another 4 And thou shalt make loops d Which together with the taches were for the joyning the curtains together as appears from verse 11. which way of conjunction was most convenient for the often taking them down and setting them up of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge e Or from or in the extremity or end or edge Heb. lip in the coupling f i. e. In the place where the two curtains are coupled together and likewise g The second curtain is to be made exactly like the first shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain in the coupling of the second 5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second that the loops may take hold one of another 6 And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold and couple the curtains together with the taches h Or hooks or buttons which were put into the loops to unite and fasten the curtains and it shall be one Tabernacle 7 And thou shalt make curtains of goats hair i Spun Exod. 35. 26. and woven into a stuffe like our camlet to be a covering k To be put next above the curtains upon the tabernacle eleven curtains shalt thou make 8 The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits and the breadth of one curtain four cubits and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure 9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves and six curtains by themselves and shalt double the sixth curtain l For the better security of the inward covering in the forefront of the tabernacle 10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is out-most in the coupling and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second 11 And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass and put the taches into the loops and couple the ‖ Or covering tent together that it may be one 12 And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent the half curtain that remaineth shall hang over the side of the tabernacle 13 And a cubit on the one side and a cubit on the other side †Heb. in the remainder or surphisage of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side to cover it 14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams skins died red and a covering above of badgers skins m To preserve the rest from the injury of the weather 15 And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim-wood standing up 16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board and a cubit and an half shall be the breadth of one board 17 Two †Heb. hands tenons n Heb. hands i. e. parts of the boards so cut and framed that like hands they may take hold of and be fastned into the sockets ver 19. shall there be in one board set in order one against another thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle 18 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle twenty boards on the south-side southward 19 And thou shalt make fourty sockets o Or bases or pedestals or seet upon which the boards stood and to which they were fastned of silver under the twenty boards two sockets under one board for his two tenons and two sockets under another board for his two tenons 20 And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north-side there shall be twenty boards 21 And their fourty sockets of silver two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board 22 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards 23 And two boards p Which were of another fashion than the former as may be gathered both from the distinct nomination and use of them and from the laws of building And whereas the rest were but single boards these were double for greater strength and conveniency of joyning them together shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides 24 And they shall be †Heb. twinned coupled together q Heb. as twins i. e. equal and equally joyned together and exactly answering one to the other beneath and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring r Which ring was exactly in the corner and with the help of the bars kept the corner-boards and with them the other boards of the Tabernacle close together But you must note that here were two rings in each corner the one in the upper the other in the lower parts thus shall it be for them both they shall be for the two corners 25 And they shall be eight boards and their sockets of silver sixteen sockets two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board 26 And thou shalt make bars s By bars you may understand either 1. Several rows or orders of bars one bar beginning at the end of the other and each containing 4 cubits in length and all together 20 cubits which was the length of the Tabernacle or 2. single bars which seems truer 1. because the word signifies bars not rows of 〈◊〉 And why should we go from the proper signification of the word without cause 2. if bars be put for rows of bars there must be 5 rows of bars on a side there being so many bars said to be on a side But the abettors of that opinion allow only 4 rows of bars on a side and it is apparent the middle bar which is one of the five is but one single bar ver 28. and therefore it may be presumed the rest were so too 3. the name of the middle bar implyes that of the other 4 bars two were above it and two below it Obj. But if they were each single bars reaching the whole length of the building why is it said peculiarly of the middle bar that it should reach from end to end or from extremity to extremity ver 28. Ans. This may be peculiarly said of this either because the other four might want something of the just length of the building or because the middle bar might stand out beyond the two ends of it for conveniency of carriage of the building of shittim-wood five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle 27 And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle for the two sides westward t There was but one side westward Either therefore here is a transposition of the Hebrew words which is usual and the words are thus to be placed and rendred westward looking to both sides or west-ward according to both the other sides
now mentioned to note that the number and length of bars in the west end should be equal to those on either of the other sides or here is an Enallage of the number the dual or plural for the singular of which there are many examples and so the words are to be rendred for the side looking westward 28 And the middle bar in the midst of the boards u Not within the thickness of the boards as the Iews conceive but in the length of them as appears 1. because this bar as well as the rest was guilded ver 29. which was frivolous if it were never seen 2. because all the bars had rings made to receive and hold them up ver 29. shall reach from end to end 29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold and make their rings of gold for places for the bars and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold 30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle * chap. 25. â—… 40. Act. 7. 44 Heb. 8. 5. according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee x Either by visible representation to his eye or rather by mental vision or impression of it upon his imagination in the mount 31 And thou shalt make * 2 Chro. 3. 1. Matth. 27. 5 a vail y Which was thick and strong that none could see through it called the second vail Heb. 9. 3. whereby the Holy of Holies which represented the highest heaven was divided from the Holy place where the Church militant or its representatives met and served God ver 33. For the signification of this vail see Luk. 23. 45. Heb. 9. 8 24. and 10. 19 20. of blue and purple and scarlet and fine twined linen of cunning work with cherubims shall it be made 32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold their hooks z Which were fastened to the tops of the pillars as the vail was fastened to them shall be of gold upon the four sockets of silver 33 And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches †Or in the place as the Hebrew tacheth oft signifies of the taches to wit where the two curtains are joyned together by taches ver 6. that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony and the vail shall divide unto you between the * Heb. 9. 〈◊〉 holy place and the most holy 34 And thou shalt put the mercy-seat upon this ark of the testimony in the most holy place 35 And * Heb. 9. 2. thou shalt set the table without the vail and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south and thou shalt put the table on the north-side 36 And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent ‖ i. e. Of the Holy-place where it was divided from the court of the people of blue and purple and scarlet and fine twined linen wrought with needle-work 37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood and * chap. 〈◊〉 â—… over-lay them with gold and their hooks shall be of gold and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them CHAP. XXVII 1 AND thou shalt make * chap. 38. 1. an altar of shittim-wood five cubits long and five cubits broad the altar shall be four-square and the height thereof shall be three cubits a Not that for Incense but another for sacrifices 2 And thou shalt make the horns of it b Which were elevated above the body of the Altar in form either of pyramids or spires or rather of horns as the word signifies nor is there any necessity of departing from the proper signification These were not onely for ornament but for use also either to keep things put upon it from falling or that beasts to be offered might be bound to them See Psal. 118. 27. upon the four corners thereof his horns shall be of the same c Of the same piece with the altar for its use required strength and * See Num. 16. 38. thou shalt overlay it with brass d With plates of brass of competent thickness both above the wood and under it that the fire might not take hold of the wood 3 And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes and his shovels and his ‖ Or bowls Gr. Vials â—… Chron. 4. 8. basins e To receive the blood of the sacrifices which they were to sprinkle and his flesh-hooks f Wherewith they took flesh out of the pot in which it was seethed as 1 Sam. 2. 14. But this seems not proper here because the flesh was never boiled upon the Altar but in other places appointed for that use And the Hebrew word is general and may signify either tongs or fire-forks and his fire-pans g In which they carried liâ—…e coals from this Altar to that of Incense as occasion required all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass 4 And thou shalt make for it a grate of net-work h Which was competently strong and thick this being as it were the hearth of the Altar upon which they laid both the wood and the sacrifices and it was full of holes through which the blood and ashes might fall down into the place appointed for them of brass and upon the net i Or rather at or beside or under the net for so the rings were placed as their use shews and the Hebrew preposition al is oft so used shalt thou make four brazen rings k Which were either 1. peculiar to the grate which by these was carried apart from the Altar having the perpetual fire kept in it for had it been carried with the Altar the cloth wherewith the Altar was covered Numb 4. 13. would have been endangered by the fire Or 2. common to the Altar to which these were fixed on the outside as on the inside to the grate that by them the grate might be both kept even and upright and also carried together with the Altar and that with such caution that the fire included might not hurt the covering-cloth which was not difficult to do in the four corners thereof 5 And thou shalt put it under the compass l i. e. Within the square and hollow space of the Altar of the altar beneath that the net may be even to the midst of the Altar m Or and the net shall be at the Hebrew ad being here used for il as Hos. 14. 2 Ioel 2. 12. Amos 4. 6 8. the midst of the altar And these words seem added to explain the word beneath to shew that as it was not to be at the top so neither at the bottom of the Altar but in the midst of it 6 And thou shalt make staves for the altar staves of shittim-wood and over-lay them with gold 7 And the staves shall be put into the rings n Which seem to be the
best part of the day and therefore fittest for Gods service 4 And all the wise-men that wrought all the work of the sanctuary came every man from his work which they made 5 And they spake unto Moses saying The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the LORD hath commanded to make 6 And Moses gave commandment and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp saying Let neither man nor woman d For the women did part of this work as well as the men-See Exod. 35. 25. make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary so the people were restrained from bringing 7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it and too much 8 And every wise-hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle * chap. 26. 3 4. made ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet with cherubims of cunning work made he them 9 The length of oen curtain was twenty and eight cubits and the breadth of one curtain four cubits the curtains were all of one size 10 And he coupled the five curtains one unto another and the other five curtains he coupled one unto another 11 And he made loops of blue on the edge of one curtain from the sâ—…lvedge in the coupling likewise he made in the uttermost side of another curtain in the coupling of the second 12 * chap. 26. 10. Fifty loops made he in one curtain and fifty loops made he in the edg of the curtain which was in the coupling of the second the loops held one to another 13 And he made fifty taches of gold and coupled the curtains one unto another with the taches So it became one tabernacle 14 And he made curtains of goats hair for the tent over the tabernacle e i. e. For the outward covering of the Tabernacle See Exod. 35. 11. eleven curtains he made them 15 The length of one curtain was thirty cubits and four cubits was the breadth of one curtain the eleven curtains were of one size 16 And he coupled five curtains by themselves and six curtains by themselves 17 And he made fifty loops upon the uttermost edge of the curtain in the coupling and fifty loops made he upon the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second 18 And he made fifty taches of brass to couple the tent together that it might be one 19 And he made a covering for the tent of rams skins died red and a covering of badgers skins above that 20 And he made boards for the tabernacle of shittim-wood standing up 21 The length of a board was ten cubits and the breadth of a board one cubit and an half 22 One board had two tenons equally distant one from another thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle 23 And he made boards for the tabernacle twenty boards for the south-side southward 24 And fourty sockets of silver he made under the twenty boards two sockets under one board for his two tenons and two sockets under another board for his two tenons 25 And for the other side of the tabernacle which is toward the north corner he made twenty boards 26 And their fourty sockets of silver two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board 27 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward he made six boards 28 And two boards made he for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides 29 And they were * Heb. twinned coupled beneath and coupled together at the head thereof to one ring thus he did to both of them in both the corners 30 And there were eight boards and their sockets were sixteen sockets of silver †Heb. two sockets two sockets under one board under every board two sockets 31 And he made * chap. 25. 28. and 30. 5. bars of shittim-wood five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle 32 And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the sides westward 33 And he made the middle bar to shoot through the boards from the one end to the other 34 And he overlaid the boards with gold and made their rings of gold to be places for the bars and overlaid the bars with gold 35 And he made * chap. 26. 31. a vail f To wit the second vail which separated between the Holy place and the Holy of holies because the first vail is described ver 37. of blue and purple and scarlet and fine twined linnen with cherubims made he it of cunning work 36 And he made thereunto four pillars of shittim wood and overlaid them with gold their hooks were of gold and he cast for them four sockets of silver 37 And he made an * chap. 26. 36. hanging for the tabernacle door g Which divided the Holy place from the Court. of blue and purple and scarlet and fine twined linen †Heb. the work of a needle-worker or 〈◊〉 of needle-work 38 And the five pillars of it with their hooks and he overlaid their chapiters and their fillets with gold h Whereas the pillars are said to be overlaid with gold Exod. 26. 37. that hence appears to be a Synecdochical expression in regard the tops and knobs of the pillars were wholly overlaid with gold and the rest of the pillars adorned with divers golden girdles or hoops for that place is in all reason to be explained by this as coming after it and containing the execution of that prescript and that more particularly than is there expressed but their five sockets were of brass CHAP. XXXVII 1 AND Bezaleel made the ark of shittim-wood * chap. 25. 1â—… two cubits and an half was the length of it and a cubit and an half the breadth of it and a cubit and an half the height of it 2 And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without and made a crown of gold to it round about 3 And he cast for it four rings of gold to be set by the four corners of it even two rings upon the one side of it and two rings upon the other side of it 4 And he made staves of shittim-wood and overlaid them with gold 5 And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark to bear the ark 6 And he made the * chap. 25. â—… mercy-seat of pure gold two cubits and an half was the length thereof and one cubit and an half the breadth thereof 7 And he made two cherubims of gold beaten out of one piece made he them on the two ends of the mercy-seat 8 One cherub ‖ Or out of c. on the end a Or made out of the end for they were to be of the same piece with the mercy-seat Exod. 25. 19. on this side and another cherub ‖ Or
children of Israel 20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place and the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar he shall bring the live goat 21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands h See on Exod. 29. 10. and Lev. 1. 4. upon the head of the live goat and confess over him i Confession of sin being a duty to accompany the sacrifice offered for it as we see Lev. 5. 5. Numb 5. 7. all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sins k Or with or according to all their sins for so the Hebrew particle is oft used He mentions iniquities transgressions and sins to note sins of all sorts and that a very free and full confession was to be made and that the smallest sins needed and the greatest sins were not excluded from the benefit of Christs death here represented putting them upon the head l Charging all their sins and the punishment due to them upon the goat which though onely a ceremony yet being done according to Gods appointment and manifestly pointing at Christ upon whom their iniquities and punishments were laid Isa. 53. 5 6. it was available for this end And hence the heathens took their custom of selecting one beast or man upon whom they laid all their imprecations and curses and whom they killed as an expiatory sacrifice for their sins and to prevent their ruine of the goat and shall send him away by the hand of †Heb. a 〈◊〉 opportunity a fit man m One that knows the wilderness and the way to it and what places in it are most convenient for that use Heb. a man of time i. e. of years and discretion who may be trusted with this work into the wilderness n Which signified the removal of their sins far away both from the people and out of Gods sight or from the place of his presence And here the goat being neglected by all men and exposed to many hardships and hazards from wild beasts which were numerous there might further signify Christs being forsaken both by God and by men even by his own disciples and the many dangers and sufferings he underwent The Iews write that this goat was carried to the mountain called Azazel whence the goat is so called ver 10. and that there he was cast down headlong and that the red string by which he was led turned white when God was pleased with the Israelites otherwise it remained red and then they mourned all that year And the antient Hebrews write that 40 years before the destruction of the Temple which was about the time of Christs death this red string turned no more white 22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land †Heb. of seperation not inhabited and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness 23 And Aaron shall come o Forthwith not expecting the return of the man who carried the goat away but securely committing that to Gods providence he shall go on in his work into the tabernacle of the congregation and shall put off the linnen garments which he put on when he went into the holy place and shall leave them there 24 And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place p Either in the laver appointed for that purpose Or in some other vessel within the holy place because after he had washed in it he is said to come forth and put on his garments q Not his ordinary Priestly linnen garments for he was to leave them in the Tabernacle ver 23. but the High-priestly garments called his garments properly and peculiarly and by way of distinction from the former garments which are called holy garments ver 4. and the linnen garments ver 23. but never his garments as these are And this change of his garments was not without cause For the common Priestly garments were more proper and fit for him in the former part of his ministration both because he was to appear before the Lord in the most holy place to humble himself and make atonement for his own and for the peoples sins and therefore his humblest and meanest attire was most fit and because he was to lay his hands upon that goat on which all their sins were put by which touch both he and his garments would be in some sort defiled and therefore as we read here that he washed himself or his flesh so we may well presume his linnen garments were laid by for the washing as the cloaths â—…f him who carried away the scape-goat were washed ver 26. And the High-priestly garments were most proper for the latter part of his work which was of another nature and come forth and offer his burnt-offering and the burnt-offering of the people and make an atonement for himself and for the people 25 And the * fat of the sin offering shall he burn chap. 4. 10. upon the altar 26 And he that let go the goat for a scape-goat shall wash r Because he had contracted some degree of ceremonial uncleanness by the touch of the goat his clothes and bathe his flesh in water and afterward come into the camp 27 * And the bullock †for the sin offering and chap. 4. 12 the goat ‖ for the sin offering whose blood was 〈◊〉 and 6. 30. brought in to make atonement in the holy place 〈◊〉 13. 11. Heb. of Heb. of shall one carry forth without the camp and they shall burn in the fire their skins and their flesh and their dung 28 And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in water and afterward he shall come into the camp 29 And this shall be a statute for ever s See on Exod. 12. 14. unto you that * in the seventh moneth t Answering part to our September and part to our October when they had gathered in all their fruits and were most at leasure for Gods service This time God chose for this and other feasts herein graciously condescending to mens necessities and conveniencies being contented with that time which men could best spare on the tenth chap. 23. 27. 〈◊〉 29. 7. day u Obj. It was on the ninth day Lev. 23. 32. Ans. It began in the evening of the ninth day and continued till the evening of the tenth day as is there sufficiently implyed of the month ye shall afflict your souls x i. e. your selves as the word soul is frequently used both your bodies by abstinence from food and other delights and your minds by anguish and grief for former sins which though bitter yet is voluntary in all true penitents who are therefore here said not to be afflicted but to afflict themselves or to be active in the work and do no work at all whether it be one of your own countrey or a stranger that sojourneth among you 30 For on
were come out of the land of Egypt saying 2 * Exod. 30. 12. Take ye the sum c This is not the same muster with that Exod. 38. 26. as plainly appears because that was before the building of the Tabernacle which was built and setup on the first day of the first moneth Exod. 40. 2. but this was after it to wit on the first day of the second moneth as is said ver 1. And they were for differing ends that was to tax them for the charges of the Tabernacle but this was for other ends partly that the great number of the people might be known to the praise of Gods faithfulness in making good his promises of multiplying them and to their own comfort and encouragement partly for the better ordering of their camp and march for they were now beginning their journey and partly that this account might be compared with the other in the close of the book where we read that not one of all this vast number except Caleb and Ioshua were left alive which was an evident discovery of the mischievous nature of sin by which so vast a company were destroyed and a fair warning to all future generations to take heed of rebelling against the Lord for which their ancestours had been so dreadfully plagued even to extirpation It is true the sums and numbers agree in this and that computation which is not strange because there was not much time between the two numbrings and no eminent sin among the people in that interval whereby God was provoked to diminish their numbers Some conceive that in that number Exod. 30. and 38. the Levites were included which are here excepted ver 47. and that in that interval of time there were grown up as many more men of those years as there were Levites of the same age of all the congregation of the children of Israel d So the strangers mixed with them were not numbred after their families by the house of their fathers e The people were divided into twelve Tribes the Tribes into great Families Num. 26. 5. these great Families into lesser Families called the houses of their fathers because they were distinguished one from another by their fathers with the number of their names every male by their poll 3 From twenty years old and upward †Heb. 〈◊〉 that goith 〈◊〉 all that are able to go forth to war in Israel thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies 4 And with you there shall be a man of every tribe f To inspect the work that it might be faithfully and impartially done every one head of the house of his fathers 5 And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you g To wit with Moses and Aaron who were the chief managers of the work of the tribe of Reuben h The Tribes are here numbred according to the order or quality of their birth first the children of Leah then of Rachel and then of the handmaids Elizur the son of Shedeur 6 Of Simeon Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai 7 Of Judah Nahshon the son of Amminadab 8 Of Issachar Nethaneel the son of Zuar 9 Of Zebulun Eliab the son of Helon 10 Of the children of Joseph of Ephraim Elishama the son of Ammihud of Manasseh Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur 11 Of Benjamin Abidan the son of Gideoni 12 Of Dan Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai 13 Of Asher Pagiel the son of Ocran 14 Of Gad Eliasaph the son of Deuel i Called Reuel Numb 2. 14. the Hebrew letters Daleth and Resh being very like and oft changed 15 Of Naphtali Ahira the son of Enan 16 These were the renowned k Heb. the named or called to wit by Moses and by Gods appointment to manage this affair and others as there was occasion Compare Numb 16. 2. and 26. 9. of the congregation princes of the tribes of their fathers heads of thousands l See Exod. 18. 21. Numb 10. 4. in Israel 17 And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names 18 And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month and they declared their pedigrees after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward by their poll 19 As the LORD commanded Moses so he numbred them in the wilderness of Sinai 20 And the children of Reuben Israels eldest son by their generations m Heb. to wit their generations i. e. the persons begotten of Reubens immediate Children who are here subdivided into families and they into houses and they into particular persons after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names by their polls every male from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 21 Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Reuben were fourty and six thousand and five hundred 22 Of the children of Simeon by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers those that were numbred of them according to the number of the names by their polls every male from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 23 Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Simeon were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred 24 Of the children of Gad by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 25 Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Gad were fourty and five thousand six hundred and fifty 26 Of the children of Judah by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 27 Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Judah were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred n Far more than any other tribe in accomplishing of Iacobs prophecy Gen. 49. 28 Of the children of Issachar by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 29 Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Issachar were fifty and four thousand and four hundred 30 Of the children of Zebulun by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 31 Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Zebulun were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred 32 Of the children of Joseph namely of the children of Ephraim by their generations after their families by the
LORD he it is that doth go before thee he will be with thee he will not fail thee neither forsake thee * Josh. 1. 9. fear not neither be dismayed 9 And Moses wrote this law e Largely so called the whole Law or Doctrine delivered unto Moses contained in these five books and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi f That they might keep it carefully and religiously and bring it forth upon occasion and read it and instruct the people out of it which bare the ark g To wit sometimes in great solemnities as Ios. 3. 13 17. and 6. 12. 1 King 8. 3. though the Levites also might bear it as appears from Numb 3. and 4. and 10. 1 Chron. 15. 2. of the covenant of the LORD and unto all the elders of Israel h Who were Assistants to the Priests and overseers to take care that the Law should be kept and read and observed 10 And Moses commanded them saying At the end of every seven years in the solemnity of the * Chap. 15. 1. year of release i When they were freed from debts and troubles and cares of worldly matters and thereby fitter to attend upon God and his service in the feast of tabernacles 11 When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall chuse * Josh. 8. 34 35. thou shalt read k Thy self in part for the Jews tell us that the King was in person to read some part of it or at least thou shalt cause it to be read by the Priests or Levites for he could not read it himself in the hearing of all Israel but this was to be done by several persons and to the people met in several congregations See Nehem. 8. 1 c. this law before all Israel in their hearing 12 Gather the people together l Not into one place where all could not hear but into divers Assemblies or Synagogues men and women m Who hereby are required to go to Ierusalem at this solemnity as they were permitted to do in other solemnities when the Males onely were enjoyned to go Exod. 23. 17. and children n To wit such of them as could understand as appears from Neh. 8. 2 3. and thy stranger o i. e. The Proselytes though others also were admitted that is within thy gates that they may hear and that they may learn p That they may then certainly and constantly do so though they had also other opportunities to do so as upon the Sabbath-days Act. 15. 21. and other solemn feasts yea even in their private houses and fear the LORD your God and observe to do all the words of this law 13 And that their children which have not known any thing may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it 14 And the LORD said unto Moses Behold thy dayes approach that thou must die call Joshua and present your selves in the tabernacle q Either properly so called for though the Priests onely might ordinarily enter there yet others might go in upon a call and command from God which here they had or in the court of the Tabernacle at the door of which God stood in the cloudy pillar v. 15. the Court coming here under the name of the Tabernacle as elsewhere it comes under the name of the Temple of the congregation that * Num. 27. 19. I may give him a charge r Immediately from my self for his greater encouragement and to gain him more authority with the people And Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation 15 And * Exod. 33. 9. the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle 16 And the LORD said unto Moses Behold thou shalt †Heb. lie down sleep s The death of men both good and bad is oft called a sleep because they shall certainly awake out of it by resurrection See Psal. 76. 5. Dan. 12. 2. 1 Thess. 4. 13 c. 2 Pet. 3. 4. with thy fathers and this people will rise up and go a whoring t God certainly foresees all things to come yea even those which depend upon the wills of men or contingencies of the things as this unquestionably did after the gods of the strangers of the land u i. e. Of the Canaanites who now are possessours but shortly will be turned out of their possessions and become as strangers in their own land This aggravates their folly to worship such Gods as could neither preserve their friends nor annoy their enemies whither they go to be amongst them and will forsake me and break my covenant which I have made with them 17 Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day and I will forsake them and I will * Psal. 104. 29. hide my face x i. e. Withdraw my favour and help from them and they shall be devoured and many evils and troubles shall befall †Heb. 〈◊〉 them so that they will say in that day Are not these evils come upon us because our God is not amongst us 18 And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought in that they are turned unto other gods 19 Now therefore write ye this song y Which is contained Deut. 32. and is put into a song that it be better learned and more fixed in their minds and memories for you and teach it the children of Israel put it in their mouths z Cause them to learn it and sing it one to another to oblige them to more circumspection and watchfulness that this song may be a witness for me a Of my kindness in giving them so many blessings of my patience in bearing so long with them of my clemency in giving them such fair and plain warnings and my justice in punishing such an unthankful perverse and incorrigible people against the children of Israel 20 For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers that floweth with milk and honey and they shall have eaten and filled themselves and waxen fat * chap. 6. 10 c and 8. 10. and 32. 15. then will they turn unto other gods and serve them and provoke me and break my covenant 21 And it shall come to pass when many evils and troubles are befallen them that this song shall testifie †Heb. before against them as a witness for it shall not be forgotten b This seems not to be a precept that they should remember it but a prediction that God would give them sad occasion to remember it by bringing upon them the dreadful calamities mentioned in it out of the mouths of their seed
which they declare their Author no less than if they used many Words or long Discourses to that purpose or no less than men disover their Minds by their Words See more concerning this Verse upon Rom 10. 18. where it is applied to the Preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles in the several parts of the World to the end of the world in them hath he set a tabernacle p Which is a moveable Habitation and therefore fitly applied to the Sun which is here described to be in constant and perpetual Motion v. 5 6. for the sun q Which being the most Illustrious and useful of all the Heavenly Bodies is here particularly mentioned 5. Which is as a bridegroom r Gloriously adorned with Lights as with a beautiful Garment and smiling upon the lower World with a pleasant Countenance coming out of his chamber s In which he is Poetically supposed to have rested all Night and thence to break forth as it were on a sudden as both Sacred and profane Poets represent the Matter and * Eccles. 1. 5. rejoyceth as a strong man t Who being Conscious and Confident of his own strength and promising to himself Victory and the Glory which attends it sets upon his work with great Pleasure to run a race 6. His going forth is from the end of the heaven and his circuit unto the ends of it u His Course is constant from East to West and thence to the East again and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof x There is no part of the Earth which doth not one time or other feel the Comfort and Benefit of it's Light and Heat 7. The ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 law of the LORD y i. e. The Doctrine delivered by God to his Church whether by Moses or by other Prophets and holyâ—…men of God after him for the Title of Law is given not only to the Ten Commandements or the moral Law as it is Rom. 2. 23 25 27 31. but also to the whole Word of God as Psal. 1. 2. and 119. 70 c. Ier. 8. 8. Mal. 2. 6. to the Psalms as Ioh. 10. 34. and 15. 25. Comp. with Psal. 82. 6. and 35. 19. and to the Writings of the Prophets 1 Cor. 14. 21. Comp. with Isa. 28. 11. yea even to the Gospel it self as Isa. 2. 3. and 42 4. and 51. 4. 7. Rom. 3. 27. Gal. 2. 21. And in this general Sence it must be here understood because the Effects here following do not flow from one but from all the Parts of it Precepts and Counsels and Threatnings and Promises and God's gracious Covenant made with man therein revealed Having discoursed hitherto of the Glory of God's shining forth in and Demonstrated by the visible Heavens and the Heavenly Bodies he now proceeds to another Demonstration of God's Glory which he Compares with and prefers before the former Which he doth partly to prevent that Excessive admiration of the splendour and beauty of the Sun and Stars by the Contemplation whereof the Hearkens were brought to adore them an Error which the Israelites were not free from the Danger of Deut. 4. 19. partly to make the Israelites sensible of their singular Obligations to God who besides that common Light and Influence of the Heavenly Bodies had given them a peculiar and a more necessary and beneficial Light and partly to awaken and provoke the Gentiles into whose hands these Psalms might come to the study and love of God's Law by representing those excellent Advantages which they no less than the Iews might obtain by it is perfect z Without fault or defect fully and compleatly discovering both the Nature and Will of God and the whole Duty and business of man whom and how he is to Worship and Serve what he is to believe and Practise and whatsoever is necessary to his present and eternal Happiness Wherein there seems to be a secret Reflection upon the former and natural discovery of God by his works of Creation as that which is defective and insufficient for the great and Glorious ends here following which although it did declare so much of God's being and Nature as left all men without excuse Rom. 1. 20. yet did not fully nor clearly manifest the Mind and Will of God nor direct and bring men to eternal Salvation ‖ 〈◊〉 â—…oring 〈◊〉 4 15. 〈◊〉 converting a To wit from the Errors of Mind and Conversation in which men without this Light do generally wander and Perish unto God from whom all men are naturally revoâ—…ted Or 〈◊〉 â—…r 〈◊〉 as this Word is used Ruth 4. 15. 〈◊〉 2â—… â—… 〈◊〉 1. 1â—… 16. Heb. restoring or bringing back the 〈◊〉 which was drooping and even going out of the Body through grievous 〈◊〉 of the outward Man and Terrors of the Mind and Conâ—…ience the soul the testimony of the LORD f i. e. His law so called because it is a Witness between God and Man what God requires of Man and what upon the performance of that Condition he will do for Man is * Psal. 1â—…9 14â—… sure g Heb. faithful or true which is most Excellent and Proper and necessary in a Witness It will not mis-lead or deceive any man that trusteth to it or followeth it But will certainly and infallibly bring him to Happiness making wise h Unto Salvation as is expressed 2 Tim. 3. 15. Which is the only true Wisdom the simple i This is added Either 1. By way of Commendation or as a qualification of the Person whom God's word will make wise he must be humble and foolish and little in â—…is own Eyeâ—… and willing to be taught See Mat. 11. 25. 1 Cor. 1. 2â—… 〈◊〉 For God resisteth the proud and scornful and will not give this Wisdom to them or rather 2. By way of Contempt which seems most agreeable both to the use of the Words Prov. 1. 4. and 9. 6. and 14. 15. and 2â—… 3. and to the Scope of the place which is to set forth the Excellency and Eâ—…ficacy of God's Law in the general without any Restriction to this or that sort of Men. So it may note the weak and foolish even Persons of the lowest Capacities and such are apt to mistake and are easily â—…educed as the Word implies And yet these if they will hearken to the Instructions of God's word shall become Wise when those who proâ—…ss themselves Wise shall by leaning to their own understanding and despising or neglecting the Directions of God's word become and prove themselves to be â—…ools Rom. 1. 22. But this is not spoken exclusively as if no men of better Abilities were thus made Wise but by way of Amplification to shew the Usefulness of God's Word to men of all sorts and sizes 8. The statutes k Another word signifying the same thing with Law and Testimonies of the LORD are right l Both in themselves as being free from Crookedness