the Land of Temani To him Hadad the Son of Bedad To him Samlah of Masrekah To him Saul of Rehoboth To him Baal-Hanan the Son of Achbor c. So that the succeeding King might for what this Author knows be as old or older than his Predecessor and then a very little space might serue for eight Kings to succeed each other in the six last Kings of Judah where Father was succeeded by the Son took up not above 56 years 4. That Moses knew there wou'd be Kings over Israel is unquestionable from Deut. 17. where he delivers Laws concerning that matter This being one of those three things that were made known to him but were not to take effect as Maimon well observes till they were in possession of the Land of Canaan Maimon H. Melach c. 1. The giving up these nine Verses is a thing of most dangerous Consequence At this rate this Author may give away more of the Holy Writings when he pleaseth And then we shall be sure of nothing For who the Author of them is he says not nor can the Reader know from our Author whether he were an inspir'd Author or not Nor does he give any just cause why any Man shou'd insert these nine Verses here had they not been written by Moses from the beginning I am sure he can give none To what hath been said I add That Moses himself was a King over Israel and then the Kings that reigned in Edom before Moses was King may well be said to have reigned before any King over the Children of Israel Moses had the title of King He was King in Jesurun Deut. 33.5 Nor was it a bare title He was really a King as appears from the Pentateuch This is proved at large by Mr. Selden de Synedriis l. 2. c. 1 2. This alone is a just and full Answer to the Objection which was sufficiently answered before So far are we from being forced to part with nine Verses at once that we are under no difficulty at all 'T is plain that when Moses came out of Egypt that Edom was under Dukes Exod. 15.15 These cou'd not be the first sett of Dukes mention'd Gen. 36.29 30. For they were Horites and if they were the second sett v. 40. then were the eight Kings dead before Moses was King in Jesurun After all these eight Kings might be Horites called Horim Deut. 2.12 whom the Children of Esau dispossessed and succeeded for any thing that appears They are said to have reigned in the land of Edom and so the Horite's Land was when Moses wrote these words but not to be descended or come from Esau as is expressly said of the following Dukes v. 40. This account agrees with the Context We have an account just before of the Dukes of the Horites the Children of Seir in the land of Edom v. 21. Though these are said to have been Dukes in the Land of Edom yet they were not descended from Esau but from Hori in the Land of Seir v. 30. And then there 's no ground to believe the eight Kings were descended from Esau because they are said to have reigned in the land of Edom since the Dukes in the land of Edom were Horites and did not come from Esau Besides the 4th of these eight Kings is said to have smitten Midian in the Field of Moab v. 35. If by Midian be meant the person so called Gen. 25.2 then there can be no doubt of this matter For then these eight Kings cou'd not be the Posterity of Esau but Horites they might be Gen. 14.6 and then they had finished their Reigns before Moses was King in Jesurun Obj. III. The Writer of the Pentateuch gives names to Places which did not belong to those Places till after the time of Moses and therefore Moses could not be the Author of the Pentateuch at least as we now have it Here they instance in Hebron and Dan. 'T is pretended that Hebron was not so called till after the time of Moses Josh 14.15 with chap. 15.13 Nor Dan neither as appears from Judges 18.29 I answer 1. And first as to Hebron And here 't is to be consider'd what Joshua says on this occasion He does not say it was not called Hebron before that time His Words are these The name of Hebron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before was Kirjath-Arba chap. 14.15 i. e. It had formerly another name more than that he says not For what appears it might be call'd Hebron in the time of Moses Here 's no inconsistence at all the Hebrew which we render before admits of great Latitude Sometimes it denotes a long time before and we render it of old Psal 102.26 Elsewhere where we render it afore-time it signifies a long time before as Nehem. 13.5 But we render it in old time Deut. 2.20 Moses and Joshua were Contemporary and well might the City be call'd Hebron in the time of Moses though it were in old time call'd Kirjath-Arba We have an instance to this purpose beyond all exception Bethel of old time was called Luz Judges 1.23 and yet it was called Bethel long before the time of Moses Gen. 28.19 Hebron was a very ancient City and it is not for nothing that this is remark'd Numb 13.22 And though it were of old time call'd Kirjath-Arba yet even in the time of Joshua and after the Remark chap. 14.15 Hebron it is call'd as by the name it was most commonly known by When 't is call'd the City of Arba it follows and it seems to be by way of Explication which supposeth it most known by the following Name Which City is Hebron Josh 15.13 Again Kirjath-Arba which is Hebron v. 54. Had not Hebron been the common and famed Name of it it shou'd rather have been Hebron which is Kirjath-Arba See chap. 20.7 and 21.11 They must have a great inclination to drop Moses who will be mov'd by such a slight pretence as this 2. As to Dan the pretence is less than for the other if it be possible For who can assure me that Dan Gen. 14.14 is the same with that Judges 18.29 And if it be not then is the Objection just nothing at all Besides if it were the same place the same answer might be given as to the Case just before But alas Dan is an older Name than these Objectors seem to be aware of as the River Jor-Dan intimates for part of its Name it had from a place call'd Dan. And this is I think placed beyond controversie if we consider what Josephus relateth on this occasion who must be allowed in a matter of this nature to be of greater authority than these Modern Objectors He tells that Abraham fell on the Assyrians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. about Dan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. For so the other Fountain or Spring-head of Jordan is called Antiq. l. 1. c. 10. He that was willing to give away the nine Verses from Gen. 36. will not allow any force in this
Book is commonly called GENESIS because it gives an account of the Original of this visible World and lays before us not onely an account of the Creation of the World in general but particularly an account of the making of Man and of the Descents of several Families from the first Parents of Mankind With relation whereunto it is very fitly called GENESIS that Greek word very properly expressing the Original or first Formation of these things Moses very wisely begins this Book with an account of God's Creation of the World and the several parts thereof chap. 1. And his Wisdom in that matter will more manifestly appear if we consider that 1. By so doing he lays a foundation for Piety and Religion and Obedience of the Laws which follow The Creation of the World speaks the irresistible Power the deep Wisdom and the great Goodness of the Creator A due sense whereof doth mightily dispose us to the fear and love of God and to a stedfast faith and affiance in Him 2. By this course he also strikes at the very root of Idolatry For that being nothing but the Worship of a Creature instead of the Creator nothing can tend more effectually to prevent it than this belief That all other things were made by God That they had not their Being from themselves but were made as well as Man For then it follows That how usefull soever these things may be to us yet Divine Worship is due onely to the Creator The account which Moses gives of the Creation of Man is also very usefull and instructive to us For as he lets us know that Man was made in God's Image so that consideration obligeth us to do nothing unbecoming the Dignity of our Nature and to be kind to each other for God's sake And we may from the account of the Body's being made of the Earth learn to be humble and modest In a word we may from this relation learn Justice and Charity Humanity and Humility not to wrong or proudly insult over our Neighbour The Sanctification of the Sabbath in memory of the Creation puts us in mind of the obligation which lies upon us to celebrate the Divine Perfections which may be learned from God's Works and the necessity of some separate and solemn time for this Religious Worship So that a very great part of our duty to God our Neighbour and our Selves is very powerfully urged upon us in the very beginning of this Sacred Book We have also an account chap. 2. of the Garden of Eden and of the Forbidding the Eating of the Tree of Knowledge of the Naming of the Creatures and of the Institution of Marriage Next follows an account of the Disobedience of our first Parents of their Fall and of their Misery thereupon and also a gracious Promise of the Messias chap. 3. We may very well grant that these first Chapters of Genesis do insinuate some farther meaning than the bare Letter amounts to We yield that there is couched a Mystery under the Letter 'T is agreeable to the belief of Jews and Christians to allow this But still the Letter is to be preserved and not to be questioned by any means Much less is it to be exposed by profane Wits For there is no inconsistence in this And he that would attempt to destroy the Letter of Moses is so far from serving any wise or good End that he undermines Religion offends its Votaries and gives its Enemies occasion to rejoice and triumph There are a great many passages in the Old Testament that besides the first literal meaning have a farther reference and spiritual sense which yet does by no means destroy the Letter in the opinion of those very Men who contend for this spiritual sense and reference And for the passages in these three first Chapters in Genesis the literal sense is very much confirmed from the Citations of them which we find in the inspired Writers of the New Testament V. g. That passage Gen. 1.3 is cited by S. Paul 2 Cor. 4.6 And Gen. 1.27 is quoted by our Saviour Matt. 19.4 Again Gen. 2.7 by St. Paul 1 Cor. 15.45 47. And Gen. 2.24 is cited by our Saviour Matt. 19.5 and by St. Paul more than once 1 Cor. 6.16 Ephes 5.31 That passage of the Serpent's beguiling of Eve Gen. 3. is cited by St. Paul and by that Quotation the literal sense is confirmed 2 Cor. 11.3 His Words are these I fear lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ And the same Apostle referrs to this Fact related by Moses 1 Tim. 2.14 Moses proceeds chap. 4. and 5. and gives an account of the Birth of Cain and Abel and their several imployments of their Oblations of the Murder of Abel by Cain of the Curse denounced against him thereupon of the Posterity of Cain And then of the Birth of Seth and Enos And then follows an account of the Genealogy Age and Death of the Patriarchs from Adam to Noah who was the Tenth from Adam Then follows the History of the Deluge or Floud of Waters which drowned the World And what-ever knowledge of this Fact might be preserved by Tradition among the Inhabitants of the World yet certain it is that from Moses we have not onely the most ancient but the most exact and particular and unexceptionable Relation of this matter And if we will attend to the Relation which Moses gives we shall soon discern all the signs and marks not onely of a true and faithfull but of an exact and unexceptionable Relation also Besides that the memory of the Facts which Moses relates might easily be preserved to the Time of Moses Moses relates as to this matter 1. The Cause which moved God to destroy Mankind by a Floud of Waters Gen. 6.5 11 12 13. 2. The Warning which God gave the Old World that they might repent and prevent this Calamity chap. 6.3 which was 120 years before it hapned 3. God's special care to preserve Righteous Noah and his Family chap. 6.8 9. as well as the several kinds of living Creatures 4. The means which he appointed for this purpose viz. by an Ark And we have a very particular Account of this Ark Of its materials of which it was made of its form and dimensions of its several stories even of its window and its door And of the end and design of it as well as of the builder or efficient cause 5. He tells the very time when this great Event hapned The very year from the Creation may be collected from his Writings and the very year of the Life of Noah is expressly related chap. 7.6 6. He tells what persons were received into the Ark and what number of Beasts clean and unclean 7. He tells the very year the month the day when the Deluge began The several Causes that contributed to make this Deluge and how many days precisely the Rains came
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
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.
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
to separate themselves unto the LORD 3. He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink and shall drink no vinegar of wine or vinegar of strong drink neither shall â—e drink any liquor of grapes nor eat moist grapes or dried 4. All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine-tree from the kernels even to the husk 5. All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no rasor come upon his head untill the days be fulfilled in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall be holy and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow 6. All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body 7. He shall not make himself unclean for his father or for his mother for his brother or for his sister when they die because the consecration of his God is upon his head 8. All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD 9. And if any man die very suddenly by him and he hath defiled the head of his consecration then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing on the seventh day shall he shave it 10. And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles or two young pigeons to the priest to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation 11. And the priest shall offer the one for a sin-offering and the other for a burnt-offering and make an atonement for him for that he sinned by the dead and shall hallow his head that same day 12. And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass-offering but the days that were before shall be lost because his separation was defiled 13. And this is the law of the Nazarite When the days of his separation are fulfilled he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation 14. And he shall offer his offering unto the LORD one he-lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt-offering and one ew-lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin-offering and one ram without blemish for peace-offerings 15. And a basket of unleavened bread cakes of fine flour mingled with oyl and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oyl and their meat-offering and their drink-offerings 16. And the priest shall bring them before the LORD and shall offer his sin-offering and his burnt-offering 17. And he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the LORD with the basket of unleavened bread the priest shall offer also his meat-offering and his drink-offering 18. And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and shall take the hair of the head of his separation and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace-offerings 19. And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram and one unleavened cake out of the basket and one unleavened wafer and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite after the hair of his sepâ—ration is shavâ—n 20. And the priest shall wave them for a wave-offering before the LORD this is holy for the priest with the wave-breast and heave-shoulder and after that the Nazarite may drink wine 21. This is the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed and of his offering unto the LORD for his separation besides that that his hand shall get according to the vow which he vowed so he must do after the law of his separation 22. And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 23. Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons saying On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel saying unto them 24. The LORD bless thee and keep thee 25. The LORD make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee 26. The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace 27. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel and I will bless them 2. A vow of a Nazarite i. e. A Religious promise of Abstinence for the Hebrew word signifies to separate or abstain Gen. 49.26 To separate themselves Or make themselves Nazarites Vnto the LORD By this Vow the Nazarite was separated to a greater measure of Sanctity and Obedience and therefore may be said to be separated unto the Lord As the Priests were whose Office and Employment required of them great degrees of Holiness 3. From wine and strong drink That is from Wine and any other Liquor that is apt to bring Drunkenness upon the drinker From new and old Wine says Onkelos The Priests are under the same Prohibition when they went into the Tabernacle Levit. 10.9 They who professed more than ordinary Sanctity were obliged to abstain from Wine as that which might make them forget the Law and might deprive them of the Power of judging of things a-right Prov. 31.5 Hos 4.11 Isa 28.7 with Levit. 10.10 11. 4. Separation Or Nazariteship See v. 1. Vine-tree Heb. Vine of the Wine 5. Rasor Judg. 13.5 1 Sam. 1.11 By Rasor here is meant any thing which took off the Hair Grow In token that he hath preserved himself from legal defilements For had he not he would have been obliged to cut off his Hair See v. 9. and Levit. 14.8 9. And therefore this is fitly subjoined to those words He shall be holy of which the growth of Hair was a proof 6. Dead body This was a Figure of dead Works which do really as a dead Body did legally defile the Man 7. He shall not make himself unclean c. This Law was also given to the Priest See the Notes on Levit. 21.1 Consecration Heb. Separation 9. Defiled Viz. By transgressing v. 6. His cleansing This day was the Seventh from his defilement according to the Law in this case Numb 19.11 12. 11. Sinned i. e. Contracted a Legal defilement by the Dead Hallow his head i. e. Sanctifie or separate his Head a-new 12. Lost Heb. Fall i. e. They shall not come into account as the Greek have it 14. His offering Both his Offering of Praise or Peace-offering for his having performed his Vow And also his Expiatory-offerings or Burnt and Sin-offerings in token of his need of God's Mercy and Pardon even when he had done his best 1 Cor. 4.4 15. Vnleavened bread See Levit. 7.12 And their meat-offering and their drink-offerings i. e. Besides what is mentioned before the ordinary Meat-offering and Drink-offerings of which see Numb 28. 18. And the Nazarite Act. 21.24 Shave This Shaving differs from that mentioned v. 9. which was for Uncleanness contracted whereas this was out of thankfulness for having fulfilled the Vow and for that reason the Hair was put into the fire under the Eucharistical or Peace-offering 19. The sodden shoulder This must be understood of the left shoulder because the right shoulder called the heave-shoulder Levit. 7.34 and in the 20th Verse of
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
the first day of the month that Moses spake unto the children of Israel according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment unto them 4. After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites which dwelt in Heshbon and Og the king of Bashan which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei 5. On this side Jordan in the land of Moab began Moses to declare this law saying 6. The LORD our God spake unto us in Horeb saying Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount 7. Turn you and take your journey and go to the mount of the Amorites and unto all the places nigh thereunto in the plain in the hills and in the vale and in the south and by the sea-side to the land of the Canaanites and unto Lebanon unto the great river the river Euphrates 8. Behold I have set the land before you go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob to give unto them and to their seed after them 9. And I spake unto you at that time saying I am not able to bear you my self alone 10. The LORD your God hath multiplied you and behold you are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude 11. The LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many mo as ye are and bless you as he hath promised you 12. How can I my self alone bear your cumbrance and your burden and your strife 13. Take ye wise men and understanding and known among your tribes and I will make them rulers over you 14. And ye answered me and said The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do 15. So I took the chief of your tribes wise men and known and made them heads over you captains over thousands and captains over hundreds and captains over fifties and captains over tens and officers among your tribes 16. And I charged your judges at that time saying Hear the causes between your brethren and judge righteously between every man and his brother and the stranger that is with him 17. Ye shall not respect persons in judgment but you shall hear the small as well as the great you shall not be afraid of the face of man for the judgment is God's and the cause that is too hard for you bring it unto me and I will hear it 18. And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do 19. And when we departed from Horeb we went through all that great and terrible wilderness which you saw by the way of the mountain of the Amorites as the LORD our God commanded us and we came to Kadesh-barnea 20. And I said unto you Ye are come unto the mountain of the Amorites which the LORD our God doth give unto us 21. Behold the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee go up and possess it as the LORD God of thy fathers hath said unto thee fear not neither be discouraged 22. And ye came near unto me every one of you and said We will send men before us and they shall search us out the land and bring us word again by what way we must go up and into what cities we shall come 23. And the saying pleased me well and I took twelve men of you one of a tribe 24. And they turned and went up into the mountain and came unto the valley of Eshcol and searched it out 25. And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down unto us and brought us word again and said It is a good land which the LORD our God doth give us 26. Notwithstanding ye would not go up but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God 27. And ye murmured in your tents and said Because the LORD hated us he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us 28. Whither shall we go up our brethren have discouraged our heart saying The people is greater and taller then we the cities are great and walled up to heaven and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there 29. Then I said unto you Dread not neither be afraid of them 30. The LORD your God which goeth before you he shall fight for you according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes 31. And in the wilderness where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee as a man doth bear his son in all the way that ye went until ye came into this place 32. Yet in this thing ye did not believe the LORD your God 33. Who went in the way before you to search you out a place to pitch your tents in in fire by night to shew you by what way ye should go and in a cloud by day 34. And the LORD heard the voice of your words and was wroth and sware saying 35. Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land which I sware to give unto your fathers 36. Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh he shall see it and to him will I give the land that he hath troden upon and to his children because he hath wholly followed the LORD 37. Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes saying Thou also shalt not go in thither 38. But Joshua the son of Nun which standeth before thee he shall go in thither Encourage him for he shall cause Israel to inherit it 39. Moreover your little ones which ye said should be a prey and your children which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil they shall go in thither and unto them will I give it and they shall possess it 40. But as for you turn ye and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red-sea 41. Then ye answered and said unto me We have sinned against the LORD we will go up and fight according to all that the LORD our God commanded us And when ye had girded on every man his weapons of war ye were ready to go up into the hill 42. And the LORD said unto me Say unto them Go not up neither fight for I am not among you left ye be smitten before your enemies 43. So I spake unto you and you would not hear but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD and went presumptuously up into the hill 44. And the Amorites which dwelt in that mountain came out against you and chased you as bees do and destroyed you in Seir even unto Hormah 45. And ye returned and wept before the LORD but the LORD would not hearken to your voice nor give ear unto you 46. So ye abode in Kadesh many days according unto the days that ye abode there 1. WHich Moses spake i. e. Which Moses had formerly spoken and which are here repeated and set down for the benefit of the surviving Israelites The Red-sea Or Zuph It
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
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