Verse 19, &c. And the names of the men are thesel
It is worthy of remark that Moses does not follow any order hitherto used of placing the tribes, neither that ill chap i., nor that in chap, vii., nor that in chap, xxvi., nor any other; but places them here exactly in that order in which they possessed the land. 1. Judah; 2. Simeon; 3. Benjamin; 4. Dan; 5. Manasseh; 6. Ephraim; 7. Zebulun; 8. Issachar; 9. Asher; 10. Naphtali. Judah is first, having the first lot; and he dwelt in the south part of the land, Josh. XV. 1, &c.; and next to him Simeon, because his inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah, Josh. xix. 1. Benjamin was third; he had his inheritance by Judah, between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph, Josh, xviii. 1 1. Dan was the fourth; his lot fell westward of that of Benjamin, in the country of the Philistines, as may be seen in Josh. xix. 40, 41, &c. Fifth, Manasseh; and sixth, by him, his brother Ephraim, whose inheritances •were behind that of Benjamin, Josh. xvi. 7. Next to these dwelt, seventh, Zebulun; and eighth, Issachar;
26 And the prince of the tribe A.M. 2553. of the children of Issachar, Paltiel An. Exod. isr. the son of Azzan, ^^'
27 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the son of Shelomi.
28 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Naphtali, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.
29 These are they whom the Lord commanded to " divide the inheritance unto the children of Israel in the land of Cannan.
concerning whose lots see Josh. xix. 10—17. Ninth, Asher; and tenth, Naphtali; see Josh. xix. 24, 32, &c. And as in encamping about the tabernacle they were arranged according to their fraternal relationship, (see chap, ii.,) so they were in the division and inheriting of the promised land. Judah and Simeon, both sons of Leah, dwelt abreast of each other. Benjamin, son of Rachel, and Dan, son of RacheVs maid, dwelt next abreast. Manasseh and Ephraim, both sons of Joseph, son of Rachel, had the next place abreast. Zebulun and Issachar, who dwelt next together, were both sons of Leah; and the last pair were Asher, of LeaKs maid, and Naphtali, of RacheVs maid. Thus God, in nominating the princes that should divide the land, signified beforehand the manner of their possession, and that they should be so situated as to dwell together as brethren in unity, for the mutual help and comfort of each other. See Ainsivorth. In this arrangement there is much skill, judgment, and kindness every where displayed.
The Israelites are commanded to give the Levites, out of their inheritances, cities and their suburbs for '. themselves and for their cattle, goods, <SfC., 1-3. The suburbs to be 3,000 cubits round about from the ^"'"oa// of the city, 4, 5. The cities to be forty-two, to which six cities of refuge should be added, in all that r-ty-eight cities, 6,7. Each tribe shall give of these cities in proportion to its possessions, 8. These even tf. ^o be appointed for the person ivho might slay his neighbour unawares, 9-12. Of these six cities the eof -"l^"^^ *^ ^^''^^ ^" ^"^^^ ^^"^ Jordan, 13, 14. The cities to be places of refuge for all ivho kill a
^rp, Y^wares, whether they be Israelites, strrr.gers, or sojourners, 15. Cases of murder to tvhich the the wildernes o-e shall extend, 22, 23. Hoio the congregation shall act betiveen the manslayer and the
Edom.^a? of blood, 24, 25. The manslayer shall abide in the city of refuge till the death of the high
QUt,-..est; he shall then return to the land of his possession, 26-28. Two ivitnesses must attest a murder before a murderer can be put to death, 29, 30. Every murderer to be put to death, 31. The manslayer is not to be permitted to come to the land of his inheritance till the death of the high priest, 32. The
A ND the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,
Verse 4. And the suburbs of the cities — shall reach from the wall of the city and outtuard a thousand cubits round about.
2 * Command the children of a. m. 2553. Israel, that they give unto the An^Exod. isi. Levites of the inheritance of "
Verse 5. A7id ye shall measure from toithout the city — two thousand cubits, cjc] Commentators have been much puzzled with the accounts in these two verses. In ver. 4 the measure is said to be 1,000
3 And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their
, cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts.
4 And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about.
5 And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.
6 And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be ^ six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and ° to them ye shall add forty and two cities.
7 So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be ^ forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs.
8 And the cities which ye shall give shall be « of the possession of the children of Israel: ^from them that have many, ye shall give
cubits from the wall; in ver. 5 the measure is said to be 2,000 from without the city. It is likely these two measures mean the same thing; at least so it was understood by the Septuagint and Coptic, who have Staxi-^iovc nrjxsig, 2,000 cubits, in the fourth, as well as in the fifth verse; but this reading of the Septuagint and Coptic is not acknowledged by any other of the ancient versions, nor by any of the MSS. collated by Kennicott and De Rossi. We must seek therefore for some other method of reconciling this apparently contradictory account. Sundry modes have been proposed by commentators, which appear to me, in general, to require full as much explanation as the text itself Maimonides is the only one intelligible on the subject. " The suburbs," says h^, " of the cities are expressed in the law to be 3,000 cubits on every side from the wall of the city and outwards. The first thousand cubits are the suburbs, and the 2,000, which they measured without the suburbs, were for fields and vineyards." The whole, therefore, of the city, suburbs, fields, and vineyards, may be represented by the following diagram: —
many; but from them that have few, ye shall give few: every
the Levites, according to his inheritance which ^ he inheriteth.
1 0 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, ^ When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan;
1 1 Then ^ ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person ^ at unawares.
12 'And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the man slayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.
1 3 And of these cities which ye shall give, " six cities shall ye have for refuge.
14 ''Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.
15 These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and ° for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them; that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.
1 6 p And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
Verse 11. Ye shall appoint — cities of refuge] The cities of refuge among the Israelites were widely dif-
'^^- may die, and he die, he is a
25 And the congregation shall a.m. 2553 deliver the slayer out of the hand An'. Exod. isr.
18 Oi if he smite him with a hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
19 "■ The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.
20 But * if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him * by laying of wait, that he die;
21 Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.
22 But if he thrust him suddenly ^ without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait,
23 Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and ivas not his enemy, neither sought his harm:
24 Then ' the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments:
ferent from the asyla among the Greeks and Romans, as also from the privileged altars among the Roman Catholics. Those among the Hebrews were for the protection of such only as had slain a person involuntarily. The temples and altars among the latter often eerved for the protection of the most profligate characters. Cities of refuge among the Hebrews were necessary, because the old patriarchal law still remained in force, viz., that the nearest akin had a right to avenge the death of his relation by slaying the murderer; for the original law enacted that ivhosoever shed mail's hlood, by man should his blood be shed, Gen. ix. 6, and none was judged so proper to execute this law as the man who was nearest akin to the deceased. As many rash executions of this law might take place, from the very nature of the thing, it was deemed necessary to qualify its claims, and prevent injustice; and the cities of refuge were judged proper for this purpose. Nor do we ever read that they were ever found inefficient, or that they were ever abused.
of the revenger of blood; and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and ^ he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, "" which was anointed with the holy oil.
26 But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled;
27 And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; ^ he shall not be guilty of blood:
28 Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.
29 So these things shall be for ^ a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
30 Whoso killelh any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the ^ mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.
3 1 Moreover, ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is ^ guilty of death; but he shall be surely put to death.
sence of the people, or the elders their representatives; and this was done in the city or place where he had done the murder, Josh. xx. 4, 6. If he was found worthy of death, they delivered him to the avenger that he might be slain, Deut. xix. 12; if not, they sent him back to the city of refuge, where he remained till the death of the high priest, ver. 25. Before the cities of refuge were appointed, the altar appears to have been a sanctuary for those who had killed a person unwittingly; see on Exod. xxi. 13, 14.
Verse 19. The revenger of blood] mn Sxj goel haddam, the redeemer of blood; the next in blood to him who was slain. See on the preceding verse.
Verse 30. But one witness shall not testify against any] This was a just and necessary provision. One man may be mistaken, or so violently prejudiced as to impose even on his own judgment, or so wicked as to endeavour through malice to compass the hfe of his neighbour: but it is not likely that two or more should be of this kind; and even were they, their separate examination would lead to a discovery of the truth, and to their conviction.
Verse 31. Ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer] No atonement could be made for htm.
^^" city of his refuge, that he should
come again to dwell in the land, mitil the death of the priest.
33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are; for blood ■= it defileth the land: and
nor any commutation, so as to save him from death. All the laws of the civilized world have either adjudged the murderer to death, or to a punishment equivalent to it; such as perpetual imprisonment, in a dungeon, under ground, on a stone floor, without light, and to be fed on a small portion of bread and water. In such circumstances a man could live but a short time; and though it is not called the punishment of death,)'et, from its inevitable consequences, it only differed from it by being a little longer respite than was usual where the punishment of death was awarded. See the note on Gen. ix. 6.
Verse 32. Until the death of the priest.'] Probably intended to typify, that no sinner can be delivered from his banishment from God, or recover his forfeited inheritance, till Jesus Christ, the great high priest, had died for his offences, and risen again for his justification.
Verse 33. For blood it defileth the land] The very land was considered as guilty till the blood of the murderer was shed in it. No wonder God is so particularly strict in his laws against murderers, 1. Because he is the author of life, and none have any right to dispose of it but himself. 2. Because life is the time to prepare for the eternal world, and on it the salvation of the soul accordingly depends; therefore it is of infinite consequence to the man that his life be lengthened out to the utmost limits assigned by Divine Providence.
^ the land cannot be cleansed a. m. 2553. of the blood that is shed therein, An. Exod. isr. but « by the blood of him that '^^-
34 f Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for e- 1 the Lord dwell among the children of Israel.
As he who takes a man's life away before his time may be the murderer of his soul as well as of his body, the severest laws should be enacted against this, both to punish and prevent the crime.
The Mosaic cities of refuge have in general been considered, not merely as civil institutions, but as types or representations of infinitely better things; and iu this light St. Paul seems to have considered them and the altar of God, which was a place of general refuge, as it is pretty evident that he had them in view when writing the following words: " God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things, (his oath and promise,) in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for kefuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us," Heb. vi. 17, 18. Independently of this, it was a very wise political institute; and while the patriarchal law on this point continued in force, this law had a direct tendency to cool and moderate the spirit of revenge, to secure the proper accomplishment of the ends of justice, and to make way for every claim of mercy and equity. But this is not peculiar to the ordinance of the cities of refuge; every institution of God is distinguished in the same way, having his own glory, in the present and eternal welfare of man, immediately in view.
The inconveniences which might he produced by daughters, inheritrixes, marrying out of their oivn tnhe, remedied on the recommendation of certain chiefs of the tribe of Joseph, who stated the case of the daughters of Zelophehad, 1—4. The daughters of Zelophehad are commanded to marry in their own tribe, 5, 6; which is to be an ordinance in all similar circumstances, 7-9. The daughters of Zelophehad marry their father''s brother'' s sons, and thus their inheritance is preserved in their own tribe, 10—12. The conclusion of the commandments given by the Lord to the Israelites in the plains of Moab, 13.
son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near, and spake before Moses,
NOTES ON CHAP. XXXVI. Verse 2. To give the inheritance of Zelophehad — unto his daughters.] See this case spoken of at large on chac xxvii.
and before the princes, the chief A.M. 2553. fathers of the children of Israel: An. Exod. is'r. 2 And they said, ''The Lord ^°-
commanded my lord to give the land for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel:
Either the first eleven verses of chap, xxvii. should come in before this chapter, or this chapter should come in immediately after those eleven verses; they certainly both make parts of the same subject.
and " my lord was commanded by the Lord to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother unto his daughters.
3 And if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then shall their inheritance be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and shall be put to the inheritance of the tribe "^ whereunto they are received; so shall it be taken from the lot of our inheritance.
4 And when ^ the jubilee of the children of Israel shall be, then shall their inheritance be put unto the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so shall their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.
5 And Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of the Lord, saying, The tribe of the sons of Joseph ^ hath said well.
6 This is the thing which the Lord doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying. Let them ^ marry to whom they think best; ^ only to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry.
7 So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every
Here Moses determines that heiresses should marry in their own tribe, that no part of the ancient inheritance might be alienated from the original family.
Verse 6. Let them marry to ivhom they think hest^ Here was latitude sufficient, and yet a salutary and reasonable restraint, which prevented a vexatious mixture of property and possession.
Verse 8. Every daughter that possesselh an inheritance^ This law affected none hvX heiresses; all others were at liberty to marry into any of the other tribes. The priests and Levites, who could have no inheritance, were exempt from the operation of this law. Jehoiada had the king of Judah's daughter to wife, 2 Chron. xxii. 11. And another priest had for wife one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, Ezra ii. 61. " By reason of such marriages," says Mr. Ainsworth, " tlierc might be kindred between Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, who was of the daughters of Aaron, and Mary the virgin, the mother of our '-ord, who was of the lineage of David, and tribe of J"^h;" Luke i. 5, 36; iii. 23-31.
one of the children of Israel shall ^ keep ^ himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his
8 And ' every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers.
9 Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance.
10 Even as the Lord commanded Moses, so did the daughters of Zelophehad:
1 2 And they were married ^ into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father.
1 3 These are the ° commandments and the judgments, which the IjORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel p in the plains of Moab, by Jordan near Jericho.
worth, " are taught to hold fast their inheritance in his promises, and their right in Christ, which they hold by faith; that as the Father hath made them meet to be partakers of the inheritance among the saints in light. Col. i. 12, so they may keep the faith and grace which they have received to the end."
Verse 13. These are the commandments, <5fC.'\ See these different terms analyzed and explained. Lev. xxv. 5.
Thus ends the book of Numbers, containing a series of astonishing providences and events. Scarcely any piece of history in the sacred writings is better calculated to impress the mind of a serious reader with a sense of the goodness and severity of God. In every transaction his holiness and justice appear in closest union with his benevolence and mercy. From such a Being what have the wicked not to fear! From such a Father and Friend what have the upright not to hope! His justice requires him to punish iniquity, but his mercy inclines him to pardon all who truly repent and believe in the Son of his love.
The journeyings of this people, from the time they left Egypt, ehxibit a series of providential wonders. Every where, and in every circumstance, God appears: and vet there is no circumstance or occasion that doea not justify those signal displays of his grace and his JUSTICE. The genuine history of God's providence must be sought for in this book alone; and as every occurrence happened as an example, we have authority to conclude that in every case where his own glory and the salvation of man are interested, he will interfere and give the fullest proofs that he is the same today that he was yesterday, and will continue unchangeable for ever and ever. Reader, are these matters ensamples to thee? Art thou, like the Israelites, come into the plains of Moab, on the very verge of the promised land 1 Jordan alone separates thee from the promised inheritance. O, watch and pray, that thou come not short of the glory of God. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death; see then that the sting of death, which is sin, be extracted from thy soul, that, being justified by Christ's blood, thou may est be made an heir according to the hope of an eternal life. Amen, amen.
" I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face, like as I pleaded with your fathers in the avilderness of the land of Egypt. And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and bring you into the bond of the covenant," Ezek. XX. 35-37.
" He (Christ) is the Mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that ivere under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance," Heb. ix. 15.
SECTIONS in the Book of Numbers, carried on from Leviticus, which ends with the thirty-third.
Masoretic Notes on Numbers.
The number of verses in this book is 1,288, of which niJIX is the symbol: for X alcph stands for 1000, 1 resh for 200, £3 phe for 80, and n cheth for 8.
The middle verse is the 20th of chap. xvii. And the mail's rod ichom I shall choose shall blossom. (N.B. Incur English Bibles this is ver. 5 of chap, xvii.)
Its pareshioth, or larger sections, are 10, expressed by the letters of the word m3 badad, alone: The Lord ALONE did lead him, Deut. xxxii. 12. T daleth stands for 4, repeated here, 8, and D leth for 2.
Its sedarim, or Masoretic sections, are 32, expressed by the word 2hleb, heart, Psa. li. 12: Create in me a clean heart, O God; in which word 3 beth stands for 2, and h lamed for 30.
Its chapters are 36, expressed by the word lS lu, O! Deut. xxxii. 29: O that they were wise! in which word ^7 lamed stands for 30, and 1 vau for 6.
The number of its open sections is 92; its close or shut sections, 66; together 158; expressed in the memorial word "Ipbn chelkecha: I am thy portion; in which word p koph stands for 100, ^7 lamed for 30, 3 caph for 20, and n cheth for 8.
Though this sort of notations may appear trifling to some, yet to an upright Jew they were of much consequence. The very technical words used in such cases put him always in mind of something in which the glory of God and the happiness and salvation of his own soul were concerned. See the note at the end of Genesis, and see the concluding notes on the Book of Deuteronomy.
V\^E have borrowed the name of this book, as in former cases, from the Vulgate Latin, Deuteronomium, as the Vulgate has done from the Greek version of the Septuagint, AevrepovofiLov, which is a compound term literally signifying the second law, because it seems to contain a repetition of the preceding laws, from which circumstance it has been termed by the rabbins njtyo mishneh, the iteration or doubling.
It appears that both these names are borrowed from chap. xvii. 18, where the king is commanded to write him a copy of this law; the original is niinn njtyn mishneh hattorah, a repetition or doubling of the law, which the Septuagint have translated to devrepovoixiov, this second law, which we, properly enough, translate a copy of the laio: but in Hebrew, like the preceding books, it takes its name from its commencement, onann nSx elleh haddebarim, these are the words; and in the best rabbinical Bibles its running title is nnan "I3D sepher DEBARiM, the book of debarim, or the book of the words. Our Saxon ancestors termed it 6eo aepcer se, the after laio.
The Book of Deuteronomy contains an account of what passed in the wilderness from the first day of the eleventh month of the fortieth year after the departure of the Israelites from Egypt to the seventh day of the twelfth month of the same; making in the whole a history of the transactions of exd^cHy five weeks, the months of the Jews being lunar. The history is continued about seven days after the death of Moses; for he began to deliver his first dis course to the people in the plains of Moab the j^r5^ day of the eleventh month of the fortieth year, chap. i. 3, and died on the first day of the twelfth month of the same year, aged 120 years.
As the Israehtes were now about to enter into the promised land, and many of them had not witnessed the different transactions in the wilderness, the former generation having been all destroyed except Joshua and Caleb; to impress their hearts with a deep sense of their obligation to God, and to prepare them for the inheritance which God had prepared for them, Moses here repeats the principal occurrences of the forty years, now almost elapsed; shows them the absolute necessity of fearing, loving, and obeying God; repeats the ten commandments, and particularly explains each, and the ordinances belonging to them, adding others which he had not delivered before; confirms the whole law in a most solemn manner, with exceeding great and precious promises to them that keep it, and a denunciation of the most awful judgments against those who should break it; renews the covenant between God and the people; prophesies of things which should come to pass in the latter days; blesses each of the tribes, prophetically, with the choicest spiritual and temporal blessings; and then, having viewed the whole extent of the land, from the top of Mount Nebo or Pisgah, he yielded up the ghost, and was privately buried by God, leaving Joshua the son of Nun for his successor.
The Book of Deuteronomy and the Epistle to the Hebrews contain the best comment on the nature, design, and use of the law; the former may be considered as an evangelical commentary on the four preceding books, in which the spiritual reference and signification of the different parts of the law are given, and given in such a manner as none could give who had not a clear discovery of the glory wiiich was to be revealed. It may be safely asserted that very few parts of the Old Testament Scriptures can be read with greater profit by the genuine Christian than the Book of Deuteronomy.
The contents of the different chapters may be thus briefly summed up: —
On the first day of the eleventh month of the fortieth year, after the departure from Egypt, the Israehtes being then on the east side of Jordan, in the land of the Moabites, Moses gives them a brief recapitulation of what took place in the wilderness, from their leaving Mount Horeb till they came to Kadesh; chap. i.
Their travels from Kadesh till they come to the country of the Araorites, with the defeat of Sihon their king; chap. ii.
The war with Og, king of Bashan, with the dividing his land and that of Sihon among the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh; chap. iii.
Moses exhorts them to observe the Divine precepts; threatens those who should violate them; and appoints Bezer, Ramoth, and Golan, to be the cities of refuge on the east side of Jordan; chap. iv.
Repeats the decalogue, and tells the people what effect the publication of it had on their fathers, when God spoke to them from the mount; chap. v.
Exhorts them to love God with all their heart, and promises them an abundance of good things; chap. vi.
Repeats the command to exterminate the Canaanites, and all vestiges of their idolatry; chap. vii.
Recites the many interpositions of God's kindness which they had received during their forty years' travel in the wilderness, and strongly exhorts them to remember those mercies, and not to forfeit a continuance of his favours by ingratitude and disobedience; chap. viii.
Shows them that they were to pass Jordan in a short time, and that God was about to bring them in, not on account of their goodness, but of his mercy; chap. ix.
Gives an account of the second tables of the law, which he made at the command of God • mentions their journey from Beeroth to Jotbath, the choosing of the Levites, and the neces sity of having the heart circumcised; chap. x.
Continues an account of God's mighty acts in their behalf, and shows the blessings which should come on them who kept his law, and the curse on those who were disobedient. The blessings to be pronounced on Mount Gerizim, and the curses on Mount Ebal; chap. xi.
Commands them to destroy all monuments of idolatry in the land, to offer the different offerings and sacrifices, and to avoid eating of blood; chap. xii.
Forbids their cutting themselves at funerals, recapitulates the law concerning clean and unclean animals, and exhorts them to remember the Levites; chap. xiv.
Every seventh year shall be a year of release for the poor of usury; first-born, &c.; chap.xv.
Concerning the annual feasts, passover, pentecost, and tabernacles; the establishment of judges and officers; no groves to be planted near the altar of God; chap. xvi.
Idolaters are to be put to death; difficult cases in equity to be referred to the superior judges; of a king and his duties; chap. xvii.
All divination is prohibited. The grand promise of an extraordinary Prophet. How false prophets are to be distinguished; chap, xviii.
The laws relative to the cities of refuge, and how the intentional murderer is to be treated; chap. xix.
Laws relative to the carrying on of war; who should be sent back from the army, how they are to treat the Canaanites, and how they are to commence sieges, chap. xx.
How to make expiation for an uncertain murder; marriages with captives; rights of the first-born, &c.; chap. xxi.
Things lost or strayed are to be restored to their right owners; men and women must not interchange apparel; improper mixtures to be avoided; of the tokens of virginity; adulterers and adulteresses to be put to death; chap. xxii.
Eunuchs, bastards, Moabites, and Ammonites, are not to be permitted to enter into the congregation of the Lord. Harlots not to be tolerated; chap, xxiii.
More than forty stripes shall not be given. If a man die childless, his brother shall take his wife. Of weights, measures, &c.; chap. xxv.
Different ceremonies to be used in offering the first-fruits; tithes. Of full self-consecration to God; chap. xxvi.
The words of the law to be written on stones, and to be set up on Mount Ebal. The tribes which stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the obedient, and those which should stand on Mount Ebal to curse the disobedient. Who they are that are to be cursed; chap, xxvii.
The blessings of those who are faithful; curses against the disobedient; chap, xxviii. A recital of the covenant of God, made not only with them, but for their posterity; chap. xxix. Promises of pardon to the penitent; good and evil, life and death, are set before them; ch. xxx. Moses, being now 120 years old, delivers a copy of the law which he had written into the hands of the priests, to be laid up in the ark, and to be publicly read every seventh year; a charge is given to Joshua; chap. xxxi.
The prophetical and historical song of Moses: he is commanded to go up to Mount Nebo that he may see the promised land; chap, xxxii.
The prophetical blessing of the twelve tribes. The indescribable happiness of Israel; chap. xxxi.
Moses views the promised land from the top of Mount Nebo, dies, and is privately buried by the Lord. The Israelites mourn for him thirty days. Joshua takes command of the people. The character of Moses; chap, xxxiv.
At the close of this book I have added a number of useful Tables, such as no edition of the Bible ever could boast, viz.:
Table I. A 'perpetual table, showing through the course of 13 lunar cycles (which embrace every possible variation) the day of the week with which the Jewish year begins, and on which the passover is held; as also the lengths of the months Marchesvan and Cisleu.
Table II. Containing the whole variations in the reading of the Pareshioth or sections of the law for every year of the Jewish cycle of 247 years. Table III. To find, with the help of Table IV., the day of the iveek upon which any Jewish new moon or festival happens. Table IV. To determine upon what day of the week any Jewish month commences for any given year; as also the day of the iveek upon which the Jews celebrate their principal fasts a.nd festivals. Table V. Containing the order of reading the Pareshioth and Haphtaroth for 90 Jewish years, i. e., from A. M. 5572 to A. M. 5661, both inclusive, connected with the corresponding dates in the Christian era, according to the Gregorian or new style. Table VI. Containing the year of the Jewish lunar cycle, the golden number, the first day of the Jewish passover, Easter Sunday, and the commencement of each Jeivish year according to the Gregorian Calendar, A. D. 1812 to A. D. 1900, both inclusive. All concluded with an explanation of the preceding tables. To them succeeds A Ciironology of the Pentateuch, with the Book of Joshua; or a Systematic Arrangement of Events from the creation of Adam, A. M. 1, to the birth of Peleg, A. M. 1757, and thence to the death of Joshua, A. M. 2561. This chronology includes two tables, viz.: Table I. The birth and death of all the patriarchs, from Adam, A. M. 1, to Rhea, son of Peleg, A. M. 1787. Table II. A chronology oi ancient kingdoms synchronized with the sacred history, from A. M. 1757, B. G. 2247, to A. M. 2561, B. C. 1443. The whole so calculated as to prevent the necessity of having recourse to systems of chronology for historic facts in anywise connected with those mentioned in the sacred writings. The great utility of these tables will, I think, be at once evident to every Biblical critic, chronologist, and antiquary; and for the immense labour employed in their construction the editor, no doubt, will have their hearty thanks. Adam Clarke.
Introduction to the book, 1,2. Moses addresses the people in the fortieth year after the exodus from Egypt, 3-5; and shows how God had spoken to them in Horeb, and the directions he gave them, 6-8. How, at the commandment of the Lord, he had appointed officers, judges, d^c, to share the government with him, 9-18. Of their travels in the terrible wilderness, 19-21. The people's request to have spies sent to search out the land, 22-25. Of their mm-muring and rebellion ivhen they heard the report of the spies, 26-28. Hoiv Moses encouraged them, 29-33. The displeasure of the Lord against them because of their murmurings, and his purpose to exclude them from the good land, and give it to their children only, 34-40. Hoiu they repented, and yet, without the authority of God, ivent against the Ainorites, by whom they ivere defeated, 41-44. Their return to Kadesh, ivhere they abode many days, 45, 46.
nPHESE be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel
^ on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against ^ the Red Sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and '^ Hazeroth, and Dizahab.