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
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
1. These Repetitions of Laws formerly given are such that they give a more clear and distinct meaning of those Laws than was to be collected from what had been said So that the Repetition does lay before the Reader an Explication of the repeated Law Of this I shall give some instances Exod. 21.16 He that stealeth a man c. shall surely be put to death Onkelos renders it He that stealeth one of the children of Israel I shou'd in this case be ready to suspect that Paraphrast as partial and giving too limited a sense of those words But when Moses repeats the Law he â—ixeth the Sense and confirms that Sense which that Paraphrast hath given For thus he hath it If a man be found stealing any of his â—rethren of the children of Israel Deut. 24.7 Again If thou buy an Hebrew servant six years it shall serve and in the seventh he shall go â—â—t free for nothing Exod. 21.2 This Law is repeated and explained in Deuteronomy There 't is said When thou sendest him out free from thee thou shalt not let him go away empty thou shall furnish him liberally out of thy flock c. chap. 15.12 13 14. Again If thou meet thine enemies ox or his ass going astray c. Exod. 23.5 c. This Law is repeated thus Thou shalt 〈◊〉 see thy brother's Ass c. Deut. 22.24 see Deut. 22.1 Which words determine the sense of that Law Exod. 23.15 And none shall apâ—ear before me empty This Law is farther explained Deut. 16.2 See the Note on that place The wages of him that is hired shall not 〈◊〉 with thee all night c. Levit. 19.13 This Law receives a great Explication from Deut. 24.14 15. Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy whether he be 〈◊〉 thy brethren or of thy strangers that are in â—â—y land c. At his day thou shalt give him â—â—s hire c. 2. Sometimes a Law is repeated with a Caution to the Israelites that they do not make an ill use of the Law Of this we have a remarkable instance Deut. 15. where there is a Repetition of the Law of Release mentioned Levit. 25 But there is added a Caution v. 9. Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart saying The seventh year the year of release is at hand And thine eye be evil against thy poor brother and thou givest him nought and he cry unto the Lord against thee and it be sin unto thee 3. Sometimes new matter or a new reason is added to the repeated Law Thus it is in those Laws repeated from Exod. 20. in Deut. 5.15 16. Another instance we have to this purpose chap. 16.2 And another Deut. 18.3 where we have an addition granted towards the Maintenance of the Priests 4. Sometime we have a Dispensation allowed in some case as to a Temporal Law that was mentioned before Of this we have a remarkable instance Deut. 12.15 21. IV. These Repetitions do mightily engage the diligent and carefull Reader to compare Spiritual things with Spiritual God is not tied to our Rules and Methods to deliver his Laws as we teach Arts and Sciences by certain Rules which the Wit of Man hath devised 'T is enough that he deliver his Will as he thinks fit And if He think fit to do it by Parts and upon sundry Occasions 't will well become us to use the greater diligence in collecting and laying things together that we may by this means arrive at the sense and meaning of the whole Revelation If these things be duly considered we shall not find any force in this popular and loose Objection which is brought against this Book And I shall onely on this occasion add V. That if these Repetitions had not been written by Moses and had been put together by an uncertain Collector of some loose Papers they might have been omitted easily 'T is not very likely we had ever had these Books in this Order if Moses himself had not been the Author of them Here 's no shew of worldly Artifice or Craft nothing appears here like Artifice And the Way and Order in which these things are delivered will hardly allow us if we consider things with Application to call the Author or Authority of these Holy Books in question I am of belief that the little variety we find in the four Gospels is so far from being an Objection against those Books that they rather confirm us in the belief of them as Books that were not composâ—â— by Confederacy and Combination The sâ—me may be said of these Books The Repetitions and Varieties are no Objection against them or against their Author I return to this Book called Deuteronomy which lies before us A Book that hath all the Marks and Signatures of a Divine Original and an inspired Author as Moses was 'T is hardly possible for any man to read it with any care but he must be the better for it 'T is fraught with admirable Precepts of Piety Justice Charity Humanity and Fortitude These Precepts are backed with Motives to Obedieâ—ce that are strong and penetrating that are lively and poinant that are most pathetical and moving He must be very stupid and profligate that does not embrace it with the Highest Veneration How does Moses this Man of God Court the Israelites to be Obedient and Happy What wondrous Care does he shew He speaks as becomes the greatest Prophet and one Divinely inspired Take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen chap. 4.9 Take ye therefore good heed unto your selves v. 15. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God chap. 8.11 Take heed to your selves that your heart be not deceived chap. 11.16 He calls Heaven and Earth to witness against them He lays before them Life and Death Blessing and a Curse To conclude Here 's enough to engage the Reader that hath any sparks of Goodness left And for the Pious Reader his Heart must be melted down when he reads it and burn within him Here 's nothing required so much as an honest Mind The Book is generally plain and very easie to be understood God grant we may read it with due care and not put a bar to our profiting by it NOTES ON THE Book of DEUTERONOMY CHAP. I. The ARGUMENT The Speech of Moses to the Israelites at the end of the fortieth year He puts them in mind of God's Oath to their Fathers of his giving them Rulers and the sending the Spies to search the Land and of God's Anger for their Vnbelief 1. THese be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness in the plain over against the Red sea between Paran and Tophel and Laban and Hazeroth and Dizahab 2. There are eleven days journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadesh-barnea 3. And it came to pass in the fortieth year in the eleventh month on
despicable and ridiculous The Defence which the Reader will find in the following Papers of Moses as the Writer of the Pentateuch against the Objections of the professed and most famed Writers of this last Age will convince any indifferent Reader that these Men had no Wit to spare 'T is an easie thing for a profane Man to scoff at the Scriptures and for a Wit to entertain his Reader or his Hearer with his Drollery on this occasion But still here 's nothing to be found that will endanger the wise and the stable However we are in the mean time to take care of our Brethren and of such of them especially as are committed to our Care and Charge And 't is high time now to defend our Common Religion against the professed Enemies of what is Revealed 'T is high time to encourage the Bible-learning I mean all those Studies that will enable Men better to understand and defend the Holy Scriptures We have long enough used our Pens against one another and fully shewn the Vanity of those of the Church of Rome who in the late times attempted us It well becomes us now to turn our Thoughts and Studies another way As our Church hath dealt very sincerely in allowing the People the Use of the Scriptures in their Vulgar Tongue so 't is manifest that nothing can be of greater use than the commending to them some easie and plain and well-considered Explication thereof When the Law was read to the People after their return from Babylon in the days of Ezra the Names of those Men are mentioned who caused the People to understand the Law It follows So they read in the Book of the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading Nehem. 8.7 8. The Jews when they were return'd from their Captivity in Babylon and had in some measure forgotten their own Language needed such an Explication And hence it hath been thought it was that the Targums or Chaldee Paraphrases sprang An exact and diligent studying of the Scriptures and leading the People into a good understanding of them will prevent many mischiefs which we have laboured under It will enable us to understand the Questions agitated among Christians much better it will divert us from that Contentious Theology that is fruitless and very perplexed 'T will tend immediately to furnish us with usefull Knowledge and to enable us to defend our Religion against the Common Enemy 'T will prevent many of our Disputes put an end to much of our Schism and unnecessary Separation and very much conduce to the introducing a better Spirit among us But I would not be mistaken I do not think 't is fit that every Man should be allowed to write Commentaries on the Bible What I plead for is this That something of this should be appointed by the Governors of the Church and that after the maturest Consideration of the whole matter 'T is not the Scripture hath done hurt to the World what-ever our Adversaries affirm 'T is the misunderstanding and misapplying them that hath done it And hence indeed many mischiefs have a-risen which might by this care be in great measure prevented for the future 'T is true Our People have the Scriptures Translated And this Translation is a very good one They have also a Marginal reading very often to help them to understand them And sometimes they have also Bibles with usefull References for their farther assistance I readily own that these are great Blessings But still the diligent Reader of the Holy Scripture should be farther encouraged For the Translation of the Bible which we use it is very excellent I am apt to believe 't is inferior to none either ancient or modern The Memory of those Persons who laboured in it ought to be precious Yet after all there may be some things in it that require farther consideration And admitting it to be the best Version in the World it will be necessary that the Pious Reader shou'd have some farther assistance towards the better understanding of these Holy Books For though a good Man that is diligent will find enough here to carry him to Heaven if he be carefull to practise what he reads and may easily understand yet still there will often occurr to him several things here that wou'd require some Explication to make it more easie and usefull to a well-disposed Reader Perhaps 't is a thing unpossible to give a strict Version out of the Hebrew Tongue into the English that will not require now and then some Explication to fix and determine the Sense which without it will be somewhat obscure and doubtfull The genius and peculiarities of one Language and the other are very different and a strict Version is indeed but what is highly fit but then the keeping close to this will not fail to leave some things more doubtfull and obscure As for instance 't is said That because the Mid-wives feared God he made them houses Exod. 1.21 The English Reader will be apt to think that by THEM is meant the Mid-wives Whereas that word referrs to the Israelites not to the Mid-wives For 't is the Masculine Gender in the Hebrew But the English does not distinguish the Gender of Pronouns as the Hebrew and other Languages do Nor is the Version to be blamed for the Nature of the Language is such as will not allow any thing better He shall dwell in the Tents of Shem Gen. 9.27 To whom He referrs the English Reader cannot learn a Note on the placâ— will direct him Besides a short Notâ—â—â—ny times prevents a Mistake and prevents a Cavil and sets that in clear light which wou'd otherwise have been very doubtfull And whereas there are those who take offence at some Phrases or Expressions a short Note may hinder and prevent all this 'T is true we have a Marginal reading that is often very usefull to us But still the ordinary Reader will sometime be at a stand which of the Readings rather to adhere unto And therefore he will in this matter want farther assistance So that here is still need of some Note to direct the Reader I grant that the References to Parallel places and to such other places as will give light to the Text are of great use But many times they are not so to the English Reader because he will not be able to discern the purpose of the Reference and the end to which it serves Whereas a short Note would open the matter to him It will be said that we have already several Commentaries on the Bible in the English Tongue and there is therefore nothing wanting of this kind To which I answer That though it be true that there are several such Writings yet is this no Objection against what I am pleading for For I think 't is fit there shou'd be one that shall be approved and recommended to the People by the Governors of the Church and which they will be answerable
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
be granted that the Book of the Law to be read to the People did not contain the whole Pentateuch Be all this as it will I cannot see how 't will serve the Purpose of this Author For 2. It does not follow from thence that Moses did not write the whole Pentateuch When 't is agreed that he wrote and deliver'd some parts of it does it thence follow he did not write the whole I shou'd have been much asham'd to have troubled the Reader with this passage of the Author above-written because there is nothing worthy of the Reader 's notice no Argument nor appearance of any But I think my self oblig'd fairly to represent what the Objector's say in this matter though they prove nothing Obj. XIII It is farther pretended that Moses cou'd not write those words where Joseph is brought in saying I was stollen away out of the Land of the Hebrews It is pretended that it was not then the Land of the Hebrews and that therefore Moses cou'd not term it so nor any Writer till after his time when the Israelites had invaded and taken possession of the Land To which I answer 1. That the Writer of this passage does onely report the words of Joseph so that the Objection bears as hard against a later Writer as against Moses For who-ever the Writer be 't is not the Writer that calls it the Land of the Hebrews he brings in Joseph calling it so If Joseph did not call it so the Relater or Writer hath not told us Truth and then the Objection bears against any Writer be it Moses or some other person and then in truth it is an Objection against the Book it self as not worthy of belief If Joseph did call it the Land of the Hebrews why might not Moses be the Writer as well as a later Author He was rather better able to report the Matter a-right than a later Writer as he liv'd nearer to that time when the words were spoken 2. That Joseph might at that time very properly call that Country the Land of the Hebrews And that he might do upon these accounts 1. Because it was the Land in which the Hebrews did at that time and had ever since the Time of Abraham done so inhabit Surely it may be call'd the Land of the Hebrews where the Hebrews dwelt and where they have dwelt for some-time past whether they dwelt there by permission or by force of Arms against the Will of the other Inhabitants 2. 'T was also that Land which was promis'd the Hebrews and particularly to Abraham the Father of that People And 3. The Hebrews had some propriety in that Land Abraham by purchase Gen. 23. Jacob by conquest Gen. 24. who afterwards bestow'd his part of the Land to Joseph by his Last Will and Testament ch 48.22 Obj. XIV It is pretended that Moses cou'd not write those words Gen. 35.21 And Israel journeyed and spread his Tent beyond the Tower of Edar This Tower of Edar or Tower of the Flock is by the Objector supposed for I see no offer of proof to be a Tower plac'd in After-times and put upon one of the Gates of the City of Jerusalem called the Sheep-gate and then this must be written not by Moses but by a later Writer who liv'd after that Tower was so call'd To which I answer 1. That here being nothing but the Objector's Supposition this Objection needs no Answer for 't is not reasonable that mere Suppositions shou'd be regarded without any shadow of proof 2. That it is by no means reasonable to suppose this Tower of Edar to be a Tower upon the Sheep-gate in Jerusalem One of the Ancients who is a more competent Judge than any later Objector affirms that the Tower of Edar was the place of the Shepherds near to Bethlehem where the Company of Angels declar'd the Nativity of our Saviour and that it was the place where Joseph fed his Flock and where the Shepherds that watched by night at the time of our Saviour's Birth Luke 2. heard the heavenly Host saying Glory be to God in the highest and on Earth peace good-will towards Men. Hieron quaest in Genes Idem ad Eustochium Epitaph Paul This account is confirm'd by the Context and also by the Targum of Jonathan on Gen. 35.21 who adds to the Text That this is the place from whence the King Messias shall be revealed in the last days And still this account receives a farther Confirmation from Micah 4.8 where we meet with the Tower of Edar in a most illustrious Prophecy of the Messias There are the same words with these of Gen. 35.21 For the Sheep-gate in Jerusalem there is no kind of Affinity between the words in the Hebrew that signifie the Sheep-gate and those which import the Tower of the Flock and that are used both in Genesis and in Micah And 't is therefore most like that this Name of the place continued from the Time of Jacob and therefore this can be no Objection of any moment in this case Obj. XV. It is pretended that Moses cou'd not write those words Gen. 20.7 Now therefore restore the man his wife for he is a Prophet It is pretended that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render a Prophet was not used in the Time of Moses and that therefore Moses cou'd not write those words but a later Writer And this they attempt to prove from 1 Sam. 9.9 where 't is said 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 To which I answer 1. That if this be any Objection against Moses then may we with as good Reason object this where-ever we find the word we here render Prophet in the Pentateuch We find this word in several places and shall we therefore conclude that Moses wrote none of those places If it has any force here it has the same every-where else And yet Mr. Hobbs allows that Moses did write the Book of Deuteronomy from chap. XI to the end of chap. XXVII and yet in that part of Deuteronomy we find this word which we render Prophet several times E. g. If there arise among you a Prophet c. And thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet Deut. 13.1 3. Again The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet c. I will raise them a Prophet And the Prophet which shall presume c. And when a Prophet speaketh in the Name of the Lord Deut. 18.15 18 20 22. Besides the word is used elsewhere as Exod. 7.1 Numb 12.6 and chap. 11.29 and Deut. 34.10 Will any believe this word was not used in the time of Moses or that if he wrote these places yet he wrote Seer and the word Prophet was added by a later Hand 2. Some of these words are quoted in the New Testament and there the word
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
prejudic'd with false Notions addicted to some foolish Opinions or blinded with some naughty and vicious Inclinâ—â—sion And to such a Reader many Things seem obscure But still the Reader is blameable not the Book He is in this Case like the blind Woman in Seneca who cou'd not be perswaded but that the House was dark when her Eyes were blinded There are some obscure passages in Holy Writ but these Holy Books are not therefore to be discharg'd from being the Writing of those persons whose Names they bear There are very many things exceeding plain to the Reader and many things that are not so are yet very excellent and to be reputed so by a modest Reader When Socrates had read a Book written by Heraclitus and was ask'd how he lik'd the Book he answer'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Those things in it says he which I understood are excellent and so I presume are the things which I did not understand This modesty becomes us well in reading the Holy Scriptures Where every carefull Reader will not fail to meet with a great many very excellent things which he will easily understand he ought to presume so of those things which he does not comprehend Obj. XXI I find it objected also that there is a different Style in the several parts of the Pentateuch and that therefore 't was not writ by Moses but by several Hands I answer 1. That if this were true it must be allow'd to be a very material Objection and though it wou'd not be altogether concluding yet it wou'd have more weight than all that hath been said before 2. But 't is so far from being true that the Objector does impose upon the more ignorant Reader in this matter For which matter I do appeal to all those that understand the Biblical Hebrew and that have been most conversant in it The Objector ought to have offer'd some proofs of this at least to have told us where any such diversity of Style appears and till he does that he cannot expect any other answer I do grant that in other Books written by several Hands this diversity of Style does manifestly appear The Prophet Isaiah writes in a style that is lofty and sublime Jeremiah on the other hand in a style that is more vulgar and popular Some other parts are written in a style that is concise and elliptical some in a style more ample and copious And as they were written by several Hands so there is that variety in style that wou'd induce the Reader to this belief But I do solemnly averr That there is no such variety in the style of the Pentateuch that gives any colour to such a belief 'T is true that the Songs in Moses are somewhat different from the style of his Prose and some few expressions may be allow'd to be more elliptical and concise but all this still is not such a difference as can inferr him not to be the Writer and are such Things as must be allow'd elsewhere in one and the same Writer and Book Obj. XXII The last Objection and the most common of all is That Moses cou'd not write what we read Deut. 34. The account of his Death and Burial and his Character This therefore must be allow'd to be written by another Hand I answer 1. That it is absurd to say that he cou'd not when 't is remembred that he was not onely a Prophet but the greatest of Prophets There are less Prophets than Moses that tell us many Things that came not to pass till after their own Death And therefore if I shou'd affirm that he wrote this by way of Prophecy as I shou'd not be alone in affirming it but shou'd have good Authority from Antiquity on my side so I am sure I cannot be confuted by any of those who have abdicated Moses Philo the Jew de vit Mos l. 3. tells us that Moses before his Death did fore-tell what Things shou'd happen to the several Tribes Some of which things says he are already come to pass some of them are expected But then he adds That Moses being just going to Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. being as yet living and divinely inspired did distinctly fore-tell those things which related to his own Death and Burial 2. As to this matter every Man may believe as he sees cause I am very little concern'd about it if he wrote the Pentateuch to this Deut. 34. where we have the account of his Death c. I am satisfied Let what follows be written by another whether Joshua or the High-priest or some other authorized Person this will do the Objectors little service as to the main purpose and me no harm at all He that believes St. Paul wrote the Epistles that go under his Name believes enough as to that matter though he shou'd at the same time believe the Post-scripts at the close of those Epistles were written by another Hand Again he that believes the Book of Psalms an inspir'd Book and written by those Persons whose Names they bear believes enough tho' at the same time he might believe that the words Psal 72.20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended were written by another Hand to intimate that there ended one of the Books for the Jews made a Pentateuch of the Book of Psalms and in the following Psalm another Book begins But after all I do not see why what I said before under the first Head shou'd be receiv'd with such laughter and scorn as I find it is And though I think the Cause will not suffer by this Concession yet I do not quit my first Answer And thus I have consider'd the Pretences against Moses I have represented Them with all the advantage on my Adversaries side that I possibly cou'd and have endeavour'd to render their Arguments as pungent and strong as I cou'd and have sometimes found it a greater difficulty to sharpen them and make them appear like Arguments than it was to Answer them I find Moses hath a good Title to the Author of these Books A Title that a good Man esteems more valuable than Crowns and Scepters and that hath preserv'd the Name of Moses and made it Renowned Some few People have attempted to deprive him of this Honour I find nothing of any moment in the above-named Pretences and therefore must own him to be the Author of them still THE First Book of Moses CALLED GENESIS THE General Argument OF THE First Book of MOSES CALLED GENESIS THE Jews call the several Books of Moses which follow by Names that are taken from the first Hebrew word or words with which those Books begin Hence it is that this Book is by them commonly called Bereshith which signifies in the beginning that being the first word with which this Book begins But the Names by which they are known among Christians are taken from the Subject-matter contained in them Hence it is that this first
names of other Gods 14. Three times Deut. 16.16 15. Thou shalt c. Ch. 13.3 and 34.18 And none c. Deut. 16.16 Ecclus 35.4 Empty i. e. Without some Gift or Oblation Deut. 15.13 14. 16. Feast of harvest When they offered two Loaves of First-fruits Lev. 23.17 called The Feast of Weeks Exod 34.22 because it was seven weeks from the foregoing Feast Levit. 23.15 This was the Feast of Pentecost Act. 2.1 At this time the Law was given See Notes on ch 19.1 The feast of in gathering Called also The feast of Tabernacles Lev. 23.34 Deut. 16.13 17. Three times Viz. at the times last mentioned Before the LORD i. e. at the place where God appointed and where the Tabernacle and after that the Temple was 18. Of my sacrifice i. e. Of the Passover as the Chaldee hath it and as appears evidently from ch 34.25 With leavened bread i. e. Having leavened Bread in thy possession My sacrifice Or Feast Remain viz. Unburnt 19. The first-fruits Ch. 34.26 Thou shalt not seeth a kid c. Deut. 14.21 This the Jews understand as forbidding the eating of Flesh and Milk together And besides the shew of Cruelty in doing so Deut. 22.6 7. and Philo Jud. de Charitate it is supposed this was forbid the Israelites because it was a Rite used by Idolaters See Mor. Nevoch p. 3. c. 48. 20. Behold Ch. 33.2 An Angel i. e. Christ called so Mal. 3.1 He was tempted in the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10.9 Heb. 3.9 Maimon confesses that these words are explained by those Deut. 18.18 which words do manifestly belong to the Messias See the Notes on Deut. 18.15 More Nevoch p. 2. c. 34. 21. Not pardon your transgressions i. e. Your contumacious sins Vid. Josh 24.19 My name is in him Joh. 10.38 The Name of God signifies his Essence Exod. 3.13 And sometimes his Word says Maimon More Nevoch p. 1. c. 64. and is applicable to the Messiah in both these Senses 22. An adversary unto thine adversaries Or I will afflict them that afflict thee 23. For c. Ch. 33.2 Bring thee Josh 24.11 24. But thou shalt Deut. 7.25 26. There shall nothing Deut. 7.14 27. Backs Heb. Neck 28. I will send hornets Josh 2â—â— These words may well be understood literally See Exod 8.21 31. Sea of the Philistines i. e. The Mediterranean upon which their Country lay Desart Of Shur Exod. 15.22 Gen. 16.7 River i. e. Euphrates as the Greek have it 32. Thou shalt Ch. 34.15 Deut. 7.2 33. It will surely c. Deut. 7.16 Josh 23.13 Judg. 2.3 CHAP. XXIV The ARGUMENT Moses is called up into the Mountain The People promise Obedience Moses builds an Altar and twelve Pillars The young Men offer Sacrifices He enters the People into Covenant with God God manifests himself Moses continues in the Mount forty Days and forty Nights 1. AND he said unto Moses Come up unto the LORD thou and Aaron Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel and worship ye afar off 2. And Moses alone shall come near the LORD but they shall not come nigh neither shall the people go up with him 3. And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments and all the people answered with one voice and said All the words which the LORD hath said will we do 4. And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD and rose up early in the morning and builded an altar under the hill and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel 5. And he sent young men of the children of Israel which offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed peace-offerings of oxen unto the LORD 6. And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basons and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar 7. And he took the book of the covenant and read in the audience of the people and they said All that the LORD hath said will we do and be obedient 8. And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said Behold the blood of the covenant which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words 9. Then went up Moses and Aaron Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel 10. And they saw the God of Israel and there was under his feet as it were a paved-work of a saphire-stone and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness 11. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand also they saw God and did eat and drink 12. And the LORD said unto Moses Come up to me into the mount and be there and I will give thee tables of stone and a law and commandments which I have written that thou mayest teach them 13. And Moses rose up and his minister Joshua And Moses went up into the mount of God 14. And he said unto the elders Tarry ye here for us until we come again unto you and behold Aaron and Hur are with you if any man have any matters to do let him come unto them 15. And Moses went up into the mount and a cloud covered the mount 16. And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai and the cloud covered it six days and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud 17. And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like deuouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel 18. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud and got him up into the mount and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights 1. COme up i. e. After thou hast propounded my Laws to the People and sprinkled the Blood c. to v. 9. God's Seventy of the elders Who will be good Witnesses of glorious appearance This number was afterward ordained by God and taken into the Government Num. 11.16 17. 2. Near the LORD i. e. Into the midst of the Cloud v. 18. The top of the Mount where was a glorious appearance and sign of God's more special presence v. 16 17. But they shall not come nigh i. e. Aaron Nadab and Abihu and the seventy Elders though they went up into the Mount shall not pass into the midst of the Cloud nor go up to the top or the Mount as Moses did Neither shall the people go up The Elders were allowed to go up some part of the Mount v. 1. Moses might onely come near the People are to stay at the bottom of the Mount 3. All the words of the LORD and all the judgments i. e. The Ten Commandments ch 20. which are called The words which God spake Exod. 20.1 And again the ten Words ch 38.28 and the Judicial Laws contained in the three foregoing Chapters which are called Judgments ch 21.1 All the words Ch. 19.8 verse 7. Deut. 5.27 4. An altar On God's part who is the principal party in this Covenant Twelve pillars On the People's behalf 5. Young men
1. THou shalt not sacrifice unto the LORD thy God any bullock or sheep wherein is blemish or any evil-favouredness for that is an abomination unto the LORD thy God 2. If there be found among you within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee man or woman that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God in transgressing his covenant 3. And hath gone and served other gods and worshipped them either the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven which I have not commanded 4. And it be told thee and thou hast heard of it and enquired diligently and behold it be true and the thing certain that such abomination is wrought in Israel 5. Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman which have committed that wicked thing unto thy gates even that man or that woman and shalt stone them with stones till they die 6. At the mouth of two witnesses or three witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death 7. The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death and afterward the hands of all the people so thou shalt put the evil away from among you 8. If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment between blood and blood between plea and plea and between stroke and stroke being matters of controversie within thy gates then shalt thou arise and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose 9. And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites and unto the judge that shall be in those days and enquire and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment 10. And thou shalt do according to the sentence which they of that place which the LORD shall choose shall shew thee and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee 11. According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee thou shalt do thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee to the right hand nor to the left 12. And the man that will do presumptuously and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God or unto the judge even that man shall die and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel 13. And all the people shall hear and fear and do no more presumptuously 14. When â—hou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee and shalt possess it and shalt dwell therein and shalt say I will set a king over me like as all the nations that are about me 15. Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee whom the LORD thy God shall choose one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee thou mayest not set a stranger over thee which is not thy brother 16. But he shall not multiply horses to himself nor cause the people to return to Egypt to the end that he should multiply horses forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you Ye shall henceforth return no more that way 17. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself that his heart turn not away neither shall be greatly multiply to himself silver and gold 18. And it shall be when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites 19. And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the LORD his God to keep all the words of this law and these statutes to do them 20. That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he turn not aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom he and his children in the midst of Israel 1. WHerein is blemish Of which see Levit. 22.20 with the Note on the 22th verse 2. In transgressing his covenant It is evident from v. 3. that Idolatry is the Wickedness supposed here to be wrought and is called The transgressing the covenant of the Lord and the Idolater may be said to transgress the Covenant of the Lord as he breaks his Faith given to God and renounceth his Authority and Service at once 3. Which I have not commanded That is which I have forbid It is usual that such negative Expressions as this in the Scripture Phrase should imply more than the bare words amount to and they do sometimes imply the contrary â— Cor. 10.5 Jer. 7.31 Prov. 10.2 6. At the mouth of two witnesses These must be Competent and Credible and must be therefore neither Children nor Fools nor Men of ill fame nor Mad-men but such as are capable of taking an Oath and such as cannot justly be suspected not to fear it 7. The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him This is very reasonable in itself and serves to convince the People of the truth of their Evidence and was also a great restraint upon the Witnesses themselves who if they bore false witness would also be obliged to shed innocent Blood The hands of all the people In a matter of this nature all the People were obliged to testifie their detestation of Idolatry and their readiness to root it out 8. If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment These words belong to the Inferior and Subordinate Magistrates in their Cities They are supposed here to be at a loss in some difficult cases viz. such as follow Between blood and blood That is in the case of Murther whether it were voluntary or accidental Betweeen plea and plea That is in Causes depending between the Plaintiff and Defendant Between stroke and stroke That is in the case of Wounds inflicted by one Man upon another Exod. 21.20 22. 9. The priests the Levites That is the Priests of the Levitical Race as the Vulgar renders it who made a considerable part of the Sanhedrin or great Council of the Nation And unto the judge Or to wit unto the judge The Hebrew Particle which we render and is sometimes onely to be understood exegetically as in 1 Sam. 28.3 Zech. 9.9 2 Sam. 2.15 And the Greek Particle which answers to it and is here used by the LXXII is used in this sense in the New Testament Rom. 15.6 1 Cor. 2.10 Col. 1.3 1 Thess 1.3 The judge i. e. The Sanhedrin which tho' it consisted of many persons was yet the sole Judge of these doubtfull cases and yet with respect to the Members thereof is expressed by Judges Deut. 19.17 18. 10. Thou shalt do c. These words are directed to the Inferior Magistrates who are obliged to put in execution what the Sanhedrin determines and the parties concerned were obliged to