burn Incense was within the Tabernacle at the Altar of Incense but this was an extraordinary occasion and a means enjoyned for the discovery of the Lords will whither these men or only Aaron and his Sons as formerly should enter into the Tabernacle to execute the Priests Office Corah having assembled his Confederates and the generality of the people before the Tabernacle and not finding Dathan and Abiram there as it should seem went to their Tents to talk with them see Ch. 26.10 and probably from them He went to his own Tent before Moses and the Elders came to the Tabernacle as presently they did In the mean time the 250 Conspirators on the one side taking fire from the Altar and putting it into their Censers and laying Incense thereon and Aaron near to whom Moses stood doing the like on the other God now signifies his approach and the actual manifestation of his Presence by the descending of the Cloud which used to hover over the Tabernacle to the door (x) See vers 42. of this Chap. and Ch. 12.5 thereof And the Lord spake to Moses and Aaron saying Separate your selves from among this Congreation that I may consume these Conspirators and all that joyn with them in a moment Then Moses and Aaron fell upon their faces before the Lord and said O God the God of the Spirits of all Flesh who formest the spirit of man within him Zach. 12.1 and seest and knowest the spirits and hearts of all men and art able to discern between those that sin obstinately and those that are only seduced by others and drawn hither only to see what would be done Shall one man sin viz. Corah the chief Incendiary and wilt thou be wroth with the whole Congregation Upon this intercession the Lord was pleased to spare the people that would depart from these Rebells And then imparting to Moses what He intended to do commands him to warn the Congregation to get away from the Tents of Corah Dathan and Abiram Moses accordingly rose up many of the Elders of Israel accompanying him to denounce the Judgment of God against these Conspirators and he warns the Congregation to depart from the Tents of these wicked men and to get far from them and to touch nothing of theirs as judging all that they have execrable and accursed lest they perish (y) V. 26. Lest you be consumed in all their sins that is lest you be destroyed in the Judgment that will fall upon them for all their sins the cause is here put for the effect in the Judgment which was ready to fall upon them for their great Sins and Provocations The people accordingly did so and fled from the Tents of these men but Dathan and Abiram impudently came out and stood in the doors of their Tents with their Wives and Children as if they intended to out-face Moses and scorned the Judgment he threatned against them Moses then sayed Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me and hath appointed me to take upon my self the Government of this people and hath conferred the Priesthood on Aaron and his Sons and that I have not done these things on my own head If these men die the common and ordinary death of other men then the Lord hath not sent me But if the Lord by his Almighty Power do work a new and hitherto-unheard of Miracle so that the Earth open her mouth and swallow them up quick then you must needs acknowledge that I am innocent and that these men have highly provoked the Lord. Moses having made an end of speaking the Earth immediately opened her mouth and swallowed up * An undoubted evidence of Gods concurrence with the ministry of Moses and withall an undoubted assurance of the divine truth of Moses's Writings these Rebels and all that appertained to them that were there present And the same it seems happened and probably at the same time to Corah and his Family as appeareth Numb 26.10 only some of his Children who as 't is like joyned not in their Fathers sin or if they did soon repented of it and gave over and departed from their Fathers Tent at Moses's warning were spared And of their Race came such as either composed some of the Psalms or at least were famous Singers in the Temple and Samuel also the great Prophet and Judge in Israel was of that Race see 1 Chron. 6.33 to 38. Thus perished the Ringleaders of this Rebellion All the Israelites that were near them fled at the Cry of them fearing lest the Earth should swallow up them also And as a further addition to the dreadfulness of this Judgment there came fire out from the Lord and consumed their 250 Confederates who had offered Incense and usurped the Priests Office They are punished with fire as by fire they had offended see Levit. 10.2 Moses now by Gods Command appointeth Eleazar the Son of Aaron to gather up the Censers from among the ashes of the dead bodies of these men that were burnt and consumed and to scatter the fire that was in them without the Court of the Tabernacle as shewing that God rejected it and their Service and abhorred their Sacrifice And he tells him That the Censers of these Sinners against their own Souls were now hallowed (z) Sanctificata dicuntur quia ex deputatione Dei servire deinceps debebant divina gloriae illustrandae having been presented before the Lord by his Commandment and he orders him to make broad Plates of them for a covering of the Altar (a) A parte anteriori altaris ponebantur ut a populo conspici possint of Burnt-Offerings which was covered with Plates of Brass before see Exod. 27.2 And the less need there was of them the fitter they were to be a sign of Gods Judgment against presumptuous Conspirators and of his vindicating and clearing the innocency of his faithful Servants and to be a Memorial to the Children of Israel that all Israelites and Levites excepting Aaron's Sons are to be reckoned as Strangers in respect of the Priests Office and may not aspire to it lest they perish as Corah and his Confederates did However the very next morning after those dismal Judgments had been executed all the Congregation of the people that were inclined to this Faction whose lives Moses had saved the day before by praying to the Lord for them murmured against Him and Aaron and peremptorily told them That they had killed the Lords people Moses and Aaron being thus injuriously charged looked up to God as having no other Refuge or Shelter to fly unto and immediately behold the Cloud descended upon the Tabernacle as a sign of the approach and actual manifestation of the glorious Presence of God and that he intended to speak something unto them Moses and Aaron presenting themselves before the Lord the Lord bad them get them up presently from among this rebellious Company that he might consume them in a moment But they fell
of my Providence mercifully visited them and have observed what hath been done unto them in Egypt and that I do intend assuredly to deliver them out of the House of Bondage and will bring them into Canaan a Land abounding with all things serving both for Necessity and Delight And the Elders of the People shall hearken unto thee and shall go along with thee to Pharaoh (g) The deniall of this will make Pharaoh the more inexcusable and the Justice of God more manifest upon him and you shall say unto him The Lord God of the Hebrews hath appeared to us and commanded us to offer to Him a Sacrifice and to celebrate to Him a Feast thereon and hath commanded Us to come to thee and to request of Thee so much liberty that we may go three days Journey (h) Viz. To Horeb v. 12. which was but a three days Journey from Egypt had they gone the direct way But because of troubles and fears they were led about Exod. 13.17 18. So that they came not thither till the third month Exod. 19.1 into the Wilderness to perform this Sacrifice (i) In Egypt they could not do it without danger from the Egyptians to whom their Sacrifices were such an abomination that to offer them before their eyes might provoke them to stone them Exod. 8.26 to the Lord our God The Lord further adds I know Pharaoh will be so obstinate that he will not let you go no not by a mighty Hand that is no not though divers great and heavy Plagues be inflicted on him For I will stretch out my Hand upon Egypt and will smite them with all those great and smarting Plagues which I intend to bring upon them and I know that not till after the last and tenth Plague viz. the slaying of their First-born will he let you go And I will before I bring you out of Egypt give you favour in the eyes of the Egyptians and they shall be willing to lend (k) Annon dolo malo usi sunt qui haec petebant cum aliud in animo haberent Non est mendacium sed silentium integrae veritatis Non dixerunt se hoc tantum facturos partem consilii aperit Deus Tyranno partem celat quia est liberrimus Deut. 2.30 1 Sam. 16.1 you any thing you shall desire of them viz. Jewels of Silver and of Gold and fine Raiment and you shall put them upon your Sons and upon your Daughters and so you shall come forth with great Substance as I have promised Gen. 15.14 (l) This was no Theft or Sin God having commanded it who is Lord Paramount of all and likewise intended hereby to recompence his People for the Injuries they had received from the Egyptians and that by these Spoils they might be furnished with precious Materials for the Tabernacle and shall spoil the Egyptians Moses Replies That he feared his Country-men the Hebrews would be very difficult at first to believe him or that God had indeed appeared to him and humbly desires to know what he should do in that case The Lord to incourage him against his fears furnishes him with Power to work Miracles which might be an Evidence of the Divine Presence with him and a Seal to the Israelites that he came with Commission from God and that God had sent him Accordingly first he bids him throw down his Rod or Staff which he had in his hand upon the ground and suddenly it became a Serpent (m) To change one Creature into another not in appearance only but really requires a Divine Power so that Moses was ready to fly from it out of fear But God Commands him to take it by the tail which he accordingly did and it became immediately a Rod again Then God commanded him to put his hand into his Bosom which when he plucked it out again it was become as white and leprous as Snow Then God commanded him to put it into his Bosom again and when he drew it out this second time behold it was as whole and sound as his other hand Then the Lord tells him That if the Children of Israel were not wrought upon nor did incline to believe him for the first Sign possibly they would for the second But if it should so happen that they should not be brought to believe him for either of these when he came into Egypt he should take of the water of the River Nilus and pour it upon the ground and it should presently become blood upon the dry Land which should be a further Demonstration to them that God had sent him Moses being still fearful Replied Ah Lord I am not Eloquent (n) Indeed Stephen said of him Acts 7.22 That he was mighty in words that is He was an excellent Speaker as to the substance of what he spake yet some defect he had as to his utterance Some think he had a stammering Tongue which made him say Ch. 6.12 How shall Pharaoh hear me who am of uncircumcised lips I am not a man of a free and ready Speech as those should be who are employed to speak to Princes I am slow of speech I was so formerly neither do I find the matter much mended with me since thou didst vouchsafe to speak to me and Call me to this great Service The Lord answered Who hath given to man the faculty of Speech or who deprives him of that faculty and so of Hearing or Seeing Do not I the Lord give these Abilities and take them away at my pleasure Now therefore Go I will be with thy mouth and will teach thee what thou shalt say But Moses being still under great fears and deeply apprehensive of his own unfitness for so difficult a Service He cried out Ah Lord I pray thee send by the Ministry of such an one whom thou wilt find fitter for this great Service than I am whoever he be and send not by me who am so unfit and so unable Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses for this his distrustful Despondency (o) Modeste renuentem passus est Mosen Deus non obstinatius reluctantem and He said Is not Aaron the Levite thy Brother I know that he is a good Spokes-man and he shall be joyned in Commission with thee and I will by an inward motion of my Spirit cause him to come forth to meet thee and he will be heartily glad to see thy face again and thou shalt instruct him concerning this your common Commission and I will teach you both what you shall do He shall speak to the people as from thee and thou shalt give Direction and Counsel to him as from Me revealing my Mind and Will unto him and acquainting him what he shall say to Pharaoh Ch. 7. 1. And thou shalt take this Rod of thine in thy hand and with it thou shalt do Signs and Wonders before Pharaoh and the Egyptians Ch. 3. whole Chapter Ch. 4. from vers 1. to vers
Circumcision was with the Jews a Badge of God's people Therefore those that were not Circumcised were counted profane and their Uncircumcision was counted a grievous blemish Hence it was that in a Figurative Speech they counted those things that had any natural or moral blemish uncircumcised as a Heart or Mind or Tongue uncircumcised Hinc homines viles ad aliquam rem inepti incircumcisi ea parte vocantur and had an imperfection in his speech and utterance and was very unfit to be sent to Pharaoh on such a Message as that was However God bids Him and Aaron go again to the Children of Israel and to encourage them with expectation of Deliverance and to go to Pharaoh to require him in his Name to let them go Moses and Aaron being thus to be imployed as Instruments in the Hand of God of this great Deliverance their Stock and Lineage is here set down to shew that they were both descended of Levi and this might possibly be so ordered by the Spirit of God as an Antidote against the fabulous Reports of Heathen Writers such as Justin and Tacitus who tell false Stories of the Original both of Moses and of the people of the Jews Which things though they happened not till many years after yet were now fore-seen by the Spirit of God who assistâ—â— Moses in penning this History And Moses being to set down his own and Aarons Descent from Levi for orders sake he begins with the Stock of Reuben and Simeon Levi's elder Brothers And possibly in this place he mentions only those three and not the Heads of the other Tribes that it might appear that they were not rejected of God notwithstanding Jacob's severe Commination Gen. 49.3 5. As also to shew that though Reuben and Simeon were elder then Levi yet God had freely chosen out of the Tribe of Levi Moses to be the first Captain of his people and his Brother Aaron the first High Priest to whom his Posterity should succeed in that Office And these are that very Moses and Aaron whom the Lord commanded to bring forth the Children of Israel out of Egypt who were increased now to many thousands so that they might be called the Hosts of the Lord Exod. 12.37 41. Ch. 5. whole Chapter Ch. 6. from vers 1. to 28. SECT LXIII MOses being now 80 (t) The reason why Moses's age is here set down seems to be to shew how long God in his wise Providence had suffered the Egyptians to oppress the Israelites with such cruel bondage even before the birth of Moses till he came to be 80 years of age And the reverence and respect due to the venerable age He and Aaron were of rendred them the more fit to undertake such a service and Aaron 83 years of Age they are commanded by the Lord to go again to Pharaoh to require him to dismiss the people Moses would have excused himself again because he was not Eloquent but the Lord tells him Behold I have made thee a God (u) Quia adversus Pharaonem divinam quandam potestatem exercuit dum ab eo timetur dum oratur dum punit dum medetur dum verbo animalia quasi creat destruit coelum denique ac terram commovet ut explicat Hilarius lib. 7. de Trin. to Pharaoh that is one to whom the Word of God shall come and by whom it shall be made known to Aaron and by him to Pharaoh For Aaron shall be thy Interpreter and Spokes-man But I know that Pharaoh will not hearken unto you but will harden his heart against all that you shall say However be not discouraged thereat for I will multiply my Signs and Wonders in the Land of Egypt and will bring forth my Hosts that is my people the Children of Israel by inflicting great Plagues and Judgments on the Egyptians and they shall know that I am the Lord by the Judgments that I will execute upon them and by which I will at last deliver my people Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them and went again unto Pharaoh requiring him in the Name of the Lord to let the Children of Israel go out of his Land Pharaoh asks them How he shall know that they were sent of God What Miracle could they work to induce him to believe it Moses hereupon gave Aaron his Rod and bad him cast it upon the ground and said It should become a Serpent and Aaron did so before Pharaoh and his Servants and accordingly it became a Serpent (x) It seems the change wrought before Pharaoh was not into an ordinary Serpent called Nehash but into some greater Creature here called a Dragon Tavin Then Pharaoh called for his Magicians and Sorcerers wherewith the Land of Egypt abounded and whereof the chief at that time were Jannes and Jambres 2 Tim. 3.8 and they did the like in outward shew and appearance but not in reality the Devil by whose Power they did work casting a mist before the peoples eyes whereby they thought they saw that which indeed was not I say these Magicians cast down their Rods and they seemed to be turned also into Serpents (y) Dici potest veros dracones sive Serpentes aliunde adductos ope Damonis virgarum loco fuisse substitutos ita fallendo oculos ut nemo praestigias istas animadverteret or Dragons Some aerial Representations possibly of them being there made by the art of the Devil or possibly the Devil might bring thither some true Serpents unperceiveably from other places and might remove the Rods from the peoples eyes But the Dragon or Serpent into which Aarons Rod was turned swallowed (z) Notandum praestigias Magorum non obfuisse Mosi sed magis profuisse Semper enim aliquid adsuit quo divina signa praecellerent Nam Serpens Moysis devoravit eorum Serpentes Aquam illi in sanguinem mutare potuerunt non rursum sanguinem in aquam ranas afferre non tollere Nempe ut per eas plagae augeri possent non minui Post devorationem Virga Aaronis in statum pristinum reversa est up theirs God hereby shewing that the Power whereby Moses and Aaron had wrought their Miracle was infinitely above that of Satan whereby the Magicians had endeavoured to equal the Work which Moses had done Yet notwithstanding this Miracle Pharaoh's heart was still hardened so that he would not let the people go as God had foretold Exod. 6. vers 28 29 30. Exod. 7. from 1. to 14. SECT LXIV PHaraoh continuing still obstinate God sends Moses and Aaron again to him and by their Ministry inflicts ten Plagues successively upon the Eyptians from which the Israelites as 't is probable were wholly exempted See Exod. 8.22 9.26 10.23 All which are reckoned Psal 78. 105. which Plagues were all sent within one month in this Order 1. God Commands Moses and Aaron to go and meet Pharaoh the next Morning First Plague Their waters turned into Bloud
Hand O Lord is become Glorious in Power Thy right Hand hath broken and destroyed the Enemy and by thy glorious and excellent Power thou hast overthrown the Egyptians who in rising up against thy people did rise up against thee Thou didst send forth thy Wrath which consumed them utterly and speedily even as stubble is consumed by the fire With the blast of thy Nostrils the Waters were gathered together that is by a mighty Wind raised by thine Almighty Power accompanied with a great Noise (p) To this the Prophet seems to have reference Hab. 3. 10. the Sea was divided and the Waters were heaped up on either side and stood like congealed or compacted Walls in the heart of the Sea The Enemy said I will pursue overtake and divide the Spoil my lust shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my Sword my Hand shall destroy them But thou O Lord didst soon confound their vain Imaginations For thou didst blow with a mighty Wind and immediately the Waters came together again and the Sea covered them they sank as lead in the deep Waters Who is like unto thee O Lord among the Gods who among all the false Gods of the Heathen or the mightiest men on the Earth is in any degree worthy to be compared to Thee who art glorious in holiness fearful in praises that is to be praised with a great measure of filial fear and awfulness doing Wonders Thou stretchedst out thy Hand and the Earth swallowed them that is those of them whose bodies were cast up by the Waves upon the shore were thrown into Pits by us and there buried Thou in thy great Mercy hast brought forth thy people whom thou hast redeemed out of the Land of Egypt and hast thus far led them by thine Almighty Power and Strength towards the Land of Canaan where thou hast determined to set up thy holy Temple thy resting Place Psal 132.14 The Place which thou hast chosen where thy holy Worship shall be set up and established and where thou hast promised to dwell that is to afford thy special Presence See 1 Kings 9. vers 3. The Second Part of this Song is Prophetical beginning at v. 14. The people shall hear and be afraid sorrow shall take hold on the Inhabitants of Palestina That is the report of this dreadful overthrow of Pharaoh shall so amaze and astonish the Inhabitants of Palestina the Dukes of Edom and the mighty men of Moab (q) See this Prophesie fulfilled Numb 22.3 Josh 2.9 5.1 and the Inhabitants of Canaan that their very hearts shall faint and melt with fear as wax does before the fire insomuch that they shall be as still as a stone and Israel shall pass over Jordan into Canaan without opposition Thou wilt bring them in and plant them in the Mountain of thine Inheritance that is in Canaan a mountanous Country Deut. 11.11 and particularly thou wilt bring them to Mount Moriah which thou hast chosen as thine Inheritance and where by thy own Hands and Power thou intendest to establish thy Sanctuary and where thou hast promised to dwell and to afford thy gracious Presence The Lord will Reign for ever and ever in spight of all his Enemies Miriam (r) She was the Sister of Moses also but her reference to Aaron was best known by reason of Moses's absence She is said to be the wife of Hur by the Hebrews the Sister of Aaron who had the Spirit of Prophesie Numb 12.2 and was one of the three Principal Guides which God gave his people Mich. 6.4 took a Timbrel in her hand and the Women followed her playing on their Timbrels also according to the Custom in publick Rejoycings Judg. 11.34 and they expressed their exultation and rapture of Mind by lively motions and tripudiations of their Bodies and when the Men had sang a Verse of this Song then She with the Women sung it over again at least they repeated the first Verse of it Sing to the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the Horse and his Rider hath he thrown into the Sea And possibly they added For his Mercy endureth for ever as 't is Psal 136. 2 Chron. 5.13 With this Song of Moses for Victory over the Egyptian-Pharaoh the Holy Ghost compares the Song of them that shall be Victorious over the Spiritual Pharaoh viz. the Beast and Antichrist Rev. 15. from 1. to 5. Exod. 15. from 1. to 22. SECT VI. THe Israelites being now come on the other side of the Red-Sea they marched three whole days thorow the Wilderness of Shur (s) Called also the Wilderness of Etham Numb 33.8 one might be the general name of the whole Wilderness and the other of some part of it It seems the Wilderness on both sides of the Red-Sea was called the Wilderness of Etham but found no water all the way As for Food 't is probable they were sustained with that unleavened Bread and other provisions they had brought with them out of Egypt At last they came to Marah their fifth Encamping where they found water indeed but it was so bitter they could not drink it hereupon they murmur against Moses asking him in a discontented mood What they should drink Moses upon this Cries unto the Lord who shewed him a Tree which when he had cast into the waters the waters were made sweet But the changing of the nature and tast of the waters was to be attributed to the Power of God and not to any vertue in that Tree After God had thus tried them and proved them not only by their want of water but by his present favourable dealing with them in not punishing them for their murmuring as he might justly have done He then admonishes them by Moses to take heed of this sin of murmuring against Him or distrusting of Him and to carry themselves more obediently towards Him for the future And so he made this a Statute and an Ordinance That if they would do that which was right in his sight and would obey his Commandments and keep all his Statutes he would bring none of those Diseases and Plagues upon them which he had brought on the Egyptians For He was their Healer (t) V. 26. Medicus quia ex omnibus periculis malis tam animarum quam corporum quae morbis morti saepe comparantur homines sibi confisos liberat Psal 103. v. 3. Glasius and could heal not only their Bodies but their Souls also by forgiving their sins and sanctifying their natures Exod. 15. from 22. to 27. SECT VII FRom Marah they removed to Elim their sixth Station famous for twelve Wells of water and 70 Palm-Trees And here it seems they stayed many days because the Place was so pleasant and convenient by reason of the waters and the shade Exod. 15. vers 27. SECT VIII FRom Elim they turned back again to the Red-Sea which was their seventh Station as appears from Numb 33.10 the Lord so ordering it as 't is probable that
their eleventh station at Rephidim by Mount Sinai struck the Rock in Horeb as God commanded Him and water came forth And he named the place Massah or Meribah But here at this their 33th station 38 years after with Aaron's budded Rod having his spirit provoked by these rebellious people He smites the Rock twice without any such Command or Commission from God to smite it at all And he and Aaron likewise as it seems speak unadvisedly with their lips * See Psal 106.33 uttering words of passion and distrust possibly to this purpose Hear now ye Rebels must we fetch you water out of this Rock Never imagine that God will work such a Miracle for such a rebellious Crew as ye are However the Rock gave forth water abundantly God was very angry with Moses and Aaron that they had thus distrusted him and had not sanctified * V. 12. Ut sanctificaretis me alloquendo Petram Et miraculum cum fiducia praedicendo Ita mortem His interminatur ut populus intelligeret sibi non parciturum Deum qui viris tantis non pepercerit Porro haec Feri allegoria uti non Moses Hebraeos sed Joshua perduxit in Palestinam ita non Lex in caelum nos verum Christus evehit Demum hinc palam est quo spiritu haec Moses scripserit qui vitia net celet sua nec suorum Vide Cap. 12.1 Anonym in loc Publice peccarunt ideoque severius cum iis egit Deus quam alibi cum Moses infidelitatem proderet Numb 11.22 23. quia tum primum peccavit him inwardly in their hearts by trusting in Him 1 Pet. 3.15 nor glorified him outwardly by ascribing to him the glory of his truth and power before the Children of Israel and therefore He tells them They shall not bring that people into Canaan see Deut. 3.25 26. And as the former place at Rephidim was called Massah and Meribah viz. a place of Strife and Contention because the people there strove with the Lord that is contended with Moses his Servant which he accounts as contending with Himself so shall this also be called And thus the Lord was sanctified in them or among them that is among the Israelites by giving them water and thereby manifesting his Almighty Power Faithfulness and his Goodness and Compassion towards them notwithstanding their great Provocations Numb 20. from 1. to 14. SECT LXIX MOses now by Gods direction sends Messengers to the King of Edom to desire Him that He would please to permit them who were His own flesh and blood as being descended from Jacob Brother to Esau to pass thorow his Country that being the nearest and most convenient way into Canaan And they amiably desire this because God had charged them that they should not meddle with the Sons of Esau or their possession Deut. 2.4 5. He tells him He cannot but have heard of their sore and long Troubles and Oppressions which they suffered in Egypt and how upon their crying unto the Lord he sent his Angel viz. his own eternal Son the Angel or Mediator of the Covenant of Grace see Exod. 3.2 and Mal. 3.1 who conducted them in the way by a Cloud and Pillar of fire He tells him They would not turn aside into their Fields or Vineyards to do them any damage and would drink only of their Rivers that were common and not meddle with their Wells digged for their private use which were very precious in those hot and dry Countries without paying for it But the King of Edom would not consent to it so they were forc'd to fetch a compass thorow the Wilderness which lay about the Land of Edom. Notwithstanding as they went along their Coasts in the out-skirts of their Country the Edomites afforded them Victuals for their money Deut. 2.29 though they did not come forth to meet them with bread and water as men use to do who wish success and prosperity to those to whom they bring it see Deut. 23.3 4. Numb 20. from vers 14. to 22. SECT LXX FRom Kadesh the Camp removes to mount Hor. * A hill in Mosera Deut. 10.6 or whos 's other top was called Moscra From this Mount Hor the people that were driven out of this Country by Esau were called Horims Deut. 2.12 and Esau is called the Horite Gen. 36.20 Here God tells Moses That Aaron should be gathered unto his people that is his godly fore-Fathers that died before him see Gen. 25.8 Heb. 12.23 He commands him to bring Aaron and Eleazar his Son up to the top of Mount Hor. And they accordingly went up in the sight of all the Congregation Here Aaron being attired in all his glorious Vestments Moses strips him of them and puts them upon Eleazar his Son to shew that God had appointed him to succeed in his Fathers Office and that the High Priests eldest Son (k) Eleazar's Sons did succeed him to the time of the Judges Then the High Priesthood was translated to the Posterity of Ithamar the other Son of Aaron for Eli was of the stock of Ithamar or the next Heir of their Family unless rendred uncapable by some blemish was still to succed in that Office Thus on the first day of the fifth month in the fortieth year after their coming out of Egypt Aaron being an 123 years old (l) See Numb 33.38 died seven months and seven days before Moses and was there buried and the whole Congregation mourned for him 30 days * So long they mourned for Moses Deut. 34.8 Numb 20. from vers 22. to the end SECT LXXI AT this time King Arad the Canaanite whose Country lay in the South of Canaan understanding by the Spies he had sent forth to observe the course of the Israelites V. 1. By the way of the Spies it might be a way so called and well known by that name at that time that they were turned back again from the Red-Sea and marched directly upon the South of Canaan not knowing of Moses's purpose to compass the Land of Edom he immediately marched forth with his Army as far as Mount Hor in the edge of the Desart where the Israelites now lay and there fought with them and took some of them Prisoners The Israelites intending to renew the battel and again once more to encounter Arad and his Army they call'd upon the Lord for help and vowed unto Him that if he would please to deliver these Enemies into their hands they would utterly destroy and burn their Cities and that nothing of their Goods should be reserved for their own private use The Lord was pleased to hear their prayer so that in the second battel they vanquish'd and overcame them But how could the Israelites being so far off in the Wilderness destroy their Cities lying in Canaan Numb 33.40 into which they came not till after Moses's death It seems the performance of this Vow was long after made viz. when they were come unto the Land For the King of
Kingly calling so that he should not as before set his heart on Husbandry and Cattel c. but upon such things as tended to the good Government of his Kingdom both in Peace and War And Samuel tells him that if he found all these things to fall out just as he had foretold him he might from thence assure himself that he was chosen of God to be King over Israel and when any occasion or opportunity was offered him of doing any thing for the benefit of his Kingdom he need not fear to undertake it for God would be with him while he walked in his wayes to assist and prosper him Samuel also injoins him that when he was to make war against the Philistines upon such a weighty business he should go down to Gilgal and there wait for him seven days that he might offer Sacrifices for him and direct him from the Lord what he should do And 't is probable this seven days waiting was injoined because Samuel might be hindred from coming sooner by some necessary intervenient occasion or rather for the trial of Saul's faith and obedience to God in waiting his appointed time upon which condition and not otherwise he was to be established in the Kingdom and possibly Samuel expressed his Charge more fully and amply to Saul than is here related These things having passed between them Saul now took his leave of him and when he was gone from him God gave him another heart that is wrought in him a sensible change taking him off from his former thoughts and designs about private Country-affairs and endowing him with magnanimous thoughts and Heroical gifts fit for a King and the Government of a Kingdom And all the signs Samuel foretold him of exactly came to pass as particularly when he came to the Hill of God before mentioned he met a company of Prophets and the Spirit of God came upon him and he prophesied among them and spake of Divine matters above his former abilities and sang the praises of God as 't is probable with musical skill as they did and the inhabitants of Gibeah his friends and acquaintance who had known him and his education were amaz'd to see this sudden and extraordinary change in him and said one to another what is this that is come to the Son of Kish Is Saul also among the Prophets How comes Saul on a sudden to be furnished with such gifts and abilities of Musick and Prophesying who has not been trained up among the Sons of the Prophets but in his Fathers Country-affairs Unto whom one of the same place who it seems was wiser than the rest made answer by asking another question But who is their Father As if he should have said wonder not at this seeing all these whom ye hear and see thus Prophesying have not these gifts from their Parents but from God who is a free agent and inspireth whom he pleaseth and having conferred these gifts on them is alike able if he please to confer them on Saul also therefore it became a Proverb when they saw any man raised to parts and abilities above his birth and breeding to say of him Is Saul among the Prophets And when Saul had made an end of Prophesying he went to the high-place to praise God for his singular favour unto him and his high advancement and to pray to him for the further assistance and guidance of his holy Spirit and for his protection and blessing upon his endeavours Next Saul's Uncle the Father of Abner Ch. 14.15 meeting him either in this place of Religious worship or else as he was coming down from it into the City and hearing how he had Prophesied among the Prophets inquir'd of him where he had been and how he came to be endued with this extraordinary gift and understanding He had been with Samuel He askt him what he said to him He told him that Samuel acquainted him that the Asses were found but he forbear to tell him what he said to him concerning his Election to be King being unwilling as 't is like to give to his Vncle or any of his kindred any occasion to envy him the honour to which God had advanc'd him and Samuel having been so private in the carriage of the business it was an intimation to him not to discover it till God should himself openly make it known 1 Sam. Ch. 9. whole Chapter Ch. 10. from 1 to 17. SECT CLXI SAmuel now calls the people together to appear before the Lord at Mizpeh in order to the chusing of a King when they were met he spake to them after this manner Thus saith the Lord I brought you up out of Egypt and delivered you out of the hands of the Egyptians and out of the hands of all Kingdoms and Nations that oppressed you And you have this day rejected your God who himself saved you out of all your adversities and tribulations and you have rejected his Prophet and said unto him Nay but set a King over us so that by asking a King you have as it were shaken off Gods Government over you Well therefore seeing you are so bent upon it and resolved to have a King present your selves before the Lord by your Tribes and your Families (a) The Tribes of Israel were divided into certain companies each company consisting of a thousand men Mich. 5.2 this day that by casting lots it may be known whom God will make choice of for this purpose Accordingly they casting lots the Tribe of Benjamin was taken then the Family of Matri then the houshold of Kish and lastly the person of Saul Saul as it seems understanding how things went out of modesty withdrew and hid (b) Modeste prudenter fecit Saul ut apparerer eum vocante Domino non malis artibus aut ambitu ad regnum venisse Et cum audivisset Samuelem Israelitas objurganeem quod Regem postularunt inde novum quendam timorem accedendi ad regnum concepit himself so that they could not find him Therefore they inquired of the Lord either by the High-Priest and by Vrim and Thummim or possibly by Samuel whether the person chosen would come thither to them or else how they should find him The Lord answered he hath hid himself among the stuff that is among the furniture of his own Tent. Immediately they ran and fetched him thence and when he stood among the people he was higher than any of them by head and shoulders Samuâ—l then said to them Behold the person whom God hath chosen to be your King there is not so goodly and proper a person (c) Nota hic Samuelem nullis invidentiae acultis stimulari imo eâ—m laudat commendat among you all The people hereupon gave a great shout and said God save the King Then Samuel told them the manner of the Kingdom * V. 25. Aliqui intelligunt bene regnandi praetepta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quales habet egregrias Socrates
on their faces and interceeded with the Lord for them God by his Spirit informs Moses That he had sent a Plague among them and directs him what course to take for the stopping of it Hereupon he calls to Aaron to take his Censer and to put fire into it from off the Altar and to put Incense thereon and to run quickly and make atonement for the people and to stand between the living and the dead (b) Incense was only to be offered upon the Altar of Incense in the Tabernacle but this was done upon an extraordinary occasion and by an extraordinary warrant of divine Inspiration for he tells him Wrath was gone out from the Lord the Plague was begun And Aaron did as Moses commanded him yet the Plague ran so swiftly among the people like fire in a field of Corn that before Aaron could interpose himself to make atonement wherein he was a Figure of Christs Intercession there fell fourteen thousand and seven hundred of those rebellious Murmurers see 1 Cor. 10.10 and then the Plague was stayed and Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the Tabernacle to acquaint him how he had sped and to return thanks unto the Lord who had so graciously accepted the work of his hands Numb 16. whole Chapter SECT LXIV THat none might for the future presume to usurp the Office of the Priesthood or aspire to it besides Aaron and his Sons God was pleased to enjoyn Moses to take of each Prince of the twelve Tribes a Rod or Staff such as they did usually carry in their hands which were it seems according to the Custom of those times made of Almond-Tree and to write every Princes Name on his Rod and to write Aaron's Name upon the Rod of the Tribe of Levi. He tells him That the mans Rod whom he did choose to serve him in the Priesthood should blossom and the rest remain dry And God orders Moses to lay all the Rods up in the Tabernacle in the most holy place before the Ark of the Testimony where the Lord did use by glorious signs to testifie his Presence and make known his Will unto them see Exod. 25.22 For upon such extraordinary occasions we need not doubt but Moses used to go into the most holy place Accordingly next morning Moses went in thither and he found that the Rod of Aaron had shot forth branches and some of them had buds on them and some blossoms and others yielded Almonds but all the rest of the Rods remaining dry as they were before Then Moses brought out all the Rods and shewed them to the Children of Israel and the Princes took every man his Rod and found them dry sticks as before but Aaron's Rod flourished and had brought forth Buds Blossoms and Fruit by which Miracle they were convinced that God had chosen Aaron and his Sons to be the only Priests that should serve Him at the Altar And hereupon God orders Moses to lay up Aaron's Rod again in the most holy place before the Ark to be kept there * See Apostol Hist on Heb. 9.6 as a Testimony against any such Children of Rebellion as should ever after presume to usurp the Office of the Priesthood And by this means also he might prevent the murmurings and complainings of the people which if they went on in they would thereby bring certain destruction upon their own heads The people hearing these things and being exceedingly terrified with this threatning and the remembrance of those late dreadful Judgments that had carried away so many among them they cry out unto Moses Alas we die we perish we all perish that is we see we are in continual danger of being swept away with terrible Judgments And as men terrified are wont to conceive their danger to be greater than indeed it is they now apprehend that it would be exceeding dangerous for them to come near the Tabernacle or to be present at any Worship or Service there performed and seem to fear that God would not withdraw his Indignation from them until he had destroyed and consumed them all Ch. 17. whole Chapter SECT LXV THe people being under such a fear and consternation the Lord hereupon takes order for the guard of the Sanctuary and injoyns that every one should remain within the Verge and Limits of his duty and so they should be safe and he tells Aaron That He and the Priests and Levites shall bear the iniquity of the Sanctuary that is if any pollution (c) Thus the Lord shews himself reconciled and makes the Priests watch a ground of appeasing both the fear and envy of the people came to it by the people they should answer for it and bear the punishment thereof if they did not take care to prevent it and the Priests should bear the punishment of all Iniquity committed about their Priests Office if they did carry themselves amiss in it or suffer a stranger or Levite to meddle therein He tells them he had joined * Here is an allusion to Levies name which signifies joyned the Levites to them to minister to them in the outward Services of killing and slaying the Sacrifices c. but they themselves only should serve at the Altar and within the holy place before the Ark of the Testimony and the Levites shall observe the Precepts and Charge which he hath given them concerning their Ministry and concerning the sacred things of the Tabernacle which are committed to their Care that so every one keeping his station and doing his duty there may be no wrath any more upon the Children of Israel only they shall not meddle with the Service of the Sanctuary and Altar lest they die And if the Priests did not endeavour to prevent any such Errour or Miscarriage in their Brethren the Levites they should also incur the like danger Thus he appoints the Levites to minister to the Priests and orders that he that is not of the Tribe of Levi shall not be admitted to serve and minister unto them For God having taken the Levites instead of the first-born of the Children of Israel to himself he had given them unto Aaron and his Sons for his own Service and the Service of the Tabernacle Therefore he and his Sons should exercise their Priests Office in all things that concern the Altar of Burnt-Offerings and in all things which are to be done within the outward Veil whereby the holy place is divided from the Court the High Priest in the most holy place and inferiour Priests within the Sanctuary or holy place And God tells Aaron and his Sons That 't is his free Gift and favour to them that he had made choice of them before others for the Priestly Office and that He had ordained That whoever is not of Aaron's Line and goeth about to meddle with the Priestly Office shall be put to death from vers 1. to 8. The Lord having thus set down the Office and Work of the Priests and Levites he