the congregation to minister unto them a i. e. In their stead and for their good So they were the servants both of God and of the Church which was an high dignity though not sufficient for their ambitious minds 10 And he hath brought thee near to him and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee and seek ye the priesthood also b There being at this time but very few Priests and the profits and priviledges belonging to them being many and great they thought it but fit and reasonable that they or some of the chief of them should be admitted to a share in their work and advantages 11 For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD c Whose minister and chosen servant Aaron is You strike at God through Aarons sides Compare 1 Sam. 8. 7. Luk. 10. 16. Ioh. 13. 20. and what is Aaron that ye murmure against him 12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram d To treat with them and give them as he had done Korah and his company a timely admonition the sons of Eliab which said e Unto the messengers sent to them by Moses We will not come up f To Moses his Tabernacle whither the people used to go up for judgment Men are said in Scripture phrase to go up to places of judgment See Deut. 25. 7. Ruth 4. 1. Ezra 10. 7 8. But because they would not now go up therefore they went down quick into the pit ver 33. 13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey g i. e. Out of Egypt a place indeed of great plenty bâ—… to them a place of torment and intolerable slavery They invidiously and scoffingly use the same words wherewith God by Moses commended the land of Canaan to kill us in the wilderness 〈◊〉 make thy self altogether a prince over us 14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards wilt thou †Heb. â—…re out put out the eyes of these men h i. e. Of those who are confederate with us and of all the people who are of our mind Whilst thou make them blind or perswade them that they are blind and that they do not see what is visible to all that have eyes to wit that thou hast deceived them and broken thy faith and promise given to them or wilst thou lead them about like blind men whither thou pleasest one time towards Canaan another time toward Egypt again we will not come up i We will not obey thy summons nor own thy authority 15 And Moses was very wroth k Not so much for his own sake for he had learnt to bear indignities Numb 12. as for Gods sake who was highly dishonoured blasphemed and provoked by these speeches and carriages in which case he ought to be angry as Christ was Mark 3. 5. and said unto the LORD * Gen. 4. 4 5. Respect not thou their offering l i. e. Accept not their incense which they are now going to offer but shew some eminent dislike of it He calls it their offering though it was offered by Korah and his companions because it was offered in the name and by the consent of all the conspiratours for the decision of the present controversie between them and Moses I * Acts 20. 33. have not taken one ass m i. e. Not any thing of the smallest value as an ass was See 1 Sam. 12. 3. from them neither have I hurt one of them n I have never injured them nor used my power to defraud or oppress them as I might have done but which is here implied I have done them many good offices but no hurt therefore their crime is inexcusable because without any cause or provocation on my part 16 And Moses said unto Korah Be thou and all thy company before the LORD o Not in the Tabernacle which was not capable of so many person severally offering incense but at the door of the Tabernacle ver 18. which place is oft said to be before the Lord as Exod. 29. 42. Levit. 1. 11. c. where they might now lawfully offer it by Moses his direction upon this extraordinary occasion and necessity because this work could not be done in that place which alone was allowed for the offering up of incense not onely for its smallness but also because none but Priests might enter to do this work Here also the people who were to be instructed by this experiment might see the proof and success of it thou and they and Aaron to morrow 17 And take every man his censer and put incense in them and bring ye before the LORD every man his censer two hundred and fifty censers thou also and Aaron each of you his censer 18 And they took every man his censer p Which they could easily make in a sleight manner which would suffice for the present purpose and put fire in them q Taken from the Altar which stood in that place Levit. 1. 3 5. for Aaron might not use other fire Levit. 10. 1. And it is likely the remembrance of the death of Nadab and Abihu deterred them from offering any strange fire and laid incense thereon and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron 19 And Korah gathered all the congregation r That they might be witnesses of the event and upon their success which they doubted not of might fall upon Moses and Aaron with popular rage and destroy them And it seems by this that the people were generally incensed against Moses and inclined to Korahs side against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and the glory of the LORD appeared s In the cloud which then shone with greater brightness and Majesty as a token of Gods approach and presence See Exod. 16. 7 10. Levit. 9. 6 23. Numb 20. 6. unto all the congregation 20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying 21 * Gen. 19. 1â—… 22. Jer. â—… â—… Rev. 18. â—… Separate your selves from among this congregation ‖ To wit Korah and his 250 men and the people whom he â—…athered against Moses and Aaron ver 19. that I may consume them in a moment 22 And they fell upon their faces and said O God * chap. 2â—… â—… Job 12. 2â—… Eccl. 12. â—… Isa. 57. 1â—… Zach. 12. â—… Heb. 12. â—… the God of the spirits t i. e. Of souls as the word spirit in Scripture is oft used as Psal. 31. 5. and 77. 3. Prov. 17. 22. Eccl. 12. 7. Luk. 23. 46. Act. 7. 59. And this is no empty title here but very emphatical and argumentative thus Thou art the maker of spirits Zach. 12. 1. destroy not thy own workmanship
they have imagined to do 7. Go to let us m i. e. The blessed Trinity See Gen. 1. 26. go down and there confound their Language n By making them forget their former Language and by putting into their minds several Languages not a distinct Language into each person but into each Family or rather into each Nation that they may not †Heb. hear understand one anothers speech o And thereby be disenabled from that mutual commerce which was altogether necessary for the carrying on of that work 8. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the Earth p Thus they brought upon themselves the very thing they seared and that more speedily and more mischievously to themselves For now they were not only divided in place but in Language too and so were unfitted for those Consederacies and Correspondencies which they mainly designed and for the mutual Comfort and Help of one another which otherwise they might in good measure have enjoyed And they left off to build the City 9. Therefore is the Name of it called ‖ That is confusion Babel because the LORD did there confound the Language of all the Earth and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the Earth 10. * Chap. 10. 32. 1 Chron. 1. 17. These are the Generations of Shem q Not all of them as appears both from the next verse and from the former Chapter but of those who were the seminary of the Church and the Progenitors of Christ. Shem was an hundred years old and begat Arphaxad two years after the Flood 11. And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years r So that he lived almost all the time of Abraham which was a singular blessing both to himself who hereby saw his Children of the tenth Generation and to the Church of God which by this means enjoyed the Counsel and Conduct of so great a Patriarch and begat Sons and Daughters 12. And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years and begat Salah 13. And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years and begat Sons and Daughters 14. And Salah lived thirty years and begat Eber. 15. And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years and begat Sons and Daughters 16. * 1 Chro. 1. 19. And Eber lived four and thirty years and begat * called Luk. 3. 35. Phalec Peleg 17. And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years s So that he was the longest liv'd of all the Patriarchs which were born after the Flood and begat Sons and Daughters 18. And Peleg lived thirty years and begat Reu. 19. And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years and begat Sons and Daughters 20. And Reu lived two and thirty years and begat * Luk 3. 35. Saruch Serug 21. And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years and begat Sons and Daughters 22. And Serug lived thirty years and begat Nahor 23. And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years and begat Sons and Daughters 24. And Nahor t The first Patriarch who fell to Idolatry lived nine and twenty years and begat * Luk. 3. 34. Thara Terah 25. And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years and begat Sons and Daughters 26. And Terah lived seventy years and * Josh. 24. 2. 1 Chro. 1. 26. begat u i. e. Began to beget as Gen. 5. 32 Abram x Who is first named in order of Dignity for which cause Shem is put before Ham and Iapheth and Moses before Aaron not in order of time which seems to be this Haran probably was the eldest because Nahor married his Daughters Nahor the second and Abram certainly was the youngest because Terah Abrams Father lived two hundred and five years ver 32. and Abram after his Fathers Death Acts 7. 4. went out of Haran when he was seventy five years old Gen. 12. 4 5. therefore he was not begotten in Terahs seventieth year when Terah began to beget his Sons as here is said but in his one hundred and thirtieth year and so there remains seventy five years precisely to Abrams departure And Sarai Harans Daughter was but ten years younger than Abram Gen. 17. 17. and therefore Haran was Abrams Elder Brother Nahor and Haran 27. Now these are the Generations of Terah Terah begat Abram Nahor and Haran And Haran begat Lot 28. And Haran died before his Father Terah y i. e. In the presence and during the Life of his Father in the Land of his Nativity in Ur of the Caldees 29. And Abram and Nahor took them Wives The Name of Abrams Wife was Sarai and the Name of Nahors Wife Milcah the Daughter of Haran z Such Marriages of Uncles and Nieces being permitted then Exod. 6. 20. as in the beginning of the World the Marriages of Brethren and Sisters were though afterwards the Church being very much enlarged they were severely forbidden Levit 18. 12 14. the Father of Milcah and the Father of Iscah a Who is either Sarai as the Jews and many others think or rather another person For 1. Why should Moses express Sarai thus darkly and doubtfully Had he meant her he would have added after Iscah this is Sarai according to his manner in like cases Gen. 14. 2 7. and 35. 6. He elsewhere calleth her the Daughter not of his Brother as he should have done had she been Iscah but of his Father by another Mother 30. But Sarai was barren she had no child b See Gen. 16. 1 2. and 18. 11 12. 31. And Terah took Abram his Son c See Ios. 24. 2. Nehem. 9. 7. 1 Chron. 1. 26. Being informed by his Son of the command of God he did not despise it because it came to him by the hands of his inferiour but chearfully obeyeth it and therefore he is so honourably mentioned as the Head and Governour of the Action and Lot the Son of Haran his sons son and Sarai his daughter in law his Son Abrams wife and they went forth with them †i. e. Terab and Abram went with Lot and Sarâ—…i as their Heads and Guides from * Neh. 9. 7. Act. 7. 4. Ur of the Caldees to go into the Land of Canaan and they came unto Haran d Called Charran Act. 7. 4. and by the Romans Carrae a place in Mesopotamia strictly so called in the way to Canaan and near to it well known by Crassus his defeat there See Gen. 24. 10. and 28. 10. and 29. 4. and dwelt e Or rested or abode being detained there for a season peradventure by Terab's disease which begun there for the next verse tells us of his death there 32. And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years and Terah died in Haran CHAP. XII 1.
them to live in the neglect of my service 23 And I say unto thee c I command thee For saying is put for commanding Luâ—… 4. 3. and 9. 54. and in 1 Chron. 21. 19. compared with 2 Sam. 24. 19. Let my son go that he may serve me and if thou refuse to let him go behold * chap. 11. 5. and 12. 29. I will slay thy son even thy first-born d By which Plague coming after the rest thou wilt be enforced to do what I advise thee now to do upon cheaper terms 24 And it came to pass by the way in the Inn that the LORD * Num. 22. 22. met him e i. e. Appeared to him in some visible shape and sought to kill him f Whom Moses spoken of and to before He offered and endeavoured to kill him either by inflicting some sudden and dangerous disease or stroke upon him or by shewing himself in some threatning posture possibly as the Angel did to Balaam and afterwards to David with a drawn Sword in his hand ready to give him a deadly blow The reason of this severity was not Moses his distrust of God nor delay in his journey nor the bringing of his Wife and Children along with him which it was convenient for him to carry with him both that his father might not think he intended to desert them and for the greater assurance and encouragement of the Israelites when they saw that he exposed his dearest relations to the same hazards with them all but the neglect of circumcising his Child which also the Lord some way or other signified to Moses and Zipporah as plainly appears 1. From Zipporahs following fact upon that occasion 2. From the Lords dismission of Moses upon the circumcision of the Child 3. From the threatning of Death or cutting of for this sin Gen. 17. 14. which because there was now no Magistrate to do it God himself offers to execute it as he sometimes saith he would do in that case And this was a greater sin in Moses than in another man and at this time then it had been before because he understood the Will and Law of God about it better then any man and God had lately minded him of that Covenant of his with Abraham c. whereof circumcision was a seal the blessings and benefits of which Covenant Moses was now going to procure for himself and for his people whilest he remained under the guilt of groâ—…ly neglecting the condition of it Besides what could be more absurd than that he should come to be a Lawgiver who lived in a manifest violation of Gods Law or that he should be the chief Ruler and Instructer of the Israelites whose duty it was to acquaint them with their duty of circumcising their Children and as far as he could to punish the wilfull neglect of it and yet at the same time be guilty of the same sin or that he should undertake to govern the Church of God that could not well rule his own house 1 Tim. 3. 5 And this was not onely a great sin in it self but a great scandal to the Israelites who might by this great example easily be led into the same miscarriage and moreover might not without colour of probability suspect the call of such a person and conclude that God would not honour that man who should continue in such a visible contempt of his Law And therefore it is no wonder that God was so angry at Moses for this sin Quest. How came Moses to neglect this evident duty Answ. From Zipporahs averseness to and dread of that painful and as she thought dangerous Ordinance of God which she her self evidently discovers in this place and the rather because of the experience which she had of it in her eldest Son And as she seems to have been a Woman of an eager and passionate temper so Moses was eminently meek and pliable and in this matter too indulgent to his Wife especially in her Fathers house and therefore he put it off till a more convenient season when he might either perswade or over-rule her therein Which was a great fault for God had obliged all the Children of Abraham not onely to the thing but to the time also to do it upon the eighth day which season Moses had grosly and for some considerable time slipped and so had preferred the pleasing of his Wife before his Obedience to God 25 Then Zipporah g Perceiving the danger of her Husband and the cause of it and her Husband being disenabled from performing that work whether by some stroke or sickness or by the terrour of so dismal and unexpected an apparition to him and delays being highly dangerous she thought it better to do it her self as well as she could rather than put it off a moment longer whether because the administration of that Sacrament was not confined to any kind or order of persons or because if it was so she did not apprehend it to be so or because she thought this was the least of two evils and that it was safer to commit a circumstantial errour then to continue in a substantial fault took a sharp ‖ Or knife stone h Which she took as next at hand in that stony Country let none think this strange for not onely this work but the cutting off of that part which some used to do 〈◊〉 commonly performed with a flint or a sharp stone as is expresly affirmed by Hrodotus l. 2. Plin. 35. 12. See also Iuvenal Satyr 6. and Mâ—…tial Epigram 3. 18. But the word may be rendred a shâ—…p knife See Ios. 5. 2 3. and cut off the foreskin of her son and †Heb. made it touch cast it at his feet i The words are very short and therefore ambiguous and may be rendred either thus she cast her self at his feet either 1. At the fâ—…et of the Angel as a suppliant for her Husbands Life But it is most probable that she directs this action and her following speech to the same person Or 2. The feet of her husband to make request to him that she and her children might depart from him and return to her Father which also he granted But neither was she of so humble a temper nor at this time in so mild a frame as to put her self into such a lowly posture to her Husband nor was she likely to present her humble supplication to him to whom at the same time she shewed such scorn and indignation Or rather thus she cast it at his i. e. her Husbands feet it either the Child But that being tender and now in great pain she would not use it so roughly Or rather the foreskin cut off or at least the blood which came from it Which she did in spight and anger against her Husband as the cause of so much pain to the child and grief to her self and said surely a bloody husband art thou to me k This some
of parenthesis and now he returns to the story and sets down the last words which Moses spake to Pharaoh for a final parting Thus saith the LORD About Midnight will I go out g God is said to go out or go forth or come down c. by way of condescension to the custom and capacity of men when he doth any eminent act of power either in way of Justice or mercy into the midst of Egypt 5 And all the first-born of the land of Egypt shall die from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne h Either now actually ruling with his father as Solomon did even whilest David lived 1 King 1. 34. or more probably he that is to sit the present time for the future he whose right this is by the custom of Egypt and by the law of Nations even unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill i The poor captive slave that was in the prison as it is chap. 12. 29. and there did grind at the Mill. In those times and places they had diverse Mills which were not turned about by wind or water as ours are but by the hands of their servants who for that purpose stood behind the mill and so with hard labour turned it about See Iudg. 16. 21. Isa. 47. 1 2. Lam. 5. 13. and all the first-born of beasts 6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt such as there was none like it nor shall be like it any more 7 * chap. 8. 22. But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue k In stead of those loud cries of the Egyptian families there shall be so great a tranquillity among the Israelites that even the dogs which are sensible of and awaked and provoked by the least noise shall not be stirred up by them against man or beast that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel 8 And * ch 12. 31 33. all these thy servants l Thy Courtiers and great Officers who now are so insolent and obstinate shall come down unto me ‖ Both by their own inclination and necessity and in thy name and by thy command and bowe down themselves unto me saying Get thee out and all the people that †Heb. that is at thy feet follow thee m That are under thy conduct and command as this or the like expression is used Iudâ—… 4. 1â—… 1 King 20. 1â—… 2 King 3. 9. Isa. 41. 2. and after that I will go out and he went out from Pharaoh in †Heb. heat of anger a great anger n Not so much for the affront offered to himself as for his incurable rebellion against God Compare Mark 3. 5. 9 And * chap. 3. 19. the LORD said unto Moses Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you that * chap. 7. 3. my wonders may be multiplyed in the land of Egypt 10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh and the LORD hardened Pharaohs heart so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land CHAP. XII 1 AND the LORD spake a Had spoken before the three days darkness as may appear by comparing ver 3. and 6. of this chapter with chap. 11. 4. And the mention of it was put off by him till this place aswell that he might not interrupt the history of all the plagues as that he might give the whole institution of the Passeover together unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying 2 This month b The first moneth after the vernal Equinox called Abib Exod. 13. 4. and 23. 1â—… Deut. 16. 1. and Nisan Neh. 2. 1. Esth. 3. 7. containing part of our March and part of April shall be unto you the beginning c Heb. the head which I conceive notes not so much the order which is more plainly mentioned in the following words as the eminency of it that it shall be accounted the chief and principal of all moneths as the Sabbath hath been called by some the queen of days And justly must they prefer this moneth before the rest whether they looked backward to their prodigious deliverance from Egypt therein or forward to their spiritual redemption by Christ and to the acceptable year of the Lord Luk. 4. 19. for in this very moneth our Lord Jesus suffered Ioh. 18. 28. of months it shall be the first month of the year unto you d Heretofore your first moneth for all affairs hath been Tisri which in part answers to our September and is the first moneth after the Autumnal Equinox and so it shall be to you still as to civil affairs as it appears from Exod. 23. 16. and 34. 22. and Levit. 25. 8 9 10. but as to Sacred and Ecclesiastical matters this shall henceforth be your first moneth 3 Speak ye unto all the Congregation of Israel saying in the tenth day e Partly that they might have the lamb ready for the Sacrifice and might not be distracted about procuring it when they should be going to use it partly that by the frequent contemplation of the lamb as a sign appointed by God they might have their saith strengthned as to their approaching deliverance and afterwards might have their minds quickned to the more serious consideration of that great deliverance out of Egypt and of that more glorious deliverance from Hell by Christ the true Passeover which should be offered for them partly to teach the Church in all ages how necessary a thing preparation is to the solemn duties and exercises of Religion and partly to signifie that Christ should be first set apart and separated to the Ministry which was done 3 or 4 Prophetical days i. e. years before his death and afterwards offered Most of which reasons being perpetual it may seem this usage was so too and not for the first passeover onely of this month they shall take to them f Into their houses where the Iews tell us he was tied to the beds post every man a lamb g Or Kid ver 5. for the same word signifies both though a lamb was commonly used and a kid onely in case of the want of a lamb and the Chaldee and LXX do almost constantly translate the Hebrew word lamb And Christ is seldom or never typified by a kid but generally by a lamb as he is called Ioh. 1. 29. partly for his innocency meekness patience c. but principally with respect to this 〈◊〉 lamb in stead whereof he was in due time to be offered whence he is called our Passeover 1 Cor. 5. 7. according to the house of their fathers * Or kid a †A â—…amb was to be disposed of to every house or family according to its quantity or the numbers of persons in it as the next verse explains it The several families are called the
of the sacrifice in their hands as we find Exod. 29. 24. by that right putting them into their office and sanctifie them that they may minister unto me in the priests office 42 And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover †Heb. flesh â—… their nakedness their nakedness from the loins even unto the thighs g Including both Compare Exod. 20. 26. they shall †Heb. â—…e reach 43 And they shall be upon Aaron and upon his sons when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place that they bear not iniquity and die It shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him CHAP. XXIX 1 AND this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them to minister unto me in the priests office * Lev. 8. 1 â—… Take one young bullock and two rams without blemish a See Exod. 12. 5. Mal. 1. 13 14. 2 And * Lev. 6. 20. unleavened b To shew that the Priests should be and that Christ really was free from all malice and hypocrisie both which are compared to leaven Luk. 12. 1. 1 Cor. 5. 8. and that all the services offered to God by the Priests were to be pure and unmixed bread and cakes unleavened tempered with oyl and wafers unleavened anointed with oil of wheaten flower shalt thou make them 3 And thou shalt put them into one basket and bring them c To the door of the Tabernacle as it follows ver 4. in the basket with the bullock and the two rams 4 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and shalt wash them with water d Taken out of that laver Exod. 30. 18. This signified the universal pollution of all men and the absolute need they have of washing especially when they are to draw nigh to God And this outward washing was onely typical of their spiritual washing by the blood and spirit of Christ in order to their acceptance with God 5 And thou shalt take the garments and put upon Aaron the coat and the robe of the ephod and the ephod and the breast-plate and gird him with * chap. 28. the curious girdle of the ephod e Not about the loins but about the paps or breast as Christ and his ministers are represented Rev. 1. 13. The linnen breeches are here omitted because they were put on privately before they came to the door of the Tabernacle where the other things were put on 6 And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head and put the holy crown f i. e. The plate of gold chap. 28. 36. as appears by comparing Lev. 8. 9. upon the mitre 7 Then shalt thou take the anointing * chap. 〈◊〉 oyl and pour it upon his head and anoint him g Which signified the gifts and graces of the holy ghost wherewith Christ was and the Priests ought to be replenished See Isa. 61. 1. 1 Ioh. 2. 27. But here ariseth a difficulty for this anointing is sometimes spoken of as peculiar to the High-priest as Lev. 21. 10. sometimes as common to all the Priests Exod. 30. 30. and 40. 14 15. which may be thus reconciled The oil was sprinkled upon all the Priests and their right ears thumbs and toes and their garments ver 20 21. Lev. 8. 30. but it was poured out upon the head onely of the High-priest Psa. 133. 2. who herein was a type of Christ who was anointed above his fellows Psal. 45. 7. Heb. 1. 9. 8 And thou shalt bring his sons and put coats upon them 9 And thou shalt gird them with girdles Aaron and his sons and †Heb. bind put the bonnets on them and the priests office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute h So long as the Iewish Pedagogy and Policy lasts and thou shalt †Heb. fill the hand of * chap. 28. 41. consecrate Aaron and his sons 10 And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation and * Lev. 1. 4. Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock i To signify that they offered it for themselves and for their own sins which the offerer performing this rite was to confess Lev. 16. 21. that they acknowledged themselves to deserve that death which was inflicted upon this innocent creature for their sakes and to testify their faith in the future sacrifice of Christ upon whom their sins were to be laid and by whose blood they were expiated and that they humbly begged Gods mercy in pardoning their sins and accepting them to and in their holy office 11 And thou k Moses who though no Priest yet for this time and occasion was called by God to this work shalt kill the bullock before the LORD by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation 12 And thou shalt take of the bloud of the bullock and put it upon * chap. 27. 2. and 30. 2. the horns of the altar l Not of incense as some would have it but of the burnt-offerings as may appear 1. because it was that altar at the bottom whereof the bloud was to be poured as it is here expressed but that was not done at the altar of Incense as is evident and confessed Compare Lev. 16. 18 c. 2. it was that altar upon which the parts of the sacrifices were burnt as it here follows ver 13. for there is no distinction here between the two altars It is true in the following sin-offerings of the Priests the blood was put upon the horns of the altar of incense Lev. 4. 7. But it must be considered 1. that the blood was not poured out at the bottom of that altar 2. because Aaron and his sons were not yet compleat Priests but private persons and therefore did this at the same altar which the people used in their sin offerings Lev. 4. 25 30. with thy finger and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar 13 And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards and ‖ It seemeth by anatomy and the Hebrew Doctors to be the midriff the caul that is above the liver and the two kidneys and the fat that is upon them m The parts which in all sacrifices were burned unto God Lev. 3. 3. and 4. 10. to signify either the mortification of their inward and most beloved lusts or the dedication of the best of all sacrifices and of their inward and best parts to God and his service and burn them upon the altar 14 But the flesh of the bullock and his skin and his dung shalt thou burn with fire without the camp it is a sin-offering n To wit for the high-priest as is plain from the whole context and therefore ought to be burnt by that law Lev.
1. that God should be served with the best of every kind 2. that man represented by these sacrifices should aim at all purity and perfection of heart and life and that Christians should one day attain to it Eph. 5. 27. 3. the spotless and compleat holiness of Christ Heb. 9. 13 14. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. and 2. 22. he shall offer it ‖ Or to be â—…ted for him Isa. 56. 7. 58. 5. 6â—… Jer. 6. 20. of his own voluntary will h According to this translation the place speaks onely of free-will offerings or such as were not prescribed by God to be offered in course but were offered at the pleasure and by the voluntary devotion of any person either by way of supplication for any mercy which he needed or desired or by way of thanksgiving for any favour or blessing received But it may seem improper to restrain the rules here given to freewill offerings which were to be observed in other offerings also And the Hebrew word is by the 〈◊〉 Chaldee Syr. and Arab. and others rendred to this purpose for his acceptation or that he may be accepted with God or that God may be atoned as it is ver 4. And so this phrase is used Levit. 23. 11. at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation i In the Court near to the door where the Altar stood ver 5. For here it was to be sacrificed and here also the people might behold the oblation of it And this further signified that men could have no entrance neither into the earthly tabernacle the Church nor into the heavenly tabernacle of glory but by Christ who is the door Ioâ—… 10. 7 9. by whom alone we have access to God before the LORD 4 * 〈◊〉 29. 1â—… 15. And he shall put his hand k i. e. Both his hands Levit. 8. 14 18. and 16. 21. A common Enallage upon the head of the burnt-offering l Whereby he signified 1. that he willingly gave it to the Lord. 2. that he did legally unite himself with it and judged himself worthy of that death which it suffered in his stead and that he laid his sins upon it in a ceremonial way and had an eye to him upon whom God would lay the iniquity of us all Isa. 53. 6. and that together with it he did freely offer up himself to God and it shall be accepted from him to make atonement for him m To wit ceremonially and sacramentally as directing his faith and thoughts to that true propitiatory sacrifice which in time was to be offered up for him See Rom. 3. 25. Heb. 9. 15 25 26. And although burnt-offerings were commonly offered by way of thanksgiving Gen. 8. 20 Psal. 51. 16 17. yet they were sometimes offered by way of atonement for sin to wit for sins in general as appears from Ioâ—… 1. 5. but for particular sins there were special sacrifices as we shall see 5 And he n Either 1. the offerer who is said to do it to wit by the Priest for men are commonly said to do what they cause others to do as Ioh. 4. 1 2. Or 2. the Priest as it follows or the Levite whose office this was See Exod. 29. 11. Levit. 8. 15. Numb 8. 19. 1 Chron. 23. 28 31. 2 Chron. 30. 16. and 35 11. shall kill the bullock before the LORD and the Priests Aarons sons shall bring the bloud and sprinkle the blood round about upon the Altar o Which was done in a considerable quantity as may be gathered from Zech. 9. 15. and whereby was signified 1. that the offerer deserved to have his blood spilt in that manner 2. that the blood of Christ should be poured forth for sinners and that that was the onely mean of their reconciliation to God and acceptance with him that is by the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation 6 And he shall slay the burnt-offering p Partly for decency because the sacrifices being as it were Gods food and feast it was incongruous to offer to God that which men refused to eat and partly to signify that the great thing which God required and regarded in men was not their outward appearance but their inside and that as he doth see all mens insides Heb. 4. 13. so he will one day make them visible to others and cut it into his pieces q To wit the head and â—…at and inwards and legs ver 8 9. 7 And the sons of Aaron the Priest shall put fire r Or dispose the fire i. e. blow it up and put it together so as it might be fit for the present work For the fire there used and allowed came down from heaven Levit. 9. 24. and was to be carefully preserved there and all other fire was forbidden Levit. 10. 1 c. upon the altar and lay the wood in order upon the fire 8 And the Priests Aarons sons shall lay the parts the head and the fat s All the fat which was to be separated from the Flesh and to be put together to increase the flame and to consume the other parts of the sacrifice more quickly Others translate it the trunck of the body as distinguished from the head and joints and inward parts in order upon the wood that is in the fire which is upon the Altar 9 But the inwards and his legs shall he wash t To signify the universal and perfect purity both of the inwards or the heart and of the legs or ways or actions which was in Christ and which should be in all Christians in water and the Priest shall burn all u Not onely the parts now mentioned but all the rest the trunck of the body and the shoulders as is apparent from the practise or execution of these precepts on the Altar to be a burnt-sacrifice an offering made by fire of a sweet savour x Not in it self for so it rather caused a stink but as it represented Christs offering up himself to God as a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5. 2. and to admonish us of the excellent vertue of Divine institution without which God values no worship though never so glorious and by which even the meanest things are pretious and acceptable to God unto the LORD 10 And if his offering be of the flocks namely of the sheep or of the goats for a burnt-sacrifice he shall bring it a male without blemish 11 And he shall kill it on the side of the Altar Northward y Here this and other kinds of sacrifices were killed 〈◊〉 6. 25 and 7. 2. because here seemâ—… to have been the largeâ—… and most convenient place for that work the Altar being probably near the middle of the east end of the building and the entrance being on the south-side so the Northside was the onely vacant place Beâ—…des this might design the place of Christs death both more generally to wit in 〈◊〉 which was in the sides
this knowingly this was a gross sin Ezek. 18. 6. and they being accused and convicted were punished with death Levit. 20. 18. for as there was a turpitude in the action so it was very prejudicial to the children then begotten who were commonly weak or leprous or otherwise disordered which was also an injury to the Commonwealth of Israel and redounded to the dishonour of God and of the true Religion that the professours thereof gave such publick evidence of their intemperance and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean 25 And if a woman have an issue of her blood many dayes out of the time of her separation or if it run beyond the time of her separation r To wit the seven dayes mentioned Levit. 12. 2. as suppose she had the Emerods c. all the dayes of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the dayes of her separation she shall be unclean 26 Every bed whereon she lieth all the dayes of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean as the uncleanness of her separation 27 And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean and shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the even 28 But if she be cleansed of her issue then she shall number to her self seven dayes s From the stopping of her issue as it is apparent And this was for trial whether it was onely a temporary obstruction or a real cessation and after that she shall be clean 29 And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles or two young pigeons and bring them unto the priest to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation 30 And the priest shall offer the one for a sin-offering and the other for a burnt-offering and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness 31 Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness that they die not in their uncleanness when they defile my tabernacle t Which they did both ceremonially by coming into it in their uncleanness and morally by the gross neglect and contempt of Gods express and positive command to cleanse themselves that is among them 32 This is the law of him that hath an issue and of him whose seed goeth from him and is defiled therewith 33 And of her that is sick of her flowers and of him that hath an issue of the man and of the woman and of him that lieth with her which is unclean CHAP. XVI 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses after * chap. 10. 2. the death of the two sons of Aaron when they offered before the LORD and died 2 And the LORD said unto Moses Speak unto Aaron thy brother that he * Exod. 30. 10. Heb. 9. 7. come not at all times a Not whensoever he pleaseth but onely when I shall appoint him to wit to take down the parts and furniture of it upon every removal and to minister unto me once in the year Exod. 30. 10. into the holy place ‖ i. e. Into the Most Holy or the Holy of Holies as the following words demonstrate which is sometimes called onely the holy place as Heb. 9. 2 3 the positive degree put for the comparative which is not unusual in Scripture within the vail b To wit the second vail See Levit. 4. 6. before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark that he die not c For his irreverence and presumption for * Exod. 40. 35. 1 King 8. 12. I will appear d Visibly and gloriously That is as it were my presence-chamber whither the Priest shall not dare to come but when I call him in the cloud e Either in that dark place for there was no light came into it and clouds and darkness go together and one may be put for the other or in a bright and glorious cloud which used to be over the mercy-seat or rather in the cloud of incense mentioned afterward ver 13. by the mercy-seat 3 Thus f In this manner or upon these terms shall Aaron come into the holy place with * a young bullock g i. e. with the blood of it as it is explained ver 14. So it is a Synecdoche the whole put for the part For as for the body of it that was to be killed and offered without upon the Altar of burnt offerings for a sin offering h For his own and families sins for a goat was offered for the sins of the people and chap. 4. 3. a ram for a burnt-offering 4 He shall put on the * Exod. 28. 39 4â—… holy linen coat i It is observable that the High-priest did not now use his peculiar and glorious robes but onely his linnen garments which were common to him with the ordinary priests The reason whereof was either because this was not a day of feasting and rejoycing but of mourning and humiliation at which times people were to lay aside their ornaments Exod. 33. 5. Some conceive that under the linen garments here named are comprehended his more glorious robes also by a Synecdoche But that doth not appear neither from hence nor from other places alledged Had onely his holy garments been mentioned in general all might have been understood but when onely the linen apparel is mentioned here and after ver 23. and when that is so particularly expressed in four several parts of it and not a word of the other either here or in the rest of the chapter it seems presumptuous to adde them here without any ground or evidence Or because it was fit he should not exalt but abase himself when he was to appear before the divine Majesty and therefore he was to come in the meanest of his Priestly habits Or that it might be an evidence of the imperfection of this Priesthood and of the great difference between the Levitical and the true High-Priest Christ Jesus whose prerogative alone it is to go into the true Holy of Holies with his glorious robes when this must carry thither the characters of his meanness and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh and shall be girded with a linen girdle and with the linen mitre shall he be attired These are holy garments k Because appropriated to an holy and religious use for which reason other things are called holy See Exod. 29. 31. and 30. 25. and 2 Chron. 5. 5. therefore * Exod 30 â—…0 shall he wash his flesh in water and so put them on 5 And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin-offering and one ram for a burnt-offering 6 And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin-offering which is for himself and make * Heb. 9. 7. an atonement for himself and for his house l i. e.
His family as Gen. 7. 1. to wit the Priests and Levites See Numb 1. 49. 7 And he shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation 8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats one lot for the LORD m For the Lords use and service by way of sacrifice Both this and the other Goat typified Christ this in his death and passion for us that in his Resurrection for our deliverance and the other lot for the †Heb. Azazel scape-goat 9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORDS lot †Heb. went up fell n So the lot is said to fall Ionah 1. 7. Act. 1. â—…6 Heb. went up to wit out of the vessel into which the lots were put and out of which they were brought up and offer him foâ—… a sin-offering 10 But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scape-goat shall be presented alive before the LORD to make an atonement with him o In manner hereafter expressed ver 21. 22. and to let him go for a scape-goat into the wilderness 11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock p Mentioned in general ver 6. The ceremonies whereof are here particularly described This was a differing bullock or heifer from that Numb 19. as appears by comparing the places of the sin offering which is for himself and shall make an atonement for himself and for his house and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself 12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar q To wit of burnt-offering where the fire was alwayes burning and whence fire was taken for such uses as these before the LORD and his hands full of sweet incense r Of which see Exod. 30. 34 35 38. beaten small and bring it within the vail s i. e. Into the Holy of holieâ—… ver 2. 13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire t Which was in the censer ver 12. before the LORD that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy-seat that is upon the testimony that he die not u For so gross an errour committed in the highest acts of worship and that by an High-Priest whose knowledge and function was a great aggravation to his sin 14 And * Heb. 9. 13. and 10. 4. he shall take of the blood of the bullock and * chap. 4. 6. sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy-seat x To teach us that God is mercifull to sinners onely through and for the blood of Christ. eastward y i. e. With his face east-ward or upon the eastern part of it towards the people who were in the court which lay east-ward from the Holy of holies which was the most western part of the Tabernacle This signified that the High-priest in this act represented the people and that God accepted it on their behalf and before the mercy-seat z On the ground shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times 15 Then shall he kill a Either this was done before he entred into the Holy of holies though it be mentioned after such trans-placings of passages being not unusual or rather he went out of the Holy of holies and killed it and then returned thither again with its blood and this agrees best with the text nor are transpositions to be allowed without necessity And whereas the High-priest is said to be allowed to enter into that place but once in a year that is to be understood but one day in a year though there seems to have been occasion of going in and coming out more than once upon that day the goat of the sin-offering that is for the people and bring his blood within the vail and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat and before the mercy-seat 16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place b Of which see below ver 19 20. and Exod. 29. 36. Lev. 8. 15. Heb. 9. 13. because of the uncleannesses of the children of Israel c For though the people did not enter into that place yet their sins entred thither and would hinder the effects of the High-priests mediation on their behalf if God was not reconciled to them and because of their transgressions in all their sins and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation that †Heb. dwelleth remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleannesses d Encompassed with their sins being in the midst of a sinfull people who defile not themselves onely but also Gods Sanctuary as God complains Ezek. 23. 38 39. 17 * Luk. 1. 10. And there shall be no man in the tabernacle †Heb. of meeting Exod. 29. 42. of the congregation e i. e. In the holy place where the Priests and Levites were at other times This was commanded for the greater reverence to the Divine Maiesty then in a more special manner appearing and that none of them might cast an eye into the Holy of holies as the High-priest went in or came out when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place untill he come out and have made an atonement for himself and for his houshold and for all the congregation of Israel 18 And he shall go out unto the altar f To wit the altar of incense where the blood of sacrifices was to be put Levit. 4. 4. and particularly the blood of the sin-offerings offered upon this day of atonement Exod. 30. 10. and which is most truly and properly said to be before the Lord i. e before the place where God in special manner dwelt to wit the Holy of holies Some understand it of the altar of burnt-offerings because he is said to go out to it But that going out relates not to the Tabernacle but to the Holy of holieâ—… into which he was said to go in ver 17. Add to this that this 〈◊〉 which is atoned by the High-priest seems to be in that place where he onely might now come and therefore in the Holy place called here the Tabernacle from which all other priests were for this day excluded whereas the altar of burnt-offerings was without the Holy place or Tabernacle to wit at the door of it and in the court of the Priests that is before the LORD and make an atonement for it and shall take of the blood of the bullock and of the blood of the goat and put it upon the horns of the altar round about 19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times g To signify its perfect cleansing seven being a number of perfection and our perfect reconciliation by the blood of Christ here represented and cleanse it and hallow it from the uncleannesses of the
devoted which shall be devoted of men y Not by men as some would elude it but of men for it iâ—… manifest both from this and the foregoing verses that men here are not the persons devoting but devoted Quest. Was it then lawful for any man or men thus to devote another person to the Lord and in pursuance of such vow to put him to death Ans. This was unquestionably lawful and a duty in some cases when persons have been devoted to destruction either by Gods sentence as Idolaters Exod. 22. 20. Deut. 23. 15. the Canaanites Deut. 20. 1â—… the Amalekites Deut. 25. 19. 1 Sam. 15. 3 26. Benhadad 1 King 20. 42. or by men in pursuance of such a sentence of God as Numb 21. 2 3. and 31. 17. or for any crime of an high nature as Iudg. 21. 5. Ios. 7. 15. But this is not to be generally understood as some have taken it as if a Iew might by vertue of this Text devote his child or his servant to the Lord and thereby oblige himself to put them to death which peradventure was Iepthe's errour For this is expresly limited to all that a man hath or which is his i. e. which he hath a power over But the Iews had no power over the lives of their children or servants but were directly forbidden to take them away by that great command thou shalt do no murder And seeing he that killed his servant casually by a blow with a rod was surely to be punished as is said Exod. 21. 20. it could not be lawful wilfully and intentionally to take away his life upon pretence of any such vow as this But for the Canaanites Amalekites c. God the undoubted Lord of all mens lives gave to the Israelites a power over their persons and lives and a command to put them to death And this verse may have a special respect to them or such as them And although the general subject of this and the former verse be one and the same yet there are two remarkable differences to this purpose The verb is active ver 28. and the agent there expressed that a man shall devote but it is passive ver 29 and the agent undetermined which shall be devoted to wit by God or men in conformity to Gods revealed will 2. The devored person or thing is onely to be sold or redeemed and said to be most holy ver 28. but here it is to be put to death and this belongs onely to men and those such as either were or should be devoted in manner now expressed shall be redeemed but shall surely be put to death 30 And * Gen. 28. 22. Num. 18. 21 24. Mal. 3. 8. 10. all the tithe of the land z There are divers sorts of Tithes but this seems to be understood onely of the ordinary and yearly tithes belonging to the Levites c. as the very expression intimates and the addition of the fifth part in case of redemption thereof implies whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree is the LORDS it is holy unto the LORD 31 And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof 32 And concerning the tithe of the herd or of the flock even of whatsoever passeth under the rod ‖ Either 1. the tithers rod it being the manner of the Iews in tithing to cause all their cattel to pass through some gate or narrow passage where the tenth was marked by a person appointed for that purpose and reserved for the Priest Or 2. the shepherds rod under which the herds and flocks passed and by which they were governed and numbred See Ier. 33. 13. Ezek. 20. 37. the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD 33 He shall not search whether it be good or bad neither shall he change it and if he change it at all then both it and the change thereof shall be holy it shall not be redeemed 34 These are the commandments which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in Mount Sinai ANNOTATIONS ON NUMBERS The ARGUMENT THis Book giveth us an History of almost forty years travel of the children of Israel through the Wilderness where we have an account of their journeys and what happened to them therein with their Government and how they were managed thereby Called Numbers by reason of the several Numbrings of the people as at the offerings of the Princes and at their several journeys c. But especially two One Chap. 1. Out of which the Priests and Levites were excepted but numbred by themselves viz. in the second year after they were come out of Egypt in the first month whereof the Passeover was instituted with the order about the Tabernacle both of the Levites and People and their several marches encampings and manner of pitching their Tents the Priest's maintenance and establishment by the miraculous budding of Aarons rod with the several impediments in their marches both among themselves by several murmurings seditions and conspiracies and from their enemies viz. the Edomites Canaanites over whom having obtained a victory and afterwards murmuring they were stung with fiery Serpents and cured by the brazen one Amorites whose Kings Sihon and Og they overcame and slew and Moabites where by the allurements of Balaam who was hired by Balak to curse Israel they joyned themselves to Baal-peor and are plagued for it that openly opposed them The other chief numbring is in Chap. 26. where they are found almost as many as the first though among them were none of the first numbring according to what God had threatned Chap. 14. save Moses Joshua and Caleb by reason of their desire to return back into Egypt upon the discouraging report of ten of those twelve that Moses sent to spy out the Land whereupon they were forced to wander above 38 years in the wilderness where he gave them several Laws Civil Ecclesiastical and Military as also particular directions about women's inheriting occasioned by the case of Zelophehad's daughters and concerning vows And then brings them back to the borders of Canaan where after divers victories obtained against their enemies they were directed how the Land of Canaan was to be divided among the Tribes and what portion the Levites were to have among them together with six cities of Refuge set apart for the Man-slayer At length Aaron being dead and Eleazar placed in his stead and Moses also having received the sentence of Death doth by God's appointment deliver up the people unto the charge and conduct of Joshua CHAP. I. 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai a Where now they had been a full year or near it as may be gathered by comparing this place with Exod. 19. 1. and 40. 17. and other places in the tabernacle b From the mercy-seat of the congregation on the first day of the second month in the second year after they
the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai and they had no children and Eleazar and Ithamar ministred in the priests office in the sight of Aaron d In the time of Aarons life as this phrase is taken Nâ—…ab â—… 4. See also Psal. 72. 5 17. and under their fathers inspection and direction and as their fathers servants or ministers in the Priests-office for servants are oft described by this phrase of being or standing or 〈◊〉 in the sight or 〈◊〉 of their master their father 5 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 6 Bring the tribe of Levi near and present them e Offer them to the Lord for his special service This was promised to them before and now actually conferred upon them before Aaron the priest that they may minister unto him 7 And they shall keep his charge f i. e. Aarons charge or those things which are committed principally to Aarons care and oversight and under him and his direction to the Levites and the charge of the whole congregation g i. e. Of all the sacrifices and services which were due to the Lord from all the people and because all the people could not and might not perform them or at least diverse of them in their own persons therefore they were to be performed by some particular persons in their name and stead formerly by the first-born Numb 8. 16. and now by the Levites See Numb 1. 53. and 16. 9. before the tabernacle h Emphatically not within the Tabernacle for the care of these things within the holy place was appropriated to the Priests as the care of the most holy place was peculiar to the High-priest of the congregation to do the service of the tabernacle 8 And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation and the charge of the children of Israel i Those things which all the children of Israel are in their several places and stations obliged to take care of though not in their persons yet by others in their stead to do the service of the tabernacle 9 And * chap. 8. 19. thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons they are †Heb. 〈◊〉 giveâ—… wholly given unto him k To attend upon him and observe his orders and case him of part of his burden in things hereafter mentioned out of the children of Israel 10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons and they shall wait on their priests office l In their own persons not by the Levites and the stranger m i. e. Every one who is of another family than Aarons yea though he be a Levite See Numb 1. 53. and 16. 40. that cometh nigh n To wit to execute any part of the Priest office shall be put to death 11 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 12 And I behold * chap. 8. 16 and 18. 6. I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the first-born n Who were Gods propriety by right of Redemption Exod. 13. 12. and to whom the administration of holy things was formerly committed which now was taken away from them either because they had forfeited this priviledge by joyning with the rest of their brethren in the idolatrous worship of the calf or because they were to be mainly concerned in the distribution and management of the inheritances which now they were going to possess and therefore could not be at leisure to attend upon the service of the Sanctuaâ—…y Which made it fit that this work should be committed to other hands And God would not commit it to some other persons in each Tribe which might be an occasion of Idolatry confusion division and contempt of sacred things but to one distinct Tribe which might be intirely devoted to that service and particularly to the Tribe of Levi partly out of his respect to Moses and Aaron branches of this Tribe partly as a recompence of their zeal for God and against Idolaters See Exod. 32. 25 29. Deut. 33. 9. and partly because it was the smallest of the Tribes and therefore most likely to find both employment in and maintenance for the work that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel therefore the Levites shall be mine 13 Because * Exod. 13. 2. Lev. 27. 26. chap. 8. 16. Luk. 2. 23. all the first-born are mine * Exod. 13. 12 15. for on the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the first-born in Israel both man and beast mine they shall be I am the LORD o Who may appoint whom I please for my service 14 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai saying 15 Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers by their families every male from a month old p Because at that time the first-born in whose stead the Levites came Numb 8. 16. were offered to God Luk. 2. 22. and to be redeemed Numb 18. 16. And from that time the Levites were consecrated to God and were as soon as they were capable to be instructed in their work Elsewhere they are numbred from twenty five years old when they were entred as novices to part of their work Numb 8. 24. and from thirty years old when they were compleatly admitted to their whole office and upward shalt thou number them 16 And Moses numbred them according to the †Heb. mouth word of the LORD as he was commanded 17 * Gen. 46. 11. Exod. 6. 16. chap. 26. 57. 1 Chron. 6. 1 2. and 23. 6. And these were the sons of Levi by their names Gershon and Kohath and Merari 18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families Libni and Shimei 19 And the sons of Kohath by their families Amram and Izhar Hebron and Uzziel 20 And the sons of Merari by their families Mahli and Mushi these are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers 21 Of Gershon was the family of the Libnite and the family of the Shimite these are the families of the Gershonite 22 Those that were numbred of them according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward even those that were numbred of them were seven thousand and five hundred 23 The families of the Gershonite shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward 24 And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonite shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael 25 And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the * Exod. 25. 9. tabernacle q Not the boards which belonged to Merari ver 36. but the ten curtains mentioned Exod. 26. 1. and the * Exod. 26. 1. tent r To wit the curtains of goats hair * Exod. 26. 7. 14. the covering thereof s i. e. The coverings of
the day that the LORD commanded Moses and henceforward among your generations 24 Then it shall be if ought be committed by ignorance †Heb from the without the knowledge of the congregation that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt-offering r In Lev. 4. the bullock is for a sin-offering here it is for a burnt-offering either because they are different laws as hath been said or because here is added a new penalty to breed the greater caution and diligence in the Israelites who had given many instances and now a fresh and eminent instance of their heedlesness in observing the commands of God and so besides that bullock for a sin-offering which he leaves to be gathered out of Levit. 4. 14. he now requires another bullock for a burnt-offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD with his meat-offering and his drink-offering according to the ‖ Or Ordiâ—… manner and one kid of the goats for a sin offering 25 And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel and it shall be forgiven them for it is ignorance and they shall bring their offering a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD and their sin offering before the LORD for their ignorance 26 And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel and the stranger that sojourneth among them seeing all the people were in ignorance 27 * Lev. 4. 〈◊〉 And if any soul sin through ignorance then he shall bring a she-goat of the first year for a sin offering 28 And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD to make an atonement for him and it shall be forgiven him 29 Ye shall have one law for him that †Heb. dâ—… sinneth through ignorance both for him that is born amongst the children of Israel and for the stranger that sojourneth among them 30 But the soul that doth ought s Understand such things as ought not to be done and things relating to the worship of God †Heb. 〈◊〉 high hand presumptuously t Heb. with an high or lifted up hand i. e. knowingly wilfully boldly resolvedly deliberately designedly So this phrase is elsewhere used See Exod. 14. 8. Lev. 26. 21. Numb 33. 3. Iob 15. 26. Psal. 19. 13. whether he be born in the land or a stranger the same reproacheth the LORD u i. e. He sets God at defiance and exposeth him to contempt as if he were unworthy of any regard and unable to punish transgressors and that soul shall be cut off from among his people 31 Because he hath despised the word of the LORD and hath broken his commandment that soul shall utterly be cut off his iniquity shall be upon him x i. e. The punishment shall be confined to himself and not fall upon the congregation as it will do if they neglect to cut him off 32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness they found a man that gathered sticks on the sabbath day y This seems to be added as an example of a presumptuous sin for as the law of the sabbath was plain and positive so this transgression of it must needs be a known and wilful sin 33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron and unto all the congregation z i. e. To the Rulers of the congregation who as they represented and governed the congregation are called by the name of the congregation 34 And they a i. e. Moses and Aaron and the 70 Rulers last mentioned put him * Lev. 24. 〈◊〉 in ward because it was not declared what should be done unto him b i. e. In what manner he was to be cut off or by what kind of death he was to die which therefore God here particularly determines otherwise it was known in general that sabbath-breakers were to be put to death from Exod. 31. 14. and 35. 2. 35 And the LORD said unto Moses * Exod. 31 〈◊〉 The man shall be surely put to death all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp 36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp and stoned him with stones as the LORD commanded Moses 37 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 38 Speak unto the children of Israel and bid * Deut. 22. 12. Mat. 23. 5. them that they make them fringes b These were certain threds or ends of their garments standing out a little further than the rest of their garments left there for this use in the †Heb. wings borders c i. e. in the four borders or quarters as it is Deut. 22. 12. Heb. wings which is oft used for borders or ends as Ruth 3. 9. 1 Sam. 15. 27. and 24. 5 c. of their garments d i. e. Of their upper garment or that wherewith they covered themselves as is expressed Deut. 22. 12. This was practised by the Pharisees in Christs time who are noted for making their borders larger than ordinary Mat. 23. 5. and by Christ himself as may be gathered from Luk. 8. 44. throughout their generations and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband e To make it more obvious to the sight and consequently more serviceable to the use here mentioned Or of a purple colour as the Iewish writers agree whose opinion is the more considerable because it was matter of constant practise among them of blue f. 39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe g It i. e. the ribband shall be unto you i. e. shall serve you for the fringe to wit to render it more visible and notorious by its certain and remarkable and distinct colour whereas the fringe without this was of the same piece and colour with the garment and therefore less observable Or it i. e. the ribband shall be in your fringes or put to your fringes fastened to them that ye may look upon it and remember h That by looking upon it you may remember that your eye may affect your mind and heart all the commandments of the LORD and do them and that ye seek not i Or inquire not for other rules or ways of serving me than I have prescribed you after your own heart and your own eyes k i. e. Neither after the devices and inventions of your own minds or hearts as Nadab and Abihu did when they offered strange fire and as you now did when you pretended to serve and please me by going up the hill and towards Canaan without and against my command nor after the examples or inventions of others which your eyes see as you did when you were set upon worshipping a calf after the manner of Egypt after which ye use to go a whoring l i. e. To depart from me and to prefer your
Or rather 2. As an evidence of Gods gracious answer to Moses his prayers and of his reconciliation to the people notwithstanding their late and great provocation For saith he after this they proceeded by Gods guidance in their journeys some eminent stages whereof he names for all and though Aaron dyed in one of them yet God made up that breach and Eleazar came in his place and ministred as Priest one branch of which office was to intercede for the people Then saith he God brought them from the barren parts of the wilderness to a land of rivers of waters v. 7. a pleasant and fruitful soil Then he adds God separated the Levites c. v. 8. from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to * Num. 33. 3â—… Mosera d Obj. This place seems directly contrary to that Numb 33. 31. where their journey is quite contrary to this even from Moseroth to Bene-jaakan This indeed is a great difficulty and prophane wits take occasion to cavil And if a satisfactory answer be not yet given to it by interpreters it ought not therefore to be concluded unanswerable because many things formerly thought unanswerable have been since fully cleared and therefore the like may be presumed concerning other doubts yet remaining And it were much more reasonable to acknowledge here a transposition of the words through the Scribes mistake than upon such a pretence to reject the divine Authority of those sacred books which hath been confirmed by such irresistable Arguments But there is no need of these general pleas seeing particular answers are and may be given to this difficulty sufficient to satisfie modest and impartial enquirers Ans. 1. The places here mentioned are differing from those Numb 33. it being very frequent in Scripture for divers persons and places to be called by the same names and yet the names are not wholly the same for there it is Bene-jaakan and here Beeroth bene-jaakan or Beeroth of the children of Iaakan there Moseroth here Moserah there Hor-hagidgad here Gudgodah there Iotbathah here Iotbath If the places were the same it may justly seem strange why Moses should so industriously make a change in every one of the names And therefore these may be other stations which being omitted in Numb 33. are supplyed here it being usual in sacred Scripture to supply the defects of one place out of another Answ. 2. Admitting these two places to be the same with those Numb 33. 31. yet the journeys are divers They went from Beeroth of the children of Iaacan to Mosera which is omitted in Numbers and therefore here supplyed and then back again from Moserah or Moseroth to Bene-jaakan as is there said for which return there might then be some sufficient reason though now unknown to us as the reasons of many such like things are or God might order it so for his own pleasure and it is not impossible he might do it for this reason that by this seeming contradiction as well as some others he might in just judgment do what he threatned to the Iews Ier. 6. 21. even lay stumbling blocks before prophane and proud wits and give them that occasion of deceiving and ruining themselves which they so greedily seek and gladly embrace which is the reason given by some of the antients why God hath left so many difficulties in Scripture Ans. 3. The words may be otherwise rendred from Beeroth of the children of Iaakan and from Moserah where the order of the places is not observed as was noted before of the order of time v. 1. because it was nothing to the purpose here and because that might be easily fetched from Numb 33. where those journeys are more particularly and exactly described For the conjunction and that may be here wanting and to be supplyed as it is Exod. 6. 23. 1 Sam. 4. 7. Psal. 133. 3. Isa. 63. 11. Hab. 3. 11. And the preposition from is easily supplyed from the foregoing words as is most usual Nor seems there to be any more reason to render it to Moserah than from Moserah seeing the Hebrew letter He in the end is made a part of the proper name and therefore is not local * Num. 20. â—… there Aaron died e Qu. How it is true when Aaron dyed not in Moserah but in Mount Hor Numb 33. 37. Ans. 1. Moserah may be a differing place from Moseroth and that may be the name of a Town or Region in which Mount Hor was or to which it belonged Or the same mountain in respect of divers parts and opposite sides of it might be called by divers names here Moserah and there Hor. And it is possible they might go several journeys and pass to divers stations and by fetching a compass which they oft did in their Wilderness travels come to the other side of the same Mountain Ans. 2. The Hebrew particle soham may here note the time and not the place of Aarons death and may be rendred then as it is taken Gen. 49. 24. Psal. 14. 5. Eccles. 3. 17. Zephan 1. 14. And then is not to be taken precisely but with some latitude as it is oft used in Scripture that is about that time after a few removes more as the words at that time v. 8. must necessarily be understood and there he was buryed and Eleazar his son ministred in the priests office in his stead 7 * Num. 33. 32 â—… From thence e Either 1. From that place and that either from Moseraâ—… last mentioned or from Bene-jaakan for relatives many times in Scripture belong to the remoter antecedent Or 2. From that time for this particle sometimes notes not place but time as 2 King 2. 21. Isa. 65. 20. So the meaning is At or about that time as it is v. 8. which being considered may serve to clear the great difficulty discoursed upon the last verse concerning the seeming contradiction of this place and Numb 33. 31 32. they journeyed unto Gudgodah and from Gudgodah to Jotbath a land of rivers of waters 8 At that time f About that time i. e. when I was come down from the mount as was said v. 5. For these words manifestly look to that verse the 6 and 7. verses being put in by way of parenthesis as was said before Or if it relate to the words immediately foregoing this may be meant of a second separation of them upon Aarons Death and having mentioned the separation of Eleazar to the Office of the high Priest in his Fathers stead v. 6. he now repeats it that the Levites who were his as they had been his Fathers Servants were separated as before or were confirmed in their office * 〈◊〉 3. 6. 〈◊〉 8. 14. the LORD separated the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD to stand before the LORD g A phrase used concerning the Prophets 1 King 17. 1. and 18. 15. this being the posture of Ministers Hence the Angels are said to
houshold and to do ‡ Heb. the good in his eyes what he thought good and Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was come over Jordan l Or rather as he was passing or about to pass over Iordan but this was beyond Iordan for as he went over Iordan to the King v. 17. so doubtless he fell down before him at his first coming into his presence theâ—…e 19 And said unto the king Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me neither do thou remember * Chap. 16. 5. that which thy servant did perversly the day that my lord the king went out of jerusalem that the king should take it to his heart m i. e. Be affected with it or excited to Revenge it 20 For thy servant doth know that I have sinned n I do not excuse my Sin but with grief and shame Confess it in which case the Lord thy God is ready to Pardon Offenders and so I trust wilt'st thou be therefore behold I am come the first o The sense of my former Sin now hath and whilest I live will make me the first and most forward in all Acts of Duty and Service to thy Majesty this day of all the house of Joseph p Object He was a Benjamite Chap. 16. 5. How then doth he make himself one of the house of Ioseph Answ. The house of Ioseph is here put either 1. For the Ten Tribes which are oft distinguished from Iudah and then they are called the house of Ioseph as Zech. 10. 6. But this distinction was not made before the division of the People into two Kingdoms and even after that Division Benjamin was constantly reckoned with Iudah and not with Ioseph or Ephraim Or 2. For all the Tribes of Israel who are all called the children of Ioseph Psal. 77. 15. Comp. Psal. 80. 1. and 81. 5. as well they might not onely because of Ioseph's Eminency the most Eminent Persons and Things being oft put for the rest of the kind and because the rights of Primogeniture were in a great part devolved upon him 1 Chron. 5. 1. but also because Ioseph had been as a Father to them and had nourished them all like Children as is expressed in the Hebrew Text Gen. 47. 12. But in this sence this was not true for the House of Iudah came before him ver 15. Or rather 3. For all the Tribes except Iudah which are conveniently called the house of Ioseph for the reasons now mentioned and are fitly distinguished from Iudah because the Rights of the First-born were divided between Iudah and Ioseph 1 Chron. 5. 2. And though Benjamin after the Division of the Kingdoms was fitly joyned with Iudah because then they adhered to that Tribe yet before that time it was more conveniently joyned with Ioseph because they Marched under the Standard of the House of Ioseph or of Ephraim Numb 10. 22 23 24. Whence it is that Ephraim Benjamin and Manasseh are put together Psal. 80. 2. to go down to meet my lord the king 21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said Shall not Shimei be put to death for this because he cursed the LORD's anointed q i. e. The King By this Expression he minds David of his former Zeal against those who offered any injury to Saul because he was the Lord's Anointed 1 Sam. 24. 6. and 26. 9. and therefore demands the same Justice against Shimei for his Cursing of the King which was so expresly forbidden Exod. 22. 28. and by the Analogy of that Law Exod. 21. 17. might seem punishable with Death 22 And David said What have I to do with you r I do not ask neither will I take your Advice in this Matter ye sons of Zeruiah s Implying that Ioab's hand was in this Contrivance or that he suspected it that ye should this day be adversaries unto me t i. e. That you put me upon things unfit for me to do and contrary to my present Interest for it was David's Interest at this time to Appease the People and reconcile them to him and not now to give them any new distast by acts of Severity for this would make others jealous that David will not forgive them neither but would watch an opportunity to be Revenged on them You pretend Friendship herein and would have me take it for an effect of your Zeal for my Service but in truth you give me such counsel as my Enemies would wish me to follow that thereby I might awaken the fears and jealousies of my People which are now asleep and cast them into a second Rebellion which either Ioab and Abishai really designed by this Advice that so Ioab might recover his Place again and be made necessary for the King's Service or David suspected that they did so * 1 Sam. 11. 13. Shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel for do not know that â—… am this day king over Israel u Is not my Kingdom which for my Sins was in a manner wholly lost just now restored and assured to me And when God hath been so Merciful to me in forgiving my Sin shall I now shew my self Revengeful to Shimei Shall I fully the Publick Joy and Glory of this Day with an act of such severity Or shall I alienate the Hearts of my People from me now when they are returning to me 23 Therefore * 1 King 2. 37 36. the King said unto Shimei Thou shalt not die x To wit this day as Abishai desireth nor whilest I live nor by my Hands as it is repeated and explained 1 King 2. 8. nor for this Cause alone For though David gave order to Solomon for his Punishment after his Death nor was it fit for the Publick Good that such a Horrid Crime should go Unpunished yet he would not have him Punished for this Fault alone but for some other Capital Crime which 〈◊〉 presumed Shimei's Temper would easily betray him to and Solomon's deep Wisdom would easily find out 1 King 2. 9. and the king sware unto him y That he would not put him to death with the Sword as it is expressed 1 King 2. 8. 24 ¶ And Mephibosheth the son z i. e. The Grandson 2 Sam. 6. 3 6. of Saul came down to meet the king and had neither dressed his feet a By cutting his Nails and by washing his Feet which was usual in hot Climates and very refreshing and therefore now neglected as becoming a Mourner nor trimmed his beard b But suffered it to grow very long and disorderly as was usual with many persons in a forlorn or mournful State nor washed his cloathes c His Linnen Clothes This and the former were signs that he was a true and obstinate Mourner that lay'd aside his usual Refreshments and they are here mentioned as Evidences of the Falshood of Ziba's former Relation concerning him Chap. 16. 3. from
that time when multitudes were made Christs willing people by the preaching of the Apostles as we read Acts 2. 3. 4. 5 c. And for the second clause it is to be understood thus thou hast or as it is in the Hebrew to thee is the dew of thy youth or of thy childhood for the word jeled from which this is derived signifies sometimes a young man and sometimes a child or infant By youth or childhood he here seems to understand those young men or children which shall be born to the Messias who are called his children Heb. 2. 13. and his seed Isa. 53. 10. wherein possibly there might be an allusion to this dew Thus the abstract is here put for the concrete which is very frequent in the Hebrew Tongue as Circumcision and Uncircumcision are put for the circumcised and the uncircumcised c. And even in the Latine Tongue this very word youth is oft used for a young man or for a company of young men By the dew of youth he means youth or young men like dew the note of similitude being oft understood And this progeny of Christ is compared to the dew partly because of their great multitude being like drops of dew innumerable and covering the whole face of the earth see 2 Sam. 17. 12. and partly because of the strange manner of their generation which like that of the dew is done suddenly and secretly and not perceived till it be accomplished and to the admiration of those that behold it of which see Isa. 49. 21. Or 2. joyntly as one entire sentence The dew of thy youth i. e. Thy posterity which is like the dew as was noted and explained before is as the dew which may very well be understood out of the foregoing clause as the word feet is understood in like manner Psal. 18. 33. He maketh my feet like hinds feet of or from the womb of the morning it is like the morning dew as it is called both in Scripture as Hos. 6. 4. and in other Authors Not is it strange that a womb is ascribed to the morning seeing we read of the womb of the Sea and of the womb of the â—…oe and frost Job 38. 8 28 29. 4 The LORD hath sworn t Which he did not in the Aaronical Priesthood Heb. 7. 21. but did it here partly because the thing was new and strange and might seem incredible because God had already erected another and that an everlasting Priesthood Numb 25. 13. and given it to Aaron and his posterity for ever and therefore this needed all possible assurance and partly that this Priesthood might be established upon better promises as is said Heb. 8. 6. and made sure and irrevocable and such that God neither could nor would repent of it as it follows and therefore will not repent * Heb. 5. 6. 7. 17 21. Thou art u To wit by my order and constitution thou shalt be so and I do hereby make thee so a priest x As well as a King Those Offices which were divided before between two families are both united and invested in thee both being absolutely necessary for the discharge of thine Office and for the establishment of thy Kingdom which is of another kind than the Kingdoms of the World spiritual and heavenly and therefore needs such a King as is also a Minister of holy things This word plainly discovers that this Psalm cannot be understood of David as some of the Jews would have it but onely of the Messias And although this word Cohen be sometimes used of a Prince or great Person in the State as the Jews object yet it cannot be so understood here partly because it signifies a Priest in Gen. 14. 18. from whence this expression is borrowed partly because that word is never used of a Soveraign Prince or King such as the Jews confess the Messias to be but onely of inferiour Princes or Ministers of State as Gen. 41. 45. 2 Sam. 8. ult partly because such an inconsiderable assertion would never have been ushered in by so solemn an oath especially after far greater things had been said of him in the same kind v. 1 2 3. and partly because the Messias is called a Priest Zach. 6. 13. compare Ier. 20. 21. 35. 15 18. for ever y Not to be interrupted or translated to another person as the Priesthood of Aaron was upon the death of the Priest but to be continued to thee for ever after the order of Melchizedek z Or after the manner c. so as he was a Priest and also a King and both without any successor and without end in the sence intended Heb. 7. 3. 5 The Lord a Either 1. God the Father whose words and oath he last mentioned v. 4. So this is an Apostrophe of the Psalmist to Christ Thy God and Father is at thy right hand to wit to defend and assist thee as that phrase is used Psal. 16. 8. 109. 31. and elsewhere See the Notes on v. 1. And he to wit God the Father shall strike c. as it follows Although this latter clause may belong to the Messias and as in the former he spake to him so in this he speaketh of him such changes of persons being very frequent in this Book Or 2. God the Son or the Lord who is at thy right hand as was said before v. 1. shall strike c. So this is an Apostrophe to God the Father concerning his Son This seems best to agree with the following verses for it is evident that it is the same person who strikes thorow Kings and judgeth among the heathen and filleth c. And so this whole verse and those which follow speak of one person which seems most probable at thy right hand shall strike thorow kings b Shall mortally wound and destroy all those Kings and Potentates who are obstinate enemies to him and to his Church in the day of his wrath c In the day of battel when he shall contend with them and pour forth the flouds of his wrath upon them 6 He shall judge d Either 1. conquer and govern them or rather 2. condemn and punish them as it is explained in the following clauses and as this word is used Gen. 15. 14. Rom. 2. 1 2. 1 Pet. 4. 6. and elsewhere among the heathen he shall fill the places d Or the place of battel which is necessarily supposed in the fight and therefore may very well be understood with the dead bodies e Of his enemies slain by his hand and lying in the field in great numbers and heaps and that unburied to their greater infamy he shall wound the heads f Heb. the head Which may be understood either 1. of some one person and eminent adversary of Christ and of his Kingdom either the Devil by comparing this with Gen. 3. 15. Heb. 2. 14. who was indeed the Head or
Heathen nations Philistins Syrians Ammonites Moabites c. who were stirred up partly by the overthrows which David had given some of them partly by their jealousie at Davids growing greatness and fear for themselves and partly by their hatred against the true Religion 10 All nations compassed me about but in the Name of the LORD †Gr. I did destroy them will I destroy them 11 They compassed me about yea they compassed me about k The repetition implies their frequency and fervency in this action and their confidence of success but in the Name of the LORD I will †Heb. cut them off destroy them 12 They compassed me about * Deut. 1. 44. like bees l In great numbers and with great but potent fury and to their own ruine as bees do when they fly about a man and leave their stings in him they are quenched m So this word is used Iob 6. 17. 18. 5 6. 21. 17. Or as the LXX and Chaldee render it they burnt or flamed i. e. raged against me like fire as it follows And this is supposed to be one of those Hebrew Verbs which have not onely divers but contrary significations as the fire of thorns n Which flameth out terribly and makes a crackling noise and burneth fiercely but quickly spends it self without any considerable or lasting effect for o Or but as this very particle is frequently used and here twice in this very phrase v. 10 11. So as the former part of the verse notes their hostile attempt this notes their ill success and utter ruine Here is an inversion of words in this last clause which is not unusual in the Hebrew Text. Although these words may be and are by a learned man of our own rendred as they lye in the Hebrew I trust which word may easily be understood out of v. 8. 9. in the name of the Lord therefore for so the Hebrew chi is oft rendred and is so taken by the Chaldee in this place I shall destroy them or cut them off in the Name of the LORD I will †Heb. cut down destroy them 13 Thou p O mine enemy and the head of all mine enemies Possibly he understandeth Saul whom for honours sake he forbears to name or some other chief Commanders of his enemies Or the singular word is here put collectively for all his enemies hast thrust sore at me that I might fall but the LORD helped me 14 * Exod. 15. 2 Psal. 12. 2. The LORD is my strength and song q The Author of my strength and therefore the just object of my song and praise and is become my salvation r i. e. my Saviour 15 The voice of rejoycing and salvation s Of rejoycing and thanksgiving for the salvation and deliverance which God hath wrought for me is in the tabernacles of the righteous t Partly because they clearly saw Gods hand in the work and therefore took pleasure in it and partly because all good men suffered great inconveniences under Sauls government as David complains in divers of the foregoing Psalms and expected and received singular benefits by Davids advancement both in their Civil and Religious concernments the right hand of the LORD doth valiantly u These are the words of that song of joy and praise now mentioned 16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted x Hath appeared evidently and wrought powerfully and gloriously on my behalf the right hand of the LORD doth valiantly 17 I shall not die y To wit so soon as mine enemies desire nor by their sword as they hope and endeavour but live and declare the works of the LORD z One branch whereof is the total destruction of mine enemies He implies that he did not desire life nor should employ it as his enemies did theirs but for the service and glory of God 18 The LORD hath chastened me sore a By the hands of mine enemies whom God used to that very purpose for my greater good and their own greater and surer ruine and confusion but he hath not given me over unto death 19 Open to me b O ye porters appointed by God for this work Or it is a figurative and poetical manner of expression whereby he speaks to the gates themselves as if they had sence and understanding Or by saying open he implies that they had been long shut against him in Sauls time the gates of righteousness c To wit the gates of the Lords Tabernacle the proper and usual place for the solemn performance of the duty here following which he calleth the gates of righteousness partly in opposition to the gates of death of which he speaks implicitly v. 18. and expresly Psal. 9. 14. 107. 18. which may be called the gates of sin or unrighteousness because death is the wages of sin partly because there the rule of righteousness was kept and taught and the sacrifices of righteousness as they are called Psal. 4. 5. were offered and divers other exercises of righteousness or of Gods service were performed and partly because those gates were to be opened to all righteous persons such as David had oft professed and proved himself to be upon which account he claims this as his just priviledge and onely to such for the unclean and unrighteous were to be shut and kept out by the porters 2 Chron. 23. 19. Compare Isa. 26. 2. I will go in to them and I will praise the LORD 20 This is the gate of the LORD into which the righteous shall enter d These may be the words either 1. of the Levites the porters returning this answer to the foregoing question This is the gate of the Lord which thou seekest and which shall be opened to thee according to thy desire and thy just priviledge for thou art one of those righteous ones to whom this of right belongs or 2. of David himself who stands as it were pausing and contemplating before he makes his entrance This this is that holy and blessed gate which I so long and earnestly thirsted for in my banishment and which is now very beautiful in my sight into which I will enter and all other righteous persons by my example and encouragement But as David was a Type of Christ and the Temple of Heaven so this place hath a further prospect thaâ—… David and relates to Christs ascending into Heaven and opening the gates of that blessed Temple both for himself and for all righteous men or believers 21 I will praise thee for thou hast heard me and art become my salvation 22 * 〈◊〉 21. 42. 〈◊〉 12. 10. 〈◊〉 20. 17. 〈◊〉 4 11. 〈◊〉 2. 4 7. The stone which the builders refused e The Commonwealth of Israel and the Church of God are here and elsewhere in Scripture compared to a building wherein as the people are the stones and the matter so the