Commentary on the Holy Bible

and to ascertain the proportion of land which should be allowed to each tribe. For thoiigii the whole was divided by lot, yet the portions were so disposed, that a numerous tribe did not draw, where the lots assigned small inlieriiunces. See verses 53, 54, 55, 56. and ako the note on chap. i. 1.

8 And tlie sons of Pallu; Eliab. I 'J And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, ' and Dathan, and Abiram. This /.<; that Dathan and Abiram, xnhich tvcre ' famous ' in tlie congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, wlien they strove against the Lord:

10 '' And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed tlvem up together with Korah, when that company died, wliat time the tire devoured two hundred and fifty men: "and they became

J2 ^ The sons of Simeon after their famiHes: of "^ Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites: of Jamin, the tiunily of the Jaminites: of "^Jachin, the tiimily of the Jachinites:

i 22 These are the families of Judah according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and sixteen thousand and five hundred.

I 23 ^ " Of the sons of Issachar after their families: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites: yf ° Pua, the family of the Puuites:

! 24 Of P Jashub, the family of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the familv of the Shimronites.

j 25 These are the families of Issachar according to those that were numbered of them, three-

{ 26 % " Of the sons of Zebulun after their fimilies: of Sered, the family of the Sardites: of

i Elon, the family of the Elonites: of Jahleel,

27 These are the fitmilies of the Zebulunites

14 These are the families of the Simeonites. twenty and two thousand and two hundred.

15 % Tlie children of Oad after their fa. milies: of "^ Zcphoii, the family of the Zephon- j ites; of Haggi, the family of the Haggites: of; Shuni, the family of the Shunites: |

16 Of 'Ozni, "the flunily of the Oznites: ofj Eri, the family of the Eritcs: j

17 Of "Arod, the family of the Arodites: ofj Areli, the family of the Arelites. I

18 These are the families of the children of Gad according to those that were numbered of them, forty thousand and five hundred.

19 if ' The sons of Jutkh nvre Er and Onan: and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

20 And '"the sons of Judah after their families were; of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites: of Pharez, the family of the Pharzites: of Zerali, the fiimily of the Zarhites.

21 And the sons of Pharez were; of Hezron,

according to those that were numbered of them» threescore thousand and five hundred. i 28 ^ ' The sons of Joseph after tlreir families xcere Manasseh and Ephraim.

29 Of the sons of Manasseh: of ' Machir, the family of the Machirites: and Macliir begat Gilead; of Gilead co7ne the family of the Gileadites.

.'30 These are the sons of Gilead: of ' Jeezer, the family of the Jeezerites; of Helek, the family of the Helekites:

31 And o/' Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: and o/' Shechera,, the family of the Shechemites:

32 And of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites: and of' Hepher, the family of the Hcpherites.

33 And " Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelojjhehad ti-cre Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

\'li?c 10. To'^ether ii-it/i Korah] Tlie Samaritan Text does not intimate that Koiah was sivultm^ed up, hut that he ua.s burnt, as a|)[)oars in fact, to iiave been the ca.^e And the earth su;ulloiied llarn up, Xihat time that company died; and the fire dnound Korah luilh the 250?nm, who bccapie a sign.

Verse 11. The children of Korah died not] It is difficult to reconcile this place with chap. xvi. 27, 31 — 33. where it seems tn he intimaterl, that not only the men, but the ivizes ami ihc.^o;/.s■, and the little ones of Korah, Dathan and Ahiraiu, vcie i\iallo\ved up l)y the earthquake: see especially ver. 2", collated with ver. o'i. of chap. xvi. Kut tlie text here expressly says, The children of Korah died not;■ — and on a close inspection of ver. 27. of the above mentioned chapter, wC shall find, that the sons and the tittle ones of Dathan and Abiram alone are mentioned. So they gat up from the tuber-

An.Ex.id.isr. nasscli, and those that were niim- | *^- bered of them, fifty and two thousand '

35 ^ These are the sons of Ephraim afler their famihes: of Shuthelah, the fiunily of the Shuthalhites: of "^ Beclier, the family of the Bachrites: of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites.

36 And these arc the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the tiunily of the Eranites.

37 These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those that were numbered of them, thirty and two thousand and five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph afler their tamilics,

38 % " The sons of Benjamin after their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites: of Ashbcl, the family of the Ashbelitcs: of " Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites:

39 Of *■ Shupham, the fiimily of the Shuphamites: of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.

40 And the sons of Bela were 'Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites: ii>id of Naaman, the family oi' the jVaamites.

41 These a7'e the sons of Benjamin after their families: and they that were numbered of them «we forty and five thousand and six hundred.

families: of ^ Shuham, the family of y^'fis'" the Shuhamites, These arc the fa- An.E.od.isr. milies of Dan after their families.!!1:

naok of Korah, Dathan and /ibiram on every side: and Dathun and Ahirum came out — and iheir wives, and their sons, and their little ones. Here is no mention of the children of Korah, they therefore escaped, while, it appears, those of Dathan and Abiram perished with their fatliers. — See the note on chap. xvi. 30.

Verse 51. Tliese were the numbered of the children of Israel, COl.TSO.] The following comparative statement will shew how much some of the triljes had increaaed, and others had diminished, since the enumeration in chap. 1. Now Before

43 All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those that wcie ntunbered of them, "were threescore and four tliousand and four hundred.

44 ^ " Oj' the children of A.shi-r after their families: of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites; of Jesui, the tiimily of the Jesuites: of Beriah, the fiimily of the Beriites.

45 Of the sons of Beriali: of Heber, the fa. mily of the Heberites: of Malchiel, the fiimily of the MalchieHtos.

46 And the name of the daughter of Asher teas Sarah.

47 These are the families of the sons of Asher according to those that were numbered of them j •who "jcere fifty aind three thousand and four hundred.

48 % ' Of the sons of Naphtali after their famihes: of Jahzcel, the fiimily of the Jahzeelites: of Guni, the family of the Gunites:

49 Of Jezer, the fiimiiy of the Jezerites: oi* •^ Shillem, the fiimily of tlie Shillemites.

50 These arc the fiimilics of Naphtali according to their families: and they that were numbered of them Tvere forty and five thousand and four hundred.

5 1 ' These xcere the numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty.

Let it be observed, 1. Tiiat among these there was not a man of tlie former cen.«us, save Josliiia and Caleb, see ver. 1)4, ^5. 2. That thoui;h there was an increase in seven tribes of not less than 74,800 men, yet so great was the decrease in the otiier five tribes, that the balance asjainst tlie present ceiisut, is 1,820, as appears above: thus we find, that tliere was aii mcrease of 601,728 from 603,550 in tlie space of 38 years.

Notwitfistandmg the amazing increase in some, and decrease in ottier tribes; the same sort of proportion is preserved ill the east, iiest, nortjt and south divisions, as before; so as to keep Ihe Uiv^est vf JuJUih, which was always in the /ront,

53 " Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names.

54 " To many thou shalt " give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt '' give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him.... ■

55 Notwithstanding the land shall be ' divided by lot: according to tlie names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.

56 According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few.

57 ^ ^ And these are they that were numbered! of the Levites after their families: of Gershon, [ the family of the Gershonitcs: of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites:' of Merari, the family of the Merarites.

58 These ai'e the families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the. He-

bronites, the family of tire Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korathites. And Kohath begat Amram.

59 And the name of Amram's wife loas ^ Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.

60 "And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

61 And 'Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange tire before the Lord.

62 " And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward: ' for they were not numbered among the cliildren of Israel, because there was "no inheritance given them among the children of Israel.

j 63 ^ These are they that were numbered by I Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel " in the plains of Moab, j by Jordan near Jericho.

or van, the largest; and the division of Dan, which was alA<ays in the rear, the next in number. But it is worthy of rcinaik, that as the)' are now, properly speaking, to commence their grand military operations, so their front, or advanced dicision, is increased from 18(J..400, to 201,300. j And their m;r, from 1 57,COO, to 163,200. The /m divi- j sion is strengthened 14,900 men, and the lust division 5,600 ■ men. The reasons for this are.sufficiently obvious. |

.Mr. Ainsxuortii has a curious remark on the number of fa- | miiies in the 12 tribe?. " Here are families,

111 all 57; to wlKJm., if we add the 12 patriarchs, and Jacob their father, the whole luunbcr is 70: the exact number of tlie souls in.Jacob's liou.se, that went down to Egypt, ijtn. xlvi. 27." In a variety of tilings in this ancient oeeononiy, there is a most surprising proportion kept up, which never could have been a fortuitous eflect of general causes. But proportion, harinorty, and order, distinguish all the works of Go<l, both in the natural and vwrnl world.

Verse 55. Tlie land t/iull be diiided by lot\ The word ^13 ^-ora/,, tiinslated lot, is supposed by some to signify tlie stone or pebble formerly used for the purpose of what we term casting lots. The word Jjlor Idot, is Anglo-.Saxon, from)oleotan, to divide, or portion out, i. e. fortuitously: it ai « swers to the Greek xXufoj, which, some think, comes f oin *Xaa to break; because the lot being a sort of appeal to God; (" The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord,'' Prov. xvi. 33.) broke off all contentions and litigation.s relative to the matter ia dispute. From this original division of the promised land by lot, to the children of Israel, all portions, appointments, offices, shares, or divi-i sions in spiritual and ecclesiastical matter.^ were termed lots. So in the New Testament, the word u'Kri^oi lot, is used to signifya portion of spiritual blessedness, and KX>)fovo/<ia a division by lot, an inheritance; and xXijf oi, the lotted or appointed persons to diftl;rent works, sliares, &c. hence our word clergy, xXufCi, persons appointed by lot, to a lot, portion, or inheritance; see the ca.se of Mattalhias, Act's i. 26. Persons thus ajipointed were by accommodation termed inheritors, becaus'e originally, when there could be no claims of exclusive right, all lands, where a wandering tribe those to take up its residence, were divided by lot, as the promised land in the case before t.s. So Judah says to Simeon his brother, Judg. i. 3. " Come up with me into my lot." And as God was ever supposed to be the whole disposer in such matters, whatever fell out in the course of Clod's providence, was called a lot. " This is the lot of them that rob us." Isai. xvii. 14. " Thou hast neither lot nor part in this matter." Acts viii- 21.

64 * But among these there was not \ a man of them whom JNIoses and j Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.

A lot in the promued land, was evidently typical of a place in eternal c;lori/. " That tliey may receive f'orifivenLSs of sins, and an inheritance (H>.ri(ov, a lot) among them that are sanctified." Acts xxvi. 18. "Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheriiance («^t,'59i/ of tlie lot) of the saints in liRlit." " Which is tlie earnest of our inheritance, («Xt)- foio/iiaf of our allotttd porliun.)" Kph. i. 14. "What is the riches of llic glory of his inliiTitunce," {x?i»fovo/ji.ia( allotted poition.) Kph. i. IS. As therefore the promised land was divided by lot to the believing Israelites, (Jod dtlcr-

65 For the Loro had said of them, They '' shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, "^ save Caleb the son of Jephunneli, and Joshua the son of Nun.

mining the lot as he saw good, none of tl>e people having ar.y cluim on, or right (o it;.-o the kini;dom of heaven is a lot given by the mere goodwill of God to them that believe and obey him: for as unbelief and disobedience threw 600,000 people out of the inheritance of the promised land; so none who disbelieve God's word, and rebel against his authority, shall ever envtr into the kingdom of Heaven. See Ain.<worili. These things iiappened unto them for example.-— sec then, Reader, thai thou fall not alter the same e.vaniple of unbelief.

TTie dimghUrs of Zelophehad claim their inheritance, 1 — 4. Moses brings their ca^e before the Lord, 5. HeaUou:s their claim, (i, 7- ond a faze is made to regulate the inheritance of daughters, 8 — 11. Moses is commanded to go up to mount Ah-diiin, and view the prornised land, 12. is apprised of his di^ilh, 13. and because he did not sanctify God at the ualers of INIcribah, ha shall not enter into it, 14. Moses requests the Lord to appoint a person to supply his place as leader of the Israelites, 15 — 1". God appoints Joshua, commands Moses to lau his handi upon him, to set him before Eleazar the priest, and giv-e him a charge in the sight of the people, 18 — CO. Eleazar shall ask counsel for him bi/ Uriin, and at his command shall the Israelites go out and come in, 21. Moses docs as the Lord commanded him, and consecrates Joshua, 22, 23.

THEN came the daughters of ' Zelophehad, the son of Hephcr, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the iamilies of Manasseh, the son of Joseph: and these are the names of his daughters; INfahlah, Noah, and Hoglali, and Milcali, and Tirzah

he was not in the company of them

of Korah; but died in his own sin, and had

4 Why should the name of our father he " done away from among his jamily, because he 2 And they stood before Moses, and before j hath no son? ' Give unto us therefore a posses- Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and | sion among the brethren of our fatiier, all the congregation, by the door of the taber- i 5 And Moses ^ brought their cause. before the

2. If there be no son, the daughters succeed. 3. If (here be no daughter, the brothers of the deceased inherit. 4. If there be no krethicn or paternal iinclff, the estate goei to the bro-

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

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

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

10 And if he have no brethren,

then of liis father. 5. If there be no grand wicles, or brothers of the father of the deceased, then the nearest a kin succeeds to the inheritance. Beyond this fifth degree, the law does not proceed, because, as tlie famihe.s of the Israelites were kept distinct in their respective tribes, there must always be some who could be called kinsmen, and were really i such, liaving descended without interruption from the patri- 1 arch of the tribe. '

Verse 1. Thou shalt gize them — an inheritance among their fathers' brethren"] There is a curious anomaly here in the ' Hebrew text, which cannot be seen in our translation. In | Hebrew, they, them, and their, yon, ye, and your, are both ■ of the masculine and feminine genders, according as the ', nouns are, to which they are atiixed; but these words are of i no gender in English. In this verse, speaking of the brethren ' of the fatlier of those women, the masculine termination on hem, THEIR, is used instead of the /e7H2K/«e, jn Aen, governed by nU3 benoth, daughters. So onV Ichem, to THE.M, and Dn»3N abihem, THEIR fathers, masculine, are found in the present text, instead of \rb lahen and jn»3!< abihen, feminine, j Interpreters have sought for a hidden meaning here, and they have found several, whether hidden here or not. One says, ' " the mascitline gender is used, because these daughters are treated as if they were heirs male." Another, " that it is be-! cause of their faith, and conscientious regard to the ancient j customs, and to keep the memory of their father in being, which might well befit men." Another, " that it signifies the | free gift of God in Christ, where there is neither mule nor female, bond or free; for all are one in Christ." And so on; for where there is no rule, there is no end to conjecture. Now the plain truth i.s, that the masculine is, in the present printed text, a mistake for the feminine. The Samaritan, which tnany think by far the most authentic copy of the Pentateuch, has the feminine gender in both places: so also have upwards o{ fourscore of the MSS. collated by Kennicott and De Rossi, Therefore all the curious reasons for this anomaly offered by interpreters!, are only serious trifling on the blunder of some heedless copyists.

While on the subject of mysterious reasons and meanings, some might think it unpardonable, if I passed by the mystery «flhe/c(//, recovery, and full salvation o{ man, signified, as some will have it, by the names of Zelophehad and his daughters.

then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren. _

1 1 And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be unto the cliildren of Israel " a statute of judgment, as the Lord commanded Moses.

12 ^ And the Lord said unto Mose?, 'Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel.

" 1. Zelophehad's daughters claiming a portion in the promised land, may represent believers in Christ, claiming an inheritance among the saints in light. 2. These five virgins may be considered as Ihe five 'wise virgins, Matt. xxv. 1 — 10. who took oil in their vessels with their lauip*; and consequently are types of those who make a wise provision for their eternal states. 3. They are examples of encouragement to weak and destitute believers, who, though they are orphansin this world, shall not be deprived of their heavenly inlieritmce. 4. Their names are mysterious; for Zelophehad, nnsSx FSELOPHECH.^D, signifies the shadow of fear or dread. His first daughter, nSlTO IVLiCHLAH, infirmity; the second, ITfJ No.iH, naiidering; the third, nSjH CliOGLAH, turning about, or dancing for joy; the fourth, nsVo.MlLCAIl, a queen; the fifth, njnn TlRTSAIf, well-pleasing or acceptable. By these names we maj' observe our reviving by grace in Christ: for we are all born of the shadow of fear, (Zelophehad) being brought (iarth in sin, and through fear of death, being all our life-t.me subject to bondage, Heb. ii. 15. This begets (^Machhili) infirmity, or sickness, grief of heart for our estafe?. After which, {Nouh) wandering about for help, and comfort, we find it in Christ, by whom our sorrow is turned into joy, [Choglah). He communicates of his royal'y {Milcuh) to us, making us kings and priests unto God and his Father, Rev. i. 6. So we shall at last be presented unto him, glorious and without blemish, being (Tirisah) well-pleasing and acceptable in bis sight." This is a specimen of pious 1NGI;nuiTV, which has been endeavouring to do the work of an EVANGELIST in the Church of God, from the time of Origen to the present

Verse 12. Gel thee up into this mount Abarim] The mountain which Moses was commanded to ascend was certainly mount Nebo, see Deut. xxxii. 4!), &c. which was the same as Pisgah, see Deut. xxxiv. 1. The mountains ot Ahuiini, according to Dr. Shaw, are a long ridge of frightful, rocky, precipitous hills, which are continued all along the eastern coast of the Dead Sea, as far as the eye can reach. As in Hebrew, 'Oy abar, signifies to p«Morcr,.^idriwi here, probably signifies passiges; and the ridge in this place had its name, m all likelihood, from the pufsage of the Israelites, as it was opposite to these, that they passed the Jordan into the promised land.

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

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

15 ^ And Moses spake unto the Lokd, saying,

16 Let the Lord, '' the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,

17 ' Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord be not ' as sheep which have no shepherd.

18 ^ And the Lord.said unto Mcses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man * in whom is the spirit, and " lay thine hand upon him;

I Verse 1 4. Ye rebelled against mj commandment^ See the notes on chap. xx. 8.

Verse 16. Jehovah, the God of the spirits of all Jlesh'] See the notes on cha|). xvi. 22.

Verse 17. That the congregation of the Lord he not as sheep which have no shepherd.} This is a beaulif'ul expression, and shews us in what light Mo^es viewed himself among- ihis people. He was their shepherd — he sought no higher place: htfeJ and guided the {lock of (jod under the direction of the Divine Spirit; and wa.s faithful in all his Master's house. To this saying of Moses our Lord allnde-s Matt. ix. 36.

Verse 18. Li whom is the Spirit] This must ccrtaiidy mean the Spirit of God; and because he was endued with this Spirit, therefore he was capable of leading the people. How miseraljly qualitied is that man for tiie work of God, who is not guided and influenced by the Holy Ghost. God never chuses a man to acconipli.sh his designs, but that one vhi.mhe himself has qualified for llie work.

Verse 20. And thou shall put, Ike] y^VVZ mihodca, of thine honour or authority/ upon him. Thou shall shew to the whole

! 19 And set him before Eleazar j^c'l^fi: I the priest, and before all the con- An.Exod.isr.

20 And " thou sluilt put some of tliine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the cliiidren ol Israel ' may be obechent.

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

22 And Moses did as the Lord commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congre^ gation:

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

congregation, that thou hast associated him with thyself in tlie government of the people.

Verse 21. Eleazar the priest — shall ask counsel /or liini] Here was a remarkable chfTerence between him and Moses. God talked with Moses face to face; but to Joshua, only through the medium of the high priest.

Verse 23. He laid his hands upon him] As a proof of his being appointed to, and qualified for, the work. So, at the word of Joshua, they were to go out; and at his word, to come in, ver. 21. And thus he was a type of our blessed Lord, as to his meritorial ofl'ice and divine appointment as man, to llie work of our salvation; and to tljis circumstance of the appointment of Joshua to this work, and his receiving of Moses' honour and glor}', St. Peter seems to refer in these words, 2(1 Epist. i. 16, n. " We were ej-e-witnesses of his majesty; for he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; HEAR fUM." — See Matt. xvii. 5. But one infinitely greater than either Moses or Joshua, is here.

All the offerings of God lo Ije (>Ucred in their due season, 1,2. The continual burnt-offering for the morning, 3 — G. and its driul:-o[l'ering, 7. The continual tjurnt-offcring for the evening, 8. The offerings for the sabbath, 9, 10. The offerings for the beginning of each month, 11 — 15. Repetition of the ordinances concerning the passover, IG — 25. Ordinances xoncerniiig the daij of Jirst-fniits, or Pentecost, '26 — 31.

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

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

4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer "at even;

5 And ^ a tenth part of an epliah of flour for a ' meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of a '' hin of beaten oil.

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

7 And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of a hin for the one lamb: " in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the Lord for a drink offering.

3 And tlie other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat offering of the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou shalt offer it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the

9 ^ And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of

flour _/or a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof:

10 This is ' the burnt offering of every sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.

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

12 And " three tenth deals of flour ^/or a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one ram •,

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

14 And their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine unto a bullock, and the third jpart of a hin unto a ram, and a fourth part of a hin unto a lamb: this is the burnt offering of every month throughout the months of the year.

15 And " one kid of the goats for a sin offering unto the Lord, shall be offered, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.

\G % '^ And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the pass-over of the Lord.

1 7 "And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.

NOTES ON CH.\P. XXVni. Verse 2. Command the children of Israel, &c.] It is not easy to account for the reason of the introduction of these precepts here, which hatl been so circiiin.'.tantially ilelivered before in dilferent parts of tlie books of Kxodus and Leviticus. It is possible that the daitt/, iv.ekly, monlhiy, aw\ yearly services, had been consideralily interrupted for several years, owing to the unsettled slate of the people in the wilderness; and that it was necessary to repeat these laws for two reasons: 1. Because they were now about to enter into the promised land, where these services must be established and constant: And 2. Because the former generation beinp^ all dead, nuiltitudes of the present micfhi be ignorant of those ordinances.

In their due season.] Moses divides these ofVermgs into 1. Daily. The monmg and eiening sacrifices j a lamb each time, ver. 3, 4.

4. Annual, l. The Passover to last seven days: the ofierings, two young bullocks, one ram, sei-en la?nbs of a year old, and a /je-^'o,'i;, for a sin-oflcring, ver. 16, &c. 2. The day of FlRST-riiorrs. The sacrifices, the same as on the beginning of the month, ver. 26, &c. With these sacrifices were oflered libation", or drink-offerings of strong ivinc, ver. 7 and 1 4. and minchaks, or meat-offerings, composed o\' fine Jlour, mingled vvitli oil, ver. 8, 12, &c. For an ample account of all these oflerings, see the notes on I.evit. vii. and F.xod. xii.

Verse 7. Strong luinc] Sikera; see the note on chap. x. 9, where this is largely explained.

18 In the ' first day shall be an holy

19 But ye shall ofter a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt ofrering unto the Loud; two young

bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of die first year: " they sliall be unto you without blemish:

20 And their meat offering shall he of flour mingled with oil: three teutli deals shall ye offer tor a bullock, and two tenth deals lor a ram;

21 A several tenth deal shalt thou ofter foi' every lamb, throughout the seven lambs:

22 And ' one goat Jbr a sin offering, to make an atonement for you.

23 Ye shall offer these beside the burnt oft'oring in the morning, wliich is ibr a continual bui"nt oft'ering.

24 After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord: it shall be offered beside the continual

Verse 26. Day of the JirslfriiUs] Called also the feast of weeks, and the feast of Pentecost; see it explained E.xod. xxiii. 14. and Lev. xxiii. 15.

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

2G *I[ Also 'in the day of the firstfruits, when ye bring a new meat oftlring unto the Lord, afler your weeks he out, ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work:

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

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

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

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

[ 31 Ye shall ofter them beside the continual burnt oftering, and his meat offering, ('they

.shall be unto you without blemish) and their drink offerings.

Verse 31. Without hkinisli] This is to be understood as applying not only to the animals but also to (hejlour, wine, and oil: every tiling must be peifcct in its kind.

TAe feast of trumpets OM the first dai/ of the seventh month, and its sacrijiccs, 1 — 6. The feast of expiation, or annual atonement, on the tenth dcij/ of the same month, nilh its sacrifices, 7 — il- The feast of tabernacl«js. held on the fifteenth dai/ of the same month, Zi'ith its eight dai/s" offerings, 12. The offerings of the first day thirteen huWocks, tn'o rams, fourteen lambs, and oieU'id,!3 — -16. The off erint^s of the second day, /?(c/i.e bullocks, tzco riims, fourteen \amhs, and one kid, 17 — 19. The offerings of the third d.ny, e/tri'« bullocks, the rest as before, 10 — 2'2. 2'he offerings of the fomlh day, ^e« bullocks, the rest as he/ore, '23 — 25. The offerings of the iii'lh (lay, wi/ie bullocks, Sfc. 26 — 28. The offerings of the sixth day, eight bullocks, S)C. 29 — 31. I'/ic offerings of the seventh day, seven bullocks, Sfc. 32 — 34. The offerings vf tlie eighth day, one bullock, one ram, seven lambs, and one goat, 35 — 38. These sacrifices to he offered, and feasts to he kept, besides vows, freewill-offerings, Sj-c. S)C. 39- Moses announces all these things to the people, 40.

\NDin the sc\'enth month, on the first f/flT/ of the month, ye sliall have a holy convocation; ye shall do

2 And ye shall ofter a burnt offer- '"- •"''

ginning of their civil year, and was a time of great festivity, and wiu ushered in by the blowing of trumpets. It ans.vtrs to

An.Exod.isr. LoRD; oncyoung DullocK, oiie raiTi, '^""•'*"' and seven lambs of the first year without blemish:

3 And their meat oftering shall he of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals tor a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram,

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

.5 And one kid of the goats for a sin oftering, to make an atonement for you:

6 Beside *-the burnt oftering of the month, and his meat oftering, and " the daily burnt oftering, and his meat offering, and their drink oft'erings, " according unto their manner, for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the

7 % And " ye shall have on the tenth day of tliis seventh month a holy convocation; and ye shall "afilict your souls: ye shall not do any work therein:

8 But ye shall ofter a burnt oftering luito the Lord for a sweet savour; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year; ' they shall be unto you without blemish:

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

10 A several tenth deal lor one lamb throughout the seven lambs:

1 1 One kid of the goats for a sin oftering; beside '=' the sin oftering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering of it, and their\lrink offerings.

a part of our September. In imitation of the Jevv.s, difFerent nations began their new year with saciifices and festivity. The ancient F.gyptians did so: anil the Persians still ce!ebr.te liicir., »J naxu i rooz, ov nau year s day, which tlioy ho'd on the vernal c(|uinox. Tiie firt day of the year is;reiieially a time ot fe-tivity in all civilized naiioiis.

On this day the Israelites oftercd one ynung bul/ock, one ram, seven Inmhs, and a kid, for a sin-ollcriiiij, besides minchahs, or mcat-f>fferi:'gs.

daj/s of the seventh month. 12 f And " on the fifteenth day of A.M.dr.sMn. tiie seventh month ye shall have a.An.Exod.isr.

vile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto the I Lord seven days,

I 13 And ' 3'e shall oflPer a burnt offering, a sacri-! fice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the I Lord; thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and \ fourteen lambs of the first year; they shall be i w'ithout blemish:

14 And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto every

\ bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth deals to each ram of the two rams,

15 And a several tenth deal to each lamb of' the fourteen lambs:

16 And one kid of the goats for a sin oftering; " beside the continual burnt oftering, his meat offering, and his drink oftering.

17 ^1 And on the second day ye shall oj§ir ■ twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without spot:

18 And their meat oftering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, *" after the manner:

19 And one kid of the goats Jor a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering; and the meat oftering thereof, and their drink oft'erings.

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

21 And their meat oftering and their itrink offerings for their bullocks, for the rams, and

ins day one bullock less, till on the seventh day there were only se-cen, making in all seventy. What an expensive service! How should we magnify God for being dolivcretl from it! At the public charge, there were annually oflcred to God, iiulependantly of trespass- offerings and voluntary \ows, lifteen goat.>i, twenty-one kids, sevcnt\-two rams, 132 bullocks, and 1 101 lambs! But how little is all this, when compared with the lambs slain every year at i\ie pussorer, which amounted in one year to the immense number of 255,600 slain at the temple itself, which was the answer that Cestius, the Human general, received, when he a.'fked the priests lioiv tnttny yer.ivns bad come to Jerusalem at ihcir annual feslivals; the priests numbering th«? people by the lumhs that had been slain, said, '■ twenty- five myriud.s 5000, and 600." — tor an account of the feast of tabernacles, see in Ltvit. xxiii. 34.

22 And one goat for a sin offer ing; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.

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

24 Their meat offering and their drink offer ings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall he according to their number, after the manner: j

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

26 *[[ And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year with- • out spot:

27 And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the Iambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner:

28 And one goat for a sin offering: beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.

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

30 And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall he according to their number, after the manner:

3 1 And one go<\i for a sin offering: beside the

Verse 35. On the eighth duy yc shdtl have a solemn assenibli/] This among the Jews was cstctmed tlie chief or lii^^li day of the feast, though fewer sacrifices were olifered on it than on the others: the people seem to have finished the solemnity with a greater measure of spiritual devotion — and it was on fering, and his drink offering.

32 ^ And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, uml fourteen lambs of the first ycjir without blemish:

33 And their meat oftering and their drink offerings for the bullocks,- for the rams, and for the lambs, shall he according to their number, after the manner:

34 And one goat,/o/' a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink ottering.

35 ^ On the eighth day ye shall have a '' solemn assembly: ye shall do no servile work therein.-

3Q But ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord: one bullock, one ram, seven lambs of the first year, without blemish:

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

38 And one goat^or a sin offering; beside the continual bintit offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.

S9 These things ye shall " do unto the Lord in your '' set feasts, beside your ' vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings; and for your meat offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.

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

this day of the fea.<t, that our ble.sse<l Lord railed the Jews from \.\\e letter io \\\c apirit o^ \ht law; proposinu' himself as the sole fountain whence they could derive the streams of salvation, John vii. 37. On the subject of this chapter see the notes on Levit. xii. xvi. and xxiii.

'The laze concerning vows of men, 1,2. 0/ women under age, and in tehat cases the father may annul them, 3 — 5. '^'Iic voKH of a ufe, and in nhat cases the hushund may annul them, 6 — 3. The vous of a widow, or divorced.ioman, in zvhat cases thei/ mat) be comidered either as conjirmed or annulled, 9^ 15. liecapilitlalion of these ordinances, 16.

ND Closes spake unto ' the heads J^\_ of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying. This w the thing which the Lord hath commanded.

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

3 % If a woman also vov/ a vow unto the Ix)RD, and bind herseffhy a bond, bewg in her father's house in her youth;

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

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

6 ^ And if she had at all a husband, when ^ she \'owed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;

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

8 But if her husband ^ disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her

Verse 2. If a man row a voiS] A vow i.s a religiou.s protni-se made to God. Vows were of several kinds: 1. Of abslincnce or humi/idlion;.soever. 1."}. 2. 0( the Niizarite; *<e chap. vi. 3. Of c,'r.(ri^ certain t/iinf^n, or sacnficcs, to the Lord, Lev. vii. 16. 4. O ( alms gwen to the poor; see Dent, xxiii. 21. The law in this chapter must have been very u.^efiil, as it bolli prc-jcnlcdand tinnuHal ra:h vous, and provided a proper.sanction for llie support r.ml performance of those tliat •were rationally and piously made. Besidc,«, thi.'i law nnist have acted as a great preventative of /j/im^ and /;j/;)oc;i^y. If a vow uas properly made, a man or woman was bound under penalty of the di.spkasure of God, to fulfill it.

Verse 3. In lier youth'] That is, say the Rabbins, under tv>ehc years of a^e. And under thirteen, in case of a yowii^ mtin. Yoinio- persons of this age were considered to be undei the authoii'y of iheir parcuts, and had consequently no power

9 ^ But every vow of a widow, and

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

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

12 But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the Lord shall forgive her.

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

14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establishetli all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her, in the day that he heard them.

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

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

to vow away the property of another. A married woman was ill the same circumstances, because she was under the autliO' ri/j/ other husband. If, however, the parents or the husband heard of the vow, and objected to it in the same day in whidk they heard of it, ver. 5. then the vow was annulled — or, if havinsj heard of it, they held their peace, this was considered a ratification of the vow.

A rush voxv was never to be kept — " For," says Philo, and common sen^e and justice say the same, " he who commits an unjust action, because of his vow, adds one srime to another: 1. By making an unlawful vuxv. 2. By doing aa unlawful action."

Verse 12. Cuncernin^ the bond ofhersoull Her life is at stake, if she fulfil not the oblisation under which she has laid herself.

Ver. 16. These nre the statutes} It is very probable that this law, like that concerning tlie succession of daughters, chap, xxvii. ro.se from the exigency of some particular case that had just then occurred.

Making vows, in almost any case, is a dangerous business; they seldom do any good, and often much evil. He who does not feel liiniself bound to do what \sfit, right, and just, from llie standing testimony of God's word, is not hkely to do it from j any ohli^ation he may lay upon his own conscience. It (Jud's I uord lack weight with him, his oxin will prove lighter than j vanity. Every man who professes the Christian religion, is;

under the most solemn ohHgation to devote body, soul, and spirit to God, not only to the utmost extent of his powers; but also as long as he exists. Ijeing hapthed, and rcreiving' the sacrament of the Lord's supper, are additional ratifications of the great, general, Christian vow: but every true follower of Christ shuuld always renicujber, and frequently renew, his covenant with God.

T/ie commatul of the Lord to mahe rear on the MiiUaiiites, 1, 'J. One thousand men are cha^cn out of each of the iicclve tribes, and sent nith Phlnehas against the Midianites, 3 — fj. Thei/ slay all the males, 7.; their five kings, and Balaam, 8. Thei/ lahr all the zcomeu captives, rtith the fnchs and goods, 9.,- ham their cities, and bring axai/ the spoil, 10, II. 'J'hei/ Ining the captives, &;c. to Muses, zcho is tvroth zcith the officers for sparing the vonien, uho had formerh/ been the cause of their transgression and punishment, IC — 16. He commands all the male children, and all the groz^n up females, to be slain, 17, 18. Ilozc the soldien zcerc to purify themselves, 19, CO.,- and the different articles taken in the zcur, CI — C4. 'I'hcy are commanded to take the sum of the prey, to divide it into tiiojmrts; one for the l'2,000 zc^arriors, and the uthcr for the rest of the congregation, C5 — 27. One of 500, both of persons and cattle, of the share of the zatrriors, to be given to the Lord, 28, 29.; and one part, of fifty, of the people's share, to be given to the Levites, SO. The smn of the prey remaining after the above divifV^m; sheep, ()7J,000, beeves, 7C,000, asses, ni,()00, young zvomen, 32,000, ver. 31 — 35. IIozv the soldiers' part Zi'as divided, 36 — 40. IIozc the part belonging to the congregation zcas divided, 41 — 47. The offtcers report, that thei/ had not lost a man in this zcar, 48, 49- They bring a voluutarxj oblation to God, of gold and ornaments, 50, 51. The amount of uhich zvas 1G,7jO shekels, 5t, 53. Muses and Eleazar bring the gold into the tabernaclej'or a memorial, 54.

') And Moses spake unto tlic people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Louu of Midian,

1 4 'Of every tribe a thousand, ^?.';>"• tiirougliont all the tribes or Israel, An.txrd.hr. shall ye semi to the war. "'"'

5 iio there wuie delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand oi'cveri^ tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.

G And Moses sent them to tlie war, a thousand of everj/ tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the

NOTES O.N CIUP. XXXI. Vers* 2. Gathered unto t/iy people] When? Not in the ^ grave surely. — ]\Iose> was gathered with none of iliem; his I burial place no man ever knew — " Ikit being githered ui:to, one's ptoiilt means dyiii'^." It does imply dying, but it does not nican this only. The truth is, God con^idcrs all those who are dead to men, in a state of conscious existence in another world. Therefore he calls himself the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob; novj God is not the God of tlic dead, but of the living; because all LIVE TO HIM, whether dead to men or not Moses, therefore, was to be gathered co, his people, to enter into tiiat republic of Jsriul, which having di«l ill the faith, fear and love of God, were now living in a.

state of conscious blessedness, beyond the confines »f the grave. — See the note on Gen. xxv. 8. and on xlix. 33.

Verse 3. /IttH^'e the Lord of Midian] It v\as Gwl'e quarrel, not their vvm, that they were now lo take up. These people were id<jlaters; idolatry is an oflc-noc against GODj IhecitiV power has no authority to meddle with uhat belongs lo Him, without especial directions, certified in the most unequivocal way. Pjivate revenge, extension of territory, Uive of plunder, were lo have no place in this business; tlie Lord is to be avenged; and through Him, the children of Israel, ver.:2. because their.5ok/s, as well as tlieir ii^i/jVs, had birii veil nigh ruined, by their idolatry.

to blow in his hand. 7 And they warred against th^' Midianites, as the Lord commanded i\Ioses; and " they slew all.the " males.

8 And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namelr/^ ''Evi, and llekem, and Zur, and Hur, and lleba, five kings of Midian: ' Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

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

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

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

12 And they bi'oiight the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the jjlains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho.

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

14 And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, tdth the captains over thousands.

in the whole — and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar; some think he was made general in this txpedition, but this is not likely. The ark and its contents must proceed to this battle, because the battle was the Lord's, and he dwelt between the cherubim over the ark; and Phinehas, who had before got a grant in the eternal priesthood, was chosen to accompany the ark in place of his father Eleazar, who was, probably, now too far advanced ill years to undergo the fatigue. \\'\\o then was general.' Joi/i!<«, without doubt, though not here mentioned; T)ecause the battle being the Lord's, he alone is to have the supreme direction, and all the glory. Besides, it was an extraordinary war, and not conducted on the common principle, for we do not find that peace was ofTered to the Midianites, and that they refused it; see Deut. xx.' 10, &c. In such a case only, hostilities could lawfully commence; but they were sinners against GOD; the cup of their iniquity was full; and God thought proper to destroy them. Thougli a leader there certainly was, and Joshua was probably that leader, yet, because God, for the above reason, was considered

Midianites, and destroy them. and captains over hundreds, which am.2.5='3. came rrom the ^battle. An.E.xod.isr.

1 5 And Moses said unto them, Have ''"• ye saved " all the women ahve?

16 Behold, 'these caused the children of Israel, through the " counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and ' there was a plague among the tion of the Lord.

17 Now therelbre "kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known inan by lying with " him.

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

19 And ° do ye abitle without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person, and '' whosoever hath touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day.

20 And purify dll your raiment, and all ''that is made of skins, and all work of goats' hair, and all tilings made of wood.

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

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

23 Every thing that may abide the fire, ye

as commander-in-chief, therefore no one else is mentioned: I'ur it is evident that the sole business of Phinehas was to take care of the holy instruments, and to hloxu with the trwnpel.

Ver.se 8. Balaam — thei/ slexo with the sword.} This man had, probably, committed what St. John calls the sin unto death; a sin vVhich God punishes with temporal death, while at the same time he extends mercy to the soul. — See the remarks at the end of chap. xxiv.

Verse 17. Kill every male among the little ones'] For this action I account, simply on the principle that God, who is the author and supporter of life, has a right to dispose of it when and hmu he thinks proper; and the Judge of all the earth can do nothina: hut what is ri!;ht. Of the women killed on this occasion, it may be safety said, their lives were forfeited by their /)f)-so7m/ transgressions; and yet even in this case, there can he little doubt, that God shewed mercy to their souls. The little ones were safely lodged — they were taken to heaven and saved from the evil to come.

b r'lisi' ^'^^^' make it go tlirough the fire, and An. Ejod isr. it sliuU be cloaTi: nevertheless it shall ""'• be purified * with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.

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

26 Take the sum of the prey 'that was taken, but/t of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the chief fathers of the congregation:

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

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

29 Take it of their half, and give it unto Eleazar the priest, Jbr a heave-oftering of the

30 And of the children of Israel's half, thou shalt take ' one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the ^ flocks, of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, " which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the Loud.

:n And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.

32 And the booty, bei/ig the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught, was six hundred tliousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep.

33 And threescore and twelve thousand beeves.

W 3.5 And thirty and two tliousand uc'i-jm persons in all, of women that had not An.Exod.iir.

3G And the half, xchicli xcas the portion of them that wetit out to war, was in niunber three hundred thousand and seven and thirty thousand and five Inuidred sheep:

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

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

39 And the asses tcei-e thirty tliousand and five hundred; of which the Lord's tribute was threescore and one,

40 And the persons were sixteen thousand: of which the Lord's tribute icas thirty and two persons.

41 And IMoses gave the tribute, which was the Lord's heave-offering unto Eleazar the priest, ' as the Lord commanded Moses.

42 And of the children of Israel's half, which Moses divided liom the men that warred,

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

44 And thirty and six thousand beeves,

45 And thirty thousand asses and five huil- \\ drcd,

47 Even " of the children of Israel's half, Moses took one portion of fifty, loth of man and of beast, and gave them inito the Levites, which kept the charge of the tabernacle of the Loud; as the Lord conunanded j\Ioses.

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

XIX. 2, &c. Garments wliether of cloth or skins, were to be ■masked. Gold, silver, brass, iron, tin and kud to pass "through the fire, probably to be melted down.

hundred, &c.] The persons to be ciriployed in the Lord's • service, \indcr the Levites — the cuttle either for sacrifice, or tor the use of the I.evites, ver.?>0. iSorae monsters hayc ■ supposed that one, out of every fue hundred of the captives, was offered in sacrifice to the Lord! but this is abominable.— When God chose to liavf the life of a man, he took it iu the \\ay D? justice, as in the case of the Midianites above; but ne\er in tlie vay of sacrijicc.

49 And they said unto Moses, Thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war which are under our and there lacketh not one man of

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

51 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them, €ve7i all wrought jewels.

oiew who were slain by the divine command, ver. 17. And it does not appear, that in lliis expedition, a single man of I.-irael fell! Tlii.s was natiir illy to be expected, because the battle was the Lord',«, ver. 49.

As the booty was divided info two eqnal parts, ver. 22. one tor the soldiers employed in the e.xpedition, and the other for those who, being equally willing to be employed, were ordered to stay in the camp: so each of the parties in this

And all the gold of the " offering that they offered up to the Lord, An. ^.^ori. isr. of tlie captains of thousands,* and of '^"'

; the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.

53 CFor 'the men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.)

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

booty, was to give a certain proportion to the Lord. The soldiers to gire to the Lord, one out of every Jive hundred persons, br-etes, (isses and sheep, ver. 28. The pc.ple, wlio by staying at home, risked nothing, and had no fatigue, were to give one out of /|/7y of the above, ver. 30. The booty its division among the soldiers and people — the proportion given by each to the Lord, and to the Levites, will be seen in one view by the following table, which I copy from Houbigant,

In which table the booty is equally divided between the people and the snU'iers: a five hundredth part being given to the Lord; and a fiftieth part to the Levites.

Verse 50. We have — brought an oblation for the Lord] So it appears there was a great deal of booty taken, winch did not some into the general account: and of thi.s, tiie soldiers, of their own will, made a very extensive oftering to God, because he had preserved them from fulling in battle. That not one man.should have been slain, is a most extraordinary circumstance, and powerfully marks the peculiar superintendance of God's especial providence. The Midianites must certainly have made some resistance, but that was ineffectual;

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

To make an atonement for our souls'] That is, to make an acknowledgment to God for the preservation of their lives. The gold offered on this occasion, amounted to 16,750 shekels, equal to =£'37,869 16i5iiof our money. See the note on Exod. XXV. 39. where the true value of the shekel is given, and a rule laid d«wn to reduce it to English money.

The Rettlenites and Gadites request Moses to give them their inheritance on this aide of Jordan, 1 — 5. Moses c.rpostiilatcs with, and reproves them, G — 15. Thei/ explain themselves, and propose conditions, zcith which Moses is mtisfied — they are to build cities for their anves and children, and folds for their cattle, and go over Jordan armed J:cith the other tribes, and fight against their enemies till the land is subdued; after uhich they are to return, 16—27. Moses proposes the business to Eleazar, Joshua, and the elders, 28 — JO. The Gadites ntid Mevbenitcs promise a faithful observance of the conditions, 31,32. Onxehich, Moses assigns to thtm and the half tribt of ILnuissdi, the hins^doia of Sihoit, l;itig of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og, king of Bushan, 3;3. The cities built by the Cadites, 34—36. The cities built by tlie Reube/iiles, 37, 38. The children of Mfichir, the son of Manasseh, erpel tlic Amorites from Gilead, 39, k'A/cA Moses grants to them, 40. Jair, the son of Manasseh, takes the small towns of Gilead, 41. And Nobuh talus Kenalli and its ■villages, 42.

NOW the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and vhcn they saw the land of ' Jazcr, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;

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

4 Eve» the country ' which the Lonn smote before the consiresatton of Israel, is a land lor cattle, and thy servants have cattle:

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

G *A And iNIoses said vmto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?

7 And wherefore ' discomage ye the heart of the children of Israel, from going over into the land which the Loud hath given them?

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

9 For ' when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the

Ver.'^e 3. Aiatoth ami Dtbon, &(..] Tlic places mentioned htrc, belonged to iSihon, kin;; of the Amonles, and Og, king of Raslian; which btin^^ conqucrtd by the Israelites, con.<tiiutcd ever after a part of ihtir uriitories; ver. 3'S.

Verse 5. Lcl litis land be given iiiitu iliy sinums] Because it was good for pas'ttin;^c, and tl>ey had niaiiv ficicks, ver. 1.

Verse 12. Caleb, llic son nf Ji[./iu>ineh lU- Kciii.zitt:] It was.Jephunnch, that was the Kenezite, and not Cakb. Kenaz was prui'ably the father of Jephunneh.

Verse 1 Ci. fVe ti):/l build — alies for our little ons\ It was impossible for thi^, nunaerous as they might be, to build heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the Loud had given thein.

10 ''And the Loiiu's anger was kindled the same time, and he sware,.saying,

1 1 Surely none of the men that came up out of Eg}^)t, ' from twenty years old and upward, shail see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because " they have not " v.-hol!y ibllowed me:

12 Save Caleb, l!ie son of Jephunnch the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: "for they have wholly followed the Loud.

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

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

l,*; For if ye 'turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye siiall destroy all this people.

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

17 But 'we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought

I Cities and fortify thrm for the defence of their fiinilics in their absence. Calm- 1 supposes they meant no more than reptiiiing the cities of the Amorites which they had lately taken,; which work mig;hl have been very easily accomplished m the time which they spent on this side ot Jordan, before they \'.ent over with their brethren, to put them in possession of the land.

Ver~« n. Because of the inhiibittnts of tlie land.] Thes« were the Ainuionitts, Moabites, idumcans, and the rcmaiiii of the Midianites and Ainorite.^. But could the women and chiidrtn even keep the dttenccd cities, when placed m them? This, certainly cannot be supposed pt/ssible. Many of the them unto their place: and our Httle ones shall dwell in the fenced cities becau.se of the inhabitants of the

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

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

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

21 And will go all of vou armed over Jordan bcibre the Lord, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him,

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

23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have

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

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

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

31 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered said unto thy servants, so will we do

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

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

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

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

27 " But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to battle, as my lord saith.

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

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

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

men of war mu.st of course stay behind. In the last cen.siis, chap. xyvi. the tribe of Reuben consisted of 43,730 men: tlie tribe of Gad, 40,500: the tribe of Manasseh, 52,700; the lialf of whidi i.^ 26,350. Add thi.s to the sum of the other two fril>es, and the amount is 110,580. Now, from Joshua iv. 13. we learn, that of the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half of the tribe of Manasscii, only 40,000 annod men pa-ised ovfr Jordan to assist their brethren in tl)e reduction of the land: consequently the number of 70,580 men were left behind for the defence of the women, the children.

and the flocks. This was more than sufficient to defend them against a people already panic struck by their late discomfitures and reverses.

Verse 34. The children of Gad built — Amer] This was situated on the river Arnon, Dcut. ii. 36. 2 Kings x. 33. It was formerly inhabited by the Emim, a warlike and perhaps gijjanlic people. Tiiey were expelled by the Moabiles; the Muabites by the Amorites; and the Amorites by the I>raclites. The Gaditcs then posses.^ed it till the captivity pf their tribe, with that pf Reuben and the half ef the tribe of Manasseh,

38 And * Nebo, and " Baal-mcon, C their names being clianged,) and Shibniah: and " gave other names unto the cities wliich they builded.

39 And the children of ' Machir, the son of Manasseh, went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite which u-as in it.

40 And Moses ' gave Gilead unto Machir, the

by the Assyrians, 2 Kings xv. 29. after which, the Jloabiics appear to have repossessed it, as they seem to have occupied it in the days of Jeremiah, chap, xlviii. 15 — 20.

Verse 38^ And Nebo — their ttames beini^ changed] That is, those who conquered the cities, called them after their own name.';. Thus the city Kemith, being conquered by Nobah, was called after his name, ver. 42.

Verse 41. Huvothjair] That is, the villw^cs or hahiialions of Jair. And thus they should have been translated. As i

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

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

these two tribes and a half were the first, says.'\insworth, who had their inheritance a.ssijjned to them in tlie promi.<ed land; so they were the first of all Israel, that were carried captive out of their own land, because of their sins. " For they transn;ressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whorinc; after other gods. And God delivered them into the liands of Pul and Tiiiliith Pilnescr, kings of Assyria, and they brought tUeni to Ualttli, Hahor, Hara, and Gozan, unto this day." See 1 Chron. v. 25. 26.

The joitrneipngii of the Israelitei tmtlen out hi/ Moses, according to the commandment of the Lord, 1,2. Thei/ depart from Rnmeses on the Jifleeitth day of the Jirst month, on the day after the pass-over, the first-born ol^' the Egyptians having been slain, 3, 4. Their forty-two stations enumerated, 5 — 49. They are authorized t» expel all the former inhabitants, and destroy all remnants of idolatry, 50 — 53. The land is to be divided htj lot, 54. Should they not drive out the former inhabitants, they shall be to them as pricks in their eyes and thorns in their sides, 55. And if not obedient, God tvill deal zvith them as he has purposed to do with the Canaanites, ofi. A.M.'/s.w.

THESE are the 'journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with

NOTES ON CHAP. XXXIII. Verse 2. ytnd Moses wrote their guim^s out according to their journcT/s] We may consider the wliolc book of Numbers as a diary, and indeed the f:r»t book of travels ever published. Dr. Sliavv, Dr. Pocock, and several others, have endeavoured to mark out the route of the Israelites through this great, dreaiy, and trackless dcsart; and have ascertained many of the stages here described. Indeed there are suifuient evidences of this important journey still remaining; for tlie descriptions of many are so particular, that the places are readily ascertained by them; but this is not the case with all. Israel was the church of God in the wilderness, and its unsettled, wandering stale under Moses, may point out the unsettled ttate of religion under the law. Their being brought, after

their armies, under the '' hand of Moses and Aaron. 2 And Moses wrote their "goings out

the death of Moses, into the promised rest by Joshua, niny point out the establishment, fixedness, and certainty of that salvation provided by Jesus Christ, of whom Joshua, in tmme and conduct, was a remarkable type. Mr. Ainsworlh imagines that the forty-two stations, here enumerated, tiirouijh which the Israelites were brought to the verge of the promised land, and aderwards taken over Jordan into the rest which God had promised; point out the furty-tiuo generations from Abraham unto Christ, through whom the Saviour of the world came; by whose blood we have an entrance into the Holiest, and enjoy the inheritance among the saints in light. And Mr. Bromley, in Ins Way to the Sabbath of rest, considers each name and place, as descriptive of the spiritual state, through which a soul pusses in its way tc the kmgdom' of God.

according to their journeys, by the commandment of the Lord: and these are their journeys according to their goings out.

3 And they * departed from Rameses in teenth

8 And tliev

4 For the Eg^^itians buried all t/ieir first-born, " which the Lord had smitten among them: * upon their gods also the Lord executed judgments.

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

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

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

Verse 3. From Rumeses] This appears to hwe been the inetropalis of the land of Goslien, and the place of rendezvou>:, whence the whole Lraelitish nation set out on their journey to the promised land..See the notes on Exod. xii. 37.

Station i. Verse 5. And pitched in SuccOTH.] This name signifies booths or tents, and probahly refers Uf no toii:n or I'illau^c, but simply designates the place where they pitched their tents for the first time, after their departure from Ramescs.

Stat. ii. Verse 6. Eth.\M, ivhicli is in the ed'^c of the iviltJerncss.l This place is not well known; Dr. Shaw supposes it to have been one mile from Caitrj. Cahnet thinks it is the city of Buthuvi, mentioned by Hcrodotas, wliich he places m Arabia, on the frontiers of K^ypt.

ST.vr. iii. Verse "i. Pl-HAIIlUOlll] See on Exod. xiv. 1. Jiaal-zephon, Cahnet sivpposes to be the Cti/sma of the Greeks, and the Kolzum of the Arabians.

Sta']'. iV. Verse 8. And iieint three days' jounirr/ in the wilderness of Elluim] Called the wilderness of Slwr, Exod. xv. 22.

And pitched in Marah.] Dr. Shaw supposes this place to be at Sadur, x)vcr against the vaUey of liaide/ih, on the opposite side of the Red sea.

StaT. v. Verse 9. And came unto EilM] A place on the skirts of the desarls ol'.SV/(, two leaj^ues from Tor, and near thirty from Curondel, a large bay on the east side of the lied departed from before ■*'^^- ^^is. Pi-hahirotii, and ' passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness,

9 And they removed from Marah, and " came unto Elim: and in Elim were twelve fountains of v^ater, and threescore and ten palm trees; and they pitched there.

10 And they removed from Elim, camped by the Red sea.

1 1 And they removed from the Red sea, and encamped in the 'wilderness of Sin.

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

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

14 And they removed from Alush, and encani])ed at ™ Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drink.

sea. Dr. Shaw, when he virited this place, found but nine of the twelve wells mentioned in the text, and instead of 70 palm-trees, he found ujiwards of 2000. See on Exod. xv. 27. and the map in Exodus.

St.VT. vi. Verse 10. Encamped hy ihc Red SEA.] It is difficult to assign the place of this encainpinent; as the Israelites were now on their way to mount Sinai, which lay considerably to the cast of Elim, and con.sequenlly farther from the sea than the Ibrmer station. It might be called by the Red sea, as the Israelites had it, as the principal object, still in view. This station however is mentioned no where else. By the Red sea, we are not to understand a sea, the waters of which are ird, or the sand red; or any thing else about i or in it red: for nothing of this kind appears. It is called in Hebrew r-pD CD' yavi nuph, which signifies the weedy sea. The Scjuuagint rendered tlie original by SaAa<rcci i^u^pa, and the I'ul'j^ule after it, bj' 7n(ire rubriim, and the European versions followed these; and in opposition to etymology and reason, translated it The Red sea. See the note on Exod. x. 1 9.

Stat. vii. Verse II. The wilderness of iyim.] This l^es between Elim and mount Sinai. Dr. Shaw and his companioni traversed these plains in nine hours.

SlVf. viii. Verse 12. DOPIIKAH.] This place is not mentioned in E.xodus, and its situation is not known.

Stat. ix. Verse 13, Ai.USH.] Neither is this mentioned in Exodus, and its situation is equally unknown.

,Sta r. X. Verse 14. RF.PiilDi.M] Remarkable for the rebellion of the Israshted against Moses, because of ihe nant of water, Eiod, xvii.

15 And they departed from Rcphidim, and pitched in the " wilderness of Sinai.

16 And they removed from the dcsart of Sinai, and pitched ^ at ' Kibrotli-liattaavah.

17 And they departed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and '' encamped at Hazeroth.

18 And they departed from Ilazc-

. 19 And they departed from Rithmah, and pitched at lvimmon-j)arez.

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

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

'22 And they journeyed from Rissali, and pitched in Kchelathah.

23 And they went from Kehelathah, and l)itched in mount Shapher.

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

, St.\T. xi. Verse 1 5. The WILOERNESS of SiNAI.] Somewlicre northward of mount Sinai, on tlie straighi road to tbe prwTiised land, to which they now direcied tlicir course.

St.\t. xii. Verse IG. KinnOTii-iiATTAAVAii.] \o city, village, &e. but a place in the open desart, which had its name from the plague that fell upon the Israelites, tiirough their murmuring again^ God^ and their inordinate desire of flesh. Sec on chap. xi. But it appears that the Israelites liad travelled three days' journey in order to reach this place, chap. X. 33. and commentators suppose there must have been other stations, which are not laid down here; probably because the places were not remarkable.

Stat. xiii. Verse 17. IIazekotm.] Thispl.ice Dr. Shaw computes to have been about thirty miles distant from mount Sinai.

Stat. xiv. Verse 18. Kitiimah.] Tliis place lay somewhere in the wilderness of Varun, through which the Israelites were now passing. Sec chap. xiii. I. The name signifies the juniper tree; and the place probably had its name from the great number of those trees growing in that district.

Stat. xvi. Verse 20. LiBNAH.] The situation of this place Ls uncertain. A city of this name is mentioned, Josh. x. 29. as situated between Ka'desli-barnea and Gaza.

Stat. xvii. Verse 21. Ui.ssaH.] A place mentioned no where else in the Sacred Writings. Its situation utterly uncertain.

26 And tlicy removed from Mak heloth, and encamped at Tahath.

27 And \\\cy departed from Tahath, and pitched at Tarah.

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

29 And they went from Mithcah, and pitched in H:i.shinonali.

.00 And they departed from Hashmonah, and ^ encamped at Mo.serotli.

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

,02 And tiicy remo\eil from ^ Bene-^i.nknrii, and " encamped at Hor-hagidgad.

.33 And they went fi-om Hor-hagidgad, and pitched in Jotbatliah.

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

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

though some conjecture, that it might liave l>een the plaae called Keilah, 1 Sam. xxiii. 1, &c. liut this is* unlikely.

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

ST.iT. sxi. Verse 25. Makhei.OTH.] A name found no where else in Scripture.

Stat. xxiv. Verse 23. Mithcah.] Calmet conjeclurei that this may be Mocha, a city in Arabia Pctnca.

Stat. xxv. Verse 29. Hashmg.nah.] Supposed by some to be the same as Azmon, chap, xxxiv. 4.

Stat. xxvi. Verse f)0. MOSEKOTII.] Situation unknown. In Deut. X. 6. it is said, thai the Israelites took their journcv from Becroth, the wells of the children of Juukan, to AIosc ra, and there Aaron died. If so, Mosera, Moseroth, and Hor, must be different names of the same place. Or Moseroth, or Mosera, must have been some town or village near mount Hor; for there Aaron died. See vcr. 3S.

Stat, x-vviii. Ver,se 32. HOK-HACiDG.iD.] The hole, or pit, qf Gidgdd. Unknown. It was a place perhaps remarkable for some vast pit or cavern, from which it took its name.

36 And they removed from Eziongaber, and pitched in the ^ wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh.

37 And tliey removed from '' Kadesh, and pitched in mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.

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

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

40 And ■* king Arad, the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel.

41 And they departed from mount ^ Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah.

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

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

44 And ^ they departed from Oboth, and pitched in " Ije-abarim', in the border of Moab.

45 And they departed from lim, and pitched '^ in Dibon-gad.

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

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

48 And they departed from the mountains of Abarim, and " pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan 7iear Jericho.

49 And they pitched by Jordan, from Beth- I jesimoth even unto ° Abel-shittim "^ in the plains

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

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

It is said in Deut. x. 7. to be a Innd of rivers of waters.

Stat. xxxi. Verse 35. EziON-G.iBER.] Dr. SIkiw places this port on the western coast of the Elanitic gulph of the Red sea. It is now called Meenah el Dsahab, or the golden port, by the Arabs; because it was from this place that Solomon sent his ships for gold to Ophir, 1 Kings ix. 26. He supposes it to be about CO miles distant from mount Sinai. Travels, p. 322. 4lo. edition.

Stat, xxxii. Verse 3G. ZiN, ivldch is Kadesh.] A place Tcmarliable for the deatli of Miriam, the prophetess; and brmging water out of the rock. As this place was on the borders of Edojit, the Israelites being denied permission to pass through their lanrl, which lay on the direct road to the promised land, they were obliged to turn to the right to mount Hor. now called Accaba by die Arabs.

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

Stat, xxxiv. Verse 41. Zalmonah.] Probably in the neighbourhood of the land of Edom. As aVs tsclem signifies an image, this place probably had its name from the brazen serjiciit set up by Moses. See chap. xxi. 5, &c. From the same root, the word tckim, corruptly called talitman, whi.ch signifies a consecrated image, is derived.

Stat, xxxvii. Verse 44. IjE-ABARIM] The lu-aps of Abarim. See chap. xxi. 1 1. Situation uncertain. It is called Ii7n in the following ver^e. As the word signifies- heaps or protuberances, it probably means tumuli or small hills near some of the fords of Jordan.

Stat, xxxviii. Verse 45. DIBON-G.A.D.} Snppo.*ed to be the same as Diboti, chap, xxxii. 34. and to be situated on the brook Arnon.

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

Stat. xl. Verse 47. Mountahis of AbaRIM, before NebO.} The mountain on which Moses died. They came to this place after the overthrow of the Ainoritcs. See chap. xxi.

Stat. xli. Verse 48. The PLAINS of MOAB.] This was the scene of the transactions between BaUuini and Balak, see chapters xxiii. xxiv. xxv.

Stat. xlii. Verse 49. From Beth-JESIMOTH even unto Abel-SHITTIM.] The former of these places fell to the Reubcnitcs. Josh. xiii. 15 — 20. The Israelites were now come to the edge of Jordan, over against Jericho, where tiiey afterwards passed.

For fartiier information on the subject of these different encampmenls, the reader is reque>ted to refer to tlie map, and to the extract from Dr. Shaw, at the end of Exodus.

A.M. ■:•.«. 52 » Then ye shall drive out all the An. K^od. isr. inluibitaiits of the land from beibre

and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:

5.J And ye shall dispossess tlic inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: lor I have given you the land to possess it. " 54 And " ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall "give the more inheritance, and I to the fewer ye shall ^ give the less inheritance:

Verse 52. Ye shall — destroj/ all their pictures] DtVStm, niasidyolam, from rOU' sacah, to be like, or resemble, citlier pictiars, caivcd work, O)' embroidery, as far as these things were employed lo exhibit the abominations of idolatry. — Molten images, Dn3D0 'oVx tsalcmcy massecotam, metallic talisiiuivical figures, made imder certain conslellalions, and supposed, in consequence, to be possessed of some extraordinary influences and virtues.

Verse 55. Shall be pricks in your eyes'] Under these metaphors, the continual mischief that should be dune to them, both in soul and body, l)y these idolaters, is set forthin a very expressive manntr. What can be more vexatious llian a continual goadin<^ of each side, so that the attempt to avoid the one, tiirows the body more forcibly on the other. And « hat can be more distressing than a continual prickins; in the eye, haras.-ing the mind, tormenting the body, and extinguishing the sight.

1. It has been usual among pious men, to consider these CarKianites jw.'iazn/w^- in the land, as emblems of iti-dxvelling sin: and it must be granted, that what those remaining C'anaanites were to the people of Israel, who were disobedient to God, such is inrdu'elling sin to all those who will not have the blood of the Covenant to cleanse them from all unrighteousness. For a time, while conscience is tender, such persons fi;el themselves straitened in all their goings, hindered in all their religious services, and distressed beyond measure because of the Laiv, the authority?indpouerofsin, which they find warring in their members: by and bye the tye of their mind becomes obscured by the constant piercings of sin, till at last, fatally persuaded thats/M must dwell in thou us lorn; as they lite, they accommodate their minds to their situation, their consciences cease to be tender, and they content themselves with expecting redemption where and when it has never been promised, viz. beyond the grave! On the subjectof the journeyingsof the Israelites, the Ibllowingob.servations from old Mr..4insv.orth cannot fad to interest tlie Reader.

2. " 'I'lie TRAVELS of Israel through that great and terrible uildemess, nherein were fiery scr]}ents, and scorpions, and drought, ii-here there uas no water, Deut. viii. 15. which was a land of desarts, and of pits, a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt, Jer. ii. 6. signified the many troubles and

settlement in the promised land.

every man's inheritance shall be in bch^' the place where his lot tlilleth; ac- An. Kxod.isr. cording to the tribes of your iiithers ye ^"

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

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

afflictions through which we must enter into the kingdom of God, Acts xiv. 22. The helps, comforts, and deliverances j which God gave unto his people in their distresses, are ex- I amplcs of his love and mercy towards his followers; for he comlbrts them in all their tribulation, tliat as the sufferings of Christ abound in them, so their con.solation also abounds in Christ, 2 Cor. i. 4.'>. The punishments which God inflicted upon the disobedient, who perished in the wilderness for their sins, happened unto them for ensamples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come, I Cor. X. 1,11. Heb. iii. 17, 18, 19. and iv. 1, 2. By the 7iamcs of their encamping places, and histories adjoined, it a])pcars how Israel came sometimes into straits and troublesome ways, as at Fi-hahiroth, Exod. xiv. 2, 3, 10. &;c. and at Zalmonah, Numb. ii. 1, 4. &c. sometimes into large and ample roo?», as at the plains of Moab: sometimes to places of hunger and thirst, as at Rephidim and Kadesh, Exod. xvi. and xvii. Numbers xx. sometimes to places of refreshing, as at Elim and Beer, Exod. xv. 27. Num. 21. 16. sometimes where they had wars, as at Rephidim, Kadesh, Edrei, E.\od. xvii. 8. Num. xxi. 1, 33. sometimes where they had;«/, as at Mount Sinai: sometimes they went right forward, as from Sinui to Kudesh-Bamea: sometimes they turned backward, as from Kadesh-Barnea to the Red Sea: sometimes they came to mountains, as Sinai, Shapher, Hor-Gidgad: sometimes to vallics, as Tuhath, &c.: sometimes to places of bitterness, as Tlinrn/i: sometimes of i-av<;He5s, as 3[ithkah. ■

3. " The SINS which they committed in the wilderness were many and great; as open Idolatry by the calf, at Horeb, Exod. xxxii. and with Baalpeor, Num. xxv. Unbelief at Kadesh, Num. xiv. and afterwards PRESUMPTUOUS BOLD- NESS in the same place; MUJlMUltlNG against God sundry times, with tempting of Christ (as the apostle speaks, 1 Cor. X.) Contention and rebellion against their governors oflen: lust itig for JleJi to fill their appetite, and loathing manna, the heavenly food: WIIOREHOM with the daughters of Moab; and many other provocations that this complaint is after made of them, bow oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desart! Psalm Ixxviii. 40. All sorts of persons sinned against God; the multitude of people very often; the mixed multitude of strangers among 4 U 2

Yke botmdaries of

iJie promised land.

ttum. Num. xi. The princes, as the ten spies, Datham, ALirum, &c. The Ltvites, as Korah and his company; Miriam the propheless, Num. xii. Aaron tiie priest with her, besides his sin at Hortb, Exod. x.x.\ii. and at the water of Merihah, Num. xx. Mo.SES.ilso himself, at the same place, for which he was excluded fiom the land of Canaan.

4. The PUNISHMENTS laid on them by the Lord for their disobedience were many. They died by the sword of the enemy, as of the Amakkites, Exod. xvii. and of the Canaanites, Num. xiv. 45. and some by the sword of their hrethren, E.xod. xxxii. Some were burned with fire. Num. xi. and xvi. some died with surfeit. Num. xi. some were swallowed up xiUve in the earth. Num. xvi. some were killed wilit serpents, Nimi..\xi. many died of the pestilence. Num. xvi. 46. and chap. V. 25. and generally all that generation which were first mustered, after their coming out of Egypt, perished, Nmn. xxvi. 64, 65. God consumed their days in vanitj', and their years in terror, Psal. Ixxviii. 33. nevertheless, for his name's sake, he magnified his mercies unto them and their posterity.

5. " He had divided the sea, and led them through on dry land, drowning their enemies, Exod. xiv. He led them with a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, JnentinuaWy. He

gave them manna from heaven daily. He clave the rocks, anS gave them water for their thirst. He fed ttiem with quails, when they longed for flesh. He sweetened the bii/er w.ilers. He saved them from the sword of their enemies. He delivered them from the fiery serpents and scorpions. Their raiment waxed not old upon them, neither did their foot swell for forty years, Deut. vili. 4. He delivered them from the intended curse of Balaau), and turned it into a blessing, because he loved them. Num. xxii. Deut. xxiii. 5. He came down from Mount Sinai, and spake with thtm from heaven, and gave them right judgments and true laws, ^O'sd statutes and commandments, and gave ai^o his good spirit to mstruct them, Nehem. ix. 13,20. In the times of ' his wrath he remembered merry; his eye spared them from destroying them, neither did he make an end of them in the wilderness, Ezek. xx. 17, 22. He gave them kingdoms and nations, and they possessed the lands of their er,eiiiie>; and he multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, and brought them into the land promised unto tiieir forefathers, Nehem. ix. 22, 23. Now whatsoever things were written aforetimes, were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope, Kom. XV. 4." Lei him that readeth understand!

A he land of Canaan is described, 1,2. The south tjuarter, 3 —.5. The western border, 6. The north border, 7 — 9. Tke ea^ern border, 10 — 12. This land to be divided bi/ lot among the nine tribes and half, 13. Two tribes and half, Reuben and Gad, and the half of Manasseh, hating already got their inheritance on the east side of Jordan, 14, 15. Eleaznr the priest, and Joshua, to assist in dividing the land, IG, 17. and U'ith them a chief out of every tribe, 18. The names of the twelve chiefs, I9 — 29.

AND the Lord spake unto Mo- | " to the ascent of Akrabbim, and

2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into * the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall tmto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:)

thereof shall be from the south 'to Kadesh-barnea, and shall go on to Mlazar-addar, and pass on to Azmon:

5 And the border.shall fetch a compass from Azmon ^ unto the river of Egypt, and tlie

3 Then '' your south quarter shall be from the i goings out of it shall be at the sea wilderness of Zin along by the coast of Edom, jj 6 And as for the western border, ye shall even and your south border shall be the outmost; have the great sea for a border: this shall be

your west border. 7 And this shall be your north border: from