Jordan This being a Profession of the True Religion to eat at God's Altar as to eat of things sacrificed to Idols was to profess the Heathenish Religion So all have understood it as Elmenhorstius hath shown from a great heap of Authors in his Annot ad Minutium Foelicem Fol. LXIX And ye shall rejoyce in all that ye put your hand unto ye and your Housholds wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee This signifies either that they should rejoyce at these Feasts in the Goodness of God who had blessed the Labour of their Hands of which the Tithe they brought thither was a Fruit or that doing thus God would bless all their future Labours and make them and their Families prosper and take comfort in all their Enjoyments Verse 8 Ver. 8. Ye shall not do after all the things that ye do here this day This doth not signifie as if there was no Civil Government or that the Courts of Justice did not sit and execute Judgment between Man and Man but relates to the place of offering Sacrifice as Mr. Selden observes Lib. II. de Synedr Cap. XV. n. IV. which in their wandring condition they did not so strictly observe as God expected when they came to be settled Our Learned Dr. Spencer thinks it relates also to other old Customs which were rather childish than prophane and therefore tolerated by God for the present To which he thinks those words of St. Paul have respect XIII Acts 18. Many things also perhaps they omitted which they could not or did not observe in the Wilderness as their New Moons and other Solemn Days with several Rites of Purification and Cleansing prescribed by the Law of Moses Every Man whatsoever is right in his own eyes This doth not import that there was no good order kept among them or that they were left at liberty to Sacrifice where they pleased but that in such an uncertain state when they were removing from place to place many took the liberty in such matters to do as they thought good Ver. 9. For ye are not yet come to the rest This Verse 9 explains what goes before and gives the Reason why God connived at some Irregularities because they were not fixed to a place but uncertain when they should have the sign to pack up their Goods and be gone to another station To the Inheritance which the LORD your God giveth you Where they were to abide as long as they observed God's Commands Ver. 10. And when ye go over Jordan and dwell in Verse 10 the Land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit When their Condition was altered for the better God expected that they should be so too And when he giveth you rest from all your Enemies round about so that ye dwell in safety This intimates that the fear they were in while they wandred in the Wilderness of the Incursions of their Enemies might make them sometimes offer Sacrifice where they ought not and commit other Disorders Verse 11 Ver. 11. Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall chuse to cause his Name to dwell there God was not pleased as Maimonides observes to declare any where in the Law where this place should be But though he often determines them to one place v. 26. XIV 23. XVI 6. yet he leaves the place undetermined Which he imagines might be for these three Reasons First Lest the Gentiles should get possession of it and make War upon that account thinking that this place was the end of the Law as he speaks And secondly lest they in whose hands it was should do all they could to destroy it And thirdly which is the truest Reason lest every Tribe should desire to have it in their Lot and Strife should arise among them about it More Nevochim P. III. Cap. XLV Thither shall ye bring all that I command you your Burnt-offerings your Sacrifices c. All that he mentioned before v. 6. This may seem an heavy imposition that they might not offer them in any place and at any time but Maimonides makes this wise Reflection upon it That God intended to teach them not to have so high an Opinion of Sacrifices as of Prayers and Deprecations and such like parts of Divine Worship viz. acknowledging his Goodness Praising him and giving him Thanks which are the Things God mainly intends and may be offered every where Whereas Sacrifices are not of that account with him which made him limit them to one place where he should appoint them to be offered and not suffer any but one certain Family to discharge this Office These and such like things were to diminish the value of Sacrifices for which reason the Prophets often reprehend Men for their too great diligence and zeal in bringing Sacrifices of which God had no need and did not principally intend as the Worship he delighted in For which he cites 1 Sam. XV. 22. I Isa 11. VII Jerem. 22. Sacrifices being appointed and one place for them not for any good in themselves but only that all Idolatry might be abolished and the belief of the Unity of God preserved More Nevochim P. III. Cap. XXXII All your choice Vows In the Hebrew the words are as our Margin notes The choice of your Vows So their Peace-offerings which were Vows were called because they were to be select out of those Creatures which were perfect and without the least desect Whereas those Creatures which had something superfluous or lacking in any part might be accepted for a Free-will-offering which a Man was not bound to make but brought it meerly out of good will So we read expresly in XXII Levit. 23. Ver. 12. And ye shall rejoyce before the LORD your Verse 12 God ye and your Sons and your Daughters and your Men-servants and your Maid-servants The whole Family was to feast with God and one with another whereby brotherly Love and Friendship was increased and strengthned by their meeting and eating together at one place And nothing is more joyful than to see Brethren dwell together in Vnity See v. 7. And the Levite that is within your Gates for asmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you See X. 9. This whole Tribe as Maimonides well notes being devoted to the Divine Service and the Study of the Law neither minded ploughing nor sowing but were wholly consecrated unto God And therefore we find them very commonly reckoned among the Strangers the Fatherless and the Widows because they had no certain Possessions which made it the more reasonable they should constantly be entertained at these Feasts which were kept at God's House More Nevochim P. III. Cap. XXXI Verse 13 Ver. 13. Take heed to thy self that thou offer not thy Burnt-offerings Under Burnt-offerings are comprehended all the other Offerings before-mentioned for these were the chief and the most usual and if they might not be offered but at a certain place much less might any other as every body might understand
A COMMENTARY UPON THE Fifth Book of MOSES CALLED DEUTERONOMY BY The Right Reverend Father in GOD SYMON Lord Bishop of ELY LONDON Printed for Ri. Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Churchyard 1700. A COMMENTARY UPON DEUTERONOMY Chapter I. THE Fifth Book of MOSES CALLED DEUTERONOMY CHAP. I. THIS Book had the Name of DEUTERONOMY given it by the Greeks from the principal Scope and Design of it which was to repeat unto the Israelites before he left them the chief Laws of God which had been given them that they who were not then born when they were first delivered or were uncapable to understand them or had not sufficiently regarded them might be instructed in them and awakned to attend to them See v. 1. 5. In order to this he premises a short Narrative of what had befaln them since they came from Mount Sinai unto this time in the three first Chapters And then in the fourth urges them by a most pathetical Exhortation to the observance of those Laws which he had taught them especially the Ten Commandments with which he begins the fifth Chapter Where he makes a solemn Rehearsal of the Covenant God made with them in Horeb and what immediately followed upon the delivery of the Law by God himself from Mount Sinai And then having earnestly pressed the observation of the first Commandment in the former part of the sixth Chapter and in the latter part of it and in several Chapters that follow to the end of the eleventh reminded them of a great many things which God had done for them and given them several Cautions lest they let them slip out of their Minds and used many Arguments from several Topicks as we call them to move them to be obedient to all the other Commandments he proceeds in the twelfth Chapter and so forward to the twenty eighth to remember them of a great many other Laws besides the Ten Commandments which he had delivered to them Some of which he explains others he inforces with further Reasons and in several places adds new Laws for the greater Security of the whole particularly he orders the writing of God's Law upon Stones when they came into the Land of Canaan Chapter XXVII And then pronounces those Promises which God had made to the Obedient and his Threatnings to the Disobedient more largely and with greater force then he had done in the XXVIth of Leviticus After which he again remembers them of several wonderful Works of God for them Chapter XXIX and renews the Covenant between God and them using several Arguments to perswade them to a dutiful observance of God's Law Which he commands Chapter XXXI to be read to all the People in the conclusion of every Seventh Year that none might pretend ignorance of it And then concludes all with a most admirable Song which he orders every one to learn and with a Blessing upon the Twelve Tribes All this was done in the two last Months of the last Year of Moses his life But not all at once as plainly appears by several parts of the Book in which he writes what he delivered to them at several times Which is the reason of the Repetition of the very same thing over and over again that he might make it sink into their Minds by being often inculcated Some have been so foolish as to make this an Objection against this Book being composed by Moses But it shows their great ignorance all wise Men having ever judged it necessary to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very same things concerning the same things that they might be thoroughly understood and fixed in the memory of their Auditors and setled in their Hearts and Affections Particularly Epictetus as David Chytraeus long ago observed delivered this as a profitable Rule in all Studies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This must be known as a certain Truth that it is not easie for a Man to attain the solid knowledge of any thing unless he both read and hear the same things every day and also set himself to the practice of them This Course Moses took with the Children of Israel spending every day it is likely of the latter end of his life in calling to their mind again and again what he had taught them and the reason they had to do accordingly Verse 1. THese be the words This Book contains the words Verse 1 Which Moses spake unto all Israel All the People could not hear what he said but he ordered the Elders and Heads of the several Tribes to communicate to the whole Congregation what he delivered to them in the Audience of many of the People who were assembled with them Thus these words are commonly understood But considering the great weight of what is here said I rather think that Moses himself at several times spake what here follows in the Ears of the People See V. 1. On this side Jordan The Vulgar Latin having translated the Hebrew words beeber on the other side Jordan it hath furnished some ill disposed Minds with an Argument that Moses was not the Author of this Book For he that wrote plainly shows that he was in Canaan when he wrote it But a very little consideration would have prevented this frivolous Objection there being nothing more certain than that the Hebrew words signifie indifferently either one side or the other and may be literally translated in the passage over Jordan or as they were about to pass over it as Huetius observes and proves by plain Examples that the Hebrews have no other word to express their mind when they would say either on this side or beyond See Demonstr Evang. Propos IV. Cap. XIV To which another learned Writer since him Hermannus Witsius Lib. I. Miscel Sacr. Cap. XIV hath added several other places which evidently show that beeber is a word that indifferently belongs to either side of any place See 1 Sam. XIV 40. and must be determined by the Matter in hand to which it is to be applied And here undoubtedly it is to be rendered on this side Jordan See III. 8. In the Wilderness in the Plain In the Plain of Moab where they had remained a long while as appears from the foregoing Book XXII Numb 1. XXVI 3 63. XXXI 12. XXXIII 48 49. XXXV 1. XXXVI 13. Over against the Red Sea There is no word in the Hebrew Text for Sea and therefore the Marginal Translation is to be preferred which is over against Suph which was a place in the Country of Moab See XXI Numb 14. over against which they now lay encamped but were so far distant from the Red Sea that there can be no respect to it here Between Paran He doth not mean the Wilderness of Paran frequently mentioned in the foregoing Book for that was as remote from hence as the Red Sea but some place in the Country of Moab as Zuph was and the rest of the places which here follow And Tophel and Laban and Hazeroth
Propos IV. Cap. 1. Ver. 6. The LORD our God spake unto us in Horeb Verse 6 saying X Numb 13. Ye have dwelt long enough in this Mount From the third Month of the first Year XIX Exod. 1. to the twentieth day of the second Year after they came out of Egypt X Numb 11. they stayed at Mount Sinai which is the same with Horeb they being only two tops of the same Mountain one of them something higher than the other as they are described by those who have taken a view of them For Moses was twice with God for the space of Forty days in in this Mount and here the Tabernacle and all things belonging to it were made according to the Orders he there received and then was erected and consecrated and the People all numbred and disposed under their several Standards to march in such order as God appointed II Numb 3 10 17 c. X. 14 15 c. Verse 7 Ver. 7. Turn you From this Mountain And take your Journey Resume your Journey which you have so long intermitted And go to the Mount of the Amorites A Mount on the South part of Canaan inhabited by the Amorites together with some Canaanites and Amalekites XIV Numb 25 43 45. But the principal Possessors of it were Amorites as is expressed more than once in this Chapter v. 19 20 44. This is the Mountain to which Moses bid the Spies go up XIII Numb 17. and so they did v. 22. And unto all the places nigh thereunto And so pass into all the neighbouring Country which lies near it In the Plain in the Hills and in the Vale. This is a Description of the Country nigh unto this Mountain some of which was Champion as we speak and other parts of it consisted of Hills and Dales And in the South and by the Sea-side to the Land of the Canaanites and unto Lebanon and unto the great River the river Euphrates And so go into all the rest of the Land of Canaan the several quarters of which he here sets forth The Southern part lying toward this Mountain the Western upon the Sea where the People properly called Canaanites dwelt the Northern toward Lebanon and the Eastern towards the River Euphrates Which by other Authors as well as Moses is called the great River So Callimachus in his Hymn to Apollo v. 103. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The great Flood of the Assyrian River which the Scholiast observes is meant of Euphrates And Lucan cum Tigride magnus Euphrates L. III. v. 253. Ver. 8. Behold I have set the Land In the Hebrew Verse 8 Given the Land i. e. bestowed it upon you and am ready to bring you into the possession of it Before you That every one of you may have his share of it Or that you may go whether you please and settle your selves in it XIII Gen. 9. XXXIV 10. Go in and possess the Land Therefore make no longer stay here in the Wilderness but go and take possession of my Gift Which the LORD sware unto yuor Fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob c. XV Gen. 18. XVII 7 8. XXVI 3. XXVIII 13. Ver. 9. And I spake unto you at that time saying Verse 9 About the time of their coming to Horeb or Mount Sinai For the Story of Jethro unto which this relates preceded that immediately XVIII Exod. Many great Men place it after the giving of the Law Of which see Selden L. II. de Synedr Cap. 2. N. IV. I am not able to bear you alone We do not read before now that Moses spake thus to the People But Jethro spake in this manner to him XVIII Exod. 18. and gave him advice to take some others to his assistance v. 21. which advice he followed v. 24. And then spake to the People what Jethro had said to him and enlarged upon it in the words we read here in the following Verses where he gives them the reason why he could not perform the Office of a Judge alone Ver. 10. The LORD your God hath multiplied you Verse 10 and behold ye are this day as the Stars of Heaven for multitude Increased unto a greater number then can easily be told Verse 11 Ver. 11. The LORD God of your Fathers make you a thousand times so many as you are As if he had said I am not troubled at your vast increase but bless God for it and beseech him to make you a thousand times more numerous then at present you are And bless you as he hath promised you In the Promise often repeated to their Fathers XII Gen. 2. XV. 5. XVII 5 6. XVIII 18. XXII 17. XXVI 4. XXVIII 14. Verse 12 Ver. 12. How can I my self alone bear your cumbrance and your burden and your strife But how is it possible for one Man alone to undergo the labour of hearing all the Complaints of such a Multitude and of remedying all their Grievances and determining all their Controversies So the last word signifies Suits at Law as we speak as the two former signifie other Differences which arose between one Man and another about such things as are mentioned in the XXI XXII and XXIII Chapters of EXODUS The first word which we translate cumbrance signifies tediosam litigantium serram as Hottinger interprets it in his Smegna Orientale Lib. I. Cap. 6. the tedious Pleadings of those that manage Causes before a Judge by Bills and Answers suppose and Rejoynders c. Verse 13 Ver. 13. Take ye In the Hebrew it is Give ye i. e. present unto me such Persons as you think fit according to the following Characters Wise men and understanding and known among your Tribes Men of known Wisdom Prudence and Integrity skilful in Divine and Humane Laws See XVIII Exod. 21. Some take Wise men to signifie such as knew much and understanding such as had prudence to make use of their knowledge being Men of Experience and they were to be noted for both these otherwise the People would not have reverenced them Ver. 14. And ye answered me and said The thing Verse 14 which thou hast spoken is good for us to do This Consent of the People is not recorded before but sufficiently implied in their Submission to this Regulation mentioned XVIII Exod. 26. Ver. 15. So I took the chief of your Tribes wise men Verse 15 and known From among those Men that they presented to him he took I suppose such Persons among the chief of their Tribes as were endowed with the Qualities here named and were known by all so to be For obscure Persons either for Birth or Experience in Affairs would have been contemned and therefore he chose the noblest of those that were presented to him called here the chief of their Tribes if they were no less worthy than others For some such no doubt there were among their great Men as might be thought fit for this high Employment And they were the fitter because being Men of Quality as we speak they were less liable to
18 19. And therefore I refer the Reader to what I have noted there only adding that from hence it appears how false their Opinion is who think the Hebrew word Tzippor is a general Name only for small Birds such as Sparrows for it is evident from this place that it is a Name for all Birds whatsoever even the greatest such as are here mentioned Ver. 19. And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean Verse 19 to you they shall not be eaten See XI Lev. 20. Ver. 20. But of all clean fowls ye may eat This is Verse 20 not the same Precept with that v. 11. for there he speaks of Birds but here of other winged Creatures which are not Birds but Insects as we call them And in XI Levit. he describes the flying creeping things which they might eat and particularly mentions several sorts of them v. 22. Ver. 21. Ye shall not eat of any thing that dieth of it Verse 21 self Unto this Discourse about Food it was very proper to add a Caution which he had given before XI Levit. 39 40. that though they might kill and eat any clean Creature yet if it died of it self it was unlawful to eat it because the Blood was in it Some Verses ascribed to Phocylides contain this sence so fully that one would think he had read Moses See Jos Scaliger in Eusebium p. 88. Thou shalt give it unto the Stranger that is within thy Gates The Proselytes of the Gates as they called them who had not embraced their Religion but were not Idolaters and therefore suffered to dwell among them might eat such Meat having no obligation upon them to observe these Laws for they were not Circumcised Or thou mayest sell it unto an Alien To a meer Gentile who might happen then to be in their Country For there were three sorts of People called by the name of Strangers being not of the Jewish Nation First Such as had received Circumcision and consequently embraced the Jewish Religion who were called Gere-tzedek strangers or Proselytes of Justice Others were not Circumcised but yet worshipped the God of Israel who were called Strangers of the Gate or Gere-toshab Strangers dwelling among them because they were to abide in their Country constantly But there were a third sort called Nocherim which we here translate Aliens who were meer Gentiles and not suffered to have an habitation among them but only to come and go in their Traffick with them For thou art an holy People unto the LORD thy God This Reason was given in the beginning of this Discourse v. 2. and so it is in Leviticus in the Conclusion of it See XI 44 45. Thou shalt not seeth a Kid in its Mothers milk Now he plainly returns to caution them against Idolatrous Customs For this was practised among the Heathens in the end of Harvest when they sprinkled their Fields and their Gardens with this Broth to make them fruitful It is mentioned twice before See XXIII Exod. 19. and XXXIV 26. Ver. 22. Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy Verse 22 Seed which the field bringeth forth year by year This doth not seem to reach unto Herbs as the Pharisees interpreted it of which see Grotius on XXIII Matth. 4. But though Causabon and Drusius and other great Men are of this Opinion yet the contrary is maintained by Persons of no small note because our Saviour when he determines this Case saith These things ye ought to have done and not left the other undone As for the Tithe here mentioned I have shown elsewhere that it was the manner of the Eastern Princes to receive the Tenth of the Fruits of their Country for the Maintenance of their Ministers and Officers as we read 1 Sam. VIII 15. In like manner God the great King of all the Earth and the peculiar Soveraign of this Country required a Tenth of all their Increase for the Maintenance of his Priests and Levites in his Service After which he ordered also a further Tithe to be taken out of the Nine Parts remaining which was called the Second Tithe to be spent in Feasts at his Tabernacle And this is with great reason thought to be particularly enjoyned in these words for of such Tithes he speaks in the next Verse It might seem indeed a little hard to give another Tenth Part after they had paid one already which they might be tempted not to perform exactly and therefore he saith Thou shalt truly that is faithfully without any deceit or fraud Tithe all the Increase of thy Seed And when this was done he required also once in three years a third Tithe for the use of the Poor See v. 28. that they might also be entertained at his Cost though not at that time at his House For it was sutable to his Royal Greatness that all his Subjects should be feasted by his order at his Palace and that the poorest of them should not be neglected but some time or other partake of his Bounty as they did at those Feasts I mentioned where their Men-servants and Maid-servants were to be entertained as well as the Levites XII 12 18. Verse 23 Ver. 23. And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall chuse to place his Name there See XII 5 6. The Tithe of thy Corn and of thy Wine and of thine Oil. This cannot be meant of the Tithe paid to the Levites of which the People were not to partake but only the Priests to whom the Levites were to give a Tithe Therefore it must be understood of the second Tithe separated after the other was paid for this holy use The design of which was that they might be secured in his Religion by eating and drinking in his Presence and thereby professing that they belong'd to him and were his thankful Servants The observation of R. Bechai upon these words thy Corn thy Wine and thine Oil is something curious but it hath a great deal of Truth in it If thou pay the Tithe saith he then it is thy Corn if thou do not it is my Corn and not thine in like manner if they paid the Tithe of Wine and Oil for it is said in II Hosea 9. Therefore I will return and take away my Corn in the time thereof and my Wine in the season thereof For they forfeited the whole who did not pay the Tenth which was the Rent God reserved to himself And the same R. Bechai represents this as a very merciful Law For it is the fashion of the World saith he if a Man have Ground of his own to let it out to Tenants at what rate he pleases for an half or third part to be paid to him But it is not so with the Almighty whose the Earth is and who raises Clouds and Waters it with Rain and sends down drops of Dew and makes fat the Fruits of the Earth and yet requires but one part of Ten for his own uses This made it highly reasonable
was but till they had eaten the Paschal Lamb after which they might return home if they pleased So Bochartus who from hence proves that the most Solemn Days of the Feast of unleavened Bread were not observed like a Sabbath because Men might travel home upon the first Day of unleavened Bread as the whole Nation travelled out of Egypt on this day from Rameses to Succoth Yet pious People who were able to bear so great a Charge were wont no doubt to stay the whole seven Days before they returned home because the first and last Days of the Feast were great Solemnities So they did in the Passover of Hezekiah and Josiah 2 Chron. XXX 21. XXXV 17. And there being special Sacrifices to be offered every day during this Festival as was before said Solomon ben Virgoe observes that all the Country thereabouts brought their Oxen and their Sheep to be sold at this time to those who came from far so that the Mountains round about Jerusalem were covered with them and not a bit of Grass to be seen He adds also That whosoever did not come up to this Feast all his Goods were forfeited and converted to Sacred Uses Shebet Jehuda p. 378. Ver. 8. Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread and Verse 8 on the seventh day shall be a solemn Assembly unto the LORD thy God This is to be understood as if he had said that after they had eaten unleavened Bread six days they should conclude the Solemnity upon the seventh day with a Solemn Assembly or as it is in the Hebrew with a restraint but still continue also on this day to eat unleavened Bread For this Feast was to last seven days and in all the foregoing Books they are expresly required to ear unleavened Bread seven days XII Exod. 15. XXIII Levit. 6. XXVIII Numb 17. A Solemn Assembly Which the Hebrews call Atzereth of the meaning of which see XXIII Lev. 36. Thou shalt do no work therein That is no Servile Work as it is explained XXVIII Numb 25. but they might dress their Meat which the LXX seems to mean by those words which they add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 save only such things as shall be done to preserve life Verse 9 Ver. 9. Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee From the morrow after the Sabbath when they brought the Sheaf of the Wave-offering as it is explained in XXIII Levit. 15. See there Begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the Corn. For they began to cut Barley at the Passover as is manifest from hence that Joshua passed over Jordan to enter into Canaan in the time of Harvest III Josh 15. and this was in the month of Nisan when they kept the Passover as appears from V Josh 10. Which Month could not be called Abib or the Month of New Fruits if some Corn was not then ripe viz. Barley This Josephus confirms Lib. III. Antiq. Cap. X. Which must be understood as Hermannus Conringius observes in his Treatise de Initio Anni Sabbatici c. of that sort of Barly which was sown in Autumn as it is this day in Frisia which required a stronger Soil than that sown in the Spring and produced a much richer Crop See Mr. Mede's Works p. 355. who observes how very different their Climate was from ours Ver. 10. And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto Verse 10 the LORD thy God The reason of this Name is given in the foregoing Verse And see XXXIV Exod. 22. It was called also the Feast of Harvest See XXIII Exod. 16. With a Tribute of a Free-will-offering of thine hand which thou shalt give unto the LORD thy God c. Besides those Offerings which are prescribed XXIII Levit. 17 18. XXVIII Numb 27 c. The quantity is not directed but left to every Man's Piety And whatsoever it was he brought it was wholly given to God and he that brought it had no share in it but God gave it to his Priests According as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee Though no quantity was prescribed yet God expected every Man should offer proportionably to his Estate and they who had a religious sense of God's goodness in blessing their Labours no doubt acknowledged it by a Liberal Tribute Ver. 11. And thou shalt rejoyce before the LORD thy Verse 11 God thou and thy son and thy daughter and thy Man-servant and thy Maid-servant and the Levite that is within thy gates c. This Feast was made of such Offerings as are mentioned XII 7 17 18 19. Ver. 12. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a Verse 12 bondman in Egypt They are often put in mind of this as an Argument to Charity particularly towards their Servants See XV. 15. And thou shalt observe and do these Statutes There was a particular reason for keeping this Feast because it was in remembrance of God's giving them his Law from Mount Sinai where he spake with them himself Ver. 13. Thou shalt observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days after that thou hast gathered in thy Corn and Verse 13 thy Wine This is the third great Feast at which all their Males were bound to appear every year as we read XXIII Exod. 16 17. XXXIV 22 23. Of which he puts them in mind again XXIII Levit. 34 35 36. and here v. 16. Verse 14 Ver. 14. And thou shalt rejoyce in thy Feast thou and thy son and thy daughter and thy Man-servant and thy Maid-servant c. There was the like Law at Athens where King Cecrops ordained as Macrobius tells us Lib. I. Saturnal Cap. X. the Master of every Family should after Harvest make a Feast for his Servants and eat together with them who had taken pains with him in tilling his Ground Delectari enim Deum honore Servorum contemplatu laboris for God delighted in the honour done to Servants in consideration of their Labour This it 's likely he learnt from Moses for he reigned at Athens much about the same time that Israel came out of Egypt and was the first as Eusebius saith who taught the Greeks to call God by the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. X. Proepar Evangel which we may interpret the Living God Though therein he seems to be a little mistaken For Pausanias saith more than once both in his Arcadia and his Attica That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was the first that called Jupiter by the name of the Most High or Supream And the same we read in St. Cyril against Julian Lib. I. See Joh. Meursius de Regibus Atheniensium Lib. I. Cap. IX Verse 15 Ver. 15. Seven days shalt thou keep a Feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall chuse In order to which that it might be kept the more Solemnly it is once more enjoyned and all the Sacrifices that were to be offered in each of the seven days appointed in XXIX Numb from v.
the Levites the Jews understand as if he had said the Priests of the Tribe of Levi or the Sons of Levi For so he speaks in XXI 5. And Mr. Selden produces a great many other Instances of the like Phrase Lib. II. de Synedr Cap. VIII N. 2 3. and shows they are so described as the Jews think to exclude all others that had been Priests before God took the Sons of Aaron peculiarly to serve him in this Office But the Levites as well as Priests they unanimously agree were capable to be Members of this great Sanhedrim Which they all likewise say did not consist only of Priests and Levites but of any other Persons of other Tribes who were fit to be promoted to this Dignity Nay they say if there was not one Priest or Levite in the Court it was a lawful Judicature For the High-Priest himself no more than any Man else had a place here meerly for his Birth unless his Learning in the Law was answerable So Maimonides and others And those other Members who were not Priests nor Levites they think are comprehended under the word Judge which though it be in the singular number may be thought to signifie more than one as appears from XIX 17. where it is said expresly they shall bring the Controversie there mentioned before the Priests and the Judges And further that Judge after the manner of this Language may signifie Judges Constantine L'Empereur gathers from v. 12. where Priest in the singular number is used for those who are here called Priests in the plural Annot. in Corn. Bertram p. 389. But howsoever this be it seems to me that though the Priests and Levites were not the only Persons of whom this High Court consisted the Members of which might be chosen out of any Tribe where they could find men qualified yet they are here first mentioned because they were likely to be the most capable Persons to exercise this Authority especially in the first Constitution of this Commonwealth when they were newly entred into Canaan For all other Persons were then busily employed in looking after the Inheritance that was fall'n to them and settling the Affairs of their several Families whereby they were rendred less able to attend unto this weighty Office But the Tribe of Levi having no Inheritance among them as is often repeated in these Books and no care about Husbandry and such like Affairs had a full leisure both to study the Laws of God and to judge according to them especially being appointed by God to teach Jacob his Judgments and Israel his Law XXXIII 10. Besides this Court being settled at the place of God's Worship where a great many Priests and Levites always necessarily attended they were most ready without any inconvenience to themselves to execute this Office of Judges having their Maintenance from the Publick which no other Persons had But otherwise as I said they had no more right than other Men to be Members of this Court. Which we cannot certainly say consisted of Seventy Judges together with their Nasi i. e. their Prince or President nor that they always sat at the place here appointed For there were sometimes great Troubles in the Land and they were under the power of their Enemies which extreamly disturbed their Government and made it necessary for God to raise them up extraordinary Judges because the power of this Court was broken in pieces So Mr. Selden himself acknowledges that there were great Intermissions of their sitting in the times of Antiochus Epiphanes and of Herod the great Lib. II. de Synedriis Cap. XIV N. III. And therefore why not in the times when they were oppressed by the Moabites Ammonites Philistines and other cruel Neighbours in the days of the Judges And thus Grotius Hermannus Conringius to name no more here understand the word Judge who is joyned with the Priest and Levites And unto the Judge The fore-named Authors thus translate this Verse Thou shalt come unto the Priests the Levites or unto the Judge that shall be in those days Where by Judge they understand such as Othniel Ehud Gideon Jephtah Sampson Samuel and others whom God raised up when they were oppressed by their Enemies and in great Confusions to govern his People which they did with the highest Authority being equal to Kings save only that they kept not Royal State or Equipage but are plainly called by that Name XVII Judg. 6. XIX 1. XXI 25. Now though the Priests and Levites i. e. that Court of which they made a considerable part were the ordinary Supream Judges of Controversies yet the JUDGE when God raised one up was endued with an extraordinary power above theirs to whom the People therefore resorted for his decision For just as all ordinary Magistrates among the Romans gave place to a Dictator when they had one so all the Hebrew Magistrates did to such a JUDGE when God appointed him who determined all manner of Controversies as at other times the other Judges whether Priests or others were wont to do See Herman Conringius de Republ. Ebraeorum Sect. XXXIX I know but one Objection against this which is That those extraordinary Judges were not fixed as far as we can find in the place where the Sanctuary was unless we may judge of all the rest by Eli and Samuel who seem to have been settled there But we must consider that they were not confined by their Commission which was not grounded on this Law to any one certain place but left at liberty to live where they thought most convenient for the discharge of their Trust in the Reformation of the People And the truth of what I said concerning their Supream Power plainly appears in Samuel who went up and down the Country executing Judgment when Shilo was destroyed and had no Court like that which the Jews speak of to assist him But when he needed assistance he appointed his Sons to be Judges 1 Sam. VIII 1. of whom when the Elders complained v. 4. because they did not discharge their Duty well it was to himself and not to any other Persons and they desire not a Sanhedrim but a King to judge them v. 5. Which Petition we do not find that he communicated to the Sanhedrim but only unto God nor is any mention made of them in the choice of a King or after he was chosen in the History of their Kings till Jehosaphat's time no more than there is in the Book of Joshua and Judges Where we read that when there was no King that is Judge in Israel every Man did what was right in his own eyes which is a sign that there wanted such a Court to keep them in order After the time of Jehosaphat who settled Judges in every City as I observed XVI 18. they continued it is plain till the Captivity but what number there was of them we do not know After the Captivity Ezra and Nehemiah seem to have done all themselves See IX and X Nehem. which
for instance in III Galat. 21. asks this question Do you not hear the Law and then quotes what we read in XVI Gen. 21. And so Nehemiah saith X. 34 35. that they brought First-fruits unto God as it is written in the Law viz. XIII Exod. 12. XXIII 19. And Josiah put away the workers with familiar Spirits c. that he might perform the words of the Law 2 Kings XXIII 24. which we find XIX Levit. 30. XX. 6 27. And Ezekiah also 2 Chron. XXXI 3. appointed the daily Oblations and those required at stated times to be offered as it is written in the Law of the LORD which plainly refers to the XXVIIIth and XXIXth of Numbers And Joshua built an Altar on Mount Ebal VIII 30 31. as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses which we find no where but in this Book of Deuteronomy XXVII 4. And delivered it unto the Priests the sons of Levi. Concerning this form of Speech the Priests the sons of Levi see XVII 9. It is probable Moses had wrote most of these Five Books some time ago and so the foregoing words may be translated Moses had wrote this Law but did not finish them till a little before his death and then delivered them to the Priests But there is no necessity thus to understand it for he might have had time enough between this and his death to write the whole Pentateuch It being only said v. 14. Thy days approach that thou must die which doth not imply he was to die in a day or two but there might be some weeks before his departure Which bare the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD It was most proper to deliver it unto them who alone might touch the Ark in which this Law was to be laid v 26. The Kohathites who were mere Levites and not Priests did carry the Ark in their Travels through the Wilderness after the Priests had covered it and put in the Staves thereof as I have shown IV Numb 5 6 c. but it is evident they served only as Ministers to the Priests who upon great occasions bare the Ark themselves As when they passed over Jordan III Josh 3 6. when they compassed Jericho VI Josh 6. and when the Temple of Solomon was dedicated and the Ark brought into it 1 Kings VIII 3 4 6. When David indeed brought the Ark to Jerusalem it is said the Levites bare it but at the same time the Priests also were summoned to take care of it which shows the Levites bare it as their Servants 1 Chron. XV. 2 11 13 14 15. And unto all the Elders of Israel As he delivered this Book of the Law that is the whole Pentateuch as Abarbinel and others of the Jews understand it unto the Priests commanding them to preserve it safe near the Ark v. 24. so he delivered another Copy of this Book to the Elders of every Tribe as the Jews affirm in Debarim Rabba Where they say and it is highly probable that Moses before his death wrote Thirteen Copies of the Law with his own hand as they add and having delivered one unto the Priests to be preserved in the holy Place gave one to each Tribe which he committed to the care of the Elders of it Thus Maimonides also in his Preface to Jad Chazakah as Buxtorf observes in his Histor Arcae Foederis Cap. 5. The intent of which was I suppose that all the People of each Tribe might resort to it as the whole Nation were to resort to that in the Sanctuary if they doubted of any thing which might be thought to be amiss by the errors of Transcribers Ver. 10. And Moses commanded them Both the Verse 10 Priests and the Elders to take care of what follows At the end of every seventh year in the solemnity of the year of release Mentioned XV. 1 c. In the Feast of Tabernacles When they had gathered in all the Fruits of the Earth and thereby had greater leisure to attend to the hearing of the Law read to them Which when Mens minds were also freed from Cares by the Release of their Debts was likely to make a greater impression upon them Ver. 11. When all Israel is come to appear before the Verse 11 LORD thy God in the place which he shall chuse As they were bound to do at this Feast and at Pentecost and the Passover XVI 16. Thou shalt read this Law before all Israel in their hearing This Order being directed not to all Israel but to a particular Person plainly imports that the Supream Governour whosoever he was had this charge laid upon him to take care these Laws should be read at this Solemn Time that all the People might hear them And therefore I think the Jews rightly say that their Kings when they had them were bound not only to look after this matter but to read the Law themselves to as many that is as could hear them appointing the Priests and the Levites to read it in as many other Assemblies of the People as were necessary for the fulfilling of this Precept In order to which a Pulpit was set up in the Court of the Men of Israel on the very first day of the Feast for they did not think fit to defer it till the last because it is here said when Israel is come to appear before the LORD not when they were ready to depart as the Jews observe the King going up into it the Minister took the Book of the Law and delivered it to the Ruler of the Synagogue who gave it to the Sagan or Vicar of the High Priest who delivered it to the High Priest and he to the King who stood up to receive it and then sâ—t down to read All this expresses the reverence with which this holy Book was delivered and likewise the reverence with which they approached to the King Who they say began to read at this Book of Deuteronomy which is a Compendium of the Law and proceeded before he stopt to those words VI. 4. Hear O Israel c. which having also read he omitted the rest till he came to Chap. XI 13. And it shall come to pass if thou wilt hearken diligently c. reading on to the 22d Verse And then skipt to XIV 22. And thou shalt truly tithe c. reading on to the Section concerning the King XVII 14. and then the Cursings and Blessings out of the XXVIIth and XXVIIIth Chapter till he had ended all that Section of the Law Thus the Mischna in the Title Sota Cap. VII Sect. VIII which Wagenseil hath lately illustrated with most Learned Annotations and our Dr. Lightfoot also hath given an account of it long ago in his Temple Service Chap. XVII Sect. I. where he saith the King might sit down if he pleased when he read but it was esteemed more honourable if he stood as King Agrippa did when he performed this Office And before he began to read he made a Prayer to God
Land Verse 20 which I sware unto their Fathers that floweth with milk and honey VI. 10 c. XV. 8 9. And they shall have eaten and filled themselves and waxen fat VIII 10 11 12 c. XXVII 15. Then they will turn unto other gods and serve them c. Against which he had most solemnly foremarned them in the places before-mentioned and XI 16. XII 29 30. Ver. 21. And it shall come to pass when many evils Verse 21 and troubles are befaln them that this Song shall testifie against them as a witness That they are most justly punished for their foul ingratitude and unbelief with which this Song upbraided them having told them plainly XXXII 18 19. what would be the effect of their forsaking him and at the delivery of it God having solemnly said here v. 17. that when they went a whoring from him he would forsake them and hide his face from them For it shall not be forgotten out of the mouth of their seed The Calamities which fell upon them according to what is predicted in this Song brought it to their remembrance when they had forgotten it or did not regard it For these words do not seem to be a Precept requiring them to remember this Song but a Prediction foretelling that their Miseries should not suffer them quite to forget it For I know their imagination which they go about even now before I have brought them into the Land which I sware He saw the secret Inclinations and Designs which were in their hearts and perceived that at that very present they hankered as we speak after Idols Verse 22 Ver. 22. Moses therefore wrote this Song the same day And so did Joshua as he was commanded v. 19. who spake the words of this Song unto the People as well as Moses XXXII 44. And taught it the Children of Israel Commanded them to learn it v. 19. In order to which the Jews say every Man was bound to write for himself a Copy of it and more than that they make it one of the affirmative Precepts as Maimonides tells us which obliged every Israelite to write out the whole Book of the Law with his own hand For so they interpret those words v. 19. Write ye this Song for you as if they were spoken to all the People and their meaning had been Write ye this Law for you wherein is this Song for they were not to write the Law by small parts and sections as his words are but all of it intirely And if a Man's Parents had left him a Copy yet he was bound to write one himself or if he could not write to procure one to be written for him by some other Person c. See Schickard's Mischpat Hameleck Cap. II. Theor. V. Verse 23 Ver. 23. And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge That is the LORD who had hitherto spoken to him by Moses now spake to him himself and gave him this charge to gain him the greater Authority For which end he had ordered Joshua to present himself before him together with Moses verse 14. Be strong and of a good courage Which he repeats to him after the death of Moses I Josh 6 7. For thou shalt bring the Children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them I have appointed thee to be the Captain of my People to lead them into the Land of Canaan And I will be with thee To give him success in all his Enterprises Which words being spoken in the audience of all the People as may be supposed from v. 14. made them readily submit to the Authority of Joshua and confide in his Conduct Ver. 24. And it came to pass when Moses had made Verse 24 an end of writing the words of this Law in a Book until they were finished The whole Book of his Laws which he put together before his death as I said on v. 9. Ver. 25. That Moses commanded the Levites c. Verse 25 The Priests who were of the Tribe of Levi. See v. 9. Ver. 26. Take this Book of the Law and put it in the Verse 26 side of the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD your God Not in the inside of it for he doth not say put it into the Ark but in the side of the Ark that is on the outside in a little Box as Jonathan and others expound it For it is the very same Phrase with that 1 Sam. VI. 8. where the Philistims are said to have put the Jewels of Gold which they returned for a Sin-offering in a Coffer by the side of the Ark. Where none could put it but the High Priest because no Body else might go into the Holy Place where the Ark was And therefore those Priests who received the Book of the Law from Moses delivered it to Eleazer to be there placed See Buxtorf Histor Arcae Cap. V. and Huetius more lately in his Demonstratio Evangelica Propos IV. Cap. de Can. Libr. Sacrorum Sect. VIII where he observes that R. Meir in both the Talmuds Abarbinel himself and many others have been of opinion from this very place that the Book of the Law was put into the Ark it self being no less precious than the Tables of Stone which were there But the Scripture tells us There was nothing in the Ark save the two Tables of Stone 1 Kings VIII 9. 2 Chron. V. 10. and their reason is good for nothing the two Tables far excelling this Book because written by the Finger of God And therefore other great Doctors among the Jews rightly place it without the Ark as the very words of Moses import That it may be there for a witness against thee It was deposited in that place as a publick Record that if any one should falsifie or deprave any thing in the Law as Abarbinel interprets it he might be convicted out of this Book which was sacredly preserved to be produced as a Witness against him Or as the Author of Tzeror Hammor expresses it that if they should be so wicked as to lose the Books of the Law this Copy kept under the care of the Priests might remain to testifie what was the Will of God As we see it did in the days of Josiah when it was casually found in the House of God as they were about the reparations of it Though I cannot say they found it in the side of the Ark but rather upon the Roof of the House or in the Rafters where the Priests had hid it as some of the Jews think when Manasseh endeavoured to destroy this Authentick Copy of the Law as he had done all other that he could find and when they came to uncover the House there it appeared Ver. 27. For I know thy rebellion and thy stiff-neck I have been sufficiently acquainted with your perverse disposition Behold while I am yet alive with you this day ye Verse 27 have been rebellious against the LORD and how much more after my death For it was not