Commentary on the Holy Bible

work; but it must take place, when the sins which incensed it, are neither repented of nor forsaken. This people, by their continued transgressions, proved themselves totally iniworthy of a political existence; and therefore s;i!d God to Saul, Go and uttfirly destroy the sinners the AinaleL-itea, 1 Sam. xv. IS. So their coiithmance in sin, was the cause of their final destruction.

Verse 15. Jehovah-nissi] Jelioi-ah is my en'.lgn or banner. 'The hands and rod of Moses were held up as soldiers are wont to hojd up their slundardi in the tiine of battle; and as these standards bear the arms of tlie country, the soldiers ^re said to fight under that banner, i. e. under the direction and in the defence of that go\ernment. Thus the Israelites fought under the direction i>f God, and in the defence of his truth; and therefore the name Jehov.^h became the armorial bearings of the whole congregation. By his direction they fought, and in his name and strength they conquered; each one feeling himself not his own, but the Lord's soldier.

Verse 16. The Lord hath suborn, that the Lord a- ill have ivar ivith Jinalek, &c.] This is no translation of the words t '3 ncnVc rt' D^ bj? ki yad al kes yah milchamah, which have been variously rendered by diflerent translators and critics; the most rational version of which is the following: Because the hand of Amalek is against the throne of God, therefore ivill I flare ivar icith Ainalek from generation to generation. Tllis gives a tolerably consistent sense, yet still there is considerable obscurity in the passage. Houbigant, a most judicious, though bold critic, supposes, that as Jehovah-nissi, 'dj nirr Jehovah my ensign, was spoken of immediately before, that DO kes, a throne, in this verse, is an error of some transcriber, for DJ nes, an ensign, which might be icadily occasioned by the great similarity between the 3 cap/i and the j nun. He thinks farther, that the two letters rr yah, which are supposed to be here a contraction of the word nin' Yehovah, are separated, the ' yod from dj nes, which should be written ■'03 nissi, and the n lie frtim r.Knbn milchamah, which shouh' be \\r)tteii nrn'^nn lunnilchaniuh, and then the whole verse will run thus: For the hand shall be upon the ensigns of war Jinto the Lord, against.hnaiek for ever, i. e. Goil makes now a declaration of war against the Amalekites, \vhich shall continue till their final destruction. The conjecture of iMr. Julius

huve war with Amalek, fi-om generation to generation.

Or, Becan&e the hand nf Am;ilek h t:gainst the thnnic of the LORD, therelore. Sic. " lieb. the hand upon the throne rfthe LORD.

Bate, in his Literal Translation of the Pentateuch, desenrcs attention. He supposes that as OD cos signifies a cup, and a cup is emblematically used for wrath, that on one of the stones of the altar, mentioned in the preceding verse, a hand holding a cup, was sculptured, this being a memorial, according to the custom of hieroglyphical writing, that the Lord would continue the cup of wrath, portending continual war, against Arnaiek for ever. I prefer Uoubigant's exposition.

1. Tllis fii-st victory of Israel must have inspired them with a considerable measure of confidence in God, and in his ser-:ant Moses. Though Goil alone could give them the victory, yet it was necessary to shew them, that it was by the influence of Moses they got it. Rloses could not deliver Amalek into their hands; yet, if Closes did not continue to hold up his ■ hands, i. e. to pray, Amalek must prevail. God, therefore, ' wrought this work in such a way, as to instruct the people, ' promote his own glory, and secure the true honour of his, servant. The Divine Being always performs the greatest ( number possible of ends, by the/fui»< and simplest means. In i every work of God, there is as much of vjisdom and aconomy, as there is of sovereign uncontrouled power.

3. It is not probable, that the peo])le whom Joshua chose out to lead against Amalek, were unarmed; and we have already seen, that it is not at all likely that they came armed out of Egypt. And as the whole circumstances of this case shew, that those who fought against the Amalekites, were properly equijjped for the fight, we may then safely presume that they got their arms ii-fim the Egyi'tians, whose bodies w ere thrown on the shore, after having been overwhelmed in the Red Sea. Thus, what was a judgment in the one ca.se, was a most gracious providence in the other. Judgment on God's /of.v, is mercy to h\» friends.

3. Of the efficacy of prayer we have already had the most striking examples. He who has the sjjirit of prayer, has the highest interest \n the court of Heaven; and the only way to retain it, is to keep it in constant employment. Apostacy begins in the closet: no man ever backslid trom the lift and power of Christianity, who continued constant and fentnt, especially in private prayer. He, v:ho prays without ceasing, is likely to rejoice evermore.

Jcthro, called flie fulher-iii-las of Moses, lieariiig of the deliverance zchich God had grunlcd to Israel, 1, took Zippora/i and her two sous, (jershnm and Eliezer, and brought them to Moses, zdien he with the Israelites were encamped near Ilvreb, 1 — 5. He.sends to Moses, anntruncing his arrival, 6. Moses goes out to meet fiim, 7, and gives him a histori/ of God's dealings with. the Isrdeliles, 8. Jethro greatli) rejoices, and makes striking observations on the power and goodness of God, 9 — 11. lie offers burnt-ojf'erings and sacrifices to Jchotak, mil Aaron ami all the elders of Israel fead kUIi him, 12. The next day, Jethro observing how much Moses K7/,v fati'^ued, bij being obliged to sit as judge and hear causes from morning to evening, 13, enquires -ukj/ he did:io'^ 14. Moses ansTcers, and shezcs that he is obliged to determine causes betKrcn man and man, and to teach them tin- stntufes and Imcs of God, 1.5, Ifi. Jethro f mis fault, and counseh him to appoint men zchofcar God, love truth, and hale covetousuess, to be judges over thousands, luuidifc-cls, fifties, and tcm, to judge and deiermine in all smaller matters, and refer onlif the greater and most important to himself, M—'ll; and sluKS, that this plan uill he advantageous both to himself and to. the people, 23. Moses hearkens' to the counsel of Jethro, and appoints proper officers over the people, zvho enter upon their functions, determine all minor causes, and refer onlj/ the most difficult to Moses, 21— 20'. Moses dismisses Jethro, zcho returns to his ou'n countri), 27-

people, and that the Lord had brought Israel

2 Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took

\ 3 And her "* two sons; of which the ' name

Verse 1. When Jethro, the priest of Midktn, &c.] Concernins; tl>is pi^vsoii, and liis stvoial names, see the notes on ch. ii 15, hi, and 18. and ch. iii. 1. ch. iv. 20, ^4. Jethro was probably the son of Reiiel, the fathcr-in-kw of Moses, and conse(|utiUly the brother-in-law of Moses; for the word jnn choteii, wliich we {rdn:-\A\.efi-ithcr-in-law, in this chapter, means simply a relative b\j marriage. — See the note on cli. iii. 1.

Verse '2. After lie had sent her back] Why Zipporah and her two sons, returned to Midian, is not certainly known. From the transaction recorded ch. iv. 20, 24. it seems as if lihe had been alarmed at the dan<jer to which the life of one of her sons had been expcjsed; and fearing worse evils, left her husband, and retin'ned to her faUier. It is, however, possible, that Moses foreseeinj>- the troubles to which his wife and children were likely to be exposed, had he taken them down to Eij^ypt, sent them back to his father-in-law, till it should [lUase (iod to deliver his people. Jethro now iindinc; that God had delivered them, and totally discomfited the K^'Vptians, their enemies, thoui;ht it proper to bring- Zip- |)oraii and her sons to Moses, while he was in the vicinity of Iloifb.

Verse -i. The name of iht one was Gershom] See the note on ch. ii. 23.

\'ei-se 5. Jethro — came iilth his.ions] There ai-e several reasons to induce us to believe, that the fact n^laled here is out of its due <hronological order, and that Jethro did not come to Mom s till the beginning of the second year of the Vlxodiis, (see Numb. x. 11.) some time after the tabi rnacle had been erected, and the Hebrew commonwealth established, both in tilings civil and ecclesiastical. This opimou is founded on tlie liollowiiijj reasons:

of the one was ' Gershom; for he said, I have' been an alien in a strange land:

4 And the name of the other xcas ^ Eliczer; for, the God of my father, said he, 'ivas mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh:

5 And Jethro, Moses' fatlicr in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at " the mount of God:

I. On this verse, where it is said, that Jethro came to Moses while he was encamped at the mo^int of God. Now it appears, from ch. xix. 1,2. that they were not yet come to Horeb, the mount of God, and that tlicy did not arrive there till the third moulli after tlieir departure from Egypt; and the transactions with whii'h this account is connected, certainly took place in the second month. — See ch. xvi. 1.

2." Moses, in Deut. i. 6, 9, 10, 12—15. relates, that when they were about to depart from Horeb, wliicli was on the 20lh day of the second montli of the second year from their leaving Egypt, that he then complained, that he was not alilc to bear the burden alone, of the governnn nt of a iieojile so numerous; and that it was at that time, that he established. judge.s and captains over thousands, and hundreds, and fiftie.t, and tens, which appears to be the very transaction recorded in this place; the measure itself being recommended by Jethro, and done in consequence of his advice.

3. From Nu^mb. x. II, 29, &c. we find, that when the cloud was taken up, and tlie Israelites were about to depart from Iloreb, that Moses addres>ed Ilobab, who is supposed to have been the same as Jethro, and who then was about to return to INlidian, his own country, entreating him to stay with tliem as a guide, wliile they travelled through the wilderness. It therefore seems necessary, that tlie transaction recorded in tliis chapter should be inserted Numb. x. between the 10th and 1 1 til verses.

4. It has been remarked, that shortly after they had.departed from Sinai, the disjiute took place between iVliriain, Aaron, and Moses, concerning the Ethiopian woman Zi|v porah, whom he had married, (sec Numb. xii. 1, &c.) and lhi« is supposed to have tikcn place, shortly after she had bc«i broui^ht back by Jetliro.

6 And he said unto Moses, I, thy father in law Jethro, am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.

7 ^ And Moses ^ went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and '' kissed him; and they asked each other of their " welfare; and they came into the tent.

8 And Moses told his father in law, all that the Lord had done unto Pharaoh, and to the Egyptians, for Israel's sake, and all the travail that had '' come upon them by the way, and ho'w the Lord " delivered them.

9 ^ And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lor-d had done to Israel, whom

10 And Jethro said, ' Blessed he the Loud, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people trom under the hand of the Egyptians

1 1 Now I know that the Lord is than all gods: " for in the thing wherein they dealt ' proudly he xcas above them.

12 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, took! a burnt oflTering and sacrifices for God: and | Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to! eat bread with Moses' father in law, "^ before,

5. In the discourse between Moses and Jethro, mentioned in this chapter, we find that Mosts speaks of t/ie stutuie.'! and tcnvs of the Lord, as tilings ah'eady revealed and aclvno«- ledged, which necessarily implies, that these laws had already been a;iven, (ver. 16.) which we know did not take place, till several months after the transactions mentioned in the preceding; chapters.

6. Jethro offers Imrnt-offe rings and sacrifices to God, apparently in that way in which they were commanded in the law. Now the law respecting hurnl-offerings was not sjiven, till after the transactions mentioned here, unless we refer this chapter to a time posterior to that m which it appears in this place. — See the note on verse 12.

From all these reasons, but particularly from the two first and the nuo lust, it seems most likely that this chapter stands out of its due chronological order, and therefore I have adjusted the chronology in the margin, to the time in which, from the reasons above aliedged, I supjxisc these transactions to have taken place; but the matter is not of much importance, and the reader is at liberty to follow the common opinion. As Moses had, in the preceding chapter, related the war with Amalek, and the curse under which they were laid, he may be supposed to have introduced here, the account concerning Jethro the Midianite, to shew that he was free from that curse, altiiou!*h the Midianites, and the Kenites, the foniiiy of Jethro, were as one people, dwelling with the Amalekites, see Judges i. 16. 1 Chron. xi. 55. 1 Sam. xv. 6. For although the Kcniies were some of those people whose lands God had jiromiscd to the descendants of Abraham, (see Gen. XV. 18, 19.) yet, in consideration of Jethro, the relative of Moses, all of them, who submi-tted to the Hebrews, were suffered to live in their own country: the rest are supposed to liave taken refuge among the Edomites and Amalekites. — Sec Calmet, Locke, &c.

Verse 6. And he said unto Moses"] That is, by a messenger; in consequence of which, Moses went out to meet him, as is stated^ in the next verse; for an interview had not yet taken place. n;i.s is supported by reading n:n hinnch, behold, for '38 oni, 1, which is the reading of tlie St-ptuagiut and Synac,

Verse 7. And did obeisance] mnu'^i Tayistacht, he loteed himself doivn, fee on Gen. xvii. 3. and Exod. iv. 31. This was the general token of respect: and kissed him — the token of friend.'.hip. Ajid they asked each other of their welfare — literally, And they enquired, each man of his neighbour, concerning peace or prosperity — the proof of affectionate intercourse. These three things constitute good-breeding and politeness, accompanied with sincerity.

And they came into the tent.] Some think that the tabernacle is mean.', which it is likely had been erected before this time; see the note on ver. 3. Moses might have thought proper to take his relative first to the house of God, before he brought him to his own tent.

Verse 9. And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness] Every part of Jethro's conduct proves him to have been a religious man, and a true believer. His thanksgiving to Jehovah, ver. 10. is a striking proof of it: he first blesses God for the jireservation of Moses, and next for the deliverance of the people from their bondage.

Verse 11. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods] Some think that Jethro was now converted to the true God; but it is very probable that he enjoyed this blessing, before he knew any thing of Moses: for it is not likely that Moses would have entered into an alliance with this family, had they been heathens. Jethro, no doubt, had the true patriarclial religion.

Wherein they dealt proudly] j^cting as tyrants over the people of God; enslaving them in the mo.-t unprincipled manner, and still purposing more tyrannical acts. He was above them — he shewed himself to be infinitely superior to all their gods, by the miracles which he wrought Various translations have been given of this clause: tlie above I bcHeve to be the sense.

Verse 12. Jethro — took a burnt-offering] nVi? o/u/i. Though it be true that in the patriarchal times, we read of a bimit-qffering i sec Gen, xxii. 2, &c, yet we only read «i one in the case

14 And when Moses' ilither in \<\w saw all that lie did to the people, he said, 'What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee, troni morning unto even?

15 And Moses said unto his fiither in law, Becauw "" the people come unto me to enquire oi God:

16 When they have " a matter, they eomc unto me; and I judge between " one and another.

and I do " make t/iem know the statutes of" God, and his laws.

17 And Moses' fiither in law said unto him, The thing tliat thou doest is not good.

IS " Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; ' thou art not able to pcri()rm it thyself alone.

][) Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and ^ God shall be with thee: Be thou ''for the people to (iod-ward, that thou.mayest ' bring the causes unto (iod:

20 And thou shalt '^ teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them ' the way wh.erc-

fi{ huac, and therefore, thoup;!! this oflerini; made by Jethro is jjnot a decisive proof that the law relative to burnt-ofttnniis, &c.:;had already been given, yet taken with other circumstances in i.lhis account, it is a presumptive evidence that the meeting' be- [itHcen Moses and Jethro took place after the erection of the jtabernacle. Seo the note on ver. 5.

Sacrifices for God] C3'n3t zebachiin, slain beasts, as the I word ^'cncrally sifftiifies. We have already seen that sacrifices iwere in.stituted by Gixl himself, as soon as sin entered into the 'world; and we see that they were continued, and regularly i practised amonji all the jieople who had the knGwledti;e of the i true God, from that- time, until they became a divine lej^ai ie.stablishmtnt. Jethro, who was a priest, chap. ii. l(j. had a ■right to offer these sacrifices: nor can there be a doulit of his being a worshipper of the true GmI, for those Katitcs, from I whom (he i?tx/ic;/«Vf.T came, were descended from him, 1 Chron.:ii. 5.5. see also Jerem. xxxv.

I And Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread] iTlie biirnt-qfr'erii!:^ was wholly consumed: every part was con- 'sidered a.s the Lord's portion; and theretore, it was entirely I burnt up. The other sacrifices mentioned here, were such,; that after the blood had been ptnired out before God, the officers and assistants miiiht feed on the (lesh. Thus, in ancient j nines, contracts were made, and covenants sealed. See the I notes on Gen. xv. 13, &c. It h very likely, therefore, that the:saeiifiees otlered on thi.s occa.sion, were those, on the tlesh of iwhich, iVaron and the eld'ers of Israel feasted with Jethro. j Before God.] Before tile i>:beriiacle, where dotl dwelt: for j it is.supposed that the tabernacle was now erected. See on |vcr. 5. and see Deut. xii. 5 — 7. and 1 Ciiron. xxix. '21, 22. jwiK re tin:.-idme form of speech, before the Lord, is used, and; plainly refers to his manifested presence in the tabernacle.

i Verse l-'J. 'I'o judye the people] To hear and determine controversies between man and man, and to give them instruction in things ap))evtaining to G'od.

1 from the morning unto the enening.'] Moses was obliged I to sit all day; and the people were continually coming and! going.

j Ver.se 15. The people come unto tnc lo enquire of God:] To I know the mind and will of God on the subject of then' enquiries. Mo.-^es was the mediator between God and the people; and as they believed that all justice and judgment must come from him; therefore they came to Moses lo know what God had spoken.

Verse IG. / do make thera knoiv the statutes of God, and his laivs.] These words are so very particular, that they leave little room for doubt that the law had been given. Such \vords_would scarcely have been used, had not the statutes and laii-s been then in e.'iistenee. And this is one of the proofs that the transaction mentioned here, stands out of its due chronological order. Sec on ver. ii.

Verse 18. Thou •.■jilt surelj/ icear anaj/] ban h2i nabaltibol, in Hearing avjaj/, thou xvilt near avjat/; by being thus cuntinualtj/ emplojtd, thou wilt soon become finally exhausted. And this people that is ii;ith thee: — As if he had said, " Many of them are obliged to wait so long for the determinatifin of their suit, that their patience must be soon nece.-sarily worn out, as there is no one to hear every cause, but thyself."

Verse 19. I ivill give thee counsel, and God shall be xeith thee.] Jethro seems to ha\e been a man of great understanding and prudence. His advice to Moses was most appropriate and excellent: and it was probably gi\en under the immediate inspiration of (iod; for after fucii sacrificial rites, and public acknowledgement of (iod, the prophetic spirit might be well expected to descend and rest uptm hnn. God could have shewctl Moses tile propriety and necessity of adopting 6uch measures before; but he chose in this case, to help man by man; a'nd in the present in.-tance, a permanent basis was laid, to c<insoliilat<; the union of the two famihes, and prevent all future misunderstandings.

Verse 20. Thou shalt teach them ordinances] Cpn chuhim, all such precepts as relate to the ceremonies of religion, and political acononn/. And luxes, n~inn liutoroth, the instructions relative to the vvhoie system of morality.

Thou shalt sht\M then the «a;/] ^itn r.K et haderec, th.vt very \\.\\, that only way which (ji.d himself has revealed, and in which tlu-y should walk iu order to please him, and get their souls c. erlastingly.-a\ ed.

And the li-orli that ll.ty viusi do] l\ir it was not snfiicitnt j that they should kiims tlieir duty both to God and uran, but

' the work that they must do.

21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people '' able men, such as " fear God, ''men of trutli, " hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: 22 And let them judge the people ^ at all sea-

sons: ^ and it sliall be, that every they shall bring unto thee, but every small mat. ter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and '' they shall bear the burden with

23 If thou shalt do tliis thing, and God com-

mand thee so, then thou shalt be ' able to endure, and all this people shall

■ also go to " their place in peace. 24 So Ivloses hearkened to the voice _

! of his father in law, and did all that he had said. 2.5 And ' Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, riders of thousands, riders of hundreds, rulers of fitiies, and rulers of tens.

26 And they "judged the people at all seasons: the " liard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

27 *[[ And Moses let his father in law depart; \ and ° he went his way into his own land. [

they must do it too; ]vvs> yadsun, they must do it diligently, ferrentbi, effectually, for the paragogic ] mm, deepens and ej.- iends the meaning of the verb.

What a very comprehensive form of a preacher's duty does this verse exhibit! 1. He must instruct the peojile in the nature, use, and importance of tlie ordinances of rehjjion. 2. He must lay before them the whole jnoral laiv, and their obligations to fulfil all its precepts. 3. He must point out to each, his particular duty; and what is expected of hiui in his situation, connections, &c. And 4. he must set them all tlieir txiork, and see that they do it. On such a jjlan as this, he will have full opportunity to shew the people, 1. Tlieir sin, ignorance, and folly. 2. The pure and holy law v\hich they have broken, and by which they are condemned. 3. The grace of God that bringeth salvation, by which they are to be justified and finally saved. And 4. The necessity of shewing their faith by their ivorks; not only denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, but living soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearance of the great God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Verse 21. Able mc?i] Persons of wisdom, discernment, judgment, prudence', and fortitude: ibr who tan be a ruler without these qualifications?

Such as fear God'] Who are truly religious, without which, they will feel little concerned either for the bodies or souls of the people.

Men of truth] Honest and true in their own hearts and lives; speaking the truth, and judging according to the truth. Hating cofttousncss] Doing all for Go<l's sake, and love to man; labouring to promote the general good, never perverting judgment, or suppressing the testimonies of God, for the love of money, or through a liase man- pleasing spirit; but expecting their reward from the mercy of God, in the resurrection of the just.

Rulers over thousands] Millenaries, centurions, (juinrpiagenaries, and decurions — each oi' these, in all probability, dependant on that officer immediately above himself. So the decurion, or ruler over tai, if he Ibund a matter too hard for him, brouglit it to the (piin<juugenary, or ruler of fifty; if, in the courtic of the c.\ercjse of his functions, /te found a cause too complicated for him to decide on, he brought it to the centurion, or ruler over a hundred. In like manner, the centurion brought his difficult case to the millenary, or ruler over a thousand; the case that was too hard for him to judge, he brought to Moses; and the case that was too hard for Moses,] he brought immediately to God. It is likely that each of these! classes had a court composed of its own members, in which, causes were heard and tried. Some of the Rabbins have supposed tliat there were GOO rulers of thousands; GOOD rulers of hundirds; 1 "2,000 rulers of ^./i/es; and 60,000 rulers of tens, making in the whole 78,600 officers. But Josephus says, Antiq. lib. iii. chap. 4. that Moses, by the advice of Jethro, apiMiinted rulers over myriads, and then over thousands: these he divided into five hundreds, and again into hundreds, and into fifties: and appointed rulers over each of these, who divided them into thirties, and at last into tvjenties and lens: that each of these companies had a chief, who took his name from the number of persons who were under lijs direction and government. Allowing what Josephus states to be correct, some have supposed that there could not have been less tluui 1:29,860 officers in the Israelitish camp. But such computations are either fanciful or absurd. That the people were divided into thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, we know, for the text states it; but we cannot tell precisely, how many of such divisions there were; nor, consequently, the number of otlicers.

Verse 23. If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee] Though the measure was obviously of the utmost importance, and plainly recommended itself by its expediency and necessity; yet Jethro very modestly leaves it to the wisdom of Moses to choose or reject it: and knowing, that in all things his relative was now acting under the immediate direction of God, intimates that no measure can be safely adopted, without a positive injunction from God himself. As the counsel Mas doubtless inspired by the Divine Spirit, we find that it was sanctioned by the same; for Moses acted in every respect, according to the advice he had received.

Verse 27. And Moses let his father-in-law depart] But if this be the same transaction with that, mentioned Numb. x. 29, &c. we tuid that it was with great reluctance that Moses per-

Observations on the conduct initted so al)le a counsellor to leave him: fur having; the highest opinion of iiis ju.lg^inentj experience, and tliscretion, he pressed him to '^tay with tlinn, that he mi^ht he imtcad of eyes to than in the desart. But Jethro cho>e rather to return to his own country, where, probalily, his family were so settled and eircunislaiieed, that they could not be conveniently removed; and it was more his duty to stay with thent to assist them "ith his counsel and advice, than to travel with tile Israelites. IMany others might be found that could be eyes to the Hebrews in the desart; l)ut no man could be i'ound, capable of bcin<j a father to his Ibniily, but himself It is well to labour for the public good; but our own families arc the first claimants on our care, attention, and time. He who ncjilects his o«n household, on pretence of labouring even for the good of the public, has surely denied the faith, and is w orse than an iiifidel.

It is strange, that after this we hear no more of Zipporah I Why is she forgotten? Merely because she was the v^'ife of Moses; for he chose to conduct himself so, that to the remotest ages, there should be the utmost proofs of his disinterestedness. Wliile multitudes of the families of Israel are celebrated and dignified, his own he writes in the dust. He had no interest but that of God and his people; to promote this, he employed his whole time and his uncommon talents. His Ibody, llis soul, his whole hfe were a continual ottering to God. 'Tlley «ere always on the divine altar; and God had, from his [creature, all the praise, glory, and hr)nour that a creature Icould possibly give. Like his great antitype, he went about 'doing good; and God was with him. The zeal of God's, hou.se consumed him; for in that house, in nit its concerns, we have the testimony of God himself, that he was faithful: Heb. iii. 2. and a iiigher character was never given, nor can be given, of any governor sacred or civil. He made no provision even for his own sons, Gcrshom and Eliezer; they and their families were incorporated with the Levites, 1 Chron. xxiii. 14. and had no higher employment than that of taking care of the tabernacle and the tent; Numb. iii. 21 — 26. and merely to serve at the tabernacle, and to curry burthens. Numb. iv. 24—28. No histoiy, sacrctl or jjiotane, has been able to produce a complete parallel to the disinterestedness of Moses. This one consideration is sufficient to refute every charge of imposture brought against him and his laws. There never was an imposture in the world, says Dr. Puideavx, Letter to the Deists, that had not the following characters:

3. Both of these, must necessarily ap^utvn- in the very contexture of the imposture itself.

1. The keenest-eyed adversary of Moses has never been able to fix fin lain any carnal interest. No gratification of sensual passions, no accumulation of wealth, no aggrandizement of his family or relatives, no pursuit of worldly honoui', has ever been laid to llis charge.

2. His life was unspotted, and all his actions the offspring of the purest benevolence.

3. ^Vs his own hands were pure, so were the hands of these whom he associated with himself in the work.

4. No palpable falsity has ever been detected in his writings, though they have for their subject the most complicate, abstruse, and difficult topics that ever came under the pen of man.

5. No craft, no fraud, not even what one of his own countrymen thought he might lawfully use, innocent gttile, because he had to do with a people greatly degraded, and grossly stupid, can be laid to his charge. His conduct was as open as the day; and though continually watched by a people who were ever ready to murmur and rebel, and industrious to find an excuse for their repeated seditious conduct, yet none could be found either in his spirit, private life, or pubUc conduct.

6. None ever came after to say. We have joined with Moses in a plot, we have feigned a divine authority and mission, we have succeeded in our innocent imposture, and now the mask may be laid aside. — The whole work proved itself so fully, to be of God, that even the person who might wish to discredit Moses and his mission, could find no ground of this kind to stand on. The ten plagues of Egyjit, the passage of the Red sea, the destruction of the king of Egypt and his immense host, the quails, the rock of Horeb, the supernatural supply by the forty years' manna, the continual miracle of the sabbath, on which the preceding days' manna kept good, though, if thus kept, it became putrid on any other day, together with the constantly attending supernatural cloud, in its threefold office of a guide by day, a /(;,'/./ by night, and a covering from the ardors of the sun, all, all inviiieibly proclaim thattiixl brought out this people from Egy]>t; that Moses was the man of God, chosen by liim, and fully accredited in his mission; and that the laws and statutes which he gave, were the otl'spring of the wisdom and goodness of iiiin, "who is the Father of Lights, the fountain of tnilh and justice, and the continual and unbounded benefactor of the human race.

: The children of Israel having departed from Eephidim, cowc to the ziuldeniess of Sinai in the third month, 1, 2. Moses goes up into t/ie mount to (Jod, and receives a message tchick he is to deliver to the people, 3 — f5. He returns and delivers it to the p:ople before tlie elders, 7. The people promise obedience, 8. The Lord promises to meet Moses in the cloud, 9. lie commands him to sanctifi/ the people, and promises to come dozen visibli/ on mount Sinai on the third dot/, 10, IL Jle commands him also to sd bounds, to prevent the people or anij of the cattle from touJiing the muuut, on pain of being stoned, or shot through uith a dart, I'l, 13. Moses goes down and delivers this message, 14, 15. The third day is ushered in zcith the appearance of the thick cloud upon the mount, and wiCd thunders, lightning, and the sound of a trumpet; at trhich the people are greatly terrified, l6. Moses brings forth the people out of the camp to ineet mth God, 17. Mount Sinai is enveloped zviih smoke, and fire, 18. After the trumpet had sounded long and loud, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice, IQ. God calls Moses 2tp to the mount, and gives him a charge to the people and to the priests, that they do not attempt to come near to the mount, 21, I'l. Moses alledging that it was impossible for them to touch it because of the hounds, 23, is sent dozen to bring up Jamn, and to zcam the people again, not to break through the bounds, 24. Moses goes doKii and delivers this 7nessage, Q.o. Jfter uhieh at' may suppose, that he and Aaron zcent up to meet God in the mount.

IN the third month, when the children of Israel were gone fortii out of the land of Eg-ypt, the same day ^ came they into the wilderness of Sinai.

2 For they were departed from " Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness •, and there Israel camped before " the mount.

Verse 1. In the third month] This was called Sivan, and answers to Our 3Iai/.

The same dry'] Tliere are three opinions concerning the meaning of this place, which are supported by resjicctable arguments. 1. The same day means, the.same day of the third month with that, viz. the Ijth. on which the Israelites had left Egypt. 2. The same day signifies here, a day of the same number with the month to which it is applied, viz. the third day of the third month. 3. By the same day, the first day of the month is intended. The Jews celebrate the feast of " Pentecost./f/cv days after the Fass-oier: from the departure out of l''.gy]Jt to the coining to Sinai, were forty-five days; ibr they came out the fifteenth day of the first month, from w huh day, to the fir.-t of the third "month, forty-five days are numbered. On the 2d day of this third month, Moses went up into the mountain, when three dajs were given to the people to purify themselves; this gl\ es liie fourth day of the third month, or the forty-ninth from the de])arture out of Egypt. On tlie next day, which was the fiftieth tiom the celebration of the pas.s-over, the glory of (iod appearetl on the mount; in commemoration of vhich, the Jews celebrate the feast of Pentecost. This is the opinion of St. Augustin and of several moderns; and is del'ended at large by Houbigant. As the word IP^n chodesh, nimith, is put for new moon, which is with the Jews, the first day of the month, this may be considered an additional confirmation of the aliove opinion.

The ivilderness of Sinai.] Mount Sinai is called by the Arabs JiM Mourn, or the Mount of Moses, or, by way of eminence. El Tor, the Mount. It is one hill, with two peaks or summits: one is called lloreb, the other Sinai. Horeb was probably its mo.et ancient name, and might designate the vhole mountain. But as the Lord had appeared to Moses on this mountain in a hush, nJD sench, chap. lii. 2. from this cirxumstance, it might have received the name of Sinai, or 'f3 in har Sinai, the 7nount of the bush, or the iuuur»t of

3 ^ And ^ Moses went up unto God, and the Lord " called unto him out of tlie mountain, saying, Tlius shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, — '^ — and tell the children of Israel;

4 ' Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and ho-do ^ I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.

5 Now " therefore, if ye will obey my voice

hushes; for it is possible, that it was not in a single bush, hut in a thicket of bushes, that the Angel of God made his ajipeavance.

Verse 3. Mose.^ leent up unto God] It is likely, that the cloud which liad conducted the Israelitish camp, had now removed to the top of Sinai, and as this was the symbol of the di\inc presence, Moses went up to the -place, there to meet the Lord.

The Lord called unto him] This, according to St. Stephen, was the Angel of the Lord, Acts vii. 38. And from sevcjal scriptures, we have seen, that the Lord Jesus was the person intended; see the notes on Gen. xvi. 7. xviii. 13. Exod. iii. '2.

Verse 4. How / bare you on eagtts' uiwn-.s] Mr. Bruce contends, that the word I'jj ne.^er, does Hot mean tlie bird we term eagle; but a bird, which the Arabs, from its kind and merciful disposition, call riichama, which is noted for its care of its young, and its carrying them upon its back. See his Travels, vol. vii. pi. oS. It is not unlikely, that from this part of the sacred history, the heathens borrowed their fable of the eagle being a bird sacred to Jupiter, and which was employeii to carry the souls of departed heroes, king-s, &c. into the celestial regions. The Romans have struck several medals with this device, which may be seen in dillennt cabinets, among which, are the following: one of Faustina, flaughter of Antoninus Pius, on the reverse of which she is represmted ascending to heaven on the back of an ea^le; and another of Salonia, daughter of the emperor Galienus, on the reverse of which she is represented on the back of an eagle, with a sceptre in her hand, ascending to heaven. Jupiter himself, is sometimes represented on the back of an eagle also, with his thunder in his hand, a.* on a medal of Licinus. This brings us nearer to the letter of the Text, where it apjiears, that the heathens confounded the figure made use of by the sacred penman, / bore you on eagles' wings, with the manifestation of God in thunder and lightning on mount Sinai. And it migiit be in refer( nee to all this, that the Romans took the eagle for tiieir ensign. See Schcuehzcr, 31usellius, &c.

6 And ye shall be unto me a 'kingdc priests, and a '' holy nation. These are the worrls which thou shalt speak unto the children

7 % And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their laces all these words which the Lord commanded him.

8 And ' all the people answered together.

Brought you unto im/fielf.'] 'In this, and the two following vfrses, we sic the desi^^ni ot' Ciod in.selei'tin<; a people for ■ -If 1. Tiiey were to obn/ his voice, vtT. 5. to receive a uition from him, and to act accordinGf to that revelation, i.and not according to their reason or fancy, in opposition to j'his declarations. 2. Tiiey were to obey his roice indeed, fiy^Ufn pru? shimoa tishmcu, in hearing, they.should hear; I they should consult his testimonies, /(tvfr them whenever read [or proclaimed, and obey them as soon as heard, affectionately land steailily. 3. They must keep his coienaul — Not only copy i in their lives the ten commandments, but they must receive and 'preserve the grand at^ieemeiit made between (jod and man by Isittrijice, in reference to the incarnation and death of Cln-ist; 'for, from the foundation of the world, the covenant of God I ratified by sacrifices, referred to this; and now the sacrificial I system was to be more fully oiiened, by the giving of the ' law. 4. They should then he God's peculiar treasure, nb'JD 'Se^illab, his own patrimony, a people in whom he should have all right, and over whom he should have exclusive authority labove all the people of the earth; for though all the inhabitants 'of the world were his by his right of creation and providence, iyct the.se should be peculiarly his, as receiving his revelation, land entering into his covenant. 5. They shoiild be a kingdom of ■priests, ver. C. Their state should be a theocracy, and as Uod should he the sole governor, being king in Jcshurun, so all his subjects should hi: priests, all uorshippers, all sacriftcers, every individual otiering up the victim for himself. A beautiful representation of the Gospel dispensation, to which the Apostles Peter and.lohn apyily it, 1 1'et. ii. 5, 9. Rev. i. 6. v. 10. and XX. 6. Under which disjiensation, every believing soul oilers jvip for himself, diat Lamb of Goel which was slain for, and which takes away the sin of the world; and through which jalone, a man can have access to God.

j Verse (i. And a holy nation.] They should he a tiation, ■one jieopte; tirnily united among themselves, living under; their own laws; and powerful, because unittd, and acting un- Uler the direction and bles.>ing of God. They should be a holy nation, savid from their sins, righteous in their conduct, holy in their heart^; every external rite being not only a significant |certmnny, but also a means of conveying light and life, grace and pea*e to every person who conscientiously used it. Thus!»hey should be botJi a kingdom, having God fov their go- and said, All that the Lord hath a.m.2.m.s. Spoken we will do. And Moses re-, " ",', ' turned the woids or the people unto i.

9 And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee ' in a thick cloud, ^ that the people may hear when I speak with tliee, and " believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord.

10 % And the Lord said unto Moses, Go imto the people, and ' sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them " wash tlicir clothes,

vernor: and a nation, a multitude of peoples connected together; not a scattered, disonUred, and disorgani.sed people, but a royal nation, using tlieir own rites, living under their own laws,.subject in 7-c%/o«v matters, only toCiod; and i» thing's cixil, to every ordinance of man, for (iod's sake.

Tliis was the spirit and desiun of this woiuK rlul institution, which could not receive its perfection but iiiukr the Gospel; and has its full accoiuplishmeut in every member of the mystical body of Christ.

Verse"?. The elders of the people] The head of each tribe, and the chief of each family, Uy whose ministry, this gracious purpcse of God was speedi-Iy communicated to the whole cam]*.

Verse 8. And all the people anstvered, &c.] The)>eople having such gracious advantages laid before them, most cheerfully consented to take God for their portion; as he had graciously promised to take them for his people. Thus a covenant was made; the parties being mutually bound to each other.

Moses returned the words] Wlien the people had on their part consented to the covenant, Moses appears to have gone immediately up to the mountain, and related to God the success of his mission; for he was now on the mount, as appears from ver. 14.

Verse 9. A thick cloud] This is interpreted by vcr. 18. And mount Sinai ivas altogether on a smoke — and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace; his usual appearance was in the cloudy pillar; wliich we may suijjiose, vtas generally clear and luminous.

That the people may hear] See the n<ite on chap. w. ft. Tile Jews consider this as the fullest evidence, their fathers had of the divine mission of Moses: th'-mselves were permitted to see this awfully glorjous sight, ami lo hear (jod hnnsi^lf speak out of the thick darkness: for, before this, as Kabbi Maymon remarks, they might have thought that.Moses wrought his miracles by sorcery or imhantment; but now hearing the voice of God himself, they could no longer disbelieve nor even doubt.

Let them wash their clothes] And consequently bathe their bodies; tor according to the ttstuaony of the Jews, these alway!5 went togtllier. It was uecessary, that as they wtrt

1 1 And be ready against the third day: tor the third day the Lord * will come down, in the sight of all the people, upon mount Sinai.

1 2 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people roimd about, saying. Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into tlie mount, or touch the border of it: " whosoever toueheth the mount shall be surely put to death;

13 There shall not a hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it 1)6 beast or man, it shall not live: when the 'trumpet'' soundcth long, they shall come up to the mount.

about to appear in the presence of God, every thin;^- should he clean ami pure about them; tiiat they might be admonished by this, of the necessity of inward purity, of which, the outward vva?hing- was the emblem.

From these institutions, the heathens appear to have borrowed their precepts relative to iva.s/iiturs yud jnirificationx previously to their oflcrin^r sacrifice to their gods, examples of which abound in the Greek and Latin writers. They washed their hands and clothes, and bathed their bmlies in pure water, before they performed any act of religious worship: and in a variety of cases, abstinence from all matrimonial connexions was positively required, before a person was permitted to perform any religious rite, or assist at the performance.

Verse 12. TIiou shalt set bounrls] Whether this was a line marked out on the ground, beyond which they were not to go; or whether a fence was actually made to keep them oiY, wc cannot tell; or whether this fence was made all round the mountain, or only at that part to which one wing of the camp extended, is not evident.

This verse strictly forbids the people from coming near and touching mount Sinai, which was burning with fire: the words, therefore, in ver. 15. ncs Sx vjj,-i bx al tii:ires/iu el isliuh, come not at your wives, seem rather to mean, come not venr mUo the riiiE; e.s})ecially as the other phrase is not at all probable: but the fire is, on this occasion, spoken of so emphatically, see Deut. v. 4, 5, 22 — 25. that we are naturally led to consider 'n'a^ ishuh here, as E\sn ha-esh transposed, or to say with Simon in his Lexicon, ni!;s? JIcw. idem quod imtxc. fN ii!;nis. So among other instances we have -13K and n"i3S a i^ing; -iix and niiN liu;ht; yc}? and r\'S7^K strength; and -inx and nis:N a speech. Buit. See Ke.»jnicott's Remarks.

Whosoever louchelh the mown shall be surehj put to death'\ The place was awfully sacred, because the dreadful majesty of God was displayed on it. And this taught them that <iod is a consuming fire, and that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Ver.se l.J. There shall not a hand touch it] 13 ho, him, not the mountain, but the man who had presumed to touch the mountain, lie should be considered altogether as an unclean and accursed thing, not to be touched for fear of conveying defilement; but should be immediately stoned or pierced througli Willi a dart, iieb. xii. 20,

14 ^ And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and \sanctitied the people; and they washed their clothes.

15 And he said unto the people, "^Be ready against the third day: ^ come not at your wives.

16 ^ And it came to pass on tlie third day in the morning, that there were " thunders and lightnings, and a ' thick cloud upon the moinit, and the " voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that ijoas in the camp, ' trembled.

17 And " Moses brought forth the people

out of the camp to meet with God; and they

Verse 16. Thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud — and the voice of the trumpctl The thunders, lightnings, Sfc. announced the coming, as they proclaimed the majesty of God. Of the thunders and lightnings, and th(; deep, dark, dismal, electric cloud, from which the thunders and lightnings proceeded, we can form a tolerable apprehension; but of the luud, long-sounding trumpet, we can scarcely form a conjecture. Such were the apjicarances and the noise, that all tlie people in the camp trembled, and Moses himself was constrained to say, " I exceedingly fear and quake," Heb. xii. 21. Probably, the sound t>f the trumpet, was something similar to that wliioli shall be blown by the angel, when he sweareth by him that liveth for ever, there shall be time no longer!

Verse 17. And Moses brought forth the people — to meet with 1 God] For though they might not touch the mount till they! had permission, yet when the trumpet sounded long, it appears they might come up to the nether part of the mount; see ver. 13. and Deut. iv. 11. and when the trumpet had ceased to sound, they might then go up unto the mountain, as to any other place.

It was absolutely necessary that God should give the people at large, some particular evidence of his beiw^ and power, that they might be saved from idolatry, to which they were most deplorably prone; and that they might the more readily credit Moses, w ho was to be the constant mediator between God and ' them. God therefore, in his indescribable majesty, descended fin the mount; and by the thick dark cloud, the violent thunders, the vivid lightnings, the long and loud blasts of the trumpet, the smoke encompassing the whole mountain, and the excessive earthquake, proclaimed his po-aer, his glory, and his holiness; so that the people, however unfaithful and disobe-' dient afterwards, never once doubled the divine interference, or suspected Closes of any cheat or im['osture. Indeed, so absolute and une(iuivocal were the proofs of supernatural agency; that it was impossible these appearances could be attributed to any cause but the unlimited power of the Author! of Nature.

It is worthy of remark, that the peojile were informed three. ^/nys before, ver. 9—11. that such an appearance was to takei place: and this answered two excellent purposes, 1. They had time to sanctify and prepare themselves for this solemn trans- 1 action: and 2. Those who might be sceptical, had suliicieiit 1

A.,.Exod.isr. ^g ^^^^ 'mount SiTiai was altoge- i!!!^ ther on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it " in fire: *■ and the smoke tlicrcof ascended, as the smoke of a furnace, and " the whole mount quaked greatly.

19 And 'when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, ' Moses spake, and ^ God answered him by a voice.

20 And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.

21 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, * charge the people, lest they break through

.opportunity to make use of every precaution to prevent and 'detect an imposture; so, this previous warning,.strongly serves the cause of divine revelation.

! tions given from ver. 10 to 15 inclusive, shew not only the

: Ver>e 20. The Lord came doiiii] This was undoubtedly ■ done in a risible manner, that the people might witness the i awful appearance. We may sujipo-sc, that every thing was I arranged thus: the i^lory of ilie Lord occu[)ied the top of the ( mountain, and neai' to this Mosi:s was pennilted to approach. j Aaron and the seventy elders were permitted to atbance some; U'«y up the niounlain; while the people were only j)ermitted to I come up to its base. Moses, as the lawgiver, was to receive I the statutes and judgments from God's mouth. Aaron and the ' elders to receive tlu ni from Moses, and dehver them to the I ptople; and the people were to act according to the direction I received. Nothing can be imagined more glorious, terrilile, majestic, and impressive than the whole of this transaction; but it wa8 chiefly calculaKd to impress deep reicrence, religious fear,

22 And let tlie priests also, which i-

come near to the Lord, " sanctify — "'""" — themselves, lest the Lord 'break forth upon

2.3 And Moses said unto the Lord, Tlie people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargcdst us, saying, "Set botmds about the mount, and sanctity it.

24 And the Lord said unto him. Away, get thee downt, and thou shalt come up, thou and Aaron with thee; but let not the priests and the people break through, to come up unto the Lord, lest he break forth upon them.

2.5 So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.

and sacred awe; and he who attempts to worship God uninfluenced by these, has neither a proper sense of the divine majesty, nor of the sinfulness of sin. It seems in reference to tliis, that the A|iosde says. Let us have grace ivhereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and codly fear; for our God is a coNsL'MiNO riRE, Hcb. xii. 28, 29. Who then shall dare to approach him in his otun name, and without a rncdiulor?

Verse 22. Let the priests also — sanctify iheinselves'] Tliat there were priests among the Hebrews, before the consecration of Aaron and his sons, cannot be doubted; though their functions might be, in a considerable measure, suspended, while under persecution in Egypt; yet the persons existed, whose right and duty it was to oiler sacrifices to God. Moses requested liberty from Pharaoh, to go into the wilderness to sacrifice; and had there not been amonor the people both sacrifees and priests, the recjuest itself, must have appeared nugatory and absurd. Sacrifices, from the beginning, had constituted an essential part of the worship of God; and there certainly were priests, whose business it was to offer them to God, before the giving of the Law; though this, for especial reasons, was restrfcted to Aaron and his sons, after the law had been given. As sacrifices had not been otlered for a consideral'le time, the priests themselves were considered in a state of impurity; and therefore God requires that they also should, be purified for the pur])ose of ajipruaching the mountain, and hearing their Maker proinulgale his laws..Sec the note on chap, xxviii. 1.

Verse 2J. The people cannot come upl Either because ihcy had been so solemnly forbidden, that they would not dare, with the penalty of instant deatli hefore their eyes, to transgress the divine command; o-r the bounds which were set about the mount, were such, as rendered their passing thein physically impossible.

And sanctify it.'\ irianpi ve-kidoshto. Here the word trip kadash, is taken in its proper literal sense, signifying the scparaling of a thing, person, or place, from ail profane or common uses, and devoting it to sacred purposes.

God knew that they were heedless, criminally eiirious, and sti'.pidly obstinate, and therefore his mercy saw it right to give them line upon line, that they might not transgress to iheir own destruction.

From the very solemn, and awful manner, in which the I,AW was introduced, we may behold it as the ministration of terror and death, '2 Cor. iii. 7. ajipearinfif rather to exclude men from God, than to bring them nigh: and from this we may learn, that an approach to fJod would have been for ever impossible, had not infinite mercy found out the gospel scheme of salvation. By this, and this alone, we draw nigh to God; for we haze an entrance into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, Heb. X. 19. " For," says the Apostle, " ye are not come imto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire; nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and to the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice, they that heard, entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: (for they could not endure that which was commanded. And if so much as a beast touch the moimtain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: and so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake,) but ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, tlie heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to tlie general assembly, and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven; and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the iNIEDIATOR of the NEW COVENANT, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel." Heb. xii. 18—24.

Reader, art thou still under the influence, and condemninor power of that fiery law, which proceeded from his right hand?. Art thou yet afar off? Remember, thou canst only come nigh. \ by the blood of sprinkling; and till justified by his blood, thou art under the curse. Consider the terrible majesty of God! 1 If thou have his favour, thou hast life; if his froiun, death. I Be instantly reconciled to God, for though tliou hast deeply sinned, and he is just, yet he is the justifier of him that bclieveth in Christ Jesus. Believe on him, receive his salvation,, OBEY his voice indeed, and keep his coienunt, and then shah thou be a king, and a priest, unto God and the Lamh, and be i finally saved with all the pov\er of an endless life. Amen.

The preface to the ten commandments, 1,2. The virst commandment, against mental or theoretic idolatry, 3.' The SECOND, against making and worshipping images, or practical idolatr}', 4 — G. Tlie third, against false swearing, blasphemy, and irreverent use of the name of God, 7 ■ The fourth, against profanatioit «f the sabbath, and idleness on the other days of the week, 8 — 11. The fifth, against disrespect and disobedience to parents, 12. The sixth, agaiiist murder, and cruelty, 13. The seventh, against adultery, and uncleanncss, 14. TAe eighth, flga/ws< stealing, a/JtZ dishonesty, 15. TAe ninth, floa/ns^ false testimony, perjury, &c. l6'. TAe tenth, cgrt/wsf covetousness, 17. The people are alarmed at the awful appearance of God on the mount, and stand afar off, IS. Theif pray that Moses may he mediator between God and them, 19. Moies encourages them, 20. He drazes near to the thick darkness, and God communes ztith him, 21,22. Farther directions against idolatry, 23. Directions concerning making an altar of earth, 24. ytnd en altar of hewn itone, 25. None of these to be ascended by steps, and the reason-given, 26.

2 '^ I am the Lord iJiy God, which have brougiit tltee out of the land of

KOTES ON CHAP. XX. Verse 1. All these xuords] Houbigaut supposes, and with great plausibility of reason, that the clause onmn b3 "X n^NH €t col ha-deharim ha-ellch, " all these words," belong to the latter part of the concluding verse of chap. xix. which, he thinks, should be read thus: And Moses icent down unto the people and spake unto them all these wonus; i. e. delivered the solemn charge, relative to their not attempting to come up to that part of the mountain, on which God manifeste<i himself in his glorious majesty, lest he should break I'orth upon them, and consume them. For how could divine justice and puiity sulHr a people so defiled, to staixl in his

3 ^ ' Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

immediate presence? When Moses therefore, had gone down and spoken all these ivords, and he and Aaron had re-ascended the mount, then the Divine Bein.;, as supreme legislator, is majestically introduced thus; And God spake, saying. This gives a dignity to the commencement of this c iiapfer. of ^vhich, the clause above mentioned, if not referred: to the speech of Moses, deprives it. Tlie Anglo-Saxmi favours this emendation Doo j-ppaec Su]-, God ipukc thus, which is the whole of the first verse, as it stands in that Version.

Some learned men arc of o])inion, that the ten commandments were delivered on Rlay 30, being then the day of Pf»-

4 ' Thou.slialt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of ami thhvf that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth be-

Tlie Laws delivered on Mount Sinai, liave been variously named. In T)eut. iv. 13. they are called, r:n2in mfV I'weth ha-dehnrim, the ten wouds. In the preceding- chapter, ver. a. God calls them, \ti3 n« et heriti, Mi/ covemant, i.e. the ajTi'etment he entered intu with the people of Israal, to take them i'or his peculiar people, if they took hin\ for their <Joil and portion. If j/e u-ill obci/ mi/ voice indeed, and k'JRP my COVENANT, Tiiu.N s/iall ye be a peculiar Irea.^iirc unto me. And the wonl covenant here, evidently refers to the laivs gi\cn in this chapter, as is evident from Deut. iv. 13. And he declared unto you /lis COVENANT, iv/iich he commanded you to ptrform, even ten commandments. They have been ai o termed the moral lan', because they contain and lay down rules for the reirulation of the manners or conduct of men. Sometimes, they have been termed The law, rninn Ita-torah, by way of eminence, as cwntainini;- the grand system of spiritual instruction, direction, guidance, i^c. See on the word t.A\v, chap. xii. 49. And frequently the decalogue, ^(KaXayo:, which is a littral translation into Greek, of the crnain rrva'i} escrcth ha-debarim, or ten words of Moses. ' Amonji Divines, they are generally divided into what tlu y term the first and second Tables. The first Table contaiiiint^ *he first, second, third, and fourth commandments, and comprehending the w hole system of Theology, the true notions we should form of the Divine Nature, the reverence we owe, and the religious service we should render to Him. The second, containing the six last commandments, and comprehending a oomplete system of ethics, or moral duties, which man owes to his fellows; and on the due ])erformance of which, the order, peace, and happiness of society depend. By this division, the first Table contains our duty to God: the second, our duty to our neighuouk. This division, which is natural enough, refers us to the grand principle, love to God, and love to man, tiirough which, both Tallies arc observed. 1. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heartj soul, mind, and strength. 2. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself On these two hang all the Law and the Prophets. See Mutt. xxii. 37—40.

Verse 2. / am the Lord thy God] yrhix nin' Ychovuh eloheyca. On the word Jehovah, which wc here translate Lord, see the notes on (ien. ii. 4. and Exod. vi. 3. And on the word Elohini, here translated Cov, see on Gen. i. 1. It is wortl^y of remark, that each individual is addressed here, and not l]\c people collectively; though they are all necessarily included, Ihat eacli might feel that he was bound i'or himself, to hear and do all these words. Moses laboured to impress this yjc;— sonul interest on the peoj)le's minds, when he said, Deut. v. 3. " The Lord made this covcHant with us, even us, who are all of tw here alive this day."

neath, or that is in the water under the eartli:

5 ^ Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I

Brought thee out of the land of Egypt, &c.] And by this very thing, have proved myself to be superior to all eods, unlimittxl in power, and most gracious, as well as fearful in operation. This is the preface or introduction, but should not be separated from the commandment. Tlierefore,

Verse S. Thou shalt have no other gods before me."] ~'7\^H Onnx elohim acharim — No strange gods — none that thou art not acquainted with— none who ha.< not giren thee such proofs of his power and godhead as I have done, in delivering thee from the Egyptians, dividing the Red sea, bringing water out of the rock, quails into the desart, manna from heaven to feed thee, and the pillar of cloud to direct, enlighten, and shield thee. By these miracles, (iod had rendered himself familiar to them; they were intimately acquainted with the opera! ion of his hands: and therefore with great propriety he says, Thou shalt have no strange gods before nie; 'js bv cil panai, before, or in tlie place of those manifestations which I have made of myself.

This commandment prohibits every species of mental idolatry, and all inordinate attachment to earthly and sensible things. As God is the fountain of happiness, and no intelligent creature can be happy, but through him, whoever seeks ha]jpiness in the creature, is necessarily an idolater; as he puts the creature in the ])lace of the creator: expecting tliat from the gratification of his passions, m the use or abuse of earthly things, which is to be found in God alone. The veryfirst commandment of the whole series, is divinely calculated to prevent man's misery, and })romote his happiness, by taking him oif from all false dejiendance, and leading him to God himself, the fountain of all good.

Ver.se 4. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image'] As the word hzsS pesel signifies to he-j;, carve, grave, Sfc. it may here signify any kind of image, either of wood, stone, or metal, on which the axe, the chissel, or the graving tool has been employed. This commandment includes in its prohibitions, every species of idolatry, known to have been practised among the Egyptians. The Reader will see this tlie more plainly, by consulting the Notes on the ten plagues, particularly those on chap. xii.

(.*)■ any likeness, &;c.] To know the full spirit and extent of this commandment, this place must be collated with Deut. iv. 1.5, &c. Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves, lest ye corrupt yourselves — and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or ff.male. All who have even the slightest acquaintance with the aiiei^-nt history of Egypt, kno\v that Osiris, and his wife Lis, were supreme divinities among that people.

the Lord thy God am * a jealous God, " visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth (feneration of them

6 And ' shewing mercy unto thousands, of tliem that love me, and keep my commandments.

7 '' Thou shalt not take the name

a Uvini^ ox, which they supposed to be the habitation of thi.s deity; and they imagined that on tlie death of one, he entered into the body of another, and?o on successively. This famous vx-irod they called Apis and Mnevis.

The likeness of any loingcd fowf] The ibis, or stork, or crane, and haivk, may be here intended; for all these were objects of Esyptiun idolatry.

The likeness of any ihinc; that cheepeth] Tile crocodile, serpents, the scaraheus or beetle, were all objects of their adoration: and Mr. Bryant has rendered it very probable that »:Vtn the /)o? itself, was a sacrefl animal, as from its inflation it was emblematic of the prophetic influence; for they supposed, that the god infuitecl, or distended the body of the person, by whom he gave oracular answers.

The likeness of any fish] All fish were esteemed sacred animals among the Egyptians. One called Oxitriinchus, had, according to Strabo, lilj. xvii. a temple, and divine honours paid to it. Another fish called Phagrus, was worshipped at Syene, according to Clemens Alexandrinus in his Cohortatio. And the Lepidotus and eel were objects of their adoration, as we finil from Herodotus, lib. ii. chap. 72. In short, oxen, heifers, sheep, goats, lions, dogs, monkeys, and cats; the Ibis, the crane, and the haiuk; the crocodile, serpents, frogs, Jlies, and the scarabeus or beetle; the Nile, and its fislt; the sun, moon, planets, and stars; fire, light, air, darkness, dx\A night, were all objects of Eiryptian idolatry, and all included in this very circumstantial prohiliition, as detailed in Deuteronomy; and very forcibly in the general terms of the Text, Than shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in the heavens above, or that is in the e.\rth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. And the reason of this becomes selfevidcnt, when the various objects of Egyptian idolatry are considereil.

This commandment also prohibits every species of external idolatry, as the first does all idolatry, that may be called internal or mental. All false worship, may be considered of this kind; together with all image xvorship, and all other superstitious rites and ceremonies. See the note on ver. 23.

Verse 5. Jealous God"] This shews in a most expressive manner, the love of God to this people. lie, felt for them, as the most affectionate husband could d<i for his spouse; and was jealous for their fidelity, because he willed their invariable happiness.

Visiting the iniquity if the fathers upon the childrert] This necessarily implies — if the children walk in the steps of their fathers. I'or no man can be condenmed by divine justice for a crime of which he was never guilty, see Ezek. xviii. Idolatry is however particularly intended; and visiting sins of this kind, refers principally to national Judgments. By withdrawing' the divine protection, the idolatrous Israelites were delivered up into the hamls of fheir enemies, from whom, the gods, in whom they had trusted, could not deliver tliem. This, God

of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord

did to the third and fourth generation, i.e. successively; as' may be seen in every jiart of the Jewish history, and particularly in die book of Judges. And this, at last, became the grand, and the only eilcctual and la.-ting means, in his hand, t of their final deliverance from idolatry; for it is well known, l that after the Babylonish captivity, the Israelites were sa' completely saved from idolatry, as never more to have disgraced themselves by it, as they had formerly done. These national judgments, thus continued from generation to generation, appear to be what are designed by the words in \ the Text, Visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children, ' &c. i

Verse 6. And shelving mercy unto thousands'] Mark: even, those who love G(xl, and keep his commandments, tnerit notliing from him; and therefore the salvation and blessedness,' which these enjoy, come from the mercy of God. Sheioing] mercy, &c. What a disproportion between the works of j'w- i tice and mercy.' Justice works to the ihii-d or fourth, mercy to thousands of generations!

Tliat love me, and keep -my commandments.'] It was this, that caused Christ to comprize the fulfilment of the whole Law, in love to God and man, see the note on ver. 1. And as love is the grand principle of obedience, and the only incentive to it; so there can be no obedience without it. It would be more easy, even in Egyptian bondage, to make brick without straw, than to do the will qf Goil, unless his love be shed abroad in 1 the heart by the holy spirit. Love, says the Aposde, is the I fulfilling of the law, Rom. xiii. 10.!

Verse 7. Thou shalt not lake the name of the Lord thy God in vain] This precept not only forbids all false oatlts, but all common swearing where the name of God is used, or where he is appealed to, as a witness of the truth. It also necessarily forbids all light and irreverent mention of God, or any of his attributes; and this, the original word suf"? lashave particularly imjjorts: and we may safely add to all these, that every prayer, ejaculation, &c. that is not accompanied with deep relerence, and the genuine spirit of piety, is here condemned also. In how many thousands of instances is this commandment broken in the prayers, whether read or extempore, of inconsiderate, bold, and prtsuinptuous worshippers! And how few are there, who do not break it, both in their public and private devotions! How low is piety, when we are obliged, in order to escape damnation, to pi'ay to God to " pardon the sins of our holy things."

T/ie Lord will not hold him guiltless, &c.] Whatever the per.son himself may think or hope, however he may plead in iiis own behalf, and say he intends no evil, &c. if he, in any of the aliove ways, or in any other way, takes the name of Gud

him guiltless, that taketh his name in vain.

8 ^ Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 " Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10 But the "seventh day, k the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy

in vain, God will not hold him guiltless — he will account him g'lilty, and punih him for it. Is it necessary to say to any truly spiritual mind, that all such interjections, as O God! my (; nt ' good God! good Heavens! &c. &c. are formal, positive li iches of this law.' How many, who pass for Chiistiuns, ail highly criminal here!

> Against profanation of the sahbath, and idleness on the other days of the loeek.

Verse 8. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy."] See what has beon already said on this precept, Gen. il. 2. and elsLwhcrc. As this was the most ancient institution, God calls them to remember it: as if he had said, do not forget that when I had finished my creation, I in.ititAitcd the sabbath, and remember why I did so, and for what piu-poses. The word n2V s/mb/ith, signifies rest, ov cessation i'rom labour; and tlie saiiclification of the seventh day, is commanded as having somethini; representative in it: and so indeed it has, for it typifies the rest uhich i-einuins for the people of God, and in this light, it evidently appears to have been imderstood by the A]iostle, Heb. iv. Because this commandment has not been particularly mentioned in the New Testament, as a mural precept, biiidniy on all; therefore some have presumptuously inferred, that there is no sabbath under the Christian dispensation. The truth is, the sabbath is considered as a type — all types are of full force, till the thincf sipniliui by them, takes plaee; but the thing signified by the sabbath, is that rest in glory which remaiyis for the people of d'od; thertlbre, the moral obligation of the sabbath must continue, till timt be swallowed up in eternity.

Verse 9..SV.r days shalt thou labourl Therefore he who 1 idles away time on any of the six days, is as guilty Ix-fore I God, as bewliovorks on the sabbath. No work should be ' done on the sabbath that can be done on the preceding ' days, or can be deferred to the succeeding ones. Works; of absolute necessity and mercy, are alone excepted. He who i works by his servants or cattle, is ecjually guilty as if he work- [ ed himself. Hiring out horses, &c. for pleasure or business, I going on journeys, paying worldly visits, or taking jaunts on i the [.ord's day, are breaches of this law. The whole of \ it should be de\otfcd to the rest of the body, and the im- I provemtnt of the mind. God says, he has hallowed it — I lie has made it sacred, and set it apait for the above jiur-

1 1 For ' 171 six (lays, the Lord made heaven and earth, tiie sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore, the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

12 ^ ^Honour thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long, upon the land, which the Lord tliy God giveth thee.

Verse 12. Honour thy father and thy mother] There is a degree of aflectionate respect which is owing to parents, that no person else can properly claim. For a considerable time, jiarcnts stand, as it were, in the place of God to their children; and therefore, rebellion against their lawful commands, has been considered as reliellion against God. This precept, therefore, piohiliits in)t only all injurious acts, irreverent and unkind speeches to parents; but enjoin^ all necessary acts of kindness, filial respect, and obedience. We can scarcely suppose that a man honours his parents, who, when they fall weak, blind, or sick, does not exert himself to the uttermost, in their support. In such cases, God as truly requires the children to provide for their parents, as he required the parents to feed, nourish, suj^port, instruct, and defend the children, when they were in the lowest state of helpless infancy. See the note on Gen. xlvui. 12. The Rabbins say. Honour the Lord iiith ihy substance, Piov. iii. 9. and Honour thy father and mother. The Loud is to be honoured, if thou have it: thy father and mother, v hether thou have it or not; for if thou have nothing, thou art bound to beg for them. See Ainsworth.

That thy days may be long] This, as the Apostle observes, Ephes. vi, 2. is the first commandment to which God has annexed a promise; and therefore, we may learn in some measure, how important the duty is, in the sight of God. In Deut. v. 16. it is.said. And that it may go u'ell iiith thee; we may therefore conclude, that it will go ill with the disobedient; and there is no doubt, that the untimely deaths of many young persons, were the judicial consequence of their di.-obedience to their parents. Most who come to an untimely end, are obliged to confess, that this, with the breach of the sabbath, were the principal causes of their ruin. Reader! art thou guilty? Humble thyself, therefore, before God, and rep»nt. 1. A* children are bound to succour their parents; so parents are bound to educate and instruct their children, in all useful and necessary knowledge; and not to bring them up either in ignorance or idleness. 2. They should teach their children the fear and knowledge of God, for how can they (xpeet adiction or dutitul respect from those, who have not the fear of God before then- eyes.' Those who are Lest edif Cfilcd, are gcmrally the most dutiful.

13 * Thou shalt not kill.

14 "Thou shalt not commit adultery.

15 " Thou shalt not steal. 16 "Thou shalt not bear false witness against

V'erse 13. Tlioii shult not kill.] This commandment, which is general, prohibit.-; murder of every kind. 1. All action.i by v/liich the lives of our fellow creatures may be abridged. 3. All wars for extending empire, commerce, &c. 3. All sanguivary laxvs, by the operation of which the lives of men may be taken away, for oflences of comparatively trifling; demerit. 4. All hud dispositions, which lead men to wish evil to, or nieditate mischief against, one another; for,.?ays the Scripture, He that luiteth his brother, in his hearty is a murderer. 5. All iiant of charity to the helpless and distressed; for he who has it in his power to save the life of another, by a timely application of succour, food, raiment, &c. and does not do it; and the hfe of the person either falls, or is abridged en this account; he is, in the sight of God, a murderer. He who neglects to save life, is, according to an incontrovertible maxim in laxv, the SAME as he wiio takes it away. 6. All riot and excess, all drunkenness and gluttony, all inactivity and slothfulness, and all superstitious mortifications and self-denials, by which hfe may be destroyed or shortened; all these are point-blank sins against the sixth commandment.

"Verse 14. Thou shalt not commil-adultery.] Adultery, as de- •fmed by our laws, is of tivo kinds: double, when between two married persons; single, when one of the parties is married, the other single, (.hie principal jjarl of the crimiuality of adulteiy consists in its injustice. 1. It robs a man of his nght, by t-(Jcii!g from him the affection of his wife. 2. It does him a wrong, by fathering on him, and obliging him to maintain, as his own, a spurious olispring, a child «hich is not his. The act itself, and every thing lea<ling to the act, is prohibited by this commandment; for our Lord says, c\en he who looks on a woman to lust after her, has already committed adultery with her in his heart. And not only adultery (the unlawful commerce between two married jicr.sons) is forbidden here, but ai.so fornication, and all kinds of mental and sensual uncleaiiness. All im])ure books, songs, paintings, Ike. which tend to inflame and debauch the mind, are against this law; as \vell as another species of impurity, for the account of which the reader is referred to the notes on Gen. xxxviii. at the end. — Adultery, often means idolatry in the worship of God.

Verse 15. Tliou shalt not steal.] All rajiine and t/ieft are forijidden by this precept; as well uatiouul and commercial wrongs.

1 7 ' Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, ' thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy

as petty larceny, highway robberies, and private stealing -.—r even the taking advantage of a seller's or buyer's ignorance, 10 give the one less, and make the other))ay more, for a commodity than its worth, is a breach of this sacred law. All withholding of rights, and doing of wrongs, are against the spirit of it. But the word is principally applicable to clandestine stealing, though it may undoubtedly include all political injustice and private wrongs. And consequently all kidnapping, crimping, and slave-dealing are prohibited here, whether practised by individuals or by the state. Crimes are not lessened in their demerit by the number or pdlitical importance of those who commit them. A state that enacts bad laws, is as criminal before God, as the individual who breaks good ones.

It has been supposed, that under the eighth commandment, injuries done to character, the depriving a man of his reputation or good name, are included; hence those words of one of our poets:

Verse 16. Thou shalt not bear fake witness, &c.] Not only false oaths, to deprive a man of his life, or of his riglit, are here prohibited, but all xvhispering, tale-bearing, slander, and calumny; in a word, whatever is deposed as a truth, which is false in fact, and tends to injure another in his goods, person, or character, is against the spirit and letter of this law. Suppressing the truth, when known, by which a person may be detrauded of his property or his good name, or lie under injuries or disabilities which a discovery of the truth would have prevented, i.i also a crime against this law. He who bears a false testimony against, or belies even the devil himself, comes under the ciir.se of this law, because his testimony is false. By the term neighbour, any human being is intended, whether he rank among our enemies or friends.

Verse 17. Thmi shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, — wife, &C.J Covet signifies to desire, or long after, in order to enjoy as a properly, the person or thing coveted. He breaks this command, who, by any means, endeavours to deprive a man of his house or farm, by taking them over his head, as it is expressed in some countries — who lusts after his neighbour's wife, and endeavours to ingratiate himself into her affections.

and to lessen her hujband in her esteeni — and who endeavours 'to possess himself of the servanls, cattle, &c. of another in any Iclandestine or unjustifiuhle manner. " This is a most excellent imoral precept; the observance of which will prevent all public iCrimes: for he who feels the force of the law, that prohibits the inordinate desire of any thiri;; that is the property of another, cun never make a breach in the jjeace of society, by an act of wron;;' to any of even its feeblest members."