blood of the trespass offering and put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed and upon the thumb of his right hand and upon the great toe of his right foot 26 And the priest shall pour of the oyl into the palm of his own left hand 27 And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oyl that is in his left hand seven times before the LORD 28 And the priest shall put of the oyl that is in his hand upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed and upon the thumb of his right hand and upon the great toe of his right foot upon the place of the blood of the trespass offering 29 And the rest of the oyl that is in the priests hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed to make an atonement for him before the LORD 30 And he shall offer the one of the turtle doves or of the young pigeons such as he can get 31 Even such as he is able to get the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt-offering with the meat-offering And the priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the LORD 32 This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosie whose hand is not able to get that which pertaineth to his cleansing 33 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying 34 When ye be come into the land of Canaan which I give to you for a possession and I put the plague of leprosie in a house of the land of your possession 35 And he that oweth the house shall come and tell the priest saying It seemeth to me there is as it were a plague in the house 36 Then the priest shall command that they c i. e. The possessours of the house ‖ Or prepare empty the house before the priest go into it to see the plague that all that is in the house be not made unclean d It is observable here that neither the people nor the houshold stuffe were polluted till the leprosie was discovered and declared by the Priest to shew what great difference God makes between sins of ignorance and sins against knowledge and conscience and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house 37 And he shall look on the plague and behold if the plague be in the walls of the house e This was an extraordinary judgment of God peculiar to this people either as a punishment of their sins which were much more sinful and inexcusable than the sins of other nations or as a special mean and help to Repentance which God afforded to them above other people or as a document of the mischievous nature of sin typified by leprosie which did not onely destroy persons but their habitations also see Zech. 5. 4. with hollow strakes f Such as were in the bodies of leprous persons Levit. 13. 3. greenish or reddish which in sight are lower than the wall 38 Then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house and shut up the house seven dayes 39 And the priest shall come again the seventh day and shall look and behold if the plague be spread in the walls of the house 40 Then the priest shall command that they take away the stones in which the plague is and they shall cast them into an unclean place g Where they used to cast dirt and filthy things without the city 41 And he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about and they shall pour out the dust h The mortar or other rubbish that they scrape off without the city into an unclean place 42 And they shall take other stones and put them in the place of those stones and he shall take other morter and shall plaister the house 43 And if the plague come again and break out in the house after that he hath taken away the stones and after he hath scraped the house and after it is plaistered 44 Then the priest shall come and look and behold if the plague be spread in the house it is a fretting leprosie in the house it is unclean 45 And he shall break down the house the stones of it and the timber thereof and all the morter of the house and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place 46 Moreover he that goeth into the house all the while that it is shut up shall be unclean until the even 47 And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes 48 And if the priest †Heb in coming in shall come in c. shall come in and look upon it and behold the plague hath not spread in the house after the house was plaistered then the priest shall pronounce the house clean because the plague is healed 49 And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds and cedar-wood and scarlet and hysop 50 And he shall kill the one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water 51 And he shall take the cedar wood and the hysop and the scarlet and the living bird and dip them in the blood of the slain bird and in the running water and sprinkle the house seven times 52 And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird and with the running water and with the living bird and with the cedar-wood and with the hysop and with the scarlet 53 But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields and make an atonement for the house and it shall be clean 54 This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosie and * chap. 13. 30 scall 55 And for the leprosie of a garment and of an house 56 And for a rising and for a scab and for a bright spot 57 To teach i To direct the Priest when to pronounce a person or house clean or unclean So it was not left to the Priests power or will but they were tied to plain rules such as the people might discern no less then the Priest †Heb in the day of the unclean and in the day of the clean when it is unclean and when it is clean this is the law of leprosie CHAP. XV. 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them * Num. 5. 2. when any man hath a †Or running of the reins running issue out of his flesh a His secret parts called flesh Levit. 6. 10. and 12. 3. Ezek. 16. 26. and 23. 20. because of his issue he is unclean 3 And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue whether his flesh run with his issue or his flesh be stopped from his issue b Or if it have run and
of this time passed before they were born Ans. As Levi is said to pay tithes in Abraham Heb. 7. 9. because he was in the â—…ns of Abraham when Abraham paid tithes with much more reason might the children of Israel be said to solourn so long because they sojourned a great part of it in their own persons and the rest in the loyns of their parents And as oft times when the parents onely are mentioned the children are included or intended as Gen. 12. 3. in 〈◊〉 i. e. in thy seed and Gen. 13. 17. I will give it the land unto tâ—… i. e. to thy seed and Iacob is said to be â—…rought to again out of Egypt Gen. 46. 〈◊〉 to witâ—… hiâ—… posterity and David is oft put for his posterity as 1 King 12. 16. Ezek. 34. 23. and 37. 24 25. why may not parents also be understood sometimes when the children onely are mentioned But we need not make suppositions seeing we have examples the persecution in Egyâ—…t and deliverance out of it which happened to the parents onely being attributed to their posterity who neither felt the one nor saw the other Deut. 26. 5. c. Compare Psal. 66. 6. Iudg. 10. 11 12. And the souls of the house of Iacob i. e. of the children of Israel for by house it is evident he means onely children which came with Iacob into Egypt are said to be threescore and ten souls Gen. 46. 26 27. In which number and title Iacob himself is confessedly included And therefore upon the very same ground under this title of the children of Israel we must understand Israel himself who being the chief author and subiect of this sojourning in Egypt it were unreasonable to exclude him from the number of these sojourners And this phrase being once extended to their immediate parent may by a parity of reason be extended to their great grandfather Abraham as being the first Author of that famous peregrination or sojourning which being begun in Canaan ended in Egypt Add to this that the word Israel as it is put for the people or children of Israel is elsewhere used for the whole Church of God as Rom. 9. 6. and therefore may well include Abraham as the father and under God the founder of it And the title of the children of Israel might well be given to all that people and to the family from which they descended because they were now known by that name And that this indeed was Moses his meaning which is here produced may be further gathered from hence that otherwise Moses had contradicted himself for by the years of the lives of Iacob and Levi and Kohath and Abram and Moses himself which he precisely sets down it appears that the sojourning of the children of Israel strictly so called in Egypt was not above 215 years And it is absurd to think that so wise and learned a man as all acknowledge Moses to have been should commit so gross an errour especially seeing that generation could easily have confuted him 41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years ‖ If this be the right translation the 430 years mentioned Gal. 3. 17. are to be taken in a latitude for about or near so many years as is very frequent in Scripture and other Authours else there wants one year of it because the law was not given till about a year after their coming out of Egypt Nor was it of any concernment to the Apostles argument there whether it wanted a year of that number or no as here it is But the words may be rendred here as Gen. 7. 12. in the body or strength of the day i. e. when the day-light was full and clear and strong when it was broad day-light the Egyptians seeing and not being able to hinder them If it be said they went out by night Deut. 16. 1. that is true in regard of their resolution and preparation and the beginning of their journey but their actual marching forth was by day-light or in the morning nor could it be done sooner from the nature of the thing and the time necessarily required for so great a work even the self-same day k This circumstance is noted to set forth the accurateness and infallibility of Gods foreknowledge and the efficacy of his providence in accomplishing all his own counsels in his own appointed time it came to pass that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt 42 It is * See Deut. 16. 6. a †Heb. a night of observations night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt This is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations 43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron This is the Ordinance of the Passeover l This which here followeth is the law or appointment of God concerning the celebration of the Passeover there shall no stranger m Or forreigner who is so both by Nation and Religion for if he were circumcised he might eat of it ver 44 48. cat thereof 44 But every man-servant that is bought for money when thou hast circumcised him n For the master had a power to circumcise such persons Gen. 17. 12. And though it is probable that by their interest in them and a diligent instruction of them they made them willing to receive circumcision yet it seems they had a power to compel them to it but then Circumcision was not to them a seal of Gods covenant nor of their Religion for that must be matter of choice but onely a civil badge or a note of that family or people into which they were politically incorporated then shall he eat thereof 45 A forreiner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof o Except he submit to circumcision as ver 43. See Numb 9. 14. 46 * Numb 9. 1â—… In one house shall it be eaten thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house p Partly because they were all obliged not to go out of the house till the morning ver 22. and to leave none of it till that time ver 10. partly lest it should be either superstitiously or profanely abused and partly to signifie that Christ and Salvation are not to be had out of Gods house or Church neither shall ye break a bone thereof q To take out and eat the marrow of it This was required partly to mind them of their hasty departure out of Egypt wherein they had no leasure to break and empty the bones and principally that it might be an evident type of the Lord Jesus in whom this was literally fulfilled Iob. 19. 36. The bones were burnt with the other remainders of the Lamb. 47 All the Congregation of Israel shall †Heb. do it keep it 48 And * Numb 9. 14. when a stranger shall sojourn with
provision being wasted they might be obliged to the more entire dependence upon God And this is here mentioned as a reason why they gathered it in the morning 22 And it came to pass that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread e Considering Gods present providence in causing it to fall in double proportion and remembring that the next day was the Sabbath day which God had blessed and sanctified to his own immediate service Gen. 2. 3. and therefore was not to be employed in servile works such as the gathering of Manna was they rightly concluded that Gods commands delivered ver 16. 19. reached onely to ordinary dayes and must in all reason give place to the more antient and necessary Law of the Sabbath two Omers for one man and all the rulers of the Congregation came and told Moses f Either to acquaint him with this increase of the miracle or to take his direction for their practise because they found two commands seemingly clashing together and therefore needed and desired his advice 23 And he said unto them This is that which the LORD hath said g Either to Moses by inspiration or to the former Patriarks upon like occasions this practise is agreeable to the former word and law of God concerning the Sabbath as it follows to morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the LORD bake h The Manna was dressed these two ways Numb 11. 8. that which you will bake to day i These words to day are not in the original and possibly are better left out than taken in or if they be taken in they do not seem to me as they do to many others to prove that they were commanded to bake or seethe on the sixth day all that they were to eat both that day and upon the following Sabbath or that they were forbidden to bake or seethe it upon the Sabbath day for there is not a word here to that purpose and it is apparent from the whole context that the rest of the Sabbath is not opposed to their baking or seething of it but to their going out into the field to gather it Nay the contrary is here implyed because after they had baken and sodden what they intended to bake or seethe part of the Manna did as is here expresly added remain over and was reserved for the Sabbath days provision and that unbaken and unsodden otherwise it would not have been noted as a miraculous thing that it did not stink nor breed worms ver 24. and seethe k that ye will seethe and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning ‖ What you do not eat this day keep for the next days provision 24 And they laid it up till the morning as Moses bade and it did not stink neither was there any worm therein k As there was before ver 20. So great a difference there is between the doing of a thing upon Gods command and with his blessing and the doing of the same thing against his will and with his curse 25 And Moses said Eat that to day l These words were spoken upon the morning of the Sabbath day as appears from the foregoing verse for to day is a Sabbath unto the LORD m i. e. Wholly consecrated to his service and therefore not to be employed in servile works to day ye shall not find it in the field 26 Six dayes ye shall gather it but on the seventh day which is the Sabbath in it there shall be none 27 And it came to pass that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather and they found none 28 And the LORD said unto Moses n That he might speak it to the people How long o He signifies that this was an old disease in them to disobey Gods precepts and to pollute his Sabbaths refuse ye to keep my Commandments and my laws 29 See for that the LORD hath given you the Sabbath p Hath given to you and to your fathers that great command and priviledge of the Sabbath therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two dayes abide ye every man in his place let no man go out of his place q Out of his house or tent into the field to gather Manna as appears from the occasion and reason of the law here before mentioned For otherwise they might and ought to go out of their houses to the publick assemblies as appears from Lev. 23. 3. Act. 15. 21. and to lead their cattle to watering Luk. 13. 15. or to help them out of a pit Mat. 12. 11. And a Sabbath-days journey was permitted Act. 1. 12. on the seventh day 30 So the people rested r Or ceased to wit from gathering Manna by comparing this with ver 27. and consequently from all works of that nature on the seventh day 31 And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna and * Numb 11. 7. it was like Coriander seed s In shape and figure but not in colour for that is dark-coloured but this white as it follows here like Bdellium c. Numb 11. 7. white and the tast of it t When it was raw but when it was drest it was like fresh oil Numb 11. 8. was like wafers made with honey 32 And Moses said This is the thing which the LORD commandeth Fill an Omer of it to be kept for your generations that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt 33 And Moses said unto Aaron * 1 King 8. 9. Heb. 9. 4. Take a pot and put an Omer full of Manna therein and lay it up before the LORD u In the tabernacle and by the ark when they shall be built and at present in the place where you meet for the solemn worship of God to be kept for your generations 34 As the LORD commanded Moses so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony x i. e. Before the ark which is called the ark of the testimony Exod. 25. 16. and here by way of abbreviation the testimony or witness because in it were the tables of the covenant or the law of God which was a testimony of Gods authority and will and of mans subjection and duty or of the covenant made between God and man See Deut. 10. 5. and 31. 26. Quest. How could this be laid up before the Ark when the Ark was not yet built Ans. This text onely tells us that Aaron did lay it up but it doth not determine the time nor affirm that it was done at this instant but rather intimates the contrary and that it was done afterwards when the testimony i. e. the ark was built As the next verse also speaks of what was done in ' the following forty years to be kept 35 And the children of Israel
execution of this counsel here given about the choice of Magistrates ver 19. is related after the Israelites departure from Sinai Deut. 1. 7 c. And therefore here is a transposal in this history which is also frequent in other places of holy Scripture with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness where he encamped at * chap. 3. 1. the mount of God 6 And he said c Not by word of mouth as the next verse sheweth but either by a letter or by a messenger as that word is used Mat. 8. 6 8. compared with Luk. 7. 3 6. unto Moses I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee and thy wife and her two sons with her 7 And Moses went out to meet his father in law and did obeisance and kissed him and they asked each other of their †Heb. pâ—…ace welfare d Heb. of their peace i. e. prosperity and all happiness which also they wished one to the other as this phrase implies See 1 Sam. 10. 4. Psal. 122. 6. and they came into the tent 8 And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israels sake e Or concerning Israels business and all the travel that had †Heb. found out come upon them by the way and how the LORD delivered them 9 And Jethro rejoyced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians 10 And Jethro said Blessed be the LORD who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians 11 Now I know f viz. More clearly and by certain experience as that phrase signifies Gen. 22. 12. 1 King 17. 18 24. For otherwise it is more than probable that Iethro had the knowledge of the true God before this time not onely because he was the great grand-child of Abraham but also because of his long conversation with a person of so great knowledge and wisdom and piety as Moses was that the LORD is greater than all gods * chap. 1. 10 â—…6 22. and 5. 〈◊〉 14. 18. for in the thing wherein they g Either 1. their false Gods who wrought strange things in and by their servants the Magitians who contended with Moses and proudly boasted of their skill as not a whit inferiour to that of Moses but at last were forced to yield up the cause Exod. 8. 19. or rather 2. the Egyptians spoken of ver 10. who dealt proudly and scornfully and tyrannically with the Israelites but God shewed himself to be above them and above their King though Pharaoh would not own him for his Superiour Exod. 5. 2. but lift up his horn against God and against his people but the Lord brought that proud Prince upon his knees and forced him oft to confess his faults and to become suppliant to Moses for deliverance from the plagues and at last when he continued incorrigible he drowned him in the Sea dealt proudly he was above them 12 And Jethro Moses father in law took h i. e. Gave or offered as that verb is used Psal. 68. 18. compared with Eph. 4. 8. also Exod. 25. 2. Which he did that he might publickly testifie both his embracing of the true Religion â—…nd his thankfulness to God for the great deliverance given to his people wherein also himself and family were concerned And he took or offered these not immediately or by himself which would have seemed a presumptuous and unwarrantable action for a stranger to undertake in the Church of Israel but by those who were appointed to do it in which sence David is said to have sacrificed 2 Sam. 24. 25. and Solomon 1 King 8. 63. and all those who brought their offerings to the Priests to offer for them a burnt-offering and sacrifices i To wit of thanksgiving as is expressed Exod. 24. 5. for part of these the offerers with others did eat Levit. 7. 15. whereas no man might eat of the burnt-offerings Lev. 1. 9. for God and Aaron came and the Elders of Israel to eat bread k i. e. to feast together of the remainders of the sacrifices with Moses father in law before God l Either before the cloudy pillar or rather before the altar and in the place of publick worship for some such place undoubtedly they had though the Tabernacle was not yet built and that was the place appointed for such feasts See Deut. 12. 7. and 27. 7. 1 Chron. 29. 21. Psal. 116. 17. 13 And it came to pass on the morrow that Moses sate to judge the people m As a civil Magistrate by hearing and determining causes and controversies arising among the people and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening 14 And when Moses father in law saw all that he did to the people he said What is this thing that thou doest unto the people Why fittest thou thy self alone and all the people stand by thee from morning unto Even 15 And Moses said unto his father in law Because * Lev. 24. 12. Num. 15. 34. the people come unto me to enquire of God n i. e. Of the mind and will of God both as to his worship and service and as to their mutual duties to one another See 1 Sam. 9. 9. 16 When they have a matter they come unto me and I judge between †Heb. a man and his fellow one and another and I do make them know o i. e. Do interpret and apply them to their several cases and circumstances the Statutes of God and his Laws 17 And Moses father in law said unto him The thing that thou doest is not good p Not convenient either for thy self or for the people 18 †Heb. fading thou wilt fade Thou wilt surely wear away q Waste and destroy thy health and strength by excessive labour of mind and body both thou and this people r By tedious attendance and expectation ere their turn comes for the decision of their matters that is with thee for this thing is too heavy for thee * Num. 11. 14 Deut. 1. 9. thou art not able to perform it thy self alone 19 Hearken now unto my voice I will give thee counsel and God shall be with thee s i. e. I doubt not God will assist and bless thee as well in the course which I propose to thee as in that which thou now dost use because God is a God of order and loves order and he is a God of mercy and would not have thee destroy thy self in his work Or it may be taken for a prayer and God be with thee i. â—… bless and assist thee therein Be thou for the people to God-ward t Heb. before God i. â—… in hard and
example in the worship of Idols * chap. 34. 13. Num. 33. 52. Deut. 7. 5 35. 12. 3. but thou shalt utterly overthrow them s i. e. The people lest thou be ensnared by their counsel or example and quite break down their images t Or statues or pillars or any thing else erected in honour to their false Gods See Gen. 28. 18. and 35. 20. 25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God and * Deut. 28. 5 8. he shall bless thy bread and thy water u i. e. Thy meat and thy drink that they shall be able to nourish thee and giâ—…e thee comfort which without my blessing they will never be able to do and * chap. 15. 26. Deut. 7. 15. I will take sickness away from the midst of thee 26 * Deut. 7. 14. There shall nothing cast their young nor be barren x Here was a double mercy God gave them strength both to conceive and to retain the conception till the natural and proper time of bringing forth came in thy land the number of thy dayes I will fulfill y I will preserve thee so as thou shalt live as long as the course of nature and temper of thy body will permit when evil men shall not live out half their days Psal. 55. 23. 27 I will send my fear z i. e. A great terrour or a terrour wrought by me See Exod. 33. 2. Iosh. 24. 12. before thee and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come and I will make all thine enemies turn their †Heb. necks backs unto thee 28 And I will send Hornets a Properly so called as may be gathered from Ios. 24. 12. Deut. 7. 20. Hornets are of themselves very troublesome and mischievous but these it is very probable were like those Egyptian flies Exod. 8. 21. of an extraordinary higness and perniciousness Nor is it strange that such creatures did drive many of these people from their habitations for many heathen writers give us instances of some people driven from their seats by frogs others by mice others by bees and wasps of which see Herodotus Diodorus Plin. Aelian Iustin c. before thee which shall drive out the Hivite the Canaanite and the Hittite b He names these three people either for all the rest because they were the most potent about the time of Israels first entrance into Canaan and gave them most trouble or because these three were more infested with Hornets than the other Nations as being more numerous and dangerous from before thee 29 * Deut. 7. 22. I will not drive them out from before thee in one year lest the land become desolate c Void of inhabitants in a great measure because thy present number is not sufficient to occupy and manage their whole land and the beast of the field multiply against thee 30 By little and little I will drive them out from before thee until thou be increased and inherit the land 31 And * Josh. 1. 4. I will set thy bounds d Compare this place with Gen. 15. 18. Numb 34. 3. from the Red-sea even unto the sea of the Philistines e i. e. The Mediterranean or Mid-land sea upon whose coast the land of the Philistines lay and from the desert f Of Egypt or Arabia whereof see Gen. 16. 7. Exod. 15. 22. unto the river g To wit Euphrates as it is expressed Deut. 1. 7. and 11. 24. which is oft called the river by way of eminency All within these bounds were given them by God but upon conditions which they manifestly broke and therefore were for the most part confined to a much narrower compass for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand and thou shalt drive them out before thee 32 * chap. 34. 15. Deut. 7. 2. Thou shalt make no covenant with them nor with their gods h To worship them as they made a covenant with Iehovah to worship him The sence is Thou shalt not engage thy self either to the people or to their Gods but shalt root out both 33 They shall not dwell in thy land lest they make thee sin against me for if thou serve i Or for thou wilt serve this will be the fruit of thy cohabitation with them thou wilst thereby be drawn to Idolatry their gods * chap. 34. 12. Deut. 7. 16. Josh. 23. 13. Judg. 2. 3. 1 Sam. 18. 21. Psal. 106. 36. it will surely k Or and assuredly this will be a snare l An occasion of further sin and utter ruine unto thee CHAP. XXIV 1 AND he said unto Moses Come up a After thou hast gone down and acquainted the people with my will and received their answer then come up again This sence is gathered from the repetition of this command after that was done ver 12. unto the LORD thou and Aaron Nadab and Abihu b Aaron and his two eldest sons whom by this special honour and favour he prepared for that office to which they were to be called chap. 28. and seventy of the Elders of Israel c Not the seventy governours which were chosen after this time as appears from Num. 11. 24. compared with Numb 33. 16. but seventy persons selected by Moses out of those rulers chosen and mentioned Exod. 18. 25. and possibly these were the chief heads of those several families which went with Iacob into Egypt which were about 70. See Gen. 46. 26 27. and worship ye afar off d Though they may come up into the mount further than the people yet do thou and let them especially keep their distance and what worship either thou or they shall offer to me shall be performed afar off from the top of the mountain whither thou onely shalt be admitted and that not to pray to me but onely to receive laws and oracles from me See ver 2. 2 And Moses alone e i. e. Without the persons now mentioned though not without Ioshua his minister as some conceive from ver 13. though even there Moses seems to ascend into the mount without Ioshua shall come near the LORD but they shall not come nigh neither shall the people go up with him f To any part of the mount as Aaron and Nadab c. did but they shall tarry at the bottom See Exod. 19. 12. 3 And Moses came g Down from the mount to the people after he had received the laws from God and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments and all the people answered with one voice and said * chap. 19. 8. Ver. 7. Deut. 5. 27. All the words which the LORD hath said will we do h This they so readily and rashly promise because they were not sensible of their own weakness and because they did not understand the comprehensiveness and spirituality and strictness of Gods law but
is here made against it And this is called a putting of the hand because such agreements and associations used to be confirmed by giving or joyning their hands together Ier. 50. 15. Gal. 2. 9. Compare Exod. 23. 1. or in a thing taken away by violence d To wit secretly for he seems to speak here of such sins as could not be proved by witness or hath deceived his neighbour e Get any thing from him by calumny or fraud or circumvention for so the word signifies 3 Or have found that which was lost and lieth concerning it and * Numb 5. 6. sweareth falsly f His oath being required seeing there was no other way of discovery left in any of all these that a man doeth sinning therein 4 Then it shall be because he hath sinned and is guilty g This guilt of his being manifested either by his refusing to swear when called to it as in some of the cases alledged or by his voluntary confession upon remorse whereby he reapeth this benefit that he onely restores the principal with the addition of a fifth part whereas if he were convicted of his fault he was to pay double Exod. 22. 9. that he shall restore that which he took violently away or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten or that which was delivered him to keep or the lost thing which he found 5 Or all that about which he hath sworn falsly he shall even * chap. 5. 16. restore it in the principal and shall add the fifth part more thereto and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth ‖ Or in the day 〈◊〉 â—…ing sound 〈◊〉 †〈…〉 in the day of his trespass offering h It must not be delaved but restitution to man must accompany repentance towards God Compare Mat. 5. 23. 6 And he shall bring his trespass-offering unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the * chap. 5. 15. flock with thy estimation for a trespass-offering unto the priest 7 And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein 8 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 9 Command Aaron and his sons i Hitherto he hath prescribed the sacrifices themselves now he comes to the manner of them saying This is the Law of the burnt-offering k To wit of the daily one of which Exod 29. 38. Numb 28. 3. as the following words shew it is the burnt-offering ‖ Or for the â—…ing because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning l The meaning is the evening-burnt-offering was to be so managed and laid on piece after piece that the fire might be constantly maintained by it It is to be understood that the offerings were to be kept burning all the day from morning to night also but he mentions not that because there was so great a 〈◊〉 and such a constant succession of sacrifices in the day time that there needed 〈◊〉 Law for seeding and keeping in the fire then the onely danger was for the night when other sacrifices were not â—…red but onely the evening-burnt-offering which if it had been consumed quickly as the morning burnt-offering was there had been danger of the going out of that fire which they were commanded diligently and constantly to keep in and maintain here below ver 13. and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it 10 And the Priest shall put on his linen garment m i. e. His liâ—…n coâ—… Oâ—… which see Exod. 28. 39 40. and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed n The ashes are said to be consumed improperly when the wood is confumed into ashes as 〈◊〉 is said to be ground Esa. 47. 2. when the 〈◊〉 is ground into mâ—…l and the naked to be stripped of their 〈◊〉 Ioâ—… 22. 6. when by being stripped they are made naked with the burnt-offering on the altar and he shall put them besides the altar 11 And he shall put off his garments and put on other garments o Because this was no sacred but a common work and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place p Where no dung or filth was â—…aid See Levit. 4. 12. and compare Levit 14. 40 41. 12 And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it it shall not be put out q The fire coming down from Heaven Levit. â—… 24. was to be perpetually preserved and not suffered to go out â—…artly that there might be no occasion nor temptation to offer strange fire nor to mingle their inventions with Gods appointments and partly to teach them whence they were to expect the acceptance of all their sacrifices even from the divine mercy and grace signified by the fire which came down from Heaven which was an usual token of Gods favourable acceptance See the notes on Gen. 4 4 5. and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning r Though the evening also be doubtless intended as it appears from â—… 9 and from the nature of the thing yet the morning onely is mentioned because then the altar was cleansed and the ashes taken away and a new fire made and lay the burnt-offering in order upon it and he shall burn thereon s i. e. Upon the burnt-offering which thereby would be sooner consumed that so way might be made for other sacrifices which were many * chap. 3. 〈◊〉 14. the fat of the peace-offerings 13 The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar it shall never go out 14 * chap. 2. â—… Numb 1â—… â—… And this is the law of the meat offering t To wit of that which was offered alone and that by any of the people not by the Priest for then it must have been all burnt This law delivered Levit. 2. is here repeated for the sake of some additions here made to it as it is a common practise of Law makers when they make additional Laws to recite such laws to which such additions belong the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD before the altar 15 And he shall take of it his handful of the flour of the meat-offering and of the oyl thereof and all the frankincense which is upon the meat-offering and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet favour even the * chap. 2. 29. memorial of it unto the LORD 16 And the * chap. 2. 3. remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons u The males onely might eat these because they were most holy things whereas the daughters of Aaron might eat other holy things Numb 18. 11. eat †Heb. It shall be eaten unleavened chap. 10. 12. with unleavened bread x Or rather 〈◊〉 for with is not in the Hebrew and it disturbs the sense For since
the meat-offering it self was fine flour Levit. 2. 1. It is not likely that they eat it with 〈◊〉 bread shall it be eaten in the holy place * chap. 10. 12. in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation y In some special room appointed for that purpose See Levit. 8. 31. 1 Sam 3. 3. Ezek. 42. 13. and 46. 19 24 The reason why this was to be eaten onely by holy persons â—…nd that in an holy place is given ver 17. because it is most holy and therefore to be treated with greater reverence they shall eat it 17 It z That part which remains to the Priest for the part here offered to God seems not to have been bake at all shall not be baken with leaven * Num. 18. 9 1â—… I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings made by fire it is * chap. 2. 3. most holy as is the sin-offering and as the trespass-offering 18 All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it it shall be a statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the LORD made by fire * chap. 22. 4 5 6. every one that toucheth them shall be holy a It may be understood either 1. Of persons that none should touch or eat them but consecrated persons to wit Priests Or this may be an additional caution that they wâ—…o eat them should be not onely Priests or their made-children but also 〈◊〉 i. e. having no uncleanness upon them 〈◊〉 in that case even the Priests themselves might not touch them Or 〈◊〉 2. Oâ—… things as may be gathered by compariâ—… 〈◊〉 with ver 2â—… 28. Whatsoever toucheth them as 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 that receives them the knife or spoon c. which is used about them those shall be taken for holy and not employed â—…or common uses See Exod. 29. 37. 19 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 20 This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons which they shall offer unto the LORD in the day when he is anointed b When any of them are anointed for High-Priest for he onely of all the Priests was to be anointed in future ages This Law of his consecration was delivered before Exod. 29. 2 24 25. and is here repeared because of some additions made to it the tenth part of an * Exod. 16. 36 Ephah of fine flour for a meat-offering perpetual c To wit whensoever any of them shall be so anointed half of it in the morning and half thereof at night d Or In the evening the one to be annexed to the morning sacrifice the other to the evening sacrifice over and besides that meat-offering which every day was to be added to the daily morning and evening sacrifices Exod. 29. 40. 21 In a pan it shall be made with oyl and when it is baken e Or Fryed so that it swells and bubbles up thou f Who art so anointed and consecrated verse 22. shalt bring it in and the baken pieces of the meat-offering shalt thou offer for a sweet savour unto the LORD 22 And the Priest of his sons * chap. 4. 3. that is anointed in his stead shall offer it it is a statute for ever unto the LORD * Exod. 29. 25. it shall be wholly burnt 23 For every meat-offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt it shall not be eaten f No part of it shall be eaten by the Priest as it was when the offering was for the people The reason of the difference is partly because when he offered it for the people he was to have some recompence for his pains which he could not expect when he offered it for himself partly to signifie the imperfection of the Levitical Priests who could not bear their own iniquity for the Priests eating part of the peoples sacrifices did signifie his typical bearing of the peoples iniquity as appears from Levit. 10. 17. and partly to teach the Priests and Ministers of God that it is their duty to serve God with singleness of heart and to be content with Gods honour though they have no present advantage by it 24 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 25 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons saying This is the law of the sin-offering * chap. 1. 3 5 11 and 4. 24 29 33. in the place where the burnt-offering is killed shall the sin-offering be killed before the LORD it is most holy 26 * chap. 21. 22. The priest that offereth it for sin g For the sins of the rulers or of the people or any of them but not for the sins of the Priests for then its blood was brought into the Tabernacle and therefore it might not be eaten shall eat it in the holy place shall it be eaten in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation 27 ‖ Or whosoever ver 18. Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy * Of which see the note on verse 18. and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment h Upon the Priests garment for it was he onely that sprinkled it and in so doing he might easily sprinkle his garments thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the holy place i Partly out of reverence to the blood of sacrifices which hereby was kept from a prophane or common touch and partly that such garments might be decent and fit for sacred administrations 28 But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden * chap. 11. 33. shall be broken k Because being full of pores the liquor in which it was sodden might castly sink into it whereby it was ceremonially holy and therefore was broken least afterwards it should be abused to prophane or common uses and if it be sodden in a brazen pot it shall be both scoured and rinsed in water l And not broken as being of considerable value which therefore God would not have unnecessarily wasted And this being of a more solid substance than an earthen vessel was not so apt to drink in the humour 29 All the males among the Priests shall eat thereof it is most holy 30 * Heb. 13. 1â—… And no sin-offering m Such were the sacrifices offered for the High-priest or for the whole assembly either severally Levit. 4. 7 18. or jointly for both in the yearly atonement Levit. 16. 27 33. whereof any of the blood is brought into the tabernacle of the congregation to reconcile withal in the holy place shall be eaten it shall be burnt in the fire CHAP. VII 1 LIkewise * chap. 5. â—… this is the law of the trespass-offering * chap. 21. â—… it is most holy 2 In * chap. 1. 3. â—… 11. and 4. 2 29. 33. the place where they kill the burnt-offering shall they kill the trespass offering and the blood thereof shall he sprinkle round about upon the
Priest was forbidden to mourn for his wife Ezek. 24. 16. c. These exceptions God here makes in condescension to humane infirmity because in such cases it was very hard to restrain the affections But this allowance concerns onely the inferiour Priest not the High-priest as we shall see that is for his mother and for his father and for his son and for his daughter and for his brother c Obj. Eleazar and Ithamar are forbidden to mourn for their brethren Nadab and Abihu Ans. 1. That case was singular both because such a mourning might seem to be a censure of Gods severity upon them and because they were then in the actual execution of their office and in their initiation to it and they were the onely persons besides Aaron that could perform that work and therefore their attendance upon it was more necessary then it would be in after times and other cases 2. The latter law can either limit or enlarge the former at the pleasure of the lawgiver And this law may seem to be added least that prohibition Lev. 10. should be taken for a general rule 3 And for his sister d Either by father or mother a virgin that is nigh unto him e i. e. By nearness not of relation for that might seem a needless addition but of habitation i. e. one not yet cut off from the family as it follows which hath had no husband f For if she was married she was now of another family and under her husbands special care in those matters for her may he be defiled 4 But ‖ Or being â—… husband among his people he shall not defile himself for his wife c. he shall not defile himself being a chief man among his people g Or seeing he is a chief man c. or ruler c. for such not onely the High-Priest but others also of the inferiour Priests were And therefore though he might defile himself for the persons now named yet he above all others must take heed so to do it that he do not profane himself by doing as follows Or for a chief man c. the preposition Lamed being easily understood from the former verse where it is oft used such supplements being not unusual in the Hebrew tongue So the sence is He shall not defile himself for any other person whatsoever who is not thus near of kin to him no not for a prince or chief ruler among his people who might seem to challenge this duty from him to joyn with all others in their resâ—…ntment of the publick loss much less shall he defile himself for any other And so the last word to profane himself may be added as a reason why he should not defile himself for the prince or any other except the persons named because such defilement for the dead did profane him or make him as a common person and unclean and consequently unfit to manage his sacred employment which was an impediment to the service of God and a publick inconvenience to the people whose concerns with God he negotiated And it was not meet such great and important affairs should give place to the ceremonies of a funeral for a stranger to prophane himself 5 * chap. 19. 2â—… 28. Ezek. 44. 20. They shall not make baldness upon their head h To wit in funerals as the heathens did q. d. Though I allow them to defile themselves for some of the dead yet in no case shall they use these superstitious and heathenish rites which also the people are forbidden to do Lev. 19. 27. Deut. 14. 1. but the Priests in a more peculiar manner because they are by word and example to teach the people their duty not to sorrow for the dead as persons without hope neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard nor make any cutting in their flesh 6 They shall be holy unto their God i Devoted to Gods service and always prepared and fit for it and therefore shall keep themselves as far as they can from all defilement which makes them unmeet for their masters use and not profane the Name of their God k Which they especially bear they shall not disparage the service of God by making it give place to such sleight occasions for the offerings of the LORD made by fire and the bread of their God l i. e. the shew-bread or rather all the other offerings besides burnt-offerings which are called bread either because bread is commonly put for all food as below ver 17 21. or because God is satisfied and refreshed with these offerings as a man is with his bread or rather because they or part of them are the bread or food of the Priests and are here called bread of their God either objectively because they were offered to God or efficiently because they were given by God to the Priests And these are called bread in opposition to the burnt-offerings which being wholly consumed gave no food to the Priests Or the offerings made by fire are here put Synecdochically for all the rest the most eminent kind for all which are here called bread because devoured by fire to the honour of God For the particle and is not in the Hebrew and may be omitted they do offer therefore they shall be †Heb. holiness holy 7 * Ezek. 44. 22. They shall not take a wife that is a whore or profane m Or defiled or defloured though it were done secretly or by accident or by force because the Priest must take care that all the members of his family be free not onely from gross wickedness but from all suspitions of evil and occasions of reproach or contempt because this would reflect upon himself and upon his God and religion also The word may note one defloured by any person though it were by her husband or a widow because not onely the High-priest was obliged to marry a virgin ver 13. but also the inferiour Priests as appears from Ezek. 44. 22. and that is either signified by this word or by none other here It is true a widow and a profane person are distinguished ver 14. but the same word may be and oft is taken in differing sences both more largely and more strictly in the same chapter And there was some reason why it should be more expresly and distinctly set down there a widow or one profane or defloured otherwise because there was the more need of caution in the High-priest and therefore the widow is particularly mentioned which in the former case might be sufficiently comprehended under a general title neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband n Though not for adultery but for light causes and by the husbands fault because though the woman might be wholly innocent and free yet it would leave some blemish upon her for he is holy unto his God 8 Thou shalt sanctifie him o Thou O Moses and
by the priest and sacrifice and therefore both were to be without blemish partly moral to teach all Christians and especially Ministers of holy things what purity and perfection of heart and life they should labour after and that notorious blemishes in the mind or conversation render a man unfit for the Ministery of the Gospel and partly prudential because such blemishes were apt to breed contempt of the person and consequently of his function and of the holy things wherein he ministred For which reason some conceive that still such persons as have notorious defects or deformities which render them contemptible are not fit for the Ministery Which may be true in the general except where there are eminent gifts and graces which are sufficient to vindicate a man from the contemptibleness of his bodily presence The particular defects here mentioned I shall not enlarge upon because some of the Hebrew words are diversly interpreted and because the use of these things being abolished the knowledge of them is not very necessary let him not approach to offer the ‖ Or 〈◊〉 bread o Either the shew-bread one eminent part being named for the whole or the food i. e. all the oblations See before on ver 8. of his God 18 For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish he shall not approach p Unto God or to serve him in his sanctuary a blind man or a lame or he that hath a flat nose q Most restrain this word to the nose and to some great deformity relating to it either the want of it wholly or in part or the shortness flatness or crookedness of it But according to others it signifies more generally a person that wants some member or members because the next word to which it is opposed signifies one that hath more members than he should or any thing * chap. 22. 23. superfluous 19 Or a man that is broken footed or broken handed 20 Or crook-backt or a ‖ Or too sleâ—…der dwarf or that hath a blemish in his eye or be scurvy or scabbed or hath his stones broken 21 No man that hath a blemish r Any notorious blemish whereby he is disfigured though not here mentioned of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire he hath a blemish he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God 22 He shall eat the bread of his God both of the most holy and of the holy s Which a Priest having any uncleanness upon him might not do Whereby God would shew the great difference between natural infirmities sent upon a man by God and moral defilements which a man brought upon himself What was holy and what most holy was declared before See Levit. 2. 3. and 6. 17. and 7. 1. and 14. 13. and 22. 10. 23 Onely he shall not go in unto the vail t i. e. To the second vail which was between the Holy and the most Holy place Exod. 26. 13 36. to burn incense to order the shew-bread and to dress the lamps which were nigh unto that vail though without nor come nigh unto the altar u i. e. The altar of burnt-offering which was without the sanctuary The sense is He shall not execute the priests office which was to be done in those two places because he hath a blemish that he prophane not my sanctuary x Heb. my sanctuaries in the plural number as it is also Levit. 26. 31. Ier. 51. 51. Ezek. 28. 18. For though the Sanctuary was but one yet there were divers parts to wit the Court the Holy place and the most holy each of which was in a large sense a Sanctuary or an holy place set apart for Gods Worship for I the LORD do sanctifie them y i. e. Do set them apart for high and holy uses to manifest my presence and grace and to receive my Worship and service in them And therefore I will not have them polluted or disparaged by the admission of defiled or deformed priests to Minister therein 24 And Moses told it unto Aaron and to his sons and to all the children of Israel CHAP. XXII 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons that they separate themselves a To wit when any uncleanness is upon them as it appears from ver 3 4. from the holy things b i. e. from eating of those parts of the offerings which belong to them Onely of the tithes they might eat in that case of the children of Israel and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they c Either the children of Israel or the Priests For both of them did in their kinds hallow consecrate or offer them to God But the former seems more probable both because they are mentioned here and ver 3. where they are said to hallow c. and because this makes the argument stronger it ill became the Priests to profane or pollute what the people did hallow hallow unto me I am the LORD 3 Say unto them whosoever he be of all your seed among your generations that goeth unto the holy things d To eat them or to touch them for if the touch of one of the people having his uncleanness upon him defiled the thing he touched much more was it so in the Priest which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD having his uncleanness upon him that soul shall be cut off from my presence e Either from the place of my presence and from my ordinances by excommunication He shall be excluded both from the administration and from the participation of them Or from the people among whom I am present which commonly is expressed by cutting off from his people Or from the land of the living I am the LORD 4 What man f i. e. Or woman of Aarons seed for they were under the same law soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper or hath * chap. 15. 2. a †Heb. 〈◊〉 of the reins running issue he shall not eat of the holy things untill he * chap. 14. 2. and 15. 13. be clean And * Num. 19. 11. whoso toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead or * chap. 15. 1â—… a man whose seed goeth from him 5 Or * chap. 11. 〈◊〉 whosoever toucheth any creeping thing whereby he may be made unclean or * chap. 15. 〈◊〉 19. a man of whom he may take uncleanness whatsoever uncleanness he hath 6 The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until the even and shall not eat of the holy things unless he wash his flesh with water 7 And when the sun is down he shall be clean and shall afterward eat of the holy things because it is his food g i. e. His portion the means of his subsistence This may be added to signifie why
Nazarite may drink wine f And return to his former freedom and manner of living he is discharged from his vow 21 This is the Law of the Nazarite who hath vowed and of his offering unto the LORD for his separation besides that that his hand shall get g i. e. Besides what he shall voluntarily promise and give according to his ability according to the vow which he vowed so he must do after the law of his separation 22 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons saying On this wise h Heb. Thus in this manner or in these words yet so as that they were not tied to these very words because after this we have examples of Moses and David and Solomon and others blessing the people in other words ye shall bless the children of Israel i To wit in the publick assembly saying unto them 24 The LORD bless thee k i. e. Bestow upon you all manner of blessings temporal and spiritual Compare Gen. 12. 2. and keep thee l i. e. Continue his blessings to thee and preserve thee in and to the use of them keep thee from sin and its bitter effects 25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee m and be gracious unto thee l i. e. Smile upon thee this is opposed to the hiding of his face and to the covering himself or his face with a cloud and it is explained by the following words be gracious unto thee Others expound it of illumination or direction and the revelation of himself and of his will to them 26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee n i. e. Look upon thee with a chearful and pleasant countenance as one that is reconciled to thee and well pleased with thee and thy offering and services See of this phrase Psal. 4. 6. Prov. 16. 15. To this is opposed the falling and the casting down of the countenance of which see Gen. 4. 5 6. Iob 29. 24. Or Regard Protect and help thee Compare Psal. 33. 18. and give thee peace o Peace with God and with thy own conscience and with all men and all prosperity which is comprehended under this word 27 And they shall put my Name upon the children of Israel p i. e. Shall call them by my name shall recommend them to me as my own people and bless them and pray unto me for them as such which is a powerful argument to prevail with God for them and therefore hath been oft used by the Prophets interceding for them as Ier. 14. 9. Dan. 9. 18 19. Compare 1 Sam. 12. 22. and I will bless them q I will ratify their blessings and give those blessings to the people which the Priests pray for CHAP. VII 1 AND it came to pass on the day a Either 1. precisely and so this history as many others is put out of its proper place and this chapter and the 8th and 9th and 10th and 11th should follow next after Exod. 40. and this day is the same on which the Tabernacle was erected which was the first day of the first moneth of the 2 year Exod. 40. 17 18. Or 2. largely day being put for time and on the day for about the time or a little after the time And thus it seems to be taken here because all the princes did not offer these things upon one and the same day but on several dayes as here it follows And so there is no disorder in the history and this chapter comes in its proper place and those things were done in the second moneth of the second year after the Tabernacle and Altar and all other instruments thereof were anointed as is here expressed and after the Levites were separated to the service of the Tabernacle and appointed to their several works as is manifest from ver 5 6 7 8 9. which was done about a moneth after the Tabernacle was erected c. and after the numbring of the people Numb 1. when the Princes here employed in the offerings were first constituted and after the disposal of the Tribes about the Tabernacle the order of which is here observed in the time of their offerings that Moses had fully * Exod. 40. 18. Lev. 8. 10. set up the tabernacle and had anointed it b and sanctified it and all the instruments thereof both the altar and all the vessels thereof and had anointed them and sanctified them 2 That * chap. 1. 4. the princes of Israel heads of the house of their fathers who were the princes of the tribes †Heb. who stood and were over them that were numbred offered c To wit in the manner and days hereafter mentioned 3 And they brought their offering before the LORD six covered wagons d For the more convenient and safe carriage of such things as were most cumbersome and twelve oxen a wagon for two of the princes and for each one an oxe and they brought them before the tabernacle 4 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 5 Take it of them that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation and thou shalt give them unto the Levites to every man according to his service e i. e. More or fewer of them as the nature of their service and of the things to be carried required 6 And Moses took the wagons and the oxen and gave them unto the Levites 7 Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon according to their service 8 And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari according unto their service under the hand of Ithamar f i. e. Under his care and inspection See Gen. 39. 22. And it must be noted that these words belong both to the Merarites here and to the Gershonites ver 7. because both of them were under his hands as is affirmed Numb 4. 28 33. the son of Aaron the priest 9 But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders g Because of the greater worth and holiness of the things which they carried See Numb 4. 6 8 10 12 14. 2 Sam. 6. 6 13. 10 And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar h To wit of burnt-offerings and incense too as appears from the matter of their offerings The singular number for the plural Not for the first dedication of them for it is apparent they were dedicated or consecrated before this time by Moses and Aaron for diverse days together Numb 8. and 9. but for a further dedication of them these being the first offerings that were made for any particular persons or tribes in the day i i. e. About the time as soon as it was anointed See on ver 1. that it was anointed even the princes offered their offering before the altar 11 And
thee and to thy seed with thee 20 And the LORD spake unto Aaron Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land r i. e. In the land of the children of Israel mentioned ver 19. You shall not have a distinct and separate portion of land as the other tribes shall The reason of this law was partly because God would have them wholly devoted to and employed in his service and therefore free from worldly encumbrances and businesses partly because God had abundantly provided for them otherwise by tithes and first-fruits and oblations of all sorts partly because God would have their worldly comfort and happiness depend singly upon him and his service and so would oblige them to use more zeal and diligence in the advancement of piety even for their own interest which was either better or worse as true religion flourished or decayed See Iudg. 17. 9 10. and 19. 18. 2 Chron. 13. 9. and 30. 22. and 31. 4. partly that this might be a firm bond of hearty love and affection between the people and their teachers the Levites who as they performed religious services for the people so they received their subsistence from them and partly that by this means being dispersed among the several tribes they might have the better opportunity for teaching and watching over the people which was their duty Deut. 33. 10. 2 Chron. 30 22. Mal. 2. 4 5 6 7. neither shalt thou have any part among them * Deut. 1â—… â—… 12. 12. 〈◊〉 2. Josh. 13. 14 33. Ezek 〈◊〉 28. I am thy part s i. e. I have appointed thee a liberal maintenance out of my oblations and thine inheritance among the children of Israel 21 And behold * Lev. 27. 32. I have given the children of Levi all the tenth t For the tithes were all given to the Levites and out of their tithes the tenth was given to the Priests here ver 26 c. and Neh. 10. 37 38. in Israel for an inheritance for their service which they serve eveâ—… the service of the tabernacle of the congregation 22 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation u i. e. So nigh as to do any act proper to the Priests or Levites lest they bear sin †Heb. to 〈◊〉 and die 23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation and they shall bear their iniquity x i. e. The punishment due not onely for their own but also for the peoples miscarriage if it be committed through their connivance or negligence And this was the reason why the Priests withstood their King Uzziaâ—… when he would have burnt incense to the Lord 2 〈◊〉 26. 17 18. it shall be a statute for ever throughout their generations that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance 24 But the tithes of the children of Israel which they offer as an heave-offering unto the LORD y i. e. As a rent-charge or an acknowledgment that they have and hold all their lands and the fruits of it from Gods bounty Note that the word heave-offering which is for the most part understood of a particular kind of offerings heaved or lifted up to the Lord is here used for any offering in general as before ver 8. I have given to the Levites to inherit therefore I have said unto them Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance 25 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 26 Thus speak unto the Levites and say unto them When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance then ye shall offer up an heave-offering of it for the LORD even a tenth part of the tithe 27 And this your heave-offering shall be reckoned unto you as though it were the corn of the threshing-floor z It shall be accepted of you as much as if you offered it out of your own lands and labours and as the fulness of the wine-press 28 Thus ye also shall offer an heave-offering unto the LORD of all your tithes which ye receive of the children of Israel and ye shall give thereof the LORDS heave-offering to Aaron the priest a And to his children which were one with him and were all to have their share herein 29 Out of all your gifts b Not onely out of your tithes but out of the other gifts which you receive from the people and out of those fields which shall belong to your cities ye shall offer c To wit to the Priest every heave-offering d i. e. As many gifts so many heave-offerings you shall reserve a part out of each of them for the Priest of the LORD of all the †Heb. â—…at best thereof even the hallowed part thereof e This may describe either 1 the nature and proportion of this offering and so peradventure he means the tenth part which was the part or proportion that God hallowed or sanctified to himself as his proper portion both here and elsewhere or 2. the reason or ground of this offering because it is a thing hallowed or appropriated by God to himself and given by him to the Priest and because the payment of this due doth hallow all the rest so as they may use it with comfort and good conscience as it follows ver 31 32. out of it 30 Therefore thou shalt say unto them When ye have heaved the best thereof from it then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshing floor and as the increase of the wine-press 31 And ye shall eat it in every place f i. e. In every clean place and not in the holy place onely ye and your housholds for * 1 Tim. 5. 18. it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation 32 And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it when ye have heaved from it the best of it g Implying that if they neglected this duty they sinned in the use of such unhallowed food * Lev. 22. 15 16. neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel h As you will do if you abuse their holy offerings by reserving that intirely to your selves which they offer to God to be disposed as he hath appointed to wit part to you and part to the Priests lest ye die CHAP. XIX 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying 2 This is the ordinance of the law a Or The constitution of the Law i. e. that which God hath ordained or established by Law which the LORD hath commanded saying speak unto the children of Israel that they bring thee b At their common charge because it was for the common good a red c A fit colour to shadow forth both the bloody nature and complexion of sin Isa. 1. 8. and the humane nature and
†Heb. found us befallen us u All the wandrings and afflictions of our parents and of us their children which doubtless have come to thine ears 15 How our fathers went down into Egypt and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time and the Egyptians vexed us and our fathers 16 And * Exod. 3. 7. when we cryed unto the LORD he heard our voice and sent an angel x To wit the Angel of the covenant Christ Jesus who first appeared to Moses in the bush Exod. 3. 2. and afterward in the cloudy pillar who conducted Moses and the people out of Egypt and thorough the wilderness as appears from Exod. 14. 19. and 23. 20. and 33. 14. 1 Cor. 10. 4. For though Moses may be called an Angel or messenger a title given to Phinehas Iudg. 2. 1. and to the Prophets 2 Chrâ—…n 36. 16. and to Haggai Hag. 1. 13. yet it is not probable that he is meant partly because Moses was the person that sent this message partly because there was no reason why he should express himself by such a dark and doubtful title to them and partly because another angel besides and above Moses did conduct them and the mention hereof to the Edomites was likely to give more authority and efficacy to their present message and hath brought us forth out of Egypt and behold we are in Kadesh y i. e. Near the city Kadâ—…sh the particle in being oft so used as we have shewed a city in the uttermost of thy border 17 Let us pass I pray thee through thy coâ—…ntrey we will not pass through the fields or through the vineyards neither will we drink of the water of the wells z Or pits which any of you have digged for your private use to wit without paying for it ver 19. Deut. 2. 6. but onely of the waters of common rivers which are free to all passengers and will not be prejudicial to thee we will go by the kings high-way we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left until we have passed thy borders 18 And Edom said unto him Thou shalt not pass by me a i. e. Through my country as thou desirest I will not suffer thee to do so which was an act of common policy to secure themselves from so numerous an host lest I come out against thee with the sword 19 And the children of Israel said unto him b i. e. Their messengers replyed unto them what here follows We will go by the high-way and if I and my cattel drink of thy water then I will pay for it c For water was a scarce commodity in those parts I will onely without doing any thing else go through on my feet 20 And he said Thou shalt not go through And Edom came out against him with much people and with a strong hand 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border d But permitted them to go by their border Deut. 2. 4 8. Iudg. 11. 18. and furnished them with victuals for their money Deut. 2. 29. wherefore Israel turned away from him e According to Gods command Deut. 2. 5. 22 And the children of Israel even the whole congregation journeyed from * chap. 33. 37. Kadesh and came unto mount Hor f Whose inhabitants were thence called Horims Deut. 2. 12. and Esau the Horite Gen. 36. 20. 23 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor by the coast of the land of Edom saying 24 Aaron shall be gathered unto his people for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel because ye rebelled against my †Heb. mouth word g This was one but not the onely reason God would not have Moses and Aaron to carry the people into Canaan for this reason also to signifie the insufficiency of the Mosaical law and Aaronical Priesthood to make them perfectly happy and the necessity of a better and so to keep the Israelites from resting in them so as to be taken off from their expectation of Christ and from the entertainment of him when he should come at the water of Meribah 25 * chap. 33. 38. Deut. 32. 50. Take Aaron and Eleazar his son and bring them up unto mount Hor 26 And strip Aaron of his garments h To wit of his Priestly garments Exod. 28. 2. Levit. 8. 7 8 9. in token of his resignation of his office See the like Isa. 22. 15 19 20 21. and put them upon Eleazar his son i By way of admission and inauguration of him to his office and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people and shall die there 27 And Moses did as the LORD commanded and they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation k That their hearts might be more affected with their loss of so great a pillar and that they all might be witnesses of the translation of the Priesthood from Aaron to Eleazar and therefore might give him the honour due to him 28 And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them upon Eleazar his son and * Deut. 10. 6. 32. 50. Aaron died there l To wit in mount Hor. Obj. He died in Mosera Deut. 10. 6. Ans. Mosera was the general name of the place where that station was and mount Hor is a particular place in it where he died and was buried also Deut. 10. 6. in the top of the mount and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount 29 And when all the congregation saw m i. e. Understood by the relation of Moses and Eleazar and by other signs So seeing is used Gen. 42. 1. Act. 7. 12. that Aaron was dead they mourned for Aaron thirty dayes n The time of publick and solemn mourning for great persons See Deut. 34. 8. even all the house of Israel CHAP. XXI 1 AND when * chap. 33. 40. †Heb. the Canaanite king of Arad Josh. 12. 14. Judg. 1. 16. King Arad the Canaanite a Or rather the Canaanite King of Arad for Arad is not the name of a man but of a city or territory as may seem from Ios. 12. 14. Iudg. 1. 16. if at least this was the same place with that And he seems to be called a Canaanite in a general sence as the Amorites and others sometimes are which dwelt in the south b To wit of Canaan as appears from Numb 33. 40. towards the east and near the dead Sea heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies c Not of those spies which Moses sent to spie the land Numb 13. 17. for that was done 38 years before this and they went so privately that the Canaanites took no notice of them nor knew which way they came or went but of the spies which he himself sent out to observe the marches and motions of the Israelites But the words
e Which was to be examined and determined by the consideration of all the circumstances and lie with her then the man onely that lay with her shall die 26 But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death for as when a man riseth against his neighbour and slayeth him even so is this matter f Not an act of choice but of force and constraint 27 For he found her in the field and the betrothed damsel cried g Which is in that case to be presumed charity obliging us to believe the best till the contrary be manifest and there was none to save her 28 * Exod. 22. 16. If a man h i. e. An unmarried man as appears 1. From his obligation to marry the person he abused which it is not probable would have been imposed upon him 2. Because if the man had been married this had been adultery and so had been punished with death find a damsel that is a virgin which is not betrothed and lay hold on her i Which notes some kind of force or artifice whereby she was overpowred whereas Exod. 22. 16. she was enticed which implies consent and therefore the man doth here receive a greater punishment because he used hostile violence towards her which was the greater sin and lie with her and they be found 29 Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsels father fifty shekels of silver k Besides the dowry as Philo the Learned Iew notes which is here omitted because that was common and customary and because it might easily be gathered out of Exod. 22. 16. it being sufficient here to mention what was peculiar to this case and she shall be his wife l To wit if her Father consent to it which is to be supposed out of Exod. 22. 16. it being not likely that the Father should lose his paternal right of disposing his Child when she was in some sort forced rather than when she was inticed because he hath humbled her he may not put her away all his dayes m Which others were suffered to do Deut. 24. 1. and he who inticed the maid Exod. 22. 16. was not prohibited to do 30 * Lev. 18. 8. A man shall not take n To Wife So this respects the state and the next branch speaks of the act onely his fathers wife o His Mother in law See Levit. 18. 8. and 20. 11. 1 Cor. 5. 1. nor discover his fathers skirt p i. e. The skirt of the Mothers Garment i. e. the nakedness which is here called his fathers skirt because his Father and Mother were one flesh or because his Father alone had the right to uncover it The phrase is taken from the ancient custome or ceremonie of the Bridegrooms spreading the skirt of his Garment over the bride to signifie his right to her and authority over her and his obligation to the marriage duty See Ruth 3. 9. Ezek. 16. 8. CHAP. XXIII 1 HE that is wounded in the stones a Heb. wounded by compression or attrition or contusion to wit of the stones which was the course the Gentiles took with Infants to make them Eunuchs And these Eunuchs and Bastards v. 2. seem to be not onely those of other Nations as some understand it without any foundation for such restriction but also of the Israelites the reason of this law being the same in all to wit that God would bring into disgrace those heathenish practices of making Eunuchs and getting Bastards which doubtless he would especially do among his own people or hath his privy members out off shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD b Which phrase cannot be understood so that they might not come into the Church or Holy Assemblies to worship God to pray or hear c. because Proselytes of any Nation were admitted to common Church-priviledges no less than the Jews as is evident from Exod. 12. 48. Levit. 22. 18. Numb 9. 14. and 15. 14. It were absurd to think that any of the Israelites for such a natural or involuntary defect should be shut out from all Gods ordinances nor so that they were to be put out of the muster-roll of Gods people or to lose the Priviledges common to all Israelites to wit the benefit of the year of release or Jubile which it is not probable the Israelites were to forfeit meerly for this unculpable imperfection but either 1. That they should not be incorporated into the Body of Israel by marriage for so this phrase may seem to have been understood by the whole Congregation of Israel Nehem. 13. 1 2 3 23 24 25. Although at that time the Government was in part in the hands of such persons as are here mentioned v. 3. or of their children seeing it is apparent from Ezra 10. that many Priests and Levites and other Officers and Rulers of Israel were married to strange Women whose issue are by this Law excluded from all share in the Government and for that among other reasons Nehemiah separated them from Israel by vertue of the Law here following Or 2. That they should not be admitted to Honours and Offices either in the Church or Common-wealth of Israel and so the congregation of the Lord doth not here signifie as commonly it doth the body of the people but the society of the Elders or Rulers of the people who as they represent the whole Congregation and act in their name and for their service and good so they are sometimes called by the name of the Congregation as Numb 35. 12 24 25. Ios. 20. 6 9. 1 King 8. 5. compared with v. 1 2 3. and 1 Chron. 13 1 2 4. and 29. 1 10 20. compared with 1 Chron. 28. 1. and 29. 6. and of the congregation of God as it is in the Hebrew of Psal. 82. 1. Howsoever seeing they are oft called the congregation they may very well be called in a special manner the congregation of the Lord because they were appointed by God and act in his name and stead and for his work and service and did also oft assemble near the Tabernacle where God was eminently present Add to this that this Hebrew word Kahal generally signifies a Congregation or Company of men met together and therefore this cannot so conveniently be meant of all the body of the people which could never meet in one place but of the chief Rulers which frequently did so Nor is it strange that Ennucâ—…s are excluded from government partly because such persons are commonly observed to want that courage which is necessary for a Governour Exod. 18. 21. and partly because as such persons ordinarily were despicable so the Office and Authority in their hands was likely to be exposed to the same contempt 2 A bastard c So the word is commonly rendred and so it notes a person base-born or born in Fornication or Adultery or by
that time to search out the depths of this divine Wisdom in the administration of the World say we have heard the fame thereof g We know it only by slight and uncertain rumours but not fully and perfectly with our ears 23. God h i. e. God alone as appears by the denial of it to all other things understandeth the way thereof i Either the way how it is to be obtained Or rather the methods or courses which it takes in the management of all affairs in the World together with its grounds and end 〈◊〉 them and he knoweth the place thereof k Where it dwells which is only in his own Breast and Mind and in the best of men but in part and only as far as it pleaseth him to afford it 24. For he looketh to the ends of the Earth and seeth under the whole heaven l He and he only knows it because his Providence and that only is infinite and universal reaching to all places and times and things past present and to come whereas the most acute and knowing men have narrow understandings and see but very few things and small parcels of the works of God and therefore are very unfit to pass a judgment upon them because the Wisdom and Justice and Beauty of Gods works is not clearly nor fully seen till all the parts of them be laid together 25. To make the weight for the winds m Which of themselves are most light and without any weight and inconstant and such as no Creature can order or govern them But God manageth them all by weight appointing to every Wind that blows its season its proportion its bounds and limits when and where and how much and how long each Wind shall blow and for what ends whether for Mercy as to refresh men in hot seasons with its gentle gales to cherish the fruits of the Earth to waft Ships on the Sea to their desired Havens c. or whether for Judgment as to corrupt the air and thereby the Bodies of men and Fruits of the Earth to blow down Houses upon their Inhabitants as he was pleased to deal with my poor unhappy Children He only doth all these things and he only knows why he doth them He instanceth but in some few of Gods works and those which seem to be most trivial and casual and uncertain that thereby he might more strongly imply and prove that God doth the same in other things which are more considerable and are managed by more constant causes and certain methods that he doth all things in the most exact order and weight and measure and he weigheth n But it seems a very improper speech to weigh things by measure and therefore this word may more fitly be otherwise rendred he examineth or disposeth or fitteth or directeth for so this verb is elsewhere used as 1 Sam. 2. 3. Psal 75. 3. Prov. 16. 2. 21. 2. the waters o To wit the Rain-waters as appears from the next Verse which God layeth up in his Store-houses or bottles the Clouds and thence draws them forth and sends them down upon the Earth in such times and proportions as he thinks fit and as may serve his several designs and ends by measure p For liquid things are examined by measure as other things are by weight and here is both weight and measure to signifie with what exact and perfect Wisdom God doth govern the World 26. When he made q Which was either from eternity or at the first Creation when he settled that course and order which should afterwards be continued Or when he maketh But our Translation seems best to suit with the then in the next Verse where the sense is compleated a decree for the rain r An appointment and as it were a Statute Law that it should fall upon the Earth and that in such times and places and proportions and manner as he should think fit either for correction or for mercy as Elihu speaks Iob 37. 13. and a way s Or path how it should get out of the thick Cloud in which it was shut up and as it were imprisoned or a course which should for the future be observed as to the time and measure and ends and other circumstances belonging to it for the lightning of the thunder 27. Then t Either from eternity when he decreed what he would do or when he first created them did he see it u i. e. Wisdom which is the subject matter of the present discourse This God saw not abroad but within himself he looked or reflected upon it in his own mind as the rule by which he would proceed in the Creation and Government of all things managing them in such ways and methods as were most agreeable to his own most wise and unsearchable Counsels which no humane or created Wit can reach or pierce into Or he saw it so as to declare it as it follows so as to make it visible and manifest in some measure to his Creatures Or he saw it i. e. he enjoyed it seeing being oft put for enjoying as Psal. 27. 13. 34. 12. Eccles. 3. 13. 2. 1. Compare Prov. 8. 22. and ‖ Or number it declare it x i. e. He made it evident he discovered his deep Wisdom which lay hid before in his own breast or he laid the foundation of that discovery of it which then was or afterward should be made to Angels and Men as the Heavens did in themselves declare the glory of God Psal. 19. 1. before there was such a Creature as man to take notice of it because the object was visible in itself and not made so by the Eye which afterwards beheld it Or did number it i. e. shewed it as it were by number not only in gross but as it were by retail in all the several works which he made he prepared it y i. e. He had it in readiness for the doing of all his works as if he had been for a long time preparing materials for them So it is a speech of God after the manner of men Or he disposed it i. e. used or employed it in his works Or he settled or established it i. e. he firmly purposed to do such and such things in such manner as he thought meet and he established the order which he first made in the World that it should continue in after ages Or he directed it and directed and ordered all things by it yea and searched it out z Not properly for so searching implies Ignorance and that a man is at a loss and requires time and industry all which is repugnant to the Divine Perfections but figuratively as such expressions are oft used concerning God i e. He did and doth all things with that absolute and perfect Wisdom and he knoweth all his own Counsels and Actionâ—… and the reasons of them so exactly and perfectly as if he had bestowed