And the Hangings of the Court See Verse 26 XXVII Exod. 9. And the Curtain for the Door of the Court XXVI Exod 16. Which is by the Tabernacle and by the Altar round about Or as the Hebrew particle al may be translated is over or upon the Tabernacle c. That is this Curtain at the Door and the Hangings of the Court compassed the Tabernacle and the Altar of Burnt-offerings which stood at the Door of it XL Exod. 19. round about so that they were not exposed to common fight For these Gershonites had nothing to do with the Altar it self which was the Charge of the Kohathites v. 31. And the Cords of it This seems to refer not merely to the Curtain for the Door of the Court but to all that went before viz. the Cords whereby those Hangings were stretched out and fastned by Pins to the Wood-work of the Tabernacle For the Cords of that belonged to the Custody of the Sons of Merari v. 37. and we find Pins and Cords as well for the Tabernacle that is the Hangings as for the Court i. e. the Boards c. XXXV Exod. 18. For all the Service thereof Of this part of the House of God as appears from v. 31 and 36. where this is repeated with respect to the other parts of it Verse 27 Ver. 27. And of Kohath was the Family of the Amramites c. He was the second Son of Levi and had as many more Families sprung from him as from the Eldest among which was the Family of the Amramites of which were Moses and Aaron Verse 28 Ver. 28. In the number of all the Males c. Though there were four Families of the Kohathites and but two of the Gershonites yet the latter were as numerous as they within Eleven hundred Keeping the Charge of the Sanctuary Of what belonged to the holy Place which was committed to their Charge as it follows afterward and they were instructed in it betimes Verse 29 Ver. 29. The Families of the Sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the Tabernacle southward Between the Tabernacle ond the Standard of Reuben II. 10. Verse 30 Ver. 30. And the Chief of the House of the Father of the Families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the Son of Vzziel There was a Commander in Chief appointed over this Body of the Levites who was chosen out of the youngest Family of the Kohathites But it is observable there were no Standards belonging to any of these Bodies they being designed for other Service and not for War Ver. 31. And their Charge shall be the Ark and the Verse 31 Table and the Candlestick The Sanctuary as was said before v. 28. being committed to their Custody the Particulars are here mentioned which were the most precious of all the holy Things With which the Kohathites had the honour to be intrusted though a younger Family than those descended from Gershon because Moses and Aaron were of it being of the Family of the Amramites Which is the reason why the Kohathites are reckoned first in the next Chapter v. 2. and that of the XLVIII Cities given to the Levites by Joshua almost half of them fell to their Families XXI Josh 4 5. The Altars Both the Altar of burnt-Burnt-offerings and the Altar of Incense And the Vessels of the Sanctuary wherewith they i. e. the Priests minister See XXV Exod. 29. XXXVII 16. And the hanging That is the Vail before the most Holy Place for all other Hangings were under the care of the Gershonites v. 25 26. wherein the Ark was wrapt when they carried it IV. 5. And all the Service thereof Whatsoever belonged to this part of God's House See v. 26. and the Particulars are mentioned in the next Chapter v. 7 9 14. Ver. 32. And Eleazar the Son of Aaron shall be chief Verse 32 over the Chief of the Levites There was one Officer in chief set over each of these great Families of the Gershonites v. 24. of the Kohathites v. 30. and the Merarites v. 35. And over all these Chiefs there is now appointed a supreme Chief who was to govern them as they governed those under them and that was Eleazar who was more than a Levite being the eldest Son of Aaron the High Priest And have the over-sight of them that keep the charge of the Sanctuary But more particularly Eleazar was to super-vise those that had the Sanctuary under their care That is all the Rohathites and Elizaphan their chief v. 20. Verse 33 34. Ver. 33 34. Of Merari was the Family of the Mahlites and the Family of the Mushites c. Nothing is observable of these but that they were the fewest in number being thirteen hundred less than the Children of Gershon v. 22. Verse 35 Ver. 35. These shall pitch on the side of the Tabernacle Northward Opposite to the Kohathites between the Standard of Dan and the Sanctuary II. 25. Verse 36 Ver. 36. And under the Custody and Charge of the Sons of Merari shall be the Boards of the Tabernacle c. Concerning all the things mentioned in this and in the next Verse See XXVI Exod. 15 16 c. XXVII 10 11 12 c. and the next Chapter of this Book v. 31 32. Verse 37 Ver. 37. And their Cords These are different from those before mentioned v. 27. as I noted there Verse 38 Ver. 38. But those that encamp before the Tabernacle towards the East Where the Entrance into it was Even before the Tabernacle of the Congregation Eastward He would have this Station observed as much excelling the rest Shall be Moses and Aaron and his Sons There were but three Bodies of the Levites descended from the three Sons of Levi v. 1. and therefore none left to guard this side of the Tabernacle but Moses and Aaron and their Families who lay between the Standard of Judah and the Tabernacle see Chap. II. v. 3. which was the most honourable Post as I there noted Where the Priests were with great reason placed together with the chief Governor of all Moses because they were to guard the Holy Place that none might go into it but themselves Keeping the charge of the Sanctuary Of the Entrance into it For the charge of the Children of Israel Which it concerned every one of the Children of Israel should be kept sacred See v. 7. And the Stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to Death No Man that was not of the House of Aaron though a Levite was upon the peril of his life to enter into the Sanctuary Of which they had the charge See v. 10. Ver. 39. All that were numbred of the Levites which Verse 39 Moses and Aaron numbred at the Commandment of the LORD This looks like a Contradiction to the Observation I made v. 14.16 But Aaron's numbring here in all Probability is only his agreeing that this was a true Account which Moses took of the Tribe of Levi. For Moses still continues to be alone concerned in numbring the
Numb 11 14. and with the Solemnity of Blowing with Trumpets LXXXI Psal 3. And they were the more careful to observe the New Moons because their great Festivals depended upon it though they are not reckoned among their Festivals or Solemn Assemblies XXIII Levit. but only the first Day of the seventh Month was a memorial of Blowing of Trumpets v. 24. which gave occasion perhaps for observing all the New Moons in the Year And there being no express Command for observing the first Day of the Month but only for peculiar Sacrifices upon it and Blowing of Trumpets some argue from thence that in the most ancient Times before the Law of Moses New Moons were observed with Festival Joy it being plain that they were so in the Days of Hesiod of which though we can have no certainty yet it is very probable that the Idolatry of worshipping the Sun Moon and Stars being then in the World they were wont at the appearance of every Moon to express much Joy and offer Sacrifices to it From which God intended to preserve his People by appointing special Sacrifices with blowing of Trumpets to be offered unto himself at that time And it is manifest the Jews were so observant of the New Moons that they seem to have regarded them next to their Sabbath as Times of Religious Worship of the Divine Majesty 2 Kings IV. 23. and LXVI Isai 23. VIII Amos 5. And thus I find that among the Athenians whose Laws are observed by many to have been derived from Moses the first day of the Month was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plutach speaks a most holy day and yet it was not a Festival nor was it consecrated to any particular God but unto all And there was a Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they offer Sacrifices upon the first Day of the Month when they went up to the Acropohi as Demisthenes tells us to pray for the Publick Welfare of the City and for their own Private Happiness See Sam. Petitâ— in his Comment in Leges Atticas Lib. I. Tit. 1. p. 85. Over the burnt-Burnt-offerings Especially the Morning Sacrifice at the offering of which the Trumpets began to Sound 2 Chron. XXIX 27. And over the Sacrifice of your Peace-offerings Which being Sacrifices of Thanksgiving it was very proper to have them attended with the Sound of the Trumpets That they may be to you for a memorial before your God i. e. That he may graciously accept your Offerings and bless you as the Phrase signifies in the foregoing Verse when he sees his Service to be your Delight and Joy I am the LORD your God By whose Soveraign Authority these Commands were given and in the observance of which they might be assured of his Blessing Ver. 11. And it came to pass on the twentieth Day of Verse 11 the second Month in the second Year After their coming out of Egypt as appears from Chapt. I. 1. That the Cloud was taken up In token that they were to begin to move as the Cloud did IX 17. From off the Tabernacle of the Testimony i. e. The most holy Place over which it resided IX 15. Ver. 12. And the Children of Israel took their Journeys Verse 12 After the Cloud was taken up it stood still for some time till they had taken down the Tabernacle and packt up their own Tents and Houshold-stuff Or else while those under the first Standard moved they took down the Tabernacle But still the three Tribes which first moved upon the going up of the Cloud must have some time allowed to take up their own Tents c. Out of the Wilderness of Sinai Where they had stayed near a Year And the Cloud rested After three Days motion v. 33. In the Wilderness of Paran Where they had several Stations besides this which was the Mid-way between the Red Sea and the Land of Canaan and from the Graves of those that lusted was called Ribroth-hattaavah XI 33. XXXIII 16. where they stayed a Month and from thence went to Hazeroth and were still in the Wilderness of Paran XII 16. Verse 13 Ver. 13. And they first took their Journey In the Hebrew the words are They journeyed at the first i. e. at their first Removal which was this According to the Commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses Not whether they pleased themselves but according as God had before directed when the Cloud was taken up and in such order as he appointed See IX 18. And there seems to have been a special Direction by an express Command for this first Removal I Deut. 6 7. Verse 14 Ver. 14. In the first place went the Standard of the Children of Judah c. By this it appears that the foregoing words concerning their Removal according to the Commandment of the LORD relates to the order o their Mâ—rch as well as to the way they went See concerning those that marcht under his Standard and their Commanders which are here mentioned and in the wo next verses Chapt. II. 1 3 5 7. Verse 17 Ver. 17. And the Tabernacle was taken down By the Levites I. 51. who went about this work as 〈◊〉 as the Cloud went up from the Tabernacle while 〈◊〉 three Tribes under the Standard of Judah were sitting themselves to move And the Sons of Gershon and the Sons of Merari set forward They immediately followed the three Tribes which encamped on the East of it under the Standard of Judah Bearing the Tabernacle Such parts of it as were committed to each of their Charge IV. 24 c. 31 c. Ver. 18. And the Standard of the Camp of Reuben Verse 18 set forward according to their Armies c. Of this and the two following Verses see II. 10 12 14. Ver. 21. And the Kohathites set forward bearing Verse 21 the Sanctuary That is the Ark the Holy Table the Candlestick c. and other things belonging to the Sanctuary IV. 15 16 c. which the Kohathites carried in the middle of the four Camps for their greater Security And the other i. e. The Gershonites and the Merarites before-mentioned v. 17. Did set up the Tabernacle against they came When the Cloud rested the two fore-going Camps under the Standards of Judah and Reuben rested also and settled themselves in their Tents Which while they were doing the Gershonites and Merarites who marched between them set up the Tabernacle that it might be ready to receive the Ark and the other Holy things which followed immediately under the care of the Kohathites This shows the excellent Order wherein they always moved not only without any tumult or confusion but with such a Discipline as signified they were under the Conduct of a most skilful Leader Ver. 22. And the Standard of the Children of Ephraim set forward according to their Armies After the Kohathites followed three other Tribes who were under this Standard See Chap. II. 18 20 22 24. Where Verse 22 all that was needful hath been said of the two following
20. and did not send the Angel to forbid what he had allowed Verse 35 But the word that I shall speak unto thee that thou shalt speak These words are something different from those in v. 20. importing both that he should not presume to speak a word but what he ordered and that he should not forbear to speak what he bad him And Balaam went with the Princes of Balak Whom he overtook after this stop either at the place where they lodged or where they staid for him but he did not tell them what he met withal in the way Ver. 36. And when Balak heard that Balaam was Verse 36 come By some Messenger sent before to acquaint him with his coming He went out to meet him Partly out of joy and partly out of respect to him Vnto a City of Moab which is in the border of Arnon This City seems to have been Ar XXI 15. Which is in the utmost Coast He did him the honour to meet him at the very entrance of his Country and did not think it sufficient to send some of his Court to receive him Ver. 37. And Balak said unto Balaam did not I Verse 37 earnestly send unto thee to call thee After this Complement was paid to Balaam the King could not forbear to let him know he did not think himself well used by him whom he had earnestly intreated to come to him and at the first he would not Wherefore camest thou not unto me As soon as I sent for thee Am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour Dost thou doubt of my power to make thee a great Man if thou gratifiest me in my desire And his readiness he showed by this honourable Reception of him Verse 38 Ver. 38. And Balaam said unto Balak Lo I am come unto thee Say no more of that but be satisfied that I am now come Have I now any power at all to say any thing Yet he would not have him expect that he should do all that Balak desired or he himself was inclined to do for he was under an higher over-ruling Power which he could not gainsay The word that God putteth in my mouth that shall I speak He seems to acquaint him that he had received such a Command from God v. 35. and he must be obedient Verse 39 Ver. 39. And Balaam went with Balak This did not discourage the King of Moab from carrying Balaam along with him into his Country where he hoped he might be perswaded to do as he would have him And they came unto Kirjath-huzoth The Royal City it is likely for it signifies in our Language the City of Streets that is a large City which had many Streets and consequently Inhabitants in it Verse 40 Ver. 40. And Balak offered Oxen and Sheep In thankfulness that he had procured Balaam's assistance as he hoped against his Enemies And sent to Balaam They were such Sacrifices as the Jews called peace-Peace-offerings of which the Offerers had a share for themselves and for their Friends and the Sacrifice being over Balak invited Balaam to come to the Feast he made thereupon And to the Princes that were with him The Princes I suppose of Midian and of Moab who were sent on the Embassy to him and had succeeded in it v. 7 15. Ver. 41. And it came to pass that on the morrow Verse 41 Having rested one Night after his Journey Balak would have him immediately go about his business and see what he could do for him Balak took Balaam Into his Chariot And brought him up into the High-places of Baal All Nations worshipped their Gods in High-places and Baal was the God of this Country who was worshipped in more High-places than one unto all which he brought Balaam that he might see where he could take the fullest view of the Israelites and which of them would be fittest for his purpose These High-places were full of Trees and very shady as I observed XXVI Lev. 30. which made them the fitter both for the solemn Thoughts and Prayers of such as were devout and for the filthy Inclinations and Intentions of the wicked Baal was the Name of several Gods both Male and Female as our Selden shows in his Syntagma II. de Diis Syris cap. 1. And I suppose Chemosh the God of Moab is here called by this Name signifying a Lord though that great Man seems to take it for Baal-Peor cap. 2. of that Book That thence he might see the utmost of the People i. e. All their Armies to the very skirts of their Camp CHAP. XXIII Chapter XXIII Verse 1 Ver. 1. AND Balaam said unto Balak build me here Upon one of the High-places which Balaam it is likely pitched upon as fit for his purpose Seven Altars The number Seven was much observed we find among the Hebrews by God's order See IV Lev. 6. but we never read of more than one Altar built by the Patriarchs when they offered their Sacrifices nor was more than one allowed by Moses Therefore in this there was something of the Heathen Superstition who worshipping the Sun who is principally meant by Baal offered also to all the seven Planets Unless we allow the Conjecture of Fortunatus Scaccus who imagines that as Moses erected twelve Pillars according to the number of the Children of Israel when he entred them into the Covenant of God XXIV Exod. 4. so Balaam ordered seven Altars to be erected according to the number of the principal Houses of Moab Myrothec Sacr. Elaeochrism P. II. cap. 59. But there is no ground for the conceit of Abarbinel who in his Preface to Leviticus sect 4. saith Balaam ordered this in emulation of the seven acceptable Altars to God built by seven Men famous for Piety viz Adam Abel Noah Abraham Isaac Jacob and Moses There is more certainty in this that these Altars were erected in honour either of the most High or of the greatest of their Gods For according to the account which both Festus and Servius have given us of the ancient times they sacrificed to the Caelestial Gods Only upon Altars which were so called because they were arae altae built high and lofty whereas to the Terrestrial they sacrificed upon the Earth and to the Infernal Gods in holes digged in the Earth And prepare me here seven Oxen and seven Rams To offer one of each upon the several Altars as it follows v. 2. This number was used by pious Persons both in these days XLII Job 8. and in after times 1 Chron. XV. 26. Ver. 2. And Balak did as Balaam had spoken Caused Verse 2 the Altars to be built which was soon done either of Stones or of Turf and the Sacrifices to be brought And Balak and Balaam offered on every Altar a Bullock and a Ram. Kings in ancient times were Priests also as appears by Melchizedek But perhaps Balak only presented the Sacrifices to be offered for him and for his People and Balaam performed the Office of a Priest The only doubt