one of the First-born to come and put in his Hand and draw out a Schedule And to him that drew out one of the former sort he said a Levite hath redeemed thee but to him that drew out one of the latter he said pay thy Price And thus they tell the Story also in the Gemara Babylon Tit. Sanhedrin Which is probable enough unless we suppose the Congregation to have redeemed the Two hundred seventy three First-born out of a common Stock which was a shorter way but not so Divine as the other Verse 48 Ver. 48. And thou shalt give the Money wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed unto Aaron and to his Sons Which was but reasonable because the Levites being given to them by God v. 6 7. the Money that was paid to make up what was wanting in their proportion to the First-born belonged to them likewise Verse 49 Ver. 49. And Moses took the Redemption-Money of them that were over and above To whom the Lot fell having five Shekels written upon it Them that were redeemed by the Levites The First-born were redeemed by the Levites as far as their number would reach the rest who were more than the Levites were redeemed by Money Verse 50 Ver. 50. Of the First-born of the Children of Israel took he the Money a thousand three hundred and threescore and five Shekels Five times two hundred seventy and three make just this number Ver. 51. And Moses gave the Money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his Sons Which was a Rule observed in future Generations XVIII 15 c. According to the Word of the LORD as the LORD commanded Moses This is so oft repeated to show how faithful a Servant Moses was who did nothing but by the Divine order and omitted nothing that was commanded him CHAP. IV. Chapter IV Ver. 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses and Verse 1 unto Aaron saying They being both of them concerned to see this carefully executed he speaks to both and they took others to their Assistance v. 34 46. Ver. 2. Take the sum of the Sons of Kohath c. Verse 2 They are first mentioned being employed in the most honourable Work as I observed before III. 31. Ver. 3. From thirty years old and upward In this Verse 3 Work to which they are appointed they were not employed till they came to Thirty years of Age But they were admitted to attend at the Tabernacle and do other Service at the Age of Five and twenty as we read VIII 25. Which place the Jews in the Gemara Babylonica upon the Title Cholin reconcile with this after this manner They were admitted to learn their Duty at Five and twenty and to minister at Thirty And so Aben Ezra upon VIII Numb They were probationers and might do some service at Five and twenty years old but not do all For they might wait upon the Tabernacle but not bear the Ark. And that 's the exact truth they were admitted to minister to the Priests at Five and twenty but were not put upon this laborious work here mentioned till they had sufficient strength for it which was at Thirty years of Age when they were able to carry Burdens for by that word their work is described v. 15 19 24 31 47. For though some things which they were charged withal might be put into Waggons yet the Ark and the most holy Things were to be carried upon their Shoulders though they march'd never so far v. 15. and VII 9. When the Ark indeed was settled in the Temple which was a fixed place and therefore was no longer to be carried up and down then as D. Kimchi observes upon 1 Chron. XXIII King David appointed them to enter upon their Office at Twenty years old there being also other great Work to be performed in his time for which they were fit at that Age. And so it continued even after their return from the Captivity of Babylon III Ezra 8. See Selden de Success in Pontificat L. II. cap. 4. and Lightfoot in his Temple Service Chap. VI. Sect. 1. Even until fifty years old Beyond which Age they were not bound to do any Service but only to minister with their Brethren at the Tabernacle VIII 25 26. All that enter into the Host. Or into the Warfare For their watching continually as a Guard about the Tabernacle III. 7 c. made them a sort of Militia who were encamped as appears by the foregoing Chapter about the Tabernacle for its Security Besides which there was other Work which might make their Service as laborious as a Soldier 's Life is and give it the name of entring into the Host which manner of speaking St. Paul uses unto Timothy I. 1 18. where he exhorts him to war a good warfare To do the work of the Tabernacle of the Congregation They did not perform any Work in it but about it such as here follows unless we understand by the Tabernacle the outward Court into which they went to minister unto the Priests Ver. 4. This shall be the Service of the Sons of Kohath Verse 4 in the Tabernacle of the Congregation about the most holy things The next Verses explain what this Service was Or if the word about in the latter end of the Verse were quite left out the sence would be more clear This shall be the Service of the Sons of Kohath c. the most holy Things that is the Ark as Aben Ezra expounds it And his Interpretation may be justified from v. 19 and 20. in the latter of which it is called the holy and in the former the holy of holies as it is here in the Hebrew For it was the most holy of all other holy things in the Tabernacle and gave the Name to the place where it stood of holy of holies or the most holy place And this made the Service of the Kohathites the most honourable of all other and is the reason they are mentioned first Ver. 5. When the Camp setteth forward Which it Verse 5 did not do till the Cloud was taken up and removed from off the Tabernacle XL Exod. 36 37. X Numb 11. Aaron shall come and his Sons While the Cloud rested upon the Tabernacle and the Glory of the LORD filled the House none but Aaron might come into the most Holy Place where the Ark was and that but on one day in the year and then after he had filled it with Incense which made a Cloud before the Mercy Seat which was the Covering of the Ark over which the SCHECHINAH was But that being removed in the Cloud when it was taken up from the Tabernacle not only Aaron but his Sons also might come into the most Holy Place without any Irreverence that which made it so holy viz. the Glory of the LORD being gone out of it for the present so that there was no danger in approaching to the Ark where it was wont to rest And they shall take down
is the reason perhaps why these are ordered here in the next words to bring up the Rear They shall go hindmost with their Standards Here the Standard comprehends Ensigns for there was but one Standard for this Camp as there were no more for the other three Therefore the meaning is they shall march hindermost under their several Colours as we now speak Which was ordered for the greater Security of the Sanctuary by the two strongest Bodies marching before and behind where there was the greatest danger Ver. 32. These are those which were numbred of the Verse 32 Children of Israel by the House of their Fathers c. That is Thus were all these Persons disposed under their several Standards whose Number was taken by Moses and Aaron with their Associates I. 44 45. Ver. 33. But the Levites were not numbred among Verse 33 the Children of Israel as the LORD commanded Moses And consequently did not belong to any of these Standards being to make another Camp by themselves I. 47 c. Ver. 34. And the Children of Israel did according to Verse 34 all that the LORD commanded Moses As they gave in their Names when they were to be numbred I. 54. so they now joyned together under such Standards as God appointed So they pitched by their Standards and so they set forward c. Each Tribe encamped under the Standard that was assigned to them and they also marched when they set forward in such order as is here directed Some order no doubt had been observed before both when they rested and when they marched See XIII Exod. 18. but it was not so exact and regular as this form into which they were now cast by God himself nor can we think it was so strictly observed The Jews say that this Camp made a Square of Twelve Miles in compass about the Tabernacle as Dr. Lightfoot hath observed in his Centur. Chorogr CXLVIII and J. Wagenseil more lately in his Annotations upon the Gemara of Sota Cap. 1. Sect. 51. where several of them say that the Camp was three Parasots in compass and a Parasot was four Miles CHAP. III. Chapter III Verse 1 Ver. 1. THese are the Generations of Aaron and Moses Being now to give an account of the Levites who had not been numbred with the rest of the Children of Israel he sets down the descendants of the principal Persons among them viz. Aaron whom he puts in the first place because he was the elder Brother and his Posterity were advanced to the Dignity of Priests and Moses whose Posterity were only Ministers to the Priests as all the common Levites were It may seem indeed at first fight as if he gave an account only of Aaron's Posterity v. 2. But if we look further to v. 27 28. we shall find the Posterity of both here numbred in the Family of the Amramites of which both Aaron and Moses were Amram being their Father from whom the Genealogy of the Children of Moses is derived 1 Chron. XXIII 13 14 c. through their Generations as here those of Aaron Concerning the word Generations See Dr. Hammond on the first of St. Matthew Not. a. In the day that the LORD spake unto Moses in Mount Sinai This Circumstance seems to be particularly specified because at that time Nadab and Abihu who are mentioned in the next Verse were both alive and very eminent Persons XXIV Exod. 1 9 10. though they were now dead at this numbring of the Levites Ver. 2. These are the Names of the Sons of Aaron Verse 2 Nadab the first-born c. There seems no necessity of setting down the Names of Aaron's Sons they not being here to be numbred But it was of great Concernment to have the Distinction preserved between the Priests and the Levites their Offices being very different and therefore Moses here sets down who belonged to the one and who to the other Ver. 3. These are the Names of the Sons of Aaron Verse 3 the Priests which were anointed See VIII Levit. 30. Which he consecrated In the Hebrew whose Hand he filled See XXVIII Exod. 41. XXIX 9. To minister in the Priests Office He would have it noted that Aaron's Posterity were solemnly consecrated to an higher Office than the rest of the Tribe of Levi who were to be their Servants The very name of Cohen carries Dignity in it signifying sometime a Prince as well as a Priest Accordingly the Priests had very little servile Work imposed upon them but their chief business was to draw near to God to present him with the Blood and the Fat and some part of the Sacrifices which might be killed by other Persons This shows that they were God's Familiars insomuch that some Sacrifices were divided between him and them and it was the same thing whether they were consumed on the Alter or eaten by the Priests And those things are said to be given to God which were put into their hands though they never came to the Altar Which is an Evidence of the near relation they had to the Divine Majesty which the Levites had not for they could not come nigh to offer any thing to him no more than the rest of the Israelites but were employed in inferior Services about the Tabernacle that the Priests might wholly attend to the Service of God at the Altar Verse 4 Ver. 4. And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD c. A little after their Consecration X Lev. 1 c. And they had no Children Which is here recorded that all Posterity might know there were none to be admitted to the Office of Priesthood but such as could derive their Genealogy from Eleazar or Ithamar If the other had left any Sons they would have inherited their Father's Office before Eleazar as Maimonides observes out of Siphre See Schickard his Jus Regium Cap. VI. Theorem XX. And Eleazar and Ithamar ministred in the Priests Office in the sight of their Father The LXX rightly translate it together with their Father Who was the High Priest and they Lower Priests under him And so were all their Sons which it is likely they had in good number For they are appointed v. 38. for the guard of the Tabernacle towards the East And thus the Gemara Hieorosol in the Title concerning Fasting saith That Moses appointed VIII Classes of Priests four of the Family of Eleazar and as many of Ithamar which continued till the time of Samuel the Prophet and David who admitted many more See Selden de Success in Pontif. Cap. I. Ver. 5. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying Now he gives order about the rest of the Tribe of Levi who had been omitted in the late Muster Verse 5 Ver. 6. Bring the Tribe of Levi near and present Verse 6 them They had consecrated themselves to God by a noble Act mentioned XXXII Exod. 29. Which procured them this Blessing to be presented to God and consecrated to him in a solemn manner for such Services as he should assign
them So this word bring near signifies to offer them unto God As they were VIII 10 11. Before Aaron the Priest In his presence That they may minister unto him Unto Aaron and the rest of the Priests who were the immediate Ministers of God and the Levites were given to minister unto them Which they did many ways especially while they remain'd in the Wilderness where they had a peculiar Charge which otherwise would have been incumbent on the Priests not only to guard the Tabernacle and keep a Watch night and day about it but also to take it down and to carry it when they removed and to set it up again when they rested as we read in the following part of this Chapter and in the next When they came into the Land of Canaan and were settled there they had less to do of this kind But as the Charge of the Tabernacle still lay upon them as it had done before so did other Works in the Courts of the LORD'S House and in the Chambers where they waited on the Priests which are particularly mentioned in 1 Chron. XXIII 28 29 c. And in David's time their Work was still more increased for he appointed them to be Singers in the House of the LORD and to play upon several sorts of Instruments 1 Chron. XXV which they did Morning and Evening 1 Chron. XXIII 30. Porters perhaps there were before who stood at the several Gates of the Tabernacle as afterward of the Temple and are said therein to minister in the House of the LORD 1 Chron. XXVI 12. as also Guards of the Treasury of God's House and of things dedicated to him v. 20. But as he increased the number of them so he settled them in their Courses that there might be a constant Attendance with greater ease As for those of them that were made Judges and Officers not only in Matters concerning the LORD but in the Service of the King as we read there 1 Chron. XXVI 29 30. it no more belongs to what is said of them here than what follows there v. 31. that there were found among them mighty Men of Valour See upon v. 10. Verse 7 Ver. 7. And they shall keep his Charge and the charge of the whole Congregation It highly concerned Aaron in particular and the whole Congregation in general that the Tabernacle should be well guarded And this was the Levites great business at present who took this Charge from off their hands by attending that Service which all of them were bound to perform Before the Tabernacle of the Congregation This exactly expresses in what their Ministry consisted which was not performed in the Tabernacle where the Priests only officiated in the Holy Place as the High Priest in the most Holy but before it in the External Part of it where they assisted the Priests in their Service To do the Service of the Tabernacle Such Service as I have mentioned before v. 6. Ver. 8. And they shall keep By guarding them and keeping a continual Watch about them Verse 8 All the Instruments of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Every thing belonging to it And the charge of the Children of Israel to do the Service of the Tabernacle By which Service at the Tabernacle they took upon them the Charge which otherwise was incumbent on the whole Congregation who were to take care that the holy Things were kept both safe and secure and also separate to the Sacred Uses to which they were appointed These words which are often repeated to do the Service of the Tabernacle are to be carefully noted because the Levites did not serve in the Tabernacle which belonged only to the Priests but served the Tabernacle by guarding it and taking it down and carrying it c. as was said before Ver. 9. And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron Verse 9 and to his Sons They were first presented unto God v. 6. and God bestowed them as a Gift upon the Priests See VIII 19. They are wholly given unto him out of the Children of Israel To attend upon the Priests and to obey their Orders for which they paid them nothing but they were to do it freely being given to them to be their Servants by God who paid them their Wages Ver. 10. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his Sons Verse 10 and they shall wait on their Priests Office Or thou shalt appoint them to wait on their Priesthood Which he had shown before was very different from the Levitical Office but to make them more mindful of their Dignity he repeats it again that Aaron and his Sons alone should officiate as Priests viz. in offering Sacrifice in setting the Bread upon the Holy Table looking after the Lights and burning Incense Which they were to perform in their own Persons and not appoint any others as their Deputies to do them for none of these things could be performed by the Levites Whose business it was to look after the fine Flour of which the Bread was made to prepare it and the Frankincense which was to be burnt and abundance of such like things which are particularly mentioned 1 Chron. IX 27 28 29 31 32. But they could not make the Anointing Oyl or the sweet Perfume mentioned XXX Exod. 23 34. for they were most holy and therefore the Priests only could compound them And the Stranger that cometh nigh By Stranger is meant any one though a Levite that was not of the Sons of Aaron who alone had the priviledge to approach unto God Shall be put to death God himself sent out a Fire to consume Korah and his Company who presumed to offer Incense being but bare Levites and not Priests Chap. XVI Verse 11 Ver. 11. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying To make the Matter more clear he further tells Moses the reason why he took the Levites from among the the Children of Israel to be his after a peculiar manner Verse 12 Ver. 12. And I behold I have taken the Levites from among the Children of Israel Take notice of the Reason why I have taken the Levites from among the rest of the Israelites v. 9. for it is by my Order and Appointment Instead of all the First-born that openeth the Matrix c. To make an exchange with them for all their First-born which I have heretofore challenged as my own and now take the Levites in their stead Therefore the Levites shall be mine As all the First-born were which now shall be theirs and the Levites be mine Ver. 13. Because all the First-born are mine By Verse 13 a special Right which is mentioned in the next words For on the day that I smote all the First-born in the Land of Egypt The Title whereby he laid a Claim to all the First-born was that great Miracle as R. Levi of Barcelona calls it which he wrought when he destroyed all the First-born of their Neighbours in Egypt and touched not one of theirs By which sparing Mercy he acquired
the whole number of Males descended from Kohath compare this with III. 28. there was a fourth part and better that were fit for Service Ver. 37. These were they that were numbred of the Families of the Kohathites all that might do Service in the Tabernacle Such Service as is particularly mentioned from v. 4. to v. 16. Verse 37 Ver. 38. And these are they that were numbred of the Verse 38 Sons of Gershon c. He proceeds in the same order to number them which he observed in giving them their Charge beginning with the Children of the second Son of Levi and then going back to the eldest Ver. 39. From thirty years old and upward c. Verse 39 This Verse is the very same with 35. Ver. 40. Two thousand and six hundred and thirty Verse 40 A third part and little more of their Males were fit for Service Compare this with III. 22. Ver. 41. These are they that were numbred of the Families Verse 41 of the Sons of Gershon of all that might do Service in the Tabernacle c. Such Service as is described from v. 24. to v. 29. Ver. 42 43. These two Verses are the same with Verse 42. 43. v. 38 39. Ver. 44. Even those that were numbred of them after Verse 44 their Families were three thousand and two hundred It is very remarkable the Descendants from the youngest Son of Levi III. 17. which had the fewest Males in it of a Month old and upward had the most robust Men fit for Service For here are above half compare this with III. 34. of the whole number of Males grown up to Thirty Years of Age. Which was a singular Providence the heaviest Burden lying upon them who were to carry the Boards c. of the Tabernacle Not indeed upon their shoulders but in Waggons which they were to load after they had taken them down and unload when they were to set them up again and for that reason had more Waggons allowed them than their Brethren the Gershonites VII 7 8. Verse 45 Ver. 45. These are those c. whom Moses and Aaron numbred Who were principally employed in this business According to the Word of the LORD by the hand of Moses To whom the Command is expresly directed v. 21. Verse 46 Ver. 46. All those that were numbred of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron and the Chief of Israel numbred For they took in others to their assistance v. 34. which is here repeated to show that there was no fraud in the business there being Witnesses of every Tribe that they proceeded impartially and did not favour the Levites who were their Brethren Verse 47 Ver. 47. Every one that came to do the Service of the Ministry and the Service of the Burden in the Tabernacle c. The first of these the Service of the Ministry one would think related to their serving the Priest when the Tabernacle was standing and the later the Service of the Burden to their carrying the Tabernacle when it was taken down and removed and so I expounded those words v. 24. But he mentioning here only those that were numbred from Thirty Years old I think upon further consideration that there is no regard in these Expressions to the Service they did to the Priests in the Tabernacle unto which they were admitted at Twenty five Years old See v. 3. but only to the Service mentioned here in this Chapter which relates altogether to the taking down and carrying the Tabernacle And therefore these must be lookt upon as two Phrases for the same thing the former of which is not exactly translated for there is nothing of Ministry in the Hebrew but the words are Every one that cometh to serve the Service of the Service and the Service of the Burden or Carriage For it is the same word which being joyned with work we translate servile XXIII Lev. 7. and other places Ver. 48. Eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore Verse 48 If the three Sums mentioned v. 36 40 44. be put together they amount exactly to this Sum in the whole Ver. 49. According to the Commandment of the Verse 49 LORD they were numbred by the hand of Moses By the assistance of Aaron and others v. I 34 46. Every one according to his Service and according to his Burden I observed before v. 47. that Service and Burden are two Expressions of the same thing For though the Sons of Kohath had the noblest part of the Work yet their Employment is called both a Service and a Burden v. 19. as that of the Gershonites is v. 24. For which Service all the Tithes of the Country of Canaan were given to them and continued to be theirs when this kind of Service ceased as it did when the Temple was built For then there were no Burdens to be carried on their shoulders as Josiah speaks 2 Chron. XXXV 3. but their Duty was changed even by David before the Building of the Temple who made them Singers and Keepers of the Treasury as well as Porters at the Gates of God's House and likewise Judges and other Officers in the Country as we read in 1 Chron. XXVI But the alteration in their Service made no alteration in the Wages allotted to them for they still enjoyed all the Tithes Thus were they numbred of him as the LORD commanded Moses This is so often repeated v. 37 41 45. that all Posterity might reverence these Ordinances as Divine Institutions and not merely Humane Appointments And so we are to look upon all these Laws as wise Orders made by the Soveraign of the World for the better Government of that People whom he had taken for his own peculiar And it argues a very profane Spirit in those as Conr. Pellicanus here observes who can admire and praise Ovid de Fastis and such like Books and have no regard at all if they do not ridicule them to these Sacred Writings which are of such venerable Antiquity CHAP. V. Chapter V Verse 1 Ver. 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying It is not said when this was spoken which here follows but it 's likely immediately after the foregoing Commandments upon which it hath some dependance Verse 2 Ver. 2. Command the Children of Israel that they put out of the Camp every Leper and every one that hath an Issue and whosoever is defiled by the dead There were three Camps as Maimonides and a great many other mentioned by Mr. Selden observes L. II. de Synedr cap. I. n. 5. the Camp of the SCHECHINAH or of the LORD viz. the Sanctuary with its Courts which are called the Tents of the LORD 1 Chron. XXXI 2. And next the Camp of the Levites who with Aaron and his Sons made a Camp about the Tabernacle Chapter III. of this Book and then the Camp of Israel Chapter II. which incompassed them all Answerable to these when the Temple was built they reckoned the Temple it self from the East-Gate to be the Camp of
had devoted them to him by laying their Hands on them v. 10. and Aaron had waved them as a Wave-offering to the LORD v. 11. Instead of such as open every Womb c. See III. 12 13. Verse 17 Ver. 17. For all the First-born of the Children of Israel are mine both Man and Beast c. XIII Exod. 2. Verse 18 Ver. 18. And I have taken the Levites for all the First-born of the Children of Israel By the exchange mentioned III. 2 13 45. Verse 19 Ver. 19. And I have given the Levites as a Gift to Aaron and to his Sons c. In the Hebrew the words are more emphatical I have given the Levites given c. That is the Levites which are given unto me v. 16. I have given unto Aaron and his Sons III. 9. To do the Service of the Children of Israel See III. 7. The Vulgar Latin translates it to serve me for the Children of Israel i. e. to do them Service by assisting the Priests in offering Sacrifice for the People In the Tabernacle of the Congregation See v. 15. And to make an Atonement for the Children of Israel Not by offering Sacrifice for that was the work of the Priests alone but by being offered themselves in the nature of an expiatory Sacrifice unto God as I observed before v. 10 and 12. For though they were not slain at the Altar as Sacrifices were yet they might expiate as the Scape-Goat did Which was sent away alive into the Wilderness after it had been presented unto the LORD as these Levites were XVI Levit. 7 10. That there be no Plague among the Children of Israel As there would have been if any Man had presumed to officiate in the House of God but such as were in this manner taken by himself to minister there When the Children of Israel come nigh unto the Sanctuary To worship God and to bring their Sacrifices to be offered at his Altar Ver. 20. And Moses and all the Congregation of Israel Verse 20 i. e. The Elders of the People v. 9 10. Did to the Levites according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites c. Separated them to God from the rest of the Israelites as he had directed v. 14. Ver. 21. And the Levites were purified and they Verse 21 washed their Clothes According to the order given v. 7. And Aaron offered them an Offering before the LORD Or rather Waved them a Wave-offering c. As I observed v. 11. To which may be added That it is likely some of the Levites were thus waved in the name of all the rest for there being Two and twenty thousand of them III. 39. one cannot well conceive how they should be every one thus offered And Aaron made an Atonement for them to cleanse them See v. 12. Ver. 22. And after that the Levites went in to do Verse 22 their Service in the Tabernacle of the Congregation According to the Directions given v. 15. Before Aaron and before his Sons In their presence and by their direction Ver. 23. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying Verse 23 After the foregoing Commands he gave him some further Instructions Ver. 24. This it is that belongeth unto the Levites Add this to what hath been said about them From twenty and five years old and upward they shall Verse 24 go in Then they might begin to take the Custody of the Tabernacle upon them and to be Door-keepers to keep out Strangers and such as were unclean but not to load the Wagons and do such like work of burden till they were thirty years of Age. See IV. 3. To wait upon the Service of the Tabernacle c. In the Hebrew the words are To war the warfare of the Tabernacle Which is a Phrase often used before IV. 3 23 c. and there applied to those that carried the Tabernacle Which they might not do till thirty years of Age but might go in to learn at five and twenty as some reconcile these two But Abarbinel notes That there is nothing said of their learning but of their Service or Ministry and therefore at twenty five years old they began that part of the Service which consisted in the Custody of the Tabernacle Verse 25 Ver. 25. And from the Age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the Service thereof In the Hebrew Shall return from the warfare of their Service i. e. be discharged from their Function and no longer burdened with any laborious work as that of carrying the Tabernacle was And shall serve no more In such manner of work Verse 26 Ver. 26. But shall minister with their Brethren This Ministry is explained in the following words To keep the charge that is to take care of the Tabernacle unto which they were to be a Guard In the Tabernacle of the Congregation See IV. 3. And shall do no Service In the Hebrew Serve no Service that is do no laborious work as was said before their Age beginning to require ease and rest and therefore no Ministry was required of them but what they might well perform without pains and labour Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge Appoint them their Ministries according to these Rules which were observed after the Ark of God was settled and there was no occasion to remove it any more When David therefore instead of carrying the Ark and the Tabernacle for which there was then no further occasion appointed them to be Singers in the Temple and Porters c. For which they were fit at twenty years of Age but continued their Employment no longer than till fifty as the Jews tell us when their Voice began to decay Whence that Observation of Abarbinel upon this very Chapter Age makes Levites unfit for Service not Blemishes in their Bodies but Priests are unfit by Blemishes in their Bodies not by Age. For Priests continued their Service as long as they lived and though they did not begin it till twenty years of Age yet no Law of God forbad them to begin sooner CHAP. IX Chapter IX Verse 1 Ver. 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai Or the LORD had spoken for he relates now what was done a Month ago but not recorded till now for a special reason Which was that God having commanded them in the Month before this to keep the Passover some Persons were unprepared for it and thereupon a question arose What Course they should take for they were much troubled they could not do as their Brethren did Which produced a new Command from God that they should keep the Passover in this second Month of the first Year after they came out of Egypt This Moses being to give an account of as a matter of great importance he doth it in the proper place for it when he was relating what things were done in this Month I. 1. and deferred the mention of keeping the Passover in the first Month till he could speak
over the Ark of the Testimony IX 15. not in the Door of the Tabernacle for there Korah and his Company stood See XVI Exod. 10. And the end of the LORD 's appearing was to to give Sentence in this case and to declare by a visible Token whom he accepted as his Priests Thus the Glory of the LORD appeared the first time that Aaron and his Sons offered Sacrifice IX Lev. 6 23. Ver. 20. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Verse 20 Aaron saying A little before they put Fire in their Censers Ver. 21. Separate your selves from this Congregation Verse 21 Viz. From Korah and his Company and the People they brought along with them who seemed to favour them v. 19. That I may consume them in a moment As he did Korah and his Companions Ver. 22. And they fell on their faces To pray to Verse 22 God as they had done before v. 4. O God The most mighty The God of the Spirits of all Flesh Who hast created the Souls of all Mankind so Flesh often signifies all Men VI Gen. 13. and therefore searchest into their most secret Thoughts and Inclinations So these words signifie XXVII 16. Shall one Man sin Korah who was the chief Incendiary and Contriver of this Sedition And wilt thou be wroth with all the Congregation Many of which he thought might through weakness be seduced into this Faction having no Malice at all in their hearts Which God knew perfectly and therefore he begs of him that he would make a distinction between such as these and the Men that misled them Verse 23 Ver. 23. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying He bad him rise up having granted his Petition Verse 24 Ver. 24. Speak unto the Congregation Whom Korah had gathered together and brought along with him to the Door of the Tabernacle v. 19. Get ye up from about the Tabernacle of Korah Dathan and Abiram Which it seems was not far off or wheresoever it was there a great number of People was gathered together to see what would be the Conclusion of this Contest The word Tabernacle is in the Singular Number but includes all the Tents belonging to these Men as appears from v. 26. Or perhaps they had set up one great Tabernacle for the word here is Mischean which may be thought to signifie more than Ohel a Tent v. 26. unto which abundance of People resorted as the place that Korah and the rest had appointed for the general Rendevouz as we now speak of all their Party For here Dathan and Abiram it is evident v. 27. were with him but there is no mention at all of On which makes it probable he had forsaken them as Moses wisht all the People to do on which Condition God promised to pardon them Ver. 25. And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Verse 25 Abiram To try I suppose if he could reduce them to their Obedience and prevent their ruine He seems to have had no hopes of Korah but lookt upon him as incorrigible And the Elders of Israel followed him Either the LXX Elders who were lately chosen out of the rest XI 16. or the whole Body of those who were called by that Name and were Men of Authority attended upon him to make this Action more solemn and to let Dathan and Abiram see how much Moses was reverenced by better Men than themselves who refused to come to him v. 12 14. Ver. 20. And spake unto the Congregation saying Verse 26 It seems Dathan and Abiram refused to hear him as they did to come to him for here is no mention of any thing he spake to them but only to the Congregation who were gathered about their Tents Depart I pray you from the Tents of these wicked Men. I suppose now they were gone to their own Tents where their Families were from which he beseeches the People to remove with all speed And he doth not mean merely that they should remove their Persons from them but their Tents and their Goods and Cattle And touch nothing of theirs Because all belonging unto them was under an Anathema which God had passed upon them That is was devoted to destruction and therefore not to be touched XIII Deut. 17. Lest ye be consumed in all their sins Destroyed with them who had sinned so grievously as to fall under the Curse before-mentioned Verse 27 Ver. 27. So they gat up from the Tabernacle of Korah Dathan and Abiram Where the greatest number of People were gathered together as I observed v. 24. For here is the same word Mischean again in the Singular Number denoting some spacious Habitation where perhaps they held their Consultations and unto which there was the greatest resort On every side From which we may conclude that the People had come from all quarters of the Camp to these Rebels either to joyn with them or out of Curiosity to see how things would go And Dathan and Abiram With Korah also it may be thought because he is mentioned in the beginning of the Verse Yet this Conclusion cannot be drawn from thence for it is not said he was now there but that it was the Tabernacle of Korah Dathan and Abiram where they used I suppose to meet Came out From the Tabernacle before-mentioned And stood in the door of their Tents Of their own Tents where they commonly dwelt And their Wives and their Sons and their Children With their whole Families This was the highest degree of audacious and hardned Infidelity whereby they declared that they feared not what Moses who had given the greatest proof he was a Man of God could do unto them Ver. 28. And Moses said Unto all the People of Israel or to the Elders and as many as could Verse 28 hear him Hereby you shall know I will now give you an evident Demonstration That the LORD hath sent me to do all these works That I have been commissioned by God to do all the things with which those Men find fault particularly to take upon me the Government of them and to put Aaron and his Family into the Priesthood and make the Levites only their Ministers c. See v. 2 3 13 14. For I have not done them of my own mind In the Hebrew the words are And that not out of my heart It was none of my own device or contrivance I did it not out of an ambitious desire to be great myself or out of private affection to my Brother Ver. 29. If these Men die the common death of all Verse 29 Men. In the Hebrew it is As die all Mankind that is a Natural Death as we now speak Or they be visited after the visitation of all Men. i. e. Such Judgments of God come upon them as are usual and common in the World viz. a Pestilence the Sword or Famine The LORD hath not sent me Then look upon me as an Impostor Ver. 30. But if the LORD make a new thing Verse 30 In the Hebrew the words are If
Tribes as it here follows therefore have I said unto them among the Children of Israel shall they have no Inheritance For he had given them the Tythes to inherit But R. Solomon Jarchi observes also that the Levites themselves had no right to them till they had taken out the tenth part from their Tenth and given it to the Priests as is here immediately directed Verse 25 Ver. 25. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying In all the foregoing part of the Chapter v. 1 8 20. the LORD spake unto Aaron though by Moses but here his Order is particularly directed to Moses because that which follows would better come from him than from Aaron Who was employed in acquainting the Levites with the Donation God had made of the Tythes to them v. 21. but it would not have been so proper for him to tell them what was to be given out of the Tythes to himself and to the Priests Verse 26 Ver. 26. Thus speak unto the Levites and say unto them When ye take of the Children of Israel the Tythes which I have given you from them for your Inheritance In these words Moses confirms the report which Aaron had made to them that the Tythes of the Land should be theirs and their Brethren the Children of Israel have no right to them Then shall ye offer up an Heave-offering for the LORD As the Israelites made their grateful Acknowledgments to God by offering their Tythes to him for the use of his Servants the Levites v. 24. so it was but fit that the Levites should be so grateful as to offer to him the Tythe of their Tythes as it here follows for such uses as he should appoint Even a tenth part of the Tythe For the tenth part which God reserved to himself out of the Land which he gave the Children of Israel was a kind of Rent paid to him their Supreme LORD And he assigning this Rent over to the Levites for their Maintenance thought good notwithstanding to reserve a Tythe of this tenth part to himself that thereby he might as it were hold his Possession and keep Seisin as the Lawyers speak of his own Inheritance Ver. 27. And this your Heave-offering shall be reckoned Verse 27 unto you Be accepted by God as the Offerings heaved up to him in the Sanctuary are v. 24. though it be but the hundredth part of the whole Fruit of the Land As though it were the Corn of the Threshing-floor and as the fulness of the Wine-press As if you paid such a Tythe as the Israelites do to you out of all their own Fields and Vineyards That is they were to believe their Offering of this small part to be as acceptable to God as that of all the Tribes of Israel and that they should have the same right to what remained when they had done this as the People had to all the rest of the Fruits of the Earth when they had paid the tenth part to the Levites Ver. 28. Thus you also shall offer an Heave-offering Verse 28 unto the LORD of all your Tythes which ye receive of the Children of Israel He would have them know that he ordered this because he would not have the Levites alone offer nothing to him from whom they received so much but they also should make him a grateful Acknowledgment as well as others And ye shall give thereof the LORD 's Heave-offering It is called so often the LORD 's Heave-offering that they might the more willingly pay it out of a thankful sense of what they owed to him the Donor of all To Aaron the Priest This Tythe is thought by some to have been designed for the High-Priest alone Two great Men in their time were of this Opinion viz. Nicolaus Lyra and the famous Alphonsus Tostatus And another very learned Person of our own Bishop R. Montagu thinks it not altogether improbable that such a Provision as this might be made for the High-Priest and his Family State and Dignity he being a Man of great Power and Might only less than the Kings of Israel and the inferiour Priests having a noble Maintenance without this from the First-fruits and Offerings of the People But there is nothing to support this but the mere Letter of the Text for Josephus expresly says the contrary Lib. VI. Archaeolog cap. 4. and so do the generality of the Jewish Writers and St. Hierom also that all the Priests had their share in this Tenth paid by the Levites Which till it was paid the Levites might not spend to their own use any part of their Tythe And to secure this the Priest was to be with the Levites when they took Tythes as we read X Nehem 37 38 to take care that they set out a tenth part of them for the Priests Whereby the Priest the Son of Aaron I cannot think is meant the High-Priest himself for that had been below his Dignity but some Priest I suppose appointed by him who took care of the Concerns of the whole Order of Priesthood and particularly of the High-Priest's interest who it is probable had a principal share among the rest in this Revenue perhaps a tenth part out of their Tenth But for this I have no Authority though I take it for certain that when he saith this Tenth should be given to Aaron the Priest the meaning is that as it was not for himself alone but all his Sons had a share in it so he himself was not excluded from an honourable portion of it It may seem strange perhaps that there is no particular portion set out for the High-Priest by himself if this be not it But it is to be considered that all the forenamed Provision From v. 8. to v. 20. was made for him in the first place and for the Priests together with him For so the words runs Vnto thee have I given them and to thy Sons v. 8 9 c. And he had this priviledge also that he did not Minister by Lot as the other Priests did in their several Courses but when he pleased and might take to himself what Sacrifices he thought good to offer V. 9 10. as Maimonides tells us in Cele Mikdasch cap. 5. where he speaks concerning the High-Priest's Prerogatives Ver. 29. Out of all your Gifts Not only out of Verse 29 their Tythes but out of all their other Possessions which God gave them their Fields for instance which were in the Suburbs of their Cities Ye shall offer Make a Present to the Priests Every Heave-offering Some portion of every thing God gives you to possess Of the LORD As a thankful acknowledgment of the Divine Bounty to you upon whom he hath bestowed so many good things See v. 28. Of all the best thereof And that not of the refuse but of the best of the Tythe and other things that were given them By which is not to be understood that they were bound to pick out the very best Wheat suppose and separate it from the worse which
would have been to have given them more than a tenth part but they were to give the Priests as good as they left for themselves For that was the Rule XXVII Lev. 32 33. And it was but reason the Priests should have this honourable provision made for them above the Levites their Vocations being more honourable and their Service more noble in the very Sanctuary it self For which cause this tenth of the Tythe of the Land was assigned them which they being but few in comparison with the Levites made the allowance to every one of them much greater than to any of the Levites And yet as an augmentation to it they had the First-fruits and their Fees as I said before out of the Sacrifices and other things wholly to their own use Even the hallowed part thereof out of it The sacred part was the tenth part which they might not use it being taken by God for his part XXVII Lev. 30. By which all the rest was sanctified to the use of the owner when this part was taken out of it which may possibly be here also intended Ver. 30. Therefore thou shalt say unto them Tell them the reason why this tenth part must be separated from the rest When ye have heaved the best thereof from it Taken Verse 30 out the tenth part as an Offering to the LORD Then it shall be counted to the Levites as the increase of the Threshing-floor and as the increase of the Wine-press Then the remainder may be as freely used by them as the Corn or the Wine of any Man's Land in Israel when he had paid his Tythe But till then it was unlawful for him to enjoy it because God was first to be served This is made more plain in the next verse Ver. 31. And ye shall eat it After the hallowed Verse 31 part was taken out v. 29. all the rest was theirs to be enjoyed as Men do that which is their own In every place This seems to be said to distinguish these from the holy things given by God to the Priests Which being offered at the Altar were to be eaten only in the Holy Place but the Tythes though they were a kind of Offering to the LORD yet not being presented at the Altar might be eaten any where after the tenth part was given to the Priests And your housholds All their Family Servants as well as others might eat of them whether they were clean or no. And more than this they might sell them to Strangers to buy other Necessaries with the Money they yielded or exchange them for other Commodities For it is your reward for your Service in the Tabernacle of the Congregation See v. 21. Ver. 32. And ye shall bear no sin Suffer no punishment By reason of it For eating it with your Housholds When ye have heaved from it the best of it When they had taken out the tenth part as sacred to God's uses v. 28. they might safely use the rest themselves as they pleased For God had given it to them for their support and therefore would not punish them for eating it as he did those that did eat holy Things which did not belong to them Neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the Children of Israel Nor would there be any danger of polluting the holy Things which God had reserved to himself by turning them to a common use as there would have been if they had eaten the Tythes or other Gifts before the tenth part which was God's was taken out of them Lest ye die In the Hebrew it is Nor shall ye die as those did who meddled with the holy Things which God reserved for his Ministers alone CHAP. XIX Chapter XIX Verse 1 Ver. 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying They were both concerned in what follows Moses to deliver the Command and Aaron to see it executed Verse 2 Ver. 2. This is the Ordinance Or the Constitution Of the Law which the LORD hath commanded Which is now passed into a Law by God's command who had ordered this Water of Purification to be made some time before as appears from VIII 7. But now sets down a Rule for all Posterity to observe in the making of it It is the rather mentioned now after the foregoing History to free the People from that great fear they were in of perishing in their Uncleanness XVII 12 13. by showing them a way how to be purified from the greatest Pollution before they approached to the Tabernacle Speak unto the Children of Israel that they bring thee At the common Charge of the People because it was for their common benefit A red Heifer The Hebrew word Parah which we translate Heifer signifies a young Cow as Par signifies a young Bullock not above two or three years old at most as Kimchi and others observe Without spot This the Jews refer to the word red which goes before and take it to signifie perfectly red without the mixture of any other colour for as to any other Imperfections they are provided against in the next words without blemish Insomuch that Maimonides in his Treatise on this Subject saith That if this Cow had two Hairs black or white it was unfit for this use From whence other Nations particularly the Egyptians derived the custom of sacrificing red Oxen as Plutarch tells us in his Book de Iside Osiride 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And he saith they searcht them so very narrowly that if they found one hair black or white they counted it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unfit to be sacrificed See Bochartus P. I. Hierozoic Lib. II. cap. 39. where he shows this was the most common colour among that sort of Creatures in some Countries Wherein is no blemish See XXII Lev. 20 21 22. And upon which never came yoke Had never been imployed in ploughing the Ground or any other Work for according to the common sense of all Mankind those Creatures which had been made to serve other uses became unfit to be offered to God Whence Diomedes promises Pallas a Cow of a year old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which no Man hitherto had brought under the yoke Iliad K. And so doth Nestor Odyss T. and the like Bochartus observes out of Virgil Ovid and others in his Hierozoicon P. I. Lib. II. cap. 33. All this is very plain but why a young Cow rather then a Bullock which is commonly appointed in Sacrifices and why one perfectly red is not so easie to understand If we had any reason to believe that those Superstitions were among the Egyptians in the days of Moses which were when Plutarch or Herodotus lived we might very probably say as some Men of Learning have that this Precept was given to preserve the Israelites from their Religion For they abhorred to offer a Cow whom they honoured as sacred to Isis So Herodotus they sacrificed Males both old and young 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is not lawful for them to
Brook Zered as it is in II Deut. 13 14. And then to the River Arnon v. 13. and thence to Beer where they digged a famous Well XXI 16 17 18. which perhaps they might have done before in other places if they had made Experiment for Kadesh where they now were was in the Border of a Country inhabited And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron Just as their Fathers had many times done particularly upon such an occasion as this XVII Exod. 2 3. Ver. 3. And the People chode with Moses Instead Verse 3 of condoling with him and comforting him for the Death of his Sister and their Prophetess as Abarbinel observes they came in a rude manner to scold at him And spake saying Would God that we had died when our Brethren died before the LORD By a sudden Death rather than linger away by Thirst They allude to the strokes of God upon their Brethren XI 1 33. XIV 37. XVI 32 35 46. Which one would have thought should have affrighted them from uttering such very discontented Language XIX 2. But nothing will alter those who will not lay to heart and preserve in mind God's Mercies and Judgments Verse 4 Ver. 4. And why have ye brought the Congregation of the LORD into this Wildernoss that we and our Cattle should die there The very words of their Fathers presently after they came out of Egypt XVII Exod 3. Verse 5 Ver. 5. And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt They speak as if it had not been their own desire but that they were perswaded to it by Moses to leave Egypt who was sent to tell them God heard their sighing groans and crys and would deliver them II Exod. 23 24. III. 17. But in a discontented fit nothing of this was remembred To bring us unto this evil place They do not speak of returning to Egypt as their Fathers did XIV 3 4. but they repented that they were come out of it So shamefully forgetful they were of all God's benefits who had in a wonderful manner redeemed them from the heaviest Slavery and hitherto provided for them miraculously in the Wilderness which was a better place than such an ungrateful People deserved It is no place of Seed i. e. of Corn. Or of Figs or of Vines or Pomegranates c. Now they complain for want of other things as well as Water wherein they still imitate their unbelieving Fathers XVI 14. Ver. 6. And Moses and Aaron went from the presence Verse 6 of the Assembly unto the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation To pray to God to pardon their Sin and to supply their Wants And they fell upon their Faces As they had often done before on other such like occasions particularly XIV 5. And the Glory of the LORD appeared unto them Unto all the People it is likely as it had done several times to silence their Murmurings See XIV 10. XVI 19 42. Ver. 7. And the LORD spake unto Moses From Verse 7 that Glory which appeared upon the Tabernacle Ver. 8. Take the Rod. That famous Rod wherewith Moses had wrought so many Miracles in Egypt and at the Red Sea c. And gather thou the Assembly together This word Edah signifying sometimes only the Assembly of the Elders not of the whole People it would be uncertain which of them he is bid to gather together for it is a different word from that which we translate Assembly v. 6. if the tenth verse had not determined that it was the Kahal or Congregation of the People as the word Edah also signifies just before v. 8. Thou and Aaron thy Brother For the People were gathered together against Aaron in a mutinous manner as well as against Moses v. 2. And speak ye unto the Rock before their eyes To the first Rock you meet withal saith Nachmanides and that is within their sight For this is not the same Verse 9 Rock out of which the former Water flowed as the Jews fancy but quite different Their very Names are different that being called Tzur this Selah That was in Rephidim this is Kadesh two very distant places Thus Chaskuni some think this the same with that in Exodus but it is not the same History For the former was in Horeb this in Kadesh which is in the Extremity of the Land of Edom. But whether God pointed him to a Rock which was then in their sight as he did at Horeb XVII Exod. 5 6. or left him to chuse any stony place is not certain But it is a mere fancy of some of the Jews that because God here bad them speak to the Rock Moses offended God in smiting it For to what purpose should he take the Rod if he was not to smite the Rock with it as he had done formerly Just such another conceit there is in Schalschelet Hakkabala where R. Gedaliah saith That he had given an account of this Sin in another Book which he gathered out of various Writers and found there were XXVIII different Opinions about it But he preferred this before any of them that whereas God bad Moses gather the Edah together that is the Assembly of the People v. 8. he gathered the Kahal i. e. the Congregation of the Princes and Elders as he will have it whose Faith needed no Confirmation See Hottinger in his Smegma Orientale cap. 8. p. 451. And it shall give forth his Water The Jews puzzle themselves about this Expression which sounds they think as if the Water was contained in the Rock and Moses only made a Gap for it to gush out But it seems to be spoken in opposition to the Waters issuing out of the former Rock which had supplyed them hitherto but now ceased to flow It being as much as if he had said This shall give forth Water as that did before now it shall be called the Water of this Rock not that of Horeb. And thou shalt bring forth to them Water out of the Rock Renew the former Miracle So thou shalt give the Congregation and their Beasts drink So that they and their Cattle which they fear will perish v. 4. shall be as plentifully provided for as ever Ver. 9. And Moses took the Rod from before the Verse 9 LORD as he commanded him From hence some conclude that this was the Rod of Aaron which blossomed because he is said to take it from before the LORD where Aaron's Rod was laid up XVII 10. But this Rod is so expresly called Moses his Rod V. 11. which was the Instrument of bringing the former Water out of the Rock in Horeb that I cannot but think this was the very same Rod. Which being there called the Rod of God XVII Exod. 9. as it is at the first mention of it IV Exod. 20. it is very probable that by God's order it was laid up somewhere before him in the Sanctuary though not before the Ark of the Testimony For having been imployed in doing
War and of those who staid at home but were able to go to War who were above Six hundred thousand XXVI 2 51. of which Twelve thousand who were employed in this Expedition were the fiftieth part And give them to the Levites Who were far more numerous than the Priests and therefore had a greater proportion of the Tribute Which keep the charge of the Tabernacle of the LORD See I. 50. III. 6 7 8. Ver. 31. And Moses and Eleazar the Priest did as Verse 31 the LORD commanded Moses This Command is peculiarly to Moses v. 25. but Eleazar was to assist him in the execution of it v. 26. and accordingly they took the Sum of the Prey both of Man and Beast and divided them between the Souldiers and People and levied a Tribute upon each for the LORD who ordered them to his Ministers Ver. 32. And the booty being the rest of the prey which the Men of Israel had caught i. e. Besides what was necessarily spent for their Subsistence during the War and while they lay out of the Camp v. 19. Was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep A vast stock far exceeding the number of Men of War which were in Israel Verse 33 Ver. 33. And threescore and twelve thousand beeves It seems their Country had good Pasture in it as well as Sheep-walks For as Arabia Foelix it is certain had agros latissimos fertilissimos as Pliny speaks Lib. VI. cap. 28. most spacious and Fertile Fields so Arabia Petraea in which Midian was did not wholly want them Verse 34 Ver. 34. And threescore and one thousand Asses The Countries about Judea abounding with Camels also particularly Arabia in which Job had a great number it may seem strange that we read of none here especially since they had vast numbers in following times VI Judges 5. VII 12. and the Ishmaelites with whom they were Associates in Trade had them long before this time XXXVII Gen. 27 36. But it is likely they did not yet find it for their profit to feed Camels of which they learnt to make a Trafick afterward no more than Mules of which we read nothing here nor indeed in Judea till the times of David It may be supposed that if they had Camels they were of that kind called Dromedaries which were famous in this Country in after Ages LX Isa 6. and that the People who escaped the slaughter fled away upon them And that there were other Beasts in this Country besides Beeves and Asses and Sheep and Goats seems to be plain from v. 30. where after the mention of these he adds of all manner of Beasts he should take a Portion for the Levites But of Camels or Dromedaries I suppose none were found Ver. 35. And thirty two thousand persons in all of women that had not known Man c. It appears by this to have been a very populous Country in which were so many Virgins Verse 35 Ver. 36. And the half which was the portion of them Verse 36 that went out to war was in number three hundred and seven and thirty thousand and five hundred Sheep There is no difficulty in this or in the following verses this being exactly the half of the whole number of Sheep mentioned v. 32. Ver. 37. And the LORD's Tribute of the Sheep Verse 37 was six hundred and threescore and fifteen Which is exactly one in five hundred out of this half of the Booty as God ordered v. 28. Ver. 38. And the Beeves were thirty and six thousand Verse 38 whereof the LORD's Tribute was threescore and twelve The very same proportions are observed here as in the Sheep which appears by comparing this verse with v. 33. And the two next verses 39 40. give the same account of the Asses and the Persons which were as exactly divided and the LORD had the same portion of them as v. 34 35. compared with these demonstrate Ver. 41. And Moses gave the Tribute which was the Verse 41 LORD 's Heave-offering unto Eleazar the Priest c. This is recorded to show how faithful Moses was in performing obedience to God's Commands v. 29. and far from desiring the smallest Portion for himself out of so great a Booty Which if he had acted by his own private Spirit he would scarce have avoided Ver. 42. And of the Children of Israel's half which Verse 42 Moses divided from the Men that warred There is nothing here nor in the following verses to v. 48. but a Repetition of what was said concerning the other half before-mentioned to show that the same exactness was observed both in the Division of the Prey among the People and in taking out of it such a Portion as God assigned to the Levites which was one out of fifty as out of the Men of Wars part one out of five hundred v. 28 30. Verse 48 Ver. 48. And the Officers which were over thousands of the Host the Captains of thousands and Captains of hundreds came near unto Moses The first words of this verse seem to suppose that there were other great Officers as well as the General who were above the Captains over thousands and the Captains over hundreds which is very probable Verse 49 Ver. 49. And they said unto Moses thy Servants c. The greatest Men speak with the greatest Reverence to Moses who was in the place of God Have taken the sum of the men of war which are under our charge Made a muster of them as we now speak at our return from the War And there lacketh not one man of us A wonderful Victory which shows the War was the LORD's v. 3. Who struck such a Terror into them that one would think they turn'd their backs and did not strike a stroke against the Israelites Verse 50 Ver. 50. We have therefore brought an Oblation for the LORD For the Uses of the Sanctuary either in purchasing Sacrifices or maintaining God's Ministers c. For KORBAN signifies every thing that is given to God though not sacrificed upon the Altar What every man hath gotten All of them offered something to the LORD out of the Spoil he had gotten according to the Piety of ancient Times XIV Gen. 20. For we find no Precept in the Law for this and yet it was constantly practised by David in after times 2 Sam. VIII 11 12. and by the Officers of his Army 1 Chron. XXVI 26 27. and by other Men Samuel Saul Abner c. v. 28 c. Jewels of Gold Vessels as the Hebrew word signifies or all manner of Ornaments made of Gold the Particulars of which follow viz. Chains Bracelets c. But the Hierusalem Vaâ—gum takes these Jewels as we translate it to have been the golden Attire about the Heads of their Women Chains These are commonly thought to have been the Ornaments or their Arms. But they may as well be thought to have been used about their Legs or their Necks Bracelets These it is apparent were Ornaments about
And the Hangings of the Court See Verse 26 XXVII Exod. 9. And the Curtain for the Door of the Court XXVI Exod 16. Which is by the Tabernacle and by the Altar round about Or as the Hebrew particle al may be translated is over or upon the Tabernacle c. That is this Curtain at the Door and the Hangings of the Court compassed the Tabernacle and the Altar of Burnt-offerings which stood at the Door of it XL Exod. 19. round about so that they were not exposed to common fight For these Gershonites had nothing to do with the Altar it self which was the Charge of the Kohathites v. 31. And the Cords of it This seems to refer not merely to the Curtain for the Door of the Court but to all that went before viz. the Cords whereby those Hangings were stretched out and fastned by Pins to the Wood-work of the Tabernacle For the Cords of that belonged to the Custody of the Sons of Merari v. 37. and we find Pins and Cords as well for the Tabernacle that is the Hangings as for the Court i. e. the Boards c. XXXV Exod. 18. For all the Service thereof Of this part of the House of God as appears from v. 31 and 36. where this is repeated with respect to the other parts of it Verse 27 Ver. 27. And of Kohath was the Family of the Amramites c. He was the second Son of Levi and had as many more Families sprung from him as from the Eldest among which was the Family of the Amramites of which were Moses and Aaron Verse 28 Ver. 28. In the number of all the Males c. Though there were four Families of the Kohathites and but two of the Gershonites yet the latter were as numerous as they within Eleven hundred Keeping the Charge of the Sanctuary Of what belonged to the holy Place which was committed to their Charge as it follows afterward and they were instructed in it betimes Verse 29 Ver. 29. The Families of the Sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the Tabernacle southward Between the Tabernacle ond the Standard of Reuben II. 10. Verse 30 Ver. 30. And the Chief of the House of the Father of the Families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the Son of Vzziel There was a Commander in Chief appointed over this Body of the Levites who was chosen out of the youngest Family of the Kohathites But it is observable there were no Standards belonging to any of these Bodies they being designed for other Service and not for War Ver. 31. And their Charge shall be the Ark and the Verse 31 Table and the Candlestick The Sanctuary as was said before v. 28. being committed to their Custody the Particulars are here mentioned which were the most precious of all the holy Things With which the Kohathites had the honour to be intrusted though a younger Family than those descended from Gershon because Moses and Aaron were of it being of the Family of the Amramites Which is the reason why the Kohathites are reckoned first in the next Chapter v. 2. and that of the XLVIII Cities given to the Levites by Joshua almost half of them fell to their Families XXI Josh 4 5. The Altars Both the Altar of Burnt-offerings and the Altar of Incense And the Vessels of the Sanctuary wherewith they i. e. the Priests minister See XXV Exod. 29. XXXVII 16. And the hanging That is the Vail before the most Holy Place for all other Hangings were under the care of the Gershonites v. 25 26. wherein the Ark was wrapt when they carried it IV. 5. And all the Service thereof Whatsoever belonged to this part of God's House See v. 26. and the Particulars are mentioned in the next Chapter v. 7 9 14. Ver. 32. And Eleazar the Son of Aaron shall be chief Verse 32 over the Chief of the Levites There was one Officer in chief set over each of these great Families of the Gershonites v. 24. of the Kohathites v. 30. and the Merarites v. 35. And over all these Chiefs there is now appointed a supreme Chief who was to govern them as they governed those under them and that was Eleazar who was more than a Levite being the eldest Son of Aaron the High Priest And have the over-sight of them that keep the charge of the Sanctuary But more particularly Eleazar was to super-vise those that had the Sanctuary under their care That is all the Rohathites and Elizaphan their chief v. 20. Verse 33 34. Ver. 33 34. Of Merari was the Family of the Mahlites and the Family of the Mushites c. Nothing is observable of these but that they were the fewest in number being thirteen hundred less than the Children of Gershon v. 22. Verse 35 Ver. 35. These shall pitch on the side of the Tabernacle Northward Opposite to the Kohathites between the Standard of Dan and the Sanctuary II. 25. Verse 36 Ver. 36. And under the Custody and Charge of the Sons of Merari shall be the Boards of the Tabernacle c. Concerning all the things mentioned in this and in the next Verse See XXVI Exod. 15 16 c. XXVII 10 11 12 c. and the next Chapter of this Book v. 31 32. Verse 37 Ver. 37. And their Cords These are different from those before mentioned v. 27. as I noted there Verse 38 Ver. 38. But those that encamp before the Tabernacle towards the East Where the Entrance into it was Even before the Tabernacle of the Congregation Eastward He would have this Station observed as much excelling the rest Shall be Moses and Aaron and his Sons There were but three Bodies of the Levites descended from the three Sons of Levi v. 1. and therefore none left to guard this side of the Tabernacle but Moses and Aaron and their Families who lay between the Standard of Judah and the Tabernacle see Chap. II. v. 3. which was the most honourable Post as I there noted Where the Priests were with great reason placed together with the chief Governor of all Moses because they were to guard the Holy Place that none might go into it but themselves Keeping the charge of the Sanctuary Of the Entrance into it For the charge of the Children of Israel Which it concerned every one of the Children of Israel should be kept sacred See v. 7. And the Stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to Death No Man that was not of the House of Aaron though a Levite was upon the peril of his life to enter into the Sanctuary Of which they had the charge See v. 10. Ver. 39. All that were numbred of the Levites which Verse 39 Moses and Aaron numbred at the Commandment of the LORD This looks like a Contradiction to the Observation I made v. 14.16 But Aaron's numbring here in all Probability is only his agreeing that this was a true Account which Moses took of the Tribe of Levi. For Moses still continues to be alone concerned in numbring the
the LORD and the Camp of the Levites to be from the entrance of the Mount of the House of the LORD to that East-Gate of the Temple And the Camp of Israel they thought extended from the Entrance of Jerusalem to the Mount of the House of the LORD Now Lepers were so unclean that they were not admitted into any of these three Camps but shut out of them all See XIII Lev. 46. But he that had an Issue XV Lev. 2. was only shut out of the two first Camps the Camp of the LORD and the Camp of the Levites but he might be in the Camp of Israel And he that was defiled by the dead XXI Lev. 1. was only excluded from the first the Sanctuary but not from the other two See Drusius also upon IV. 25. Ver. 3. Both Male and Female shall ye put out For Verse 3 Women had Issues for instance as well as Men XV Lev. 2 and 19 c. That they defile not their Camps The Camp of Israel consisted of four Camps and therefore he speaks in the Plural Number that of Judah that of Reuben that of Ephraim and that of Dan II Numb 3 10 18 25. Which would have been so defiled if they had suffered these unclean Persons to stay among them that none would have been fit to go to the Sanctuary In the midst of which I dwell By his special Presence in the Sanctuary which was incompassed by these Camps out of reverence to which such unclean Persons were to be kept at a greater distance than other Men and Women Ver. 4. And the Children of Israel did so and put them without the Camp c. There was an order for this before particularly for putting out the Lepers Verse 4 XIII Lev. 46. which could not be put in Execution till the Camp was formed as now it was Verse 5 Ver. 5. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying It is uncertain when this was spoken but I see no reason why we should not think it was at the same time with the other things here mentioned Verse 6 Ver. 6. When a Man or Woman shall commit any sin that Men commit In the Hebrew the words are plainly these shall commit any sin of Man that is against his Neighbour As in III Joel 19. Violence of the Children of Judah is truly translated Violence against the Children of Judah For it is apparent from the next Verses 7 8. that Moses here speaks of Offences against their Neighbours To do a Trespass against the LORD Such Offences against their Neighbours as were also great Offences against God For the Chaldee understands these words of Frauds and Cheats put upon Men by a false Oath And there is a good warrant for this Interpretation from VI Lev. 2 3. where Moses gives the same command which seems here to be repeated only because he had something to add unto it v. 8. And that person be guilty Or rather be sensible of his guilt See VI Lev. 4. Verse 7 Ver. 7. Then they shall confess the sin that they have done Or rather If they shall confess c. For so the Particle Vau sometimes signifies particularly XII 14. where we as well as the LXX translate it If her Father had spit in her face See what I have noted upon VI Lev. 4. And he shall recompense c. Rather Then he shall recompense the Injury he did to his Neighbour in the manner here directed which hath been explained VI Lev. 5. See there Ver. 8. But if a Man have no Kinsman to recompense Verse 8 the Trespass unto By this it is apparent that if a Man to whom an Injury had been done was dead he that committed it was bound to make Satisfaction to his Heir whosoever he was by restoring the Principal and adding a fifth part to it Now the Israelites never wanting some of their Kindred to succeed to their Inheritances the Hebrew Doctors expound this of the Proselytes of Righteousness who might possibly dye without any heir because they had no Kindred but such as were born after their Regeneration In which Case the Goods that had been illegally taken from such a Proselyte by a Jew did not become his own unless he paid the Price of them with such an addition as is here required c. See Selden L. VI. de Jure Nat. Gent. cap. 4. p. 684 685. Edit Lond. Let the Trespass be recompensed unto the LORD By bringing to him the Principal and the fifth part Even unto the Priest Whom God deputed to receive it as his Minister And it was as the Jews rightly expound it equally distributed among all the Priests who were then waiting in their Course Which is a new addition to the Law in VI Lev. and the reason it is likely why that Law is here repeated Besides the Ram of the Atonement c. Mentioned VI Lev. 6 7. where see what I have noted Ver. 9. And every offering of all the holy things of the Children of Israel Upon the occasion of the foregoing Laws concerning a Recompense to be made Verse 9 to the Priest where a Man that had been wrong'd was dead and no Heir to him could be found he explains some other Laws wherein the Priests were concerned who were to have all the Heave-offerings as the word Trumoth here used signifies XVIII 8. Which they bring unto the Priest To be offered unto God Shall be his Who offers it For there being many Priests who waited in their Courses at the Tabernacle all of which could not officiate at the same time but some at one time some at another this Law determines that the particular Priest who performed the Office of Sacrificing should have to himself that part of the holy Things which fell to the Priests share and it should not be divided among them all Thus L'Empereur upon Bava kama c. 9. sect 12. expounds these words better than any I have met withal Verse 10 Ver. 10. And every mans hallowed thing shall be his As the former Verse speaks of the holy Things of the Children of Israel in general so this of what any particular Person offered which still with greater reason was to belong to the Priest that offered it For the Labourer is worthy of his hire and therefore he that did the work of Sacrificing had the Reward of it R. Solomon applying this to Tithes hath a gloss upon these words which though not pertinent is very remarkable He that doth not duly pay his Tithe in the end his Land shall yield him but a tithe of what it was wont to yield And so R. Bechai upon XIV Deut. expounds these words when a Man divideth not as he ought he shall have nothing but the holy things that is the Tithe of what he used to have according to V Isa 10. Whatsoever any Man giveth the Priest it shall be his These words are only a fuller Explication of this Law as the same L'Empereur observes that the rest of the Priests might
Appendix to Wagenseil's Annotations upon Sota p. 1186. And offer it upon the Altar At the South-Corner of it Ver. 26. And the Priest shall take an handful of the Verse 26 Offering even the Memorial thereof See upon the second Chapter of Leviticus v. 2. And burn it upon the Altar The rest of it the Priests were to eat unless her Husband himself was a Priest in which case it was all thrown among the Ashes See Selden in the place above-named Where he also observes that if she confessed the Fact or her Husband would not have her drink or either of them died before she drunk or a Witness of the Adultery appear'd which made the Waters useless the whole Sacrifice was burnt and not only a Memorial thereof All which is in the Mischna Sect. III. and IV. And afterward shall cause the Woman to drink of the Water The Sacrifice therefore was first offered though the Mischna say that if the Priest gave her the Water to drink first and then presented the Offering he did not do amiss Verse 27 Ver. 27. And when he hath made her to drink the Water By this it appears he might force her to drink if she would not do it by perswasion Then it shall come to pass that if she be defiled and have done Trespass against her Husband that the Water that causeth the Curse shall enter into her and become bitter c. These Effects here mentioned presently followed For she grew pale and her Eyes were ready to start out of her Head c. so that they cryed out Carry her forth carry her forth lest she defile the Court of the Temple by dying there as the Mischna saith Cap. III. Sect. 4. The Adulterer also if we may believe the Jews died the same day and hour Nay his Belly swelled as hers did and his secret Parts rotted as the Author of Ez. Hechajim saith in Wagenseil upon Sota Cap. V. Sect. 1. Where he adds that all this came to pass in case her Husband had never offended in the same kind For if he had at any time defiled the Marriage-bed then this Water had not these Effects upon his Wife though she had been faulty Which the Gemara also affirms Verse 28 Ver. 28. And if the Woman be not defiled but be clean then she shall be free Receive no harm at all by drinking the Water And shall conceive Seed If she was barren before she became fruitful after this trial and also bare a Man-child if we may believe the Jews and had easie labour Her Beauty also increased her Health was confirmed and if she had any Disease it was cured They observe also that if after she was thus cleared she kept company again with the same Man whom her Husband suspected and by his renewed Admonition had required her not to be in private with him this potion was not repeated but she was dismissed from being his Wife without any Dowry But if she kept company with any other Person privately after Admonition to the contrary this potion might be repeated as often as she offended with new Lovers Thus that MS. Ez. Hechajim so highly commended by Wagenseil Who also adds that in case her Husband put her away after her Acquittal and she married another Man who had the same ground of Jealousie that her former Husband had because of her Familiarity with the same Person whom he had forbidden her to keep company withal her new Husband might bring her to a new trial by this Water And so might as many Husbands as she should marry one after another if she gave the like occasion of Jealousie Ver. 29. This is the Law of Jealousies Whereby Verse 29 God declared himself to be privy to the most secret Sins and to be both the Preserver of Conjugal Faith and Chastity and the Protector of Innocence And provided that Man and Wife should live happily together by keeping Men from cruel and furious Proceedings against their Wives when they entertained a Jealousie of them willing them to commend the Case to God and by containing Wives in their Duty out of dread of this Punishment Which was so terrible as Maimonides well observes even to innocent Women that they would have given all they had to avoid it nay wish'd rather to die than undergo such a publick Infamy of having their Head uncovered their Hair cut off as he represents it their Garment torn to their Breasts and so to stand in the Sanctuary before a great multitude of Men and Women and the whole Sanhedrin More Nevochim P. III. Cap. XLIX When a Wife goes aside If the Man went aside from her she had not the same Action against him because the Family was not so much injured by his going aside as by hers which brought a spurious Brood to inherit his Estate To another instead of her Husband Hence the Talmudists conclude such an Action did not lie against a Woman who was only espoused or that waited for her former Husband's Brother to take her to Wife if they gave Suspicion of being defiled So the Mischna Cap. IV. Sect. I. And is defiled By that other Man with whom she went aside Verse 30 Ver. 30. Or when the Spirit of Jealousie cometh upon him and he be jealous over his Wife It appears by the first words of this Law v. 13 14. that whether she was really defiled or there was only a vehement Suspicion of it which bred a Jealousie in him the Husband had liberty to bring her to this trial for his own Satisfaction Which Law was rather permissive than preceptive And shall set the Woman before the LORD That he might show whether there was cause for her Husband's Jealousie or not See v. 18. And the Priest shall execute upon her all this Law Though the Man was not bound to bring her to this Trial but rather the contrary if he could otherwise get rid of his Jealousie yet the Priest was bound to proceed against her according to the foregoing Rules when she was set before the LORD to be tried And he might set her before him on any day that was not a Festival and in any hour of the day but not in the night nor might he give the Drink to two suspected Women at one and the same time Ver. 3. Then shall the Man be guiltless from iniquity Verse 31 and the Woman shall bear her iniquity By Iniquity here is to be understood the Punishment due to Iniquity For the Wife or her Parents if she appeared to be innocent could have no action against the Husband upon the Account of this Accusation And if she was guilty she was justly punished for her Crime and her Husband had no reason to say as the Jews speak in Pesikta Wo is me that I have killed a Daughter of Israel c. for he is here pronounced innocent in that matter by the Eternal God Who doth not exercise a Tyranny as they there go on over his Creatures nor gives them Precepts
that he may make them weary of their Lives or destroy them No his Precepts are right the whole Law is Divine and God doth not bring any Man into Judgment but for the Violation of that which was expresly commanded and which he might have been able to fulfil But the Particle Vau in the beginning of this Verse signifies sometimes as much as if as I observed upon v. 7. And so the Jews here commonly understand it If the Man be guiltless from iniquity For thus the Rule is expressed in the Gemara upon the fifth Chapter of SOTA When the Husband is free from Iniquity i. e. from Adultery then the Water tries his Wife but if he be not free i. e. be himself also guilty of Adultery then the Water hath no power to try her that is produces none of the Effects before-mentioned And so the Author of Etz Hachajim in Wagenseil upon Sota p. 595. concludes from these very words That the bitter Water then only had power when the Man was free from the Sin of which he suspected his Wife And gives this as the reason why in the latter end of the Second Temple this way of Trial ceased and was quite taken away by the Sanhedrim because the Number of Adulterers was then so great that the Water had no effect according to those words of the Prophet Hosea IV. 14. I will not punish your Daughters when they commit Whoredom nor your Spouses when they commit Adultery c. For that is another Rule of theirs When Adulterers were multiplied the bitter Waters ceased i. e. there was no Trial by them See Selden L. III. Vxor Hebr. cap. 15. p. 408. Yet the Jews seem to have continued in after Ages since their Temple was destroyed some form of dreadful Imprecations in their Synagogues for the discovery of Truth in doubtful Cases For St. Chrysostom saith he himself saw a very modest good Christian Woman brought by a sensless Fellow who also had the Name of a Christian into a Jewish Assembly whom he would have compelled to take their Oath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning some things wherein he desired Satisfaction From which the Woman being rescued by St. Chrysostom's Assistance when he examined the Man about it How he came to forsake the Church and resort to their Sanhedrim his Answer was That he had been told by many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that there were more horrible Adjurations among them then among Christians Homil. I. adv Judaeos Which no doubt arose from the direful Effects of this Adjuration here prescribed if the Woman was guilty of what she was suspected CHAP. VI. Chapter VI Ver. 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying Verse 1 This Law very properly follows the foregoing about Women suspected of Adultery as a Remedy against all such Sins by abstaining from Wine and all other Incitements to Lust and by devoting themselves for some time in a peculiar way to the Service of God And there seems to be a plain opposition between a Woman professing her self a Nazarite and forbearing Wine and the Care of her Hair and a Woman that loved Company and was intangled in the Love of other Men besides her Husband Ver. 2. Speak unto the Children of Israel Who Verse 2 were all concerned in this Law When either Man or Woman For Women as well as Men might make this Vow if they were at their own disposal and not under the power of their Parents or Husbands by whose Authority this Vow might be disanulled XXX 4 5 c. Shall separate themselves The Hebrew word japhli signifies the doing something extraordinary beyond the common rate of other Men. And therefore Forsterus hath well translated it when a Man or Woman shall vow a singular vow To vow a vow of a Nazarite The Hebrew word Nazar which signifies in general to separate in the Conjugation Niphal as they call it signifies to separate from others by a Profession of some special Acts of Religion Whence Nazir signifies one that beyond the common prescription of the Law dedicates not his Goods but himself to God in a peculiar kind of Sanctimony So Philo who calls this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Vow because he that makes it devotes not his Corn or Beasts c. but his own Self unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for every Man is to himself the greatest possession he hath To separate themselves unto the LORD To separate themselves for some time to a higher Measure of Purity then other Men practised that they might attend to the Service of God From whence this Vow was called Separation unto the LORD For they who observed it were holy saith Maimonides yea were placed for the present in the Dignity of the High Priest as to Sanctity being forbidden to pollute themselves for their Father or Mother as it follows afterward More Nevochim P. III. cap. 48. The Jewish Doctors are wont to be so curious in marking every word and scrupulously adhering to it that it is something strange they should allow a Father the liberty to separate his Child to be a Nazarite without its consent when the Text expresly speaks of those who separate themselves But so the Mischna determines in Sota cap. 3. sect 8. and it allows this liberty to the Father though not to the Mother though we find Hannah vowing Samuel to be a Nazarite before he was born 1 Sam. I. 10 11. See Wagenseil on that place Annot. 2 3. Ver. 3. He shall separate himself from Wine In this consisted one part of the special Sanctity of Nazarites Verse 3 that by abstinence from Wine or any thing that was Intoxicating they might the better attend to the study of the Law or other Exercises of Religion And strong Drink As Wine was made of Grapes so Shecar was a Liquor made of other Fruit as Dates c. See X. Lev. 9. To which add that other Authors call the Juyce of Dates as well as Grapes by the name of Wine Nay Pliny saith that praecipua vina the choisest Wines were made of those Dates called Caryotae which grew about Jericho though they were iniqua Capiti hurtful to the Head from whence they had their Name L. XIII Nat. Histor cap. 4. With great reason therefore such intoxicating Liquors were forbidden to those who set themselves apart to attend upon God during the time of their Separation Which justifies in part what Maimonides saith that Nazarites were advanced to the Dignity of Priests who might not drink any Wine or strong Drink in the time of their Ministration to God in the Sanctuary And shall drink no Vinegar of Wine c. For that had the same effect with Wine and strong Drink of which it was made Neither shall he drink any Liquor of Grapes i. e. Secondary Wine which was made by maceration of Grapes in Water after the Juice had been pressed out to make Wine Pliny speaks of various kinds of it L. XIV Nat. Hist cap. 10. Nor
1 Deut. II. The LORD God of your Fathers make you a thousand times so many mo as you are and bless you as he hath promised you CHAP. VII Chapter VII Ver. 1. AND it came to pass on the day that Moses Verse 1 had fully set up the Tabernacle Which he did upon the first Day of the first Month of the second Year after they came out of Egypt XL Exod. 17 18. And had anointed it and sanctified it c. See VIII Levit. 10 11. where it is said he anointed also as it here likewise follows all belonging to it Which being seven days in doing as appears from v. 35. of that Chapter it is evident that the word Day doth not here precisely denote the very Day on which the Tabernacle was erected but more largely at or about that time as it must necessarily signifie v. 84. of this Chapter after he had set up the Tabernacle and not only sanctified and anointed it but received Orders about Sacrifices and anointed the Priests with the rest mentioned in the Book of Leviticus and also had numbred the People ordered their Encampment and the Encampment of the Levites and given them their Charge about the Tabernacle In short when Moses had done all the things mentioned hitherto in this Book then followed this Dedication of the Altar And whosoever will compare this Chapter with the second may easily be convinced that this Offering of the Princes was not made till the Camp was formed and the Tribes ranged under their several Standards For the Princes Offer held in the same Order and Method that they are disposed there Ver. 2. That the Princes of Israel heads of the House of their Fathers Mentioned Chap. I. 5 16. And were over them that were numbred This evidently Verse 2 shows that this Offering of the Princes was after the numbring of the People Offered In the Order that is set down in this Chapter Verse 3 Ver. 3. And they brought their Offering The LXX translate the Hebrew word Korbanam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Gift or their Present which they made to God Which consisted of several things for divers uses Before the LORD i. e. At the Door of the Tabernacle as it is explained in the end of the Verse Six covered Wagons and twelve Oxen. In the first place they made a Present for the Service of the Tabernacle it self That such parts of it as were most cumbersome might be more conveniently carried and that they might be free from Dust Rain or Hail The Wagons were covered being not ordinary Carriages but such as were used by great Persons So the LXX understood it who translate the Hebrew word Tzabbim by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the LXVI Isa 20. and here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now as Pollux reckons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Wagons and Chariots then used So Hesychius tells us as Learned Men have observed it signifies such Wagons as illustrious Men and Women used and that they were covered above A Wagon for two of the Princes This shows plainly enough that they were sumptuous and had perhaps rich Coverings in that two of the great Men joyned in the Present of one Wagon And for each one an Ox. That there might be a Pair of Oxen to draw each Wagon And it is probable those Oxen were yoked together which were offered by those two Princes who joined in offering one Wagon And they brought them before the Tabernacle Set them before the entrance of it Ver. 4. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying Verse 4 It seems Moses did not accept these Presents till he had Orders from the LORD in the next words Ver. 5. Take it of them Receive their Present as Verse 5 acceptable to me That they may be to do the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation He directs their use which was to carry the Tabernacle when they removed from one place to another And thou shalt give them to the Levites In order to which he directs him to bestow them upon the Levites who had the charge of that Carriage To every Man according to his Service In such Proportions as the things they had to carry required Ver. 6. And Moses took the Wagons and Oxen and Verse 6 gave them to the Levites In such Proportions as follow in the next two Verses Ver. 7. Two Wagons and four Oxen to the Sons of Verse 7 Gershon according to their Service As they were fewest in number that could do Service so they had less burdensome things to carry than the Sons of Merari IV. 25 40. and therefore had fewer Carriages allowed them Ver. 8. And four Wagons and eight Oxen he gave unto the Sons of Merari according to their Service They were the most numerous but had the greatest Verse 8 burden and therefore had allowance of more Carriages and Oxen IV. 31 32 48. Vnder the hand of Ithamar the Son of Aaron the Priest Who had the Inspection and Care both of the Gershonites and Merarites IV. 28 33. Verse 9 Ver. 9. But unto the Sons of Kohath he gave none For the reason that follows Because the Service of the Sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their Shoulders The LXX translate it more exactly because they had the Service of the holy thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Ark is called IV. 4. they shall carry it on their Shoulders Which was for the greater Honour and Dignity of the Ark and of the Law contained in it as Maimonides R. Levi ben Gersem and others observe And that the Form and Structure of the Ark might not be discomposed as Maimonides adds More Nevochim P. III. Cap. XLV nor the Ephod and the Breast-plate rufled as they might have been by the shaking of a Wagon Yet they all observe this was not so peculiar to the Sons of Kohath but that the Priests the Sons of Aaron upon some special occasion carried the Ark particularly when they went over Jordan III Josh 3. and at the Siege of Jericho at both which times a great Miracle was to be wrought And when Zadok and Abiathar carried it back to Jerusalem 2 Sam. XV. 29. though that I observed before may be otherways interpreted and there seems no reason why they should carry it back when the Levites brought it ver 24. and when Solomon's Temple was built 1 Kings VIII 6. for the Levites might not go into the Holy Place and therefore it was then carried by the Priests Ver. 10. And the Princes offered They brought the Offerings which they desired might be presented Verse 10 unto God For the dedicating of the Altar The Hebrew word Chanac which in one place of the Pentateuch signifies simply to begin to use or enjoy an House XX Deut. 6. here and several other places signifies the first Application and Addiction of any thing to Sacred Uses or to the Divine Service to which it had been designed and consecrated And this was done with some certain solemn
Bullock For a Verse 8 Burnt-offering as is manifest from v. 12. With his Meat-offering Which always attended upon Burnt-offerings XV. 9. And another young Bullock shalt thou take for a Sin-offering This being offered for the whole body of the Levites is the same Sacrifice that is ordered when the whole Congregation of Israel sinned through Ignorance IV Levit. 13 14. Ver. 9. And thou shalt bring the Levites before the Tabernacle of the Congregation To the Door of it where the Altar of Burnt-offerings stood XL Verse 9 Exod. 6. And thou shalt gather the whole Assembly of the Children of Israel together The Hebrew words COL ADATH which we translate the whole Assembly frequently signifies all the Elders of Israel As in XV. 4. XXV 7. XXXV 12. And it cannot well have any other sense in this place as appears from the next Verse Verse 10 Ver. 10. And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD Present them to him at the Altar And the Children of Israel The Elders of the People mentioned in the foregoing Verse For all the Children of Israel could not possibly do what is here enjoyned but some of them in the name of the rest and none so proper as their Rulers and Governors who were their Representatives Shall put their hands upon the Levites As Men used to do upon their Sacrifices Which signified the devoting of that Beast to God by him who laid his Hand on it at the Altar for such Purposes as he brought it And this was done by private Men in their Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings as well as in their Sin-offerings see I Levit. 4. III. 2. VIII 13. but the Jews observe that the whole Congregation laid their Hands only upon the Sin-offering that was offered for them IV Lev. 15. Therefore the Levites are here to be considered under that notion as is manifest from v. 19. where God is said to have given them to Aaron c. to make an Atonement for the Children of Israel For the Levites being given to God instead of the First-born by the Sanctification of which First-born to God as it is called XIII Exod. 1. the whole Family was sanctified and their Sin after a sort expiated the Offering of the Levites after this manner to God was to have the same effect that the Offering of the First-born had viz. the Sanctification and Atonement of the Children of Israel Ver. 11. And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Verse 11 LORD for an Offering of the Children of Israel The Hebrew words are more significant Aaron shall wave the Levites before the LORD for a Wave-offering c. I have often observed before that this Waving or Agitation too and fro before the Altar of which see XXIX Exod. 24. was a solemn Consecration of a thing to God as a Sacrifice And therefore the Levites were presented unto him under the same Consideration as the First-born were But it was impossible for Aaron to wave them as he did some parts of a Sacrifice and therefore it is probable that he lifting up his Hands and turning about to all sides as he did when he offered a Wave-offering they at his Command imitated the same motion and so were offered up to God and became wholly his See ver 21. That they may execute the Service of the LORD Or as it is more significantly in the Margin that they may be to execute c. Which expresses the Intention of this waving them before the LORD that being wholly given up to him they might become meet to execute that Service to which he appointed them at his House Ver. 12. And the Levites shall lay their Hands upon the Heads of the Bullocks It being evident from v. 19. that the Levites were considered as an expiatory Sacrifice Verse 12 and yet not being to be devoted to Death no more than the First-born were these two Sacrifices one for Sin the other a Burnt-offering were substituted in their stead Upon which therefore they were to lay their Hands that the Sin which the Children of Israel laid upon them v. 10. might be transferred to these Beasts by laying their Hands upon them to be actually sacrificed unto God by shedding their Blood The one for a Sin-offering and the other for a Burnt-offering unto the LORD The Burnt-offering was mentioned first v. 8. being the most ancient of all Offerings from the beginning of the World But the Sin-offering is offered first to make the other acceptable And so it was when Aaron was consecrated VIII Levit. 14.18 and when he offered for himself IX Levit. 8 12. and for the People v. 15 16. and to name no more in the Cleansing of a Leper XIV 19. To make an Atonement for the Levites The Sin-offering properly made the Atonement and the Burnt-offering declared its acceptance Verse 13 Ver. 13. And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron and his Sons As they were brought before the LORD because they were to be given unto him v. 9. So now they were set before Aaron and his Sons because they were given by God to them v. 19. And offer them for an Offering unto the LORD Or as it is in the Hebrew and wave them for a Wave-offering unto the LORD Some imagine that as Aaron waved them before v. 11. so now they were in like manner waved by Moses But it seems to me more probable that the meaning is they being waved c. should be set before Aaron and his Sons and presented to them as God's Gift according to his order III. 9. And so these words ought to be translated after thou hast waved them for a Wave-offering That is after Aaron by his Order had waved them And thus the like words must be understood v. 15. See there Ver. 14. Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among Verse 14 the Children of Israel By the fore-mentioned Purification v. 7. and Oblation v. 10 11. And the Levites shall be mine They became his by this solemn Oblation of them to him v. 11. Ver. 15. And after that shall the Levites go in To Verse 15 the Court of the Tabernacle where they were to attend upon the Priests and assist them in their Ministry and in taking down the Tabernacle when it was to remove To do the Service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation In the Court of the Priests where the Altar of Burnt-offering stood For into the Sanctuary it self none but the Priests entred and there was no Ministry there in which the Levites were to assist And thou shalt cleanse them and offer them for an Offering Or rather after thou hast cleansed them and offered c. according as was directed v. 7 11. Ver. 16. For they are wholly given unto me c. Verse 16 God commanded them before to be taken from among the Children of Israel III. 45. and now they are given to him The word is repeated twice in the Hebrew given given which we translate wholly given because the Children of Israel
Causes brought before Moses in two of them he made haste to determine but in the other two he was slow Those of the first sort were this and that of the Daughters of Zelophehad Chap. XX. these he judged presently because they were pecuniary Matters but the other two viz. about him that blasphemed XXIV Levit. and him that gathered Sticks on the Sabbath-day XV Numb being capital Causes he took longer time to judge for he put them in Ward till the Mind of the LORD was known To teach those that succeeded him in the Office of Judges to make quick dispatch in Money Matters but to proceed slowly in Capital Causes But as this was no pecuniary Cause so it doth not appear but he took as much time to understand the Mind of God in it as in the other two about Blasphemy and Sabbath-breaking For he went in to consult with him as he did also in the case of Zelophehad's Daughters whose Cause he brought before the LORD XXVII 5. I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you These words seem to signifie that Moses might go into the Holy Place when he pleased to enquire of God where God spake with him in an audible Voice VII 89. whensoever he desired Satisfaction about any Doubt So Abarbinel who in this forsakes the Talmudists For they fancy that because God called to Moses and then spake to him out of the Tabernacle I Levit. 1. he could never go into the Holy Place but when he was called Which was true only at that time when the Glory of the LORD had newly filled the Tabernacle so that he durst not come into it till he was invited But was not a general Rule to be observed in all his Colloquies with the Divine Majesty that he should wait till he had a singular Call to come to him for it is plain by this place that he went in to speak with him whensoever he had occasion Verse 9 Ver. 9. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying He brought this Case before the LORD as his manner was in such Doubts and the LORD gave him the following Answer Which was to be a Rule not only to these present Enquirers but to all Posterity Verse 10 Ver. 10. If any Man of you or of your Posterity shall be unclean From hence the Jews observe that this is a Law concerning particular Persons only not concerning all the People or the major part of them For as the Mischna saith in the Title Pesachim Cap. 7. if all the People or the greater part or the Priests had contracted any Defilement they ought notwithstanding to keep the Passover even in that Defilement But if the lesser part only were defiled then they that were clean ought to keep it in the first Month and they that were defiled in the second This they ground upon the very first words of this Law v. 6. There were certain Men and upon these if any Man of you c. From whence saith Maimonides this Doctrine follows out of ancient Tradition that there were some private Persons who were adjourned to the second Passover but if the generality should be defiled by the dead they were not to be so adjourned but to sacrifice in that Vncleanness A great deal more to the same purpose may be seen in the fore-named Mr. Selden Lib. 2. de Synedr Cap. I. n. 3. By reason of a dead body This Case is mentioned instead of all other of like nature For there was the same reason for those who were unclean by a Leprosie for Women in Child-bed or that were menstruous or those that had a Running-issue or had touched a dead Carcass And this some of them ground upon v. 13. Where speaking of those who should keep the Passoever it is said in general the Man that is clean c. therefore he that was any way unclean might not keep it Or be in a Journey afar off Out of his own Country for it could not be kept any where but in Judaea XVI Deut. 2. or at such a distance that he could not reach the Tabernacle upon the Day appointed In the Mischna indeed this dereck rechokah as it is in the Hebrew a long way off is defined to be fifteen Miles from Jerusalem or the place where the Tabernacle was Whence Maimonides saith If any Man on the fourteenth Day of the Month Nisan at Sun rising was fifteen Mile or more from Jerusalem this was a remote way but if he was not so far from it he was not comprehended in this remote way for he might be at Jerusalem time enough in the Afternoon to keep the Passover that Evening though he went but a slow pace and that on foot But I do not take this to be a reasonable Explication Philo hath determined the distance a great deal better according to the Interpretation I mentioned at first L. III. de Vita Mosis Where he saith the second Passover was permitted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. To such who were hindred by their Travels into Countries a great way off from sacrificing with the rest of their Nation For it was not their fault that they were deprived of this honour especially considering that so small a Country as Judaea could not contain such a populous Nation but sent out Colonies into many places As for those who were only XV Mile from Jerusalem they might easily have come to the Feast if not on the Fourteenth day yet the day before and if this distance had been a good reason to excuse their absence most of the Nation might have staid away without any danger Yet he shall keep the Passover unto the LORD When that Uncleanness is gone and he is returned to his own Country again Verse 11 Ver. 11. The fourteenth day of the second Month at Even they shall keep it They had a whole Month's time given them to dispose themselves and their Affairs so that they might be able to keep it And eat it with unleavened Bread and bitter Herbs Those Jews who are called Karaites as Mr. Selden observes in the place before-named n. 7. expresly say that they were not bound in the second Month Passover unto more than this to eat the Lamb with unleavened Bread and bitter Herbs but they were not obliged to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days because they might do that in the Passover of the first Month. For the Unclean are only prohibited to eat the Passover but not to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread If the same Persons that could keep it in the first Month hapned again to be unclean in the second they could not keep it in the third or the fourth Months For this had been to confound one Feast with another and there is no order for it Ver. 12. They shall leave none of it till the morning nor break any bone of it This belongs to the eating of the Paschal Lamb XII Exod. 10 46. According to all the Ordinances of the Passover they Verse
Verses Verse 25 Ver. 25. And the Standard of the Children of Dan set forward c. See concerning him and those mentioned in the two next Verses Chap. II. v. 25 27 29. Which was the rereward of all the Camps throughout their Hosts The Hebrew word Measseph which we translate was the rereward comes from a word which every where signifies to gather together or collect And therefore is here to be so understood and the whole Sentence thus rendred Then set forward the Standard of the Camp of Dan gathering to it all the Camps throughout their Hosts Or according to their Armies as we here translate the last part of these words v. 14 18 22. So Forsterus translates it the meaning being that all the rest of the People who were not a part of the four before-mentioned Camps all under XX Years old who were not able to go forth to War together with the mixt multitude that came with them out of Egypt XII Exod. 38. and all the unclean Persons who were shut out of the Camp V. 2. came after this hindermost Standard of the Children of Dan. Verse 28 Ver. 28. Thus were the Journeyings of the Children of Israel c. In this order they marched when they removed from one station to another Verse 29 Ver. 29. And Moses said unto Hobab His Wives Brother as Theodoret understands it The Son of Raguel the Midianite The Son of Jethro Priest of Midian For Raguel and he are thought by many to be the same Person II Exod. 18. III. 1. or one was the Father and the other the Son and then Hobab was the Grand-son of Raguel Moses his father-in-law These words may either refer to Raguel who is supposed to be Jethro and then it is rightly translated Father-in-law or they may as well refer to Hobab and be translated Brother-in-law For so the Hebrew word Choters sometimes signifies a very near Kinsman It cannot without great staining be otherwise expounded in the I Judg. 16. and IV. 11. After Jethro therefore was gone back to his own Country XVIII Exod. 27. Hobab his Son stayed still with his Sister Zipporah and accompanied Moses all the time he stayed near Sinai Which was not far from Midian Whether he thought to return now the Isrelites were marching away from that Neighbourhood but Moses was desirous to have his company further even to the Land of Promise We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said I will give it you i. e. To the Land of Canaan for thither God intended to have brought them shortly after this removal as appears from I Deut. 6 7. Come thou with us and we will do thee good See verse 32. For the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel Promised to bestow a noble Country upon us for our Inheritance Ver. 30. And he said I will not go This was his Verse 30 present Resolution till Moses had further perswaded him But I will depart to my own Land Which he was loth to leave merely in hope of what the Israelites had not yet in possession And to my Kindred With whom all Men love to live and die Verse 31 Ver. 31. And he said i. e. Moses replied Leave us not I pray thee Do not persist in that Resolution but be perswaded to go along with us Forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the Wilderness He being a Borderer upon this Wilderness was well acquainted with every part of it and the better able to advise them how to secure their Camp for the Cloud only served to direct them where it should be pitched and defend themselves from the People on all sides that might be injurious to them Which made Moses so earnest with him to stay with them while they had such need of his assistance And thou mayest be to us instead of Eyes To give them Advice and Counsel in any difficulty they might meet withal in the places where they stayed or to direct them how to provide themselves with such things as they wanted For he having lived long thereabouts could not but understand the Neighbouring Countries The LXX understand this Passage as if he desired him to continue to be what he had been hitherto in the Wilderness viz. a good Adviser like his Father Jethro assuring him they would look upon him as an Elder That is have him in great honour Verse 32 Ver. 32. And it shall be if thou go with us Not only stay with us while we are here in the Wilderness but go along with us into Canaan Yea it shall be Depend upon it That what Goodness the LORD shall do unto us the same will we do unto thee Give thee some part of the Possession which God shall bestow upon us Accordingly it appears that as Moses prevailed with him to accompany them so he and his Posterity were settled among the Israelites I Judg. 16. IV. 11. where either he or his Father is called the Kenite who lived in Tents not in Houses after the manner of their Fore-fathers in Midian Ver. 33. And they departed from the Mount of the Verse 33 LORD viz. Horeb in the Wilderness of Sinai where they had stayed a long time I Deut. 6. Three days journey They travelled three Days before the Cloud settled again upon the Tabernacle though it stood still some times but did not descend to give them time for necessary Refreshment and for Sleep See XI 1. And the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days journey It is said v. 21. that the Sanctuary was carried between the two first Standards and the two last i. e. in the midst of the Camp as we expresly read II. 17. Which Abarbinel thinks is to be understood not of all their Journeys but only this That was the constant order of their March first went the Standard of Judah next that of Reuben after this the Tabernacle of the Congregation then followed the Standard of Ephraim and last of all that of Dan. But now in their first Removal God did them the honour to appoint the Ark to go before them in the front of all the Camps as he did when they passed over Jordan III Josh 6. That is in their first and last Journeys this extraordinary Favour was shown them but in all the rest the Ark went in the midst of them And thus Aben Ezra upon this place This first Removal was not like the rest of their Removals But I see no good ground for this Exposition The plain meaning seems to be That the LORD as their King and Governour led them by the Cloud which was always over the Ark just as a General leads his Army though he be not in the front of it but in the midst from whence he Issues out his Orders To search out a resting place for them There was no need of enquiry after a fitting Station for them but he speaks after the manner of Generals who send Officers before them to take up
the most convenient Quarters for their Army See I Deut. 33. Verse 34 Ver. 34. And the Cloud of the LORD was upon them by day when they went out of the Camp It seems this Removal of their Camp from Sinai was in the day time as some times they removed in the night IX 21. and the Cloud being taken up from off the Tabernacle so moved over the Ark as to overspread them all by day As the Pillar of Fire was over them by night to give them assurance of the Divine Protection See Note upon XIII Exod. 21. and CV Psal 39. Verse 35 Ver. 35. And when the Ark set forward There being the letter Nun turned the wrong way in the Hebrew word for set forward as there is in the word for complained in the first verse of the next Chapter the Jewish Doctors fancy it denotes here God's gracious converting his Face towards them at the Prayer of Moses and in this following Story the Peoples aversion to God and ungrateful turning away their hearts from him Moses said It was his Custom to pray in this manner upon such occasions as R. Levi ben Gersom expounds it Rose up This is an expression saith Abarbinel like that in XXXIII Isa 10. Now will I rise saith the LORD and will be exalted c. Where his taking vengeance upon his Enemies is called his rising According to XXXI Job 14. What shall I do when God riseth up c. The next words Let thy Enemies be scattered c. justifie this sense LORD It seems very strange to me that any should alledge this place as a proof that the Ark is called JEHOVAH when the Prayer of Moses is so plainly directed to the LORD himself who was there in a glorious Symbol of his Presence and not to the Ark. Considering also that in other places where this very form of Speech is used the LORD and the Ark are most manifestly distinguished the one from the other See 2 Chron. VI. 41. and CXXXII Psal 8. And yet an Anonymus Anti-Trinitarian Writer confuted by Joseph de Voisin fifty Years ago observing that the Chaldee here instead of the LORD hath the WORD of the LORD is so absurd as to say that the Ark is called the WORD Because God saith he p. 234. ante illam responsa vel oracula sua dabat c. before the Ark gave his Answers or Oracles when the Priest in dubious Matters consulted the Mouth of the LORD Which Exposition carries its own Confutation in it for if the High-Priest consulted the Mouth of the LORD as he speaks then by the WORD which gave the Answer must be meant the LORD himself To whom Moses here directs his Prayer as the Hierusalem Targum excellently Paraphrases this verse And it came to pass when the Ark was taken up that Moses lifted up his hands in prayer and said Rise now O WORD of the LORD in the strength of thy Power and scatter the Enemies of thy People c. And let thine Enemies be scattered This is a Prayer that God would put all those to flight as he had done the Amalekites Exod. XVII who opposed their passage to the promised Land As after they came thither they used this Prayer LXVIII Psal 1. for his Aid against all those who sought to disposess them of it And let them that hate thee flee before thee This is a Repetition of the same Prayer as is usual For thy Enemies and those that hate thee signifie the very same XXI Psal 8. IV Daniel 19. I Luke 71. Verse 36 Ver. 36. And when it rested As it did wheresoever the Cloud staid and moved no further He said He prayed again So the Hierusalem Targum understands both this and the former verse Moses lifted up his hand in Prayer and said c. and Jonathan Vzielides Moses stood in Prayer and begged Mercy of God saying c. Return O LORD unto the many Thousands of Israel Which Onkelos thus Paraphrases Come again and dwell with thy Glory in the midst of us And so he did the Cloud wherein the Divine Majesty resided setling upon the Tabernacle over the Ark of the Testimony as soon as it was again pitched Others translate it Give rest O LORD which the Hebrew words will bear secure us that is in Peace against the Incursions of our Enemies and all other Dangers R. Levi ben Gersom expounds it bring back the Israelites into the Land of Promise where their Forefathers dwelt when they were few in number whose Posterity was now increased to ten thousand thousands as the last words are in the Hebrew And there are those who will have this to be a Prayer for their Increase and Multiplication into many more Thousands than they were already And thus the Hierusalem Targum who still by the LORD understands his WORD Return now O WORD of the LORD from the vehemence of thy Anger and come back to us in thy merciful Goodness bless the Myriads and multiply the Thousands of Israelites CHAP. XI Chapter XI Ver. 1. AND when the People complained Or as Verse 1 it is translated in the Margin were as it were Complainers or Mutterers Which words D. Kimchi in his Michol brings as an Instance to prove that the Particle Caph which we translate as doth sometimes serve only to signifie the truth of a thing and to confirm it and imports nothing of likeness For the Discontent of the People did not rest in their Minds but broke out into open Murmurings and undutiful Complaints The like he observes XXV Gen. 31 33. and V Hosea 10. The Princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound Where we make it to signifie a Similitude but should only have taken it as a strong Affirmation of the truth of the thing See Theod. Hackspan Disput IV. de Locutionibus Sacris n. 4. Complained Of their long March for three Days together with their little Children Cattel and all their Baggage So it is commonly thought but I can see no good ground for it For no doubt the Cloud stood still though it did not come down and settle as I said X. 33. that they might make some convenient Rests in their Journey else how should they gather the Manna that fell every Night about their Tents and would keep but one Day as we read XVI Exod. I conclude therefore that this Muttering was the beginning of those loud Complaints which were made a little after v. 4 5 c. because they were not brought by this Removal to a place where they might have had other Food than Manna of which they now grew weary having lived upon it near a whole Year It displeased the LORD In the Hebrew It was Evil in the Ears of the LORD That is though it was only a Muttering which did not come to the Ears of Moses as this Complaint shortly after did yet the LORD took notice of it and was much offended at it as it here follows And the LORD heard it and his Anger
was kindled Or When the LORD heard it he demonstrated he was highly offended by sending a Fire among them And the Fire of the LORD burnt among them Some take this Phrase Fire of the LORD to signifie a great Fire as Mountains of the LORD are high Mountains Which came either from Heaven like Lightning as in 2 Kings I. 12. or from the Pillar of Cloud and Fire over the Tabernacle where the Glory of the LORD appeared some times like unto Fire And consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the Camps Where the mixt Multitude were as I observed X. 25. who came out of Egypt and may well be supposed to have stirred up the Israelites to complain of their tedious Journey which had not yet brought them near to the Land of Cannan And perhaps some of them lagged behind on purpose that they might complain of Weariness as some take it or rather of want of stronger Food But Bochartus hath demonstrated that this word which we translate the uttermost parts signifies in all or throughout Of which he gives many Instances out of Lud. de Dieu upon XXXIII Ezek. 1. See XIX Gen. 4. XLVII 2 c. Hierozoicon P. I. L. II. cap. 34. And therefore so it should be here rendred Consumed some in every part of the Camp where they began to make Complaints one to another of their being still in a Wilderness Ver. 2. And the People cried unto Moses Of whose Verse 2 power with God they had great Experience but had reason to distrust their own Interest in him because of their murmuring Humour For it is like they are the same People that cried now to Moses who before complained v. 1. And when Moses prayed unto the LORD As they begg'd he would The Fire was quenched Went out and no signs of it appeared So the Hebrew Phrase signifies it sunk What number of them was burnt we are not told it is likely nor many because the terrour of it instantly made them deprecate God's Displeasure by Moses their Intercessor which put a stop to it Ver. 3. And he called the name of the place Taberah Which for another reason was also called Kibroth-hattaavah v. 34. They are mentioned indeed in IX Deut. 22. as if they were two distinct places but Verse 3 it is plain by the story that the things which occasioned both these Names hapned in one and the same station And therefore they were only different Names for the same Place unless we suppose Kibroth-hattaavah to have been the name of that particular piece of Ground in that place where the Lusters were buried Because the Fire of the LORD burnt amâ—ng them This is the reason of the Name of Taberah which signifies a burning which was imposed on this place to preserve the Memory both of God's Judgments and of his Mercy Verse 4 Ver. 4. And the mixt Multitude that was among them The Hebrew word hasaphsuph is well translated by Bochartus Populi colluvies undecunque colâ—cta the Dregs or Scum of the People gathered together from all parts For the doubling of words increases their sense in the Hebrew Language and makes the same with the Superlative Degree in other Tongues Of which he gives many Instances in his Hierozoicon P. II. Lib. V. cap. 6. See XIII Lev. 19. where Adamdameth signifies exceeding red as hasaphsuph here doth a very great collection of all sorts of People both Egyptians and other Neighbouring Nations who were invited by their wonderful Deliverance out of Egypt to joyn themselves to the Israelites as Proselytes to their Religion See XII Exod. 38. The Jews in Tanchuma say there were Forty thousand of them and Jannes and Jambres at the Head of them Fell a lusting He doth not say for what and the Jews have taken the liberty to fancy what they please Some of them say that they lusted after such Women as Moses had lately forbidden them to marry So the Paraphrase of Vzielides Moses heard the People weeping because those that were near of kin to them were forbidden in Marriage And he makes as if these Proselytes petitioned Moses to abrogate those Laws about Incest Such Conceits others have indulged to themselves as Mr. Selden shows Lib. II. de Synedr Cap. IV. p. 202. when the words in the end of this Verse and v. 13 18. plainly show they lusted for Flesh to eat And the Children of Israel also Though the mixt multitude were the first Fomentors of this Discontent yet it run among the Children of Israel throughout the whole Camp And rose so high that they fell into a great Passion Wept again They had shed some Tears it seems before when they complained verse 1. but now they wept aloud out of Anger Vexation and Grief Or else this weeping again refers to their first Murmuring a Year ago like unto this XVI Exod. 3. And said They could not refrain from bursting out into such discontented Language as argued they were extreamly angry or rather inraged Who shall give us flesh to eat It is an Expression of a vehement impatient Desire mixed with Despair after flesh-Meat Which they needed not to have wanted if they would have killed their Cattel which they brought with them out of Egypt in great abundance XII Exod. 38. but they preserved them for breed when they came to Canaan and if they killed them daily they would not have lasted long to suffice Six hundred thousand People besides Women and Children See v. 21 22. Besides this while they continued in the Wilderness they were not permitted to eat any Flesh but only their share of the Peace-offerings that were offered at the Altar XVII Levit. 3 4 5. Which lasted the Jews think till they came to the Land of Canaan when this Restraint was taken off XII Deut. 15 16. And indeed the Wilderness was so barren a place that they could there have no great increase of Cattel scarce sufficient for Sacrifice They were angry therefore that they were not yet brought to a Country where they might have had all sorts of Flesh without killing their own Cattel and have taken their fill of that and all other Food as appears by the next Verse at as easie rates as they had done in Egypt Whereas now they despaired as I said of getting any such Food for so such Questions as this signifie CXIII Psal 5. LIII Isa 8. VIII Joh. 16. Verse 5 Ver. 5. We remember the fish This shows that all kind of Food is comprehended under Flesh for which they longed particularly this which is one sort of Flesh 1 Corinth XV. 39. Which we did eat in Egypt freely Or for nothing For they could easily catch them in the River of Egypt which abounded with them XIX Isa 8. and in the Sea also which was not far from them wherein was exceeding great plenty of excellent Fish The Cucumbers and the Melons c. None of which grew here in the Wilderness but were there in such Plenty and Perfection that they were the
derived its Original from hence was Seventy two and makes it appear they were only Seventy and with Moses their Head Seventy one sect 8. And it is not unworthy our notice that about the same time as he observes sect 12. that this number of Seventy Judges was here constituted in the Wilderness the great Judicature in Areopagus was constituted among the Greeks viz. in the Reign of Cecrops the first King of Athens after the Ogygian Flood when according to Eusebius the People of Israel were brought out of Egypt The Marmora Arundeliana indeed say this Court was erected in the time of Cranaus but that makes no great difference for he was the Successor of Cecrops We do not find of what number it consisted but it is certain it was the highest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all the Courts among the Greeks And it is no less observable that as that Court began about the same time with the Constitution of this among the Hebrews so they both ended in the Reign of the Emperor Vespasian as the said Mr. Selden shows in that Book cap. 16. sect 10. And bring them unto the Tabernacle of the Congregation That there they might be as it were consecrated unto God and that the People might know they received their Authority from him That they may stand there with thee As those Men who were to be sharers with him in his Authority and were like to him in Wisdom Piety and Descent So Maimonides glosses upon these words in Hilk Sanhedr cap. 2. where he saith none were made Members of the Sanhedrim but Priests and Levites and such of the Israelites as were descended from the noblest Families and quotes these words to prove it Verse 17 Ver. 17. And I will come down In a visible manner verse 25. And talk with thee there To declare perhaps in their Audience that he appointed them to the Office of being the Assistants of Moses in the Government And I will take of the Spirit which is upon thee and put it upon them He did not take away from Moses any of the Gifts which he had bestowed upon him nor did he diminish them but conferred upon these Men some of the Gifts which are here meant by Spirit viz. of Wisdom and Judgment and Courage with all others that were needful in a Governor This R. Solomon Jarchi illustrates by the comparison of a great Lamp set up in a room at which many others are lighted without the least diminution of its Light See further verse 25. And they shall bear the burden of the People with thee By this it appears it was the Spirit of Government which God intended to give them that they might ease Moses by assisting him with the same Authority that he had to hinder or to appease such Mutinies as now the People were faln into That thou bear it not thy self alone That all the Murmurings of the People might not be only against him but some of their Complaints might be diverted unto others Who might also help him in the judging of such Causes as had hitherto been reserved to him alone For it is plain that these Seventy Persons made an higher Court than any of those constituted by the advice of Jethro Cornelius Bertram indeed fansies that these Rulers of Thousands Hundreds Fifties and Tens not being sufficient for the business committed to them though he likewise conceives they had some of their several Families joyned with them God appointed these Seventy for their assistance to whom they were to bring all Causes which they could not determine before they troubled Moses with them Lib. de Repub. Jud. cap. 6. But our learned Mr. Thorndike in his Rights of the Church chap. 2. hath well observed that those Captains were to be in place only during the Pilgrimage of the Wilderness For when they came to the Land of Promise the Law provided that Judges and Ministers should be ordained in every City XVI Deut. 18. who if there fell any difference about the Law were to repair to the place where God dwelt to the Successors of Moses and these Seventy for Resolution in it XVII Deut. 11 12. For as he judiciously notes in his Review p. 69. sutable to what is here delivered they were assumed to assist Moses in his great Office of judging the hardest Causes and by that Law XVII Deut. 8 c. were afterwards made a standing Court resident at the Place of the Tabernacle to judge the last Result of all Causes concerning the Law and to determine all Matter of Right not determined by the Letter of the same Ver. 18. And say thou unto the People All that he said hitherto concerned Moses himself in answer to his Request Now he tells him what he should Verse 18 say to the People in answer to their Complaint Sanctifie your selves Here the word Sanctifie seems to signifie no more but to prepare and make themselves ready to receive what they desired So the Chaldee expounds it and so the word is translated by us several times in the Book of Jeremiah VI. 4. XII 3. LI. 28. Against to morrow He seems at the same time to gratifie Moses and satisfie them for his setting the Seventy Elders before the LORD and their eating Flesh succeed one another Or else he immediately gathered the Elders and the next day the Quails came for their Food And ye shall eat Flesh for ye have wept in the Ears of the LORD c. You shall have what you long for with such vehemence that it hath made you utter Complaints against the LORD Verse 19 Ver. 19. Ye shall eat not one day As they did about a Year ago XVI Exod. 12 13. Nor two days nor five days c. Not for a short time only Verse 20 Ver. 20. But even a whole Month. So long the Hebrews gather from hence they staid in this part of the Wilderness of Paran Or rather a little longer For they came hither on the twenty third Day of the second Month in the Even on which if we suppose the Fire to have burnt among them v. 1. and that the next Morning which is scarce credible they lusted after Flesh and in a tumultuous manner demanded it of Moses who promised they should have it we must allow a little time for the constituting of the Seventy Elders And suppose it was done on the twenty fifth Day and that the next Day the Quails came as we translate it they were two Days in gathering them From whence if we begin this Month it will appear they stayed here longer than that space Vntil it come out at your Nostrils Till you be glutted with it and vomit it up so violently that it come not only out at your Mouth but at your Nostrils And it be loathsom to you Which was both the Cause and the Effect of Vomiting Because that ye have despised the LORD Forgetting all that he had done for them as if it had been nothing and slighting his Servant
to the Holy Scriptures will look upon this rather as the Holy Ghost's Testimony concerning Moses than Moses his Testimony concerning himself But we have to do now with a Generation of Men that write upon these Books not as of a Divine Original but as they do upon common Authors Verse 4 Ver. 4. And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses The LORD thought fit immediately to stifle their Insurrection which might have proved dangerous if it had spread among the People And perhaps the word suddenly may relate to the manner of his calling to them with a quick and hasty Speech as one provoked and highly displeased And unto Aaron and unto Miriam It is uncertain whether God spake to these two by himself or by Moses It is likely he spake to them all together while Aaron and Miriam were expostulating with Moses with such a Voice as he was wont to use when he communicated his Mind to the Prophets Come out ye three It is likely they were all in Moses his Tent whether his Brother and Sister were come to utter their Complaint Vnto the Tabernacle of the Congregation Which was God's Tent wherein he dwelt among them and from whence he declared his Will to them And they came out To attend the Pleasure of the Divine Majesty Ver. 5. And the LORD came down in the Pillar Verse 5 of the Cloud The Pillar of the Cloud which was wont to be over the most Holy Place where the LORD dwelt came down from thence and the SCHECHINAH in it and stood as it here follows at the Door of the Tabernacle And stood in the Door of the Tabernacle As if it would leave them as it did v. 9. And called Aaron and Miriam Who were at some distance I suppose and are commanded to come nearer And they came forth From the place where they were when he called them Or from Moses with whom they came from his Tent and now are required to stand by themselves Ver. 6. And he said hear now my Words Mark Verse 6 what I say to you If there be a Prophet among you This doth not make a doubt of it but supposes that they and others among the People were Prophets as they alledged v. 2. But God would have them to understand that he did not communicate his Mind to all alike nor in the same way and manner but so differently as to make a remarkable Distinction between Moses and others Whether there were in those days Men brought up and trained to be made fit to receive this Gift bestow'd upon them we do not know But in after-times it is evident there were certain Colledges of Prophets wherein Disciples of Prophets were bred Such was that 1 Sam. X. 5. and XIX 18 c. Where the Sons of the Prophets i. e. their Scholars or Disciples as Jonathan always translates that Phrase were brought up And for the most part such only were endued with this Gift who were so educated in those Schools in the Study of the Law and in Piety Though God did not tye himself to dispense it to such Persons alone but bestowed it upon whom he pleased though they had spent no time in those Schools of the Prophets This is apparent from that Proverbial Speech Is Saul also among the Prophets 1 Sam. X. 11. XIX 24. This had been no wonder as this Saying imports if it had been usual for Persons to be endowed with this Gift on a sudden who was never bred up in such a course as led to it But to show how this came to pass one of that place answered and said as it there follows v. 12. but who is their Father That is this is no such wonder if it be considered who makes Men Prophets viz. God who is the Father of all the Children of the Prophets and therefore may inspire whom he pleases As he now might have imparted this Gift to meaner Persons than the LXX Elders presented to him by Moses and made them equal if he had thought fit with Aaron and Miriam For this was the case of Amos in after-ages who was no Prophet nor a Prophet's Son as he himself relates VII 14. but an Herds-man and yet the LORD took him as he followed the Flock and bad him go and prophesie unto his People Israel I the LORD Here is the Original of Prophecy will make my self known unto him communicate to him my Mind and Will In a Vision This was one way of discovering his Mind to the Prophets by representing things to them when they were awake as if they had perceived them by their Senses which at that time were lockt up and all transacted by a Divine Operation upon their Mind and Imagination See XV Gen. 1. and VIII Dan. 1 15. Abarbinel mentions one who observes that the word Marah the Plural of which Maroth signifies Looking-Glasses in XXXVIII Exod. 8. is a different word from Mareh which is commonly used for Vision And teaches us that all the Representations made in this way to the Prophets were only as the Images of things represented in a Glass in which we behold the outward Shape or Shadow as we may call it but not the thing it self And so St. Paul seems to have understood this word if he alludes to this place as Grotius thinks he doth when he saith now we see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through a Glass darkly 1 Corinth XIII 12. And I will speak unto him in a Dream This was another way of God's revealing his Mind unto the Prophets in their sleep when they not only saw things represented them but also heard a voice And both these seem some times to have been mixed together or to have followed one another as in XVI Gen. 12. VII Dan. 1. VIII 16 17 18. And it is a Maxim among the Jews that there is no degree of Prophecy but it is comprehended under one of these Visions or Dreams So Maimonides in his More Nevochim P. II. cap. 32. and 41. and again cap. 43. where he saith There is no third degree of Prophecy besides these two For as for that Divine Spirit which moved Men to speak of things appertaining to the Knowledge of God and his Praises beyond their natural or acquired Abilities without seeing any Figures asleep or awake though with Assurance that it was from God they will not have it called Prophecy though they acknowledge those Parts of Scripture which they call Cetuvim and the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. written by the Holy Ghost were indited by that Divine Spirit and therefore we cannot reasonably deny those that were inspired by it the Name of Prophets Verse 7 Ver. 7. My Servant Moses is not so Doth not receive my Mind in either of those ways and therefore is more than a Prophet having it communicated to him in a far more noble and clearer manner which placed him in a higher rank than any other inspired Person Who is faithful in all my House Because he was intrusted so
it was to inspect it and judge whether it was a Leprosie or no XIII Lev. 2 c. And behold she was leprous He could not but judge her to have a Leprosie and consequently pronounce her unclean Ver. 11. And Aaron said unto Moses He was Verse 11 made sensible that Moses had greater interest in God than himself and therefore desires his intercession for them Alas my Lord Have pity upon us miserable Wretches I beseech thee lay not the Sin upon us He supplicates him as his Superior and humbly begs his pardon and that he would obtain remission of the Punishment which they had justly deserved by their Sin For he was afraid he himself might suffer as he saw she did Wherein we have done foolishly and wherein we have sinned He prays him to look upon their Offence as proceeding from Folly and Weakness though in it self a great Sin Ver. 12. Let her not be as one dead c. For so Verse 12 she was not only legally being to be separated from the Living but naturally also this being as I said the worst kind of Leprosie which eat into the very Flesh and made her look like an Abortive as it here follows or Still-born Child which had lain long dead and was half wasted away in its Mothers Womb. Ver. 13. And Moses cried unto the LORD Most Verse 13 earnestly petitioned the LORD for her such was his Meekness and Piety And his crying perhaps supposes the Divine Majesty to be gone afar off if not out of sight Heal her now O God I beseech thee For it was beyond any other power but his to recover her Ver. 14. And the LORD said unto Moses if her Verse 14 Father had but spit in her face An expression of extream Anger abhorrence and contempt XXX Job 10. LII Isa 6. Should she not be ashamed seven days She could not have had the confidence to come presently into his Presence but be ashamed for a great while to look him in the Face Let her be shut out of the Camp Much more is it fit that Miriam should avoid my Presence and not presume to come before me who have set a greater Mark of my Indignation and Detestation upon her For Spittle might soon be wiped off but the Leprosie stuck to her and made her unfit for all Conversation with God or Man Seven days Which was the time for legal Cleansing from such great Impurities XIV Lev. 8. VI Numb 9. XXXI 19. And after that let her be received in again I suppose she was presently freed from her Leprosie but kept out from the Camp so long to declare God's Displeasure against her and to humble her by exposing her to shame Verse 15 Ver. 15. And Miriam was shut out of the Camp seven days That her Offence might be known to all by her open Punishment And the People journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again For the Cloud was gone which should have directed them in their Motions And besides this respect perhaps was shown unto her because she was a Prophetess and hereby she had time given her to humble her self before God and to beg his Pardon for her Sin Brought in again When one would have expected that such Sacrifices should have been offered for her Cleansing as are required in XIV Lev. But this was an extraordinary Case she being on a sudden miraculously struck with the highest Degree of the Plague of Leprosie and as suddenly cured by the same Hand that struck her Ver. 16. And afterward the People removed Which Verse 16 shows that the Cloud which departed from the Tabernacle v. 10. returned again to it together with Miriam that it might guide them in their removal to another Station For till it was taken up from the Tabernacle they stirred not from the place where they were IX 17 18. From Hazeroth After they had abode there seven days at the least And pitched in the Wilderness of Paran Where they were before See X. 12. but now were brought into another part of it called Rithmah XXXIII 18. which was call'd also by another name Kadesh-barnea XIII 26 I Deut. 19. Or else we must suppose these two Places to have been so very near together that they might be said to have pitched either in the one or the other This Station was at the foot of the Mountain on the South part of Canaan I Deut. 20. so that their next removal was to have been into the Land promised to them if they themselves had not hindred by their renewed Rebellion This removal was in the fourth Month of the second Year after they came out of the Land of Egypt See XI 20 35. CHAP. XIII Chapter XIII Verse 1 Ver. 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying They being now come to the Borders of Canaan the LORD ordered Moses to exhort them to go up and take possession of it and not to fear nor be discouraged as we read in I Deut. 21. But the People out of a distrust of God's Power as Moses seems to intimate IX Deut. 23. desired they might first send some to search out the Land before they attempted its Conquest I Deut. 22. About which it is likely Moses consulted the Divine Majesty who gave them leave so to do Verse 2 Ver. 2. Send thou Men. For their greater satisfaction God ordered them to have their desire For there seems to have been a general Fear upon them every one of them coming to Moses with this request I Deut. 22. which could not be removed but by sending some to bring them intelligence what kind of Country it was and what People they had to deal withal v. 18 19 20. That they may search the Land of Canaan To make a discovery both of the Country and of the Inhabitants and the best way to invade it I Deut. 22. Which I give unto the Children of Israel To the possession of which God now intended to introduce them For he had already brought them to the Confines of it and bidden them go up and possess it I Deut. 20 21. but they would needs make this delay for a discovery of the condition of the Country which was their own contrivance at the first and not a Divine Counsel Of every Tribe of their Fathers shall ye send a Man That there might be no suspicion of Partiality in their Report Every one a Ruler among them Men of Authority and Prudence who might be the more believed Yet not of the highest Rank for such are called by the name of Princes I. 16. but Rulers perhaps of Thousands who were very considerable in their Tribes For they are called by the same name in the Hebrew every one being said to be a NASI and a ROSCH a Leader and a Head in their Tribes which may incline one to think that there were higher and lower Persons of this sort who had the same Title in every Tribe Ver. 3. And Moses by the Commandment of the Verse 3 LORD Which was given
Proselyte that sojourned for a time or were settled among them And will offer an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD Any of the fore-mentioned Offerings which could be offered as is here directed by none but one that was subject to their Law For though another Proselyte who worshipped the true God but was not Circumcised might bring a Burnt-offering yet they say it was without a Meat-offering and Drink-offering and no Peace-offerings were accepted from him As ye do so he shall do Offer according to the Rules above given which is farther explained in the following Verses Verse 15 Ver. 15. One Ordinance Viz. About Sacrifices Shall be both for you of the Congregation i. e. For you Israelites And also for the Stranger that sojourneth with you Here the LXX translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proselytes that are added or joyned to you or are juris vestri participes as Mr. Selden expounds it L. II. de Jure Nat. Gent. cap. 2. p. 147. An Ordinance for ever c. Never to be repealed as long as your Religion lasts As ye are so shall the Stranger be before the LORD in Matters of Religion and Divine Worship though not in all Civil Things For no Proselyte they think could be chosen a Member of the Sanhedrim or great Council at Jerusalem The Jews extend these words to the way and manner of being made Proselytes by Circumcision Baptism and Sprinkling of Blood as the Jews were originally they say initiated into their Religion Selden Lib. I. de Synedriis cap. 3. p. 34. Ver. 16. One Law and one manner shall be for you Verse 16 and for the Stranger that sojourneth with you This general Rule was made to invite and incourage Strangers to become Proselytes to the Jewish Religion and to engage the Jews to be kind to them they being admitted to an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Philo calls it an equal Priviledge with those who were born Jews Yet this the Jews say is to be received with some distinctions For the Laws of Moses either concerning the Duties they owed to God and one to another or concerning Magistracy and Marriages they say those of the first sort belonged to Proselytes as much as to original Jews yet with some temperament as Mr. Selden observes Lib. II. de Jure Nat. Gent. cap. 4. But in those of the second sort they had not an equal priviledge for they were not to have any sort of Command either Civil or Military and though they might marry with the Jews yet not with the Priests and some Marriages were permitted to them which were forbidden to the Israelites See there p. 167. Ver. 17. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying Verse 17 These Commands were given in all likelyhood at the same time with the foregoing Ver. 18. Speak unto the Children of Israel and say Verse 28 unto them See v. 2. When ye come into the Land whither I bring you See there also only add this That the Jews acknowledge such kind of Offerings as here follow and First-fruits were due by the Law only from the Corn c. that grew in the Land of Canaan but by the Decree of their wise Men they were to bring them out of Syria and out of the Land of Og and Sihon as Maimonides saith in his Treatise called Biccurim cap. 2. Verse 19 Ver. 19. When ye eat i. e. When it is ready to be eaten for they offered it before they ate of it Of the Bread of the Land So Corn is called CIV Psalm 14. and the meaning seems to be that when they made Bread of the new Corn of the Land they should out of the Dough first make a Cake and offer it to the LORD before they baked Bread for their own use Ye shall offer up an Heave-offering unto the LORD This is explained in the next verse of offering a Cake out of the first Dough whether it were of Wheat or Barley or Rye or Oats or that which they call Cusemim which they describe to be a kind of Wheat or Barley different from that which is commonly known by those names For of these five kinds of Grain the Talmudists say this Cake was to be offered and that out of the Gleanings and the Sheaf left in the Field and out of the Corners of the Field Verse 20 Ver. 20. Ye shall offer up a Cake of the first of your Dough for an Heave-offering Not upon the Altar but it was given to the Priests on whom God bestowed all their Heave-offerings XVIII 8. yet they are said to be offered unto the LORD because they were heaved or lifted up to him as the Creator of Heaven and of Earth and then given to his Ministers who had it in his right As ye do the Heave-offering of the Threshing-floor so shall ye heave it That is as the First-fruits of the Harvest were given to the Priests and not offered upon the Altar so should this be given them XXIII Lev. 16 17. And so was the First-fruits of their Oyl and their Wine c. XVIII Numb 12 13. All which the Jews call the great Terumah or Heave-offering Ver. 21. Of the first of your Dough shall ye give unto Verse 21 the LORD an Heave-offering in your Generations This being a new Law not given before he repeats it that they might be the more observant of it As we may see they were by this that it was one of the things which rendred a Woman infamous though not so as to give her the bitter Water if she did not separate this Cake from the first Dough of the new Corn to be presented to God but either made her Husband believe she had done it when she had not or ate it her self as Mr. Selden observes L. III. Vxor Hebr. cap. 17. And therefore at this very day the Jews are so nice in this point that they take enough to make a Cake as soon as the Meal is mingled with Water The proportion is not mentioned in the Law but their wise Men say it was to be the forty fourth part of the whole Dough. See Buxtorf Synagog Jud. cap. 34. The Cabbalists observing that this verse begins with the Letter Mem and ends with Mem conclude after their way that therefore they were to give the fortieth part because Mem is the numeral Letter for forty Ver. 22. And if ye have erred and not observed all Verse 22 these Commandments which the LORD hath spoken unto Moses Which have been now given concerning Sacrifices for to such Commandments these words seem to have respect Maimonides in his Treatise of the Worship of the Planets and the Jews generally saith this concerns Idolatry Ver. 23. Even all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of Moses That is all the Commandments in the Book of Leviticus about such Matters Verse 23 of God's Worship and Service From the day that the LORD commanded Moses The word Moses is not in the Hebrew and the
Jews also say of the unlawfulness of it and wisht him to desist But he would not hearken to them and therefore as it here follows they brought him unto Moses c. as one that contemptuously and with an high hand had offended God For they make this an instance of such a presumptuous Sin as is mentioned before v. 30 31. which is not improbable And it appears from hence that they observed the Sabbath while they were in the Wilderness and therefore did not bring him before Moses on that day but the next after or at least he was not judged till the next day Brought him unto Moses and Aaron and unto all the Congregation Who were now they fancy hearing a Sacred Lecture when they brought the Man before Moses For he was the chief Judge who was to determine such Cases though we may conceive the LXX Elders who were constituted before this hapned XI 24 c. to have been now sitting and Moses at the Head of them But he being not deprived of any Authority by their Creation who were added only to give him ease it is more likely this Man was set before Moses as the sole Judge of this Case For God speaks to him alone v. 35. when he directs what should be done with him Yet Aaron and the Elders it appears by these words were present and called here all the Congregation when this Offender was brought before him Ver. 34. And they put him in ward By the order Verse 34 of Moses as they did the Man that blasphemed XXIV Lev. 12. to secure him till the Mind of God was known how he should be punished Because it was not declared what should be done to him They knew very well that he was to dye for it had been declared XXXI Exod. 14. XXXV 2. but they questioned what kind of death he should suffer as the Jews interpret it For they observe this difference between that Case of the Blasphemer in Leviticus and this here of the Sabbath-breaker that there they doubted whether he should be punished by them or by the Hand of Heaven but here what kind of Death they should inflict upon him Though there are some as Mr. Selden there observes n. 8. who imagine the question here also was Whether the sence of the Law was that they should expect his Punishment from God or he be put to Death by the Court of Judgment Ver. 35. And the LORD said unto Moses Who Verse 35 went I suppose into the Sanctuary to enquire what the Pleasure of God was in this Matter as he did in another Difficulty IX Numb 8. The Man be surely put to death By this Answer it seems to me the question was not at first What Death he should dye but whether he should be put to Death or no That is Whether the gathering and binding up Sticks into a Faggot was such a work as is forbidden in the Law XX Exod. unto which Death was afterwards threatned in the places before-mentioned And the Resolution was that he should be put to Death as a Man that denied God the Creator of the World though not in words yet in fact For he who did any Work on the Sabbath as Aben-Ezra notes upon XX Exod. denied the Work of Creation though he did not in down-right terms deny God himself For the Sabbath being a Sign as God calls it that they were the Worshippers of him who made all things the Contempt of that was a renouncing of their Religion and therefore deserved to be punished with Death the Belief of the Creation of the World being the very Foundation of the Jewish Religion as the belief of its Eternity was the Foundation of the Pagan This made the breach of this Precept of keeping the Sabbath strictly which is more frequently repeated than any other for the reason fore-mentioned so heinous a Crime and so severely punished for by this a true Worshipper of God was distinguished from a profane Person and an Idolater All the Congregation shall stone him with stones without the Camp This was a Punishment inflicted for very enormous Crimes See XX Lev. 2. XXIV 12. And this Man was condemned to suffer it because he was the first breaker of this Sacred Law And he doing it presumptuously as is supposed from the connection of this Story with v. 30 31. in contempt of the Law and not desisting from his Impiety when he was admonished to forbear as I said v. 33. it highly aggravated his guilt being no less than a reproaching of the LORD and a despising of his Word Whence the Vulgar saying of the Talmudists He that denies the Sabbath is like to him that denies the whole Law Ver. 36. And all the Congregation brought him without Verse 36 the Camp and stoned him c. Not on the Sabbath-day as I said before for that was unlawful as Philo observes but the next day after or as soon as Moses had passed Sentence upon him Ver. 37. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying Verse 37 This was spoken it is most likely about the same time that the foregoing Passage hapned and the Commands mentioned in the beginning of this Chapter were delivered For this that follows is a direction for the better observance of all the rest of God's Commandments Ver. 38. Speak unto the Children of Israel and bid Verse 38 them that they make them Fringes This is the best word we have in our Language to express the Hebrew word Tzitzith which imports something of an Ornament resembling a Flower as the word tzitz signifies Of how many threds they consist and after what fashion they are made by the Jews at this day see Buxtorf's Synagoga Judaica cap. 9. In the Borders of their Garments Or as it is in the Hebrew in the Wings of their Garments which had four Skirts it appears by XXII Deut. 12. At the bottom of each of which they were to have a Fringe Which seem to have been only Threds left at the end of the Web unwoven at the top whereof they put a Lace as it here follows Throughout their Generations To be a perpetual Mark of their Religion and put them in mind of their Duty And that they put upon the Fringe of the Borders a Riband Or a Lace which both bound the Fringe fast at the top and also made it more conspicuous and observable which was the intention of it For by this they were distinguished from all other People who were not Jews as well as put in mind of the Precepts of God as it follows in the next verse Of blue Or as some would have it translated of Purple But the Hebrew Writers say Theceleth signifies that colour which we now call Vltramarine as Braunius hath observed Lib. I. de Vestitu Sacerd. Hebr. cap. 13. and Bochart Hierozoic P. II. Lib. V. cap. 10 11. There is another very learned Person also who hath more lately shown out of an excellent MS. in his possession what the Jews deliver concerning
great a difference between the Children of two Brothers who were of equal Deserts Nay Aben-Ezra thinks that he wholly disliked the late Exchange of the First-born for the Levites And besides it may be thought that he stomacht the late Preferment of Elizaphan the Son of Vzziel who was the youngest Son of Kohath to be chief of the Family of the Kohathites III. 30. which he thought rather belonged to himself who was the Son of the second Son of Kohath And finding himself too weak to make an Insurrection alone he perswaded Dathan and Abiram of the Tribe of Reuben and those in whom they had an interest to joyn with him upon another pretence that they were descended from the eldest Son of Israel to whom the chief Authority in the Nation belonged which Moses had taken upon himself and likewise preferred the Tribe of Judah to the principal place in their encampment II. 3. and also the LXX Elders to be his Assistants without their Advice and leaving them out of the number Such as these may be thought to be the grounds upon which they proceeded Korah seeking the Priesthood and the Sons of Reuben the Civil Dignity But it seems to me that the ground of the Quarrel was wholly upon the account of the Priesthood as I shall show upon the next verse and that they struck at Moses only as advancing his Brother and his Family by his own Authority and not as they pretended by God's direction For as Dathan and Abiram did not appear openly when they had formed this Faction for we find them in their Tents v. 12. and refusing to come to Moses when he sent for them so in the next verse they seem to speak of nothing but the Priesthood And so Moses understood their meaning v. 5 10 15. Before Moses In an open defiance of his Authority who they pretended had no power to make such Alterations as he had done With certain of the Children of Israel It is not said out of what Tribe but it is likely out of several if not some out of every Tribe in whom they had any interest Two hundred and fifty Princes of the Assembly c. The LXX divide their Character into three parts First That they were Princes of the Assembly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers of Thousands and Rulers of Hundreds c. And Secondly Famous in the Congregation Which they translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who used to be called to Publick Consultations when they were to deliberate about weighty Affairs And so several both ancient and modern Translations as Mr. Selden hath shown L. II. de Synedriis cap. 4. n. 10. where he saith they were called maxime puto si non solum deliberandi causa chiefly if not only to have their Advice And then lastly Men of renown Such who had got a great Name that is Fame and Credit among the People upon these or other accounts This made the Insurrection the more dangerous that such great Persons were engaged and appeared in it Verse 3 Ver. 3. And they gathered themselves together The fore-named Company came in a Body Against Moses As an arbitrary Disposer of all Preferment And against Aaron Who was promoted by Moses to the Office of High-Priest which he himself had discharged before Aaron's Consecration which perhaps they made a ground of their Quarrel And said unto them Ye take too much upon you In the Hebrew the words are Rab-lachem it is sufficient for you That is you have domineered long enough resign your Places to others for all of us nay every Man in Israel is as good as you Seeing all the Congregation are holy every one of them Here seems to be the Root of the Quarrel Before Moses's time every one might offer Sacrifice in his own Family as I have often observed which Custom these Men would have had still continued being angry that this high Office was confined to one Family alone who were to enjoy all the Benefits of it which were exceeding great For the Priests had a large share in most Offerings and some things wholly to themselves This is the more probable because it was so very hard to convince the People that God had settled this Dignity and all the Profits belonging to it in Aaron's Family For though God did a new thing never heard of before to demonstrate these People that rose against Moses and Aaron to be Seditious yet it was necessary still to do more For after the Earth had swallowed up Dathan and Abiram and Fire consumed Korah and his Company and a Plague destroyed many more of them the LORD did another Miracle XVII 8. in making Aaron's Rod blossom and bud and bring forth Almonds in one Nights time when all the rest of the Rods remained dry Sticks Which makes it probable as I said before there were some in all the Tribes who were engaged in this Sedition and were so deeply infected with the false Notions of Korah that it was necessary to give them all this Satisfaction And the LORD is among them The People need no other Governour but him who dwells among them in his Tabernacle where they can present their Sacrifices to him themselves without your Assistance Wherefore then lift you up your selves above the Congregation of the LORD Since God owns us all for his special and peculiar People why do you take upon you such high Places and Dignity above us all For Moses disposed and ordered all things and Aaron by his order took upon him to be solely God's chief Minister in his Sanctuary Verse 4 Ver. 4. And when Moses heard it he fell upon his face With Aaron also it is likely as they did lately XIV 5. And for the same end See there to deprecate God's displeasure which they might justly think would now rise higher than ever and to beg his direction what to do in such a dangerous state of things Verse 5 Ver. 5. And he spake unto Korah and unto all his Company This shows that Korah was the Head of this Faction and Dathan and Abiram did not at the first I guess from hence appear with him Saying Being risen up from Prayer he made this Answer to the Seditious People by order from God who no doubt directed him to this way of suppressing them Even to morrow the LORD will show c. In the Hebrew the words are To morrow or in the Morning and the LORD will show c. That is stay but till to Morrow and it shall appear without any further delay whether you or we be in the right He would keep them in suspense no longer and yet gave them so much time to consider better and repent Some observe that the Morning was the time of executing Justice and therefore here appointed Will the LORD show By some visible Token Who are his Or Who appertain to him viz. As his Ministers And who is holy Separated and solemnly Consecrated by his appointment to the Sacred Office of Priesthood And will
cause him to come near unto him Make it appear that they are the Persons who ought to burn Incense and to offer Sacrifice For to come near is to perform these Offices as may be learnt from XIX Levit 22. but especially from X Levit. 3. And the very word Cohen denotes it for it signifies a Minister next to the King And him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him They shall discharge the Office of Priesthood whom God himself hath chosen to it and no Body else Ver. 6. This do I put you to this Trial. Verse 6 Take your Censers Perform the Office of Priests unto which you pretend a right Korah and all his Company All the Two hundred and fifty Men and whosoever else were in the Faction of Korah Whom he orders no doubt by God's direction to execute the Office to which they aspired Ver. 7. Put Fire therein and put Incense in them Verse 7 As the Priests were wont to do Before the LORD to morrow At the Altar of Incense as some conceive before the most Holy Place So Menochius But this is contrary to v. 18. where we read they stood in the door of the Tabernacle with their Censers Fire and Incense Nor would the Sanctuary contain such a Company or if it had been large enough the People could not have seen either their Offering or their Punishment from the LORD for their Sin Therefore these words before the LORD signifie with their Faces towards the Sanctuary at the Gate of which they stood for what was done there is said to be before the LORD XXIX Exod. 42. And it shall be that the Man whom the LORD doth choose he shall be holy This comprehends both the Man and all his Family so the meaning is the LORD would declare whether Aaron and his Sons should execute the Priesthood alone or Korah and his Company be admitted to it Ye take too much upon you ye Sons of Levi. It is the same Phrase which we had before v. 3. Rab-lachem you are high enough already let the station wherein you are suffice you and aspire not after greater Dignity The following words justifie this Interpretation Verse 8 Ver. 8. And Moses said unto Korah hear I pray you ye Sons of Levi. By this and by the foregoing verse it appears not only that there were some of the Levites in this Sedition together with Korah at the Head of them but that they were the chief Incendiaries though others as I said before were drawn in to joyn with them because Moses addresses himself only to them Verse 9 Ver. 9. Seemeth it a small thing unto you Do you take it to be no honour to you That the God of Israel hath separated you from the Congregation of Israel Made choice of you above all other Israelites to wait upon him in his Family as his Domestick Servants III Numb 12. VIII 6 14. To bring you near to himself Though not so near as the Priests yet nearer than all other Men being the sole Attendants upon the Priests III. 6. VIII 10 11. To do the Service of the Tabernacle of the LORD III. 7 8. particularly the Kohathites were chosen to do the Service of the Tabernacle about the most holy things IV. 4 19. And to stand before the Congregation to minister unto them VIII 11 19. Ver. 10. And he hath brought thee near to him and Verse 10 all thy Brethren the Sons of Levi with thee Or Though he hath brought thee speaking unto Korah thus near to him and all the rest of the Levites thy Brethren See VIII 10 11 15 19. And seek ye the Priesthood also Will it not content you that you alone are chosen to minister unto the Priests III. 6. but you must be advanced to minister unto God in their Office Ver. 11. For which cause both thou and all thy Company Verse 11 are gathered together against the LORD By whose order Aaron and his Sons were appointed to serve him in the Office of Priests as was declared when the Levites were taken to minister unto them III. 3. IV. 15 19 20. And therefore to rise up against them was to rise up against the LORD and oppose his Authority who made them his Priests And what is Aaron Or And Aaron what hath he done Wherein is he faulty That ye murmur against him For taking upon him the Office of Priesthood into which he did not intrude himself but was chosen and appointed by God to do him that Service who would have been angry with him if he had refused it Ver. 12. And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram Verse 12 the Sons of Eliah To Summon them to the place where Moses now was which the Jews say was the Court of Judgment This shows that either these Men as I said v. 2. did not openly appear with Korah and his Company against Moses v. 3. Or if they did they retired to their Tents before he rose up from his Prayer to give them an Answer What became of On we are not informed for he is neither mentioned here nor in the following part of this Narrative concerning their Sedition nor any where else in the Holy Scripture Which said We will not come up They bad the Messenger who summoned them to appear before Moses to tell him plainly that they denied his Authority For that 's the meaning of this Language He hath no Authority to command us who are none of his Subjects and therefore will not obey him Verse 13 Ver. 13. Is it a small thing with thee that thou hast brought us up out of a Land flowing with Milk and Honey to kill us in the Wilderness Though they would not come to him yet they returned him this Message Have we not suffered enough by being brought out of a rich and plentiful Country abounding with all good things into a barren Wilderness where we are ready to starve Nothing could be more insolentand ungrateful than to describe Egypt in the very same Language wherein God himself had often spoken of the Land of Promise particularly when he sent Moses to tell them he would bring them up out of the Affliction of Egypt under which they groaned III Exod. 16 17. Except thou make thy self altogether a Prince over us Unless we allow thee to make what Laws thou thinkest good and impose what thou pleasest upon us A most rude and insolent Speech signifying that they had not shaken off the Yoke of Bondage but only exchanged it and instead of the Rich and Wealthy Oppression of Pharaoh were come under the Poor and Hungry Tyranny of Moses For so the next verse imports Ver. 14. Moreover thou hast not brought us into a Verse 14 Land that floweth with Milk and Honey c. Or Certainly this is not the good Land into which thou didst promise to conduct us It seems to be a Sarcastical Speech Upbraiding him as if he had put a Cheat upon them and fed them only with
good Words to which they would no longer trust Or given us Inheritence of Fields and Vineyards But told us it shall be bestowed forty years hence when we are all dead This still shows they took him for a Deluder of them with deceitful Promises Wilt thou put out the Eyes of these Men Some of them spake this in the name of the rest who were now with Dathan and Abiram and the meaning is Dost thou think to blind us so that none of us shall discern this Imposture Or shall we suffer thee to lead us about like blind Men whither thou pleasest sometimes towards Canaan and now back again towards the Red Sea and Egypt We will not come up A peremptory Resolution not to own his Authority which they denied at the first v. 12. Ver. 15. And Moses was very wroth For such behaviour Verse 15 and Language was so provoking that it was no wonder it incensed the meekest Man upon Earth XII 3. Yet the LXX translate the words as if he only took it very heavily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it made him exceeding sad And said unto the LORD respect not their Offering He calls the Incense which they were about to offer by the Name of Mincha which commonly signifies a Meat-offering but sometimes any inanimate thing that was consumed in honour of God as Incense was and must so signifie in this place for they offered nothing else And when Moses desires it may not be accepted he means a great deal more that God would give some Sign of his dislike to it Hence it seems plain to me That Dathan and Abiram as well as Korah quarrelled at the confining the Priestood unto Aaron's Family for Moses calls this their Offering by the Acceptance or Rejection of which this Controversie was to be decided I have not taken one Ass from them This seems to be an Appeal to God against their unjust Charge that he acted Arbitrarily and did with them what he list v. 13. From which he was so far that he declares before God he had not taken i. e. received by way of Gift or Reward So the LXX and the Vulgar understand it the smallest thing for such a single Ass was much less extorted any thing from them Nor have I hurt any one of them None can say that I have done any kind of Evil to them but contrarily all good Offices For that he did not seek himself appeared in this That he had not advanced his own Family to the Priestood but left them in the number of the other Levites upon the same level with Korah and his Company Ver. 16. And Moses said unto Korah be thou and all thy Company before the LORD c. He repeats what he had said to him before v. 6 7. only adding that he would have Aaron also there together with Verse 16 them So it follows Thou and they and Aaron to morrow Before the LORD i. e. In the Court of the Tabernacle See v. 7. where by an extraordinary Commission from the Divine Majesty this Trial was to be made And therefore Aaron himself did not now go into the Sanctuary to offer Incense which was the proper and only place allowed by the Law but stood with them without As in another great necessity he offered Incense in the midst of the Congregation v. 46 47. Both which was done by a Dispensation from him that made the Law Ver. 17. Take every Man his Censer and put Incense Verse 17 in them and bring ye before the LORD every Man his Censer Let every Man of them stand before the LORD at the Door of the Tabernacle to do the Office of Priests to which they pretended as good a right as Aaron and his Sons Two hundred and fifty Censers This shows that the Incense being offered by so great a number as it appears it was v. 35. they did not offer it in the Sanctuary which would not contain so many Persons Thou also and Aaron each of you his Censer This seems to signifie as if Korah was commanded to stand by Aaron since he pretended to be his equal which made the Hand of God the more remarkable upon him when he was struck with Lightning and no harm came to Aaron who stood by him But it may be doubted what way Korah perished Ver. 18. And they took every Man his Censer That is the Two hundred and fifty Men did as they were commanded but Korah went first to muster up as Verse 18 many as he could get together against Moses v. 19. and then seems to have gone to his Tent v. 24. Herein these Men submitted to the way of decision which Moses propounded though they had so boldly denied his Authority For they could not but think that God whom they owned to be among them v. 3. would approve of them if they were in the right and make good their Allegation That all the Congregation were holy by accepting their Incense as much as Aaron's To whom they did not deny an equality with themselves but only a Superiority And put fire in them From the Altar of Burnt-offering which stood in the Court at the Door of which they were placed I Lev. 5. for Aaron durst not take it from any other place his Sons having lost their Lives for offering with strange Fire The remembrance of which it is likely deterred these Men from doing other wise who did not as yet put in the Fire but only took their Censers and put Incense in them which is all that is ordered in the preceding Verse and put Fire in afterwards And stood in the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation with Moses and Aaron As if they were nothing inferiour to them Verse 19 Ver. 19. And Korah gathered all the Congregation against them The LXX translates it Korah gathered all his Congregation i. e. all the Men of his Faction But the Hebrew words import that he gathered all the Congregation of Israel at least all the great Men who are sometimes called by the Name of all the Congregation XIV 1. whom he got together that they might be Witnesses at least of the issue of this Trial though their coming together with Korah and his Company rather than with Moses and Aaron is too plain an Indication that they were inclined if not to throw off yet to doubt of their Authority Vnto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Where they themselves stood v. 18. And so did Moses and Aaron but the Israelites that Korah had gathered together stood on his side as appears from the foregoing words and from v. 24. And the Glory of the LORD The SCHECHINAH or Divine Majesty came forth out of the most Holy Place where it usually resided Appeared unto all the Congregation Openly shewed it self in the sight of all the People and it is likely in such an amazing manner as it had done before XIV 10. But where it appeared we are not told I suppose in the Cloud which was just
the LORD create a Creature i. e. do something that was never seen nor heard of in the World before The Jews in several of their Books particularly in Pirke Avoth say there are ten things which God created after the World was perfected and they mention the mouth of the Earth for one of them that is the gaping of the Ground to swallow up these wicked People Which is said to be created as Aben-Ezra well observes because by this Miracle God altered the Course of Nature and did a thing extraordinary And the Earth open her mouth and swallow them up with all that appertain unto them i. e. On a sudden when there is no Earthquake but all is calm and still and it swallow up none but them alone And they go down quick into the Pit Be buried alive when they are in perfect health By this place it is apparent that the Hebrew word Sheol doth often signifie the Grave which Bellermine and others most earnestly contend never signifies so but Hell which from hence he asserts to be in the Center of the Earth Lib. IV. de Christo cap. 10. not observing that if it signifie Hell in this verse and v. 33. then the Houses of these Men and their Houshold-stuff and all that appertained to them went down thither which is very absurd It is hard also to think that all their little Children went down into Hell for their Father's sin though they did into the Grave Then ye shall understand that these Men have provoked the LORD You shall be sufficiently convinced that they have unjustly accused me and brought this destruction upon themselves Verse 31 Ver. 31. And it came to pass that as he had made an end of speaking all the words that the Ground clave asunder that was under them He had no sooner done speaking but immediately what he said was verified which made it the more remarkable Ver. 32. And the Earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up Viz. Dathan and Abiram before-mentioned Verse 32 v. 27. who stood in the Door of their Tents outfacing Moses And their Houses i. e. All their Family or as Moses himself hath explained it XI Deut. 6. Their Housholds and their Tents and all the Substance that was in their possession And all the Men that appertained unto Korah We are not told what became of Korah himself for it is not said he was swallowed up but all that appertained to him i. e. all that were at that time in his Tent His whole Family except his Sons who escaped XXVI 11. taking warning I suppose from what Moses said v. 26. Which hath made some think that Korah was at the Head of his Two hundred and fifty Men who were the great Abetters of his Faction who if he had forsaken them at this Trial that was made who were in the right we may well think would have withdrawn themselves also and not have stood to it without their Chieftain as we find they did v. 35. Yet he is not mentioned there as perishing with them by Fire from the LORD and Moses seems to say XXVI 10. that Dathan and Abiram were swallowed up together with Korah who had as much reason or more perhaps to think it necessary to be with that other Company which he had gathered against Moses v. 19. and to incourage them to persist in their Resolution than to be with the Two hundred and fifty Men who were Men of such Authority v. 2. that they may be thought to have needed none to support them It may be added also that the word appertaineth is not here in the Hebrew which makes these words sound as if the meaning were only those that were of Korah's Family but simply all the Men that were to Korah i. e. were gathered to him and were at that time with him Which seems to be an Indication that they and he were swallowed up together How many there were that staid with him there is not certain but the generality left him v. 27. where it is expresly said they gat up from the Tabernacle of Korah Dathan and Abiram as Moses had commanded v. 24. Which may be taken for a further Indication that he was swallowed up in the Tabernacle where he was or in his own Tent after he came out of that Tabernacle But those places I observed before may be otherwise understood that place also which is the main foundation of this Opinion XXVI 10. may likewise receive another Interpretation as I shall show when I come thither And they that are of the other Opinion think his Tabernacle and his Family and all his Houshold-stuff might be swallowed up though he himself was not with them but was burnt by Fire with the Two hundred and fifty Men that offered Incense for Moses bad him take his Censer as well as they v. 17. Which since they did and put Fire and Incense therein why should it be thought he did not do the same It seems to me highly probable that he did otherwise he would have seemed to distrust his Cause but it must be confessed that it is obscure which way he perished and therefore it is not fit to contend about it And all their Goods All their Houshold-stuff and Cattle and whatsoever was in or about their Tents Ver. 33. They and all that appertained to them See XI Deut. 6. Went down alive into the Pit As Moses had foretold v. 30. Verse 33 And the Earth closed upon them This made it the more wonderful that the Earth having swallowed them all up had no Cleft remaining in it but closed up again and was as firm as before And they perished from among the Congregation Were never more seen Ver. 34. And all Israel that were round about them Verse 34 fled at the cry of them Though they were at a distance from their Tents whence they had removed on all sides v. 27. yet they heard them shriek so loudly as they sunk down into the Ground that it put them into a great fright and made them fly still further off For they said lest the Earth swallow us up also Some of them were conscious to themselves that they had favoured this wicked Faction and all of them knew how highly they had lately offended God by their unbelief and murmuring Chapt. XIV which might make them justly fear the same Fate with their Brethren Ver. 35. And there came out a Fire from the LORD Verse 35 From the Glory of the LORD which appeared unto all the Congregation v. 19. as ready to decide the Controversie This fell out either at the same time the Earth swallowed up Dathan and Abiram or immediately after it And consumed the two hundred and fifty Men that offered Incense Which was a plain declaration that they usurped the Office of Priests and therefore were thus punished by God himself for their presumption It is not certain whether they were devoured by the Fire or only struck dead as Men are sometimes on a sudden by
Lightning and perhaps scorched as they likewise sometimes are The latter seems most probable from what follows v. 37. and from the like punishment by Fire from the LORD which is said to devour Nadab and Abihu and yet their Bodies remained intire X Lev. 2 4. This was the more astonishing because Moses and Aaron who stood with them at the Door of the Tabernacle v. 18. had no hurt Verse 36 Ver. 36. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying Immediately after the Death of those Men. Ver. 37. Speak unto Eleazar the Son of Aaron the Priest Who it is likely stood by them as next Successor to Aaron in the Office which was disputed And therefore perhaps imployed in what follows rather than Aaron that his Succession might be confirmed Though others will have it that it was below the Dignity of Aaron to perform such a mean Office and besides he might have been in danger to be polluted by the dead Bodies of the Men that were burnt That he take the Censers out of the Burning Out of the place where the Men were burnt as some understand it Or which differs not much from among the dead Bodies which were burnt Burning being put for Bodies burnt as Captivity XXI 1. for those that were carried Captive or made Prisoners as we there translate it But there is no need of either of these Additions burning signifying the Fire which burnt in them which he orders Eleazar to throw out that the Censers might be brought away And scatter thou the Fire yonder The Men were burnt as soon as ever they put fire to the Incense in their Censers v. 18. which flaming at the Door of the Tabernacle where they stood near the Altar from whence they took the Fire God commanded to be thrown away without the Camp into that place I suppose where they were wont to throw the Ashes VI Lev. 11. or rather into some unclean place where they threw the Dust scraped from the Walls of Leprous Houses XIV Lev. 41. For it was to show that God abhorred their Offering For they are hollowed Or had Fire from the Altar put into them which some think sanctified them But the plain reason is given in the next verse because they offered them before the LORD i. e. they had been employed to an holy use and that by God's command v. 6 17. and therefore God would not have them hereafter serve for any other Ver. 39. The Censers of these Sinners against their Verse 39 own Souls Who have brought destruction upon themselves by their Presumption Let them make of them Either Aaron or Eleazar were to cause them to be beaten into such Plates as here follow Broad Plates for a covering of the Altar Of Burnt-offering which was covered with Brass XXVII Exod 12. but these Plates were to be laid upon that Covering which it had already for the end mentioned in the Conclusion of this verse And hereby also the proper Covering of the Altar lasted the longer For they offered them before the LORD Presented them before the LORD when they offered Incense in them v. 35. Therefore they are hallowed Or holy That is I will have them separated for this reason to my use alone and no other It is a thing worthy to be taken special notice of that the Impiety of the Men that offered Incense did not discharge their Censers of the discriminative Respect as our famous Mr. Mede speaks due unto things sacred As these in some sort were by being presented to the LORD which made it unlawful to imploy them to common uses For as the LORD himself is that singular incommunicable and absolutely Holy One and his Service and Worship therefore incommunicable to any other so should that also which is consecrated to his Service be in some proportion incommunicably used and not promiscuously and commonly as other things are See Book I. Discourse 2. p. 18. And they shall be a Sign unto the Children of Israel That God accepts no Sacrifice which is not presented by the Hands of the Sons of Aaron This the Levites were to remember who attended upon the Priest when they saw these Plates laid upon the Altar of Burnt-offering every day Verse 39 Ver. 39. And Eleazar the Priest took the brazen Censers c. By this it appears these Censers were made of the same Metal though it was not said before that Aaron's Censer was of and wherewith the Altar was overlaid He took them up out of the burning no doubt immediately upon the foregoing Commands and as soon as the Mutiny was quite quelled they were employed as Moses had directed Ver. 40. To be a Memorial unto the Children of Israel This explains what is meant by a Sign v. 38. viz. to put them in mind or rather to keep in their memory That no Stranger Though he were an Israelite nay a Levite if he were not as it here follows of the Seed of Aaron he was reputed a Stranger to this Office Come near to offer Incense before the LORD Presume to execute the Office of a Priest in the Sanctuary That he be not as Korah and his Company Destroyed in a dreadful manner By this it appears that Korah perished as well as the Two hundred and fifty Men and it is likely as they did by Fire from the LORD As the LORD said unto him i. e. To Eleazar By the hand of Moses Ver. 36 37. Ver. 41. But on the morrow An astonishing Instance Verse 41 of the incurable hardness and insensibility of some Mens hearts which were not in the least altered by God's terrible Judgments and singular Mercies but instantly forgat both All the Congregation of the Children of Israel Not merely the Rulers of the People as this Phrase sometimes signifies but all the People in general v. 47. who were incited it is probable by that lewd Rout which Korah had gathered together against Moses and Aaron v. 19. Some of which were swallowed up but most of them remained still alive to do more Mischief Murmured against Moses and against Aaron In such a mutinous and threatning manner as demonstrated the contagious Nature of a Seditious Humour beyond all example For from a discontented Party who grumbled that they were not preferred suitably to the opinion they had of themselves it spread it self into the whole Body of the People And so infected them as to kindle a new Flame as soon as the former had been extinguished by such a terrible Vengeance as one would have expected should not have left the smallest Spark of this mutinous Humour in them Saying Ye have killed the People of the LORD So they impudently call those Men whom God himself had declared by a visible Token to be presumptuous Sinners against their own Souls Some imagine they quarrelled with Moses and Aaron because they had not prevailed with God to pardon them which they could as well have done as procured this Judgment upon them But the displeasure which God here expresses against this
new Murmuring shows this not to be a true Excuse for them Verse 42 Ver. 42. And it came to pass when the Congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron Their Murmuring presently proceeded to an Insurrection That they looked toward the Tabernacle of the Congregation i. e. Moses and Aaron implored help from God which is implyed in their looking toward his Dwelling-place And behold the Cloud covered it One would think by this that it had for some time withdrawn it self from the Tabernacle when the dead Bodies of Korah's Company lay dead at the Door of it And the Glory of the LORD appeared To comfort them in this Distress and to show he was ready to support and vindicate them Verse 43 Ver. 43. And Moses and Aaron came before the Tabernacle of the Congregation Perhaps for Safety and Security or to hear what Directions God would give them Ver. 44. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying Out of the Tabernacle before which he stood waiting for the LORD's Orders Ver. 45. Get ye up from among this Congregation Verse 44 He speaks to Aaron and Eleazar I suppose as well as Verse 45 unto Moses That I may consume them as in a moment As he was inclined to do before v. 21. and now had a greater reason And they fell on their faces To beseech God not to punish the People as they deserved v. 22. Ver. 46. And Moses said unto Aaron By God's Verse 46 Direction Take a Censer and put Fire therein from off the Altar Near to which they now were v. 43. And put on Incense Upon the Fire but not till he came into the midst of the Congregation v. 47. And go quickly unto the Congregation With the Incense which regularly was to be offered only at the golden Altar within the Sanctuary but now in this extraordinary Case by God's special Order Aaron is sent with it into the Camp that they might all be Witnesses of his Power with God and that by his Authority he was settled in the Priesthood And make an Atonement for them Which was usually performed by the Blood of a Sacrifice but there was not time for that and therefore now it was made by the Incense wherewith their daily Sacrifices Morning and Evening were concluded and was accompanied by the Prayers of the People while the Priest as he offered it made Intercession for them CXLI Psalm 2. Thus as St. Hierom glosses Currens ira Dei Sacerdotij voce prohibebatur the Divine Anger coming with full speed upon them was stopped by the Voice of the Priest Which was a notable Type of the Power of our great High Priest and Intercessor with God the LORD Jesus For there is Wrath gone out from the LORD Who would not wholly grant their Prayer for a Pardon v. 45. but inflicted some Punishment upon them The Plague is begun A Pestilence in all probability of which several immediately died Verse 47 Ver. 47. And Aaron took as Moses commanded A Censer and Fire from the Altar with Incense ready to be put upon it v. 46. And ran According to the Command of Moses v. 46. who bad him go quickly Into the midst of the Congregation Perhaps into the midst of each of the four Camps of Judah Reuben Ephraim and Dan mentioned in the second Chapter being broke out every where And behold the Plague was begun among the People He saw People die on all sides of him And he put on Incense Whereupon he put Incense upon the Fire which he brought along with him from the Altar v. 46. And made an Atonement for the People Interceded with God for them and obtained what he desired Verse 48 Ver. 48. And he stood between the dead and the living This seems to intimate that the Plague began in the Skirts of their Camps and was proceeding into the heart of them where Aaron stood as a Mediator for those who were not yet smitten And the Plague was stayed A stop was put to its progress Which was a further Evidence of Aaron's right to the Priesthood by God's appointment who not only preserved him when he offered Incense together with Korah's Company v. 17. but now makes him an Instrument of preserving others from destrustion Ver. 49. Now they that died in the Plague were Fourteen Verse 49 thousand and seven hundred Who it is likely were of the forwardest Men to associate themselves with Korah v. 19. Besides them that died about the matter of Korah Whose just number is not known for besides the Two hundred and fifty Men mentioned v. 25. the whole Families of Korah Dathan and Abiram were swallowed up Ver. 50. And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the Verse 50 door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation To carry back his Censer And the Plague was stayed Or rather For the Plague was stayed and so having done his business he returned to the Tabernacle CHAP. XVII Chapter XVII Ver. 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying Verse 1 Not long after the Plague was stayed For though there had been enough done to satisfie the People that Aaron was advanced to the Priesthood by God's appointment and not by Moses his Affection to his Kindred yet their Minds had been so poisoned by Korah and his Complices with the contrary Opinion that it was necessary to do still more to root it out Which was the occasion of what follows Verse 2 Ver. 2. Speak unto the Children of Israel Order them to bring what I require thee to take of them And take of every one of them i. e. Of every Tribe A Rod. Or a Staff as the Hebrew word Matteh is often translated Which some take for an ordinary Walking-staff or for the Staff which was the Badge of their Authority as Princes of the several Tribes neither of which seems to me to be true For what reason have we to think that every Man's Staff which he commonly used was made of the Wood of an Almond Tree as these were one may probably conclude from the 8th verse And therefore I take it they were all now cut off from some Tree of that kind and it is likely from one and the same Tree that none might fancy there was any difference between them For the Miracle was great enough which here follows without supposing as some do that these Rods were all of some other common Wood and yet Aaron's Rod produced Almonds which were not the proper Fruit of it Though it must be confessed that if they were not of the wood of an Almond Tree the wonder was greater that his Rod should bring forth Almonds and struck their Minds more strongly According to the House of their Fathers In the Hebrew it is Father in the Singular Number denoting the principal Person or Patriarch as we call them of whose House or Family he was to take one Rod. Of all their Princes according to the House of their Fathers This explains the meaning more fully that the Prince of every Tribe who was
the Head of the House of their Fathers should bring these Rods. Their Names we have in the first Chapter of this Book v. 5 6. and VII 2 12 c. Twelve Rods. Besides Aaron's for so many Tribes there were besides that of Levi. And too great a number of every Tribe in all likelyhood had joyned with Korah in their discontended Murmurings at the confinement of the Priesthood unto Aaron's Family alone to which they all fansied they had as much right as he Which is the reason of taking a Rod from every Tribe that they might all be convinced that none of them but he and his Family alone were owned by God for his Priests See XVI 3. Write thou every Man's name upon his Rod. Either by an Incision into the very Wood or with such Ink as they wrote withal in those days V. 22. This he did in the Presence of the Princes that they might not afterward suspect any Fraud when they came to take their Rods again but be satisfied they were the very same which they saw noted with their Names Ver. 3. And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the Verse 3 Rod of Levi. Because God had made him the Prince of that Tribe by giving him the High-Priesthood And he would have them see that as no other Person in any of the Twelve Tribes so no other Levite ought to pretend unto that high Office which he had invested him withal and him alone For one Rod shall be for the Head of the House of their Fathers One Rod was sufficient because the Head of the Tribe comprehended the whole Tribe Who were all excluded from the Priesthood by the Exclusion of him who represented them Verse 4 Ver. 4. And thou shalt lay them up in the Tabernacle In the most Holy Place Before the Testimony i. e. Before the Ark called in many Places the Ark of the Testimony XL Exod. 3. because therein Moses put the Testimony or two Tables of Stone and the Mercy Seat above it v. 20 21. where the Divine Glory resided Therefore to lay the Rods before the Testimony was to lay them before the Divine Majesty who intended by them finally to determine the present Controversie Where I will meet with you There he promised to meet with Moses XXV Exod. 22. by whom he communicated his Mind unto the People For he neither met with them nor with Aaron there any other way but by Moses And therefore the Vulgar Latin here translates it minding the sence rather than the words Where I will speak to them And so the LXX By which I will be made known to thee there And indeed meeting with them here is nothing but declaring or making known his Mind to them all by what was done there upon Aaron's Rod. So it follows in the next verse And for this reason the Tabernacle of the LORD is called OHEL MOED the Tabernacle of Meeting not of Mens meeting there as is commonly supposed by our translating it The Tabernacle of the Congregation but of God's meeting there with Men. For so the LORD himself gives the reason of the Name both here and in XXIX Exod. 42. XXX 36. where I have noted the same out of Mr. Mede Ver. 5. And it shall come to pass that the Man's Rod whom I shall choose shall blossom The Rods being laid before me I will tell you whom I have chosen to minister to me in the Priesthood by making the Verse 5 Rod upon which his Name is written to blossom when all the rest remain as they were before without any Alteration This was a kind of new choice as the words import whereby God confirmed the choice he had formerly made of Aaron to be High-Priest And I will make to cease from me the Murmurings of the Children of Israel whereby they murmur against you And hereby stop all their Mouths from murmuring any more about this matter unless they will oppose me directly who declare before-hand how I intend to give Judgment in this Case and put an end to this Dispute Ver. 6. And Moses spake unto the Children of Israel Verse 6 Told them what God had said that they might be all consenting to this way of Decision And every one of their Princes gave him a Rod apiece For they could not refuse such a fair Proposal For each Prince one according to their Fathers Houses even twelve Rods. Observing herein the Commands of Moses who wrote no doubt every Man's Name upon his Rod as he was also commanded v. 2. And the Rod of Aaron was among their Rods. Not one of the twelve as the Jews fancy but besides the twelve Rods for the twelve Tribes as was directed v. 2. and obeyed by them as the foregoing words tell us his Rod was put among them with his Name upon it as their Names were upon their Rods. And therefore the Vulgar translates it having regard to the sence only There were twelve Rods besides the Rod of Aaron Which the LXX intended in their Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Rod of Aaron in the midst of their Rods. And if it were cut from the very same Tree with theirs the Miracle became the more remarkable Verse 7 Ver. 7. And Moses laid up the Rods before the LORD Who was by them to declare his choice v. 5. In the Tabernacle of Witness In that part of the Tabernacle where the Ark was which had in it the Witness or Testimony which God gave Moses XXV Exod. 21. who alone could go into that place Verse 8 Ver. 8. And it came to pass that on the morrow It is likely God told him he would â—orthwith show whom he had chosen Moses went into the Tabernacle of Witness The most Holy Place where the Rods were laid up by God's order And behold the Rod of Aaron Which had his Name written on it For the House of Levi. Or To the House of Levi i. e. whom God had made Head of the Levites Was budded and brought forth Buds and blossomed Blossoms and yielded Almonds In some places of the Rod I suppose there was an appearance of Buds coming forth in others the Buds were fully thrust out and in others they were opened and shot forth into Blossoms and those Blossoms in other parts knotted and grown into Almonds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as Gregory Nyssen speaks in the Life of Moses p. 185. The greatest Miracle even in the judgment of Unbelievers who now acknowledged that which before they opposed v. 12 13. For that in one Night a dry Stick as some suppose them all to have been should produce Buds and Flowers and Fruit when all the rest which perhaps were cut from the same Tree were as dry as they were before could not but be very amazing and unless they would shut their eyes make them see the distinction which the LORD made between Aaron whose Name that Rod bare and all the rest of the Children of Israel whom the other Rods represented The Heathen did
not think such things incredible as Huetius hath shown in his Quaestiones Alnetanae L. I. cap. 12. n. 24. Ver. 9. And Moses brought out all the Rods from before Verse 9 the LORD unto all the Children of Israel Before whom they were exposed to open view that they might see the difference God had made And they looked and took every Man his Rod. Viewed them and taking them into their Hands examined them and found they were the very same Rods which they had delivered unto Moses with their Names on them without any alteration Ver. 10. And the LORD said unto Moses bring Verse 10 Aaron's Rod again Which either Moses held in his Hand or delivered it to Aaron as he did the rest to the several Princes of the Tribes who showed it to the Children of Israel with the Buds Blossoms and Almonds upon it After which God commanded it to be returned unto him Before the Testimony To be laid up in the place where it was before it was thus changed v. 4 7. To be kept for a Token against the Rebels That it might be produced as a sufficient Conviction of their Impiety if any presumed hereafter to rebel against Aaron's Authority Or rather that it might prevent all Insurrections against it for the future For it remained we find in the most Holy Place for some time as appears both from the Apostle IX Hebr. 4. and from the reason of its being put here that it might be preserved as a Sign or Proof of Aaron's Authority and Suppress all opposition to it But how long it continued we cannot tell for it is not mentioned when the Ark was brought into the Temple of Solomon 1 Kings VIII 9. nor is it certain whether it continued in that verdure wherein it now appeared with the Buds Blossoms and Fruit though it is highly probable it did because it was to be a Testimony that the Honour of the Priesthood should continue to Aaron's Family alone through all Generations There are those who take this Rod which blossomed and was laid up in the most Holy Place to have been the Rod of Moses wherewith he wrought so many Miracles in Egypt and at the Red Sea Concerning which the Jews tell very many incredible things as that it came from a Branch of the Tree of Life which an Angel gave to Seth who planted it in the Wilderness where Moses found it grown to a Tree and cut this Rod from it For when they came to Marah and could not drink the Waters because they were bitter God showed them this Tree that with it he might make them sweet Upon which Tree he afterward placed the brazen Serpent by looking on which the People were healed c. Thus the Cabbalists generally tell this Tale but some of them much otherwise who say it was given to Adam and by him to Enoch and so on till it came to Joseph in whose House the Egyptians found it when he died and brought it to Pharaoh from whom Jethro stole it c. with a great deal of such like stuff Which Abarbinel saith is to be understood mystically But all the ground they have for this Fancy of the Rod here laid up being Moses's Rod is from XX. 8 9. where it is said That Moses took the Rod from before the LORD wherewith he brought Water out of the Rock and this Rod is said v. 11. to be Moses his Rod. Dr. Owen upon the Epistle to the Hebrews follows this Conceit and endeavours to find many Mysteries in it But it is evidently false for as there is not the least intimation here that it was the Rod of Moses but quite contrary it is called the Rod of Aaron v. 6. so it had not been a sufficient Argument to convince the Infidelity of the Israelites if Aaron's Rod had not been of the same kind with all the rest For they might have ascribed what came to pass to the singular quality or vertue of that Rod especially if it were Moses his Rod wherewith Wonders used to be wrought and not to a special Hand of God appearing to establish the Authority of Aaron And besides a Rod full of Blossoms and Fruit had been very unfit to be used to smite the Rock withal for which purpose that Rod which seems to have been his Pastoral Staff wherewith he smote the Rock in Horeb was most proper XVII Exod. 5 6. And thou shalt quite take away their Murmurings from me i. e. Silence all their Cavils against Aaron and his Family which the LORD here declares he would no longer bear if they continued in them after this demonstration of his Will and Pleasure For here were a great many miraculous things concurred together to convince them that to oppose Aaron was to oppose God himself The Jews reckon up eight First That Aaron's Rod should bring forth Buds Blossoms and Fruit all in one Night when the other Rods which were of the same nature brought forth nothing And then secondly That the Buds brought forth Leaves for so they interpret those words v. 8. the Rod of Aaron was budded i. e. brought forth Leaves for the next words speaks of its budding which followed after And thirdly That it thrust out Leaves before the Blossoms which is contrary to the Nature of the Almond Tree And next that it put forth Blossoms all the Rod over as they interpret those words bloomed Blossoms And then that a dry Stick as they understand it should produce Fruit and this Fruit Almonds which such Trees they think as that Rod was taken from did not bear And further That it produced ripe Almonds as the Hebrew word Schekedim imports And lastly That Moses showed the People all these at one view the Leaves Buds Blossoms and Fruit in perfection By which multiplicity of Miracles the Dignity of Aaron was so demonstrated that we do not find they at any time hereafter adventured to rise up against him For besides all those Wonders now mentioned it may be that it was not the Season of the Year for Almonds nor so much as for the budding of that Tree which made it the more astonishing But the greatest thing of all was the continuing of this Miracle to future Ages which might well make them afraid to open their Mouths again in Murmurings against Aaron That they die not Be not consumed in a moment as God had more than once formerly threatned XVI 21 45. and now declared if they did not mend their Manners and cease their Murmurings about this matter he would instantly execute Ver. 11. And Moses did so as the LORD commanded so did he Both brought the Rod again to him and laid it up before him and told the Children of Israel the reason of it which occasioned what Verse 11 follows Ver. 12. And the Children of Israel spake unto Moses Verse 12 saying Behold we die we perish c. Moses having told them that he laid up the Rod for this end to be a Witness against them that if
they murmured any more they deserved to be all cut off as they should certainly be it moved them to make this doleful Complaint Wherein they seem to be convinced of their Guilt and to bewail their miserable state For the sence of these two verses is Some of us died before and now lately more have perished and we are all in the same danger surely we shall never have done dying till we be all consumed Behold we die This seems to relate to those Judgments which had passed upon them heretofore We perish And this to what had very lately hapned to Korah Dathan and Abiram with their Company and to those that murmured the next day after XVI 49. We all perish This will be the Fate of the whole Congregation Ver. 13. Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the Verse 13 Tabernacle of the LORD Who was not a Priest and yet approached nearer than God allowed Shall die So Moses had threatned and they now believed him And were afraid withal they should some time or other incur God's Displeasure by their Rashness Shall we be consumed with dying They seem to be afraid lest for their late Murmurings and Insurrection after such a heavy Punishment for that Sin XVI 41 42. God should further plague them as by this new Sign he convinced them they justly deserved And therefore beg of Moses to intreat God to spare them and not to go on utterly to destroy them CHAP. XVIII Chapter XVIII Verse 1 Ver. 1. AND the LORD said unto Aaron By the hand of Moses it is most likely unto whom God was wont to Communicate all that he would have delivered either to Aaron or to the People XVII 4. And having done more Miracles than one to establish Aaron in the Priesthood he now lets him know that the Honour he had done him was an Office of great Weight and Burden wherein he was to behave himself with great Care and Circumspection And withal he again declares what the Duty of the Levites was together with the Priests from v. 1. unto v. 8. And from thence he proceeds to tell them what Maintenance he had setled upon both for their encouragement in doing their Duty as I shall observe in the proper places Thou and thy Sons and thy Father's House with thee You and the Levites whom he calls his Father's House who had the Charge of the Sanctuary Shall bear the Iniquity of the Sanctuary If the Sanctuary were profaned through the Negligence of the Levites who were to keep Strangers and People in their Uncleanness from entring into it and if the Priests were remiss and did not take care to see the Levites do their Duty the Punishment of such Prophanation he tells them should fall upon them And thou and thy Sons with thee i. e. Aaron and the Priests alone Shall bear the Iniquity of the Priesthood Suffer the Punishment of it if they permitted any Person who was not of the Line of Aaron to offer Incense or perform any part of the Priest's Office or if they themselves should minister in their Uncleanness or having any Blemish or did any thing contrary to the Rules of their Office This was some comfort to the People who were afraid they should die for every Error committed in their Approaches to the Sanctuary XVII 12 13. for which he assures them he would punish the Priests and the Levites and not them And it also served to remove the Peoples Envy to the Priest whose Dignity they saw accompanined with such great Danger Ver. 2. And thy Brethren also of the Tribe of Levi Verse 2 the Tribe of thy Father This also was a Comfort to the Levites and designed to make them more contented than they had been in their Inferior Offices that the Priests were to look upon them as their Brethren Bring thou with thee Into the Tabernacle That they may be joyned with thee As Assistants to thee there And minister unto thee In such things as I have mentioned See upon III. 6. But thou and thy Sons with thee shall minister before the Tabernacle of Witness The words shall minister not being in the Hebrew some think he still speaks of the Levites and translate the words thus Both to thee and to thy Sons with thee they shall minister as was said before before the Tabernacle of Witness But they that are of this Opinion do not consider what is meant by the Tabernacle of Witness which signifies the most Holy Place See IX 15. X. 11. before which the Levites did not minister but before the Tabernacle of the Congregation as Moses expresly speaks III. 7. See there where they attended upon the Priests in the Court of the Sanctuary in which the Priests only could minister as Aaron alone did upon one certain day only in the most Holy Place Verse 3 Ver. 3. And they shall keep thy Charge and the Charge of all the Tabernacle Of the outward part of it See III. 7 8. and carry the Vessels belonging to the inward part viz. the Sanctuary IV. 15. Only they shall not come nigh the Vessels of the Sanctuary They were not to touch them when they carried them IV. 15. nor to see when they were covered by the Priests IV. 19 20. And the Altar I take this to be meant not only of the Altar of Incense but also of the Burnt-offering unto which they were not to approach nor touch it while they attended upon the Priests who only could minister there This is justified from XXIX Exod. 37. where this Altar is said to be most holy and whosoever touched it is required to be holy That neither they nor you also die They for presuming to go beyond the Bounds of their Office and the Priest for permitting them Ver. 4. And they shall be joyned unto thee He would Verse 4 have the Priests look upon the Levites as part of that sacred Body of Men that waited upon God in the Tabernacle though in an inferiour Office And indeed the very Name of Levi imported as much and denoted them to be Adjuncts to some other Persons Accordingly we find in after times that as the Levites were a guard on the outside of the Temple so the Priests watched within it And keep the charge of the Tabernacle of the Congregation for all the Service of the Tabernacle See III. 7 8. The heaviest part of their Service which is called their Burden is mentioned particularly IV. 3 4. and the rest of that Chapter A Stranger shall not come nigh unto you This seems to relate both to the Priests and to the inferiour Ministers that none should presume to perform the Office of the former but only the Family of Aaron nor of the latter who were not of the Tribe of Levi But the Hebrew Doctors particularly Maimonides by Zar a Stranger understand in this place every one that was not of the Seed-male of Aaron So that the Sons of his Daughters should not minister For the Sons of Aaron saith he Riath
The LORD brought us out of Egypt Certain it is that thus the ancient Christians understood such places taking the Angel here spoken of to be the Eternal LOGOS or WORD as St. John calls the Eternal Son of God Whose sence no Man I think hath better explained than our Mr. Thorndike who though he confesses it to be plain by the Scriptures that it was always an Angel that appeared under the Old Testament who is sometimes called by the proper Name of God JEHOVAH yet this is no prejudice to what the Fathers of the Church teach concerning the Appearing of the Eternal WORD Who was that LORD who then assumed some Angelical Nature wherein he might appear to deal with Men for a short time after which he dismissed it when he had done that Business for which he assumed it And hath brought us forth out of Egypt XIII Exod. 22. XIV 19. And behold we are in Kadesh Near to Kadesh for it is not likely they were admitted into the City it self which gave its Name to the adjacent Country A City Or Town for it doth not seem to have been a walled place In the uttermost of thy Borders In the Confines of the King of Edom's Country and belonging it is likely to his Dominion Verse 17 Ver. 17. Let us pass I pray thee through thy Country In our way to the Land of Canaan which God hath promised to give us We will not pass through the Fields or through the Vineyards They engaged not to turn aside as they went along into any private Man's Grounds See XXI 22. Neither will we drink of the Water of the Wells Which any private Person had digged for his own use but only of the Rivers which are common to all Creatures We will go by the King's High-way Keep in the common Rode which is made for all Passengers by the King's allowance We will not turn to the right hand or to the left Out of the Rode but go strait on Vntil we have passed thy Borders Got to the other side of the Country of Edom. Ver. 18. And Edom said unto him This sounds Verse 18 as if the whole Country had joyned in the following Answer Thou shalt not pass by me Go through our Country v. 20. Lest I come out against thee with the Sword The King bids them not attempt it for he would oppose their passage with all his Forces He was afraid no doubt lest they should seize his Country or spoil it and therefore would not trust their Declarations which they made to the contrary Ver. 19. And the Children of Israel Who were Verse 19 sent upon this Message v. 14. Or else some new Ambassadors whom Moses dispatched with new Intreaties after he understood his Denial Said unto him Gave him new Assurances of their honest Intentions We will go by the High-way Believe us we will not step out of the common Rode And if I and my Cattle drink of thy Water Out of the Wells before-mentioned v. 17. which private Men had digged and therefore had a Propriety in them Then I will pay for it For Water was commonly sold in those dry Countries where it was very scarce I will only without doing any thing else The Hebrew words ein dahar which we translate without doing any thing else literally signifies in our Language it is no word i. e. not mere fair Promises but we will perform what we say Go through on my feet Go through as fast as we can travel on foot Verse 20 Ver. 20. And he said thou shalt not go through He persisted in his Resolution and would not rely on their most solemn Asseverations Yet he consented as appears by II Deut. 28 29. to furnish them with necessary Provisions both of Meat and Drink for their Money And Edom came out against him with much People and with a strong hand For fear they should press into his Country he raised a great and powerful Army to oppose them and showed himself ready to fight them if they moved that way Verse 21 Ver. 21. Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his Border Which Grotius censures in his second Book de Jure Belli Pacis cap. 2. sect 13. as contrary to the Law of Nations by which the High-ways as well as the Sea and the Rivers of all Countries ought to be free for all that have a mind to pass through them upon just occasions And he gives many Examples of such permission out of Heathen Story and therefore looks upon the denial of this as a just ground of War with Sihon and Og mentioned in the next Chapter where I shall consider it as it might have been with Edom and Moab had not God prohibited it Nor doth the fear he thinks which the Edomites it is likely had of letting such a vast number of People pass through their Country alter the case for no Man's fear is to take away another Man 's right And there might have been Means contrived to remove this fear by letting them pass through in small Companies at a time or unarmed He had better have said in my opinion by giving Hostages on both sides for the performance of Conditions For it might have put the Israelites in as great fear to have gone through in small Parties or if they should have disarmed themselves But when all is said it seems not clear that all Men have such a right as that great Man thinks they may claim For no Man can challenge a passage through a private Man's Ground without his leave and every Prince hath the same dominion in all his Territories that a private Man hath in his Land There are many Examples also as Gronovius hath observed of Countries which have suffered extreamly by granting this Liberty which show that Princes have reason to deny it for their Peoples Security and the Examples of those who have granted it are Examples of Fact rather than of Right and of such as were not in a Condition to refuse what was demanded See Selden's Mare Clausum Lib. I. cap. 20. Wherefore Israel turned away from him By God's command who ordered them also to buy what they wanted of the Edomites II Deut. 5 6. For they stayed some time in Kadesh by their consent before they removed that they might furnish themselves as they offered with Necessaries XI Judges 17. Ver. 22. And the Children of Israel even the whole Verse 22 Congregation For they might not divide into several Bodies lying in several places but all march together when the Cloud moved in the order God appointed X. 13 14 c. Journeyed from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. Another place upon the edge of the Edomites Country XXXIII 37. where they pitched in a part of that Mountain which was called Mosera X Deut. 6. Whether Mount Hor gave the Name of Hori to him who was the Ancestor of Seir and the first Planter of the Country which was afterward conquered by Esau XXXVI Gen. 20 30. II
Deut. 12. or had its name from him cannot be determined But Hori we are sure was the first Possessor of whom there is any memory of this Mountain Hor which was afterward called Seir from one descended from him and afterward Edom. Verse 23 Ver. 23. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor. At the foot of the Mount as appears from v. 25. By the Coast of the Land of Edom. XXXIII 37. Verse 24 Ver. 24. Aaron shall be gathered unto his People Shall die v. 26. For he shall not enter into the Land which I have given unto the Children of Israel v. 12. A manifest Token that the earthly Canaan was not the utmost Felicity at which God's Promises aimed because the best Men among them were shut out of it Because ye rebelled against my Word at the Water of Meribah By this word rebelled it appears there was something of Obstinacy in their Unbelief mentioned v. 12. Verse 25 Ver. 25. Take Aaron and Eleazar his Son Speak to them in my Name For it is expresly said XXXIII 38. that they went up at the Commandment of the LORD And bring them up unto Mount Hor. This shows that they pitched their Tents at the bottom of it in a place called Mosera See X Deut. 6. where this seems also to have been the Name of the whole Hill as well as Hor. Ver. 26. And strip Aaron of his Garments i. e. Of Verse 26 his Priestly Robes as Josephus rightly expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned XXVIII Exod. 2 3 c. wherewith he was clothed when he was anointed to the Office of High-Priest VIII Lev. 7 8 9. which he put on I suppose in the Camp and went up in them to Mount Hor that he might die gloriously not in his Robes but immediately after he put them off to be put upon his Son For this stripping him of his Robes was in effect the divesting Aaron of his Office that it might be conferred upon his Son which was done as follows And put them upon Eleazar his Son Which was the investing him with the Office of High-Priest into which he now succeeded in his Fathers stead and was by this Ceremony admitted to it The Talmudists say the manner was first to put on the Breeches then the Coat which being bound about with the Girdle then the Robe upon which was the Ephod and then the Miter and golden Crown See Selden de Succession in Pontif. Lib. II. cap. 8. And Aaron shall be gathered unto his People and die there This was said before in short v. 24. but now the time of his Death is expresly declared immediately after he laid down his Office and had the satisfaction to see his Son inaugurated in his Room and the place of it upon Mount Hor. Of this Phrase Gathered to his People see XXV Gen. 8 17. Ver. 27. And Moses did as the LORD commanded and they went up into Mount Hor in the sight of all the Congregation That they might all be Witnesses Verse 27 of the Succession of Eleazar to the Office of his Father Verse 28 Ver. 28. And Moses stripped Aaron of his Garments and put them upon Eleazar his Son This Moses did as the Minister of God who now translated the Priesthood to another And Aaron died there in the top of the Mount And was buried also there X Deut. 6. For great and heroick Persons were in ancient days usually buried in high Places So Joshua was XXIV 30 33. and Eleazar II Judges 9. and Cadmus and Harmonia who lived near the time of Joshua as Bochartus observes in his Canaan Lib. I. cap 23. And Moses and Eleazar came down from the Mount After they had seen him laid in his Grave by those that attended them This fell out in the fortieth Year after they came out of Egypt on the first day of the fifth Month when Aaron was an Hundred and three and twenty Years old as we read XXXIII 38 39. In the new Moon of the Month which the Athenians called Hecatombaeon the Macedonians I ous and the Hebrews called Sabba as Josephus glosses But that last word should be Ab not Sabba as Jacobus Capellus observes in his Histor Sacra Exotica ad An. 2542. which answers he thinks to the nineteenth of our July And so the Hebrews say in Seder Olam Aaron died on the first day of the Month Ab upon which there is a Fast in their Rituals in memory of it Ver. 29. And when all the Congregation saw that Aaron was dead i. e. Understood as the word See is used XLII Gen. 1. that God had taken him out of the World as Moses and Eleazar told them who Verse 29 also came down from the Mount with him They mourned for Aaron thirty days Till the end of the Month. For so long their Mourning seems in those days to have been continued for great Persons as it was for Moses XXXIV Deut. 8. though a Week sufficed for private Persons Even all the House of Israel Both Men and Women CHAP. XXI Chapter XXI Ver. 1. AND when King Arad the Canaanite In Verse 1 the Hebrew the words are thus placed When the Canaanite King Arad And so they are in the LXX and the Vulgar And Arad may as well signifie a Place as a Person nay there seems more reason to translate the words thus The Canaanitish King of Arad because there was such a City in Canaan mentioned XII Josh 14. and I Judges 16. One of the Sons of Canaan being called Arad as both the LXX and the Vulgar translate the Hebrew word Arvad X Gen. 18. who it is likely gave his Name to this part of the Country the chief City of which was also called after him Which dwelt in the South In the South part of the Land of Canaan towards the Eastern Angle of it near the Dead Sea See XXXIII 40. Heard that Israel came by the way of the Spies Which were sent by the King Arad as many suppose to bring him Intelligence which way the Israelites marched For it being Eight and thirty Years since the Spies sent by Moses went that way or rather they going so secretly that it was not known which way they went it is thought not probable that Moses speaks of them in this place But there is no necessity of taking the Hebrew word Atharim to signifie Spies but it may as well be the Name of a Place as the LXX understood it by whom it is translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if the situation would agree to it one might probably conjecture the place was so called from the Spies that went from thence by Moses his order to survey the Country For that was a thing so memorable that as it could not well slip out of the Minds of the People of Canaan so they found I make no question after they were gone which way they came into their Country though for the present they passed unobserved and everafter called it the way of
them out of the Land I hope by the conjunction of thy Curses with my Sword I may be able to destroy them or at least to drive them out of this Country For I wot that him whom thou blessest is blessed and he whom thou cursest is cursed The ancient Prophets had such power with God to obtain great Blessings from him for others as appears by the story of Abraham and Abimelech XX Gen. 10. and of Jacob who blessed Pharaoh XLVII Gen. 7. and afterward all his own Sons And no doubt their Imprecations were as powerful when there was a just cause for them according to what we read 2 Kings II. 24. And it is likely while Balaam who was a Prophet as appears by what follows and is so called by St. Peter continued a good Man he blessed and cursed no other way but by Prayer to God and by Imprecations in his Name Which was imitated by other great Men particularly by King Cambyses in his Speech to the Persians recorded by Herodotus in Thalia cap. 65. where he saith If you do what I require then let your Land bring forth plentifully and your Wives and your Flocks be fruitful and your selves enjoy your liberty but if you do not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I imprecate the quite contrary things to these to fall upon you But when Balaam degenerated into a false Prophet and became a Diviner then he used Spells and Inchantments as is plain by this History and such Rites and Ceremonies as were the Invention of wicked Spirits which Pharaoh's Magicians the Jews fancy made use of to stop the Israelites at the Red Sea See XIV Exod. 2. Ver. 7. And the Elders of Moab and the Elders of Verse 7 Midian I take these two Nations to have been ancient Confederates but the Jewish Tradition is that they had been always at Enmity and now reconciled by a common Danger Just as two Mastiffs so they explain it who are continually fighting when they see the Wolf set upon one of them joyn together for their Defence because if he devour the one the other will not long survive him Departed with the rewards of divination in their hand It was the Custom among God's People when they came to consult with a Prophet to bring him a Present as appears from 1 Sam. IX 7 8. And indeed from ancient time Men were not wont to approach great Persons without one See XLIII Gen. 11 25 26. And they came unto Balaam and spake unto him the words of Balak Delivered their Message having first as the manner was made him the Present Ver. 8. And he said unto them Lodge with me this Verse 8 night That was the time it seems wherein he was wont to receive Answers to his Enquiries either in a Dream or by Apparitions or some other way There are those who think he now began to betray the naughtiness of his heart in taking time to advise about this Matter which if he had been a faithful Servant of God he would instantly have rejected with Disdain And it is likely enough by what follows that he was as desirous of their Money as they were of his Imprecations And I will bring you word again as the LORD shall speak unto me You shall have my Answer according to the Directions which the LORD shall give me By this I take it to be evident that he was not a Stranger to the true God with whose Name it is certain he was acquainted and it is probable had received Revelations from him till he became a covetous mercenary Prophet and addicted himself to Superstitious Rites and Ceremonies Making use of Teraphim perhaps which had been of ancient practice in his Country and worshipping God perhaps by other Images See XXXI Gen. 19 24 30 49. where it is evident that Laban had still communication with the LORD though he used Teraphim and calls them his Gods Which perhaps put that idle conceit into the Head of some of the Jews that it was one and the same Person who is there called Laban and here Balaam Who falling as I said unto Idolatrous Practices was forsaken by God and delivered up to the impostures of Evil Spirits though he still continued to enquire of the LORD Who was pleased at this time to make his Mind known to him for the Preservation of his People Israel And the Princes of Moab abode with Balaam As did those of Midian also who are mentioned in the foregoing verse Though some of the Jews have a fancy that the Elders of Midian went away which they give as the reason that they are not here mentioned as soon as they heard Balaam say he would address himself for Advice unto the LORD who they knew would be favourable to Israel And on the other side some Christians have been of Opinion that he addressed himself to the LORD only to try if he could draw him by his Charms to take part with the Moabites Just as the Romans when they laid Siege to a City endeavoured by all means they could invent to perswade the Tutelar Gods of that place to forsake it and come over to their side Which Rite is described by Macrobius Ver. 9. And God came unto Balaam As he is said Verse 9 to have done unto Abimelech in a Dream XX Gen. 3. Where I observed that Maimonides makes a distinction between God's coming to a Person and his speaking to him But that cannot be made use of here for God did both come and speak to Balaam as appears from v. 32 35. where we read the Angel of the LORD spake to him And here it will be fit to note That all Nations of whom we have any knowledge have been possessed with this Opinion that God was wont to appear frequently unto Men especially cum recentes à Deo essent as Seneca speaks in Epist. XC when they were newly come out of his hand and that he also was pleased to reveal his Mind and Will unto them by some means or other particularly by his Angels whom he sent on Messages to them as long as there was any Goodness left among them This is most admirably expressed by Catullus Praesentes namque ante domos invisere castas Saepius sese mortali ostendere caetu Coelicolae nondum spreta pietate solebant See Huetius in his Quaestiones Alnetanae Lib. II. cap. 12. n. 1 2. And indeed no account can be given how it came into the Head of Homer and other Poets to bring in the Gods appearing so oft as they do upon every occasion if God had not been wont in ancient time to manifest himself not only to the Israelites but to other Nations also especially before the distinction of this People from them So he did to Abimelech Laban c. as well as to Abraham Isaac and Jacob. For as Dr. Jackson hath well observed in his first Book upon the Creed chap. 11. if they had never heard nor read of any such thing all the Wits in the
the power of their Gods to effect such things Nor could they except against the Bible because of the strange things there reported the like Wonders being commonly believed among themselves Which if they were devised by the Gentile Writers it was in all likelyhood out of this Sacred History that they might not seem to come behind the Jews in any thing which might give credit to their own Religion If Maimonides had been acquainted with such things as these he would not have said that all this which hapned to Balaam in the way to Balak was done in a Prophetical Vision P. II. More Nevochim cap. 42. which is the Conceit of R. Levi ben Gersom also who compares this with what we read I Hos 3 c. concerning the Prophets taking a Wife of Whoredoms c. and denies the literal sence merely because he could not imagine how an Ass should be made to speak No nor could he or any Man else tell how such a Representation could be made to the Prophet's imagination in a Vision but by the power of God to whom the one was as easie as the other What have I done unto thee that thou hast smote me these three times There was some cause for his Foot was crushed and he fell with her but the Ass could not help it Ver. 29. And Balaam said unto the Ass One would Verse 29 have expected that he should have been astonished and struck as dumb as the Ass naturally was to hear her speak so plain and expostulate with him But he was in a rage or rather fury so that for the present he did not consider any thing but her untoward crosness St. Peter observes so much when he saith the dumb Ass rebuked the madness of the Prophet Where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is unusual in the Greek Language signifying that he was beside himself not knowing what he said or did partly out of Anger and partly because he was possessed with an eager desire and hope to serve Balak and get the Riches and honour he promised him now that he had got leave of God to go to him Because thou hast mocked me Or as the Arabick Version printed at Paris translates it thrown me in the dirt But they seem to have read the word other ways than it is in the Hebrew where it signifies either mocking or exposing to Scorn and Laughter I would there were a Sword in my hand for now would I kill thee This shows the heighth of his Rage to be thus crossed in his Designs and as the Jewish Doctors take it the height of his folly also that he should pretend to be able to destroy the whole Congregation of Israel with his Inchantments who needed a Sword to kill a poor Ass Verse 30 Ver. 30. And the Ass said unto Balaam am not I thine Ass This doth not prove that the Ass understood what Balaam said and thereupon returned this pertinent Answer but that the same power which made the Ass speak at first continued to form such an Answer as might convince Balaam of his Error Vpon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day The Hebrew words will not bear this sence but are exactly rendred in the Margin of our Bibles ever since thou wast that is a Rider ever since thou beganst to ride as Aben-Ezra expounds it Whence many render it from thy youth which may be supposed to be a long time Balaam in all likelyhood being now no young Man but for many years a famous Prophet Was I ever wont to do so unto thee Hast thou not had sufficient Experience in so many years as I have served thee of my sure going As much as to say thou shouldst have thought some unwonted Cause had forced me to do three times what I dever did before And he said Nay He could not but allow the truth of what was spoken by the Ass Ver. 31. Then the LORD opened the Eyes of Balaam Verse 31 He was not blind before but his Eyes were held as the Eyes of the Men of Sodom were who could not see Lot's door though they found their way to their own home XIX Gen. 1. And he saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way and his Sword drawn in his hand He understood the true Cause of the Asses turning aside and falling under him And he bowed down his head and fell flat upon his face He first bowed his Head and then his whole Body in token of his most profound Reverence Ver. 32. And the Angel of the LORD said unto Verse 32 him wherefore hast thou smitten thy Ass these three times This serves to teach us saith Maimonides not to use Cruelty towards Beasts but to treat them gently and mercifully More Nevochim P. III. cap. 17. or rather as another of them makes the Angel say to Balaam If I am commanded to reprove thee for thy Injustice to thy Ass how much more for thy wicked Intention to destroy a whole Nation But the drift of this Speech seems to be to reprehend the brutish stupidity of the Prophet in not apprehending some extraordinary Hand of God which turned his Ass aside so oft and at last made her speak Behold I went out to withstand thee I was the cause of thy Asses turning out of the way and falling down by my standing in the Path to oppose thee and stop thy proceedings v. 22. Because thy way is perverse before me His Intentions and Purposes were not sincere and honest for pretending to obey God he designed if he could to serve Balak The word we translate perverse signifies perplexed and intricate in the Arabian Language and so Bochartus thinks it should be translated here Verse 33 Ver. 33. And the Ass saw me and turned away from me these three times I was merciful unto thee in letting the Ass see me which saved thy Life as it here follows Vnless the Ass had turned from me surely now I had slain thee and saved her alive It had cost thee thy life if the Ass had gone forward and thy Life alone for I would not have done any hurt to her Ver. 34. And Balaam said unto the Angel of the LORD I have sinned It is not certain that this refers to any sense he had of the perverse disposition of his Heart for it may have respect only to his outrageousness against his Ass which he confesses was without cause For I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me Or rather But I knew not c. for this seems to be said in excuse of himself from his ignorance that the Ass was turned out of the way by the Angel Now therefore if it displease thee I will get me back again He would not understand the Angel right who did not find fault with his going to Balak but with his going with such bad Intentions Ver. 35. And the Angel of the LORD said unto Balaam Go with the Men. As God had before bidden him v.
to lift up themselves like to these fierce Creatures to signifie their Assaulting their Enemies with an undaunted Courage He shall not lye down till he eat of the prey Which Lions rend and tear with their Claws and Teeth irresistibly and speedily So the Hebrew word tereph which we render prey imports the Flesh of Beasts torn in pieces And drink the blood of the slain He alludes to the ravenousness of Lions and signifies the entire and perfect Victory the Israelites should win over their Enemies For this Prophecy hath a peculiar respect to the conquest of the Canaanites under the conduct of Joshua Verse 25 Ver. 25. And Balak said unto Balaam neither curse them at all nor bless them at all It seems he thought his Blessings to be as powerful as his Curses and therefore desires him to forbear both if he could not have what he desired Verse 26 Ver. 26. And Balaam answered Told I thee not saying all that the LORD speaks that must I do As I cannot do any thing against the Mind and Will of God so I must do as he bids me v. 3 12. Verse 27 Ver. 27. And Balak said unto Balaam Come I pray thee and I will bring thee to another place Still he fancies according to the Superstition of those days there might be something unlucky in the place that made his Prayers unsuccessful which might prove acceptable in another For as the Syrians imagined in future Ages that some Gods were powerful in the Hills who could do nothing in the Plains 1 Kings XX. 23 28. so it seems there was such a Conceit at this time in these Countries that some Gods delighted more in one Hill than they did in another for he still brings Balaam to another high place Such a Conceit we see remains to this day in the Romish Church where the Lady and the Rood of one place are thought far more powerful and therefore more frequented than those of another Peradventure it will please God that thou maist curse me them from thence He said nothing of God's permission before v. 13. but now was convinced his consent was to be gained And would not despair of it but thought it possible that very thing might seem right and good in his Eyes as the Hebrew phrase here is in a new place which displeased him in both the former Ver. 28. And Balak brought Balaam to the top of Verse 28 Peor This was the most famous High-place in all the Country of Moab where as Mr. Selden conjectures Baal had a Temple and was worshipped and thence called Baal-Peor So Theodoret and Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beel signifies Saturn and Phegor or as we pronounce it Peor the place where he was worshipped Just as the Greeks called Jupiter by the name of Olympius and Mercurius of Cylenius c. And in all likelyhood by Beth-Peor XXXIV Deut. 6. which in English is the House of Peor in the Land of Moab is meant the Temple of Baal which stood upon the Mountain For so the word Beth signifies frequently among the Hebrews not an ordinary House but the House of some God As Beth-Ashtaroth 1 Sam. XXXI 10. and Beth-Baal 1 Kings XVI 32. And there is often mention of Beth-shemesh in the Holy Writings XV Joshua 10. I Judges 33. and many other places which signifies the Temple of the Sun From whence the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Arabians upon the Red Sea Which Stephanus de Vrbibus expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the House of the Sun See Syntagma I. de Diis Syris cap. 5. That looketh towards Jeshimon See XXI 20. Verse 29 Ver. 29. And Balaam said unto Balak build me here seven Altars and prepare me here seven Bullocks and seven Rams He orders the very same Sacrifices he did at first without any difference v. 1. either not knowing any other Method of obtaining their Desires or thinking it in vain to devise any other Verse 30 Ver. 30. And Balak did as Balaam had said and offered a Bullock and a Ram upon every Altar He was wholly governed by Balaam in this and though he changed the place made no alteration in the Sacrifices which were as compleat and perfect as any in those times offered Here is no mention made of the time when these things were done but we may be certain all the three forementioned solemn Sacrifices in three several places were not offered upon one and the same day And superstitious People as all Histories tell us having been as curious in the choice of days as well as places it is probable that Balak pickt out some day or hour which he thought might be more lucky to him than the foregoing CHAP. XXIV Chapter XXIV Ver. 1. AND when Balaam saw that it pleased the Verse 1 LORD to bless Israel Of which he had given him a double proof XXII 5 c. 16 c. He went not out as at other times See XXIII 3 15. To seek for Enchantments This implies that he had hitherto in the process of this business used some wicked Arts to effect his ends or desired to be directed to them But being not able to obtain any thing but Commands cross to all his Designs he gave himself up wholly to the conduct of God's Holy Spirit and did not so much as offer to seek for Enchantments In the Hebrew the words are to meet with Enchantments unto which he hoped to be directed that he might be able to Curse Israel For though he addressed himself to the true God whom he calls the LORD XXIII 26. yet it was in a Superstitious way with such Rites and Ceremonies of Worship as were not of God's appointment but either devised by evil Spirits or very grateful to them whereby he hoped to be shown by what means he might disable Israel and deliver them into the hand of Balak For the ancient Magick derived from Zoroaster was nothing else as Plato pretends in Alcibiade I. but the Knowledge of Divine Things and the right way of worshipping God And Apuleius saith the same of it that it was Diis immortalibus accepta colendi eos ac venerandi pergnara c. a Science acceptable to the Immortal Gods very skilful how to worship and honour them being pious and knowing in Divine Things Which sufficiently bewrays this Divine Knowledge as they called it to be impious for Zoroaster instructed his Disciples in the Worship of the Fire as an Emblem at the best of the Sun which they lookt upon as a visible Image of this invisible God and upon that account worshipped it And after his time it is manifest this heavenly knowledge as they esteemed it degenerated into more uncouth Rites and wicked Arts whereby they pretended to be able to make the Gods do what they pleased Pliny mentions an Herb Lib. XXIV cap. 17. which he saith Magicians used quùm Deos velint evocare when they would call out the Gods and draw them to their purpose In which power they
so constant was God to his Promise that he preserved his Line in a continued Succession of twelve Persons from Phineas to Azariah who executed the Priest's Office in the Temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem as we read 1 Chron. VI. v. 4. to the 10th From which time to the Captivity of Babylon there were nine more as we read there in the following verses And after the end of the Captivity unto the time of Antiochus Eupator the Jews reckon fifteen more the last of which Onias was killed by Lysias And after him there were eight of the Family of the Asmonaei the last of which Aristobulus was killed by Herod who after that made whom he pleased Because he was jealous for his God God who searches the hearts saw that this motion proceeded not from any private Passion but out of pure Love and fervent Affection to him and from Indignation to see his Divine Majesty so affronted For Zeal is a mixed Affection of Love and Anger And made an Atonement for the Children of Israel Procured a Pardon for all his Brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Philo expresses it by his uncommanded and spontaneous diligence to vindicate God's Honour flowing from his sincere Devotion to God's Service Verse 14 Ver. 14. Now the name of the Israelite that was slain even that was slain with the Midianitish Woman God would have his Name stand upon record partly to make it infamous and partly to do honour to Phineas who durst venture to set upon a Man who had so great an interest in his Tribe as is mentioned in the next words Zimri the Son of Salu a Prince Not the chief of the whole Tribe but of a great Family in that Tribe Of a House among the Simeonites In the Hebrew the words are of a House of a Father For the Tribes were divided into Families and these into Houses every one of which had a Head or Chief See the first Chapter of this Book v. 2. and Zimri was one of those principal Persons though not Prince of all the Simeonites Verse 15 Ver. 15. And the name of the Midianitish Woman that was slain was Cozbi the daughter of Zur This is set down also to show how little Phineas feared the great Men either in Israel or elsewhere For Zur is reckoned afterwards as one of the Kings of Midian XXXI 8. or Princes XIII Josh 21. He was Head over a People and of a chief House in Midian The Hebrew word Vmmoth which we translate People signifies Nations So that if we translate these words exactly they sound thus He was Head of Nations of a House of a Father in Midian that is Chief of divers Families who all sprung from the same Father or Original in that Country Ver. 16. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying Verse 16 Some time after this though not long as appears from XXXI 1 2. but a little before Moses his death Ver. 17. Vex the Midianites Among whom this Verse 17 pernitious Contrivance was hatched For Balak being so incensed against Balaam that he bid him be gone in all haste out of his Country XXIV 11. Balaam would not stay to propound unto him this mischievous Advice which was in his Head but went to the Midianites and there discovered it Which was the same thing he knew as if he had acquainted Balak with it there being a great Friendship between the two Nations XXII 4. It is likely also that the Midianites were the first that advised Balaam should be sent for which made their Guilt the greater but the Moabites did not escape though for Lot's sake perhaps II Deut. 9. their Punishment was deferred till future times as Balaam prophesied XXIV 17. And they were also excluded by a Law made immediately after this from the Society of the Israelites for this very Fact XXIII Deut. 3 4. And smite them With the Sword as we find they did Chapt. XXXI Ver. 18. For they vex you with their wiles Have Verse 18 sorely distressed you by their subtil Devices Wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor Drawn you in to commit foul Idolatry Here Peor which was a Mountain in Moab where Baal had a Temple as I observed XXIII 28. is used for the Idol it self which was there worshipped being a contraction of Baal-Peor And so it is XXXI 18. XXII Josh 17. And in the matter of Cozbi And into lewd filthiness with Idolatrous Women The Daughter of a Prince of Midian By whose consent no doubt she went upon this wicked design that by her noble Garb and Attendance she might the more powerfully intice the great Men of Israel to Idolatry Their Sister Whom the whole Family were content to prostitute that they might compass the destruction of the Israelites But by Sister may be meant one of the same Country or Nation the same kind of Language being used among them that was among the Jews who called one another Brethren and Sisters being descended from the same stock as Christians did all those that were of their Religion Which was slain in the day of the Plague When so many Thousands fell by the Pestilence For Peor's sake For worshipping Baal-Peor into which they were inveigled by the Women who invited them to a Feast and there by their Charms excited another fleshly Appetite in them which they would not let them satisfie unless they would both eat of their Sacrifices and worship their Idol And perhaps they told them it was not lawful for them to consent to their desire unless they would be of their Religion CHAP. XXVI Chapter XXVI Ver. 1. AND it came to pass after the Plague Mentioned Verse 1 in the foregoing Chapter v. 9 17. Though some fancy it refers unto all the Plagues that had swept away all the former Generation except two Persons It is likely this may be done in the eighth Month of the fortieth Year after they came out of Egypt The LORD spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar the Son of Aaron the Priest saying As God had formerly joyned Aaron with Moses I Numb 1 17. II. 1. IV. 1 c. So now Aaron being dead he joyns his Son Eleazar with him to show that he succeeded not only in his Place and Office but also in his Authority Ver. 2. Take the Sum of all the Congregation of the Verse 2 Children of Israel They had been twice numbred before this Once before the building of the Tabernanacle in the first year after they came out of Egypt when they paid every Man half a Shekel towards it XXX Exod. 11 13. XXXVIII 25. And again when they were to be encamped in the second month of the second year I Numb 1 2 c. And now all those Men who had been then numbred thirty eight years ago being dead as appears from v. 64. of this Chapter God commands them to be numbred a third time Partly that he might demonstrate his faithfulness to his word in multiplying them vastly notwithstanding all their
Provocations for their number was within Eighteen hundred and twenty as many as they were at their last muster and partly that the Land they were now going to possess might be the more easily divided among the Tribes in just and equal proportions From twenty years old and upwards throughout their Father's house all that are able to go to war in Israel All this is explained in the first Chapter v. 2 3. Verse 3 Ver. 3. And Moses and Eleazar the Priest spake with them With the Heads of the several Tribes who it is likely were to assist in this numbring as they did in the former I Numb 4 16 17. In the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho saying See XXII 1. Verse 4 Ver. 4. Take the Sum of the People These words are not in the Hebrew but some words of this kind are to be understood that they spake with them about numbring the People from twenty years old and upwards as it here follows As the LORD commanded Moses and the Children of Israel which went forth out of the Land of Egypt He bad them proceed according to the directions God had formerly given in the second month of the second year after they came out of Egypt I Numb 1. Verse 5 6. Ver. 5 6. Reuben the eldest Son of Jacob. This numbring being performed as the former was Moses uses more concise Language in the account he gives of it as he doth in the foregoing verse and in this and those that follow Where he sets down the number of every Tribe and the Families from whence they sprung without saying Those that were numbred of the Tribe of Reuben were c. as he doth I Numb 21 c. The Children of Hanock of whom came the Family of the Hanochites c. The four Sons of Reuben whose Families here follow are mentioned both in Genesis XLVI 9. and in Exodus VI. 14. and are here mentioned again because he intends to set down the Names both of the Children and Grand-children of one of his Sons which he did not before Ver. 7. These are the Families of the Reubenites Verse 7 The word we translate Families rather signifies Nations Gentes or Kindreds as we translate it XXII Psal 27. For all that sprung from those LXX Persons who came with Jacob into Egypt are called by this name of Mispecoth which the LXX here translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 People Which were divided into Houses as the Hebrews call them and those Houses into particular Persons This is plain from VII Josh 14. where for the discovery of him that had sinned in the accursed Thing God commanded the Israelites to be brought by their Tribes and then that Tribe by the Families belonging to it and that Family which the LORD took by Housholds and that Houshold Man by Man And they that were numbred of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty This being compared with I Numb 21. it appears this Tribe was less than it was eight and thirty years ago by near three thousand Men For some whole Housholds had been destroyed as it follows v. 9. Ver. 8. And the Sons of Pallu Eliab He speaks Verse 8 in the Plural Number when there was but one Son of Pallu which is very usual in the Scripture Language See XIX Gen. 29. XXI 7. XLVI 7. and in this very Chapter v. 42. Eliab He doth not say from him came the Family of the Eliabites for he made only an Houshold in the Family as we call it of the Palluites Verse 9 Ver. 9. And the Sons of Eliab Nemuel and Dathan and Abiram The same must be observed of these that Families did not spring from them but they were Housholds belonging to the Family of the Palluites This is that Dathan and Abiram They are here again mentioned partly to set a new Brand upon them for their insolent Rebellion against Moses and partly to show how the Reubenites came to be so diminished Famous in the Congregation See XVI 2. Who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah They joyned with Korah who seems to have been the chief Incendiary For he is mentioned first in the XVI 1. When they strove against the LORD Who had appointed Aaron alone to be the High-Priest and his Sons to Minister in the Priest's Office which these Men would have usurped XVI 11. where it is said expresly They were gathered together against the LORD Verse 10 Ver. 10. And the Earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah These words seem to import that Korah was swallowed up with Dathan and Abiram as I have observed upon XVI 32. See there But it must be acknowledged that these words may receive another Interpretation and that very natural in this manner The Earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up viz. Dathan and Abiram and the rest mentioned XVI 32. and then the next words veeth Korah may be thus translated and as for Korah who was the great Incendiary when that Company died i. e. he died when the Company which offered Incense died for there is in many places a defect of a word to be supplyed from the word that follows This is a very easie construction and agrees with the Psalmist CVI. 17. where he mentions only Dathan and Abiram's Company as swallowed up and then adds v. 18. A fire was kindled in their Company i. e. in the other Company of Rebels and the flame burnt up the wicked viz. Korah and those that were with him What time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men XVI 35. If the Interpretation now mentioned of the foregoing words be admitted then Korah must be added to the number of the Two hundred and fifty Men which Moses takes occasion to explain in this place And they became a sign A Monument of God's displeasure against those that affront his Ministers to give warning unto all Posterity not to follow their pernitious Courses Ver. 11. Notwithstanding the Children of Korah died Verse 11 not As those of Dathan and Abiram did but their Family continued famous in David's time For perhaps they left their Father and departed from the Tents of those wicked Men as Moses by God's command exhorted the Congreation XVI 24 26. and they obeyed v. 27. Ver. 12 13. The Sons of Simeon after their Families Verse 12 13. c. His Sons reckoned up here just as they are XLVI Gen. 10. and VI Exod. 15. only one of them viz. Ohad is here omitted because either he had no Children or his Family was extinct before this time The first of them also viz. Nemuel is there called Jemuel and Jachin in 1 Chron. IV. 24. is called Jarib there being some reason in process of time for such alterations Verse 14 Ver. 14. These are the Families of the Simeonites twenty and two thousand and two hundred There was a wonderful decrease of this Tribe in the space of thirty and eight years For they were fewer
in Egypt See this there explained And she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam their Sister Who seems to have been born before Moses if not before Aaron II Exod. 4. Ver. 60. And unto Aaron was born Nadab and Abihu Eleazar and Ithamar VI Exod. 23. where he tells the name of their Mother Ver. 61. And Nadab and Abihu died when they offered Verse 60 strange Fire before the LORD See X Lev. 2. Verse 61 and the third Chapter of this Book v. 4. But Eleazar who was the eldest next to them was now alive and made High-Priest and it is likely Ithamar also being under Twenty years old when the People murmured upon the Report of the Spies and so not cut off with that wicked Generation XVI 29. All this is here recounted to show that the Tribe of Levi was preserved by the blessing of God as well as the rest of the Israelites though they were to have no Inheritance in the Land of Canaan Ver. 62. And those that were numbred of them were Verse 62 twenty and three thousand c. So they were a thousand more than at the last numbring III. 39. For they were not numbred among the Children of Israel But by themselves for the reason following Because there was no Inheritance given them among the Children of Israel For God was their Inheritance as he told them XVIII 20 c. And therefore they were ordered not to be numbred Thirty eight years ago no more than now I Numb 49 c. The Jews are something curious in their Observations upon these words among or in the midst of the Children of Israel from whence they conclude that the Levites might have Lands out of the Bounds of the Land of Canaan though not within it among their Brethren Ver. 63. These are they that were numbred by Moseâ— Verse 63 and Eleazar the Priest who numbred the Children of Israel in the plains of Moab c. By a special command of God v. 1 2 c. Ver. 64. But among these there was not a Man of them whom Moses and Aaron the Priest numbred when they numbred the Children of Israel in the Wilderness of Verse 64 Sinai See the first Chapter of this Book v. 1 2 c. so exactly were God's Threatnings fulfilled as well as his Promises Chapter XXVII Verse 65 Ver. 65. For the LORD had said of them they shall surely die in the Wilderness He had pronounced this irreversible Sentence upon the whole Congregation XIV 23 28 29. where he swears they should not enter into the Land of Canaan because they had brought or entertained an evil report of it See also II Deut. 14 15. And there was not left a Man of them save Caleb the Son of Jephunneh and Joshua the Son of Nun. Whom God promised to spare because they were of another Spirit XV. 24 30 38. And their survival was as remarkable an instance of the truth of God's word as the Death of all the rest CHAP. XXVII Verse 1 Ver. 1. THEN came the Daughters of Zelophehad the Son of Hepher c. Who are mentioned before XXVI 33. just as they are here only their Genealogy is here more fully set out that their Father was the Grandson of Manasseh the Son of Joseph from whom he was lineally descended but left no Sons behind him Now these young Women hearing Moses say as he doth in the foregoing Chapter that the LORD commanded the Land of Canaan should be divided among those that were now numbred and observing that only Males from Twenty years old were numbred v. 2. presently apprehended that they being Females were excluded from having any Inheritance among the Israelites and so the Family of the Hepherites XXVI 32. would be extinguished This was the ground of what follows Whereby it appears that every body was immediately acquainted with the Laws which Moses received from God and that there was a faithful Register kept of every one that was born in every Family and Tribe to prevent all Disputes about the true Heirs to Mens Estates Ver. 2. And they stood before Moses c. To represent Verse 2 before him and the rest of the Judges who were now assembled the Case which I have mentioned Before Moses and Eleazar the Priest and before the Princes and all the Congregation These made up the greatest Court of Judicature that at any time sate For by Princes are meant either the Heads of the Tribes or the highest of the Judges appointed XVIII Exod. called the Heads of the People v. 25. And by all the Congregation is meant the LXX Elders mentioned in this Book XI 24. For they are called col ha edah the whole Congregation and sometimes only Edah the Congregation as R. Solomon observes See Bertram de Republ. Jud. p. 72. Now at the Head of all these sat Moses and next to him Eleazar the Priest By the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Near to which this august Assembly it is likely was wont to sit when they met together that Moses might presently if there were occasion go and consult with God himself in any difficult matter that came before them And thus Mr. Selden observes out of Maimonides that in future times the great Sanhedrim followed the Tabernacle sitting sometimes in one place sometimes in another according as that was settled As after they came to Canaan it was first at Shiloh then at Mizpeh and afterwards at Gilgal Nob Gibeon the House of Obed-Edom till at last it was fixed in Jerusalem Lib. II. de Synedr cap. 15. n. 4. As concerning that which the Talmudists say concerning the proceedings in this case of Zelophehad's Daughters nothing certain can be determined But they give this account of it That they first brought this Cause into the Courts appointed by the advice of Jethro XVIII Exod. 21. and began with the Rulers of ten who knowing not what to say to them they went to those of fifty and from thence to the Centurions and at last to the Chiliarchs None of which durst adventure to give Judgment but referred the Cause by reason of its difficulty to Moses who brought it to the SCHECHINAH as they speak i. e. to the Divine Majesty Seld. ib. cap. 16. n. 1. Verse 3 Ver. 3. Saying Our Father died in the Wilderness Among the rest mentioned v. 64 65. of the foregoing Chapter They seem to have drawn up their Cause in the form of a Petition or as Mr. Selden speaks in the Legal Phrase presented a Libel to the Court containing the intire matter of their Petition and that artificially enough And he was not one of them that gathered themselves together against the LORD in the Company of Korah They use the very words of Moses concerning that rebellious Company XVI 11. And instance in this Sin rather than any other either to show that their Father had a due regard to the Authority of Moses who they hoped therefore would be the more favourable to his Posterity or
observes in the place before-mentioned Who in the next Chapter cap. XIII gives an example drawn up by Maimonides of such a Succession out of the holy Scriptures Amram had two Sons Aaron and Moses as we read VI Exod. 20. If they had both died without Issue Miriam their Sister had inherited And if she had died in like manner the Inheritance of the Family would have reverted to Kohath the Father of Amram Or he being dead to his three Sons the Brethren of Amram viz. Izhar Hebron and Vzziel as the Heirs of Kohath And there would have been no consideration of Primogeniture both because none of them was the First-born and because the Inheritance was not in the Possession of their Father at the time of his Death c. And it shall be unto the Children of Israel a Statute of judgment c. A Law whereby to determine such Matters in future times and to be observed inviolably So that no Father should have power to make any other Settlement but if either by Word or Writing he declared his will to be that his Son should not inherit his Act was null and void As the Jewish Lawyers resolve from these very words a Statute or Decree of Judgment i. e. as I said a Rule whereby to Judge of Succession into Inheritances If therefore a Man made a Will wherein he declared his Daughter or Brethren c. should not inherit in case he had no Son it was void because contrary to this Law See Selden de Successionibus cap. 24. Ver. 12. And the LORD said unto Moses get thee up into this Mountain Abarim Either these words were spoken after all that follows here and in the Verse 12 Book of Deuteronomy or they were repeated again when he had repeated his Laws and inforced them by many excellent Discourses and taught them that famous Song XXXII Deut. where in the conclusion of it v. 49. it is said that very day he bad him go up this Mount Abarim And there we learn also that Abarim was a long Tract of Mountains one of which was called Nebo and the very top of it called Pisgah See XXXIV Deut. 1. And see the Land which I have given to the Children of Israel Take a full view of it as he did from that high neighbouring Mountain III Deut. 17. XXXIV 1 2 3 4. Verse 13 Ver. 13. And when thou hast seen it thou also shalt be gathered unto thy People as Aaron thy Brother was gathered Upon Mount Hor as we read in this Book XX. 23 24. Verse 14 Ver. 14. For ye rebelled against my Commandment in the Desert of Zin c. See Chap. XX. 1 12 24. where all this verse is explained Verse 15 Ver. 15. And Moses spake unto the LORD saying He did not speak those words which follow immediately after God bad him go up Mount Abarim and die but first desired he might be permitted to go over Jordan c. III Deut. 24 25 26. Unless we can think that he made the Prayer there mentioned as soon as the Sentence was passed upon him at the Waters of Meribah which doth not seem so likely Verse 16 Ver. 16. Let the LORD the God of the Spirits of all Flesh c. As soon as he found that God was resolved he should not conduct the People into Canaan he was concerned for nothing but for a fitting Person to take that Charge upon him For he had a most generous publick Spirit wholly intent upon the good of this People The God of the Spirits of all Flesh Who hast not only made the Souls of all Men but knowest their Dispositions See XVI 22. and understandest who are fit for this weighty Employment Set a Man over the Congregation To be chief Ruler and Governour of the People in my place Ver. 17. Which may go out before them and which Verse 17 may come in Before them and which may lead them out and which may bring them in If the latter part of these words be not a mere repetition of the former as is usual then the one relates to their Conduct in War and the other to the management of all their Civil Affairs And both of them seem to be a Metaphor from Shepherds watching over their Flocks That the Congregation of the LORD be not as Sheep which have no Shepherd Having none to govern and take care of them This is a description of the most miserable condition a People can be in and became a Proverb among the Hebrews 1 Kings 22.17 X Zachariah 2. XIII 7. IX Matth. 36. Ver. 18. And the LORD said unto Moses take thee Verse 18 Joshua the Son of Nun. Who had been a long time Servant unto Moses and attended upon his Person XXIV Exod. 13. well known to Moses and perfectly acquainted with his administration A Man in whom is the Spirit Of Courage and Prudence and the fear of God with all other Gifts necessary in an excellent Governour Among which Onkelos reckons the Spirit of Prophecy which is not unlikely And lay thine hand upon him Which was a Ceremony usual in Blessing XLVIII Gen. 14 c. and in setting Men apart and Consecrating them to an Office VIII 10. Upon which followed a more abundant measure of the Spirit as appears from XXXIV Deut. 9. Verse 19 Ver. 19. And set him before Eleazar the Priest and before all the Congregation Being all assembled for this purpose that all might acknowledge him for the designed Successor of Moses and be Witnesses of all that Moses commanded him And give him a charge in their sight He told him before them all what God expected from him and bad him not be afraid to execute it See XXXI Deut. 7 8. Where he sets down the words of this Charge unto which God presently after added one of his own v. 14 15 23. Verse 20 Ver. 20. And thou shalt put some of thy honour upon him Communicate some of thy Authority to him at present and not let him be any longer as thy Minister but as an associate in the Government The word we translate honour being glory in the Hebrew it made Onkelos and other Hebrew Doctors imagine these words have respect to that Splendor which shone in Moses his Face after he came down from the Mount Some of which they suppose was imparted unto Joshua to make him appear more venerable in the Eyes of the People And R. Menachem observes that it is not said impart thy glory but of thy glory to him From whence came that ancient saying the Face of Moses shone like the Sun but Joshua's only like the Moon This might have passed for Truth or at least that hereby was meant some great increase of illustrious Gifts of Mind which procured him such reverence as Moses had if it had been said that God put some of Moses his glory upon him whereas Moses is commanded to do it which makes the first sence most reasonable That all the Congregation of Israel may be obedient
unto another who was of the Tribe of Ephraim Whereby his own Children were reduced to a mean condition being not so much as Priests but mere Levites This demonstrates he acted not from himself because he acted not for himself but was contented to have the Supreme Authority placed where God pleased both in Church and State and to leave his own Family in an inconsiderable employment This shows him to have had a Principle which raised him above all other Law-givers who always took care to advance their own Families and establish them in some share of that greatness which they themselves possessed This likewise demonstrates that the future Rulers of this Nation had no temptation to advance the Credit of Moses beyond what it really was since they were not descended from him but were of other Tribes Ver. 23. And he laid his hands upon him and gave Verse 23 him a charge as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses He did all things which the LORD required to create him his Successor as the Jews speak For thus by laying on of hands they in after times made a Man a Member of the Sanhedrin both of the great and of the small which continued to the time of the destruction of the second Temple as Mr. Selden shews Lib. II. de Synedr cap. 7. n. 1. And this solemn Designation of Joshua to the Government by the Divine Authority was a clear Indication that God continued to be their King as he became in a special manner when he brought them out of Egypt as I observed upon III Exod. 10. and he still reserved it to himself to appoint Governours under him out of what Tribe he pleased as he did Joshua at this time out of the Tribe of Ephraim and not Caleb who was of the Tribe of Judah and also a Man as valiant as he was vertuous XIV Josh 11. For there was no Tribe that could lay claim unto this Dignity without the Gift of God And this is one of the principal Reasons why the government of this People before they had Kings was as Josephus calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Empire of God because he stirred them up Judges to rule them when he pleased Which being of his immediate appointment are so far acknowledged by him that when they were weary of Samuel's Government and desired a King God declared that it was not Samuel but himself whom they rejected And another reason was as our Mr. Thorndike observes because God by his Oracle of Vrim and Thummim prescribed how they were to proceed in their Publick Affairs Review of the Right of the Church pag. 133. CHAP. XXVIII Chapter XXVIII Verse 1 Ver. 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying Having numbred the People and appointed his Successor to bring them to their Inheritance which he had ordered to be divided among them proportionable to the number of each Tribe nothing was more necessary than to perswade them to be truly religious whereby they might be preserved in the enjoyment of it Unto which Moses is commanded to direct them in this and in the following Chapters Which may be thought to have been delivered also in the eighth Month of the last Year of their Travels in the Wilderness Ver. 2. Command the Children of Israel and say unto Verse 2 them These Commands had been given before but are here repeated because this was a new Generation who either had not heard them when they were first delivered Eight and thirty years ago or at least had need to have their Memories refreshed Some things also are now more particularly explained concerning the Sacrifices which were to be offered at certain times and they are reduced into a certain order some being daily others weekly others monthly and some anniversary All which were of such importance that Moses being shortly to leave them thought good to repeat most of them once more in the Book of Deuteronomy My Offering and my Bread The word and is not in the Hebrew but the words are my Offering my Bread Which Isaac Abarbinel thus excellently explains Concerning Offerings for Sin and Trespass-offerings and the rest I shall not need to admonish you but concerning my daily Sacrifices which properly of themselves are my own Oblation my daily Bread or my Food which the Divine Presence dwelling among them required XXIX Exod. 42 44 45. And so others by the word Bread understand Meat or Food in general as we translate it v. 24. though it may have a particular respect to the Meat-offering which was made of Meal and always accompanied the Burnt-Offerings Which seem here to be peculiarly meant though some think these words relate to all the Sacrifices some part of which were God's Portion For my Sacrifices made by fire The whole Burnt-offerings are most properly called Ische Sacrifices made by fire being all consumed upon the Altar where the heavenly Fire burnt continually ready for that purpose For a sweet savour unto me So the Burnt-offering is called I Lev. 9 13 17. See there I shall only add the Paraphrase of the Hierusalem Targum which is this My offering of Bread which ye offer on the Altar doth not the fire devour it And yet it is acceptable to me from you as an Odor in which I am well pleased Shall ye observe to offer unto me Be very careful to see duly performed This being the Food saith Abarbinel which to speak after the manner of Men was offered by God's Fire upon his own Altar for his Dinner and Supper In due season For that reason this Sacrifice was to be constantly offered saith the same Author that the Divine Fire which came down from Heaven to consume the Sacrifices might not be disappointed and burn there in vain without any thing to do From this place the Jews endeavour to make out their Custom of having Stationary men as they call them to attend the daily Sacrifice taking Moatho in its season as if it had been Omatho in its stations but chiefly relying upon the first words of this verse command the Children of Israel who could not all be present at the daily Sacrifice and therefore some particular Persons were chosen to represent all the rest For they thought it very undecent to have a Sacrifice made for a Man and he not stand by it and therefore the first Prophets ordained Twenty four Courses of Men chosen out of the Priests Levites and People to stand in the Temple when the daily Sacrifice was offered in the name of all Israel and pray that God would accept it for them as if they were all present This account the Mischna gives of them in Taanith and other places where they say these Men were held so necessary that it was an usual Speech among them without Stations the World could not stand For without Sacrifices that is the Worship of God the World would be undone and Sacrifices could not be maintained without Stations See Voysin de Jubilaeo cap. 25.
then the Song before-mentioned began with the Trumpets and other Instruments of Musick but not till then For the Burnt-offering was not perfect till the Drink-offering which was to accompany it was offered whereby it was compleated See Dr. Light-foot in his Temple Service cap. 7. sect 2. Ver. 10. This is the Burnt-offering of every Sabbath Verse 10 besides the continual Burnt-offering and his Drink-offering The daily Sacrifice was not to be omitted on the Sabbath but this was to be added to it and thence by the Jews called Musaph Of which sort there were seven more which were to be added to the Sacrifice of the day viz. that in the New Moon v. 11. at the Passover v. 19. and the Feast of Pentecost v. 26. in the beginning of the Year XXIX 1. on the Day of Expiation v. 7. on the Feast of Tabernacles there were peculiar Sacrifices for seven days together XXIII Lev. 35. and on the last day of the Feast another XXIX Numb 35 36 37. All these were called Musaphim or additional Sacrifices to the daily Sacrifice Verse 11 Ver. 11. And in the beginnings of your Months ye shall offer a Burnt-offering unto the LORD This solemn Sacrifice seems to have been ordained by God to prevent the Idolatry which was usual among the Gentiles who worshipped the New Moon with great Rejoycings when it first appeared Otherwise the first day of every Month was no Festival but only a day on which extraordinary Sacrifices were offered with blowing of Trumpets as seems to be directed X. 10. See there which was usual at all solemn Sacrifices as I noted before otherways the Feast of blowing with Trumpets was only on the New Moon of the seventh Month and no other And therefore it is observable that there is no mention made of the first day of the Month among the Festivals appointed in XXIII Lev. And consequently Servile work was lawful on this day and nothing more required but only the following Sacrifices The Jews at this day say this Solemnity was appointed rather for the Women than the Men for which they give a fabulous reason who are bound to abstain from all work but the Men only from the most laborious such as Plowing the Ground c. See Buxtorf's Synag Judaica cap. 22. Two young Bullocks and one Ram seven Lambs of the first year without spot All these were Burnt-offerings which were offered besides the daily Sacrifice and besides the two Lambs if the first day of the Month fell out to be a Sabbath In which case and all others where several Solemnities met together on the same day the daily Sacrifice was offered first and then the rest of the Sacrifices peculiar for that day were to be performed every one in their order As for Example If the Sabbath and new Moon and the Feast of Trumpets sell out on the same day they began with the daily Morning Sacrifice after which followed the Sacrifices proper to the Sabbath and after that the Sacrifice appointed on the New Moon and then those that belonged to the Feast of Trumpets and all was concluded with the Evening Sacrifice as Abarbinel observes in his Preface to the Book of Leviticus Ver. 12. And three tenth deals of flour That is Verse 12 three tenth parts of an Ephah v. 5. For a Meat-offering mingled with Oyl for one Bullock i. e. For each Bullock there was to be this proportion of Flour which is exactly according to the general Rule before given XV. 9. And two tenth deals of flour mingled with Oyl for one Ram. This is the proportion there prescribed for a Ram as the other for a Bullock XV. 6. Ver. 13. And a several tenth deal of fine flour mingled Verse 13 with Oyl for a Meat offering unto one Lamb. Unto each of the seven Lambs before-mentioned v. 11. a Meat-offering was to be joyned in less proportion than the other according to the Rule there given XV. 4. For a Burnt-offering of a sweet savour c. See v. 6. Ver. 14. And their Drink-offering shall be half an hin Verse 14 of Wine unto a Bullock See XV. 10. And the third part of an hin for a Ram. See there v. 7. And a fourth part of an hin for a Lamb. See there v. 5. They that allegorize these things think the New Moon signifies the Resurrection to a new Life in the other World where every one shall receive a Reward according to his measure Thus Procopius Gazaeus in whom they that think such Expositions useful may find entertainment This is the Burnt-offering of every Month throughout the Months of the year There are more Sacrifices appointed on the New Moons than on the Sabbath it self because they returned seldomer And the Gentiles multiplying Sacrifices on such occasions if the Jews had not been thus imployed in the Worship of God they might have been tempted to pay their Services to Idols Verse 15 Ver. 15. And one Kid of the Goats for a Sin-offering This Sacrifice of a Goat for a Sin-offering saith the same Procopius is coupled with the rest being a shadow of the Passion of Christ for whose sake all our Sacrifices are acceptable unto God the Father Vnto the LORD It is well observed by Grotius that these words unto the LORD were added to put them in mind at this time of the right Object of Worship when they were in danger to offer Sacrifice to the Moon after the manner of the Heathen This is the more to be regarded because a Goat being appointed to be offered at two other Solemnities and to be offered for a Sin-offering v. 22 30. it is not said unto the LORD though certainly so intended because there was no danger at those times to direct their Sacrifices to a wrong Object as there was upon the New Moons when the Heathen offered a Goat unto the Moon it being a Creature whose Horns are like to those of a New Moon R. Bechai long ago observed this A Goat saith he was offered to extirpate the Religion of those who worshipped the Moon which makes the Scripture say expresly unto the LORD And Maimonides more largely in his More Nevochim P. III. cap. 46. where after he had taken notice of the difference between Sin-offerings and Burnt-offerings the latter of which being wholly burnt might be properly said to be unto the LORD whereas Sin-offerings were commonly eaten by the Priests he adds That this Sin-offering is peculiarly said to be unto the LORD least any one should think this Goat to be a Sacrifice to the Moon after the manner of the Egyptians Which was not necessary to be said of the Goats offered at other Solemn Times because they were not in the beginning of the Month nor distinguished from other days by any natural sign but only by the appointment of the Law which uses these words concerning this Goat peculiarly to pluck out of Mens thoughts those inveterate and pernicious Opinions of the Gentiles who had long sacrificed to the Moon at this
on this day made Ye shall not do any work therein It was to be observed as strictly as a Sabbath XVI Lev. 31. XXIII 32. Wherein they were to abstain not meerly from servile Work but from all manner of Work whatsoever XVI Lev. 29. XXIII 28 30. Verse 8 Ver. 8. And ye shall offer a Burnt-offering unto the LORD for a sweet savour Endeavour to procure acceptance of the rest of the Sacrifices of the Day with this whole Burnt-offering beside the daily Sacrifice as it follows v. 11. One Bullock one Ram and seven Lambs of the first year c. The same that were appointed on the foregoing Solemnity v. 2. except the monthly Offering v. 6. to which was added another Ram for a Burnt-offering XVI Lev. 5. as a devout Acknowledgment that they owned him alone for their Soveraign LORD Verse 9 10. Ver. 9 10 And their Meat-offering shall be of fine flour c. The Meat-offering attending these Burnt-offerings were to be in the same proportion as was before ordered v. 3 4. Verse 11 Ver. 11. One Kid of the Goats for a Sin-offering As was appointed in the foregoing Solemnity v. 5. Beside the Sin-offering of Atonement Mentioned XVI Lev. 9 c. whose Blood was carried by the High-Priest into the most holy place which was done in no other Sacrifice but that and the Bullock which was offered as a Sin-offering for the Family of Aaron on the same day XVI Lev. 14. And the continual Burnt-offering and the Meat-offering of it and their Drink-offerings These were no more to be omitted on the great Day of Atonement than on any other day but the Service of the day was to begin with the continual Burnt-offering and then followed the Burnt-offerings with the Meat and Drink-offerings belonging to them and the Sin-offering here prescribed and then the Sacrifice of Atonement and all that is ordered in the XVIth of Leviticus for the Expiation of the Sins of all the People of Israel Which Sacrifice the present Jews now wanting and yet being sensible of the necessity of some Satisfaction but not believing in our blessed Saviour who hath fully made it for all Mankind they are in a lamentable plunge and are put to most wretched shifts to devise something to supply the place of the Sacrifice of Atonement which was wont to be made for them One is their own death it being the continual Prayer of every one of them upon their Death-bed Let my death be the expiation for my sins Another is which is so absurd that Leo Modina saith they do not use it now in Italy nor in the Eastern Countries the killing of a white Cock if one can be got by the Men and a white Hen by the Women on the Eve of this Day saying Let this Cock be an exchange for me let it come in my stead let it be my Expiation let it die but I and all Israel live happily as Buxtorf shows in his Synagog Judaica cap. 25. Which I should not here mention were it not to show that they have the very same Notion still of a Sacrifice for Sin even now that they can only make an imitation of it which we have of the Sacrifice of Christ who was put in our place and offered himself to God in our stead and that it ought to be pure and innocent which is offered instead of a Sinner Ver. 12. And on the fifteenth day of the seventh Verse 12 Month ye shall have an holy Convocation ye shall do no servile work See XXIII Lev. 35. And ye shall keep a Feast unto the LORD seven days viz. The Feast of Tabernacles XXIII Lev. 34. which was after the Harvest and Vintage XVI Deut. 13. and kept seven days with great Joy and gladness of Heart but they were not bound to abstain from servile work all this time but only on the first day and on the seventh Verse 13 Ver. 13. And ye shall offer a Burnt-offering a Sacrifice made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD The same kind of Sacrifice which was prescribed on the other Festivals to be offered up wholly in honour of God But here is a far larger proportion than in any other Solemnity Thirteen young Bullocks two rams and fourteen Lambs of the first year c. On the other Festivals two Bullocks sufficed XXVIII 11 19 27. and on the Festival in the beginning of this Month only one was appointed but here are thirteen and so they continued to be offered seven days successively with the decrease only of one Bullock every day till on the seventh day only seven Bullocks were offered which in all made LXX Bullocks The Rams also and the Lambs were in a double proportion to what was usual throughout the whole Festival Which was a vast charge but more easie at this time of the Year than any other because now their Barns were full and their Wine-presses over-flowed and their Hearts might well be supposed to be more enlarged then at other times in thankfulness to God for his great Benefits Yet this very gross troublesome and expensive way of serving God made the best Men among them groan and long for the coming of Christ in whose days their own Doctors say no Sacrifices shall remain but those of Thansgiving and Praise and Prayer With which they have been forced to be content for above Sixteen hundred years and instead of these additional Sacrifices unto the daily have added peculiar Prayers which they also call Musaphim unto the common Prayers they use every day See Buxtorf concerning the Feast of the New Moon in his Synagog Jud. cap. 22. Ver. 14 15. Their Meat-offering shall be of fine flour Verse 14 15. c. The same proportions which are ordered by a general Rule to every Sacrifice of a Bullock and of a Ram Chap. XV. Ver. 16. And one Kid of the Goats for a Sin-offering Verse 16 beside the continual Burnt-offering c. There is no augmentation of the Sin-offering but it is the same with that on other Festivals v. 5. And all these Sacrifices it appears by this were to be added to the daily Sacrifice Ver. 17. And on the second day ye shall offer twelve Verse 17 young Bullocks c. Here one Bullock less than on the day before is ordered to be offered and so on every succeeding day there is still a decrease of one Bullock which is all the difference between the Offerings on the seven days of this Feast upon every one of which there was the same number of Rams and Lambs without any diminution Which Moses thought fit to set down distinctly from this verse to the thirty fifth that there might be no mistake But little need be noted upon them Ver. 18. According to their number after the manner Prescribed v. 14 15. Ver. 35. On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn Assembly Verse 18 There is a peculiar word here used to denote Verse 35 this to be a great day as I noted upon
XXIII Lev. 36. See there Ye shall do no servile work therein It was to be observed as the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles both of them being called a Sabbath 23 Lev. 39. Verse 36 Ver. 36. But ye shall offer a Burnt-offering a Sacrifice made by fire of sweet savour unto the LORD Here is a peculiar Sacrifice appointed upon this day in the same terms as upon the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles v. 13. One Bullock one Ram seven Lambs of the first year c. But though this was an extraordinary day and a distinct Festival as I showed upon XXIII Lev. 39. yet here are fewer Sacrifices prescribed on this day than upon any of the foregoing seven For on every one of them two Rams were offered and fourteen Lambs and here but half so many And seven Bullocks were the fewest that were offered upon any of those days and on the first day thirteen but here only one By which God consulted perhaps the weakness of Mankind who naturally grew weary both of the Charge and of the Labour of such Services when they are long continued And therefore he made them every day less toilsom and expensive and put them in mind likewise that the multitude of Sacrifices did not procure their acceptance with God and that in length of time they would come to nothing and be utterly abolished to establish something better in their room Ver. 37. Their Meat-offering and their Drink-offerings for the Bullock for the Ram and for the Lambs and shall be according to their number after the manner In such proportions as God had before Verse 37 ordained in the XVth Chapter of this Book in the beginning of it as I have often observed Ver. 38. And one Goat for a Sin-offering beside the Verse 38 continual Burnt-offering c. This is never omitted upon any Festival XXVIII 15 22 30. XXIX 5 11 16 19 c. to put them in mind that after all their Services they stood in need of forgiveness Ver. 39. These things shall ye do or offer unto the Verse 39 LORD in your set Feasts All these Feasts were fixed and stated at certain times on which God was to be worshipped after the manner here prescribed in these two Chapters For all these Offerings except one Sin-offering upon each set day were wholly Burnt-offerings as I have already observed which may properly be said to be done that is offered unto the LORD neither People nor Priest having any share in them Besides your Vows and your Free-will-offerings for your Burnt-offerings Besides these every Man might offer other Burnt-offerings either in performance of a Vow or freely out of his Affection to God See XV. 3. For your Meat-offerings and for your Drink-offerings There were five several sorts of Meat-offerings which were left to every Man 's free will to bring as he pleased See the second Chapter of Leviticus where they are described And for your Peace-offerings These are described in the third Chapter of that Book A great number of which it is likely Men offered voluntarily upon all the fore-mentioned Festivals For otherwise they would have had no means to feast with God at his House nor to entertain their Friends and Neighbours as the custom was at such times of Publick Rejoyceing Which they did upon that part of the Peace-offerings which was given them after the Fat was offered to God and the Wave-breast and Heave-shoulder given to the Priest VII Lev. 15 c. 34. Verse 40 Ver. 40. And Moses told the Children of Israel according to all that the LORD commanded Moses He acquainted all the People by the Heads of their Tribes perhaps of whom we read in the beginning of the next Chapter with all these Commands of God which concerned his Worship and Service CHAP. XXX Chapter XXX Verse 1 Ver. 1. AND Moses spake unto the Heads of the Tribes There were wont to be extraordinary Assemblies of these or other great Men upon special Occasions as Mr. Selden observes Lib. II. de Synedr cap. 14. n. 4. who are sometimes called as they are here the Heads of all their Tribes and the Elders V Deut. 23. and in other places the Heads of the People XXX Deut. 5. the whole Congregation of the Children of Israel XVIII Josh 1. XXII 12. the chief of all the People XX Judg. 2. all Israel 1 Sam. VII 5. all the Princes of Israel the Princes of the Tribes 1 Chron. XXVIII 1. all the Elders of Israel and Heads of the Tribes and chief of the Fathers 2 Chron. V. 2. the counsel of the Princes and Elders X Ezra 8. And it is commonly said by the Hebrew Doctors concerning such Assemblies that wheresoever the Children of Israel were met together or the greater part of them there the SCHECHINAH that is the Divine Majesty or the Holy Ghost as they sometimes speak was wont to rest Concerning the Children of Israel saying Acquainted them with a Matter which concerned all the People willing them to communicate it to them This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded It is very probable there had been some Case propounded to him about Vows concerning which he here gives such Rules as might direct them in time to come Ver. 2. If a Man It is reasonable to think that Verse 2 this includes the other Sex also provided they be in their own power and not subject to another and be in their right mind Vow a vow unto the LORD Promise solemnly unto God something that is for his Honour and Service for that seems to be meant by unto the LORD As that he will offer some Sacrifice at the Feasts above-mentioned more than is prescribed or afflict his Soul on some other day besides the great Day of Atonement See v. 13. Or swear an Oath to bind his Soul with a bond Whether it be a simple Vow or bound also with a solemn Oath which made a double Obligation by calling God to witness the Sincerity of his Intentions He shall not break his word In the Hebrew it is he shall not prophane his word for it being solemnly passed to God it made him vile and contemptible if he did not keep it The Jewish Doctors very prudently advise their Scholars not to accustom themselves to make Vows but to content themselves with doing what the Law commands and abstaining from what it forbids But if they did make them to look upon it as an high affront to God not to perform them He shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth If the thing be lawful and possible And if he appointed no time for the doing of it he was to think himself obliged to do it presently without delay XXIII Deut. 21. Verse 3 Ver. 3. If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD As most Interpreters think the word Man in the foregoing verse comprehends Women who were in as perfect liberty as the Men he speaks of so the word Woman here comprehends all
to an holy Life But since through the vehemence of their Affections and Passions many Women are prone to act unadvisedly if Vows were wholly in their power great Inconveniences Dissentions and Confusions might arise in Families whilst this sort of Meat is lawful to the Husband but not to the Wife this permitted to the Daughter but prohibited to the Mother For which reason saith he this Authority was given to the Governours of Families in all things to order them as they saw would be for their profit or detriment Verse 14 Ver. 14. But if her husband Or For if her Husband Altogether hold his peace at her from day to day When he knew what she had vowed as it follows in the end of the verse He establisheth all her vows c. His silence was to be interpreted a Consent to allow what she vowed There was no need to add the contrary which is here to be understood that if he said he did not allow them then they should not bind her Ver. 15. But if he shall any ways make them void Verse 15 after he hath heard them Hinder her from performing her Vow after he had given his consent by saying nothing against it when he heard her make the Vow Then he shall bear her iniquity God will punish him not her for not performing the Vow Paulus Fagius thinks the meaning is that if the first day he heard of her vow he did not disannul it but attempted to do it the next day or the third day after he should bear the blame if the Vow was not made good Ver. 16. These are the Statutes which the LORD Verse 16 commanded Moses between a Man and his Wife between the Father and his Daughter being yet in her youth in her Fathers House It is likely some differences arose in some Families about these Matters and therefore these Laws were made for the settling the power of Husbands over their Wives and Parents over their Children while they were young and continued a part of their Family CHAP. XXXI Chapter XXXI Verse 1 Ver. 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying Not long before his death as appears from the next verse Verse 2 Ver. 2. Avenge the Children of Israel of the Midianites This had been commanded before but no time set for it which now is determined The Moabites are not mentioned because the Midianites seem to have been the first or chief Contrivers of that Mischief which befel the Israelites by the enticements of their Women See XXV 17 18. Afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy People When he had given a few other Directions concerning their possessing the Countries already conquered and the Land of Canaan XXXII XXXIV XXXV and providing for the Levites there XXXVI God had warned him to prepare for his death before this XXVII 12. but he first let him have the satisfaction of seeing the Midianites punished and gave him some time to settle the Publick Affairs and to make also a long Exhortation to the Israelites to observe all that he had commanded them Verse 3 Ver. 3. And Moses spake unto the People saying He speedily put this Command in Execution which might possibly be in the ninth Month of the fortieth Year Arm some of your selves unto the War He doth not at first determine the number but as many as pleased might offer themselves voluntarily to be ready to obey him And let them go against the Midianites and avenge the LORD of Midian The LORD bad him avenge the Children of Israel v. 2. but Moses bids them avenge the LORD for they had the same interest and were both injured at the same time and by the same means And as God was so gracious as to resent the evil done to Israel so Moses in duty and gratitude to God thought himself bound rather to consider the dishonour that was done to him Whose War this was not only because undertaken by his command but in his quarrel with those who had drawn the Israelites to Idolatry and for the sake of his People Ver. 4. Of every Tribe a thousand throughout all the Verse 4 Tribes of Israel shall ye send to the War When a great many perhaps all the People appeared ready to go to War he ordered that only a select number should be sent of a Thousand out of each of the Twelve Tribes Ver. 5. So there were delivered out of the Thousands Verse 5 of Israel a Thousand of every Tribe Their Officers pickt out this number from among the rest or they were chosen by lot for this Service or they stept out and offered themselves Voluntiers as we speak which the 27th verse may seem to countenance where they are called those that took the War upon them Twelve Thousand armed for war This was but a small number compared with the whole Nation of the Midianites who had five Kings v. 8. But God would have them rely more upon him than upon the multitude of an Host and let them see by their Success against this People that they needed not fear the Conquest of Canaan Ver. 6. And Moses sent them to the war a Thousand of every Tribe He gave them their Commission to fight the Midianites Verse 6 Them and Phinehas the Son of Eleazar the Priest Who was not their Commander in Chief or their General as we now speak for it did not belong to the Priestly Office to conduct Armies and it is said expresly in the words following he went with the holy Instruments c. to be ready to perform all such Sacred Offices as should be required by the General who it is most likely was Joshua It is true indeed that Phineas was a Man of great Courage and had lately performed a singular piece of Service which had won him great Reputation This hath made some think he was the fitter to go and to avenge the LORD of Midian as he had begun to do XXV 8. In after times also in the days of the Maccabees who were of the Family of the Priests the Armies of Israel were led by them against their Enemies But then it must be considered that they were also the Supream Governours of the People and there were no other With the holy Instruments By which Jonathan understands the Vrim and Thummim which some think Phineas carried along with him wherewith to consult the Divine Majesty in case of any difficulty that might arise about the management of the War And to make out this they suppose Eleazar to be old and crazy or labouring under some Infirmity which was the reason that Phineas his Son was substituted in his room to perform this Office See our very learned Dr. Spencer Dissert de Vrim Thummim cap. 6. sect 2. But this may be justly doubted whether Phineas being only the Son of the High-Priest and not yet capable of that Office could be substituted to perform this great Charge which belonged to the High-Priest alone Nor do we find any warrant for consulting the
LORD by Vrim and Thummim but only before the most holy Place See XXVII 21. And therefore it seems to me far more likely that he means the Ark which was wont to be carried in following times into the Field when they went to fight with their Enemies 1 Sam. IV. 4 5. XIV 18. 2 Sam. XI 1. Yea Joshua himself not long after this time ordered the Ark to be carried with Priests blowing the Trumpets before it when he surrounded Jericho VI Josh 4 6 7 c. And therefore the holy Instruments being here joyned with the Trumpets to blow in his hand it makes it the more probable that the Ark may be here meant There being also something in this very Book to countenance this Opinion See XIV 44. but especially XXXII 20 22. But it must be confessed that it is never thus expressed in any other place of Holy Scripture but always called the Ark of God or of the Covenant or the Testimony or the like And therefore perhaps they give the truest sence of these words who take the following words to be an Explication of them That is the Trumpets were the holy Instruments which he carried in his hand And the Trumpets to blow in his hand Which he delivered to the Priests who followed him to sound an Alarm when they went to fight according to the direction X. 8 9. and as the practice was in future Ages 2 Chron. XIII 12. Ver. 7. And they warred against the Midianites Verse 7 It is not certain whether the Midianites came out of their Country to give them battle or they first broke into their Country and then fought their Army As the LORD commanded Moses One would think this meant no more but that they obeyed the Commandment of God before-mentioned v. 2. But the Jews think he hath respect to another particular Commandment which they say was given by Moses when they went out to this War That they should not when they besieged any City begirt it quite round but only on three sides leaving one naked that the besieged might flee away if they pleased by which means effusion of Human Blood was prevented So Guil. Schickart observes out of Siphri in his Mischpat Hammelech cap. 5. Theor. 18. and Mr. Selden since him Lib. VI. de Jure Nat. Gent. cap. 15. where he shows they understand this of all Wars but those against the seven Nations in Canaan and Amalek towards whom this kindness was not shown as appears by the Siege of Jericho But the Laws about managing Wars which are mentioned in the Book of Deuteronomy do not seem to have been yet given though the Jews fancy this Law was now given about Midian and observed ever after And slew all the Males Who were in this fight and did not save themselves by flight Verse 8 Ver. 8. And they slew the Kings of Midian Little Kings called Princes XIII Josh 21. where they are said to be Dukes of Sihon i. e. great Men tributary to Sihon while he continued King of the Amorites But after the Israelites had conquered him they took perhaps the Title of Kings Besides the rest of them that were slain They made not only a great slaughter of the People but killed their chief Commanders who led them on Namely Evi and Rekem and Zur c. They are particularly named that all their Neighbours might be satisfied of the truth of this History And he that is called Zur is thought to have been the Father of Cozbi whom Phineas slew Balaam also the Son of Beor they slew with the sword He had seen such good success of his wicked Counsel which he gave either as he went home or returning again to them See XXIV ult that presuming the Israelites were forsaken of their God he adventured to go along with the Midianites unto this Battle hoping he might curse the Israelites now that iniquity i. e. Idolatry was found among them which he could not do while they were free from it Thus he perished by his own wicked devices and was so far from having his wish that he might die the death of the righteous that is live long that as the Jews say he was slain in the Thirty fourth year of his Age. The Doctors in the Gemara of the Sanhedrim cap. 11. sect 11. ask what did he here To which R. Johanan makes answer he went to receive his Reward for the Death of the Twenty four thousand Israelites which he had procured XXV 9. And thus saith another it hapned unto him according to the Proverb The Camel went to desire horns and they cut off his ears Ver. 9. And the Children of Israel took all the Women Verse 9 of Midian captive and their little ones After they were Masters of the Field as we speak by the overthrow of their Armies they fell upon their Cities and according to the ancient custom in the most bloody Wars they killed only the Men but no Women nor Children XXXIV Gen. 25. 1 Kings XI 16. And so the Law of God afterward required they should do when they took any City that did not belong to the Canaanites XX Deut. 13 14. who were utterly to be destroyed v. 16 17. where he saith Thou shalt save nothing alive that breatheth And they took the spoil of all their Cattle and all their Flocks and all their Goods As belonging to them by the right of Conquest in a just War Verse 10 Ver. 10. And they burnt all their Cities wherein they dwelt and their goodly Castles with fire Made the Country desolate that they who fled might have no encouragement to return again nor be able without great hazzard to settle themselves there where they had not a Fortress left to defend them This was but a necessary care notwithstanding which they had peopled the Country again so well in the space of about Two hundred years that they were able to oppress the Israelites as we read VI Judg. 1. Verse 11 Ver. 11. And they took all the spoil and all the prey both of Men and of Beasts They had possessed themselves of them before v. 9. but now they carried them away Verse 12 Ver. 12. And they brought the Captives and the Prey and the Spoil Here are three different words to express their Booty which they brought to the Camp of Israel The first of which signifies the Women and Children that were taken The second the Cattle and the Flocks though sometimes it includes in it Men and Women and the third their Money and Goods Vnto Moses and Eleazar the Priest and unto the Congregation of the Children of Israel Unto the LXX Elders and Princes of the Tribes who were assembled with them See XXIX 1. as it seems to be expounded in the next verse Vnto the Camp at the plains of Moab c. From whence they marched against Midian and had been encamped there a great while XXII 1. XXVI 3 63. Ver. 13. And Moses and Eleazar the Priest and all Verse 13 the
Moabites as were Heshbon and Elealah also And Nebo Which was given to the Reubenites v. 38. And Beon There is no mention of this place any where else but it is probable was part of the Reubenites Portion being mentioned together with other Places that were given unto them and possibly may be the Place called Baal-Meon v. 38. which they changed into Beon because of the name of Baal but the Moabites when it fell into their hands restored part of its old name calling it Beth-meon XLVIII Jerem. 23. Verse 4 Ver. 4. Even the Country which the LORD smote before the Congregation of Israel And gave it to them for a Possession as he intended to do the Land of Canaan See XXI 24 25. Is a Land for Cattle and thy Servants have Cattle Is very fit for us v. 2. Verse 5 Ver. 5. Wherefore said they if we have found grace in thy sight A Phrase often used by humble Petitioners even by Moses himself when he speaks to God XI 15. Let this Land be given unto thy Servants for a Possession The Israelites in common possessed it hitherto as belonging to them all XXI ult But they desire to have it assigned to them as their particular Portion And bring us not over Jordan We desire nothing in the Land of Canaan Ver. 6. And Moses said unto the Children of Gad and the Children of Reuben shall your Brethren go to War Can you think it reasonable that the rest of the Tribes should fight still for what they are to possess Verse 6 And shall ye sit here And you take up your rest here and settle in their Conquests which they have already made Ver. 7. And wherefore discourage ye the hearts of the Verse 7 Children of Israel from going over into the Land which the LORD hath given them He seems to have suspected that mere cowardise and a vile love of ease made them desire to stay where they were and go no further Which ill Example might dishearten all the rest of their Brethren and make them have the same Inclination to settle in the Land they had conquered and not engage in a War with the Canaanites Ver. 8. Thus did your Fathers i. e. They disheartned Verse 8 all their Brethren When I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to see the Land XIII 3 26. Ver. 9. For when they went up unto the Valley of Eschol Verse 9 Men do not go up into a Valley therefore the meaning is they went up to search the Country as it is said they did XIII 21 22. and went on in their search till they came to the Valley or Brook of Eschol XIII 23. where they cut down a Branch with a Cluster of Grapes to show what Fruit the Country afforded And saw the Land Had taken a full view of the Country They discouraged the hearts of the Children of Israel Represented the People and the Cities to be so strong that they should not be able to deal with them XIII 28 29. That they should not go into the Land which the LORD had given them And therefore perswaded them not to attempt to possess themselves of it For they said expresly we are not able to go against the People for they are stronger than we XIII 31. Verse 10 Ver. 10. And the LORD's anger was kindled at the same time and he sware saying XIV 21 28. Verse 11 Ver. 11. Surely none of the Men that were come out of Egypt from twenty years old and upward XIV 22 29 35. Shall see the Land which I sware unto Abraham Isaac and Jacob. XIV 23. Because they have not wholly followed me See there v. 22. Verse 12 Ver. 12. Save Caleb the Son of Jephunneh XIV 24. The Kenezite A great deal hath been said by many to prove that Caleb is called a Kenezite because his Father's Name was Kenaz And this they prove because Othniel's Father was Kenaz and he was Caleb's Brother XV Josh 17. his younger Brother I Judg. 13. III. 9. So that their Father must have two Names Kenaz and Jephunneh But it is very strange if this be true that Caleb is no where called the Son of Kenaz but constantly the Son of Jephunneh even there where Othniel is just before called the Son of Kenaz 1 Chron. 4.13 15. nor is Othniel any where called the Son of Jephunneh but always of Kenaz And indeed there is a demonstration against this Opinion for Othniel married Caleb's Daughter which by the Law of Moses was utterly unlawful whatsoever the practice might have been before the Law was given Therefore others think it more probable that Othniel was one of his Brother 's younger Sons for Uncles and Nephews are often called Brethren as Abraham and Lot were and that from this Brother whose Name was Kenaz Caleb is also called a Kenezite But this is very absurd for the Name of Kenezzi in the Hebrew denotes the Descendants from one who gave this denomination to the Family which one Brother could not do to another It is most probable therefore that Kenaz was some common Ancestor both of Othniel and Caleb from whom Othniel's Father took also his Name Accordingly we find Jephunneh called a Kenezite in XIV Josh 14. where it is said that Hebron became the Inheritance of Caleb the Son of Jephunneh the Kenezite And Joshua the Son of Nun for they have followed the LORD Fully XIV 24 30 38. Ver. 13. And the LORD's anger was kindled against Verse 13 Israel He had said this before v. 10. but repeats it again to make them the more sensible of a thing that was done Thirty eight years ago and to deter them from giving him the like provocation And he made them wander in the Wilderness forty years till all that had done evil in the sight of the LORD were consumed XIV 31 32 33. XXVI 64 65. Ver. 14. And behold Mark what I say Verse 14 You are risen up in your Fathers stead an increase of sinful Men to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD towards Israel Are multiplyed to as great a number as your Fathers only to succeed them in their sins and thereby bring down still more heavy Punishments upon the Nation Ver. 15. For if ye turn away from after him As your Fathers did who refused to go and possess the good Land which he had bestowed upon them Verse 15 He will yet again leave them in the Wilderness Lead them back again into the Desert where your Fathers perished and there forsake you And ye shall destroy all this People Who following your example will refuse to go over Jordan v. 5. to take possession of the Land of Canaan Verse 16 Ver. 16. And they drew near unto him As Petitioners are wont to do when they are assured of their Integrity and hope to obtain their request XLIV Gen. 19. And said we will build Sheepfolds here for our Cattle There are five words in the Hebrew Language for Folds for Sheep and Cattle all signifying a place
slaughter of the People that wantonly despised Manna and lusted after Flesh Yet here God was pleased to vouchsafe to send his Spirit upon the LXX Elders for the Assistance of Moses Ver. 17. And they departed from Kibroth-hattaavah Verse 17 and encamped at Hazeroth See XI 35. Where Miriam was punished for her Envy at Moses XII 1 10. Ver. 18. And they departed from Hazeroth and Verse 18 pitched at Rithmah A place also in the Wilderness of Paran as appears from this Book XII 16. and was not far from Kadesh-barnea from whence the Spies were sent to search out the Land of Canaan See XIII 26. In which place they lay a long time I Deut. 46. Ver. 19. And they departed from Rithmah and Verse 19 pitched in Rimmon-Parez This and the following Stages are no where else mentioned and seem to have all been in the Wilderness of Paran before spoken of Which was a very long Tract of Ground from Elana a Port in the Arabian Gulph to Kadesh-barnea which as David Chytraeus computes it was thirty German Miles Verse 20 Ver. 20. And they departed from Rimmon-Parez and pitched in Libnah This and the rest to v. 31. are places of which as I said we no where else read and so can give no account of them They were all uninhabited and out of the road of all Travellers and perhaps had no names till they were given them by the Israelites who encamped in so many various places sometimes in Mountains as appears from v. 23. and sometimes in the Plain that they might be taught that God was alike present every where to protect defend and provide for them even there where no Man dwelt The Jews make this use of their Travels here recorded by Moses through so many unknown places by which he brought them at last to Canaan to keep up their Spirits under this long Captivity as they call it wherein they now are and have wandred uncertainly from Mountain to Mountain from Kingdom to Kingdom from Banishment to Banishment as they themselves speak till their Messiah come to redeem them Which he will do when their Eyes are opened to see what one of their ancient Rabbins Moses Hadarschan hath told them as he is quoted by Paulus Fagius That the Redeemer was born before him who reduced Israel into this last Captivity Verse 31 Ver. 31. And they departed from Moserah and pitched in Bene-Jaakan In X Deut. 6. Moses seems to say the quite contrary that they took their journey from Beeroth of the Children of Jaakan to Mosera But there he may be thought to speak of a different place as Drusius notes upon those words Or if he doth not it is no wonder if while they wandred in this tedious Wilderness they went backward and forward from Bene-Jaakan to Moserath which he mentions in Deuteronomy and from Moserath back again to Bene-Jaakan which he mentions here Ver. 32. And they journeyed from Bene-Jaakan and Verse 32 encamped at Horhagidgad This place was also called Gudgodah X Deut. 7. if Moses speaks there of the same places he doth here Ver. 33. And they went from Horhagidgad and Verse 33 pitched in Jotbathah Called X Deut. 7. Jotbath Ver. 34. And they removed from Jotbathah and encamped Verse 34 at Ebronah All their removals mentioned from v. 16. to this and the next place are an account of their wanderings in the Wilderness from the second year after their coming out of Egypt till the fortieth in which time all the Congregation above twenty years of Age were consumed and buried in some part or other of this great Desert Ver. 35. And they departed from Ebronah and encamped Verse 35 at Ezion-gaber A place on the Red-Sea unto which they were brought before they ended their Travels 1 Kings IX 26. XXII 18. It had its name from the snagged Rocks like to the Back-bone which stretched out a great way on that shore as Bochart observes Which Rocks made this part so dangerous that it was forsaken in after times and Elah frequented as a safer Harbor See Lib. I. Canaan cap. 44. It is not recorded how long they remained in any of these places but it is likely a considerable time in some of them for they spent Thirty eight years in these Removals Ver. 36. And they removed from Ezion-Gaber and pitched in the Wilderness of Zin which is Kadesh See XX. 1. He doth not mean Kadesh-barnea which Verse 36 was on the Borders of Canaan but another Kadesh in the Skirts of this Wilderness towards the South not far from the Port I now mentioned which the Greeks call Elana on the Border of Edom. Where Miriam died and where Water was brought out of a Rock See XX. 8 14 16. Verse 37 Ver. 37. And they removed from Kadesh and pitched in Mount Hor in the edge of the Land of Edom. See XX. 28. Verse 38 Ver. 38. And Aaron went up into Mount Hor at the commandment of the LORD XX. 23 24 27. XXXII Deut. 50. The Hebrew Doctors are too conceited in their observation that because it is said of him and of Moses that they died al pi at the mouth of the LORD the LORD took their Souls out of their Bodies with a kiss But Maimonides indeavours to make a sober sence of this by making their meaning to be that they expired with the transcendent Pleasure of Divine Love More Nevoch P. III. cap. 51. And died there in the fortieth year after the Children of Israel came out of the Land of Egypt in the first day of the fifth Month. A few Months before his Brother Moses Verse 39 Ver. 39. And Aaron was an hundred and twenty and three years old when he died in Mount Hor. He was just Eighty and three years old when he and Moses first went with a Message to Pharaoh VII Exod. 7. By which it appears that they were not long in working all the Miracles in Egypt before they brought the People forth for now Forty years after he was but an Hundred twenty three years old Ver. 40. And King Arad the Canaanite which dwelt in the South in the Land of Canaan See XXI 1. Heard of the coming of the Children of Israel Had News brought him that the Israelites were Verse 40 coming towards his Country whereupon he went out to oppose them and God gave them as we read there a glorious Victory over him This shows that Moses intended in the recital of all these places where they had been to bring to remembrance the most remarkable Passages of God's Providence over them some of which he expresly sets down Ver. 41. And they departed from Mount Hor and Verse 41 pitched in Zalmonah We read in the XXIth Chapter of this Book v. 4. that they journeyed from Hor to compass the Land of Edom but are not told there where they pitched which is here supplyed the name of the place being Zalmonah Which carries in it the signification of an Image and therefore here perhaps the brazen Serpent was