six hundred they shall go hindmost with their standards 32. These are those which were numbred of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers all those that were numbred of the camps throughout their hosts were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty 33. But the Levites were not numbred among the children of Israel as the LORD commanded Moses 34. And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses so they pitched by their standards and so they set forward every one after their families according to the house of their fathers 2. Standard or Banner the setting up of which is a Warlike preparation Ps 20.5 with Jer. 51.27 Ensign These Standards were distinguished by certain marks or signs What those were is not here expressed but the Jewish Writers tell us that the Ensign of Judah was a Lion that of Reuben a Man that of Ephraim an Ox and that of Dan an Eagle Far off Heb. Over-against The distance between the Tabernacle and the Camp of Israel is not here expressed but is probably collected from Josh 3.4 to be about the space of Two thousand Cubits or a Mile which is called a Sabbath-days journey Act. 1.12 vid. Targum in Ruth 1.16 3. On the East-side c. i. e. In the first or principal place as the Greek have it In this Quarter were Moses and Aaron and his Sons placed ch 3.38 14. Reuel Called Deuel ch 1.14 25. Dan He was the Son of an Handmaid but hath his Standard assigned him a Dignity very agreeable to Jacob's Prediction Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel Gen. 49.16 33. But the Levites c. Seâ— the Notes on ch 1.47 CHAP. III. The ARGUMENT Of the Sons of Aaron The Charge of the Levites who are taken in lieu of the first-born The Levites are numbred The Number and Charge of the Gershonites Of the Kohathites and of the Merarites The Number of the whole The First-born of the Israelites are numbred and freed by the Levites the overplus are redeemed 1. THese also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai 2. And these are the names of the sons of Aaron Nadab the first-born and Abihu Eleazar and Ithamar 3. These are the names of the sons of Aaron the priests which were anointed whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office 4. And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered strange fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai and they had no children and Eleazar and Ithamar ministred in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father 5. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 6. Bring the tribe of Levi near and present them before Aaron the priest that they may minister unto him 7. And they shall keep his charge and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle 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 to do the service of the tabernacle 9. And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel 10. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons and they shall wait on their priest's office and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death 11. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 12. And I behold I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in stead of all the first-born that openeth the matrice among the children of Israel therefore the Levites shall be mine 13. Because all the first-born are mine 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 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 and upward shalt thou number them 16. And Moses numbred them according to the word of the LORD as he was commanded 17. 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 Izehar Hebron and Vzziel 20. And the sons of Merari by their families Mabli and Mushi these are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers 21. Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimites these are the families of the Gershonites 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 Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward 24. And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites 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 tabernacle and the tent the covering thereof and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation 26. And the hangings of the court and the curtain for the door of the court which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about and the cords of it for all the service thereof 27. And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites and the family of the Izeharites and the family of the Hebronites and the family of the Vzzielites these are the families of the Kohathites 28. In the number of all the males from a month old and upward were eight thousand and six hundred keeping the charge of the sanctuary 29. The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward 30. And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Vzziel 31. And their charge shall be the ark and the table and the candlestick and the altars and the altars and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister and the hanging and all the service thereof 32. And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary 33. Of Merari was the family of the Mâ—hlites and the family of the Mushites these are the families of Merari 34. And those that were numbred of them according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward were six thousand and two hundred 35. And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail these shall pitch on the side of
not rinsed his hands in water he shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean untill the even 12. And the vessel of earth that he toucheth which hath the issue shall be broken and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water 13. And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing and wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in running water and shall be clean 14. And on the eighth day he shall take to him two turtle-doves or two young pigeons and come before the LORD unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and give them unto the priest 15. And the priest shall offer them the one for a sin-offering and the other for a burnt-offering and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD for his issue 16. And if any man's seed of copulation go out from him then he shall wash all his flesh in water and be unclean untill the even 17. And every garment and every skin whereon is the seed of copulation shall be washed with water and be unclean untill the even 18. The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation they shall both bathe themselves in water and be unclean untill the even 19. And if a woman have an issue and her issue in her flesh be blood she shall be put a-part seven days and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean untill the even 20. And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean 21. And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean untill the even 22. And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean untill the even 23. And if it be on her bed or on any thing whereon she sitteth when he toucheth it he shall be unclean untill the even 24. And if any man lie with her at all and her flowers be upon him he shall be unclean seven days and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean 25. And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation or if it run beyond the time of her separation all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation she shall be unclean 26. Every bed whereon she lieth all the days 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 untill the even 28. But if she be cleansed of her issue then she shall number to her self seven days 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 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 2. Running issue Or Running of the reins Flesh This is to be understood in that sense in which the word is taken Gen. 17.13 3. Run or be stopped i. e. Whether it flow or through its consistency stop the passage 4. Thing Hebr. Vessel 5. Whosoever toucheth c. This is an argument that the Man who was legally unclean with his Issue was under a great degree of Uncleanness in that he did not onely defile what he touched but that which was so defiled did also defile him that touched it 12. Vessel of earth Ch. 6.28 13. For his cleansing i. e. For a proof of his being perfectly healed ch 13.4 15. Atonement See ch 14.18 16. Go out from him viz. Against his Will See Deut. 23.10 Vnclean i. e. Legally unclean 19. Put apart Heb. In her separation 24. Lie with her at all That is though he do it ignorantly not knowing her to be in that condition For if he did it knowingly he was liable to be cut off ch 20.18 28. Cleansed i. e. Healed See v. 13. 31. When they defile my Tabernacle By approaching to it in their legal Impurities See ch 16.16 CHAP. XVI The ARGUMENT Of the High-priest's going into the Holy of Holies He must put on the Holy Garments and bring his Sin-offering for himself Of the two Goats for the People one whereof was a Sin-offering for them of the other called the Scape-goat Aaron's Burnt-offering and that of the People The tenth Day of the seventh Month the Day of Expiation appointed to be both a Fast and Sabbath or Day of Rest 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses after 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 come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark that he die not for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat 3. Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place with a young bullock for a sin-offering and a ram for a burnt-offering 4. He shall put on the holy linen coat and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh and shall be girded with the linen girdle and with the linen mitre shall he be attired these are holy garments therefore 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 an atonement for himself and for his house 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 and the other lot for the scape-goat 9. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD's lot fell and offer him for 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
take up the censers out of the burning and scatter thou the fire yonder for they are hallowed 38. The censers of these sinners against their own souls let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar for they offered them before the LORD therefore they are hallowed and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel 39. And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers wherewith they that were burnt had offered and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar 40. To be a memorial unto the children of Israel that no stranger which is not of the seed of Aaron come near to offer incense before the LORD that he be not as Korah and as his company as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses 41. But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron saying Ye have killed the people of the LORD 42. And it came to pass when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation and behold the cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared 43. And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation 44. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 45. Get you up from among this congregation that I may consume them as in a moment and they fell upon their faces 46. And Moses said unto Aaron Take a censer and put fire therein from off the altar and put on incense and go quickly unto the congregation and make an atonement for them for there is wrath gone out from the LORD the plague is begun 47. And Aaron took as Moses commanded and ran into the midst of the congregation and behold the plague was begun among the people and he put on incense and made an atonement for the people 48. And he stood between the dead and the living and the plague was stayed 49. Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred beside them that died about the matter of Korah 50. And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and the plague was stayed 1. KOrah Chap. 27.3 Ecclus. 45.18 Jude 11. This Korah was Cousin-German to Moses and Aaron Exod. 6.18 20 21. And thought himself fit to be their Equal Again Elzaphan the Son of Vzziel who was younger Brother to Izhar Exod. 6.18 21 22. was appointed Chief of the House of the Father of the Families of the Kohathites Numb 3.30 which might occasion some discontent to Korah Reuben He was the First-born of Israel but for his Sin was deprived of his Birth-right Gen. 49.3 4. and the Priviledges thereof 1 Chron. 5.1 2. which his Posterity seditiously would usurp They and Korah Confederate together Besides their pretences they had the easier opportunity of associating from their being placed by each other on the South-side of the Camp ch 2. Took men viz. The Two hundred and fifty mentioned v. 2. 2. Princes Exod. 18.25 Numb 1.16 Famous Ch. 26.9 3. Ye take too much upon you Heb. It is much for you i. e. Let it suffice that ye have hitherto exalted your selves See Deut. 3.26 4. He fell upon his face See the Note on ch 14.5 5. Who are his i. e. Who are chosen by him to govern and minister in holy things And will cause c. That is he will some way or other justifie the Vocation of them to their eminent and separate Offices 6. This do This Command Moses gives by God's special direction 7. Before the LORD That is in the Sanctuary where God was more especially present 9. To minister unto them That is to minister in their room and stead 10. The priesthood This was an higher Order above that of the Levites and by God conferred upon Aaron and his Sons 11. Against the LORD They might well be said to gather together against the Lord when they did it against those whom God had appointed 1 Sam. 8.7 Luk. 10.16 12. Moses sent to call Dathan c. He summoned them to come to him by which means they might have been taken off from persisting in their Sedition by his perswasions had they hearkened to him 14. Put out Heb. Bore out 15. Respect not c. Gen. 4.4 19. The glory of the LORD See the Note on ch 14.10 22. They fell See v. 4. One man Korah who was the Principal who seduced others into this Rebellion See v. 1 5 8 16 19. 25. Went unto Dathan c. Who refused to come to him v. 12 14. 26. Touch nothing of theirs Because it is devoted to destruction Josh 7.11 27. Came out and stood This seems to intimate their defiance of Moses and his Power 1 Sam. 17.8 16. 28. All these works viz. The appointing Aaron to be Priest and the Levites to minister and his undertaking the Government and appointing Korah and his Company to take Censers v. 6. 29. The common death Heb. As every man dieth 30. Make a new thing Heb. Create a creature 31. And it came to pass Chap. 27.3 Deut. 11.6 Psal 106.17 32. And all the men i. e. All those who continued with him at this time and were of his Confederacy which no way contradicts what is said ch 26.11 The children of Korah died not 35. A fire from the LORD See Levit 10.1 2. 37. Vnto Eleazar These evil Men attempted to deprive Aaron's Posterity of the Priesthood and therefore Eleazar his Son is commanded to make the Censers into a standing Memorial of their fault and of the Priesthood's being setled in the Family of Aaron Out of the burning Or Out of the place where they who offered Incense were destroyed by Fire v. 35. Yonder i. e. Farther from the Sanctuary Hallowed That is separated from common use having been offered before the Lord v. 38. to the use which God should appoint them to 38. Altar That is the Altar of Burnt-offering and not the Altar of Incense for this was over-laid with pure Gold Exod. 37.26 and these Censers were of Brass v. 39. Besides that the Altar of Incense was in the Holy place out of the view of the People and consequently Plates there placed would not serve as a sign to them 41. On the morrow c. This Sin of theirs is greatly aggravated from their having seen the strange Judgment of God upon the Seditious the day before 42. The glory See v. 19. 45. Fell c. See verse 4. 46. Take a censer c. God by what Aaron did and effected did farther assert his just Title to the Priesthood 47. Put on incense and made c. This Incense represented Prayer and Aaron's offering it in behalf of the People the intercession of Christ on our behalf v. 48. 50. The plague was stayed Upon Aaron's offering Incense a stop is put to the destruction whereas when they who were not called of God as Aaron attempted to offer it the Judgment of God over-took
son were told to Rebekah and she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said unto him Behold thy brother Esau as touching thee doth comfort himself purposing to kill thee 43. Now therefore my son obey my voice and arise flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran 44. And tarry with him a few days untill thy brother's fury turn away 45. Vntill thy brother's anger turn away from thee and he forget that which thou hast done to him then I will send and fetch thee from thence why should I be deprived also of you both in one day 46. And Rebekah said to Isaac I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth such as these which are of the daughters of the land what good shall my life do me 2245. 1760. 1. OLD He was at this time One hundred thirty six or One hundred thirty seven years old And that may be thus collected He was at the birth of Jacob sixty years old ch 25.26 Jacob was now at his going to Padan-Aram which may justly be suposed to happen soon after he had received his Father's blessing v. 42 43. Seventy-six or Seventy-seven years old And that may be thus collected He served Laban Twenty years ch 31.38 Fourteen years for his two Daughters and after that Six years for his Cattel ch 31.41 Joseph was born when Jacob had served Laban Fourteen years ch 30.25 with ch 31.41 And that was the Ninetieth or Ninety-first year of Jacob's life as will appear by comparing ch 41.46 with ch 47.9 and ch 45.6 By which it will appear that when Jacob was One hundred and thirty years old Joseph was Thirty-nine or at the most in his Fortieth year 2. Death A sufficient Motive to put him upon doing what he intended to do in his life It is very certain however that he lived after this Forty-three or Forty-four years See ch 35.28 with the Note on the foregoing Verse 3. Quiver The Chaldee renders it Sword Our word HANGER answers to the Hebrew word 4. That I may eat That c. i. e. That being first refreshed and having made this trial of thy Obedience I may be the more fitted and disposed to pronounce the Blessing upon thee My Soul c. Or that I may bless thee See v. 7 10. Bless thee i. e. Fore-tell and implore the Divine blessing upon thee and constitute thee the Heir of the Promises made to Abraham Compare ch 48.9 15 16. and ch 49.28 Isaac here seems not to be aware of what God had declared to Rebekah ch 25.23 7. Before the Lord i. e. In his presence and by his authority with assurance that he will confirm it v. 33. and Heb. 11.20 12. A Curse A Curse was afterward solemnly to be denounced against him who set light by his Father and mis-lead the blind Deut. 27.16 18. 13. Vpon me She was well assured that the Blessing would be his and speaks prophetically here as the Chaldee intimates and had sufficient ground for this assurance as appears by comparing ch 25.23 15. Goodly raiment i. e. Such as were not of common use and were in Rebekah's keeping The Hebrew Doctors tell us that the First-born had Sacerdotal Robes before the Priesthood was setled It is certain that these garments had a pleasing smell v. 27. 19. I am Esau This practice of Jacob is by no means to be imitated by us 27. Of a field Not of a barren and empty field but of a field replenished with the fruits of the Earth which send forth a good smell Cant. 2.19 It is said a field which the Lord hath blessed and that is a fruitfull field The Greek and Vulgar render it a full field 28. Therefore God give thee Or And God give thee or will give thee as it is in the Hebrew It is a Prophecy as well as Prayer Great plenty is expressed by the dew of Heaven the fatness of the Earth and plenty of Corn and Wine And great Power and Dominion by let people serve thee v. 29. and be Lord over thy brethren c. Compare ch 25.23 These Blessings are from God Prov. 10.22 Whose special favour to Jacob's Race is farther expressed by Cursed be every one that curseth thee and blessed be he that blesseth thee 33. Trembled He was greatly astonished and speaks as such when he says Who where is he 39. Dwelling The Vulgar renders it Blessing It referrs to his habitation or seat See v. 28. and ch 36.6 7 8. The fatness Or of the fatness If the place be duly considered as in the Hebrew and well compared with the Context Isaac must mean that his Dwelling should be barren and consequently removed from the fatness of the Earth 40. By thy sword c. Thou shalt defend thy Country by thy Sword and not enjoy the peace which Jacob shall Deut. 33.27 28. His yoke This was verified 2 Kings 8.20 and was to be fulfilled when Jacob's posterity transgressed as the Chaldee intimates 41. At hand So he thought See the Note on v. 2. 42. Comfort himself In hope of recovering his birth-right by killing his Brother 44. Few days This proved to be Twenty years 45. Both They might kill one another However the Murtherer ought to die c. 9. 6. 46. Daughters of Heth See ch 26.34 35. She takes this occasion to send Jacob away CHAP. XXVIII The ARGUMENT Isaac blesseth Jacob and warns him against marrying any daughter of the Canaanites He sends him to Padan-Aram Esau marries Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Jacob's vision of a ladder The promise made to Abraham is renewed to him The stone of Beth-el The vow of Jacob. 1. AND Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and charged him and said unto him Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan 2. Arise go to Padan-Aram to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother 3. And God Almighty bless thee and make thee fruitfull and multiply thee that thou mayst be a multitude of people 4. And give thee the blessing of Abraham to thee and to thy seed with thee that thou mayst inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger which God gave unto Abraham 5. And Isaac sent away Jacob and he went to Padan-Aram unto Laban son of Bethuel the Syrian the brother of Rebekah Jacob's and Esau's mother 6. When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan-Aram to take him a wife from thence and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge saying Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan 7. And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother and was gone to Padan-Aram 8. And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father 9. Then went Esau unto Ishmael and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son the sister of Nebaioth to
Murrain v. 6. 26. Was there no hail See Notes on v. 4. and 5. and Isa 32.18 19. 28. Mighty thundrings Heb. Voices of God Psal 29.4 5. 29. I will spread abroad my hands I will extend my hands in Prayer says the Chaldee See v. 28. and 1 Tim. 2.8 The Earth Psal 24.1 32. Not grown up Heb. Hidden or dark i. e. They were not so forward as the Barley 35. As the LORD had spoken As the Lord had commanded says the Vulgar referring it to the words immediately going before By Moses Heb. By the hand of Moses CHAP. X. The ARGUMENT Pharaoh is threatned with a most grievous Plague of Locusts Vpon this and his Servants request he inclines to terms But they being refused God sends the Plague of Locusts and removes them at his request After which he refuseth to let the people go After this succeeded the Plague of Darkness Pharaoh is hardned and warneth Moses to come no more into his presence 1. AND the LORD said unto Moses Go in unto Pharaoh for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants that I might shew these my signs before him 2. And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son and of thy sons son what things I have wrought in Egypt and my signs which I have done amongst them that ye may know how that I am the LORD 3. And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh and said unto him Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews How long wilt thou refuse to humble thy self before me Let my people go that they may serve me 4. Else if thou refuse to let my people go behold to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast 5. And they shall cover the face of the earth that one cannot be able to see the earth and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped which remaineth unto you from the hail and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field 6. And they shall fâ—ll thy houses and the houses of all thy servants and the houses of all the Egyptians which neither thy fathers nor thy father's fathers have seen since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day And he turned himself and went out from Pharaoh 7. And Pharaoh's servants said unto him How long shall this man be a snare unto us Let the men go that they may serve the LORD their God Knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed 8. And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh and he said unto them Go serve the LORD your God but who are they that shall go 9. And Moses said We will go with our young and with our old with our sons and with our daughters with our flocks and with our herds will we go for we must hold a feast unto the LORD 10. And he said unto them Let the LORD be so with you as I will let you go and your little ones look to it for evil is before you 11. Not so go now ye that are men and serve the LORD for that you did desire And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence 12. And the LORD said unto Moses Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts that they may come up upon the land of Egypt and eat every herb of the land even all that the hail hath left 13. And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt and the LORD brought an east-wind upon the land all that day and all that night and when it was morning the east-wind brought the locusts 14. And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested in all the coasts of Egypt very grievous were they before them there were no such locusts as they neither after them shall be such 15. For they covered the face of the whole earth so that the land was darkned and they did eat every herb of the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left and there remained not any green thing in the trees or in the herbs of the field through all the land of Egypt 16. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste and he said I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you 17. Now therefore forgive I pray thee my sin onely this once and intreat the LORD your God that he may take away from me this death onely 18. And he went out from Pharaoh and intreated the LORD 19. And the LORD turned a mighty strong west-wind which took away the locusts and cast them into the Red sea there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt 20. But the LORD hardned Pharaoh's heart so that he would not let the children of Israel go 21. And the LORD said unto Moses Stretch out thine hand toward heaven that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt even darkness which may be felt 22. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days 23. They saw not one another neither rose any from his place for three days but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings 24. And Pharaoh called unto Moses and said Go ye serve the LORD onely let your flocks and your herds be stayed let your little ones also go with you 25. And Moses said Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt-offerings that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God 26. Our cattel also shall go with us there shall not an hoof be left behind for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God and we know not with what we must serve the LORD untill we come thither 27. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart and he would not let them go 28. And Pharaoh said unto him Get thee from me take heed to thy self see my face no more for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die 29. And Moses said Thou hast spoken well I will see thy face again no more 1. FOR c. Or Though Ch. 4.21 2. Mayest tell c. See ch 9.16 Deut. 6.20 22. Psal 78.5 6 7. 4. Locusts Wisd 16.9 5. The face Heb. The eye i. e. the superficies of the Earth The Jewish Writers by the Eye of the Earth understand the Sun and that the multitude of Locusts did intercept the light of the Sun and hinder the Egyptians from seeing the Earth which agrees very well with what follows in this Verse and with vers 15. vid. Abravenel and the Chaldee on the place The residue Ch. 9.32 Every tree Though the Trees were broken by the Hail yet it does not thence follow that they were altogether rendred unfruitfull 6. Have seen Vid. Vers 14. 7. A snare i. e. An occasion of our ruine 8. Who Heb. Who and who c. 10. Let the LORD c. These words seem to be spoken scoffingly q. d. You may assoon expect I should wish you all manner
it from common use v. 10. 9. Six days Ch. 23.12 Ezek. 20.12 Luk. 13.14 10. Stranger Or Proselyte as the Greek have it 11. In six Gen. 2.2 Blessed c. See the Notes on Gen. 2.3 12. Honour Deut. 5.16 Matt. 15.4 Eph. 6.2 13. Thou shalt not kill Vid. Matt. 5.21 14. Thou shalt not c. Vid. Matt. 5.27 28. 17. Thou shalt not covet c. Here begins the tenth Precept For this is not to be divided into two Josephus expressly tells us that this is the tenth which forbids our desiring what belongs to another Besides the Apostle cites it as one Law Thou shalt not covet Rom. 13.9 and ch 7.7 And in that repetition Deut. 5.21 our Neighbour's Wife is first mentioned and then his House whence we may conclude that Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house is not a distinct Commandment but a part of the tenth Unless we would suppose that the ninth Commandment lies in the body of the tenth and that the tenth lies part of it before and part of it after the ninth Besides those words Nor any thing that is thy neighbours determine the foregoing Particulars to belong to the same Precept To all which may be added the account which Philo the Jew gives of this matter in his Book of the Decalogue And thus it is He divides the Decalogue or Ten Commandments into two Pentads or Fives In the first Pentad he reckons the first five Commandments of which he makes that of Honouring our Father and Mother the last And says expressly of that first Pentad that God is the beginning of it and our Parents the end He goes on and tells us that the second Pentad contains those several Precepts which forbid Murder Adultery Theft False-witness and Coveting He expressly calls the Precept which requires the Honouring of Father and Mother the fifth Commandment he makes this the Boundary between the two Pentads and that it puts the end to the more divine Pentad He reckons Thou shalt not covet as the last Commandment And this Order of these Divine Precepts he reports more than once From all 〈◊〉 t is abundantly evident that our Church may be 〈◊〉 and that the Church of Rome who makes the second Commandment part of the first and sometimes leaves it out and divides the tenth into two does notoriously prevaricate and impose upon the People of her Communion with a design to justify the Worshipping of Images which is expressly against the Letter of the Law 18. And all Heb. 12.18 Saw See the Notes on Gen. 42.1 19. Speak thou Deut. 5.24 and 18.16 20. To prove you See ch 15.25 i. e. To try whether or no all this will render you obedient vid. Deut. 13.3 23. With me i. e. Though you do profess to worship me the true God and to make me the ultimate object of your Worship 24. An Altar of Earth An Altar for their present use in the Wilderness 25. If Deut. 27.5 Josh 8.31 Build it of hewen stone Heb. Build them with hewing This was forbidden the Israelites as it is thought in opposition to the Heathens who built their Altars of hewen Stones And that they might not be tempted to worship their Altars which were adorned and curiously wrought and engraven vid. Levit. 26.1 Deut. 12.30 Vid. Maimon More Nevoch p. 3. c. 45. Tool Heb. Sword i. e. An edged Tool Polluted By rendring it unfit for my Service as it is done against my declared Will 26. Discovered God requires the greatest modesty in his Worshippers Whereas the Heathen Rites were attended with Expressions of great unchastity and filthiness CHAP. XXI The ARGUMENT Laws concerning Hebrew Servants both Men and Women Of Man-slaughter and of Murder Of those who smite their Parents Of Men-stealers and them that curse their Parents Of Smiters Of the Ox that goreth Of damage by leaving a Pit open or by an Ox. 1. NOW these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them 2. If thou buy an Hebrew servant six years he shall serve and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing 3. If he came in by himself he shall go out by himself if he were married then his wife shall go out with him 4. If his master have given him a wife and she have born him sons or daughters the wife and her children shall be her masters and he shall go out by himself 5. And if the servant shall plainly say I love my master my wife and my children I will not go out free 6. Then his master shall bring him unto the judges he shall also bring him to the door or unto the door-post and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl and he shall serve him for ever 7. And if a man sell his daughter to be a maid-servant she shall not go out as the men-servants do 8. If she please not her master who hath betrothed her to himself then shall he let her be redeemed To fell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her 9. And if he have betrothed her unto his son he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters 10. If he take him another wife her food her raiment and her duty of marriage shall he not diminish 11. And if he do not these three unto her then shall she go out free without money 12. He that smiteth a man so that he die shall be surely put to death 13. And if a man he not in wait but God deliver him into his hand then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee 14. But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour to slay him with guile thou shalt take him from mine altar that he may die 15. And he that smiteth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death 16. And he that stealeth a man and selleth him or if he be found in his hand he shall surely be put to death 17. And he that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death 18. And if men strive together and one smite another with a stone or with his fist and he die not but keepeth his bed 19. If he rise again and walk abroad upon his staff then shall he that smote him be quit onely he shall pay for the loss of his time and shall cause him to be throughly healed 20. And if a man smite his servant or his maid with a rod and he die under his hand he shall be surely punished 21. Notwithstanding if he continue a day or two he shall not be punished for he is his money 22. If men strive and hurt a woman with child so that her fruit depart from her and yet no mischief follow he shall be surely punished according as the woman's husband will lay upon him and he shall pay as the judges determine 23. And if any mischief follow then thou shalt give life for life 24. Eye for eye tooth for tooth hand
for hand foot for foot 25. Burning for burning wound for wound stripe for stripe 26. And if a man smite the eye of his servant or the eye of his maid that it perish he shall let him go free for his eye's sake 27. And if he smite out his man-servant's tooth or his maid servant's tooth he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake 28. If an ox gore a man or a woman that they die then the ox shall be surely stoned and his flesh shall not be eaten but the owner of the ox shall be quit 29. But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past and it hath been testified to his owner and he hath not kept him in but that he hath killed a man or a woman the ox shall be stoned and his owner also shall be put to death 30. If there be laid on him a summ of money then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him 31. Whether he have gored a son or have gored a daughter according to this judgment shall it be done unto him 32. If the ox shall push a man-servant or a maid-servant he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver and the ox shall be stoned 33. And if a man shall open a pit or if a man shall dig a pit and not cover it and an ox or an ass fall therein 34. The owner of the pit shall make it good and give money unto the owner of them and the dead beast shall be his 35. And if one man's ox hurt another's that he die then they shall sell the live ox and divide the money of it and the dead ox also they shall divide 36. Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past and his owner hath not kept him in he shall surely pay ox for ox and the dead shall be his own 1. JVdgments i. e. The Judicial Laws 2. If thou buy Levit. 25.39 Deut. 15.12 Jer. 34.14 The poor Man sold himself the Thief was sold by the Magistrate Exod. 22.3 Six years Except the year of Jubilee set him free sooner Levit. 25.40 3. By himself Heb. With his body i. e. Single or unmarried as appears from the words which follow If he were married c. 4. A Wife Namely of the Heathen Bond-women or Slaves It not being permitted to deal thus with an Hebrew Woman v. 7 8. and Levit. 25.44 This by the Jews is understood of those Servants which were sold by the Magistrate and not of him who through poverty sold himself Maimon H. Avad c. 3. 5. Shall plainly say Heb. Saying shall say i. e. He shall say it once and again or constantly as the Tigurin Version renders it 6. Vnto the Judges i. e. To the Magistrates who sold him for a Servant and were therefore concerned in him See the Notes on v. 4. To the door i. e. Of his own House to which for the future the Servant was as it were fixed and determined Bore his ear And by this means mark him for a Servant according to the use of that Country vid. Psal 40.6 Heb. 10.5 7. For ever i. e. During his Master's life unless it happen that the year of Jubilee set him free in the mean time Levit. 25.40 46. Vid. Joseph Antiq. l. 4. c. 8. 7. If a man sell his daughter To the Father this appertained in case of extreme poverty She shall not go out as c. Not that she should have less but more privileges than Men-servants could claim 8. If she please not Heb. Be evil in the eyes of c. To a strange nation i. e. To any other Israelite who is not of her Family and Kindred to whom the care and right of redeeming her did belong The Chaldee renders it to another Man Dealt deceitfully Or failed in what might justly be expected from him 9. After the manner of daughters Of the daughters of Israel says the Chaldee He shall deal with her as a Free-woman Give her a Dowry and bestow her in Marriage as if she had been his own daughter Exod. 22.16 17. 10. Her duty of Marriage 1 Cor. 7.3 11. Without money i. e. Without paying for her freedom in which her condition was better than that of Men-servants v. 7. 12. Smiteth Viz. Wilfully See v. 13 14. Levit. 24.17 13. God deliver him How this is to be understood we may learn from Deut. 19.5 Will appoint Deut. 19.3 14. From mine Altar Which shall not protect a wilfull Murderer 1 King 2.28 16. A man An Israelite See the Greek and the Chaldee and Deut. 24.7 17. And he Levit 20.9 Prov. 20.20 Matt. 15.4 Mark 7.10 Curseth Or revileth 18. Another Or his neighbour 19. Be quit i. e. He shall not be punished with Death The loss of his time Heb. His ceasing 20. Punishâ—â— Heb. Avenged 21. For he is his money And therefore it is presumed that he would not willingly kill him This is to be understood of a Bond-man not of an Hebrew Levit. 25.39 46. 22. Mischief Or Death to the Woman or Child Vid. LXXII and Ph. Jud. 24. Eye for eye Not in kind but by a mulct proportioned to the damage received The Offender might in these cases though not in Murder Numb 35.31 make a pecuniary satisfaction See v. 30. Vid. Levit. 24.20 Deut. 19.21 Matt. 5.38 26. His Servant i. e. His Bond-man 28. The Ox shall be c. Gen. 9.5 29. Put to death Or pay his ransom to the Heirs of him that was killed See v. 30. 32. Thirty shekels See the Notes on Gen. 20.16 Matt. 26.16 33. Or an Ass Or any other Beast the Ass being put for an instance See the Notes on ch 13.13 34. The Owner c. Who was concerned to look to it 36. Known i. e. Made known to the Owner See v. 29. CHAP. XXII The ARGUMENT Laws concerning Theft and Restitution of stolen Goods Of Trespass and Damage Of Trust and an Oath upon suspicion of failure therein Of Borrowing Of Fornication Of Witches Of lying with a Beast Sacrificing to a false God Of Oppression Of Vsury Of Pledges Of reviling Magistrates Of the First-fruits and First-born Of Flesh torn by Beasts 1. IF a man shall steal an ox or a sheep and kill it or sell it he shall restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep 2. If a thief be found breaking up and be smitten that he die there shall no blood be shed for him 3. If the sun be risen upon him there shall be blood shed for him for he should make full restitution if he have nothing then he shall be sold for his theft 4. If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive whether it be ox or ass or sheep he shall restore double 5. If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten and shall put in his beast and shall feed in another man's field of the best of his own field and of the
veil i. e. In the Holy Place before the Veil which was between that and the Holy of Holies ch 26.33 Mercy-seat Ch. 25.17 Where I will meet with thee I will be known unto thee there say the Greek 7. Sweet incense Heb. Incense of spices A Symbol of fervent and devout Prayers Ps 141.2 Rev. 5.8 and 8.3 When the Priest went in to offer Incense the People prayed without Luk. 1.10 8. Lighteth Or Setteth up Heb. Causeth to ascend At even Heb. Between the two evens Perpetual Without intermission which recommends to us constant times of Prayer at least every Morning and Evening 9. Strange incense i. e. Incense of another Composition than what is appointed v. 34. Nor burnt-sacrifice c. Which were to be offered upon the Altar of Brass appointed for that purpose 10. Make an atonement c. By the Blood of the Sin-offering he shall cleanse it from the pollution which it contracts because of the transgressions of the People Lev. 16.16 18. Once in the year That is on the day of Expiation the tenth day of the seventh Month Lev. 16.29 Most holy Ch. 23.37 12. When c. Num. 1.2 5. Their number Heb. Them that are to be numbered A ransom for his soul Or For his Life This was an homage paid to God as an acknowledgement of his redeeming them No plague As happened in David's time after he had numbred the People 13. After the shekel of the sanctuary Possibly in the Sanctuary the Standards were kept by which other Weights and Measures were to be examined though some have thought that the Expression implies a difference between the Common and Sacred Shekel A shekel c. Lev. 27.25 Num. 3.47 Ezek. 45.12 15. The rich c. Riches being of no account with God Give more Heb. Multiply Give less Heb. Diminish 18. The altar That is the Brazen-altar 20. That they die not viz. By the hand of God as Aaron's Sons did Lev. 20.2 23. Principal spices The best of the kind 24. Of the sanctuary See v. 13. An hin Vid. Ch. 29.40 25. An oyl Which signifies the Gifts of the Holy Spirit Act. 10.38 Luk. 4.21 Apothecary Or Perfumer 26. Thou shalt â—noint And by that means set apart to an holy use 29. Sanctifie Or By this means set a side to a Separate and Holy use 30. Anoint Aaron ' c. Who were by this anointing set apart to the Priesthood as by the Holy Spirit the Ministers of God are enabled to discharge their Office 31. This shall be The Jews understand it of this very Oyl which was made by Moses and not thâ—â— we read of repeated afterwards 33. Stranger i. e. Whoever is not a Priest or a King 34. Stactâ— The fatness or sweet Gum of a certain Balsamick-tree The Hebrew word imports dropping Onycha This was a certain Claw or sweet Hoof which was used in Perfumes says Maimon Galbanum This says Maimon is a Gum of a Tree in Greece like black Honey and is of a strong smell 35. Tempered Heb. Salted 36. Put of it before c. That is Offer it upon the golden Altar 37. To your selves c. i. e. To your own use v. 38. CHAP. XXXI The ARGUMENT Bezaleel and Aholiab are chosen by God and fitted for building the Tabernacle and all things belonging thereunto The observation of the Sabbath is pressed upon the Israelites Moses receives two Tables of Stone written by God 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. See I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah 3. And I have filled him with the spirit of God in wisdom and in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship 4. To divise cunning works to work in gold and in silver and in brass 5. And in cutting of stones to set them and in carving of timber to work in all manner of workmanship 6. And I behold I have given with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan and in the hearts of all that are wise-hearted I have put wisdom that they may make all that I have commanded thee 7. The tabernacle of the congregation and the ark of the testimony and the mercy-seat that is thereupon and all the furniture of the tabernacle 8. And the table and his furniture and the pure candlestick with all his furniture and the altar of incense 9. And the altar of burnt-offering with all his furniture and the laver and his foot 10. And the clothes of service and the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons to minister in the priest's office 11. And the anointing oyl and sweet incense for the holy place according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do 12. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 13. Speak thou also unto the children of Israel saying Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctifie you 14. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore for it is holy unto you Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death for whosoever doth any work therein that soul shall be cut off from among his people 15. Six days may work be done but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest holy to the LORD whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath-day he shall surely be put to death 16. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath to observe the sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant 17. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed 18. And he gave unto Moses when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai two tables of testimony tables of stone written with the finger of God 2. I have called by name i. e. I have particularly chosen and designed Vid. Esa 43.1 Son 1 Chron. 2.20 Of Hur Ch. 17.12 and 24.14 3. Spirit of God i. e. The gifts of the Spirit which follow 1 Cor. 12.4 8. 4. To devise cunning works To teach the Artificers says the Chaldee 5. Stones This the Chaldee understands truly of precious Stones See ch 28.21 7. Furniture Heb. Vessels 8. Pure candlestick Made of pure Gold and by the Priest's daily care to be kept clean and pure 10. Clothes of service These Clothes of Service as they stand here distinguished from the Priest's Holy Garments may possibly referr to those Clothes and Coverings which are mentioned Num. 4.7 8 9 11 12. 13. Verily my sabbaths c. Tho' this work were to be done as God had appointed yet not on the Sabbath Day A sign between me and you a token or acknowledgment that I am your God and that you worship the Creator of Heaven and Earth The Sabbath was afterward commanded as a Memorial of their Deliverance
clean and unclean Creatures The punishment of them that have familiar Spirits and of Wizards 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. Again thou shalt say to the children of Israel Whosoever he be of the children of Israel or of the stranger that sojourn in Israel that giveth any of his seed unto Molech he shall surely be put to death the people of the land shall stone him with stones 3. And I will set my face against that man and will cut him off from among his people because he hath given of his seed unto Molech to defile my sanctuary and to profane my holy name 4. And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man when he giveth of his seed unto Molech and kill him not 5. Then I will set my face against that man and against his family and will cut him off and all that go a whoring after him to commit whoredom with Molech from among their people 6. And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits and after wizards to go a whoring after them I will even set my face against that soul and will cut him off from among his people 7. Sanctifie your selves therefore and be ye holy for I am the LORD your God 8. And ye shall keep my statutes and do them I am the LORD which sanctifie you 9. For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death he hath cursed his father or his mother his blood shall be upon him 10. And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death 11. And the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness both of them shall surely be put to death their blood shall be upon them 12. And if a man lie with his daughter-in-law both of them shall surely be put to death they have wrought confusion their blood shall be upon them 13. If a man also lie with mankind as he lieth with a woman both of them have committed an abomination they shall surely be put to death their blood shall be upon them 14. And if a man take a wife and her mother it is wickedness they shall be burnt with fire both he and they that there be no wickedness among you 15. And if a man lie with a beast he shall surely be put to death and ye shall slay the beast 16. And if a woman approach unto any beast and lie down thereto thou shalt kill the woman and the beast they shall surely be put to death their blood shall be upon them 17. And if a man shall take his sister his father's daughter or his mother's daughter and see her nakedness and she see his nakedness it is a wicked thing and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people he hath uncovered his sister's nakedness he shall bear his iniquity 18. And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness and shall uncover her nakedness he hath discovered her fountain and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood and both of them shall be cut off from among their people 19. And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister nor of thy father's sister for he uncovereth his near kin they shall bear their iniquity 20. And if a man shall lie with his uncle's wife he hath uncovered his uncle's nakedness they shall bear their sin they shall die childless 21. And if a man shall take his brother's wife it is an unclean thing he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness they shall be childless 22. Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes and all my judgments and do them that the land whither I bring you to dwell therein spue you not out 23. And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation which I cast out before you for they committed all these things and therefore I abhorred them 24. But I have said unto you Ye shall inherit their land and I will give it unto you to possess it a land that floweth with milk and honey I am the LORD your God which have separated you from other people 25. Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean and between unclean fowls and clean and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast or by fowl or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground which I have separated from you as unclean 26. And ye shall be holy unto me for I the LORD am holy and have severed you from other people that ye should be mine 27. A man also or a woman that hath a familiar spirit or that is a wizard shall surely be put to death they shall stone them with stones their blood shall be upon them 2. Again Ch. 18.21 Death The sin was forbid before ch 18.21 Here the punishment is laid down but yet he was not to die who was guilty of this sin till he were legally convicted Deut. 17.4 5 6. 3. And I will set my face c. That is In case a person be guilty and it be not known or cannot be proved by Witnesses and he do escape the Judges To defile my sanctuary The Sanctuary was appointed by God to be the place where all Sacrifices were to be offered up Levit. 17.4 This place was contemned and profaned when they offered their Sacrifices elsewhere and otherwise than God had appointed To profane my holy name He profanes the Name of God who contemns him And the Idolater who worships another God does so in a very high degree 5. My face Or My fury as the Chaldee hath it Ps 34.16 His family i. e. Those of them who were guilty with him as appears from the following words And will cut him off and all that go a whoring after him Whoredom Idolatry is a Spiritual Whoredom and is frequently expressed after that manner 6. Familiar spirits See the Notes on ch 19.31 7. Sanctifie Ch. 11.44 and 19.2 1 Pet. 1.16 8. Sanctifie you That is Separate and set you a-part for my service and to obey my Laws v. 24. 9. For Or If or When as the Hebrew Particle frequently signifies Curseth Or Revileth Exod. 21.17 Prov. 20.20 Matt. 15.4 Compare Act. 23.5 with Exod. 22.28 His blood shall be upon him i. e. He shall be guilty of his own death Vid. 2 Sam. 1.16 10. The man Deut. 22.22 Joh. 8.4 5. 11. And the man c. Ch. 18.8 12. Confusion It is a great confusion of Relation that the same Woman should be a Daughter and a Wife That the Son that might be born of such a Conjunction should be the Child and the Brother of the same Woman the Son and Nephew of the same Man and also supposing the Woman's Husband alive that the same Child should be reputed the Son and be the Brother of the same Man 13. If
which was given about this time Exod. 19.1 16. At this time also the Holy Ghost descended Act. 2.1 2. A new meat-offering Viz. The first-fruits of Wheat-harvest Exod. 34.22 Hence this Feast is called the day of the first-fruits Numb 28.26 17. With leaven Ch. 2.11 and ch 7.13 21. Ye shall proclaim Or call and assemble the People together See v. 2. 22. When ye reap Ch. 19.9 Neither shalt thou Deut. 24.19 24. Seventh Numb 29.1 This Month the Jews reckoned the first Month with respect to their Sabbatical Years their Jubilees their Planting c. Rosh Hasshanah c. 1. A Sabbath A Festival or Day of rest from servile work v. 25. See the Notes on v. 11. Blowing of Trumpets To give them notice of this beginning of the Year and probably to awaken them to Repentance against the Day of Expiation 27. Also on the tenth Ch. 16.30 Numb 29.7 32. Celebrate Heb. Rest Sabbath See verse 11. and compare Isa 58.3 and verse 13. 34. The fifteenth Numb 29.12 The feast of Tabernacles So called because at that time the Jews dwelt in Booths or Tabernacles or certain moveable Tents Joh. 7.2 It is also called the Feast of in-gathering because it was kept at a time of year when they had gathered in their Harvest Exod. 23.16 Deut. 16.13 The design of this Feast seems to have been that they might remember the benefit which the Cloud afforded them when they went through the Wilderness as the Chaldee Paraphrast intimates on the 43 verse To which may be added That it was appointed that they might remember their Fore-fathers dwelling in Booths in the Wilderness v. 43. At their first coming out of Egypt they came to Succoth Exod. 12.37 which signifies Tabernacles and in Tabernacles they continued in the Wilderness Another End of this Feast seems to be this That they might praise God for the fruits of the past year which they had newly gathered in Deut. 16.13 14 15. 36. On the eighth day Called the great day of the feast Joh. 7.37 Solemn assembly Heb. Day of restraint 37. A sacrifice Whether sin or peace-offering 38. Gifts Such Offerings as were additional to what was precisely commanded and were brought according as Men were able and as God had prospered them Deut. 16.10 17. 39. When ye have c. When your Labour about your Harvest is at an end and you are at leisure The Feast of Pentecost was but one day they being then in their Harvest 40. Boughs Heb. Fruit. Boughs at least of fruitfull Trees or such Trees as were not dead and barren 43. That your generations c. See the Notes on v. 34. 44. Vnto the children of Israel Who where concerned as well as the Priests in these Laws CHAP. XXIV The ARGUMENT Of the Oyl for the Lamps and Shew-bread Of the Blasphemer and the Law concerning Blasphemy Of Murder and Damage The Blasphemer is stoned 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. Command the children of Israel that they bring unto thee pure oyl-olive beaten for the light to cause the lamps to burn continually 3. Without the veil of the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually It shall be a statute for ever in your generations 4. He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the LORD continually 5. And thou shalt take fine flour and bake twelve cakes thereof two tenth-deals shall be in one cake 6. And thou shalt set them in two rows six on a row upon the pure table before the LORD 7. And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row that it may be on the bread for a memorial even an offering made by fire unto the LORD 8. Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant 9. And it shall be Aaron's and his sons and they shall eat it in the holy place for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute 10. And the son of an Israelitish woman whose father was an Egyptian went out among the children of Israel and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp 11. And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the Name of the LORD and cursed and they brought him unto Moses and his mother's name was Shelomith the daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan 12. And they put him in ward that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them 13. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 14. Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head and let all the congregation stone him 15. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel saying Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin 16. And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD he shall surely be put to death and all the congregation shall certainly stone him as well the stranger as he that is born in the land when he blasphemeth the Name of the LORD shall be put to death 17. And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death 18. And he that killeth a beast shall make it good beast for beast 19. And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour as he hath done so shall it be done unto him 20. Breach for breach eye for eye tooth for tooth as he hath caused a blemish in a man so shall it be done to him again 21. And he that killeth a beast he shall restore it and he that killeth a man he shall be put to death 22. Ye shall have one manner of law as well for the stranger as for one of your own countrey for I am the LORD your God 23. And Moses spake unto the children of Israel that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp and stone him with stones and the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses 1. AND the LORD c. After the Precepts concerning the yearly Feasts he lets them know what is to be done in the Sanctuary Daily and Weekly 2. Command the children of Israel that they bring c. This Precept is given here in pursuance of what God had said unto Moses Exod. 27.20 and it is given to the Children of Israel because they were to be at the charge or cost For these things which follow being a part of the standing and publick service of the Tabernacle were to be provided for at the cost of the whole Congregation And it was accordingly provided that there should be a constant allowance to that purpose these Oblations being in behalf of the whole Congregation Exod. 23.15 and 27.21 and 30.13 16. To cause c. Heb. To cause to ascend 3. Veil of the testimony i. e. The Veil of the Ark of the Testimony Exod. 25.16 which parted the Holy place
Consecrating the Levites and the age and time of their Service Of the Passover and an allowance of a Second Passover and guidance of the Cloud Of the use of the Silver Trumpets Of the removal of the Israelites Of the words which Moses used when the Ark set forward and when it rested Of these things we have an account ch 8 9 10. After this we have a Relation of the burning at Taberah Of the People's loathing of Manna and lusting for Flesh Of the Seventy Elders and of the Quails ch 11. and of the Sedition of Miriam and Aaron ch 12. We have next a Relation of the Spies sent into the Promised Land Of their Instructions Of their Doings and Report of the Land Of the People's murmuring hereupon Of God's just Displeasure and the Effects of it Of the Intercession of Moses and great Folly of the Israelites ch 13 and 14. The fifteenth Chapter lays before us sundry Laws viz. That concerning the Meat-offering as that Offering was an attendant upon a Bloody Sacrifice And the Drink-offering Of the Heave-offering Of the first of the Dough Of Sins of Ignorance and Presumption Of the Profaner of the Sabbath and of the Fringes We have next an Account of the Rebellion of Korah and Dathan and Abiram Of their invading the Priest's Office and their exemplary Punishment The Memory of their Rebellion is perpetuated and the Right of the Priests vindicated by the budding of Aaron's Rod and their honorary Maintenance hereupon particularly related ch 16 17 18. The next Chapter gives account of the Water made of the Ashes of the red Heifer which is followed with a Relation of the death of Miriam the murmuring of the People the smiting the Rock c. and the death of Aaron ch 19.20 And then we have an account of the Israelites Victory over the Canaanites of their murmuring of the fiery Serpents and of that of Brass Of several Journeyings of the Israelites and their Conquest over Sihon and Og ch 21. After this we have a Relation of Balak's sending to Balaam to curse the Israelites Of Balaam's Journey and Balak's Disappointment Several Predictions of Balaam are related and there follows an account of the Israelites committing Whoredom and Idolatry at Shittim and of their Punishment ch 22 23 24 25. Next to this we have an account of the number of the Israelites in order to the dividing the Land among them ch 26. And the Law of Inheritances upon occasion of the suit of the Daughters of Zelophehad ch 27. In the two next Chapters we have a more particular account than was given before of the Stated Holocausts and the Meat and Drink-offerings pertaining thereunto This is followed with a Law concerning Vows ch 30. We have after this an account of the Israelites Conquest over the Midianites and a Law concerning the dividing the Spoil ch 31. Next follows the Request of the Reubenites and Gadites and the success of it and an account of the Journeyings of the Israelites in the Wilderness Of the Borders of the Promised Land and the names of the Men which should divide it Of the Levites Cities and the Cities of Refuge with the Law concerning Murther Of the Inheritance of Daughters and the Marriage of Heiresses in their own Tribe which is followed with an account how the Daughters of Zelophehad were married ch 32 33 34 35 36. By what hath been said any Man will see that this Book is very fitly called NUMBERS For here we have the number of the twelve Tribes taken no less than three times ch 1. ch 2. and ch 26. And the Levites are numbred as often ch 3 4 26. We have also several other things numbred The things that were offered and the Princes who offered those things at the Dedication of the Altar ch 7. The Spoils taken in the War with Midian ch 31. And all the stated Holocausts that were yearly offered up ch 28 29. Not to mention the Number and Names of the Cities of Levites and of Refuge and the particulars of the Israelites Marches or Journeyings in the Wilderness These are the principal Matters contained in this Book which if duly considered will be of great use to us for the better governing our selves as well as for the more clear understanding of the other parts of the Holy Scriptures It is not to be expected I should in this place make Reflections upon all the Particulars which are laid before us in this Book It may suffice that I lay before the Reader some few Particulars and shew how very much they tend to the use of Life and serve to engage us to strict Obedience to the Will of God And for the other I referr the Reader to the following Notes I might here shew the admirable use that is to be made of the Relation of the numbring the People and order of their Camp For here is much of God's special Providence to be observed from those Relations which we pass over in reading the Scriptures with too great Negligence And there are many parts of the Holy Writ which we pass over with little regard that are very instructive to us But I will not insist upon this matter in this place I shall especially consider the following Particulars I. The setting aside the Levites to the service of God their Charge and Service This spake God's great care of his People to appoint an Order of Men to attend upon his Service and to wait on his Sanctuary And it does also instruct those that Minister in Holy Things not onely to consider how they were called to that Holy Office but to consider also how they discharge it The Particulars relating to this Order of Men are very instructive to the People also They were not numbred among the rest having no Inheritance as the other Tribes had They were to attend upon their Office in the service of God and his People It was therefore the People's part to be kind to them and there are in the Law of Moses many Precepts to this purpose They were not onely obliged to pay them their Tithes in which even in some of the worst times they were scrupulously carefull but to assist them upon other occasions that they might attend upon God's Service This teacheth the People to communicate of their Temporal Things very freely to those that watch over their Souls and to honour them greatly for the sake of their Work and their Master II. That Law concerning the removing the Unclean from the Camp chap. 5. This is very instructive to the Governors and Ministers of the Church It is not fit that Profane and Scandalous Sinners should be admitted to partake of the holiest things 'T is very much the duty of those concerned and the Interest of the whole Church that those should be debarred from her Communion who are notoriously scandalous I know very well that that Law made a difference in the Unclean and that there was a difference as to the Camps also and 't will
well become us to observe it But still we must do all we possibly can to exclude those from the participation of Holy Things who live in contradiction to the Precepts of our Holy Religion III. The Law concerning Restitution in case of a Trespass mentioned in the same Chapter This is of great use to us and shews us the absolute necessity of making restitution for any wrong or injury that we have done By this Law he that had done the wrong was obliged to make Restitution to the injured person and he is directed what to doe in case the injured person could not be found 'T was not his confessing his sin not his Sacrifice with that Confession that would procure his Pardon if he did not make Restitution as he is directed there This is the Doctrine of the Law and of the Prophets also Ezek. 33.15 as well as of the New Testament Luk. 18.8 Rom. 13.8 9. This is a most unquestionable truth and that the Reader ought to lay to Heart IV. The passages related ch 11 12. are of great moment towards the awakening us to avoid Murmuring Discontent and Sedition We have severe Examples related there of the sad effects of those sins and the Mischiefs that follow upon such Crimes are unspeakable No Man can tell where his Discontent will stop or what will be the effects of it Let us see how the Apostle applies this Neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10.10 11 12. V. The Account we have of the Spies sent into the Land of Canaan and of their Report of it and what followed thereupon ch 13 14. This represents to us the great mischief of Diffidence and Distrust and contempt of the Kingdom of Heaven Let us see how the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews applies this To whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that believed not So we see they could not enter in because of unbelief Let us therefore fear lest a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it Heb. 3.18 19. and ch 4.1 It follows Let us therefore labour to enter into that rest lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief v. 11. Those Men that went to see the Land owned it to be a good Land and brought some of the Fruit thereof thence But after all they discouraged the People from the difficulties that would attend their Conquest of it notwithstanding the many Experiences which they had received of the Power and Providence of God These Men died by the Plague in the Wilderness the murmuring Israelites wandered about in it till they were consumed and they were a sad example of Distrust and Unbelief VI. The account we have of the Rebellion of Korah Dathan and Abiram ch 16. This Relation is of great moment to keep Men from the like sin for the time to come These Men rebelled against Moses and Aaron whom God had chosen The Rebels were swallowed up by the Earth and consumed with Fire from Heaven and God took care for the perpetuating the Memory of their sin and asserting the Divine right of the Priesthood They envyed Moses in the Camp and Aaron the saint of the Lord. The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan and covered the company of Abiram And a fire was kindled in their company the flame burnt up the wicked Ps 106.16 17 18. God would have the Israelites keep up the Memory of these things and learn from this sad example to have due regard to them whom he chose to Minister in Holy Things And to this purpose he commands that Plates should be made of the Censers of the Rebels for the Altar of Burnt-offering that so there might remain a Memorial of this fatal Rebellion in the view of the People He caused also Aaron's Rod to flourish and to be preserved as a token against the Rebels And upon that follows a most particular account ch 18. of the Honorary Maintenance of the Priests Such care God thought fit to take to vindicate the Priests his Servants and to keep up the Memory of this Relation VII The account we have of the People's being bitten with the Fiery Serpents and healed by looking upon the Brazen Serpent ch 21. This cure was as the Jews call it a Miracle in a Miracle The Brazen Serpent was a Type of the Death of Christ Joh. 3.14 by whose Stripes we are healed This Brazen Serpent is called by the Author of the Book of Wisdom A Sign of Salvation It was put upon a Pole or set up for a Sign and he that looked upon it lived i. e. Recovered of the harm he had received from the bite of the Fiery Serpent He that turned himself toward it was not saved by the thing that he saw but by thee that art the Saviour of all Wisdom 16.6 7. Thus did God sending his own son in the likeness of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh Rom. 8.3 VIII The account of Balak's sending to Balaam to curse the Israelites and his coming to him upon this occasion and what he said and did follows in Chapters 22 23 24. And that Relation is of great use to us and such as well deserves our serious reflecting upon It lets us know that we need not fear the Curses of a false Prophet nor the attempts of our most powerfull Enemies whiles we do adhere to God and keep his Laws God will so long defend us and then we need not fear what Man can do unto us We have also in that Relation many excellent Prophecies and one particularly of the Messias of which the Reader will find an account in the Notes in their proper place IX The account of the Whoredom and Idolatry of the People at Shittim ch 25. We have there a particular account of the sin and very exemplary punishment of the People for their Wickedness And the Reader will easily believe that this was contrived by Balaam from what hath been said to that purpose in the Noâ—es upon that History which follow Balaam could not prevail by Inchantments and Divination by Sacrifices or Magical Arts. He took the onely course that was left and that was to tempt them by the Women of Midian to Whoredom first and then to Idolatry The Beauty of the Women was the first snaâ—e and thence they were drawn on to commit Idolatry They called the people to the sacrifices of their Gods And the people did eat and bowed down to their Gods Thus were they joined unto Baal Peor and did eat the sacrifices of the dead Ps 106.28 Thus did the People fall by their own Wickedness whom Balaam and Balak could never have harmed
the tabernacle northward 36. And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle and the bars thereof and the pillars thereof and the sockets thereof and all the vessels thereof and all that serveth thereto 37. And the pillars of the court round about and their sockets and their pins and their cords 38. But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward shall be Moses and Aaron and his sons keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death 39. All that were numbred of the Levites which Moses and Aaron numbred at the commandment of the LORD throughout their families all the males from a mouth old and upward were twenty and two thousand 40. And the LORD said unto Moses Number all the first-born of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward and take the â—umber of their names 41. And thou shalt take the Levites for me I am the LORD in stead of all the first-born among the children of Israel and the cattel of the Levites in stead of all the firstlings among the cattel of the children of Israel 42. And Moses numbred as the LORD commanded him all the first-born among the children of Israel 43. And all the first-born males by the number of names from a month old and upward of those that were numbred of them were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen 44. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 45. Take the Levites in stead of all the first-born among the children of Israel and the cattel of the Levites in stead of their cattel and the Levites shall be mine I am the LORD 46. And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the first-born of the children of Israel which are more then the Levites 47. Thou shalt even take five shekels a piece by the pâ—ll after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them the shekel is twenty gerabs 48. And thou shalt give the money wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons 49. And Moses took the redemption-money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites 50. Of the first-born of the children of Israel took he the money a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary 51. And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons according to the word of the LORD as the LORD commanded Moses 1. AND Moses The Posterity of Moses whose Sons were not Priests but Levites 1 Chron. 23.13 14. are numbred among the Kohathites v. 27. 2. The first-born Exod. 6.23 3. Whom be consecrated Heb. Whose hand he filled See Exod. 29.9 4. And Nadab c. Levit. 10.1 ch 26.61 1 Chron. 24.2 In the sight c. Or With as the Greek have it viz. in the life-time of Aaron And thus much the Hebrew imports elsewhere Vid. Gen. 11.28 6. Minister The Work and Office of the Levites was as follows I. To minister to the Priests as appears from this Verse and from 1 Chron. 23.28 II. To serve at the Tabernacle this is expressed by keeping the Charge of the whole Congregation v. 7. And herein they served the People Vid. 2. Chron. 35.3 We have an account in this Chapter of the particular charge of the Gershonites v. 25 26. Of the Kohathites v. 31. Of the Merarites v. 36. And of their Carriages ch 4. and Deut. 10.8 From the Carriages they were excused in after-times when the Temple was built 1 Chron. 23.26 But then they were appointed III. To be Singers 1 Chron. 23.30 and ch 24. IV. And Pâ—rters to the several Gates of the Temple 1 Chron. 26.13 V. They had the charge of the Treasure 1 Chron. 26.20 of the House of God and of the Dedicate things And lastly some of them were made Officers and Judges in Business of the Lord and Service of the King See 1 Chron. 26.29 30. 7. His charge That is Aaron's v. 6. whom they were to obey The Hebrew imports this sense Levit. 18.30 And the charge of the whole congregation They were not onely â—o serve Aaron but the People also 2 Chron. 35.3 out of whom they were taken instead of the First-born v. 12. and whom they served when they attended upon the Sanctuary and discharged the several duties of their place v. 8. The Levites Obligation to Aaron and to the People may be learned from v. 9. 10. Priest's office It was the proper and peculiar Office of the Priests to bless the People in the name of the Lord to offer Incense and to minister at the Altar Numb 18.7 Deut. 21.5 1 Chron. 23.13 Stranger i. e. Who is not of the Family of Aaron See ch 1.51 Put to death See Numb 16. 13. For on the day Exod. 13.2 Levit. 27.26 chap. 8.16 Luk. 2.23 14. Moses Not to Moses and Aaron The Number of the Israelites was to be taken by Aaron as well as Moses ch 1.3 and so was that of the Kohathites ch 4.2 And the Gershonites and Merarites are expressly said to be numbred by Aaron as well as Moses ch 4.41 45. But the Precept to number the Levites here is onely directed to Moses and by him was executed v. 16. whatever assistance or approbation Aaron might give v. 39. And again we find that Moses was onely concerned in numbring the First-born of Israel v. 40 41 42. in which Aaron is not mentioned at all For since the Money with which the First-born of Israel which exceeded the number of the Levites were to be redeemed was to be paid to Aaron and his Sons v. 48. He whose advantage it was that the number of the First-born of Israel should exceed was not authorized to take the number 15. From a month old c. The reason why the Levites were numbred here from a Month old and not as the other Tribes from twenty years old and upward is because they were taken in the stead of the First-born v. 12. and are therefore numbred at that age when the First-born were to be redeemed Numb 18.16 16. Word Heb. Mouth 17. And these c. Gen. 46.11 Exod. 6.16 ch 26.57 1 Chron. 6.1 23. Behind the tabernacle westward The East was reckoned the first place ch 2 3. and the West was consequently behind The Gershonites pitched between the Tabernacle and the Standard of Ephraim ch 2.18 25. The charge c. Compare ch 4.25 29. Southward Between the Sanctuary and the Standard of Reuben ch 2.10 31. Their charge Compare ch 4. v. 5 c. 35. Northward viz. Between the Sanctuary and the Standard of Daâ— ch 2.25 36. Under the custody Heb. The office of the charge Compare chap. 4.31 32. 38. Eastward viz. Between
one bullock or for one ram or for a lamb or a kid 12. According to the number that ye shall prepare so shall ye do to every one according to their number 13. All that are born of the country shall do these things after this manner in offering an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD 14. And if a stranger sojourn with you or whosoever be among you in your generations and will offer an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD as ye do so he shall do 15. One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you an ordinance for ever in your generations as ye are so shall the stranger be before the LORD 16. One law and one manner shall be for you and for the stranger that sojourneth with you 17. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 18. Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them When ye come into the land whither I bring you 19. Then it shall be that when ye eat of the bread of the land ye shall offer up an heave-offering unto the LORD 20. Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave-offering as ye do the heave-offering of the threshing-floor so shall ye heave it 21. Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the LORD an heave-offering in your generations 22. And if ye have erred and not observed all these commandments which the LORD hath spoken unto Moses 23. Even all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of Moses from the day that the LORD commanded Moses and hence-forward among your generations 24. Then it shall be if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt-offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD with his meat-offering and his drink-offering according to the 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. 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. You shall have one law for him that 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 doeth ought presumptuously whether he be born in the land or a stranger the same reproacheth the LORD 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 32. And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath-day 33. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron and unto all the congregation 34. And they put him in ward because it was not declared what should be done to him 35. And the LORD said unto Moses 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 and he died as the LORD commanded Moses 37. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 38. Speak unto the children of Israel and hid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue 39. And it shall be unto you for a fringe that ye may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the LORD and do them and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes after which ye use to go a whoring 40. That ye may remember and do all my commandments and be holy unto your God 41. I am the LORD your God which brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God I am the LORD your God 2. Speak Levit. 23.10 When ye be come c. In these words they are given to understand that God would make good his Promise of giving the Land to their Children ch 14.31 notwithstanding their Diffidence and Murmurings for which they were sentenced to die in the Wilderness ch 14.29 3. An offering by fire This is a general expression of those Offerings which were in whole or part burnt upon the Altar A burnt-offering or a sacrifice These two are the kinds of Offerings by Fire to which the following Precept belongs This Precept which follows concerned the daily Burnt-offering as well as others Exod. 29.40 By Sacrifice here is meant a Peace-offering So the word Sacrifice does sometimes import v. g. Exod. 18.12 Levit. 17.5 8. ch 22.37 Deut. 12.27 And that it does so here is evident from the words which follow where we have mention of a Vow and Free-will-offering which are two of the distinct kinds contained under the general Head of Peace-offerings Levit. 7.16 ch 22.21 In performing Heb. In separating Levit. 22.21 Sweet Savour Exod. 29.18 4. Shall he Levit 2.1 A tenth-deal i. e. The tenth part of an Ephah as the Vulgar Latin and Greek have it here and is expressly said Numb 28.5 This tenth-deal of an Ephah is the same with an Omer See the Note on Exod. 16.36 An Hin This is a Measure of Liquids containing about the quantity of our Gallon 8. Or for a sacrifice See the Note on v. 3. Peace-offerings i. e. The one kind thereof called a Free-will-offering v. 3. 15. One ordinance Exod. 12.49 chap. 9.14 Before the LORD i. e. In matters relating to God's Service which are here spoken of 20. A cake of the first of your dough This Cake was not to be offered upon the Altar but to be given to the Priests to whom all Heave-offerings as well as the First-fruits were due ch 18.8 The giving it to them was giving it to the Lord v. 19 21. As ye do See Levit. 2.14 22. And not observed c. See Levit 4.13 That place speaks of doing that which ought not to be done This of not doing what ought to be done 24. Committed Or admitted For the word does not import this a Sin of Commission and from the Context it appears that a Sin of Omission is here spoken of Without the knowledge
mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation 28. And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them upon Eleazar his son and Aaron died there in the top of the mount and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount 29. And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead they mourned for Aaron thirty days even all the house of Israel 1. IN the first mouth viz. Of the fortieth Year after they came out of Egypt ch 33.38 and when the Generation of Men who were fit for Battel were consumed Deut. 2.14 Miriam She was Sister to Moses and Aaron and a Prophetess also Exod. 15.20 Micah 6.4 2. There was no water The Water which came out of Horeb and had supplied them in the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10.4 now they draw nigh the promised land fails them Exod. 17.6 3. Chode Exod. 17.2 When our brethren ch 11.33 6. Fell upon their faces See Chap. 14. v. 5. 8. The rod i. e. That Rod with which Moses wrought his Miracles in Egypt which is called his Rod v. 11. and it is probable was lodged in the Sanctuary v. 9. For Moses is said v. 9. to have taken it from before the LORD 12. Because ye believed me not c. It may be matter of enquiry wherein consisted the sin of Moses with which Aaron is also charged as consenting to it In answer to which it is to be considered I. That the very Letter of God's command was broken First In that Moses smote the Rock with his Rod and smote it twice v. 11. whereas he had received no such command from God but was commanded to speak to the Rock v. 8. that the People might see how easily God could supply their want of Water Whereas in the Waters of Horeb he was indeed expressly required to smite with the Rod as well as to take it Exod. 17.5 6. For though he were here commanded to take the Rod yet that does not imply that he was to smite with it as appears from the following Instances Exod. 8.5 6. with ch 9.23 and ch 10.13 and ch 14.16 Secondly In speaking to the People which Moses had no Commission to do and not to the Rock which was expressly commanded v. 8 10. II. That this open breach of God's Command was committed in the sight and face of the Assembly v. 8. hence are Moses and Aaron charged for not sanctifying the Lord in the eyes of the children of Israel v. 12. III. Moses was also guilty of some degree of Unbelief and distrust of God's Power and Veracity as appears from v. 12. compared with v. 10. Must we or can we as the Vulgar hath it fetch water c. which seems to intimate a doubting Vid. Gen. 18.13 and too much Anger and Commotion of Mind They provoked his spirit so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips Psal 106.33 And as the degrees of these sins were known to God onely so it is certain upon the whole they were guilty of that which is elsewhere called Trespass and Rebellion Numb 27.14 Deut. 32.51 To sanctifie me c. i. e. By your ready and absolute Obedience to my Command to own my Sovereignty as well as Veracity in the presence of the Children of Israel 13. This is c. Ps 106.32 Meribah That is Strife And he was sanctified in them i. e. In Moses and Aaron by punishing their Disobedience See Levit 10.3 Ezek. 38.16 22 23. 14. Befallen us Heb. Found us 16. An Angel See Exod. 3.2 17. The King 's high way i. e. The Common Road of all Travellers See v. 19. and ch 21.22 21. Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border Though he refused this yet he did not deny them Victuals and Water for Money as they passed by him See Deut. 2.28 29. 22. Kadesh Ch. 33.37 Mount Hor This Mount was upon the Coast of Edom v. 23. Hence the Horims might have their Name to whom the Children of Esau succeeded in Seir Deut. 2.12 And hence Seir was called an Horite Gen. 36.20 24. Word Heb. Mouth 25. Take Aaron c. Ch. 33.38 Deut. 32.50 26. Of his garments viz. Of his Priestly Robes This implied the devesting him of his Office as the putting them upon Eleazar his Son implied the succeeding of Eleazar into his Father's Employment and Dignity Isa 22.20 21. 28. Aaron died there Deut. 10.6 and ch 32.50 This happened in the fortieth year after the Israelites came out of Egypt on the first day of the fifth month when Aaron was an hundred twenty and three years old ch 33.38 39. The Death of Aaron shews the Insufficiency of the Levitical Priesthood Heb. 7.23 24. 29. Thirty days See Deut. 34.8 CHAP. XXI The ARGUMENT The Israelites get a Victory over the Canaanites They murmur and are thereupon destroyed with fiery Serpents They are upon their Repentance healed by a Serpent of Brass They remove to a Place called Oboth and after other Removes they come to Arnon and thence to Beer Some other Removes Sihon and Og are over-come by the Israelites 2552. 1452. 1. AND when king Arad the Canaanite which dwelt in the south heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies then he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoners 2. And Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD and said If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand then I will utterly destroy their cities 3. And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites and they utterly destroyed them and their cities and he called the name of the place Hormah 4. And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red-sea to compass the land of Edom and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way 5. And the people spake against God and against Moses Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness for there is no bread neither is there any water and our soul lotheth this light bread 6. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people and much people of Israel died 7. Therefore the people came to Moses and said We have sinned for we have spoken against the LORD and against thee pray unto the LORD that he take away the serpents from us and Moses prayed for the people 8. And the LORD said unto Moses Make thee a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole and it shall come to pass that every one that is bitten when he looketh upon it shall live 9. And Moses made a serpent of brass and put it upon a pole and it came to pass that if a serpent had bitten any man when he beheld the serpent of brass he lived 10. And the children of Israel set forward and pitched in Oboth 11. And they journeyed from Oboth and pitched at Ije-abarim in the wilderness which is before Moab toward the sun-rising 12. From thence they removed and pitched in the valley of Zared 13. From
hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good 20. Behold I have received commandment to bless and he hath blessed and I cannot reverse it 21. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel the LORD his God is with him and the shout of a king is among them 22. God brought them out of Egypt he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn 23. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob neither is there any divination against Israel according to his time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel What hath God wrought 24. Behold the people shall rise up as a great lion and lift up himself as a young lion he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey and drink the blood of the slain 25. And Balak said unto Balaam Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all 26. But Balaam answered and said unto Balak Told not I thee saying All that the LORD speaketh that I must do 27. And Balak said unto Balam Come I pray thee I will bring thee unto another place peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence 28. And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor that looketh toward Jeshimon 29. And Balaam said unto Balak Build me here seven altars and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams 30. And Balak did as Balaam had said and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar 1. BVild me here seven Altars Balaam appointed this for the Worship of the true God as appears from v. 4. But herein was blameable that he would have Altars erected in the high places of Baal where now he was ch 22.41 Such were they who feared the Lord and yet had their Sacrifices in the houses of the high places They are said to fear the Lord and serve their own Gods 2 King 17.32 33. Besides this though his number of Sacrifices were not reproveable see Job 42.8 1 Chron. 15.26 2 Chron. 29.21 yet the multiplying of Altars hath a bad name in the Scriptures Hos 8.11 3. Stand by c. Attending upon the Service and expecting success He went to an high place Or he went solitary The Marginal reading is confirmed by the Chaldee and is preferible to the other For Balaam was in an high place before ch 22.41 and Solitude now best complied with the End of his going which was to meet with a Divine Revelation 6. He stood by See verse 3. 7. Parable The word signifies not onely a Similitude or figurative Speech but a weighty Sentence and such as deserves great esteem and regard and so it doth in this place East A place noted for Southsayers Isa 2.6 9. I see him Or I have seen him Balaam had been taken by Balak into the high places that he might thence see and Curse the Israelites which Course proved ineffectual Shall dwell alone i. e. They shall not sojourn in a strange Country as they have done in Egypt but be possessed of a Land of their own And shall not be reckoned among the nations They shall be a peculiar and separate People from the rest of the Nations both in their Religion and Laws and also shall be under a more special Care and Providence of God Exod. 19.5 Levit. 20.24 26. Psal 148.19 20. 2 Sam. 7.23 Psal 76.1 2 3. Ezra 9.2 Esth 3.8 Deut. 11.12 10. The dust The seed say the Greek very agreeably to the sense of the word here God promised Abraham to make his Seed as the Dust of the Earth and not to be numbred like that Gen. 13.16 and this Promise was repeated to Jacob Gen. 28.14 Fourth part i. e. One Camp or Squadron which consisted but of three Tribes and was with that respect the fourth part For thus they were divided by God's Command Numb 2. And perhaps more than this did not fall within his view See chap. 22.41 Me Heb. My soul or My life Death of the righteous i. e. Such a death as those die who are in Covenant with God and obey his Precepts 13. Shalt not see them all Lest he should be dismayed at the sight of so great a number 14. Pisgah Or The hill See Deut. 3.27 and 34.1 16. Put a word Ch. 22.35 19. God is not a man that he should lye c. That is God will make good his Promises and particularly that of bringing this People into the promised Land he not being like a Man who for want of Veracity or Power performs not his Promise 21. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel That is Whereas it might be hoped by the Enemies of the Israelites that through their default they had forfeited all right to God's Promises he adds He hath not beheld c. It is weakly inferred from these words that God sees no sin in his own People and it is in it self a great untruth That he hath not knowledge of their sins no Man can affirm nor ought any man to say that he approves or will not punish them For I. God hath declared otherwise He said unto Moses I have seen this people and behold it is a stiff-necked people Exod. 32.9 with Deut. 9.13 14. And by the Prophet he said unto the whole Family of Israel whom he brought out of Egypt You onely have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities Amos 3.2 II. This cannot be the sense of these words for then Balaam would in vain have given Counsel to draw the Israelites into sin that they might be destroyed of which see an account chap. 24.14 The true sense of these words is next to be inquired after and it is this That God would not give up the Israelites to destruction for their sins which were not like the sins of the neighbouring Countries which were now ready to be destroyed for them He hath not beheld may be rendred in the Present Tense He doth not behold and Neither hath he seen Neither doth he see The word which we render Iniquity is observed to signifie an Idol in other places See 1 Sam. 15.23 Isa 66.3 And the Ancients understood it of Idolatry as is evident from the Vulgar Latin and Onkelos and our Church understands this place in the same sense as may be seen in the Book of Homilies The LORD is God c. i. e. Instead of any Image or Idol which was not now among them God is with them as their King giving them Victory and matter of Triumph See 2 Chron. 13.12 with Numb 10.9 compared with Josh 6.16 1 Sam. 4.5 22. God c. Ch. 24.8 When Philo the Jew cites this passage where 't is said God brought them out of Egypt he does it to this sense That God did put an end to the many Calamities in Egypt and bring their great numbers thence as One Man De vit Mosis
wine to be poured unto the LORD for a drink-offering 8. And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even as the meat-offering of the morning and as the drink-offering thereof thou shalt offer it a sacrifice made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD 9. And on the sabbath-day two lambs of the first year without spot and two tenth-deals of flour for a meat-offering mingled with oyl and the drink-offering thereof 10. This is the burnt-offering of every sabbath beside the continual burnt-offering and his drink-offering 11. And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt-offering unto the LORD two young bullocks and one ram seven lambs of the first year without spot 12. And three tenth-deals of flour for a meat-offering mingled with oyl for one bullock and two tenth-deals of flour for a meat-offering mingled with oyl for one ram 13. And a several tenth-deal of flour mingled with oyl for a meat-offering unto one lamb for a burnt-offering of a sweet savour a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD 14. And their drink-offerings shall be half an hin of wine unto a bullock and the third part of an hin unto a ram and a fourth part of an hin unto a lamb this is the burnt-offering of every month throughout the months of the year 15. And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering unto the LORD shall be offered besides the continual burnt-offering and his drink-offering 16. And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passeover of the LORD 17. And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten 18. In the first day shall be an holy convocation ye shall do no manner of servile work therein 19. But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt-offering unto the LORD two young bullocks and one ram and seven lambs of the first year they shall be unto you without blemish 20. And their meat-offering shall be of flour mingled with oyl three tenth-deals shall ye offer for a bullock and two tenth-deals for a ram 21. A several tenth-deal shalt thou offer for every lamb throughout the seven lambs 22. And one goat for a sin-offering to make an atonement for you 23. Ye shall offer these beside the burnt-offering in the morning which is for a continual burnt-offering 24. After this manner ye shall offer daily throughout the seven days the meat of the sacrifice made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD it shall be offered beside the continual burnt-offering and his drink-offering 25. And on the seventh day ye shall have an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work 26. Also in the day of the first-fruits when ye bring a new meat-offering unto the LORD after your weeks be out ye shall have an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work 27. But ye shall offer the burnt-offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD two young bullocks one ram seven lambs of the first year 28. And their meat-offering of flour mingled with oyl three tenth-deals unto one bullock two tenth-deals unto one ram 29. A several tenth-deal unto one lamb throughout the seven lambs 30. And one kid of the goats to make an atonement for you 31. Ye shall offer them besides the continual burnt-offering and his meat-offering they shall be unto you without blemish and their drink-offerings 2. Command c. Moses having numbred the new Generation of Men that were to inherit the Land and received warning of his own death is commanded to put them in mind of the Ordinances which they were obliged to observe in that Land Psal 105.44 45. And the rather because in their Journeys in the Wilderness they had not practised according to the Rites and Laws which they had received Deut. 12.8 A sweet savour unto me Heb. A savour of my rest 3. This is c. Exod. 29.38 Day by day Heb. In a day 4. At even Heb. Between the two Evenings See the Note on Exod. 12.6 5. A tenth part of an ephah i. e. An Omer See the Note upon Exod. 16.36 Meat-offering Levit 2.1 Hin See Exod. 29.40 with the Note upon that place 6. Ordained in mount Sinai They are referred to the first Institution See Exod. 29.38 7. In the holy place i. e. On the Altar which stood in the Sanctuary or Holy place 9. On the sabbath-day The following Offering was additional beside the daily Offering as appears from v. 10. 15. One kid See Numb 15.24 Vnto the LORD And not unto the Moon 16. And in the fourteenth c. Exod 12.18 Levit. 23.5 17. Feast That is the Feast of Unleavened Bread as appears from the following words and from Levit. 23.6 18. First day Levit 23.7 19. Two young bullocks c. See the Note upon Deut. 16.2 23. In the morning By no means excluding that of the Evening See v. 3 4. The Morning is onely named because then the Solemnity began 26. Day of the first-fruits That is the Feast of Pentecost 27. Two young bullocks Besides what is required Levit. 23.18 compare v. 11. with ch 29.2 6. CHAP. XXIX The ARGUMENT Of the Feast of Trumpets Of the Day of Expiation Of the Feast of Tabernacles And of the several Offerings belonging to these Solemnities 1. AND in the seventh month on the first day of the month ye shall have an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you 2. And ye shall offer a burnt-offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD one young bullock one ram and seven lambs of the first year without blemish 3. And their meat-offering shall be of flour mingled with oyl three tenth-deals for a bullock and two tenth-deals for a ram 4. And one tenth-deal for one lamb throughout the seven lambs 5. And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering to make an atonement for you 6. Beside the burnt-offering of the month and his meat-offering and the daily burnt-offering and his meat-offering and their drink-offerings according unto their manner for a sweet savour a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD 7. And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month an holy convocation and ye shall afflict your souls ye shall not do any work therein 8. But ye shall offer a burnt-offering unto the LORD for a sweet savour one young bullock one ram and seven lambs of the first year they shall be unto you without blemish 9. And their meat-offering shall be of flour mingled with oyl three tenth deals to a bullock and two tenth-deals to one ram 10. A several tenth-deal for one lamb throughout the seven lambs 11. One kid of the goats for a sin-offering beside the sin-offering of atonement and the continual burnt-offering and the meat-offering of it and their drink-offerings 12. And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work and ye
Shepham to Riblah on the east-side of Ain and the border shall descend and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth east-ward 12. And the border shall go down to Jordan and the goings out of it shall be at the salt-sea This shall be your land with the coasts thereof round about 13. And Moses commanded the children of Israel saying This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot which the LORD commanded to give unto the nine tribes and to the half-tribe 14. For the tribe of the children of Reuben according to the house of their fathers and the tribe of the children of Gad according to the house of their fathers have received their inheritance and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance 15. The two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance on this side Jordan near Jericho eastward toward the sun-rising 16. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 17. These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun. 18. And ye shall take one prince of every tribe to divide the land by inheritance 19. And the names of the men are these Of the tribe of Judah Caleb the son of Jephunneh 20. And of the tribe of the children of Simeon Shemuel the son of Ammihud 21. Of the tribe of Benjamin Elidad the son of Chislon 22. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Dan Bukki the son of Jogli 23. The prince of the children of Joseph for the tribe of the children of Manasseh Hanniel the son of Ephod 24. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Ephraim Kemuel the son of Shiphtan 25. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Zebulun Elizaphan the son of Parnach 26. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Issachar Paltiel the son of Azzan 27. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher Ahihud the son of Shelomi 28. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Naphtali Pedahel the son of Ammihud 29. These are they whom the LORD commanded to divide the inheritance unto the children of Israel in the land of Canaan 3. Your south-quarter Josh 15.1 In this Quarter fell the Lot of the Tribe of Judah And the Land which they were about to enter into was thus set out that they might know the bounds of their Conquest and not think themselves at liberty to invade the Possessions of their Neighbours Salt-sea This is also called the Dead-sea and is the Lake of Sodom See the Note on Gen. 14.3 4. Kadesh-barnea See the Note on ch 33.36 5. Vnto the river of Egypt See Gen. 15.18 with the Note 6. The great sea That is the Sea called the Mediterranean 7. Mount Hor Not the place where Aaron died but a Mount in the Northern Coast of the Land and perhaps Libanus which was remarkable for its Eminence The Vulgar renders it the highest Mountain 11. Side Heb. Shoulder Sea of Chinnereth This is called the Lake of Genesareth Luk. 5.1 and the Sea of Galilee or of Tyberias Joh. 6.1 A farther account of the Bounds of this Land which did lie within Jordan is to be had from the Book of Joshua 14. For the tribe Chap. 52.33 Josh 14.2 3. 17. Eleazar Josh 19.51 CHAP. XXXV The ARGUMENT Eight and forty Cities are appointed for the Levites Of the Suburbs of those Cities Of the Cities of Refuge Of Man-slaughter and of Murder 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho saying 2. Command the children of Israel that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them 3. And the cities shall they have to dwell in and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattel and for their goods and for all their beasts 4. And the suburbs of the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about 5. And ye shall measure from without the city on the east-side two thousand cubits and on the south-side two thousand cubits and on the west-side two thousand cubits and on the north-side two thousand cubits and the city shall be in the midst this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities 6. And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge which ye shall appoint for the man-slayer that he may flee thither and to them ye shall add forty and two cities 7. So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities them shall ye give with their suburbs 8. And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel from them that have many ye shall give many but from them that have few ye shall give few every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth 9. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 10. Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan 11. Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you that the slayer may flee thither which killeth any person at unawares 12. And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger that the man-slayer die not until be stand before the congregation in judgment 13. And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge 14. Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan which shall be cities of refuge 15. These six cities shall be a refuge both for the children of Israel and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither 16. And if he smite him with an instrument of iron so that he die he is a murderer the murderer shall surely be put to death 17. And if he smite him with throwing a stone wherewith he may die and he die he is a murderer the murderer shall surely be put to death 18. Or if he smite him with an hand-weapon of wood wherewith he may die and he die he is a murderer the murderer shall surely be put to death 19. The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer when he meeteth him he shall slay him 20. But if he thrust him of hatred or hurl at him by laying of â—â—it that he die 21. Or in enmity smite him with his hand that he die he that sâ—ote him shall surely be put to death for he is a murderer the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer when he meeteth him 22. But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity or have cast upon him any thing without laying
of wait 23. Or with any stone wherewith a man may die seeing him not and cast it upon him that he die and was not his enemy neither sought his harm 24. Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments 25. And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge whither he was fled and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high-priest which was anointed with the holy oyl 26. But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge whither he was fled 27. And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge and the revenger of blood kill the slayer he shall not be guilty of blood 28. Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high-priest but after the death of the high-priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession 29. So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings 30. Whoso killeth any person the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses but one witness shall not testifie against any person to cause him to die 31. Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer which is guilty of death but he shall be surely put to death 32. And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that it fled to the city of his refuge that he should come again to dwell in the land until the death of the priest 33. So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are for blood it defileth the land and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein but by the blood of him that shed it 34. Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit wherein I dwell for I the LORD dwell amâ—ng the children of Israel 2. Command Josh 21.2 4. A thousand cubits round about The Greek Interpreters say two thousand And this seems to agree best with what is said in the following Verse But the difficulty which ariseth from comparing these words with verse 5. may be solved without supposing any Error in the Hebrew Text in this place For supposing One thousand Cubits in length from each side of the City to be the extent of its Suburbs which is here affirmed the Two thousand Cubits v. 5. is but the Measure of the breadth of the Suburbs on each quarter of the City viz. On the East and South and West and North-sides of it Nor does it appear that the fifth Verse imports any more than the breadth of the several Sides or extremities of the Suburbs 6. Six cities for refuge Deut. 4.41 Josh 20.2 and 21.3 These were for the relief of the Man-slayer but not of the Murderer verse 21. To them ye shall add Heb. Above them ye shall give 8. He inheriteth Heb. They inherit 10. When Deut. 19.2 Josh 20.2 11. Vnawares Heb. By Error i. e. Without Malice or Design See v. 20 21. 12. From the avenger He is called The avenger of blood v. 19. The Hebrew signifies a Redeemer and because the right of Redemption of Estates belonged to the nearest of the kindred it imports such a Kinsman here Vntil he stand before the Congregation The City of Refuge protected the Innocent and such as were not condemned but it did not protect them from giving an account before the Judges This they were obliged to do at their entrance into the City of Refuge Josh 20.4 or in the place where the fact was committed 15. For the stranger Or Proselyte as the Greek have it i. e. One who undertakes the Religion of the Israelites and was thereby distinguished from the Sojourner who though he did not oblige himself to all their Laws was yet permitted to live among them 16. And if he smite him c. Exod. 21.14 Here are mentioned an Instrument of Iron a Stone and Hand-weapon of Wood because it is presumable that he who strikes with such killing Instruments does intend to take away life whereas it is indeed the Design and Enmity which speak a Man a Murderer v. 20 21. 17. With throwing a stone Heb. With a stone of the hand 19. The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer He may not onely do it lawfully but is obliged to see it be done by others at least for the Murderer ought not to live See v. 31. and the City of Refuge must not protect him Deut. 19.12 13. 20. If he Deut. 19.11 21. With his hand In this case where the Enmity is proved he that kills is a Murdererer whatever Instrument he used And on the other hand he that did not hate is no Murderer though he killed a Man with a killing Instrument See the Note on v. 16. 22. Without enmity Exod. 21.13 24. The congregation The Judges or Elders to whom such Causes belong See v. 12. and Josh 20.4 25. Vnto the death of the high-priest That being a time of publick mourning when their great Advocate died was a fit season for Men to lay aside their private Animosities and forget their particular Feuds and Quarrels Beside this does fairly intimate that our Redemption and our Liberty from the guilt of our sins is owing to the death of Christ our great High-priest 27. He shall not be guilty of blood Heb. No blood shall be to him 29. In all your dwellings That is In the whole Land which you are going to possess you shall observe this Law which did not oblige them out of their own Land See v. 10. 30. Mouth of witnesses Deut. 17.6 and 19.15 Matt. 18.16 2 Cor. 13.1 Heb. 10.28 31. Satisfaction Or Price Guilty of death Heb. Faulty to die 33. Pollute Or Make it guilty The land cannot be cleansed Heb. There can be no expiation for the land 34. Defile not Do not render unclean by your evil practices CHAP. XXXVI The ARGUMENT A Question put to Moses relating to the Inheritances of Daughters The Law concerning the Marriage of Heiresses The Marriage of the Daughters of Zelophehad agreeably to that Law 1. AND the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gilead the son of Machir the son of Manasseh of the families of the sons of Joseph came 〈◊〉 and spake before Moses and before the princes the chief fathers of the children of Israel 2. And they said The LORD commanded my lord to give the land for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel and my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophebad our brother unto his daughters 3. And if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel then shall their inheritance be taken from the inheritance of our fathers and shall be put to the inheritance of the
not practise those Precepts which were annexed to the Land and required a settled condition See v. 9 10. 11. Your choice vows Heb. The choice of your vows Whatever was offered as a Vow was to be select and perfect whereas what was less perfect might serve in a Free-will-offering that being brought upon meer good-will without any preceeding Vow or Obligation Levit 22.20 21 22 23. 12. He hath no part Chap. 10.9 See the Note on ch 10.9 15. Lusteth after Or Desireth The unclean This being but common and ordinary Food which is here spoken of he that was legally unclean was permitted to eat of it which by the Law he might not have done had it been a part of a Peace offering Levit 7.20 As of the roe-buck and as of the hart q. d. As freely as he may eat of any other Flesh which is not forbidden as unclean such was that of the Roe-buck and Hart which were not forbidden by the Law See chap. 14.5 16. Onely Chap. 5.23 17. The tithe of thy corn For the right understanding of these words see the Note on the 6th Verse of this Chapter Firstlings of thy herds c. For the First born strictly so called they belonged to the Priests Numb 18.15 And therefore it hath been supposed with great probability that these Firstlings here spoken of are to be meant of such as after the setting a side the First-born were then by the Owner set a part and dedicated to God For as the Tithe here spoken of is to be understood of the second Tithe so may the Firstling be understood in a like sense 19. Take heed Chap. 14.27 Ecclus 7.51 As long Heb. All thy days 20. When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border c. For the fuller understanding the design of the words of this and the two following Verses it is to be remembred That while the Israelites were in the Wilderness they might not eat any Meat at their private Tables but such whereof they had first sacrificed to God at the Tabernacle See Levit. 17.4 and the Note upon that place This Precept was very practicable in the Wilderness where they encamped round about the Tabernacle The case was greatly altered when they came into the Land to which these Precepts were annexed v. 1 8 9 10 14. and so is the Law likewise concerning this matter For then many of them would live at a great distance from the Tabernacle and could not without great difficulty bring the Beasts which they killed for their private Tables to the Sanctuary And for that reason they were dispensed with and are not obliged to bring the Beast which they killed to the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation as in the Wilderness Levit. 17.9 But then lest they should surmise that they are likewise dispensed with as to the other part of that Law Levit. 17.10 11 c. forbidding the eating Blood they are strongly warned not to eat it v. 23 24 25. which is the true reason of those words in that place Hence it appears that the design of these words is not onely to let them know that they may lawfully kill and eat Flesh in all their Gates for that they were told before verse 15. But to acquaint them with the reason upon which they were dispensed with as to the bringing the Beast they killed to the Tabernacle which is particularly expressed verse 21. which words may be thus translated from the Hebrew Because the place which the Lord thy God hath chosen to put his name there is too far from thee thou mayest kill of thy herd c. As he hath promised thee Gen. 28.14 chap. 19.8 This promise was conditional See ch 11.22 23 24. 22. Even as the roe-buck See the Note on v. 15. 23. Be sure Heb. Be strong That is be greatly carefull of this matter See Levit 17.10 11 12. 26. Thy holy things Such things as are separated and set a-part for holy uses viz. Sacrifices and Tithes c. See v. 17. 27. And thou shalt eat the flesh viz. Of thy Sacrifices last above-named for this cannot extend to the Burnt-offerings or any other part of the Oblation which was due to the Altar or the Priest 29. Succeedest them Heb. Inheritest or possessest them 30. Take heed to thy self that thou be not snared by following them Heb. after them That is take heed of their sin and fear their punishment 31. Thou shalt not do so c. That is thou shalt not worship thy God as they did Abomination to Heb. Abomination of the. 32. Not add Ch. 4.2 Josh 1.7 Prov. 30.6 Rev. 22.18 CHAP. XIII The ARGUMENT Enticers to Idolatry how near soever are to be stoned to death Idolatrous Cities are not to be spared 1. IF there arise among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams and giveth thee a sign or a wonder 2. And the sign or the wonder come to pass whereof he spake unto thee saying Let us go after other gods which thou hast not known and let us serve them 3. Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams for the LORD your God proveth you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul 4. Ye shall walk after the LORD your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice and ye shall serve him and cleave unto him 5. And that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God which brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of bondage to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in so shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee 6. If thy brother the son of thy mother or thy son or thy daughter or the wife of thy bosom or thy friend which is as thine own soul entice thee secretly saying Let us go and serve other gods which thou hast not known thou nor thy fathers 7. Namely of the gods of the people which are round about you nigh unto thee or far off from thee from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth 8. Thou shalt not consent unto him nor hearken unto him neither shall thine eye pity him neither shalt thou spare neither shalt thou conceal him 9. But thou shalt surely kill him thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death and afterwards the hand of all the people 10. And thou shalt stone him with stones that he die because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage 11. And all Israel shall hear and fear and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you 12. If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities which the
1. THou shalt not sacrifice unto the LORD thy God any bullock or sheep wherein is blemish or any evil-favouredness for that is an abomination unto the LORD thy God 2. If there be found among you within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee man or woman that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God in transgressing his covenant 3. And hath gone and served other gods and worshipped them either the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven which I have not commanded 4. And it be told thee and thou hast heard of it and enquired diligently and behold it be true and the thing certain that such abomination is wrought in Israel 5. Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman which have committed that wicked thing unto thy gates even that man or that woman and shalt stone them with stones till they die 6. At the mouth of two witnesses or three witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death 7. The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death and afterward the hands of all the people so thou shalt put the evil away from among you 8. If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment between blood and blood between plea and plea and between stroke and stroke being matters of controversie within thy gates then shalt thou arise and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose 9. And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites and unto the judge that shall be in those days and enquire and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment 10. And thou shalt do according to the sentence which they of that place which the LORD shall choose shall shew thee and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee 11. According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee thou shalt do thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee to the right hand nor to the left 12. And the man that will do presumptuously and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God or unto the judge even that man shall die and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel 13. And all the people shall hear and fear and do no more presumptuously 14. When â—hou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee and shalt possess it and shalt dwell therein and shalt say I will set a king over me like as all the nations that are about me 15. Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee whom the LORD thy God shall choose one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee thou mayest not set a stranger over thee which is not thy brother 16. But he shall not multiply horses to himself nor cause the people to return to Egypt to the end that he should multiply horses forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you Ye shall henceforth return no more that way 17. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself that his heart turn not away neither shall be greatly multiply to himself silver and gold 18. And it shall be when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites 19. And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the LORD his God to keep all the words of this law and these statutes to do them 20. That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he turn not aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom he and his children in the midst of Israel 1. WHerein is blemish Of which see Levit. 22.20 with the Note on the 22th verse 2. In transgressing his covenant It is evident from v. 3. that Idolatry is the Wickedness supposed here to be wrought and is called The transgressing the covenant of the Lord and the Idolater may be said to transgress the Covenant of the Lord as he breaks his Faith given to God and renounceth his Authority and Service at once 3. Which I have not commanded That is which I have forbid It is usual that such negative Expressions as this in the Scripture Phrase should imply more than the bare words amount to and they do sometimes imply the contrary â— Cor. 10.5 Jer. 7.31 Prov. 10.2 6. At the mouth of two witnesses These must be Competent and Credible and must be therefore neither Children nor Fools nor Men of ill fame nor Mad-men but such as are capable of taking an Oath and such as cannot justly be suspected not to fear it 7. The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him This is very reasonable in itself and serves to convince the People of the truth of their Evidence and was also a great restraint upon the Witnesses themselves who if they bore false witness would also be obliged to shed innocent Blood The hands of all the people In a matter of this nature all the People were obliged to testifie their detestation of Idolatry and their readiness to root it out 8. If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment These words belong to the Inferior and Subordinate Magistrates in their Cities They are supposed here to be at a loss in some difficult cases viz. such as follow Between blood and blood That is in the case of Murther whether it were voluntary or accidental Betweeen plea and plea That is in Causes depending between the Plaintiff and Defendant Between stroke and stroke That is in the case of Wounds inflicted by one Man upon another Exod. 21.20 22. 9. The priests the Levites That is the Priests of the Levitical Race as the Vulgar renders it who made a considerable part of the Sanhedrin or great Council of the Nation And unto the judge Or to wit unto the judge The Hebrew Particle which we render and is sometimes onely to be understood exegetically as in 1 Sam. 28.3 Zech. 9.9 2 Sam. 2.15 And the Greek Particle which answers to it and is here used by the LXXII is used in this sense in the New Testament Rom. 15.6 1 Cor. 2.10 Col. 1.3 1 Thess 1.3 The judge i. e. The Sanhedrin which tho' it consisted of many persons was yet the sole Judge of these doubtfull cases and yet with respect to the Members thereof is expressed by Judges Deut. 19.17 18. 10. Thou shalt do c. These words are directed to the Inferior Magistrates who are obliged to put in execution what the Sanhedrin determines and the parties concerned were obliged to
might not eat of the Fruit thereof till the fifth year The three first years it was reputed as uncircumcised in the fourth year it was the Lord's and as holy and separate not to be eaten by the Owners of the Trees in the fifth year it might be eaten as that which was common food See Levit. 19.24 25. with the Notes there 10. When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight c. The Jewish Writers do frequently mention two kinds of War viz. That which was particularly commanded by God as that against the Nations which the Israelites were commanded to drive out and that which was chosen by the Jews upon just provocation or in their own defence against other People These words as well as those above referr to the latter of these two as appears from v. 15. compared with v. 5 6 7 8. and Numb 32.7 14. But the women and the little ones These are here exempted from destruction as those who were not concerned in the War nor consulted in the offer of Peace 16. Thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth And therefore here the Women and little ones were to be destroyed which was not allowed in the case above v. 14. The reason of the difference is to be fetched from God's Command and from the danger of Idolatry in sparing them as is expressed v. 18. 19. For the tree of the field is man's life to employ them in the siege The Trees that bore Fruit might not be cut down in a Siege for two reasons I. Because they afforded a support to Man's life For thou mayest eat of them II. Because they need not fear any hurt from them by sparing them as they might from Men whom they saved alive And according to this sense the words may be thus rendred For is the tree of the field a man or as a man to go before thee in the siege q. d. Thou needest not apprehend any danger from sparing these Trees which can make no resistance against thee This Interpretation besides that it agrees well with the Hebrew which our rendring supposes very Elliptical so it agrees with the Ancient Versions of the Vulgar the Greek the Chaldee c. and with Josephus Antiq. l. iv c. viii and Philo the Jew Lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where speaking of this Law he says It was unjust to turn the War which was undertaken against Men upon those things that are faultless c. and presently afterward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. It is not fit to war against those things which can make no resistance c. CHAP. XXI The ARGUMENT The Expiation of an uncertain Murther The usage of a Captive Woman taken to wife The First-born may not be deprived of his right The punishment of a Rebellious Son A Law concerning a Malefactor hanged on a Tree 1. IF one be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it lying in the field and it be not known who hath slain him 2. Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain 3. And it shall be that the city which is next unto the slain man even the elders of that city shall take an heifer which hath not been wrought with and which hath not drawn in the yoke 4. And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley which is neither eared nor sown and shall strike off the heifer's neck there in the valley 5. And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto him and to bless in the name of the LORD and by their word shall every controversie and every stroke be tried 6. And all the elders of that city that are next unto the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley 7. And they shall answer and say Our hands have not shed this blood neither have our eyes seen it 8. Be mercifull O LORD unto thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israels charge And the blood shall be forgiven them 9. So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD 10. When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies and the LORD thy God hath delivered them into thine hands and thou hast taken them captive 11. And seest among the captives a beautifull woman and hast a desire unto her that thou wouldest have her to thy wife 12. Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house and she shall shave her head and pare her nails 13. And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her and shall remain in thine house and bewail her father and her mother a full month and after that thou shalt go in unto her and be her husband and she shall be thy wife 14. And it shall be if thou have no delight in her then thou shalt let her go whither she will but thou shalt not sell her at all for money thou shalt not make merchandise of her because thou hast humbled her 15. If a man have two wives one beloved and another hated and they have born him children both the beloved and the hated and if the first-born son be hers that was hated 16. Then it shall be when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath that he may not make the son of the beloved first-born before the son of the hated which is indeed the first-born 17. But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the first-born by giving him a double portion of all that he hath for he is the beginning of his strength the right of the first-born is his 18. If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son which will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother and that when they have chastned him will not hearken unto them 19. Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him and bring him out unto the elders of his city and unto the gate of his place 20. And they shall say unto the elders of his city This our son is stubborn and rebellious he will not obey our voice he is a glutton and a drunkard 21. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones that he die so shalt thou put evil away from among you and all Israel shall hear and fear 22. And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death and he be to be put to death and thou hang him on a tree 23. His body shall not remain all night upon the tree but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day for he that is hanged is accursed of God that thy land be not defiled which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an
dwell among them which the Servant of an Israelite was supposed to do before 17. Sodomite That word denotes him who defiles himself with mankind Gen. 19.5 Though the word in the Hebrew Text may be rendred Whoremonger by the same reason that the other is rendred Whore in the beginning of this Verse 18. The hire of a whore c. The Heathens were wont to consecrate to their Gods some of the gains which they received as the reward of their prostitution of themselves to Uncleanness See Micah 1.7 Thus the Whore saith I have peace-offerings with me This day have I paid my vows Prov. 7.14 God declares that he will not accept of this hire in opposition to the filthy Practices of the Heathen The price of a dog c. By the price of a Dog is meant that which a Dog is sold or exchanged for This is not here rejected because the Dog is an unclean Creature as appears from Numb 18.15 but because a Dog was worshipped by the Egyptians God to draw his People from Idolatry casts this Contempt upon that Creature in refusing the price it should be sold for 20. Vnto a stranger c. Stranger here being opposed to Brother v. 19. Signifies one who is not an Israelite and consequently one who by Traffick and Merchandise might be better able to pay interest for Money than the Israelite who did not drive that Trade 21. When thou shalt vow c. See Numb 30.2 and Eccles 5.21 24. Not put any in thy vessel viz. To carry away with thee See vers 25. CHAP. XXIV The ARGUMENT A Law concerning Divorce Of a newly married Man Of Men-stealers Of Pledges Of the Leprosie Against Oppression Of Justice and Care of Strangers And Mercy to the poor Fatherless and Widows 1. WHen a man hath taken a wife and married her and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes because he hath found some uncleanness in her then let him write her a bill of divorcement and give it in her hand and send her out of his house 2. And when she is departed out of his house she may go and be another man's wife 3. And if the latter husband hate her and write her a bill of divorcement and giveth it in her hand and sendeth her out of his house or if the latter husband die which took her to be his wife 4. Her former husband which sent her away may not take her again to be his wife after that she is defiled for that is abomination before the LORD and thou shalt not cause the land to sin which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance 5. When a man hath taken a new wife he shall not go out to war neither shall he be charged with any business but he shall be free at home one year and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken 6. No man shall take the nether or the upper mill-stone to pledge for he taketh a man's life to pledge 7. If any man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel and maketh merchandise of him or selleth him then that thief shall die and thou shalt put evil away from among you 8. Take heed in the plague of leprosie that thou observe diligently and do according to all that the priests the Levites shall teach you as I commanded them so ye shall observe to do 9. Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam by the way after that ye were come forth out of Egypt 10. When thou doest lend thy brother any thing thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge 11. Thou shalt stand abroad and the man to whom thou doest lend shall bring out the pledge abroad unto thee 12. And if the man be poor thou shalt not sleep with his pledge 13. In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again when the sun goeth down that he may sleep in his own raiment and bless thee and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the LORD thy God 14. Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy whether he be of thy brethren or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates 15. At his day thou shalt give him his hire neither shall the sun go down upon it for he is poor and setteth his heart upon it lest he cry against thee unto the LORD and it be sin unto thee 16. The fathers shall not be put to death for the children neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers every man shall be put to death for his own sin 17. Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger nor of the fatherless nor take a widows raiment to pledge 18. But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence therefore I command thee to do this thing 19. When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field and hast forgot a sheaf in the field thou shalt not go again to fetch it it shall be for the stranger for the fatherless and for the widow that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands 20. When thou beatest thine olive-tree thou shalt not go over the boughs again it shall be for the stranger for the fatherless and for the widow 21. When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard thou shalt not glean it afterward it shall be for the stranger for the fatherless and for the widow 22. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bond-man in the land of Egypt therefore I command thee to do this thing 1. BEcause he hath found some uncleanness in her i. e. He hath observed some light Carriage or some other defect of Mind or distemper of Body For it is not supposed here that she is guilty of Adultery which was punishable with Death Or that the Husband was jealous of her upon that Account in which case the Law had made provision Numb 5. Then let him write her c. Or And he do write c. For here is no Precept of a Divorce but a permission onely and for a time onely and for the hardness of their Hearts as our Saviour expresseth it to the Jews saying Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives but from the beginning it was not so Matt. 19.8 But our Saviour hath forbid what Moses did but permit Matt. 19. v. 9. 4. Her former husband which sent her away may not take her again This is a just Punishment for his Levity And this prohibition is very reasonable upon several Accounts viz. 1. As it would tend to restrain Men from divorcing their Wives rashly and for light Causes 2. As the Woman was thereby secured against coming any more under the same Yoke 3. As it prevented the filthy Practice of lending out or prostituting of Wives and the many Mischiefs arising from thence which might have been