the next Verse seem to import but it is plain by other places it was but one and the same Pillar which had these different Appearances See the next Chapter XIV 19 24. I Deut. 33. Therefore Salvian rightly describes it L. I. de Gubern Dei where he calls it Mobilem columnam nubilam die igneam nocte congruas colorum diversitates pro temporum diversitate sumentem sc ut diei lucem lutea obscuritate distingueret caliginem noctis flammeo splendore claritatis radiaret And see Greg. Nyssen de Vita Mosis p. 175. Now that the SCHECHINAH or the Glory of God was in this Cloud appears from hence that it was the same Cloud which afterwards rested upon the Tabernacle as soon as it was set up and is called the Cloud of the LORD XL Exod. 38. X Numb 34. For the Glory of the LORD was within the Tabernacle as the Cloud was without it XL Exod 34 35 c. And it is there also described just as it is here that it appeared as a Cloud upon the Tabernacle by Day and as a Fire by Night XL. ult And so it is also IX Numb 15 16. At Even there was upon the Tabernacle as it were the appearance of Fire till the Morning So it was alway the Cloud covered it by Day and the appearance of Fire by Night And then it conducted them in their Journeys as it did now XL Exod. 36. IX Numb 17 18 c. Which shows that this Cloud which now conducted them out of Egypt was the very same with that which afterwards setled upon the Tabernacle And the Glory of the LORD being in that I make no doubt it was so in this Which is the reason that the LORD is said to go before them and to lead them by this Cloud For though the LORD of all doth not go from place to place yet this visible Glory which represented him as in a special manner present with them and therefore called the Glory of the LORD did go along with them in the Cloud to their several Statious whither they removed It is no improbable Conjecture of Taubman in his Notes upon Virgil that from hence it was that the Poets never make a Deity to appear but in a Cloud with a brightness in it Ad hoc exemplum credo Poetas sancivisse nullum Numen mortalibus apparere sine Nimbo Est autem Nimbus nubes divina seu fluidum lumen quod Deorum capita tingit Ver. 22. He took not away the pillar of the Cloud by day and the pillar of Fire by night from before the People That is it continued with them as long as Moses lived till they came to pass over Jordan into Canaan when not this Cloud but the Ark was their Guide And it need not seem incredible saith Clemens Alexandrinus L. I. Stromat p. 348. that they were thus led by a Pillar of Fire when the Greeks consider that Thrasybulus they believe was thus directed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. by a Fire which went before him and conducted him in a dark Winter Night through unknown ways when he brought back the Athenian Exiles to their Country The wonder was that this Fire continued to lead the Israelites forty years in the Wilderness whereas that of Thrasybulus if it be true was but a short appearance As that Light also was which they say shone from Heaven to bring Timoleon unto his Port when he sailed to Italy This Pillar also the same Clemens thinks in the place now named signified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that no Image could be made of God From whence he thinks likewise it was that the ancient Heathen before they learnt to make Images set up Pillars and worshipped them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Representatives of God Which Huetius hath lately made out in many Examples in his Quaestiones Alnetanae p. 203 206. and thinks that from this Pillar which had two Appearances the two Pillars were erected to Hercules in his Temple at Tyre and two likewise set up in the Temple of the Sun in Egypt CHAP. XIV Verse 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses Out of the Cloud where the SCHECHINAH was from whence he afterwards gave all his Laws Ver. 2. Speak to the Children of Israel that they turn They were going directly towards Horeb unto which they askt leave to go three days Journey And might have reached it this Night if they had proceeded forward on the left hand into the Wilderness But by this Order they turned to the right hand into a Road that led them towards the Red-sea which made Pharaoh think they had lost their way And encamp before Pihahiroth Before the Straits of two great Mountains full of dangerous holes as many think the word hiroth imports And Pi in Hebrew signifying a Mouth this word Pihahiroth may properly be translated in our Language the Chops of Hiroth The former day they had marched about eight miles but now they doubled their pace and marched sixteen miles from Etham hither Between Migdol and the Sea Some take Migdol to have been a Tower or Fortress for the word carries that signification in it upon the top of one of the Mountains before mentioned But there was a Tower called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Herodotus and Hecataeus and others which Bochart probably conjectures was this place Certain it is there was a City in Egypt called Migdol XLIV Jerem. 1. And Stephanus de Vrb expresly saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but whether the same with this place I cannot determine Over against Baal-zephon This I doubt not was the name of a Town also or City as Ezekiel the Tragaedian expresly calls it For Baal was the name of a City 1 Chron. IV. 33. and it is likely there being more of the same Name this was called Zephon to distinguish it from some other Baal in those parts Either because it lay North or had an eminent Watch-Towre in it There are those indeed who following the Jewish Doctors See Selden de Diis Syr. Syntagm I. c. 3. imagine there was an Image of Baal set up by the Magitians of Egypt by Pharaoh's order near this Arabian Gulf to hinder the Israelites in their Passage And Varenius doth not quite disallow this for he takes Baalzephon to have been a great Plain into which they were to enter by the Chops of Pihahiroth in which an Idol was worshipped which looking from the Red-sea toward the North was called the Lord of the North as Baalzephon imports And Kircher seriously maintains it had a power of Fascination to stop the Israelites in their Journey which there is no ground to believe For such Images made under a certain Constellation to avert evil things c. were not now in use being no older there are good reasons to think than the time of Apollonius Tyanaeus who was the first Inventor of them Ver. 3. For Pharaoh will say of the Children of Israel
these were the Contents to give him notice of his coming Which was but necessary that he might without any impediment pass the Guards which we may well think Moses had set very carefully after the Fight with Amalek who had suddenly surprized the hindmost of the People XXV Deut. 18. I thy Father-in-law Jethro am come unto thee c. Am upon the way and come near to thee Here it may be sit to take notice that there is a great dispute among Interpreters about the time when Jethro came from Midian with Moses his Wife and Children whether immediately after the Fight with Amalek as it is here set down or some time after when the Israelites were better settled One would think that he could not but take the first opportunity to visit Moses and to bring him and his nearest Relations together after he heard the News of their coming out of Egypt and their passing the Red Sea c. The news of which could not but reach him who was a Borderer upon this Wilderness Yet the Hebrews are generally of an opinion that this fell out after the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai and many Christians have been of the same mind particularly such great Men as our most Learned Primate Vsher ad A. M. 2514. and Mr. Selden L. II. de Synedris c. 2. where he saith no other account of it is to be received nec aliam sanè sententiam omninò amplexandam sentio but they are not agreed in what year he came Some say it was in this first year after their coming out of Egypt And the Hebrews have an opinion that it was in the Month of Tisri and on the eleventh day of that Month when Jethro gave the following Counsel to Moses v. 19 c. i. e. above three Months after God gave the Law from Mount Sinai or after Moses received the second Tables But others are as consident that it was in the second year and place this Story according to order of time after X Numb 28. or as Dr. Lightfoot thinks it should come in between the 10th and 11th Verses of that Tenth of Numbers And Primate Vsher in like manner judges his coming to have been about that time But though all this be uncertain yet Mr. Selden thinks he hath a strong ground to affirm it was after the giving of the Law from what we read I Deut. 6 9 10 11 c. And I confess it seems plain from thence that the Regulation which Moses made by the advice of Jethro was after God spake to them in Horeb which is the same with Mount Sinai For though he did appear at Horeb before this as I observed XVII 6. yet he said nothing then of that which Moses mentions I Deut. which was after the giving of the Law At which time he saith there v. 9. it was that he told them he was not able to bear them himself alone c. But notwithstanding this I cannot think that the coming of Jethro to Moses was deferred so long for no reason can be given why Moses here places the Story of it if it did not follow their Fight with Amalek though he did not give him the advice for the better Administration of Justice till after God had delivered the Law from Mount Sinai as I shall observe in its proper place Ver. 7. And Moses went out to meet his Father-in-law Before he came into the Camp or at least before he came to his Tent that he might show the great respect he bare to him and his joy to see him And did obeysance and kissed him Welcomed him according to the Custom of those Countries And they asked each other of their welfare Had such discourse together as Friends commonly have at their meeting till they came into the Tent. And they came into the Tent. Into the Tent of Moses or rather the Tent prepared to entertain Jethro But the Talmudists are so possessed with the opinion that this hapned some Months if not a whole Year after the Law was given that they take this Tent to have been Beth-midrash the House of Exposition or the School where Moses made the People understand the Law For so Jonathan in his Paraphrase upon this and the foregoing Verse I thy Father-in-law am come unto thee that I may be made a Proselyte And if thou wilt not receive me for my own sake yet admit me for the sake of thy Wife and Children which I bring with me And Moses went out from under the Cloud of Glory to meet him c. and when they had mutually saluted they came into the Tabernacle of the House of Learning But nothing can be more absurd than this fancy that he carried him immediately to hear a Lecture upon the Law Ver. 8. And Moses told his Father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh c. It seems to me from these words and those that follow that all we read hitherto about this matter fell out in order of time as it is here set down For if it had hapned after the giving of the Law it is most probable he would have said something of the most remarkable passage of all other Gods glorious appearance to them on Mount Sinai and the Law he had delivered to them c. Whereas at this meeting he only relates what God had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians and how the LORD delivered them and all the Travel that came upon them by the way which comprehends their passing through the Red Sea and their want of Water and Bread and their Fight with Amalek That is all that we read in the foregoing Chapters And accordingly Jethro rejoyced for their deliverance from the Egyptians v. 9. and gives thanks to God for it v. 10. taking notice of nothing else Ver. 9. And Jethro rejoyced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel c. The Gentiles as Conradus Pellicanus here observes more devoutly acknowledged God's Mercies when they understood them than the Jews themselves did With which our Saviour when he came upbraids that People sinding such Faith among the Gentiles as he could not meet withal in Israel Ver. 10. Blessed be the LORD who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians c. This may relate to the Preservation of Moses and Aaron who had brought the sorest Plagues upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians and yet God suffered them not to hurt them Who hath delivered the People from under the hand of the Egyptians And then this relates to the Deliverance of the whole Body of the People from the Egyptian Bondage and to the overthrow of Pharaoh and his Host in the Red Sea whereby the Israelites were sinally delivered from under the hand i. e. the tyranny and oppression of the Egyptians Ver. 11. Now I know that the LORD He knew the true God before but was now fully convinced that he alone was the most High Is greater then all Gods Than all that the
the Cloud Where the Divine Glory was and now broke out and appeared I suppose unto Moses Some think the seventh day might be the Sabbath upon which God chose to appear to him Ver. 17. And the sight of the Glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the Mount in the Eyes of the Children of Israel It broke out of the Cloud after six days so that the People saw it like flaming fire To which the Psalmist seems to allude XCVII Psal 2 3. Clouds and darkness are round about him and fire goeth before him c. Thus the Glory of the LORD is described in other places as within a Cloud and sometimes breaking out of it XL Exod. 35. where the Cloud is said to be upon the Tabernacle and the Glory of the LORD to fill it within which v. 38. is described like fire See also XVI Numb 42. And thus at its first appearing there was a Pillar of a Cloud and of Fire led them XIII 21. And it sometimes appearing in an amazing brightness beyond that of the Sun and sometimes being wrapt up in as thick a Cloud God is likewise said both to dwell in Light and in thick Darkness 1 Kings VIII 12. Ver. 18. And Moses went into the midst of the Cloud From whence the LORD had called to him v. 16. Therefore he broke through the thick Cloud into the very Prefence of God which was in a secret part of the Cloud called the midst of it And gat him up into the Mount To the top of it where the Glory of the LORD appeared to him in the midst of the Cloud the External Parts of which and the Fire only being seen by the People And Moses was in the Mount forty days and forty nights That he might receive the two Tables of Stone and the Gift of Prophecy as Elmacinus an Arabian Christian adds with Directions for the making the Tabernacle and all things belonging to it and the Service to be performed there by the Priest apparelled according to Divine Prescription c. which follow in the ensuing Chapters where Moses relates what orders God gave him about every thing relating to his Divine Service And it need not seem strange as Clemens Alexandrinus excellently speaks L. I. Stromat p. 351. that Moses received his Laws from God when the Greeks pretend the same of their Minos only they say he went into Jupiter's Cave and was nine years there in learning the Laws which he gave him when Moses was but XL. days in the Mount where God visibly appeared They believed also that Lycurgus received his Laws from Apollo and Zaleucus as Plato Aristotle and divers others whom he mentions say received his from Minerva All this was firmly believed among them who in not acknowledging the Divinity of Moses his Ministration were very ingrateful for his was the Archetype as he speaks or Pattern of what was pretended in their Stories Forty days and forty nights It may be a question whether the six days that he remained in the Cloud before the LORD called him higher be included in these XL. days or were only preparatory to his nearer access to God They may well be both for it is not said he was in the midst of the Cloud forty days and forty nights but that he was so long in the Mount Part of which time was spent in the dark Cloud and the rest in the bright Presence of God in the midst of the Cloud And in all that space he did neither eat nor drink XXXIV 28. IX Deut. 9. God could if he had pleased have revealed to him all his Mind in a less time But the method of the Divine Wisdom is to do all things gradually For instance the Substance of a Child in the Womb saith the Author of Schalsch Hakkabalah is not perfected in less time than XL. Weeks in all which time it receives no Meat nor Drink at the Mouth we must understand him and so many days did the Divine Power work in Moses to form him into a new Essence as his words are and give him a full Comprehension of all that God communicated to him And all this time he neither did eat nor drink for these actions say that Jew prejudice the Understanding which God intended to exalt by depressing the Bodily Faculties and Powers Which for want of Meat and Drink were brought down very low that the Understanding might be raised and lifted up And thus we find in after times that Daniel chastened his Body for three whole Weeks together the better to dispose him for heavenly Vision X. 2 3 12. This ascent of Moses from the Cloudy part of the Mount to the fiery top of it was upon the XIVth of Sivan and we may suppose as Jacobus Capellus doth that the Cloud accompanied him as he went up to defend him from the circumambient flame CHAP. XXV Verse 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses Out of that glorious and flaming Light wherein he appeared to him Ver. 2. Speak unto the Children of Israel When he went down from the Mount That they bring me In the Hebrew take for me out of their Goods An Offering The Hebrew word Terumah or as some pronounce it Trumah is commonly translated an Heave-offering or Offering lifted up Which the Chaldee translates that which is separated from common use and in the separation perhaps was lifted up towards Heaven in token that they desired God to accept it Of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my Offering They were only to be moved to it but not importuned much less told what quantity they should give but every Man was left to his own good Inclinations And accordingly Moses delivered the Mind of God unto them when he came down from the Mount and they made a free Oblation XXXV 5 21 29. Besides which there was also a Tribute laid upon them for the ransom of their Souls XXX 12 13 14. which amounted to a great Sum of Money as we find in the XXXVIII 24 c. Ver. 3. And this is the offering which ye shall take of them The things which ye shall accept as an Offering to me Gold and silver and brass Unto what uses these were to be imployed we are told afterwards Ver. 4. And blue and purple and scarlet Wool or Yarn or Stuff or as Abarbinel will have it Silk of these Colours About which there is much dispute but no Translation hath better described them than our English For Thecelet which we translate blue and Abarbinel will have to be a Sea-green is certainly a Sky-colour So Maimonides expresses it the Colour of the Firmament and Kimchi calls it ultramarine This hath been demonstrated by Braunius who shows how it was died L. I. de Vest Sacr. Hebr. L. I. c. 13. Argaman also he hath demonstrated c. 14. signifies purple as we translate it For both Josephus and Philo say so and he brings many proofs that they say true And there being
this Cloud stood just as it did here at the Door of it XII Numb 5. And stood at the door of the Tabernacle Openly to assert the Authority of Moses with whom God showed himself present though he had forsaken them And the LORD talked with Moses Which shows the Divine Glory was within the Tabernacle where Moses now was and so the People understood it as appears by the next Verse Ver. 10. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the Tabernacle door Which they knew was an evident Token that God was there And all the people rose up and worshipped every man in his Tent door Bowed themselves unto the Divine Majesty and humbly deprecated his Displeasure acknowledging we may reasonably think his great Goodness in condescending to appear again to them though at a distance from them Ver. 11. And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face In a familiar manner which did not affright or astonish him by a dreadful appearance of his Majesty which in the sight of the Children of Israel lookt like devouring fire XXIV 17. but appeared to Moses in a milder and more chearful brightness The like expression in XII Numb 8. seems to relate only to the Discourse he had with Moses which was clear and plain and by a Voice not in Visions and Dreams and obscure Resemblances and so it may be understood here as Maimonides takes it More Nevoch P. III. c. 45. But Abarbinel thinks that these Expressions signifie God treated with Moses in his own Person not by an Ambassadour just as one Friend converses with another And this is a common Notion among the Jews that God did not speak to Moses by an Angel but by himself which they take to be the meaning of this Phrase face to face Which seem to me rather to import the clearness and evidence of that Divine Light wherein God revealed himself to Moses whether it was by himself or an Angel it matters not Yet the New Testament determines this question when it tells us The Law it self was given by Angels in the hand of a Mediator And accordingly the old Tradition was That Moses saw things in a clear and bright Glass but the rest of the Prophets in a Glass that was dim and cloudy As a man speaks to his friend This is added to show how differently God treated Moses from all other Men. For he is said to have talked face to face with all the Israelites V. Deut. 4. but it was out of the midst of fire which struck a terrour into them whereas he spake to Moses out of the midst of a glorious but comfortable Light which gave him high satisfaction And he turned again into the Camp After some time spent in Conversation with the Divine Majesty he went to comfort the People it is likely with hopes of recovering his Favour of which they might have quite despaired if he had staid long from them But his servant Joshua a young man departed not out of the Tabernacle It is hard to tell for what end Joshua should stay behind his Master and it seems not decent that Moses should return alone without his Servant to attend him They that say he stayed to guard the Tabernacle have no foundation for it and they have not much who say he stayed to give Judgment in small Causes which needed not Moses his Resolution according to XVIII 26. For we never read that Joshua was a Judge but a constant Attendant upon Moses his Person And therefore the words may better be translated as they plainly run in the Hebrew He turned again to the Camp and his servant Joshua the son of Nun a young man At which there is a stop in the Hebrew over the word Naar young Man to distinguish these from the following words which are Departed not out of the Tabernacle That is the LORD departed not from thence but his Presence remained there and would not come into the Camp as Moses did And this Interpretation is the more likely because the last words in the Hebrew are out of the midst of the Tabernacle which cannot refer to Joshua because he did not go thither but only Moses who conversed alone with the Divine Majesty Why Joshua is called a young Man when he was near sixty years old is not easie to resolve Perhaps it signifies a valiant Man for so he was or he had waited on Moses from his youth or as Maimonides this is the Phrase of the Hebrew Nation who call all Men young till they begin to decay as Joseph is called when he was Thirty years old XLII Gen. 2. More Nevoch P. II. c. 32. Ver. 12. And Moses said unto the LORD When or where Moses spake what follows we are not here informed It is likely that after he was satisfied the People were very penitent he returned to the Tabernacle and there made this Address unto the Divine Majesty for a perfect Reconciliation with his People See A word imploring attention and regard to his Petition Thou sayest unto me Bring up this people Lead them to the Land of Promise XXXII 34. XXXIII 1. And thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me Thou hast only said thou wilt send an Angel before me but I hope to obtain greater favour from thee which thou hast not yet declared to me And I have no heart to proceed if thou thy self wilt not guide us in the Pillar of Cloud as thou hast done hitherto and dwell among us as thou hast promised in thy Sanctuary This seems to be the sense if this Verse be compared with the 15th and not barely that he did not know what Angel he would send with him Yet thou hast said I know thee by name The Chaldee takes it to be the same with what is said of Bezaleel whom God called by name XXXI 2. that is particularly designed to make the Tabernacle and all belonging to it But to know is more than to call signifying God's special Love and Kindness to Moses above all Men as the LXX interpret it And thou hast also found grace in my sight God had often heard his Prayers for this People as he hoped he would do now For that was the effect of his being an acceptable person unto him which is the proper signification of this Phrase Ver. 13. Now therefore I pray thee if I have found grace in thy sight If I still continue in thy favour Shew me now thy way The Interpretation of Maimonides More Nevoch P. I. c. 54. is too much strained who thinks he here desires the knowledge of God's Attributes as v. 18. he desires the sight of his Essence The plain meaning of this Prayer is That God himself would conduct him and show him the way wherein he should lead his People unto their rest in the Land of Canaan XXXII 34. That I may know thee that I may find grace in thy sight That I may be fully assured of thy gracious acceptance of me And
to thee and telling thee That now the LORD is presenting himself to thee And so we find he did XXXIV 6. And will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy This is the Substance of the words which he tells him he would proclaim after notice given of him of his coming to pass by him And their meaning is that he would dispense his Favours according to his own good pleasure as he did now to Moses unto whom he vouchsafed such a Revelation of himself as he did not make to others For thus he explains it XXXIV 6 7. where he tells him He would be very gracious patient and long-suffering unto some but punish severely the Iniquity of others Ver. 20. And he said Thou canst not see my face But as for thy request that I would make thee see my Glory in its full Splendor thou art not capable of it I know none that hath explained this whole matter better than R. Jehudah in Sepher Cosri P. IV. Sect. 3. For the Glory mentioned in Scripture there is one of such a nature that the Eyes of the Prophets could sustain it another all the Israelites saw as the Cloud and the consuming Fire but another so pure and bright to such an high degree that no Prophet is able to apprehend it but if he venture to look upon it his Composition is dissolved i. e. he dies Such was the Glory here spoken of a Splendor so great and piercing that none could behold it For there shall no man see me and live Accordingly we find when the SCHECHINAH or Divine Glory filled the Tabernacle Moses was not able to enter into it XL. 35. that is he could not with safety to his life look upon it And so it was after the Temple of Soloman was built and consecrated by Solemn Prayer to God The Glory of the LORD filled the House and the Priests could not enter into the House because the Glory of the LORD had filled the LORD's House 2 Chron. VII 1 2. From this Speech to Moses it is likely that Men in future times imagined they should die immediately when they saw only an Angel appear in such a high glittering manner that it amazed them Ver. 21. And the LORD said Behold there is a place by me It doth not plainly appear by the story from whence God now spake to Moses It is most likely from the Mount where he had long conversed with him Or if it was from the Tabernacle where his Glory appeared v. 9. and continued v. 11. that was not far from the Mount where he tells him he would make his Glory pass before him And thou shalt stand upon a Rock It is probable This was the Rock in Horeb where the LORD had formerly appeared to Moses XVII 6. Ver. 22. And it shall come to pass that while my Glory passeth by that I will put thee in a clift of the Rock Perhaps it was in one of the Clefts which was made in the Rock when God brought Water out of it LXXVIII Psal 15. into which he directed Moses For that is meant by putting him in the cleft showing him the place where he should be while the Divine Majesty passed by And I will cover thee with my hand c. That he might not be hurt by the splendour of that Glory as it passed by the Cleft This doth not certainly signifie that the Glory of the LORD appeared in an Human shape for Hands are ascribed to God in accommodation to us when nothing is meant but this invisible Power which now perhaps cast a Cloud about him that he might not be struck dead by the inconceivable brightness and force of those Rays which came from the Face of the Divine Majesty Ver. 23. And I will take away mine hand As soon as the Face as it is called v. 20. of the Divine Majesty was gone by him which it was impossible for him to behold and live he promises to remove that Cloud which covered him so that he should look upon the hinder Parts of his Glory though not upon the Face And thou shalt see my back parts In which the Glory of the Divine Majesty shone in a lower degree of Light which was not so piercing as to put out the Eyes and take away the Life of the Beholders And yet there was such a resplendent Brightness in it that Moses's Face shone when he came down from the sight of it XXXIV 29. For that lustre in his Countenance is to be ascribed in all probability to that sight which he had of the Divine Majesty at that time Some little Particles of Light remaining upon his Face and sticking to it if I may so speak from that exceeding great Splendour which shone upon him and passed before him as he lay in the hollow place of the Rock But my face shall not be seen My Glory in its full Lustre without any Vail before it cannot be seen See v. 20. There are many other Interpretations of this Verse as well as of the 18th and 19th Maimonides in his Book de Fundam Legis c. 1. n. 11. takes it thus God revealed that to Moses which no Man either before or after him ever knew he making him to apprehend something of his very Essence whereby God was separated in his Mind from all other Beings as a Man discerns another Man when he sees his back parts and by his Mind discerns his Proportions distinct from all other Men. But in his More Nevoch P. I. c. 21. he takes this Discovery to Moses to be the Knowledge God gave him of his Works and Attributes viz. those mentioned XXXIV 6. And thus Gregor Nazianzen Orat. XXXIV p. 559. expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Those things are the back Parts of God which are after him whereby he is known as the Sun is by its Image in the Water c. Upon which Elias Cretensis hath this ingenious gloss That the Face of God signifies his Essence before the beginning of the World and his hinder Parts his Creation and Providence in the Government of the World But Maimonides in the same place now mentioned acknowledges also that this may be interpreted according to the Targum That God made his Majesty that is an exceeding bright Representation of himself though not in its full Glory to pass before him Which Onkelos sometimes calls Jekara Glory sometimes Memra the Word and sometimes SCHECHINAH the Majesty Which seems to be the most litteral meaning that God himself particularly the Eternal WORD in a visible Glory or Majesty appeared unto him in so much Splendour as Human Nature was able to bear but not in his unvailed Brightness which is as the Apostle speaks inaccessible CHAP. XXXIV Verse 1. AND the LORD said unto Moses Having obtained a Promise of a Pardon for the People and of greater Favour to himself than had been hitherto shown him God directs him here to dispose things for
the performance of both How thee two Tables of stone like unto the first and I will write upon these Tables the words that were in the first Tables which thou brakest Every attentive Reader must needs observe the difference between the first Tables which Moses brake and those which he is now ordered to prepare For God did not only write his Laws with his own finger upon the first Tables but the Tables themselves also were the work of God XXXII 16. Whereas in these as Greg. Nyssen well expresses it de Vita Mosis p. 183. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The writing indeed was by the Divine Power but the matter of them framed by the hand of Moses So that at the same time God shewed he was reconciled he put them in mind that he had been offended and restored them to his favour with some abatement Ver. 2. And be ready in the morning On the XVIII day of July See XXXII 30. And come up in the morning unto Mount Sinai From whence God spake to the Israelites V Deut. 4 c. those very words which he intended to write upon the Tables He orders him to come up in the morning that all the People might see him ascend and carry the Tables with him And present thy self there to me in the top of the Mount Where the Divine Majesty appeared before in its Glory and where Moses stayed with him forty days and forty nights XIX 26. XXIV 17 18. Ver. 3. And no man shall come up with thee The same Precept is renewed which was given at his first ascent XXIV 1 2. Neither let any man be seen throughout the Mount XIX 12 21 c. Neither let the Flocks nor Herds feed before the Mount He seems to require their removal to such a distance that they should not be within view of the Divine Majesty By which means the People were naturally led to stand in greater awe of God and there was the less danger of any Beasts touching the Mount XIX 13. Ver. 4. And Moses hewed two Tables of stone c. These and the following words only declare that he did as God bad him v. 1 2. And took in his hand the two Tables of stone These he carried with him but the first Tables were given him when he came there XXIV 12. They seem to have been thin being no heavier than that he could carry them in one hand Ver. 5. And the LORD The SCHECHINAH or Divine Majesty called also the Glory of the LORD Descended in the Cloud Wherein it had been wont to appear from the beginning of their deliverance out of Egypt and had lately appeared to Moses in the Tabernacle XXXIII 9. when the Cloudy Pillar descended and stood at the door of it while the LORD talked with Moses there And it seems when that was done the Glory of the LORD in the Cloud went up again towards Heaven and now came down upon this occasion And stood with him there The Cloudy Pillar wherein the Glory of the LORD was rested upon the top of the Mount where Moses now was v. 2. And proclaimed the Name of the LORD Gave him notice of his Presence as he had promised XXXIII 19. and is more fully expressed in the next Verse Ver. 6. And the LORD passed by before him Which Onkelos translates the LORD made his Majesty to pass before him Which Exposition Maimonides acknowledges to be right and confirmed by the Scripture it self when it saith XXXIII 22. While my Glory passeth by c. which he confesses signifies not the Divine Essence it self but some created Splendour which no Eye was able to behold More Nevoch P. I. c. 21. And proclaimed As the Glory of the LORD passed by he heard a Voice proclaiming this Description of the Divine Nature The LORD Some joyn the next word to this as if the Voice said the LORD the LORD the more to awaken his Attention to mind what he heard See XXXIII 19. And this Name of his signifies his Self-Existence and his absolute Dominion over all Creatures which received their being from him See VI. 3. God The Hebrew word El signifies Strong and Mighty in one word his Irresistible Power Job IX 4. Merciful The word Rachum signifies that which we call tender Mercies such as Parents have to their Children when their Bowels yern towards them And gracious We call that Chaninah Grace or Favour saith Maimonides which we bestow upon any Man to whom we owe nothing XXXIII Gen. 5 11. And therefore God is here called Chanum Gracious with respect to those whom he created preserves and governs but is not obliged by any right to these things as his words are More Nevoch P. I. cap. 54. Long-suffering So slow to Anger that he doth not presently punish those that offend him but bears long with them Abundant in goodness The Hebrew word Chesed which we translate Goodness signifies as Maimonides saith More Nevoch P. III. cap. the excess and highest degree of any thing whatsoever it be but especially the greatest Benignity And therefore with the addition of rabh abundant denotes long continued Kindness as is more fully declared in the next Verse And truth Most faithful and constant to his Promises which he stedfastly keeps throughout all Generations The word abundant refers both to this and to his Benignity CXLVI Psal 6. Ver. 7. Keeping mercy for thousands The same word Chesed which before we translated Goodness we here translate Mercy and the Hebrews observing the â—etter Nun to be greater in the word Notzer keeping than is usual fancy that it denotes the immense Treasures of the Divine Bounty But the word thousands fully explains how abundant his Mercy is Forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin Here are three words to signifie all sorts of Offences which he passes by tell Men grow intollerably wicked But some distinguish them by making Iniquity signifie Offences against Men and Transgressions Offences against God himself and Sin all the Errours Childishnesses and Follies which Men are guilty of in the Conduct of themselves But they may as well signifie the Offences which were committed against the Moral Ceremonial and Political Laws And that will by no means clear the guilty These words according to Maimonides belong still to the loving kindness of God as all the foregoing do signifying that when he doth punish he will not utterly destroy and make desolate For so the Hebrew words Nakkeh lo Jenakkeh he thinks are to be litterally rendered in extirpating he will not extirpate as the word Nakah he observes is used III Isaiah 26. She shall sit desolate on the Earth And to the same sense these words are expounded by many Modern Interpreters particularly Lud. de Dieu When he empties he will not empty or make quite desolate For the Maxim of the Hebrew is as Maimonides there observes More Nevoch P. I. c. 54. that the property of Goodness far excels that of Severity For here being thirteen Properties of God mentioned I can
holy And therefore the seven days appointed for that purpose were ended before the Consecration of the Priests began which continued seven days more and then the next day was the Feast of unleavened Bread Which was famous on a double account first because it was the first day of unleavened Bread and then it was the Octaves of the Consecration And this appears more plainly from I Lev. 1. where we find the following Commands were given to Moses out of the Tabernacle by the Divine Majesty who therefore dwelt there when he commanded the Priests to be consecrated which he did not till the Tabernacle was solemnly consecrated to be his Habitation There the Priests also are commanded to abide during the seven days of their Consecration VIII Lev. 33. which shows that all things belonging to its Sanctification were finished before their Consecration began As to that which is alledged from VIII Lev. 10 11 c. I shall consider it there Ver. 19. And he spread abroad the Tent over the Tabernacle The Ohel which we translate Tent sometimes signifies the whole House of God See v. 19. but here only the external part of it which covered that which was properly called Mischchan the Tabernacle Which Moses having erected with all its Sockets Boards Bars and Pillars v. 18. and hung it we must suppose with the inward Hangings which were the richest he spread abroad over them the Curtains of Goats-hair called the Tent XXVI 11. to be a covering over the Tabernacle XXVI 7. XXXVI 14 19. So the Tabernacle was an House within an House inclosed with strong Walls as we call them to secure it from the injury of the Weather And put the covering of the Tent upon it Mentioned in XXVI 14. Ver. 20. And he took and put the Testimony into the Ark. The two Tables of Stone as he had been commanded XXV 16. which he mentions again in the repetition of the Law X Deut. 5. Hence the Ark is called the Ark of the Covenant or Testimony in the next Verse and v. 3. of this Chapter Ver. 21. And he brought the Ark into the Tabernacle It is probable that he had placed the Ark after it was made in his own Tent which for the present was called the Tabernacle of the Congregation and had the Glory of the LORD in it XXXIII 7 9. but now he brought it into this Tabernacle which by God's order was prepared for it And set up the Vail of the Covering c. See v. 3. Ver. 22. And he put the Table in the Tent of the Congregation Here the whole House is called the Ohel or Tent as I observed upon Verse 19. But immediately the word Mischchan which we translate Tabernacle is used as the most proper expression for the inside of the House as the other most properly denotes the outside of it All is made more clear in the 34th Verse where we read that the Cloud covered the Tent of the Congregation that is the outside of the House and the Glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle within Though afterward v. 38. the Cloud is said to be upon the Tabernacle as v. 36. it is said to be over the Tabernacle because it was over the Tent which covered it Ver. 25. And he lighted the Lamps before the LORD c. In this and all that follows of burning sweet Incense v. 27. offering the Burnt-offering and Meat-offering v. 29. Moses acted as a Priest appointed by an extraordinary Commission from God only for this time that he might Consecrate the House of God and the Priests that were to minister therein which being done his Priesthood ceased And he did all that is mentioned in these Verses when the Tabernacle was Consecrated and the Glory of the LORD had filled it testifying the Divine Presence to be there Ver. 31. And Moses and Aaron and his Sons washed their hands c. This shows that Moses acted now as a Priest and therefore washed himself before he went to Sacrifice at the Altar as the Priest afterwards were always bound to do XXX 19 20 21. But it must be understood that neither this washing here spoken of nor his offering Sacrifice mentioned v. 29. was till some days after this See v. 17. Ver. 33. So Moses finished the work And then anointed the Tabernacle and all contained in it according to God's order v. 9 10 11. the execution of which though now not here mentioned in so many words is expresly said to be on the same day that he had compleatly set up the Tabernacle VII Numb 1. Ver. 34. Then a Cloud or then the Cloud covered the Tent of the Congregation After it was anointed and sanctified for the Divine Residence and the Princes perhaps had also finished that large Offering which we read VII Numb was made on this day God was pleased to fill this place with his glorious Presence For the cloudy Pillar which descended upon Moses his Tent and stood there before the door of it XXXIII 9. removed now from thence and came hither not standing at the door of it in the form of a Pillar but spreading it self all over the outside of the Tabernacle so that it was covered with it as we read also IX Numb 15. And the Glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle See v. 22. What God promised XXV 8 22. he now performed notwithstanding their Revolt from him by worshipping the Golden Calf Which made him withdraw himself from them XXXIII 7 c. till upon Moses's earnest Intercession for them and their Repentance he graciously consented to return to them and abide among them v. 14 15 c. As now he did by setling his glorious Presence in this Tabernacle which was set up in the midst of them For whereas the other Tabernacle of Moses was removed a Mile or two from their Camp XXXIII 7. this Tabernacle was pitched a month after this I Numb 1. in the midst of their Camps as we read II Numb 2 17. Ver. 35. And Moses was not able to enter into the Tent of the Congregation For the Glory of the LORD shone so bright and so strong beyond all that it had ever done that no Eye could look upon it And it filled not only the most holy Place but the whole Body of the Tabernacle so that he durst not adventure to come within it tell he was called I Lev. 1. After which time he seems to have had liberty to go in unto God when he pleased VII Numb 89. IX 8 9. For after this great day the Glory of the LORD retired into the most holy Place within the Vail and resided constantly there over the Ark of the Testimony from whence he spake to Moses when he came to consult him in the holy Place See the fore-mentioned VII Numb 89. Whence he is said to dwell between the Cherubims though on some occasion this Glory appeared without upon the Tabernacle but over the Ark it is likely XVI Numb 42. And so perhaps it did XI
17 25. and sometimes at the door of the Tabernacle XXXI Deut. 14 15. Because the Cloud abode thereon and the Glory of the LORD filled the House The Cloud and the Glory of the LORD were not two different things but one and the same as the Pillar of Cloud and of Fire were For outwardly it was a Cloud and inwardly a Fire and accordingly here the External part of it covered the Tabernacle without while the Internal part shone in full Glory within the House Thus it was upon Mount Sinai where Moses is said to draw near to the thick Darkness where God was XX. 21. That is the Glory of the LORD was in that thick Darkness And so we read before that the Glory of the LORD appeared in the Cloud XVI 10. And so those words are to be interpreted XXIV 16. The Glory of the LORD abode upon Mount Sinai and the Cloud covered it that is covered the Glory of the LORD not the Mount six days After which on the seventh day the Glory of the LORD broke through it and appeared like devouring fire in the sight of all the People v. 17. Ver. 36. And when the Cloud was taken up from over the Tabernacle the Children of Israel went onward in their journeys That is the LORD whose glorious Presence was in this Cloud led and conducted them in all their Removals And therefore they are said to have journeyed at the commandment of the LORD because when the Cloud wherein the LORD was was taken up then they journeyed IX Numb 17 18 20 23. Ver. 37. But if the Cloud were not taken up then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up They were wholly governed by its motions and followed its directions Ver. 38. For the Cloud of the LORD So it is called also in X Numb 34. because the Glory of the LORD was in it Was upon the Tabernacle by day And so it was by Night but then had another appearance as it here follows And fire was on it by night The Fire and the Cloud as I said v. 35. were not different things but the same Pillar which was dark by day when there was no need of light shone like fire by night when the dark part of it could not be seen to lead and conduct them It appeared therefore like a Cloud by day and turned the light side to them which was bright as fire by night that they might march if there were occasion by its direction both day and night And thus it is described XIII 21 22. IX Numb 15 16 c. And so this Verse may be translated The Cloud of the LORD was upon the Tabernacle by day and the Fire was bo in it i.e. in the Cloud by night For so they are elsewhere described as one within the other V Deut. 22. The LORD spake unto all your Assembly out of the midst of the fire of the Cloud and of the thick Darkness In the sight of all the Children of Israel throughout all their journeys The whole Congregation had constantly this comfortable Token of God's Presence among them by the Cloud in the day time and Fire in the night which never left them all the time they were in the Wilderness but brought them to Canaan The End of the Book of EXODUS ERRATA PAge 3. line 1. read See Gen. L. 26. l. 27. dele now before more p. 5. l. 24. r. Aben-Ezra p. 12. l. 6. r. the Hebrews p. 27. l. 12. r. Schalschalah p. 31. l. 5. r. he called his Son p. 41. l. 31. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 51. ult r. his words p. 56. l. 1. for exciting r. exerting p. 62. l. 19. r. because he came with an unusual p. 68. l. 20. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 70. l. 10. r. all this converse l. 19. r. Temara p. 71. l. 9. r. though not very far p. 73. l. 11. r. kashah p. 75. l. 17. r. such knives p. 80. l. 22. r. should not go alone p. 81. l. 13. r. Schalshalah Hakkabalah p. 86. l. 17. r. Taskmasters p. 114. l. 14. r. Gaulmyn p. 136. l. 12. r. Quastiones Alnetanae p. 138. l. 23. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 139. l. 4. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 141. l. 23. for Aretius r. Huetius l. 25. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 143. l. 17. r. as the Jews did long p. 153. l. 20 31. r. Schechin p. 163. l. 22. r. as the Wheat and the Rye 23. r. Trees were not broken p. 193. l. 1. r. expresly p. 197. l. 4. r. Elaeochrisin p. 220. l. 22. r. without the profession p. 242. l. 14. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 249. l. penult r. so long p. 250. l. 28. r. the next verse p. 251. l. 12. r. to protect them p. 256. l. 29. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 262. l. 4. r. tells this story p. 268. l. 13. r. compact p. 278. l. 25. r. distress p. 285. l. 12. r. when we sat p. 294. l. 10. r. who therefore tells them p. 309. l. 24. r. some other Stations p. 324. l. 17. r. German Jews p. 345. l. 6. r. of our minds p. 351 l. 21. r. phrase imports p. 366. l. ult r. and not in any p. 370. l. 18. r. they are the words p. 376. l. 16. r. backward p. 377. l. antepenult r. Gem. Bab. p. 380. l. 25. r. therefore ought not p. 427. l. 15. r. opprobrious p. 443. l. 31. r. where he pleases p. 449. l. 14. r. eat and drink p. 460. l. 3. r. to be true p. 462. l. 9. r. here p. 464. l. 26. r. having owned him p. 466. l. 31. r. he speaks p. 487. l. 3. r. when they were p. 488. l. 13. r. the ten words p. 501. l. 24. r. so in the six p. 511. l. 15. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 513. l. 33. r. set it up p. 520 l. 19. r. make for it p. 545. l. 31. r. Jaspis p. 559. l. 2. r. letters deep p. 567. l. 1. r. and his sons his sons garments p. 572. l. 24. r. which went round p. 573. l. ult r. the Jews say p. 580. l. 18. r. in the first p. 585. l. 30. r. that he might p. 586. l. 11. r. at his entrance p. 608. l. 19. r. Periegetes p. 609. l. 15. r. unto thee p. 614. l. 9. r. take to the Rosamim l. 11. r. take to thee p. 617. l. 6. r. contented themselves p. 623. l. 13. r. were ordered p. 631. l. 8. r. rebuking them p. 640. l. 11. r. the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 642. l. 30. r. make thee Prince p. 666. l. 18. r. v. 20. p. 674. l. 25. r. till men p. 677. l. 16. r. thine inheritance p. 679. l. 17. r. ad praelium ferunt p. 683. l. 20. r. fear oct of their p. 714. l. 9. r. Author of Sepher l. 26. r. in the latter end it is probable p. 721. l. 7. r. as the Priess Books Written by SYMON PATRICK D. D. now Lord Bishop of ELY and Printed for Richard Chiswell THE Parable of the Pilgrim written to a Friend The 6 Edition 4to 1681. Mensa Mystica Or a Discourse concerning the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper In which the Ends of its Institution are so manifested our Addresses to it so directed our Behaviour there and afterward so composed that we may not lose the Profits which are to be received by it With Prayers and Thanksgivings inserted To which is annexed Aqua Genitalis A Discourse concerning Baptism In which is inserted a Discourse to persuade to a confirmation of the Baptismal Vow 8vo Jewish Hypocrisie A Caveat to the present Generation Wherein is shewn both the false and the true way to a Nations or Persons compleat Happiness from the sickness and recovery of the Jewish State To which is added a discourse upon Micah 6. 8. belonging to the same matter 8vo Divine Arithmatick A Sermon at the Funeral of Mr. Samuel Jacomb Minister of St. Mary-Woolnoth-Church in Lombard-street London With an Account of his Life 8vo A Sermon preached at the Funeral of Mr. Tho. Grigg Rector of St. Andrew-Vndershaft London 4to An Exposition of the Ten Commandments 8vo Heart's Ease Or a Remedy against all Troubles With a Consolatory Discourse particularly directed to those who have lost their Friends and Rekitions To which is added Two Papers printed in the time of the late Plague The sixth Edition corrected 12mo 1695. The Pillar and Ground of Truth A Treatise shewing that the Roman Church falsly claims to be That Church and the Pillar of That Truth mentioned by St. Paul in 1 Tim. 3. 15. 4to An Examination of Bellarmin's Second Note of the Church viz. A NTIQVITY 4to An Examination of the Texts which Papists cite out of the Bible to prove the Supremacy of St. Peter and of the Pope over the whole Church In Two Parts 4to A private Prayer to be used in difficult times A Thanksgiving for our late wonderful Deliverance A Prayer for Charity Peace and Unity chiefly to be used in Lent A Sermon preached upon St. Peter's Day printed with Enlargements 4to A Sermon preached in St. James's Chappel before the Prince of Orange Jan. 20. 1688. on Isaiah 11. 6. A Second Part of the Sermon before the Prince of Orange on the same Text. Preached in Covent-Garden A Sermon preached before the Queen in March 1688 9. on Colos 3. 15. A Sermon against Murmuring preached at Covent-Garden in Lent 1688 9. on 1 Cor. 10. 10. A Sermon against Censuring preached at Covent-Garden in Advent 1688. on 1 Cor. 4. 10. Fast-Sermon before the King and Queen Apr. 16. 1690. on Prov. 14. 34. A Thanksgiving-Sermon before the Lords Nov. 26. 1691. for reducing of Ireland and the King 's safe Return On Deut. 4. 9. A Fast-Sermon before the Queen Apr. 8. 1692. On Numb 10. 9. Sermon before the Lord Mayor at St. Brides Church on Easter-Munday 1696 on 2 Tim. 2. 8. A Commentary on the First Book of Moses called Geneses 4to 1695. A Commentary on the Second Book of Moses called Exodus 4to 1697. A Sermon before the Lords Nov. 5. 1696. on Dan. 4. 35.
places And after all the pains that Franc. Gomarus hath taken in his Lyra Davidis to find of what sort of Numbers this and other Songs in Scripture consists he hath not given any satisfaction to Learned Men. Who think as Ludov. Capellus doth in his Animadversions on that Book that all the Bible may be made Verse according to his method Nay by his way of resolving Sentences all the Orations of Tully and Demosthenes may be turned into Verse of some sort or other The Author of Sepher Cosri seems to me to deal ingenuously who when the King of Cosar objects to them that the Songs in the Bible are not artificially composed according to Numbers and Quantities of Feet and Syllables makes the Jew answer That the Scripture Poetry was of a nobler sort not formed to tickle the Ear but affect the Heart by the great height and elevation of the Sense together with lofty Expressions whereby Men were moved to attend to it and to keep it in mind P. II. Sect. 69. c. And so much Abarbinel acknowledges upon this place That no such Verses consisting in the number and quantity of Syllables are to be found either in the Bible or in the Talmud either in the Mischna or the Gemara but are of later invention among the Jews in imitation of the Arabians and other Nations among whom they dwell in this long Captivity Yet in the Scripture Poetry there is a certain disposition of words which make them melodious and sit to be sung to Musical Instruments and so sententious that they might be more easily remembred than simple Narrations though now after so many Ages they cannot reduce this Poetry to Rules He tries indeed to bring this Song under certain Regulations fancying that it consists of eight Orders or Ranks as he calls them two of which are very short and two very long and four of a middle size which he prosecutes with much Subtilty but with little Satisfaction And spake saying I will sing unto the LORD c. Every one joyned in this Song of Praise which may be thus Paraphrased Ver. 1. We will joyfully praise the LORD for he hath in a most illustrious and magnificent manner shown his Power by throwing Horse and Men when they little thought of it into the Sea Ver. 2. It is he who hath given us this Victory and therefore he is to be praised and acknowledged as our Deliverer He is our most gracious and mighty God for whom we will prepare a Tabernacle wherein to Worship him Our Fathers had great Experience of his Goodness and therefore we are the more bound to make him our most thankful Acknowledgments and give him the highest Praises Ver. 3. There is none can stand before the LORD who hath perfectly subdued our Enemies and faithfully fulfilled his Promises to his Servants Ver. 4. For he hath cast Pharaoh and all his Chariots and great Commanders into the Sea as easily as one sends an Arrow out of a Bow Ver. 5. They are buried and shall rise up no more Ver. 6. Thou hast manifested thy Omnipotence O LORD most magnificently it was thy irresistible Power O LORD which dashed in pieces such mighty Enemies Ver. 7. It was a work of thy most excellent Power which will be ever magnified in the overthrow of such Adversaries With whom thou no sooner showedst thy self displeased but they vanished as stubble doth before the slame Ver. 8. Thou didst but give the Command and by a vehement Wind the Waters of the Sea were divided and heaped up so that they swelled into little Mountains and were campact like a Wall which was upheld from falling down till the People passed through the midst of the Sea Ver. 9. Our Enemies pursued us with a full considence that they should overtake and make a prey of us and after they had satisfied their Revenge upon us as certainly reduce us under their yoke as they drew their Swords against us Ver. 10. But with a turn of the Wind all their vain hopes sunk on a sudden together with themselves to the bottom of the Sea Ver. 11. There are none among all that are called Gods in Heaven or in Earth that are comparable to thee O LORD whose Perfections infinitely transcend all other and therefore art to be praised with the greatest fear and reverence for thy very works are wonderful and to be had in admiration Ver. 12. By thy mighty Power they were buried in the bottom of the Sea into which they sank Ver. 13. And in great mercy thou hast preserved thy People whom thou hast brought out of Egypt and rescued from cruel Servitude and conducted by a mighty Providence towards the holy Land which thou hast promised to them there to dwell among them Ver. 14. And why should we doubt of our coming thither The fame of this wonder shall go before us and strike a terrour into the most valiant Inhabitants of that Country Ver. 15. Nay all their Neighbours as well as they shall sind their hearts fail them and become as weak as Water Ver. 16. Such a terrour shall fall upon them that they shall be no more able to stir than a stone when they hear of this dreadful Execution but suffer thy People O LORD to pass to their Inheritance which thou hast prepared for them Ver. 17. Thither shalt thou bring them and there make them to take root in the highest Mountains of that Country where thou hast designed a place for thine own Dwelling of which thy Power also will lay the Foundation Ver. 18. And thou shalt do more Wonders since thy Dominion and Power endures to all Ages Ver. 19. For who can dethrone Thee Who in the same Sea hast made a Grave to bury the Egyptians and a Path for thy People Israel to walk in as if they had been on dry Ground And now having given the sense of the Song in this Paraphrase it may be proper to confirm it by the Explication of some Phrases in it Ver. 1. Hath he thrown into the Sea The Hebrew word ramah signifies a sudden Precipitation when they were in the heigth of their hopes to overtake and subdue the Israelites Ver. 2. He is my God Though some think the word El to be a Contraction of Elohim yet it seems to be derived from ajal and is generally thought to import might and strength But I have taken in the other Notion of goodness also See v. 11. Ver. 3. Prepare him an habitation As if they thought a Cloud too mean an Habitation for the Divine Glory they resolve to build him a Tabernacle just as David ashamed he should dwell in a Tabernacle designed to build him a Temple My Fathers God i. e. Jacob's of whom God took a singular care both before and after he came into Egypt Ver. 3. The LORD is a Man of War i. e. Gets great Victories as the Targum expresses it For when the Hebrews would express any eminent quality they put the word isch before
mention them Ver. 4. And Moses cried unto the LORD Which he did not upon their first complaint v. 2. because their necessity was not so urgent but now seeing their Distress and the heigth of their Discontent he prays God to take care of them hoping he would supply them with drink as lately he had done with Bread What shall I do unto this People He said enough no doubt to quiet them by remembring them what God had already done for them and what reason they had still to trust in his good Providence But this would not satisfie them unless their thirst was presently quenched which he could not do for them and therefore knew not how to appease them They be almost ready to stone me He represents to God not only their importunity but his own great danger For having promised to bring them to Canaan he was afraid as Abarbinel fancies that if they continued to think they should die with thirst they would take him for a false Prophet who had deceived them with Lies and consequently inflict the Punishment upon him which the Law enacts against a false Prophet which was stoning But the Law being not yet given this could not be in their thoughts Ver. 5. And the LORD said unto Moses Go on before the People Be not afraid of their stoning saith the same Aharbinel but though they murmur and are in a great passion and impatient go on before them confidently through the midst of their Camps and thou shalt see they shall not touch the hem of thy Garment And take with thee of the Elders of Israel Not valiant young Men to thy Life-guard but grave Persons to be Witnesses that thou dost really bring Water out of a Rock and the People may not say there was a Spring there before Concerning the Elders of Israel See III. 16. And thy Rod wherewith thou smotest the River take in thy hand Not a Sword or a Lance saith the same Writer but that Wand wherewith thou smotest the River of Egypt and turnedst it into Blood or didst divide the Red Sea as some understand it an Arm of the Sea being by good Authors called a River And go As I bid thee When he is commanded to march before the People it is supposed they were to follow but they could not all move so soon as he and the Elders who went before to the very place Which the whole Body of the People could not do the passage to the Rock it is likely being narrow so that they could not all see him smite the Rock and behold the Water gush out but expected till it flowed from thence unto their Camp Ver. 6. Behold I will stand before thee there upon the Rock That is the Glory of the LORD which in the Cloud appeared in this place as Abarbinel truly expounds it to strengthen his Faith and to perswade the Elders that this Water was Divinely given them even as the Manna was For before that fell from above the Glory of the LORD appeared XVI 10. as it did now before this Water flowed to them from the Rock So that they were fed continually by the Divine Providence from whence they received both their Meat and their Drink There is an Emphatical He as they call it before the word for Rock and therefore it should be translated upon that Rock Where Abarbinel fancies the LORD was wont to appear to Moses but this being a rocky place it may only denote that particular part of the Rock to which God directed him to go and was the same that Author probably thinks with that mentioned XXXIII 22. In Horeb. This was not a distinct Mountain from Sinai but only a different part of the same Mountain which was long and had many risings of which this was one And thou shalt smite the Rock With the Rod wherewith he smote the River VII 17 20. And there shall come water out of it that the People may drink According to their Petition v. 2. And Moses did so i. e. Smote the Rock and brought Water out of it in such plenty that the Psalmist saith it ran down like Rivers LXXVIII 15 16. to supply the want of the whole Camp unto which it flowed as far as Rephidim so that they needed not to go to Horeb for it Which is the difference as Abarbinel thinks between this Miracle and that mentioned XX Numb where the Waters were but like a Well to which they must go and did not come to them much less follow them in their Journeys as this did For this was a continued Fountain of Water which flowed out of the Rock CXIV Psal 8. and made this part of Arabia habitable in future Ages which no Man dwelt in before Moses doth not add and the People drank and their Cattle because as Aben-Ezra observes he studied brevity and this was easily understood In the sight of the Elders of Israel That they might be able to testifie to the People the truth of this Miracle whereby they were relieved in their Distress and preserved in their Travels through the Wilderness The fame of which no doubt reached other Nations the memory of it being remaining in several of their Fables For there is a manifest allusion to it in Euripides his Bacchae v. 703. where he makes one of them smiting the Rock at Cithaeron and Waters gushing out of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This I find observed by Bochartus in his Canaan L. I. c. 16. and Huetius hath observed many more such Instances out of Nonnus Pausanias and divers other Authors in his Alnetanae Quaestiones L. II. c. 12. n. 18. And he thinks it very probable that the Fable of Janus was forged from hence for which he alledges many Arguments in his Demonstratio Evang. and this among the rest that Albricus describes his Image holding a Rod in his left hand with which he smites a Stone and out of it Water flows Ver. 7. And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah c. That place which before was called Rephidim was after this called Massah and Meribah with respect to their chiding there with Moses which is the import of Meribah and their tempting God which is the signification of Massah Some think this one place was not called by two Names but that upon the second striking of the Rock almost forty years after this it was called Meribah and till then only Massah But in that Story it is not said the place was called Meribah but the water XX Numb 13. Is the LORD among us or not Doth he take care of us or not regard what becomes of us For God is said to be among or as the Phrase in the Hebrew in the midst of those whom he protects and provides for by a special Providence as we find VII Deut. 21. XXIII 14. III Josh 20. and many other places Ver. 8. Then came Amalek and fought c. The ground of their Enmity is commonly thought to
Rephidim toward that part of the Mountain called Horeb upon their murmuring for want of Water XVII 5 6. But seem to have returned thither to fight with Amalek v. 8. And then they were led by God to this other side of the Mountain which is called the Wilderness of Sinai There Israel encamped before the Mount For the glorious Cloud having led them hither rested upon the Mount as appears from the words following Ver. 3. And Moses went up unto God Whose glorious Majesty appeared upon the Mount And the LORD called unto him out of the Mountain Or rather for the LORD called to him out of the Mountain where the Divine Glory rested unto which he would not have presumed to go if the LORD had not called to him to come up thither Which was upon the second day of the third Month. Thus shalt thou say to the House of Jacob and tell the Children of Israel There was some reason sure for calling them by these two names the House of Jacob and the Children of Israel which perhaps was to put them in mind that they who had lately been as low as Jacob when he went to Padan-Aram were now grown as great as God made him when he came from thence and was called Israel Ver. 4. You have seen There needs no proof for you your selves are witnesses What I did unto the Egyptians Smote them with divers sore Plagues and at last drowned them and their Chariots in the Red Sea And how I bare you on Eagles wings Kept you so safe and placed you so far out of the reach of your Enemies as if you had been borne up on high by an Eagle Which are observed to carry their young ones not in their feet as other Birds were wont to do but on their Wings and to soar so high and with so swift a motion that none can pursue them much less touch them Bochartus hath observed all the Properties ascribed to the Eagle with respect to which Interpreters have thought God's care of his People to be here compared with that Bird Hierozoic P. II. L. II. c. 5. But after all he judiciously concludes that Moses best explains his own meaning in his famous Song XXXII Deut. 11. where the Eagles fluttering about her Nest and making a noise to stir up her young ones to leave their dirty Nest and try their Wings represents the many means God had used to rouze up the drooping Spirits of the Israelites when they lay miserably oppressed under a cruel Servitude and incourage them to aspire after Liberty and to obey those whom he sent to deliver them And brought you unto my self And by that means brought you hither to live under my Government For this was the very Foundation of his peculiar Empire over them that he had ransom'd and redeemed them out of Slvery by a mighty Hand and stretched out Arm as he speaks XIII 3. IV Deut. 34. so as he had not delivered any other Nation and thereby by made them his own after an extraordinary manner peculiar to them alone This Joshua also recals to their mind when he was near his Death and renewed this Covenant of God with them XXIV 5 6 c. Ver. 5. Now therefore Having wonderfully delivered them and supported them in a miraculous manner by Bread from Heaven and Water out of a Rock he now proceeds to instruct them in their Duty as Greg. Nyssen observes L. de Vita Mosis p. 172. If you will obey my voice indeed c. If you will sincerely obey me as your King and Governour and keep the Covenant I intend to make with you then you shall be mine above all the People of the Earth whose LORD I am as well as yours but you shall be my peculiar Inheritance in which I will establish my Kingdom and Priesthood with such Laws as shall not only distinguish you from all other Nations but make you to excel them This is the sense of this verse and the following A peculiar treasure unto me i. e. Very dear to me and consequently I will take a singular care of you as Kings do of those things which they lay up in their Treasury So the Hebrew word Segullah signifies Which Origen proves they really were notwithstanding all the Calumnies of Celsus their Laws being so profitable and they being so early taught to know God to believe the Immortality of the Soul and the Rewards and Punishments in the Life to come and bred up to a contempt of Divination with which Mankind had been abused as proceeding rather from wicked Daemons than from any Excellent Nature and to seek for the knowledge of future things in Souls which by an extraordinary degree of Purity were rendred capable to receive the Spirit of God L. V. contra Celsum p. 260. And this the Author of Sepher Cosri happily expresses when he saith Our peculiar Blessings consist in the conjunction of Minds with God by Prophecy and that which is annexed to it that is as Muscatus explains it the Gift of the Spirit of God And therefore he doth not say in the Law if you will obey my voice I will bring you after Death into Gardens of Pleasure but ye shall be to me a People and I will be to you a God Pars I. Sect. 109. For all the Earth is mine Which made it the greater honour that he bare such a special love to them Ver. 6. And ye shall be unto me a Kingdom of Priests An honourable or a Divine Kingdom not like worldly Kingdoms which are defended by Arms but supported by Piety Or a Princely People that should rule over their Enemies For the same word signifies both Priests and Princes and in the first times of the World none was thought fit to be a Priest but he who was a King or the Chief of the Family as we see in Melchizedek and Jethro That God was peculiarly the King of this People I observed above III. 10. and here he expresly owns this peculiar Dominion over them by saying Ye shall be to me a Kingdom And one reason perhaps why he saith they shall be a Kingdom of Priests is because they were governed while they continued a Theocracy by the High Priest as the prime Minister under God who in all weighty Causes consulted God what was to be done and accordingly they ordered their Affairs XXVIII 30. XXVIII Numb 21. Which is the reason why God commands Moses to make such Garments for Aaron as should be for glory and beauty or for honour and glory as we read v. 2. of that Chapter i.e. to make him appear great like a Prince for they were really Royal Garments And for his Sons also he was to make Bonnets of the like kind for honour and glory v. 40. they being in the form of the Tiarae which Kings wore and are joyned in Scripture with Crowns XXIX Job 14. III Isa 23 c. Whence Philo says in his Book de Sacerd. Honoribus that the Law manifestly
the Elders was in all likelyhood to convince them that he was among them and had spoken to them and sent them the Precepts before-mentioned by the hand of Moses Also they saw God and did eat and drink After they had seen God they were so far from receiving any harm that they feasted with him upon the Reliques of the Peace-offerings with great Joy and Gladness Or we may suppose that the Glory of the LORD shone upon them as they sat down to eat and drink in token of their full consent to the Covenant now made for so the custom was of making Covenants XXIV Gen. 30. XXXI 54. and that notwithstanding they continued to finish their Feast not being dispirited as good Men were sometimes afterwards with glorious Visions X Dan. 8 16 17. but rather strengthen'd and made more vigorous The word for saw in this Verse is different from that in the former importing I suppose that this Appearance of God to them lasted some time Ver. 12. And the LORD said unto Moses He called to him perhaps with an audible voice from the place where they saw his Glory that they might know how familiar he was with God and might more readily receive whatsoever Commands he brought from him Come up to me into the Mount To the top of the Mount where the Glory of the LORD was v. 17. For hitherto Moses had gone no further than the rest but was with them when they did eat and drink before the LORD And be there Stay with me there v. 18. And I will give thee Tables of stone Not only the Jews but Epiphanius also fancies these Tables were made of Saphire from what was said v. 10. But the words signifie plainly enough that they were of Stone And a Law and Commandments which I have written From this place the Jews endeavour to establish their unwritten or oral Law i. e. their Traditions which they say were now delivered together with the Tables of Stone So Maimonides in his Preface to Jad Chazeka All the Precepts which were given to Moses on Mount Sinai were given with their Explications according to what is said I will give the Tables of Stone and a Law and Commandments where by the Law is meant the written Law and the Commandments denote the Explication of it which we call the Oral Law Thus he and others of them directly against the Text it self which saith expresly both of the Law and the Commandments here mentioned that they were written See Selden L. II. de Synedr c. 16. Therefore by Law and Commandments we are to understand nothing else but the Law contained in the X. Commandments That thou mayest teach them Instruct the People to observe them as the most sacred of all other Precepts being written as well as spoken by God himself who taught Men by this Example how to preserve their Laws For Aristotle saith in his Problems that in old time Men being ignorant how to write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were wont to sing their Laws that they might not be forgotten It being the invention of the Corybantes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Theopompus speaks to set up Pillars and ingrave their Laws upon them Which Solon at last wrote on wooden Tables called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were laid up in the Temple of the Mother of the Gods v. Sam. Petitum Praefat. in Leg. Atticas Ver. 13 And Moses rose up From among the Elders with whom he was before And his Minister Joshua Who attended him further than the Elders but not into the place where he went For God intending him to be Moses his Successor seems to admit him unto a nearer Familiarity than any one else besides Moses And Moses went up into the Mount of God The place where the Divine Glory appeared But Joshua staid for him in some lower part of the Mountain expecting his return For he did not go up to the top of the Mount as appears from the XXXII Chapter where Moses his descent from thence being mentioned Joshua is not named till it be said that Moses was come down from the Mount v. 15 17. He went with him therefore till he entred into the Cloud and then he staid as it were at the door waiting for his return Ver. 14. And he said unto the Elders Before he left them he gave them this order Tarry ye here for us Not in the place where they had seen God and did eat and drink with him whether the People might not come but rather in the Camp or some place near it whether the People might upon occasion resort to them Unto which place Moses seems to have walkt with them from the Mount before he returned to go up into it or at least pointed them unto it with his singer that they might there wait for him Vntil we come again to you He could not tell how long God would detain him and therefore commands them to govern the People till his return to them And behold Aaron and Hur are with you Who seem to have been of greatest Authority next to himself and were with him in the Mount when the Israelites fought with Amalek Chap. XVII If any man have any matters to do let him come unto them In all Causes which were too hard for the Elders to determine he directs them to go to Aaron and Hur as they were wont to do to him By this it appears that these LXX Elders were some of the Judges appointed by the advice of Jethro XVIII 22. which he continued to follow and orders them to observe in his absence Ver. 15. And Moses went up into the Mount Having said this he and Joshua left them and he went into the higher part of the Mount And a Cloud covered the Mount That part of it where he was so that the People and Joshua also lost the sight of him Ver. 16. And the Glory of the LORD abode upon Mount Sinai That visible Majesty which shone in extraordinary splendour was setled for the present upon the top of this Mount And the Cloud covered it i. e. Covered the Glory of the LORD not the Mount as Aben Ezra observes For the Cloud was not the Glory of the LORD but incompassed and covered it so that for six days nothing but the Cloud appeared to the Israelites till on the seventh day the Cloud was rent as I take it or opened and the Glory of the LORD appeared like flaming fire Six days Thus long it was hidden in a Cloud so that Moses himself could not see it but remained wrapt up in darkness which might have astonished him if he had not been supported by the Divine Power and a comfortable sense of God who had often appeared to him and conversed familiarly with him And the seventh day he called unto Moses The second time for he had called to him before to come up to him v. 12. commanding him to approach into his glorious Presence Out of the midst of
I. Stromat p. 345. D. But no body I think hath expressed this in better words and more full of sense than our famous Dr. Jackson Book X. upon the Creed Chap. 40. where considering God as become the King of this People in a proper and peculiar manner and considering also what unsufferable wrongs the King and People of Egypt had done unto this People of God who were now become his peculiar Subjects or Proprietary Leiges he concludes that this Fact even by the Course of Human Law or Law of Nations was more justifiable than Royal Grants of Letters of Mart or other like Remedies are against such other Nations as have wrong'd their Subjects or suffered them to be wrong'd by any under their Command without Restitution when they solemnly or by way of Embassy demanded it In short whatsoever the Hebrew Women took from the Egyptians they took and possessed by the Law of Reprisal that is by virtue of a Special Warrant granted by the LORD himself as he was now become in Special not only the God of his People but their King Ver. 36. And the Children of Israel journeyed from Rameses Whether this were a City or a Country the Israelites seem in this place to have made a general Rendevouz as we now speak it being well known to them for they were thereabout first planted XLVII Gen. 11. Vnto Succoth This day being the fifteenth of Nisan they began to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread at this place called Succoth from the Booths or Tents which were here first erected no Houses being there wherein they continued while they lived in the Wilderness and many preferred them before Houses when they came to Canaan Whence we read so often such Expressions as these To thy Tents O Israel or They went every Man to his Tent. It is an idle fancy of R. Solomon upon this place that they travelled this day an CXX miles and that in an hour because it is said XIX 4. that God carried them on Eagles wings Some will have this place called Succoth because the Cloud of Glory began here first to overspread them About six hundred thousand on foot that were Men. i. e. Were Twenty years old and upward all fit for War Besides Children If we reckon all under Twenty years of Age with all the Women and old Men there could not be less than fifteen hundred thousand persons A vast increase in the space of a little more than two hundred years from LXX Persons that went down into Egypt Ver. 38. And a mixed multitude went up also with them Some think these were only a Rabble that marcht along with them imagining they would return at three days end Which when they saw they did not they began to mutiny and quarrelled with Moses c. as the Author of Dibre Hajamim tells the Story Others think that many Israelites had made Marriages with the Egyptians as some it is plain did XXIV Lev. 10. who now accompanied them at their Departure being loth to leave their Relations But it is most probable they were Proselytes of the Gate as the Jews call them who had renounced Idolatry but were not entred into the Covenant by being Circumcised See Selden L. I. de Synedriis c. 3. It is uncertain what number there was of these but it appears they were a multitude And Flocks and Herds and very much Cattle Some of which perhaps belonged to the mixed Multitude for they among the Egyptians that feared the LORD's word preserved their Cattle from the stroke of the Hail which destroyed all that was in the Field IX 20. Ver. 39. And they baked When they came to Succoth Vnleavened Cakes c. The Scripture often mentions such Bread XVIII Gen. 6. XI Numb 8. 1 Kings XVII 12. for it was not leavened They could not stay till it was leavened being thrust out in haste as they were preparing it v. 33. which doth not signifie that they put Leaven to it when they came to Succoth as Grotius understands it for that was inconsistent with the Feast of Vnleavened Bread which they were commanded to keep v. 15. and which it is reasonable to suppose they now observed as well as killed and eat the Paschal Lamb v. 6 28. Neither had they prepared themselves any victuals This justifies what I observed upon v. 15. that they lived a whole Month upon unleavened Bread till God sent them Manna to eat Ver. 40. Now the sojourning So the Hebrew word Moshab most certainly signifies not meerly dwelling as the Vulgar Latine renders it but dwelling like Strangers who are not in their own Country Thus Abraham is said to sojourn XX Gen. 1. and Isaac and Jacob XXVIII 4. And therefore whereas the Roman Copy of the LXX reads here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the habitation the Alezandrian Copy hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the perigrination or sojourning as we well translate it Of the Children of Israel These words comprehend their Fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob as is evident from hence that otherwise Israel himself should not be included in this sojourning who was the Person that brought them into Egypt and lived there with his Family seventeen years Nor is any thing more ordinary in Scripture than under the Name of the Father to comprehend all his Posterity and likewise when the Posterity is only mentioned to intend also their Fathers there being such a near Union between Parents and Children that they are considered as one Person XXVI Deut. 5 9. X Judg. 11 12. XII Hosea 4. and many other places And therefore the Samaritan Copy here rightly reads The Habitation of the Children of Israel and of their Fathers c. Which is not to be taken for a Translation of these words but an Interpretation And so some Copies of the LXX had it as St. Austin observes anciently and Drusius lately mentions an Edition wherein it was thus paraphrased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they and their Fathers Who dwelt in Egypt Here also the Samaritan Copy hath it as an Explication no doubt not a literal Translation who dwelt in the Land of Canaan and in Egypt And so the Vatican Edition of the LXX The Habitation of the Children of Israel which dwelt in the Land of Egypt and in Canaan Which is no late Addition but was in ancient Copies for Aben Ezra testifies in his Commentary on this place that they thus explained it Which dwelt in Egypt and in other Countries as Drusius observes in his Quaesita per Epistolam 51. Was four hundred years That is from the time of Abraham's coming from Charran into the Land of Canaan when this sojourning began till their going out of Egypt was just four hundred and thirty years For from Abraham's coming to sojourn in Canaan to the birth of Isaac was twenty five years and Isaac was sixty years old when he begat Jacob who was an hundred and thirty years old when he went down into Egypt which Numbers put together make two hundred and fifteen
For it is noted by Pliny that gaudet riguis toto anno bibere amat the Palm-Tree delights in places well watered and loves to drink all the year There were two sorts of these Trees the common and that which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it bare Dates as Salmasius hath observed in his Plinianae exercit p. 472. 1326. If these were of the latter sort they gave them the better entertainment And they encamped there by the water To refresh themselves and their Flocks in this delightful place CHAP. XVI Verse 1. AND they took their journey from Elim After they had rested a good while there as appears by the end of the Verse And all the Congregation came unto the Wilderness of Sin Not directly but first they went back towards the Red-sea which was their next Station after they left Elim as Moses tells us XXXIII Numb 10. where he gives an exact account of all their Stations one of which is here omitted because nothing remarkable I suppose fell out there and they did not stay long in it This Sin is different from that where Miriam died XX Nunth 1. and written with different Letters Which is betweem Elim and Sinai So the direct way to Sinai had been into this Wilderness of Sin but for some reason which we know not they first return'd to some part of that Sea where they had been before On the fifteenth day of the second Month c. Just a Month after they came out of Egypt And therefore it seems they stayed a good while at Elim where there was plenty of Water and some shade which was now very comfortable this second Month which they call Ijar answering to part of our April and May. Or otherwise we must suppose they spent some time at the Red-sea whether God conducted them perhaps to put them in mind of his late great Mercy to them there which might incline them to be more obedient to his Commands mentioned XV. 25 26. Ver. 2. And the whole Congregation of the Children of Israel Their Elders and all are included in these words they being the same with those v. 1. which certainly comprehend all that came out of Egypt Though its likely there were some more pious among them who were not guilty of what follows when the generality were so mutinous that they who were better disposed could scarce be discerned Murmured against Moses and Aaron This seems to be an higher discontent than the former XV. 24. because the whole Congregation were ingaged in it whereas there it is only said the People were concerned in it And there they quarrelled only with Moses but here with both their Leaders And as that was for want of Water so this for want of Bread all their Dough which they brought out of Egypt being now spent So Josephus and R. Bechai which latter saith the Dough they brought out of Egypt sufficed for a whole Month from the XVth of Nisan to the XVth of Ijar and the Night of the XVIth they still are of it And then on the XVIth he thinks the Manna descended which fell on the first day of the Week as he argues from those words v. 5. when on the sixth day they are commanded to gather twice as much as on other days Which was says he both the sixth day of the Week and of the descent of the Manna Ver. 3. Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD c. As some of the Egyptians did A strange wish proceeding from great ingratitude to God and forgetfulness of his Benefits When he sat That was the ancient posture of eating before this time XXXVII 25. XLIII 33. and afterward XXXII Exod. 6. XIX Judg. 6. By the Flesh-pots and did eat Bread to the full This is not likely when they were not only meer Slaves but under cruel Hardships But they untruly magnisie their former Condition that they may represent their present to be more miserable than really it was For ye have brought us forth into this Wilderness They were glad to be brought out of Egypt but their Discontent arose from their being brought into a Wilderness where they wanted all Provisions but what they brought along with them To kill this whole Congregation with hunger There was no danger of their perishing presently they having so many Flocks to feed them But without Bread this would not satisfie them and they were loth it is likely to lose any of their Stock which they hoped rather to increase than to diminish Or else they longed for Dainties as they did afterwards which moved God to send them great store of Fowl as we understand v. 12. Ver. 4. Then said the LORD Dunto Moses He spake to him out of the Cloud of Glory where the SCHECHINAH was as I observed above I will rain Bread Send you down that which shall supply the place of Bread in a very plentiful manner like drops of Rain from Heaven from above out of the Clouds Which was as Greg. Nyssen speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the most incredible of all Wonders that Bread should be given them not as usually out of the Earth but out of the Air where no Seed is ever sown L. de Vita Mosis p. 177. Every day It came down in daily showres as much only as would suffice for one day that they might be kept in a perpetual thankful dependence upon God's Providence and that this might more evidently appear to be a miraculous Work of his who made it fall at all times of the year alike The Heathen themselves preserved some Memory of this in that Fable of Pan whom Huetius shows to be Moses finding out Ceres when she had been long wanting to give Men bread when they were ready to starve with hunger That I may prove them Some think this relates to what goes before concerning his sending them Bread every day which was so ordered that he might prove whether they would murmur because they had not enough at once for a whole year or humbly hope in his Mercy for a constant supply But the following words whether they will walk in my law or no direct us to a larger sense which is that he tried whether they would be obedient to all his Commands when he let them want nothing to support and incourage them in his Service Prove them Not as if he was ignorant but that it might plainly appear to others and to themselves what they were Or as Maimonides interprets it that it might openly appear to the World that God sustains him who follows his Worship and Service by means that he did not think of So he expounds this very place More Novoch P. III. c. 24. That every one may see and know whether it be beneficial to give ones self to the Service of God or not Ver. 5. On the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in When they had gathered it and brought it into their Tents they were
to grind and bake it c. v. 23. and make ready all things that were necessary against the next day which was to be a Festival viz. the Sabbath on which they were to do nothing For the Sabbath was not to be disturbed with such kind of Work but though on other Festivals they might prepare their Meat and only abstain from labour yet on this they might not so much as dress their Meat but it was to de done the Evening before on which they were to prepare every thing for the next day From which preparation this day was called the Parascue XXIII Luke 54. the preparation for the Sabbath And it shall be twice as much as they gather daily Enough that is for two days viz. that sixth day and the next which was to be the Sabbath v. 23. Where what is here briefly said in general is more particularly and largely explained The Talmudists are generally of an opinion that the XVth day of the second Month when they came hither v. 1. was the seventh day of the week See Mr. Selden L. III. de Jure N. G. c. 11. Which if it be true they knew nothing of the rest of the Sabbath for they travelled upon this day But Mr. Mede hath observed that it is altogether uncertain whether or no it was the seventh day from the Creation It might possibly fall out so by the Providence of God that the seventh day designed by him for their Sabbath might be both the seventh in order from the Creation and also from the day of their deliverance out of Egypt But that which now determined this seventh day after six days labour to be their rest was their Redemption out of Egypt and the Overwhelming of Pharaoh and his Host in the Red Sea which was upon this very day The Example of the Creation was a reason for sanctifying one day in seven but the designation of this seventh day was as I said from their wonderful deliverance See Discourse XV. Book 1. Ver. 6. And Moses and Aaron said unto all the Children of Israel What God spake to Moses alone v. 4. is delivered to the People by Aaron also who was assistant to his Brother in the Government of them At Even On the Evening of this fifteenth day God sent them Quails as we translate v. 13. Then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the Land of Egypt Be convinced that it was by the LORD's Direction and Command that you were brought out of Egypt into this place And therefore you have no reason to quarrel with us who did nothing of our selves without his order but rather to trust in him who can make as good provision for you here in the Wilderness as ever you saw in Egypt Ver. 7. And in the Morning When the Manna fell down v. 13. Then ye shall see the Glory of the LORD His great power some interpret it in sending them Bread from Heaven and Flesh also with it But I take it rather to refer unto the visible appearance of the Divine Majesty which they saw presently after this v. 10. and were convinced of his real Presence in that Cloud by the descent of the Manna from thence next Morning which no Power but the Divine could produce And so I find Abarbinel himself interprets it Their seeing the Glory of the LORD is not to be understood of the Bread or the Flesh he sent them but of the Fire which appeared to all the People to reprove them for their Murmurings For that he heareth your Murmurings against the LORD He is present among you and takes notice of your ungrateful behaviour towards him For what are we that ye murmur against us Alas we are but poor Instruments of his who hath done all the Wonders you have seen and by that means brought you hither And therefore why do you complain of us as if we acted any thing by our own Authority Ver. 8. And Moses said this shall be when the LORD shall give you c. I say again therefore mark it when the LORD shall give you Flesh to eat in the Evening and in the Morning Bread to the full then you shall be convinced that he hath taken notice of your Murmurings which are really against him who imploys us only as his Ministers and will be so gracious as not to punish your Discontents but provide for your Necessities Ver. 9. And Moses spake unto Aaron Who was his Minister as Moses was more immediately God's Speak unto the whole Congregation of the Children of Israel Who were all ingaged in this undutiful Murmuring v. 2. Come near before the LORD Before the SCHECHINAH or Divine Majesty which was in the Cloud as I observed XIII 21. and now was about to break forth upon them in a glorious manner But because of their Murmurings the Cloud was removed it is probable to a greater distance from them than it used to be Bonfrerius will have it that they were to come near to the Tabernacle of Moses where the Glory of the LORD appeared XXXIII 7 9. But there is no proof that it was wont to be there till that occasion See upon that place For he hath heard your murmurings He will show that he is among you and observes how ungratefully you requite him It is not unlikely that Moses bad Aaron go and speak to the People because he himself retired to speak to God That is to pray for them and to acknowledge his great Goodness in passing by their Murmurings Ver. 10. And it came to pass as Aaron spake unto the whole Congregation of the Children of Israel According to the Command of Moses v. 9. That they looked They were suddenly surprised I conceive with an unwonted brightness which made them look about to see whence it came Or Aaron perhaps bad them look that way Towards the Wilderness Whether the Cloud had conducted them and stood at some distance from them And behold the Glory of the LORD appeared in the Cloud The Divine Majesty appeared in flaming Light such as they had never seen before See XIII 21. Thus N. Lyra truly expounds Fulgor quidam insolitus c. an unusual Splendor representing the Divine Power to reprove the Murmurings of the People Ver. 11. And the LORD spake unto Moses Who was gone as I said to pray unto God whilst Aaron was speaking unto the People Ver. 12. I have heard the murmurings of the Children of Israel c. He repeats to Moses what he had bidden him tell them v. 4 5 6. and perhaps spake it from the Cloud of Glory in the Audience of all the People In the Evening ye shall eat Flesh v. 8. And in the Morning ye shall be silled with Bread v. 4. And ye shall know that I am the LORD your God Who brought you out of Egypt and will provide for you here in the Wilderness Ver. 13. And it came to pass that at Even According to God's Promise v. 6 8. The Quails
aut fossulas angulares c. such little deep holes as resemble those that are in one of the Stomachs of those Animals that chew the Cud called Reticulum See L. I. de Vestitu Sacerd. Hebraeorum c. 17. And thou shalt make the Mitre of Linen See v. 37. where the Mitre is mentioned And thou shalt make the girdle of needle-work It is mentioned before v. 4. under the name of Abanet or Abnet which no doubt signifies a Girdle or Belt yet not like our common Girdles but like that which we call a Schash being made of twined Linen and Worsted of divers colours as we find XXXIX 29. where blue and purple and scarlet signifies Wooll or Worsted-yarn of these colours Such were the Girdles of all the Priests which they wore all the year the High Priest as well as the rest except upon one day that of Expiation when he had on a Girdle of fine Linen only not mixed with Woollen These Girdles were of such a length that they might go round the Body more than once as Josephus tells us L. III. Antiq. c. 8. For if we may believe him they were Two and thirty Ells long and four Fingers broad being hollow within When they were not in the Act of Ministration both ends of them hung down to their very feet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as the same Josephus speaks for comeliness sake that they might appear more goodly to the beholders which agrees to what Moses saith in the next Verse that they as all the Priestly Garments v. 2. were made for glory and beauty But when they went about any holy work belonging to their Office they threw them over their left shoulder that they might not be an hindrance to them The use of this Girdle was to girt their Coat close to them which they tuckt up also in the Girdle when they went about their Ministry to the middle of their Leggs that it might not incumber them in their Service Of needle-work This was a different sort of work from Taschbetz which we translate broidered v. 4. and from Choscheb which we translate cunning v. 6 15. and is here called Rokem Which signifies the same with Choscheb as to the variety of Colours and Figures in the Work but Choscheb as the Hebrew Doctors tell us was done by weaving and Rokem with a Needle as we rightly take it Of the two Choscheb was the most artificial as the word seems to intimate being wrought on both sides with the same Figures whereas Rokem was only on one side This they gather from XXVI 31. where the Vail is ordered to be made of the Work called Choscheb which it's probable was glorious on both sides both within and without the most Holy Place Josephus saith this Girdle was wrought with Flowers of the several Colours mentioned XXXIX 29. Ver. 40. And for Aarons sons thou shalt make Coats The Coats of all the Priests as well as of the High Priest were embroidered as Maimonides expresly affirms And it seems to be the sense of v. 4. where he is commanded to make Garments not only for Aaron but for his Sons i. e. all the rest of the Priests among which the broidered Coat may well be thought to belong to them See XXXIX 27. And thou shalt make for them girdles The Girdles of the inferiour Priests were the very same with that of the High Priest as well as their Tunicks or Coats being to bind their Coats to their Body And bonnets How these differed from the Mitre of the High Priest in their Form not in their Matter see v. 37. For glory and for beauty The Garments of all the Priests were contrived to make them appear in a splendid and comly manner when they ministred to the glorious Majesty of God being of sine Linen which was worn by the greatest Persons made with great Art especially their Coats and Girdles which were finely adorned as I have shown in the Verses foregoing with elegant Figures and rich Colours for blue or sky-colour purple and scarlet belonged to Kings and Persons of Honour But the Garments of the High Priest were above all the rest most glorious and design◠so to be v. 2. For besides those common to him with all the Priests which were very costly he had others far more precious particularly the Ephod and its Girdle the Breast-plate set with Stones of great value the Robe and the Crown of Gold The two Stones also on the shoulders of the Ephod were not only precious in their kind but for their bigness being so large that Twelve Names were engraven in them containing Six and thirty Letters All which considered Philo had reason to say L. de Sacerd. Hon. it is manifest the Law drest up their Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the venerableness and honour of a King For the Priesthood in old time was so honourable that Kings themselves discharged it which is the reason that in Scripture Princes and Priests have the same Name of Cohenim To all which I may add That they took such care all their Garments should be for glory and beauty that when they were foul they did not wash them nor repair them when they had any breach in them but new ones were bought and the old imployed about the Lamps in the Feast of Tabernacles See Mr. Selden L. III. de Synedr c. 11. p. 142. Ver. 41. And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother and his sons with him As we read he did VIII Lev. 6 7 c. 13. and this was part of Aaron's Consecration v. 3. of this Chapter And shalt anoint them He anointed Aaron by pouring the holy Oyl upon his Head VIII Lev. 12. but he anointed his Sons only by sprinkling some of it upon their Garments as he did upon his also with the Blood of the Sacrifice XXIX 21. VIII Lev. 30. And consecrate them By the Sacrifice of a Ram called the Ram of Consecration the Blood of which he put upon the tip of their right ear c. XXIX 20. VIII Lev. 22 23 c. and by the Wave-offering which he put into their hands that they might wave them before the LORD XXIX 24. VIII Lev. 27. From whence the phrase for consecrate here in this place is in Hebrew fill their hand And sanctifie them By the foregoing Ceremonies For they were set apart to the Divine Service by putting on their Garments anointing them and offering the Sacrifice of Consecration and by washing them with Water as appears from VIII Lev. 6 7 12. where it is said he anointed Aaron to sanctifie him and v. 30. having sprinkled their Garments it is said he sanctified Aaron and his Garments and upon his Sons and upon his Sons Garments with him Ver. 42. And thou shalt make them linen breeches Though these are mentioned in the last place yet they were put on the first of all the Priests Garments after them the Coat which being girt about with the Girdle the Bonnet
Ib. c. 69. Make an atonement for the Altar By the Blood of the Bullock And sanctifie it By anointing it with the holy Oyl And it shall be an Altar most holy The reason why it is so called is given in the following words because it was not only thus separated to an holy use but made those things to be holy which were offered upon it Which they could not be till it was thus expiated and sanctified Therefore Fort. Scacchus expounds these words an Altar most holy it shall be fully and compleatly consecrated by observing all the Rites which are here prescribed for seven days together Till the end of which no Sacrifice whatsoever was offered on this Altar because it was not cleansed and sanctified to make them holy and acceptable but on the eighth day when all was performed that was required on the preceding seven days fire came down from Heaven and consumed the Burnt-offering VIII Lev. 1 24. Whatsoever toucheth the Altar shall be holy Nothing was acceptable unto God unless it was offered upon this Altar which sanctified every thing that was laid upon it according to God's direction Thus our Saviour seems to explain these words XXIII Matth. 19. The Altar sanctifieth the Gift That was the name for all things presented unto God which were called Korban being destined to be offered at his Altar Ver. 38. Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the Altar The principal use of the Altar was That there might be a constant Sacrifice offered upon it in acknowledgment of God's Sovereign Dominion over them Which could not be done till it was expiated and consecrated but that being finished Moses directs here what should be the first Sacrifice offered upon it Two Lambs These were to be a Burnt-offering which was the most ancient of all other Sacrifices being the same that Abel offered Of the first year See XII 5. Day by day continually There were other occasional Sacrifices of various sorts but these were stated and so constant that they were never intermitted No not upon Festivals when other Sacrifices were added as upon the Sabbath this Sacrifice was doubled XXVIII Numb 9 10. and upon New-moons and other Feasts several other Sacrifices were appointed as may be seen there v. 11. and in the rest of that Chapter It appears by IX Lev. 17. that this daily Sacrifice was offered at least for some time in the Wilderness but after they began to wander to and fro for Eight and thirty years some think it was omitted Which was the reason that God renewed this Charge in XXVIII Numb 3 4. See Junius and Menochius on that place Ver. 39. The one Lamb thou shalt offer in the morning and the other thou shalt offer at even At what time in the Morning and Even is not here plainly prescribed But the word in the Hebrew for the latter-being between the Evenings which was about three a Clock in the Afternoon the Morning Sacrifice also was offered between the Rising of the Sun and Noon viz. at nine a Clock in the Forenoon Ver. 40. And with one Lamb a tenth deal of flour Most understand the tenth part of an Ephah which was an Omer concerning which see XVI 36. And so Moses afterward expresly orders by God's command XXVIII Numb 5. Mingled with the fourth part of an hin of Oyl c. An Hin was the sixth part of an Ephah containing one Wine Gallon two Pints and fifteen Inches as Bishop Cumberland computes it in his Learned Treatise of Scripture Measures So that the fourth part of it was a Quart and something more than a quarter of a Pint. The principal thing here to be observed is That this was ordained as I noted upon the XXVth Chapter to represent God's dwelling among them in the Sanctuary where this daily Sacrifice was the constant Provision made for his Table as the Altar is called and Bread and wine a necessary attendant as they are at all Tables upon the Meat that was set before him Ver. 41. And the other Lamb thou shalt offer at even and shalt do thereunto according to the Meat-offering in the Morning and according to the Drink-offering thereof The same Rites were to be observed in this that were in the Morning Sacrifice without any difference For as Abarbinel observes in his Preface to the Book of Leviticus the true Reason of these two Sacrifices was That all Men who live well having two Meals a day so many Sacrifices which were his Meat were therefore appointed for the Divine Majesty For a sweet savour See I Lev. 9. An offering made by fire unto the LORD i. e. A Burnt-offering as the next Verse explains it Ver. 42. This shall be a continual Burnt-offering throughout their Generations at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation For there the Altar of Burnt-offerings stood as we read XL. 6 29. XVII Lev. 6 c. Before the LORD Who dwelt in the most Holy Place in the upper end of the Tabernacle Where I will meet you Their coming to Worship in that place is called drawing nigh to God accordingly he promises to vouchsafe his gracious Presence with them See XXV 22. To speak with thee More especially he promises to meet Moses there upon occasion and to declare his Mind and Will to him in such Cases wherein he should consult him Ver. 43. And there I will meet with the Children of Israel That they might not think his meeting with them before-mentioned was only by revealing his Mind to Moses and so to them as the last words of the fore-going Verse might seem to intimate he explains his meaning to be that there he would grant Tokens of his special Love and Favour to them all when they approached unto him And the Tabernacle shall be sanctified with my glory The glorious Presence of God which filled this House XL. 35. was that which sanctified it or made it an Holy Place But some refer this not to the Tabernacle but to Israel which is just before mentioned and the word Tabernacle not in the Text and the truth is they were made an holy People also by this glorious Presence of God among them in the Tabernacle Ver. 44. And I will sanctifie c. That is manifest them to be sanctified or still more compleatly sanctifie them by the appearance of the Divine Glory in the Tabernacle IX Lev. 24. The Tabernacle of the Congregation In the Hebrew the name is Ohel moed which signifies exactly the Tabernacle of Meeting So called not from the Peoples meeting there as we seem to take it when we translate it Tabernacle of the Congregation but from God's meeting there with them which is mentioned just before and in the next Chapter XXX 36. is expresly called the Tabernacle of Meeting as I think it should be translated where I will meet with thee Which shows that this was the reason of its name See also XVII Numb 4. and Mr. Mede Book II. p. 436. Now all the People could
consider that this Nation is thy people I do not beg this meerly upon my own account but for those who have been redeemed by thee out of the Land of Egypt and have engaged themselves to be thine by a Solemn Covenant XXIV and now return unto thee by Repentance v. 6. Ver. 14. And he said My Presence shall go with thee In the Hebrew My face i. e. I my self as the LXX translate it My Majesty as the Chaldee He promises that is to continue with them as he had done hitherto and not meerly send an Angel to accompany them but to lead and guide them himself by the Pillar of the Cloud and his glorious Presence in the Tabernacle And I will give thee rest Some think these words are particularly spoken to Moses and signifie that God would give him ease in this Point and quiet his Spirit which was now very solicitous about his Departure from them by returning to them But as the foregoing words are a Promise that he would take the Conduct of the People again so is this that he would not leave them till he had brought them to their rest Ver. 15. And he said unto him If thy Presence go not with us Some translate the words for he i.e. Moses had said unto him i. e. to God if thy Presence c. So that these words and the following are the reason of God's Answer to him v. 14. And if they be not thus taken one would have expected Moses should rather have given God thanks for his gracious Promise than further pressed him to it But the 17th Verse doth not well agree with this and therefore these words are to be looked on only as part of what Moses said to God after his Promise that his Presence should go with him Which he acknowledged to be the greater favour because otherwise he had rather never stir from the place where they now were Carry us not up hence Let us go no further if thou thy self dost not lead and guide us in our way Ver. 16. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight How shall all the People round about us be convinced that we are not abandoned by thee in this Wilderness Is it not in that thou goest with us Is not this the great Demonstration of it that thou leadest us in a Pillar of Cloud and Fire Day and Night So shall we be separated I and thy people from all the people that are upon the face of the Earth This will distinguish us while it continues with us from all other People whatsoever none of which have such a Token of thy Presence with them The Manna indeed continued all this time to descend for their Sustenance which was a miraculous food but it might have been ascribed to other Causes if this glorious Token of God's Presence had not still appeared among them Ver. 17. And the LORD said unto Moses I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken Distinguish you from all other People not only by leading you in a Pillar of Cloud and Fire but dwelling among you as I designed XXV 8. For thou hast found grace in my sight and I know thee by name He owns Moses still to be most acceptable and dear to him as he had been v. 12. and therefore at his Intercession promises to be perfectly reconciled and return to his People Ver. 18. And he said I beseech thee Having obtained so much favour of God he presumes to ask something beyond all this but with all humility Shew me thy Glory In the Hebrew the word is hareni make me to see to signifie apprehend with the understanding not with the bodily eye More Nevoch P. I. c. 4. For by Glory he there understands cap. 54. the Divine Essence which he makes Moses to be desirous to apprehend which is not likely such a Man as he should think possible For thus he explains himself in his Book de Fundamentis Legis c. 1. n. 10. Moses desired to know the truth of the Divine Essence as one Man knows another whose Face he beholds and his Image is so engraven in his Mind that he Exists there distinguished from all other Men So he begs that the Divine Essence might be distinct in his Mind from all other Essences till he knew the truth of it as it is in it self But he confesses in another place of that Book cap. 64. That by the Glory of the LORD is many times understood a created Light or Splendor whereby God miraculously set forth his Majesty XXIV 26. and other places And I can see no reason why it should not so signifie here and the meaning be That he desired to see that glorious Presence or Face of God as it is called which he promised should go with them not vailed in a Cloud but in its full Splendor and Majesty For hearing him speak from the SCHECHINAH he supposed perhaps that God appeared therein in some visible shape which he desired to be acquainted withal To confirm this it is observable that God himself in his Answer to Moses calls this Glory his Face v. 20. as he had done v. 14 15. And thus R. Jehudah in the Book Cosri Pars IV. Sect. 3. towards the latter end of it seems to have understood it See upon v. 29. Ver. 19. And he said I will make all my goodness pass before thee Which Maimonides thinks signifies his making Moses to understand the Nature of all Creatures and how they are knit and united together and after what manner they are governed both in general and particular because when God had made all his Works he saw that they were very good I Gen. 31. But that Text is a very slender ground for such an Interpretation The LXX seem to come nearer to the matter who interpret this passage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will pass before thee with my Glory That is he promises to give him a Transient view of his Glory while it passed by him v. 22. though it could not be seen in its full Majesty And then the word tobhi which we translate my goodness must rather be rendred my beauty it being the same with glory only a softer word to express such a degree of its Splendor as would not hurt him but be delightful to him And thus the word tobh is used in the second Chapter of this Book v. 2. and 1 Sam. IX 2. Or if this be not the meaning all his goodness must signifie his gracious Intentions concerning the Children of Israel to whom he assures him he would fulfil all his Promises which was sufficient for him to know And I will proclaim the Name of the LORD before thee The LXX seem to have understood this right when they translated it I will call to thee by my Name saying the LORD is before thee That is lest when I pass by thee thou shouldst not observe it I will admonish thee by a Voice calling