veil i. e. In the Holy Place before the Veil which was between that and the Holy of Holies ch 26.33 Mercy-seat Ch. 25.17 Where I will meet with thee I will be known unto thee there say the Greek 7. Sweet incense Heb. Incense of spices A Symbol of fervent and devout Prayers Ps 141.2 Rev. 5.8 and 8.3 When the Priest went in to offer Incense the People prayed without Luk. 1.10 8. Lighteth Or Setteth up Heb. Causeth to ascend At even Heb. Between the two evens Perpetual Without intermission which recommends to us constant times of Prayer at least every Morning and Evening 9. Strange incense i. e. Incense of another Composition than what is appointed v. 34. Nor burnt-sacrifice c. Which were to be offered upon the Altar of Brass appointed for that purpose 10. Make an atonement c. By the Blood of the Sin-offering he shall cleanse it from the pollution which it contracts because of the transgressions of the People Lev. 16.16 18. Once in the year That is on the day of Expiation the tenth day of the seventh Month Lev. 16.29 Most holy Ch. 23.37 12. When c. Num. 1.2 5. Their number Heb. Them that are to be numbered A ransom for his soul Or For his Life This was an homage paid to God as an acknowledgement of his redeeming them No plague As happened in David's time after he had numbred the People 13. After the shekel of the sanctuary Possibly in the Sanctuary the Standards were kept by which other Weights and Measures were to be examined though some have thought that the Expression implies a difference between the Common and Sacred Shekel A shekel c. Lev. 27.25 Num. 3.47 Ezek. 45.12 15. The rich c. Riches being of no account with God Give more Heb. Multiply Give less Heb. Diminish 18. The altar That is the Brazen-altar 20. That they die not viz. By the hand of God as Aaron's Sons did Lev. 20.2 23. Principal spices The best of the kind 24. Of the sanctuary See v. 13. An hin Vid. Ch. 29.40 25. An oyl Which signifies the Gifts of the Holy Spirit Act. 10.38 Luk. 4.21 Apothecary Or Perfumer 26. Thou shalt â—noint And by that means set apart to an holy use 29. Sanctifie Or By this means set a side to a Separate and Holy use 30. Anoint Aaron ' c. Who were by this anointing set apart to the Priesthood as by the Holy Spirit the Ministers of God are enabled to discharge their Office 31. This shall be The Jews understand it of this very Oyl which was made by Moses and not thâ—â— we read of repeated afterwards 33. Stranger i. e. Whoever is not a Priest or a King 34. Stactâ— The fatness or sweet Gum of a certain Balsamick-tree The Hebrew word imports dropping Onycha This was a certain Claw or sweet Hoof which was used in Perfumes says Maimon Galbanum This says Maimon is a Gum of a Tree in Greece like black Honey and is of a strong smell 35. Tempered Heb. Salted 36. Put of it before c. That is Offer it upon the golden Altar 37. To your selves c. i. e. To your own use v. 38. CHAP. XXXI The ARGUMENT Bezaleel and Aholiab are chosen by God and fitted for building the Tabernacle and all things belonging thereunto The observation of the Sabbath is pressed upon the Israelites Moses receives two Tables of Stone written by God 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. See I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah 3. And I have filled him with the spirit of God in wisdom and in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship 4. To divise cunning works to work in gold and in silver and in brass 5. And in cutting of stones to set them and in carving of timber to work in all manner of workmanship 6. And I behold I have given with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan and in the hearts of all that are wise-hearted I have put wisdom that they may make all that I have commanded thee 7. The tabernacle of the congregation and the ark of the testimony and the mercy-seat that is thereupon and all the furniture of the tabernacle 8. And the table and his furniture and the pure candlestick with all his furniture and the altar of incense 9. And the altar of burnt-offering with all his furniture and the laver and his foot 10. And the clothes of service and the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons to minister in the priest's office 11. And the anointing oyl and sweet incense for the holy place according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do 12. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 13. Speak thou also unto the children of Israel saying Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctifie you 14. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore for it is holy unto you Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death for whosoever doth any work therein that soul shall be cut off from among his people 15. Six days may work be done but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest holy to the LORD whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath-day he shall surely be put to death 16. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath to observe the sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant 17. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed 18. And he gave unto Moses when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai two tables of testimony tables of stone written with the finger of God 2. I have called by name i. e. I have particularly chosen and designed Vid. Esa 43.1 Son 1 Chron. 2.20 Of Hur Ch. 17.12 and 24.14 3. Spirit of God i. e. The gifts of the Spirit which follow 1 Cor. 12.4 8. 4. To devise cunning works To teach the Artificers says the Chaldee 5. Stones This the Chaldee understands truly of precious Stones See ch 28.21 7. Furniture Heb. Vessels 8. Pure candlestick Made of pure Gold and by the Priest's daily care to be kept clean and pure 10. Clothes of service These Clothes of Service as they stand here distinguished from the Priest's Holy Garments may possibly referr to those Clothes and Coverings which are mentioned Num. 4.7 8 9 11 12. 13. Verily my sabbaths c. Tho' this work were to be done as God had appointed yet not on the Sabbath Day A sign between me and you a token or acknowledgment that I am your God and that you worship the Creator of Heaven and Earth The Sabbath was afterward commanded as a Memorial of their Deliverance
The Chaldee understands it of the Shecinah or Divine Presence 10. I make Deut. 5.2 A terrible thing Such as speaks the Majesty and Power of God who is terrible in his doing toward the children of men Ps 66.5 12. Take heed Ch. 23.32 Deut. 7.2 13. Images Heb. Statues 14. Jealous Ch. 20.5 15. Go a whoring Idolatry is a spiritual Whoredom Ps 73.27 He that loves and honours the Creature instead of the Creator is guilty of it Jam. 4.4 And thou eat of his sacrifice And so have Communion with an Idol Num. 25.2 Ps 106.28 Ezek. 18.6.22.9 1 Cor. 10.20 Rev. 2.20 16. Their daughters 1 King 11.2 17. No molten They are specially warned against molten Gods they having transgressed so lately in the molten Calf ch 32.4 18. Vnleavened Ch. 23.15 Month Ch. 13.4 19. All Ch. 22.29 Ezek. 44.30 20. Lamb Or Kid. Empty Ch. 23.15 21. Six Ch. 23.12 Deut. 5.12 Luk. 13.14 22. And Ch. 23.16 Years end Heb. Revolution of the year 23. Thrice Ch. 23.14 17. Deut. 16.16 25. Thou c. Ch. 23.18 26. Kid Ch. 23.19 Deut. 14.21 27. Write thou these words Deut. 4.13 i. e. Do thou write them in a Book apart The ten Commandments onely were written in the two Tables and they were written by God v. 1. Deut. 10.2.4 28. And he Ch. 24.18 Deut. 9.9 And he wrote Not Moses but God See v. 27. Commandments Heb. Words 29. Shone Was glorious says the Greek which rendring agrees well with what we read 2 Cor. 3.7 While he talked with him These words express the cause why the Face of Moses did shine viz. from his converse with God 2 Cor. 3.18 30. Were afraid And by this means it is likely Moses came to the knowledge of it 33. He put Or He had put Viz. during the time that he spake with them A veil 2 Cor. 3.13 14. 34. He took the veil off 2 Cor. 3.16 35. With him That is With God as appears from v. 34. CHAP. XXXV The ARGUMENT The People are commanded to rest on the Sabbath-day Free-will Offerings for the Tabernacle to be received Both Men and Women offer Materials Bezaleel and Aholiab chosen for the Work 1. AND Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together and said unto them These are the words which the LORD hath commanded that ye should do them 2. Six days shall work be done but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day a sabbath of rest to the LORD whosoever doth work therein shall be put to death 3. Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath-day 4. And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel saying This is the thing which the LORD commanded saying 5. Take ye from amongst you an offering unto the LORD Whosoever is of a willing heart let him bring it an offering of the LORD gold and silver and brass 6. And blue and purple and scarlet and fine linen and goats hair 7. And rams skins died red and badgers skins and shittim-wood 8. And oyl for the light and spices for anointing oyl and for the sweet incense 9. And onyx-stones and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breast-plate 10. And every wise-hearted among you shall come and make all that the LORD hath commanded 11. The tabernacle his tent and his covering his taches and his boards his bars his pillars and his sockets 12. The ark and the staves thereof with the mercy-seat and the veil of the covering 13. The table and his staves and all his vessels and the shew-bread 14. The candlestick also for the light and his furniture and his lamps with the oyl for the light 15. And the incense-altar and his staves and the anointing oyl and the sweet incense and the hanging for the door at the entring in of the tabernacle 16. The altar of burnt-offering with his brasen grate his staves and all his vessels the laver and his foot 17. The hangings of the court his pillars and their sockets and the hanging for the door of the court 18. The pins of the tabernacle and the pins of the court and their cords 19. The clothes of service to do service in the holy place the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons to minister in the priest's office 20. And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses 21. And they came every one whose heart stirred him up and every one whom his spirit made willing and they brought the LORD's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation and for all his service and for the holy garments 22. And they came both men and women as many as were willing-hearted and brought bracelets and ear-rings and rings and tablets all jewels of gold and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD 23. And every man with whom was found blue and purple and scarlet and fine linen and goat's hair and red skins of rams and badgers skins brought them 24. Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought the LORD's offering and every man with whom was found shittim-wood for any work of the service brought it 25. And all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands and brought that which they had spun both of blue and of purple and of scarlet and of fine linen 26. And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goat's hair 27. And the rulers brought onyx-stones and stones to be set for the ephod and for the breast-plate 28. And spice and oyl for the light and for the anointing oyl and for the sweet incense 29. The children of Israel brought a willing-offering unto the LORD every man and woman whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses 30. And Moses said unto the children of Israel See the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Vri the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah 31. And he hath filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom in understanding and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship 32. And to devise curious works to work in gold and in silver and in brass 33. And in the cutting of stones to set them and in carving of wood to make any manner of cunning work 34. And he hath put in his heart that he may teach both he and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. 35. Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart to work all manner of work of the engraver and of the cunning workman and of the embroiderer in blue and in purple in scarlet and in fine linen and of the weaver even of them that do any work and of those that devise cunning work 2. Six days Ch. 20.9 Levit. 23.3 Deut. 5.12 Luk. 13.14 An holy day Heb. Holiness Put to
death See the Notes on ch 31.14 3. Ye shall kindle no fire Neither for common work which was forbid on the Sabbath ch 20.10 and ch 31.15 nor yet to dress Meat withall which upon other Festivals was allowed ch 12.16 ch 16.23 5. Take ye from amongst you c. i. e. Bring me or takâ— for me As it is ch 25.2 See the Notes upon that place A willing heart Ch. 25.2 11. The Tabernacle Ch. 26.1 His tent and his covering i. e. The Curtains thereof as well as the outward Covering of Rams Skins and Badgers Skins ch 26.14 and ch 36.14 12. The veil of the covering i. e. That Veil which divides between the Holy and the Holy of Holies mentioned ch 26.31 It is here fitly mentioned after the Ark and Mercy-seat which were within the Veil ch 26.33 and before the Table the Candlestick and the Altar of Incense which were in the Holy place and without the Veil 15. And the Incense-altar Ch. 30.1 The Altar of burnt-offering Ch. 27.1 28. Spice Chap. 30.23 30. The LORD hath c. Chap. 31. v. 2. CHAP. XXXVI The ARGUMENT Moses delivers the Offerings brought by the People to the Workâ—â—n The People are restrained from any farther Offâ— ings The Curtains with Cherubims are made and those of Goat's-hair The Boards and Bars are prepared as also the Veil and Hanging 1. THEN wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab and every wise-hearted man in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary according to all that the LORD had commanded 2. And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab and every wise-hearted man in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it 3. And they received of Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary to make it withall And they brought yet unto him free-offerings every morning 4. And all the wise men that wrought all the work of the sanctuary came every man from his work which they made 5. And they spake unto Moses saying The people bring much more then enough for the service of the work which the LORD commanded to make 6. And Moses gave commandment and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp saying Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary So the people were restrained from bringing 7. For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it and too much 8. And every wise-hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet with cherubims of cunning work made he them 9. The length of one curtain was twenty and eight cubits and the breadth of one curtain four cubits the curtains were all of one cise 10. And he coupled the five curtains one unto another and the other five-curtains he coupled one to another 11. And he made loops of blue on the edge of one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling likewise he made in the uttermost side of another curtain in the coupling of the second 12. Fifty loops made he in one curtain and fifty loops made he in the edge of the curtain which was in the coupling of the second the loops held one curtain to another 13. And he made fifty taches of gold and coupled the curtains one unto another with the taches So it became one tabernacle 14. And he made curtains of goat's hair for the tent over the tabernacle eleven curtains he made them 15. The length of one curtain was thirty cubits and four cubits was the breadth of one curtain the eleven curtains were of one cise 16. And he coupled five curtains by themselves and six curtains by themselves 17. And he made fifty loops upon the uttermost edge of the curtain in the coupling and fifty loops made he upon the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second 18. And he made fifty taches of brass to couple the tent together that it might be one 19. And he made a covering for the tent of rams skins died red and a covering of badgers skins above that 20. And he made boards for the tabernacle of shittim-wood standing up 21. The length of a board was ten cubits and the breadth of a board one cubit and a half 22. One board had two tenons equally distant one from another thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle 23. And he made boards for the tabernacle twenty boards for the south-side south-ward 24. And forty sockets of silver he made under the twenty boards two sockets under one board for his two tenons and two sockets under another board for his two tenons 25. And for the other side of the tabernacle which is towards the north-corner he made twenty boards 26. And their forty-sockets of silver two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board 27. And for the sides of the tabernacle west-ward he made six boards 28. And two boards made he for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides 29. And they were coupled beneath and coupled together at the head thereof to one ring thus he did to both of them in both the corners 30. And there were eight boards and their sockets were sixteen sockets of silver under every board two sockets 31. And he made bars of shittim-wood five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle 32. And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the sides west-ward 33. And he made the middle bar to shoot through the boards from the one end to the other 34. And he overlaid the boards with gold and made their rings of gold to be places for the bars and overlaid the bars with gold 35. And he made a veil of blue and purple and scarlet and fine twined linen with cherubims made he it of cunning work 36. And he made thereunto four pillars of shittim wood and overlaid them with gold their hooks were of gold and he cast for them four sockets of silver 37. And he made an hanging for the tabernacle-door of blue and purple and scarlet and fine twined linen of needle-word 38. And the five pillars of it with their hooks and he overlaid their chapiters and their fillets with gold but their five sockets were of brass 1. THEN wrought Bezaleel c. This Chapter and those which follow give an account of the execution of that which was designed and commanded before ch 25 26 27. 5. More then enough This they did not conceal much less did they convert it to their own private use 6. Restrained So great was their zeal for God's publick Worship that they needed a restraint upon their liberality And the care of Moses is very remarkable who
Seed of Aaron This belongs to the Daughters as well as the Sons of the Priests for tho' they were allowed to eat of some Holy Things yet they might not do it in their Uncleanness Numb 18.11 19. Running issue Heb. Running of the reins ch 15.2 5. Creeping thing The touching of which when dead rendred Men unclean ch 11.31 A man i. e. A dead Man or a Leper ch 13.45 and 15.5 7. His food i. e. His portion allowed him to eat of 8. That which dieth Exod. 22.31 Ezek. 44.31 9. Sin i. e. The punishment of Sin ch 19.17 Die viz. By the hand of God 10. Stranger i. e. One who is not of the Seed of Aaron or the Family of the Priests A sojourner i. e. One who dwells in his House but is no part of his Family Hired servant He is one whom he hires for a certain time and is not therefore of his Family 11. Buy any soul i. e. Buy any Person for a Servant viz. a Canaanite c. who was upon his purchase reputed one of his Family whom he was obliged to provide for With his money Heb. With the purchase of his money Born in his house Of such whom he purchased or were left him by his Ancestors 12. A stranger Heb. A man a stranger i. e. One who is not of the Seed of Aaron 13. As in her youth Ch. 10.14 14. Fifth i. e. If it were worth five pieces of Silver he shall restore six that is the Principal and one fifth part of the value of it 16. Suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass when they eat Or Lade themselves with the iniquity of trespass in their eating 18. Strangers i. e. Proselytes 19. At your own will Or rather for your favourable acceptance That is that you may be accepted favourably by God v. 20. 20. But whatsoever Deut. 15.21 and 17.1 21. Sheep Or Goats 22. Blind or broken or maimed c. These are the general Heads of those blemishes which rendered a Beast unfit for the Altar It might be blind in part or in whole It might be broken or maimed in several manners The Jews from these general expressions have reckoned up no less than fifty Blemishes which rendred a Beast unfit for the Altar 23. Lamb Or Kid. Superfluous Ch. 21.18 A free-will-offering Not for a Sacrifice upon the Altar v. 20. but the price thereof was accepted toward the reparation of the Sanctuary as the Jewish Writers observe What we here translate That mayest thou offer does not imply that it might be offered upon the Altar Besides it may be rendered from the Hebrew That mayest thou make Or thou shalt make What was set aside to an holy use might well be called an offering or gift See Luk. 21.4 Vow Which supposes a precedent Obligation whereas the Free-will-offering was brought upon mere good will See Mal. 1.14 24. In your land i. e. No Israelite shall do it See the next words v. 25. 25. A Stranger 's i. e. A Gentile's The bread of your God i. e. An Oblation offered upon God's Altar as appears from the Context Of any of these i. e. Of such as are legally unfit and such which are mentioned as such in the foregoing words For it follows here Because their corruption is in them and blemishes be in them The accepting of any Oblation from the hand of a Gentile is not here forbid but of such an Oblation as is corrupted or blemished Vid. Seld. de jure natural c. l. iij. c. 7. 27. Seven days Exod. 22.30 28. Ew Or She-goat And her young Deut. 22.6 This Precept recommends to us Mercy and Forbearance 30. None of it Ch. 7.15 32. I will be hallowed Ch. 10.3 CHAP. XXIII The ARGUMENT Of the Sabbath Of the Passover and Feast of unleavened Bread Of the Sheaf of First-fruits and of the Feast of Pentecost Gleanings to be left for the Poor Of the Feast of Trumpets and the day of Expiation Of the Feast of Tabernacles 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them Concerning the feasts of the LORD which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations even these are my feasts 3. Six days shall work be done but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest an holy convocation ye shall do no work therein it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings 4. These are the feasts of the LORD even holy convocations which ye shall proclaim in their seasons 5. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's passover 6. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD seven days ye must eat unleavened bread 7. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work therein 8. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days in the seventh day is an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work therein 9. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 10. Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them When ye be come into the land which I give unto you and shall reap the harvest thereof then ye shall bring a sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest 11. And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD to be accepted for you on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it 12. And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an be-lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt-offering unto the LORD 13. And the meat-offering thereof shall be two tenth-deals of fine flour mingled with oyl an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour and the drink-offering thereof shall be of wine the fourth part of an hin 14. And ye shall eat neither bread nor parched corn nor green ears untill the self-same day that ye have brought an offering unto your God It shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings 15. And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering seven sabbaths shall be compleat 16. Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days and ye shall offer a new meat-offering unto the LORD 17. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave-loaves of two tenth-deals they shall be of fine flour they shall be baken with leaven they are the first-fruits unto the LORD 18. And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year and one young bullock and two rams they shall be for a burnt-offering unto the LORD with their meat-offering and their drink-offerings even an offering made by fire of sweet savour unto the LORD 19. Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin-offering and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace-offerings 20. And the priest shall
2 Pet. 3.5 6 7. 2. Without form and void That is a confused and indigested heap and not as yet replenished with its store and ornaments Jer. 4.23 Wisd 11.17 Isa 45.18 with which it was afterward adorned and replenished Gen. 2.1 Psalm 24.1 Face of the deep That is the Surface of the confused bulk and deep heap of Earth and Water The Spirit of God moved c. That is the Divine Spirit did by moving on the waters operate toward the order and ornament of what was confused before By his Spirit he hath garnished the Heavens says Job ch 26.13 What We render moved is observed to signifie a keeping warm or such a cherishing as feathered fowls afford unto their young Such an expression is not unsuitable to a Divine person Deut. 32.11 12. with Exod. 19.4 and agrees very well with what we are elsewhere taught of the Divine Spirit or Third Person of the Holy Trinity of whose over-shadowing and descending like a Dove we read elsewhere Matt. 3.16 Luk. 1.35 Compare Psal 104.30 3. Said That is commanded See v. 6 7. He spake and it was done Psal 33.9 he commanded and it stood fast Compare Psal 33.6 and Psal 148.5 2 Cor. 4.6 Heb. 11.3 Light That is some lucid body for the Lights or Luminaries were not created till the fourth day v. 14. 4. Saw i. e. He approved See v. 31. Good i. e. Agreeable to what he designed and for the use of the world Divided c. i. e. He placed the Light in a separate place from the rest of the Creation which remained dark 5. The evening and the morning That is the preceding darkness and following light Hence the Jews natural day began in the Evening Lev. 23.32 First day Or One day as in the Hebrew there being as yet no Second Though it be also very common in the holy Scripture that the Cardinal one c. is put for the Ordinal first c. number as in Gen. 8.5 Dan. 8.1 Joh. 20.1 6. A Firmament That is an extended Air stretched out like a Curtain Ps 104.2 Isa 40.22.42.5 7. Vnder the Firmament viz. in the Seas and Rivers c. Above the Firmament viz. in the Clouds which are said therefore to cover the Heaven Psal 147.8 Compare Prov. 8.28 that is the Air or lower Heaven Compare 2 Sam. 21.10 10. God saw that it was good These words referr to that work which God began on the Second day and do belong to that matter 11. Let the Earth bring forth c. The Earth that was void or empty v. 2. is now to be replenished Whose seed is in it self and is able therefore to propagate without distinction of Sex required in living creatures 14. For Signs and for Seasons That is to direct Men in their labour and husbandry and to that purpose to distinguish the several Seasons of the year Matt. 16.2 As also direct them afterwards in their solemn Festivals Thus are those words understood He appointeth the Moon for seasons Psal 104.19 See Ecclus 43.6 7. 16. Great So they are both in regard of their light and use as well as of their appearance To rule The Sun may be said to rule the day which receives its being from its rising its perfection from its advancing and its period from the setting thereof and also because the affairs of the day are transacted by the light which it affords and the Moon may be said to rule the night from which the Stars are not to be excluded Psal 136.9 because then the Moon gives a supply of light which the Sun then does not immediately afford Compare Job 31.26 and Jer. 31.35 17. Firmament i. e. the upper Firmament of which v. 14 15. 20. And fowl that may fly Or rather and let fowl fly as it may be rendred from the Hebrew For the fowl of the Air was formed out of the ground Gen. 2.19 not produced by the Waters however the ground were drenched by them v. 22. 21. Great Whales See Psalm 104.25 26. 26. Let us make Man Man is made by God immediately and not produced as other Creatures were v. 24. He was made also last when the World was stored and finished He was also made in such a manner as speaks him to be the work of great Wisdom and Counsel and as seems to intimate the concurrence of the Holy Trinity which cannot be incredible to him who duly considers the Note upon verse 2. and compares John 1.3 and Coloss 1.16 Man That is Mankind it follows Let them have dominion In our Image That is Spiritual wise and holy and having dominion over the other Creatures Col. 3.10 Ephes 4.24 1 Cor. 11.7 Him God thought fit to make one man to be the head and parent of the whole race of mankind that men might not boast and vaunt of their extraction and original as the Jews have observed and that they might think themselves under an obligation to love and assist each other as proceeding from the same original and common parent Act. 17.26 Male and female That is One male and one female and the female from the male Polygamy and divorce were not from the beginning Compare Matt. 19.3 4. 28. God blessed them i. e. Besides the excellent endowments which he bestowed on them he gave them power to multiply and increase their kind as it follows here See Ps 128.3 4. 29. To you i. e. To mankind as appears by comparing v. 28. The allowance was expresly enlarged after the floud Gen. 9.3 CHAP. II. The ARGUMENT This Chapter gives an account of the Sanctification of the Seventh day and of the more particular manner of the Creation Of the Garden of Eden the forbidding the tree of knowledge the naming of the creatures the making of the Woman and institution of Marriage 1. THus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them 2. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made 3. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made 4. These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens 5. And every plant of the field before it was in the earth and every herb of the field before it grew for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth and there was not a man to till the ground 6. But there went up a mist from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground 7. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul 8. And the LORD God planted a garden east-ward in Eden and there he put the man whom he had formed 9. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow
2. A fugitive i. e. Thou shalt wander about not having a setled and fixed Habitation 14. From the face of the Earth That is from that land or ground where now I am and which I have tilled The Hebrew word which is here rendred Earth is not the same word which is so rendred v. 12. but a word of a narrower extent and which is rendred ground v. 2 3. And in those places it signifies tilled ground and ground improved and is used with a particular reference to that very ground which Cain tilled The same word is used v. 11. And though it be rendred Earth there yet it might have been as well rendred Ground as it is in the places mentioned and as it signifies When Cain is said to be cursed from the Earth it seems to referr especially to that ground where he then was and where he shed his Brother's bloud And Cain says here that he is driven from the face of the Earth i. e. From that Ground or Land where he was for it cannot be understood of the Earth in the largest sence in which he was to be a fugitive and vagabond v. 12. From thy face shall I be hid i. e. I shall be separated from that place where thou hast more peculiarly manifested thy self This God does in his Church and this he did at the Altar or place where the Sacrifices were offered See verse 4. and Gen. 28.16 17. Every one that findeth Whether Man or Beast The guilty Man fears every thing and flies when no Man pursues It is reasonable to believe that there were more of Mankind in the World than those whose Birth is expresly mentioned See verse 16 17. and chap. 5.4 15. Seven-fold i. e. Abundantly Compare Levit. 26.28 Mark Whether by over-awing the rest of the Creatures or what other way soever it were God thought fit to preserve the first Murderer alive as a lasting and sad Example to the World of the greatness of his Crime 16. Nod So called from Cain's wandring up and down 17. He builded Or he was building as it is in the Hebrew It does not appear from the original Text that he finished it much less that he had a fixed habitation there v. 12. 19. Two Wives Polygamy was a deviation from the first institution of Marriage Gen. 2.24 It is brought into use by Cain's off-spring Though it were afterwards indulged to the Israelites and so was Divorce also for the hardness of their hearts Matt. 19.8 20. Have cattel Or of Shepherds and of such as feed cattel which agrees with several ancient Versions 23. And Lamech said c. The occasion of this Speech of Lamech's not being revealed it cannot be reasonably expected that any man should positively determine the full sence thereof Thus much seems plain that they are vaunting words intimating his expectation of God's extraordinary regard to him though he had or should kill a man as Cain did many times beyond what he shewed to Cain as appears from v. 24. He seems from Cain's indemnity to encourage himself in his violence and wickedness 25. Called i. e. She called as it is in the Hebrew Text which she did not do without the consent of Adam as appears from chap. 5.3 26. Then began c. After Seth and Enos were born Religion did arise to a greater degree than it had arrived to under the Off-spring of Cain who are therefore onely called the children of Men whereas the Religious Off-spring of Seth and Enos are called the children of God ch 6. v. 2. CHAP. V. The ARGUMENT The Genealogy the Age and Death of the Off-spring of Adam by Seth unto the days of Noah being an account of the Patriarchs or principal Heads of Families of those who continued in the Worship of the true God See the Note on ch 6. v. 2. The Piety of Enoch and his Translation The Birth of Noah and of his Sons 1. THis is the book of the generations of Adam in the day that God created man in the likeness of God made he him 2. Male and female created be them and blessed them and called their name Adam in the day when they were created 3. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years and begat a son in his own likeness after his image and called his name Seth. 4. And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years and he begat sons and daughters 5. And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years and he died 6. And Seth lived an hundred and five years and begat Enos 7. And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years and begat sons and daughters 8. And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years and he died 9. And Enos lived ninety years and begat Cainan 10. And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years and begat sons and daughters 11. And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years and he died 12. And Cainan lived seventy years and begat Mahalaleel 13. And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years and begat sons and daughters 14. And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years and he died 15. And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years and begat Jared 16. And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years and begat sons and daughters 17. And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years and he died 18. And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years and he begat Enoch 19. And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years and begat sons and daughters 20. And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years and he died 21. And Enoch lived sixty and five years and begat Methuselah 22. And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years and begat sons and daughters 23. And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years 24. And Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him 25. And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years and begat Lamech 26. And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years and begat sons and daughters 27. And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years and he died 28. And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years and begat a son 29. And he called his name Noah saying This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed 30. And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years and begat sons and daughters 31. And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years and he died 32. And Noah was five hundred years old and Noah begat Shem Ham and Japheth 1. THE Book of the generations i. e. The Catalogue of those that after
not afterward through fear or pain disturb or defeat the work Abraham was about and not because Isaac was unwilling Laid him Disposed him in order to the execution of God's command Hence Abraham is said to have offered Isaac upon the Altar Jam. 2.21 10. To slay his son i. e. In order to the sacrificing him which he had done had he not been restrained by God and is therefore said to have offered him up Heb. 11.17 11. Angel of the Lord This person speaks as God v. 12. and v. 16. See the Notes on ch 16. v. 7. 12. Now I know Knowing in the Scripture-phrase sometimes signifies as much as discovering or making a thing known And this is the sense of the Hebrew word not onely here but in other places Thus God is said to prove the Israelites as he is said here to tempt Abraham to know whether they loved him i. e. to discover and make it known Deut. 13.3 with the Chaldee and Vulgar and the Psalmist prays Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts Psal 139.23 Where knowing imports as here discovering or making known For the Psalmist had said before v. 2. Thou knowest my down-sitting and up-rising thou understandest my thought a-far off Compare Deut. 8.2 Exod. 33.5 2 Chron. 32.31 Abraham's Faith and Obedience was now made known 14. Jehovah-jireh i. e. The Lord will see or provide God having there provided a Ram for a Sacrifice in the stead of Isaac Compare v. 8. Hence in after-times it grew into a Proverb among the Hebrews as Hieronymus in his Questions on Genesis tells us that when they were in great straits and begged the Divine Aid they were wont to say In the mountain God will see or provide By which they expressed their Faith in God that he would be mercifull unto them as he was to their Father Abraham 16. By my self c. Because he could swear by no greater he sware by himself Heb. 6.13 Whence it is evident that it is God who swears 17. The gate i. e. The Gates and they are put for the Cities themselves according to the Version of the Chaldee and Greek which will be much confirmed by comparing Deut. 12.15 and Deut. 18.6 18. In thy seed i. e. In Christ Gal. 3.16 19. Beer-sheba See ch 21.31 20. Milcah She was Sarah's Sister and Abraham's Brother's Wife Compare ch 11. v. 29. 21. Aram Of the same name with Aram ch 10. v. 22. the Son of Shem from whom the Syrians had their Original and their Name 24. Concubine The Hebrew word imports division She was an half-wife not being taken with Dowry nor into the government of the family CHAP. XXIII The ARGUMENT Sarah's age and death Abraham's care of her burial To that purpose he buys a burying place of Ephron and buries her there 1. AND Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old these were the years of the life of Sarah 2. And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her 3. And Abraham stood up from before his dead and spake unto the sons of Heth saying 4. I am a stranger and a sojourner with you give me a possession of a burying place with you that I may bury my dead out of my sight 5. And the children of Heth answered Abraham saying unto him 6. Hear us my lord thou art a mighty prince amongst us in the choice of our sepulchers bury thy dead none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre but that thou mayest bury thy dead 7. And Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land even to the children of Heth. 8. And he communed with them saying If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight hear me and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar 9. That he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he hath which is in the end of his field for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a burying place amongst you 10. And Ephron dwelled amongst the children of Heth. And Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth even of all that went in at the gates of his city saying 11. Nay my lord hear me the field give I thee and the cave that is therein I give it thee in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee bury thy dead 12. And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land 13. And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land saying But if thou wilt give it I pray thee hear me I will give thee money for the field take it of me and I will bury my dead there 14. And Ephron answered Abraham saying unto him 15. My lord hearken unto me the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver what is that betwixt me and thee bury therefore thy dead 16. And Abraham hearkned unto Ephron and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth four hundred shekels of silver currant money with the merchant 17. And the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah which was before Mamre the field and the cave which was therein and all the trees that were in the field that were in all the borders round about were made sure 18. Vnto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth before all that went in at the gate of his city 19. And after this Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan 20. And the field and the cave that is therein were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a burying place by the sons of Heth. 1. OF Sarah She is the onely Woman whose Age is reckon'd in the holy Scripture 2. Kirjath-arba Or the City of Arba. This place was in Abraham's time called Mamre v. 19. and afterwards Hebron as also Kirjath-arba from a Man called Arba Josh 14.15 This City was in the Hill-country of Judah Josh 21.11 The same is Hebron This is no objection against Moses his being the Pen-man of this book Joshua indeed does say that the name of Hebron before or in old time as that word is rendred Deut. 2.20 was Kirjath-arba Josh 14.15 But does not say that it was not called Hebron till his time nor does he give any account either of the time when or of the reason for which it was called Hebron Came to mourn Possibly into the Tent of Sarah where she died For as Lot had several Tents ch 13. v. 5. so had Abraham and one particularly for Sarah ch 24.67 See ch 31.33 Weep The excess of sorrow is onely forbid 1 Thess 4.13 it not being otherwise inconsistent with the greatest degree of faith Joh. 11.35 3. From
said unto Moses Stretch out thine hand over the sea that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians upon their chariots and upon their horse-men 27. And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared and the Egyptians fled against it and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea 28. And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horse-men and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them there remained not so much as one of them 29. But the children of Israel walked upon dry-land in the midst of the sea and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left 30. Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea-shore 31. And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians and the people feared the LORD and believed the LORD and his servant Moses 2. Pihahiroth Numb 33.7 This is the mouth or passage of Hiroth Vid. Numb 33.8 And it should seem from Josephus that Hiroth was a mountainous and steep place For he tells us that the Egyptians shut up the Hebrews that they could not escape between steep Mountains on the one hand and the Sea on the other Vid. Joseph Ant. l. 2. c. 6. Abravanel will have Pihahiroth to referr to a Village from whence the Red sea falls into a Chanâ—â—â— called Hiroth Be it as it will the Hebrews are in a strait Between Migdol and the Sea Migdol signifies a strong Fort. And this speaks the strait in which the Hebrews were having the Sea on one side and a strong Fort to receive their Enemies on the other Baal-zephon This seems to be the place of an Idol called Baal and Abravenel tells us it stood on the North-side of Migdol And then it might for that cause be called Zephon that word signifying the North. 3. Intangled They are perplexed 4. Honoured By the just destruction of the Egyptians Vid. Levit. 10.3 8. With an high hand Openly and boldly and in good order not like Fugitives ch 13.18 9. Egyptians Vid. Josh 24.6 1 Mac. 4.9 12. Is not this Ch. 6.9 13. And Moses said c. There is a Tradition among the Jews that the people in this great strait were divided into four several Sects and Opinions The first were for running into the Sea The second for returning into Egypt The third for fighting the Egyptians The fourth for lifting up their Voice and by their Shrieks and Out-cries confounding their Enemies And that Moses speaks to the People with respect to their divided Opinions To the first in these words Fear ye not stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord. To the second he said For the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day ye shall see them again no more for ever To the third The Lord shall fight for you To the fourth And ye shall hold your peace Vid. Targ. Jon. Hierosol in loc For the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day Or For whereas you have seen the Egyptians to day i. e. They should not see the Egyptians as they had seen them namely alive v. 30. See the Greek 15. Wherefore cryest thou unto me God reproves not his Prayer but directs him to the work he was to do He having heard his Prayer See the Chaldee 19. The Angel of the LORD See the Notes on ch 13.21 20. And it was c. It being but one and the same See ch 13.22 21. Divided Josh 4.23 Psal 114.3 22. The children Psal 78.13 1 Cor. 10.1 Heb. 11.29 25. That they drave them heavily Or And made them to go heavily 27. Overthrew Heb. Shook off God sent upon them Showers Thunder Lightning and Thunder-bolts says Josephus Vid. ch 15.10 Psal 77.17 18. 28. One Psal 106.11 31. Work Heb. Hand And his servant Moses They believed Moses as a Servant of God CHAP. XV. The ARGUMENT The Song of Moses Miriam and other Women express their joy with Timbrels and Dances The Israelites come to the Wilderness of Shur and want Water They murmur The Waters of Marah made sweet The Israelites come to Elim 1. THen sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD and spake saying I will sing unto the LORD for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea 2. The LORD is my strength and song and he is become my salvation he is my God and I will prepare him an habitation my father's God and I will exalt him 3. The LORD is a man of war the LORD is his name 4. Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea 5. The depths have covered them they sank into the bottom as a stone 6. Thy right hand O LORD is become glorious in power thy right hand O LORD hath dashed in pieces the enemy 7. And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee thou sentest forth thy wrath which consumed them as stubble 8. And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together the flouds stood upright as an heap and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea 9. The enemy said I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the spoil my lust shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my sword my hand shall destroy them 10. Thou didst blow with thy wind the sea covered them they sank as lead in the mighty waters 11. Who is like unto thee O LORD amongst the gods who is like thee glorious in holiness fearfull in praises doing wonders 12. Thou stretchedst out thy right hand the earth swallowed them 13. Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation 14. The people shall hear and be afraid sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina 15. Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed the mighty men of Moab trembling shall take hold upon them all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away 16. Fear and dread shall fall upon them by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone till thy people pass over O LORD till the people pass over which thou hast purchased 17. Thou shalt bring them in and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance in the place O LORD which thou hast made for thee to dwell in in the sanctuary O LORD which thy hands have established 18. The LORD shall reign for ever and ever 19. For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon them but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea 20. And Miriam the prophetess the sister of
2.16 Zach. 7.3 1 Cor. 7.5 16. Thunders c. These were so many tokens of the great and terrible Majesty of God who therefore ought to be feared and obeyed 18. Mount Sinai Deut. 4.11 Descended Vid. v. 11. In fire Hence the Law might be called a fiery Law Deut. 33.3 19. Moses spake So terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake Heb. 12.21 21. Charge Heb. contest Break through Namely by going beyond the bounds which were set See v. 12. 22. Priests Aaron and his Sons were not yet set a-part to the Priesthood as is generally supposed Yet see the Note on ch 18.12 And therefore by Priests here we may understand those who ministred in Holy things before Aaron and his Sons were consecrated And these are supposed to be the first-born ch 13.2 who are called young men ch 24.5 And what is rendred young men elsewhere signifies Ministers or those who serve 2 Kings 19.6 That come near to the LORD Who come near to minister unto the Lord. The Priest by vertue of his Office is placed between God and the People for whom he prays and offers Sacrifice unto God 23. Cannot come up i. e. They are sufficiently warned already of the danger of passing the bounds 24. Thou and Aaron Ch. 24.1 CHAP. XX. The ARGUMENT The Ten Commandments The People are in great fear Moses comforts them Idolatry is forbidden Rules concerning the Altar on which they should sacrifice 1. AND God spake all these words saying 2. I am the LORD thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage 3. Thou shalt have no other gods before me 4. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth 5. Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor serve them for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me 6. And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments 7. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain 8. Remember the sabbath-day to keep it holy 9. Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work 10. But the seventh is the sabbath of the LORD thy God in it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy son nor thy daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid servant nor thy cattel nor thy stranger that is within thy gates 11. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath-day and hallowed it 12. Honor thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee 13. Thou shalt not kill 14. Thou shalt not commit adultery 15. Thou shalt not steal 16. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour 17. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife nor his man-servant nor his maid-servant nor his ox nor his ass nor any thing that is thy neighbours 18. And all the people saw the thundrings and the lightnings and the noise of the trumpet and the mountain smoaking and when the people saw it they removed and stood a-far off 19. And they said unto Moses Speak thou with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us lest we die 20. And Moses said unto the people Fear not for God is come to prove you and that his fear may be before your faces that ye sin not 21. And the people stood a-far off and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was 22. And the LORD said unto Moses Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven 23. Ye shall not make with me gods of silver neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold 24. An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings and thy peace-offerings thy sheep and thine oxen In all places where I record my name I will come unto thee and I will bless thee 25. And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone thou shalt not build it of hewn stone for if thou lift up thy tool upon it thou hast polluted it 26. Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon 1. ALL these words i. e. All these Precepts which follow These are called the ten Words or Commandments ch 34.28 The Hebrew which we render Words is observed to signifie Precepts See Deut. 18.19 2. I am the LORD c. Deut. 5.6 Psal 81.10 This Verse contains the Preface to the following laws and therein very powerfull arguments to gain their attention and obedience Viz. I. From the Excellency of the Person who Commands The Lord. II. His Relation to them whom he commands Thy God III. His Mercy bestowed on them Which have brought thee c. Bondage Heb. Servants 3. Thou shalt have Or There shall not be unto thee Before me Or besides me As the Chaldee and Greek render it This third Verse contains the first Commandment and teacheth that there is one God and he alone is to be worshipped saith Josephus Antiq. Judaic l. 3. c. 4. 4. Thou shalt not c. Levit. 26.1 Psal 97.7 There being Ten of these Commandments ch 34.28 This must be the second as Josephus rightly affirms See this farther proved in the Notes on v. 17. 5. A jealous God Idolatry is frequently expressed by Whoredom Deut. 31.16 Jer. 3.9 And God is said to be an husband to his People Jer. 2.2 Hos 2.19 And in proportion and conformity hereunto God's displeasure against Idolatry is expressed by Jealousy which is says Solomon the rage of a man Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance c. Prov. 6.34 This is here added to deterr Men from Idolatry And is a powerfull Argument to keep Men from the appearance and suspicion of this Sin Children That are rebellious says the Chaldee Third and fourth So long the Idolaters may be supposed to live and be punished in their Children Of them that hate me That is of Idolaters who are especially the haters of God Vid. Mor. Nevochim p. 1. c. 36. 6. And keep c. The keeping God's Commandments being the best argument that we love him 7. Thou shalt not c. Levit. 19.12 Deut. 5.11 Matt. 5.33 Thou shalt not swear falsely nor lightly and commonly but greatly reverence the Holy Name of God Not hold him guiltless i. e. He will severely punish More is understood than is expressed vid. 1 Cor. 10.5 8. To keep it holy i. e. To separate
Tears from our Eyes The Greek render it by the first-fruits of the Wine-press The first-born Ch. 13.2 12. and 34.19 30. Thou shalt give it The meaning is that thenceforward it shall be accepted and therefore the Chaldee renders Thou shalt separate It was to continue seven days with the Dam on the eighth day and afterward it was esteemed fit for the Priest as well as for the Altar Levit 22.27 31. Neither c. Levit. 22.8 Ezek. 44.31 CHAP. XXIII The ARGUMENT Of Slander wresting Judgment and respect of persons Of Charity Bribery and Oppression Of the Sabbath and Sabbatical Year Of Idolatry Of the several Festivals An Angel is promised Their Obedience is required and encouraged by several Promises 1. THOV shalt not raise a false report put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness 2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment 3. Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause 4. If thou meet thine enemies ox or his ass going astray thou shalt surely bring it back to him again 5. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden and wouldest forbear to help him thou shalt surely help with him 6. Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause 7. Keep thee far from a false matter and the innocent and righteous slay thou not for I will not justifie the wicked 8. And thou shalt take no gift for a gift blindeth the wise and perverteth the words of the righteous 9. Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger for ye know the heart of a stranger seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt 10. And six years thou shalt sow thy land and shalt gather in the fruits thereof 11. But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still that the poor of thy people may eat and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vine-yard and with thy olive-yard 12. Six days thou shalt do thy work and on the seventh day thou shalt rest that thine ox and thine ass may rest and the son of thy hand-maid and the stranger may be refreshed 13. And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect and make no mention of the names of other gods neither let it be heard out of thy mouth 14. Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year 15. Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days as I commanded thee in the time appointed of the month Abib for in it thou camest out from Egypt and none shall appear before me empty 16. And the feast of harvest the first-fruits of thy labours which thou hast sown in the field and the feast of in gathering which is in the end of the year when thou hast gathered in thy labors out of the field 17. Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the LORD God 18. Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain untill the morning 19. The first of the first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God Thou shalt not seeth a kid in his mother's milk 20. Behold I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared 21. Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for he wâ—â— not pardon your transgressions for my name is in him 22. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice and do all that I speak then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies and an adversary unto thine adversaries 23. For mine Angel shall go before thee and bring thee in unto the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites and I will cut them off 24. Thou shalt not bow down to their gods nor serve them nor do after their works but thou shalt utterly overthrow them and quite break down their images 25. And ye shall serve the LORD your God and he shall bless thy bread and thy water and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee 26. There shall nothing cast their young nor be barren in thy land the number of thy days I will fulfill 27. I will send my fear before thee and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee 28. And I will send hornets before thee which shall drive out the Hivite the Canaanite and the Hittite from before thee 29. I will not drive them out from before thee in one year lest the land become desolate and the beast of the field multiply against thee 30. By little and little I will drive them out from before thee untill thou be increased and inherit the land 31. And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines and from the desart unto the river for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand and thou shalt drive them out before thee 32. Thou shalt make no covenant with them nor with their gods 33. They shall not dwell in thy land lest they make thee sin against me for if thou serve their gods it will surely be a snare unto thee 1. RAise Or Receive Put not thine hand c. i. e. Consent not to See Prov. 11.21 These words and the following are directed to Judges See Phil. Judae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Speak Heb. Answer 3. A poor man Vid. Levit. 19.15 4. Or his ass Or any other breast that belongs to him Deut. 22.1 2 3. 5. If thou see c. Deut. 22.4 And wouldest forbear to help him Or Wilt thou cease to help him Or And wouldest cease to leave thy business for him Thou shalt surely leave it to join with him 6. Of thy poor i. e. Of thy poor Neighbour Deut. 27.19 7. From a false matter Or from a false word or lye 8. Thou shalt c. Deut. 16.19 Ecclus 20.29 Wise Heb. Seeing 9. Not oppress This Precept seems to be given to Judges and Magistrates that ch 22.21 to private Men. Heart Heb. Soul 10. Six years Levit 25.3 11. Let it rest c. i. e. Thou shalt not sow the Land nor gather the fruits See v. 10. and Lev. 25.4 May eat What Fruits the Vines and Trees produce as well as what the the Earth should bring forth from some scattered and remaining Seeds Vine-yard Which thou shalt not prune Lev. 25.4 Olive-yard Or Olive-trees 12. Six days Ch. 20.8 Deut. 5.13 Luk. 13.14 13. Of the names i. e. With any honour or regard to them See Deut. 12.3 Josh 23.7 Ps 16.4 Hos 2.17 Nah. 1.14 It not being absolutely unlawfull to mention the
names of other Gods 14. Three times Deut. 16.16 15. Thou shalt c. Ch. 13.3 and 34.18 And none c. Deut. 16.16 Ecclus 35.4 Empty i. e. Without some Gift or Oblation Deut. 15.13 14. 16. Feast of harvest When they offered two Loaves of First-fruits Lev. 23.17 called The Feast of Weeks Exod 34.22 because it was seven weeks from the foregoing Feast Levit. 23.15 This was the Feast of Pentecost Act. 2.1 At this time the Law was given See Notes on ch 19.1 The feast of in gathering Called also The feast of Tabernacles Lev. 23.34 Deut. 16.13 17. Three times Viz. at the times last mentioned Before the LORD i. e. at the place where God appointed and where the Tabernacle and after that the Temple was 18. Of my sacrifice i. e. Of the Passover as the Chaldee hath it and as appears evidently from ch 34.25 With leavened bread i. e. Having leavened Bread in thy possession My sacrifice Or Feast Remain viz. Unburnt 19. The first-fruits Ch. 34.26 Thou shalt not seeth a kid c. Deut. 14.21 This the Jews understand as forbidding the eating of Flesh and Milk together And besides the shew of Cruelty in doing so Deut. 22.6 7. and Philo Jud. de Charitate it is supposed this was forbid the Israelites because it was a Rite used by Idolaters See Mor. Nevoch p. 3. c. 48. 20. Behold Ch. 33.2 An Angel i. e. Christ called so Mal. 3.1 He was tempted in the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10.9 Heb. 3.9 Maimon confesses that these words are explained by those Deut. 18.18 which words do manifestly belong to the Messias See the Notes on Deut. 18.15 More Nevoch p. 2. c. 34. 21. Not pardon your transgressions i. e. Your contumacious sins Vid. Josh 24.19 My name is in him Joh. 10.38 The Name of God signifies his Essence Exod. 3.13 And sometimes his Word says Maimon More Nevoch p. 1. c. 64. and is applicable to the Messiah in both these Senses 22. An adversary unto thine adversaries Or I will afflict them that afflict thee 23. For c. Ch. 33.2 Bring thee Josh 24.11 24. But thou shalt Deut. 7.25 26. There shall nothing Deut. 7.14 27. Backs Heb. Neck 28. I will send hornets Josh 2â—â— These words may well be understood literally See Exod 8.21 31. Sea of the Philistines i. e. The Mediterranean upon which their Country lay Desart Of Shur Exod. 15.22 Gen. 16.7 River i. e. Euphrates as the Greek have it 32. Thou shalt Ch. 34.15 Deut. 7.2 33. It will surely c. Deut. 7.16 Josh 23.13 Judg. 2.3 CHAP. XXIV The ARGUMENT Moses is called up into the Mountain The People promise Obedience Moses builds an Altar and twelve Pillars The young Men offer Sacrifices He enters the People into Covenant with God God manifests himself Moses continues in the Mount forty Days and forty Nights 1. AND he said unto Moses Come up unto the LORD thou and Aaron Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel and worship ye afar off 2. And Moses alone shall come near the LORD but they shall not come nigh neither shall the people go up with him 3. And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments and all the people answered with one voice and said All the words which the LORD hath said will we do 4. And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD and rose up early in the morning and builded an altar under the hill and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel 5. And he sent young men of the children of Israel which offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed peace-offerings of oxen unto the LORD 6. And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basons and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar 7. And he took the book of the covenant and read in the audience of the people and they said All that the LORD hath said will we do and be obedient 8. And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said Behold the blood of the covenant which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words 9. Then went up Moses and Aaron Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel 10. And they saw the God of Israel and there was under his feet as it were a paved-paved-work of a saphire-stone and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness 11. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand also they saw God and did eat and drink 12. And the LORD said unto Moses Come up to me into the mount and be there and I will give thee tables of stone and a law and commandments which I have written that thou mayest teach them 13. And Moses rose up and his minister Joshua And Moses went up into the mount of God 14. And he said unto the elders Tarry ye here for us until we come again unto you and behold Aaron and Hur are with you if any man have any matters to do let him come unto them 15. And Moses went up into the mount and a cloud covered the mount 16. And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai and the cloud covered it six days and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud 17. And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like deuouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel 18. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud and got him up into the mount and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights 1. COme up i. e. After thou hast propounded my Laws to the People and sprinkled the Blood c. to v. 9. God's Seventy of the elders Who will be good Witnesses of glorious appearance This number was afterward ordained by God and taken into the Government Num. 11.16 17. 2. Near the LORD i. e. Into the midst of the Cloud v. 18. The top of the Mount where was a glorious appearance and sign of God's more special presence v. 16 17. But they shall not come nigh i. e. Aaron Nadab and Abihu and the seventy Elders though they went up into the Mount shall not pass into the midst of the Cloud nor go up to the top or the Mount as Moses did Neither shall the people go up The Elders were allowed to go up some part of the Mount v. 1. Moses might onely come near the People are to stay at the bottom of the Mount 3. All the words of the LORD and all the judgments i. e. The Ten Commandments ch 20. which are called The words which God spake Exod. 20.1 And again the ten Words ch 38.28 and the Judicial Laws contained in the three foregoing Chapters which are called Judgments ch 21.1 All the words Ch. 19.8 verse 7. Deut. 5.27 4. An altar On God's part who is the principal party in this Covenant Twelve pillars On the People's behalf 5. Young men
shines He puts a Veil thereon whiles he speaks with the People and removes it when he speaks with God 1. AND the LORD said unto Mâ—ses Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest 2. And be ready in the morning and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai and present thy self there to me in the top of the mount 3. And no man shall come up with thee neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount 4. And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first and Moses rose up early in the morning and went up unto mount Sinai as the LORD had commanded him and took in his hand the two tables of stone 5. And the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name of the LORD 6. And the LORD passed by before him and proclaimed The LORD The LORD God mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth 7. Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the children's children unto the third and to the fourth generation 8. And Moses made hast and bowed his head towards the earth and worshipped 9. And he said If now I have found grace in thy sight O Lord let my Lord I pray thee go amongst us for it is a stiff-necked people and pardon our iniquity and our sin and take us for thine inheritance 10. And he said Behold I make a covenant before all thy people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth nor in any nation and all the people amongst which thou art shall see the work of the LORD for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee 11. Observe thou that which I command thee this day Behold I drive out before thee the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite 12. Take heed to thy self lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee 13. But ye shall destroy their altars break their images and cut down their groves 14. For thou shalt worship no other God for the LORD whose name is Jealous is a jealous God 15. Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they go a whoring after their gods and do sacrifice unto their gods and one call thee and thou eat of his sacrifice 16. And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons and their daughters go a whoring after their gods and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods 17. Thou shalt make thee no molten gods 18. The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep Seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread as I commanded thee in the time of the month Abib for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt 19. All that openeth the matrix is mine and every firstling among thy cattel whether ox or sheep that is male 20. But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb and if thou redeem him not then shalt thou break his neck All the first-born of thy sons thou shalt redeem and none shall appear before me empty 21. Six days thou shalt work but on the seventh day thou shalt rest in earing-time and in harvest thou shalt rest 22. And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks of the first-fruits of wheat-harvest and the feast of ingathering at the year's end 23. Thrice in the year shall all your men-children appear before the Lord GOD the God of Israel 24. For I will cast out the nations before thee and enlarge thy borders neither shall any man desire thy land when thou shalt go up to appear before the LORD thy God thrice in the year 25. Thou shalt not offer the bloud of my sacrifice with leaven neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of passover be left unto the morning 26. The first of the first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the LORD thy God Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk 27. And the LORD said unto Moses Write thou these words for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel 28. And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty-nights he did neither eat bread nor drink water and he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant the ten commandments 29. And it came to pass when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses's hand when he came down from the mount that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him 30. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses behold the skin of his face shone and they were afraid to come nigh him 31. And Moses called unto them and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him and Moses talked with them 32. And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai 33. And till Moses had done speaking with them he put a veil on his face 34. But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him he took the veil off untill he came out And he came out and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded 35. And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses that the skin of Moses's face shone and Moses put the veil upon his face again untill he went in to speak with him 1. HEW thee The first Tables were the work of God ch 32.16 Deut. 10.1 5. Descended Was revealed says the Chaldee i. e. He manifested himself in the Cloud And proclaimed the name Or He called upon the name and then these words referr to Moses who upon God's glorious manifestation of himself called upon God This agrees well with the Hebrew Text Vid. Gen. 12.8 and is followed by the Vulgar Latin 6. And the LORD passed by c. That is He caused his Divine Presence to pass by as the Chaldee hath it And proclaimed i. e. And the Lord proclaimed ch 33.19 7. Will by no means clear Or Will not utterly cut off For so the Hebrew word is observed sometimes to signifie and is by our Englisâ— rendred to that sense Zech. 5.3 Jer. 46.28 in the Margent Besides when Moses deprecates God's displeasure he makes use of these words Num. 14.18 More Nevoch p. 1. c. 54. Visiting c. ch 20.5 Deut. 5.9 Jer. 32.18 9. If now c. Moses is now encouraged to pray as he doth upon this proclaiming the Mercy and Goodness of God My Lord
Their pillars were twenty and their brasen sockets twenty the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver 11. And for the north-side the hangings were an hundred cubits their pillars were twenty and their sockets of brass twenty the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver 12. And for the west-side were hangings of fifty cubits their pillars ten and their sockets ten the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver 13. And for the east-side east-ward fifty cubits 14. The hangings of the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits their pillars three and their sockets three 15. And for the other side of the court-gate on this hand and that hand were hangings of fifteen cubits their pillars three and their sockets three 16. All the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined linen 17. And the sockets for the pillars were of brass the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver and the overlaying of their chapiters of silver and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver 18. And the hanging for the gate of the court was needle-work of blue and purple and scarlet and fine twined linen and twenty cubits was the length and the height in the breadth was five cubits answerable to the hangings of the court 19. And their pillars were four and their sockets of brass four their hooks of silver and the overlaying of their chapiters and their fillets of silver 20. And all the pins of the tabernacle and of the court round about were of brass 21. This is the sum of the tabernacle even of the tabernacle of testimony as it was counted according to the commandment of Moses for the service of the Levites by the hand of Ithamar son to Aaron the priest 22. And Bezaleel the son of Vri the son of Hur of the tribe of Judah made all that the LORD commanded Moses 23. And with him was Aholiab son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan an engraver and a cunning workman and an embroiderer in blue and in purple and in scarlet and fine linen 24. All the gold that was occupied for the work in all the work of the holy place even the gold of the offering was twenty and nine talents and seven hundred and thirty shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary 25. And the silver of them that were numbred of the congregation was an hundred talents and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels after the shekel of the sanctuary 26. A bekah for every man that is half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary for every one that went to be numbred from twenty years old and upward for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men 27. And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary and the sockets of the veil an hundred sockets of the hundred talents a talent for a socket 28. And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars and overlaid their chapiters and filleted them 29. And the brass of the offering was seventy talents and two thousand and four hundred shekels 30. And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and the brasen altar and the brasen grate for it and all the vessels of the altar 31. And the sockets of the court round about and the sockets of the court-gate and all the pins of the tabernacle and all the pins of the court round about 1. AND he made Ch. 27.1 8. Looking-glasses Or Brasen-glasses Not made of Glass of which we have no mention but Brass polished which served the same purpose which our Looking-glasses are designed for Vid. Ezra 8 2â— Assembling which assembled Heb. Assembling by troops They assembled upon a Religious account to the place of God's Worship and more peculiar Presence and as the Greek and Chaldee understand it as they met there to fast or to pray so it is evident that they did also bestow of their Substance upon the service of God in that they parted with their fine and polished Brass by which they adorned themselves to make the Laver of Brass 9. Court Vid. Ch. 27.9 18. The height in the breadth i. e. The height of the hangings breadth That was its height when it hung up which was its breadth when it lay along 20. Pins Ch. 27.19 21. The sum of the tabernacle i. e. The Sum of Particulars belonging to the Tabernacle Ithamar Num. 4.28 31 32 33. 24. Talents A Shekel is half an Ounce and in Silver it amounts to our 2 s. 6 d. or near it A Bekah is half so much A Talent is 3000 Shekels This appears v. 25 26 28. The 603550 are taxed at a Bekah a-piece This makes 301775 Shekels and reckoning 3000 Shekels to a Talent the 301775 Shekels make up 100 Talents and 1775 Shekels counting the Shekel of Silver at 2 s. 6 d. the Talent of Silver amounts to 375 l. Sterling Their Talent of Gold was of the same weight and should we allow it but of ten times the value a Shekel of Gold will amount to 1 l. 5 s. Sterling and a Talent of Gold to 3750 l. 25. Numbred Exod. 30.13 26. Every man Heb. A Poll. CHAP. XXXIX The ARGUMENT Of the Clothes of Service and Holy Garments The Tabernacle is brought to Moses with its several Vtensils and approved of by him 1. AND of the blue and purple and scarlet they made clothes of service to do service in the holy place and made the holy garments for Aaron as the LORD commanded Moses 2. And he made the ephod of gold blue and purple and scarlet and fine twined linen 3. And they did beat the gold into thin plates and cut it into wiers to work it in the blue and in the purple and in the scarlet and in the fine linen with cunning work 4. They made shoulder-pieces for it to couple it together by the two edges was it coupled together 5. And the curious girdle of his ephod that was upon it was of the same according to the work thereof of gold blue and purple and scarlet and fine twined linen as the LORD commanded Moses 6. And they wrought onyx-stones enclosed in ouches of gold graven as signets are graven with the names of the children of Israel 7. And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod that they should be stones for a memorial to the children of Israel as the LORD commanded Moses 8. And he made the breast-plate of cunning work like the work of the ephod of gold blue and purple and scarlet and fine twined linen 9. It was four-square they made the breast-plate double a span was the length thereof and a span the breadth thereof being doubled 10. And they see in it four rows of stones the first row was a sardius a topaz and a carbuncle this was the first row 11. And the second row an emeraud a
sapphire and a diamond 12. And the third row a ligure an agate and an amethyst 13. And the fourth row a beryl an onyx and a jasper they were inclosed in ouches of gold in their inclosings 14. And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel twelve according to their names like the engravings of a signet every one with his name according to the twelve tribes 15. And they made upon the breast-plate chains at the ends of wreathen work of pure gold 16. And they made two ouches of gold and two gold rings and put the two rings in the two ends of the breast-plate 17. And they put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breast-plate 18. And the two ends of the two wreathen chains they fastened in the two ouches and put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod before it 19. And they made two rings of gold and put them on the two ends of the breast-plate upon the border of it which was on the side of the ephod inward 20. And they made two other golden rings and put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath toward the forepart of it over against the other coupling thereof above the curious girdle of the ephod 21. And they did bind the breast-plate by his rings unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue that it might be above the curious girdle of the ephod and that the breast-plate might not be loosed from the ephod as the LORD commanded Moses 22. And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work all of blue 23. And there was a hole in the midst of the robe as the hole of an habergeon with a band round about the hole that it should not rent 24. And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet and twined linen 25. And they made bells of pure gold and put the bells between the pomegranates upon the hem of the robe round about between the pomegranates 26. A bell and a pomegranate a bell and a pomegranate round about the hem of the robe to minister in as the LORD commanded Moses 27. And they made coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron and for his sons 28. And a mitre of fine linen and goodly bonnets of fine linen and linen breeches of fine twined linen 29. And a girdle of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet of needle-work as the LORD commanded Moses 30. And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold and wrote upon it a writing like to the engravings of a signet HOLINESS TO THE LORD 31. And they tied unto it a lace of blue to fasten it on high upon the mitre as the LORD commanded Moses 32. Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses so did they 33. And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses the tent and all his furniture his taches his boards his bars and his pillars and his sockets 34. And the covering of rams skins died red and the covering of badgers skins and the veil of the covering 35. The ark of the testimony and the staves thereof and the mercy-seat 36. The table and all the vessels thereof and the shew-bread 37. The pure candlestick with the lamps thereof even with the lamps to be set in order and all the vessels thereof and the oyl for light 38. And the golden Altar and the anointing oyl and the sweet incense and the hanging for the tabernacle-door 39. The brasen altar and his grate of brass his staves and all his vessels the laver and his foot 40. The hangings of the court his pillars and his sockets and the hanging for the court-gate his cords and his pins and all the vessels of the service of the tabernacle for the tent of the congregation 41. The clothes of service to do service in the holy place and the holy garments for Aaron the priest and his sons garments to minister in the priest's office 42. According to all that the LORD commanded Moses so the children of Israel made all the work 43. And Moses did look upon all the work and behold they had done it as the LORD had commanded even so had they done it And Moses blessed them 1. MADE the holy garments Ch. 31.10 and 35.19 2. Ephod Vid. Ch. 28.6 6. And they wrought Ch. 28.9 7. Memorial Ch. 28.12 8. Breast-plate Ch. 28.15 10. Sardius Or Ruby 25. Bells Ch. 28.33 28. Linen breeches Ch. 28.42 30. Holiness Ch. 28.36 CHAP. XL. The ARGUMENT Moses is commanded to set up the Tabernacle and to anoint it Aaron and his Sons are to be sanctified These things are done as is commanded 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation 2514. 1490. 3. And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony and cover the ark with the veil 4. And thou shalt bring in the table and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it and thou shalt bring in the candlestick and light the lamps thereof 5. And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony and put the hanging of the door to the tabernacle 6. And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt-offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation 7. And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar and shalt put water therein 8. And thou shalt set up the court round about and hang up the hanging at the court-gate 9. And thou shalt take the anointing oyl and anoint the tabernacle and all that is therein and shalt hallow it and all the vessels thereof and it shall be holy 10. And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt-offering and all his vessels and sanctifie the altar and it shall be an altar most holy 11. And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot and sanctifie it 12. And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and wash them with water 13. And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments and anoint him and sanctifie him that he may minister unto me in the priest's office 14. And thou shalt bring his sons and clothe them with coats 15. And thou shalt anoint them as thou didst anoint their father that they may minister unto me in the priests office for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations 16. Thus did Moses according to all that the LORD commanded him so did he 17. And it came to pass in the first month in the second year on the first day of the month that the tabernacle was reared up 18. And
Moses reared up the tabernacle and fastened his sockets and set up the boards thereof and put in the bars thereof and reared up his pillars 19. And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent above upon it as the LORD commanded Moses 20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark and set the staves on the ark and put the mercy-seat above upon the ark 21. And he brought the ark into the tabernacle and set up the veil of the covering and covered the ark of the testimony as the LORD commanded Moses 22. And he put the table in the tent of the congregation upon the side of the tabernacle north-ward without the veil 23. And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD as the LORD had commanded Moses 24. And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation over against the table on the side of the tabernacle south-ward 25. And he lighted the lamps before the LORD as the LORD commanded Moses 26. And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the veil 27. And he burnt sweet incense thereon as the LORD commanded Moses 28. And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle 29. And he put the altar of burnt-offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation and offered upon it the burnt-offering and the meat-offering as the LORD commanded Moses 30. And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar and put water there to wash withall 31. And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat 32. When they went into the tent of the congregation and when they came near unto the altar they washed as the LORD commanded Moses 33. And he reared up the court-round about the tabernacle and the altar and set up the hanging of the court-gate so Moses finished the work 34. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle 35. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation because the cloud abode thereon and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle 36. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys 37. But if the cloud were not taken up then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up 38. For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day and fire was on it by night in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys 3. 2514. 1490. The ark of the testimony So called because the Tables of the Law which is sometime called the Testimony v. 20. were put into it ch 25.16 4. Thou shalt bring in c. Ch. 26.35 The things that are to be set in order upon it Heb. The order thereof 10. Most holy Heb. Holiness of holinesses in that it hallowed the Sacrifice Exod. 29.37 11. Sanctifie it i. e. Separate it to a peculiar and holy use 15. An everlasting priesthood i. e. The Successors of the ordinary Priests shall not need to be anointed for the future as the High Priests were The High Priests were elected and therefore it was fit they should be anointed But the Priesthood belonged to the other Priests as their Birth-right 17. Tabernacle Num. 7.1 21. Set Ch. 35.12 29. LORD Ch. 30.9 34. Then a cloud Num. 9.15 1 King 8.10 36. Went onward Heb. Journeyed FINIS Imprimatur Octob. 24. 1693. Jo. Cant. A COMMENTARY ON THE Five Books of MOSES WITH A DISSERTATION Concerning the Author or Writer of the said Books AND A General Argument to each of them BY RICHARD Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells Vol. II. LONDON Printed by J. Heptinstall for William Rogers at the Sun against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet MDCXCIV THE Third Book of Moses CALLED LEVITICUS THE General Argument OF THE Third Book of MOSES CALLED LEVITICUS LEVI was the third Son of Jacob From him his Posterity had the name of Levites Aaron who with his Sons was called to the Priesthood was from him called a Levite Exod. 4.14 And that Priesthood that was setled in that Family is called Levitical Heb. 7.11 The Law relating to the discharge of the Priest's Office is properly called the Levitical Law and upon that account that Book of Moses which more especially treats of the Holy Rites and Services in which these Priests were by their Office imployed is very fitly from the Subject-matter of it called Leviticus And this is the main Subject of this very excellent Book as will more clearly appear afterwards And because a great part of the Priest's Office was taken up in attendance upon the Altar and he was nearly concerned in the Sacrifices and holy Oblations which were presented by the People and because this Book treats largely of those Sacrifices and the Rites thereunto belonging and that in the very beginning of it I know not how to let the Reader into the Book it self any better way than by premising something concerning the Sacrifices themselves which are here treated of And to that purpose I shall First Consider the matter of these Sacrifices or what things they were which were required or allowed to be offered at the Altar Secondly I shall consider the several sorts or kinds of these Sacrifices with the particular Laws annexed unto them and shall in this matter offer nothing but what the Text of the Law gives me ground for Thirdly I shall in very few words shew how very usefull it is to understand this matter I. I shall consider the matter of these Sacrifices or what things they were which were required or allowed to be offered at the Altar And these Oblations being either of living creatures or of things that were inanimate I shall First Consider what living Creatures were admitted for Sacrifices where these Sacrifices were bloudy And they were Five onely viz. Out of the Herd the Bullock onely Out of the Flock the Sheep and the Goat From among the Fowls the Turtle-Dove and the less or younger Pigeon More than these were not allowed by the Law For the Birds rendred Sparrows in the Marginal reaching Levit. 14. they belong not at all to this matter For I am speaking here of bloudy Sacrifices For those Birds one of them was not killed and neither of them had any relation to God's Altar These living Creatures admitted for Sacrifices were such as were common and easy to be procured Besides they were tame and gentle very innocent and usefull and harmless No ravenous Beasts are admitted no Birds of prey What more usefull than a Bullock more profitable than a Sheep and Goat more simple and harmless than a Dove or Pigeon And if the Observation of Philo be true That the Offerer was to be like his Oblation then are innocence and industry usefulness and simplicity recommended here to the Worshipper
atonement with him and to let him go for a scape-goat into the wilderness 11. And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin-offering which is for himself and shall make an atonement for himself and for his house and shall kill the bullock of the sin-offering which is for himself 12. And he shall take a censer-full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD and his hands-full of sweet incense beaten small and bring it within the veil 13. And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy-seat that is upon the testimony that he die not 14. And he shall take of the blood of the bullock and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy-seat east-ward and before the merseat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times 15. Then shall he kill the goat of the sin-offering that is for the people and bring his blood within the veil and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat and before the mercy-seat 16. And he shall make an atonement for the holy place because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel and because of their transgressions in all their sins and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness 17. And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place untill he come out and have made an atonement for himself and for his houshold and for all the congregation of Israel 18. And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD and make an atonement for it and shall take of the blood of the bullock and of the blood of the goat and put it upon the horns of the altar round about 19. And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times and cleanse it and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel 20. And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place and the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar he shall bring the live goat 21. And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sins putting them upon the head of the goat and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness 22. And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness 23. And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation and shall put off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the holy place and shall leave them there 24. And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place and put on his garments and come forth and offer his burnt-offering and the burnt-offering of the people and make an atonement for himself and for the people 25. And the fat of the sin-offering shall he burn upon the altar 26. And he that let go the goat for the scape-goat shall wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in water and afterward come into the camp 27. And the bullock for the sin-offering and the goat for the sin-offering whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place shall one carry forth without the camp and they shall burn in the fire their skins and their flesh and their dung 28. And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in water and afterward he shall come into the camp 29. And this shall be a statute for ever unto you that in the seventh month on the tenth day of the month ye shall afflict your souls and do no work at all whether it be one of your own country or a stranger that sojourneth among you 30. For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you to cleanse you that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD 31. It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you and ye shall afflict your souls by a statute for ever 32. And the priest whom he shall anoint and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead shall make the atonement and shall put on the linen clothes even the holy garments 33. And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation and for the altar and he shall make an atonement for the priests and for all the people of the congregation 34. And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year And he did as the LORD commanded Moses 1. DEath Chap. 10.2 2. Come not Exod 30.10 Heb. 9.7 This is to be understood with reference to the Priestly Service or Ministration See Heb. 9.6 7. Upon other necessary occasions the High-priest might enter into the most Holy place viz. When the Tabernacle was taken down or set up according to the Removals of the Israelites c. Into the holy place i. e. The Holy of Holies as appears by what follows This was a Figure of Heaven Heb. 9.12 24. And the High-priest's going into it of our Saviour Christ's entring into Heaven Heb. 9.11 12. In the cloud i. e. In the Cloud or Smoak of the Incense mentioned v. 13. and which was to be offered but once in the year 3. With a young Bullock Of his own and for his own and his families Sin v. 6. 4. The holy linen Coat c. The Service peculiar to this day was to be performed by the High-priest in his linen Vestments not in his more costly Attire of Gold This meaner Garb being judged more agreeable with that Sorrow and Repentance which the Service of the day required Vpon his flesh Flesh is to be understood in the sense in which it is taken ch 15.2 6. Make an atonement Heb. 9.7 His house i. e. The rest of the Priests v. 33. who are called the House of Aaron Psal 135.19 8. One lot for the LORD i. e. One Lot was so marked that it did express that it belonged to the Lord and the Goat on which it fell was to be Sacrificed The Sufferings of Christ are hereby prefigured which how casual soever they might seem to us to be did not happen without the particular Providence and Counsel of God Prov. 16.33 Act. 4.28 Scape-goat Heb. Azazeel i. e. The Goat which was to be sent away alive into a place not inhabited 9. Fell Heb. Went up There is no inconsistence between the Marginal reading and the Text The High-priest took the two Lots out of a Box and lift up his Hands on high and then put each
wave them with the bread of the first-fruits for a wave-offering before the LORD with the two lambs they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest 21. And ye shall proclaim on the self-same day that it may be an holy convocation unto you ye shall do no servile work therein It shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations 22. And when ye reap the harvest of your land thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest thou shalt leave them unto the poor and to the stranger I am the LORD your God 23. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 24. Speak unto the children of Israel saying In the seventh month in the first day of the month shall ye have a sabbath a memorial of blowing of trumpets an holy convocation 25. Ye shall do no servile work therein but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD 26. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 27. Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement it shall be an holy convocation unto you and ye shall afflict your souls and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD 28. And ye shall do no work in that same day for it is a day of atonement to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God 29. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day he shall be cut off from among his people 30. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day the same soul will I destroy from among his people 31. Ye shall do no manner of work It shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings 32. It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest and ye shall afflict your souls in the ninth day of the month at even from even unto even shall ye celebrate your sabbath 33. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 34. Speak unto the children of Israel saying The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD 35. On the first day shall be an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work therein 36. Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD it is a solemn assembly and ye shall do no servile work therein 37. These are the feasts of the LORD which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD a burnt-offering and a meat-offering a sacrifice and drink-offerings every thing upon his day 38. Beside the sabbaths of the LORD and beside your gifts and beside all your vows and beside all your free-will-offerings which ye give unto the LORD 39. Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days on the first day shall be a sabbath and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath 40. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees branches of palm-trees and the boughs of thick-trees and willows of the brook and ye shall rejoyce before the LORD your God seven days 41. And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year It shall be a statute for ever in your generations ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month 42. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths 43. That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt I am the LORD your God 44. And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD 2. Proclaim Or Call They might be said to be proclaimed as there was publick notice given of them by the Order of the Sanedrim and the Sound of Trumpets vid. Numb 10.2 10. 3. Six days Exod 20.9 Deut. 5.13 Luk. 13.14 The Sabbath-day is considered here distinct from the Feasts v. 2. with verses 37 38. and introductory to them that being a weekly Solemnity and the Feasts which follow yearly No work i. e. None whatsoever must be done on the Sabbath-day or on the day of Expiation v. 28 30. In the other Festivals which follow servile work onely was forbidden v. 7 8 21 25 35 36. It was lawfull on the other Festivals to provide what was to be eaten Exod. 12.16 This was unlawfull on the Sabbath or Day of Expiation Exod. 16.23 Levit. 16.29 In all your dwellings The Sabbath was to be kept in their several Tribes and Habitations whereas the following Feasts were to be kept before the Sanctuary 5. In the fourteenth Exod. 12.18 Numb 28.16 At even Or between the two Evenings See the Notes on Exod. 12.6 7. Servile work i. e. Laborious work and such as we commonly put our Slaves or Servants to See v. 3. 10. Land This Precept was annexed to the Land of Canaan and did not oblige the Jews before they came into it nor can it oblige those who were afterward forced to live elsewhere A sheaf Or handfull Heb. Omer So much as would yield an Omer or the tenth part of an Ephah Exod. 16.36 11. To be accepted for you viz. As a Tribute of praise or ackâ—owledgment of God's mercy in bestowing upon them the Fruits of the Earth Before this they might not reap Joseph Antiq. l. 3. c. 10. nor eat of the Harvest v. 14. On the morrow after the Sabbath i. e. On the Sixteenth day of Nisan which was the day after the first day of Unleavened Bread which is called the Sabbath or day of rest from their servile work v. 7. See Deut. 16.9 By Sabbath here cannot be meant the Seventh day of the week excepting onely when that happened to be on the Fifteenth day of Nisan or March as appears from comparing v. 15. with Deut. 16.9 And therefore the Chaldee renders Sabbath by Good day or Festival in this place 13. Hin See Exod 29.40 15. Ye shall count Deut. 16.9 16. Fifty days Hence this Feast is called Pentecost in the New Testament Act. 2.1 1 Cor. 16.8 It is also called the Feast of Weeks because it began on the morrow after seven Weeks which they counted from the morrow after the Sabbath mentioned v. 15. It is likewise called the Feast of Harvest Exod. 34.22 and ch 23.16 That is of their Wheat-harvest For the Barley-harvest was before that of the Wheat in Canaan Ruth 1.22 with ch 2.23 as well as in Egypt Exod. 9.31 32. This Feast was observed to acknowledge God's mercy in sending them this Harvest and it is probable also that it was observed in memory of their receiving the Law
pins and their cords with all their instruments and with all their service and by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden 33. This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest 34. And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbred the sons of the Kohathites after their families and after the house of their fathers 35. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old every one that entreth into the service for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation 36. And those that were numbred of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty 37. These were they that were numbred of the families of the Kobathites all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation which Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses 38. And those that were numbred of the sons of Gershon throughout their families and by the house of their fathers 39. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old every one that entreth in to the service for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation 40. Even those that were numbred of them throughout their families by the houses of their fathers were two thousand and six hundred and thirty 41. These are they that were numbred of the families of the sons of Gershon of all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD 42. And those that were numbred of the families of the sons of Merari throughout their families by the house of their fathers 43. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old every one that entreth into the service for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation 44. Even those that were numbred of them after their families were three thousand and two hundred 45. These be those that were numbred of the families of the sons of Merari whom Moses and Aaron numbred according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses 46. All those that were numbred of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbred after their families and after the house of their fathers 47. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old every one that came to do the service of the ministery and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation 48. Even those that were numbred of them were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore 49. According to the commandment of the LORD they were numbred by the hand of Moses every one according to his service and according to his burden thus were they numbred of him as the LORD commanded Moses 3. From thirty years old c. While the Tabernacle continued the Levites were admitted into their several Offices and Employments at several Ages They were not obliged to the most burdensome before the Age of thirty years nor after fifty And of this sort is the Employment mentioned here See v. 15 25 31. But there are other Offices belonging to the Levites besides the hearing of the Tabernacle for they were obliged to serve in it Numb 8.19 And to their attendance upon the Tabernacle they were admitted at the Age of Five and twenty years Numb 8.24 This reconciles this place with Numb 8.25 The Levites there are considered as admitted to serve which they might do at the Age of Twenty-five years Here they are considered with respect to their burden to which Employment they were not admitted till the Age of Thirty years The service and burden of the Levites are of a distinct consideration E. g. This is the service of the families of the Gershonites to serve and for burdens v. 24. Again From thirty years old and upwards even unto fifty years old every one that came to do the Service of the Ministery and the Service of the Burden v. 47. In the 8th of Numbers there is no mention of the Burden but of the Service of the Levites As the Levites were not at the same Age received into every Employment so they were not at the Age of Fifty years discharged from all attendance but were obliged to minister with their Brethren ch 8.21 26. All that enter c. i. e. All that are fit to enter upon this Ministery being of a just age and sufficient strength and not legally excluded ch 5.2.1.3 This Service was a spiritual Warfare and he that entred upon it is said to enter into the Host See v. 23. and 1 Tim. 1.18 2 Tim. 2.3 5. The covering veil The same which is called the veil Exod. 40.3 And the second veil Heb. 9.3 The Veil which did divide between the Holy place and the most Holy Exod. 26.31 32 33. The Covering of the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation was the Charge of the Gershonites v. 25. 6. The covering of badger's skins Thus Covering was a peculiar Case or Cover made on purpose to defend the Ark from the injury of Weather Such a Case there was also for the Table of Shew-bread v. 8. and for the Candlestick v. 10. and for the Golden Altar v. 11. and the Altar of Burnt-offering v. 14. These seem to be meant by the Clothes of Service which are mention'd Exod. 31.10 presently after the Ark and Table and Candlestick the Altar of Incense and the Altar of Burnt-offering which are there reckoned up in the same Order in which we find them just before the mention of the Clothes of Service v. 10. Put in the staves i. e. Order and dispose the Staves as the Hebrew word elsewhere signifies Levit. 24.6 Gen. 28.11 Psal 50.23 that they might be so covered that yet the Ark may be born with them Exod. 25.14 Here is no mention in this place of putting them into the Rings which is by other words expressed Exod. 25.14 And it was Commanded that the Staves should be constantly in the Rings of the Ark Exod. 25.15 7. Table Exod. 25.30 Cover withall Heb. Pour out withall See the Notes on Exod. 25.29 9. Candlestick Exod. 25.31 And his Lamps Exod. 25.37 38. 10. A Bar For the better carrying of it there being no Rings and Staves belonging to the Candlestick 11. Staves See Exod. 30.5 12. Bar See v. 10. 13. Altar i. e. The Altar of Burnt-offering For of the Altar of Incense can was taken before v. 11. 14. Censers Or Tongs The Hebrew word denotes an Instrument that takes the Fire or Câ—â—â— Basons Or Bowls Staves See Exod. 27.7 15. To bear The Levites were generally obliged to bear the Ark and the other Holy things mentioned here See 1 Chron. 15.2 15. But this is not so to be understood as to exclude the Priest's from bearing the Aâ—k upon occasion which they did without being guilty of
to their necessity And so it was ordered afterward that the Sons of Kohâ—â—h had none of the Wagons because their share was to be taâ—â—â— on Shoulders v. 9. The Sons of Gershon had two Wagons allowed them they being the smallest number of all the Levites and having a greater Burden than the Kâ—â—â—thites But to the Sons of Merari who had charge of the far greatest Burden four Wagons are given 8. Ithamar See ch 4.33 9. Shoulders Ch. 4.6 8 10 11 12 14. with 2 Sam. 6.7 2 Chron. 15.13 10. Dedicating Things are then said to be dedicated when they are first applyed to their right end and use And such Dedications have in things of great moment been accompanied with solemn expressions of Joy and Devotion â— Chron. 7.5 7. Ezra 6.16 17. 2 Macoab 4.54 56. Joh. 10.22 In the day See v. 1. 12. Nahshon He offered first being of the Tribe of Judah which held the principal place among the Tribes and had the first Standard ch 2.3 The rest are reckoned up according to the order of their Encamping about the Sanctuary ch 2. Though Nahshon offered first and might upon that account be envyed and was the more conspicuous for the place he held yet is he so far from being upon that account magnified in this Holy Writ that he is the onely person among these Offerers who is not called here Prince of his Tribe 13. Meat-offering Levit. 2.1 16. Sin-offering Levit. 4.23 19. He offered See Envy and Ill-will Vain-boasting and Contempt of each other are very incident to Men of equal Authority and Place when they are to represent their several Tribes and Families and express their Munificence For the preventing of which and of any occasion thereof we have an intimation of these following Remedies I. The Order in which they were to offer was provided for by the placing them about the Sanctuary by Divine Appointment ch 2. II. Some of their Gifts were presented together viz. the Wagons and Oxen v. 3 6. III. Their Gifts were all equal IV. There is a particular recital of the things which every Prince offered at large V. The First-offerer who was most likely to be envyed is not called a Prince See v. 12. 84. In the day See the Notes on v. 1. compared with v. 88. 89. Into the tabernacle At least into the Holy Place and then he heard the voice thither from the Most Holy Him That is God CHAP. VIII The ARGUMENT Of lighting the lamps in the Holy Place The manner of Consecrating the Levites They are taken in lieu of the First-born and given to the Priests Of the Age and time of the Levites Service 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. Speak unto Aaron and say unto him When thou lightest the lamps the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick 3. And Aaron did so he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick as the LORD commanded Moses 4. And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold unto the shaft thereof unto the flowers thereof was heaten work according unto the pattern which the LORD had shewed Moses so he made the candlestick 5. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 6. Take the Levites from among the children of Israel and cleanse them 7. And thus shalt thou do unto them to cleanse them Sprinkle water of purifying upon them and let them shave all their flesh and let them wash their clothes and so make themselves clean 8. Then let them take a young bullock with his meat-offering even fine flour mingled with oyl and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin-offering 9. And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together 10. And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites 11. And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel that they may execute the service of the LORD 12. And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the â—eads of the bullocks and thou shalt offer the one for a sin-offering and the other for a burnt-offering unto the LORD to make an atonement for the Levites 13. And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron and before his sons and offer them for an offering unto the LORD 14. Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel and the Levites shall be mine 15. And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation and thou shall cleanse them and offer them for an offering 16. For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel instead of such as open every womb even in stead of the first-born of all the children of Israel have I â—aâ—en them unto me 17. For all the first-born of the children of Israel are mine both 〈◊〉 and beast on the day that I smote every first-born in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for my self 18. And I have taken the Levites for all the first-born of the children of Israel 19. And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation and to make an atonement for the children of Israel that there be no plague among the children of Israel when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary 20. And Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel did to the Levites according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites so did the children of Israel unto them 21. And the Levites were purified and they washed their clothes and Aaron offered them as an offering before the LORD and Aaron made at atonement for them to cleanse them 22. And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before Aaron and before his sons as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites so did they unto them 23. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 24. This is it that belongeth unto the Levites from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation 25. And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof and shall serve â—â— more 26. But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation to keep the charge and shall do no service Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge 2. When thou lightest c. Exod. 25.37 and 40.25 The Hebrew word implies lifting up which consists very well with our rendring this lifting up being in order to lighting 3. Over against the candlestick Heb. Over against the face of the candlestick i. e. To the other side of the Sanctuary
unto the place of which the LORD said I will give it you come thou with us and we will do thee good for the LORD hath spâ—â—â—n good concerning Israel 30. And he said unto him I will not go but I will depart to mine own land and to my kindred 31. And he said Leave us not I pray thee forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness and thou mayest be to us in stead of eyes 32. And it shall be if thou go with us yea it shall be that what goodness the LORD shall do unto us the same will we do unto thee 33. And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days journey and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days journey to search out a resting-place for them 34. And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day when they went out of the camp 35. And it came to pass when the ark set forward that Moses said Rise up LORD and let thine enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee 36. And when it rested he said Return O LORD unto the many thousands of Israel 2. Two Trumpets The Sons of Aaron who were to blow with these Trumpets v. 8. were but two at this time when their number was encreased the number of Trumpets was also greater 2 Chron. 5.12 An whole piece viz. For the greater strength and preserving the more distinct and separate Sound 1 Cor. 14.8 3. Blow with them i. e. When the Priests v. 8. shall blow or make a simple or even Sound v. 5. with both of them v. 4. 5. An alarm Or Loud and broken Sound as the Hebrew word imports and the Context intimates Compare 1 Sam. 4.5 as it is in the Hebrew Text. 6. Second time The other times are also to be understood and are expressly mentioned by the Greek Interpreters 7. Not sound c. Because there will be no need of a loud Call See v. 3. and v. 5. 8. An ordinance for ever i. e. Not onely during the stay in the Wilderness but also in After-ages expressed here by throughout your generations 2 Chron. 5.12 9. And ye shall be remembred c. That is God will be mercifull to you See Onkelos and what follows But then it is to be considered that they were obliged by the blowing of the Trumpets to be awakened to a sense of their Sin and the need of God's Mercy Isa 58.1 with Joel 2.15 16 17. 2 Chron. 13.14 10. Gladness viz. Upon the account of Victory obtained or other times of extra-ordinary joy and festivity Solemn days Or Stated festivals of God's appointment Levit. 23. Ye shall blow with the trumpets This was as hath been observed the work of the Priests Compare with this place ch 29.1 1 Chron. 15.24 2 Chron. 5.12 and 7.6 and 29.26 Ezra 3.10 Nehem. 12.35 Psal 81.3 13. According to the commandment of the LORD The Will and Pleasure of God was signified to them by the removal of the Cloud v. 11 12. And by his express Command of which we find mention Deut. 1.6 7. 14. In the first place Chap. 2.3 Nahshon Ch. 1.4 20. Deuel See ch 2.14 21. Sanctuary Ch. 4.4 The other That is the Gershâ—nites and the Merarites v. 17. This they did that the Ark and other Holy Utensils carried by the Kohathites might be forth with received into their proper places 25. Rere-ward On the North-side ch 4.25 Here were collected or gathered together those not mentioned before and such as were less able to fight and those who were legally unclean ch 5.2 did as is probable attend upon his hindmost Standard See Josh 6.9 13. 28. Thus Heb. These 29. Hâ—bab The Father-in-law of Moses as he is called expressly Jud. 4.11 Elsewhere called Jethro Exod. 3.1 â—â— 18.1 31. In stead of eyes If not to guide us in our way which the Cloud was appointed to do yet to advise and counsel us upon occasion See Exod. 18. and the Greek on this place 33. The mount of the LORD That is Mount Sinai when God had after a glorious manner revealed himself unto the Israelites To search out a resting-place for them i. e. To prepare a place where the People might encamp which was signified to them by the resting of the Cloud over the Ark. 35. Rise up LORD Psal 68.1 2. Moses speaks to God who in the Ark was more peculiarly present Compare v. 33. with Deut. 1.33 36. Many thousands Heb. Ten thousand thousands CHAP. XI The ARGUMENT Of the Burning at Taberah The Israelites lust for Flesh and despise Monna Moses complains to God of his great Burden Seventy Men are appointed to bear the Burden with him Quails are given in anger A Plague is sent among them The place called Kibroth-Hattaavah The Israelites remove thence to Hazeroth 1. AND when the people complained it displeased the LORD and the LORD heard it and his anger was kindled and â—e fâ—e of the LORD burnt among â—hem and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp 2. And the people cried unto Moses and when Moses prayed unto the LORD the fire was quenched 3. And he called the name of the place Taberah because the fire of the LORD burnt among them 4. And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting and the children of Israel also wept again and said Who shall give us flesh to eat 5. We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlick 6. But now our soul is dried away there is nothing at all besides this manna before our eyes 7. And the manna was as coriander-seed and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium 8. And the people went about and gathered it and ground it in mills or beat it in a mortar and baked it in pans and made cakes of it and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oyl 9. And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night the manna fell upon it 10. Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families every man in the door of his tent and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly Moses also was displeased 11. And Moses said unto the LORD Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight that thou layest the burthen of all this people upon me 12. Have I conceived all this people have I begotten them that thou shouldest say unto me Carry them in thy bosom as a nursing-father beareth the sucking child unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers 13. Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people for they weep unto me saying Give us flesh that we may eat 14. I am not able to bear all this people alone becaâ—se it is too heavy for me 15. And if thou deal thus with me kill me I pray thee out
Heb. From the eyes Manner Or Ordinance 27. If any soul i. e. If any private person Or any one of the common people as it is expressed Levit 4.27 29. Sinneth Heb. Doeth 30. Presumptuously Heb. With an high hand i. e. Wilfully and designedly and not through ignorance and inadvertence 31. Broken Not onely broken but disanulled and made void by Contemning that Authority upon which the Commandment stands His iniquity i. e. The punishment due upon account of his Sin 32. Gathered sticks Not onely gathered but bound them up together as the Hebrew word may well signifie Exod. 5.7 34. In ward Levit 24.12 It was not declared c. They knew that he who defiled the Sabbath was obnoxious to Death Exod. 31.14 ch 35.2 But the kind of death they were not taught and might be also at a loss whether what this Man did was such a work as was forbid and such as might be esteemed a defiling the Sabbath 38. Bid them Deut. 22.12 Matt. 23.5 39. A whoring This may be understood of Idolatry which is spiritual Whoredom CHAP. XVI The ARGUMENT The Rebellion of Korah Dathan and Abiram The Israelites separate from their Tents The Earth swallows up Korah and those that belonged to him A Fire from Heaven consumes them that offered Incense The Censers are made into Plates The People murmur A Plague is sent among them Aaron makes Atonement for the People 1. NOW Korah the son of Izhar the son of Kohath the son of Levi and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab and On the son of Peleth sons of Reuben took men 2. And they rose up before Moses with certain of the children of Israel two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly famous in the congregation men of renown 3. And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said unto them Ye take too much upon you seeing all the congregation are holy every one of them and the LORD is among them wherefore then lift you up your selves above the congregation of the LORD 4. And when Moses heard it he fell upon his face 5. And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company saying Even to morrow the LORD will shew who are his and who is holy and will cause him to come near unto him even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him 6. This do Take you censers Korah and all his company 7. And put fire therein and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose he shall be holy ye take too much upon you ye sons of Levi. 8. And Moses said unto Korah Hear I pray you ye sons of Levi 9. Seemeth it but a small thing unto you that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them 10. And he hath brought thee near to him and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee and seek ye the priesthood also 11. For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD and what is Aaron that ye murmur against him 12. And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab which said We will not come up 13. Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness except thou make thy self altogether a prince over us 14. Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards wilt thou put out the eyes of these men we will not come up 15. And Moses was very wroth and said unto the LORD Respect not thou their offering I have not taken one ass from them neither have I hurt one of them 16. And Moses said unto Korah Be thou and all thy company before the LORD thou and they and Aaron to morrow 17. And take every man his censer and put incense in them and bring ye before the LORD every man his censor two hundred and fifty censers thou also and Aaron each of you his censer 18. And they took every man his censer and put fire in them and laid incense thereon and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron 19. And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation 20. And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying 21. Separate your selves from among this congregation that I may consume them in a moment 22. And they fell upon their faces and said O God the God of the spirits of all flesh shall one man sin and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation 23. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 24. Speak unto the congregation saying Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah Dathan and Abiram 25. And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram and the elders of Israel followed him 26. And he spake unto the congregation saying Depart I pray you from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs lest ye be consumed in all their sins 27. So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah Dathan and Abiram on every side and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood in the door of their tents and their wives and their sons and their little children 28. And Moses said Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works for I have not done them of mine own mind 29. If these men die the common death of all men or if they be visited after the visitation of all men then the LORD hath not sent me 30. But if the LORD make a new thing and the earth open her mouth and swallow them up with all that appertain unto them and they go down quick into the pit then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD 31. And it came to pass as he had made an end of speaking all these words that the ground clave asunder that was under them 32. And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up and their houses and all the men that appertained unto Korah and all their goods 33. They and all that appertained to them went down alive into the pit and the earth closed upon them and they perished from among the congregation 34. And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them for they said Lest the earth swallow us up also 35. And there came out a fire from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense 36. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 37. Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest that he
do whatsoever thou sayest unto me Come therefore I pray thee curse me this people 18. And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak If Balak would give me his house-full of silver and gold I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God to do less or more 19. Now therefore I pray you tarry ye also here this night that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more 20. And God came unto Balaam at night and said unto him If the men come to call thee rise up and go with them but yet the word which I shall say unto thee that shalt thou do 21. And Balaam rose up in the morning and sadled his ass and went with the princes of Moab 22. And God's anger was kindled because he went and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him Now he was riding upon his ass and his two servants were with him 23. And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way and his sword drawn in his hand and the ass turned aside out of the way and went into the field and Balaam smote the ass to turn her into the way 24. But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards a wall being on this side and a wall on that side 25. And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD she thrust her self unto the wall and crusht Balaam's foot against the wall and he smote her again 26. And the angel of the LORD went further and stood in a narrow place where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left 27. And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD she fell down under Balaam and Balaam's anger was kindled and he smote the ass with a staff 28. And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass and she said unto Balaam What have I doâ—â— unto thee that thou hast smitten me these three times 29. And Balaam said unto the ass Because thou hast mocked me I would there were a sword in mine hand for now would I kill thee 30. And the ass said unto Balaam Am not I thine ass upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day was I ever wont to do so unto thee And he said Nay 31. Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way and his sword drawn in his hand and he bowed down his head and fell flat on his face 32. And the angel of the LORD said unto him Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times behold I went out to withstand thee because thy way is perverse before me 33. And the ass saw me and turned from me these three times unless she had turned from me suâ—â—â—â— also I had slain thee â—â—d saved her alive 34. And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD I have sinned for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me now therefore if it displease thee I will get me back again 35. And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam Go with the men but onely the word that I shall speak unto thee that thou shalt speak So Balaam went with the princes of Balak 36. And when Balak heard that Balaam was come he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab which is in the border of Arnon which is in the utmost coast 37. And Balak said unto Balaam Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee Wherefore camest thou not unto me Am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour 38. And Balaam said unto Balak Lo I am come unto thee have I now any power at all to say any thing the word that God putteth in my mouth that shall I speak 39. And Balaam went with Balak and they came unto Kirjath-huzoth 40. And Balak offered oxen and sheep and sent to Balaam and to the princes that were with him 41. And it came to pass on the morrow that Balak took Balaam and brought him up into the high places of Baal that thence he might see the utmost part of the people 1. ON this side Jordan by Jericho That is Over-against Jericho Jordan being between Jericho and the Camp of Israel vid. ch 33.48 3. Moab was sore afraid This fear of Moab was predicted Exod. 15.15 And did not arise from any injury they had received from the Israelites who had used no Violence against them nor were they permitted to do it Deut. 2.9 But on the other hand had subdued the Amorites their Enemies and Evil Neighbours But Moab still feared their Number which rendred them suspicious and uneasie which is expressed by their being distressed because of the children of Israel 4. Elders By Elders are not meant onely the more ancient Men but such as were in Power and Authority Such are elsewhere call'd Kings Numb 31.8 and Princes Josh 13.21 Midian The Midianites were the Off-spring of Abraham by Keturah Gen. 25.1 2. 5. He sent Josh 24.9 Balaam He is call'd a South-sayer Josh 13.22 and is said to have sought for Enchantments Numb 24.1 And a Prophet 2 Pet. 2.16 And though he were an Evil Man yet did God make use of him in predicting things to come as he did of Caiaphas Joh. 11.51 52. Pethor The name of the Place in Mesopotamia where Balaam lived Deut. 23.4 Numb 23.7 River i. e. Euphrates as the Chaldee hath it For that is in Scripture sometimes called the River Josh 24.2 15. And must be meant here as appears from Numb 23. and v. 7. with Deut. 23.4 Face Heb. the Eye 6. Come now therefore I pray thee curse This he desires out of a great opinion of his power with God as appears from the close of the Verse and as that which would contribute greatly towards his Victory over them 7. With the rewards of divination in their hand Or with divinations as it is in the Hebrew It hath been thought that by Divinations here are meant the Instruments that were used in Divination or some appointed Forms and Terms of Execration which Magicians were wont upon that occasion to use But it is more reasonable to adhere to our Translation and understand it of the Rewards of Divination For besides that it is not likely that Balaam was unfurnished with those things which belonged to his Art or that they could think he needed their assistance he is taxed for loving the wages of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2.15 and running greedily after reward Jud. 11. Moreover the Scripture is wont frequently to express the Reward or Wages of a thing by the name of the thing it self Thus sin is often put for punishment The work for the reward Job 7.2 and good tidings for the reward due upon that account 2 Sam. 4.10 They came i. e. The Princes of Moab came for them of Midian there is not that Evidence See v. 8. and 14. 8. As the LORD Though Balaam were a South-sayer yet
wine to be poured unto the LORD for a drink-offering 8. And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even as the meat-offering of the morning and as the drink-offering thereof thou shalt offer it a sacrifice made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD 9. And on the sabbath-day two lambs of the first year without spot and two tenth-deals of flour for a meat-offering mingled with oyl and the drink-offering thereof 10. This is the burnt-offering of every sabbath beside the continual burnt-offering and his drink-offering 11. And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt-offering unto the LORD two young bullocks and one ram seven lambs of the first year without spot 12. And three tenth-deals of flour for a meat-offering mingled with oyl for one bullock and two tenth-deals of flour for a meat-offering mingled with oyl for one ram 13. And a several tenth-deal of flour mingled with oyl for a meat-offering unto one lamb for a burnt-offering of a sweet savour a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD 14. And their drink-offerings shall be half an hin of wine unto a bullock and the third part of an hin unto a ram and a fourth part of an hin unto a lamb this is the burnt-offering of every month throughout the months of the year 15. And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering unto the LORD shall be offered besides the continual burnt-offering and his drink-offering 16. And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passeover of the LORD 17. And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten 18. In the first day shall be an holy convocation ye shall do no manner of servile work therein 19. But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt-offering unto the LORD two young bullocks and one ram and seven lambs of the first year they shall be unto you without blemish 20. And their meat-offering shall be of flour mingled with oyl three tenth-deals shall ye offer for a bullock and two tenth-deals for a ram 21. A several tenth-deal shalt thou offer for every lamb throughout the seven lambs 22. And one goat for a sin-offering to make an atonement for you 23. Ye shall offer these beside the burnt-offering in the morning which is for a continual burnt-offering 24. After this manner ye shall offer daily throughout the seven days the meat of the sacrifice made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD it shall be offered beside the continual burnt-offering and his drink-offering 25. And on the seventh day ye shall have an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work 26. Also in the day of the first-fruits when ye bring a new meat-offering unto the LORD after your weeks be out ye shall have an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work 27. But ye shall offer the burnt-offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD two young bullocks one ram seven lambs of the first year 28. And their meat-offering of flour mingled with oyl three tenth-deals unto one bullock two tenth-deals unto one ram 29. A several tenth-deal unto one lamb throughout the seven lambs 30. And one kid of the goats to make an atonement for you 31. Ye shall offer them besides the continual burnt-offering and his meat-offering they shall be unto you without blemish and their drink-offerings 2. Command c. Moses having numbred the new Generation of Men that were to inherit the Land and received warning of his own death is commanded to put them in mind of the Ordinances which they were obliged to observe in that Land Psal 105.44 45. And the rather because in their Journeys in the Wilderness they had not practised according to the Rites and Laws which they had received Deut. 12.8 A sweet savour unto me Heb. A savour of my rest 3. This is c. Exod. 29.38 Day by day Heb. In a day 4. At even Heb. Between the two Evenings See the Note on Exod. 12.6 5. A tenth part of an ephah i. e. An Omer See the Note upon Exod. 16.36 Meat-offering Levit 2.1 Hin See Exod. 29.40 with the Note upon that place 6. Ordained in mount Sinai They are referred to the first Institution See Exod. 29.38 7. In the holy place i. e. On the Altar which stood in the Sanctuary or Holy place 9. On the sabbath-day The following Offering was additional beside the daily Offering as appears from v. 10. 15. One kid See Numb 15.24 Vnto the LORD And not unto the Moon 16. And in the fourteenth c. Exod 12.18 Levit. 23.5 17. Feast That is the Feast of Unleavened Bread as appears from the following words and from Levit. 23.6 18. First day Levit 23.7 19. Two young bullocks c. See the Note upon Deut. 16.2 23. In the morning By no means excluding that of the Evening See v. 3 4. The Morning is onely named because then the Solemnity began 26. Day of the first-fruits That is the Feast of Pentecost 27. Two young bullocks Besides what is required Levit. 23.18 compare v. 11. with ch 29.2 6. CHAP. XXIX The ARGUMENT Of the Feast of Trumpets Of the Day of Expiation Of the Feast of Tabernacles And of the several Offerings belonging to these Solemnities 1. AND in the seventh month on the first day of the month ye shall have an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you 2. And ye shall offer a burnt-offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD one young bullock one ram and seven lambs of the first year without blemish 3. And their meat-offering shall be of flour mingled with oyl three tenth-deals for a bullock and two tenth-deals for a ram 4. And one tenth-deal for one lamb throughout the seven lambs 5. And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering to make an atonement for you 6. Beside the burnt-offering of the month and his meat-offering and the daily burnt-offering and his meat-offering and their drink-offerings according unto their manner for a sweet savour a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD 7. And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month an holy convocation and ye shall afflict your souls ye shall not do any work therein 8. But ye shall offer a burnt-offering unto the LORD for a sweet savour one young bullock one ram and seven lambs of the first year they shall be unto you without blemish 9. And their meat-offering shall be of flour mingled with oyl three tenth deals to a bullock and two tenth-deals to one ram 10. A several tenth-deal for one lamb throughout the seven lambs 11. One kid of the goats for a sin-offering beside the sin-offering of atonement and the continual burnt-offering and the meat-offering of it and their drink-offerings 12. And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work and ye
shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days 13. And ye shall offer a burnt-offering a sacrifice made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD thirteen young bullocks two rams and fourteen lambs of the first year they shall be without blemish 14. And their meat-offering shall be of flour mingled with oyl three tenth-deals unto every bullock of the thirteen bullocks two tenth-deals to each ram of the two rams 15. And a several tenth-deal to each lamb of the fourteen lambs 16. And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering beside the continual burnt-offering his meat-offering and his drink-offering 17. And on the second day ye shall offer twelve young bullocks two rams fourteen lambs of the first year without spot 18. And their meat-offering and their drink-offerings for the bullocks for the rams and for the lambs shall be according to their number after the manner 19. And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering beside the continual burnt-offering and the meat-offering thereof and their drink offerings 20. And on the third day eleven bullocks two rams fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish 21. And their meat-offering and their drink-offerings for the bullocks for the rams and for the lambs shall be according to their number after the manner 22. And one goat for a sin-offering beside the continual burnt-offering and his meat-offering and his drink-offering 23. And on the fourth day ten bullocks two rams and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish 24. Their meat-offering and their drink-offerings for the bullocks for the rams and for the lambs shall be according to their number after the manner 25. And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering beside the continual burnt-offering his meat-offering and his drink-offering 26. And on the fifth day nine bullocks two rams and fourteen lambs of the first year without spot 27. And their meat-offering and their drink-offerings for the bullocks for the rams and for the lambs shall be according to their number after the manner 28. And one goat for a sin-offering beside the continual burnt-offering and his meat-offering and his drink-offering 29. And on the sixth day eight bullocks two rams and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish 30. And their meat-offering and their drink-offerings for the bullocks for the rams and for the lambs shall be according to their number after the manner 31. And one goat for a sin-offering beside tie continual burnt-offering his meat-offering and his drink-offering 32. And on the seventh day seven bullocks two rams and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish 33. And their meat-offering and their drink-offerings for the bullocks for the rams and for the lambs shall be according to their number after the manner 34. And one goat for a sin-offering beside the continual burnt-offering his meat-offering and his drink-offering 35. On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn assembly ye shall do â—o servile work therein 36. But ye shall offer a burnt-offering a sacrifice made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD one bullock one ram seven lambs of the first year without blemish 37. Their meat-offering and their drink-offerings for the bullock for the ram and for the lambs shall be according to their number after the manner 38. And one goat for a sin-offering beside the continual burnt-offering and his meat-offering and his drink-offering 39. These things ye shall do unto the LORD in your set feasts besides your vows and your free-will-offerings for your burnt-offerings and for your meat-offerings and for your drink-offerings and for your peace-offerings 40. And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the LORD commanded Moses 1. IN the seventh month viz. From that month in which the Passeover was kept which was constituted the first month of the Ecclesiastical year Exod. 12.2 See the Note on that place It is a day Levit. 23.24 2. One young bullock c. This Offering was to be over and above the additional Offering which belonged to this day as it was the first day of a month when they were obliged to offer two Bullocks ch 28.11 with v. 6. of this Chapter The seeming difference between Levit. 23.18 and Numb 28.27 may hence be fairly reconciled For the two Bullocks one Ram and seven Lambs which were required at the Pentecost or Feast of Weeks Numb 28.27 were to be added to the seven Lambs one Bullock and two Rams which were to be offered with the Bread Levit 23.18 6. Beside See chap. 28.3 and verse 11. 7. Ye shall have Levit. 16.29 and 23.27 11. Beside the sin-offering of atonement Of which see Levit. 16.9 30. 12. A feast That is the Feast of Tabernacles Levit. 23.34 which was kept at the close of their Vintage and Harvest Deut. 16.13 This being a time of Leisure and of Plenty God thought fit to oblige the Israelites to a long attendance and a greater number of Sacrifices than he required at the other Festivals 17. Twelve Here is an abatement of one Bullock for each of the seven days out of that number which they were obliged to offer on that which went before 35. Solemn assembly Levit. 23.36 36. One bullock Though the day were solemn and the great day of the Feast Joh. 7.37 yet were the Sacrifices fewer than of the Seventh Day by six Bullocks and one Ram. And this together with the gradual declining of the Sacrifices appointed in this Feast do fairly mind us of the invalidity of Legal Sacrifices 39. Do Or Offer Beside The Offerings mentioned before were fixed and stated for every Day Week Month or Year at certain times those which follow here were more uncertain upon Emergencies or Voluntary Devotion and Inclination of them who were disposed CHAP. XXX The ARGUMENT Vows and Oaths are to be made good Of the Vow of a Virgin of a Wife and of a Widow or divorced Woman 1. AND Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel saying This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded 2. If a man vow a vow unto the LORD or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond he shall not break his word he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth 3. If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD and bind herself by a bond being in her father's house in her youth 4. And her father hear her vow and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul and her father shall hold his peace at her then all her vows shall stand and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand 5. But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth not any of her vows or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand and the LORD shall forgive her because her father disallowed her 6. And if she had at all an husband when she vowed or uttered ought out of her lips wherewith she bound
is possible that Zuph may in this place signifie some other place so called and not the Red-sea for Sea is not in the Hebrew And yet there is no difficulty in supposing it to signifie the Red-sea here because the Text implies no more than this That the words here set down were spoken in the places named Hazeroth See Numb 11.35 Dizahab This seems to import a place that was named from Gold found there See the Vulgar and LXXII Interpreters 2. There are eleven days journey c. The design of these words seems to be this That though the Israelites were yet on this side Jordan v. 5. the reason of their long stay in the Wilderness is not to be imputed to the length of the way it being but eleven days Journey from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea a place not far from the promised Land 4. After he had slain Sihon Numb 21. 24. 5. To declare That is to explain it and make it known to this People who survived their Rebellious Forefathers 6. Ye have dwelt long enough c. It appears by comparing Exod. 19.1 with Numb 10. 11 12. that they continued in the Wilderness of Sinai for the space of almost a Year in which time they received their Law erected their Tabernacle numbred their People set up their Standards and encamped by them in the order prescribed and were therefore sufficiently provided to march onwards in great order 7. All the places nigh thereunto Heb. All his neighbours In the south c. These which follow are the several Coasts or sides of the Land the Sea-side being on the West Lebanon on the North and Euphrates on the East 8. Set Heb. Given Abraham Gen. 15.18 and 17.7 8. 9. At that time That is about the time of our removing from Sinai or Horeb. For though the coming of Jethro be mentioned Exod. 18. before the giving of the Law yet it does not thence follow that he gave Moses the advice mentioned Exod. 18. before this time And by comparing Numb 10.29 and the Note on that place with what is said here Jethro seems to have continued with Moses till the Israelites removed from Horeb and to have given his Counsel at that time 12. Your strife That is the Controversies which arise between Man and Man 13. Take Heb. Give 15. Made Heb. Gave 16. I charged And the parts of this Charge are I. Patience to hear Causes II. Justice in judging Righteously Joh. 7.24 III. Courage 17. Ye shall not respect persons Heb. Acknowledge faces Lev. 19.15 ch 16.19 1 Sam. 16.7 Prov. 14.23 IV. Prudence The cause that is too hard for you bring it unto me 18. I commanded you at that time viz. Before you removed from Horeb I delivered to you the Laws which I had received 19. As the LORD our God commanded See v. 7. 23. I took twelve men of you Numb 13.3 24. And they turned Numb 13.24 28. Discouraged Heb. Melted Anakims Numb 13.28 29. Dread not c. To deliver them from fear he adds very powerfull Arguments viz. I. A promise of Divine Assistance The Lord your God which goeth before you he shall fight for you v. 30. II. The experience of God's Mercies toward them in Egypt and in the Wilderness where God had born them as a tender Father carries an infirm Child Isa 49.22 with Exod. 19.4 30 31. 32. In this thing viz. In going on cheerfully relying upon God's Promise to possess the Land v. 26. 33. Who went c. See Exod. 13.21 and the Note upon that and the following Verse 35. Surely Num. 14.29 36. Wholly followed Heb. Fulfilled to go after 37. Also the LORD was angry with me Numb 20.12 and 27.14 ch 3.26 and 4.21 and 34.4 as also the Note upon Numb 20.12 For your sakes That is upon occasion of your provocation Psal 106.32 33. 41. We have sinned Vid. Numb 14.40 42. I am not among you viz. to help and assist you 43. Went presumptuously up Heb. You were presumptuous and went up 44. As Bees do Which in great number and fury sting those who disturb them Ps 118.12 46. So ye abode in Kadesh c. That is ye continued a considerable time in Kadesh not onely during the time the Spies went to view the Land but after their return also CHAP. II. The ARGUMENT Moses proceeds in his Relation and rehearseth that they were forbid to meddle with the Edomites or with the Moabites or with the Ammonites Sihon the Amorite was given up to them 1. THen we turned and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red-sea as the LORD spake unto me and we compassed mount Seir many days 2. And the LORD spake unto me saying 3. Ye have compassed this mountain long enough turn you north-ward 4. And command thou the people saying Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau which dwell in Seir and they shall be afraid of you take ye good heed unto your selves therefore 5. Meddle not with them for I will not give you of their land no not so much as a foot-breadth because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession 6. Ye shall buy meat of them for money that ye may eat and ye shall also buy water of them for money that ye may drink 7. For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee thou hast lacked nothing 8. And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau which dwelt in Seir through the way of the plain from Elath and from Ezion-gaber we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab 9. And the LORD said unto me Distress not the Moabites neither contend with them in battel for I will not give thee of their land for a possession because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession 10. The Emims dwelt therein in times past a people great and many and tall as the Anakims 11. Which also were accounted giants as the Anakims but the Moabites call them Emims 12. The Horims also dwelt in Seir before time but the children of Esau succeeded them when they had destroyed them from before them and dwelt in their steal as Israel did unto the land of his possession which the LORD gave unto them 13. Now rise up said I and get you over the brook Zered and we went over the brook Zered 14. And the space in which we came from Kadesh-barnea untill we were come over the brook Zered was thirty and eight years untill all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host as the LORD sware unto them 15. For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them to destroy them from among the host untill they were consumed 16. So it came to pass when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the
who hear the report of them 26. Wilderness of Kedemoth A Wilderness so called from a City of that name mentioned among the Cities which were given to the Reubenites Josh 13.18 With words of peace There are several weighty Reasons may be assigned why Moses took this course with Sihon who was to be destroyed viz. I. That the Israelites might be sensible that their Victory over Sihon was not imputable to his fearfulness and want of courage who was so hardy as to refuse them passage v. 30. II. To strike terror by this Example into the other Nations that would be inclined to resist III. To give the Israelites a proof that God's Counsel should stand in that Sihon hardened himself and refused the Offer of Peace 27. Let me pass Numb 21.21 22. 29. As the children c. Not that the Edomites and Moabites gave them passage through their Land but furnished them with Meat and Water as they went by their Coasts 30. Hardened c. That is He so left him that he was inexorable to the desire of the Israelites 32. Then Sihon Numb 21.23 34. Men and the women and the little ones of every city Heb. Every City of men and women and little ones 36. City that is by the river i. e. Ar Numb 21.15 37. Jabbok This was the Border of Ammon Josh 12.2 which they went not beyond CHAP. III. The ARGUMENT Moses proceeds to relate their Conquest over O G King of Bashan and their Possessing his Country He relateth the Greatness of the Bed of O G and how his Country was distributed to the Reubenites and Gadites and to half of the Tribe of Manasseh He tells us also what he required of these two Tribes and half Moses telleth also that he is not permitted to go into the Land of Canaan 1. THen we turned and went up the way to Bashan and Og the king of Bashan came out against us he and all his people to battel at Edrei 2. And the LORD said unto me Fear him not for I will deliver him and all his people and his land into thy hand and thou shalt do unto him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites which dwelt at Heshbon 3. So the LORD our God delivered into our hands Og also the king of Bashan and all his people and we smote him untill none was left to him remaining 4. And we took all his cities at that time there was not a city which we took not from them threescore cities all the region of Argob the kingdom of Og in Bashan 5. All these cities were fenced with high walls gates and bars beside unwalled towns a great many 6. And we utterly destroyed them as we did unto Sihon king of Heshbon utterly destroying the men women and children of every city 7. But all the cattel and the spoil of the cities we took for a prey to our selves 8. And we took at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites the land that was on this side Jordan from the river of Arnon unto mount Hermon 9. Which Hermon the Sidonians call Sirion and the Amorites call it Shener 10. All the cities of the plain and all Gilead and all Bashan unto Salchah and Edrei cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan 11. For onely Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants behold his bed-stead was a bed-stead of Iron is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon nine cubits was the length thereof and four cubits the breadth of it after the cubit of a man 12. And this land which we possessed at that time from Anoer which is by the river Arnon and half mount Gilead and the cities thereof gave I unto the Reubenites and to the Gadites 13. And the rest of Gilead and all Bashan being the kingdom of Og gave I unto the half-tribe of Manasseh all the region of Argob with all Bashan which was called the land of giants 14. Jair the son of Manasseh took all the country of Argob unto the coasts of Geshuri and Maachathi and called them after his own name Bashan-havoth-jair unto this day 15. And I gave Gilead unto Machir 16. And unto the Reubenites and unto the Gadites I gave from Gilead even unto the river Arnon half the valley and the border even unto the river Jabbok which is the border of the children of Ammon 17. The plain also and Jordan and the coast thereof from Chinnereth even unto the sea of the plain even the salt-sea under Ashdoth-Pisgah east-ward 18. And I commanded you at that time saying The LORD your God hath given you this land to possess it ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel all that are meet for the war 19. But your wives and your little ones and your cattel for I know that ye have much cattel shall abide in your cities which I have given you 20. Vntill the LORD hath given rest unto your brethren as well as unto you and untill they also possess the land which the LORD your God hath given them beyond Jordan and then shall ye return every man unto his possession which I have given you 21. And I commanded Joshua at that time saying Thine eyes have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto these two kings so shall the LORD do unto all the kingdoms whither thou passest 22. Ye shall not fear them for the LORD your God he shall fight for you 23. And I besought the LORD at that time saying 24. O Lord GOD thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness and thy mighty hand for what God is there in heaven or in earth that can do according to thy works and according to thy might 25. I pray thee let me go over and see the good land that is beyond Jordan that goodly mountain and Lebanon 26. But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes and would not hear me and the LORD said unto me Let it suffice thee speak no more unto me of this matter 27. Get thee up into the top of Pisgah and lift up thine eyes west-ward and north ward and south-ward and east-ward and behold it with thine eyes for thou shalt not go over this Jordan 28. But charge Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him for he shall go over before this people and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see 29. So we abode in the valley over against Beth-peor 1. OG See Numb 21.33 c. ch 29.7 2. Sihon Numb 21.24 3. Og Numb 21.33 4. All the region of Argob This was a Region subject to Bashan v. 13. 1 King 4.13 5. Fenced with high walls And our having taken them may encourage our hopes for the future See Numb 13.28 9. Shener The Chaldee expresseth it by a Mountain of snow 11. His bed-stead c. This account of his Bed-stead which was at that time to be seen in Rabbath is added here as an Evidence of
ye are this day 21. Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes and sware that I should not go over Jordan and that I should not go in unto that good land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance 22. But I must die in this land I must not go over Jordan but ye shall go over and possess that good land 23. Take heed unto your selves lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God which he made with you and make you a graven image or the likeness of any thing which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee 24. For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire even a jealous God 25. When thou shalt beget children and childrens children and shalt have remained long in the land and shall corrupt your selves and make a graven image or the likeness of any thing and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God to provoke him to anger 26. I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto you go over Jordan to possess it ye shall not prolong your days upon it but shall utterly be destroyed 27. And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen whither the LORD shall lead you 28. And there ye shall serve gods the work of mens hands wood and stone which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell 29. But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God thou shalt find him if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul 30. When thou art in tribulation and all these things are come upon thee even in the latter days if thou turn to the LORD thy God and shalt be obedient unto his voice 31. For the LORD thy God is a mercifull God he will not forsake thee neither destroy thee nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them 32. For ask now of the days that are past which were before thee since the day that God created man upon the earth and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is or hath been heard like it 33. Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire as thou hast heard and live 34. Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation by temptations by signs and by wonders and by war and by a mighty hand and by a stretched-out arm and by great terrors according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes 35. Unto thee it was shewed that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God there is none else besides him 36. Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice that he might instruct thee and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire 37. And because he loved thy fathers therefore he chose their seed after them and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt 38. To drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier then thou art to bring thee in to give thee their land for an inheritance as it is this day 39. Know therefore this day and consider it in thine heart that the LORD he is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath there is none else 40. Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes and his commandments which I command thee this day that it may go well with thee and with thy children after thee and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth which the LORD thy God giveth thee for ever 41. Then Moses severed three cities on this side Jordan toward the sun-rising 42. That the slayer might flee thither which should kill his neighbour unawares and hated him not in times past and that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live 43. Namely Bezer in the wilderness in the plain-country of the Reubenites and Ramoth in Gilead of the Gadites and Golan in Bashan of the Manassites 44. And this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel 45. These are the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments which Moses spake unto the children of Israel after they came forth out of Egypt 46. On this side Jordan in the valley over against Beth-peor in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites who dwelt at Heshbon whom Moses and the children of Israel smote after they were come forth out of Egypt 47. And they possessed his land and the land of Og king of Bashan two kings of the Amorites which were on this side Jordan toward the sun-rising 48. From Aroer which is by the bank of the river Arnon even unto mount Sion which is Hermon 49. And all the plain on this side Jordan east-ward even unto the sea of the plain under the springs of Pisgah 2. Ye shall not add c. chap. 12.32 Josh 1.7 Prov. 30.6 Revel 22.18 It is fit to require that they should neither add to nor take from the Divine Precepts at the beginning of this Exhortation to Obedience because God had given them his Law for their Rule of Life and had annexed his Promises to their Universal Obedience thereunto 3. Because of Baal-peor Numb 25.4 c. Or against Baal-peor and his Worshippers as the Vulgar and Chaldee have it Compare Numb 25.5 and the words which follow here 6. Your wisdom It is a fruit of great wisdom to fear God and obey his Laws The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom a good understanding have all they that do his commandments Psal 111.10 Besides many of these Laws were such as the wiser Heathen could not but approve and did actually receive several of them into their own Laws 7. In all things that we call upon him for God shewed himself ready to hear the Prayers of his Servants upon all occasions Exod. 17.11 and to protect and defend them in all straits and dangers as appeared by the many Miracles which he had wrought 8. So righteous This speaks a Nation great For righteousness exalteth a nation Prov. 14.34 10. Thou stoodst The most aged among them were present at the giving of the Law 11. Mountain Exod. 19.18 Midst Heb. Heart which is well translated midst here not that it signifies the exact midst it is enough that it be in that in the midst of which it is said to be Of Heaven i. e. Of the Air or lower Heaven 12. Onely ye heard a voice Heb. Save a voice 14. Statutes and judgments i. e. The Judicial and Ceremonial Laws in contradistinction to the Moral mentioned v. 13. 15. Take ye therefore good heed c. They saw no Similitude when God gave his Law and are thereupon vehemently warned against Worshipping of God by any kind of Image
were the peculiar Office of the Priests the Sons of Levi yet the other Families of the Levites were concerned in blessing and praising God 1 Chron. 16.4 and by the faithfull discharge of their Ministry did contribute toward the bringing Blessings upon the People 9. Wherefore Levi Numb 18.20 The reason why they had no inheritance follows The LORD is his inheritance i. e. The Gifts which He hath assigned or given him as the Chaldee hath it here are his See the Note on Numb 18.20 10. First time Or Former days 11. Take thy journey Heb. Go in journey This is mentioned as a proof that God had hearkned to the Intercession of Moses See the Note on verse 6. 12. And now O Israel c. Here Moses exhorts them to Obedience from very powerfull Arguments viz. I. From the Consideration of God's former Mercies v. 10 11. and v. 22. II. From his Soveraign Authority v. 14. III. From his peculiar Kindness to them v. 15. IV. From his infinite Power v. 17. And V. From his inflexible Justice v. 17 18. 14. The Earth Psal 24.1 16. Circumcise therefore the fore-skin of your heart c. i. e. Do not content your selves with the bare Circumcision of the fore-skin of your Flesh but cast away the filthiness of your Mind and Manners Compare Deut. 30.6 and Rom. 2.28 29. 17. Regardeth not persons What-ever Nation they be of he will deal righteously with them 2 Chron. 19.7 Job 34.19 Act. 10.34 Rom. 2.11 Gal. 2.6 Ephes 6.9 Col. 3.25 1 Pet. 1.17 19. Love ye therefore the stranger c. See Levit. 19.33 34. 20. Thou shalt fear Chap. 6.13 Matt. 4.10 Luk. 48. Cleave Chap. 13.4 21. He is thy praise He is both the fittest object of thy Honour and Praise and the Author of what-ever makes thee worthy of Praise 22. With threescore c. Gen. 46.27 Exod. 1.5 As the stars According to his promise to Abraham Gen. 15.5 CHAP. XI The ARGUMENT The Israelites are exhorted to love and obey God They are put in mind of the wonderfull Works of God which they had seen And upon their Obedience are promised the good Land and great Prosperity therein Blessing and a Curse are set before them Of the Mounts Gerizim and Ebal 1. THerefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God and keep his charge and his statutes and his judgments and his commandments alway 2. And know ye this day for I speak not with your children which have not known and which have not seen the chastisement of the LORD your God his greatness his mighty hand and his stretched-out arm 3. And his miracles and his acts which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt and unto all his land 4. And what he did unto the army of Egypt unto their horses and to their chariots how he made the water of the Red-sea to overflow them as they pursued after you and how the LORD hath destroyed them unto this day 5. And what he did unto you in the wilderness untill ye came into this place 6. And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab the son of Reuben how the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up and their housholds and their tents and all the substance that was in their possession in the midst of all Israel 7. But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the LORD which he did 8. Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day that ye may be strong and go in and possess the land whither ye go to possess it 9. And that ye may prolong your days in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed a land that floweth with milk and honey 10. For the land whither thou goest in to possess it is not as the land of Egypt from whence ye came out where thou sowedst thy seed and wateredst it with thy foot as a garden of herbs 11. But the land whither ye go to possess it is a land of hills and valleys and drinketh water of the rain of heaven 12. A land which the LORD thy God careth for the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year 13. And it shall come to pass if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul 14. That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season the first rain and the latter rain that thou mayest gather in thy corn and thy wine and thine oyl 15. And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattel that thou mayest eat and be full 16. Take heed to your selves that your heart be not deceived and ye turn aside and serve other gods and worship them 17. And then the LORD's wrath be kindled against you and he shut up the heaven that there be no rain and that the land yield nor her fruit and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you 18. Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul and bind them for a sign upon your hand that they may be as frontlets between your eyes 19. And ye shall teach them your children speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way when thou liest down and when thou risest up 20. And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thine house and upon thy gates 21. That your days may be multiplied and the days of your children in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them as the days of heaven upon the earth 22. For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you to do them to love the LORD your God to walk in all his ways and to cleave unto him 23. Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier then your selves 24. Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours from the wilderness and Lebanon from the river the river Euphrates even unto the uttermost see shall your coast be 25. There shall no man be able to stand before you for the LORD your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon as he hath said unto you 26. Behold I set before you this day a blessing and a curse 27. A blessing if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you this day 28. And a curse if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day to go after other gods which ye have not known 29. And it shall come to
shalt sanctifie unto the LORD thy God thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock nor shear the firstling of thy sheep 20. Thou shalt eat it before the LORD thy God year by year in the place which the LORD shall choose thou and thy houshold 21. And if there be any blemish therein as if it be lame or blind or have any ill blemish thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God 22. Thou shalt eat it within thy gates the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike as the roe-buck and as the hart 23. Onely thou shalt not eat the blood thereof thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water 1. AT the end of every seven years Levit. 25.2 4. Or in the Seventh year compare Levit. 25.4 and Exod. 23.11 Or last year of the seven as appears from v. 9. which is as much the End of the Seven as the First is the Beginning Exod. 21.2 Thus what was done in the third year is said to be at the end of three years chap. 14.28 2. Of the release The Jews do with great reason tell us that there was a two-fold Release viz. A Release of Lands of which see Exod. 23.10 11. And a Release of Money or Personal Debts of which this place is to be understood as appears from the following words Every creditor Heb. Master of the lending of his hand that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it It is not said he shall absolutely remit it He would then be rather esteemed a Donor than a Creditor Nor does the word in the Hebrew import an absolute Remission and an abandoning of all Title and Claim but an Intermission onely See Exod. 23.11 And it follows here He shall not exact it c. That is he hath no power to recover it this Seventh year when by reason the Land was not sown the Debtor was disabled from raising Money because it is a Release or Year of intermission of God's appointment 3. Of a foreigner That is of one who is not of the Jewish Nation and so not a Brother v. 2. 4. Save when there shall be no poor among you The Marginal reading is rather to be followed viz. To the end that there be no poor among you The shewing Mercy and Forbearance is a means to prevent the encrease of poor Men And therefore this Release would contribute to the keeping Men from extreme Poverty and by their Obedience to God's Laws they would in great measure keep it off also And though it is much their duty to order it so that there might be few or no Poor yet God who fore-saw that they would fail in their Obedience does fore-tell that there would always be Poor among them v. 11. 6. Thou shalt lend Chap. 28.12 And shalt consequently be rich And thou shalt reign over many For the rich ruleth over the poor and the borrower is servant to the lender Prov. 22.7 8. But thou shalt open thine hand Matt. 5.42 Luk. 6.34 A bountifull supply is here Commanded which is expressed by what is sufficient for his need in the following words 9. Thought Heb. Word Wicked Heb. Belial The year of release is at hand viz. When it will not be in his power to exact v. 2. 11. The poor shall never cease c. And therefore there will never want Objects of their Compassion and Tryals of their Inclination that way 12. If thy brother i. e. One of thine own Nation as it follows See Exod. 21.2 Jer. 34.14 Be sold unto thee See Exod. 21.2 with the Note on that place Six years That is six complete years from the first entring upon the Service 15. And thou shalt remember c. This is a powerfull Motive to encline us to shew Mercy The Example of God's Mercy and the Sense of our Obnoxiousness to Sufferings do strongly move where they are duly considered 17. Then thou shalt take an awl c. See Exod. 21.6 with the Note upon that place And also unto thy maid servant thou shalt do likewise That is thou shalt let her go free in the Seventh year v. 12. Nor shall she go away empty but thou shalt furnish her liberally out of thy flock c. v. 14. For we find Moses returns to the same matter mentioned v. 12. in the words which follow v. 18. 18. A double hired servant Both because he served so long a time which is more than usually hired Servants do and without Hire or Wages 19. All the firstlings c. This is to be understood of a second sort of Firstlings of which see the Note on chap. 12.17 For of the First-born which were due to the Priest these words cannot be meant if we duly consider what is said Exod. 22.30 and compare it with what follows here See Exod. 34.19 21. If there be Levit. 22.20 chap. 17.1 Ecclus. 35.12 23. Onely c. See chap. 12.16 23. CHAP. XVI The ARGUMENT Of the Passeover and Feast of Unleavened Bread Of the Feast of Weeks and that of Tabernacles Every Male is to appear at the place which God should choose three times a year Of Judges and Justice Groves and Images are forbidden 1. OBserve the month of Abib and keep the passeover unto the LORD thy God for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night 2. Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passeover unto the LORD thy God of the flock and the herd in the place which the LORD shall choose to place his name there 3. Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith even the bread of affliction for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in hast that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life 4. And there shall be no leavened-bread seen with thee in all thy coasts seven days neither shall there any thing of the flesh which thou sacrificed'st the first day at even remain all night untill the morning 5. Thou mayest not sacrifice the passeover within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee 6. But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in there thou shalt sacrifice the passeover at even at the going down of the sun at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt 7. And thou shalt rost and eat it in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose and thou shalt turn in the morning and go unto thy tents 8. Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God thou shalt do no work therein 9. Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn 10. And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a
willing to name the People as those to whom the Curses belonged which were such as did reach other Nations and were not like the Blessings peculiar to the Israelites For the Blessing and Cursing here mentioned the most probable account is this viz. That as the Levites pronounced the following Curses v. 14. so for the Blessings upon Obedience mentioned chap. 28. they were repeated by the Tribes which were on Mount Gerizim and the Curses which follow in that Chapter were pronounced by the six other Tribes on Mount Ebal 14. The Levites i. e. Those of the Levites which bare the Ark and stood between the Tribes Josh 8.33 For the body of the Levites were among the Tribes on Mount Gerizim 15. In a secret place viz. Thinking to conceal his wickedness 16. That setteth light by c. The duty we owe to our Parents and Superiors stands in the Decalogue next to that which we owe to God Exod. 20.12 and a contempt of them is here placed next to Idolatry 17. That removeth This is an act of great injustice and fatal consequence See the Note on ch 19.14 18. That maketh the blind c. i. e. That misleads either the Blind or the Simple into danger or sin 20. With his father's wife c. See chap. 22.30 with the Note 23. With his mother-in-law Or with his daughter-in-law as the Greek render it 26. Confirmeth not i. e. Who does not obey Or that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them Gal. 3.10 CHAP. XXVIII The ARGUMENT Many Blessings promised to the Israelites upon condition of their Obedience to the Law of God A great number of Evils threatened to those who should be disobedient 1. AND it shall come to pass if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth 2. And all these blessings shall come on thee and overtake thee if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God 3. Blessed shalt thou be in the city and blessed shalt thou be in the field 4. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy ground and the fruit of thy cattel the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep 5. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store 6. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out 7. The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face they shall come out against thee one way and flee before thee seven ways 8. The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy store-houses and in all that thou settest thine hand unto and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee 9. The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself as he hath sworn unto thee if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God and walk in his ways 10. And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD and they shall be afraid of thee 11. And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods in the fruit of thy body and in the fruit of thy cattel and in the fruit of thy ground in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee 12. The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season and to bless all the work of thine hand and thou shalt lend unto many nations and thou shalt not borrow 13. And the LORD shall make thee the head and not the tail and thou shalt be above onely and thou shalt not be beneath if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God which I command thee this day to observe and to do them 14. And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day to the right hand or to the left to go after other gods to serve them 15. But it shall come to pass if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day that all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee 16. Cursed shalt thou be in the city and cursed shalt thou be in the field 17. Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store 18. Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy land the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep 19. Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out 20. The LORD shall send upon thee cursing vexation and rebuke in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do until thou be destroyed and until thou perish quickly because of the wickedness of thy doings whereby thou hast forsaken me 21. The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee until he have consumed thee from off the land whither thou goest to possess it 22. The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption and with a fever and with an inflammation and with an extream burning and with the sword and with blasting and with mildew and they shall pursue thee until thou perish 23. And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass and the earth that is under thee shall be iron 24. The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust from heaven shall it come down upon thee until thou be destroyed 25. The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies thou shalt go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth 26. And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air and unto the beasts of the earth and no man shall fray them away 27. The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt and with the emerods and with the scab and with the itch whereof thou canst not be healed 28. The LORD shall smite thee with madness and blindness and astonishment of heart 29. And thou shalt grope at noon-day as the blind gropeth in darkness and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways and thou shalt be onely oppressed and spoiled evermore and no man shall save thee 30. Thou shalt betroth a wife and another man shall lie with her thou shalt build an house and thou shalt not dwell therein thou shalt plant a vineyard and shalt not gather the grapes thereof 31. Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes and thou shalt not eat thereof thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face and shall not be restored to thee thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies and thou shalt have none to rescue them 32. Thy sons
the Note on Chap. 4.19 29. The secret c. q. d. This severity of God towards his chosen People may be well supposed very amazing and surprizing especially considering his early and many and repeated Mercies to them and their Fathers from time to time his gracious Nature and Promises and his forbearance of others whose Sins were as great and who were not in Covenant with him But we are not too curiously to inquire into the Secrets of God's Providence Rom. 11.33 But on the other hand steadily to apply our selves to obey God's revealed Will as that which more peculiarly belongs to us and is the best preventive of such Calamities as are mentioned v. 23 27 28. CHAP. XXX The ARGUMENT God promiseth Mercy to the truly Penitent The Law of God was plainly laid before them Life and Death are set before them They are vehemently exhorted to be obedient and to be happy 1. AND it shall come to pass when all these things are come upon thee the blessing and the curse which I have set before thee and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee 2. And shalt return unto the LORD thy God and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day thou and thy children with all thine heart and with all thy soul 3. That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity and have compassion upon thee and will return and gather thee from all the nations whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee 4. If any of thine be driven out unto the utmost parts of heaven from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee and from thence will he fetch thee 5. And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed and thou shalt possess it and he will do thee good and multiply thee above thy fathers 6. And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul that thou mayest live 7. And the LOOD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies and on them that hate thee which persecuted thee 8. And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD and do all his commandments which I command thee this day 9. And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand in the fruit of thy body and in the fruit of thy cattel and in the fruit of thy land for good for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good as he rejoiced over thy fathers 10. If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God to â—eep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul 11. For this commandment which I command thee this day it is not hidden from thee neither is it for off 12. It is not in heaven that thou shouldest say Who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it 13. Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say Who shall go over the sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it 14. But the word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it 15. See I have set before thee this day life and good and death and evil 16. In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God to walk in his ways and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments that thou mayest live and multiply and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it 17. But if thine heart turn away so that thou wilt not hear but shalt be drawn away and worship other gods and serve them 18. I denounce unto you this day and ye shall surely perish and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it 19. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that both thou and thy seed may live 20. That thou mayest love the LORD thy God and that thou mayest obey his voice and that thou mayest cleave unto him for he is thy life and the length of thy days that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob to give them 1. AND thou shalt call them to mind i. e. Thou shalt consider or come thy self which is the first Step towards Repentance See Luke 15.17 1 King 8.47 If thou he think thy self That is the importance of the Hebrew and so it is rendred 1 Kings 8.47 2. And shalt return Here is a farther Description of true Repentance expressed by returning and by obeying God universally and heartily 3. Turn thy Captivity That is bring back thy Captives as appears from the following words and Captivity is sometimes used for Captives Psal 14.7 4. Vtmost parts of heaven That is the utmost parts of the Earth under the Heaven Behold I will gather them out of all Countries Jer. 32.37 What is expressed by from one end of the heaven to the other Matt. 24.31 is in a parallell place said from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven Mark 13.27 Heaven some times signifies the Air in which we breath Gen. 1.8 6. Circumcise thine heart This is to be understood of that Spiritual Circumcision whereby the filthy Inclination of the Mind to evil is removed and pared away The Chaldee expresseth it by removing the folly of the heart and the Greek by cleansing it Coloss 2.11 Rom. 2.29 9. For good Plenty and Prosperity is to the hurt of evil Men and is onely good to them who are good and is therefore as such promised to them whose heart is circumcised 11. This Commandment viz. Of loving God v. 6. and sincere Obedience to his Revelation v. 8. which are also Evangelical Precepts Rom. 10.6 Not hidden i. e. It is not hard to be understood as those are which are said to be hidden and abstruse Far off Or out of thy reach that thou shouldest need pretend that thou canst not come at it 12. Not in heaven That is it is not looked up as a Secret there but revealed from thence 13. Beyond the Sea i. e. It is not at such a distance as will expose Men to great hazard to come at 14. In thy mouth and in thy heart i. e. It is very near thee indeed as that which thou ownest with thy Mouth and doest with thy Mind assent unto 19. I call heaven and earth c. See the Note on Chap. 4.26 20. He is thy life He is the Author
the copulative Particle as there is in some other places Vid. Hab. 3.11 Jud. 5.27 Exod. 15.9 and then Moses is said here to deliver the Law unto the priests and to the sons of Levi which bare the ark c. Numb ch 3. and ch 4. and unto all the elders of Israel So that the Law was delivered to the three Ranks and Degrees of Men of which the whole Congregation consisted viz. the Priests the Levites and the Representatives of the People And this Interpretation of these words will receive some confirmation from the Greek Interpreters in another place not unlike to this viz. Josh 3.3 When ye see the ark c. and the Priests the Levites bearing it There the Greek suppose an Ellipsis and do therefore render it and the Levites supplying the copulative Particle supposed to be wanting here 10. At the end c. See the Note on chap. 15.1 In the solemnity Or rather in the time as the Hebrew word signifies and as it is rendred by the Chaldee Syriack and Greek This appointed time was very convenient for this solemn hearing of the Law For it was at a time of the year when their Harvest was gathered in chap. 16.13 and they were freed from those cares and in a year when they were freed both from the Labours and from the Exactions which in other years they were liable unto chap. 15.1 2. 11. Thou shalt read This care concerned the body of the People and was discharged by the King as the Jews affirm or some other great Man when there was no King See Nehemiah 8. But then that all Israel might hear it was necessary that there should be care taken that it should be done by so many that all might hear it 13. Their children i. e. Their Posterity as appears from what follows May hear and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as ye live in the land 15. In a pillar of a cloud See Exod. 33.9 10. 17. I will hide my face from them i. e. I will remove from them the tokens of my favour and punish them as appears from the following words 19. This song i. e. The Song which follows in the next Chapter which is composed in the form of a Song that they might the more easily learn and remember it Put it in their mouths i. e. Take care that they learn it That it may be a witness for me against or among the children of Israel That is that it may be a perpetual Monitor among them of my Mercy towards and of the justice of my proceedings with them see v. 21. 22. Taught it As he was commanded v. 19. 23. He gave That is God gave as it is evident from the following words 26. Put it in the side of the ark Here it was put for the greater security and as the authentick Copy and Original was laid up in a safe place 30. And Moses spake in the ears of all c. Not that he did this all at once but either at several times or else he did it at once to the Heads and Representatives of the whole Congregation CHAP. XXXII The ARGUMENT The Song of Moses which sets forth the Divine Perfections and the Mercies of God to the Israelites And also lays before them their Rebellions and particularly their Idolatry It gives an account also of the wrath of God upon that account Moses is commanded to go up into Mount Nebo to take a view thence of the Land of Canaan and to die there 1. GIve ear O ye heavens and I will speak and hear O earth the words of my mouth 2. My doctrine shall drop as the rain my speech shall distil as the dew as the small rain upon the tender herb and as the showers upon the grass 3. Because I will publish the name of the LORD ascribe ye greatness unto our God 4. He is the rock his work is perfect for all his ways are judgment a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he 5. They have corrupted themselves their spot is not the spot of his children they are a perverse and crooked generation 6. Do ye thus requite the LORD O foolish people and unwise is not he thy father that hath bought thee hath he not made thee and established thee 7. Remember the days of old consider the years of many generations ask thy father and he will shew thee thy elders and they will tell thee 8. When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance when he separated the sons of Adam he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel 9. For the LORD's portion is his people Jacob is the lot of his inheritance 10. He found him in a desart land and in the waste howling wilderness he led him about he instructed him he kept him as the apple of his eye 11. As an eagle stirreth up her nest fluttereth over her young spreadeth abroad her wings taketh them beareth them on her wings 12. So the LORD alone did lead him and there was no strange god with him 13. He made him ride on the high places of the earth that he might eat the increase of the fields and he made him to suck honey out of the rock and oyl out of the flinty rock 14. Butter of kine and milk of sheep with fat of lambs and rams of the breed of Bashan and goats with the fat of kidneys of wheat and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape 15. But Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked thou art waxen fat thou art grown thick thou art covered with fatness then he forsook God which made him and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation 16. They provoked him to jealousie with strange gods with abominations provoked they him to anger 17. They sacrificed unto devils not to God to gods whom they knew not to new gods that came newly up whom your fathers feared not 18. Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindfull and hast forgotten God that formed thee 19. And when the LORD saw it he abhorred them because of the provoking of his sons and of his daughters 20. And he said I will hide my face from them I will see what their end shall be for they are a very froward generation children in whom is no faith 21. They have moved me to jealousie with that which is not God they have provoked me to anger with their vanities and I will move thew to jealousie with those which are not a people I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation 22. For a fire if kindled in my anger and shall burn undo the lowest hell and shall consume the earth with her encrease and set on fire the foundations of the mountains 23. I will heap mischiefs upon them I will spend mine arrows upon them 24. They shall be burnt with hunger and devoured with burning heat and with bitter destruction I will also send the teeth of beasts upon
her soul 7. And her husband heard it and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it then her vows shall stand and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand 8. But if her husband disallow her on the day that he heard it then he shall make her vow which she vowed and that which she uttered with her lips wherewith she bound her soul of none effect and the LORD shall forgive her 9. But every vow of a widow and of her that is divorced wherewith they have bound their souls shall stand against her 10. And if she vowed in her husband's house or bound her soul by a bond with an oath 11. And her husband heard it and held his peace at her and disallowed her not then all her vows shall stand and every bond wherewith she hound her soul shall stand 12. But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows or concerning the bond of her soul shall not stand her husband hath made them void and the LORD shall forgive her 13. Every vow and every binding oath to afflict the soul her husband may establish it or her husband may make it void 14. But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day then he establisheth all her vows or all her bonds which are upon her he confirmeth them because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them 15. But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them then he shall bear her iniquity 16. These are the statutes which the LORD commanded Moses between a man and his wife between the father and his daughter being yet in her youth in her father's house 1. UNto the heads of the tribes Who were to impart it to the rest of the People whom it concerned 2. A man This denotes both the Sex as appears from v. 3. and a competent age Vow a vow unto the LORD i. e. Make a Religious Promise unto the Lord. Swear an oath c. i. e. Confirm his Vow with an Oath by calling God to witness Break Heb. Profane He shall do c. Provided what he vows be a lawful thing Mark 6.23 3. A woman Who is in Subjection as appears from what follows And therefore the Law extends to other Subjects who are not to dispose of themselves without the consent of their just Superiors A Woman is named because she is most subject Being in her father's house in her youth That is Being in the Family and under the Government of her Father and not disposed of in Marriage See v. 6 9. 5. In the day that he heareth i. e. Forth-with after it is come to his knowledge See v. 8 9 14 15. Shall forgive her Or Will forgive her i. e. Will not impute her not performing such a Vow unto her 6. She vowed Heb. Her vows were upon her 9. Every vow 〈◊〉 widow i. e. Every Vow made in her Widowhood and when she had power to dispose of her self and Actions 10. And if she vowed in her husband's house i. e. If she that is now a Widow or divorced did make her Vow during her Husband's life or before she was divorced from him This sense which is very natural distinguisheth this Law from that in the sixth Verse 11. All her vows shall stand Those Vows which she then made shall oblige her in her Widowhood 13. To afflict the soul Such are Vows of Fasting or Abstinence Levit. 16.29 15. But if he shall any ways make them void c. i. e. If the Husband after he hath by his silence established the Vow of his Wife shall by his Power and Authority over her hinder her from performing such a Vow the sin in this case shall not be imputed to the Wife who was ready to perform her Vow but to her Husband who restrained her CHAP. XXXI The ARGUMENT The Israelites overcome the Midianites and slay Balaam They saved the Women alive at which Moses is offended and commands them what they shall do with them and also to purify themselves Of dividing the Prey and of the Lord's Tribute out of it 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people 3. And Moses spake unto the people saying Arm some of your selves unto the war and let them go against the Midianites and avenge the LORD of Midian 4. Of every tribe a thousand throughout all the tribes of Israel shall ye send to the war 5. So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel a thousand of every tribe twelve thousand armed for war 6. And Moses sent them to the war a thousand of every tribe them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest to the war with the holy instruments and the trumpets to blow in his hand 7. And they warred against the Midianites as the LORD commanded Moses and they slew all the males 8. And they slew the kings of Midian beside the rest of them that were slain namely Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba five kings of Midian Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword 9. And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives and their little ones and took the spoil of all their cattel and all their flocks and all their goods 10. And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt and all their goodly castles with fire 11. And they took all the spoil and all the prey both of men and of beasts 12. And they brought the captives and the prey and the spoil unto Moses and Eleazar the priest and unto the congregation of the children of Israel unto the camp at the plains of Moab which are by Jordan near Jericho 13. And Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the princes of the congregation went forth to meet them without the camp 14. And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host with the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds which came from the battel 15. And Moses said unto them Have ye saved all the women alive 16. Behold these caused the children of Israel through the counsel of Balaam to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD 17. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him 18. But all the women-children that have not known a man by lying with him keep alive for your selves 19. And do ye abide without the camp seven days whosoever hath killed any person and whosoever hath touched any slain purifie both your selves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day 20. And purifie all your raiment and all that is made of skins and all work of goats hair and all things
made of wood 21. And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to the battel This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD commanded Moses 22. Onely the gold and the silver the brass the iron the tin and the lead 23. Every thing that may abide the fire ye shall make it go through the fire and it shall be clean nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water 24. And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and ye shall be clean and afterward ye shall come into the camp 25. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 26. Take the sum of the prey that was taken both of man and of beast thou and Eleazar the priest and the chief fathers of the congregation 27. And divide the prey into two parts between them that took the war upon them who went out to battel and between all the congregation 28. And levy a tribute unto the LORD of the men of war which went out to battel one soul of five hundred both of the persons and of the beeves and of the asses and of the sheep 29. Take it of their half and give it unto Eleazar the priest for an heave-offering of the LORD 30. And of the children of Israel's half thou shalt take one portion of fifty of the persons of the beeves of the asses and of the flocks of all manner of beasts and give them unto the Levites which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD 31. And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses 32. And the booty being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep 33. And threescore and twelve thousand beeves 34. And threescore and one thousand asses 35. And thirty and two thousand persons in all of women that had not known man by lying with him 36. And the half which was the portion of them that went out to war was in number three hundred thousand and seven and thirty thousand and five hundred sheep 37. And the LORD's tribute of the sheep was six hundred and threescore and fifteen 38. And the beeves were thirty and six thousand of which the LORD's tribute was threescore and twelve 39. And the asses were thirty thousand and five hundred of which the LORD's tribute was threescore and one 40. And the persons were sixteen thousand of which the LORD's tribute was thirty and two persons 41. And Moses gave the tribute which was the LORD's heave-offering unto Eleazar the priest as the LORD commanded Moses 42. And of the children of Israel's half which Moses divided from the men that warred 43. Now the half that pertained unto the congregation was three hundred thousand and thirty thousand and seven thousand and five hundred sheep 44. And thirty and six thousand beeves 45. And thirty thousand asses and five hundred 46. And sixteen thousand persons 47. Even of the children of Israel's half Moses took one portion of fifty both of man and of beast and gave them unto the Levites which kept the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD as the LORD commanded Moses 48. And the officers which were over thousands of the host the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds came near unto Moses 49. And they said unto Moses Thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war which are under our charge and there lacketh not one man of us 50. We have therefore brought an oblation for the LORD what every man hath gotten of jewels of gold chains and bracelets rings ear-rings and tablets to make an atonement for our souls before the LORD 51. And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them even all wrought jewels 52. And all the gold of the offering that they offered up to the LORD of the captains of thousands and of the captains of hundreds was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels 53. For the men of war had taken spoil every man for himself 54. And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation for a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD 2. Avenge the children of Israel Ch. 25.17 Moses is commanded here to avenge the Israelites but v. 3. he requires the People to avenge the Lord. The Midianites had brought destruction upon the People of Israel and had drawn them from God into Idolatry and upon both these accounts were obnoxious as offenders against God and Israel See ch 25. v. 15 17 18. Be gathered Ch. 27.13 4. Of every tribe a thousand Heb. A thousand of a tribe a thousand of a tribe 5. Twelve thousand The Levites were excused See the Note on ch 1.47 6. Phinehas A Man of great Zeal and fit to excite and move the People See ch 25. But it by no means appears that he went as Commander but as a Priest to direct the People and to awaken them to their Duty and to that purpose he is provided with the Holy Instruments or Vrim and Thummim 1 Sam. 30.7 and the Trumpets ch 10.9 8. Evi Josh 13.21 These were Dukes during the life of Sihon and afterward Kings Zur The Father of Cozbi ch 25.15 10. Burnt This they did not onely to prevent their own taking up their Rest there but to prevent others from settling in those strong places 14. Battel Heb. Host of war 16. These caused Chap. 25.2 The Women were greatly Criminal and though the Daughters of Moab onely are mentioned ch 25.1 yet they of Midian are to be included Compare ch 25.6 and v. 17 18. Counsel 2 Pet. 2.15 See the Note on ch 24.14 17. Kill Judg. 21.11 That hath known man i. e. That is Adult and Marriageable This seems to be the sense of the words as this Precept is distinct from that which goes just before and opposed to that which immediately follows v. 18. Him Heb. A male 18. For your selves For your own use and service or to sell as Slaves 19. Whosoever hath touched Ch. 19.11 c. Purifie According to the Law in that case made and provided ch 19. 20. That is made of skins Heb. Instrument or vessel of skins 22. Onely the gold c. Which was not provided for in the Law given Num. 19. 26. That was taken Heb. Of the captivity Of man and of beast The Prey taken of the Midianites was of three kinds viz. of Persons v. 18. of Beasts v. 32 33 c. and of Moveables v. 22 and v. 50. The two first of these were divided among the Warriors and the Congregation the last were left in the Hands of those who went out to Battel v. 48 50. 27. Two parts That is Two equal parts as appears from what follows Those who went out to Battel for their pains and hazard have
to see a foolish Nation taken into God's Church For so the Gentiles were while they served Idols and divers Lusts Rom. 1.21 22. Compare Act. 11.2 3. 1 Thes 2.15 16. Act. 22.21 22. 22. A fire is kindled c. This Verse gives an account after a figurative manner of the destruction of the Land in such words as seem to import the total consumption of it Hell signifies the lower parts of the Earth Numb 16.30 And what is rendred Earth may well be turned Land for this is a description of the destruction that God would bring upon the Land of the Israelites Compare Isa 1.7 with 2 King 25.9 24. Burnt with hunger i. e. Consumed as the vulgar renders it with hunger For a Famine like Fire does wast and consume where-ever it comes Lam. 4.8 9. Burning heat and with bitter destruction i. e. Fiery and fierce Distempers and mortal Diseases Compare Habak 3.5 and Psal 91.6 Serpents of the dust i. e. Serpents that creep upon and eat the Dust Gen. 3.14 25. Terror The dread of Death or perhaps some malignant and pestilential Disease 26 27. I said I would scatter them c. q. d. I would send them into some secret place where they should be forgotten among Men But I forbear to do that lest their Enemies who devour them should impute their Destruction to their own Valour and not to my righteous Judgment It is to be noted that fear is imputed to God after the manner of Men who refrain from doing things from that Principle Compare Exod. 32.12 and Numb 14.13 28. They i. e. Israelites and so this connects with v. 26. 29. O that they were wise c. i. e. O that they had the Wisdom to lay to heart and consider the sad Effects which will follow upon their wicked Lives 30. How should c. That is if God were on their side a very small Number would be strong enough to vanquish the greatest Force of their Enemies who are destitute of his Favour and Assistance 31. For their rock c. For the Heathens who worship Idols have not force enough to stand out against the Power of the God of Israel And have been forced to acknowledge no less See Exod. 14.25 Numb 23.22 1 Sam. 4.8 Jer. 40.3 Dan. 3.29.4.37.6.27 32. Their vine c. This verse connects with Verse 26 and contains the reason why God entertained those severe Thoughts against the Israelites viz. Because though they were as a choice Vine planted by him yet they had degenerated like Sodom and Gomorrah Compare Isa 1.10 and ch 5. v. 1 c. with the Words that follow here where their Wine or Fruit of this Vineyard which God had planted is compared to the Poison of Dragons c. 34. Is not this c. That is is not this Vengeance which I now threaten them withal though they flatter themselves in their present Impunity reserved for them and kept in store for them against the time when their Iniquities shall be full and call for it Compare Prov. 1.31 and Job 14.17 35. Their foot shall slide i. e. They shall be ready to fall At hand i. e. It will soon follow and tread upon the Heels of their Iniquity 36. For Or Nevertheless As this Hebrew Particle is rendred Isa 9.1 For here begins a new Argument as appears from the following Words speaking Comfort to the Israelites and Destruction to their Enemies Judge his people i. e. Plead their Cause Compare diligently with this Place Psal 135.14 None shut up or left Or Nothing shut up or left i. e. When they are destitute of all things and have nothing reserved or remaining Compare 1 King 14.10 and ch 21.21 and especially 2 King 14.26 37. He shall say i. e. God shall say to the Israelites Compare Judg. 10.14 38. Which did eat c. i. e. In whose service so many Sacrifices were consumed 40. I lift c. i. e. I swear which God is said to do here after the manner of Men who did it by lifting up their Hands 41. If I whet c. viz. I swear that if I whet c. 42. Drunk with blood This is a figurative Expression implying the abundance of Blood that should be shed From the beginning c. i. e. from such time as I shall begin to take vengeance c. 43. Rejoice O ye nations with his people Or Rejoice ye nations or Gentiles his people Compare Rom. 15.10 44. He and Hoshea or Joshua Joshua who succeeded Moses joined with him now in speaking the words of this Song and it is probable that for the future the care of teaching it belonged to him Compare chap. 31.22 23. 46. Set your hearts That is attend diligently and consider well and do not barely content your selves with the knowledge of these things Compare Ezek 40.4 47. For it is not a vain thing c. It is no unprofitable thing but that upon which your happiness depends Compare Rom. 10.5 50. Die in the mount Not presently but after thou hast blessed the children of Israel Chap. 33.1 51. Because ye trespassed Of the sin of Moses to which these words referr See the Note on Numb 20.12 CHAP. XXXIII The ARGUMENT The glorious Majesty of God The Blessing of the tribes of Israel None like to God The great privilege of the Israelites 1. AND this is the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death 2. And he said the LORD came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them he shined forth from mount Paran and he came with ten thousands of Saints from his right hand went a fiery law for them 3. Yea he loved the people all his saints are in thy hand and they sat down at thy feet every one shall receive of thy words 4. Moses commanded us a law even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob. 5. And he was king in Jeshurun when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together 6. Let Reuben live and not die and let not his men be few 7. And this is the blessing of Judah and he said Hear LORD the voice of Judah and bring him unto his people let his hands be sufficient for him and be thou an help to him from his enemies 8. And of Levi he said Let thy Thummim and thy Vrim be with thy holy one whom thou didst prove at Massah and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah 9. Who said unto his father and to his mother I have not seen him neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor knew his own children for they have observed thy word and kept thy covenant 10. They shall teach Jacob thy judgments and Israel thy law they shall put incense before thee and whole burnt sacrifices upon thine altar 11. Bless LORD his substance and accept the work of his hands smite through the loins of them that rise against him and of them that hate him that they rise
not again 12. And of Benjamin he said The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him and the LORD shall cover him all the day long and he shall dwell between his shoulders 13. And of Joseph he said Blessed of the LORD be his land for the precious things of heaven for the dew and for the deep that coucheth beneath 14. And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun and for the precious things put forth by the moon 15. And for the chief things of the ancient mountains and for the precious things of the lasting hills 16. And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof and for the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren 17. His glory is like the firstling of his bullock and his horns are like the horns of unicorns with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim and they are the thousands of Manasseh 18. And of Zebulun he said Rejoice Zebulun in thy going out and Issachar in thy tents 19. They shall call the people unto the mountain there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas and of treasures hid in the sand 20. And of Gad he said Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad he dwelleth as a lion and teareth the arm with the crown of the head 21. And he provided the first part for himself because there in a portion of the law-giver was he seated and he came with the heads of the people he executed the Justice of the LORD and his judgments with Israel 22. And of Dan he said Dan is a lion's whelp he shall leap from Bashan 23. And of Naphtali he said O Naphtali satisfied with favour and full with the blessing of the LORD possess thou the west and the south 24. And of Asher he said Let Asher be blessed with children let him be acceptable to his brethren and let him dip his foot in oyl 25. Thy shooes shall be iron and brass and as thy days so shall thy strength be 26. There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun who rideth upon the heaven in thy help and in his excellency on the skie 27. The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee and shall say Destroy them 28. Israel then shall dwell in safety alone the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine also his heavens shall drop down dew 29. Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the LORD the shield of thy help and who is the sword of thy excellency and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee and thou shalt tread upon their high places 1. THE man of God That is the Prophet of the LORD as the Chaldee renders it See 1 Sam. 9.6 And the Title to the ninetieth Psalm Blessed i. e. He did pronounce and predict the following Blessings upon the several Tribes of Israel and pray to God to bestow them Compare v. 6 7. 2. And he said the LORD came from Sinai c. Before he proceeds to bless the several Tribes he premises an Account of God's special Favour to the whole Body of the People The LORD came from Sinai i. e. He revealed himself as the Chaldee well explains this Place from Sinai where he gave his Law and revealed his Will and Pleasure to them Rose up It is to be considered that what we render rose up is in the Hebrew expressed by a word which peculiarly signifies such a rising up as that of the Sun in the Morning And is the same word which is used where it is said Vnto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise Malach. 4.2 It might have been rendered appeared as it is by the vulgar and signifies a splendid or glorious Appearance Compare Hab. 3.3 4. From Seir That is Idumaea by which the Israelites passed The meaning is that as God revealed himself from Sinai when he gave them his Law So he did after that as they passed on by Seir and Paran give them evident Proofs of his Presence with them and special Providence over them Mount Paran Paran is the Name of a Wilderness by which the Israelites passed Deut. 1.1 This Mount either denotes some particular Mountain so called or intimates the Mountainous part of that Wilderness He came with ten thousands of Saints That is when God revealed himself from Sinai and gave his Law he was attended with a great Number of holy Angels The chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels the LORD is among them as in Sinai Psal 68.17 Compare Dan. 7.10 Rev. 5.11 Well might Stephen say that the Law was received by the disposition of Angels Acts 7.53 and St. Paul that it was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator Gal. 3.19 It is elsewhere called the word spoken by Angels Heb 2.2 From his right hand went a fiery Law i. e. He gave as Men do when with their Right-hands they deliver their Gifts a fiery Law The Law given at Mount Sinai is called a fiery Law because God spake the Words thereof out of the midst of the fire Deut. 5.22 Compare Exod. 19.18 as also Psalm 104.4 with Gal. 3.19 3. The people i. e all the Tribes of Israel All his saints are in thy hand He hath a special care of the Israelites that Holy Nation Exod. 19.6 who sat at his Feet compare Luk. 10.39 Act. 22.3 and promised Subjection and Obedience to him Exod. 24. 4. Inheritance A possession of great value and such an one as was to descend to their Posterity Thy testimonies have I taken as an Heritage for ever for they are the rejoicing of my heart Psal 119.111 5. He was king i. e. Moses was a Prince or Governour he gave Laws and ruled the People 6. Let Reuben live c. q. d. Though Reuben have lost his Birth-right for his Incest and thereupon fell into his Father's displeasure Gen. 49.4 and some of his Sons were guilty of Rebellion Numb 16.1 yet let not his Posterity cease to be a distinct and prosperous Tribe And whereas they have engaged upon receiving their Inheritance on this side Jordan to leave their Wives and Children there and to expose themselves to the hazzard of War with their Brethren Numb 32.26 27. let none of them that stay behind or pass over Jordan perish but let their intire number be preserved 7. Hear LORD the voice of Judah c. Whereas Judah's Hand is to be in the Neck of his Enemies Gen. 49.8 and he is to be the first that is to fight against the Canaanites after the death of Joshua Judg. 1.1 and will consequently be exposed to danger in his