be a meat-offering baken in the frying pan it shall be made of fine flour with oyl 8 And thou shalt bring the meat-offering that is made of these things unto the LORD and when it is ‖ Or offered presented unto the Priest he shall bring it unto the altar 9 And the Priest shall take from the meat-offering * Verse 2. a memorial thereof and shall burn it upon the altar it is an * Exod 29. 18. offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD 10 And that which is left of the meat-offering shall be Aarons and his sons It is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire 11 No meat-offering k To wit which is offered of free will for in other offerings it might be used Levit. 7. 13. and 〈◊〉 17. which he shall bring unto the LORD shall be made with leaven l This was forbidden partly to mind them of their deliverance out of Egypt when they were forced through haste to bring away their meal or dough which was the matter of this oblation unleavened partly to signifie what Christ would be and what they should be pure and free from all errour in the faith and worship of God and from all hypocrisie and malice or wickedness all which are signified by leaven Mat. 16. 12. Mark 8. 15 Luk. 12. 1. 1 Cor. 5. 8. Gal. 5. 9. for ye shall burn no leaven nor any honey m Either 1. because it hath the same effect with leaven in paste or dough making it sowr and swelling Or 2. in opposition to the sacrifices of the Gentiles in which the use of hony was most frequent or 3. to teach us that Gods worship is not to be governed by mens fancies and appetites to which hony might have been grateful but by Gods will The Iews conceive that under the name of hâ—…ny all sweet fruits as figs dates c. are contained and forbidden in any offering of the LORD made by fire 12 As for the oblation ‖ Or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the first fruits ye shall offer them n Or The offering or For the offering of the first-fruits you shall or may offer them or either of them to wit leaven or hony which were offered and accepted in that case Levit. 23. 17. 2 Chron. 31. 5. unto the LORD but they shall not †Heb. 〈◊〉 Exod. 2â—… be burnt o But reserved for the Priests Numb 18. 13. Deut. 18. 4. on the altar for a sweet savour 13 And every oblation of thy meat-offering * 〈…〉 shalt thou season with salt p Either 1. for the decency and conveniency of the feast which God would have here represented Or 2. for the signification of that incorruption of mind and sincerity of grace which in Scripture is signified by salt Mark 9. 49. Col. 4. 6. and which is necessary in all them that would offer an acceptable offering to God Or 3. in testimony of that communion which they had with God in these exercises of his worship salt being the great symbol of friendship in all nations and ages neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God q So salt is called either 1. because it fitly represented the durableness and perpetuity of Gods covenant with them which is designed by salt Numb 18. 19. 2 Chron. 13. 5. Or 2. because it was so particularly and rigorously required as a condition of their covenant with God this being made absolutely necessary in all their offerings as it follows and as the neglect of sacrifices was a breach of covenant on their part so also was the neglect of salt in their sacrifices to be lacking from thy meat-offering with all thine offerings r Not these onely but all other as appears from Eccl. 43. 24. Mark 9. 49. thou shalt offer salt 14 And if thou offer a meat-offering of thy first-fruits s To wit of thine own free-will for there were other first-fruits and that of several sorts which were prescribed and the time quality and proportion of them appointed by God See Levit. 23. 10. unto the LORD thou shalt offer for the meat-offering of thy first-fruits green ears of corn dried by the fire even corn beaten out of full ears 15 And thou shalt put oyl upon it and lay frankincense thereon it is a meat-offering 16 And the Priest shall burn the memorial of it part of the beaten corn thereof and part of the oyl thereof with all the frankincense thereof it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD CHAP. III. 1 AND if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace-offering a Which was an offering for peace and prosperity and the favour and blessing of God either 1. obtained and so this was a thank-offering as Levit. 7. 12 16. or 2. desired and so it was a kind of supplication to God as Iudg. 20. 26. 1 Chron. 21. 26. if he offer it of the herd whether it be a male or female b Which were allowed here though not in burnt-offerings because those principally respected the honour of God who is to be served with the best but the peace-offerings did primarily respect the benefit of the offerer and therefore the choice was left to himself he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD 2 And * Exod. 〈◊〉 he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering and kill it at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation c Not on the North-side of the Altar where the burnt-offering was killed Levit. 1. 11. aâ—… also the 〈◊〉 offering and the trespass-offering Levit. 6. 25. and 7. 2. but in the very entrance of the court where the brazen altar stood which place was not so holy as the other as appears both because it was more remote from the Holy of holies and because the ashes of the sacrifices were to be laid here And the reason of this difference is not obscure both because part of this sacrifice was to be waved by the hands of the offerer Levit. 7. 30. who might not come into the Court and because this offering was not so holy as the other which were to be eaten onely by the Priest when part of these were eaten by the offeret and Aarons sons the Priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about 3 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace-offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD * Exod. 29. 13 22. the ‖ Or fuet fat that covereth the inwards and all the fat that is upon the inwards 4 And the two kidneys and the fat that is on them which is by the flanks and the ‖ Or midriff over the liver and over the kidneys caul above the liver with the kidneys it shall he take away 5 And Aarons sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice d Either 1. upon the remainders of it which
of the north Psal. 4â—… 2. and more specially to wit on mount Calvary which was on the North and West side of Ierusalem before the LORD and the Priests Aarons sons shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the Altar 12 And he shall cut it into his pieces with his head and his fat and the Priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar 13 But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water and the Priest shall bring iâ—… all and burn it upon the altar it is a burnt-sacrifice an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD 14 And if the burnt-sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of fowles then he shall bring his offering of * chap. 5. â—… turtle doves or of young pigeons z These birds were appointed for the relief of the poor who could not bring better And these birds are preferred before others partly because they were easily gotten and partly because they are fit representations of Christs chastity and meekness or gentleness for which these birds are remarkable The pigeons must be young because then they are best but the turtle-doveâ—… are better when they are more grown up and therefore theâ—… are not confined to that age 15 And the Priest shall bring it unto the altar and ‖ Or 〈◊〉 off the head with the 〈◊〉 wring off a To wit from the rest of the body as sufficiently appears because this was to be burnt by it self as it here follows and the body afterwards ver 17. And whereas it is said Levit. 5. 8. he shall â—…ing his 〈◊〉 from his neck but shall not divide it 〈◊〉 that is spoken not of the burnt-offering as here out of the sin-offering in which there might be a differing 〈◊〉 his head and burn it on the altar and the blood thereof shall be wrung out †Heb. 〈◊〉 wâ—…ll at the side of the altar 16 And he shall pluck away his crop with ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his feathers b Or with its dung or filth to wit contained in the crop and in the guts and cast it beside the altar on the East-part c To wit of the Tabernacle Here the filth was cast because this was the remotest place from the Holy of Holies which was in the West-end to teach us that impure things and persons should not presume to approach to God and that they should be banished from his presence by the place of the ashes d The place where the ashes fell down and lay whence they were afterwards removed without the camp See Levit. 4. 12. and 6. 10 11. and 8. 17. 17 And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof but shall not divide it asunder e Shall cleave the bird thorough the whole length yet so as not to separate the one side from the other and so as there may be a wing left on each side See Gen. 15. 10. and the Priest shall burn it upon the altar upon the wood that is upon the fire it is a burnt-sacrifice an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD CHAP. II. 1 AND when †Heb. 〈◊〉 any will offer a meat-offering a This was of two kinds the one joyned with other offerings Numb 15. 4 7 10. which was prescribed together with the measure of proportion of it the other of whâ—…h this plaâ—… speaks was a distinct and separate offering and â—…as 〈◊〉 â—…o the offerers good will both for the thing and for the 〈◊〉 And the matter of this offering waâ—… 〈◊〉 without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corn cakes c. Now this sort of sacrifices were appointed 1. because these are things of greatest necessity and benefit to man and therefore it is meet that God should be served with them and owned and praised as the giver of them 2. in condescension to the poor that they might not want an offering for God and to shew that God would accept even the meanest services when offered to him with a sincere mind 3. these were necessary provisions for the feast which was here to be represented to God and for the use of the Priests who were to attend upon these holy ministrations unto the LORD his offering shall be of fine flour b Searched or sifted and purged from all bran it being fit that the best things should be offered to the best being and he shall pour oyl upon it c Which may note the graces of the Holy Ghost which are compared to oyl and anointing with it Psal. 45. 7. 1 Ioh. 2. 20. and which are necessary to make any offering acceptable to God and put frankincense thereon d Which manifestly designed Christs satisfaction and intercession which is compared to a sweet odour Eph. 5. 2. and to incense Rev. 8. 3. 2 And he shall bring it to Aarons sons the Priests and he e i. e. That Priest to whom he brought it and who is appointed to offer it shall take thereout his handfull of the flour thereof and of the oyl thereof with all the frankincense thereof * chap. 5. 12. 6. 15. and the Priest shall burn the memorial of it f That part thus selected and offered which is called a memorial either 1. to the offerer who by offering this part is minded that the whole of that he brought and of all which he hath of that kind is Gods to whom this part was paid as a quit-rent or acknowledgment Or 2. to God whom to speak after the manner of men this did put in mind of his gracious covenant and promises of favour and acceptance of the offerer and his offering See Exod. 30. 16. Levit. 6. 15. Numb 5. 26. upon the altar to be an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD 3 And * chap. 7. 6. Eccl. 7. â—…1 the remnant of the meat-offering shall be Aarons and his sons ‖ To be eaten by them Levit. 6. 16. it is a * Num. 18. 9. thing most holy g i. e. Most holy or such as were to be eaten onely by the Priests and that onely in the holy place near the Altar See Levit. 6. 26. and 7. 6 9. and 21. 22. of the offerings of the LORD made by fire 4 And if thou bring an oblation of a meat-offering baken in the oven h Made in the Sanctuary for that use as may seem from 1 Chron. 23. 28 29. Ezek. 46. 20. it shall be an unleavened cake of fine flour mingled with oyl or unleavened wafers anointed with oyl 5 And if thy oblation be a meat-offering baken ‖ Or on a flat plate or slice in a pan it shall be of fine flour unleavened mingled with oyl 6 Thou shalt part it in pieces i Because part of it was offered to God and part given to the Priest and pour oyl thereon it is a meat-offering 7 And if thy oblation
yet were burning or rather 2. after it for the daily burnt-offering was first to be offered both as more eminently respecting Gods honour which ought to be preferred before all things and as the most solemn and stated sacrifice which should take place of all voluntary and occasional oblations and as a sacrifice of an higher nature and use being for expiation and atonement without which no peace could be obtained nor peace-offering offered with acceptance which is upon the wood that is on the fire it is an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD 6 And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace-offering unto the LORD be of the flock male or female he shall offer it without blemish 7 If he offer a lamb for his offering then shall he offer it before the LORD 8 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering and kill it before the Tabernacle of the Congregation and Aarons sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon the altar 9 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace-offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD the fat thereof and the whole rump e Which in sheep is fat and sweet and in these parts was very much larger and better than ours as is agreed both by antient and modern writers and therefore was fitly offered to God it shall he take off hard by the back-bone and the fat that covereth the inwards and all the fat that is upon the inwards 10 And the two kidneys and the fat that is upon them which is by the flanks and the caul above the liver with the kidneys it shall he take away 11 And the Priest shall burn f i. e. The parts now mentioned and for the rest they fell to the Priest Levit. 7. 31. it upon the altar it is †Heb. the bread 〈◊〉 16. chap. 21. 6. the food g i. e. The fewel of the fire or the matter of the offering It is called food Heb. bread to note Gods acceptance of it and delight in it as men delight in their food of the offering made by fire unto the LORD 12 And if his offering be a goat then he shall offer it before the LORD 13 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it and kill it before the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about 14 And he shall offer thereof his offering even an offering made by fire unto the LORD the fat that covereth the inwards and all the fat that is upon the inwards 15 And the two kidneys and the fat that is upon them which is by the flanks and the caul above the liver with the kidneys it shall he take away 16 And the Priest shall burn them g The parts mentioned among which the tail is not one as it was in the sheep because that in goats is a refuse part upon the altar it is the †Heb. bread food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour All the fat h This is to be limited 1. to those beasts which were offered or might be offered in sacrifice as it is explained and restrained Levit. 7. 23 25. 2. to that kind of fat which is here above mentioned and required to be offered which was separated or easily separable from the flesh for the fat which was here and there mixed with the flesh they might eat Deut. 32. 14. Neh. 8. 10. is the LORDS 17 It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings i Not onely at or near the Tabernacle nor onely of those beasts which you actually sacrifice but also in your several dwellings and of all that kind of beasts that ye eat neither fat k This was forbidden 1 To preserve the reverence of the holy rites and sacrifices 2. That they might be taught hereby to acknowledge God as their Lord and the Lord of all the creatures who might reserve what he pleased to himself 3. To exercise them in obedience to God and self-denial and mortification of their appetites even in those things which probably many of them would much desire nor * Gen. 9. 4. chap. 7. 23 26. 17. 10 14. Deut. 12. 16. 1 Sam. 14. 33. Ezek. 44. 7. blood l This was forbidden partly to maintain reverence to God and his worship partly out of opposition to Idolaters who used to drink the blood of their sacrifices partly with respect unto Christs blood thereby manifestly signified and partly for moral admonition about avoiding cruelty c. CHAP. IV. 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 Speak unto the children of Israel saying * Num. 15. 24 If a soul shall sin a This must necessarily be understood of more than common sins and daily infirmities for if every such sin had required an offering it had not been possible either for most sinners to bear such a charge or for the altar to receive so many sacrifices or for the Priests to manage so infinite a work And for ordinary sins they were ceremonially expiated by the daily offering and by that on the great day of atonement Levit. 16. 30. through ignorance b Or errour either not knowing his fact to be sinful as appears by comparing ver 13 14. or not considering it but rashly and unadvisedly falling into sin through the power of some sudden passion or temptation as the Hebrew word signifies Psal. 119. 67. Compare Iob 19. 4. Psal. 19. 13. The words may be thus rendred in or about every or any of the commandements of the Lord which should not be done or which concern things that should not be done to wit in any negative commands And there is great reason why a sacrifice should be more necessary for these than for other sins because affirmative precepts do not so strictly and constantly bind men as the negative do and if a man through ignorance have neglected them he may yet recover his errour and fulfil them against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which †Heb. shall not be done ought not to be done c and shall do against any of them d Then he shall offer according to his quality which is here to be understood out of the following verses 3 If the Priest that is anointed e i. e. The High-priest who onely was anointed after the first time See Exod. 29. 7. and 30. 30. and 40. 15. Lev. 10. 7. Numb 3. 3. His anointing is mentioned because he was not compleat High-priest till he was anointed do sin f Either in doctrine or practise which it is here supposed he may do And this is noted as a blot and character of imperfection in the Priesthood of the law whereby the Israelites were directed to expect another and better High-priest even one who is holy harmless and separate from sinners Heb.
is said to come down either 1. because the Altar stood upon raised ground to which they went up by an insensible ascent Compare Exod. 20. 26. Or 2. because it was nearer the Holy place and the Holy of holies which was the upper end from offering of the sin offering and the burnt-offering and peace-offerings 23 And Moses z Who went in with Aaron to direct him and to see him perform those parts of his office which were to be done in the holy place about the lights and the table of shew-bread and of the altar of Incense upon which part of the blood of the sacrifices now offered was to be sprinkled according to the law Levit. 4. 7 16 17. and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation and came out and blessed the people a i. e. Prayed to God for his blessing upon the people as this phrase is explained Numb 6. 23 c. and particularly for his gracious acceptation of these and all succeeding sacrifices and for his signification thereof by some extraordinary token which accordingly happened and the glory of the LORD b Either a miraculous brightness shining from the cloudy pillar as Exod. 16. 10. Numb 14. 10. Or a glorious and visible discovery of Gods gracious presence and acceptance of the present Ministery and service as it follows appeared unto all the people 24 And * Gen. 4. 4. 1 King 18. 38. 2 Chron. 7. 1. there came a fire c In token of Gods acceptation and approbation of the Priesthood now instituted and the sacrifices now offered and consequently of others of the like nature See the like instances Iudg. 6. 21. and 13. 19 20. 1 Chron. 21. 26. And this fire now given was to be carefully kept and not suffered to go out Levit. 6. 13. and therefore was carried in a particular vessel in their journeys in the wilderness out from before the LORD d Or from the face or presence of the Lord i. e. from the place where God was in a special manner present either 1. from heaven as 1 King 18. 38. 2 Chron. 7. 1. which is oft called Gods dwelling-place as Deut. 26. 15. Isa. 63. 15. Or 2. from the Holy of holies where also God is said to dwell 2 King 19. 15. 2 Chron. 6. 2. Psal. 80. 1. And what is done before the Ark is said to be done before God as 1 Chron. 13. 8 10. 16. 1. c. And this may seem more probable by comparing this with Levit. 10. 2. and consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering and the fat which when all the people saw they shouted e As wondering at rejoycing in and blessing God for this wonderful and gracious discovery of himself and of his favour to them therein and fell on their faces CHAP. X. 1 AND * Numb 3. 4. and 26. 61. 1 Chron. 24. 2. Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron took either of them his censer and put fire therein and put incense thereon and offered strange fire a So called as not appointed for nor belonging to the present work fire not taken from the Altar as it ought but from some common fire before the LORD b Upon the Altar of incense which he commanded them not c For seeing Moses himself neither did nor might do any thing in Gods worship without Gods command which is oft noted of him for these to do it was a more unpardonable and inexcusable presumption Besides not commanding may be here put for forbidding as it is Ier. 32. 35. Now as this was forbidden implicitly Lev. 6. 12. especially when God himself made a comment upon that text and by sending fire from heaven declared of what fire he there spake so it is more than probable it was forbidden expresly though that be not here mentioned nor was it necessary it should be 2 And there went out fire from the LORD d From heaven or rather from the Sanctuary See chap. 9. 24. and devoured them e Destroyed their lives for their bodies and garments were not consumed as it appears from v. 4 5. Thus the sword is said to devour 2 Sam. 2. 26. Thus lightning many times kills persons without any hurt to their bodies or garments and they died before the LORD 3 Then Moses said unto Aaron This is it that the LORD spake f Though the express words be not recorded in Scripture where onely the heads of Sermons and Discourses are contained yet it is probable they were uttered by Moses in Gods name Howsoever the sence and substance of them is in many places See Exod. 19. 22. and 29. 43. Levit. 8. 35. saying I will be sanctified g This may note either 1. their duty to sanctifie God i. e. to demean themselves with such care and reverence and watchfulness as becomes the holiness of the God whom they serve and of the worship in which they are engaged whence he leaves them to gather the justice of the present judgment for their gross neglect herein Or 2. Gods purpose to sanctifie himself i. e. to declare and manifest himself to be an holy and righteous God by his severe and impartial punishment of all transgressors how near soever they are to him in them that come nigh me h i. e. Who draw near to me or to the place where I dwell and are admitted into the holy place whence others are shut out It is a description of the Priests See Exod. 19. 22. Levit. 21. 17. Ezek. 42. 13 14. and before all the people I will be glorified i As they have sinned publickly and scandalously so I will vindicate my honour in a publick and exemplary manner that all men may learn to give me the glory of my soveraignty and holiness by an exact conformity to my laws and Aaron held his peace k Partly through excessive grief which is sometimes signified by silence as Isa. 47. 5. Lam. 2. 10. and principally in acknowledgment of Gods justice and submission to it Compare Psal. 39. 10. Ezek. 24. 17. He murmured not nor replied against God nor against Moses wisely considering that their sin was directly against God and in that which is most dear and honourable in Gods account to wit in his worship and that Gods honour ought to be dearer to him than his sons and that this being the first violation of the law newly given and committed by those who should have been the strictest observers and assertors of it did deserve a very severe punishment 4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan l For Aaron and his sons had scarce finished their consecration-work and were employed in their holy ministrations from which they were not to be called for funeral solemnities See Lev. â—…1 1 c. the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron * See Exod. 6. 18. Numb 3. 19. and said unto them Come near carry your brethren m i. e. Kinsmen as that word is
the congregation to minister unto them a i. e. In their stead and for their good So they were the servants both of God and of the Church which was an high dignity though not sufficient for their ambitious minds 10 And he hath brought thee near to him and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee and seek ye the priesthood also b There being at this time but very few Priests and the profits and priviledges belonging to them being many and great they thought it but fit and reasonable that they or some of the chief of them should be admitted to a share in their work and advantages 11 For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD c Whose minister and chosen servant Aaron is You strike at God through Aarons sides Compare 1 Sam. 8. 7. Luk. 10. 16. Ioh. 13. 20. and what is Aaron that ye murmure against him 12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram d To treat with them and give them as he had done Korah and his company a timely admonition the sons of Eliab which said e Unto the messengers sent to them by Moses We will not come up f To Moses his Tabernacle whither the people used to go up for judgment Men are said in Scripture phrase to go up to places of judgment See Deut. 25. 7. Ruth 4. 1. Ezra 10. 7 8. But because they would not now go up therefore they went down quick into the pit ver 33. 13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey g i. e. Out of Egypt a place indeed of great plenty bâ—… to them a place of torment and intolerable slavery They invidiously and scoffingly use the same words wherewith God by Moses commended the land of Canaan to kill us in the wilderness 〈◊〉 make thy self altogether a prince over us 14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards wilt thou †Heb. â—…re out put out the eyes of these men h i. e. Of those who are confederate with us and of all the people who are of our mind Whilst thou make them blind or perswade them that they are blind and that they do not see what is visible to all that have eyes to wit that thou hast deceived them and broken thy faith and promise given to them or wilst thou lead them about like blind men whither thou pleasest one time towards Canaan another time toward Egypt again we will not come up i We will not obey thy summons nor own thy authority 15 And Moses was very wroth k Not so much for his own sake for he had learnt to bear indignities Numb 12. as for Gods sake who was highly dishonoured blasphemed and provoked by these speeches and carriages in which case he ought to be angry as Christ was Mark 3. 5. and said unto the LORD * Gen. 4. 4 5. Respect not thou their offering l i. e. Accept not their incense which they are now going to offer but shew some eminent dislike of it He calls it their offering though it was offered by Korah and his companions because it was offered in the name and by the consent of all the conspiratours for the decision of the present controversie between them and Moses I * Acts 20. 33. have not taken one ass m i. e. Not any thing of the smallest value as an ass was See 1 Sam. 12. 3. from them neither have I hurt one of them n I have never injured them nor used my power to defraud or oppress them as I might have done but which is here implied I have done them many good offices but no hurt therefore their crime is inexcusable because without any cause or provocation on my part 16 And Moses said unto Korah Be thou and all thy company before the LORD o Not in the Tabernacle which was not capable of so many person severally offering incense but at the door of the Tabernacle ver 18. which place is oft said to be before the Lord as Exod. 29. 42. Levit. 1. 11. c. where they might now lawfully offer it by Moses his direction upon this extraordinary occasion and necessity because this work could not be done in that place which alone was allowed for the offering up of incense not onely for its smallness but also because none but Priests might enter to do this work Here also the people who were to be instructed by this experiment might see the proof and success of it thou and they and Aaron to morrow 17 And take every man his censer and put incense in them and bring ye before the LORD every man his censer two hundred and fifty censers thou also and Aaron each of you his censer 18 And they took every man his censer p Which they could easily make in a sleight manner which would suffice for the present purpose and put fire in them q Taken from the Altar which stood in that place Levit. 1. 3 5. for Aaron might not use other fire Levit. 10. 1. And it is likely the remembrance of the death of Nadab and Abihu deterred them from offering any strange fire and laid incense thereon and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron 19 And Korah gathered all the congregation r That they might be witnesses of the event and upon their success which they doubted not of might fall upon Moses and Aaron with popular rage and destroy them And it seems by this that the people were generally incensed against Moses and inclined to Korahs side against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and the glory of the LORD appeared s In the cloud which then shone with greater brightness and Majesty as a token of Gods approach and presence See Exod. 16. 7 10. Levit. 9. 6 23. Numb 20. 6. unto all the congregation 20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying 21 * Gen. 19. 1â—… 22. Jer. â—… â—… Rev. 18. â—… Separate your selves from among this congregation ‖ To wit Korah and his 250 men and the people whom he â—…athered against Moses and Aaron ver 19. that I may consume them in a moment 22 And they fell upon their faces and said O God * chap. 2â—… â—… Job 12. 2â—… Eccl. 12. â—… Isa. 57. 1â—… Zach. 12. â—… Heb. 12. â—… the God of the spirits t i. e. Of souls as the word spirit in Scripture is oft used as Psal. 31. 5. and 77. 3. Prov. 17. 22. Eccl. 12. 7. Luk. 23. 46. Act. 7. 59. And this is no empty title here but very emphatical and argumentative thus Thou art the maker of spirits Zach. 12. 1. destroy not thy own workmanship
1. that God should be served with the best of every kind 2. that man represented by these sacrifices should aim at all purity and perfection of heart and life and that Christians should one day attain to it Eph. 5. 27. 3. the spotless and compleat holiness of Christ Heb. 9. 13 14. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. and 2. 22. he shall offer it ‖ Or to be â—…ted for him Isa. 56. 7. 58. 5. 6â—… Jer. 6. 20. of his own voluntary will h According to this translation the place speaks onely of free-will offerings or such as were not prescribed by God to be offered in course but were offered at the pleasure and by the voluntary devotion of any person either by way of supplication for any mercy which he needed or desired or by way of thanksgiving for any favour or blessing received But it may seem improper to restrain the rules here given to freewill offerings which were to be observed in other offerings also And the Hebrew word is by the 〈◊〉 Chaldee Syr. and Arab. and others rendred to this purpose for his acceptation or that he may be accepted with God or that God may be atoned as it is ver 4. And so this phrase is used Levit. 23. 11. at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation i In the Court near to the door where the Altar stood ver 5. For here it was to be sacrificed and here also the people might behold the oblation of it And this further signified that men could have no entrance neither into the earthly tabernacle the Church nor into the heavenly tabernacle of glory but by Christ who is the door Ioâ—… 10. 7 9. by whom alone we have access to God before the LORD 4 * 〈◊〉 29. 1â—… 15. And he shall put his hand k i. e. Both his hands Levit. 8. 14 18. and 16. 21. A common Enallage upon the head of the burnt-offering l Whereby he signified 1. that he willingly gave it to the Lord. 2. that he did legally unite himself with it and judged himself worthy of that death which it suffered in his stead and that he laid his sins upon it in a ceremonial way and had an eye to him upon whom God would lay the iniquity of us all Isa. 53. 6. and that together with it he did freely offer up himself to God and it shall be accepted from him to make atonement for him m To wit ceremonially and sacramentally as directing his faith and thoughts to that true propitiatory sacrifice which in time was to be offered up for him See Rom. 3. 25. Heb. 9. 15 25 26. And although burnt-offerings were commonly offered by way of thanksgiving Gen. 8. 20 Psal. 51. 16 17. yet they were sometimes offered by way of atonement for sin to wit for sins in general as appears from Ioâ—… 1. 5. but for particular sins there were special sacrifices as we shall see 5 And he n Either 1. the offerer who is said to do it to wit by the Priest for men are commonly said to do what they cause others to do as Ioh. 4. 1 2. Or 2. the Priest as it follows or the Levite whose office this was See Exod. 29. 11. Levit. 8. 15. Numb 8. 19. 1 Chron. 23. 28 31. 2 Chron. 30. 16. and 35 11. shall kill the bullock before the LORD and the Priests Aarons sons shall bring the bloud and sprinkle the blood round about upon the Altar o Which was done in a considerable quantity as may be gathered from Zech. 9. 15. and whereby was signified 1. that the offerer deserved to have his blood spilt in that manner 2. that the blood of Christ should be poured forth for sinners and that that was the onely mean of their reconciliation to God and acceptance with him that is by the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation 6 And he shall slay the burnt-offering p Partly for decency because the sacrifices being as it were Gods food and feast it was incongruous to offer to God that which men refused to eat and partly to signify that the great thing which God required and regarded in men was not their outward appearance but their inside and that as he doth see all mens insides Heb. 4. 13. so he will one day make them visible to others and cut it into his pieces q To wit the head and â—…at and inwards and legs ver 8 9. 7 And the sons of Aaron the Priest shall put fire r Or dispose the fire i. e. blow it up and put it together so as it might be fit for the present work For the fire there used and allowed came down from heaven Levit. 9. 24. and was to be carefully preserved there and all other fire was forbidden Levit. 10. 1 c. upon the altar and lay the wood in order upon the fire 8 And the Priests Aarons sons shall lay the parts the head and the fat s All the fat which was to be separated from the Flesh and to be put together to increase the flame and to consume the other parts of the sacrifice more quickly Others translate it the trunck of the body as distinguished from the head and joints and inward parts in order upon the wood that is in the fire which is upon the Altar 9 But the inwards and his legs shall he wash t To signify the universal and perfect purity both of the inwards or the heart and of the legs or ways or actions which was in Christ and which should be in all Christians in water and the Priest shall burn all u Not onely the parts now mentioned but all the rest the trunck of the body and the shoulders as is apparent from the practise or execution of these precepts on the Altar to be a burnt-sacrifice an offering made by fire of a sweet savour x Not in it self for so it rather caused a stink but as it represented Christs offering up himself to God as a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5. 2. and to admonish us of the excellent vertue of Divine institution without which God values no worship though never so glorious and by which even the meanest things are pretious and acceptable to God unto the LORD 10 And if his offering be of the flocks namely of the sheep or of the goats for a burnt-sacrifice he shall bring it a male without blemish 11 And he shall kill it on the side of the Altar Northward y Here this and other kinds of sacrifices were killed 〈◊〉 6. 25 and 7. 2. because here seemâ—… to have been the largeâ—… and most convenient place for that work the Altar being probably near the middle of the east end of the building and the entrance being on the south-side so the Northside was the onely vacant place Beâ—…des this might design the place of Christs death both more generally to wit in 〈◊〉 which was in the sides
the meat-offering it self was fine flour Levit. 2. 1. It is not likely that they eat it with 〈◊〉 bread shall it be eaten in the holy place * chap. 10. 12. in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation y In some special room appointed for that purpose See Levit. 8. 31. 1 Sam 3. 3. Ezek. 42. 13. and 46. 19 24 The reason why this was to be eaten onely by holy persons â—…nd that in an holy place is given ver 17. because it is most holy and therefore to be treated with greater reverence they shall eat it 17 It z That part which remains to the Priest for the part here offered to God seems not to have been bake at all shall not be baken with leaven * Num. 18. 9 1â—… I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings made by fire it is * chap. 2. 3. most holy as is the sin-offering and as the trespass-offering 18 All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it it shall be a statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the LORD made by fire * chap. 22. 4 5 6. every one that toucheth them shall be holy a It may be understood either 1. Of persons that none should touch or eat them but consecrated persons to wit Priests Or this may be an additional caution that they wâ—…o eat them should be not onely Priests or their made-children but also 〈◊〉 i. e. having no uncleanness upon them 〈◊〉 in that case even the Priests themselves might not touch them Or 〈◊〉 2. Oâ—… things as may be gathered by compariâ—… 〈◊〉 with ver 2â—… 28. Whatsoever toucheth them as 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 that receives them the knife or spoon c. which is used about them those shall be taken for holy and not employed â—…or common uses See Exod. 29. 37. 19 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 20 This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons which they shall offer unto the LORD in the day when he is anointed b When any of them are anointed for High-Priest for he onely of all the Priests was to be anointed in future ages This Law of his consecration was delivered before Exod. 29. 2 24 25. and is here repeared because of some additions made to it the tenth part of an * Exod. 16. 36 Ephah of fine flour for a meat-offering perpetual c To wit whensoever any of them shall be so anointed half of it in the morning and half thereof at night d Or In the evening the one to be annexed to the morning sacrifice the other to the evening sacrifice over and besides that meat-offering which every day was to be added to the daily morning and evening sacrifices Exod. 29. 40. 21 In a pan it shall be made with oyl and when it is baken e Or Fryed so that it swells and bubbles up thou f Who art so anointed and consecrated verse 22. shalt bring it in and the baken pieces of the meat-offering shalt thou offer for a sweet savour unto the LORD 22 And the Priest of his sons * chap. 4. 3. that is anointed in his stead shall offer it it is a statute for ever unto the LORD * Exod. 29. 25. it shall be wholly burnt 23 For every meat-offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt it shall not be eaten f No part of it shall be eaten by the Priest as it was when the offering was for the people The reason of the difference is partly because when he offered it for the people he was to have some recompence for his pains which he could not expect when he offered it for himself partly to signifie the imperfection of the Levitical Priests who could not bear their own iniquity for the Priests eating part of the peoples sacrifices did signifie his typical bearing of the peoples iniquity as appears from Levit. 10. 17. and partly to teach the Priests and Ministers of God that it is their duty to serve God with singleness of heart and to be content with Gods honour though they have no present advantage by it 24 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 25 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons saying This is the law of the sin-offering * chap. 1. 3 5 11 and 4. 24 29 33. in the place where the burnt-offering is killed shall the sin-offering be killed before the LORD it is most holy 26 * chap. 21. 22. The priest that offereth it for sin g For the sins of the rulers or of the people or any of them but not for the sins of the Priests for then its blood was brought into the Tabernacle and therefore it might not be eaten shall eat it in the holy place shall it be eaten in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation 27 ‖ Or whosoever ver 18. Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy * Of which see the note on verse 18. and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment h Upon the Priests garment for it was he onely that sprinkled it and in so doing he might easily sprinkle his garments thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the holy place i Partly out of reverence to the blood of sacrifices which hereby was kept from a prophane or common touch and partly that such garments might be decent and fit for sacred administrations 28 But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden * chap. 11. 33. shall be broken k Because being full of pores the liquor in which it was sodden might castly sink into it whereby it was ceremonially holy and therefore was broken least afterwards it should be abused to prophane or common uses and if it be sodden in a brazen pot it shall be both scoured and rinsed in water l And not broken as being of considerable value which therefore God would not have unnecessarily wasted And this being of a more solid substance than an earthen vessel was not so apt to drink in the humour 29 All the males among the Priests shall eat thereof it is most holy 30 * Heb. 13. 1â—… And no sin-offering m Such were the sacrifices offered for the High-priest or for the whole assembly either severally Levit. 4. 7 18. or jointly for both in the yearly atonement Levit. 16. 27 33. whereof any of the blood is brought into the tabernacle of the congregation to reconcile withal in the holy place shall be eaten it shall be burnt in the fire CHAP. VII 1 LIkewise * chap. 5. â—… this is the law of the trespass-offering * chap. 21. â—… it is most holy 2 In * chap. 1. 3. â—… 11. and 4. 2 29. 33. the place where they kill the burnt-offering shall they kill the trespass offering and the blood thereof shall he sprinkle round about upon the
25 And he took the fat and the rump and all the fat that was upon the inwards and the caui above the liver and the two kidneys and their fat and the right shoulder 26 And out of the basket of unleavened bread that was before the LORD he took one unleavened cake and a cake of oyled bread and one wafer and put them upon the fat and upon the right shoulder 27 And he put all * Exod. 29. 24. c. upon Aarons hands and upon his sons hands and waved them for a wave-offering before the LORD 28 And Moses took them from off their hands and burnt them on the altar upon the burnt-offering they were †Heb. fillings consecrations for a sweet savour it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD 29 And Moses took the breast and waved it for a wave-offering before the LORD For of the ram of consecration it was Moses * Exod. 29. 26. part l Who at this time administring the Priests office was to receive the Priests wages it being most just and reasonable that the work and wages should go together as the LORD commanded Moses 30 * Exod. 30. 30. And Moses took of the anointing oyl and of the blood which was upon the altar and sprinkled it upon Aaron and upon his garments and upon his sons and upon his sons garments with him and sanctified Aaron and his garments and his sons and his sons garments with him 31 And Moses said unto Aaron and to his sons Boil the flesh m That which was left of the ram and particularly the breast which was said to be Moses his part ver 29. and by him was given to Aaron that he and his sons might eat of it in token that they and onely they should have the right to do so for the future at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and there * Exod. 29. 32. eat it with the bread that is in the basket of consecrations as I commanded saying Aaron and his sons shall eat it 32 And that which remaineth of the flesh and of the bread shall ye burn with fire 33 And ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation in seven dayes untill the dayes of your consecration be at an end for * Exod. 29. 30 35. seven dayes n In which the same ceremonies were to be repeated as the next verse implies and other rites to be performed shall he o Either God or 〈◊〉 for the words may be spoken by Moses either in Gods name or in his own Moses speaking of himself in the third person which is very common in Scripture consecrate you 34 As he hath done this day so the LORD hath commanded to do to make an atonement for you 35 Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the congregation day and night seven dayes and keep the charge of the LORD p What God hath commanded you concerning your consecration that ye die not q If the threatning seem too severe for the fault it must be considered both that it is the usual practise of Lawgivers most severely to punish the first offences for the terrour and caution of others and for the maintenance of their own authority and that this transgression was aggravated by many circumstances being committed by sacred and eminent persons and that in the presence of the people which made it a publick scandal and in Gods worship where he is very tender and jealous and against a plain and easie command of God and at a time when they were receiving high favours and priviledges from God Nor is sin to be esteemed or measured by the idle fancies of men of corrupt minds and lives whose interests and lusts easily blind their minds but by the Authority Majesty and Will of the great and wise and iust Lawgiver for so I am commanded 36 So Aaron and his sons did all things which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses CHAP. IX 1 AND it came to pass on the eighth day a To wit from the first day of his consecration or when the seven dayes of his consecration were ended chap. 8. 33 35. as appears from Exod. 29. 30. c. Ezek. 43. 27. The eighth day is famous in Scripture for the perfecting and purifying both of men and beasts See Levit 12. 2 3. and 14. 8 9 10. and 15. 13 14. and 22. 27. that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel b All the congregation were called to be witnesses of Aarons instalment into his office to prevent their murmurings and contempt which being done the Elders were now sufficient to be witnesses of Aarons first execution of his office 2 And he said unto Aaron * Exod. 29. 1. Take thee a young calf c Heb. A calf the son of a Bull or Cow Which may seem to be added purposely to intimate that it was not a young calf properly so called but a young bullock for that was the sacrifice enjoyned for the High-priests sin-offering Levit. 4. 3. Though it be not material if this be a young calf and that a young bull because the grounds and ends of these several sacrifices differ that Levit. â—… being for his particular sin and this for his own and families â—…ns in general and therefore no wonder if the sacrifices also differ for a sin offering d For himself and his own sins which was an evidence of the imperfection of that Priest-hood and of the necessity of another and a better and a ram for a burnt-offering without blemish and offer them before the LORD 3 And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak saying * chap. 4. 23. Ezra 6. 17. Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering e For the people as it is expressed here ver 15. for whose sin a young bullock was required Levit. 4. 15. but that was for some particular sin but this was more general and indefinite for all their sins Besides there being an eye here had to the Priests consecration and entrance into his office it is no wonder if there be some difference in these sacrifices from those before prescribed and a calf and a lamb both of the first year without blemish for a burnt-offering 4 Also a bullock and a ram for peace-offerings to sacrifice before the LORD and a meat-offering mingled with oyl for * ver 23. to day the LORD will appear f See the fulfilling of this promise ver 24. Heb. Hath appeared He speaks of the thing to come as if it were past which is frequent in Scripture to give them the more assurance of the thing unto you 5 And they brought that which Moses commanded before the tabernacle of the congregation and all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD g Before the Tabernacle where God dwelt 6 And Moses said This is the thing
which the LORD commanded that ye should do and the glory of the LORD h The glorious manifestation of Gods powerful and gracious presence ver 24. Compare Exod. 24. 16 17. â—…nd 40. 34 35. Ezek. 43. 2. shall appear unto you 7 And Moses said unto Aaron Go unto the altar and * Heb. 5. 3. offer i Moses had hitherto sacrificed but now he resigneth his work to Aaron and actually gives him that commission which from God he had received for him thy sin offering and thy burnt-offering and make an atonement for thy self and for the people k The order is very observable first for thy self otherwise thou art unfit to do it for the people Hereby God would teach us both the deficiency of this Priesthood and the absolute necessity of an higher and better Priest Heb. 7. 26 27. and how important and needful it is that Gods Ministers should be in the grace and favour of God themselves that their ministrations may be acceptable to God and profitable to the people and offer the offering of the people and make an atonement for them as the LORD commanded 8 Aaron therefore went unto the altar and slew the calf of the sin offering which was for himself 9 And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him and he dipt his finger in the blood and put it upon the horns of the altar l To wit of burnt-offerings of which alone he speaks both in the foregoing and following words and the blood was poured out at the bottom of this altar onely not of the altar of incense as appears from Lev. 4. 7. where indeed there is mention of putting some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of incense in this case of the Priests sacrificing for his own sins But there seems to be a double difference 1. that sacrifice was offered for some particular sin this for his sins indefinitely 2. there he is supposed to be compleat in his office and here he is but entring into his office and therefore must prepare and sanctify himself by this offering upon the brazen Altar in the court before he can be admitted into the holy place where the Altar of incense was And the like is to be said for the difference between the sin-offering for the people here and Lev. 4. 17 18. and poureâ—… out the blood at the bottom of the altar 10 But the fat and the kidneys and the cawle above the liver of the sin offering he burnt m Either 1. disposed it for the burning i. e. laid it upon the altar where it was to be burnt by the heavenly fire ver 24. Thus Interpreters generally understand the word here as also ver 13 17 20. by an anticipation or the consequent is put for the antecedent of which there are examples in Scripture Or 2. properly burnt by ordinary fire which was used and allowed until the fire came down from heaven ver 24. though afterwards it was forbidden And if it had not been allowed otherwise yet this being done by Aaron at the command of Moses and consequently with Gods approbation it was unquestionably lawful And therefore there seems to be no necessity of departing from the proper sence of the word Adde to this that there is nothing said to be consumed by that heavenly fire but the burnt-offering with the fat belonging to it namely that burnt-offering mentioned ver 16. which therefore is not there said to be burnt as it is said of the other burnt-offering ver 13. and of the rest of the sacrifices in their places upon the altar * chap. 4. 8. as the LORD commanded Moses 11 And * chap. 4. 11. the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp 12 And he slew the burnt-offering and Aarons sons presented unto him the blood which he sprinkled round about upon the altar 13 And they presented the burnt-offering unto him with the pieces thereof and the head and he burnt them upon the altar 14 And he did wash the inwards and the legs and burnt them upon the burnt-offering on the altar 15 And he brought the peoples offering n Which was to be offered for the people as the former was for himself ver 7. and took the goat which was the sin offering for the people and slew it and offered it for sin as the first o To wit in like manner as he did that for the Priest ver 8. and consequently burnt this as he did the other ver 11. for which Moses reproves him Lev. 10. 17. 16 And he brought the burnt-offering p Which also was offered for the people as the last mentioned sin-offering was and offered it * chap. 1. 3 10. according to the ‖ Or ordinance manner 17 And he brought the * chap. 2. 1 2. meat-offering q Which was always to be added to the burnt-offering See Levit. 6. and †Heb. filled his band out of it took an handful thereof and burnt it upon the altar * Exod. 29. 38. besides the burnt-sacrifice of the morning r Which was to be first offered every morning for God will not have his ordinary and stated service swallowed up by extraordinary 18 He slew also the bullock and the ram for * chap. 3. 1. a sacrifice of peace-offerings which was for the people and Aarons sons presented unto him the blood which he sprinkled upon the altar round about 19 And the fat of the bullock and of the ram the rump and that which covereth the inwards s The fat which covereth the inwards or the guts Which words are here understood as appears by comparing this place with Levit. 3. 3 9. and 4. 8. and 7. 3. where they are expressed and the kidneys and the caul above the liver 20 And they put the fat upon the breasts t Which were reserved for the Priest out of the peace-offerings which were offered for the people See Levit. 7. 30 31 34. and he burnt the fat upon the altar 21 And the brests and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a * Exod. 29 24 28. wave-offering before the LORD as Moses commanded 22 And Aaron lift up his hand u His right hand which the Iews say was lifted up highest or his hands according to the other reading which was the usual rite of blessing See Luk. 24. 50. By this posture he signified both whence he expected the blessing and his hearty desire of it for them towards the people and blessed them x In some such manner as is related Numb 6. 24 c. though not in the same form as some suppose for it is not probable that he used it before God delivered it And this blessing was an act of his Priestly office no less than sacrificing See Gen. 14. 18 19. Numb 6. 23. Deut. 10. 8. and 21. 5. Luk. 24. 50. and came down y To wit from the altar whence he
by the priest and sacrifice and therefore both were to be without blemish partly moral to teach all Christians and especially Ministers of holy things what purity and perfection of heart and life they should labour after and that notorious blemishes in the mind or conversation render a man unfit for the Ministery of the Gospel and partly prudential because such blemishes were apt to breed contempt of the person and consequently of his function and of the holy things wherein he ministred For which reason some conceive that still such persons as have notorious defects or deformities which render them contemptible are not fit for the Ministery Which may be true in the general except where there are eminent gifts and graces which are sufficient to vindicate a man from the contemptibleness of his bodily presence The particular defects here mentioned I shall not enlarge upon because some of the Hebrew words are diversly interpreted and because the use of these things being abolished the knowledge of them is not very necessary let him not approach to offer the ‖ Or 〈◊〉 bread o Either the shew-bread one eminent part being named for the whole or the food i. e. all the oblations See before on ver 8. of his God 18 For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish he shall not approach p Unto God or to serve him in his sanctuary a blind man or a lame or he that hath a flat nose q Most restrain this word to the nose and to some great deformity relating to it either the want of it wholly or in part or the shortness flatness or crookedness of it But according to others it signifies more generally a person that wants some member or members because the next word to which it is opposed signifies one that hath more members than he should or any thing * chap. 22. 23. superfluous 19 Or a man that is broken footed or broken handed 20 Or crook-backt or a ‖ Or too sleâ—…der dwarf or that hath a blemish in his eye or be scurvy or scabbed or hath his stones broken 21 No man that hath a blemish r Any notorious blemish whereby he is disfigured though not here mentioned of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire he hath a blemish he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God 22 He shall eat the bread of his God both of the most holy and of the holy s Which a Priest having any uncleanness upon him might not do Whereby God would shew the great difference between natural infirmities sent upon a man by God and moral defilements which a man brought upon himself What was holy and what most holy was declared before See Levit. 2. 3. and 6. 17. and 7. 1. and 14. 13. and 22. 10. 23 Onely he shall not go in unto the vail t i. e. To the second vail which was between the Holy and the most Holy place Exod. 26. 13 36. to burn incense to order the shew-bread and to dress the lamps which were nigh unto that vail though without nor come nigh unto the altar u i. e. The altar of burnt-offering which was without the sanctuary The sense is He shall not execute the priests office which was to be done in those two places because he hath a blemish that he prophane not my sanctuary x Heb. my sanctuaries in the plural number as it is also Levit. 26. 31. Ier. 51. 51. Ezek. 28. 18. For though the Sanctuary was but one yet there were divers parts to wit the Court the Holy place and the most holy each of which was in a large sense a Sanctuary or an holy place set apart for Gods Worship for I the LORD do sanctifie them y i. e. Do set them apart for high and holy uses to manifest my presence and grace and to receive my Worship and service in them And therefore I will not have them polluted or disparaged by the admission of defiled or deformed priests to Minister therein 24 And Moses told it unto Aaron and to his sons and to all the children of Israel CHAP. XXII 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons that they separate themselves a To wit when any uncleanness is upon them as it appears from ver 3 4. from the holy things b i. e. from eating of those parts of the offerings which belong to them Onely of the tithes they might eat in that case of the children of Israel and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they c Either the children of Israel or the Priests For both of them did in their kinds hallow consecrate or offer them to God But the former seems more probable both because they are mentioned here and ver 3. where they are said to hallow c. and because this makes the argument stronger it ill became the Priests to profane or pollute what the people did hallow hallow unto me I am the LORD 3 Say unto them whosoever he be of all your seed among your generations that goeth unto the holy things d To eat them or to touch them for if the touch of one of the people having his uncleanness upon him defiled the thing he touched much more was it so in the Priest which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD having his uncleanness upon him that soul shall be cut off from my presence e Either from the place of my presence and from my ordinances by excommunication He shall be excluded both from the administration and from the participation of them Or from the people among whom I am present which commonly is expressed by cutting off from his people Or from the land of the living I am the LORD 4 What man f i. e. Or woman of Aarons seed for they were under the same law soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper or hath * chap. 15. 2. a †Heb. 〈◊〉 of the reins running issue he shall not eat of the holy things untill he * chap. 14. 2. and 15. 13. be clean And * Num. 19. 11. whoso toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead or * chap. 15. 1â—… a man whose seed goeth from him 5 Or * chap. 11. 〈◊〉 whosoever toucheth any creeping thing whereby he may be made unclean or * chap. 15. 〈◊〉 19. a man of whom he may take uncleanness whatsoever uncleanness he hath 6 The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until the even and shall not eat of the holy things unless he wash his flesh with water 7 And when the sun is down he shall be clean and shall afterward eat of the holy things because it is his food g i. e. His portion the means of his subsistence This may be added to signifie why
the children of Israel that they bring a At their common charge because it was for their common good and service This command was given before Exod. 27. 20. unto thee pure oil-olive beaten for the lights †Heb. to 〈◊〉 to ascend to cause the lamps to burn continually 3 Without the vail of the testimony b i. e. Which was before the Ark of the Testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation shall Aaron c Either by himself or by his sons Exod. 25. 37. order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually it shall be a statute for ever in your generations 4 He shall order the lamps upon * Exod. 31 the pure d So called partly because it was made of pure gold partly because it was to be oft dressed and always kept clean candlestick before the LORD continually 5 And thou e By the Priests or Levites whose work it was to prepare them 1 Chron. 9. 32. shalt take fine flour and bake twelve * Exod. 〈◊〉 cakes f Representing the twelve tribes thereof two tenth-deals g i. e. Two Omers See Levit. 23. 13. shall be in one cake 6 And thou shalt set them in two rows h Not one above another but one besides another as the frankincense put upon each ver 7. shews six on a row upon the pure table i So called because it was covered with pure Gold Exod. 25. 24. and because it was always to be kept very pure and clean by the care of the Priests before the LORD 7 And thou shalt put pure frankincense k Unmixed and uncorrupted or of the best sort upon each row that it may be on the bread l Or to the bread or for the bread to wit to be burnt before the Lord instead of the bread which could not conveniently be offered to God in that manner And this was done every time that the bread was changed for a memorial m For that part which properly belonged to God whereas the rest belonged to the Priests See on Levit. 2. 2. even an offering made by fire unto the LORD 8 Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD n When it was called the shew-bread Heb. the bread of faces or of presence i. e. the bread which was put upon the Table in the Lords presence continually being taken o Such supplements are not unusual Thus in the floor 1 King 22. 10. is put for sitting in the floor 2 Chron. 18. 9. and burdens 2 Chron. 2. 18. for carrying burdens 1 King 5. 15. And these cakes are said to be received from or offered by the children of Israel because they were bought with the mony which they contributed as may be seen Nehem. 10. 32 33. as Iudas is said to purchase the field Act. 1. 18. which was purchased by his money Maâ—… 27. 7. from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant p By vertue of that compact made between me and them by which they are obliged to keep this amongst other commands and they so doing I am obliged to be their God and to bless them And this may be here called an everlasting covenant not onely because it was to endure as long as the Iewish religion and policy stood but also because this was to stand there everlastingly or continually as is here said and therefore the new cake were first brought before the old were taken away 9 And * Exod. 29. 33. chap. 8. 31. 1 Sam. 21. 6. Mat. 12. 4. it q i. e. The old bread now to be taken away shall be Aarons and his sons and they shall eat it in the holy place for it is most holy unto him of the offerings r Or as one or being one of the offerings c. in regard of the incense which was offered by fire and that for or in stead of the bread as was said on ver 7. and therefore the bread was reputed as if it had been so offered of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute 10 And the son of an Israelitish woman whose father was an Egyptian s This circumstance seems noted partly to shew the danger of marriages with persons of wicked principles or practises wherein the children as one wittily and truly observes like the conclusion do commonly follow the worse part and are more easily taught by word or example to do ten things agreeable to their corrupt natures than one thing contrary to it and partly by this severity against him who was a stranger by the father and an Israelite by the mother to shew that God would not have this sin to go unpunished amongst his people whatsoever he was that committed it went out t To wit out of Egypt being one of that mixed multitude which came out with the Israelites Exod. 12. 38. It is probable this was done when the Israelites were near Sinai among the children of Israel and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together u This is added to shew that provocation to sin is no justification of sin in the camp 11 And the Israelitish womans son †Or named Numb 1. 17 blasphemed the Name of the LORD x The words of the Lord or of Iehovah are here conveniently supplied out of v. 16. where they are expressed but here they are omitted for the aggravation of his crime he blasphemed the name so called by way of eminency that name which is above every name that name which a man should in some sort tremble to mention which is not to be named without cause and without reverence For which reason the godly Iews did many times rather understand than express the name of God as Mark 14. 62. the right hand of power for of the power of God as it is Luk. 22. 69 and the blessed for the blessed God Mat. 26. 63. Mark 14. 61. and cursed y Not the Israelite onely but his God also as appears from ver 15 16. and they z Either the people who heard him or the inferiour Magistrate to whom he was first brought brought him unto Moses a According to the order settled by Iethro's advice Exod. 18. 26. and his mothers name was Shelomith the daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan. 12 And they * Numb 15. 34. put him in ward †Heb. to exâ—…und unto them according to the â—…uth of the LORD that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them b For God had onely said in general that he would not hold such guiltless i. e. he would punish them but had not declared how he would have them punished by men 13 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 14 Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp and let all that heard him * Deut. 13. 9. â—…nd 17. 7. lay their hands upon his head c Whereby
that conspiracy it is added ver 18. And a fire was kindled in their company the flame burnt up the wicked As for Num. 26. 10. which seems to oppose this opinion we shall see more on that place if God permit and all their goods 33 They and all that appertained to them went down alive into †Heb. Hâ—…ll the pit r i. e. Into the earth which first opened it self to receive them and then shut it self to destroy them and transmit them to further punishments and the earth closed upon them and they perished from among the congregation 34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them for they said Lest the earth swallow up us also 35 And there came out a fire from the LORD s i. e. From the cloud wherein the glory of the Lord appeared ver 19. to give sentence in this cause and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense 36 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 37 Speak unto Eleazar t Rather than to Aaron partly because the troublesome part of the work was more proper for him and partly least Aaron should be polluted by going amongst those dead carcases for it is probable this fire consumed them as lightning sometimes doth others by taking away their lives and leaving their bodies dead upon the place the son of Aaron the priest that he take up the censers out of the burning u i. e. From among the dead bodies of those men who were burnt Burning put for those who are burnt as captivity for the captives Numb 21. 1. and poverty for the poor 2 King 24. 14. and scatter thou the fire x i. e. The cinders or ashes which are left in or near their censers yonder y i. e. Far from the altar and sanctuary into an unclean place where the ashes were wont to be â—…ast by which God shews his rejection of their services for they are hallowed z Either 1. by Gods appointment because they were presented before the Lord by his express order ver 16 17. Or 2. by Goâ—… jâ—…st judgment because they together with the persons that used them were accursed and devoted by God and therefore were the Lords and to be imployed in any profane or common use as appears from Lev. 27. 28. But the first reason is the chief and is rendred by God himself ver 38. 38 The censers of these sinners against their own souls a i. e. Their own lives who were the authors of their own death and destruction Compare 1 King 2. 23. Prov. 20. 2. This he saith for the vindication of Gods justice and his own ministry in this severe dispensation let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar b To wit of burnt-offerings which was made of wood but covered with brass before this time Exod. 27. 1 2. to which this other covering was added for further ornament and security against the fire which was continually burning upon it for they offered them before the LORD therefore they are hallowed and they shall be a sign c A monument or warning to all strangers to take heed of invading the Priesthood as it follows ver 40. unto the children of Israel 39 And Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers wherewith they that were burnt had offered and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar 40 To be a memorial unto the children of Israel that no stranger which is not of the seed of Aaron come near to offer incense before the LORD that he be not as Korah and as his company d i. e. That he do not imitate them in their sin and therefore bring upon himself the same plague as the LORD said to him e i. e. To Eleazar These words belong to ver 38. the meaning is that Eleazar did as God bad him by the hand of Moses 41 But on the morrow f Prodigious wickedness and madness so soon to forget such a terrible instance of divine vengeance all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron saying ye have killed g You who should have preserved them and interceded for them have pulled down Gods wrath upon them for the maintenance of your own authority and interest the people of the LORD h So they call those wicked wretches and rebels against God which shews the power of passion and prejudice to corrupt mens judgments 42 And it came to pass when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron that they i i. e. Moses and Aaron who in all their distresses made God their refuge looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation and behold the cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared 43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation k To hear what God who now appeared would say to him 44 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 45 Get ye up from among this congregation that I may consume them as in a moment and they fell upon their faces l To beg pardon and mercy for the people as they oft did thus rendring good to them for evil which the people required with evil for their kindness 46 And Moses said unto Aaron Take a censer and put fire therein from off the altar and put on incense m Which was a sign of intercession Psal. 141. 2. and was to be accompanied with it Luk. 1. 9 10. and go quickly unto the congregation n With the incense to stir up the people to repentance and prayer to prevent their utter ruine This he might do upon this extraordinary occasion having Gods command for his warrant though ordinarily incense was to be offered onely in the Tabernacle and make an atonement for them for there is wrath gone out from the LORD the plague is begun o In cutting off the people by a sudden and miraculous stroke 47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded and ran into the midst of the congregation p Hazarding his own life to obey God and to do this wicked people good and behold the plague was begun amongst the people and he put on incense and made an atonement for the people 48 And he stood between the dead and the living q Whereby it may seem that this plague like that fire Numb 11. 1. began in the uttermost parts of the congregation and so proceeded destroying one after another in an orderly manner which gave Aaron occasion and direction so to place himself as a Mediatour to God on their behalf and the plague was stayed 49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred beside them that died about the matter of Korah 50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and the plague was stayed CHAP. XVII 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses
so long a succession for the Priesthood returned to Phinehas his line in the time of Solomon 1 King 2. 26 27 34. 1 Chron. 24. 3. and continued in that line till the captivity of Babylon as is evident and afterward too 1 Chron. 6. 4. Ezra 7. 1 5. even untill Christs time for any thing which appears to the contrary because he was zealous for his God and made an atonement for the children of Israel 14 Now the name of the Israelite that was slain even that was slain with the Midianitish woman was Zimri the son of Salu a prince h This is added as a proof of Phinehas his zeal that he durst venture upon so great a person who was likely to have many avengers of his blood of †Heb. 〈◊〉 father a chief house i Heb. Of the house of his Father Every Tribe was divided into great Housholds called the houses of their Fathers Numb 1. 2. and he was the Prince or chief of one of these though not of the whole Tribe Of the Tribe of Simeon which seems to have been too much influenced by his and other such examples so that for 59300. which were numbred Numb 1. 22 23. there were now onely 22200. Numb 26. 14. among the Simeonites k. 15 And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi the daughter of Zur l One of the Kings or Princes of Midian Numb 31. 8. Ios. 13. 21. he was head over a people and of a chief house m Or and over her fathers house in Midian 16 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 17 * Vex the Midianites n And why not the Moabites who were as guilty ver 1. Answ. 1. Because God will reserve to himself a liberty of punishing or sparing according to his own good pleasure 2. God had a kindness for the Moabites for Lots sake Deut. 2. 9. 3. God punished the Moabites in another manner partly by his own immediate hand whereby it is probable he cut off those Moabitish women that were guilty of this fact partly by a particular and dreadful kind of excommunication Deut. 23. 3. and partly by impunity which in its consequences is commonly worse and more pernicious than any or all temporal punishments which none that believes the Bible can deny 4. It is probable the Midianites were most guilty as in perswading Balak to send for Balaam as may be gathered from Numb 22. 4 7. So in the reception of Balaam after Balak had dismissed him Numb 31. 8. and in further consultation with him and in contriving the means for the executing of this wicked plot and smite them o i. e. Kill them in which words as there is a command to war against them so there is a promise of success chap. 31. 2. 18 For they vex you with their wiles p For under pretence of Kindred and Friendship and Leagues yea and Marriages which they offered to them instead of that War which the Israelites expected from them they sought onely an opportunity to insinuate themselves into their familiarity and execute their hellish plot of bringing that curse upon the Israelites which they had in vain attempted to bring another way wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor and in the matter of Cozbi q By drawing you both to spiritual and corporal whoredome the daughter of a prince of Midian their sister r In a large sense to wit their Countrey woman which was slain in the day of the plague for Peors sake CHAP. XXVI 1 AND it came to pass after the plague a Last mentioned chap. 25. 8 9. that the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar b Who his father being dead was High-priest the son of Aaron the priest saying 2 Take the sum c They were numbred twice before Exod. 30. 11 12. and Numb 1. 1 2. Now they are numbred a third time partly to demonstrate the faithfulness of God both in cutting all those off whom he had threatned to cut off Numb 14. 29. and in a stupendious increase and multiplication of the people according to his promise notwithstanding all their sins and the sweeping judgments inflicted upon them and partly to prepare the way for the equal division of the Land which they were now going to possess of all the congregation of the children of Israel * from twenty years old and chap. 1. 3. upward throughout their fathers house all that are able to go to war in Israel 3 And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of Moab d See Numb 22. 1. and 33. 48. by Jordan near Jericho e See Numb 22. 1. saying 4 Take the sum of the people f Which words are easily supplied and necessarily to be understood from ver 2. from twenty chap. 1. 1. years old and upward as the LORD * commanded Moses and the children of Israel which went forth out of the land of Egypt 5 * Gen. 46. 8. Exod. 6. 14. â—… Chro. 5. 1. Reuben the eldest son of Israel the children of Reuben Hanock of whom cometh the family of the Hanochite of Pallu the family of the Palluite 6 Of Hesron the family of the Hesronite of Carmi the family of the Carmite 7 These are the families g i. e. The chief houses which were subdivided into divers lesser families of the Reubenite and they that were numbred of them were fourty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty h Whereas in their last numbring they were 46500 Numb 1. 21. for Korahs conspiracy as well as other provocations of theirs had cut off many of them 8 And the sons i For son of which change of the number See Gen. 21. 7. and 46. 7. of Pallu Eliab 9 And the sons of Eliab Nemuel and Dathan and Abiram this is that Dathan and Abiram which were * chap. 16. 2. famous in the congregation who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah when they strove against the LORD 10 And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah k According to this translation Korah was not consumed by fire with his 250 men Numb 16. but swallowed up by the Earth But others rather think he was devoured by the fire of which see on Numb 16. 32 35. and render these words and the things of Korah or belonging to Korah to wit his tent and goods and family children excepted as here follows Which interpretation receives strength by comparing this place with Numb 16. 32. And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them to wit Dathan and Abiram as is manifest from ver 24 25 27. up and their houses and all the men that appertained unto Korah which variation of the phrase plainly shews that Korah himself was not swallowed up with them but onely his men and his tabernacle which is mentioned there together with the tabernacles
for the Tribe they might give up part of their right to others with the Rulers consent as Iudah gave a share to Simeon and to Dan within his lot according to the names of the tribes of their fathers d i. e. The Lots shall go under the names of each tribe or each Patriarch they shall inherit 56 According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few e i. e. That share which shall by Lot fall to each tribe shall be distributed to the several families and persons in such proportions as their numbers shall require 57 * Gen. 46. 11. Exod. 6. 16 17 18. 19. â—… Chro. 6. 1 16. And these are they that were numbred of the Levites of Gershon the family of the Gershonites of Kohath the family of the Kohathites of Merari the family of the Merarites 58 These are the families of the Levite f Which are here numbred by themselves because they were not to have a distinct share of the land whence it is that they are not so distinctly and exactly mentioned as the other tribes but confusedly and imperfectly some of them being wholly omitted here See Exod. 6. 17 18 19. the family of the Libnites the family of the Hebronites the family of the Mahlites the family of the Mushites the family of the Korhites and Kohath begat Amram 59 And the name of Amrams wife was * Exod. 2. 1 2. and 6. 20. Jochebed the daughter of Levi whom her mother g To wit Levi's wife which must necessarily be understood bare to Levi in Egypt and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam their sister 60 And unto Aaron was born Nadab and Abihu Eleazar and Ithamar 61 And * Lev. 10. â—… chap. 3. 4. 1 Chron. 24. â—… Nadab and Abihu died when they offered strange fire before the LORD 62 And those that were numbred of them were twenty and three thousand h One thousand more than they were Numb 3. 39. all males from a month old and upward i The reason of which different way of numbring see on Numb 3. 15. for they were not numbred among the children of Israel because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel 63 These are they that were numbred by Moses and Eleazar the priest who numbred the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho 64 But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbred when they numbred the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai 65 For the LORD had said of them They * chap. 14. 28 29. 1 Cor. 10. 5 6. shall surely die in the wilderness and there was not left a man of them i To wit of those who then murmured and rebelled against God as plainly appears both because this threatning and punishment is confined to those transgressours and because otherwise this had not been true for of those that were then numbred there were now left Eleazar and Ithamar and possibly many of the Levites and some others who being not guilty of that sin did not partake of their judgment Caleb and Ioshua are mentioned here as also Numb 14. not by way of exception as if these were murmurers which is utterly denied Numb 14. 24. but by way of opposition to signify that they though they were two of the spies and companions of them who were the chief authours and ringleaders of that mutiny yet they kept themselves from their sin and therefore God kept them from their plague and destruction as also he did some others for the same reason save Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. CHAP. XXVII 1 THen came the daughters of * chap. 26. 33. and 36. 11. Josh. 17. 3. Zelophehad a Perceiving that the males onely were numbred and that the land was to be divided to them onely they put in their claim for a share in their fathers inheritance the son of Hepher the son of Gilead the son of Machir the son of Manasseh of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph and these are the names of his daughters Mahlah Noah and Hoglah and Milcah and Tirzah 2 And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the princes and all the congregation by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation b Nigh unto which it seems was the place where Moses and the chief rulers assembled for the administration of publick affairs which also was very convenient because they had frequent occasion of recourse to God for his assistance and direction therein saying 3 Our father * chap. 14. 35. and 26. 64 65. died in the wilderness and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves together against the LORD * chap. 16. 1. in the company of Korah c Nor in any other rebellion of the people which must be understood because all of them are opposed to his own sin in which alone he is said to die But they mention this onely either 1. because he might possibly be accused to be guilty of this Or 2. because he being an eminent person might be thought guilty of that rather than of any other because the great and famous men were more concerned in that rebellion than others Or 3. to gain the favour of Moses against whom that rebellion was more particularly directed and more desperately prosecuted than any other Or 4. because peradventure he died about that time and therefore might be presumed guilty of that crime Or rather 5. because that sin and as it may seem that onely of all the sins committed in the wilderness was of such a flagitious nature that God thought fit to extend the punishment not onely to the persons of those rebels but also to their children and families Numb 16. 27 32. as was usual in like cases as Deut. 13. 15. Ios. 7. 24. Whence it is noted as a singular priviledge granted to the children of Korah that they died not Numb 26. 11. whereas the children of their confederates died with them And this makes their argument here more proper and powerful that he did not die in that sin for which his posterity were to be cut off and to lose either their lives or their inheritances and therefore their claim was more just but died in his own sin d Either 1. for that sin mentioned Numb 14. which they call his own sin in opposition not to the rest of the people for it was a common sin but to his children i. e. the sin for which he alone was to suffer in his person and not in his posterity as God had appointed Numb 14. 33. Or rather 2. for his own personal sins for 1. these were more properly his own sins 2. it was a truth and that believed by the Iews that death was a punishment for mens own sins 3. the punishment
* chap. 19. 8. And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings be eaten at all on the third day it shall not be accepted neither shall it be imputed unto him s For an acceptable service to God that offereth it it shall be an abomination and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity 19 And the flesh t To wit of the holy offerings of which he is here treating and therefore the general word is to be so limited for other flesh one might eat in this case Deut. 12. 15 22. that toucheth any unclean thing u After its oblation which might easily happen as it was conveyed from the Altar to the place where it was eaten for it was not eaten in the holy place as appears because it was eaten by the priests together with the offerers who might not come thither shall not be eaten it shall be burnt with fire and as for the flesh x i. e. The other flesh that which shall not be polluted by any unclean touch all that be clean y Whether priests or offerers or guests invited to the feast See 1 Sam. 9. 12. and 20. 26. Both the flesh and the eaters of it must be clean shall eat thereof 20 But the soul that eateth z Knowingly for if it were done ignorantly a sacrifice was accepted for it Levit. 5. 2. of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings that pertain unto the LORD * chap. 15. 3. having his uncleanness upon him a i. e. Not being cleansed from his uncleanness according to the appointment Levit. 11. 24 c. This verse speaks of uncleanness from an internal cause us by an issue c. for what was from an external cause is spoken of in the next verse even that soul * Gen. 17. 14. shall be cut off from his people 21 Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing as * chap. 12. and 13. and 15. the uncleanness of man b Or Of woman for the word signifies both and that there were such things coming from Men or Women the touch whereof did pollute men and things may be seen Levit. 15. and elsewhere Others make it an Hypallage â—…anness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a man of uncleanness or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man But that seems not necessary here or any * chap. 11. 24 28. unclean beast or any abominable unclean thing and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings which pertain unto the LORD even that soul shall be cut off from his people 22 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 23 Speak unto the children of Israel saying ye shall eat no manner fat of oxe or of sheep or of goat c The general prohibition of eating sat Lev. 3. 17. is here explained of and restrained to those kinds of creatures which were sacrificed to God 24 And the fat of the †Heb. 〈◊〉 beast that dieth of it self and the fat of that which is torn with beasts d He speaketh still of the same kinds of beasts and sheweth that this prohibition reacheth not onely to the fat of those beasts which were offered to God but also of those that died or were killed at home And if this seems a superfluous prohibition concerning the fat since the lean as well as the fat of such beasts was forbidden Levit. 22. 8. it must be noted that that prohibition reached onely to the priests verse 4. may be used in any other use but ye shall in no wise eat of it 25 For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people 26 * Gen. 9. 4. chap. 3. 1â—… and 1â—… 14. Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood whether it be of fowl or of beast in any of your dwellings 27 Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood even that soul shall be cut off from his people 28 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 29 Speak unto the children of Israel saying He that offereth the sacrifice of his peace-offerings unto the LORD shall bring e Not by another but by himself as it is explained ver 30. his oblation f i. e. Those parts of the peace-offering which are in a special manner offered to God to wit the fat and breast and shoulder as it follows unto the LORD g i. e. To the Tabernacle where the Lord was present in a special manner He shews that though part of such offerings might be eaten in any clean place Levit. 10. 14. yet not till they had been killed and part of them offered to the Lord in the place appointed by him for that purpose of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings 30 * chap. 3 3 4 19 14. His own hands shall bring h After the beast was killed and the parts of it divided the Priest was to put the parts mentioned into the hands of the offerer See Exod. 29. 22 23 24. the offerings of the LORD made by fire i So called not strictly as burnt-offerings are because some parts of these were left for the Priest ver 31. but more largely because even these peace-offerings were in part though not wholly burnt the fat with the breast it shall he bring that the breast may be waved k To and fro by his hands which were supported and directed by the hands of the Priest for a wave-offering before the LORD 31 And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar but the breast shall be Aarons and his sons l i. e. The portion of every succeeding High-priest and his family compare Exod. 29. 26. 32 And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for an heave-offering of the sacrifices of your peace-offerings 33 He among the sons of Aaron that offereth the blood of the peace-offerings and the fat shall have the right shoulder for his part 34 For * Exod. 29. 28. chap. 10. 14. Numb 18. 18. Deut. 18. 3. the wave-breast and heave-shoulder m The breast or heart is the â—…eat of Wisdom and the shoulder of strength for action and these two may denote that Wisdom and Vertue or Power which was in Christ our High-priest 1 Cor. 1. 24. and which ought to be in every priest have I taken of the children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace-offerings and have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons by a statute for ever from among the children of Israel 35 This is the portion of the anointing n i. e. Of the Priesthood the sign put for the thing signified and the anointing by a like figure is put for the right or part of the sacrifices belonging to the Priest by vertue of his anointing as plainly appears from the words here following out of the offerings c. of Aaron and of the anointing of his sons
out of the offerings of the LORD made by fire in the day o This was their portion appointed them by God in that day and therefore to be given to them in after ages Or from the day c. and thence forward the Hebrew preposition beth being put for min as it is frequently when he presented them to minister unto the LORD in the priests office 36 Which the LORD commanded to be given them of the children of Israel * Exod. 40. 13 15. chap. 8. 12 30. in the day that he anointed them by a statute for ever throughout their generations 37 This is the law of the burnt-offering of the meat-offering and of the sin offering and of the trespass offering and of the consecrations p i. e. Of the sacrifice offered at the consecration of the Priests and of the sacrifice of the peace-offerings 38 Which the LORD commanded Moses in mount Sinai in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their oblations unto the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai CHAP. VIII 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses a This is here premised to shew that Moses did not confer the Priesthood upon Aaron by vertue of his relation or affection to him but by Gods appointment which also appears from the following story saying 2 * Exod. 29. 1. Take Aaron and his sons with him and the * Exod. 28. 2. 4. garments and * Exod. 30. 24. the anointing oyl and a bullock for the sin offering and two rams and a basket of unleavened bread 3 And gather thou all the congregation b The elders which represented all and as many of the people as would and could get thither that all might be witnesses both of Aarons commission from God and of his work and business together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation 4 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him and the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation 5 And Moses said unto the congregation * Exod. 29. 4. This is the thing which the LORD commanded to be done 6 And Moses brought Aaron and his sons and washed them with water 7 And he put upon him the coat c The linen breeches prescribed Exod. 28. 42. are not here mentioned because they were not to be put on at his consecration but afterwards in the execution of his office and girded him with the girdle and clothed him with the robe and put the Ephod upon him and he girded him with the curious girdle of the Ephod and bound it unto him therewith 8 And he put the breast-plate upon him also * Exod. 28. 〈◊〉 he put in the breast-plate the Urim and the Thummim 9 And he put the mitre upon his head also upon the mitre even upon his forefront did he put the golden plate the holy Crown * Of which see Exod. 29. 6. as the LORD * Exod. 28. 3â—… c. commanded Moses 10 * Exod. 30. 〈◊〉 And Moses took the anointing oyl and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein and sanctified them 11 And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times d To signifie the singular use and holiness of it which it was not only to have in it self but also to communicate to all the sacrifices laid upon it and anointed the altar and all his vessels both the laver e Where the Priests washed themselves and the sacrifices and vessels or instruments of the holy ministration See Levit. 6. 28. and his foot to sanctifie them 12 And he * Exod. 29 Ecclus. 45. â—… poured f In a plentiful manner as appears from Psal. 133. 2. whereas other persons and things were onely anointed or sprinkled with it of the anointing oyl upon Aarons head and anointed him to sanctifie him 13 * Exod. 29. â—… And Moses brought Aarons sons and put coats upon them and girded them with girdles and †Heb. 〈◊〉 put bonnets upon them as the LORD commanded Moses 14 * Exod. 29. â—… 10. And he brought the bullock g There were indeed seven bullocks to be offered at his consecration one every day Exod. 29. 35 36. but here he mentions onely one either by a common Enallage of number or because he here describes onely the work of the first day and leaves the rest to be gathered from it of which see ver 33. for the sin offering and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin-offering 15 And he flew it and Moses took the blood and put it upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger and purified the altar and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar and sanctified it to make reconciliation upon it 16 And he took all the fat that was upon the inwards and the caule above the liver and the two kidneys and their fat and Moses burned it upon the altar 17 But the bullock and his hide h Which in the offerings for the people was not burnt but given to the Priest his flesh and his dung he burnt with fire without the camp as the LORD * Exod. 29. 〈◊〉 commanded Moses 18 * Exod. 29. 1â—… And he brought the ram for the burnt-offering and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram 19 And he i Either Moses as in the following clause the pronoun being put for the noun or some other person by Moses his appointment which may be the reason why he is not named here as he is to the sprinkling of the blood which was an action more proper to the Priest and more essential to the sacrifice as the learned have observed killed it and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about 20 And he cut the ram into pieces and Moses burnt the head and the pieces and the fat 21 And he washed the inwards and the legs in water and Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar It was a burnt-sacrifice for a sweet favour and an offering made by fire unto the LORD * Exod. 29. 18. as the LORD commanded Moses 22 And * Exod. 2â—… 1â—… he brought the other ram the ram of †Heb. fillings consecration and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram 23 And he slew it and Moses took of the blood of it and put it upon the tip k The lowest and softest part of the ear called the tip or lap of the ear See Exod. 29. 20. of Aarons right ear and upon the thumb of his right hand and upon the great toe of his right foot 24 And â—…e brought Aarons sons and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear and upon the thumbs of their right hands and upon the great toes of their right feet and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about
so hath spared and restored his People and in Judgment remembred Mercy to them when he hath totally ruined their Enemies or 2. forward upon the time to come of which he speaks as of a thing past after the manner of the Prophets and of which he speaks in the next Verse or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him r Of those who were slain by Israel or rather by God at the Prayer and on the behalf of Israel Heb. of his slain ones i. e. of those of his Smiters or Enemies who were slain Which Exposition is favoured by comparing this with the foregoing Clause 8 * Job 23. 6. Jer. 10. 24. 30. 11. 46. 28. In measure s With moderation in certain Proportions which God meteth out and fitteth to their Strength ‖ Or when thou sendest it forth when it shooteth forth t When the Vine shooteth forth its luxuriant Branches he like the Vine-dresser cutteth them off but so as not to spoil or destroy the Vine Or as divers Interpreters render it and the Word properly and frequently signifies in or by casting or dismissing or sending her or it out or when thou dost cast or send her out to wit out of her own Land in which she was planted into Captivity He alludes to a Man that divorceth his Wife which is expressed by this Word but withal intimates that this shall not be peremptory and perpetual as other Divorces were thou wilt debate with it u God is said to debate or contend with Men when he executeth his Judgments upon them as Isa. 49. 25. 57. 16. Amos 7. 4. ‖ Or when he removeth it he stayeth his rough wind x He mitigateth the severity of the Judgment But I must confess I do not meet with any of the ancient or modern Translators that agree with ours in this Version nor is the Hebrew Verb ever used so far as I know in the signification of staying or restraining besides our Translation takes no notice of the Hebrew Preposition But this Word unquestionably signifies to remove or take away as 2 Sam. 20. 13. Prov. 25. 4 5. and thus most Interpreters understand it And so the Place is very fitly thus rendred be or when be which Particle may easily be understood out of the former Clause as is usual removeth understand either it to wit the Vine or them to wit the Enemies of God and his People And so this agreeth with the former Verse in representing the different way of God's Proceeding against his People and his and their Enemies Either way there is onely a defect of the Pronoun which I have before shewed in divers places to be very usual in the Hebrew Language with or by his rough wind by which sometimes Vines and other Trees are pulled up by the Roots as that did 1 Kings 19. 11. whereby he understands his most terrible Judgments in the day of the east-wind y In the time when he sendeth forth his East-wind which he mentions because that Wind in those Parts was most violent and most hurtful to Trees and Fruits as hath been oft observed and therefore is used to signifie the most grievous Calamities 9 By this z By this manner of God's dealing with his People therefore a That the difference between Iacob and his Enemies in their several Sufferings may appear shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged b Heb. expiated or forgiven upon their true Repentance which shall be the happy effect of their Chastisement and this is all the fruit to take away his sin c The effect hereof shall not be to destroy the Sinner as it is in other Men but onely to take away the guilt and power of their Sins * when he maketh d Which Sin of Iacob's shall be purged and taken away and the Judgment removed when he shall truly repent of all his Sins and especially of his Idolatry to which they were most inclined and for which the most of God's Judgments which they had hitherto felt had been inflicted upon them all the stones 18. of the altar e Which by an usual Enallage may be put for the Altars to wit their Idolatrous Altars as is evident from the following Words Possibly he may say the altar with respect to that particular Altar which Ahaz had set up in the place of God's own Altar and this Prophecy might be delivered either to the Prophet or by him to the People in Ahaz his time while that Altar stood and was used as chalk-stones f When he shall break all those goodly Altars in pieces which God by his Law had enjoyned that are beaten in sunder g Which kind of Stones are of themselves apt to break into small pieces and by the Artificer are broken into smaller pieces for making Mortar He seems to allude to that Fact of Moses who to shew his detestation of Idolatry took the golden calf and burnt it and ground it to powder and intimates that when their Repentance should be sincere it would discover it self by their Zeal in destroying the Instruments of their Idolatry the groves h Which were frequently erected to the Honour of Idols of which we have many Instances in Scripture which God therefore commanded his People to destroy Deut. 7. 5. 12. 3. and ‖ images shall not stand â—…ma up i Shall be thrown down with Contempt and Indignation 10 Yet k Yet before this glorious Promise concerning the removal of Israel's Sin and Calamity be fulfilled a dreadful and desolating Judgment shall first come upon them the defenced city l Ierusalem and the rest of the Defenced Cities in the Land the Singular Number being put for the Plural shall be desolate and the habitation m The most inhabited and populous Places Or as the Hebrew Word properly signifies their pleasant habitations whether in the City or Country forsaken and left like a wilderness n Which was fulfilled in the time of the Babylonish Captivity there shall the calf o Which is Synechdochically put for all sorts of Cattel which may securely feed there because there shall be no Men left to disturb or annoy them feed and there shall he lie down and consume the branches thereof p Of their pleasant Habitation of the young Trees which shall grow up in that ruinated Country 11 When the boughs thereof are withered q When they shall begin to wither as they will when they are thus gnawed and cropped by Cattel they shall be broken off r That there may be no hopes nor possibility of their Recovery the women s He mentions women either because it is their usual Work in the Country to make Fires and to gather Fewel for them or to signifie that the Men should be generally destroyed come and set them on fire for * Deut. 32. 28. Chap.
1. 3. it is a people of no understanding t They do not understand either me or themselves either my Word or Works they know not the things which concern their own Peace and Happiness but like bruit Beasts made to be destroyed they blindly and wilfully go on in those Courses which will bring them to certain ruine therefore he that made them u Both as they are Creatures and as they are his People for this also is expressed by making or forming as Psal. 100. 3. 102. 18. 149. 2. Thus he overthroweth their false and presumptuous Conceits that God would never destroy the Work of his own Hands nor the Seed of Abraham his Friend for ever and plainly declareth the contrary will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour 12 And it shall come to pass in that day that the LORD shall beat off x Or shall beat out Which is not meant in a way of Punishment which is rather designed by threshing as Isa. 21. 10. 25. 10. than by beating but as an Act of Mercy as is evident from the following Clause of this and from the next Verse It is a Metaphor from some Grains which were beaten our with a Rod or Staff of which see Isa. 28. 27 28. and then were carefully gathered and laid up for the use of man from the chanel of the river unto the stream of Egypt y From Euphrates to Nilus which were the two Borders of the Land of Promise Ios. 1. 4. 13. 3. All the Israelites which are left in the Land which are here opposed to those of them that are dispersed into Foreign Parts such as Assyria and Egypt and ye shall be gathered one by one z Which signifies either the smallness of the Remnant of that numerous People or rather God's exact and singular Care of them that not one of them should be lost O ye children of Israel 13 And it shall come to pass in that day that the great trumpet a Which may be heard even to the remotest Parts of the Earth God shall summon them all together as it were by Sound of Trumpet to wit by an eminent Call or Act of his Providence on their behalf He alludes to the Custom of calling the Israelties together with Trumpets of which see Numb 10. 2 3. shall be blown and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria b Where the Ten Tribes were carried Captive and the out-casts in the land of Egypt c Where many of the Iews were as is manifest both from Scripture as Ier. 43. 7. 44 28. Hos. 8. 13. Zech. 10. 10. and from other Authors and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem CHAP XXVIII 1. WO to the Crown of Pride a That proud and insolent Kingdom for the Crown is oft put for the Kingdom as Ier. 13. 18. c. to the Drunkards b Either 1. Metaphorically drunk with proud self-confidence and security prosperity Or rather 2. Properly by comparing this with v. 7. Hos. 7. 5. Amos 6. 6. where the Israelites are taxed with this sin For having many and excellent Vines among them they were exposed to this Sin and frequently overcome by it of Ephraim c Of the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes which is commonly called by the name of Ephraim as hath been oft noted before whose glorious Beauty is a fading Flower d Whose Glory and Greatness shall suddenly wither and perish which are e Which proud and drunken Israelites have their common and chief abode Or which is i. e. which flower is or which beauty or glory is on the head of the †Heb. Uale of â—…nesses fat Valleys f Either 1. in Samaria which might well be called the Head as being seated upon a Mountain and the Head of the Kingdom and The head of the fat Valleys because it was encompassed with many fat and rich Valleys Or. 2. Upon the chief or choicest as this word signifies Exod. 30. 23. Câ—…nt 4. 14. Isa. 9. 14 15. and elsewhere of the fat or rich Valleys which they made occasions and instruments of Luxury of them that are †Heb. broken overcome g Heb. That are smitten or broken or overthrown or knocked down all which significations of this word fitly agree to Drunkards with Wine 2. Behold the Lord hath h To wit at His command prepared and ready to execute His Judgments a mighty and strong One i The King of Assyria which as a Tempest of Hail and a destroying Storm as a floud of mighty Waters overflowing shall cast down k Understand it the crown of pride or them the drunkards of Ephraim to the Earth with the hand l Or by his hand either by that Kings force or strong hand or by the hand of God which shall strengthen and succeed him in this work 3. The Crown of Pride the Drunkards of Ephraim shall be troden †Heb. with feet under Feet m The Expression is emphatical the Crown which was upon their own heads shall be trodden under the feet of others and they whose Drunkenness made them stagger and fall to the ground shall be trodden down there 4. And the glorious Beauty which is on the head of the fat Valley shall be a fading Flower and as the hasty Fruit n Which coming before the Season and before other Fruits is most acceptable before the Summer which when he that looketh upon it seeth it while it is yet in his hand he †Heb. swalloweth eateth it up o Which as soon as a Man sees he covets it and plucks it off yet doth not long enjoy it but through greediness devours it almost as soon as he can get it into his hand And so shall it be with Ephraims glory which his Enemies as soon as they observe shall covet and spoil and devour it greedily and with delight 5. In that day p When the Kingdom of Israel shall be utterly destroyed shall the Lord of Hosts be for a Crown of Glory and for a Diadem of Beauty q God shall give them eminent Glory and Beauty unto the residue of his People r Unto the Kingdom of Iudah who shall continue in their own Country when Israel is carried into Captivity 6. And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment and for strengh s He explains how or wherein God would glorify and beautify them even by giving wisdom to their Rulers and courage to their Souldiers which two things contribute much to the strength and safety and glory of a Nation to them that turn the battel to the gate t To their Warriors whom he describeth by this Phrase to intimate That their Valour should be crowned with Success and that they should not onely drive their Enemies from their own Gates