Hammikdash cap. 9. are appointed and none other to lay things in order for Sacrifice I Lev. 5. and to burn the Fat of the Peace-offerings upon the Altar III Lev. 8. His Daughters were uncapable of it and so were all those that descended from them The same may be said of the Levites Ver. 5. And ye shall keep That is the Priests were bound to do what follows The charge of the Sanctuary Whereas they alone Verse 5 were to minister so they were to take care of all the holy Things therein contained the Shew-bread Lamps c. and to cover them when they were to be removed IV. 5 6 c. And the charge of the Altar Of Burnt-offering where they only were to offer Sacrifice and to take care of every thing belonging to it IV. 3 14. That there be no wrath any more upon the Children of Israel That you may by your care and constant Admonitions prevent the Children of Israel from running into such Prophanations much more from such Intrusions into the Sacred Offices as may bring God's most high Displeasure again upon them Verse 6 Ver. 6. And I behold I have taken your Brethren the Levites from among the Children of Israel III. 12 41 45. VIII 6 16 18. The Levites are again called their Brethren that the Priests might not despise them because they served in a lower Condition but treat them with Kindness and Brotherly Affection To you are they given as a gift See III. 9. but especially VIII 19. For the LORD To assist you in your ministry to the LORD To do the Service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation This hath been repeated very often III. 7 8. IV. 3 4 23 c. VIII 19 22 24. and here is mentioned again that the Levites might be possessed with this opinion that they were but Ministers to the Priests and therefore ought not to presume hereafter to aspire as Korah did to the Office of Priesthood Ver. 7. Therefore thou and thy Sons with thee shall keep your Priests Office Preserve it to your selves and suffer no other Person to invade it For every thing of the Altar These words and Verse 7 the following briefly declare what is meant by the Priests Office First To offer Sacrifice at the Altar of Burnt-offering and sprinkle the Blood c. And within the Veil Next to perform all the Service of God within the Sanctuary For in the Hebrew the words are and for within the Veil which is a short form of Speech importing both all that was to be done in the Sanctuary by the Sons of Aaron as burning Incense putting on the Shrew-bread and lighting the Lamps and likewise all that was to be done in the most Holy Place by Aaron himself on the Day of Atonement For the word Paroceth always signifies the inner Veil before the most Holy Place the outward Veil being constantly called Masack And therefore the exactest Translation of the Hebrew words lemibbeth laparoceth is this for within the House i. e. the Holy Place for the Veil i. e. with the Veil in the most Holy Place And ye shall serve In these Places ye alone shall serve and imploy no Body else I have given your Priests Office unto you as a Service of gift He would have the Levites to know that Aaron and his Sons had not arrogantly usurped this Office of ministring alone at both the Altars but he had freely bestowed it upon them and appropriated it unto them And the Stranger Though a Levite if he be not of the Family of Aaron That cometh nigh Presumes to offer Sacrifices at the Altar of Burnt-offering or Incense at the golden Altar Shall be put to death This is repeated by reason of the late Rebellion of Korah and his Complices who aspiring to the Priesthood came to a fearful end See III. 10. Verse 8 Ver. 8. And the LORD spake unto Aaron saying Having told him in the foregoing part of the Chapter particularly in the foregoing verse what should be the Work of him and his Sons he proceeds to tell him what recompence he should have for his Service at the Altar of Burnt-offerings and in the Sanctuary Of which he gives him a large account from this verse to the 20th that he might want no incouragement to Care and Diligence in his Employment Behold I also I have given thee the charge He bids him observe the large Grant which he now makes him as well as the Work he had laid upon him For by giving him the charge of what follows he means bestowing them upon him for his own use with a Charge to let none have them but himself Of my Heave-offerings of all the hallowed things of the Children of Israel See VII Lev. 34. and below v. 11. of this Chapter Vnto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing Because thou art Consecrated by being anointed with the Holy Oyl to the Office of a Priest VIII Lev. 12. And to thy Sons by an Ordinance for ever See VII Lev. 34. Ver. 9. This shall be thine of the most holy things He begins with those things which might be eaten only by the Priests themselves Reserved from the fire From the Altar of Burnt-offering Verse 9 for there were some things called most holy which were their Portion that came not from thence but out of the Sanctuary viz. the twelve Cakes which were taken off the Table and given to Aaron and his Sons every Sabbath Day XXIV Lev. 5 6 7 8 9. Every Oblation of theirs In the Hebrew all their Korbans which is a larger word than Sebach comprehending not only such Sacrifices as were killed at the Altar which are properly called Zebachim but all the Mincha's or Meat-offerings as we translate it which were of things inanimate And the Sacrifices of Birds also whose Blood was never poured out at the Altar And therefore Korban seems here to be a general word comprehending all the Particulars which follow especially if all be translated exactly as the words are in the Hebrew Every Meat-offering of theirs c. In the Hebrew the words are For all their Meat-offerings Which makes the sence plainer if the whole be thus translated All their Korbans or Oblations for all their Meat-offerings and for all their Sin-offerings and for all their Trespass-offerings of all which the Priest had a part Concerning the Meat-offerings or rather the Bread-offerings for so Mincha may most fitly be translated the Sacrifices being Flesh which were not eaten without Bread and Drink that were their Concomitants See II Lev. 3 10. VI. 15 16. Whâ—â—e the Flesh of the Sin-offerings except those 〈…〉 was brought into the most Holy Place is 〈…〉 unto them v. 26. And so are the Trespass 〈…〉 so in the next Chapter VII Lev. 6 7. As for Burnt-offerings they were wholly the LORD's and Peace-offerings were not accounted things most holy but reckoned among the less holy as appears from v. 11. of this present Chapter Which they shall render unto me
them So this word bring near signifies to offer them unto God As they were VIII 10 11. Before Aaron the Priest In his presence That they may minister unto him Unto Aaron and the rest of the Priests who were the immediate Ministers of God and the Levites were given to minister unto them Which they did many ways especially while they remain'd in the Wilderness where they had a peculiar Charge which otherwise would have been incumbent on the Priests not only to guard the Tabernacle and keep a Watch night and day about it but also to take it down and to carry it when they removed and to set it up again when they rested as we read in the following part of this Chapter and in the next When they came into the Land of Canaan and were settled there they had less to do of this kind But as the Charge of the Tabernacle still lay upon them as it had done before so did other Works in the Courts of the LORD'S House and in the Chambers where they waited on the Priests which are particularly mentioned in 1 Chron. XXIII 28 29 c. And in David's time their Work was still more increased for he appointed them to be Singers in the House of the LORD and to play upon several sorts of Instruments 1 Chron. XXV which they did Morning and Evening 1 Chron. XXIII 30. Porters perhaps there were before who stood at the several Gates of the Tabernacle as afterward of the Temple and are said therein to minister in the House of the LORD 1 Chron. XXVI 12. as also Guards of the Treasury of God's House and of things dedicated to him v. 20. But as he increased the number of them so he settled them in their Courses that there might be a constant Attendance with greater ease As for those of them that were made Judges and Officers not only in Matters concerning the LORD but in the Service of the King as we read there 1 Chron. XXVI 29 30. it no more belongs to what is said of them here than what follows there v. 31. that there were found among them mighty Men of Valour See upon v. 10. Verse 7 Ver. 7. And they shall keep his Charge and the charge of the whole Congregation It highly concerned Aaron in particular and the whole Congregation in general that the Tabernacle should be well guarded And this was the Levites great business at present who took this Charge from off their hands by attending that Service which all of them were bound to perform Before the Tabernacle of the Congregation This exactly expresses in what their Ministry consisted which was not performed in the Tabernacle where the Priests only officiated in the Holy Place as the High Priest in the most Holy but before it in the External Part of it where they assisted the Priests in their Service To do the Service of the Tabernacle Such Service as I have mentioned before v. 6. Ver. 8. And they shall keep By guarding them and keeping a continual Watch about them Verse 8 All the Instruments of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Every thing belonging to it And the charge of the Children of Israel to do the Service of the Tabernacle By which Service at the Tabernacle they took upon them the Charge which otherwise was incumbent on the whole Congregation who were to take care that the holy Things were kept both safe and secure and also separate to the Sacred Uses to which they were appointed These words which are often repeated to do the Service of the Tabernacle are to be carefully noted because the Levites did not serve in the Tabernacle which belonged only to the Priests but served the Tabernacle by guarding it and taking it down and carrying it c. as was said before Ver. 9. And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron Verse 9 and to his Sons They were first presented unto God v. 6. and God bestowed them as a Gift upon the Priests See VIII 19. They are wholly given unto him out of the Children of Israel To attend upon the Priests and to obey their Orders for which they paid them nothing but they were to do it freely being given to them to be their Servants by God who paid them their Wages Ver. 10. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his Sons Verse 10 and they shall wait on their Priests Office Or thou shalt appoint them to wait on their Priesthood Which he had shown before was very different from the Levitical Office but to make them more mindful of their Dignity he repeats it again that Aaron and his Sons alone should officiate as Priests viz. in offering Sacrifice in setting the Bread upon the Holy Table looking after the Lights and burning Incense Which they were to perform in their own Persons and not appoint any others as their Deputies to do them for none of these things could be performed by the Levites Whose business it was to look after the fine Flour of which the Bread was made to prepare it and the Frankincense which was to be burnt and abundance of such like things which are particularly mentioned 1 Chron. IX 27 28 29 31 32. But they could not make the Anointing Oyl or the sweet Perfume mentioned XXX Exod. 23 34. for they were most holy and therefore the Priests only could compound them And the Stranger that cometh nigh By Stranger is meant any one though a Levite that was not of the Sons of Aaron who alone had the priviledge to approach unto God Shall be put to death God himself sent out a Fire to consume Korah and his Company who presumed to offer Incense being but bare Levites and not Priests Chap. XVI Verse 11 Ver. 11. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying To make the Matter more clear he further tells Moses the reason why he took the Levites from among the the Children of Israel to be his after a peculiar manner Verse 12 Ver. 12. And I behold I have taken the Levites from among the Children of Israel Take notice of the Reason why I have taken the Levites from among the rest of the Israelites v. 9. for it is by my Order and Appointment Instead of all the First-born that openeth the Matrix c. To make an exchange with them for all their First-born which I have heretofore challenged as my own and now take the Levites in their stead Therefore the Levites shall be mine As all the First-born were which now shall be theirs and the Levites be mine Ver. 13. Because all the First-born are mine By Verse 13 a special Right which is mentioned in the next words For on the day that I smote all the First-born in the Land of Egypt The Title whereby he laid a Claim to all the First-born was that great Miracle as R. Levi of Barcelona calls it which he wrought when he destroyed all the First-born of their Neighbours in Egypt and touched not one of theirs By which sparing Mercy he acquired
Lightning and perhaps scorched as they likewise sometimes are The latter seems most probable from what follows v. 37. and from the like punishment by Fire from the LORD which is said to devour Nadab and Abihu and yet their Bodies remained intire X Lev. 2 4. This was the more astonishing because Moses and Aaron who stood with them at the Door of the Tabernacle v. 18. had no hurt Verse 36 Ver. 36. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying Immediately after the Death of those Men. Ver. 37. Speak unto Eleazar the Son of Aaron the Priest Who it is likely stood by them as next Successor to Aaron in the Office which was disputed And therefore perhaps imployed in what follows rather than Aaron that his Succession might be confirmed Though others will have it that it was below the Dignity of Aaron to perform such a mean Office and besides he might have been in danger to be polluted by the dead Bodies of the Men that were burnt That he take the Censers out of the Burning Out of the place where the Men were burnt as some understand it Or which differs not much from among the dead Bodies which were burnt Burning being put for Bodies burnt as Captivity XXI 1. for those that were carried Captive or made Prisoners as we there translate it But there is no need of either of these Additions burning signifying the Fire which burnt in them which he orders Eleazar to throw out that the Censers might be brought away And scatter thou the Fire yonder The Men were burnt as soon as ever they put fire to the Incense in their Censers v. 18. which flaming at the Door of the Tabernacle where they stood near the Altar from whence they took the Fire God commanded to be thrown away without the Camp into that place I suppose where they were wont to throw the Ashes VI Lev. 11. or rather into some unclean place where they threw the Dust scraped from the Walls of Leprous Houses XIV Lev. 41. For it was to show that God abhorred their Offering For they are hollowed Or had Fire from the Altar put into them which some think sanctified them But the plain reason is given in the next verse because they offered them before the LORD i. e. they had been employed to an holy use and that by God's command v. 6 17. and therefore God would not have them hereafter serve for any other Ver. 39. The Censers of these Sinners against their Verse 39 own Souls Who have brought destruction upon themselves by their Presumption Let them make of them Either Aaron or Eleazar were to cause them to be beaten into such Plates as here follow Broad Plates for a covering of the Altar Of Burnt-offering which was covered with Brass XXVII Exod 12. but these Plates were to be laid upon that Covering which it had already for the end mentioned in the Conclusion of this verse And hereby also the proper Covering of the Altar lasted the longer For they offered them before the LORD Presented them before the LORD when they offered Incense in them v. 35. Therefore they are hallowed Or holy That is I will have them separated for this reason to my use alone and no other It is a thing worthy to be taken special notice of that the Impiety of the Men that offered Incense did not discharge their Censers of the discriminative Respect as our famous Mr. Mede speaks due unto things sacred As these in some sort were by being presented to the LORD which made it unlawful to imploy them to common uses For as the LORD himself is that singular incommunicable and absolutely Holy One and his Service and Worship therefore incommunicable to any other so should that also which is consecrated to his Service be in some proportion incommunicably used and not promiscuously and commonly as other things are See Book I. Discourse 2. p. 18. And they shall be a Sign unto the Children of Israel That God accepts no Sacrifice which is not presented by the Hands of the Sons of Aaron This the Levites were to remember who attended upon the Priest when they saw these Plates laid upon the Altar of Burnt-offering every day Verse 39 Ver. 39. And Eleazar the Priest took the brazen Censers c. By this it appears these Censers were made of the same Metal though it was not said before that Aaron's Censer was of and wherewith the Altar was overlaid He took them up out of the burning no doubt immediately upon the foregoing Commands and as soon as the Mutiny was quite quelled they were employed as Moses had directed Ver. 40. To be a Memorial unto the Children of Israel This explains what is meant by a Sign v. 38. viz. to put them in mind or rather to keep in their memory That no Stranger Though he were an Israelite nay a Levite if he were not as it here follows of the Seed of Aaron he was reputed a Stranger to this Office Come near to offer Incense before the LORD Presume to execute the Office of a Priest in the Sanctuary That he be not as Korah and his Company Destroyed in a dreadful manner By this it appears that Korah perished as well as the Two hundred and fifty Men and it is likely as they did by Fire from the LORD As the LORD said unto him i. e. To Eleazar By the hand of Moses Ver. 36 37. Ver. 41. But on the morrow An astonishing Instance Verse 41 of the incurable hardness and insensibility of some Mens hearts which were not in the least altered by God's terrible Judgments and singular Mercies but instantly forgat both All the Congregation of the Children of Israel Not merely the Rulers of the People as this Phrase sometimes signifies but all the People in general v. 47. who were incited it is probable by that lewd Rout which Korah had gathered together against Moses and Aaron v. 19. Some of which were swallowed up but most of them remained still alive to do more Mischief Murmured against Moses and against Aaron In such a mutinous and threatning manner as demonstrated the contagious Nature of a Seditious Humour beyond all example For from a discontented Party who grumbled that they were not preferred suitably to the opinion they had of themselves it spread it self into the whole Body of the People And so infected them as to kindle a new Flame as soon as the former had been extinguished by such a terrible Vengeance as one would have expected should not have left the smallest Spark of this mutinous Humour in them Saying Ye have killed the People of the LORD So they impudently call those Men whom God himself had declared by a visible Token to be presumptuous Sinners against their own Souls Some imagine they quarrelled with Moses and Aaron because they had not prevailed with God to pardon them which they could as well have done as procured this Judgment upon them But the displeasure which God here expresses against this
Brook Zered as it is in II Deut. 13 14. And then to the River Arnon v. 13. and thence to Beer where they digged a famous Well XXI 16 17 18. which perhaps they might have done before in other places if they had made Experiment for Kadesh where they now were was in the Border of a Country inhabited And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron Just as their Fathers had many times done particularly upon such an occasion as this XVII Exod. 2 3. Ver. 3. And the People chode with Moses Instead Verse 3 of condoling with him and comforting him for the Death of his Sister and their Prophetess as Abarbinel observes they came in a rude manner to scold at him And spake saying Would God that we had died when our Brethren died before the LORD By a sudden Death rather than linger away by Thirst They allude to the strokes of God upon their Brethren XI 1 33. XIV 37. XVI 32 35 46. Which one would have thought should have affrighted them from uttering such very discontented Language XIX 2. But nothing will alter those who will not lay to heart and preserve in mind God's Mercies and Judgments Verse 4 Ver. 4. And why have ye brought the Congregation of the LORD into this Wildernoss that we and our Cattle should die there The very words of their Fathers presently after they came out of Egypt XVII Exod 3. Verse 5 Ver. 5. And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt They speak as if it had not been their own desire but that they were perswaded to it by Moses to leave Egypt who was sent to tell them God heard their sighing groans and crys and would deliver them II Exod. 23 24. III. 17. But in a discontented fit nothing of this was remembred To bring us unto this evil place They do not speak of returning to Egypt as their Fathers did XIV 3 4. but they repented that they were come out of it So shamefully forgetful they were of all God's benefits who had in a wonderful manner redeemed them from the heaviest Slavery and hitherto provided for them miraculously in the Wilderness which was a better place than such an ungrateful People deserved It is no place of Seed i. e. of Corn. Or of Figs or of Vines or Pomegranates c. Now they complain for want of other things as well as Water wherein they still imitate their unbelieving Fathers XVI 14. Ver. 6. And Moses and Aaron went from the presence Verse 6 of the Assembly unto the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation To pray to God to pardon their Sin and to supply their Wants And they fell upon their Faces As they had often done before on other such like occasions particularly XIV 5. And the Glory of the LORD appeared unto them Unto all the People it is likely as it had done several times to silence their Murmurings See XIV 10. XVI 19 42. Ver. 7. And the LORD spake unto Moses From Verse 7 that Glory which appeared upon the Tabernacle Ver. 8. Take the Rod. That famous Rod wherewith Moses had wrought so many Miracles in Egypt and at the Red Sea c. And gather thou the Assembly together This word Edah signifying sometimes only the Assembly of the Elders not of the whole People it would be uncertain which of them he is bid to gather together for it is a different word from that which we translate Assembly v. 6. if the tenth verse had not determined that it was the Kahal or Congregation of the People as the word Edah also signifies just before v. 8. Thou and Aaron thy Brother For the People were gathered together against Aaron in a mutinous manner as well as against Moses v. 2. And speak ye unto the Rock before their eyes To the first Rock you meet withal saith Nachmanides and that is within their sight For this is not the same Verse 9 Rock out of which the former Water flowed as the Jews fancy but quite different Their very Names are different that being called Tzur this Selah That was in Rephidim this is Kadesh two very distant places Thus Chaskuni some think this the same with that in Exodus but it is not the same History For the former was in Horeb this in Kadesh which is in the Extremity of the Land of Edom. But whether God pointed him to a Rock which was then in their sight as he did at Horeb XVII Exod. 5 6. or left him to chuse any stony place is not certain But it is a mere fancy of some of the Jews that because God here bad them speak to the Rock Moses offended God in smiting it For to what purpose should he take the Rod if he was not to smite the Rock with it as he had done formerly Just such another conceit there is in Schalschelet Hakkabala where R. Gedaliah saith That he had given an account of this Sin in another Book which he gathered out of various Writers and found there were XXVIII different Opinions about it But he preferred this before any of them that whereas God bad Moses gather the Edah together that is the Assembly of the People v. 8. he gathered the Kahal i. e. the Congregation of the Princes and Elders as he will have it whose Faith needed no Confirmation See Hottinger in his Smegma Orientale cap. 8. p. 451. And it shall give forth his Water The Jews puzzle themselves about this Expression which sounds they think as if the Water was contained in the Rock and Moses only made a Gap for it to gush out But it seems to be spoken in opposition to the Waters issuing out of the former Rock which had supplyed them hitherto but now ceased to flow It being as much as if he had said This shall give forth Water as that did before now it shall be called the Water of this Rock not that of Horeb. And thou shalt bring forth to them Water out of the Rock Renew the former Miracle So thou shalt give the Congregation and their Beasts drink So that they and their Cattle which they fear will perish v. 4. shall be as plentifully provided for as ever Ver. 9. And Moses took the Rod from before the Verse 9 LORD as he commanded him From hence some conclude that this was the Rod of Aaron which blossomed because he is said to take it from before the LORD where Aaron's Rod was laid up XVII 10. But this Rod is so expresly called Moses his Rod V. 11. which was the Instrument of bringing the former Water out of the Rock in Horeb that I cannot but think this was the very same Rod. Which being there called the Rod of God XVII Exod. 9. as it is at the first mention of it IV Exod. 20. it is very probable that by God's order it was laid up somewhere before him in the Sanctuary though not before the Ark of the Testimony For having been imployed in doing
the Divine Majesty in Detestation of the Impiety and to declare their Sorrow and Indignation and Dread of God's Judgments as appears from XXXVI Jerem. 24. Where the Stupidity of Jehojakim and his Servants is represented by this that when they heard the words which the Prophet declared in God's Name against Judah they were not afraid nor rent their Garments Verse 7 Ver. 7. And they spake unto all the Company of the Children of Israel saying This showed great Courage that they durst declare their Opinion contrary to the Sense of so great a multitude The Land which we passed thorough to search it is an exceeding good Land This is opposed to what their Fellows had said that it was a Land which eat up its Inhabitants XIII 32. Quite contrary they assure them it was very very good as the words are in the Hebrew And so expressed by the Chaldee and the LXX exceeding exceeding good That is every way desirable for thus the Hebrews express the Superlative Degree Verse 8 Ver. 8. If the LORD delight in us then he will bring us into this Land and give it us If we do not forfeit his Favour he will make us so happy as to drive out the Canaanites and settle us in the Possession of this Land A Land which floweth with Milk and Honey As their Companions themselves had confessed XIII 27. Ver. 9. Only rebel ye not against the LORD By slighting his Goodness by Murmuring and discontented Speeches and talking of going back to Egypt v. 2 3 4. Verse 9 Neither fear ye the People of the Land This is opposed to what the rest of the Spies had said concerning the mighty Power and Strength of the Inhabitants of Canaan XIII 28 29 31 c. For they are Bread for us We shall as easily vanquish them as we eat our Meat Their Defence is departed from them In the Hebrew the words are their Shadow whereby Men being defended from Heat in those Countries it signifies the Protection which God gives Men from those things that might hurt them Which Divine Protection they tell the People was now withdrawn from the Canaanites who had filled up the measure of their Iniquities XV Gen. 16. and now were exposed as a Prey to the Israelites And the LORD is with us For on the contrary they entreat the People to consider that God who was departed from the Canaanites was with them to aid and assist them in the Conquest of the Country And for both these reasons they needed not to fear them So they conclude their Speech like Men of an undaunted Spirit in these words fear them not Ver. 10. But all the Congregation The Hebrew Verse 10 words Col Ha Edah as I observed v. 1. signifies all the great Men the Rulers of the rest Bad stone them with stones Ordered the People to stone them to Death as they had done it is likely if they had not been deterred from the Attempt by the Appearance of the Divine Majesty For the Hebrew word amar as Maimonides observes in his More Nevochim P. I. cap. 65. is used not only concerning that which is spoken or thought but of what is decreed and resolved And he produces these words as an instance of it together with II Exod. 14. 2 Sam. XXI 16. And the Glory of the LORD appeared The SCHECHINAH which resided within the Tabernacle upon the Mercy-Seat now openly appeared in a bright flaming Light like Fire And in all probability after such an amazing manner as terrified them from their Design Thus it appeared on Mount Sinai to fright them from approaching near unto it XXIV Exod. 17. from whence Moses saith the LORD thy God is a consuming fire IV Deut. 24. and thus it appeared afterward XVI Numb 19 42. In the Tabernacle of the Congregation Or rather upon the Tabernacle for in the Tabernacle the People could not have seen it as now they did over the most Holy place which the Cloud constantly covered over the Mercy-Seat where the Divine Glory dwelt See IX 15. Before all the Children of Israel Both to fright them as I said from their purpose of stoning Joshua and Caleb and to show his Anger and Displeasure at their Rebellion which it is likely appeared by the Flashes that came from the glorious Flame Verse 11 Ver. 11. And the LORD said unto Moses In answer I suppose unto his Prayer v. 5. How long will this People provoke me Shall I always bear with their most undutiful Behaviour which will provoke the greatest Patience unto Anger How long will it be ere they believe me Dost thou not see that their belief is incurable For all the Signs which I have shewed among them Since they continue in it notwithstanding all the Wonders I have done to convince them of my Power and Faithfulness Ver. 12. I will smite them with a Pestilence Send Verse 12 a Pestilential Disease among them to sweep them away at once as the fifteenth Verse interprets it See XXXII Exod. 10. And disinherit them And so deprive them and theirs of the Country which I promised to their Fathers for an Inheritance XV Gen. 7. This was not an irrevocable Decree but a Threatning which God changed into another severe Punishment And will make of thee a greater Nation and mightier than they Fulfil my Promise to Abraham by making thee the Father of a more numerous People and more powerful than they whom I reject Ver. 13. And Moses said unto the LORD then Verse 13 the Egyptians will hear it for thou broughtest up this People by thy might from among them It is an abrupt kind of Speech proceeding from the great disturbance which this Threatning made in his Mind being as much as if he had said If thou thus destroy them the Egyptians when they hear of it will Triumph and thou wilt lose all the Honour thou hast got by the wonderful Deliverance thou didst work for thy People from their Bondage Ver. 14. And they will tell it to the Inhabitants of Verse 14 this Land Or rather they will say to the Inhabitants of this Land i. e. the Canaanites with whom the Egyptians had frequent Commerce For they have heard c. The word for is not in the Hebrew and the Sense will be more plain if we omit it and translate the whole thus They will say to the Inhabitants of this Land they have heard that thou LORD art among this People That is that there was a glorious Token of thy Presence among us That thou LORD art seen face to face And spakest to us from Mount Sinai out of that glorious Cloud which there appeared unto all the People XIX Exod. 18. XX. 1. XXIV 16 17. IV Deut. 12. And that thy Cloud standeth over them X Numb 34. And that thou goest before them by day time in a Pillar of a Cloud and in a Pillar of Fire by Night XIII Exod. 21. Verse 15 Ver. 15. Now if thou shalt kill all this People Or rather But thou hast
over the Ark of the Testimony IX 15. not in the Door of the Tabernacle for there Korah and his Company stood See XVI Exod. 10. And the end of the LORD 's appearing was to to give Sentence in this case and to declare by a visible Token whom he accepted as his Priests Thus the Glory of the LORD appeared the first time that Aaron and his Sons offered Sacrifice IX Lev. 6 23. Ver. 20. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Verse 20 Aaron saying A little before they put Fire in their Censers Ver. 21. Separate your selves from this Congregation Verse 21 Viz. From Korah and his Company and the People they brought along with them who seemed to favour them v. 19. That I may consume them in a moment As he did Korah and his Companions Ver. 22. And they fell on their faces To pray to Verse 22 God as they had done before v. 4. O God The most mighty The God of the Spirits of all Flesh Who hast created the Souls of all Mankind so Flesh often signifies all Men VI Gen. 13. and therefore searchest into their most secret Thoughts and Inclinations So these words signifie XXVII 16. Shall one Man sin Korah who was the chief Incendiary and Contriver of this Sedition And wilt thou be wroth with all the Congregation Many of which he thought might through weakness be seduced into this Faction having no Malice at all in their hearts Which God knew perfectly and therefore he begs of him that he would make a distinction between such as these and the Men that misled them Verse 23 Ver. 23. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying He bad him rise up having granted his Petition Verse 24 Ver. 24. Speak unto the Congregation Whom Korah had gathered together and brought along with him to the Door of the Tabernacle v. 19. Get ye up from about the Tabernacle of Korah Dathan and Abiram Which it seems was not far off or wheresoever it was there a great number of People was gathered together to see what would be the Conclusion of this Contest The word Tabernacle is in the Singular Number but includes all the Tents belonging to these Men as appears from v. 26. Or perhaps they had set up one great Tabernacle for the word here is Mischean which may be thought to signifie more than Ohel a Tent v. 26. unto which abundance of People resorted as the place that Korah and the rest had appointed for the general Rendevouz as we now speak of all their Party For here Dathan and Abiram it is evident v. 27. were with him but there is no mention at all of On which makes it probable he had forsaken them as Moses wisht all the People to do on which Condition God promised to pardon them Ver. 25. And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Verse 25 Abiram To try I suppose if he could reduce them to their Obedience and prevent their ruine He seems to have had no hopes of Korah but lookt upon him as incorrigible And the Elders of Israel followed him Either the LXX Elders who were lately chosen out of the rest XI 16. or the whole Body of those who were called by that Name and were Men of Authority attended upon him to make this Action more solemn and to let Dathan and Abiram see how much Moses was reverenced by better Men than themselves who refused to come to him v. 12 14. Ver. 20. And spake unto the Congregation saying Verse 26 It seems Dathan and Abiram refused to hear him as they did to come to him for here is no mention of any thing he spake to them but only to the Congregation who were gathered about their Tents Depart I pray you from the Tents of these wicked Men. I suppose now they were gone to their own Tents where their Families were from which he beseeches the People to remove with all speed And he doth not mean merely that they should remove their Persons from them but their Tents and their Goods and Cattle And touch nothing of theirs Because all belonging unto them was under an Anathema which God had passed upon them That is was devoted to destruction and therefore not to be touched XIII Deut. 17. Lest ye be consumed in all their sins Destroyed with them who had sinned so grievously as to fall under the Curse before-mentioned Verse 27 Ver. 27. So they gat up from the Tabernacle of Korah Dathan and Abiram Where the greatest number of People were gathered together as I observed v. 24. For here is the same word Mischean again in the Singular Number denoting some spacious Habitation where perhaps they held their Consultations and unto which there was the greatest resort On every side From which we may conclude that the People had come from all quarters of the Camp to these Rebels either to joyn with them or out of Curiosity to see how things would go And Dathan and Abiram With Korah also it may be thought because he is mentioned in the beginning of the Verse Yet this Conclusion cannot be drawn from thence for it is not said he was now there but that it was the Tabernacle of Korah Dathan and Abiram where they used I suppose to meet Came out From the Tabernacle before-mentioned And stood in the door of their Tents Of their own Tents where they commonly dwelt And their Wives and their Sons and their Children With their whole Families This was the highest degree of audacious and hardned Infidelity whereby they declared that they feared not what Moses who had given the greatest proof he was a Man of God could do unto them Ver. 28. And Moses said Unto all the People of Israel or to the Elders and as many as could Verse 28 hear him Hereby you shall know I will now give you an evident Demonstration That the LORD hath sent me to do all these works That I have been commissioned by God to do all the things with which those Men find fault particularly to take upon me the Government of them and to put Aaron and his Family into the Priesthood and make the Levites only their Ministers c. See v. 2 3 13 14. For I have not done them of my own mind In the Hebrew the words are And that not out of my heart It was none of my own device or contrivance I did it not out of an ambitious desire to be great myself or out of private affection to my Brother Ver. 29. If these Men die the common death of all Verse 29 Men. In the Hebrew it is As die all Mankind that is a Natural Death as we now speak Or they be visited after the visitation of all Men. i. e. Such Judgments of God come upon them as are usual and common in the World viz. a Pestilence the Sword or Famine The LORD hath not sent me Then look upon me as an Impostor Ver. 30. But if the LORD make a new thing Verse 30 In the Hebrew the words are If
20. But the Man that shall be unclean By a dead Body a Bone or a Grave c. And shall not purifie himself By the Water of Separation appointed for that purpose Verse 20 That Soul shall be cut off from among the Congregation As a Contemner of this Law of God Because he hath defiled the Sanctuary of the LORD c. This and the following words are only a Repetition of what was said v. 13. for the greater confirmation of it Ver. 21. And it shall be a perpetual Statute unto them Verse 21 that he that sprinkleth the Water of Separation shall wash his Clothes Be reputed unclean until he hath washed his Clothes which I suppose comprehends his Body also v. 19. And he that toucheth the Water of Separation As a Man might chance to do when he mingled the Water and Ashes together v. 17. Shall be unclean until Even And wash his Clothes it must be supposed from the foregoing words For mere staying till Even purified no Body without some Rite of Cleansing And there was more reason for him that touched the Water immediately to wash his Clothes than for him who only sprinkled with it Ver. 22. And whatsoever Or whomsoever Verse 22 The unclean person toucheth shall be unclean He doth not mean by the unclean Person him who was made unclean by touching the Water of Separation for his Uncleanness was so slight that any one would think he should make no Body unclean by his touch but the unclean Person spoken of all along in this Chapter who was defiled by touching a dead Body He whom such a Person touched was made unclean and therefore was to wash his Clothes and not be thought clean until the Even And the Soul that toucheth it Or toucheth him Shall be unclean until Even Not only he whom the unclean Person touched but he who touched the unclean Person or any unclean thing was to be unclean till the Even and wash his Clothes as I said before for his Cleansing No other Cleansing was necessary for such kinds of Uncleanness as these For Sacrifices were required only for the uncleanness of Lepers and of a Childbed-woman and of a Flux of Blood or Seed all others were purged without Sacrifice By this nice care which is here taken about the smallest bodily Defilements God intended I make no doubt to make them sensible how necessary it was to preserve inward Purity without which they could not be acceptable to God though they approached to his Sanctuary For these Laws extending to what was done at home as well as abroad were a plain Instruction both that it was not sufficient to be pure in the Eyes of Men and that nothing could be concealed from the Divine Majesty who sees what passeth in secret CHAP. XX. Chapter XX Ver. 1. THEN came the Children of Israel even Verse 1 the whole Congregation into the Wilderness of Zin From Rithmah or Kadesh-barnea they came at last into this Wilderness after many Removals to other Stations of which Moses gives an account in the XXXIIId Chapter from v. 19. to v. 36. For God led them by the Cloud quite back again to the Red Sea XIV 25. and from thence brought them into this Wilderness of Tzin Which is quite different from that mentioned XVI Exod. call'd Sin for this lay on the Confines of Idumaea as appears from v. 14 15. In the first Month. Of the fortieth Year after they came out of the Land of Egypt For Moses gives an account of the Transactions only of the two first Years after they came from thence and of the last the rest he passeth over in silence being spent in tiresome Journeys whereby all above Twenty years old were consumed by one Disease or other In those Travels he shows how at several Removals mentioned Chapter XXXIII they were led back from Kadesh-barnea unto Ezion-Geber that is from the North to the South of the Shore of the Red Sea in which Journey they compassed the Land of Edom many Days II Deut. 1. that is many Years For from the time they left Kadesh-barnea till they returned back again was thirty eight Years II Deut. 14. And the People abode in Kadesh Not in Kadesh-barnea which was their fifteenth Station and in the Confines of the South part of Canaan XXXIV 4. XV Josh 3. But another Kadesh on the Confines of the Land of Edom towards the Red Sea XXXIII 36. II Deut. 3. XI Judges 17. And Miriam died there Four Months before her Brother Aaron XXXIII 38. and eleven Months before Moses being elder than either of them For she was near an Hundred and thirty Years old as may be gathered from II Exod. 4 7. where it appears she was not a Child when Moses was born And was buried there In Kadesh where she died But we read of no mourning for her as there was for Aaron a little after v. 29. Verse 2 Ver. 2. And there was no Water for the Congregation The Water that hitherto followed them from the Rock in Horeb now failed Which hapning just at the Death of Miriam the Jews have a foolish conceit that as her Piety procured it for them so she being dead it was taken from them and was restored again for the Piety of Moses and Aaron It is more reasonable to think that God suffered the Water to be discontinued for a time that he might try the Faith of this new Generation whether they were any better than their rebellious Fathers and withal to convince them that the Water out of the former Rock was not contained in it if he had not produced it who could bring forth Water out of any other place as well as that Or they being now going towards Canaan and near a Country where Water might be had for Money or they might have found it by digging for it God thought fit to let the Miracle cease that they might see he would shortly provide for them otherways For it is very likely that in their last Station where they were before this at Ezion-Geber XXXIII 36. the Water that had followed them in all their Journeys thither fell there into the Red Sea and so was swallowed up they being as I said to return towards Canaan by places where Water might be procured without a Miracle For being upon the edge of the Land of Edom when Aaron died in their next Removal v. 28. XXXIII 37. we read expresly that they presently after came to a Land of Rivers of Water X Deut. 7. And indeed not long after they removed from Mount Hor where Aaron died we find in the next Chapter to this that they came to Oboth XXI 10. which signifying Bottles it is no unreasonable Conjecture that here they met with Water with which they filled their empty Bottles And next to that Station they came to Jie-Abarim v. 11. heaps of Fords or as the Chaldee expounds it The Ford of those that pass over And then to the Valley of Zared v. 12. or to the
Deut. 12. or had its name from him cannot be determined But Hori we are sure was the first Possessor of whom there is any memory of this Mountain Hor which was afterward called Seir from one descended from him and afterward Edom. Verse 23 Ver. 23. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor. At the foot of the Mount as appears from v. 25. By the Coast of the Land of Edom. XXXIII 37. Verse 24 Ver. 24. Aaron shall be gathered unto his People Shall die v. 26. For he shall not enter into the Land which I have given unto the Children of Israel v. 12. A manifest Token that the earthly Canaan was not the utmost Felicity at which God's Promises aimed because the best Men among them were shut out of it Because ye rebelled against my Word at the Water of Meribah By this word rebelled it appears there was something of Obstinacy in their Unbelief mentioned v. 12. Verse 25 Ver. 25. Take Aaron and Eleazar his Son Speak to them in my Name For it is expresly said XXXIII 38. that they went up at the Commandment of the LORD And bring them up unto Mount Hor. This shows that they pitched their Tents at the bottom of it in a place called Mosera See X Deut. 6. where this seems also to have been the Name of the whole Hill as well as Hor. Ver. 26. And strip Aaron of his Garments i. e. Of Verse 26 his Priestly Robes as Josephus rightly expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned XXVIII Exod. 2 3 c. wherewith he was clothed when he was anointed to the Office of High-Priest VIII Lev. 7 8 9. which he put on I suppose in the Camp and went up in them to Mount Hor that he might die gloriously not in his Robes but immediately after he put them off to be put upon his Son For this stripping him of his Robes was in effect the divesting Aaron of his Office that it might be conferred upon his Son which was done as follows And put them upon Eleazar his Son Which was the investing him with the Office of High-Priest into which he now succeeded in his Fathers stead and was by this Ceremony admitted to it The Talmudists say the manner was first to put on the Breeches then the Coat which being bound about with the Girdle then the Robe upon which was the Ephod and then the Miter and golden Crown See Selden de Succession in Pontif. Lib. II. cap. 8. And Aaron shall be gathered unto his People and die there This was said before in short v. 24. but now the time of his Death is expresly declared immediately after he laid down his Office and had the satisfaction to see his Son inaugurated in his Room and the place of it upon Mount Hor. Of this Phrase Gathered to his People see XXV Gen. 8 17. Ver. 27. And Moses did as the LORD commanded and they went up into Mount Hor in the sight of all the Congregation That they might all be Witnesses Verse 27 of the Succession of Eleazar to the Office of his Father Verse 28 Ver. 28. And Moses stripped Aaron of his Garments and put them upon Eleazar his Son This Moses did as the Minister of God who now translated the Priesthood to another And Aaron died there in the top of the Mount And was buried also there X Deut. 6. For great and heroick Persons were in ancient days usually buried in high Places So Joshua was XXIV 30 33. and Eleazar II Judges 9. and Cadmus and Harmonia who lived near the time of Joshua as Bochartus observes in his Canaan Lib. I. cap 23. And Moses and Eleazar came down from the Mount After they had seen him laid in his Grave by those that attended them This fell out in the fortieth Year after they came out of Egypt on the first day of the fifth Month when Aaron was an Hundred and three and twenty Years old as we read XXXIII 38 39. In the new Moon of the Month which the Athenians called Hecatombaeon the Macedonians I ous and the Hebrews called Sabba as Josephus glosses But that last word should be Ab not Sabba as Jacobus Capellus observes in his Histor Sacra Exotica ad An. 2542. which answers he thinks to the nineteenth of our July And so the Hebrews say in Seder Olam Aaron died on the first day of the Month Ab upon which there is a Fast in their Rituals in memory of it Ver. 29. And when all the Congregation saw that Aaron was dead i. e. Understood as the word See is used XLII Gen. 1. that God had taken him out of the World as Moses and Eleazar told them who Verse 29 also came down from the Mount with him They mourned for Aaron thirty days Till the end of the Month. For so long their Mourning seems in those days to have been continued for great Persons as it was for Moses XXXIV Deut. 8. though a Week sufficed for private Persons Even all the House of Israel Both Men and Women CHAP. XXI Chapter XXI Ver. 1. AND when King Arad the Canaanite In Verse 1 the Hebrew the words are thus placed When the Canaanite King Arad And so they are in the LXX and the Vulgar And Arad may as well signifie a Place as a Person nay there seems more reason to translate the words thus The Canaanitish King of Arad because there was such a City in Canaan mentioned XII Josh 14. and I Judges 16. One of the Sons of Canaan being called Arad as both the LXX and the Vulgar translate the Hebrew word Arvad X Gen. 18. who it is likely gave his Name to this part of the Country the chief City of which was also called after him Which dwelt in the South In the South part of the Land of Canaan towards the Eastern Angle of it near the Dead Sea See XXXIII 40. Heard that Israel came by the way of the Spies Which were sent by the King Arad as many suppose to bring him Intelligence which way the Israelites marched For it being Eight and thirty Years since the Spies sent by Moses went that way or rather they going so secretly that it was not known which way they went it is thought not probable that Moses speaks of them in this place But there is no necessity of taking the Hebrew word Atharim to signifie Spies but it may as well be the Name of a Place as the LXX understood it by whom it is translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if the situation would agree to it one might probably conjecture the place was so called from the Spies that went from thence by Moses his order to survey the Country For that was a thing so memorable that as it could not well slip out of the Minds of the People of Canaan so they found I make no question after they were gone which way they came into their Country though for the present they passed unobserved and everafter called it the way of
the Spies Then he fought against Israel He marched out of his Country with an Army and fell upon the Israelites as they passed that way And took some of them Prisoners He attacked it 's likely at first only the Skirts of their Camp where he surprised some of them and carried them away captive as the words are in the Hebrew Verse 2 Ver. 2. And Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD It was resolved it seems that they should engage them but the Israelites being afraid of them because they were unexperienced in War implored the Divine Aid by this Solemn Vow If thou wilt indeed deliver this People into my hand Give us the Victory over them Then will I utterly destroy their Cities They vow to reserve none of the Spoil to their own use but devote it all to destruction For such was the Nature of this Vow called Cherem See XXVII Lev. 29. Ver. 3. And the LORD hearkned to the voice of Verse 3 Israel He approved their Vow And delivered up the Canaanites The Israelites vanquished their Army And they utterly destroyed them and their Cities Utterly devoted them to destruction according to their Vow For they did not now actually destroy them they remaining when Joshua came to Canaan who executed this Cherem or Curse upon them XII 14. Which if it had been executed now they must have entred into the Land of Canaan at this time from whence we cannot imagine they would have returned to march further about before they got into it but have gone on to prosecute their Victory by subduing the Country as they had begun And he called the name of the place Hormah From the Cherem or Herem as some write it which was pronounced against it Which when it was put in execution this Name became more proper to it I Judges 17. Ver. 4. And they journeyed from Mount Hor. Where Verse 4 their Camp was pitched when the King of Arad assaulted them and whither they returned after they had overthrown him By the way of the Red Sea Towards Ezion-Gaber as we read II Deut. 8. To compass the Land of Edom. Which extended it self unto the Red Sea And the Soul of the People was much discouraged because of the way The word we translate discouraged signifies two things to faint and to breathe short through the anguish and bitterness of ones Spirit VI Exod. 9. And secondly to be angry at or at least impatient by reason of some Trouble And so it may be best taken in this place as Buxtorfius observes in Histor Serp. Aenei cap. 1. not simply for their being tired with a tedious long and troublesome March but that accompanied with no small Indignation and Wrath. Which did not only burn within but broke out into words of great Impatience as appears by what follows Whence the Hebrew words Ketzar-Ruach short of Spirit signifies Angry or Hasty XIV Prov. 29. and in XXI Job 4. we translate it troubled and in XI Zach. 8. loathed where it had better been translated I was angry with them Now that which made the People thus fret or faint if we will have it so interpreted was the way wherein they were now led which was about the Land of Edom. For when they were come towards Canaan in the middle of the fortieth Year at the end of which they were promised to enter in and possess it they are carried back again towards the Red Sea whether God had sent their Fathers after they had brought a false Report upon the Land XIV 25. This made them think perhaps that they should never come to Canaan or at least it was tedious to march such a great way about after they had been kept so long from their Inheritance and were lately in such hopes of it when Moses demanded a passage into it through the Country of Edom. Ver. 5. And the People spake against God and against Moses This shows they were in a very great rage which made them so forgetful of their Duty as to charge God himself with ill Conduct Whereas Verse 5 their Fathers were wont only to murmur against Moses and Aaron Wherefore have ye brought us out of Egypt The Hebrew word heelithunu made us to go up is a strange word as Dr. Lightfoot calls it in this Language declaring the great fume they were in when they uttered it To die in the Wilderness As if they had said so Abarbinel explains it what can we expect or hope for but Death from this long stay in the Wilderness For there is no Bread neither is there any Water For we want the most necessary things for the support of Life as he also well explains it which they spake in a rage for they had both by a miraculous Providence over them They themselves immediately confess they had Manna and they had lately received Water out of a Rock But nothing would satisfie unless they were brought to a Country where Bread and Water was to be had without a Miracle For the meaning of their Complaint was that God did not deal with them as he did with other People who to speak in our Phrase do not live from hand to mouth As the Israelites did who had Bread given them only to suffice for one day and no more and that such Bread as they despised It is likely also they began now to want Water again which did not follow them as formerly out of the Rock and what they had in their Vessels perhaps was near spent And our Soul loatheth this light Bread As for the Bread God bestowed upon them they were so far from being satisfied with it that they loath it and call it by the scornful Name of Light Bread So we translate the Hebrew word Hakkilkel which being the doubling of a word which signifies light or vile in that Language imports as much as very despicable exceeding vile or as the LXX translate it very empty having no Substance in it to fill their Stomachs So Abarbinel expounds this passage We are tired with long Journeys which require more solid Bread than this to support us Verse 6 Ver. 6. And the LORD sent fiery Serpents among the People So most of the Jews translates this place taking Seraphim for an Adjective as Grammarians speak and consequently rightly translated fiery But there are those who take it to signifie a peculiar sort of Serpents being added to Nechashim Serpents by way of opposition as they speak and signifying such Serpents as the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom Pliny reckons among the Sceleratissimi Serpentes most pernicious Serpents Lib. XXIV cap. 13. Or as others will have it those called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they made great Inflamations in Mens Bodies and an unquenchable thirst being also of a flame colour But the famous Bochartus hath alledged a great many Arguments to prove that they were a sort of Serpents called Hydrus because in Winter they lived in Fens and Marshes which being
that is bitten when he looketh upon it The Jews generally have so much understanding as to say that the mere beholding of it did not cure them but that they were to look up to God as the Scripture speaks when they beheld it and expect a Cure from him So the Author of the Book of Wisdom XVI 7. He that turned himself toward it was not healed by the thing which he saw but by thee that art the Saviour of all And therefore he calls it in the foregoing Verse A Sign of Salvation to put them in remembrance of the Commandment of the Law Shall live Be cured and restored to perfect health Which the Jews think the greater Miracle because naturally it would have made the Inflamation greater So Nachmanides this rather would have increased the Disease for they who are bit by venomous Beasts according to the Prescriptions of Physicians must not see the Image of the Beast by whom they are bitten But this was commanded by God that the Israelites might know both their Disease and their Medicine came from God who made that whose Aspect was hurtful to be the Means of their Cure Ver. 9. And Moses made a Serpent Whence this Verse 9 place seems to have been called Zalmonah XXXIII 41. which imports an Image Similitude or Resemblance of a Thing represented by it And another place thereabouts as Dr. Lightfoot observes called Maaleh Akrabbim seems to have had its name from the same thing it signifying the going up of Scorpions XV Josh 3. Of Brass Pollished that it might resemble a Serpent of a flaming Colour and being very glittering might be the better seen far and near So several of the Hebrew Writers particularly Nachmanides and Abarbinel who observe that God did not bid him make a Serpent of Brass but only a Saraph v. 8. i. e. a Resemblance of a Flaming Serpent which could not be made so well of any other Metal as of Brass those Saraphs which we render fiery Serpents being fiery Red like Copper or Brass Of which there was good store not far off from this place for the next Station to Zalmonah where they now were was Punon or Pinon as Moses tells us XXXIII 42. a place belonging to the Edomites who had an ancient Duke of this Name XXXVI Gen. 41. 1. Chron. I. 52. famous for Mines of Brass as Bochartus shows out of several of the Fathers who speak of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From whence Moses perhaps had this Brass Hierozoicon P. II. L. III. cap. 13. And put it upon a Pole As he had been directed in the foregoing verse And it came to pass that if a Serpent had bitten any Man Which was not present Death but made an Inflamation and such Ulcers as some conceive as were incurable When he beheld the Serpent of Brass he lived Though Naturalists say the sight of Brass was hurtful to those who were bitten yet hence they received their Cure as the sight of Christ crucified naturally filled his Crucifiers only with Anguish when they beheld him whom they had pierced and were convinced he was their Messiah but by the Grace of God became their only Salvation through Faith in him The Hebrews cannot but acknowledge a Mystery in this brazen Serpent as Moses Gerundensis calls it which our LORD Christ himself hath explained in his Discourse with Nicodemus III John 14. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish c. Where he doth not compare himself to the Brazen Serpent for what likeness can there be found between the Serpent and the Seed of the Woman or how should Light before-shadowed by Darkness as Dr. Jackson speaks but he compares the lifting up of this Serpent on the Pole with his Lifting up or Crucifixion on the Cross For so he himself expresses his Death and the manner of it XII John 32. And I if I be lifted up from the Earth will draw all Men unto me And their looking on the Serpent in the Wilderness as evidently represented Mens believing on Christ and their Cure the powerful Vertue of Christ's Death to preserve all those that believe on him from perishing as he speaks in the place named before and procuring for them everlasting Life For by his Death our Saviour destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devil as the Apostle's words are II Hebr. 14. which was notably represented in this Brazen Serpent put upon a Pole which was not a Figure of Christ but of the old Serpent himself the Devil as wounded bruised and dead by the Lifting up of Christ upon the Cross where he intirely disarmed him of all his Power to hurt us I cannot tell whence Justin Martyr concluded this Brazen Serpent to have been made in the form of a Cross as he saith it was in his Second Apology unless we conceive it to have been made with Wings at the bottom of its Neck which might give it that Figure But his observation in his Book against Trypho p. 322 338. seems very considerable that there must be some Mystery in it that God who forbad all manner of Images should now command one to be made of which he saith one of the Jews confessed he could never hear a Reason from their Doctors Who cannot understand it till they believe in Christ and him crucified whose Victory over the Devil by his Cross and Passion was herein most lively represented I shall only add that this Lifting up the Brazen Serpent was a thing so publick and so well known to all Neighbouring Nations that the fame of it in all likelyhood went into India Where they still set up an Idol in form of a wreathed Serpent upon a Perch six or seven Foot high which they solemnly worship And carrying it along with them in their Travels set it up every Morning for the Company to pay their Adorations to it So Taverneir relates in his Travels to that Country p. 28. And see the present Lord Archbishop of Canterbury's excellent Treatise of Idolatry p. 351 c. with Huetius his Demonstr Evang. p. 96. and his Quaestiones Alnetanae cap. 12. n. 25. where he shows the Talismans in all likelyhood were an imitation of this Serpent Of which the Jews were so fond that they burnt Incense to it in the days of Hezekiah and had done so we know not how long 2 Kings XVIII 4. Which may make it the less wonder that the poor Indians should worship a Serpent upon a Pole when they that should have understood better committed such a foul Idolatry as to do Divine Honour to the Figure of the greatest Enemy of God and of Mankind Verse 10 Ver. 10. And the Children of Israel set forward After they had been at two other places which Moses now omits for brevitys sake because he intended hereafter to give an exact account of all their Removals at one view Which he doth in the
to die for it Verse 17 Ver. 17. And if he smite him with throwing a stone In the Hebrew it is with a stone of the hand That is say the Jews with a great Stone that fills the hand not with a small Stone with which he could not be presumed to intend to kill him though he chanced to do it by hitting him in the Eye or some other very tender part Wherewith he may die With a Stone big enough to kill him And he die So that it appears he died of that blow He is a Murderer the Murderer shall surely be put to death He is as guilty as the forenamed Person who smote with an Instrument of Iron and his fleeing to the City of Refuge shall not protect him from Death Verse 18 Ver. 18. If he smite him with an hand weapon of wood Such as a Battoon as we now speak or a Club or any such kind of Instrument as is likely to kill him Wherewith he may die c. It made no difference with what kind of Weapon or Instrument he was killed whether it were of Iron Wood or Stone if he were killed wittingly and knowingly it was Murder and the guilty Person was to suffer for it Aul. Gellius hath collected the Names of the several Weapons which are mentioned in ancient History of which there are near thirty Lib. X. Noct. Attic. c. 25. one of which called Lingula he is pleased to explain being then not common and saith it was a little Sword in the form of a Tongue like our Poniard I suppose or Dagger or long Knife which was a dangerous Weapon because Men might hide it under their Clothes and kill others while they were in familiar discourse with them Ver. 19. The avenger of blood himself See v. 12. Verse 19 Shall slay the Murderer This is thought by many to be a mere permission not a Precept But the Jews think otherwise that the next of Kin i. e. the Heir of him that was slain stood bound to do his indeavour to avenge his Blood If he would not saith Maimonides or if he was not able or if no such Avenger was to be found i. e. the Murderer himself was the next Heir or the Man slain was a Proselyte of Justice without Issue he was to be prosecuted and put to Death by the Court of Judgment and that by the Sword See Selden Lib. IV. de Jure Nat. Gent. cap. 1. When he meeteth him he shall slay him He was not bound to stay for the Sentence of the Court but might kill him wheresoever he found him See v. 31. Ver. 20. But if he thrust him of hatred c. Or rather for if he thrust him c. That is if by any other means besides those mentioned v. 16 17 18. he kill'd Verse 20 a Man wittingly either by pushing him down violently from an high or steep place or throwing him into the Water or hurling a Stone at him or letting any thing fall down upon his Head though never so slily if Death followed and it appeared he bare a hatred to him he was to suffer Death as in the former Cases See XIX Deut. 11. Now this was a sufficient proof of hatred to him if being a Neighbour and they having some difference he had not spoken to him for three whole days together Verse 21 Ver. 21. Or in enmity smote him with his hand that he die he that smote him shall surely be put to death If he gave him only a blow with his fist of which he died and it was proved he had Enmity to him it was sufficient to make him a Murderer and it warranted the Avenger of Blood to kill him or obliged him to prosecute him so that the City of Refuge should not save him The revenger of blood shall slay the murderer when he meeteth him The Civil Law declared him to be unworthy to enjoy the Inheritance of one that was murdered if he neglected to prosecute the Person that killed him in some Court of Justice But the Jewish Law allowed or rather required a great deal more that the next of Kin should kill the Murderer with his own hands if he met him And thus the Abyssines at this day as Ritterhusius observes out of Alvarez deliver the Murderer into the hand of the next Kinsman to torture him The reason of which Law among the Jews was as the same Ritterhusius observes de Jure Asylorum cap. 4. because they being all descended from one and the same Stock and equally partaking of the same right they were all concerned in the shedding of the Blood of any one of them especially they who were nearest to him in Blood who seemed to be all struck at and injured in him So that the Law with great reason allowed them to avenge the Blood of him that was slain With which these Verses of Ovid he thinks agrees Cum tibi sint fratres fratres ulciscere laesos Cumque pater tibi sit jura tuere patris Ver. 22. But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity Verse 22 Killed him after the manner fore-mentioned v. 20. in a violent Passion having no such Intention and being perhaps highly provoked by him or by chance as we speak and unawares it being proved that there was no Enmity between them no signs of hatred before this Fact Or cast upon him any thing without laying in wait Happen to hit him with any thing without design to hurt him See XXI Exod. 13. XIX Deut. 5. Ver. 23. Or with any Stone wherewith he may die Verse 23 See v. 17. Seeing him not and casting it upon him that he die Throwing it at something else or playing with it and having no thought of him because he did not see him And was not his enemy neither sought his harm Not having any quarrel with him nor threatning him or any other way discovering that he sought to do him mischief Ver. 24. Then the Congregation That is the Judges to whom the Trial of such Causes belonged See v. 12. Where I observed that the Elders of the City Verse 24 of Refuge judged whether the Man-slayer who fled thither should be received or not upon a summary hearing of the Cause and such Examination as they could make at present But the full Examination of it was reserved to the Judges of the place where the Fact was committed Shall judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood They sent for him out of the City of Refuge to be brought before them who heard what could be alledged against him and what he could say for himself According to these judgments Upon Trial they proceeded to give Judgment according to the foregoing Rules which in brief are these If a Man had no intention to kill another but it was purely involuntary he was to be acquitted If there appeared any design upon his Life or such hatred and enmity as might move them to conclude he had an intention to kill him he was to be put
fed with Bread and Water of Affliction till his Bowels were sorely pinched c. if we may believe the Jewish Doctors mentioned by Selden Lib. IV. de Jure Nat. Gent. cap. 1. Verse 31 Ver. 31. Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the Life of a Murderer If a Murderer would have given all his Estate to save his Life or the Avenger of Blood would have accepted a Compensation or freely let him go the Judges when they had found him guilty could not restore him to the City of Refuge but he was to suffer Death For the Life of him that was slain was not as Maimonides speaks part of the Goods of the Avenger of Blood but belonged to Almighty God who set such a value on a Man's Life that he would not suffer any price to be taken for it See Selden in the same Chapter p. 470. Ver. 32. And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the City of Refuge that he may come to dwell in the Land until the death of the High-Priest No Money was to purchase his Liberty to dwell any Verse 32 where else but there till the time appointed by the Law but this Punishment for Man-slaughter was as indispensable as death for Murder And therefore if any Man hapned to kill another in the City of Refuge to which he was confined he was forced to flee to another City of Refuge and there abide till the death of the High-Priest Ver. 33. So ye shall not pollute the Land wherein ye Verse 33 are for blood defileth the Land By this it appears that the next of Kin was bound to prosecute the Murderer unto death for the good of his Country which otherwise would have had a Guilt upon it and that very grievous For they are the greatest Crimes as Maimonides observes which are said to pollute the Land or them or God's Sanctuary viz. Idolatry XX Lev. 3. all the filthiness that is forbidden XVIII 24 25. and Murder here mentioned More Nevoch P. III. cap. 47. And the Land cannot be cleansed of the Blood that is shed therein but by the blood of him that shed it The same Maimonides observes in the XLI Chapter of that Book That it is a piece of Universal Justice to make a Man suffer what he hath made another suffer If he have hurt his Body he must suffer for it in his own Body if in his Money his own Purse must pay for it if he have taken away his Life he must die for it himself And the Punishment can neither be mitigated nor any compensation accepted for it For which he quotes these words and upon this account resolves that if he that was murdered should live a few days or hours after his deadly wound and being in sound understanding should desire he that killed him might not die for it declaring that he freely forgave him his desire was not to be granted but Blood was to be punished with Blood whether he that was slain was a great Man or a mean a freeman or a slave a wise Man or a fool because there is no Sin committed by Men greater than this is Verse 34 Ver. 34. Defile not therefore the Land which ye shall inhabit By suffering a Murderer to live Wherein I dwell This is given as a reason elsewhere See V. 3. why they should put all polluted People out of their Camps because God dwelt in them viz. in his Sanctuary which made this Land be called the holy Land and God's Possession 2 Chron. XX. 11. For I the LORD dwell among the Children of Israel See XXV Exod. 8. The very same was practised among the Athenians with some little Alteration For Demosthenes says it was one of their Laws 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he who out of fore-thought killed a Man should be put to death And he tells us also that it was not lawful for the Judges to take Money to remit the Punishment after he was Condemned though if the Prosecutors compounded with him or his Friends before-hand and desisted from the Prosecution his Life was saved If he fled from Justice all his Goods were confiscated and he forfeited all the Rights of a Citizen both Civil and Sacred See Sam. Petitus his Comment in Leges Atticas Lib. VII Tit. 1. CHAP. XXXVI Chapter XXXVI Ver. 1. AND the chief Fathers of the Families of the Verse 1 Children of Gilead the Son of Machir the Son of Manasseh c. Not the Fathers of those Families whose Inheritance had been assigned them already on this side Jordan in the Land of Gilead but the other half of the Tribe of Manasseh who were to have their Inheritance in Canaan where the Daughters of Zelophehad also had their Portion as appears from XVII Josh 3 4 c. Come near and speak before Moses and before the Princes the chief Fathers of the Children of Israel Who were met together in a great Assembly as they used to do about Publick Affairs See XXVII 2. XXI XXXII 2. Ver. 2. And they said the LORD commanded my Verse 2 Lord. This shows that one of them was the Mouth of the rest To give the Land for an Inheritance by lot to the Children of Israel See XXVI 52 53. For there the Foundation of all these Doubts was laid And my Lord was commanded by the LORD to give the Inheritance of Zelophehad Which should have faln to Zelophehad had he been alive Our Brather So they called their near Relations Vnto his Daughters Who petitioned him for the Possession which should have been their Fathers and it was granted them See XXVII 6 7. Ver. 3. And if they be married to any of the Sons of the other Tribes of the Children of Israel They being rich many it might be supposed of the other Tribes Verse 3 as well as their own would court them for their Wives and if they should choose an Husband that was not of their own Tribe they represent to Moses the Inconveniencies which from thence would follow Then shall their Inheritance be taken from the Inheritance of our Fathers i. e. Go out of our Tribe to which it originally belonged And shall be put to the Inheritance of the Tribe whereinto they are received Become a part of the Inheritance of that Tribe into which they married So shall it be taken from the lot of our Inheritance For it must have descended unto their Children who were of another Tribe by the Father's side which alone was considered and not the Mothers in this case Verse 4 Ver. 4. And when the Jubilee of the Children of Israel shall be Which was ordained for the preserving Estates in the Tribes and Families to which they originally appertained XXV Lev. 10 13. Then shall their Inheritance be put unto the Inheritance of the Tribe whereunto they are received The Jubilee will not help us in this Case by making their Inheritances return as other Lands do because they are become the Inheritance of another Tribe by the
Verse 14 Ver. 14. And they shall put upon it all the Vessels thereof c. That they might be carried with it The Censers the Flesh-hooks and the Shovels and the Basons Here the Censers are put first which are mentioned last in XXVII Exod. 3. where this word is translated Fire-pans Others understand by it Tongs All the Vessels of the Altar Immediately after these words we find there follows in two places the Laver and his foot XXXV Exod. 16. XXXIX 39. Where in the very same verse the Laver is mentioned with the Altar and its Vessels and immediately follows them in two other XXXVIII Exod. 7 8. XL. 30. The reason why it is not mentioned here is perhaps because he names only those things upon which the Sons of Aaron were to put a Covering and this it is likely was carried without one And put to the staves of it XXVII Exod. 6 7. XXXVIII 6 7. Verse 15 Ver. 15. And when Aaron and his Sons have made an end of covering the Sanctuary and all the Vessels c. This work was to be performed by them alone and the Levites were not to meddle with any of these things till they had done After that the Sons of Kohath shall come to bear it For all the fore-mentioned things belonging to the Sanctuary were to be carried by them even the Ark it self Which they carried so that all the People might see it went along with them For the Rings being fastned to the bottom of the Ark see XXV Exod. 12. when the Staves were on their Shoulders it appeared on high To represent saith R. Bechai him that is most highly exalted over all The Priests indeed might carry the Ark being more than Levites XXXI Deut. 9. and accordingly we find that upon extraordinary Occasions they did as when they went over Jordan III Josh 14. and when Jericho was besieged VI. 6. Some think also when David as he fled from Absalom sent the Ark back 2 Sam. XV. 29. But it appears from ver 24. that there is no certainty of that especially since when he brought it from the House of Obed-Edom he not only employed the Levites in it but declared none else ought to bear it 1 Chron. XV. 2 15 27. He bid the Priests indeed as well as the Levites sanctifie themselves for this Work For ye saith he to the Priests v. 12. are the chief of the Fathers of the Levites but they seem to have been present only to see the Levites perform their Charge and to accompany the Ark as David himself did But they shall not touch any holy thing lest they die Some imagine they were not to touch these things till they were covered by the Priests But it is more likely that even then they were not to touch them but only the Staves or the Bar wherein they were carried Especially the Ark which is here principally meant by the holy thing the word any not being in the Hebrew whose Staves only they touched and lifted it up by putting them upon their Shoulders These things are the burden of the Sons of Kohath in the Tabernacle of the Congregation When it was removed for at other times they had nothing to do with these things Which are here called their Burden as verse 4. they are called their Service to show the nature of their Service which required the Strength of grown Men v. 3. Verse 16 Ver. 16. And to the Office of Eleazar the Son of Aaron the Priest pertaineth the Oyl for the Light c. It is commonly thought that he is required to carry this and the other things that follow in this Verse himself But if all things be considered it will appear more reasonable to think that he who was the Chief of all the Chiefs over the Levites III. 32. is peculiarly required to see the Kohathites did their Duty For though they had a Chief over them whose work it was to inspect them III. 30. yet God thought good to appoint Eleazar to supervise both him and all under him in these weighty Concerns And so the Words may be interpreted out of the Hebrew The over-sight of Eleazar the Son of Aaron the Priest shall be the Oyl c. the over-sight of all the Tabernacle and of all that is therein c. And there is the greater reason thus to understand it because the Oyl-Vessels are before committed to the Kohathites v. 9. and consequently the Oyl it self which could not be carried but in the Vessels The sweet Incense Mentioned XXX Exod. 34. And the daily Meat-offering See XXIX Exod. 40 41. And the anointing Oyl XXX Exod. 23 c. These were not named before but it is here laid upon Eleazar to see that they were as carefully carried by the Kohathites as any other things belonging to the Sanctuary Ver. 17. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Verse 17 unto Aaron saying The things before-mentioned especially the Ark were so sacred that he repeats the Admonition he had given about the danger of Irreverence to it Which he here represents in a frightful manner Ver. 18. Cut ye not off Do not by your Negligence Verse 18 occasion the Destruction of a great many Persons The Tribe of the Family of the Kohathites from among the Levites A considerable part of the Tribe of Levi viz. the Family of the Kohathites who were near a third part of it Ver. 19. But do thus for them that they may live and Verse 19 not die Proceed in this manner to prevent so great a Mischief as their Destruction When they approach unto the most holy things Come to take up the Ark Which is meant by the Holy of Holies See v. 4. Aaron and his Sons shall go in And cover the Ark and the rest of the things within the Sanctuary as is before-directed And appoint them every one to his Service and to his Burden And then allot to every one his share in this work That is to carry such particular things as they think most proper for them Ver. 20. But they shall not go in to see They might Verse 20 go into the most Holy place when not only the Glory of the LORD was removed but the Ark and Mercy-Seat upon its Removal were covered by the Priests for then the Place where they lay covered was no longer holy but they might not come in to see the Priests cover them which was to be done before they approached When the holy things are covered In the Hebrew it is in the singular Number when the holy or holy thing is covered i. e. the Ark as the Jews generally understand it And that with great reason as any one may be satisfied who will take the pains to compare the 1 Kings VIII 8. with 2 Chron. V. 9. Where that which in the former place is called the Holy in the latter is called the Ark. Lest they die They might not under pain of Death either see it when it was covered or touch it afterward v. 15. but
only carry it in the manner there described Verse 21 Ver. 21. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying He was principally concerned in this but Aaron was also joined with him to see the Execution of what is here required v. 1.19 34. Verse 22 Ver. 22. Take also the Sum of the Sons of Gershon c. The eldest Son of Levi III. 17. who though they were employed in lower Services were to account it an Honour to serve about the Tabernacle Verse 23 Ver. 23. All that enter in to perform the Service I do not understand why this should not be translated as v. 2. into the Host For it is the very same Phrase in the Hebrew both here and there only here more emphatical by doubling the word for Host And therefore may very properly be translated in this place that enter in to war the Warfare For the Service of the Gershonites was more burthensome than the former though they were fewer in number ver 36 40. Ver. 24. This is the Service of the Families of the Gershonites Verse 24 Which were only two III 18. 21. To serve and for Burdens To serve when the Tabernacle rested and to carry Burdens when it removed See v. 47. Ver. 25. And they shall bear the Curtains of the Tabernacle Verse 25 The ten fine Curtains which were the inward Hangings of the Tabernacle XXVI Exod. 1 2 c. Which I suppose were taken down as well as carried by the Gershonites because nothing is said here of Aaron or his Sons being employed to make them ready for carriage And the Tabernacle of the Congregation his Covering Not the Boards of the Tabernacle which were the Charge of the Children of Merari v. 31. but the eleven Curtains of Goats-hair which covered the Boards XXVI Exod. 7 8 c. And the Covering of Badgers Skins which is upon it The outward Covering of all which was of Rams Skins dyed Red and Badgers Skins as we translate it XXVI Exod. 14. And the Hanging for the Door of the Tabernacle Which is described in the Conclusion of the same Chapter XXVI Exod. 36. Ver. 26. And the Hangings for the Court XXVII Exod. 9 c. And the Hanging for the Gate of the Door of the Court. See XXVII Exod. 16. Which is by the Tabernacle and the Altar round about The Sense would have been more plain if the Particle al which we translate by had been translated upon or over for the Court encompassed both the Tabernacle and the Altar XL Exod. 6 7 8. And their Cords Which were employed in fastning these Hangings And all the Instruments for their service The brazen Pins I suppose mentioned XXVII Exod. 19. And all that is made for them And whatsoever else belonged to them See III. 26. So shall they serve Or in that shall they serve Verse 27 Ver. 27. At the appointment of Aaron and his Sons shall be all the Service of the Sons of the Gershonites c. In the Hebrew it is at the Mouth of Aaron c. i. e. according to their Order every one of the Gershonites were to apply themselves to such Services as they directed For God had given the Levites to them to be their Ministers and keep their Charge III. 6 7. And ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their Burdens The word here for appoint seems to import that the Priests gave them a Particular as we speak of what they were to do that they might neither forget nor mistake For it is the same word that is used in the beginning of this Book I. 3. for numbring the People and so it is used here v. 34 47 48. Therefore the Vulgar translates these words Et sciant singuli cui debeant operi mancipari and every Man may know what is his proper business Which is the Sense of the LXX also And affords an excellent Instruction to all Men to follow diligently the business of their own Callings not to meddle with other Mens nor to think themselves fit to undertake every thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aristotle speaks in his Politicks L. III. One work is best performed by one Person Ver. 28. And their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the Son of Aaron the Priest That is under Verse 28 the Direction and Conduct of Ithamar For though the Gershonites had a Chief of their own III. 24. yet Ithamar was to inspect both him and them and see they did not neglect their Duty Thus Eleazar was set over the Kohathites v. 16. Ver. 29. As for the Sons of Merari thou shalt number Verse 29 them after their Families c. Which were but two III. 33. as those of Gershon were Ver. 30. Every one that entreth into the Service Verse 30 The words in the Hebrew are the very same with those v. 3. which we translate enter into the Host See there Ver. 31. This is the charge of their Burden c. Verse 31 The most cumbersome things fell to their charge which here follow The Boards of the Tabernacle See XXVI Exod. 15 c. And the Bars thereof See there v. 26 c. And the Pillars thereof See in the same place v. 32. and XXXVI 36. And Sockets thereof These belonged both to the Boards of the Tabernacle XXVI Exod. 19 21 25. and to the Pillars XXVI Exod. 32. XXXVIII 27. Ver. 32. And the Pillars of the Court round about Verse 32 XXVII Exod. 10 11 12. And their Sockets See there And their Pins V. 19. and XXXVIII 20. And their Cords XXXV Exod. 18. XXXIX 40. By name ye shall reckon the Instruments of the charge of their Burden The Priests particularly Ithamar were to give them an Inventory of these things Expressing by name every Pin for instance and to what use and in what place it served Because otherwise such small things might have been lost if they had not taken a special care of them and they might not have been able to set up the Tabernacle again when they rested for want of them Verse 33 Ver. 33. This is the Service of the Families of the Sons of Merari according to all their Service in the Tabernacle of the Congregation In taking down and carrying the Tabernacle Vnder the hand of Ithamar c. Who had the over-sight both of the Gershonites and the Merarites As Eleazar had of the Kohathites v. 16 28. Verse 34 Ver. 34. And Moses and Aaron and the Chief of the Congregation They took to their assistance the very same Men I suppose who were employed in the numbring all the Children of Israel Chap. I. 4. 16 17. Numbred the Sons of the Kohathites c. Having assigned to them their particular Charge they now proceed to number them as God commanded v. 2 3. Verse 35 Ver. 35. Every one that entreth into the Service Or as we translate it v. 3. entreth into the Host Verse 36 Ver. 36. And those that were numbred of them by their Families were Two thousand seven hundred and fifty Of