once The Author above-named was under no necessity of parting with this place He was too forward to part with his Divine Author when he was content to drop him upon so slight a ground To which I add the words Exod. 23.11 But the seventh thou shalt let it rest and lie still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the poor of thy people may eat or and the poor of thy people shall eat and what they leave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beast of the field shall eat Where again the first word which is a preterperfect hath the sense of a future as much as the following which is really and grammatically so Obj. VIII We read Gen. 22.14 And Abraham call'd the name of that place Jehovah-jireh as it is to this day in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen These are supposed not to be the words of Moses but of a later Writer It is pretended that this place was Mount Moriah in which the Temple was afterwards built and that it was not call'd so before such time as the Temple was built and therefore this cou'd not be written till that time which was long after the Time of Moses It is farther pretended that it is not likely that Moses shou'd write those words In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seen because the Writer of those words affirms that That proverbial Speech was used in his Time To which I answer 1. I am not concern'd whether this were the very place that was afterwards call'd Moriah or not 'T is enough to my purpose that it is not call'd Moriah even in this place Whatever affinity Men may fansie between Jehovah-jireh and Moriah 't is certain they are not one and the same Name Here 's nothing proved and we are not obliged to regard groundless Imaginations and that is all we have here offer'd to us 2. Nor is there any thing in the following words but what is very agreeable to the Time and Age of Moses For why might not this proverbial Speech be in use from the Days of Abraham to the Time of Moses Here is space enough from the Time of Abraham to that of Moses for such a Saying to become a common Saying or proverbial Speech If a later Writer might say As it is said to this day why might not Moses say it as well I confess sincerely I do not see in this Objection any thing that hath the least appearance of weight in it And shou'd have been asham'd to mention it were it not incumbent upon me in this matter to lay the Objections I meet with fairly before the Reader Obj. IX The Author of the Leviathan roundly affirms that Moses cou'd not be the Author of those words Numb 21.14 Wherefore it is said in the book of the Wars of the Lord what be did in the Red-sea and in the Brooks of Arnon But he offers no reason for this Opinion of his and therefore I do not think my self obliged to take any farther notice of him in this matter However I find that Spinosa offers something like a Reason for this Opinion and as near as I can guess here lies the Argument That Moses wrote a Book of the War against Amalek by God's Command he says is evident from Exod. 17.14 But it does not from that place appear in what Book he wrote it But in Numb 21. he adds a Book is cited call'd The Book of the Wars of the Lord and in this Book says he without doubt the War against Amalek and the several Journeys of the Israelites which were written by Moses as we find 't is said Numb 33.2 are related Hence he seems to insinuate that the Pentateuch was not written by Moses but by some other hand who cites the Writings of Moses And that therefore the Pentateuch was on this account rather written of Moses than by Him This is the most that I can make of the Pretence of this obscure Writer and after all I can see very little that needs an Answer The Place I grant is obscure and difficult but that does not prove it was not written by Moses The Place is consider'd in the following Notes to which I referr the Reader However having this Occasion offer'd me that I may not seem to neglect any thing for the farther satisfaction of the Reader I shall endeavour to explain the Matter related in Numb 21. and then shew how vain this Pretence is First As to the Matter related thus it is The Israelites had receiv'd a Command not to distress or disturb the Ammonites or Moabites in their Possessions God declaring that he wou'd not bestow their Land upon them Deut. 2. It is the business of Moses to shew that the Israelites had not broken that Law It is true it might be pretended and was pretended afterwards in the days of Jephthah that they had broken it Because upon the Conquest of Sihon and Og 't is certain that the Israelites had taken possession of those Lands which sometime belong'd to this People whom they were forbid to disturb But 't is to be consider'd that these Lands were at that time in the possession of the Amorites who had dispossessed the Ammonites and Moabites I will not so far make a digression as to shew who were the Possessors of these Lands from the Time of Abraham I shall content my self in shewing the design of Moses in this relation And that was 1. To shew when the Israelites came to the River Arnon they found it to be the Boundary or Border between Moab and the Amorites This he affirms v. 13. and confirms it out of a known Book in those Times call'd The Book of the Wars of the Lord v. 14. 2. To prove that the Country which the Israelites took from Sihon and which did formerly belong to the Moabites was quite lost from the Moabites in the time of a former King before Balak This is affirmed v. 26. And therefore Israel found Sihon in full possession of this Country This he also proves from some known and acknowledged Sayings at that time that serv'd to preserve the memory of the fact Whether it were in some Song or contain'd in some Commentary of Facts that were passed I enquire not v. 27 28 c. The words seem to imply that the victorious Amorites did express their Triumph on the score of their Victory over the Moabites in those terms which the Text lays before us This account of the design of Moses and his way of gaining that design will easily give the Reader to understand that these words must needs be obscure and difficult because we are not acquainted with the perfect History of those Times nor with the Memorials of Facts that then had hapned Secondly I proceed to shew the great Vanity of the foregoing Pretence I might very well premise that the Proofs that Moses wrote not these Books had need be very clear or else we are guilty of great Vanity in admitting them And this is far
from that it being one of the most difficult and obscure Passages of the whole Pentateuch But still here is nothing proved That Moses wrote this Book called The Wars of the Lord appears not And granting it to be true it is nothing to the purpose For why might not Moses cite a Book of his own Writing as well as another and later Author And what if Moses did write the Wars of Amalek must he therefore write that of the Amorites Warring against the Moabites before he was concerned with them also These kind of pretences may amuse some that are not given to Thinking they can never prevail with them that consider duly Obj. X. 'T is pretended that the Pentateuch was not written by Moses but rather of him And that because Moses is generally mentioned by the Writer as a third Person And besides that we find Moses is commended in the Pentateuch Numb 12.6 8. Deut. 34.10 And if we take him for the Writer of those Books we must suppose him also to have commended himself which will hardly be granted in a Man of so great Humility and Wisdom as Moses was I answer 1. As to the Pretence that Moses is not the Author because he speaks of himself as of a third Person then it follows That whoever does in his History or Work mâ—ntion himself as Moses in these Books is supposed to do he cannot be the Author of that Book or Relation This wou'd be to conclude too much And yet if this Proposition be not true tâ—â—â— Objection hath so far as it goes no manner of force in it That he cannot be the Author of a Book that mentions himself as a third Person may be affirm'd indeed easily but can never be proved If this were admitted we must discharge several Authors of the Books of the Holy Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament also and then we must not believe that Julius Caesar wrote the Commentaries that go under his name or Josephus that part of his reputed Works where he speaks of himself as of a Third Person 'T is hardly credible that the Objectors can believe the Consequence of this Objection and I think there is no fear if they should that any indifferent Person shou'd believe with them 2. As to the second Part of the Objection That we cannot suppose that Moses wou'd commend himself nor consequently that he shou'd write the Pentateuch where he is commended I answer That this Objection whatever may be inferr'd from it does not conclude that Moses was not the Author of these Books For 't is not impossible for a Man to write an Encomium of himself But let us consider the Matter more closely 'T is said indeed that the Man Moses was very meek above all the Men which were upon the face of the Earth Numb 12.3 This is said upon occasion of what was said against him by Miriam and Aaron They spake against him very sharply Upon which 't is said And the Lord heard it Moses is not said to take notice of it himself He was not like to give any just offence nor apt to fall into anger when others reproach'd him It follows Now the man Moses was very meek c. I do not see what there is in these words unbecoming Moses Here 's no boasting or pride no shadow or foot-steps of it He had a just occasion to mention that he had neither provoked these angry persons nor did he highly resent the reproaches they followed him with He might say this well enough and ascribe due honour to God who had wrought this Temper in him The best Man in the World may well be allowed to defend his own Innocence and to own the great Things which God hath done for him The Objection will lie against Job against the Psalmist against St. Paul as well as against Moses if a good Man may not lawfully upon any occasion speak well of himself For what follows in v. 6 7 8. where Moses is preferr'd to any other Prophet 't is certain that they are the Words not of Moses but of God himself And well might he write what God himself said upon this occasion especially when it tended so much to justifie his Divine Mission upon the credit whereof the success of all his Ministry intirely depended The Sin of Moses is related Numb 20.12 and the Punishment inflicted on him on that account The relating of this is as strong an Objection against another Person 's writing these Books as what is nam'd above is against Moses For supposing another Person had been the Writer that Writer must be suppos'd not onely to relate what we read Numb 20. but to repeat it frequently also Obj. XI It is pretended that Moses cannot be supposed to be the Author of those words Exod. 6. These are that Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies These are they which spake to Pharaoh King of Egypt to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt These are that Moses and Aaron v. 26 27. 'T is suppos'd that Moses wou'd not write thus of himself I answer 1. That he may well be suppos'd to write as a Third Person as hath been shewed before And then 2. Allowing him to write for the sake of Posterity and not onely for the Persons of that present Age of which there can be no doubt He may well be granted to be the Writer of these words concerning himself and Aaron who were both greatly concerned in the Matters related afterwards Obj. XII The Author of the Book call'd Tractatus Theologico politicus mentions some other Books written by Moses and wou'd thence inferr by a way of reasoning peculiar to himself that Moses was not the Author of the Pentateuch He mentions the Book of the Covenant Exod. 24. This Book he says contains very little viz. Those Precepts onely which are found from Exod. 20.24 to chap. 24. And he allows that Moses wrote the Book of the Law of God Deut. 31.9 which Joshua afterwards enlarged viz. with the Relation of the Covenant which the People enter'd into in his Time Josh 24.25 26. And because we have no Book that contains at once the Covenant of Moses and that of Joshua he concludes that this Book of the Law is lost He grants that Moses wrote a Book of the Law and gave it to the Priests with a Command that it shou'd be at a certain time read unto the People which cou'd not therefore be the Pentateuch that being too great a Volume to be read at one Solemnity He grants also that Moses wrote the Song mentioned Deut. 32. And this Book of the Law containing part of the Deuteronomy and this Song is all that he will allow him to have written and left to Posterity I answer 1. I am willing to grant that the Book of the Covenant might not contain more than three or four Chapters of Laws And let it
in the last days 22. With Bilhah By which means he lost his Birth-right ch 49.4 26. In Padan-Aram Except Benjamin as is plain from what goes before CHAP. XXXVI The ARGUMENT The Wives and Children of Esau He removes to Mount Seir. The Dukes which descended from him The Sons and Dukes of Seir. Kings of Edom and Dukes 1. NOW these are the generations of Esau who is Edom 2. Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite 3. And Bashemath Ishmael's daughter sister of Nebajoth 4. And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz and Bashemath bare Reuel 5. And Aholibamah bare Jeush and Jaalam and Korah These are the sons of Esau which were born unto him in the land of Canaan 6. And Esau took his wives and his sons and his daughters and all the persons of his house and his cattel and all his beasts and all his substance which he had got in the land of Canaan and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob. 7. For their riches were more then that they might dwell together and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattel 8. Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir Esau is Edom. 9. And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir. 10. These are the names of Esau's sons Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau 11. And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman Omar Zepho and Gatam and Kenaz 12. And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek these were the sons of Adah Esau's wife 13. And these are the sons of Reuel Nahath and Zerah Shammah and Mizzah these were the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife 14. And these were the sons of Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon Esau's wife and she bare to Esau Jeush and Jaalam and Korah 15. These were dukes of the sons of Esau the sons of Eliphaz the first-born son of Esau duke Teman duke Omar duke Zepho duke Kenaz 16. Duke Korah duke Gatam and duke Amalek These are the dukes that came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom these were the sons of Adah 17. And these are the sons of Reuel Esau's son duke Nahath duke Zerah duke Shammah duke Mizzah These are the dukes that came of Reuel in the land of Edom these are the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife 18. And these are the sons of Aholibamah Esau's wife duke Jeash duke Jaalam duke Korah these were the dukes that came of Aholibamah the daughter of Anah Esau's wife 19. These are the sons of Esau who is Edom and these are their dukes 20. These are the sons of Seir the Horite who inhabited the land Lotan and Shobal and Zibeon and Anah 21. And Dishon and Ezer and Dishan these are the dukes of the Horites the children of Seir in the land of Edom. 22. And the children of Lotan were Hori and Heman and Lotan's sister was Timna 23. And the children of Shobal were these Alvan and Manahath and Ebal Shepho and Onam 24. And these are the children of Zibeon both Ajah and Anah this was that Anah that found the mâ—les in the wilderness as he fed the asset of Zibeon his father 25. And the children of Anah were these Dishon and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah 26. And these are the children of Dishon Hemdan and Eshban and Ithran and Cheran 27. The children of Ezer are these Bilhan and Zaavan and Achan 28. The children of Dishan are these Vz and Aran. 29. These are the dukes that came of the Horites duke Lotan duke Shobal duke Zibeon duke Anah 30. Duke Dishon duke Ezer duke Dishan these are the dukes that came of Hori among their dukes in the land of Seir. 31. And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before there reigned any king over the children of Israel 32. And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom and the name of his city was Dinhabah 33. And Bela died and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead 34. And Jobab died and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his stead 35. And Husham died and Hadad the son of Bedad who smote Midian in the field of Moab reigned in his stead and the name of his city was Avith 36. And Hadad died and Samlah of Masrekahreigned in his stead 37. And Samlah died and Saul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead 38. And Saul died and Baal-hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead 39. And Baal-hanan the son of Achbor died and Hadar reigned in his stead and the name of his city was Pau and his wife's name was Mehetabel the daughter of Matred the daughter of Mezahab 40. And these are the names of the dukes that came of Esau according to their families after their places by their names duke Timnah duke Alvah duke Jetheth 41. Duke Aholibamah duke Elah duke Pinon 42. Duke Kenaz duke Teman duke Mibzar 43. Duke Magdiel duke Iram These be the dukes of Edom according to their habitations in the land of their possession he is Esau the father of the Edomites 1. THE Generations We have here an Accomplishment of what was foretold ch 25.23 and of what was promised ch 22.17 2. His Wives Who had several Names as well as he See the Note on ch 28.9 and ch 26.34 The daughter of Zibeon i. e. Grand-child of Zibeon referring it to Aholibamah And thus is Anah here distinguished from him mentioned v. 20. the one being the Brother the other the Son of Zibeon Compare v. 24. the Greek here and v. 14. 3. Bashemath See ch 28.9 4. Eliphaz Probably the same who is mentioned in the Book of Job or his Ancestor 6. Into the Country i. e. He left Canaan and went into another Country or Land and that was Mount Seir v. 8. 8. Seir So called from a Man of that name v. 20. God gave this place to Esau Deut. 2.5 Josh 24.4 11. Teman Job 2.11 12. Timna She was the Sister of Lotan the Son of Seir v. 20 22. Amalek Whence came the Amalekites great Enemies to Israel Exod. 17.8 16. 15. Dukes These Dukes mentioned from this to the 19th Verse are to be taken for the Heads of the Families from Esau 16. Korah He is not mentioned among the Sons of Eliphaz v. 11 12. and probably was his Grand-child 20. Seir the Horite Whose Race is here mentioned because of the Affinity between his and Esau's Family who succeeded the Horites in the possession of their Country Deut. 2.12 with verse 22. 24. Found the Mules in the Wilderness Mules are said to be ingendred of Horse and Ass and Anah is from these words supposed to have found the way of gaining these Creatures by committing them together when he fed the Asses of Zibeon
and on that consideration were obliged in Gratitude to Obedience so not being yet possessed of Canaan they were now obliged by thâ—â—r Interest which generally takes the fastest 〈◊〉 of Mankind not to forfeit their hopes of it by their disobedience to the Law of God If we consider the Law it self we shall find it like the Author very good The Ten Commandments are laid before us ch 20. where â—â—so we are acquainted with the Consternation of the People at the solemn delivery of these laws To which is subjoined a most needfull prohibition whereby the People are warned 〈◊〉 to make WITH God Gods of Silver or Gold v. 23. and also some directions about the Altar they were to build for the service of the God of Israel v. 24 25 26. The following Precepts ch 21 22 23. God commands Moses to set before them and they are called Judgments and were political Precepts or Laws of the Country they were to govern themselves by Such are the Laws concerning Servants Man-slaughter smiting or â—â—â—sing of Parents Man-stealing Damage Theft â—â—d Restitution Falsewitness Bribery c. where we find great Equity commended and Charity as well as Justice And many of those laws are but the several Branches of the Ten Commandments and fairly reducible as such to those Precepts After which God promiseth to send an Angel before them and requires their Obedience to him and exhorts them thereunto After this we have an account of the calling of Moses up into the Mountain of his writing of this Law of God called afterwards The Book of the Covenant of his building an Altar and causing Sacrifices to be slain and solemnly entring the People into a Covenant to obey this Law which had been made known to them Upon which Moses is called up into the Mountain promised Tables of Stone and continued in the Mount forty Days and forty Nights ch 24. Thus did things stand between God and the Israelites He had given his Law a great and peculiar favour this was and they had not only promised Obedience but had solemnly entred into Covenant to make their promise good In such an happy case were this People now whose God was the Lord. For the farther assurance of the Israelites that he would dwell among them and direct them in their Religious Worship of Himself he lets Moses know that it was his pleasure that a Sanctuary should be built and that the People should freely offer Materials for this Work the pattern whereof he would shew him in the Mount And accordingly he receives directions concerning this Sanctuary and its Instruments He is directed as to the Ark the Mercy-seat and Cherubims the Table of Shew-bread the Candlestick the several Curtains Covering Boards of the Tabernacle the Altar and Courts c. thereunto belonging ch 25 26 27. Aaron and his Sons are also set apart for the Priest's Office The Holy Garments are prescribed and the Ceremonies of their Consecration appointed and God promiseth to dwell among that People and to be their God ch 29.45 Care is also taken about the Altar of Incense and of the ransom-Money of the brazen Laver the anointing Oyl and Perfume Bezaleel and Aholiab are appointed for the Work of the Tabernacle and Moses receives the two Tables of Stone written with the Finger of God ch 31. Whiles Moses continues in the Mount when God had done such great things for Israel and was designing for them farther pledges of his Favour the People fell into a great sin God had expressly forbidden the Worship of any Image or the making WITH Him any Gods of Silver or Gold Exod. 20. They not regarding this Law prevailed with Aaron in the absence of Moses to make them Gods as they worded it to go before them Upon which Aaron makes them a Golden Calf which the People worshipped WITH God For 't is not credible that they had intirely renounced the true God which had done such Wonders for them Upon this is God greatly displeased with the People and Moses casts down the Tables of Stone and breaks them many of the People were destroyed and God lets them know his great displeasure for their grievous fault ch 32. For hereupon God refuseth to go with thiâ— People as he had promised upon condition of their Obedience ch 23.22 and Moses removes his Tent out of the Camp and the Pillar of Cloud followed him But Moses intercedes for the People and begs God's Presence and that he would shew him his Way and his Glory which Intercession and Request of Moses God favourably accepts ch 33. Upon this Moses is commanded to hew two Tables of Stone and God promises to write on them as he had on the former Moses is called into the Mount whither he goes with the two Tables The Name of God is there proclaimed being full of Mercy and Benignity upon which Moses intercedes for the People and God Covenants with them and puts them in mind of their duty in several instances Moses stays in the Mount forty Days and forty Nights fasting comes down with the two Tables with his Face shining and commands the People to obey God in keeping the Sabbath ch 34 and 35. v. 2. After this Interruption occasioned by the worshipping of the Golden Calf and what followed thereupon Moses gives order to the People to bring in Materials according to their Free-will towards the building of the Tabernacle Upon which the People brought in their Free-offerings which were delivered to those who were to be imployed in that Work And this they did with that alacrity and in such plenty that it was thought convenient to restrain them they having brought in Materials more than enough ch 35 36. And now the Workmen apply themselves to the building the Tabernacle and making all the Instruments thereof according to the Pattern delivered to Moses in the Mount And we have a very particular account hereof ch 36 37 and 38. The Clothes of service and the Priests Vestments are also made and all these are brought to Moses who approved of them and blessed the People ch 39. The Tabernacle being finished Moses receives a command to set it up and to set it a-part by â—â—ointing it as also to cloath Aaron and his Sons and to anoint them for the Office of the Priesthood which was accordingly done Upon which a Cloud covered the Tent of the Congregation and the Glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle ch 40. This is a short account of the subject matter of this Book of Moses called Exodus and as it gives a sufficient account why the Book is so called so it does abundantly commend the Book it self to the Reader 's greatest care and diligence And indeed this Holy Book well â—â—serves our very serious perusal and will make us a sufficient recompence for our pains therein For First Here is great variety of Argument to â—â—tertain us with If History will entertain us here is a most remarkable one Here we have the History of
Moses reared up the tabernacle and fastened his sockets and set up the boards thereof and put in the bars thereof and reared up his pillars 19. And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent above upon it as the LORD commanded Moses 20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark and set the staves on the ark and put the mercy-seat above upon the ark 21. And he brought the ark into the tabernacle and set up the veil of the covering and covered the ark of the testimony as the LORD commanded Moses 22. And he put the table in the tent of the congregation upon the side of the tabernacle north-ward without the veil 23. And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD as the LORD had commanded Moses 24. And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation over against the table on the side of the tabernacle south-ward 25. And he lighted the lamps before the LORD as the LORD commanded Moses 26. And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the veil 27. And he burnt sweet incense thereon as the LORD commanded Moses 28. And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle 29. And he put the altar of burnt-offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation and offered upon it the burnt-offering and the meat-offering as the LORD commanded Moses 30. And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar and put water there to wash withall 31. And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat 32. When they went into the tent of the congregation and when they came near unto the altar they washed as the LORD commanded Moses 33. And he reared up the court-round about the tabernacle and the altar and set up the hanging of the court-gate so Moses finished the work 34. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle 35. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation because the cloud abode thereon and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle 36. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys 37. But if the cloud were not taken up then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up 38. For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day and fire was on it by night in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys 3. 2514. 1490. The ark of the testimony So called because the Tables of the Law which is sometime called the Testimony v. 20. were put into it ch 25.16 4. Thou shalt bring in c. Ch. 26.35 The things that are to be set in order upon it Heb. The order thereof 10. Most holy Heb. Holiness of holinesses in that it hallowed the Sacrifice Exod. 29.37 11. Sanctifie it i. e. Separate it to a peculiar and holy use 15. An everlasting priesthood i. e. The Successors of the ordinary Priests shall not need to be anointed for the future as the High Priests were The High Priests were elected and therefore it was fit they should be anointed But the Priesthood belonged to the other Priests as their Birth-right 17. Tabernacle Num. 7.1 21. Set Ch. 35.12 29. LORD Ch. 30.9 34. Then a cloud Num. 9.15 1 King 8.10 36. Went onward Heb. Journeyed FINIS Imprimatur Octob. 24. 1693. Jo. Cant. A COMMENTARY ON THE Five Books of MOSES WITH A DISSERTATION Concerning the Author or Writer of the said Books AND A General Argument to each of them BY RICHARD Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells Vol. II. LONDON Printed by J. Heptinstall for William Rogers at the Sun against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet MDCXCIV THE Third Book of Moses CALLED LEVITICUS THE General Argument OF THE Third Book of MOSES CALLED LEVITICUS LEVI was the third Son of Jacob From him his Posterity had the name of Levites Aaron who with his Sons was called to the Priesthood was from him called a Levite Exod. 4.14 And that Priesthood that was setled in that Family is called Levitical Heb. 7.11 The Law relating to the discharge of the Priest's Office is properly called the Levitical Law and upon that account that Book of Moses which more especially treats of the Holy Rites and Services in which these Priests were by their Office imployed is very fitly from the Subject-matter of it called Leviticus And this is the main Subject of this very excellent Book as will more clearly appear afterwards And because a great part of the Priest's Office was taken up in attendance upon the Altar and he was nearly concerned in the Sacrifices and holy Oblations which were presented by the People and because this Book treats largely of those Sacrifices and the Rites thereunto belonging and that in the very beginning of it I know not how to let the Reader into the Book it self any better way than by premising something concerning the Sacrifices themselves which are here treated of And to that purpose I shall First Consider the matter of these Sacrifices or what things they were which were required or allowed to be offered at the Altar Secondly I shall consider the several sorts or kinds of these Sacrifices with the particular Laws annexed unto them and shall in this matter offer nothing but what the Text of the Law gives me ground for Thirdly I shall in very few words shew how very usefull it is to understand this matter I. I shall consider the matter of these Sacrifices or what things they were which were required or allowed to be offered at the Altar And these Oblations being either of living creatures or of things that were inanimate I shall First Consider what living Creatures were admitted for Sacrifices where these Sacrifices were bloudy And they were Five onely viz. Out of the Herd the Bullock onely Out of the Flock the Sheep and the Goat From among the Fowls the Turtle-Dove and the less or younger Pigeon More than these were not allowed by the Law For the Birds rendred Sparrows in the Marginal reaching Levit. 14. they belong not at all to this matter For I am speaking here of bloudy Sacrifices For those Birds one of them was not killed and neither of them had any relation to God's Altar These living Creatures admitted for Sacrifices were such as were common and easy to be procured Besides they were tame and gentle very innocent and usefull and harmless No ravenous Beasts are admitted no Birds of prey What more usefull than a Bullock more profitable than a Sheep and Goat more simple and harmless than a Dove or Pigeon And if the Observation of Philo be true That the Offerer was to be like his Oblation then are innocence and industry usefulness and simplicity recommended here to the Worshipper
in a Siege of the Expiation of an uncertain Murder of a Captive Woman to be taken for a Wife of a Rebellious Son and of him that is hanged chap. 18 19 20 21. Of Brotherly-kindness distinction of Sex of the nest of Birds of Battlements to Houses of Confusion of Kinds of Fringes of him that slanders his Wife of several sorts of Uncleanness Of entring into the Congregation of Purity of the Fugitive Servant of Filthiness Usury Vows and Trespass of Divorce of the newly Married Pledges Man-stealing Leprosie Humanity and Charity chap. 22 23 24. Of the number of Stripes to be inflicted of Muzzling the Ox of raising Seed to a Brother of the immodest Woman of unjust Weights and the Destruction of Amalek The Words of him that presented his First-fruits and of him that had paid his third years Tithe the Covenant between God and the People Of Writing the Law on Stones and Building an Altar of the Division of the Tribes on Gerizim and Ebal the Curses pronounced The Blessings on Obedience and the Curses on Disobedience chap. 25 26 27 28. Moses proceeds to exhort the Israelites to Obedience and denounceth Wrath against him that should flatter himself in an Evil course and shews the Miseries which their Disobedience would bring upon them He encourageth the Penitent sets Life and Death before them and continues to exhort them with great vehemence to Obedience as the way to be happy chap. 29 30. Moses encourageth the Israelites delivers a Copy of the Law to the Priests with a Command to read it publickly every Seventh year He fore-tells the Apostasie of the Israelites and appoints a Song as a Witness against them The Song follows setting forth the Divine Perfections and God's Care of the Israelites as also the Rebellions of the People Moses is required to go up to Nebo to take a view of Canaan before his approaching Death He sets forth the glorious Majesty of God blesseth the Tribes shews the great Priviledge of the Israelites chap. 31 32 33. After Moses had taken a view of the Land he died We have after this an account of his â—â—â—ial and Age of the Mourning of the People of his Successor and an Encomium of Moses chap. 34. Among other Objections against these Books of Moses and which are advanced to shew that Moses was not the Author of them I find this is one That there are in it a great many repetitions which Moses would not be guilty of And therefore 't is supposed rather a Collection of several Hands and of Rolls misplaced than the Work of so great and accurate a Person as Moses Now because this Objection if it have any force will bear hardest upon this Book called Deuteronomy therefore I have reserved the Consideration of it to this place and shall consider it more particularly with relation to the following Book And to that purpose shall desire the Reader to consider the following Particulars in order to his satisfaction in this matter I. That though here are many Repetitions of things mentioned before yet here is to be found very much new matter that had not been mentioned at all in the foregoing Books And so far this Divine Book is unexceptionable as to the Charge brought against it I shall not enlarge here but just touch upon some Heads Though Idolatry were forbidden before yet we find not so express a Law concerning the Enticers to it and concerning the Apostate City as we find here chap. 13. The Laws of abiding by the determination of the Judges and of Electing a King chap. 17. are new Laws The Prediction of a Succession of Prophets is â—o likewise chap. 18. And so is the Law concerning the Punishment of False-witnesses chap. 19.16 And so are those Laws concerning the Priests and Officers in time of War and that relating to the besieging a City chap. 20. The same may be said of the Laws concerning the Expiation of an uncertain Murder of a Captive taken to Wife of the Right of the First-born of the rebellious Son and those that were hanged mentioned chap. 21. We shall find more such Laws not mentioned any-where before chap. 22. and chap. 23. and chap. 24. and chap. 25 and 26 and 27 and 31. The Song of Moses and the Blessing of the Tribes are not to be found in the foregoing Books Here is in this Book very much matter intirely new II. Another great part of this Book consists of Motives to Obedience And though something to this purpose had been said before yet nothing in comparison to what is said in this Book And thus far again this Book is unexceptionable as to the Charge brought against it Here are to be found the most pathetick and powerfull and pressing Motives to Obedience of which see chap. 4 6 8 10 11 and 29. And who ever will take the pains to go over the several Topicks here laid before us will own this to be true And the Ministers that labour in the Word and Doctrine may hence furnish themselves with very moving Arguments to perswade the People to obey the Laws of God and to be seriously Religious And this part of the Book did very well become the inspired Writer of it For this Man of God did pursue the great Purpose of his Mission not onely when he laid before the People the Divine Laws but when he perswaded them to obey them He was God's Embassador and 't was not onely his business to declare God's Will but to press those to whom he had done that to obey it For this Exhortation to Obedience hath a direct tendency to obtain the great End of the wise Law-giver For he must be supposed always to appoint his Laws in order to have them kept And to that purpose they who preach these Laws directly serve the End of their Ministry when they represent to the People how much it is their Interest and their Duty to yield a ready and unfeigned Obedience to them III. As to those parts of this Book that are Repetitions they are either Repetitions of Matters of Fact or they are Repetitions of Laws Of each of these 't is no difficult thing to give a very fair account First As to Repetitions of Matters of Fact with which this Book begins and we have such Repetitions in the first three Chapters of this Book But then these are not bare and jojune Repetitions but are made use of to a noble purpose as will appear to the diligent Reader viz. To encourage the People from the Consideration of what God had already done to hope and trust in him for the time to come So that here we have the Alpplication of the History of those Facts to anâ— excellent End and Purpose Secondly As to the Repetitions of Laws ' tâ—â— as easie to give an account of them also We shall find very great advantages in these Repetitions if we read these Holy Books with that diligence and application which we ought to do As for instance
Imprimatur Octob. 24. 1693. Jo. Cant. A COMMENTARY ON THE Five Books of MOSES WITH A DISSERTATION Concerning the Author or Writer of the said Books AND A General Argument to each of them BY RICHARD Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells In Two Volumes LONDON Printed by J. Heptinstall for William Rogers at the Sun against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet MDCXCIV THE PREFACE IT is fit I should acquaint the Reader in the first place with the occasion of the following Notes And I am the more inclined so to do that it may appear that I have not been forward to make them publick and ambitious of appearing in Print Many years are now passed since a considerable number of the Clergy of London met together and agreed to publish some short Notes upon the whole Bible for the Use of Families and of all those well-disposed Persons that desired to read the Holy Scriptures to their greatest advantage At that Meeting they agreed upon this worthy design and took their several shares and assigned some part to them who were absent I was not present at that Meeting but I was soon informed that they had assigned to me the Pentateuch I was very sensible how great a Task this would prove and was sufficiently conscious of my own defects Yet was I willing to undertake it because I did always hope that by yielding to it I might incourage the Labours of those who would exceed what-ever I was able to do Upon this consideration I did set about this Work and did often declare and with great sincerity that this was the Motive which did induce me The Work was begun with common consent and we did frequently meet and what was done was communicated from time to time to those met together and that were concerned The Methods of proceeding had been adjusted and agreed to A Specimen was printed and an agreement was made when it should be put to the Press and I finished my Part in order thereunto But so it fell out that soon after all this the Clouds began to gather a-pace and there was great ground to fear that the Popish Party was attempting to ruin the Church of England and that there was a severe Storm from that Quarter lighting upon us We were alarm'd with their Plots and Conspiracies and sometime after saw that Party encouraged by the Higher Powers Those of that Party preached and printed and had their separate Meetings and drew away some of our People and more were in danger of being seduced Hence it came to pass that the thoughts of pursuing the above-mentioned design were at present laid aside and those that were concerned in it were now obliged to turn their Studies and Pens against that dangerous Enemy And what was done at that time and upon that occasion by those concerned in this Work of writing Notes on the Bible I shall not need to tell the Reader in this place During this time also some number of those Persons concerned in the above-mentioned Work were taken away by Death And thus the Work was hindred that might else have been finished long since A Work well designed it was and would have been of unspeakable advantage And perhaps nothing could have contributed more toward the making Men wiser and better And nothing was more wanting among us than such a short Explication of the Holy Writ And I am apt to believe nothing would have been more acceptable to those that are well disposed than such a Work Some other hands have done something this way since whose Endeavours have not wanted very considerable encouragement It would also have been of great use to the Undertakers themselves as it would have engaged them in those Studies which of all others are most entertaining to all Men that are truly Spiritual The studying of the Holy Scriptures is the best imployment for the Ministers in Holy things and for the People also And they that apply themselves diligently this way will be best able to defend the Holy Writings against Gainsayers and to deal with the Enemies of the Reformed Religion And I having drawn up my Notes upon this occasion do now think my self obliged to make them publick God having now dispersed those Clouds that then hung over our heads And I do it from the same Motive that first induced me to undertake it viz. that I might draw on others to do much better in the following Books I am very willing to hope that in due time the rest will follow in the same kind of Volume that these appear in I can hardly think that a Work so well devised will fall to the ground and will do any thing in my power to revive what was so well contrived at first I cannot but say something in this place besides what I intimated before of the great Usefulness and Necessity of some short and easie Notes upon the Bible for the Use of Families Perhaps 't is that which of all other things is most wanting and most deserves the utmost care of the Governors and Instructors of the Church We are agreed that the People ought to read the Holy Scriptures and they are therefore Translated into the Vulgar Tongue They do read them and there is nothing wanting now but such an help as may enable them to understand them and gain the greatest benefit by them They must be often at a stand and may answer as the Eunuch answered Philip when he said Understandest thou what thou readest And he said How can I except some Man should guide me Act. 8.30 31. There are in the Holy Books some things hard to be understood And other things there are that are very liable to be misunderstood And sometimes a mistake is of a dangerous sometimes of a fatal Consequence There are some Men that set up for Wits that Cavil at these Holy Books and pretend to have discovered Flaws or Inconsistâ—ncies in them These little Wits run away with this conceit that they have just Exceptions against these Books they scatter their poison and prevail upon the profane and the ignorant All this mischief and very much more might have been prevented by laying things in their true light and informing the diligent Reader of the Holy Scriptures with the true sense and importance of the place By this means we must stop the mouths of foolish Men and prevent the falling of the weak There have been of late years great attempts to disparage and lessen the esteem of the Holy Writ and Moses himself hath not been spared on this occasion I am of opinion after all that these attempts have not done any harm to wise and stable Souls These Men think as Honourably of these Writings as they did before But yet a great number of our People have been seduced And the unstable and unlearned have wrested the â—oly Scriptures to their own destruction The Scriptures need not fear the most subtle Enemies They may be defended against the Sophistry of those that wou'd render them
of the Book called the Praeadamitae and Spinosa in his Tractatus Theologico-Politicus This matter is of great moment and that wherein our Common Religion is greatly concerned It strikes at the very root of it and calls its Antiquity in question and leaves the pious Reader at a great loss For whereas we all own that God spake by Moses yet still if these Men be in the right we shall be perfectly at a loss for the Author of these Books and not know whether he were a Servant of God or not Besides when the Authors of the New Testament quote Moses and our Saviour appeals to his Writings we shall however be very uncertain where to find these Writings if he be not allowed to be the Author of the Pentateuch and so will the Christian Religion suffer at the same time My design in what follows is to defend Moses against all the attempts that the Authors above-named have made against his being the Author of the following Books This is as much as my present Argument does oblige me to I am not obliged operosely to prove Moses to be the Author or Writer of the Pentateuch He is in possession of that Title It hath been allowed from the highest Antiquity owned by all sorts of Men Jews and Christians by Infidels and Pagans by Men of all Sects and Parties by Men that in other things have differed greatly from one another But that I may not seem to have neglected any thing of moment in this matter I shall before I proceed any farther shew what good reason we have to believe that Moses was the Writer of these Books and then I shall consider the force of those Objections which have been produced against it For the first part of my design I need not say much both because it hath been made out by others beyond all exception and because the thing is attended with as great Evidence as can be reasonably expected by any that are unprejudiced It is certain that Moses wrote the Law and as will appear farther afterwards that by the Law in the Scripture is meant the Pentateuch Exod. 24.4 And delivered it to the Priests the Sons of Levi Deut. 31.9 He was commanded to write and he did it Exod. 17.14 with Josh 1.8 I shall not need go over the Old Testament and shew the many passages cited by the Sacred Writers of the Books thereof out of the several Books of the Pentateuch as the Law of Moses I will to put this matter out of doubt with all Christians pass on to the New Testament where these Books of the Pentateuch are quoted frequently and they are cited as the Books of Moses I will not shew how often they are quoted in the New Testament which would be more than is needfull it will be enough to shew that they are cited severally as the Law and as the Law of Moses An historical Passage of the Book of Genesis is cited by St. Paul under the Character of the Law Gal. 4.21 and the written Law that was v. 30. and Rom. 4.3 St. Stephen was charged to have spoken blasphemous Words against Moses and against the Law Act. 6.11 13. He was charged to have affirmed that Jesus should change the customs which Moses delivered v. 14. Upon this he makes his defence and owns his belief of the matters related even in the Book of Genesis chap. 7.3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15. Which had not been to his purpose had not that Book been part of that Law which he was accused to have spoken against as well as against Moses Again We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write Joh. 1.45 This Law here cannot be exclusive of the Book of Genesis which contains the first and also the clearest Prophecy of the Messias of which no Christian can make any doubt that consults Gen. 3.15 and chap. 49.10 These Prophecies are allowed by the Jews themselves the great Enemies of Jesus to belong to the Messias The Book of Exodus is by our Saviour expressly called the Book of Moses Mark 12.26 as it is called the Scripture by St. Paul Rom. 9.17 and the Law of the Lord by St. Luke chap. 2.23 Leviticus is cited also by our Saviour as a part of the Law of Moses Matt. 8.4 And what that Book describes St. Paul reckons as described by Moses Rom. 10.5 And Moses is said to Command what is commanded in that Book Joh. 8. â— For the Book of Numbers though I find it not particularly quoted as other Books under this character yet have we no cause to exclude it from what that place referrs to mentioned above viz. Joh. 1.45 Tâ—â— which we may add what our Saviour says Had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me Joh. 5.46 For so indeed he did in the Book of Numbers chap. 24.17 And farther still our Saviour referrs to a passage related in this Book of Numbers as a Type of himself As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up Joh. 3.14 Deuteronomy is quoted as part of the Law of Moses Matt. 19.7 8. And what we find said there is imputed to Moses as said by him which cannot be if he were not the Writer of it Act. 3.22.7.37 This Book is expressly called the Law of Moses 1 Cor. 9.9 And what is therein contained is said to have been said by Moses Matt. 22.24 The whole Pentateuch is included by the word Law in the style of the New Testament as well as in that of the other and later Jewish Writers Our Saviour says That all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me Luk. 24.44 Whence 't is manifest that under the Law of Moses the whole Pentateuch is comprized For Jesus gives us the whole Scripture as the Jews divide it to this day For they divide it into three parts The Law which taken in these Five Books of Moses the Prophets which the Jews divide into the former and latter and the Kethuvim or Hagiographical Books And the Book of Psalms being the Principal of them is put by our Saviour here for all that fall under that General Head This Law came by Moses Joh. 1.14 He wrote it and when the Law is read Moses is said to be read Act. 13.15 and chap. 15.21 2 Cor. 3.15 If I should add to what hath been said that Moses hath been owned to be the Writer of these Books by all Mankind by all sorts of Authors and by an Universal Tradition I think nothing can be wanting to confirm us in this belief And yet is this not denied by our Adversaries in this Question I shall now proceed to consider what can be said on the other side The Proofs had need be very clear before Moses can be dispossessed of so just a claim and title which he hath enjoyed
of Deuteronomy therefore I have very fully consider'd it in the General Argument prefix'd to that Book and therefore I referr the Reader to that place for satisfaction as to this matter Obj. XIX 'T is also said that these Books do not report Facts in that Order in which they hapned and that Moses therefore is not the Author of so confused and distorted a Work And the Author last above-named gives one remarkable instance to this purpose from Deut. 10.6 To which I answer 1. That if the Objector mean no more than this That things are not always related in that very Order in which they hapned I do allow that this is true and that it cannot be deny'd This will be readily granted by Jews and by Christians who yet do believe Moses to be the Author of the Pentateuch Nothing is more common among the Hebrew Doctors than this Saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Non est prius posterius in Lege They allow that things are not laid before us in that order in which they hapned or came to pass Josephus when he reckons up the number of the Books of the Old Testament tells us expressly that Moses wrote the Pentateuch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. contra Apion l. 1. He tells us elsewhere that all things are written as Moses left them That they had added nothing not even for Ornament which Moses had not left But yet he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That these Writings were left by him dispersed as he had occasion to consult the Divine Majesty This says he I think needfull to premise that none of our People might when they read be scandalized on this account Jos Antiq. l. 4. c. 8. 2. That it does not thence follow that Moses was not the Author 'T is strange that any Man who professeth Christianity shou'd argue at this rate Because it must be allow'd that the Evangelists themselves do not always in their Gospels relate Facts in that Order in which they came to pass and yet they do believe that these Gospels were written by those persons whose Names they bear 3. As 't is far from being an Argument that Moses was not the Author of these Books so the thing it self is of a very trifling Consideration For the Journey of Jethro to Moses whether it hapned before the giving of the Law or after is a thing of very small Consideration As long as we have the Fact related we are well enough dealt with And if it cou'd be prov'd that what is related of that matter Exod. 18. did not come to pass till after the Law was given yet will this be no Objection against Moses because that might notwithstanding be the fittest place to relate Jethro's Journey Moses being just entring upon the account of the giving the Law and then of the particular Laws that were given c. Moses does not date the Coming of Jethro and for what appears 't is related in the fittest place For Abraham's Journey with Sarah to Gerar we are not concern'd to know the precise time of it nor does Moses give it us and we have no cause to find fault with his placing the Relation where we find it We are very unreasonable in this matter The Historian was best Judge where to relate the several Facts he had to mention And we do not when we object this allow him the liberty that all other Historians are allow'd viz. To make their Relations in such places as they judge most convenient And it is to me a very evident proof that those Men have very little to say against Moses who will lay hold on such impertinent trifles as these are These are mere Cavils and speak a bad Temper 4. Nor is there much of this to pretend Moses indeed did not write his History by way of Annals nor his Laws in the exact method and form of Justinian's Institutions But this is no Objection against the Author of the Books or the Books themselves As there is not that method so there is not that confusion which is pretended The Objector needed not to have said that there are in the Pentateuch Tam multa confusa inordinata extra locum seriem posita For there is no great matter of this kind to be objected after all this noise For the Instances he gives of Jethro's Journey and Abraham's going to Gerar they are not worth his while For in truth they do not serve his purpose And though he instance in the Journey of Isaac to Gerar that will do his Cause no good I appeal to any indifferent Reader The Objector shou'd have laid these things before the Reader and shewed how they tend to his great End For here 's nothing prov'd nor is there any thing in the Instances above that do in the least bear against Moses For as I observ'd above Moses does not write Annals nor date those Facts and might therefore insert them in that place of his Book which he judged most reasonable 5. I◠is true that this Author does produce one Instance that looks like an Objection And I do grant that the place hath a considerable difficulty attending it and that is what we read Deut. 10.6 But because there are some difficult passages in the Pentateuch must not Moses therefore be allow'd to be the Author At this rate we may discharge all the Writers of the Old and New Testament also But as to that difficult place it is very particularly consider'd in the following Notes on that Chapter to which therefore I referr the Reader 6. After all 't is very unfit we shou'd prescribe Laws and Methods that God's Holy Prophets are to use in revealing his Will to us 'T is great sawciness in us to prescribe God is wise when he does not use our methods Obj. XX. The same Author objects the Obscurity of these Books as an Argument that Moses was not the Author of them To which I answer 1. It is not to be wonder'd that there shou'd be some obscure places in the Pentateuch allowing it to be written by Moses for then the Book was written above 3000 years ago and that in the Eastern Country and in a Language much different from the Modern We are not acquainted with the History of that Age the Customs of those Times and Idiotisms of the Language in which it was written And therefore we are apt to mistake and many times at a loss where these Books referr to some Facts or Records or Rites and Usages then well known But then as I intimated this is no Argument that Moses was not the Author of it For this wou'd oblige us to discharge all the ancient Authors which we do not understand 2. Besides this Obscurity is very often to be imputed to a fault or defect of the Readers not to any defect or fault in the Books The Reader perhaps wants Skill and good Judgment he does not use fit means or sufficient diligence Perhaps he is
23.19 In Hebron Or near Hebron So the Hebrew Particle sometimes signifies 1 Sam. 29.1 2 Chron. 15.16 CHAP. XIV The ARGUMENT Four Kings overcome five in Battel Lot is taken Captive and his Goods become a spoil The news of Lot's Captivity is brought to Abram He pursues the Conquerors and rescueth Lot c. Melchizedek blesseth Abram and receives Tithes of him Abram refuseth to enrich himself with the Spoils he had taken Having given a part of them to those who were partners with him in this expedition restores the remainder to the King of Sodom 1. AND it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar Arioch king of Ellasar Chedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of nations 2. That these made war with Bera king of Sodom and with Birsha king of Gomorrah Shinab king of Admah and Shemeber king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela which is Zoar. 3. All these were joyned together in the vale of Siddim which is the salt sea 4. Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer and in the thirteenth year they rebelled 5. And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim and the Zuzims in Ham and the Emims in Shaveh-Kirjathaim 6. And the Horites in their mount Seir unto El-paran which is by the wilderness 7. And they returned and came to En-Mishpat which is Kadesh and smote all the country of the Amalekites and also the Amorites that dwelt in Hazezon-Tamar 8. And there went out the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah and the king of Admah and the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela the same is Zoar and they joyned battel with them in the vale of Siddim 9. With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam and with Tidal king of nations and Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar four kings with five 10. And the vale of Siddim was full of slime-pits and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled and fell there and they that remained fled to the mountain 11. And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their victuals and went their way 12. And they took Lot Abram's brother's son who dwelt in Sodom and his goods and departed 13. And there came one that had escaped and told Abram the Hebrew for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner and these were confederate with Abram 14. And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive he armed his trained servants born in his own house three hundred and eighteen and pursued them unto Dan. 15. And he divided himself against them he and his servants by night and smote them and pursued them unto Hobah which is on the left hand of Damascus 16. And he brought back all the goods and also brought again his brother Lot and his goods and the women also and the people 17. And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and of the kings that were with him at the valley of Shaveh which is the king's dale 18. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine and he was the priest of the most high God 19. And he blessed him and said Blessed be Abram of the most high God possessor of heaven and earth 20. And blessed be the most high God which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand and he gave hiâ— tithes of all 21. And the king of Sodom said unto Abram Give me the persons and take the goods to thy self 22. And Abram said to the king of Sodom I have lift up my hand unto the LORD the most high God the possessor of heaven and earth 23. That I will not take from a threed even to a shooe latchet and that I will not take any thing that is thine lest thou shouldest say I have made Abram rich 24. Save only that which the young men have eaten and the portion of the men which went with me Aner Eshcol and Mamre let them take their portion 1. SHinar i. e. Babylon See the Note on ch 10.10 And because Nimrod reigned there some of the Jews think Amraphel to be Nimrod Ellasar This is thought to be Syria Elam See ch 10. v. 22. Of nations i. e. Of a place whose Inhabitants were of divers Nations and People met together This is supposed to be the same which was afterwards called Galilee See Josh 12.23 2. Zoar See ch 13. v. 10. These five Cities above-named lay near each other on the East of the Inheritance of Judah in the Land of Canaan 3. All these i. e. These five Kings last named Were joined together They were not onely Neighbours but Confederates also as the Greek Interpreters intimate See v. 4. Vale of Siddim So called from the open Fields as the Chaldee rendring implies Salt sea So called afterwards even in the time in which this Book was written For the wickedness of its Inhabitants it was rendred a barren place Deut. 29.23 Psal 107. v. 34. 5. Rephaims The Giants or Mighty men say the Seventy and Chaldee A people of force and power in the Land of Canaan ch 15.20 Deut. 3.13 compare Deut. 2.11 in the Hebrew Text and with the Context there Ashteroth Karnaim This City was in Basan placed between two high Mountains whence it was called Ashteroth Karnaim Karnaim signifies two horns or high places Deut. 1.4 Zuzims Another strong people as the Greek and Chaldee intimate Emims Of them see Deut. 2.10 11. In Shaveh Or in the Plain as it is in the Margent Kirjathaim Josh 13.19 6. Horites A people that dwelt in Seir Deut. 2.22 Gen. 36.20 El-paran Or the Plain of Paran a City near the Wilderness so called Gen. 21.21 Numb 13.3 7. En-Mishpat The fountain of Judgment Hebr. Possibly it might be the place wherein the Controversies of the neighbouring places were decided which might be the occasion why it was so called Amalekites Afterwards so called from Amalek Gen. 36.12 Hazezon-Tamar The name of a City The Chaldee renders it Engedi And very good reason there is for that rendring Compare 2 Chron. 20.2 This City belonged afterward to the Tribe of Judah Josh 15.62 10. Fell there i. e. Were there discomfited 14. His Brother i. e. His Kinsman He was his Brother's Son Compare v. 12. and ch 13.8 The word Brother is taken in the Scripture in a large sense Lot was however Abram's Brother he having married Sarai the Sister of Lot Armed Or brought forth Trained Or instructed See the Note on ch 12.5 Dan This says Josephus is one of the Fountains of the River Jordan 15. Damascus A City of Syria and in after-times the head thereof Isa 7.8 17. King's-dale A place that retained that name unto David's time and is probably the same which is mentioned 2 Sam. 18.18 18. Melchizedek The word signifies King of Righteousness Heb. 7.2 Salem i. e. Of Jerusalem says the Chaldee Salem
go up unto the LORD peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin 31. And Moses returned unto the LORD and said Oh this people have sinned a great sin and have made them gods of gold 32. Yet now if thou wilt forgive their sin and if not blot me I pray thee out of thy book which thou hast written 33. And the LORD said unto Moses whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my book 34. Therefore now go lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee Behold mine angel shall go before thee Nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them 35. And the LORD plagued the people because they made the calf which Aaron made 1. THE People Not all the People but a considerable part of them See v. 26. and 1 Cor. 10.7 Vnto Aaron Or against Aaron 'T is very probable that they came in a very tumultuous and violent manner v. 22. Vp make us Gods c. Act. 7.40 They desire an Image or visible Symbol of the Divinity which might at their pleasure go before them Moses having been absent some considerable time and the Pillar which was wont to go before them having during that time stood still 2. Golden Ear-rings Possibly those very Jewels which the Egyptians had furnished them with at their departure out of Egypt ch 12.35 These Ear-rings were materials of Idolatry both now and before and after this time Gen. 35.4 Judg. 8.24 4. And c. 1 King 12.28 Psal 106.19 Thy Gods Or thy God Nehem. 9.18 They Worshipped God by this Image v. 5. which yet does not excuse them from Idolatry Act. 7.41 1 Cor. 10.7 Exod. 20.4 5. 5. To the LORD To Jehovah but yet the Calf by which Jehovah is Worshipped is called an Idol Act. 7.41 6. People 1 Cor. 10.7 Play This mirth was an attendant upon their Idolatrous Worship and is expressed by a word in the Hebrew that is sometimes applied to Whoredom Idolatry being esteemed a spiritual Whoredom or Fornication Gen. 39.17 7. Go Deut. 9.12 Thy people They have no right to be called God's people 8. They have Deut. 9.8 9. I have seen c. Ch. 33.3 Deut. 9.13 10. Let me alone c. i. e. Do not pray or intercede for them as the Chaldee hath it 11. And Moses c. Psal 106.23 The LORD Heb. The face of the LORD 12. Wherefore Numb 14.13 13. I will multiply Gen. 12.7 and 15.7 and 48.16 14. Repented c. He was appeased and turned from the Evil as the Vulgar and Chaldee have it 15. On both their sides i. e. On the two fore-sides 16. Tables Ch. 31.18 17. Shouted In the mirth mentioned v. 6. 18. Being overcome Heb. Weakness Sing Play says the Chaldee Moses being before instructed v. 7. discerned it not to be the voice of conquering or conquered People but of those who rejoiced or sang as Men were wont to do in Festivals and the Dancing attending upon them Vid. Psal 68.25 Judg. 21.19 21. 19. Brake them c. The People having first broken their Covenant with God 20. And he took c. Deut. 9.21 Burnt it He melted it probably and by that means he first destroyed the form or figure of the Calf Ground it to powder And did by this destroy the whole Compages of it and expose the Vanity of the Idol Drink c. And by this means Moses utterly destroyed all the reliques of this Idolatry Deut. 7.25 There is an Opinion among the Jews that this drink was like the Water of Jealousie Numb 5. serving for the discovery of the Idolaters whom the Levites destroyed 24. And there came out this Calf A very weak excuse of his Sin much like that which we read Gen. 3.12 and 1 Sam. 15.15 25. Naked i. e. By reason of their Sin stripped and robbed of the favour and protection of God which was their glory and their strength vid. Numb 14.9 And now they were exposed to the scorn and violence of their Enemies Their enemies Heb. Those that rose up against them 26. On the LORD's side i. e. That have not fallen into Idolatry 29. For Moses c. Or And Moses said Consecrate your selves to day to the LORD because every man hath been against his son and against his brother c. 32. Out of thy book which thou hast written This is spoken of God after the manner of Men and speaks the great Charity of Moses who chooses rather to suffer though death it self see Num. 11.15 than to behold the destruction of his People 33. Whosoever c. He that sins shall die 34. Angel See ch 23.20 35. Plagued By the Levites and in the plagues afterwards CHAP. XXXIII The ARGUMENT God refuseth to go with the People at which Message they mourn The Tabernacle or Tent of Moses is removed out of the Camp The cloudy Pillar stands at the door of it God speaks unto Moses Face to Face Moses desires God to shew him his Way and his Glory God's words to Moses upon this occasion 1. AND the LORD said unto Moses Depart and go up hence thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt unto the land which I sware unto Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob saying Vnto thy seed will I give it 2. And I will send an Angel before thee and I will drive out the Canaanite the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite the Hivite and the Jebusite 3. Vnto a land flowing with milk and honey for I will not go up in the midst of thee for thou art a stiff-necked people lest I consume thee in the way 4. And when the people heard these evil tidings they mourned and no man did put on him his ornaments 5. For the LORD had said unto Moses Say unto the children of Israel Ye are a stiff-necked people I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment and consume thee therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee that I may know what to do unto thee 6. And the children of Israel stript themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb. 7. And Moses took the Tabernacle and pitched it without the camp afar off from the camp and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation And it came to pass that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the Tabernacle of the congregation which was without the camp 8. And it came to pass when Moses went out unto the tabernacle that all the people rose up and stood every man at his tent-door and looked after Moses untill he was gone into the tabernacle 9. And it came to pass as Moses entred into the tabernacle the cloudy pillar descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle and the LORD talked with Moses 10. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle-door and all the people rose up and worshipped every man in his tent-door 11. And the LORD spake unto
of God Secondly What things were admitted where the Oblation was of things that were inanimate And such things there were in the Meat-offering of which Offering I shall speak more particularly afterwards viz. Fine Flour Oil Frankincense Salt and in one case green Ears of Corn Levit. 2.1 14. and Wine Numb 15.28 II. The bloudy Sacrifices were of four sorts and they were these The Holocausts or whole Burnt-offerings the Sin-offerings the Trespass-offerings and the Peace-offerings A short account of which the Reader may take as follows The Holocaust or Burnt-offering deserves to be considered first For so it is by Moses in this Book of Leviticus Besides it hath been thought to be the most ancient kind of Sacrifice and certain it is that it is in it self the most perfect and comprehensive and speaks the greatest devotion and generosity 2 Chron. 29.31 in the Offerer For this Sacrifice was intirely burnt and consumed it was all God's nothing of the Flesh remained to the Priest or to the Offerer Levit. 1.9 13. It must be a Male that is offered in this principal Sacrifice Levit. 1.3 10. with ch 22.19 And though it were expiatory Levit. 1.3 yet it does not always suppose a particular Sin or Trespass that obliged the Offerer to bring this kind of Sacrifice But was as freely offered and very often as voluntary in all respects as any other Offering whatsoever Levit. 22.18 19. Some of these were offered for private Persons others for the whole Congregation For the whole Congregation there were a certain number fixed and stated and continually offered up year by year Two were offered up daily besides the Additionals on every Sabbath New Moon and Festival the number of which reckoning 365 days in a year comes to no less than 1243 Head of the Herd and Flock as may soon be collected from Numb ch 28. and ch 29. Some were for private persons and upon particular occasions and emergencies the number of which cannot therefore be precisely taken as may be done in those above-named There were many Occasions which when they happened and that they frequently did required an Holocaust by the Letter of the Law of Moses and there were many also that were voluntarily offered and I leave the Reader to collect these Occasions from the Books of Moses For I shou'd be too large if I should in this place very particularly insist upon all those matters which would fall under this Head I proceed therefore to The Sin-offering This supposeth a Sin antecedent and that of the Congregation or of a private Person For there are of them also as hath been observed of the Holocausts before some that were offered up for the Sins of the Congregation and others for the Sins of private Persons as appears abundantly from Leviticus ch 4. But there is another division of Sin-offerings which is very much to be heeded For whereas generally speaking the Priest did partake of the Sin-offering though the Offerer never did as appears Levit. 6.26 29. and ch 10.17 Yet there were some Sin-offerings in which the Priest did not partake v. g. when he offered a Sin-offering for himself or for the whole Congregation Levit. 4. Here as in the whole Burnt-offering all was burnt and besides that without the Camp also We have a general Rule in this case in the words which follow No Sin-offering whereof any of the bloud is brought into the tabernacle of the congregation to reconcile withall in the holy place shall be eaten it shall be burnt in the fire Levit. 6.30 There is still a third division of the Sin-offerings and it is this viz. That some of them were fixed and determined i. e. The Offerer knew what certain Offering he must in that case bring Some of them were undetermined and as occasion was might admit of more or less E. g. Thus the Sin-offering for the Priest was determined it must be a young Bullock Levit. 4.3 The whole Congregation is obliged to the same v. 14. The Ruler in that case was obliged to offer a Kid of the Goats and that a Male also v. 23. One of the common people was obliged to bring a female Kid of the Goats v. 28. But in other cases and where the Offerer was poor He was allowed a cheaper Offering instead of a more costly one where he was directed to a Lamb or a Kid Levit. 5.6 yet in case of poverty God would accept of two Turtle-Doves or two young Pigeons v. 7. And when his poverty was very great God allowed of the tenth part of an Ephah of fine Flour for his Sin-offering and that without the expence of either Oil or Frankincense mingled with it v. 11. I proceed to the Trespass-offering strictly so called We find this Offering different from the Sin-offering in several particulars For 1. The Sin-offering was sometime offered for the whole Congregation as well as for private Persons but we find no Trespass-offering required for the Congregation 2. A Female was allowed for a Sin-offering but a Male was always required in a Trespass-offering strictly so called See the Notes on Levit. 5.6 3. The Bloud of the Sin-offering was to be put upon the Horns that of the Trespass-offering on the sides of the Altar Levit. 4.7 with ch 7.2 In this indeed they both agreed that they were not to be offered voluntarily and at pleasure as Holocausts and Peace-offerings might And in this they agreed also that both the one and the other were most Holy and the remainder of them to be eaten by the Priests onely in the Holy place And in this respect they differed much from the Holocausts and Peace-offerings the first whereof had no remainders to be eaten either by Priest or Offerer the latter might be eaten by Priest and Offerer or other persons that were legally clean and that in a clean place There are two sorts of these Trespass-offerings mentioned by the Jewish Writers 1. There is one which they commonly call Asham Talui i. e. an Offering for a doubtfull Trespass E. g. When a Man was not absolutely sure that he had trespassed but yet suspected he might be guilty of a Trespass that required an Offering in such a case of suspense he was obliged to this kind of Trespass-offering For this the Jews are said to ground themselves upon Levit. 5. 17 18. This spake a pious care And Job is remembred for his Piety when he offered up Holocausts daily for his Sons in their days of their feasting For Job said It may be that my Sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts Job 1.5 There is another 2. Trespass-offering for a Trespass that was certain and known And under this Head we find the following Severals in the Law of Moses There was one for the Nazarite who was defiled with the dead Numb 6.12 Another for the Leper who was to be cleansed Lev. 14.12 Another for him that had defiled an Hebrew Bond-woman Lev. 19.20 21. Another for him that was guilty of Sacrilege Lev.
could not be offered voluntarily but then onely when they were commanded by the Law of Moses See the General Argument of this Book Before the LORD i. e. Before that place where God more especially presentiated himself The Head of the Bullock the Jews tell us was directed as well as the Face of the Offerer toward the Holy of Holies where God did still more especially dwell Vid. Ch. 3.1 2. ch 4.4 6. 4. Put his hand See the Notes on Exod 29.10 Atonement Or Reconciliation 5. He shall kill The Priest was not obliged to do it as the Jews with good reason teach By the door Exod. 40.29 7. And the sons of Aaron the priest I shall here consider the Offices that were peculiar to the Priests and lay them before the Reader at once And that the rather because this matter is too commonly misunderstood They were not obliged to kill the Beast v. 5. And though they decided Controversies and sometimes expounded the Law yet were not these things peculiarly the Office and Function of Priests Generally speaking their Office and Holy Function consisted in two things I. In blessing the People Numb 6.23 II. In ministring in Holy Things and performing Divine Offices Them the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister unto him and to bless in the Name of the Lord Deut. 21.5 And elsewhere Aaron is said to be separated that he should sanctifie the most holy things he and his sons for ever to burn incense before the Lord to minister unto him and to bless in his name 1 Chron. 23.16 A Priest is strictly speaking the Peoples Advocate with God And the Ministry required of the Priests the Sons of Aaron was various viz. It generally related either to the Altar of Incense within the Veil where they were obliged to offer up Incense Numb 18.7 or the Altar of Burnt-offering without And as to the latter they were obliged to sprinkle the Blood Levit. 1.5 and ch 4.6 To put Fire and Wood on the Altar Levit. 1.11 Numb 18.3 7. To burn the parts Lev. 1.8 To remove the Ashes Lev. 6.10 11. And to offer the Memorial of the Meat-offering Lev. 2.2 ch 6.15 'T was their work also to light the Lamps Num. 8.2 To blow the Trumpets Num. 10.8 and to judge of the Leprosie Lev. 13. Put fire i. e. Shall order and dispose the Fire which was never quite extinguished ch 6.12 13. 8. The priests In the following Burnt-offerings this work is laid upon the Priest here seems to be required more than one The reason of which seems to be this That this Burnt-offering being of the Herd required greater help than those which follow which were of the Flocks or Fowls 9. A sweet savour i. e. Acceptable to God as the Testimony of the sincere Devotion of the Offerer 12. Priest See the Notes on v. 8. 15. Wring off his head Or Pinch off the head with the nail 16. His feathers Or The filth thereof viz. Which was laid up in the Crop and and that Sense the Chaldee follows On the east-part That part which was most remote from the Holy Place which required the greatest Purity Place of the Ashes The place appointed for the receiving of the Ashes See ch 6.10 11. 17. Of a sweet savour Though of a mean value yet was it acceptable to God as much as were the more costly Sacrifices of the Rich 2 Cor. 8.12 Luk. 21.3 CHAP. II. The ARGUMENT Of the Meat-offering of fine Flour The remnant of it assigned to the Priest Of several ways of preparing the Meat-offering viz. baking it in an Oven or Pan or frying it Leaven and Honey in these Meat-offerings prohibited but Salt required Of the First-fruits 1. AND when any will offer a meat-offering unto the LORD his offering shall be of fine flower and he shall pour oyl upon it and put frankincense thereon 2. And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests and he shall take thereout his handfull of the flour thereof and of the oyl thereof with all the frankincense thereof and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar to be an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD 3. And the remnant of the meat-offering shall be Aaron's and his sons it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire 4. And if thou bring an oblation of a meat-offering baken in the oven it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oyl or unleavened wafers anointed with oyl 5. And if thy oblation be a meat-offering baken in a pan it shall be of fine flour unleavened mingled with oyl 6. Thou shalt part it in pieces and pour oyl thereon it is a meat-offering 7. And if thy oblation be a meat-offering baken in the frying-pan it shall be made of fine flour with oyl 8. And thou shalt bring the meat-offering that is made of these things unto the LORD and when it is presented unto the priest he shall bring it unto the altar 9. And the priest shall take from the meat-offering a memorial thereof and shall burn it upon the altar it is an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD 10. And that which is left of the meat-offering shall be Aaron's and his sons it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire 11. No meat-offering which ye shall bring unto the LORD shall be made with leaven for ye shall burn no leaven nor any honey in any offering of the LORD made by fire 12. As for the oblation of the first-fruits ye shall offer them unto the LORD but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savour 13. And every oblation of thy meat-offering shalt thou season with salt neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat-offering with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt 14. And if thou offer a meat-offering of thy first-fruits unto the LORD thou shalt offer for thy meat-offering of thy first-fruits green ears of corn dried by the fire even corn beaten out of full ears 15. And thou shalt put oyl upon it and lay frankincense thereon it is a meat-offering 16. And the priest shall burn the memorial of it part of the beaten corn thereof and part of the oyl thereof with all the frankincense thereof it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD 1. A Meat-offering The Hebrew word signifies a Gift or Present whether it be presented to God or to Men Judg. 3.15 16. 1 Sam. 8.2 Here it is considered as an Offering made to God of that which was inanimate There were several kinds of them both publick and private And some there were which were offered alone and by themselves Others which were to attend upon other Oblations Num. 15.4 6. The first sort are spoken of here This Offering was Expiatory 1 Sam. 3.14 and ch 26.19 and being a figure of Christ's Oblation Eph. 5.2 was
Consecrating the Levites and the age and time of their Service Of the Passover and an allowance of a Second Passover and guidance of the Cloud Of the use of the Silver Trumpets Of the removal of the Israelites Of the words which Moses used when the Ark set forward and when it rested Of these things we have an account ch 8 9 10. After this we have a Relation of the burning at Taberah Of the People's loathing of Manna and lusting for Flesh Of the Seventy Elders and of the Quails ch 11. and of the Sedition of Miriam and Aaron ch 12. We have next a Relation of the Spies sent into the Promised Land Of their Instructions Of their Doings and Report of the Land Of the People's murmuring hereupon Of God's just Displeasure and the Effects of it Of the Intercession of Moses and great Folly of the Israelites ch 13 and 14. The fifteenth Chapter lays before us sundry Laws viz. That concerning the Meat-offering as that Offering was an attendant upon a Bloody Sacrifice And the Drink-offering Of the Heave-offering Of the first of the Dough Of Sins of Ignorance and Presumption Of the Profaner of the Sabbath and of the Fringes We have next an Account of the Rebellion of Korah and Dathan and Abiram Of their invading the Priest's Office and their exemplary Punishment The Memory of their Rebellion is perpetuated and the Right of the Priests vindicated by the budding of Aaron's Rod and their honorary Maintenance hereupon particularly related ch 16 17 18. The next Chapter gives account of the Water made of the Ashes of the red Heifer which is followed with a Relation of the death of Miriam the murmuring of the People the smiting the Rock c. and the death of Aaron ch 19.20 And then we have an account of the Israelites Victory over the Canaanites of their murmuring of the fiery Serpents and of that of Brass Of several Journeyings of the Israelites and their Conquest over Sihon and Og ch 21. After this we have a Relation of Balak's sending to Balaam to curse the Israelites Of Balaam's Journey and Balak's Disappointment Several Predictions of Balaam are related and there follows an account of the Israelites committing Whoredom and Idolatry at Shittim and of their Punishment ch 22 23 24 25. Next to this we have an account of the number of the Israelites in order to the dividing the Land among them ch 26. And the Law of Inheritances upon occasion of the suit of the Daughters of Zelophehad ch 27. In the two next Chapters we have a more particular account than was given before of the Stated Holocausts and the Meat and Drink-offerings pertaining thereunto This is followed with a Law concerning Vows ch 30. We have after this an account of the Israelites Conquest over the Midianites and a Law concerning the dividing the Spoil ch 31. Next follows the Request of the Reubenites and Gadites and the success of it and an account of the Journeyings of the Israelites in the Wilderness Of the Borders of the Promised Land and the names of the Men which should divide it Of the Levites Cities and the Cities of Refuge with the Law concerning Murther Of the Inheritance of Daughters and the Marriage of Heiresses in their own Tribe which is followed with an account how the Daughters of Zelophehad were married ch 32 33 34 35 36. By what hath been said any Man will see that this Book is very fitly called NUMBERS For here we have the number of the twelve Tribes taken no less than three times ch 1. ch 2. and ch 26. And the Levites are numbred as often ch 3 4 26. We have also several other things numbred The things that were offered and the Princes who offered those things at the Dedication of the Altar ch 7. The Spoils taken in the War with Midian ch 31. And all the stated Holocausts that were yearly offered up ch 28 29. Not to mention the Number and Names of the Cities of Levites and of Refuge and the particulars of the Israelites Marches or Journeyings in the Wilderness These are the principal Matters contained in this Book which if duly considered will be of great use to us for the better governing our selves as well as for the more clear understanding of the other parts of the Holy Scriptures It is not to be expected I should in this place make Reflections upon all the Particulars which are laid before us in this Book It may suffice that I lay before the Reader some few Particulars and shew how very much they tend to the use of Life and serve to engage us to strict Obedience to the Will of God And for the other I referr the Reader to the following Notes I might here shew the admirable use that is to be made of the Relation of the numbring the People and order of their Camp For here is much of God's special Providence to be observed from those Relations which we pass over in reading the Scriptures with too great Negligence And there are many parts of the Holy Writ which we pass over with little regard that are very instructive to us But I will not insist upon this matter in this place I shall especially consider the following Particulars I. The setting aside the Levites to the service of God their Charge and Service This spake God's great care of his People to appoint an Order of Men to attend upon his Service and to wait on his Sanctuary And it does also instruct those that Minister in Holy Things not onely to consider how they were called to that Holy Office but to consider also how they discharge it The Particulars relating to this Order of Men are very instructive to the People also They were not numbred among the rest having no Inheritance as the other Tribes had They were to attend upon their Office in the service of God and his People It was therefore the People's part to be kind to them and there are in the Law of Moses many Precepts to this purpose They were not onely obliged to pay them their Tithes in which even in some of the worst times they were scrupulously carefull but to assist them upon other occasions that they might attend upon God's Service This teacheth the People to communicate of their Temporal Things very freely to those that watch over their Souls and to honour them greatly for the sake of their Work and their Master II. That Law concerning the removing the Unclean from the Camp chap. 5. This is very instructive to the Governors and Ministers of the Church It is not fit that Profane and Scandalous Sinners should be admitted to partake of the holiest things 'T is very much the duty of those concerned and the Interest of the whole Church that those should be debarred from her Communion who are notoriously scandalous I know very well that that Law made a difference in the Unclean and that there was a difference as to the Camps also and 't will
any other way So true are the words of Solomon Righteousness exalteth a nation but sin is a reproach to any people Prov. 14.34 This passage deserves great consideration It is not onely the Duty but the Interest of Kings and Governours to encourage Men in the exercise of true Religion and by all possible ways and means to suppress Vice and all Profaneness Where-ever a People are profane they are weak at the same time Besides that they by their Wickedness call down the Vengeance of Heaven their very Wickedness does infeeble them and render them an easie Prey to their Enemies The Israelites were strong while Innocent when they had forsaken their God they fell Let us hear what Balaam was forc'd to say before their Whoredom and Idolatry He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel The Lord his God is with him and the shout of a king is among them God brought them out of Egypt He hath as it were the strength of an Vnicorn surely there is no enchantment against Jacob neither is there any divination against Israel 〈◊〉 Behold the people shall rise up as a great Lion and lift up himself as a young Lion He shall not lie down till he eat of the prey and drink the blood of the slain Numb 23.21 22 23 24. This was the condition of Israel but alas they soon fell by their own Follies whom no Power or Malice of their Enemies could have hurt There is nothing a plainer and more incontestable Truth than this That true Religion and Vertue is not onely the Glory but the Strength and Safety of any Nation or Kingdom On the other hand Vice and Wickedness Profaneness and Discontent are the greatest Mischiefs and the saddest Presages of the Ruin of any People The History of the Israelites delivered in this Book will confirm any considering Man in this belief Here we have a Relation of their Follies and their Wandrings of their Vices and their Plagues of their Sin and Punishment They were delivered from the Egyptians and from Amalek They needed not to fear their Enemies about them They fell indeed in the Wilderness but they fell as the Jews say a drunken Man does he needs none to throw him down he falls of himself They fell by their own Lust their Discontent their Profaneness and Idolatry God grant that we when we seem to stand may take heed lest we fall X. There are in this excellent Book many other things of admirable use for the better understanding the Jewish Religion and the other parts of the Holy Writ which I have not time in this place to enlarge upon but such things they are as will entertain with great variety and delight the inquisitive and diligent Reader Such are the Law of the Nazarite's Vow concerning the Water of Jealousie The form of blessing the People The Law about a Second Passeover The Relation of the guidance of the Cloud and the Law concerning sins of Ignorance and Presumption and of the Ashes of the red Heifer The Relation of the smiting the Rock by Moses Of the Conquest of Sihon and Og The Laws concerning the stated Sacrifices and concerning dividing the Spoil Concerning Inheritances and the Marriage of Heiresses Every one of which will deserve a serious Consideration NOTES ON THE Book of NUMBERS CHAP. I. The ARGUMENT Moses is commanded to number the People The Princes of the Tribes who were appointed to assist in numbring them The People of the several Tribes are numbered from Twenty years old and upward The Number of the whole The Levites are not numbred but appointed to their Office 2514. 1490. 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai in the tabernacle of the congregation on the first day of the second month in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt saying 2. Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel after their families by the house of their fathers with the number of their names every male by their poll 3. From twenty years old and upward all that are able to go forth to war in Israel thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies 4. And with you there shall be a man of every tribe every one head of the house of his fathers 5. And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you Of the tribe of Reuben Elizur the son of Shedeur 6. Of Simeon Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai 7. Of Judah Nahshon the son of Aminadab 8. Of Issachar Nethaneel the son of Zuar 9. Of Zebulun Eliab the son of Helon 10. Of the children of Joseph of Ephraim Elishama the son of Ammibud of Manasseb Gamaliel the son Pedahzur 11. Of Benjamin Abidan the son of Gideoni 12. Of Dan Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai 13. Of Asher Pagiel the son of Ocran 14. Of Gad Estasaph the son of Deuel 15. Of Naphtali Ahira the son of Enan 16. These were the renowned of the congregation princes of the tribes of their fathers heads of thousands in Israel 17. And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names 18. And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month and they dâ—â—lared their pedigrees after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward by their poll 19. As the LORD commanded Moses so he numbred them in the wilderness of Sinai 20. And the children of Reuben Israel's eldest son by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names by their poll every male from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 21. Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Reuben were forty and six thousand and five hundred 22. Of the children of Simeon by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers those that were numbred of them according to the number of the names by their polls every male from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 23. Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Simeon were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred 24. Of the children of Gad by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 25. Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Gad were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty 26. Of the children of Judah by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 27. Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Judah were threescore and fourteen
Court of the Priests which with respect to the outer Court 2 Chron. 4.9 and much more to the Camp of Israel c. was a most holy Place as not receiving any but the most holy and separated sort of Persons Holy unto thee Consecrated to thee says the Vulgar That is None â—ut the Priest's Family might eat thereof Levit. 6.18 11. And this Here follows an account of what was the Priest's due from those Sacrifices which were less Holy which might be eaten by Women and Servants Levit. 22.10 11 12 13. with ch 10.14 Levit 7.34 12. Best Heb. Fat. Given thee Deut. 18.4 13. Which they shall bring i. e. Which they shall bring of their Good-will 14. Every thing devoted Lev. 27.28 15. The matrice Exod. 13.2 and 22.29 Lev. 27.26 chap. 3.13 And the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem If we look into the Book of Exodus we shall find it said Every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem ch 13.13 This makes it highly probable that an Ass is put there for other Beasts which were unclean for Sacrifice See the Note on that place 16. From a month old See Numb 3.47 Which is twenty gerahs Exod. 30.13 Levit. 27.23 ch 3.47 Ezek. 45.12 17. Holy i. e. Separated or set a-part See Deut. 15.19 18. Wave-breast Exod. 29.26 19. A covenant of salt i. e. a sure and lasting one 2 Chron. 13.5 20. No Inheritance The Levites in the distribution of the Land had not a portion of the Land with the other Tribes but had their Cities to dwell in Josh 21.4 I am thy part Deut. 10.9.18.2 Josh 13.14 33. Ezek. 44.28 God may be said to be the part of the Priests both as he gave them those Gifts which were presented to him and as he would more especially bless them Deut. 18.1 Psal 73.26 21. For an inheritance i. e. instead of a Portion of the Land which the other Tribes received v. 23 24. 22. And die Heb. To die 26. For the LORD viz. To be given to the Priest who was the Lord's Receiver See v. 28. and the Note on v. 20. 27. And this your c. That is This payment of yours shall be accepted as well as if you had received Lands with the other Tribes and had paid the Tithe out of the Increase of them as they were obliged to do 29. Best Heb. Fat. 30. As the increase c. i. e. What remains shall be as much the Levites and as freely to be used by them as any other part of any Man's increase is at the owners liberty See v. 31. 32. And ye shall bear no sin c. i. e. Then ye shall be free from Guilt upon this account CHAP. XIX The ARGUMENT Of the Red Heifer burnt to Ashes The Water of Separation and the use of it for the Purification of the clean 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying 2. This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded saying Speak unto the children of Israel that they bring thee a red heifer without spot wherein is no blemish and upon which never came yoke 3. And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest that he may bring her forth without the camp and one shall slay her before his face 4. And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times 5. And one shall burn the heifer in his sight her skin and her flesh and her blood with her dung shall he burn 6. And the priest shall take cedar-wood and hyssop and scarlet and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer 7. Then the priest shall wash his clothes and he shall bathe his flesh in water and afterward he shall come into the camp and the priest shall be unclean until the even 8. And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water and bathe his flesh in water and shall be unclean until the even 9. And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and lay them up without the camp in a clean place and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation it is a purification for sin 10. And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the even and it shall be unto the children of Israel and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them for a statute for ever 11. He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days 12. He shall purifie himself with it on the third day and on the seventh day he shall be clean but if he purifie not himself the third day then the seventh day he shall not be clean 13. Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead and purifieth not himself defileth the tabernacle of the LORD and that soul shall be cut off from Israel because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him he shall be unclean his uncleanness is yet upon him 14. This is the law when a man dieth in a tent all that come into the tent and all that is in the tent shall be unclean seven days 15. And every open vessel which hath no covering bound upon it is unclean 16. And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields or a dead body or a bone of a man or a grave shall be unclean seven days 17. And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the 〈◊〉 heifer of purification for sin and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel 18. And a clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water and sprinkle it upon the tent and upon all the vessels and upon the persons that were there and upon him that touched a bone or one slain or one dead or a grave 19. And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day and on the seventh day he shall purifie himself and wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and shall be clean at even 20. But the man that shall be unclean and shall not purifie himself that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him he is unclean 21. And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even 22. And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even 2. Which the LORD hath commanded i. e. Which God commanded Moses before For the Law required that the Unclean should be kept out of the Camp ch 5. and it may well be supposed that the Water of Purification
in mine hand 4. And he wrote on the tables according to the first writing the ten commandments which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly and the LORD gave them unto me 5. And I turned my self and came down from the mount and put the tables in the ark which I had made and there they be as the LORD commanded me 6. And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera there Aaron died and there he was buried and Eleazar his son ministred in the priest's office in his stead 7. From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah and from Gudgodah to Jotbath a land of rivers of waters 8. At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD to stand before the LORD to minister unto him and to bless in his name unto this day 9. Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren the LORD is his inheritance according as the LORD thy God promised him 10. And I stayed in the mount according to the first time forty days and forty nights and the LORD hearkned unto me at that time also and the LORD would not destroy thee 11. And the LORD said unto me Arise take thy journey before the people that they may go in and possess the land which I snare unto their fathers to give unto them 12. And now Israel what doth the LORD thy God require of thee but to fear the LORD thy God to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul 13. To keep the commandments of the LORD and his statutes which I command thee this day for thy good 14. Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD 's thy God the earth also with all that therein is 15. Onely the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them and he chose their seed after them even you above all people as it is this day 16. Circumcise therefore the fore-skin of your heart and be no more stiff-necked 17. For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords a great God a mighty and a terrible which regardeth not persons nor taketh reward 18. He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow and loveth the stranger in giving him food and raiment 19. Love ye therefore the stranger for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt 20. Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God him shalt thou serve and to him shalt thou cleave and swear by his name 21. He is thy praise and he is thy God that hath done for thee these great and terrible things which thine eyes have seen 22. Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons and now the LORD thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude 1. HEW Exod. 34.1 3. I made an Ark Or I caused it to be made For if by Ark in this place be meant the Ark of the Covenant as is very probable from verse 5. This Ark was made by Bezaleel Exod. 37.1 and not made before this going of Moses into the Mount but after he came down Exod. 34. But as Moses in this short Repetition of what was past need not strictly observe the Order of Time so he may be said to make that Ark which he commanded to be made Bezaleel made also the Table of Shittim-wood Exod. 37.10 But Moses received a Command to make it Exod. 25.23 4. Commandments Heb. Words 6. And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera This place is very difficult and the difficulties of it are several and require a distinct Consideration For First It may be inquired what Connexion there is between these words and them that go before Answer Moses having mentioned his Intercession for the Israelites when for their Sins they were in danger to be destroyed and when the Tables of the Law were broken ch 9.26 adds what the effect of this Intercession was viz. That thereby the favour of God was regained of which he gives several instances viz. The restoring the two Tables and placing them in the Ark v. 1 5. The Journeys of them which were not stopped v. 6. And that they journeyed to places well watered also v. 6 7. And though indeed Aaron died yet his Priesthood continued in Eleazar And as God gave them a token of his favour in the Ark of the Covenant so he gave them another in separating the Levites to bear that Ark c. v. 8. Secondly It may be inquired how this Journey from Beeroth of the Children of Jaakan to Mosera can be reconciled with Numb 33.31 where it 's said they departed from Moseroth and pitched in Bene-jaakan Answ Besides many other very material things which might be said towards the removing of this difficulty it is enough to say that the Israelites in their Wandrings in the Wilderness might as well here as they did elsewhere go to and fro viz. From Jaakan to Mosera and back again from Mosera to Jaakan And this supposing these places the same with those in Numbers and the place here truly rendred is all that the words do import See Numb 33.30 And then Moses here doth but insert a passage omitted in the place in the Book of Numbers There Aaron died Obj. But how can this be reconciled with Numb 20.25 28. where it is evident that Aaron died at Mount Hor Answ It is no unusual thing that one place should have different Names especially with respect to the several Parts thereof Thus Horeb and Sinai were two Names of the same Mountain Exod. 3.1 2. compared with Act. 7.30 And so might Mosera be the other Name for Hor or the Name of a Place adjoining to it 7. From thence i. e. From Beeroth of the Children of Jaakan Numb 33.32 where Horhagidgad is the same with Gudgodah here and what is here called Jotbath is called Jotbathah Numb 33.33 8. At that time Or About that time viz. After Moses came down from the Mount For this seems manifestly to referr to verse 5. the 6th and 7th Verses being here brought in by way of Parenthesis And that the words at that time do not necessarily import the very precise time but admit of a Latitude will appear from Gen. 38.1 and the Note upon that place To bear the Ark Which belonged to the Kohathites Numb 3.27 31. To stand before the LORD c. That is to attend upon the Sanctuary and be in readiness for Service 1 Chron. 23.16 And to bless in his name This was the peculiar Office of the Priests the Sons of Aaron Numb 6.23 Who were also the Sons of Levi and are so called when this peculiar Office of theirs is mentioned Deut. 21.5 And though the solemn pronouncing of the Blessing upon the People
Prophet is retain'd and not the word Seer And they are quoted in such terms also as may put this matter out of dispute and satisfie us that Moses wrote the words quoted and that the word Prophet was known in his time Let us hear how St. Peter quotes these words from Deut. 18.18 For Moses truly said unto your Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you He tells us that 't was Moses and not a later Writer that said this he expresseth it not by Seer but by the word Prophet St. Stephen cites the same passage and after the same manner This is that which Moses said unto the children of Israel A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise unto you c. Act. 3.22 and chap. 7.37 Nothing can be plainer nothing more convincing than these words are both that Moses wrote these words and that the word render'd Prophet was used in his time 3. I shall consider the words in the Book of Samuel and shew that they will not serve the purpose to which they are produced The words are these Before-time in Israel when a man went to enquire of God thus he spake Come and let us go to the Seer for he that is now called a Prophet was before-time called a Seer Does this Writer say That the word we render Prophet was not known in the time of Moses He says no such thing Does he say That the word we render Prophet was not known till that Age He says it not All that he affirms is this That before that time the person called a Prophet was called a Seer This we grant readily He was called a Seer before but this does not inferr that he was not called a Prophet also even then when he was called a Seer The most that can be concluded from the place is this That for some-time before he that was called a Prophet then was commonly called a Seer And then there is no more than this to be inferred That how old soever the word Prophet had been yet for some-time before that passage was related it was very common to call him a Seer It seems the word Prophet was at that time when this is related in common use and yet after these words the word Seer is used 1 Sam. 9.11 And so it was in the days of Micah when the word Prophet was in common and ordinary use Micah 3.7 And as the word Seer was used when Prophet was used most commonly so have we good Reason to believe that the word Prophet was also used when Seer was a word in common and ordinary use And 't is apparently evident from what hath been said above that the word was as old as Moses Obj. XVI It is pretended that Moses wou'd not write these words Now an Omer is the tenth part of an Ephah Exod. 16.36 'T is pretended that these words cou'd not be written by Moses when these Measures were in use and well known but by a much later hand after the dispersion of the Israelites among other Nations among whom they had been used to other Measures that the Reader might the better understand the Measure here mentioned To which I answer 1. That it does not appear that the Israelites did ever alter their Measures whilst they continued in the Possession of the Land of Canaan And if they did not there cou'd be no reason assign'd why we shou'd suppose any thing added here by way of Explication by a later hand 2. Nor can we reasonably suppose such an Explication cou'd signifie any thing in this case For how cou'd any Man be the wiser for it For how shou'd an Ephah be better known than an Omer This wou'd be no Explication in After-times when the Measures used of old were once forgotten And why may not an Ephah be as well forgot as an Omer And if it were the Reader cou'd gain nothing at all by such words as these 3. And therefore 't is much more reasonable to believe that these words were here from the beginning when an Ephah was in use commonly and that so it was in the days of Moses Obj. XVII I meet with some other Objections mention'd in a late learned Writer mention'd before which because I cannot discern any great force in them I will here put together and answer viz. Gen. 2.11 12. The name of the first is Pison that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah where there is gold and the gold of that land is good there is Bdellium and the Onyx-stone 'T is pretended that these are the words of one who lived in Chaldaea where 't is suppos'd that Pison was and that Geography was not well enough known to Moses to relate such Particulars Again 'T is pretended that the account we have of Nimrod and his Kingdom chap. 10.8 is more than Moses can be supposed to give and that That account wou'd have been more usefull after the Jews had been better acquainted with Babylon And Lastly The account we have of Niniveh which is suppos'd to have been Founded after the Time of Moses is therefore supposed to be none of his To which I answer 1. As to Pison not to examine the Situation of it which for what appears might not be so distant from Moses as Chaldaea the Objector hath no reason to object hence against Moses because he does not know how far Moses did understand Geography nor hath he any cause to say the places mention'd did not trade and traffick into Egypt where Moses was born Gen. 37.25 2. As to the account of Nimrod and his Kingdom we have no shadow of reason to suspect it For Babylon and some other places mention'd on this occasion were afterwards so famous in story that 't is not to be wonder'd at that Moses shou'd give an account of this person who was so very remarkable in his Time and of these Places that were so famous afterwards Nor cou'd any thing be done more properly than in that very place where Moses gives an account of the Families deriv'd from the Sons of Noah which Peopl'd the several parts of the Earth 3. For the Name of Niniveh which is pretended to be later than the Times of Moses I need say no more than this That this is supposed onely but I never yet to my remembrance saw any kind of proof of it or any thing that looks that way And cou'd I see any thing like a proof I shou'd think my self oblig'd to give an answer to it But I cannot be obliged to follow mere Suppositions and wander after the Fansies and vain Imaginations of Scriblers Obj. XVIII It is pretended by the Author of the Book call'd Prae-adamitae that the Pentateuch cannot be writ by Moses and that because 't is full of Repetitions which therefore so wife a Man as Moses cannot be supposed to be guilty of I answer That this looks like an Objection and deserves to be accounted for And because this Objection bears hardest against the Book