the whole number of Males descended from Kohath compare this with III. 28. there was a fourth part and better that were fit for Service Ver. 37. These were they that were numbred of the Families of the Kohathites all that might do Service in the Tabernacle Such Service as is particularly mentioned from v. 4. to v. 16. Verse 37 Ver. 38. And these are they that were numbred of the Verse 38 Sons of Gershon c. He proceeds in the same order to number them which he observed in giving them their Charge beginning with the Children of the second Son of Levi and then going back to the eldest Ver. 39. From thirty years old and upward c. Verse 39 This Verse is the very same with 35. Ver. 40. Two thousand and six hundred and thirty Verse 40 A third part and little more of their Males were fit for Service Compare this with III. 22. Ver. 41. These are they that were numbred of the Families Verse 41 of the Sons of Gershon of all that might do Service in the Tabernacle c. Such Service as is described from v. 24. to v. 29. Ver. 42 43. These two Verses are the same with Verse 42. 43. v. 38 39. Ver. 44. Even those that were numbred of them after Verse 44 their Families were three thousand and two hundred It is very remarkable the Descendants from the youngest Son of Levi III. 17. which had the fewest Males in it of a Month old and upward had the most robust Men fit for Service For here are above half compare this with III. 34. of the whole number of Males grown up to Thirty Years of Age. Which was a singular Providence the heaviest Burden lying upon them who were to carry the Boards c. of the Tabernacle Not indeed upon their shoulders but in Waggons which they were to load after they had taken them down and unload when they were to set them up again and for that reason had more Waggons allowed them than their Brethren the Gershonites VII 7 8. Verse 45 Ver. 45. These are those c. whom Moses and Aaron numbred Who were principally employed in this business According to the Word of the LORD by the hand of Moses To whom the Command is expresly directed v. 21. Verse 46 Ver. 46. All those that were numbred of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron and the Chief of Israel numbred For they took in others to their assistance v. 34. which is here repeated to show that there was no fraud in the business there being Witnesses of every Tribe that they proceeded impartially and did not favour the Levites who were their Brethren Verse 47 Ver. 47. Every one that came to do the Service of the Ministry and the Service of the Burden in the Tabernacle c. The first of these the Service of the Ministry one would think related to their serving the Priest when the Tabernacle was standing and the later the Service of the Burden to their carrying the Tabernacle when it was taken down and removed and so I expounded those words v. 24. But he mentioning here only those that were numbred from Thirty Years old I think upon further consideration that there is no regard in these Expressions to the Service they did to the Priests in the Tabernacle unto which they were admitted at Twenty five Years old See v. 3. but only to the Service mentioned here in this Chapter which relates altogether to the taking down and carrying the Tabernacle And therefore these must be lookt upon as two Phrases for the same thing the former of which is not exactly translated for there is nothing of Ministry in the Hebrew but the words are Every one that cometh to serve the Service of the Service and the Service of the Burden or Carriage For it is the same word which being joyned with work we translate servile XXIII Lev. 7. and other places Ver. 48. Eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore Verse 48 If the three Sums mentioned v. 36 40 44. be put together they amount exactly to this Sum in the whole Ver. 49. According to the Commandment of the Verse 49 LORD they were numbred by the hand of Moses By the assistance of Aaron and others v. I 34 46. Every one according to his Service and according to his Burden I observed before v. 47. that Service and Burden are two Expressions of the same thing For though the Sons of Kohath had the noblest part of the Work yet their Employment is called both a Service and a Burden v. 19. as that of the Gershonites is v. 24. For which Service all the Tithes of the Country of Canaan were given to them and continued to be theirs when this kind of Service ceased as it did when the Temple was built For then there were no Burdens to be carried on their shoulders as Josiah speaks 2 Chron. XXXV 3. but their Duty was changed even by David before the Building of the Temple who made them Singers and Keepers of the Treasury as well as Porters at the Gates of God's House and likewise Judges and other Officers in the Country as we read in 1 Chron. XXVI But the alteration in their Service made no alteration in the Wages allotted to them for they still enjoyed all the Tithes Thus were they numbred of him as the LORD commanded Moses This is so often repeated v. 37 41 45. that all Posterity might reverence these Ordinances as Divine Institutions and not merely Humane Appointments And so we are to look upon all these Laws as wise Orders made by the Soveraign of the World for the better Government of that People whom he had taken for his own peculiar And it argues a very profane Spirit in those as Conr. Pellicanus here observes who can admire and praise Ovid de Fastis and such like Books and have no regard at all if they do not ridicule them to these Sacred Writings which are of such venerable Antiquity CHAP. V. Chapter V Verse 1 Ver. 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying It is not said when this was spoken which here follows but it 's likely immediately after the foregoing Commandments upon which it hath some dependance Verse 2 Ver. 2. Command the Children of Israel that they put out of the Camp every Leper and every one that hath an Issue and whosoever is defiled by the dead There were three Camps as Maimonides and a great many other mentioned by Mr. Selden observes L. II. de Synedr cap. I. n. 5. the Camp of the SCHECHINAH or of the LORD viz. the Sanctuary with its Courts which are called the Tents of the LORD 1 Chron. XXXI 2. And next the Camp of the Levites who with Aaron and his Sons made a Camp about the Tabernacle Chapter III. of this Book and then the Camp of Israel Chapter II. which incompassed them all Answerable to these when the Temple was built they reckoned the Temple it self from the East-Gate to be the Camp of
Words and Actions as Mr. Selden observes Lib. III. de Synedr Cap. XIII n. 1. and Cap. XV. n. 3. And so among the Latins the word inchoare when applied to Sacred things signifies to perfect or consummate as Servius observes upon the VI Aenead And both Civil and Sacred Initiations were accompanied with great Joy and Gladness But this is not to be understood as if the Dedication of the Altar was the setting of it apart and sanctifying it for the Service of God which had been done before and VII days spent therein XXIX Exod. 27. VIII Lev. 11. but as the word properly signifies the beginning to use it after it had been so sanctified In the day that it was anointed At the time that it was set apart and all other things ordered for the Safe-guard of the Tabernacle See v. 1. Even the Princes offered their Offering Presented their Gifts as the LXX translate it which they desired God would accept upon this great occasion Before the Altar At the Door of the Tabernacle near unto which the Altar stood XL Exod. 6. for he speaks of the Altar of Burnt-offerings Verse 11 Ver. 11. And the LORD said unto Moses they shall offer their Offering Here again Rasi observes that Moses would not receive their Offering till he knew the Mind of God Who directed in what manner and order their Gifts should be offered to him Each Prince on his day for the dedication of the Altar This made the Dedication a very long Solemnity which continued twelve days When these XII days began it is not easie to determine but it seems to me a very reasonable Computation which Fortunatus Scacchus hath made of this whole business Myrothec Sacr. Elaeochrism Lib. 2. Cap. LXXIV Where he supposes that the Tabernacle being erected the first Day of the first Month of the second Year after they came out of Egypt seven days were spent in the Consecration of it and of the Altar c. And on the eighth day Moses began to consecrate Aaron and his Sons which lasted VII days longer Then the fifteenth day of that Month was the first day of Unleavened Bread Which God commanded as we read here Chap. IX to be observed in the first Month and lasted till the Two and twentieth The rest of the Month we may well suppose was spent in giving receiving and delivering the Laws mentioned in the Book of Leviticus After which on the first day of the second Month he began to number the People according to the Command in the beginning of this Book Which may be supposed to have lasted three days And then on the fourth the Levites were numbred On the next day we may suppose they were offered to God and given unto the Priests on the sixth Day they were expiated and consecrated as we read in the next Chapter And on the seventh Day their several Charges were parted among them of which we read Chapter IV. After which the Princes he supposes began to offer upon the eighth Day of the second Month for the Dedication of the Altar which lasted till the nineteenth Day inclusively and on the twentieth Day of this Month they removed as we read X. 11 12. from Sinai to the Wilderness of Paran Ver. 12. And he that offered his Offering the first Verse 12 day By God's order no doubt Was Nahshon the Son of Amminadab of the Tribe of Judah He held the principal place among the Israelites being the NASI the Prince or Captain as we translate it II Numb 3. of the Children of Judah who had the first Standard And yet he alone of all the Twelve great Men here mentioned is not called NASI Prince of Judah as all the rest are called Princes of their Tribe v. 18 24 30 c. but simply Nahshon of the Tribe of Judah The Jews give several reasons of it but perhaps it was because he offered first which was honour enough and there needed no more to be said of him Ver. 13. And his Offering was one silver Charger Verse 13 the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty Shekels and one silver Bowl c. It appears by the Metal that this Charger and Bowl were of that they were for the use of the Altar of Burnt-offerings in the outward Court for all the Vessels of the Sanctuary were of Gold And I take this Charger or broad Dish or Platter to have been offered for receiving the Flesh which was offered at the Altar or the fine Flour for the Meat-offerings And the Bowl received the Blood or was used for pouring out Wine Both of them were full of fine Flour mingled with Oyl for a Meat-offering Which was to attend upon the Burnt-offering and the Peace-offering mentioned v. 15 17. See IV. 7. where I observed it was not difficult to procure this fine Flour in the Wilderness Verse 14 Ver. 14. One Spoon of ten Shekels of Gold full of Incense Both the Metal of which it was made and that which was in it shows this Spoon was for the use of the Golden Altar in the Sanctuary Which may incline one to think that both Altars were now dedicated that is first began to be used for the Service of the whole Congregation See v. 88. Verse 15 Ver. 15. One young Bullock one Ram one Lamb of the first Year There are so many Sacrifices mentioned here and in the two following Verses no less than XXI in all that together with the silver and gold Plate they look like too great a Present to be made out of one Man's private estate And therefore some have thought that the rest of the great Men of the Tribe of Judah joyned with Nahshon in their Contributions towards it and that it was offered in his own and their Names For a Burnt-offering This is first mentioned as being the most ancient sort of Sacrifice long before we read of any other and being an Acknowledgment of God's Soveraign Dominion over all Verse 16 Ver. 16. One Kid of the Goats for a Sin-offering This in all likelyhood was first offered though the other be first mentioned For in the next Chapter we find the Burnt-offering enjoyned in the first place but the Sin-offering offered before it VIII 8 12. The like I observed before VI. 16. See there Ver. 17. And for a Sacrifice of Peace-offerings two Oxen five Rams five He-goats five Lambs of the first year These Sacrifices were more numerous than the Burnt-offering or the Sin-offering because the Verse 17 Priests and the Princes and as many of the People as they invited had their share of them and feasted before the LORD upon them with great rejoycing Which Custom as Mr. Selden observes flowed from hence to the Gentiles who dedicated their Altars and Temples and Statues c. with much ceremony and the ancient Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with more sumptuous Sacrifices See L. III. de Synedriis cap. 14. num 111. Where he also shows how they were dedicated among the Romans with Plays
thou redeem See XIII Exod. 13. XXXIV 20. Verse 16 Ver. 16. And those that are to be redeemed Viz. Of the First-born of Men mentioned before not of unclean Creatures which were to be redeemed by a Lamb XIII Exod. 13. and that after they were eight Days old XXII Exod. 30. From a Month old shalt thou redeem Then the Money was due but they commonly staid till the fortieth Day when the Woman was purified According to thy estimation Some think this relates not to what follows that the Priest should set a value upon them for that was a set rate five Shekels for every one but to what goes before that after a Child was a Month old the Priest should appoint a day for the payment of the Redemption-money either immediately after the Women had lain in a Month or on the fortieth Day that she might be Purified and the Child redeemed both together But it rather refers to what follows for though the price be determined yet so it is in another case XXVII Lev. 3 4. and notwithstanding is said to be by the estimation of the Priest because he was to take this Money not according to the quality of the Person but as much of a poor Man as of a rich and not more of a rich Man than of a poor For the Money of five Shekels c. Which was the price set upon the First-born when they were exchanged for the Levites III. 46 47. This Redemption of every First-born was a matter of great Importance and therefore so often mentioned as a very learned Friend of mine Dr. Alix observes in his Reflections on the four last Books of Moses Chap. 3. For as the Separation of the Tribe of Levi to God's Service instead of the First-born whom God spared and preserved in Egypt of which we read in the third Chapter of this Book made every Levite become a living Memorial of that great Miracle wrought at the Israelites going out of Egypt so this Law concerning the Redemption of the First-born made a further impression upon their Minds of that mighty Hand of God which compelled Pharaoh to let the Isaelites depart out of his Country Ver. 17. But the firstling of a Cow or of a Sheep or Verse 17 a Goat thou shalt not redeem For they were clean Creatures and only unclean Beasts were to be Redeemed v. 15. They are holy Separated by my appointment for an holy use viz. to be offered in Sacrifice not redeemed or put to any other use Thou shalt sprinkle their Blood upon the Altar and burn their fat c. Just as they did with their Peace-offerings VII Lev. 31 33. Ver. 18. And the flesh of them shall be thine The Verse 18 whole Body of the Beasts not merely some part of them after the Fat was burnt became the Priests intirely As the Wave-breast and the Heave-right-shoulder are thine As these parts of the Peace-offerings were the Priests See v. 11. so that all their Family who were clean might eat of the Flesh of these Firstlings as they did of those parts of the Peace-offerings Verse 19 Ver. 19. All the Heave-offerings of the holy things which the Children of Israel offer unto the LORD He repeats what he had said in the beginning of this Discourse v. 8. that he had given him all the Heave-offerings which comprehend those mentioned VI. 19 20. Have I given thee and thy Sons and thy Daughters with thee by a Statute for ever Settled upon the Priests and their whole Family for their Support by an unalterable Law See v. 11. It is a Covenant of Salt for ever before the LORD unto thee c. i. e. An everlasting Covenant never to be revoked See upon II Lev. 13. And these things being to be eaten before the LORD there was a place in the Court of the Women where they feasted upon them as L'Empereur observes upon Middoth cap. 2. sect 6. Verse 20 Ver. 20. And the LORD spake unto Aaron saying See v. 1. Thou shalt have no Inheritance in their Land i. e. In the Land of the Children of Israel whom he speaks of in the foregoing verse Where having told him what reward he and his Family should have for his Service he bids them be satisfied therewith and not expect any more And indeed it was so very liberal a Provision that their desires could not reasonably extend any further For as they had two sorts of First-fruits as I observed v. 12. so after a Tythe of that which was given to the Levites there was another Tythe of what remained to be spent in sacrificing at Jerusalem that is for the most part upon the Priests and Levites unto whom and unto the Poor it wholly belonged every third Year XIV Deut. 22 28. XXIII Exod. 19. XXXIV 20. Add hereunto the First-born all the Sin-offerings and their share in the Peace-offerings and the Skins of the Sacrifices which alone as Philo observes was a great Revenue and it will appear it could not be so little as a fifth part of the Fruit of the Country that came to the Priests for their Maintenance as Mr. Thorndike observes in the Rights of the Church in a Christian State p. 211. Neither shalt thou have any part among them When the Land was divided no fields or Vine-yards c. were to be given to the Priests or to any of the Tribe of Levi. And as the Jewish Doctors say they were to have no part among their Brethren in the Spoil So Jarchi upon this place and Maimonides and others who indeavour to answer the Objection which may be raised against this from the XXXIst Chapter of this very Book v. 28 29. Where a Tribute was taken of the Prey they got from the Midianites and given to Eleazar and the Levites This Tribute say they was offered because the Spoil came by executing God's Vengeance upon a Land that was not theirs XXV 17. But of the Land of Sihon and Og which God bestowed upon them as he did the Land of Canaan nothing was given to the Priests and Levites for they were admonished to the contrary as they understand them by these words Neither shalt thou have any part among them no not of the Spoil Certain it is that of the Land of the Country they were to have no part God having otherwise provided for them that they might attend wholly to his Service and not spend their time in Tilling the Ground or feeding Cattle which would have taken up their Thoughts very much from their Sacred Employment Yet the Levites had certain Cities and their Suburbs assigned to them XXXV 2 c. which was executed by Joshua as God commanded XXI Josh 2 3. whereby they were dispersed among the Tribes of Israel that they might the better instruct the People in the Divine Law XXXIII Deut. 10. 2. Chron. XXX 22. II Malachi 4 5 c. By accident also the Priests came to have some Land See XXVII Lev. 20 c. and my Notes there I
in Egypt See this there explained And she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam their Sister Who seems to have been born before Moses if not before Aaron II Exod. 4. Ver. 60. And unto Aaron was born Nadab and Abihu Eleazar and Ithamar VI Exod. 23. where he tells the name of their Mother Ver. 61. And Nadab and Abihu died when they offered Verse 60 strange Fire before the LORD See X Lev. 2. Verse 61 and the third Chapter of this Book v. 4. But Eleazar who was the eldest next to them was now alive and made High-Priest and it is likely Ithamar also being under Twenty years old when the People murmured upon the Report of the Spies and so not cut off with that wicked Generation XVI 29. All this is here recounted to show that the Tribe of Levi was preserved by the blessing of God as well as the rest of the Israelites though they were to have no Inheritance in the Land of Canaan Ver. 62. And those that were numbred of them were Verse 62 twenty and three thousand c. So they were a thousand more than at the last numbring III. 39. For they were not numbred among the Children of Israel But by themselves for the reason following Because there was no Inheritance given them among the Children of Israel For God was their Inheritance as he told them XVIII 20 c. And therefore they were ordered not to be numbred Thirty eight years ago no more than now I Numb 49 c. The Jews are something curious in their Observations upon these words among or in the midst of the Children of Israel from whence they conclude that the Levites might have Lands out of the Bounds of the Land of Canaan though not within it among their Brethren Ver. 63. These are they that were numbred by Moseâ— Verse 63 and Eleazar the Priest who numbred the Children of Israel in the plains of Moab c. By a special command of God v. 1 2 c. Ver. 64. But among these there was not a Man of them whom Moses and Aaron the Priest numbred when they numbred the Children of Israel in the Wilderness of Verse 64 Sinai See the first Chapter of this Book v. 1 2 c. so exactly were God's Threatnings fulfilled as well as his Promises Chapter XXVII Verse 65 Ver. 65. For the LORD had said of them they shall surely die in the Wilderness He had pronounced this irreversible Sentence upon the whole Congregation XIV 23 28 29. where he swears they should not enter into the Land of Canaan because they had brought or entertained an evil report of it See also II Deut. 14 15. And there was not left a Man of them save Caleb the Son of Jephunneh and Joshua the Son of Nun. Whom God promised to spare because they were of another Spirit XV. 24 30 38. And their survival was as remarkable an instance of the truth of God's word as the Death of all the rest CHAP. XXVII Verse 1 Ver. 1. THEN came the Daughters of Zelophehad the Son of Hepher c. Who are mentioned before XXVI 33. just as they are here only their Genealogy is here more fully set out that their Father was the Grandson of Manasseh the Son of Joseph from whom he was lineally descended but left no Sons behind him Now these young Women hearing Moses say as he doth in the foregoing Chapter that the LORD commanded the Land of Canaan should be divided among those that were now numbred and observing that only Males from Twenty years old were numbred v. 2. presently apprehended that they being Females were excluded from having any Inheritance among the Israelites and so the Family of the Hepherites XXVI 32. would be extinguished This was the ground of what follows Whereby it appears that every body was immediately acquainted with the Laws which Moses received from God and that there was a faithful Register kept of every one that was born in every Family and Tribe to prevent all Disputes about the true Heirs to Mens Estates Ver. 2. And they stood before Moses c. To represent Verse 2 before him and the rest of the Judges who were now assembled the Case which I have mentioned Before Moses and Eleazar the Priest and before the Princes and all the Congregation These made up the greatest Court of Judicature that at any time sate For by Princes are meant either the Heads of the Tribes or the highest of the Judges appointed XVIII Exod. called the Heads of the People v. 25. And by all the Congregation is meant the LXX Elders mentioned in this Book XI 24. For they are called col ha edah the whole Congregation and sometimes only Edah the Congregation as R. Solomon observes See Bertram de Republ. Jud. p. 72. Now at the Head of all these sat Moses and next to him Eleazar the Priest By the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Near to which this august Assembly it is likely was wont to sit when they met together that Moses might presently if there were occasion go and consult with God himself in any difficult matter that came before them And thus Mr. Selden observes out of Maimonides that in future times the great Sanhedrim followed the Tabernacle sitting sometimes in one place sometimes in another according as that was settled As after they came to Canaan it was first at Shiloh then at Mizpeh and afterwards at Gilgal Nob Gibeon the House of Obed-Edom till at last it was fixed in Jerusalem Lib. II. de Synedr cap. 15. n. 4. As concerning that which the Talmudists say concerning the proceedings in this case of Zelophehad's Daughters nothing certain can be determined But they give this account of it That they first brought this Cause into the Courts appointed by the advice of Jethro XVIII Exod. 21. and began with the Rulers of ten who knowing not what to say to them they went to those of fifty and from thence to the Centurions and at last to the Chiliarchs None of which durst adventure to give Judgment but referred the Cause by reason of its difficulty to Moses who brought it to the SCHECHINAH as they speak i. e. to the Divine Majesty Seld. ib. cap. 16. n. 1. Verse 3 Ver. 3. Saying Our Father died in the Wilderness Among the rest mentioned v. 64 65. of the foregoing Chapter They seem to have drawn up their Cause in the form of a Petition or as Mr. Selden speaks in the Legal Phrase presented a Libel to the Court containing the intire matter of their Petition and that artificially enough And he was not one of them that gathered themselves together against the LORD in the Company of Korah They use the very words of Moses concerning that rebellious Company XVI 11. And instance in this Sin rather than any other either to show that their Father had a due regard to the Authority of Moses who they hoped therefore would be the more favourable to his Posterity or
observes in the place before-mentioned Who in the next Chapter cap. XIII gives an example drawn up by Maimonides of such a Succession out of the holy Scriptures Amram had two Sons Aaron and Moses as we read VI Exod. 20. If they had both died without Issue Miriam their Sister had inherited And if she had died in like manner the Inheritance of the Family would have reverted to Kohath the Father of Amram Or he being dead to his three Sons the Brethren of Amram viz. Izhar Hebron and Vzziel as the Heirs of Kohath And there would have been no consideration of Primogeniture both because none of them was the First-born and because the Inheritance was not in the Possession of their Father at the time of his Death c. And it shall be unto the Children of Israel a Statute of judgment c. A Law whereby to determine such Matters in future times and to be observed inviolably So that no Father should have power to make any other Settlement but if either by Word or Writing he declared his will to be that his Son should not inherit his Act was null and void As the Jewish Lawyers resolve from these very words a Statute or Decree of Judgment i. e. as I said a Rule whereby to Judge of Succession into Inheritances If therefore a Man made a Will wherein he declared his Daughter or Brethren c. should not inherit in case he had no Son it was void because contrary to this Law See Selden de Successionibus cap. 24. Ver. 12. And the LORD said unto Moses get thee up into this Mountain Abarim Either these words were spoken after all that follows here and in the Verse 12 Book of Deuteronomy or they were repeated again when he had repeated his Laws and inforced them by many excellent Discourses and taught them that famous Song XXXII Deut. where in the conclusion of it v. 49. it is said that very day he bad him go up this Mount Abarim And there we learn also that Abarim was a long Tract of Mountains one of which was called Nebo and the very top of it called Pisgah See XXXIV Deut. 1. And see the Land which I have given to the Children of Israel Take a full view of it as he did from that high neighbouring Mountain III Deut. 17. XXXIV 1 2 3 4. Verse 13 Ver. 13. And when thou hast seen it thou also shalt be gathered unto thy People as Aaron thy Brother was gathered Upon Mount Hor as we read in this Book XX. 23 24. Verse 14 Ver. 14. For ye rebelled against my Commandment in the Desert of Zin c. See Chap. XX. 1 12 24. where all this verse is explained Verse 15 Ver. 15. And Moses spake unto the LORD saying He did not speak those words which follow immediately after God bad him go up Mount Abarim and die but first desired he might be permitted to go over Jordan c. III Deut. 24 25 26. Unless we can think that he made the Prayer there mentioned as soon as the Sentence was passed upon him at the Waters of Meribah which doth not seem so likely Verse 16 Ver. 16. Let the LORD the God of the Spirits of all Flesh c. As soon as he found that God was resolved he should not conduct the People into Canaan he was concerned for nothing but for a fitting Person to take that Charge upon him For he had a most generous publick Spirit wholly intent upon the good of this People The God of the Spirits of all Flesh Who hast not only made the Souls of all Men but knowest their Dispositions See XVI 22. and understandest who are fit for this weighty Employment Set a Man over the Congregation To be chief Ruler and Governour of the People in my place Ver. 17. Which may go out before them and which Verse 17 may come in Before them and which may lead them out and which may bring them in If the latter part of these words be not a mere repetition of the former as is usual then the one relates to their Conduct in War and the other to the management of all their Civil Affairs And both of them seem to be a Metaphor from Shepherds watching over their Flocks That the Congregation of the LORD be not as Sheep which have no Shepherd Having none to govern and take care of them This is a description of the most miserable condition a People can be in and became a Proverb among the Hebrews 1 Kings 22.17 X Zachariah 2. XIII 7. IX Matth. 36. Ver. 18. And the LORD said unto Moses take thee Verse 18 Joshua the Son of Nun. Who had been a long time Servant unto Moses and attended upon his Person XXIV Exod. 13. well known to Moses and perfectly acquainted with his administration A Man in whom is the Spirit Of Courage and Prudence and the fear of God with all other Gifts necessary in an excellent Governour Among which Onkelos reckons the Spirit of Prophecy which is not unlikely And lay thine hand upon him Which was a Ceremony usual in Blessing XLVIII Gen. 14 c. and in setting Men apart and Consecrating them to an Office VIII 10. Upon which followed a more abundant measure of the Spirit as appears from XXXIV Deut. 9. Verse 19 Ver. 19. And set him before Eleazar the Priest and before all the Congregation Being all assembled for this purpose that all might acknowledge him for the designed Successor of Moses and be Witnesses of all that Moses commanded him And give him a charge in their sight He told him before them all what God expected from him and bad him not be afraid to execute it See XXXI Deut. 7 8. Where he sets down the words of this Charge unto which God presently after added one of his own v. 14 15 23. Verse 20 Ver. 20. And thou shalt put some of thy honour upon him Communicate some of thy Authority to him at present and not let him be any longer as thy Minister but as an associate in the Government The word we translate honour being glory in the Hebrew it made Onkelos and other Hebrew Doctors imagine these words have respect to that Splendor which shone in Moses his Face after he came down from the Mount Some of which they suppose was imparted unto Joshua to make him appear more venerable in the Eyes of the People And R. Menachem observes that it is not said impart thy glory but of thy glory to him From whence came that ancient saying the Face of Moses shone like the Sun but Joshua's only like the Moon This might have passed for Truth or at least that hereby was meant some great increase of illustrious Gifts of Mind which procured him such reverence as Moses had if it had been said that God put some of Moses his glory upon him whereas Moses is commanded to do it which makes the first sence most reasonable That all the Congregation of Israel may be obedient
A COMMENTARY UPON THE Fourth Book of MOSES CALLED NUMBERS BY The Right Reverend Father in GOD SYMON Lord Bishop of ELY LONDON Printed for Ri. Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard MDCXCIX A COMMENTARY UPON NUMBERS A COMMENTARY UPON THE Fourth Book of MOSES CALLED NUMBERS CHAP. I. Chapter I THIS Book is called by the Name of NVMBERS in our Language because it begins with an Account of the Numbering of the People in the beginning of the second Year after they came out of Egypt though it contain a great many things besides that particularly another Numbering of them Chapter XXVI towards the conclusion of their Travels in the Wilderness For this Book comprehends an History of about thirty eight Years though the most of the things related in it fell out in the first and in the last of these Years and it doth not appear when those things were done which we read of about the middle of the Book from the XVth to the XXth Chapter Verse 1 Verse 1. And the LORD spake unto Moses Who undertook nothing without order from God In the Wilderness of Sinai Where they had continued near a full Year as appears by comparing XIX Exod. 1. with this place and shortly after this removed from it X. 11. In the Tabernacle of the Congregation From whence the LORD delivered those Laws which we read in the foregoing Book See on I Lev. 1. and now seems to have admitted him into the Tabernacle whereas before he only spake to him out of it On the first day of the second Month in the second year after they were come out of the Land of Egypt All that is related in the foregoing Book seems to have passed in the first Month of the second Year after their coming out of Egypt In the beginning of which the Tabernacle was set up XL Exod. 2 17. and in the middle of it the Passover was kept as appears by this Book IX 1 2 c. Verse 2 Ver. 2. Take ye the sum There had been a Muster as we may call it of the People before the Tabernacle was erected XXX Exod. 12. and consequently some Months before this for it was in order to a Contribution which every one was to make towards that holy work XXXVIII Exod. 26. Whereas this was for the better disposing of their Camps about the Tabernacle now that it was set up and for their more regular march when they removed from Mount Sinai which they were to do shortly Of all the Congregation of the Children of Israel Who alone were numbred all except the Levites but none of the mixt Multitude that came with them out of Egypt XII Exod. 38. After their Families It appears by VII Joshua 16 17 c. that the several Tribes of Israel were divided into Families and those Families into Housholds and those Housholds had every one of them an Head or Chief who is called the Father of it There were LXX of these Families in all but some Tribes had more others fewer according to the number of Souls as they are called that is Persons who were in each when they went down into Egypt XLVI Gen. 27. By the House of their Fathers Every Family as I said being distributed into Houses which we now call Families these Houses were denominated from their Chief whom they called their Father For no Houses were denominated from the Mother as the Jews say With the number of their Names The Names of every Person in the several Houses were set down and registred that they might be the better known Every Male by their pole But no Women for the reason which follows Ver. 3. From twenty years old and upward Which Verse 3 was ever after this the Age when Men were thought fit for War All that are able to go forth to war in Israel One would think by this they were not to number very aged and decrepit People because they were no more able to go to war than Women and Children and those under twenty years old And if we may believe Josephus L. II. Antiq. cap. 9. after fifty Years old Men were not bound to pay the half Shekel which was due in such Musters and therefore we may reasonably think were excused from going to war unless they had a mind themselves Thou and Aaron Who had the highest Authority in the Nation Shall number them by their Armies This seems to import that in taking the account of them they distributed them into certain Troops or Companies out of which were formed Regiments as we now speak and greater regular Bodies which composed several Armies We do not read this was required in the former numbering XXX Exod. that being for another end as I now observed not for their more orderly march in their remove from Mount Sinai And here I cannot but take notice what a vast difference there was between this method and that rude way which Cecrops the first King of Attica after the Ogygian Flood which hapned about the time of Moses took to know the number of his People which the Greek Writers say was by requiring every one of them to bring a Stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and throw it down before them which he counting found them Twenty thousand So the Scholiast upon Pindar Od. IX and others in Meursius de Regibus Atheniens L. I. cap. 7. Verse 4 Ver. 4. And there shall be with you a Man of every Tribe Whom they were to take for their Assistants Every one Head of the House of his Fathers The LXX and the Vulgar understand this to signifie the principal Persons in each Tribe who were best acquainted with every Family and Houshold in that Tribe And so it is expounded v. 6. And many think these were the First-born in their Tribe But there is this Objection against it That Nahshan who is named for the Tribe of Judah v. 7. was not descended from the First-born of that Tribe For Pharez was not Judah's eldest Son Selah being before him who had Children as we find XXVI of this Book v. 20. Besides when the Princes of the Tribes rre reckoned again XXXIV of this Book in the last Year of their abode in the Wilderness none of them are derived from these Men here mentioned but from others And therefore these were the most eminent Men in the several Tribes upon a different account either for Wisdom or Valour or some other excellent quality Ver. 5. And these are the Names of the Men that shall Verse 5 stand Be Assistants With you i. e. With Moses and Aaron Of the Tribe of Reuben Elizur the Son of Shedeur There is little to be observed concerning these Tribes but that they are here placed not in the order of their Birth but of their Mothers who bare them First the Children of Leah who are all reckoned in the same order wherein they were born of her ver 6 7 8 9. Then the Children of Rachel v. 10 11. And after them the
and Feasting and Publick Largesses and at last their Feasts became Anniversary as the Feast of Dedication among the Jews was after the times of Antiochus num 6 7. In which Feast there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illuminations as we now speak by setting up of Candles or Lamps in token of Joy cap. 13. num 9. This was the Offering of Nahshon the Son of Amminadab And was the pattern which all the rest followed Ver. 18. On the second Day Their Offerings Verse 18 were thus distributed to be offered on several Days that Confusion might be avoided and that every Tribe might distinctly express their Devotion to God and be graciously accepted by him and the Solemnity be made the more remarkable by continuing it so long as twelve Days For which reason the Feast of Dedication after Mattathias had purged the Temple and the Altar after the prophanation of them by Antiochus was kept eight days by the Jews in following times And this Parascha as they call it of the Law from VI. 22. to VIII 4. of this Book was wont to be read at that Feast as the same Mr. Selden observes cap. 13. n. 7. As among the Romans he observes cap. 14. n. 7. there was a Feast of like nature kept six Days Nathaniel the Son of Zuar Prince of Issachar did offer This Tribe and Zebulun being under the Standard of Judah are the next that offer And so they proceed in the same order Reuben and those under his Standard offer next because they incamped next to them v. 30 36 42 c. Verse 19 Ver. 19. He offered for his Offering one silver Charger the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty Shekels c. It may be observed once for all that there is no difference in the Offerings of these Princes but all offered Plate of equal weight and an equal number of Sacrifices without the least variation Either by common Agreement or by the Divine Appointment that the Vanity of vying one with another might be prevented and none might brag of their out-doing their Brethren and all might be confident that they were equally interested in the Altar and accepted by the Divine Majesty Verse 24 Ver. 24. On the third day Eliab the Son of Helon c. Here it may be observed that Moses thought fit to set down distinctly and at length the Offerings of the Princes of every Tribe as he doth here and in the following part of this Chapter though they were the very same without any difference that an honourable mention being made of every one apart none might think themselves in the least neglected Ver. 30. On the fourth day Elizur c. There is nothing new to be noted of him or any of the rest because the same thing is repeated for the reason fore-mentioned Verse 30 Ver. 48. On the seventh day Elishama c. offered Verse 48 This Solemnity was not interrupted by the Sabbath but the Offerings continued then as upon other days Ver. 84. This was the Dedication of the Altar By Verse 84 these Oblations and Sacrifices which were simple and plain though costly and magnificent With which the Gentiles were not content but used sometimes barbarous Rites in their Dedications as appears by their TAUROBOLIA and CRIOBOLIA in honour of the Mother of the Gods c. See Selden in the fore-named Book cap. 14. n. 8 9. In the day when it was anointed The Dedication lasting twelve Days it is apparent the word day in this place necessarily signifies the Time were it more or less wherein a Thing was done as I observed v. 1. and see v. 88. By the Princes of Israel From whose Examples Princes and great Men should learn as Conradus Pellicanus well applies all this to be devoutly Religious and to possess the Fear and Reverence of the LORD God in their Breasts to be strong in Faith far from Covetousness unanimous in their indeavours to do Honour to God to give a good Example of Faith and Good Works to others to seek the Profit of their Subjects assist the Servants of God lend their helping Hand to the Proficiency of true Piety provide the Ministers of the Church with all things necessary that Religion be not neglected and contemned by their Poverty for the sake of God whom they serve to do them honour by word and deed and follow their godly Admonitions c. This is a profitable Allegory saith he of this History and we need not seek for one more ingenious As for those who highly value the allegorical Sence of all these things Habent alios qui gustui suo consulent curiositati They may find other Commentators to please their Taste and satisfie their Curiosity Twelve Chargers of Silver twelve silver Bowls c. In these and the following words the whole Sum of the Oblations and Sacrifices is set down by Moses that every Reader in all future Times might see without the trouble of casting up the account how devout and generous their Ancestors were Verse 87 Ver. 87. All the Oxen for the Burnt-offering were twelve Bullocks c. Whether there were any Prayers made for a gracious acceptance of the Sacrifices which should be hereafter made on this Altar we are not told But the Sacrifices themselves were in the nature of Supplications and its likely they that offered them made their humble Petitions with them And so the Gentiles always did at the Dedication of their Temples or Altars An instance of which is observed out of Gruter by Fort. Scacchus and by Selden in these words HANC TIBI ARAM JUPPITER OPT. MAX. DICO DEDICOQUE UTI SIS VOLENS PROPITIUS MIHI COLLEGISQUE MEIS c. Which is a Dedication of an Altar to Jupiter with a Prayer that he would be gracious to him that dedicated it and to his Friends and Neighbours The like Dedication there is of a Temple to PRIAPUS near Padua with this Prayer that he would constantly guard their Fields c. Myroth Sacr. Elaeochris 2. c. 28. L. III. de Synedr c. 14. p. 290 309. With their Meat-offering Which was brought in the twelve Chargers and Bowls as a necessary Appendix to the Burnt-offerings and the Peace-offerings as is fully explained XV. 8 9. Ver. 88. This was the Dedication of the Altar Which Verse 88 is repeated here again to show why it was called the Dedication because this was the first solemn Sacrifice which was offered for the Tribes or particular Persons among them and therefore was the more sumptuous After that it was anointed Here the word day is omitted which is used v. 1. and v. 84. Moses intending only to let Posterity know that this Dedication followed not long after the anointing of the Tabernacle and the Altar whereby it was sanctified to God's Service Ver. 89. And when Moses was gone into the Tabernacle Verse 89 of the Congregation to speak with him That is with God This seems to be here mentioned because he had lately had a special occasion to
bad them go up and possess the Land of Canaan notwithstanding they would not go up but rebelled against the Commandment of the LORD their God I Deut. 21 26 c. Verse 23 Ver. 23. Surely they shall not see the Land c. The Hebrew Particle im when it follows an Oath is to be simply translated not And so the words run clearly here They shall not see the Land which I sware unto their Fathers Neither shall any of them that provoked me see it This is but an Explication of the foregoing words and might have been better translated Even all that provoked me by their Discontent and Murmuring c. v. 1 2 3. they shall not see it This heavy doom was passed upon them on the ninth Day of the Month Ab which answers to our July as Moses Kotzensis reports the Opinion of their Doctors On which day they say both the first and second Temple were levelled with the Ground and Pritter likewise a great City was taken on the same day in which were many thousand Jews who with their King as they called him ben Cosiba and his whole Army were cut in pieces And to make this Day still more dismal Turnus Rufus one of the Roman Captains ploughed up the Ground on which the Temple and Buildings about it stood upon this very Day See Wagenseil upon Gemara Sotae cap. 7. sect 10. Annot 8. Ver. 24. But my Servant Caleb He alone is here Verse 24 particularly mentioned because this is the first proof we read of his Sincerity and Resolution But Joshua is as much concerned in this Character and Promise whose Faith and Courage were tried as soon as they came out of Egypt by fighting with the Amalekites And therefore there was no need to speak here of his Integrity though afterward it is expresly remembred in the very same words used in this place concerning Caleb XXXII 12. And here below in this Chapter v. 30. he is assured of coming into the Land of Promise as well as Caleb with whom he joyned in opposing the mutinous Multitude v. 6. where he is named first in that Heroick Action Because he had another Spirit with them Was otherways affected as we now speak trusting in the Power and Promise of God and not at all afraid of the Strength of their Enemies And hath followed me fully The Hebrew Phrase is hath fulfilled after me i. e. completed his Obedience to me or fulfilled my will and commands in every thing being not only full of Courage himself but indeavouring to put it into others I Deut. 36. Him will I bring into the Land whereunto he went Into Canaan particularly to Hebron and the Parts about it which were bestowed upon him by the order of Moses himself XIV Josh 9 13 c. See XIII of this Book v. 22. And his Seed shall possess it Or as some translate it shall expel it i. e. drive out the Inhabitants of that place and the parts adjacent as we read he and his Brother did XV Josh 13 14 15 c. Verse 25 Ver. 25. Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the Valley These words being read without a Parenthesis in conjunction with those that follow are very plain being thus translated Both the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the Valley That is at present lye in wait for you at the bottom of the other side of the Mountain For they were not far from one another XIII 29. and the Hebrews use the word Jashab for any abode in any place though it be not a Settlement but for a short Time See v. 43. To morrow turn you Therefore do not go forward as I formerly commanded you least you fall into their Ambushes but face about and return from whence you came c. This he bid them do to morrow i. e. hereafter at their next removal for they did remain some days in Kadesh before they turned about I Deut. ult And so the word to morrow is used in XIII Exod. 14. for the time to come And get ye into the Wilderness by the way of the Red Sea Into that Wilderness which led to the Red Sea and so to Egypt whether they desired to return v. 3 4. This Command was so grievous to them that it set them as I take it into a new fit of Murmuring which is the occasion of what follows in the next verses 26 27. Ver. 26. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Verse 26 unto Aaron saying He now speaks unto Aaron what he only spake to Moses before v. 11. Ver. 27. How long shall I bear with this evil Congregation Verse 27 It is a short imperfect sort of Speech in the Hebrew such as Men use when they are very angry how long to this evil Congregation i. e. shall I shew Mercy Which is the same with bear with them as we translate it to supply the Sence Which murmur against me Whom nothing will please unless they have their own will in every thing I have heard the murmurings of the Children of Israel which they murmur against me This seems to signifie that there was a new Discontent which in all likelyhood arose because God would not conduct them forward to Canaan but bad them go back from whence they came Which order he tells them in the following words he would never revoke Ver. 28. Say unto them as truly as I live saith the Verse 28 LORD This Oath made what he had resolved unalterable As ye have spoken in mine Ears V. 2. So will I do unto you Give you your own wishes to die in the Wilderness which was exactly fulfilled XXVI 65. Ver. 29. Your Carcases shall fall in this Wilderness He repeats their own desire And all that were numbred of you Which number Verse 29 was taken about half a year ago as we read in the first Chapter of this Book v. 3 18 c. According to your whole number from twenty years old and upward Which amounted in all to Six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty v. 46. besides the Levites who were not numbred at this time as we read in the next verse 47. And when they were numbred their number was not taken from twenty years old but from a month old and upward III. 15. And therefore the Levites are not comprehended in the heavy Sentence here denounced no more than the Children under twenty years old or the Wives of the Men that murmured but only the Men of War who were above twenty Years old And accordingly we find Eleazar who is mentioned at the numbering of the Levites III. 32. alive at the dividing of the Land of Canaan XIV Josh 1. Verse 30 Ver. 30. Doubtless ye shall not come into the Land He would not have them retain the least hope of having this Sentence reversed being established by God's Oath Concerning which I sware to make you dwell in Not to make these particular Men but the Seed of Abraham inhabit it as Grotius rightly
them out of the Land I hope by the conjunction of thy Curses with my Sword I may be able to destroy them or at least to drive them out of this Country For I wot that him whom thou blessest is blessed and he whom thou cursest is cursed The ancient Prophets had such power with God to obtain great Blessings from him for others as appears by the story of Abraham and Abimelech XX Gen. 10. and of Jacob who blessed Pharaoh XLVII Gen. 7. and afterward all his own Sons And no doubt their Imprecations were as powerful when there was a just cause for them according to what we read 2 Kings II. 24. And it is likely while Balaam who was a Prophet as appears by what follows and is so called by St. Peter continued a good Man he blessed and cursed no other way but by Prayer to God and by Imprecations in his Name Which was imitated by other great Men particularly by King Cambyses in his Speech to the Persians recorded by Herodotus in Thalia cap. 65. where he saith If you do what I require then let your Land bring forth plentifully and your Wives and your Flocks be fruitful and your selves enjoy your liberty but if you do not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I imprecate the quite contrary things to these to fall upon you But when Balaam degenerated into a false Prophet and became a Diviner then he used Spells and Inchantments as is plain by this History and such Rites and Ceremonies as were the Invention of wicked Spirits which Pharaoh's Magicians the Jews fancy made use of to stop the Israelites at the Red Sea See XIV Exod. 2. Ver. 7. And the Elders of Moab and the Elders of Verse 7 Midian I take these two Nations to have been ancient Confederates but the Jewish Tradition is that they had been always at Enmity and now reconciled by a common Danger Just as two Mastiffs so they explain it who are continually fighting when they see the Wolf set upon one of them joyn together for their Defence because if he devour the one the other will not long survive him Departed with the rewards of divination in their hand It was the Custom among God's People when they came to consult with a Prophet to bring him a Present as appears from 1 Sam. IX 7 8. And indeed from ancient time Men were not wont to approach great Persons without one See XLIII Gen. 11 25 26. And they came unto Balaam and spake unto him the words of Balak Delivered their Message having first as the manner was made him the Present Ver. 8. And he said unto them Lodge with me this Verse 8 night That was the time it seems wherein he was wont to receive Answers to his Enquiries either in a Dream or by Apparitions or some other way There are those who think he now began to betray the naughtiness of his heart in taking time to advise about this Matter which if he had been a faithful Servant of God he would instantly have rejected with Disdain And it is likely enough by what follows that he was as desirous of their Money as they were of his Imprecations And I will bring you word again as the LORD shall speak unto me You shall have my Answer according to the Directions which the LORD shall give me By this I take it to be evident that he was not a Stranger to the true God with whose Name it is certain he was acquainted and it is probable had received Revelations from him till he became a covetous mercenary Prophet and addicted himself to Superstitious Rites and Ceremonies Making use of Teraphim perhaps which had been of ancient practice in his Country and worshipping God perhaps by other Images See XXXI Gen. 19 24 30 49. where it is evident that Laban had still communication with the LORD though he used Teraphim and calls them his Gods Which perhaps put that idle conceit into the Head of some of the Jews that it was one and the same Person who is there called Laban and here Balaam Who falling as I said unto Idolatrous Practices was forsaken by God and delivered up to the impostures of Evil Spirits though he still continued to enquire of the LORD Who was pleased at this time to make his Mind known to him for the Preservation of his People Israel And the Princes of Moab abode with Balaam As did those of Midian also who are mentioned in the foregoing verse Though some of the Jews have a fancy that the Elders of Midian went away which they give as the reason that they are not here mentioned as soon as they heard Balaam say he would address himself for Advice unto the LORD who they knew would be favourable to Israel And on the other side some Christians have been of Opinion that he addressed himself to the LORD only to try if he could draw him by his Charms to take part with the Moabites Just as the Romans when they laid Siege to a City endeavoured by all means they could invent to perswade the Tutelar Gods of that place to forsake it and come over to their side Which Rite is described by Macrobius Ver. 9. And God came unto Balaam As he is said Verse 9 to have done unto Abimelech in a Dream XX Gen. 3. Where I observed that Maimonides makes a distinction between God's coming to a Person and his speaking to him But that cannot be made use of here for God did both come and speak to Balaam as appears from v. 32 35. where we read the Angel of the LORD spake to him And here it will be fit to note That all Nations of whom we have any knowledge have been possessed with this Opinion that God was wont to appear frequently unto Men especially cum recentes à Deo essent as Seneca speaks in Epist. XC when they were newly come out of his hand and that he also was pleased to reveal his Mind and Will unto them by some means or other particularly by his Angels whom he sent on Messages to them as long as there was any Goodness left among them This is most admirably expressed by Catullus Praesentes namque ante domos invisere castas Saepius sese mortali ostendere caetu Coelicolae nondum spreta pietate solebant See Huetius in his Quaestiones Alnetanae Lib. II. cap. 12. n. 1 2. And indeed no account can be given how it came into the Head of Homer and other Poets to bring in the Gods appearing so oft as they do upon every occasion if God had not been wont in ancient time to manifest himself not only to the Israelites but to other Nations also especially before the distinction of this People from them So he did to Abimelech Laban c. as well as to Abraham Isaac and Jacob. For as Dr. Jackson hath well observed in his first Book upon the Creed chap. 11. if they had never heard nor read of any such thing all the Wits in the
right of Marriage So shall their Inheritance be taken away from the Inheritance of the Tribe of our Fathers So will their Estate go out of our Tribe without remedy because the Jubilee it self will give us no Relief Verse 5 Ver. 5. And Moses commanded the Children of Israel according to the Word of the LORD Whom I suppose he consulted about this matter as he did when the first doubt was moved about the Inheritance of these Women XXVII 5. and received the answer by which he here commanded the Israelites to govern themselves The Tribe of Joseph In whose name the chief Fathers of their several Families made this representation to Moses as became Men who took care of the concerns of the whole Tribe Hath said well In desiring the Inheritance of these Women might not go out of their Tribe which was prevented by the following Law Ver. 6. This is the thing which the LORD doth Verse 6 command concerning the Daughters of Zelophehad saying Let them marry to whom they think best They were not confined to any particular Persons but might have their choice among those who were descended from the same Stock as it immediately follows Only to the Family of the Tribe of their Father shall they marry Only with these two limitations that they might not marry a Man of another Tribe nor a Man of another Family in their own Tribe For it is very manifest that they are tied to marry into the Family of their Father and accordingly they did actually marry their Cosin-Germans as we now speak v. 11. For this Law was made for the preservation of Families as well as of Tribes as the Law for the Redemption of Lands was And therefore these words the Family of the Tribe of their Father is well translated by Grotius upon I St. Matthew 16. familia stirpis paternae the Family of the Stoâ—k of their Father which was that they desired might not perish XXVII 4. and was the ground of the Law which commanded a Man to marry the Wife of his Brother who left no Issue XXV Deut. 16. Therefore there being several Families in the Tribe of Manasseh XXVI 29 30 31 32. these Women could marry only into the Family of the Hepherites Verse 7 Ver. 7. So shall not the Inheritance of the Children of Israel remove from Tribe to Tribe For by preserving it in the Family to which it was given it was necessarily preserved in the Tribe For every one of the Children of Israel shall keep himself to the Inheritance of the Tribe of his Fathers And not endeavour to get any part of the Inheritance of another Tribe by marrying an Heiress in it Plato himself took care of this that when a Man left only a Daughter his Estate should not be carried by her to a Stranger but she should be bound to marry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that was nearest of kin to her And if there was a want of near Kindred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. it should descend to the Children of her Father's Brother or the Children of the Grandfather some of which he ordains should marry her Lib. XI de Legibus p. 924 925. Edit Serrani Verse 8 Ver. 8. And every Daughter that possesseth an Inheritance in any Tribe of the Children of Israel Here this Law is made general that all Women who were Heiresses as the Daughters of Zelophehad were should do as they are here commanded And this was one of the Attick Laws which as Grotius observes were plainly borrowed from the Law of Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That an Heiress should not marry out of her Kindred but dispose of her self and Estate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to one nearest of kin to her which was one of the Laws of Solon as Sam. Petitus observes out of Isaeus Pollux and others in his Comment in Leges Atticas Lib. VI. Tit. 1. p. 441. Shall be Wife to one of the Family of the Tribe of her Father Here she is confined to her Family and not merely to her Tribe But this concerned only such as were Heiresses all other Women might marry into what Tribe they pleased as appears by these very Books wherein we read that Aaron himself married the Sister of the Prince of Judah VI Exod. 22. And if any object that this was before the giving of the Law it is evident that Jehoiada a Priest and consequently of the Tribe of Levi married King Jehoram's Sister who was of the Tribe of Judah 2 Chron. XXII 11. And long before this all the Tribes of Israel being in great solicitude how to find Wives for their Brethren of Benjamin did not scruple their having them out of any Tribe if it had not been for their Oath XXI Judg. 18. And to add no more David himself of the Tribe of Judah married Michael the Daughter of Saul who was of the Tribe of Benjamin The Talmudists add that even these Heiresses might marry into what Tribe they pleased after the first Division of the Land by Joshua to which they imagine this Law was restrained it being a common saying among them That it did not belong to any Age but that in which it was made In the following Ages they pretend a Man might purchase Land in any Tribe and possess it alway or have the Inheritance of it by Marriage though he were of another Tribe as Selden shows their Opinion to be Lib. de Successionibus ad Leges Hebr. cap. 18. and Lib. III. de Synedr c. 4. n. 1. and Buxtorf de Sponsal Divortiis sect 44. But this is well confuted by Grotius in his Annotations upon I St. Matthew v. 16. Ver. 9. Neither shall the Inheritance remove from one Tribe to another Tribe This establishes in general what he had said before v. 7. with particular respect Verse 9 to the Daughters of Zelophehad But Moses ben Nachman upon these very words asserts the Talmudick Opinion before-mentioned that this concerns only the present Time not future Ages And puts this Case which is the strongest that can be thought of if a Woman were married into another Tribe after which Marriage her Father and all her Brethren dying without Children the Inheritance fell to her and consequently saith he the Possession must devolve from one Tribe to another into which she had married But according to the Letter of these words the Inheritance was rather to descend to the next of her Kindred than by her be carried out of the Tribe to which it belonged But every one of the Tribes of the Children of Israel shall keep himself to his own Inheritance Shall cleave or stick close to his own Inheritance as the Hebrew word signifies and as the Greek and Latin expresses it The reason of the Command was as Procopius Gazaeus observes to prevent the Confusion of Tribes How the Vulgar Latin came to deviate so much from the Hebrew Text and from the Intention of this Law as it hath done in this and the
rather to insinuate that he was not guilty of such a Crime as might make Men justly forfeit what they had for their Children as well as for themselves For all the Family of Dathan and Abiram perished and it is taken notice of as a singular Mercy that the Children of Korah did not XXVI 10 11. But died in his own Sin i. e. For his own Sin which God had declared should not affect the Children XIV 31. For to that General Sin in which all the People were engaged these words seem to refer And so it was his own sin not with respect to the rest of the People for they were all alike guilty but with respect to his Children it being a personal Guilt in which they were not concerned The Jews commonly say that Zelophehad was the Man that was stoned for gathering Sticks on the Sabbath-day For which they have no authority but a fancy of R. Aquiba who is sharply reproved for it by another considerable Rabbi who saith it is a rash Judgment for if it were true since the Scripture conceals it he ought not to have revealed it but hath reproached a just Man for any thing that appears See Selden Lib. II. de Synedr cap. 1. sect 9. And had no Son As was found when the People were numbred XXVI 33. Ver. 4. Why should the name of our Father be done Verse 4 away from among his Family One Family of the Tribe of Manasseh viz. the Hepherites being in danger to be wholly extinguished R. Judah will have the word Name in this place to signifie as much as hereditary possession and so he thinks it signifies XXV Deut. 6. as Mr. Selden observes out of Pesikta Lib. de Successionibus cap. 14. Because he hath no Son Merely for want of Issue-Male when he hath left many Daughters Give unto us therefore a possession among the Brethren of our Father Let us come in for a share among those that are descended from Manasseh Which if they did the Name of their Father could not be thereby preserved but by the Son of one of these Daughters taking upon him not the Name of his Father that begat him but of his Mother's Grand-father viz. Hepher which was ordered afterwards by a general Law XXV Deut. 6. Verse 5 Ver. 5. And Moses brought their Cause before the LORD This was too difficult a Cause though there seemed to be a great deal of Reason on their side to be judged by the great Court before-mentioned and therefore it was referred to Moses alone as other weighty Causes used to be See XV. 32. XXV 4. for neither Eleazar nor any other Person before whom it was brought v. 2. are here mentioned as the Judges of this matter And he durst not judge it though the equity appeared very plain without bringing it before the LORD for his direction which he could have upon all important occasions XXV Exod. 22. VII Numb 89. Verse 6 Ver. 6. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying This shows that the Cause was devolved upon Moses alone for the LORD tells him and no other Person how it should be determined Verse 7 Ver. 7. The Daughters of Zelophehad c. The LORD approves of their Claim and gives a Sentence in their favour Thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their Father's Brethren Because the word for them in the Hebrew is of the Masculine Gender some think it signifies they were to be considered as if they had been Sons And thou shalt cause the Inheritance of their Father to pass unto them So that they were to enjoy what would have faln to his share had he been alive ob indutam defuncti patris personam as the Lawyers speak because they stood in the place of their dead Father and represented his Person And accordingly they put in their Claim at the Division of the Land and had their Portion therein according to this Decision XVII Josh 2 3 c. How the Portion was divided among them according to the Hebrew Doctors Mr. Selden shows at large in his Book de Successionibus in bona defunctii cap. 23. Ver. 8. And thou shall speak unto the Children of Israel Verse 8 saying Upon this occasion he passes this special Case into a General Law to be hereafter observed If a Man die and have no Son then ye shall cause his Inheritance to pass unto his Daughter It being a reason as Maimonides observes More Nevochim P. III. cap. 42. that what a Man leaves should come to his Family and to those who are next of Kin to him for the nearer any Person is to us we are inclined by natural affection to have the greater regard to him But all this is to be understood of Land as for Money and moveable Goods which were of his own getting the Father might dispose of them by his Will to whom he pleased Ver. 9. And if he have no Daughter then ye shall give his Inheritance unto his Brethren Unless his Father was alive who undoubtedly the Jews say was Verse 9 the next Heir but not mentioned because it was not necessary Or as some say because it was too sad a thing to speak of a Fathers burying all his Children without Issue See Selden de Success in bona defuncti cap. 12. Where he observes that according to the Rule v. 11. it must come to the Father because he is nearest of kin to it And therefore the Jews interpret this as if Moses had said If he have Daughter he shall give his inheritance to the next of his Kindred to his Father for instance and afterwards ye shall give it to his Brethren i. e. the Children of his Father And the same is to be said of the Grandchildren unto whom the Brethren of a Father dying without issue are heirs For the Grandfather stands in the same relation to a Father that a Father doth to his Son Verse 11 Ver. 11. And if his Father have no Brethren then ye shall give it to his Kinsman that is next of Kin to him of his Family and he shall possess it To his Brothers Children or to those who are descended from them or from his Fathers ' Brethren But no consideration was to be had of his Mother's Kindred as the Jewish Lawyers say who could never be capable of the Inheritance Which they gather not only from these words which determine the Inheritance to his Family i. e. the Family of the Father before-mentioned not to the Family of the Mother but from the frequent mention of the Father of Mischpachoth which we translate Families or rather Kindreds of the Fathers in the Books of Moses Chronicles Ezra and others From whence this solemn Maxim of the Talmudists The Family or Kindred of the Mother is never called by the name of Kindred That is it hath not the effect of a Kindred in Successions to Inheritances Which is the same with that in the ancient Book Siphri Families follow the Fathers as Mr. Selden