retained the Lord of Sabbaoth Rom. 9. 29. Vers 2. He rested on the seventh day from all the works which he had made That is he did not on the seventh day create any thing as he had done on the foregoing six dayes because all was already finished which he had purposed to make The Creatour of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is neary Isa 40. 28. onely it is said that he rested on the seventh day because he ceased from the work of creation for as concerning the sustaining and governing of the creatures the Father worketh hitherto and Christ worketh John 5. 17. Vers 3. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it The second word sanctified is added by way of explaining the first word blessed and the meaning is that God set apart the seventh day for the speciall work of his service and blessed it with this singular priviledge that it should be wholy consecrate to him and his worship Some Expositours indeed hold that there was not any law imposed upon Adam and his posterity for the keeping of the seventh day holy till at mount Sinai it was commanded the Israelites and so they take this here to be mentioned by Moses by way of Prolepsis to wit that because God rested from his work of creation upon the seventh day therefore he did afterwards ordain that every seventh day of the week should be kept holy by the Israelites as a Sabbath of rest unto the Lord. But the words will not bear this exposition and there are many reasons besides that do evidently enough discover that God did from the first creation appoint that the seventh day should be kept as a holy Sabbath as 1. Because it is expressely spoken of the very next day after the Lord had ended the worlds creation Now if that were a Sabbath sanctified and set apart for holy imployments we cannot think that this ordinance beginning then was not afterward continued 2. Because it is no way probable that the Church had for so many ages before the giving of the Law no set day set apart for holy imployments What though there be no mention made in the Scriptures of the Patriarchs keeping a Sabbath Many things they did which are not mentioned and how could the distinction of severall weeks be kept till the Law yea how could they have known the weekly seventh day from the creation if it had not been constantly kept from the Creation till that time 3. Because it is plain that the Jews did keep the Sabbath defore the Lavv vvas given for before the Lavv vvas given that vvas spoken by Moses Exod. 16. 23. To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord. and 4. Because the Apostle Heb. 4. 3. doth evidently enough imply that there vvas a rest vvhich Gods people did observe sinâ—e the finishing of Gods vvork from the first foundation of the vvorld Vers 4. These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth c. That is in this order and manner as hath been declared vvere the heavens and the earth at first created and made and all the plants and herbs of the field vvhen as yet there had been no such thing grovving thereon according to the course of nature as novv they do Vers 5. For the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth c. As if he should say it must needs be yielded that God did at first by his absolute povver cause these things to grovv out of the earth for there had been as yet none of those ordinary means vvhereby the earth is novv made fruitfull no rain to vvater it no man to till it Vers 6. But there went up a mist c. Junius reades this negatively Nor went there up a mist c. and takes it to be a further confirmation of that vvhich before vvas said that the creating of things by the meer vvord of God cannot be denied because as yet there had not been so much as a mist to vvater the ground But if vve reade it as in our Translation it must be understood as I conceive to be added by vvay of preventing an objection for vvhereas it might be said Hovv then continued they to grovv after they vvere created being there vvas neither rain to vvater the earth nor man to till it Moses telleth us There went up a mist c. Vers 7. And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life That is by his almighty povver the Lord did create and infuse into the yet livelesse body of Adam a living reasonable soul vvhich being instantly united to the body in an incomprehensible manner his body vvas quickened and enlivened vvhich soon appeared by the breath in his nostrils Thus the soul vvas not as the body made of the earth but created of nothing and so joyned to the body Vers 8. The Lord God planted a garden Eastward in Eden To vvit on the third day of the Creation vvhen the Lord commanded the earth to bring forth all herbs trees and plants vvherevvith it is novv adorned for as he then made the earth all over to bring forth some kind of increase or other for the use of living creatures and of Adams posterity as they should increase so for the present habitation of these our first Parents he then also made in Eden a countrey that lay Eastvvard from Canaan mentioned often in the Scriptures Isa 35. 12. Ezek. 27. 23. a most goodly pleasant and fruitfull garden abounding vvith all things that could be therein desired and so curiously ordered in every respect as if it had been planted by art and hereinto Adam vvas put This Garden is by the Greek Interpreters called Paradise and is in the Scripture termed the garden of the Lord Gen. 13. 10. and for the pleasantnesse of it made a figure of the heaven of heavens vvhich is therefore called Paradise Luke 23. 43. To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise 2. Cor. 12. 4. He was caught up into Paradise c. Vers 9. The tree of life c. This tree was so called 1. because it was a memoriall or monitorie signe of that life which he had received from God 2. because it was a sacramentall signe annexed to the covenant of works assuring life and glory upon condition of perfect obedience 3. as some conceive because of the power which God had given it to sustain the body of man in perfect strength without any decay untill they were translated to heavenly glory which they take to be the ground of that which is said Gen. 3. 22. Lest he take also of the tree of life and eat and live for ever therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden Vers 10. And the tree of knowledge of good and evil So called not because the fruit thereof had any such quality or virtue that being eaten it would work in man any increase of knowledge or quicknesse of wit but because it was another sacramentall
the law at Horeb but with us that is us his people whom he brought out of Egypt even us who are all of us here alive this day that is not onely with those who then were living at the giving of the Law but since dead in the wildernesse but even with us their posterity who are all alive this day Now for the understanding of this we must know that though the covenant of grace which God made with the Israelites when he brought them out of Egypt was one and the same for substance with that whiâ—h he had made before with their fathers and though it was much alike too in regard of the outward dispensation both being delivered in a way suitable to the dayes of the old Teâ—tament which was common to both to wit under dark promises types and ceremonies yet first because the Lord did more fully and more clearly make known unto them at Horeb the tenour of the covenant then he hâ—d ever done unto their fathers partly by giving them many more signes and shadows of the promised Messiah and the good that was to be had in him as the tabernâ—cle the ark the mercy-seat and the priesthood c. and partly by giving them a written law containing a perfect summâ— of all that God required of them and secondly because he then entred into covenant with them as a body politick a people whom he had separated from all other nations to be his peculiar people prescribing them an outward form of government laws and statutes to which they consented to submit themselves therefore Moses tells them that the Lord did not make this covenant with their fathers and hence it is also that the Apostle saith the law was after the covenant in Christ Gal. 3. 17. And of this speciall mercy afforded them above their fathers Moses puts them here in mind to make them the more carefull to keep Gods laws Vers 4. The Lord talked with you face to face in the mount c. To wit when he gave them the ten commandments following vers 6. then the Lord talked with them face to face that is immediately by himself and not by a messenger and indeed this was not without a speciall mysterie for the ten commandments being a renewing and repeating of the covenant of works to be performed by every man in his own person therefore the Lord delivered these laws himself and there was no Mediatour betwixt him and the people whereas the other laws which were afterwards given them containing many shadows of Chriâ—t in whom God had made a covenant of grace were therefore delivered to Moses and by him to the people Moses standing as a Mediatour betwixt God and them But of this phrase of Gods speaking to them face to face see also the note upon Exod. 33. 11. Vers 5. I stood between the Lord and you at that time c. That is after God had out of the fire spoken the ten commandments I was glad to stand as a Mediatour betwixt the Lord and you Vers 12. Keep the Sabbath-day to sanctifie it c. In Exod. 20. 8. it is Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy so likewise some other small differences there are which are not worthy the queâ—tioning the substance being exactly the same Vers 15. And râ—member that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt c. In this fourth commandment as it was delivered by the Lord from mount Sinai the worlds Creation and Gods resting on the seventh day was mentioned as a main ground of it Exod. 20. 11. but here Moses repeating this commandment omits that and presseth their deliverance out of Egypt as a chief reason of Gods enjoyning them to sanctifie this day Remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence c. therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath-Sabbath-day And indeed though the Lords resting on the seventh day at the worlds Creation was the main groâ—nd of the sabbaths first institution yet their deliverance out of Egypt might be the reason why thâ— Lord did now insert this amongst other the commandments which he gave in charge to the Israelites and that in these respeâ—ts first because by their redemption out of Egypt they were bound to consecraâ—e themselves wholly to Gods service as his peculiar people whereof the holy imployment of the Sabbath might be a notable memoriall and signe and secondly because of that particular charge of suffering their servants to rest on the Sabbath-day their former bondage in Egypt being a strong inducement to move them to take pity of their sâ—rvants and this enjoyned rest of their servants being a good memoriall to put them in mind of their bondage in Egypt Vers 21. Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbours wife c. Exod. 20. 17. God first forbids the coveting of our neighbours house and then next the coveting of his wife here contrarily the coveting our neighbours wiâ—e is sirst forbidden and then afterward the coveting of his house c. so that they that would divide this last commandment into two as the Papists do cannot justly say which is the ninth commandment and which is the tenth because one branch of it is first in Exodus and another is first here in Deuteronomie and we cannot think that Moses would pervert the order of the ten commandments Vers 22. And he added no more That is he spake no more unto the people but these ten commandments immediately by himself the rest he spake unto Moses and then Moses told it them and that because they desired it should be so which Moses relates largely in the remainder of the chapter to convince them that they had no cause to give lesse regard to the other statutes which Moses delivered them from Gods own mouth But yet withall these words may imply the perfection of the decalogue or tenne commandments to wit that the Lord hath therein given us such a perfect summe of the morall Law that there is nothing farther to be added to it And he wrote them in two tables of stone c. See the note upon Exodus â—1 18. Vers 24. We have seen this day that God doth talk with man and he livetâ— c. In these words they confesse that they had heard God talking with them and were for all that alive and yet in the next words in the following verse they adde Now therefore why should we die for this great fire will consume us whereas rather one would think that from their present safetie after they had heard God talking with them they should have encouraged themselves against all fear for the time to come But for this I answer that in these first words they speak of their present safety as a matter of wonder and thence inferre that though they had escaped this danger for the present yet the very terrour of it would kill them if God did thus still reveal his will to
repentance to see whether they would not again revolt from God and secondly to procure the more authority to Moses that they might look upon him when he brought the law as an angel sent to them from heaven And he wrote upon the tables c. That is the Lord. See ver 1. Vers 30. Behold the skinne of his face shone No such thing befell him before when he was the first time upon the mount with the Lord fourty dayes and fourty nights because then the Lord had not shown him his glory in so great a degree as now he had Nor need we wonder that Moses wist not that the skinne of his face shone as it is said in the former verse for coming from the exceeding glory and brightnesse of Gods presence that spark of shining brightnesse that was in his own face was not discernable by him though terrible to the Israelites Now for the shining of Moses face it was doubtlesse to signifie the glory of the law which he preached to them whence is that of the Apostle 2. Cor. 3. 7 8. But if the ministration of death written and ingraven in stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to be done away how shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious But withall the people by this were taught to reverence him even as an angel come from heaven to look upon him as one that stood in Gods stead when he spake to them and to assure themselves that God had inlightned him also inwardly that he might teach and instruct them And they were afraid to come nigh him Moses came down with vengeance before and what might they think of this glory put upon him now being still conscious to themselves of the haynousnesse of their former rebellion Besides this was to shew that Moses his ministration was condemnation 1. Cor. 3. 7 9. because it gives knowledge of sinne and causeth wrath Rom. 4. 15. The law worketh wrath for where there is no law there is no transgression Vers 33. And till Moses had done speaking with them he put a vail on his face Hereby it is evident how long the brightnesse of Moses face continued not all the time of his life but onely the time of his going to and fro between the Lord and his people that he might deliver to the people the laws and commandments he gave them in charge All this time the shining of his face continued and so when he came to speak with the people he pâ—t on a vail which signified First the vail of the obscurity of the law whereby Christ and the end of the law was hardly discerned and secondly that vail of ignorance and infidelity which was spread upon our hearts by nature untill it be removed by Christ Vers 34. But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him â—e took the vail off c. Signifying that when we come to see God in Christ the vail is taken away See 2. Cor. 3. 15. 16. Even unto this day when Moses is read the vail is upon their heart neverthelesse when it shall turn to the Lord the vail shall be taken away CHAP. XXXV Vers 3. YE shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the Sabbath day This clause of the law concerning the Sabbath must be explained by that chap. 16 23. To morrow is the holy rest of the Sabbath unto the Lord bake that which ye will bake to day and seethe that which ye will seethe c. Namely that they must not kindle any fire therewith to dresse any meat for themselves or except in case of absolute necessity for that they might not kindle fire either to light a candle or to warm themselves in the extreme cold of winter is altogether improbable Vers 22. And they came both men and women as many as were willing-hearted and brought bracâ—lets and eare-rings c. That is not onely gold and silver but also their very ornaments contributing these things as willingly now after repentance for the service of the tabernacle as before for the making of their golden calf CHAP. XXXVI Vers 2. ANd Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab c. Though gifted yet they must have a calling Vers 8. And every wise-hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabâ—rnacle made ten curtains c. This is first made though in the directions given the ark table and candlestick were first mentioned because it was to recâ—ive and contain these holy things which might not stand without their tent CHAP. XXXVIII Vers 8. ANd he made the laver of brasse and the foot of it of brasse of the looking-glasses of the women assembling c. For it is evident by severall Writers that in ancient times they used looking-glasses made wholly of pure bright brasse Vers 18. And the height in the breadth was five cubits c. That which is the breadth of the hanging lying is the height of it standing or hanging and therefore it is said that the height in the breadth of it was five cubits Vers 21. This is the summe of the tabernacle c. Or counted things that is this is the summe and particulars of the tabernacle and holy things belonging to it which were thus taken as it were in an inventory by Ithamar at the commandment of Moses and so delivered into the custody of the Levites that nothing might be lost This clause I conceive therefore may have respect both to the rehearsall of particulars which went before and vvithall likevvise to the summe of the gold and silver spent in making these things whereof Moses speaks in the words following Vers 24. Even the gold of the offering was twenty and nine talents c. Twenty nine talents and seven hundred and thirty shekels counting the talent at an hundred and twenty pound and five and twenty shekels to a pound will make three thousand five hundred and nine pound weight of gold and five shekels which in sterling money if we account a pound weight of gold to be worth but thirty pound of sterling money comes to above an hundred and five thousand pound viz. one hundred five thousand two hundred and seventy pound Vers 25. And the silver of them that were numbred of the congregation was an hundred talents and a thousand seven hundred â—hreescore and fifteen shekels c. There were numbred six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty men and the very same number we find Numb 1. 46. of which see the notes there who all paying half a shekel Exod. 30. 13. the summe of the silver amounts to three hundred and one thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels of silver which is as here allowing three thousand shekels to a talent an hundred talents and a thousand seven hundred seventy five shekels over and this counting twenty five shekels to a pound weight amounts to twelve
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 unâ—o 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 â—hee 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 â—lie to Paran why should I be deprived of you boâ—h 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 â—heir 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 tâ—eir heads nor to rend their clothes nor to go out from the doore of the tabernacl◠〈◊〉 the congrâ—gation and that first becâ—use it was an extraordinary judgemenâ— of God that was fallen upon their brethren and they were to testifie their â—â—bmissiâ—â— thereuâ—â—â— by not lamenting their death Secondly because the solemnity and service of the dâ—y 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
is his sister and therefore he might not uncover her nakednesse Vers 10. The nakednesse of thy sonnes daughter c. And so other of further descent how much more then his next daughter though she be not named Vers 11. The nakednesse of thy fathers wives daughter c. That is the daughter of thy father not the daughter of thy mother See above vers 9. Vers 16. Thou shalt not uncover the nakednesse of thy brothers wife To wit except in that speciall case when a man deceasing without children his nexâ— brothâ—r by an expresse exception of the law Deut. 25. was to marry the wife of the deceased and to raise up â—eeâ— unto his brother as Onan the soâ—ne of Judah did Gen. 38. 8. Vers 18. Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister to vex her c. This is all one with one wife to another as it is translated in the margin of our Bibles as Ezek. 1. 9. the wings of the beast are said to touch a woman to her sister as it is directly in the Hebrew words that is one another Though the ordinary exposition be that this is meant of sisters that man having married any woman must not afterward marry her sister to vex her c. yet these reasons so farre sway me that I cannot but understand it of any two women First because incest with sisters is above forbidden vers 9. 11. Secondly because polygamie is no where else forbidden if not here unlesse to the King Deut. 17. 16. Thirdly because the following words cannot unlesse extremely forced be brought to agree with that exposition of sisters for would not the marriage of her husband with another woman vex her as much as with her sister happely more And why is it added in her life as if it were lawfull for a man to marry his wives sister after his wives decease those things winne me to think that it is meant of any two women Vers 19. Also thou shalt not approch unto a woman to uncover her nakednesse as long as she is put apart c. To wit though she be thy lawfull wife Vers 21. And thou shalt not let any of thy seed passe through the fire to Molech Molech was an idol worshipped by the Ammonites and other heathen called also Moloch Amos 5. 26. But ye have born the tabernacle of your Moloch and is thought of some to be the starre Saturn the highest or the Sunne the chief of the Planets thence called the starre of your God Amos 5. 26. And it is derived of Melech which signifies a Prince or King It is thought by many to bâ— the same idol that is ordinarily in Scripture called Baal which they gather by comparing together 2. Kings 23. 10. And he defiled Topheth which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom that no man might make his sonne or his daughter to passe through the fire to Molech Jer. 19. 5. They built also the high places of Baal to burn their sonnes with fire for burnt-offerings unto Baal c. chap. 7. 31. And they have built the high places of Tophet which is in the valley of the sonne of Hinnom to burn their sonnes their daughters in the fire c. chap. 32. 35. Now to this idol they caused their children to passe through the fire two wayes for some burned them to death or at least killed them and then burnt them on their altars for so it is said of Ahaz 2. Chron. 28. 3. He burnt incense in the valley of Hinnom and burnt his children in the fire c. and of the Israelites in generall Psal 106. 37 38. They sacrificed their sonnes and their daughters unto devils and shed innocent bloud But some onely made them to go through between two fires as a signe of their consecration This sinne is here forbidden amongst whoredomes and incests because as all idolatry is spirituall fornication so this especially because their seed was here given away unlawfully which iâ— therefore called a going a whoring after Molech Levit. 20. 3 5. But though this idol be here named yet under this the like wicked service to any idol is forbidden Nâ—ithâ—r shalt thâ—u profane the name of thy God This is added as a reason why in the foregoing law they were forbidden to let their seed passe thorow the fire to Molech to wit because it would be a vild profanation of Gods holy name and that first in regard it would be an horrible vilifying of the Lord God to forsake him and yield such â—onour to such a base idol-god and secondly because horrible wickednesse in a people called by his name that is called the people and servants of God would be a dishonour to God and would cause the name of God to be blasphemed even among the Gentiles Vers 24. For in all these the Nations are defiled which I cast out before you That is with all these incestuous mixtures the Canaanites defiled themselves and so provoked me to cast them out of the land and therefore take you heed that you do not provoke me by the same sinnes Now hereby it is manifest that all the severall sorts of incest before mentioned are sinnes against the law and light of nature because the Lord abhorred the heathen that had no other law and punished them so severely for these very sinnes Vers 26. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgements The mention of Gods statutes here doth intimate what a shame it would be for them that had the light of the word to walk in these evil courses whereinto the heathen fell because they lived in darknesse CHAP. XIX Vers 3. YE shall fear every man his mother and his father Because the mother is usually most despised the Lord injoyns the fear of the mother in the first place And keep my Sabbaths Because the commandment for sanctifying Gods Sabbaths is directed to the fathers and mothers of the family who are to take care that children and servants profane not Gods holy day therefore the charge for fearing mother and father is here prefixt bfore this of sanctifying the Sabbath The meaning is that children and servants must have such an awfull fear of their superiours as willingly to be guided by them according to Gods word in the matter of sanctifying Gods Sabbaths and not to resist them in it Vers 6. It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it and on the morrow That is if it were a peace-offering for a vow or a freewill-offering otherwise if it were for a thanksgiving it was to be eaten the same day Levit. 7. 15. And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offeringâ— for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered he shall not leave any of it untill the morning And so that which was left of the one was to be burnt the second day and that which was left of the other upon the third which must needs make them more willing to call the poore to
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-offâ—rings 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— bruisâ—d c. No not in freewill-offerings Vers 25. Neither from a strangers hand shall ye offâ—r the brâ—ad of your God c. Some understand this of strangers that were proselytes leâ—â— 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 hâ—athen uncircumcised would bring any sacrifice to be offered for them and brought any of those fore-mentioâ—ed 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 sacriâ—â—ces 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 convâ—â—ation 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.
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-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-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 staâ—utes 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 fiâ—st moneâ—h of the year to the Isâ—â—elites which answereâ—â— 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 conâ—inued 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 â—olemnized 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
down and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill and smote them and discomfited them even unto Hormah That is the Amorites the posterity of Canaan Deut. 1. 44. And the Amorites which dwelt in that mountain came out against you and chased you as bees do After this discomfiture the Israelites returned and wept before the Lord but he would not hear their voice nor give ear unto them So they abode in Kadesh many dayes Deut 1. 45. Now for Hormah whither the Israelites were chased it was a place afterwards so called upon occasion of the Israelites destroying the Canaanites there chap. 21. 3. CHAP. XV. Vers 1. ANd the Lord spake unto Moses saying Speak unto the children of Israel c. In this chapter the Lord enlargeth and explaineth some laws formerly delivered And it is most likely that this was delivered in the order as here it is set down within some short time after their departure back from Kadesh toward the red sea and that purpoâ—ely to chear up the people with hope of Gods reconciliation that he had not utterly cast them off but would again smell the sweet savour of a sacrifice from them and perform the promises made to them to which end also there is a particulâ—r mention made that they should observe these directions given them when they câ—me into the land of Canaan Vers 2. When ye be come into the land of your habitations which I give unto you c. This law is to shew what meat-offerings and drink-offerings were alwayes to be offered together with their sacrifices whereof part was burnt upon the altar as accessories and appurtenances thereto belonging for the understanding whereof we must note that whereas there are two sorts of these offerings by fire mentioned vers 3. that were to have these accessory meat-offerings and drink-offerings to wit a burnt-offering or a sacrifice by sacrifice there is meant onely the sacrifice of peace-offerings as in many other places besides And indeed unlesse it be iâ— the sinnâ—-offering that was offered at the cleansing of the Leper Levit. 14. 10. we do not any where reade that there was any meat-offerings appointed for sinne-offerings bâ—t onely for burnt-offerings and peace-offerings whence we see that these two onely are mentioned iâ— this place the reason whereof I conceive was this because the end of the sinne-offering which was to make atonement for the humbled sinner and the end of the meat-offering which was to testifie the joy and gladnesse of their thankfull hearts did not so well agree and it would not therefore be so proper to joyn them together and secondly that there are severall quantities of meat and drink-offerings here appointed as first for a lamb or kid vers 4 5. or secondly for a ramme ver 6 7. or for a bullock ver 8 9 10. for according as the sacrifice was greater oâ— lesse so must also the meat and drink-offering be more or lesse so there might be a proportion betwixt them Now concerning the measure of an hin and other things observable concerning these meat-offerings see what is noted before upon Exod. â—9 41 c. Vers 15. As ye are so shall the stranger be before the Lord. That is God will make no difference betwixt you and the strangers that have embraced the same religion with you his sacrifices and yours shall be alike acceptable to God and therefore as there is no difference in the Lords acceptation so neither in the manner of their offering them In civil things there was not one Law both for Israelite and stranger but before the Lord that is when they came into Gods presence to perform the duties of Gods worship as the Israelites were so were the strangers that is there was one Law for them both Vers 20. As ye do the heave-offering of the threshing-floore so shall ye heave it That is about the same quantity that ye offer of your first corn shall ye offer of youâ— dough and both shall be offered with the same ceremonies Vers 21. Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the Lord an heave-offering in your generations That is to the priests as the Lords receivers for the first-fruits were their portion Ezek. 44. 30. And the first of all the fruits of all things and evâ—ry oblation of all of every sort of your oblations shall be the priests c. Vers 22. And if ye have erred and not observed all thâ—se commandments c. There is a Law given concerning the expiation of a sinne ignorantly committed by the whole congregation Levit. 4. 13. But there is a manifest difference betwixt this and that There the Law speaks of doing that which should not be done here of not doing all which should be done there the sacrifice which the congregation should bring is onely a bullock for a sinne-offering here they are willed to bring a bullock for a burnt-offering and a kid of the goats for a sinne-offering And the ground of this difference I conceive is this because that Law concerned sinnes of doing evil forbidden this onely concerns the sinne of neglecting those ceremoniall duties commanded by the Law which may be the more readily yielded if we consider the occasion of inserting this Law in this place Having spoken of the first-fruits of the first of their dough he immediately added this Law to shew what should be done in case any of those things concerning the externall worship of God either first-fruits or any other thing that ought to be brought to the priests and to the tabernacle were omâ—tted either by the congregation or particular persons Vers 25. And the priests shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel c. Or for every congregation whereby may be implyed the severall tribes cities towns and synagogues Vers 30. But the soul that doth ought presumptuously c. This Law for the cutting off that is the putting to death of those that do ought presumptuously must be understood onely of the same offences for which the foregoing sacrifiâ—cs were appointed when they were ignorantly committed to wit of offences committed against the worship enjoyned by the ceremoniall Law as it is noted before upon vers 22. In these things the soul that is the man that did ought presumptuously that is not of ignorance inadvertencie or infirmity but willfully and boldly purposely and openly as in an advised contempt of Gods Law and of those duties of his publick worship in the Law of God enjoyned he was to be cut off and that because he did thereby reproch the Lord this being all one as if he should fay that God was not to be regarded or that his judgements were not worthy his fear Vers 32. And while the children of Israel were in the wildernesse they found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day c. At what time in their wandring through the wildernesse this happened which is here related it is not expressed But I conceive it
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 firâ—t 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 solâ—mn 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 aâ—d 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 look to the ark and the other holy things And Moses commanded them saying At the end of every seven years c. The summe of this passage is briefly this that Moses commanded the priests to read this book of the law every seventh year which was the year of release amongst the people and that upon the feast of tabernacles that year Concerning the year of release and the phrase here used At the end of every seven years see the note upon chap. 15. 1. But besides for the fuller understanding of this passage we must note first That the law which the priests were here enjoyned to reade amongst the people every seventh year on the feast of tabernacles was the originall copie of this book of the law which Moses wrote and which he now delivered to the priests to be kept by them Doubtlesse some part of the book of the law was read amongst them by the Levites every Sabbath day Acts 15. 21. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day nor can it be questioned but that the people had books of the law in the reading whereoâ— they did dayly in private exercise themselves if this were required of their kings chap. 17. 18 19. much more may we think it was required of them that were of inforiour rank But yet once in seven years God would have this book to be read by the priests from the beginning to the end amongst the people both that being read in such a solemn manner it might take the deeper impression in them and so cause them to fear the Lord their God and to observe to do all the words of this law as it follows vers 12. and perhaps also that it might be made manifest to all Israel that those copies of the law which they had and which were read and expounded to them every Sabbath day did agree with this originall which Moses wrote and secondly that the reason why God appointed this to be done on the year of release was not onely because that year they had most liberty of mind to intend that service the lâ—nd lying that year at rest and themselves being freed from the danger of having their debts exacted of them but also because it was a holy year the Sabbath of years and so the fitter for this extraordinary duty and thirdly that this was appointed to be done at the feast of tabernacles that year because then all Israel came to appear before the Lord as it is said vers 11. for though the males onely were bound to come up at the feast Exod. 23. 17. yet they did usually carry with them their women also and therefore it is said vers 12. Gather the people together men and women and children c. that they may hear and that they may learn c. Vers 14. Call Joshua and present your selves in the tabernacle of the congregation c. This was thus done that the people might be fully satisfied that he was called of God to this place and that Joshua himself might be put in mind that he was but Gods deputy and so might still acknowledge Gods sovereignty over him and be the more faithfull in discharging the trust which God had put into his hands Vers 16. This people will rise up and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land whither they go to be amongst them The gods whom they have vanquished as it were that could neither preserve themselves nor the people that served them for the worshipping whereof the land had spewed out these her inhabitants Vers 17. I will forsake them and I will hide my face from them c. That is I will cast them off and take no more charge of them as my people and so when all kind of miseries do then come upon them though they seek for me to help yet I will hide my face from them aâ—d will not regard them Vers 19. Now therefore write ye this song for you and teach it the children of Israel c. To wit that which followeth in the following chapter containing a prophecy of their falling away from God and Gods just judgement upon them for this their apostacy It was given in a song that it might be the better remembred and might the more work upon their affections and the Israelites were to learn and sing it that in time to come when they should so provoke God by their sinnes as is there set forth and God should thereupon punish them with those very evils which are there foretold this song as out of their own mouths might be a witnesse for God against them to wit that the evils they suffered were of Gods sending as being the very judgements which God had long since threatned and that God had in that song given them warning enough and they were therefore inexcusable because notwithstanding this warning they had brought these miseries upon themselves Vers 21. For I know their imaginations which they go about even now That is what they will do hereafter I know now yea I see the false hypocrisie of their hearts and their pronenesse to idolatrie even at this present This I conceive is the drift of these words yet it might be also intended to intimate that there were some amongst them that had base apostatizing thoâ—ghts already in their hearts Vers 26. Take this book of the law and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant c. That is not the ark for there was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone which Moses put there in Horeb 1. Kings 8. 9. but on the outside of the ark where was the pot of Manna and Aarons rod. And this was appointed to signifie that it was the law of God though written by Moses and so the people might heare it with the more reverence and attention when it was brought forth thence and read amongst them and withall that God would keep and preserve it and take vengeance on those that should disregard and dispise it Indeed this was that very book which was found in the treasurie of the temple in Josiahs time 2. Chron. 34. 14. and therefore it seems it was removed from the ark in after-ages and kept in some other place of the temple wherein seeing they transgressed the directions which God here gave to the priests no marvell though this precious treasure was for some years lost and not looked after Vers 28. That I may speak these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to record against them See the note chap. 4. 26. CHAP. XXXII Vers 1. GIve ear O ye heavens and I will speak and hear O earth c. That is the song mentioned in the former chapter which God gave Moses vers 19. and commanded him to teach the people And this Rhetoricall expression which Moses useth in the beginning of this song is to imply first of what great importance
some at one time of the yeare and some at another Vers 16. And God made two great lights However the Sunne is indeed the greatest of all the heavenly lights being 166. times bigger then the earth yet it is well knovvn to the learned that the Moon is the least but one of all the Planets and that it hath little or no light of it self but is made lightsome by the Sunnes shining upon it and so by reâ—lection shines upon the earth as a looking-glasse vvill do But Moses here speaketh of the Sunne and Moon as they appear to the eye of man to vvhich the Moon seemeth the greatest light next to the Sunne because it is neaâ—est to the earth of all the Planets Vers 20. And God said Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life and fowâ— that may flie Some Expositours hold that this place doth no more prove that the vvaters vvere the matter of the vvhich the fovvls of the aire vvere made or the place in vvhich they vvere created and out of vvhich they came then the same can be proved concerning the earth because it is said chap. 2. 19. Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the aire The meaning therefore is onely this that as God commanded the waters to bring forth the moving creatures to wit that live in the water as fishes c. so he also commanded that fowls should flie above the earth in the open firmament But yet considering that the â—ature and quality of fish and fowl are so like in many regards that the one do move in the aire much as the other do move in the waters I see not but that these words Let the waters bring forth abundantly may have reference not onely to the fish that swimme in the water but also to fowl that were to flie in the aire especially if by the water we understand the upper waters to wit the vapours or mists that arose out of the waters which brought forth fowl abundantly even as the waters did the fish and the earth afterward the beasts As for the place chap. 2. 19. Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the aire either these words and every fowl of the aire must have râ—ference onely to those words the Lord God formed and not to those out of the ground as if it had been thus expressed out of ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and likewise the Lord God formed every fowl of the aire or else we must hold that the fowl are there said to have been formed out of the ground because though the waters did at first bring them forth yet there was in those waters of which they were made a mixture of earth and in that regard it might be said also that they were formed out of the ground Vers 26. And God said Let us make man in our image after our likenesse Having made the whole world for mans use at the last the Lord created man for whom all those things were beforehand provided And this he is here said to have done not without deliberation and consultation Let us make man c. wherein God speaks of himself after the manner of men thereby onely to imply the excellency of the work he had now in hand The persons consulting are doubtlesse the holy Trinitie the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost those three in heaven which are one God the Father the Word and the holy Ghost 1. John 5. 7. who resolve to make man after their likenesse and in their image not because God took upon him a humane shape when he created man but because in regard of the spirituall essence of his reasonable and understanding soul in regard of his lordship and dominion over the creatures but especially in regard of his wisdome righteousnesse and holinesse he was made like unto God and resembled his Creatour Col. 3. 10. Put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him and Eph. 4. 24. Which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Vers 29. And God said behold I have given you every herb bearing seed c. This grant of the fruits of the earth to be for food both for man and beast may seem to imply that in the state of innocency wherein man was at first created there should have been no other meat requisite or desired for mans sustenance But that this continued thus untill the Floud when the eating of flesh was expresly allowed Gen. 9. 3. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you c. seems not so probable for 1. they wore the skinnes of beasts and therefore it is likely they eat also the flesh 2. had they not made use of cattel for food in those sixteen hundred years and upwards before the Floud the earth would have been overburdened because of their great increase 3. they then offered sacrifices of their cattel Gen. 4. 4. Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock c. and they used not to sacrifice to God any thing but what God had granted to them for their own use Vers 31. God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good Hereby it appears that even those wicked angels whom we call devils were at first created holy and good though afterward they abode not in the truth but sinned John 8. 44. Ye are of your father the devil he abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him c. 2. Pet. 2. 4. God spared not the angels that sinned c. and so kept not their first estate but left their habitation and were thrown down into hell How soon after their creation it was that they sinned the Scripture doth no where make known onely that it was before Adam and Eve sinned we are siâ—e because by the devil in the serpent they were seduced as is afterward related in the third chapter CHAP. II. ANd all the host of them That is all the creatures both in heaven and in earth which are here called an host or an army because there is of them an innumerable multitude many severall troops and all placed and ranked in admirable order even to the astonishment of those that behold and consider it and are all under the command of God their Creatour and as his servants Psal 119. 91. stand alwayes ready as in battel-array to execute his will to fight against and destroy his enemies if he speaks but the word Esai 45. 12. I have made the earth and created man upon it I even my hands have stretched out the heavens and all their host have I commanded Judg. 5. 20. They fought from heaven the starres in their courses fought against Sisera And hence God is so frequently called in the Scripture the Lord God of hosts Psal 95. 5. and where the Hebrew word is
signe annexed to the covenant of works sealing death and damnation to them in case of disobedience and so assuring them of the event that would follow if contrary to Gods command they should eat of it namely that they should to their cost experimentally know the difference between good and evil Vers 16. The Lord God commanded the man saying c. Besides the morall law the law of Nature written in Adams heart whereby he knew exactly all things wherein he was bound to obey his Creatour the Lord gave him also this positive and particular commandment concerning a thing of it self indifferent but by Gods command made unlawfull that the Lords absolute Dominion over him might be hereby made known and his disobedience might become the more manifest CHAP. III. NOw the serpent was more subtill then any beast of the field c. That it was the devil who in and by the serpent did seduce Eve is plain enough in other places of Scripture John 8. 44. Ye are of your father the devil he was a murderer from the beginning 2. Cor. 11. 3. But I fear lest by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtiltie so your minds c. 1. John 3. 8. For the devil sinneth from the beginning Rev. 12. 9. That old serpent called the Devil and Satan which deceiveth the whole world But why then doth Moses speak no one word of the devil but onely mentions the serpent Surely for the same reason that before he had omitted the expresse mention both of the creation and fall of the angels because his purpose is to report the story according to the outward visible carriage of it herein accommodating himself to the rudenesse and capacity of that infant Church who had need of milk not of strong meat and of this serpent it is said that he was more subtill then any beast of the field to imply the reason why the devil made choice of this instrument rather then any other And he said unto the woman The serpent speechlesse in himself had his mouth opened by Satan who caused him to speak or spake in and by him as the Lord by an angel opened the mouth of Balaams asse Numb 22. 28. And the Lord opened the mouth of the asse and she said c. Why the woman was not astonished to heare a dumb creature speak is but a curious and causelesse question there is nothing said here to the contrary but that she might at first be afraid and yet afterwards be imboldned to talk with him Vers 5. For God doth know that in the day that ye eat thereof then your eyes shall be opened c. That is God knows that upon the eating of this fruit ye shall obtain a further yea a divine degree of knowledge equall unto that of God himself the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and thus the serpent doth cunningly wrest to a wrong sense the name formerly given unto this tree but upon another ground Vers 7. And the eyes of them both were opened c. The eyes neither of body nor mind were opened by any virtue or eâ—ficacie of the fruit they had eaten for why then were not the womans eyes opened so soon as ever she had eaten before Adam was seduced no this was another kind of opening the eyes then that which the serpent promised to wit an enlightning of their consciences to see the enormity of their sinne and the misery whereto they had thereby brought themselves And they knew that they were naked Naked both in soul and body which were bereaved of the image of God deprived of his glory and subjected to inordinate lusts thereupon to shame according to that Exod. 32. 25. Aaron had made them naked to their shame amongst their enemies Questionlesse they saw and knew that they were naked before else why is it said chap. 2. 25. that they were not ashamed but now they saw it with shame which they did not before Vers 8. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day There needs no scruple be made either of the voice or walking of God if we conceive that he appeared in humane shape as afterwards usually unto Abraham And that this was in the cool of the day is added not onely to shew the time of the day and it may be meant either of morning or evening for in both cool winds are wont to arise but also to imply by what means the voice came to them to wit by the whisking of the wind And Adam and his wife hid themselves c. Being conscious of their sinne and therefore fearing the Majestie of God stricken with horrour and amazednesse they know not what to do but do what they can to hide themselves Vers 11. And he said Who told thee that thou wast naked As if he should have said Thou wert naked before without fear or shame and therefore whence comes it that thou art now ashamed surely because thou hast eaten of the forbidden fruit Vers 14. And the Lord God said unto the serpent c. Though Moses names onely the serpent for the reasons above mentioned yet both are here condemned the serpent as the instrument even as a father breaks the sword wherewith his child was slain and the devil as the chief authour and therefore is the judgement so exprest that whilst all is fitted to the serpent in a literall sense some particulars if not all do most fitly also though in a mysticall sense include the curse inâ—licted on the devil Vpon thy belly shalt thou go c. Either because he had extolled himself against man his creeping and feeding on the earth which before should not have been ignominious is accursed and made reprochfull now or which is more agreeable to the plain meaning of the words this going on his belly and feeding on dust was not the naturall gate and food of the serpent before but now he is adjudged thereto because of this fact Vers 15. And I will put enmitie between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed This is spoken 1. of the naturall Antipathy betwixt mankind and those detestable beasts the serpents 2. of the naturall enmitie betwixt mankind and the devil and his angels for though through Satans suâ—â—iltie covertly insinuating himself under another person men do indeed cleave to him and serve him yet naturally all men do abhorre and slie the devil as an enemy 3. of that holy enmity betwixt Christ together with all true believers the members of Christ and the devil and his angels together with all the wicked as they are the seed of the serpent John 8. 44. Ye are of your father the devil c. It shall bruise thy head This is spoken 1. of mens destroying serpents 2. and especially of Christs destroying the kingdome and power of Satan For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himself likewise took part of
vvith the vvicked and so he saved Lot for Abrahams sake It is true indeed that God had respect to the piety and righteousnesse of Lot in delivering him for so the Apostle faith 2. Pet. 2. 7 8. That he delivered just Lot and that because the righteous soul of this good man was vexed from day to day in seeing and hearing the filthy conversation of those vvicked vvretches but this doth not exclude that vvhich is here said concerning Abraham There may be divers causes of one and the same effect the main cause of all vvas Gods free grace both to Abraham and Lot and not any merit in them but subordinate hereunto there vvere also other inducements to vvit the joynt respect that the Lord had to the righteousnesse of Lot his faithfull servant and to the intercession of Abraham as here is expressed Vers 30. For he feared to dwell in Zoar c. The cause of this fear is not expressed but may probably be thought to have been either that seeing the abominable sinnes of that citie he feared lest God vvould also destroy that or else that he doubted lest because of his escape the people vvould fall upon him as the cause of the overthrovv of those neighbouring cities and indeed his hiding himself in the cave makes this most probable Vers 31. And there is not a man on the earth to come in unto us c. Some conceive that they did verily think that all nations of the earth vvere destroyed by fire but many things make this improbable 1. Their knovvledge that Zoar vvas not destroyed and that the Angels had promised that it should not be destroyed 2. Their seeing that the shower of fire which had burnt up those cities of the plain reached not so farre as the mountains wherein at present they were 3. The remembrance of Abraham their uncle a righteous man not like to be destroyed and 4. That last clause after the manner of all the earth which seems to be spoken of the time present that they were deprived of that society with man which every-where else they did enjoy Others conceive that she meant onely this that there was not a godly man with whom onely they durst marry They take the perishing of their sisters in Sodom to be a punishment of God upon them for their marrying with the wicked Sodomites not daring to do so therefore and grieving by this means to be deprived of the common blessing of mankind they resolve upon a more wicked course But I rather conceive thus of the place Lot and his daughters flying in some great fear into the mountain and being there in a manner mured up in a cave his eldest daughter utters these words as a complaint that by this solitary life they were deprived of all hope of marriage the common blessing of all the earth There is not a man in the earth to come in unto us That is here we live in a cave without society of any but our selves and it is to us all one as if there were not a man upon the earth Come let us make our father drink wine c. But indeed any of these expositions may be imbraced for whatever absurdity there is in their resolutions must be ascribed to their fear that passion blinding men and driving them upon any absurd thoughts or courses Vers 32. Let us make our father drink wine To wit the wine which they had brought from Zoar. Vers 37. And called his name Moab c. Moab is by interpretation of the father and Benammi is sonne of my people or sonne of my kindred In both names â—here was a memoriall of their incestuous procreation That which these daughters of Lot it seemed boasted of was their having children of their own kinne not of the fâ—ithlesse and cursed nations CHAP. XX. Vers 1. ANd Abraham journeyed from thence c. The cause of this remove is not expressed but in likelyhood it was because of some inconveniency arising from the late fearfull destruction of Sodom Vers 2. And Abimelech king of Gerar c. Abimelech was the common title of the kings of Palestina as Pharaoh was of the kings of Egypt Psal 34. the title A Psalme of David when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech Vers 3. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night By that which we reade verse 17. So Abraham prayed unto God and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maid-servants c. it appears that presently upon the taking of Sarah the Lord struck Abimelech with a dangerous sicknesse and plagued his Court with a strange disease Now in his sicknesse the Lord by a dream the extraordinary glory whereof was undoubtedly such that Abimelech might easily perceive it came from heaven informs him of the cause and tells him he was a dead man which must be understood conditionally unlesse he restored Abrahams wife vers 7. Now therefore restore the man his wife for he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee and thou shalt live and if thou restore her not know thou that thou shalt surely die c. Vers 4. Wilt thou slay also a righteous nation That is him and his people vers 18. For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombes of the house of Abimelech Vers 7. For he is a Prophet They are called Prophets in the Scripture to whom the Lord did more familiarly reveal his will then to other men and by whom he did teach and instruct others Such was Abraham Gen. 18. 17 18 19. And the Lord said Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great nation c. For I know that he will command his children and his houshold after him c. And of this the Lord gives notice to Abimelech 1. That he might not dare to detain Sarah because her husband was not an ordinary man but a Prophet one in speciall favour with God whose wrongs God would surely avenge Psal 105. 15. Touch not mine Anoynted and do my Prophets no harm 2. That he might hope by his prayers being a man so prevalent with God to have the plague removed that was laid upon them Vers 12. And yet indeed she is my sister c. He addes to excuse himself that it was not altogether false which he had faid because it was true in a sense that she was his sister as in the same sense Lot and he are called brethren Gen. 13. 8. For we be brethren namely because she was the daughter of his father though not of his mother And for the clearing this the Hebrews hold that Sarah was that Iscah the daughter of Haran Abrahams brother as being the sonne of Terah though by another woman for this being yielded she was indeed the grandchild of Terah Abrahams father and so might be called the daughter of his father as Jethroes daughters are called Revels who was their grandfather Exod. 2. 18. and yet withall not be the daughter
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 â—led 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 aâ—d 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 yeaâ—s 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 declaâ—e 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 faâ—re 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.
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
Keep thee farre from a false matter c. Though all lying be sinnefull and may be here implicitely forbidden yet I conceive that which is here directly and principally forbidden is lying in or at the seat of justice as is manifest by the following clause and the innocent and righteous slay thou not which must needs be meant of innocent mens being put to death by means of unrighteous judgement so that the principall thing intended in this Law is that judges should be marvellous shy either to admit of a false testimony from others or to give false judgement themselves especially when it is against the life of a man For I will not justifie the wicked These words imply two reasons why judges must take heed of false judgement and of condemning the innocent and righteous 1. Because the judge is not to do in Gods name what the Lord will not do and God will not justifie the wicked and so condemne the righteous 2. Because the Lord will not justifie such wicked judges as condemne the righteous when they come before his Tribunal Vers 11. But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still That is neither plow it nor sow it nor gather those fruits which should this year grow of themselves for so we find this Law more fully expressed Levit. 25. 20. And if ye shall say What shall we eat the seventh year Behold we shall not sow c. Where their distrust of want of food is answered with a promise that in the sixth year the Lord would cause the earth to yield enough for three years Then will I command my blessing upon you in the sixth year and it shall bring forth fruit for three years Now God appointed this Sabbath year first to give rest to the land and it was a signe of a very fruitfull countrey if it lay fallow but once in seven years secondly to give rest to the servants who had by this much â—ase every seventh year Thirdly to provide for the poore who now gathered freely of the fruit of every mans ground for their present use and this was given to the Lord who gave them the land Fourthly that they all might have the more liberty to exceâ—cise themselves in holy things as the learning of the Law which was this year with more then ordinary solemnity to be read in the audience of all the people Deut. 31. 10 11 12. And Moses commanded them saying At the end of every seven years thou shalt reade this Law before all Israel c. And fifthly that it might be a memorâ—all of the creation and Gods rest on the seventh day and a shadow of our rest in Christ and that the rest of the land might teach how exact God is in requiring his Sabbaths That the poore of thy people may eat Namely such corn as grew this year of it own accord as it used to do in some good store in those countreys of the grains scattered in the former harvest as also the fruit of their vineyards and oliveyards c. and of this the owners might eat as well as the poore Levit. 25. 6. And the Sabbath of the land shall be meat for you for thee and for thy servant c. though they might not gather and store it up Vers 12. Six dayes thou shalt do thy work and on the seventh day thou shalt rest c. One reason of repeating this Law here may be well thought to be this to let them know that they were not exempted from the peculiar sanctifying of the seventh day on this Sabbath yâ—ar but were rather bound more religiously to keep it holy and also besides by placing it amongst the judiciall Laws the magistrate was enjoyned to see that it was kept Vers 13. And make no mention of the names of other gods c. That is let them be so abominable to you that you may detest to make any mention of them that it may be irksome to you to name them or hear them named We must not think that it was to the Israelites or is to us a breach of this Law any way or upon any occasion to name the gods of the heathens for we see they are often named in the Scripture The meaning of this Law we may gather from that place of the Apostle Eph. 5. 3. But fornication and all uncleannesse or covetousnesse let it not be once named amongst you For as the Apostles meaning there is onely that those horrid sinnes should be an abomination to them so here the Lords meaning is onely that they should abhorre all false gods so as to dâ—test their very names and of this detestation of Idols is that spoken Hos 2. 17. I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth and they shall no more be remembred by their name Vers 15. And none shall appear before me empty To wit at the feast of unleavened bread and so also at neither of the three feasts whereon they were all bound to appear before the Lord. See Deut. 16. 16 17. Vers 16. And the feast of harvest Called also the feast of weeks or of sevens Exod. 34. 22. And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks c. To wit because it was seven weeks after the former feast upon the fiftieth day following called thereupon Pentecost and it was celebrated not onely in remembrance of the giving of the Law which was given the fiftieth day after their going out of Egypt but also by way of thanksgiving for their harvest and therefore the first bread or loaves of the new fruit was then offered Levit. 23. 16 17. Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty dayes c. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two loaves c. as in the end of the Passeover the first eares of corn And the feast of in-gathering which is in the end of the year c. The feast of in-gathering to wit of all the fruits not onely corn which was before inned but all other fruits as wine and olives c. It was also called the feast of boothes or of tabernacles Levit. 23. 24. The fifteenth day of this seventh moneth shall be a feast of tabernacles c. and the time allotted for this feast is said here to be in the end of the year because though Abib was appointed to be the first moneth for the computation of those things that concerned religion as their holy feaâ—ts c. yet the moneth Tisri the seventh in this account was yet the first moneth for their civill affairs and so the feast of tabernacles being kept in this moneth when one year was ended and another began therefore it is said to be in the end of the year Now this feast was kept first in remembrance of Gods favour to them in the wildernesse when they dwelt in boothes Levit. 23. 43. I made the children of Israel to dwell in boothes when I brought them out of Egypt c. And
keep the coals and incense from slipping off and was withall a type of Christs regall dignity Vers 4. And two golden rings shalt thou make to it c. by the two corners thereof upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it c. That is two rings on each side at each corner one Vers 6. And thou shalt put it before the vail c. That is in the holy place not in the most holy for so it is expressely said Exod. 40. 26. And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the vail And besides into the most holy place the high priest entred but once a year but upon this altar the inferiour priests burnt incense dayly Luke 1. 8 9. And it came to passe that while he executed the priests office before God in the order of his course according to the custome of the priests office his lot was to burn incense c. But though it were in the most holy place yet it was close before the mercy-seat so that there was nothing between them but onely the vail that so the perfume might presently passe as it were into the presence of God whereby was signified how near God is to them that call upon him in truth Psal 145. 18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth Vers 7. When he dresseth the lamps he shall burn incense upon it That is morning and evening Some conceive that the lamp did burn both day and night in the tabernacle because it had no windows to let in the light of the sunne and so accordingly by dressing the lamps here they understand the taking away any thing that did annoy them and refreshing of them with new oyl that they might continue burning all the day afâ—er and by lighting the lamps at even the putting in of new lamps into the candlesticks which accordingly were fresh and newly lighted But the more generall and probable opinion of Expositours is that the lamps burnt onely in the night time the light of the sunne shining in by day at the East end of the tabernacle and that therefore it is said Exod 27. 21. that they should be ordered by the priests from evening to morning and accordingly they understand this place to wit that the lamps were cleansed and dressed and made ready to be lighted in the morning and then that they were lighted at even However it is evident that both morning and evening the priests were appointed to burn incense upon the golden altar and hereby was signified how Gods people should dayly and constantly pray unto the Lord and persevere in praying according to that of the Apostle Pray without ceasing 1. Thess 5. 17. and especially the never-failing constancy of Christs intercession Heb. 6. 18. He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Yea to this may be added that the offering of incense when the lamps were lighted signified also that we must pray as we are taught and instructed by the word if we desire to have our prayers accepted of God Vers 9. Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon c. That is no incense received of other persons or made of any other matter or differing from that prescribed vers 34 35 c. figuring that our prayers must be such as God prescribes or else he will not accept them 1. John 5. 14. And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us Vers 10. And Aaron shall make an attonement on the horns of it once in a year c. Which was on the tenth day of the seaventh moneth the day of reconciliation See Levit. 16. 18. With the bloud of the sinne-offering of attonement c. Signifying that the sins and imperfections that cleave to the best prayers of the Saints have need of a sacrifice of atonement and that the incense of our prayers doth yield no sweet savour unto God but by virtue of the sacrifice of Christ once offered unto God Vers 12. When thou takest the summe of the children of Israel c. Many Expositours hold that this is here enjoyned not onely for the present but for future times also to wit that whensoever they numbred the people upon any occasion every man should pay his tribute of half a shekel to the Lord which was to be expended as now towards the making of the tabernacle so afterwards for the repair thereof and other necessaries that were to bâ— provided for the publick service of the sanctuary Yea from Josephus and others they gather that they were every year numbred and so paid every year this tribute-money for the use of the tabernacle and temple which when the Romanes had conquered them they were compelled to pay to them and so that this was the tribute-money which was required of our Saviour Matth. 17. 24. But now others again conceive it to be the more probable opinion that this was required to be done by Moses onely for the present First because there is no mention made of the perpetuity of this ordinance as there is of other things that were to be for ever observed Secondly because the Lord saith not here Whensoever the children of Israel are numbred but When thou takest the summe of the children of Israel after their number as speaking of a thing that was immediately to be done by Moses Thirdly because the end of this collection mentioned was extraordinary not perpetuall namely for the building of the tabernacle as is evident Exod. 38. 25 26 27 28. in regard whereof it is said here vers 16. that it should be a memoriall unto the children of Israel before the Lord Fourthly because where there is mention made of Moses numbring the Israelites at other times as Numb 1. 26. there is no mention made of the payment of this half shekel by every one that was numbred Fifthly because there was another rate set by Nehemiah to be paid yearly by every one for the service of the house of God to wit the third part of a shekel Nehemiah 10. 33. The truth is that neither of these can be demonstratively proved But yet evident it is that though they did not constantly pay this tribute-money in future times when they were numbred yet at least upon the like occasion this poll-money was at other times raised because we reade 2. King 12. 4. that Jehoash king of Judah commanded the priests to gather of the people for the repair of the Temple the money of every one that passeth the account which is called in 2. Chron. 24. 6. the collection of Moses the servant of the Lord and of the congregation of Israel for the tabernacle of witnesse Then shall they give every man a ransome for his soul unto the Lord c. When they are numbred each payeth a ransome for
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 milstâ—ne 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 toâ—ching the stones and dust of a leprous house Levit. 14. 40 41. Then the priest shall command that they â—ake the stones in which the plague is and they shall cast them into an unclean place without the city c. Becauâ—e 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 â—ire which first came from heaven might in a mâ—nner 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 coâ—rt 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-frâ—its 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 â—onnes c. That is this is the offering that Aaron shall offer unto God in the dâ—y 〈◊〉 he is anâ—inted and which his sonnes successively that shall come to be high prieâ—â—s 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 〈◊〉 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 veâ—se 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
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-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 â—nd 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 Exâ—d 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
where they were forbidden to kindle a fire or to dresse that which they should eat on the Sabbath day yet did not the Jews understand this law so as to restrain them from those works which were necessarily to be done and therefore they used to water their catel as our Saviour faith Luke 13. 15. on the Sabbath day and if need were would pull out of a pit either ox or asse that were fallen into it Luke 14. 5. It is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings That is to be observed in all your dwellings The other feasts were especially to be kept before the Sanctuary whither all the men of Israel were to assemble Exod. 23. 14. Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year and vers 17. Three times in the year all thy males are to appear before the Lord God Deut. 16. 5 6. Thou mayest not sacrifice the Passeover within any of the gates which the Lord thy God hath given thee But at the place which the Lord thy God shall chuse to place his name in there shalt thou sacrifice the Passeover and vers 16. Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall chuse But the Sabbaths were to be sanctified in all places where they dwelt to which purpose their Synagogues were built Acts 15. 21. Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Vers 7. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work therein See the first note upon vers 3. Vers 8. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord seven dayes What the sacrifices were that were to be offered on each of these seven dayes of unleavened bread we may see Numb 28. 18 24. Vers 10. When ye be come into the land which I give unto you and shall reap the harvest thereof c. That is and shalt addresse thy self to reap the harvest thereof for the sheaf of the first-fruits of this harvest which they were here enjoyned to bring unto the priest was to be the first corn they cut down when they began to put the sicle to the corn as it is expressed Deut. 16. 9. Nor might they reap their harvest till this sheaf of first-fruits was brought unto the Lord. Vers 11. On the morrow after the priest shall wave it That is on the sixteenth day of the first moneth called Nisan the second of the seven dayes of unleavened bread Upon the fourteenth day of that moneth the Passeover was kept the fifteenth day was the first day of the feast of unleavened bread which day was a Sabbath of rest vers 7. and is called the feast Numb 28. 17. and this is the Sabbath here meant for on the morrow after being the sixteenth day of that moneth the sheaf of the first-fruits was by the care of the Magistrate in the name of all the people brought unto the priest and this sheaf was of barley for that was first ripe in the land of Canaan Ruth 2. 23. She kept fast by the maydens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley-harvest and of wheat-harvest and Exod. 9. 31 32. The barley was in the ear and the flax was bolled but the wheat and the rie were not smitten for they were not grown up to wit at the feast of the Passeover but wheat-harvest was after at Pentecost or the feast of weeks as we may see Exod. 34. 22. where the feast of Pentecost or the feast of weeks is also called the feast of the first-fruits of wheat-harvest Vers 12. And ye shall offer the day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish c. To wit besides the dayly morning and evening sacrifice which upon no occasion were intermitted and besides the sacrifices appointed for every of the seven dayes of this solemn feast of unleavened bread Numb 28. 23 24. For this was appointed peculiarly to accompany this sheaf of the first-fruits and it figured Christ by whom those first-fruits were sanctifyed Vers 13. And the meat-offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flowre c. To wit two tenth deals of an Ephah that is two Omers and this was double to the usuall proportion in all other sacrifices of lambs which was but one tenth deal Numb 15. 4. He that offereth his offering unto the Lord shall bring a meat-offering of a tenth deal of flowre the reason whereof may be because this was a gratulatory sacrifice for the fruits of the earth Vers 15. And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath c. Here direction is given how they should know on what day they were to keep the next great feast after that of unleavened bread to wit the feast of weeks or Pentecost namely that they were to number from the morrow after the Sabbath that is from the sixteenth day of the moneth Nisan as is before said in the note upon vers 11. which was the very day that they brought the sheaf of the wave-offering seven compleat Sabbaths that is seven compleat weeks which was nine and fourty dayes and that then on the morrow after the seventh Sabbath that is after the seventh week which was the fiftieth day they were to keep the feast of weeks or Pentecost and to offer a new meat-offering unto the Lord which shows the reason why this feast was called the feast of weeks namely because it was seven weeks after the Passeover or the beginning of the feast of unleavened bread as also why it was afterward called in the New Testament Pentecost Acts 2. 1. to wit from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth fifty because it was fifty dayes after the first and great day of unleavened bread for they began to number these fifty dayes from the morrow after that Sabbath inclusively which was the second day of unleavened bread the day whereon the sheaf of first-fruits was offered Vers 17. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave-loaves of two tenth deals c. That is on the feast of Pentecost you shall bring this offering which was to be offered as the first-fruits of their wheat-harvest as the sheaf offered at the Passeover mentioned vers 10. was brought as the first-fruits of their barley-harvest now it is expressed that these two wave-loaves were to be brought out of their habitations either to signifie that these two loaves were to be made of the new wheat of their own land not of forein corn or bought of strangers or else to signifie that though there were but one sheaf of first-fruits offered at the Passeover in the name of all the people yet now every family was to bring two wave-loaves of first-fruits out of their severall habitations But indeed because the sacrifices mentioned in the following verse that were offered together with these loaves were not brought severally
before the Lord. See that note upon Lev. 16. 29. and Numb 29. 7. where the severall sacrifices of this day are also described Vers 34. The fifteenth day of this seventh moneth shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven dayes unto the Lord. It was called the feast of tabernacles or of booths because when the Israelites came up to Jerusalem to keep this feast during the feast they dwelt not in houses but onely in booths or arbours made of boughs it is afterwards more fully expressed ver 40. and it was kept 1. in remembrancâ— of Gods shadowing protection over them for fourty years together both summer and winter in their travelling through the wildernesse whilst they dwelt in tents and booths and were not yet come to their place of rest as is expressed ver 43. and hereby it is evident that they never kept this feast till they were settled in the land of Canaan because they kept it in remembrance of their dwelling in booths whilst they wandred through the wildernesse 2. to testifie there thankfulnesse to God for the fruits of the earth which this moneth they gathered in Deut. 16. 13 14. Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven dayes after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine and thou shalt rejoyce in thy feast c. and 3. as a figure both of Christs incarnation who coming into the world about this time of the year to dwell in the tabernacle of our flesh was made flesh dwelt or pitched his tent amongst us John 1. 14. and also of our condition who are strangers and pilgrims here on earth Heb. 11. 13. dwelling in earthly tabernacles which must be diâ—solved untill our labours being ended we come at length to a place of rest that dwelling of God eternall in the heavens 2. Cor. 5. 1. and should therefore with thankfulnesse remember how Gods hand is continually over us to protect us in our pilgrimage of which spirituall keeping the feast of tabernacles Zachary speaketh Zach. 14. 16 19. As for the time allotted to the keeping of this feast to wit seven dayes this compleat number signified that all the dayes of our pilgrimage in this frail tabernacle of our bodies should be consecrated as holy to the Lord. Vers 36. Seven dayes ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. What sacrifices were appointed for this feast and in what manner they were to be offered see Numb 29. 13 38. On the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you c. Though this eighth day was a part of the feast of tabernacles or at least belonged thereto and therefore is called the last and great day of the feast John 7. 37. yet most properly the first seven dayes were onely counted as the dayes of the feast of tabernacles as is before said ver 34. The fifteenth day shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven dayes unto the Lord and that because they dwell in tabernacles or booths onely during those first seven dayes but on the eighth day they met together in the Temple to keep there an holy assembly as it were in remembrance of their being settled in peace in the land of Canaan after their long travels through the wildernesse and so this eighth day was rather an appendix to the feast of tabernacles then any part properly of the feast it self Vers 37. A sacrifice and drink-offerings every thing upon his day c. Amongst the severall sacrifices appointed for these feasts one is called peculiarly a sacrifice which comprehend both sinne-offerings and peace-offerings Vers 38. Beside the Sabbath of the Lord. That is beside the weekly Sabbaths and the sacrifices thereto belonging Two things are implyed in these words 1. that as God required the keeping of these solemn â—easts so also especially the sanctifying of the Sabbath 2. that when any of these feast-dayes lighted on a Sabbath they must not think to make the Sabbath sacrifices serve for these festivals Beside the gifâ—s and beside all your vows c. By gifts are meant the first-born cattel and first-fruits and all other contributions and gifts which of their own free will they were wont to give to the priests by vows are meant vowed sacrifices the drift of this is to prevent any covetous thoughts which might arise in their minds of thinking with such gifts or vowed sacrifices to supply the extraordinary sacrifices of these festivals for these God requires over and above their gifts and vows and freewill-offerings if they offered ever a whit the lesse because of the sacrifices of these feasts they should be judged as men that dealt fraudulâ—ntly with God Vers 39. Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh moneth when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land c. Now he proceeds to set down more particularly how that feast of tabernacles was to be solemnized whereof he had begun to speak ver 34. and first by mentioning that this feast was to be kept when they had gathered in the fruit of the land he puts them in mind that they might be the better at leisure to keep this extraordinary Sabbath and withall implies that one main end of it was to return thanks for the fruit of the land which they had now gathered where also by the fruit of the land is meant not their corn which was gathered long before in the time of Pentâ—cost but the latter fruit of their vines and olives c. whereupon this feast is called the feast of ingathering Exod. 23. 16. Vers 40. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees c. That is upon the first day of the feast of tabernacles which was the fifteenth day of the seventh moneth ver 34. This day it seems they made their booths or tabernacles some upon the roofs of their houses some in the streets and courts of Jerusalem c. as is largely â—xpressed Neh. 8. 15 16. Go forth unto the mount and fetch olive-branches and pine-branches c. to make booths as it is written so that the boughs they are here appointed to take were it seems to make or at least to adorn the booths they were to dwell in yet withall that is not unlikely which the Jews say that they carried boughs and branches also in their hands in signe of joy And to make their booths the more beautifull and that all things might represent a glad and joyfull time they are appointed to choose the boughs of the goodliest trees such as are the olive pine myrtle mentioned Neh. 8. 15. and the boughs of thick trees for the thicker they were the more glorious shew they made and the fitter they were to make booths or arbours for a shadow and shelter and willows of the brook to intimate a land well watered which might be of use to bind the other boughs c. and also to be either in the hand or on the booths ornaments and signes of joy and that especially for the
time to sow your seed c. Vers 6. Neither shall the sword go through your land That is ye shall live in peace and shall not be destroyed by the sword of your enemies But yet some Expositours hold that this phrase is here used of the sword going through the land because armies of souldiers are wont to destroy countreys not onely by fighting against them but also by going through them Vers 10. And ye shall eat old store and bring forth the old because of the new That is you shall have such store of old corn even when your new corn is gathered in that you shall not need presently to be spending the new but may still live upon the old store and yet withall your new harvests shall be so plentifull that of necessity you must empty your barns of old corn that you may have room to lay up the new Vers 16. I will even appoint â—ver you terrour consumption and the burning ague c. These words I will appoint over you imply the unresistablenesse of the judgement because those diseases should come with power and authority from God upon them and so should consume their eyes c. as indeed such diseases being in extremity do oft weaken and darken the sight Vers 19. And I will break the pride of your power That is I will break your exceeding great strength wherein you are wont to pride your selves Vers 20. And your strength shall be spent in vain c. That is though you spend your strength with excessive toyling and moyling in plowing and manuring your ground all will be to no purpose for still your land shall not yield her increase Vers 26. And when I have broken the staff of your bread ten women shall bake your bread in one oven This is mentioned as a signe or effect of the great scarcity of bread that should be in the land that one oven should contain the bread of many families Bread is here called the staff of bread because it strengtheneth mans heart Psal 104. 15. because it is the chief prop and support of mans life So that by breaking the staff of bread is meant the depriving them of this stay of their life by bringing famine and penury upon them as it is evident in other places Moreover he called for a famine upon the land he brake the whole staff of bread Psal 105. 16. and Ezek. 4. 16. Sonne of man behold I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem that they may want bread and water and of this judgement this is mentioned as a notable effect that ten women that is many families should bake their bread in one oven for ten in the Scripture doth often signifie many as is formerly shown upon Gen. 31. 7. And they shall deliver your bread again by weight This is reckoned as another great signe of scarcity and want that tâ—e baker should deliver them their bread by weight So it is said Ezek. 4. 16. I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem and they shall eat bread by weight and with care and they shall drink water by measure and therefore of him whom S. John saw riding upon a black horse which was famine Rev. 5. 6. it is said that he had a pair of ballances in his hand to wit to measure out bread to men because it should be so scarce And ye shall eat and not be satisfied To wit either because of the small quantity or for want of Gods blessing upon the little which they have for so some expound the staff of bread the strength which by the command of God it hath to nourish our bodyes Vers 30. And cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols That is upon your idols now mangled and broken to pieces for their broken images are here called the carcases of their idols not because they had life before they were broken to pieces but by way of derision to let them see first what goodly gods they had worshipped that should in that day lie tumbled in a heap together with their dead carcases and secondly to intimate that these their idols were as abominable to God as dead stinking carcases are unto men Vers 31. And I will make your citie waste and bring your Sanctuaries untâ— dâ—solation The tabernacle is called a Sanctuary Exod. 25. 8. and so is the temple also 1. Chron 22. 19. and each of them for the severall distinct places in them the outward court the holy and most holy place was called plurally Sanctuaâ—ies Jer. 51. 51. For strangers are come into the Sanctuaries of the Lords house And besides the Synagogues may be in this word Sanctuaries comprehended alsâ— Vers 34. Then shall the land enjoy her Sabbaths c. As resting from â—â—llage from which she should have rested on the Sabbaths but could not be permitted because of their covetousnesse as also from bearing such wicked wretches under the burthen of whom whilst the earth lay groning it could not enjoy her Sabbaths as she ought for where there is not a resting from sinne the Sabbaths are not truly kept CHAP. XXVII Vers 2. SPeak unto the children of Israel and say unto them c. The Lord having given them laws hitherto concerning the necessary duties of his service concludeth now with this concerning vows and voluntary services When a man shall make a singular vow the persons shall be for the Lord by thy estimation That is when any man shall after a singular manner separate any thing by vow from common use for the Lords service the persons supposing it be some person whether man or woman that is vowed shall be for the Lord according to thy estimation that is they shall be thenceforth the Lords and accordingly either they shall be set apart to the Lords service or else they shall be redeemed according to thy estimation to wit according to that value which the priests by the direction which thou Moses shalt now give shall set upon them for it was Moses to whom the Lord now spake but it was the priest that did value that which was vowed as is evident ver 12. though according to that direction which Moses by Gods command did now prescribe them Now for these vows of persons we must know that they were usually made in time of some affliction or distresse as when married persons had no child they did sometimes vow that if the Lord would give them a child they would give themselves or that their child unto the Lord which was Hannahs vow 1. â—â—m 1. 11. and so in times of sicknesse or any other distresse they were wont to vow unto the Lord delivering them that they would give such and such persons themselves or their children over whom they had power unto the Lord. And if it be questioned after what manner and to what use they were vowed unto the Lord To this some Expositours answer That in case it was a Levite that was vowed he was then bound by that vow
the Lord c. The Passeover is so called as being commanded by the Lord and kept unto his honour See Exod. 12. 27. Vers 10. If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body c. Upon the occasion of these men that complained for being debarred from keeping the Passeover because at the usuall time when they should have kept it on the fourteenth day of the first moneth they were defiled by the dead body of a man the Lord here established this for a perpetuall law that in case any person should in time to come be defiled by a dead body at the ordinary time in the first moneth when the rest of the people kept the Passeover or should be then in a journey about necessary businesse so farre off that he could not come home against the fourteenth day of the first moneth but was forced to be absent a while longer that in this case such a person or persons should keep the Passeover on the fourteenth day of the second moneth And under these two particular cases here expressed I conceive that all other necessary hinderances whereby men were kept from celebrating the Passeover are comprehended as in case they were unclean by any other legall pollution besides that of being defiled by a dead body or were detained by sicknesse c. and that the rather because in Hezekiahs time there was a Passeover kept on the fourteenth day of the second moneth by warrant it seems of this law when yet they were other occasions then these here mentioned that disabled them for keeping it at the usuall time Vers 17. And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle then after that the children of Israel journeyed That is when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle it removed before the camp and so whithersoever that led them they followed it for so it is expresly said Exod. 13. 21. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them the way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light to go by day and night Vers 19. And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many dayes then the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord. That is they kept the charge of serving the Lord whilst the tabernacle was erected and the cloud tarried still upon it or they kept the charge of the Lord to wit the charge he had given them of staying so long as the cloud rested upon the tabernacle and therefore the last clause is added by way of explaining the former and journeyed not CHAP. X. Vers 2. MAke thee two trumpets of silver c. Here at first were but two trumpets for Aarons two sonnes Eleazar Ithamar but the number of the priests increasing in Solomons time there were an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets 2. Chron. 5. 12. And these trumpets were signes of the ministry of the word and the office of teaching discharged by men called and fitted thereto for as the use of these trumpets was first to assemble the congregation before the Lord in his Sanctuary secondly to give warning and direction for their marching toward the land of Canaan thirdly to incourage the people when they went forth to warre fourthly to be a signe of rejoycing at all their festivals and dayes of rejoycing so the work of Gods ministry is first to perswade the people to assemble themselves before God there to perform with fear and reverence the publick duties of his worship and service Joel 2. 15 16. Blow the trumpet in Zion sanctifie a fast call a solemn assembly Gather the people sanctifie the Congregation assemble the Elders gather the children and those that suck the breasts c. secondly to give them warning and direction for all the duties of Christianity which being performed in faith and obedience to God are as so many severall motions towards the heavenly Canaan thirdly to give them warning of danger approching and to stirre them up to fight the Lords battels against Satan Sinne Antichrist c. See Esa 58. 1. Cry aloud spare not lifâ— up thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sinnes and fourthly to encourage and comfort sinners with the promises of the â—ospel to quicken them with faith and readinesse of mind to perform the duties of Gods worship and with thankfull and glad hearts to praise God for all his mercies and especially for Christ See Esa 27. 13. And it shall come to passe in that day that thâ— great trumpet shall be blown and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria and the outcasts in the land of Egypt and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem Besides as the trumpets were not to give an uncertain sound but such as the people might distinctly perceive what they were to do so the ministers must both pray and preach so that the people may understand them 1. Cor. 14. 8 9. For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself to the battel So likewise you except you utter by the tongue words easie to be understood how shall it be known what is spoken for ye shall speak into the air Secondly of silver these trumpeâ—â— must be made which was the purest mettal and fittest for sound to signifie also the purity and zeal required in Gods ministers The tongue of the just is as choise silver saith Solomon Prov. 10. 20. That thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly and for the journeying of the Camps Thus they were taught to depend upon God for all their attempts both in peace and warre Vers 3. And when they shall blow with them all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee c. That is when they shall blow with both of them as appears by the next verse And if they blow but with one trumpet then the princes which are heads of the thousands of Israel shall gather themselves unto thee Vers 6. They shall blow an alarm for their journeys That is not for these two quarters onely before mentioned but for the other also Vers 8. And the sonnes of Aaron the priest sâ—all blow with the trumpets The priests are appointed to be the trumpeters that so the people might entertain the sound thereof as coming from God and so assemble themselves as into Goâ—â— presence and go forth both in their journeys and battels as in obedience to Gods command and in faith believing and expecting his direction and assistance Vers 9. And if ye go to warre in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets So it is said Numb 31. 6. And Moses sent them to the warre a thousand of every tribe them and Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar the priest to warre with the holy instruments and trumpets to blow in his
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 â—tricken 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 compaâ—t 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 Scriptuâ—es 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 sâ—ood 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
John 1. 18. nor can see him 1. Tim. 6. 16. It is not possible for any mortall creature to behold the very essence of God as he is in himself even Moses himself could not so see the face of God Exod. 33. 20. Thou canst not see my face saith the Lord to Moâ—es for there shall no man see me and live and secondly neither could there be at any time presented to Moses any similitude or likenesse of Gods essence and being for no materiall visible thing can be a representation of the spiritall and invisible essence of God To whom willye liken God or what likenesse will ye compare unto him saith the prophet Esa 40. 18. that therefore which is said here concerning the priviledge of Moses above all present and succeeding prophets consists in two things first that God manifested not his will to Moses in dâ—eams and visions as to other prophets in both which they had onely imaginary representations set before the eye of their minds but that he spake to him with an audible voice out of the cloud and out of the tabernacle and that he did oftentimes appear to him in a visible shape and spake to him in a familiar manner mouth to mouth as one friend should speak to another and had at times discovered to him more of his glory then ever he did to the eye of mortall man as we see in that story of his seeing Gods back-parts Exod. 33. 20. And then secondly that when he spake to him he did not make known his mind to him in obscure figurative expressions as he did to the prophets as when he told Ezekiel of a great eagle with great wings c. Ezek. 17. 3. but plainly and clearly apparently and not in dark speeches as it is here expressed Vers 9. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them and he departed Not abiding their answer which was a signe of great displeasure Now this departing of the Lord wâ—s by removing the signe of his presence the cloud out of which he had spoken to them as it is explained in the following words vers 10. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle Nor yet did the cloud remove away from the tabernacle for when it did so that was a signe that the people were to remove but it removed from the doore of the tabernacle whither it did usually descend when God meant to speak unto them and so rising up did hang over the tabernacle as at other times Vers 10. And behold Miriam became leprous white as snow Though Aaâ—on joyned with Miriam in speaking against Moses yet onely Miriam was punished 1. because she began the quarrel and 2. because he was the high priest and so the Lord would not strike him with leprosie lest in his dishonour the priesthood should suffer but chose rather to punish him in his sister As for the leprosie wherewith Miriam was stricken it did well answer her sinne a virulent envious murmuring tongue being like a fretting leprosie that spreads where it comes if it be not prevented to the infeâ—tion of many And indeed how memorable a thing this was we may see by the Lords putting them in mind afterwards of it Deut. 24. 9. Remember what the Lord thy God did unto Miriam by the way after that ye were come forth out of Egypt Vers 12. Let her not be as one dead c. Miriam stricken with this white leprosie was like a child that hath been sometime dead in the wombe when it comes into the world the flesh of such a child will be white putrified as if it were sodden and half consumed and so was Miriams And though she were still alive yet as one dead she was to be carried out from the communion of the Church as one that must needs defile all that touched her Numb 5. 2. Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper and besides this fretting plague would in the end have utterly consumed and killed her if God had not healed her Vers 14. And the Lord said unto Moses If her father had but spit in her face should sâ—e not be ashamed seven dayes c. God having immediately heard the prayer of Moses and healed her gives order notwithstanding that she should be shut out seven dayes from the camp Indeed other lepers being cleansed were yet shut up by themselves seven dayes but it was in the camp Lev. 14. 8. And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes and shave off all his hair and wash himself in water that he may be clean and after that he shall come into the camp and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven dayes But sayes the Lord if her earthly father had in great displeasure spit in her face she would have been ashamed to shew her face for a time and therefore much more is it fit in this cause both as an expression of her shame and sorrow for that she had done and that his secluding her from others may be a reall instruction to all the people that he would have them take heed of being corrupted with the same sinne now this expression of spitting in her face God useth because spitting is a signe of anger shame and contempt Job 30. 10. They abhorre me they flee farre from me and spare not to spit in my face Isa 50. 6. I hid not my face from shame and spitting and God by this punishment had shown his anger against her and had poured shame and contempt upon her Vers 15. And the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again But stayed mourning for her which was a speciall honour unto Miriam above other lepers for whom the people stayed not Numb 5. 2 4. Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper c. And the children of Israel did so and put them out without the camp Vers 16. And afterwards the people removed from Haxeroth and pitched in the wildernesse of Paran Which I conceive to be all one as if he had said and pitched again in another place but still in the wildernesse of Paran for that they came not now first into that wildernesse is evident because it is said before chap. 10. 12. And the children of Israel took their ioxrneys out of the wildernesse of Sinai and the cloud rested in the wildernesse of Paran and the place where they pitched in this wildernesse is called Rithmah chap. 33. 18. and Kadesh-Barnea chap. 13. 26. Deut. 1. 19. which was close upon the borders of the land of Canaan CHAP. XIII Vers 1. ANd the Lord spake unto Moses saying c. In Deuteronomie it is said that the people desired that some might be sent to search the land Thus therefore it was When God had led his people from mount Horeb to Kadesh-Barnea through the great and terrible wildernesse and they were come to the mountain of the Amorites Moses assembled the people and encouraged them
that all the nations of the earth that should hear of them should in every place to the great glory of God talk with admiration of the mighty power of God manifested in his doing such things and of the great love that he bears to that people and yet withall he would magnifie his justice and severity against their sinne too in cutting off all those that had now murmured against him before ever their posterity came to inherit the land yea this last according to our translation seems chiefly intended because this particle But seems to oppose this sentence to that which went before concerning his pardoning them The Lord said I have pardoned according to thy word But as truly as I live all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. Vers 22. And have tempted me now these ten times That is not once nor twice but many times as Gen. 31. 7. And changed my wages ten times and Job 19. 3. These ten times have ye reproched me It may also be taken properly for now they had rebelled ten times First at the red sea Exod. 14. 11 12. Secondly in Marah Exod. 15. 23 24. Thirdly in the wildernesse of Sinne where manna and quails were given when they murmured for want of bread Exod. 16. 2. Fourthly when at the same time they kept of the manna till the morning Exod. 16. 20. Fifthly when they went out to gather manna on the Sabbath Exod. 16. 27 28. Sixthly at Rephidim Exod. 17. 1. Seventhly by the calf at Horeb Exod. 32. Eighthly at Taberah Numb 11. 1. Ninthly at Kibroth Hâ—ttaavah chap. 11. 4. And now the tenth time upon the searching the land Vers 24. But my ser vant Caleb because he had another spirit with him c. The Lord having threatned in the former verses that none of the Israelites that had â—een his wonders in Egypt c. should ever see the land of Canaan he now excepts Caleb and promiseth that he should go into the land whereinto he went to search it and that his seed should possesse it to wit Hebron and the land adjoyning Josh 14. 9. and that because he had another spirit with him that is he was courageous and bold and was not of such a base cowardly spirit as the others were of and followed the Lord fully to do that which God required But why is not Joshua also named seeing he also followed the Lord fully I answer the former judgement was pronounced onely against the people that were in their tents amongst whom Caleb was and therefore he was excepted but there was no need to except Joshua because he was not amongst the people but attended on Moses Veâ—s 25. Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley That is added both to shew the mischief their sinâ—e had done them for which they must now return when they were come to the very borders of the land ready to enter into it as also to shew how necessary it was that they should presently be gone now God had resolved not to carry them in because they lay so near to the enemy for the Amalekites and Canâ—anites dwelt or sat iâ— the valley that is the valley beyond the mountain at the foot whereof the Israelites now lay see vers 40 c. where by this word dwelt may be meant either that they had their continuall abode there or rather that there they had gathered forces and lay in wait for them for so sometimes this word is used for lying in wait Josh 8. 9. To morrow turn you and get you into the wildernesse by the way of the red sea In this they obeyed not neither and being thereupon discomfited stayed after this at Kadesh many dayes Deut. 1. 46. and that as it is likely for the gathering up of their broken troups Vers 18. As ye have spoken in mine ears so will I do to you That is that which you wished to your selves shall now betide you wherein he alludes to that which they had spoken vers 3. Would God we had dyed in this wildernesse Vers 33. And your children shall wander in the wildernesse fourty years and bear your whoredomes c. That is till they have made up the years of their wandring in the wildernesse from their coming out of Egypt full fourty years so that in these fourty years the time past already since they came out of Egypt is included for one whole year and part of the second were past already Deut. 2. 14. And the space in which we came from Kadesh-Barnea untill we were come over the brook Sered was thirty and eight years Now in this the Lord saith their children should bear their whoredomes because it was their fathers whoredomes that is their forsaking of God that did bring this punishment upon their children Vers 34. And ye shall know my breach of promise That is you shall know to your cost what it is to charge me with breach of promise as you have done by suspecting that I would not give you the land whither I had brought you but meant to give you as a prey into the hand of your enemies you shall find to your cost that it was your infidelity your not keeping covenant with me and noâ— my breach of promise with you that hath hindered you from the present enjoying of this land whither I had brought you Vers 37. Even those men that did bring up an evil report upon the land dyed by the plague before the Lord. That is dyed by an extraordinary plague from the hand of God either the pestilence threatned vers 12. or some other judgement and that immediately the cloud the testimony of Gods presence still remaining upon the tabernacle And thus by the present judgement inflicted on them the people must needs be stricken with the more fearfull apprehension of the judgement that did abide them also and therefore it is said vers 39. the people mourned greatly having now indeed just cause to weep whereas before vers 1. they wept causelessely Vers 41. And Moses said Wherefore now do yoâ— transgresse the commandment of the Lord c. To wit being first commanded of the Lord so to say See Deut. 1. 42. And the Lord said unto me Say unto them Go not up neâ—ther fight for I am not among you lest ye be smitten bâ—fore your enemies Vers 43. For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you That is on the top of the hill lying in readinesse to set upon you and therefore are said to come down vers 45. Vers 44. Neverthelesse the ark of the covenant of the Lord and Moses departâ—d not out of the camp The ark removed not but at the removall of the cloud Numb 9. 15. which God not taking up now he shewed thereby his dislike of their enterprise Moses therefore obeying the Lord would notgo with them so they went without the Lord without the signes ofhis grace and company of his ministers Vers 45. Thâ—n the Amalekites came
of to wit that they should take heed lest the people sacrificing unto their god any one should call them and they should eat of his sacrifice Exod. 34. 15. and then being thus farre fallen away they were easily wonne to open idolatry even to bow down to their gods and worship them And all this the Moabites did by the counsel of Balaam who knew there was no other way to endanger the Israelites as it is evident chap. 31. 16. Behold saith the Lord of the Midianitish women these caused the children of Israel through the counsel of Balaam to commit a trespasse against the Lord in the matter of Peor and Rev. 2. 14. where it is said that Balaam taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication Vers 3. And Israel joyned himself unto Baal-peor This Baal-peor was an idol-god of the Moabites so called from the mountain Peor chap. 23. 28. where this idol was worshipped And to this idol Israel is said to have joyned himself in reference to that spirituall adultery they committed by worshipping this idol as for the same reason the Scripture useth a like expression Hos 9. 10. where it is said that the Israelites went to Baal-peor and separated them selves unto that shame And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel Herein also is implyed the effect of Gods anger to wit that hereupon the plague brake in upon them Psal 106. 29. whereby there fell in one day three and twenty thousand Vers 4. And the Lord said unto Moses Take all the heads of the people and hang them up c. Some Expositours understand this thus That the Lord here enjoyneth Moses to take all the heads of the people that is to gather together all the Heads and Rulers of the severall tribes and take them as assistants to him and then to hang them up before the Lord that is them of the people of whom he had spoken in the foregoing verse that had joyned themselves to Baal-peor and indeed that which followeth in the next verse doth singularly well agree with this exposition to wit that hereupon Moses said unto the Judges of Israel whom he had thus assembled together Slay you every one his man that is the meâ— that are under your severall jurisdictions that were joyned unto Baal-peor But the most received exposition is that the Lord here commanded Moses that he should take that is apprehend all the heads of the people to wit that were guilty of this sinne and hâ—ng them up before the Lord that is as a sacrifice to the Lord for the vindicating of his honour and the appeasing of his wrath as those of Sauls issue are said likeâ—ise to have been hanged up before the Lord 2. Sam. 21. 6. because it was done for diverting of the Lords wrath when there was a famine in the land and that against the sunne that is openly in the sight of all men that as they had sinned openly so they might be punished openly for the terrour of others Now this exposition the words seem most plainly to intend to wit that first God commanded Moses to take all the heads of the people that were guilty of this sinne and hang them up before the Lord against the sunne so appointing them to be first punished and that with a more shamefull kind of death because their sinne was greatest and that then afterwards Moses gave a charge as it follows in the next verse to the rest of the Judges that had not defiled themselves that they should slay amongst those that were severally under their command all those that were notoriously known to be guilty of these sinnes Vers 6. And behold one of the children of Israel came and brought a Midâ—anitish woman c. The greatest difficulty in this passage of the story is concerning the time when this Israelite Zimri the sonne of Salu as is afterwards expressed vers 14. did thus impudently bring this Midianitish woman to the camp of Israel to commit filthinesse with her and was there with her slain by Phinehas Some conceive that this was done before Moses and the other Judges had put in execution that charge which was given them mentioned in the two foregoing verses for the hanging up of the heads of the people and the slaying of those in each tribe that were found guilty of those horrible sâ—â—nes of fornication and idolatry with the daughters of Moab which had provoked God to send such a plague amongst the people and the reason they give for this is because it is hardly credible that this wretch would have dared to have done this after Moses and the Judges had already with such severity punished those that were found guilty But yet because the plague was stayed immediately upon the killing of these wretches vers 8. it is most probable that those that were sâ—ain by the magistrate were slain before the plague was stayed therefore others hold that this was done in the order as here it is recorded by Moses and that this was one of the great aggravations of his desperate im pudency that not onely when the people were mourning because of the wrath of God against them but also when so many had been cut off for this sinne he was not yet afraid trusting it seems in his greatnesse because he was a Prince of such renown in the tribe of Simeon but did openly carry his harlot into his tent with him as if he desired thereby to proclaim that he would not be afraid to satisfie his lust though Moses and all Israel should stand by and look on Vers 8. And he went afâ—er the man of Israel into the tent c. The originall word here translated the tent is not that ordinarily used for a tent but such as signifieth a cave or hollow place therefore some think that hereby is meant such a tent as was made for fornication So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel This plague seemeth to have been the pestilence which God sent amongst the people Psal 106. 29. They provoked him to anger with their inventions and the plague brake in upon them Howbeit the word here in the originall is sometimes used for slaughter by the sword as 1. Sam. 4. 17. Vers 9. And those that died in the plague were twenty and foure thousand The Apostle sayes three and twenty thousand 1. Cor. 10. 8. It seems that one thousand were hanged up and slain by the command of the civil magistrate to appease Gods wrath and that the other three and twenty thousand were taken away by the immediate hand of God or one thousand of the chief hanged the rest slain with the sword Vers 12. Wherefore say Behold I give unto him my covenant of peace That is make this which I shall say unto thee publickly known both for the encouragement of Phinehas that he may not fear because they were such great ones whom he hath
if they were nearer to them then the others yea and if the Lord enlarged their coasts and gave them all the land they were to adde three cities more Deut. 19. 8 9. Vers 16. And if he smite him with an instrument of iron so that he die he is a murderer c. That is purposely and presumptuously for otherwise if he killed a man with an instrument of iron unawares not thinking to hit him he was not to be slain vers 22 23. for this is onely added because a man may strike his neighbour purposely with his fist c. of which he may die and yet not be a murderer because he may not happely intend his death But lest therefore under this pretence wilfull murderers should think to escape the Lord gives these following Laws and this in the first place that if it were proved that he did it willingly he must not think to escape by saying that he meant not to kill him for if he struck him with an instrument of iron whatever it be or with a stone or hand-weapon wherewith in any probability a man may be killed it shall be presumed that he intended hiâ— death c. Vers 19. The revenger of bloud himself shall slay the murderer c. That is though the revenger of bloud be but a private person yet he shall slay the murderer that is he may slay him he shall have liberty to do it and shall not be accounâ—ed guilty of murder if he doth slay him yea some think he was bound to do it when he meeteth him he shall slay him that is he shall not need to bring him before a Magistrate c. but he may slay him himself And this is added to shew how necessary cities of refuge were to wit because the avenger of bloud having this power from God might otherwise abuse it and in the heat of bloud fall upon a man that killed unawares unlesse this course were taken to have the Magistrate a judge in the cause Neither need it seem strange as to some it doth that private men should be allowed thus to meddle with the sword of justice for a man being otherwise a private man no Magistrate being thus armed with power from God is for the time to be esâ—eemed as a Magistrate more then a private man Vers 20. But if he thrust him of hatred c. Here is another case given wherein the Magistrate should adjudge a man a murderer yea though he struck him onely with his hand or with some little stone or some other thing which was no way likely to kill him for even in this case if it be proved that he lay in wait for him or that he did it in prepensed malice or lived before in open enmity or hostility with him by whatever means he kill him he shall be adjudged a wilfull murderer for there is a difference made here betwixt enmity and sudden displeasure Vers 21. The revenger of bloud shall slay the murderer when he mâ—eteth him See the note upon vers 19. Vers 24. Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the râ—venger of bloud c. That is if a man that had killed another fly to the citie of refuge the avenger must then go and desire justice against him the Levites must bring him to the congregation where the man was slain and then if he found a murderer the congregation that is the Magistrates shall give him up into the hands of the avenger but if they found it as we call it chance-medly then they sent him back to the city of refuge Vers 25. And he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest c. Even a man that killed another unwittingly was to live a while as a man banished from his family and friends both to shew how hatefull the shedding of mans bloud is to the Lord and withall to prevent further mischief that the avenger be not urged nor provoked with the sight of him and the period appointed for his continuance in the city of refuge was till the death of the high priest and that doubtlesse that this releasing of men exiled by the death of the high priest might be a shadow of our freedome and redemption by the death of Christ Vers 27. He shall not be guilty of bloud c. The Lord here freeth the avenger from punishment if he found the man out of the city of refuge and killed him not as allowing his fact but by this to make the slayer the more carefull to observe this law of keeping within his citie of refuge CHAP. XXXVI Vers 1. ANd the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gâ—lead c. Because the Lord had formerly ordered that Zelophehads daughters should have that portion of the land assigned to the tribe of Manasseh which their father should have had for his share had he lived the children of Gilead who were of that tribe conâ—idering that if they married into any other tribe this part of their land would be quite alienated from their tribe they came now and shewed what inconvenience might follow upon this and because it was their tribe that was now likely to receive detriment by the alienation of Zelophehads portion therefore they made it their suit that some order might be taken to prevent this mischief Vers 2. The Lord commanded my lord to give the land for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel c. As if they should have said To what purpose was this if now our lot shall be diminished and a part of it wholly alienated to another tribe yea by like accidents the portion of every tribe may in time be changed and disturbed and so all at length may come to confusion and the very end of Gods appointing every tribe to have their portion apart by themselves may be quite made void Vers 4. And when the Jubile of the children of Israel shall be then shall their inheritance be put unto the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received c. The drift of these words is to put Moses and the Princes in mind that whereas by the law of God at the year of Jubile which was every fiftieth year whatever land was sold away out of the tribe should return to the tribe and that law of the Jubile seemed purposely intended to prevent the confusion of the inheritance of the tribes the very end of this law by such marriages as these would be quite disannulled Vers 5. And Moses commanded the â—hildren of Iâ—rael according to the word of the Lord c. That is having asked counsel of God he anâ—wered them as God had commanded him ANNOTATIONS On the fifth book of MOSES called DEUTERONOMIE CHAP. I. THese be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan c. Most Expositours hold that the chief drift of this first verse is to shew the places where Moses repeated and explained the law of God to the
Lord commanded me at that time to teaâ—h 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 Bâ—â— withall the chief drift of this clause is to shew what a basenessâ— of mind it 〈◊〉 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 exâ—eeding 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 thâ—m even as the fire burns up all that stands in its way and again he is called a jâ—alous 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 â—ear 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 meaneâ—h 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 Jordâ—â— 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
then also as it is noted there vers 9. he prayed for the people again as being much afraid of the great anger which the Lord had conceived against them notwithstanding the Lord had yielded to pardon them before he went down the first time from the mount Exod. 32. 14. And indeed assurance that God hath pardoned a sinne doth not make his servants the lesse earnest still to beg the pardon of it Vers 21. And I took your sinne the calf which ye had made and burnt it with fire c. See the notes upon Exod. 32. 20. Vers 22. And at Taberah and at Massah and at Kibroth-hattaavah ye provoked the Lord to wrath c. This is inserted as by way of parenthesis as if he had said Though I insist chiefly upon this sinne at Horeb because it was a most grievous sinne yet alas many other rebellions of yours I might reckon up at Taberah at Massah c. Vers 25. Thus I fell down before the Lord fourty dayes and fourty nights as I fell down at the first The former three verses being inserted as by the way now he returns to speak again of his interceding for them the second time when God was so highly displeased with them for that their foul sinne in making the golden calf for the fourtie dayes here mentioned are the same fourty dayes the second time spent with God whereof he had spoken before vers 18. which was after he had broken the calf and executed justice upon the people for their sinne and many other passages which are largely related in the thirtie second and thirtie third chapters of Exodus CHAP. X. Vers 1. AT that time the Lord said unto me Hew thee two tables of stone c. That is before my going up the second time into the mount at that time when upon your sinne and Gods displeasure I had earnestly sought unto God for you the Lord in testimonie that he was reconciled gave this charge concerning two new tables of stone and indeed at that time it was that he went up with them and stayed in the mount again the second time fourty dayes and fourty nights Now as the breaking of the first tables might signifie that there was no hope for mankind to be saved by the keeping of the law so this providing of two new tables might signifâ—e that yet notwithstanding the Lord would have the law to be in force as a rule of holinesse and righteousnesse unto his people and that the Lord by his spirit writing his law in their hearts would enable them in some good measure to conform their lives to the obedience thereof and besides Gods appointing of Moses to provide these two tables might intimate to the people that it was by his prayer and intercâ—ssion that they had this treasure again restored to them See also the note upon Exod. 34. 1. Vers 3. And I made an ark of shittim wood The ark here mentioned may be understood of an ark made onely for that purpose to keep the tables in till the other ark was made whereof God had spoken to him and for the making whereof he had given him direction in the first fourty dayes that he was with God in the mount If so this ark no doubt was made at the same time when he hewed the two tables of stone before he went up the second time that he abode fourtie daye in the mount But if we understand it of the ark of testimony that was not made till he came down after he had the second time abode fourtie dayes in the mount onely it is here joyned with the hewing of the two tables because in this also he did as God commanded him though he did it not at the same time when he hewed the two tables of stone but afterwards when he came down from the mount and this I rather think is the meaning of the words because vers 5. he addes and there they be as the Lord commanded me Vers 4. And he wrote on the tables according to the first writing c. See the note upon Exod. 34. 28. likewise the notes upon the tenth verse of the foregoing chapter Vers 6. And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera c. In this and the following verse there are many difficulties and such as indeed the words being read as they are in our translation are almost inextricable yet we must see what may be said for the answering of them The first difficulty is in the connexion of these words with that which went before to wit how Moses being in this chapter speaking of those things that befell them at mount Sinai comes here to mention the journeys of the Israelites in places to which they came not a long time after they had been at mount Sinai as is evident Numb 33. 31 32. But this it is not so hard to resolve for we must know that these two verses are not added here as in order of History but are onely inserted by the way as in a parenthesis so that the meaning of Moses is not that Beeroth of the children of Jaakan here mentioned was the next place where they pitched their tents after they removed from mount Sinai for as we may see Numb 33. mount Sinai was but the twelveth station of the children of Israel Beeroth of the children of Jaakan or Bene-jaakan as it is called Numb 33. 31. was the twenty eighth station but his meaning is onely that having gon many journeys forward and backward as the Lord commanded them at length they went from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera or Moseroth as it is written Numb 33. 30. The second difficultie is concerning the place of Aarons death to wit because Numb 33. 38. it is said Aaron died at mount Hor and here that he dyed at Mosera and Mosera in that 33. of Numbers is but the twenty seventh station of the Israelites and that as they went back from Kadesh-Barnea towards the red sea and mount Hor is their thirtie fourth station and that as they returned again from the red sea towards the land of Canaan But to this I answer that this Mosera or Moseroth and mount Hor were but one mountain in the root though divided into divers tops as mount Sinai and Horeb were by the West part whereof called Moseroth Moses encamped as he went back towards the red sea and by the East part thereof called mount Hor as he returned again Northward towards the land of Canaan and so though Aaron dyed at mount Hor yet here it is said of Mosera that there Aaron dyed and there he was buried and that because Mosera and mount Hor were both one and the same mountain The third and greatest difficultie is in the seeming contradiction that is betwixt this place and that Numb 33. 31. in that here it is said that the Israelites went from Bene-jaakan or Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera