then the Song before-mentioned began with the Trumpets and other Instruments of Musick but not till then For the Burnt-offering was not perfect till the Drink-offering which was to accompany it was offered whereby it was compleated See Dr. Light-foot in his Temple Service cap. 7. sect 2. Ver. 10. This is the Burnt-offering of every Sabbath Verse 10 besides the continual Burnt-offering and his Drink-offering The daily Sacrifice was not to be omitted on the Sabbath but this was to be added to it and thence by the Jews called Musaph Of which sort there were seven more which were to be added to the Sacrifice of the day viz. that in the New Moon v. 11. at the Passover v. 19. and the Feast of Pentecost v. 26. in the beginning of the Year XXIX 1. on the Day of Expiation v. 7. on the Feast of Tabernacles there were peculiar Sacrifices for seven days together XXIII Lev. 35. and on the last day of the Feast another XXIX Numb 35 36 37. All these were called Musaphim or additional Sacrifices to the daily Sacrifice Verse 11 Ver. 11. And in the beginnings of your Months ye shall offer a Burnt-offering unto the LORD This solemn Sacrifice seems to have been ordained by God to prevent the Idolatry which was usual among the Gentiles who worshipped the New Moon with great Rejoycings when it first appeared Otherwise the first day of every Month was no Festival but only a day on which extraordinary Sacrifices were offered with blowing of Trumpets as seems to be directed X. 10. See there which was usual at all solemn Sacrifices as I noted before otherways the Feast of blowing with Trumpets was only on the New Moon of the seventh Month and no other And therefore it is observable that there is no mention made of the first day of the Month among the Festivals appointed in XXIII Lev. And consequently Servile work was lawful on this day and nothing more required but only the following Sacrifices The Jews at this day say this Solemnity was appointed rather for the Women than the Men for which they give a fabulous reason who are bound to abstain from all work but the Men only from the most laborious such as Plowing the Ground c. See Buxtorf's Synag Judaica cap. 22. Two young Bullocks and one Ram seven Lambs of the first year without spot All these were Burnt-offerings which were offered besides the daily Sacrifice and besides the two Lambs if the first day of the Month fell out to be a Sabbath In which case and all others where several Solemnities met together on the same day the daily Sacrifice was offered first and then the rest of the Sacrifices peculiar for that day were to be performed every one in their order As for Example If the Sabbath and new Moon and the Feast of Trumpets sell out on the same day they began with the daily Morning Sacrifice after which followed the Sacrifices proper to the Sabbath and after that the Sacrifice appointed on the New Moon and then those that belonged to the Feast of Trumpets and all was concluded with the Evening Sacrifice as Abarbinel observes in his Preface to the Book of Leviticus Ver. 12. And three tenth deals of flour That is Verse 12 three tenth parts of an Ephah v. 5. For a Meat-offering mingled with Oyl for one Bullock i. e. For each Bullock there was to be this proportion of Flour which is exactly according to the general Rule before given XV. 9. And two tenth deals of flour mingled with Oyl for one Ram. This is the proportion there prescribed for a Ram as the other for a Bullock XV. 6. Ver. 13. And a several tenth deal of fine flour mingled Verse 13 with Oyl for a Meat offering unto one Lamb. Unto each of the seven Lambs before-mentioned v. 11. a Meat-offering was to be joyned in less proportion than the other according to the Rule there given XV. 4. For a Burnt-offering of a sweet savour c. See v. 6. Ver. 14. And their Drink-offering shall be half an hin Verse 14 of Wine unto a Bullock See XV. 10. And the third part of an hin for a Ram. See there v. 7. And a fourth part of an hin for a Lamb. See there v. 5. They that allegorize these things think the New Moon signifies the Resurrection to a new Life in the other World where every one shall receive a Reward according to his measure Thus Procopius Gazaeus in whom they that think such Expositions useful may find entertainment This is the Burnt-offering of every Month throughout the Months of the year There are more Sacrifices appointed on the New Moons than on the Sabbath it self because they returned seldomer And the Gentiles multiplying Sacrifices on such occasions if the Jews had not been thus imployed in the Worship of God they might have been tempted to pay their Services to Idols Verse 15 Ver. 15. And one Kid of the Goats for a Sin-offering This Sacrifice of a Goat for a Sin-offering saith the same Procopius is coupled with the rest being a shadow of the Passion of Christ for whose sake all our Sacrifices are acceptable unto God the Father Vnto the LORD It is well observed by Grotius that these words unto the LORD were added to put them in mind at this time of the right Object of Worship when they were in danger to offer Sacrifice to the Moon after the manner of the Heathen This is the more to be regarded because a Goat being appointed to be offered at two other Solemnities and to be offered for a Sin-offering v. 22 30. it is not said unto the LORD though certainly so intended because there was no danger at those times to direct their Sacrifices to a wrong Object as there was upon the New Moons when the Heathen offered a Goat unto the Moon it being a Creature whose Horns are like to those of a New Moon R. Bechai long ago observed this A Goat saith he was offered to extirpate the Religion of those who worshipped the Moon which makes the Scripture say expresly unto the LORD And Maimonides more largely in his More Nevochim P. III. cap. 46. where after he had taken notice of the difference between Sin-offerings and Burnt-offerings the latter of which being wholly burnt might be properly said to be unto the LORD whereas Sin-offerings were commonly eaten by the Priests he adds That this Sin-offering is peculiarly said to be unto the LORD least any one should think this Goat to be a Sacrifice to the Moon after the manner of the Egyptians Which was not necessary to be said of the Goats offered at other Solemn Times because they were not in the beginning of the Month nor distinguished from other days by any natural sign but only by the appointment of the Law which uses these words concerning this Goat peculiarly to pluck out of Mens thoughts those inveterate and pernicious Opinions of the Gentiles who had long sacrificed to the Moon at this
and Feasting and Publick Largesses and at last their Feasts became Anniversary as the Feast of Dedication among the Jews was after the times of Antiochus num 6 7. In which Feast there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illuminations as we now speak by setting up of Candles or Lamps in token of Joy cap. 13. num 9. This was the Offering of Nahshon the Son of Amminadab And was the pattern which all the rest followed Ver. 18. On the second Day Their Offerings Verse 18 were thus distributed to be offered on several Days that Confusion might be avoided and that every Tribe might distinctly express their Devotion to God and be graciously accepted by him and the Solemnity be made the more remarkable by continuing it so long as twelve Days For which reason the Feast of Dedication after Mattathias had purged the Temple and the Altar after the prophanation of them by Antiochus was kept eight days by the Jews in following times And this Parascha as they call it of the Law from VI. 22. to VIII 4. of this Book was wont to be read at that Feast as the same Mr. Selden observes cap. 13. n. 7. As among the Romans he observes cap. 14. n. 7. there was a Feast of like nature kept six Days Nathaniel the Son of Zuar Prince of Issachar did offer This Tribe and Zebulun being under the Standard of Judah are the next that offer And so they proceed in the same order Reuben and those under his Standard offer next because they incamped next to them v. 30 36 42 c. Verse 19 Ver. 19. He offered for his Offering one silver Charger the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty Shekels c. It may be observed once for all that there is no difference in the Offerings of these Princes but all offered Plate of equal weight and an equal number of Sacrifices without the least variation Either by common Agreement or by the Divine Appointment that the Vanity of vying one with another might be prevented and none might brag of their out-doing their Brethren and all might be confident that they were equally interested in the Altar and accepted by the Divine Majesty Verse 24 Ver. 24. On the third day Eliab the Son of Helon c. Here it may be observed that Moses thought fit to set down distinctly and at length the Offerings of the Princes of every Tribe as he doth here and in the following part of this Chapter though they were the very same without any difference that an honourable mention being made of every one apart none might think themselves in the least neglected Ver. 30. On the fourth day Elizur c. There is nothing new to be noted of him or any of the rest because the same thing is repeated for the reason fore-mentioned Verse 30 Ver. 48. On the seventh day Elishama c. offered Verse 48 This Solemnity was not interrupted by the Sabbath but the Offerings continued then as upon other days Ver. 84. This was the Dedication of the Altar By Verse 84 these Oblations and Sacrifices which were simple and plain though costly and magnificent With which the Gentiles were not content but used sometimes barbarous Rites in their Dedications as appears by their TAUROBOLIA and CRIOBOLIA in honour of the Mother of the Gods c. See Selden in the fore-named Book cap. 14. n. 8 9. In the day when it was anointed The Dedication lasting twelve Days it is apparent the word day in this place necessarily signifies the Time were it more or less wherein a Thing was done as I observed v. 1. and see v. 88. By the Princes of Israel From whose Examples Princes and great Men should learn as Conradus Pellicanus well applies all this to be devoutly Religious and to possess the Fear and Reverence of the LORD God in their Breasts to be strong in Faith far from Covetousness unanimous in their indeavours to do Honour to God to give a good Example of Faith and Good Works to others to seek the Profit of their Subjects assist the Servants of God lend their helping Hand to the Proficiency of true Piety provide the Ministers of the Church with all things necessary that Religion be not neglected and contemned by their Poverty for the sake of God whom they serve to do them honour by word and deed and follow their godly Admonitions c. This is a profitable Allegory saith he of this History and we need not seek for one more ingenious As for those who highly value the allegorical Sence of all these things Habent alios qui gustui suo consulent curiositati They may find other Commentators to please their Taste and satisfie their Curiosity Twelve Chargers of Silver twelve silver Bowls c. In these and the following words the whole Sum of the Oblations and Sacrifices is set down by Moses that every Reader in all future Times might see without the trouble of casting up the account how devout and generous their Ancestors were Verse 87 Ver. 87. All the Oxen for the Burnt-offering were twelve Bullocks c. Whether there were any Prayers made for a gracious acceptance of the Sacrifices which should be hereafter made on this Altar we are not told But the Sacrifices themselves were in the nature of Supplications and its likely they that offered them made their humble Petitions with them And so the Gentiles always did at the Dedication of their Temples or Altars An instance of which is observed out of Gruter by Fort. Scacchus and by Selden in these words HANC TIBI ARAM JUPPITER OPT. MAX. DICO DEDICOQUE UTI SIS VOLENS PROPITIUS MIHI COLLEGISQUE MEIS c. Which is a Dedication of an Altar to Jupiter with a Prayer that he would be gracious to him that dedicated it and to his Friends and Neighbours The like Dedication there is of a Temple to PRIAPUS near Padua with this Prayer that he would constantly guard their Fields c. Myroth Sacr. Elaeochris 2. c. 28. L. III. de Synedr c. 14. p. 290 309. With their Meat-offering Which was brought in the twelve Chargers and Bowls as a necessary Appendix to the Burnt-offerings and the Peace-offerings as is fully explained XV. 8 9. Ver. 88. This was the Dedication of the Altar Which Verse 88 is repeated here again to show why it was called the Dedication because this was the first solemn Sacrifice which was offered for the Tribes or particular Persons among them and therefore was the more sumptuous After that it was anointed Here the word day is omitted which is used v. 1. and v. 84. Moses intending only to let Posterity know that this Dedication followed not long after the anointing of the Tabernacle and the Altar whereby it was sanctified to God's Service Ver. 89. And when Moses was gone into the Tabernacle Verse 89 of the Congregation to speak with him That is with God This seems to be here mentioned because he had lately had a special occasion to
Children of the two Hand-maids in the four following Verses Where v. 12. Dan is set first he being the First-born of Bilhah whom Rachel gave Jacob for his Wife XXX Gen. 5. But then the next that follow are not reckoned according to the order of their Birth for Naphtali who was born next is placed the last and the youngest Son of Zilpah placed before the eldest For which we cannot now discern the reason though it is likely it was upon the account of some Pre-eminence or other which they had gained as Ephraim the youngest Son of Joseph is mentioned before Manasseh the eldest v. 10. because Jacob had given him the precedence when he blessed them before his Death XLVIII 19. Verse 6 Ver. 6. Of Simeon Shelumiel the Son of Zurishaddai There is less to be observed concerning the Names of these great Men of each Tribe for whatsoever the import of them may be in the Hebrew Language which Chytraeus and others have endeavoured to make out it signifies nothing to us Only most of them show how much God was in the Thoughts of those who imposed these Names on their Children for Elizur signifies my God the Rock and Shelumiel is as much as God my Peace or God my Rewarder and Zurishaddai my Rock Omnipotent or All-sufficient c. Verse 14 Ver. 14. The Son of Deuel So he is called also VII 42. and yet in the second Chapter v. 14. he is called the Son of Reuel For these two Letters Daleth and Resch are very often changed the one for the other As Ripath X Gen. 3. is called Dipath 1 Chron. I. 6. As on the other hand Dodanim X Gen. 4. is called Rodanim 1 Chron. I. 7. And it is to no purpose to heap up more Examples there are of this Verse 16 Ver. 16. These were the renowned of the Congregation The Hebrew word Keruim signifies properly Men called or named that is who had the Honour to be named by God to this Employment which made them more noble than they were before But without this respect to their Nomination by God this word signifies in general famous Men as we translate it XVI 2. XXVI 9. or renowned XXIII Ezek. 23. accordingly the vulgar translates it most noble Princes of the Tribes of their Fathers As appears more plainly from the noble Offerings which each of them made for the Dedication of the Altar Chap. VII Heads of thousands in Israel Men not only of great Authority such as Jethro advised Moses to take to his Aid in governing the People XVIII Exod. 21. but the highest of that Rank being chief Commanders over all the Thousands that were in their several Tribes under whom no doubt were many inferiour Officers of great account For so all People have found it necessary to submit themselves to the Government of some Supreme Power with several subordinate Rulers under it In which Israel excelled all other Nations being under the Government of God himself who appointed Moses immediately under him with several others as we here find to assist him For it is truly observed by Xenophon that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nothing is either so profitable for Men or so becoming as good Order And on the contrary nothing so mischievous or unseemly as Confusion Now Order is nothing else but the apt Disposition of every thing in its proper place for certain Ends and Uses Accordingly among Men nothing is more necessary than that every one should know and keep his place in that Degree and Rank that belongs to him As was here ordered by God for the Preservation and good Government of his People Ver. 17. And Moses and Aaron took these Men. To Verse 17 be their Associates in the numbering of the People Which are expressed by their Names Whom God himself marked out by name to be joined with them For as People cannot be preserved without Order so that cannot be preserved without Rulers and Governors and they will signifie nothing if their Authority be not reverenced and nothing can gain them such Reverence as a particular Designation by God to their Office Verse 18 Ver. 18. And they assembled all the Congregation together on the first Day of the second Month. They immediately executed their Commission on the same day they received it v. 1. summoning all the People to appear before them And they declared their Pedigrees The People instantly obeyed and every one showed from whom he was descended or it may refer to Moses and Aaron and the rest who set down every Man 's Original in the publick Tables After their Families by the house of their Fathers c. First they showed of what Family they were and then of what House in that Family and then the Name of every Person in that House was given in See v. 2. Such a kind of Distinction Cecrops made in Attica when he numbered the People whom he divided into four Tribes which in the days of Alcmaeon their last King were increased into ten every one of which had several People in it which were like the Families in Israel there being no less than ten or eleven People in that Tribe which was called after his own Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Meursius L. I. de Reg. Athen. cap. 7. Lib. II. cap. X. And every one knows how Rome at the first had three Tribes instituted by Romulus which were divided into ten Courts if I may so call them and those into certain Families which in after-times were increased into Five and thirty Tribes according to the Regions of the City Ver. 19. As the LORD commanded Moses so he Verse 19 numbered them With the assistance of the forenamed Persons In the Wilderness of Sinai Before they removed from Sinai which being upon the Twentieth Day of this Month X. 11. they finished this Work in so many Days or less Ver. 20. And the Children of Reuben Israels eldest Verse 20 Son by their Generations c. The word Generations seems to be larger than Families as that is than Houses comprehending every Family in that Tribe as Families comprehend every Houshold and Houshold comprehends every Person therein So the meaning is all that were descended from Reuben according to their several Families and Houses in those Families and Persons in those Houses Ver. 21. Those that were numbred of them c. were Verse 21 forty and six thousand and five hundred Some have observed that this Tribe was one of those who had the smallest number of Men in it in which they think was fulfilled the Prophecy of Jacob who foretold that Reuben should not excel XLIX Gen. 4. But I do not look upon this as solid for there were several Tribes who all this time had fewer Persons in it than this Particularly the Children of Joseph whom Jacob compared to a fruitful Bough XLIX Gen. 22. were very much fewer See below v. 33 35. Gad also Benjamin and Asher were fewer in number than Reuben who in this regard excelled Five Tribes
1 Deut. II. The LORD God of your Fathers make you a thousand times so many mo as you are and bless you as he hath promised you CHAP. VII Chapter VII Ver. 1. AND it came to pass on the day that Moses Verse 1 had fully set up the Tabernacle Which he did upon the first Day of the first Month of the second Year after they came out of Egypt XL Exod. 17 18. And had anointed it and sanctified it c. See VIII Levit. 10 11. where it is said he anointed also as it here likewise follows all belonging to it Which being seven days in doing as appears from v. 35. of that Chapter it is evident that the word Day doth not here precisely denote the very Day on which the Tabernacle was erected but more largely at or about that time as it must necessarily signifie v. 84. of this Chapter after he had set up the Tabernacle and not only sanctified and anointed it but received Orders about Sacrifices and anointed the Priests with the rest mentioned in the Book of Leviticus and also had numbred the People ordered their Encampment and the Encampment of the Levites and given them their Charge about the Tabernacle In short when Moses had done all the things mentioned hitherto in this Book then followed this Dedication of the Altar And whosoever will compare this Chapter with the second may easily be convinced that this Offering of the Princes was not made till the Camp was formed and the Tribes ranged under their several Standards For the Princes Offer held in the same Order and Method that they are disposed there Ver. 2. That the Princes of Israel heads of the House of their Fathers Mentioned Chap. I. 5 16. And were over them that were numbred This evidently Verse 2 shows that this Offering of the Princes was after the numbring of the People Offered In the Order that is set down in this Chapter Verse 3 Ver. 3. And they brought their Offering The LXX translate the Hebrew word Korbanam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Gift or their Present which they made to God Which consisted of several things for divers uses Before the LORD i. e. At the Door of the Tabernacle as it is explained in the end of the Verse Six covered Wagons and twelve Oxen. In the first place they made a Present for the Service of the Tabernacle it self That such parts of it as were most cumbersome might be more conveniently carried and that they might be free from Dust Rain or Hail The Wagons were covered being not ordinary Carriages but such as were used by great Persons So the LXX understood it who translate the Hebrew word Tzabbim by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the LXVI Isa 20. and here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now as Pollux reckons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Wagons and Chariots then used So Hesychius tells us as Learned Men have observed it signifies such Wagons as illustrious Men and Women used and that they were covered above A Wagon for two of the Princes This shows plainly enough that they were sumptuous and had perhaps rich Coverings in that two of the great Men joyned in the Present of one Wagon And for each one an Ox. That there might be a Pair of Oxen to draw each Wagon And it is probable those Oxen were yoked together which were offered by those two Princes who joined in offering one Wagon And they brought them before the Tabernacle Set them before the entrance of it Ver. 4. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying Verse 4 It seems Moses did not accept these Presents till he had Orders from the LORD in the next words Ver. 5. Take it of them Receive their Present as Verse 5 acceptable to me That they may be to do the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation He directs their use which was to carry the Tabernacle when they removed from one place to another And thou shalt give them to the Levites In order to which he directs him to bestow them upon the Levites who had the charge of that Carriage To every Man according to his Service In such Proportions as the things they had to carry required Ver. 6. And Moses took the Wagons and Oxen and Verse 6 gave them to the Levites In such Proportions as follow in the next two Verses Ver. 7. Two Wagons and four Oxen to the Sons of Verse 7 Gershon according to their Service As they were fewest in number that could do Service so they had less burdensome things to carry than the Sons of Merari IV. 25 40. and therefore had fewer Carriages allowed them Ver. 8. And four Wagons and eight Oxen he gave unto the Sons of Merari according to their Service They were the most numerous but had the greatest Verse 8 burden and therefore had allowance of more Carriages and Oxen IV. 31 32 48. Vnder the hand of Ithamar the Son of Aaron the Priest Who had the Inspection and Care both of the Gershonites and Merarites IV. 28 33. Verse 9 Ver. 9. But unto the Sons of Kohath he gave none For the reason that follows Because the Service of the Sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their Shoulders The LXX translate it more exactly because they had the Service of the holy thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Ark is called IV. 4. they shall carry it on their Shoulders Which was for the greater Honour and Dignity of the Ark and of the Law contained in it as Maimonides R. Levi ben Gersem and others observe And that the Form and Structure of the Ark might not be discomposed as Maimonides adds More Nevochim P. III. Cap. XLV nor the Ephod and the Breast-plate rufled as they might have been by the shaking of a Wagon Yet they all observe this was not so peculiar to the Sons of Kohath but that the Priests the Sons of Aaron upon some special occasion carried the Ark particularly when they went over Jordan III Josh 3. and at the Siege of Jericho at both which times a great Miracle was to be wrought And when Zadok and Abiathar carried it back to Jerusalem 2 Sam. XV. 29. though that I observed before may be otherways interpreted and there seems no reason why they should carry it back when the Levites brought it ver 24. and when Solomon's Temple was built 1 Kings VIII 6. for the Levites might not go into the Holy Place and therefore it was then carried by the Priests Ver. 10. And the Princes offered They brought the Offerings which they desired might be presented Verse 10 unto God For the dedicating of the Altar The Hebrew word Chanac which in one place of the Pentateuch signifies simply to begin to use or enjoy an House XX Deut. 6. here and several other places signifies the first Application and Addiction of any thing to Sacred Uses or to the Divine Service to which it had been designed and consecrated And this was done with some certain solemn
Words and Actions as Mr. Selden observes Lib. III. de Synedr Cap. XIII n. 1. and Cap. XV. n. 3. And so among the Latins the word inchoare when applied to Sacred things signifies to perfect or consummate as Servius observes upon the VI Aenead And both Civil and Sacred Initiations were accompanied with great Joy and Gladness But this is not to be understood as if the Dedication of the Altar was the setting of it apart and sanctifying it for the Service of God which had been done before and VII days spent therein XXIX Exod. 27. VIII Lev. 11. but as the word properly signifies the beginning to use it after it had been so sanctified In the day that it was anointed At the time that it was set apart and all other things ordered for the Safe-guard of the Tabernacle See v. 1. Even the Princes offered their Offering Presented their Gifts as the LXX translate it which they desired God would accept upon this great occasion Before the Altar At the Door of the Tabernacle near unto which the Altar stood XL Exod. 6. for he speaks of the Altar of Burnt-offerings Verse 11 Ver. 11. And the LORD said unto Moses they shall offer their Offering Here again Rasi observes that Moses would not receive their Offering till he knew the Mind of God Who directed in what manner and order their Gifts should be offered to him Each Prince on his day for the dedication of the Altar This made the Dedication a very long Solemnity which continued twelve days When these XII days began it is not easie to determine but it seems to me a very reasonable Computation which Fortunatus Scacchus hath made of this whole business Myrothec Sacr. Elaeochrism Lib. 2. Cap. LXXIV Where he supposes that the Tabernacle being erected the first Day of the first Month of the second Year after they came out of Egypt seven days were spent in the Consecration of it and of the Altar c. And on the eighth day Moses began to consecrate Aaron and his Sons which lasted VII days longer Then the fifteenth day of that Month was the first day of Unleavened Bread Which God commanded as we read here Chap. IX to be observed in the first Month and lasted till the Two and twentieth The rest of the Month we may well suppose was spent in giving receiving and delivering the Laws mentioned in the Book of Leviticus After which on the first day of the second Month he began to number the People according to the Command in the beginning of this Book Which may be supposed to have lasted three days And then on the fourth the Levites were numbred On the next day we may suppose they were offered to God and given unto the Priests on the sixth Day they were expiated and consecrated as we read in the next Chapter And on the seventh Day their several Charges were parted among them of which we read Chapter IV. After which the Princes he supposes began to offer upon the eighth Day of the second Month for the Dedication of the Altar which lasted till the nineteenth Day inclusively and on the twentieth Day of this Month they removed as we read X. 11 12. from Sinai to the Wilderness of Paran Ver. 12. And he that offered his Offering the first Verse 12 day By God's order no doubt Was Nahshon the Son of Amminadab of the Tribe of Judah He held the principal place among the Israelites being the NASI the Prince or Captain as we translate it II Numb 3. of the Children of Judah who had the first Standard And yet he alone of all the Twelve great Men here mentioned is not called NASI Prince of Judah as all the rest are called Princes of their Tribe v. 18 24 30 c. but simply Nahshon of the Tribe of Judah The Jews give several reasons of it but perhaps it was because he offered first which was honour enough and there needed no more to be said of him Ver. 13. And his Offering was one silver Charger Verse 13 the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty Shekels and one silver Bowl c. It appears by the Metal that this Charger and Bowl were of that they were for the use of the Altar of Burnt-offerings in the outward Court for all the Vessels of the Sanctuary were of Gold And I take this Charger or broad Dish or Platter to have been offered for receiving the Flesh which was offered at the Altar or the fine Flour for the Meat-offerings And the Bowl received the Blood or was used for pouring out Wine Both of them were full of fine Flour mingled with Oyl for a Meat-offering Which was to attend upon the Burnt-offering and the Peace-offering mentioned v. 15 17. See IV. 7. where I observed it was not difficult to procure this fine Flour in the Wilderness Verse 14 Ver. 14. One Spoon of ten Shekels of Gold full of Incense Both the Metal of which it was made and that which was in it shows this Spoon was for the use of the Golden Altar in the Sanctuary Which may incline one to think that both Altars were now dedicated that is first began to be used for the Service of the whole Congregation See v. 88. Verse 15 Ver. 15. One young Bullock one Ram one Lamb of the first Year There are so many Sacrifices mentioned here and in the two following Verses no less than XXI in all that together with the silver and gold Plate they look like too great a Present to be made out of one Man's private estate And therefore some have thought that the rest of the great Men of the Tribe of Judah joyned with Nahshon in their Contributions towards it and that it was offered in his own and their Names For a Burnt-offering This is first mentioned as being the most ancient sort of Sacrifice long before we read of any other and being an Acknowledgment of God's Soveraign Dominion over all Verse 16 Ver. 16. One Kid of the Goats for a Sin-offering This in all likelyhood was first offered though the other be first mentioned For in the next Chapter we find the Burnt-offering enjoyned in the first place but the Sin-offering offered before it VIII 8 12. The like I observed before VI. 16. See there Ver. 17. And for a Sacrifice of Peace-offerings two Oxen five Rams five He-goats five Lambs of the first year These Sacrifices were more numerous than the Burnt-offering or the Sin-offering because the Verse 17 Priests and the Princes and as many of the People as they invited had their share of them and feasted before the LORD upon them with great rejoycing Which Custom as Mr. Selden observes flowed from hence to the Gentiles who dedicated their Altars and Temples and Statues c. with much ceremony and the ancient Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with more sumptuous Sacrifices See L. III. de Synedriis cap. 14. num 111. Where he also shows how they were dedicated among the Romans with Plays
of them both together In the first Month of the second year after they were come out of the Land of Egypt In which Month they were commanded to keep the Passover in memory of their wonderful Deliverance from the Land of Egypt Verse 2 Ver. 2. Let the Children of Israel also keep the Passover at his appointed season Aaron having been lately consecrated and having offered all sorts of Sacrifices for himself and for the People and God having declared his acceptance by Fire from Heaven VIII IX Lev. God commanded the People should keep the Passover which he had lately admonished them was one of the Feasts of the LORD XXIII Lev. 5. But the first order for the observation of it being that they should keep this Service when they came to the promised Land XII Exod. 25. they might thence conclude there lay no Obligation upon them to keep it here in the Wilderness And therefore by a Special Precept they are required to keep it when the year was come about to the time of its first Observation that the memory of so singular a Benefit might not presently slip out of their mind See XIII Exod. 5. Ver. 3. In the fourteenth day of this Month at Even Verse 3 ye shall keep it in his appointed Season So it was ordained XII Exod. 6. XXIII Lev. 5. According to all the Rites of it With unleavened Bread and bitter Herbs and the other Rites mentioned XII Exod. 9 10. And according to all the Ceremonies thereof If there be any difference between Ceremonies and Rites I should think this belongs to their Eating it in haste with their Loyns girt Shoes on their Feet and Staves in their hands XII Exod. 11. Unto which they were not bound when they came into the Land of Canaan when they were no longer Travellers but it is likely were observed here in the Wilderness when they were in an unsettled Condition Ver. 4. And Moses spake unto the Children of Israel Verse 4 that they should keep the Passover According to all the Rites and Ceremonies belonging to it Ver. 5. And they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first Month at Even It was not hard to procure so much Flour as would serve to make Verse 5 unleavened Bread for that Even from some of their Neighbours about the Wilderness See IV. 7. In the Wilderness of Sinai Where they rested almost a whole Year But after they removed from thence were so uncertain in their Motions from place to place that they did not Circumcise their Children who consequently could not eat of the Passover And therefore we never read of its being kept after this during their forty Years stay in the Wilderness nor would they have been obliged as I said to keep it now without this Special Command Yet their Doctors say That this is written by Moses as a reproach to the Israelites that they observed no Passover in the Wilderness but this one alone Yet there are Christian Writers who deliver it as the Opinion of the Hebrews themselves that they kept another Passover a little before they ended their Wandrings in the Wilderness viz. in the first Month of the Year wherein Miriam died See Selden de Synedr Lib. II. cap. 2. n. 1. According to all that the LORD commanded Moses so did the Children of Israel They kept the Passover on the fourteenth Day at Even but perhaps did not keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven Days following For here is no mention of that and it had not been easie to provide so much Bread the want of which was supplied by Manna Verse 6 Ver. 6. And there were certain Men who were defiled by the dead Body of a Man And by a late Law for there is Nothing about this in the Original Law of the Passover XII Exod. no Unclean Person might eat of Holy Things VII Lev. 20. That they could not keep the Passover on that day On the fourteenth Day of the first Month at Even when the rest kept the Passover who were not defiled And they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day On the very Day that the Passover was kept Ver. 7. And these Men said unto him Though Verse 7 they came before them both whom they found sitting together yet they applied themselves to Moses only as the Supreme Judge in such singular Cases For the Judges which were constituted by the Advice of Jethro could not resolve this hard question and therefore they resorted to Moses unto whose Judgment all difficult Causes were reserved XVIII Exod. 22 26. See Selden L. II. de Synedriis cap. 1. n. 3. We are defiled by the dead Body of a Man And therefore some may think should have been excluded out of the Camp according to what was ordained V. 2. and consequently kept from coming with such Questions or about any other Business to Moses But it must be considered that when this hapned the Law now mentioned was not given for this was in the first Month of the second Year and that Law was not given till the second Month when the Camps were formed Wherefore are we kept back It was against their will that they were defiled by the dead Body of a Man which perhaps they were bound to bury and therefore they expostulate with Moses about their being denied the Liberty which others had pleading in effect it was not their Fault that they were defiled by the Dead but rather their Unhappiness and therefore why might they not challenge a Right in this Sacrifice as well as others seeing they had not forfeited it by any voluntary Guilt That we may not offer an Offering of the LORD The Passover is called the KORBAN of the LORD because it was to be killed and its Blood sprinkled which shows it to be properly a Sacrifice and then eaten by God's Commandment in a grateful remembrance of an exceeding great Benefit which shows it to be an Eucharistical Sacrifice For though the first Sacrifice in Egypt was to procure Deliverance to them and to avert the Evil which fell on the Egyptians by the destroying Angel Yet ever after it was a Thanksgiving for Deliverance then wrought by God's special favour to them Of which there was a compendious Commemoration made in their Paschal Rites XII Exod. 25 26 27. In his appointed season among the Children of Israel For if they did not perform this Service now they knew it was not lawful to be done at any other time Verse 8 Ver. 8. And Moses said unto them stand still Or wait here a while In which words Moses himself acknowledges the difficulty of the case which he could not resolve till he had first consulted the Divine Majesty about it Which teach Judges not to be ashamed to confess their Ignorance and take advice in Matters dubious as the Hierusalem Targum here observes But I see no such good ground for the other part of his Observation on this Verse that there being four difficult
yet they followed its motion This is a great Instance of their Obedience in this Particular for having rested but one Night they might be weary and very unwilling to take down their Tents and the Tabernacle and Travel again the next Morning Whether it was by Day or by Night that the Cloud was taken up they journeyed This is a further Instance of their being perfectly guided by God in this Matter that though they were at rest in their Beds yet if notice was given of the motion of the Cloud they rose up and went after it For they were sensible their safety depended upon the Protection and Guidance of this Cloud Ver. 22. Or whether it were two Days or a Month Verse 22 or a Year that the Cloud tarried upon the Tabernacle c. These words may seem superfluous saith Maimonides P. III. More Nevochim cap. 50. unto those who do not consider the intention of Moses in this Relation Which was to confute the conceit of prophane People who imagined the reason of the Israelites staying so long in the Wilderness was because they lost their way For the Arabians he saith in his days still called the Wilderness in which they travelled the wandring Desert fancying the Israelites here bewildred as we speak and could not find their way out but wandred like Men in the dark backward and forward not knowing which way to turn themselves Therefore the Scripture punctually shows that all their Removals which were irregular and the Time they rested in any Place which was very unequal being sometimes for eighteen Years some only for one Day or one Night were all ordered by a special direction of God For which Cause all the Circumstances of their Motion are recited so particularly by Moses Which shows also that the way from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea on the Borders of the Land of Canaan was a plain known and beaten Road of about eleven days Journey which it was not easie for them to miss And therefore the Cause of their going about and of their staying forty years in the Wilderness is that which Moses relates Verse 23 Ver. 23. At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the Tents c. This is the usual recapitulation of what goes before See Chapt. II. 34. IV. 49. VI. 21. And here was the more necessary because it gives an account of a most material thing their long stay in the Desert through which God thought fit to lead them XIII Exod. 17 18. They kept the charge of the LORD Moved or rested according to the Direction which God gave them At the commandment of the LORD See v. 18. By the hand of Moses By his Ministry who told them they were to be guided in their Motions by the Cloud And therefore they expected no other Commandment but that the LORD being in that Cloud and telling them by its Motion or Rest what they should do And when it did move no question it was so leisurely as that they their Children and Cattel might follow it with ease and be able to take their necessary Refreshment It is observable that in all these verses 18 20 23. where it is said they journeyed or rested al pi at the Mouth which we well translate at the Commandment of the LORD Onkelos renders it at the Mouth or Commandment of the WORD of the LORD Which WORD he takes to have given to Moses all the Commandments he received For so he translates those words XXV Exod. 22. And there will I meet thee by these and I will prepare or appoint my WORD to thee there to deliver that is the Divine Oracles and Answers to him CHAP. X. Chapter X Ver. 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying Verse 1 This Commandment concerning the Trumpets it is very likely was given before but not mentioned till now when there was an occasion for one principal use of them viz. the removal of their Camp v. 11. Ver. 2. Make thee two Trumpets There were several Verse 2 sorts of Trumpets of different form among the Ancients as Eustathius shows upon Homer's Iliad Ε p. 1138. where he mentions six The second of which was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turned up round like a Ram's horn which he saith the Egyptians used it being found out by Osiris when they called the People to their Sacrifices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was called in their Language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now in this Moses opposed the Egyptians which they would do well to take notice of who make their Customs to be of the greatest Antiquity for those which he here ordered to be made were long such as we use at present So Josephus tells us in whom there is a large description of them Lib. III. Antiq. cap. 11. where he saith they were a Cubit long and narrow like a Pipe but wider as ours are at the bottom Though only two be now ordered for present use it did not hinder their making more hereafter when both Priests and People also were multiplied See 2 Chron. V. 12. where in Solomon's time there were an hundred and twenty Priests sounding with Trumpets And Josephus mentions a vast number more Lib. VIII Antiq. cap. 2. Of silver These being Sacred Trumpets as Josephus frequently calls them it was fit they should be made of this pure Metal which gave them also a shriller sound Of one whole piece shalt thou make them As he did the Candlestick XXV Exod. 31. which made them the more firm and apter to give a certain and distinct sound That thou mayest use them for the calling of the Assembly and for the journeying of the Camps These are the two great uses for which they were designed Unto which some think a third is added v. 9. See there It is certain that in v. 10. another use of them is assigned Ver. 3. And when they i. e. The Priests v. 8. Shall blow With an equal and continued sound Verse 3 With them With both the Trumpets as appears from v. 4. All the Assembly shall assemble themselves to thee By this kind of sound with both the Trumpets the People understood that the whole Congregation was called to meet together At the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Which seems to have been the usual place where they assembled and made their meeting the more solemn because it was before the LORD Ver. 4. And if they blow but with one Trumpet then Verse 4 the Princes which are Heads c. If only one Trumpet made the sound before-mentioned it was intended to summon only the Princes of Israel to attend Moses Shall gather themselves to thee At the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation as was said before Ver. 5. When ye blow an alarm When they did Verse 5 not simply blow with a long even and plain blast but with an interrupted and a broken or trembling sound which had as the Jews say a plain Note before and after that a quavering We generally explain it by a Tara-tan-tara