Commentary on the Holy Bible

was ever supposed to be the whole disposer in such matters, whatever fell out in the course of God\9 providence was called a lot. " This is the lot of them that rob us;" Isa. xvii. 14. " Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter;" Acts viii. 21. A lot in the promised land was evidently typical of a place in eternal glory. " That they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance {ulrjpov, a lot) among them that are sanctified;" Acts xxvi. 18. " Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance {kXtjpov, of the lot) of the saints in light;" Col. i. 12. " Which is the earnest of our inheritance, {KXrjpovofiiag, of our allotted portion;^^) Eph. i. 14. "What is the riches of the glory of his inheritance," {KlrjpovonLag, allotted portion;) Eph. i. 18. As therefore the promised land was divided by lot to the believing Israelites, God determining the lot as he saw good, none of the people having any claim on or right to it; so the kingdom of heaven is a lot given by the mere good will of God to them that believe and obey him; for as unbelief and disobedience threw 600,000 people out of the inheritance of the promised land; so none who disbelieve God's word, and rebel against his authority, shall ever enter into the kingdom of heaven. — See Ainsworth. These things happened unto them for examples: see then, reader, that thou fall not after the same example of unbelief.

The daughters of Zelophehad claim their inheritance, 1-4. Moses brings their case before the Lord, 6.

He allows their claim, 6, 7; and a law is made to regulate the inheritance of daughters, 8-11. Moses is commanded to go up to Mount Abarim, and vieto the promised land, 12; is apprised of his death, 13;

and because he did not sanctify God at the waters of Meribah, he shall?iot enter into it, 14. Moses requests the Lord to appoint a person to supply his place as leader of the Israelites, 15-17. God appoints Joshua, commands Moses to lay his hands upon him, to set him, hefore Eleazar the priest, and give him a charge in the sight of the people, 18-20. Eleazar shall ask counsel for him by Urim, and at his command shall the Israelites go out and come in, 2fl. Moses does as the Lord commanded him, and cons* crates Joshua, 23, 23.

6 And the Lord spake unto ^-

son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the famihes of Manasseh the son of Joseph: and these are the names of his daughters; Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.

2 And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and aU the congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,

3 Our father ^ died in the wilderness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves together against the Lord "^ in the company of Korah; but died in his own sin, and had no sons.

4 Why should the name of our father be ^ done away from among his family, because he hath no son? " Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father.

Verse 1. The daughters of Zelophehad] The singular case of these women caused an additional law to be made to the civil code of Israel, which satisfactorily ascertained and amply secured the right of succession in cases of inheritance. The law, which is as reasonable as it is just, stands thus: 1. On the demise of the father the estate goes to the sons; 2. If there be no S071, the daughters succeed; 3. If there be no daughter, the brothers of the deceased inherit; 4. If there be no brethren or paternal uncles, the estate goes to the brothers of his father; 5. If there be no grand uncles or brothers of the father of the deceased, then the nearest akin succeeds to the inheritance. Beyond ihxs fifth degree the law does not proceed, because as the families of the Israelites were kept distinct in their respective tribes, there must always be some who could be called kinsmen, and were really such, having descended without interruption from the patriarch of the tribe.

Verse 7. Thou shall surely give them — an inheritance among their father'' s brethren] There is a curious anomaly here in the Hebrew text which cannot be seen in our translation. In Hebrew they, them, and their, you, ye, and your, are both of the masculine and feminine genders, according as the nouns are to which they are affixed; but these words are of no gender in English. In this verse, speaking of the brethren of the father of those women, the masculine termination on hem, THEIR, is used instead of i\\Q feminine, \r\ hen, governed by niJ3 benoth, daughters. So Dnb lahem, b 706

7 The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: ^ thou shall surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father's brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.

8 And thou shall speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter.

9 And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren.

10 And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren.

1 1 And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall

to THEM, and DH'^K abihem, their fathers, masculine, are found in the present text, instead of jnS lahen and rn'DX abihen, feminine. Interpreters have sought for a hidden meaning here, and they have found several, whether hidden here or not. One says, " the masculine gender is used because these daughters are treated as if they were heirs male.'''' Another, " that it is because of their faith and conscientious regard to the ancient customs, and to keep the memory of their father in being, which might well befit 7nen." Another, " that it signifies the free gift of God in Christ, where there is neither male nor female, bond or free, for all are one in Christ;" and so on, for where there is no rule there is no end to conjecture. Now the plain truth is, that the masculine is in the present printed text a mistake for the feminine. The Samaritan, which many think by far the most authentic copy of the Pentateuch, has the feminine gender in both places; so also have upwards of fourscore of the MSS. collated by Kennicott and De Rossi. Therefore all the curious reasons for this anomaly offered by interpreters are only serious trifling on the blunder of some heedless copyists.

While on the subject of mysterious reasons and meanings, some might think it unpardonable if I passed by the mystery of the fall, recovery, and full salvation of man, signified, as some will have it, by the names of Zelophehad and his daughters. " 1. Zelophehad's daughters, claiming a portion in the promised land, may represent believers in Christ claiming an inheritance among the saints in light. 2. These five ( 46«)

1 2 And the Lord said unto Moses, ' Get thee up into this Mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel.

13 And when thou hast seen it, thou also ^ shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered.

14 For ye ^ rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the "* water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.

1 5 And Moses spake unto the Lord, saying,

1 6 Let the Lord, " the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,

1 7 ° Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may

virgins may be considered as the five wise virgins, (Matt. XXV. 1-10,) who took oil in their vessels with their lamps, and consequently are types of those who make a wise provision for their eternal state. 3. They are examples of encouragement to weak and destitute believers, who, though they are orphans in this world, shall not be deprived of their heavenly inheritance. 4. Their names are mysterious; for Zelopkehad, nriijSy TsELOPHCHAD, signifies the shadow of fear or dread. His first daughter, nVno Machlah, infirmity; the second, n;?J Noah, wandering; the third, nSjn Chog- LAH, turning about or dancing for joy; tlie fourth, noSo MiLCAH, a queen; the fifth, n^in Tirtsah, wellpleasing or acceptable. By these names we may observe our reviving by giace in Christ; for we are all born of the shadow of fear, (Tselophchad,) being brought forth in sin, and through fear of death being all our life time subject to bondage, Heb. ii. 15. This begets (Machlah) infirmity or sickness — grief of heart for our estate. After which {Noah) wandering about for help and comfort we find it in Christ, by whom our sorrow is turned into joy (Choglah.) He communicates of his royalty {Milcah) to us, making us kings and priests unto God and his Father, Rev. i. 6. So we shall at last be presented unto him glorious and without blemish, being (Tirtsah) ivell-pleasing and acceptable in his sight."' This is a specimen of pious INGENUITY, which has been endeavouring to do the work of an Evangelist in the Church of God from the time of Origen to the present day.

Verse 12. Get thee up into this Mount Abarim'] The mountain which Moses was commanded to ascend was certainly Mount Nebo, see Deut. xxxii. 49, &c., which was the same as Pisgah, see Deut. xxxiv. 1.

lead them out, and which may a.m. 2553 bring them in; that the congrega- An.Exod. isV. tion of the Lord be not p as sheep ^"-

18 And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man *i in whom is the spirit, and •• lay thine hand upon him;

19 And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation, and "give him a charge in their sight.

20 And * thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel '^ may be obedient.

21'' And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him '^ after the judgment of Urim before the Lord: ^ at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.

22 And Moses did as the Lord commanded

The mountains of Abarim, according to Dr. Shaw, are a long ridge of frightful, rocky, precipitous hills, which are continued all along the eastern coast of the Dead Sea, as far as the eye can reach. As in Hebrew 13;; abar signifies to pass over, Abarim here probably signifies passages; and the ridge in this place had its name in all likelihood from the passage of the Israelites, as it was opposite to these that they passed the Jordan into the promised land.

Verse 16. The Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh] See the notes on chap. xvi. 22.

Verse 17. That the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep lohich have no shepherd.] This is a beautiful expression, and shows us in what light Moses viewed himself among his people. He was their shepherd; he sought no higher place; he fed and guided the flock of God under the direction of the Divine Spirit, and was faithful in all his Master's house. To this saying of Moses our Lord alludes, Matt. ix. 36.

Verse 18. Li ivhom is the spirit] This must certainly mean the Spirit of God; and because he was endued with this Spirit, therefore he was capable of leading the people. How miserably qualified is that man for the work of God who is not guided and influenced by the Holy Ghost! God never chooses a man to accomplish his designs but that one whom he himself has qualified for the work.

Verse20. And thou shalt put, ^c] 'Y^^7^'3 mehodecha, of thine honour or authority upon him. Thou shalt show to the whole congregation that thou hast associated him with thyself in the government of the people.

him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the con-

him] Here was a remarkable difference between him and Moses. God talked with Moses face to face; but to Joshua only through the medium of the high priest.

Verse 23. He laid his hands upon him] As a proof of his being appointed to and qualified for the work. So at the word of Joshua they were to go out, and at his word to come in, ver. 2 1. And thus he was a type of our blessed Lord as to his mediatorial office, and Divine appointment as man to the work of our

23 And he laid his hands upon him, y and gave him a charge, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.

salvation; and to this circumstance of the appointment of Joshua to this work, and his receiving of Moses's honour and glory, St. Peter seems to refer in these words, 2 Epist. i. 16, 17: ""We were eye-witnesses of his majesty; for he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear him." See Matt. xvii. 5. But one infinitely greater that either Moses or Joshua is here.

All the offerings of God to be offered in their due season, 1, 2. T%i? continual humt-offering for the morn ing, 3-6; and its drink-offering, 7. The continual burnt-offering for the evening, 8. The offerings for the Sabbath, 9, 10. The offerings for the beginning of each month, 11-15. Repetition of the ordinances concerning the passover, 16—25. Ordinances concerning the day of first-fruits or pentecost^

rael, and say unto them. My offering, and ■ my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for ^ a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season.

3 And thou shalt say unto them, '^ This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the Lord; two lambs of the first year without spot ^ day by day, for a continual burnt-offering.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXVIII. Verse 2. Command the children of Israel, djrc] It is not easy to account for the reason of the introduction of these precepts here, which had been so circumstantially delivered before in different parts of the books of Exodus and Leviticus. It is possible that the daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly services had been considerably interrupted for several years, owing to the unsettled state of the people in the wilderness, and that it was necessary to repeat these laws for two reasons: 1. Because they were now about to enter into the promised land, where these services must be established and constant. 2. Because the former generations being all dead, multitudes of the present ni ght be ignorant of these ordinances.

In their due season] Moses divides these offerings into 1. Daily. The morning and evening sacrifices: a 'amb each time, ver. 3, 4.

4 The one Iamb shalt thou offer a. m. cir. 2553

in the morning, and the other lamb An. Exod. isr. shalt thou offer « at even; ''""• '^'^-

5 And ^ a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a ^ meat-offering, mingled with the fourth part of a •* hin of beaten oil.

6 It is ^ a continual burnt-offering, which was ordained in Mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord.

7 And the drink-offering thereof shall be the fourth pa7't of a hin for the one lamb: ^ in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to

3. Monthly. At the beginning of each month two young btdlocks, one ram, and seven lambs of a year old, and a kid for a sin-offering, ver. 11, &c.

4. Annual. 1. The passover to last seven days; the offerings, two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of a year old, and a he-goat for a sin-offering, ver. 16, &c. 2. The day of first-fruits. The sacrifices, the same as on the beginning of the month, ver. 26, &c. With these sacrifices were offered libations, or drink-offerings of strong tvine, ver. 7, 14, and minchahs, or meat-offerings, composed of fine four mingled with oi7, ver. 8, 12, «&c. For an ample account of all these offerings, see the notes on Lev. vii., and Exod. xii.

Verse 7. Strongs, tvtne] Sikera; see the note on chap. X. 9, where this is largely explained.

offer at even: as the meat-offering of the morning, and as the drink-offering thereof, thou shalt offer it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

9 And on the Sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat-offering, mingled with oil, and the drink-offering thereof:

1 0 This is ' the burnt-offering of every Sabbath, beside the continual bumt-offering, and his drink-offering.

1 1 And "" in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt-offering unto the Lord; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot;

1 2 And " three tenth deals of flour for a meat-offering, mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two tenth deals of flour /or a meatoffering, mingled with oil, for one ram;

1 3 And a several tenth deal of flour mingled with oil for a meat-offering unto one lamb; for a burnt-offering of a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord.

14 And their drink-offering shall be half a hin of wine unto a bullock, and the third part of a hin unto a ram, and a fourth pai't of a hin unto a lamb: this is the burnt-offering of every month throughout the months of the year.

1 5 And ° one kid of the goats for a sin-offering unto the Lord shall be offered, beside the continual burnt-offering, and his drink-offering.

1 6 P And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the Lord.

171 And in the fifteenth day of this month 15 the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.

1 8 In the ^ first day shall be a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work therein:

19 But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire

Verse 26. Day of the Jirst-fruits] Called also the feast of weeks, and the feast of pentecost. See it explained Exod. xxiii. 14, and Lev. xxiii. 15.

first year: « they shall be unto you without blemish:

20 And their meat-offering shall be of flour mingled with oil: three tenth deals shall ye offer for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram;

2 1 A several tenth deal shalt thou offer for every lamb, throughout the seven lambs:

22 And * one goat /or a sin-offering, to make an atonement for you.

23 Ye shall offer these beside the burntoffering in the morning, which is for a continual burnt-offering.

24 After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord: it shall be offered beside the con tinual burnt-offering, and his drink-offering.

25 And " on the seventh day ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work.

26 Also " in the day of the first-fruits, when ye bring a new meat-offering unto the Lord,. after your weeks be out, ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work:

27 But ye shall offer the burnt-offering for a sweet savour unto the Lord; "" two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of the first year;

28 And their meat-offering of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto one bullock, two tenth deals unto one ram,

29 A several tenth deal unto one lamb, throughout the seven lambs;

30 And one kid of the goats, to make an atonement for you.

31 Ye shall offer them beside the continual burnt-offering, and his meat-offering, (^they shall be unto you without blemish,) and their drink-offerings.

Verse 31. Without blemish] This is to be understood as applying, not only to the animals, but also to the flour, tvine, and oil; every thing must be perfect

Of the feast of trumpets,

The feast of trumpets on the first dai/ of the seventh month, and its sacrifices, 1-6. The feast of expiation, or annual atonement, on the tenth day of the same month, with its sacrifices, 7—11. The feast of tabernacles held on the fifteenth rfay of the same month, with its eight days'' offerings, 12. The offerings of the first day, thirteen bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs, and one kid, 13—16. The offerings of the second day, twelve bullocks, two rasas, fourteen lambs, and one kid, 17-19. The offerings of the third day, eleven bullocks; the rest as before, 20-22. The offerings of the fourth day, ten bullocks; the rest as before, 23-25. The offerings of the fifth day, nine bullocks, ^c, 26-28. The offerings of the sixth day, eight bullocks, cf-c, 29-31. The offerings of the seventh day, seven bullocks, c^c., 32-34. The offerings of the eighth day, one bullock, one ram, seven lambs, and one goat, 35—38. These sacrifices to be offered, and feasts to be kept, besides vows, freewill-oflferings, cj-c, cj-c, 39. Moses announces all these things to the people, 40.

"""• ^^' month, ye shall have a holyconvocation; ye shall do no servile w^ork: *it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.

2 And ye shall offer a burnt-offering for a sweet savour unto the Lord; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year w^ithout blemish:

3 And their meat-offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram,

4 And one tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs:

5 And one kid of the goats/or a sin-offering, to make an atonement for you:

6 Beside ^ the burnt-offering of the month, and his meat-offering, and " the daily burntoffering, and his meat-offering, and their drinkofferings, ^ according unto their manner, for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto

7 And ^ ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month a holy convocation; and ye shall ^ afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work therein:

Verse 1. And in the seventh month, c^c.] This was the beginning of their civil year, and was a time of great festivity, and was ushered in by the blowing of trumpets. It answers to a part of our September. In imitation of the Jews different nations began their new year with sacrifices and festivity. The ancient Egyptians did so; and the Persians still celebrate their J2^ _yi naivi rooz, or new year''s day, which they hold on the vernal equinox. The first day of the year is generally a time of festivity in all civilized nations. On this day the Israelites offered one young bullock, one ram, seven lambs, and a kid, for a sin-offering, besides minchahs or meat-offerings.

ram, and seven lambs of the first year; ^ they shall be unto you without blemish:

9 And their meat-offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals to a bullock, and two tenth deals to one ram,

1 0 A several tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs:

1 1 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering; beside ^ the sin-offering of atonement, and the continual burnt-offering, and the meat-offering of it, and their drink-offerings.

1 2 And ' on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days:

1 3 And ^ ye shall offer a burnt-offering, a sa crifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord; thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year; they shall be without blemish:

14 And their meat-offering shall be q/" flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto every bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth

Verse 7. On the tenth day] See the notes on Lev. xvi. 29; xxiii. 24.

Verse 12. On the fifteenth day of the seventh month] On this day there was to be a solemn assembly, and for seven days sacrifices were to be offered; on the first day thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs. On each succeeding day one bullock less, till on the seventh day there were only seven, makmg in all seventy. What an expensive service! How should we magnify God for being delivered from it! Yet these were all the taxes they had to pay. At the public charge there were annually offered to God, independently of trespass-offerings and voluntary vows, fifteen goats, twenty-one kids, seventy-two rams, one

1 6 And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering; beside the continual burnt-offering, his meat-offering, and his drink-offering.

17 And on the second day ye shall offer twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:

18 And their meat-offering and their drinkofferings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, ' after the manner:

1 9 And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering; beside the continual burnt-offering, and the meat-offering thereof, and their drink-offerings.

20 And on the third day, eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish;

2 1 And their meat-offering and their drinkofferings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, "> after the manner:

22 And one goat /or a sin-offering; beside the continual burnt-offering, and his meatoffering, and his drink-offering.

23 And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:

24 Their meat-offering and their drink-offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:

25 And one kid of the goats/or a sin-offering; beside the continual burnt-offering, his meatoffering, and his drink-offering.

26 And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:

27 And their meat-offering and their drinkofferings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:

hundred and thirty-two bullocks, and eleven hundred and one lambs! But how little is all this when compared with the lambs slain every year at the passover, which amounted in one year to the immense number of 255,600 slain in the temple itself, which was the answer that Cestius, the Roman general, received when he asked the priests how many persons had come to a

29 And on the sixth day eight bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:

30 And their meat-offering and their drinkofferings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: •

3 1 And one goat for a sin-offering; beside the continual burnt-offering, his meat-oflfering, and his drink-offering.

32 And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish:

33 And their meat-offering and their drinkofferings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:

34 And one goat /or a sin-offering; beside the continual burnt-offering, his meat-offering, and his drink-offering.

35 On the eighth day ye shall have a " solemn assembly: ye shall do no servile work therein:

36 But ye shall offer a burnt- offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord: one bullock, one ram, seven lambs of the first year without blemish:

37 Their meat-offering and their drink-offerings for the bullock, for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:

38 And one goat for a sin-offering, beside the continual burnt-offering, and his meatoffering, and his drink-offering.

39 These things ye shall ° do unto the Lord in your p set feasts, beside your "i vows, and your freewill-offerings, for your burnt-offerings, and for your meat-offerings, and for your drink-offerings, and for your peace-offerings.

40 And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the Lord commanded Moses.

Jerusalem at their annual festivals; the priests, numbering the people by the lambs that had been slain, said, " twenty-five myriads, five thousand and six hundred."— For an account of the feast of tabernacles, see on Lev. xxiii. 34.

Verse 35. On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn assembly] This among the Jews was esteemed the chief or high day of the feast, though fewer sacrifices were offered on it than on the others; the people seem to have finished the solemnity with a greater measure of spiritual devotion, and it was on this day of the feast that our blessed Lord called the Jews from the letter to the spirit of the law, proposing himself as the sole fountain whence they could derive the streams of salvation, John vii. 37. On the subject of this chapter see the notes on Lev. xii., xvi., and xxiii.

The law concerning vows of men, 1,2. Of women under age, and in what cases the father may annul them, 3-5. The vows of a loife, and in what cases the husband may annul them, 6-8. The vows of a widow, or divorced woman, in what cases they may be considered either as confirmed or annulled, 9—15. Recapitulation of these ordinances, 16.

7 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.

8 But if her husband ^ disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the Lord shall forgive her.

9 But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her.

10 And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath;

1 1 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.

1 2 But if her husband hath utterly made them

of a young man. Young persons of this age were considered to be under the authority of their parents, and had consequently no power to vow away the property of another. A married luoman was in the same circumstances, because she was under the authority of her husband. If however the parents or the husband heard of the vow, and objected to it in the same day in tvhich they heard of it, (ver. 5,) then the vow was annulled; or, if having heard of it, they held their peace, this was considered a ratification of the vow.

A rash vow was never to be kept; " for," says Philo, and common sense and justice say the same, " he who commits an unjust action because of his vow adds one crime to another, 1. By making an unlawful voio; 2. By doing an unlawful action.''''

'"'"• ^^' ing the children of Israel, saying. This is the thing which the Lord hath com-

2 ^ If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or " swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not ^ break his word, he shall ^ do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

3 If a woman also vow a vow unto the Lord, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth;

4 And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.

5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the Lord shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.

6 And if she had at all a husband, when

Verse 2. If a man vow a voio] A vow isa religious promise made to God. Vows were of several kinds: 1. Of abstinence or humiliation, see ver. 13; 2. Of the Nazarite, see chap. vi.; 3. Of giving certain things or sacrifices to the Lord, Lev. vii. 16; 4. Of alms given to the poor, see Deut. xxiii. 21. The law in this chapter must have been very useful, as it both prevented and annulled rash vows, and provided a proper sanction for the support and performance of those that were rationally and piously made. Besides, this law must have acted as a great preventive of lying and hypocrisy. If a vow was properly made, a man or woman was bound, under penalty of the displeasure of God, to fulfil it.

Verse 3. In her youth] That is, say the rabbins, under twelve years of age; and under thirteen in case

or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not

stand: her husband hath made them void; and

13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.

14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he esta-

life is at stake if she fulfil not the obligation under which she has laid herself.

Verse 16. These are the statutes] It is very probable that this law, like that concerning the succession of daughters, (chap, xxvii.,) rose from the exigency of some particular case that had just then occurred.

Making vows, in almost any case, is a dangerous business; they seldom do any good, and often much evil. He who does not feel himself bound to do what isfitf right, and just, from the standing testimony of God's word, is not likely to do it from any obligation blisheth all her vows, or all her A. M. cir. 2553. bonds, which are upon her: he An. Exod. isr.' confirmeth them, because he held '"'"• ^"-

his peace at her in the day that he heard them

1 5 But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.

16 These are the statutes, which the Lord commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father's house.

he may lay upon his own conscience. If God^s word lack weight with him, his own will prove lighter than vanity. Every man who professes the Christian religion is under the most solemn obligation to devote body, soul, and spirit to God, not only to the utmost extent of his powers, but also as long as he exists. Being baptized, and receiving the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, are additional ratifications of the great, general, Christian vow; but every true follower of Christ should always remember, and frequently renew his covenant with God.

The command of the Lord to make war on the Midianites, I, 2. One thousand men are chosen out oj eacA of the twelve tribes, and sent with Phinehas against the Midianites, 3-6. They slay all the males, 7; their Jive kings and Balaam, 8. They take all the ivomen captives, with the flocks and goods, 9; burn their cities, and bring away the spoil, 10, 11. They bring the captives, dfc, to Moses, who is loroth with the officers for sparing the women, luho had formerly been the cause of their transgression and punishment, 12—16. He commands all the male children and all the grown up females to be slain, 17, 18. How the soldiers were to purify themselves, 19, 20; and the different articles taken in war, 21—24. They are commanded to take the sum of the prey, to divide it into tivo parts; one for the 12,000 ivarriors, and the other for the rest of the congregation, 25—27. One of 500, both of persons and cattle, of the share of the warriors, to be given to the Lord, 28, 29; and one part of fifty, of the people's share, to be given to the Levites, 30. The sum of the prey remaining after the above division; sheep 675,000, beeves 72,000, asses 61,000, young women 32,000, ver. 31-35. Hoiv the soldiers^ part was divided, 36—40. Hoio the part belonging to the congregation was divided, 41-47. The officers report that they had not lost a man in this war, 48, 49. They bring a voluntary oblation to God, of gold and ornaments, 50, 51; the amount of which was 16,750 shekels, 52, 53. Moses and Eleazar bring the gold into the tabernacle for a memorial, 54.

Verse 2. Gathered unto thy people. 1 "When? Not in the grave surely. Moses was gathered with none of them, his burial-place no man ever knew. " But being gathered unto one's people means dying." It does imply dying, but it does not mean this only. The truth is, God considers all those who are dead to men in a state of conscious existence in another world. Therefore he calls himself the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob; now God is not the God of the dead, hut of the living; because all live to him, whea of the Midianites: afterward shalt A. M. 2553. thou ^ be gathered unto thy people. An. Exod. isV. 3 And Moses spake unto the ^ "

ther dead to men or not. Moses therefore was to be gathered to his people — to enter into that repuUic of Israel which, having died in the faith, fear, and love of God, were now living in a state of conscious blessedness beyond the confines of the grave. See the note on Gen. xxv. 8, and xlix. 33.

Verse 3. Avenge the Lord of Midian.] It was God's quarrel, not their oivn, that they were now to take up. These people were idolaters; idolatry is an offence against GOD; the civil power has no authority to meddle with what belongs to Him, without especial

A. M. 2553. people, saying, Arm some of An.Exod.isr. yourselvcs unto the war, and let *°- them go against the Midianites,

4 " Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.

5 So there vv^ere delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of evejy tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.

6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and ^ the trumpets to blow in his hand.

7 And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses; and ^ they slew all the ^ males.

8 And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, ^ Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: ^ Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

9 And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods.

10 And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire.

1 1 And ' they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts.

directions, certified in the most unequivocal way. Private revenge, extension of territory, love of plunder, were to have no place in this business; the Lord is to be avenged; and through Him the children of Israel, (ver. 2,) because their souls as well as their bodies had been well nigh ruined by their idolatry.

Verse 6. A thousand of every tribe] Twelve thousand men in the whole. And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar; some think he was made general in this expedition, but this is not likely. The ark and its contents must proceed to this battle, because the battle was the Lord's, and he dwelt between the cherubim over the ark; and Phinehas, who had before got a grant in the eternal priesthood, was chosen to accompany the ark in place of his father Eleazar, who was probably now too far advanced in years to undergo the fatigue. Who then was general ^ Joshua, without doubt, though not here mentioned, because the battle being the Lord's, he alone is to have the supreme direction, and all the glory. Besides, it was an extraordinary war, and not conducted on the common prin-

priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho.

13 And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp.

14 And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the ^ battle.

15 And Moses said unto them. Have ye saved ^ all the women alive?

1 6 Behold, ■" these caused the children of Israel, through the "^ counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and ° there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.

17 Now therefore p kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with 1 him.

18 But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.

1 9 And " do ye abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person, and ^ whosoever hath touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day.

ciple, for we do not find that peace was oflfered to the Midianites, and that they refused it; see Deut. xx. 10, &c. In such a case only hostilities could lawfully commence; but they were sinners against GOD; the cup of their iniquity was full, and God thought proper to destroy them. Though a leader there certainly was, and Joshua was probably that leader, yet because God, for the above reason, was considered as commander-in-chief, therefore no one else is mentioned; for it is evident that the sole business of Phinehas was to take care of the holi/ instruments and to blow with the trumpet.

Verse 8. Balaam — they slew with the sivord.] This man had probably committed what St. John calls the sin unto death — a sin which God punishes with temporal death, while at the same time he extends mercy to the soul. See the remarks at the end of chap. xxiv.

Verse 17. Kill evert/ male among the little ones] For this action I account simply on the principle that God, who is the author and supporter of life, has a right to

Moses takes the sum of the prey. CHAP. XXXI.

How it should be divided.

An. Exod. isr. and all ' that is made of skins, and '^' all work of goats' hair, and all

21 And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war, which went to the battle. This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord commanded Moses;

22 Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,

23 Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified " with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.

24 ^ And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye shall come into the camp.

26 Take the sum of the prey "^ that was taken, both of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the chief fathers of the congregation:

27 And ^ divide the prey into two parts; between them that took the war upon them, who went out to battle, and between all the congregation:

28 And levy a tribute unto the Lord of the men of war which went out to battle: y one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses, and of the sheep:

29 Take it of their half, and give it unto

dispose of it when and how he thinks proper; and the Judge of all the earth can do nothing but what is right. Of the ivomen killed on this occasion it may be safely said, their lives were forfeited by their personal transgressions; and yet even in this case there can be little doubt that God showed mercy to their souls. The little ones were safely lodged; they were taken to heaven and saved from the evil to come.

Verse 23. The water of separation] The wa^er in which the ashes of the red heifer were mingled; see on chap. viii. 7; xix. 2, &c. Garments, whether of cloth or skins, were to be washed. Gold, silver, brass, iron, tin, and lead, to pass through the fire, probably to be melted down.

Verse 28. And levy a tribute unto the Lord — one soul of five hundred, c^c] The persons to be employed in the Lord's service, under the Levites — the cattle either for sacrifice, or for the use of the Levites, ver. 30. Some monsters have supposed that one out of everv five hundred of the captives was offered in saa

30 And of the children of Israel's ^-

half, thou shalt take ^ one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the ^ flocks, of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, ^ which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the Lord.

31 And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.

32 And the hooiyj being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep,

33 And threescore and twelve thousand beeves,

34 And threescore and one thousand asses,

35 And thirty and two thousand persons in all, of women that had not known man by lying with him.

36 And the half, which was the portion of them that went out to war, was in number three hundred thousand and seven and thirty thousand and five hundred sheep:

37 And the Lord's tribute of the sheep was six hundred and threescore and fifteen.

38 And the beeves were thirty and six thousand: of which the Lord's tribute was threescore and twelve.

39 And the asses were thirty thousand and five hundred; of which the Lord's tribute was threescore and one.

40 And the persons were sixteen thousand:

crifice to the Lord! but this is abominable. When God chose to have the life of a man, he took it in the wa,y of justice, as in the case of the Midianites above; but never in the way of sacrifice.

Verse 32. The booty] It appears from the enumeration here that the Israelites, in this war against the Midianites, took 32,000 female prisoners, 01,000 asses, 72,000 beeves, 675,000 sheep and small cattle; besides the immense number of males who fell in battle, and the ivomen and children who were slain by the Divine command, ver. 17. And it does not appear that in this expedition, a single man of Israel fell! This was naturally to be expected, because the battle was the Lord's, ver. 49.

As the booty was divided into two equal parts, ver. 22, one for the soldiers employed in the expedition, and the other for those who, being equally willing to be employed, were ordered to stay in the camp; so each of the parties in this booty was to give a certain proportion to the Lord. The soldiers to give to the taken from the Midianites

of which the Lord's tribute was thirty and two persons. 4 1 And Moses gave the tribute, which was the Lord's heave-offering, unto Eleazar the priest, *= as the Lord commanded

4 2 And of the children of Israel's half, which Moses divided from the men that warred,

43 (Now the half that pertained unto the congregation was three hundred thousand and thirty thousand and seven thousand and five hundred sheep,

44 And thirty and six thousand beeves,

45 And thirty thousand asses and five hundred,

46 And sixteen thousand persons;)

47 Even ^ of the children of Israel's half, Moses took one portion of fifty, both of man and of beast, and gave them unto the Levites, which kept the charge of the tabernacle of the Lord; as the Lord commanded Moses.

48 And the officers which were over thousands of the host, the captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, came near unto Moses:

49 And they said unto Moses, a. m. 2553. Thy servants have taken the sum An. Exod. Isr of the men of war which are under ^^-

Lord one out of every Jive hundred persons, beeves, asses, and sheep, ver. 28. The people, who by staying at home risked nothing, and had no fatigue, were to give one out o{ fifty of the above, ver. 30. The booty.

our ^ charge, and there lacketh not one man of us.

50 We have therefore brought an oblation for the Lord, that every man hath ^ gotten, of jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and tablets, ^ to make an atonement for our souls before the Lord.

5 1 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them, even all wrought jewels.

52 And all the gold of the ^ offering that they offered up to the Lord, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.

53 {For > the men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.)

54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation, ^ for a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord.

In this table the booty is equally divided between the people and the soldiers; a five-hundredth part being given to the Lord, and a fiftieth part to the Levites.

Verse 50. We have — brought an oblation for the Lord] So it appears there was a great deal of booty taken which did not come into the general account; and of this the soldiers, of their own will, made a very extensive offering to God, because he had preserved tliem from falling in battle. That not one man should have been slain is a most extraordinary circumstance, and powerfully marks the peculiar superintendence of God's especial providence. The Midianites must certainly have made some resistance; but that its divisions among the soldiers and people, the proportion given by each to the Lord and to the Levites, will be seen in one view by the following table, which I copy from Houbigant.

Lord from the soldiers - 675

Lord from the soldiers - 72

Levites from the people - 720

Lord from the soldiers - 61

Levites from the people - 610

Lord from the soldiers - 32

Levites from the people - 320 was ineffectual, because it was against the Lord. When any nation undertakes a crusade against those whom they are pleased to call the Lord''s enemies, let them bring from the contest this proof of their Divine mission, viz., that not one man of them is either lost or missing; and then, and not till then, shall we believe that God hath sent them.

To make an atonement for our souls] That is, to make an acknowledgment to God for the preservation of their lives. The gold offered on this occasion amounted to 16,750 shekels, equal to £37,869. 16j. bd. of our money. See the note on Exod. xxv. 39, where the true value of the shekel is given, and a rule laid down to reduce it to English money

Reuben and Gad request to settle on the east of Jordan

The Reubenites and Gadites request Moses to give them their inheritance on this side of Jordan, 1-5. Moses expostulates with and reproves them, 6—15. They explain themselves, and propose conditions, with which Moses is satisfied — they are to build cities for their ivives and children, and folds for their cattle, and go over Jordan armed with the other tribes, and fight against their enemies till the land is subdued; after which they are to return, 16—27. Moses proposes the business to Eleazar, Joshua, and the elders^ 28—30. The Gadites and Reubenites promise a faithful observance of the conditions, 31, 33; on which Moses assigns to them, and the half tribe of Manasseh, the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og, king of Bashan, 33. The cities built by the Gadites, 34-36. The cities built by the Reubenites, 37, 38. The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, expel the Amorites from Gilead, 39, which Moses grants to them, 40. Jair, the son of Manasseh, takes the small towns of Gilead, 41. And Nobah takes Kenath and its villages, 42.

"IVrOW the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had

a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of ^ Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place loas a place for cattle;

2 The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying,

4 Even the country ^ which the Lord smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle:

5 Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan,

6 And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?

7 And wherefore ^ discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord hath given them?

8 Thus did your fathers, ^ when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea ^to see the land.

9 For ' when they went up unto the valley

Verse 3. Ataroth, and Dibon, dj^c] The places mentioned here belonged to Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, which being conquered by the Israelites, constituted ever after a part of their territories, ver. 33.

Verse 5. Let this land be given unto thy servants] Because it was good for pasturage, and they had many fiocks, ver. 1.

10 ^ And the Lord's anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying,

1 1 Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, ' from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because ™ they have not " wholly followed me:

12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: ° for they have wholly followed the Lord.

1 3 And the Lord's anger was kindled againsl Israel, and he made them p wander in the wilderness forty years, until 1 all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the Lord, was consumed.

14 And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the ' fierce anger of the Lord toward Israel.

1 5 For if ye ^ turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.

16 And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones:

Verse 12. Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite] It was Jephunneh that was the Kenezite, and not Caleb. Kenaz was probably the father of Jephunneh.

Verse 16. We lotll build — cities for our little ones] It was impossible for these, numerous as they might be, to build cities and fortify them for the defence of their families in their absence. Calmet supposes they meant no more than repairing the cities of the Amorites which they had lately taken; which work mi§ht

A. M. 2553. 1 7 But * we oiirselves will go An. Exod. Isr. ready armed before the children ^- of Israel, until we have brought

them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.

18 "* We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance.

19 For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan, or forward; '' because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward.

20 And "■" Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the Lord to war,

2 1 And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the Lord, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him,

22 And ^ the land be subdued before the Lord: then afterward ^ ye shall return, and be guiltless before the Lord, and before Israel; and ^ this land shall be your possession before

23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure ^ your sin will find you out.

24 ^ Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.

25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth.

26 '^ Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead:

have been very easily accomplished in the time which they spent on this side of Jordan, before they went over with their brethren, to put them in possession of the land.

Verse 17. Because of the inhabitants of the land.] These were the Ammonites, Moabites, Idumeans, and the remains of the Midianites and Amorites. But could the women and children even keep the defenced cities, when placed in them 1 This certainly cannot be supposed possible. Many of the men of war must of course stay behind. In the last census, chap, x.wi., the tribe of Reuben consisted of 43,730 men; the tribe of Gad, 40,500; the tribe of Manasseh, 52,700; the half of which is 26,350. Add this to the sum of the other two tribes, and the amount is 110,580.

27 ^ But thy servants will pass a. m. 2553.

over, every man armed for war. An. Exod. Isr. before the Lord to battle, as my '^^'

28 So * concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel:

29 And Moses said unto them, If the chil dren of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the Lord, and the land shall be subdued before you; then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession:

30 But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.

3 1 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying. As the Lord hath said unto thy servants, so will we do.

32 We will pass over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan may be ours.

33 And f Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, ^ the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the coasts, even the cities of the country round about.

34 And the children of Gad built ^ Dibon, and Ataroth, and ' Aroer,

Now from Joshua iv. 13 we learn that of the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh, only 40,000 armed men passed over Jordan to assist their brethren in the reduction of the land: consequently the number of 70,580 men were left behind for the defence of the women, the children, and the flocks. This was more than sufficient to defend them against a people already panic struck by their late discomfitures and reverses.

Verse 34. The children of Gad built — Aroer] This was situated on the river Arnon, Deut. ii. 36; 2 Kings X. 33. It was formerly inhabited by the Emim, a warlike and perhaps gigantic people. They were expelled by the Moabijes; the Moabites by the Amorites; and the Amorites by the Israelites. The Gadites then

Account of the journeyings CHAP. XXXIII.

37 And the children of Reuben " built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim,

38 And °Nebo, and p Baal-meon, (^ their names being changed,) and Shibmah: and ^ gave other names unto the cities which they builded.

39 And the children of * Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and

Josh, xxiii. 7. ■■ Heb. they called by names the names of the cities.

possessed it till the captivity of their tribe, with that of Reuben and the half of the tribe of Manasseh, by the Assyrians, 2 Kings xv. 29, after which the Moabites appear to have repossessed it, as they seem to have occupied it in the days of Jeremiah, chap, xlviii.

Verse 38. And Neho — iheir names being changed] Thil is, Those who conquered the cities called them after their own names. Thus the city Kenath, being conquered by Nobah, was called after his name, ver. 42.

dispossessed the Amorite which was in it.

40 And Moses * gave Gilead

unto Machir the son of Manasseh dwelt therein.

4 1 And >» Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them "^ Havoth-jair.

42 And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name.

habitations of Jair; and thus they should have been translated. As these two tribes and a half were the first, says Ainsworth, who had their inheritance assigned to them in the promised land, so they were the first of all Israel that were carried captive out of their own land, because of their sins. " For they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after other gods. And God delivered them into the hands of Pul and Tiglath-Pilneser, kings of Assyria, and they brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and Gozan, unto this day." See 1 Chron. v. 25, 26

The journeyings of the Israelites written out by Moses, according to the commandment of the Lord, 1, 2. They depart from Rameses on the fifteenth day of the first month, on the day after the passover, the firstbom of the Egyptians having been slain, 3, 4. Their forty-two stations enumerated, 5-49. They are authorized to expel all the former inhabitants, and destroy all remnants of idolatry, 50—53. The land is to be divided by lot, 54. Should they not drive out the former inhabitants, they shall be to them as pricks in their eyes and thorns in their sides, 55. And if not obedient, God will deal ivith them as he has purposed to do with the Canaanites, 56.

nPHESE are the ^journeys of the children of Israel, which

went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies, under the '' hand of Moses and Aaron.

Verse 2. And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys] We may consider the whole book of Numbers as a diary, and indeed the first book of travels ever published. Dr. Shaw, Dr. Pococke, and several others, have endeavoured to mark out the route of the Israelites through this great, dreary, and trackless desert, and have ascertained many of the stages here described. Indeed there are sufficient evidences of this important journey still remaining, for the descriptions of many are so particular that the places are readily ascertained by them; but this is not the case with all. Israel was the Church of God in the wilderuess, and its unsettled, wandering state under

2 And Moses wrote their "^ goings out according to their journeys, by the commandment of the Lord: and these are their journeys according to their goings out.

Moses may point out the unsettled state of religion under the law. Their being brought, after the death of Moses, into the promised rest by Joshua, may point out the establishment, fixedness, and certainty of that salvation provided by Jesus Christ, of whom Joshua, in name and conduct, was a remarkable type. Mr. Ainsworth imagines that the forty-two stations here enumerated, through which the Israelites were brought to the verge of the promised land, and afterwards taken over Jordan into the rest which God had promised, point out the forty-two generations from Abraham unto Christ, through whom the Saviour of the world came, by whose blood we have an entrance into the holiest, and enjoy the inheritance among the saints in light.

An.Exod.isr. 1. Ramcses in ^ the first month, on Abib or Nisan. jj^g fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out ^ with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.

4 For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, & which the Lord had smitten among them: ^ upon their gods also the Lord executed judgments-.

5 ' And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in Succoth.

6 And they departed from ^ Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.

7 And ^ they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pi-hahiroth, which is before Baal-zephon: and they pitched before Migdol.

8 And they departed from before Pi-hahiroth, and ^ passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey

And Mr. Bromley, in his Way to the Sabbath of Rest, considers each name and place as descriptive of the spiritual state through which a soul passes in its way to the kingdom of God. But in cases of this kind fancy has much more to do than judgment.

Verse 3. From Rameses] This appears to have been the metropolis of the land of Goshen, and the place of rendezvous whence the whole Israelitish nation set out on their journey to the promised land; and is supposed to be the same as Cairo. See the notes on Exod. xii. 37.

Station I. Verse 5. And piichedin Svccotb.] This name signifies booths or tents, and probably refers to no town or village, but simply designates the place where they pitched their tents for the first time after their departure from Rameses.

Stat. II. Verse 6. Etham, ivhich is in the edge of the ivilderness.] This place is not well known; Dr. Shaw supposes it to have been one mile from Cairo. Calmct thinks it is the city of Buthum mentioned by Herodotus, which he places in Arabia, on the frontiers

Stat. III. Verse 7. Pi-hahiroth] See on Exod. xiv. 1. Baal-zephon Calmet supposes to be the Clysma of the Greeks, and the Knhum of the Arabians.

Stat. IV. Verse 8. And loent three days' journey tn the wilderness of Etham] Called the wilderness of Shur, Exod. xv. 22.

And pitched in Marah.] Dr. Shaw supposes this place to be at Sedur, over against the valley of Baideah, on the opposite side of the Red Sea.

9 And they removed from Abib or Nisan. Marah, and " came unto Elim: and in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and three score and ten palm trees; and they pitched

10 And they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red Sea.

1 1 And they removed from the a. m. 2513.

12 And they took their journey out of the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah.

13 And they departed from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush.

14 And they removed from Alush, and encamped at p Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drink.

Stat. V. Verse 9. And came unto Elim] A place on the skirts of the deserts of Sin, two leagues from Tor, and nearly thirty from Corondel, a large bay on the east side of the Red Sea. Dr. Shaw, when he visited this place, found but nine of the twelve wells mentioned in the text, and instead of 70 palm trees, he found upwards of 2,000. See on Exod. xv. 27.

Stat. VI. Verse 10. Encamped by the Red Sea.] It is difficult to assign the place of this encampment, as the Israelites were now on their way to Mount Sinai, which lay considerably to the east of Elim, and consequently farther from the sea than the former station. It might be called by the Red Sea, as the Israelites had it, as the principal object, still in view. This station however is mentioned nowhere else. By the Red Sea we are not to understand a sea, the waters of which are red, or the sand red, or any thing else about or in it red; for nothing of this kind appears. It is called in Hebrew f|1D D" yam suph, which signifies the weedy sea. The Septuagint rendered the original by da?.aaaa epvdpa, and the Vulgate after it by mare rubrum, and the European versions followed these, and, in opposition to etymology and reason, translated it the Red Sea. See the note on Exod. x. 19.

Stat. VII. Verse 11. The ivilderness of Sitf] This lies between Elim and Mount Sinai. Dr. Shaw and his companions traversed these plains in nine hours.

Stat. VIII. Verse 12. Dophkah.] This place is not mentioned in Exodus, and its situation is not known.

Stat. IX. Verse 13. Alush.] Neither is this mentioned in Exodus, and its situation i,s equally unknown.

Chronology very 1'7 And they departed from uncertain after Kibroth-hattaavah, and ' encamp-

Kibioth-hattaa- ed at Hazcroth. come^ to the 1 8 And they departed from Hadesert of zin. geroth, and pitched in ^ Rithmah.

19 And they departed from Rithmah, and pitched at Rimmon-parez.

20 And they departed from Rimmon-parez, and pitched in Libnah.

21 And they removed from Libnah, and pitched at Rissah.

22 And they journeyed from Rissah, and pitched in Kehelathah.

23 And they vv^ent from Kehelathah, and pitched in mount Shapher.

24 And they removed from Mount Shapher, and encamped in Haradah.

25 And they removed from Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth,

rebellion of the Israelites against Moses, because of the want of water, Exod. xvii.

Stat. XI. Verse 15. The wilderness of Sinai.] Somewhere northward of Mount Sinai, on the straight road to the promised land, to which they now directed their course.

Stat. XII. Verse 16. Kibroth-hattaavah.] No city, village, &c., but a place in the open desert, which had its name from the plague that fell upon the Israelites, through their murmuring against God, and their inordinate desire of flesh. See on chap. xi. But it appears that the Israelites had travelled three days' journey in order to reach this place, chap. x. 33, and commentators suppose there must have been other stations which are not laid down here, probably because the places were not remarkable.

Stat. XIII. Verse 17. Hazeroth.] This place Dr. Shaw computes to have been about thirty miles distant from Mount Sinai.

Stat. XIV. Verse 18. Rithmah.] This place lay somewhere in the wilderness of Paran, through which the Israelites were now passing. See chap. xiii. 1. The name signifies the juniper tree; and the place probablj' had its name from the great number of those trees growing in that district.

Stat. XVI. Verse 20, Libn-^h.] The situation of this place is uncertain. A city of this name i,s mentioned Josh. x. 29, as situated between Kadesh-barnea and Gaza.

Stat. XVII. Averse 21. Rissah.] A place mentioned nowhere else in the sacred writings. Its situation utterly uncertain.

26 And they removed from Chronology very Maliheloth, and encamped at treyTe^ave'*' Tahath. ^attmttr

27 And they departed from come to the

28 And they removed from Tarah, and pitched in Mithcah.

29 And they went from Mithcah, and pitched in Hashmonah.

30 And they departed from Hashmonah, and ^ encamped at Moseroth.

31 And they departed from Moseroth, and pitched in Bene-jaakan.

32 And they removed from "^ Bene-jaakan, and ^ encamped at Hor-hagidgad.

33 And they went from Hor-hagidgad, and. pitched in Jotbathah.

34 And they removed from Jotbathah, and encamped at Ebronah.

35 And they departed from Ebronah, ^and encamped at Ezion-gaber.

unknown; though some conjecture that it might have been the place called Keilah, 1 Sam. xxiii. 1, &c., but this is unlikely.

Stat. XX. Verse 24. Haradah.] Unknown. Calmet supposes that it may be the place called Bered, Gen. xvi. 14, which was in the vicinity of Kadesh.

Stat. XXIV. Verse 28. Mithcah.] Calmet conjectures that this may be Mocha, a city in Arabia Petraea.

Stat. XXV. Verse 29. Hashmonah.] Supposed by some to be the same as Azmon, chap, xxxiv. 4.

Stat. XXVI. Verse 30. Moseroth.] Situatioa unknown. In Deut. x. 6 it is said that the Israelites took their journey from Beeroth, the wells of the children of Jaakan, to Mosera, and there Aaron died. If so, Mosera, Moseroth, and Hor, must be different names of the same place; or Moseroth, or Mosera, must have been some town or village near Mount Hor, for there Aaron died. See ver. 38.

Stat. XXVII. Verse 31. Bene-jaakan.] Unknown. The sons of Jaakan. See the preceding verse.

Stat. XXVIII. Verse 32. Hor-hagidgad.] The hole or pit of Gidgad. Unknown. It was a place perhaps remarkable for some vast pit or cavern, from which it took its name.

Stat. XXIX. Verse 33. Jotbathah.] Situation unknown. It is said in Deut. x. 7 to be a land of rivers of waters.

A. M. cir. 2553. 36 And they removed from An. Exod.^isr. Ezion-gabcr, and pitched in the

37 And they removed from ^ Kadesh, and pitched in Mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.

38 And ^ Aaron the priest went up into Mount Hor at the commandment of the Lord, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Eg)rpt, in the first day of the fifth month.

39 And Aaron luas a hundred and twenty and three years old when he died in Mount Hor.

40 And "= King Arad, the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel.

4 1 And they departed from Mount "^ Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah,

42 And they departed from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon.

43 And they departed from Punon, and * pitched in Oboth.

Stat. XXXI. Verse 35. Ezion-gaber.] Dr. Shaw places this port on the western coast of the Elanitic gulf of the Red Sea. It is now called Meenah el Dsahab, or the golden port, by the Arabs; because it was from this place that Solomon sent his ships for gold to Ophir, 1 Kings ix. 26. He supposes it to be about sixty miles distant from Mount Sinai. — Travels, p. 322, 4to. edition.

Stat. XXXII. Verse 36. Zin, which is Kadesh.] A place remarkable for the death of Miriam the prophetess, and bringing water out of the rock. As this place was on the borders of Edom, the Israelites, being denied permission to pass through their land, which lay on the direct road to the promised land, were obliged to turn to the right to Mount Hor, now called Accaba by the Arabs.

Stat. XXXIII. Verse 37. Hor.] Famous for the death of Aaron. See on chap. xx. Perhaps Moseroth or Mosera, ver. 30, was a village near this mountain. See the note on ver. 30.

Stat. XXXIV. Verse 41. Zalmonah.] Probably in the neighbourhood of the land of Edom. As DSi* tselem signifies an image, this place probably had its name from the brazen serpent set up by Moses. See chap. xxi. 5, &c. From the same root the word telesm, corruptly called talisman, which signifies a consecrated image, is derived.

4 5 And they departed from lim, and pitched ' in Dibon-gad.

46 And they removed from Dibon-gad, and encamped in Almon^ -diblathaim.

47 And they removed from Almon-diblathaim, ^ and pitched in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo.

48 And they departed from the mountains of Abarim, and "" pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

49 And they pitched by Jordan, from Bethjesimoth even unto " Abel-shittim ° in the plains of Moab.

50 And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

51 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, p When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan;

52 1 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy

Stat. XXXVII. Verse 44. Ije-abari.m.] The heaps of Abarim. See chap. xxi. 1 1. Situation uncertain. It is called Iim in the following verse. As the word signifies heaps or protuberances, it probably means tumuli or small hills near some of the fords of Jordan.

Stat. XXXVIII. Verse 45. Dibon-gad.] Supposed to be the same as Dibon, chap, xxxii. 34, and to be situated on the brook Arnon.

Stat. XXXIX. Verse 46. Almon-diblathaim.] Situation not known. It belonged to the Moabites in the time of the prophet Jeremiah. Jer. xlviii. 22.

Stat. XL. Verse 47. Mountains of Abarim, before Nebo.] The mountain on which Moses died. They came to this place after the overthrow of the Amontes. See chap. xxi.

Stat. XLI. Verse 48. The plains of Moab.] This was the scene of the transactions between Balaam and Balak; see chapters xxiii., xxiv., xxv.

Stat. XLII. Verse 49. From Beth-jesimotb even unto Aeel-shittim] The former of these places fell to the Reubenites, Josh. xiii. 15-20. The Israel ites were now come to the edge of Jordan, over agains' Jericho, where they afterwards passed.

For farther information on the subject of these dif ferent encampments, the reader is requested to refei to the extract from Dr. Shaw at the end of the book of Exodus.

An.Exod. isr. their molteii images, and quite ^^' pluck down all their high places.

53 And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it.

54 And ■■ ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall ^ give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall ' give the less inheritance: every man's inheritance shall be

Dn'Otyo maskiyotham, from nDt2? sachah, to be like, or resemble, either pictures, carved work, or emhroidery, as far as these things were employed to exhibit the abominations of idolatry. Molten images, DH^DO ^uh'S tsalmey niassechotham, metallic talismanical figures, made under certain constellations, and supposed in consequence to be possessed of some extraordinary influences and virtues.

Verse 55. Shall be pricks in your eyes^ Under these metaphors, the continual mischief that should be done to them, both in soul and body, by these idolaters, is set forth in a very expressive manner. What can be more vexatious than a continual goading of each side, so that the attempt to avoid the one throws the body more forcibly on the other? And what can be more distressing than a continual pricking in the eye, harassing the mind, tormenting the body, and extinguishing the sight?

1. It has been usual among pious men to consider these Canaanites remaining in the land, as emblems of indwelling sin; and it must be granted that what those remaining Canaanites were to the people of Israel, who were disobedient to God, such is indwelling sin to all those who will not have the blood of the covenant to cleanse them from all unrighteousness. For a time, while conscience is tender, such persons feel themselves straitened in all their goings, hindered in all their religious services, and distressed beyond measure because of the law — the authority and power of sin, which they find warring in their members: by and by the eye of their mind becomes obscured by the constant piercings of sin, till at last, fatally persuaded that sin must dwell in them as long as they live, they accommodate their minds to their situation, their consciences cease to be tender, and they content themselves with expecting redemption where and when it has never been promised, viz., beyond the grave I On the subject of the journeyings of the Israelites, the following observations from old Mr. Ainsworth cannot tali to interest the reader.

2. " The Travels of Israel through that great and terrible luilderness, ivherein ivere fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water, Deut. viii. 15, which was a land of deserts, and of pits, a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, a land that no man passed through, and where no man

in the place where his lot falleth; a.m. 2553. according to the tribes of your An. Exod.isr. fathers ye shall inherit. ^°'

55 But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall he " pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

56 Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.

dwelt, Jer. ii. 6, signified the many troubles and afflictions through which we must enter into the kingdom of God, Acts xiv. 22. The helps, comforts, and deliverances which God gave unto his people in their distresses, are examples of his love and mercy towards his followers; for he comforts them in all their tribulation, that as the sufferings of Christ abound in them, so their consolation also abounds in Christ, 2 Cor. i. 45. The punishments which God inflicted upon the disobedient, who perished in the wilderness for their sins, happened unto them for ensamples, and they are written for our admonition, upon ivhom the ends of the world are come, 1 Cor. x. 1, 11; Heb. iii. 17, 18, 19, and iv. 1,2. By the names of their encamping places, and histories adjoined, it appears how Israel came sometimes into straits and troublesome ways, as at Pihahiroth, Exod. xiv. 2, 3, 10, &c.; and at Zalmonah, Num. ii. 1, 4, &c.; sometimes into large and ample room, as at the plains of Moah: sometimes to places of hunger and thirst, as atRephidim and Kadesh, Exod. xvi., xvii.; Num. xx.; sometimes to places of refreshing, as at Elim and Beer, Exod. xv. 27; Num. xxL 1 6; sometimes where they had loars, as at Rephidim, Kadesh, Edrei, Exod. xvii. 8; Num. xxi. 1, 33; sometimes where they had rest, as at Mount Sinai: sometimes they went right forward, as from Sinai to Kadesh-barnea; sometimes they turned backward, as from Kadesh-barnea to the Red Sea: sometimes they came to mountains, as Sinai, Shapher, Hor-Gidgad; sometimes to valleys, as Tahath, &c.: sometimes to places of bitterness, as Marah; sometimes, of sweetness, as Mithcah.

3. " The SINS which they committed in the wilderness were many and great; as open idolatry by the calf, at Horeb, Exod. xxxii., and with Baal-peor, Num. XXV. Unbelief, at Kadesh, Num. xiv.; and afterwards presumptuous boldness in the same place; MURMURING against God sundry times, with tempting of Christ, (as the apostle speaks, 1 Cor. x.) Contention and rebellion against their governors often; lusting for fiesh to fill their appetite, and loathing manna, the heavenly food; whoredoiM with the daughters of Moab, and many other provocations; so that this complaint is after made of them, How oft did they provoke him in the luilderness, and grieve him in the desert! Psa. Ixxviii. 40.,4// 5or/5 of persons sinned against God; the multitude of people very often; the

Description of the

mixed mvltitnde of strangers among thera, Num. xi. The princes, as the ten spies, Dathan, Abiram, &c. The Levites, as Korah and his company; Miriam the prophetess, Num. xii.; Aaron the priest with her, besides his sin at Horeb, Exod. xxxii.; and at the water of Meribah, Num. xx. Moses also himself at the same place, for which he was excluded from the land of Canaan.

4. " The PUNISHMENTS laid on them by the Lord for their disobedience were many. They died by the sword of the enemy, as of the Amalekites, Exod. xvii., and of the Canaanites, Num. xiv. 45; and some by the sword of their brethren, Exod. xxxii. Some were burned with fire, Num. xi., xvi.; some died ivith surfeit. Num. xi.; some were swallowed up alive in the earth, Num. xvi.; some were killed toith serpents, Num. xxi.; many died of the pestilence, Num. xvi. 46, and chap. v. 25; and generally all that generation which were first mustered, after their coming out of Egypt, perished, Num. xxvi. 64, 65. God consumed their days in vanity, and their years in terror, Psa. Ixxviii. 33.

5. " Nevertheless, for his name's sake, he magnified his MERCIES unto them and their posterity. He had divided the sea, and led them through on dry land, drovraing their enemies, Exod. xiv. He led them

with a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, continually. He gave them manna from heaven daily. He clave the rock, and gave them water for their thirst. He fed them with quails, when they longed for flesh. He sweetened the bitter waters. He saved them from the sword of their enemies He delivered them from the fiery serpents and scorpions. Their raiment waxed not old upon them, neither did their foot swell for forty years, Deut. viii. 4. He delivered them from the intended curse of Balaam, and turned it into a blessing because he loved them, Num. xxii.; Deut. xxiii. 5. He came down from Mount Sinai, and spake with them from heaven, and gave them right judgments and true laws, good statutes and commandments, and gave also his good Spirit to instruct them, Neh. ix. 13, 20. In the times of his wrath he remembered mercy; his eye spared them from destroying them, neither did he make an end of them in the wilderness, Ezek. xx. 17, 22. He gave them kingdoms and nations, and they possessed the lands of their enemies; and he multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, and brought them into the land promised unto their forefathers, Neh. ix. 22, 23. Now whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope, Rom. xv. 4." Let him that readeth understand.

The land of Canaan is described, 1, 2. The south quarter, 3-5. The western border, 6. The north border, 7—9. The east border, 10—12. This land to be divided by lot among the nine tribes and half, 13; tioo tribes and half, Reuben and Gad, and the half of Manasseh, having already got their inheritance on the east side of Jordan, 14, 15. Eleazar the priest, and Joshua, to assist in dividing the land, 16, 17; and with them a chief out of every tribe, 18. The names of the tivelve chiefs, 19-29.

into ^ the land of Canaan; (this is the land

that shall fall unto you for an inheritance,

even the land of Canaan with the coasts

3 Then ^ your south quarter shall be from

the wilderness of Zin along by the coast of

Edom, and your south border shall be the

outmost coast of '^ the salt sea eastward:

Verse 2. The land of Canaan with the coasts thereof] All description here is useless. The situation and boundaries of the land of Canaan can only be known by actual survey, or by consulting a good map.

Verse 3. The salt sea] The Dead Sea, or lake Aaphaltites. See the note on.Gen. xix. 25.

4 And your border shall turn a. m. 2553. from the south '^ to the ascent of An. Exod. Isr. Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin • *^'

and the going forth thereof shall be from the south ^ to Kadesh-barnea, and shall go on to ^ Hazar-addar, and pass on to Azmon:

5 And the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon s unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea.

6 And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border.

Verse 5. The river of Egypt] The eastern branch of the river Nile; or, according to others, a river which is south of the land of the Philistines, and falls into the gulf or bay near Calieh.

Verse 6. Ye shall even have the great sea for a border] The Mediterranean Sea, called here the Great Sea, to distinguish it from the Dead Sea, the Sea of Tiberias, &c., which were only a sort of lakes.

A. M. 2553. 7 And this shall be your north An! Exod. isr. bordeiT: from the great sea ye shall point out for you ^ Mount Hor:

8 From Mount Hor ye shall point out your border ' unto the entrance of Hamath; and the goings forth of the border shall be to ^ Zedad:

9 And the border shall go on to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at ' Hazarenan: this shall be your north border.

1 0 And ye shall point out your east border from Hazar-enan to Shepham:

1 1 And the coast shall go down from Shepham ™ to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the ° side of the sea ° of Chinnereth eastward:

1 2 And the border shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at p the salt sea: this shall be your land with the coasts thereof round about.

13 And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, ^This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot, which the Lord com-

In Hebrew there is properly but one term, D' yam, which is applied to all collections of water apparently stagnant, and which is generally translated sea. The Greek of the New Testament follows the Hebrew, and employs, in general, the word Oalaaaa, sea, whether it speaks of the Mediterranean, or of the sea or lake of Galilee.

Verse 11. The sea of Chinnereth] The same as the sea of Galilee, sea of Tiberias, and sea of Gennesareth.

Verse 12. The border shall go doion to Jordan] This river is famous both in the Old and New Testaments. It takes its rise at the foot of Mount Libanus, passes through the sea of Chinnereth or Tiberias, and empties itself into the lake Asphaltites or Dead Sea, from which it has no outlet. In and by it God wrought many miracles. God cut off the waters of this river as he did those of the Red Sea, so that they stood on a heap on each side, and the people passed over on dry ground. Both Elijah and Elisha separated its waters in a miraculous way, 2 Kings ii. 8—14. Naaman, the Syrian general, by washing in it at the command of the prophet, was miraculously cured of his leprosy, 2 Kings v. 10-14. In this river John baptized great multitudes Of Jews; and in it was Christ himself baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and the voice from heaven proclaimed him the great and only Teacher and Saviour of men, Matt, iii. 16, 17; Mark i. 5-11.

Verse 13. This is the land ivhich ye shall inherit by lot] Much of what is said concerning this land is peculiarly emphatic. It is a land that contains a multi- manded to give unto the nine A. m. 2553. tribes, and to the half tribe: An.Exod.isr.

14 'For the tribe of the chil- ^-

dren of Reuben according to the house of their fathers, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to the house of their fathers, have received their inheritance; and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance:

1 5 The two tribes and the half tribe have received their inheritance on this side Jordan near Jericho eastward, toward the sunrising.

17 These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you: ^ Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.

1 8 And ye shall take one ^ prince of every tribe, to divide the land by inheritance.

19 And the names of the men are these: Of the tribe of Judah, " Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

20 And of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud.

tude of advantages in its climate, its soil, situation, &c. It is bounded on the south by a ridge of mountains, which separate it from Arabia, and screen it from the burning and often pestiferous winds which blow over the desert from that quarter. On the ivest it is bounded by the Mediterranean Sea; on the north, by Mount Libanus, which defends it from the cold northern blasts; and on the cast by the river Jordan, and its fertile, well-watered plains. It is described by God himself as " a good land, a land of brooks of wateju, of fountains, and depths that spring out of valleys hills; a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, ar trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil - ney; a land wherein there was no scarcity and where both iron and copper mines Deut. viii. 7—9: a land finely diversi'' and valleys, and well watered by the in this respect widely different from l^gj^.., & which God cared for, on which his eyes were tinually placed from the beginning to the end of the* year; watched over by a most merciful Providence; in a word, a land which flowed with milk and honey, and was the most pleasant of all lands; Deut. xi. 11, 12; Ezek. xx. 6. Such was the land, and such were the advantages that this most favoured people were called to possess. They were called to possess it by lot that each might be satisfied with his possession, as considering it to be appointed to him by the especial providence of God; and its boundaries were ascertained on Divine authority, to prevent all covetousness after the territories of others.

21 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon,

22 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Dan, Bukki the son of Jogh.

23 The prince of the children of Joseph, for the tribe of the children of Manasseh, Hanniel the son of Ephod.

24 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Ephraim, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan.

25 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Zebulun, Elizaphan the son of Parnach.