That is if you do not punish him according to that Law before given Exod. 22. 18. Thoâ— shalt not suffer a witch to live Verâ— 9. For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death This word for hath reference to the foregoing exhortation sanctiâ—ie your selves and be ye holy c. and it must be extended also to all the parâ—icular penall statutes that follow in this chapter as if it had been said For if you do not sanctifie your selves and keep my statutes behold thus and thus as you shall now hear have I in all those following particulars appointed you to be punished The Law that is first here delivered is for the putting of him to death that curseth his father or his mother which is not meant of every wayward word but of such reviling speeches as they might plainly perceive proceeded from a manifest contempt of their parents of which see Exod. 21. 17. By what manner of death they were to die it is not expressed Some conceive that because stoning is appointed both in the beginning and end of the chapter as may be seen ver 2. and ver 27. therefore in all other places of this chapter where no other kind of death is expressed this of stoning is intended But however in this particular of children that cursed their parents we may the rather think it was so because elsewhere this kind of death is appointed for rebellious children Deut. 21. 20 21. His bloud shall be upon him That is he is the cause of his own death which is added to shew that however men may think this Law too severe yet he hath deserved this punishment and must therefore undergo it Verâ— 10. He that committetâ— adultery with his neighbours wife the adulterer and the adulteresse shall surely be put to death Namely by stoning as it may probably be gathered from these places Deut. 22. 22 23 24. If a damsell that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband and a man find her in the citie and lie with her Then ye shall bring them both unto the gate of the citie and ye shall stone them with stones that they die and so also Deut. 16. 38 40. and John 8. 4 5. The words of this Law are onely expresse for the adultery of the wife and so they are also Deut. 22. 23 24. Nor do we any where reade that the husband breaking the covenant of marriage by lying with a single woman was punished with death and that because the adultery of the wife in some degrees is more injurious to the husâ—and by causing him to father a bastard brood Vers 14. And if a man take a wife and her mother â—t is wickednesse they shall be burnt with fire both he and they That is the man and both mother and daughter married to him if both consented to this wickednesse or either of them indifferently whether mother or daughter that is taken to the other And the severity of the punishment was to shew the â—ainousnesse of the sinne Vers 15. And if a man lie with a beast he shall surely be pâ—t to death and ye shall sâ—ay the beast Both to shew how horrible and detestable that fact was as likewise that the â—ight of such a beast being unfit for other imployments also for no man would willingly keep such an one might not bring to remembrance so filthy a sin Vers 16. They shall surely be put to death their bloud shall be upon them That is both the woman and the man before spoken of that are found guilty of this unnaturall sinne of beastiality Vers 17. And if a man shall take his sister c. In this law concerning the punishment of incest between the brother the sister there is mention made of their seeing one anothers nakednesse whereby either nothing else is intended but what in other Laws is called uncovering their nakednesse or else because this might happen this is added to shew the hainousnesse of the sinne and how justly it is appointed to be punished with death The manner of their death is not expressed and therefore happely that was left to the Magistrate or else it was stoning as is noted before upon ver 9. onely it is said they shall be cut off in the sight of their people whereby is intended that they were immediately to be put to death and that openly for a warning to others and that if the Magistrate should forbear to cut them off then the Lord himself would do it Vers 18. And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sicknesse c. That is if he doth it wittingly for if he did it unwittingly he was onely rendred unclean thereby and was to be purified and to make an atonement for himself according to the direction of other Laws Vers 19. They shall bear their iniquities That is they shall be cut off for the puniâ—hment of incest being expressed in other places here it suffices to expresse their guiltinesse Vers 20. They shall bear their â—inne they shall die childlesse That is they shall presently be put to death Here the phrase is thus carried to shew that one reason why the Lord appointed such to be cut off was that the Land might not be filled with the issue of such unclean mixture CHAP. XXI Vers 1. THere shall none be defiled for thâ— dead among his people That is none of the inferiour priests shall by reason of mourning for the dead defile themselves to wit by touching their dead bodies or being in the house where their dead bodies were or coming nigh them aâ—d so consequently being present at their funeralls c. And severall reasons may be given why this was forbidden 1. that they might not too frequently be thereby disabled from attending the work of their prieâ—â—ly office 2. that hereby it might be seen that there was a higher degree oâ— holinesse required in the priests then in the rest of the people 3. that they might be the clearer types of the Messias who should be so exactly holy 4. that their refâ—aining to mourn might be a reall inâ—â—ruction to the people of the hope of the resurrection and 5. to teach us what purity is required in those that are by Christ made priests unto God Rev. 1. 6. Vers 2. But for his kinne that is near to him that is for his mother and for his father c. Amongst others here expressed for whom the priests might defile themselves the brother is one But why then were Eleazar and Ithamar the sonnes of Aaron forbidden to bewail the death of Nadab and Abihu their brethren Lev. 10. 6. Uncover not your heads neither rend your clothes leâ—t you die c. I answer that charge was extraordinary and peculiar 1. Because hereby they were required to testifie their submission to that severe proceeding of the Lord against their brethren and 2. Because they were newly that day entred upon the execution of their priestly office for
remain all night on the tree but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day c. To wiâ— whether he were hanged alive or dead as those Kings were Josh 10. 26. And afterward Joshua smote them and slew them and hanged them on five trees and they were â—anging upon the trees untill the evening And this they were enjoyned to do first lest they should by being inured to look daily on the dead carcases of men become mercilesâ—e and cruel and make light of killing men and secondly that the land might not be defiled by that monument of Gods curse remaining upon it visibly And thus were the people taught to look upon death as the wages of sinne the curse of the Law For he that is hanged is accursed of God Since the death of any malefactour might be a monument of Gods curse for sinne it may be questioned why this brand is peculiarly set upon this kind of punishment that he that is hanged is accursed of God To which I answer that the reason of this was becaâ—sâ— this was esteemed the most shamefull the most dishonourable and infamous of all kinds of death and was usually therefore the punishment of those that had by some notorious wickednesse provoked God to poure out his wrath upon the whole land and so were hanged up to appease his wrath as we may see in the hanging of those Prinâ—es that were guilty of committing whoredome with the daughters of Moab Numb 25. 4. and iâ— the hanging of those sonnes of Saul in the dayes of David when there was a famine in the land because of Sauls perfidious oppressing of the Gibeonites 2. Sam. 21. 6. Nor was it without cause that this kind of death was both by the Israelites and other nations esteemed the most shamefull and accursed because the very manner of the death did intimate that such men as were thus executed were such execrable and accursed wretches that they did defile the earth with treading on it and would pollute the earth if they should die upon it and thereâ—ore weâ—e so trussed up in the aire as not fit to be amongst men and that others might look upon them as men made spectacles of Gods indignation and curâ—e because of the wickednesse they had committed which was not done in other kinds of death and hence it was that the Lord God would have his son the Lord Christ to suffer this kind of death that even hence it might be the more evident that in his death he bare the curse due to our sinnes according to that of the Apostle Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on the tree CHAP. XXII Vers 1. THou shalt not see thy brothers ox or his â—heep go astray and hide thy self from them c. That is thou shalt not upon any pretence withhold thine help yea though he be thine enemy for that is also expressed Exod. 23. 4. If thou meet thine enemies ox or his asse going astray thou shalt surely bring it back to him again and hereby we are taught that much more we must perform this office of love to our brethren even to seek the conversion of them that are out of the way James 5. 19 20. Brethren if any of you do erre from the truth and one convert him Let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the crrour of his way shall save a soul from death and hide a multitude of sinnes Vers 2. And if thy brother be not nigh unto thee or if thou know him not c. Here two cases are resolved that might be questioned to wit what they were to do in case the owners of such cattel as they found going astray did either dwell farre off from them or were altogether unknown to them and the answer is that in such cases they were to drive the cattel home to their own houses till the owners did fetch them away and so in case they knew the owners it must needs also be implyed that they were to send them word of the cattel they had taken up though they dwelt farre off but if they knew not the owners then indeed they were to keep them till the owners themselves did seek out for them Vers 5. The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man c. Under this all manlinesse is forbidden in women and all effeminatenesse in men either in their attire or in the ordering of their hair of which the Apostle speaks 1. Cor. 11. 4 14. or any thing of like nature as that 1. Cor. 14. 34. Let your women keep silence in the churches for it is not permitted unto them to speak Vers 7. But thou shalt in any wise let the damme go and take the young to thee c. The end of this law was first to teach them alwayes in the least things to have respect to the publick good and to preferre that before their own private satisfaction as here they were forbidden to destroy the damme when it was breeding time because she might ere long have other young ones and so might still continue the store of birds for the good of others and secondly to shew them how well God was pleased that his people should be mercifull and pitifull and how â—e abâ—orred all cruelty and hardheartednesse in that he would not allow them to kill the damme when they took away her egges or her young ones because this might seem a kind oâ— cruelty and unmercifulnesse towards the poore creature that did suâ—fer enough already in the losse of her young ones that were so precious to her Vers 8. When thou buildest a new house then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof The houses of the Israelites were alwayes built flat on the tops and so they used to be much on the tops of their houses both to recreate themselves there and for many other occasions Whence is that of our Saviour Matth. 10. 27. What ye hear in the ear that preach ye on the house tops Here therefore they are enjoyned alwayes to make battlements round about their house tops to prevent the casuall falling of any body from thence and consequently also under this one particular they were enjoyned to prevent what in them lay all occasions of bloudshed or of any other evil that through their default might redound unto their brethren Vers 9. Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds c. The main and principall end of this and the two following laws against plowing with an ox and an asse and against wearing garments of linsey-wolsey was I conceive one and the same to wit to teach them what exact pâ—rity and sincerity God required in them that were his peculiar people and how hatefull to God all mixtures were in spirituall things There was not in it self any evil at all in wearing a garment made of linen and wollen together nor was
is inserted as an instance or example how the foregoing Law was put in execution concerning those that did presumptuously transgresse and refuse to conform themselves to the Law in the outward duties of Gods worship and service so that his punishment was for the willfull contempt of that Law Vers 34. And they put him in ward because it was not declared what should be done to him That the Sabbath-breaker was to die they knew see Exod. 31. 14. and 35. 2. but by what death he should die or whether this gathering of sticks made him obnoxious to that sentence that they were not fully resolved in Evident it seems it was that he had done it presumptuously yet it was doubtfull whether this fact were within the compasse of that Law or no. And therefore Moses inquires not willing to take away his life without certain direction from the mouth of God Vers 38. Speak unto the children of Israel and bid them that they make them fringes c. The main end of these fringes was to put them in mind of the commandments of God as it is afterwards expressed ver 29. that every time they looked upon their garments and saw those fringes they might by the help of this memoriall remember that they were Gods peculiar people consecrated to his service and bound to his Laws and therefore might not walk as others after their own wayes and therefore it was that the Pharisees to the end they might seem religious above others did make the fringes on their garments so very broad Mat. 23. 5. They enlarge saith our Saviour the border of their garments or the fringes of their garments for so the originall word may well be translated Yea and our Saviour himself did conform himself to this Law as appears Luke 8. 44. where it is said that the woman that had the issue of bloud touched the border or the fringe of his garment And that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue This heaven-coloured ribband taught them the heavenly affection they should have to all the Law and how holy their conversation should be Vers 39. And it shall be unto you for a fringe that ye may look upon it c. That is this is the end of making these fringes that ye may look upon them and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them that is that the sight of this fringe may put you in mind to keep them and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes after which you use to go a whoring that is that ye may not find out any superstitious in ventions of your own devising in my worship which who so doth goes a whoring from God but may content your selves with that which is prescribed by the Law So that this was more particularly the end of these fringes that they might be restrained from their own devices in the worship of God and kept to the direction of his Law CHAP. XVI Vers 1. NOw Korah the sonne of Izhar the sonne of Kohath the sonne of Levi c. Moses here names the ring-leaders in a dangerous insurrection that was made against him and Aaron his brother Korah is set in the first place as the first mover of this sedition which is therefore called the gainsaying of Core Jude 11. and ver 23. because it was all occasioned by him shall one man sinne said Moses to the Lord and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation A Levite he was and cosen-german to Moses and Aaron for Amram the father of Moses and Aaron and Izhar the father of this Korah were brothers the sonnes of Kohath as it is evident Exod. 6. 18. And probable enough it may seem to be which the Hebrews say that this Korah had long since taken offence that Elizaphan was by Moses preferred to be Prince of the families of the Kohathites chap. 3. 30. whereas he was of the youngest brother Uzziel and Korah was of Izhar â—lder then he which grudge however it lay buried for a time yet now it brake forth and nothing lesse then priesthood will content him and his abetters With Korah are joyned here Dathan and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab and On the sonne of Peleth all sonnes of Reuben who were ring-leaders of this rebellion amongst the people as Korah was amongst the Levites and indeed because the Reubenites encamped next to the Kohathites both on the South-side of the tabernaclâ— hereby Korah had the better opportunity to perswade the Reubenites to joyn with them and besides under a pretence of Reubens birthright they were happe'y the more easily drawn to oppose Moses as intending to challenge that the government belonged to them also Vers 2. Two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly famous in the congregation men of renown That is they were magistrates statesmen famous and renowned whereby the conspiracy was the more dangerous Vers 3. Ye take too much upon you seeing all the congregation are holy c. And therefore may approch to God and offer their sacrifices themselves Hereby therefore they challenge Moses of partiality in tying the priesthood to his brother Aarons posterity It is most probable which is generally held by Interpreters that the Reubenites did intend under the pretence of Reubens birthright to wrest the supreme magistracy from Moses to themselves and therefore might here charge not Aaron onely but Moses also with taking too much upon them But doubtlesse for the present they made the quarrel onely about the priesthood nor was it so much to make all the Levites equall with Aaron and his sonnes though that happely the Levites did hope would prove the issue of it seek ye the priesthood also said Moses ver 10. as that all the people might as priests offer their own sacrifices and therefore all the two hundred and fifty conspiratours who were of severall tribes were appointed to come with their censers to burn incense before the Lord and concerning Dathan and Abiram who were Reubenites it is said ver 15. when Moses sent for them and they refused to come to him that Moses was very wroth with them and said unto the Lord Respect not thou their offerings which must needs be meant of the incense they were to offer yea and in the following chapter the laying up of the rods of all the tribes before the Lord that the Lord might shew that none but Aaron and his family might meddle with the work of the priesthood makes it most evident that the plea of these men was that all the tribes might offer their sacrifices unto the Lord. Wherefore then lift you up your selves above the congregation of the Lord Though at first they pretend nothing but an equall right to the priesthood yet these generall words of expostulation do in a manner intimate that they meant to wrest the government from Moses also Vers 4. And when Moses heard it he fell upon his face See chap. 14. 5. Vers 5. Even
or none shut up in houses towers or cities to escape the enemie and none left escaped from destruction and so this phrase is elsewhere used 1. Kings 14. 10. The meaning is that when they are in a manner utterly overthrown and ruined then will God come to their help for indeed such extremities are usually the best opportunities which God takes of shewing mercie to his people See 2. Kings 14. 25 26. Vers 37. And he shall say Where are their gods their rock in whom they trusted c. Some understand this of the gods of the heathen the enemies of his people to wit that the Lord by destroying those heathen people should as it were triumph over their idol-gods that could no way help them when God came to take vengeance on them But it is better understood by others as spoken to his people and that by way of upbraiding them for their follie in forsaking him the everliving God to follow after those idol-gods that were able to do nothing for them in the time of their danger And he shall say Where are their gods c. which did eat the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their drink-offerings the meaning is that God by suffering the enemies of the Israelites to bring them to so low an ebbe that there should be none â—â—ut up or left as was said in the foregoing verse the Lord would discover to them what a grosse folly it was in them to go after those idol-gods and to give them the sâ—crifices which they should have offered to him for as for that phrase of their idol-gods eating the fat of their sacrifices c. all that is intended therein is onely that their sacrifices were offered to them as meat and drink-offerings as in that regard the sacrifices which God required of his people are called the food of his meat-offerings Vers 39. See now that I even I am he and there is no God with me I kill and I make alive c. As if he had said by the experience you now have had both of the blisse you enjoyed whilest you served me and of the miseries I brought upon you when you fell away to idolatry from which your idol-gods were no way able to free you by the experience I say that you have had of these things you may plainly see that I am the onely true God and that there is none elâ—e can do either good or hurt Vers 40. For I lift up my hand to heaven and say I live for ever God speaks here of himself after the manner of men who used in swearing to lift up their hands to heaven as a signe that they called God to witnesse the truth of what they said Gen. 14. 22. And Abram said to the King of Sodom I have lift up my hand unto the Lord the most high God the possessour of heaven and earth and thus God confirmeth his threatnings by an oath to shew the immutabiliâ—y of his counsel Heb. 6. 16 17. For men verily swear by the greater and an oath for coâ—firmation is to them an end of all strife Wherein God willing more abundantly to sâ—ew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmeth it by an oath Now the oath which God here takes is I live for ever that is as sure as I live for ever I will do that which I now say Vers 42. I will make my arrows drunk with bloud and that wiâ—h the bloud of the slain and of the captives That is both with the bloud of those that are slain and of those that are hurt in battel and so thereupon are taken captive From the beginning of revenges upon the enemy That is from the time that I began to take vengeance upon those that are both mine and my peoples enemies or from the time when I shall revenge upon the enemie all the wrongs which from the first beginning they have done unto my people implying that God doth for a while suffer the enemies to runne on without controul but at last when he begins to punish them he reckons with them for all the old score Vers 43. Râ—joyce O ye nations with his people for he â—ill avenge c. Both Jews and Gentiles are here exhorted to blesse God for this his goodnesse to his people in avenging them upon their enemies and in this exhortation is implyed first that this which God should do for the Israelites should be so wonderfull even in the eyes of the Heathen that they should speak of it to the magnifying of God and secondly that the time should come when both Jews and Gentiles should together rejoyce in the goodnesse of God to them his Church and people and therefore S. Paul alledgeth this plâ—ce to prove the calling of the Gentiles Rom. 15. 10. Vers 44. And Moses came and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people he and Hoâ—â—ea c. This was noted before chap. 31. 30. but is here again repeated by way of transition to that which follows and to note that Joshua their elect Judge stood by when this song was repeated by Moses as it were to assent to that which Moses said and did CHAP. XXXIII Vers 1. ANd this is the blâ—ssing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death In the former chapter vers 48. it is said tâ—at the very same day whereon Moses repeated that sad dreadfull song there recorded God commanded him to go up and die at mount Nebo but now he addes that yet before his death and therefore happely the same day also he pronounced these following propheticall blessings upon the severall tribes which he left amongst them as his last will and testament and by the sweetnesse thereof did much allay as it were the bitternesse of the former song Indeed the tribe of Simeon is not at all here mentioned and so all the posterity of Jacobs sonnes have their severall blessings allotted them except that tribe onely But that was because the tribe of Simâ—on was to have their portion in the midâ—t of the inheritance of the sonnes of Judah Josh 19. 1. whence it was that they went joyntly together to fight against the Canaanites Judg. 1. 3. and consequently the blessing oâ— this tribe is implyed in Judahs amongst whom they were to dwell and yet withall that was confirmed which Jacob at his death foretold concerning Simeon as the punishment of his sinne that he should be divided in Jacob and scattered in Israel As for the titlâ— which Moses here gives himself Moses the man of God thereby is meant the Prophet of the Lord and so he calls himself in this place purposely thereby to assure the Israelites that what he spake in these propheticall blessings he spake by authority from God and that therefore they were to receive them with no lesse assurance of faith no lesse confidence and comfort then if they had come immediately from God upon which ground
the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil Heb. 2. 14. whereby also all believers do become conquerours over those spirituall enemies of their souls And thou shalt bruise his heel This is meant 1. of the serpents lying in wait to sting and hurt mankind 2. of the devils assaulting Christ in his temptations aâ—flictions death and buriall and the faithfull in their temptations and troubles which to him and them is but as the bruising of the heel Vers 16. Vnto the woman he said I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception That is thy painfull conceptions or the sorrows of thy conceptions faintnesse sick fits perill of abortion c. Thy desire shall be to thy husband That is thy desire shall be subject to thy husband upon his will and pleasure all thy desire must depend For in this sense the same phrase is used Gen. 4. 7. concerning Abels subjection to Cain as the firstborn It istrue by the law of creation the woman should have lived in subordination under her husband should have been governed by him for Adam was first formed then Eve 1. Tim. 2. 13. and 1. Coâ— 11. 9. Man was not created for the woman but the woman for the man but being here denounced as a chastisement for sinne it implyeth a further degree of subjection then that which should have been by the law of Nature and Creation as indeed by reason of the corruption of our nature it is made every where somewhat irksome and hard to be born but amongst some a very yoke of bondage Vers 18. And thou shalt eat the herb of the field And so neither the herbs or fruits of Paradise Vers 21. Vnto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skinnes c. This may be meant of the Lords doing this presently before they were turned out of Paradise by the ministry of angels or how else it pleased him to wit that by the skinnes of slain beasts he made them garments and so clothed them therewith or rather that the Lord taught Adam and Eve and gave them directions how they should of the skinnes of beasts make themselves garments for the covering of their nakednesse and to shelter their bodies from the injury of the weather for seeing there is no question to be made but that the Lord did immediately teach them the worship of offering sacrifices as signes and types of that reconciliation and atonement which was to be expected in the promised seed and therefore we reade in the following chapter of the Sacrifices that were offered by Cain and Abel it cannot be thought improbable that withall direction was given to make them coats of the skins of the beasts slain However by this kind of clothing chosen for them they were taught betimes not to have so much respect to delicacy as to usefulnesse in attiring themselves 2. in the spoils of those dead beasts to wear the remembrances of their own mortality yea of that brutish condition whereinto by their sinne they were fallen And to this that bitter taunt seems to have reference in the following verse Behold the man is become as one of us to know good and evil c. Vers 22. And now lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life c. Some Expositours conceive that the fruit of the tree of life being eaten by man should have prevented all decay of naturall strength and have made him immortall or at least have kept him in perfect health and strength untill he was taken up from earth into heaven and that either by means of a created power and efficacy which to this end and purpose God had given to this fruit or by an extraordinary and supernaturall blessing which God had ordained should go along with the eating of this fruit and hence they say it was that when Adam and Eve had sinned God now resolved to turn them out of Paradise that they might not taste of the tree of life either in mercy to prevent their living for ever in misery or in judgement that the curse of Death which God had threatned as the reward of sinne might not be prevented by eating of this fruit But this conceit is justly rejected by the best Expositours It was no wayes possible that any created food should frustrate Gods decree that Death should be the wages of Sinne. Whatever effect might have followed upon the eating of this â—ruit had man continued in the state of Innocency yet when his body was dead because of sinne as the Apostle speaks Rom. 8. 10. it was not the eating of this fruit that could make his dead body to live for ever The true reason why the Lord cast Adam out of Paradise to prevent his eating of the tree of life was doubtlesse that having by his disobedience and sinne made himself liable to death he might not now meddle with this sacramentall seal of life and salvation which now because of sinne he had nothing to do with Onely as before the Lord had upbraided them for their vain affectation of being like unto him in that ironicall expression Behold the man is become as one of us to know good and evil meaning that by his sinne they were become most unlike him so in these words ironically he upbraids him after the same manner for that certainty of death he had brought upon himself determining to cast him out of the garden of Eden Lest saith the Lord he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live for ever not because there was any danger of his living for ever but in derision of any such hope or expectation if happily he should entertain any such motion as formerly of gaining an increase of knowledge by eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil Vers 24. And he placed at the East and of the garden c. Where was the entrance into Paradise there at the East end of the garden he placed Cherubims and a flaming sword that is Angels armed with a flaming sword for Moses useth this word that he might speak to the capacity of the Jews who had Cherubims figured in their temple to represent the angels CHAP IV. Vers 3. ANd in processe of time it came to passe c. Abel and Cain had been doubâ—lesse taught of God thus to worship him and therefore it is said Heb. 11. 4. that by faith to wit grounded on Gods word Abel offered sacrifice Vers 4. And the Lord had respect to Abel and to his offering This Cain perceived and therefore it was manifested by some outward signe either ordinary by giving good successe to Abel in all things and not to Cain or extraordinary as by sending fire from heaven to consume Abels sacrifice and not Cains as we see the like Levit. 9. 24. There came a fire out from before the Lord and consumed upon the Altar the burnt offering
and childrens children and shalt have remained long in the land and shall corrupt your selves and make a graven Image or the likenesse of any thing and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God to provoke him to anger I call heaven and earth to witnesse against you this day that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possesse it and then 3. that it is implyed here though not expressed I will give it saith the Lord to thy seed for ever implying that if once they began to degenerate and proved not a right faithfull seed John 8. 39. then he vvould be no longer tied to this promise CHAP. XIV ANd it came to passe in the dayes of Amraphel king of Shinar c. It is not possible certainly to determine vvho these kings vvere and vvhat their tecritories vvere but most probable it is that they vvere but onely governours of cities And Tidal king of Nations In the Hebrevv it is King of Gojim vvhich may be kept unchanged but the Greek and Chaldee translate it Nations It seemeth they vvere of sundry families or populous as Galilee in that regard is called Galilee of the Nations Isa 9. 1. Vers 3. All these were joyned together in the vale of Siddim which is the salt sea That is in the dayes of Moses vvhen he vvrote this history this vale of Siddim vvhere this battel vvas fought by the kings before named vvas become a lakeoâ— sea and called the Salt sea For after the destruction of Sodome and Gomorrah and those other cities that stood in this vale either by the confluence of many vvaters and brimstone into it being before full of slime pits or salt pits as some reade it vers 10. or by some other speciall and extraordinary vvork of God that it might remain a continuall monument of Gods fierce indignation against the vvicked inhabitants of that place it became a standing pool of putrid and unsavory vvaters and vvas therefore called the Salt sea Josh 3. 16. as likevvise the lake Asphaltites and the Dead sea because in those corrupt and stinking vvaters not so much as a fish could live yea as Histories report the birds that flevv over it vvere usually stifâ—ed vvith the noisome exhalations that did thence arise Vers 5. And smote the Rephaims A people in the land of Canaan Gen. 15. 20. And doubtlesse the chief reason vvhy Moses relateth hovv those foure confederate Kings did subdue and destroy both these and the other nations here mentioned is the more to magnifie the goodnesse of God to Abram in making him victorious over an army that had so easily before subdued and overrun so many strong and potent nations And the Emims A people inhabiting formerly the countrey vvhich after the Moabites possessed Deut. 2. 9 10. And the Lord said distresse not the Moabites c. For I will not give thee of their land for a possession c. The Emims dwelt there in times past Vers 6. And the Horites A people that dwelt in mount Seir untill the children of Esau drove them thence Deut. 2. 22. As he did to the children of Esau that dwelt in Seir when he destroyed the Horims from before them Vers 7. And smote all the countrey of the Amalekites That is all that countrey which in after-times was inhabited by the Amalekites Amalek of whom the Amalekites descended was the grand-child of Esau Gen. 36. 12. who was not yet born It was not therefore the Amalekites that were now subdued by these Kings but some other people that did now inhabit that countrey wherein afterward the Amalekites dwelt Vers 10. And the vale of Siddim was full of slime pits This is mentioned as that which was an hinderance in their slight and so a means of their greater losse And the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled and fell there That is were vanquished and overthrown there many of their souldiers slain many falling into those pits as we may well conceive they needs must being once routed and in that disorder chased by the enemie But the king of Sodom escaped we see vers 17. And the king of Sodom weâ—t out to meet him Vers 14. He armed his trained men This word trained may be meant both of civil military and religious discipline But however since these men that Abram now carried forth with him were armed for warre it is likely that he chose such of his men as were fittest for that service that had been trained up in the use of their arms and are in this sense therefore called his trained men Concerning the justice of this enterprise of Abrams some question may be made But for that we must consider that though Chederlaomer had a just quarrell against the king of Sodom and the other neighbouring kings whom he had now vanquished which cannot be certainly assirmed because it is not expressed upon what grounds they had now cast off his yoke having 12 years before been his vassals and tributaries yet Abrain undertaking this expedition onely for the rescuing of his kinsman Lot and that doubtlesse by the speciall instinct of the spirit of God this is abundantly enough to justifie what Abram now did in pursuing and vanquishing these kings that had taken Lot prisoner and were carrying away both him and his and all that they had And pursued them unto Dan. One of the springs of Jordan where was also a town afterward called by that name of Dan. Vers 18. And Melchisedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine That is He brought forth provision vvherewith to refresh both Abram and those that were with him for so the like phrase is used Deut. 23. 3 4. An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord because theâ— met you not with bread and with water in the way when you came forth out of Egypt Being one of the neighbouring kings of Canaan king of Salem which seems to be the same that was afterwards called Jerusalem Psal 76. 3. In Salem also is his tabernacle by way of congratulating Abrams victory over these kings whose prevailing power might otherwise have proved very prejudiciall to them all he brought forth provision of severall sorts wherewith to feast Abram and his confederates and their souldiers Mâ—ichisedek signifieth king of righteousnesse and king of Salem is by interpretation king of Peace In both which respects S. Paul makes this Melchisedek Heb. 7. 2. a type of Christ who is the King of his Church the king of Israel John 1. 49. and not onely perfectly righteous in his own person and therefore called Jesus Christ the righteous 1. John 2. 1. but also Rom. 10. 4. The end of the Law for râ—ghteousnesse to every one that believeth as was of old prophesied Jer. 23. 6. This is his name whereby he shall be called The Lord our righteousnesse and so likewise The Prince of peace Isa 9. 6. who hath by his death reconciled us unto God
how and in what manner they will revenge themselves upon those that have wronged them or else 2. because he chuckerd himself with some kind of hope by this means to recover his birthright again for indeed wicked men do usually harden themselves against the known word and will of God as we see in Saul who sought by all means to cut off David though he were fully convinced in his mind that God had chosen him 1. Sam. 18. 28. Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David yet he became Davids enemy continually Vers 45. Then I will send and fetch thee from thence Some Expositours conceive that though Rebekah hoped that Esaus anger would be soon forgotten yet it proved otherwise and that when Jacob had stayed in Padan-Aram about twenty years at his return Esaus malice was as hot and violent against him as ever had not God miraculously changed his heart which if it be granted no wonder it is though Rebekah sent not for Jacob all that time as here she promised him since she found it not safe and therefore was content to be without him rather then to hazard his life and so indeed never saw her Jacob again but dyed about three years before his return home Vers 45. Why should I be deprived also of you both in one day That is Jacob by being murdered and Esau by the vengeance of God which she knew would follow him because of that fact or by the sword of Justice for by the common law of Nations such an execrable murther would even then have been punished with death or at least by Esaus voluntary withdrawing himself from the presence of his Mother as not daring to look her any more in the face Vers 46. And Rebekah said to Isaac I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth c. That is Esaus wives which Gen. 26. 35. were a continuall grief of mind both unto Isaac and to Rebekah Because she would not grieve her husband in his old age nor enrage him against Esau she deemed it not best to impart to him what she had heard concerning his cruell and bloody resolution for the slaying of his brother but took another occasion to procure from Isaac that Jacob might be sent away to Padan-Aram to wit lest he should marry amongst the Canaanites as Esau had done to their great and continuall vexation and sorrow CHAP. XXVIII Vers 1. ANd Isaac called Jacob and blessed him Thus the blessing for the better confirming of Jacobs faith is by his father again settled upon him and indeed Jacob had need of it considering how many straits and difficulties he afterwards went through wherein notwithstanding the Prerogative of the blessing he might think himself in a farre vvorse condition then his brother Esau Vers 4. That thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger This is added to prevent the weaking of his faith that he might not think the blessing vain vvhen he should spend all his life as a stranger and sojourner in that land and never come to the possâ—ssion of any part of it It is as if he had said T is true thou shalt be as a stranger in this land vvandring here and there yet be not discouraged thine it is and to thy seed it shall be given Vers 9. Then went Esau unto Ishmael That is unto the Ishmaelites for Ishmael himself vvas already dead Gen. 25. 17. These are the years of the life of Ishmael 137 years and he gave up the ghost and died The sister of Nebajoth c. Nebajoth vvas Gen. 25. 13. the first born of Ishmael and here mentioned because Esau had his sister to vvife from him Ishmael being now dead And the ground of Esaus taking this vvife seems to be that either he might insinuate himself into his fathers affection and so procure that the birth-right might be reversed and settled upon him or at least that by this affinity vvith the Ishmaelites he might strengthen himself against his brother Jacob. Vers 11. And he lighted upon a certain place and tarried there all night because the sunne was set c. Travelling on foot with his staff in his hand as is expressed chap. 32. 10. he vvas overtaken vvith the night and could not get to the city Luz vvhich vvas not farre from this place ver 19. and so lay all night alone in the field It may vvell indeed seem strange that Jacob should be sent avvay to procure him a wife amongst his Mothers kindred in so mean a manner especially if we consider with what attendance and large provision Abraham sent his servant thither about the same businesse Gen. 24. But for this we must know 1. That since Abraham left Haran was come into the land of Canaan it was not known to his kindred he left there behind him how God had blessed Abraham and in what state and condition he lived and therefore it was fit that Abraham should send his servant in such a manner â—as might discover how wealthy he was become in Canaan that so they might the more willingly condescend to match with his sonne But since that time doubtlesse Bethuel and Laban knew well enough in what condition Isaac and Rebekah lived and therefore there was no need in this regard to send their sonne Jacob in such a manner 2. That Abrahams servant went to fetch a wife immediately for Isaac but Jacob went purposely to stay and sojourn with his uncle for a time till his brothers fury was over and therefore Rebekah might happely think it inconvenient to send any company along with him 3. That it is most likely that Jacob did steal away secretly purposely that his brother Esau might not lie in wait for him by the way to do him a mischief Vers 12. And he dreamed and behold a ladder c. The end of this vision was doubtlesse that God might testifie unto Jacob that he would take care of him and so might thereby comfort him in this his desolate condition and strengthen his faith against all those discouragements he should meet with in this journey There can be therefore no question made but that by this Ladder was signified the Providence of God in governing the world and particularly his provident care over Jacob and that as it is Psal 113. 5 6. Though God dwelleth on high yet he humbleth himself to behold the things that are in the heaven and in the earth and disposeth all things according to his will and that especially by the ministry of his Angels according to that of David Psal 91. 11 12. For he shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes they shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone But yet because Christ is the onely foundation of that reconciliation that is wrought betwixt God and Man and of that speciall care which God takes for the welfare of his Church and people in and through whom
not been lien with Prov. 9. 12. For she sitteth at the doore of her house on a seat in the high places of the street Vers 15. When Judah saw her he thought her to be an harlot because she had covered her face The meaning is not that he judged her to be an harlot because she had covered her face for this was a signe of modestie rather then of whorish impudency Gen. 24. 65. Rebekah took a veil and covered her self when she saw Isaac coming towards her but that seeing her set in such a manner in an open place as harlots used to do and doubtlesse in the dresse and attire of such light women he imagined she was an harlot and these words because she had covered her face are added to intimate what it was that made him thus to mistake being she was his daughter in law to wit because she was veiled and so her face being hidden he could not know her Vers 16. And she said What wilt thou give me This she said both as following the custome of harlots Ezek. 16. 33. They give gifts to all whores and also especially that she might have somewhat to witnesse by whom she had conceived if she proved to be with child It may seem somewhat strange that when she began to speak to him he should not know her by her voice but for this we must consider 1. that if she spake with a low and soft voice under a pretence of secrecy in that case a knovvn voice may be easily mistaken 2. that much art may be used by a subtile woman in changing the ordinary tone of her voice and speech 3. that Judah having now his lust inflamed and being carried away with a violent passion might easily be so farre blinded and transported as not to discern a fraud of this nature which he had no cause in the world to imagine or suspect Vers 24. And Judah said Bring her forth and let her be burnt By the law of God afterwards given to defile a betrothed woman which was here Tamars case in regard she was promised to Shelah and by the law he was to marry her was adultery and as adultery to be punished with death Deut 22. 23 24. If a Damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto her husband and a man find her in the citie and lie with her then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that citie and ye shall stone them with stones that they die And it seems such was the law and custome of these times yea though they were widows onely as by that law they were to be stoned so by the law in these times and places they were to be burned which Judah was very forward to presse against Tamar out of a desire to bâ— rid of her that he might be no longer in danger of her being married to his sonne Shelah yea so farre was he transported with his passion herein that he would have burnt which was against the light of nature both her and the fruit that was conceived in her womb Concerning Judahs power of pronouncing such a sentence against her the judgement of Expositours differs much 1. Some conceive that at this time in those countreys there was not that exact form of a Commonweal established amongst them as was afterwards in processe of time nor such a strict legall way in judiciall proceedings but that every one that vvas the head of a family had in his own family power of life and death and so Judah did indeed pronounce sentence of death against Tamar who belonged to his family which indeed may seem the more probable because vvhen being brought forth she had discovered by whom she was with child there was no further proceeding against her which shovvs the judgement was much in his power Nor is that argument of any great strength that is brought against this to wit that she dwelt now with her own father over whom Judah could have no such power to fetch her thence and punish her as he pleased since she might be fetched to Judah under some other pretence and then he might proceed against her But 2. others conceive that Judah had no such power to pronounce sentence against her but onely made known his will to have a strict course taken against her Bring her forth saith he and let her be burnt that is let her be carried before the magistrate and be punished with burning according to the law of the countrey And this indeed is the common opinion of the most Expositours Vers 25. When she was brought forth she sent to her father in law c. This she did being apprehended or brought forth to tryall either to stay his proceedings against her if Judah were to be her judge or at least some vvay to smother it before it came to a publick hearing Vers 26. She hath been more righteous then I. That is my fault vvas greater then hers I did it of mere lust she as provoked by my injustice because I gave her not to Shelah my sonne and so I vvas also the occasion of her sinne Vers 28. When she travelled the one put out his hand This shovvs that her labour vvas most hard and dangerous the child coming not according to the ordinary course of nature the Lord therein correcting both Tamar and Judah for their sinne And the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet threed As persvvading her self that she vvould have tvvins and that this vvould be the first born she ties a scarlet thred upon his vvrest that might be a mark to knovv him from the other a mark that to him belonged the primogeniture honour but herein she vvas deceived for this child vvho vvas aftervvards called Zarah drevv back his hand vers 29. and then the other came forth and vvas born first called thereupon Pharez vvho vvas to be the stock out of vvhom should come the promised seed and therefore as an obscure testimonie thereof contrary to the ordinary course of nature he brake out first Vers 29. This breach be upon thee That is the breach is thine thou hast made it and shalt carry the name of it upon thee for Pharez in the originall signifies a breach And indeed principally to shevv the birth of Pharez vvho vvas one of Christs progenitours vvere all these things here related concerning Judah there being nothing spoken of the marriage of the other sonnes of Jacob except Joseph and that because hereby vve may learn that it vvas of mere grace that this family the fruit of incest vvas chosen to be the stock from vvhence the Messiah should spring and that he vvill not reject great sinners that vvould be the sonne of those that vvere guilty of such infamous sinnes CHAP. XXXIX Vers 2. ANd he was in the house of his Master the Egyptian This is added to shew that though Gods blessing vvent along with him yet still he suffered him to be in servitude or else to expresse Josephs patient bearing
overturn overturn overturn it and it shall be no more untill he come whose right it is and I will give it him 2. That after their return from their captivity in Babylon though in the principalitie of Zorobabel and perhaps of some of his posterity there was a little reviving of the dignitie of Judahs tribe yet within few years the supreme yea the regall power came into the hands of the Macchabees who were of the tribe of Levi and yet ruled many of them as kings over the Jews untill Herod did wholly take away their principality from them Now to this objection some answer That though in the time of the Macchabees who were indeed of the tribe of Levi the chief power was removed from the tribe of Judah yet there was then a Lawgiver from between his feet to wit the Sanhedrin that great Councell of seventy Elders to whom the cognizance of the weightiest causes appertained and the establishing of laws and who were still elected out of the tribe of Judah and continued constantly in the exercise of this power untill a little before the birth of Christ Herod who was a mere stranger became king of Judea and rooted them quite out yet because the chief thing alledged in this answer to satisfie the objection to wit that the Sanhedrin were all chosen out of the tribe of Judah is taken for granted but cannot be well proved a more full answer I conceive is given by others in these following particulars 1. That by Judah here is meant the whole nation and kingdome of the Jews after the ten tribes of Israel were separated from them and became a kingdome apart by it self and that because although there were of the tribes of Levi and Benjamin amongst them yet they were as it were incorporated into the tribe of Judah and the whole commonwealth had their name from Judah and was called the kingdome of Judah insomuch that in the eleaventh chapter of the first book of the kings three severall times to wit vers 13 32 36. it is said that there should be onely one tribe reserved to the kings that were of the posteritie of David and 1. King 12. 20. it is said There was none that followed the house of David but the tribe of Judah onely yea and after their return from the captivitie out of Babylon they were all chiefly planted in the lot and territory that appertained to the tribe of Judah whence it is that though after Nehemiahs time the chief government was in the hands of the priests yet because the whole people were called by the name of Judah the kingdome and commonwealth of Judah therefore still the government may be said to be in Judah yea and this therefore may well be thought to be the main thing intended in this prophecie that whereas those of the kingdome of the ten tribes of Israel after they were carried away captive into Assyria did never return thence again to become a kingdome and commonwealth as before yet those of Judah after seventy years captivity in Babylon returned again into their own land and became a kingdome and commonwealth as before though not so glorious living under the government of their own lavvs and the command of their own rulers and so continued untill a little before Christs coming the government vvas vvholly taken from them and not long after the death of Christ their kingdome and commonvvealth vvâ—s by the Romanes utterly destroyed 2. That even at that time vvhen the supreme povver vvas in the priests they had it by the choice and appointment of the people of Judah vvho conferred this honour upon the Macchabees because of their zeal and valour in fighting against their enemies 3. Though all the Sanhedrim vvere not of the tribe of Judah yet doubtlesse the greatest part of them vvere of that tribe as it is evident because the greatest part by farre of those that returned from Babylon vvere of that tribe vvhich is sufficient to make good this prophecy That there should not cease to be a Lawgiver from between Judahs feet that is of his seed and progeny untill the Messias came And unto him shall the gathering of the people be That is vvhereas a little before the coming of Christ Judah shall seem to have lost his authority in Christ it shall be recovered again to vvhom not onely the Jevvs but all other nations shall come in as to their king and submit themselves to his sceptre Vers 11. Binding his fole unto the vine c. This last passage of Judahs blessing is vvholly a prophecy concerning the vvondrous fruitfulnesse of that part of Canaan vvhich should fall to Judahs lot and portion to vvit that it should abound vvith vines and fat pastures insomuch that vvine and milk should be as plentifull and common in a manner as vvater amongst them Vers 13. Zebulâ—n shall dwell at the haven of the sâ—a Though Issachar vvere older then Zebulun yet Jacob blesseth him first because his lot vvas next in the division of the land Josh 19. 10. And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun c. and prophesieth of his dvvelling by the sea alluding to his name which importeth dwelling Gen. 30. 20. Now will my husband dwell with me c. and she called his name Zebâ—lâ—n and indeed his borders were both to the main sea Westward and to the sea of Galilee Eastward Josh 19. 10. And their border went up toward the sea c. Isa 9. 1. When at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea beyond Jordan in Galilee of the nations Vers 14. Issachar is a strong asse c. Jacob here foresheweth how different the disposition of this tribe of Issachar should be from that of Zebulun whereof he had before spoken as Moses also doth Deut. 33. 18. Rejoyce Zebulun in thy going out and Issachar in thy tents to wit that whereas those of Zebulun should be altogether for tradin gand trafficking abroad at sea these of Issachar should be wholly for a quiet life and countrey imployments at home Issachar is a strong asse c. The meaning is that this tribe should be of great strength but of a more servile disposition that his portion should fall in a fertile and fat soil and that accordingly his strength should be imployed in tilling the ground and other countrey labours and last of all that he should rather undergo any tributes and taxes that should be laid upon him then be drawn from that quiet which at home he did enjoy But then withall we must know that this is spoken onely concerning the condition of this tribe for the generall for even in this tribe there were sometimes some that were of a more noble and a more heroicall spirit Judg. 5. 15. it is said That the princes of Issachar were with Deborah even Issachar and also Barak and 1. Chron. 12. 32. it
sea passed as it were through death to life the red sea being the means of saving them and of the destruction of the Egyptians so Christ by the waters of Baptisme as the outward signe doth save us our enemies sinne and death being utterly destroyed And the waters were a wall unto them c. That is standing up as a heap Psal 78. 13. He made the waters to stand as an heap and so as a wall of defence to them on their right hand and on their left Vers 24. The Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar c. That is whereas hitherto the Lord had suffered them to go on and seemed not to regard them now he began to shew himself in his displeasure against them And troubled the host of the Egyptians That is the Lord caused grievous tempests and storms to fall upon them thunder and lightnings and hail and rain See Psal 77. 17 18. The clouds poured out water the skies sent out a sound thine arrows also went abroad The voyce of thy thunder was in the heaven the lightnings lightned the world the earth trembled and shook Hereby he struck them with an apprehension of Gods wrath overthrew their tents put them all into disorder and made such a tumult in their host that flying in this disorder they runne one against another and were troubled in their flight Vers 25. And took off their chariot-wheels that they drave them heavily c. That is the Lord by his rain and tempests had so softned the ground that their wheels were clogged and sunk into the ground whereby some might be broken and taken off all drove heavily and had much adoe to get forward Vers 30. And Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore The Israelites being gotten over to the other side saw no doubt how upon Moses stretching forth his hand again over the read sea the waters that stood before up on heaps came rowling in upon the Egyptians who had followed the Israelites close behind them and so drowned them and so it is said in the following verse that Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians But afterwards they saw also the dead bodies of the Egyptians upon the shore and if they waited not some time for this it was doubtlesse an extraordinary work of Gods power since dead bodies that sink under water do not usually flote upon the water that so they may be driven upon the shore till they have been some few dayes under water But happely indeed the Israelites might wait so long by the sea side expecting to furnish themselves with the spoyl both of the dead bodies and their carriages Nor did the sight of the Egyptians being now but dead carcases crosse the truth of that which Moses had said ver 13. The Egyptians whom ye have seen to day ye shall see them again no more for ever CHAP. XV. Vers 2. THe Lord is my strength and song That is the Lord it is that hath subdued and destroyed our enemies being weak in our selves we are strong in him who hath fought for us and the Lord it is therefore of whom I mean to sing and whose praise I desire in my song to set forth and this is the first song which we meet with in the Scriptures He is my God and I will prepare him an habitation Moses here by the spirit of prophecy foresheweth that the people should build a peculiar tabernacle for the Lords service Vers 7. And in the greatnesse of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against theâ— That is by many glorious and miraculous works declaring the transcendent greatnesse of thine excellency hast thou overthrown the Egyptians who in rising up against thy people did rise up against thee Thou sentest forth thy wrath which consumed them as stubble That is which did suddenly and utterly consume them for stubble is consumed when the fire takes it and is gone on a sudden and whereas when wood is burnt there will be coals left when the stubble is burnt it scarce leaves any ashes behind it Whence is that also of the Prophet Isa 47. 14. Behold they shall be as stubble the fire shall burn them there shall not be a coal to warm at nor fire to sit before it Vers 8. And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together In this phrase the blast of thy nostrils it may well be conceived that Moses had respect both to the wind wherewith God divided the red sea chap. 14. 21. for so he seems to explain himself in the 10. verse of this chapter Thou didst blow with thy wind the sea covered them as also to the anger and wrath of God which caused him thus to divide the sea for so usually the wrath of God is expressed in Scripture and that by a metaphoricall speech taken from men who in their anger use to snuff and blow with their nostrils thicker and stronger then at other times as Job 4. 9. By the blast of God they perish and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed and so in many other places And though the dividing of the red sea was a work of mercy in regard of the Israelites yet was it an effect of his high displeasure against the Egyptians Yea therefore did the Lord lead the Israelites that way that the Egyptians following them might be taken as in a trap and overwhelmed with the waters Vers 11. Who is like thee glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders That is there is none either amongst the false Gods of the heathen or amongst their great ones Gods upon the earth that is in any degree worthy to be compared to thee O Lord who art glorious in holinesse c. where by the holinesse of God is meant that transcendent purity and singular perfection in every regard which is in God alone which is that indeed which makes God incomprehensibly glorious and fearfull in praises because we cannot think of those praises which are due unto the Lord but we must needs be stricken with an awfull fear of his Majesty and he is said to do wonders because he is of infinite power to do whatsoever may seem most wonderfull in the eye of man Vers 12. Thou stretchedst out thy right hand the earth swallowed them The Egyptians that were drowned in the red sea are here said to have been swallowed up of the earth not onely because they did at first sink down into the earth in the bottome of the sea but also because being cast up by the waves upon the shore many of them at least were there no doubt thrown into pits by the Israelites and buryed to avoid the corruption of the aire and so did all of them return to the earth from whence they were taken Vers 13. Thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation That is towards the land of Canaan for by the Lords holy habitation here
menservants are as is made evident by some particular exceptions which are added in the following verses This course of parents selling their children is by many reckoned amongst those things which God did not approve but tolerate in this people because of the hardnesse of their hearts However Lord did here provide that in case parents constrained perhaps by extreme necessity should sell their children if it were a daughter which they sold she should not go out as the menservants do and the meaning I say is onely this that the Law concerning the setting free of such a maidservant should not be in all respects alike with that of menservants as namely because though ordinarily maidservants were to be set free also at six years end Deut. 15. 12 c. yet sometimes they were to be freed before their six years service was ended which menservants never were as appears by those cases propounded in the following verses Vers 8. If she please not her Master who hath betrothed her to himself c. That is if her Master after he hath bought heâ— betroth her to himself and afterwards dislike her and so repenting of what he hath done will not take her to be his wife which was likewise one of those things which God did tolerate in this people but not approve he must let her be redeemed that is he must not think to keep her still to be a servant or sell her to be a servant to others at least he must procure her to be redeemed either by her self or by her kindred or by some other that would take her to be his wife In which case doubtlesse order was taken by the Judges that it should be done at a very reasonable price for though the next clause may seem to imply that he was onely restrained from selling her to one that was not an Israelite To sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power yet since they might not do that to any Israelite servant whatsoever therefore by a strange nation here is meant as Calvin takes it any of another family though an Hebrew or else his selling her to a strange nation is onely expressely forbidden because the Hebrews would not buy her knowing it to be contrary to Gods law And indeed the like favour is granted to a servant whom her Master had marryed though she were not an Israelite for concerning such a one the law was Deut. 21. 14. that her Master should let her go whither she would but should not sell her and make merchandise of her because he had humbled her Vers 9. And if he have betrothed her unto his sonne he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters That is both in the matter of dowry and in all other things he shall deal with her as if she had been a freewoman Vers 10. If he take him another wife her food her rayment and her duty of marriage shall he not diminish Now another case is propounded What shall be done if a man having betrothed his servant to himself or to his sonne for both may be here understood do not in dislike cast her off but take him another wife This we must not think God approves of onely he tolerates it for the hardnesse of their hearts but in this case he provides that the true wife be not wronged Her food her raiment and her duty of marriage shall he not diminish which last clause may be meant of dowry and all other things due by marriage covenant but doubtlesse that which S t Paul calls due benevolence 1. Cor. 7. 3. is included and indeed principally if not onely intended Vers 13. If a man lie not in wait but God deliver him into his hand then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall fly To wit the altar whilest they were in the desert in Canaan both the altar and the cities of refuge also Vers 16. And he that stealeth a man and selleth him or if he be found in his hand c. This law is again repeated by Moses though in tearms somewhat different Deut. 24. 7. If a man be found stealing any of his brethren the children of Israel and maketh merchandise of him or selleth him then that thief shall dâ—e so that by comparing them together we may see first That though this place speaks generally of stealing a man yet it is meant onely of stealing those that were their brethren of Israel There was doubtlesse some punishment inflicted on those that stole servants that were strangers of another nation to wit according to the punishment of other thefts for their servants were their money but it was onely the stealing of Israelites whether men or women that was punished with death secondly That whereas it is said here He that stealeth a man and selleth him or if he be found in his hand he shall surely be put to death the meaning is not that though the manstealer had not yet sold his brother whom he had stollen but had him still in his own possession he should notwithstanding be put to death no lesse then if he had sold him for the law in Deuteronomiâ— doth plainly enough intimate that the man-stealer was onely to be put to death in case that he had sold and made merchandise of his brother whom he had stollen and indeed when the party stollen might be restored and had not yet endured the misery of being sold for a slave it is not probable that the thief was in this case to be put to death but the meaning is this that though it could not be proved against the manstealer that he had sold him yet if it could be proved that he had been in his â—and it should be taken for granted that he had sold him and he should be put to death and thirdly That the reason why this theft alone was punished with death amongst the Israâ—lites we may well conceive to have been this to wit because it was such a debasing of man made after Gods image and much more of Gods people redeemed from bondage by his outstretched arm to be sold as beasts and because the miseries which such poore wretches endured in bondage were indeed worse then death especially when they were sold to heathens of which this law was meant for they could not hope to conceal their theft if they sold them in the land of Israel where no mercy could be expected and where besides their souls were exposed to manifest peril By all which we may likewise gather what a grievous sinne it is to bring men into the worse bondage of sinne and Satan or of subjecting the conscience of Gods people to be in thraldome to men of which the Apostle speaks 1. Cor. 7. 23. Ye are bought with a price be not ye the servants of men Vers 17. And he that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death By cursing here is not meant onely expresse imprecations when a child should wish any mischief might
befall his father or mother nor yet any unreverent and undutifull language but all kind of malitious reviling speeches whether by way of imprecation or otherwise as manifestly argued a contempt of their parents and therefore we see that Solomon saith with respect doubtlesse to this law The eye that mocketh at his father and despiseth to obey his mother the ravents of the valley shall pick it out c. Prov. 30. 17. and Christ having joyned this law with the fifth Commandment Matth. 15. 4. God commanded saying Honour thy father and thy mother and he that curseth father or mother let him die the death he applyeth it to the condemning of that Tradition of the Pharises who allowed men to withhold necessary sustenance from their parents so that what they withheld from them they gave to the Temple and concludes that hereby they made the commandment of God of none effect by their Tradition whence it is manifest that by the judgement of Christ they transgresse this law and deserve death before God that shall either revile their parents or under the pretence of any religious vow shall whithhold from them that relief which by the law and light of nature they are bound to afford them Vers 18. If men strive together and one smite another with a stone c. That is by throwing any thing at him or by the stroke of any thing held in his hand Vers 19. If he rise again and walk abroad upon his staff then shall he that smote him be quit c. That is if he recover so farre as to go forth though weakly he that struck him shall not be put to death though he die afterward Vers 20. If a man smite his servant or his maid with a rod c. Some Expositours understand this law thus that if a man with any thing fit to give correction with do correct or beat his manservant or maidservant yet if he do it so immoderately that the servant dies under his hands he shall be punished to wit as a man-slayer with death for the word in the originall signifâ—eth he shall be avenged and the vengeance to be inâ—licted by the civill magistrate was the putting them to death that had wilfully been the death of others Now this law was concerning servants that were not Israelites for it is meant of servants that were absolutely their Masteâ—s money as is expressed in the following verse which the Hebrew servants were not but were onely bought for a time and for Hebrew servants there is another law given Levit. 25. â—9 If thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poore and be sold unto thee thou shalt not compell him to serve as a bondservant c. But now others again hold that the Israelites were not to be put to death for this correcting their servants here spoken of to wit when their servants dyed under their hands And indeed it may well be questioned why it should not be said here as in other laws of that nature he shall surely die but onely he shall be surely punished if it were not purposely done because in this case the guilty party was to be left to the wisdome of the Judges to be punished as they should see cause Vers 21. If he continue a day or two he shall not be punished for he is his money That is it may be thought he intended not to bring that losse upon himself by killing him whom he had purchased with his money and since it may well be judged that he did not do it willingly even the losse of his servant bought with his money shall be deemed sufficient punishment Vers 22. If men strive and hurt a woman with child so that her fruit depart from her and yet no mischief follow c. That is if a woman with child come in to help her husband or friend when men are fighting together or to part them or upon any other occasion be nigh them and so do casually receive some hurt and by that means miscarry yet so as that no mischief follow thereupon that is neither the woman nor child die or be maimed in this case the party that was the cause of the womans miscarrying shall pay such a penalty as the womans husband will lay upon him onely it is in the next clause provided that the womans husband shall not be his own judge but shall onely require to have such or such a penalty imposed upon him which shall there be accordingly awarded him by the judge and he shall pay as the judges determine whereby also is implyed that the judges had power to moderate the penalty if the womans husband demanded that which was unreâ—sonable Vers 23. And if any mischief follow then thou shalt give life for life Whether of the mother or child having shape and life as appears by that which follows Vers 24. Eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foot for foot This was the law amongst the Hebrews which we call the law of Retaliation whereby the Magistrate was authorised to punish man that had done voluntarily any hurt to their neighbours according to the hurt which they had done them And it was doubtlesse most equall as those times were and frequently practised amongst them yet withall very probable it is that it was in the Judges power in some cases to allow a change or commutation of this penalty and in stead of this to award a pecuniary mulct or fine of money first Because in some cases the law of retaliation could not be equall as for example If a man that had but one eye should put out one of his neighbours eyes the putting out of this mans onely eye in lâ—ew thereof would not be perfectly equall or if the man that had cut off his neighbours arm were of such a weak constitution that it was altogether unlikely that he should escape death if his arm should be cut off too by way of punishing that harm he had done his neighbour sâ—condly Because that law Numb 35. 31. Ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer which is guilty of death may seem to imply that except onely in that case of life and death they were allowed to take satisfaction in stead of corporall punishments thirdly Because it is evident in the thirtieth verse of this chapter that when a mans ox had killed a man after warning had been given to the owner to keep him in though the owner was by the law to be stoned yet the Judges were allowed in some cases not to adjudge him to be stoned but in stead thereof to impose a summe of money whence by the rule of analogy we may conceive that in this case of taking eye for eye and tooth for tooth c. the Judges had likewise the same liberty In Matth. 5. 39. our Saviour having repeated this law addeth But I say unto you that ye resist not evil whereby he never intended to abolish this law but onely to clear
the paâ—â—ern which was showed to Moses in the mount was not onely a pâ—ttern of the tabemacle and those things appâ—rtaining thereunto which Moses was 〈◊〉 maâ—e but withall likewise a pattern or sigure of those spirituall and hâ—avenly things which concernâ—d the â—â—â—rnall priosthood of Christ And hence it is that the Apoâ—â—le â—pplyeth this direction givâ—n to Moses to make all things according to the pattern that was shewed him in the mount to manifest that he did not unfitly call those legall utensils which Moses made an example and shadow of heavenly things Heb. 8. 5. Namely because if the pattern â—heâ—â—d him in the mount was a shadow and type of heavenly things then necessariliâ— those things that Moses made after this pattern were also such too Vers 10. Aâ—d they â—hall make an ark of sâ—iâ—â—im-wood The use of this was principally to keep the two tables of the Law in it ver 16. And thou shalt pat into the ark the testimony c. And so it was a signe of Gods preâ—ence amongâ—t them as he was their Lord and Lawgiver ordaining and requiring the covenant of works This do and live and threatning death to them that â—â—ansgressed his commandments Two cubits and an half shall be the lâ—ngth thereof c. It is generally held â—hat a cubit amongst the Hebrews contained a foot and an half of our measures the ark therefore was a yard â—â—d nine inches long and three quarters of a yard high and broad Vers 11. And thou shalt over-lay it with pure gold c. As the gold spent in the whole work of the tabernacle and the holy things thereof was to set forth the majestiâ— of that great God who had chosen that for his dwelling place so was this also wherewith the ark was overlaid but besides also this of the ark was partiâ—ularly to teach them what prâ—â—ious account they were to make of the Law of God thaâ— was laid up there in so costly a cabinet And shalt makâ— upon it a crown of gold round about Or a border which wâ—s for the closing of the cover of the arâ— and withall for ornament Vers 14. And thâ—â— shalt put tho stavâ—s into thâ— rings by the â—ides of the ark c. And so not being suffered to touch the 〈◊〉 they were taught thereby the more reverently to esteem of it Vers 16. And thou shalt put into thâ— ark the testimony c. That is the two tables whereon the Decalogue was written which were a testimony of the covenant betwixt God and the people and testified what it was that God required of them See Exod. 31. 18. also ver 22. of this chapter and Exod. 38. 21. Therefore also were they called the tables of the covenant Deut. 9. 9. and the ark wherein they were was called the ark of the covenant of the Lord Numb 10. 33. as upon the same reason the book of the Law is also called the testimony 2. King 11. 12. and the Gospel 1. Cor. 2. 1. the testimony of God Vers 17. And thou shalt make a mercy-seat c. Or a propitiatory covering a type of Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation Rom. 3. 25. by whom we are covered from the wrath of God and curse of the Law so that the hand-writing that was against us which was contrary to us is taken out of the way Col. 2. 14. and have Gods will revealed unto us Vers 18. And thou shalt make two Cherubims c. These Cherubs were to represent the holy Angels who continually attend God in heaven to do him service and were therefore signes in that place of Gods presence Vers 20. And the Cherebims shall stretch out their wings c. The wings of these Cherubims being thus stretched forth did cover the top of the mercy-seat and compasse in that place their wings meeting together on each side of the mercy-seat from whence the Lord intended to speak unto Moses by an audible voice of all things which he would give him in charge for the children of Israel ver 22. And I will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat c. But withall by stretching forth of their wings was signified the readinesse of the Angels to do all willing service to God to Christ and to his Church and people And by their hiding of that place from whence the voice of the Lord came to Moses the Israelites were taught to content themselves with that which God was pleased by his word to reveal unto them and not to search further And their faces shall look one to another toward the mercy-seat c. Hereby was sgnified that the Angels with one joynt consent are alwayes attentive to execute Gods command to wait upon Christ his Church and people into whose mysteries now revealed in the Gospel they desire to look 1. Pet. 1. 12. Vers 22. And there I will meet with thee c. And indeed there specially did God speak to them though not there onely See chap. 29. 42. and Numb 12. 5. Vers 23. Thou shalt also make a table of shittim-wood c. Hitherto God had given Moses direction for the making of these things that were to be in the most holy place here he proceeds to give direction for those things that were to be done in the Sanctuary or holy place within the vail and so in the first place for making of the table of shew-bread Now this table was 1. to be a memoriall of Gods miraculous feeding the twelve tribes in the wildernesse with bread from heaven 2 to teach them when they came into the land of Canaan that all their provision there was from God and that they were continually fed at Gods table for so much was implyed in that part of their food was still set before God as by way of acknowledgement that all was 〈◊〉 that so they might be thankfull to him and use his gifts soberly and moderately as if they were at Gods table â—â—â—â—ly to be a type of Gods feeding his people and family with the true bread of life Christ and that both in the word and in the sacrament of the Lords supper for indeed therein we may truly say with Solomon Prov. 9. 2. The Wisdome hath mingled her wine and hath furnished her table and as Psal 36. 8. That we are abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of Gods house and likewise of that fulnesse of joy which God hath prepared for the faithfull in heaven of which Christ speaking saith Luke 22. 29. 30. I appoint unto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed unto me that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdome Two cubits shall be the length thereof c. According therefore to our measures it was a yard long half a yard broad and three quarters of a yard high Vers 24. And make thereto a crown of gold round about This crown was upon the table by the very edge of it to keep from falling such things as were set thereon and
repentance to see whether they would not again revolt from God and secondly to procure the more authority to Moses that they might look upon him when he brought the law as an angel sent to them from heaven And he wrote upon the tables c. That is the Lord. See ver 1. Vers 30. Behold the skinne of his face shone No such thing befell him before when he was the first time upon the mount with the Lord fourty dayes and fourty nights because then the Lord had not shown him his glory in so great a degree as now he had Nor need we wonder that Moses wist not that the skinne of his face shone as it is said in the former verse for coming from the exceeding glory and brightnesse of Gods presence that spark of shining brightnesse that was in his own face was not discernable by him though terrible to the Israelites Now for the shining of Moses face it was doubtlesse to signifie the glory of the law which he preached to them whence is that of the Apostle 2. Cor. 3. 7 8. But if the ministration of death written and ingraven in stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to be done away how shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious But withall the people by this were taught to reverence him even as an angel come from heaven to look upon him as one that stood in Gods stead when he spake to them and to assure themselves that God had inlightned him also inwardly that he might teach and instruct them And they were afraid to come nigh him Moses came down with vengeance before and what might they think of this glory put upon him now being still conscious to themselves of the haynousnesse of their former rebellion Besides this was to shew that Moses his ministration was condemnation 1. Cor. 3. 7 9. because it gives knowledge of sinne and causeth wrath Rom. 4. 15. The law worketh wrath for where there is no law there is no transgression Vers 33. And till Moses had done speaking with them he put a vail on his face Hereby it is evident how long the brightnesse of Moses face continued not all the time of his life but onely the time of his going to and fro between the Lord and his people that he might deliver to the people the laws and commandments he gave them in charge All this time the shining of his face continued and so when he came to speak with the people he pâ—t on a vail which signified First the vail of the obscurity of the law whereby Christ and the end of the law was hardly discerned and secondly that vail of ignorance and infidelity which was spread upon our hearts by nature untill it be removed by Christ Vers 34. But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him â—e took the vail off c. Signifying that when we come to see God in Christ the vail is taken away See 2. Cor. 3. 15. 16. Even unto this day when Moses is read the vail is upon their heart neverthelesse when it shall turn to the Lord the vail shall be taken away CHAP. XXXV Vers 3. YE shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the Sabbath day This clause of the law concerning the Sabbath must be explained by that chap. 16 23. To morrow is the holy rest of the Sabbath unto the Lord bake that which ye will bake to day and seethe that which ye will seethe c. Namely that they must not kindle any fire therewith to dresse any meat for themselves or except in case of absolute necessity for that they might not kindle fire either to light a candle or to warm themselves in the extreme cold of winter is altogether improbable Vers 22. And they came both men and women as many as were willing-hearted and brought bracâ—lets and eare-rings c. That is not onely gold and silver but also their very ornaments contributing these things as willingly now after repentance for the service of the tabernacle as before for the making of their golden calf CHAP. XXXVI Vers 2. ANd Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab c. Though gifted yet they must have a calling Vers 8. And every wise-hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabâ—rnacle made ten curtains c. This is first made though in the directions given the ark table and candlestick were first mentioned because it was to recâ—ive and contain these holy things which might not stand without their tent CHAP. XXXVIII Vers 8. ANd he made the laver of brasse and the foot of it of brasse of the looking-glasses of the women assembling c. For it is evident by severall Writers that in ancient times they used looking-glasses made wholly of pure bright brasse Vers 18. And the height in the breadth was five cubits c. That which is the breadth of the hanging lying is the height of it standing or hanging and therefore it is said that the height in the breadth of it was five cubits Vers 21. This is the summe of the tabernacle c. Or counted things that is this is the summe and particulars of the tabernacle and holy things belonging to it which were thus taken as it were in an inventory by Ithamar at the commandment of Moses and so delivered into the custody of the Levites that nothing might be lost This clause I conceive therefore may have respect both to the rehearsall of particulars which went before and vvithall likevvise to the summe of the gold and silver spent in making these things whereof Moses speaks in the words following Vers 24. Even the gold of the offering was twenty and nine talents c. Twenty nine talents and seven hundred and thirty shekels counting the talent at an hundred and twenty pound and five and twenty shekels to a pound will make three thousand five hundred and nine pound weight of gold and five shekels which in sterling money if we account a pound weight of gold to be worth but thirty pound of sterling money comes to above an hundred and five thousand pound viz. one hundred five thousand two hundred and seventy pound Vers 25. And the silver of them that were numbred of the congregation was an hundred talents and a thousand seven hundred â—hreescore and fifteen shekels c. There were numbred six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty men and the very same number we find Numb 1. 46. of which see the notes there who all paying half a shekel Exod. 30. 13. the summe of the silver amounts to three hundred and one thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels of silver which is as here allowing three thousand shekels to a talent an hundred talents and a thousand seven hundred seventy five shekels over and this counting twenty five shekels to a pound weight amounts to twelve
thousand seventy one pound weight of silver which at five shillings the ounce comes to thirty six thousand two hundred and thirteen pounds in sterling money Vers 29. And the brasse of the â—ffering was seventy talents and two thousand and foure hundred shekels That is allowing three thousand shekels to a talent two hundred and twelve thousand and foure hundreâ— shekels of brasse and this counting twenty five shekels to a pound weight amounts to eight thousand foure hundred ninetie six pound weight of brasse whereby it is evident that there was not so much brasse as silver and therefore surely the pillars were made of wood and onely covered over with brasse See chap. 27. ver 9. CHAP. XXXIX Vers 1. ANd of the blew and purple and scarlet they made clothes of service c. See chap. 31. 10. Vers 43. And Moses blessed them That is he not onely commended both the people and workmen and prayed God to blesse them but also as Gods publick minister he pronounced a blessing on them from the Lord. CHAP. XL Vers 9. ANd thou shalt take the anoynting â—yl and anoynt the tabernacle c. The performance of this see in Levit. 8. 10. Vers 10. And thou shalt anoynt the altar c. And sprinkle thereof upon the altar seven times See Levit. 8. 11. Vers 15. For their anoynting shall surely be an everlasting priesthood c. So that their children after them shall not need to be anoynted but shall executâ— the office by reason of this unction of their fathers onely the high priests were anoynted in the generations following Vers 17. And it came to passe in the first moneth c. They went out of Egypt the fifteenth of the first moneth and now the next year upon the first day of the moneth the tabernacle is erected so that there wanted now but fifteen dayes of a full yeare since they left Egypt Vers 27. And he burnt sweet incense thereon c. As supplying at present the priests office ANNOTATIONS On the third book of MOSES called LEVITICUS CHAP. I. ANd the Lord called unto Moses c. This word and sheweth the immediate connexion of this book of this story upon that wherewith the foregoing book of Exodus was concluded namely that after the tabernacle was reared Aaron and his sonnes consecrated to the office of the priesthood and the cloud descended upon the tabernacle immediately God spake to Moses from the mercy-seat out of the tabernacle for into it Moses was not able to enter because the glory of the Lord filled it and so informed him how Aaron and his sonnes should carry themselvâ—s â—n the priesthood c. Vers If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord c. That is any sacrifice whatsoever This is a generall rule concerning all sacrifices to wit that none must be offered but of the herd or flock that is if they were cattel they intended to offer for if they intended an offering of birds what they must be is expressed afterwards vers 14. Vers 3. If his offering be a burnt-sacrifice of the herd let him offer a male without blemish Here the Lord first gives directions for burnt-offerings which were indeed the chief of all their sacrifices and so called because they were all wholly burnt upon the altars whereas of other sacrifices some part onely was burnt upon the altar and the other parts were otherwise disposed of And the direction that is here first given concerning these is that if a burnt-offering were to be offered of the herd it must be a male without blemish that it might be the fitter to figure forth Christs perfection in himself and ours in him who being perfectly holy and free from the least blemish of sinne He did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth 1. Pet. 2. 22. did yet notwithstanding by suffering death for us perfectly satisfie the justice of God on our behalf that so he might present the Church to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Ephes 5. 27. for saith the same Apostle Heb. 9. 13 14. If the bloud of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the bloud of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God And so again Saint Peter saith Ye know that ye were redeemed with the precious bloud of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot 1. Pet. 1. 18 19. Yet withall hereby the Lord taught both them and us to give God the best in all our services Vers 3. He shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the doore of the tabernacle That is he that will offer a burnt sacrifice he must do it voluntarily of his own mind and not be forced to it and when he brings it he must present it to the priest at the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation that is at the doore of the court close within which the brasen altar for burnt-offerings stood The first of these might signifie the freedome of Gods grace in giving his sonne and the willingnesse of Christ in giving himself to be a sacrifice of propitiation for our souls but principally doubtlesse it was to teach them that in all service done to God it must be done freely and willingly or God will not accept of it The second was appointed to signifie that their sacrifices and so consequently any service that we perform were onely in and through Christ sanctified and made acceptable to God The tabernacle was a type of Christ that greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands Heb. 9. 11. and he is the onely doore by whom we have accesse unto the father Vers 4. And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering This was to testifie First that he acknowledged himself guilty of death Secondly that he desired and believed that that sacrifice should be accepted of God as a ransome for his soul that all his sinnes should be laid upon it and so it should suffer death as it were in his stead in all which notwithstanding they that did this had not respect so much to the beast slain in the death whereof there could not be an equall compensation given to the justice of God for the death of sinners as to Christ of whom these sacrifices were types who took upon him our sinnes and the curse due to our sinnes when he died for us Thirdly that he desired and would indeavour to consecrate himself wholly to Gods service as now he gave this sacrifice wholly to be offered upon the altar to the Lord crucifying all his sinnefull lusts and affections and yielding up his whole man to the obedience of Gods will in all things whatsoever And it shall be accepted for him to make
for which they were to bring a sinne-offering to the Lord and that especially as I conceive to shew in what cases the offerings which they brought for their sinnes were to be of that sort which were more particularly called and esteemed trespasse-offerings for of such it is evident that Moses speaks at least principally in this chapter Much arguing there is amongst Expositours to shew the difference between sinne-offerings and trespasse-offerings some hold that the sinne-offerings mentioned in the former chapter were for sins of commission the trespasse-offerings spoken of in this chapter were for sinnes of omission some again hold that the sinne-offerings were for greater transgressions and others quite contrary that the trespasse-offerings were for greater transgressions and the sinne-offerings for smaller offences But the truth is that these opinions on both sides are no other then groundlesse conjectures Eviâ—ent it is that these trespasse-offerings are also called sinne-offerings as we may see in the 6. vers of this chapter He shall bring his trespasse-offering unto the Lord for his sinne which he hath sinned a female from the slock a lambe or a kid of the goats for a sinne-offering All trespasse-offerings were therefore sinne-offerings though all sinne-offerings were not called trespasse-offerings Herein onely I conceive the difference lay that for some particular sinnes a sinne-offering was appointed different from the ordinary sinne-offerings injoyned particular persons in the former chapter which because it was for such sinnes wherein some trespasse was committed upon the goods of their neighbour or upon the holy things of the Lord which belonged unto the priests therefore they were more particularly called trespasse-offerings The first particular instance given in the first verse of the chapter is concerning him that sinneth in concealing his knowledge when he might have witnessed the truth If a soul sinne saith the text and heare the voyce of swearing and is a witnesse c. for the meaning of this place so diversely expounded I conâ—â—ive to be this that when an oath is given for the clearing of any controversie for any wrong done by one man to another and those to whom the oath is given do either forswear themselves or cannot discover the truth if one that knows the truth and might be or is called to be a witnesse stands by conceals his knowledge and doth not reveal the truth he is guilty and must offer a trespasse-offering because his neighbour suffers dammage in his estate through his silence whether he hath seeâ— or known of it that is whether he was an eye-witnesse of that which is in question or came any other way to the knowledge of it he must reveal all he knows or be guilty and so oâ—fer a trespasse-offering Vers 2. Or if a soul touch any unclean thing c. The second instance of sins for which they were to bring a trespasse-offering is concerning those legall pollutions which are afterwardâ— fully expressed chap. 11. 12. c. The law is this The man or woman that had touched any such unclean thing he was unclean and guiltâ—e of a sinne verse 2. so soon as he had touched it though for the time it was â—id from him his doing it unwittingly should not quit him of the guilt of it but yet when he should come to the knowledge of it vers 3. then he should â—e guilty in his own apprehension and so must offer a trespasse-offering not so much to cleanse him from this legall uncleannesse for in this case there was another way of legall purifying appointed Numb 19. 11. c. as to expiate his sinne because for want of due consideration he had so defiled himself and through ignorance or unadvisednesse had neglected those legall purifyings or had come into the sanctuary and intermeddled with Gods holy things whilest his uncleannesse was upon him And indeed this was as I conceive the reason why a trespasse-offering was in this case imposed because the unclean person did by this sinne trespasse upon Gods holy things and as it were impair the worth of them Now these things also figured that we are to be cleansed by the sacrifice and death of Christ even from that pollution which is contracted by partaking with other mens sinnes of which the Apostle speaks 1. Tim. 5. 22. Lay hands suddenly on no man neither be partaker of other mens sins keep thy self pure and again 2. Cor. 6. 17. Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you Vers 4. Or if a soul swear pronouncing with his lips to do evil or to dâ— good c. In this third instance of sinnes for which they were to bring a trespasse-offering it is not easily discerned what the sinne here intended is some conceive it to be the carelesse neglect of doing that which a man had sworn to do to clear himself of the guilt whereof he was to bring a trespasse-offering to the Lord and because there is expresse mention of swearing to do evil and it cannot be a sinne to omit the doing of that which he had sworn he would do if he had sworn to do any evil to his neighbour or generally any thing evil that is sinfull and against Gods law but rather it would be commendable to break such an oath therefore by doing â—vil they understand the doing of something which is hurtfâ—ll or irksome to himself as if a man hath sworn to do what may bring some damage to his estate or deprive him of something that is pleasing and delightfull to him Again others conceive that the sinne here intended is rash and unadvised swearing to do either good or evil to others to wit when it is sinfull so confidently to undertake it as when he undertakes to do that which is not in his power to do or which he knows not whether he shall be able to do or no or to do some evil to his neighbour which is against the rule of charity and cannot be done without sinning against God as when David sware thaâ— he would utterly destroy Naball and all his family 1. Sam. 5. 22. And this Exposition I conceive is the more probable first because the sinne of not doing what a man hath sworn he would do is not so clearly intimated in thesâ— words as is the sinne of rash and unadvised swearing for these words pronouncing with his lips to do evil or to do good do indeed manifestly imply an oveâ—bold undertaking to do that which happely he may not or cannot do and secondly because they that expound this place of the sinne of not doing what a man hath sworn to do are constraind to understand that clause concerning swearing to do evil of doing that which is evil or hurtfull to himself whereas I conceive it must necessarily be understood of doing evil to his neighbour because for it he was to bring a trespasse-offering which implyes at least an intention of trespassing upon his neighbour so
commanded them not and so were severely punished for it as is afterwards expressed Now that this happened that very eighth day whereof mention is made Chap. 9. 1. immediately after those first sacrifices were consumed by fire from the Lord may be gathered by that which follows from vers 12. to the end of the chapter which plainly concerneth those sacrifices whereof we reade in the former chapter And thus God taught them betimes the weaknesse of the Leviticall priesthood and withall with what fear and exact care it was fit they should carry themselves in the service of God Vers 2. And there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them That is killed them as the sword is said to devoure 2. Sam. 2. 26. Then Abner called to Joab and said Shall the sword devoure for ever For that neither their bodies nor clothes were burnt to ashes appears verse 5. So they went near and carried them in their coats out of the camp Vers 3. Then Moses said unâ—o Aaron This is it that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified c. The substance of these following words is in many places to be found as Exod. 19. 22. And let the priests also that come near to the Lord sanctifie themselves lest the Lord break forth upon them again Levit. 8. 35. Therefore shall ye abide at the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven dayes and keep the charge of the Lord that ye dye not and this is sufficient Yet happely these very words also at some other time were spoken by God though not written As for the words themselves I will be sanctified by them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified the meaning of them is that God will have those that come nigh him carry themselves as become those that serve so holy a God with all possible care and reverence and fear and that God will else manifest his holinesse in punishing them Ezek. 28. 22. Behold I am against â—hee O Zidon and I will be glorified in the midst of thee Two arguments are therefore herein couched to keep Aaron from murmuring 1. because the punishment was just 2. because God should be glorified hereby and both the people and his posterity receive good by it And Aaron held his peace That is though happely at first he began to take on pitifully and to give too much liberty to his passions yet hearing those words of Moses he presently checked himself laid his hand upon hiâ— mouth and not a word more would he speak And doubtlesse this is noted as a notable instance of his piety and quiet submission to Gods good will and pleasure and that his carriage was herein most singalarly remarkable we shall see if we note these particulars First that he had now lost two of his sonnes yea his two eldest sonnes together at a clap We know what Rebeckah in great angaish of soul said to Jacob when his brother Esau had resolved to kill him Gen. 27. 45. Go â—lie to Paran why should I be deprived of you boâ—h in one day Secondly that they were cut off suddenly by an untinely death as we use to say when neither themselves not their poore father did ever dream of any such danger Thirdly that they were cut off by a way which might seem to testifie Gods hot displeasure against them for they were devoured by fire from God the Lord by the manner of their death pointing out the sinne for which they were stricken and what father had not rather lose all his stock of children in an ordinary way then have execution done upon any one of them by Gods immediate hand in such a terrible manner Fourthly that it was at a time when â—heir hearts no doubt were as full of joy as ever they could hold it being the first day of their entring upon that high honour of their priestly function and in such a sunshine of Gods favour to be so suddenly thunderstruck must needs adde to their calamity And last of all that they were cut off with such severity for so small an offense as reason might judge of it onely for taking fire to burn the incense from one place when they should have taken it from another and that not purposely done but onely through mistake an errour into which when they had so much to do and were yet unacquainted with the service they might easily fall Vers 4. And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan the two sonnes of Vzziel the uncle of Aaron c. The nearest kindred it seems used to perform this office of carrying the dead to be buried and their brethren the priests might not leave their ministery therefore Aarons cosin germans are appointed to do it Vers 6. Vncover not your heads neither rend your clothes c. The severall laws that concern the priests mourning for their dead friends we have largely set down in the one and twentieth chapter of this book where the inferiour priefts are allowed to be mourners at the buriall of a brother though the high priest is forbidden it But this is a speciall charge for this present occasion onely and so here not onely Aaron but also his sonnes that remained still alive are forbidden all the usuall solemnities of mourning for Nadab and Abihu not to uncover tâ—eir heads nor to rend their clothes nor to go out from the doore of the tabernacl◠〈◊〉 the congrâ—gation and that first becâ—use it was an extraordinary judgemenâ— of God that was fallen upon their brethren and they were to testifie their â—â—bmissiâ—â— thereuâ—â—â— by not lamenting their death Secondly because the solemnity and service of the dâ—y might not be interrupted being newly anointed and now at this time prepared for their first entring upon the execution of their priestly office they might not break off this service to attend the buriall of their brethren But why are they injoyned not to uncover their heads since it may seem by other places that it was not the custome of mourners amongst the Jews to uncover their heads but rather to cover them as we may see 2. Sam. 15. 30. David went up the ascent of mount Olivet and wept as he went up and had his head covered and he went barefoot and all the people that was with him covered every man his head and they went up weeping as they went up and so again chap. 19. 4. But the king covered his face and the king cried with a loud voyce Oh my sonne Absolom O Absolom my sonne my sonne See also Jer. 14. 3 4. The answer is that the priests are here injoyned not to uncover their heads that is not to take off their miters and bonnets which they wore on their heads to the end they might not addresse themselves in the way of mourners to attend the buriall of Nadab and Abihu to wit by covering their heads with the usuall vail or covering of mourners The chief aim of this command was to intimate
whether upon washing it will change colour or no for if the colour were not changed by washing the garment must be burnt though it did not spread verse 55. Because that was a sigâ—e that it did fret inward Vers 56. Whether it be bare inward or without That is whether the plague be on the inside of the garment or on the out side CHAP. XIV Vers 2. THis shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing c. The solemn rites for cleansing the leper were for two ends so ordained of God 1. To shew how the Lord abhorred the spirituall uncleannesse of sinne since the leper might not after his pollution be received again into the camp though healed without a sacrifice of reconciliation were first offered up for him 2. That the leper might testifie his thankfulnesse to God who had removed so heavie a judgement from him whence is that of Christ to the leper he healed Matth. 8. 4. And Jesus said unto him See thou tell no man but go thy way shew thy self to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded for a testimony to them Vers 3. And behold if the plague of the leprosie be healed in the leper When God had healed the leprosie then the priest was to pronounce him clean and so it is God onely that forgives sinnes the minister is onely to pronounce according to that which God hath done nor can absolve any whom God hath not absolved Vers 4. Then shall thepriest command to take c. two birds alive and clean cedar-wood and scarlet and hysop The birds must be clean birds to wit either doves or turtles commonly used in sacrifices or sparrows as some translate the word here or any other clean fowls such as all are save those excepted Levit. 11. 13. c. Onely they must not be of a tame kind but such as used to fly in the open field vers 7. The cedar which the priest here was injoyned to take was a cedar-stick which was to be a handle for the sprinkle and it was to be of cedar-wood as most conceive because the nature of this wood is that it corrupts not but preserveth other things from putrefaction and so hereby was signified the perfect healing of the leprosie which before corrupted and putrified the body Yet I rather think there was a respect had as in the scarlet to the reddish colour of it which made it the more suitable for this work the chief drift whereof was to signifie the cleansing of the sinner by the bloud of Christ The scarlet was a scarlet thred or lace used to bind the sprinkle to the cedar-stick And the hysop was appointed for the sprinkle being fit for that use and withall the fragrant smell of this herb might signifie that the evil savour of the leprosie was gone away Vers 5. And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessell over running water That is over an earthen vessell that hath running water in it And as the bloud of the killed bird signified the bloud of Christ so the earthen vessell the basenesse and infirmity of the ministers by whom this bloud is presented unto men in the preaching of the Gospel 2. Cor. 4. 7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of us Now because the bloud of the bird of it self would not have sufficed to dip the living bird and the sprinkle in therefore it was mixed with water but it must be the purest and most cleansing water running water that is spring water because it signified the cleansing of the sinner by Christs bloud who came not by water onely but by water and bloud 1. Joh. 5. 6. Vers 7. And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed c. The sprinkling of this bloud signified the applying of Christs bloud to the cleansing of the sinner which is therefore called the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel Hebr. 12. 24. Why it was done seven times see the note upon Levit. 4. 6. And shall let the living bird loose into the open field The letting of the living bird loose figured the deliverance of Christ from death Who though he was crucified through weaknesse yet he liveth by the power of God 2. Cor. 13. 4. being put to death in the flesh but quickned in the spirit 1. Pet. 3. 18. and of all such as are cleansed from their sinnes by his bloud and therefore particularly it represented the condition of the leper now cleansed who being civilly dead and buried was now as the bird let loose to live amongst his fellows and restored again to the communion of Saints And why was this by virtue of the bloud of Christ wherein figuratively he was dipped Vers 8. And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes c. That no part of the filth issuing from his leprosie might remain upon him he was to wash both his garments and his flesh and because washing could not sufficiently cleanse the hair of his body therefore all the hair of his body must be clean shaved off and this was done the first day of his cleansing which signified how exactly every one that hath hope of being cleansed by Christ must labour to purifie himself even as he is pure 1 John 3. 3. And after that he shall come into the camp and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven dayes That is after he hath the first time washed himself and shaved off his hair he shall be admitted into the camp town or citie but yet he shall not go into his tent or dwelling-house but shall tarry abroad to wit in some place or house appointed for that purpose where he was to continue for seven dayes apart by himself which was I conceive because as yet he was not perfectly cleansed and therefore was not familiarly to converse with others as formerly no not with them of his own family Vers 9. And it shall be on the seventh day that he shall shave all the hair off his head The reiteration of these ceremonies the second time on the seventh day may imply how exactly carefull we should be to cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of sinne and withall how hardly we are brought either to hate sinne or acknowledge Gods mercy as we should do Vers 10. And on the eighth day he shall take two he-lambs without blemish and one ew-lamb c. The two he-lambs were the one for a trespasse-offering verse 12. the other for a burnt-offering as is evident verse 19 20. See also Levit. 1. 10. The ew-lamb was for a sinne-offering Levit. 4. 32. And three tenth deals of fine flowre for a meat-offering mingled with oyl and one log of oyl These three tenth deals were three homers or pottles three tenth parts of an ephah or bushell as is before noted upon Exod. 29. 40. and the log
to appear in the presence of God for us So also Revel 8. 3 4. And another angâ—l came and stood at the altar having a golden censer and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne And the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the angels hand Vers 13. That the cloud of incense may cover the mercy-seat c. Whereby they were taught how formidable the majesty of God was and with what reverence we ought to present our selves before him Vers 15. Then shall he kill the goat of the sinne-offering c. We must not conceive that he came forth out of the most holy place to kill this goat of the sin-offering for the people for the bloud of this goat as it is said here was also sprinkled before the mercy-seat and had he gone in once with the bloud of his own sinne-offering and then came out and killed this goat for a sinne-offering for the people and gone in again to sprinkle the bloud of that before the mercy-seat then had he gone in twice on this day within the vail which is expressely against that of the Apostle Heb. 9. 7. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year not without bloud which he offered for himself and for the errours of the people These words therefore then shall he kill the goat of the sinne-offering do onely intend that he killed the bullock first for himself vers 11. and then this goat for the people for both of them were killed before he entred into the most holy place Vers 16. And he shall make an atonement for the holy place As being defiled though not in it self yet in regard of the peoples guilt partly by reason of any unwitting approching to the sanctuary when they were not legally clean and partly by reason of all other their sinnes whereby appears the horrour of sinne for though the people never went into the holy place much lesse into the most holy yet were the altar ark and Sanctuary defiled in the sight of God by their sins and could not be cleansed without bloud So our sinnes do defile Gods Church and most holy ordinances and do ascend into heaven it self whereinto we can have no entrance but by bloud See Heb. 9. 7 11 12. Vers 17. And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation c. That is neither of the priests nor people neither in the holy place nor in the court of the tabernacle for else why is it said no man since the people at no time used to come into the holy place The reasons of this were two 1. As by way of chastisement and for their humiliation they were all excluded from the places and holy things till they were purged from the uncleannesse which they had contracted by their sinnes 2. Hereby was signified that our high priest Christ should without help of any other perfect the work of our reconciliation with God Vers 18. And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord. That is the altar of incense See Exod. 30. 10. Vers 21. And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat This is the onely unbloudy sacrifice which was appointed in the Law yet was it not if it be well considered wholly without bloud For this and the goat which was killed was indeed but one sacrifice the one representing Christ dying for our sinnes the other Christ rising again for our justification Rom. 4. 25. the one the price paid for our redemption the other the effect thereof that God laying our sinnes upon Christ had removed our sinnes farre away from us See Psal 103. 12. As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath he removed our transgressions from us Vers 21. And shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wildernesse That is a man who for ability of body knowledge of the way and sufficiency for this service was chosen and in readinesse as appointed hereunto Vers 22. And the goat shall bear upon him their uniquities unto a land not inhabited That so the place might signifie that by Christ sinne is removed farre away even from all mankind that will believe in him Besides it might signifie that Christ was not onely put to death for our sakes but also forsaken in a manner of God cast off and left in a forlorn and comfortlesse condition Vers 24. And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place To wit because he had touched the goat upon which the sinnes of the people were laid The Hebrews say that this washing was not as at other times in the laver of brasse but in some vessell which stood in the Sanctuary which seems probable because after this done he is said to come forth that he might offer the burnt-offerings in the court And put on his garments c. The garments which he was now to put on were his ordinary high priests garments See the note above upon ver 4. And the burnt-offerings here appointed to be offered by him were the rammes mentioned ver 3. and ver 5. Vers 26. And he that let go the goat c. shall wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in water and afterward come into the camp Being unclean till the evening is not here mentioned as I conceive because it was usually evening ere they returned from these services or else in these cases they might presently come into the camp to bring back word that they had done what was injoyned Vers 29. In the seventh moneth on the tenth day of the moneth ye shall afflict your souls c. To wit by fasting and abstinence from all fleshly delights as also by the duties of inward humiliation and contrition and therefore was this day called their fast Sailing was now dangerous because the fast was now already past Act. 27. 9. And this we must know was the very same day wherein all those things before mentioned in this chapter were done by the high priest for the expiation of the sinnes of the people and was therefore called the day of atonement Levit. 23. 27. Indeed the solemnity of the day began the evening foregoing the tenth day and therefore it is said Levit. 23. 32. Ye shall afflict your souls on the ninth day of the moneth at even but the tenth day it was that was allotted for this service On this day the Jubile was also proclaimed of which see chap. 20. 8 9. As likewise for the extraordinary sacrifices of this day see Numb 29. 7 11. CHAP. XVII Vers 3. WHat man soever there be of the house of Israel that killâ—th anoâ— c. Namely with an intent of offering it as a sacrifice to the Lord It is not meant of oxen lambes or goats killed for their own private uses
eat with them of their peace-offerings because the remainders might not be reserved for themselves but were to be burnt Vers 11. Ye shall not steal neither deal falsely neither lie one to another Though all lying be here forbidden yet principally all lying whereby men are defrauded of their right either in buying or selling or otherwise Vers 12. And ye shall not swear by my name falsely Next after the Law against all false dealing in defrauding this is here inserted because by perjâ—ry men use to help forward their false dealing Nether shalt thou profane the name of thy God To wit nether by perjury nor vain swearing Vers 14. Thou shalt not â—urse the deaf c. Under these particulars of cursing the deaf and laying a stumbling-block before the blind there is also forbidden all other injuries done to men in confidence that the parties injured shall not be able to know who wronged them and so not have power to defend or right themselves yea even the putting of stumbling-blocks before the consciences of men and that because the Lord will plead the cause of those that are thus wronged which is implyed in the last words but shalt fear the Lord thy God as if he had said Let the fear of God in these cases restrain thee though the deaf and blind need not be feared Vers 16. Neither shalt thou stand against the bloud of thy neighbour Though the doing of any thing against the life of our neighbour is here forbidden yet the evil principally here forbidden is the standing up in courts of Justice to take away a mans life either as a false accuser or a false witnesse and the rather is this subjoyned to the foregoing Law Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bâ—arer among thy people because tale-bearing doth usually tend as in Doegs example we may see to derprive men of their lives according to that of the Prophet Ezek. 22. 9. In thee are men that carry tales to shed bloud Vers 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke c. That is when any man hath wronged you in any thing you shall not go away and closely nourish hatred in your hearts against them or secretly carry tales of them to others and in the mean season never open your mouths to them that did the wrong but quite contrary you shall in a brotherly manner rebuke them for the evil they have done that so you may reclaim them from those evil wayes This I conceive is the drift of this precept yet withall it may imply that he that doth not rebuke his brother when he sees him do amisse doth indeed hate him and not love him and that because he suffers him to runne on in his sinne and seeks not his amendment Vers 18. But thou shalt love thy brother as thy self This clause as thy self doth not denote an exact and perfect equality of love but a certain proportion of likenesse it doth not bind men to love their neighbour with the same degree of love but 1. that they should no more desire or seek the hurt of their neighbour then of themselves 2. that they should endeavour to do all good to their neighbour as to themselves and 3. that they should love their neighbour in the same manner heartily sincerely constantly as they love themselves This expression therefore is not unlike that Joh. 17. 21. where our Saviour prayed that all true believers might be one with him and his father as thou father art in me and I in thee which doth not impart the same union but onely a likenesse of union Vers 19. Ye shall keep my statutes This is repeated and prefixed here to shew that the ordinances following must not be neglected though seeming slight because even these also were Gods statutes Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind Of this Law there may be two reasons one naturall to teach his people not in vanity or curiosity of mind to alter the shape or nature of the creatures or seem to make more then God created another mysticall to teach them how God did hate both mixture of persons I mean the children of God with infidels as also all mixtures of religions and of mans devices with Gods ordinances and whatsoever hypocrisie or corruption of manners is contrary to that sincerity and simplicity which God requires in his children and this also was intended in the following prohibitions against sowing their fields with mingled seed Vers 20. Whosoever lieth carnally with a woman that is a bondmaid bet rothed c. she shall be scourged And so consequently the man also as being both equally guilty And indeed in the Hebrew there shall be a whipping which may have reference to both because she was a bondwoman a lighter punishment is inflicted for had she been either born or been made free both should have been put to death Deut. 22. 23 34. Thus still the Lord debaseth bond-servants to teach his children to hate the bondage of sinne Vers 21. And he shall bring his trespasse-offering c. Both for himself and the servant with whom he committed uncleannesse if she were an Israelite But because the man onely is appointed to bring a trespasse-offering this seems to imply the former Law was meant of heathen bondwomen which might not bring an offering Vers 23. And when ye shall come into the land and shall have planted all manner of trees for food then ye shall count c. The first-fruit that grew upon young trees newly planted was for the first three years to be accounted as uncircumcised and not to be eaten that is they were to be cut or plucked off betimes and cast away as an unclean thing even as the fore-skinnes of men in circumcision were cut off and cast away as unclean And though herein they were taught to benefit themselves in way of husbandry because if a young tree be suffered to bear fruit too soon neither will the fruit ever be good nor will the tree indure so long this over-early fruit drawing away the nourishment which should make the root and tree strong yet chiefly I conceive it was thus ordained for religious respects as 1. because the first-frâ—it was to be consecrate to God to whom it was fit the best should be given and at the best they use not to be till after three or foure years bearing and 2. to shew that through the contagion of sinne all things are rendred unclean to us Tit. 1. 15. To them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure so that we have no right to eat of them till by Christ the seed promised in the circumcision they be râ—stored as pure to us again and untill they be sanctified by the word of God and prayer 1. Tim. 4. 5. Vers 24. But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy c. That is they shall be given the priests as first-fruits See Numb 18. 12
of the witnesses hands upon the head of the blasphemer did signifie their desire that God would accept of his punishment as a sacrifice offered to the satisfying of his justice and not punish the land and people for it Vers 15. Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sinne and he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord c. These Laws were given to the Israelites upon the occasion of the foregoing story of the blasphemer that was stoned Evident it is that these are two distinct Laws Whosoever shall curse his God shall bear his sinne and He that blasphemeth the name of the Lord he shall surely be put to death and yet hard it is to say wherein the difference lies between cursing and blaspheming the name of the Lord. But the best resolution of this doubt I conceive is this that by cursing God is meant when a man shall directly and purposely speak reprochfully of God and by blaspheming the name of the Lord is meant when men do so profanely mention the name of God either in cursing or otherwise that what they say of God tends much to the reproch and dishonour of God though they do not directly speak against God Vers 16. All the congregation shall certainly stone him The people must all have their hands in the execution 1. to prove their zeal in revenging the dishonour done to God and his Laws 2. that themselves might learn to fear those sinnes which with their own hands they had punished in others Vers 17. And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death This Law is here inserted upon the occasion of the blasphemers striving with the Israelite ver 10. and to show that God was tender as of his own honour so of the safety of his people CHAP. XXV Vers 2. WHen ye come into the land which I give you then shall the land keep a Sabbath unto the Lord c. That is every seventh year the land shall lie at rest ye shall neither plow it nor sow it c. Concerning this Sabbaticall year and the grounds thereof see the notes upon Exod. 23. 11. This year also they did forbear exacting their debts of those that were indebted to them because that year there was no tillage nor harvest to make money of of which see also the notes upon Deut. 15. 1. It is also commonly held by Expositours that this year all Hebrew servants were set free of which see Exod. 21. 2. for of this I find no clear ground in the Scriptures but rather the contrary When the first Sabbaticall year was kept by the Israelites it is hard to determine and yet sure we are that it was not till they came into the land of Canaan The most probable opinion is that it was the fourteenth year of Joshua's government for if the land was first divided among the Israelites in the seventh year of Joshua as may be gathered from Calebs age Josh 14. 10. then the seventh year after that when they had tilled the land and reaped the crop of it six years was doubtlesse their first Sabbaticall year Vers 5. That which groweth of it own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not râ—ap c. That is as in other years by a peculiar right and interest but in common as others did onely taking what might serve for food Vers 8. And thou shalt number seven Sabbaths of years unto thee c. Here direction is given for the year of Jubile so called as it is most generally held from an Hebrew word Jovel which signifies a ramme because it was proclaimed with trumpets or cornets made of rammes horns A great question there is amongst Expositours nor is it easily to be resolved concerning the numbring of this year of Jubile as likewise at what time of the year it did begin Some conceive that the fourtyninth year which was the last of the seven times seven years was the year of Jubile and whereas it is said ver 10. Ye shall hallow the fiftiâ—th year they say it is called the fiftieth year by reckoning from the year before inclusively and so conceive that the year of Jubile did alwayes concurre with the seventh Sabbaticall year But against this manner of accounting the year Jubile there may be serall strong objections made which cannot well be answered as 1. that the Jews do constantly reckon otherwise making the Jubile every fiftieth year not concurring with the Sabbaticall year 2. that according to this manner of accounting every year of Jubile was then to be counted twice as the last of one fifty years and the first of another and besides in the computation for the first fifty years there was no Jubile before to be included and 3. that it had been superfluous to forbid as ver 11. all sowing and reaping in the year of Jubile if it had alwayes concurred with the seventh Sabbaticall year since all such works had then been unlawfull even in regard that it was a seventh year And therefore I conceive that the more probable opinion is that which is commonly held by Expositours namely that they did reckon seven times seven years which was nine and fourty years and then the next year after to wit the fiftieth year was the year of Jubile and this year was not reckoned in the Sabbath of years following but the one and fiftieth year was the first of the next seven years for else they should not have sowed and reaped six years in this week of years Vers 9. Then shalt thou â—ause the trumpet of the Jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh moneth c. That is on the tenth day of the seventh moneth in the year following the seventh Sabbath of years thou shalt throughout all the land with the sound of a trumpet or cornet proclaim that to be the year of Jubile It was proclaimed on the seventh moneth because it was the first moneth of the civil year and so then the year of Jubile began and it was proclaimed on the tenth day of that moneth which was the day of atonement and a publick fast-day for all the people 1. to shew that our freedome from the spirituall bondage wherein we lie by nature is through the atonement made by Christs death according to that of the Apostle Heb. 2. 12 15. For as much then as the children arâ— partakers of flesh and bloud he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage and 2. to teach us that the way to attain spirituall joy and comfort whereof the Jubile was a signe is to humble and afflict our souls as the Jews on this day did and 3. to teach us that if we expect mercy from God in the pardon of our sinnes which was assured to them on this day of expiation we ought to shew mercy to our
brethren as they did this day by releasing their servants and restoring to every man their possessions again A great dispute there is amongst Expositours when the year of Jubile began Some hold that though it were proclaimed on the seventh moneth the moneth Tisri yet it began not till the spring following in the moneth Nisan but this is no way probable for the time of sowing was about the seventh moneth and it is not likely they sowed that which because of the following Jubile they might not reap I make no question therefore but the year of Jubile began on this seventh moneth but whether it began on the first day of this moneth as the Jews generally hold or not till the tenth day is somewhat questionable yet the last seems to me most probable because it may seem strange that it should begin ten dayes before it was proclaimed Vers 10. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout all the land c. That is ye shall set it apart to be an holy year and shall proclaim liberty throughout all the land to wit to your brethren that had been sold to you for servants who shall hereupon be set at liberty Now the year of Jubile was called an holy year because it was separated from the ordinary imployments of other years in tilling and sowing their land c. that they might be at more leisure to spend it in holy imployments and that it might be to them a year of holy rejoycing before the Lord and withall because it was to be a type of that evangelicall Jubile at the coming of Christ when by the trumpet of the Gospel first sounded by the Baptist and after by Christ and his Apostles there should be great joy proclaimed unto all nations whence it is that the time of the Gospel is called the year of Gods redeemed Esa 63. 4. and the acceptable year of the Lord Esa 61. 2. the accepted time and the day of salvation 2. Cor. 6. 2. One of the main priviledges of this year was that which is here mentioned that all their servants were set at liberty Ordinarily when their brethren were sold to them for servants they were to serve them six years but if the year of Jubile came after the first or second year they were presently set free yea even those that at other ordinary times did refuse to be set free and so had their ears bored through and were by the Law thereupon to serve for ever Exod. 21. 16. were yet set free at the year of Jubile And herein was the year of Jubile a notable type of the evangelicall Jubile at the coming of Christ when all Gods redeemed ones were set free from the bondage of the Law Satan sinne and death Joh. 8. 36. If the sonne shall make you free you shall be free indeed It shall be a Jubile unto you and ye shall return every man to his possession This was another priviledge of the year of Jubile That when that year came all the land that had been sold returned to the owners that had sold it or to their heirs for no man might sell his land for ever ver 23. but onely for so many years as were behind from the sale to the year of Jubile and then the owners entred upon the land again And this was the reason why Naboth would not sell his vineyard to Ahab to wit for ever 1. King 21. 3. The Lord forbid it me saith he that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee Now the reasons of this Law were 1. that it might prevent the confusion of the tribes by the alienation of their severall portions in the land of Canaan from one to another 2. that it might be a barre in the way of the rich that they might not hope to swallow up the inheritance of their poore brethren and so to enlarge their own 3. that it might be a perpetuall memoriall to them that God had planted them in the land because they might not sell it the Lord challenging the land to be still his by a peculiar right and willing them onely to esteem themselves as sojourners therein with him whence it is called the Lords land Hos 9. 3. They shall not dwell in the Lords land and Esai 8. 8. The stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land O Immanuel And fourthly That it might be a figure of our recovering by Christ at the evangelicall Jubile that heavenly inheritance which we had lost by sinne and that the heavenly Canaan which God had prepared for his in Christ câ—nnot be utterly alienated from them but is surely confirmed in his bloud and reserved in heaven for them so that though by their sinnes they may for a time deprive themselves of the comfortable use of this their inheritance in the Church yet they shall return thereto at the great Jubile of Christs second appearing when the trumpet of God shall sound 1. Thess 4. 16 17. The Lord himsâ—lf shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangell and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the aire and so shall we be for ever with the Lord. Vers 12. Ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field And not out of the barn The meaning is that they might not gather and lay up the encrease that grew of the land in the year of Jubile but what they did eat hereof in common together with others they must take it immediately out of the field Vers 14. And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour or buyest ought of thy neighbours hand ye shall not oppresse one another That is the seller shall not exact more of him that buyes then the use of the land is truly worth from the time of the sale to the year of Jubile nor shall the buyer seek to get the land for lesse then it is truly worth taking advantage of the necessity of him that is forced to sell Vers 20. And if ye shall say What shall we eat the seventh year c. An objection is here made and answered concerning the rest of the Sabbaticall year enjoyned vers 4. The objection is how they should live the seventh year if they should therein neither sow nor reap And the answer is vers 21 22. That God would command such a blessing upon the sixth year that it should bring forth fruit for three years that is from the sixth to the ninth not for three years compleat but for part of three years as Christ is said to have been three dayes in thâ— grave because he was in the grave part of three dayes for the increase of the sixth year served them first for part of the sixth year to wit from barly-harvest that year which was about the Passeover till the seventh moneth
down and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill and smote them and discomfited them even unto Hormah That is the Amorites the posterity of Canaan Deut. 1. 44. And the Amorites which dwelt in that mountain came out against you and chased you as bees do After this discomfiture the Israelites returned and wept before the Lord but he would not hear their voice nor give ear unto them So they abode in Kadesh many dayes Deut 1. 45. Now for Hormah whither the Israelites were chased it was a place afterwards so called upon occasion of the Israelites destroying the Canaanites there chap. 21. 3. CHAP. XV. Vers 1. ANd the Lord spake unto Moses saying Speak unto the children of Israel c. In this chapter the Lord enlargeth and explaineth some laws formerly delivered And it is most likely that this was delivered in the order as here it is set down within some short time after their departure back from Kadesh toward the red sea and that purpoâ—ely to chear up the people with hope of Gods reconciliation that he had not utterly cast them off but would again smell the sweet savour of a sacrifice from them and perform the promises made to them to which end also there is a particulâ—r mention made that they should observe these directions given them when they câ—me into the land of Canaan Vers 2. When ye be come into the land of your habitations which I give unto you c. This law is to shew what meat-offerings and drink-offerings were alwayes to be offered together with their sacrifices whereof part was burnt upon the altar as accessories and appurtenances thereto belonging for the understanding whereof we must note that whereas there are two sorts of these offerings by fire mentioned vers 3. that were to have these accessory meat-offerings and drink-offerings to wit a burnt-offering or a sacrifice by sacrifice there is meant onely the sacrifice of peace-offerings as in many other places besides And indeed unlesse it be iâ— the sinnâ—-offering that was offered at the cleansing of the Leper Levit. 14. 10. we do not any where reade that there was any meat-offerings appointed for sinne-offerings bâ—t onely for burnt-offerings and peace-offerings whence we see that these two onely are mentioned iâ— this place the reason whereof I conceive was this because the end of the sinne-offering which was to make atonement for the humbled sinner and the end of the meat-offering which was to testifie the joy and gladnesse of their thankfull hearts did not so well agree and it would not therefore be so proper to joyn them together and secondly that there are severall quantities of meat and drink-offerings here appointed as first for a lamb or kid vers 4 5. or secondly for a ramme ver 6 7. or for a bullock ver 8 9 10. for according as the sacrifice was greater oâ— lesse so must also the meat and drink-offering be more or lesse so there might be a proportion betwixt them Now concerning the measure of an hin and other things observable concerning these meat-offerings see what is noted before upon Exod. â—9 41 c. Vers 15. As ye are so shall the stranger be before the Lord. That is God will make no difference betwixt you and the strangers that have embraced the same religion with you his sacrifices and yours shall be alike acceptable to God and therefore as there is no difference in the Lords acceptation so neither in the manner of their offering them In civil things there was not one Law both for Israelite and stranger but before the Lord that is when they came into Gods presence to perform the duties of Gods worship as the Israelites were so were the strangers that is there was one Law for them both Vers 20. As ye do the heave-offering of the threshing-floore so shall ye heave it That is about the same quantity that ye offer of your first corn shall ye offer of youâ— dough and both shall be offered with the same ceremonies Vers 21. Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the Lord an heave-offering in your generations That is to the priests as the Lords receivers for the first-fruits were their portion Ezek. 44. 30. And the first of all the fruits of all things and evâ—ry oblation of all of every sort of your oblations shall be the priests c. Vers 22. And if ye have erred and not observed all thâ—se commandments c. There is a Law given concerning the expiation of a sinne ignorantly committed by the whole congregation Levit. 4. 13. But there is a manifest difference betwixt this and that There the Law speaks of doing that which should not be done here of not doing all which should be done there the sacrifice which the congregation should bring is onely a bullock for a sinne-offering here they are willed to bring a bullock for a burnt-offering and a kid of the goats for a sinne-offering And the ground of this difference I conceive is this because that Law concerned sinnes of doing evil forbidden this onely concerns the sinne of neglecting those ceremoniall duties commanded by the Law which may be the more readily yielded if we consider the occasion of inserting this Law in this place Having spoken of the first-fruits of the first of their dough he immediately added this Law to shew what should be done in case any of those things concerning the externall worship of God either first-fruits or any other thing that ought to be brought to the priests and to the tabernacle were omâ—tted either by the congregation or particular persons Vers 25. And the priests shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel c. Or for every congregation whereby may be implyed the severall tribes cities towns and synagogues Vers 30. But the soul that doth ought presumptuously c. This Law for the cutting off that is the putting to death of those that do ought presumptuously must be understood onely of the same offences for which the foregoing sacrifiâ—cs were appointed when they were ignorantly committed to wit of offences committed against the worship enjoyned by the ceremoniall Law as it is noted before upon vers 22. In these things the soul that is the man that did ought presumptuously that is not of ignorance inadvertencie or infirmity but willfully and boldly purposely and openly as in an advised contempt of Gods Law and of those duties of his publick worship in the Law of God enjoyned he was to be cut off and that because he did thereby reproch the Lord this being all one as if he should fay that God was not to be regarded or that his judgements were not worthy his fear Vers 32. And while the children of Israel were in the wildernesse they found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day c. At what time in their wandring through the wildernesse this happened which is here related it is not expressed But I conceive it
c. This is the Law for making the water of separation as it is called ver 9. that is the water that was to be kept for the cleansing of those that were legally unclean and for that cause were separated from the holy things of the tabernacle When this Law was given we cannot say but very fitly it is added here to that which went before for as in the foregoing chapter to appease the peoples excessive fear chap. 17. 12. the priests and Levites were appointed to do the service of the tabernacle and to watch over the people that they might not transgresse about any of the holy things so here also the Lord appoints a water of separation to be made that so if any of the pâ—ople had contracted any legall uncleannesse by the sprinkling of this water upon them they might be cleansed and so might come freely again to the service of God in the tabernacle without fear of those plagues which otherwise their pollutions might have brought upon them The legall pollutions were to affect them with the filthinesse of their sinnes and this water of separation was to teach them that if they desired to be cleansed from their filthinesse they must go out of themselves and obtain it from God from his Sanctuary and sacrifice For the making of this water a red heifer was to be providâ—d and that by the common care and charge of all the children of Israel because it was to be for the common good of them all even for the cleansing of any one amongst them that was by any accident legally unclean And indeed as all other sacrifices so this in speciall was a notable type and figure of Christ for first it must be a heifer that the imbecillity of the sex might shadow forth the mean and humble and despised condition wherein Christ should live in the world secondly a red heifer either to denote the truth of his humane nature that he was indeed the sonne of man who was at first called Adam which in the Hebrew signifies red because of the red earth of which he was made or rather to betoken the bloudinesse of his passion whereto the Prophet seems also as some conceive to allude Esa 63. 1 2. Who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah Wherefore art thou red in thine apparrel and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-presse and that by his bloud it is that we shall be cleansed from all our sinnes even those sinnes that are red as crimson or scarlet Esa 1. 18. He hath loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his own bloud saith S. John Rev. 1. 5. thirdly it must be a heifer without spot wherein is no blemish to signifie the purity of his nature without any blemish of sinne and the perfection both of his righteousnesse and suffering and fourthly a heifer upon which never came yoke for they used in those times to plow and to draw their carts with heifers and cows as well as with oxen Judg. 14. 18. and 6. 7. and that to signifie his frâ—edome from the bondage of sinne as also his voluntary doing of those things that were to be done for our redemption John 10. 17 18. I lay down my life that I might take it again No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self and Heb. 9. 13 14. If the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the bloud of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God Vers 3. And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest c. This heifer must be given to the priest to signifie that our redemption and purification was the work of Christs priesthood who was both priest and sacrifice yet not to the high priest but to Eleazar because by doing this service that was now to be done he was to be unclean ver 7. and it was fitter that he should be defiled then Aaron and secondly it must be carried without the camp as an accursed thing figuring Christs being made a curse and suffering without the citie Heb. 13. 12. Wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his own bloud suffered without the gate Vers 4. And sprinkle of her bloud directly before the tabernaclâ— of the congregation seven times Signifying that though it bore the curse yet it was accepted of God for the cleansing of the unclean and that by Christs bloud we are made clean in Gods sight and have an entrance into heaven thereby Vers 5. And one shall burn the heifer in his sight her skinne and her flesh c. This was done to signifie the grievous suffering of Christ in the whole man both soul and body as also say some the ardent love which he bore unto his people in that he did offer up himself as a sacrifice to God in their behalf Vers 6. And the priest shall take cedar-wood and hyssope and scarlet c. To signifie that these things should be used for a sprinkle in sprinkling the unclean with the water of separation Lev. 14. 4. and that was by the virtue of the sacrifice that these things should be sanctified to this end that to them might be applyed the cleansing virtue of Christs death and spirit for the purging of our sinnes Vers 7. The priest shall wâ—sh his clothes c. The like is said of him that burnt this heifer ver 8. and of him thâ—t gathered up the ashes ver 10. and of him that sprinkled an unclean person with the water of separation made of these ashes ver 21. They that were imployed in preparing this water were defiled by that which was for the cleansing of others that were defiled And this was first to discover thereby the abominablenesse of sin in that the sinnes of the people being as it were imputed to this heifer that she might die for them every one that touched her was thereby polluted secondly to signifie that Christ of whom this heifer was a type by the imputation of our sinnes should be made a curse for us and should be numbred amongst transgressours thirdly to teach them that it was not so much the signe as the thing signified thereby that had virtue in it to purifie those that were spiritually unclean and consequently to shew the imperfection of the legall priesthood because by preparing the means of the Churches sanctification themselves were polluted Vers 9. And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes c. This branch of the Law that the ashes of the heifer must be gathered up by a man that is clean and laid up without the camp in a clean place was because they were now consecrated to a holy use however the man that gathered them was thereby made unclean as is expressed in the following verse because they were the remainder of a heifer slain as
I may say for the sinnes of the people and hereby was signified that Christ our sacrifice was pure in himself though made sinne for us yea and some Expositours adde that this laying up of these ashes in a clean place signified that Christ should be buried in a new tombe wherein never man before was laid Luke 23. 53. And it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation Why it is called a water of separation see before in the note upon ver 2. As for the place where these ashes were kept when they came into the land of Canaan it is not expressed yet many hold that it was dispersed into all the cities that those that were unclean might have wherewith to purify themselves Vers 10. And it shall be unto the children of Israel and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them for a statute for ever To wit the making and reserving these ashes for a water of separation Whether there was a new heifer burnt at every station where the Israelites tarried any time or whether every tribe or Israelite which I should rather think fetched of the ashes from the place where they were laid without the camp and so kept them for their own use when occasion served because it is not expressed we need not curiously enquire Onely this we must know that as the burning so also the ashes of this heifer was a signe of Christs most ignominious and accursed death for to be brought to ashes upon the earth is noted for the extremity of Gods fierie judgments Ezek. 28. 18. and that the memoriall of Christs ignominious death is to be kept by us in the Sacrament of the Lords supper as a most glorious monument of our life justification and sanctification through faith in his name See 1. Cor. 11. 24 25 26. and Gal. 6. 14. Vers 11. He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven dayes He that touched a dead beast was unclean but one day onely Lev. 11. 24. c. Whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean untill the even c. neither was he to be sprinkled with those ashes By these legall pollutions therefore contracted by the touch of a dead man the Lord did undoubtedly teach his people first to observe Gods curse in death secondly to take heed of being defiled by the society of dead men that is wicked men men dead in trespasses and sinnes Eph. 2. 1. and of polluting our souls by any sinne or communion with dead works See 2. Cor. 6. 17. Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and 1. Tim. 5. 22. Lay hands suddenly on no man neither be partaker of other mens sinnes Keep thy self pure and thirdly that if they had defiled themselves they should seek presently to be cleansed of their uncleannesse namely by repentance from dead works and saith towards God which purifieth the heart Acts 15. 9. Vers 12. He shall purifie himself with it on the third day and on the sâ—venth day he shall be clean The third day was mysticall having reference to the resurrection of Christ so was also the seventh being a perfect number and signifying how full and perfectly we are cleansed from our sinnes by the sprinkling of the bloud and spirit of Christ Vers 13. And that soul shall be cut off from Israel That is if he do it presumptuously but if he have done it ignorantly he was to bring a sacrifice Leviticus 5. 3 6. Vers 16. And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword c. That is whosoever toucheth any slain man for though the text speaks onely of such as are slain with a sword yet hereby all other are implyed also or a dead body that is any other dead body of a man though not slain but dying his naturall death yea or the bone of a man or a grave he shall be unclean seven dayes and therefore it was that to avoid these pollutions they used to have their places of buriall without their cities Luke 7. 12. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the citie behold there was a dead man carried out See also John 9. 41. Vers 17. And running water shall be put theretâ— in a vessel Because such water is purest See Lev. 14. 5. This figured the spirit of God which they that believe in Christ do receive John 7. 38 39. Vers 18. And a clean person shall take hyssope and dip it in the water and sprinkle it about the tent and upon all the vessels For though a vessel were melted yet it was not clean till it was sprinkled with this water Numb 31. 23. Every thing that may abide the fire ye shall make it go through the fire and it shall be clean neverthelesse it shall be purified with the water of separation Vers 22. And what soever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean c. The unclean person here spoken of must needs be meant of the unclean person mentioned in the foregoing verse as by the immediate inference of this upon that is evident to wit the person that was made unclean by touching the water of separation yet withall it may be extended to all the unclean persons mentioned before in this chapter as those that were made unclean by the burning or touching of the red heifer or her ashes or by the touching of the dead body of a man c. and the Law here given concerning those is that every thing should be unclean that such unclean persons touched and that every person should be unclean that touched any thing that was defiled by the touch of an unclean man and thus hereby was figured the contagion of sinne spreading from one to another to the infection of many CHAP. XX. Vers 1. THen came the children of Israel even the whole congregation into the desert of Zin c. Not the wildernesse of Sin mentioned Exod. 16. 1. whither they came on the fifteenth day of the second moneth after their departing out of the land of Egypt but the wildernesse of Zin which was near to the land of Edom. The last station of the Israelites mentioned in this story was Kadesh in the wildernesse of Paran Numb 12. 16. and 13. 26. which is also called Kadesh-Barnea Deut. 1. 19. and Rithmah Numb 33. 18. close upon the borders of Canaan for thence they sent twelve men to search the land But because here they murmured against God for fear of the inhabitants hence the Lord appoints them to return to the red sea from Rithmah therefore or Kadesh-Barnea they returned as we find it Numb 33. 19. to Rimmon-parez thence to Libnah thence to Rissah thence to Kehelathah where some think it was that the Israelite was stoned for gathering broken wood on the Sabbath day Exod 15. 32. thence they went to mount Shapher thence to Haradah thence to Makheloth thence to
again if they were once suffered to come in Vers 19. And the children of Israel said unto him We will go by the high way This is either the reply of the first messengers or a second embassy upon the answer brought back by the first messengers Vers 21. Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border Notwithstanding as they went along their coasts the Edomites suffered them to buy victuals of them See Deut. 2. 28 29. Wherefore Israel turned away from him Fetching a compasse through the wildernesse about the land of Edom. The Lord had charged them that they should not meddle with the sonnes of Esau or their possession Deut. 2. 4 5. Ye are to passe through the coasts of your brethren the children of Esau Meddâ—c not with them for I will not give you of their land no not so much as a footbreadth so they went about though the way through the wildernesse was very troublesome Numb 21. 4. The soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way Vers 22. And came unto mount Hor. From which some think the people that were driven out of this countrey by Esau were called Horims Dent. 2. 12. The Horims also dwelt in Seir beforetime but the children of Esau succeeded them when they had destroyed them c. and Esau is called the Horite Gen. 36. 20. Vers 24. Aaron shall be gathered untâ— his people c. See the note upon Gen. 25. 8. This prediction of Aarons death was to make it manifest to the people that he was by death kept from entring Canaan for his sinne else the death of so aged a man would have been little regarded Vers 25. Take Aaron and Eleazar his sonne and bring them up into mount Hor. These reasons may be probably given why this is appointed to be done in the mount 1. That it might be a signe that this was done by Gods appointment their going up into the mount being as it were a presenting of themselves before Gods tribunal that by his will they mâ—ght be ordered in this great businesse 2. That it might raise up the peoples expectation to observe what was done whence it is said vers 27. that they went up in the sight of all the congregation 3. That it might be a signe of Aarons ascending by death to heaven Vers 28. And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them upon Eleazar his sonne The priests used not to wear their holy garments out of the tabernacle But this was done by speciall command of God Aaron therefore going up to mount Hor in all the high priests attire that he might die there Moses stripped him there of all those holy garments not so much that they might not be defiled by Aarons dead body as that they might be put upon Eleazar his sonne to signifie that God had appointed him to suceâ—ed in his fathers office And indeed this done thus once for all was sufficient to shew that God had established this order that the high priests eldest sonne or the next heir of the family unlesse he were uncapable of it because of some blemish was still to succeed in that place and office and withall it must needs be a great comfort to Aaron that before he died he saw his sonne settled in his room and might in his sonne so clothed behold as in a type his Mediatour the salvation of God Luk. 2. 29. But yet in the dayes of the Judges we find that the high priesthood was removed from Eleazars to Ithamars posterity for Eli was of the stock of Ithamar And Aaron died there in the top of the mount This was in the first day of the fifth moneth in the fourtieth year after their coming out of Egypt Aaron then being an hundred and twenty three years old chap. 33. 38 39. and an evident demonstration this was of the insufficiency of the legal priesthood Hebr. 7. 23 24. And they truly were many priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death But this man because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable priesthood Vers 29. They mourned for Aaron thirty dayes This was it seems the usuall time of mourning for great men for so long also they mourned for Moses Deut. 34. 8. In Deut. 10. 6. it is said that Aaron died and was buried at Mosera but concerning that difficultie see the note upon that place CHAP. XXI Vers 1. ANd when king Arad the Canaanite which dwelt in the south heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies c. That is when he understood by the spies he had sent forth to observe the course of the Israâ—lites that they were turned back again from the red sea and marched directly upon the south of Canaan where his countrey lay by the way of the spies that is by the way where he had sent his spies to watch them not knowing of Moses purpose to compasse the land of Moab he resolved that they meant to enter upon the south of Canaan and therefore judging it safer to find his eneme in his neighbours countrey then to be found by them in his own he immediately went forth with a great army even as farre as mount Hor in the edge of the desert where the Israelites now lay and there fought with them and took some of them prisoners Many Expositours do farre otherwise conceive of that which is here said of the Israelites coming by the way of the spies namely that king Arad heard they came by the way where the spies which Moses did long since send to search the land chap. 13. 17. entred that countrey and indeed they entred upon the south of Canaan as is there expressely noted But first because the Israelites were now farre from Kadesh-Barnea whence those spies were sent to search the land of Canaan and secondly because it seems apparent by the text that those that told this king Arad of the Israelites coming used the expâ—ession here mentioned that they came by the way of the spies and we no way find that either this king or any other of the Canaanites did ever know any thing of the Israelites spies that were sent to search the land therefore I conceive that this is meant rather as is abovesaid of the way where king Arad had sent spies to observe which way the Israelites would take of whose return from the red sea he had before been informed as is noted chap. 33. 40. As for the battel which was here fought betwixt the Israelites and the army of this king Arad very observable it is first that the Lord so disposed of it by his providence that this one king should onely come forth against them and that all the Canaanites in those parts did not joyn their forces together against them for by this means the Israelites were not so daunted but that they were willing to fight with them and secondly that notwithstanding the Lord suffered them to be foyled so that some of them were
taken prisoners in this battel for hereby he taught them at first how unable they were in themselves to conquer those nations that so they might learn to trust in God and not in themselves If one king thus prevailed over them how should they be able to destroy all the inhabitans of the land combining themselves together if the Lord should not assist them Vers 2. And Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord c. That is the Israelites intending to renew the battel and again once more to set upon Arad and his army called upon God for help and vowed to devote unto him their enemies and all their cities that is utterly to destroy them If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand then I will utterly destroy their cities for when things were thus devoted the persons were killed the cities burnt and the goods confiscate to the Lord so that nothing was reserved for their own private use as is noted upon Levit. 27. 28. and this was a vow agreeable to Gods law Exod. 23. 32. Thou shalt make no covenant with them nor with their gods Vers 3. And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites That is this army of Arad whom in a second battel after this vow they vanquished and destroyed And they utterly destroyed them and their cities and he called the name of that place Hormah But how could they being so farre off in the wildernesse destroy their cities lying within Canaan surely had Moses at this time entred Canaan in the pursuit of Arad he would not have fallen back again into the deserts It seemeth therefore that the accomplishment of this vow was performed long after to wit by the men of Judah and Simeon when they were come into the land of Canaan as is expressed Judg. 1. 17. And Judah went with Simeon his brother and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath and utterly destroyed it and the name of the citie was called Hormah so that this clause was here inserted either by Mosesprophetically or by some other holy man afterwards Vers 4. And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the red sea c. That is they went from Hor Eastward a way that led to the red sea which lay North and South the common rode from Gilead and Moab to Eziongaber c. and so crossing that way they passed on to Zalmonah and so turning then Northward to Punon as is expressed Numb 33. 41 42. and here it seems it was that the Israelites were punished with fiery serpents And the soul of the people was much discouragâ—d because of the way That is because they were led a great way about through a desert full of wants and difficulties and that the rather because now they began to think puffed up with their late victory that it had been easie for them to have forced a passage the nearest way Vers 5. And the people spake against God and against Moses c. And so tempted Christ 1. Cor. 10. 9. Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents Vers 6. And the Lord sent fiery serâ—ents among the people c. So called because their venemous biting did cause a grievous burning in the bodies of the Israelites It may seem that they were a kind of serpents with wings that so flying amongst them did here and there seise upon them and bite them such as the prophet speaks of Esa 14. 29. Out of the serpents root shall come forth a cockatrice and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent The word in the originall is Seraphin that is Burners the very same name whereby the Angels are called Esa 6. 2. because of their burning zeal for Gods glory The wildernesse through which the Israelites now went did abound with many sorts of these serpents and therefore it is called that great and terrible wildernesse wherein were fiery serpents and scorpions Deut. 8. 15. onely God had hitherto kept them from hurting his people till now for their sinne he gave them power to bite and kill them and indeed the punishment was just according to their sinne for now God gave them just cause to complain of thirst and with the venemous biting of fiery serpents he punished their virulent tongues to whom that might well be applyed which the Psalmist speaks Psal 140. 3. They have sharpened their tongues as a serpent adders poison is under their lips Vers 8. Make thee a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole c. This was the way which the Lord prescribed for the curing of the Israelites that were bitten with fiery serpents namely that Moses should make a fiery serpent that is a figure or representation of those fiery serpents wherewith they were stung and that of brasse as we may see in the following verse the better to represent their fiery quality because brasse is of a fiery colour and therefore it is said of the Cherubims that Ezekiel saw in a vision Ezek. 1. 7. that they sparkled like the colour of burnished brasse and then set it upon a pole to the end that it might be seen from every quarter of the camp so that every man that was stung with the fiery serpents might look upon this brasen serpent and thereby might be healed Now this way of cure the Lord prescribed for two reasons first because this being no naturall way of cure did the better discover that it was of Gods mercy and secondly that it might be a type of Christ and our redemption by him John 3. 14 15. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wildernesse even so must the sonne of man be lifted up That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternall life For first as the Israelites were bitten with fiery serpents and that biting was mortall and deadly so was all mankind in our parents mortally stung and bitten by Satan that old serpent Rev. 12. 9. so that their whole nature is envenomed with sinne as a deadly poison and as it were set on fire of hell as S. James speaks of the tongue in particular James â— 6 8. and that so that without some way of recovery they must needs perish everlastingly By one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne Rom. 5. 12. and the sting of death is sinne saith the same Apostle 1. Cor. 15. 56. Secondly as the brazen serpent which Moses made for the cure of the Israelites had the outward form of those fiery serpents yet had not the poyson of those serpents in it so Christ came in the likenesse of sinnefull flesh Rom. 8. 3. and yet was without sinne Thirdly as the brazen serpent was lifted upon a pole that when any man was stung with the fiery serpents he might lift up his eyes and look upon it so Christ was lifted upon the crosse to the end he might save death-stung sinners or rather so was Christ lifted up and held forth
unto men in the preaching of the Gospel that so all poore sinners might look upon him as the onely authour of eternall salvation according to that of S. Paul to the Galatians Who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you Gal. 3. 1. And fifthly as the Israelites that were mortally bitten by those fiery serpents were perfectly cured onely by looking on the brazen serpent whereof there could be no naturall reason so are sinners perfectly saved from that death whereto they were liable because of sinne onely by casting an eye of faith upon Christ whereof no reason can be given but the will of God and therefore is the preaching of this way of salvation called the foolishnesse of preaching 1. Cor. 1. 21. And indeed partly because it was such a notable type of the promised Messiah and partly that it might be a memoriall of this singular meâ—cy which God thereby had afforded them the Israelites carefully kept this brazen serpent unto the dayes of Hezekiah but then because the people burnt incense to it that good King brake it in pieces 2. Kings 18. 4. Vers 10. And the children of Israel set forward and pitched in Oboth They removed not from mount Hor to Oboth but as is before noted upon vers 14. from mount Hor they removed to Zalmonah and then to Punon and then to Oboth as we reade chap. 33. 41 42 43. whence we may most probably conclude that about Punon it was that the brazen serpent was made because it is said here that they set sorward from the place where that was done and then pitched in Oboth Vers 11. And they journâ—yed from Oboth and pitched at Ije-abarim in the wildernesse which is before Moab c. And so were come from Edoms borders to Moabs with whom also they might not meddle Deut. 2. 9. And the Lord said unto me Distresse not the Moabites neither contend with them in battel Vers 12. From thence they removed and pitched in the valley of Zared Zared was the name both of the valley and river that ranne through that valley Deut. 2. 13. where was it seems Dibon-gad for chap. 33. 45. it is said that they departed from lim and pitched in Dibon-gad Vers 13. From thence they removed and pitched on the other side of Arnon c. From Dibon-gad they went to Almon-diblathaim thence to the mountains of Abarim Num. 33. 46 47. which it seems were in this place on the other side of Arnon For Arnon is the border of Moab between Moab and the Amorites Arnon was a river that did at this time divide the countrey of the Amorites from the land of the Moabites Indeed the countrey beyond Arnon towards Jordan had been in the possession of Moab but Sihon had taken it from them ver 16. so that now Arnon was the border between the Moabites and the Amorites which Moses notes to let us see how God by this means had provided this countrey for the Israelites who might not have meddled with it if it had been still in the Moabites possession but were now commanded to take it from the Amorites Deut. 2. 24. Rise ye up take your journey and passe over the river Arnon behold I have given into thy hand Sihon the Amorite King of Heshbon and his land c. and hence it was that the King of the Amorites and Moabites challenged this land in the dayes of Jephthah Israel took away my land when they came up out of Egypt from Arnon even unto Jabbok and unto Jordan now therefore restore thoselands again peaceably Vers 14. Wherefore it is said in the book of the warres of the Lord what he did in the red sea c. This place is diversly translated and therefore also diversly expounded by Interpreters According to our translation the meaning and drift of the words seems to be this There was a book extant in Moses time but now lost called the book of the warres of the Lord wherein it seems the victories which the Lord gave the Israelites over their enemies were more largely described which are here but briefly touched out of this book Moses citâ—s these following words What he did in the red sea and in the brooks of Arnon and at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar and lieth upon the border of Moab and that partly to prove what he had said before ver 13. that Arnon was at present the border between the land of Moab and the land of the Amorites though formerly the land beyond Arnon belonged also to the Moabites and partly also to give a touch that here at their entrance into the Amorites land the Lord wrought wonders for them not inferiour to his dealing with them when he drowned the Egyptians in the red sea Our Translatours have noted in the margin of our Bibles that this place cited out of that book of the warres of the Lord may be read thus Vaheb in Saphah and in the brooks of Arnon c. but if it be so read it is hard to conjecture what was meant thereby onely some Expositours hold that Vaheb was the name of that King of the Moabites mentioned vers 26. whom Sihon conquered and others that it was the name of a city in Saphah but the words cited being but an imperfect clause taken out of a book not now extant no wonder it is though the meaning of them cannot be found out sufficient it is for us that they plainly enough prove that for which Moses cites them namely that the river Arnon did divide the land of the Amorites and the land of Moab Vers 16. And from thence they went to Beer Neither this place called Beer nor those mentioned vers 18 19 20. to wit Mattanah Nahaliel and Bamoth are named Numb 33. and therefore it seems they were not severall stations but onely the names of such places as they passed by when they went forward from the mountains of Abarim which were about Arnon to the plains of Moab Numbers 33. 48. That is the well whereof the Lord spake unto Moses Gather the people together and I will give them water c. The meaning of these words is that at this place called thence Beer which signifieth a well the Lord did miraculously again supply them with water and that in the sight of all the people having appointed Moses to gather them together for this very purpose The manner how this was done is not expressed in the story but from the ensuing song we may probably inferre thus much to wit that the people being in some distresse for water in that wildernesse mentioned ver 13. through which they were now going God stayed not now till they murmured again but of his own accord did appoint Moses to gather the people together and to set the princes of the tribes to dig with their staves promising that a well should thereupon miraculously spring
were in subjection and so made great havock amongst that people and afterwards they could not but suffer much when the Seleucidae did continually waste and oppresse them in the troublesome dayes of Antigonus and Antiochus And if we understand by Chittim Italy even by the Romans out of Italy were the Assyrians afflicted when they began to ruine the Grecian Empire to whom that people were then subject and Dio that writes the Romane history reports that Trajan the Emperour did in his time subdue Assyria and make it a Province As for the second branch of this prophecy that â—he ships which should come from the coast of Chittim should afflict Eber that is the Hebrews or Jews this also was partly fulfilled by the Greeks if you understand them to be the people of Chittim for they could not but suffer much when the Grecians came to get the dominion over them and the story of the Maccabees shews how cruelly Antiochus dealt with them but especially by the Romanes if we understand them to be the people of Chittim for by the Romanes they were often sorely distressed and at length Titus and Vespasian did utterly ruine them As for the third branch of the prophecy that he also that is the people of Chittim should perish for ever this hath been already in part fulfilled both in the utter overthrow of the Grecian Empire and in the low estate whereto the Romane Empire is fallen but shall be more fully accomplished when Rome and her now head that man of sinne shall be utterly destroyed as God hath threatned that he will consume him with the breath of his mouth destroy him with the brigâ—tnesse of his coming 2. Thess 2. 8. Vers 25. And Balaam rose up and went and returned to his place c. That is he went away homeward though it seems he was afterward stayed amongst the Midianites for among them he was slain chap. 31. 8. They slew the kings of Midian Balaam also the sonne of Beor they slew with the sword With what shame and confusion of face they now parted asunder we may easily conceive being both wholly disappointed of their aims the false prophet going away without those wages of unrighteousnesse which he had gaped after and for which he had taken all this pains and the king having procured nothing by all that he had done but that the â—eople was blessed whom he desired his prophet to curse which how great a mercie it was to the Israelites we may see by the Lords putting them so often in mind of it as Deut. 23. 4 5. They hired against thee Balaam the sonne of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia to curse thee Neverthelesse the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Balaam but the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee because the Lord thy God loved thee and again Mich. 6. 5. O my â—â—ople remember now what Balak King of Moab consulted and what Balaam the sonne of Beor answered him But though they could not obtain to have Israel cursed yet before Balaam parted now with Balak he gave him that pestilent counsel to wit to invite the Israelites to their feasts and so to insnare them and draw them both to whoredome and idolatry that so the favour of their God being turned away from them they might then be exposed to any mischief from their enemies which how they attempted to put in practise we reade in the following chapter CHAP. XXV Vers 1. ANd Israel abode in Shittim This was a place in the plains of Moab called also Abel-shittim chap. 3â— 49. where they continued till after Moses death for from this Shittim they removed when they went to passe over Jordan into the land of Canaan and it is the rather noted here as an aggravation of their sinne which in this place they fell into with the daughters of Moab that when God had now brought them to the very borders of the promised land they should there so shamefully sinne against him And the people began to commit wheredome with the daughters of Moab This is meant both of bodily and spirituall whoredome and besides we must note first that though it be said generally that the people began to commit whoredome yet the meaning is onely that some or a great number of the people did so for all that were guilty of this wickednesse were taken away and onely those remained alive that did constantly cleave unto the Lord Deut. 4. 3 4. All the men that followed Baal Peor the Lord thy God hath destroyed them from among you But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day and secondly that though the daughters of Moab be onely here mentioned yet under these the daughters of Midian are also comprehended for it is evident that the Israelites did commit whoredome with the daughters of Midian as we may see ver 6. where it is said that it was a Midianitish woman with whom Zimri committed filthinesse and ver 16 17. Vex the Midâ—anites saith the Lord to Moses and smite them for they vex you with their wiles wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor c. Vers 2. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods c. This is added as the effect of their whoredome with the daughters of Moab whereof he had spoken in the former verse to wit that they were then invited by these daughters of Moab to their idolatrous feasts and so at length were drawn to open idolatry Some indeed conceive that in these words Moses sheweth how they were drawn to commit whoredome with these daughters of Moab to wit that first under a shew of friendship they were invited by the Moabites to their idolatrous feasts and then being there allured by the wanton provocations of their young damsels they committed filthinesse with them and so were insnared and drawn further afterwards to fall down and worship their gods But the order of the words is rather this that first they committed bodily whoredome with the daughters of Moab for that is principally intended vers 1. and therefore S. Paul speaks of this as that which was the first originall cause of all the evil that now befell them 1. Cor. 10. 8. Neither let us commit fornication as some of them committed and fell in one day three and twenty thousand and then afterwards they were drawn by dâ—grees to the idolatry here mentioned It seems therefore that the Moabites under a pretence of peace and amity got some opportunity to have their fair damsels allure some of the Israelites to uncleannesse and then having intangled them in this sinne they called them unto the sacrifices of their gods that is to the feasts they made with their sacrifices and so they went and did eat with them which was of it self idolatry they that eat of the sacrifices being partakers of the altar 1. Cor. 10. 8. and a sinne which God had expressely given them warning
of to wit that they should take heed lest the people sacrificing unto their god any one should call them and they should eat of his sacrifice Exod. 34. 15. and then being thus farre fallen away they were easily wonne to open idolatry even to bow down to their gods and worship them And all this the Moabites did by the counsel of Balaam who knew there was no other way to endanger the Israelites as it is evident chap. 31. 16. Behold saith the Lord of the Midianitish women these caused the children of Israel through the counsel of Balaam to commit a trespasse against the Lord in the matter of Peor and Rev. 2. 14. where it is said that Balaam taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication Vers 3. And Israel joyned himself unto Baal-peor This Baal-peor was an idol-god of the Moabites so called from the mountain Peor chap. 23. 28. where this idol was worshipped And to this idol Israel is said to have joyned himself in reference to that spirituall adultery they committed by worshipping this idol as for the same reason the Scripture useth a like expression Hos 9. 10. where it is said that the Israelites went to Baal-peor and separated them selves unto that shame And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel Herein also is implyed the effect of Gods anger to wit that hereupon the plague brake in upon them Psal 106. 29. whereby there fell in one day three and twenty thousand Vers 4. And the Lord said unto Moses Take all the heads of the people and hang them up c. Some Expositours understand this thus That the Lord here enjoyneth Moses to take all the heads of the people that is to gather together all the Heads and Rulers of the severall tribes and take them as assistants to him and then to hang them up before the Lord that is them of the people of whom he had spoken in the foregoing verse that had joyned themselves to Baal-peor and indeed that which followeth in the next verse doth singularly well agree with this exposition to wit that hereupon Moses said unto the Judges of Israel whom he had thus assembled together Slay you every one his man that is the meâ— that are under your severall jurisdictions that were joyned unto Baal-peor But the most received exposition is that the Lord here commanded Moses that he should take that is apprehend all the heads of the people to wit that were guilty of this sinne and hâ—ng them up before the Lord that is as a sacrifice to the Lord for the vindicating of his honour and the appeasing of his wrath as those of Sauls issue are said likeâ—ise to have been hanged up before the Lord 2. Sam. 21. 6. because it was done for diverting of the Lords wrath when there was a famine in the land and that against the sunne that is openly in the sight of all men that as they had sinned openly so they might be punished openly for the terrour of others Now this exposition the words seem most plainly to intend to wit that first God commanded Moses to take all the heads of the people that were guilty of this sinne and hang them up before the Lord against the sunne so appointing them to be first punished and that with a more shamefull kind of death because their sinne was greatest and that then afterwards Moses gave a charge as it follows in the next verse to the rest of the Judges that had not defiled themselves that they should slay amongst those that were severally under their command all those that were notoriously known to be guilty of these sinnes Vers 6. And behold one of the children of Israel came and brought a Midâ—anitish woman c. The greatest difficulty in this passage of the story is concerning the time when this Israelite Zimri the sonne of Salu as is afterwards expressed vers 14. did thus impudently bring this Midianitish woman to the camp of Israel to commit filthinesse with her and was there with her slain by Phinehas Some conceive that this was done before Moses and the other Judges had put in execution that charge which was given them mentioned in the two foregoing verses for the hanging up of the heads of the people and the slaying of those in each tribe that were found guilty of those horrible sâ—â—nes of fornication and idolatry with the daughters of Moab which had provoked God to send such a plague amongst the people and the reason they give for this is because it is hardly credible that this wretch would have dared to have done this after Moses and the Judges had already with such severity punished those that were found guilty But yet because the plague was stayed immediately upon the killing of these wretches vers 8. it is most probable that those that were sâ—ain by the magistrate were slain before the plague was stayed therefore others hold that this was done in the order as here it is recorded by Moses and that this was one of the great aggravations of his desperate im pudency that not onely when the people were mourning because of the wrath of God against them but also when so many had been cut off for this sinne he was not yet afraid trusting it seems in his greatnesse because he was a Prince of such renown in the tribe of Simeon but did openly carry his harlot into his tent with him as if he desired thereby to proclaim that he would not be afraid to satisfie his lust though Moses and all Israel should stand by and look on Vers 8. And he went afâ—er the man of Israel into the tent c. The originall word here translated the tent is not that ordinarily used for a tent but such as signifieth a cave or hollow place therefore some think that hereby is meant such a tent as was made for fornication So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel This plague seemeth to have been the pestilence which God sent amongst the people Psal 106. 29. They provoked him to anger with their inventions and the plague brake in upon them Howbeit the word here in the originall is sometimes used for slaughter by the sword as 1. Sam. 4. 17. Vers 9. And those that died in the plague were twenty and foure thousand The Apostle sayes three and twenty thousand 1. Cor. 10. 8. It seems that one thousand were hanged up and slain by the command of the civil magistrate to appease Gods wrath and that the other three and twenty thousand were taken away by the immediate hand of God or one thousand of the chief hanged the rest slain with the sword Vers 12. Wherefore say Behold I give unto him my covenant of peace That is make this which I shall say unto thee publickly known both for the encouragement of Phinehas that he may not fear because they were such great ones whom he hath
coming out of Egypt from twenty years old and upward there was not a man left at this time when they were numbred again but onely Caleb and Joshua So that we must observe that the Levites are not here included for of them there were left Moses and Eleazar and Ithamar and perhaps many others CHAP. XXVII Vers 1. THen came the daughters of Zelophehad c. Because the Lord had said in the foregoing chapter vers 53. that the land should be divided amongst those they had now numbred from twenty years old and upward and so Zelophehad being dead without sonnes his children were like to have no inheritance in the land therefore his daughters came now to Moses and Eleazar desiring that that share of the land might be assigned to them which should have been their fathers had he been then living Vers 2. And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the princes and all the congregation by the doore of the tabernacle c. Whither they were it seems for this very purpose come that they might enquire of the Lord concerning this difficult case for I conceive they had formerly demanded an inheritance of the Judges and were by them appointed to plead for themselves before the doore of the tabernacle where they should have an answer from God himself Vers 3. Our father died in the wildernesse c. This plea of the daughters of Zelophehad is in effect as if they had thus said Our father was one of those whom the Lord carried out of Egypt to go and take possession of the land of Canaan and though he died in the wildernesse yet he was not taken away by any speciall judgement because he had his hand in some insurrection and rebellion such as was that of those that gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah and this they alledge to make their cause the more favourable because had he been cut off in any sâ—ch insurrection some might judge that it was no matter though his posterity were excluded from having any share in the land of Caâ—aan but died in his own sinne that is he died his naturall death when his time was come as being by sinne liable to death as all other men are Thus Korahs conspiracie is mentioned here either by a Synecdoche this one being put for all other the rebellions of the Israelites and so the meaning must be that their father died in no particular rebellion against the Lord or else because whereas all the other murmurings and insurrections against Moses were especially the sinne of the common sort of people Korahs was chiefly of the princes and great men of every tribe chap. 16. 2. and so happely because their father was one of the chief of the tribe of Manasseh therefore they mention onely the rebellion of the great ones And as for that phrase of their fathers dying in his own sinne though some Expoâ—itours understand it thus that he dyed not for any speciall insurrection but onely for that sinne wherein the whole congregation was involved as well as he and for which the Lord threatned that they should all die in the wildernesse to wit for refusing to go into the land of Canaan when God had brought them thither yet I rather think it is meant of his own private sinnes which made him liable to death as all other men are for that all have â—inned Rom. 5. 12. Vers 4. Why should the name of our father be done away from among his familie because he hath no sonne That is why should not he be named amongst others in the division of the land which if it be not his name and familie will be quite extinguished as if he had never been and hence some Expositours conclude that as when a man dyed without issue and his brother mâ—rried his widow to raise up seed unto his brother his first sonne was in their Genealogies reckoned to be the sonne of him that dyed without issue so it was in this case the first sonnes of those that married the daughters of Zelophehad were accounted the sonnes of Zelophehad and so under his name did inherit his land Vers 4. Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father This pleading for a portion in that land which was not yet conquered was a true act of faith and must needs encourage others and help to strengthen their faith And besides hereby was shown as in a type that even women have an equall share with men in the heavenly Canaan for all inherit through Christ in whom there is neither male nor female but all are one Gal. 3. 28. Vers 7. Thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their fathers brethren c. Thus the Lord granted these daughters of Zelophehad their desire which how it was performed by Joshua we may reade Josh 17. 4. According to the commandment of the Lord he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father yet withall there was afterwards a caution added to wit that they might not marry out of their own tribe chap. 36. 6. Vers 12. Get thee up into this mount Abarim c. There was a long tract of mountains which were called the mountains of Abarim chap. â—3 47. and into one of these was Moses now sent to wit that which is elsewhere called mount Nebo which was in the land of Moab over against Jericho Deut 32. 49. and Pisgah Deut. 34. 1. Hence Moses might see the land afarre off though he might not enter it and so the Law did shew the Israelites heaven afarre off but not as it is now revealed to us in the Gospel Vers 13. And when thou hast seen it thou shalt be gathered unto thy people c. That they should not enter the land God had threatned before Numb 20. 12. Seâ— the notes upon that place Vers 14. That is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wildernesse of Zin This is added to distinguish it from another Meribah Exod. 17. 7. where water was fetched out also from the rock but there Moses and Aaron displeased not the Lord. Vers 16. Let the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh set a man over the congregation Moses at this time prayed also earnestly to the Lord that he might go over and see the land but God would not grant him his desire herein Deut. 3. 23 26. concerning this phrase the God of the spirits of all flesh see the note upon Numb 16. 22. This title is fitly in this prayer of Moses given unto the Lord both as implying that he was the searcher of mens spirits and therefore knew best who was fittest for the place and likewise as intimating that he was able to frame and fashion their spirits as he pleased and to give them any gifts or graces requisite for the imployment Vers 17. Which may go out before them and which may go in before them c. That is who
house c. There being â—o probable reason that can be given why that which was said before concerning the husbands ratifying or disannulling his wives vows vers 6 7 8. should here be repeated again it is rather to be thought that there is some difference betwixt that which is said there and that which is added here Some hold that the Law given vers 6 7 8. is concerning the woman that is onely betrothed and that this here is concerning the woman that is married But seeing in both places the words are concerning the woman that hath a husband I see no warrant for this conceit Either therefore the first is meant of a woman married to a husband but living still in her fathers house and this of the wife that is gone to her husbands house which may seem to be implyed in these words And if she vowed in her husbands house or â—ather the first Law is concerning the wives vows that were to be performed in the time of her being under the subjection of her husband which might be established or made void by her husband as he pleased But here the Law speaks concerning vows made by the wives their husbands yet living but to be performed after the husbands death concerning which the Lord gives the same Law to wit that the husbands should have power to ratifie or disannull them Women married might be very forward to make large vows what they would do if ever they came to be freâ— women again and then being free might make light of performing their vows under a pretence that those vows were made when they were under the power of their husbands To prevent this therefore this Law is here added that in case a woman vowed in her husbands house if her husband held his peace as it follows vers 11. then all her vows should stand to wit even after her husbands death or after she is made free by divorce and indeed the very dependance of these words upon that which went before vers 9. concerning widows or wives divorced is a strong argument for this exposition Vers 13. Every vow and every binding oath to afflict the soul her husband may establish it or her husband may make it void These words to afflict the soul seem to be added to shew thâ— full extent of the former Law and not by way of limitation or restraint to wit that it is in the husbands power to establish or make void very vow of his wife yea though it be a vow that concerns not the goods of the husband but onely the affliction of her own person by abstinence fasting c. Vers 15. But if he shall any wayes make them void after that he hath heard them then he shall bear her iniquitie That is though the wife hath full libeâ—ty to perform her vow if her husband heard it and did not that day contradict it yet if afterward the husband shall violently refuse to let her perform it which however by Gods Law he might not do in this case the wife must not strive against her husband and why he shall bear her iniquity that is the sinne shall be imputed to her husband not to her that would have kept her promise if she might CHAP. XXXI Vers 2. AVenge the children of Isrâ—el of the Midianites afterwards sâ—alt thou be gathered unto thy people Moâ—es must not die till the Midianites be spoiled and that first for Moses sake that he might be comforted before his death by seeing the Israelites avenged upon their enemies the Midianites who had been the occasion of so much mischief to them chap. 25. 1. 6. and so might be the more willing to râ—signe them up chearfâ—lly into the hands of God who had so lately given proof how tender he was over them how severe against all those that should seek to hurt them and secondly for the peoples sake because if Moses had beâ—n newly dead tâ—ey would not have gone forth happely with such courage against the Midianites as also because this late experience they had of Gods helping tâ—em against the Midianites might make them the more boldly to enter upon the conquest of Canaan aâ—ter the deaâ—h of Moses under the conduct of Joshua Vers 4. Of every tribe a thousand throâ—ghout all the tribes of Israel shall ye send to the warre Considering the multitude of the enemie with whom they were to encounter which may be gathered from the riches of the prey and the death of five kings amongst others that were slain vers 8. and withall how manâ— hundred thousand fighting men of Israel Moses might have sent forth it would have been a strange course in Moses of his own head onely to send forth twelve thousand against such a mighty enemy And therefore I make no question but Moses received particular direâ—tions from God though it be not expressed both that he should send out but twelve thousand thereby to try the faith of the Israelites and to make Gods hand in the victory the more evident and that they should be equally câ—lled out of every tribe that one tribe might not exalt it self above another for this victoâ—y but that all the glory might be given to God Vers 6. And Moses sent them to the warre a thousand of every tribe them and Phinehas c. Who was sent out as their captain to lead them in this warre against the Midianites it is not here exprâ—ssed most probable it is that Joshua who was so lately appointed of God to succeed Moses in the government was imployed in this service that so the sâ—ccesse of this enterprise might whilest Moses yet lived procure him the more respect and honour in the hearts of the people And indeed had not Joshua been amongst these forces that went out to fight against the Midianites why is he not mentioned amongst those that went out to meet them at their return as well as Moses and Eleazar vers 13. I know that some hold that Phinehas was their captain but for this they have no just ground nor do we any where reade that the priests in those times used to go out as captains in the warre Phinehas went out onely as one of the priests to encourage the people as justly it might be expected that he would be zealous in this cause because of the zeal he had already shown against that Midâ—anitish harlot chap. 25. 6. and withall to take care of the holy things of the Sanctuary which they carried with them to the warre as is implyed in the following words where it is said that Phinehas went with them to the warre with the holy instruments and trumpets to blow in his hand where by the holy instruments are meant the ark with the mercy-seat and other things appertaining thereto which they used in those times to carry with them when they went out to warre as a comfortable signe of Gods presence amongst them Vers 8. And they slew the kings of Midian c. These it seems were
that no man else could challenge any propriety in them whence is that Levit. 25. 32 33 34. Notwithstanding the cities of the Levites and the houses of the cities of their possession may the Levites redeem at any time And if a man purchase of the Levites then the house that was sold and the citie of his possession shall go out in the year of Jubile for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the children of Israel yet withall I think it most probable that others dwelt with them in houses hired or bought of them for how else could they live without the help of men of other professions at least such as were their servants and that these might live as the townsmen do in our Universities under a civil government amongst themselves to which some apply that Ezra 2. 70. So the priests and the Levites and some of the people and the singers and the porters and the Nethiniâ—s dwelt in their cities and all Israel in their cities However clear it is that the fields and villages belonging to these cities which were without the suburbs belonged to others as is manifest in Hebron which was given to the priests and yet the land without the suburbs to wit the houses without the walls and the fields belonging thereto were given to Caleb Josh 21. 11 12. And they gave them the citie of Arbah the father of Anak which citie is Hebron in the hill countrey of Judah with the suburbs thereof round about it But the fields of the citie and the villages thereof gave they to Caleb the sonne of Jephunneh for his possession Vers 4. And the suburbs of the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites c. There seems to be a manifest contradiction betwixt that which is said in tâ—is fourth verse concerning the measure of the suburbs of the Levites cities and that which is said in the following verse for here it is plainly said that the suburbs of the cities should reach from the wall of the citie and outward a thousand cubits round about and then in the next verse it is said that they should measure from without the city on each side two thousand cubits the citie being in the midst and that this should be to them the suburbs of the cities To reconcile this seeming contradiction there are severall answers given by Expositours some holding that the suburbs were but a thousand cubits on each side of thâ— citie but then from the outermost part of the suburbs on one side as one the East side to the outermost part of the suburbs on the other side to wit on the West the citie in the midst not being measured there were two thousand cubits Others again holding that the fourth verse speaks of the length of the suburbs from the wall to the outmost part of them which was a thousand cubits and that the fifth verse speaks of the circumference of the suburbs in the foure quarters on each side the citle which was in each quarter two thousand cubits But first because it is plainly said vers 5. that they should measure two thousand cubiâ—s on each side East West North and South and secondly because the fifth verse speaks of cubits to be measured from without the citie and the fourth verse speaks of cubits to be measured from the wall of the citie therefore I conceive the truest answer is that each citie of the Levites had without the walls three thousand cubits the first thousand were for houses barns garners stalls for cattel gardens c. which is that which we usually call the suburbs of a citie of which Moses speaks in the fourth verse and then the other two thousand cubits which were without these were for pasture for their cattel and these are meant in the fifth verse and are reckoned as a part of their suburbs Vers 6. And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge c. These cities of refuge are assigned out of the Levites cities rather then out of any other first because the honourable esteem and respect of the Levites would cause the places to be the more inviolably observed secondly because it was presumed that the priests and Levites above others would be carefull not to protect wilfull offenders in places appointed to be Sanctuaries onely for the innocent thirdly that this might be a figure of the sufficient shelter which Christs priesthood should yield unto poore sinners that in faith should fly to him as their Sanctuary In Deut. 4. and Josh 20. we may see what cities of the Levites were set apart for this purpose to wit first Bezer of the Reubenites secondly Ramoth in Gilead of the Gadites thirdly Golan in Basan of the Manassites theâ—e three Moses separated Deut. 4. 41 43. fourthly Kadesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali fifthly Shechem in mount Ephraim and sixthly Kiriath-arba which is in Hebron in the mount of Judah and these Joshua separated Josh 20. 7. Before these cities of refuge were appointed it seems the altar onely was a kind of Sanctuary to those that fled to it whence is that Exod 21. 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 But afterward these cities were the chief Sanctuaries and yet they were onely to be Sanctuaries to those that killed any man unwittingly and therefore they were not to receive any man till he professed his innocency in this regard Josh 20. 4. And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entring of the gate of the citie and shall declare his cause in the ears of the Elders of that citie they shall take him into the citie unto them and give him a place that he may dwell among them and purposely they chose such cities as lay at an equall distance in the severall parts of the land that no man driven to use them might have too farre to go lest so happely he should be overtaken by the revenger of bloud before he could recover the Sanctuary Vers 12. And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger c. That is the next kinsman to the man flain who was by the law allowed to put the murderer to death vers 19. but not him that killeth a man unawares yet lest he should in his rage kill such a one let there be cities saith the Lord of refuge for such Vers 14. Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan c. There was no inequality in this because the portion of the two tribes and a half without Jordan reached as farre in length as theirs in the land of Canaan though it were nothing so broad And besides it is most probable that those in the land of Canaan near Jordan might fly to the cities of refuge without Jordan
Israelites which is indeed the main subject of this last book of Moses therefore it is called Deuteronomie or the second declaration of the Law The main objection against this is that it is here said that Moses spake these words In the plain over against the red sea between Paran c. for the plain over against the red sea was farre from the plains of Moab where Moses repeated the law and so also Paran and Hazeroth which are both here mentioned were places farre Southward from the place where Moses now was through which the Israelites had long since passed Numb 12. 16. And indeed they that thus understand this place have no other way to avoid this objection but by saying either that the word Zuph which our Translatours underâ—â—and to be the red sea is not meant of the red sea but of a flaggy place by the sides of Jordan towards the wildernesse the Hebrew word Zuph signifying flagges such as grew by the sea or rivers sides Exod. 2. 3. or else that the plains of Moab are here called the plain over against the red sea because they lay opposite to the red sea though a great way off from it Others again and methinks very probablic do otherwise conceive of the drift of these words namely that the time when and place where Moses repeated the law is set down afterwards vers 3 4 5 and that the drift of these two first verses is to shew that the laws which Moses did now repeat and explain to the Israelites in the plains of Moab were no other but the very same for substance which he had formerly given them at Sinai or in severall places as they travelled through the wildernesse from the red sea to the land of Canaan onely now they were collected into one body and repeated together in the plains of Moab because all that were of age and judgement when the law was first given were now dead and a new generation that was now to enter Canaan was sprung up in their room and so the plain over against the red sea Paran and other places are here named either as pointing out the severall places wheâ—e in their peregrination these following Statutes had been first given them or at least as the bounds of that huge tract of ground through which they had passed wherein â—od had spoken to the Israelites that came out of Egypt these things which are now repeated together to their posterity Vers 2. There are eleven dayes journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadesh-barnea If the aim of the foregoing verse were to shew the place where Moses repeated the Laws of God to the Israelites which many Expositours conceive as is before noted then we may well think that the aim of these words may be to shew that it was no wonder though the plains of Moab where the Law was repeated by Moses be there called the plain over against the red sea to wit because however the Israelites through Gods judgement upon them were fourtie years in going from the red sea to those parts yet the way of it self was not so long for it was but eleven dayes journey from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea But if the foregoing verse be meant of the places where the Laws were first given that were now repeated by Moses then I conceive this clause is added as a topographicall description of the extent of that wildernesse where these Laws were at first given and withall to imply that it was not the length of the way but their rebellion against God that made them wander so long in the wildernesse that there was now none left alive but that younger brood that had not heard these Laws when they were first given Vers 3. And it came to passe in the fourtieth year in the eleventh moneth on the first day of the moneth that Moses spake unto the children of Israel c. To wit a little before his death for he died in the twelveth moneth Vers 4. And Og the King of Bashan which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei That is after he had in Edrei slain Og which dwelt at Astaroth for in Edrei he was slain Numb 21. 33. and they were both cities in Ogs land Josh 13. 31. Vers 6. Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount For there they had continued well nigh a full year See the note upon Numb 10. 11 12. Here the Law was given but now they were called thence to journey towaâ—ds Canaan the figure of their heavenly inheritance by faith in Christ which may put us in mind that the Law is not for men to continue under but for a time till they be fitted for Christ Gal. 3. 16 17 18. Now this readinesse in God to have presently given them the possession of the land Moses doth tell them of as a motive to make them believe the more conâ—idently that God would now give it them and to make them the more carefull to observe these Laws of God which now he meant to rehearse unto them Vers 7. Turn you and take your â—ourney and go to the mount of the Amorites c. In these following words the Lord did then set forth the bounds of the promised land which he perswaded them to enter beginning with the mount of the Amorites in the South side or border where they were then to enter the land and then adding the sea side which was their West border Numb â—4 6. and then Lebanon was a mount on the North part of the land and then last of all the great river Euphrates which was their Eastern bound in the utmost extent without Jordan and so â—arre Solomon reigned See 1. Kings 4. 21. Vers 9. And I spake unto you at that time saying I am not able to bear you my self alone c. That is about that time for this motion he made by the counâ—el of Jethro and commandment of the Lord before they came to Horeb Exod 18 14 c and here he repeats it to let them see how tenderly carefull he alwayes was of the welfare of this people which must needs make his present counsel and exhortations the more prevalent with them Vers 11. The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many moâ— as ye are c. Having professed that he was not able to bear the burthen of the government alone because they were so many lest they should suspect that he envied their number or did in the least degree grudge as it he interposeth these words The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many moe as ye are c. Vers 13. Take ye wise men and understanding c. See Exod. 18. 25. Vers 15. And officers among your tribes That is under-oâ—â—icers of severall sorts such as executed the magistrates Laws Vers 17. For the judgement is Gods This is added as a reason why the Judges ought not to be respecters of persons nor fear the face of any man whatsoever because
so to Gudgodah and to Jotbath yet there quite contrary in one particular it is said that they went from Mosera or Moseroth to Bene-jaakan so from thence to Gudgodah or Horhagidgad as it is there called and from thence to Jotbathah or Jotbath as it is here written To answer this some Expositours say that the places here named are not the same that are mentioned Num. 33. 31. 32 33. But because all the foure places here named together are mentioned also together there and that with so little variation of the names as Mosera for Moseroth and Gudgodah for Horhagidgad and Jotbath for Jotbathah and Bene-jaakan for Beeroth or the wells of the children of Jaakan it is very hard to think that Moses in these two places speaks not of the same journeys of the Israelites Another Expositour therefore and that is Bonfrerius â—he Jesuite answers this difficultie thus That as they went back from Kadesh-barnea to the red sea the Israelites went indeed from Moseroth which was a part of the mountain called also mount Hor to Bene-jaakan as it is said Numb 33. 31. but as they returned again from the red sea towards the land of Canaan in a way not farre distant from that they had gon before then they came first to Beeroth of the children of Jaakan or Bene-jaakan and so from thence went to Moseroth or Mosera and indeed this answer would be very satisfactory but that there is one objection to be made against it which seems unanswerable and that is that both here and in Deut 33. it is said that after they were gone past Moseroth and Bene-jaakan they went first to Gudgodah or Horhagidgad and thence to Jotbath or Jotbathah which cannot be if Moses speaks there of the Israelites journeys from the land of Canaan towards the red sea at Ezion-gaber and here of their going back again from the red sea towards the land of Canaan since if after they had passed Moseroth and Bene-jaakan they came from thence to Gudgodah and so to Jotbath as they went from Canaan towards the red sea then as they went back again from the red sea towards Canaan they must needs come to Jotbath and Gudgodah before they came to Bene-jaakan and Mosera There remains thereforâ— onely one answer more that can be given for the reconciling of this seeming contradiction and that is that it seems the Israelites as they travelled from Kadesh towards the red sea went from Moseroth to Bene-jaakan as is expressed Numb 33. 31. but then finding there some difficulty in their passing forward they returned again from Bene-jaakan to Moseâ—a which is that remove that Moses here speaks of but is not mentioned in Numb 33. and so fetching a compasse about took another way and went forward again towards the red sea first to Gudgodah and then to Jotbath as is well expressed in some mappes The last doubt that may be moved concerning these words is What was the aim and drift of Moses in the inserting of these two verses as it were by the way concerning these journeys of the Israelites where he is relating what he did at mount Sinai And for this we must know that the drift of Moses herein is by the mention of these journeys of the Israelites to give a touch at those remarkable occurrents which at these places happened that might serve to humble the people and withall to quicken them in their care to walk uprightly with God Thus first the place where Aaron dyed and Eleazar succeeded in his room is mentioned because the remembrance of Aarons death might humble them for the sinne of the golden calf whereby God was displeased with Aaron and because the continâ—ance of the priesthood in his sonne was a proof of Gods being reconciled unto the people upon the prayer and intercession of Moses whereof before he had spoken and so likewise their removing from Gudgodah to Jotbath is mentioned vers 7. because that was a land of waters as it is there expressed because this bringing of them to such a place of waters as they travelled through the wildernesse was another proof of Gods grace and favour towards them and the respect he had to their infirmity that they might not murmur against him for want of water as formerly they had done Vers 8. At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Lâ—vi c. This is not meant of the time when they came to Jotbath or Jotbathah of which he had spoken in the foregoing verse for now Moses returns to the story of those things that were done at mount Sinai having as by the way inserted the former two verses for the reasons above mentioned instâ—ncing in this separating of the tribe of Leviâ— wherein not the Levites onely but the priests also are comprehended to the spirituall imployments here mentioned as a speciall signe of Gods receiving them into favour again upon his prayers and intercession Vers 10. And I stayed in the mount according to the first time fourty dayes and fourtiâ— nights c. This is thus again and again repeated that they might still be put in mind of the greatenesse of their sinne whereby they had deserved to be cut off but that Moses interceding thus earnestly for them God was pleased to be reconciled to them Vers 11. Arise take thy journey before thâ— people that they may go in c. This also shews God was fully reconciled and willing that presently they should have entred the land had not they by their murmuring excluded themselves for many years after Vers 14. Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lords By the heaven of heavens is meant that which is by the learned called the Empyreall heaven where the Angels and the Saints departed do injoy the glorious and beatificall vision of God and it is called the heaven of heavens both because it is the highest and doth contain the other heavens within its orb and also by way of excellency as the most holy place in the Temple is called the holy of holies because 〈◊〉 farre surpasseth all the rest in splendour and glory Vers 16. Circumcise therefore the foreskinne of your heart and be nâ— more stiffe-necked That is mortifie all your naturall luâ—ts and corruptions rid your selves of that blindnesse of mind that hardnesse of heart all that spirituall pollution wherewith you are born and be no more stubborn and rebellious against the Lord. The first clause is meant of the mortifying of their inward lusts and the second of the reforming of their outward conversation by true repentance and because circumcision was a signe of this work of grace which God required of his people the casting off the old man with all the lusts and pollutions thereof therefore Moses useth this phrase of circumciâ—ing their hearts yea by requiring this of a people amongst whom there were but few that were outwardly circumcised for none were circumcised in their fourty years travelling through the wildernesse Josh 5. 5. he
another way in the service of God but rather should say as S. John doth 1. John 5. 19. We know that we are of God and the whole world lâ—eth in wickednesse Yet withall we may understand it as intended also to shew the extent of this Law to wit that whatsoever gods they were which they were perswaded to worship they must not consent to do it but must onely worship the Lord their God Vers 9. But thou shalt surely kill him thine hand shall be first upon him c. Thou shalt surely kill him that is thou shalt inform against him to the Magistrate and so procure that justice may be executed upon him according to this Law to wit that he may be put to death and therefore is that added in the next words thine hand shall be first upon him to wit as being the party accusing and giving testimonie against him for that was Gods Law that the witnesses should throw the first stones at him that was to be stoned Deut. 17. 7. Vers 13. Certain men the children of Belial are gone out from among you c. That is certain vild wicked and mischievous persons Belial is by inteâ—pretation without profit or without yoke that is base lawlesse rebellious and wicked whence this name is given to Satan or Antichrist opposed to Christ 2. Corinth 6. 15. What concord hath Christ with Belial and to men and women given over unto wickednesse Judg. 19. 22. The men of the citie certain sonnes of Belial beset the house round about c. and 1. Sam. 1. 16. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial and 1. Sam. 25. 25. Let not my Lord regard this man of Belial even Nabal As for the phrase here used of going out from among the Israelitâ—s certain men the children of Belial are gone out from among you it intimates first their separating of themselves from Gods people in point of religion according to that of S. John 1. John 2. 19. They went out from us but they were not of us c. and secondly their bold and presumptuous carriage of themselves herein in that they did it openly as proclaiming warre against the Lord. Vers 14. Then shalt thou enquire and make search c. This is added by way of caution in two regards first to let them know that though they did but heare some flying report of such a wickednesse yet they might not slight such a report but must enquire carefully whether it were so or no and secondly to put them in mind that on the other side yet they must not arm themselves against their brethren as is afterwards enjoyned merely upon uncertain reports but must first make diligent search and enquiry and if they sound it evident and certain then they should proceed against them as is here appointed CHAP. XIV Vers 1. YE are the children of the Lord your God This is prefixed as a reason why they should carefully observe as all the commandments of God so more especially these that are here prescribed for being the children of God and so consequently heirs of eternall salvation it was fit that they should be very carefull that they did nothing that might dishonour their father or disparage themselves and therefore not to mourn as men without hope nor to conform themselves to heathens from whom God had separated them Ye shall not cut your selves nor make any baldnesse between your eyes for the dead That is in the fore-part of your heads just over the space that is between your eyes See the notes upon Levit. 21. 5. and 19. 27 28. Vers 3. Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing c. See the notes on the 11. chapter of Leviticus Vers 13. And the glede c. This bird is not mentioned in the 11. of Leviticus but is comprehended under others of the same kind that are there named Vers 21. Thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates that he may eat it c. Not the proselyte or stranger joyned to the Church for such were bound to keep the whole law and this in speciall Levit. 17. 15. but the stranger of anotheâ— religion who onely sojourned amongst them Vers 22. Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed c. There was a tithe payed every yeare to the Levites in the severall places of their habitation Numb 18. 24. and there was likewise another tithe as was noted before on chap. 12. 6. which the owners carried yearly with them to Jerusalem and was spent there in holy feasting before the Lord. Either therefore these words in the 22. verse Thou shalt truly tithe all the mâ—râ—ase of thy seed that thy field bringeth forth year by year are meant of the first of these tithes payed to the Leviâ—eâ— and then those that follow verse 23. And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall â—â—oose to place his name there the tithe of thy corn of thy wine and of thine oyl are meant of the second tithe spent in their holy feasts or if both verâ—es are meant of one and the same tithe then doubtlesse they are both meant of the second tithe for neither vvâ—re the first tithes carried up to Jerusalem nor had the owners any power to eat of them Vers 23. And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose c. The tithes here appointed to be eaten by the people in the place which God should choose cannot be meant of the tithes which were yearly paid to the Levites Numb 18. 24. but were a second tithe as is shown in the foregoing note and the like must be held concerning the firstlings of their herds and slocks here mentioned of which see the note upon châ—p 12. 17. As for the last clause of the verse where a reason is rendered why the Lord did enjoyn them to go up to the place which he should choose and there to feaâ—t together with these their holy things namely that they might learn to fear the Lord their God alwayes the ground of this may be 1. Because the very presenting of themselves thus yearly before the Lord with their sacrifices and offerings must needs be of it self a good means to keep their hearts in a continuall aw and reverence of God and 2. because when they went up to Gods holy place the Priests were wont to instruct them in the law and the proâ—ises concâ—â—ning the Messiah according to the dispensation of those darker times and in their sacrifices they beheld a shadow of their redemption by him all which must needs conduce much to teach them to fear the Lord their God Vers 24. And if the way be too long for thee so that thou art not able to carry it c. In these words there is an exception added to the former law to wit that in case they dwelt very farre from the house of God and their tithes and firstlings were so much in
the meaning of the Law Vers 12. And the man that will do pâ—â—sâ—mptuâ—usly and wâ—ll not â—earâ—â—n unto the priest or unto the judge even that man shall die c. Death is appointed to be inflicted upon him that would not heâ—â—ken to the pâ—iest expounding the Law or the judge passing sentence accordingly to wit if he pâ—esuâ—â—â—â—ously and stubbornly opposed their judgement though they proved it never so clâ—arly oâ—t of the Law or especially if the priest had â—nquirâ—d of the Lord Vers 14. When thou art come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee and shalt say I will set a King over me c. This is said not as in allowance of their changing the government by judges which he had erected amongst them especially upon this ground because they would be like other nations but onely foretelling what they would do and thereupon prescribing certain Laws to prevent greater mischiefs in erecting of a Monarchy amongst them Vers 15. Thou shalt in any wise set him King over thee whom the Lord thy God shall choose c. The Lord here gives them two rules to which they should be bound when ever they should desire to have a King to reigne over them The first is That they should onely make such a one king as God should choose which was accordingly observed partly in Saul but fully in David and in his progeny too in that it was of Gods ordaining that his posterity should successively inherit the kingdome and this was thus appointed because the Kings of Judah were to be types of Christ who was chosen of God to be the great King of Israel Psal 2. 6. I have set my King upon my holy hill of Sion The second is That they might onely choose one from amongst their brethren to be their King and this was first because such a one was likeliest to love them and to be beloved by them and to rule over them with the more equity and gentlenesse and secondly lest a stranger of another nation should bring in strange Laws and customes yea and corrupt their religion too and thirdly to signifie that their promised Messiah the Lords Anointed was to be the seed of Abraham according to the flesh even one of their own nation Vers 16. But he shall not multiply horses to himself c. That is excessively even beyond that which reasonably the state of a King may require and this the Lord gives in charge concerning the Kings of Israel first to teach both the King and the people to put their sole trust and confidence in God and not to rely on any outward strength of horses and chariots which men having abundance of such military forces are prone to do secondly that they might not hereby be exalted and puffed up in their minds even to the despising and perhaps the oppressing of their brethren and thirdly that they might not to maintain the excessive charge hereof be burdensome to their subjects herein therefore we may well think that Solomon did not keep so close to the rule of Gods word as he ought to have done in that he had fourty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots and twelve thousand horsemen 1. Kings 4. 26. as likewise in that he fetcht his horses out of Egypt 2. Chron 1. 16. which is expressely also forbidden here He shall not multiply horses to himself nor cause the people to return to Egypt to the end that he should multiply horses and that not onely because Egypt of all the neighbouring countreys was most famous for horses whence is that Esa 31. 3. The Egyptians are men and not God and their horses flesh and not spirit but a so to imply that one reason why the Lord forbad their having so many horses was lest they should go down into Egypt to procure themselves horses For as much as the Lord hath said unto you Ye shall henceforth return no more that way That is ye shall no more return to Egypt for it was not their returning to Egypt by the same way they came from thence that was forbidden them but generally all going back to Egypt yea though they wâ—nt thither not to dwell and sojourn there but onely for trade and merchandise for so much this place seems to imply The reason of this law seems to have been first that hereby they might be kept from being corrupted there by their idolatry and other foul sinnes and from making any wicked leagâ—e or confedâ—racy with them and secondly that hereby they might be taâ—ght with such thankfulnesse to remâ—mber their former delâ—verance from the bondage they endured in that land as to abhorre the very thought of their going thither again lest that should seem a contempt of their former escape thence an unthankfull forgetting that gloriouâ— deliverance The greatest difficultie in these words is what prohibition this is and when given whereof Moses here speaks The Lord hath said unto you Ye shall henceforth no more return that way But for this we must know first that though this charge wâ—re no where formerly given in expresse words yet it was sufficiently implied in that God had told them often that he had brought them out of Egypt to plant seâ—tle them in the land of Canaan and that he had so sharply rebuked them when ever they had made any mention of going back into Egypt and secondly that these words may be understood of this charge now at present given them The Lord hath said unto you Ye shall henceforth return no more that way that is the Lord hath commanded me now to say this unto you c. Vers 17. Neither sâ—all he multiply wives to himself that his heart turn not away By this God allows not Princes to have more wives then one so they took not too too many no more then the forbidding of perjury allows all swearing when that is true which we swear onely God pitcheth upon the greatest sinne and that whereto kings were usually enclined who were wont to abuse their power in marrying all that pleased them though never so many and a reason is added why the King might not marry so many wives to wit that his heart turn not away namely from the Lord unto the pleasures of life or unto other Gods in case he should amongst others marry any idolatrous wives as it fared with Solomon 1. Kings 11. 4. This as the chief reason is expressed in the law yet withall we may well conceive that God had respect also herein to the ease of the people that the Kings having so many wives and children by them who must be kept after the state of Queens and Princes might not increase the burden of their taxes and impositions Neither shall hâ— greatly multiply to himself silver and gold That is too too excessively Princes above all men have need of a full treasure and therefore the Kings of Israel are here allowed a moderate care herein But withall the Lord forbids them a
also the same title is given elsewhere both to the prophets in the old restament and to the ministers of the Gospel in the new for so Samuel is called 1. Sam. 9. 6. Behold now there is in this city a man of God and he is an honourable man and vers 7. The bread is spent in thâ— vessels and there is not a prâ—sent to bring to the man of God and Timothy 1. Tim. 6. 11. But thou O man of God flee these things c. Vers 2. The Lord came from Sinai and rose up from mount Seir unto them he shined forth from mount Paran The drift of this Preface prefixed before the blessings which we have in this and the three following verses is first by râ—hearsing the former goodnesse of God to his people Israel especially when he gave them his law by the hand of Moses and so entred into a covenant with them that he would be theâ—â— God and they should be his peculiar people to shew the ground of these following blessings to wit the free grace of God and his singular love to them above all nations that were upon the face of the earth and secondly to intimate that it was of God that he now spake to them and that he was onely subordinate to God in pronouncing these blâ—ssings as formerly in giving them the law As for these first words of the Preface The Lord came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them he shined forth from mount Parau either they are all joyntly meant of thâ— glorious manner of Gods revealing himself unto the Israelites when he gave them the Law onely there iâ— mention made of Gods rising from Seir and his shining forth from mount Paran which were places not farre from mount Sinai and so the glorious brightnesse wherein God appeared on Sinai did seem to shoot out and spread forth it self from all these places or else the severall branches thereof are meant of severall manifestations of God unto this people as he conducted them along from Egypt to the land of Canaan for the better understanding whereof we must note that Moses comparing the Lords revealing himself to Israel to the shining of the sunne upon the world as the prophet Habakkuk also doth Hab. â— 3 4. God came from Teman and the holy one from mount Paran Selah His glory covered the heavens and the earth was full of his praise and his brightnesse was as the light c. accordâ—â—gly he alludes to the severall degrees of the sunnes appearing to men in menâ—ioning the Lords severall manifestations of himself to his peoplâ— first the sunne gives forth its light to us in some smaller measure before it riseth and to this he alludes speaking of the Lords appearing â—o them when he gave them the law The Lord came from Sinai secondly after that the sunne riserh in the open sight of men and to this he compares the Lords farther manifestation of himself at mount Seir in that second clause and rose up from Seir to wit when he commanded the brasen serpent to be set up amongst them by looking whereon the Israelites were cured that were mortally bitten with fiery serpents a notable type of the promised Messiah that sunne of righteousnesse who was to arise with healing in his wings Mal. 4. 2. And 3. the sunne being once risen shines brighter and brighter unto perfect day and to this he alludes in the last clause he shined forth from mount Paran meaning thereby the Lords repeating and explaining the law to them by the ministry of Moses in the wildernesse of Paran But doubtlesse the best Exposition of these words is that Moses hereby meant the whole course of Gods proceeding in the glorious manifestation of himself to Israel as they went along to Canaan to wit in the pillar of a cloud and fire whereby they were led the Manna and quails which he sent them the giving and the repeating of the law and all other the marvellous works which he wrought for them And he came with ten thousands of saints That is he came attended in royall majesty to wit at the giving of the law on mount Sinai with an infinite multitude of those glorious spirits the Angels who are here called saints because of their purity and holinesse and from hence it was that both S. Stephen and S. Paul said of the law that it was given by the disposition of the Angels Acts 7. 53. and ordained by Angels by the hand of a Mediatour Gal. 3. 19. and that it was the word spoken by Angels Heb. 2. 2. From his right hand went a fiery law for them The law given to the Israeliteâ— from mount Sinai is called â— fiery law both because God spake it out of the midst of the fire Deut. 5. 22. and also to imply that the work of the law is to terrify men to humble them and to be the ministration of death and condemnation 2. Cor. 3. 7 9. this expression From his right hand went a fiery Law for them was either onely to intimate Gods giving them his Law or else rather to signifie that the Law was the sceptre in Gods right hand whereby he meant to govern his people and keep them in order as the Gospel is also called the rod of the Lords strength whereby he rules in the midst of his enemies Psal 110. 2. Vers 3. Yea he loved the people As this tends to the generall drift of the preface namely to discover the ground of the following blessings the speciall love which God bare to the Israelites so it hath also particular relation to that which immediately went before concerning Gods giving them his Law as intimating that to be a singular effect of Gods speciall love unto them From his right hand went a â—iery Law for them Yea he loved the people God doth many wayes testifie his love to his people but one of the choicest pledges of his love is that he gives them his word which he denies to others Psal 147. 19. 20. He sheweth his word â—o Jacob his statutes and his judgements unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any nation c. All his saints are in thy hand That is all Israels saints are in thy custody and protection O Lord. To be in Gods hand is to be under his power and custody under his guidance care and protection as Christ saith of his sheep John 10. 28. I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluek them out of my hand But this priviledge Moses limits to the saints in Israel that is those that are Israelites indeed as Christ said of Nathaniel John 1. 47. a holy people as they professe themselves to be for such as professe themselves Israelites but are not saints that is truly sanctified by the spirit of God but live a wicked and unclean life God will not foul his hands with them such drosse are not worthy to be kept so charily Thou puttest away all