for the Israelites Jethro rejoiceth at it and adviseth Moses to teach the People Laws and to appoint Judges among the People Moses follows the Advice of Jethro who afterward departed from him 1. WHEN Jethro the priest of Midian Moses's father-in-father-in-law heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt 2. Then Jethro Moses's father-in-law took Zipporah Moses's wife after he had sent her back 3. And her two sons of which the name of the one was Gershom for he said I have been an alien in a strange land 4. And the name of the other was Eliezer for the God of my father said he was my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh 5. And Jethro Moses's father-in-law came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness where he encamped at the mount of God 6. And he said unto Moses I thy father-in-law Jethro am come unto thee and thy wife and her two sons with her 7. And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and did obeisance and kissed him and they asked each other of their welfare and they came into the tent 8. And Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake and all the travail that had come upon them by the way and how the LORD delivered them 9. And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians 10. And Jethro said Blessed be the LORD who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians 11. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them 12. And Jethro Moses's father-in-father-in-law took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God And Aaron came and all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses's father-in-father-in-law before God 13. And it came to pass on the morrow that Moses sat to judge the people and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening 14. And when Moses's father-in-father-in-law saw all that be did to the people he said What is this thing that thou doest to the people Why sittest thou thy self alone and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even 15. And Moses said unto his father-in-father-in-law Because the people come unto me to enquire of God 16. When they have a matter they come unto me and I judge between one and another and I do make them know the statutes of God and his laws 17. And Moses's father-in-father-in-law said unto him The thing that thou doest is not good 18. Thou wilt surely wear away both thou and this people that is with thee for this thing is too heavy for thee thou art not able to perform it thy self alone 19. Hearken now unto my voice I will give thee counsel and God shall be with thee be thou for the people to Godward that thou mayest bring the causes unto God 20. And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk and the work that they must do 21. Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men such as fear God men of truth hating covetousness and place such ever them to be rulers of thousands and rulers of hundreds rulers of fifties and rulers of tens 22. And let them judge the people at all seasons and it shall be that every great matter they shall bring unto thee but every small matter they shall judge so shall it be easier for thy self and they shall bear the burden with thee 23. If thou shalt do this thing and God command thee so then thou shalt be able to endure and all this people shall also go to their place in peace 24. So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-father-in-law and did all that he had said 25. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people rulers of thousands rulers of hundreds rulers of fifties and rulers of tens 26. And they judged the people at all seasons the hard causes they brought unto Moses but every small matter they judged themselves 27. And Moses let his father-in-law depart and he went his way into his own land 1. JEthro Vid. Chap. 2.16 2. After he had sent her back That is After Moses had sent her back from the Inn when he was going into Egypt Vid. Chap. 4.24 25. 3. Name Ch. 2.22 Gershom That is A stranger there 4. Eliezer That is My God is an help 5. At the mount of God The Mountain on which the glory of God was revealed says the Chaldee This was Horeb where God gave his Law Exod. 3.1 Deut. 5.2 6. He said He sent Messengers that in his name told Moses of his coming Vid. Matth. 8.5 compared with Luk. 7.3 7. Welfare Heb. Peace 8. Come upon them Heb. Found them 9. Hand i. e. The Dominion or Tyranny as the Chaldee hath it 11. For in the thing c. Ch. 1.10 16 22. and 5.7 and 14.18 The Egyptians justly suffered for their Pride and Arrogance and God did defeat them in their Designs and inflicted on them that very evil which they designed to afflict the Israelites with Compare ch 1.22 with ch 22.29 and ch 14.28 12. Sacrifices i. e. Other Sacrifices for no man might eat of the Burnt-offering it being intirely offered up Lev. 1.9 whereas in Peace-offerings the Priest and People had their share Lev. 7.14 Deut. 27.7 Before God Before the glory of God appearing in the Cloud and possibly before the Tabernacle For there are those that think that this passage of Jethro's coming to Moses related in this Chapter did happen in the following year after the Law was given and the Tabernacle erected And that Opinion is grounded upon what we read v. 12. and v. 16. compared with Deut. 1.9 Numb 10.29 30. 15. To enquire of God i. e. To enquire of the mind of God in things which were doubtfull This they did by consulting his Servant and Prophet 16. One and another Heb. A man and his fellow 18. Thou wilt surely wear away Heb. Fading thou wilt fade Thou art not c. Deut. 1.9 19. To God-ward Seeking instruction from the presence of God says the Chaldee This Counsel Moses followed Num. 15.34 35. and ch 27.5 21. Hating covetousness Or Hating gain and free from the love of riches 26. At all seasons i. e. At all occasions and times when they were not forbid by some other superior Law whereby they were obliged to attend upon God's more immediate worship CHAP. XIX The ARGUMENT The Israelites come to Sinai Moses goes up into the Mount and receives a Message to the People which he delivers and returns their Answer unto God He is commanded to Sanctifie the People
The Eagle c. Those Fowls are forbid which are ravenous as the Eagle Vulture Kite Raven c. and which delight in the dark as the Owl and Bat c. and which creep upon the ground v. 20. Which possibly may imply how displeasing unto God are Covetousness and Cruelty a worldly Temper and the Works of Darkness See Theodoret. quaest XI on Levit. 22. Locust See Matth. 3.4 with Mark 1.6 23. Abomination See verse 10. As also the Note on Levit. 18.27 24. Shall be unclean i. e. He shall be under a legal uncleanness It shall not be lawfull for him to come unto the Tabernacle nor partake of the holy Oblation nor converse with them who do it 29. Mouse See Isaiah 66.17 32. It shall be unclean i. e. It shall not be used as before 33. Ye shall break it Ch. 6.28 34. Such water cometh i. e. Such Water as is unclean by touching unclean Meat or an unclean Vessel 36. Wherein there is plenty of water Heb. A gathering together of waters 38. But if any water c. i. e. If Water be put upon it to prepare it for the food of a Man 42. Hath more feet Heb. Doth multiply feet 43. Selves Heb. Souls 44. Ye shall be holy Chap. 19.2 and 20.7 1 Pet. 1.15 For I am holy And therefore ye ought to be like me and give Obedience to these Precepts of mine 47. To make a difference See chap. 10.9 10 11. CHAP. XII The ARGUMENT Vncleanness upon Child-birth Whether the Child born be Male or Female The Purification of a Woman after Child-birth according to the ability of the Woman 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. Speak unto the children of Israel saying If a woman have conceived seed and born a man-child then she shall be unclean seven days according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean 3. And in the eighth day the flesh of his fore-skin shall be circumcised 4. And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days she shall touch no hallowed thing nor come into the sanctuary untill the days of her purifying be fulfilled 5. But if she bear a maid-child then she shall be unclean two weeks as in her separation and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days 6. And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled for a son or for a daughter she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt-offering and a young pigeon or a turtle-dove for a sin-offering unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation unto the priest 7. Who shall offer it before the LORD and make an atonement for her and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female 8. And if she be not able to bring a lamb then she shall bring two turtles or two young pigeons the one for the burnt-offering and the other for a sin-offering and the priest shall make an atonement for her and she shall be clean 1. UNto Moses It is not said unto Moses and Aaron as it is said in the Law of clean and unclean Beasts ch 11.1 and in that concerning the Leprosie of Men and of Houses ch 13.1 and ch 14.57 And the reason seems to be this Because in those Laws Aaron and his Sons were to judge and pronounce according to certain Rules what was clean and what unclean chap. 10.10 11. chap. 14.57 This required great Caution and some Skill But the Law in this Chapter relates to a matter that is plain 2. Woman Ch. 15.19 According to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean i. e. For those first seven days she shall be in as great a degree unclean and polluted as a Woman by the Law was during the seven days of her separation of which see ch 15.19 20. During which time she was not onely debarred the Sanctuary but separated from all communion or converse with others During that time she defiled what-ever she touched and that which was so defiled did also render him that touched it unclean Levit. 15.20 22. 3. Eighth day Luk. 2.22 Joh. 7.22 Then will the Child be better able to endure Circumcision and the Mother also past her greater pollution and may touch her Child without rendring it unclean See the Notes on Gen. 17.12 4. She shall then continue in the blood of her purifying c. i. e. After her first seven days she shall remain for the farther cleansing her Body three and thirty days In which time though she be not debarred from conversing with others she shall neither eat any holy thing nor yet go into the Sanctuary 5. But if she bear c. The time is doubled in case she bare a Female with respect perhaps to the Sin of Eve who was first in the transgression 1 Tim. 2.14 6. Of the first year Heb. A Son of his year 7. Make an atonement The Woman was under a legal impurity and therefore needed an Atonement And tho' Child-bearing were no Sin yet the pain thereof was a punishment of Sin Gen. 3.16 And the corrupt Condition of our Nature or our Original pravity seems hereby to be insinuated also Psal 51.5 8. And Luk. 2.24 She be not able to bring a lamb Heb. Her hand find not sufficiency of If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 CHAP. XIII The ARGUMENT Of a Leprosie in a Man or Woman Of Leprosie in a Garment Of the Laws and Rules by which the Priest was to proceed in judging of it 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron saying 2. When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising a scab or bright spot and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosie then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest or unto one of his sons the priests 3. And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh and when the hair in the plague is turned white and the plague in sight be deeper then the skin of his flesh it is a plague of leprosie and the priest shall look on him and pronounce him unclean 4. If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh and in sight be not deeper then the skin and the hair thereof be not turned white then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days 5. And the priest shall look on him the seventh day and behold if the plague in his sight be at a stay and the plague spread not in the skin then the priest shall shut him up seven days more 6. And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day and behold if the plague be somewhat dark and the plague spread not in the skin the priest shall pronounce
before that Day does not always precisely denote a determinate and precise time but time more at large and so it is here and in the two following Verses It is sufficient that it denote that time when Moses acquainted them with God's Laws and they entered into a Solemn Covenant to observe and keep them and God took them for his peculiar People See v. 17 18. 19. In praise and in name See Jer. 13.11 CHAP. XXVII The ARGUMENT The Israelites are commanded to write the Law upon Stones when they came into the Land and to build an Altar The names of the Tribes that were to stand on Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal The several Curses to be pronounced by the Levites 1. AND Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people saying Keep all the commandments which I command you this day 2. And it shall be on the day when you shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee that thou shalt set thee up great stones and plaister them with plaister 3. And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law when thou art passed over that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee a land that floweth with milk and honey as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee 4. Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan that ye shall set up these stones which I command you this day in mount Ebal and thou shalt plaister them with plaister 5. And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God an altar of stones thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them 6. Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones and thou shalt offer burnt-offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God 7. And thou shalt offer peace-offerings and shalt eat there and rejoice before the LORD thy God 8. And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly 9. And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel saying Take heed and hearken O Israel this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God 10. Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God and do his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day 11. And Moses charged the people the same day saying 12. These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people when ye are come over Jordan Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Joseph and Benjamin 13. And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse Reuben Gad and Asher and Zebulun Dan and Naphtali 14. And the Levites shall speak and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice 15. Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image an abomination unto the LORD the work of the hands of the craftsman and putteth it in a secret place and all the people shall answer and say Amen 16. Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother and all the people shall say Amen 17. Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's land-mark and all the people shall say Amen 18. Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way and all the people shall say Amen 19. Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger fatherless and widow and all the people shall say Amen 20. Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife because he uncovereth his father's skirt and all the people shall say Amen 21. Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast and all the people shall say Amen 22. Cursed be he that lieth with his sister the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother and all the people shall say Amen 23. Cursed be he that lieth with his mother-in-mother-in-law and all the people shall say Amen 24. Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly and all the people shall say Amen 25. Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person and all the people shall say Amen 26. Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them and all the people shall say Amen 1. KEep Moses having repeated and explained the Law which was given at Horeb engages the People to obey it and that he does by the very same methods which he made use of when the Law was first given them E.g. I. Then he built an Altar according to the command and direction given him Exod. 24.4 with Exod. 20.24 25. He takes the same care here v. 5. II. Then he wrote the words of the Law Exod. 24.4 and here he takes care it should be done v. 3 4. III. Then he took the People's profession of Obedience Exod. 24.3 He mentions the same Profession here ch 26.17 IV. Then he took care to confirm the Covenant between God and the People by Sacrifices Exod. 24.5 And now he requires the very same kinds of Sacrifices also v. 6 7. V. Then after all his other care he set before them Blessings and Curses Lev. 26. And so he does here v. 12 13. and chap. 28. 2. On the day Not on that very precise day see the Note on chap. 26.16 but thou shalt then stand obliged to do this and the Writing upon these Stones was required when they were passed over v. 3. but not on the very day of their passage 3. All the words of this law That is the substance of the Law or the Heads of it in which the Ten Commandments have a principal place See Exod. 24.3 When thou art passed over that thou mayest go in That is when thou hast passed over Jordan in order to the entring into the Land For those words That thou mayest go in are not to be understood as promising a Reward for writing the words of the Law which were not to be written till they were in the Land but as implying the end of their passing through Jordan 5. An altar See Exod. 20.25 and chap. 24.4 7. Shalt eat there This was permitted to the Offerer to do out of his Peace-offerings Levit. 7.15 And 't was a token that he was in Covenant with God when he did partake of the Altar 1 Cor. 10.18 20 21. 8. Very plainly viz. So as may be easily read 9. Thou art become That is thou hast declared so much Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God as it is expressed ch 26.17 See Exod. 24.3 12. These shall stand c. We find that those who were to bless are the Sons of the Free-women and the most considerable of them Indeed Reuben and Zebulun the Sons of Leah are among them that were to curse But in an equal division there must be two of the Sons of the Free and Reuben having defiled his Father's Bed and Zebulun the youngest of Leah's Sons are put into that Division 13. To curse It is not said to curse the People as 't is said v. 12. to bless the people not being
despicable and ridiculous The Defence which the Reader will find in the following Papers of Moses as the Writer of the Pentateuch against the Objections of the professed and most famed Writers of this last Age will convince any indifferent Reader that these Men had no Wit to spare 'T is an easie thing for a profane Man to scoff at the Scriptures and for a Wit to entertain his Reader or his Hearer with his Drollery on this occasion But still here 's nothing to be found that will endanger the wise and the stable However we are in the mean time to take care of our Brethren and of such of them especially as are committed to our Care and Charge And 't is high time now to defend our Common Religion against the professed Enemies of what is Revealed 'T is high time to encourage the Bible-learning I mean all those Studies that will enable Men better to understand and defend the Holy Scriptures We have long enough used our Pens against one another and fully shewn the Vanity of those of the Church of Rome who in the late times attempted us It well becomes us now to turn our Thoughts and Studies another way As our Church hath dealt very sincerely in allowing the People the Use of the Scriptures in their Vulgar Tongue so 't is manifest that nothing can be of greater use than the commending to them some easie and plain and well-considered Explication thereof When the Law was read to the People after their return from Babylon in the days of Ezra the Names of those Men are mentioned who caused the People to understand the Law It follows So they read in the Book of the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading Nehem. 8.7 8. The Jews when they were return'd from their Captivity in Babylon and had in some measure forgotten their own Language needed such an Explication And hence it hath been thought it was that the Targums or Chaldee Paraphrases sprang An exact and diligent studying of the Scriptures and leading the People into a good understanding of them will prevent many mischiefs which we have laboured under It will enable us to understand the Questions agitated among Christians much better it will divert us from that Contentious Theology that is fruitless and very perplexed 'T will tend immediately to furnish us with usefull Knowledge and to enable us to defend our Religion against the Common Enemy 'T will prevent many of our Disputes put an end to much of our Schism and unnecessary Separation and very much conduce to the introducing a better Spirit among us But I would not be mistaken I do not think 't is fit that every Man should be allowed to write Commentaries on the Bible What I plead for is this That something of this should be appointed by the Governors of the Church and that after the maturest Consideration of the whole matter 'T is not the Scripture hath done hurt to the World what-ever our Adversaries affirm 'T is the misunderstanding and misapplying them that hath done it And hence indeed many mischiefs have a-risen which might by this care be in great measure prevented for the future 'T is true Our People have the Scriptures Translated And this Translation is a very good one They have also a Marginal reading very often to help them to understand them And sometimes they have also Bibles with usefull References for their farther assistance I readily own that these are great Blessings But still the diligent Reader of the Holy Scripture should be farther encouraged For the Translation of the Bible which we use it is very excellent I am apt to believe 't is inferior to none either ancient or modern The Memory of those Persons who laboured in it ought to be precious Yet after all there may be some things in it that require farther consideration And admitting it to be the best Version in the World it will be necessary that the Pious Reader shou'd have some farther assistance towards the better understanding of these Holy Books For though a good Man that is diligent will find enough here to carry him to Heaven if he be carefull to practise what he reads and may easily understand yet still there will often occurr to him several things here that wou'd require some Explication to make it more easie and usefull to a well-disposed Reader Perhaps 't is a thing unpossible to give a strict Version out of the Hebrew Tongue into the English that will not require now and then some Explication to fix and determine the Sense which without it will be somewhat obscure and doubtfull The genius and peculiarities of one Language and the other are very different and a strict Version is indeed but what is highly fit but then the keeping close to this will not fail to leave some things more doubtfull and obscure As for instance 't is said That because the Mid-wives feared God he made them houses Exod. 1.21 The English Reader will be apt to think that by THEM is meant the Mid-wives Whereas that word referrs to the Israelites not to the Mid-wives For 't is the Masculine Gender in the Hebrew But the English does not distinguish the Gender of Pronouns as the Hebrew and other Languages do Nor is the Version to be blamed for the Nature of the Language is such as will not allow any thing better He shall dwell in the Tents of Shem Gen. 9.27 To whom He referrs the English Reader cannot learn a Note on the placâ— will direct him Besides a short Notâ—â—â—ny times prevents a Mistake and prevents a Cavil and sets that in clear light which wou'd otherwise have been very doubtfull And whereas there are those who take offence at some Phrases or Expressions a short Note may hinder and prevent all this 'T is true we have a Marginal reading that is often very usefull to us But still the ordinary Reader will sometime be at a stand which of the Readings rather to adhere unto And therefore he will in this matter want farther assistance So that here is still need of some Note to direct the Reader I grant that the References to Parallel places and to such other places as will give light to the Text are of great use But many times they are not so to the English Reader because he will not be able to discern the purpose of the Reference and the end to which it serves Whereas a short Note would open the matter to him It will be said that we have already several Commentaries on the Bible in the English Tongue and there is therefore nothing wanting of this kind To which I answer That though it be true that there are several such Writings yet is this no Objection against what I am pleading for For I think 't is fit there shou'd be one that shall be approved and recommended to the People by the Governors of the Church and which they will be answerable
once The Author above-named was under no necessity of parting with this place He was too forward to part with his Divine Author when he was content to drop him upon so slight a ground To which I add the words Exod. 23.11 But the seventh thou shalt let it rest and lie still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the poor of thy people may eat or and the poor of thy people shall eat and what they leave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beast of the field shall eat Where again the first word which is a preterperfect hath the sense of a future as much as the following which is really and grammatically so Obj. VIII We read Gen. 22.14 And Abraham call'd the name of that place Jehovah-jireh as it is to this day in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen These are supposed not to be the words of Moses but of a later Writer It is pretended that this place was Mount Moriah in which the Temple was afterwards built and that it was not call'd so before such time as the Temple was built and therefore this cou'd not be written till that time which was long after the Time of Moses It is farther pretended that it is not likely that Moses shou'd write those words In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seen because the Writer of those words affirms that That proverbial Speech was used in his Time To which I answer 1. I am not concern'd whether this were the very place that was afterwards call'd Moriah or not 'T is enough to my purpose that it is not call'd Moriah even in this place Whatever affinity Men may fansie between Jehovah-jireh and Moriah 't is certain they are not one and the same Name Here 's nothing proved and we are not obliged to regard groundless Imaginations and that is all we have here offer'd to us 2. Nor is there any thing in the following words but what is very agreeable to the Time and Age of Moses For why might not this proverbial Speech be in use from the Days of Abraham to the Time of Moses Here is space enough from the Time of Abraham to that of Moses for such a Saying to become a common Saying or proverbial Speech If a later Writer might say As it is said to this day why might not Moses say it as well I confess sincerely I do not see in this Objection any thing that hath the least appearance of weight in it And shou'd have been asham'd to mention it were it not incumbent upon me in this matter to lay the Objections I meet with fairly before the Reader Obj. IX The Author of the Leviathan roundly affirms that Moses cou'd not be the Author of those words Numb 21.14 Wherefore it is said in the book of the Wars of the Lord what be did in the Red-sea and in the Brooks of Arnon But he offers no reason for this Opinion of his and therefore I do not think my self obliged to take any farther notice of him in this matter However I find that Spinosa offers something like a Reason for this Opinion and as near as I can guess here lies the Argument That Moses wrote a Book of the War against Amalek by God's Command he says is evident from Exod. 17.14 But it does not from that place appear in what Book he wrote it But in Numb 21. he adds a Book is cited call'd The Book of the Wars of the Lord and in this Book says he without doubt the War against Amalek and the several Journeys of the Israelites which were written by Moses as we find 't is said Numb 33.2 are related Hence he seems to insinuate that the Pentateuch was not written by Moses but by some other hand who cites the Writings of Moses And that therefore the Pentateuch was on this account rather written of Moses than by Him This is the most that I can make of the Pretence of this obscure Writer and after all I can see very little that needs an Answer The Place I grant is obscure and difficult but that does not prove it was not written by Moses The Place is consider'd in the following Notes to which I referr the Reader However having this Occasion offer'd me that I may not seem to neglect any thing for the farther satisfaction of the Reader I shall endeavour to explain the Matter related in Numb 21. and then shew how vain this Pretence is First As to the Matter related thus it is The Israelites had receiv'd a Command not to distress or disturb the Ammonites or Moabites in their Possessions God declaring that he wou'd not bestow their Land upon them Deut. 2. It is the business of Moses to shew that the Israelites had not broken that Law It is true it might be pretended and was pretended afterwards in the days of Jephthah that they had broken it Because upon the Conquest of Sihon and Og 't is certain that the Israelites had taken possession of those Lands which sometime belong'd to this People whom they were forbid to disturb But 't is to be consider'd that these Lands were at that time in the possession of the Amorites who had dispossessed the Ammonites and Moabites I will not so far make a digression as to shew who were the Possessors of these Lands from the Time of Abraham I shall content my self in shewing the design of Moses in this relation And that was 1. To shew when the Israelites came to the River Arnon they found it to be the Boundary or Border between Moab and the Amorites This he affirms v. 13. and confirms it out of a known Book in those Times call'd The Book of the Wars of the Lord v. 14. 2. To prove that the Country which the Israelites took from Sihon and which did formerly belong to the Moabites was quite lost from the Moabites in the time of a former King before Balak This is affirmed v. 26. And therefore Israel found Sihon in full possession of this Country This he also proves from some known and acknowledged Sayings at that time that serv'd to preserve the memory of the fact Whether it were in some Song or contain'd in some Commentary of Facts that were passed I enquire not v. 27 28 c. The words seem to imply that the victorious Amorites did express their Triumph on the score of their Victory over the Moabites in those terms which the Text lays before us This account of the design of Moses and his way of gaining that design will easily give the Reader to understand that these words must needs be obscure and difficult because we are not acquainted with the perfect History of those Times nor with the Memorials of Facts that then had hapned Secondly I proceed to shew the great Vanity of the foregoing Pretence I might very well premise that the Proofs that Moses wrote not these Books had need be very clear or else we are guilty of great Vanity in admitting them And this is far
from that it being one of the most difficult and obscure Passages of the whole Pentateuch But still here is nothing proved That Moses wrote this Book called The Wars of the Lord appears not And granting it to be true it is nothing to the purpose For why might not Moses cite a Book of his own Writing as well as another and later Author And what if Moses did write the Wars of Amalek must he therefore write that of the Amorites Warring against the Moabites before he was concerned with them also These kind of pretences may amuse some that are not given to Thinking they can never prevail with them that consider duly Obj. X. 'T is pretended that the Pentateuch was not written by Moses but rather of him And that because Moses is generally mentioned by the Writer as a third Person And besides that we find Moses is commended in the Pentateuch Numb 12.6 8. Deut. 34.10 And if we take him for the Writer of those Books we must suppose him also to have commended himself which will hardly be granted in a Man of so great Humility and Wisdom as Moses was I answer 1. As to the Pretence that Moses is not the Author because he speaks of himself as of a third Person then it follows That whoever does in his History or Work mâ—ntion himself as Moses in these Books is supposed to do he cannot be the Author of that Book or Relation This wou'd be to conclude too much And yet if this Proposition be not true tâ—â—â— Objection hath so far as it goes no manner of force in it That he cannot be the Author of a Book that mentions himself as a third Person may be affirm'd indeed easily but can never be proved If this were admitted we must discharge several Authors of the Books of the Holy Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament also and then we must not believe that Julius Caesar wrote the Commentaries that go under his name or Josephus that part of his reputed Works where he speaks of himself as of a Third Person 'T is hardly credible that the Objectors can believe the Consequence of this Objection and I think there is no fear if they should that any indifferent Person shou'd believe with them 2. As to the second Part of the Objection That we cannot suppose that Moses wou'd commend himself nor consequently that he shou'd write the Pentateuch where he is commended I answer That this Objection whatever may be inferr'd from it does not conclude that Moses was not the Author of these Books For 't is not impossible for a Man to write an Encomium of himself But let us consider the Matter more closely 'T is said indeed that the Man Moses was very meek above all the Men which were upon the face of the Earth Numb 12.3 This is said upon occasion of what was said against him by Miriam and Aaron They spake against him very sharply Upon which 't is said And the Lord heard it Moses is not said to take notice of it himself He was not like to give any just offence nor apt to fall into anger when others reproach'd him It follows Now the man Moses was very meek c. I do not see what there is in these words unbecoming Moses Here 's no boasting or pride no shadow or foot-steps of it He had a just occasion to mention that he had neither provoked these angry persons nor did he highly resent the reproaches they followed him with He might say this well enough and ascribe due honour to God who had wrought this Temper in him The best Man in the World may well be allowed to defend his own Innocence and to own the great Things which God hath done for him The Objection will lie against Job against the Psalmist against St. Paul as well as against Moses if a good Man may not lawfully upon any occasion speak well of himself For what follows in v. 6 7 8. where Moses is preferr'd to any other Prophet 't is certain that they are the Words not of Moses but of God himself And well might he write what God himself said upon this occasion especially when it tended so much to justifie his Divine Mission upon the credit whereof the success of all his Ministry intirely depended The Sin of Moses is related Numb 20.12 and the Punishment inflicted on him on that account The relating of this is as strong an Objection against another Person 's writing these Books as what is nam'd above is against Moses For supposing another Person had been the Writer that Writer must be suppos'd not onely to relate what we read Numb 20. but to repeat it frequently also Obj. XI It is pretended that Moses cannot be supposed to be the Author of those words Exod. 6. These are that Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies These are they which spake to Pharaoh King of Egypt to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt These are that Moses and Aaron v. 26 27. 'T is suppos'd that Moses wou'd not write thus of himself I answer 1. That he may well be suppos'd to write as a Third Person as hath been shewed before And then 2. Allowing him to write for the sake of Posterity and not onely for the Persons of that present Age of which there can be no doubt He may well be granted to be the Writer of these words concerning himself and Aaron who were both greatly concerned in the Matters related afterwards Obj. XII The Author of the Book call'd Tractatus Theologico politicus mentions some other Books written by Moses and wou'd thence inferr by a way of reasoning peculiar to himself that Moses was not the Author of the Pentateuch He mentions the Book of the Covenant Exod. 24. This Book he says contains very little viz. Those Precepts onely which are found from Exod. 20.24 to chap. 24. And he allows that Moses wrote the Book of the Law of God Deut. 31.9 which Joshua afterwards enlarged viz. with the Relation of the Covenant which the People enter'd into in his Time Josh 24.25 26. And because we have no Book that contains at once the Covenant of Moses and that of Joshua he concludes that this Book of the Law is lost He grants that Moses wrote a Book of the Law and gave it to the Priests with a Command that it shou'd be at a certain time read unto the People which cou'd not therefore be the Pentateuch that being too great a Volume to be read at one Solemnity He grants also that Moses wrote the Song mentioned Deut. 32. And this Book of the Law containing part of the Deuteronomy and this Song is all that he will allow him to have written and left to Posterity I answer 1. I am willing to grant that the Book of the Covenant might not contain more than three or four Chapters of Laws And let it
be granted that the Book of the Law to be read to the People did not contain the whole Pentateuch Be all this as it will I cannot see how 't will serve the Purpose of this Author For 2. It does not follow from thence that Moses did not write the whole Pentateuch When 't is agreed that he wrote and deliver'd some parts of it does it thence follow he did not write the whole I shou'd have been much asham'd to have troubled the Reader with this passage of the Author above-written because there is nothing worthy of the Reader 's notice no Argument nor appearance of any But I think my self oblig'd fairly to represent what the Objector's say in this matter though they prove nothing Obj. XIII It is farther pretended that Moses cou'd not write those words where Joseph is brought in saying I was stollen away out of the Land of the Hebrews It is pretended that it was not then the Land of the Hebrews and that therefore Moses cou'd not term it so nor any Writer till after his time when the Israelites had invaded and taken possession of the Land To which I answer 1. That the Writer of this passage does onely report the words of Joseph so that the Objection bears as hard against a later Writer as against Moses For who-ever the Writer be 't is not the Writer that calls it the Land of the Hebrews he brings in Joseph calling it so If Joseph did not call it so the Relater or Writer hath not told us Truth and then the Objection bears against any Writer be it Moses or some other person and then in truth it is an Objection against the Book it self as not worthy of belief If Joseph did call it the Land of the Hebrews why might not Moses be the Writer as well as a later Author He was rather better able to report the Matter a-right than a later Writer as he liv'd nearer to that time when the words were spoken 2. That Joseph might at that time very properly call that Country the Land of the Hebrews And that he might do upon these accounts 1. Because it was the Land in which the Hebrews did at that time and had ever since the Time of Abraham done so inhabit Surely it may be call'd the Land of the Hebrews where the Hebrews dwelt and where they have dwelt for some-time past whether they dwelt there by permission or by force of Arms against the Will of the other Inhabitants 2. 'T was also that Land which was promis'd the Hebrews and particularly to Abraham the Father of that People And 3. The Hebrews had some propriety in that Land Abraham by purchase Gen. 23. Jacob by conquest Gen. 24. who afterwards bestow'd his part of the Land to Joseph by his Last Will and Testament ch 48.22 Obj. XIV It is pretended that Moses cou'd not write those words Gen. 35.21 And Israel journeyed and spread his Tent beyond the Tower of Edar This Tower of Edar or Tower of the Flock is by the Objector supposed for I see no offer of proof to be a Tower plac'd in After-times and put upon one of the Gates of the City of Jerusalem called the Sheep-gate and then this must be written not by Moses but by a later Writer who liv'd after that Tower was so call'd To which I answer 1. That here being nothing but the Objector's Supposition this Objection needs no Answer for 't is not reasonable that mere Suppositions shou'd be regarded without any shadow of proof 2. That it is by no means reasonable to suppose this Tower of Edar to be a Tower upon the Sheep-gate in Jerusalem One of the Ancients who is a more competent Judge than any later Objector affirms that the Tower of Edar was the place of the Shepherds near to Bethlehem where the Company of Angels declar'd the Nativity of our Saviour and that it was the place where Joseph fed his Flock and where the Shepherds that watched by night at the time of our Saviour's Birth Luke 2. heard the heavenly Host saying Glory be to God in the highest and on Earth peace good-will towards Men. Hieron quaest in Genes Idem ad Eustochium Epitaph Paul This account is confirm'd by the Context and also by the Targum of Jonathan on Gen. 35.21 who adds to the Text That this is the place from whence the King Messias shall be revealed in the last days And still this account receives a farther Confirmation from Micah 4.8 where we meet with the Tower of Edar in a most illustrious Prophecy of the Messias There are the same words with these of Gen. 35.21 For the Sheep-gate in Jerusalem there is no kind of Affinity between the words in the Hebrew that signifie the Sheep-gate and those which import the Tower of the Flock and that are used both in Genesis and in Micah And 't is therefore most like that this Name of the place continued from the Time of Jacob and therefore this can be no Objection of any moment in this case Obj. XV. It is pretended that Moses cou'd not write those words Gen. 20.7 Now therefore restore the man his wife for he is a Prophet It is pretended that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render a Prophet was not used in the Time of Moses and that therefore Moses cou'd not write those words but a later Writer And this they attempt to prove from 1 Sam. 9.9 where 't is said Before-time in Israel when a man went to enquire of God thus he spake Come and let us go to the Seer for he that is now called a Prophet was before-time called a Seer To which I answer 1. That if this be any Objection against Moses then may we with as good Reason object this where-ever we find the word we here render Prophet in the Pentateuch We find this word in several places and shall we therefore conclude that Moses wrote none of those places If it has any force here it has the same every-where else And yet Mr. Hobbs allows that Moses did write the Book of Deuteronomy from chap. XI to the end of chap. XXVII and yet in that part of Deuteronomy we find this word which we render Prophet several times E. g. If there arise among you a Prophet c. And thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet Deut. 13.1 3. Again The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet c. I will raise them a Prophet And the Prophet which shall presume c. And when a Prophet speaketh in the Name of the Lord Deut. 18.15 18 20 22. Besides the word is used elsewhere as Exod. 7.1 Numb 12.6 and chap. 11.29 and Deut. 34.10 Will any believe this word was not used in the time of Moses or that if he wrote these places yet he wrote Seer and the word Prophet was added by a later Hand 2. Some of these words are quoted in the New Testament and there the word
promised it to him even his Seed ch 13. v. 15 17. he desires to know who of his Seed shall inherit it and when He questions not God's veracity but desires a more distinct knowledge of this matter And the following words fully answer this request of his 9. Take me c. These creatures were clean and fit for Sacrifice But seem not here made use of for Sacrifice but for Confirmation of God's Covenant and Promise Compare Jer. 34.18 10. Divided he not When they were used in Sacrifice they were not to be divided by the Law made afterwards 11. Fowls The Hebrew word is fowl and seems to imply some one of the more ravenous sort and is a fit representation of Pharaoh who afflicted Abram's seed Compare Ezek. 17.3 7 12. And one of the Chaldee Paraphrasts expounds fowls here by the Idolatrous people Carkases A fit resemblance of the afflicted condition of Abram's posterity Drove them away He put them to flight says the Chaldee 12. Horror of great darkness A token of the affliction of his feed predicted in the next verse Compare Esther 8.16 and Psal 88.6 and Psal 107.14 13. Four hundred years This time begins at the birth of Isaac and ends at the Israelites departure out of Egypt And in this space three things were to befall Abram's seed which are here distinctly named as also Act. 7.6 I. That it should be a stranger in a land not theirs and so Isaac and Jacob were II. That they should serve And so they did in Egypt ch 47.6 with Exod. 1.11 III. That they should be afflicted And so the Israelites were very greatly a considerable time before they came out of Egypt From the birth of Isaac to the coming out of Egypt were Four hundred years which appears thus From Isaac's birth to that of Jacob were Sixty years ch 25.26 Thence to the birth of Joseph were Ninety ch 41.46 with ch 45.6 11.41.30 and 47.9 Thence to Joseph's death One hundred and ten years ch 50. v. 26. Thence to the birth of Moses Sixty years which space of time the undoubted beginning and end of these Four hundred years require Thence to the Eightieth year of Moses when they came out of Egypt Eighty years In all Four hundred years 14. Judge i. e. Punish See the Book of Exodus and Psal 105.27 28 c. Substance Compare Exodus 12.35 15. And thou c. q. d. But though thy posterity shall be thus afflicted thou shalt die in peace and full of years ch 25.8 16. In the fourth generation The fourth generation Hebr. i. e. The fourth from the descent into Egypt Thus was Caleb the fourth from Judah 1 Chron. 2. And Aaron and Moses the fourth descent from Levi Exod. 6.16 18 20. Amorites These are named being very considerable for their power Amos 2.9 And those among whom Abram lived ch 13.18 and ch 14.13 Not yet full There is a certain measure of wickedness beyond which God will not spare a sinfull Land And though the seasons of punishing Nations with a general ruine be known to God onely yet when a Land adds to its Sins it does both hasten and assure to it self destruction Compare Jer. 51.13 Matt. 23.32 1 Thessal 2.16 with Ezek. 14.14 17. And it came to pass that when the sun went down and it was dark behold a smoaking furnace and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces 18. In that same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram saying Vnto thy seed have I given this land from the river of Egypt unto the great river the river Euphrates 19. The Kenites and the Kenizites and the Kadmonites 20. And the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Rephaims 21. And the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Girgashites and the Jebusites CHAP. XVI The ARGUMENT Sarai bearing no children gives Hagar to Abram she conceives and despiseth her mistress and being therefore hardly used by her fled from her An Angel meets her and puts her upon returning and submitting to Sarai He foretells her the birth of a son directs her what to call him and describes his temper c. Of the place where the Angel met her The birth of Ishmael 1. NOW Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children and she had an handmaid an Egyptian whose name was Hagar 2. And Sarai said unto Abram Behold now the LORD hath restrained me from bearing I pray thee go in unto my maid it may be that I may obtain children by her and Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai 3. And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife 4. And he went in unto Hagar and she conceived and when she saw that she had conceived her mistress was despised in her eyes 5. And Sarai said unto Abram My wrong be upon thee I have given my maid into thy bosom and when she saw that she had conceived I was despised in her eyes the LORD judge between me and thee 6. But Abram said unto Sarai Behold thy maid is in thy hand do to her as it pleaseth thee And when Sarai dealt hardly with her she fled from her face 7. And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness by the fountain in the way to Shur 8. And he said Hagar Sarai's maid whence camest thou and whither wilt thou go and she said I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai 9. And the angel of the LORD said unto her Return to thy mistress and submit thy self under her hands 10. And the angel of the LORD said unto her I will multiply thy seed exceedingly that it shall not be numbred for multitude 11. And the angel of the LORD said unto her Behold thou art with child and shalt bear a son and shalt call his name Ishmael because the LORD hath heard thy affliction 12. And he will be a wild man his hand will be against every man and every man's han against him and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren 13. And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her Thou God seest me for she said Have I also here looked after him that seeth me 14. Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahairoi Behold it is between Cadesh and Bered 15. And Hagar bare Abram a son and Abram called his son's name which Hagar bare Ishmael 16. And Abram was fourscore and six years old when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram 1. SArai Notwithstanding the foregoing promises Sarai did not bear any Child Nor had God as yet promised that she should Besides she is now Seventy five years old and not likely to bear any v. 3. Hand-maid Or Bond-woman ch 21.10 Gal. 4.30 2. Restrained Lo children are an heritage of the Lord Psal 127.3 Obtain children by her Or be builded by her v. 4. Compare Ruth 4.11 with the Note on Exod. 1.21 3. Ten years And was
shall not cease to be a distinct and separate People nor be quite deprived of all use of their Laws and Religion till after such time as the Messiah whom the ancient Jews grant to be meant by Shiloh and who was to be born of this Tribe shall first come among them And him shall the Nations or Gentiles serve and obey See Matt. 24.14 The first promise of the Messiah is mentioned Gen. 3.15 under the expression of the Seed of the Woman But that does not import of what Nation or Family he should be born It is believed to be intimated that he should be born of the Family of Shem ch 9.27 This great Blessing was afterwards ascertained to Abram ch 12.3 and to his Seed ch 22.18 And the great Promise of it setled on Isaac ch 17.21 And transmitted by him to Jacob ch 28.4 Here it now was and Jacob before his Death fore-tells the time within which the Messiah should come and intimates the Tribe from whence he should arise the latter whereof the Holy Scriptures more expressly mention afterwards The words of Jacob relating to Judah contain something very peculiar and very great Here 's nothing said of him that lessens him as there is before of Reuben Simeon and Levi. When the other Tribes fell into Schism after Solomon's death and were carried Captive in the days of Hosea this Tribe adhered to the Worship of God and continued in their own Land I. Judah did not lose his Tribe so the word which we render Scepter signifies here in the Hebrew Text and v. 16 28. There was always great care taken to preserve Judah distinct in its Tribe and Families In the days of Saul the Men of Judah were numbred apart Thus it was in David's also 1 Sam. 11.8 2 Sam. 24.9 A Prophet took care of the Genealogies of this Tribe 2 Chron. 12.15 with ch 13.22 There was care taken of it even during the Captivity of Babylon as appears from the Book of Chronicles Ezra and Nehemiah and from Josephus Antiq. l. II. ch 4. Some doubt arose of the Genealogies of others Nehem. 7.64 Ezra 2.64 This Tribe continued distinct This Care continued to the days of Augustus Luk. 2. Josephus mentions Antiq. l. 18. c. 1. the Enrolling St. Luke speaks of in the time of Cyrenius and Justin Martyr appeals to the Records of it Apol. 2. vid. Tertullian contra Marcionem The other Tribes were upon the matter lost And before that time when Judah was numbred distinctly and by it self which Aâ—ravenel says is the meaning of the Scepter or Tribe shall not depart from Judah on the first Prophets fol. 95. and fol. 100. the other Tribes were numbred together as Accessories For Benjamin it was looked on but as an Accessory to Judah The Cities of Benjamin are called the Cities of Judah A Man of Benjamin was called a Jew from Judah and so were all the remaining Israelites upon the Captivity of Babylon 1 Kings 11.13 32. 2 Kings 17.18 2 Chron. 11.5 10. ch 17.9 ch 14.4 8 12. ch 20.3 4 5 13 15. Esther 2.5 II. In this Tribe continued the Teachers of the Law called Law-giver here Here were the Lawyers and Scribes c. when the other Tribes had them not The Priests and Levites adhered to this Tribe 2 Chron. 11.13 14. ch 13.4 9 10. The Kings of Judah took care for instructers of the people to teach in the Cities of Judah 2 Chron. 17.7 8 9. ch 29.5 30. ch 34.30 In the Captivity of Babylon these Law-givers departed not from between the feet of the Men of Judah Ezek. 1.3 Ezra 2.36 40. Nehem. 8.9 and ch 12. They continued to the times of Jesus our Messiah We read much in the New Testament of Priests Levites Scribes Doctors of the Law We have mention of Gamaliel a famous Doctor of Simeon the Son of Hillel the Founder of a great School and famous still among the Hebrew Writers That by Shiloh is meant the Messiah is agreed by the ancient Jews and upon the matter by all Christians what-ever differences there have been in the Explication of the word And 't is by no means to be thought that Jacob would omit this great Blessing of the Tribe of Judah that the Messiah should spring from it when he relates a great number of smaller matters which should happen and they came to pass to the other Tribes 11 12. Binding c. These words are a fit Description of the Fruitfulness and Plenty of Judah's Inheritance in Canaan and will be better understood if we compare them with what we read Numb 13.22 23. and with other forms of Speech used in Scripture Deut. 33.14 Job 29.6 13. Zebulun His Situation shall be such that by means of his Shipping he shall easily have Intercourse and Traffick with Zidon And therefore Moses said Rejoice Zebulun in thy going out Deut. 33.18 This Tribe was situate upon that Coast or Border which led to Zidon Vnto Zidon may be translated Toward Zidon which agrees better with the place if by Zidon we understand the City so called But understanding by Zidon the Territory or Country adjacent we need not translate it otherwise because Zebulun did reach so far 14 15. Issachar These words give an account of Issachar's Temper and of his Lot His Land was pleasant and its Inhabitants lovers of Peace and Rest and instead of War or Merchandice gave themselves up to the Labours of Husbandry To which account the words of Moses agree Rejoice Zebulun in thy going out and Issachar in thy tents Deut 33.18 16. As one c. Though Dan be the Son of an Handmaid whereas the abovenamed were the Sons of Leah yet shall not that hinder him from the priviledge belonging to the others but he shall judge his People as any one of the other Tribes of Israel 17. Dan c. Sampson of this Tribe shall be an eminent Judge and Deliverer of his People And though he do not overcome the Philistines with a numerous Army and in pitched Battels yet he shall destroy them craftily and whiles they are less aware like a Serpent by the way c. 18. I have waited c. q. d. Whereas Sampson died in the overthrow of his Enemies and left his People obnoxious to their Oppressors and I foresee the Straits and high Misdemeanours this Tribe of Dan will hereafter fall into Compare Josh 19.47 Judg. 1.34 with Judg. 18.30 and 1 King 12.29 I cannot but upon this occasion intimate my firm belief and earnest expectation of that eternal Deliverance which shall be wrought by the Messiah Luk. 2.30 This sense is favoured by the ancient Jews See Hieronym Quaest Hebr. in Genes Targum Hierosol Jonathan 19. Gad c. Gad was sorely oppressed by the Ammonites their Neighbours Judg. 10.7 8. But as the Gadites were a fierce and valiant People Deut. 33.20 so we have a particular account of their Victory over their Enemies 1 Chron. 5.18 19 20 21 22. and however they were oppressed for
Israelites did lie under in Egypt and the great Hardships which they met with there of which we have an account in the remaining part of that Chapter and afterwards Chap. 5. III. The Persons by whose Ministry this Deliverance was wrought and under this Head is to be reckoned the account we have of Moses of his Birth and of his wonderfull Preservation and of his Divine Mission Ch. 2 and 3. and Power given to him to do wonderfull Works As also that of Aaron his Brother ch 4. and 6. IV. The Assurance which Moses received of his Success in this Undertaking ch 6. V. The Wonders which were wrought and the Plagues inflicted upon Pharaoh King of Egypt and upon his People to induce them to believe the Divine Mission of Moses and Aaron and to let the Israelites go out of Egypt And we have a particular account of these wonderfull Works to the end of the Eleventh Chapter These wonderfull Works deserve a special Consideration They were wrought to procure a belief of the over-ruling Power of the God of Israel and that Moses and Aaron were sent by him The Works themselves were above the Power of a Creature And though the Sorcerers and Magicians of Egypt were able in some measure to imitate some of the first Works of Moses ch 7. yet were they forced quickly to give out and to own the unimitable Power of God And when they inflicted Evils they were destitute of Power to remove those Inflictions ch 8. v. 7 8. The Magicians of Egypt could not produce so much as Lice out of the Dust of the Earth ch 8.18 't was above their Power and for the swarm of Flies which were sent upon the Egyptians the place where the Israelites dwelt was by the wonderfull Providence of God exempted from them ch 8.22 Thus it was also in the Murrain it did light on the Cattel of the Egyptians but not upon that which belonged to the Israelites ch 9. The Plague of Boyls succeeded which was so grievous upon the Egyptians that the Magicians themselves could not stand before Moses v. 11. The Hail with Thunder and Fire came next but this grievous Plague fell upon the Egyptians onely the Israelites felt it not v. 26. A grievous Plague from the Locusts followed and that was followed by a thick Darkness which affected the Egyptians only the Israelites enjoying Light as before And lastly the Death of the First-born which sell onely on those of the Egyptians and from which the Israelites were excused ch 11. After this wonderfull manner did God think fit to effect and bring to pass the Departure of the Israelites out of Egypt This was a most signal Blessing to that People and never to be forgotten And as God thought fit by Moses to transmit to Posterity the History of the Facts relating to this Matter so he appointed a Festival and a very Solemn one to be annually kept by the Israelites in remembrance of it and appointed the Month in which this Departure happened to be for the future observed as the first of at least the Ecclesiastical year The Israelites are often put in mind by Moses and the succeeding Prophets of this Deliverance and it is made use of as an Inducement to their Obedience to the Law given them afterwards Exod. 20.2 And that they might not forget this Deliverance they were afterwards obliged to keep up the remembrance of it once every Week on their Sabbath-day Deut. 5.15 And besides all this to perpetuate the memory of this Deliverance the first-born of Man and Beast are to be separated or set apart Exod. 13. Of this Departure of the Israelites out of Egypt and of the Solemn Festival appointed for a Memorial of it viz. The Passover and Feast of Unleavened-bread and the rites thereunto belonging we have an account ch 12. and 13. When the Israelites Went from Egypt God took care of them and directed their Journies by a certain Pillar which in the Day appeared as a Cloud and as Fire in the Night ch 13.21 22. And whereas the Egyptians were so hardy as to pursue them God miraculously saves the Israelites by giving them a passage through the Red-Sea and drowns the Egyptians which followed them ch 14. In memory whereof we have a Solemn Hymn or Song of Moses ch 15. I will now represent the Facts that were consequent upon this Deliverance The bitter Waters of Marah were made sweet by Moses ch 15.25 And when the People wanted Bread they were miraculously supplied with Quails and Manna ch 16. And when they wanted Water they are supplied with it from a Rock in Horeb. When they were assaulted by Amalek they prevailed whiles Moses held up his hands in memory of which Victory an Altar is built ch 17. Next follows an account of the coming of Jethro of his Reception by Moses and the Counsel he gave him ch 18. And now were the Israelites come to the Wilderness in Sinai in the third Month after they were come from Egypt And here God gives them the Law and that he does in a manner that was very solemn and awfull Moses goes up into a Mountain where God instructs him what he should say to the Israelites the better to prepare them for receiving the Law and returns their answer unto God He is sent down to them again to sanctify them and warn them And God sent him a third time with a charge to them to keep their distance The Mountain was in a smoke and God descended on it in Fire and it quaked and the People were terrified chap. 19. This was a fit time and place for them to receive their Law They had a little before received many proofs of the Power of God and of his care of them which might dispose them to Obedience to God's Law They were in a Wilderness a place of recess and leisure They were freed from the Slavery of Egypt and from the Idolatrous Examples of the Egyptians On the other hand they were short of Canaan and so not diverted by Wars with that People nor acquainted with their filthy Practices and idolatrous Rites nor rendred dull and stupid by the Plenty and Prosperities of that Land And therefore was this a most fit season for this Solemnity 'T was God's great care that his People should neither imitate the People of Egypt whence they came nor of Canaan whither they were going This he told them elsewhere by Moses After the doings of the Land of Egypt wherein ye dwelt and after the doings of the Land of Canaan whither I bring you shall ye not do neither shall ye walk in their Ordinances Levit. 18.3 To have given this Law in Egypt might have been too soon and to have done it when they were possessed of Canaan might have been too late Here they are placed between both intirely delivered from Egypt and unacquainted with Canaan and consequently the better disposed to receive God's Law And whereas they had been miraculously brought out of Egypt
and on that consideration were obliged in Gratitude to Obedience so not being yet possessed of Canaan they were now obliged by thâ—â—r Interest which generally takes the fastest 〈◊〉 of Mankind not to forfeit their hopes of it by their disobedience to the Law of God If we consider the Law it self we shall find it like the Author very good The Ten Commandments are laid before us ch 20. where â—â—so we are acquainted with the Consternation of the People at the solemn delivery of these laws To which is subjoined a most needfull prohibition whereby the People are warned 〈◊〉 to make WITH God Gods of Silver or Gold v. 23. and also some directions about the Altar they were to build for the service of the God of Israel v. 24 25 26. The following Precepts ch 21 22 23. God commands Moses to set before them and they are called Judgments and were political Precepts or Laws of the Country they were to govern themselves by Such are the Laws concerning Servants Man-slaughter smiting or â—â—â—sing of Parents Man-stealing Damage Theft â—â—d Restitution Falsewitness Bribery c. where we find great Equity commended and Charity as well as Justice And many of those laws are but the several Branches of the Ten Commandments and fairly reducible as such to those Precepts After which God promiseth to send an Angel before them and requires their Obedience to him and exhorts them thereunto After this we have an account of the calling of Moses up into the Mountain of his writing of this Law of God called afterwards The Book of the Covenant of his building an Altar and causing Sacrifices to be slain and solemnly entring the People into a Covenant to obey this Law which had been made known to them Upon which Moses is called up into the Mountain promised Tables of Stone and continued in the Mount forty Days and forty Nights ch 24. Thus did things stand between God and the Israelites He had given his Law a great and peculiar favour this was and they had not only promised Obedience but had solemnly entred into Covenant to make their promise good In such an happy case were this People now whose God was the Lord. For the farther assurance of the Israelites that he would dwell among them and direct them in their Religious Worship of Himself he lets Moses know that it was his pleasure that a Sanctuary should be built and that the People should freely offer Materials for this Work the pattern whereof he would shew him in the Mount And accordingly he receives directions concerning this Sanctuary and its Instruments He is directed as to the Ark the Mercy-seat and Cherubims the Table of Shew-bread the Candlestick the several Curtains Covering Boards of the Tabernacle the Altar and Courts c. thereunto belonging ch 25 26 27. Aaron and his Sons are also set apart for the Priest's Office The Holy Garments are prescribed and the Ceremonies of their Consecration appointed and God promiseth to dwell among that People and to be their God ch 29.45 Care is also taken about the Altar of Incense and of the ransom-Money of the brazen Laver the anointing Oyl and Perfume Bezaleel and Aholiab are appointed for the Work of the Tabernacle and Moses receives the two Tables of Stone written with the Finger of God ch 31. Whiles Moses continues in the Mount when God had done such great things for Israel and was designing for them farther pledges of his Favour the People fell into a great sin God had expressly forbidden the Worship of any Image or the making WITH Him any Gods of Silver or Gold Exod. 20. They not regarding this Law prevailed with Aaron in the absence of Moses to make them Gods as they worded it to go before them Upon which Aaron makes them a Golden Calf which the People worshipped WITH God For 't is not credible that they had intirely renounced the true God which had done such Wonders for them Upon this is God greatly displeased with the People and Moses casts down the Tables of Stone and breaks them many of the People were destroyed and God lets them know his great displeasure for their grievous fault ch 32. For hereupon God refuseth to go with thiâ— People as he had promised upon condition of their Obedience ch 23.22 and Moses removes his Tent out of the Camp and the Pillar of Cloud followed him But Moses intercedes for the People and begs God's Presence and that he would shew him his Way and his Glory which Intercession and Request of Moses God favourably accepts ch 33. Upon this Moses is commanded to hew two Tables of Stone and God promises to write on them as he had on the former Moses is called into the Mount whither he goes with the two Tables The Name of God is there proclaimed being full of Mercy and Benignity upon which Moses intercedes for the People and God Covenants with them and puts them in mind of their duty in several instances Moses stays in the Mount forty Days and forty Nights fasting comes down with the two Tables with his Face shining and commands the People to obey God in keeping the Sabbath ch 34 and 35. v. 2. After this Interruption occasioned by the worshipping of the Golden Calf and what followed thereupon Moses gives order to the People to bring in Materials according to their Free-will towards the building of the Tabernacle Upon which the People brought in their Free-offerings which were delivered to those who were to be imployed in that Work And this they did with that alacrity and in such plenty that it was thought convenient to restrain them they having brought in Materials more than enough ch 35 36. And now the Workmen apply themselves to the building the Tabernacle and making all the Instruments thereof according to the Pattern delivered to Moses in the Mount And we have a very particular account hereof ch 36 37 and 38. The Clothes of service and the Priests Vestments are also made and all these are brought to Moses who approved of them and blessed the People ch 39. The Tabernacle being finished Moses receives a command to set it up and to set it a-part by â—â—ointing it as also to cloath Aaron and his Sons and to anoint them for the Office of the Priesthood which was accordingly done Upon which a Cloud covered the Tent of the Congregation and the Glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle ch 40. This is a short account of the subject matter of this Book of Moses called Exodus and as it gives a sufficient account why the Book is so called so it does abundantly commend the Book it self to the Reader 's greatest care and diligence And indeed this Holy Book well â—â—serves our very serious perusal and will make us a sufficient recompence for our pains therein For First Here is great variety of Argument to â—â—tertain us with If History will entertain us here is a most remarkable one Here we have the History of
of the children of Israel speak unto them saying At even ye shall eat flesh and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God 13. And it came to pass that at even the quails came up and covered the camp and in the morning the dew lay round about the host 14. And when the dew that lay was gone up behold upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing as small as the hoar frost on the ground 15. And when the children of Israel saw it they said one to another It is manna for they wist nor what it was And Moses said unto them This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat 16. This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded Gather of it every man according to his eating an omer for every man according to the number of your persons take ye every man for them which are in his tents 17. And the children of Israel did so and gathered some more some less 18. And when they did mete it with an omer he that gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little had no lack they gathered every man according to his eating 19. And Moses said Let no man leave of it till the morning 20. Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses but some of them left of it untill the morning and it breâ— worms and stank And Moses was wroth with them 21. And they gathered it every morning every man according to his eating and when the sun waxed hot it melted 22. And it came to pass that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread two omers for one man and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses 23. And he said unto them This is that which the LORD hath said To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD bake that which ye will bake to day and seeth that ye will seeth and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept untill the morning 24. And they laid it up till the morning as Moses 〈◊〉 and it did not stink neither was there any worm therein 25. And Moses said Eat that to day for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD to day ye shall not find it in the field 26. Six days ye shall gather it but on the seventh day which is the sabbath in it there shall be none 27. And it came to pass that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather and they found 〈◊〉 28. And the LORD said unto Moses How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws 29. See for that the LORD â—â—th given you the sabbath therefore he giveth you on the sixth day 〈◊〉 bread of two days abide ye eâ—â—y man in his place let no man go out of his place on the seventh day 30. So the people rested on the seventh day 31. And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna and it was like coriander-seed white and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey 32. And Moses said This is the thing which the LORD commandeth Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt 33. And Moses said unto Aaron Take a pot and put an omer full of manna therein and lay it up before the LORD to be kept for your generations 34. As the LORD commanded Moses so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony to be kept 35. And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years untill they came to a land inhabited they did eat manna untill they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan 36. Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephâ—â— 1. CAME unto the wilderness After they had encamped by the Red-sea Numb 33.10 11. On the fifteenth day of the second month Just thirty days after they came from Rameses Numb 33.3 in which time they may well be supposed to have spent the Provisions which they brought out of Egypt 4. I will rain I will cause to descend says the Chaldee Bread from heaven called Corn of heaven Ps 78.24 Vid. Joh. 6.31 And 't is said to be from Heaven because it came from above as the Rain doth A certain rate every day Heb. The portion of a day in his day whereby they were taught to take no thought for to morrow Matt. 6.31 34. That I may prove them c. i. e. That I may try whether they will observe the Ordinances which I give them concerning the Manna and also whether they will be engaged by this great mercy to obey the Laws which I shall give them 5. Bring in Into their Tents 6. That the LORD c. i. e. That we did it not without God v. 3. The Miracle which God will work will be a proof that you came hither according to his Will 7. The glory of the LORD i. e. The Miracle of the Manna Joh. 11.40 Numb 14.21 22. A Miracle doth manifest the Glory of God Vid. Joh. 2.11 8. Your murmurings are not against us but against the LORD i. e. Not onely against us which would have been a smaller offence but against the Lord. It is the manner of the Scripture Phrase to express by a negative that which is of the least moment and consideration Matth. 9.13.12.7 1 Sam. 8.7 Joh. 12.44 9. Come near unto the LORD Or Before the LORD i. e. Draw near unto the Cloud in which the Lord did manifest his glorious presence v. 10. See the like expressions Exod 23.17 1 Chron. 13.10 with 2 Sam. 6.7 10. The glory of the LORD appeared Ch. 13.21 i. e. God therein more than ordinarily manifested unto them his Presence by a conspicuous appearance 13. The quails Vid. Num. 11.31 14. And when the dew that lay was gone up Num. 11.7 Psal 78.24 Wisd 16.20 i. e. The Manna remained after the Dew was gone which is said to fall upon the Camp with it Num. 11.9 15. It is manna Or What is this Or It is a portiâ—â— What is this agâ—â—â— well with what follows For they wist not what it was This is Joh. 6.31 1 Cor. 10.3 16. An omer Seâ— the Notes on v. 36. For every man Heb. By the poll or head Persons Heb. Souls 17. Some more some less Or 〈◊〉 he that gathered more and he that gathered less 18. Gathered much c. 2 Cor. 8.15 He that had more in Family and therefore gathered more did not when he did mete it find more than an Omer for a person 21. Melted By which they were taught to seek it only 29. Go out of his place i. e. Out of the Camp of Israel Vid. Levit. 23.3 It was lawfull to go to their Synagogues Act. 15.21 Hence the Jews have determined it unlawfull to go beyond the Subâ—â—bâ— of a City on
and set them Bounds which he accordingly does God descends upon the Mount and sends Moses down to restrain the Priests and People from coming too near 1. IN the third month when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai 2. For they were departed from Rephidim and were come to the desart of Sinai and had pitched in the wilderness and there Israel camped before the mount 3. And Moses went up unto God and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain saying Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob and tell the children of Israel 4. Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians and how I bare you on eagles wings and brought you unto my self 5. Now therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people for all the earth is mine 6. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and an holy nation These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel 7. And Moses came and called for the elders of the people and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him 8. And all the people answered together and said All that the LORD hath spoken we will do And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD 9. And the LORD said unto Moses Lo I come unto thee in a thick cloud that the people may hear when I speak with thee and believe thee for ever And Moses told the words of the peole unto the LORD 10. And the LORD said unto Moses Go unto the people and sanctifie them to day and to morrow and let them wash their clothes 11. And be ready against the third day for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai 12. And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about saying Take heed to your selves that ye go not up into the mount or touch the border of it whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death 13. There shall not an hand touch it but he shall surely be stoned or shot through whether it be beast or man it shall not live when the trumpet soundeth long they shall come up to the mount 14. And Moses went down from the mount unto the people and sanctified the people and they washed their clothes 15. And he said unto the people Be ready against the third day come not at your wives 16. And it came to pass on the third day in the morning that there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud upon the mount and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud so that all the people that was in the camp trembled 17. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God and they stood at the nether part of the mount 18. And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace and the whole mount quaked greatly 19. And when the voice of the trumpet founded long and waxed louder and louder Moses spake and God answered him by a voice 20. And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai on the top of the mount and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount and Moses went up 21. And the LORD said unto Moses Go down charge the people lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze and many of them perish 22. And let the priests also which come near unto the LORD sanctifie themselves lest the LORD break forth upon them 23. And Moses said unto the LORD The people cannot come up to mount Sinai for thou chargedst us saying Set bounds about the mount and sanctifie it 24. And the LORD said unto him Away get thee down and thou shalt come up thou and Aaron with thee but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD lest he break forth upon them 25. So Moses went down unto the people and spake unto them 1. THE same day It hath been thought that by the same day is meant the third day of the month as this was the third month of the year But that word which we translate month signifies sometimes no more but the New-moon or first day of the month Num. 29.6 1 Sam. 20.24 27. And in that sense the same day signifies the first day of the month According to this account it was fifty days from the Israelites eating the Passover in Egypt to the giving of the Law which was done on the third day v. 11. For on the fourteenth day of the first month was that Passover eaten From that time reckoning inclusively the first and last day was to the third of this third month just fifty days 3. Moses Act. 7.38 Went up unto God i. e. He went up to the Mount where the Glory of God appeared 4. Ye have seen Deut. 29.2 On Eagles wings Deut. 32.11 12. This speaks the great care of God and the sure defence which the Israelites had thereby received Vid. Revel 12.14 Vnto my self i. e. To the place where I appear to you and am ready to give you my Laws 5. Now Deut. 5.2 All the Earth Deut. 10.14 Psal 24.1 The greater was the favour of God to the Israelites when he made choice of them for his peculiar People 6. A Kingdom of Priests 1 Pet. 2.9 Rev. 1.6 Not a profane State but such as shall worship God according to his Will and be thereupon exalted by him to great Dignity Ye shall be Kings and Priests See the Chaldee and Rev. 5.10 8. All Ch. 24.3 7. Deut. 5.27 and 26.17 9. I come unto thee i. e. I will appear unto thee after a glorious manner Told Or He had told See v. 8. 10. Sanctifie them i. e. Set them a-part and let them abstain from all evil and from every impurity And as a token of their being sanctified inwardly they were obliged also to wash their clothes 11. The third day Vid. Notes on v. 1. On this day the Law was given called a fiery Law Deut. 33.3 And this day was the day of Pentecost being fifty days after the Passover on which day the fiery Tongues were bestowed Act. 2. Will come down Or will reveal himself by a glorious Appearance 12. Set bounds Such bounds and limits as they might not pass lest for their curiosity and profaneness they die vid. 1 Sam. 6.19 Whosoever Heb. 12.20 13. Trumpet Or Cornet Soundeth long Or when it hath sounded long The Greek understand it of that time when the Trumpet ceased They shall come up to the mount The People shall come nearer at least to the foot of the Mount and Moses and Aaron and his Sons and the Elders of Israel shall go up into the Mount vid. ch 24.9 15. Wives 1 Sam. 21.4 Joel
names of other Gods 14. Three times Deut. 16.16 15. Thou shalt c. Ch. 13.3 and 34.18 And none c. Deut. 16.16 Ecclus 35.4 Empty i. e. Without some Gift or Oblation Deut. 15.13 14. 16. Feast of harvest When they offered two Loaves of First-fruits Lev. 23.17 called The Feast of Weeks Exod 34.22 because it was seven weeks from the foregoing Feast Levit. 23.15 This was the Feast of Pentecost Act. 2.1 At this time the Law was given See Notes on ch 19.1 The feast of in gathering Called also The feast of Tabernacles Lev. 23.34 Deut. 16.13 17. Three times Viz. at the times last mentioned Before the LORD i. e. at the place where God appointed and where the Tabernacle and after that the Temple was 18. Of my sacrifice i. e. Of the Passover as the Chaldee hath it and as appears evidently from ch 34.25 With leavened bread i. e. Having leavened Bread in thy possession My sacrifice Or Feast Remain viz. Unburnt 19. The first-fruits Ch. 34.26 Thou shalt not seeth a kid c. Deut. 14.21 This the Jews understand as forbidding the eating of Flesh and Milk together And besides the shew of Cruelty in doing so Deut. 22.6 7. and Philo Jud. de Charitate it is supposed this was forbid the Israelites because it was a Rite used by Idolaters See Mor. Nevoch p. 3. c. 48. 20. Behold Ch. 33.2 An Angel i. e. Christ called so Mal. 3.1 He was tempted in the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10.9 Heb. 3.9 Maimon confesses that these words are explained by those Deut. 18.18 which words do manifestly belong to the Messias See the Notes on Deut. 18.15 More Nevoch p. 2. c. 34. 21. Not pardon your transgressions i. e. Your contumacious sins Vid. Josh 24.19 My name is in him Joh. 10.38 The Name of God signifies his Essence Exod. 3.13 And sometimes his Word says Maimon More Nevoch p. 1. c. 64. and is applicable to the Messiah in both these Senses 22. An adversary unto thine adversaries Or I will afflict them that afflict thee 23. For c. Ch. 33.2 Bring thee Josh 24.11 24. But thou shalt Deut. 7.25 26. There shall nothing Deut. 7.14 27. Backs Heb. Neck 28. I will send hornets Josh 2â—â— These words may well be understood literally See Exod 8.21 31. Sea of the Philistines i. e. The Mediterranean upon which their Country lay Desart Of Shur Exod. 15.22 Gen. 16.7 River i. e. Euphrates as the Greek have it 32. Thou shalt Ch. 34.15 Deut. 7.2 33. It will surely c. Deut. 7.16 Josh 23.13 Judg. 2.3 CHAP. XXIV The ARGUMENT Moses is called up into the Mountain The People promise Obedience Moses builds an Altar and twelve Pillars The young Men offer Sacrifices He enters the People into Covenant with God God manifests himself Moses continues in the Mount forty Days and forty Nights 1. AND he said unto Moses Come up unto the LORD thou and Aaron Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel and worship ye afar off 2. And Moses alone shall come near the LORD but they shall not come nigh neither shall the people go up with him 3. And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments and all the people answered with one voice and said All the words which the LORD hath said will we do 4. And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD and rose up early in the morning and builded an altar under the hill and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel 5. And he sent young men of the children of Israel which offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed peace-offerings of oxen unto the LORD 6. And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basons and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar 7. And he took the book of the covenant and read in the audience of the people and they said All that the LORD hath said will we do and be obedient 8. And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said Behold the blood of the covenant which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words 9. Then went up Moses and Aaron Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel 10. And they saw the God of Israel and there was under his feet as it were a paved-work of a saphire-stone and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness 11. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand also they saw God and did eat and drink 12. And the LORD said unto Moses Come up to me into the mount and be there and I will give thee tables of stone and a law and commandments which I have written that thou mayest teach them 13. And Moses rose up and his minister Joshua And Moses went up into the mount of God 14. And he said unto the elders Tarry ye here for us until we come again unto you and behold Aaron and Hur are with you if any man have any matters to do let him come unto them 15. And Moses went up into the mount and a cloud covered the mount 16. And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai and the cloud covered it six days and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud 17. And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like deuouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel 18. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud and got him up into the mount and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights 1. COme up i. e. After thou hast propounded my Laws to the People and sprinkled the Blood c. to v. 9. God's Seventy of the elders Who will be good Witnesses of glorious appearance This number was afterward ordained by God and taken into the Government Num. 11.16 17. 2. Near the LORD i. e. Into the midst of the Cloud v. 18. The top of the Mount where was a glorious appearance and sign of God's more special presence v. 16 17. But they shall not come nigh i. e. Aaron Nadab and Abihu and the seventy Elders though they went up into the Mount shall not pass into the midst of the Cloud nor go up to the top or the Mount as Moses did Neither shall the people go up The Elders were allowed to go up some part of the Mount v. 1. Moses might onely come near the People are to stay at the bottom of the Mount 3. All the words of the LORD and all the judgments i. e. The Ten Commandments ch 20. which are called The words which God spake Exod. 20.1 And again the ten Words ch 38.28 and the Judicial Laws contained in the three foregoing Chapters which are called Judgments ch 21.1 All the words Ch. 19.8 verse 7. Deut. 5.27 4. An altar On God's part who is the principal party in this Covenant Twelve pillars On the People's behalf 5. Young men
Moses reared up the tabernacle and fastened his sockets and set up the boards thereof and put in the bars thereof and reared up his pillars 19. And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent above upon it as the LORD commanded Moses 20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark and set the staves on the ark and put the mercy-seat above upon the ark 21. And he brought the ark into the tabernacle and set up the veil of the covering and covered the ark of the testimony as the LORD commanded Moses 22. And he put the table in the tent of the congregation upon the side of the tabernacle north-ward without the veil 23. And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD as the LORD had commanded Moses 24. And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation over against the table on the side of the tabernacle south-ward 25. And he lighted the lamps before the LORD as the LORD commanded Moses 26. And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the veil 27. And he burnt sweet incense thereon as the LORD commanded Moses 28. And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle 29. And he put the altar of burnt-offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation and offered upon it the burnt-offering and the meat-offering as the LORD commanded Moses 30. And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar and put water there to wash withall 31. And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat 32. When they went into the tent of the congregation and when they came near unto the altar they washed as the LORD commanded Moses 33. And he reared up the court-round about the tabernacle and the altar and set up the hanging of the court-gate so Moses finished the work 34. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle 35. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation because the cloud abode thereon and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle 36. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys 37. But if the cloud were not taken up then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up 38. For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day and fire was on it by night in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys 3. 2514. 1490. The ark of the testimony So called because the Tables of the Law which is sometime called the Testimony v. 20. were put into it ch 25.16 4. Thou shalt bring in c. Ch. 26.35 The things that are to be set in order upon it Heb. The order thereof 10. Most holy Heb. Holiness of holinesses in that it hallowed the Sacrifice Exod. 29.37 11. Sanctifie it i. e. Separate it to a peculiar and holy use 15. An everlasting priesthood i. e. The Successors of the ordinary Priests shall not need to be anointed for the future as the High Priests were The High Priests were elected and therefore it was fit they should be anointed But the Priesthood belonged to the other Priests as their Birth-right 17. Tabernacle Num. 7.1 21. Set Ch. 35.12 29. LORD Ch. 30.9 34. Then a cloud Num. 9.15 1 King 8.10 36. Went onward Heb. Journeyed FINIS Imprimatur Octob. 24. 1693. Jo. Cant. A COMMENTARY ON THE Five Books of MOSES WITH A DISSERTATION Concerning the Author or Writer of the said Books AND A General Argument to each of them BY RICHARD Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells Vol. II. LONDON Printed by J. Heptinstall for William Rogers at the Sun against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet MDCXCIV THE Third Book of Moses CALLED LEVITICUS THE General Argument OF THE Third Book of MOSES CALLED LEVITICUS LEVI was the third Son of Jacob From him his Posterity had the name of Levites Aaron who with his Sons was called to the Priesthood was from him called a Levite Exod. 4.14 And that Priesthood that was setled in that Family is called Levitical Heb. 7.11 The Law relating to the discharge of the Priest's Office is properly called the Levitical Law and upon that account that Book of Moses which more especially treats of the Holy Rites and Services in which these Priests were by their Office imployed is very fitly from the Subject-matter of it called Leviticus And this is the main Subject of this very excellent Book as will more clearly appear afterwards And because a great part of the Priest's Office was taken up in attendance upon the Altar and he was nearly concerned in the Sacrifices and holy Oblations which were presented by the People and because this Book treats largely of those Sacrifices and the Rites thereunto belonging and that in the very beginning of it I know not how to let the Reader into the Book it self any better way than by premising something concerning the Sacrifices themselves which are here treated of And to that purpose I shall First Consider the matter of these Sacrifices or what things they were which were required or allowed to be offered at the Altar Secondly I shall consider the several sorts or kinds of these Sacrifices with the particular Laws annexed unto them and shall in this matter offer nothing but what the Text of the Law gives me ground for Thirdly I shall in very few words shew how very usefull it is to understand this matter I. I shall consider the matter of these Sacrifices or what things they were which were required or allowed to be offered at the Altar And these Oblations being either of living creatures or of things that were inanimate I shall First Consider what living Creatures were admitted for Sacrifices where these Sacrifices were bloudy And they were Five onely viz. Out of the Herd the Bullock onely Out of the Flock the Sheep and the Goat From among the Fowls the Turtle-Dove and the less or younger Pigeon More than these were not allowed by the Law For the Birds rendred Sparrows in the Marginal reaching Levit. 14. they belong not at all to this matter For I am speaking here of bloudy Sacrifices For those Birds one of them was not killed and neither of them had any relation to God's Altar These living Creatures admitted for Sacrifices were such as were common and easy to be procured Besides they were tame and gentle very innocent and usefull and harmless No ravenous Beasts are admitted no Birds of prey What more usefull than a Bullock more profitable than a Sheep and Goat more simple and harmless than a Dove or Pigeon And if the Observation of Philo be true That the Offerer was to be like his Oblation then are innocence and industry usefulness and simplicity recommended here to the Worshipper
could not be offered voluntarily but then onely when they were commanded by the Law of Moses See the General Argument of this Book Before the LORD i. e. Before that place where God more especially presentiated himself The Head of the Bullock the Jews tell us was directed as well as the Face of the Offerer toward the Holy of Holies where God did still more especially dwell Vid. Ch. 3.1 2. ch 4.4 6. 4. Put his hand See the Notes on Exod 29.10 Atonement Or Reconciliation 5. He shall kill The Priest was not obliged to do it as the Jews with good reason teach By the door Exod. 40.29 7. And the sons of Aaron the priest I shall here consider the Offices that were peculiar to the Priests and lay them before the Reader at once And that the rather because this matter is too commonly misunderstood They were not obliged to kill the Beast v. 5. And though they decided Controversies and sometimes expounded the Law yet were not these things peculiarly the Office and Function of Priests Generally speaking their Office and Holy Function consisted in two things I. In blessing the People Numb 6.23 II. In ministring in Holy Things and performing Divine Offices Them the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister unto him and to bless in the Name of the Lord Deut. 21.5 And elsewhere Aaron is said to be separated that he should sanctifie the most holy things he and his sons for ever to burn incense before the Lord to minister unto him and to bless in his name 1 Chron. 23.16 A Priest is strictly speaking the Peoples Advocate with God And the Ministry required of the Priests the Sons of Aaron was various viz. It generally related either to the Altar of Incense within the Veil where they were obliged to offer up Incense Numb 18.7 or the Altar of Burnt-offering without And as to the latter they were obliged to sprinkle the Blood Levit. 1.5 and ch 4.6 To put Fire and Wood on the Altar Levit. 1.11 Numb 18.3 7. To burn the parts Lev. 1.8 To remove the Ashes Lev. 6.10 11. And to offer the Memorial of the Meat-offering Lev. 2.2 ch 6.15 'T was their work also to light the Lamps Num. 8.2 To blow the Trumpets Num. 10.8 and to judge of the Leprosie Lev. 13. Put fire i. e. Shall order and dispose the Fire which was never quite extinguished ch 6.12 13. 8. The priests In the following Burnt-offerings this work is laid upon the Priest here seems to be required more than one The reason of which seems to be this That this Burnt-offering being of the Herd required greater help than those which follow which were of the Flocks or Fowls 9. A sweet savour i. e. Acceptable to God as the Testimony of the sincere Devotion of the Offerer 12. Priest See the Notes on v. 8. 15. Wring off his head Or Pinch off the head with the nail 16. His feathers Or The filth thereof viz. Which was laid up in the Crop and and that Sense the Chaldee follows On the east-part That part which was most remote from the Holy Place which required the greatest Purity Place of the Ashes The place appointed for the receiving of the Ashes See ch 6.10 11. 17. Of a sweet savour Though of a mean value yet was it acceptable to God as much as were the more costly Sacrifices of the Rich 2 Cor. 8.12 Luk. 21.3 CHAP. II. The ARGUMENT Of the Meat-offering of fine Flour The remnant of it assigned to the Priest Of several ways of preparing the Meat-offering viz. baking it in an Oven or Pan or frying it Leaven and Honey in these Meat-offerings prohibited but Salt required Of the First-fruits 1. AND when any will offer a meat-offering unto the LORD his offering shall be of fine flower and he shall pour oyl upon it and put frankincense thereon 2. And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests and he shall take thereout his handfull of the flour thereof and of the oyl thereof with all the frankincense thereof and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar to be an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD 3. And the remnant of the meat-offering shall be Aaron's and his sons it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire 4. And if thou bring an oblation of a meat-offering baken in the oven it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oyl or unleavened wafers anointed with oyl 5. And if thy oblation be a meat-offering baken in a pan it shall be of fine flour unleavened mingled with oyl 6. Thou shalt part it in pieces and pour oyl thereon it is a meat-offering 7. And if thy oblation 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 presented unto the priest he shall bring it unto the altar 9. And the priest shall take from the meat-offering a memorial thereof and shall burn it upon the altar it is an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD 10. And that which is left of the meat-offering shall be Aaron's and his sons it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire 11. No meat-offering which ye shall bring unto the LORD shall be made with leaven for ye shall burn no leaven nor any honey in any offering of the LORD made by fire 12. As for the oblation of the first-fruits ye shall offer them unto the LORD but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savour 13. And every oblation of thy meat-offering shalt thou season with salt neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat-offering with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt 14. And if thou offer a meat-offering of thy first-fruits unto the LORD thou shalt offer for thy 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 1. A Meat-offering The Hebrew word signifies a Gift or Present whether it be presented to God or to Men Judg. 3.15 16. 1 Sam. 8.2 Here it is considered as an Offering made to God of that which was inanimate There were several kinds of them both publick and private And some there were which were offered alone and by themselves Others which were to attend upon other Oblations Num. 15.4 6. The first sort are spoken of here This Offering was Expiatory 1 Sam. 3.14 and ch 26.19 and being a figure of Christ's Oblation Eph. 5.2 was
taken away by violence or hath deceived his neighbour 3. Or have found that which was lost and lyeth concerning it and sweareth falsly in any of all these that a man doeth sinning therein 4. Then it shall be because he hath sinned and is guilty that he shall restore that which he took violently away or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten or that which was delivered him to keep or the lost thing which he found 5. Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely he shall even restore it in the principal and shall add the fifth part more thereto and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth in the day of his trespass-offering 6. And he shall bring his trespass-offering unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flock with thy estimation for a trespass-offering unto the priest 7. And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein 8. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 9. Command Aaron and his sons saying This is the law of the burnt-offering It is the burnt-offering because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it 10. And the priest shall put on his linen garment and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt-offering on the altar and he shall put them besides the altar 11. And he shall put off his garments and put on other garments and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place 12. And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it it shall not be put out and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning and lay the burnt-offering in order upon it and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace-offerings 13. The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar it shall never go out 14. And this is the law of the meat-offering the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD before the altar 15. And he shall take of it his hand-full of the flour of the meat-offering and of the oyl thereof and all the frankincense which is upon the meat-offering and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour even the memorial of it unto the LORD 16. And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it 17. It shall not be baken with leaven I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings made by fire it is 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 Every one that toucheth them shall be holy 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 the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat-offering perpetual half of it in the morning and half thereof at night 21. In a pan it shall be made with oyl and when it is baken thou 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 that is anointed in his stead shall offer it It is a statute for ever unto the LORD it shall be wholly burnt 23. For every meat-offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt it shall not be eaten 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 In the place where the burnt-offering is killed shall the sin-offering be killed before the LORD it is most holy 26. The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it in the holy place shall it be eaten in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation 27. Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the holy place 28. But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be broken and if it be sodden in a brasen pot it shall be both scoured and rinsed in water 29. All the males among the priests shall eat thereof it is most holy 30. And no sin-offering whereof any of the blood is brought into the tabernacle of the congregation to reconcile withall in the holy place shall be eaten it shall be burnt in the fire 2. Against the LORD The swearing falsely v. 3. is directly a Sin against God And when we wrong our Neighbour we offend God and break his Laws Gen. 20.6 ch 39.9 Psal 51.4 Fellowship Or in dealing Heb. Putting of the hand 3. Sweareth falsely Numb 5.6 The Thief or he that was suspected of Theft was among the Jews put to his Oath to purge and clear himself where there wanted sufficient proof See the Notes on Exod. 22.11 5. Restore He must make restitution before he can hope to be pardoned and confess his Sin also Numb 5.7 without this his Sacrifice will not procure his atonement ch 5.16 The fifth part He that stole an Ox or Sheep and killed and sold it was bound to restore five and four-fold Exod. 22.1 If they were found in his hand he was to restore double v. 4. This was the case of a Thief who continued in his Sin and was convicted by others But he who was penitent and of his own accord made restitution was onely obliged to add a fifth part and offer his Sacrifice according to what is commanded here and Numb 5. Joseph Antiqu. l. 3. c. 10. Maimon H. Shevuoth c. 8. Chethuvoth c. 3. m. 9. The reason of which difference as to restitution seems to be this In the first case the Thief by killing or selling is presumed to have no mind to make restitution of what he had stollen In the second case it might be supposed that he who kept the Goods might also restore them however not having done it he was obliged to restore double In the last case the Thief is supposed to be a Penitent and therefore obliged onely to restore the principal or thing stollen To add a fifth part by way of Compensation for the care given to the injured person and to bring his Sacrifice as a testimony of his Repentance The due consideration of what is said above on this matter will help us to reconcile the different accounts we have in the Books of Moses of this business of Restitution And the difference as to the Restitution was observed also in the Roman Laws and is very reasonable according to the different kinds
of Theft In the day of his Trespass-offering Or In the day of his being found guilty Heb. In the day of his Trespass He ought to do it without delay and forthwith upon his recollecting and finding himself guilty 6. Flock Ch. 5.15 9. Because of the burning Or For the burning 10. Which the fire hath consumed with the burnt-offering Or When the fire hath consumed the burnt-offering So may those words be very truely rendred from the Hebrew The word here rendred which is elsewhere rendred when viz. Levit. 4.22 Josh 4.21 2 Chron. 18.24 Neh. 2.3 And what we render with the burnt-offering may as well be rendred the burnt-offering The Ashes here meant are the Ashes which the Burnt-offering with the Fewel thereof was reduced unto 11. Clean The Ashes coming from an holy place 'T was quite otherwise in the case of a Leprous House ch 14.40 14. And this is the law of the meat-offering Ch. 2.1 Num. 15.4 15. Memorial Ch. 2.9 18. Every one that toucheth c. Exod. 29.37 i. e. It shall not be eaten by any in their Uncleanness nor by any but those that are holy and separate persons as the Sons of Aaron were 20. Of Aaron and of his sons i. e. Of Aaron and the High-priests which succeeded him Ephah Exod. 16.36 Perpetual The Jews teach that this Offering was to continue during the High-priest's continuance 22. That is anointed c. i. e. The High-priest 23. Wholly burnt The Priest shall have no share as he had in the Offering of the People 25. In the place c. See ch 4.24 27. Shall be holy c. See v. 18. 28. Shall be broken Ch. 11.33 30. And no sin-offering Heb. 13.11 CHAP. VII The ARGUMENT The Law of the Trespass-offering The Law of the Peace-offering whether it be a Thanksgiving-offering a Vow or Voluntary Oblation Fat and Blood are again prohibited to be eaten The portions of the Priests from several Offerings and particularly from the Peace-offerings 1. LIkewise this is the law of the trespass-offering it is most holy 2. In 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 altar 3. And he shall offer of it all the fat thereof the rump and the fat that covereth the inwards 4. And the two kidneys and the fat that is on them which is by the flanks and the caul that is above the liver with the kidneys it shall he take away 5. And the priest shall burn them upon the altar for an offering made by fire unto the LORD it is a trespass-offering 6. Every male among the priests shall eat thereof it shall be eaten in the holy place it is most holy 7. As the sin-offering is so is the trespass-offering there is one law for them the priest that maketh atonement therewith shall have it 8. And the priest that offereth any man's burnt-offering even the priest shall have to himself the skin of the burnt-offering which he hath offered 9. And all the meat-offering that is baken in the oven and all that is dressed in the frying-pan and in the pan shall be the priest's that offereth it 10. And every meat-offering mingled with oyl and dry shall all the sons of Aaron have one as much as another 11. And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings which he shall offer unto the LORD 12. If he offer it for a thanksgiving then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oyl and unleavened wafers anointed with oyl and cakes mingled with oyl of fine flour fryed 13. Besides the cakes he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace-offerings 14. And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for an heave-offering unto the LORD and it shall be the priest's that sprinkleth the blood of the peace-offerings 15. And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered he shall not leave any of it until the morning 16. But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow or a voluntary offering it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice and on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten 17. But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burnt with fire 18. 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 that offereth it it shall be an abomination and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity 19. And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten it shall be burnt with fire and as for the flesh all that be clean shall eat thereof 20. But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings that pertain unto the LORD having his uncleanness upon him even that soul shall be cut off from his people 21. Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing as the uncleanness of man or any 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 〈◊〉 children of Israel saying Ye shall eat no manner fat of ox or of sheep or of goat 24. And the fat of the beast that dieth of it self and the fat of that which is torn with beasts 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. 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 his oblation unto the LORD of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings 30. His own hands shall bring the offerings of the LORD made by fire the fat with the breast it shall he bring that the breast may be waved for a wave-offering before the LORD 31. And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar but the breast shall be Aaron's and his sons 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 the wave-breast and the
cheweth the cud but divideth not the hoof he is unclean unto you 7. And the swine though he divide the hoof and be cloven-footed yet he cheweth not the cud he is unclean to you 8. Of their flesh shall ye not eat and their carcase shall ye not touch they are unclean to you 9. These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters whatsoever hath sins and scales in the waters in the seas and in the rivers them shall ye eat 10. And all that have not sins nor scales in the seas and in the rivers of all that move in the waters and of any living thing which is in the waters they shall be an abomination unto you 11. They shall be even an abomination unto you ye shall not eat of their flesh but you shall have their carcases in abomination 12. Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters that shall be an abomination unto you 13. And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls they shall not be eaten they are an abomination the eagle and the ossifrage and the ospray 14. And the vulture and the kite after his kind 15. Every raven after his kind 16. And the owl and the night-hauk and the cuckow and the hauk after his kind 17. And the little owl and the cormorant and the great owl 18. And the swan and the pelican and the gier-eagle 19. And the stork the heron after her kind and the lapwing and the bat 20. All fowls that creep going upon all four shall be an abomination unto you 21. Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four which have legs above their feet to leap withall upon the earth 22. Even these of them ye may eat the locust after his kind and the bald-locust after his kind and the beetle after his kind and the grass-hopper after his kind 23. But all other flying creeping things which have four feet shall be an abomination unto you 24. And for these ye shall be unclean whosoever tâ—â—cheth the carcase of them shall be unclean till the even 25. And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes and be unclean untill the even 26. The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof and is not cloven-footed nor cheweth the cud are unclean unto you every one that toucheth them shall be unclean 27. And whatsoever goeth upon his paws among all manner of beasts that go on all four those are unclean unto you whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean untill the even 28. And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes and be unclean untill the even they are unclean unto you 29. These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth the weasel and the mouse and the tortoise after his kind 30. And the ferret and the chameleon and the lizard and the snail and the mole 31. These are unclean to you among all that creep whosoever doth touch them when they be dead shall be unclean untill the even 32. And upon whatsoever any of them when they are dead doth fall it shall be unclean whether it be any vessel of wood or raiment or skin or sack whatsoever vessel it be wherein any work is done it must be put into water and it shall be unclean untill the even so it shall be cleansed 33. And every earthen vessel whereinto any of them falleth whatsoever is in it shall be unclean and ye shall break it 34. Of all meat which may be eaten that on which such water cometh shall be unclean and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean 35. And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth shall be unclean whether it be oven or ranges for pots they shall be broken down for they are unclean and shall be unclean unto you 36. Nevertheless a fountain or pit wherein there is plenty of water shall be clean but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean 37. And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing-seed which is to be sown it shall be clean 38. But if any water be put upon the seed and any part of their carcase fall thereon it shall be unclean unto you 39. And if any beast of which ye may eat die he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean untill the even 40. And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes and be unclean untill the even he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes and be unclean untill the even 41. And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination it shall not be eaten 42. Whatsoever goeth upon the belly and whatsoever goeth upon all four or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth them ye shall not eat for they are an abomination 43. Ye shall not make your selves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth neither shall ye make your selves unclean with them that ye should be defiled thereby 44. For I am the LORD your God ye shall therefore sanctifie your selves and ye shall be holy for I am holy neither shall ye defile your selves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth 45. For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God ye shall therefore be holy for I am holy 46. This is the law of the beasts and of the fowl and of every living creature that moveth in the waters and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth 47. To make a difference between the unclean and the clean and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten 1. UNto Moses and to Aaron Moses was to write and Aaron to teach these Laws 2. These Deut. 14.4 Act. 10.14 Ye shall Or Ye may 3. Parteth the hoof and is cloven-footed i. e. So parteth the Hoof that the parts of it are severed from each other throughout Cheweth the cud This condition is required as well as the former v. 7. This Law was given to the Israelites v. 2. and not to the rest of Mankind And God's pleasure was reason enough of this positive Institution That some living Creatures were by the Law clean or lawfull to be eaten and others unclean or forbidden was a sufficient Caution against the Idolatrous Worshipping of any of them which Idolatry the Heathens were guilty of It being unreasonable to Worship an unclean Beast or any that they were allowed to slay and eat 7. The Swine 2 Mac. 6.18 9. Waters The Fishes are not named as the Beasts and Fowls are which were more commonly known Fins and scales The Fins were Excrescencies out of the Sides of the Fish the Scales covered their Bodies 10. An abomination As they were forbid to be eaten and their Carcases to be touched v. 11. 13.
neighbour's wife to defile thy self with her 21. And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God I am the LORD 22. Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind it is abomination 23. Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thy self therewith neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto it is confusion 24. Defile not you your selves in any of these things for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you 25. And the land is defiled therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it and the land it self vomiteth out her inhabitants 26. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments and shall not commit any of these abominations neither any of your own nation nor any stranger that sojourneth among you 27. For all these abominations have the men of the land done which were before you and the land is defiled 28. That the land spue not you out also when ye defile it as it spued out the nations that were before you 29. For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations even the Souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people 30. Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs which were committed before you and that ye defile not your selves therein I am the LORD your God 3. Egypt Which was an Idolatrous Nation Ezek. 20.7 8. ch 23.8 and where they had defiled themselves And they being warned against Idolatry before ch 17.7 are seasonably here cautioned to shun the doings of Egypt Of Canaan That Land was guilty of that uncleanness which is forbidden in the following words and therefore the Israelites are here very seasonably warned against the Practices of that People v. 24 25 27 28. and ch 20.23 And the Wilderness is chosen as a very fit place to give these Laws in the Israelites being removed from the Snares and Temptations of Egypt and not as yet mingled with the People of Canaan 5. Which if a man do he shall live in them Ezek. 20.11 Rom. 10.5 Gal. 3.12 Life in the phrase of the Holy Scripture implies Ease and Prosperity or the Comforts and Blessings of Life Levit. 25.36 1 Sam. 25.6 1 King 1.25 These were promised to the Israelites upon Obedience to the Laws of Moses In or by these Laws while they adhered to them they enjoyed these good things The express promise of Eternal life belongs to the Gospel-Covenant Joh. 17.3 1 Tim. 4.8 2 Tim. 1.10 Heb. 8.6 For though Obedience to the Law the Moral part of it especially were the way to a future as well as present Happiness Matt. 19.17 18 19. Yet that Obedience through the Corruption of humane Nature being imperfect could not intitle them to the Reward of Eternal life 6. Near of kin to him Heb. Remainder of his flesh This general Expression is to be explained by the following Particulars To uncover their nakedness This is to be understood of carnal Copulation as is plain from what follows as well as from the use of the words themselves in other places v. 18. 1 Cor. 12.23 7. Of thy father or the nakedness of thy mother The Hebrew Particle which we translate Or may be translated Even as it sometimes signifies 1 Sam. 28.3 2 Sam. 2.15 Zech. 9.9 and then the latter words are but Exegetical of the former And then the Prohibition is but one though the fault be double For he that lieth with his Father's Wife doth uncover his Father's nakedness as well as his Mothers ch 20.11 and verse 8. of this Chapter It is expressly said v. 8. that the nakedness of the Father's Wife is the nakedness of the Father And chap. 20.11 that the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness Again ch 20.20 21. The Man that lies with his Uncle's or Brother's Wife is said to uncover his Uncle's and Brother's nakedness And he that defiles his Father's bed may be fitly said to uncover his Father's nakedness She is thy Mother i. e. Thine own Mother the Mother-in-law being forbid in the next Verse 8. The nakedness Chap. 20.11 Deut. 22.30 and 27.20 1 Cor. 5.1 9. Born at home or born abroad i. e. Begotten by thy Father of another Wife or Woman or born of thy Mother by another man ch 20.17 10. Thine own Thy Son and Daughter being thine own Flesh 11. Thy Sister i.e. By the same Father 12. Thou c. Ch. 20.19 Near kinswoman viz. Partaking of the same Flesh 14. Thou shalt not uncover c. Ch. 20.20 See the Notes on verse 7. 15. Thou c. Ch. 20.12 16. Thou c. Ch. 20.21 Thy brother's wife i. e. During his life but if he dye and dye Childless then the Brother that was next married her Deut. 25.5 17. Wickedness Incest saith the Vulgar 18. Wife to her Sister Or One wife to another This is the Marginal reading but we are not so to understand these words as if Polygamy were here forbid For that it was not is evident from the practice of the Israelites which passeth without reproof And therefore though the Marginal reading be such as the Original abstractly considered will bear yet the subject-matter requires that we take the word Sister in the common acceptation of it and then is an Israelite forbid to take to Wife his Wife's Sister whiles that Wife is living To vex her As a Rival to her which frequently occasions vexation 1 Sam. 1.6 19. Also c. Ch. 20.18 21. Thy seed That is Thy Children or Off-spring Deut. 18.10 Pass through the fire Chap. 20.2 2 King 23.10 Here is no mention of Fire in the Hebrew Text but that it is to be understood is plain from Deut. 18.10 2 King 23.10 Such a Custom obtained among the ancient Heathens they made it a part of their Religion to burn some of their Children as a Sacrifice to their false God 2 Chron. 28.3 Jer. 7.31.19.5 Ps 106.37 38. Molech Called Act. 7.43 Molach the name of an Idol which the Ammonites worshipped 1 King 11.7 and otherwise called Milchom 2 King 23.13 It hath been thought to be the same with the Planet Saturn or else the Sun which they worshipped and Molech may indifferently relate to the Star or the Image and Figure thereof Jer. 49.3 Amos 5.36 It was a very principal Idol among the Heathen and the Hebrew word implies Dominion and Kingly Superiority 23. Neither c. Ch. 20.15 25. Vomiteth out her inhabitants Being as it were overcharged and burthened with them Jer. 9.19 26. Stranger Or Sojourner and Proselyte 27. For all these abominations c. As Abominations implies such things as have a a Moral turpitude a filthiness and malignity antecedent to any positive Law these words cannot extend to all the particulars mentioned from v. 7. but these words must referr to the sins mentioned v. 20 21 22 23.
a man Ch. 18.22 14. It is wickedness Ch. 18.17 15. And if a man Ch. 18.23 Slay the beast And thereby destroy the Memorial of so great a Wickedness 17. And if a man Ch. 18.9 18. And if a man c. Ch. 18.19 This is to be understood of wilfull or presumptuous doing it He that did it ignorantly was not liable to the same severity ch 15.24 Discovered Heb. Made naked 20. Die childless That is God will so order it that they shall either not have Children or not leave them behind them 21. An unclean thing Heb. A separation 22. Statutes Ch. 18.26 Spue Ch. 18.25 23. Therefore Deut. 9.5 25. Ye shall therefore put difference c. Ch. 11.2 Deut. 14.4 Abominable Detestable for your Disobedience and legal Impurity Creepeth Or Moveth 26. For I c. v. 7. chap. 19.2 1 Pet. 1.16 27. A man also c. Deut. 18.11 1 Sam. 28.7 CHAP. XXI The ARGUMENT The Priests are to keep themselves undefiled To that purpose Laws are given relating to their Mourning and Marriages Of the Blemishes of the Priests which hindred them from Officiating 1. AND the LORD said unto Moses Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron and say unto them There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people 2. But for his kin that is near unto him that is for his mother and for his father and for his son and for his daughter and for his brother 3. And for his sister a virgin that is nigh unto him which hath had no husband for her may he be defiled 4. But he shall not defile himself being a chief man among his people to profane himself 5. They shall not make baldness upon their head neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard nor make any cuttings in their flesh 6. They shall be holy unto their God and not profane the name of their God for the offerings of the LORD made by fire and the bread of their God they do offer therefore they shall be holy 7. They shall not take a wife that is a whore or profane neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband for he is holy unto his God 8. Thou shalt sanctifie him therefore for he offereth the bread of thy God he shall be holy unto thee for I the LORD which sanctifie you am holy 9. And the daughter of any priest if she profane her self by playing the whore she profaneth her father she shall be burnt with fire 10. And he that is the high-priest among his brethren upon whose head the anointing oyl was poured and that is consecrated to put on the garments shall not uncover his head nor rent his clothes 11. Neither shall he go in to any dead body nor defile himself for his father or for his mother 12. Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary nor profane the sanctuary of his God for the crown of the anointing oyl of his God is upon him I am the LORD 13. And he shall take a wife in her virginity 14. A widow or a divorced woman or profane or an harlot these shall he not take but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife 15. Neither shall he profane his seed among his people for I the LORD do sanctifie him 16. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 17. Speak unto Aaron saying Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish let him not approach to offer the bread of his God 18. For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish he shall not approach a blind man or a lame or he that hath a flat nose or any thing superfluous 19. Or a man that is broken-footed or broken-handed 20. Or croak-backt or a 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 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 23. Onely he shall not go in unto the veil nor come nigh unto the altar because he hath a blemish that he profane not my sanctuaries for I the LORD do sanctifie them 24. And Moses told it unto Aaron and to his sons and unto all the children of Israel 1. THere shall none be defiled for the dead The touching of a dead body or coming into the Tent where such a body was the preparing it for burial and mourning over it were legal Pollutions Numb 19.11 16. and v. 14. Deut. 26.14 Hos 9.4 These things rendred persons legally unclean sequestring them from Common Conversation and Holy Service The Priests being separated to the Service of God were not allowed promiscuously to defile themselves for the Dead And this puts all those who are dedicated to the Service of God in mind to avoid every thing that either defiles them or diverts them from their holy Employment vid. Numb 6.6 Matt. 8.22 Among his people That is among the Israelites 3. No husband viz. To take care of her Burial 4. He shall not c. Or being an Husband among his people he shall not defile himself for his Wife c. The meaning however of the place seems to be this That the Priest being a principal Person among his Brethren by reason of the Sacredness and Dignity of his Office shall not defile himself and render himself unfit for the attending upon the Office which he was placed in 5. They shall not c. Ch. 19.27 6. Bread i. e. Food Gifts say the Greek The Chaldee renders it Oblation Therefore c. i. e. They being the Servants of God and employed in Holy things 7. Profane That is either of a faulty Original and Extraction viz. the daughter of a Whore c. Or else one who is vitiated whether it were voluntarily or against her Will. Put away from her husband It being supposed in that case that she was divorced for some fault and God would have the Wives of the Priests not onely free from fault but from suspicion also 1 Tim. 3.11 8. Thou shalt sanctifie him therefore i. e. The People were obliged to treat and regard the Priests as holy or separated Persons to the Service of God 9. The daughter This by the Jews is understood of one who hath an Husband or is at least espoused to one Maim H. Sanedr c. 15. Her father Who will suffer in his reputation 1 Tim. 3.4 5. 10. Vncover See the Notes on ch 10.6 Head Upon which the anointing Oyl a Symbol of Joy as well as great Holiness was poured Clothes They being also Holy as they were Commanded by God and set apart to his Service 11. For his father or for his mother Whom he was obliged to honour as well as other Men and the inferiour Priests were
shall add thereto the fifth part thereof 32. And concerning the tithe of the herd or of the flock even of whatsoever passeth under the rod the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD 33. He shall not search whether it be good or bad neither shall be change it and if he change it at all then both it and the change thereof shall be holy it shall not be redeemed 34. These are the commandments which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai 2. Make a singular vow i. e. Shall exempt and separate from common use The persons shall be for the LORD i. e. The value of these persons shall be for an Holy use For the persons themselves were redeemable as appears from what followeth and the price with which they were redeemed was set a-part for the reparation or service of the sanctuary 2 Kings 12.4 5. Where there is said to have been a Chamber on purpose to receive these Oblations Maimon Erachin chap. 1. By thy estimation i. e. According to the rate afterwards set down and fixed and which thou art to give as a Law to the Priests for the time to come v. 15. 3. Of the male i. e. Of every Male alike The difference of price respects the Sex and the Age not the other qualities and circumstances of the persons Shekels See the Notes on Gen. 20.16 8. If he be poorer c. i. e. He who made the Vow be not able to pay the fixed rate 9. Shall be holy Or separated to the Service of God and not be changed or redeemed v. 10 12. 10. He shall not alter c. It is not in their power to alienate what was before dedicated to God And an exchange in this case was forbid though for the better because they might not have any pretence of alienating what was before set a-part to an Holy use The Israelites are here greatly cautioned against this Sin in this Verse 11. Vnclean Beasts were said to be clean or unclean with respect to food Levit. 11.3 4. Or with respect to sacrifice Gen. 7.2 ch 8.20 And in this latter sense the word unclean is to be understood here as appears from the following words This Law doth also extend to Bullocks Sheep and Goats which yet were clean for Sacrifice as to their kind when by reason of some blemish or defect they became unfit for the Altar Maimon Erachin chap. 15. But it doth not extend to a Dog Deut. 23.18 12. As thou valuest it who art the Priest Heb. According to thy estimation O Priest 13. He shall add c. i. e. The first Owner Another Man was not under such an obligation but might have it at the price at which it was valued by the Priest The fifth part seems to be inflicted upon the first Owner for his unconstancy 14. Sanctifie his house c. i. e. Separate or set it a-part to the Service of God The price of which House when it was estimated and redeemed was taken into the Treasury of the Sanctuary and bestowed upon the Reparation of the House See verse 2. 15. The fifth part See verse 13. 16. An homer c. Or the land of an homer c. i. e. Not the Land which bears so much which would suppose the Price uncertain and variable but the Land which requires so much Seed Homer is a Measure containing ten Ephahs Ezek. 45.11 An Ephah contained very near our Bushes See the Notes on Exod. 16.36 An Homer and a Cor are the same measure Ezek. 45.14 And both the Greek and Chaldee in this place render Homer by Cor. 17. From the year Or before the year See verse 18. 20. Or if he have sold It may be as well translated And if he have sold Which is not to be understood of the first Owner who had no right to sell the Field which he had dedicated to God but of the Treasurer in whose power it was to sell and to convert the price thereof to an Holy use 21. Devoted See v. 28. The possession thereof shall be the Priest's But the Priests are to pay a price for it which is to be laid up for the maintaining the Sanctuary Maim Erachin chap. 4. 22. Bought Not being his Paternal inheritance 25. Twenty Gerahs Exod. 30.13 Numb 3.47 Ezek. 45.12 26. Firstling c. Heb. First-born c. No man shall sanctifie it The reason follows It is the LORD's God had by his Command required that the First-born should be sanctified or set a-part and a Man cannot separate or sanctifie that which he hath no right to 28. Notwithstanding Josh 6.19 Devoted thing This was a thing so vowed and dedicâ—â—â—d to God or to dâ—â—â—â—tion that he that dedicated it or executed God's sentence was to disclaim all title and claim to the Things or Persons or the common use of them for the future Most holy Levit. 2.3 29. Of men Men were sometimes devoted to destruction by God's appointment Deut. 25.19 Josh 6.17 sometimes by Men Numb 21.2 3. Exod. 22.20 32. Passeth under the rod These words intimate the way of Tithing when the Tenth was set out as the Flock or Herd went out of the Fold and were numbred by him that set out the Tenth with a Stick or Staff in his hand pointing to it Jer. 33.13 33. Change See verse 10. THE Fourth Book of Moses CALLED NUMBERS THE General Argument OF THE Fourth Book of MOSES CALLED NUMBERS THIS Book is called Numbers from the subject matter which it begins withall viz. An account of the number of the People of Israel This Account is taken by God's special command to Moses in taking of which he was assisted by Aaron as well as by the Princes of Israel ch 1.44 This Account is laid before us ch 1. And the diligent Reader may from the Relation there given discern the special Providence of God over that People and see very good reason for the Order in which the several Tribes are placed and also why the Levites are not numbred here among the other Tribes We have next an Account of the Order of the several Tribes in their Tents and of the number of their several Camps ch 2. Next follows an Account of the Sons of Aaron and of the setting aside the Levites to the Service of the Tabernacle instead of the First-born of the number and charge of these Levites and of the Redemption of the First-born of the Israelites who were not redeemed by the Levites ch 3. We have an Account ch 4. of the Charge and Service of the Levites who are numbred from thirty years old to the age of fifty We have after this several Laws viz. Concerning removing the Unclean out of the Camp Of Restitution in case of Trespass Of the tryal of Jealousie Of the Nazarites Of the form of blessing the People and then we have a relation of the Offerings of the Princes at the Dedication of the Tabernacle and Altar ch 5 6 7. Of lighting the Lamps and
Consecrating the Levites and the age and time of their Service Of the Passover and an allowance of a Second Passover and guidance of the Cloud Of the use of the Silver Trumpets Of the removal of the Israelites Of the words which Moses used when the Ark set forward and when it rested Of these things we have an account ch 8 9 10. After this we have a Relation of the burning at Taberah Of the People's loathing of Manna and lusting for Flesh Of the Seventy Elders and of the Quails ch 11. and of the Sedition of Miriam and Aaron ch 12. We have next a Relation of the Spies sent into the Promised Land Of their Instructions Of their Doings and Report of the Land Of the People's murmuring hereupon Of God's just Displeasure and the Effects of it Of the Intercession of Moses and great Folly of the Israelites ch 13 and 14. The fifteenth Chapter lays before us sundry Laws viz. That concerning the Meat-offering as that Offering was an attendant upon a Bloody Sacrifice And the Drink-offering Of the Heave-offering Of the first of the Dough Of Sins of Ignorance and Presumption Of the Profaner of the Sabbath and of the Fringes We have next an Account of the Rebellion of Korah and Dathan and Abiram Of their invading the Priest's Office and their exemplary Punishment The Memory of their Rebellion is perpetuated and the Right of the Priests vindicated by the budding of Aaron's Rod and their honorary Maintenance hereupon particularly related ch 16 17 18. The next Chapter gives account of the Water made of the Ashes of the red Heifer which is followed with a Relation of the death of Miriam the murmuring of the People the smiting the Rock c. and the death of Aaron ch 19.20 And then we have an account of the Israelites Victory over the Canaanites of their murmuring of the fiery Serpents and of that of Brass Of several Journeyings of the Israelites and their Conquest over Sihon and Og ch 21. After this we have a Relation of Balak's sending to Balaam to curse the Israelites Of Balaam's Journey and Balak's Disappointment Several Predictions of Balaam are related and there follows an account of the Israelites committing Whoredom and Idolatry at Shittim and of their Punishment ch 22 23 24 25. Next to this we have an account of the number of the Israelites in order to the dividing the Land among them ch 26. And the Law of Inheritances upon occasion of the suit of the Daughters of Zelophehad ch 27. In the two next Chapters we have a more particular account than was given before of the Stated Holocausts and the Meat and Drink-offerings pertaining thereunto This is followed with a Law concerning Vows ch 30. We have after this an account of the Israelites Conquest over the Midianites and a Law concerning the dividing the Spoil ch 31. Next follows the Request of the Reubenites and Gadites and the success of it and an account of the Journeyings of the Israelites in the Wilderness Of the Borders of the Promised Land and the names of the Men which should divide it Of the Levites Cities and the Cities of Refuge with the Law concerning Murther Of the Inheritance of Daughters and the Marriage of Heiresses in their own Tribe which is followed with an account how the Daughters of Zelophehad were married ch 32 33 34 35 36. By what hath been said any Man will see that this Book is very fitly called NUMBERS For here we have the number of the twelve Tribes taken no less than three times ch 1. ch 2. and ch 26. And the Levites are numbred as often ch 3 4 26. We have also several other things numbred The things that were offered and the Princes who offered those things at the Dedication of the Altar ch 7. The Spoils taken in the War with Midian ch 31. And all the stated Holocausts that were yearly offered up ch 28 29. Not to mention the Number and Names of the Cities of Levites and of Refuge and the particulars of the Israelites Marches or Journeyings in the Wilderness These are the principal Matters contained in this Book which if duly considered will be of great use to us for the better governing our selves as well as for the more clear understanding of the other parts of the Holy Scriptures It is not to be expected I should in this place make Reflections upon all the Particulars which are laid before us in this Book It may suffice that I lay before the Reader some few Particulars and shew how very much they tend to the use of Life and serve to engage us to strict Obedience to the Will of God And for the other I referr the Reader to the following Notes I might here shew the admirable use that is to be made of the Relation of the numbring the People and order of their Camp For here is much of God's special Providence to be observed from those Relations which we pass over in reading the Scriptures with too great Negligence And there are many parts of the Holy Writ which we pass over with little regard that are very instructive to us But I will not insist upon this matter in this place I shall especially consider the following Particulars I. The setting aside the Levites to the service of God their Charge and Service This spake God's great care of his People to appoint an Order of Men to attend upon his Service and to wait on his Sanctuary And it does also instruct those that Minister in Holy Things not onely to consider how they were called to that Holy Office but to consider also how they discharge it The Particulars relating to this Order of Men are very instructive to the People also They were not numbred among the rest having no Inheritance as the other Tribes had They were to attend upon their Office in the service of God and his People It was therefore the People's part to be kind to them and there are in the Law of Moses many Precepts to this purpose They were not onely obliged to pay them their Tithes in which even in some of the worst times they were scrupulously carefull but to assist them upon other occasions that they might attend upon God's Service This teacheth the People to communicate of their Temporal Things very freely to those that watch over their Souls and to honour them greatly for the sake of their Work and their Master II. That Law concerning the removing the Unclean from the Camp chap. 5. This is very instructive to the Governors and Ministers of the Church It is not fit that Profane and Scandalous Sinners should be admitted to partake of the holiest things 'T is very much the duty of those concerned and the Interest of the whole Church that those should be debarred from her Communion who are notoriously scandalous I know very well that that Law made a difference in the Unclean and that there was a difference as to the Camps also and 't will
any other way So true are the words of Solomon Righteousness exalteth a nation but sin is a reproach to any people Prov. 14.34 This passage deserves great consideration It is not onely the Duty but the Interest of Kings and Governours to encourage Men in the exercise of true Religion and by all possible ways and means to suppress Vice and all Profaneness Where-ever a People are profane they are weak at the same time Besides that they by their Wickedness call down the Vengeance of Heaven their very Wickedness does infeeble them and render them an easie Prey to their Enemies The Israelites were strong while Innocent when they had forsaken their God they fell Let us hear what Balaam was forc'd to say before their Whoredom and Idolatry He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel The Lord his God is with him and the shout of a king is among them God brought them out of Egypt He hath as it were the strength of an Vnicorn surely there is no enchantment against Jacob neither is there any divination against Israel 〈◊〉 Behold the people shall rise up as a great Lion and lift up himself as a young Lion He shall not lie down till he eat of the prey and drink the blood of the slain Numb 23.21 22 23 24. This was the condition of Israel but alas they soon fell by their own Follies whom no Power or Malice of their Enemies could have hurt There is nothing a plainer and more incontestable Truth than this That true Religion and Vertue is not onely the Glory but the Strength and Safety of any Nation or Kingdom On the other hand Vice and Wickedness Profaneness and Discontent are the greatest Mischiefs and the saddest Presages of the Ruin of any People The History of the Israelites delivered in this Book will confirm any considering Man in this belief Here we have a Relation of their Follies and their Wandrings of their Vices and their Plagues of their Sin and Punishment They were delivered from the Egyptians and from Amalek They needed not to fear their Enemies about them They fell indeed in the Wilderness but they fell as the Jews say a drunken Man does he needs none to throw him down he falls of himself They fell by their own Lust their Discontent their Profaneness and Idolatry God grant that we when we seem to stand may take heed lest we fall X. There are in this excellent Book many other things of admirable use for the better understanding the Jewish Religion and the other parts of the Holy Writ which I have not time in this place to enlarge upon but such things they are as will entertain with great variety and delight the inquisitive and diligent Reader Such are the Law of the Nazarite's Vow concerning the Water of Jealousie The form of blessing the People The Law about a Second Passeover The Relation of the guidance of the Cloud and the Law concerning sins of Ignorance and Presumption and of the Ashes of the red Heifer The Relation of the smiting the Rock by Moses Of the Conquest of Sihon and Og The Laws concerning the stated Sacrifices and concerning dividing the Spoil Concerning Inheritances and the Marriage of Heiresses Every one of which will deserve a serious Consideration NOTES ON THE Book of NUMBERS CHAP. I. The ARGUMENT Moses is commanded to number the People The Princes of the Tribes who were appointed to assist in numbring them The People of the several Tribes are numbered from Twenty years old and upward The Number of the whole The Levites are not numbred but appointed to their Office 2514. 1490. 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai in the tabernacle of the congregation on the first day of the second month in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt saying 2. Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel after their families by the house of their fathers with the number of their names every male by their poll 3. From twenty years old and upward all that are able to go forth to war in Israel thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies 4. And with you there shall be a man of every tribe every one head of the house of his fathers 5. And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you Of the tribe of Reuben Elizur the son of Shedeur 6. Of Simeon Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai 7. Of Judah Nahshon the son of Aminadab 8. Of Issachar Nethaneel the son of Zuar 9. Of Zebulun Eliab the son of Helon 10. Of the children of Joseph of Ephraim Elishama the son of Ammibud of Manasseb Gamaliel the son Pedahzur 11. Of Benjamin Abidan the son of Gideoni 12. Of Dan Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai 13. Of Asher Pagiel the son of Ocran 14. Of Gad Estasaph the son of Deuel 15. Of Naphtali Ahira the son of Enan 16. These were the renowned of the congregation princes of the tribes of their fathers heads of thousands in Israel 17. And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names 18. And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month and they dâ—â—lared their pedigrees after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward by their poll 19. As the LORD commanded Moses so he numbred them in the wilderness of Sinai 20. And the children of Reuben Israel's eldest son by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names by their poll every male from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 21. Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Reuben were forty and six thousand and five hundred 22. Of the children of Simeon by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers those that were numbred of them according to the number of the names by their polls every male from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 23. Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Simeon were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred 24. Of the children of Gad by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 25. Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Gad were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty 26. Of the children of Judah by their generations after their families by the house of their fathers according to the number of the names from twenty years old and upward all that were able to go forth to war 27. Those that were numbred of them even of the tribe of Judah were threescore and fourteen
them CHAP. XVII The ARGUMENT The Priesthood of Aaron and his Sons is confirmed by the Budding of Aaron's Rod. That Rod was to be kept for a Memorial 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses saying 2. Speak unto the children of Israel and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods write thou every man's name upon his rod. 3. And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers 4. And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony where I will meet with you 5. And it shall come to pass that the man's rod whom I shall choose shall blossom and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel whereby they murmur against you 6. And Moses spake unto the children of Israel and every one of their princes gave him a rod a-piece for each prince one according to their father's houses even twelve rods and the rod of Aaron was among their rods 7. And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness 8. And it came to pass that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness and behold the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded and brought forth buds and bloomed blossoms and yielded almonds 9. And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel and they looked and took every man his rod. 10. And the LORD said unto Moses Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony to be kept for a token against the rebels and thou shalâ— quite take away their murmurings from me that they die not 11. And Moses did so as the LORD commanded him so did he 12. And the children of Israel spake unto Moses saying Behold we die we perish we all perish 13. Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die shall we be consumed with dying 2. Twelve rods It is very probable that there were twelve besides the Rod of Aaron for so many Princes there were chap. 1. and chap. 7. and no less seems intimated v. 6. And the Vulgar Latin there expressly affirms it 3. Aaron's name As the Prince or Head of the Tribe of Levi. 4. Before the testimony That is before the Ark which is called the Ark of the Testimony Exod 25.22 because it contained the Tables of the Law called the Testimony Exod. 25.16 And that the Rods were laid in the Holy of Holies is farther evident from this That Moses was Commanded to bring again Aaron's Rod before the Testimony v. 10. which was laid up in the Holy of Holies Heb. 9.4 Where I will meet Exod. 25.22 5. Whom I shall choose viz. To minister to me in the Priesthood 6. A rod a-piece Heb. A rod for one Prince a rod for one Prince 10. Aaron's rod Heb. 9.4 To be kept for a token That is to be reserved or laid up for a token and perpetual Memorial For there were two Signs or Tokens of this matter The Covering of the Altar which was exposed as a sign or token unto the Children of Israel ch 16.38 And the Rod of Aaron a reserved token against the Rebels Rebels Heb. Children of Rebellion 12. We die By this Miracle they are convinced of the danger they were in if they should at any time invade the Office of the Priesthood or press beyond their allowed limits CHAP. XVIII The ARGUMENT The Charge and Office of the Priests and of the Levites The several Portions or Dues to the Priests and to the Levites 1. AND the LORD said unto Aaron Thou and thy sons and thy fathers house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood 2. And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi the tribe of thy father bring thou with thee that they may be joyned unto thee and minister unto thee but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness 3. And they shall keep thy charge and the charge of all the tabernacle onely they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar that neither they nor you also die 4. And they shall be joined unto thee and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation for all the service of the tabernacle and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you 5. And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary and the charge of the altar that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel 6. And I behold I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel to you they are given as a gift for the LORD to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation 7. Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priests office for every thing of the altar and within the veil and ye shall serve I have given your priests office unto you as a service of gift and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death 8. And the LORD spake unto Aaron Behold I also have given thee the charge of mine heave-offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing and to thy sons by an ordinance for ever 9. This shall be thine of the most holy things reserved from the fire every oblation of theirs every meat-offering of theirs and every sin-offering of theirs and every trespass-offering of theirs which they shall render unto me shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons 10. In the most holy place shalt thou eat it every male shall eat it it shall be holy unto thee 11. And this is thine the heave-offering of their gift with all the wave-offerings of the children of Israel I have given them unto thee and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee by a statute for ever every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it 12. All the best of the oyl and all the best of the wine and of the wheat the first-fruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD them have I given thee 13. And whatsoever is first ripe in the land which they shall bring unto the LORD shall be thine every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it 14. Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine 15. Every thing that openeth the matrice in all flesh which they bring unto the LORD whether it be of men or beasts shall be thine nevertheless the first-born of man shalt thou surely redeem and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem 16. And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem according to thine estimation for the money of five shekels after
Court of the Priests which with respect to the outer Court 2 Chron. 4.9 and much more to the Camp of Israel c. was a most holy Place as not receiving any but the most holy and separated sort of Persons Holy unto thee Consecrated to thee says the Vulgar That is None â—ut the Priest's Family might eat thereof Levit. 6.18 11. And this Here follows an account of what was the Priest's due from those Sacrifices which were less Holy which might be eaten by Women and Servants Levit. 22.10 11 12 13. with ch 10.14 Levit 7.34 12. Best Heb. Fat. Given thee Deut. 18.4 13. Which they shall bring i. e. Which they shall bring of their Good-will 14. Every thing devoted Lev. 27.28 15. The matrice Exod. 13.2 and 22.29 Lev. 27.26 chap. 3.13 And the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem If we look into the Book of Exodus we shall find it said Every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem ch 13.13 This makes it highly probable that an Ass is put there for other Beasts which were unclean for Sacrifice See the Note on that place 16. From a month old See Numb 3.47 Which is twenty gerahs Exod. 30.13 Levit. 27.23 ch 3.47 Ezek. 45.12 17. Holy i. e. Separated or set a-part See Deut. 15.19 18. Wave-breast Exod. 29.26 19. A covenant of salt i. e. a sure and lasting one 2 Chron. 13.5 20. No Inheritance The Levites in the distribution of the Land had not a portion of the Land with the other Tribes but had their Cities to dwell in Josh 21.4 I am thy part Deut. 10.9.18.2 Josh 13.14 33. Ezek. 44.28 God may be said to be the part of the Priests both as he gave them those Gifts which were presented to him and as he would more especially bless them Deut. 18.1 Psal 73.26 21. For an inheritance i. e. instead of a Portion of the Land which the other Tribes received v. 23 24. 22. And die Heb. To die 26. For the LORD viz. To be given to the Priest who was the Lord's Receiver See v. 28. and the Note on v. 20. 27. And this your c. That is This payment of yours shall be accepted as well as if you had received Lands with the other Tribes and had paid the Tithe out of the Increase of them as they were obliged to do 29. Best Heb. Fat. 30. As the increase c. i. e. What remains shall be as much the Levites and as freely to be used by them as any other part of any Man's increase is at the owners liberty See v. 31. 32. And ye shall bear no sin c. i. e. Then ye shall be free from Guilt upon this account CHAP. XIX The ARGUMENT Of the Red Heifer burnt to Ashes The Water of Separation and the use of it for the Purification of the clean 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying 2. This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded saying Speak unto the children of Israel that they bring thee a red heifer without spot wherein is no blemish and upon which never came yoke 3. And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest that he may bring her forth without the camp and one shall slay her before his face 4. And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times 5. And one shall burn the heifer in his sight her skin and her flesh and her blood with her dung shall he burn 6. And the priest shall take cedar-wood and hyssop and scarlet and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer 7. Then the priest shall wash his clothes and he shall bathe his flesh in water and afterward he shall come into the camp and the priest shall be unclean until the even 8. And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water and bathe his flesh in water and shall be unclean until the even 9. And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and lay them up without the camp in a clean place and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation it is a purification for sin 10. And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the even and it shall be unto the children of Israel and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them for a statute for ever 11. He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days 12. He shall purifie himself with it on the third day and on the seventh day he shall be clean but if he purifie not himself the third day then the seventh day he shall not be clean 13. Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead and purifieth not himself defileth the tabernacle of the LORD and that soul shall be cut off from Israel because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him he shall be unclean his uncleanness is yet upon him 14. This is the law when a man dieth in a tent all that come into the tent and all that is in the tent shall be unclean seven days 15. And every open vessel which hath no covering bound upon it is unclean 16. And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields or a dead body or a bone of a man or a grave shall be unclean seven days 17. And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the 〈◊〉 heifer of purification for sin and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel 18. And a clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water and sprinkle it upon the tent and upon all the vessels and upon the persons that were there and upon him that touched a bone or one slain or one dead or a grave 19. And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day and on the seventh day he shall purifie himself and wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and shall be clean at even 20. But the man that shall be unclean and shall not purifie himself that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him he is unclean 21. And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even 22. And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even 2. Which the LORD hath commanded i. e. Which God commanded Moses before For the Law required that the Unclean should be kept out of the Camp ch 5. and it may well be supposed that the Water of Purification
in a Siege of the Expiation of an uncertain Murder of a Captive Woman to be taken for a Wife of a Rebellious Son and of him that is hanged chap. 18 19 20 21. Of Brotherly-kindness distinction of Sex of the nest of Birds of Battlements to Houses of Confusion of Kinds of Fringes of him that slanders his Wife of several sorts of Uncleanness Of entring into the Congregation of Purity of the Fugitive Servant of Filthiness Usury Vows and Trespass of Divorce of the newly Married Pledges Man-stealing Leprosie Humanity and Charity chap. 22 23 24. Of the number of Stripes to be inflicted of Muzzling the Ox of raising Seed to a Brother of the immodest Woman of unjust Weights and the Destruction of Amalek The Words of him that presented his First-fruits and of him that had paid his third years Tithe the Covenant between God and the People Of Writing the Law on Stones and Building an Altar of the Division of the Tribes on Gerizim and Ebal the Curses pronounced The Blessings on Obedience and the Curses on Disobedience chap. 25 26 27 28. Moses proceeds to exhort the Israelites to Obedience and denounceth Wrath against him that should flatter himself in an Evil course and shews the Miseries which their Disobedience would bring upon them He encourageth the Penitent sets Life and Death before them and continues to exhort them with great vehemence to Obedience as the way to be happy chap. 29 30. Moses encourageth the Israelites delivers a Copy of the Law to the Priests with a Command to read it publickly every Seventh year He fore-tells the Apostasie of the Israelites and appoints a Song as a Witness against them The Song follows setting forth the Divine Perfections and God's Care of the Israelites as also the Rebellions of the People Moses is required to go up to Nebo to take a view of Canaan before his approaching Death He sets forth the glorious Majesty of God blesseth the Tribes shews the great Priviledge of the Israelites chap. 31 32 33. After Moses had taken a view of the Land he died We have after this an account of his â—â—â—ial and Age of the Mourning of the People of his Successor and an Encomium of Moses chap. 34. Among other Objections against these Books of Moses and which are advanced to shew that Moses was not the Author of them I find this is one That there are in it a great many repetitions which Moses would not be guilty of And therefore 't is supposed rather a Collection of several Hands and of Rolls misplaced than the Work of so great and accurate a Person as Moses Now because this Objection if it have any force will bear hardest upon this Book called Deuteronomy therefore I have reserved the Consideration of it to this place and shall consider it more particularly with relation to the following Book And to that purpose shall desire the Reader to consider the following Particulars in order to his satisfaction in this matter I. That though here are many Repetitions of things mentioned before yet here is to be found very much new matter that had not been mentioned at all in the foregoing Books And so far this Divine Book is unexceptionable as to the Charge brought against it I shall not enlarge here but just touch upon some Heads Though Idolatry were forbidden before yet we find not so express a Law concerning the Enticers to it and concerning the Apostate City as we find here chap. 13. The Laws of abiding by the determination of the Judges and of Electing a King chap. 17. are new Laws The Prediction of a Succession of Prophets is â—o likewise chap. 18. And so is the Law concerning the Punishment of False-witnesses chap. 19.16 And so are those Laws concerning the Priests and Officers in time of War and that relating to the besieging a City chap. 20. The same may be said of the Laws concerning the Expiation of an uncertain Murder of a Captive taken to Wife of the Right of the First-born of the rebellious Son and those that were hanged mentioned chap. 21. We shall find more such Laws not mentioned any-where before chap. 22. and chap. 23. and chap. 24. and chap. 25 and 26 and 27 and 31. The Song of Moses and the Blessing of the Tribes are not to be found in the foregoing Books Here is in this Book very much matter intirely new II. Another great part of this Book consists of Motives to Obedience And though something to this purpose had been said before yet nothing in comparison to what is said in this Book And thus far again this Book is unexceptionable as to the Charge brought against it Here are to be found the most pathetick and powerfull and pressing Motives to Obedience of which see chap. 4 6 8 10 11 and 29. And who ever will take the pains to go over the several Topicks here laid before us will own this to be true And the Ministers that labour in the Word and Doctrine may hence furnish themselves with very moving Arguments to perswade the People to obey the Laws of God and to be seriously Religious And this part of the Book did very well become the inspired Writer of it For this Man of God did pursue the great Purpose of his Mission not onely when he laid before the People the Divine Laws but when he perswaded them to obey them He was God's Embassador and 't was not onely his business to declare God's Will but to press those to whom he had done that to obey it For this Exhortation to Obedience hath a direct tendency to obtain the great End of the wise Law-giver For he must be supposed always to appoint his Laws in order to have them kept And to that purpose they who preach these Laws directly serve the End of their Ministry when they represent to the People how much it is their Interest and their Duty to yield a ready and unfeigned Obedience to them III. As to those parts of this Book that are Repetitions they are either Repetitions of Matters of Fact or they are Repetitions of Laws Of each of these 't is no difficult thing to give a very fair account First As to Repetitions of Matters of Fact with which this Book begins and we have such Repetitions in the first three Chapters of this Book But then these are not bare and jojune Repetitions but are made use of to a noble purpose as will appear to the diligent Reader viz. To encourage the People from the Consideration of what God had already done to hope and trust in him for the time to come So that here we have the Alpplication of the History of those Facts to anâ— excellent End and Purpose Secondly As to the Repetitions of Laws ' tâ—â— as easie to give an account of them also We shall find very great advantages in these Repetitions if we read these Holy Books with that diligence and application which we ought to do As for instance
is possible that Zuph may in this place signifie some other place so called and not the Red-sea for Sea is not in the Hebrew And yet there is no difficulty in supposing it to signifie the Red-sea here because the Text implies no more than this That the words here set down were spoken in the places named Hazeroth See Numb 11.35 Dizahab This seems to import a place that was named from Gold found there See the Vulgar and LXXII Interpreters 2. There are eleven days journey c. The design of these words seems to be this That though the Israelites were yet on this side Jordan v. 5. the reason of their long stay in the Wilderness is not to be imputed to the length of the way it being but eleven days Journey from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea a place not far from the promised Land 4. After he had slain Sihon Numb 21. 24. 5. To declare That is to explain it and make it known to this People who survived their Rebellious Forefathers 6. Ye have dwelt long enough c. It appears by comparing Exod. 19.1 with Numb 10. 11 12. that they continued in the Wilderness of Sinai for the space of almost a Year in which time they received their Law erected their Tabernacle numbred their People set up their Standards and encamped by them in the order prescribed and were therefore sufficiently provided to march onwards in great order 7. All the places nigh thereunto Heb. All his neighbours In the south c. These which follow are the several Coasts or sides of the Land the Sea-side being on the West Lebanon on the North and Euphrates on the East 8. Set Heb. Given Abraham Gen. 15.18 and 17.7 8. 9. At that time That is about the time of our removing from Sinai or Horeb. For though the coming of Jethro be mentioned Exod. 18. before the giving of the Law yet it does not thence follow that he gave Moses the advice mentioned Exod. 18. before this time And by comparing Numb 10.29 and the Note on that place with what is said here Jethro seems to have continued with Moses till the Israelites removed from Horeb and to have given his Counsel at that time 12. Your strife That is the Controversies which arise between Man and Man 13. Take Heb. Give 15. Made Heb. Gave 16. I charged And the parts of this Charge are I. Patience to hear Causes II. Justice in judging Righteously Joh. 7.24 III. Courage 17. Ye shall not respect persons Heb. Acknowledge faces Lev. 19.15 ch 16.19 1 Sam. 16.7 Prov. 14.23 IV. Prudence The cause that is too hard for you bring it unto me 18. I commanded you at that time viz. Before you removed from Horeb I delivered to you the Laws which I had received 19. As the LORD our God commanded See v. 7. 23. I took twelve men of you Numb 13.3 24. And they turned Numb 13.24 28. Discouraged Heb. Melted Anakims Numb 13.28 29. Dread not c. To deliver them from fear he adds very powerfull Arguments viz. I. A promise of Divine Assistance The Lord your God which goeth before you he shall fight for you v. 30. II. The experience of God's Mercies toward them in Egypt and in the Wilderness where God had born them as a tender Father carries an infirm Child Isa 49.22 with Exod. 19.4 30 31. 32. In this thing viz. In going on cheerfully relying upon God's Promise to possess the Land v. 26. 33. Who went c. See Exod. 13.21 and the Note upon that and the following Verse 35. Surely Num. 14.29 36. Wholly followed Heb. Fulfilled to go after 37. Also the LORD was angry with me Numb 20.12 and 27.14 ch 3.26 and 4.21 and 34.4 as also the Note upon Numb 20.12 For your sakes That is upon occasion of your provocation Psal 106.32 33. 41. We have sinned Vid. Numb 14.40 42. I am not among you viz. to help and assist you 43. Went presumptuously up Heb. You were presumptuous and went up 44. As Bees do Which in great number and fury sting those who disturb them Ps 118.12 46. So ye abode in Kadesh c. That is ye continued a considerable time in Kadesh not onely during the time the Spies went to view the Land but after their return also CHAP. II. The ARGUMENT Moses proceeds in his Relation and rehearseth that they were forbid to meddle with the Edomites or with the Moabites or with the Ammonites Sihon the Amorite was given up to them 1. THen we turned and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red-sea as the LORD spake unto me and we compassed mount Seir many days 2. And the LORD spake unto me saying 3. Ye have compassed this mountain long enough turn you north-ward 4. And command thou the people saying Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau which dwell in Seir and they shall be afraid of you take ye good heed unto your selves therefore 5. Meddle not with them for I will not give you of their land no not so much as a foot-breadth because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession 6. Ye shall buy meat of them for money that ye may eat and ye shall also buy water of them for money that ye may drink 7. For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee thou hast lacked nothing 8. And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau which dwelt in Seir through the way of the plain from Elath and from Ezion-gaber we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab 9. And the LORD said unto me Distress not the Moabites neither contend with them in battel for I will not give thee of their land for a possession because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession 10. The Emims dwelt therein in times past a people great and many and tall as the Anakims 11. Which also were accounted giants as the Anakims but the Moabites call them Emims 12. The Horims also dwelt in Seir before time but the children of Esau succeeded them when they had destroyed them from before them and dwelt in their steal as Israel did unto the land of his possession which the LORD gave unto them 13. Now rise up said I and get you over the brook Zered and we went over the brook Zered 14. And the space in which we came from Kadesh-barnea untill we were come over the brook Zered was thirty and eight years untill all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host as the LORD sware unto them 15. For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them to destroy them from among the host untill they were consumed 16. So it came to pass when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the
which I give them to possess it 32. Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left 33. You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you that ye may live and that it may be well with you and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess 1. SAid unto them By their principal Men their Elders or Heads of their several Tribes See chap. 29.10 For Moses must be supposed to have spoken to the whole Congregation of all Israel after the same manner in which they are said to speak to him viz. By the Heads of their Tribes and by their Elders as is expressed in v. 23. of this Chapter where he says Ye came near unto me not that all the Men of Israel did so for it follows by way of Explication even all the Heads of your Tribes and your Elders Keep and do them Heb. Keep to do them This is the great End of their hearing and learning them 2. The LORD c. Exod. 19.5 3. With our fathers viz. With Abraham Isaac and Jacob. It is not said that God did not enter into Covenant with them but that he made not this Covenant with them viz. this at Horeb. Here God did more largely reveal his Will and thereupon solemnly entred into Covenant with the People and their Posterity as appears from the following words 4. Face to face i. e. Clearly and distinctly Numb 12.18 though not in any visible shape ch 4.12 5. I stood between the LORD and you viz. as a Mediator and at your request v. 27. to teach you the Statutes which were given after the Ten Commandments 6. I am the LORD Exod. 20.2 c. with the Notes on that Chapter Levit. 26.1 Psal 81.10 Bondage Heb. Servants 9. Visiting Exod. 34.7 10. And shewing mercy Jer. 32.18 12. Keep It is Remember Exod. 20. but that was in order to the keeping of it 14. Sabbath Gen. 2.2 Heb. 4.4 15. Therefore c. i. e. Thou art obliged upon the account of that Redemption which is mentioned as an argument to Obedience of these Laws v. 6. and Exod 20.2 as well as in Memory of the Creation to observe this day of rest 16. And that it may go well with thee These words are here added to what we read Exod. 20.12 as a farther motive to Obedience and we find the Apostle takes notice of it Eph. 6.3 Upon the whole Obedience to this Precept hath the promise not onely of a long but an happy Life 17. Thou shalt not kill Matt. 5.21 18. Neither c. Luk. 18.20 19. Neither Ro. 13.9 21. Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife c. The words in this Verse contain the same Precept which we find in Exod. 20.17 It is delivered with some variety The most considerable is this That whereas Exod. 20.17 the coveting the Neighbour's House is first forbidden and then the coveting his Wife here on the other hand is first forbid the desire of his Wife and then the coveting his House c. which is a good argument that this Verse as also Exod. 20.17 to which it answers contains but one Commandment however some Men to serve their Ends have divided it into two For if it were two we could not distinguish between the Ninth and Tenth the one being first in one and the other in the other place Nor is it to be supposed that Moses would put the Tenth before the Ninth See the Note on Exod. 20.17 22. He added no more i. e. He did not deliver the following Laws which we find in Exod. ch XXI XXII c. as he did these Moral Precepts by an audible voice and the solemn manner in the midst of the Fire c. but he delivered them to Moses who imparted them to the People 24. We have heard Exod. 19.19 And he liveth Ch. 4.33 It appears that this was a case not to be parallelled and that though they had escaped hitherto yet they were very fearfull for the future v. 25 26. See Judg. 6.22 23. 25. Hear Heb. Add to hear 27. Speak thou unto us Exod. 20.19 29. O that there were such an heart c. These words do fully assure us that their Obedience and the happiness which would thence accrue to them were things greatly pleasing and acceptable to God the most sincere lover of Souls CHAP. VI. The ARGUMENT An Exhortation to the Fear and Love of the One true God and to Obedience to his Laws and Instruction of their children They are warned not to forget God in their Prosperity and particularly against Idolatry 1. NOW these are the commandments the statutes and the judgments which the LORD your God commanded to teach you that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it 2. That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God to keep all his statutes and his commandments which I command thee thou and thy son and thy son's son all the days of thy life and that thy days may be prolonged 3. Hear therefore O Israel and observe to do it that it may be well with thee and that ye may increase mightily as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee in the land that floweth with milk and honey 4. Hear O Israel The LORD our God is one LORD 5. And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might 6. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart 7. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up 8. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes 9. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house and on thy gates 10. And it shall be when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob to give thee great and goodly cities which thou buildedst not 11. And houses full of all good things which thou filledst not and wells digged which thou diggedst not vineyards and olive-trees which thou plantedst not when thou shalt have eaten and be full 12. Then beware lest thou forget the LORD which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage 13. Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God and serve him and shalt swear by his name 14. Ye shall not go after other gods of the gods of the people which are round about you 15. For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee and destroy thee from off the face of the earth 16. Ye shall not tempt the LORD
acquiesce in their Determination Matters of Faith and meer Belief are not mentioned here much less is it in the least intimated that the Sanhedrin was to be thought Infallible 11. According to the sentence of the law These words imply the Law to be the Rule both to the Sanhedrin and to the People who were not at liberty to do what the Law did clearly forbid but were onely obliged to abide by the Determination of this great Council in these doubtfull Cases 12. Vnto the priest By Priest is meant the Priests which were of this great Council and resided at the place which God did choose Priest is put for Priests as Judge v. 9. is for the Judges of which the Council consisted The Enallage of Numbers is very frequent in the Holy Scripture 14. I will set a king over me c. This they might very lawfully do tho' their manner of doing it afterward was not without fault 1 Sam. 8.7 15. Whom the LORD thy God shall choose God being their King reserved to himself the appointment of his Vice-gerent See 1 Sam. 9.15.10.24.16.12 1 Chron. 28.4 5. 16. He shall not multiply horses c. Lest he should confide in their strength Psal 33.16 17. or upon that account entertain much commerce with Egypt 1 King 10.26 28. as it follows Hath said Or Saith There is no reason why we should render it in the Preterperfect Tense and consequently no need to suppose that Moses refers to any former express Law it is enough that God forbids their return here He was also displeased at their Inclination to return Numb 14.3 4 with v. 11. Compare Exod. 13.17 And appointed several ways by which they were to remember their deliverance thence 18. A copy of this law By which he might be instructed both to govern himself and people 20. That his heart be not lifted up The due consideration of God's Law will serve to keep Men humble in the greatest Prosperity CHAP. XVIII The ARGUMENT God is the Inheritance of the Priests and Levites The Portion of the Priests and the Share of the Levite ministring in the place which God should choose The wicked practices of the Inhabitants of Canaan are to be avoided A promise of the Messiah The Punishment of him who will not obey him as also of the false Prophet A Rule to judge a false Prophet by 1. THE priests the Levites and all the tribe of Levi shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire and his inheritance 2. Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren the LORD is their inheritance as he hath said unto them 3. And this shall be the priest 's due from the people from them that offer a sacrifice whether it be ox or sheep and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder and the two cheeks and the maw 4. The first-fruit also of thy corn of thy wine and of thy oyl and the first of the fleece of thy sheep shalt thou give him 5. For the LORD thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes to stand to minister in the name of the LORD him and his sons for ever 6. And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel where he sojourned and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the LORD shall choose 7. Then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God as all his brethren the Levites do which stand there before the LORD 8. They shall have like portions to eat beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony 9. When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations 10. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire or that useth divination or an observer of times or an inchanter or a witch 11. Or a charmer or a consulter with familiar spirits or a wizard or a necromancer 12. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee 13. Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God 14. For these nations which thou shalt possess hearkened unto observers of times and unto diviners but as for theâ— the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do 15. The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy brethren like unto me unto him ye shall hearken 16. According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly saying Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God neither let me see this great fire any more that I die not 17. And the LORD said unto me They have well spoken that which they have spoken 18. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him 19. And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name I will require it of him 20. But the prophet which shall presume to speak a word in my name which I have not commanded him to speak or that shall speak in the name of other gods even that prophet shall die 21. And if thou say in thine heart How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken 22. When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD if the thing follow not nor come to pass that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously thou shalt not be afraid of him 1. AND his inheritance That is the Lord's Portion or Inheritance which he hath reserved for himself such were Tithes and First-fruits c. Numb 18.12 28. Upon which account the Lord is said to be their Inheritance v. 2. 3. A sacrifice That is a Peace-offering as appears by what follows of the Shoulder which does not exclude the Breast adjoining compared with Levit 7.31 32. and Levit. 10.12 and Numb 14.3 Two cheeks and the maw These are here added to the Portion of the Priests 4. First-fruit See Numb 18.12 5. To minister in the name of the LORD That is to minister or do his Office in the service which God hath appointed and required v. 7. 8. Beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony The Levite here is supposed to have left his Country to addict himself constantly to the Service of God And it is provided that he shall not loose by so doing And therefore he is allowed alike Portion with the other Levites which minister beside what he might upon leaving his Country have received for his House or Moveables left him by his Ancestors
which is left to his own disposal 10. To pass through the fire See the Note upon Levit. 18.21 That useth divination or an observer of times or an Enchanter The Divination here forbid seems to be the foretelling things to come for the sake of gain or by means not allowed by the Law of God See Micah 3.11 for the observer of times and the Enchanter See the Note on Levit. 19.26 A witch See the Note upon Exod. 22.18 11. Charmer An Inchanter who by Society with evil Spirits and perhaps by a pretence to knowledge from the Conjunction of the Stars for the Hebrew Word imports Society or Conjunction amuses Men with his odd feats and predictions Or a consulter with familiar Spirits or a Wizard of these See the Note on Levit. 19.31 Necromancer i. e. one who seeks to the Dead See 1 Sam. 28.7 and Isa 8.19 13. Perfect i. e. Vpright or Sincere and not depart from his Precepts See v. 14. 15. The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet c. The connexion is plainly this That they need not turn to Observers of Times to Diviners and Witches c. because God would send among them a Succession of Prophets but then here is also a promise of Christ Act. 3.22 and 7.37 which agrees perfectly to our Jesus who was a Prophet as he taught the Will of God Matth. 5. Luk. 4.19 and foretold things to come Matth. 26.75 Joh. 6.70 71. Matth. 16.21 Matth. 24. and was like unto Moses in his Meekness in his fasting forty days and forty nights in giving his Law from a Mountain Matt. 5. in his open declaring the Will of God Joh. 1.18 in his Mediatorship c. 19. I will require it i. e. I will punish him as a despiser of me and he shall be destroyed from among the people Act. 3.23 22. Speaketh in the name of the LORD c. That is undertakes to confirm his Mission by a Miracle or by predicting something to come The not being able to effect what he undertook and when the Event answered not the Prediction would prove him a false Prophet and not to be feared or regarded CHAP. XIX The ARGUMENT Of the cities of Refuge and the Manslayer The Murtherer must die The Land-mark may not be removed The insufficiency of a single Witness The Punishment of a False-witness 1. WHen the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee and thou succeedest them and dwellest in their cities and in their houses 2. Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it 3. Thou shalt prepare thee a way and divide the coasts of thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit into three parts that every slayer may flee thither 4. And this is the case of the slayer which shall flee thither that he may live whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly whom he hated not in time past 5. As when a man goeth in the wood with his neighbour to hew wood and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree and the head slippeth from the helve and lighteth upon his neighbour that he die he shall flee unto one of those cities and live 6. Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer while his heart is hot and overtake him because the way is long and slay him whereas he was not worthy of death in as much as he hated him not in time past 7. Wherefore I command thee saying Thou shalt separate three cities for thee 8. And if the LORD thy God enlarge thy coast as he hath sworn unto thy fathers and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers 9. If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them which I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God and to walk ever in his ways then shalt thou add three cities more for thee beside these three 10. That innocent blood be not shed in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance and so blood be upon thee 11. But if any man hate his neighbour and lie in wait for him and rise up against him and smite him mortally that he die and fleeth into one of these cities 12. Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood that he may die 13. Thine eye shall not pity him but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with thee 14. Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's land-mark which they of old time have set in thine inheritance which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it 15. One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity or for any sin in any sin that he sinneth at the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall the matter be established 16. If a false witness rise up against any man to testifie against him that which is wrong 17. Then both the men between whom the controversie is shall stand before the LORD before the priests and the judges which shall be in those days 18. And the judges shall make diligent inquisition and behold if the witness be a false witness and hath testified falsly against his brother 19. Then shall ye do unto him as he had thought to have done unto his brother so shalt thou put the evil away from among you 20. And those which remain shall hear and fear and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you 21. And thine eye shall not pity but life shall go for life eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foot for foot 1. WHEN the LORD thy God c. It is from hence evident that they were not obliged to set aside these Cities of Refuge till they had subdued the Inhabitants of the Land and accordingly we find Joshua then taking care of it Josh 20.2 2. In the midst of thy land Or Within thy land For it is not to be supposed they were in the very middle of it but that they were so situated as might be most for the ease and security of the Man-slayer v. 6. and accordingly they were appointed in several Tribes as we read Josh 20.7 3. Thou shalt prepare thee a way The meaning is that the way to these Cities should be made plain and easie that the Man-slayer might not be obstructed or retarded in his flight thither 4. And this is the case See Exod. 21.13 6. Lest the avenger c. It is evident that these words relate to what was said v. 3. of dividing the Coasts of the Land that the Slayer might flee to the City of Refuge with greater security which he could not do had not these Cities been dispersed in several Tribes 8. As he hath sworn
That is thou shalt be prosperous whether thou livest in the City and followest the Imployment of Citizens or in the Country and art imployed in Country Affairs such as Plowing and Sowing and breeding of Cattel c. 4. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body i. e. Thou shalt be prosperous and happy in thy Children This Blessing does in common concern those of a City and of the Country whereas those which follow do relate especially to them who lead a Country life 5. Blessed c. That is thy Basket and other Receptacles of thy encrease shall be replenished and thou shalt have abundance 6. Blessed c. That is thou shalt be blessed in all thy Undertakings safe in thy Dwellings and in thy Journeys 9. Shall establish thee an holy people unto himself That is he will own thee before all the World for a separate and peculiar People 10. That thou art called by the name of the LORD i. e. Thou art a peculiar People of the Lord's 12. His good treasure i. e. The Heaven as it follows or the lower Heaven This is called the treasure of snow and hail Job 38.22 and of the rain in this place 20. Cursing vexation and rebuke The first of these words is more general and imports adversity But vexation seems to denote the disquiet of Mind under it and rebuke the disappointment and unsuccessfulness which do attend upon it as it follows in all that thou settest thine hand unto 22. And with blasting and with mildew These two are the plagues of Corn with which Men are nourished 1 King 8.37 in which they may be said to be smitten when their Food is thus corrupted 23. Thy heaven that is over thy head c. That is though God send Rain upon other Countries yet he will restrain it from thy Land Levit. 26.19 24. The LORD c. That is instead of Rain thy Land shall be filled with Dust 28. Madness i. e. With distraction that thou shalt not be able to consult wisely Blindness Or ignorance of fit means to be used see v. 29. for that it is to be understood of such Blindness is evident from what follows not onely in the next Verse but from v. 31. and v. 34. 36. Thee and thy king This was fulfilled in the Captivity of Babylon 2 Chron. 36 6. And there shalt thou serve c. Either by choice or by constraint See Jer. 44.17 18 19. Dan. 3.6 37. An astonishment i. e. So great shall thy plagues be that the Beholders thereof shall be astonished See 1 King 9.7 A proverb and a by-word i. e. A common subject of reproach and scorn 43. The stranger c. Not only their Foreign Enemies should prevail over them but those who lived among them by permission and were in a condition much inferior to them shall prosper when they themselves shall decline 46. They shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder i. e. These Curses shall not appear like the common afflictions and miseries which fall upon Mankind but they shall be very signal and wonderfull and such as shall draw Men's Eyes after them as things very extraordinary 48. Therefore c. This is highly just that they who refuse the service of God should be Slaves to their Enemies See 2 Chron. 12.8 and instead of the easie yoke of God's Law should be put under a yoke of Iron 49. A nation against thee from far It is very probable from what follows that this referrs to the Romans to whom the Jews were subject under their second Temple and by whom their City and Temple and People were destroyed in the days of Vespasian and Titus 52. He shall besiege thee Of this see Josephus's History of the Jewish War 53. The fruit of thine own body Of this also see Josephus 58. Name The Name of God is God himself and so it is here for it follows The LORD thy God 64. Scatter thee c. It is a great Addition to the Misery of Exiles that they are dispersed from each other and this hath been remarkably the Lot of the Jews Which neither thou nor thy fathers have known This is not said v. 36. and the reason of the Difference seems to be this that though they did know the Gods of Babylon which was nearer to them they did not know those of the Romans at a greater Distance 66. Hang in doubt viz. It shall be at the pleasure of thine Enemies amongst whom thou art 67. In the morning c. That is thou shalt be restless weary of the Day in which thou beholdest grievous Objects and of the Darkness of the Night in which thou fearest an unseen Danger 68. Egypt Where we find Numbers of them when they were subdued by the Romans Joseph Jewish Wars l. 7. By the way Or To the way i. e. Egypt Compare Deut. 17.16 And no man shall buy you So vile they will be that though exposed to sale and some of them sold yet the Market will be overstocked and glutted with them CHAP. XXIX The ARGUMENT Moses minds the Israelites of the Works of God which they had seen and thence exhorts them to Obedience All are to enter into Covenant with God The Wrath of God against him who should flatter himself in an Evil way The Miseries which their Disobedience would bring upon them Secret things belong unto God 1. THese are the words of the covenant which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb. 2. And Moses called unto all Israel and said unto them Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh and unto all his servants and unto all his land 3. The great temptations which thine eyes have seen the signs and those great miracles 4. Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day 5. And I have led you forty years in the wilderness your clothes are not waxen old upon you and thy shooe is not waxen old upon thy foot 6. Ye have not eaten bread neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink that ye might know that I am the LORD your God 7. And when ye came unto this place Sihon the king of Heshbon and Og the king of Bashan came out against us unto battel and we smote them 8. And we took their land and gave it for an inheritance unto the Reubenites and to the Gadites and to the half tribe of Manasseh 9. Keep therefore the words of this covenant and do them that ye may prosper in all that ye do 10. Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your God your captains of your tribes your elders and your officers with all the men of Israel 11. Your little ones your wives and thy stranger that is in thy camp from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of to
and the Preserver of thy Life And so he is of thy Prosperity which Life sometimes signifies see v. 19. and all the Comforts of Life CHAP. XXXI The ARGUMENT Moses does greatly encourage the Israelites and Joshua their Leader Moses delivers a Copy of the Law to the Priests with a command to read it every seventh Year God foretells the Apostacy of the Israelites and declares his displeasure thereupon He appoints a Song as a witness against them He encourageth Joshua The Law to be put into the Ark. Moses foretells the Apostacy of the Israelites 1. AND Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel 2. And he said unto them I am an hundred and twenty years old this day I can no more go out and come in also the LORD hath said unto me Thou shalt not go over this Jordan 3. The LORD thy God he will go over before thee and he will destroy these nations from before thee and thou shalt possess them and Joshua he shall go over before thee as the LORD hath said 4. And the LORD shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og kings of the Amorites and unto the land of them whom he destroyed 5. And the LORD shall give them up before your face that ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded you 6. Be strong and of a good courage fear not nor be afraid of them for the LORD thy God he it is that doth go with thee he will not fail thee nor forsake thee 7. And Moses called unto Joshua and said unto him in the sight of all Israel Be strong and of a good courage for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them and thou shalt cause them to inherit it 8. And the LORD he it is that doth go before thee he will be with thee he will not fail thee neither forsake thee fear not neither be dismayed 9. And Moses wrote this Law and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD and unto all the elders of Israel 10. And Moses commanded them saying At the end of every seven years in the solemnity of the year of release in the feast of tabernacles 11. When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing 12. Gather the people together men and women and children and thy stranger that is within thy gates that they may hear and that they may learn and fear the LORD your God and observe to do all the words of this law 13. And that their children which have not known any thing may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it 14. And the LORD said unto Moses Behold thy days approach that thou must die call Joshua and present your selves in the tabernacle of the congregation that I may give him a charge And Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation 15. And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle 16. And the LORD said unto Moses Behold thou shalt sleep with thy fathers and this people will rise up and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land whither they go to be among them and will forsake me and break my covenant which I have made with them 17. Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day and I will forsake them and I will hide my face from them and they shall be devoured and many evils and troubles shall befall them so that they will say in that day Are not these evils come upon us because our God is not amongst us 18. And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought in that they are turned unto other gods 19. Now therefore write ye this song for you and teach it the children of Israel put it in their mouths that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel 20. For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers that floweth with milk and honey and they shall have eaten and filled themselves and waxen fat then will they turn unto other gods and serve them and provoke me and break my covenant 21. And it shall come to pass when many evils and troubles are befallen them that this song shall testifie against them as a witness for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed for I know their imagination which they go about even now before I have brought them into the land which I sware 22. Moses therefore wrote this song the same day and taught it the children of Israel 23. And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge and said Be strong and of a good courage for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them and I will be with thee 24. And it came to pass when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book until they were finished 25. That Moses commanded the Levites which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD saying 26. Take this book of the law and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God that it may be there for a witness against thee 27. For I know thy rebellion and thy stiff neck behold while I am yet alive with you this day ye have been rebellious against the LORD and how much more after my death 28. Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes and your officers that I may speak these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to record against them 29. For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt your selves and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you and evil will befall you in the latter days because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands 30. And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song until they were ended 2. I can no more go out and come in See the Note on Numb 27.17 The strength of Moses was at present vigorous chap. 34.7 but he could not think it could last long besides this God had declared that he should not go over Jordan as it follows here 9. This law i. e. The whole body of it Vnto the priests the sons of Levi which bare the ark c. The fairest account of these words and the most unexceptionable is this That there is here an Ellipsis of
the copulative Particle as there is in some other places Vid. Hab. 3.11 Jud. 5.27 Exod. 15.9 and then Moses is said here to deliver the Law unto the priests and to the sons of Levi which bare the ark c. Numb ch 3. and ch 4. and unto all the elders of Israel So that the Law was delivered to the three Ranks and Degrees of Men of which the whole Congregation consisted viz. the Priests the Levites and the Representatives of the People And this Interpretation of these words will receive some confirmation from the Greek Interpreters in another place not unlike to this viz. Josh 3.3 When ye see the ark c. and the Priests the Levites bearing it There the Greek suppose an Ellipsis and do therefore render it and the Levites supplying the copulative Particle supposed to be wanting here 10. At the end c. See the Note on chap. 15.1 In the solemnity Or rather in the time as the Hebrew word signifies and as it is rendred by the Chaldee Syriack and Greek This appointed time was very convenient for this solemn hearing of the Law For it was at a time of the year when their Harvest was gathered in chap. 16.13 and they were freed from those cares and in a year when they were freed both from the Labours and from the Exactions which in other years they were liable unto chap. 15.1 2. 11. Thou shalt read This care concerned the body of the People and was discharged by the King as the Jews affirm or some other great Man when there was no King See Nehemiah 8. But then that all Israel might hear it was necessary that there should be care taken that it should be done by so many that all might hear it 13. Their children i. e. Their Posterity as appears from what follows May hear and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as ye live in the land 15. In a pillar of a cloud See Exod. 33.9 10. 17. I will hide my face from them i. e. I will remove from them the tokens of my favour and punish them as appears from the following words 19. This song i. e. The Song which follows in the next Chapter which is composed in the form of a Song that they might the more easily learn and remember it Put it in their mouths i. e. Take care that they learn it That it may be a witness for me against or among the children of Israel That is that it may be a perpetual Monitor among them of my Mercy towards and of the justice of my proceedings with them see v. 21. 22. Taught it As he was commanded v. 19. 23. He gave That is God gave as it is evident from the following words 26. Put it in the side of the ark Here it was put for the greater security and as the authentick Copy and Original was laid up in a safe place 30. And Moses spake in the ears of all c. Not that he did this all at once but either at several times or else he did it at once to the Heads and Representatives of the whole Congregation CHAP. XXXII The ARGUMENT The Song of Moses which sets forth the Divine Perfections and the Mercies of God to the Israelites And also lays before them their Rebellions and particularly their Idolatry It gives an account also of the wrath of God upon that account Moses is commanded to go up into Mount Nebo to take a view thence of the Land of Canaan and to die there 1. GIve ear O ye heavens and I will speak and hear O earth the words of my mouth 2. My doctrine shall drop as the rain my speech shall distil as the dew as the small rain upon the tender herb and as the showers upon the grass 3. Because I will publish the name of the LORD ascribe ye greatness unto our God 4. He is the rock his work is perfect for all his ways are judgment a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he 5. They have corrupted themselves their spot is not the spot of his children they are a perverse and crooked generation 6. Do ye thus requite the LORD O foolish people and unwise is not he thy father that hath bought thee hath he not made thee and established thee 7. Remember the days of old consider the years of many generations ask thy father and he will shew thee thy elders and they will tell thee 8. When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance when he separated the sons of Adam he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel 9. For the LORD's portion is his people Jacob is the lot of his inheritance 10. He found him in a desart land and in the waste howling wilderness he led him about he instructed him he kept him as the apple of his eye 11. As an eagle stirreth up her nest fluttereth over her young spreadeth abroad her wings taketh them beareth them on her wings 12. So the LORD alone did lead him and there was no strange god with him 13. He made him ride on the high places of the earth that he might eat the increase of the fields and he made him to suck honey out of the rock and oyl out of the flinty rock 14. Butter of kine and milk of sheep with fat of lambs and rams of the breed of Bashan and goats with the fat of kidneys of wheat and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape 15. But Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked thou art waxen fat thou art grown thick thou art covered with fatness then he forsook God which made him and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation 16. They provoked him to jealousie with strange gods with abominations provoked they him to anger 17. They sacrificed unto devils not to God to gods whom they knew not to new gods that came newly up whom your fathers feared not 18. Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindfull and hast forgotten God that formed thee 19. And when the LORD saw it he abhorred them because of the provoking of his sons and of his daughters 20. And he said I will hide my face from them I will see what their end shall be for they are a very froward generation children in whom is no faith 21. They have moved me to jealousie with that which is not God they have provoked me to anger with their vanities and I will move thew to jealousie with those which are not a people I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation 22. For a fire if kindled in my anger and shall burn undo the lowest hell and shall consume the earth with her encrease and set on fire the foundations of the mountains 23. I will heap mischiefs upon them I will spend mine arrows upon them 24. They shall be burnt with hunger and devoured with burning heat and with bitter destruction I will also send the teeth of beasts upon
to see a foolish Nation taken into God's Church For so the Gentiles were while they served Idols and divers Lusts Rom. 1.21 22. Compare Act. 11.2 3. 1 Thes 2.15 16. Act. 22.21 22. 22. A fire is kindled c. This Verse gives an account after a figurative manner of the destruction of the Land in such words as seem to import the total consumption of it Hell signifies the lower parts of the Earth Numb 16.30 And what is rendred Earth may well be turned Land for this is a description of the destruction that God would bring upon the Land of the Israelites Compare Isa 1.7 with 2 King 25.9 24. Burnt with hunger i. e. Consumed as the vulgar renders it with hunger For a Famine like Fire does wast and consume where-ever it comes Lam. 4.8 9. Burning heat and with bitter destruction i. e. Fiery and fierce Distempers and mortal Diseases Compare Habak 3.5 and Psal 91.6 Serpents of the dust i. e. Serpents that creep upon and eat the Dust Gen. 3.14 25. Terror The dread of Death or perhaps some malignant and pestilential Disease 26 27. I said I would scatter them c. q. d. I would send them into some secret place where they should be forgotten among Men But I forbear to do that lest their Enemies who devour them should impute their Destruction to their own Valour and not to my righteous Judgment It is to be noted that fear is imputed to God after the manner of Men who refrain from doing things from that Principle Compare Exod. 32.12 and Numb 14.13 28. They i. e. Israelites and so this connects with v. 26. 29. O that they were wise c. i. e. O that they had the Wisdom to lay to heart and consider the sad Effects which will follow upon their wicked Lives 30. How should c. That is if God were on their side a very small Number would be strong enough to vanquish the greatest Force of their Enemies who are destitute of his Favour and Assistance 31. For their rock c. For the Heathens who worship Idols have not force enough to stand out against the Power of the God of Israel And have been forced to acknowledge no less See Exod. 14.25 Numb 23.22 1 Sam. 4.8 Jer. 40.3 Dan. 3.29.4.37.6.27 32. Their vine c. This verse connects with Verse 26 and contains the reason why God entertained those severe Thoughts against the Israelites viz. Because though they were as a choice Vine planted by him yet they had degenerated like Sodom and Gomorrah Compare Isa 1.10 and ch 5. v. 1 c. with the Words that follow here where their Wine or Fruit of this Vineyard which God had planted is compared to the Poison of Dragons c. 34. Is not this c. That is is not this Vengeance which I now threaten them withal though they flatter themselves in their present Impunity reserved for them and kept in store for them against the time when their Iniquities shall be full and call for it Compare Prov. 1.31 and Job 14.17 35. Their foot shall slide i. e. They shall be ready to fall At hand i. e. It will soon follow and tread upon the Heels of their Iniquity 36. For Or Nevertheless As this Hebrew Particle is rendred Isa 9.1 For here begins a new Argument as appears from the following Words speaking Comfort to the Israelites and Destruction to their Enemies Judge his people i. e. Plead their Cause Compare diligently with this Place Psal 135.14 None shut up or left Or Nothing shut up or left i. e. When they are destitute of all things and have nothing reserved or remaining Compare 1 King 14.10 and ch 21.21 and especially 2 King 14.26 37. He shall say i. e. God shall say to the Israelites Compare Judg. 10.14 38. Which did eat c. i. e. In whose service so many Sacrifices were consumed 40. I lift c. i. e. I swear which God is said to do here after the manner of Men who did it by lifting up their Hands 41. If I whet c. viz. I swear that if I whet c. 42. Drunk with blood This is a figurative Expression implying the abundance of Blood that should be shed From the beginning c. i. e. from such time as I shall begin to take vengeance c. 43. Rejoice O ye nations with his people Or Rejoice ye nations or Gentiles his people Compare Rom. 15.10 44. He and Hoshea or Joshua Joshua who succeeded Moses joined with him now in speaking the words of this Song and it is probable that for the future the care of teaching it belonged to him Compare chap. 31.22 23. 46. Set your hearts That is attend diligently and consider well and do not barely content your selves with the knowledge of these things Compare Ezek 40.4 47. For it is not a vain thing c. It is no unprofitable thing but that upon which your happiness depends Compare Rom. 10.5 50. Die in the mount Not presently but after thou hast blessed the children of Israel Chap. 33.1 51. Because ye trespassed Of the sin of Moses to which these words referr See the Note on Numb 20.12 CHAP. XXXIII The ARGUMENT The glorious Majesty of God The Blessing of the tribes of Israel None like to God The great privilege of the Israelites 1. AND this is the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death 2. And he said the LORD came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them he shined forth from mount Paran and he came with ten thousands of Saints from his right hand went a fiery law for them 3. Yea he loved the people all his saints are in thy hand and they sat down at thy feet every one shall receive of thy words 4. Moses commanded us a law even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob. 5. And he was king in Jeshurun when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together 6. Let Reuben live and not die and let not his men be few 7. And this is the blessing of Judah and he said Hear LORD the voice of Judah and bring him unto his people let his hands be sufficient for him and be thou an help to him from his enemies 8. And of Levi he said Let thy Thummim and thy Vrim be with thy holy one whom thou didst prove at Massah and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah 9. Who said unto his father and to his mother I have not seen him neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor knew his own children for they have observed thy word and kept thy covenant 10. They shall teach Jacob thy judgments and Israel thy law they shall put incense before thee and whole burnt sacrifices upon thine altar 11. Bless LORD his substance and accept the work of his hands smite through the loins of them that rise against him and of them that hate him that they rise
not again 12. And of Benjamin he said The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him and the LORD shall cover him all the day long and he shall dwell between his shoulders 13. And of Joseph he said Blessed of the LORD be his land for the precious things of heaven for the dew and for the deep that coucheth beneath 14. And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun and for the precious things put forth by the moon 15. And for the chief things of the ancient mountains and for the precious things of the lasting hills 16. And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof and for the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren 17. His glory is like the firstling of his bullock and his horns are like the horns of unicorns with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim and they are the thousands of Manasseh 18. And of Zebulun he said Rejoice Zebulun in thy going out and Issachar in thy tents 19. They shall call the people unto the mountain there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas and of treasures hid in the sand 20. And of Gad he said Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad he dwelleth as a lion and teareth the arm with the crown of the head 21. And he provided the first part for himself because there in a portion of the law-giver was he seated and he came with the heads of the people he executed the Justice of the LORD and his judgments with Israel 22. And of Dan he said Dan is a lion's whelp he shall leap from Bashan 23. And of Naphtali he said O Naphtali satisfied with favour and full with the blessing of the LORD possess thou the west and the south 24. And of Asher he said Let Asher be blessed with children let him be acceptable to his brethren and let him dip his foot in oyl 25. Thy shooes shall be iron and brass and as thy days so shall thy strength be 26. There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun who rideth upon the heaven in thy help and in his excellency on the skie 27. The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee and shall say Destroy them 28. Israel then shall dwell in safety alone the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine also his heavens shall drop down dew 29. Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the LORD the shield of thy help and who is the sword of thy excellency and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee and thou shalt tread upon their high places 1. THE man of God That is the Prophet of the LORD as the Chaldee renders it See 1 Sam. 9.6 And the Title to the ninetieth Psalm Blessed i. e. He did pronounce and predict the following Blessings upon the several Tribes of Israel and pray to God to bestow them Compare v. 6 7. 2. And he said the LORD came from Sinai c. Before he proceeds to bless the several Tribes he premises an Account of God's special Favour to the whole Body of the People The LORD came from Sinai i. e. He revealed himself as the Chaldee well explains this Place from Sinai where he gave his Law and revealed his Will and Pleasure to them Rose up It is to be considered that what we render rose up is in the Hebrew expressed by a word which peculiarly signifies such a rising up as that of the Sun in the Morning And is the same word which is used where it is said Vnto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise Malach. 4.2 It might have been rendered appeared as it is by the vulgar and signifies a splendid or glorious Appearance Compare Hab. 3.3 4. From Seir That is Idumaea by which the Israelites passed The meaning is that as God revealed himself from Sinai when he gave them his Law So he did after that as they passed on by Seir and Paran give them evident Proofs of his Presence with them and special Providence over them Mount Paran Paran is the Name of a Wilderness by which the Israelites passed Deut. 1.1 This Mount either denotes some particular Mountain so called or intimates the Mountainous part of that Wilderness He came with ten thousands of Saints That is when God revealed himself from Sinai and gave his Law he was attended with a great Number of holy Angels The chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels the LORD is among them as in Sinai Psal 68.17 Compare Dan. 7.10 Rev. 5.11 Well might Stephen say that the Law was received by the disposition of Angels Acts 7.53 and St. Paul that it was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator Gal. 3.19 It is elsewhere called the word spoken by Angels Heb 2.2 From his right hand went a fiery Law i. e. He gave as Men do when with their Right-hands they deliver their Gifts a fiery Law The Law given at Mount Sinai is called a fiery Law because God spake the Words thereof out of the midst of the fire Deut. 5.22 Compare Exod. 19.18 as also Psalm 104.4 with Gal. 3.19 3. The people i. e all the Tribes of Israel All his saints are in thy hand He hath a special care of the Israelites that Holy Nation Exod. 19.6 who sat at his Feet compare Luk. 10.39 Act. 22.3 and promised Subjection and Obedience to him Exod. 24. 4. Inheritance A possession of great value and such an one as was to descend to their Posterity Thy testimonies have I taken as an Heritage for ever for they are the rejoicing of my heart Psal 119.111 5. He was king i. e. Moses was a Prince or Governour he gave Laws and ruled the People 6. Let Reuben live c. q. d. Though Reuben have lost his Birth-right for his Incest and thereupon fell into his Father's displeasure Gen. 49.4 and some of his Sons were guilty of Rebellion Numb 16.1 yet let not his Posterity cease to be a distinct and prosperous Tribe And whereas they have engaged upon receiving their Inheritance on this side Jordan to leave their Wives and Children there and to expose themselves to the hazzard of War with their Brethren Numb 32.26 27. let none of them that stay behind or pass over Jordan perish but let their intire number be preserved 7. Hear LORD the voice of Judah c. Whereas Judah's Hand is to be in the Neck of his Enemies Gen. 49.8 and he is to be the first that is to fight against the Canaanites after the death of Joshua Judg. 1.1 and will consequently be exposed to danger in his
Moses face to face as a man speaketh unto his friend And he turned again into the camp but his servant Joshua the son of Nun a young man departed not out of the tabernacle 12. And Moses said unto the LORD See thou sayest unto me Bring up this people and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me Yet thou hast said I know thee by name and thou hast also found grace in my sight 13. Now therefore I pray thee if I have found grace in thy sight shew me now thy way that I may know thee that I may find grace in thy sight and consider that this nation is thy people 14. And he said My presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest 15. And he said unto him If thy presence go not with me carry us not up hence 16. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight Is it not in that thou goest with us So shall we be separated I and thy people from all the people that are upon the face of the earth 17. And the LORD said unto Moses I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken for thou hast found grace in my sight and I know thee by name 18. And he said I beseech thee shew me thy glory 19. And he said I will make all my goodness pass before thee and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy 20. And he said Thou canst not see my face for there shall no man see me and live 21. And the LORD said Behold there is a place by me and thou shalt stand upon a rock 22. And it shall come to pass while my glory passeth by that I will put thee in a clift of the rock and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by 23. And I will take away mine hand and thou shalt see my back-parts but my face shall not be seen 1. UNto thy seed Gen. 12.7 2. And I will send an Angel Deut. 7.22 Josh 24.11 By the Angel here is meant a Creature one of God's ministring Servants and not the Angel mentioned Exod. 23.20 as is evident by comparing the Text. 3. Stiff-nceked Ch. 32.9 Deut. 9.13 4. And when the people The order in which the things here reported to have been said and done will most clearly appear if after v. 3. we read v. 5. and then v. 4. and 6. And this our Translators seem to be sensible of by their rendring those words v. 5. For the LORD had said c. They could not but see that the threatning words which God bid Moses say to the Children of Israel v. 5. was the reason why the people mourned v. 4. The word For with which the fifth Verse begins plainly shews that this was the reason they mourned They did this upon the sad tidings that God would not go up in the midst of them God does after this promise his Presence v. 14. 5. That I may know We must not think that God did not know his own purpose and the event of things And therefore the Greek render the word as signifying to shew or make known to others And the words That I may know according to this rendring are as much as That I may or and I will discover See the Notes on Gen. 22.12 6. By the mount Or From the mount At some distance possibly from the Mount as being unworthy to come near the place where God did reveal himself 7. The Tabernacle His Tabernacle says the Greek i. e. The Tent of Moses where he was wont to give Judgment and to answer in matters of doubt Without the camp This was an Argument of God's displeasure with the People It is not to be supposed that Moses did this without God's direction and the descent of the cloudy Pillar upon this Tabernacle v. 9. was an argument that God withdrew from the People the token of his Presence and Favour And called it c. By the same name which the Tabernacle which was to be built by God's Command was called This was at present a provisional Tabernacle instead of that v. 9. Which sought the LORD i. e. That sought the knowledge of God's Will by Moses Ch. 18.15 19 20. 8. Rose up c. In expectation of what would follow upon this removal of the Tent. 9. Cloudy pillar The token of the Angel's presence ch 13.21 and ch 14.19 10. Worshipped They bowed down and worshipped God for this token of his presence 11. Face to face i. e. Plainly and familiarly not in Visions and Dreams and dark speeches This was a peculiar privilege to Moses Num. 12.6 8. Deut. 34.10 Departed not He stayed to give Judgment ch 18.26 12. Whom i. e. What Angel I know thee by name In a special manner I know thee Above all men as the Geeek render it See v. 11. 13. Thy way i. e. Thy gracious and mercifull Administration Vid. Ps 103.7 and 67.2 That I may find grace c. That so I may be assured of thy Favour 14. My presence i. e. My self Here God promises the presence of his Divine Majesty and that he will not leave them to the conduct of a created Angel They shall be under the care of the Angel of his Presence according to his Promise Exod. 23.20 Vid. Isa 63.9 15. And he said unto him Which words may be rendred And he had said unto him and so perhaps the words v. 17. The Lord said might have been better rendred The Lord had said 16. Be separated i. e. Distinguished by a peculiar privilege Ps 76.1 18. Thy glory i. e. Thy Face as it is expressed v. 20. That which Moses begs is a more plain and familiar knowledge of the Divine Nature and Essence or such a seeing of God v. 20. as this mortal state will not admit of 19. I will make all my goodness c. i. e. God promises to grant to Moses a knowledge of his goodness he should see the footsteps of his Mercy and he would let him know how he is affected to mankind And will be gracious Rom. 9.15 20. See my face i. e. Perfectly know me 1 Cor. 13.12 22. My glory i. e. Glorious appearance which speaks me present Cover thee with my hand i. e. Powerfully protect thee and hide thee 23. My back-parts This is spoken after the manner of Men For God is a Spirit We know God but imperfectly in this Life we learn something of him by the effects of his Power and Wisdom and Goodness A fuller knowledge is reserved for a future state CHAP. XXXIV The ARGUMENT The two Tables are renewed The Lord's Name proclaimed Moses begs God's Presence and Pardon Idolatry is strictly forbid God renews his Covenant and repeats several Laws that were given before Moses continues fasting in the Mount forty days and forty Nights The Face of Moses
shines He puts a Veil thereon whiles he speaks with the People and removes it when he speaks with God 1. AND the LORD said unto Mâ—ses Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest 2. And be ready in the morning and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai and present thy self there to me in the top of the mount 3. And no man shall come up with thee neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount 4. And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first and Moses rose up early in the morning and went up unto mount Sinai as the LORD had commanded him and took in his hand the two tables of stone 5. And the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name of the LORD 6. And the LORD passed by before him and proclaimed The LORD The LORD God mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth 7. Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the children's children unto the third and to the fourth generation 8. And Moses made hast and bowed his head towards the earth and worshipped 9. And he said If now I have found grace in thy sight O Lord let my Lord I pray thee go amongst us for it is a stiff-necked people and pardon our iniquity and our sin and take us for thine inheritance 10. And he said Behold I make a covenant before all thy people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth nor in any nation and all the people amongst which thou art shall see the work of the LORD for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee 11. Observe thou that which I command thee this day Behold I drive out before thee the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite 12. Take heed to thy self lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee 13. But ye shall destroy their altars break their images and cut down their groves 14. For thou shalt worship no other God for the LORD whose name is Jealous is a jealous God 15. Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they go a whoring after their gods and do sacrifice unto their gods and one call thee and thou eat of his sacrifice 16. And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons and their daughters go a whoring after their gods and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods 17. Thou shalt make thee no molten gods 18. The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep Seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread as I commanded thee in the time of the month Abib for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt 19. All that openeth the matrix is mine and every firstling among thy cattel whether ox or sheep that is male 20. But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb and if thou redeem him not then shalt thou break his neck All the first-born of thy sons thou shalt redeem and none shall appear before me empty 21. Six days thou shalt work but on the seventh day thou shalt rest in earing-time and in harvest thou shalt rest 22. And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks of the first-fruits of wheat-harvest and the feast of ingathering at the year's end 23. Thrice in the year shall all your men-children appear before the Lord GOD the God of Israel 24. For I will cast out the nations before thee and enlarge thy borders neither shall any man desire thy land when thou shalt go up to appear before the LORD thy God thrice in the year 25. Thou shalt not offer the bloud of my sacrifice with leaven neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of passover be left unto the morning 26. The first of the first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the LORD thy God Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk 27. And the LORD said unto Moses Write thou these words for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel 28. And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty-nights he did neither eat bread nor drink water and he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant the ten commandments 29. And it came to pass when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses's hand when he came down from the mount that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him 30. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses behold the skin of his face shone and they were afraid to come nigh him 31. And Moses called unto them and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him and Moses talked with them 32. And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai 33. And till Moses had done speaking with them he put a veil on his face 34. But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him he took the veil off untill he came out And he came out and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded 35. And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses that the skin of Moses's face shone and Moses put the veil upon his face again untill he went in to speak with him 1. HEW thee The first Tables were the work of God ch 32.16 Deut. 10.1 5. Descended Was revealed says the Chaldee i. e. He manifested himself in the Cloud And proclaimed the name Or He called upon the name and then these words referr to Moses who upon God's glorious manifestation of himself called upon God This agrees well with the Hebrew Text Vid. Gen. 12.8 and is followed by the Vulgar Latin 6. And the LORD passed by c. That is He caused his Divine Presence to pass by as the Chaldee hath it And proclaimed i. e. And the Lord proclaimed ch 33.19 7. Will by no means clear Or Will not utterly cut off For so the Hebrew word is observed sometimes to signifie and is by our Englisâ— rendred to that sense Zech. 5.3 Jer. 46.28 in the Margent Besides when Moses deprecates God's displeasure he makes use of these words Num. 14.18 More Nevoch p. 1. c. 54. Visiting c. ch 20.5 Deut. 5.9 Jer. 32.18 9. If now c. Moses is now encouraged to pray as he doth upon this proclaiming the Mercy and Goodness of God My Lord