Commentary on the Holy Bible

Verse 24. From twenty and Jive years oW] See the note on chap. iv. 47, where the two terms of twentyfive and thirty years are reconciled.

Verse 26. To keep the charge, and shall do no service.^ They shall no longer be obliged to perform any laborious service, but act as general directors and counsellors; therefore they were to be near the camp, sing praises to God, and see that no stranger or unclean person was permitted to enter. So the Jews and many other persons have understood this place.

1. If it required so much legal purity to fit the Levites for their work in the tabernacle, can we sup-

22 ^ And after that went the a. m. 2514. Levites in to do their service in au. Exod. isr. 2. the tabernacle of the congrega- Ijar or Zif. tion before Aaron, and before his sons: ^ as the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they unto them.

24 This is it that helongeth unto the Levites: ^ from twenty and five years old and upward, they shall go in *= to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation:

25 And from the age of fifty years they shall ^ cease waiting upon the service thereof and shall serve no more:

26 But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, « to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.

pose that it requires less spiritual purity to fit ministers of the Gospel to proclaim the righteousness of the Most High, and administer the sacred ordinances of Christianity to the flock of Christ *? If these must be without spot, as the priests before without blemish, and these were only typical men, we may rest assured that a Christian minister requires no ordinary measures of holiness to prepare him for an acceptable and profitable discharge of his office.

2. If the Christian ministry be established to prepare men for the kingdom of God, of the holiness of which the purity of the camp was but a faint emblem, how can any man expect to enter that place of blessedness, who has not his heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, and his body washed with pure water; his life and conversation agreeable to the sacred precepts laid down in the Gospel of Christ 1 If the law of Moses were more read in reference to the Gospel, the Gospel itself and its requisitions would be much better understood. Reader, however it may be with thee, Antinomianism is more general among religious people than is usually imagined. What multitudes of all denominations are expecting to enter into the kingdom of God without any proper preparation for the place! Without holiness none shall see the Lord; and from this decision of the Divine justice there shall never be any appeal.

The Israelites are reminded of the lato that required them to keep the passover at its proper time, and with all its rites, 1-3. They kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, 4, 5. The case of the men who, being unclean through touching a dead body, could not keep the passover, 6, 7. Moses inquires at the Lord concerning them, 8; and the Lord appoints the fourteenth day of the second month for all those who through any accidental uncleanncss, or by being absent on a journey, could not keep it at the usual time, 9-12. Those ivho neglect to keep this solemn feast to be cut off from among his people, 13. 644 a

The stranger who wishes to keep the passover is at liberty to do it, 14. The cloud covers the tabernacle both by day and night, from the time of its dedication, 15, 16. This cloud regulates all the encampments and marchings of the Israelites through the wilderness, 17—22. Their joumeyings and restings were all directed by the commandment of the Lord, 23.

second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,

2 Let the children of Israel also keep ^ the passover at his appointed season.

3 In the foui-teenth day of this month, ^ at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.

4 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover.

5 And ° they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did the children

Verse 1. The Lord spake unto Moses] The fourteen first verses of this chapter certainly refer to transactions that took place at the time of those mentioned in the commencement of this book, before the numbering of the people, and several learned men are of opinion that these fourteen verses should be referred back to that place. We have already met with instances where transpositions have very probably taken place, and it is not difficult to account for them. As in very early times writing was generally on leaves of the Egyptian flag papyrus, or on thin lamince of different substances, facts and transactions thus entered were very liable to be deranged; so that when afterwards a series was made up into a book, many transactions might be inserted in wrong places, and thus the exact chronology of the facts be greatly disturbed. MSS. written on leaves of trees, having a hole in each, through which a cord is passed to keep them all in their places, are frequently to be met with in the cabinets of the curious, and many such are now before me, especially in Cingalese, Pali, and Burman. Should the cord break, or be accidentally unloosed, it would be exceedingly difficult to string them all in their proper places; accidents of this kind I have often met with to my very great perplexity, and in some cases found it almost impossible to restore each individual leaf to its own place; for it should be observed that these separate pieces of oriental writing are not always paged like the leaves of our printed books; nor are there frequently any catch-words or signatures at the bottom to connect the series. This one consideration will account for several transpositions, especially in the Pentateuch, where they oocur more frequently than in

6 And there were certain men A. M. 2514. who were ^ defiled by the dead An. Exod. isr. 2. body of a man, that they could Abib or Nisan. not keep the passover on that day: ^ and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day:

7 And those men said unto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the Lord in his appointed season, among the children of Israel?

8 And Moses said unto them. Stand still, and ^ I will hear what the Lord will command concerning you.

1 0 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying. If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or he in a

any other part of the sacred writings. Houbigant, who grants the existence of such transpositions, thinks that this is no sufficient reason why the' present order of narration should be changed: " It is enough," says he, nan ignorare libros eos Mosis esse acta rerum suo tempore gestarum, non historiam filo perpetuo elaboratam, " to know that these books contain an account of things transacted in the days of Moses, though not in their regular or chronological order."

Verse 3. According to all the rites of it] See all those rites and ceremonies largely explained in the notes on Exod. xii.

Verse 7. We are defiled by the dead body of a man] It is probable that the defilement mentioned here was occasioned by assisting at the burial of some person — a work both of necessity and mercy. This circumstance however gave rise to the ordinance delivered in verses 10—14, so that on particular occasions the passover might be tiuice celebrated: 1. At its regular time, the 14th of the^r.s^ month; 2. An extra time, the 14th of the second month. But the man who had no legal hinderance, and did not celebrate it on one or other of these times, was to be cut off from the people of God; and the reason given for this cutting off is, that he brought not the offering of God in his appointed season — therefore that man shall bear his sin, ver. 13. We have already seen, from the authority of St. Paul, that Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us; and that it was his sacrifice that was pointed out by the paschal lamb: on this, therefore, we may observe, that those who do not sooner or later eat the true Passover, and get the salvation procured by the sprinkling of his blood, shall be cut off from among those that shall enter into the rest prepared for the people of God;

A. M. 2514. journey afar off, yet he shall keep An. Exod. isr. 2. the passover unto the Lord, AbiborNisan. j j g rpj^^ fourteenth day of the

second month at even they shall keep it, and "^ eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

12 ^ They shall leave none of it unto the morning, ^ nor break any bone of it: ^ according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it.

1 3 But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul ^ shall be cut off from among his people: because he ^ brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season, that man shall ° bear his sin.

14 And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the Lord; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: p ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.

1 5 And 1 on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and ^ at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.

16 So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.

1 7 And when the cloud ^ was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the

and for the same reason too; they bring not the offering of God in its appointed season, and therefore they shall bear their sin.

Verse 15. The cloud covered the tabernacle] See the whole account of this supernatural cloud largely explained, Exod. xiii. 21; and xl. 34-38.

Calmet observes that the 15th verse, beginning a new subject, should begin a new chapter, as it has no connection with what goes before; and he thinks this chapter, begun with the 15th verse, should end with the 28th verse of the following.

Verse 21. Whether — by day or by night] As the heat of the day is very severe in that same desert, the night season is sometimes chosen for the performance of a journey; though it is very likely that in the case of the Israelites this was seldom resorted to.

Verse 22. Tioo days — a month — a year] It was by the Divine counsel alone that they were directed in all their peregrinations; and from the above words fi4G

18 At the commandment of the Abib or Nisan. Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.

1 9 And when the cloud " tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel ^ kept the charge of the Lord, and journeyed not.

20 And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the Lord they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the Lord they journeyed.

2 1 And so it was, when the cloud "^ abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.

22 Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel ^ abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.

23 At the commandment of the Lord they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed: they ^ kept the charge of the Lord, at the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

Verse 23. Kept the charge of the Lord] When we consider the strong disposition which this people ever testified to follow their own will in all things, we may be well surprised to find them, in these journeyings, so implicitly following the direction of God. There could be no trick or imposture here. Moses, had he been the most cunning of men, never could have imitated the appearances referred to in this chapter. The cloud, and every thing in its motion, was so evidently supernatural, that the people had no doubt of its being the symbol of the Divine presence.

God chose to keep this people so dependent upon himself, and so submissive to the decisions of his own will, that he would not even give them regular times of marching or resting; they were to do both when and where God saw best. Thus they were ever kept ready for their march, though perfectly ignorant of the time when they should commence it. But this was all well; they had the presence of God with them; the cloud by day and the fire by night demonstrated that God was amongst them. Reader, thou art here a tenant at will to God Almighty. How soon, in what place, or in what circumstances, he may call thee to march into the eternal world, thou knowest not. But this uncertainty cannot perplex thee, if thou be properly subject to the will of God, ever willing to lose thy own in it. But thou canst not be thus subject, unless thou have the testimony of the presence and approbation of God. How awful to be obliged to walk into the valley of the shadow of death without this! Reader, prepare to meet thy God.

Moses is commanded to make two silver trumpets /or calling the assembly, 1,2. On what occasions these trum pets should be sounded. First, for calling the assembly to the door of the tabernacle, 3. Secondly, to summon the princes and captains of the thousands of Israel, 4. Thirdly, to make the eastern camps strike their tents, 5. Fourthly, to make those on the south do the like, 6. No alarm to be sounded when the congregation only is to be assembled, 7. The sons of Aaron alone shall sound these trumpets, it shall be a perpetual ordinance, 8. Fifthly, the trumpets are to be sounded in the time of war, 9. Sixthly, on festival occasions, 10. On the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, the Israelites began their journey from the wilderness of Sinai, and came to the ivildernessofFa.Tan, 11, 12. By the commandment of God to Moses the first division, at the head of which was the standard of JUDAH, marched, first, 13, 14. Under him followed the tribe of Issachar, 15; and after them the tribe of Zebulun, 16. Then the Gershonites and Merarites folloived with the tabernacle, 17. At the head of the second division was the standard and camp of REUBEN, 18; and under him were that of Simeon, 19; and that of Gad, 20. Next followed the Kohathites, bearing the sanctuary, 21. Then followed the third division, at the head of which teas the standard of the camp of EPHRAIM, 22; and under him Manasseh, 23; and Benjamin, 24. At the head of the fourth division loas the standard of the camp of DAN, 25; and under him AsHER, 26; and Naphtali, 27. This was their ordinary method of marching in the wilderness, 28. Moses entreats Hobab the Midianite to accompany them through the ivilderness, 29. He refuses, 30. Moses continues and strengthens his entreaties with reasonings and promises, 31, 32. They depart from Sinai three day s^ journey, 33. The cloud accompanies them by day and night, 34. The words used by Moses when the ark set forward, 35, and when it rested, 36.

silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the ^ calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.

3 And when '' they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee

Verse 2. Make thee two trumpets of silver] The necessity of such instruments will at once appear, when the amazing extent of this numerous army is considered; and how even the sound of two trumpets could reach them all is difficult to conceive; but we may suppose that, when they were sounded, the motion of those that were within reach of that sound taught the others in succession what they should do.

As the trumpets were to be blown by the priests only, the sons of Aaron, there were only two, because there were only two such persons to use them at this time, Eleazar and Ithamar. In the time of Joshua there were seven trumpets used by the priests, but these were made, according to our text, of rams'' horns. Josh. vi. 4. In the time of Solomon, when the priests had greatly increased, there were 120 priests sounding with trumpets. 2 Chron. v. 12.

4 And if they blow hut with Abib or Nisan.

one trumpet, then the princes, which are ° heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee,

5 When ye blow an alarm, then ^ the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward.

Josephus intimates that one of these trumpets was always used to call the nobles together, the other to assemble the people; see ver. 4. It is possible that these trumpets were made of different lengths and wideness, and consequently they would emit different tones. Thus the sound itself would at once show which was the summons for the congregation, and which for the princes only. These trumpets were allowed to be emblematical of the sound of the Gospel, and in this reference they appear to be fiequently used. Of the fate of the trumpets of the sanctuary, see the note on Exod. XXV. 31.

Verse 5. When ye blow an alarm] l^\}f^^\!^ teruah, probably meaning short, broken, sharp tones, terminating with long ones, blown with both the trumpets at once. From the similarity in the words some suppose that the Hebrew teruah was similar to the Roman tara tantara, or sound of their clarion.

A. M. 2514. 6 When ye blow an alarm tiie An. Exod. isr! 2. second time, then the camps that AbiborNisan. |jg ^^ « t]^e south side shall take

their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.

7 But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ^ ye shall blow, but ye shall not ^ sound an alarm.

8 ^ And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.

9 And ' if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that ^ oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be ' remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.

1 0 Also ™ in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of

Verse 6. When ye blow an alarm the second time] A single alarm, as above stated, was a signal for the eastward division to march; two such alarms, the signal for the south division; and probably three for the west division, and four for the north. It is more likely that this was the case, than that a single alarm served for each, with a small interval between them.

The camps, or gi-and divisions of this great army, always lay, as we have already seen, to the east, south, west, and north: and here the east and south camps alone are mentioned; the^r^^ containing Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; the second, Reuben, Simeon, and Gad. The ivest and north divisions are not named, and yet we are sure they marched in consequence of express orders or signals, as well as the other two. There appears therefore a deficiency here in the Hebrew text, which is thus supplied by the Septuagint: Kai aaXniEiTE arj/iaaiav rpiTijv, Kai e^apuvaiv al nape/i- QoXai al nape/iliaTiXovaat napa BaT^aaaav Kai aaXiTieiTe arj/iaaiav rerapTriv, Kai e^apouaiv al irapeiijioTiai al nape/ipaTiXovaai npoc l3opf)av. " And wlien ye blow a third alarm or signal, the camps on the west shall march: and when ye blow a, fourth alarm or signal, the camps on the north shall march." This addition, however, is not acknowledged by the Samaritan, nor by any of the other versions but the Coptic. Nor are there any various readings in the collections of Kennicott and De Rossi, which countenance the addition in the above versions. Houbigant thinks this addition so evidently necessary, that he has inserted the Latin in his text, and in a note supplied the Hebrew words, and thinks that these words were originally in the Hebrew text, but happened to be omitted in consequence of so many similar words occurring so often in the same verse, which might dazzle and deceive the eye of a transcriber.

your months, ye shall blow with A. M. 2514. the trumpets over your burnt- An^Exod i?r. 2. offerings, and over the sacri- Abib or Nisan. fices of your peace-oiferings; that they may be to you " for a memorial before your God: I am the Lord your God.

1 1 And it came to pass, on a. m. 2514. the twentieth day of the second An. Exod. isr!2. month, in the second year, that ijar or Zif. the cloud ° was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.

1 2 And the children of Israel took p their journeys out of the 1 wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the » wilderness of Paran.

1 3 And they first took their journey » according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

14 * In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah, according

Verse 9. If ye go to war] These trumpets shall be sounded for the purpose of collecting the people together, to deliberate about the war, and to implore the protection of God against their enemies.

Ye shall be remembered before the Lord] When ye decamp, encamp, make war, and hold religious festivals, according to his appointment, which appointment shall be signified to you by the priests, who at the command of God, for such purposes, shall blow the trumpets, then ye may expect both the presence and blessing of Jehovah in all that ye undertake.

Verse 10. In the day of your gladness] On every festival the people shall be collected by the same means.

Verse 11. The twentieth day of the second month] The Israelites had lain encamped in the wilderness of Sinai about eleven months and twenty days; compare Exod. xix. 1 with this verse. They now received the order of God to decamp, and proceed towards the promised land; and therefore the Samaritan introduces at this place the words which we find in Deut. i. 6—8: " The Lord our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying: Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount, turn and take your journey," &c.

Verse 12. The cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.] This was three days' journey from the wilderness of Sinai, (see ver. 33,) and the people had three stations; the first at Kibroth-hattaavah, the second at Hazeroth, chap. xi. 35, and the third in the wilderness of Paran, see chap. xii. 16. But it is extremely difficult to determine these journeyings with any degree of exactness; and we are often at a loss to know whether the place in question was in a direct or retrograde position from the place previously mentioned.

15 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethaneel the son of Zuar.

1 6 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.

1 7 And " the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon, and the sons of Merari, set forward, ^ bearing the tabernacle.

1 8 And ' the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward, according to their armies: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur.

19 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Ziirishaddai.

20 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of DeueL

2 1 And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the ^ sanctuary: and ^ the other did set up the tabernacle against they came.

22 And '^ the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward, according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud.

of marching explained at large on chap. ii. The following is the order in which this vast company proceeded in their march: —

Verse 29. Moses said.unto Hobab] For a circumstantial account of this person see the notes on Exod. ii. 15, 16, 18; iii. 1; iv. 20, 24; and for the transaction recorded here, and which is probably out of its place, see Exod. xviii. 5, where the subject is discussed at large.

We are journeying] God has brought us out of thraldom, and we are thus far on our way through the wilderness, travelling towards the place of rest which

23 And over the host of the A. m. 2514. tribe of the children of Manas- An. Exod. isr! 2. seh was Gamaliel the son of ^J""'^^^^' Pedahzur.

24 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.

25 And '' the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, which was the rereward of all the camps throughout their hosts: and over his host loas Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

26 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Ashur was Pagiel the son of Ocran.

27 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.

28 ° Thus '^ were the journeyings of the children of Israel, according to their armies, when they set forward.

29 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of ® Raguel, the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, ^ I will give it you: come thou with us, and ^ we will do thee good: for ^ the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel.

30 And he said unto him, I will not go;

he has appointed us, trusting in his promise, guided by his presence, and supported by his power. Come thou with us, and ive loill do thee good. Those who wish to enjoy the heavenly inheritance must walk in the way towards it, and associate with the people who are going in that way. True religion is ever benevolent. They who know most of the goodness of God are the most forward to invite others to partake of that goodness. That religion which excludes all others from salvation, unless they believe a particular creed, and worship in a particular way, is not of God. Even Hobab, the Arab, according to the opinion of Moses, might receive the same blessings which God had promised to Israel, provided he accompanied them in the same way.

The Lord hath spohen good concerning Israel.] The name Israel is taken in a general sense to signify the followers of God, and to them all the promises in the Bible are made. God has spoken good of them, and he has spoken good to them; and not one word that he hath spoken shall fail. Reader, hast thou left thy unhallowed connections in life 1 Hast thou got into the camp of the Most High ■? Then continue to follow God with Israel, and thou shalt be incorporated in the heavenly family, and share in Israel's benedictions.

Verse 30. I will not go; but I ivill depart to mine own land, and. to my kindred.] From the strong expostulations in verses 31 and 32, and from Judg. i. 16,

I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us ' instead of eyes.

32 And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that "^ what goodness the Lord shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.

33 And they departed from ' the mount of the Lord three days' journey: and the ark of

iv. 11, and 1 Sam. xv. 6, it is likely that Hobab changed his mind; or that, if he did go back to Midian, he returned again to Israel, as the above scriptures show that his posterity dwelt among the Israelites in Canaan. Reader, after having been almost persuaded to become a Christian, to take Christ, his cross, his reproach, and his crown, for thy portion, art thou again purposing to go back to thy own land, and to thy kindred ■? Knowest thou not that this land is the place of destruction — that the children of this world, who are not taking God for their portion, are going to perdition? Up, get thee hence, for the Lord will destroy this place by fire; and all who are not of the kindred and family of Christ shall perish at the brightness of his appearing! Verse 31. Thou mayest be to us instead of eyes.] But what need had they of Hobab, when they had the pillar and fire continually to point out their way 1 Answer: The cloud directed their general journeys, but not their particular excursions. Parties took several journeys while the grand army lay still. (See chap, xiii., xx., xxxi., xxxii., &c.) They therefore needed such a person as Hobab, who was well acquainted with the desert, to direct these particular excursions; to point them out watering places, and places where they might meet with fuel, &c., &c. What man cannot, under the direction of God's providence, do for himself, God will do in the way of especial mercy. He could have directed them to the fountains and to the places of fuel, but Hobab can do this, therefore let Hobab be employed; and let Hobab know for his encouragement that, while he is serving others in the way of God's providence, he is securing his own best interests. On these grounds Hobab should be invited, and for this reason Hobab should go. Man cannot do God's work; and God will not do the work which he has qualified and commanded man to perform. Thus then the Lord is ever seen, even while he is helping man by man. See some the covenant of the Lord "" went a. m. 2514. before them in the three days' An. Exod. isr. 2. journey, to search out a resting ijar or Zif. place for them.

34 And ^ the cloud of the Lord was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp.

35 And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, ° Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.

36 And when it rested, he said, Return, O Lord, unto the p many thousands of Israel.

valuable observations on this subject in Harmer, vol. ii., 286. Instead of. And thou mayest be to us instead of eyes, the Septuagint translate the passage thus; Kat. EGi} ev T/ficv ■iTpea[3vTT)c, And thou shall be an elder among us. But Moses probably refers to Hobab's accurate knowledge of the wilderness, and to the assistance he could give them as a guide.

Verse 33. The ark — ivent before them] We find from ver. 21 that the ark was carried by the Kohathites in the centre of the army; but as the army never moved till the cloud was taken up, it is said to go before them, i. e., to be the first to move, as without this motion the Israelites continued in their encampments.

Verse 35. Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered] If God did not arise in this way and scatter his enemies, there could be no hope that Israel could get safely through the wilderness. God must go first, if Israel would wish to follow in safety.

Verse 36. Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel.] These were the words spoken by Moses, at the moment the divisions halted in order to pitch their tents. In reference to this subject, and the history with which it is connected, the 68th Psalm seems to have been composed, though applied by David to the bringing the ark from Kirjath-jearim to Jerusalem. See the notes on Psa. Ixviii. Many thousands, literally the ten thousand thousands. Unless the ark went with thetn, and the cloud of the Divine glory with it, they could have neither direction nor safety; unless the ark rested with them, and the cloud of glory with it, they could have neither rest nor comfort. How necessary are the word of God and the Spirit of God for the direction, comfort, and defence of every genuine follower of Christ! Reader, pray to God that thou mayest have both with thee through all the wilderness, through all the changes and chances of this mortal life: if thou be guided by his counsel, thou shalt be at last received into his glory.

The people complain, the Lord is displeased, and many of them are consumed by fire, I. Moses intercedes for them, and the fire is quenched, 2. The place is called Taberah, 3. The mixed multitude long for flesh, and murmur, 4-6. The manna described, 7-9. The people weep in their tents, and the Lord is displeased, 1 0. Moses deplores his lot in being obliged to hear and bear ivith all their murmurings, 1 1-15.

He is commanded to bring seventy of the elders to God that he may endue them with the same spirit, and cause them to divide. the burden with him, 16, 17. He is also commanded to inform the people that they shall have flesh for a whole month, 18-20. Moses expresses his doubt of the possibility of this, 21, 22. The Lord confirms his promise, 23. The seventy men are brought to the tabernacle, 24; and the spirit of prophecy rests upon them, 25. Eldad and Medad stay in the camp and prophesy, 26, 27. Joshua beseeches Moses to forbid them, 28. Moses refuses, 29, 30. A wind from the Lord briw^s quails to the camp, 31, 32. While feeding on the flesh, a plague from the Lord falls upon them, and many of them die, 33. The place is called Kibroth-hattaavah, or the graves of lust, 34. They journey to Hazeroth, 35

^ and his anger was kindled; and the ® fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.

2 And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses Sprayed unto the Lord, the fire ^ was quenched.

3 And he called the name of the place ^ Taberah: because the fire of the Lord burnt among them.

4 And the > mixed multitude that was among them ^ fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also ' wept again, and said, "" Who shall give us flesh to eat?

Verse 1. And when the people complained] What the cause of this complaining was, we know not. The conjecture of St. Jerome is probable; they complained because of the length of the way. But surely no people had ever less cause for murmuring; they had God among them, and miracles of goodness were continually wrought in their behalf.

It displeased the Lord] For his extraordinary kindness was lost on such an ungrateful and rebellious people. And his anger was kindled — Divine justice was necessarily incensed against such inexcusable conduct.

Ajid the fire of the Lord burnt among them] Either a supernatural fire was sent for this occasion, or the lightning was commissioned against them, or God smote them with one of those hot suffocating winds which are very common in those countries.

And consumed — in the uttermost parts of the camp.] It pervaded the whole camp, from the centre to the circumference, carrying death with it to all the murmurers; for we are not to suppose that it was confined to the uttermost parts of the camp, unless we could imagine that there were none culpable any where else. If this were the same with the case mentioned ver. 4, then, as it is possible that the mixed multitude occupied the outermost parts of the camp, consequently the burning might have been confined to them.

Verse 2. The fire ivas quenched.] Was sunk, or swallowed up, as in the margin. The plague, of a

and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic:

6 But now ° our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before oui eyes.

7 And p the manna was as coriander seed, and the 1 colour thereof as the colour of ^ bdellium.

8 And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and ^ the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.

9 And * when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.

10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the

Verse 4. The mixed multitude] t^D-JDNn hasaphsuph., the collected or gathered people. Such as came out of Egypt with the Israelites; and are mentioned Exod. xii. 38. This mongrel people, who had comparatively little of the knowledge of God, feeling the difficulties and fatigues of the journey, were the first to complain; and then we find the children of Israel joined them in their complainings, and made a common cause with these demi-infidels.

Verse 5. We remember, Sfc] The choice aliments which those murmurers complained of having lost by their leaving Egypt, were the following: fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. A European may smile at such delicacies; but delicacies they were in that country. Their jf?*^ is excellent; their cucumbers and loater melons highly salubrious and refreshing; and their onions, garlic, &c., exquisitely flavoured, differing as much from vegetables of the same species in these northern climes as a bad tui-nip does from a good apple. In short, this enumeration takes in almost all the commonly attainable delicacies in those countries.

Verse 7. The manna was as coriander seed] Probably this short description is added to show the iniquity of the people in murmuring, while they had so adequate a provision. But the baseness of their minds appears in every part of their conduct.

A. M. 2514. door of his tent; and " the anger An. Exod. isr. of the LoRD was kindled greatly; ^- Moses also was displeased.

1 1 '^ And Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?

1 2 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, "^ Carry them in thy bosom, as a ^ nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou ^ swarest unto their fathers?

13 ^ Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying. Give us flesh, that we may eat.

14 ^ 1 am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.

1 5 And if thou deal thus with me, '' kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not ° see my V/"retchedness.

16 And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me ^ seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knovvest to be the elders of the people, and ® officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.

1 7 And I will ^ come down and A. M. 2514. talk with thee there: and e I will An! Exod. Isr. take of the spirit which is upon ^■

not agreed; and I shall not trouble the reader with conjectures. See the note on Gen. ii. 12. Concerning the manna, see the notes on Exod. xvi.

Verses 11—15. The complaint and remonstrance of Moses in these verses serve at once to show the deeply distressed state of his mind, and the degradation of the minds of the people. We have already seen that the slavery they had so long endured had served to debase their minds, and to render them incapable of every high and dignified sentiment, and of every generous act.

Verse 17. Iiuill lake of the spirit which is upon thee] From this place Origen and Theodoret take occasion to compare Moses to a lamp, at which seventy others were lighted, without losing any of its brightness. To convince Moses that God had sufficiently qualified him for the work which he had given him to do, he tells him that of the gifts and graces which he has given him he will qualify seventy persons to bear the charge with him. This was probably intended as a gracious reproof. Query. Did not Moses lose a measure of his gifts in this business 1 And is it not right that he whom God has called to and qualified for

thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.

18 And say thou unto the people, ^ Sanctify yourselves against to-morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept ' in the ears of the Lord, saying. Who shall give us flesh to eat? '' for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the Lord will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.

19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;

20 ^ But even a •" whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the Lord which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, " Why came we forth out of Egypt?

2 1 And Moses said, ° The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.

22 p Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?

some particular office, should lose those gifts which he either undervalues or refuses to employ for God in the way appointed? Is there not much reason to believe that many cases have occurred where the spiritual endowments of particular persons have been taken away and given to others who made a better use of them 1 Hence the propriety of that exhortation, Rev. iii. 1 1: Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy croion.

The gracious God never called a man to perform a work without furnishing him with adequate strength; and to refuse to do it on the pretence of inability is little short of rebellion against God.

This institution of the seventy persons to help Moses the rabbins consider as the origin of their grand council called the Sanhedrin. But we find that a council of seventy men, elders of Israel, had existed among the people a year before this time. See Exod. xxiv. 9; see the advice given by Jethro to Moses, Exod. xviii. 17, &c., and the notes there.

Verse 22. Shall the flocks and the herds be slain] There is certainly a considerable measure of weakness and wnJe/ie/ manifested in the complaints and questions a

whether ''my w^^jd shall come to pass unto thee or not.

24 And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord, and ^ gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.

25 And the Lord '^ came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, ^ when the spirit rested upon them, ^ they prophesied, and did not cease.

26 But there remained two of a.m. 2514.

name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them: and they were of them that were written, but "^ went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.

27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.

28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his "young men, answered and said. My lord Moses, ^ forbid them.

29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? ^ would God that all the Lord's

of Moses on this occasion; but his conduct appears at the same time so very simple, honest, and affectionate, that we cannot but admire it, while we wonder that he had not stronger confidence in that God whose miracles he had so often witnessed in Egypt.

Verse 23. Is the Lord's hand loaxed short I'] Hast thou forgotten the miracles which I have already performed? or thinkest thou that my power is decreased 1 The power that is unlimited can never be diminished.

Verse 25. When the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied^ ^y prophesying here we are to understand their performing those civil and sacred functions for which they were qualified; exhorting the people to quiet and peaceable submission, to trust and confidence in the goodness and providence of God, would make no small part of the duties of their new office. The ideal meaning of the word N3J naba is to pray, entreat, &c. The prophet is called N'lJJ nali, because he prays, supplicates, in reference to God; exhorts, entreats, in reference to man. See on Gen. xx. 7.

Verse 27. Eldad and Medad do prophesy] These, it seems, made two of the seventy elders; they were written, though they went not out to the tabernacle; they were enrolled as of the elders, but went not to meet God at the tabernacle, probably at that time prevented by some legal hinderance, but they continued in the camp using their new function in exhorting the

A^'erse 28. My lord Moses, forbid them.] Joshua was afraid that the authority and influence of his master Moses might be lessened by the part Eldad and Medad were taking in the government of the people, which might ultimately excite sedition or insurrection among them.

Verse 29. Enviest thou for my sake?] Art thou jealous of their influence only on my account 1 I am not alarmed; on the contrary, I would to God that all his people were endued with the same influence, and actuated by the same motives.

Persons may be under the especial direction of grace and providence while apparently performing a work out of regular order. And if the act be good and the effects good, we have no right to question the motive nor to forbid the work. What are order and regularity in the sight of man may be disorder and confusion in the sight of God, and vice versa. John wished to prevent a man from casting out demons in the name of Jesus, because he did not follow Christ in company with the disciples. Our Lord's conduct in that case should regulate ours in all similar ones; see Luke ix. 49, 50.

A late eminent divine and poet' has made a good use of this transaction to illustrate that species of Divine call to the ministry, so instrumental in the salvation of myriads, which some have decried, because it appeared to them irregular, and not authorized by the hierarchy of the nation. I shall give this piece, not for the amusement but the instruction of the reader: —

Verse 27. Eldad and Medad do prophesy, d^c] Eldad, they said, and Medad there,

Presume to prophesy! Verse 28. My lord Moses, forbid them.] How often have I blindly done

A. M. 2514. people were prophets, and that An. Exod. isr. the LoRD would put his Spirit

30 And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.

3 1 And there went forth a ^ wind from the Lord, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, ^ as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp; and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.

32 And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they

Would God that all the Lord's people loere prophets] Shall ive the Spirit's course restrain,

Short Hymns on Select Passages of the Holy Scriptures, hy Charles Wesley, M. A., and Presbyter of the Church of England. Bristol, 1762. 2 vols. l2mo. These sentiments are the more particularly remarkable as they come from one who was sufficiently bigoted to what was called ecclesiastical orders and regularity.

Verse 31. A wind from the Lord] An extraordinary one, not the effect of a natural cause. And brought quails, a bird which in great companies visits Egypt about the lime of the year, March or April, at which the circumstance marked here took place. Mr. Hasselquist, the friend and pupil of the famous Linnaeus, saw many of them about this time of the year, when he was in Egypt. See his Travels, p. 209. Two cubits high upon the face of the earth.] We.ay consider the quails diS flying ivithin two cubits of h [^>'Ound; so that the Israelites could easily take „ ■ jiy of them as they wished, while flying within

33 And while the *= flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague.

34 And he called the name of that place '^ Kibroth-hattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.

35 ^ And the people journeyed from Kibroth hattaavah unto Hazeroth; and ^ abode at Hazeroth.

camp, and fell there in such multitudes as to lie two feet thick upon the ground; but the Hebrew will not bear this version. The Vulgate has expressed the sense, Volabantque in acre duobus cubitis altiludine super terram. " And they flew in the air, two cubits high above the ground."

Verse 33. The people stood up, Sfc] While these immense flocks were flying at this short distance from the ground, fatigued with the strong wind and the distance they had come, they were easily taken by the people; and as various flocks continued to succeed each other for two days and a night, enough for a month's provision might be collected in that time. If the quails had fallen about the tents, there was no need to have stood up two days and a night in gathering them; but if they were on the wing, as the text seems to suppose, it was necessary for them to use despatch, and avail themselves of the passing of these birds whilst it continued. See Harmer, and see the note on Exod. xvi. 13.

And they spread them all abroad] Maillet observes that birds of all kinds come to Egypt for refuge from the cold of a northern winter; and that the people catch them, pluck, and bury them in the burning sand for a few minutes, and thus prepare them for use. This is probably what is meant by spreading them all abroad round the camp.

Some authors think that the word D'wiy salvim, rendered quails in our translation, should be rendered locusts. There is no need of this conjecture; all difficulties are easily resolved without it. The reader is particularly referred to the note on Exod. xvi. 13.

Verse 33. The wrath of the Lord ivas kindled] In what way, and with what effects, we cannot precisely determine. Some heavy judgment fell upon these murmurers and complainers, but of what kind the sacred writer says nothing.

Verse 34. Kibroth-hattaavah] The graves of lust; and thus their scandalous crime was perpetuated by the name of the place.

1. St. Jude speaks of persons who were murmurers and complainers, walking after their own lusts, ver. 16, and seems to have this people particularly in view.

whom the sacred text calls fiefxipmoipoi, complainers of their lot. They could never be satisfied; even God himself could not please them, because they were ever preferring their own wisdom to his. God will save us in his own way, or not at all; because that way, being the plan of infinite wisdom, it is impossible that we can be saved in any other. How often have •<ye professed to pray, " Thy will be done!" And how seldom, very seldom, have our hearts and lips corresponded! How careful should we be in all our prayers to ask nothing but what is perfectly consistent with the will of God! Many times our prayers and desires are such that, were they answered, our ruin would be inevitable. " Thy will be done!" is the greatest of all prayers; and he who would pray safely and successfully, must at least have the spirit of these words in all his petitions. The Israelites asked flesh when they should not have asked for it; God yields to their murmuring, and the death of multitudes of these murmurers was the consequence! We hear of such punishments, and yet walk in the same way, presuming on God's mercy, while we continue to provoke his justice. Let us settle it in our minds as an indisputable truth, that God is better acquainted with our wants than we are ourselves; that he knows infinitely better what we need; and that he is ever more ready to hear than we are to pray, and is wont to give more than we can desire or deserve.

2. In no case has God at any time withheld from his meanest followers any of the spiritual or temporal mercies they needed. Were he to call us to travel through a ivildemess, he -would send us bread from heaven, or cause the wilderness to smUe and blossom as the rose. How strange is it that we will neither believe that God has worked, or will work, unless we see him working!

Miriam and Aaron raise a sedition against Moses, because of the Ethiopian woman he had married, 1, and through jealousy of his increasing power and authority, 2. The character of Moses, 3. Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, are suddenly called to the tabernacle, 4. The Lord appears in the pillar of the cloud, and converses ivith them, 5. Declares his purpose to communicate his will to Moses only, 6—8. His anger is kindled against Miriam, and she is smitten with the leprosy, 9, 10. Aaron deplores his transgression, and entreats for Miriam, 11, 12. Moses intercedes for her, 13. The Lord requires that she be shut out of the ca?npfor seven days, 14. The people rest till she is restored, 15, and afterwards /eaue Hazeroth, and pitch in the wilderness q/"Paran, 16.

A ND Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the ^ Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for ^ he had " married an Ethiopian woman.

2 And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? '^ hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord ^ heard it.

Verse 1. Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses^ It appears that jealousy of the power and influence of Moses was the real cause of their complaint, though his having married an Ethiopian woman — H'syDH ntyxn haishshah haccushith — that woman, the Cushite, probably meaning Zipporah, who was an Arab born in the land of Midian — was the ostensible cause.

Verse 2. Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses 1] It is certain that both Aaron and Miriam nad received a portion of the prophetic spirit, (see Exod. iv. 15, and xv. 20, and therefore they thought they might have a share in the government; for though here was no kind of gain attached to this government, and no honour but such as came from God, yet the ove of power is natural to the human mind; and in many instances men will sacrifice even honour, pleasure, and profit to the lust of power. a

above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

4 s And the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.

5 ^ And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the

Verse 3. Noiv the man Moses was very meek] How could Moses, who certainly was as humble and modest as he was meek, write this encomium upon himself? I think the word is not rightly understood; 13_I7 anav, which we translate meek, comes from TMy anah, to act upon, to humble, depress, afflict, and is translated so in many places in the Old Testament; and in this sense it should be understood here: " Now this man Moses was depressed or afflicted more than any man noTXn haadamah, of that land.''"' And why was he so? Because of the great burden he had to bear in the care and government of this people, and because of their ingratitude and rebellion both against God and himself: of this depression and affliction, see the fullest proof in the preceding chapter. The very power they envied was oppressive to its possessor, and was more than either of their shoulders could sustain.

A. M. 2514. tabernacle, and called Aaron and An. Exod. isr. Miriam: and they both came forth. ^' 6 And he said, Hear now my

words: If there be a prophet among you, / the Lord will make myself known unto him ' in a vision, and will speak unto him '^ in a dream.

7 ^ My servant Moses is not so, ™ who is faithful in all '^ mine house.

8 With him will I speak ° mouth to mouth, even p apparently, and not in dark speeches; and 1 the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then ' were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed.

1 0 And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, ^ behold, Miriam became * leprous.

den interference of God in this business shows at once the importance of the case and his displeasure.

Verse 6. If there be a prophet] We see here the different ways in which God usually made himself known to the prophets, vh., by visions — emblematic appearances, and by dreams, in which the future was announced by dark speeches, mT!!! hechidoth, by enigmas or figurative representations, ver. 8. But to Moses God had communicated himself in a different way — he spoke to him face to face, apparently, s\iOWing him his glory: not in dark or enigmatical speeches; this could not be admitted in the case in which Moses was engaged, for he was to receive laivs by Divine inspiration, the precepts and expressions of which must all be ad captum vulgi, within the reach of the meanest capacity. As Moses, therefore, was chosen of God to be the lawgiver, so was he chosen to see these laws duly enforced for the benefit of the people among whom he presided.

Verse 7. Moses — is faithful] tDNJ neeman, a prefect or superintendent. So Samuel is termed, 1 Sam. ii. 35; iii. 20; David is so called, 1 Sam. xviii. 27, Neeman, and son-in-law of the king. Job, xii. 20, speaks of the Neemanim as a name of dignity. It seems also to have been a title of respect given to ambassadors, Prov. xiii. 17; xxv. 13. Calmet well observes that the word fidelity is often used for an employ, office, or dignity, and refers to 1 Chron. ix. 22, 26, 31; 2 Chron. xxxi. 12, 15; xxxiv. 12, &c. Moses was a faithful, well-tried servant in the house of God, and therefore he uses him as a familiar, and puts confidence in him.

Verse 10. Miriam became leprous] It is likely Miriam was chief in this mutiny; and it is probable that it was on this ground she is mentioned first, (see ver. 1,) and punished here, while Aaron is spared. Had he been smitten with the leprosy, his sacred character must have greatly suffered, and perhaps the

1 1 And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, '^ lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.

1 2 Let her not be ^ as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.

13 And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.

1 4 And the Lord said unto Moses, ^ If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be == shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.

priesthood itself have fallen into contempt. How many priests and preachers who deserved to be exposed to reproach and infamy, have been spared for the sake of the holy character they bore, that the ministry might not be blamed! But the just God will visit their transgressions in some other way, if they do not deeply deplore them and find mercy through Christ. Nothing tends to discredit the work of God so much as the transgressions and miscarriages of those who minister in holy things.

Verse 14. If her father had but spit in her face] This appears to have been done only in cases of great provocation on the part of the child, and strong irritation on the side of the parent. Spitting in the face was a sign of the deepest contempt. See Job xxx. 1 0; Isa. 1. 6; Mark xiv. 65. In a case where a parent was obliged by the disobedient conduct of his child to treat him in this way, it appears he was banished from the father's presence for seven days. If then this was an allowed and judged case in matters of high provocation on the part of a child, should not the punishment be equally severe where the creature has rebelled against the Creator T Therefore Miriam was shut out of the camp for seven days, and thus debarred from coming into the presence of God her father, who is represented as dwelling among the people. To a soul who knows the value and inexpressible blessedness of communion with God, how intolerable must seven days of spiritual darkness be! But how indescribably wretched must their case be who are cast out into outer darkness, where the light of God no more shines, and where his approbation can no more be felt for ever! Reader, God save thee from so great a curse!

Several of the fathers suppose there is a great mystery hidden in the quarrel of Miriam and Aaron with Moses and Zipporah. Origen (and after him several others) speaks of it in the following manner: —

1 5 y And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till

" 1. Zipporah, a Cushite espoused by Moses, evidently points out the choice which Jesus Christ has made of the Gentiles for his spouse and Church. 2. The jealousy of Aaron and Miriam against Moses and Zipporah signifies the hatred and envy of the Jews against Christ and the apostles, when they saw that the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven had been opened to the Gentiles, of which they had rendered themselves unworthy. 3. The leprosy with which Miriam was smitten shows the gross ignorance of the Jews, and the ruinous, disordered state of their religion, in which there is neither a head, a temple, nor a sacrifice. 4. Of none but Jesus Christ can it be said that he was the most meek and patient of men; that he saw God face to face; that he had every thing clearly revealed without enigmatical representations; and that he was faithful in all the house of God." This, and much more, Origen states in the sixth and seventh homilies on the book of Numbers, and yet all this he considers as little in comparison of the vast mysteries that lie hidden in these accounts; for the shortness of the time, and the magnitude of the mysteries, only permit him " to pluck a few flowers from those vast fields — not as many as the exuberance of those fields afford, but only such as by their odour he was led to select from the rest." Licehat tamen ex ingentibus campis paucos fiosculos legere, et non quantum ager exuberet, sed quantum odoratui sufficiat, carpere.

Verse 16. The wilderness of Paran.l This could not be the same Paran with that mentioned Deut. i. 1, for that was on the borders of the promised land, see the note on Deut. i. 1,2; they were long near the borders of Canaan, and might have speedily entered into it, had it not been for their provocations and iniquities. They spent thirty-eight years in a journey which might have been accomplished in a few weeks! How many through their unfaithfulness have been many years in gaining that for which, in the ordinary procedure of Divine grace, z. few days had been sufficient! How much ground may a man lose in the Divine life by one act of unfaithfulness or transgression! Israel wandered in the wUderness because Israel despised the pleasant land, and did not give credence to the word of the Lord. They would have a golden calf, and they had nothing but tribulation and wo in return

Twelve men, one out of every tribe, are sent to examine the nature and state of the land of Canaan, 1-3. Their names, 4— 16. Moses gives them particular directions, 17-20. They proceed on their journey, 21, 22. Come to Eshcol, and cut doion a branch with a cluster of grapes, which they bear betiveen two of them upon a staff, 23, 24. After forty days they return to Paran, from searching the land, and show to Moses and the people the fruit they had brought ivith them, 25, 26. Their report — they acknowledge that the land is good, but that the inhabitants are such as the Israelites cannot hope to conquer, 27—29. Caleb endeavours to do away the bad impression 7nade, by the report of his fellows, upon the minds of the people, 30. But the others persist in their former statement, 31; and greatly amplify the difficulties of conquest, 32, 33.

2 ^ Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.

Verse 2. Send thou men, that they may search"] It appears from Deut. i. 19-24 that this was done in consequence of the request of the people, after the following address of Moses: " And when we departed from Horeb, we went through all that great and terrible wilderness — and we came unto Kadesh-Barnea; and I said unto you. Ye are come unto the mountain of

3 And Moses by the command- A. M. 2514. ment of the Lord sent them An. Exod. isr. ^ from the wilderness of Paran: ^-

all those men were heads of the children of

4 And these were their names: of the tribe

the Amorites, which the Lord our God doth give unto us. Behold the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged. And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said: We will send men before us, and

word again, by what way we must go up, and into 6.5"

7 Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of 'oseph.

8 Of the tribe of Ephraim, ^ Oshea the son of Nun.

9 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu.

10 Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi,

1 1 Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.

1 2 Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.

1 3 Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.

14 Of the tribe of Naphtah, Nahbi the son of Vophsi.

15 Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.

16 These are the names of the men which

what cities we shall come. And the saying pleased me well, and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe," &c., &c. Nearly the whole of these verses is added here by the Samaritan.

Every one a ruler'] Not any of the princes of the people, (see chap, i.,) for these names are different from those; but these now sent were men of consideration and importance in their respective tribes.

Verse 13. Sethur, the son of Michael.} It would have been strange had the numerous searches after the explanation of the mystical number 666, Rev. xiii. 18; xvii. 5, met with nothing to their purpose in the name of this son of Michael. "linD Sethur, from inD sathar, to hide or conceal, signifies hidden or mysterious, and includes in it the numerical letters of the No. 666: D 60, + n 400, + 1 6, -f 1 200, = 666. But of what utility can such expositions be to any subject of history or theology 1

Verse 16. And Moses called Oshea — Jehoshua.] Oshea, Heb.;,»jyin, should be written Hoshea: the word signifies saved, or a saviour, or salvation; but J?tl'in', he shall save, or the salvation of God; a letter, says Calmet, of the incommunicable name of God, being added to his former name. This was not the first time in which he had the name Joshua; see Exod. xvii. 9, and the note there. Some suppose he had this change of name in consequence of his victory over Amalek; see Exod. xvii. 13, 14.

Verse 18. See the land, what it is] What sort of a COUNTRY it is; how situated; its natural advantages or disadvantages.

Moses sent to spy out the land. A. M. 2514. And Moses called ^ Oshea the son An. Exod. is'r. of Nun, Jehoshua. ^■

17 And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them. Get you up this way? southward, and go up into ^ the mountain:

18 And see the land, what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;

19 And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;

20 And what the land is, whether it be ' fat or lean, whether there be wood therein or not. And ^ be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. (Now the time was the time of the first-ripe grapes.)

21 So they went up, and searched the land ^ from the wilderness of Zin unto "* Rehob, as men come to Hamath.

22 And they ascended by the south, and

And the people — ivhether they be strong or ivealc] Healthy, robust, hardy men; or little, weak, and pusillanimous.

Verse 20. The land — ivhether it be fat or lean] Whether the soil be rich or poor; which might be known by its being well wooded, and by the fruits it produced; and therefore the)' were desired to examine it as to the trees, &c., and to bring some of the fruits with them.

Verse 2 1. From the ivilderness of Zin] The place called 1^ Tsin, here, is different from that called TD Sin or Seen, Exod. xvi. 1; the latter was nigh to Egypt, but the former was near Kadesh Barnea, not far from the borders of the promised land.

" The spies having left Kadesh Barnea, which was in the desert of Paran, see ver. 26, they proceeded to the desert of Tsin, all along the land of Canaan, nearly following the course of the river Jordan, till they came to Rehob, a city situated near Mount Libanu.s, at the northern extremity of the Holy Land, towards the road that leads to Hamath. Thence they returned through the midst of the same land by the borders of the Sidonians and Philistines, and passing by Mount Hebron, rendered famous by the residence of Abraham formerly, and by the gigantic descendants of Anak at that time, they passed through the valley of the brook of Eshcol, where they cut down the bunch of grapes mentioned ver. 23, and returned to the Israelitish camp after an absence of forty days," ver. 25. See Calmet on this place.

The spies search the land, p Hebron was built seven years before i Zoan in Egypt.)

23 ' And they came unto the ^ brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs,

24 The place was called the * brook '^ Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence.

25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.

26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, ^ unto the wilderness of Paran, to "" Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land.

m Egypt.'] The Zoan of the Scriptures is allowed to be the Tanis of the heathen historians, which was the capital of Lower Egypt. Some think it was to humble the pride of the Egyptians, who boasted the highest antiquity, that this note concerning the higher antiguity of Hebron was introduced by Moses. Some have supposed that it is more likely to have been originally a marginal note, which in process of time crept into the text; but all the versions and all the MSS. that have as yet been collated, acknowledge it.

Verse 23. They bare it between two upon a staff] It would be very easy to produce a great number of witnesses to prove that grapes in the promised land, and indeed in various other hot countries, grow to a prodigious size. By Calmct, Scheuchzer, and Harmer, this subject has been exhausted, and to these I may refer the reader. Pliny mentions bunches of grapes in Africa each of which was larger than an infant. — Radzvil saw at Rhodes bunches of grapes three quarters of an ell in length, each grape as large as a plum. Dandini saw grapes of this size at Mount Libanus; and Paul Lucas mentions some bunches which he saw at Damascus that weighed above forty-five pounds. From the most authentic accounts the Egyptian grape is very stnall, and this being the only one with which the Israelites were acquainted, the great size of the grapes of Hebron would appear still more extraordinary. I myself once cut down a bunch of grapes nearly twenty pounds in weight. Those who live in cold climates can scarcely have any conception to what perfection both grapes and other fruits grow in climates that are warm, and where the soil is suitable to them.

27 And they told him, and said, A. M. 2514. We came unto the land whither An.Exod. isr. thou sentest us, and surely it ^"

floweth with ^ milk and honey; ^ and this is the fruit of it.

28 Nevertheless == the people he strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great; and moreover we saw ^ the children of Anak there.

29 ^The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.

30 And "^ Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

31^ But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.

From what is mentioned ver. 20, Now t^e time was the time of the first-ripe grapes, it is very probable that the spies received their orders about the beginning of August, and returned about the middle of September, as in those countries grapes, pomegranates, and figs, are ripe about this time; see Harmer, vol. i., p. 108-1 10. At Sheeraz, in Persia, I find from a MS. journal, that the small lohite grape, askerie, came into season August 6; and pomegranates September 6; and the large red grape, sahibi, September 10.

The spies' carrying the bunch of grapes on a staff between two men was probably not rendered necessary by the size of the bunch or cluster; but to preserve it from being bruised, that the Israelites might have a fair specimen of the fruit. As Joshua and Caleb were the only persons who gave a favourableaccount of the land, it is most likely that they were the persons who had gathered these fruits, and who brought them to the Israelitish camp. And it is likely they were gathered as short a time as possible before their return, that they might not be injured by the length of the time they had been separated from their respective trees.

Verse 27. We came unto the land, <^c.] It is astonishing that men so dastardly as these should have had courage enough to risk their persons in searching the land. But probably though destitute of valour they had a sufficiency of cunning, and this carried them through. The report they brought was exceedingly discouraging, and naturally tended to produce the effect mentioned in the next chapter. The conduct of Joshua and Caleb was alone magnanimous, and worthy of the cause in which they were embarked.

32 And they ^ brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land through which we have gone to search it is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof: and ^ all the people

Verse 33. There we saw the giants] Wi^l nepkilim. It is evident that they had seen a robust, sturdy, warlike race of men, and of great stature; for the asserted fact is not denied by Joshua or Caleb.

Tales of gigantic men are frequent in all countries, but they are generally of such as have lived in times very remote from those in which such tales are told. That there have been giants at different times, in various parts of the earth, there can be no doubt; but that there ever was a nation of men twelve and fourteen feet high, we cannot, should not believe. Goliath appears to have been at least nine feet high: this was very extraordinary. I knew three young men in my own neighbourhood, two of them brothers, each of whom was upwards of seven feet, the third was eight feet six inches, and these men were very well proportioned. Others I have seen of extraordinary stature, but they were generally disproportioned, especially in tl^eir limbs. These instances serve to prove the possibility of cases of this nature. The Anakim might appear to the Israelites as a very tall, robust nation; and in comparison of the latter it is very probable that they were so, as it is very likely that the growth of the Israelites had been greatly cramped with their long and severe servitude in Egypt. And this may in some measure account for their alarm. On this subject the reader is desired to turn back to the note on Gen. vi. 4.

that we saw in it are? men of a great stature.

33 And there we saw the giants, '' the sons of Anak, ivhich come of the giants and we were in our own sight as ' grasshoppers, and so we were ^ in their sight.

wilderness through which the Israelites passed, of the difficulties and trials to be met with in the present world. The promise of the kingdom of God is given to every believer; but how many are discouraged by the difficulties in the way! A slothful heart sees dangers, lions, and giants, every where; and therefore refuses to proceed in the heavenly path. Many of the spies contribute to this by the bad reports they bring of the heavenly country. Certain preachers allow " that the land is good, that it flows with milk and honey," and go so far as to show some of its fruits; but they discourage the people by stating the impossibility of overcoming their enemies. " Sin," say they, " cannot be destroyed in this life — it will always dwell in you — the Anakim cannot be conquered — we are but as grasshoppers against the Anakim," &c., &c. Here and there a Joshua and a Caleb, trusting alone in the power of God, armed with faith in the infinite efficacy of that blood which cleanses from all unrighteousness, boldly stand forth and say: " Their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us; let us go up at once and possess the land, for we are well able to overcome." We can do all things through Christ strengthening us: he will purify us unto himself, and give us that rest from sin here which his death has procured and his word has promised. Reader, canst thou not take God at his word 1 He has never yet failed thee. Surely then thou hast no reason to doubt. Thou hast never yet tried him to the uttermost. Thou knowest not how far and how fully he can save. Do not be dispirited: the sons of Anak shall fall before thee, if thou meet them in the name of the Lord of hosts.

The lohole congregation weep at the account brought hy the spies, 1. They murmur, 2, 3; and propose to make themselves a captain, and go hack to Egypt, 4. Moses and Aaron are greatly affected, 5. Joshua and Caleb endeavour to appease and encourage the people, 6—9. The congregation are about to stone them, 10. The glory of the Lord appears, and he is about to smite the rebels luith the pestilence, 11, 12. Moses makes a long and pathetic intercession in their behalf, 13—19. The Lord hears and forbears to punish, 20; but purposes that not one of that generation shall enter into the promised land save Joshua and Caleb, 21-24. Moses is commanded to turn and get into the wilderness by xvay of the Red Sea, 25. The Lord repeats his purpose that none of that generation shall enter into the promised land — that their carcasses shall fall in the wilderness, and that their children alone, with Joshua and Caleb, shall possess the land of the Canaanites, <5fc., 26-32. As many days as they have searched the land shall they wander years in the desert, until they shall be utterly consumed, 33-35. All the spies save Joshua and Caleb die by a plague, 36-38. Moses declares God's purpose to the people, at which they are greatly affected, 39. They acknoivledge their sin, and purpose to go up at once and possess the land, 40. Moses cautions them against resisting the purpose of God, 41-43. They, notwithstanding, presume to go, but Moses and the ark abide in the camp, 44. The Amalekites and Canaanites come down from the mountains, and defeat them, 45.

2 ^ And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or ^ would God we had died in this wilderness!

3 And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? wxre it not better for us to return into Egypt?

4 And they said one to another, ^ Let us make a captain, and ^ let us return into Egypt.

5 Then ^ Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

6 ^ And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:

7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, ^ The land, which

8 If the Lord ' delight in us, ^"

then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; ''a land which floweth with milk and honey.,

9 Only ^ rebel not ye against the Lord, ^ neither fear ye the people of the land: for ''they are bread for us; their ° defence is departed from them, p and the Lord is with us fear them not.

10 1 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And "■ the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.

1 1 And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people ^ provoke me? and how long will it be ere they * believe me, for all the signs which I have showed among them.

1 2 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and "^will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.

Verse 1. Cried; and — wept that night. '\ In almost every case this people gave deplarable evidence of the degraded state of their minds. With scarcely any mental firmnesg, and with almost no religion, they could bear no reverses, and were ever at their wit's end. They were headstrong, presumptuous, pusillanimous, indecisive, and fickle. And because they were such, therefore the power and wisdom of God appeared the more conspicuously in the whole of their history.

Verse 4. Let us make a captain] Here was a formal renunciation of the authority of Moses, and flat rebellion against God. And it seems from Neh. ix. 17 that they had actually appointed another leader, under whose direction they were about to return to Egypt. How astonishing is this! Their lives were made bitter, because of the rigour ivith which they were made to serve in the land of Egypt; and yet they are willing, yea eager, to get back into the same circumstances again! Great evils, when once some time past, affect the mind less than present ills, though much inferior. They had partly forgot their Egyptian bondage, and now smart under a little discouragement, having totally lost sight of their high calling, and of the power and goodness of God.

Verse 9. Their defence] dSv tsillam, their shadow, a metaphor highly expressive of /jro^ec^ton and support

The Arabs and Persians have the same word to express the same thing. liTj i>y\^ji, oo^^ yo. tX*j I4J nemayeed ziilli doulet mamdood had. " May the shadow of thy prosperity be extended!" yjo t>A^Uji tXi.ij^X-*-s> ^-r^JJ^ vCi. (5jIa./9^. CtS^anemayeed zulli doulet her mujareki khayr khwahen mamdood bad. " May the shadow of thy prosperity be spread over the heads of thy well-wishers!" They have also the following elegant distich: —

Sayahat kem mubad az seri ma Bast Allah zullikem aheda. " May thy protection never be removed from my head! May God extend thy shadow eternally!"

Here the Arabic Uj ~ull answers exactly to the Hebrew S)f tsel, both signifying that which overspreads or overshadows. See the note on ver. 14.

Verse 10. The glory of the Lord appeared] This timely appearance of the Divine glory prevented these faithful servants of God from being stoned to death by this base and treacherous multitude. " Every man is immortal till his work is done," while in simplicity of heart he is following his God.

A. M. 2514. 1 3 And ^ Moses said unto the An.' Exod. is'r. LoRD, Then the Egyptians shall ^- hear it, (for thou broughtest up

this people in thy might from among them;)

14 And they will tell iHo the inhabitants of this land; ^ for they have heard that thou Lord art among this people, that thou Lord art seen face to face, and tliat ^ thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day-time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.

1 5 Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,

1 6 Because the Lord was not ^ able to brinathis people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.

17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,

1 8 The Lord is ^ longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, =^ visiting the

Verse 14. That thy cloud standeth over thern] This cloud, the symbol of the Divine glory, and proof of the Divine presence, appears to have assumed three different forms for three important purposes.

1. It appeared by day in the form of a pillar of a sufficient height to be seen by all the camp, and thus went before them to point out their way in the desert. Exod. xl. 38.

2. It appeared by night as a pillar of fire to give them light while travelling by night, which they probably sometimes did; (see chap. ix. 21;) or to illuminate their tents in their encampments; Exod. xiii.

3. It stood at certain times above the whole congregation, overshadowing them from the scorching rays of the sun; and probably at other times condensed the vapours, and precipitated rain or dew for the refreshment of the people. He spread a cloud for their covering; and fire to give light in the night; Psa. cv. 39. It was probably from this circumstance that the shadow of the Lord was used to signify the Divine protection, not only by the Jews, but also by other Asiatic nations. See the note on ver. 9, and see particularly the note on Exod. xiii. 21.

Verse 19. Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people] From ver. 13 to ver. 19 inclusive we have iniquity of the fathers upon the A. M. 2514. children unto the third and fourth a?.' Exod.Tsr. S^eneration. 2.

19^ Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people " according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and ^ as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even « until now.

20 And the Lord said, I have pardoned ^ according to thy word:

2 1 But as truly as I live, ^ all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.

22 ^ Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, have tempted me now ' these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;

23 '^ Surely ^ they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoke me see it:

24 But my servant ™ Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and " hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

the words of Moses's intercession; they need no explanation, they are full of simplicity and energy; his arguments with God (for he did reason and argue with his Maker) are pointed, cogent, and respectful; and while they show a heart full of humanity, they evidence the deepest concern for the glory of God. The argu mentum ad hominem is here used in the most unex ceptionable manner, and with the fullest effect.

Verse 20. I have pardoned] That is, They shall not be cut off as they deserve, because thou hast inter ceded for their lives.

Verse 21. All the earth shall be filled, <^c.] I'lNn h kol haarets, all this land, i. e., the land of Canaan; which was only fulfilled to the letter when the preaching of Christ and his apostles was heard through all the cities and villages of Judea. It does not appear that the whole of the terraqueous globe is meant by this expression in any of the places where it occurs connected with this promise of the diffusion of the Divine light. See Psa. Ixxii. 19; Isa. xl. 5; Hab. ii. 14.

Verse 24. But my servant Caleb, c^c] Caleb had another spirit — not only a bold, generous, courageous, noble, and heroic spirit; but the Spirit and influence of the God of heaven thus raised him above human inquietudes and earthly fears, therefore he followed God fully; nnx nSd'1 vaimalle acharai, literally, he filled after me: God showed him the tvay he was to take, and the line of conduct he was to pursue, and he filled

26 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

27 P How long shall I hear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? 1 1 have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.

28 Say unto them, >■ As truly as I live, saith the Lord, ^as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:

29 Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness; and ' all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,

30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I "^ sware to make you dwell therein, ^ save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

31''' But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ^ ye have despised.

up this line, and in all things folloioed the will of his Maker. He therefore shall see the promised land, and his seed shall possess it. A dastardly spirit in the things of God is a heavy curse. How many are retarded in their course, and fall short of the blessings of the Gospel, through magnifying the number and strength of their adversaries, their own weakness and the difficulties of the way, with which we may connect their distrust of the power, faithfulness, and goodness of God! And how many are prevented from receiving the higher degrees of salvation by foolishly attributing insurmountable power, either to their inward corruptions or outward enemies! Only such men as Joshua and Caleb, who take God at his word, and who know that against his wisdom no cunning can stand, and against his might no strength can prevail, are likely to /o//ot<; God fully, and receive the heights, lengths, breadths, and depths of the salvation of God.

Verse 34. After the number of the days'] The spies were forty days in searching the land, and the people who rebelled on their evil report are condemned to wander /o/-/y years in the wilderness! Now let them make them a captain and go back to Egypt if they can. God had so hedged them about with his power and providence that they could neither go back to Egypt nor get forward to the promised land! God has provided innumerable spiritual blessings for man-

33 And your children shall ^ wander ^in the wilderness ^ forty years, and " bear your whoredoms, until your carcasses be wasted in the wilderness.

34 "^ After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even ^ forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, ^ and ye shall know & my breach of promise.

35 ^ I the Lord have said, I will surely do it unto all ' this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.

36 '^ And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land,

37 Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, ^ died by the plague before the Lord.

38 "* But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb

kind, but in the pursuit of earthly good they lose them, and often lose the others also! If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the fruit of the land, but not otherivise; unless for your farther punishment God give you your portion in this life, and ye get none ia the life to come. From so great a curse may God save thee, thou money-loving, honour-hunting, pleasure-taking, thoughtless, godless man!

And ye shall know my breach of promise.] This is certainly a most harsh expression; and most learned men agree that the words 'nxun nx eth tenuathi should be translated iny vengeance, which is the rendering of the Septuagint, Vulgate, Coptic, and Anglo-Saxon; and which is followed by almost all our ancient English translations. The meaning however appears to be this: As God had promised to bring them into the good land, provided they kept his statutes, ordinances, &c., and they had now broken their engagements, he was no longer held by his covenant; and therefore, byexcluding them from the promised land, he showed them at once his annulling of the covenant which they had broken, and his vengeance because they had broken it.

Verse 37. Those men that did bring vp the evil report— died] Thus ten of the twelve that searched out the land were struck dead, by the justice of God, oq the spot! Caleb, of the tribe of Judah, and Joshua, of the tribe of Ephraim, alone escaped, because they had

A. M. 2514. the son of Jephunneh, which were An-Exod. isr. of the men that went to search ^' the land, lived still.

39 And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: "^ and the people mourned greatly,

40 And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, ** we he here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised: for we have sinned.

4 1 And Moses said. Wherefore now do ye transgress p the commandment of the Lord? but it shall not prosper.

12 1 Go not up, for the Lord is not among

followed God fully. Let preachers of God's word take heed how they straiten the way of salvation, or render, by unjust description, that way perplexed and difficult which God has made plain and easy.

Verse 40. We — will go up unto the place, c^c] They found themselves on the very borders of the land, and they heard God say they should not enter it, but should be consumed by a forty years' wandering in the wilderness; notwithstanding, they are determined to render vain this purpose of God, probably supposing that the temporary sorrow they felt for their late rebellion would be accepted as a sufficient atonement for their crimes! They accordingly went up, and were cut dovm by their enemies; and why? God went not

Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: ^ because ye are turned away from the Lord, therefore the Lord will not be with you.

44 ' But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.

45 *Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto ^ Hormah.

with them. How vain is the counsel of man against the wisdom of God! Nature, poor, fallen human nature, is ever running into extremes. This miserable people, a short time ago, thought that though they had Omnipotence with them they could not conquer and possess the land! Now they imagine that though God himself go not with them, yet they shall be sufficient to drive out the inhabitants, and take possession of their country! Man is ever supposing he can either do all things or do nothing; he is therefore sometimes presumptuous, and at other times in despair. Who but an apostle, or one under the influence of the same Spirit, can say, I can do all things through Christ who stren^theneth me 7

Directions concerning the different offerings they should bring unto the Lord tvhen they should come to the land of Canaan, 1—3. Directions relative to the meat-offering, 4; to the drink-offering, 5. Of the burntoffering, vow-offering, peace-offering, drink-offering, <^-c., 6—12. All born in the country must perform these rites, 13, and the strangers also, 14—16. They shall offer unto the Lord a heave-offering of the first-fruits of the land, 17—21. Concerning omissions through ignorance, and the sacrifices to be offered on such occasions, 22—29. He ivho sins presumptuously shall be cut off, 30, 31. History of the person who gathered sticks on the Sabbath, 32. He is brought to Moses and Aaron, 33. They put him in confinement till the mind of the Lord should be hnoion on the case, 34. The Lord commands him to he stoned, 35. He is stoned to death, 36. The Israelites are commanded to make fringes to the borders of their garments, 37, 38. The end for which these fringes ivere to be made, that they might remember the commandments of the Lord, that they might be holy, 39—41.

Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come

Verse 2. When ye be come into the land] Some learned men are of opinion that several offerings prescribed by the law were not intended to be made in the mlderness, but in the promised land; the former not

into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you,

3 And ^ will make an offering by fire unto the Lord, a burnt-offering, or a

affording those conveniences which were necessary to the complete observance of the Divine worship in this and several other respects.

Verse 3. And tvill make an offering] For the different kinds of offerings, sacrifices, &c., see Lev. i. 2, and vii.

sacrifice "^ in ^ performing a vow, or in a freewill-offering, or your

^ sweet savour unto the Lord, of the herd, or of the flock:

4 Then & shall he that offereth his offering unto the Lord bring ^ a meat-offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled * with the fourth part of a hin of oil.

5 ^ And the fourth part of a hin of wine for a drink-offering shalt thou prepare with the burnt-offering or sacrifice, for one lamb.

6 ' Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare /or a meat-offering, two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of a hin of oil.

7 And for a drink-offering thou shalt offer the third part of a hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the Lord.

8 And when thou preparest a bullock /or a burnt-offering, ox for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or "" peace-offerings unto the Lord:

9 Then shall he bring ^ with a bullock a meat-offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half a hin of oil.

1 0 And thou shalt bring for a drink-offering half a hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, ° of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

IIP Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid.

12 According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according to their number.

13 All that are born of the country shall do

Verse 5. The fourth part of a hni] The quantity of meal and flour was augmented in proportion to the size of the sacrifice with which it was offered. With a LAMB or a kid were offered one tenth deal of flour, (the tenth part of an ephah, see on Exod. xxix. 40,) the fourth part of a hin of oil, and the fourth part of a hin of wine. With a ram, tivo tenth deals of flour, a third part of a hin of oil, and a third part of a hin of tvine. With a bullock, three tenth deals of flour, half a hin of oil, and half a hin olivine. See ver. 4—11.

Verse li. If a stranger sojour7i] See the notes on Lev. xix. 33; xxii. 9. When the case of the Jewish people is fairly considered, and their situation with respect to the surrounding idolatrous nations, we shall see the absolute necessity of having but one form of worship in the land. That alone was genuine which was prescribed by the Almighty, and no others could be tolerated, because they were idolatrous. All stran-

these things after this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

14 And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord; as ye do, so he shall do.

15 1 One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you,. dm ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord.

16 One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.

18 "^ Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them. When ye come into the land whither I bring you,

19 Then it shall be, that, when ye eat of ^ the bread of the land, ye shall offer up a heaveoffering unto the IjORD.

20 'Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for a heave-offering: as ye do " the heave-offering of the threshing-floor, so shall ye heave it.

21 Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the Lord a heave-offering in your generations.

22 And ^ if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the Lord hath spoken unto Moses,

gers — all that came to sojourn in the land, were required to conform to it; and it was right that those who did conform to it should have equal rights and privileges with the Hebrews themselves, which we find was the case. But under the Christian dispensation, as no particular form of worship is prescribed, the types and ceremonies of the Mosaic institution being all fulfilled, unlimited toleration should be allowed; and while the sacred writings are made the basis of the worship offered to God, every man should be allowed to worship according to his own conscience, for in this respect every one is

" Lord of himself, accountable to none But to his conscience and his God alone." Verse 20. Ye shall offer — the first of your dough] Concerning the offerings of first-fruits, see the notes on Exod. xxii. 29.

Lord commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations;

24 Then it shall be, '^ if aught be committed by ignorance, ^ without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt-offering, for a sweet savour unto the Lord, ^ with his meat-offering, and his drink-offering, according to the ^ manner, and * one kid of the goats for a sin-offering.

25 ^ And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord, and their sin-offering before the Lord, for their ignorance:

26 And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.

27 And " if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she-goat of the first year for a sin-offering.

28 ^ And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the Lord, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.