Lightning and perhaps scorched as they likewise sometimes are The latter seems most probable from what follows v. 37. and from the like punishment by Fire from the LORD which is said to devour Nadab and Abihu and yet their Bodies remained intire X Lev. 2 4. This was the more astonishing because Moses and Aaron who stood with them at the Door of the Tabernacle v. 18. had no hurt Verse 36 Ver. 36. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying Immediately after the Death of those Men. Ver. 37. Speak unto Eleazar the Son of Aaron the Priest Who it is likely stood by them as next Successor to Aaron in the Office which was disputed And therefore perhaps imployed in what follows rather than Aaron that his Succession might be confirmed Though others will have it that it was below the Dignity of Aaron to perform such a mean Office and besides he might have been in danger to be polluted by the dead Bodies of the Men that were burnt That he take the Censers out of the Burning Out of the place where the Men were burnt as some understand it Or which differs not much from among the dead Bodies which were burnt Burning being put for Bodies burnt as Captivity XXI 1. for those that were carried Captive or made Prisoners as we there translate it But there is no need of either of these Additions burning signifying the Fire which burnt in them which he orders Eleazar to throw out that the Censers might be brought away And scatter thou the Fire yonder The Men were burnt as soon as ever they put fire to the Incense in their Censers v. 18. which flaming at the Door of the Tabernacle where they stood near the Altar from whence they took the Fire God commanded to be thrown away without the Camp into that place I suppose where they were wont to throw the Ashes VI Lev. 11. or rather into some unclean place where they threw the Dust scraped from the Walls of Leprous Houses XIV Lev. 41. For it was to show that God abhorred their Offering For they are hollowed Or had Fire from the Altar put into them which some think sanctified them But the plain reason is given in the next verse because they offered them before the LORD i. e. they had been employed to an holy use and that by God's command v. 6 17. and therefore God would not have them hereafter serve for any other Ver. 39. The Censers of these Sinners against their Verse 39 own Souls Who have brought destruction upon themselves by their Presumption Let them make of them Either Aaron or Eleazar were to cause them to be beaten into such Plates as here follow Broad Plates for a covering of the Altar Of Burnt-offering which was covered with Brass XXVII Exod 12. but these Plates were to be laid upon that Covering which it had already for the end mentioned in the Conclusion of this verse And hereby also the proper Covering of the Altar lasted the longer For they offered them before the LORD Presented them before the LORD when they offered Incense in them v. 35. Therefore they are hallowed Or holy That is I will have them separated for this reason to my use alone and no other It is a thing worthy to be taken special notice of that the Impiety of the Men that offered Incense did not discharge their Censers of the discriminative Respect as our famous Mr. Mede speaks due unto things sacred As these in some sort were by being presented to the LORD which made it unlawful to imploy them to common uses For as the LORD himself is that singular incommunicable and absolutely Holy One and his Service and Worship therefore incommunicable to any other so should that also which is consecrated to his Service be in some proportion incommunicably used and not promiscuously and commonly as other things are See Book I. Discourse 2. p. 18. And they shall be a Sign unto the Children of Israel That God accepts no Sacrifice which is not presented by the Hands of the Sons of Aaron This the Levites were to remember who attended upon the Priest when they saw these Plates laid upon the Altar of Burnt-offering every day Verse 39 Ver. 39. And Eleazar the Priest took the brazen Censers c. By this it appears these Censers were made of the same Metal though it was not said before that Aaron's Censer was of and wherewith the Altar was overlaid He took them up out of the burning no doubt immediately upon the foregoing Commands and as soon as the Mutiny was quite quelled they were employed as Moses had directed Ver. 40. To be a Memorial unto the Children of Israel This explains what is meant by a Sign v. 38. viz. to put them in mind or rather to keep in their memory That no Stranger Though he were an Israelite nay a Levite if he were not as it here follows of the Seed of Aaron he was reputed a Stranger to this Office Come near to offer Incense before the LORD Presume to execute the Office of a Priest in the Sanctuary That he be not as Korah and his Company Destroyed in a dreadful manner By this it appears that Korah perished as well as the Two hundred and fifty Men and it is likely as they did by Fire from the LORD As the LORD said unto him i. e. To Eleazar By the hand of Moses Ver. 36 37. Ver. 41. But on the morrow An astonishing Instance Verse 41 of the incurable hardness and insensibility of some Mens hearts which were not in the least altered by God's terrible Judgments and singular Mercies but instantly forgat both All the Congregation of the Children of Israel Not merely the Rulers of the People as this Phrase sometimes signifies but all the People in general v. 47. who were incited it is probable by that lewd Rout which Korah had gathered together against Moses and Aaron v. 19. Some of which were swallowed up but most of them remained still alive to do more Mischief Murmured against Moses and against Aaron In such a mutinous and threatning manner as demonstrated the contagious Nature of a Seditious Humour beyond all example For from a discontented Party who grumbled that they were not preferred suitably to the opinion they had of themselves it spread it self into the whole Body of the People And so infected them as to kindle a new Flame as soon as the former had been extinguished by such a terrible Vengeance as one would have expected should not have left the smallest Spark of this mutinous Humour in them Saying Ye have killed the People of the LORD So they impudently call those Men whom God himself had declared by a visible Token to be presumptuous Sinners against their own Souls Some imagine they quarrelled with Moses and Aaron because they had not prevailed with God to pardon them which they could as well have done as procured this Judgment upon them But the displeasure which God here expresses against this
them So this word bring near signifies to offer them unto God As they were VIII 10 11. Before Aaron the Priest In his presence That they may minister unto him Unto Aaron and the rest of the Priests who were the immediate Ministers of God and the Levites were given to minister unto them Which they did many ways especially while they remain'd in the Wilderness where they had a peculiar Charge which otherwise would have been incumbent on the Priests not only to guard the Tabernacle and keep a Watch night and day about it but also to take it down and to carry it when they removed and to set it up again when they rested as we read in the following part of this Chapter and in the next When they came into the Land of Canaan and were settled there they had less to do of this kind But as the Charge of the Tabernacle still lay upon them as it had done before so did other Works in the Courts of the LORD'S House and in the Chambers where they waited on the Priests which are particularly mentioned in 1 Chron. XXIII 28 29 c. And in David's time their Work was still more increased for he appointed them to be Singers in the House of the LORD and to play upon several sorts of Instruments 1 Chron. XXV which they did Morning and Evening 1 Chron. XXIII 30. Porters perhaps there were before who stood at the several Gates of the Tabernacle as afterward of the Temple and are said therein to minister in the House of the LORD 1 Chron. XXVI 12. as also Guards of the Treasury of God's House and of things dedicated to him v. 20. But as he increased the number of them so he settled them in their Courses that there might be a constant Attendance with greater ease As for those of them that were made Judges and Officers not only in Matters concerning the LORD but in the Service of the King as we read there 1 Chron. XXVI 29 30. it no more belongs to what is said of them here than what follows there v. 31. that there were found among them mighty Men of Valour See upon v. 10. Verse 7 Ver. 7. And they shall keep his Charge and the charge of the whole Congregation It highly concerned Aaron in particular and the whole Congregation in general that the Tabernacle should be well guarded And this was the Levites great business at present who took this Charge from off their hands by attending that Service which all of them were bound to perform Before the Tabernacle of the Congregation This exactly expresses in what their Ministry consisted which was not performed in the Tabernacle where the Priests only officiated in the Holy Place as the High Priest in the most Holy but before it in the External Part of it where they assisted the Priests in their Service To do the Service of the Tabernacle Such Service as I have mentioned before v. 6. Ver. 8. And they shall keep By guarding them and keeping a continual Watch about them Verse 8 All the Instruments of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Every thing belonging to it And the charge of the Children of Israel to do the Service of the Tabernacle By which Service at the Tabernacle they took upon them the Charge which otherwise was incumbent on the whole Congregation who were to take care that the holy Things were kept both safe and secure and also separate to the Sacred Uses to which they were appointed These words which are often repeated to do the Service of the Tabernacle are to be carefully noted because the Levites did not serve in the Tabernacle which belonged only to the Priests but served the Tabernacle by guarding it and taking it down and carrying it c. as was said before Ver. 9. And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron Verse 9 and to his Sons They were first presented unto God v. 6. and God bestowed them as a Gift upon the Priests See VIII 19. They are wholly given unto him out of the Children of Israel To attend upon the Priests and to obey their Orders for which they paid them nothing but they were to do it freely being given to them to be their Servants by God who paid them their Wages Ver. 10. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his Sons Verse 10 and they shall wait on their Priests Office Or thou shalt appoint them to wait on their Priesthood Which he had shown before was very different from the Levitical Office but to make them more mindful of their Dignity he repeats it again that Aaron and his Sons alone should officiate as Priests viz. in offering Sacrifice in setting the Bread upon the Holy Table looking after the Lights and burning Incense Which they were to perform in their own Persons and not appoint any others as their Deputies to do them for none of these things could be performed by the Levites Whose business it was to look after the fine Flour of which the Bread was made to prepare it and the Frankincense which was to be burnt and abundance of such like things which are particularly mentioned 1 Chron. IX 27 28 29 31 32. But they could not make the Anointing Oyl or the sweet Perfume mentioned XXX Exod. 23 34. for they were most holy and therefore the Priests only could compound them And the Stranger that cometh nigh By Stranger is meant any one though a Levite that was not of the Sons of Aaron who alone had the priviledge to approach unto God Shall be put to death God himself sent out a Fire to consume Korah and his Company who presumed to offer Incense being but bare Levites and not Priests Chap. XVI Verse 11 Ver. 11. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying To make the Matter more clear he further tells Moses the reason why he took the Levites from among the the Children of Israel to be his after a peculiar manner Verse 12 Ver. 12. And I behold I have taken the Levites from among the Children of Israel Take notice of the Reason why I have taken the Levites from among the rest of the Israelites v. 9. for it is by my Order and Appointment Instead of all the First-born that openeth the Matrix c. To make an exchange with them for all their First-born which I have heretofore challenged as my own and now take the Levites in their stead Therefore the Levites shall be mine As all the First-born were which now shall be theirs and the Levites be mine Ver. 13. Because all the First-born are mine By Verse 13 a special Right which is mentioned in the next words For on the day that I smote all the First-born in the Land of Egypt The Title whereby he laid a Claim to all the First-born was that great Miracle as R. Levi of Barcelona calls it which he wrought when he destroyed all the First-born of their Neighbours in Egypt and touched not one of theirs By which sparing Mercy he acquired
Hammikdash cap. 9. are appointed and none other to lay things in order for Sacrifice I Lev. 5. and to burn the Fat of the Peace-offerings upon the Altar III Lev. 8. His Daughters were uncapable of it and so were all those that descended from them The same may be said of the Levites Ver. 5. And ye shall keep That is the Priests were bound to do what follows The charge of the Sanctuary Whereas they alone Verse 5 were to minister so they were to take care of all the holy Things therein contained the Shew-bread Lamps c. and to cover them when they were to be removed IV. 5 6 c. And the charge of the Altar Of Burnt-offering where they only were to offer Sacrifice and to take care of every thing belonging to it IV. 3 14. That there be no wrath any more upon the Children of Israel That you may by your care and constant Admonitions prevent the Children of Israel from running into such Prophanations much more from such Intrusions into the Sacred Offices as may bring God's most high Displeasure again upon them Verse 6 Ver. 6. And I behold I have taken your Brethren the Levites from among the Children of Israel III. 12 41 45. VIII 6 16 18. The Levites are again called their Brethren that the Priests might not despise them because they served in a lower Condition but treat them with Kindness and Brotherly Affection To you are they given as a gift See III. 9. but especially VIII 19. For the LORD To assist you in your ministry to the LORD To do the Service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation This hath been repeated very often III. 7 8. IV. 3 4 23 c. VIII 19 22 24. and here is mentioned again that the Levites might be possessed with this opinion that they were but Ministers to the Priests and therefore ought not to presume hereafter to aspire as Korah did to the Office of Priesthood Ver. 7. Therefore thou and thy Sons with thee shall keep your Priests Office Preserve it to your selves and suffer no other Person to invade it For every thing of the Altar These words and Verse 7 the following briefly declare what is meant by the Priests Office First To offer Sacrifice at the Altar of Burnt-offering and sprinkle the Blood c. And within the Veil Next to perform all the Service of God within the Sanctuary For in the Hebrew the words are and for within the Veil which is a short form of Speech importing both all that was to be done in the Sanctuary by the Sons of Aaron as burning Incense putting on the Shrew-bread and lighting the Lamps and likewise all that was to be done in the most Holy Place by Aaron himself on the Day of Atonement For the word Paroceth always signifies the inner Veil before the most Holy Place the outward Veil being constantly called Masack And therefore the exactest Translation of the Hebrew words lemibbeth laparoceth is this for within the House i. e. the Holy Place for the Veil i. e. with the Veil in the most Holy Place And ye shall serve In these Places ye alone shall serve and imploy no Body else I have given your Priests Office unto you as a Service of gift He would have the Levites to know that Aaron and his Sons had not arrogantly usurped this Office of ministring alone at both the Altars but he had freely bestowed it upon them and appropriated it unto them And the Stranger Though a Levite if he be not of the Family of Aaron That cometh nigh Presumes to offer Sacrifices at the Altar of Burnt-offering or Incense at the golden Altar Shall be put to death This is repeated by reason of the late Rebellion of Korah and his Complices who aspiring to the Priesthood came to a fearful end See III. 10. Verse 8 Ver. 8. And the LORD spake unto Aaron saying Having told him in the foregoing part of the Chapter particularly in the foregoing verse what should be the Work of him and his Sons he proceeds to tell him what recompence he should have for his Service at the Altar of Burnt-offerings and in the Sanctuary Of which he gives him a large account from this verse to the 20th that he might want no incouragement to Care and Diligence in his Employment Behold I also I have given thee the charge He bids him observe the large Grant which he now makes him as well as the Work he had laid upon him For by giving him the charge of what follows he means bestowing them upon him for his own use with a Charge to let none have them but himself Of my Heave-offerings of all the hallowed things of the Children of Israel See VII Lev. 34. and below v. 11. of this Chapter Vnto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing Because thou art Consecrated by being anointed with the Holy Oyl to the Office of a Priest VIII Lev. 12. And to thy Sons by an Ordinance for ever See VII Lev. 34. Ver. 9. This shall be thine of the most holy things He begins with those things which might be eaten only by the Priests themselves Reserved from the fire From the Altar of Burnt-offering Verse 9 for there were some things called most holy which were their Portion that came not from thence but out of the Sanctuary viz. the twelve Cakes which were taken off the Table and given to Aaron and his Sons every Sabbath Day XXIV Lev. 5 6 7 8 9. Every Oblation of theirs In the Hebrew all their Korbans which is a larger word than Sebach comprehending not only such Sacrifices as were killed at the Altar which are properly called Zebachim but all the Mincha's or Meat-offerings as we translate it which were of things inanimate And the Sacrifices of Birds also whose Blood was never poured out at the Altar And therefore Korban seems here to be a general word comprehending all the Particulars which follow especially if all be translated exactly as the words are in the Hebrew Every Meat-offering of theirs c. In the Hebrew the words are For all their Meat-offerings Which makes the sence plainer if the whole be thus translated All their Korbans or Oblations for all their Meat-offerings and for all their Sin-offerings and for all their Trespass-offerings of all which the Priest had a part Concerning the Meat-offerings or rather the Bread-offerings for so Mincha may most fitly be translated the Sacrifices being Flesh which were not eaten without Bread and Drink that were their Concomitants See II Lev. 3 10. VI. 15 16. Whâ—â—e the Flesh of the Sin-offerings except those 〈…〉 was brought into the most Holy Place is 〈…〉 unto them v. 26. And so are the Trespass 〈…〉 so in the next Chapter VII Lev. 6 7. As for Burnt-offerings they were wholly the LORD's and Peace-offerings were not accounted things most holy but reckoned among the less holy as appears from v. 11. of this present Chapter Which they shall render unto me
Brook Zered as it is in II Deut. 13 14. And then to the River Arnon v. 13. and thence to Beer where they digged a famous Well XXI 16 17 18. which perhaps they might have done before in other places if they had made Experiment for Kadesh where they now were was in the Border of a Country inhabited And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron Just as their Fathers had many times done particularly upon such an occasion as this XVII Exod. 2 3. Ver. 3. And the People chode with Moses Instead Verse 3 of condoling with him and comforting him for the Death of his Sister and their Prophetess as Abarbinel observes they came in a rude manner to scold at him And spake saying Would God that we had died when our Brethren died before the LORD By a sudden Death rather than linger away by Thirst They allude to the strokes of God upon their Brethren XI 1 33. XIV 37. XVI 32 35 46. Which one would have thought should have affrighted them from uttering such very discontented Language XIX 2. But nothing will alter those who will not lay to heart and preserve in mind God's Mercies and Judgments Verse 4 Ver. 4. And why have ye brought the Congregation of the LORD into this Wildernoss that we and our Cattle should die there The very words of their Fathers presently after they came out of Egypt XVII Exod 3. Verse 5 Ver. 5. And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt They speak as if it had not been their own desire but that they were perswaded to it by Moses to leave Egypt who was sent to tell them God heard their sighing groans and crys and would deliver them II Exod. 23 24. III. 17. But in a discontented fit nothing of this was remembred To bring us unto this evil place They do not speak of returning to Egypt as their Fathers did XIV 3 4. but they repented that they were come out of it So shamefully forgetful they were of all God's benefits who had in a wonderful manner redeemed them from the heaviest Slavery and hitherto provided for them miraculously in the Wilderness which was a better place than such an ungrateful People deserved It is no place of Seed i. e. of Corn. Or of Figs or of Vines or Pomegranates c. Now they complain for want of other things as well as Water wherein they still imitate their unbelieving Fathers XVI 14. Ver. 6. And Moses and Aaron went from the presence Verse 6 of the Assembly unto the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation To pray to God to pardon their Sin and to supply their Wants And they fell upon their Faces As they had often done before on other such like occasions particularly XIV 5. And the Glory of the LORD appeared unto them Unto all the People it is likely as it had done several times to silence their Murmurings See XIV 10. XVI 19 42. Ver. 7. And the LORD spake unto Moses From Verse 7 that Glory which appeared upon the Tabernacle Ver. 8. Take the Rod. That famous Rod wherewith Moses had wrought so many Miracles in Egypt and at the Red Sea c. And gather thou the Assembly together This word Edah signifying sometimes only the Assembly of the Elders not of the whole People it would be uncertain which of them he is bid to gather together for it is a different word from that which we translate Assembly v. 6. if the tenth verse had not determined that it was the Kahal or Congregation of the People as the word Edah also signifies just before v. 8. Thou and Aaron thy Brother For the People were gathered together against Aaron in a mutinous manner as well as against Moses v. 2. And speak ye unto the Rock before their eyes To the first Rock you meet withal saith Nachmanides and that is within their sight For this is not the same Verse 9 Rock out of which the former Water flowed as the Jews fancy but quite different Their very Names are different that being called Tzur this Selah That was in Rephidim this is Kadesh two very distant places Thus Chaskuni some think this the same with that in Exodus but it is not the same History For the former was in Horeb this in Kadesh which is in the Extremity of the Land of Edom. But whether God pointed him to a Rock which was then in their sight as he did at Horeb XVII Exod. 5 6. or left him to chuse any stony place is not certain But it is a mere fancy of some of the Jews that because God here bad them speak to the Rock Moses offended God in smiting it For to what purpose should he take the Rod if he was not to smite the Rock with it as he had done formerly Just such another conceit there is in Schalschelet Hakkabala where R. Gedaliah saith That he had given an account of this Sin in another Book which he gathered out of various Writers and found there were XXVIII different Opinions about it But he preferred this before any of them that whereas God bad Moses gather the Edah together that is the Assembly of the People v. 8. he gathered the Kahal i. e. the Congregation of the Princes and Elders as he will have it whose Faith needed no Confirmation See Hottinger in his Smegma Orientale cap. 8. p. 451. And it shall give forth his Water The Jews puzzle themselves about this Expression which sounds they think as if the Water was contained in the Rock and Moses only made a Gap for it to gush out But it seems to be spoken in opposition to the Waters issuing out of the former Rock which had supplyed them hitherto but now ceased to flow It being as much as if he had said This shall give forth Water as that did before now it shall be called the Water of this Rock not that of Horeb. And thou shalt bring forth to them Water out of the Rock Renew the former Miracle So thou shalt give the Congregation and their Beasts drink So that they and their Cattle which they fear will perish v. 4. shall be as plentifully provided for as ever Ver. 9. And Moses took the Rod from before the Verse 9 LORD as he commanded him From hence some conclude that this was the Rod of Aaron which blossomed because he is said to take it from before the LORD where Aaron's Rod was laid up XVII 10. But this Rod is so expresly called Moses his Rod V. 11. which was the Instrument of bringing the former Water out of the Rock in Horeb that I cannot but think this was the very same Rod. Which being there called the Rod of God XVII Exod. 9. as it is at the first mention of it IV Exod. 20. it is very probable that by God's order it was laid up somewhere before him in the Sanctuary though not before the Ark of the Testimony For having been imployed in doing
Jews also say of the unlawfulness of it and wisht him to desist But he would not hearken to them and therefore as it here follows they brought him unto Moses c. as one that contemptuously and with an high hand had offended God For they make this an instance of such a presumptuous Sin as is mentioned before v. 30 31. which is not improbable And it appears from hence that they observed the Sabbath while they were in the Wilderness and therefore did not bring him before Moses on that day but the next after or at least he was not judged till the next day Brought him unto Moses and Aaron and unto all the Congregation Who were now they fancy hearing a Sacred Lecture when they brought the Man before Moses For he was the chief Judge who was to determine such Cases though we may conceive the LXX Elders who were constituted before this hapned XI 24 c. to have been now sitting and Moses at the Head of them But he being not deprived of any Authority by their Creation who were added only to give him ease it is more likely this Man was set before Moses as the sole Judge of this Case For God speaks to him alone v. 35. when he directs what should be done with him Yet Aaron and the Elders it appears by these words were present and called here all the Congregation when this Offender was brought before him Ver. 34. And they put him in ward By the order Verse 34 of Moses as they did the Man that blasphemed XXIV Lev. 12. to secure him till the Mind of God was known how he should be punished Because it was not declared what should be done to him They knew very well that he was to dye for it had been declared XXXI Exod. 14. XXXV 2. but they questioned what kind of death he should suffer as the Jews interpret it For they observe this difference between that Case of the Blasphemer in Leviticus and this here of the Sabbath-breaker that there they doubted whether he should be punished by them or by the Hand of Heaven but here what kind of Death they should inflict upon him Though there are some as Mr. Selden there observes n. 8. who imagine the question here also was Whether the sence of the Law was that they should expect his Punishment from God or he be put to Death by the Court of Judgment Ver. 35. And the LORD said unto Moses Who Verse 35 went I suppose into the Sanctuary to enquire what the Pleasure of God was in this Matter as he did in another Difficulty IX Numb 8. The Man be surely put to death By this Answer it seems to me the question was not at first What Death he should dye but whether he should be put to Death or no That is Whether the gathering and binding up Sticks into a Faggot was such a work as is forbidden in the Law XX Exod. unto which Death was afterwards threatned in the places before-mentioned And the Resolution was that he should be put to Death as a Man that denied God the Creator of the World though not in words yet in fact For he who did any Work on the Sabbath as Aben-Ezra notes upon XX Exod. denied the Work of Creation though he did not in down-right terms deny God himself For the Sabbath being a Sign as God calls it that they were the Worshippers of him who made all things the Contempt of that was a renouncing of their Religion and therefore deserved to be punished with Death the Belief of the Creation of the World being the very Foundation of the Jewish Religion as the belief of its Eternity was the Foundation of the Pagan This made the breach of this Precept of keeping the Sabbath strictly which is more frequently repeated than any other for the reason fore-mentioned so heinous a Crime and so severely punished for by this a true Worshipper of God was distinguished from a profane Person and an Idolater All the Congregation shall stone him with stones without the Camp This was a Punishment inflicted for very enormous Crimes See XX Lev. 2. XXIV 12. And this Man was condemned to suffer it because he was the first breaker of this Sacred Law And he doing it presumptuously as is supposed from the connection of this Story with v. 30 31. in contempt of the Law and not desisting from his Impiety when he was admonished to forbear as I said v. 33. it highly aggravated his guilt being no less than a reproaching of the LORD and a despising of his Word Whence the Vulgar saying of the Talmudists He that denies the Sabbath is like to him that denies the whole Law Ver. 36. And all the Congregation brought him without Verse 36 the Camp and stoned him c. Not on the Sabbath-day as I said before for that was unlawful as Philo observes but the next day after or as soon as Moses had passed Sentence upon him Ver. 37. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying Verse 37 This was spoken it is most likely about the same time that the foregoing Passage hapned and the Commands mentioned in the beginning of this Chapter were delivered For this that follows is a direction for the better observance of all the rest of God's Commandments Ver. 38. Speak unto the Children of Israel and bid Verse 38 them that they make them Fringes This is the best word we have in our Language to express the Hebrew word Tzitzith which imports something of an Ornament resembling a Flower as the word tzitz signifies Of how many threds they consist and after what fashion they are made by the Jews at this day see Buxtorf's Synagoga Judaica cap. 9. In the Borders of their Garments Or as it is in the Hebrew in the Wings of their Garments which had four Skirts it appears by XXII Deut. 12. At the bottom of each of which they were to have a Fringe Which seem to have been only Threds left at the end of the Web unwoven at the top whereof they put a Lace as it here follows Throughout their Generations To be a perpetual Mark of their Religion and put them in mind of their Duty And that they put upon the Fringe of the Borders a Riband Or a Lace which both bound the Fringe fast at the top and also made it more conspicuous and observable which was the intention of it For by this they were distinguished from all other People who were not Jews as well as put in mind of the Precepts of God as it follows in the next verse Of blue Or as some would have it translated of Purple But the Hebrew Writers say Theceleth signifies that colour which we now call Vltramarine as Braunius hath observed Lib. I. de Vestitu Sacerd. Hebr. cap. 13. and Bochart Hierozoic P. II. Lib. V. cap. 10 11. There is another very learned Person also who hath more lately shown out of an excellent MS. in his possession what the Jews deliver concerning
20. But the Man that shall be unclean By a dead Body a Bone or a Grave c. And shall not purifie himself By the Water of Separation appointed for that purpose Verse 20 That Soul shall be cut off from among the Congregation As a Contemner of this Law of God Because he hath defiled the Sanctuary of the LORD c. This and the following words are only a Repetition of what was said v. 13. for the greater confirmation of it Ver. 21. And it shall be a perpetual Statute unto them Verse 21 that he that sprinkleth the Water of Separation shall wash his Clothes Be reputed unclean until he hath washed his Clothes which I suppose comprehends his Body also v. 19. And he that toucheth the Water of Separation As a Man might chance to do when he mingled the Water and Ashes together v. 17. Shall be unclean until Even And wash his Clothes it must be supposed from the foregoing words For mere staying till Even purified no Body without some Rite of Cleansing And there was more reason for him that touched the Water immediately to wash his Clothes than for him who only sprinkled with it Ver. 22. And whatsoever Or whomsoever Verse 22 The unclean person toucheth shall be unclean He doth not mean by the unclean Person him who was made unclean by touching the Water of Separation for his Uncleanness was so slight that any one would think he should make no Body unclean by his touch but the unclean Person spoken of all along in this Chapter who was defiled by touching a dead Body He whom such a Person touched was made unclean and therefore was to wash his Clothes and not be thought clean until the Even And the Soul that toucheth it Or toucheth him Shall be unclean until Even Not only he whom the unclean Person touched but he who touched the unclean Person or any unclean thing was to be unclean till the Even and wash his Clothes as I said before for his Cleansing No other Cleansing was necessary for such kinds of Uncleanness as these For Sacrifices were required only for the uncleanness of Lepers and of a Childbed-woman and of a Flux of Blood or Seed all others were purged without Sacrifice By this nice care which is here taken about the smallest bodily Defilements God intended I make no doubt to make them sensible how necessary it was to preserve inward Purity without which they could not be acceptable to God though they approached to his Sanctuary For these Laws extending to what was done at home as well as abroad were a plain Instruction both that it was not sufficient to be pure in the Eyes of Men and that nothing could be concealed from the Divine Majesty who sees what passeth in secret CHAP. XX. Chapter XX Ver. 1. THEN came the Children of Israel even Verse 1 the whole Congregation into the Wilderness of Zin From Rithmah or Kadesh-barnea they came at last into this Wilderness after many Removals to other Stations of which Moses gives an account in the XXXIIId Chapter from v. 19. to v. 36. For God led them by the Cloud quite back again to the Red Sea XIV 25. and from thence brought them into this Wilderness of Tzin Which is quite different from that mentioned XVI Exod. call'd Sin for this lay on the Confines of Idumaea as appears from v. 14 15. In the first Month. Of the fortieth Year after they came out of the Land of Egypt For Moses gives an account of the Transactions only of the two first Years after they came from thence and of the last the rest he passeth over in silence being spent in tiresome Journeys whereby all above Twenty years old were consumed by one Disease or other In those Travels he shows how at several Removals mentioned Chapter XXXIII they were led back from Kadesh-barnea unto Ezion-Geber that is from the North to the South of the Shore of the Red Sea in which Journey they compassed the Land of Edom many Days II Deut. 1. that is many Years For from the time they left Kadesh-barnea till they returned back again was thirty eight Years II Deut. 14. And the People abode in Kadesh Not in Kadesh-barnea which was their fifteenth Station and in the Confines of the South part of Canaan XXXIV 4. XV Josh 3. But another Kadesh on the Confines of the Land of Edom towards the Red Sea XXXIII 36. II Deut. 3. XI Judges 17. And Miriam died there Four Months before her Brother Aaron XXXIII 38. and eleven Months before Moses being elder than either of them For she was near an Hundred and thirty Years old as may be gathered from II Exod. 4 7. where it appears she was not a Child when Moses was born And was buried there In Kadesh where she died But we read of no mourning for her as there was for Aaron a little after v. 29. Verse 2 Ver. 2. And there was no Water for the Congregation The Water that hitherto followed them from the Rock in Horeb now failed Which hapning just at the Death of Miriam the Jews have a foolish conceit that as her Piety procured it for them so she being dead it was taken from them and was restored again for the Piety of Moses and Aaron It is more reasonable to think that God suffered the Water to be discontinued for a time that he might try the Faith of this new Generation whether they were any better than their rebellious Fathers and withal to convince them that the Water out of the former Rock was not contained in it if he had not produced it who could bring forth Water out of any other place as well as that Or they being now going towards Canaan and near a Country where Water might be had for Money or they might have found it by digging for it God thought fit to let the Miracle cease that they might see he would shortly provide for them otherways For it is very likely that in their last Station where they were before this at Ezion-Geber XXXIII 36. the Water that had followed them in all their Journeys thither fell there into the Red Sea and so was swallowed up they being as I said to return towards Canaan by places where Water might be procured without a Miracle For being upon the edge of the Land of Edom when Aaron died in their next Removal v. 28. XXXIII 37. we read expresly that they presently after came to a Land of Rivers of Water X Deut. 7. And indeed not long after they removed from Mount Hor where Aaron died we find in the next Chapter to this that they came to Oboth XXI 10. which signifying Bottles it is no unreasonable Conjecture that here they met with Water with which they filled their empty Bottles And next to that Station they came to Jie-Abarim v. 11. heaps of Fords or as the Chaldee expounds it The Ford of those that pass over And then to the Valley of Zared v. 12. or to the
Deut. 12. or had its name from him cannot be determined But Hori we are sure was the first Possessor of whom there is any memory of this Mountain Hor which was afterward called Seir from one descended from him and afterward Edom. Verse 23 Ver. 23. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor. At the foot of the Mount as appears from v. 25. By the Coast of the Land of Edom. XXXIII 37. Verse 24 Ver. 24. Aaron shall be gathered unto his People Shall die v. 26. For he shall not enter into the Land which I have given unto the Children of Israel v. 12. A manifest Token that the earthly Canaan was not the utmost Felicity at which God's Promises aimed because the best Men among them were shut out of it Because ye rebelled against my Word at the Water of Meribah By this word rebelled it appears there was something of Obstinacy in their Unbelief mentioned v. 12. Verse 25 Ver. 25. Take Aaron and Eleazar his Son Speak to them in my Name For it is expresly said XXXIII 38. that they went up at the Commandment of the LORD And bring them up unto Mount Hor. This shows that they pitched their Tents at the bottom of it in a place called Mosera See X Deut. 6. where this seems also to have been the Name of the whole Hill as well as Hor. Ver. 26. And strip Aaron of his Garments i. e. Of Verse 26 his Priestly Robes as Josephus rightly expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned XXVIII Exod. 2 3 c. wherewith he was clothed when he was anointed to the Office of High-Priest VIII Lev. 7 8 9. which he put on I suppose in the Camp and went up in them to Mount Hor that he might die gloriously not in his Robes but immediately after he put them off to be put upon his Son For this stripping him of his Robes was in effect the divesting Aaron of his Office that it might be conferred upon his Son which was done as follows And put them upon Eleazar his Son Which was the investing him with the Office of High-Priest into which he now succeeded in his Fathers stead and was by this Ceremony admitted to it The Talmudists say the manner was first to put on the Breeches then the Coat which being bound about with the Girdle then the Robe upon which was the Ephod and then the Miter and golden Crown See Selden de Succession in Pontif. Lib. II. cap. 8. And Aaron shall be gathered unto his People and die there This was said before in short v. 24. but now the time of his Death is expresly declared immediately after he laid down his Office and had the satisfaction to see his Son inaugurated in his Room and the place of it upon Mount Hor. Of this Phrase Gathered to his People see XXV Gen. 8 17. Ver. 27. And Moses did as the LORD commanded and they went up into Mount Hor in the sight of all the Congregation That they might all be Witnesses Verse 27 of the Succession of Eleazar to the Office of his Father Verse 28 Ver. 28. And Moses stripped Aaron of his Garments and put them upon Eleazar his Son This Moses did as the Minister of God who now translated the Priesthood to another And Aaron died there in the top of the Mount And was buried also there X Deut. 6. For great and heroick Persons were in ancient days usually buried in high Places So Joshua was XXIV 30 33. and Eleazar II Judges 9. and Cadmus and Harmonia who lived near the time of Joshua as Bochartus observes in his Canaan Lib. I. cap 23. And Moses and Eleazar came down from the Mount After they had seen him laid in his Grave by those that attended them This fell out in the fortieth Year after they came out of Egypt on the first day of the fifth Month when Aaron was an Hundred and three and twenty Years old as we read XXXIII 38 39. In the new Moon of the Month which the Athenians called Hecatombaeon the Macedonians I ous and the Hebrews called Sabba as Josephus glosses But that last word should be Ab not Sabba as Jacobus Capellus observes in his Histor Sacra Exotica ad An. 2542. which answers he thinks to the nineteenth of our July And so the Hebrews say in Seder Olam Aaron died on the first day of the Month Ab upon which there is a Fast in their Rituals in memory of it Ver. 29. And when all the Congregation saw that Aaron was dead i. e. Understood as the word See is used XLII Gen. 1. that God had taken him out of the World as Moses and Eleazar told them who Verse 29 also came down from the Mount with him They mourned for Aaron thirty days Till the end of the Month. For so long their Mourning seems in those days to have been continued for great Persons as it was for Moses XXXIV Deut. 8. though a Week sufficed for private Persons Even all the House of Israel Both Men and Women CHAP. XXI Chapter XXI Ver. 1. AND when King Arad the Canaanite In Verse 1 the Hebrew the words are thus placed When the Canaanite King Arad And so they are in the LXX and the Vulgar And Arad may as well signifie a Place as a Person nay there seems more reason to translate the words thus The Canaanitish King of Arad because there was such a City in Canaan mentioned XII Josh 14. and I Judges 16. One of the Sons of Canaan being called Arad as both the LXX and the Vulgar translate the Hebrew word Arvad X Gen. 18. who it is likely gave his Name to this part of the Country the chief City of which was also called after him Which dwelt in the South In the South part of the Land of Canaan towards the Eastern Angle of it near the Dead Sea See XXXIII 40. Heard that Israel came by the way of the Spies Which were sent by the King Arad as many suppose to bring him Intelligence which way the Israelites marched For it being Eight and thirty Years since the Spies sent by Moses went that way or rather they going so secretly that it was not known which way they went it is thought not probable that Moses speaks of them in this place But there is no necessity of taking the Hebrew word Atharim to signifie Spies but it may as well be the Name of a Place as the LXX understood it by whom it is translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if the situation would agree to it one might probably conjecture the place was so called from the Spies that went from thence by Moses his order to survey the Country For that was a thing so memorable that as it could not well slip out of the Minds of the People of Canaan so they found I make no question after they were gone which way they came into their Country though for the present they passed unobserved and everafter called it the way of
order the Judges to assemble and call before them such as were suspected and having examined the Fact accordingly proceed against them and punish such as had offended Thus the Samaritan Copy reads it expresly and so Onkelos and the Paraphrast called Vzielides and the Hierusalem Targum and the Arabick Translation of Saadia Gaon and both the Talmudists and Karaites agree in this sence as Mr. Selden shows at large Lib. II. de Synedriis cap. 1. n. 10. And Joh. Coch upon the Gemara of the Sanhedrim cap. 4. sect 4. where he observes that Aben-Ezra and Solomon Jarchi thus interpret it and takes the meaning to be certain that the Heads of the People should divide themselves into several Courts of Judgment and examine who had committed Idolatry and after Conviction cause them to be hang'd For there is great reason to think the Constitution of Judges by Jethro's advice continued all the time they were in the Wilderness who might easily find out the Guilty in their several Divisions Before the LORD i. e. Before the Sanctuary as Men who had forsaken the Worship of their God and by his Sentence were adjudged to die Against the Sun Openly that all the People might see and fear to Sin So both R. Solomon and Aben-Ezra expound it For this was a peculiar mark of the Divine Displeasure against Idolaters and Blasphemers that they should be hanged up and publickly exposed after they had suffered death For none were hang'd alive among the Hebrews but first stoned which was the common Punishment of the fore-named Offenders and then hanged up in the eyes of all as R. Solomon expounds this Phrase against the Sun That the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned from Israel By their Zeal to vindicate the Divine Honour Verse 5 Ver. 5. And Moses said unto the Judges of Israel Some take these for the LXX Elders mentioned XI 25. Slay ye By hanging them up as some understand it But the Hebrew word imports killing with the Sword which they commanded their Officers to do with the assistance of such as abhorred the wickedness of their Neighbours Every one his Man The LXX Elders being appointed to be coadjutors to Moses in the Government made a division of the People it is most likely into so many districts and each of them having the charge of one all the People therein are called his Men of whom he was to give an account That were joyned unto Baal-Peor Who were so well known that there was no danger of slaying the innocent Verse 6 Ver. 6. And behold This which follows is the more wonderful if the Judges had already begun to execute the foregoing command and argues Zimri to have been very impudently wicked who thought himself so great a Man that no Judge durst meddle with him One of the Children of Israel came and brought unto his Brethren In the Camp of Israel or into the Tent where his own Family dwelt A Midianitish Woman By which it appears that both Nations Moab and Midian were in this Plot against Israel In the sight of Moses A high contempt of his Authority and of God's also whose Servant Moses was And in the sight of all the Congregation of the Children of Israel This seems to be a further aggravation of his Sin that he was not content to go to the Women who invited them v. 2. but brought one of them along with him into the Camp of Israel and this he did before the face of all the People as well as of Moses and that when they were mourning for this Sin as it here follows Who were weeping before the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation This shows that though there were great numbers ingaged in this Defection yet the generality of the People clave unto the LORD and bewailed the Wickedness of their Brethren most earnestly imploring God's Mercy towards them Ver. 7. And when Phineas the Son of Eleazar the Son Verse 7 of Aaron the Priest c. A Man of great Authority being next to the High-Priest whom he succeeded in his Office as he did Joshua if we may believe some Writers in the Government of all Israel He rose up His Spirit as St. Luke speaks of St. Paul was stirred in him and being inspired with an holy Zeal was moved to do what follows From among the Congregation Who were weeping at the Door of the Tabernacle or rather from among the Judges with whom he was assembled being one of them So Jonathan he rose up from the midst of the Sanhedrin For as Bonav Cornel. Bertramus thinks Eleazar after the death of Aaron appointed his Son Phineas to be Prince of the Levites Which he thinks appears not only from his rising up here from the midst of the Judges of Israel but from the Embassy wherein he was employed by Joshua unto the Reubenites c. beyond Jordan XXII Josh 14. and from 1 Chron. IX 20. where he is said to be Ruler over the Korahites Which signifies he thinks such a preheminence as Eleazar himself had over the Levites while his Father Aaron lived De Repub. Jud. c. 15. And indeed the Psalmist saith that Phineas stood up and executed Judgment CVI. 39. Which seems to import that he acted as a Judge but by an extraordinary motion which made him kill the Offenders with his own Hands without a Judicial Process against them And took a Javelin in his hand Or a Sword as Josephus calls it which he snatcht out of the hand of Moses as the tradition is in Pirke Elieser cap. 47. Verse 8 Ver. 8. And he went after the Man of Israel into the Tent. It is an unusual word in the Hebrew which we translate Tent importing a private secret place like a Cave as Kubba or Kobba is thought to signifie which the Arabians call Alcobba From whence comes the word Alcove which signifies as Bochart observes conclave camerati operis quo lectus circumdatur A Room of arched Work which incloses a Bed in it See his Hierozoicon Pars I. p. ult And thrust both of them through the Man of Israel and the Woman This he did saith Philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the command of Moses But should rather have said by a Divine Instigation which he followed when the rest of the Judges were afraid as some conceive to meddle with so great a Man as Zimri was And upon this Fact the Jews ground that which they call the Judgment of Zeal which authorized them who were full of Zeal to punish such as blasphemed God or prophaned the Temple c. in the presence of ten Men of Israel without a formal Process against them Thus Matthias killed a Jew who sacrificed after the manner of the Greeks 1 Maccab. II. 24. and three hundred others were killed by their Country-men as is related in the Book commonly called the Third Book of Maccabees And upon the pretence of such Zeal St. Stephen was stoned and St. Paul intended to be killed c. as Grotius
Command In the first Month on the fifteenth day of the first Month on the morrow after the Passover Which they had kept in Egypt on the Fourteenth XII Exod. 46. The Children of Israel went out of Egypt with an high hand XIV Exod. 8. In the sight of the Egyptians Who thrust them out XII Exod. 39. Ver. 4. For the Egyptians buried all their first-born Verse 4 They were so terrified with the sudden Death of all their First-born that they pressed them to be gone lest they should be slain also XII Exod. 33. And were so employed in Mourning for them and giving them decent Burial that they thought not of pursuing the Israelites till some days after Which the LORD had smitten among them At midnight between the fourteenth and fifteenth days XII Exod. 29. Vpon their Gods also the LORD executed Judgment Which still more astonished them XII Exod. 12. XVIII 11. 2 Sam. VII 23. just as he did with Babylon afterwards XXI Isa 9. Ver. 5. And the Children of Israel removed from Rameses Verse 5 and pitched in Succoth XII Exod. 37. Here they received the Command to set apart all the First-born unto the LORD in memory of God's sparing them when he slew all the First-born of the Egptians XIII Exod. 1 12 13 c. Verse 6 Ver. 6. And they departed from Suecoth and pitched in Etham c. See XIII Exod. 20. where it immediately follows That they were conducted hither by a miraculous Cloud which ever after led them in all their Journeys Verse 7 Ver. 7. And they removed from Etham and turned again unto Piha-hiroth So it is expresly recorded XIV Exod. 2. Hither they were led on purpose that they might see the wonderful Power and Goodness of God in a place where they had high Mountains on each side of them and the Army of Pharaoh behind them and the Red-Sea before them Through which God made them a passage rather than let them fall again under the Egyptian Tyranny Here is also the Singular Number for the Plural in the word turned again as was observed before in another word XXXII 25. but the observation of the Hebrew Doctors upon it seems to be frivolous That with one heart they did what Moses commanded Which is before Baal-Zephon and they pitched before Migdol This is explained in XIV Exod. 2. Verse 8 Ver. 8. And they departed from before Piha-hiroth and passed through the midst of the Sea XIV Exod. 23. Where Pharaoh and his Host were drowned as they could not but call to mind when they read this brief History Which it might be expected would also call to remembrance their own distrust of God notwithstanding which he most graciously delivered them XIV Exod. 11 12 c. Into the Wilderness and went three days journey in the Wilderness of Etham Called in XV Exod. 22. the Wilderness of Shur where they were very much distressed for want of Water And pitched in Marah Where God obliged them by a new Miracle in making the bitter Water sweet XV Exod. 23 25. Ver. 9. And they removed from Marah and came to Verse 9 Elim and in Elim were twelve Fountains of Water c. See XV Exod. ult Ver. 10. And they removed from Elim and encamped Verse 10 by the Red Sea Not by that part of it where they lately came out of it but by a more Southerly part of it where it bends towards Arabia For the Red Sea which Ptolomy calls the Arabian Gulph runs a long way like the Adriatick now called the Gulph of Venice or the Baltick Sea as David Chytraeus observes Who compares these three together as much of a length and all in some places broader and some narrower This Station is not mentioned in the Book of Exodus Ver. 11. And they removed from the Red Sea and Verse 11 encamped in the Wilderness of Sin XVI Exod. 1. where Manna first began to rain upon them with which God fed them forty years Ver. 12. And they took their journey out of the Wilderness Verse 12 of Sin and encamped in Dophkah This and the next Station Alush are not mentioned in Exodus because nothing remarkable it is supposed fell out in these two places as there did in the next And they made no long stay there Ver. 13. And they departed from Dophkah and encamped Verse 13 in Alush The Jewish Doctors find something remarkable here though Moses saith nothing of it For as the Sabbath was first commanded at Marah which was their fifth Station so it was first observed here at Alush as they fancy which was their Tenth And more than that this was the only Sabbath in their opinion which they exactly kept the very next being prophaned See Selden Lib. III. de Jure Nat. Gentium c. cap. 11. Lib. II. de Synedr cap. 1. The Author of Sepher Cosri saith the ancient Tradition is That at this place the Manna first descended P. II. sect 20. Verse 14 Ver. 14. And they removed from Alush and encamped at Rephidim XVII Exod. 1. Where was no Water for the People to drink And thereby an occasion given to the Almighty Goodness to shew his wonderful Power in bringing Water out of a Rock for them v. 5 6. And here also Amalek lay in wait for Israel in the way when they came out of Egypt 1 Sam. XV. 2. and smote some that lag'd behind XXV Deut. 16. but were vanquished by Joshua in a pitcht Battle XVII Exod. 8 9 c. And here Jethro also came to see Moses and gave him advice about the government of the People with more ease both to himself and them XVIII Exod. Verse 15 Ver. 15. And they departed from Rephidim and pitched in the Wilderness of Sinai XIX Exod. 1 2. This was forty seven days after they came from Rameses on the first day of the third Month. Three days after which viz. on the fiftieth day after they came out of Egypt God gave them his Law from Mount Sinai Where Moses was called up to him and staid with him twice forty days And was instructed there how to make the Tabernacle and to set it up when it was made with all the Furniture belonging to it All sorts of Sacrifices were ordered while they remained in this Place Priests consecrated Laws given about clean and unclean things and about Marriages and Feasts and the Year of Jubilee with several other things mentioned in the Book of Leviticus Here also the People were numbred their encampment ordered a second Passover kept Laws given about the Water of Jealousie and the Nazarites with several other Matters And then after they had lain here eleven Months and twenty days they are commanded to leave this famous Station the most remarkable of all other X Numb 11 12. Ver. 16. And they removed from the Desert of Sinai Verse 16 and pitched at Kibroth-hattaavah A place in the Wilderness of Paran three days Journey from Mount Sinai X Numb 23. XI 34. where there was a dreadful
Verse 14 Ver. 14. And they shall put upon it all the Vessels thereof c. That they might be carried with it The Censers the Flesh-hooks and the Shovels and the Basons Here the Censers are put first which are mentioned last in XXVII Exod. 3. where this word is translated Fire-pans Others understand by it Tongs All the Vessels of the Altar Immediately after these words we find there follows in two places the Laver and his foot XXXV Exod. 16. XXXIX 39. Where in the very same verse the Laver is mentioned with the Altar and its Vessels and immediately follows them in two other XXXVIII Exod. 7 8. XL. 30. The reason why it is not mentioned here is perhaps because he names only those things upon which the Sons of Aaron were to put a Covering and this it is likely was carried without one And put to the staves of it XXVII Exod. 6 7. XXXVIII 6 7. Verse 15 Ver. 15. And when Aaron and his Sons have made an end of covering the Sanctuary and all the Vessels c. This work was to be performed by them alone and the Levites were not to meddle with any of these things till they had done After that the Sons of Kohath shall come to bear it For all the fore-mentioned things belonging to the Sanctuary were to be carried by them even the Ark it self Which they carried so that all the People might see it went along with them For the Rings being fastned to the bottom of the Ark see XXV Exod. 12. when the Staves were on their Shoulders it appeared on high To represent saith R. Bechai him that is most highly exalted over all The Priests indeed might carry the Ark being more than Levites XXXI Deut. 9. and accordingly we find that upon extraordinary Occasions they did as when they went over Jordan III Josh 14. and when Jericho was besieged VI. 6. Some think also when David as he fled from Absalom sent the Ark back 2 Sam. XV. 29. But it appears from ver 24. that there is no certainty of that especially since when he brought it from the House of Obed-Edom he not only employed the Levites in it but declared none else ought to bear it 1 Chron. XV. 2 15 27. He bid the Priests indeed as well as the Levites sanctifie themselves for this Work For ye saith he to the Priests v. 12. are the chief of the Fathers of the Levites but they seem to have been present only to see the Levites perform their Charge and to accompany the Ark as David himself did But they shall not touch any holy thing lest they die Some imagine they were not to touch these things till they were covered by the Priests But it is more likely that even then they were not to touch them but only the Staves or the Bar wherein they were carried Especially the Ark which is here principally meant by the holy thing the word any not being in the Hebrew whose Staves only they touched and lifted it up by putting them upon their Shoulders These things are the burden of the Sons of Kohath in the Tabernacle of the Congregation When it was removed for at other times they had nothing to do with these things Which are here called their Burden as verse 4. they are called their Service to show the nature of their Service which required the Strength of grown Men v. 3. Verse 16 Ver. 16. And to the Office of Eleazar the Son of Aaron the Priest pertaineth the Oyl for the Light c. It is commonly thought that he is required to carry this and the other things that follow in this Verse himself But if all things be considered it will appear more reasonable to think that he who was the Chief of all the Chiefs over the Levites III. 32. is peculiarly required to see the Kohathites did their Duty For though they had a Chief over them whose work it was to inspect them III. 30. yet God thought good to appoint Eleazar to supervise both him and all under him in these weighty Concerns And so the Words may be interpreted out of the Hebrew The over-sight of Eleazar the Son of Aaron the Priest shall be the Oyl c. the over-sight of all the Tabernacle and of all that is therein c. And there is the greater reason thus to understand it because the Oyl-Vessels are before committed to the Kohathites v. 9. and consequently the Oyl it self which could not be carried but in the Vessels The sweet Incense Mentioned XXX Exod. 34. And the daily Meat-offering See XXIX Exod. 40 41. And the anointing Oyl XXX Exod. 23 c. These were not named before but it is here laid upon Eleazar to see that they were as carefully carried by the Kohathites as any other things belonging to the Sanctuary Ver. 17. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Verse 17 unto Aaron saying The things before-mentioned especially the Ark were so sacred that he repeats the Admonition he had given about the danger of Irreverence to it Which he here represents in a frightful manner Ver. 18. Cut ye not off Do not by your Negligence Verse 18 occasion the Destruction of a great many Persons The Tribe of the Family of the Kohathites from among the Levites A considerable part of the Tribe of Levi viz. the Family of the Kohathites who were near a third part of it Ver. 19. But do thus for them that they may live and Verse 19 not die Proceed in this manner to prevent so great a Mischief as their Destruction When they approach unto the most holy things Come to take up the Ark Which is meant by the Holy of Holies See v. 4. Aaron and his Sons shall go in And cover the Ark and the rest of the things within the Sanctuary as is before-directed And appoint them every one to his Service and to his Burden And then allot to every one his share in this work That is to carry such particular things as they think most proper for them Ver. 20. But they shall not go in to see They might Verse 20 go into the most Holy place when not only the Glory of the LORD was removed but the Ark and Mercy-Seat upon its Removal were covered by the Priests for then the Place where they lay covered was no longer holy but they might not come in to see the Priests cover them which was to be done before they approached When the holy things are covered In the Hebrew it is in the singular Number when the holy or holy thing is covered i. e. the Ark as the Jews generally understand it And that with great reason as any one may be satisfied who will take the pains to compare the 1 Kings VIII 8. with 2 Chron. V. 9. Where that which in the former place is called the Holy in the latter is called the Ark. Lest they die They might not under pain of Death either see it when it was covered or touch it afterward v. 15. but
only carry it in the manner there described Verse 21 Ver. 21. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying He was principally concerned in this but Aaron was also joined with him to see the Execution of what is here required v. 1.19 34. Verse 22 Ver. 22. Take also the Sum of the Sons of Gershon c. The eldest Son of Levi III. 17. who though they were employed in lower Services were to account it an Honour to serve about the Tabernacle Verse 23 Ver. 23. All that enter in to perform the Service I do not understand why this should not be translated as v. 2. into the Host For it is the very same Phrase in the Hebrew both here and there only here more emphatical by doubling the word for Host And therefore may very properly be translated in this place that enter in to war the Warfare For the Service of the Gershonites was more burthensome than the former though they were fewer in number ver 36 40. Ver. 24. This is the Service of the Families of the Gershonites Verse 24 Which were only two III 18. 21. To serve and for Burdens To serve when the Tabernacle rested and to carry Burdens when it removed See v. 47. Ver. 25. And they shall bear the Curtains of the Tabernacle Verse 25 The ten fine Curtains which were the inward Hangings of the Tabernacle XXVI Exod. 1 2 c. Which I suppose were taken down as well as carried by the Gershonites because nothing is said here of Aaron or his Sons being employed to make them ready for carriage And the Tabernacle of the Congregation his Covering Not the Boards of the Tabernacle which were the Charge of the Children of Merari v. 31. but the eleven Curtains of Goats-hair which covered the Boards XXVI Exod. 7 8 c. And the Covering of Badgers Skins which is upon it The outward Covering of all which was of Rams Skins dyed Red and Badgers Skins as we translate it XXVI Exod. 14. And the Hanging for the Door of the Tabernacle Which is described in the Conclusion of the same Chapter XXVI Exod. 36. Ver. 26. And the Hangings for the Court XXVII Exod. 9 c. And the Hanging for the Gate of the Door of the Court. See XXVII Exod. 16. Which is by the Tabernacle and the Altar round about The Sense would have been more plain if the Particle al which we translate by had been translated upon or over for the Court encompassed both the Tabernacle and the Altar XL Exod. 6 7 8. And their Cords Which were employed in fastning these Hangings And all the Instruments for their service The brazen Pins I suppose mentioned XXVII Exod. 19. And all that is made for them And whatsoever else belonged to them See III. 26. So shall they serve Or in that shall they serve Verse 27 Ver. 27. At the appointment of Aaron and his Sons shall be all the Service of the Sons of the Gershonites c. In the Hebrew it is at the Mouth of Aaron c. i. e. according to their Order every one of the Gershonites were to apply themselves to such Services as they directed For God had given the Levites to them to be their Ministers and keep their Charge III. 6 7. And ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their Burdens The word here for appoint seems to import that the Priests gave them a Particular as we speak of what they were to do that they might neither forget nor mistake For it is the same word that is used in the beginning of this Book I. 3. for numbring the People and so it is used here v. 34 47 48. Therefore the Vulgar translates these words Et sciant singuli cui debeant operi mancipari and every Man may know what is his proper business Which is the Sense of the LXX also And affords an excellent Instruction to all Men to follow diligently the business of their own Callings not to meddle with other Mens nor to think themselves fit to undertake every thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aristotle speaks in his Politicks L. III. One work is best performed by one Person Ver. 28. And their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the Son of Aaron the Priest That is under Verse 28 the Direction and Conduct of Ithamar For though the Gershonites had a Chief of their own III. 24. yet Ithamar was to inspect both him and them and see they did not neglect their Duty Thus Eleazar was set over the Kohathites v. 16. Ver. 29. As for the Sons of Merari thou shalt number Verse 29 them after their Families c. Which were but two III. 33. as those of Gershon were Ver. 30. Every one that entreth into the Service Verse 30 The words in the Hebrew are the very same with those v. 3. which we translate enter into the Host See there Ver. 31. This is the charge of their Burden c. Verse 31 The most cumbersome things fell to their charge which here follow The Boards of the Tabernacle See XXVI Exod. 15 c. And the Bars thereof See there v. 26 c. And the Pillars thereof See in the same place v. 32. and XXXVI 36. And Sockets thereof These belonged both to the Boards of the Tabernacle XXVI Exod. 19 21 25. and to the Pillars XXVI Exod. 32. XXXVIII 27. Ver. 32. And the Pillars of the Court round about Verse 32 XXVII Exod. 10 11 12. And their Sockets See there And their Pins V. 19. and XXXVIII 20. And their Cords XXXV Exod. 18. XXXIX 40. By name ye shall reckon the Instruments of the charge of their Burden The Priests particularly Ithamar were to give them an Inventory of these things Expressing by name every Pin for instance and to what use and in what place it served Because otherwise such small things might have been lost if they had not taken a special care of them and they might not have been able to set up the Tabernacle again when they rested for want of them Verse 33 Ver. 33. This is the Service of the Families of the Sons of Merari according to all their Service in the Tabernacle of the Congregation In taking down and carrying the Tabernacle Vnder the hand of Ithamar c. Who had the over-sight both of the Gershonites and the Merarites As Eleazar had of the Kohathites v. 16 28. Verse 34 Ver. 34. And Moses and Aaron and the Chief of the Congregation They took to their assistance the very same Men I suppose who were employed in the numbring all the Children of Israel Chap. I. 4. 16 17. Numbred the Sons of the Kohathites c. Having assigned to them their particular Charge they now proceed to number them as God commanded v. 2 3. Verse 35 Ver. 35. Every one that entreth into the Service Or as we translate it v. 3. entreth into the Host Verse 36 Ver. 36. And those that were numbred of them by their Families were Two thousand seven hundred and fifty Of