Commentary on the Holy Bible

lYiight be removed, and where probablj', convenient places were erected for the atcommodation of the hifected; lor we annot suppose that they were driven out into the naked will had a space behind it, and on one side, whither the infected ii deriicjs. But the expulsion mentioned here, «as luundcd, 1 4 II 2

put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, * in the midst M'hereof I dwell.

4 And the cliildren of Israel did so, and put them out without the camp: as the Lord spake unto Moses, so did the children of Israel.

5 ^ And the Loud spake unto Moses, saying,

6 Speak unto the children of Israel, '' When a man or woman shall commit any sin t!iat men commit, to do a trespass against the Lord, and that person be guilty;

7 "^ Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his

trespa's "with the principal thereof, and add ij it be hid from the eyes of her husband, "and be unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto;; kept close, and she be defiled, and there he no him against whom he hath trespassed. \\ witness against her, neither she be taken 'with

8 But if the man have no kinsman to recom- ' the manner;

14 And the spirit of jealousy come upon him,,

and he be jealous of his wife, and she be de-.

9 •[ And every ' offering^ of all the V'''"'"fholy things of the children of Israel, which they bring unto the priest, shall be his.

10 And every man's hallowed things shall be his: whatsoever any man giveth the priest, it shall be " his.

12 Speak unto the chddren of Israel, and say unto them. If any man's wife go aside, and commit a trespass against him,

13 And a man ' lie with her carnally, and.

j)ense the trespass unto, let the trespass be I'ecompensed unto the Lord, even to the priest;

1st. On a purely;;/(y.siai? reason, viz. the diseases were conim^ioiis, and therefore there was a necessity of putttnjT those afflicted hy them apart, that the inTection might not be coniivmiiicated. 2. There was also a spiritual leason; the camp was the habitation of God, and nothing impure should be permitted to rcjiiain wliere he dwelt. 3. The camp was an emblem of the church where nothing that is defiled should enter; and in whicii nuthini; that is unholy should be tolerated. All lepers, all persevering' impenitent sinners, should be driven from- the sacred pale: nur should any such ever be permitted to enter.

Verse -i. And the children of hracl — put them out] This is the earliest account we. have of such separations; and probably this ordinance gave the first idea of an hospital, where all those who are afflicted with contagious disorders are put into particular wands, under medical treatment. Though no mention be made of the situation, circumstances, &c. of those e\pelled persons, we may certainly infer that they were treatfd with tliat humanity whicli their <lialrcssed state required. Though smners must be separated from llie church of God, yet they should he treated with aQ'LClioaate regard, because thct/ maj/ be reclaimed. It is loo often the case, when a man backslides from the way of truth, lie is abandoned liy all: finding his case desperate, he plunges yet deeper into the mire of sin;- and the man becomes incurably hardened, who with tender treatment mi;;ht have been reclaimed. One class says he cannot finally fall, and shall in due time be restored: another class says he may hnally fall and uttuly perisli. If the untortnnate ])erson be restored, his recovery is taken as a proof of the tirsl doctrine: if he be not, his wretched end is confidcred u proof of the second. In the first case tlje person h;ni.-elf may presume on his restoration as a point infallibly determined in the divine counsel — or in the second, he may consider his case iiopcless, and so abandon himself to profligacy and desperation. Thus both parties leave him — and both opinions (misunderstood certainly) render him secure or desperate: and in either case, totally inactive in behalf of his ow.ii soul. \V ho is he that properly estimates the worth ef one immortal sjiirit? He who doe.s, will at once feel, that in a state o'i probation, any man may fall through sin— and anysinner may be renewed again unto repentance, through the infinitely meritorious sacrifice, and all powerfully cfHcacious grace of Christ. This truth properly felt, equally precludes both presumption and despair, and will induce the followers, of God to be active in preservir,-^ those who have escaped from the corruption that is in the world; and make them dili-. gent to recover those who have turned back to earth and sin.

Verse 7. Shall confess their sin] Without confession or ac-. knoxi'kdi^emenl of sin, there was no hope of mercy held outi lie shall recompense] For without restitution, in every pos-. sible case, God will not forgive the iniquity of a man's sin. How c;m any person in a case of defraud, with his neighbour's, property in his jiossession, e.xpect to receive mercy from the liand of a just and holy God ^ See this subject considered in, the notes on Gen. xlii. at the close.

Verse 8. If he have no kinsman] The Jews think that this, laiv respects the stranger and the sojourner only, because every Israelite is.ina state of affinity to all the rest; but theremiglit be a stranger.m the camp who has no relative in an.3^ of the tribes of Israel. ' '-""^

Verse 14. The spirit of jealousy] HNjp H,"! ruach kinuh, either a supernatural diabolic influence, exciting him to jealousy; or \.\\c passion or affection of jealoasy: for (o the-wor4» may be understood.

filed: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his vife, and she be not defiled: I

15 Then shall the man bring hisj ■wii'e unto the priest, and he shall bring her | offering tor her, the tenth jmrt of an ephah of barley meal; he sliall jiour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an ofi'ering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, '' bringing iniquity to remembrance. |

1 6 And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the Lord: I

17 And the priest shall take holy water in an I earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put // into the water:

18 And tlic priest shall set tlie woman before the Lord, and uncover the woman's head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest sh.all liave in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse:

19 And the priest shall charge her by an

Verse 17. Holy icata-'] Water out of the laver, called holy, because consecrated to.sacred uses. Tins is the most ancient case oC the trial by ordeal. See at the end of the chapter.

Li (IK earthen ie.?se/] Supposed by the Jews to be such as had never been previously used.

Dust that is on the floor ] Probably intended' to point out the baseness of the criuie of which she was accused.

Verse 1 8. Uncover tite wojntin's heti(l'\ To take off a woman's veil, and expose her to the sight of men, would be consielered a very great degradation in the East. To this St. Paul appears to allude, 1 Cor. xi. 5, 6, and 10.

Verse 21. Tllc Lord make thee a curse and an oath] Let •diy name and piinishnient be rcmemberrd, and mentioned as an example and terror to all others. Like that mentioned, Jer. xxix. 22, 23. " The Lord make thee like Zedekiah, and like Ahab, uhom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire, because they liave committed villany in Israel, and have com- I mitted adultery with their neighbours wives." Ainsworth. 1

Verse 22. Thy be/ly to sttc//, and thy thigh to lOl] What is meant by these expressions cannot be easily ascertained. "1"1» Vfc:'? lanepcl yarec, signifies literally thy ihigh to fall. As the thigh, feet, &c. were used aniunj; the Hebrews dclicalclj', to express the parts which nature conceals; r'c Gen. xlvi. 26. the expression here is probably to be understood in this sense; and the falling dotvn of the thigh here, must mean something similar to the prolapsus uteri, or falling down of the womb, which might be a natural elVect of the preternatural distention of the abdomen. In 1 Cor. xi. 29. St. Paul seems to allude

no man have lain with thee, and if

20 But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee beside thine husband:

21 Then the priest shall ''charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, "^ The Lord make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the Lord doth make thy thigh to "^rot, and thy belly to swell;

22 And this water that causeth the curse ^shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: " And t!ic woman shall say. Amen, Amen.

23 And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he siiall blot them out with the bitter water:

to tlie case of the guilty woman, drinking the bitter cursed waters, that cauocd her destruction. He ivho caleih and drinketh unworthily, eaieth and drinket/l damnation {K^t/yta condemnation or judgment) to himself: and there is probably a referiucc to the same thing in P.^alm cix. 18. and In Dan. ix. 1 1.

And the leoman shall say. Amen, Amc>i.\ This is the fu>t place where this word occurs in the common form of a concluding wish in jirayer. The root JCN uman, ignifiestobe steady, true, permanent. And in prayer it signifies, let it Ix SO — make it steady — let it be ratified. Some have supposed that it is composed of the initial letters of p;NJ "|So 'JtN Adenai Melee Veeman; My Lord the faithful King: but this derivation is both far fetched and unnecessary.

Verse 23. The priest shall lerite these curses — and he shall blot them out] It appears that the cur.-es which were written down with a kind of ink, prepared for the purpose, as some of the Rabbins think, without any calx of iron, or oth<;r material that could make a permanent dye, were washed oil the parchment into the water which the woman was obliged to drink; so that she drank the very uords of the execration. The ink used in the East is almost all of this kind — a wri sponge will completely ellace the finest of their writings. The- Kabbins sav, that thi? trial by the waters of jealousy wa? omitted after the Babylonish captivity, bccauKc adultenewcre so frequent amongst them, that they were afraid of haling the name of the Lord profaned, by being so liequcntly a}>- pealed to! This is a most humiliating confession. — " 1 hough,"' says i>ious bishop Wilsen, "this jud^nunt is not exycultu.

24 And he shall cause tke woman

25 Then the priest shall take the jealousy offering out of the woman's hand, and shall " wave the offering before the Lord, and offer it upon the altar:

26 '' And the priest shall take an handful of the offering, eve^i the memorial thereof, and burn it upon the altar, and afterward shall cause the woman to drink the water.

27 And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass^ that, if she be defiled, and have done trespass against her husband, that the water that causetli the curse

now on adultrcsses, yet they have reason from this to conclude, that a more teniblf vengeance will await them iiereat'ter, without a bitter repentance; these being only a shadow of heavenly things, i..e. of what the gospel requires of its professors, k':. a strict purity, or a severe repentance." The pious biAop would not preclude the necessity of pardon through the blood of tlie cross; for without this, the severest ".cpcntance would be of no avail.

Verse 24. Tke hitler water that causeth the curse"] Though the Rabbins think tliat the priest put some bitter substance in the water, yet, as nothing of the kind is intimated by Moses, we may consider tlie word as used here metaphorically for uffiiction, death, &c. These waters were afflicting and deadly/ to her who drank them, being guilty. In this sense affiictions are said to be hitter, Isai. xxxviii. 17. so also is death, 1 Sam. XV. 32. Eccles. vii. 28.

Verse 29. This is the law of jealousies'] And this is the most singular law in the whole Pentateuch: a law that seems to have been copied Ijy almost all the nations of the earth, ■whether civilized or barbarian, as we find that similar modes of trial for suspected offences were used, when complete evidence was wanting to convict; and where it was expected that the object of their worship would interfere for the sake of justice, in order that the f^idlly should be brought to punishment, and the innocent be cleared. For general information on this head, see at the end of this chapter.

Verse 31. The ivoman shall bear her iniquitj/.] i. e. Her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot; see on ver. 22. But if not guilty, after such a trial, she had great honour; and, according to the Rabbins, became strong, heulthj/, and fruitful; for if she was before barren, she now began to bear children; if before she had only daughters, she now bej;an to have sons; if before she had hard travail, she now had easy; in a word, she was blessed in her body, her soul, and her substance: so shall it be done unto the holy and faithful woma.a; for such the Lord dclighteth to honour; see 1 Tim. i. 15.

shall enter into her, and become bitter, •^- ^^ -^i*- and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman " shall be a curse among her people.

28 And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed.

29 This is the law of jealousies, when a wife goeth aside to another * instead of her husband, and is defiled;

30 Or when tlie spirit of jealousy cometh upon him, and he be jealous over his wife, and shall set the woman before the Lord, and the priest shall execute upon her all this law.

31 Then shall the man be guiltless from iniquity, and tliis woman " shall bear her iniquity.

On tiic principal subject of this chapter, I shall here introduce a short account of the trial by ordeal, as practised ir» different parts of the world, and which is supposed to have taken its origin from the waters of Jealousy.

The trial by what was afterwards called ORDEAL, is certainly of very remote antiquity, and was evidently of divine appointment. In this place we have an institution relative to a mode of trial precisely of tliat kind, which among our ancestors was called ordeal: aisd from this all similar trials in Asia, Africa, and Europe, have very probably derived their origin.

Ordeal, oribsl, Latin, ordalium, is, according to Verstegun, from the Saxon ojibajl, ordal and ordel, and is derived by some from Op, gTcat, and D.5L, judgment, signifying the greatest, most solemn, and decisive mode oCjudginent. Hicks. Others derive it from the Prancic or Teutonic Urdela vrhich signifies simply to Judge. But Lye, in his Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, derives the term from oy\, which is often, in Anglo- Saxon, a privatixe particle, and dal bael, distinction or difference: and hence applied to that kind of judgment in which there was no respect of persons; hut every one had absolute justice done him; as the decision of the business was supposed to bolong to God alone. It always signified an appeal to the immediate interposition of GOD, and was therefore called Judicium Dei, God's judgment; and we may naturally suppose was never resorted to but in very important cases, where pei— sons accused of great criines protested their innocence, and there was no sufficient evidence by which they could be cleared from the accusation, or proved to be guilty of the crime laid to their charge. Such were the cases of jealousy referred to in tliis clwptcr.

Tiie Rabbins who have commented on this text, give us the following information: When any man, promptetl by the spirit of jealousy, suspected his wife to have committed adultery, he brought her first before the judges, and accused her of the crime; but as she asserted her innocency, and refused to acknowledge herself guilty, and as he bad no wit- nesses lo produce, he req'.iired tint she should be sentencecl I to drink the i:\ilers of bitlenx!^, wliicli the luw had appointed; that God, by this means, mis^hl discover what slie wished to conceal. After the judo;ci liad' heard the accusation and the denial, the man and his wife were both sent to Jerusalem, ro appear bifmc tiie Sanhedrim, who were the sole judges in such matters. The Rabbins say, lliat tlie judges of the Sanhedrim, at'first, eniloavoured with thrcalenins^s to cunfound tlie woman, and cause her to confess her crime — when she still persisted in her innocence, she was led to the eastern gate of tlie court of Israel, where she was stripped of tlie clotlies she wore, and dressed in black, before a number of persons of her own'^cx. The priest then told her, that if she knew herself to be innocent, she had no evil to apprehend; but if she were guilty, slie mi;.^l)t expect to suflLr ail that the law threatened; to which she answered. Amen, umcn.

Tile priest then wrote the words of the law upon a piece of vellum, with ink that had no vitriol in it, that it nii<fiit be the more easily blotted out. The words written on the vellum were, according to the Rabbins, the following:

" If a strange man have not come near thee, and thou srt not polluted by forsaking the bed of thy husband, these bitter waters which I have cursed will not Imrt thee: but if Ihon have gone astray from thy husband, and have polluted ihy.sclf by coming near to another man, may tliou be accursed of the Lord, and become an example for all his people; may thy thigh rot, and thy belly sued till it burst! may tliese cursed waters enter into tliy belly, and being swelled therewith, may thy thigh putrity!"

After this tlie priest took a new pitcher, filled it wifh water out of the brazen bason that was near the altar of burnt offerings, cast some dust into it taken from the pavement of the temple, min-^-led something bitter, as ivormivood, with it, and having read the curses abovementioned to the wonian, and received her answer of Amen, he scraped ofl' the curses from the vellum into the pitcher of water. During this time, another priest tore her clothes as low as her bosom, made her head bare, untied the tresses of her hair, fa-;tened titr torn clothes with a girdle below her breasts, and presented her with the tenth part of an ephah, or about three pints of bin ley meat, which was in a frying pan, without oil or incense.

The other priest who had prepared the waters of jealousy, then gave them to be drank by the accused person, and as soon as she had swallowed them, he put the pan with the meal in it, into her hand. This was waved before the Lord, and a part of it thrown into the fire of the altar. If the ■woman were innocent, she returned with her husband; and the waters, instead of incommoding her, made her more healthy and fruitful than ever: if on the contrary she were guilty, she was seen immediately to grow pale, her eyes started out of her head, and, lest the temple should be defiled with her death, she was carried out, and died instantly with all the ignominious circumstances related in the curses, which the Rabbins say had the same effect on him with whom sh'' had been criminal, though he were absent and at a distance. Tiiey add, however, that if the husband himself had been guilty with another woman, tlien the waters had no bad eftlet even on his criminal wife; as in that case the transgression on the one part was, in a cevlain sense, balanced by the transgression on the other.

There is no instance in the Scriptures of this kind o? ordeal having ever been resorted to; and probably it never was during the purer times of the Hebrew republic— God hud rendered himself so terrible by his Judgments, that no pcrwri would dare to appeal to this mode of trial, who was collsci(lU^ of her guill: and in cases of simple adultery, where tht matter was eitiier delected or confessed, the parties weri ordered by the law lo lie put to death.

But other ancient nations have ai.so had their trials hyordcai. We are told by f'eidoosee, a Persian poet, whose authority we have no reason to suspect, that the Jiie ordeal was in u.se at a very early period among the ancient l*ersian.i. In I the famous epic poem called the Shah Nameh, of this author, j who is not improperly stilcd the Homer of Persia, under the 1 title iJistan Seeuiesh vc Soodalieh, lie gives a very remark-! able and circumstantial account of a trial of this kind.

as the persons were obliged to declare their innocence by an oath, and then put their veracity to test by passing through the jjijl s»5 ^'"/'i atesh, or fire pile; see the Shah Nameh in the title Dastan Seeavesh re Soodabe/i, and Hrdhead's code of Gentoo laws; Preliminary Discourse, p. Iviii. and chap. v. sect.

A circumstantial account of the difterent kinds of ordenl practised among the Hindoos, communicated by Warren Hastings, Esq. who received it from Ali Ibrahim Khan, chief magistrate at Benares, may be found in the Asiatic Researches, vol. i. p. 389.

This trial was conducle<l among this people nine difTerent. ways: first, by the balance; secondly, hy Jire; thirdly, by leuter;, fourthly, bv poison; fifthly, by the cosha, or watc r in which an idol has bi en washed; sixthly, by rice,- seventiily. by lioiling oil; eighthly, l)y red hot iron; ninthly, by imagca.

There is, perhaps, no mode of judiciary decision that h.is been in more common use in ancient times, than that of ordeal, in some form or other. We find that it was also used hy the ancient Greeks 500 years before the Christian a'ra; for in the Antigone of Sophocles, a |>cr.son suspected by Creon of a misdemeanor, ileclares himself ready " (o handle hot iron, and to walk over fire;" in proof of his innocence, which the scholiast tells lis was then a very usual purgation.

Virgil informs us, that the priests of Apollo at Soracie, were accustomed to lualk over burning coals unhurt.

■ ' el medium frcii pietate, per igneni Cuiiores mulla premunus vestigia pruna. /En. xi. v. 787. Grotius gives many instances of water ordeal in Bithynia, Sardinia, and other places. Different species of fire and water ordeal, is said to have prevailed among the Indians on the toast of Malabar; the ne~roes of Loanjjo, TVIosambique, &ic, tin:, and the Calmuc Tartars.

The first forma! mention I find of this trial in Europe, is in the laws of king Inu, composed about A.D. 700. See L. 77. entitled, Dom be li.icen ij-ene anb pacep, Decision In/ hot iron und water: I find it also mentioned in the council of Mtntz, A.D. 847; h\\\.Aj,o>!ard, archbishop of Lyons, wrote against it "SO years before this time. It is afterwards mentioned in the council of Trererf, A. D. 895. It did not exist in Noruijndy till after the Coiiqusit, and vas probably fir.'-t introduced into England in tlie time of Inu, in whose laws, and tliose o^Allielsiun ■dnd'Ethelred, it was afterwards inserted. The ordeal by/re was fur noblemen and women, and such as \vere/;ee born: the water ordeal was hr'hi/thandmen, and the meaner classes of the people, and was of two sorts; by cold ',\ ater and by hoi. See the proceedings ill these tr:a!s declared particularly, in the law of king Iiia; ^^'It.l■Cl^■S, Leges Angln-Saxoriica, p. 27.

. Several popes publi?hed editts against this species of trial. Henry JII. abolislied trials by ordeal in the third year of his re.ign, 1219. — Seethe act in Ri/vier, vol i. p. 228. and see Du^dide's Origines Juridicales, fol. 87. Spelvian's Glossary, Wilkins, Hicks, Ldmburd, Somner, and Du Cange, VLTU^Ferriiiii.

The ordeal, or trial by hnllle or combat, is supposed to have c-mie to us from the Lornbaid<, who, leann^ Scandinavia, overran Europe: it is thoiighl that this mode of trial was instituted by Frotlia III. king of Denmark, about the time of the birth of Christ; for he ordained that every controversy silonld be determined liy the sivord. It continued in flolsalstin till the time of Christian III. king of Denmark, who began his reign in 1535. — From these Northern nations, the practice of duels was introduced into Great Britain.

I need scarcely add, that this detestable form of trial was the foundation of the no le.ss detestable crime of duelling, which so much disgraces our age and nation, a practice that « defended only by ignorance, false honour, and injustice: it is a relic of barbarous superstition, and was absolutely unknown to tho.se brave and generous nations the Greeks And Romans, whoin it is so much the fashion to admire; and who, in this particular, so well merit our admiration!

The getieral practice of duelling is supposed to have taken its rise in 1 527, at the breaking up of a treaty between the emperor Ciiarles V. and Francis 1. The former having sent a herald with an insulting message to Francis, the king of France sent back the herald with a cartel of defiance, ni which he gave the Enijieror the lie, and challenged him to single combat; Charles acce]ited it; but after several messages concerning the arrangement of all the circumstances relative to the combat, the thoughts of it were entirely laid aside. The example of two personages so illustrious, drew such general attention, and carried vith it so much authority, that it had considerable influence in introducing an important change in manners all over Europe.

It wa.s.si) nujch the custom in the middle ages of Christianity • rt'Sfiecl the cross, even to superslition, that it woidd have been indeed tvonderlul il the same ignorant bigotry had not converted it into ait ordeal: accordinglj- we find it used lor this purpose in so many difterent ways, as almost to preclude description.

Another tj ial of this kind was the Corsned, or the consecrated bread and cheese: this was the ordeal to which the clergy commonly appealed when they were accused of any crime. A few concluding observations from Dr. Henry, may net be unacceptable to the Reader.

" If we suppose that few or none escaped conviction, who exposed themselves to these fiery trials, wc shall be very much mistaken. For the histories of those times contain innumerable examples of per.<ons plunging their naked arms into boiling water, handling red hot balls of iron, and walking upon burning ploughshares, w ithout receiving the least injury. Many learned men have been much puzzled to account for this, and disposed to think that Providence graciously interposed in a miraculous manner for the preservation of injured innocence.

But if we examine every circumstance of these fiery ordeals with due attention, we shall see sulheient reason to suspect that the whole was a gross imposition on the credulity of mankind. The accused person was committed wholly to the priest, who was to perform the ceremony three days before the trial, in which he had time enough to bargain with him for his deliverance, and give him instructions how to net his part. On the day of trial, no person was permitted to enter the church but the ])riest and the accused, till after the iron was heated, when twelve friends of the accuser, and twelve of the accused, and no more, were admitted and ranged along the wall on each side of the church, at a respectful distance. After the iron was t.iken out of the fire, several prayers were said: the accused drank a cup of holy water, and sprinkled his hand with it, which might take a considerable time if the priest were indulgent. The space of nine leet was measured by the accused himself, with his own feet, and he would probably give but scanty measure. He was obliged only to touch one of the marks with the toe of his right foot, and allowed to stretch the other foot as far towards the other mark as he could,.so that the conveyance was almost instantaneous. His hand was not immediately examined, but wrapped in a clotii prepared for that purjiose three days. i\Iay we not then, from all these precaution.s, suspect that these priests were in possession of some secret that secured the hand from the impression of such a momentary touch of hot iron, or removed all appearances of these impressions in three days; and that they made use of this secret when they saw reason? Such readers as are curious in matters of this kind, may find two difi<;rent directions for making ointments that will have this effect, in the work here quoted. What greatly strengthens these suspicions is, that we meet with no example of any champion of the church who sufitred the least injury from the totich of hot iron in this ordeal: but where any one was so foolhardy as to appeal to it, or to that of /(o^ water, with a view to deprive the church of any of her possessions, he never failed to burn his fingers, and lose his cause." I have made the scanty extract above, from a very extensive history of the trial by ordeal, which was written several years ago, but never published.

TiJie vow of I he Nazariic, 1, 2. In zchtit il consisted, 3—8. Whin aceidcntallt/ defiled, how he is to be piirijied, 9 — 12. The sacrijices he is to bring, and the rites he is to perform nhcn the vote of his separation is fit Iji lied, 13— CI. The manner in zolitch the priests are to bless the people, 22 — 2(>. The name of the Lord is to be put on the children of Israel, zchom lie promises to bless, 27.

and say unto them. When either man or woman shall "separate'' themselves to vow a

;> "lie shall separate himself from wine and strong drink; and sliall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neitlier shall lie drink any licjuor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.

4 All the days of his " separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the 'vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.

Verse 2. IMien either man or irnmnn shall separate, &c.] Tlie' word TU nazir, from fli nazar, to sepuiatc,.signifies merely a separated person; i.e. one peculiarly devoted to the service of God, by beinpf separated from all servile employments. From the Nuzarites sprung the Rechahites, from the Rechubites the Essenes, from the Essencs the Anchorites, or Hermits; and, in imitation of those, the diflcrent monastic orders. Some contend strongly, that the Nazarite was a type of our T.ord; but neither analogy nor proof can be produced. Our blessed Lord both drank wine and touched the dead, which no Kazante would do; as to his either shaving his hair, or letting it grow, we know nothing. His being called a Nazarene, Matt. li. 2Z. is nothing to the purpose; as it can mean no more than either that he was an inhabitant of Nazareth, which was a place of no credit, and therefore used as a term o( reproach; or that he wa.«, in a general sense, consecrated to the f.cnice of God — so was Sainsoii, Samuel, Jeremiah, and Jo/tn Baptist; or rather that he was the nxi nelser, or BRANCH, Isai. xi. I. Zech. vi. 12. which is quite a dilh^rent word: but this title is expressly applied to our blessed Lord by the above prophets; but in no place do they, or any other prophets, call him a Nozariie, in the.sense in which TU 7iezir'\s used. Indeed, it could not in truth be ajiiilied to him, as the distingtiishing marks «f a Nazaritc never belonged to him. He was, it is true, the 1S3 netser, or brunch, out of the root of Je.ve, the genuine heir to the tltrone of ])avid, vhose donnniondiould extend over the universe, who.should be King of kings, and Lord of lords: but the word Na^ui^aio;, Matt. ii. i.'3. signifies merely a Nazorccan, or inhabitant of Nazareth.

Verse 3. No vinezur of wine, &c.] j'aT chomets, signifies fermented wipe, and is ])robably used here to signify wine of a strong body, or any highly intoxicating liquor. Dr. Lightfoot supposes, that the LKPF.R bting the most defiled and loathsome of rreatuns, was an cmlilcm of the wretched miserable state of m:in by the full; and that tlie NazarITE was liie emblem of man in his state of innocence. Wine and

5 All the days of the vow of his separation there sliall no ^azor come upon hi*; head; until the days be iuliilled, in the which he separateth

himself unto the Loud, lie shall be holy, aj^d shall let the locks of the hair of his head

6 All the da}s lliat he separateth himself wnio the Lord, ''he shall come at no dead body.

7 " He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brotiier, or for his sister, when they die; because the 'consecration of his God is upon his head.

8 All tlie days of his separation he is holy unto the Loud.

grapes are here particularly forbidden to the Nazarite, because, Hs the Doctor thinks, being an emblem of man in his paradisiacal state, he was forbidden that tree and lis fruits, by eating of which Adam fell; for the Doctor, as well as the Jewish Uabbins, believed the tree of knowledge to have been none other than the vine.

Vinegar of strong drink] See the note on Lev. x. 9.

Verse a. 7'/iere shall no razor come upon his head] The vow of the Nazarite consisted in the following particulars: 1. He consecrated himself in a very especial and extraordinary manner to God. 2. This was to continue for a certain season, probably never less than a whole yesr, that he might have a full growth of hair to burn in ihe fire vliich is under the sacrifice of the peace-oj'ering, ver. 18. 3. During the time of his.separation, or Nazarate, he drank no wine nor strong drink; nor used any vinegar formed fiom any inebriating liquor, nor ate fresh or oried grapes, nor tasted even the kernels or husks of any thing that had grown upon the vine. 4. He never shaved his head, but let his hair jfrout, as the proof of bis being in this separated state, ami under vows of pecidiar austerity. 5. He never touched any dead body, nor did any of the last offices, even to liis iKMrcst km; but was considered as the priests, who were wholly taken up with the service of God, and regarded nothing else. 6. All the days of his separation he vxis holy, ver. 8. During the whole time, he was to be incessantly employed in religious acts. It is very likely that St. Paul had taken the vow of a Nazarite on him, from the circumstance mentioned Acts xviii. 18. Having shorn his head in Cenchrea, for he had a iwui.

Verse 1. The consecration qf his God is upon his head."] Literally, the separation of his God is upon his head; meaning his hair, which was the proof and emblem of his separation. Now, as the hair of the Nazarite was a token of his subjection to God through all the peculiarities of his Nazarate, a woman, who is married, is coiuidercd as a Nazarite lor life; i. e. separated from all others, and joined to

9 And if any man die very sud- | 15 And a basket of unleavened

be shall "shave his head in the day ij bread 'anointed with oil, and their

of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he; meat-offering, and their

10 And ''on the eighth day he shall bring two turtle^!, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:

1 1 And the priest shall offer the one for a sin-

1 6 And the priest shall bring theni before the Lord, and shall offer his sin-offering, and his burnt-offering:

1 7 And he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall

offering, and the other lor a burnt-oftering, and, offer also his meat-offering, and his drink-offermake an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that

12 And he shall consecrate unto the Lord the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year 'for a trespass-offering

18 ' And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace-

13 "If And this is the law of the Nazarite, * when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation;

14 And he shall offer his offering unto the Lord, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt-offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish ' for a sin-offering, and one ram without blemish ^ for peaceofferings;

19 And the priest shall take the "sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake ] out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, '. and ° shall put them upon the hands of the I Nazarite, after the hair of his separation is ■■ shaven:

, offering before the Lord: ° this is holy for the

' priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder:

and after that the Nazarite may drink wine.

21 This is the law of the Nazarite who hath

one husband, who is her lord: hence St Paul, probably alluding to this circumstance, says, 1 Cor. xi. 10. The wojimn ouglit to have power upon her head; i. e. wear her hair and veil; for this hair is a proof of her Nazarate, and of her being in subjection to her husband, as the Nazarite was under subjection to the LORD, by the rule of liis order.

Verse 10. Tivo lurtlef:, or iwo young pigeons] The same kind of otTering made by him who had an issue. Lev. xv.

Verse 18. Shall take the hair — rind put it in the fire] The hair was permitted to grow for this purpose; and as the Nazarite was a kind of sacrifice, offered to God through the whole term of his Nazarate, or sipnration, and no human flesh or blood could be oftercd on the altar of the Lord, he ofieied his hair, at the conclusion of his separation, as a sacrifice— that hair which was the token of his complete subjection to the Lord, and which was now considered as the Lord's property.

That the hair of the head was superslilioussly used among difitrent nations, we have already had occasion to remark, o see the notes on Lev. xix. 21. And that the Gentiles might have learnt this from the Jews, is possible, though some learned men think that this consecration of the hair to a deity, was in use among the heathens before the time of Moses, and in nations who had no intercourse or connexion with the Jews.

Verse 2 1. This is the law of the Nazarite] We learn from IMaimonides, in his Treatise of the Nazarite, that a man might become a Nazarite in behalf of another; that is, might assist him in bearintr the expenses of the sacrifices, &:c. " A son may fulfil the vow his deceased father had made, but did not live to accomplish: — He that saith, Upon me be the shaving of a Nazarite, he is bound to bring the offerings of shaving for cleanness, and may offer them by the hand of what Nazarite he luill. Jf he sriy. Upon me be half the oblations of a Nazarite, — then he bringeth half the offerings by xohat Nazarite he will, and tliat Nazarite payeth his offerings out of that which is his."

" By this," says Mr. Ainsworth, " we may see the reason of that which Jumcs said to Paul, though he had no Nazarite'*

vowed, a7}d o/'his oflering unto the Lord for his separation, beside that that his hand shall get: according to tlie vow which lie vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation.

23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying. On this wise ' ye shall bless the children ot Israel, saying unto them,

VOW upon him — We have four mi'n who haze a vow on them; them take and sunctift/ thi/self wiih litem, and BE AT CUAKGl-.S WITH THEM, that they may shave their head.:, &c. Then Paul took the men, and the next day, sanctifying himself with them, entered into the temple to signify the accomplishment of the days of sanclification, (or I^uzuriteihip) until that an offering should be offered for every one of them, se€ Acts xxi. 23—26. For though Paul had not vowed, or fulfil.ed a Nazariteship himself, ytt mij^hl he contribute Willi tliein, and partake of their charges, about the sacrifices."

Verse 23. On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel] ■ The prayer which God makes for his followers, and puts into their month, we are Eur« must be rioht; and to it, when sincerely, f.uthfully, and fervently oflered, we may confidently expect an answer. If he condescend to give us a form of blessing, or a form qf prayer, we may rest assured that he will accept what he himself has made. This consideration may produce great confidence in them who come with either |)rayer or praise to the 'Ilirone of Grace, both of which should be, as far as circumstances will admit, m the very words of Scripture: for we can readily attach a consequence to the words of Cod, which we shall find difficult to attach to the best ordered words of men. Take xcith you words, and turn unto the Lord. What word.t? ^\'hy those which God immedia'ely puts into their mouths. Take away all iniquity, and I'cceivi' us graciously; so will we render the calves of cur lips — we shall then give the sucnjices, of which our lips have spoken, when we made our lows unto tlite. — See Hos. xiv. 2.

Verse 24. The Lord ble.'ss thee] There are three forms ot blessing here, any or all of which the priests mi^lit use on any ©ccasion. The following is a verbal translation:

2. May Jehovah cause his fates to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee!

3. May Ji hovah hit up his fates upon thee, and may he put prosperity unto thee!

24 The Lord bless thee, and " keep

25 The LoKD " make his face sliine upon thee, and " be gracious unto thee:

26 ' The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and ^ give thee peace.

27 ^ And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and " I will bless

1. May God speak good unto thee, by giving thee his excellent promises! ISee tlie note on Gen. ii. 3. May he preserve thee in the possession of all the good thou hast, and from all the tvil with which thou art threatened.

2. May the Holy 'Jrinity ilhitninate thy heart, giving thee the true knowledge of thyself and of thy Maker: and may he shew thee his gracioumcss in pardoning thy sins, and supporting thy soul!

3. May God give thee coinmnnion with the Father, Son, and.Spirit, w ill) a constant sense of his approbation ' and grant thee pro.-:periiy in thy soul, and in all thy secular affairs!

This I suppose to be the spirit and design of this form of benediction. Others will, doubtless, inter])ret it after their manner. Several wise and learned men believe, that the mystery of the Holy Trinity is not ob.scurely hinted at in it. God the Father bles.ses and keeps his followers. God the Son is gracious unto sinners in remitting thiir ollLncts, wliieh he died to blot out. God, the HoLY SlMRlT, lakes of the things which are Chri^t's, and shews them unlo genuine Christians, and dilVu.ses the peace of Ucd in their hearts. In a word, Christ, the gift of the Father by tlie energy of the Holy Spirit, came to bless every one of us, by turning us away from our iniquities.

1. F! very genuine Christian is a true A'azamc. He is separated from the world, and dedicated solely to the service of God. 2. His hie is a life of self-denial: he mortifies and keeps the fle>h in obidienee to the spirit. 3. All this enters iiilo the spirit of his baptismal vow: lor in that he promises to renounce the Uevil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and al! the sinful lusts of the flesh — to keep Goci's lioly word and tommandments, and to \va k in the sane all the days of his hti-. 4. The per>on who IS faith ill, has the blessing of God entailed upon him. Thus shall ye bless the children of Israel, &.C. &c. — See the notes on ver. 5. and 1.

When the tahernade uas fuUy set up, it appeared that the princes of the tuehe tribes had prepared six covered liaggoNS, draz^n by tito oxen each, one waggon for two tribes, for the service of the tabernacle, 1 — 3. Moses i$ commanded to receive this offering, and distribute the whole to the Levitts according to their service, 4, 5. Moses does so, and gives tuo tfaggons and four oxen to the sons of Gershon, 6, 7- and four zcaggons and eight oxen to the sons of Mcrari, 8. The sons nf Kohath have none, because thei/ were to bear the ark, £fc. on their shoulders, 9. Each prince is to take a day for presenting his offerings, 10, 11. On the &tst day, Nahsbon, of the tribe oj JcDAH, offers a silver charger, a silver bowl, a golden spoon, a young bullock, a ram, a lamb, and a kid, for a si.\-orFEEiNG — two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five lambs, ^br a peace-offering, 1'2— 17. On the second day, Nethaneel, of the tribe o/ Issachak, offers the like, 18 — 2S. On the ihhd day, Eliab, of the tribe o/Zebulun, offers the like, 24 — 29. On the fourth day, Elizur, of the tribe of Reuben, offers the like, 30 — 35. On the fifth day, Shelumiel, of the tribe o/ Simeon, made a similar offering, 36 — 41. On the sixth day, Eliasaph, of the tribe o/" Gad, made his offering, 42 — 47. On the. seventh rf«j/, Elishama, of the tribe of Efhraim, made his offering, 48 — 53. On the eighth day, Gamaliel, of the tribe ofMANAssEH, made his offering, 54 — 59. On the ninth, day, Abidan, of the tribe q/' Benja/- jiiN, made his offering, 60 — 65. On f/(e tenth day, Ahiezer, of the tribe of Dan, made his offering, 66 — 71. On the eleventh day, Pagicl, of the tribe of Asher, made his offering, 72 — 77. On the twelfth day, AhLra, of the tribe o/Naphtali, 7nade the same kind of offering, 78 — 83. The sum total of all vessels and cattle zchich acre offered, was twelve silver chargers, and twelve silver bowls: twelve golden spoons: twelve bullocks, twelve rams, and twelve kids: twenty-four bullocks, sixty rams, sixty he-goats, and sixty lambs, 84 — 88. The offerings being ended, Moses goes into the tabernacle, and hears the toice of the Lord from the mercy-seat, 89.

a waggon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle.

4 ^ And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

5 " Take it of them, that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service.

6 And Moses took the waggons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites.

7 Two waggons and four oxen ' he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service*.

AN D it came to pass on the day that Moses had flilly * set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them;

2 That ''the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who "were the princes of the tribes, 'and were over them that were numbered, offered:

3 And they brought their offering before the Lord, six covered waggons, and twelve oxen;

Verse 1. On the day that Moses hnd fully set up the taberruute'\ The transactions mentioned in this chapter, took place en the second day of the second month, of the second year after the departure from Egypt: and the proper place of this account is immediately after the tenth chapter of Leviticus.

Verse 3. iSV.r covered xuaggons] 3X nVjf df shesh egeloth tsab, six lilted wagons. The Septuagint translates t| afiaia^ >~a/i'7rtiH)taf, with which the Coptic agrees; but what lampenic chtiriots were, no person pretends to know. Covered, or tilled, is probably tbe iricaning of the original. The waggons were given for the more convenient exporting the heavier parts of the tabernacle, which could not be conveniently carried on men's shoulders.

Verse 5. According to his service.] That is, distribute them amoug the Leviles <i-5 t/iey may need them — giving most to those who have the heaviest burdens to bear.

Verse 7. Two icaegons — untu the sons of Gershon'] The • Gershonites carried only the curtains, cotaings, and hangings, chap. iv. 25. And although this was a cumbersome carriage, and they needed the waggons, yet it was not a heavy one.

8 *And four waggons and oxen he gave unto the sons of Me rari, according unto their service, *" under the iuind of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

9 But unto the sons of Kohath lie gave none: because ' the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them ^ was tliat they should bear upon their shoulders.

10 ^ And the princes offered for'dedica ting of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes offered their offering before the altar.

1 1 And the Lord said unto Moses, They shall otter their offering, each prince on his day, for the dedicating of the altar.

12 ^ And he that offered his offering the first day was ' Nahshon the son of Amniinadab, of the tribe of Juduh:

13 And his offering xoas one silver charger, the weight thereof xvas a hundred and thirty

^ the shekel of tlie sanctuary; both of them xvere fidl of fine flour mingled with oil for a " meat offering:

15 "One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt-offering:

17 And for "a sacrifice of peace offerings, two

18 % On the second day, Nethaneel the son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, did ofler:

19 He offered for his offering one silver charger, the weiirht whereof tiv/s a hundred

Verse 8. Four waggons — tmlo the sons of MerarQ Because they had the boards, bars, pillars, and sockets of the tabernacle to carry, cliap. iv. 31, 32. therefore they had as many more waggons as the Geishonites.

Vtine 9. Unto the sons of Kohath he gave none"] Because they had the cliarge of the ark, table, candlestick, altars, &c. chap. iv. 5 — 15. which were to be carried upon their shoulders: for those sacred things must' not be drawn by beasts.

Verse 10. And the princes offeredl FAety prince, or chief, ofl'trcd ii) the behalf, and doubtless at the expense of his whole tribe.

One silver boivt] piID mizrak, a bason, to receive the blood of the sacrifice in. — See on Exod. xxvii. 3.

It is worthy of remark, that the different tribes are represented here as bringing their offerings precisely in the same order in which they encamped about the tabernacle. — Sec t.'liap. ii. and chap. x.

and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy.shekels, afler the shekel of the sanctuary: both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a

j 20 One spoon of gold of ten shekels, full of

It is worthy of remark also, tliat every tribe offers the same kind of offering, and in the same quantity, to.shew, that as • every tribe was equally indebted to God for its support, so each should testify an equal sense of obligation. Besides, the vessels were all sacrificial vessels, and the animals were all clean animals, such as were proper for sacrifices; and therefore every thing was intended to point out, that the people were to be a holy people, fully dedicated to God, and that God was to dwell among them: hence there were Jirte

" Thus," says Mr. Ainsworth, " by sacrifices of all sorts, figuring the death of Christ, and the benefits that were to be received thereby, they reconciled and made lliemselves and theirs acceptable to God, and were made partakers of his grace, to remission of sins, and sanctification through faith, and in the work of the Holy Ghost, in the communion aad

21 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt oli'ering:

23 And for a sacrifice of " peace offerings, two

24 ^ On the third day "^Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the cliildren of Zebulun did offer:

25 His offering xcas one silver charger, the weight whereof teas a hundred and thirty

the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

26 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of j

29 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two

30 ^ On the fourth day 'Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of the children of Reuben, did offer:

31 His offering it'os one silver charger of the weight of a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy sliekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

32 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of

S5 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two

Verse 48. On the seienth day] Both Jewish and Christian vriters liaie been surprised tliyl this work of offering went forward on the seventh day, (viliicli ihey suppose to have been a saihu'h) as «ell as on tlir oilier days. But, 1st. llitrc is no abscdute proof that this seventh day oi' ofleriiig was a subbuih.

36 f On the fifth day " Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, prince of the children of Simeon, did offer: -

37 His oliering tea* one silver Ji^°^^^ charger, the weight whereof laas a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offerina;:

38 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of

41 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two

42 ^ On the sixth day ' Eliasaph the son of Deuel, prince of the children of Gad, offered:

43 His offering "a^as one silver charger of the weight of a hundred and thirty shekels, a silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the ^lickel of the sanctuary; both of them full of line flour mingled, with oil for a meat offering:

44 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of

47 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two

48 % On the seventh day ' Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim, offered:

49 His offering ivas one silver charger, the weight whereof was a hundred and thirty

the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

2. Were it evmso, could the people be better em'loycd tlian in tlius consecrating themselves and their servicer to die Lord.' We Ikivc already sc> n that every act «as a ieli::ii'U8 act; and we may rest assured, tnat no day «as too holy ior the perfoniiaiice of ^uch acts as are recorded here.

65 And for a sacrifice of peace

50 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full ofincen.se:

51 One young bullock, one ram, ^ he goats, tive lambs of the first year: one lamb of the first year, for a burnt this teas the offering of Abidan tlie

|! son of Gideoni. 52 One kid of the goats for a sin offering:!| 66 ^ On the tenth day ' Ahiezcr the son of 'jti And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two ' Ammishaddai, prince of the cliildrcn of Dan, oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the oj/ered:

first year: this xc^as the offering of Elishama the 67 His offering 'u-as one silver charger, tl;e

54 •[ On the eighth day offered 'Gamaliel the shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after

son of Pedahzur, prince of the children of Ma- i the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full weight of a hundred and thirty shekels, one; 68 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full ol silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel j incense:

of the sanctuary; both of them fidl of fine flour;l 69 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of mingled with oil for a meat offering: |i the first year, for a burnt offering:

56 One golden spoon often shekels, full ofj 70 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: incense: 'l 71 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two

57 One young btdlock, one ram, one lamb of oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the the fir.-t year, for a burnt offering: first year: this xcas the offering of Ahiezer the

59 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two I 72 *[ On the cleventli day * Pagiel the son of

fii'st year: this xvas the oH'ering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 60 ^ On the ninth day " Abidan the son of

Ocran, prince of the children of Asher, ojjired: 73 His offering xoas one silver charger, the weight whereof xoas a hundred and thirty

Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin, i the shekel of tlie sanctuary; both of them full offered:

61 His offering xoas one silver charger, the weight whereof xvas an hundred and thirty

the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offer-

62 One golden spoon of ten shekels, flill of

Ver-ie 72. On ilie eleventh day] The Hebrew f<jrm of expression liere, anil in the 78th ver-ie, has something; curious in it. ai< "WV "rVW C31'3 l>''yom u<ihley dsur yom — lii, the day, the Jirst and tenth day. OV IIW:Zi''iV C3V3 b''yom sheneim dscir yom — In tlie day, iivo anil tenth day. But this is the idiom of the language; and to an original Hebrew, our almost anomalous words eleventh and twelfth, by which we

74 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of

77 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, iv;o oxen, five rams, fiv^ he goats, five lambs of the first year: this x^as the ofiering of Pagiel the son of Ocran.

78 ^ On the twelfth day ' Ahira the son of

translate the original, would appear as strange as his, literally translated, would appear to us. In reckoning after txuclrc, it is cafiy to find oivt the composition of the words thirteen, as three and ten; fourteen, four and (t^, and so on; hut eleren and tiuelve hear scarcely any analogy to ten and one, and ten and tuo, which nevertheless they intend. But this is a subject of philology, rather than of biblical criticism.

charger, tlie weight whereof xvas li a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them ftill of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:

80 One golden spoon of ten shekels, fliU of

83 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two

84 This xvas the dedication of the altar, in the j day when it was anointed, by the princes of Israel: twelve chargers of silver, twelve silver bowls, twelve spoons of gold:

85 Each charger of silver weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, each bowl seventy: all the silver vessels weighed two thousand and four

Verse 84. This was the dedication of the altar, in the day, &.C.] Meaning here, the time in which it was dedicated; for as each tribe had a whole day, for its repi'esentative or prince to present the offerings it had provided, consequently the dedication, in which each had his day, must have lasted twelve daj's: the words therefore in this text refer to the last day or tivclfth, in which this dedication was completed.

Verse 88. j4jter that it wns anointed] By the anointing, the altar was consecrated to God: by this dedication it was solemnly appointed to that service for which it had been erected.

Verse 8D. To speak with hitn] To confer with God, and to receive farther discoveries of his will.

Jle heard the voice of one sjieahing unto him] Though Moses saw no similitude, but only heard a voices yet he had the fullest proof of the presence, as well as of the being of the Almighty, in this way, God cbose to manifest himself during that dispensation; till the fulness of the time came, in lyhich the WORD was made flesh, aud DWELT AMONG US. No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Tlie mercy-sent] See the note on Exod. xxv. 17. As God gave oracular answers fiom this place, and spohc Xo?>loses, as it were face to face, hence the place was called the ORACLE, T3T debir, or speaking place, from 13^ dabur, he fpoke, 1 Kings vi. 23. And as this mercy-seat represented our blessed Redeemer, so the Apostle says, that God, who bad at sundry times, end in divers manners, SPDKEN in time

86 The golden spoons were twelve, full of incense, weighing ten shekels a piece, after the shekel of the sanctuary: all the gold of the spoons was a hunched and twenty shekels.

87 All the oxen for the burnt offering were twelve bullocks, the rams twelve, the lambs of the first year twelve, with their meat offering: and the kids of the goats for sin offering twelve.

88 And all the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace offerings were twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty, the he goats sixty, the lambs of the fu'st year sixty. Tliis was the dedication of the altar, after that it was ' anointed.

89 ^ And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation '' to speak with ' him, then he heard " the voice of one speaking unto him from off tlie mercy seat, that was upon the ark of testimony, from ' between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.

SPOKEN vnlo us by his Son, Heb. i. 1, 2. Hence the j"ncarnated (Christ is the true I'm debir, or crude, in and by whom God speaks unto man.

Which, at.£4 per ounce, is equal to. ^.320 14 lOi And added to the amount of the silver. 383 1 8j

' directions liozc' the /amps are to be lig/ilvd, 1 — 1. Iloiv the caiid/cstick rcas formed, 4. The Levi/cs to be coiiseiraled to their service hi/ being cleansed, sprinkled, shaved, purified, and their clothes rcashed, 0,7. To ojfer a meat-offering, and a sin-offering, 8. The people to put their hands upon them, Q, 10. Aaron is to offer them before the Lord, 11. The Levites to lay their hands on the heads of the bttlloclcs, C^c. 12. TJie Lnitcs are taken to assist Aaron and his sons in the place of all the first-born of Israel, 13 — 19. Moses and Aaron do as they zccre commanded, the Levites are presented, pitrfied, and commence their service, 20 — '2'2. I'he^ are to l/egin their service at twenti^-five years of age, and leave off at fifty, 1'2> — 2b. After this they shall have the general inspeetion of the se7-vice, 20.

2 Speak unto Aai'on, and say unto him. When thou ' hghtest the Lunps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.

3 And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the Lord commanded Moses.

4 " And this work of the candlestick li'as of beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof, unto the

Verse 2. The scrcn lamps shall give light] The whole seven shall be liglited at oae time, that seven may be ever burn-

Verse 4. The work of the candleslick, &c.] See many curious particulars relative to this candlestick in the notes on Exod. XXV. 31 and 39. The candlestick itself was an emblem of the church of Christ; the oil, of the graces and gifts of the Spirit of God; and the li^ht of those gifts and graces in action among men. See Rev. i. ]'_' — 20. God builds his church and sends forth his Spirit to dwell in it, to sanctify and cleanse it, that it may be shewn unto the world as his o:t'H workmanship. The seren lights in the candlesticks, point out the seven spirits of God, the Holy Ghost being thus termed, Rev. iii. 1. from the variety and abundance of his gifts and influences: seien being used among the Hebrews to denote any Ihing full, complete, and pei feet. A candlestick oy lamp of Israel, and cleanse them. 7 And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse

them: Sprinkle "water of purifying upon them, \ and ' \et^ them shave all their flesh, and let them

wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.

without oil, is of no use: oil not burning is of no use. So \ church or society of religious people, without the influence of the Holy Ghost, are dead, while they have a name to live: and if they have a measure of this light, and do not let it^s/iiVje by purity of living and holy zeal before men, their religion is neither useful to themselves nor to others. Reader, it is possible to be in the church oftjod, and not be of that church — it is possible to have a measure of the Spirit, and neither profit nor be profited. Feel this dreadful possibility, ami prav to God that thou be not a proof of it.

Verse 1. Sprinkle water of purifj/ing] nxUH »0 mey chat' taalh, ivuter of sin, or water of the sin offering. As this purifying water was made by the ashes of the red lieifer, ccdur wood, hyssop, and scarlet; and the heifer hirself was sacrificed, and her blood sprinkled seven ticnes before the tabernacle, Numb. xix. 3 — 6. she may be considered as a proper sacrifce for sin; and consequently the water thus prepared 4 K

8 Then let them take a young bullock with * his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take

9 " And thou shalt bring the Levites before' the tabernacle of the congregation: " and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together:

10 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the Lord: and the children of Israel ''shall put their hands upon the Levites:

1 1 And Aaron shall * offer the Levites before the Lord Jbr an ^ offering of the children of Israel, that ^ they may execute the service of

12 '■ And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the Lord, to make an atonement for the Levites.

13 And thou.shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the Lord.

14 Tlius shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites

be termed the water of the sin-offering. As the ashes were kept ready at hand for purifying fi-om all legal pollutions, the preparation might be considered as a concentration of the essential properties of the sin-offering; and might be resorted to at all times with comparatively little expense or trouble, and no loss of time. As there were so many things by which legal pollution might be contracted, it was necessary to have always at liand, in all their dwellings, a mode of purifying at once convenient and unexpensive. As the -uaier by which the Levites were here purified njust have been the water prepared from the ashes of the red heifer, this ordinance uas undoubtedly instituted before this time, though not described till the xixth chap. 1 — 10. of this book: but that chapter might be in connexion with any of the preceding ordinances, as well as where it is now found. We sec from Heb. ix. 13 and 14. that these ashes mingled with water, and sprinkled on the unclean, and which sanctified to the purification of the flesh, were intended to typify the blvod of Christ, which purges the conscience from dead works, to serve the living God, ver. 15.; for, as without this sprinkling with the water of the sin-qfering, the Levitts were not fit to serve

congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and " offer them for an offer-

16 For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; ' instead of.such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.

17 ""For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.

18 And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.

19 And " I have given the Levites as "a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the children

j of Israel, to do the service of the children of! Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: j '' that there be no plague among the children: of Israel, when the children of Israel come I nigh unto the sanctuary.

j 20 And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, did to the; Levites according unto all that the Lord com-; manded Moses concerning the Levites, so did the childien of Israel unto them.

God in the wilderness; so without this sprinkling of the blood of Chrisl, no conscience can he purged from dead works, to serve the living God. See the notes on chap. xix.

Verse 1 0. Shall put their hands upon the Levites} It has been argued from this, that the congregation had a part in the appointment of their own ministers; and that this was done by the imposition of hands. However that may be, it appear?, that what was done on this occasion, meant no more than that the people gave up this whole tribe to God, in place of their first-born; and that by this act they bound themselves to provide for them, who, because of their sacred service, could follow no secular work. And surely it was light, that Ihty who served the altar should live by the altar. The ministers of God perform olhces for the people, which the people cannot perform for themselves; and nothing can be more reasonable than that the people should give thein the necessaries and comforts of life, while they are thus employed in their behalf.

Verse 17. For all the first-born— 'are mine"} See the man* ner of redeeming the first-born, chap, xviii. 6.

21 * And the Le\ites were nuiilied, and they washed their clothes; " and Auron offered them as an offering before the Loud; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them.

22 " And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before Aaron, and before his sons: '' as the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they inito them.

24 This is it that belongeth unto the Levites:

' from twenty and live years old and upward, they shall go in ' to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the

Verse 21. And Aaron made an atonement for them] Thoujrh the Levitts liad been most solemnly consecrated to the Lord's stTvice, and though all legal washings and purifications were dulypertbrmed on the occasion; yet they could not approach God till an atonement had been made for them. How.strange is it, after all these significations of the will and purpose of God, relative to man, that any priest, or any people, will attempt to draw nigh to God without an atonement! As sure as God hath spoken it, there is no entrance into the Holiest, but through the blood ofJe.su-!, Heb. x. 19, 20.

^'erse _'4. From tiventt/ fije years old] See the note on chap. iv. 47. where the two terms of twenty-five and thirty yeai"s, are reconciled.

Ver^e 2C. To keep the charge, and shall do no service.] They shall no longer be obliged to perform any laborious service, but act as general directors and counsellors; therefore they were to be near the camp, sing praises to God, and see that no stranger or unclean person was permitted to enter. So the Jews, and many other persons, have generally understood this place.

1. If it required so much legal purity to fit the Levites for their work in the tabernacle; can we suppose that it requires

25 And (iom the age of fifty years they shall ^ cease waiting upon the service thcreofy and shall serve no more:

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

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

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

The Israelites are remivd^d of the law that required them to keep the pass-over at its proper time, and zc'tth all its rites, 1—3. T/iei/ kept the pass-over on the fourteenth day of the first month, 4, 5. The case of the men ziho, being unclean through touching a dead bodi/, could not keep the pass-over, 6, 7. Moses enquires at the Lord concerning them, 8. Jnd the Lord appoints the fourteenth day of the second month for all those zcho through any accidental uncleanncss, or by being absent on ajojtniey, could not keep it at the mual time, 9—12. Those tcho neglect to keep this solemn feast, to be cut off from among his people, 13. The stranger, zcho zdshcs to keep the pass-over, is at liberty to do it, 14. The cloud covers the tabernacle both by day and night, from the ti?ne]of tts dedication, 15, l6. This cloud regulates all the encampments and marchings of the Israelites through the;iilderness, 17— 2i2. T/*cirjourncyings and restings zcerc all directed by the commandment of the Lord, Q3.

A ND the Lord spake unt?> Mo- couldnotkeep the pass-over that day: J\ scs in the -.vilderness of Sinai, Sind they came before Moses and in the first montli of the second year before Aaron on that day: after they were come out of the land! i 7 And those men said unto him, i'!!i'

We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that Ave may not offer an offering of the Lord in his appointed • season, among the chikkeii of Israel?

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

10 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying. If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or he in a journey afar off, yet he shall keej) the. pass-over

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

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

4 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, tliat they should keep the pass-over. "

5 And "^ they kept the pass-over on the fourteenth day of the first montli at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did the chilth-en

6 % And there were certain men, who were! at even they shall keep it, and " eat it with un- " defiled by the dead body of a man, that they i leavened bread and bitter herbs.

NOTES ON CIUV. IX. ^'^erse 1. Tlie Lord spake unlo JSIoscs] The fourteen first Tprses of this chapter, certainly refer to transactions thai tooic place at the time of those mentioned in the commencement of this book, before the numbering of the people; and several learned men are of opinion that tlie.sc fourteen verses should be referred back to that place. We have already met with instances whevf^ transpositions have, very probably, taken place; and it is not difficult to account for them. As in very early times writing was generally on leaves of the Egyptian flag; /'a/>5rn(s, or on thin hnuinm of difftrent subsfances, facts end transactions thus entered, were very liable to be deranged; si> that when afterwards a scries was made up into a book, many transactions might be inserted in wrong places; and thus the exact chronology of the facts be greatly disturbed. MyS. written on leaves of trees, having a hole in each, through which a cord is passed to keep them all in their places, are frequently to be met with in the cabinets of the curious, and some such are now before me— should the cord break or be accidentally unloosed, it would be exceedingly difficult to string them all in their proper places: accident.-, of this kind I have often met with, to my very great perplexity; and in some cases found it almost impo.s!.ibIe to restore each individual leaf to its own place; for it should be observed that ihe.se separate pieces of oriental writing, are not parcel like the leaves of our printed books: nor are there frequently, any catchwords or signatures at the bottom to connect the series. This one consideration will account for.several trmupoiiiions, especially in the I'cntateuch, where tbcy occur more frequently than in any other part of the sacred Mritin^'^s. lloiibiganl, who grants the existence of luch. transpositions^ thinks that this is co sitfScient reason why the present order of narratiua should be changed: " It is enough," says he, non ignorare libros cos J'losis esse acia rerwn suo tempore gestarwn, non historlam filo perpcluo elaborutam, " to know that these books contain an account of thing.<4 transacted in the days of IMoses; though not in their regular or chronological order."

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

12 "They shall leave hoik; of it unto!| 18 At the commandment of the the morning, " nor brcuk nny bone jl Lord the children of Isiaol journeyof it: 'according to all the ordi- 1 ed, and at the commandment of the -i.

nances of tlie pa^isovcr they shall il Lord they pitched: ' as long as the ^^"'''°'"^'''"";

" cloud abode upon the tabernacle ihey rested in their tents.

19.iliid v.'hen the cloud '^ranicd long upon the tabernacle many da}s, then the children of Israel " kept the charge of the Lord, and journeyed not.

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

21 And so it was, when the cloud "abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whetl^.er it xcas by day or by nig'ht that the cloud vAi taken up, they journeyed.

f?2 Or Kliether it "were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel

13 But the man that is clean, and is not in a

liis people: because he 'brought not the otfering of tiie Lord in his appointed season, that

14' And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, ajul will keep the pass-over unto the Lord; according to the ordinance of the pass-over, and

•cording to the manner tiiereof, so shall he do: ^ye shall have (me ordinance, both tor the stranger, and for him that was born in the

\5 % And "on the day tiiat the tabernacle was reared ii]), the cloud covered tlie tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and 'at even there was uj)on the tabernacle as it w^ere the ap- ]")earance of firo, until the morning,

1 6 So it was ahvay: the cloud covered it ^ ' "^ abode in their tents, and joumeyed not: but r/<7y, and the appearance of fire by night. | when it was taken up, they journeyed.

17 And v.'hen the cloud *" was taken up from | 23 At the commandment of the Lord, they the tabernacle, then after that tiie children of I rested in the tents, and at the commandment of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the | the Lord, they journeyed: they "kept the charn-e cloud abode, there the childi-en of Israel pitched of the Lord, at the commandment of the Loud

Cahnet observes that the 15lli verse, beginning a new subject, should begin a new chapter, as it lias no connexion witli what goes before; and he thinks this chapter begun with the 15th verse, sliould end with the L.'8th verse of the follow-

Verse 21. Whether by dot/ or bj/ >iii;ht] As the heat of the flay is very severe in that same dtsart, the nti^ht season is some-

Verse 22. Tivo days — a month — « year] It was by the Divine counsel alone that they were directed in all their j)eregrinations: and from the above words we see that their times of tariyh^ at difierrnt stations, were very unequal.

Verse 23. Kept the charge of the Lord] When we consider the strong disposition which this people ever testified to follow their own will in all things; we may be well surprized to find them in these journeyings, so implicitly following ihe direction of (jod. There could be no trii k or imposture here. Moses, had he been the most cunning of men, never could have imitated the appearances referred to in this chapter. Tiie cloud, and every thing in its motion, was so evidently supei-^ natural, that the people had no doubt of its biing the symbol of the Divine presence.

God chose to keep this p-'oplc so dependant upon himself, and so submissive to the decisions of his own will; tint he would not even give them ngular times of marcliing or resting: they were to do both when and where God saw best. Thus Ibey were ever kept ready for their march, though perfectly ignorant of the lime when they sh luid commence it. But this was all well; they had the presence of God with tliem: the cloud by d.iy and the fire by night demonstrated that God was amongst them, llcad-.r, ih.iu ait here a tenant at will to God Almighty: how soon, \i\.

■what place, or in what circumstances, he may call thee to march into the eternal world, thou knoweit not! But this uncertainty cannot perplex thee, if thou be properly subject to the will of God, ever willing to lose thy own in it. But thou canst not be thus subject, unless thou have the testimony of the presence and approbation of God. How awful to be obliged to walk into the valley of the shadow of death without this! Reader, prepare to meet thy God.

Moses is commanded to make tKO silver trumpets for calling the assembly, 1,2. On what occasions these trumpets should be sounded. First, for calling the assembly to the door of the tabernacle, 3. Secondly, to summon the princes and captains of the thousa7ids of Israel, 4. Thirdly, (o make the eastern camps strike their tents, 5. Fourthly, to make those on the south do the like, 6. No alarm to be sounded uhen the congregation only is to he assembled, 7. The sons of Aaron alone, shall sound these trumpets, it shall be a perpetual ordinance, 8, Fifthly, the trumpets are to be sounded in the time of zcar, g. Sixthly, on festival occasions, 10. On the twentieth day of the second mo)ith, in the second year, the Israelites began their journey from the nilderness of Sinai, and came to the rcilderness of Paran, 11, 12. By the commandment of God to Moses, the first division, at the head of nhich uas the standard of JUDAH, marched first, IS, 14. Under him follozced the tribe o/" IssACHAB, 15. and after thein the tribe of Zesvlo's, \6. Then the Gershomtas and '^lexa.n'ie?, folloiced Kith the tabernacle, 17. At the head of the seeotid division zcas the standard and camp of REUBEN, 18. and under him zcere, that o/ Simeon, 19- and that of Gad, GO. Next follozced the Kohathites, bearing the sanctuary, 21. Then follotced the third division, at the head of zchich zcas the standard cf the camp of EPHRAIM, 22. and turder him Mas asseh, 23. and Benjamin, 24. Jt the head of the fourth division, was the standard of the camp of BA^, '25. a7id under him Asher, 26. fl«(^ Napiitali, 27. This uas their ordinary method of marching in the zuilderness, 28. Moses entreats Hobab the Midianite to accompany them through the tcilderness, 29. He refuses, 30. Moses continues and strengthens his entreaties zcith reaso?iings and promises, 31,32. They depart from Sinai three days' journey, S3. The cloud accompanies them by day and night, 34. The zcords used by Moses when the az-k set forzcard, 35. and zchen it rested, 36.

2 Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them tor the * calhng of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. S And when ^ tliey shall blow with them,

Verse 2. Make thee itvo tntmpets itf iihtr'\ The necessity of.such instruments will at once appear, when the amazing extent cf this numerous army is con.-idi red, and how, even the sound of two trumpets could reach them all, is difficult to conceive; but we may suppose, that when they were sounded, the motion of tiiose that were within reach tf that sound, taught the others in.succession, what they should do.

As the tr<unj)rts were to be blown by iheprtesis only, the sons of Aaron, there were only tico, because tiicre were only t«o such persons to use thenj, at this lime, Elicur and Ii/iamur. In the lime of Joshua, there were seven trumpets used

all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at tlie door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

4 And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the j)rinces, xchich are "heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.

5 When ye blow an alarm, then '' the camps

by the priests; but these were made.iccording to our text, of ruma' horns, Josh. vi. 4. In the time of Solomon, when the priests had greatly increased, there were 120 priests sounding with trumpets, 2 Chr. v. 12.

Josephus intimates, that one of these trumpets was always used to call the nobles together: the other to assemble the people; see ver. 4. It is p. ssible, that tin -e trumpets were made of diflrre nt lengths and iviJencss, and consequently they would emit (hflercnt tones. Thus the sound itself would at once shew, which was the suimiions fur the congregation, and which for the princes only. These trumpets were allowed to be emblematical of the sound of the Gospel; and in this

that lie on the east parts shall go forward.

6 When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie 'on the south side shall take their journey: they:>liall b^ow an alarm for their journeys.

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

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

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

10 Also " in the day of your gladness, and in

your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you ' for a memorial before your God: I am the Loud your God.

11^ And it came to pass, on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud " was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.

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

13 And they first took their journey "according to the commantlment of the Lord, by the hand of Moses.