thousand seventy one pound weight of silver which at five shillings the ounce comes to thirty six thousand two hundred and thirteen pounds in sterling money Vers 29. And the brasse of the âffering was seventy talents and two thousand and foure hundred shekels That is allowing three thousand shekels to a talent two hundred and twelve thousand and foure hundreâ shekels of brasse and this counting twenty five shekels to a pound weight amounts to eight thousand foure hundred ninetie six pound weight of brasse whereby it is evident that there was not so much brasse as silver and therefore surely the pillars were made of wood and onely covered over with brasse See chap. 27. ver 9. CHAP. XXXIX Vers 1. ANd of the blew and purple and scarlet they made clothes of service c. See chap. 31. 10. Vers 43. And Moses blessed them That is he not onely commended both the people and workmen and prayed God to blesse them but also as Gods publick minister he pronounced a blessing on them from the Lord. CHAP. XL Vers 9. ANd thou shalt take the anoynting âyl and anoynt the tabernacle c. The performance of this see in Levit. 8. 10. Vers 10. And thou shalt anoynt the altar c. And sprinkle thereof upon the altar seven times See Levit. 8. 11. Vers 15. For their anoynting shall surely be an everlasting priesthood c. So that their children after them shall not need to be anoynted but shall executâ the office by reason of this unction of their fathers onely the high priests were anoynted in the generations following Vers 17. And it came to passe in the first moneth c. They went out of Egypt the fifteenth of the first moneth and now the next year upon the first day of the moneth the tabernacle is erected so that there wanted now but fifteen dayes of a full yeare since they left Egypt Vers 27. And he burnt sweet incense thereon c. As supplying at present the priests office ANNOTATIONS On the third book of MOSES called LEVITICUS CHAP. I. ANd the Lord called unto Moses c. This word and sheweth the immediate connexion of this book of this story upon that wherewith the foregoing book of Exodus was concluded namely that after the tabernacle was reared Aaron and his sonnes consecrated to the office of the priesthood and the cloud descended upon the tabernacle immediately God spake to Moses from the mercy-seat out of the tabernacle for into it Moses was not able to enter because the glory of the Lord filled it and so informed him how Aaron and his sonnes should carry themselvâs ân the priesthood c. Vers If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord c. That is any sacrifice whatsoever This is a generall rule concerning all sacrifices to wit that none must be offered but of the herd or flock that is if they were cattel they intended to offer for if they intended an offering of birds what they must be is expressed afterwards vers 14. Vers 3. If his offering be a burnt-sacrifice of the herd let him offer a male without blemish Here the Lord first gives directions for burnt-burnt-offerings which were indeed the chief of all their sacrifices and so called because they were all wholly burnt upon the altars whereas of other sacrifices some part onely was burnt upon the altar and the other parts were otherwise disposed of And the direction that is here first given concerning these is that if a burnt-offering were to be offered of the herd it must be a male without blemish that it might be the fitter to figure forth Christs perfection in himself and ours in him who being perfectly holy and free from the least blemish of sinne He did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth 1. Pet. 2. 22. did yet notwithstanding by suffering death for us perfectly satisfie the justice of God on our behalf that so he might present the Church to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Ephes 5. 27. for saith the same Apostle Heb. 9. 13 14. If the bloud of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the bloud of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God And so again Saint Peter saith Ye know that ye were redeemed with the precious bloud of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot 1. Pet. 1. 18 19. Yet withall hereby the Lord taught both them and us to give God the best in all our services Vers 3. He shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the doore of the tabernacle That is he that will offer a burnt sacrifice he must do it voluntarily of his own mind and not be forced to it and when he brings it he must present it to the priest at the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation that is at the doore of the court close within which the brasen altar for burnt-offerings stood The first of these might signifie the freedome of Gods grace in giving his sonne and the willingnesse of Christ in giving himself to be a sacrifice of propitiation for our souls but principally doubtlesse it was to teach them that in all service done to God it must be done freely and willingly or God will not accept of it The second was appointed to signifie that their sacrifices and so consequently any service that we perform were onely in and through Christ sanctified and made acceptable to God The tabernacle was a type of Christ that greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands Heb. 9. 11. and he is the onely doore by whom we have accesse unto the father Vers 4. And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering This was to testifie First that he acknowledged himself guilty of death Secondly that he desired and believed that that sacrifice should be accepted of God as a ransome for his soul that all his sinnes should be laid upon it and so it should suffer death as it were in his stead in all which notwithstanding they that did this had not respect so much to the beast slain in the death whereof there could not be an equall compensation given to the justice of God for the death of sinners as to Christ of whom these sacrifices were types who took upon him our sinnes and the curse due to our sinnes when he died for us Thirdly that he desired and would indeavour to consecrate himself wholly to Gods service as now he gave this sacrifice wholly to be offered upon the altar to the Lord crucifying all his sinnefull lusts and affections and yielding up his whole man to the obedience of Gods will in all things whatsoever And it shall be accepted for him to make
atonement for him Though burnt-burnt-offerings were usually given in signe of thankfulnesse to God and so betokened a new creature and holy life Psal 51. 18 19. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Sion build thou the walls of Jerusalem Then shalt thou be pleased with sacrifices of righteousnesse with burnt-offering and whole burnt-offering and Gen. 8. 20. And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord and took of every clean beast and of every fowl and offered burnt-burnt-offerings on the altar yet they were also for atonement and remission of sinnes to wit generall sinnes Job 1. 5. And it was so when the dayes of their feasting were gone about that Job sent and sanctified them and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all for Job said It may be that my sonnes have sinned c. whereas for speciall sinnes there was a speciall sacrifice and sinne-offering Levit. 4. Vers 5. And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord. That is the priest in the name of the offerer for this was usually the work of the priests and therefore Moses did it when he supplyed the priests office Exod. 29. 10 11. though sometimes the Levites also helped herein when there were not priests enough to do it 2. Chron. 25. 10 11. The priests stood in their places and the Levites in their courses and they killed the Passeover that is the Passeover-offerings and the priests sprinkled the bloud from their hands as being given of God to be assistant to the priests in such services Numb 8. 19. I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sonnes to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation and to make an atonement for the children of Israel Now the sacrifice was killed to signifie the death of Christ Who was slain that he might redeem us to God by his bloud Revel 5. 9. and the mortifying of Gods people by the word and spirit and it was killed by the priest to signifie that Christ should offer up himself unto God as being both our priest and sacrifice and that there is no possibility for men to please God by any service they do him but onely in and through the mediation of Christ of whose priesthood the Leviticall priest was a type and figure As for the place where it was killed that may be gathered by the rule of Analogy from that which is expressed verse the 11. concerning the second sort of burnt-offerings namely that it was killed at the north-side of the altar And the priests Aarons sonnes shall bring the bloud and sprinkle the bloud c. And this was done in a large measure so that the corners of the altar were filled with bloud Zach. 9. 15. to teach the people that this bloud of their sacrifice should not be lost as spilt upon the ground but should be accepted of God as a propitiation for their sinnes as being a figure of the bloud of Christ which should be offered up to God and accepted by him in our behalf as for our reconciliation so also for our sanctification who are elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Jesus Christ 1. Pet. 1. 2. Vers 6. And he shall flay the burnt-offering That is the priest for the flaying of the sacrifice was also ordinarily the work of the priest who had therefore the skinne for himself Levit. 7. 8. though upon extraordinary occasions as is before noted concerning killing the burnt-offerings even in this also the Levites sometime helped them 2. Chron. 29. 34. The priests were too few so that they could not flay all the burnt-offerings wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them Because the sacrifices were offered as I may say as a holy feast unto the Lord whence the altar is called the table of the Lord and the sacrifice offered thereon his meat Mal. 1. 12. therefore nothing but what was usually eaten by men was burnt upon the altar and hence it was that the skinne was alwayes flayed off Yet withall it is commonly held by Expositours that this flaying of the sacrifice did also signifie First the sufferings of Christ who being first stripped of his garments Matth. 27. 28 they did afterwards most shamefully intreat so that there was no beauty in him why men should desire him Secondly the afflictions of Gods people under the rage of cruell oppressours and persecutours Who as the Prophet speaks Micha 3. 3. eat their flesh and flay their skinne from off them And thirdly the mortification which God requires in those that give up their names to him even that They put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts Ephes 5. 22. Vers 7. And the sonnes of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar c. Here the Lord gives direction for the burning of these sacrifices by the inseriour priests enjoyning them first to put fire upon the altar Now because they were to use no strange fire in burning the sacrifices but onely that fire which was continually nourished upon the altar Levit. 6. 12 13. and which at first came down from heaven Levit. 9. 24. therefore by putting fire upon the altar is meant onely the laying of the fire together or laying it on again when they had laid it by for the clearing of the altar Secondly to lay the wood in order and then all the pieces of the sacrifices in order upon the wood which was so appointed because the discreet laying of the wood doth much conduce to the well burning of the fire And then lastly thus to burn all upon the altar The mistery of this might be twofold First to signifie the consecrating of Christ and his members by afflictions and sufferings for as he the Captain of our salvation was made perfect by sufferings Heb. 2. 10. so must his members also be ready alwayes through these fiery trials to enter into glory for every one shall be salted with fire and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt Mark 9. 49. Secondly to signifie that holy zeal whereby we should wholly give up our selves to God through the operation of Gods holy spirit which is often in the Scriptures compared to fire as Matth. 3. 11. He that cometh after me is mightier then I he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire for as Christ through the eternall spirit offered himself without spot unto God Heb. 9. 14. so likewise it is the spirit whereby we must be enabled to consecrate our selves to Gods service Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth saith the Apostle Peter through the spirit 1. Pet. 1. 22. to which end we must not onely be carefull not to quench the spirit 1. Thess 5. 19. but also by prayer holy meditation and all other things conducing thereto we must do what we can
There was a meat-offering that was alwayes to be joyned with their burnt-offerings for which direction is given elsewhere but here direction is given onely for voluntary meat-offerings and therefore it is said When any will offer a meat-offering c. neither is there any set quantity here appointed but it is left free to the offerer to bring what he pleased whereas for the meat-offering that was brought together with their burnt-offerings of the herd or of the flock there is an expresse law how much there should be of it to wit a tenth deal of flower mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oyl Numb 15. 4. Now these voluntary meat-offerings were for the same end that the burnt-offerings were both to make atonement for them and also to testiâie their consecrating of themselves to God but withall particularly they were by way of acknowledgement that all their provision they had of his bounty So then the meat-offering signified First Christ his oblation of himself of which the Apostle speaks Ephes 5. 2. Christ hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour and again Heb. 10. 8 9 10. When he said Sacrifice and offering and burnt-offerings and offering for sinne thou wouldst not neither hadst pleasure therein which are offered by the law Then said he Loe I come to do thy will O God! He taketh away the first that he may establish the second By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all Secondly Christians wonne to God by the Gospell and then consecrated to his service Esay 66. 20. They shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord out of all nations to my holy mountain Jerusalem saith the Lord as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord. Thirdly all our Evangelicall sacrifices of prayer and praysing God with other services done to the Lord and to his saints for his sake Mal. 1. 11. In every place incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure offering And last of all more particularly their acknowledgement of Gods bounty in all the food they injoyed and therefore it was that in all these meat-offerings they are appointed to bring fine slowre without any mixture of branne to signifie the purity of all Evangelicall sacrifices He shall poure oyl upon it and put frankincense thereon The oyl poured upon the flowre figured the graces and comfort of the holy Ghost whereby we serve God with a willing mind and a chearfull spirit Ye have an unction from the holy one saith the Apostle speaking of this oyl of Gods spirit 1. John 2. 20. and the sweetnesse both of the oyl and frankincense signified how sweet and acceptable their services were unto God in and through the mediation of Christ who hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Ephes 5. 2. whence it was that the Prophet told the Jews that their incense was in vain when God regarded not their sacrifices Jer. 6. 20. To what purpose cometh there to me âncense from Sheba and sweet calamus from a farre countrey your burnt-offerings are not acceptable nor your sacrifices sweet unto me Vers 2. And the priest shall burn the memoriall of it upon the altar That is the handfâll which he had taken out of the meat-offering which should in stead of all put God in mind which is spoken of God after the manner of men of all this offering which the offerer had given to the Lord and of the covenant which he had made to accept it and withall be a memoriall to the offerer that he acknowledged all the store he had to be from God and therefore to be consecrated wholly to his service and that God would take in good part the offering he had now brought him Vers 3. And the remnant of the meat-offering shall be Aarons and his sonnes To eat the same in the Sanctuary Levit. 6. 16. And the remainer thereof shall Aaron and his sonnes eat with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place in the court of the tabernacle c. It is a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire And therefore onely to be eaten by the priests that offer it Of other offerings others might eat but of the most holy things whereof part was burnt on the altar onely the priests Vers 4. And if thou bring an oblation of a meat-offering baken in the oven These were prepared and baked within the Sanctuary as it seems by Ezekiel 46. 20. This is the place where the priests shall boil the trespasse-offering and the sinne-offering where they shall bake the meat-offering and 1. Chron. 23. 28 29. Their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron c. both for the shew-bread and for the fine flowre for meat-offerings and for the unleavened cakes and for that which is baked in the pan and for that which is fried It shall be an unleavened cake of fine flowre mingled with oyl or unleavened wafers anointed with oyl See the notes upon Exod. 29. 2. and upon the 11. verse of this chapter Vers 11. No meat-offering which ye shall bring unto the Lord shall be made with leaven This must be understood onely of these voluntary oblations part whereof was to be burnt upon the altar for with some eucharisticall or thank-thank-offerings they might bring leavened cakes Levit. 7. 13. as also in the first-fruits Levit. 23. 17. but these were not burnt upon the altar And where leaven was not to be used in the oblation the part remaining the priests might not eat with leaven Levit. 6. 16. because part of the offering was burnt upon the altar Now leaven was thus generally forbidden First to put them still in mind of their deliverance out of Egypt a type of their redemption by Christ Secondly to teach them to worship God as he had appointed and to know that all humane devices therein are an abomination to God Thirdly to shew the perfect purity of Christ in whom there was not the least leaven of sinne and the sincerity that must be in our evangelicall sacrifices for leaven signifieth sinne of all sorts in doctrine and manners distastfull to God and infectious to men Luke 12. 1. Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie 1. Cor. 5. 8. Let us keep the feast not with old leaven neither with t he leaven of malice and wickednesse but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth For ye shall burn no leaven nor any hony in any offering of the Lord made by fire Not onely leaven but hony also is forbidden First because it hath a kind of leavening nature Secondly the more fully to exclude all humane devices in Gods worship the sweetnesse of hony might be a pretence of mixing it with their sacrifices when neither
And he said unto Aaron Take thee a young calf for a sinne-offering Before Aaron might be suffered to offer up any sacrifice he is commanded by Moses to offer up a young calf as a sinne-offering for himself And hence the Apostle proves the weaknesse and insufficiency of the Leviticall priesthood to wit that those priests were not fit in themselves to stand as Mediatours betwixt God and the people being sinners themselves but were types and shadows of another to come to wit Christ who was holy harmlesse undefiled and separate from sinners c. Heb. 7. 26 27. But since a young bullock is appointed for the high priests sinne-offering Levit. 4. 3. Why is Aaron here commanded to offer a young calf for a sinne-offering I answer between a young calf and a young bullock there was no great difference the one happely was as the Hebrews say of the first year the other of the second but yet of that difference the reason we may conceive to be this because in the fourth chapter a sinne-offering is appointed onely by way of atonement for some particular sinne of ignorance committed by the high priest but this sinne-offering here injoyned was for the sinnes of the priests in generall and that also in a particular case for their first entrance upon the execution of their office and therefore here not a young bullock as there was injoyned but a young calf was offered for their sinne-offering and that by the Lords speciall direction Vers 3. Take yee a kid of the goats for a sinne-offering c. Here also as in a speciall particular case the very same sacrifices are not injoyned either for the sinne-sinne-offerings burnt-offerings or peace-offerings of the people that are injoyned by the generall Laws in the former chapters onely respect is had that some of every kind should be now offered by the priests at their first entrance upon their office Vers 4. For to day the Lord will appear unto you See ver 24. Vers 9. And put it upon the horns of the altar c. That is the brasen altar herein also this sinne-offering for the high priest seemeth to differ from others that followed after whose bloud was to be carried into the Sanctuary Levit. 4. 5 6 7. and it was because Aaron as yet had not accesse into the holy place till he had prepared away by this first sacrifice into the court the like is to be observed in the peoples sinne-offering ver 15. compared with Levit. 4. 13 17 18. Vers 10. But the fat and the kidneys and the caul above the liver of the sinne-offering he burnt upon the altar That is he offered them upon the altar and so they were afterward burnt by that fire which came down from heaven ver 24. Vers 15. And he brought the peoples offering and took the goat c. and offered it for sinne as the first That is in the same manner as that for the priest ver 8. and so he burnt it also without the camp as the other was ver 11. for which he is reproved by Moses Lev. 10. 17. Wherefore have ye not eaten the sinne-offering in the holy place seeing it is most holy and God hath given it you c. Vers 17. Beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning That is this was not the burnt-offering and meat-offering which was every morning to be offered as God appointed Exod. 24. 38 39 40. but an extraordinary offering besides which by speciall direction was offered at this time Vers 22. And Aaron lift up his hand toward the people and blessed them This was a kind of applying the sacrifice to them and to make known that God did gratiously accept of those sacrifices from them and it was done according to the manner set down Numb 6. 23 c. Speak unto Aaron and his sonnes saying On this wise shall blesse the children of Israel saying unto them The Lord blesse thee and keep thee the Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gratious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace So also it is said of our Saviour that a little before his Ascention he lift up his head and blessed his disciples and indeed Aaron was in this a type of Christ in whom all the Nations of the world are blessed Gen. 18. 18. Vers 22. And came down from offering of the sinne-offering c. That is from the bank or hilly-place of the altar which was higher then the other ground Vers 23. And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle c. Hitherto the priests had onely made entrance upon their office in the court of the priests Now Moses went with Aaron into the tabernacle that he might there instruct him concerning the service he was there to perform both about the lights the table of shew-bread and the altar of incense And the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people That is somme visible signe of Gods glory and favour as by the cloud Exod. 16. 10. Vers 24. And there came a âire out from the Lord and consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering and the fat That is either from heaven as 2. Chron. 7. 1. or else out of the tabernacle Which when all the people saw they shouted and fell on their faces With astonishment and joy giving thanks for this signe of Gods favour and of his accepting their sacrifices CHAP. X. Vers 1. ANd Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron took either of them his cânser c. No doubt Moses had taught them and enjoyned them that after they had offered the sacrifices on the altar of burnt-offerings then they should go into the tabernâcle and there should light the lamps and burn incense on the altar of incense as God had commanded Exod. 30. 7. Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning when he dresseth the lamps he shall burn incense on it that is on the altar of incense but withall doubtlesse he had given them direction to use in this service onely the fire of the altar of burnt-offerings which was kindled by fire from heaven for though this be onely implyed covertly Levit. 6. 13. The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar it shall never go out yet I make no question but that it was more fully given them in charge as afterward again Levit. 16. 10. where direction is given for Aarons going into the most holy place He shall take a censer of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small and bring it within the vail But now Nadab and Abihu rashly and inconsiderately forgetting or neglecting their duty in this particular took some other âire in their censers that perhaps wherewith they had sod and dressed the âlesh of their sacrifices and putting incense thereon to carry it and lay it upon the altar of incense and so offered strange fire before the Lord that is the fire which he
fruitfulnesse of the land wherein God had planted them whereof these severall boughs of goodly trees were aâ evident signe Vers 43. That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths c. Sâe Exod. 12. 37. CHAP. XXIV Vers 2. Command the children of Israel that they bring unto thee pure oyl-olive c. This which is given here in charge to the Israelites is for the continuall supply both of lamp oyl and shewbread to wit that as they brought them at first so they must still be supplyed by them either therefore these things were provided by the civil magistrate out of the common sâock or else rather âhey were provided as were also the daily sacrifices and whatsoever else was offered in the name of the whole people out of the treasury of the temple into which therefore towards the supply of these things both the Princes and people did ordinarily cast in what they were willing to give So it is noted of Hezekiah 2. Chron. 31. 3. He appointed also the Kings portion of his substance for the burnt-offerings to wit for the morning and evening burnt-offerings and the burnt-offerings for the Sabbaths for the new Moons and for the set feasts and of the people Luke 21. 1. He saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury and a certain poore widow casting in thither tâo mites Vers 3. In the tabernacle of the congregation shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning c. Or his sonnes by his appointment See the note upon Exod. 25. 37. Vers 5. And thou shalt take fine floure and bake twelve cakes thereof These were the cakes of shewbread concerning which see the note upon Exod. 25. 23. The floure was provided at the common charge as is before said upon ver 1. and brought to the priests but the cakes were made and baked by the Levites of the family of Kohath as is evident 1. Chron. 9. 32. where it is said that some of the sonnes of the Kohathites were over the shew-bread to prepare it every Sabbath Vers 6. And shalt set them in two rows six on a row c. The common opinion is that those twelve cakes of shewbread representing the twelve tribes of Israel were not set one by another but six one upon another and six one upon another But because this way it cannot so properly be said that they were set in two orders or rows and because in the following verse there is order given for the putting of frankincense upon each row I rather think that they were set in order along the table six in one row and six in another Vers 7. And you shall put pure frankincense upon each row that it may be on the bread for a memoriall even an offering made by fire unto the Lord. For the incense was burned upon the altar when they took away the bread and was before-hand laid upon the bread as a signe that God would through Christ remember his people with thoughts of favour and gracious acceptance Vers 9. And it shall be Aarons and his sonnes and they shall eat it in the holy place That is after it had stood a week upon the table before the Lord. For it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the Lord c. Because of the incense which was burnt the bread was reputed most holy as if it had been of the offerings made by fire Vers 10. And the sonne of an Israelitish woman whose father was an Egyptian c. Thus by the providence of God in the party thus blaspheming and thus punished for it as is here related they were taught 1. How the curse of God doth usually follow the issue of such unlawfull mixtures as was this of an Egyptian with aâ Israelite 2. How severe God must needs be against this sinne in his own genuine people who would not suffer it unpunished in one that was the sonne of a stranger by the fathers side The inserting of this story in this place makes it more then probable that it was done whilst they were yet in the desert of Sinai even whilst the Lord was giving these Laws to Moses which are before mentioned as is expressed in the next chapter ver 1. Whether the Egyptian had this sonne by Shelomith in marriage or by fornication we cannot say but that this their sonne the blasphemer had embraced the religion of the Israelites it is very likely both because he came away with them out of Egypt and also because he is here said to have gone out amongst the children of Israel which implies more then his going in their company namely that he went out amongst them as one of them And this sonne of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp This of his striving is expressed to let us know that a blasphemer though provoked is not therefore to be excused Vers 11. And the Israelitish womans sonne blasphemed the name of the Lord and cursed His sinne I conceive was not rash vain and unadvised mentioning Gods name either in swearing cursing the man with whom he was to contend or otherwise but of an higher nature though even these are blasphemy even some execration or reprochfull speeches uttered in his fury directly against God as if for instance we should suppose this that in the heat of contention the Israelite upbraiding him with his idolatrous father and denying him to be a true member of the Church of God he should thereupon speak scornfully and opprobriously of the God of Israel slighting the priviledge of being one of his people Some such blasphemy I conceive this was and that because the Law which God gave them upon this occasion speaks of cursing God ver 15. Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sinne not cursing in Gods name but directly and expressely of cursing God And they brought him unto Moses c. According to the order mentioned Exod. 18. 26. The hard causes they brought unto Moses Vers 14. Let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head That is those that heard him were to come forth and laying their hands upon his head to give in evidence against him and so thereupon he was to be condemned and the congregation was to stone him Now this ceremony of the witnesses laying their hands upon his head was 1. to signifie that they did charge this sinne upon him and approve of the punishment that was to be inflicted for it 2. that having witnessed nothing but the truth they were free from his death but his bloud must be upon his own head 3. to imply that he was to be sacrificed as it were to the justice of God for as those that brought any sacrifice to the tabernacle were to lay their hand upon the head of the sacrifice thereby signifying their desire and faith that the death of that sacrifice might and should satisfie the justice of God in their behalf so here the laying
God is in exacting purity in those that consecrate themselves to his service And this must be done on the day of his cleansing on the seventh day for this last clause on the seventh day shall he shave it is added by way of explaining the clause before in the day of his cleansing for the seventh day was the usuall day of cleansing for those that were defiled by the dead as we may see chap. 10. 11 12. Vers 11. And the priest shall offer the one for a sinne-offering c. Though it were no fault in the Nazarite that a man should die very suddenly by him yet because it was contrary to the Law that enjoyned the Nazarite not to come nigh any dead body therefore he was to bring a sinne-offering for his cleansing Vers 12. And he shall consâcrate unto the Lord the dayes of his sâparation That is he shall begin anew to consecrate unto God the very same number of dayes which before his defiling he had vowed unto God And he shall bring a lambe of the first year for a trespasse-offering By this trespasse-offering which also figured Christ he was prepared for the observations of his renewed vow because all grace and ability to do good is of God obtained by Christ Jesus our Lord. Vers 13. And this is the Law of the Nazarite That is this that follows is the Law that must be observed by the Nazarite when he hath fulfilled his vow and is to be discharged thereof in an orderly manner Which Law it is conceived the Apostle Paul was perswaded to observe to decline the offence of the Jews Acts 21. 26. Vers 14. And he shall offer his offering unto the Lord one he-lambe c. Those offerings the Nazarite was to offer when he had fulfilled the dayes of his separation and was now to be freed from his vow 1. by way of thankfulnesse to God as acknowledging that it was through his grace that he had been enabled to fulfill his Nazarites vow and 2. to make atonement thereby for his sinnes committed under his vow thereby also confessing that notwithstanding his strictest endeavours after holinesse he had failed many wayes if God in Christ should not be mercifull to him Vers 15. And their meat-offering and their drink-offerings That is besideâ the cakes and wafers before mentioned enjoyned as an extraordinary meat-offering he was also to bring the ordinary meat-offerings and drink-offerings appointed for appendances to all sacrifices whereof see Numb 28. Vers 18. And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation c. All the time of his separation he was to keep his hair uncut but now he was to shave his head called here the head of his separation because the hair on his head was the signe of his separation and that at the doore of the tabernacle to shew that his vow was now at an end whereby he had consecrated himself to the Lord and then afterwards he was to put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace-peace-offerings that is not the fire on the altar of burnt-burnt-offerings for there onely the fat of the peace-offerings was burnt but the fire under the caâdrons or pots wherein the peace-offerings were boyled and all this was done as by way of thankfulnesse to God to signifie that he had the perfection of his Nazariteship from him Vers 19. And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram c. That is the left shoulder the right shoulder was due unto him raw of all peace-offerings Levit. 7. 32. And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for an heave-offering of the sacrifices of your pâace-offerings this gift of the sodden shoulder was peculiarly given from the Nazarites ram onely and taught them that as they had received more speciall grace of God so they should give him more speciall thanks then other men Vers 21. This is the Law of the Nazarite who hath vowed and of his offering unto the Lord for his separation besides that that his hand shall get That is besides that which of his own free will he shall vow to give according to the estate wherewith God hath blessed him That which is formerly prescribed was necessarily to be done both by rich and poore when they took upon them this vow of Nazariteship if being able they vowed more offerings they must perform their vow but this before prescribed must by all be brought the poorest are not allowed lesse Vers 23. On this wise ye shall blesse the children of Israel c. This blessing thus pronounced by the priest did include a promise of Gods blessing them delivered as it were out of Gods own mouth and that by and through Christ of whom they were types Acts 3. 26. Unto you first God having raised up his sonne Jesus sent him to blesse you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities and so again Luke 24. 50. And he led them out as farre as Bethany and he lift up his hands and blessed them Therefore when Christ was to come the priest of Aarons seed was speechles Luke 1. 22. to teach them to look for another priest in whom all nations were to be blessed Gal. 3. 8. Vers 24. The Lord blesse thee and keep thee c. Some conceive that the repeating of this word the Lord or Jehovah three severall times in this blessing did imply the mystery of the Trinity But whether so or no sure wâ are it was pronounced in the name of God who is one in essence but three in persons the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and evangelically we have this very blessing explained by the Apostle 2. Cor. 13. 14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all Amen Vers 25. The Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gratious unto thee That is the Lord be favourable kind and loving to thee and let him so manifest his love and grace to thy heart and conscience that thou mayest plainly perceive it A chearfull loving countenance we call lightsome as on the other side we call an angry countenance cloudy In the sight of the kings countenance is life saith Solomon Prov. 16. 15. So that by the Lords making his face to shine upon his people nothing else is meant but his love and the manifestation of his love and favour to them according to that Psal 44. 3. They got not the land in possession by their own sword neither did their own arm save them but thy right hand and thy right arm and the light of thy countenance because thou hadst a favour unto them Vers 26. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace By this clause of the Lords lifting up his countenance upon them two things may be implyed 1. the Lords love and favour as in the former clause for as the hiding and casting down and turning away of the face testifies the
displeasure and wrath of a man the light of my countenance they cast not down saith Job chap. 29. 24. that is they did not anger or grieve me and so turn the smiles of my countenance into frowns so the lifting up the face readily upon a man is an argument of his good liking and favour towards him and 2. the Lords provident care over them to protect and blesse them and so is the same with that Psal 33. 18. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon thâm that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy Vers 27. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel and I will blesse them That is they shall pronounce them blessed in my name and by my favoùr which shall be upon them as if now given by the priests and this it seems was signified by the lifting up spreading forth their hands towards the people as Aaron did Levit 9. 22. and thus the name of the Lord is elsewhere taken as Prov. 18. 10. The name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe CHAP. VII Vers 1. ANd it came to passe on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle c. In this chapter Moses relates the offerings that were brought by the Princes of the tribes for the carriage of the tabernacle and for dedicating of the altar Now because it is said here that these twelve princes brought six waggons and twelve oxen for the carriage of the tabernacle on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle and had anointed it c. it is much questioned amongst Expositours when this was done Some conceive that they offered these things precisely on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle c. which was on the first day of the first moneth in the second year after their coming out of Egypt Exod. 40. 17. a full moneth before the numbring of the people whereof Moses spake in the beginning of this book for the charge for that was given on the first day of the second moneth chap. 1. 1. and so they conceive that this is here inserted though done a moneth before onely because these things formerly offered by the Princes were now given to the Levites But then others conceive that these waggons and oxen were now offered by the Princes in the order as it is here set down after the tribes were numbred and placed in their severall stations round about the tabernacle and that therefore by these words And it came to passe on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle and had anointed it c. onely thus much is intended that these things were brought and offered by the Princes after that Moses had fully finished the erection of the tabernacle c. and the ordering of all things belonging thereto amongst which we may well reckon the placing of the tribes in their severall stations and the Levites also in their places round about the tabernacle And indeed this exposition seems most probable 1. because it is said here that the Princes that offered these things were those that were set over the numbring of the people ver 2. to wit those mentioned by name chap. 1. 5. c. 2. because it is not likely that these oxen and waggons were offered for the service of the tabernacle a moneth before the Levites were set apart to their service and had their severall charge assigned them for the carrying of the tabernacle and those thingâ that belonged thereto and 3. because it is said in the end of this chapter vers 88. This was the dedication of the altar after it was anointed which shews that these things were not done just on the day that Moses set up the tabernacle c. Vers 5. And thou shalt give them unto the Levites to every man according tâ his service That is according as the weight is more or lesse of those things which âre committed to their charge Vers 8. And foure waggonâ aâd âight oxen he gave unto the sonnes of Merari See the note upon chap. 3. ver 36. Vers 10. And the Princes offered for dedicating the altar in the day that ât was anointed c. That is for the first imploying thereof in those holy services for which it was ordained Indeed Moses first offered burnt-offerings and other sacrifices thereon seven dayes together for the consecrating of the priests Levit. 8. which was in the first moneth of the second year and the next day after Aaron and his sonnes offered sacrifices thereon for himself and the people in generall Levit. 9. 7. on which day it was that Nadab and Abihu perished But now in the second moneth of the second year when the tribes were all placed about the tabernacle the Princes brought their offerings and because these were the first offerings that were offered for any particular persons or tribes therefore they are said to be offered for the dedicating of the altar and so those following words in the day that it was anointed must not be taken strictly of the very day whereon it was first anointed but more generally as before ver 1. Vers 12. And he that offered his offering the first day was Nahshon c. Here the Captains of the tribes offer every one in his day according to the order wherein God had set them round about the Sanctuary beginning at the East-quarter proceeding to the South and then to the West and so ending at the North. Vers 13. And his offering was one silver charger c. To wit for the use of the altar of burnt-offerings which stood in the court whereon these sacrifices which they brought were to be offered for all that were used in the tabernacle were of pure gold Vers 17. And for a sacrifice of peace-offerings two oxen c. Of these the Princes with the priests c. did eat and so keep a feast with joy before the Lord for his mercy toward his people Vers 88. This was the dedication of the altar after it was anointed See the note upon ver 1. Vers 89. And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation c. This may seem to be here added because after that all things were thus ordered concerning the tabernacle and that Aaron and his sonnes were thus farre entred upân their priestly office Moses went into the tabernacle to receive further direction from the Lord and so the Lord spake unto Moses from the mercy-seat as is here expressed and he spake unto him that is Moâeâ spake unto the Lord propounding such things to the Lord as he desired to be satisfied in CHAP. VIII Vers 2. WHen thou lightest the lamps the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick Hitherto I conceive the priests had onely entred upon their service on the altar of burnt-burnt-offerings now the dedication of the altar being finished and Moses being now to entâr the priests into the service of the
the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil Heb. 2. 14. whereby also all believers do become conquerours over those spirituall enemies of their souls And thou shalt bruise his heel This is meant 1. of the serpents lying in wait to sting and hurt mankind 2. of the devils assaulting Christ in his temptations aâflictions death and buriall and the faithfull in their temptations and troubles which to him and them is but as the bruising of the heel Vers 16. Vnto the woman he said I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception That is thy painfull conceptions or the sorrows of thy conceptions faintnesse sick fits perill of abortion c. Thy desire shall be to thy husband That is thy desire shall be subject to thy husband upon his will and pleasure all thy desire must depend For in this sense the same phrase is used Gen. 4. 7. concerning Abels subjection to Cain as the firstborn It istrue by the law of creation the woman should have lived in subordination under her husband should have been governed by him for Adam was first formed then Eve 1. Tim. 2. 13. and 1. Coâ 11. 9. Man was not created for the woman but the woman for the man but being here denounced as a chastisement for sinne it implyeth a further degree of subjection then that which should have been by the law of Nature and Creation as indeed by reason of the corruption of our nature it is made every where somewhat irksome and hard to be born but amongst some a very yoke of bondage Vers 18. And thou shalt eat the herb of the field And so neither the herbs or fruits of Paradise Vers 21. Vnto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skinnes c. This may be meant of the Lords doing this presently before they were turned out of Paradise by the ministry of angels or how else it pleased him to wit that by the skinnes of slain beasts he made them garments and so clothed them therewith or rather that the Lord taught Adam and Eve and gave them directions how they should of the skinnes of beasts make themselves garments for the covering of their nakednesse and to shelter their bodies from the injury of the weather for seeing there is no question to be made but that the Lord did immediately teach them the worship of offering sacrifices as signes and types of that reconciliation and atonement which was to be expected in the promised seed and therefore we reade in the following chapter of the Sacrifices that were offered by Cain and Abel it cannot be thought improbable that withall direction was given to make them coats of the skins of the beasts slain However by this kind of clothing chosen for them they were taught betimes not to have so much respect to delicacy as to usefulnesse in attiring themselves 2. in the spoils of those dead beasts to wear the remembrances of their own mortality yea of that brutish condition whereinto by their sinne they were fallen And to this that bitter taunt seems to have reference in the following verse Behold the man is become as one of us to know good and evil c. Vers 22. And now lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life c. Some Expositours conceive that the fruit of the tree of life being eaten by man should have prevented all decay of naturall strength and have made him immortall or at least have kept him in perfect health and strength untill he was taken up from earth into heaven and that either by means of a created power and efficacy which to this end and purpose God had given to this fruit or by an extraordinary and supernaturall blessing which God had ordained should go along with the eating of this fruit and hence they say it was that when Adam and Eve had sinned God now resolved to turn them out of Paradise that they might not taste of the tree of life either in mercy to prevent their living for ever in misery or in judgement that the curse of Death which God had threatned as the reward of sinne might not be prevented by eating of this fruit But this conceit is justly rejected by the best Expositours It was no wayes possible that any created food should frustrate Gods decree that Death should be the wages of Sinne. Whatever effect might have followed upon the eating of this âruit had man continued in the state of Innocency yet when his body was dead because of sinne as the Apostle speaks Rom. 8. 10. it was not the eating of this fruit that could make his dead body to live for ever The true reason why the Lord cast Adam out of Paradise to prevent his eating of the tree of life was doubtlesse that having by his disobedience and sinne made himself liable to death he might not now meddle with this sacramentall seal of life and salvation which now because of sinne he had nothing to do with Onely as before the Lord had upbraided them for their vain affectation of being like unto him in that ironicall expression Behold the man is become as one of us to know good and evil meaning that by his sinne they were become most unlike him so in these words ironically he upbraids him after the same manner for that certainty of death he had brought upon himself determining to cast him out of the garden of Eden Lest saith the Lord he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live for ever not because there was any danger of his living for ever but in derision of any such hope or expectation if happily he should entertain any such motion as formerly of gaining an increase of knowledge by eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil Vers 24. And he placed at the East and of the garden c. Where was the entrance into Paradise there at the East end of the garden he placed Cherubims and a flaming sword that is Angels armed with a flaming sword for Moses useth this word that he might speak to the capacity of the Jews who had Cherubims figured in their temple to represent the angels CHAP IV. Vers 3. ANd in processe of time it came to passe c. Abel and Cain had been doubâlesse taught of God thus to worship him and therefore it is said Heb. 11. 4. that by faith to wit grounded on Gods word Abel offered sacrifice Vers 4. And the Lord had respect to Abel and to his offering This Cain perceived and therefore it was manifested by some outward signe either ordinary by giving good successe to Abel in all things and not to Cain or extraordinary as by sending fire from heaven to consume Abels sacrifice and not Cains as we see the like Levit. 9. 24. There came a fire out from before the Lord and consumed upon the Altar the burnt offering
secondly to shew their thankfulnesse for the fruits which in this moneth they reaped Deut. 16. 13 14. Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven dayes after thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine And thou shalt rejoyce in thy feast c. And thirdly to figure out Christs coming into the world at this time of the year to dwell in the tabernacle of our flesh John 1. 14. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us c. and their being strangers and travellers here in this world Vers 17. Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord thy God That is at the three great feasts before mentioned the feast of unleavened bread the feast of harvest or Pentecost and the feast of in-gathering called also the feast of tabernacles then all the males were enjoyned to appear before the Lord and that in the place which he should choose Deut. 16. 16. namely all that were able for those that were sick infants and aged men were doubtlesse excused And though onely the males were by this law tyed to this service because women had many occasions to keep them at home yet even the women might if they pleased go up unto these feasts and often doubtlesse did for so it is saâd of Hannah the mother of Samuel 1. Sam. 2. 19. She came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice and of the virgin Mary Luke 2. 41. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passeover As for the place where they met together it was doubtlesse first the tabernacle and afterward the temple because there God dwelt as it were amongst his people and therefore there it is said they should appear before the Lord. And though it may seem somewhat questionable where they met to keep these feasts all the time the ark was in one place and the tabernacle in another as it was for many years after the ark was taken and carried away by the Philistines yet upon good consideration I think we may well conclude that they were kept where the tabernacle was because there was the altar of burnt-offerings and the offering of sacrifices was a main part of the holy service of these feasts Vers 18. Thou shalt not offer the bloud of thy sacrifice with leavened bread c. Because the very same words almost are repeated Exod. 34. 25. onely there the Passeover is expressely mentioned Thou shalt not offer the bloud of my sacrifice with leaven neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the Passeover be left unto the morning therefore the most and best Expositours do understand this place particularly of the Paschall Lambe to wit that they might not eat any leavened bread with the Passeover and that they might not leave any part of the Paschall Lambe untill the morning the fat being here by a Synecdoche put for all and specially mentioned because this in all sacrifices was offered to God Yet I see not why this place may not be understood generally of all sacrifices since it is evident first that leaven was forbidden in all meat-offerings which were alwayes offered together with their sacrifices Levit. 2. 11. No meat-offering which ye shall bring unto the Lord shall be made with leaven for ye shall burn no leaven nor any honey in any offering of the Lord made by fire And secondly that though the flesh of some sacrifices might be eaten the next day yet the fat thereof was to be presently burnt upon the altar See Levit. 7. 2 3. Vers 19. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mothers milk Either this must be literally understood according to the very words that they might not seethe a kid or a lambe c. in the milk of the damme because this had some appearance of cruelty which the Lord by this ceremony taught them to abhorre and indeed upon the same ground other like laws were given this people as Deut. 22. 6 7. If a birds nest chance to be before thee in the way c. thou shalt not take the damme with the young Or else rather it must be understood concerning the age of the kid to wit that they might not offer a kid to the Lord or eat it themselves whilest the flesh was onely âerely a milky frothy substance thereby to teach them to avoid all foolish intemperancie and delicacie in their feeding and upon this ground they were forbidden to bring the first-born of their cattel or any other sacrifice till they were eight dayes old because so long they were but as the dammes milk Vers 20. Behold I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way c. That is the promised Messiah the sonne of God and Angel of the covenant Mal. 3. 1. Who led them by day in the pillar of a cloud and by night in a pillar of fire and at last brought them into the land of Canaan of whom it is said 1. Cor. 10. 9. that the Israclites in the wildernesse tempted him and so were justly destroyed by him therein finding that verified which the Lord here saith vers 21. that he would not pardon their transgressions Vers 21. For my name is in him That is he is the Lord Jehovah as I am of the same Essence Power Majesty and Authority for so it is said of Christ Heb. 1. 3. that he was the brightnesse of his Fathers glory and the expresse image of his person and one God with him The Father is in me and I in him saith Christ John 10. 38. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 5. 19. And so it was prophecied of him Jer. 23. 6. This is his name whereby he shall be called The Lord our righteousnesse Vers 28. And I will send hornets before thee c. This may be meant of stinging terrours wherewith God struck the hearts of the Canaanites or it may be understood literally of true hornets sent before the Israelites and the rather because first God had spoken of the fear wherewith the Canaanites should be stricken in the former verse and it is not usuall in the Scripture to expresse any thing plainly first and then afterwards figuratively and obscurely And secondly he tells the Israelites that God had done this for them which he had promised See Josh 24. 12. Vers 31. And I will set thy bounds from the red sea c. The bounds of the promised land are here set down to wit first their Eastern bound which was the red sea and secondly the sea upon which the land of the Philistines lay called the Mediterranean sea which was their West border and thirdly the desert which lay on the South of Canaan to with the desert of Shur or Paran which was their South border on which side ran the river of Sychar Josh 13. 3. called the river of Egypt Gen. 15. 18. for it runs out of Nilus into the Mediterranean sea and therefore this also
were laid upon this bullock and that the true sacrifice for our sinnes should suffer without the gates of Jerusalem Heb. 13. 11 12 13. For the bodies of those beasts whose bloud is brought into the Sanctuary by the high priest for sinne are burnt without the camp wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his own bloud suffered without the gate c. It is a sinne-offering And therefore thus to be ordered as is above appointed Vers 15. And thou shalt take one ramme c. That is one of those two rammes before mentioned verse 1. The sacrifice for sinne being first offered without which no other offering could have been accepted for God heareth not sinners now followeth the burnt-offering which was first a shadow of Christ who after that he had offered himself to God as a sacrifice for sinne did then ascend up into heaven there to prepare a place for his âedeemed ones secondly a signe of our regeneration as the other was of the expiation of our sinnes by Christ signifying that through him we shall and must be clensed from sinne crucified to the world and present our whole man bodies and souls a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God Rom. 12. 1. And thirdly to teach the priests for whose consecration it was offered that being purified by the Spirit of God they must deny themselves and consecrate themselves wholly to God to serve him in their office holily and faithfully all the dayes of their life Vers 16. And thou shalt take his bloud and sprinkle it round about c. It figured the sprinkling of Christs bloud as for our reconciliation so also our sanctification 1. Pet. 1. 2. Through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Christ Vers 19. And thou shalt take the other ramme c. This was for a congratulatory or peace-offering Now these were offered usually either to obtain some blessing or to give thanks for something already received in both respects was this offered at the priests consecration both by way of thankfulnesse for the honour done him in his calling and to beg of God that he would prosper him in the execution of it And Aaron and his sonnes shall put their hands upon the head of the ramme c. Signifying that from God in Christ figured in that ramme they expected not onely justification and sanctification as in the two former sacrifices but also consecration to their office and ability to perform the same Vers 20. And take of his bloud and put it upon the tip of the right eare of Aaron c. The eare hand and foot are anointed with bloud to intimate the sanctifying of all their parts by Christs bloud to make them fit for the priesthood And these are put for all because the eare is the signe of obedience Psal 40. 6. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire mine ears hast thou opened especially in hearing the word from Gods mouth which they should teach unto the people And again the hands and feet are the instruments of action not onely in their ministery but in their whole conversation And sprinkle the bloud upon the altar round about c. See the notes upon vers 10. for this tended to the same end Vers 21. And thou shalt take of the bloud that is upon the altar and of the anointing oyl c. Though this bloud and oyl mingled together was sprinkled upon the holy garments of Aaron and his sonnes yet we may well think it was done so that it might not marre the beauty and glory of their garments and then some little drops of bloud sprinkled here and there would rather be for the honour then the defiling of their garments Now this was done to signifie that by the bloud of Christ and the oyl of his graces they were sanctified for the work of their ministery Vers 22. For it is a ramme of consecration That is offered as a peace-offering in liew of his consecration Vers 24. And thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron c. To wit all those things mentioned in the two former verses amongst which the right shoulder is also named In other peace-offerings the breast and the right shoulder were set apart from the rest of the sacrifice and given to the priests for their portion Levit. 7. 31 32. The breast shall be Aarons and his sonnes and the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for an heave-offering of the sacrifice of your peace-offerings But here the breast onely was given to Moses as he that extraordinarily did now the priests work the shoulder was together with the fat and other things waved by the priests and then by Moses burnt upon the altar and the reason was doubtlesse because there were many priests among whom the breast and shoulder were in future times divided whereas here onely Moses executed now the work of the priest and therefore the breast alone was given unto him for his portion and the shoulder was burnt upon the altar and offered to the Lord. And shalt wave them for a wave-offering before the Lord. By shaking it thus to and fro they did as it were disclaim all their interest in that offering and resigne it as a thing wholly consecrated to God and besides this waving it to the East West North and South might imply that all Nations should in Christ have cause to praise God Vers 26. And it shall be thy part Because he was now in the stead of the priest yet he hath not all viz. not the shoulder which was afterward the priests portion because this breast was enough to imply that he had done the priests work Vers 27. And thou shalt sanctifie the breast of the wave-offering c. This is not spoken of the present but is an ordinance for the future what shall be then the priests because Moses had now the breast onely therefore this is now Inserted that the priests were to have both breast and shoulder Vers 29. And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sonnes after him c. And thus though the man was changed yet the high priest seemed in a manner the same appearing before God in the same garments a sweet type of that one high priest after the order of Melchisedec Vers 30. And that sonne that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven dayes So many dayes were the solemnities of Aaron and his sonnes consecration at the present to continue ver 35. Seven dayes shalt thou consecrate them during which time they were to abide at the doore of the tabernacle day and night to keep the watch of the Lord Levit. â 33 35. And ye shall not go out of the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation in seven dayes untill the dayes of your consecration be at an end for seven dayes shall he consecrate you Therefore shall ye abide at the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven dayes
soure nor sweet pleâseth him but onely what is appointed what place is left for humane inventions Thirdly if any mystery be thought implyed it may be the abandoning of all carnall pleasures and delights by those that will consecrate themselves to Gods service Vers 12. As for the oblation of the first-fruits ye shall offer them unto the Lord. To wit though with leaven Levit. 23. 17. They shall be baken with leaven they are the first-fruits unto the Lord though hony 2. Chron. 31. 5. The children of Israel brought in abundance the first-fâuits of corn wine and oyl and hony Vers 13. And every oblation of thy meat-oâââriâg ââalt thou season with salt By this salting was signified the covenant oâ grace in Cârist which we by faith apprehend unto incorruption wherefore oâr unââgeneraâe estate is likened to a child new born and not salted Ezek. 16. 4. Neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat-offering To wit the salt which is a signe of the covenant of thy God that is be sure that salt be not wanting which you are bound as by a covenant to use in all sacrifices and be sure that faith in the covenant be not wanting which is signified by that salt for then all your sacrifices will be of no value with the Lord. With all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt Not onely meat-offerings but also burnt-offerings and all other sacrifices Ezek. 43. 24. The priest shall cast salt upon them and they shall offer them up for a burnt-offering unto the Lord. Mark 9. 49. Every sacrifice shall be salted with salt Vers 14. And if thou offer a meat-offering of thy first-fruits unto the Lord c. That is a freewill-offering of the first-fruits besides injoyned by the law CHAP. III. Vers 1. ANd if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace-offering if he offer it of the herd whether it be male or female c. Peace-offerings were either to obtain from God some blessing which they wanted or by way of gratulation or thanksgiving for some blessing received The chief and most ordinary use of them was doubtlesse in a way of thanksgiving for their peace and prosperity the severall sorts whereof are set down in the seaventh chapter But yet sometimes they were also used when men in their troubles prayed unto God for peace and salvation so Judges 20. 26. when the Israelites fasted and sought unto the Lord for his aid and favour because the men of Benjamin had twice beaten them in battel they offered burnt-burnt-offerings and peace-peace-offerings before the Lord and when David sought to appease Gods anger when the pestilence raged in the land because of his numbering the people He built an altar to the Lord and offered burnt-burnt-offerings and peace-of-ferings 1. Chron. 21. 26. the Lord hereby teaching us that with supplications for what we want we must also joyn thanksgiving for what we already injoy So then the peace-peace-offerings signified 1. Christs oblation of himself whereby he became our peace Ephes 2. 14. and 2. the sacrifice of praise which in and through him we offer unto God The sacrifices appointed here for the peace-offerings are a male or female of the herd or of the flock turtle doves and young pigeons are not here allowed for the poorer sort as in burnt-offerings they were and that because the peace-offerings were to be divided into three parts one for the altar another for the priest and a third for the offerer and such a division could not be conveniently made in so small sacrifices But yet because this sacrifice was by way of thankfulnesse for temporall blessings externall peace and prosperity therefore a female a lesse perfect sacrifice was here accepted of God Why it must be without blemish see in the notes upon chap. 1. ver 3. Vers 2. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering See the notes upon Levit. vers 4. And kill it at the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation c. Why this sacrifice was to be killed by the priests and the bloud to be sprinkled upon the altar you may see by that which is said before upon chapter 1. vers 5. That which is particularly observable here is that these sacrifices of peace-offerings were not killed at the same place where the othâr sacrifices were killed for the burnt-offerings were killed on the one side of the altar Northward before the Lord and so were also the sinne-offering and the trespasse-offering in the very place where the burnt-offering was killed chap. 6. 25. and chap. 7. 2. But now the peace-peace-offerings were to be killed in another place to wit at the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation that is the very entrance of the court where stood the brasen altar which was more Eastward then the place where the other sacrifices were killed And the reason of this we may well conceive was 1. Because the fat and the breast of these peace-offerings were to be waved before the altar in the hands of the offerer who might not go into the court but stand at the doore chap. 7. 30. and 2. Because these peace-offerings whereof the offerer did eat a part were not reckoned amongst the most holy things which were onely eaten by the priest And hence this is given as a reason why the trespasse-offering was to be killed in the same place where the burnt-offerings were killed because it was most holy and to be eaten by the priests onely chap. 14. 13. Vers 3. And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace-offering a n offering made by fire unto the Lord. Namely that which is afterward expressed the rest of the offering was thus disposed of the breast and right shoulder were waved and heaved before the Lord and given the priests to eat See Levit. 7. 30. the remainer was eaten by him that brought it his family and friends Levit. 7. 15 16. The fat that covereth the inwards c. The fat as the best of the sacrifice is offered up unto the Lord and so teacheth that the best is to be still given unto him and it might withall signifie that all our carnall desires are to be mortified with the fire of the spiâit Vers 5. And Aarons sonnes shall burn it To wit being first salted Levit. 2. 13. On the altar upon the burnt sacrifice c. That is upon the remainer of the dayly burnt-offering which alwayes had the first place Vers 9. The fat thereof and the whole rump it shall he take off hard by the back-bone c. Because the rump of those countrey sheep was large and exceeding fat as Writers report and the fat was to be burnt and withall because the rumps of sheep are sweeter and better then those of bullocks therefore the rump of the sheep is also set apart for the sacrifice though not of the bullocks Vers 11. It is the food of the offering made by fire unto the Lord. So called to
that where either God in the externall duties of his worship or their brethren in civill affairs was any way damaged by the offender there a trespasse-offering was due for other transgressions the sinne-offering See the notes upon chap. 5. 10. Vers 2. In the place where they kill the burnt-offering See the note upon chap. 1. 11. Vers 7. As the sinne-offering is so is the trespasse-offering Namely as in most other things so in this that follows that the priest was to have the remainer of this as he had of the other Vers 8. And the priest that offereth any mans burnt-offering c. All the remainder of the sinne and trespasse-offering the priest had skinne and all but even of the burnt-offering also he must have the skinne Vers 9. And all the meat-offering that is baken in the oven c. That is these meat-offerings that were baken or fried c. and so were to be eaten hot were therefore the priests portion that offered them who might eat them presently but if the meat-offerings were mingled with oyl or dry that is flowre dry not mingled with oyl or any other liquour such as was the meat-offering for sinne chap. 5. 11. Because these might be reserved to be dressed afterwards at their leasure therefore these were equally to be divided amongst all the priests as is expressed vers 10. Vers 13. Besides the cakes he shall offer for his offering leavened bread c. How this may be reconciled with that Levit. 2. 11. see the notes there Because this meat-offering was onely for food to be eaten no part of it to be burnt upon the altar leaven is here allowed And besides it was a signe that this oblation was before thought upon and prepared not suddenly offered Vers 14. And he shall offer one out of the whole oblation c. The rest were for the owner and his family c. as was the remainder of the flesh See Deut. 27. 7. Thou shalt offer peace-offerings and eat there and rejoyce there before the Lord thy God See also Deut. 12. 6 7. Vers 15. And the flesh of his sacrifice of his peace-peace-offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day c. How the fat of the peace-peace-offerings was to be burnt upon the altar was shown before chap. 3. 3 4 5. Here now is prescribed how the remainder of the sacrifice was to be eaten And for the understanding hereof we must note that there are here three severall sorts of peace-offerings mentioned or three severall occasions of offering peace-offerings the first were these that were offered for thanksgiving vers 15. that is by way of testifying their thankfulnesse for some mercies received the second were those that were offered in liew of a vow and this the most Expositours conceive to be meant of such peace-offerings which men vowed they would give unto God if such or such a mercie God should grant them and which accordingly when God had satisfied their desires they did then pay unto God which though paid by way of thanksgiving they make to be different from the former because those were brought onely upon the generall bond of thankfulnesse and that for generall mercies these were brought upon a speciall bond of a vow made upon their obtaining some speciall blessing which they had desired of God But others again understand it of peace-offerings vowed and paid accordingly the vow not being conditionall in case any such blessing were obtained but absolute and so they make this to differ from the first which was for thanksgiving yea and some understand it of such peace-offerings as were offered not in performance of a vow formerly made but at the time when a vow was made by way of seeking Gods favour for the obtaining of some blessing which they sought of God The third were those that were brought as a voluntary offering which were such as were not brought upon any particular obligation either of mercies received or of the want of any blessing but of devotion in generall by way of acknowledging Gods goodnesse to them in generall and testifying their desire of the continuance of his love and favour Agâin 2. we must note that for the first of these one law is given and for the other two another for those peace-offerings that were for thanksgiving they were commanded to eat the same day they were offered both the priest and the people but those that were for a vow or voluntary offering they had two dayes allowed them for the eating of them and then what was left on the third day was to be burnt with fire And why was this difference Surely because God would hereby teach them that he must be worshipped as himself appointeth and not as they in their reason should think âit and withall the appointing of that to be presently eaten which was for thanksgiving might teach them not to be remisse in returning thanks for the blessings they injoyed Vers 18. And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings be eaten at all on the third day c. it shall be an abomination c. The Hebrew word signifieth a thing which by being kept too long beginneth to be corrupt and stink to show how God would abhorre them Vers 19. And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten iâ shall be burnt with fire The flesh of the peace-offerings was not to be eaten doubtlesse in the holy place but was carried thence after it was killed at the tabernacle and the fat burnt upon the altar and eaten else-where for so it is said of the right shoulder and breast which were the priests portion Levit. 10. 14. The wave-breast and the heave-shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place thou and thy sonnes and thy daughters with thee And well we may conclude that if the priests did not eat their portion in the holy place much lesse did the people eat their portion there Now because being carried out of the holy place it might casually âe touched by some unclean person or some unclean thing order is here given that it should not then be eaten as a holy sacrifice but burnt with fire because being so defiled it was not fit to represent Christ who was perfectly holy and pure from the least pollution of sin And aâ for the flesh all that be clean shall eat thereof That is that which abideth clean and fit to be eaten all that be clean both priests and owners shall eat thereof Vers 20. But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings that pârtain unto the Lord c. Here order is given for the punishment of those that should wittingly eat of the peace-peace-offerings when they were unclean whether it were by reason of any naturall personall uncleannesse that was then upon them which is that uncleannesse spoken of in this twentieth verse or by touch of any unclean thing which is afterwards added in the follovving verse to vvit that they
should be cut off from their people that is put to death if they did it unvvittingly a sacrifice of atonement vvas appointed for them chap. 5. 2. but if they did vvilfully and presumptuously thus profane Gods holy things they vvere to be cut off by the civill Magistrate And hereby also vvas shaddovved forth that those that bear the name of Christ and professe themselves Christians and yet continue in their sinnes and hate to be reformed destruction shall be their end neither vvill God reckon them amongst his people and more particularly vvhoever partake of the signes and seals of grace unvvorthily do eat and drink judgement to themselves 1. Cor. 11. 27 28 29. Vers 23. Ye shall eat no manner fat of ox of sheep or of goat See the note upon Levit. 3. 17. Vers 24. And the fat of the beast that dieth of it self c. may be used in any other use Herein I conceive is implyed that such fat of beasts fit for sacrifices when killed at home for their private uses might also be imployed in other uses though iâ might not be eaten for else what did they do with it It were absurd to think it was cast away and lost so that I understand these words as if it had been said even the fat of such beasts when they die of themselves c. may be used in any other use not onely when they are killed for meat but when they die of themselves And hence some conclude that though the touch of such carcases did render a man unclean yet the touch of the fat of those dead beasts that died of themselves did not defile them Vers 29. He that offeâeth the sacrifice of his peace-offerings unto the Lord shall bring his oblation c. That is he that shall offer a sacrifice of peace-peace-offerings unto the Lord he shall himself with his own hands present that part which is to be un oblation unto the Lord to wit the fat with the breast and the right shoulder as is expressed in the following verse Because their peace-peace-offerings they might eat iâ the camp and afterwards in any part of Jerusalem so the place were clâan there might be some danger lest the people should think that their peace-offerings might be killed in any place and therefore for prevention hereof this law is here added that they must bring their peace-offerings unto the Lord and there the Lords and the priests portion must be giâen them before they themselves eat of them CHAP. VIII Vers 6. ANd Moses brought Aaron and his sonnes and washed them with water Namely at the brasen laver which was made for that purpose Vers 7. And he put upon them the coat c. That is the undermost garment which was made of fine linen and girded to him with a girdle of needle-work concerning which and the rest of the holy garments of Aaron here mentioned there is already noted what is requisite to be known in the notes upon the 28. chapter of Exodus There was also linen breeches made for the priests Exod. 28. 42. bât those were not appointed to be put on at their consecration Exod. 29. but the priest was to put them on himself when he was to execute his office and therefore they are not âere mentioned Vers 10. And Moses tooâ the anointing oyl and anâânted the âaberââcle c. See the notes upon Exod. 30. 26. Vers 11. And he sprinkled thereof upon the altâr seven times c. He did not onely anoint the altar as he did other things but also sprinkle it seven times with the oyl of consecration because it was consecrated to more speciall use then other parts of the taberhacle namely for the holy sacrifices Vers 14. And he brought the bullock for the sinne-offering c. Concerning those rites of consecrating the prieââs see the severall notes upon the 29. chapter of Exodus Vers 15. And poured the bloud at the bottom of the altar and sanctified it c. See the notes upon Exod. 29. 12. After this the altar sanctified the gifts and oblations upon it Mat. 23. 19. Here is noâmention made of sprinkling bloud seven times before the Lord nor of the altar of incense as in other sinne-sinne-offerings for the priest Levit. 4. 7. The reason is because there the sacrifice was intended for some speciall sinne of the priest being then consecrated but here for sinnes in generall of priests not yet consecrated and indeed not so much for the expiation of their sinnes as the consecration of their persons CHAP. IX Vers 1. ANd it came to passe on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron and his sonnes c. That is on the very next day after the seven dayes of the priests consecration were ended whereof mention was made in the 33. verse of the foregoing chapter as is evident also by that which the Prophet Ezeklel saith in his allusion to this Ezek. 43. 26 27. Seven dayes shall they purge the altar and consecrate themselves and when these dayes are expired it shall be that upon the eighth day and so forward the priests shall make your burnt-offerings upon the altar c. What day of the moneth this was done is not expressed Evident it is that the tabernacle was erected on the first day of the first moneth in the second year after their coming out of Egypt Exod. 40. 17. and immediately the Lord spake unto Moses out of the tabernacle and gave him the severall Laws concerning the sacrifices set down in the first chapter of this Book as is noted Lev. 1. 1. After this Moses performed all that was injoyned him for the consecrating of Aaron and his sonnes and for the anointing and sanctifying of the tabernacle and all that was therein wherein seven dayes were spent and then the next day after Aaron and his sonnes entred upon the executing of the priests office as is here related Indeed some hold that the seven dayes of the consecration of Aaron and his sonnes were before the first day of the first moneth when the tabernacle was reared up by Moses and that because the Princes offered on that very day when the altar was anointed by Moses Numb 7. 1 10. which they conceive was done at the same time when the tabernacle was erected and the priests could not have offered the Princes sacrifices if they had not been before that time consecrated and settled in their priesthood But this opinion is grounded upon a double mistake to wit that the altar was anointed by Moses the same day the tabernacle was erected and that the Princes sacrifices were offered on the same day whereon the altar was anointed which indeed cannot be truly inferred from that forecited place in the 7. of Numbers as shall be shown in the notes there All that can be said concerning the day when Aaron and his sonnes entred upon the execution of their priesthood is that it was the very next day after the seven dayes of their consecration were ended Vers 2.
were not given in any interim of time before this Vers 2. Speak unto Aaron thy brother that he come not at all times into the holy place c. That is not whensoever he pleaseth but onely once a year as I have appointed Exod. 30. 10. namely to minister at other times both he and his sonnes might and did enter at the taking down of the tabernacle but not to minister And this was thus appointed first to teach them to have a most reverend respect of Gods presence and secondly that hereby more evidently might be represented that one particular sacrifice of the sonne of God once offered as the Apostle hath noted Heb. 9. 7 8. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year not without bloud c. The holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first tabernacle was yet standing and again vers â1 12. Christ being come an high priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle c. by his own bloud he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternall redemption for us For I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat This is added as a reason why the high priest might not enter into the most holy place whenever he pleased but onely once a year which was on the tenth day of the seventh moneth and that in the manner as is here appointed to wit because the Lord would there appear in the cloud upon the mercie-seat The conceit of the Papists That God appeared there in an humane shape upon the mercie-seat hath no ground for it in the text Nor do we any where reade that God did ever so appear in the tabernacle either to the high priest or to Moses himself All that is heâe said is that God would by a cloud upon the mercie-seat testifie his presence which whether it were the cloud raised by the smoke of the incense which the high priest was now to bring with him or any other cloud alwayes abiding upon the mercy-seat we need not inquire Sufficient it is that we know hereby that God did testifie his presence and doubtlesse in some glorious manner upon the mercy-seat and therefore the high priest might not when he would go in thither but onely once a year and then with the smoke of incense ascending from his censer that might darken the glory of that forementioned sight of Gods presence for the safety of the high priest Vers 3. With a young bullock for a sinne-offering c. Namely for himself vers 6. But withall we may observe that besides the fire-sacrifices here expressed he offered also on this day two lambes for the dayly burnt-offering Numb 28. 3. and one bullock one ramme and seven lambes for a burnt-offering and one he-goat for a sinne-offering besides the goat mentioned vers 5. as is particularly expressed Numb 29. 7 8 11. Here these onely are expressed which concerned the solemnity of his going into the most holy place the other were sacrifices appointed for the day and offered in the remainder of the day when the solemnities which âad respect to his entring into the most holy place were wholly finished Vers 4. He shall put on the holy linen coat c. Some Expositours conceive that these holy linen garments here spoken of were those mentioned Exod. 28. 39. which the high priest wore under his other rich attire and that together with these here mentioned all his other garments are to be understood also But because it is expresly said vers 23. that when Aaron returned out of the most holy place into the tabernacle of the congregation he should put off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the holy place and should leave them there therefore I rather conceive with others that these were other plain linen garments like those that were made for the inferiour priests Exod. 39. 27 28. And that the high priest did wear these onely when he went into the most holy place as being reserved for this peculiar service and did therefore put them off again when he came out from thence as it is said verse 23. Yet was not this thus ordered because this day of expiation when the priest went into the holy of holies was a fasting day verse 29 30. and therefore it was not fit that he should wear now his glorious garments for after he was come back out of the most holy place and had put off these linen garments verse 23. he put on his other glorious attire and wore them in the remaining service of the day But other reasons are given for this by Expositours more probably as 1. that it was to teach the people thereby that his rich attire was onely for their sakes that in them they might behold him as representing the person of the Messiah richly adorned with all righteousnesse and grace and not that God was delighted with such rich garments and so he left them off when he went into the place of Gods speciall presence and 2. that in this plain attire he might be a figure of the base estate of Christ upon earth and how he should without worldly glory perform the work of our redemption Vers 6. And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sinne-offering In what time and manner this was done see vers 11. Vers 8. And Aaron shall cast lots on the two goats Which signified that God would accept no sacrifice but what was of his own chusing and that in the work of our redemption by Christ nothing should be done but what Gods hand and his counsell had determined Act. 4. 28. Vers 12. And he shall take a censer-full of burning coals of fire c. Here we see what the high priest was to carry along with him when he went within the vail to wit 1. a censer-full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord that is from the altar of incense and 2. his hands full that is two handfull of sweet incense beaten small to burn upon the coals as soon as ever he entred within the vail and 3. the bloud of the sinne-sinne-offerings for though that be not mentioned here yet that he carried the bloud along with him is evident verse 14 15. both of the bullock his own sinne-offering and the goat the peoples sinne-offering Vers 13. And he shall put the incense upon the fire c. As the way was prepared into the most holy place by the cloud before the bloud was sprinkled so Christ before he entred with his own bloud into the most holy place of heaven prepared his way by prayer John 17. And this also signified that the incense of Christs prayers and mediation should ascend into heaven before God for his Church Heb. 9. 24. For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into heaven it self now
which it was not therefore fit they should disable themselves by defiling themselves with the dead there being no other priests at that time to do the work in their stead Vers 3. And for his sister a virgin that is nigh unto him c. That iâ his own sister by father or mother if unmarried but if she were married he might not be a mourner at her buriall to defile himself thereby because she was then transplanted into another familie Vers 4. But he shall not defile himself being a chief man among his people to profane himself Some reade this place as it is in the margin of our Bibles But being a husband among his people he shall not defile himself for his wife c. and then the sense must be that though the priests might defile themselves for those their nearest kindred mentioned in the former verses yet they might not defile themselves for their wives But the wife being nearer to the husband then the nearest of his kindred can be it is hard to say why the priests should be allowed to defile themselves for their near kindred and not for their wives and farre more probably we may conceive that by allowing them to mourn for their near kindred their defiling themselves for their wives is implyed as farre more necessary which also we may the rather think because to Ezekiel being a priest this is given in charge as a strange and unusuall thing that he should not mourn for his wife when she dyed Ezek. 24. 16 c. and hence it is that few approve of this translation But reading it then as it is in the text of our Bibles But he shall not defile himself being a chief man among his people to profane himself all the difficulty lies in knowing what is meant here by being a chief man among his people concerning which I find three severall opinions of Expositours For first some understand it of the high priest that being a chief man that is the high priest he might not defile himself no not for his nearest kindred which they say is afterwards more fully expressed vers 10. But because the laws against the high priests mourning are afterwards set down by themselves I think it very improbable that this should be meant of the high priest Secondly some understand by a chief man here the master or chief man of the house or family where there is a dead corps to be buried and so take the meaning of the words to be this That no priest should defile himself for any but for his near kindred before mentioned no though he were the chief man or master of the familie where they dyed And thirdly some by a chief man understand any of the priests and conceive the meaning of this place to be that though none of the people were allowed to defile themselves for the dead so as to profane themselves that is after the profane manner of the heathen according to that Law chap. 19. 18. yet the priest especially might not do it being a chief man among his people So that according to this interpretation the emphasis of this prohibition lies in these words to profane himself The inferiour priests might defile themselves for their nearest kindred but yet not so as to profane themselves to wit after the manner of the heathen by making baldnesse upon their heads c. as it is expressed in the following verse though none of the people might do this yet not the priest especially being a chief man among his people Vers 5. They shall not make baldnesse upon their heads c. That is when they did mourn for their kindred See chap 19. 28. Vers 6. For the offering of the Lord made by fire and the bread of their God they do offer See the note upon chap 13. 11. The word and here is not in the originall so that by the bread of their God is meant both the sacrifices burnt upon the altar and the heave-heave-offerings which were the priests portion and they are so called partly because they were offered upon the altar the table of the Lord Mal. 11. 12. and partly because they were eaten by the priests of the Lord. Vers 7. They shall not take a wife that is a whore or profane That is neither a common whore nor a woman whose chastity had been violated though she did not as a common whore prostitute her self Some also conceive that under this word profane all those were forbidden to be taken in marriage by the priests that were for any other cause of ill name and basely esteemed as a bastard or one that was of light behaviour yea it seems that they might not marry a widow unlesse she were a priests widow For so it is expressely said Ezek. 44. 22. They shall take maydens of the seed of the house of Israel or a widow that had a priest before Now all this was to maintain in the people an high opinion of the dignity of the priesthood and that they might be the fitter to be types of Christ Neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband That is divorced ând not for the cause of adultery which to the Israelites was permitted under Moses Law Deut. 24. 1 2. but it was for the hardnesse of their hearts as our Saviour saith Matth. 19. 8. Vers 8. Thou shalt sanctifie him therefore c. That is thou Moses thou shalt command him thus to be sanctified Exâd 19. 10. And the Lord said unto Moses Go unto thâ people and sanctifie them to day and to morrow c. or else it is an Apostrophe to the people that they should as much as in them lay take care that the priests did thus carry themselves as holy persons Vers 9. She shall be burnt with fire Other persons were not put to death for simple fornication neither the man nor woman Exod. 22. 16 17. And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed and lie with her he shall surely endow her to be his wife If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him he shall pay money according to the dowry of Virgins onely the priests daughter because of the dishonour done to her fathers house is appointed here to be burnt and it may well be thought by the rule of Analogy the same punishment was to be inflicted on the priests wife if not his sonnes when guilty of the same sinne Vers 10. And he that is the high priest among his brethren upon whose head the anointing oyl was poured and that is consecrated to put on the garments shall not uncover his head c. Either therefore the uncovering of the head was it seems then an expression of mourning though afterward a contrary custome was used to wit when they mourned to cover their heads or else that which is forbidden the high priest here is that he should not take off his miter to the end he might put on a covering on his head after the
by every family but provided at the common charge and offered in the name of the whole Church and because that it is said expresly vers 20. that these two loaves of the first-fuits were waved by the priest together with the peace-offerings which could not be if every familie in Israel brought two loaves therefore I onely think that the onely reason why it is said Ye shall bring two wave-loaves out of your habitations was to signifie that the loaves were to be made of the wheat of their own land They shall be of fine flowre they shall be baken with leaven they are the first-fruits unto the Lord. Thusthere is a difference made betwixt the meat-meat-offerings which were in part burnt upon the altar and were therefore ever without leaven Levit. 2. 11. and these of the first-fruits which where wholly for the priests food and therefore allowed to be leavened Vers 18. And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambes without blemish of the first year and one young bullock c. In Numb 28. 27. there is appointed two bullocks and one ramme here one bullock and two rammes the reason of this difference we may conceive was this Those were as the peculiar sacrifices of that feast-day these are a further addition in respect of the two loaves as a particular testimony of their thankfulnesse for the fruits of the earth and of their faith in Christ by whom they were restored to the use of the creatures and their sacrifices of praise made acceptable to God Vers 19. Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sinne-offering c. Lev. 4. 14. a bullock is prescribed for a sinne-offering of the people and nothing was to be eaten thereof it was to be burnt without the camp But this was for some speciall sinne of the congregation whereas the sacrifice here appointed was in generall for all their sinnes and was therefore in the kind of a common sacrifice whence a goat is appointed and the priest to have the remainder Vers 20. They shall be holy to the Lord for the priest Whereas ordinarily the priest had but the breast and the right shoulder of the peace-peace-offerings Lev. 7. 32 33. c. The breast shall be Aarons and his sonnes And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest of the sacrifices of your peace-offerings c. Here he had all because this was offered in generall for all the congregation and so no particular man had right to eat thereof therefore it belonged to the priest wholly Vers 21. And ye shall proclaim on the self same day that it may be an holy convocation unto you c. This was the feast-day of Pentecost or of Weeks whereon the two loaves and the sacrifices before mentioned were offered unto the Lord and it was instituted partly as a memoriall of their coming out of Egypt Deut. 16. 10 12. Thou shalt keep the feast of Weeks unto the Lord thy God according as he hath blessed thee And thou shalt remember thou wast a bondman in Egypt and shalt observe and do these staâutes and of the giving of the Law at this time of the year at mount Sinai Exod. 19. 11. and partly by way of thankfulnesse for the fruitfulnesse of the Land One thing prefigured might be the giving of the Law of Christ by the Apostles when the holy Ghost came down upon them the first-fruits of the Spirit in the likenesse of cloven tongues Act 2. 1 2 3. whereupon they went forth to reap that which the Prophets had sown John 4. Vers 22. And when ye reap the harvest of your land thou shalt not make clean riddance c. Speaking of the feasts in the harvest he repeateth this Law concerning the poore whose relief he joyns with his own service Vers 24. In the seventh moneth in the first day of the moneth shall ye have a Sabbath For Ecclesiasticall businesses God hath appointed the moneth Nisan or Abib to be the fiâst moneâh of the year to the Isââelites which answereââ to part of our March and Aprill and that in remembrance of their coming then out of Egypt Exod. 12. 2. and so the seventh moneth from that was this here spoken of which they called Tisri and agreeth in part with our September and had been formerly the first moneth of their year yea and so still conâinued for civil affairs and therefore the year of Jubile begun still at this moneth and so was on this moneth proclaimed chap. 25. 9. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the Jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh moneth c. Now the first day of this moneth God here appoints them to keep a Sabbath that is a solemn feast-day and it was called the feast of trumpets because it was âolemnized with blowing of trumpets Indeed the first day of every moneth which was their new Moon they kept as an holy day a day of speciall solemnity and thereon the priests did blow with their silver trumpets over their sacrifices Numb 10. 10. In the beginnings of your moneths ye shall blow with your trumpets over your burnt-offerings c. But the first day of this seventh moneth was kept as a farre more solemn festivall and that with blowing of trumpets in way of rejoycing as it may probably be thought throughout all the cities of Israel And the end of this festivall was 1. to be a memoriall that this was the first day the beginning of their New year for civil afairs whereon it was therefore fitting that they should with rejoycing acknowledge the blessings injoyed in the foregoing year 2. to be a memoriall to them when they were come into Canaan of the severall victories which God had given them over their enemies where the priests with the holy trumpets did sound an alarm See Numb 31. 6. 3. That it might be a preparation for the following day of atonement their solemn fast-day on the tenth day of this moneth that so by the sounding of the trumpets they might be put in mind to wake out of the sleep of sinne and with trembling fasting and prayer to turn unto the Lord and 4. to put them in mind of the speciall holinesse of this moneth for as the seventh day of every week was a Sabbath and every seventh year was kept holy as a Sabbaticall year so the Lord would have the seventh moneth of every year to be holy in some singular manner above the rest of the moneths and therefore though it was not wholly spent in sacred festivities yet there were more holy-dayes in this moneth then in all the year besides to wit the feast of trumpets the feast of expiation and the feast of tabernacles Vers 25. Ye shall do no servile work therein but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. What the sacrifices appointed for this feast of trumpets were see Numb 29. 2 6. Vers 27. And ye shall afflict your souls and offer an offering made by fire
fâom his neighbour is appointed to restore double what he had taken away yea in some caâeâ fourfold and fivefold for those Laws were for such against whom the crime was proved by witnesses in a legall way but this is for those that did voluntarily confesse the wrong they had done in which case the Lord impoâeth a lighter penalty to wit onely a fifth part over and above the principall Vers 8. But if the man have âo kinsman to recompence the trespasse unto c. In these words one direction is onely implyed to wit that if the party were dead to whom the wrong was done then the recompence must be made to his heir or next kinsman and then another is expressed to wit that if there be no such kinsman to be found then must the trespasse be recompenced unto the Lord even to the priest because in all trespasses done to our neighbours God is also injured and the priests the Lord had appointed to be his receivers But now this the Hebrews understand onely of trespasses done to strangers for there is no man in Israâl they say without an heir or kinsman either child or brother or other of his bloud Vers 9. And every offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel which they bring unto the priest shall be his This is here added by way of amplification to shew why in the verse before he had said that the trespasse shall be recompenced to the Lord even to the priest for âaith he it is no otherwise ordered in this then in other things my priests I have appointed to receive in my name whatever is due to me every offering or every heave-offering c. shall be his that is whatever is of all the holy things onely heaved or offered unto the Lord and not burnt in my service upon mine altar the priest shall have it Vers 10. And every mans hallowed things shall be his That is not onely those meat-meat-offerings and those parts of the peace-offerings which were waved and heaved before the Lord but generally all the hallowed things such as were the first-fruits and things vowed c. were appointed for the priest as if he should have said in a word whatsoever any man giveth the priest as due to God it shall be the priests for to him God hath given it See this more fully expressed Ezek. 44. 30. Vers 12. If any mans wife go aside and commit a trespasse against him c. This is the order which God took for the tryâll of â wife whether guilty or not guilty of whom her husband was jealous and prescribed it was at this time happely when God was now setting all things in order concerning the camp both to prevent the defiling of the camp by such filthinesse by keeping wives in aw with the fear of this triall and likewise to prevent the inconveniencies that might arise by the jealousies of men where the dwellings of fâmilies were not so severall as in towns and cities For though it be a sinne in a husband unjustly to suspect his wiâe yet God allowed the husband to bring his wife to this triall because of the hardnesse of their hearts lest the wife should be subject to a greater mischief for want of this triall to wit of being cast off or âlain or otherwise oppressed by her husband in the rage of his jealousie But why was there not the âame Law for the triall of the husband if his wiâe were jealous of him I answer there are severall reasons given for this by Expositours as 1. because women are naturally more prone to be jealous and suspicious then men and therefore not so fit to enjoy this liberty 2. because women by reason of their subjection to their husbands were nââ so fit to call their husbands to such a triall 3. because the adultery of the wife is more mischievous then the adultery of the husband in regard that thereby the husband is made often to father another mans issue to leave his estate inheritance to children that are not his lastly because wives in their jealousie had not so much power to oppresse and wrong their husbands as the husbands had to wrong their wives Vers 15. Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest The priest was in his office a figure of Christ by whom God will judge the sâârets of men Rom. 2. 16. and the tabernacle was the âigne of Gods preâence amongst them The jealous husband was therefore to bring his wife unto the priest and the priest ver 16. was to bring her near to set her before the Lord to wit at the doore of the tabernacle that so perceiving her self set as it were before Gods tribunal the very fear of Gods all-seâeing eyâ and the shame that would fall upon her in the âight of all the congregation now gazing upon her might sâare her from submitting her self to this triall if indeed she were guilty And he shall bring her offering for her the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal The generall drift of this offering no doubt was that it might be a testimony that she willingly proffered her self to bâ tried by the Lord to whom she presented this offering whether she were guiltie or no yet because the âame quantity is presâribed here that is prescribed for the trespasse-offering Levit. 5. 11. namely the tenth part of an ephah I conceive it was also brought by way of atonement for her other sins as desiring that the Lord in his mercy for his Christs sake passing by her other trespasses would in this particular deal with her according to her deserts And indeed he that will in regard of his innocency in any one particular appeal to Gods judgement with David Psal 7. 8. Judgeme O Lord according to my righteousnesse c. must yet for the generall course of his life âay with David Psal 143. 2. Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy âight shall no man living be justified Other meat-meat-offerings were of fine wheat floure this of barley meale others had oyl and frankincense Levit. 2. this noâe no doubt both the course offering and the forbidding of oyl and âncense âignes of joy and gladnesse of heart were to expresse the poore âad and dolefull condition of this suspected woman And he shall poure no oyl upon it nor put frankincense thereon for it is an offering of jealousie c. That is it is an offering whereby she yielâed her self to be judged by the Lord if guilty of that iniquity whereof her husband was jealous and did desire the Lord to shew that he did remember it and therefore nothing implying sweetnesse or joy was to be put to this offering Vers 17. And the priest shall take holy water in an âarthen vessell This holy water was either that water of separation wâich was used for purifying chap. 19. or rather water taken out of the holy laver conâecrated to holy uâes No doubt the holinesse
is inserted as an instance or example how the foregoing Law was put in execution concerning those that did presumptuously transgresse and refuse to conform themselves to the Law in the outward duties of Gods worship and service so that his punishment was for the willfull contempt of that Law Vers 34. And they put him in ward because it was not declared what should be done to him That the Sabbath-breaker was to die they knew see Exod. 31. 14. and 35. 2. but by what death he should die or whether this gathering of sticks made him obnoxious to that sentence that they were not fully resolved in Evident it seems it was that he had done it presumptuously yet it was doubtfull whether this fact were within the compasse of that Law or no. And therefore Moses inquires not willing to take away his life without certain direction from the mouth of God Vers 38. Speak unto the children of Israel and bid them that they make them fringes c. The main end of these fringes was to put them in mind of the commandments of God as it is afterwards expressed ver 29. that every time they looked upon their garments and saw those fringes they might by the help of this memoriall remember that they were Gods peculiar people consecrated to his service and bound to his Laws and therefore might not walk as others after their own wayes and therefore it was that the Pharisees to the end they might seem religious above others did make the fringes on their garments so very broad Mat. 23. 5. They enlarge saith our Saviour the border of their garments or the fringes of their garments for so the originall word may well be translated Yea and our Saviour himself did conform himself to this Law as appears Luke 8. 44. where it is said that the woman that had the issue of bloud touched the border or the fringe of his garment And that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue This heaven-coloured ribband taught them the heavenly affection they should have to all the Law and how holy their conversation should be Vers 39. And it shall be unto you for a fringe that ye may look upon it c. That is this is the end of making these fringes that ye may look upon them and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them that is that the sight of this fringe may put you in mind to keep them and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes after which you use to go a whoring that is that ye may not find out any superstitious in ventions of your own devising in my worship which who so doth goes a whoring from God but may content your selves with that which is prescribed by the Law So that this was more particularly the end of these fringes that they might be restrained from their own devices in the worship of God and kept to the direction of his Law CHAP. XVI Vers 1. NOw Korah the sonne of Izhar the sonne of Kohath the sonne of Levi c. Moses here names the ring-leaders in a dangerous insurrection that was made against him and Aaron his brother Korah is set in the first place as the first mover of this sedition which is therefore called the gainsaying of Core Jude 11. and ver 23. because it was all occasioned by him shall one man sinne said Moses to the Lord and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation A Levite he was and cosen-german to Moses and Aaron for Amram the father of Moses and Aaron and Izhar the father of this Korah were brothers the sonnes of Kohath as it is evident Exod. 6. 18. And probable enough it may seem to be which the Hebrews say that this Korah had long since taken offence that Elizaphan was by Moses preferred to be Prince of the families of the Kohathites chap. 3. 30. whereas he was of the youngest brother Uzziel and Korah was of Izhar âlder then he which grudge however it lay buried for a time yet now it brake forth and nothing lesse then priesthood will content him and his abetters With Korah are joyned here Dathan and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab and On the sonne of Peleth all sonnes of Reuben who were ring-leaders of this rebellion amongst the people as Korah was amongst the Levites and indeed because the Reubenites encamped next to the Kohathites both on the South-side of the tabernaclâ hereby Korah had the better opportunity to perswade the Reubenites to joyn with them and besides under a pretence of Reubens birthright they were happe'y the more easily drawn to oppose Moses as intending to challenge that the government belonged to them also Vers 2. Two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly famous in the congregation men of renown That is they were magistrates statesmen famous and renowned whereby the conspiracy was the more dangerous Vers 3. Ye take too much upon you seeing all the congregation are holy c. And therefore may approch to God and offer their sacrifices themselves Hereby therefore they challenge Moses of partiality in tying the priesthood to his brother Aarons posterity It is most probable which is generally held by Interpreters that the Reubenites did intend under the pretence of Reubens birthright to wrest the supreme magistracy from Moses to themselves and therefore might here charge not Aaron onely but Moses also with taking too much upon them But doubtlesse for the present they made the quarrel onely about the priesthood nor was it so much to make all the Levites equall with Aaron and his sonnes though that happely the Levites did hope would prove the issue of it seek ye the priesthood also said Moses ver 10. as that all the people might as priests offer their own sacrifices and therefore all the two hundred and fifty conspiratours who were of severall tribes were appointed to come with their censers to burn incense before the Lord and concerning Dathan and Abiram who were Reubenites it is said ver 15. when Moses sent for them and they refused to come to him that Moses was very wroth with them and said unto the Lord Respect not thou their offerings which must needs be meant of the incense they were to offer yea and in the following chapter the laying up of the rods of all the tribes before the Lord that the Lord might shew that none but Aaron and his family might meddle with the work of the priesthood makes it most evident that the plea of these men was that all the tribes might offer their sacrifices unto the Lord. Wherefore then lift you up your selves above the congregation of the Lord Though at first they pretend nothing but an equall right to the priesthood yet these generall words of expostulation do in a manner intimate that they meant to wrest the government from Moses also Vers 4. And when Moses heard it he fell upon his face See chap. 14. 5. Vers 5. Even
may guide them and govern them both at home and abroad in times of warre and in times of peace and undertake the charge of defending them against their enemies for under this phrase of going ouâ and coming in before them of leading them out and bringing them in all the offices of the supreme magistracy are comprehended and hence Moses being ready to resigne the government useth âhe same expression concerning himself Deut. 31. 2. I can no more go out and come in The similitude is taken from a Captain that marcheth before his souldiers and undertakes to lead them whereever they should go or rather from shepherds whose custome it was to go out and in before his flocks to lead them out to their pastures and to bring them home to their folds and therefore in the next words Moses addes that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no âhepherd Vers 18. Take thee Joshua the sonne of Nun a man in whom is the spirit That is a man of eminent gifts and therefore fit for this place and imployment and indeed herein was Joshua a type of Christ concerning whom the prophet foretold that the spirit of the Lord should rest upon him the spirit of wisdome and understanding the spirit of counsell and might the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. And lay thine hand upon him Or thy hands for so it is said vers 23. that Moses laid his hands upon him and by this ceremony of the imposition of Moses hands was signified first and especially that the supreme Magistracy should be transferred from Moses to him as being the man now consecrated and set apart to this place and service secondly that the hand of God should be upon him to defend him and prosper him in all his wayes and thirdly that God would conferre upon him a great encrease of the gifts of his spirit answerable to the dignity whereto he was advanced and thus it seems upon the imposition of Moses hands was accordingly performed as we see Deut. 34. 9. Joshua the sonne of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdome for Moses had laid his hands upon him The like ceremony was âfterwards used in the dayes of the Gospel when men were separated and set apart to preach the Gospel and in a manner for the same reasons whence is that of the Apostle S. Paul to Timothy 1. Tim. 4. 14. Neglect not the gift which is in thee which was given thee by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of thâ Presbytery Vers 19. And set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation To wit that he first as the chief and the people with him might assent to that which God had decâeed And give him a charge in their sight That is openly before them all make known to him what his office is and charge him faithfully and carefully to perform that which he undertakes and it may well be that this was the very charge which is afterwards expressed by Moses Deut. 31. 7 8. at which time God himself also gave him a charge vers 14 15. Vers 20. And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him c. This may be meant of the gifts of Gods spirit which made Moses to be so highly honoured amongst the people as elsewhere it is said concerning the seventy Elders that were chosen to assist Moses in the government that God would take of the spirit that was upon Moses and put it upon them chap. 11. 17. concerning which see the note upon that place Now Moses is commanded to put of this his honour upon Joshua onely because at the laying of Moses hands upon him these gifts of Gods spirit should be imparted to him and it is not said put thine honour upon him but put of thine honour upon him or as it is in our Bibles thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him because though Joshua was to have the same gifts imparted to him that Moses had yet not in the same measure whence it is said Deut. 34. 10. that there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses Or else rather by Moses honour here is meant his authority and dignity and then it is said that he should put some of his honour upon him in relation to the present time before Moses death to wit that he should presently admit him into some communion of authority with him and so cause the people to give him that honour which was due unto Moses successour the elect Judge of Israel Vers 21. And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest who shall ask counsel for him after the judgement of Urim c. That is upon all occasions he shall present himself before Eleazar to ask counsel of him who shall enquire of the Lord for him after the judgement of Urim What this Urim was see Exod. 28. 30. what is meant by asking counsel after the judgement of Urim is hard to say This I conceive is most probable when any came to enquire of the Lord the priest put on the Ephod whereto the pectorall was fastened in the fold whereof the Urim and Thummim was put by Moses and so the priest in the name of the parties propounded such questions as they desired to be satisfied in from the Lord desiring the Lord to return them an answer according as we find it 1. Sam. 23. 9 10 11 12. whereupon the Lord did either by the illumination of his spirit whereof the Urim was an embleme or outward signe reveal unto the priest what answer he should give the party enquiring or else by an immediate voice from heaven and this was called the judgement of Urim because it pleased the Lord upon the applying or putting on of the pectorall to give judgement in the cause enquired of by the priest CHAP. XXVIII Vers 2. COmmand the children of Israel and say unto them My offerings c. Because they had in a great part omitted their sacrifices and solemn feasts the most part of the eight and thirty years last past by reason of their travels wherein the Sanctuary the altar and other holy things were folded up and removed from âlace to place and that withall the generation that had been before mustered was now dead chap. 26. 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 wildernesse of Sinai therefore the Lord causeth the Law of sacrificing to be here again repeated thereby giving them to know that when they came into the land they must not any longer neglect Gods ordinances as they had done in the wildernesse Deut. 12. 8. Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes c. and so first he gives them charge in generall to be sure that they give him all the sacrifices and offerings that he had at
severall times appointed them to offer My offerings and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire for a sweet savour unto me shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season for though all the sacrifices that were burnt upon the altar are elsewhere called the Lords food Lev. 3. 11. and his bread Lev. 21. 6. the reasons whereof see in the notes upon those places yet here it seems most probable that by offerings are meant all the severall sacrifices that were to be killed and offered upon the altar and by his bread for the sacrifices is meant the meat-offerings that were to be joyned with their sacrifices and then secondly he sets down particularly what they were to offer first for their dayly sacrifice vers 3. secondly for their weekly sacrifice every Sabbath day vers 9. thirdly for their monethly sacrifice every new Moon vers 11. and fourthly for their yearly sacrifices at every severall feast in the year vers 16 c. Vers 3. This is the offering made by firâ which ye shall offer unto the Lord c. See the notes on Exod. 29 28. Vers 9. And on the Sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot c. The sacrifices here appointed for every Sabbath day are full double to those appointed for every day vers 3. and yet the daily sacrifices the continuall burnt-offering vers 10. was not omitted on the Sabbath day neither So that every Sabbath in the morning there was offered one lambe for the daily sacrifice then two lambs more for the Sabbath and this was thus appointed firât to shew the holinesse of that day and that God required more service from them on that day then other dayes secondly by way of thankfulnesse for the worlds creation and thirdly because it was a signe of our rest in heaven purchased for us by Christ Vers 11. And in the beginnings of your moneths ye shall offer a burnt-offering unto the Lord c. That is the new Moons the first dayes of every moneth these were appointed to be kept as solemn festivals then did they blow with the silver trumpets in the Sanctuary chap. 10. 10. Also in the day of your gladnesse and in your solâmn dayes and in the beginning of your moneths ye shall blow with thâ trumpets c. then did they repair to the prophets or other ministers of God to hear his word 2. Kings 4. 29. Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day saith the Shunamites husband to her when she would go to the Prophet Elisha It is neither new moon nor Sabbath then also they kept religious feasts 1. Sam. 5. 6. And David said unto Jonathan Behold to morrow is the new moon and I should not fail to sit with the King at meat c. neither was it lawfull to buy or sell or do other worldly work on those dayes Amos 8. 5. When will the new moon be gone that we may sell corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat c. Now these new moons were thus ordained to be solemnized first that they might be put in mind to be thankfull for Gods mercy in that change of times and seasons the mediate cause of many blessings and the remembrance of this mercy God would have kept at the new of the moon rather then at her full when she shined in her full brightnesse because then there was lesse danger of being taken so with the glorie of that creature as not to ascend higher to the admiration of God the Creatour whence is that expression which Job useth chap. 31. 26 27. If I beheld the sunne when it shined or the moon walking in her brightnesse and my heart hath been secretly enticed or my mouth hath kissed my hand c. It was the glory of the moon shining in her brightnesse that drew the heathens to worship the moon and to prevent this danger God would have the memoriall of his mercy in ordering the change of moons and seasons to be kept not at the full but at the new of the moon secondly that the renewing of the moon which borroweth her light of the sunne might be observed as a figure or shadow of the Churches renovation by Christ the sunne of righteousnesse Mal. 4. 2. whereby every true Christian doth put off the old man with his deeds and put on thâ new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him Col. 3. 9 10. whence is that of the Apostle Col. 2. 16 17. Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new moon or of the Sabbath dayes which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ And thirdly that as of every day so of every moneth they might consecrate the first unto the Lords service Vers 17. And in the fifteenth day of this moneth is the feast To wit of unleavened bread Levit. 23. 6. where see all the notes on the solemnities of this feast Vers 24. After this manner ye shall offer daily throughout the seven dayes c. That is upon every one of the seven dayes of this feast But besides these sacrifices upon the sixteenth day of the moneth which was the next day after the first solemn day of the feast there was also a lamb offered for a burnt-offering together with the wave-sheaf or omer See Levit. 23. 12. and the notes thereon Vers 26. Also in the day of the first-fruits when ye bring a new meat-offering unto the Lord after your weeks be out c. Called the feast of Pentecost Acts 2. 1. when they offered two loaves of their new corn and it was seven weeks or fifty dayes after the Passeover Levit. 23. 15 16. Vers 27. Two young bullocks one ramme seven lambs of the first year These and the rest following are here added to the feast over and beside those seven lambs one bullock aâd two rammes which were offered with the first-fruits Lev. 23. 28. concerning which see the notes there CHAP. XXIX Vers 1. ANd in the seventh moneth on the first day of the moneth c. This seventh moneth was called the moneth Ethanim 1. Kings 8. 2. it was in the end of the year Exod. 23. 16. and the revolution of the year Exod. 34. 22. for so the word is in the originall because then the old year went out and the new began as touching Jubilees and other civil affairs Lev. 25. 9 10. But by reason of Israels coming out of Egypt in Abib or March that was made the first of the moneths Exod. 12. 2. And thus numbring the moneths for after this order the ecclesiasticall feasts were reckoned this which had been the first moneth is here as usually elsewhere called the seventh moneth and so became as it were the Sabbath moneth and was accordingly honoured with as many feasts as were celebrated in all the year besides whereof one was this here spoken of which was called
to prevent their worshipping God in any other place then that one which he had appointed to which we in the dayes of the Gospel are not tyed Vers 4. Ye shall not do so unto the Lord your God That is ye shall not sacrifice to him in severall places upon mountains and hills c. as the heathens servââ their Gods but all your sacrifices and offerings ye shall offer unto the Lord onâly in that place which he shall chuse for that service for so it follows in the two next verses But untâ the place which the Lord your God shall chuse out of all your tribes to put his name there even unto his habitation shall ye seek and thither ye shall bring your burnt-burnt-offerings and your sacrifices c. Prayer and other spirituall duties of Gods worship they might even then perform in other places both in publick and private and therefore the Levites were purposely dispersed here and there all the lând over and they had their Synagogues in severall places where they met together every Sabbath day to perform these holy duties but their sacrifices were all to be brought unto the place which God should chuse which is meant of those places where the tabernacle was placed for some time after they were come into the land of Canaan such as were Shiloh and Nob and other places whence is that of the Prophet Jer. 7. 12. Go ye now into my place which was in Shiloh where I set my name at the first and see what I did to it for the wickednesse of my people but principally of the temple which God chose to be the settled place for sacrifices and it is called here the place which the Lord should chuse to put his name there both because it was to be called by his name The house of God and to be consecrated to his worship and service and withall to prevent that carnall conceit of Gods dwelling in temples made with hands to wit as essentially included therein whence it is also that the same Sanâtuary which is here called the Lords habitation or dwelling-place is elsewhere called his footstool Psal 99. 5. As for the reasons why the Lord did bind his people to offer up their sacrifices in one place onely which he would appoint they were chiefly these two first because hereby God would teach them that there was but one onely way to obtain pardon of their sinnes and acceptance of any service they did unto God and that was by Christ their promised Messiah of whom their tabernacle and temple was a type and secondly because hereby they might the better be kept to one unifoâm way of worshipping God and corruptions in his worship might be prevented whereinto they might easily fall had they been allowed to offer their sacrifices some in one place and some in another and for this cause it was that in after-times the Kings of Judaâ were so often blamed because they did not remove the high places but âuffered thâ people to sacrifâce there Vers 6. And thither ye shall bring your burnt-offerings and your sacriâices and your tithes c. Here Moses reckons up all those holy things which they were to bring to the place which God should choose for those services where first by sacrifices are meant all other sacrifices besides burnt-offerings as âânne-offerings trespasse-offerings c. secondly by tithes are meant not those ordinary tithes which were yearly paid to the Levites for they were not brought to the temple but were paid to the Levites in their severall habitations throughout the land but a second tithe the tithe of that which remained after the first tithe was paid to the Levites for that or the money for which they had sold it they carryed up yearly to Jerusalem and there with those tithes so carried in kind or with such things as they bought with the money they kept a holy feast before the Lord as is largely expressed chap. 14. 22 27. thirdly by the hâave-offerings of their hands are meant all the severall first-fruits which they brought in their hands and heaved them before the Lord and then left them to the priests for their portion fourthly by vows and freewill-freewill-offerings are meant all such sacrifices or offerings as they should extraordinarily bring either upon some vow they had made oâ freely and of their own accord and lastly the firstlings are the first of that their herds and flocks brought forth for these also they carried up to the temple as is evident Numb 18. 17 18. where it is said that their bloud was to be sprinkled upon the altar and the fat was to be burnt for an offering made by fire and then the âlesh was given to the priests for their portion Vers 7. And there ye shall âat before the Lord your God and ye shall rejoyce c. That is when you carry your sacrifices and offerings and other things before mentioned to the place which the Lord shall choose there ye shall feast with your holy things and rejoycâ together before the Lord. But here yet for the fuller understanding of this place we must note first that the meaning is not that they might eat of all the holy things before mentioned for the burnt-burnt-offerings were wholly burnt upon the altar and of some other sacrifices none but the priests might eat but the things here intended wherewith the people were to feaât were the tithes and the peace-offerings secondly that it is said that they should eat these things before the Lord their God because they were to eat them though not in the priests court yet in the place where the tabernacle first and temple afterwards stood the place of Gods speciall presence to wit in Jerusalem which is therefore called the holy city Matth. 4. 5. thirdly that by all things they put their hand unto Ye shall rejoyce in all that you put your hand unto is meant all the good things they had gotten by the labour of their hands through Gods blessing and so had in the power of their hands to use as they had occasion and that because of all that they had they carried still something by way of tithes or sacrifices unto Jerusalem and so this phrase is ordinarily used in the Scripture as chap. 15. 10. the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy works and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto and so in many other places and fourthly that the drift of this place seems to be partly this Having told them in the foregoing verse that when they came to be settled in the land of Canaan they were to carry all their sacrifices and offerings c. to that one place in the land which the Lord their God should choose that they might not think much of the labour and charge which this would put them to especially those that dwelt farre off he addes this by way of encouragement There ye shall eat before the Lord your God c. as reckoning their glad enjoying of
of his utterance and pronunciation and so it seems it was with Moses though he were an excellent speaker for the substance of that which he spake yet some defect he had in regard of his utterance which some conceive to have been that he was of a stammering tongue and thereto apply that which he afterwards said How shall Pharaoh heare me who am of uncircumcised lippes chap. 6. 12. Vers 12. I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say It is evident that the imperfection of Moses speech and utterance continued after this for still we see he complained of his uncircumcised lippes chap. 6. 30. and because of this Aaron was his spokesman in delivering Gods message unto Pharaoh This therefore which the Lord here sayes to Moses I will be with thy mouth is not meant of helping him of that naturall imperfection in his speech but that God would direct him what he should say and so prosper him in his message that his slownesse of speech should be no hinderance to him but that he should with comfort to his people and terrour to their enemies dispatch the businesse which God had imposed upon him Vers 14. And he said Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother I know that he can speak well c. Thus was Moses comforted hearing that his brother Aaron from whom he had been absent now fourty years was still living and well and withall encouraged by knowing that he should have him joyned with him in commission of whose fidelity he could make no question and whom he knew of good abilities for the delivering of their message to Pharaoh Vers 16. And thou shalt be to him in stead of God That is thou shalt as from God and in Gods stead make known to him what he shall say unto Pharaoh Vers 18. And Moses went and returned to Jethrâ his father in law and said unto him Let me go c. Moses did not ask his father in law leave to go into Egypt as questioning whether he should obey Gods command in going unlesse he would give him leave but onely as judging it fit that he should acquaint his father in law with his purpose and crave his approbation and not go rudely away with his daughter and her children without giving him any notice beforehand of it espeâially considering that he had no cause at all to suspect either the wisdome or courtesie of his father in giving him liberty Moses therefore was not herein to be blamed rather his modesty and humilitie herein discovered was worthy admiration who after so glorious a Vision was no way puffed up with it but carried himself in such an humble and lowly manner towards his father in law As for his alledging no other reason to Jethro for his returning into Egypt but onely his desire to visit and see his brethren Let me go I pray thee and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt and see whether they be yet alive therein also his modesty was discovered in that he could forbear to tell his father in law of the glorious vision he had seen and the honourable imployment which God had put upon him and likewise his wisdome in managing this businesse for doubtelesse he did purposely conceal this that hewas sent to fetch the Israelites out of Egypt both because he judged it not fit to impart this secret to Jethro who was not of the stock of Israel though a godly man before he acquainted the Israelites themselves with it and likewise especially lest the difficultie and danger of the work should make his father in law unwilling to let him go Vers 19. And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian c. To wit either before he had asked his fathers leave or after that The other appearing of God to Moses was in Horeb this in Midian but whether this his appearing to Moses in Midian were before he asked leave to go or after we cannot certainly conclude if it were after that then either Moses even after leave obtained from Jethro yet hastened not his journey as was fitting and therefore by this second apparition God quickned him again or else he took it that in the first vision in the burning bush God had onely called him to the work of going into Egypt for the deliverance of the Israelites but had not expressely told him the time when he should go and so he waited till now that in this second vision in the land of Midian God again appeared to him and commanded him immediately to go thither adding this encouragement to what he had said before that all the men were dead which sought his life And doubtlesse all the time of his sojourning with his father in law in Midian he thought of what God had formerly revealed to him in Egypt concerning the Lords imploying him in that service onely he waited to see when God would call him thereto and that happely might be the reason why in so many years he did not send to know in what condition his brethren were in Egypt because he was resolved wholly to cast himself herein upon the providence of God and to do nothing without direction from him Vers 20. And Moses took his wife and his sonnes c. Hereby it appears that Moses either carryed his wife and his children into Egypt or at least that he was upon his journey intending to carry them with him thither Indeed as evident it is when Moses went with the Israelites out of Egypt his wife and children were with his father in law in Midian for Exod. 18. 5. it is said that Jethro his father in law met him in the wildernesse when he encamped at the mount of God and brought his wife and his sonnes thither to him It seems therefore that either when he was upon the way going thither he sent them back again to Jethro perhaps upon the occasion of the following story of the circumcising of his sonne or at least that when he was in Egypt finding some inconvenience in their being there he took order to return them to the safe custodie of his father in law that himself might the more freely and wholly intend the businesse he had undertaken And Moses took the rod of God in his hand It was doubtlesse the same rod or shepherds crook which Moses used at other times to carry in his hand and which he had in his hand when God spake to him out of the burning bush onely it is here called the rod of God because it was that wherewith God had appointed that Moses should work so many glorious miracles and so to intimate that it was meerely of God and not of any power in Moses or in the rod that so many strange things were done by it Vers 21. But I will harden his heart that he shall not let the people go See châp 7. 13. Vers 22. Thus saith the Lord Israel is my sonne even my first-born c. Many severall reasons may be given why
oppressed they were with sorrow by reason thereof that they could not mind what Moses said to them nor believe any thing that was spoken concerning their deliverance as deeming their condition desperate and past hope of recoverie Vers 12. How then shall Pharaoh heare me who am of uncircumcised lips That is if the Israelites would not regard what I said to them what hope can I have that Pharaoh should mind my words especially considering that I am a man that have an imperfection in my speech for doubtlesse it was with respect to his bad utterance that Moses called himself a man of uncircumcised lips Because circumcision was with them the first badge of Gods people and therefore those that were not circumcised were counted profane and their uncircumcision was counted a grievous blemish hence it was that in a figurative kind of speech they called those things that had any naturall or morall blemish uncircumcised as a heart a mind or tongue uncircumcised Vers 14. These be the heads of their fathers houses Moses his chief intention is no doubt to shew the naturall stock of himself and Aaron that he was a true Israelite of the tribe of Levi though he was brought up in Pharaohs court and afterward âled into the land of Midian yet for order sake he begins first with the children of Reuben and Simeon Levies elder brethren Vers 16. And the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirtie and seven years This expresse mention of their age is of great use in Chronologie especially for the opening of that speech concerning Israels peregrination Exod. 12. 40. The sojourning of the Children of Israel who dwelt in Egypt was foure hundred aâd thirtie years It is evident in the 30. chapter of Genesis that Joseph was not above foure years younger then Levi. If therefore Joseph was 39 years old when Jacob went down into Egypt as may be clearly gathered from Gen. 41. 46. because Joseph was thirtie years old when he stood before Pharaoh and when the seven yeaâs of plentie were gone and two years of the famine then Jacob came down into Egypt consequently Levi was then three and fourtie years old and since he lived as it is here said an hundred thirtie and seven years it must needs follow that he lived in Egypt ninetie and foure years or thereabouts CHAP. VII Vers 1. I Have made thee a God to Pharaoh Not onely because by Aaron as God is wont to do by his prophets he should in Gods name declaâe his will unto him for the delivering of his people but also because of the divine authoritie given unto him in bringing those great plagues upon Egypt which made Pharaoh to fear him as God c. Vers 7. And Moses was fourescore years old c. The age of Moses and Aaron is here inserted 1. for the further evidence of the truth of the story and the computation of the Chronologie of those times 2. to set forth Gods glorie the more by this intimation of the weaknesse of his instruments 3. to shew how long God in his wise providence had suffered the Egyptians to oppresse the Israelites with such cruel bondage even from before the birth of Moses till he came to be fourescore years old and 4. the more to commend the obedience of Moses and Aaron that did not because of their great years shrink from this weighty employment which God had imposed upon them Vers 10 And they did so as the Lord had commanded c. that is 1. They again required Pharaoh in the name of the Lord to let the children of Israel go out of his land for this God had commanded Moses and Aaron chap. 6. 11. and it was a notable evidence of their faith and courage that they durst again desire this of that proud king notwithstanding they had so enraged him formerly by the first deliverie of this their message that in a furie he oppressed the people more then he had done before and 2. when Pharaoh hereupon either by way of derision or out of a captious device to trie what they could do or because he had heard of the miracles wrought and the Israelites did will them to shew him some signe if they would have him know that their God had sent them Moses thereupon spake unto Aaron to cast his rod upon the ground and said it should become a serpent which Aaron accordingly did For though it be not here expressed that Pharaoh asked a signe yet may we justly conclude it from the foregoing verse where the charge given to Moses was When Pharaoh shall speak unto you saying Shew a miracle for you then thou shalt say unto Aaron Take thy Rod and cast it before Pharaoh and it shall become a serpent and then it follows in this verse And they did so as the Lord had commanded c. Vers 12. They also did in like manner with their inchantments That is they caused their rods in outward shew and appearance to become serpents These or the chief of these were Jannes and Jambres whereof S. Paul speaks 2. Tim. 3. 8. But Aarons rod swallowed up their rods And thus the Lord discovered that the power whereby Moses and Aaron had wrought their miracle was infinitely faâre above that of Satan whereby the Magicians had endeavoured to equall the work which Moses had done Vers 13. And he hardned Pharaohs heart that he hearkned not to them Though hardnesse of heart be a grievous sinne yet the hardening of the heart is not alwayes sin and therefore is it here said of God who cannot be the authour of sin that he hardned Pharaohs heart to wit not by making his heart hard that was soft before nor by infusing any evil into him whereby his heart should be hardned but in a way of judgement and punishment for his former sinnes 1. by withdrawing and withholding that grace whereby he should be wonne to repent and yield unto the Lord as the sunne causeth darknesse by withdrawing his light 2. by delivering him up to the power of Satan and leaving him to his own corrupt lusts and affections 3. by doing those things to him which the Lord knew well would prove occasions actuating and exciting the evil that was in him and cause him more and more to harden his heart against God Vers 17. I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters c. and they shall be turned into bloud They had shed the bloud of the Israelites children and drowned them in the river and now God in his just judgement makes the river to yield them nothing but bloud Vers 18. And the fish in the river shall die and the river shall stink This is added to shew the greivousnesse of the plague for first it deprived them of that which was in Egypt their chief food fish as may easily be discerned by comparing these places together Num. 11. 5. We remember the fish that we did eat in Egypt freely Esai 19. 8.
where the Lord threatens this as a great judgement to Egypt The fishers also shall mourn and all they that cast angles into the brooks shall lament and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish and Exod. 8. 26. where it seems that the Egyptians did abhorre to eat of such cattel as the Israelites used to sacrifice It is not meet for us so to do saith Moses for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians c. Secondly it deprived them of drink for they used to drink the waters of Nilus in Egypt Jer. 2. 18. What hast thou to do in the way of Egypt to drink the waters of Sihor c there being very seldome any rain in that countrey Deut. 11. 10 11. The land whither thou goest in to possesse it is not as the land of Egypt from whence ye came out where thou sowedst thy seed and wateredst it with thy foot as a garden of herbs But the land whither ye go to possesse it is a land of hills and valleys and drinketh water of the rain from heaven And the Egyptians shall loath to drink of the water of the river The Israelites were therefore free from this plague also as from others after Exod. 8. 22. And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen in which my people dwell that no swarms of flies shall be there c. Vers 22. And the Magicians of Egypt did so with their inchantments But whence had they waters since already they were all turned into bloud surely either from the land of Goshen where it was likely the waters were not turned or rather from the pits which the Egyptians digged ver 24. And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink for it is unlikely they stayed for the doing of this till water could be fetched from the land of Goshen CHAP. VIII Vers 3. ANd the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly which shall go up into the house of thy servants and upon thy people c. By expressing these persons that should be plagued with these frogs the exempting of Israel seems to be implyed as after it is plainly expressed ver 22. And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen in which my people dwell c. Vers 4. And the frogs shall come up both on thee c. The despicablenesse of the creature wherewith they were annoyed did no doubt aggravate the plague Vers 8. Intreat the Lord that he may take away the frogs from me and from my people Though the turning of their water into bloud all the land over was doubtlesse a very grievous plague yet this of the frogs was more grievous then that against the first they found some help though not without great trouble by digging for fresh water round about the river chap. 7. 24. and perhaps Pharaoh and the richer sort of his people had other sorts of drink in store for their own use but now against this plague of the frogs they could find no way to help or ease themselves no not the greatest of them all and therefore this forced Pharaoh to stoop a little and to desire Moses and Aaron to pray unto the Lord that he would take away their frogs from them Vers 9. And Moses said unto Pharaoh Glory over me The most conceive this to be spoken of the honour which should be done unto Pharaoh that he should prescribe the time himself when the frogs should be taken away But I rather think that it is such a kind of yielding to his desire wherein Moses doth also imply his fear concerning the event that Pharaoh would brag and boast when he had got the frogs removed and not keep promise with him in letting Israel go When shall I intreat for thee c. That is that you may know that it is the mightie work of God and that it is not by chance or by any naturall means that the frogs are destroyed prescribe the time your self when they shall be destroyed and at that very time it shall be done Vers 10. And he said To morrow He was so loth to be beholding to God or Moses that he rather chooses to endure thâ plague till next day that he might make tryall whether they might not go away of themselves hoping that they came by some naturall cause and so would again go away Vers 14. And they gathered them together upon heaps God could have driven them into the river again or have caused them to vanish away but thus it pleased him to let them remain as a spectacle unto the Egyptians both to shew that it was a true miracle and by their ill favour to put them in mind of their sinne that made them stink before God Vers 16. And the Lord said unto Moses Say unto Aaron c. Because Pharaoh had mocked God promising and then not performing the Lord to manifest his indignation commands his servant to strike now without giving him warning beforehand as at other times what he meant to do Stretch out thy rod saith he and smite the dust of the land that it may become lice c. and thus again too he trampleth on the pride of the Egyptians punishing them by such base and contemptible creatures Vers 17. All the dust of the land became lice c. That is the dust in every part of the land for it is an hyperbolicall speech Vers 18. And the Magicians did so with their inchantments to bring forth lice and they could not The Lord disables them in making this smallest and basest creature for their greater confusion and so the folly of these their Wisemen was made manifest to all men 2. Tim. 3. 9. Vers 20. Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh lo he cometh forth to the water c. It seems to have been usuall with Pharaoh in the morning to go forth unto the waters either for his health and pleasure or rather of a superstitious mind as attributing divine honour to the river Nilus There therefore Moses is appointed to meet him both because he had no accesse into Pharaohs presence in his palace and also that withall his threatning him with the ensuing plague might be the more publick Vers 21. Behold I will send swarms of flies upon thee c. That is mixt swarms of wasps hornets and all kind of flies Psal 78. 45. He sent divers sorts of flies amongst them The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies and also the ground whereon they are That is the ground whereon the Egyptians are the meaning is that they should be on all the land whereon the Egyptians dwelt but not in Goshen where the Israelites dwelt as in the following verse is expressed and this exemption of Israel is here first mentioned to put Pharaoh in mind of it as a most remarkable thing which if he would well think on must needs work upon his conscience Vers 24. And the Lord did so and there
to require of him Look to it saith he for evil is before you if you trouble me further I shall make you smart for it Vers 13. The east-wind brought the locusts Or grashoppers and with them caterpillars Psal 78. 46. He gave also their increase unto the caterpillar and labour to the locust Psal 105. 34 35. He spake and the locusts came and caterpillars and that without number and did eat up all the herbs in their land and devoured the fruit of their ground Vers 16. I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you To wit against Moses and Aaron by using them so scornfully and reprochfully by threatning them for the faithfull discharge of their dutie and driving them away out of his presence as in the 10. and 11. verses or else the Israelites in generall by the cruel bondage under which he had held them and by refusing to dismisse them and to grant them that libertie of going forth to serve the Lord which by Moses and Aaron they had so often desired of him Vers 17. Now therefore I pray thee forgive me my sinne onely this once That is pardon the wrong I have done you and procure that the Lord may not further be offended with me and if this be done this once I require no more for if I fail you any more and not do what I promise I desire not that you should ever any more afford me the least favour Yet withall we must know that the main thing which Pharaoh intended in desiring that his sinne might be forgiven was that the plague might be taken away which now lay upon them for he was farre from a sincere desire of reconciliation with âod Vers 17. Intreat the Lord your God that he may take away from me this death onely That is this deadly plague or destruction And so he calls this plague of the locusts not onely because it killed and destroyed all the fruit of the ground but also especially because by this means it deprived them of that which was to be food both for man and beast it was likely if it continued to bring a grievous famine and so death and mortalitie amongst them As for that opinion of some Expositours that these locusts with their biting killed even men themselves it is altogether uncertain and cannot be concluded from these words Yet probable it is that there were sometimes in those countreys some kind of locusts that killed men with their biting and that therefore Rev. 9. 5. it is said of those cruel enemies of the Church that are compared to locusts ascending out of the bottomlesse pit that their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh a man Vers 21. Even darknesse which may be felt The darknesse threatned is here called darknesse that may be felt either by way of an hyperbole to signifie what an exceeding great darknesse it should be or else because the aire should be so thickned with grosse mists and vapours that it might be felt which in such an extraordinary horrid darknesse as that was might indeed well be Vers 23. They saw not one another neither rose any from his place for three dayes They saw not one another because neither it seems had they any light by sunne moon or starres from above nor yet from fire or candle beneath the thick clouds wherewith the aire was darkned being such that either they did put out the fire or at least wholly hide and cover it from the sight of men And being thus deprived of all light whatsoever and that by a divine hand of judgement no marvell though with the terrour thereof they durst not so much as move from the places where they were as is here expressed How easily the Israelites that had light in their dwellings might have gone away with all that they had whilest the Egyptians lay thus for three dayes together imprisoned in darknesse we may easily conceive but they had learnt to depend and wait upon God and would not stirre but by his appointment Vers 24. And Pharaoh called unto Moses and said c. Pharaohs sending for Moses and charging him not to see his face any more ver 28. argue plainly that this was done after the three dayes darknesse was over But is it likely that when the plague was removed he would relent To which I answer And is it likely that lying bound in the chains of darknesse he would not have yielded to let the cattel go or at least have desired the help of Moses prayers as at other times Onely let your flocks and your heards be stayed And this he desired chiefly that they might be as pledges of their return again Vers 28. I will see thy face again no more That therefore which follows in the next chapter concerning the death of their first-born was spoken immediately by Moses at this time before he went from Pharaoh and therefore it is said chap. 11. 8. that he went out in a great anger CHAP. XI Vers 1. ANd the Lord said unto Moâes yet âillâ I bring onâ plagâe more upon Pharaoh That is the Lord had said unto Moses yet will I bring c. for this message Moses râceived from the Lord immediately before Pharaoh sent last for him chap 10. 24. when he charged him not to see his face any more and it is here added as the gâound of Moses confidence in answering so readily as we have it in the last verse of the former chapter that he would come to him no more the reason was because God had before that last coming to Pharaoh told him this which is here recorded It is true God had told Moses at first somewhat of the Israelites borrowing of the Egyptians jewels of silver and gold Exod. 3. 21 22. And it shall come to passâ that when yâ go ye shall not go empty but every woman shall borrow of hâr nâighbour and of her that soâouâneth in her house jewels of siâver and jewels of gold c. as also of this plague of slaying their first-born Exod. 4. 23. Let my sonnâ go that he may serve me and if thou refuse to let him go behold I will slay thy sonne even âhy first-born But this message which is here related he received from the Lord immediately before that his last going to Pharaoh whereof mention is made in the 24. verse of the former chapter and therefore he saith Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh c. Vers 3. The man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt in the sight of Pharaohs servants c. Implying thaâthe reverend esteem the Egyptians had of Moses was a furtherance to the enclining of their hearts thus to lend their jewels to the Hebrews Vers 4. And Moses said Thus saith the Lord c. That is immediately after he had told him that he would see his face no more chap. 10. ver 29. Vers 5. Even unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the
mill That is grinding at the mill seâ chap. 12. 29. Now those that did thus work at the mill were said to be behind it because they used to thrust the mill before them as they wrought Vers 7. But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue Which yet are wont to bark in the night at the least noise The speech is proverbiall and signifies that they should not have the leasâ disturbance among them but should all quieâly take their rest in their beds This is spoken as it were in opposition that which Mosâs had immediately before said concerning the Egyptians when as there should be a great cry amongst them because of the death of their first-born amongst the Israelites all should be still and quiet not so much as a dog should amongst them move his tongue either against man or beast CHAP. XII Vers 1. ANd the Lord spake unto Moses and Aâron in the land of Egypt c. It is not precisely expressed when the Lord spake this which here followeth to Moses and Aaron concerning the institution of the Passeover yet most probably it may be gathered âhat it was before the three dayes darknesse wherewith the Lord punished the Egyptians for the Passeover was kept on the foureteenth day the day after the first-born of the Egyptians were slain and it seems it was but the day before the thirteenth day when Moses being sent for to Pharaoh immediately after that darknesse was over and finding he would not dismisse the Israelites denounced that last plague the death of the first-born and that it should befall them the night following chap. 11. 4 5. Thus saith the Lord About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die Now these directions concerning the Passeover were given before the tenth day of this seventh moneth for upon the tenth day they were enjoyned as we see her ver 3. to set apart the lambe which was to be eaten at the Passeover Vers 2. This moneth shall be unto you the beginning of moneths That is the moneth Abib See chap. 13. 4. This day came ye out in the moneth Abib which in the Chaldee tongue was also called Nisan and contained for the most part some of our March and some of our April whereas formerly they began their year with the moneth Ethanim or after the Chaldees Tisri which agreeth with our September as is evident Exod. 23. 16. where we may see that one year ended and another began at the feast of in gathering which was after all their harvest Now in remembrance of this their miraculous deliverance they were appointed to begin it with this moneth which was formerly the seventh in number And yet this account was afâerward kept onely in Ecclesiasticall affairs for the Jubilees and such other civil affairs it began as it had done before Lev. 25. 8 9 10. Vers 3. In the tenth day of this moneth they shall take to them every man a lambe c. To wit the very day whereon afterwards the Israelites entre d the land of Canaan Josh 4. 19. The people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first moneth Now a lambe or a kid for that is added ver 5. Ye shall take it out from the sheep or from the goats was appointed to be set apart on this day for the Passeover and that no doubt as a significant type and figure of Christ who is therefore called our Passeover sacrificed for us 1. Cor. 5. 7. and by the Baptist John 1. 29. the lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of âhe world For as these lambes were taken away from the rest of the flock so was Chriât taken from among men Hebr. 5. 1. and was indeed a man as other men are and sent into the world by his bloud to save us from death and the lambe being of all creatures the most harmlesse meek and profitable it was the fitter to be a shadow of him in whom the truth of these things was transcendently eminent Vers 6. And ye shall keep it up untill the foureteenth day of the same moneth There is no mention made of this separating the Paschall lambe from the flock foure dayes before the feast in other places where the Passeover is commanded At this time it was thus ordered both that it might be in a readinesse and not be to seek when they were encumbred with businesse about their going away especially that in this as in other things it might be a type of Christ who was holy harmlesse undefiled and separate from sinners and that there was such a degree of perfection required in him who was to be offered up as a sacrifice of propitiation for us as was no where amongst men to be found And the whole assembly of the congregation of Israâl shall kill it in the evening In the Hebrew it is between the two evenings The meaning of this may thus be understood The naturall day from sunne to sunne the Jews used to divide into foure parts the first was from sunnerising to nine in the forenoon the second contained the three following houres from nine to twelve and was called the sixth hoâre the third contained the three next from twelve to three in the afternoone and was called the ninth houre the fourth reached from thence unto sunsetting so that between three a clock in the afternoon which was the first evening and sunsetting which is here reckoned the other evening was the time appointed for the killing of the Passeover at which time also Christ the true Paschall lambe dyed for us as is evident Matth. 27. 46. 50. And about the ninth houre Jesus cryed with a loud voyce Eli Eli c. vers 50. Jesus when he had cryed again with a loud voice yielded up the Ghost And so Once in the end of the world appeared to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himsef Heb. 9. 27. Vers 7. And they shall take of the bloud and strike it on the two sideposts c. In the 13. verse the reason is expressed why the Lord enjoyned the Israelites thus to strike the bloud of the Paschall lambe on the two sideposts and on the upper dore-post of the houses wherein they did eat it The bloud saith the Lord shall be to you for a token upon the houses where you are and when I see the bloud I will passe over you and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you And hence we may probably gather that this also was ordained onely for this Passeover in Egypt when the destroying angel was to passe over the Israelites houses that had their doores sprinkled with the bloud of the lambe and not for future times 2. That hereby also was signified the applying of Christs bloud by faith to the hearts of believers which is called the sprinkling of the bloud of Jesus Christ 1. Pet. 12. 3. That where two smaller households
is doubtlesse meant that land of promise where God had long since promised to seat his people and there to dwell amongst them by the gracious signes of his presence not in the tabernacle onely but especially also in the temple which God chose to be his resting place Psal 132. 14. and where the promised Messiah did afterwards dwell amongst them and accomplish the work of mans redemption and though they were yet but newly gotten out of Egypt yet Moses saith Thou hast guided them unto thy holy habitation both because this was the place whither the Lord was now leading them for this purpose had he brought them out of Egypt that he might carry them to Canaan and plant them there as also because it was most certain that God would at length carry them thither and usuall it is with the prophets to expresse the certainty of that which shall afterwards be by speaking of it as if it were done already Vers 15. The mighty men of Moab trembling shall take hold of them See Numb 22. 3. And Moab was sore afraid of the people because they were many and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel Vers 17. Thou shalt bring them in and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance c. That is in mount Sion which the Lord had chosen to be the place of his habitation where his temple and sanctuary should be built wherein he would dwell amongst his people yet figuratively under this one the most eminent part of the land the whole countrey of Canaan is comprehended and it is called the Lords inheritance because he had prepared it for the habitation of his first-born Israel Vers 20. And Mâriam the prophetesse the sister of Aaroâ c. Though Moses and Aaron were brothers and so Miriam was the sister of Moses as well as the sister of Aaron yet she is peculiarly called the sister of Aaron because through Moses absence when he fled out of Egypt her reference to Aaron was best known Vers 21. And Miriam answered them Sing ye to the Lord c. When the men had sung a verse or staff of the former song then she with her women took her course and sung it over again or at least she still repeated this one clause here expressed Sing ye to the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea which was happely the burden of the song as in Psal 136. For his mercy endureth for ever Vers 22. And went out into the wildernessâof Shur Called also the wildernesse of Etham Numb 33. 8. One might be the generall name of the whole desert the other of some part of it where the Israelites pitched their tents It is said indeed chap. 13. 20. that they were in the wildernesse of Etham before they passed over the red sea but it seems the wildernesse on both sides the red sea was called the wildernesse of Etham Vers 25. And the Lord shewed him a tree c. This may seem to imply that there was in this tree a naturall virtue of sweetning the waters it was cast into because it is said that God shewed it him yet I see no reason why we should thus conclude for why may it not be as well that God shewed him a tree that was likely in its own nature to make the waters bitterer that so the miracle might be the more manifest The changing of the waters taste was rather by the mighty power of God then any virtue in that wood There he made a statute and an ordinance and there he proved them Some Expositours conceive that hereby is meant that in this place God gave the Israelites certain generall laws and statutes necessary for the well ordering and governing of the people untill at Sinai they should be more perfectly afterwards taught concerning the whole law and will of God which happely may be true But yet doubtlesse the statute and ordinance chiefly if not solely here intended is that which followeth in the next verse where the Lord enjoyned the people to obey him and moves them thereto with a promise that if they would so do he would then protect them from the plagues of Egypt So that this clause There he made a statute and an ordinance and there he proved them hath reference to that which immediately after is expressed in the 26 verse And said if thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God c. and the meaning is that after God had thus tryed them with want of water and upon their murmuring had so miraculously healed the bitter waters of Marah he then admonished them by Moses hereafter to take heed of this sinne they had fallen into and to carry themselves more obediently towards him and so made this as a statute and ordinance that if they would thus do that which is right in his sight then he would be a gracious God unto them and thus there he proved them to wit not onely by their former want but also byhis present favourable dealing with them not punishing them for their murmuring butonely admonishing them so making proof whether they would thereby be wonne or no. Vers 26. I will put none of these diseases upon thee which I have brought upon the Egyptians That is none of the plagues see Deut. 28. 60. Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt which thou wast afraid of and they shall cleave unto thee The meaning is that he would not deal with them as with the Egyptians but as at present he had done for the present mercy in healing the bitter waters which is the ground of this speech sheweth plainly that all externall plagâes are implyed and thus likewise all externall blessings are comprised under health See Prov. 4. 22. For they are life to them that find them and health to all their âlesh Psal 103. 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases Vers 27. And they encamped there by the waters Staying there at Elim as it seems many dayes because the place was so pleasant and convenient for them by reason of the waters CHAP. XVI Vers 1. ANd all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wildernesse of Sin c. From Elim they turned back to the red sea Numb 33. 10. And they removed from Elim and encamped by the red sea which no doubt the Lord did that he might try them again but this remove is not here mentioned because no memorable matter happened in that place and so he passes over it and onely mentions the next station for from the red sea they turned back again to the wildernesse of Sin Vers 3. Would to God we had dyed by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt when we sat by the flesh-pots c. That is when we had dayly plenty of flesh and might peaceably and freely taâe our fill of it Doubtlesse considering their hard bondage we
may well think that though they had flesh in Egypt yet they had no such plenty at least that they had no such liberty to âit by it having such tasks dayly imposed upon them that the day scarce afforded them time to dispatch their dayes work But thus those that are discontented at their present condition are wont beyond the bounds of truth to extoll what they formerly enjoyed For ye have brought us forth into this wildernesse to kill this whole assembly with âunger Their provision being so farre spent which they brought out of Egypt that they saw no means to sustain themselves in this wildernesse where no food could be gotten Vers 4. And the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day c. That is as verse 16. an omer for every man and thus God fed them from hand to mouth giving them still no more but provision for one day that they might be still kept in dependance upon God to which also agreeth that petition which our Saviour taught us Matth. 6. 11. Give us this day our dayly bread Vers 6. At even then ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of Egypt When God should give them quails in such abundance then they should know that the Lord had brought them out from the land of Egypt and not Moses and Aaron of their own heads as was objected by the Israelites verse 3. For ye have brought us forth c. Vers 7. And in the morning then yâ shall see the glory of the Lord. That is the Manna that glorious work of his for so Moses expounds himself in the next verse and glory is oft used for glorious works See Numb 14. 21. All the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. John 11. 40. Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldst believe thou shouldst see the glory of God For that he heareth your murmurings against the Lord. Thatis by reason of your murmurings this the Lord will do to justifie us his servants Thus he puts them in mind of their sinne and wisheth them to observe that this message which God had sent them concerning the Quails and Manna did shew that God had heard their murmurings and therefore they had need take heed it may be he would not alway deal with them as he had now And what are we that ye murmure against us That is we durst never of ourselves have undertaken this great work of bringing you out of Egypt from the bondage of Pharaoh nor can you think that we by our own power have done those miraculous works which you have seen done in this bâsinesse and which now you shall yet further see since therefore it is the almighty God that hath done these great things for you and we onely his instruments your murmurings are not against us but against the Lord. Vers 10. They looked toward the wildernesse and behold the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud Aaron having given charge to the Israelites as is expressed in the former verse to come near before the Lord and there being at that time before the tabernacle was built no other visible signe of Gods presence amongst them but onely the pillar of the cloud toward that therefore they turned their faces and perceived that God did in a more glorious manner then ordinarily therein manifest the brightnesse of his presence Now because the cloud was in the forefront of their armies leading them still farther into the wildernesse therefore it is said that they looked toward the wildernesse Vers 11. And the Lord spake unto Moses c. This the Lord had said to Moses before onely here it is repeated to shew that he did nothing without a warrant and that as God had spoken it came to passe Vers 13. At even the quails came up and covered the camp Being happely brought in by a wind as those afterwards vvere at Kibroth-hattaavah Numb 11. 31. where God again gave them quails to eat and that for a vvhole moneâh together vvhereas novv they came in onely this one evening before the Manna vvas given them Vers 15. And when the children of Israel saw it they said one to another It is Manna Which is all one as if they had said vvhat is this for so the Hebrevv vvord may signifie or this is a meat vvhich God hath prepared for us vvithout our labour for Manna in the Hebrevv signifieth prepared and therefore it is added in the next vvords For they wist not what it was that is they knevv not vvhat more particular name to give it Vers 16. Gather of it every man according to his eating Proportionably as he hath more or lesse in his family Vers 18. And when they did mete with an omer he that gathered much c. All were imployed in gathering and some as more able gathered more some as lesse able gathered lesse but when all was laid together in the common heap whether of the family or of the tribe c. and then afterward it was measured to every man an omer âccording to the Lords direction there was nothing wanting for which they should pinch him that had gathered lesse nor nothing over for him that had gathered much but every one had his just omer And hence it is that S. Paul by this example of the Israelites one helping another and conferring what they had gathered in common exhorts the Christian Corinthians in like manner to supply the necessities of their brethren 2. Cor. 8. 13 14 15. For I mean not that other men be eased and you burdened But by an equality that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want that their abundance also may be a supply for your want that there may be equality As it is written He that had gathered much c. Vers 19. Let no man leave of it till the morning Though every one in each family had an omer allowed him whether great or little men or women old or young and none might reserve any of their portion till the next day yet it cannot be thought that every man was enjoyned to eat or did eat the same quantity but what they left they either burnt it or cast it forth or some other way consumed it and might not keep any of it to be eaten the next day See above ver 4. Vers 22. On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread two omers for one man and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses To wit that the people had gathered as they were appointed twice as much on that sixth day as they had on other dayes and of this they informed Moses both as desiring thereby to glorifie God in the confession of this wonderfull work that he had sent Manna so abundantly that day as before he had promised ver 5. And it shall be twice as much as they gather daily and also chiefly that they might receive directions from Moses
how to order this their double portion Vers 23. Bake that which ye will bake to day and seethe that ye will seethe c. It may seem questionable whether in these words the Israelites were enjoyned to bake and seethe so much of the Manna as they dâsired to eat so dressed on the sixth day and then to reserve the rest unto the morning or to bake and seethe both for that day and the next day which was the Sabbath But yet this last seems the most probable and that because it was not likely they onely eat of it undressed as it was gathered on the Sabbath day and expressely afterwards it was enjoyned in the law that they should kindle no fire throughout their habitations on the Sabbath day Exod. 35. 3. Yet I make no question but that some part of it was reserved for the Sabbath not onely because they did so eat some part of it on the other dayes but especially also that the hand of God herein might be the more evident seeing they could no way keep it whether baked or sodden on other dayes untill the next morning but they found it putrified and which way soever they reserved it whether dressed or undressed for the Sabbath day it did not corrupt but continued good and sound Vers 31. And it was like coriander-seed white and the taste of it was like wafers made with hony We must not so understand these words as if the Manna were said to be like coriander-seed because it was white for the coriander-seed is blackish but that it is compared to coriander-seed in regard onely of its quantity and proportion and then besides that it was of a whitish colour So that we must reade these words as expressing three qualities of the Manna 1. That it was little and round like the coriander-seed ver 4. There lay a small round thing as small as the hoar frost 2. That it was for the colour of it white like Bdellium as it is expressed Numb 11. 7 3. That it was sweet like hony-wafers namely unbaked for being baked the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oyl Numb 11. 8. In that Apocryphall book called the Wisdome of Solomon chap. 16. 20 21 it is said of this Manna that it was able to content every mans delight and agreeing to every taste and that serving to the appetite of the eater it tempered it self to every mans liking whence it hath been by some conceived and maintained that the Manna rellished according to every mans desire and had the savour of any kind of meat which they had a desire to eat of But this is a weak conceit for first there is no evident ground for it in these words and then besides though it had been entended by that Author yet it is directly contrary to this description of the Manna which Moses gives us and again if God had given this miraculous bread such an extraordinary gift to satisfie every wanton appetite that it should taste like any meat they desired to tast of why did the Israelites murmure afterwards against Moses lusting for flesh and fish and repining because they had not the cucumbers and melons and leeks and onyons and garlick which they had in Egypt Numb 11. 4 5. Vers 33. And Moses said unto Aaron Take a pot c. It was a golden pot See Hebr. 9. 4. Wherein was the golden pot that had the Manna Moses rehearseth these things here to make a full end of the history of Manna but they were not done till afterwards when the Tabernacle was built wherein it was laid up before the Lord. Vers 35. And the children of Israel did eat Manna fourty years untill they came to a land inhabited To wit till they were gone over Jordan into the land of Canaan and then it ceased This Manna called by the Psalmist Angels food Psal 78. 25. Man did eat Angels food c. was a notable type of Christ and is therefore called Spirituall meat 1. Cor. 10. 3. And did all eat the same spirituall meat for Christ indeed is the true bread that came down from heaven Joh. 6. 33. upon whom feeding by faith our souls are nourished unto life everlasting White in regard of his purity and innocency and sweeter then the hony to the souls of believers bruised for our transgressions and conveyed to us in the dew of the word as the Manna lay in the dew upon the ground and so is our spirituall nourishment all the time of our travelling towards the heavenly Canaan when there shall be no more use of this food but God shall be all in all to us Vers 36. Now an omer is the tenth part of an âphah And ephah by the judgement of the best Writers was much like to our English bushel Whereby we may conceive how bountifull the allowance of Manna was which God allotted them for their daily food CHAP. XVII Vers 1. ANd all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wildernesse of Sin after their journeyes c. This clause after their journeyes is added to imply that Rephidim was not the next station after they went from the wildernesse of Sin no they went from Sin to Dophkah from thence to Alush and from thence to Rephidim Numb 33. 12 13. 14. Vers 2. Wherefore do ye tempt the Lord To wit by their mutinous requiring of water as a signe of Gods presence among them saying Is the Lord among us or not as it is afterward expressed verse 7. when men not believing the promises of God will boldly prescribe God the time when and the manner how he shall perform his promises this is called a tempting of the Lord because thereby they do as it were try whether he be able and faithfull to do what he hath said And thus are the Israelites here said to tempt the Lord. Having Gods promise for their safe convoy through the wildernesse to the land of Canaan and having had already evidence enough of Gods almighty power and fatherly care over them yet being now in some distresse for want of water they came in a bold manner and expostulated with Moses and Aaron and cried upon them to give them water that they and theirs might not perish with thirst and herein they did tempt the Lord because as the Psalmist saith Psal 78. 41. They limited the holy one of Israel they said Is the Lord among us or not that is the want they were in made them question Gods presence and they resolved now to put it upon this tryall Let Moses give them water and they would acknowledge it but if that were not done they would not believe it And hence was this place afterward called Massah that is temptation Vers 4. What shall I do to this people they be almost ready to stone me Though there be no mention made in the foregoing expostulation of the people with Moses that they threatned to stone him yet perhaps some intimation hereof might fall from some of
is there made the Southern bound and fourthly the river which is the great river Euphrates which was the North bound CHAP. XXIV Vers 1. ANd he said unto Moses Come up unto the Lord c. God having given Moses those judiciall laws set down in the former chapters and Moses being now to carry them to the people upon their consent to make a covenant betwixt God and them the Lord before his departure gives him this command for his coming up again with Aaron Nadab Abihu and seventy of the Elders of Israel appointing him to leave the people at the foot of the mount but to bring up Aaron and his two eldest sonnes and the seaventy Elders into the moânt that is a little way up into the mount where they might be eye_witnesses of part of Gods glory as is expressed afterwards vers 9 10. being to approch nearer to the Lord then the people were and then there to leave them also to worship afarre off whilest Moses went up higher to the top of the mount into the dark cloud vers 18. for so it followeth vers 2. Moses alone shall come near the Lord but they shall not come nigh It is questioned by Expositours who these seventy Elders were Wâ reade of seventy Elders that wâre chosen to bear part of the government with Moses and received therefore from the Lord an extraordinary measure of gifts of Gods spirit to enable them thereunto as you may reade Numb 11. 16 17. but that was done after the camp was removed from Sinai and pitched in Kibroth-Hattaavah as it is Numb 11. 34. which was the next station beyond Sinai Numb 33. 16. And they removed from the desert of Sinai and pitched at Kibroth-Hattaavah Nor can it be meant of those Judges chosen by Moses before this by the counsel of Jethro as you reade Exod. 18. 25. they were doubtlesse farre more then seventy seeing there were amongst them Rulers over every ten families amongst all the tribes Iâ sufficeth us therefore to know that whereas there were alwayes even when they were in Egypt certain Elders in every tribe that were principall men amongst them God now appointed that of these seventy should come up with Aaron and his sonnes into the mount and these happely were chosen both now for witnesses and afterwards at Kibroth-Hattaavah for helpers to Moses in his government yea some adde that God appointed seventy rather then any other number as a memoriall of the seventy souls that went down with Jâcob into Egypt and consequently of Gods blessing upon them in bringing them within a few years to so great a multitude Vers 2. Neither shall the people go up with him That is they shall not at all go up into the mount as Aaron and the Elders did Vers 4. And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord c. To wit in a book See Hebr. 9. 19. The ten commandments in the stone tables were written by the finger of God himself but the judiciall laws Moses wrote in a book And thus covenants agreed upon betwixt party and party are usually committed to writing And builded an altar under the hill and twelve pillars c. Both the altar and the pillars were outward sacramentall signes of the covenant which was now to be established betwixt God and his people the altar representing God in Christ the first and chief party in the covenant and the twelve pillars the twelve tribes Vers 5. And he sent young men of the children of Israel which offered burnt-offerings c. The common opinion of most Expositours is that the first-born were the priests and sacrificers amongst the people untill the Levites were taken in their stead Numb 3. 41. And thou shalt take the Levites for me in stead of all the first-born c. and consequently that these were the young men here spoken of And indeed the word here used in the originall doth not alwayes signifie youths in regard of years not yet grown up to mans estate but young men fit for service and ministery to their Elders as Gen. 14. 23 24. I will not saith Abraham take from a threed even to a shoe-latchet c. Save onely that which the young men have eaten and Exod. 33. 11. His servant Joshua a young man departed not out of the tabernacle And so in many other places But because it is I think unquestionable that before the people of God came to be a body politick the chief and governours of every family were the sacrificers neither do we ever reade that the first-born were set apart for publick sacrifices since the Lord challenged them for his upoâ the coming forth of his people Sanctifie unto me all the first-born Exod. 13. 2. It is rather probable that Moses and Aaron and their chief Governours had as yet the chief hand in offering publick sacrifices and that then young men perhaps of the first-born were onely chosen to minister to Moses and Aaron in fetching and killing the sacrifices and other services belonging thereunto and are therefore said here to have offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed peace-offerings of oxen unto the Lord. Where by oxen other sacrifices are also implyed these being named as the principall iâ stead of all for Heb. 9. 19. the Apostle speaking of this place addes also calves and goats Vers 6. And Moses took half of the bloud and put it in basons c. Which was so reserved to be sprinkled upon the people This bloud was to signifie the bloud of Christ by which we are reconciled to God and by virtue whereof the covenant of grace is established betwixt God and us and the dividing of this bloud half being sprinkled upon the altar which represented God and half upon the people signified that the performance of the covenant by both parties Gods favour and grace to his people and the peoples faith and obedience to God was to be ascribed to the bloud of Christ And half of the bloud he sprinkled on the altar And so also on the book Heb. 9. 19. Which as it seems was laid on the altar making use herein also of water scarlet wooll and hyssope Heb. 9. 19. though Moses here nameth them not because so the legall sprinklings were usually done for there was water intermingled with the bloud because the bloud otherwise growing cold would have been thick and not fit to be sprinkled nor perhaps enough for the use Vers 8. And sprinkled it on the people and said Behold c. That is all the people that stood about him some for all or all as they came to him or the Elders in stead of the people See Levit. 4. 15. Vers 10. And they saw the God of Israel That is the signes of Gods gloriâus presence for never man saw God nor can see him 1. Tim. 6. 16. Whom ãâã man hath seen nor can see And there was under his feet as it were a paved work of saphir stone c. Not that the Lord shewed himself in any humane shape
See Deut. 4. 15. but this is spoken because of the scituation of this saphir work that it was beneath the signes of his glory as a pavement under the feet Vers 11. And upon the Nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand That is though these Elders and Nobles of Israel saw the glory of God in an extraordinary manner upon the mount yet God was pleased to spare them that they received no hurt thereby which is noted as a speciall mercy of God in regard that men yea the greatest and noblest of men by reason of their frailty are not able to endure such a manifestation of glory should not God withold it from being âurtfull to them Also they saw God and did eat and drink That is Aaron and his sonnes The Elders and Nobles of Israel before spoken of saw the signes of Gods presence and yet were so farre from receiving any hurt thereby that returning home again unto the people where they had before their coming up into to the mount offered up divers sacrifices to the Lord they did there with their peace-peace-offerings feast together rejoycing in the goodnesse of God to them and the honour he had done to them Vers 12. And the Lord said unto Moses Come up to me into the mount c. Hitherto Moses stood afarre off with the seventy Elders now he is called nearer as God had before said ver 2. And Moses shall come near unto the Lord c. And be there That is continue there Thus God makes known to him that his stay should be now longer then usuall and thereupon it is that he takes order ver 14. that Aaron and Ur should in his room determine the affairs of the people Vers 13. And Moses rose up and his minister Joshua Joshua was not before mentioned ver 1. because he was as Moses minister and continuall attendant and therefore it was not necessary that he should be expressed by name See chap. 32. ver 17. Vers 14. Tarry ye here for us c. Either this must be meant of such a stay in that place of the Mount as that withall they might go as oft as they pleased unto the people or else rather this word here must be taken in a larger extent comprehending the place where the people were in their tents and onely implying that they should not go up with him to the top of the mount Vers 16. And the seventh dây he called unto Moses ââe of the âidst of the cloud Moses having staid six dayes in the higher part of the mount but without the cloud that in that time his mind might by degrees be taken off from all worldly thoughts and cares and raised up with a desire and longing expectation of beholding Gods glory to which he was not yet admitted upon the seventh day God called him and he went into the midst of the cloud Vers 18. And Moses was in the cloud fourty dayes and fourty nights To wit after he went into the midst of the cloud and was there with God for so it is expressed chap. 34. 28. And he was there with the Lord fourty dayes c. All which time Joshua it seems stayed upon the mount without the cloud waiting for Moses sustaining himself happely all the while with the Manna that fell from heaven and the water of the brook mentioned Deut. 9. 21. that descended out of the mount for there Moses found him when he came down from God neither did he know what the Israelites had done in the camp See Exod. 32. 17. But for Moses he was with God within the cloud all those fourty dayes and fourty nights and therefore doubtlesse did neither eat nor drink wherein his condition was a shadow of the life of the glorified Saints in Gods presence in heaven but was continually imployed in beholding the glory of Gods presence in receiving instructions from God about all things that concerned his people and viewing that pattern of the tabernacle and all things belonging thereto which was shown him in the mount CHAP. XXV Vers 5. ANd shittim wood This was doubtlesse some choice kind of wood of great esteem in those times as Box and Ebony and such sorts of wood are now amongst us which either they procured from the places adjoyning in the wildernesse where it grew it seems in great abundance and thence happely that place in the plains of Moab where the Israelites pitched their tents was called Abel-shittim Num. 33 49. or else it was brought out of Egypt at least by the richer sort of them for their own private use in their tents or household utensils which seems the more probable because of that passage Exod. 35. 24. Every man with whom was found shittim-wood for âny work of the service brought it whereby it seems that some of them had it lying by them as a choice treasure Vers 8. And let them make me a sanctuary That is the tabernacle consecrated to God for the duties of his publick service the visible signe of Gods presence with and protection of his people Levit. 26. 11 12. And I will set my tabernacle among you and my soul shall not abhorre you and I will walk among you c. It was a type 1. of Christs person whence he is said to be Heb. 8. 2. A minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man by whom God doth manifest himself unto us and in whom we have accesse unto God and 2. of the Church the habitation of God by the spirit 2. Cor. 6. 16. Ye are the temple of the living God c. and every Christian in whose heart God dwelleth Heb. 3. 6. Whose âouse are we if wâ hold fâât the confidence ând the rejoycing of hope firm unto the end Tâââ I may âwââl ââongââ thââ This iâ addââ ãâã ââârong moâiâe to make theâ give ãâã towards the âââing of the ãâã Vers 9. Aftâr thâ ãâã of ââe ãâã and âhâ ãâã âf ãâã the ãâã thââââf c. God did not onâly in wordâ ãâã to Moâââ aftââ whât manner he would hâve every thing made in the âabernacle but thââe was ãâã in a vision represented to his sight the very form and propoââion of thââ ver 40. Look that thou âake theââfter their patâern whiâh was ãâã thâe in the âoânt Evân as he did also aftârwards to David for thâ mâking of the âââple and all the fârniture ââââeof 1. Chron. 28. 19. All this sâid Dâââd ãâã Lord mââe me understand in writing by his hând upon ãâã evân âll the works of this pâttern Now the reason why the Lord was so exâct herein that âoâes might be sure to make all things according to his appointment was partly because the tabernacle and all things apperââining therâunto were to be types and shadows of spirituall and heaveâly things âppertaining to Christ and his priâââhood to which end the Lord also âheâed him the pâttern of those things above in the mount So that indââd
corner for otherwise we cannot say whether the corner pillar was to be numbred amongst the twenty pillars appointed on each side for the length of the court or the âân appointed for the breadth Vers 16. And for the gate of the court shall be an hanging of twenty cubits c. See the note chap. 26. 36. Vers 18. And the height five cubits c. This court therefore of thâ tabernacle was but half so high as the tabernacle and therefore the tabernacle might be easily seen yet these hangings were so high that men could not overlook them Vers 19. All the vessels of the tabernacle c. shall be of brasse That is such as were onely for the taking down and settiâg up of the tabernacle as the pinnes or stakes which were driven into the ground to fasten it Vers 20. And thou shalt command the children of Israel that they bring pure oyl olive beaten c. It seems that oyl which was first gotten out of the olives by beating or stamping of them was farre purer ând clearer from dregges then that which was afterward crushed out with a presse This therefore th e children of Israel were appointed to provide for the lamp in the golden candlestick even pure oyl olive beaten wherewith the priests were to maintain the lamps to cause the lamp to burn alwayes that is every night by renewing them still at the appointed times As the daily sacrifice is called a continuall burnt-offering Exod. 29. 42. and yet it was offered but twice every day at morning and evening And so this word alwayes is explained in the following verse Aaron and his sonnes shall order it from evening to morning before the Lord. At the East end of the ta bernacle either abovâ the vail or at the opening of it there might come in light sufficient in the day time and therefore I conceive then the lamps burnt not but in the night onely and were put out in the morning which some inferre also from that 1. Sam. 3. 3. where it is said that the Lord appeared to Samuel ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of God to wit before the break of day Now by this pure oyl was signified the gifts and graces of the Spirit whereby the ministers of God are fitted to be as lights among the people Vers 21. In the tabernacle of the congregation c. The âabernacle is here called the tabernacle of the congregation because though the people did not enter into this place yet to the doore of this tabernacle they brought their offerings and there did the Lord meet with the people and make known his will to them Aaron and his sonnes shall order it c. Signifying that the priests lippes should preserve knowledge CHAP. XXVIII Vers 1. ANd take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother c. Because Aaron was the brother of Moses to prevent any envy amongst the people this is in the first place expressed that it was by the Lords appointment and command that he and his sonnes were set apart to the office of the priesthood Vers 2. And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty That is glorious and beautifull And hereby was signifyed 1. the insufficiency of Aarons priesthood that there was not in him if you look on him in his own person sufficient worth that he should mediate between God and man for thârefore was this holinesse in his garments to cover the pollution of his own pârson 2. the more then angelicall purity and holinesse of Christ whose type Aaron thus attired was Heb. 9. 14. Christ through the eternall spirit offered himself without spot to God By whom also his Church is clothed with garments of beautifull glory Isai 52. 1. Put on thy beautifull garments oh Jerusalem the holy citie Rev. 19. 8. To her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen clean and white for the fine linen is the righteousnesse of the Sainâs 3. to shew the extraordinary degrees of holinesse required in those that serve at the altar Vers 3. And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted c. that they may make Aarons garments to consecrate him c. That is to be a signe of his consecration and sanctification from God therefore it was death to minister without these garments Vers 6. And thây shall make the ephod of gold c. It was called the ephod of an hebrew word which signifieth to close compasse or gird about because it compassed fitly the body and was tied thereto it was the outmost of all Aarons garments and covered his whole body both back and breast from the shoulders down to the loyns excepting onely the breast where the breast-plate was fastened Vers 7. It shall have the two shoulder-pieces thereof joyned at the edges thereof and so it shall be joyned together These shoulder-pieces were either the pieces which went up both before and behind from the body of the ephod and so met together on the top of each shoulder and were joyned together in the edge thereof a hole being left in the midst through which the priests head went when he put on the ephod or else it is meant of certain wings as we call them which were joyned to the ephod in the edge round about each shoulder Vers 8. And the curious girdle of the ephod which is upon it shall be of the same c. By this is meant two pieces or slaps which came from the back part of the ephod under the arm-holes and are called the curious guard or girdle because the nether lappets served as a girdle to fasten it below and it is said that it should be upon it that is is joyned as a part of it which is added to distinguish it from the girdle mentioned ver 39. Thou shalt make the girdle of needlework which was not a part of the ephod as this which is therefore called often the golden girdle Vers 9. And thou shalt take two onyx-stones and grave on them the names of the children of Israel These two onyx-stones whereon were graven the names of the twelve sonnes of Jacob signified the firm and perpetuall love of Christ toward his Church and also how precious they be to him how continually mindfull he is of them Cant. 8. 6. Set me as a seal upon thy heart as a seal upon thy arm for love is strong as death See also Hag. 2. 23. In that day saith the Lord of hosts will I take thee O Zorobbabel my servant c. and will make thee as a signet Vers 10. Six of their names on one stone and the other six names of the rest on the other stone according to their birth That is first Reuben then Simeon and so the rest according to their age And this signified the like precious faith and dignity which all have obtained before God in Christ 2. Pet. 1. 1. To them that have obtained the like precious faith So Gal. 3.
to further this work of the spirit in us as they did in burning the sacrifices by laying in order the wood and the pieces of the sacrifice upon the wood Vers 9. But the inwards and his legs shalt thou wash in water Some conceive that by the inwards are not meant the guts but onely the heart and liver and such inward parts and that because onely that which was usually eaten by men was offered on the altar Gods table as it is called Mal. 1. 2. as was before noted upon verse 6. But however the washing of the inwards and feet did doubtlesse signifie the perfect purity of Christ and withall our through-purification both in the outward and inward man by the spirit of Christ âgreeâble whereunto are those expressions of the holy Scripture Ezek. 36. 25. Then will I sprinkâe clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthinesse and from all your idols will I cleanse you and again Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Vers 10. He shall bring it a male without blemish See the note upon vers 3. Vers 11. And he shall kill it on the side of the altar Northward There also the sinne-offering was killed Levit. 6. 25. and the trespasse-offering Levit. 7. 2. which might signifie the obscurity of the legall ceremonies the North being farthest from the light of the sunne or that Christ was to dye at Jerusalem of which the Prophet saith Psal 48. 2. On the sides of the North is the citie of the great King But I rather content my self with this literall reason The altar being placed by the doore of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation which seems was in the Southside there was more scope on the Northside and therefore they are there appointed to make ready the sacrifices Onely the peace-offerings were slain at the very doore of the tabernacle which was more Eastwards in regard of the altar as is evident chap. 32. Vers 12. And the priest shall lay them in order See the note above upon ver 8. Vers 13. But he shall wash the inwards c. See the former note upon vers 9. And the priest shall bring it all and burn it upon the altar This signified that all Christ and whatsoever he had done is ours by faith Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Sonne of God who loved me and gave himself for me And that we also should give our selves wholly unto God by him 1. Thess 5. 23. And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blamelesse unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Vers 14. And if the burnt-sacrifice for his offering to the Lord be of fowls then he shall bring his offering of turtle doves or of young pigeons Which signified the innocency and meeknesse both of Christ and his members And again old turtles and young pigeons are best and so the best must be given to God Vers 15. And wring off his head and burn it on the altar The manner how the priests should kill the burnt-offering of turtle doves or young pigeons is here set down which was by wringing off the head of them according to our translation or pinching of the head with the priests nail as it is in the margin of our bibles The most common opinion of Expositours is that the heads of these birds were not quite wrung off from their bodies but onely broken in sunder and so left hanging still by the skinne unto their bodies and their chief reason is because elsewhere it is said where direction is given for the killing of such turtle doves or young pigeons that were brought for a sinne-offering that the priests should wring off his head from his neck but not divide it asunder Levit. 5. 8. But some other reasons may make it seem more probable that the heads of these birds that were brought for a burnt-offering were quite wrung off from their bodies as First because we cannot vvell else conceive hovv the bloud of these sacrifices should be wrung out at the side of the altar as it is injoyned in the follovving vvords and vve knovv that the Jevvs did of all things abhorre things that vvere strangled and that the effusion of the bloud of the sacrifices vvas the chief thing vvhereby vvas signified the atonement made for us by the bloud of Christ and how by the pinching of the priests nail a wound should be made for the letting out the bloud as some hold it is hard to conceive and secondly because the following words and burn it on the altar seem plainly to be meant of burning the head particularly being thus wrung off for of the burning of the body of these birds direction is afterwards given vers 17. As for that place in the fifth of Leviticus I see not but it may be meant not of not dividing the head from the body but of not dividing the body asunder for which also there is here direction given vers 17. He shall cleave it but not divide it asunder Vers 16. And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers c. And so it figured the holinesse that was in Christ our sacrifice who without all sinne or uncleannesse offered himself unto God for us by which also he cleansed and purified his people and their service of God Heb. 9. 14. And cast it besides the altar on the East part by the place of the ashes That is where the priest when he cleansed the altar did first poure forth the ashes which afterward were carried âorth without the camp Levit. 6. 10 11. This place of the ashes was on the Eastside of the altar both because it was nearest to the doore of the tabernacle and so the ashes might the more conveniently be thence carried forth at the times appointed and because it was farthest off from the Sanctuary and so the casting away of the crop and the feathers in this place might teach them that all uncleannesse was to be removed out of Gods sight Holinesse becomes thy house O Lord for ever Psal 93. 5. Vers 17. And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof but shall not divide it asunder c. That is he shall cleave it the wings being still left onely the feathers pluckt off and though it must be cloven that so the inward part might be laid upon the fire signifying that God requires chiefly the offering of the inner man unto him yet it must not be divided asunder whereby may be meant that we should give up our selves wholly to God 1. Thess 5. 23. CHAP. II. Vers 1. ANd when any will offer a meat-offering unto the Lord his offering shall be of fine flowre
shew Gods acceptation of it that it should be as meat to him and withall to expresse his love who reckons himself as a guest at their feasts Vers 16. All the fat is the Lords That is it must be burnt upon the altar neither may the priest nor owner eat of it Vers 17. It shall be a perpetuall statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings c. Upon the Lords setting apart the fat of all sacrifices to be his peculiar portion and to be burnt upon the altar there is here a more generall statute given them in charge towit that the people should never eat any of this fat of these beasts fit for sacrifices no not in their oân private dwellings when they killed them for their ordinary food and not sor sacrifices which was doubtlesse to keep in them a reverend remembrance of these holy rites and the spirituall mysteries signified thereby Indeed there is great difference of judgement amongst Expositours concerning this law to wit whether the eating of all fat was here forbidden the Israelites or onely the eating of the fat of their sacrifices But for this we must know 1. that it is meant onely of the fat of beasts that were appointed for sacrifices for so much is expressed chap. 7. 23. Yâ shall eat no manner of fat of ox of sheep or of goats 2. that it was not meant of such fat as is mixed with the flesh of such beasts as in the shoulder breast c. for such fat they were doubtlesse allowed to eat whence Deut. 32. 14. The fat of rammes and lambs of the breed of Bashan and goats is râckoned amongst the dainties which God had given the Israelites in the land of Canaan but it is meant onely of the fat which we call suet or tallow the fat before mentioned which when these beasts were sacrificed was alwayes burnt upon the altar and 3. for this fat it is farre more probable that the Israelites were by this law forbidden to eat of it at all times and in all places whenever they killed either sheep or ox or goat for their ordinary food not onely because it is said that this should be a law for them throughout all their dwellings that is even when they killed these cattel at home in their own private dwellings but also especially because fat and bloud are here joyntly alike forbidden Now the bloud even of those cattel which they killed at home for their private use they might not eat the reason whereof see in the note upon Gen. 9. 5. and therefore not the fat neither CHAP. IV. Vers 2. IF a soul shall sinne through ignorance c. Hitherto in this book direction hath been given for burnt-offerings meat-offerings and peace-offerings Now the Lord here beginnes his directions for those offerings whereby expiation was made for some particular sinne which the offerer found himself guilty of which in some cases were called sinne-offerings and in some cases trespasse-offerings The first generall command concerning these is in these words to wit that if a soul that is any person whatsoever should sinne through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord then that person should bring a sinne-offering by way of expiation for that sinne where by sinnes committed through ignorance or errour for so the word in the originall may also be rendered are not onely meant such sinnes as men commit and yet know not that they sinned as being ignorant of the fact done or of the unlawfulnesse of the fact thinking they did well when indeed they transgressed some law and commandment of God but also such sinnes as men commit through infirmity and weaknesse when they are suddenly overtaken in a fault as the Apostle speaks Gal. 6. 1. overborn by the strength of their lusts and corrupt affections which do for the present as it were blind their judgement and reason and so they do not for the time mind the law of God or not lay it to heart as they ought to do Yet withall we must consider that it is no way probable that all sinnes of this nature are here intended but onely such greater externall sinnes for which the conscience is more likely to be stricken then for every ordinary aberration for who can think that there was a severall sinne-offering to be brought for every transgression of Gods law though but in thought or word which in the best are every day so many No other sinnes were expiated by the dayly burnt-offerings which were offered for the whole Church or by the sacrifice offered on the day of atonement concerning which it is said Levit. 16. 30. On that day shall the priest make an atonement for you to cleanse you that you may be clean from all your sinnes before the Lord. These sinne-sinne-offerings were onely for such particular sinnes for which their consciences were in a more speciall manner smitten and they were all types of Christ for For God made him to be sinne for us who knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2. Cor. 5. 21. Vers 3. If the priest that is anointed do sinne c. That is the high priest who onely was anointed in the ages following as is before noted upon Exod. 29. 7. 40. 15. now in that the Leviticall high priest had himself need of an offering for sinne they were taught that he was not the Mediatour that could stand between God and them and make a perfect atonement for them but that they were to look for another in whom there was no sinne of whom the Leviticall high priest in his holy garments was a shadow and type See Heb. 7. 26 27 28. For such an high priest became us who is holy harmlesse ândefiled and separate from sinners who needeth not dayly as those high priests to offer âp sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the peoples c. Then let him bring for his sinne which he hath sinned a young bullock c. A greater sacrifice then the common persons vers 28. or the rulers vers 22. and equall to the congregations vers 14. because his sinne was greatest and most pernicious to the people Vers 4. And shall lay his hand upon the bullocks head c. So testifying his faith and resting on Christ whom that sacrifice figured See the note upon chapter 1. 4. Vers 5. And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullocks bloud This anointed priest is the sinner himself Heb. 7. 27. who is here injoyned to take of the bullocks bloud and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation that is into the tabernacle which was not yet prescribed to be done in any other sacrifice and this shewed that by the bloud of Christ we have a way opened into heaven Heb. 10. 19. 20. Having boldnesse to enter into the holiest by the bloud of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his
for which they were to bring a sinne-offering to the Lord and that especially as I conceive to shew in what cases the offerings which they brought for their sinnes were to be of that sort which were more particularly called and esteemed trespasse-offerings for of such it is evident that Moses speaks at least principally in this chapter Much arguing there is amongst Expositours to shew the difference between sinne-offerings and trespasse-offerings some hold that the sinne-offerings mentioned in the former chapter were for sins of commission the trespasse-offerings spoken of in this chapter were for sinnes of omission some again hold that the sinne-offerings were for greater transgressions and others quite contrary that the trespasse-offerings were for greater transgressions and the sinne-offerings for smaller offences But the truth is that these opinions on both sides are no other then groundlesse conjectures Eviâent it is that these trespasse-offerings are also called sinne-offerings as we may see in the 6. vers of this chapter He shall bring his trespasse-offering unto the Lord for his sinne which he hath sinned a female from the slock a lambe or a kid of the goats for a sinne-offering All trespass-trespasse-offerings were therefore sinne-offerings though all sinne-offerings were not called trespasse-offerings Herein onely I conceive the difference lay that for some particular sinnes a sinne-offering was appointed different from the ordinary sinne-offerings injoyned particular persons in the former chapter which because it was for such sinnes wherein some trespasse was committed upon the goods of their neighbour or upon the holy things of the Lord which belonged unto the priests therefore they were more particularly called trespass-trespasse-offerings The first particular instance given in the first verse of the chapter is concerning him that sinneth in concealing his knowledge when he might have witnessed the truth If a soul sinne saith the text and heare the voyce of swearing and is a witnesse c. for the meaning of this place so diversely expounded I conââive to be this that when an oath is given for the clearing of any controversie for any wrong done by one man to another and those to whom the oath is given do either forswear themselves or cannot discover the truth if one that knows the truth and might be or is called to be a witnesse stands by conceals his knowledge and doth not reveal the truth he is guilty and must offer a trespasse-offering because his neighbour suffers dammage in his estate through his silence whether he hath seeâ or known of it that is whether he was an eye-witnesse of that which is in question or came any other way to the knowledge of it he must reveal all he knows or be guilty and so oâfer a trespasse-offering Vers 2. Or if a soul touch any unclean thing c. The second instance of sins for which they were to bring a trespasse-offering is concerning those legall pollutions which are afterwardâ fully expressed chap. 11. 12. c. The law is this The man or woman that had touched any such unclean thing he was unclean and guiltâe of a sinne verse 2. so soon as he had touched it though for the time it was âid from him his doing it unwittingly should not quit him of the guilt of it but yet when he should come to the knowledge of it vers 3. then he should âe guilty in his own apprehension and so must offer a trespasse-offering not so much to cleanse him from this legall uncleannesse for in this case there was another way of legall purifying appointed Numb 19. 11. c. as to expiate his sinne because for want of due consideration he had so defiled himself and through ignorance or unadvisednesse had neglected those legall purifyings or had come into the sanctuary and intermeddled with Gods holy things whilest his uncleannesse was upon him And indeed this was as I conceive the reason why a trespasse-offering was in this case imposed because the unclean person did by this sinne trespasse upon Gods holy things and as it were impair the worth of them Now these things also figured that we are to be cleansed by the sacrifice and death of Christ even from that pollution which is contracted by partaking with other mens sinnes of which the Apostle speaks 1. Tim. 5. 22. Lay hands suddenly on no man neither be partaker of other mens sins keep thy self pure and again 2. Cor. 6. 17. Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you Vers 4. Or if a soul swear pronouncing with his lips to do evil or to dâ good c. In this third instance of sinnes for which they were to bring a trespasse-offering it is not easily discerned what the sinne here intended is some conceive it to be the carelesse neglect of doing that which a man had sworn to do to clear himself of the guilt whereof he was to bring a trespasse-offering to the Lord and because there is expresse mention of swearing to do evil and it cannot be a sinne to omit the doing of that which he had sworn he would do if he had sworn to do any evil to his neighbour or generally any thing evil that is sinfull and against Gods law but rather it would be commendable to break such an oath therefore by doing âvil they understand the doing of something which is hurtfâll or irksome to himself as if a man hath sworn to do what may bring some damage to his estate or deprive him of something that is pleasing and delightfull to him Again others conceive that the sinne here intended is rash and unadvised swearing to do either good or evil to others to wit when it is sinfull so confidently to undertake it as when he undertakes to do that which is not in his power to do or which he knows not whether he shall be able to do or no or to do some evil to his neighbour which is against the rule of charity and cannot be done without sinning against God as when David sware thaâ he would utterly destroy Naball and all his family 1. Sam. 5. 22. And this Exposition I conceive is the more probable first because the sinne of not doing what a man hath sworn he would do is not so clearly intimated in thesâ words as is the sinne of rash and unadvised swearing for these words pronouncing with his lips to do evil or to do good do indeed manifestly imply an oveâbold undertaking to do that which happely he may not or cannot do and secondly because they that expound this place of the sinne of not doing what a man hath sworn to do are constraind to understand that clause concerning swearing to do evil of doing that which is evil or hurtfull to himself whereas I conceive it must necessarily be understood of doing evil to his neighbour because for it he was to bring a trespasse-offering which implyes at least an intention of trespassing upon his neighbour so
that I say the sinne here intended is I conceive rash and unadvised swearing and because if a man swore to do good to his neighbour when it was not in his power he did thereby engage himself for some good to his neighbour which afterwards his neighbour could not enjoy and if he swore to do evil to his neighbour there was at least a purpose of trespassing upon him which was in Gods eye as if he had done it therefore he is enjoyned for this sinne to bring a trespasse-offering though at first it be hid from him that is when at first he bound himself by this oath through passion or unadvisednessâ he did not know or consider that he sinned in so swearing yet when he knows of it saith the âext that is when he iâ once convinced that he hath sinned herein then he shall be guilty in one of these then the guilt shall lye upon his conscience whether he hath sworn to do good or evil and for his atonement he must bring a trespasse-offering unto the Lord as is added in the following verses Vers 5. And it shall be when he shall be guilty in one of these things That is when he shall be guilty in one of these three cases before named he shall confesse his sin laying his hand upon the sacrifices head so shall make an atonement for himself Vers 6. And he shall bring his trespasse-offering c. This also no lesse then the sinne-offering was a type of Christ whose soul was made an offering for sinne Isa 53. 10. The word in the originall is the same that is here translated a trespasse-offering Now how the trespasse-offering differed from the sinne-offering is noted befoâe upon the first verse of this chapter Vers 7. And if he be not able to bring a lambe c. This exception was not onely for these particular offenses before named but for all where a sinne-offering was to be brought by the common people that in no case poverty should disable a man to make his peace with God Now concerning these turtle doves and young pigeons see the note upon Levit. 1. 14. One for a sinne-offering and the other for a burnt-offering Which werâ also or atonement Levit. 1. 4. Vers 8. And wring off his head from his neck but shall not divide it asunder This direction concerning the turtle dove or young pigeon that was to be offered for a sinne-offering may be understood two severall wayes either that the priest was to wring off the head but not to divide the body of it asunder or else which is the commonest exposition that he was to break the neck of it asunder but yet not to pâll the head quite off from the body of which see the note upon Levit. 1. 15. Vers 11. But if he be not able c. then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an Ephah c. That is the tenth part of a bushell the tenth part whereof was called an Oâer Exod. 16. 36. near about our pottle He shall put no oyl upon it c. To distinguish this sinne-offering from those other meat-offerings whereof see Lev. 2. 1. Besides this happely might signifie that neither by any grace in us whereof the oyl was a signe nor by any prayersof ours whereof the frankincense might be a signe but onely by Christ we are reconciled unto God whereof this meat-offering was a type or else because the oyl frankinâânse might signifie the joy gladnesse of him that brought the offering the Lord might appoint these to be left out in the sinne-offering because of the sorrow humiliation of spirit required in him that brought this offering as we may see in a like case Num. 5. 15. Vers 15. If a sâul commit a trespasse and sinne through ignorance The Hebrew word translated here commât a trespasse though it be generally used for all transgression and disloyalty that the inferiour committeth against the superiour yet for the most part it is applyed to evils committed against the Lord in his holy things and so ââgnifieth sacrilegiously to trespasse upon the Lord and his prieâts by âny wrong done to God in his holy things when by any mans ignorance unadvisednesse or errour for it must not be understood of thâ presumptuous defrauding God of those things which belonged to him God was damaged in his offerings as when any man payed not the full tithe due or did work with his first-born bullock or shear his first-born sheep or keep back ought of the price of things dedicated to holy use or take any of the priests portion in the sacrifices c. Then âe shall bring for his trespassâ unto thâ Lora a ramme c. A greater sacrifice then was brought for other trespasse-offerings to shew the greatnesse of the sinne of sacriledge With thy estimation by shekels of silver c. That is with as much money as thou the priest shalt value the damage at according to the shekels of the Sanctuary for so it is explained ver 16 18. Vers 16. And shall adde the fifth part thereto c. For so much was also added to holy things redeemed Levit. 27. 13 15 19. But if he will at all reâeem it then he shall adde a fifth part thereof unto thy estimation And if he that sanctified it will redeem his house then he shall adde the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it c. Vers 17. And if a soul sinne and commit any of these things c. The ram injoyned for a sinne-offering makes it clear that Moses here speaks concerning the same sinne of sacriledge whereof before onely this particular is again more clearly urged that though he wist it not though he was utterly ignorant yet he must as guilty bring this sacrifice for his atonement CHAP. VI. Vers 2. IF a soul sinne and commit a trespasse against the Lord c. This Law is concerning sinnes done wittingly where an injury is done to a neighbour and God also is particularly offended by a liâ and false oath Vers 5. He shall even restore it in the principall That is the very thing it self or the full worth of it And shall adde the fifth part more thereto c. If he were judicially convicted of it he was to be proceeded against according to those judiciall Laws Exod. 22. which injoyn double paiment but this Law is for those who touched in conscience confesse that whereof they could not be convinced by the Law in which case they were onely to adde a fifth part and to give it unto him to whom it appertaineth whether the first owner or the heire c. Vers 9. Command Aaron and his sonnâs c. Hitherto the substance of the sacrifices have been prescribed now the severall rites of each are described more particularly And first for burnt-offerings though the daily burnt-offering which was offered every morning and the last every evening is here chiefly intended Because of the
burning upon the altar all night unto the morning c. Not onely all day but all night also for as the morning burnt-offering burnt till the evening so the evening burnt-offering burnt all night untill the morning And the fire of the altar shall be burning in it That is shall be nourisht continually Vers 10. And the priest shall put on his linen garment c. That is not onely the linen breeches but also the linen coat And take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt-offering c. Ashes are said to be consumed when the wood and sacrifices are consumed and turned to ashes as meal is said to be ground when the corn by grinding is turned to meal Esai 47. 2. Take the milstâne and grind meal And he shall put them besides the altar See the Notes upon Levit. 1. 16. Vers 11. And carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place The contrary is said toâching the stones and dust of a leprous house Levit. 14. 40 41. Then the priest shall command that they âake the stones in which the plague is and they shall cast them into an unclean place without the city c. Becauâe these came from the Lords holy house therefore they were to be laid in a clean place where no dead carkases dung or other filth was laid Vers 12. And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it c. That so the âire which first came from heaven might in a mânner by the continuall supply of wood be still preserved upon the altar which might signifie 1. the excluding of all humane devices in Gods worship wherein nothing is allowed but is given by direction from heaven And secondly that no sacrifice is accepted with God but what is offered by the spirit that fire from heaven Matth. 3. 11. He shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire And withall the continuing of this fire which at first came from heaven to testifie Gods favourable acceptance of that sacrifice was to teach them that as at first so still he did continually accept of their sacrifices and service as long as they did it according to the direction of his law And the priest shall burn the wood on it every morning Questionlesse they laid on wood upon the altar to maintain the fire thereon not onely in the morning but all the day long especially at even when the evening burnt-offering was to be burnt upon the altar onely there is a particular direction here for laying on wood in the morning because then having cleansed the altar and taken away the ashes they made the fire anew Vers 16. And the remainer thereof shall Aaron and his sonnes eat The males onely because these things being most holy might not be touched but by consecrated persons With unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place That is in the coârt of the Sanctuary for so it is explained concerning the sinne-offering verse 26. In the holy place shall it be eaten in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation Other holy things as the tithes and first-frâits and the shoulder and breast of the peoples peace-offerings c. might be eaten elsewhere and the priests daughters were to have a share therein Numb 18. 11. The heave-offering of their gift with all the wave-offerings of the children of Israel I have given them unto thee and to thy sonnes and to thy daughters with thee by a statute for ever every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it But those things that were most holy to wit the priests portion of all sacrifices whereof part was burnt upon the altar were onely to be eaten by Aaron and his sonnes and that in the holy place 1. That by their eating in Gods presence they might be put in mind to use these holy things with all sobriety 2. To put them in mind of that singular purity and holinesse which God required in them that were honoured above the people and 3. To signifie perhaps that none but those within Gods holy Church shall have any benefit by Christ As for this charge not to eat it with leavened bread see the note upon chap. 2. 11. Vers 20. This is the offering of Aaron and his âonnes c. That is this is the offering that Aaron shall offer unto God in the dây ãâã he is anâinted and which his sonnes successively that shall come to be high prieââs shall offer unto the Lord in the day that they are anointed for it is evident that this meat-offering iâ appointed for the high priest onely for he onely was anointed in succeeding ãâã as is shown before upon Exod. 29. 7. to wit Aaron for the present and that son of his successively that should be anointed high priest in his stead as it is expressed veâse 22. The tenth part of an Ephah of fine flowre for a meat-offering perpetuall c. That is ever to be offered when any of them came to be high priests Vers 23. For every meat-offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt The priests eating of the sinne-offering sigured the bearing of the sinners iniquity Levit. 10. 17. but because no priest being a sinner could make atonement for himself therefore his meat-offering might not be eaten but is all burnt on the altar to teach him to expect salvation not by himself but onely by Christ Vers 26. The priest that offereth it for sinne shall eat it Except in the case mentioned verse 30. when the bloud thereof was carried into the tabernacle Vers 27. And when there is sprinkled of the bloud thereof upon any garment thou shalt wash c. viz. casually Now these ordinances peculiar onely to the sinne-offering because that in speciall sort figured Christ who was made sinne for us shadowed the contagion of sinne and our care to cleanse our selves by repentance and faith Vers 28. But the earthen vessell wherein it is sodden shall be broken and if it be sodden in a brasen pot c. Because the liquour wherein the sin-offering was sodden might soak into an earthen pot therefore that must be broken the rather because the losse of breaking it was not great but if it were sod in an iron or brasse pot that was onely to be scoured and rinsed all which was still to shadow forth the contagion of sinne Vers 30. And no sin-offering whereof any of the bloud is brought into the tabernacle c. Namely the sin-offering for the priest and the congregation See Levit. 4. 16. which were burnt without the camp and this might signifie that men cleaving to the legall priesthood and not seeking for the better priesthood of Christ could not be saved CHAP. VII Vers 1. LIkewise this is the law of the trespasse-offering c. For what transgressions the sinne-offering was appointed and for what the trespasse-offering it is hard to determine Some think the trespasse-offering was for smaller sinnes but I rather conceive
commanded them not and so were severely punished for it as is afterwards expressed Now that this happened that very eighth day whereof mention is made Chap. 9. 1. immediately after those first sacrifices were consumed by fire from the Lord may be gathered by that which follows from vers 12. to the end of the chapter which plainly concerneth those sacrifices whereof we reade in the former chapter And thus God taught them betimes the weaknesse of the Leviticall priesthood and withall with what fear and exact care it was fit they should carry themselves in the service of God Vers 2. And there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them That is killed them as the sword is said to devoure 2. Sam. 2. 26. Then Abner called to Joab and said Shall the sword devoure for ever For that neither their bodies nor clothes were burnt to ashes appears verse 5. So they went near and carried them in their coats out of the camp Vers 3. Then Moses said unâo Aaron This is it that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified c. The substance of these following words is in many places to be found as Exod. 19. 22. And let the priests also that come near to the Lord sanctifie themselves lest the Lord break forth upon them again Levit. 8. 35. Therefore shall ye abide at the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven dayes and keep the charge of the Lord that ye dye not and this is sufficient Yet happely these very words also at some other time were spoken by God though not written As for the words themselves I will be sanctified by them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified the meaning of them is that God will have those that come nigh him carry themselves as become those that serve so holy a God with all possible care and reverence and fear and that God will else manifest his holinesse in punishing them Ezek. 28. 22. Behold I am against âhee O Zidon and I will be glorified in the midst of thee Two arguments are therefore herein couched to keep Aaron from murmuring 1. because the punishment was just 2. because God should be glorified hereby and both the people and his posterity receive good by it And Aaron held his peace That is though happely at first he began to take on pitifully and to give too much liberty to his passions yet hearing those words of Moses he presently checked himself laid his hand upon hiâ mouth and not a word more would he speak And doubtlesse this is noted as a notable instance of his piety and quiet submission to Gods good will and pleasure and that his carriage was herein most singalarly remarkable we shall see if we note these particulars First that he had now lost two of his sonnes yea his two eldest sonnes together at a clap We know what Rebeckah in great angaish of soul said to Jacob when his brother Esau had resolved to kill him Gen. 27. 45. Go âlie to Paran why should I be deprived of you boâh in one day Secondly that they were cut off suddenly by an untinely death as we use to say when neither themselves not their poore father did ever dream of any such danger Thirdly that they were cut off by a way which might seem to testifie Gods hot displeasure against them for they were devoured by fire from God the Lord by the manner of their death pointing out the sinne for which they were stricken and what father had not rather lose all his stock of children in an ordinary way then have execution done upon any one of them by Gods immediate hand in such a terrible manner Fourthly that it was at a time when âheir hearts no doubt were as full of joy as ever they could hold it being the first day of their entring upon that high honour of their priestly function and in such a sunshine of Gods favour to be so suddenly thunderstruck must needs adde to their calamity And last of all that they were cut off with such severity for so small an offense as reason might judge of it onely for taking fire to burn the incense from one place when they should have taken it from another and that not purposely done but onely through mistake an errour into which when they had so much to do and were yet unacquainted with the service they might easily fall Vers 4. And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan the two sonnes of Vzziel the uncle of Aaron c. The nearest kindred it seems used to perform this office of carrying the dead to be buried and their brethren the priests might not leave their ministery therefore Aarons cosin germans are appointed to do it Vers 6. Vncover not your heads neither rend your clothes c. The severall laws that concern the priests mourning for their dead friends we have largely set down in the one and twentieth chapter of this book where the inferiour priefts are allowed to be mourners at the buriall of a brother though the high priest is forbidden it But this is a speciall charge for this present occasion onely and so here not onely Aaron but also his sonnes that remained still alive are forbidden all the usuall solemnities of mourning for Nadab and Abihu not to uncover tâeir heads nor to rend their clothes nor to go out from the doore of the tabernaclâ ãâã the congrâgation and that first becâuse it was an extraordinary judgemenâ of God that was fallen upon their brethren and they were to testifie their ââbmissiââ thereuâââ by not lamenting their death Secondly because the solemnity and service of the dây might not be interrupted being newly anointed and now at this time prepared for their first entring upon the execution of their priestly office they might not break off this service to attend the buriall of their brethren But why are they injoyned not to uncover their heads since it may seem by other places that it was not the custome of mourners amongst the Jews to uncover their heads but rather to cover them as we may see 2. Sam. 15. 30. David went up the ascent of mount Olivet and wept as he went up and had his head covered and he went barefoot and all the people that was with him covered every man his head and they went up weeping as they went up and so again chap. 19. 4. But the king covered his face and the king cried with a loud voyce Oh my sonne Absolom O Absolom my sonne my sonne See also Jer. 14. 3 4. The answer is that the priests are here injoyned not to uncover their heads that is not to take off their miters and bonnets which they wore on their heads to the end they might not addresse themselves in the way of mourners to attend the buriall of Nadab and Abihu to wit by covering their heads with the usuall vail or covering of mourners The chief aim of this command was to intimate
why they might not go out as mourners to the buriall of their brethren to wit because they might not put off their priestly attire and so give over the service they had in hand the rather because they were newly consecrated and there were so few of them to attend the service Vers 9. Do not drink wine or strong drink c. Nadab and Abihu though not through wine had erred not in putting a difference betwixt holy and profane upon this occasion God gives charge that other things which might occasion the like errour may be avoyded Vers 12. Take the meat-offering that remaineth c. Namely the remainder of the meat-offering that is mentioned chap. 9. ver 17. Which Moses calls upon them to eat according to the directions formerly given them 1. Thereby to incourage Aaron and his sonnes to go on in their service lest they should have doubted because of the late judgement upon Nadab and Abihu whether God would ever be pleased that they should any more meddle with his sacrifices 2. Because this sudden destruction of their brethren had let them see how exactly carefull they had need to be that all things were done according to Gods appointment and thirdly Because there was great danger lest being disturbed by this heavy and unexpected accident they should forget or neglect their duty herein especially in this particular of eating the meat-offering it being usuall with men in sorrow to refuse their meat Vers 13. And ye shall eat it in the holy place c. That is the court of the Sanctuary as Levit. 6. 16. And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sonnes eat with unleavened bread it shall be eaten in the holy place in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it Vers 14. And the wave-breast and heave-shoulder shall be eaten in a clean place c. Moses here also puts them in mind to eat the shoulder and breast to wit of the peoples peace-offerings Levit. 9 21. And the breast and right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave-offering before the Lord and that in a clean place meaning the camp of Israel and in ages following the citie of Jerusalem where the like holy things were eaten Thou and thy sonnes and thy daughters with thee Namely such as were onely maids widows and divorced returned to their fathers house see Levit. 22. 11 12. where others are also mentioned that might eat of them Vers 16. And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sinne-offering c. Amongst other things wherein Moses feared lest Aaron and his sonnes should offend by reason of the sorrow which God had brought upon them this was one thing he doubted lest they should omit the eating of the sinne-offering and therefore he sought diligently to see what was done with it to wit that goat of the sin-offering spoken of Levit. 9. 15. And he tooke the goat which was the sinne-offering c. as appeareth vers 10. of this chapter where Moses saith it was given them to bear the iniquitie of the congregation Indeed it is clear that the sinne-offering for the congregation was to be carried without the camp and burnt by that law Levit. 4. 21. And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp and burn him as he burned the first bullock But then the bloud of that sinne-offering was carried within the tabernacle Levit 4. 16 17. Now because Aaron had not yet accesse into the holy place till he had prepared a way by these first sacrifices in the court therefore the bloud of this sinne-offering was not brought into the tabernacle as in an extraordinary case and consequently it was not to be burnt without the camp but to be eaten by the priests by that other law Levit. 6. 26 30. The priest that offereth it for sinne shall eat it in the holy place shall it be eaten in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation c. This Aaron and his sonnes in their grief either forgetting or not duly considering did burn it without the camp which was not according to the law See the note upon Levit. 9. 15. And he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar c. Though Aaron was also in fault and Moses in reproving Eleazar and Ithamar his sonnes in his presence did also reprove him yet he bends his anger chiefly against his sonnes as sparing what he could the father in regârd of his late heavie losse of his two other sonnes his sons faith the text that were left alive which is added to intimate one chief cause of his anger namely that they notwithstanding they had seen what was done to their brethren had exposed themselves to like danger but that God in mercy spared them Vers 18. Behold the bloud of it was not brought in c. Therefore it should have been eaten and not burnt See the former note upon vers 16. Vers 19. And Aaron said unto Moses Behold this day they have offered their sinne-offering c. This apology of Aarons consists of three parts 1. That though they had failed in this particular yet the main had not been neglected the sacrifices had been duly offered 2. That their failing in the rites and ceremonies requisite was by reason of grief occasioned by those dolefull accidents which had so lately befallen them 3. That this might now extenuate his fault though happely he did not omit it upon that reason that if they had eaten the sinne-offering it would not have been acceptable to the Lord because of that heavinesse and sorrow that was upon them which made them unfit and unworthy to eat those holy things for the law requires them that eat before the Lord to rejoyce See Deut. 12. 7. 26. 14. Hose 9. 4. Vers 20. And when Moses heard that he was content Either as approving his fact and allowing his excuse to be sufficient or else rather as finding it a lesse fault then he supposed it had been to wit that he did it not willingly but of humane frailty and perplexed with grief whereupon he passeth it by with pity as loth to adde affliction to affliction and perhaps deferred his further admonition till another time CHAP. XI Vers 1. ANd the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron saying unto them c. The former laws concerned the sanctification of the priests and the rites and ceremonies of the sacrifices now generall laws are given concerning the sanctification of the people and first for avoyding that uncleannesse which cometh from things without the man and in giving these laws the Lord spake both to Moses and to Aaron because it belonged both to the magistrate and priest to see these laws executed the priest being to teach the difference between clean and unclean Ezek. 44. 23. And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane and cause men to discern between the unclean and clean and the Magistrate to take care that this difference was observed and hence is that
of oyl is commonly thought to be half a pint the three tenth deals of fine flowre were for accessory meat-offerings for the three sacrifices afore mentioned Indeed in the fifteenth of Numbers meat-offerings are appointed onely for burnt-offerings and peace-offerings nor do we any where reade of a meat-offering that was to be joyned either with sinne-offering or trespasse-offering And besides where an offering of fine flowre is injoyned for a sinne-offering Levit. 5. 11. to wit to be offered apart by it self not as accessory to any other sacrifice they were forbidden to put any oyl upon it whereas these are appointed to be mingled with oyl And therefore it seems these sacrifices for the cleansing of the leper had peculiar rites and were not in all things performed according to the ordinary way of other sacrifices Vers 12. And wave them for a wave-offering See the notes upon Exodus 29. 24. Vers 1â And he shall slay the lamb in the place c. See the note upon Levit 1. 11. and upon Levit. 7. 7. Vers 14. And the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear c. Hereby was signified that by virtue of Christs bloud the leper was now restored to his former freedome of entercourse and commerce with others as also that the whole man was to be renewed and consecrated to Gods service See the note upon Exod. 29. 20. Vers 15. And the prâest shall take some of the log of oyl The oyl in the hand of the priest fignified the spirit by Christ conveyed unto us Vers 16. And sprinkle of the oyl with his finger c. Figuring our consecraâion to Gods service by the same spirit Vers 17. And the rest of the oyl that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear c. This signified the sanctification of the whole man by the same spirit Vpon the bloud of the trespasse-offering That is upon the very same place where the bloud was sprinkled Vers 20. And the priest shall offer the burnt-offering To wit that other he-lamb mentioned vers 10. Now by these rites the lepers were to professe their thankfulnesse to God in and through Christ as for the cure of their leprosie so also for the remission of their sinnes which had brought that judgement upon them and for their sanctification by his spirit Vers 31. And the other for a burnt-offering with the meat-offering That is the meat-offering that was to accompany the turtle dove or young pigeon offered for the burnt-offering whereby it appears that even the smaller burnt-offerings of turtle doves had also their meat-oâferings as well as the greater of lambs c. Vers 36. Then the priest shall command that they all empty the house c. The priest must before he goeth into the house to view the place in the house suspected of leprosie command all that are in the house to come forth and the reason is given that all that are in the house be not made unclean Whereby it is evident that though the house had indeed the plague of leprosie yet the inhabitants that were in the house were not rendred unclean thereby till the priest had pronounced it to be a leprosie but then all that came iâto the house were thereby unclean And so it seems therefore it was with men too that were infected with leprosie No man was unclean by being in the company of a leprous person till the priest had pronounced him to be a leper Vers 40. And they shall cast them into an unclean place without the citie That by the uncleannesse of the place they may be known to be unclean things that so âoâemay be defiled thereby Vers 41. And he shall cause the house to be scraped c. To wit lest the plague of leprosie should be in any other part of the walls of the house and being hidden under the plaister should not be discovered CHAP. XV. Vers 3. WHether his flesh runne with his issue or his flesh be stopped from his issue it is his uncleannesse That is he shall for it be counted unclean The issue here spoken of which rendred men unclean is that which we call the running of the reins Now because this disease men have in a different manner for sometime their seed being of a thinne substance runs continually from them and sometimes again being of a thicker substance it slows not so freely forth buâ stops in the passage and so putrifies the place through which it should passe in both these cases they are declared to be unclean Now though by this legall pollution they were taught the filthinesse of all sinne whatsoever yet more especially I conceive it was to signifie that originall corruption and filthinesse of our nature which is conveyed unto us in our first conception by that very seed and substance whereof we are made Vers 4. Every bed whereon he lyeth that hath the issue is unclean These laws following shew the contagion of siâne which defileth not onely men themselves but every thing besides which a wicked man hath to do with for unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure Tit. 1. 15. Vers 12. And every vessâll of wood shall be rinsed in water That is of wood or any other such strong matter as silver copper brasse c. Vers 16. And if any mans seed of copulation go out c. This is not meant of the issue forespoken of nor when a man lyeth with a woman whereof vers 18. but of the seed of the healthfull issuing by reason of nightly dreams or any such accident whereof see Deut. 23. 10. Vers 19. And whâsoever toucheth her shall be unclean c. To wit every one that is of years of discretion and so fit to be ordered by this law For it is not likely that infants that lay in the arms and sucked on the breasts of their mothers when they were in this condition were rendred unclean thereby Vers 24. And if any man lie with her at all c. To wit ignorantly for if he did it presumptuously not pollution but cutting off was his punishment Levit. 20. 18. And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sicknesse and shall uncover her nakednesse he hath discovered her fountain and he hath uncovered the fountain of her bloud aud both of them shall bâ cut off from among the people Yet some conceive that this place is onely meant of lying in the same bed with a woman and not of carnall copulation CHAP. XVI Vers 1. ANd the Lord spake unto Moses after the death of the two sonnes of Aaron c. That is upon that occasion lest they should again endanger themselves by entring into the most holy place as before by offering strange fire and so also within a short time after that happened for it doth not follow that because the Lord upon that occasion gave this ensuing charge therefore the laws set down in the former chapters are transposed and
they eat their holy things c. That is the priests shall not by suffering the people to eat of the holy things expose them to the guilt of such a sinne and the punishment that will follow thereon Vers 18. Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel or of the stranger in Israel c. In this precept three things are required in all burnt-offerings whether they were brought by Israelites born or proselytes who though they were strangers born yet embracing the religion of the Israelites were admitted to offer sacrifices as being ingrafted as it were into Gods Israel and whether they were brought for a vow or a freewill-offering to wit first that they must be of the beeves or sheep or goats secondly that they must alwayes be males in other sacrifices a female was sometimes accepted but never in burnt-offerings and thirdly that they must be without blemish of all which see the notes upon the first chapter of this book Vers 21. And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace-offerings c. Here direction is given for their peace-offârings to wit that whether they were brought for a vow or for a freewill-offering they must be first of the flocks or herds beeves or sheep or goats and secondly that they must be perfect and without blemish that is as some distinguish them perfect in regard of the inwards and outwardly without blemish Yet in peace-offerings that were not for a vow but for a freewill-offering though no blemish was allowed yet something was allowed that was after a sort a blemish as appears in the exception that follows vers 23. to wit a bullock or a lamb or kid that had any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts for this is not meant of such cattel as were any way monstrous that had of any part too many or too few as five legs or three ears or but one eye but it is meant of such as had any part too long or too short over big or over little not according to thâ ordinary proportion of nature as is usually in other catel of that kind and this though it were some kind of defect yet it was not accounted a blemish and so it was allowed in peace-offerings that were brought for a freewill-offering not in peace-offerings that were brought for a vow Vers 2â Ye shall not offer unto the Lord that which iâ bruisâd c. No not in freewill-freewill-offerings Vers 25. Neither from a strangers hand shall ye offâr the brâad of your God c. Some understand this of strangers that were proselytes leââ say they any man should think that such blemished sacrifices as are before spoken of might serve for proselytes expresse mention is made that from their hands they should not be excepted Some again by strangers will have such meant as were neither of the seed nor the religion of the Israelites uncircumcised strangers and these expound this law three severall wayes to wit first that though such blemished sacrifices were bought from the hand of strangers uncircumcised with their money yet they might not offer them to God because they were blemished and so their corruption was in them that is they were corrupted and polluted and so were not fit for sacrifices or secondly that if a stranger that is any of the hâathen uncircumcised would bring any sacrifice to be offered for them and brought any of those fore-mentioâed blemished sacrifices it should not be accepted or thirdly that from the hand of any pagan they should not offer the bread of their God that is his sacriââces of any of these that is of any of the cattel before mentioned whether blemished or without blemish and that because they are blemished and polluted even because they are brought by the uncircumcised But neither of these two last Expositions seem to me probable Not the first of them because I no where find that the heathen were allowed to bring any sacrifices at all and therefore it was needlesse to forbid the taking of a blemished sacrifice from them Nor the last because thiâ law doth onely speak of sacrifices that should be accepted from the Israelites and not for heathens as the last clause doth evidently shew they shall not be accepted for you Vers 27. When a bullock or a sheep or a goat is brought forth then it shall be seven dayes under the damme c. The same is enjoyned concerning their first-born cattel Exod. 22. 30. Because till they were eight dayes old they were not fit to be eaten by men therefore till then the Lord would not allow them to be brought for sacrifices Vers 28. And whether it be cow or ew ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day To wit that being taught mercie in killing of beasts for sacrifices they might learn much more to shew mercie to men and also how they should labour after perfect purity when they came to offer sacrifices to God Vers 30. On the same day it shall be eaten up c. See chap. 17. 15. CHAP. XXIII Vers 2. COncerning the feasts of the Lord which yâ shall proclaim to be holy convocations even these are my feasts c. That is these are the feasts which you my people shall cause to be proclaimed as holy convocations to wit by the priests for it is generally held that the priests did by sounding of the trumpets proclaim these festivals The Lord having before given direction for sacrifices now gives order for festivall times whereon many sacrifices were usually offered Vers 3. The seventh day is the Sabbath of rest an holy convocation yè shall do no work therein That is no work appertaining to their earthly businesses or imployments upon other festivall dayes they were not tyed so strictly except onely the day of Expiation for upon other festivall dayes the restraint is ye shall do no servile work therein as we may see vers 7 8 21 c. but upon the Sabbath and the day of Expiation vers 28. the Law runnes ye shall do no work therein and the difference betwixt these is commonly held to be this that on the other festivals they were forbidden all servile work that is all work appertaining to their worldly callings wherein usually on other dayes their servants were imployed but were allowed any work in providing food for the day and so indeed that which was forbidden on the first day of unleavened bread in the seventh verse of this chapter under the name of servile work In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work therein is expressed thus Exod. 12. 16. And in the first day there shall be an holy convââation no manner of work shall be done in them save that which every man must eat and that onely may be done of you But on the Sabbath day and day of atonement they were restrained from all bodily labour yea even that of providing or dressing their food as is evident Exod. 16. 23. and Exod. 35. 3.
to serve âlwayes in the tabernacle or temple whereas otherwise he should have served there onely in his course and such an one they say could not be redeemed But if the person vowed were of any other tribe they were onely vowed to such service of the tabernacle as they not being of the tribe of Levi were capable of as for drawing of water or hewing of wood which the Gibeonites afterwards did Josh 9. 27. or if they were women for spinning for making the priests garments and providing those things that were necessary for the repair of the tabernacle and other such like services which accordingly they did perform or else paid the price of their redemption here prescribed But others again hold that the aim and intention of these personall vows was onely that they should pay the price of their redemption to the priests which was imployed either for the maintenance of the priests Numb 18. 14. or else for the reparations of the Sanctuary 2. Kings 12. 4 5. Vers 3. And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old He begins with this age because it comprehends the chief of mans time for ability of body and mind Vers 4. And if it be a female then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels As here so again also vers 5 6 7. still a smaller summe is appointed for the redemption of a female vowed unto the Lord then for the redemption of a male and that not so much because of the dignity of the man above the woman as because the labour and service of a man is counted usually of much more value then the ministery and service of a woman Vers 5. And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old c. These that were vowed to God so young could not be vowed by themselves but by their parents who might as well vow them to God as sell them to be servants to others and therefore they were bound by their parents vow and were to be redeemed Now though the service of those that were vowed to God in their childhood may seem to be more worth by reason the time of their service was likely to be longer then those that were vowed at thirty and fourty years old yet is there here a lesser ransome appointed for the redemption of children then for those of farre more years and that because they were valued not according to the years they might live which vvere uncertain but according to their present estate and condition Vers 6. And if it be from a moneth old even unto five years old c. Under this age there vvas no valuation at all see Numb 13. 40 47. and 18. 16. yet some conceive that by those of a moneth old are meant all that vvere in their first moneth even from the first moneth birth unto a moneth fully complete Vers 8. But if he be poorer then thy estimation then he shall present himself before the priest and the priest shall value him c The party vovved unto the Lord together vvith the party vovving as vvhen the father vovved his sonne or daughter and it is left to the discreet charity of the priest to sâââ reasonable rate upon him according to his ability Vers 9. And if it be a beast whereof men bring an offering unto the Lord c. That is a clean beast vvithout blemish Vers 10. And if he shall at all change beast for beast then it and the exchange thereof shall be holy To vvit by vvay of penalty and because both vvere in a manner consecrated to God and such things as are once consecrated to God must not return to the ovvner again Vers 11. And if it be any unclean beast of which they do not offer a sacrifice unto the Lord c. This vvhich is said of unclean beasts to wit that if any such be vowed they must be redeemed at such a price as the priest shall value them c. may be meant of blemished beasts otherwise fit for sacrifice or rather generally of unclean beasts that might not be offered in sacrifice onely some will have the dog excepted because of that place Deut. 23. 18. yea according to this law Expositours conceive they were bound to do in all other moveable goods that were vowed to wit that the priests having set a price upon them the party that vowed them might redeem them and that otherwise the priests might sell them or dispose of them as they thought fit Vers 13. But if he will at all redeem it then he shall adde a fifth part c. As is enjoyned in the case of purloyning holy things chap. 5. 16. And he shall maâe amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy things and shall adde the fifth part thereto So in this case of vows when he that voweth will not stand to his promise the Lord layeth on him this penalty for his inconstancy and lightnesse of mind that men might learn to be stable-minded even in such voluntary vows and not think to have any interest in that which is once by a vow given to God Vers 14. And when a man shall sanctifie his house to be holy unto the Lord c. That is by a vow which men were wont to do as desiring to obtain from God a safe healthfull and prosperous habitation in them Vers 15. And if he that sanctified it will redeem his house then he shall adde the fifth part c. Why this was enjoyned see the note before upon vers 13. The priests did usually value those things that were vowed at a reasonable rate and therefore they might the better pay a fifth part more then the price set upon them But if they did not redeem their houses at the year of Jubile the priests had the perpetuall possession of them and this made them the more carefull and willing to redeem them Vers 16. And if a man shall sancââfie unto the Lord some part of a field of his possession c. That is if a man shall vow unto the Lord some part of a field that came by inheritance for direction is afterwards given vers 22. for fields purchased of others wherein onely they should have right unto the year of Jubile the priest then was to set an estimation upon it according to the quantity of seed that would sow the land so vowed and that price the owner of the land was to pay to the priest if he would redeem it and a fifth part over and above This vowing of some part of their land unto the Lord was usually done in expectation of having their fields yield the greater increase and the price here set for the redemption of such land was that they were to pay according to the rate of fifty shekels for so much land as required an homer of barley seed to sow it as for instance if an homer would sow it then they were to pay fifty shekels of silver for
hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fiftie at least if there were some small difference it was under fifty such small numbers being indeed usually not set down in the Scriptures yet then it is most probable that the tribe of Levi was numbred which are here lest out And if so thence it must needs follow that there were then at their first numbring so many young men of nineâeen years of age that now were twenty years old as made up the number of the Levites that they might see they should lose nothing by whatsoever was imployed in Gods service Vers 48. For the Lord had spoken unto Moses saying c. His numbring of the tribe of Levi by themselves not amongst the rest some might think did proceed from an ambitious desire to exalt ââs own tribe and therefore he makes expresse mention that it was done by Gods speciall command and that to shew that God had exempted them both from warres and all other secular imployments and separated them onely to attend upon the service of the tabernacle and besides because consequently their number was to be taken after another manner to wit from a moneth old and upward chap. 3. 15. Vers 51. And the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death That is whosoever is not of the tribe of Levi and this the Lord enjoyned both to bring them to the more reverend esteem of Gods holy things and withall to make them ever mindfull of this that there was no drawing nigh unto God without a Mediatour CHAP. II. Vers 1. ANd the Lord spake to Moses and Aaron saying The people being all numbred as God had appointed in the former chapter in this chapter the Lord gives direction for the ordering of every tribe when they pitched their tents and when they marched forward for to prevent confusion in their marching some order was necessary and to cut off all matters of contention the Lord himself appoints unto every tribe their severall place Vers 2. Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard with the ensigne c. For the understanding of this we must know 1. that every tribe was to have a particular ensigne or banner called here the ensigne of their fathers house and so where that was displayed all of that tribe were to pitch their tents together as in one bodie 2. that the camp being divided into foure quarters in each quarter there was to be three tribes who besides their severall ensignes had one standard in common for them all which the chief of the three tribes carried and so every man of the children of Israel was ordered to pitch by his own standard 3. that being thus divided orderly into foure quarters they were appointed to pitch their tents about the tabernacle of the congregation to wit three tribes in one quarter in the East and three tribes in another quarter in the West and so three likewise on the South and three on the North and then the tabernacle was in the middest of them So hereby they were taught that God would dwell amongst them as his people to provide for them to protect and defend them c. and withall they were taught to have God still in their mind and so to fear him alwayes and worship him as they ought to do and 4. that though the tribes did thus pitch their tents round about the tabernacle yet it was as the text saith a farre off that is there was a good distance betwixt them and the tabernacle how farre off it was we cannot say yet it may be probably ghessed that it was two thousand cubits which is an English mile because we find that such a distance was between the ark and the people when they passed over Jordan Josh 3. 4. And thus we may conceive what a glorious sight it was to behold the tribes thus orderly ranked in their severall places and that it was no wonder though Balaam was stricken with admiration to behold it Numb 24. 5 6. How goodly are thy tents O Jacob ' and thy tabernaclâs O Israel as the valleys are they spread forth by the rivers side c. Vers 3. And on the East-side toward the rising of the sunne shall the standard of Judah pitch c. Thus the tribe of Judah out of which Christ was to come hath the preheminence and goes foremost as Captain of the rest and is therein a type of Christ the lion of the tribe of Judah who also is Michael that with his Angels fighteth against the Dragon and goeth before his heavenly armies Rev. 12. 7. Thus Judah hath the dignity of the first-born which was taken from Reuben neither can Reuben wiâhstand it because God hath so ordered it Vers 5. And those that do pitch next unto him shall be the tribe of Issachar And with him Zebulun ver 7. both younger brothers to Judah that they might the more willingly be under his regiment Vers 9. And all that were numbred in the camp of Judah were a hundred c. Thus the greatest number were in the first quarter for the more safety of the Sanctuary and all Israel almost thirty thousand moâ then in any other quarter These shall first set forth That is when the camp removes these tribes before mentioned to wit Judah aâd Issachar and Zebulun which went together in one regiment under Judahs standard were to advance forward in the first place whereby it is evident that when they journeyed from one place to another they did not march in that order as their tents were pitched about the tabernacle when they stayed in any place but first those of Judahs standard advanced forward in the forefront then immediately behind followed those of Reubens standard ver 16. then next behind them came the regiment under the standard of Ephraim ver 24. and then in the last place came those that belonged to the standard of Dan ver 31. onely the Levites went some of them betwixt the regiment of Judah and the regiment of Reuben as is expressed chap. 10. 17. and other next after Reubens regiment just in the midst of their armies having six tribes before them and six behind them Vers 10. On the South-side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben The South was to them that were ranked now with their faces Eastward on their right hand and so the right wing is given unto Reuben because he was the first-born though he lost his birthright Gen 49. which Judah and Joseph had shared between them Vers 12. And those which pitch by him shall be the tribe of Simeon c. Who was his next brother and that by Leah his mother Now his other brother by Leah being already disposed of who was fitter to be joyned with him then Gad the first-born of Zilpah Leahs handmaid Vers 14. Then the tribe of Gad c. See chap. 1. 14. Vers 17. Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp
of the Levites in the middest of the camp c. It is expressely said chap. 10. 17. that in their journeyings when the camp removed from one place to another the sonnes of Gershon and the soânes of Merari set forward bearing the tabernacle that is the boards and coverings of the tabernacle next after Judahs regiment between Judahs and Reubens regiment and then afterwards the Kohathites onely bearing the Sanctuary went just in the midst of the camp having six tribes before them and six behind them This therefore that is said here that the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp must either be understood onely of the Kohathites who carried the Sanctuary even all the holy things just in the midst of the camp or else by the midst of the camp must not be meant precisely the just midst of the camp but onely that they went between the regiments of the other tribes some immediately after the regiment of Judah and the rest next after the regiment of Reuben and so these last onely were precisely in the midst of the camp Vers 18. On the West-side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim c. Unto Josephs sonnes a double priviledge is here given because he was to have a part of Reubens birthright as it is expressely said 1. Chron. 5. 1 2. for first the posterity of his two sonnes are made two severall tribes which might have been an occasion of much contention had not God thus expressely ordered it and 2. unto them the West quarter is given for their pitching of their tents and that I conceivâ as the second place of honour in the camp for in the same regard is the West quarter amongst the Levites given to the posterity of Gershon the eldest sonne of Levi chap. 3. 23. and so as amongst them Moses and Aaron and the priests pitched immediately before the tabernacle and then the Gershonites that were of Levies eldest sonne just behind the tabernacle so in the ordering of the other tribes Judahs regiment pitched before the tabernacle and the sonnes of Joseph behind it And besides when they journeyed they went in the forefront of those tribes that followed the tabernacle and so both when they marched and when they pitched their tents they had the tabernacle still in their faces as if appointed to take speciall care of it whereto some Expositours conceive the Psalmist alludes in that expression Psal 80. 2. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manâsseh stirre up thy strength and come and save us For with the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh in this regigiment and quarter Benjamin is here joyned ver 22. and so all Rachels posterity encamped together But yet Ephraim Josephs younger sonne is appointed to be standard bearer in the camp before his elder brother Manasseh according to Jacobs prophecy of Ephraims superiority Gen. 48. 19 20. where he set Ephraim before Manasseh Vers 24. All that were numbred of the camp of Ephraim c. This was the smallest number of all the armies Vers 25. The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the North-side by their armies He was the first-born of the handmaids children and Jacobs fifth sonne Gen. 30. 6. and by prophecy he was to judgâ his people as one of the tribes of Israel Gen. 49. 16. So God appointed him the standard in the left wing with him are joyned the other two remaining sonnes of the handmaids to wit Asher ver 27. and Naphtaly ver 29. CHAP. III. Vers 1. THese also are the generations of Aaron and Moses c. That is these mentioned and numbred in the sequele of this chapter are of the stock whence Aaron and Moses dâscended to wit of the tribe of Levi for by the generations of such and such persons in the Scripture is meant sometimes their ancestours sometimes their children and posterity and sometimes their whole kindred and family as here it is taken Yet even the children of Aaron and Moses are numbred amongst the rest for though there be no mention made of Moses sonnes as there is of Aarons ver 2. yet even Moses sonnes are included amongst the Kohathites of which family Moses was ver 28. And therefore is Aâron in this place prefixt before Moses because in this regard Aarons sonnes as being priests had the preheminence of Moses posterity who were but ordinary Levites As for that clause in the day that the Lord spake with Moses in mount Sinai that I conceive is purposely added because some of these here mentioned though they were living when the Lord spake with Moses in mount Sinai yet they were now dead in the second moneth of the second year when this command was given for the numbring of the people namely Nadab and Abihu mentioned ver 2. Vers 6. Bring the tribe of Levi near and present them before Aaron c. Aaron and his sonnes entred upon the office of the priesthood in the first moneth of the second year after their going out of Egypt as it is evident Levit. 10. but it seems the Levites were not set apart to enter upon their office till they were now numbred and appointed how they should pitch their tents about the tabernacle and what the severall charge should be of each family of them which was in the second moneth of the second year chap. 1. 1. But yet that they should be set apart to this imployment in stead of the first-born was promised them before when they were appointed to slay those that had worshipped the golden calf as is before noted upon Exâd 32. 29. How this may be reconciled with that in Deut. 10. 8. see in the notes upon that place Vers 7. And they shall keep his charge and the charge of the whole congregation c. That is they shall pitch their tents round about the tabernacle that they may be near at hand to be subservient and helpfull unto Aaron in the severall duties of Gods worship and the service of the tabernacle which God hath given in charge to Aaron and which God hath given in charge to the whole congregation Vers 8. And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation and the charge of the children of Israel c. That is that wherewith the children of Israel must have stood charged but that the Levites are separated to take it upon them in Israels behalf Vers 10. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sonnes and they shall wait on their priests office c. That is though the Levites are given unto Aaron and his sonnes for his help that they may minister unto him and be assistants in those things which are fit for them yet with those things that belong peculiaâly to the priests office even the Levites themselves must not upon pain of death intermeddle nor must the priests turn over the work of the Sanctuary to the Levites so to ease themselves they must wait
miracle And yet I think not that the ground was all over covered two cubits thick as farre as a dayes journey reached round about the camp for where then did they spread them abroad when they had gathered them but that they lay here and there scattered the heaps being in many places two cubits thick Vers 32. He that gathered least gathered ten homers That is a hundred bushels for an ephah was near the same with our bushel and an homer contained ten ephahs Ezek. 45. 11 14. The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure that the bath may contain the tenth part of an homer and the ephah the tenth part of an homer and indeed hereby we may see how miraculously abundant this flight of quails was which makes the Psalmist say that God rained flesh upon them as dust and feathered fouls as the sand of the sea Psal 78. 27. And they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp To preserve them from putrifying to which end it is likely that they used art also in salting and drying them or else they were as miraculously preserved as sent for they eat of them a moneth together Vers 33. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth c. It is evident in the twentieth verse of this chapter that the people did eat of these quails a moneth together ere the wrath of the Lord brake out against them and therefore we may well conceive that it is thus expresly noted that the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people and that he smote them with a very great plague while the flesh was yet between their teeth ere it was chewed to imply first the insatiable greedinesse of the people who after a moneths feeding on these quails were still so eager upon them secondly how opportunely the Lord punished them that they might see the Lord punished them for lusting after flesh and for their murmuring against Moses because they had it not he made the very flesh they had desired to be the cause of their destruction and while they were glutting themselves with these dainties they lusted after his wrath brake forth upon them and thirdly how fully he made good what he had before threatned vers 20. that they should eat flesh till it came out of their nostrils and it became loathsome unto them What this great plague was wherewith God smote them it is not expressed but it may seem probable by the expressions here used that the Lord caused them to surfet of this their feeding without fear and so hereof many of them dyed CHAP. XII Vers 1. ANd Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman c. Miriam is here named first and that as it may be probably conceived because she it was that began the quarrell and Aaron was stirred up by her and therefore also afterwards we see that she onely not Aaron was âtricken with leprosie However by the providence of God doubtlesse it was the better to clear it that Moses was exalted by Gods speciall favour not by any compaât amongst themselves that his own brother and sister did thus rise up against him What the ground or occasion of that quarrell was may seem questionable onely thus much is more then probable first that one main ground of their quarrell was their envy at the preheminence of Moses above them as appears by that their expostulation vers 2. Hath the Lord indeed spoken onely by Moses Hath he not spoken also by us Because Miriam was a prophetesse Exod. 15. 20. and Aaron the high priest and imployed by God together with Moses in fetching the Israelites out of Egypt therefore they grudged that the supreme power of government should be solely in Moses And perhaps this envy was newly stirred in Miriam because she being a prophetesse was not one of those seventy of whom mention is made in the foregoing chapter that were chosen to be assistants to Moses in the government of the people And secondly that whatever was the cause of this their quarrell against Moses yet the onely cause they alledged was that he had married an Ethiopian woman or a Cushite as it is in the margin not one of Abrahams holy stock and this was doubtlesse no other but Zipporah the Midianitesse for of her death we reade not and ordinarily in the Scriptuâes the Midianites and other neighbouring nations that inhabited Arabia Cush his land are called Cushites or Ethiopians as Hab. 3. 7. I saw the tents of Cushan or Ethiopia in affliction and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble Vers 2. Hath the Lord indeed spoken onely by Moses hath he not spoken also by us That is have not we the gift of prophecy as well as he and what reason then that he should be all in all who hath matched himself to one that is a stranger to the holy seed of Israel Vers 3. Now the man Moses was very meek c. Implying that first he had given them no cause thus to quarrell with him and secondly that he was now content to swallow these affronts patiently and made no complaint but the Lord took his cause in hand Nor is it strange that Moses should thus commend himself if we consider that he did it by the immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost that his meeknesse might be a pattern for the Church in all ages and therefore elsewhere we see also that he relates his sinnes and weaknesses and thus also doth S. Paul speak of himself as 1. Cor. 11. 1. Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ and 2. Cor. 11. and 12. But withall it may be held without wronging the authority of Moses writings that here and there by Joshua or some other of the prophets after him some passages were inserted which Moses himself wrote not such as that Deut. 34. concerning the death and buriall of Moses Vers 5. And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud and sâood in the doore of the tabernacle and called Aaron and Miriam Before God had commanded Moses and Aaron and Miriam vers 4. to come all three together to the tabernacle of the congregation where being all three together and the cloud being withall descended to the doore of the tabernacle the Lord now from thence calls to Aaron and Miriam to stand forth both because he was now particularly to speak to them and not to Moses as also that this separating them from Moses might intimate their folly in going about to make themselves equall with him Vers 7. My servant Moses is not so c. That is I do not make known my will to him so as to other prophets in dreams and visions but with him will I speak mouth to mouth even apparently and not in dark speeches and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold But what is the meaning of this doubtlesse God is invisible Col. 1. 15. No man hath seen God at any time
was removed But the text resolves us not Vers 41. But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses c. The very men whose lives Moses had saved the day before by praying to the Lord for them do now murmur against him and it is expresly noted that this they did on the morrow after they had seen that fearfull judgement that fell upon Korah Dathan and Abiram with all the men of their conspiracy thereby to intimate their horrible wickednesse that after the sight of so strange and fearfull a judgement they durst so immediately again make an insurrection against Moses charging him with the death of those rebells and that under the name of the people of the Lord ye have killed say they the people of the Lord when it was so evident that they were destroyed by the immediate hand of God as wretches not worthy to be numbred amongst Gods people Vers 42. And it came to passe when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation That is Moses and Aaron looked to God as having now no other refuge or shelter to fly to And behold the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord appeared This signe of Gods having somewhat to say to them for at such times the cloud descended stayed the rage of the people and saved Moses and Aaron Vers 46. Take a censer and put fire therein from off the altar c. No doubt the same spirit of God that informed him the plague was begun directed him to this course of offering incense which otherwise might onely be offered in the tabernacle for the staying of it yea and happely that Aarons offering incense might put the people in mind to pray unto the Lord whereof the incense was a signe Vers 48. And he stood between the dead and the living and the plague was stared That is as a mediatour be interposed himself by his intercession to stay the plague from passing any further and to save those from death that were not yet struck with this judgement of God yet it may be probably thought that this plague did not scatter it self through the whole congregation but beginning in one place did like a fire runne along upon those still that were next adjoyning and if it were thus even literally we may understand this place that Aaron set himself in that place where he was betwixt the dead and those that were not yet smitten as it were exposing himself to the wrath of God in the peoples behalf whereby it must needs be the more evident that those who were preserved were preserved by virtue of that atonement which he now made for them And herein was Aaron a type of Christ our Mediatour who made intercession for transgressours See Esa 53. 12. And he bare the sinnes of many and made intercession for the transgressours Luke 23. 34. Father forgive them for they know not what they do Vers 49. Now they that dyed in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred c. What the plague was is not expressed but to this some apply that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 10. 10. Neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer Vers 50. And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation Both to acquaint Moses how he had sped and to return thanks unto the Lord who had so graciously accepted the work of his hands CHAP. XVII Vers 2. Speak unto the children of Israel and take of every one of them a rod c. No doubt the Lord saw that notwithstanding his severe proceeding against those that mutined against Aaron yet the hearts of many amongst them were not sufficiently wrought upon but were still rising against this dignity of Aaron and therefore the Lord in wonderfull mercy by this ensuing miracle labours to overcome their rebellious hearts Now to this end he enjoyns Moses to take of each Prince of the tribes a rod or staff such as men did use ordinarily to carry in their hands as we reade of such a rod that Moses used to go with Exod. 4. 2. And the Lord said unto him What is that in thine hand And he said A rod or rather such as the Princes did use to carry in their hands as the signe of their dignity Numb 21. 18. The Princes digged the well the nobles of the people digged ât by the direction of the law-giver with their staves for a rod or staff in the hand of governours was a signe of their power and authority from God See Psal 110. 2. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion rule thou in the midst of thine enemies and Jer. 48. 16 17. The calamity of Moab is near to come and his affliction hasteth fast All ye that are about him bemoan him and all ye that know his name say How is the strong staff broken and the beautifull rod and thus the very signe of their authority becomes a signe and witnesse against them that the priesthood beloâged not to them but to Aaron onely Vers 2. Of all their Princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods There were twelve severall tribes and twelve Princes of each tribe a Prince and every Prince brought a rod with his name upon it whence to me it seems evident that there were twelve rods besides Aarons as is more fully expressed vers 6. Write thou every mans name upon his rod. Not the name of the Patriarâhs Reuben Simeon c. for we see that not Levies but Aarons name was written on his rod but the name of every Prince who was at present head of the tribe upon his own staff whence also it appears that there were twelve rods besides Aarons else if there were but one rod for the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh which of those two Princes names were written on their rod Vers 3. For one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers That is though I have distinguisht the tribe of Levi into two parts that of the priests the posterity of Aaron and that of the other Levites yet as in the other tribes there is but one rod for a tribe so must it be for the tribe of Levi and as the head or chief of every tribe hath his name written upon the rod of that tribe so shall Aarons name be written upon the rod of Levi whom I have set in the chief place that hereby my choice of him to serve in the priesthood may be fully made known Vers 4. And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony c. That is before the ark which is called the testimony because therein were kept the tables of the law called the testimony Exod. 25. 26. Either therefore they were to lay these rods in the holy place before the vail where the ark
stood within behind the vail or else in the most holy place before the ark for upon such extraordinary occasions we need not doubt but Moses used to go into the most holy place and evident it is that after they were broâght forth again and Aarons rod was found to flourish the rest continuing dry sticks or staves as they were before that was carryed into the most holy place and therefore the Apostle Heb. 9. 4. mentions Aarons rod that budded amongst those things that were within the vail and yet it is said to be returned to the place where they were all laid before vers 10. Bring Aarons rod again before the testimony However this laying of these rods up before the Lord was to signifie that it was referred to him to determine this controversie concerning the priesthood Vers 5. And I will make to cease from me the murmuring of the children of Israel That is in this particular concerning Aarons priesthood Vers 6. And the rod of Aaron was among their rods That is there being twelve rods brought for the twelve Princes of the twelve tribes which were it seems according to the custome of those times made of the almond tree for such Aarons was vers 8. that bloomed blossomes and yielded almonds they were all laid together and Aarons was put also amongst the other twelve Vers 8. And behold the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi budded c. Hereby the Lord did discover miraculously that he had chosen Aarons and his posterity to be the onely priests that should serve at his altar and withall the flourishing of this rod signified first the budding of Aarons posterity together with the flourishing glory and fruitfulnesse of the priesthood which continued in his posterity secondly the miraculous flourishing glory of Christs priesthood of which Aarons was a type to wit how he that rod out of the stemme of Jesse and branch that grew out of his root Esa 11. 1. though at first he was as a dry and withered sâick so that there was no beauty nor comlinesse in him Esa 53. 2. and especially in his death and burâall when he was indeed withered in the eye of reason without hope of recovery and dryed up like a potsheard Psal 22. 15. should yet suddenly sprout forth again to wit in his resurrection and so his priesthood should become an eternall priesthood and lââe Aarons budding fruitbearing rod should bring forth fruit to man believing on him remission of sinnes righteousnesse and eternall liâe and by the preaching of the Gospel that flourishing rod or sceptre of righteousnesse should become glorious all the world over to the great joy of all those that have interest in him and thirdly that all those that in the dayes of the Gospel were truly set apart to teach the people as Aaron was though in themselves but dry and withered sticks yet by the speciall grace of God should bear and bring forth buds and fruit and that their fruit should remain John 15. 16. Vers 12. And the children of Israel spake unto Moses saying Behold we die we perish we all perish Being by this miracle fully convinced of their sinne and then calling to mind how severely God had punished this their murmuring against Moses and Aaron how some had been burnt with fire some swallowed up into the earth alive some consumed with the plague they are stricken with an apprehension of the like danger the first step to repentance and therefore cry out as men that might justly expect to be every one of them destroyed as they were indeed in danger to be presently taken away by some judgement had not the Lord been the more mercifull to them Vers 13. Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the Lord shall die This is an amplification of their wofull condition to wit that though God should spare them now yet they should alwayes be in danger if they did never so little presse beyond the limits allowed them whosoever say they cometh any thing near that is nearer then they should and keep not off at their full distance wherein we may easily transgresse we see God will not spare them yea happely as men terrified are indeed wont to conceive their danger greater then it is they complain as if it would be perilous to come near the tabernacle at all Shall we be consumed with dying This may be a deprecation Shall we be consumed that is of thy mercie let us not be consumed for so questions are often used in earnest deprecations as Psal 85. 6. Wilt thou not revive us again that thy people may rejoyce in thee and Esa 64. 12. Wilt thou refrain thy self from these things O Lord wilt thou hold thy peace and afflict us very sore But I rather take it as a bemoaning of their condition CHAP XVIII Vers 1. THou and thy sonnes and thy fathers house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the Sanctuary Because of the peoples astonishment chap. 17. vers 12. Behold we die we perish we all perish the Lord here tells Aaron that he the priests and Levites must bear the iniquity of the Sanctuary that is that if any pollution came to it by the people they should answer for it and therefore it must be their charge to watch over it Thus the Lord shews himself reconciled and makes the priests watch a ground of appeasing the peoples both fear and envy And thou and thy sonnes with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood That is shall be punished if the priesthood be polluted either by your selves or the Levites intruding upon it which your watch should prevent Vers 3. Onely they shall not come nigh the vessels of the Sanctuary and the altar that neither they nor you also die To wit for not preventing the errour of your brethren the Levites by your care Vers 7. Therefore thou and thy sonnes with thee shall keep your priests office for every thing of the altar and within the vail That is for all things that concern the altar of burnt-offerings and for all things that are to be done within the vail that is within the outer vail either in the holy or most holy place Vers 8. Unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing c. That is for the office sake whereunto thou art anointed because I have separated thee from worldly employments to attend upon mine holy things therefore thou shalt have mine holy things to live upon Vers 9. Every oblation of theirs every meat-offering of theirs c. The particulars are here mentioned of the most holy things reserved from the fire that is the sacrifices whereof part was burnt upon the altar which were allotted to be the priests portion for their maintenance to wit oblations meat-offerings sin-offerings trespasse-offerings and this last is expressed thus every trespasse-offering of theirs which they shall render unto me because trespasse-offerings were brought as by way of recompence for some trespasse committed
Tahath thence to Tarah where it is thought that insolent mutiny began of Korah Dathan and Abiram thence they removed to Mithcah thence to Hashmonah thence to Moseroth thence to Bene-jaakan thence to Horha-gidgad thence to Jotbathah thence to Ebronah thence to Ezion-gaber which was close by the red sea for this was a place for shipping in Edoms land 1. King 9. 26. And King Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-Geber which is besides Eloth on the shore on the red sea in the land of Edom then they turned to the North again and pitched as here Moses tells us in another Kadesh which was in the desert of Zin of which Jephthah spake Judg. 11. 16. and this was in the first moneth to wit of the fourtieth year after they were come out of Egypt for at their next station in mount Hor whither they removed from this Kadesh Aaron dyed and that is noted to have been in the first day of the fifth moneth of the fourtieth year Numb 33. 38. So that in their travels from Kadesh-Barnea where the spie came to Moses to this Kadesh in the desert of Zin there were about eight and thirty years spent the most of their fathers that were numbred at their coming out of Egypt being in that time destroyed And Miriam dyed there and was buried there To wit in Kadesh She was the sister of Moses a prophetesse and by her also God guided the Israelites in their travels I sent before thee Moses and Aaron and Miriam saith the Lord to the Israelites Mich. 6. 4. and therefore is the place and time of her death and buriall noted This year Aaron dyed also chap. 33. 38. and Moses Deut 34. 7. and if this was the sister of Moses as it is generally held that was set to watch what would become of Moses when he was laid out in an ark of bulrushes Exod. 2. 4. she could be little lesse then ten years old when Moses was born and consequently she was about a hundred and thirty years now when she dyed for Moses who dyed towards the end of this year was a hundred and twenty years old when he dyed Deât 34. 7. Vers 2. And there was no water for the congregation c. With the same want God tryed their fathers in the first year after their going out of Egypt Exod. 17. 4. who thereupon murmured then also and had water out of a rock for in many particulars these two different stories were alike though not in all but in this these their children were worse then their fathers because the experience their fathers had of Gods succour in the very same extremity did no good upon them nor could prevent these their murmurings against Moses and Aaron Vers 3. Would God that we had dyed when our brethren dyed before the Lord. That is with those whom God did suddenly destroy in the insurrection of Korah Dathan and Abiram chap. 16. and so also at other times This they wished intimating that it had been easier to have been cut off so then to pine away now for want of water but the whilst in a desperate manner they most impudently flâght that fearfull judgement of being cut off in Gods fiery indignation as a matter of nothing Vers 6. And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly c. Namely for fear of the people because of their outrage and that they might go to the tabernacle to intercede as formerly chap. 14. 5. for this rebellious people And the glory of the Lord appeared unto them See chap. 16. 19. Vers 8. Take the rod and gather thou the assembly together c. It is very questionable what rod it was that God here appoints Moses to take for the working of this miracle of fetching water out of the rock Evident it is that Moses took the rod from before the Lord vers 9. that is out of the tabernacle and therefore some Expositours hold that it was Aarons rod which was budded and was laid up before the testimony chap. 17. 10. But more generally it is held that it was that rod of Moses wherewith he had wrought so many miracles in Egypt which seems indeed the more probable first because it is afterwards called his rod vers 11. With his rod he smote the rock and secondly because this was fittest for this imployment the very sight of this rod wherewith God had manifested his almighty power in so many miracles and particularly in fetching water for them out of the rock at Rephidim being enough to make them ashamed of their present murmuring against God And what though he took this rod from before the Lord vers 9. even Moses rod in memory of the great things that had been done by it for which it is sometimes called the rod of God as Exod. 4. 20. might be laid up in the tabernacle as well as Aarons yea and some conceive that Aarons rod which budded and was laid up in the tabernacle was the very same wherewith those miracles were wrought in the land of Egypt the rather because even the rod of Moses is sometimes also called Aarons rod as Exod. 7. 12. They cast down every man his rod and they became serpents but Aarons rod swallowed up their rods And speak unto the rock before their eyes c. Here was no command given to Moses that he should smite the rock but onely that he should take the rod in his hand to wit as a signe of Gods working by him and speak to the rock before their eyes and therefore many hold that herein lay a part of Moses sinne that he smote the rock when he should onely have spoken to it But withall in this command of the Lord to Moses to speak to the rock there was couched a sharp exprobration of Israels hard heartednesse and infidelity for it intimates that the dead creatures would sooner hear and obey God then his own people and therefore also he was appointed to do this before the eyes of all the people whereas the former miracle of the like nature at the rock of Rephidem was onely wrought before the elders of Israel Exod. 17. 5. Vers 10. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock c. Their return to the enraged people from whom erewhile for fear they withdrew themselves and ready undertaking what God had enjoyned shows plainly that they did not question Gods power to fetch water out of the rock how could they having had experience that he had done it before Exod. 17. 6 nor did absolutely conclude that God would not work this miracle at this time But why then doth the Lord tell Moses and Aaron that they believed him not vers 12 undoubtedly because there was some secret distrust and unbelief in their hearts though it prevailed not so farre against their faith as to make them wholly refuse to do what God had enjoyned them God that sees the heart chargeth them with infidelity and therefore we may be
sure they were herein guilty and that happely upon this ground Heretofore when the people murmured the Lord for the most part shewed great indignation against them and was ready to destroy them but that Moses by his prayer prevailed with God to spare them Moses therefore and Aaron wondring that now the Lord should shew no such displeasure but should presently send them to fetch water for them out of the rock they doubted whether God did seriously intend this supply or did onely command it by way of upbraiding the people for forgetting what he had formerly done for them when they wanted water and so though they came to the rock ready to do what God had commanded yet they were perplexed and in suspence betwixt hope and doubtings questioning still within themselves what God would do and that it seems not so much out of any doubt of Gods power as out of a distrust that such a rebellious people were not capable of such a mercie from God and that it was this which Moses stuck at his words seem to testifie vers 10. Hear now ye rebels must we fetch you water out of this rock But if the infidelity of their hearts were all their sinne why is it said also vers 12. that they did not sanctifiâ him in the eyes of the children of Israel I answer that they showed their distrust outwardly also first by Moses his stricking the rock to which he should onely have spoken vers 11. this tended to the obscuring of Gods glory since his almighty power would have been more manifest if by mere speaking to the rock the water had gushed forth sâcondly by striking it twice which might well proceed from heat of anger and distrust thirdly by the doubtfulnesse of his words must we fetch you water out of this rock and fourthly by the bitternesse of his rage against the people Hear now ye rebels which happely he expressed also in many other words of discontent and anger which are not here set down for the psalmist saith that they angered him at the waters of strife and provoked his spirit so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips Psal 10â 32. 33. which as in part no doubt it proceeded from infidelity so it must needs much obscure the riches of Gods mercie who was ready to shew such wonderfull favour to such a rebellious people and argued a kind of unwillingnesse that God should be honoured by this miracle which he had determined to work in the eyes of all the people Vers 11. And the water came out abundantly and the congregation drank This was also spirituall drink flowing from the rock Christ 1. Cor. 10. 4. And did all drink the same spirituall drink for they drank of that spirituall rock that followed them and that rock was Christ being smitten for our transgressions Esa 5. 3 4. by the rod of the law from him proceedeth that living water wherewith Gods Israel may quench their thirst for ever But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life John 4. 14. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come and buy wine and milk without money and without price And their beasts also Thus those elements which are signes and seals of Gods grace unto those to whom they are sanctified of God for that purpose out of that use are no other but common and have no inherent holinesse in them Vers 12. Because ye believed me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel That is to glorifie me by discovering that you did not question mine almighty power my faithfulnesse and free grace even to those that do not deserve it for as the believer doth greatly honour God by resting upon his mercie and power and faithfulnesse so he that questions the accomplishment of any mercie which God hath promised his people doth exceedingly dishonour him and therefore it is said chap. 27. 14. that Moses and Aaron did herein âebell against Gods commandments See the former note upon vers 10. Therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them How grievous this chastisement was unto Moses we see Deut. 3. 23 24 25 26. But withall herein a mystery was implyed Neither Moses the minister of the law nor Aaron the priest could bring them into Canaan but this must be the work of Jesus or Joshua his successour so neither the law nor the legall priesthood can bring us into heaven but onely faith in Jesus Christ Gal. 2. 16. Vers 13. This is the water of Meribah c. So was the former place also called in Rephidim Exod. 17. 7. To distinguish them the Scripture calleth this Meribah of Kadesh Deut. 2. 1 2 3. And he was sanctified in them That is amongst the Israelites by giving them water and thereby manifesting his power truth and compassion or in them that is Moses and Aaron by punishing their rebellion for hereby God is sanctified Ezek. 38. 16. I will bring thee against my land that the heathen may know me when I shall be sanctified in thee O God before their eyes Vers 14. And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the King of Edom c. To wit by Gods direction Deut. 2. 1 2 3. Thou knowest all the travell that hath befallen us That is our grievous and wearisome afflictions and troubles have been so famous that they cannot be unknown to thee Vers 16. And when we cried unto the Lord he heard our voice and sent an angel c. This was Christ who appeared to Moses in the burning bush and sent Moses to fetch the Israelites out of Egypt and afterwards led them in their way in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night See the note upon Exod. 3. 2. And behold we are in Kadesh a city in the uttermost of thy border Or by Kadesh to wit in the wildernesse lying near and having the name of Kadesh the citiâ Numb 33. 36. Vers 17. Let us passe I pray thee through thy countrey That being now their nearest way and most convenient for their passage in to Canaan We will not passe through the fields or through the vineyards neither will we drink of the water of the wels Meaning that they would not turn aside into their fields or vineyards to do them any damage and that either they would not drink without paying for it as vers 19. or else that they would onely drink of the rivers which were common not meddling with their wells digged for their private uses which were very precious in those hot and dry countreys Vers 18. And Edom said unto him Thou shalt not passe by me c. Fearing questionlesse that an army of six hundred thousand would not be so easily gotten out of his countrey
slain and for the satisfaction of the people that they may know he did it by the speciall motion of my spirit because I the Lord have thus both approved and rewarded the fact say that is make it known that behold I give unto him my covenant of peace where Gods covenant with Phinehas for the settling of the priesthood in his posterity is called a covenant of peace first because they should peaceably enjoy it and secondly because the work of the priesthood was to make peace betwixt the Lord and his people Vers 13. And he shall have it and his seed after him even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood That is a priesthood that shall be continued to his seed as long as ever the Leviticall priesthood shall continue But the dignity of being high priest should have come to him and his by descent may some say because he was the sonne of Eleazar Aarons eldest sonne I answer though he was so yet that it should not be removed to another family for want of his issue that was of Gods goodnesse and is here promised as the reward of his zeal Indeed the greatest doubt concerning this promise is whether it were continued in his posterity or no. Concerning which all that we find in the Scripture is this first that we find the posterity of this Phinehas recorded unto the time of the Israelites captivity in Babylon 1. Chron. 6. 4 15. secondly that if it be true which some hold that in the dayes of the Judges the high priests office was wrested from the sonnes of Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar and conferred upon Eli who was of the stock of Ithamar yet in the dayes of Solomon it was again taken from Abiathar who was of Elies house and settled upon Zadok and so it came again into the line of Phinehas and so continued unto the Babylonian captivity 1. Kings 2. 25. and thirdly that though it be no where expressely said of what stock the high priests were after the Israelites return out of Babylon yet we find that Esra that great priest and scribe was of his line Ezra 7. 1 c. and it may be probably thought that the high priests still continued in that line unlesse it were in those times when there was nothing amongst them but disorder and confusion Neither indeed is there any cause why we should understand this promise to be so absolute but in case of the sinnes of his posterity they might for a time be deprived of this dignity Vers 14. Zimri the sonne of Salu a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites It is particularly expressed how great a man he was whom Phinehas slew because herein the zeal of Phinehas was notably discovered Vers 15. He was head over a people and of a chief house in Midian He is reckoned one of the five Kings of Midian chap. 31. 8. Vers 17. Vex the Medianites and smite them c. These words smite them imply a promise of victory But why are they not to smite the Moabites as well as the Midianites first because he had already forbidden Israel to distresse the Moabites Deut. 2. 9. And the Lord said unto me Distresse not the Moabites neither contend with them in battel secondly because the Midianites had the chief hand in the mischief as seems probable first by Balaams stay amongst them whân Balak had left him in displeasure and secondly by this partiâular fact of Cozbi who was a Kings daughter amongst them c. CHAP. XXVI Vers 2. TAke the summe of all the congregation of the children of Israel c. Of the two first numbrings of the people see Exod. 30. 11 12. and Numb 1. 1 2. But now the reasons of this third numbring of the people as we may gather by some passages were these first because this would make way to the more equall dividing of the land which they were presently to go about according as they found the tribes more or lesse in number see vers 53 54. Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names c. secondly to manifest how fully that which God had threatned chap. 14. 29. was now accomplished vers 64 65. 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 wildernesse of Sinai For the Lord had said of them They shall surely die in the wildernesse c. Happely all the old company were not dead till this last plague wherein foure and twenty thousand were cut off and therefore it may seem expressely noted ver 1. that it was after the plague that God gave this charge to Moses and Eleazar for numbring the people because then God had exactly brought that to passe which he had long since threatned as they should now see in taking the number of the people thirdly to manifest Gods power and goodnesse in preserving unto them so many notwithstanding they had wandred so many years through a wildernesse wherein they were encountred with so many difficulties and had so often by their sinnes provoked God to cut off many amongst them as also his truth and faithfulnesse who had so wondrously increased them as he promised their forefathers notwithstanding they had often by their rebellion provoked him to destroy them the more seasonable it was to comfort them in this kind because it was immediately after foure and twenty thousand had been taken away by the foregoing plague chap. 25. fourthly it was because they should hereby see Gods care over them and love towards them as Moses at their coming out of Egypt received Gods flock by tale so now before his death he must deliver them up by tale again Vers 4. Take the summe of the people from twenty years old and upward as the Lord commanded Moses c. That is after the same manner as he commanded Moses to number the people when they were newly come out of Egypt so hath he now again commanded to number them before their entring Canaan Vers 7. And they that were numbred of them were fourtie and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty At their last numbring the Reubenites were fourty six thousand and five hundred chap. 1. ver 21. so that this tribe was decreased two thousand seven hundred and seventy which may in part be ascribed to the conspiracy wherein they joyned with Korah Vers 10. And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah c. This place according to our translation clears it beyond all exception that Korah was swallowed up into the earth together with Dathan Abiram ch 16. And they became a signe That is for an example that others might take warning by them as sea-marks are set up to give us warning of danger 1. Cor. 10. 6. Now these things were our examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted Vers 11. Notwithstanding
coming out of Egypt from twenty years old and upward there was not a man left at this time when they were numbred again but onely Caleb and Joshua So that we must observe that the Levites are not here included for of them there were left Moses and Eleazar and Ithamar and perhaps many others CHAP. XXVII Vers 1. THen came the daughters of Zelophehad c. Because the Lord had said in the foregoing chapter vers 53. that the land should be divided amongst those they had now numbred from twenty years old and upward and so Zelophehad being dead without sonnes his children were like to have no inheritance in the land therefore his daughters came now to Moses and Eleazar desiring that that share of the land might be assigned to them which should have been their fathers had he been then living Vers 2. And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the princes and all the congregation by the doore of the tabernacle c. Whither they were it seems for this very purpose come that they might enquire of the Lord concerning this difficult case for I conceive they had formerly demanded an inheritance of the Judges and were by them appointed to plead for themselves before the doore of the tabernacle where they should have an answer from God himself Vers 3. Our father died in the wildernesse c. This plea of the daughters of Zelophehad is in effect as if they had thus said Our father was one of those whom the Lord carried out of Egypt to go and take possession of the land of Canaan and though he died in the wildernesse yet he was not taken away by any speciall judgement because he had his hand in some insurrection and rebellion such as was that of those that gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah and this they alledge to make their cause the more favourable because had he been cut off in any sâch insurrection some might judge that it was no matter though his posterity were excluded from having any share in the land of Caâaan but died in his own sinne that is he died his naturall death when his time was come as being by sinne liable to death as all other men are Thus Korahs conspiracie is mentioned here either by a Synecdoche this one being put for all other the rebellions of the Israelites and so the meaning must be that their father died in no particular rebellion against the Lord or else because whereas all the other murmurings and insurrections against Moses were especially the sinne of the common sort of people Korahs was chiefly of the princes and great men of every tribe chap. 16. 2. and so happely because their father was one of the chief of the tribe of Manasseh therefore they mention onely the rebellion of the great ones And as for that phrase of their fathers dying in his own sinne though some Expoâitours understand it thus that he dyed not for any speciall insurrection but onely for that sinne wherein the whole congregation was involved as well as he and for which the Lord threatned that they should all die in the wildernesse to wit for refusing to go into the land of Canaan when God had brought them thither yet I rather think it is meant of his own private sinnes which made him liable to death as all other men are for that all have âinned Rom. 5. 12. Vers 4. Why should the name of our father be done away from among his familie because he hath no sonne That is why should not he be named amongst others in the division of the land which if it be not his name and familie will be quite extinguished as if he had never been and hence some Expositours conclude that as when a man dyed without issue and his brother mârried his widow to raise up seed unto his brother his first sonne was in their Genealogies reckoned to be the sonne of him that dyed without issue so it was in this case the first sonnes of those that married the daughters of Zelophehad were accounted the sonnes of Zelophehad and so under his name did inherit his land Vers 4. Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father This pleading for a portion in that land which was not yet conquered was a true act of faith and must needs encourage others and help to strengthen their faith And besides hereby was shown as in a type that even women have an equall share with men in the heavenly Canaan for all inherit through Christ in whom there is neither male nor female but all are one Gal. 3. 28. Vers 7. Thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their fathers brethren c. Thus the Lord granted these daughters of Zelophehad their desire which how it was performed by Joshua we may reade Josh 17. 4. According to the commandment of the Lord he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father yet withall there was afterwards a caution added to wit that they might not marry out of their own tribe chap. 36. 6. Vers 12. Get thee up into this mount Abarim c. There was a long tract of mountains which were called the mountains of Abarim chap. â3 47. and into one of these was Moses now sent to wit that which is elsewhere called mount Nebo which was in the land of Moab over against Jericho Deut 32. 49. and Pisgah Deut. 34. 1. Hence Moses might see the land afarre off though he might not enter it and so the Law did shew the Israelites heaven afarre off but not as it is now revealed to us in the Gospel Vers 13. And when thou hast seen it thou shalt be gathered unto thy people c. That they should not enter the land God had threatned before Numb 20. 12. Seâ the notes upon that place Vers 14. That is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wildernesse of Zin This is added to distinguish it from another Meribah Exod. 17. 7. where water was fetched out also from the rock but there Moses and Aaron displeased not the Lord. Vers 16. Let the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh set a man over the congregation Moses at this time prayed also earnestly to the Lord that he might go over and see the land but God would not grant him his desire herein Deut. 3. 23 26. concerning this phrase the God of the spirits of all flesh see the note upon Numb 16. 22. This title is fitly in this prayer of Moses given unto the Lord both as implying that he was the searcher of mens spirits and therefore knew best who was fittest for the place and likewise as intimating that he was able to frame and fashion their spirits as he pleased and to give them any gifts or graces requisite for the imployment Vers 17. Which may go out before them and which may go in before them c. That is who
Lord commanded me at that time to teaâh you statutes and judgements c. That is besides the ten commandments written by the Lord himself he at that time also gave me other statutes and judgements which he commanded me to teach you Vers 15. Take ye therefore good heed unto your selves c. Lest again confidence of themselves should make the Israelites slight this warning of avoiding all idolatry in these words he implyes how prone mans nature is to this sinne charging them to be jealous of themselves in this regard and to watch diligently over themselves lest they should be drawn away into this grosse and brutish finne Vers 19. Which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven Moses speaking here against worshipping the sunne moon and starres and then adding this clause which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven he doth therein imply with what admirable wisdome God hath disposed these lights in severall parts of the heaven whereby the sunne moon and starres do according to their severall stations give light sometimes to one part of the earth sometimes to another and some starres do onely shine in some parts of the world and others to other parts Bââ withall the chief drift of this clause is to shew what a basenessâ of mind it ãâã be in Gods people to worship such things as are given for servants unto all men even to infidels and heathens Vers 20. But the Lord hath taken you and brought you forth out of the iron furnace c. This is added to imply in what a speciall tie they were bound to be carefull above other people not thus to dishonour God first because God had redeemed them out of the iron furnace that is the furnace wherein iron is melted and so Egypt is called to set forth the miserable and cruell oppression which there they underwent enough to dissolve the spirits of the stoutest and to have wasted and consumed any people and secondly because having thus redeemed them out of Egypt he had taken them to himself as a people of inheritance that is his own people purchased for himself upon whom this blessing should remain from generation to generation Vers 21. Furthermore the Lord was angry with me for your sakes c. This is added first to set forth the wondrous care that God took of them who was angry with Moses for their sakes because he did not sanctifie the Lord in the eyes of the children of Israel Numb 20. 12. secondly to manifest Gods love and mercy to them granting them that favour which he denied his servant Moses to wit of carrying them into that good land of Canaan thirdly to give them a hint how carefull they had need to be to walk uprightly with God who was so farre displeased with him because of his infidelity Vers 24. For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire even a jealous God c. The Lord is here called a consuming fire because of his exâeeding great indignation against his people when they provoke him by their rebellions and because when he resolves to take vengeance on them he doth many times consume and destroy thâm even as the fire burns up all that stands in its way and again he is called a jâalous God with respect unto the covenant which he made with his people wherein he had taken them to be his spouse and had engaged himself to be as a husband to them and so was as jealous of having the worship due onely to him to be given to any creature as husbands use to be of their wives dealing falsely with them and Solomon we know saith of jealousie that the coals thereof are coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame Cant. 8. 6. Vers 25. When thou shalt beget children and childrens children and shalt have remained long in the land c. That is be not secure and bold to sinne because you are therein settled for if you do God will soon cast you out again Vers 26. I call heaven and earth to witnesse against you c. This obtestation of heaven and earth may be understood of God and the Angels in heaven and men on earth But I rather conceive it to be meant of the dead and unreasonable creatures and that hereby is implyed first that as surely as there was a heaven and an earth so surely should they perish from off the land secondly that the bruit creatures were not so stupid as they if notwithstanding all these warnings given them they should neverthelesse go after strange gods Vers 34. Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation by temptations c. The miracles and wonders which God wrought in Egypt are here called temptations because he did thereby try both the Egyptians to see whether they would be wonne to yield to him and let the people of Israel go and the Israelites to see whether they would be wonne to âear the Lord and to trust in him who had done so great and wonderfull things for them Vers 37. And because he loved thy fathers therefore he chose their seed after them c. Not for any thing which he saw in you or in your fathers did he choose you to be his peculiar people but of his own free grace and love and from that love of his it was merely that he brought thee out of Egypt in his sight that is the eye of his providence being still fixed upon them even as a father causes his child to go before him that he may keep his eye upon him and noâ suffer him to fall into any danger Vers 44. And this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel c. He meaneâh that which hereafter followeth this therefore is a preface to the next chapter where the repetition of the laws beginneth Vers 49. And all the plain on this side Jordââ Eastward even unto the sea of the plain c. See chap. 3. 17. CHAP. V. Vers 1. ANd Moses called all Israel and said unto them c. That is all the elders and chief of the people It was not possible that so many hundred thousands as the Israelites now were should hear Moses speaking to them But as Exod. 12. 3. where Moses and Aaron were appoined to speak unto all the congregation of Israel vers 21. it is said that they called for all the elders of Israel so it was here Vers 3. The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers c. That which Moses here speaks of is that which he made with the Israelites at Horeb when he gave them the law as is expressed in the former verse The Lord saith he made not this covenant with our fathers that is with our fathers in Egypt or it may be meant of the Patriarchs Abraham and Isaack and Jacob even including all from Adam unto Moses yea and all their ancesters before the giving of
Gods presence there an abundant recompence for all their charge and labour Vers 8. Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes That is here we live loose and at liberty for the duties of the ceremoniall Law to which you must be strictly tyed when you come to be at rest in Canaan many sacrifices and rites and feasts by reason of your unsettled estate cannot here be precisely observed and so every man doth in a manner what he lists but when you come to be settled in the land of Canaan you must not think to do thus c. See vers 9. 10. Vers 12. And ye shall rejoyce before the Lord your God ye and your sonnes and your daughters c. Hereby it appears that though the males onely were bound three times a year to appear before the Lord Exod. 23. 17. yet at those times the masters of families were wont also of their own accord to carry their wives daughters and maidservants with them as Elkanah we see did 1. Sam. 1. 4. Vers 15. Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates whatsoever thy soul lustâth afâer according to the blessing of the Lord c. This is added to explain yet more fully what difference they were to make between the flesh they might eat of those beasts which they offered to the Lord and that which they did eat at other times to wit that they might eat the flesh even of those cattel which they used to sacrifice no lesse then the roe-buck and the hart that is no lesse then those that were not appointed for sacrifice and that in all places where they dwelt both clean and unclean persons might eat of them according to the blessing of the Lord that is according as through Gods blâssiâg they could provide for themselves so allowing a libârall use of the creatures to the rich but restraining all profuse riot and keeping men within the limits of their abilitie but yet âhat which they offered as a holy sacrifice or offering to the Lord that they might eat no where but in the place which the Lord should choose Vers 16. Onely ye shall not eat the bloud c. See the note upon Gen. 9. 4. Vers 17. Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn or of thy âine or of thy oyl or the firstlings of thy herds c. Concerning these tithes see the note upon vers 6. The greatest difficultie in these words is concerning the firstlings here mentioned to wit how they can be here reckoned amongst those things which the people must onely eat before the Lord in the place which he shoâld choose since it is evident that the firstlings of their herds and stocks were holy to the Loâd and so that which remained of them after the bloud was sprinkled and the fat burnt upon the altar belonged solely to the priests Numb 18. 17 18. But to this an answer may be given which may fully satisfie to wit that the firstlings here spoken of are not those firsâlings elsewhere intended which as holy things âonsecrated to God were allotted for the priests portion but the firstlings here mentioned were either the female firstlings for they were onely the male firstlings which the Lord challenged as his due Exod 13. 12. or the first-born after those first which were given to the Lord which were indeed the first that were the owners or the chief and best of their lambes and kids and calves called here the firstlings onely by way of excellencie Vers 21. If the place which the Lord âhy God hath chosen to put his name there be too farre from thee c. The meaning of this passage is not that if the place chosen of God for sacrificing were near hand they must not eat of their herd or flock in their own houses but alwayes carry them to the tabernacle or temple for who can think that the Jews dwelling near to Jerusalem did never eat of their hârds and flocks in their own dwellings either therefore this clause hath refereââe to that which follows vers 26. and the meaning then is onely this That though the place which God had chosen c. were very farre from some of their dâellings and they might therefore think it too hard a task to carry their sacrifices so farre yet so it must be though they might kill and eat for their own reââeshing whatsoever thây desired at home as is granted again in these first words yet their sacrifices they must carry to that holy place though never so farre from them or else the meaning is that when they had a purpose to offer peace-offerings and by way of thankfulnesse for some mercy to rejoyce together if the holy place were too farre from them they might having withall perhaps sent the price of redemption thither feast tâgether with their cattel kild for food onely they must be then sure not to eat them as holy things but even as they would eat of the roe-buck or the hart But the first resolution of this doubt I take to be the best Vers 27. And the bloud of thy sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of the Lord thy God and thou shalt eat the flesh That is the flesh of thy peace-ofâerings for onely the flesh of those sacrifices was eaten by the owners Lev. 7. 15. CHAP. XIII Vers 1. IF there arise among you a Prophet or a dreamer of dreams Having in the former chapter given the people warning to take heed of being seduced to idolatrie by strangers of other nations here he gives them the like warning to take heed of being seduced by those that were their own brethren If saith he there arise a Prophet or a dreamer of dreams that is one that is or pretends himself to be such an one that saith he is a Prophet and that God hath appeared to him in a vision or in a dream and that among your own brethren fâr these words among you are added to imply that they must regard him never a whit the more because he was an Israelite since amongst them many false Prophets might and did arise 2. Pet. 2. 1. and if he giveth thee a signe or a wonder that is if to make good the truth of what he saith God hath by vision or dream revealed to him he foretells some wonderfull and supernaturall work that shall come to passe such as was the cleaving of Jeroboams altar which the Prophet told them of beforehand 1. Kings 13. 3. as a sure sigue that God had sent him and withall happely acompanieth his prediction with some outward significant action or gesture as when that false prophet Zedekiah 1. Kin. 22. 11. made horns of iron and said Thus saith the Lord With these shalt thou push the Syrians untill thou have consumed them though this signe or wonder come to passe yet if withall he shall perswade thee to
another way in the service of God but rather should say as S. John doth 1. John 5. 19. We know that we are of God and the whole world lâeth in wickednesse Yet withall we may understand it as intended also to shew the extent of this Law to wit that whatsoever gods they were which they were perswaded to worship they must not consent to do it but must onely worship the Lord their God Vers 9. But thou shalt surely kill him thine hand shall be first upon him c. Thou shalt surely kill him that is thou shalt inform against him to the Magistrate and so procure that justice may be executed upon him according to this Law to wit that he may be put to death and therefore is that added in the next words thine hand shall be first upon him to wit as being the party accusing and giving testimonie against him for that was Gods Law that the witnesses should throw the first stones at him that was to be stoned Deut. 17. 7. Vers 13. Certain men the children of Belial are gone out from among you c. That is certain vild wicked and mischievous persons Belial is by inteâpretation without profit or without yoke that is base lawlesse rebellious and wicked whence this name is given to Satan or Antichrist opposed to Christ 2. Corinth 6. 15. What concord hath Christ with Belial and to men and women given over unto wickednesse Judg. 19. 22. The men of the citie certain sonnes of Belial beset the house round about c. and 1. Sam. 1. 16. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial and 1. Sam. 25. 25. Let not my Lord regard this man of Belial even Nabal As for the phrase here used of going out from among the Israelitâs certain men the children of Belial are gone out from among you it intimates first their separating of themselves from Gods people in point of religion according to that of S. John 1. John 2. 19. They went out from us but they were not of us c. and secondly their bold and presumptuous carriage of themselves herein in that they did it openly as proclaiming warre against the Lord. Vers 14. Then shalt thou enquire and make search c. This is added by way of caution in two regards first to let them know that though they did but heare some flying report of such a wickednesse yet they might not slight such a report but must enquire carefully whether it were so or no and secondly to put them in mind that on the other side yet they must not arm themselves against their brethren as is afterwards enjoyned merely upon uncertain reports but must first make diligent search and enquiry and if they sound it evident and certain then they should proceed against them as is here appointed CHAP. XIV Vers 1. YE are the children of the Lord your God This is prefixed as a reason why they should carefully observe as all the commandments of God so more especially these that are here prescribed for being the children of God and so consequently heirs of eternall salvation it was fit that they should be very carefull that they did nothing that might dishonour their father or disparage themselves and therefore not to mourn as men without hope nor to conform themselves to heathens from whom God had separated them Ye shall not cut your selves nor make any baldnesse between your eyes for the dead That is in the fore-part of your heads just over the space that is between your eyes See the notes upon Levit. 21. 5. and 19. 27 28. Vers 3. Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing c. See the notes on the 11. chapter of Leviticus Vers 13. And the glede c. This bird is not mentioned in the 11. of Leviticus but is comprehended under others of the same kind that are there named Vers 21. Thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates that he may eat it c. Not the proselyte or stranger joyned to the Church for such were bound to keep the whole law and this in speciall Levit. 17. 15. but the stranger of anotheâ religion who onely sojourned amongst them Vers 22. Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed c. There was a tithe payed every yeare to the Levites in the severall places of their habitation Numb 18. 24. and there was likewise another tithe as was noted before on chap. 12. 6. which the owners carried yearly with them to Jerusalem and was spent there in holy feasting before the Lord. Either therefore these words in the 22. verse Thou shalt truly tithe all the mârâase of thy seed that thy field bringeth forth year by year are meant of the first of these tithes payed to the Leviâeâ and then those that follow verse 23. And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall ââoose to place his name there the tithe of thy corn of thy wine and of thine oyl are meant of the second tithe spent in their holy feasts or if both verâes are meant of one and the same tithe then doubtlesse they are both meant of the second tithe for neither vvâre the first tithes carried up to Jerusalem nor had the owners any power to eat of them Vers 23. And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose c. The tithes here appointed to be eaten by the people in the place which God should choose cannot be meant of the tithes which were yearly paid to the Levites Numb 18. 24. but were a second tithe as is shown in the foregoing note and the like must be held concerning the firstlings of their herds and slocks here mentioned of which see the note upon châp 12. 17. As for the last clause of the verse where a reason is rendered why the Lord did enjoyn them to go up to the place which he should choose and there to feaât together with these their holy things namely that they might learn to fear the Lord their God alwayes the ground of this may be 1. Because the very presenting of themselves thus yearly before the Lord with their sacrifices and offerings must needs be of it self a good means to keep their hearts in a continuall aw and reverence of God and 2. because when they went up to Gods holy place the Priests were wont to instruct them in the law and the proâises concââning the Messiah according to the dispensation of those darker times and in their sacrifices they beheld a shadow of their redemption by him all which must needs conduce much to teach them to fear the Lord their God Vers 24. And if the way be too long for thee so that thou art not able to carry it c. In these words there is an exception added to the former law to wit that in case they dwelt very farre from the house of God and their tithes and firstlings were so much in
as in other years However as in regard of the Sabbath-rest of this year of which see the note upon Exod. 23. 11. so also in regard of this release of debts at that time this year was a figure or type of that acceptable year of grace which brought us a release of our sinneâ which are called our debts Matth. 6. ââ by and through Christ our Saviour and whereby we also are taught to put ãâ¦ã âe bowels of mercy forbearing one another and forgiving one another c. ãâ¦ã â2 13. Vers 3. Of a foreiner thou mayest exact it again The foreiner here intended of whom they might exaât their debts notwithstanding the year of release is by some thought to be every stranger of another nation yea though he were a proselyte but others think it is meant onely of those strangers that had not embraced the true relâgion and so indeed this law did the more fully represent that spirituall release whereof it was intended to be a figure or type in that none can have any share in this great priviledge of the remission of sinnes that are alienâ and strangers from the commonwealth of Israel that is none but those that are true members of the Church and Christians indeed Vers 4. Save when there shall be nâ poore among you This according to our translation is added as an exception that unlesse their debters were pooâe they were not bound to forbear the debt But the other translation which is in the margin of our Bibles seemâ the best To the end that there be no poore among you and so it is added as a reason of the former law to wit that there might not be through exacting of debts any man brought to extreme poverty For the Lord shall greatly blesse thee c. These words contain a reason that may induce them thus to shew mercy in not exacting their debts at the year of relâase namely because if in this and other things they were obedient to Gods laws the Lord would so abundantly blesse them that they shoâld be well able thus to forbear the exacting of their debts and it should be no prejudice at all to thâm Vers 12. And if thy brother an Hebrew man or an Hebrew woman be sold unto thee and serve thee six years c. Which they usually did unlesse the year of Jubile happened in the mean time Levit. 25. 40 41. concerning which see the notes upon Exod. 21. 2. for this is not here added as a priviledge of the year of release but as another act of mercy agrâeable to that before enjoyned concerning the remitting of debts every Sabbaticall year for indeed how should the setting free of servants be made one of the great priviledges of the year of Jubile if the like had been done every seventh year which was the year of release or to what purpose had it been to prescribe that no Hebrew servant should serve above six years as is appointed Exod. 21. 2. if they could never serve six years unlessâ they began their service immediately after the year of release and that because otherwise when their release came they must be set ââee Vers 15. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bond-man c. The Israelites bondage in Egypt and the Lords delivering them is often pressed upon them to make them ââew mercy to their servants and to set them free at the time appointed of God both because the remembrance of our own miseries doth naturally incline mans heart to take pity of those that are in the same condition and likewise because it must needs be acknowledged fitting that men should imitate the mercy and compassion of God But bâsides there is covertly a hint given of a further matter to wit that âs they were not sent empty away out of their bondage in Egypt but came away thence with much of the riches of Egypt so they should not send away their servants empty when they set them free but should give them liberally of that they had which was the thing enjoyned in the foregoing verses Vers 16. And it shall be if âe say unto thee I will not go awây sâom thee c. Sâe the note upon Exod. 23. 6. and Levit. 25. 40. Vers 17. And alsâ unto thy maid-servant thou shalt do likewise Because this follows so immediately upon that which went before concerning the boring of the ear of that man-servant which refused to be set free at six years end thereâore many Expositours hold and most probâbly there being no other place of Scripture that shows the contrary that even the ears of maid-servants were bored likewise if they refused their freedome at the time appointed yet the Hebrews say that this clause And also unto thy maid-servant thou shalt do likewise hath onely reference unto that which was said in the âormer verses concerning the setting free of their men-servants at six years ând and the gifts they should give them when they set them free to wit that herein to their maid-servants they should do likewise Vers 18. For he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee c. Not because of the hard service he hath done above the service of an hireling as some think for by the law Hebrew servants might not be uâed like slaves but like hired servants Levit 25. 39 40. but because hired servants had great wâges besides meat and drink c. which servants that were sold had not in regard whereof amongst us the service of an apprântice is counted more prositable then that of journeymen or hired servants and some adde also because hired servants did usâally serve for three years which they ground upon that Esa 16. 14. Within three years as the years of an hireling Vers 20. Thou shalt eât it beâore the Lord thy God year by âear c. I have formerly shown upon Deut. 12. 17. that there were certain firstlings which were not those firstling-males that did first open the matrice and that were the Lords by that generall Law of the firsâ-born Numb 18. 15. and that these might bâ brought ânto the Lord as peace-pâace-offerings and so the owners and their housholds might eat of these before the Lord and of these therefore severall Expositours do understand this place But yet because in the foregoing verse it is said of the firstling males here intended Thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock nor shear the firstling of thy sheep and this seems to imply that the firstlings here meant are those firstlings which were the Lords due so soon as ever they fell by that generall Law of the first-born and therefore the owners had not power to reap any profit by them therefore others understand these words as spoken to the priests Thou shalt eat it beâore the Lord that is the priest to whom God gavâ all the firstlings of Israâl as their poâtion for as say they Moses spake all that went before in this chapter to the people of Israâl
to passe that she find no favour in his eyes because he hath found some uncleannesse in her then let him write her a bill of divorcemeââ and give it in her hand and send her out of his house Vers 20. But if this thing be true and the tokens of virginitie be not found for the damsel Because in some cases it is found by experience that the tokens of a maids virginitie may fail and so much also is acknowledged by the Hebrews themselves therefore some hold that though the parents could not bring forth the tokens of their daughters virginitie yet this alone was not sufficient to prove her guiltie and make her liable to be stoned unlesse it were by other circumstances found to be true as by the testimonie of witnesses proving that she had no sicknesse upon her to hinder the tokens of her virginitie or some such like evidence But because the words here seem not to implie any such thing I rather think that in those countreys the tokens of a maids virginitie did never fail and so the want of them was taken for a certain proof that the accusation was true and so the damsel was to be stoned for though in other cases the fornication of a woman before marriage was not punisheâ with death Exod. 22. 16. yet here it was first because of the great wrong she had done to the man that had married her pretending to him that she was a virgin when indeed she was not and secondly because by the evidence of her own words wherein she professed her self a virgin when she promised him marriage it must needs follow that she was desiled after she was betrothed to him and in that case her sinne was adulterie and to be punished with death Vers 27. For he found her in the field and the betrothed damsel cried c. That is it must be presumed that she cried Every one knows that though she were in the sield yet she might consent to that lewdnesse but unlesse that could be proved against her they were bound in charitie to hope and judge the best so accordingly the Scripture speaks of it as of that they were to take for granted the betrâthed damsel cried and there was none to help hâr Vers 28. If a man find a damsel that is a virgin which is not betrothed and lay hold on her c. Some conceive that this law differeth from that Exod. 22. 16 17. because that was for such as consented being enticed this supposeth violent hands laid upon the damsel but for this see the note upon that place in Exodus Vers 29. Because he hath humbled her he may not put her away all his dayes This libertie afforded or winked at in others Deut. 24. 1. he must not enjoy CHAP. XXIII Vers 1. HE that is wounded in the stones c. By the following laws in the beginning of this chapter certain men are disabled for being admitted into the congregation of the Lord that is as most Expositours do most probably understand it from being admitted into full communion with the commonwealth of Israel at least from being capable of bearing âny office of Magistracie amongst them We cannot with any shew of probabilitie think that all these here mentioned to wit eunuchs vers 1. bastards and their children unto the tenth generation vers 2. Ammonites also and Moabites unto the tenth generation vers 3. yea and Edomites and Egyptians unto the third generation vers 7 8. and so consequently all other nations since no nation was like to enjoy more priviledges then the Edomites who are called their brethren vers 8. I say we cannot with any probabilitie hold that all these though by circumcision admitted into the Church were excluded from the holy assemblies where they should hear the word be instructed in the law and be admitted to offer sacrifices as the signes of their faith and hope of salvation in the promised Messiah for there are elsewhere many expresse laws that such as were Proselytes and had embraced the faith and religion of Israel should have equall libertie with the Israelites to celebrate the Passeover Exod. 12. 48 49. When a stranger shall sojourn with thee and will keep the Passeover to the Lord let all his males be circumcised and then let him come near and keep it and he shall be as one that is born in the land one law shall be to him that is home-born and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you and so likewise to bring their sacrifices unto the Lord Numb 15. 14 15. If a stranger sojourn with you or whosoever be among you in your generations that will offer an offering madâ by fire of a sweet savour unto the Lord as ye do so he shall do one ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation and also for the stranger c. either therefore by the congregation of the Lord here is meant the assembly of Judges and Magistrates so called because the Lord is president over them and they exercise âhat power they have in his name and by authoritie derived from him Psal 82. 1. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty he judgeth among the gods and so the meaning of this phrase of not entring into the congregation of the Lord is onely this that they should not bear any publick office or place of Magistracie in the Commonwealth of Israel or else by the congregation of the Lord is meant the people or commonwealth of Israel and so this expression is elsewhere often used as Numb 16. 3. Ye take too much upon you seeing all the congregation are holy everâ one of them and the lord is among them and again Numb 27. 16 17. Let the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh set a man over the congregation which may go out before them and which may go in before them that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep without a shepherd and then the meaning of this place must be that such and such as are here named might not be admitted into full communion with the Commonwealth of Israel though they were admitted into the Church and so into the communion of the same faith and worship of God yet they might not be admitted to be members of the same bodie politick and so to enjoy all the priviledges of free-born Israelites and hereupon they stood after a sort separated srom Gods people as the complaint of such and the Lords comfortable answer sheweth Isai 56. 3. c. Neither let the sonne of the stranger that hath joyned himself to the Lord speak saying The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people neither let the eunuch say Behold I am a drie tree c. they were of the Church of Israel but yet aliens and strangers as I may say from the Commonwealth of Israel not being capable of the priviledges of other Israelites as for instance of those of the year of release and the year of Jubile of bearing any
though their enemies did for a while triumph over them and carrie them captives into a strange land yet they should return again into their own land and out of their stock the Messiah should come All which how it was accomplished we see first in the exaltation of David to be their king which cost him many prayers secondly in the many glorious victories of David Asa Jehoshaphat and other kings of Judah against their enemies who having prevailed more by their prayers then by their swords returned in triumph unto their people of which many understand that clause and bring him unto his people thirdly in the return of this tribe out of the Babylonian captivitie for whereas the tribes of Israel carried captive into Assyria did never rââurn thence this tribe of Judah and those of Benjamin that were united to them in the âingdome of Judah upon their repentance and prayers to God were brought back again into that land of promise and there were settled and so continued unto the coming of Christ and of this doubtlesse those words are principally meant and bring him unto his people and fourthly chiefly in the victorie of Christ that lion of the tribe of Judah over our spirituall enemies of which also as in relation to his prayers we see what the Apostle saith Heb. 5. 7. That in the dayes of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death he was heard in that he feared Let his hands be sufficient for him and be thou an help to him c. That is he shall through thine aid be able to make good his part against his enemies without seeking any help from any bodie else Vers 8. Let thy thummim and thy urim be with thy holy one whom thou didst prove at Massah c. In this first branch of Levies blessing is foretold first that the high Priesthood to which appertained the breastplate that had the urim and thummim in it Exod. 28. 30. should be continued in Aarons posteritie and secondly that God would still furnish them with those gifts and graces that knowledge and pietie requisite for their calling and signified by the urim and thummiâ As for that following clause whom thou didst prove at Massah and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah for the fuller understanding thereof we must note first that this is meant of that storie Numb 20. when upon the Israelites murmuring for want of water Moses and Aaron were commanded to fetch water out of the rock but through their indignation against the people did not glorifie God as they ought to have done and therefore were excluded from entring into the land of Canaan for though the place where this was done was called Meribah onely not Massah Numb 20. 13. it was the place where Moses first fetcht water out of the rock in Horeb that was called Massah and Meribah Exod. 17. 7. yet because the Lord did there prove Moses and Aaron even that place is also called Massah that is temptation or proof secondly that it is said that the Lord did prove Levi that is Moses and Aaron at Massah and did strive with them at the waters of Meribah because he did there trie their faith and sharply reprove them for their infidelitie and thirdly that this is here added both by way of commending the zeal of Aaron for zealous for God he then shewed himself though weak in faith and also by way of magnifying Gods mercie in settling the priesthood upon his posteritie though he at that time so greatly offended him through his unbelief Vers 9. Who said unto his father and to his mother I have not seen him c. This may have respect both to that law Levit. 21. 11. Neither shall he go in to any dead bodie nor defile himself for his father or mother or else to that notable fact of the Levites Exod. 32. when at the commandment of Moses they slew their idolatrous brethren that had worshipped the golden calf not sparing those that were most nearest allied to them for therefore it is that Moses here saith of them that he said unto his father and to his mother I have not seen him neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor knew his own children because they did execute Gods judgement upon parents brethren children no lesse then if they had been mere strangers to them Vers 11. Blesse Lord his substance and accept the work of his hands That is though the Levites have no inheritance in the land of Canaan amongst their brethren yet the Lord will provide for them and blesse them in their outward estates and besides the service they do to him and to his people the Lord will take in good part and this we may well think is added to hearten the Levites against the discouragements they might meet with in their calling Smite through the loyns of those that rise up against him c. That is God shall destroy their enemies Because those that are set apart to take care of the peoples souls are usually hated and persecuted by those whose sinnes they reprove Wo is me my mother that thou hast born me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth Jer. 15. 10 therefore is this promise made here to the Levites that God would fight against those that fight against them and sooner or later would surely destroy them Vers 12. And of Benjamin he said The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safetie by him c. For the understanding of this blessing of Benjamins tribe we must note that the main thing promised herein is that the Temple should be built in that portion of the land which should fall to the lot of Benjamin and in expressing this Moses useth this phrase The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safetie by him and the Lord shall cover him all the day long and he shall dwell between his shoulders by way of alluding to Jacobs dealing with Benjamin the stock from whom this tribe was descended first because as Jacob kept his Benjamin alwayes at home with him he would not let him go out of his sight so this tribe did alwayes enjoy the speciall presence of God in his Temple and was as it were every day in the eye of their heavenly father secondly because as Jacobs keeping of Benjamin alwayes at home with him was an effect of his tender love to him he was his darling and therefore he would not part with him so this tribes continuall enjoying of Gods presence in his Temple was a speaking pledge of Gods singular love to them the Lord seemed herein to make this tribe his darling as once Benjamin was to Jacob and therefore this tribe is called here the beloved of the Lord and thirdly because as Jacobs keeping of Benjamin at home with him was to make sure as he could that no evil should befall him Gen.
19. Let not God speak with us lest we dye Vers 13. There shall not a hand touch it but he shall surely be stoned or shot through whether it be beast or man c. Or touch him that is the man or beast that shall touch the mountain for that concerning the beast was enjoyned to teach men the more carefully to avoid it And the reason of this command was first lest apprehending the offenders they transgresse themselves in touching the mountain whence those two sorts of death were appointed of stoning if they were near hand of striking them through with darts if further off secondly to teach them how execrable the offender should be unto them as a thing that would defile them they must not touch it but stone it or strike it through When the trumpet soundeth long they shall come up to the mount By the ministry of Angels there was a trumpet sounded when this trumpet sounded long that is with a long protracted sound as trumpeters use to do when they are about to make an end then they were appointed to come up to the mount that is to the bottome of the mount so farre as their limits and marks extended but not beyond See ver 16 17. It came to passe on the third day in the morning that there were thunders c. and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud so that all the people that was in the camp trembled And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God and they stood at the nether part of the mount Vers 15. Be ready against the third day Come not at your wives Implying that they were to lay by all worldly cares and carnall affections that they might be wholly intent to the hearing of the Law See 1. Cor. 7. 5. Defraud you not one the other except it be with consent for a time that ye may give your selves to fasting and prayer Vers 16. There were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud upon the mount c. Yea together with thunder and lightnings the earthquake and sound of the trumpet there fell also great showers of rain as David hath expressed it Psal 68. 8. The earth shook the heavens also dropped at the presence of God Now all this terrour was to signifie and set forth the nature of the Law whose work it is to shew the judgement prepared for sinners and so to terrifie and amaze Vers 19. And when the voyce of the trumpet sounded long and waxed lowder and lowder Moses spake and God answered him by a voyce That is they talked together What it was that Moses said it is a weaknesse to enquire since it is not expressed We are onely hereby taught how that promise was accomplished ver 9. that the people should heare the Lord speaking to Moses in a distinct and audible voyce yet withall probable it is that now that was done whereof the Apostle speaks Hebr. 12. 21. So terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake and that the Lord hereupon cheared him up and spake comfortably to him Vers 22. And let the priests also which come near unto the Lord sanctifie themselves c. By the Priests here doubtlesse were meant the first-born of every family to whom the prerogative of the priesthood belonged and who hitherto were imployed in offering sacrifices till by Gods appointment the priesthood was afterwards settled in the tribe of Levi. Now the charge that is here given Moses particularly concerning them is not meant of that which before was enjoyed all the people ver 10. that they might be prepared in a holy manner to present themselves before the Lord which doubtlesse the priests did then observe no lesse then the rest of the people but of a peculiar watching over themselves to keep themselves clean from all pollutions and particularly from being defiled with sinne by touching the mount which happely they might have been the bolder to do in regard of their priesthood if there had not been a speciall charge given to them Vers 23. And Moses said unto the Lord The people cannot come up to mount Sinai c. Thus Moses replyed not by way of contradicting what God had said and to make known that this charge which God now gave him was needlesse but by way of further enquiry concerning Gods will for hearing that charge again repeated Moses began to bethink himself whether he had not omitted something of that which was before given him in charge so in an humble manner professeth how carefully to his best knowledge he had done what God had commanded for the restraining of the people from touching the mount covertly intimating hereby his desire to be further informed if he had hitherto omitted any thing which ought to have been done Vers 24. And the Lord said unto him Away get thee down c. Notwithstanding Moses former answer the Lord again bids him haste away down adding the reasons to wit 1. that he might fetch Aaron thither to him 2. that he might again renew his charge to the people that they should not come near the mount and especially to the priests lest they should presume too farre in regard of their priviledge CHAP. XX. Vers 1. ANd God spake all these words saying c Namely after Moses was gone down to the people and had the second time as God commanded given them straight charge not to passe the bounds that were set them lest they provoked the Lord to break forth upon them to slay them Vers 18. And all the people saw the thundrings c. This word is generally used for seeing hearing or perceiving Thus that which is said Gen. 42. 1. When Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt c. is expressed Act. 7. 12. But when Jacob heard that there was corn c. Vers 20. Fear not for God is come to prove you God is not said to prove men by any thing he doth because thereby he comes to find out that concerning those men which he knew not before but because thereby he doth that which those do that prove men that is he discovers that either to the men themselves whom he proves or to others which was not manifest before And so Moses here tells the Israelites that the Lord had spoken to them with so much terrour to prove them that is to discover how weak they were and unable to endure Gods glorious majestie and much lesse his wrath and indignation and also to make it manifest whether the apprehension of this majesty of God would make them fear to offend him or no. Vers 21. And the people stood afarre off and Moses drew near unto the thick darknesse where God was That is the people stood aloof from the mount as Moses had enjoyned but Moses went up into the mount to wit together with Aaron for so God had before commanded chap. 19. 24. Thou shalt come up thou and Aaron with thee Yea and after this because
the people were so terrified at the manner of the giving of the Law when the Elders had desired of Moses that he would recieve from God his statutes and judgements that they then afterwards might recieve them from him the Lord consented hereto and so the people were sent away to their tents and Moses went up to the top of the mount Deut. 5. 30 31. Go saith the Lord to Moses say to them Get you into your tents again but aâ for thee stand thou here by me c. Vers 22. Say unto the children of Israel Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven This is premised as a reason of the following precept because ye onely heard me speak out of heaven ye saw no image therefore ye shall make no image Now it is said here that God spake unto them from heaven though he spake to them from the midst of the fire on the top of Mount Sinai either because it was the voyce of God who dwelleth in the heavens or because the aire is also usually called the heaven as Gen. 1. 20. and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven Vers 24. An altar of earth shalt thou make unto me c. This is meant of such altars as they should be appointed to rear as they were upon the way untill they came to the place which the Lord should choose to settle his worship there and happely of altars reared afterwards upon extraordinary occasions And these they must make either of earth or of rough stone as ver 25. both that the worthlessenesse of the matter and form might shew that God would not have them places of his worship for perpetuity and likewise that they might be types of Christs humane nature for Christ is our altar Hebr. 13. 10. We have an alâar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle and of the mean and contemptible condition wherein Christ lived upon the earth of which the Prophet speaks Isa 53. 2. He hath no form nor comlinesse and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him See the note also upon Exod. 27. 1. In all places where I record my name I will come unto thee and I will blesse thee Together with that foregoing precept for the service of God he addes a promise of his presence his gracious acceptance of their sacrifices and service as also his blessing that should attend them thereupon onely this is limited to the places that he should choose to put his name there as he speaks elsewhere Deut. 12. 5. But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there even unto his habitation shall ye seek c. And the reason of adding this here seems to be 1. to restrain them from rearing altars wherever themselves pleased they must do it onely in places which he should choose to record his name there and 2. to restrain them from having any superstitioâs conceits in time to come of these places where altars had been raised for the worship of God for saith the Lord into whatever places you come if I there appoint you to build an altar I will accept of your service and will blesse you in one place as well as in another And for this very cause it was as I before observed that the Lord commanded such slightnesse in making their altars to prevent superstition that the people might see they were not intended for succeeding times Vers 25. Thou shalt not build it of hewen stone See the notes upon the foregoing verses If thou lift up thy tool upon it thou hast polluted it Namely by transgressing the commandment of God Thus that which in mans judgement and art should polish it Gods Law maketh to be a pollution so is it with humane wisdome in preaching the Gospel 1. Cor. 2. 4. And my preaching was not with enticeing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the spirit and of power Vers 26. Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar c. This was also so given in charge concerning altars to be raised upon extraordinary occasions and which were not to continue for constant use for it is evident by the height of Solomons altar which was ten cubits high 2. Chron. 4. 1. that the Priests went up offer sacrifices thereon though doubtlesse they were not such steps as are in ladders whereon whilest they went up there might be danger of discovering their nakednesse to those that were beneath them and though the altar which Moses made for the Tabernacle was but three cubits high yet it is said that the sacrificers did ascend up to it and descend down from it Lev. 9. 22. Aaron came down from offering of the sinne-offering and therefore there was some kind of ascending to this altar also Either therefore it is meant of altars suddenly to be raised of earth or unpolished stones upon extraordinary occasions or else the steps forbidden are not all kind of stairs but such as are on ladders whereon there might be danger of discovering the Priests nakednesse which God would have prevented 1. for comelinesse and honesty sake and 2. lest any uncomely thing in the Priests should impair the honour of those sacred rites CHAP. XXI Vers 1. NOw these are the judgements which thou shalt set before them That is the judiciall laws Vers 2. If thou buy an Hebrew-servant c. Divers wayes the Hebrews came to be sold for servants to their brethren for 1. sometimes being condemned for theft they were sold by the judges that so satisfaction might be made to the owner for the goods they had stollen if otherwise they were not able to make satisfaction chap. 22. 3. If he have nothing he shall be sold for his theft 2. by reason of poverty they might sell their children for servants as is âvident in the 12. verse of this chapter or themselves Lev. 25. 39. And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poore and be sold unto thee c. 3. in case of debt which they were not able to pay they and their children might be sold as servants for satisfaction of the debt whence is that complaint of the poore widow 2. King 4. 1. The creditour is come to take unto him my two sonnes to be bondmen and that in the parable Mat. 18. 25. For as much as he had not to pay his Lord commanded him to be sold and his wife and children and all that he had and payment to be made Now in all these cases here is a law given concerning the time of their service namely that they should serve those that had bought them onely six years and that in the seventh year they should set them free Elsewhere it is evident that if the year of Jubile fell within the compasse of those six years their servants were then also to be set free though it were but a year
to appear in the presence of God for us So also Revel 8. 3 4. And another angâl came and stood at the altar having a golden censer and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne And the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the angels hand Vers 13. That the cloud of incense may cover the mercy-seat c. Whereby they were taught how formidable the majesty of God was and with what reverence we ought to present our selves before him Vers 15. Then shall he kill the goat of the sinne-offering c. We must not conceive that he came forth out of the most holy place to kill this goat of the sin-offering for the people for the bloud of this goat as it is said here was also sprinkled before the mercy-seat and had he gone in once with the bloud of his own sinne-offering and then came out and killed this goat for a sinne-offering for the people and gone in again to sprinkle the bloud of that before the mercy-seat then had he gone in twice on this day within the vail which is expressely against that of the Apostle Heb. 9. 7. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year not without bloud which he offered for himself and for the errours of the people These words therefore then shall he kill the goat of the sinne-offering do onely intend that he killed the bullock first for himself vers 11. and then this goat for the people for both of them were killed before he entred into the most holy place Vers 16. And he shall make an atonement for the holy place As being defiled though not in it self yet in regard of the peoples guilt partly by reason of any unwitting approching to the sanctuary when they were not legally clean and partly by reason of all other their sinnes whereby appears the horrour of sinne for though the people never went into the holy place much lesse into the most holy yet were the altar ark and Sanctuary defiled in the sight of God by their sins and could not be cleansed without bloud So our sinnes do defile Gods Church and most holy ordinances and do ascend into heaven it self whereinto we can have no entrance but by bloud See Heb. 9. 7 11 12. Vers 17. And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation c. That is neither of the priests nor people neither in the holy place nor in the court of the tabernacle for else why is it said no man since the people at no time used to come into the holy place The reasons of this were two 1. As by way of chastisement and for their humiliation they were all excluded from the places and holy things till they were purged from the uncleannesse which they had contracted by their sinnes 2. Hereby was signified that our high priest Christ should without help of any other perfect the work of our reconciliation with God Vers 18. And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord. That is the altar of incense See Exod. 30. 10. Vers 21. And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat This is the onely unbloudy sacrifice which was appointed in the Law yet was it not if it be well considered wholly without bloud For this and the goat which was killed was indeed but one sacrifice the one representing Christ dying for our sinnes the other Christ rising again for our justification Rom. 4. 25. the one the price paid for our redemption the other the effect thereof that God laying our sinnes upon Christ had removed our sinnes farre away from us See Psal 103. 12. As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath he removed our transgressions from us Vers 21. And shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wildernesse That is a man who for ability of body knowledge of the way and sufficiency for this service was chosen and in readinesse as appointed hereunto Vers 22. And the goat shall bear upon him their uniquities unto a land not inhabited That so the place might signifie that by Christ sinne is removed farre away even from all mankind that will believe in him Besides it might signifie that Christ was not onely put to death for our sakes but also forsaken in a manner of God cast off and left in a forlorn and comfortlesse condition Vers 24. And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place To wit because he had touched the goat upon which the sinnes of the people were laid The Hebrews say that this washing was not as at other times in the laver of brasse but in some vessell which stood in the Sanctuary which seems probable because after this done he is said to come forth that he might offer the burnt-offerings in the court And put on his garments c. The garments which he was now to put on were his ordinary high priests garments See the note above upon ver 4. And the burnt-offerings here appointed to be offered by him were the rammes mentioned ver 3. and ver 5. Vers 26. And he that let go the goat c. shall wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in water and afterward come into the camp Being unclean till the evening is not here mentioned as I conceive because it was usually evening ere they returned from these services or else in these cases they might presently come into the camp to bring back word that they had done what was injoyned Vers 29. In the seventh moneth on the tenth day of the moneth ye shall afflict your souls c. To wit by fasting and abstinence from all fleshly delights as also by the duties of inward humiliation and contrition and therefore was this day called their fast Sailing was now dangerous because the fast was now already past Act. 27. 9. And this we must know was the very same day wherein all those things before mentioned in this chapter were done by the high priest for the expiation of the sinnes of the people and was therefore called the day of atonement Levit. 23. 27. Indeed the solemnity of the day began the evening foregoing the tenth day and therefore it is said Levit. 23. 32. Ye shall afflict your souls on the ninth day of the moneth at even but the tenth day it was that was allotted for this service On this day the Jubile was also proclaimed of which see chap. 20. 8 9. As likewise for the extraordinary sacrifices of this day see Numb 29. 7 11. CHAP. XVII Vers 3. WHat man soever there be of the house of Israel that killâth anoâ c. Namely with an intent of offering it as a sacrifice to the Lord It is not meant of oxen lambes or goats killed for their own private uses
but onely of killing these beasts for an offering to the Lord as is expressed in the following words ver 4. And bringeth it not unto the doore of the tabernacle c. For herein lay the sinne that they should dare to kill a sacrifice and not bring it to the priest to be killed by him at the doore of the tabernacle by forbidding whereof Israel was taught 1. to serve God in Christ onely who is the true tabernacle Heb. 9. 11. in whom God dwelleth among men and through whom all our services are made acceptable to God John 14. 6. I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh unto the Father but by me and 2. that no service is acceptable to him but what is performed in his Church and amongst his people Vers 4. Bloud shall be imputed to that man c. That is his sacrifice shall be no more accepted of God then if he slew a man according to that of the Prophet Isai 66. 3. He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man or rather he shall be reputed and proceeded against as a murtherer he shall be esteemed as one that hath shed bloud so shall be cut off from among his people And this happely was the rather ordained because the bloud of their sacrifices was as I may say the ransom of their persons that had sinned and so shedding of such bloud otherwise then God had appointed should be accounted as if they had shed the bloud of a man so strictly were they tied in those times to one place for the killing and offering of all their sacrifices Indeed we reade of many of the Worthies of God that did after this offer up sacrifices in other places as Samuel in Mispeh 1. Sam. 7. 9. and in Gilgal 1. Sam. 11. 15. and in Bethlem 1. Sam. 11. 2. And David in the floore of Ornan 2. Sam. 24. 18. and Elias in mount Carmel 1. King 18. 22. but that was by extraordinary dispensation from God ordinarily they were tied to bring their sacrifices to the tabernacle whereas now again under the Gospel we have liberty every where to offer up spirituall sacrifices to God John 4. 21 24. The houre cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet in Jerusalem worship the Father God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth So also Mal. 1. 11. From the rising of the sunne even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure offering c. Vers 5. To the end the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices which they offer in the open field c. That is which they have been accustomed to offer any where in the open fields This is added to shew why the Lord had appointed the man to be so severely punished that should kill or offer any sacrifice any where but in the tabernacle namely that by the severitie of this law they might the better be restrained from the liberty of offering sacrifices in all places whereto they had heretofore been accustomed and that without sinne and might be strictly tied to bring all their sacrifices where ever they dwelt to the doore of the tabernacle unto the priest yea even their peace-offerings which are particularly mentioned in the last clause of this verse 1. because these were most usuall and were a kind of feast to the offerer whence there was most danger lest they should take liberty to kill and make feasts of these sacrifices in their private dwellings and 2. because naming of the lesse doth the more strongly imply the greater if they might not offer peace-offerings which are onely said to be holy where ever they pleasââ much lesse burnt-offerings which are every where said to be most holy and therefore are set in the first place Josh 22. 26 27. Therefore we said Let us now prepare to build us an altar not for burnt-offering nor for sacrifice but that it may be a witnesse between us and you c. Vers 6. And the priest shall sprinkle the bloud c. This which follows is added also to imply why the Lord tied them so strictly to one place for their offering up of sacrifices namely that by this means they might be kept in that one uniform way of Gods worship which he had appointed and not bring in every one their own superstitious devices which is the next step to idolatry for that is the meaning of these words that by being bound to one place the priest would now order all things according to Gods direction and so they should be a sweet âavour acceptable to the Lord whereas otherwise being adulterated with mens inventions they would be an abomination unto him Vers 7. And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils That is by the means above named this evil shall be prevented They shall no more offer to devils The Hebrew word signifies rough and rugged as hairy goats because in such shapes the devils sometimes appeared like Satyrs Esay 34. 14. And indeed to devils did all those Jews and Gentiles sacrifice that sacrificed not by faith in Christ and in such sort and place as God approved of Deut. 32 17. They sacrificed to devils not to God to gods whom they knew not new gods c. 1. Cor. 10. 20. But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to devils not to God c. Now so the Israelites had done both in Egypt Ezek. 23. 8. Neither left she her whoredomes brought from Egypt c. and also now lately in the wildernesse Exod. 32. when they sacrificed to that idol the golden calf and in other their secret idolatries Act. 7. 41. And they made a calf in those dayâs and offered sacrifice unto the idol and rejoyced in the work of their own hands Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven as it is written in the book of the Prophets O ye house of Israel have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of fourty years in the wildernesse and therefore are they said to sacrifice to devils as Jeroboams idols are also called devils 2. ãâã 11. 15. And he appointed him priests for the high places and for the devils c. and Antichrists likewise Revel 9. 20. And the rest of the men which were not killed by those plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands that they should not worship devils c. Vers 8. And thou shalt say unto them Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel or of the strangers c. Here the former law is extended to strangerâs also namely such as were turned to the religion and church of the Israelites and withall this also is expressed that as the sacrifice might not be killed ver 3. so neither might it be offered without the Sanctuary though