days the Lord made Heaven and Earth There were two reasons for the Sanctification of this day One was because God rested from his Work of Creation on the Seventh day which is mentioned here the other was because he had given them rest from their Labours in Egypt which he mentions in the Vth of Deuteronomy There is no body hath explained both these better than Maimonides More Nevoch P. II. c. 31. There are two different Causes saith he for this Precept from two different Effects For when Moses first explained to us the cause of this Celebration in the Promulgation of the X. Commandments he saith it was because in six days the LORD made Heaven and Earth But in the repetition of them he saith Remember that thou was a servant in Egypt c. therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day V Deut. 15. The first Cause is the Glory and Magnificence of this day as it is said Therefore the LORD blessed the seventh day and sancified it II Gen. 3. This was the effect of that Cause for in six days he made Heaven and Earth this was the reason he means of the first Institution of the Sabbath but that he gave this Precept of the Sabbath unto us i.e. the Israelites and commanded us to observe it was from the other Cause which followed the first Cause because we were Servants in Egypt All which time we could not serve according to our own Will and Pleasure nor had any Rest or observed a Sabbath And therefore God gave us this special Precept of Resting and Cessation from Labours to joyn together these two Reasons viz. the belief of the beginning of the World which presently suggests to us the Being of God and then the memory of Gods Benefits unto us in giving us Rest from our intolerable Burdens in Egypt Wherefore he blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it In the beginning of the World he blessed the Seventh day II Gen. 3. and now particularly chose this Seventh day for a Sabbath which he ordered them to observe in memory of their coming out of Egypt on that day as I observed XVI 5 23. By which he preserved in their minds that singular Benefit which he had bestowed upon them and most manifestly saith Maimonides in another place P. III. c. 43. procured great ease to all sorts of Men by freeing a seventh part of their Lives from wearisom Labour Which hath another Blessing in conjunction with it that it perpetually preserved and confirmed that most precious History and Doctrine concerning the Creation of the World Ver. 12. Honour thy Father and thy Mother In another place they are commanded to fear them XIX Lev. 3. and as here the Father is put before the Mother so there the Mother is put before the Father to show as Maimonides takes it in his Treatise called Memarim c. 6. that we ought not to make any difference between them but they are both equally to be honoured and reverenced Which is a Duty of such great concernment that we are taught by the placing of this Commandment immediately after those which peculiarly relate to God's Worship that next to his Majesty our Parents are to be honoured with that reverence love obedience and maintenance which is due to them And therefore notorious disobedience to them is threatned with death as well as Apostacy from God Wherein this honour or fear doth consist is taught in all Books of Religion and Mr. Selden hath named a great many things wherein the Jews place it as the Learned Reader may see L. II. de Synedr c. 13. p. 558 c. I shall only add that this was a Law among the Heathens mentioned by Saleucus Charondas and others in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let Children honour their Parents And thus Vlpian expresses it Filio semper honesta sancta persona Patris videri debet And afterward Filium Patrem Matrem venerari oportet With much more that Hen. Stephanus hath collected in his Fontes Rivi Juris Civilis That thy days may be long in the Land c. As disobedience to Parents is by the Law of Moses threatned to be punished with death so on the contrary long Life which is the greatest worldly Blessing is promised to the Obedient and that in their own Country which God had peculiarly inriched with abundance of his Blessings Heathens also gave the very same incouragement saying that such Children should be dear to the Gods both living and dead So Euripides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this famous Senarius mention'd by the fame Henr. Stephanus with many other notable Passages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt live long or as long as thou canst desire if thou nourish thy ancient Parents Whence children are called by Xenophon and others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 13. Thou shalt not kill After the Command about the respect due to Parents naturally follows the regard we ought to have to all other Men who spring from them And the greatest injury we can do another is to take away his Life whereby he is deprived of all the Enjoyments of this World and Humane Society it self is also wounded which cannot subsist if its innocent Members cannot be safe Innocent I say for this Commandment doth not hinder Men from defending themselves from violence XXII 2. nor forbids Magistrates to punish those with death who commit Crimes worthy of it for this is to preserve the Lives of other Men XXII 18 19 20. Ver. 14. Thou shalt not commit Adultery Next to a Man's self his Wife is nearer to him than any other Person they two being one flesh Which makes the injury done to him in her Person a breach of Humane Society next to Murder Nay the LXX place this Commandment before the other Thou shalt not kill Vertuous Woman valuing their Chastity more than their Lives and the Crimes to which meer Pleasure tempts Men being more grievous in the opinion of the great Philosopher than those to which they are stimulated by anger Whoredom is also forbidden in the Law of Moses and Incest as Wounding any Man is as well as Murder but in these X. Words which are a short Abridgment of their Duty it was sufficient only to mention the principal things of every kind which were hateful to God and injurious to Men. Ver. 15. Thou shalt not steal This was to injure Men in their Goods and Possessions either by open Rapine or by Craft and Cheating against which God intended to secure them by this Precept Several sorts of this Sin are afterwards mentioned in particular Laws Ver. 16. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour As our Neighbour is not to be injured by us in Deeds so not in Words by giving a false Testimony against him before a Judge which is the chief Sin of this kind This is both an injury to our Neighbour and an affront to God in whose place
of two Eye-witnesses And they make this Precept as much as Thou shalt not judge out of Conjectures Nay if there were two Witnesses that did not speak to the same matter he was not to be Condemned As if one Witness said he saw such a Man break the Sabbath and another said he saw him commit Idolatry Judgment was not to be given against him upon this Testimony because Moses saith Slay not the Innocent Another Example of which is still more close which is mentioned in the T. Sanhedrim If one said he saw him Worship the Moon and another that he saw him Worship the Sun the Man was not to be Condemned who was thus accused because the Witnesses did not speak to the same sort of Idolatry See Selden L. II. de Synedr c. 13. p. 567. By the same reason they were not to acquit him who was plainly Convicted of such Impieties For I will not justifie the wicked i. e. Such an unjust Judge Ver. 8. And thou shalt take no gift No not to Absolve the Innocent or to Condemn the Guilty as it is interpreted in Siphri For a gift blindeth the wise Such Presents made to a Judge are apt to cast a Mist as we speak before his Eyes i.e. to corrupt his Understanding though he be otherwise perspicacious enough to discern between Truth and Falshood Good and Evil 1 Sam. VIII 3. The word which we translate wise is in the Hebrew Piccehim open or seeing concerning which consult Bochart L. I. Canaan c. 16. p. 470. And perverteth the words of the righteous By words seems to be meant the Sentence of those who might otherwise have been inclined to be righteous and upright Judges The Hebrew Lawyers say That not only Pecuniary Gifts are here forbidden but such words also I suppose they mean Promises of Reward as may win the Affection and that he who gave the Present was guilty as well as he that received it See Selden de Synedriis L. II. c. 13. p. 570. But especially Joh. Coch. ad excerpt Gem. Sanhedrim cap. 1. sect 10. Annot. 4. where among other things he gives this ingenious derivation of the Hebrew word Schochad which we translate gift out of the Treatise called Chetuboth where it is said to be as much as Schechu chad that is whereby he is one For the Party who receives the Gift hath his Mind so drawn to the giver that he becomes one and the same with him And no Man is fit to be Judge in his own Cause Plato thought this so necessary a Law that he expresly enacts L. XII de Legibus p. 955. that all Men who served their Country in any Office should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perform their Duty without Gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that offended against this Law was to suffer death Which was the Law of the XII Tables among the ancient Romans Judex qui ob rem dicendam pecuniam accepisse convictus est capite punitor A Judge that is convicted to have received Money for giving his Sentence let him lose his Head Ver. 9. Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger This was said before XXII 21. but then it was a Precept to all Israel which is here applied peculiarly to Judges Whom he would have to deal equally with Strangers and to make no difference between them and Israelites remembring what they themselves were not long ago and that they found by experience it was Affliction enough to be Strangers That 's the meaning of what follows in this Verse For ye know the heart of a stranger seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt Ye have felt what a distressed Condition that is how friendless and helpless See XXIV Deut. 17 18. XXVII 19. Ver. 10. And six years thou shalt sow thy land There was the same reason for dressing their Trees And gather in the fruit thereof Together with the Fruit of their Trees Ver. 11. But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still Neither sow nor reap nor prune their Trees nor gather the Fruit. The poor of thy people may eat And the Levites and themselves also who might take their share not to lay up but for present use though not as Proprietors but in common with the rest of the Country Whence it was that Alexander the Great allowing them to live by their ancient Laws among other things granted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every seventh year should be tribute free Josephus L. XI Archaeol c. 8. For since they received nothing it seemed reasonable to him they should pay nothing And what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat This signifies God sent such vast Plenty when they observed his Laws that so much sprung up of it self as would more than satisfie Men and afford Food to the Beasts In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard and olive-yard Under these two are comprehended all other sort of Fruit-trees as the Hebrews themselves acknowledge who give several Reasons for this Law Which was ordained saith Maimonides P. III. More Nevoch c. 39. in compassion to all Men in general that they might have some time of breathing and refreshment But principally say others of them to be a memorial of the Creation of the World and the production of all things by the Power of God in six days and his resting on the seventh◠Their exposing all things in common which that year produced as well as letting the Land rest Put them in remembrance saith R. Levi of Barcelona Praecept LXIX that God was their Preserver as well as Creator the Earth bringing forth Fruit every year not by its own proper strength or of its own accord but because it hath a Lord upon whom it depends who when he speaks hath a right to dispose of its Fruits to a publick use This Command also bred in them a trust in God and in his Providence and was a Curb to Covetousness and taught them Mercy also and Liberality Philo adds that this was a Politick contrivance to let the Earth rest partly that it might have time to recruit its strength that it might bring forth more plentifully and partly that the People might grow stronger and more apt for all Employments by so long forbearance of their Labours This Eusebius thought worthy to transcribe out of him at large in his Praepar Evang. L. VIII c. 7. But this Precept about the Year of Rest is more fully delivered in XXV Lev. v. 2 3. where see what I have noted Ver. 12. Six days thou shalt do thy work and on the seventh day thou shalt rest He would not have them imagine they should rest less on the Sabbath this Year than in others because this whole Year was a kind of Sabbath but keep it with the usual strictness Which is the reason perhaps of the repetition of this Precept in this place That thine ox and thine ass may rest c. This shows that one great end of instituting the Observation of this Day
not require so much as others Ver. 18. And when they did mete it with an Omer When it was brought unto their Tents v. 16. then the Father of the Family or some of the Rulers of the Congregation v. 22. measured what they had gathered with an Omer and gave to every one his proportion according as God directed He that gathered much had nothing over Had no more than his Omer And he that gathered little had no lack He that had not gathered enough to make an Omer for every man had it made up to him out of other Mens gatherings who had more than enough Abarbinel will have it that they were so directed by a miraculous Providence as to gather just so much for their several Families that every Person 's share would come to an Omer and neither more nor less And so Greg. Nyssen calls this the Second Miracle which was in the Manna having observed one before v. 14. But others think that if any part of it remained after every one in the Family had an Omer it was Food for their Cattle which in the Wilderness wanted Grass sufficient for them And this seems the more probable because otherwise we must make a new Miracle that every Man Woman and Child should be able to eat an Omer which all grant was sufficient for the Sustenance of any Man whatsoever but was too much sure for a Child They gathered every Man according to his eating As they were directed v. 16. Ver. 19. And Moses said Let no Man leave of it till the morning It was therefore to be all spent one way or other the same day it fell Which was the Law of all the Holy Feasts particularly of the Passover XII 10. and of the Sacrifice of Peace-Offerings XXI Lev. 30. Besides God would have them depend upon his Providence and trust him for fresh Supplies every day as Aben-Ezra well notes And R. Levi ben Gersom He that kept it till the morning betrayed his want of Faith and feared God would send no more for if he believed to what purpose should he be at the pains to keep it Here was a new Wonder that as it fell every day for Forty years together both in Winter and in Summer and likewise fell in such quantity that every one had an Omer and none wanted this Measure so it would not keep till the next Morning which it might have done in its own Nature and did once in a Week and in the Ark was preserved to many Generations Ver. 20. Notwithstanding they hearkned not unto Moses but some of them left of it till the morning Either through unbelief or meer negligence or a wanton inclination to make an Experiment some among them disobeyed his Command And it bred Worms and stank This was a Wonder also that such an heavenly Food so pure and simple should not only breed Worms but also stink Which was a Punishment for their Disobedience though a merciful one in that God did not inflict it upon themselves but upon their Food The Jews commonly take these words to be transposed things being wont first to putrifie and then to breed Worms and in that order Moses relates this matter when it was laid up for the Sabbath v. 24. That it neither stank neither was any Worm therein But Abarbinel thinks that Moses here speaks of it according to the order wherein they found it which was that first Worms appeared in it to their Eyes and then they smelt the stink But in speaking of what fell out on the seventh day he follows the natural order and saith it did not stink neither was any Worm in it And Moses was wroth with them Chid them severely for their Disobedience to him who had bestowed such a singular benefit upon them Ver. 21. And they gathered it every morning every man according to his eating This is not needlesly repeated but a further Explication of their Care and Diligence to furnish themselves early in the Morning with as much as was necessary before the Sun grew hot and melted it or as some of the Jews add raised the Wind which blew dust upon it When the Sun waxed hot it melted That it might not be trod upon nor putrified Which seems to be spoken of that which remained in the open Field ungathered though Abarbinel will have it that what they had brought into their Tents melted also when the Sun grew hot which obliged them not only to gather it early but to bake and prepare it presently while it was yet hard and not dissolved But I see no ground for this nor is it likely that they were constrained to prepare it all together but might any time that day at Supper as well as Dinner order it according to their liking Others of the Jews fancy that being melted it made little Brooks and Rivolets in the Fields c. but the plain sence is that the Sun which melted it exhaled it also into the Air from whence it came and returned again the next Morning Ver. 22. On the sixth day they gathered twice as much Bread c. According to the Command of God v. 5. It appears by this place where it is called Bread as it is v. 4 12. that it was of a hard Substance when it fell though it dissolved by the heat of the Sun being like the Corn of which Bread is made And the Rulers of the Congregation came and told Moses He had bidden them gather a double quantity on the sixth day but had not told them the reason of it v. 5. and therefore they come now to enquire what they should do with it By this one would think they were the Rulers who saw a distribution made to every one in a just proportion or that they appointed Overseers to take care of it Ver. 23. And he said unto them this is that which the LORD hath said This is the Command which I have received from God about this matter To morrow is the rest Or shall be the rest Of the holy Sabbath unto the LORD To be kept holy so as to do no work therein And therefore you must not so much as go into the field to gather your Food which is the reason why you are ordered to make two days Provision in one The words in the Hebrew which we translate the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the LORD may be rendred as they lye in order the Sabbath the holy Sabbath unto the LORD Which Abarbinel explains as if the word Sabbath being repeated signified that it was to be a Cessation from all manner of Work because it was the Sabbath of the LORD himself wherein he ceased from his Works At this time and not before the rest of the seventh day seems to have been appointed They performed Religious Offices upon one day in seven but did not cease from all Labour until now These very words seem to show there had been some observation of a Sabbath heretofore and was not wholly a new
with an Oath that which they knew not to be true For so the word Schave frequently signifies in Scripture a Lie This relates not to their giving a Testimony before a Judge upon Oath of which he speaks afterward in a distinct Commandment but to their Intercourse and Commerce one with another For an Oath saith R. Levi of Barcelona ought to establish every thing and thereby we declare our selves to be as much resolved concerning that which we swear as we are concerning the Being of God Heathens themselves accounted an Oath so sacred a thing that it was capital for a Man to forswear himself as Hen. Stephanus in his Fontes Juris Civilis p. 7. observes out of Diodorus Siculus L. I. and the reason he gives of it is this that such a Man committed two heinous Crimes by violating his Piety to God and his Faith to Men in the highest degree But besides this both Jews and Christians always understood swearing lightly upon frivolous occasions or without any necessity to be here forbidden R. Levi before-mentioned saith this Precept may be violated four several ways besides swearing that which we mean not to perform And Salvian aplies this to the trivial naming of God and our Saviour upon all occasions and sometimes upon bad occasions Nihil jam penè vanius quam Christi nomen esse videatur c. Every body then swearing by Christ he would do this or that though of no consequence whether he did it or no or perhaps a thing which ought not to be done L. IV. de Gubern Dei p. 88. edit Baluz They that understand this of Swearing by false Gods which are called vain things in Scripture do but trifle that is condemned in the foregoing Commandment it being a piece of Worship to swear by them For the LORD will not hold him guiltless c. If Men did not punish the false Swearer the LORD threatens that he will And so Mankind always thought as appears by the Law of the XII Tables mentioned by Hen. Stephanus in the Book quoted above Perjurij poena divina exitium humana dedecus The Divine Punishment of Perjury is utter Destruction the Humane Punishment is Disgrace or Infamy And Alexander Severus was so sensible of this that he thought Juris jurandi contempta Religio satis Deum ultorem habet The contempt of the Religion of an Oath hath God for a sufficient Avenger For an Oath is the strongest Bond that is among Men to bind them to Truth and Fidelity as Cicero speaks L. III. de Ossic c. 31. Witness saith he the XII Tables witness our Sacred Forms in taking an Oath witness our Covenants and Leagues wherein we plight our Faith to Enemies witness the Animadversions of our Censors qui nulla de re diligentius quam de jurejurando judicabant who judged of nothing more diligently than of an Oath Nor was the other sort of vain that is light and idle Swearing without any just occasion suffered to go unpunished for Mr. Selden observes out of Maimonides L. II. de Synedr c. 11. p. 497. that if any Man was guilty of it he that heard him Swear was bound to Excommunicate him what that was he shows in the first Book and if he did not he was to be Excommunicated himself And there is great reason for these Civil Laws which have provided a Punishment for this Crime not only because it is a great disrespect to God to use his Name so lightly on every trivial occasion but because such contempt of the Divine Majesty makes Men fall into the fearful Sin of Perjury Ver. 8. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy Be mindful of the day called the Sabbath to make a difference between it and all other days so that it be not employed as they are Ver. 9. Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work This is not a Precept requiring Labour but a Permission to employ six days in a Week about such worldly Business as they had to do Which Permission also God himself abridged by appointing some other Festival days as all Governours may do upon some special occasions But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God Appointed by his Authority to be a day of Rest from your Labours In it thou shalt not do any work Herein the peculiar respect to the Seventh day consisted on all other days they might work but on this they were to cease from all manner of work In which very thing was the sanctifying of this day it being hereby separated and distinguished from all other days in a very remarkable manner But then it naturally followed that having no other work to do they should call to mind the reason why it was thus fanctified or set apart from other days And the reason say the Jews themselves was That having no other business they might fasten in their minds the belief that the World had a beginning which is a thred that draws after it all the foundations of the Law or the Principles of Religion They are words of R. Levi of Barcelona Besides which there was another reason which I shall mention presently But by this it appears that the Observation of this day was a Sign or a Badge to whom they belonged A profession that they were all the Servants of Him who created the Heaven and the Earth as God himself teaches them to ununderstand it XXXI 13 17. And that their Minds might be possessed with this sense he ordered this Solemn Commemoration of the Creation of the World to be made once in Seven days For as if there had been quicker returns of it their Secular Business might have been too much hindred so if it had been delayed longer this sense might have worn too much out of their minds Thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter c. They might no more employ others in their worldly Business on this day than do it themselves But their Children though they understood not the reason were to rest that in time they might learn this great Truth that all things were made by God Nor thy Cattle Their Oxen and Asses and all other Creatures wont to be employed in their Labours were to enjoy the benefit of this Rest as well as themselves V Deut. 14. Which was absolutely necessary it being impossible for their Servants to rest as is here also required if they were to set their Cattle on work Nor thy stranger that is within thy gates No stranger who by being Circumcised had embraced the Jewish Religion But other strangers might work who only dwelt among them having renounced Idolatry but not taken upon them the Obligation to observe their whole Law Yet if any such Person was a Servant to a Jew his Master might not imploy him on the Sabbath day in any work of his but the Man might work for himself if he pleased being not bound to this Law See Selden L. III. de Jure N. G. c. 12. Ver. 11. For in six
Synedris c. 6. The sense is this in short He that violates a Negative Precept as they call it either doth it secretly which is most frequent or openly which happens seldom unless a Man be one of those profligate Wretches whom we call Apostates Now him that secretly brake the Sabbath the Scripture threatens with cutting off viz. by the hand of God according to what is written here in this place In like manner incestuous and unlawful Conjunctions are threatned XVIII Lev. 29. because they were wont to be committed secretly But if any Man did any Work openly on the Sabbath so that there were Witnesses of it he was to be stoned according to what is said XV Numb 35. Though if he did it out of mistake either secretly or openly he was only to bring a Sacrifice for his Errour And if he offended against any of the Decrees of the Wise-men about the Sabbath he was to be beaten Or if there was no Court of Judgment in the place as now in their present Condition then all such Transgressors were left to God to punish them of whatsoever sort they were Ver. 15. Six days may work be done but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest holy to the LORD So it is called also XXXV 2. and XXIII Lev. 3. And so the Sabbath wherein the Land rested is likewise called XXV Lev. 4. But the Hebrew words Schabbat Schabbaton Sabbath of Rest properly signifies Sabbath above all Sabbaths i. e. the greatest Sabbath on which a rest was to be most punctually observed from all manner of Work which the Jews as de Dieu notes call the weighty Sabbath as if other days of rest were but light in comparison with this According to that saying of R. Josee Great is Circumcision because the weighty Sabbath gives place to it that is admits of this Work though the Rest on this Sabbath be so very great Shall surely be put to death As an Idolater who did not acknowledge the Creator of the World See before v. 14. Ver. 16. Wherefore the Children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their Generation for a perpetual Covenant The most litteral Interpretation of this Verse seems to me to be that of Lud. de Dieu The Children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath by making the Sabbath a perpetual Covenant throughout their Generations That is by never suffering it to be interrupted they made it a perpetual Covenant between God and them throughout all Ages Ver. 17. It is a sign between me and the Children of Israel for ever A Badge and Livery that they were the Servants of the most High who made the Heavens and Earth A Mark of their being devoted to him and continuing in Covenant with him no less than Circumcision For in six days the LORD made Heaven and Earth In memory of which the Sabbath was first instituted to preserve perpetually and establish that most precious History and Doctrine of the Creation of the World as Maimonides speaks More Nevoch P. III. c. 43. And on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed Delighted in the Contemplation of all his Works which he saw were very good I Gen. 31. The same Maimonides observes that the word jinnaphash which we translate was refreshed comes from nephesh which among other things signifies the intention of the Mind and the Will and therefore the sense of this Phrase is All the Will of God was perfected and brought to a Conclusion his whole good Pleasure was absolutely finished on the seventh day More Nevoch P. I. c. 67. Ver. 18. And he gave unto Moses when he made an end of communing with him upon Mount Sinai When he dismissed him having said all that is before related during his forty days stay with him in the Mount he delivered unto him two Tables of Testimony to carry down with him to the People Two Tables of Testimony Wherein God testified to them his Mind and Will in the principal things which concerned their Duty See XVI 34. Tables of stone That what was written upon them might be more durable There is no ground to think that these Tables were made of some precious Stone as the Author of the Book Cosri and other Jews fancy for the word Eben in the Hebrew simply signifies any sort of Stone and is wont to have some other joyned to it when precious Stones are meant as in 2 Sam. XII 30. 1 Kings X. 2. 2 Chron. III. 6. Written with the finger of God i. e. By God himself Just as the Heavens saith Maimonides are said to be the work of his fingers VIII Psal 4. which he interprets in another place XXXIII 6. By the word of the LORD were the Heavens made Therefore written by the singer of God is as much saith he as by the word that is the Will and good Pleasure of God More Nevoch P. I. c. 66. In short this Phrase signifies that God employed neither Moses nor any other Instrument in this Writing but it was done by his own powerful Operation For all things that we do being wrought by our hands and our fingers these words are used to express God's power See XXXII 16. This was a thing so notorious in ancient times and so much believed by those who were not Jews that many other Nations pretended to the like Divine Writings that they might gain the greater Authority to their Laws Thus the Brachmans report in their Histories That the Book of their Law which they call Caster was delivered by God to Bremavius upon a Mount in a Cloud and that God gave also another Book of Laws to Brammon in the first Age of the World The Persians say the same of those of Zoroaster and the Getes of Xamolxis Nay the Brachmans have a Decalogue like this of Moses and accurate Interpretations of it in which they say there is this Prophecy That one day there shall be one Law alone throughout the World This evidently shows how well the World was anciently acquainted with these Books of Moses and what a high esteem they had of them See Huetius L. II. Alnetan Quaest c. 12. n. 19. CHAP. XXXII Verse 1. AND when the People Not the whole Body of the Congregation but so many of them that the rest durst not appear to oppose their desires Saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the Mount The Jews fancy that he stayed beyond the time that he had appointed for his return to them But that is not likely for he himself was not told how long God would detain him there See XXIV 14. The meaning therefore is that he stayed longer than they expected so that they did not know what to think of it And having as yet received no Directions about the Service of God for which they were called out of Egypt VII 16. and other places they thought it was time to desire Aaron to set about it in such a way as other People served their Gods The people gathered themselves
the People and sometimes the whole Body of the People as Corn. Bon. Bertram observes de Repub. Jud. cap. 6. It seems here to be used in the first Sense for he could not speak these words to the whole Body of the People but to the principal Persons of the several Tribes by whom what he said was communicated to all Israel These are the words which the LORD hath commanded â—hat ye should do them Before they entred upon the work he admonishes them that none of it must be done upon the Sabbath Ver. 2. Six days shall work be done but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy Sabbath c. This Commandment was particularly repeated to Moses at the end of all the directions about the building of the Tabernacle See XXXI 13 14 15. and now repeated to them as it was at his late renewing his Covenant with them XXXIV 21. that they might not imagine any of the work here commanded to be done about the Tabernacle c. would licence them to break the Sabbath The observation of which being the great Preservative of Religion that 's the reason it is so often enjoyned and particular care taken to secure it And it is not to be omitted that to show of what great concern it is he calls it here as he did XXXI 15. where the end and use of it is set down the Sabbath of Sabbaths that is the great Sabbath or Rest Ver. 3. Ye shall kindle no fire in your Habitations upon the sabbath-Sabbath-day To dress their Meat or for any other work otherwise they might kindle a Fire to warm themselves in cold Weather This is sufficiently comprehended under the general Command Thou shalt not do any work XX. 10. Therefore the meaning is Thou shalt not so much as kindle a fire for any such purpose For that 's the Rule they give in Halicoth Olam cap. 2. that such particular Prohibitions forbid the whole kind i. e. all manner of work whatsoever which is here mentioned to show they might not kindle a fire for this work of the Tabernacle Ver. 4. And spake unto all the Congregation c. See v. 1. This is the Thing which the LORD commanded Having secured the observation of the Sabbath according to the Direction given just before he came down from the Mount the first time XXXI 13 14 15. he now relates to them what Commands he received from God concerning all that follows Ver. 5. Take ye from amongst you an offering unto the LORD And first he makes a motion to them from the LORD that they would make a free Oblation of Materials for the Building of the Tabernacle and all other things which the LORD commanded to be made v. 10 c. Take ye is as much as bring ye and so we translate it XXV 2. See there Where it appears that this was the very first thing God said to him concerning a voluntary Offering which was the Foundation of all the rest and therefore is first propounded to the People by him Whosoever is of a willing heart c. See there XXV 2. Ver. 6 7 8 9. All these have been explained in the XXV Chapter v. 3 4 5 c. Ver. 10. Every wise-hearted among you shall come and make all that the LORD hath commanded Every skilful Person in the Art of making the things following The same is said of the Women v. 25. The Hebrew word Cochmah which we translate Wisdom is used variously as Maimonides observes sometimes for the understanding of Divine things sometimes for Moral Vertue and sometimes for skill in aâ—â— Art of which he alledges this place as an instance and sometimes for Craft and Subtilty See More Nevochim P. III. c. 54. The word leb or heart is used here according to the Vulgar opinion of those days that the Heart is the Seat of the Understanding And thus I observed before upon Chap. XXV that excellent Artists are by the Heathen called Wise-men Since which I have observed that this is the Language of Homer himself whose Verses concerning Margites are quoted by Aristotle in more places than one L. VI. Moral ad Nicomach c. 7. L. V. Moral ad Endemum c. 7. where he saith he was so foolish that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gods neither made him a Ditcher nor a Plough-man nor any other sort of Wise-man Upon which Aristotle notes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We ascribe Wisdom in Arts to those who excel in them and then he instances in Phidias a Stone-Cutter and Pobycletus a Statuary Ver. 11. The Tabernacle This signifies sometimes the whole Structure of the House of God but here only the fine inward Curtains mentioned XXVI 1 2 c. His Tent. This signifies the Curtains of Goats-hair which were laid over the other XXVI 7 c. His Covering Of Rams-skins and Badger-skins which were thrown over the other two XXVI 14. His Taches and his Boards his Bars his Pillars and his Sockets All these are explained in that Chapter Ver. 12. The Ark and his Staves with the Mercy-seat See XXV 10 13 17. And the Vail of the Covering Whereby the Holy was separated from the most Holy Place Which is here fitly mentioned between the Mercy-seat which was within and the Table c. which were without this Vail Ver. 13. The Table and his Staves and all his Vessels See all these explained XXV 23 24 c. And the Shew-bread This is a short Expression one word as is usual being cut off viz. the Dishes in which the Shew-bread was set For Moses had not order to make the Bread it self but the Dishes as I said on which the Loaves were laid XXV 29. Ver. 14. The Candlestick also for the light and his Furniture and his Lamps See XXVI 31 32 c. With the Oyl for the Light See XXVII 20 21. Ver. 15. And the Incense Altar and the Staves See XXXI 1 2 c. And the anointing Oyl XXXI 23 24 c. And the sweet Incense XXXI 34 c. He mentioned before the Materials for them v. 8. and now the things themselves And the hanging for the door at the entring in of the Tabernacle Of this see XXVI 36. Ver. 16. And the Altar of Burnt-offering with his brazen Grate his Staves These are explained XXVII 1 2 4 5 6 7. And all his Vessels See there v. 3. The Laver and his foot See XXIX 17 18. Ver. 17. The hangings of the Court his Pillars and their Sockets See XXVII 9 10 c. And the hangings for the door of the Court See there v. 16. Ver. 18. The Pins of the Tabernacle c. XXVII 19. Ver. 19. The Clothes of the Service to do Service in the holy place the holy Garments for Aaron the Priest and his Sons c. Of which there is an account in the whole XXVIIIth Chapter And Moses here makes this large enumeration of all the things which God had commanded v. 10. that they might be
in the Autumn ut uno tenore siccescant that they might dry by an equal heat they that were made at the Solstice being suddenly crusted over by the Sun and left too moist within L. II. de Architect c. 3. Ver. 8. And the tale of the Bricks which they did make heretofore you shall lay upon them c. It appears from v. 13 14. that there was a certain quantity exacted from them every day For they be idle and therefore they cry saying Let us go and Sacrifice to our God They have not work enough to employ their Thoughts which makes their Mind wander after other things Ver. 9. Let there more work be laid upon the Men. Or make it heavy upon them as it is in the Margin That they may labour therein Have no time to think of any thing else And let them not regard vain words So he calls the Message of Moses and Aaron who he pretends were meer Deceivers and fed their Hope with Lyes for so it is in the Hebrew words of falshood or lying words or at least he resolved their words should not prove true for he would not let the People go Ver. 10. Thus saith Pharaoh I will not give you Straw The Task-masters with their Officers proclaimed the King's Order that every Body might take notice of it Ver. 11. Go get you Straw where you can find it c. A heavy Sentence importing that whether they could find any or no no abatement would be made of the number of Bricks that was expected from them This was to drive them to Desperation by demanding things impossible And added as Conradus Pellicanus observes to the Burdens on their Bodies very sore Anguish of Mind For it tempted them to doubt of the Goodness of their God who they thought had sent a deliverer to them IV. 31. by whom they were now reduced into a more miserable Condition Ver. 12. So the People were scattered abroad throughout all the Land of Egypt c. Some part of them were forced to go and pick up Straw or for want of it Stuble and sometime travel a great way for it while the rest were working in the Brick-kilns without their help which they were wont to have whereby they were disabled from making so many Bricks as formerly they had done Ver. 13. And the Task-master hasted them c. Quickned them in their work when they saw they were likely to fall short of their wonted Task Ver. 14. And the Officers of the Children of Israel c. By this it appears as I said v. 6. that these Officers were Israelites And from this place Bonavent Bertram concludes Lib. de Rep. Hebr. Cap. IV. that there was a Civil Government among the Israelites all the time they were in Egypt and that these Schoterim as they are called in Hebrew were Men of the greatest Note among the Elders who executed all their Decrees and consequently of high Authority among the People For which reason Pharaoh's Task-masters chose them to Oversee and Direct the Labours of their Brethren But Mr. Selden L. I. de Synedr Cap. XV. hath made it appear that there was no such Judicature among them at this time and when there was this was the Name of those who executed the Sentence of the Judges being like to our Apparitors and such like under Officers See p. 621 c. Were beaten With Sticks or scourged with Rods. Wherefore have yet not fulfilled your Task both yesterday c. They punished the Officers as if they had been negligent in not pressing the People to their Duty Yet it seems they forbore them one day to see if they would mend their Fault the next V. 15. Then the Officers of the Children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh saying c. They had some hope this Oppression might proceed from the Task-masters and not from the King himself and therefore they represented their Case to him and petitioned for Relief It is said indeed v. 6. that Pharaoh laid this Command both upon the Task-masters and their Officers but it is not unlikely that he gave it immediately only to the Task-masters who were his own Ministers and by them to the Officers Ver. 16. Thy Servants are beaten but the fault is in thine own People This shows that they thought such Inhumane Usage was the effect of the Task-masters Cruelty Ver. 17. But he said ye are idle ye are idle c. He soon made them understand it was by his Decree and not his Servants pleasure that they were thus used And which was worse they saw he was sixed in his Resolution being void of all pity and mocking at their Complaints For nothing could be more Sarcastical than to tell them they were idle when they sunk under their Burdens Ver. 18. Go therefore now and work c. Do not spend your time in making Complaints to me but return immediately to your Labours and continue at them till my Commands be executed and expect no mitigation Ver. 19. And the Officers did see that they were in evil Case c. By this Answer they found themselves reduced to such Straits that now they despaired of all Relief the King himself being set against them Ver. 20. And they met Moses and Aaron who stood in the way as they came forth from Pharaoh They had placed themselves there on purpose to hear what Success the Officers had in their Petition Ver. 21. And they said the LORD look upon you and judge This seems to be an Imprecation or at least the Officers bid Moses and Aaron expect that God would take them to task as we speak for bringing his People into so bad a Case Ye have made our Savour to be abhorred in the Eyes c. Made us odious as this Phrase signifies XXXIV Gen. 30. To put a Sword into their hand to slay us Who may take an occasion from hence and make this a pretence for the destroying our whole Nation Ver. 22. And Moses returned unto the LORD this plainly intimates that the LORD had appeared to Moses since he came to Egypt as he did at Mount Horeb and that he appeared in some setled place where he might upon all Occasions resort to him And said LORD wherefore hast thou so evil intreated this People c. It was to no purpose to answer the Officers who expostulated with him for they were too much exasperated and thereby prejudiced against any thing he could say And therefore he chose rather to represent to God the Complaints they had made to him that he might be directed what Satisfaction to give them For he was not able of himself to give an account why the LORD should suffer their Condition to grow worse rather than better since he delivered his Message to Pharaoh No nor why he should send him on an Embassy which was not at all regarded Ver. 23. For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy Name he hath done Evil to this People neither hast thou
Twenty to the eating of one Lamb. At which meal Men Women and Children Masters and Servants if Circumcised were entertained and every one did eat a piece at least as big as an Olive if we may believe the Hebrew Doctors Every Man according to his eating shall make your count for the Lamb. That is every Master of a House shall take such a number of Persons to him as will be sufficient for the eating of the Lamb. Ver. 5. The Lamb shall be without blemish In the Hebrew perfect or without defect There are ten Blemishes mentioned in XXII Levit. 22 23 24. which made a Sacrifice unfit for the Altar About which the Heathen themselves were very curious as I noted above out of Herodotus who relates how exact and scrupulous the Egyptian Priests were in their Scrutiny whether a Beast were fit to be offered See VIII 26. A Male Because the Male was counted more excellent than the Female I Malachi 14. and therefore all whole Burnt-offerings which were the most perfect sort of Sacrifices were to be Males only I Lev. 3 6. From hence this Custom as Bochart thinks was derived to the Egyptians who offered only Males as he proves out of Herodotus P. I. Hieroz L. III. c. 33 50. But whatsoever the Egyptians did the Romans did otherwise For Servius saith in VIII Aeneid In omnibus Sacris faeminini generis plus valent victimae that Sacrifices of the Female kind were of greatest value in all their Holy Offices Such different fancies there were in the World in after Ages but what Opinions they had in Moses his time none can certainly resolve Of the first year It doth not signifie that the Lamb was to be a year old for then it was uncapable to be offered but under a year old It was fit for Sacrifice at eight days old though not before XXII 30. XXII Lev. 27. which Laws Maimonides saith were observed in the Paschal Lamb as they were in the Daily Sacrifice XXIX Exod. 38. XXXVIII Numb 3. and in others XXIII Lev. 18 19. and so it continued sit from that time till it was a year old after which it was not accepted For which Bochart gives a very likely reason in the fore-named Book P. I. L. II. c. 50. p. 585. Ver. 6. And ye shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same Month. When it was to be offered to God by all the People as our Saviour was upon the very same day Which the Jews expected as appears by a memorable passage which Andr. Masius in V Josh 10. quotes out of that Tract in the Talmud called Rosch Hashanah where they say it was a famous and old opinion among the ancient Jews that the day of the New Year which was the beginning of the Israelites deliverance out of Egypt should in future time be the beginning of their Redemption by the Messiah Which was wonderfully fulfilled in our Lord and Saviour who keeping the Passover the day before the Rulers of the Jews observed it it fell out that he the true Lamb of God was offered on that very day which Moses here appointed for the Offering this Typical Sacrifice And the whole Assembly of the Congregation of Israel shall kill it God here grants a Liberty to any Man among the Israelites to kill the Passover Which act did not make him a Priest whose work it was to offer the Blood for in other Sacrifices any Man that brought them might do the same I Lev. 3 4 5. And this is given as a reason why the People did not kill the Passover in Hezekiah's time because they were unclean and therefore the Levites had the charge of it II Chron. XXX 17. But besides this Moses seems to mean that all the Company who were to eat were to be present at the Sacrifice By which means the whole Assembly of the Congregation of Israel were engaged in this Service And this was exactly also fulfilled in our Blessed Saviour whom the Apostle calls our Passover against whom the Priests and Scribes and Pharisees and all the People conspired to take away his Life In the Evening In the Hebrew the words are as is noted in the Margin of our Bibles between the two Evenings The first of which began when the Sun began to decline from its Noon-tide point and lasted till Sun set Then began the second Evening and lasted till Night Between these two Evenings about the middle of them was the Passover offered For after the offering of Incense they began on this day to kill the daily Evening Sacrifice between two and three in the Afternoon a little sooner than on other days and having sinished that and trimmed the Lamps as Maimonides in his Treatise on this Subject Cap. 1. Sect. 4. describes the order of it they went about the Paschal Sacrifice which continued till Sun-setting That is there were about two hours and an half for the dispatch of all the Lambs For the daily Evening Sacrifice and all belonging to it being over in an hours time by half an hour after three all the rest of the day till Sun-set which was two hours and an half at this time of the Year remained for the killing of the Paschal Lambs See Bochart Hieroz P. I. L. II. c. 50. p. 558. and our Learned Dr. Lightfoot in his Gleanings on Exodus Now our three a Clock in the Afternoon being the fame with the Jews ninth hour it is evident our blessed Saviour offered up himself to God for our Redemption about the same time that this Lamb was slain for their deliverance out of Egypt XV Mark 34 37. Ver. 7. And they shall take of the Blood Which was the Means that God now appointed for their Preservation And strike it By dipping a bunch of Hysop into it v. 22. On the two Side-posts Upon which Folding-doors moved For from thence Bochart thinks they had their Name in the Hebrew And on the upper Door-posts The Hebrew word Maskuph is no where to be found but in this Chapter and its carrying in it a signification of looking-through may induce us to think they had Lattices at the top of their Doors through which they could peep to see who knockt before they opened them Both these were sprinkled with the Blood but not the Threshold lest any Body should tread upon it which had been prophane this being an holy thing This striking or sprinkling of the Blood upon the Posts seems to have been peculiar to the first Passover at their going out of Egypt and not to have been used in after Times when there was not the same occasion for it viz. to distinguish their Houses from the Egyptians for their preservation from the destroying Angel In the Houses wherein they shall eat it In which the whole Nation was gathered together and so all delivered Ver. 8. And they shall eat the Flesh in that Night For it was not lawful to let any of it remain till the Morning v. 10. And the Hebrews say they
eat lest they should make the Beds dirty on which they lay leaning But Bochart hath demonstrated that this Custom was not so ancient but that in Moses his time and after they sat at their Tables as we do now of which there are many Instances in the Book of Genesis and elsewhere And therefore it is more likely the Jews were wont to go without Shoes when they were in Egypt for anciently Men did so and that being an hot Country there was no need of them And besides they were so oppressed that they may well be supposed to want many such Conveniencies of Life But now God commands them to put on Shoes being to travel a long Journey See his Hierozoicon P. I. L. 2. c. 50. p. 508. And your Staff in your hand Still the Posture of Travellers who never went without a Staff both to support them in slippery places and to defend them against Assaults XXXII Gen. 10. They seem now to have eaten the Lamb leaning on their Staves and therefore stood all the time as Men ready to depart But these were things peculiar only to that Pasover which they kept in Egypt afterwards they were not tied to them Ye shall eat it in haste As Men expecting every moment to begin their Journey This was the Foundation of many of the Laws about the Passover as Maimonides observes P. III. More Nev. c. 46. It is the LORD 's Passover To be kept in memory of his wonderful Mercy in sparing the Israelites when he destroyed the Egyptians and delivering them from their cruel Bondage Ver. 12. For I will pass through the Land of Egypt this Night See XI 4. And will smite all the First-born c. A most grievous Judgment all Children being very dear to their Parents especially their First-born and those more especially who are their only Children as it is likely they were to many in Egypt It was the forer Plague also because no Man's Children were spared that he might comfort his Neighbours but they were all at the same time bewailing their loss It is not certain by what sort of Death they were smitten but it was sudden and extinguisht them all in the same moment And against all the Gods of Egypt I will execute Judgment And so Moses tells us he did XXXIII Numb 4. From whence it appears that the Egyptians were Idolaters in Moses his days and the Jewish Doctors will have it that all their Idols were destroyed this Night So Jonathan in his Paraphrase Their molten Images were dissolved and melted down their Images of Stone were dasht in pieces their Images made of Earth were crumbled into bits and their Wooden ones reduced to Ashes Of the truth of which we cannot be assured though we meet with it not only in Pirke Elieser c. 48. but in the Author of Dibre hajamim c. or The Life and Death of Moses whose words are these All the First-born both of Man and Beast were smitten the Images also and Pictures destroyed whereupon the Jews borrowing Gold Silver and Garments of the Egyptians they went away laden with Riches according to what God said to Abraham XV Gen. 14. That Nation whom they shall serve will I judge and afterward shall they come out with great Substance This the Heathen seem to have understood for this Story reached them as if they had carried away the Gold and Silver and Garments of the Egyptian Idols For so Trogus reports it in Justin L. XXXVI c. 2. that when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt Sacra Aegyptiorum furto abstulit he stole away the Holy Things of the Egyptians which he makes the reason why Pharaoh pursued them Artapanus also in Eusebius saith that most of their Temples were overthrown by an Earthquake L. IX Praepar Evang. c. 27. There are those who by Elohim understand nothing but their Princes or Judges the great Men of the Kingdom upon whom the Judgment of God was now executed But another place in this Book XX. 23. plainly determines it to signifie Images I am the LORD There is no other God but me as he had said he would make both the Israelites and Pharaoh also to know X. 2. XI 7. Ver. 13. And the Blood shall be to you for a Token Or a Sign by which the Israelites were assured of Safety and Deliverance from the destroying Angel Of which Token if we may believe Epiphanius there was a Memorial preserved even among the Egyptians themselves though they were ignorant of the Original of their own Rites For at the Aequinox which was the time of the Passover they mark't their Cattle and their Trees and one another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with red Oker or some such thing which they fancied would be a Preservative to them And when I see the Blood Wheresoever my Angel finds this Blood upon the Door-posts I will pass over you c. Here is the reason of the Name of Pesach as the Hebrews call it or Pischa or Pascha as it is called by the Chaldees because God ordered his Angel to pass over or pass by the Children of Israel and not to smite any body in their Families when he smote every First-born of the Egyptians v. 23. Ver. 14. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial To preserve in mind God's wonderful Works which he made to be remembred CXI Psal 4. that is ordered and disposed things in such a manner that they should not be forgotten particularly by instituting a Festival Solemnity upon this day as it here follows And you shall keep it a Feast to the LORD c. Called the Feast of the Passover the Rites of which are all manifestly contrived to preserve a Memory of the Benefits they now received An Ordinance for ever To the end of that Oeconomy For it often signifies only a long Duration as XV Deut. 17. And here imports no more but that they should keep this Ordinance not only now but when they came into the Land of Canaan Ver. 15. Seven days shall ye eat unleavend Bread The seven days following the Feast of the Passover were observed as a distinct Festival and called The Feast of unleavened Bread v. 17. because no Bread that had any leaven in it might be eaten all that time Which the Jews expound thus Not that they were bound to eat unleavened Bread all those seven days which was necessary only on that Night when the Passover was killed but only not to eat leavened Bread That was utterly unlawful but they might eat Rice or parched Corn or any such thing See Petavius in Epiphan Haeres LXX N. XI At their march indeed out of Egypt they were forced to eat unleavened Bread having none else to eat not only for seven days but for a whole month that is from the fifteenth of the first Month to the fifteenth and sixteenth of the next when God gave them Manna and Quails XVI 1 12 13. But necessity as I said compelled them to this they having
nothing else to support them in the Wilderness during that time because through haste they were constrained to bring their Dough out of Egypt unleavened v. 39. Even the first day ye shall put leaven out of your Houses Which they searched with great diligence the Evening before that the smallest Crumb might not be left behind So their Doctors tell us particularly Maimonides in his Treatise on this Subject See Buxtorf Synagog Judaic c. 17. That Soul shall be cut off from Israel See concerning this Cereth or cutting off which is often mentioned in these Books XVII Gen. 14. Most think it a Punishment by the Hand of God and not of Man Ver. 16. And in the first day there shall be an holy Convocation and in the seventh day c. The first and the last days of the Feast of unleavened Bread were kept holy the other five were working days because as God delivered them from their cruel Bondage in Egypt upon the first day so he overthrew Pharaoh and his Host in the Red-sea upon the seventh No manner of work shall be done in them No manner of Servile Work See XXIII Lev. 7 8. Save only that which every man must eat c. He that did any other Work was to be beaten For they equal these days with the Sabbath in this regard that whatsoever Work was forbidden on the Sabbath might not be done on any such days as these which they call good days But they might provide good Cheer on these days though not more than could be eaten See Buxtorf Synag Jud. c. 19. where he shows at large what things might be done and what not on these days according to the Opinion of their Doctors Ver. 17. And ye shall observe the Feast of unleavened Bread c. He repeats it again because it was a thing of great moment to have these seven days observed intirely and not only the Passover upon the fourteenth day in the Evening that they might every year think so long of God's great Goodness in delivering them from their miserable Condition in Egypt as not to let the sense of so singular a Benefit slip at any time quite out of their Minds By an Ordinance for ever See v. 14. Ver. 18. In the first Month on the fourteenth day of the Month at Even c. The Passover was celebrated in the Conclusion of the fourteenth day of this Month just before the beginning of the fifteenth day For the next Morning when the Israelites immediately after they had eaten the Lamb were hastned out of Egypt was not part of the fourteenth day but of the fifteenth as we read XXXII Numb 3. Vntil the one and twentieth day of the Month at Even That is for seven days as was said before v. 15. and again is repeated v. 19. which began immediately after the eating the Paschal Lamb in the end of the fourteenth day For if they should be reckoned from the beginning of the fourteenth day there would be not seven but eight days of unleavened Bread Ver. 19. Seven days shall there be no Leaven found in your Houses This still makes the Precept stricter that they were not only to abstain from any thing leavened but not so much as to have it in their Habitations Accordingly the Jews tell us of an exact Search which every one was bound to make with lighted Wax-Candles lest it should remain in any Corner or Crevise of the House Their Scrupulosity in this matter is exactly described by Buxtorf in his Synag Jud. cap. 17. p. 394 c. Whether he be a stranger c. That is one of another Nation but had embrac'd the Jewish Religion by receiving Circumcision For none else were admitted to eat of the Passover v. 48. Such a Person was called by the Greeks a Proselyte Ver. 20. Ye shall eat nothing leavened This according to the Jews explains what follows in all your Habitations shall ye eat unleavened Bread That is if they eat any Bread at all it was to be without leaven See v. 15. Accordingly on the day before the Passover they were very busie in making Cakes which they call Mazzoth without any Butter or Oyl or so much as Salt in them of meer Water and Flowre Which being very insipid some made bold as their Authors tells us to add Eggs and Sugar and sometimes the Richer sort made them of meer Almonds both for the honour of the Feast as they pretended and for the comfort of sick and infirm People as well as to render them more pleasant Yet on the first day of the Feast they would eat none of these but only the Bread of Affliction as they called it made meerly of Meal and Water Ver. 21. Then Moses called for all the Elders of Israel Immediately after he had received the Command from God he summoned them to deliver it to the People that it might be put in Execution Concerning Elders see III. 16. Draw out and take you a Lamb. It is thus expounded by Jonathan in his Paraphrase Withdraw your hands from the Idols of Egypt and take a Lamb to your Families c. By which it appears he thought this was opposed to the Rites of the Egyptians but I know not on what ground for the Israelites offered no Sacrifices there According to your Families See v. 3. And kill the Passover It belonged to every Man to do it as was said v. 6. and now there was no Priest as yet ordained but every Father of a Family exercised that Office I need not mention the manner after which the Jewish Writers say it was to be slain The Passover The Hebrew word Pesach signifies principally the Angel's passing by the Israelites when he slew the Egyptian Children From whence it came to signifie also the Lamb that was offered in memory of this Deliverance and was a means of it at this time So it signifies here and in many other places And likewise it signifies all the Sacrifices which were wont to accompany this Lamb and were offered to God with it at this Festival XVI Deut. 2. And lastly the Feast it self is called by this Name XXII Luke 1. And here it may be fit to note that the Lamb being first killed in Egypt it was killed in every Man's House for they had no Altar there nor any other place where they had liberty to kill it But after they came to the Land of Canaan it was not lawful to Sacrifice it any where but in the place which God appointed for his Worship XVI Deut. 2. From whence Meimonides concludes that whatsoever they did with other Sacrifices yet this could not be offered in the High Places but only at the Temple And it is likely they did so in the Wilderness the Tabernacle being newly erected at the keeping of the second Passover IX Numb 5. Ver. 22. And ye shall take a bunch of Hysop So the Leper was to be cleansed and the House infected with Leprosie XIV Lev. 6 7 49 50 c. and so
the whole Channel as before When the Morning appeared When it was light And the Egyptians fled against it They were so frighted by the Light which shone in their Faces and by the Thunder and Hail c. that they turned back and like Men distracted run and met the Waters which came tumbling down upon them And the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the Sea The Hebrew word imports throwing down with violence and precipitation and may be translated threw them headlong Artapanus in Eusebius L. IX Praepar Evang. c. 27. tell this Story from the Heliopolitans after the same manner that Moses doth only he makes some of them to have been killed with Lightning and the rest drowned Ver. 28. And the Waters returned and covered the Chariots c. The Sea returned to its former depth so that they were swallowed up And all the Host of Pharaoh that came into the Sea after them Some have fancied that all the Host of Pharaoh did not perish but only so many of them as pursued the Israelites into the Sea which they fancy this place intimates some did not But the plain meaning is that they all came into the Sea after the Israelites and were all drowned in it It is a wilder fancy that Pharaoh alone was saved by the Angels Michael and Gabriel because he cried out as he had done heretofore IX 27. The LORD is righteous and I and my People are wicked Thus the Author of Dibre Hajamim or The Life and Death of Moses who says they transported him to Nineveh where he reigned as long as the Israelites wandred in the Wilderness The same is related by other such fabulous Writers who are soberly confuted by Aben Ezra from the following words There remained not so much as one of them and from XV. 4 19. where Moses in his Song plainly makes Pharaoh to have perished among the rest And with him an old Midrash saith that Jannes and Jambres were drown'd who had been the great Instruments of hardning Pharaoh's heart See our Learned J. Gregory Observ c. 15. Ver. 29. But the Children of Israel walked on dry Land c. Or Had walked for it seems to be a meer fancy that they were still in the Sea and had not passed quite through it when Pharaoh and his Host were drowned For which there is no ground but this word walked which may as well be translated in the time perfectly past as in the present And so I doubt not Moses meant that the Israelites were safe on Shore when the Sea returned upon the Egyptians And the Waters were a Wall unto them c. See v. 22. Ver. 30. Thus the LORD saved Israel As he had promised v. 13. That day Which was the XXI st of Nisan and the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread which by God's command was to be kept holy XII 16. And now there was a very great reason for it and for that triumphant Hymn which they sung upon this Solemnity Chap. XV. Mr. Mede will have this Day to have been that which they afterward kept for their Sabbath in memory of their Redemption out of the Land of Egypt and the House of Bondage This he gathers from the Repetition of the Decalogue in the Fifth of Deuteronomy where leaving out the reason for this Commandment from the Creation of the World Moses inserts this other of their Redemption out of Egypt as the ground of observing that Seventh day rather than any other v. 15. Therefore the LORD commanded thee to keep the Sabbath namely not for the quotum of one day in seven of that there was another reason from the Example of God in the Creation but for the designation of that day after the preceding six days rather than any other Discourse XV. p. 74. And Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the Sea-shore It may be interpreted that as they stood upon the Sea-shore they saw their dead Bodies floating upon the Waters But it is likely also that by the working of the Sea and by the Divine Providence many of their Bodies were cast on shore that the Israelites might have the benefit of the Spoil and especially of their Arms which they wanted and were now by this overthrow furnished withal This Shore was inhabited by the Icthyophagi among whom the memory of this Recess and Return of the Sea was preserved as I observed upon v. 21. and unto whom the dead Bodies were given for food as the Psalmist saith LXXIV 14. that is to the Beasts and Birds of Prey which peopled the neighbouring Wilderness This was done by the righteous Judgment of the LORD God of the Hebrews who made this proud Prince his States-men and Army a Prey not only to the Fishes and Sea-monsters but a visible booty as Dr. Jackson speaks to the promiscuous sorts of ravenous Creatures which inhabit the Deserts Ver. 31. And Israel saw that great work c. Of making a path for them to walk on dry Ground in the middle of the Sea and then drowning the Egyptians when they followed them in the same path And the People feared the LORD They beholding and considering the powerful hand of God which appeared in this great work it begat in them for the present high and awful Thoughts of him and devout Affections to him For the fear of the LORD includes all Religion Or if we take the word fear in a restrained sense for a dread of the Divine Majesty the meaning is they were sensible how dangerous as well as vain it is to oppose his Authority to set themselves against his Will or slight his Warnings as Pharaoh and the Egyptians did And believed the LORD and his Servant Moses Believed the Promises which God had made them by Moses of bringing them into the Land of Canaan III. 17. looking upon Moses as a Servant of his who faithfully declared the Mind and Will of God unto them CHAP. XV. Verse 1. THen sang Moses and the Children of Israel c. Upon the XXIth of Nisan as I said before which was the last day of Unleavened Bread when they came safe through the Sea and saw the Egyptians drown'd they sang this Song of Praise to God for their wonderful Deliverance So the constant Tradition of the Hebrews is and there is great ground for it This Song Called the Song of Moses the servant of the LORD XV Rev. 3. because he composed it by a Divine Inspiration to be sung by all the People And it is the most ancient Song of which there is any memory Vnto the LORD In praise of the Divine Power and Goodness which remarkably appeared in this Deliverance Josephus L. II. c. ult of his Antiquities saith that this Song is composed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Hexameter Verse which Eusebius represents as the Opinion of many others L. XI de Praepar Evang. c. 3. But I do not see how this can be made out nor what St. Hierom saith concerning such Songs in many
For it is noted by Pliny that gaudet riguis toto anno bibere amat the Palm-Tree delights in places well watered and loves to drink all the year There were two sorts of these Trees the common and that which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it bare Dates as Salmasius hath observed in his Plinianae exercit p. 472. 1326. If these were of the latter sort they gave them the better entertainment And they encamped there by the water To refresh themselves and their Flocks in this delightful place CHAP. XVI Verse 1. AND they took their journey from Elim After they had rested a good while there as appears by the end of the Verse And all the Congregation came unto the Wilderness of Sin Not directly but first they went back towards the Red-sea which was their next Station after they left Elim as Moses tells us XXXIII Numb 10. where he gives an exact account of all their Stations one of which is here omitted because nothing remarkable I suppose fell out there and they did not stay long in it This Sin is different from that where Miriam died XX Nunth 1. and written with different Letters Which is betweem Elim and Sinai So the direct way to Sinai had been into this Wilderness of Sin but for some reason which we know not they first return'd to some part of that Sea where they had been before On the fifteenth day of the second Month c. Just a Month after they came out of Egypt And therefore it seems they stayed a good while at Elim where there was plenty of Water and some shade which was now very comfortable this second Month which they call Ijar answering to part of our April and May. Or otherwise we must suppose they spent some time at the Red-sea whether God conducted them perhaps to put them in mind of his late great Mercy to them there which might incline them to be more obedient to his Commands mentioned XV. 25 26. Ver. 2. And the whole Congregation of the Children of Israel Their Elders and all are included in these words they being the same with those v. 1. which certainly comprehend all that came out of Egypt Though its likely there were some more pious among them who were not guilty of what follows when the generality were so mutinous that they who were better disposed could scarce be discerned Murmured against Moses and Aaron This seems to be an higher discontent than the former XV. 24. because the whole Congregation were ingaged in it whereas there it is only said the People were concerned in it And there they quarrelled only with Moses but here with both their Leaders And as that was for want of Water so this for want of Bread all their Dough which they brought out of Egypt being now spent So Josephus and R. Bechai which latter saith the Dough they brought out of Egypt sufficed for a whole Month from the XVth of Nisan to the XVth of Ijar and the Night of the XVIth they still are of it And then on the XVIth he thinks the Manna descended which fell on the first day of the Week as he argues from those words v. 5. when on the sixth day they are commanded to gather twice as much as on other days Which was says he both the sixth day of the Week and of the descent of the Manna Ver. 3. Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD c. As some of the Egyptians did A strange wish proceeding from great ingratitude to God and forgetfulness of his Benefits When he sat That was the ancient posture of eating before this time XXXVII 25. XLIII 33. and afterward XXXII Exod. 6. XIX Judg. 6. By the Flesh-pots and did eat Bread to the full This is not likely when they were not only meer Slaves but under cruel Hardships But they untruly magnisie their former Condition that they may represent their present to be more miserable than really it was For ye have brought us forth into this Wilderness They were glad to be brought out of Egypt but their Discontent arose from their being brought into a Wilderness where they wanted all Provisions but what they brought along with them To kill this whole Congregation with hunger There was no danger of their perishing presently they having so many Flocks to feed them But without Bread this would not satisfie them and they were loth it is likely to lose any of their Stock which they hoped rather to increase than to diminish Or else they longed for Dainties as they did afterwards which moved God to send them great store of Fowl as we understand v. 12. Ver. 4. Then said the LORD Dunto Moses He spake to him out of the Cloud of Glory where the SCHECHINAH was as I observed above I will rain Bread Send you down that which shall supply the place of Bread in a very plentiful manner like drops of Rain from Heaven from above out of the Clouds Which was as Greg. Nyssen speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the most incredible of all Wonders that Bread should be given them not as usually out of the Earth but out of the Air where no Seed is ever sown L. de Vita Mosis p. 177. Every day It came down in daily showres as much only as would suffice for one day that they might be kept in a perpetual thankful dependence upon God's Providence and that this might more evidently appear to be a miraculous Work of his who made it fall at all times of the year alike The Heathen themselves preserved some Memory of this in that Fable of Pan whom Huetius shows to be Moses finding out Ceres when she had been long wanting to give Men bread when they were ready to starve with hunger That I may prove them Some think this relates to what goes before concerning his sending them Bread every day which was so ordered that he might prove whether they would murmur because they had not enough at once for a whole year or humbly hope in his Mercy for a constant supply But the following words whether they will walk in my law or no direct us to a larger sense which is that he tried whether they would be obedient to all his Commands when he let them want nothing to support and incourage them in his Service Prove them Not as if he was ignorant but that it might plainly appear to others and to themselves what they were Or as Maimonides interprets it that it might openly appear to the World that God sustains him who follows his Worship and Service by means that he did not think of So he expounds this very place More Novoch P. III. c. 24. That every one may see and know whether it be beneficial to give ones self to the Service of God or not Ver. 5. On the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in When they had gathered it and brought it into their Tents they were
to grind and bake it c. v. 23. and make ready all things that were necessary against the next day which was to be a Festival viz. the Sabbath on which they were to do nothing For the Sabbath was not to be disturbed with such kind of Work but though on other Festivals they might prepare their Meat and only abstain from labour yet on this they might not so much as dress their Meat but it was to de done the Evening before on which they were to prepare every thing for the next day From which preparation this day was called the Parascue XXIII Luke 54. the preparation for the Sabbath And it shall be twice as much as they gather daily Enough that is for two days viz. that sixth day and the next which was to be the Sabbath v. 23. Where what is here briefly said in general is more particularly and largely explained The Talmudists are generally of an opinion that the XVth day of the second Month when they came hither v. 1. was the seventh day of the week See Mr. Selden L. III. de Jure N. G. c. 11. Which if it be true they knew nothing of the rest of the Sabbath for they travelled upon this day But Mr. Mede hath observed that it is altogether uncertain whether or no it was the seventh day from the Creation It might possibly fall out so by the Providence of God that the seventh day designed by him for their Sabbath might be both the seventh in order from the Creation and also from the day of their deliverance out of Egypt But that which now determined this seventh day after six days labour to be their rest was their Redemption out of Egypt and the Overwhelming of Pharaoh and his Host in the Red Sea which was upon this very day The Example of the Creation was a reason for sanctifying one day in seven but the designation of this seventh day was as I said from their wonderful deliverance See Discourse XV. Book 1. Ver. 6. And Moses and Aaron said unto all the Children of Israel What God spake to Moses alone v. 4. is delivered to the People by Aaron also who was assistant to his Brother in the Government of them At Even On the Evening of this fifteenth day God sent them Quails as we translate v. 13. Then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the Land of Egypt Be convinced that it was by the LORD's Direction and Command that you were brought out of Egypt into this place And therefore you have no reason to quarrel with us who did nothing of our selves without his order but rather to trust in him who can make as good provision for you here in the Wilderness as ever you saw in Egypt Ver. 7. And in the Morning When the Manna fell down v. 13. Then ye shall see the Glory of the LORD His great power some interpret it in sending them Bread from Heaven and Flesh also with it But I take it rather to refer unto the visible appearance of the Divine Majesty which they saw presently after this v. 10. and were convinced of his real Presence in that Cloud by the descent of the Manna from thence next Morning which no Power but the Divine could produce And so I find Abarbinel himself interprets it Their seeing the Glory of the LORD is not to be understood of the Bread or the Flesh he sent them but of the Fire which appeared to all the People to reprove them for their Murmurings For that he heareth your Murmurings against the LORD He is present among you and takes notice of your ungrateful behaviour towards him For what are we that ye murmur against us Alas we are but poor Instruments of his who hath done all the Wonders you have seen and by that means brought you hither And therefore why do you complain of us as if we acted any thing by our own Authority Ver. 8. And Moses said this shall be when the LORD shall give you c. I say again therefore mark it when the LORD shall give you Flesh to eat in the Evening and in the Morning Bread to the full then you shall be convinced that he hath taken notice of your Murmurings which are really against him who imploys us only as his Ministers and will be so gracious as not to punish your Discontents but provide for your Necessities Ver. 9. And Moses spake unto Aaron Who was his Minister as Moses was more immediately God's Speak unto the whole Congregation of the Children of Israel Who were all ingaged in this undutiful Murmuring v. 2. Come near before the LORD Before the SCHECHINAH or Divine Majesty which was in the Cloud as I observed XIII 21. and now was about to break forth upon them in a glorious manner But because of their Murmurings the Cloud was removed it is probable to a greater distance from them than it used to be Bonfrerius will have it that they were to come near to the Tabernacle of Moses where the Glory of the LORD appeared XXXIII 7 9. But there is no proof that it was wont to be there till that occasion See upon that place For he hath heard your murmurings He will show that he is among you and observes how ungratefully you requite him It is not unlikely that Moses bad Aaron go and speak to the People because he himself retired to speak to God That is to pray for them and to acknowledge his great Goodness in passing by their Murmurings Ver. 10. And it came to pass as Aaron spake unto the whole Congregation of the Children of Israel According to the Command of Moses v. 9. That they looked They were suddenly surprised I conceive with an unwonted brightness which made them look about to see whence it came Or Aaron perhaps bad them look that way Towards the Wilderness Whether the Cloud had conducted them and stood at some distance from them And behold the Glory of the LORD appeared in the Cloud The Divine Majesty appeared in flaming Light such as they had never seen before See XIII 21. Thus N. Lyra truly expounds Fulgor quidam insolitus c. an unusual Splendor representing the Divine Power to reprove the Murmurings of the People Ver. 11. And the LORD spake unto Moses Who was gone as I said to pray unto God whilst Aaron was speaking unto the People Ver. 12. I have heard the murmurings of the Children of Israel c. He repeats to Moses what he had bidden him tell them v. 4 5 6. and perhaps spake it from the Cloud of Glory in the Audience of all the People In the Evening ye shall eat Flesh v. 8. And in the Morning ye shall be silled with Bread v. 4. And ye shall know that I am the LORD your God Who brought you out of Egypt and will provide for you here in the Wilderness Ver. 13. And it came to pass that at Even According to God's Promise v. 6 8. The Quails
not read in the foregoing Chapters of any carved Work about the Tabernacle and therefore this word may better be rendred as it is in the beginning of the Verse cutting rather than carving Timber For it signifies in general doing all the Work of Carpenters and Joyners To work in all manner of Workmanship That was necessary for the making of every thing God had commanded Ver. 6. And I behold I have given with him Lest Moses should think one principal Contriver and Director not to be sufficient God joyns another with him Aholiab of the Tribe of Dan. It is observed by R. Bechai that God chose one out of the lowest Tribe for so they accounted that of Dan as well as one out of the chief which was Judah that Bezaleel saith he might not be lifted up with vain Conceit for great and small are equal before God And he truly observes that one of the same Tribe of Dan by the Mothers side was the most skilful Person that could be found for the Building of the Temple by Solomon 2 Chron. II. 14. And in the hearts of all that are wise-hearted I have put wisdom That is God indued the Minds of all ingenious Persons among them with an extraordinary Skill which they never learnt either by their own study or any Master but had it by an inspiration from above There were several no doubt who had a natural Genius to such Arts as were necessary in this Work but they could not by their own Industry have attained such Skill as God bestowed on them at least not so soon as to go immediately about the building of the Tabernacle and all things belonging to it That they may make all that I have commanded thee Not to imitate the Egyptian Contrivances as some have fancied for which no such great Skill one would think was necessary but to make all exactly according to the Model which Moses had seen in the Mount and he described to them which could not have been done without God's extraordinary Assistance Ver. 7. The Tabernacle of the Congregation and the Ark of the Testimony c. These things are here mentioned according to the order of Nature which is first to build an House and then to provide its Furniture And it is observable that there was but one House or Tabernacle one Ark and one Altar either for Sacrifice or Incense to preserve in their Minds the belief of the Unity of God contrary to the Gentiles who had their Temples and Altars every where and each Family its domestick Gods and particular Superstitions Ver. 8. The pure Candlestick It is hard to tell why this is particularly called pure unless it be because it was intirely of pure Gold XXV 31. which the Table and Altar of Incense were not for they were only overlaid with pure Gold XXV 24. XXX 3. Some have thought that it is called pure because no Blood was ever sprinkled upon it as there was on the Altar of Incense but this is not a good reason for we do not find there was any sprinkled on the Table Ver. 9. The Altar of Burnt-offering c. Concerning this and the Laver he had received orders XXVII 1. XXX 17. Ver. 10. And the Clothes of Service Wherewith the Ark and the Table and the Candlestick and the golden Altar were covered IV Numb 6 7 9 11 c. when the Camp removed The holy Garments for Aaron c. Which are ordered Chap. XXVIII Ver. 11. And the anointing Oyl and sweet Incense c. These was ordered in the foregoing Chapter v. 23 34. Ver. 12. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying After he had delivered him all the foregoing Orders about the Tabernacle its Furniture and the Workmen to be imployed in making them he added what follows Ver. 13. Speak unto the Children of Israel saying Verily my Sabbaths shall ye keep This hath been mention'd thrice already see XVI 23. XX. 8. XXIII 12. but here seems to be repeated again upon this special occasion that they might not think this Sacred Work would warrant them to break the Sabbath On which he bids Moses tell them they must not do this Work no more than any other For the Tabernacle was built for the Service of God which was principally performed upon this day And he uses a word of the Plural Number not to signifie any other Sabbath but this which recurring so often as once in seven days he might well admonish them to keep his Sabbaths And so the Apostle plainly speaks II Coloss 16. For it is a sign between me and you This plainly shows he speaks of the weekly Sabbath the observation of which testified to all the World what God they worshipped as all Nations signified by their Rites and Ceremonies what their Gods were to whom their Services were paid Now the Israelites stood in a double relation to God as his Creatures and as those who were redeemed by him from the Egyptian Bondage In both which regards the Sabbath was a Sign or a Token between him and them For by observing one day in seven after six days labour they signified that they worshipped the Creator of the World who in six days made all things and then rested and by observing such a seventh day See XVI 5. after six days labour rather than any other they signified they owned him to be their Deliverer from Egyptian Slavery This is opened excellently by our Mr. Mede Discourse XV. p. 73 74. Throughout your Generations During this Polity which God now establishes among you That ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctifie you To be my peculiar People by observing this Solemnity For it was peculiarly enjoyned to them and to no other Nation and was looked upon as a singular Benefit conferred on them above all People as appears by the devout Acknowledgment Nehemiah makes of this among the rest of the Divine Favours to them That he made known unto them his holy Sabbath IX 14. and see XX Ezek. 11 12. Ver. 14. Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore Since it is such a distinguishing Mark be the more careful to observe it For it is holy unto you This depends upon what was said in the Conclusion of the foregoing Verse that hereby they were sanctified or separated to God as a peculiar People and therefore in all reason should look upon this as an holy day Every one that desileth it shall surely be put to death If there were credible Witnesses of his Profanation For whosoever doth any work thereon This was to defile or profane it That Soul shall be cut off from amongst his People God seems to threaten that he himself would shorten his days if the Judges for want of Witnesses could not punish him So Eliah ben Moseh one of those whom the Jews call Karaites most excellently expounds this and all the rest of the Punishments threatned to the Violation of this Precept which Mr. Selden hath given us out of a MS. L. I. de
Spirit of God in wisdom c. This Verse is explained before XXXI 3 6. only I shall add That the extraordinary Skill which any Man had without teaching in common Arts was by the Heathens ascribed to their Gods There are several Instances of it observed by Maximus Tyrius Dissert XXII Where he argues that it should not be thought strange if a Man be made vertuous by a Divine Inspiration when some have no otherways become admirable Artists Among which he mentions Demodocus a Musician whom Homer introduces speaking thus of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I was never taught by any body but the Gods bestowed on me the gift of singing The latter end of which Verse is a little otherways in Homer as we now have him Odyss X. but to the same sense and it is Phemius not Demodocus who there speaks as Petrus Petitus hath observed in his Miscell Observ L. 1. c. 19. Ver. 32. And to devise curious works The Hebrew word Chaschab signifies to devise and excogitate whence Macheschaboth which we translate curious works and in the end of the next Verse cunning works is as much as ingenious Inventions devised with much Art Such were the Engines made by King Vzziah which are said to be invented by cunning men or excellent Engeniers as we now speak 2 Chron. XXVI 15. See XXXI 4. where this Verse hath been explained Ver. 33. And in the cutting of Stones c. See XXXI 5. Ver. 34. And he hath put in his heart that he may teach Instruct others in his Arts. For this was a gift of God as much as any of the rest to be able to inform others dextrously in those things which he knew himself As it was to be able to comprehend what Moses told him God had ordered and put it in execution For God gave Moses the pattern according to which all things were to be wrought and as it was a peculiar gift of God which enabled him to represent to Bezaleel what had been set before him so it was by an extraordinary operation on his Mind that he conceived presently what was represented and had Skill to perform it according to direction Ver. 35. Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart to work all manner of work c. This is repeated so often and such particular mention is here made again of their Skill in every thing though of never so difficult Contrivance to assure the Israelites that they were so well qualified for the work that they might be intrusted with the Offerings they had made And accordingly they were XXXVI 3. CHAP. XXXVI Verse 1. THen wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab and every wise-hearted man c. This Verse is only a general Account of what follows more particularly concerning the Execution of that which God had commanded and for the effecting of which the People had liberally contributed It is not said where they wrought but some think it was in that very space of ground where the Tabernacle was set up when perfected Ver. 2. And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab and every wise-hearted man in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom It appears by this that all the lower Artificers who were taught by the Master-workmen Bezaleel and Aholiab were also disposed by God to learn he giving them a quickness of apprehension and sagacity beyond what was natural to them Even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it Yet this signifies they had also a natural Genius which inclined and prompted them to such Imployments Ver. 3. And they received of Moses all the Offerings which the Children of Israel had brought for the work of the Sanctuary c. Into the hands of all these Artists Moses delivered the Offerings that had been made and directed them what to do with them And they brought yet unto him Free-offerings every morning The hearts of the People were so enlarged that every day they brought new Contributions unto Moses who sent them as appears by the next Verse to the Workmen as soon as he received them Ver. 4. And all the wise men which wrought all the work of the Sanctuary came every man from his work which he made After they had continued some time at their work they all agreed to desist a while and go to Moses to let him know that there needed no further Offerings for they had sufficient already nay more than enough as it follows v. 5. Ver. 5. And they spake unto Moses saying the People bring much more than enough for the service of the work c. A wonderful instance of Integrity that there should not be one Man found among them for the words in the Hebrew are very emphatical isch isch man man that is none excepted who was inclined to purloin any thing for his own proper use but by common consent they left their work to put a stop to all further Contributions A sign they were Men indued with extraordinary Vertue as well as Skill in their Employments Ver. 6. And Moses gave Commandment To those that attended on him or perhaps to Bezaleel and Aholiab and the rest And they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the Camp By some under-Officers who it 's likely were wont to execute such Commands Saying let neither man nor woman make any more work for the Offering of the Sanctuary It seems some Men prepared and made ready some of the things which they offered as the Women spun Yarn and Hair and brought them to Moses For it was not hard to plain Boards for instance though the joyning them together as God appointed was beyond the Skill of common People Ver. 7. For the stuff they had were sufficient c. There were Materials of all sorts for every thing that was to be made beyond what was necessary Ver. 8. And every wise-hearted man among them that wrought the work of the Tabernacle c. They began first as was but fit with the House of God before they made the Furniture For that was first ordered in general words XXV 8. though the Structure of it be not directed till the XXVIth Chapter Where every thing mentioned in this is explained and therefore there will need no more to be done here but to point to a few things which are explained elsewhere particularly in the foregoing Chapter Ver. 14. He made Curtains of Goats-hair for the Tent over the Tabernacle What is here meant by Tent see XXXV 11. Ver. 19. He made a covering for the Tent. This Curtain covered the Tent as the Curtain of which the Tent was made covered the Tabernacle See XXVI 14. XXXV 11. Of Rams-skins died red The Particle Mem here is cut off before Skins as it is in several Verses of this Chapter 8 34 35. and others Covering of Badgers-skins I observed on XXVI 14. that THACAS doth not signifie a Badger but a certain Colour and alledged that place in XVI Ezek. 10. for the proof of it where God setting forth his kindness
this Book 11. Or the word Tabernacle may be thought to signifie the inward part of this House as Tent the outward part which covered the inward See v. 17 19 29. Why it is called Ohel moed the Tent of the Congregation see XXIX 44. Ver. 3. And thou shalt put therein the Ark of the Testimony This was the principal end of building this House that God as was said before might dwell among them and his Residence was over this Ark. Which therefore is ordered in the first place to be brought into the Holy of Holies prepared for it as soon as the House was erected Why called the Ark of the Testimony see XXVI 20 21. And cover the Ark with the vail Which hung before it that no Body not the Priests themselves might see it XXVI 33. Ver. 4. And thou shalt bring in the Table c. When the Ark was placed in the Holiest of all then the Table with all belonging unto it and the Candlestick whose Lamps were to be lighted are ordered to be set in the Sanctuary which was divided by the Vail from the other XXVI 35. Ver. 5. And thou shalt set the Altar of Gold for the Incense before the Ark of the Testimony See XXX 6. And put the hangings of the door to the Tabernacle XXVI 36 37. This is ordered to be hung up when the Table Candlestick and Altar of Incense were put into the Holy Place because there were no more things but these three to be there Ver. 6. And thou shalt set the Altar of Burnt-offering c. In this and the two following Verses he is ordered to place the Altar of Burnt-offering and the Laver as he had been before directed XXX 18. and to set up the outward Court and the Hanging at the Gate of it in order to place the Altar and the Laver there XXVII 9 c. Ver. 9. And thou shalt take the anointing Oyl Mentioned in the XXX 23 c. Every thing being disposed in its proper place now follows their Consecration For they were not Consecrated separately before the House was erected and its Furniture brought in but after every thing was set in the order which God appointed And anoint the Tabernacle and all that is therein c. As was before directed and now ordered to be put in execution XXX 26 27 28 29. where this and the two following Verses are explained Ver. 12. And thou shalt bring Aaron and his Sons to the door of the Tabernacle The Laver being sanctified v. 11. many think that the Sanctification of Aaron and his Sons i. e. their Separation to their Office began in their being washed with Water But I look upon this as a Mistake there being a washing prescribed before the Laver was ordered XXIX 4. where they were to wash only when they went in to Minister XXX 19 20 21. Ver. 13. And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy Garments Mentioned in the XXVIIIth Chapter And anoint and sanctifie him c. XXX 30 31. Ver. 14. And thou shalt bring his Sons and clothe them with Coats See XXVII 40 41. Ver. 15. And thou shalt anoint them as thou didst their Father See concerning this XXIX 7. where both their anointing and their Fathers is explained For their anointing shall surely be an everlasting Priesthood c. Not only consecrate them to the Priest's Office as long as they live but consecrate their Posterity also who shall need no other anointing in succeeding Generations but Minister to God by vertue of this anointing as long as that Priesthood lasted So the Hebrews interpret it None of them needed in after times saith R. Levi ben Gersom upon 1 Kings 1. to be anointed but only the High-Priest whose Successors were to be anointed as they gather from VI Levit 22. The Priest of his Sons who shall be anointed in his stead c. See Selden de Succession in Pontisicat L. II. c. 9. Ver. 16. Thus did Moses according to all that the LORD commanded him so did he He took the same care in erecting the Tabernacle and disposing every thing in its place that the Workmen had done in making all things according to God's mind XXXIX 43. Ver. 17 18 c. And it came to pass in the first month c. This and the following Verses to Verse 34. give an account of the Execution of what God commanded in the foregoing part of this Chapter But it is not easie to resolve whether every thing was executed at this very time or no. For full understanding of which it will be necessary to mark diligently the order wherein God requires all the foregoing Commands to be performed And first he bids him set up the Tabernacle and put every thing belonging to it in its place v. 2 3. and so forward to v. 9. And next to consecrate it and all the Vessels thereof with the Altar of Burnt-offerings and its Vessels c. v. 9 10 11. And then to proceed to consecrate Aaron and his Sons v. 12 13 14 15. Now it is expresly here affirmed that Moses did perform the first of these that is set up the Tabernacle and put every thing appertaining to it in its right place on the first day of the first month of the second year after their coming out of Egypt At which time we must suppose also he began to consecrate it and spent seven days in the Consecration of it and of the Altar of Burnt-offering as is appointed XXIX 37. But the difficulty is to determine when he consecrated Aaron and his Sons as he is here required in which seven days were also spent as we read VIII Lev. Some think there were but seven days in all set apart for this work and consequently they were consecrated together So Torniellus in his Annals and Abulensis before him who follow Seder Olam and other Jewish Writers who are of this Opinion The ground of which is that the Tabernacle being erected on the first day of the month before-mentioned and its Consecration finished on the eighth there was a Solemn Passover kept upon the fifteenth IX Numb 1 2 c. which could not be held they suppose unless there were Priests to offer the Passover who therefore were consecrated at the same time with the Tabernacle because on the eighth day another business began which was the offering made by the Princes of the Tribes every one in their day VII Numb 1. But the principal ground is that in VIII Lev. 10 11 c. Moses speaks of the anointing i. e. Consecrating the Altar and of Consecrating Aaron and his Sons as done both at the same time But there is a weighty Objection against all this which is that in the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons there were three Sacrifices offered upon the Altar one for a Sin-offering another for a Burnt-offering and the Ram of Consecration for a Peace-offering VIII Lev. 4.18 22. None of which could be acceptable for their Sanctification till the Altar it self was made
holy And therefore the seven days appointed for that purpose were ended before the Consecration of the Priests began which continued seven days more and then the next day was the Feast of unleavened Bread Which was famous on a double account first because it was the first day of unleavened Bread and then it was the Octaves of the Consecration And this appears more plainly from I Lev. 1. where we find the following Commands were given to Moses out of the Tabernacle by the Divine Majesty who therefore dwelt there when he commanded the Priests to be consecrated which he did not till the Tabernacle was solemnly consecrated to be his Habitation There the Priests also are commanded to abide during the seven days of their Consecration VIII Lev. 33. which shows that all things belonging to its Sanctification were finished before their Consecration began As to that which is alledged from VIII Lev. 10 11 c. I shall consider it there Ver. 19. And he spread abroad the Tent over the Tabernacle The Ohel which we translate Tent sometimes signifies the whole House of God See v. 19. but here only the external part of it which covered that which was properly called Mischchan the Tabernacle Which Moses having erected with all its Sockets Boards Bars and Pillars v. 18. and hung it we must suppose with the inward Hangings which were the richest he spread abroad over them the Curtains of Goats-hair called the Tent XXVI 11. to be a covering over the Tabernacle XXVI 7. XXXVI 14 19. So the Tabernacle was an House within an House inclosed with strong Walls as we call them to secure it from the injury of the Weather And put the covering of the Tent upon it Mentioned in XXVI 14. Ver. 20. And he took and put the Testimony into the Ark. The two Tables of Stone as he had been commanded XXV 16. which he mentions again in the repetition of the Law X Deut. 5. Hence the Ark is called the Ark of the Covenant or Testimony in the next Verse and v. 3. of this Chapter Ver. 21. And he brought the Ark into the Tabernacle It is probable that he had placed the Ark after it was made in his own Tent which for the present was called the Tabernacle of the Congregation and had the Glory of the LORD in it XXXIII 7 9. but now he brought it into this Tabernacle which by God's order was prepared for it And set up the Vail of the Covering c. See v. 3. Ver. 22. And he put the Table in the Tent of the Congregation Here the whole House is called the Ohel or Tent as I observed upon Verse 19. But immediately the word Mischchan which we translate Tabernacle is used as the most proper expression for the inside of the House as the other most properly denotes the outside of it All is made more clear in the 34th Verse where we read that the Cloud covered the Tent of the Congregation that is the outside of the House and the Glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle within Though afterward v. 38. the Cloud is said to be upon the Tabernacle as v. 36. it is said to be over the Tabernacle because it was over the Tent which covered it Ver. 25. And he lighted the Lamps before the LORD c. In this and all that follows of burning sweet Incense v. 27. offering the Burnt-offering and Meat-offering v. 29. Moses acted as a Priest appointed by an extraordinary Commission from God only for this time that he might Consecrate the House of God and the Priests that were to minister therein which being done his Priesthood ceased And he did all that is mentioned in these Verses when the Tabernacle was Consecrated and the Glory of the LORD had filled it testifying the Divine Presence to be there Ver. 31. And Moses and Aaron and his Sons washed their hands c. This shows that Moses acted now as a Priest and therefore washed himself before he went to Sacrifice at the Altar as the Priest afterwards were always bound to do XXX 19 20 21. But it must be understood that neither this washing here spoken of nor his offering Sacrifice mentioned v. 29. was till some days after this See v. 17. Ver. 33. So Moses finished the work And then anointed the Tabernacle and all contained in it according to God's order v. 9 10 11. the execution of which though now not here mentioned in so many words is expresly said to be on the same day that he had compleatly set up the Tabernacle VII Numb 1. Ver. 34. Then a Cloud or then the Cloud covered the Tent of the Congregation After it was anointed and sanctified for the Divine Residence and the Princes perhaps had also finished that large Offering which we read VII Numb was made on this day God was pleased to fill this place with his glorious Presence For the cloudy Pillar which descended upon Moses his Tent and stood there before the door of it XXXIII 9. removed now from thence and came hither not standing at the door of it in the form of a Pillar but spreading it self all over the outside of the Tabernacle so that it was covered with it as we read also IX Numb 15. And the Glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle See v. 22. What God promised XXV 8 22. he now performed notwithstanding their Revolt from him by worshipping the Golden Calf Which made him withdraw himself from them XXXIII 7 c. till upon Moses's earnest Intercession for them and their Repentance he graciously consented to return to them and abide among them v. 14 15 c. As now he did by setling his glorious Presence in this Tabernacle which was set up in the midst of them For whereas the other Tabernacle of Moses was removed a Mile or two from their Camp XXXIII 7. this Tabernacle was pitched a month after this I Numb 1. in the midst of their Camps as we read II Numb 2 17. Ver. 35. And Moses was not able to enter into the Tent of the Congregation For the Glory of the LORD shone so bright and so strong beyond all that it had ever done that no Eye could look upon it And it filled not only the most holy Place but the whole Body of the Tabernacle so that he durst not adventure to come within it tell he was called I Lev. 1. After which time he seems to have had liberty to go in unto God when he pleased VII Numb 89. IX 8 9. For after this great day the Glory of the LORD retired into the most holy Place within the Vail and resided constantly there over the Ark of the Testimony from whence he spake to Moses when he came to consult him in the holy Place See the fore-mentioned VII Numb 89. Whence he is said to dwell between the Cherubims though on some occasion this Glory appeared without upon the Tabernacle but over the Ark it is likely XVI Numb 42. And so perhaps it did XI