imployments for the reading of the Bible that yet â—eap not that profit they might by their reading because they passe over many places which they understand not and how usefull it would be for them if they had some larger Notes of exposition by them then those can be that are in the margin of some Bibles which they might jointly reade together with the chapter they reade we may â—asily judge by the advantage which those short marginall notes have yiâ—lded to those that have made use of them Now though I dare not hope to go through such a work as this would be neither my strength nor years will allow me to propound such an aim to my self yet I hope it will be accepted if I may but contribute somewhat towards it and others may perhaps be stirred up to joyn their help to the same service I haâ—e aâ—ready through Gods assistance passed through the Historicall part of tâ—e old Testament and would hope to go forward if the Lord would be pleased to remove from us that heavy judgement of the sword and restore unto us â—eaceable times But for the present I could onely transcribe for the Presse this first part upon the five books of Moses and besides I am desirous to see what approbation this may find amongst those whose judgement may be farre better then mine own before I would adventure to send forth the rest There are onely two particulars wherein I shall need to give satisfaction for what I have done First I have not at all meddled with the many doubts tâ—at have been raised by Interpreters concerning the different wayes of translating some passages in the Originall Text but have onely endeavoured to unfold the meaning of the Text according to our last Translation onely I have for the most part taken in that reading also which is added in the margin of our Bibles If there be any man that stumbles at this I desire him to consider that I intended this work chiefly for those that onely understand their own language and such knotty disputes concerning the Originall must needs have mightily puzzled such readers but could never have been any way profitable for them And this I trust will satisfie him Again having made use of many learned Expositours in searching out the meaning of those places that I have undertaken to explain some may perhaps wish that I had some way insâ—rted their names as I went along to the end that for tâ—eir better satisfaction those that questioned any exposition might have had recourse to their works to peruâ—e what they had written therein And the truth is that had I from the beginning intended to publish these Notes it is most like that I shouâ—d have taken that course but considering as I said before that I looked chiefly to the satisâ—â—ing of those that are not skilled in such Authours I could not think it worth the while to revise the whole book for the doing of this This is all that I have to say onely I shall desire that those that will vouchsafe to peruse thâ—se my poore labours would have a Bible by them still reade the text there as they go for else I dare say they will not find that benefit by their reading which observing that course I hope tâ—ey may find I shall leave all to the good blessing of God and desire that if any good be done hereby the glory may all redound to him wâ—o is able to do much good by weak means To him I commend thee Christian Reader and rest Thine in the Lord Jesus ARTHUR JACKSON ERRATA Pag. 133. l 3. readâ— mâ—nner to appear to him 135. l. 14 r. me thâ—s 152. â— 25 r. â—â—t 1. 2. 158 l. 2â— r. reâ— 171. l. 2. r. Lord Jehâ—vah â—96 l. â—5 r. Hâ—r 202. l 4 r. Sanctuary and the 204 l. 2â— twinneâ— 219. l. 7 delâ— most 244 l. 41. Levit. 1. 261. l. â— hands 264 l 20. light holy 2â—6 l. 41. commended 278. l. â—4 five sacr â—ices 30â— l. 30. dwelt â—â—2 l 3. our Goâ—l 328. l â—4 â—he tent 339 l. 18. Lâ—v 2 2. 380. l. â—4 Aaron 382. l. 30 l ght holy 385. l. 40. t waâ— â—97 35 38 Suphah 40â— 14 15 20. Châ—mosh 40â— l. 14 right unto thus 430. l. 40. thiâ— it 4 7. l. 33. dâ—le l. y. 50â— l 41. peâ—sonâ— 5â—7 l 30. a basket â—48 l. 1. him l. 14 affâ—cted ANNOTATIONS On the first book of MOSES called GENESIS CHAP. I. IN the beginning God created the heaven and the earth Many of our best Expositours and that not without good probabilitie conceive these words to be a generall proposition concerning the whole creation which is afterwards more particularly unfolded by setting down in what time and in what order and manner this was done and what were the severall works of the six dayes to wit That in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth that is that all things were at first created by God the heavens the earth and all the host of them as it is afterwards expressed chap. 2. 1. or the world and all therein as S. Paul spake Act. 17. 24. This Moses affirmeth here in the first verse but then how after what manner and in what order they were created that is afterwards related in the following part of the chapter Yet others again that I think most probably understand this which is here said to be the work of the first dayes creation to wit that God in the beginning on the first day created the heaven that is the highest heaven the dwelling place of the Angels called the heaven of heavens 1. King 8. 27. and the earth that whole confused Chaos of earth and water which was as yet without form and void as it is afterwards described in the second verse And indeed because it is said Job 38. 6 7. that the morning starres sang together and the sonnes of God shouted for joy when God laid the foundations of the earth which is meant of the Angels it seems most probable that this highest heaven and so the Angels together with it were first created and so was a main part of the work of the first day It is true there is no mention made of the angels neither here nor in any other part of the chapter but that is because Moses purposely intended to relate onely the creation of things corporall and visible that happily as having regard therein to the rudenesse and weaknesse of that infant-Church of the Jews for whom he wrote this history For that the angels were at first created by God of nothing as all other things were is evident by many other places of Scripture as Psal 104. 4. Who maketh his angels spirits Col. 1. 16. By him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible c. Psal 148. 2 5. Praise ye him all his angels let them praise the name of the Lord for he commanded and they were
spirits were happely spent much with the vehemency of his spirit in praying to the Lord Aaron and Hur perceiving thâ—s and that withall the Amalekites prevailed against the Israelites when he let down his hands they standing on each side of him stayed up his hands the one the right hand and the other the left But because we cannot well conceive but that they would have been all wearied if it had been thus I conceive it more probable that Moses held up the rod in one hand shifting it as occasion was from one hand to another And so Aaron and Hur in their turns helped to bear up that hand which was next to them and had by their turns a time to rest and ease themselves Vers 14. Write this for a memoriall in a book and reherse it in the ears of Joshua c. Who was to succeed Moses and therefore was to take speciall notice of this decree of God concerning the utter extirpation of Amalek whether this were written in any other book we cannot say sufficient for us it is that here we find it recorded by Moses and that no doubt the rather because of this expresse command which was now here given him Vers 15. And Moses built an altar c. To wit thereon to offer â—acrifices of thankfulnesse and that it might â—tand as a memoriall in future times of this first victory which God had given his people against their enemies the Amalekites and therefore also he called the altar Jehovah Nissi that is the Lord my banner that it might be a memoriall to posterity that in that place the Jehovah had as with a banner displayed gone forth and fought against the enemies of his people and had there as it were proclaimed that he would have perpetuall warre with that Nation from one generation to another Vers 16. For he said Because the Lord hath sworn that he will have warre with Amalek c. Some reade this place thus Because the hand of Amalek is against the throne of the Lord therefore the Lord will have warre with Amalek c. and then the words intimate the reason why the Lord had determined that he would have warre with Amalek from generation to generation to wit because Amalek had lifted up his hand against the throne of the Lord in that he had fought against them that were his peculiar people whose Sovereigne Lord he had undertaken to be But if we reade the words as they are in our Translation Because the Lord hath sworn that he will have warre c. whereas in the Hebrew it is word for word thus the hand upon the throne of the Lord then we must know that the hand upon the throne intimates the form of Gods swearing to wit that laying his hand upon his throne as swearing by his Majesty and Regal power and as he was the great King of the whole world he had sworn that he would have warre for ever with Amalek And this Moses alledgeth as the reason why he called this altar Jehovah Nissi CHAP. XVIII Vers 1. WHen Jethro the priest of Midian c. See Exod. 2. 16 18. also the 3. 1. Vers 2. Then Jethro Moses father in law took Zipporah Moses wife after he had sent her back See Exod. 4. 20. Vers 5. And Jethro Moses father in law came with his sonnes and his wife c. These words make known the coming of Jethro to Moses with his daughter the wife of Moses and her two sonnes and particularly where Moses was when they came to him to wit that he was encamped at the mount of God that is at Horeb which why it is called the mount of God is noted before upon Exod. 3. 1. Evident therefore it is that though the removing of the Israelites from Rephidim where they vanquished the Amalekites to the desert of Sinai where this mount of God was be not mentioned till the beginning of the following chapter yet thither they were removed before Jethro came to them Vers 6. And he said unto Moses I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee c. That is Jethro sent this message to Moses and therefore it is said in the next verse that hereupon Moses went out to meet him Considering that the armies of the Israelites were still watchfull doubtlesse of enemies that might set upon them and the rather because the Amalekites had so lately assaulted them no wonder it is though Jethro did before he came upon them with his train first send to inform Moses of his coming that they might know who they were and why they were come But besides it was requisite in point of civility that Jethro should before-hand send Moses word of his coming that he might do what to him seemed good for the receiving of them Vers 11. I know that the Lord is greater then all Gods for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them That is in redeeming the Israelites out of their cruell bondage concerning which Pharaoh and his Egyptians carryed themselves with such pride and insolencie as if they thought it impossible that God should deliver them out of their hands and resolved that they would in despight of God hold them still in Egypt And indeed if Moses had now told Jethro as it is likely he did how arrogantly Pharaoh at first disdained the message which Moses delivered to him from the Lord saying Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice to let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go chap. 5. 2. and thereupon laid heavier tasks upon them then he did before and howthe Magicians of Egypt strove with Moses sought to work the same miracles that Moses but were still confounded and forced at last to acknowledge the mighty power of God and yet their Magick and the feats they wrought thereby was the chief pride of Egypt and that wherein they most gloried and lastly with what a high hand they pursued the Israelites to fetch them back when they were come away assuring themselves that they should not scape chap. 15. 9. The enemie said I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the spoyl my lust shall be satisfied upon them no marvel though Jethro thereupon now answered that in the thing wherein they dealt proudly God was above them Vers 12. And Aaron came and all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses father in law before God This clause before God is added because it was a religious banquet eaten before the Majestie of God and accompanying their sacrifices as was usuall See Deut. 12. 5 7. Unto the place which the Lord your God shall chuse out of all your tribes to put his name there there ye shall eat before the Lord your God and ye shall rejoyce c. 1. Chron. 29. 21. And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the Lord c. and did eat and drink before the Lord on that day with great gladnesse c. Vers 15. Because the
is there made the Southern bound and fourthly the river which is the great river Euphrates which was the North bound CHAP. XXIV Vers 1. ANd he said unto Moses Come up unto the Lord c. God having given Moses those judiciall laws set down in the former chapters and Moses being now to carry them to the people upon their consent to make a covenant betwixt God and them the Lord before his departure gives him this command for his coming up again with Aaron Nadab Abihu and seventy of the Elders of Israel appointing him to leave the people at the foot of the mount but to bring up Aaron and his two eldest sonnes and the seaventy Elders into the moâ—nt that is a little way up into the mount where they might be eye_witnesses of part of Gods glory as is expressed afterwards vers 9 10. being to approch nearer to the Lord then the people were and then there to leave them also to worship afarre off whilest Moses went up higher to the top of the mount into the dark cloud vers 18. for so it followeth vers 2. Moses alone shall come near the Lord but they shall not come nigh It is questioned by Expositours who these seventy Elders were Wâ— reade of seventy Elders that wâ—re chosen to bear part of the government with Moses and received therefore from the Lord an extraordinary measure of gifts of Gods spirit to enable them thereunto as you may reade Numb 11. 16 17. but that was done after the camp was removed from Sinai and pitched in Kibroth-Hattaavah as it is Numb 11. 34. which was the next station beyond Sinai Numb 33. 16. And they removed from the desert of Sinai and pitched at Kibroth-Hattaavah Nor can it be meant of those Judges chosen by Moses before this by the counsel of Jethro as you reade Exod. 18. 25. they were doubtlesse farre more then seventy seeing there were amongst them Rulers over every ten families amongst all the tribes Iâ— sufficeth us therefore to know that whereas there were alwayes even when they were in Egypt certain Elders in every tribe that were principall men amongst them God now appointed that of these seventy should come up with Aaron and his sonnes into the mount and these happely were chosen both now for witnesses and afterwards at Kibroth-Hattaavah for helpers to Moses in his government yea some adde that God appointed seventy rather then any other number as a memoriall of the seventy souls that went down with Jâ—cob into Egypt and consequently of Gods blessing upon them in bringing them within a few years to so great a multitude Vers 2. Neither shall the people go up with him That is they shall not at all go up into the mount as Aaron and the Elders did Vers 4. And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord c. To wit in a book See Hebr. 9. 19. The ten commandments in the stone tables were written by the finger of God himself but the judiciall laws Moses wrote in a book And thus covenants agreed upon betwixt party and party are usually committed to writing And builded an altar under the hill and twelve pillars c. Both the altar and the pillars were outward sacramentall signes of the covenant which was now to be established betwixt God and his people the altar representing God in Christ the first and chief party in the covenant and the twelve pillars the twelve tribes Vers 5. And he sent young men of the children of Israel which offered burnt-offerings c. The common opinion of most Expositours is that the first-born were the priests and sacrificers amongst the people untill the Levites were taken in their stead Numb 3. 41. And thou shalt take the Levites for me in stead of all the first-born c. and consequently that these were the young men here spoken of And indeed the word here used in the originall doth not alwayes signifie youths in regard of years not yet grown up to mans estate but young men fit for service and ministery to their Elders as Gen. 14. 23 24. I will not saith Abraham take from a threed even to a shoe-latchet c. Save onely that which the young men have eaten and Exod. 33. 11. His servant Joshua a young man departed not out of the tabernacle And so in many other places But because it is I think unquestionable that before the people of God came to be a body politick the chief and governours of every family were the sacrificers neither do we ever reade that the first-born were set apart for publick sacrifices since the Lord challenged them for his upoâ— the coming forth of his people Sanctifie unto me all the first-born Exod. 13. 2. It is rather probable that Moses and Aaron and their chief Governours had as yet the chief hand in offering publick sacrifices and that then young men perhaps of the first-born were onely chosen to minister to Moses and Aaron in fetching and killing the sacrifices and other services belonging thereunto and are therefore said here to have offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed peace-offerings of oxen unto the Lord. Where by oxen other sacrifices are also implyed these being named as the principall iâ— stead of all for Heb. 9. 19. the Apostle speaking of this place addes also calves and goats Vers 6. And Moses took half of the bloud and put it in basons c. Which was so reserved to be sprinkled upon the people This bloud was to signifie the bloud of Christ by which we are reconciled to God and by virtue whereof the covenant of grace is established betwixt God and us and the dividing of this bloud half being sprinkled upon the altar which represented God and half upon the people signified that the performance of the covenant by both parties Gods favour and grace to his people and the peoples faith and obedience to God was to be ascribed to the bloud of Christ And half of the bloud he sprinkled on the altar And so also on the book Heb. 9. 19. Which as it seems was laid on the altar making use herein also of water scarlet wooll and hyssope Heb. 9. 19. though Moses here nameth them not because so the legall sprinklings were usually done for there was water intermingled with the bloud because the bloud otherwise growing cold would have been thick and not fit to be sprinkled nor perhaps enough for the use Vers 8. And sprinkled it on the people and said Behold c. That is all the people that stood about him some for all or all as they came to him or the Elders in stead of the people See Levit. 4. 15. Vers 10. And they saw the God of Israel That is the signes of Gods gloriâ—us presence for never man saw God nor can see him 1. Tim. 6. 16. Whom 〈◊〉 man hath seen nor can see And there was under his feet as it were a paved work of saphir stone c. Not that the Lord shewed himself in any humane shape
A HELP FOR THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE Intended chiefly for the assistance and information of those that use constantly every day to reade some part of the Bible and would gladly alwayes understand what they reade if they had some man to help them The first part Containing certain short notes of exposition upon the five books of Moses to wit Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomie Wherein First all such passages in the Text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any Reader of ordinary capacity Secondly in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known and not so easily at the first reading observed and Thirdly many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled By ARTHUR JACKSON Preacher of Gods word in Woodstreet LONDON MATT. 24. 15. Who so readeth let him understand Act. 8. 30. 31. And Philip ran thither to him and heard him reade the Prophet Esaias and said Understandest thou what thou readest And he said How can I except some man should guide me Omnes qui legimus nitimur hoc indagare atque comprehendere quod voluit ille quem legimus Aug. Confess lib. 12. cap. 18. Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the University of Cambridge And are to be sold at the signe of the Angel in Lumbards treet ANNO DOM. MDCXLIII To my well beloved friends and neighbours of my charge in WOOD STREET LONDON Right dearly beloved in the Lord THis poore work of mine the first-fruits of my labours in this kind must needs passe through your hands to the publick view not onely in regard of the speciall interest you have in me whom your selves were pleased many years since to chuse to be your Pastor to feed your souls but also in regard the work it self was at first collected and composed purposely for your service and use It is now above twenty years since the Lord was pleased to open a doore unto me for the preaching of the Gospelof Christ amongst you wherein though with much weaknesse I have endeavoured to the utmost of my power I blesse God to build you up in the knowledge of God and of Christ and need no other witnesses then yourselves that I have not sought yours but you as having indeed from my first entrance amongst you resolved with the Apostle very gladly to spend and to be spent for you though the more abundantly I loved you the lesse I were loved by you Amongst other wayes wherein I have studied to be serviceable to your souls it pleased God to put into my heart that I would undertake the unfolding of such passages of the holy Scripture as were somewhat more difficult and obscure to such as would come in and partake of my labours therein and the end I propounded to my self in this was both that I my self might hereby be the better enabled in publick also to declare unto you the whole counsell of God as occasion was offered and that you likewise might with the more advantage and comfort exercise your selves in your private reading of those sacred volumes Now having for severall years spent some time every Lords day in this imploiment I was at length importuned by some friends that were partakers of my labours therein to prepare those Annotations for the Presse which were the chief substance of that which I had collected for that service They alledged what satisfaction and comfort themselves had received in the hearing of them and what an advantage it might be both to them and others if they might have them ready at hand at all times to inform them in any thing they scrupled in their private reading and so farre I was swayed with what they said that I resolved in the publishing of one part of them to make triall whether they would find that approbation and welcome abroad that might give encouragement to send â—orth the rest after them These indeed come forth in a sad time when arms are in farre more request then books but we must herein submit to the good will of God It hath fared with this Book in this as with many a traveller that hath prepared for a journey when the sunne shined fair and yet was constrained at last to go forth in a storm When I began first to transcribe these Notes for the Presse the skie was clear and shined upon us and yet now when they should go forth the whole kingdome is overspread with a cloud that is like to poure down showrs of bloud upon the whole land the Lord give us grace to turn to him who hath promised to be a refuge from the storm Well but yet the book being passed the Presse and being withall to go upon Gods businesse I was unwilling to forbear the publishing of it especially when I began to consider that the drift of it was to help men to reade the Scripture with profit and that there is never more need for men to be much in studying Gods word then in troublesome and sad times God having there stored up those cordialls for us which in such times must chear up the sick fainting spirits of his poore afflicted servants unlesse thy Law had been my delight saith David Psal 119. 92. I then had perished in my afflictions Having therefore resolved to publish it and to leave the successe to the good providence of God I here present it to you in the first place to whom it doth of right belong If it may prove a means to bring you whose souls God hath committed to my charge to be in love with the Scripture or adde any thing to your stock of knowledge and grace I have if not all yet my chief desire Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace comfort your hearts and stablish you in every good word and work And so I commend you to Gods grace and desire likewise your prayers unto God for him who is Yours in the surest band of Christian affection ARTHUR JACKSON from reading his word because there are some places they shall meet with which they shall find above their reach yet because of this we presse tâ—em to be the more carefull to search diligently for the meaning of what they reade to be wary of perverting the good word of God and to that end both to pray unto Goâ— often that he would therein reveal the truth unto them and to make use of those for their help whom God hath furnished with gifts above others for the reâ—olving of such doubts as they shall meet with in their reading And indeed that I might be serviceable to the weaker sort of Gods people herein havâ— I yielded to publish theâ—e Annotations which at first I gathered for the more private use of my self and some others Many I know there are that are carefull every day to redeem some time from their worldly
this means they have an equall right with the rest to the land of promise and by faith to the heavenly Canaan whereof the other was a type CHAP. L. Vers 3. ANd fourty dayes were fulfilled for him That is fourty dayes were spent in embalming him according to the custome of the countrey And the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten dayes That is thirty dayes after they had done embalming him did the Court and the Egyptians mourn for him ere he was carried to be buried Vers 4. Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh saying Though Joseph was still in as high esteem with Pharaoh as ever before yet he made use of the mediation of the Egyptian courtiers to procure the kings consent that he might go into Canaan to bury his father partly thereby to endear himself the better to them and to testifie his own modestie who in a businesse that concerned himself would do nothing but what should be approved of all partly to prevent all suspicion of any purpose that he should have to get quite away out of Egypt upon this occasion and partly also perhaps because mourners used not to come into the presence of Princes Esther 4. 2. For none might enter into the kings gate clothed with sackcloth Vers 5. In my grave which I have digged for me c. Thereby implying that it was not in any contempt of Egypt to decline the envy of the Egyptians who might be ready enough to surmise that he despised their land as not worthy to be the grave of his father he makes known that he desired this onely because his father had long since before he came into Egypt digged a grave for himself there where his ancestours and wife were buried and made him swear that he would bury him there Vers 10. And they came into the threshing floore of Atad c. This threshing floore of Atad I conceive to have been not farre from Hebron the place intended for the sepulchre of Jacob chosen happely by Joseph and the rest as the most convenient place to perform the solemnities of his funerall rites by so great a multitude And it is said to be beyond Jordan with respect unto Moses who was on the outside of Jordan in the wildernesse where he wrote these things Deut. 1. 1. These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wildernesse c. Deut. 3. 25. I pray thee let me go over and see the good land that is beyond Jordan Vers 18. And they said Behold we be thy servants This is spoken by way of submitting themselves to Joseph because of the wrong that they had formerly done him as if they should have said We sold thee for a servant into Egypt and behold we now yield up our selves to be thy servants Vers 19. For am I in the place of God Can I or dare I think you be offended with that which I know was Gods work or seek to revenge my self on you whom God hath forgiven or turn that to your destruction which God did for your preservation this were to make my self equall with God yea to challenge to my self a power to crosse and overturn the will and purpose of God ANNOTATIONS On the second book of MOSES called EXODUS CHAP. I. NOw these are the names of the children of Israel c. When the Israelites went out of Egypt which was but two hundred and fifteen years after Jacob went thither with his family there were of them Numb 1. 46. six hundred thousand three thousand five hundred and fifty fit for warre besides the Levites old men women and all under the age of twenty years which might well be three times so many Here therefore in the beginning of this story the names of those that went down into Egypt are thus particularly set down that by considering how few there went down thither we might the more plainly in the multitude that went out from thence see the accomplishment of those promises made to Abraham concerning the wonderfull multiplying of his seed Vers 5. And all the souls that came out of the loyns of Jacob were seventy souls Reckoning with the rest Jacob Joseph and his two sonnes See the note on Gen. 46. 27. Vers 7. And the children of Israel were fruitfull c. Moses expresseth their multiplying with many severall words to shew that it was indeed a most incredible and miraculous increase Vers 8. Now there arose up a new king over Egypt which knew not Joseph That is there arose up another king for so Stephen expresseth it Act. 7. 18. who because he knew not the person of Joseph nor lived in his dayes to see the good that he did for the kingdome of Egypt never minded the good service that he had formerly done for his predecessour nor in the least manner regarded either his posterity or fathers family for his â—ake And so indeed it is usually with many men they onely mind present things and are onely affected with such things as happen in their own dayes the memory of that good which hath been done for their ancestours they never regard Some indeed hold that this king that dealt thus hardly with the Israelites was not of the posterity of that Pharaoh that exalted Joseph but was chosen of another stock to rule over Egypt and that therefore it is said There arose up a new king over Egypt But this cannot be grounded on those words for the sonne that succeeds his father in the throne is usually called a new king and Solomon saith concerning his succeeding of his father in the kingdome of Israel 1. King 8. 20 I am risen up in the room of David my father However it seems that Joseph sought not to advance his children in Egypt but was content they should live in a mean condition amongst his brethren waiting in hope for the promised inheritance by reason whereof the memory of Joseph was the more likely not to be continued amongst the Egyptians Vers 9. Behold the children of Israel are more and mightier then we It cannot be questioned but that the Egyptians were more in number and of greater riches and strength then the Israelites were either therefore this must be understood by way of proportion to wit that those parts of the land that were inhabited by the Israelites were farre more populous then other parts of the land the Israelites multiplying farre more then the Egyptians did and that they flourished more in wealth and plenty of all things the might here chiefly intended which indeed is no wonder considering that besides their industry and the fertilitie of the land of Goshen wherein they were placed an extraordinary blessing from God was upon them in all their endeavours or else it was spoken by Pharaoh onely to incense his Lords and Counsellours of State to whom he propounds this motion and so he lashâ—th out as men that speak out of envy and disdain are wont to do beyond measure and
the Lord would immediately set them apart as his peculiar portion to be his Ministers in the sacred service of the tabernacle Vers 30. Ye have sinned a great sinne and now I will go up to the Lord. Though Moses had already before so farre prevailed with the Lord by his prayers that he would not presently destroy all the people as at first he threatned and therefore it is said v. 14. That the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people yet considering that the Lords anger might still be great against theÌ„ and that he might still proceed further in punishing those that had sinned against him he resolves yet further to intercede for them with which he first acquaints the people remembring them withall of the greatnesse of their sin that so they might repent seriously of their sinne and thereby be made more capable of Gods favouâ— Peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sinne Words that imply a difficulty though good hopes to obtain Amos 5. 15. It may be the Lord of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph See also Josh 14. 12. and 1. Sam. 14. 16. And indeed he knew not whether God would proceed any further in punishing them or whether he would be satisfied with what was done Vers 31. And Moses returned unto the Lord c. It seems that this was another going up unto God then when he stayed there fourty dayes and fourty nights the second time for this was the morrow after the Levites had slain three thousand of the people and many things came between his second solemn going up unto God which is rehearsed in the next chapter Vers 32. And if not blot me I pray thee out of 〈◊〉 book which thou hast written When Gods decree of election unto life everlasâ—â—nâ— is callâ—â— the book of life as Phil. 4. 3. and in many other places it is a metaphoricall expression wherein the Scripture speaks of God after the manner of men Now when Moses here saith that if God would not forgive the sinnes of this people he desired that himself might be rather blotted out of the book of life we cannot hence inferre that Gods decree can be changed or that those that are elected unto life may notwithstanding perish everlastingly or that Gods justice will admit of the punishing of a righteous person together with the wicked for in this speech Moses seeks onely to expresse not what he thought might be but what he could wish might be if thereby the saving of Gods people might be procured to wit that out of his sorrow for the rejection of this people his zeal for Gods glory and his great affection to his brethren he could wish himself deprived of heavenly glory that they might be again received into favour This is all that Moses intended in these words onely being carried away with the strength of his affections and vehemency of his desires he expresseth this by a way of request If not blot me I pray thee out of the book which thou hast written And thus generally is this speech of Moses understood But yet it may also be understood of the catalogue and register that is kept as it were in the divine omniscience of all the living here in this world out of which Moses desires to be blotted that is to be cut off by the hand of God rather then the people should be cast off which he had so miraculously delivered out of their bondage in Egypt And herein Moses then dealt as a figure of our Mediatour who laid down his life for his sheep John 10. 15. And redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. Vers 33. Whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my book This also is spoken of God after the manner of men the meaning is onely that such and onely such should not be numbred among the elect Psal 69. 28. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living and not be written with the righteous Or that such onely should be cut off by Gods revenging hand Vers 34. Therefore now go lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee behold mine angel shall go before thee c. Here God yields not to destroy for the present those that had sinned having before onely yielded not to destroy all the people yet withall hâ— addes that he will not yield to go amongst them as formerly he had promised but he would onely send his angel to go before them concerning which angel see before the notes upon Exod. 23. 20. Neverthelesse in the day when I visit I will visit their sinne upon them I will spare them at this time but when I begin to punish I shall reckon with them for this sinne also Vers 35. And the Lord plagued the people c That is as he threatned in the former verse in future times he punished them for this sinne also or else it may be meant of the punishment the Levites inflicted on them CHAP. XXXIII Vers 2. ANd I will send an angel before thee c. God here promiseth Moses that he would send an angel before them but withall addes that he would not go up himself in the midst of them as before he had promised Some hold that the angel here meant is a created angel not that angel of the covenant of whom he had spoken before chap. 23. 20. But seeing it is the same angel that had hitherto gone before them in the pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night by whom God promiseth that they should be led on their way till they were possessed of the land of Canaan I see not how we can understand it of a created angel but that it must be meant of the Sonne of God as before However that which God here refuseth to do for them I conceive is the dwelling amongst them in his tabernacle with those signes of his gracious presence concerning which he had formerly given direction to Moses His angel he would send as he had promised to conduct them to Canaan and to drive out the inhabitants before them this he might do for any people and this because he had promised it to Abraham he would do for them but to acknowledge them again for his people and to testifie that by his dwelling in the midst of them to wit in his tabernacle that he would not grant Vers 3. Lest I consume thee in the way This is also spoken of God after the manner of men who are most provoked when they are present to see the wrong done them and indeed the nearer a people are unto God the lesse will he indure their rebellion against him Vers 5. I will come up in the midst of thee in a moment and will consume thee To wit if thou dost not truly repent of the wickednesse wherewith thou hast provoked me Though God had granted to Moses
thousand seventy one pound weight of silver which at five shillings the ounce comes to thirty six thousand two hundred and thirteen pounds in sterling money Vers 29. And the brasse of the â—ffering was seventy talents and two thousand and foure hundred shekels That is allowing three thousand shekels to a talent two hundred and twelve thousand and foure hundreâ— shekels of brasse and this counting twenty five shekels to a pound weight amounts to eight thousand foure hundred ninetie six pound weight of brasse whereby it is evident that there was not so much brasse as silver and therefore surely the pillars were made of wood and onely covered over with brasse See chap. 27. ver 9. CHAP. XXXIX Vers 1. ANd of the blew and purple and scarlet they made clothes of service c. See chap. 31. 10. Vers 43. And Moses blessed them That is he not onely commended both the people and workmen and prayed God to blesse them but also as Gods publick minister he pronounced a blessing on them from the Lord. CHAP. XL Vers 9. ANd thou shalt take the anoynting â—yl and anoynt the tabernacle c. The performance of this see in Levit. 8. 10. Vers 10. And thou shalt anoynt the altar c. And sprinkle thereof upon the altar seven times See Levit. 8. 11. Vers 15. For their anoynting shall surely be an everlasting priesthood c. So that their children after them shall not need to be anoynted but shall executâ— the office by reason of this unction of their fathers onely the high priests were anoynted in the generations following Vers 17. And it came to passe in the first moneth c. They went out of Egypt the fifteenth of the first moneth and now the next year upon the first day of the moneth the tabernacle is erected so that there wanted now but fifteen dayes of a full yeare since they left Egypt Vers 27. And he burnt sweet incense thereon c. As supplying at present the priests office ANNOTATIONS On the third book of MOSES called LEVITICUS CHAP. I. ANd the Lord called unto Moses c. This word and sheweth the immediate connexion of this book of this story upon that wherewith the foregoing book of Exodus was concluded namely that after the tabernacle was reared Aaron and his sonnes consecrated to the office of the priesthood and the cloud descended upon the tabernacle immediately God spake to Moses from the mercy-seat out of the tabernacle for into it Moses was not able to enter because the glory of the Lord filled it and so informed him how Aaron and his sonnes should carry themselvâ—s â—n the priesthood c. Vers If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord c. That is any sacrifice whatsoever This is a generall rule concerning all sacrifices to wit that none must be offered but of the herd or flock that is if they were cattel they intended to offer for if they intended an offering of birds what they must be is expressed afterwards vers 14. Vers 3. If his offering be a burnt-sacrifice of the herd let him offer a male without blemish Here the Lord first gives directions for burnt-offerings which were indeed the chief of all their sacrifices and so called because they were all wholly burnt upon the altars whereas of other sacrifices some part onely was burnt upon the altar and the other parts were otherwise disposed of And the direction that is here first given concerning these is that if a burnt-offering were to be offered of the herd it must be a male without blemish that it might be the fitter to figure forth Christs perfection in himself and ours in him who being perfectly holy and free from the least blemish of sinne He did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth 1. Pet. 2. 22. did yet notwithstanding by suffering death for us perfectly satisfie the justice of God on our behalf that so he might present the Church to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Ephes 5. 27. for saith the same Apostle Heb. 9. 13 14. If the bloud of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the bloud of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God And so again Saint Peter saith Ye know that ye were redeemed with the precious bloud of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot 1. Pet. 1. 18 19. Yet withall hereby the Lord taught both them and us to give God the best in all our services Vers 3. He shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the doore of the tabernacle That is he that will offer a burnt sacrifice he must do it voluntarily of his own mind and not be forced to it and when he brings it he must present it to the priest at the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation that is at the doore of the court close within which the brasen altar for burnt-offerings stood The first of these might signifie the freedome of Gods grace in giving his sonne and the willingnesse of Christ in giving himself to be a sacrifice of propitiation for our souls but principally doubtlesse it was to teach them that in all service done to God it must be done freely and willingly or God will not accept of it The second was appointed to signifie that their sacrifices and so consequently any service that we perform were onely in and through Christ sanctified and made acceptable to God The tabernacle was a type of Christ that greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands Heb. 9. 11. and he is the onely doore by whom we have accesse unto the father Vers 4. And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering This was to testifie First that he acknowledged himself guilty of death Secondly that he desired and believed that that sacrifice should be accepted of God as a ransome for his soul that all his sinnes should be laid upon it and so it should suffer death as it were in his stead in all which notwithstanding they that did this had not respect so much to the beast slain in the death whereof there could not be an equall compensation given to the justice of God for the death of sinners as to Christ of whom these sacrifices were types who took upon him our sinnes and the curse due to our sinnes when he died for us Thirdly that he desired and would indeavour to consecrate himself wholly to Gods service as now he gave this sacrifice wholly to be offered upon the altar to the Lord crucifying all his sinnefull lusts and affections and yielding up his whole man to the obedience of Gods will in all things whatsoever And it shall be accepted for him to make
should be cut off from their people that is put to death if they did it unvvittingly a sacrifice of atonement vvas appointed for them chap. 5. 2. but if they did vvilfully and presumptuously thus profane Gods holy things they vvere to be cut off by the civill Magistrate And hereby also vvas shaddovved forth that those that bear the name of Christ and professe themselves Christians and yet continue in their sinnes and hate to be reformed destruction shall be their end neither vvill God reckon them amongst his people and more particularly vvhoever partake of the signes and seals of grace unvvorthily do eat and drink judgement to themselves 1. Cor. 11. 27 28 29. Vers 23. Ye shall eat no manner fat of ox of sheep or of goat See the note upon Levit. 3. 17. Vers 24. And the fat of the beast that dieth of it self c. may be used in any other use Herein I conceive is implyed that such fat of beasts fit for sacrifices when killed at home for their private uses might also be imployed in other uses though iâ— might not be eaten for else what did they do with it It were absurd to think it was cast away and lost so that I understand these words as if it had been said even the fat of such beasts when they die of themselves c. may be used in any other use not onely when they are killed for meat but when they die of themselves And hence some conclude that though the touch of such carcases did render a man unclean yet the touch of the fat of those dead beasts that died of themselves did not defile them Vers 29. He that offeâ—eth the sacrifice of his peace-offerings unto the Lord shall bring his oblation c. That is he that shall offer a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the Lord he shall himself with his own hands present that part which is to be un oblation unto the Lord to wit the fat with the breast and the right shoulder as is expressed in the following verse Because their peace-offerings they might eat iâ— the camp and afterwards in any part of Jerusalem so the place were clâ—an there might be some danger lest the people should think that their peace-offerings might be killed in any place and therefore for prevention hereof this law is here added that they must bring their peace-offerings unto the Lord and there the Lords and the priests portion must be giâ—en them before they themselves eat of them CHAP. VIII Vers 6. ANd Moses brought Aaron and his sonnes and washed them with water Namely at the brasen laver which was made for that purpose Vers 7. And he put upon them the coat c. That is the undermost garment which was made of fine linen and girded to him with a girdle of needle-work concerning which and the rest of the holy garments of Aaron here mentioned there is already noted what is requisite to be known in the notes upon the 28. chapter of Exodus There was also linen breeches made for the priests Exod. 28. 42. bâ—t those were not appointed to be put on at their consecration Exod. 29. but the priest was to put them on himself when he was to execute his office and therefore they are not â—ere mentioned Vers 10. And Moses tooâ— the anointing oyl and anâ—â—nted the â—aberâ—â—cle c. See the notes upon Exod. 30. 26. Vers 11. And he sprinkled thereof upon the altâ—r seven times c. He did not onely anoint the altar as he did other things but also sprinkle it seven times with the oyl of consecration because it was consecrated to more speciall use then other parts of the taberhacle namely for the holy sacrifices Vers 14. And he brought the bullock for the sinne-offering c. Concerning those rites of consecrating the prieâ—â—s see the severall notes upon the 29. chapter of Exodus Vers 15. And poured the bloud at the bottom of the altar and sanctified it c. See the notes upon Exod. 29. 12. After this the altar sanctified the gifts and oblations upon it Mat. 23. 19. Here is noâ—mention made of sprinkling bloud seven times before the Lord nor of the altar of incense as in other sinne-offerings for the priest Levit. 4. 7. The reason is because there the sacrifice was intended for some speciall sinne of the priest being then consecrated but here for sinnes in generall of priests not yet consecrated and indeed not so much for the expiation of their sinnes as the consecration of their persons CHAP. IX Vers 1. ANd it came to passe on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron and his sonnes c. That is on the very next day after the seven dayes of the priests consecration were ended whereof mention was made in the 33. verse of the foregoing chapter as is evident also by that which the Prophet Ezeklel saith in his allusion to this Ezek. 43. 26 27. Seven dayes shall they purge the altar and consecrate themselves and when these dayes are expired it shall be that upon the eighth day and so forward the priests shall make your burnt-offerings upon the altar c. What day of the moneth this was done is not expressed Evident it is that the tabernacle was erected on the first day of the first moneth in the second year after their coming out of Egypt Exod. 40. 17. and immediately the Lord spake unto Moses out of the tabernacle and gave him the severall Laws concerning the sacrifices set down in the first chapter of this Book as is noted Lev. 1. 1. After this Moses performed all that was injoyned him for the consecrating of Aaron and his sonnes and for the anointing and sanctifying of the tabernacle and all that was therein wherein seven dayes were spent and then the next day after Aaron and his sonnes entred upon the executing of the priests office as is here related Indeed some hold that the seven dayes of the consecration of Aaron and his sonnes were before the first day of the first moneth when the tabernacle was reared up by Moses and that because the Princes offered on that very day when the altar was anointed by Moses Numb 7. 1 10. which they conceive was done at the same time when the tabernacle was erected and the priests could not have offered the Princes sacrifices if they had not been before that time consecrated and settled in their priesthood But this opinion is grounded upon a double mistake to wit that the altar was anointed by Moses the same day the tabernacle was erected and that the Princes sacrifices were offered on the same day whereon the altar was anointed which indeed cannot be truly inferred from that forecited place in the 7. of Numbers as shall be shown in the notes there All that can be said concerning the day when Aaron and his sonnes entred upon the execution of their priesthood is that it was the very next day after the seven dayes of their consecration were ended Vers 2.
commanded them not and so were severely punished for it as is afterwards expressed Now that this happened that very eighth day whereof mention is made Chap. 9. 1. immediately after those first sacrifices were consumed by fire from the Lord may be gathered by that which follows from vers 12. to the end of the chapter which plainly concerneth those sacrifices whereof we reade in the former chapter And thus God taught them betimes the weaknesse of the Leviticall priesthood and withall with what fear and exact care it was fit they should carry themselves in the service of God Vers 2. And there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them That is killed them as the sword is said to devoure 2. Sam. 2. 26. Then Abner called to Joab and said Shall the sword devoure for ever For that neither their bodies nor clothes were burnt to ashes appears verse 5. So they went near and carried them in their coats out of the camp Vers 3. Then Moses said unâ—o Aaron This is it that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified c. The substance of these following words is in many places to be found as Exod. 19. 22. And let the priests also that come near to the Lord sanctifie themselves lest the Lord break forth upon them again Levit. 8. 35. Therefore shall ye abide at the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven dayes and keep the charge of the Lord that ye dye not and this is sufficient Yet happely these very words also at some other time were spoken by God though not written As for the words themselves I will be sanctified by them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified the meaning of them is that God will have those that come nigh him carry themselves as become those that serve so holy a God with all possible care and reverence and fear and that God will else manifest his holinesse in punishing them Ezek. 28. 22. Behold I am against â—hee O Zidon and I will be glorified in the midst of thee Two arguments are therefore herein couched to keep Aaron from murmuring 1. because the punishment was just 2. because God should be glorified hereby and both the people and his posterity receive good by it And Aaron held his peace That is though happely at first he began to take on pitifully and to give too much liberty to his passions yet hearing those words of Moses he presently checked himself laid his hand upon hiâ— mouth and not a word more would he speak And doubtlesse this is noted as a notable instance of his piety and quiet submission to Gods good will and pleasure and that his carriage was herein most singalarly remarkable we shall see if we note these particulars First that he had now lost two of his sonnes yea his two eldest sonnes together at a clap We know what Rebeckah in great angaish of soul said to Jacob when his brother Esau had resolved to kill him Gen. 27. 45. Go â—lie to Paran why should I be deprived of you boâ—h in one day Secondly that they were cut off suddenly by an untinely death as we use to say when neither themselves not their poore father did ever dream of any such danger Thirdly that they were cut off by a way which might seem to testifie Gods hot displeasure against them for they were devoured by fire from God the Lord by the manner of their death pointing out the sinne for which they were stricken and what father had not rather lose all his stock of children in an ordinary way then have execution done upon any one of them by Gods immediate hand in such a terrible manner Fourthly that it was at a time when â—heir hearts no doubt were as full of joy as ever they could hold it being the first day of their entring upon that high honour of their priestly function and in such a sunshine of Gods favour to be so suddenly thunderstruck must needs adde to their calamity And last of all that they were cut off with such severity for so small an offense as reason might judge of it onely for taking fire to burn the incense from one place when they should have taken it from another and that not purposely done but onely through mistake an errour into which when they had so much to do and were yet unacquainted with the service they might easily fall Vers 4. And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan the two sonnes of Vzziel the uncle of Aaron c. The nearest kindred it seems used to perform this office of carrying the dead to be buried and their brethren the priests might not leave their ministery therefore Aarons cosin germans are appointed to do it Vers 6. Vncover not your heads neither rend your clothes c. The severall laws that concern the priests mourning for their dead friends we have largely set down in the one and twentieth chapter of this book where the inferiour priefts are allowed to be mourners at the buriall of a brother though the high priest is forbidden it But this is a speciall charge for this present occasion onely and so here not onely Aaron but also his sonnes that remained still alive are forbidden all the usuall solemnities of mourning for Nadab and Abihu not to uncover tâ—eir heads nor to rend their clothes nor to go out from the doore of the tabernacl◠〈◊〉 the congrâ—gation and that first becâ—use it was an extraordinary judgemenâ— of God that was fallen upon their brethren and they were to testifie their â—â—bmissiâ—â— thereuâ—â—â— by not lamenting their death Secondly because the solemnity and service of the dâ—y might not be interrupted being newly anointed and now at this time prepared for their first entring upon the execution of their priestly office they might not break off this service to attend the buriall of their brethren But why are they injoyned not to uncover their heads since it may seem by other places that it was not the custome of mourners amongst the Jews to uncover their heads but rather to cover them as we may see 2. Sam. 15. 30. David went up the ascent of mount Olivet and wept as he went up and had his head covered and he went barefoot and all the people that was with him covered every man his head and they went up weeping as they went up and so again chap. 19. 4. But the king covered his face and the king cried with a loud voyce Oh my sonne Absolom O Absolom my sonne my sonne See also Jer. 14. 3 4. The answer is that the priests are here injoyned not to uncover their heads that is not to take off their miters and bonnets which they wore on their heads to the end they might not addresse themselves in the way of mourners to attend the buriall of Nadab and Abihu to wit by covering their heads with the usuall vail or covering of mourners The chief aim of this command was to intimate
whatsoever were the Lords Numb 8. 17. All the first-born of the children of Israel are mine saith the Lord both man and beast But because the first-born of sheep and such other catel as used to be sacrificed could not be redeemed Numb 18. 17. and so could never be vowed unto the Lord whereas all other first-born might be redeemed and after that might again be consecrated to the Lord by a vow yea before they were redeemed they might be vowed with respect to the time after redemption as Samuel Hannahs first-born sonne was vowed 1. Sam. 1. 11. therefore the firstlings of oxen and sheep are here particularly mentioned because they were never capable of being vowed unto the Lord. Vers 27. And if it be an unclean beast then he shall redeem it according to thy estimation c. That is if any shall vow an unclean beast then he may redeem it and if he will redeem it it shall be redeemed according to thy estimation c. for this is not spoken of redeeming the first-born of unclean beasts but of unclean beasts that were vowed as before vers 11. which is evident in that here is injoyned the adding of a fifth part over and above the price of the cattel redeemed which is no where enjoyned for the redeeming of the first-born Vers 28. Notwithstanding no devoted thing that a man shall devote unto the Lord c. That is nothing that is anathematized so it is in the Greek nothing destroyed or wholy cut off as the Hebrew word signifieth Things devoted I conceive were such things as were consecrated and set apart absolutely unto God withouâ— power of redemption and that not by an ordinary vow but with a curse of destruction denounced and desired upon any whosoever it be that shall divert that to any private use Hence the offerings of the temple mentioned Luke 21. 5. are there called anathemata Vers 29. None devoted which shall be devoted of men shall be redeemed but shall surely be put do death Three severall wayes this clause of the law concerning devoted things is understood by Expositours first some understand it onely of beasts yea principally of unclean beasts devoted of men that is devoted by men conceiving that this is added to satisfie a doubt namely that if things devoted might not be sold what then shall be done with those devoted unclean beasts which were not fit for the Lords use to which they say an answer is here given namely that however they might not be sold but must be put to death Again secondly some understand it generally of all devoted things whether men or beasts or lands c. and these by the last clause wherein it is said that such things shall surely be put to death understand a finall separating such things from all civill use unto the Lord either by death or otherwise to wit that such things were either to be put to death or else that they were to be irrecoverably cut off from all civill use which in a metaphoricall phrase is a kind of death such things being civilly dead as we use to say in regard of the former owner But thirdly some understand it onely of men that are devoted for men they say are here mentioned not as the persons devoting but as the persons devoted and therefore it is not translated None devoted which shall be devoted by men but None devoted which shall be devoted of men or from amongst men shall be redeemed that is no men that are devoted shall be redeemed but shall surely be put to death And this seems the most probable Exposition and most agreeable with our translation Onely then it must be understood of such as were devoted unto destruction which was done sometimes by a speciall and extraordinary vow and so the Canaanites were devoted Numb 21. 2. Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord and said If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand then will I utterly destroy their cities or else by Gods speciall command and so the inhabitants of Jericho were devoted Josh 6. 17. and the Amalekites 1. Sam. 15. 3. for if we extend it to the devoting of men to Gods service then that last clause they shall surely be put to death cannot be meant otherwise then in that metaphoricall sense before spoken of namely that such were to be wholly given up for ever to the Lord as men dead unto the world and so Samuel they say was devoted to the Lord. Vers 30. And all the tithe of land whether of the seed of the laâ—d or of the fruit of the tree is the Lords There are two sorts of tithes in the Law the first which was given to the Levites Numb 18. 21. the second which after the paiment of the former tithe was separated and carried up to Jerusalem and there eaten by the owners Deut. 12. 6 7 11. this may be meant of both though principally of the first as is methinks evident by that generall expression all the tithe of the land c. Vers 31. And if a man will at all redeem ought of â—iâ— tithes he shall adde thereto the fifth part thereof c. Which was to make suâ—â— that the Levites should lose nothing by the cunning of the owners buying the second tithe might be turned into money Deut. 14. 23. but for the Lords use not their own private commodity Vers 32. And concerning tithe of the herd or of the flock even whatsoever passeth under the rod c. This phrase hath respect unto the manner of tithing which was thus as they went out of the fold or barn one by one the tithing man with his rod numbred them and the tenth as it casually passed by whether good or bad male or female was marked out for the tithe ANNOTATIONS On the third book of MOSES called NUMBERS CHAP. I. ANd the Lord spake unto Moses in the wildernesse of Sinai c. This third book of Moses is called Numbers because therein are related two severall numbrings of the people the one here in the first entrance of this book the other afterwards chap. 26. besides many other numbrings as of the offerings of the Princes and of the severall stages of the Israelites in their journeyings towards the land of Canaan c. In these first words he tells us the place and time when they were numbred to wit in the wildernesse of Sinai and that on the first day of the second moneth in the second year after their return out of Egypt In the beginning of the third moneth of the first year they came first into the wildernesse of Sinai Exod. 19. 1. upon the very first day of the first moneth of the second year the tabernacle was erected Exod. 40. 17. and now on the first day of the second moneth of this year this command was given for the numbring of the people whereby it is evident that all those things which are related in the foregoing book of Leviticus were done within the
unto men in the preaching of the Gospel that so all poore sinners might look upon him as the onely authour of eternall salvation according to that of S. Paul to the Galatians Who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you Gal. 3. 1. And fifthly as the Israelites that were mortally bitten by those fiery serpents were perfectly cured onely by looking on the brazen serpent whereof there could be no naturall reason so are sinners perfectly saved from that death whereto they were liable because of sinne onely by casting an eye of faith upon Christ whereof no reason can be given but the will of God and therefore is the preaching of this way of salvation called the foolishnesse of preaching 1. Cor. 1. 21. And indeed partly because it was such a notable type of the promised Messiah and partly that it might be a memoriall of this singular meâ—cy which God thereby had afforded them the Israelites carefully kept this brazen serpent unto the dayes of Hezekiah but then because the people burnt incense to it that good King brake it in pieces 2. Kings 18. 4. Vers 10. And the children of Israel set forward and pitched in Oboth They removed not from mount Hor to Oboth but as is before noted upon vers 14. from mount Hor they removed to Zalmonah and then to Punon and then to Oboth as we reade chap. 33. 41 42 43. whence we may most probably conclude that about Punon it was that the brazen serpent was made because it is said here that they set sorward from the place where that was done and then pitched in Oboth Vers 11. And they journâ—yed from Oboth and pitched at Ije-abarim in the wildernesse which is before Moab c. And so were come from Edoms borders to Moabs with whom also they might not meddle Deut. 2. 9. And the Lord said unto me Distresse not the Moabites neither contend with them in battel Vers 12. From thence they removed and pitched in the valley of Zared Zared was the name both of the valley and river that ranne through that valley Deut. 2. 13. where was it seems Dibon-gad for chap. 33. 45. it is said that they departed from lim and pitched in Dibon-gad Vers 13. From thence they removed and pitched on the other side of Arnon c. From Dibon-gad they went to Almon-diblathaim thence to the mountains of Abarim Num. 33. 46 47. which it seems were in this place on the other side of Arnon For Arnon is the border of Moab between Moab and the Amorites Arnon was a river that did at this time divide the countrey of the Amorites from the land of the Moabites Indeed the countrey beyond Arnon towards Jordan had been in the possession of Moab but Sihon had taken it from them ver 16. so that now Arnon was the border between the Moabites and the Amorites which Moses notes to let us see how God by this means had provided this countrey for the Israelites who might not have meddled with it if it had been still in the Moabites possession but were now commanded to take it from the Amorites Deut. 2. 24. Rise ye up take your journey and passe over the river Arnon behold I have given into thy hand Sihon the Amorite King of Heshbon and his land c. and hence it was that the King of the Amorites and Moabites challenged this land in the dayes of Jephthah Israel took away my land when they came up out of Egypt from Arnon even unto Jabbok and unto Jordan now therefore restore thoselands again peaceably Vers 14. Wherefore it is said in the book of the warres of the Lord what he did in the red sea c. This place is diversly translated and therefore also diversly expounded by Interpreters According to our translation the meaning and drift of the words seems to be this There was a book extant in Moses time but now lost called the book of the warres of the Lord wherein it seems the victories which the Lord gave the Israelites over their enemies were more largely described which are here but briefly touched out of this book Moses citâ—s these following words What he did in the red sea and in the brooks of Arnon and at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar and lieth upon the border of Moab and that partly to prove what he had said before ver 13. that Arnon was at present the border between the land of Moab and the land of the Amorites though formerly the land beyond Arnon belonged also to the Moabites and partly also to give a touch that here at their entrance into the Amorites land the Lord wrought wonders for them not inferiour to his dealing with them when he drowned the Egyptians in the red sea Our Translatours have noted in the margin of our Bibles that this place cited out of that book of the warres of the Lord may be read thus Vaheb in Saphah and in the brooks of Arnon c. but if it be so read it is hard to conjecture what was meant thereby onely some Expositours hold that Vaheb was the name of that King of the Moabites mentioned vers 26. whom Sihon conquered and others that it was the name of a city in Saphah but the words cited being but an imperfect clause taken out of a book not now extant no wonder it is though the meaning of them cannot be found out sufficient it is for us that they plainly enough prove that for which Moses cites them namely that the river Arnon did divide the land of the Amorites and the land of Moab Vers 16. And from thence they went to Beer Neither this place called Beer nor those mentioned vers 18 19 20. to wit Mattanah Nahaliel and Bamoth are named Numb 33. and therefore it seems they were not severall stations but onely the names of such places as they passed by when they went forward from the mountains of Abarim which were about Arnon to the plains of Moab Numbers 33. 48. That is the well whereof the Lord spake unto Moses Gather the people together and I will give them water c. The meaning of these words is that at this place called thence Beer which signifieth a well the Lord did miraculously again supply them with water and that in the sight of all the people having appointed Moses to gather them together for this very purpose The manner how this was done is not expressed in the story but from the ensuing song we may probably inferre thus much to wit that the people being in some distresse for water in that wildernesse mentioned ver 13. through which they were now going God stayed not now till they murmured again but of his own accord did appoint Moses to gather the people together and to set the princes of the tribes to dig with their staves promising that a well should thereupon miraculously spring
if they were nearer to them then the others yea and if the Lord enlarged their coasts and gave them all the land they were to adde three cities more Deut. 19. 8 9. Vers 16. And if he smite him with an instrument of iron so that he die he is a murderer c. That is purposely and presumptuously for otherwise if he killed a man with an instrument of iron unawares not thinking to hit him he was not to be slain vers 22 23. for this is onely added because a man may strike his neighbour purposely with his fist c. of which he may die and yet not be a murderer because he may not happely intend his death But lest therefore under this pretence wilfull murderers should think to escape the Lord gives these following Laws and this in the first place that if it were proved that he did it willingly he must not think to escape by saying that he meant not to kill him for if he struck him with an instrument of iron whatever it be or with a stone or hand-weapon wherewith in any probability a man may be killed it shall be presumed that he intended hiâ— death c. Vers 19. The revenger of bloud himself shall slay the murderer c. That is though the revenger of bloud be but a private person yet he shall slay the murderer that is he may slay him he shall have liberty to do it and shall not be accounâ—ed guilty of murder if he doth slay him yea some think he was bound to do it when he meeteth him he shall slay him that is he shall not need to bring him before a Magistrate c. but he may slay him himself And this is added to shew how necessary cities of refuge were to wit because the avenger of bloud having this power from God might otherwise abuse it and in the heat of bloud fall upon a man that killed unawares unlesse this course were taken to have the Magistrate a judge in the cause Neither need it seem strange as to some it doth that private men should be allowed thus to meddle with the sword of justice for a man being otherwise a private man no Magistrate being thus armed with power from God is for the time to be esâ—eemed as a Magistrate more then a private man Vers 20. But if he thrust him of hatred c. Here is another case given wherein the Magistrate should adjudge a man a murderer yea though he struck him onely with his hand or with some little stone or some other thing which was no way likely to kill him for even in this case if it be proved that he lay in wait for him or that he did it in prepensed malice or lived before in open enmity or hostility with him by whatever means he kill him he shall be adjudged a wilfull murderer for there is a difference made here betwixt enmity and sudden displeasure Vers 21. The revenger of bloud shall slay the murderer when he mâ—eteth him See the note upon vers 19. Vers 24. Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the râ—venger of bloud c. That is if a man that had killed another fly to the citie of refuge the avenger must then go and desire justice against him the Levites must bring him to the congregation where the man was slain and then if he found a murderer the congregation that is the Magistrates shall give him up into the hands of the avenger but if they found it as we call it chance-medly then they sent him back to the city of refuge Vers 25. And he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest c. Even a man that killed another unwittingly was to live a while as a man banished from his family and friends both to shew how hatefull the shedding of mans bloud is to the Lord and withall to prevent further mischief that the avenger be not urged nor provoked with the sight of him and the period appointed for his continuance in the city of refuge was till the death of the high priest and that doubtlesse that this releasing of men exiled by the death of the high priest might be a shadow of our freedome and redemption by the death of Christ Vers 27. He shall not be guilty of bloud c. The Lord here freeth the avenger from punishment if he found the man out of the city of refuge and killed him not as allowing his fact but by this to make the slayer the more carefull to observe this law of keeping within his citie of refuge CHAP. XXXVI Vers 1. ANd the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gâ—lead c. Because the Lord had formerly ordered that Zelophehads daughters should have that portion of the land assigned to the tribe of Manasseh which their father should have had for his share had he lived the children of Gilead who were of that tribe conâ—idering that if they married into any other tribe this part of their land would be quite alienated from their tribe they came now and shewed what inconvenience might follow upon this and because it was their tribe that was now likely to receive detriment by the alienation of Zelophehads portion therefore they made it their suit that some order might be taken to prevent this mischief Vers 2. The Lord commanded my lord to give the land for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel c. As if they should have said To what purpose was this if now our lot shall be diminished and a part of it wholly alienated to another tribe yea by like accidents the portion of every tribe may in time be changed and disturbed and so all at length may come to confusion and the very end of Gods appointing every tribe to have their portion apart by themselves may be quite made void Vers 4. And when the Jubile of the children of Israel shall be then shall their inheritance be put unto the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received c. The drift of these words is to put Moses and the Princes in mind that whereas by the law of God at the year of Jubile which was every fiftieth year whatever land was sold away out of the tribe should return to the tribe and that law of the Jubile seemed purposely intended to prevent the confusion of the inheritance of the tribes the very end of this law by such marriages as these would be quite disannulled Vers 5. And Moses commanded the â—hildren of Iâ—rael according to the word of the Lord c. That is having asked counsel of God he anâ—wered them as God had commanded him ANNOTATIONS On the fifth book of MOSES called DEUTERONOMIE CHAP. I. THese be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan c. Most Expositours hold that the chief drift of this first verse is to shew the places where Moses repeated and explained the law of God to the
Israelites which is indeed the main subject of this last book of Moses therefore it is called Deuteronomie or the second declaration of the Law The main objection against this is that it is here said that Moses spake these words In the plain over against the red sea between Paran c. for the plain over against the red sea was farre from the plains of Moab where Moses repeated the law and so also Paran and Hazeroth which are both here mentioned were places farre Southward from the place where Moses now was through which the Israelites had long since passed Numb 12. 16. And indeed they that thus understand this place have no other way to avoid this objection but by saying either that the word Zuph which our Translatours underâ—â—and to be the red sea is not meant of the red sea but of a flaggy place by the sides of Jordan towards the wildernesse the Hebrew word Zuph signifying flagges such as grew by the sea or rivers sides Exod. 2. 3. or else that the plains of Moab are here called the plain over against the red sea because they lay opposite to the red sea though a great way off from it Others again and methinks very probablic do otherwise conceive of the drift of these words namely that the time when and place where Moses repeated the law is set down afterwards vers 3 4 5 and that the drift of these two first verses is to shew that the laws which Moses did now repeat and explain to the Israelites in the plains of Moab were no other but the very same for substance which he had formerly given them at Sinai or in severall places as they travelled through the wildernesse from the red sea to the land of Canaan onely now they were collected into one body and repeated together in the plains of Moab because all that were of age and judgement when the law was first given were now dead and a new generation that was now to enter Canaan was sprung up in their room and so the plain over against the red sea Paran and other places are here named either as pointing out the severall places wheâ—e in their peregrination these following Statutes had been first given them or at least as the bounds of that huge tract of ground through which they had passed wherein â—od had spoken to the Israelites that came out of Egypt these things which are now repeated together to their posterity Vers 2. There are eleven dayes journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadesh-barnea If the aim of the foregoing verse were to shew the place where Moses repeated the Laws of God to the Israelites which many Expositours conceive as is before noted then we may well think that the aim of these words may be to shew that it was no wonder though the plains of Moab where the Law was repeated by Moses be there called the plain over against the red sea to wit because however the Israelites through Gods judgement upon them were fourtie years in going from the red sea to those parts yet the way of it self was not so long for it was but eleven dayes journey from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea But if the foregoing verse be meant of the places where the Laws were first given that were now repeated by Moses then I conceive this clause is added as a topographicall description of the extent of that wildernesse where these Laws were at first given and withall to imply that it was not the length of the way but their rebellion against God that made them wander so long in the wildernesse that there was now none left alive but that younger brood that had not heard these Laws when they were first given Vers 3. And it came to passe in the fourtieth year in the eleventh moneth on the first day of the moneth that Moses spake unto the children of Israel c. To wit a little before his death for he died in the twelveth moneth Vers 4. And Og the King of Bashan which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei That is after he had in Edrei slain Og which dwelt at Astaroth for in Edrei he was slain Numb 21. 33. and they were both cities in Ogs land Josh 13. 31. Vers 6. Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount For there they had continued well nigh a full year See the note upon Numb 10. 11 12. Here the Law was given but now they were called thence to journey towaâ—ds Canaan the figure of their heavenly inheritance by faith in Christ which may put us in mind that the Law is not for men to continue under but for a time till they be fitted for Christ Gal. 3. 16 17 18. Now this readinesse in God to have presently given them the possession of the land Moses doth tell them of as a motive to make them believe the more conâ—idently that God would now give it them and to make them the more carefull to observe these Laws of God which now he meant to rehearse unto them Vers 7. Turn you and take your â—ourney and go to the mount of the Amorites c. In these following words the Lord did then set forth the bounds of the promised land which he perswaded them to enter beginning with the mount of the Amorites in the South side or border where they were then to enter the land and then adding the sea side which was their West border Numb â—4 6. and then Lebanon was a mount on the North part of the land and then last of all the great river Euphrates which was their Eastern bound in the utmost extent without Jordan and so â—arre Solomon reigned See 1. Kings 4. 21. Vers 9. And I spake unto you at that time saying I am not able to bear you my self alone c. That is about that time for this motion he made by the counâ—el of Jethro and commandment of the Lord before they came to Horeb Exod 18 14 c and here he repeats it to let them see how tenderly carefull he alwayes was of the welfare of this people which must needs make his present counsel and exhortations the more prevalent with them Vers 11. The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many moâ— as ye are c. Having professed that he was not able to bear the burthen of the government alone because they were so many lest they should suspect that he envied their number or did in the least degree grudge as it he interposeth these words The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many moe as ye are c. Vers 13. Take ye wise men and understanding c. See Exod. 18. 25. Vers 15. And officers among your tribes That is under-oâ—â—icers of severall sorts such as executed the magistrates Laws Vers 17. For the judgement is Gods This is added as a reason why the Judges ought not to be respecters of persons nor fear the face of any man whatsoever because
place of Magistracie or office amongst them or having any power to intermeddle in such affairs yea we may adde too of marrying a daughter of Israel for though that cannot be meant here in this branch of the lâ—w concerning eunuchs yet in the rest it may be included and some others of the like nature And indeed thus to understand this phrase of not entring into the congregation of the Lord we may be the rather induced because Nehem. 13. 1 2 3. it is said that when the Jews heard this law read out of the book of Moses that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude which seems plainly to be meant of their separating them from being numbered amongst Gods people and from enjoying the priviledges of freeborn Israelites Hebrews of the Hebrews as the Apostle speaks of himself Phil. 3. 5. Onely some conceive that if we thus understand this phrase that which is said here vers 1. and 2. must onely be understood of eunuchs and bastards of other nations because it seems hard that such being Israelites were excluded from enjoying all these priviledges of freeborn Israelites As for the reasons why here in the first place he that is wounded in the stones or hath his privy member cut off is here excluded from thus entring into the congregation of the Lord we may conceive them probably to have been these first that God might hereby shew his detestation of that unnaturall and barbarous custome of the heathens of making men eunuchs secondly because such men are usually of a base and effeminate and cowardly spirit and liable to be scorned and despised by others and therefore not fit to be in any place of authority and thirdly that hereby they might be taught what purity and perfection what unblameablenesse and freedome from all stains and pollutions God required in his people and particularly how pleasing a thing it is unto God to adde dayly to his Church and to encrease the number of his people to wit by spirituall means and not to be barren this way as such eunuchs were in regard of naturall generation Vers 2. A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord. What is meant by entring into the congregation of the Lord is shown in the foregoing note By bastards here cannot be meant the sonnes of concubines who were in those times counted as second wives but either the children of such as did prostitute themselves as common whores or rather all that were born illegitimate whether by fornication adultery or incest Now such as these the Lord forbids them to admit into the congregation of the Lord first hereby to teach his people what an honour it was to be of Gods peculiar people into the number of whom a man thus blemished might not be received secondly by laying this stain and dishonour upon the spurious issuâ— of such unclean mixtures to shew his people how detestable such sins were unto the Lord and thirdly lest such should be capable of bearing any office or Magistracy amongst the Israelites who were of base and vild conditions as bastards indeed many times are or at least liable to be scorned and despised for this reproch of their birth and so might be the lesse courageous in their places lest they should be upbraided herewith Even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the Lord. That is neither the bastard nor his children unto the tenth generation Therefore after tenne generations this stain was to be blotted out for that the expression of thus many generations that should be excluded doth imply that the eleventh generation was to be received into the congregation of the Lord is evident vers 8. where it is said that the Edoâ—ites children should enter into the congregation of the Lord in their third generation Vers 3. Even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the Lord for ever That is neither shall the Ammonite or Moabite that becomes a proselyte and embraceth the religion of the Israelites be received into full communion with the commonwealth oâ— Israel nor any other of their posterity unto the tenth generation for this was not meant of thâ— Israelites children born of Ammonitish or Moabitish mothers converted to the Israelites faith as the stories of Rahab and Ruth do evidently prove but onely of the children of Ammonites and Moabites that became proselytes who because they were of those nations might not be incorporated into the commonwealth of Israel unto the tenth generation Some Expositours will have this last clause for ever to be added by way of explaining that which went befoâ—e of their not being admitted into the congregation of the Lord unto the tenth generation and so that the meaning of this Law was that their posterity should never be admitted into the congregation of the Lord and indeed where this Law is repeated Neh. 13. 1. there is no mention made of the tenth generation but it is said that they found written in the book of Moses that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of the Lord for ever But yet because afterwards vers 8. there is also mention made of some that were not to be admitted untill the third generation even here also by the tenth generation a set number of generations is expressed that were to be excluded and so by the addition of these words for ever this onely is intended that this Law concerning the Ammonites and Moabites not entring into the congregation of the Lord unto the tenth generation was to be for ever inviolably observed and not to be dispensed with upon any occasion Vers 4. Because they met you not with bread and with water c. The raâ—her did God abhorre this their disregard of the Israelites in their escape out of Egypt because the Ammonites and Moabites were the posterity of Lot who was so near of kinne to Abraham of whom the Israelites came And because they hired against thee Balaam the sonne of Beor of Mesopotamia to curse thee That is the Moabites for of this the Ammonites were not guilty but the Moabites as is evident in the history thereof Numb 22 c. Vers 5. Neverthelesse the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Balaam c. This is added to imply that the fault of the Moabites was never a whit the lesse because Balaam blessed the Israelites in stead of cursing them for they did what they could to have wonne Balaam to curse them and Balaam also sought by all means to satisfie their desire onely the Lord their God of his own free grace did overrule the tongue of that false prophet and forced him to blesse them when he meant to curse them and so turned that to good which their enemies intended for their hurt and ruine Vers 6. Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy dayes
thâ—m as the bread of mourners all that eat thereof shall be polluted which also shews that this is meant not of those tithes onely which were yearly paid to the Levites whereof the owner of the land might not eat but also of the first and second years tithes which the owners were to eat before the Lord Deut. 14. 22 23. Neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use That is for any use besides that for which they were appointed For any imploying these hallowed things for civill uses would have defiled them much more if they were imployed naturally or legally to be deemed 〈…〉 Nor given ought thereof to the dead That is yea so strictly carefull have I been not to alienate these holy things to any other use then that enjoyned by thy law that I have not diverted them to those uses wherein reason might suggeâ—t they might â—e charitably and religiously imployed as for the burying the dead for the buying of any thing for that service of love to provide any thing that is to be eaten at any dead mans funerall for indeed at funeralls the kindreds friends and neighbours used to go to eat and drink with those that had lost their friends as by way of comforting them whence Jer. 16. 7. Neither shall men tear themselves for them in mourning to comfort them for the dâ—ad neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother and Ezek. 24. 17. Forbear to cry make no mourning for the dâ—ad bind the tire of thine head upon thee and put on thy shoes upon thy feet and cover not thy lips and eat not the bread of men and thereby both they and their meat were legally unclean by the law Numb 19. 14. This is the law when a man dyeth in a tent that all that come into the tent and all that is in the tent shall be unclean seven dayes Vers 15. Look down from thy holy habitation from heaven and blesse thy people c. First they were to make that solemn protestation in the foregoing verses that they had not failed in paying their tithes exactly according to Gods law and then they were to adde this prayer wherein they desired God to blesse his people and the land wherein they dwelt and hereby the people were taught to assure themselves that if they did not strictly give God his right in this matter of tithes they could not expect a blâ—ssing from the Lord either upon them or their land yea that without this it would be in vain to pray for a blessing Vers 18. The Lord hath avoâ—ched thee this day to be his peculiar people as he hath promised thee and that thou shouldst keep all his commandments c. Which as it is a part of the covenant on Gods behalf so is it the work of his grace in all his people Jer. 31. 33. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those dayes saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and will be their God and they shall be my people CHAP. XXVII Vers 1. KEep all the commandments that I command you this day Moses having assembled the people that he might give them a charge for the building of a monument of great stones at their first entrance into Canaan whereon the law was to be written he first begins with this Exhortation Keep all the commandments thaâ— I command you this day thereby to give them a hint of the end for which this monument was to be erected namely that it might be a memoriall to put them in mind of keeping Gods law Vers 2. And it shall be on the day when you passe over Jordan c. For the better understanding of the charge here given for the setting up of this monument whereon the law was to be written we must know first that though it be said here that they should do this on the day they pasâ—â—d over Jordan yet thereby was not meant the very day they went over Jordan â—ut onely that they shâ—uld do it at their first entrance into the land of Canaan Day in the Scripture â—s ordinarily used for time as Luke 19. 42. If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace and so it is here The meaning is onely this that after they were once gotten over the river Jordan they should take care at their first opportunity to see that this were done and so it is expressed vers 4. when ye be gone over Jordan ye shall set up these stones And indeed in the history of Joshua we may see chap. 8. 30. that this monument was not erected till after the taking of Aâ— secondly that though the text speaks onâ—ly of setting â—p great stones and plastering them with morter yet it is most probable that thereby is meant the setting up or building of some notable monument with these stones which should be then plastered over with plaster for the more conveniency of writing the law thereon which could not so well have been done upon the rough stones thirdly that though it be not expressed what law of God it was that was to be written on this monument and therefore some conceive that it was the ten commandments others the curses and the blessings which were then also to be pronouncâ—d upon mount Ebal and mount Gerizzim and others this whole book of Deuteronomie the law which Moses had now given them and for the proving thereof they urge much that it is so ofâ—en called this law as vers 3. Thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law and so again vers 32. it is said that he wrote there upon the stonâ—s a copie of the law of Moses which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel yet it is most probable that either the cursings and blessings are here meant or else the ten commandments called the ten words Exod. 34. 28. which are the summe of the whole law and that because we cannot conceive how this whole book of Deuteronomiâ— could be written upon this monument in such fair plain characters that every one might reade it and yet this was expresly enjoyned them vers 8. And thou shalt write upon these stones all the words of this law vâ—ry plainly and fourthly that the end of erecting this monument whereon the law was thus written was twofold first that it might be a memoriall to put them in mind that when God did at first bring them into the land it was upon these coâ—ditions that they should serve him as his peculiar people and keep all those laws which he had given them in charge secondly that finding also hereby how farre they had been from doing exactly what God had required of them and that hereby they were left under the curse this might lead them to seek salvation in Christ the promised Messiah And for this very reason
to look to the ark and the other holy things And Moses commanded them saying At the end of every seven years c. The summe of this passage is briefly this that Moses commanded the priests to read this book of the law every seventh year which was the year of release amongst the people and that upon the feast of tabernacles that year Concerning the year of release and the phrase here used At the end of every seven years see the note upon chap. 15. 1. But besides for the fuller understanding of this passage we must note first That the law which the priests were here enjoyned to reade amongst the people every seventh year on the feast of tabernacles was the originall copie of this book of the law which Moses wrote and which he now delivered to the priests to be kept by them Doubtlesse some part of the book of the law was read amongst them by the Levites every Sabbath day Acts 15. 21. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day nor can it be questioned but that the people had books of the law in the reading whereoâ— they did dayly in private exercise themselves if this were required of their kings chap. 17. 18 19. much more may we think it was required of them that were of inforiour rank But yet once in seven years God would have this book to be read by the priests from the beginning to the end amongst the people both that being read in such a solemn manner it might take the deeper impression in them and so cause them to fear the Lord their God and to observe to do all the words of this law as it follows vers 12. and perhaps also that it might be made manifest to all Israel that those copies of the law which they had and which were read and expounded to them every Sabbath day did agree with this originall which Moses wrote and secondly that the reason why God appointed this to be done on the year of release was not onely because that year they had most liberty of mind to intend that service the lâ—nd lying that year at rest and themselves being freed from the danger of having their debts exacted of them but also because it was a holy year the Sabbath of years and so the fitter for this extraordinary duty and thirdly that this was appointed to be done at the feast of tabernacles that year because then all Israel came to appear before the Lord as it is said vers 11. for though the males onely were bound to come up at the feast Exod. 23. 17. yet they did usually carry with them their women also and therefore it is said vers 12. Gather the people together men and women and children c. that they may hear and that they may learn c. Vers 14. Call Joshua and present your selves in the tabernacle of the congregation c. This was thus done that the people might be fully satisfied that he was called of God to this place and that Joshua himself might be put in mind that he was but Gods deputy and so might still acknowledge Gods sovereignty over him and be the more faithfull in discharging the trust which God had put into his hands Vers 16. This people will rise up and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land whither they go to be amongst them The gods whom they have vanquished as it were that could neither preserve themselves nor the people that served them for the worshipping whereof the land had spewed out these her inhabitants Vers 17. I will forsake them and I will hide my face from them c. That is I will cast them off and take no more charge of them as my people and so when all kind of miseries do then come upon them though they seek for me to help yet I will hide my face from them aâ—d will not regard them Vers 19. Now therefore write ye this song for you and teach it the children of Israel c. To wit that which followeth in the following chapter containing a prophecy of their falling away from God and Gods just judgement upon them for this their apostacy It was given in a song that it might be the better remembred and might the more work upon their affections and the Israelites were to learn and sing it that in time to come when they should so provoke God by their sinnes as is there set forth and God should thereupon punish them with those very evils which are there foretold this song as out of their own mouths might be a witnesse for God against them to wit that the evils they suffered were of Gods sending as being the very judgements which God had long since threatned and that God had in that song given them warning enough and they were therefore inexcusable because notwithstanding this warning they had brought these miseries upon themselves Vers 21. For I know their imaginations which they go about even now That is what they will do hereafter I know now yea I see the false hypocrisie of their hearts and their pronenesse to idolatrie even at this present This I conceive is the drift of these words yet it might be also intended to intimate that there were some amongst them that had base apostatizing thoâ—ghts already in their hearts Vers 26. Take this book of the law and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant c. That is not the ark for there was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone which Moses put there in Horeb 1. Kings 8. 9. but on the outside of the ark where was the pot of Manna and Aarons rod. And this was appointed to signifie that it was the law of God though written by Moses and so the people might heare it with the more reverence and attention when it was brought forth thence and read amongst them and withall that God would keep and preserve it and take vengeance on those that should disregard and dispise it Indeed this was that very book which was found in the treasurie of the temple in Josiahs time 2. Chron. 34. 14. and therefore it seems it was removed from the ark in after-ages and kept in some other place of the temple wherein seeing they transgressed the directions which God here gave to the priests no marvell though this precious treasure was for some years lost and not looked after Vers 28. That I may speak these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to record against them See the note chap. 4. 26. CHAP. XXXII Vers 1. GIve ear O ye heavens and I will speak and hear O earth c. That is the song mentioned in the former chapter which God gave Moses vers 19. and commanded him to teach the people And this Rhetoricall expression which Moses useth in the beginning of this song is to imply first of what great importance