaohs chariots and his host hath he cast e With great force like an Arrow out of a Bow as the Hebrew word signifies into the sea his chosen captains also are drowned in the red sea 5 The depths have covered them * Neh. 9. 11. they sank into the bottom as a stone 6 Thy right hand O LORD is become glorious in power thy right hand O LORD hath dashed in pieces the enemy 7 And in the greatness of thine excellency * By thy great and glorious power thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee thou sentest forth thy wrath which consumed them * Isa. 5. 24. 47. 14. as stubble †As easily and as speedily and as irrecoverably 8 * chap. 14. 21. Iob 4. 9. 2 Thes. 2. 8. And with the blast of thy nostrils ‖ Or of thine anger to wit that vehement East-wind ver 10. and chap. 14. 21. which was raised by thine anger in order to the ruine of thine Enemies the waters were gathered together the floods
contented with multitudes of partners So this is properly said to be the name of God whereby he is known and distinguished from all other Gods is a * chap. 20. 5. jealous God 15 Lest thou make a covenant r For cohabitation or to suffer them quietly to live among you whom you should drive out with the inhabitants of the land and they go a whoring s i. e. Commit Idolatry which is oft called and compared to spiritual whoredom See Ier. 2. and 3. and Ezek. 16. after their gods and do facrifice unto their gods and one call thee and thou eat of his sacrifice t To wit of the parts or remainders of his sacrifices whereby thou wilt partake with him in an idolatrous worship because such feasts were a part of the Worship offered to the Idol and were accompanied with solemn benedictions and thanksgivings to the Idol See Numb 25. 2. Psal. 106. 28. Ezek. 18. 6. and 22. 9. 1 Cor. 10. 20. Rev. 2. 20. 16 And thou take of * 1 King 11. 2. their daughters unto thy sons and their daughters * Num. 25. 1 2. go a whoring after their gods and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods 17 Thou shalt make thee no molten gods u Nor graven nor any other as it plainly appears both from the nature of the things and from many parallel Scriptures But he mentions molten because their late Idol was of that kind 18 The feast of * chap. 12. 15. c. 23. 15. unleavened bread shalt thou keep seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread as I commanded thee in the time of the month Abib for in the * chap. 13. 4. month Abib thou camest out from Egypt 19 * chap. 22. 29. Ezek. 44. 30. Luk. 2. 23. All that openeth the matrix is mine and every firstling amongst thy cattle whether oxe or sheep that is male x Heb. And for That is as the particle and is oft used the words following here and verse 20. being a particular explication of the general sentence in the beginning of this verse all thy cattle which a particle oft understood shall be born male as it is also explained Exod. 13. 12. the opening or whatsoever to wit of the male-kind openeth the matrix which word is fitly understood cut of the former member which is very usual of Ox or and put for or as it is oft done Sheep 20 But the * chap. 13. 13. firstling of an ass thou shait redeem with a ‖ Oâ—… â—…id lamb and if thou redeem him not then shalt thou break his neck All the first-born of thy sons thou shalt redeem and none shall appear before me * chap. 23. 15. 1 Sam. 9. 7 8. 2 Sam. 24. 24. empty y Either without a gift to me so it is a precept or without benefit to himself so it is a promise See Exod. 23. 15. 21 * chap. 23. 1â—… Deut. 5. 12. Luk. 13. 14. Six dayes thou shalt work but on the seventh day thou shalt rest in earing-time and in harvest thou shalt rest z Which times are expressed because the great profit and seeming necessity of working at that time was likely to be a powerful temptation to make men break the Sabbath 22 * chap. 23. 16. And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks a i. e. Which is numbred by weeks being just seven weeks after the Passe-over whence it is called Pentecost i. e. the fiftieth day to wit after the passe-over See Levit. 23. 15. and 25. 8. of the first-fruits of wheat-harvest b So this is a designation of the time and business of the feast of weeks and the feast of in-gathering c To wit of the fruits of the Earth at the †Heb. revolution of the year years end d So it was in regard of the jubilee and civil contracts 23 * chap. 23. 14 17. Deut. 16. 16. Thrice in the year shall all your men-children appear before the LORD God the God of Israel 24 For I will cast out the nations e So thou shalt have no intestine enemy to do thee or thine mischief This God promised to do but upon condition of Israels discharge of their duty in following God in this work of driving them out which they neglecting it was not fully done before thee and enlarge thy borders * Gen. 35. 5. Act. 18. 10. neither shall any man desire thy land f I will not onely tye their hands that they shall make no invasion upon you but I will take off their thoughts and affections from such an enterprize which it was very easie for God to effect many ways when thou shalt go up to appear before the LORD thy God thrice in the year 25 * chap. 23. 18 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of passeover be left unto the morning 26 * Deut. 26. 2. The first of the first-fruits of thy land g Thou shalt not delay to do this but shalt bring the very first of them Or the first-fruits even the first-fruits of thy land Which limitation seems here conveniently added because they were not bound to bring thither all their first-fruits to wit those of their own bodies their children thou shalt bring unto the house of the LORD thy God Thou shalt not seethe a * chap. 23. 19. Deut. 14. 21. kid in his mothers milk 27 And the LORD said unto Moses Write thou these words h Object God saith I will write verse 1. Answ 1. Moses was to write the ritual precepts mentioned here above God wrote the Moral Law 2. Moses wrote what he wrote in a book See Exod. 24. 7. but what was written upon the Tables of stone was written by God himself not by Moses who had no graving instruments with him in the Mount and could not without them writeupon the stone for after the tenour of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel 28 And he was there with the LORD fourty days and forty nights i As he had been before being now to renew the broken covenant This forty dayes fast of his is mentioned four times Exod. 24. 18. and here and Deut. 9. 18. and 10. 10. but it is evident it was performed but twice as the occasion of it happened onely twice he did neither eat bread nor drink water and he * chap. 31. 18. and 34. 1. Deut. 4. 13. wrote k Not Moses but the Lord as appears from verse 1. and from Deut. 10 the relative pronoun being here referred to the remoter antecedent of which there are many instances as Gen. 10. 12. 1 Sam. 21. 14. and 27. 8. Psal. 99. 6. upon the tables the words of the covenants the Ten †Heb. words Commandments 29 And it came to pass when Moses came down from mount Sinai with
1. that God should be served with the best of every kind 2. that man represented by these sacrifices should aim at all purity and perfection of heart and life and that Christians should one day attain to it Eph. 5. 27. 3. the spotless and compleat holiness of Christ Heb. 9. 13 14. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. and 2. 22. he shall offer it ‖ Or to be â—…ted for him Isa. 56. 7. 58. 5. 6â—… Jer. 6. 20. of his own voluntary will h According to this translation the place speaks onely of free-will offerings or such as were not prescribed by God to be offered in course but were offered at the pleasure and by the voluntary devotion of any person either by way of supplication for any mercy which he needed or desired or by way of thanksgiving for any favour or blessing received But it may seem improper to restrain the rules here given to freewill offerings which were to be observed in other offerings also And the Hebrew word is by the 〈◊〉 Chaldee Syr. and Arab. and others rendred to this purpose for his acceptation or that he may be accepted with God or that God may be atoned as it is ver 4. And so this phrase is used Levit. 23. 11. at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation i In the Court near to the door where the Altar stood ver 5. For here it was to be sacrificed and here also the people might behold the oblation of it And this further signified that men could have no entrance neither into the earthly tabernacle the Church nor into the heavenly tabernacle of glory but by Christ who is the door Ioâ—… 10. 7 9. by whom alone we have access to God before the LORD 4 * 〈◊〉 29. 1â—… 15. And he shall put his hand k i. e. Both his hands Levit. 8. 14 18. and 16. 21. A common Enallage upon the head of the burnt-offering l Whereby he signified 1. that he willingly gave it to the Lord. 2. that he did legally unite himself with it and judged himself worthy of that death which it suffered in his stead and that he laid his sins upon it in a ceremonial way and had an eye to him upon whom God would lay the iniquity of us all Isa. 53. 6. and that together with it he did freely offer up himself to God and it shall be accepted from him to make atonement for him m To wit ceremonially and sacramentally as directing his faith and thoughts to that true propitiatory sacrifice which in time was to be offered up for him See Rom. 3. 25. Heb. 9. 15 25 26. And although burnt-offerings were commonly offered by way of thanksgiving Gen. 8. 20 Psal. 51. 16 17. yet they were sometimes offered by way of atonement for sin to wit for sins in general as appears from Ioâ—… 1. 5. but for particular sins there were special sacrifices as we shall see 5 And he n Either 1. the offerer who is said to do it to wit by the Priest for men are commonly said to do what they cause others to do as Ioh. 4. 1 2. Or 2. the Priest as it follows or the Levite whose office this was See Exod. 29. 11. Levit. 8. 15. Numb 8. 19. 1 Chron. 23. 28 31. 2 Chron. 30. 16. and 35 11. shall kill the bullock before the LORD and the Priests Aarons sons shall bring the bloud and sprinkle the blood round about upon the Altar o Which was done in a considerable quantity as may be gathered from Zech. 9. 15. and whereby was signified 1. that the offerer deserved to have his blood spilt in that manner 2. that the blood of Christ should be poured forth for sinners and that that was the onely mean of their reconciliation to God and acceptance with him that is by the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation 6 And he shall slay the burnt-offering p Partly for decency because the sacrifices being as it were Gods food and feast it was incongruous to offer to God that which men refused to eat and partly to signify that the great thing which God required and regarded in men was not their outward appearance but their inside and that as he doth see all mens insides Heb. 4. 13. so he will one day make them visible to others and cut it into his pieces q To wit the head and â—…at and inwards and legs ver 8 9. 7 And the sons of Aaron the Priest shall put fire r Or dispose the fire i. e. blow it up and put it together so as it might be fit for the present work For the fire there used and allowed came down from heaven Levit. 9. 24. and was to be carefully preserved there and all other fire was forbidden Levit. 10. 1 c. upon the altar and lay the wood in order upon the fire 8 And the Priests Aarons sons shall lay the parts the head and the fat s All the fat which was to be separated from the Flesh and to be put together to increase the flame and to consume the other parts of the sacrifice more quickly Others translate it the trunck of the body as distinguished from the head and joints and inward parts in order upon the wood that is in the fire which is upon the Altar 9 But the inwards and his legs shall he wash t To signify the universal and perfect purity both of the inwards or the heart and of the legs or ways or actions which was in Christ and which should be in all Christians in water and the Priest shall burn all u Not onely the parts now mentioned but all the rest the trunck of the body and the shoulders as is apparent from the practise or execution of these precepts on the Altar to be a burnt-sacrifice an offering made by fire of a sweet savour x Not in it self for so it rather caused a stink but as it represented Christs offering up himself to God as a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5. 2. and to admonish us of the excellent vertue of Divine institution without which God values no worship though never so glorious and by which even the meanest things are pretious and acceptable to God unto the LORD 10 And if his offering be of the flocks namely of the sheep or of the goats for a burnt-sacrifice he shall bring it a male without blemish 11 And he shall kill it on the side of the Altar Northward y Here this and other kinds of sacrifices were killed 〈◊〉 6. 25 and 7. 2. because here seemâ—… to have been the largeâ—… and most convenient place for that work the Altar being probably near the middle of the east end of the building and the entrance being on the south-side so the Northside was the onely vacant place Beâ—…des this might design the place of Christs death both more generally to wit in 〈◊〉 which was in the sides
is said to come down either 1. because the Altar stood upon raised ground to which they went up by an insensible ascent Compare Exod. 20. 26. Or 2. because it was nearer the Holy place and the Holy of holies which was the upper end from offering of the sin offering and the burnt-offering and peace-offerings 23 And Moses z Who went in with Aaron to direct him and to see him perform those parts of his office which were to be done in the holy place about the lights and the table of shew-bread and of the altar of Incense upon which part of the blood of the sacrifices now offered was to be sprinkled according to the law Levit. 4. 7 16 17. and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation and came out and blessed the people a i. e. Prayed to God for his blessing upon the people as this phrase is explained Numb 6. 23 c. and particularly for his gracious acceptation of these and all succeeding sacrifices and for his signification thereof by some extraordinary token which accordingly happened and the glory of the LORD b Either a miraculous brightness shining from the cloudy pillar as Exod. 16. 10. Numb 14. 10. Or a glorious and visible discovery of Gods gracious presence and acceptance of the present Ministery and service as it follows appeared unto all the people 24 And * Gen. 4. 4. 1 King 18. 38. 2 Chron. 7. 1. there came a fire c In token of Gods acceptation and approbation of the Priesthood now instituted and the sacrifices now offered and consequently of others of the like nature See the like instances Iudg. 6. 21. and 13. 19 20. 1 Chron. 21. 26. And this fire now given was to be carefully kept and not suffered to go out Levit. 6. 13. and therefore was carried in a particular vessel in their journeys in the wilderness out from before the LORD d Or from the face or presence of the Lord i. e. from the place where God was in a special manner present either 1. from heaven as 1 King 18. 38. 2 Chron. 7. 1. which is oft called Gods dwelling-place as Deut. 26. 15. Isa. 63. 15. Or 2. from the Holy of holies where also God is said to dwell 2 King 19. 15. 2 Chron. 6. 2. Psal. 80. 1. And what is done before the Ark is said to be done before God as 1 Chron. 13. 8 10. 16. 1. c. And this may seem more probable by comparing this with Levit. 10. 2. and consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering and the fat which when all the people saw they shouted e As wondering at rejoycing in and blessing God for this wonderful and gracious discovery of himself and of his favour to them therein and fell on their faces CHAP. X. 1 AND * Numb 3. 4. and 26. 61. 1 Chron. 24. 2. Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron took either of them his censer and put fire therein and put incense thereon and offered strange fire a So called as not appointed for nor belonging to the present work fire not taken from the Altar as it ought but from some common fire before the LORD b Upon the Altar of incense which he commanded them not c For seeing Moses himself neither did nor might do any thing in Gods worship without Gods command which is oft noted of him for these to do it was a more unpardonable and inexcusable presumption Besides not commanding may be here put for forbidding as it is Ier. 32. 35. Now as this was forbidden implicitly Lev. 6. 12. especially when God himself made a comment upon that text and by sending fire from heaven declared of what fire he there spake so it is more than probable it was forbidden expresly though that be not here mentioned nor was it necessary it should be 2 And there went out fire from the LORD d From heaven or rather from the Sanctuary See chap. 9. 24. and devoured them e Destroyed their lives for their bodies and garments were not consumed as it appears from v. 4 5. Thus the sword is said to devour 2 Sam. 2. 26. Thus lightning many times kills persons without any hurt to their bodies or garments and they died before the LORD 3 Then Moses said unto Aaron This is it that the LORD spake f Though the express words be not recorded in Scripture where onely the heads of Sermons and Discourses are contained yet it is probable they were uttered by Moses in Gods name Howsoever the sence and substance of them is in many places See Exod. 19. 22. and 29. 43. Levit. 8. 35. saying I will be sanctified g This may note either 1. their duty to sanctifie God i. e. to demean themselves with such care and reverence and watchfulness as becomes the holiness of the God whom they serve and of the worship in which they are engaged whence he leaves them to gather the justice of the present judgment for their gross neglect herein Or 2. Gods purpose to sanctifie himself i. e. to declare and manifest himself to be an holy and righteous God by his severe and impartial punishment of all transgressors how near soever they are to him in them that come nigh me h i. e. Who draw near to me or to the place where I dwell and are admitted into the holy place whence others are shut out It is a description of the Priests See Exod. 19. 22. Levit. 21. 17. Ezek. 42. 13 14. and before all the people I will be glorified i As they have sinned publickly and scandalously so I will vindicate my honour in a publick and exemplary manner that all men may learn to give me the glory of my soveraignty and holiness by an exact conformity to my laws and Aaron held his peace k Partly through excessive grief which is sometimes signified by silence as Isa. 47. 5. Lam. 2. 10. and principally in acknowledgment of Gods justice and submission to it Compare Psal. 39. 10. Ezek. 24. 17. He murmured not nor replied against God nor against Moses wisely considering that their sin was directly against God and in that which is most dear and honourable in Gods account to wit in his worship and that Gods honour ought to be dearer to him than his sons and that this being the first violation of the law newly given and committed by those who should have been the strictest observers and assertors of it did deserve a very severe punishment 4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan l For Aaron and his sons had scarce finished their consecration-work and were employed in their holy ministrations from which they were not to be called for funeral solemnities See Lev. â—…1 1 c. the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron * See Exod. 6. 18. Numb 3. 19. and said unto them Come near carry your brethren m i. e. Kinsmen as that word is
oft used as Gen. 13. 8. and 24. 27. from before the Sanctuary out of the camp n Where the burying places of the Iews were that the living might neither be annoyed by the unwholsome sent of the dead nor defiled by the touch of their graves 5 So they went near and carried them in their coats o In the holy garments wherein they ministred which might be done either 1. as a testimony of a respect due to them notwithstanding their present failure and that God in judgment remembred mercy and when he took away their lives spared their souls Or 2. because being polluted both by their sin and by the touch of their dead bodies God would not have them any more used in his service out of the camp as Moses had said 6 And Moses said unto Aaron and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar his sons * Num. 6. â—… Uncover not your heads p Either 1. by putting off your Miters and Bonnets or Ornaments and going bare-headed as mourners sometimes did See Lev. 13. 45. Ezek. 24. 17 23. Or 2. by shaving off the hair of your heads and beards as mourners did See Iob 1. 20. Ier. 7. 29. and 41. 5. Ezek. 4â—… 20. Mich. 1. 16. This latter may seem to be principally intended 1. because this ceremony of uncovering the head being used by the people as well as by the Priests in case of mourning as the places now alledged shew and the other ceremony here joyned with it of rending the clothes being also common to the people seems to imply that he speaks not of that uncovering the head which was peculiar to the Priests but to that which was common both to Priests and people especially seeing that which is here forbidden to these Priests is in the following words allowed to the people to bewail their death which as at other times it was so now probably might be performed by these same ceremonies 2. because the High-priest is forbidden to uncover his head in way of mourning for the dead not onely at that time when he was in actual ministration but at all times even when he had neither his miter nor any of the holy garments upon him Lev. 21. 10. neither rend your clothes q Give no signification of your sorrow mourn not for them partly lest you should seem to justifie and approve of your brethren and tacitly reflect upon God as too severe in his proceedings with them and partly least thereby you should be diverted from or disturbed in your present service which God expects should be done chearfully lest you die and lest wrath come upon all the people but let your brethren the whole house of Israel bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled r Not so much in compassion to them against whom I have shewed such great and just indignation as in sorrow for the tokens of Divine displeasure 7 And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation s Where at this time they were either because this happened within the 7 days of their consecration See Lev. 8. 35. or because they were longer detained there about some other holy ministrations Though the former may seem more probable because the meat-offering here mentioned ver 12. and the sin-offering ver 16. were part of the consecration-offerings lest you die for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you t You are persons consecrated peculiarly to Gods service which therefore it is just and reasonable you should prefer before all funeral solemnities and they did according to the word of Moses 8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron saying 9 * Ezek. 44. 21. 1 Tim. 3. 3. Do not drink wine nor strong drink u This is here added either because Nadab and Abihu had been led to their errour by drinking too much which might easily fall out when they were feasting and full of joy for their entrance into so honourable and profitable an employment or at lest because others might thereby be drawn to commit the same miscarriages which they might now commit from other causes Drunkenness is so odious a sin in it self especially in a Minister and most of all in the time of his administration of sacred things that God saw fit to prevent all occasions of it And hence the Devil who is Gods ape in his prescriptions for his worship required this abstinence from his Priests in their Idolatrous services thou nor thy sons with thee when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation lest ye die It shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations 10 And that ye may * Jer. 15. 19. Ezek. 22. 26. and 44. 23. put difference between holy and unholy x Persons and things which Nadab and Abihu did not mistaking unholy or common fire for that which was sacred and appointed by God for their use and between unclean and clean 11 And that ye may teach y Be apt to teach aright which drâ—…nken persons are very unfit to do the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses 25 And whosoever beareth b Or taketh away out of the place where haply it may ly by which others may be either offended or polluted ought of the carcass of them shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the even 26 The carcasses c Which word is easily to be understood out of ver 24. and 25. where it is expressed of every beast which divideth the hoof and is not cloven footed nor cheweth the cud are unclean unto you every one that toucheth them shall be unclean 27 And whatsoever goeth upon his paws d Heb. upon his hands i. e. which hath feet divided into several parts like fingers as dogs cats apes bears c. among all manner of beasts that go on all four those are unclean unto you whoso toucheth their carcass shall be unclean until the even 28 And he that beareth the carcass of them shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the even they are unclean unto you 29 These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth the Weasel and the * Isa. 66. 17. Mouse and the Tortois after his kind 30 And the Ferret and the Camelion and the Lyzard and the Snail and the Mole 31 These are unclean to you among all that creep whosoever doth touch them when they be dead shall be unclean until the even 32 And upon whatsoever any of them when they are dead doth fall it shall be unclean whether it be any vessel of wood or rayment or skin or sack whatsoever vessel it be wherein any work is done it must be put into water and it shall be unclean until the even so it shall be cleansed 33 And every earthen vessel whereinto any of them falleth whatsoever is in it shall be unclean and * chap. 6. 28.
this knowingly this was a gross sin Ezek. 18. 6. and they being accused and convicted were punished with death Levit. 20. 18. for as there was a turpitude in the action so it was very prejudicial to the children then begotten who were commonly weak or leprous or otherwise disordered which was also an injury to the Commonwealth of Israel and redounded to the dishonour of God and of the true Religion that the professours thereof gave such publick evidence of their intemperance and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean 25 And if a woman have an issue of her blood many dayes out of the time of her separation or if it run beyond the time of her separation r To wit the seven dayes mentioned Levit. 12. 2. as suppose she had the Emerods c. all the dayes of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the dayes of her separation she shall be unclean 26 Every bed whereon she lieth all the dayes of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean as the uncleanness of her separation 27 And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean and shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 28 But if she be cleansed of her issue then she shall number to her self seven dayes s From the stopping of her issue as it is apparent And this was for trial whether it was onely a temporary obstruction or a real cessation and after that she shall be clean 29 And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles or two young pigeons and bring them unto the priest to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation 30 And the priest shall offer the one for a sin-offering and the other for a burnt-offering and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness 31 Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness that they die not in their uncleanness when they defile my tabernacle t Which they did both ceremonially by coming into it in their uncleanness and morally by the gross neglect and contempt of Gods express and positive command to cleanse themselves that is among them 32 This is the law of him that hath an issue and of him whose seed goeth from him and is defiled therewith 33 And of her that is sick of her flowers and of him that hath an issue of the man and of the woman and of him that lieth with her which is unclean CHAP. XVI 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses after * chap. 10. 2. the death of the two sons of Aaron when they offered before the LORD and died 2 And the LORD said unto Moses Speak unto Aaron thy brother that he * Exod. 30. 10. Heb. 9. 7. come not at all times a Not whensoever he pleaseth but onely when I shall appoint him to wit to take down the parts and furniture of it upon every removal and to minister unto me once in the year Exod. 30. 10. into the holy place ‖ i. e. Into the Most Holy or the Holy of Holies as the following words demonstrate which is sometimes called onely the holy place as Heb. 9. 2 3 the positive degree put for the comparative which is not unusual in Scripture within the vail b To wit the second vail See Levit. 4. 6. before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark that he die not c For his irreverence and presumption for * Exod. 40. 35. 1 King 8. 12. I will appear d Visibly and gloriously That is as it were my presence-chamber whither the Priest shall not dare to come but when I call him in the cloud e Either in that dark place for there was no light came into it and clouds and darkness go together and one may be put for the other or in a bright and glorious cloud which used to be over the mercy-seat or rather in the cloud of incense mentioned afterward ver 13. by the mercy-seat 3 Thus f In this manner or upon these terms shall Aaron come into the holy place with * a young bullock g i. e. with the blood of it as it is explained ver 14. So it is a Synecdoche the whole put for the part For as for the body of it that was to be killed and offered without upon the Altar of burnt offerings for a sin offering h For his own and families sins for a goat was offered for the sins of the people and chap. 4. 3. a ram for a burnt-offering 4 He shall put on the * Exod. 28. 39 4â—… holy linen coat i It is observable that the High-priest did not now use his peculiar and glorious robes but onely his linnen garments which were common to him with the ordinary priests The reason whereof was either because this was not a day of feasting and rejoycing but of mourning and humiliation at which times people were to lay aside their ornaments Exod. 33. 5. Some conceive that under the linen garments here named are comprehended his more glorious robes also by a Synecdoche But that doth not appear neither from hence nor from other places alledged Had onely his holy garments been mentioned in general all might have been understood but when onely the linen apparel is mentioned here and after ver 23. and when that is so particularly expressed in four several parts of it and not a word of the other either here or in the rest of the chapter it seems presumptuous to adde them here without any ground or evidence Or because it was fit he should not exalt but abase himself when he was to appear before the divine Majesty and therefore he was to come in the meanest of his Priestly habits Or that it might be an evidence of the imperfection of this Priesthood and of the great difference between the Levitical and the true High-Priest Christ Jesus whose prerogative alone it is to go into the true Holy of Holies with his glorious robes when this must carry thither the characters of his meanness and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh and shall be girded with a linen girdle and with the linen mitre shall he be attired These are holy garments k Because appropriated to an holy and religious use for which reason other things are called holy See Exod. 29. 31. and 30. 25. and 2 Chron. 5. 5. therefore * Exod 30 â—…0 shall he wash his flesh in water and so put them on 5 And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin-offering and one ram for a burnt-offering 6 And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin-offering which is for himself and make * Heb. 9. 7. an atonement for himself and for his house l i. e.
beast they shall surely be put to death their blood shall be upon them 17 * chap. 18. 9 Deut. 27. 23. And if a man shall take his sister his fathers daughter or his mothers daughter and see her nakedness x Seeing is here understood either 1. properly and so God would cut off the occasions of further filthiness Or rather 2. improperly for touching her or lying with her for 1. the sence of seeing is oâ—…t put for other sences as for hearing Ger 42. 1. compared with Act. 7. 12. Exod. 2â—… 18. Rev. 1. 12. and for touching as Ioh. 2â—… 25 29. 2. that act is expressed by words parallel to this of seeing as by 〈◊〉 or discovering and by knowing Gen. 4. 1. 3. so it is directly explained in the following words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uncovered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which manifestly signifies lying with her â—… it is not probable that an equal punishment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dest sight and to the highest act of filthiness 5. nor seems there to be any reason why this crime should be restrained to this rather than to any other relations when it was as great yea a greater crime in some other relations and she see his nakedness it is a wicked thing and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people y i. e. Publickly for the terrour and caution of others he hath uncovered his sisters nakedness he shall bear his iniquity 18 * chap. 18. 19. See ch 15. 24. And if a man shall lie with a woman z Wittingly and willingly See on Lev. 15. 24. and 18. 19. having her sickness a i. e. her monethly infirmity and shall uncover her nakedness he hath †Heb. made naked discovered her fountain b Or her issue Thus the fountain of blood in Mark 5. 29. is the issue of blood Luk. 8. 44. the fountain put for the stream the cause for the effect which is common and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood and both of them shall be cut off from among their people 19 * ch 18. 12 13. And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mothers sister nor of thy fathers sister for he uncovereth his near kin they shall bear their iniquity 20 * chap. 18. 14. And iâ—… a man shall lie with his uncles wife he hath uncovered his uncles nakedness they shall bear their sin they shall die childless c i. e. Either shall be speedily cut off ere they can have a child by that incestuous conjunction that the remembrance of the fact may be blotted out or if this seem a less crime than most of the former incestuous mixtures because the relation is more remote and therefore the Magistrate shall forbear to punish it with death yet they shall either have no children from such an unlawful bed or their children shall die before them Hos. 9. 11 12. or shall not be reputed their genuine children but bastards and therefore excluded from the congregation of the Lord Deut. 23. 2. 21 * chap. 18. 16. And if a man shall take his brothers wife d Except in the case allowed by God Deut. 25. 5. it is †Heb. a separation an unclean thing e An abominable thing like the uncleanness of a menstruous woman which is oft expressed by this word Heb a separation or removing i. e. a thing deserving separation or exclusion from society with others or a thing to be removed out of sight or out of the world he hath uncovered his brothers nakedness they shall be childless 22 Ye shall therefore keep all my †chap. 18. 26. statutes and all my judgments and do them that the land whither I bring you to dwell therein * chap. 18. 25. spue you not out 23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation which I cast out before you for they committed all these things and * Deut. 9. 5. therefore I abhorred them 24 But I have said unto you Ye shall inherit their land and I will give it unto you to possess it a land that floweth with milk and honey I am the LORD your God which have separated you from other people f By my special grace and favour vouchsafed to you above all people in glorious and miraculous works wrought for you and among you and in ordinances and other singular priviledges and blessings imparted to you all which calls for your special love and service 25 * chap. 11. 2. Deut. 14. 4. Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean and between unclean fowls and clean and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast or by fowl or by any manner of living thing that ‖ Or moveth creepeth on the ground which I have separated from you as unclean g i. e. As things which by my sentence I have made unclean and which you must avoid as such 26 And ye shall be holy unto me * Verse 7. chap. 19. 2. Peâ—… 1. 1â—… 1 for I the LORD am holy and have severed you from other people that ye should be mine 27 * Deut. 1â—… 10 11. 1 Sam 28. 7 8. A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit or that is a wizard shall surely be put to death they shall stone them with stones their blood shall be upon them CHAP. XXI 1 AND the LORD said unto Moses Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron and say unto them * Ezek. 44. 25. There shall none be defiled for the dead a To wit by touching of the dead body or abiding in the same house with it or assisting at his funerals or eating of the funeral feast The reason of this law is evident because by such pollution they were excluded from converse with men to whom by their function they were to be serviceable upon all occasions and from the handling of holy things Num. 6. 6. and 19. 11 14 16. Deut. 26. 14. Hos. 9. 4. And God would hereby teach them and in them all successive Ministers of holy things that they ought so entirely to give themselves to the service of God that they ought to renounce all expressions of natural affections and all worldly employments so far as they are impediments to the discharge of their holy services See Lev. 10. 3 7. Deut. 33. 9. Mat. 8. 22. Hereby also God would beget in the people a greater reverence to the Priestly function and oblige the Priests to a greater degree of strictness and purity than other men among his people 2 But for his kin that is near unto him b Under which general expression his wife seems to be comprehended though she be not expressed in the following instances because from the mention of others more remote it was easie to gather that so near a relation was not excluded And hence it is noted as a peculiar and extraordinary case that Ezekiel who was a
that conspiracy it is added ver 18. And a fire was kindled in their company the flame burnt up the wicked As for Num. 26. 10. which seems to oppose this opinion we shall see more on that place if God permit and all their goods 33 They and all that appertained to them went down alive into †Heb. Hâ—…ll the pit r i. e. Into the earth which first opened it self to receive them and then shut it self to destroy them and transmit them to further punishments and the earth closed upon them and they perished from among the congregation 34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them for they said Lest the earth swallow up us also 35 And there came out a fire from the LORD s i. e. From the cloud wherein the glory of the Lord appeared ver 19. to give sentence in this cause and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense 36 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 37 Speak unto Eleazar t Rather than to Aaron partly because the troublesome part of the work was more proper for him and partly least Aaron should be polluted by going amongst those dead carcases for it is probable this fire consumed them as lightning sometimes doth others by taking away their lives and leaving their bodies dead upon the place the son of Aaron the priest that he take up the censers out of the burning u i. e. From among the dead bodies of those men who were burnt Burning put for those who are burnt as captivity for the captives Numb 21. 1. and poverty for the poor 2 King 24. 14. and scatter thou the fire x i. e. The cinders or ashes which are left in or near their censers yonder y i. e. Far from the altar and sanctuary into an unclean place where the ashes were wont to be â—…ast by which God shews his rejection of their services for they are hallowed z Either 1. by Gods appointment because they were presented before the Lord by his express order ver 16 17. Or 2. by Goâ—… jâ—…st judgment because they together with the persons that used them were accursed and devoted by God and therefore were the Lords and to be imployed in any profane or common use as appears from Lev. 27. 28. But the first reason is the chief and is rendred by God himself ver 38. 38 The censers of these sinners against their own souls a i. e. Their own lives who were the authors of their own death and destruction Compare 1 King 2. 23. Prov. 20. 2. This he saith for the vindication of Gods justice and his own ministry in this severe dispensation let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar b To wit of burnt-offerings which was made of wood but covered with brass before this time Exod. 27. 1 2. to which this other covering was added for further ornament and security against the fire which was continually burning upon it for they offered them before the LORD therefore they are hallowed and they shall be a sign c A monument or warning to all strangers to take heed of invading the Priesthood as it follows ver 40. unto the children of Israel 39 And Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers wherewith they that were burnt had offered and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar 40 To be a memorial unto the children of Israel that no stranger which is not of the seed of Aaron come near to offer incense before the LORD that he be not as Korah and as his company d i. e. That he do not imitate them in their sin and therefore bring upon himself the same plague as the LORD said to him e i. e. To Eleazar These words belong to ver 38. the meaning is that Eleazar did as God bad him by the hand of Moses 41 But on the morrow f Prodigious wickedness and madness so soon to forget such a terrible instance of divine vengeance all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron saying ye have killed g You who should have preserved them and interceded for them have pulled down Gods wrath upon them for the maintenance of your own authority and interest the people of the LORD h So they call those wicked wretches and rebels against God which shews the power of passion and prejudice to corrupt mens judgments 42 And it came to pass when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron that they i i. e. Moses and Aaron who in all their distresses made God their refuge looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation and behold the cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared 43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation k To hear what God who now appeared would say to him 44 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 45 Get ye up from among this congregation that I may consume them as in a moment and they fell upon their faces l To beg pardon and mercy for the people as they oft did thus rendring good to them for evil which the people required with evil for their kindness 46 And Moses said unto Aaron Take a censer and put fire therein from off the altar and put on incense m Which was a sign of intercession Psal. 141. 2. and was to be accompanied with it Luk. 1. 9 10. and go quickly unto the congregation n With the incense to stir up the people to repentance and prayer to prevent their utter ruine This he might do upon this extraordinary occasion having Gods command for his warrant though ordinarily incense was to be offered onely in the Tabernacle and make an atonement for them for there is wrath gone out from the LORD the plague is begun o In cutting off the people by a sudden and miraculous stroke 47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded and ran into the midst of the congregation p Hazarding his own life to obey God and to do this wicked people good and behold the plague was begun amongst the people and he put on incense and made an atonement for the people 48 And he stood between the dead and the living q Whereby it may seem that this plague like that fire Numb 11. 1. began in the uttermost parts of the congregation and so proceeded destroying one after another in an orderly manner which gave Aaron occasion and direction so to place himself as a Mediatour to God on their behalf and the plague was stayed 49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred beside them that died about the matter of Korah 50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and the plague was stayed CHAP. XVII 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses
may be otherwise rendred either thus in the manner of spies so the sence is when he heard that divers of the Israelites came into or towards his country in the nature of spies to prepare the way for the rest or thus by the way of Atharim a place so called as the seventy Interpreters here take it and it seems not improbable then he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoners d Which God permitted for Israels humiliation and punishment and to teach them not to expect the conquest of that land from their own wisdom or valour but wholly from Gods favour and assistance See Deut. 9. 4. Psal. 44. 3 4. 2 And Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD e Being sensible of their own weakness they indeavour to engage God to help them in the war which they intended to renew and said If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand then I will utterly destroy their cities f I will reserve no person nor thing for my own use but devote them all to total destruction which was the consequent of such vows See Lev. 27. 29. Deut. 13. 15. 3 And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanite and they †Gr. anatâ—…tized them 〈◊〉 Heb. utterly destroyed them g When Ans. Either 1. Some time after this under Ioshua who subdued among others the King of Arad Ios. 12. 14. And so this is mentioned here by anticipation that the vow being now made and mentioned the effect or performance of it might be recorded though out of its place and so this verse must be supposed to be added by some of the prophets and inserted into Moses his history as some other passages seem to be Or 2. at this time and so this is not the same Arad with that Ios. 12. 14. nor this the same Hormah with that there mentioned but another of the same name which is most frequent in persons and places in Scripture And this is the more probable because that Arad and Hormah Ios. 12. 14. are two distinct places and had divers kings whereas here the same place is called both Arad and Hormah and because that Arad seems to be at some good distance from this and more within the country and more northward as may be gathered from the other places joyned with it Ios. 12. whereas this Arad was near Edom ver 4. and in the south ver 1. Quest. 1. How could this be now done in the land of Canaan when Moses neither entred himself nor lead the people into that land Ans. Neither Moses nor the whole body of the people did this exploit but a select number sent out for this purpose to punish that king and people who were so fierce and malicious that they came out of their own country to fight with the Israelites in the wilderness and these when they had done this work returned to their brethren into the Wilderness Quest. 2. Why did they not all now go into Canaan when some of them had once entred it and pursue this victory Ans. Because God would not permit it there being several works yet to be done other people must be conquered the Israelites must be further humbled and tryed and purged Moses must die and then they shall enter and that in a more glorious manner even over Iordan which shall be miraculously dried up and give them passage and their cities and he called the name of the place ‖ That is 〈◊〉 destruction Hormah 4 And they * chap. 33. â—… journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red-sea h â—… e. Which leadeth to the Red-sea as they must needs do to compass the land of Edom. to compass the land of Edom and the soul of the people was much ‖ Or 〈◊〉 †Heb 〈◊〉 discouraged because of the way i By reason of this journey which was long and troublesome and preposterous for they were now going towards Egypt and unexpected either because they doubted not but their brethren the Edomites would grant them their reasonable request of passing through their land which disappointment made it worse Or because the successful entrance and victorious progress which some of them had made in the borders of Canaan made them think they might have speedily gone in and taken possession of it and so have saved their tedious travels and further difficulties into which Moses had again brought them 5 And the people spake against God k Against Christ their chief conductor whom they tempted 1 Cor. 10. 9. and against Moses Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness for there is no bread neither is there any water and * chap. 11. 6. our soul loatheth this light bread l i. e. Of small substance and vertue Thus contemptuously do they speak of Manna whereas it appears it yielded excellent nourishment because in the strength of it they were able to go so many and such tedious journies 6 And * 1 Cor. 10. 9. the LORD sent fiery serpents m Such there were many in this wilderness Deut. 8. 15. which having been hitherto restrained by God are now let loose and sent among them They are called fiery from their effects because their poison caused an intolerable heat and burning and thirst in the bodies of the Israelites which was aggravated with this circumstance of the place that here was no water ver 5. among the people and they bit the people and much people of Israel died 7 Therefore the people came to Moses and said We have sinned for we have spoken against the LORD and against thee pray unto the LORD that he take away the serpents from us and Moses prayed for the people 8 And the LORD said unto Moses Make thee a fiery serpent n i. e. The figure of a serpent in brass which is of a fiery colour This would require some time God would not speedily take off the judgment because he saw they were not thoroughly humbled and set it upon a pole o That the people might see it from all parts of the camp and therefore the pole must be high and the serpent large and it shall come to pass that every one that is bitten when he looketh upon it shall live p This method of cure was prescribed partly that it might appear to be Gods own work and not the effect of nature or art and partly that it might be an eminent type of our salvation by Christ. See Ioh. 3. 14 15. The serpent signified Christ who was in the likeness of sinful flesh Rom. 8. 13. though without sin as this brazen serpent had the outward shape but not the inward poison of the other serpents the pole resembled the cross upon which Christ was lift up for our salvation and looking up to it designed our believing in Christ. 9 And * 2 King 18. 4. Joh. 3. 14. Moses
those parts for it is probable and was then very usual some colonies of them were sent forth to remoter places which therefore had no hand either in their former sin or in this present raine of whom we read after this Iudg 6. And herein they did according to Gods own order concerning such people Deut 20. 13. only their fault was that they did not consider the special reason and great obligation which they had to involve the Women in the destruction for which reason Moses blames them afterward v. 15 16. 8 And they slew the Kings of Midian i Called Dukes or Princes of Sihon Ios. 13. 21. because they were subject to him while he lived but upon his death they resumed their Kingly power besides the rest of them that were slain namely * Josh. 13. 21. Evi and Rekem and Zur k The Father of Cozbi Numb 25. 15. and Hur and Reba five Kings of Midian Balaam also l Obj. he was gone and returned to his own place Numb 24. 25. which was Aram or Mesopotamia Numb 23. 7. Answ. Either he did go thitherward but in his journey made some stay in Midian where he was overtaken by divinevengeance or understanding the success of his wicked counsel left with Balaam in the sin and slaughter of the Israelites he returned partly to enjoy the reputation and reward of his counsel which he had lost before and partly to employ his Hellish arts against Israel now they were as he thought forsaken by their God and exposed to his malice Here Balaam dies the death of the wicked and not of the righteous as he desired Numb 23. 10. the son of Beor they slew with the sword And the children of Israel took all the Women of Midian Captives and their little ones and took the spoil of all their cattel and all their Flocks and all their goods 10 And they burnt all their cities m Partly to blot out the Name and Memory of so lewd and vile a people partly least any of the Israelites should be tempted to settle there and so be discouraged in their progress to Canaan and partly least they should be possessed by other people who might prove as bad Neighbours to them as these would have been wherein they dwelt and all their goodly castles with fire 11 And they took all the spoil and all the prey both of men and of beasts 12 And they brought the captives and the prey and the spoil unto Moses and Eleazar the Priest and unto the Congregation of the children of Israel unto the camp at the plains of Moab which are by Jordan near Jericho 13 And Moses and Eleazar the Priest and all the Princes of the congregation went forth to meet them without the camp n Partly to put respect upon them and congratulate with them for their happy success and partly to prevent the pollution of the Camp by the untimely entrance of the Warriours into it 14 And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host o Because they had spared those who were most criminal and who by the law of God and of nature were worthy of Death with the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds which came from the †Hebr. host of war battel 15 And Moses said unto them Have ye saved * Sâ—… Deut. 20. 23. 1 Sam. 15. 3. all the women alive 16 Behold * Chap. 25. 2. these caused the children of Israel through the * Chap. 24. 14. 2 Pet. 2. 15. counsel of Balaam to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor and * Chap. 25. 9. there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD 17 Now therefore * Judg. 21. 11. kill every male among the little ones p Which they were forbidden to do to other people Deut. 20. 14. except the Canaanites to whom this people had equalled themselves by their horrid crimes and therefore it is not strange nor unjust that God the supream Lord of all mens lives who as he gives them so may take them away when he pleaseth did equal them in the punishment and kill every woman that hath known man q Partly for punishment because the guilt was general and though some of them only did prostitute themselves to the Israelites yet the rest made themselves accessary by their consent or concurrence or approbation and partly for prevention of the like mischief from such an adulterous generation by lying with †Hebr. a male him 18 But all the women children that have not known a man r To wit carnally See on Gen. 48. 1. and 19. 8. Levit. 18. 22. by lying with him keep alive for your selves s Either to sell them as slaves to others or to use them as Servants to your selves or to marry them when you have prepared and instructed them 19 And do ye abide without the camp seven dayes s According to the Law Levit. 15. 13. and Numb 19. 11 12. whosoever hath killed any person and * Chap. 19. 11 c. whosoever hath touched any slain purify t With the water of sprinkling Numb 19. 9. both your selves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day 20 And purifie all u To wit your spoil and prey See Levit. 8. 15. and 14. 49. your raiment and all that is †Heb. Instrument or vesseâ—… of skins made of skins and all work of goats hair x All which had contracted some ceremonial uncleanness either from the dead Bodies which wore them or the tents or houses where they were in which such dead Bodies lay or from the touch of the Israelitish Souldiers who were legally defiled by the slaughters they made and all things made of wood 21 And Eleazar the Priest said unto the men of war which went to the battel This is the ordinance of the Law which the LORD commanded Moses 22 Only the gold and the silver the brass the iron the tin and the lead 23 Every thing that may abide the fire ye shall make it go thorow the fire and it shall be clean nevertheless it shall be purified * Chap. 19. 9 17. with the water of separation and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water 24 And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and ye shall be clean and afterward ye shall come into the camp 25 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 26 Take the sum of the prey †Heb. Of the captivity that was taken both of man and of beast thou and Eleazar the priest and the chief fathers of the congregation 27 And * Josh. 22. 8. 1 Sam. 30. 24. divide the prey into two parts between them that took the war upon them who went out to battel and between all the congregation y The Congregation hath some share because the Warriours went in the name of all and because all
x To wit for flesh as the next Verse sheweth in the wilderness and tempted God in the desart 15. ‖ Num. 11. 31. And he gave them their request but sent leanness into their Souls y Either into their Persons Or rather their Bodies which are oft understood by this word of which see the Notes upon Psal. 16. 10. So their inordinate desire of pleasing and pampering their Bodies was the occasion of destroying them whilest God denied his Blessing which alone makes food able to nourish us and inflicted his curse which made their food as destructive as Poison to them 16. * Num. 16. 1 1â—… They envied Moses also in the camp and Aaron the Saint of the Lord z So called here not so much from his inherent Holiness whereof Moses had a greater share but because he was consecrated or set apart by God for that sacred office of the Priest-hood in which respect all the Priests are said to be holy Levit. 21. 6 7 8. Hereby he intimates that their Envy and Rebellion was not only against Aaron but against God himself 17. †Num. 16. 31. Deut. 11. 16. The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan a With his company which is sufficiently understood out of the following clause and out of the History Numb 16. and covered the company of Abiram 18. ‖ Num. 16. 35 â—… And a fire was kindled in their company b In their Associates or Confederates those wicked men as he calls them in the next clause to wit Korah and his company who were consumed by a Fire from the Lord Numb 16. 35. compared with v. 1 2 16 17 18 19. the flame burnt up the wicked 19. * Exod. 32. 4. They made a calf in Horeb c When they were but very lately brought out of Egypt by such wonderful Power and Goodness of God and had seen the dreadful Plagues of God upon the Egyptian Idolaters and upon their Idols too as is noted Numb 33. 4. and when the Law of God was but newly delivered to them in such a solemn and tremendous manner and the most High God was yet present and delivering further Precepts to Moses for their benefit upon the top of that very Mount This greatly aggravated their Sin and worshipped the molten Image 20. Thus * Jer. 2. 11. 〈◊〉 1. 23. they changed d As far as in them lay and in respect of their Worship their glory e Their God who was indeed their glory for they had this just occasion of triumphing and glorying over all the Nations of the World that whereas all other Nations worshipped stocks and stones or the heavenly Bodies or dead Men they only worshipped the living true God who was present and in Covenant with them and with them only into the similitude of an f Into the Golden Image of an Ox or Calf ox that eateth grass g Which is so far from feeding his People as the true God did the Israelites that he must be fed by them And yet the Image of such a creature was preferred by them before the all-sufficient and ever-blessed God which was an evidence of their horrid contempt of God as also of their prodigious folly and stupidity 21. They forgat God their Saviour which had done great things in Egypt 22. Wondrous works in the land of Ham and terrible things by the Red sea 23. †Exod. 32. 10 11 32. Therefore he said h He declared his intention in express words as Exod. 32. 10. and elsewhere that he would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach i God had made an Hedge or Wall about them but they had made a gap or breach in it by their Sins at which the Lord who was now justly become their Enemy might enter to destroy them which he had certainly done if Moses by his prevailing intercession had not hindered him See Deut. 9. 1â—… 10. 10. It is a Metaphor from a Besieged City where the Enemy indeavours to make a breach in the Walls and thereby to enter into the City which he will do unless some valiant Champion stand in the gap to oppose him to turn away his wrath lest he should destroy them 24. Yea they despised k Preferring Egypt and their former Bondage before it Numb 14. 3 4. and not thinking it worthy of a little hazard and difficulty in taking the possession of it ‖ Heb. a land of 〈◊〉 the pleasant land l Canaan which was so not only in truth Deut. 11. 11 12. Ier. 3. 19. Ezek. 20. 6. but even by the relation of those Spies who discouraged them from entring into it they believed not his word m i. e. His promise of giving them the land and subduing all their Enemies before them which they knew by late and manifold experience that God was both able and willing to do 25. * Num. 14. 2. But murmured in their tents and hearkned not unto the voice of the Lord n To Gods command which was that they should boldly and confidently enter into it 26. †Num. 14. 28. Therefore he lifted up his hand o He sware as this phrase is commonly used as Gen. 14. 22. Deut. 32. 40. Nehem. 9. 15. Revel 10. 5 6. of this dreadful and irrevocable Sentence and Oath of God See Numb 14. against them to overthrow them in the wilderness 27. ‖ Heb. to make them fall * Psal. 44. 11. Ezek. 20. 23. To overthrow their seed p He sware also though not at the same time that he would punish their Sins not only in their Persons but also in their Posterity See Exod. 20. 5. 3â—… 34. Levit. 26. 33. others refer this to the same Oath and History Numb 14. because God intended at first to destroy both Parents and Children even the whole Nation v. 12. 15. though afterwards upon Moses his intercession he limited the judgment to that Generation But that Destruction threatned was by the Pestilence v. 12. not as here by Captivity and Banishment Besides God said that v. 11. but he did not swear it but the Oath came afterward v. 21. also among the Nations and to scatter them in the lands 28. * Num. 25. 2 3. 31. 16. Rev. 2. 14. They joyned themselves q To wit in Worship whereby they had an union and communion with him as Gods People have with God in acts of his Worship And this phrase seems also to note their Carnal Copulation with the Daughters of Moab in the Temple or to the Honour of Baal-Peor also unto Baal-peor and ate the sacrifices of the dead r Which were offered to Idols which he calls dead in opposition to the true and living God and by way of contempt and to note the sottishness of Idolaters who worshipped lifeless things as stocks and stones or dead Men. And some learned men conceive that this is