aii    ii  ii  *muu  mi 
 
 COMMENTARY 
 
 UPON    THE 
 
 Fourth  Book  of  MOSE  S 
 
 C  A  L  L  E  X5J&-y£>  %&*$** 
 
 NUMBERS. 
 
 B    Y 
 The  Right  Reverend  Father  in  GOD, 
 
 SYMON  Lord  Bifhop  of  ELX 
 
 <y 
 
 LONDON: 
 
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COMMENTARY 
 
 UPON 
 
 NUMBERS. 
 
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 I 
 
 Chapter 
 I. 
 
 COMMENTARY 
 
 UPON    THE 
 
 Fourth  Book  of  MOSES, 
 
 CALLED 
 
 NUMBERS. 
 
 CHAP.      I. 
 
 THIS  Book  is  called  by  the  Name  of  NUM- 
 BERS in  our  Language  ^  becaufe  it  begins 
 with  an  Account  of  the  Numbering  of  the 
 People  in  the  beginning  of  the  fecond  Year 
 after  they  came  out  of  Egypt :  though  it  contain  a 
 great  many  thingsbefides^that  $  particularly,  another 
 Numbering  of  them  (  Chapter  XXVI. )  towards  the 
 concluOon  of  their  Travels  in  the  Wildernefs.  For 
 this  Book  comprehends  an  Hiftory  of  about  thirty 
 etght  Years  5  though  the  mod  of  the  things  related 
 in  it  fell  out  in  the  firft  ,  and  in  the  laft  of 
 theft  Years :  and  it  doth  not  appear  when  thofe 
 
 B  things 
 
«  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  things  were    done ,  which   we  read  of  about  the 
 I.       middle  of  the  Book  ,  from  the  XVth  to  the  XXth 
 L/"V~\J  Chapter. 
 
 Verfe  i.         Verfe  I .  And  the  LORD  fpake  unto  Mofes.~]  Who 
 undertook  nothing  without  order  from  God. 
 
 In  the  WUdernefs  of  Sinai. ~]  Where  they  had  con- 
 tinued near  a  full  Year  ,  (as  appears  by  comparing 
 XIX  Exod.  i.  with  this  place)  and  fhortly  after  this 
 removed  from  it,  X.  n. 
 
 In  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation^  From  whence 
 the  LORD  delivered  thofe  Laws  which  we  read 
 in  the  foregoing  Book  ,  (  See  on  I  Lev.  i.  )  and 
 now  feems  to  have  admitted  him  into  the  Taber- 
 nacle 5  whereas  before  he  only  fpake  to  him  out  of 
 it. 
 
 On  the  fir U  day  of  the  fecond  Month,  in  the  fecond 
 year  after  they  were  come  out  of  the  Land  of  Egypt. "] 
 All  that  is  related  in  the  foregoing  Book,  feems  to 
 have  parted  in  the  firft  Month  of  the  fecond  Year  af- 
 ter their  coming  out  of  Egypt.  In  the  beginning  of 
 which  the  Tabernacle  was  fet  up,  XL  Exod.  2, 17. 
 and  in  the  middle  of  it  the  Paffover  was  kept,  as  ap- 
 pears by  this  Book,  IX.  1,  2,  &c. 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  Take  ye  the  fum7\  There  had  been  a  Mu- 
 fter,  as  we  may  call  it,  of  the  People,  before  the  Ta- 
 bernacle was  ere£ted,XXXE.xW.i2.  and  confequent- 
 ly  fome  Months  before  this:  for  it  was  in  order  to 
 a  Contribution,  which  every  one  was  to  make  to- 
 wards that  holy  work,  XXXVIII  Exod.2 6. Where- 
 as this  was  for  the  better  difpofing  of  their  Camps 
 about  the  Tabernacle  now  that  it  was  fet  up  :  and  for 
 their  more  regular  march  when  they  removed  from 
 Mount  Sinai  5  which  they  were  to  do  fhortly. 
 
 Of 
 
upon  N  U  M  B  E  R  S.  3 
 
 0/  all  the  Congregation  of  the  Children  of  IfracL  ]  Chapter 
 Who  alone  were  numhred  ,  all  except  the  LevHes  ;        I. 
 but  none  of  theniixt  Multitude,  that  came  with  them  IW"\J 
 out  of  Egypt,  XII  Exod.  38. 
 
 After  tMr  Families.']  It  appears  by  VII  Jojhua  1 6, 
 17, 8cc.  that  the  feveral  Tribes  of  7/n*e/  were  divided 
 into  Families  3  and  thofe  Families  into  Houfholds  3 
 and  thofe  Houfholds  had  every  one  of  them  an  £&<&£ 
 or  Chief  5  who  is  called  the  Frf^er  of  it.  There  were 
 LXX.  of  thefe  Families  in  all :  but  fome  Tribes  had 
 more,others  fewer  5  according  to  the  number  of  Souls 
 C  as  they  are  called  )  that  is ,  Perfons  who  were  in 
 each  when  they  went  down  into  Egypt,  XLVI  Gen.2j. 
 
 By  the  Houfe  of  their  Fathers.]  Every  Family,  as  I 
 faid,  being  diftributed  into  Houfes,  (which  we  now 
 call  Families)  thefe  Houfes  were  denominated  from 
 their  Chief,  whom  they  called  their  Father  :  For  no 
 Houfes  were  denominated  from  the  Mother,  as  the 
 Jews  fay. 
 
 With  the  number  of  their  Names.  ]  The  Names  of 
 every  Perfon  in  the  feveral  Houfes ,  were  fet  down 
 and  regiftred  5  that  they  might  be  the  better  known. 
 
 Every  Male  by  their  pole.]  But  no  Women  3  for  the 
 reafon  which  follows. 
 
 Ver.  3.  From  twenty  years  old  and  upward.]  Which  Verfe  ". 
 was  ever  after  this,  the  Age  when  Men  were  thought 
 fit  for  War. 
 
 All  that  are  able  to  go  forth  to  war  in  Ifrael.  ]  One 
 would  think  by  this,  they  were  not  to  number  very 
 aged  and  decrepit  People:  becaufe  they  were  no 
 more  able  to  go  to  war,  than  Women  and  Children, 
 and  thofe  under  twenty  years  old.  And  if  we  may 
 believe  Jofephus  (L.  II.  Antiq.cap.y.)  after  fifty  Years 
 old,  Men  were  not  bound  t6  pay  the  half  Shekel 
 
 B  2  which 
 
4  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter   which  was  due  in  fuch  Mutters :  and  therefore  we  may 
 I.       reasonably  think  were  excufed  from  going  to  war  ^ 
 
 C/VNJ  unlefs  they  had  a  mind  themfelves. 
 
 Thou  andAaron7\  Who  had  the  higheft  Authority 
 in  the  Nation. 
 
 Shall  number  them  by  their  Armies."]  This  feems  to 
 import,  that  in  taking  the  account  of  them,  they  di- 
 ftributed  them  into  certain  Troops  or  Companies  -0 
 out  of  which  were  formed  Regiments  (  as  we  now 
 fpeak  )  and  greater  regular  Bodies,  which  compofed 
 feveral  .Armies :  We  do  not  read  this  was  required  in 
 the  former  numbering  ,  (XXX  Exod.)  that  being  for 
 another  end,  as  I  now  obferved  5  not  for  their  more 
 orderly  march,  in  their  remove  from  Mount  Sinai. 
 And  here  I  cannot  but  take  notice  what  a  vaft  diffe- 
 rence there  was  between  this  method,  and  that  rude 
 way  which  Cecrops  the  firft  King  of  Attica  after  the 
 Ogygian  Flood  (  which  hapned  about  the  time  of 
 Mofes)  took  to  know  the  number  of  his  People  : 
 which  the  Greek,  Writers  fay,  was  by  requiring  every 
 one  of  them  to  bring  a  Stone,  ^  @£?foiv  d<;  70  /uUow, 
 and  throw  it  down  before  them  3  which  he  counting  , 
 found  them  Twenty  thoufand.  So  the  Scholiaft  up- 
 on Pindar.  Od.  IX.  and  others  in  MeurJ/us  de  Regibus 
 Athenienf.  L.  I.  cap.  7. 
 
 Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  And  there  JJja/I  be  with  you  a  Man  of  every 
 Tribe.  3  Whom  they  were  to  take  for  their  Affi- 
 ftants. 
 
 Every  one  Head  of  the  Houfe  of  his  Fathers. "]  The 
 LXX.  and  the  Vulgar  understand  this  to  fignifie  the 
 principal  Perfons  in  each  Tribe  -0  who  were  beft  ac- 
 quainted with  every  Family  and  Houfhold  in  that 
 Tribe.  And  fo  it  is  expounded  v.  6.  And  many 
 think  thefe  were  the  Firft-born  in  their  Tribe.    But 
 
 there 
 
upon    NUMBERS.  5 
 
 there  is  this  Obje&ion  againft  it,  That  Nahfian,  who  Chapter 
 is  named  for  the  Tribe  of  Jnclah,  v.  7.  was  not  de-         I. 
 fcended   from  the  Firft-born  of  that   Tribe.     For  L/"WJ 
 Pharez  was  not  Judatis  eldeft  Son  ^  Selah  being  be- 
 fore him:  who  had  Children,  as  we  find  XXVI  of 
 this  Book,  v.  20.     Befides,  wherrthe  Princes  of  the 
 Tribes  rre  reckoned  again  (XXXIV  of  this  Book)  in 
 the  laft  Year  of  their  abode  in  the  Wildernefs ^  none 
 of  them  are  derived  from  thefeMen  here  mentioned, 
 but  from  others.     And  therefore  thefe  were  the  mod 
 eminent  Men  in  the  feveral  Tribes  ,  upon  a  different 
 account  5  either  for  Wifdom,  or  Valour,  or  fome 
 other  excellent  quality. 
 
 Ver.  5 .  And  thefe  are  the  Names  of  the  Men  that  jh  all  Verfe  % 
 ft  and.']    BeAffiftants.  ** 
 
 With  you7\  i.  e.  With  Mofes  and  Aaron. 
 
 Of  the  Tribe  of Reuben ,  Eliznr  the  Son  of  Shedeur7\ 
 There  is  little  to  be  obferved  concerning  thefe  Tribes, 
 but  that  they  are  here  placed,  not  in  the  order  of 
 their  Birth  5  but  of  their  Mothers  who  bare  them. 
 Firft,  the  Children  of  Leah  :  who  are  all  reckoned 
 in  the  fame  order,  wherein  they  were  born  of  her* 
 ver.  6,  7,  8,  9.  Then  the  Children  of  Jtachel^  v.io> 
 11.  And  after  them  the  Children  of  the  two  Hand- 
 maids, in  the  four  following  Verfis.  Where,  v.  12. 
 Dan  is  fet  firft  3  he  being  the  Firft-born  of  Bilhah  5 
 whom  Rachel  gave  Jacob  for  his  Wife,  XXX  Gen.  5* 
 But  then,  the  next  that  follow  are  not  reckoned  ac- 
 cording to  the  order  of  their  Birth  :  for  Naphtali 
 who  was  born  next,  is  placed  the  laft  5  and  the 
 youngeft  Son  of  Zilpah  placed  before  the  eldeft. 
 For  which  we  cannot  now  difcern  the  reafon  -y  though 
 it  is  likely  it  was  upon  the  account  of  fome  Pre-emi- 
 nence or  other  which  they  had  gained  5  as  Ephraipi 
 
 the 
 
6  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  the  youngeft  Son  of  Jofeph  is  mentioned  before  Ma- 
 I.         najfeh  the  eldeft,  (v.  10.)  becaufe  Jacob  had  given 
 
 t/Y\J  him  the  precedence,  when  he  blefled  them  before  his 
 Death,  XLVIII.  19. 
 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.6.  Of  Simeon,  Shelumkl  the  Son  ofZunfjaddai."] 
 There  is  lefs  to  be  obferved  concerning  the  Names  of 
 thefe  great  Men  of  each  Tribe  ^  for  whatfoever  the 
 import  of  them  may  be  in  the  Hebrew  Language, 
 (which  Chytr<eus  and  others  have  endeavoured  to 
 make  out)  it  fignifies  nothing  to  us  :  Only  moft  of 
 them  (how  how  much  God  was  in  the  Thoughts  of 
 thofe,  who  impofed  thefe  Names  on  their  Children  : 
 for  Elizur  fignifies  my  God  the  Rock^  5  and  Shelumkl 
 is  as  much,  as  God  my  Peaee,  or  God  my  Rewarder  : 
 and  Zurijfjaddai,  my  Rock,  Omnipotent^  or  All-fujfici- 
 ent,  Sec. 
 
 Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  The  Son  of  Deuel."]  So  he  is  called  alfo 
 VII.  42.  and  yet  in  the  fecond  Chapter,  v.  14.  he  is 
 called  the  Son  of  Reuel.  For  thefe  two  Letters,  Da- 
 leth  and  Refch,  are  very  often  changed,  the  one  for 
 the  other  :  As  Ripath,  X  Gen.  3.  is  called  Dipath, 
 1  Chron.  I.  6.  As  on  the  other  hand  Dodanim  , 
 X  Gen.  4.  is  called  Rodanim,  1  Chron.l.y.  And  it  is 
 to  no  purpofe  to  heap  up  more  Examples  there  are  of 
 this. 
 
 Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  Thefe  were  the  renowned  of  the  Congrega- 
 tion. The  Hebrew  word  Kerulm  fignifies  properly 
 Men  called  or  named  $  that  is,  who  had  the  Honour 
 to  be  named  by  God  to  this  Employment :  which 
 made  them  more  noble  than  they  were  before.  Bui, 
 without  this  refpeft  to  their  Nomination  by  God, 
 this  word  fignifies  in  general  famous  Men,  as  we  tran- 
 flate  it,  XVI.  2.  XXVI.  9.  or  renowned,  XXIII 
 Ezek.  23,  accordingly  the  vulgar  tranflates  it,  moft 
 mbk.  Prtn- 
 
^NUMBERS.  7 
 
 Princes  of  the  Tribes  of  their  Fathers."]     As  appears  Chapter 
 more  plainly  from  the  noble  Offerings,    which  each       I. 
 of  them  made,   for  the  Dedication  of  the  Altar,  L/V%J 
 Chap.  VII. 
 
 Heads  ofthoufands  in  IfraeL~]Men  not  only  of  great 
 Authority  5  fuch  as  Jethro  advifed  Mofes  to  take  to  his 
 Aid  in  governing  the  People,  XVIII  Exod.  21.  but 
 the  higheft  of  that  Rank  3  being  chief  Commanders 
 over  all  the  Thoufands,  that  were  in  their  feveral  • 
 Tribes  $  under  whom  no  doubt  were  many  inferiour 
 Officers  of  great  account.  For  fo  all  People  have 
 found  it  necefTary,  to  fubmit  themfelves  to  the  Go- 
 vernment of  fome  Supreme  Power  5  with  feveral  - 
 fubordinate  Rulers  under  it.  In  which  Ifrael  excel- 
 led all  other  Nations,  being  under  the  Government 
 of  God  himfelf  3  who  appointed  Mofes  immediate- 
 ly under  him,  with  feveral  others,  as  we  here  find, 
 to  aflift  him.  For  it  is  truly  obferved  by  Xenophon, 
 that  i$iv  5r®<;  «r  iv^ng'ov,  %U  >&Xlv  av^c^^,  aS$  n 
 7u%t$  :  Nothing  is  either  fo  profitable  for  men,  or  fo  be- 
 coming, as  good  Order  :  And  on  the  contrary,nothing 
 fo  mifchievous,  or  unfeemly,  as  Confufion.  Now 
 Order  is  nothing  elfe,  but  the  apt  Difpofition  of  every 
 thing,  in  its  proper  place  5  for  certain  Ends  and 
 Ufes.  Accordingly  among  Men,  nothing  is  more 
 necefTary,  than  that  every  one  fliould  know  and  keep 
 his  place,  in  that  Degree  and  Rank  that  belongs  to 
 him  :  As  was  here  ordered  by  God  for  the  Preferva- 
 tion  and  good  Government  of  his  People. 
 
 Ver.  17.  And  Mofes  and  Aaron  took,  thefe  Men.~]  ToVerfe  17, 
 be  their  AfTociates  in  the  numbering  of  the  Peo- 
 ple. 
 
 Which 
 
8  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Which  are  exprejfed  by  their  Names. ~]     Whom  God 
 L        himfelf  marked  out  by  name,    to  be  joined   with 
 
 Lz"V"\J  them.  For  as  People  cannot  be  preferved  without 
 Order  5  lb  that  cannot  be  preferved  without  Rulers 
 and  Governors;  and  they  will  fignifie  nothing  if 
 their  Authority  be  not  reverenced  5  and  nothing  can 
 gain  them  fuch  Reverence,  as  a  particular  Defignation 
 by  God  to  their  Office. 
 
 Verfe  i8».  Ver.  18.  And  they  ajfembled  all  the  Congregation  toge* 
 ther  on  the  firft  Day  of  the  feccnd  Month."]  They  imme- 
 diately executed  their  Commiffion,  on  the  fame  day 
 they  received  it,  (v.  1.)  fummoning  all  the  People 
 to  appear  before  them. 
 
 And  they  declared  their  Pedigrees."]  The  People 
 infiantly  obeyed  5  and  every  one  fhowed  from  whom 
 he  was  defcended  }  or  it  may  refer  to  Mofes  and  Aa- 
 ron, and  the  reft  who  fet  down  every  Man's  Original, 
 in  the  publick  Tables. 
 
 After  their  Families,  by  the  houfe  of  their  Father  s,&C."\ 
 Firft  they  (howed  of  whaf  Family  they  were  5  and 
 then  of  what  Houfe  in  that  Family  ^  and  then  the 
 Name  of  every  Perfon  in  that  Houfe  was  given  in. 
 See  v.2.  Such  a  kind  of  Diftinttion  Cecrops  made  in 
 Attica,  when  he  numbered  the  People  1  whom  he  di- 
 vided into  four  Tribes,  (which  in  the  days  of  Alc- 
 tn£on  their  laft  Ring,  were  increafed  into  ten  5 )  every 
 one  of  which  had  fever al  People  in  it,  which  were 
 like  the  Families  in  Ifrael :  there  being  no  lefs  than 
 ten  or  eleven  People  in  that  Tribe  which  was  called 
 after  his  own  Name,  Ke^-Tn's.  See  Meurfim^  L.  I. 
 de  Reg.  Athen.  cap.  7.  &  Lib.  II.  cap.  X.  And  every- 
 one knows  how  Rome  at  the  firft  had  three  Tribes 
 inftituted  by  Romulus,  which  were  divided  into  ten 
 Courts^  (if  I  may  fo  call  them)  and  thofe  into  certain 
 
 Families 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  9 
 
 Families :  which  in  after-times  were  increafed  into  Chaptei 
 Five  and  thirty  Tribes  5  according  to  the  Regions  of        L 
 the  City.  L/~v~Vj 
 
 Ver.  19.  As  the  LORD  commanded  Mofes,  fo  /;e  Verfe  ip. 
 numbered  them.  ]     With   the  affiftance  of  the  fore- 
 named  Perfons. 
 
 In  the  Wilder nefs  of  Sinai."]  Before  they  removed 
 from  Sinai ;  which  being  upon  the  Twentieth  Day  of 
 this  Month,  (X.  11.)  they  finilhed  this  Work  in  fo 
 many  Days,  or  lefs. 
 
 Ver.  20.  And  the  Children  of  Reuben,  Ifraets  eldeil  Verfe  20. 
 Son,  by  their  Generations,  &C.~]  The  word  Generati- 
 ons feems  to  be  larger  than  Families }  as  that  is  than 
 Houfes  ;  comprehending  every  Family  in  that  Tribe  5 
 as  Families  comprehend  every  Houfhold  ^  and  Hou- 
 (hold  comprehends  every  Perfon  therein.  So  the 
 meaning  is,  all  that  were  defcended  from  Reuben,  ac- 
 cording to  their  feveral  Families^  and  Houfes  in  thofe 
 Families  ^  and  Perfons  in  thofe  Houfes. 
 
 Ver.  21.  Thofe  that  were  numbred  of  them,  &c.  were  Verfe  21  ♦ 
 forty  and  fix  thoufand,  and  five  hundred!]  Some  have 
 obferved  that  this  Tribe  was  one  of  thofe  who  had 
 the  fmalleft  number  of  Men  in  it :  in  which  they  think 
 was  fulfilled  the  Prophecy  of  Jacob  ,  who  foretold 
 rhat  Reuben  (hould  not  excel,  XLIX  Gen.  4.  But  I 
 do  not  look  upon  this  as  folid  5  for  there  were  feve- 
 ral Tribes,  who  all  this  time  had  fewer  Perfons  in  it 
 than  this.  Particularly  the  Children  of  Jofeph,  (whom 
 Jacob  compared  to  a  fruitful  Bough,  XLIX  Gen,  22.) 
 were  very  much  fewer.  See  below  v.  33,  35.  Gad 
 alfo,  Benjamin,  and  AJher,  were  fewer  in  number  thatl 
 Reuben:  who,  in  this  regard,  excelled  Five  Tribes* 
 
 C  Ver. 
 
IO  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  23.  Of  the  Tribe  of  Simeon  were  fifty  and  nine 
 I.         thonfand,   and  three  hundred^]     He  had  fix  Children 
 
 L/*VNJ  when  they  went  down  into  Egypt  ^  and  Reuben  but 
 
 Verfe  23.  four  :  which  is  a  plain  reafon  of  the  greater  increaie 
 of  this  Tribe  than  the  former. 
 
 Verfe  24.  Ver.  24,  Of  the  Children  of  Gad,  &c.  ^  It  is  pro- 
 bable that  this  Tribe  is  therefore  mentioned  next, 
 though  defcended  from  an  Hand-maid,  becaufe  they 
 were  to  encamp  and  march  together  with  Simeon  un- 
 der the  Standard  of  Reuben :  as  is  ordered  in  the 
 next  Chapter,  ^.14. 
 
 Verfe  25.  Ver.  25.  Of  the  Tribe  of  Gad  were  forty  and  five 
 thoufand,  fix  hundred  and  fifty.']  He  had  more  Sons 
 than  Simeon^  (XLVI  Gen.  10,  16.)  when  they  came 
 out  of 'Egypt :  and  yet  fewer  defcended  from  him,  by 
 many  Thoufands,  than  there  did  from  Simeon:  of 
 which  the  Reafon  doth  not  appear. 
 
 Verfe  27.  Ver.  27.  Of  the  Tribe  ofjudah  nfere  threefcore  and 
 fourteen  thoufand0  and  fix  hundred7\  It  may  be  juft- 
 ly  thought,  that  Jacob's  Prophecy  concerning  the 
 power  and  ftrength  of  this  Tribe,  (XLIX  Ge/z.8,&c.) 
 began  already  to  be  fulfilled  :  they  being  far  more 
 numerous  than  any  other. 
 
 Verfe  28.  Ver.28.Of  the  Tribe  ofIffacharjk.c7\  There  is  a  plain 
 account  why  this  Tjibe  and  Zebulun  are  mentioned 
 next  to  Judah  :,  becaufe  they  two  marched  under  his 
 Standard,  II.  4,  5,  7.  It  may  be  obferved  alfo,  that 
 thefe  two  Tribes  were  more  numerous,  than  many 
 other  ^  who  had  more  Children  when  they  came  out 
 of  Egypt. 
 
 Verfe  22.  Ver.  32.  Of  the  Children  ofEphralm."]  He  had  the 
 preheminence  given  him  to  Manajfeh  long  ago, 
 (XLVIII  Gen.iy.)  and  therefore  is  here  placed  before 
 him. 
 
 Ver. 
 
«^  NUMBERS,  h 
 
 Ver.  33.  Of  the  Tribe  of  E,phraim  were  forty  thoufand  Chapter 
 and  five  hundred7\    Though  they  were  hitherto  but        I. 
 few  in  com  par  iib  n  with  iome  other  Tribes  5  yet  in  L^V^vJ 
 this  the  Prophecy  of  Jacob  was  fulfilled  ,  (  XLVIII  Verfe  33* 
 Gen.  19,  20.)  that  they  were  more  fruitful  than  Ma- 
 najfeh:  there  being  above   Eight  thoufand  Perfcns 
 more  in  this  Tribe,  than  in  the  other,  v.  35. 
 
 Ver.  35.   OfManaffeh  were  thirty  and  two  thoufand  Verfe  35. 
 and  two  hundred.']  This  was  now  the  fmalleft  Tribe } 
 but  before  they  got  to  Canaan  ,  they  grew  very  nu- 
 merous ^  being  increafed  above  Twenty  thoufand, 
 XXVI.  34. 
 
 Ver.  37.  Of  the  Tribe  of  Benjamin  were  thirty  five  Verfe  37. 
 thoufand  and  four  hundred. ~]  Though  Benjamin  had 
 more  Children  than  any  of  the  reft  of  his  Brethren, 
 when  they  went  down  into  Egypt ,  (  XLVI  Gen.  2 1 . 
 where  it  appears  he  had  ten  Sons)  yet  his  Tribe  had 
 the  feweft  Men  in  it  of  all  other,  except  Manaffeh. 
 
 Ver.  39.  Of  Dan  were  threefcore  and  two  thoufand  Verfe  39. 
 andfeven  hundred7\  On  the  contrary  Dan,  who  had 
 but  one  Son,  when  they  went  down  into  Egypt, 
 (XLVI  Ge/2.23.)  grew  to  a  greater  Number  than  any 
 other  Tribe,  exceptjudah.  So  varioufly  did  the  Di- 
 vine Providence  work,  in  fulfilling  the  Promife  to  A- 
 braham,  of  multiplying  his  Seed. 
 
 Ver.  41.  Of  A/her  were  forty  and  one  thoufand  and  Verfe  41* 
 five  hundred.  The  growth  of  this  Tribe  was  not  pro- 
 portionable to  that  of  fome  other,  confidering  how 
 many  Children  AJher  had,  at  their  going  down  into 
 Egypt.  But  they  increafed  near  Twelve  thoufand 
 more  ,  before  they  got  out  of  the  Wildernefs , 
 XXVI.  47. 
 
 C  2  Ver. 
 
12  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  43.  Of  Naphtali  wen  fifty  and  three  thoufand 
 
 I.        and  four  hundred^]     The  great  increafe  of  this  Tribe 
 
 L/VXJ  is  alledged  by  Bochartus^  to  juftifie  his  Interpretation 
 
 Verfe  43.  of  XL1X  Gen.  21.  by  altering  the  pun&ation  of  the 
 
 words.     But  I  have  there  obferved,  that  Five  other 
 
 Tribes  were  more  numerous  than  Napbtali,  when  this 
 
 account  was  taken  of  them. 
 
 Vcrfe  44.      Ver.  44.  Thefe  are  thofe  that  were  nun/bred.  ~]     This 
 
 is  the  account  that  was  taken  of  the  Number  of  Men 
 
 in  each  Tribe. 
 
 Which  Mofes  and  Aaron  numbred^  and  the  Princes  of 
 Jfrael  being  twelve  Men7\  V.  3,4,  &C. 
 
 Each  one  was  for  the  Houfe  of  his  Fathers.  *]  Who 
 could  the  better  judge  to  what  Tribe  every  one  be- 
 longed. 
 
 Verf.  4«?  ^tx'  45  >  4^*  $°  rpere  aUth°fe  f^at  were  nuwbredfac. 
 ^£  Six  hundred  thoufand  and  three  thoufand  and  five  hun- 
 dred and  fifty  r\  By  which  it  appears  there  was  not  one 
 Man  dead  fince  their  laft  Numeration,  (Seven  Months 
 ago)  when  they  were  taxed  for  the  Tabernacle.  For 
 they  were  at  that  time,  juft  fo  many  as  are  here  men- 
 tioned, XXXVIII  Exod.  26.  As  for  Kadab  and  A- 
 hihu^  they  were  of  the  Tribe  of  Levi  3  who  are  not 
 here  reckon'd :  and  the  Man  that  was  ftoned  for 
 Blafphemy,  (XXIV  Lev. )  was  not  of  Ifrael,  by  the 
 fide  of  his  Father. 
 
 Verfe  47.  Ver.  47.  But  the  Levttes ,  after  the  Tribe  of  their 
 Fathers^  were  not  numbred  among  them7\  There  was 
 no  account  taken  of  them  among  the  other  Tribes  : 
 as  it  is  likely  they  were  not  comprehended  in  the 
 former  Number,  XXXVIIlExW.  26.  being  the  Per- 
 fons  who  took  the  account,  z».  2 1 .  and  had  before  this 
 confecrated  themfelveS  to  the  LORD,  XXXIL 
 29. 
 
 After 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  13 
 
 After  the  Tribe  of  their  Fat  hers. ~\     Is  an#  Hebraifm  ,  Chapter 
 for  the  Fathers  of  their  Tribe  :  Expreffing  in  fhort,         I. 
 what  is  at  large  faid  of  all  the  reft,  by  their  Genera-  C/*V\J 
 tions,  after  their  Families \by  the  Houfe  of  their  Fathers, 
 v.  20,  22,24,80:. 
 
 Ver.  48.  For  the  LO  RD  had  fpohtn  unto  Mofes,  Verfe  48. 
 faying.']  He  had  received  an  Order  from  God,  when 
 he  commanded  him  to  number  the  People,  not  to 
 number  them.  Which  he  fets  down  ,  that  it  might 
 not  be  thought  he  favoured  them,  becaufe  he  was  of 
 their  Tribe  $  and  therefore  exempted  them  from  the 
 Wars,  unto  which  all  others  were  engaged. 
 
 Ver.  49.  Only  thoufoalt  not  number  the  Tribe  of  Le-  Verfe  49, 
 vi,  &c.l  Becaufe  they  were  intended  for  another 
 Service  5  and  therefore  were  tobenumbred  by  them- 
 felves.  There  were  as  ftout  and  valiant  Men  in  this 
 Tribe  as  any  other,  (which  appeared  fufficiently  when 
 Gods  Honour  was  to  be  vindicated,  XXXII  Exod. ) 
 but  God  did  not  defign  them  for  the  Wars  of  Ca- 
 naan ^  they  having  imployment  enough  in  carrying, 
 and  guarding  the  Tabernacle. 
 
 And  from  this  Example,  the  Heathen  learnt  to  ex- 
 empt all  thofe  who  miniftred  to  their  Gods,  from  all 
 other  Services  5  particularly  from  the  War.  Strabo 
 notes  ( Lib.  IX.  Geograph.)  this  Cuftom  to  have  been 
 as  old  as  Homers  time.  For  in  all  his  Catalogue  there 
 is  no  menti^ifof  any  Ship  that  went  againft  Troy 
 fromrAMcomenon  5  becaufe  that  City  was  Sacred  to 
 Minerva :  who  is  thence  called  by  Homer  ?AAaA^/x^* 
 •ifi*  'AStwa.  The  fame  is  obferved  by  C<efar(LibNl.') 
 of  the  ancient  Druids,  that  they  were  freed  from  the 
 Wars  5  and  from  Tribute  alfo.  Which  Priviledge 
 St.  Bafel  challenges  as  belonging  to  the  Clergy  ,  ^7a 
 7qv  7m\<qlv  viucv,  according  to  the  ancient  Law,  Ep iff. 
 
 CCLXIX. 
 
I4  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  CCLXIX.  and  S.  Greg.  Nazi  arizen  doth  the  fame  in 
 j         many  places:  particularly  by  his  Letter  to  Julian/^^ 
 L^v~vJ  Epift.  CLXVI. 
 
 Verfe  <o.  Ver.  50.  But  thoufoalt  appoint  the  Levites  over  the 
 Tabernacle.']  This  was  their  work  to  attend  continu- 
 ally upon  the  Houfe  of  God. 
 
 Of  Teftintony.]  So  it  is  called,  becaufe  the  Ark  of 
 the  Teftimony  was  there  :  for  which  it  was  principal- 
 ly made.  See  XXXVIII  Exod.  2 1 .  and  what  I  have 
 noted  upon  XXV  Exod.  16.  XL.  3. 
 
 And  over  all  the  Vejfels  thereof  and  over  all  things  that 
 belong  unto  it.']  Not  to  ufe  them  in  any  Sacred  Mini- 
 ftry,  (  which  belonged  to  the  Priefts  alone  )  but  to 
 carry  them,  when  they  were  to  be  removed  5  and  to 
 keep  them  in  Safety  at  all  times.  See  Vlll.ult.  Where 
 it  is  exprelly  faid,  they  f mil  do  no  Service  there. 
 
 They  full  bear  the  Tabernacle ,  and  ail  the  Vejfels 
 thereforeT]  As  is  particularly  directed  in  the  fourth 
 Chapter. 
 
 And  they  fiall  minifter  unto  H.~]  Which  Miniftry 
 is  at  large  defcribed  in  the  third  Chapter. 
 
 And  f jail  encamp  round  about  the  Tabernacle.']  As  a 
 Guard  unto  it :  They  being  like  to  the  Legions  about 
 the  Palace  of  a  great  King,  to  fecure  and  defend  it 
 from  Violence  or  Rudenefs.  Which  was  the  reafon 
 that  they  did  not  march  under  any  of  the  Standards 
 of  the  other  Tribes :  becaufe  they  were  to  make  a 
 Camp  by  themfelves  ^  the  order  of  which  is  directed 
 in  the  fame  third  Chapter.  And  for  the  fame  reafon 
 they  were  not  to  go  to  the  Wars  5  becaufe  their 
 Camp  was  to  attend  upon  the  Tabernacle,  the  Houfe 
 of  God, 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  15 
 
 Ver.  51.  And  when  the  Tabernacle  fetteth  forward,  Chapter 
 the  Levites  (lull  take  it  down  5  and  when  it  is   to  be        I. 
 pitched,  the  Levites  f/jalJ  fet  it  up."].     When  the  Ifrae-  t^VNJ 
 lites  removed  to  a  new  ftation,  the  Tabernacle  was  ^er^e  51- 
 taken  in  pieces,  that  it  might  be  the  more  eafily  car- 
 ried from  place  to  place.     In  which  the  Levites  were 
 to  be  employed  3  and  likewife  in  putting  it  together 
 again,  when  it  was  to  be  fet  up,  where  they  refted  in 
 their  Journeys :  as  is  more  fully  ordered  in  the  fourth 
 Chapter.     Where  the  manner  of  taking  it  down,  and 
 fetting  it  up  again  is  direfted  5  and  every  ones  Office 
 about  it,  whether  Priefts  (for  they  had  fome  hand  ia 
 it)  or  Levites,  exa&ly  appointed. 
 
 And  the  Stranger.]  Who  is  not  of  this  Tribe  5 
 though  an  Ifraelite. 
 
 That  comes  nigh.  ]  To  perform  any  of  the  fore- 
 named  Offices. 
 
 Shall  be  put  to  death."]  As  a  prefumptuous  Perfon, 
 in  medling  with  that  which  doth  not  belong  unto 
 him.  The  Author  of  Schebet  Jehudah  extends  this 
 to  all  Strangers,  who  worlhipped  ftrange  Gods  :  and 
 faith  there  was  a  Golden  Sword  hung  up  in  the  Gate 
 of  the  Temple,  with  this  Infcription  ,  The  Stranger 
 that  cometh  nigh,  jhaUbeput  to  death. 
 
 Ver.  52.  And  the  Children  of  Ifrael.]   The  reft  of  the  Verfe  52. 
 Tribes  before-mentioned. 
 
 Shall  pitch  their  Tents  every  Man  by  his  own  Campfac] 
 In  the  order  prefcribed,  in  the  next  Chapter. 
 
 Ver.  55.  But  the  Levites  /hall  pitch  round  about  the  Verfe  53; 
 Tabernacle  of  Tejlimony."]     As  is  dire&ed  Chap.  HI. 
 where  they  are  ordered  to  make  a  Camp  nearer  the 
 Tabernacle  5    within   the  other  Camp  of  the  If 
 raelites. 
 
 That 
 
i6  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        That  there  be  no  Wrath  upon  the  Congregation  of  the 
 II.       Children  of  IfracL]     To  prevent  the  other  Camp  of 
 
 L/"VNJ  the  Ifraclites,  from  coming  too  nigh  the  Tabernacle  ^ 
 whereby  they  might  have  incurred  God's  Difplea- 
 fure. 
 
 And  the  Levites  flail  keep  the  Charge  of  the  Taber- 
 nacle of  Tejlimony.]  That  is,  therefore  they  were 
 to  be  a  conftant  guard  about  it  ^  that  no  Man 
 might  approach  nearer  than  God  allowed  $  and  fo 
 bring  heavy  Punifhments  upon  himfelf,  and  upon  the 
 Congregation. 
 Vcrfe  54.  Ver.  54.  And  the  Children  of  Jfrael  did  according 
 to  all  that  the  LORD  commanded  Mofes,  fo  did  they.] 
 Confented  to  all  that  is  here  required,  and  did  ac- 
 cordingly. 
 
 CHAP.     II. 
 
 Verfe  1.  Ver.  1.  \ND  the  LORD  fpake  unto  Mofes  and 
 _t\  Aaron,  faying."]  The  juft  number  of 
 Days  that  were  fpent,  in  taking  the  fore-named  Ac- 
 count of  the  People,  is  uncertain,  (feel.  19.)  but 
 that  being  finifhed  ,  now  order  is  given  for  their 
 Encamping  under  their  feveral  Standards.  And  it  is 
 dire&ed  to  Aaron  as  well  as  Mofes  ^  though  the  Or- 
 der for  numbring  them  was  dire&ed  to  Mofes  only, 
 (Chap.  I.  1.)  Aaron  having  by  that  firft  Order 
 been  joined  with  him,  in  taking  the  Account  of 
 ■   them. 
 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  Every  Man  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael  Jljall 
 pitch  by  his  own  Standard."]  By  the  Banner  of  that 
 Tribe  ^  to  which  he  was  joined  by  the  following  Or- 
 der. With 
 
upon  NUMBERS,  17 
 
 With  the  Enfign  of  their  Fathers  Houfe.~]     Every  Fa-  Chapter 
 mily  and  Houfhold  had  their  particular  Enfigns,  be-       II. 
 fide  that  great  Banner  under  which  they  encamped  L/VYJ 
 and  marched :  it  being  pitched  and  carried  (as  will 
 appear)  in  the  midft  of  them.     How  thefe  Banners 
 and  Enfigns  were  diftinguifhed  one  from  another, 
 we  have  no  certain  Knowledge.     The  later  Jews  fay 
 (particularly  Aben  Ezra  upon  this  place)    that  Jut/ah 
 carried  in  his  Standard  the  Figure  of  a  Lion  3   and 
 Reuben  the  Figure  of  a  Man  \    Ephraim  of  an  Ox  $ 
 and  Dan  of  an  Eagle :  for  which  I  can  fee  no  ground. 
 For  though  Judah  be  compared  to  a  Lion  $   yet  the 
 Reafons  he  gives  for  the  other  are  very  abfurd  :  with 
 which  I  (hall  not  trouble  the  Reader.     But  only  ob- 
 ferve  that  there  is  not  one  word  of  any  fuch  thing  in 
 their  ancient  Writers  %   no  not  in  the  whole  body  of 
 the  Talmud  $  as  the  famous  Bochartus  affaires  us.  And 
 it  is  not  likely  that  they  who  fo  lately  fmarted  for 
 making  the  Golden  Calf,  would  adventure  to  make 
 any  other  Images,  and  expofe  them  to  the  Eyes  of 
 all  the  People.     Nor  is  it  impertinent  to  obferve  that 
 when  Vitellius  in  after-ages  was  to  march  again  ft:  the 
 Arabians  through  Jud<ea,  the  great  Men  of  the  Nati- 
 on met  him,    and  befeeched  him  to  march  another 
 way  :  The  Law  of  their  Country  not  allowing  Ima- 
 ges  (fuch   as  were  in  the  Roman  Enfigns)   to  be 
 brought  into  it.     So  Jofephus  relates,  L.XVIII.  Antiq. 
 cap.  7.  for  which  one  can  fee  no  reafon,  if  their  An- 
 ceftors  in  the  Wildernefs,  had  by  the  Command  or 
 Allowance  of  Mofes  carried  an  Eagle  in  any  of  their 
 Standards.     See  Bochart  in  his  Hieroz.  P.  I.  L.  III. 
 C.  V.     It  is  more  probable,    if  there  be  room  for 
 Conjefture  in  this  matter,    that  the  Name  of  Judah 
 might  be  embroidered  in  great  Letters,  in  his  Stan- 
 
 D  dard, 
 
x8  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  dard,  and  of  Reuben  in  his }  and  foof  the  reft  $    or 
 II.      they  were  diftinguifaed  by  their  Colours  only,   as 
 
 [^fsTSJ  now  our  Regiments  are. 
 
 Far  off  about  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation  fljaU 
 they  pitch.']  At  fuch  a  diftance  as  might  (how  their 
 Reverence  to  the  Tabernacle  5  and  that  there  might 
 be  another  Camp  of  the  Lzvites  within  them  :  who 
 made  a  nearer  lnclofure  about  it,  in  the  fame  Form 
 with  the  Camp  of  Ifrael,  which  was  Quadrangular. 
 This  Diftance  of  the  Camp  of  Ifrael  from  the  Taber- 
 nacle, is  reafonably  judged  (by  III  Jojb.  4.)  to 
 have  been  Two  thoufand  Cubits  :  That  is,  a 
 Mile. 
 Verfe  3.  Ver.  3.  And  on  the  Eaft-Jide  toward  the  rifing  of  the 
 Sun.~]  Thefe  are  two  Expreflions  (after  the  manner 
 of  the  Hebrews)  for  the  fame  thing.  Or  Kedma, 
 which  we  here  tranflate  on  the  Eafi,  may  be  transla- 
 ted on  the  fore  part,  viz.  of  the  Tabernacle  :  Which 
 was  towards  the  Sun's  Rifing. 
 
 Shall  they  of  the  Standard  of  the  Camp  of  Judah 
 pitch.']  Thefe  had  the  moft  honourable  Poft  (as 
 we  now  fpeak)  of  all  others  ^  pitching  before  the 
 moft  holy  Place  5  where  Mofes  and  Aaron  had  their 
 Station  in  the  Camp  of  the  Levites,  III.  38.  And 
 therefore  the  LXX  tranflate  the  firft  Words  of  this 
 Verfe  thus,  &i  7mpt/uL@cl?foQ)>lt$  irpuTQi,  &c.  they  that  en* 
 cam p  firft-  towards  the  Eajl,fta//be,  &C 
 
 Throughout  their  Armies!]  They  being,  as  we  read 
 before,  (and  as  the  next  Verfe  tells  us  again)  Three- 
 fccre  and  fourteen  thoufand,  and  fix  hundred  Men, 
 were  divided  into  feveral  bodies  (fuch  as  we  now 
 call  Companies,  and  Regiments,  and  Brigades}  under 
 their  feveral  Officers :  for  which  the  Hebrews  have  no 
 name  but  that  of  Army,  or  Heft. 
 
 And 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  i9 
 
 And  Nahflon  the  Son  of  Amminadab.     He  who  was  Chapter 
 imployed  as  the  principal  Perfon  in  that  Tribe,  to  help       n. 
 to  take  the  number  of  them,  I.  7.  .  l/"v%J 
 
 Shall  be  the  Captain  of  the  Children  of  Judah."]  Their 
 Commander  in  Chief  5  or  General,  as  we  now 
 fpeak. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  his  Hoji,  and  thofe  that  were  numbred  0/Verfe  4. 
 them  were  threefcore  and  fourteen  thoufand,  See."]     Hi- 
 therto Mofes  had  fet  down  the  Words  that  God  fpake 
 to  him :  But  thefe  are  his  own  Words,  which  he  in- 
 termixes all  along  with  thofe  of  God's. 
 
 Ver.5.  And  thofe  that  do  pitch  next  unto  /;////.]  Thefe  Verfe  5, 
 now  are  the  Words  of  God  5  ordering  what  Tribes 
 ftiould  pitch  under  the  Standard  of  Judah. 
 
 Shall  be  the  Tribe  ofIjfachar7\  He  and  Zebulun  were 
 two  of  the  Sons  of  Leah,  as  well  as  Judah :  And 
 therefore  their  Tribes  are  fitly  placed  under  the  Stan- 
 dard of  the  Tribe  of  Judah  5  as  likely  to  agree  \yell 
 together. 
 
 And  Nethaneel  the  Son  of  Zurjhall  be  Captain  of  the 
 Children  of  Ijfachar.~]  It  may  be  hoted,  once  for  all, 
 that  the  Commanders  in  Chief  of  the  feveral  Tribes, 
 were  thofe  very  Perfons  who  were  chofen  to  take 
 the  number  of  them.  Which  (hows  they  were  Men 
 of  Eminence  among  them,  as  I  obferved,  I.  4.  ./ 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  his  Hofl,  and  thofe  that  were  numbred  Verfe  6. 
 thereof   were,  &c.^     Thefe  are  the  Words  of  Mofes, 
 which  to  the  end  of  the  Chapter  (as  I  noted  before) 
 are  interfperfed  with  theOrders  that  God  gave  for  the 
 forming  of  their  Camp. 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  all  that  were  numbred  in  the  Camp  ^Verfe  9. 
 Judah  were  an  hundred  thoufand,  6cc]     This  was  the 
 greateft  Body  of  all  other  3    which  had  the  Honour 
 to  be  placed  juft  before  the  Oracle,  as  the  ftrongefl: 
 
 D  2  Guard 
 
2o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter    Guard  to  it :  The  Tribe  oijudah  lying  in  the  mid  ft, 
 II.        and  the  Tribes  of  Ijfachar  and  Zebulun  on  each  fide 
 
 t^V%J  of  his  Standard  5    unto  which  all  their  Enfigns  were 
 in  feme  fort  of  Subje&ion. 
 
 Throughout  their  Armies!]  This  great  Body,  was 
 divided  into  federal  fmaller  Companies  5  for  which 
 they  had  no  other  name,  (as  I  obierved  before)  but 
 that  of  Armies. 
 
 Thefe  Jhdll 'fir ft  fet  forth.  ~\  When  they  removed 
 from  one  Station  to  another,  this  Camp  marched  firft. 
 For  they  commonly  went  Eaftward  ^  in  which 
 Quarter  this  Camp  was  pitched  ,  v.  3. 
 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  And  on  the  South  fide  fial/  be  the  Standard 
 of  the  Camp  of  Reuben,  according  to  their  Armies,  &C."] 
 There  is  nothing  to  be  obferved  concerning  this  Camp^ 
 but  that  the  Tribe  of  Reuben  had  the  honour  to  pitch 
 in  the  midft  of  it  5  and  the  Tribes  of  Simeon  and  Gad 
 lay  on  either  fide  of  him  under  his  Standard  or  Ban- 
 ner :  juft  as  Ijfachar  and  Zebulun  did  on  either  fide  of 
 Judah.  And  there  was  an  evident  congruity  in  it  ,, 
 Simeon  being  his  next  Brother  -0  and  Gad  the  eldeft 
 Son  of  Zilpah,  the  Hand-maid  of  their  Mother  Leah, 
 XXX  Gen.  10,  11. 
 
 Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  EliafaphtheSonofReuel.  See  Note  upon 
 1. 14. 
 
 Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  And  they  fh  all  fet  forth  in  the  fecond  ranhf\ 
 That  is,  when  they  removed,  the  Three  Tribes  that 
 were  pitch'd  on  the  Eaft  marched  firft,  under  the  Ban- 
 ner of  Judah,  (  as  was  faid  before ,  v.  9.  )  and  then 
 followed  thefe  Three  that  lay  on  the  South,under  the 
 Banner  of  Reuben. 
 
 Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  Then  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation flwll 
 fet  forward  with  the  Camp  of  the  Levites.']  After  the 
 fore-named  Camps,  the  Tabernacle  was  to  follow : 
 
 between 
 
upon  NUMBERS,  aft 
 
 between  thofe  two  that  went  before  5  and  the  Camp  Chapter 
 of  Ephraim,    and  the  Camp  of  Dan  that  came  after.        II. 
 So  they  did  not  march,  as  they  lay  pitch'd  5  for  then  L/"VNJ 
 there  was  a  Camp  on  each  fide  of  the  Tabernacle : 
 Whereas  when  they  marched  there  was  none  on  the 
 fides,  but  two  Camps  went  before  it,  and  two  fol- 
 lowed it. 
 
 In  the  midli  of  the  Camp.  3  Not  intirely  in  the 
 midft  :  for  it  appears  by  the  tenth  Chapter  of  this 
 Book,  v.  i  j.  that  after  the  firft  Camp  under  the  Stan- 
 dard of  Judah  was  gone  forward, the  Tabernacle  was 
 taken  down  and  carried  by  the  Sons  of  GerJIwm  and 
 Merari  between  the  Camp  of  Judah  and  that  of  Ren- 
 ben,  which  next  followed.  And  then  the  San&uary 
 fet  forward,  born  by  the  Kohathites,  (v.  21.)  who 
 marched  exa&ly  in  the  midft,  between  the  Standards 
 of  Judah  and  Reuben  ->  and  the  Standards  of  Ephraim 
 and  Dan. 
 
 As  they  encamp  fo  foaU  they  fet  forward."]  This  may 
 refer  either  to  the  Levites,  the  Sons  oiKphath^  that 
 as  they  lay  encamped  on  the  fame  fide  of  the  Taber- 
 nacle,that  the  Standard  of  Reuben  did,fo  they  fhould 
 immediately  march  after  them.  Compare  v.  10.  of 
 this  Chapter  with  III.29.  Or  to  the  two  Camps  fore- 
 named  $  that  they  (hould  march  in  the  fame  order 
 wherein  they  lay  encamped  :  Judah,  for  inftance,  in 
 the  midft  of  Jjfachar  and  Zebulun  ^  before  and  behind 
 him  5  or  on  each  fide  of  him. 
 
 Every  Man  in  hk  place  by  their  Standards. "]  Every 
 Man  keeping  his  place  which  was  aiSgned  him,  under 
 the  Standard  to  which  he  belong  d  j  that  there  might 
 be  no  diforder  among  them* 
 
 Ver,. 
 
22  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter      Ver.   iS.  And  on  the  Weft  fide  fhall  be  the  Standard 
 II.      of  the  Camp  ofEphraim$az.'\     There  is  little  to  be  no- 
 
 L/vSj  ted  here,  but  that  Ephraim  is  plainly  preferred  before 
 
 Verfe  18.  his  Brother,  as  he  was  in  Jacob's  Bleffing,  (  XLVIII 
 Getf.19,20.)  and  that  the  two  Tribes  which  encamp- 
 ed under  his  Standard,  viz.  Manaf[eh,v.  20.  andfie/*- 
 jamin,  v.  22.  are  fitly  joyned  w7ith  him  :  they  being 
 all  defcended  from  Rachel. 
 
 Verfe  24.  Ver.  24.  All  that  were  numbred  of  the  Camp  of  £- 
 phraim  were  an  hundred  and  eight  thoufand,  Sec]  This 
 was  the  fmalleft  Body  of  all  the  Four. 
 
 And  they  ft  all  go  forward  in  the  third  rank/]  And 
 therefore,  though  they  lay  on  the  Weft  fide,  in  their 
 Encampment,  yet  when  they  marched,  they  did  not 
 go  in  the  Rear  of  all  5  but  immediately  behind  the 
 Tabernacle. 
 
 Verfe  2  5 .  Ver.  2  5 .  The  Standard  of  the  Camp  of  Dan  pall  be  on 
 the  Nbrthfide^  &c]  This  Tribe,  we  may  reafonably 
 think,  was  advanced  to  this  Dignity,  of  bearing  one 
 of  the  four  Standards,  though  they  defcended  from 
 an  Hand-maid  :  becaufe  Dan  was  the  eldeft  of  Jacob's 
 Sons  of  that  fort,  XXX  Gen.  6.  and  this  Tribe  was 
 the  mod  numerous  of  all  others,  except  Judah^  as  the 
 fore-going  Chapter  (hows,  ^.39.  With  whom  the 
 Tribes  of  A/her  and  Naphtali  are  fitly  joyned  5  being 
 defcended  from  Hand-maids  alfo. 
 
 Verfe  31.  Ver.  gi.  AU  that  were  numbred  in  the  Camp  of  Dan 
 were  an  hundred  and  fifty  feven  thoufand^  &C  J  This 
 was  the  greateft  Body  of  Men,  except  that  under  the 
 Standard  of  Judah,  who  marched  in  the  Front :  and 
 is  the  reafon  perhaps  why  thefe  are  ordered  here,  in 
 the  next  words,  to  bring  up  the  Rear. 
 
 They  fial/go  hindmoff  with  their  Standards."]  Here 
 the  Standard  comprehends  Enfigns  :  for  there  was  but 
 
 one 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  2.3 
 
 one  Standard  for  this  Camp,  as  there  were  no  more  Chapter 
 for  the  other  three.    Therefore  the  meaning  is,  they      IL 
 (hall  march  hindermoft  under  their  feveral  Colours,  L/"VNJ 
 as  we  now  fpeak.     Which  was  ordered  for  the  great- 
 er Security  of  the  San&uary  5  by  the  two  ftrongeft 
 Bodies  marching  before  and  behind  :  where  there  was 
 the  greateft  danger. 
 
 Ver.  32.  Thefe  are  tbofe  which  were  numbred  of  the  Verfe  32, 
 Children  of  Ifrael  by  the  Houfe  of  their  Fathers,  &c  ~] 
 That  is,  Thus  were  all  thefe  Perfons  difpofed  under 
 their  feveral  Standards }  whofe  Number  was  taken  by 
 Mofes  and  Aaron,  with  their  Aflbciates,  1. 44,  45. 
 
 Ver.  33.  But  the  Levites  were  not  numbred  among  Verfe  22. 
 the  Children  of  Ifrael,  as  the  LO  RD  commanded  Mo- 
 fes."]    And  consequently  did  not  belong  to  any  of 
 thefe  Standards  5  being  to  make  another  Camp  by 
 themfelves,  I.  47,  &c. 
 
 Ver.  34.  And  the  Children  of  Ifrael  did  according  to  Verfe  34,. 
 all  that  the  LORD  commanded   Mofes.  ]     As  they 
 gave  in  their  Names  when  they  were  to  be  numbred, 
 1. 54.  fo  they  now  joyned  together  under  fuch  Stan- 
 dards, as  God  appointed. 
 
 So  they  pitched  by  their  Standards,  and  fo  they  fet 
 forward ,  &c.  "]  Each  Tribe  encamped  under  the 
 Standard  that  was  afligned  to  them  5  and  they  alfo 
 marched,  when  they  fet  forward,  in  fuch  order  as  is 
 here  direfred.  Some  order,  no  doubt,  had  been  ob- 
 ferved  before,  both  when  they  refted,  and  when  they 
 marched,  (See  XIII  Exod.  18.)  but  it  was  not  fo  ex- 
 aft  and  regular  as  this  form  ,  into  which  they  were 
 now  caft  by  God  himfelf :  nor  can  we  think  it  was. 
 fo  ftri&ly  obferved. 
 
 The 
 
^4  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  The  Jews  fay  that  this  Camp  made  a  Square  of 
 III.     Twelve  Miles  in  compafs  about  the  Tabernacle  5  as 
 
 1^-V^vJ  Dr.  Lightfoot  hath  obferved  in  his  Centur.  Chorogr. 
 CXLVIII.  and  J.  Wagenfeil more  lately  in  his  Anno- 
 tations upon  the  Gernara  oiSota,  Cap.i.Se&.^i.  where 
 feveral  of  them  fay,  that  the  Camp  was  three  Parafots 
 in  compafs :  and  a  Parafot  was  four  Miles. 
 
 CHAP.     III. 
 
 Verfe  •  1 .  Ver.  I  /  I  ^Hefe  are  the  Generations  of  Aaron  and  Mo- 
 JL  fes7\  Being  now  to  give  an  account  of 
 the  LevHes,  who  had  not  been  numbred  with  the  reft 
 of  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  he  fets  down  the  defen- 
 dants of  the  principal  Perfons  among  them,  viz.  Aa- 
 ron (whom  he  puts  in  the  firft  place,  becaufe  he  was 
 the  elder  Brother,  and  his  Pofterity  were  advanced 
 to  the  Dignity  of  Priefts)  and  Mofes  5  whofe  Pofte- 
 rity  were  only  Minifters  to  the  Priefts,  as  all  the 
 common  Levites  were.  It  may  feem  indeed  at  firft 
 fight,  as  if  he  gave  an  account  only  of  Aaron  s  Pofte- 
 rity,  v.  2.  But  if  we  look  further  to  v.  27,  28.  we 
 (hall  find  the  Pofterity  of  both  here  numbred,  in  the 
 Family  of  the  Amramites  5  of  which  both  Aaron  and 
 Mofes  were  :  Amram  being  their  Father  f,  from  whom 
 the  Genealogy  of  the  Children  of  Mofes  is  derived, 
 (1  Chron.  XXIII.  13, 14,  &c.)  through  their  Genera- 
 tions 5  as  here  thofe  of  Aaron. 
 
 Concerning  the  word  Generations  ,  See  Dr.  Ham- 
 mond on  the  firft  of  St.  Matthew,  Not.  a. 
 
 In 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  35 
 
 In  the   day    that  the  LORD  fpake    unto   Mofcs  Chapter 
 hi   Mount   Sinai.]     This  Circumftance  feems  to  be      III. 
 particularly  fpecified,  becaufe  at  that  time  Nadab  and  L/"V\J 
 Abihu  (who  are  mentioned  in  the  next  Verfe)  were 
 both  alive,  and  very  eminent  Perfons,  (XXIV  Exod. 
 1,  9,  10.)  though  they  were  now  dead,  at  this  num- 
 bring  of  the  Levites. 
 
 Ver.  2.  Thefe  are  the  Names  of  the  Sons  of  Aaron,  Verfe  2. 
 Nadab  the  firft-bom,  Sec]  There  feems  no  neceffity 
 of  fetting  down  the  Names  of  Aaron's  Sons  3  they  not 
 being  here  to  be  numbred.  But  it  was  of  great  Con- 
 cernment to  have  the  Diftin&ion  preferved  between 
 the  Priefts  and  the  Levites  5  their  Offices  being  very 
 different :  and  therefore  Mofes  here  fets  down  who 
 belonged  to  the  one,  and  who  to  the  other. 
 
 Ver.  3 .  Thefe  are  the  Names  of  the  Sons  of  Aaron,  Verfe  3 . 
 the  Priejls  which  were  anointed.']  See  VIII  Levit.  30. 
 
 Which  he  confecrated.]  In  the  Hebrzw^whofe  Hand  he 
 filed.     See  XXVIII  Exod.  41.  XXIX.  9. 
 
 To  minijler  in  the  Priefts  Office."]  He  would  have 
 it  noted,  that  Aaron  s  Pofterity  were  folemnly  con- 
 fecrated to  an  higher  Office  than  the  reft  of  the  Tribe 
 of  Levi  ^  who  were  to  be  their  Servants.  The  very 
 name  of  Cohen  carries  Dignity  in  it  5  fignifying  fome- 
 time  a  Prince,  as  well  as  a  Priejl.  Accordingly,  the 
 Priefts  had  very  little  fervileWork  impofed  upon 
 them  ^  but  their  chief  bufinefs  was  to  draw  near  to 
 God,  to  prefent  him  with  the  Blood,  and  the  Fat,  ' 
 and  fotrc  part  of  the  Sacrifices  3  which  might  be  kil- 
 led by  other  Perfons.  This  (hows  that  they  were 
 God's  Tamiliars  5  infomuch  that  fome  Sacrifices  were 
 divided  between  him,  and  them  :  and  it  was  the 
 fame  thing,  whether  they  were  confumed  on  the  Al- 
 ter, or  eaten  by  the  Priefts :   And  thofe  things  are 
 
 E  faid 
 
^6  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  (aid  to  be  given  to  God,    which  were  put  into  their 
 III.      hands  5  though  they  never  came  to  the  Altar.  Which 
 L/"V~vJ  is  an  Evidence  of  the  near  relation  they  had  to  the 
 Divine  Majefty, which  the  Levites  had  not  5  for  they 
 could  not  come  nigh  to  offer  any  thing  to  him,    no 
 more  than  the  reft  of  the  Ifraelites  :  but  were  employ- 
 ed in  inferior  Services  about  the  Tabernacle,  that  the 
 Priefts  might  wholly  attend  to  the  Service  of  God  at 
 the  Altar. 
 Verfe  4.        Ver.  4.    And    Nadab    and  Abihu  died  before   the 
 LOR D,  &c]     A  little  after  their  Confecration,  X 
 Lev.  1,  Sec. 
 
 And  they  had  no  Children.'}  Which  is  here  record- 
 ed, that  all  Pofterity  might  know  there  were  none  to 
 be  admitted  to  the  Office  of  Priefthood,  but  fuch  as 
 could  derive  their  Genealogy  from  Eleazar  or  Itha- 
 mar. If  the  other  had  left  any  Sons,  they  would 
 have  inherited  their  Father's  Office,  before  Eleazar  -7 
 as  ulaimonides  obferves  out  of  Siphre.  See  Schickard 
 his  Jtts  Regium^  Cap.  VI.  Theorem.  XX. 
 
 And  Eleazar  and  Ithamar  mini  fired  in  the  Priefts 
 Office,  in  the  fight  of  then  Father.']  The  LXX  right- 
 ly translate  it,  together  with  their  Father :  Who  was 
 the  High  Prieft  5  and  they  Lower  Priefts  under  him. 
 And  fo  were  all  their  Sons  5  which  it  is  likely  they 
 had  in  good  number:  For  they  are  appointed,^. 38. 
 for  the  guard  of  the  Tabernacle  towards  the  Eaft. 
 And  thus  the  Gemara  Hieorofol.  in  the  Title  concern- 
 ing Fajiing  faith,  That  Mofes  appointed  VIII  Clafles 
 of  Priefts  5  four  of  the  Family  of  Eleazar,  and  as 
 many  of  Ithamar  :  which  continued  till  the  time  of 
 Samuel  the  Prophet^  and  David,  who  admitted  many 
 more.     See  Selden  de  Succejf.  in  Pontif.  Cap.  I. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon  NUMB  E  R  IS.  2j 
 
 Ver.  5.  And  the  LORDJpafy  unto  Mofes,  faying."]  Chapter 
 Now  he  gives  order  about  the  reft  of  the  Tribe      m. 
 of  Levi  5    who  had  been  omitted  in  the  late  Mu-  u^v^VJ 
 
 fter-  Verfe  5. 
 
 Ver.  6.  Bring  the  Tribe  of  Levi  near,  and  prefent  Verfe  6. 
 them.~]  They  had  confecrated  themfelves  to  God, 
 by  a  noble  Aft  mentioned  XXXII  Exod.  29.  Which 
 procured  them  this  Bleffing  to  be  prefented  to  God, 
 and  confecrated  to  him  in  a  folemn  manner,  for  fuch 
 Services  as  he  (hould  affign  them.  So  this  word 
 bring  near  fignifies,  to  offer  them  unto  God  :  As  they 
 were  VIII.  10, 11. 
 
 Before  Aaron  the  PriefiJ]     In  his  prefence. 
 
 That  they  may  minijler  unto  hin/.~]  Unto  Aaron  and 
 the  reft  of  the  Priefts  $  who  were  the  immediate  Mi- 
 nifters  of  God  -y  and  the  Levites  were  given  to  mi- 
 nifter  unto  them.  Which  they  did  many  ways  j 
 efpecially  while  they  remaind  in  the  Wildernefs;, 
 where  they  had  a  peculiar  Charge,  (which  otherwife 
 would  have  been  incumbent  on  the  Priefts)  not  only 
 to  guard  the  Tabernacle,  and  keep  a  Watch  night 
 and  day  about  it  $  but  alfo  to  take  it  down,  and  to 
 carry  it,  when  they  removed  3  and  to  fet  it  up  again 
 when  they  refted  :  as  we  read  in  the  following  part 
 of  this  Chapter,  and  in  the  next.  When  they  came 
 into  the  Land  of  Canaan,  and  were  fettled  there,  they 
 had  lefs  to  do  of  this  kind  :  But  as  the  Charge  of  the 
 Tabernacle  ftill  lay  upon  them,  as  it  had  done  be- 
 fore ^  fo  did  other  Works  in  the  Courts  of  the 
 Lord's  Houfe,  and  in  the  Chambers,  where  they 
 waited  on  the  Priefts  $  which  are  particularly  men- 
 tioned in  1  Chron.  XXIII.  28,  29,  Stc.  And  in  Da- 
 vid's  time  their  Work  was  ftill  more  increafed  $  for 
 
 E  2  ...       he 
 
28  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter   he  appointed  them  to  be  Singers  in  the  Houfe  of  the 
 III.      Loud,   and  to  play  upon  feveral  forts  of  Inftru- 
 
 U^VNJ  ments,  i  Chron.  XXV.  which  they  did  Morning  and 
 Evening,  i  Chron.  XXIII.  30.  Porters  perhaps  there 
 were  before,  who  flood  at  the  feveral  Gates  of  the 
 Tabernacle,  as  afterward  of  the  Temple  5  and  are 
 faid  therein  to  minifler  in  the  Houfe  of  the  LORDy 
 1  Chron.  XXVI.  12.  as  alfo  Guards  of  the  Treafury 
 of  God's  Houfe,  and  of  things  dedicated  to  him,x/.2o. 
 But  as  he  increafed  the  number  of  them,  fo  he  fettled 
 them  in  their  Courfes  ^  that  there  might  be  a  con- 
 ftant  Attendance  with  greater  eafe.  As  for  thofe  of 
 them,  that  were  made  fudges  and  Officers,  not  only 
 in  Matters  concerning  the  Lord,  but  in  the  Ser- 
 vice of  the  Ring,  (as  we  read  there  1  Chron.  XXVI. 
 29,  30.)  it  no  more  belongs  to  what  is  faid  of  them 
 here,  than  what  follows  there,  ^.31.  that  there  were 
 found  among  them  mighty  Men  of  Valour.  See  upon 
 v.  10. 
 
 Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  And  they  Jhall  kpty  his  Charge,  and  the  charge 
 of  the  whole  Congregation^  It  highly  concerned  Aa- 
 ron  in  particular,  and  the  whole  Congregation  in  ge- 
 neral ^  that  the  Tabernacle  (hould  be  well  guarded : 
 And  this  was  the  Levites  great  bufinefs  at  prefent  5 
 who  took  this  Charge  from  off  their  hands,  by  attend- 
 ing that  Service  which  all  of  them  were  bound  to  per- 
 form. 
 
 Before  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation."]  This 
 exa&ly  expreffes  in  what  their  Miniftry  confided  : 
 which  was  not  performed  in  the  Tabernacle,  (where 
 the  Priefts  only  officiated  in  the  Holy  Place,  as  the 
 High  Prieft  in  the  moft  Holy)  but  before  it,  in  the 
 External  Part  of  it,  where  they  aflifted  the  Priefts  in 
 their  Service* 
 
 To 
 
upon   N  II  M  B  E   R  S.  ay 
 
 To  do  the  Service  of  the  Tabernacled]     Such  Service  Chapter 
 as  I  have  mentioned  before,  v.  6.  ,  III. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  they  fiall  kecp.~]     By  guarding  them,  L/^V^V 
 and  keeping  a  continual  Watch  about  them.  Verfe  8. 
 
 All  the  Instruments  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congrega- 
 tion^    Every  thing  belonging  to  it. 
 
 And  the  charge  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  to  do  the 
 Service  of  the  Tabernacle.']  By  which  Service  at  the 
 Tabernacle,they  took  upon  them  the  Charge  -y  which 
 otherwifewas  incumbent  on  the  whole  Congregation: 
 who  were  to  take  care  that  the  holy  Things  were  kept 
 both  fafe  and  fecure,  and  alfo  feparate  to  the  Sacred 
 Ufes  to  which  they  were  appointed. 
 
 Thefe  words ,  which  are  often  repeated,  [  to  do 
 the  Service  of  the  Tabernacle^]  are  to  be  carefully  no- 
 ted :  becaufe  the  Levites  did  not  ferve  in  the  Taber- 
 nacle, (which  belonged  only  to  the  Priefts)  butyer- 
 ved  the  Tabernacle^  guarding  it,and  taking  it  down, 
 and  carrying  it,  &c.  as  was  faid  before. 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  thou  ffjalt  give  the  Levites  unto  Aaron 'Verfec^ 
 and  to  his  SonsT]  They  were  firft  prefented  unto  God, 
 z>.6.and  God  beftowed  them  as  a  Gift  upon  the  Priefts. 
 See  VIII.  19. 
 
 They  are  wholly  given  unto  him  out  of  the  Children  of 
 IfraelT]  To  attend  upon  the  Priefls,  and  to  obey 
 their  Orders  5  for  which  they  paid  them  nothings 
 but  they  were  to  do  it  freely  :  being  given  to  them 
 to  be  their  Servants,  by  God  who  paid  them  their 
 Wages. 
 
 Ver.  10.  And  thou  /halt  appoint  Aaron  and  his  Sons,  Verfe  ic* 
 and  they  jhall  wait  on  their  Priefts  Office. "]     Or  ,  thou 
 (halt  appoint  them  to  wait  on  their  Priefthood.  Which 
 he  had  fhown  before  was  very  different  from  the  Le- 
 vitical  Office  5  but  to  make  them  more  mindful  pf 
 
 their 
 
3o  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter   their  Dignity,  he  repeats  it  again  :  that  Aaron  and  his 
 IH.      Sons  alone  (hould  officiate  as  Priefts  g  viz.  in  offering 
 
 L^WJ  Sacrifice  j,  an  fetting  the  Bread  upon  the  Holy  Table  ^ 
 looking  after  the  Lights  5  and  burning  Incenfe  : 
 Which  they  were  to  perform  in  their  own  Perfons,and 
 not  appoint  any  others,as  their  Deputies,to  do  them  ^ 
 for  none  of  thefe  things  could  be  performed  by  the 
 Levites.  Whofe  bufinefs  it  was  to  look  after  the  fine 
 Flour  of  which  the  Bread  was  made  3  to  prepare  it, 
 and  the  Frankincenfe  which  was  to  be  burnt,  and  a- 
 bundance  of  fuch  like  things  3  which  are  particular- 
 ly mentioned  1  Chron.  IX.  27,  28,  29,  51,32.  But 
 they  could  not  make  the  Anointing  Oyly  or  the  fieeet 
 Verfume  mentioned  XXX  Ex^.23,34.  for  they  were 
 moft  holy  :  and  therefore  the  Priefts  only  could  com- 
 pound them. 
 
 And  the  Stranger  that  cometh  nigh.']  By  Stranger  is 
 meant  any  one  (  though  a  Levite)  that  was  not  of 
 the  Sons  of  Aaron  :  who  alone  had  the  priviledge,  to 
 approach  unto  God. 
 
 Shall  be  pit  to  death."]  God  himfelf  fent  out  a  Fire 
 to  confume  Korah  and  his  Company,  who  prefumed 
 to  offer  Incenfe  3  being  but  bare  Levites  >  and  not 
 Priefts,  Chap.  XVI. 
 
 Verfe  11.  Ver.  1  i.And  the  LOR  D$ak§  unto  Mofes, faying."] 
 To  make  the  Matter  more  clear,  he  further  tells  Mofes 
 thereafon  why  he  took  the  Levites  from  among  the 
 the  Children  of  Ifrael,  to  be  his  after  a  peculiar  man- 
 ner. 
 
 Verfe  12.      Ver.  12.  And  J,  behold,  I  have  taken  the  Levites 
 
 fiom  among  the  Children  of  Ifrael.]     Take  notice  of  the 
 
 Reafon  why  I  have  taken  tfozLevites  from  among  the 
 
 reft  of  the  Israelites,  (v.  9.)  for  it  is  by  my  Order  and 
 
 Appointment 
 
 Inftead 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  31 
 
 Jnfiead  of  all  the  Firft-born  that  openeth  the  Matrix,   Chapter 
 8cc.j     To  make  an  exchange  with  them  for  all  their     III. 
 Firft-born,  which  I  have  heretofore  challenged  as  my  L/"V*\J 
 own  :  and  now  take  the  Levites  in  their  (lead. 
 
 Therefore  the  Levites  foall  be  mine.  ]  As  all  the 
 Firft-born  were  :  which  now  (hall  be  theirs,  and  the 
 Levites  be  mine. 
 
 V-er.  13.  Bee  aufc  all  the  Fir  Si-bom  are  mine.']     By  Verfe  12^ 
 a   fpecial  Right,  which  is    mentioned  in  the  next 
 words. 
 
 For  on  the  day  that  I  f mote  all  the  Firft-born  in  the 
 Land  of  Egypt .1  The  Title  whereby  he  laid  a  Claim 
 to  all  the  Firft-born,  was  that  great  Miracle  (as  R. 
 Levi  of  Barcelona  calls  it)  which  he  wrought,  when 
 he  deftroyed  all  the  Firft-born  of  their  Neighbours 
 in  Egypt  $  and  touched  not  one  of  theirs.  By  which 
 fparing  Mercy  he  acquired  a  juft  Right  to  them  ^  and 
 by  that  folemn  Dedication  which  he  then  command- 
 ed to  be  made  of  them,  unto  his  ufes,  XIII  Exod.  2, 
 12,13. 
 
 I  hallowed  unto  me  all  the  Fir  ft -born  in  Ifrael^  8cc.  1 
 He  feparated  them  unto  himfelf,  by  fparing  them, 
 when  he  killed  all  other  Firft-born,  but  only  theirs. 
 
 Mine  theyfhal/be.']  Both  by  that  Aft  of  his  own, 
 and  by  the  Aft  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  whom  he 
 commanded  to  Sanftifie  them  to  him,  (XIII  Exod.  2. 
 XXII.  29.)  they  became  God's.  By  which  it  appears, 
 that  he  had  not  a  peculiar  Right  in  the  Firft-born, 
 more  than  in  any  other  of  their  Children,  till  their 
 coming  out  of  Egypt.  And  therefore  the  taking  of 
 the  Levites  to  be  his,  inftead  of  the  Firft-born,  is  no 
 Argument  that  the  Firft-born  had  hitherto  been  the 
 Priefts  who  miniftred  unto  God,  till  this  Exchange 
 of  them  for  the  Levitts,  So  our  learned  Dr.  Light- 
 foot 
 
3,  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  foot  feems  to  infer,  in  his  Notes  upon  this  paflage^ 
 HI.      The  Firji-born,  faith  he,  had  been   Priejis  till  the  Con- 
 
 L/"V>*J  ficration  of  the  Levites,  but  now  that  Function  wufl  be 
 confined  to  that  Tribe.     In  which  words  (with  due  re- 
 fpect  be  it  fpoken  to  that  excellent  Man's  Labours) 
 there  are  feveral  Miftak.es.     For,  as  the   Priefthood 
 was  not  now  confined  to  this  Tribe,  but  to  one  Fami- 
 ly in  this  Tribe,  (that  of  Aaron)  fo  it  was  not  con- 
 fined to  it,  upon  this  occafion  :  but  he  and  his  Sons 
 were  Confecrated*  before  this  Exchange  of  the  Levites 
 for  the  Firft-born  :  Who  were  now  given  to  minifter 
 unto  them,  but  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  Prieft- 
 hood 5  no  more  than  the  Firft-born  had,  for  whom 
 they  were  exchanged :  that  peculiar  Right  which  Cod. 
 had  in  the  Firft-born,  being  fince  their  coming  out  of 
 Egypt.     Upon  all  which  Confiderations  we  may  look 
 upon  this  Exchange,  as  an  Argument  rather  that  the 
 Firft-born  were  not  Priefts  in  former  times,  than  that 
 they  were  :  a's  the  Jews  fancy,  and  as  many  have  fug- 
 gefted  from  this  very  taking  of  the  Levites  to  be  God's 
 portion  in  their  ftead.     For  fo  Menochius  himfelf, 
 £.11.  de  Repub.  Jud.  cap.  i.  afferts  from  this  very 
 place,  Jus  Sacerdotum  in  Levitas  tranflatum,&  eos  loco 
 primogenitorum  acceptos,  qui  bus  hoc  jus  debebatur,  that 
 the  Right  of  Priefts  was  transferred  to  the  Levites, 
 and  they  were  accepted  in  ftead  of  the  Firft-born,  to 
 whom  that  Right  belonged.     In  which  there  is  not  a 
 word  of  truth,  but  only  that  thz/Levites  were  accep- 
 ted inftead  of  the  Firft-born:  who  had  the  fame  Right 
 to  the  Priefthood,  that  the  Levites  had  $  that  is,none 
 at  all. 
 
 /  am  the  LOR  D.~]  Who  may  take  whom  I  pleafe 
 to  be  imployed  in  my  Service  5  and  think  it  reafonable 
 thatthofe  whom  Ifpared,  when  J  flew  the  Egyptian 
 Firft-born,  fhould  be  mine.      $  Ver. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  33 
 
 Ver.  14.  And  the  LORD  fiake  unto  Mofes. ~]  There  Chapter 
 was  fome   reafon,    no  doubt,    why  Mofes  alone  is      III. 
 commanded  to  take  the  number  of  the  Levites  upon  <W^sJ 
 this  occafion,  (as  he  alone  did,  v.  16.)  when  ^n?#  Verfe  ^4- 
 is  joined  with  him  in  numbring  the  Ifraelites^  I.  3. 
 and  in  numbring  the  Levites  themfelves  who  were  fit 
 for  fervice,IV.2,4i,45.    (nay,  the  chief  of  the  Ifrael- 
 ites  aififted  therein,  v.  46.)     And  it  is  moft  probable 
 he  alone  was  employed  to  take  this  account,  becaufe 
 Aaron  was  a  party  in  it  ^    the  Money  that  was  to  be 
 paid  for  fo  many  of  the  firft-born,  as  exceeded  the 
 number  of  the  Levites  ^  being  given  to  him,  and  to  his 
 Sons,  v.  48. 
 
 In  the  Wildemefs  of  Sinai.']  This  Command  im- 
 mediately followed  the  other,  in  the  two  preceding 
 Chapters,  before  they  departed  from  the  Wilder- 
 nefs  of  Sinai  3  where  they  had  been  ever  fince  God 
 delivered  the  Law  to  them,  from  that  Mountain.  • 
 
 Ver.  1 5.  Number  the  Children  of  Levi  after  the  Houfe  Verfe  15. 
 of  their  Fathers ,  by  their  Fami lies. ~]  J u ft  as  they  had 
 numbred  the  reft  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael.  See  l.v.2. 
 Only  thofe  they  numbred  from  Twenty  years  old 
 and  upward  5  but  the  Levites  from  a  Month  old  and 
 upward. 
 
 Every  Male  from  a  month  old  and  upward^  fljalt  thou 
 number  them. ~\  The  reafon  of  this  difference  was, 
 that  this  was  the  Age,  at  which  they  were  to  redeem 
 their  Firft-born,  (XVIII.  16.)  in  whofe  ftead  the  Le- 
 vites  were  to  be  given  unto  God.  See  v.  40.  of  this 
 Chapter.  y 
 
 Ver.  16.  And  Mofes  numbred  them  according  to  the  Verfe  16. 
 word  of  the  LORD^  &c.~\     This  Charge  was  com- 
 mitted to  him  alone,  v.  1  o.  and  he  alone  (as  I  there 
 obferved)  performed  it. 
 
 \  F  Ver. 
 
34  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  17.  And  thefe  were  the  Sons  of  Levi^  by  their 
 HI.       names,  Gerjhon.    and  Kohath,  and  Merari7\  The  fame 
 L/V^vJ  account  we  had  before,  XLVI  Gen.  n.  VI  Exod. 
 16. 
 
 Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  And  thefe  are  the  Names  of  the  Sons  of 
 Gerfoon,  by  their  Families,  Libni  and  Shimei.  ~]  The 
 fame  is  faid  VI  Exod.  1 7. 
 
 Verfe  19.  Ver»  l9-  An&  *ke  Names  of  the  Sons  of  Kohath, 
 &c.~]  They  are  mentioned  in  the  fame  order,in  that 
 VI  Exod.  18,  19. 
 
 Verfe  20.  Ver-  2®-  Thefe  are  the  Families  of  the  Levites,  ac- 
 cording to  the  Honfe  of  their  Fathers  7\  Thefe  were  the 
 principal  Families  in  this  Ttibe  5  from  whence  the  fe- 
 veral  Houfholds,  and  the  Perfons  in  them,  were  de- 
 rived. 
 
 Verf.    2 1 ,      Ver.  21,22.  Of  Gerjhon  was  the  Family,  &c.^)  From 
 22.  his  two  Sons  fprung  two  Families :  who  had  in  them 
 Seven  thouiand  and  five  hundred  Male  Children,from 
 a  Month  old  and  upward. 
 
 Verfe  23.  Ver.  23.  And  the  Families  of  the  Gerfionites  fiatt 
 pitch  behind tkeTabernacle  wefward7\  Where  the moft 
 holy  place  was  5  and  where  they  under  the  Standard 
 of  Ephraim  lay,  in  the  great  Camp  of  Ifracl,  (H.  r8.) 
 between  whom  and  the  Tabernacle,  this  part  of  the 
 Camp  of  Levi  pitched. 
 
 Verfe  24.  Ver.  24.  And  the  Chief  of  the  Houfe  of  the  Father  of 
 the  Gerjlwnites,  Sec.]  The  Commander  in  Chief,  as 
 we  may  ftile  him.,  or  the  principal  Officer  in  this 
 part  of  the  Camp  of  the  Levites  3  was  Eliafaph  the 
 Son  of  Lael:  but  of  what  Family  he  was,  whether  of 
 the  Libnites,  oxShimites,  is  not  related. 
 
 Verfe  25.       Ver.  25.  And  the  Charge  of  the    Sons  of  Gerflon.  " 
 That     which  was    committed  peculiarly    to  their 
 care. 
 
 In 
 
^NUMBERS.  35 
 
 In  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation^  In  the  things  Chapter 
 belonging  to  the  Tabernacle :  for  none  went  into  it,      HL 
 but  the  Priefts  alone.  t/y\j 
 
 Shall  be  the  Tabernacle.']  Not  the  Boards  and  Pil- 
 lars, and  Bafes  of  it,  (for  they  belonged  to  the  care 
 of  the  Sons  of  Merari,  v.  36.)  but  the  Ten  Curtains, 
 which  were  the  inward  Hangings  of  it  5  and  are  cal- 
 led thzMifchcan  or  Tabernacle,XXVI  Exod.j.znd  fee 
 the  next  Chapter  of  this  Book,  v.  25. 
 
 And  the  Tent."]  The  outward  Curtains  of  Goats 
 Hair,  which  are  called  Ohel,  the  Tent,  XXVI  Exod. 
 7.  12. 
 
 The  Covering  thereof."]  The  Michfe,  as  the  Hebrews 
 call  it,  or  the  Covering  of  the  Tent ,  were  the  Rams 
 Skins,  and  Badgers  Skins  5  which  lay  outmoft  of  all, 
 upon  the  Curtains  of  Goats  Hair ,  XXVI  Exod. 
 14. 
 
 And  the  hanging  for  the  Door  of  the  Tabernacle  mof 
 the  Congregation.  ^     The  outward  Vail ,  mentioned 
 
 XXVI  Exod.  36.  for  the  inward  Vail ,  which  hung 
 before  the  moft  holy  Place,  was  the  Charge  of  the 
 Kohathrtes. 
 
 Ver.  26.    And  the  Hangings  of  the  Court."     SeeVerfe26. 
 
 XXVII  Exod.  9. 
 
 And  the  Curtain  for  the  Door  of  the  Courts  XXVI  Ex- 
 od. 16. 
 
 Which  is  by  the  Tabernacle,  and  by  the  Altar  round 
 about."]  Or,  as  the  Hebrew  particle  al  may  be  tranf- 
 lated,  is  over,  or  upon  the  Tabernacle ,  &c.  That  is, 
 this  Curtain  at  the  Door,  and  the  Hangings  of  the 
 Court,  compared  the  Tabernacle,  and  the  Altar  of 
 Burnt-offerings  (which  ftood  at  the  Door  of  it,  XL 
 Exod.  19.)  round  about  3  fo  that  they  were  not  ex- 
 pofed  to  common  fight :  For  thefe  Gerflionites  had 
 
 F  2  nothing 
 
$6  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter    nothing  to  do  with  the  Altar  it  felf  5  which  was  the 
 III.      Charge  of  the  Kohathites,  v.  3 1 . 
 
 L/^WJ  And  the  Cords  ofit7\  This  feems  to  refer  not  mere- 
 ly to  the  Curtain  for  the  Door  of  the  Court,  but  to 
 all  that  went  before,  viz.  the  Cords  whereby  thofe 
 Hangings  were  ftretched  out,  and  faftned  by  Pins  to 
 the  Wood-work  of  the  Tabernacle.  For  the  Cords 
 of  that  belonged  to  the  Cuftody  of  the  Sons  of  Me- 
 rari^x.  37.  and  we  find  Pins  and  Cords  as  well  for 
 the  Tabernacle,  (  that  is,  the  Hangings )  as  for  the 
 Court,  i.e.  the  Boards,  &c.  XXXV  Exod.  18. 
 
 For  all  the  Service  thereof  ^  Of  this  part  of  the 
 Houfe  of  God,  as  appears  from  z;.  31,  and  36.  where 
 this  is  repeated  with  refpeft  to  the  other  parts  of 
 it. 
 
 Verfe  27.  Ver.  27.  And  ofKohath  was  the  Family  of  the  Am- 
 ramites,  &c]  He  was  the  fecond  Son  of  Levi  3  and 
 had  as  many  more  Families  fprung  from  him  as  from 
 the  Eldeft  :  among  which  was  the  Family  of  xhzAm- 
 ramites  3  of  which  were  Mofes  and  Aaron. 
 
 Verfe  28.  Ver.28./«  the  number  of  all  the  Males,  &c.j  Though 
 there  were  four  Families  of  the  Kohathites,  and  but 
 two  of  the  Gerponites  3  yet  the  latter  were  as  nume- 
 rous as  they,  within  Eleven  hundred* 
 
 Keeping  the  Charge  of  the  Sanctuary.  ~]  Of  w  hat  be- 
 longed to  the  holy  Place,  which  was  committed  to 
 their  Charge,  as  it  follows  afterward  3  and  they  were 
 inftructed  in  it  betimes. 
 
 Verfe  29.  Ver.  29.  The  Families  of  the  Sons  ofKohath  fhaU 
 pitch  on  the  fide  of  the  Tabernacle  font hwardS]  Between 
 the  Tabernacle,  ond  the  Standard  of  Reuben,  II.  10. 
 
 Verfe  30.       Ver.  3.0.  And  the  Chief  of  the  Houfe  of  the  Father  of 
 the  Families  of  the  Kohathites^  pall  be  Elizaphan  the 
 Son  ofUzziel.~]    There  was  a  Commander  in  Chief 
 
 appointed 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  37 
 
 appointed  over  this  Body  of  the  Levites  :   who  was  Chapter 
 chofen  out  of  the  youngeft  Family  of  the  KohathHes.      III. 
 But  it  is  obfervable  there  were  no  Standards  belong-  l/V\i 
 ing  to  any  of  theie  Bodies  $  they  being  defigned  for 
 other  Service,  and  not  for  War. 
 
 Ver.  31.  And  their  Charge  fo all  be  the  Ar^  and  the  Verfe  31. 
 Table,  and  the  Candleftick.  ]  The  San&uary,  as  was 
 faid  before,  S/.28.  being  committed  to  their  Cuftody  5. 
 •  the  Particulars  are  here  mentioned  :  which  were  the 
 moft  precious  of  all  the  holy  Things.  With  which 
 the  KohathHes  had  the  honour  to  be  intruded,  though 
 a  younger  Family  than  thofe  defcended  from  Ger- 
 fion  5  becaufe  Mofes  and  Aaron  were  of  it,  being  of 
 the  Family  of  the  Amramites.  Which  is  the  reafon 
 why  the  KohathHes  are  reckoned?  firft  in  the  next 
 Chapter,  v. 2.  and  that  of  the  XLVIII  Cities  given 
 to  the  Levites  by  JoJ/ma,  almoft  half  of  them  fell  to 
 their  Families,  XXI  Jo/Ij.  4,  5. 
 
 The  Altars.]  Both  the  Altar  of  Burnt-offerings  3 
 and  the  Altar  of  Incenfe. 
 
 And  the  Veffels  of  the  SanUuary  wherewith  they  (/.  e. 
 thePriefts)  minijier.  See  XXV.  Exod.  29.  XXX  VIL 
 16. 
 
 And  the  hanging.']  That  is,  the  Vail  before  the 
 moft  Holy  Place,  (for  all  other  Hangings  were  under 
 the  care  of  the  Gerjhonites^  v.  25,  26.)  wherein  the 
 Ark  was  wrapt,  when  they  carried  it,  IV.  5. 
 
 And  all  the  Service  thereof^]  Whatfoever  belonged 
 to  this  part  of  God's  Houfe.  See  v.  26.  and  the  Par- 
 ticulars are  mentioned  in  the  next  Chapter,  v.  7^ 
 
 %  14- 
 
 Ver.  32.  And  Eleazar  the  Son  of  Aaron  JIj all  be  chief  Verfe  32* 
 over  the  Chief  of  the  Levites."]     There  was  one  Officer 
 in  chief,  fet  over  each  of  thefe  great  Families  of  the 
 
 Gw- 
 
38  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Gerfljonites,  v.  24.   of  the  Kohathites,  v.  30.  and  the 
 HI.      Meraritcs,  v.  35.     And  over  all  thefe  Chiefs,  there  is 
 
 L/"V\J  now  appointed  a  fupreme  Chief,  (who  was  to  go- 
 vern them,  as  they  governed  thofe  under  them)  and 
 that  was  Eleazar,  who  was  more  than  a  Levite  5  being 
 the  eldeft  Son  of  Aaron  the  High  Prieft. 
 
 And  have  the  Ovtr-fight  of  them  that  keep  the  charge 
 of  the  San[titary.~]  But  more  particularly  Eleazar  was 
 to  fuper-vife  thofe  that  had  the  San&uary  under  their 
 care  :  That  is,  all  the  Rohathites  and  Elizaphan  their 
 chief,  v.  20. 
 
 Verf.    33,      Ver.  33,  34.  Of  Merarl  was  the  Family  of  the  Mah- 
 %^Jites,  and  the  Family  of  the  Mitfiites,  &C."]     Nothing 
 is  obfervable  of  thefe,  but  that  they  were  the  feweft 
 in  number  $  being  thirteen  hundred  lefs  than  the  Chil- 
 dren of  Gerfton,  v.  22. 
 
 Verfe  3  5 .  Ver.  3  5 .  Thefe  Jha//  pitch  on  the  fide  of  the  Tabernacle 
 No'rthward.~]  Oppofite  to  the  Kohathites  }  between  the 
 Standard  of  Dan,  and  the  San&uary,  II.  25. 
 
 Verfe  26.  ^er#  3^*  ^n^  un<^er  f^e  Cnftody  and  Charge  of  the 
 Sons  of  Merari,  jhaU  be  the  Boards  of  the  Taberna- 
 cle, &c."]  Concerning  all  the  things  mentioned  in 
 this,  and  in  the  next  Verfe.  See  XXVI.  Exod.  15, 
 16,  &c.  XXVII.  10,  ii,  12, 8cc.  and  the  next  Chap- 
 ter of  this  Book,  ^.31,32. 
 
 Verfe  37.  Ver.37.  And  their  Cords. ~\  Thefe  are  different  from 
 thofe  before  mentioned^  v.  27.  as  I  noted  there. 
 
 Verf.  ^8.  Ver.  38.  But  thofe  that  encamp  before  the  Taber- 
 nacle towards  the  Eajl.~]  Where  the  Entrance  into  it 
 was. 
 
 Even  before  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation  Eajl- 
 xvard.~]  He  would  have  this  Station  obferved,  as  much 
 excelling  the  reft. 
 
 Shall 
 
upon  NUMBER  S.  39 
 
 Shall  be  Mofes  and  Aaron,  and  his  Sons."]     There  Chapter 
 were  but  three  Bodies  of  the  Levites,  defcended  from      III. 
 the  three  Sons  of  Lev?,  v.  1.  and  therefore  none  left  L^VXJ 
 to  guard  this  fide  of  the  Tabernacle,  but  Mofes  and 
 Aaron,  and  their  Families :    who  lay  between  the 
 Standard  of  Judah,  and  the  Tabernacle,  (fee  Chap.ll. 
 v.%.)  which  wasthemoft  honourable  Poft,  as  I  there 
 noted  :    Where  the  Priefts  were  with  great  reafon 
 placed,  together  with  the  chief  Governor  of  all,  Mo- 
 fes  5  becaufe  they  were  to  guard  the  Holy  Place,  that 
 none  might  go  into  it,  but  themfelves. 
 
 Keeping  the  charge  of  the  SanSuaryf}  Of  the  En- 
 trance into  it. 
 
 For  the  charge  of  the  Children  of  IfraeL"]  Which  it 
 concerned  every  one  of  the  Children  o£Jfrael,  fhould 
 be  kept  facred.     See  v.  7. 
 
 And  the  Stranger  that  cometh  nigh  fkall  be  put  to 
 Death."]  No  Man  that  was  not  of  the  Houfe  of  Aa- 
 ron (though  a  Levite)  was  upon  the  peril  of  his  life, 
 to  enter  into  theSan&uary  :  Of  which  they  had  the 
 charge.     See  v.  10. 
 
 Ver.  39.  All  that  were  numbred  of  the  Levites,  which  Verfe  39. 
 Mofes  and  Aaron  numbred,  at  the  Commandment  of  the 
 LORD.']  This  looks  like  a  Contradiftion  to  the 
 Obfervation,  I  made,  ^.14.  16.  But  Aaron  s  numbring 
 here,  in  all  Probability,  is  only  his  agreeing  that  this 
 was  a  tfue  Account  which  Mofes  took  of  the  Tribe  of 
 Levi.  For  Mofes  ftill  continues  to  be  alone  con- 
 cerned, in  numbring  the  Firft-born  of  the  Chil- 
 dren of  Jfrael,  for  whom  they  were  to  be  exchanged , 
 ^.40.42. 
 
 Were  twenty  and  two  thoufand.  ]  If  the  particular 
 Sums  before-mentioned,  (^.22,28,34:)  be  put  to- 
 gether,   they  amount  to  three  hundred  more,    than 
 
 twenty 
 
4o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  tmnty  two  thoufand.  Therefore  it  is  a  reafonable  Con- 
 III.      je&ure  that  the  three  hundred  are  omitted  in  this  ac- 
 
 U^WJ  count,  becaufe  they  were  the  firft-born  of  the  Le- 
 vites  themfelves :  and  upon  that  fcore  belonging  to 
 God  already,  (by  the  Law  in  XIII.  Exod.  2.  XXXIV. 
 20.)  could  not  be  exchanged  for  the  firft-born  of 
 other  Tribes,  and  fubftituted  in  their  ftead,  as  other 
 Levites  were.  It  is  very  obfervable  here  alfo,  that 
 the  Levites  were  the  feweft  in  number  of  any  Tribe  } 
 being  but  Two  and  twenty  thoufand,  three  hundred, 
 from  a  Month  old  and  upward  5  when  fome  Tribes 
 were  twice,  nay  thrice  as  many,  (Seel.27.)  not  rec- 
 koning Children,  but  only  Men  from  twenty  years  old 
 and  upward.  In  which  the  Divine  Providence  was 
 very  confpicuous :  Which  fo  ordered  it,  that  this 
 whole  Tribe  might  be  dedicated  to  him.  Whereas,  if 
 it  had  grown  proportionably  to  the  reft,  there  would 
 have  been  more  Levites  by  far  than  the  firft-born  of  all 
 the  Tribes. 
 
 Verfe  40.  ^er.  4°-  ^nd  the  LO  R  D  /aid  unto  Mofes.']  To 
 whom  alone  this  Command  is  dire&ed,  as  I  obferved 
 above. 
 
 Number  all  the  firji-bom  of  the  Males  of  the  Children 
 of  Ifrael  from  a  month  old  and  upward.']  The  firft-born 
 Males  were  to  be  a  Month  old,  before  their  Parents 
 were  bound  to  redeem  them  :  If  they  died  before, 
 they  were  not  to  pay  any  thing  for  them.  Which  de- 
 pends upon  another  Law,  XII  Lev.  4. 6.  Where  if  a 
 Woman  brought  forth  a  Male  5  befides  the  feven  days 
 of  her  Separation,  (he  was  to  ftay  three  and  thirty  days 
 more  before  Ihe  went  unto  the  Sanftuary.  At  which 
 time  the  Child  being  to  be  prefented  to  God,  it  appears 
 that  he  acknowledged  them  for  his  when  they  were  a 
 Month  old.     Yet  they  diftinguifh  between  the  time 
 
 when 
 
upon  N  U  M  B  E  R  S.  41 
 
 when  the  Redemption-Money  was  due,  and  when  it  Chapter 
 was  offered.    This  latter  was  deferred  till  the  Mother      III. 
 was  abroad  again  :  but  it  was  due,  and  the  Father  obli-  L^VXJ 
 ged  to  pay  it,  as  foon  as  the  Child  was  a  Month  old. 
 So  Confi.  L'Empereur  obferves  out  of  Malmonldes0upon 
 Bava  kama,  cap.  VII.  Sett.  6. 
 
 And  take  the  number  of  their  Names."]  That  their 
 number,  and  that  of  the  Levltes,  might  be  compared 
 one  with  the  other  3  for  the  reafon  which  here  fol- 
 lows. 
 
 Ver.  41.  And  thou  [halt  take  the  Levltes  for  me  (TVerfe  41. 
 am  the  LORD  J  inftead  of  all  the  Firfl-born  among  the 
 Children  of  Ifrael7\  God  had  taken  them  before,  as 
 we  read,  v.  12.  by  declaring  hisWill  to  Mofes  about 
 it.  And  now  he  commands  Mofes  to  declare  his  Will 
 to  the  People,  and  adtually  to  make  this  exchange  5 
 after  he  had  taken  the  Number,  both  of  the  Firft- 
 born^  and  of  the  Levltes.  For  he  had  Authority  to 
 take  which  he  pleafed,  being  their  Lord. 
 
 And  the  Cattel  of  the  Levltes,  Injlead  of  all  the  Flrfi- 
 lings  among  the  Cattel  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael."]  Not 
 that  they  (hould  be  facrificed,  or  taken  from  the 
 Levltes  5  but  that  they  fhould  be  accounted  God's 
 Cattel  :  they  being  the  Cattel  of  the  Levltes  5  who 
 were  his  entirely.  And  therefore  were  prefented 
 unto  him,  as  the  Levltes  were  5  but  ftill  continued 
 in  their  pofTeffion  by  his  Allowance,  for  their  Encou- 
 ragement in  his  Service.     See  v.  45. 
 
 Ver.  42.  And  Mofes  nnmbred,  as  the  LORD  com-  Verfe  4:. 
 manded  him,  all  the  Firfl-born  of  the  Children  of  If 
 rael7\  But  we  do  not  find  that  he  numbred  the 
 Firftlings  of  their  Cattel,  or  the  Cattel  of  the  Le- 
 vltes ^  becaufe  the  exchange  of  them  was  not  made 
 in  particular,  by  fubftituting  one  for  one  5  but  gene- 
 
 G  rallv 
 
4a  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  rally,  by  fubftitutingall  the  Cattel  of  the  Levites,  in- 
 III.      ftead  of  all  the  Fir  filings  of  the  Ifraelites  Cattel. 
 
 L/"VNJ       Ver.  43.   And  all  the  firjl-bom  Males,    by  the  number 
 
 Verfe  43.  of  Names,  &C.  and  were  Twenty  and.  two  thoufand  two 
 hundred,  and  three/core  and  thirteen.~\  It  may  appear 
 fomething  ftrange,  that  from  above  Six  hundred 
 thoufand  Men,  (reckoning  from  twenty  years  old 
 and  upward,  I.  46.)  there  fhould  not  be  more  than 
 this  number  of  firft-born  Sons  5  till  it  be  confidered 
 that  thus  many  were  born  fince  the  Slaughter  of  the 
 Egyptian  Firft-born,  (which  was  not  much  above  a 
 year  ago)  after  which  time  all  the  Firft-born  of  Jfi- 
 rael  became  God's  5  but  not  thofe  that  were  born  be- 
 fore. For  fo  the  Law  is,  XIII  Exod.  2.  Whatfoever 
 openeth  the  Womb,  (i.  e.  hereafter)  both  of  Man  and 
 Beafl,  fliall  be  mine. 
 
 Verf.  44.  Ver.  44.  And  the  LORD  fpake  unto  Mofes,  fay- 
 ing."] Still  he  is  the  Perfonfolely  employed  in  this 
 bufinefs. 
 
 Verfe  45.  Ver.  45.  Take  the  Levites  inflead  of  all  the  Firfl- 
 born  among  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  and  the  Cattel  of  the 
 Levites  inflead  of  their  CattelT]  Having  numbred 
 both  the  Levites  and  the  Firft-born  3  now  he  bids 
 him  take  thofe  Two  and  twenty  thoufand  Levites 
 inftead  of  fo  many  Firft-born.  As  for  the  Cattel, 
 they  were  not  numbred,  as  I  obferved  before,  but  ex- 
 changed in  the  lump,  as  we  fpeak. 
 
 And  the  Levites  ft  all  be  mine7\  I  think  it  is  remarka- 
 ble, that  he  doth  not  add,  and  their  Cattel fhall be  mine 
 alfo.  For  he  did  not  take  their  Cattel  from  them,  when 
 they  became  his  5  but  left  them  the  ufe  of  them,  who 
 ftill  enjoyed  them  in  his  Right. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  43 
 
 I  am  the  LOR  D.~]     This  exchange  is  made  by  my  Chapter 
 Authority  $   who  am  the  Lord  both  of  them,  and     m, 
 all  they  have.  L/^V\J 
 
 Ver.  46.  And  for  tbofe  that  are  to  be  redeemed  of  the  Verfe  46. 
 two  hundred  and  thretfcore  and  thirteen,  &cc.~]  There 
 being  Two  hundred  threefcore  and  thirteen  Firft- 
 born,  more  than  there  were  Levites,  they  are  directed, 
 in  the  next  Verfe,  what  to  do  about  them.  For  there 
 could  be  no  exchange  of  Levites  for  them }  becaufe 
 there  was  not  a  iufficient  number  to  be  taken  in  their 
 ftead. 
 
 Ver.  47.  Thou  /halt  even  take  five  Shells  apiece  by  Verfe  47. 
 the  pole."]     This  was  the  Price  of  Redemption  ever  af- 
 ter, as  appears  from  XVIII.  1 6.    For  it  had  been  lately 
 conftituted  the  value  of  a  Man-child,  from  a  Month 
 to  five  years  old,  in  XXVII  Levit.  6. 
 
 After  the  Shekel  of  the  San&uary,  &c]  See  XXX 
 Exod.  13,8a:.  The  only  difficulty  in  this  matter, 
 was  to  determine  which  of  the  Firft-born  ftiould  be 
 redeemed,  by  paying  this  Money  }  and  which  fliould 
 be  exchanged  for  the  Levites.  For  every  one  ©f  the 
 lfraelites,  no  doubt,  was  defirous  rather  to  have  his 
 Firft-born  redeemed  by  a  Levite,  than  by  paying  five 
 Shekels  5  and  yet  fome  of  them  muft  be  put  to  this 
 expence,  there  not  being  Levites  enough  to  anfwer  for 
 them  all.  The  Jews  thkik  (particularly  R.Solomon) 
 that  there  was  no  way  to  fatisfie  this  doubt  like  that, 
 by  drawing  of  lots.  Which  was  done  in  this  man- 
 ner. Mofcs,  faith  the  fore-named  Do8or,  tookT wo  and 
 twenty  thoufand  Scrolls  of  Parchment,  and  wrote  in 
 them  thefe  words,  a  Son  of  Levi  3  and  Two  hundred 
 andrfeventy  and  three  more,  wherein  he  wrote,  five 
 Shekels :  and  then  putting  them  all  together  in  an 
 Urn,  and  (baking  it  to  mingle  them,  he  commanded 
 
 G  2  every 
 
44  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  every  one  of  the  Firft-born  to  come,  and  put  in  his 
 III.      Hand,   and  draw  out  a  Schedule  :  And  to  him  that 
 
 L/*V\J  drew  out  one  of  the  former  fort,  he  faid,  a  Levitehath 
 redeemed  thee }  but  to  him  that  drew  out  one  of  the 
 latter,  he  faid,  pay  thy  Price.  And  thus  they  tell  the 
 Story  alfo  in  the  Gemara  Babylon.  Tit.  Sanhedrin. 
 Which  is  probable  enough  ^  unlefs  we  fuppofe  the 
 Congregation  to  have  redeemed  the  Two  hundred 
 feventy  three  Firft-born,  out  of  a  common  Stock  5 
 which  was  a  (horter  way,  but  not  fo  Divine  as  the  o- 
 ther. 
 
 Verfe  4.8.  Ver.  4^'  ^n^  *^0H  fiah  &*ve  ^Je  Money  wherewith 
 '  the"  odd  number  of  them  is  to  be  redeemed,  unto  Aaron, 
 and  to  his  Sons.]  Which  was  but  reafonable  3  be- 
 caufe  the  Levites  being  given  to  them  by  God,  v.  6,  7. 
 the  Money  that  was  paid  to  make  up  what  was  want- 
 ing in  their  proportion  to  the  Firft-born,  belonged  to 
 them  likewife. 
 
 Verfe  49.  Ver.  49.  And  Mofes  took,  the  Redemption-Money  of 
 them  that  were  over  and  above."]  To  whom  the  Lot 
 fell,  hiving  five  Shekels  written  upon  it. 
 
 Them  that  were  redeemed  by  the  Levites.']  The 
 Firft-born  were  redeemed  by  the  Levites  as  far  as  their 
 number  would  reach  3  the  reft,  who  were  more  than 
 the  Levites,  were  redeemed  by  Money. 
 
 Verfe  50.  ^er*  5°*  Of  the  Firft-born  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael 
 took  &e  the  Money,  a  thoufand  three  hundred,  and  three- 
 fcore  and  five  Shekels.  Five  times  two  hundred  feven- 
 ty and  three  make  juft  this  number. 
 
 Ver.  $1.  And  Mofes  gave  the  Money  of  them  that 
 were  redeemed  unto  Aaron,  and  to  his  Sons.']  Which 
 was  a  Rule  obferved  in  future  Generations,  XVIII 
 15,  8cc. 
 
 According 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  45 
 
 According  to  the  Word  of  the  LOR  D,  as  the  LORD  Chapter 
 commanded  Mofes.]     This  is  fo  oft  repeated,  to  (how       IV. 
 how  faithful  a  Servant  Mofes  was:  who  did  nothing  U'VNJ 
 but  by  the  Divine  order  3  and  omitted   nothing  that 
 
 was  commanded  him, 
 
 CHAP.     IV. 
 
 Ver.  I.  \ND  the  LORD  Jpake  unto  Mofes ,  andyQrfe  j 
 
 ±\  unto  Aaron,  faying.']  They  being  both 
 of  them  concerned  to  fee  this  carefully  executed,  he 
 fpeaks  to  both  :  and  they  took  others  to  their  Afii- 
 ftance,  v.  3  4,  46. 
 
 Ver.  2.  Take  the  fum  of  the  Sons  of  Kohath ,  &c.  ]  Verfe  -2, 
 They  are  firffc  mentioned,being  employed  in  the  moft 
 honourable  Work  5  as  I  obferved  before,  III.31. 
 
 Ver.  3.  From  thirty  years  old  and  upward."]     In  this  Verfe  3, 
 Work,  to  which  they  are  appointed ,  they  were  not 
 employed  till  they  came  to  Thirty  years  of  Age :    But 
 they  were  admitted  to  attend  at  the  Tabernacle,and  do 
 other  Service,  at  the  Age  of  Five  and  twenty  5  as  we 
 read  VIII.  25.     Which    place  the   Jews    (in  the 
 Gemara  Babylonha  upon  the  Title  Cholin  )  reconcile 
 with  this,  after  this  manner.     They  were  admitted  to 
 learn  their  Duty  at  Five  and  twenty,  and  to  minifter 
 at  Thirty.     And  fo  Aben  Ezra  upon  VIII  Numb.  They 
 were  probationers,  and  might  do  fome  fervice  at  Five 
 and  twenty  years  old,  but  not  do  all.     For  they  might 
 wait  upon  the  Tabernacle  ,   but  not  bear  the  Ark. 
 And  that's  the  exaft  truth,  they  were  admitted  to  mi- 
 nifter to  the  Priefts  at  Five  and  twenty  :  but  were  not 
 put  upon  this  laborious  work  here  mentioned/ill  they 
 
 had  : 
 
46  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  had  fufficient  ftrength  for  it}    which  was  at  Thir- 
 IV.      ty  Years  °f  Age  ^    when   they   were  able  to   carry 
 
 L^VSJ  Burdens:  for  by  that  word  their  work  is  defcri- 
 bed,  v.  15  ,  19  ,  24 ,  31 ,  47.  For  though  feme 
 things  ,  which  they  were  charged  withal ,  might 
 be  put  into  Waggons :  yet  the  Ark,  and  the  mod 
 holy  Things,  were  to  be  carried  upon  their  Shoul- 
 ders, though  they  march'd  never  fo  far,  v.i  5. and  VII. 
 9.  When  the  Ark  indeed  was  fettled  in  the  Tem- 
 ple, which  was  a  fixed  place,  and  therefore  was  no 
 longer  to  be  carried  up  and  down,  then  (as  D.Kim- 
 chi  obferves  upon  1  Chron.  XXIII.)  King  David  ap- 
 pointed them  to  enter  upon  their  Office,  at  Twenty 
 years  old :  there  being  alfo  other  great  Work  to  be 
 performed  in  his  time  5  for  which  they  were  fit  at 
 that  Age.  And  fo  it  continued  even  after  their  return 
 from  the  Captivity  of  Babylon,  III  Ezra  8.  See  &/- 
 den,  de  Succejf.  in  Pontificat.  L.  II.  cap.  4.  and  Light* 
 foot  in  his  Temple  Service,  Chap.  VI.  Sett.  1. 
 
 Even  until  fifty  years  old7\  Beyond  which  Age  they 
 were  not  bound  to  do  any  Service  :  but  only  to  mi- 
 nijier  with  their  Brethren  at  the  Tabernacle,  VIII.  25, 
 26. 
 
 All  that  enter  into  the  Hott.  Or,  into  the  Warfare.  ] 
 For  their  watching  continually,  as  a  Guard,  about  the 
 Tabernacle,  (III.  7,  &c.)  made  them  a  fort  of  Mili- 
 tia: who  were  encamped,  as  appears  by  the  forego- 
 ing Chapter,  about  the  Tabernacle,  for  its  Security. 
 Befides  which,  there  was  other  Work,  which  might 
 make  their  Service  as  laborious,  as  a  Soldier's  Life  is  $ 
 and  give  it  the  name  of  entring  into  the  Eoft:  which 
 manner  of  fpeaking  St.  Paul  ufes  unto  Timothy  ,  1. 13 
 18.  where  he  exhorts  him  to  war  a  good  warfare. 
 
 To 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  47 
 
 To  do  the  worh^ofthe  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation.]  Chapter 
 They  did  not  perform  any  Work  in  it,  but  about  it,      IV. 
 (fuch  as  here  follows)  unlefs  we  underftand  by  the  L/"VNJ 
 Tabernacle ,  the  outward  Court :    into  which  they 
 went  to  minifter  unto  the  Priefts. 
 
 Ver.  4.  Tim  (hall  be  the  Service  of  the  Sons  of  Ko-Vexk  4. 
 hath,  in  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation,  about  the 
 molf  holy  things. ~]  The  next  Verfes  explain  what  this 
 Servipe  was.  Or  if  the  word  about  (in  the  latter  end 
 of  ;the  Verfe)  were  quite  left  out,  the  fence  would  be 
 nK>re  clear.  Tim  fiat/  be  the  Service  of  the  Sons  ofKo- 
 &ath,&c.  the  moft  holy  Things:  that  is,  the  Ark,  a£ 
 Aben  Ezra  expounds  it.  And  his  Interpretation  may 
 be  juftified  from  v.  ic?,and  20.  in  the  latter  of  which 
 it  is  called  the  holy,  and  in  the  former  the  holy  of  ho- 
 lies, as  it  is  here  in  the  Hebrew.  For  it  was  the  moft 
 holy  of  all  other  holy  things  in  the  Tabernacle  5  and  gave 
 the  Name  to  the  place  where  it  ftood,  of  holy  of  holies', 
 or  the  moll  holy. place.  And  this  made  the  Service  of 
 the  Kohathites  the  moft  honourable  of  all  other  :  and 
 is  the  reafon  they  are  mentioned  firft. 
 
 Ver.  5.  When  the  Camp  fetteth  forward.']     Which  it  yerfe  <- 
 did  not  do,  till  the  Cloud  was  taken  up,  and  remo- 
 ved from  off  the  Tabernacle  ,  XL  Exod.  36,  37.  X 
 Numb.  n. 
 
 Aaron  fo all  come,  and  his  Sons*"]  While  the  Cloud 
 refted  upon  the  Tabernacle ,  and  the  Glory  of  the 
 LORD  filled  the  Houfe,  none  but  Aaron  might 
 come  into  the  moft  Holy  Place,  where  the  Ark  was  5 
 and  that  but  on  one  day  in  the  year  $  and  then,  after 
 he  had  filled  it  with  Incenfe,  which  made  a  Cloud 
 before  the  Mercy  Seat,  (which  was  the  Covering  of 
 the  Ark)  over  which  the  SCHECHINAH  was, 
 But  that  being  removed  in  the  Cloud ,  when  it   was 
 
 taken 
 
4S  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  taken  up  from  the  Tabernacle  ,  not  only  Aaron,  but 
 IV.      his  Sons  alfo  might  come  into  the  molt  Holy  Place, 
 
 U'VNJ  without  any  Irreverence  3  that  which  made  it  fo  holy 
 (viz.  the  Glory  of  the  LOR  D)  being  gone  out  of 
 it,  for  the  prefent  5  fo  that  there  was  no  danger  in 
 approaching  to  the  Ark,  where  it  was  wont  to  reft. 
 
 And  they  jhall  take  down  the  covering  Vail."]  Where- 
 by the  Holy  Place  was  parted  from  the  moft  Holy  : 
 which  is  always  meant  by  the  word  Parocheth  (  as  I 
 (howed  upon  ExW.XXVI.  31. J  which  is  here  ufed. 
 And  though  the  word  Mafach  be  added  to  it,  which 
 conftantly  fignifies  the  outward  Vail  at  the  entrance 
 of  the  San&uary  ,  yet  it  is  plain  that  the  inward  Vail, 
 which  was  at  the  entrance  of  the  moft  Holy  Place,  is 
 here  intended :  for  the  other  was  committed  to  the 
 care  of  the  Gerjloonites,  v.  25. 
 
 And  cover  the  Arl^ofthe  Tejlimony  with  it."]  By  this 
 it  is  evident  they  went  into  the  Holy  Place,  unto  the 
 very  Ark  :  over  which  they  threw  this  Covering. 
 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  fo all put  thereon  the  covering  of  Badgers 
 Skins."]  Not  any  of  thofe  wherewith  the  Tabernacle 
 was  covered,  (XXVI  Exod.  14.)  but  a  Covering 
 made  on  purpofe  for  this  ufe  :  to  defend  the  Ark 
 from  the  injury  of  the  Weather,  when  they  carried  it 
 on  their  fhoulders. 
 
 And  foallfyread  over  it  a  Cloath  wholly  of  blue.  "]  Or, 
 of  perfetf  blue.  This  was  the  third  Covering  of  the 
 Ark  :  which  till  it  was  laid  upon  ir,the  Levites  might 
 not  approach  it.  And  fince  the  Tabernacle  was  the  I- 
 mage  of  Things  in  the  Heavens,(as  not  only  the  Apo- 
 file  but  the  Jews  thtmfelves  fay)  the  Ark  in  particular 
 being  a  Figure  of  the  Celeftial  Throne  of  God  5  it  is 
 not  an  unreafonable  Conceit  of  R.  Bechai ,  that  this 
 blue  coloured  Cloth  was  fpread  over  it,  as  an  Emblem 
 
 of 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  49 
 
 of  the  Skies,  which  are  fpread  like  a  Curtain  between  Chapter 
 us  and  the  Majefty  on  High.  IV. 
 
 And  fhal/put  in  the  Staves  thereof  \]  It  is  not  faid  L/'V'Vj 
 they  (hall  put  them  in  the  Rings  :  for  they  were  never 
 to  be  taken  out  of  them,  XXV  Exod.  15.  Nor  do  the 
 Hebrew  words  fignifie  that  they  fhould  pit  them  in  : 
 but  it  fhould  be  tranflated,/?//*  the  Staves  thereof  that  is,, 
 upon  their  fhoulders.So  AbenEzra  interprets it:which 
 feems  to  me  the  moft  fimple  Expofition :  Or  ,  fit  and 
 difiofe  them,  under  the  Covering,  that  they  might  be 
 laid  on  their  (houlders.  Or  ,  order  them  fo  in  the 
 Rings,  (which  is  Chaskuris  Explication)  that  they 
 might  fall  into  the  two  Notches  5  which  were  in  the 
 Staves,  to  keep  the  Ark  from  Aiding  up  and  down. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  upon  the  Table  of  Shewbread,  they  ffj al/y erfe  7. 
 fpread  a  Cloth  of  blue."]     It  is  not  faid  ,  wholly  of  blue, 
 as  it  is  of  the  former  :  which  fhows  it  was  of  fome- 
 thing  a  different  colour. 
 
 And  put  thereon  the  d?fljes.~]  Upon  which  the  Bread 
 was  fet. 
 
 And  thefyoons  and  bowls,  8cc. ]  See  XXV  Exod.29. 
 
 And  the  continual  bread.]  i.  e.  The  Bread  which 
 flood  continually  in  the  Prefence  of  God. 
 
 Shall  be  thereon.]  Even  when  the  Table  was  car- 
 ried from  place  to  place.  Which  fhows  that  they 
 provided  this  Bread,  (according  to  the  order  XXV 
 Exod.  30.)  all  the  time  they  were  in  the  Wildernefs. 
 And  it  was  not  hard  to  procure  fo  much  Corn  from 
 their  Neighbours  bordering  upon  the  Wildernefs,  as 
 would  be  fufficient  for  this  purpofe  5  and  for  others, 
 which  I  (hall  note  in  their  proper  places  :  particular- 
 ly from  the  Land  of  Midian,  where  Mofes  his  Father 
 in  Law  lived  5  which  was  not  far  from  Sinai ,  ( as 
 appears  from  III  Exod.  1.)  where  they  were  at  pre- 
 fent.  H  Ver. 
 
5o  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  3.  And  they  flail  fpread  upon  them  a  Cloth  of 
 
 IV.      Scarlet,  and  cover  the  fame  with  a,  covering  of  Badgers 
 
 C^VNJ  skinsT]     Thefe  had  a  triple  covering,  as  well  as  the 
 
 Verfe  8.    Ark :  being  holy  Things  ,  and  having  a  holy  Thing, 
 
 (  that  is,  the  Bread  of  the  Prefence,  as  it  is  called  in 
 
 the  Hebrew,  becaufe  it  ftood  before  God  continually) 
 
 in  the  Difhes  upon  the  Table. 
 
 And  fljall  put  in  the  flaves  thereof]  That  it  might 
 be  ready  to  be  carried,  XXV  Exod.  27,  28. 
 
 Verfe  0.       ^er'  9'  ^n'^  ^:,e^  fia^  ta^e  a  ^ot^  °f  ^He^\  Like  that 
 which  covered  the  Table,  v.  7. 
 
 And  cover  the  Candleftic^  of  the  Light.']  See  XXV 
 Exod.  31.  and  XXXVII.  17,  &c. 
 
 And  his  Lamps,  and  his  Tongs  ,  Stc.*]  XXV  Exod. 
 37,  38.  XXXVII.  23. 
 
 And  all  the  f)yl  Veffels  thereof.  ~]  For  God  com- 
 manded them  to  bring  pure  Oyl  to  feed  the  Lamps 
 continually,  (XXVII  Exod.20.  )  which  was  put,  no 
 doubt,  in  Veffels  to  preferve  it  for  daily  ufe. 
 
 With  which  they  minister  unto  you'.]  With  which 
 Oyl  they  keep  the  Lamps  continually  burning. 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  And  they  fljall  put  it,  and  all  the  Vejfels 
 thereof  within  a  covering  of  Badgers  skins."]  There 
 were  but  two  Coverings  for  the  Candleftick  and  its 
 Veffels  5  it  being  of  leffer  value  than  the  Table  of 
 Shewbread,  and  what  belonged  to  it. 
 
 And  flmll put  it  upon  a  bar.~]  Rather  upon  a  bier  : 
 for  the  word  we  here  tranflate  bar  ,  is  different  from 
 that  ufed  before,  v.  6,8.  which  we  tranflate  Jiaves  ; 
 and  fignifies  any  Inftrument ,  whereby  things  are  re- 
 moved from  one  place  to  another.  We  tranflate  it 
 indeed  a  Staff,  XIII.  23.  whereon  two  of  them  that 
 went  to  fpy  out  the  Land  ,  carried  the  Clufter  of 
 Grapes  they  had  cut  down.     Which  was  laid  ,   no 
 
 doubt. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  5t 
 
 doubt,  upon  fomething  that  was  broad  $  as  this  Bar  Chapter 
 was  whereon  they  carried  the  Candleftick.     Which     IV. 
 had  no  Rings  belonging  to  it,  and  therefore,  I  take  l/V"SJ 
 it,  was  carried  upon  feme  thing  refembling  a  Bier0  on 
 which  Corps  are  carried  to  their  Grave  in  this  Coun- 
 try.    See  v.  12.  and  fo  the  LXX.  *V  dvxpoglw. 
 
 Ver.  11.  And  upon  the  golden  Altar.  ~]     So  called,  Verfe  11. 
 becaufe  it  was  overlaid  with  pure  Gold,  XXX  Exod. 
 
 3- 
 
 They  JhaB  fpread  a  Cloth  of  blue,  &c.  3     As  they  did 
 
 upon  the  Candleftick,  v.  9. 
 
 And  (lull  put  to  the  Staves  thereof^]  Into  the  Rings } 
 which  were  made  on  purpofe,  that  it  might  be  carried 
 upon  the  Staves,  XXX  Exod.  4,  5. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  they  JIxill  take  all  the  Injiruments  of  Verfe  12. 
 the  Minifiry,  wherewith  they  minijler  in  the  San&uary.  ] 
 I  do  not  fee  what  can  be  meant  by  thefe,  but  the  ho- 
 ly Garments  which  Aaron  and  his  Sons  put  on  in  the 
 time  of  their  Miniftration.  For  all  other  Things 
 have  been  already  mentioned  $  and  thefe  are  called 
 the  Clothes  of  Service,  XXXI  Exod.  10.  where  they 
 are  immediately  mentioned  after  all  the  fore-named 
 Furniture  of  the  Tabernacle. 
 
 And  fluU  put  them  in  a  Cloth  of  blue,  and  cover  them 
 with  a  covering  of  Badgers  skins.  ^  As  they  did  the 
 Candleftick,  and  the  Altar  of  Incenfe,  v.  9,  11. 
 
 And  put  them  on  a  bar."]  By  this  it  appears,  that 
 the  Hebrew  word  Mot,  which  we  translate  a  Bar  , 
 fignifies  a  broad  Inftrument  for  Carriage  $  fuch.  as  I 
 have  defcribed,  zmo. 
 
 Ver.  13.  And  they  foall  take  away  the  Afies  from  the  Verfe  13. 
 Altar. ~]    Of  Burnt-  offering  :  which  was  often  clean- 
 fed  from  its  Allies,  (VI  Lev.  10,11.)  but  then  efpe- 
 cially  when  it  was  to  be  removed.    What  they  did 
 
 H  2  with 
 
5^  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter   with  the  Fire,  which  was  always  to  burn  upon  it, 
 
 IV.      (VI  Lev.  12,  13.)  is  not  here  related  :  but  we  may 
 
 L/W  fnppofe  that  it  was  carried  upon  the  Grate,  which  had 
 
 Rings  on  purpofe,  tha:  it  might  be  carried  feparate 
 
 from  the  Altar.     See  XXVII  Exod.  4. 
 
 And  Jpread  a  purple  Cloth  thereon.  ~]     As  being  an 
 holy  thing  5  though  not  of  fuch  Sandtity  as  thofe  be- 
 fore-named. 
 Verfe  14.      Ver.  14.  And  they  pal/ put  upon  it  all  the   Vejfels 
 thereof,  &c."]     That  they  might  be  carried  with  it. 
 
 The  Cenfers,  the  Fleffj-hookj,  and  the  Shovels  and  the 
 Bafons7\  Here  the  Cenfers  are  put  firft  ,  which  are 
 mentioned  laft ,  in  XXVII  Exod.  3.  where  this 
 word  is  tranflated,  Fire-pans.  Others  underftand  by 
 it,  Tongs. 
 
 All  the  Vejfels  of  the  Altar7\  Immediately  after 
 thefe  words,  we  find  there  follows  ,  in  two  places  , 
 the  Laver  and  his  foot,  XXXV  Exod.16.  XXXIX.39. 
 Where  in  the  very  fame  verfe,  the  Laver  is  mention- 
 ed with  the  Altar  and  its  Vejfels :  and  immediately 
 follows  them,  in  two  other,  XXXVIII  Exod.  7,8. 
 XL.  30.  The  reafon  why  it  is  not  mentioned  here, 
 is  perhaps,  becaufe  he  names  only  thofe  things  up- 
 on which  the  Sons  of  Aaron  were  to  put  a  Cover- 
 ing ^  and  this,  it  is  likely,  was  carried  without 
 one. 
 
 And  put  to  thefiaves  of  it,']  XXVII  Exod.  6,  7. 
 XXXVIII.  6,  7. 
 Verfe  1 5*.  ^er.  1 5*  ^n<^  wheto  Aaron  and  his  Sons  have  made  an 
 end  of  covering  the  SanUuary  and  all  the  Vejfels,  &C.  3 
 This  work  was  to  be  performed  by  them  alone  5  and 
 the  Levites  were  not  to  meddle  with  any  of  thefe 
 things,  till  they  had  done. 
 
 After 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  53 
 
 After  that  the  Sons  of  Kohath  fljall  come  to  bear  it.~]  Chapter 
 For  all  the  fore-mentioned  things,  belonging  to  the  IV. 
 San&uary,  were  to  be  carried  by  them  5  even  the  l/VNJ 
 Ark  it  felf :  Which  they  carried  (o,  that  all  the  Peo- 
 ple might  fee  it  went  along  with  them.  For  the 
 Rings  being  faftned  to  the  bottom  of  the  Ark5  (fee 
 XXV  Exod.  12.)  when  the  Staves  were  on  their 
 Shoulders,  it  appeared  on  high  :  To  reprefent,  faith 
 R.  Bechai,  him  that  is  mod  highly  exalted  over  all. 
 The  Priefts  indeed  might  carry  the  Ark,  being  more 
 than  Levites  (XXXI  Dent.  9.)  and  accordingly  we 
 find,  that  upon  extraordinary  Occafions  they  did  ^ 
 as  when  they  went  over  Jordan,  III  Jojh.  14.  and 
 when  Jericho  was  befieged,  VI.  6.  Some  think  alfo, 
 when  David,  as  he  fled  from  Abfalom,  fent  the  Ark 
 back,  2  Sam.  XV.  29.  But  it  appears  from  ver>  24. 
 that  there  is  no  certainty  of  that  5  efpecially  fince, 
 when  he  brought  it  from  the  Houfe  of '  Obed-Edom,  he 
 not  only  employed  the  Levites  in  it,  but  declared 
 none  elfe  ought  to  bear  it,  1  Chron.  XV.  2,  15,  27. 
 He  bid  the  Priejis  indeed,  as  well  as  the  Levites,  fan- 
 difie  themfelves  for  this  Work  :  For  ye  (faith  he  to 
 the  Priefts,  v.  12.)  are  the  chief  of  the  Fathers  of  the 
 Levites  :  but  they  feem  to  have  been  prefent,  only  to 
 fee  the  Levites  perform  their  Charge  ^  and  to  accomv 
 pany  the  Ark,  as  David  himfelf  did. 
 
 But  they  Jh all  not  touch  any  holy  thing,  left  they  die7\ 
 Some  imagine  they  were  not  to  touch  thefe  things, 
 till  they  were  covered  by  the  Priefts :  But  it  is  more 
 likely  that  even  then  they  were  not  to  touch  them, 
 but  only  the  Staves,  or  the  Bar,  wherein  they  were 
 carried.  Efpecially  the  Ark,,  which  is  Irere  princi- 
 pally meant  by  the  holy  thing,  (the  word  any.  not  be- 
 ing in  the  Hebrew)  whofe  Staves  only  they  touched, 
 
 and 
 
■54  ^    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  and  lifted  it  up  by  putting  them  upon  their  Shoul- 
 
 IV.  ders. 
 L/V^SJ  Thefe  things  are  the  burden  of  the  Sons  ofKohath,  in 
 the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation. ~\  When  it  was 
 removed  \  for  at  other  times,  they  had  nothing  to  do 
 with  thefe  things :  Which  are  here  called  their  Bur- 
 den, as  verfe  4.  they  are  called  their  Service  5  to  (how 
 the  nature  of  their  Service,  which  required  the  Strength 
 of  grown  Men,  v.%. 
 Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  And  to  the  Office  ofEleazar  the  Son  of  Aa- 
 ron the  Priefi,  pertaineth  the  Oyl  for  the  Light,  &c] 
 It  is  commonly  thought  that  he  is  required  to  carry 
 this,  and  the  other  things  that  follow  in  this  Verfe, 
 himfelf  :  But  if  all  things  be  confidered,  it  will  ap- 
 pear more  reafonable  to  think,  that  he  who  was  the 
 Chief  of  all  the  Chiefs  over  the  Levites,  III.  3  2.  is  pe- 
 culiarly required  to  fee  the  Kohathites  did  their  Duty. 
 For  though  they  had  a  Chief  over  them,  whofe  work 
 it  was  to  infpedt  them,  III.  30.  yet  God  thought 
 good  to  appoint  Eleazar,  to  fupervife  both  him,  and 
 all  under  him,  in  thefe  weighty  Concerns.  And 
 fo  the  Words  may  be  interpreted  out  of  the  He- 
 brew. 
 
 The  over-fight  ofEleazar  the  Son  of  Aaron  the  Prkji, 
 fijal/  be  the  Oyl,  &C.  the  over-fight  of  all  the  Tabernacle, 
 and  of  all  that  is  therein,  Sec/)  And  there  is  the  grea- 
 ter reafon  thus  to  underftand  it,  becaufe  the  Oyl-Vef- 
 fels  are  before  committed  to  the  Kohathites,  v.  cjv  and 
 confequently  the  Oyl  it  felf  3  which  could  not  be  car- 
 Tied,  but  in  the  Veffels. 
 
 Thefvoeet  Incenfe.~]  Mentioned  XXX  Exod.  34. 
 
 And  the   daily  Meat-ojfering.      See  XXIX  Exod. 
 
 4°,  4*- 
 
 And 
 
^NUMBERS.  $$ 
 
 And  the  anointing  Oyl.~]  XXXExod.  23,  Src.  Thefe  Chapter 
 were  not  named  before  :  but  it  is  here  laid  upon  Elea-      IV. 
 %ar,  to  fee  that  they  were  as  carefully  carried  by  the  U'VNJ 
 Kohathites,  as  any  other  things  belonging  to  the  San- 
 ftuary. 
 
 Ver.  17.  And  the  LORD  jpake  unto  Mofes,  and  Verfe  17, 
 unto  Aaron,  faying.'}  The  things  before-mentioned, 
 efpecially  the  Ark,  were  fo  facred,  that  he  repeats  the 
 Admonition  he  had  given,  about  the  danger  of  Irre- 
 verence to  it:  Which  he  here  reprefents  in  a  frightful 
 manner. 
 
 Ver.  18.  Cut  ye  not  off.']     Do  not  by  your  Negli-  Verfe   18. 
 gence  occafion  the  Deftru&ion  of  a  great  many  Per- 
 sons. 
 
 The  Tribe  of  the  Family  of  the  Kohathites,  from  a- 
 mong  the  Levites."]  A  confiderable  part  of  the  Tribe 
 of  Levi,  viz.  the  Family  of  the  Kohathites  5  who 
 were  near  a  third  part  of  it. 
 
 Ver.  19.  But  do  thus  for  them,  that  they  may live  andV&te  l^t 
 not  die7\    Proceed  in  this  manner,  to  prevent  fo  great 
 a  Mifchief,  as  their  Deftru&ion. 
 
 When  they  abroach  unto  the  mofl  holy  things  J]  Come 
 to  take  up  the  Ark  :  Which  is  meant  by  the  Holy  of 
 Holies.     See  v.  4. 
 
 Aaron  and  his  Sons  fo  all  go  in.~]  And  cover  the  Ark, 
 and  the  reft  of  the  things  within  the  San&uary  3  as  is 
 before-dire&ed. 
 
 And  appoint  them  every  one  to  his  Service,  and  to  hk 
 Burden.  3  And  then  allot  to  every  one  his  fhare  in 
 this  work  :  That  is,  to  carry  fuch  particular  things, 
 as  they  think  moft  proper  for  them. 
 
 Ver.  20.  But  they  foall  not  go  into  fee.~\  They  might  Verfe  20; 
 go  into  the  moft  Holy  place,  when  not  only  the  Glo- 
 ry of  the  Lord  was  removed;   but  the  Ark  and 
 
 Mercy- 
 
56  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Mercy-Seat  upon  its  Removal,  were  covered  by  the 
 IV.      Priefts,    (for  then  the  Place  where  they  lay  covered, 
 
 U^V"\J  was  no  longer  holy)  but  they  might  not  come  in  to 
 fee  the  Priefts  cover  them  5  which  was  to  be  done  be- 
 fore they  approached. 
 
 When  the  holy  things  are  covered.']  In  the  Hebrew 
 it  is  in  the  lingular  Number,  when  the  holy,  or  holy 
 thing  is  covered  \  i.  e.  the  Ark  :  as  the  Jews  gene- 
 rally underftand  it.  And  that  with  great  reafon,  as 
 any  one  may  be  fatisfied  who  will  take  the  pains  to 
 compare  the  1  Kings  VIII.  8.  with  2  Chron.  V.  9. 
 Where  that  which  in  the  former  place  is  called  the 
 Holy,  in  the  latter  is  called  the  Ark. 
 
 Left  they  die.']  They  might  not,  under  pain  of 
 Death,  either  fee  it  when  it  was  covered,  or  touch  it 
 afterward,  ^.15.  but  only  carry  it,  in  the  manner 
 there  defer ibed. 
 
 Verfe  2 1 .  Ver.2 1 .  And  the  LORD  fpake  unto  Mofcs, faying.] 
 He  was  principally  concerned  in  this,  but  Aaron  was 
 alfo  joined  with  him,  to  fee  the  Execution  of  what  is 
 hers  required,  v.  1.  19,34. 
 
 Verfe  22.  Ver.  22.  Take  alfo  the  Sum  of  the  Sons  of  Gcr- 
 fion,  ficc.]  The  eldeft  Son  of  Levi,  III.  17.  who 
 though  they  were  employed  in  lower  Services  ^  were 
 to  account  it  an  Honour  to  ferve  about  the  Taberna- 
 cle. 
 
 Verfe  23.  Ver.  23.  All  that  enter  in  to  perform  the  Service.]  I 
 do  not  underftand  why  this  (hould  not  be  tranflated 
 as  v.  2.  into  the  Ho  ft.  For  it  is  the  very  fame  Phrafe 
 in  the  Hebrew,  both  here  and  there  5  only  here  more 
 emphatical  by  doubling  the  word  for  Hoft ;  And 
 therefore  may  very  properly  be  tranflated  in  this  place, 
 that  enter  in  to  war  the  Warfare.  For  the  Service  of 
 the    GerfJjonites  was  more    burthenfome    than  the 
 
 former; 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  57 
 
 former  ^   though  they  were  fewer  in  number,  ver.  Chapter 
 36,40.  r         IV. 
 
 Ver.  2  4.   This  is  the  Service  of  the  Families  of  the  Ger-  L/'^WJ 
 JI)onites.~]     Which  were  only  two,  III  18. 21.  Verfe  24. 
 
 To  ferve,  and  for  Burdens^  To  ferve,  when  tjie 
 Tabernacle  refted  $  and  to  carry  Burdens,  when  it  re- 
 moved.    See  v.  47. 
 
 Ver.  25.  And  they  (Ij all  bear  the  Curtains  of  the  Ta-  Verfe  25. 
 hernacle7\  The  ten  fine  Curtains,  which  were  the 
 inward  Hangings  of  the  Tabernacle,  XXVI  Exod, 
 1,  2,  &c.  Which,  Ifuppofe,  were  taken  down  as 
 well  as  carried  by  the  Gerfoonites  :  becaufe  nothing 
 is  faid  hereof  Aaron,  or  his  Sons  being  employed,  to 
 make  them  ready  for  carriage. 
 
 And  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation,  his  Cove- 
 ring^ Not  the  Boards  of  the  Tabernacle,which  were 
 the  Charge  of  the  Children  of  Merari,  (v.  31.)  but 
 the  eleven  Curtains  of  ^Qoats-hair,  which  covered  the 
 Boards,  XXVI  Exod.  7,  «^cc. 
 
 And  the  Covering  of  Badgers  Skjns, which  is  upoj?it.~\ 
 The  outward  (Covering  of  all,  which  was  of  Rams 
 Skins  dyed  Red,\  and  Badgers  Skins,  (as  we  tranflate 
 it)  XXVI  Exod.\\. 
 
 And  the  Hanging  for  the  Door  of  the  Tabernacle.^ 
 Which  is  defcribed,  in  the  Conclufion  of  the  fame 
 Chapter,  XXVI  Exod.  36. 
 
 Ver.  26.  And  the  Hangings  for  the  Court.']  XXVII 
 Exod.  9,  &c. 
 
 And  the  Hanging  for  the  Gate  of  the  Door  of  the 
 Court.     See  XXVII  Exod.  16. 
 
 Which  is  by  the  Tabernacle,  and  the  Altar  round  a- 
 boutr\  The  Senfe  would  have  been  more  plain,  if 
 the  Particle  al,  which  we  tranflate  by,  had  been  tran- 
 
 I  flated 
 
58  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  fitted  upon,  or  over  5  for  the  Court  encompatfed  both 
 
 IV.      the  Tabernacle,  and  the  Altar,  XL  Exod.  6, 7,8. 
 L^VNJ      And  their  Cords. ~\    Which  were  employed  in  fafi> 
 ning  thefe  Hangings. 
 
 And  all  the  Inflruments  for  their  ferv/ce.']  The 
 brazen  Pins,  I  fuppofe,  mentioned  XXVII  Exod. 
 19. 
 
 And  all  that  is  made  for  them.']  And  whatfoever  elfe 
 belonged  to  them.     See  III.  26. 
 
 So/hail  they  ferve."]  Or,  in  that  {hall  they  ferve. 
 Verfe  27.  Ver.  27.  At  the  appointment  of  Aaron  and  his  Sons, 
 fiall  be  all  the  Service  of  the  Sons  of  the  Gerftjonitesfac.'] 
 In  the  Hebrew  it  is,  at  the  Month  of  Aaron  ^c.  7.  e.  ac- 
 cording to  their  Order  every  one  of  the  Gerfjonhes 
 were  to  apply  themfelves  to  fuch  Services,  as  they  di- 
 rected. For  God  had  given  the  Levitcs  to  them 
 to  be  their  Ministers,  and  keep  their  Charge,  III. 
 6,  7. 
 
 And  ye  {hall  appoint  unto  them  in  charge,  all  their 
 Burdens.~]  The  word  here  for  appoint  feems  to  im- 
 port, that  the  Priefts  gave  them  a  Particular,  as  we 
 fpeak,  of  what  they  were  to  do  $  that  they  might 
 neither  forget,  nor  mi  flake.  For  it  is  the  fame  word 
 that  is  ufed  in  the  beginning  of  this  Book  (1. 3.)  for 
 numbring  the  People  ^  and  foitis  ufed  here,  v.  34, 
 47,  48.  Therefore  the  Vulgar  translates  thefe  words, 
 Et  fciant  jinguli  cui  debeant  operi  mancipari  5  and  every 
 Man  may  know,  what  is  his  proper  bufinefs  :  Which 
 is  the  Stnfe  of  the  LXX  alfo.  And  affords  an  excel- 
 lent Inftru&ion  to  all  Men,  to  follow  diligently  the 
 bufinefs  of  their  own  Callings  ,  not  to  meddle  with 
 other  Mens,  nor  to  think  themfelves  fit  to  undertake 
 every  thing.    p/Ej/  yb  vf  bh<;  fyyo*  dp/?a  (iTnmX&Tiit, 
 
 as 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  $p 
 
 as  Ariftotle  fpeaks  in  his  Politicly ->  L.  III.  One  worh^  is  Chapter 
 beji  performed^  by  one  Perfon.  IV. 
 
 Ver.  28.  And  their  charge  /hall  be  under  the  hand  o/lA\) 
 Ithamar  the  Son  of  Aaron  the  Prieji.]  That  is,  under  Verfe  28. 
 the  Dire&ion  and  Conduft  of  Ithamar.  For  though 
 the  Gerfhonites  had  a  Chief  of  their  own,  III.  24.  yet 
 Itkamar  was  to  infped  both  him  and  them  -0  and  fee 
 they  did  not  neglect  their  Duty.  Thus  Eleazar  wasfet 
 over  the  Kohathite^  v.16. 
 
 Ver.  29.  AsfortheSonsofMerari,  thou  {halt  number Verfe  29. 
 them  after  their  Families  J&zT]  Which  were  but  taw,  (III. 
 33.)  as  thole  of  Gerjhon  were. 
 
 Ver.  30.    Every  one  that  entreth  into  the  Serviced]  Verfe  30. 
 The  words  in  the  Hebrew  are  the  very  fame  with 
 thofe,  v.  3.  which  we  tranflate  enter  into  the  Hojl.  See 
 there. 
 
 Ver.  31.    This  h  the  charge  of  their  Burden^  &cT]  yerfe  oIt 
 The  moft  cumberfome  things  fell  to  their  charge  5 
 which  here  follow. 
 
 The  Boards  of  the  Tabernacle."]  See  XXVI  Exod. 
 15,  8cc. 
 
 And  the  Bars  thereof]     See  there  v.  2  6,  &c. 
 
 And  the  Pillars  thereof]  See  in  the  fame  place^.32. 
 and  XXXVI.  36. 
 
 And  Sockets  thereof]  Thefe  belonged  both  to  the 
 Boards  of  the  Tabernacle,  XXVI  Exod.  19,  21,  25. 
 and  to  the  Pillars,  XXVI  Exod.  32.  XXXVIII. 
 27. 
 
 Ver.  32.  And  the  Pillars  of  the  Court  round  about ,  Verfe  32. 
 XXVll  Exod.  10, 11, 12. 
 
 And  their  Sockets.]  See  there. 
 
 And  their  Pins.]   V.  1 9.  and  XXXVIII.  20. 
 
 And  their  Cords.]  XXXV  Exod.  18.  XXXIX.  40. 
 
 I  2  By 
 
6o  A  COMMENTART 
 
 Chapter         By  name  ye  jhall reckon  the  Injirnments  of  the  charge 
 IV.       of  their  Burden!]     The  Priefts  (particularly  Ithamar) 
 \S\T\J  were  to  give  them  an  Inventory  of  thefe  things :  Ex- 
 preffing  by  name,  every  Pin,  for  inftance,  and  to  what 
 ufe,  and  in  what  place  it  ferved.     Bfccaufe  otherwife 
 fuch  fmall  things  might  have  been  loft,  if  they  had 
 riot  taken  a  fpecial  care  of  them  $  and  they  might  not 
 have  been  able  to  fet  up  the  Tabernacle  again,  when 
 they  refted,  for  want  of  them. 
 Ver.    33.       Ver.  33.  This  h  the  Service  of  the  Families  of  the 
 Sons  of  Merari,  according  to  all  their  Service  in  the  Taber- 
 nacle of  the  Congregation."]    In  taking  down,  and  carry- 
 ing the  Tabernacle. 
 
 Under  the  hand  of  Ithamar  fi^c]  Who  had  the  over- 
 fight  both  of  the  Gerfhonites,  and  the  Merarites :  As 
 Eleazar  had  of  the  Kohathites,  v.16, 28. 
 Verfe  34.  Ver.34.  And  Mofes  and  Aaron,  and  the  Chief  of  the 
 Congregation.']  They  took  to  their  affiftance  the  very 
 fame  Men,  I  fuppofe,  who  were  employed  in  the 
 numbring  all  the  Children  of  Jfrael,  Chap.  I.  4. 
 16,17. 
 
 Numbred  the  Sons  of  the  Kohathites,  &c.~]    Having 
 
 affigned  to  them  their  particular  Charge,  they  now 
 
 proceed    to   number    them,    as  God   commanded> 
 
 v.  2,  3. 
 
 Verfe  35.       Ver.35.  Every  one  that  entreth  into  the  Service  7]  Or, 
 
 as  we  tranllate  it,  v.  3.  entreth  into  the  Hoft. 
 Verfe  36.  Ver.  3  6.  And  thofe  that  were  numbred  of  them  by  their 
 Families,  were  Two  thoufand  feven  hundred  and  fifty."] 
 Of  the  whole  number  of  Males  defcended  from  Ko- 
 hath,  (compare  this  with  III.  28.)  there  was  a  fourth 
 part  and  better,  that  were  fit  for  Service. 
 
 VeF, 
 
 / 
 
^NUMBERS.  61 
 
 Ver.  37.  Thefe  were  they  that  were  numbred  of  the  Chapter 
 Families  ef  the  Kohathites,  all  that  might  do  Service  in       IV. 
 the  Tabernacle.']    Such  Service  as  is  particularly  men-  U'VNJ 
 tioned  from^.  4. to?;.  16.  Verfe  37. 
 
 Ver.  38.  And  thefe  are  they  that  were  numbred  of  the  Verfe  38- 
 Sons  of  Gerfion,  &c.]  He  proceeds  in  the  fame  order 
 to  number  them,  which  he  obferved  in  giving  them 
 their  Charge :  beginning  with  the  Children  of  the  fe- 
 cond  Son  of  Levi,  and  then  going  back  to  the  el- 
 deft. 
 
 Ver.  59.  From  thirty  years  old   and  upward,  &C  'jVette  39/ 
 This  Verfe  is  the  very  fame  with  35. 
 
 Ver.  4.0.  Two  thoufand  and  fix  hundred  and  thirty  7\  Vede  40* 
 A  third  part  and  little  more  of  their  Males  ,  were  fit 
 for  Service.    Compare  this  with  III.  22. 
 
 Ver.  41.  Thefe  are  they  that  were  numbred  of  the  Fa-  Verfe  41:* 
 milies  of  the  Sons  ofGerpon,  of  all  that  might  do  Service 
 in  the  Tabernacle,Jkc.~]Such  Service  as  is  defcribed  from 
 v.  24.  toz/.  29. 
 
 Ver.  42, 43.  Thefe  two  Verfes  are  the  fame  with  Verfe  42. 
 *>.  38,39.  43, 
 
 Ver.  44.  Even  thofe  that  were  numbred  of  them  of-  Verfe  44, 
 ter  their  Families, were  three  thoufand  and  two  hundred^ 
 It  is  very  remarkable  the  Defcendants  from  the  young- 
 eft  Son  of  Levi,  (  III.  17,)  which  had  the  feweft 
 Males  in  it  of  a  Month  old  and  upward  ,  had  the 
 moft  robuft  Men  fit  for  Service.  For  here  are  above 
 half  (compare  this  with  III.  34,)  of  the  whole  num- 
 ber of  Males  grown  up  to  Thirty  Years  of  Age.  Which 
 was  a  lingular  Providence,  the  heavieft  Burden  lying 
 upon  them,  who  were  to  carry  the  Boards,dv.of  the 
 Tabernacle.  Not  indeed  upon  their  (boulders^  but 
 in  Waggons  5  which  they  were  to  load ,  after  they 
 had  taken  them  down,  and  unload,  when  they  were 
 
 to 
 
62  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  to  fet  them  up  again  :  and  for  that  reafon  had  more 
 IV.      Waggons  allowed  them  than  their  Brethren  the  Ger- 
 
 [u^rKjf/jomtcs,  VII.  7,8. 
 
 Verfe  45.  Ver.  45.  Thefe  are  thofe,  Sec.  whom  Mofes  and 
 Aaron  numbred.']  Who  were  principally  employed  in 
 this  bufinefs. 
 
 According  to  the  Word  of  the  LORD  by  the  hand 
 of  Mofes.']  To  whom  the  Command  is  exprefly  di- 
 rected,  Vvttt 
 
 Verfe  46.  Ver.  46.  All  thofe  that  were  numbred  of  the  Levitts \ 
 whom  Mofes  and  Aaron  and  the  Chief  of  Ifrael  numbred.] 
 For  they  took  in  others  to  their  affiftanee,  v.  34. 
 which  is  here  repeated  to  (how  that  there  was  no 
 fraud  in  the  bufinefs  5  there  being  Witneffes  of  eve- 
 ry Tribe  that  they  proceeded  impartially,  and  did 
 not  favour  the  Levites,  who  were  their  Brethren. 
 
 Verf.  47.  Ver.  47.  Every  one  that  came  to  do  the  Service  of  the 
 Minijiry,  and  the  Service  of  the  Burden  in  the  Taber- 
 nacle, 8cc."]  The  firft  of  thefe  [the  Service  of  the  Mi- 
 niflry]  one  would  think  related  to  their  ferving  the 
 Prieft  when  the  Tabernacle  was  ftanding  $  and  the  la- 
 ter [the  Service  of  the  Burden]  to  their  carrying  the 
 Tabernacle  when  it  was  taken  down  ,  and  removed  : 
 and  fo  I  expounded  thofe  words,  v.  24.  But  he 
 mentioning  here  only  thofe  that  were  numbred  from 
 Thirty  Years  old,  I  think,  upon  further  confideration, 
 that  there  is  no  regard  in  thefe  Expreffions  to  the  Ser- 
 vice they  did  to  the  Priefts  in  the  Tabernacle  5  unto 
 which  they  were  admitted  at  Twenty  five  Years  old  , 
 (See  v.  3.)  but  only  to  the  Service  mentioned  here  in 
 this  Chapter,  which  relates  altogether  to  the  taking 
 down  and  carrying  the  Tabernacle.  And  therefore 
 thefe  muft  be  lookt  upon  as  two  Phrafes,  for  the  fame 
 thing  :  the  former  of  which  is  not  exa&ly  tranflated  $ 
 
 for 
 
^NUMBERS.  63 
 
 for  there  is  nothing  of  Miniftry  in  the  Hebrew  5  but  Chapter 
 th^  words  are,  Every  one  that  cometh  to  ferve  the  Ser-      IV. 
 vice  of  the  Service,  and  the  Service  of  the  Burden,  or  LS\^\J 
 Carriage.     For  it  is  the  fame  word,  which  being  joyn- 
 edwithawr^,  we  tranflateyerWe,  XXIII  Lev.  7--and 
 other  places.  4 
 
 Ver.  48.  Eight  thoufand  and  five  hundred  and  four*  Verfe  48. 
 fcore7\     If  the  three  Sums,  mentioned  v.  36,40,44. 
 be  put  together,  they  amoun|  exaftly  to  this  Sum  in 
 the  whole. 
 
 Ver.  49.    According  to  the  Commandment  if  the  Verfe  49. 
 LO  R  D  they  were  numbred,  by  the  hand  of  Mofes.  ] 
 By  the  affiftance  of  Aaron  and  others,  v.  1,  34,  46. 
 
 Every  one  according  to  hk  Service,  and  according  to 
 hk  Burden."]  I  obferved  before,z;.47.  that  Service  and 
 Burden  are  two  Expreffions  of  the  fame  thing.  For 
 though  the  Sons  of  Kohath  had  the  nobleft  part  of  the 
 Work,  yet  their  Employment  is  called  both  a  Service 
 and  a  Burden,v.  19.  as  that  of  the  Gerfhonites  is  ^.24. 
 For  which  Service  all  the  Tithes  of  the  Country  of 
 Canaan  were  given  to  them  5  and  continued  to  be 
 theirs  when  this  kind  of  Service  ceafed^as  it  did  when 
 the  Temple  was  built.  For  then  there  were  no  Bur- 
 dens to  be  carried  on  their  fioulders,  (  as  Jofiah  fpeaks 
 2  Chron.  XXXV.  3.)  but  their  Duty  was  changed,  e- 
 ven  by  Davd  before  the  Building  of  the  Temple  : 
 who  made  them  Singers,  and  Keepers  of  the  Treafu- 
 ry,  as  well  as  Porters  at  the  Gates  of  God's  Houfe  5 
 and  likewife  Judges  and  other  .Officers  in  the  Coun- 
 try, as  we  read  in  1  Chron.  XXVI.  But  the  altera- 
 tion in  their  Service  ,  made  no  alteration  in  the 
 Wages  allotted  to  them ,  for  they  ftill  enjoyed  all  the 
 Tithes. 
 
 Thus 
 
64  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Thus  were  they  nnmbred  of  him,  as  the  LORD  com- 
 V.       manded  Mofesf\     This  is  io  often  repeated,  (  v.  37, 
 
 L/'V^SJ  41,45.)  that  all  Pofterity  might  reverence  thefe  Or- 
 dinances, as  Divine  Inftitutions,  and  not  merely  Hu- 
 mane Appointments.  And  fo  we  are  to  look  upon 
 all  thefe  Laws,  as  wife  Orders  made  by  the  Soveraign 
 of  the  World,  for  the  better  Government  of  that  Peo- 
 ple, whom  he  had  taken  for  his  own  peculiar.  And 
 it  argues  a  very  profane  Spirit  in  thofe  (as  Conr.  Pel- 
 licanus  here  obferves)*who  eajn  admire  and  praife  0- 
 vid  4e  Faftk,  and  fuch  like  ESfoks  5  and  have  no  re- 
 gard at  all  (  if  they  do  not  ridicule  them  )  to  thefe 
 Sacred  Writings,  which  are  of  fuch  venerable  Anti. 
 quity. 
 
 C  H  A  P.     V. 
 
 Verfe  1.    Ver.  1.   A  ND  the  LORD ftake  unto  Mofes, faying.*] 
 
 ±\  It  is  not  faid  when   this  was  fpoken 
 
 which  here  follows :  but  it's  likely  immediately  after 
 
 the  foregoing.  Commandments,  upon  which  it  hath 
 
 fome  dependance. 
 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2*  Command  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  that  they  put 
 out  of  the  Camp  every  Leper,  and  every  one  that  hath  an 
 Iffue^and  ivhofoever  is  defiled  by  the  dead.~]  There  were 
 three  Camps  (as  Maimonides,  and  a  great  many  other 
 mentioned  by  Mr.  Selden,  obferves,  L.  II.  de  Synedr* 
 cap.j.n.  5.)  the  Camp  of  the  SCHECHINAH, 
 or  of  the  L  0  R  D^/z.the  San&uary,with  its  Courts: 
 which  are  called  the  Tents  of  the  LO  RD ,  1  Chron. 
 XXXI.  2.  And  next  the  Camp  of  the  Levites^  who 
 with  Aaron  and  his  Sons ,  made  a  Camp  about  the 
 
 Ta- 
 
upon  N  U  MBERS.  6$ 
 
 Tabernacle,  (Chapter  III,  of  this  Book)  and  then  the  Chapter 
 Camp  of  Ifrael,  Chapter  II.  which  incompafled  them  V. 
 all.  Anfwerable  to  thefe,when  the  Temple  was  built,  U^VNJ 
 they  reckoned  the  Temple  it  felf  from  the  Eaft-Gate, 
 to  be  the  Camp  of  the  LORD  :  and  the  Camp  of  the  Le- 
 vitesjio  be  from  the  entrance  of  theMount  of  theHoufe 
 of  the  LORD,  to  that  Eaft-Gate  of  the  Temple.  And 
 the  Campoflfrael  they  thought  extended  from  the  En- 
 trance of  Jerufalem,  to  the  Mount  of  the  Houfe  of 
 the  LORD.  Now  Lepers  were  fo  unclean,that  they 
 were  not  admitted  into  any  of  thefe  three  Camps,  but 
 (hut  out  of  them  all.  See  XIII  Lev.^6. Kuthe  that  had 
 anljfue  (XV  Lev.  2.)  was  only  fhut  out  of  the  two 
 firft  Camps,  the  Camp  of  the  LOR  D,  and  the 
 Camp  of  the  Levltes  3  but  he  might  be  in  the  Camp 
 of  Ifrael.  And  he  that  was  defiled  by  the  dead,  (XXI 
 Lev.  1.)  was  only  excluded  from  the  firft,  the  San- 
 ftuary,  but  not  from  the  other  two.  See  Drufius  al- 
 foupon  IV.  25. 
 
 Ver.  3.  Both  Male  and  Female  jh all  ye  put  out. ~]  For  Verfe  5. 
 Women  had  Iflues  (for  inftance)  as   well  as  Men, 
 XV  Lev.  2,  and  19,  &c. 
 
 That  they  defile  not  their  Camps.']  The  Camp  of  If- 
 rael confided  of  four  Camps,  (and  therefore  he  fpeaks 
 in  the  Plural  Number)  that  oijudah^  that  of  Reu- 
 ben 5  that  of  Ephraim  5  and  that  of  Dan,  It  Numb.  3, 
 10, 18,  25.  Which  would  have  been  fo  defiled,  if 
 they  had  fuffered  thefe  unclean  Perfons  to  ftay  a- 
 mong  them  3  that  none  would  have  been  fit  to  go  to 
 the  San&uary. 
 
 In  the  tnidtt  of  which  I  dwell,"]  By  his  fpecial  Pre- 
 fence  in  the  Santtuary^which  was  incompafled  by  thefe 
 Camps :  out  of  reverence  to  which,  fuch  unclean  Per- 
 fons were  to  be  kept  at  a  greater  diftance  than  other 
 Men  and  Women.  K  Ver, 
 
66  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  4.  And  the  Children  of  Ifracl  did  fo,  and  put 
 
 V.       them  without  the  Camp,  Sec.*]     There  was  an  order  for 
 
 L/VNJ  this  before  \  particularly  for  putting  cut  the  Lepers, 
 
 Verfe  4.  (XIII  Lev.  46.)  which  could  not  "be  put  in  Exe- 
 cution, till  the  Camp  was  formed  5  as  now  it  was. 
 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  And  the  LO  RD  Jpakeunto  Mofes,  faying.] 
 It  is  uncertain  when  this  was  fpoken  $  but  I  fee  no 
 reafon  why  we  Should  not  think,  it  was  at  the  fame 
 time  with  the  other  things  here  mentioned. 
 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  When  a  Man  or  Woman  flmll  commit  any  fin 
 fhat  Men  commit.]  In  the  Hebrew  the  words  are 
 plainly  thefe,  flmll  commit  any  fin  of  Man  :  that  is,  a- 
 gainft  his  Neighbour.  As  in  Uljoel  19.  Violence  of 
 the  Children  of  Judah,  is  truly  translated  Violence  a- 
 gainli  the  Children  of  Judah.  For  it  is  apparent  from 
 the  next  Verfe s  7,8.  that  Mofes  here  fpeaks  of  Offen- 
 ces againft  their  Neighbours. 
 
 To  do  a  Trefpafs  against  the  LOR  D.]  Such  Of- 
 fences againft  their  Neighbours,  as  were  alfo  great  Of- 
 fences againft  God.  For  the  Chaldee  underftands 
 thefe  words  of  Frauds  and  Cheats  put  upon  Men,by 
 a  falfe  Oath.  And  there  is  a  good  warrant  for  this 
 Interpretation  from  VI  Lev.  2,  9.  where  Mofes  gives 
 the  fame  command  :  which  feems  hereto  be  repeated, 
 only  becaufe  he  had  fomething  to  add  unto  it  , 
 v.  8. 
 
 And  that  perfon  he  guilty.]     Or  rather,  hefenfihle  of 
 his  guilt.     See  VI  Lev.  4. 
 
 Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  Then  they  full  confefs  the  fin  that  they  have 
 done.]  Or  rather,  If  they  fhall  confefs  ,  &c  For  fo 
 the  Particle  Vau  fometimes  Signifies :  particularly  XII. 
 14.  where  we  (as  well  as  the  LXX.)  tranflate  it  Jf  her 
 Father  had  Jpit  in  her  face.  See  what  I  have  noted 
 upon  VI  Lev.  4. 
 
 And 
 
 h 
 
 fcn 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  6j 
 
 And  hefnallrecompenfe,  Sec."]     Rather,  Then  he  {hall  Chapter 
 recompenfe   the  Injury  he  did  to  his  Neighbour,  in       V.  " 
 the  manner  here  directed:  which  hath  been  explained  \ymsT\J 
 VI  Lev.  5.     See  there- 
 
 Ver.  8.  But  if  a  Man  have  no  Kinfman  to  recom-  Verfe  8 
 penfe  the  Trefpafs  unto.~]  By  this  it  is  apparent,  that 
 if  a  Man  to  whom  an  Injury  had  been  done,  was 
 dead,  he  that  committed  it,  was  bound  to  make  Sa- 
 tisfa&ion  to  his  Heir,  whofoever  he  was,  by  refto- 
 ring  the  Principal,and  adding  a  fifth  part  to  it.  Now 
 the  Ifraelites  never  wanting  fome  of  their  Kindred  to 
 fucceed  to  their  Inheritances,  the  Hebrew  Doftors 
 expound  this  of  the  Profelytes  of  Righteoufnefs :  who 
 might  poffibly  dye  without  any  heir  ,  becaufe  they 
 had  no  Kindred  but  fuch  as  were  born  after  their 
 Regeneration.In  which  Cafe  the  Goods  that  had  been 
 illegally  taken  from  fuch  a  Profelyte  by  a  Jew,  did 
 not  become  his  own,unlefs  he  paid  the  Price  of  them, 
 with  fuch  an  addition  as  is  here  required ,  &c  See 
 Selden  L.  VI.  de  Jure  Nat.  &  Gent.  cap./^.  p.68^685. 
 Edit.  Lond. 
 
 Let  the  Trefpafs  he  recompenfed  unto  the  LOR  D.~] 
 By  bringing  to  him  the  Principal,  and  the  fifth  part. 
 
 Even  unto  the  Prieff.]  Whom  God  deputed  to  re- 
 ceive it,  as  his  Minifter.  And  it  was  (  as  the  Jews 
 rightly  expound  it)  equally  diftributed  among  all  the 
 Priefts,  who  were  then  waiting  in  their  Courfe. 
 Which  is  a  new  addition  to  the  Law  in  VI  Lev.  and 
 the  reafon,  it  is  likely,  why  that  Law  is  here  re- 
 peated. 
 
 Befides  the  Ram  of  the  Atonement,  Sec."]  Mentioned 
 VI  Lev.  6,  7.  where  fee  what  I  have  noted. 
 
 K  2  Ver. 
 
58  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  9.  And  every  offering  of  all  the  holy  things  of 
 V.        the  Children  oflfracl."]     Upon  the  occafion  of  the 
 
 L^VSJ  foregoing  Laws  concerning  a  Recompenfe  to  be  made 
 
 Ver.  9.  to  the  Prieft,  where  a  Man  that  had  been  wrong'd 
 was  dead,  and  no  Heir  to  him  could  be  found  5  he 
 explains  fome  other  Laws  wherein  the  Priefts  were 
 concerned  :  who  were  to  have  all  the  Heave-offerings, 
 as  the  word  Trumoth  (here  ufed)  fignifies,  XVIII.8. 
 
 Which  they  bring  unto  the  Prieff.~]     To  be   offered 
 unto  God. 
 
 Shall  be  hk7\  Who  offers  it.  For  there  being  ma- 
 ny Priefts  who  waited  in  their  Courfes,  at  the  Taber- 
 nacle 5  all  of  which  could  not  officiate  at  the  fame 
 time,  but  fome  at  one  time  ,  fome  at  another  5  this 
 Law  determines  that  the  particular  Prieft,  who  per- 
 formed the  Office  of  Sacrificing,  (hould  have  to  him- 
 felf,  that  part  of  the  holy  Things  which  fell  to  the 
 Priefts  fhare  5  and  it  (hould  not  be  divided  among 
 them  all.  Thus  LEmpereur  (upon  Bava  kama,  c.  9. 
 ye#.i2.)  expounds  thefe  words  better  than  any  I  have 
 met  withal. 
 
 Verfe  IO.  Ver.  10.  And  every  mans  hallowed  thing  J/jaS  be  his7\ 
 As  the  former  Verfe  fpeaks  of  the  holy  Things  of  the 
 Children  of  Ifrael  in  general ,  fo  this  of  what  any 
 particular  Perfon  offered  :  which  ftill  with  greater 
 reafon  was  to  belong  to  the  Prieft  that  offered  it.  For 
 the  Labourer  is  worthy  of  his  hire  :  and  therefore  he 
 that  did  the  work  of  Sacrificing,  had  the  Reward  of 
 it.  R.  Solon/on  applying  this  to  Tithes,  hath  a  glofs 
 upon  thefe  words,  which  though  not  pertinent,  is 
 very  remarkable  :  He  that  doth  not  duly  fay  his  Tithe, 
 in  the  end  his  Landfall  yield  him  but  a  tithe  of  what  it 
 was  wont  to  yield.  And  fo  R.Bechai  upon  XIV  Deut. 
 expounds  thefe  words,  when  a  Man  divideth  not  as 
 
 he 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  6? 
 
 he  ought,    he  Jhall  have  nothing  but  the  holy  things^  Chapter 
 that  is,  the  Tithe,  of  what  he  ufed  to  have,  according      V. 
 to  V  Ifa.  10.  U"V>J 
 
 Whatfoever  any  Man  giveth  the  Priefi,  it  foallbe  hk7\ 
 Thefe  words  are  only  a  fuller  Explication  of  this 
 Law,  (as  the  fame  LEmpereur  obferves)  that  the  reft 
 of  the  Priefts  might  not  take  away  thofe  Holy  things 
 from  him,  that  offered  them,  under  pretence  that  they 
 belonged  to  the  whole  Sacerdotal  Order.  For  though 
 they  were  delivered  unto  him,  yet  it  was,  they  might 
 fay,  that  they  (hould  be  divided  among  the  whole 
 Clajfcs  then  in  attendance.  So  fome  things  were, 
 v.  8.  and  therefore  this  Law  is  added  to  prevent 
 their  extending  what  was  done  in  fome  Cafes  unto 
 all.. 
 
 Ver.i  i.  And  the  LORD  fpake  unto  Mofes  Joying.']  Verfe  i  ii 
 There  is  fo  little  Connection  between  this,  and  the 
 foregoing  Laws,  that  it  is  not  eafie  to  give  a  reafon 
 why  it  is  here  placed.  All  that  I  can  fay  is,  that 
 Mofes  having  fpoken  concerning  Frauds,  from  the 
 Suspicion  of  which  Men  were  to  purge  themfelves 
 by  an  Oath5  (v.  6.)  he  here  takes  occafion  to  men- 
 tion the  greateft  Cafe  that  could  happen  of  this  na- 
 ture: Which  was,  when  a  Woman  was  fufpe&ed  of 
 Adultery.  Concerning  which  God  gave  him  the  fol- 
 lowing Order. 
 
 Ver.  12.  Speak,  unto  the  Children  of  Tfraely  and  fay  Verfe  12. 
 unto  them,  if  any  Mans  Wife  go  a/fde.']  Being  pri- 
 vate, for  fome  time,  with  another  Man  3  whofe  Com- 
 pany her  Husband  had  charged  her  not  to  keep  a- 
 lone  3  and  therefore  is  fufpe&ed  by  him  to  beanA- 
 dulterefs.  For  it  is  certain  that  by  a  Wife  that  goeth 
 afide,  (whom  the  Hebrews  from  hence  call  Sota)  is 
 not  meant  one  that  hath  certainly  committed  Adul- 
 tery ; 
 
7o  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter   tery  $    but  is,   with  fome  reafon,    fufpe&ed  of  that 
 V.       Crime.     And  therefore  it  is  a  Rule  among  the  Jews, 
 L/"V"NJ  the   bitter  Waters  never   are   ufed,     but   in   a    dubious 
 Cafe. 
 
 And  commit  a  Trejpafs  againfl  him.']  And  thereby 
 hath  very  much  offended  him. 
 Verfe  1 3.  Ver.  1 3.  And  a  Man  lie  with  her  carnally."]  As  her 
 Husband  hath  caufe  to  fufped  3  he  having  (as  I  faid 
 before)  admonifhed  her  not  to  be  with  fuch  a  Man  in 
 private  :  That  is,  to  give  him  no  caufe  of  jealou- 
 fie.  So  Abarbmel  rightly  expounds  a  Mans  lying 
 with  her  carnally,  of  her  Husband's  Opinion  and 
 Sufpicion  :  And  the  next  Verfe  juftifies  this  Ex- 
 pofition. 
 
 And  if  it  be  bid  from  the  Eyes  of  her  Husband.] 
 There  being  no  clear  evidence,  but  only  Conje&ures^ 
 that  (he  is  actually  defiled. 
 
 And  be  kept  clofe.]  The  matter  having  been  carried 
 very  fecretly  :  Or,  as  it  may  be  interpreted,  but /he  was 
 Jhut  up  clofe  with  him. 
 
 And  Jlx  be  defiled.  ]  In  her  Husband's  Opi- 
 nion. 
 
 And  there  be  no  witnefs  againfl  her.]  For  if  there 
 had,  (he  muft  have  been  put  to  Death,  XX  Le- 
 vit.  10. 
 
 Neither  floe  be  taken  with  the  manner.  ]  She  not  being 
 apprehended,  in  the  very  Ad. 
 Verfe  I4«  ^er#  x4*  ^d  the  Spirit  of  Jealoufie  come  upon  him.] 
 He  be  poifefled  with  a  ftrong  Conceit,  of  which  he 
 cannot  rid  himfelf,  that  (he  Hath  been  unfaithful  to 
 him.  For  fo  a  Spirit  of  flumber  (and  the  like)  is  ufed 
 in  Scripture  5  for  fuch  a  fluggilh  Temper,  as  a  Man 
 cannot  (hake  off. 
 
 And 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  71 
 
 And  he  be  jealous  of  his  Wife,   and  fie  be  defiled."]  Chapter 
 Whether  it  be  really  fo.  V. 
 
 And  he  be  jealous,  and/he  be  not  defiled.]     Or  whe-  L/~ST\J 
 ther  it  be  only  his  Sufpicion. 
 
 Ver.  15.  Then  fi  all  the  Man  bring  his  Wife  unto  the  Verfe  15 
 Priefi.]  To  the  Magiftrates  of  the  place  where  they 
 lived  (faith  the  Mifchna,  Cap.  1.  Seff.  3.  of  Soto) 
 together  with  his  Witneffes  both  of  the  Premonition 
 he  had  given  her,  and  of  the  Privacy  fhe  had  had 
 with  another  Man  after  his  Premonition,  fo  long 
 that  there  might  be  time  enough  for  him  to  defile 
 her  :  Otherwife  this  Aftion  did  not  lie  againft  her, 
 as  Mr.  Selden  obferves,  L.  III.  Uxor.  Hebr.  Cap.  XIII. 
 But  having  thefe  Witneffes  ready,  he  was  to  fpeak  to 
 the  Prieft  when  he  brought  his  Wife  before  him,  after 
 this  manner  3  Having  a  Jealoufie  of  this  my  Wife,  I 
 admoniflded  her  not  to  keep  company  with  fuch  an  one*-y 
 with  whom  fije  afterward  was  in  fecret  :  and  thefe  are 
 the  Witneffes  of  it.  She  faith  fie  is  innocent,  but  I  de- 
 fire  the  Water  may  be  given  her,  that  the  Truth  may  be 
 tried.  See  Selden,  in  the  place  before-named,  Cap. 
 XV.  and  Wagenfeil  upon  Sota  ,  C?p.  I.  Sedf.  5. 
 Not.  2. 
 
 And  he  fi all  bring  her  Oblation  for  her.]  That  is, 
 the  Husband  fhall  bring  her  Oblation,  (not  the 
 Prieft,  as  fome  underftand  the  words  of  the  Mifchna 
 about  this  matter :)  Which  Chashjtin  fancies  was  of- 
 fered, as  his  Oblation  ,  not  the  Woman's  5  to  ex- 
 piate his  Fault  in  not  reproving  her  fufficiently,  when 
 he  firft  obferved  her  frnmodeft  Behaviour:  For  it 
 could  not  be  a  Sacrifice  for  her  Expiation,  (faith  he) 
 becaufe  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Wicked  is  an  Abomination. 
 But  this  is  againft  the  very  words  of  Mofes  in  this 
 place  5   which  fay,  he  fhall  bring  her  Oblation  for 
 
 her*. 
 
?2  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  her.     And  fo  Abarbinel  expounds  it,  the  Scripture  in» 
 V.        timates  that  this  Sacrifice  was  brought  by  the  Husband 
 
 \-S*sf\J  for  the  fake  of  his  Wife  }  for  he  had  done  nothing  that 
 needed  a  Sacrifice.  Nor  is  Chaskuni  his  reafon  of  any 
 moment  ^  for  there  is  nothing  faid  to  make  us  look 
 upon  this,  as  an  expiatory  Sacrifice  ^  but  the  true  In- 
 tention of  it  was  (as  Wagenfeil  well  obferves,  Annot. 
 in  Mifchna  Sot  a,  Cap.  II.  p.  349.)  to  fupplicate  the 
 Divine  Majefty,  that  he  would  be  pleafed  to  clear  the 
 Woman's  Innocence  if  {he  were  caufelefly  fufpe&ed  $ 
 or  qtherwife  difcover,  and  punifh  her  Guilt. 
 
 By  this  it  appears,  that  if  the  Procefs  was  began  in 
 fome  Court  below,  (as  the  Jews  affirm)  the  Caufe 
 was  removed  to  Jerufalem,  (where  only  they  could 
 facrifice,  when  the  Ark  of  God's  Prefence  was  fetled 
 there)  and  brought  before  the  great  Sanhedrin.  Who 
 putting  her  Husband  out  of  the  Court,  (as  they  fey 
 in  the  next  Sedion  of  the  fore-named  Mifchna')  and 
 having  the  Woman  alone  by  her  felf,  endeavoured 
 firft  by  ftriking  a  Terror  into  her,  and  then  by  giv- 
 ing her  good  words,  to  perfwade  her  to  tell  the 
 Truth  :  Saying,  Dear  Daughter,  perhaps  thou  waft  0- 
 ver-taken  by  drinking  too  much  Wine,  or  vpafi  in  afro- 
 lic\  Humour,  or  carried,  away  by  the  Heat  of  Youth,  or 
 by  the  Example  of  evil  Neighbours  :  Come,  confefs  the 
 Truth?  for  the  fake  of  his  great  Name,  which  is  defer i bed 
 in  the  mojlj acred  Ceremony  :  and  do  not  kt  it  be  blotted 
 out,  (v.  23.)  with  the  bitter  Water.  If  after  this,  (he 
 confefled  the  Faft,  faying,  /  am  defiled  5  then  (he 
 was  to  tear  the  Inftrument  of  her  Dowry  in  pieces, 
 and  go  whether  fhe  pleafed.  For  fuch  an  Adulterefs 
 was  not  put  to  Death,  but  only  loft  her  Dowry, 
 without  any  other  Punifhment.  If  (he  faid,  I  am 
 pure  5  then  ihe  was  brought  to  the  Door  of  the  Ta- 
 bernacle, 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  73 
 
 bernacle  5  and  they  did  as  follows.     So  the  Mffchna,  Chapter 
 cap.  i.fctt.  5. and  fee  Wagenfeil's  Annotations  on  Sota.       V. 
 And  now,that  they  have  not  this  way  of  Trial  among  L/~\T\J 
 them  ,  if  a  Man's  Wife  give  him  fufpicion,  by  keep- 
 ing a  Man's  Company  in  fecref,  which  he  forbad  her^ 
 he  may  not  ufe  her  any  more  as  his  Wife,  and  (he  lo- 
 fes  her  Dowry,  as  Buxtorfius  obferves  in  his  BookDe 
 Sponfal.  &  Druort.  Pars  I.  Se£f.  92. 
 
 The  tenth  fart  of  an  Ephah  of Bar ly-meal 3The  com- 
 mon Offering  of  this  fort,  was  of  fine  Wheat-flour  : 
 only  this,  and  the  Sheaf,or  handful  mentioned  XXIII 
 Lev.  to.  were  of  Barly.  But  that  was  of  fine  Flour 
 lifted  from  the  Bran  5  this  of  courfe  Flour ,  that  had 
 nothing  taken  out  of  it :  as  the  Mifchna  faith  in  Sota}  ■ 
 cap.i.  Where  the  reafon  given  for  this  Barly-offering 
 is,  becaufe  (he  was  fuppoied  to  have  committed  the 
 Aft  of  a  Beaft,  (which  is  not  confined  to  one)  there- 
 fore (he  was  to  Sacrifice  the  Food  of  a  Beaft  :  for  fo 
 Barly  was  in  Jud£a.  Many  fuch  pretty,  rather  than 
 folid  Reafons,  are  collefted  out  of  their  Authors  by 
 Simeon  de  Muk  in  his  Varia  Sacra  upon  this  place. 
 The  fimpleft  Reafon  feems  to  be ,  that  a  viler  fort  of 
 Sacrifice,  was  mod  futable  to  her  vile  Condition  : 
 for  which  reafon  alfo  there  was  no  Oyl  nor  Frankin- 
 cenfe  permitted  to  be  offered  with  it,  as  it  here  fol- 
 lows. 
 
 He  jhall  pour  no  Oyl  upon  H,  nor  put  Franfyncenfe 
 thereon.~]  This  Sacrifice  was  different  from  all  other 
 of  this  kind,  (See  Lev.  11.)  For  though  that  men- 
 tioned V  Lev.  1 1.  was  to  have  no  Oyl  nor  Frankin- 
 cenfe  with  it  5  yet  it  was  of  fine  Flour,  and  not 
 Barly.  And  though  the  Sheaf  mentioned  XXIII 
 Lev.  10.  was  of  Barly,  yet  it  was  lifted:  and  be- 
 fides?Oyl  and  Frankincenfe  were  ufed  with  it  5  which 
 
 L  are 
 
74 
 
 A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  are  here  forbidden.     The  reafons  of  which  are  given 
 V.       by  the  Jews,  according  to  their  various  Fancies.  And 
 
 L^V^sJ  fome  of  them  are  ingenious  enough  ^  as  that  a  good 
 Name  being  compared  to  Oyl,  (Vll  Ecclef  i.)  it  is 
 here  omitted,  becaufe  the  Woman  had  loft  her  Re- 
 putation. Maimonides  is  a  little  more  judicious  :  for 
 locking  upon  Oyl  and  Frankincenfe  as  added  unto 
 Sacrifices  for  the  Honour  and  Dignity  of  them ,  he 
 thinks  God  would  have  this  Splendor  (  as  his  word 
 is)  to  be  wanting  to  fuch  a  Woman's  Sacrifice  ^  be- 
 caufe of  the  bafenefs  of  her  behaviour,  which  was 
 the  occafion  of  it>  As  if  (he  had  been  told  (to  ftir 
 her  up  to  repentance)  becaufe  of  the  filthinefs  of  thy 
 aUions  s  thy  Oblation  k  more  impcrfeff  than  others , 
 More  Nevoch.  P.  III.  cap.  46.  But  none,  I  think,hath 
 given  a  better  account  of  this,  than  St.Chryfoftom,  0- 
 rat.  V.  ad  v.  Jud<eos^  becaufe  the  Woman  was  loaded 
 with  Sorrow,  and  heavy  Accufations,  and  evil  Sufpi- 
 cions,  ifM/LiSx-ro  tUjo  (jv/n'po^v  tS;  oh$ka,<; ,  Sv<na<;  70  j^JI- 
 fjux,  the  form  of  the  Sacrifice  imitated  the  DomeJiicJ^ 
 Calamity  :  for  every  one  knov/s  that  Oyl  and  Fran- 
 kincenfe, was  figns  of  Joy  and  Gladnefs  5  and  there- 
 fore not  ufed  upon  fo  fad  an  Occafion  as  this  was. 
 
 For  it  is  an  Offering  of  Jealonfie.  ~]  Thefe,  and  the 
 following  words,  give  the  reafon  why  Oyl  and  Fran- 
 kincenfe were  to  be  omitted  3  becaufe  it  was  an  Of- 
 fering for  one  fufpefted  of  Adultery.  And  in  fuch 
 Cafes,  God  had  before  ordained,  there  (hould  be  no 
 Oyl  nor  Frankincenfe  ufed  ,  V  Lev.  1 1 .  Delicacies 
 being  improper  in  Offerings  for  Sin. 
 
 An  Offering  of  Memorial^  bringing  Iniquity  to  remem- 
 brance. 3  For  ftie  appeared  before  God  as  a  Sinner  : 
 and  if  ftie  were  not  guilty,  yet  (he  was  loaded  with 
 an  Accufation  g  and  a  juft  Sufpicion  of  Guilt  5  to 
 
 which, 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  ?5 
 
 which,  if  (he  had  given  any  occafion,  this  Sacrifice   Chapter 
 reminded  her  of  it,  and  awakened  her  Confcience  to       v. 
 refleft  upon  it.  L/'VNJ 
 
 Ver.  1 6.  Andthe¥rieSl7\  It  is  the  Opinion  ofVerfe  16. 
 P.  Cun£us  (  Lib.  I.  de  Rep.  Hebr.  cap.  12.  J  that  the 
 Prieft  here  mentioned,*  was  to  be  a  Member  of  the 
 Great  Sanhedrin  3  to  whom  the  Judgment  of  the 
 matter  belonged.  But  another  very  learned  Perfoh 
 thinks  with  more  reafon,  the  Prieft,  whofe  Lot  it 
 was  to  attend  at  that  time  in  his  Courfe,  is  here  meant. 
 See  Mifchna  cap.  1.   Sot£,  SeS.  5.  Annot.  8.  WagenfeiL 
 
 Shall  bring  her  near.~]  Rather  bring  it  (that  is,  her 
 Offering)  near  to  the  Altar  at  the  Door  of  the  Taber- 
 nacle. 
 
 Andfet  her."]  Rather  fet  the  Offering:  for  (he  is 
 ordered  to  be  fet  before  the  LORD  afterwards, 
 v.  18. 
 
 Before  the  LOR  D.~]  At  the  Altar,  which  was  at 
 the  Door  of  the  Tabernacle.  See  lLev.%.  At  the 
 Eaft-gate  of  the  Temple,  faith  the  Mifchna  ,  which 
 was  called  the  Gate  of  Nicanor  :  for  there,  Women 
 alfo  after  Child-bed  were  purified  3  and  the  Lepers 
 cleanfed. 
 
 Ver.  17.  And  the  Vrieli  ft  all take  holy Water \]  From  Verfe  17. 
 the  Laver  :  For  no  Water  was  holy,  but  that  which 
 was  made  fo  by  the  Laver  5  as  the  Jews  fay  in  Jdlkitt. 
 Therefore  Onkelos  inftead  of  holy  Water,  hath  Water 
 from  the  Laver. 
 
 In  an  Earthen  Vejfel7\  Which  had  never  been  em- 
 ployed to  any  other  ufe,  (as  the  Mifchna  faith)  and 
 contained  about  a  Pint  of  our  Meafure.  This  I  take 
 to  have  been  appointed,  as  a  further  Expreffion  of  the 
 Vilenefs  of  her  Condition  :  for  the  reaibns  which  the 
 Jewifti  Do&ors  give  of  it  are  not  to  be  regarded.  The 
 
 L  2  beft 
 
16  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter   beft  that  I  have  obferved  is,  to  declare  that  (he  fhould 
 V.        be  broken  in  pieces,  like  that  Earthen  Ve(Tel,if  (he  was 
 t/YV  guilty  of  that  which  (he  denied. 
 
 And  of  the  duft."]  Another  Token  of  her  Vilenefs  $ 
 this  being  the  Serpent's  Food. 
 
 That  k  in  the  Floor  of  the  T*bernaclejk.z7\  To  make 
 her  afraid  of  the  Judgment  of  God.  For  if  there  were 
 no  daft  in  the  Tabernacle,  they  were  to  fetch  it  from 
 fome  other  place,  (as  Maimonides  relates  their  pra- 
 ctice, Hilcoth  Sota,  cap.  \.)  and  lay  it  upon  the  Floor 
 of  the  Tabernacle  j  and  then  take  it  and  put  it  into 
 the  Water. 
 
 And  pit  it  into  the  Water."]  Sprinkle  a  little  of  it 
 upon  the  Water,  (that  it  might  be  more  eafily  drunk) 
 butfo  much,  that  it  might  be  plainly  feen.  For  there 
 were  three  things,  the  Jews  fay,  of  which  a  lefs  quan- 
 tity was  not  admitted,  than  might  be  feen,  v/z.  this 
 Dufr  5  and  the  Afhes  of  the  red  Heifer,  XIX.  1 7.  and 
 the  Spittle  in  the  Face  of  him  that  would  not  marry 
 his  Brother's  Wife,  XXV  Dent.  9.  But  if  thePrieft 
 put  the  Duft  into  the  Veflel  firft,  and  then  poured  the 
 Water  upon  it,  he  did  not  do  amifs :  as  the  Jews  fay 
 in  the  ancient  Book  StyKrh  See  Wagenfeil  upon  Mifch- 
 nd  Sots,  cap.  2. feci.  2.  Annot.  11,  12. 
 
 It  hath  been  obferved  by  fome ,  that  fuch  ways  of 
 Trial  were  in  ufe  among  the  Gentiles  $  which  if  they 
 could  be  proved  to  have  been  as  ancient  as  Mofes  his 
 days  5,  it  would  make  it  probabje,  that  this  was  or- 
 dered by  God,  to  divert  the  Jews  from  following 
 the  Superftitions  of  other  Nations  to  make  this  Difco- 
 very,  and  bring  them  to  appear  before  him  at  his  Ta- 
 bernacle, and  there  ufe  fuch  Rites  as  were  of  his  ap- 
 pointment :  See  our  Learned  Dt.Spencer,LA\\.Djffert  L 
 cap* 2.  p.  539,  Sec 
 
 Veiv 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  77 
 
 Ver.l8.  And  the  Prietffial/fetthe  Woman  before  the  Chapter 
 LO  R  £).]     At  the  Door  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the       V. 
 Congregation  :  where  a  great  many  Women,who  were  L/*V"NJ 
 called   together  en  purpofe,  ftood  about  her  5  f&tfVerfeoi. 
 they  might  be  taught  not  to  do  after  her  Leudnefs,  (  as 
 the  Prophet  Ezekjel  fpeaks,  XXIII.  48.)  As  many  o- 
 thers  alio,  as  would,  might  be  preient  5  except  only 
 her  Maids  and  Domeftick  Servants }  who  were  put 
 out,  left  they  fhould  difturb  her  mind  too  much,  as 
 Mr.  Selden  interprets  the  words  of  the  Mifchna,  about 
 this  matter,  (Lib.  III.  Uxor.  Hebr.  cap.  15.J    Which 
 another  very  learned  Man  (J.  Wagenfeil)  interprets 
 the  quite  contrary  way,  left  her  Mindf/jould  place  any 
 hope  in  them,  cap.  \.feU.  6.  Annot.  8.  on  Sota. 
 
 And  uncover  the  Woman  s  head.  ~]  He  was  to  ftrip 
 her  of  all  her  Head-attire  (as  the  manner  was,  if  we 
 may  believe  Philo,  in  all  Judicial  Proceedings)  to 
 loofe  her  Hair,  and  tear  her  Garments  down  to  her 
 Bread  :  which  he  bound  about  her  (as  the  Jews  fay) 
 with  an  Egyptian  Cord.  And  if  (he  had  any  Gold 
 or  Jewels,  or  other  Ornaments  about  her,  they  were 
 all  taken  from  her  5  and  fhe  was  clothed  with  a  black 
 Garment.  All  which  were  plain  Tokens  of  her  la- 
 mentable Condition. 
 
 And  put  the  Offering  of  Memorial  in  her  hands.  ^ 
 After  he  had  put  it  into  a  Frying  pan,  under  which 
 he  held  his  own  hand,  (II  Lev.  7.)  and  at  the  fame 
 time  held  in  his  other  hand  the  bitter  Water  3  which 
 he  (hewed  her. 
 
 Which  is  the  JealouJie-offering.~]  Offered  purely  up- 
 on the  account  of  her  Husbands  Jealoufie  3  as  he 
 told  her. 
 
 And 
 
7* 
 
 A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       And   the  Prietf  flail  have    in    hk   hand   the    hitter 
 V.        Water. ."]     So  called, becaufe  they  put  Wormwood  [  or 
 
 L^VNJ  fome  fuch  thing  into  it,  to  give  it  a  bitter  tafte ,  as 
 Maimonides  and  the  ancient  Rabbins  fancy.  But  the 
 later  Doctors  fay,  Nothing  was  mixt  with  this  Water, 
 but  Duft  3  and  yet  it  became  bitter  in  the  mouth.  So 
 Nachman  and  others.  But  the  moft  probable  account 
 of  all  others  is,  that  this  Water  was  called  bitter,  from 
 its  direful  Effefts  upon  the  Body  of  the  Woman,  if  (he 
 was  guilty.  To  which  Exposition  Jacob  Abendana 
 inclines  :  SezWagenfeil  upon  the  Mifchna  Sot<e,  cap.%. 
 feB.  5.  Annot.  1. 
 
 Which  caufeth  the  Curfe7\  Or  rather,  Which  was  gi- 
 ven her  with  Curfes,  and  dreadful  Imprecations:  blot- 
 ted out  with  the  bitter  Water,  (Wai,  23.J  as  R.Be- 
 chai  expounds  it. 
 
 Verfe  19.      Ver.  19.  And  the  Priett  flail  charge  her  by  an  Oath. ~\ 
 Adjure  her  to  tell  Truth,  in  the  manner  following. 
 
 And  fay  unto  the  Woman,  if  no  Man  hath  lien  with 
 thee,  Sec.  3  If  thou  art  Innocent  of  that  whereof 
 thou  art  fufpe&ed. 
 
 Be  thou  free  from  the  bitter  Water ,&ZC."]  It  ftiall  have 
 no  ill  effeft  upon  thee. 
 
 Verfe  20.      Ver.  20.  But  if  thou  haft  gone  ajide,  &c]  Art  guil- 
 ty of  Adultery. 
 
 Verfe  21.  Ver.21.  Then  the  Prieff  flail  charge  the  Woman  with 
 an  Oath  of  Curfing.~\  This  is  no  new  Adjuration  ^ 
 but  only  another  part  of  that  which  began  v.  1 9»and 
 is  continued  in  this  and  the  foregoing.  So  that  thefe 
 three  Verfes  contain  the  intire  form  of  Adjuration  : 
 which  the  Prieft  was  to  pronounce  in  a  Language 
 which  the  Woman  underftood,  as  the  Jewifh  Doftors 
 obferve  5  otherwife,  how  could  the  Woman  anfwer 
 Amen,  zsR.Ifmael  faith  in  Siphre  ?  exa&ly  accord- 
 ing 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  y9 
 
 ing  to  the  Apoftle's  Doctrine,  i  Corinth.  XIV.  16.  Chapter 
 And  the  Prieft  was  to  fignifie  to  her,  that  this  pro-  V. 
 ceeding  was  meerly  to  fatisfie  her  Husband's  Jealoufie,  L/"VNJ 
 by  difcovering  the  Truth.  Thus  this  whole  matter 
 is  related,  by  the  Author  of  Ez  Hechajim^an  incom- 
 parable MS.  as  WagenfeilcMs  it,  who  hath  it  in  his 
 poffeflion)  The  Pfiefl  pronounces  thk  Curfe  in  a  Lan- 
 guage which  {he  underftands  -^  and,  fignifie s  to  her  in  the 
 Vulgar  Tongue,  that  thefe  things  are  done  purely  becaufe 
 her  Husband  is  'jealous  of  her,  {Ik  having  been  fecretly 
 with  one  ivhofe  Company  he  forbad  her  to  keep  :  and  then 
 faith  in  a  Tongue  familiar  to  her,  IF  NO  OTHER 
 MAN  HAVE  LAYN  WITH  THEE  BUT  THY 
 HUSBAND,&c.  BE  THOU  FREE  FROM  THESE 
 BITTER  WATERS,  &c.  BUT  IF  THOU  HAST 
 BEEN  FALSE  TO  HIM,  &c.  THE  LORD  MAKE 
 THEE  A  CURSE,  &c.  Unto  which  the  Woman 
 was  to  anfwer,  AMEN,  AMEN.  By  which  words 
 the  not  only  confented  to  what  the  Prieft  faid  ,  but 
 made  the  fame  Imprecation  upon  herfelf. 
 
 The  LORD  make  thee  a  Curfei]  So  that  when  Men 
 would  imprecate  any  evil  to  another ,they  fhould  fay, 
 Let  that  befal  thee  which  befelfuch  a  Woman  :  as  Rafiex- 
 pounds  it. 
 
 And  an  Oath  among  thy  People."]  A  form  of  Execra- 
 tion, as  the  aforefaid  MS.  expounds  it :  or,  as  Rafi 
 will  have  it,  when  Men  called  God  to  Witnefs,  they 
 ftiould  fay ,  If  I  fwear  falfly  ,  let  God  punifh  me 
 as  he  did  fitch  a  Woman.  Thefe  Execrations  were  ta- 
 citly fuppofed  in  the  Oaths  among  the  Pagans,as  our 
 great  Selden  (hews  at  large  Lib.  II.  de  Synedr.  cap.  1 1. 
 pag.  46i,&c.  where  he  obfervesout  of  Porphyry,  that 
 the  ancient  Indians  had  their  Ai/avtw  ^i^^ri^ov^Lake 
 of  Probation^  Trial:  And  in  his  MarmoraArundelianay 
 
 p.iS.  . 
 
8o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  p.28.there  is  this  form  of  Imprecation  in  theLeague  be- 
 V.        tvveen  the  City  of  Smyrna  and  Magnefia,  EuopxSrii  ^-tc/, 
 
 [my^Vm\J  dj  &*•  'E7nopx.£v1i  j),  c^Aeta,  £,  c£/7zj  iy  yiiu  -rrf  <^  1^2. 
 Let  it  be  well  with  me ,  7/  I  [wear  truly  :  but  if faljly,  let 
 dejlru&ion  be  both  to  my  f elf  and  to  my  Poflerity.  And 
 at  this  day  there  is  a  Cuftom  in  the  Kingdom  of  Si- 
 am,  to  determine  dubious  Cafes,  by  giving  a  Lump 
 of  Rice  impregnated  (  as  my  Author  fpeaks )  with 
 Curfes,  to  a  Man  to  eat.  Which  if  he  can  fwallow 
 without  vomiting  he  carries  theCaufe^and  his  Friends 
 carry  him  home  in  great  Triumph  ,  &c.  So  Jodocus 
 Schoutenius  (who  was  Dire&or  of  the  Eaff-  India  Com- 
 pany there  1636.) 
 
 When  the  LORD  doth  make  thy  Thigh  to  rot,  and 
 thy  Belly  to  fwell7\  When  they  fee  the  dreadful  effeft 
 of  this  Water,  in  the  rotting  of  thy  Thigh,after  thy 
 Belly  is  fwelled.  For  the  fwelling  of  the  Belly,  it 
 appears  by  the  next  Verfe,preceded  the  rotting  of  the 
 Thigh. 
 
 Such  Imprecations  were  in  ufe  in  Homers  time,  it 
 appears  by  Agamemnon  s  Prayer  5  wherein  he  calls  Ju- 
 piter, and  all  the  reft  of  the  Gods,  to  bear  Witnefs 
 of  his  Sincerity  :  wifhingthem  to  fend  a  Multitude 
 of  Pains  and  Griefs  upon  him,  if  he  forfwore  him- 
 felf :  Iliad.  XIX.  p.  264,  265. 
 
 •iuudi  £eo/  aXyia,  £fc?ev 
 
 IlC/Aqj  jUCt,h\    QOSst  ^801I>  077;   (jp     i\tThlct/j    QjUUQ0JX$. 
 
 Verfe  22.      Ver.  22.  And  this  Water  that  caufeth  theturfe.'] 
 '  Or,  For  this  Water,  &c. 
 
 Shall  go  into  thy  Bowels,  Scc.^     If  thou  art  guilty  it 
 fhall  produce  the  following  Etfe&s. 
 
 To 
 
^NUMBERS  81 
 
 To  make  thy  belly  to  fwel/.~]     By  the  Belly  the  Jews  Chapter 
 underftand  the  Womb,  and  the  Bowels,  which  iwel-       V. 
 led  till  they  burft.  L/"V~V> 
 
 And  thy  Thigh  to  rot.*]  By  her  Thigh  is  meant  the 
 Secret  Parts  of  her  Body,  as  Chaskjini  obferves  on  this 
 place.  And  both  Bochartus  and  Heinjius  have  given 
 many  Inftancesof  the  ufe  of  the  word  in  this  fenfe. 
 The  former  in  his  Hierozoic.  P.  II.  L.  V.  cap.  15.  and 
 the  latter  in  his  Ar/Jlarch.  Sac.  cap.  1.  And  thus  we 
 read  in  the  Paffion  of  SS.  Perpetuana  &  Fdic.  that 
 when  Perpetuana  was  thrown  to  the  Beafts  ,  and 
 lay  on  the  Ground,  (he  drew  back,  her  Coat  ,  which 
 was  torn  from  her  fide,  ad  velamentum  femerk  ,  to 
 cover  her  Thigh  from  being  feen,  pudork  magk  me-  . 
 mor  quam  dolork,  having  a  greater  fenfe  of  Modefty 
 than  of  Pain,  pag.^i.Edit.Oxon. 
 
 The  Mifchna  here  obferves,  not  impertinently, 
 with  what  meafure  Men  metejt  flail  be  meafured  to  them 
 again  :  for  in  the  very  part  that  offended,  (he  fufFer- 
 ed  for  her  Crime.  I  noted  before^.  17.  that  there 
 Were  fuch  ways  of  Trial  anciently  among  the  Gen- 
 tiles 5  but  I  am  apt  to  think  they  were  all  later  than 
 the  times  of  Mofes  5  who  did  not  ordain  thefe  Rites 
 to  keep  the  Jews  from  following  their  Cuftoms  5  but 
 they  rather  imitated  what  was  pra&ifed  among  the 
 Jews.  Particularly  Bochartus  obferves  out  of  Philo- 
 Jlratus^  there  were  Waters  in  Cappadocia,  facred  to 
 Jupiter  :  which  were  very  fweet  and  pleafantto  thofe 
 who  were  innocent  and  fwore  truly^but  quite  contrary 
 to  thofe  who  were  perjured.  Whofe  Eyes,  Hands,and 
 Feet  were prefently  feizd,  and  infe&ed  with  blotches 
 and  filthy  Ulcers,  vSfyjis  &,  pSoa/s,  which  is  the  very 
 Difeafe  here  mentioned,  if  we  believe  Jofephus,  who 
 faith  the  Woman's  Belly  fwelled  by  the  Dropfie  till 
 
 M 
 
82  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  at  laft  it  burft.     And  Philojiratus  adds,that  the  whole 
 V.       Body  of  fuch  People  grew  Confumptive  5   nor  could 
 
 L/^v^vJ  they  ftir  from  thofe  Waters,  but  there  they  lay  de- 
 ploring their  Mifery.  See  Bochart.  L.  I.  Canaan,  cap. 
 28.  p.  589,  590.  Which  agrees  To  perfe&ly  with 
 what  the  Jews  fay  of  this  bitter  Water,  that  it  is  mod 
 likely  this  Story  of  the  Cappadocian  Water,  was  deri- 
 ved from  thence.  For  they  fay,  not  only  the  Belly 
 of  the  Woman  fwelled,  and  her  Thigh  rotted  5  but 
 every  Member  of  her  Body  felt  the  Effefts  of  this 
 deadly  Poyfon  :  which  fpread  to  the  very  Hairs  of 
 her  Head  5  as  they  tell  us  in  Ratboth,  quoted  by  Wa- 
 gcnfeU  upon  the  Mifchna,  which  faith  the  fame,  cap.r. 
 Sot£^fe&.  7.  And  therefore  Uuetius  juftly  thinks  the 
 Fable  of  the  Stygian  Lake,  and  feveral  other  Rites  of 
 finding  out  the  truth  of  fecret  Crimes,  were  invented 
 by  the  Greeks  from  this  Example ,  Demonft.  Evang. 
 Propof.  IV.  cap.  11.  n.  2.  Many  Authors  have  col- 
 lected feveral  forts  of  Trials  of  this  kind  :  and  late- 
 ly Guil.  Saldenus  in  his  Qtia  Theologica,  Exercit.  V.  n. 
 24,  25.  But  above  all  kzHuetius  his  §>u£fiiones  Al- 
 netnn<e,  L.  II.  cap.  12.  n.  22.  where  he  gives  a  large 
 account  how  far  this  Rite,  of  trying  Womens  Cha- 
 ftity  by  drinking  this  Water,  was  fpread  among  the 
 molt  barbarous  Nations. 
 
 And  the  Woman  Jl) all  fay.  A.men,  Amen."]  The  word 
 Amen  is  doubled,  to  exprefs  her  full  confent,  and  her 
 earneft  defire,thatGod  would  deal  with  her  according 
 to  herdeferving.The  Mifchna  will  have  thefirft  Amen 
 refer  to  thofe  words,  The  LORD  make  thee  a  Curfe  5 
 and  the  fecond  to  the  next  words,  and  an  Oath  among 
 thy  People  :  So  that  (he  prayed  God,  both  might  come 
 upon  her,  if  (he  were  guilty.  We  may  as  well  fay, 
 that  one  of  thefe  Aniens,  relates  to  the  fir  ft  part  of  the 
 
 Adju- 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  83 
 
 Adjuration,  v.  19.  and  the  other  to  the  fecond  part,  Chapter 
 v.  21.     Or,  as  Abarbinel  doth ,  that  there   being  a       v. 
 double  Curfe,  one  that  her  Belly  (hould  fwell,  and  l/*WJ 
 another  that  her  Thigh  {hould  rot  5  (he  faid  a  dou- 
 ble Amen  ;  praying  both  might  befal  her,  if  Che  were 
 guilty.     And  as  the  Talmndifts  underftand  it ,  they 
 were  an  Imprecation  upon  her  felf.     For  fo  they  fay 
 in  Schevuoti)  Whofoever  faith  Amen  to  an  Oath  (or    . 
 Curfe)  feems  to  pronounce  the  Oath  or  Curfe,  with 
 his  own  Mouth.     See  Wagenfeil  upon  Mifckna  Sot£, 
 cap.  2.fe3.  5.  Annot.  3.  Where  he  produces  a  great 
 deal  more  out  of  the  Scripture  it  felf,  in  confutation 
 of  the  Opinion  of  our  Learned  Fuller  ,  who  in  his 
 Mifcellanies  affirms,  That  Amen  is  only  an  Affevera- 
 tion  ^  but  never  a  Form  of  Swearing. 
 
 Ver.  23.  And  the  Prkjf  {hall  write  ihefe  Curfe s.  ~]  yerfe  2-> 
 Several  Opinions  are  related  in  the  Mifchna,  concern- 
 ing the  words  that  were  to  be  written.  Which  fome 
 would  have  to  begin  at  v.  19.  If  no  Man  have  lien  with 
 thee,  Sec.  and  to  continue  to  this  Verfe.  But  others 
 think  they  began  atthofe  words,  if.  21,  The  LORD 
 make  thee  a  Curfe  and  an  Oath,  See.  and  that  the  laft 
 words  were  omitted,  The  Woman  fiall  fay  Amen,  A- 
 men.  Which  of  thefe  Opinions  is  the  true,  neither 
 the  Gemara,  nor  Maimonides  have  determined. 
 
 In  a  Bookf]  Every  Scroll  of  Parchment,  wherein 
 any  thing  was  written,  the  Jews  call  Sepher,  a  Book. 
 In  which,  it  hath  been  commonly  faid,  the  Name  of 
 the  Woman  was  written  ,  together  with  the  Curfe  : 
 but  there  is  nothing,  either  in  the  Scripture,  or  in  An- 
 tiquity, to  countenance  this. 
 
 And  he  Jl^all  blot  them  out  with  the  bitter  Water, , ]  Or 
 rather,  Into  the  bitter  Water :  That  is,  he  was  to  fcrape 
 out  the  words  he  had  written  into  the  Water ;  and  fo 
 
 M  2  make 
 
84 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter   make  the  Woman  drink  it.     Or,  as  the  Jews  explain 
 V.        it,  wath  the  words  he  had  written  ,  with  the  bitter 
 
 t/^V\J  Water,  till  they  were  quite  blotted  out.  See  Wagen- 
 feil  in  Mifchna  Sot£,  cap.  3.  fi8.  3.  Who  obferves  a 
 great  many  Curiofities  which  the  Jews  have  about  the 
 Parchment  and  the  Ink,  upon  and  with  which  thefe 
 Curies  were  written  :  and  that  they  were  not  valid, 
 if  they  were  written  by  a  Lay* man  5  or  by  a  Prieft 
 that  was  not  of  Age  5  or  if  they  were  written  be- 
 fore (he  was  adjured  5  or  if  he  blotted  out  one  word 
 before  the  reft  were  written  ,  &c  See  there  cap.  2. 
 fe&.  4.  Hottinger  forgot  himfelf  when  he  (aid,  The 
 Scroll  it  felf  was  thrown  into  the  Water  ,  (  The  four. 
 Philolog.  L.  II.  cap.  2.)  for  no  fuch  thingappears. 
 
 Verfe  24.  Ver.  24.  And  hefiad  caufe  the  Woman  to  drinks  Scc.'J 
 viz.  After  he  had  offered  the  Jealoulle-Offering  upon 
 the  Altar,  v.  26.  And  if  (he  refufed  to  drink  the 
 Water,  into  which  the  Curfes  were  fcraped,  they  for- 
 ced her  to  it,  with  this  preceding  Admonition  ^  My 
 Daughter,  if  thou  art  confident  of  thine  Innocence ,  do 
 not  fear  to  drinl^  this  Water  5  which  will  do  thee  no  more 
 hurt,  than  dry  Poifon  laid  upon  the  FlejJ)  of  a  living 
 Creature,  £kc.  If  hereupon  (lie  confefled  that  fhe  had 
 been  poluted,  the  Water  was  ftraightway  poured  out, 
 he  caufe  there  was  no  holinefs  i7i  it,  as  Maimonides  faith. 
 For  it  is  called  holy,  v.  17.  not  becaufe  it  was  fanfti- 
 fied  to  this  ufe,  but  only  becaufe  it  was  taken  out  of 
 the  Lavcr,  which  was  an  holy  Veflel.  See  Setden  L. 
 Ul/Oxor.  Hebr.  cap.  15.  who  obferves  alfo  ,  in  the 
 foregoing  Chapter,  that  if  after  a  Man  had  brought 
 his  Wife  to  this  Trial,  he  chanced  to  die  before  this 
 Adjuration  5  fhe  was  freed  from  taking  the  Potion,  but 
 loft  her  Dowry. 
 
 And theWater  that  caufeth  the  Curfe.']     Or,  that  is 
 
 load- 
 
^NUMBERS.  85 
 
 loaded  with  Curfes  5  which  have  been  fcraped  into  it    Chapter 
 
 Shall  enter  into  her,    and  become  bitter. ~\     Produce         V. 
 thofe  direful  Eflfe&s  before-mentioned^if  (he  be  guilty.  L/"V\J 
 
 Ver.  2  5 .  Then  the  Prieji  Jhall  take  the  Jealoufie-Offer-  Ver fe  2  5 . 
 ing  oat  of  the  Woman  s  hand.~]     Into  which  he  had  put 
 it,  before  he  adjured  her,  v.  18. 
 
 And  fliall  wave  the  Offering  before  the  LO  R  D.J, 
 How  this  Waving  was  performed,  hath  been  fliown 
 before,  upon  Leviticus.  Raft 'here  expreffes  it  in  four 
 words,  he  moved  the  Oblation,  to  and  fro,  up  and 
 down.  Something  like  to  which  Pythagoras  feems  to 
 intimate  in  that  Symbol  of  his,  W^ayvwu  itizJ-^Zst**-- 
 v@*,  Worfoip,  turning  round.  Which  Plutarch  af- 
 cribes  to  Numa  5  in  whofe  Life,  he  fays  a  great  many 
 obfervable  things,  concerning  turning  round  in  their 
 Sacred  Offices.  Which  was  a  Rite  in  ufe  among  the 
 Gentiles  $  who  when  they  faluted  their  Gods,  ftafid^ 
 ing  with  their  Heads  uncovered,  turned  about  their 
 Bodies  to  the  Right-hand.  As  Chriftoph.  Arnoldus 
 obferves  out  of  Suetonius  and  others,  in  his  Appendix 
 to  Wagenfeil's  Annotations  upon  Sot  a,  p.i  186. 
 
 And  offer  it  upon  the  Altar.J  At  the  South-Corner 
 of  it. 
 
 Ver.  26.   A.nd  the  Prieji  foall  take  an  handful  of  the  Verfe  2o< 
 Offering,  even  the  Memorial  thereof]    See  upon  the  fe- 
 cond  Chapter  of  Leviticus,  v.  2. 
 
 And  burn  it  upon  the  Altar.]  The  reft  of  it  the 
 Priefts  were  to  eat  5  unlefs  her  Husband  himfelf  was 
 a  Pried:  :  in  which  cafe,  it  was  all  thrown  among  the 
 Afhes,  See  Selden  in  the  place  above-named.  Where 
 he  alfo  obferves,  that  if  (he  confefled  the  Faft,  or  her 
 Husband  would  not  have  her  drink,  or  either  of 
 them  died  before  (he  drunk,  or  a  Witnefs  of  the  A- 
 dultery  appear'd,    (which  made  the  Waters  ufelefs) 
 
 the 
 
86  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  the  whole  Sacrifice  was  burnt,    and  not  only  a  Me- 
 V,       morial  thereof.    All  which  is  in  the  Mifchna,  SeclML 
 
 L/W  and  IV. 
 
 And  afterward  fiall caufe  the  Woman  to  drinl^of  the 
 Water.]  The  Sacrifice  therefore  was  firfl:  offered  ^ 
 though  the  Mifchna  fay,  that  if  the  Prieft  gave  her  the 
 Water  to  drink  firft,  and  then  prefented  the  Offering, 
 he  did  not  doamifs. 
 
 Verfe  2  7.  Ver.  77'  And  when  he  hath  wade  her  to  drinh^  th-e 
 Water."]  By  this  it  appears  he  might  force  her  to 
 drink  5  if  (he  would  not  do  it  by  perfwafion. 
 
 Then  it  fi all  come  to  pafs,  that  if  fie  be  defiled,  and 
 have  done  Trefyafs  againfl  her  Husband,  that  the  Water 
 that  caufcth  the  Curfe  fiall  enter  into  her,  and  become 
 bitter,  Sec.*]  Thefe  Effe&s  here  mentioned  prefently 
 followed  :  For  (he  grew  pale,  and  her  Eyes  were 
 ready  to  ftart  out  of  her  Head,  &c.  fo  that  they  cry- 
 ed  out,  Carry  her  forth,  carry  her  forth  -0  left  fie  defile 
 the  Court  of  the  Temple,  by  dying  there  5  as  the  Mifch- 
 na faith,  Cap.  III.  Seff.  4.  The  Adulterer  alfo,  if  we 
 may  believe  the  Jews,  died  the  fame  day,  and  hour  : 
 Nay  his  Belly  fwelled,  as  hers  did,  and  his  fecret 
 Parrs  rotted,  as  the  Author  of  Ez.  Hechajim  faith  in 
 Wagenfeil  upon  Sola,  Cap.  V.  SeEf.  1 .  Where  he  adds, 
 that  all  this  came  to  pafs,  in  cafe  her  Husband  had 
 never  offended  in  the  fame  kind  :  For  if  he  had  at 
 any  time  defiled  the  Marriage-bed,  then  this  Water 
 bad  not  thefe  Eftects  upon  his  Wife,  though  (he  had 
 been  faulty.     Which  the  Gemara  alfo  affirms. 
 
 Verfe  28.  Ver.28.  AndiftheWoman  be  not  defiled,  but  be  clean, 
 then  fie  fiatt  be  free'}  Receive  no  harm  at  all  by  drink- 
 ing the  Water. 
 
 And 
 
upon  NUMBER  S.  87 
 
 And  JhaB  conceive  Seed/]     If  fhe  was  barren  before,  Chapter 
 {he  became  fruitful  after  this  trial  5  and  alfo  bare  a      V. 
 Man-child,    (if  we  may  believe  the  Jews)    and  had  L/"V"\J 
 eafie  labour.     Her  Beauty  alfo  increafed  5  her  Health 
 was  confirmed  5    and  if  fhe  had  any  Difeafe  it  was 
 cured.     They  obferve  alfo,  that  if  after  (he  was  thus 
 cleared,  (he  kept  company  again  with  the  fame  Man 
 whom  her    Husband  fufpe&ed,  and  by  his  renewed 
 Admonition  had  required   her  not  to  be  in  private 
 with  him  5    this  potion  was  not  repeated  5    but  fhe 
 was  difmified  from  being  his  Wife,    without  any 
 Dowry.     But  if  (lie  kept  company  with  any  other 
 Perfon  privately,  after  Admonition  to  the  contrary  5 
 this  potion  might  be  repeated,  as  often  as  (lie  offended 
 with  new  Lovers.     Thus  that  MS.  Ez.  Hechajim,  fo 
 highly  commended  by  Wagenfeil.     Who  alfo  adds, 
 that  in  cafe  her  Husband  put  her  away  after  her  Ac- 
 quittal, and  (he  married  another  Man,  who  had  "the 
 fame  ground  of  Jealoufie  that  her  former  Husband 
 had,  becaufe  of  her  Familiarity  with  the  fame  Perfon 
 whom  he  had  forbidden  her  to  keep  company  with- 
 al 3  her  new  Husband  might  bring  her  to  a  new  trial 
 by  this  Water.     And  fo  might  as  many  Husbands  as 
 fhe  fhould  marry  one  after  another  5    if  (he  gave  the 
 like  occafion  of  Jealoufie. 
 
 Ver.  29.  This  is  the  Law  of  Jeakitftes.~]  Whereby  Verfe  29, 
 God  declared  himfelf  to  be  privy  to  the  moft  fecret 
 Sins  5  and  to  be  both  the  Preferver  of  Conjugal  Faith 
 and  Chaftity,  and  the  Prote&or  of  Innocence  :  And 
 provided  that  Man  and  Wife  (hould  live  happily  to- 
 gether 5  by  keeping  Men  from  cruel  and  furious  Pro- 
 ceedings again  ft  their  Wives,  when  they  entertained 
 a  Jealoufie  of  them  (willing  them  to  commend  the 
 Cafe  to  God)  and  by  containing  Wives  in  their  Duty 
 
 out 
 
88  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  out  of  dread  of  this  Punifhment.     Which   was  fo 
 V.       terrible  (as  Maimonides  well  obferves)  even  to  inno- 
 
 5^/-V"%J  cent  Women,  that  they  would  have  given  all  they 
 had  to  avoid  it }  nay  wifh'd  rather  to  die  than  un- 
 dergo fuch  a  publick  Infamy,  of  having  their  Head 
 uncovered,  their  Hair  cut  off,  (as  he  reprefents  it) 
 their  Garment  torn  to  their  Breafts  5  and  fo  to  ftand 
 in  the  San&uary,  before  a  great  multitude  of  Men  and 
 Women,  and  the  whole  Sanhedrin.  More  Nevochim, 
 P.  III.  Cap.XLlX. 
 
 When  a  Wife  goes  afider\  If  the  Man  went  afide 
 from  her,  (he  had  not  the  fame  A&ion  againft  him  5 
 becaufe  the  Family  was  not  fo  much  injured  by  his  go- 
 ing afide, as  by  hers }  which  brought  a  fpurious  Brood 
 to  inherit  his  Eftate. 
 
 To  another  inftead  of  her  Husband!]  Hence  the  Tal- 
 mudifts  conclude  fuch  an  Aftion  did  not  lie  againft  a 
 Woman  who  was  only  efpoufed  5  or  that  waited  for 
 her  former  Husband's  Brother  to  take  her  to  Wife  ^  if 
 they  gave  Sufpicion  of  being  defiled.  So  the  Mifchna, 
 Cap.lV.  SeS.l. 
 
 And  k  defiled^]  By  that  other  Man,  with  whom  (he 
 went  afide. 
 
 Verfe  30.  Ver.  30.  Or  when  the  Spirit  of  Jealoufie  cometh  upon 
 him,  and  he  be  jealous  over  his  WifsJ]  It  appears 
 by  the  firft  words  of  this  Law,  v.  13,  14.  that 
 whether  fhe  was  really  defiled,  or  there  was  only  a 
 vehement  Sufpicion  of  it  5  which  bred  a  Jealoufie  in 
 him  :  the  Husband  had  liberty  to  bring  her  to  this 
 trial,  for  his  own  Satisfaftion.  Which  Law  was  ra- 
 ther permifiive,  than  preceptive. 
 
 And  Jhall  fet  the  Woman  before  the  LORD.~]  That 
 he  might  (how,  whether  there  was  caufe  for  her  Hus- 
 band's Jealoufie,  or  not.     See  v.  18. 
 
 And 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  % 
 
 And  the  Prieff  flail  execute  upon  her  all  this  Law.  3  Chapter 
 Though  the  Man  was  not  bound  to  bring  her  to  this       V. 
 Trial,  but  rather  the  contrary  5  if  he  could  otherwife  L/'VNJ 
 get  rid  of  his  Jealoufie  ;  yet  the  Prieft  was  bound  to 
 proceed  againfl:  her,according  to  the  foregoing  Rules, 
 when  (he  wzs  fet  before  the  L  O  R.  D  to  be  tried.  And 
 he  might  fet  her  before  him  on  any  day,  that  was  not 
 a  Feftival,  and  in  any  hour  of  the  day  :  but  not  in 
 the  night  5  nor  might  he  give  the  Drink,  to  two  fuf- 
 pe&ed  Women  at  one  and  the  fame  time. 
 
 Ver.  3.  Then  [hall  the  Man  be  guilt lej s  from  hriquity,  Verfe  3 1 . 
 and  the  Woman  fid  all  bear  her  iniquity  7\  By  Iniquity \ 
 here  is  to  be  underftood  the  Punifhment  due  to  Ini- 
 quity. For  the  Wife,  or  her  Parents ,  if  (lie  ap- 
 peared to  be  innocent,  could  have  no  aftion  againft 
 the  Husband,  upon  the  Account  of  this  Accufation : 
 And  if  fhe  was  guilty,  fhe  was  juftly  punifhed  for 
 her  Crime  5  and  her  Husband  had  no  reafon  to  fay, 
 (as  the  Jews  fpeak  in  Pefikta)  Wo  is  me  ,  that  I  have 
 hilled  a  Daughter  of  Ifraelfac.  for  he  is  here  pronoun- 
 ced innocent  in  that  matter  ,  by  the  Eternal  God. 
 Who  doth  not  exercife  a  Tyranny  (as  they  there  go 
 on)  over  his  Creatures,  nor  gives  them  Precepts,  that 
 he  may  make  them  weary  of  their  Lives,  or  deftroy 
 them.  No,  his  Precepts  are  right  5  the  whole  Law  is 
 Divine :  and  God  doth  not  bring  any  Man  into  Judg- 
 ment, but  for  the  Violation  of  that  which  was  ex- 
 prefly  commanded,  and  which  he  might  have  been  a- 
 ble  to  fulfil. 
 
 But  the  Particle  Van  in  the  beginning  of  this  Vcrfe, 
 fignifies  fometimes  as  much  as  if  as  I  obferved  upon 
 v.  7.  And  fo  the  Jews  here  commonly  underftand  it, 
 If  the  Man  be  guiltlefs  from  iniquity.     For  thus  the  . 
 
 Rule  is  expreffed  in  the  Gemara  upon  the  fifth  Chap- 
 
 N  ter. 
 
9o  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  ter  of  SO  TA :  When  the  Husband  is  free  from  IniquU 
 V.       ty,  (?-e.  from  Adultery)  then  the  Water  tries  hk  Wife  : 
 
 L/'WJ  but  if  he  be  not  free,  ( /.  e.  be  himfelf  alfo  guilty   of 
 Adultery)  then  the  Water  hath  no  power  to  try  her :  that 
 is,  produces  none  of  the  Eftefrs  before-mentioned. 
 And  fo  the  Author  of  Etz  Hachajim  in  Wagenfeil  up- 
 on  Sota,  p.  595.  concludes  from  thefe  very  words, 
 That  the  bitter  Water  then  only  had  power,  when 
 the  Man  was  free  from  the  Sin  of  which  he  fufpe&ed 
 his  Wife.     And  gives  this  as  the  reafon,  why  in  the 
 latter  end  of  the  Second  Temple,  this  way  of  Trial 
 ceafed,  and  was  quite  taken  away  by  the  Sanhedrim  : 
 becaufe  the  Number  of  Adulterers  was  then  fo  great, 
 that  the  Water  had  no  effeft^  according  to  thofe 
 words  of  the  Prophet  Hofea,  IV.  14.  I  will  not  puniflj 
 your  Daughters  when  they  commit  Whoredom,   nor  your 
 Spoufes  when  they  commit  Adultery ,  Sec.     For  that  is  a- 
 nother  Rule  of  theirs,  When  Adulterers  were  multiplied, 
 the  bitter  Waters  ceafed  -0  i.  e.  there  was  no  Trial    by 
 them.     See  Selden,  L.  III.  Uxor.  Hebr.  cap.  15./7.408. 
 Yet  the  Jews  feem  to  have  continued  in  after  Ages, 
 fince  their    Temple  was  deftroyed,  fome  form  of 
 dreadful  Imprecations,  in  their  Synagogues  5  for  the 
 difcovery  of  Truth  in  doubtful  Cafes.     For  St.  Chry- 
 fojlom  faith  he  himfelf  faw  a  very  mocleft,  good  Chri- 
 ftian  Woman,  brought  by  a  fenflefs  Fellow  (who  al- 
 fo had  the  Name  of  a  Chriftian)  into  a  Jewifh  Af- 
 fembly:whom  he  would  have  compelled  to  frke  their 
 Oath,  ,7n0jL  r$  d/uLpcrSYiT&juAvoev  doTtJ  TrggSiuclT&v^  con- 
 cerning fome  things  wherein  he  defired  Satisfa&ion. 
 From  which  the  Woman  being  refcued,  by  St.  Chry- 
 fiftoms  Affiftance,  when  he  examined  the  Man  about 
 it  5  How  he  came  to  forfake  the  Church  ,  and  refort* 
 to  their  Sanhedrim  5  his  Anfwer  was,  That  he   had 
 
 been 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  pi 
 
 been  told  by  many,  foS^pumpmri^ix.4iyivojLUv^opK^  Chapter 
 ?J),  that  there  were  more  horrible  Adjurations  among      VI. 
 them,  then  among  Chriftians,   HomiLl.  adv.  Jud<eos.  l/'VNJ 
 Which;  no  doubt,  arofe  from  the  direful  Etfe&s  of 
 this  Adjuration  here  prefcribed ,  if  the  Woman  was 
 guilty  of  what  (he  wasfufpe&ed. 
 
 G  H  A  P.     VI. 
 
 Ver.  I.    ANDthe  LORDfiake  unto  Mofes,faying.~\  Verfe  i 
 
 XX  This  Law  very  properly  follows  the 
 foregoing  (about  Women  fufpected  of  Adultery,)  as 
 a  Remedy  againft  all  fuch  Sins  5  by  abftaining  from 
 Wine,  and  all  other  Incitements  to  Lufl:  5  and  by  de- 
 voting themfelves,  for  feme  time,  in  a  peculiar  way 
 to  the  Service  of  God.  And  there  feems  to  be  a 
 plain  opposition  between  a  Woman  profeffingher  felf 
 a  Nazarite,  and  forbearing  Wine ,  and  the  Care  of 
 her  Hair  5  and  a  Woman  that  loved  Company ,  and 
 was  intangled  in  the  Love  of  other  Men  befides  her 
 Husband. 
 
 Ver.  2.  Speaks  unto  the  Children  of  Ifrael.~]     Who  Verfe  2 
 were  all  concerned  in  this  Law. 
 
 When  either  Man  or  Woman.']  For  Women  as  well 
 as  Men  might  make  this  Vow  5  if  they  were  at  their 
 own  difpofal :  and  not  under  the  power  of  their 
 Parents,  or  Husbands,  by  whofe  Authority  this  Vow 
 might  be  difanulled,  XXX.  4,  5,  &c. 
 
 Shall  feparate  themfelves.']  The  Hebrew  word  japhli 
 fignifies  the  doing  fomething  extraordinary,  beyond 
 the  common  rate  of  other  Men.    And  therefore  For- 
 
 N  2  fterm 
 
S2  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  flerus  hath  well  tranilated  it,  when  a  Man  or  Woman 
 VI.      fh all  vow  ajinguldr  vow. 
 
 L^V^SJ  To  vow  a  vow  of  a  Nazarite.~}  The  Hebrew  word 
 Nazar,  which  fignifies  in  general  to  feparate,-  in  the 
 Conjugation  Kiphal  (as  they  call  it)  fignifies  to  fe- 
 parate from  others,  by  a  Profeflion  of  fome  fpecial 
 Afts  of  Religion.  Whence  NazJr  fignifies  one  that, 
 beyond  the  common  prefcription  of  the  Law,  dedi- 
 cates not  his  Goods,  but  himfelf  to  Cod  in  a  peculi- 
 ar kind  of  Sanctimony.  So  Philo,  who  calls  this 
 (AAystXYi  &/£&,  the  great  Vow  3  becaufe  he  that  makes  it, 
 devotes  not  his  Corn  ,  or  Beads,  &c.  but  his  own 
 Self  unto  God  5  TtlrijuutTZLV  ^  to  /jAyizov  o2to;  tic,  fefo 
 dtirj^  for  every  Man  is  to  himfelf  the  greatest  poffejfion 
 he  hath. 
 
 To  feparate  themfelves  unto  the  LORD.~]     To   fe- 
 parate themfelves  for  fome  time ,  to  a  higher  Meafure 
 of  Purity  then  other  Men  praftifed^that  they  might  at- 
 tend to  the  Service  of  God.     From  whence  this  Vow 
 was  called,  Separation  unto  the  LO  R  D.      For  they 
 who  obferved  it  were  holy  ,  faith  Maimomdes  3  yea, 
 were  placed,  for  the  prefent,  in  the  Dignity  of  the 
 High  Priefc,  as  to  San&ity  :  being  forbidden  to  pol- 
 lute themfelves,  for  their  Father  or  Mother,  as  it  fol- 
 lows afterward,  More  Nevoch/m,  P.  III.  cap.  48.  The 
 Jewifli  Doftors  are  wont  to  be  fo  curious  in  mark- 
 ing every  word,  and  fcrupuloully  adhering  toit,that 
 it  is  fomething  ftrange  they  fhould  allow  a  Father  the 
 liberty  to  feparate  his  Child  to  be  a  Nazarite^w'nhout 
 its  confent :  when  the  Text  exprelly  fpeaks  of  thofe 
 who  feparate  themfelves.     But  fo  the  Mifchna  deter- 
 mines, mSota,  cap.   %.fc£t.8.  and  it  allows  this  li- 
 berty to  the  Father,though  not  to  the  Mother:  though 
 we  find  Hannah  vowing  Samuel  to  be  a  Nazarite  be- 
 fore 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  93 
 
 fore  he  was  born,  1  Sam.  1. 10,11.     See  Wagenfeilon  Chapter 
 that  place,  Annot.  2,  3.  VI. 
 
 Ver.  3.  He  fljall feparate  himfelf  fiom  Wine.~]     In  L/^V~NJ 
 this  confided  one  part  of  the  fpecial  San&ity  of  Na-  Verfe  3- 
 zar/tes  5  that  by  abftinence  from  Wine,  or  any  thing 
 that  was  Intoxicating,  they  might  the  better  attend 
 to  the  ftudy  of  the  Law,  or  other  Exerciies  of  Reli- 
 gion. 
 
 Andftrong  Drink^]  As  Wine  was  made  of  Grapes, 
 fo  Shecar  was  a  Liquor  made  of  other  Fruit,  as  Dates, 
 &c.  See  X.  Lev.  9.  To  which  add,  that  other  Au- 
 thors call  the  Juyce  of  Dates,  as  well  as  Grapes,  by 
 the  name  of  Wine.  Nay  ,  Pliny  faith  that  prwipua, 
 vina,  the  choifeft  Wines,  were  made  of  thofe  Dates 
 called  Caryot£,  which  grew  about  Jericho :  though 
 they  were  iniqua  Capitis  hurtful  to  the  Head,  from 
 whence  they  had  their  Name,  L.  XIII.  Nat.  Hijlor.. 
 cap.  4.  With  great  reafon  therefore  fuch  intoxica- 
 ting Liquors  were  forbidden  to  thofe  who  fet  them- 
 felves  apart  to  attend  upon  God,  during  the  time  of 
 their  Separation.  Which  juftifies ,  in  part ,  what 
 Maimonides  faith,  that  Nazarites  were  advanced  to 
 the  Dignity  of  Priefts,  who  might  not  drink  any 
 Wine,  or  ftrong  Drink,  in  the  time  of  their  Mini- 
 ftration  to  God  in  the  Sanftuary. 
 
 And  JImII  drink  no  Vinegar  of  Wine,  &c/]  For  that 
 had  the  fame  effeft  with  Wine,  andftrong  Drinks 
 of  which  it  was  made. 
 
 Neither  Jball  he  drinks  any  Liquor  of *  Grapes ."]  i.e.  Se- 
 condary Wine  5  which  was  made  by  maceration  of 
 Grapes  in  Water,  after  the  Juice  had  been  prefled  out 
 to  make  Wine,  Pliny  fpeaks  of  various  kinds  of  it, 
 L.XIV.  Nat.Hift.cap.  10. 
 
 Nor 
 
94  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Nor  eat  woift  Grapes,  or  dried."]  Which  might  have 
 VI.       fHrred  up  their  Appetite  after  Wine,  or  heated  their 
 
 L/"V"\J  Blood  ^  and  indilpofed  them  for  the  Service  of  God, 
 to  which  they  had  devoted  themfelves. 
 
 Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  All  the  days  of  hk  Separation.  ~]  Or,  Na- 
 zarttefkip,  as  it  is  in  the  Margin.  Which  fort  of 
 Vow,  either  was  for  all  their  life, or  only  for  a  time. 
 Samfon  and  John  Baptijl  were  made  perpetual  Naza- 
 rites,  by  the  direction  of  God,  from  their  Mothers 
 Womb.  But  here  Mofes  fpeaks  of  fucli  as  were  made 
 Nazarites  by  themfelves,  for  a  time  only.  Which 
 the  Jews  fay  was  at  leaft  for  XXX  days :  But  it  ap- 
 pears by  St.  Paul  it  might  be  for  a  Week  only  :  Unto 
 which  he  limited  the  time  of  his  xyviafjubg,  as  it  is  cal- 
 led in  XXII  Acls  26,  27.  For  every  one  might  vow, 
 for  what  time  he  pleafed. 
 
 Shall  he  eat  nothing  that  k  made  of  the  Vine-tree.']  No 
 Parte,  nor  Sauce,  that  had  any  of  thejuyce,  or  Infufi- 
 on  of  the  Grapes  in  it. 
 
 From  the  Kernel  even  to  the  HuskJ]  Which  might 
 give  the  fmalleft  Tincture,  to  any  thing  into  which 
 they  were  put. 
 
 AH  this  caution  feems  to  be  intended  to  inftruft 
 thofe,  who  give  themfelves  wholly  unto  God's  Ser- 
 vice 5  to  be  very  fober  and  abftemious  in  the  ufe  of 
 Wine,  and  ftrong  Drink  5  the  excefs  of  which  is 
 the  bane  of  true  Piety.  For  Amat  Spiritus  Sanftus 
 ficca  corda,  as  Grotius  admirably  obferves  upon  I  St. 
 Luke  1 5.    The  Holy  Ghoft  delights  in  dry  Souls. 
 
 Verfo  5.  Ver.  5.  There  floall  no  Rafor  come  upon  his  Head."] 
 Nor  was  his  Hair  to  be  cut  with  ScifTers,  or  any  other 
 Inftrument  5  but  he  was  to  let  the  Locks  of  his  Hair 
 grow,  as  it  is  in  the  Conclufion  of  this  Verfe.  This 
 made  fuch  Perfons  look  Majejtically  and  venerably  5 
 
 without 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  P5 
 
 without  any  expence.  For  as  Agefdaus  fpeaks  in  Chapter 
 Stobans,  70  nopav  7S  Koa/ute  70  iht7ruvooTa.%v,  to  let  VI. 
 ones  Hair  grow  long,  is  the  cheapeji  Ornament.  Be-  iyY\J 
 fides,  negleft  of  the  Hair  was  proper  to  thofe,  who 
 renounced,  for  the  prefent,  all  manner  of  Pleafure 
 (as  the  Nazar/tes  did;  and  betook  themfelves  to  a  fe- 
 verer  fort  of  life.  Such  Perfons  not  only  let  their 
 Beards,  and  their  Hair  grow,  but  wore  an  hairy  Gar- 
 ment, which  the  Hebrews  called  Addareth.  Such  an 
 one  John  Baptiji  wore,  as  Elijah  did  before  him  5 
 whole  Mantle  is  called  by  this  name,  1  Kings  XIX. 
 19.  and  who  is  faid  himfelf  to  have  been  an  hairy 
 Man,  2  Kings  I.  8.  from  whence  Grotius  concludes 
 that  either  he  was  a  Nazarite,  or  the  Habit  of  a  Pro- 
 phet, and  a  Nazarite  was  the  fame.  See  him  on  III 
 Matth.  4. 
 
 ButMofes  himfelf  feems,  in  the  next  words,  to  giv.e 
 the  plaineft  reafon  of  this  matter. 
 
 Until  the  days  be  fulfilled,  in  the  which  he  feparateth 
 himfelf  unto  the  LO  RD,  he  Jhall be  holy."]  It  was  3 
 Token  he  had  kept  himfelf  pure  from  all  legal  De- 
 filements :  For  if  he  had  not,  he  mufc  have  ftiaved  his 
 Head,  v.  9.  as  they  did  who  were  cleanfed  from  their 
 Leprofie,  XIV  Levit.  8.  9. 
 
 And  fl) all  let  the  Locks  of  the  Hair  of  his  Headgrow7\ 
 This  Law,  in  which  confifts  the  fecond  part  of  their 
 Nazaritefinp,  fome  fancy  to  have  been  tranflated  from 
 the  Egyptians,  into  the  Religion  of  the  Hebrews. 
 Which  was  the  Opinion  of  S.  Cyril  of  Alexandria, 
 Lib.  XVI.  de  Adorat.  Where  he  faith,  that  Mofes 
 knowing  how  hard  it  would  be  to  bring  the  Israelites 
 from  the  ill  Cuftoms  they  had  learnt  in  Egypt,  moft 
 wifely  inftituted  the  like  Rites  to  thofe  that  were  in 
 ufe  there  5  to  the  intent  they  might  not  perform  fuch 
 
 Worfhip 
 
96  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Worfhip  any  longer  to  Demons,  but  to  the  LoKD 
 VI.      of  all.     Procoprus  Gaz£us,  upon  this  place,  hath  the 
 L/*V~\j  fame  Notion,    Gracorum   liberi,  fi  rn    Nymphas  vel 
 montanas  vol  aquentiles  incidijfent,    comas  nutriebant. 
 Lex   itaque  mala   d^monum  confuetudine   dempta,    ad 
 Deum  hoc  ipfum  transfert.     The  fenfe  of  which  is, 
 that  the  Greeks  let  their  Hair  grow,    in  honour  of 
 the  Nymphs  :,    and  therefore  the  Law  to  abolifh  that 
 wicked  Cuftom,  transferred  that  to  God,  which  was 
 done  to  Demons.     To  which  I  (hould  readily  fub- 
 f:ribe,  if  there  were  any  proof  that  this  Rite  of  con- 
 fecrating  their  Hair  to  Demons,  was  fo  old  among 
 the  Egyptians  and  Greeks,  as  the  times  of  Mofes.     It 
 is  far  more  probable,  that  the  Original  of  this  Cu- 
 ftom among  the  Gentiles,  was  from  this  Law  of  the 
 Nazarites.    So  Hen.  Lindenbrogim  very  wrell  obferves 
 upon  thofe  words  of  Cenforinus,    (de  Die  Natal/, 
 Cap.  I.)  Crinem  Deo  facrum  pafcebant,  that  they  let 
 their  Hair  grow  in  honour  of  their  Gods.     Particu- 
 larly of  Apollo,  who  thence  was  called  Ka^jr^J^  $ 
 of Bacchus,  Minerva,  and  others  ^  yea,  thisSuperfti- 
 on  grew  fo  much^  that  they  confecrated  it  to  Rivers  3 
 in  which  they  thought  there  was  fome  Divinity.    But 
 hujus  mcrfs  origo   (faith  that  Learned  Annotator  up- 
 on   him )     vldetnr   flnxijfe   a    Nazir<eis    Judtcorttm^ 
 The  Original  of  this  Cuftom  feems  to  have  flowed 
 Verfe  6.    from  therewith  Nazirites.  See  more  upon  v.  1 8. 
 
 Ver.  6.  All  the  days  that  he  feparateth  himfelf  unto 
 the  LORD,  he  pal/  come  at  no  dead  body, ,~]  This  was 
 a  third  part  of  this  Religion,  not  to  touch  a  dead 
 body  3  nor  be  in  the  Houfe  where  a  dead  body  was  5 
 nor  accompany  it  to  the  Grave,  (fee  XIX.  11,12,13.) 
 For  fuch  Defilements  by  the  dead  made  Men  unclean 
 feven  days  3   fo  that  he  might  not  approach  to  the 
 
 Houfe 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  27 
 
 Houfe  of  God  :    And  therefore  that  the  Nazarites  Chapter 
 might  always  be  fit  to  attend  upon  his  Service,    he       VI. 
 would  have  them  avoid  this  Defiement.  L/"V%J 
 
 Ver.  7.  He  fhall  not  mak$  himfelf  unclean  for  his  Verfe  7. 
 Father,  or  for  his  Mother,  &c.~]  In  this  he  was  fupe- 
 riour  to  the  ordinary  Priefts,  who  might  be  defi- 
 led for  fuch  near  kindred,  (XXI  Levit.  2,  &c.)  and 
 was  equalled  to  the  High-Prieft,  (as  I  obferved  be- 
 fore, v.  2.  out  of  Maimonides)  who  might  not,  XXI 
 Levit.  n. 
 
 Becaufe  the  Confe oration  of  his  God  is  upon  his  Head."] 
 His  Hair  upon  his  Head,  which  was  unfhorn,  fhow- 
 ed  him  to  be  feparated  (as  the  word  is  in  the  Hebrew) 
 unto  God.  Which  Hair  alfo  was  confecrated  to  him, 
 when  the  days  of  his  Separation  were  fulfilled.  For  in 
 this  unlhorn  Hair  feems  to  have  confided  the  principal 
 part  of  Nazaritefhip. 
 
 Ver.  8.  AH  the  days  of  his  Separation,   he  is  holy  to  the  Verfe  8. 
 LOR  D.~]    By  a  peculiar  Vow,  and  therefore  was  not 
 to  come  near  a  dead  Body. 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  if  any  Man  die  very  fuddenly  by  him.']  Verfe  0. 
 Either  by  Violence,  or  an  Apoplex,  or  any  other  way. 
 And  the  cafe  was  the  fame,  if  he  chanced  to  light  up- 
 on a  dead  Body  unawares. 
 
 And  he  hath  defiled  the  Head  of  his  Confecratfon."] 
 The  Confecration  of  his  Head  $  that  is,  his  Hair. 
 For  though  he  could  not  help  his  being  fo  fuddenly 
 furprized,  yet  he  was  defiled  by  being  where  a  dead 
 Body  was :  And  confequently  the  Hair  of  his  Head 
 which  had  been  confecrated  to  God,  was  defiled  alfo  \ 
 and  therefore  could  not  be  offered  to  him,  and  burnt 
 in  his  Honour. 
 
 O  Then 
 
98  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Then  he  foall  foave  his  Head  in  the  day  of  his  clean- 
 VI.  /»£•]  His  Na'zante/Ijip  was  interrupted  by  this  De- 
 l/V\j  filement,  fo  that  it  could  not  proceed  further  $  but, 
 after  the  ufnal  Purification,  was  to  be  begun  anew  3 
 by  (having  off  this  polluted  Hair,  and  letting  new 
 Hair  grow  inftead  ot  it.  By  this  it  appears  that  Mo- 
 fes  here  fpeaks  only  of  fuch  as  made  this  Vow  for  a 
 limited  time  :  for  perpetual  Xazarites,  who  were 
 confecrated  to  God  for  all  their  life,  were  never  (ha- 
 ven whatfoever  Defilement  they  contra&ed. 
 
 On  the  feventh  day  Jl) all  he  fiave  it."]  For  fo  many 
 days  Uncleannefs  by  the  dead  lafted,  XIX.  11.  and 
 the  feventh  day  was  the  day  of  Cleanfing  from  that 
 Uncleannefs,  v.  12.  All  other  legal  UncleannefTes 
 polluted  a  Nazarite  fo,  as  to  make  him  ftand  in  need 
 of  fuch  Purifications  as  other  Men  ufed  in  thofe  ca- 
 fes :  but  this  alone  polluted  him,  fo  as  utterly  to  put 
 him  out  of  that  ftate  5  which,  as  it  here  follows,  was 
 to  be  begun  again. 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  And  on  the  eighth  day  he  fiall  bring  two 
 Turtles,  or  two  young  Pigeons  to  the  Prieji,  &C.] 
 The  very  fame  Sacrifice,  which  was  offered  for  one 
 that  had  been  defiled  by  a  running-Iffue,  XV  Le- 
 vit.  14. 
 Verfe  11.  Ver.  n.  And  the  Priefi  ft hall offer  the  one,  for  a  Sin- 
 offering,  and  the  other  for  a  Bur  nt~  offer  ing7\  As  in  the 
 fore-named  cafe,  XV  Levit.  15. 
 
 To  make  an  Atonement  for  him.']  Which  was  to 
 be  done,  before  the  Burnt-offering  would  be  ac- 
 cepted. 
 
 For  that  he  finned  by  the  dead.~]  He  had  not  pro- 
 perly finned  5  but  contracted  a  legal  Uncleannefs,  by 
 touching  a  dead  Body,  or  being  where  it  was.  Which, 
 though  it  was  againft  his  Will,  yet  was  a  Defilement 
 
 in 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  99 
 
 in  the  account  of  the  Law  5  and  a  kind  of  Sin  be-  Chapter 
 caufe  it  was  a  breach  of  a  Ceremonial  Law,    and      VI. 
 therefore  thus  to  be  purged.     The  reafon  of  which,  l/V\J 
 and  fuch   like   Precepts,    Abarbinel  oblerves  (in  his 
 Preface  to  the  Book  of  Leviticut,  Cap.  IV.)  was  on- 
 ly this  -j    to  make  Men  very  cautious  how  they  con- 
 tracted any  Defilement  5  as  the  Nazarite  might  do  in 
 the  time  of  his  Separation,  and  put  himfelf  to  much 
 trouble.     Which  is  the  foundation  of  a  famous  Say- 
 ing among  their  wife  Men :  Diligence  begets  Caution  3 
 and  Caution  Purity  5  and  Purity  Holinefs,  and  SanUity. 
 
 And  flail  hallow  his  Head  the  fame  day7\  Confecrate 
 his  Hair  afrefh  to  the  LoaD,  after  his  Head  hath  been 
 (haved. 
 
 Ver.12.  And  he  flail  confecrate unto  the  LORD  the  Verfe  12. 
 days  of  his  Separation^]  This  is  a  further  Explication 
 of  what  was  faid  juft  before,  in  the  end  of  the  fore- 
 going  Verfe :  That  from  the  eighth  day  he  (hall 
 begin  to  compute  the  time  of  his  Nazarite/hip  3 
 for  fo  many  days  as  he  at  firfk  vowed  unto  the 
 Lord. 
 
 And  fl all  bring  a  Lamb  of  the  fir  ft  year,  for  a  Tref- 
 pafs-ojfering.  "  Which  was  to  be  offered  even  for 
 ignorant  Offences,  by  the  Law  made  before,  V  Le- 
 vi t.  15. 
 
 But  the  days  that  were  before  y\  his  Defilement  by  the 
 dead. 
 
 Shall  be  loft. "]  Shall  not  be  reckoned  ,  as  the 
 LXX  hath  it  ,  but  go  for  nothing  (as  we  fpeak) 
 though  they  were  fo  many  that  he  had  almoft  ful- 
 filled his  Vow.  If,  for  inftance  5  he  had  vowed  to 
 be  a  Nazarite,  for  a  whole  Year  5  and  in  the  twelfth 
 Month  hapned  upon  a  dead  Carcafs  :  all  the  fore- 
 going eleven  Months  were  loft  5  and  he  was  to  begin 
 
 O  2  his 
 
1*0  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  his  Years  Vow  again.     And  this  as  often  as  fuch  an 
 VI.      Accident  hapned  5  if  it  were  before  the  time  that  his 
 
 t/VNJ  Vow  was  compleated.  Which  may  feem  very  hard, 
 if  we  do  not  ferioufly  confider  the  Intention  of  it  : 
 Which  was  to  oblige  them  to  theftri&eft  care  topre- 
 ierve  themfelves  holy  and  pure  in  all  things  $  as  they 
 were  plainly  taught  to  be,  by  the  watchful  Dili- 
 gence they  were  bound  to  ufe,  to  avoid  this  legal 
 Defilement  here  mentioned.  For  none  could  ab- 
 folve  them  from  this  Vow,  till  it  was  fulfilled  in  the 
 Exaftnefs  that  is  here  required.  For  as  they  tell  the 
 Story  in  the  ~$a\mud,  Queen  Hellen  having  taken  a 
 Vow  upon  her  for  (even  Years,  by  coming  into  the 
 Holy  Land  was  engaged  for  feven  Years  more  3  and 
 being  defiled  toward  the  later  end  of  them,  was  obli- 
 ged for  another  feven  Years :  which  was  Twenty  and 
 one  Years  in  all.  See  Dr.  Dghtfoot  of  the  Ten/ptc. 
 Chap.  XV HI. 
 
 Bevaufe  hk  Separation  was  defiled.']  His  firft  Sepa- 
 ration was  defiled  by  a  dead  Body  5  which  made  it 
 neceffary  he  fhould  begin  a  new  one.  It  might  hap- 
 pen alio  that  he  might  die,  before  he  had  fulfilled 
 the  time  he  vowed  to  be  a  Nazarrte.  In  which  cafe 
 Maimomdies  faith  any  of  his  Sons  might  go  on  where 
 he  left,  and  at  the  end  of  the  days  which  his  Father 
 had  vowed,  offer  the  Sacrifices  here  appointed,  and 
 be  (haved  in  his  ftead.  So  the  Mtfchna  Sot£,  Cap.Wl. 
 Se&.  VIII.  But  Maimonides  acknowledges  there  is 
 no  foundation  for  this  in  Scripture  ^  but  it  relyes 
 wholly  upon  Tradition.  See  Wagenfeil  on  that  place, 
 Annot.  4. 
 
 Ver.    13.      Ver.  13.  And  this  is  the  Law  of  the  Nazar?te.~]  Of 
 s  •    putting  an  end  to  his  Nazarttefhip. 
 
 When 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  101 
 
 When  the  days  of  hk  Separation  are  fulfilled  r\     At   Chapter 
 the  end  of  the  time  he  vowed,  to  continue  in  this       VI. 
 fat.  LZ-VVJ 
 
 HeJJcaH  be  brought."]     By  the  Pried. 
 
 Unto  the  door  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation .] 
 That  the  Sacrifices  here  prefcribed  might  be  offered 
 for  him. 
 
 Ver.  14.    And  he  foal/  offer  hk  Offering  unto  the  Verfe  14. 
 LORD.]     i.e.  The  Nazarite  was  to  prefent  thefe 
 following  Offerings  unto  the  Lord:  For  the  Priefts 
 offering  them,  is  not  mentioned  till  v. 16. 
 
 One  He-lamb  of  the  fir  ft  Tear  without  blemijh  for  a 
 Burnt-offerings  and  one  Ewe-Lamb,  &c.~]  Here  are  all 
 forts  of  Offerings  5  which  he  was  obliged  to  make  in 
 the  conclusion  of  his  Nazaritefiip.  A  Burnt-offering. 
 as  an  Acknowledgment  of  God's  Sovereign  Domini- 
 on. A  Sin-offering,  imploring  Pardon  for  any  O- 
 miffions,  of  which  he  might  have  been  guilty  during 
 this  Vow  :  And  a  Peace-offering,  in  Thankfulnefs  to 
 God,  who  had  given  him  Grace  both  to  make,  and  to 
 keep,  and  to  fulfil  this  Vow. 
 
 Ver.  15.  And  a  Basket  of  unleavened  Bread,  Cakes  Verfe  15, 
 of  fine  Flour  mingled  with  Oyl,  and  Wafers  of  unleavened 
 Bread  anointed  with  Oyl.]  Befides  the  fore-mentioned 
 Sacrifices  here  are  three  Oblations  more  prefcribed,  to 
 compleate  his  Thankfulnefs.  Of  which  fee  XXIX 
 Exod.  2. 
 
 And  their  Meats-offering,  and  their  Drink: -offerings .] 
 This  feems  to  relate  to  the  Burnt-offering,  and  Peace- 
 offering,  before-mentioned,  (v.  14.)  which  were  to 
 have  their  proper  Meat-offering  and  Drink-offering  5 
 befides  the  Basket  of  unleavened  Bread,  with  the 
 Cakes,  and  the  Wafers.  See  VII  Levit.  12.  XV 
 Numb.  2,  3,  Sec.      Where  thefe  acceffory  Offerings 
 
 are 
 
loa  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  are  ordered  to  accompany  the  Burnt-offerings ,  and 
 
 VI.      Peace- offerings  -^  though  Sin-offerings  had  none. 
 L^WJ       Ver.  1 6.  And  the  Priest  jhall  bring  them  before  the 
 Verfe  16.  LORD.~]     Unto  the  Altar  of  Burnt-Offerings 5  as 
 the  Nazarite  had  already  brought  them  to  the  Door 
 of  the  Tabernacle,  v.  14. 
 
 And  pa//  offer  his  Sin-offerings  and  hk  Burnt-offer- 
 ing.'] Though  the  Burnt-offering  be  firft  named,  (v. 
 14.)  as  the  principal  Sacrifice  of  all  other  5  yet  the 
 Sin-offering  was  firft  offered  :  by  which  his  Peace  be- 
 ing made  with  God,  the  two  other  Offerings,  which 
 followed,  were  acceptable  to  him. 
 Verfe  17  Ver.  17.  And  he  pall offer  the  Ram  for  a  Sacrifice  of 
 '  Peace-offerings  unto  the  LOR  D,  with  the  basinet  of  un- 
 leavened Bread.~]  And  the  Cakes  and  Wafers  5  which 
 accompanied  the  Peace -offering,  that  nothing  might 
 be  wanting  to  compleat  the  Feaft  which  was  to  be 
 made  upon  them. 
 
 The  Prieli  fiall offer  alfo  his  Meat-offering,  and  hk 
 'Drinhcoffering7\  By  this  it  appears,  that  thefe  were 
 diftinft  from  the  Basket  of  Unleavened  Bread,  &c.  as 
 I  obferved  ^.15. 
 Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  And  the  Nazarite  pall  Jhave  the  Head  of 
 hk  Separation."]  i.  e.  The  Hair  of  his  Head,  which 
 was  confecrated  to  God,  (hall  be  (haved  off}  that  it 
 may  be  prefented  unto  him.  For  having  now  fulfil- 
 led his  Vow,  this  Hair  was  holy  :  it  not  having  been 
 defiled  as  that  Hair  was,  which  he  (haved  off  before, 
 v.  9. 
 
 At  the  Door  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation.  *] 
 That  it  might  be  publickly  known  he  had  ended  his 
 Vow. 
 
 And 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  103 
 
 And  foall  take  the  Hair  of  the  Head  of  his  Separa-  Chapter 
 Hon.'}     His  Hair,    which  was   confecrated   to  the      VI. 
 LORD.  L^V%J 
 
 And  put  it  in  thefire7\     Where  it  was  burnt. 
 Which  is  under  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Peace-offerings.  ~\ 
 In  the  Court  of  the  Women,  (as  they  tell  us  in  Mid- 
 doth,  cap.  i.feii.  5.)  where  there  were  four  Rooms  3 
 and  that  in  the  North-eaft  corner,  was  the  Room  of 
 the  Nazarites.       In  which  they  boiled  their  Peace- 
 offerings  $  and  having  polled  their  Hair,  put  it  under 
 the  Pot  where  the  Sacrifice  was  boiling  :    which,  as 
 LEmpereur  there  obferves  out  of  Abarbinel,  was  offer- 
 ed out  of  Joy,  that  their  Vow  was   fulfilled :  and 
 therefore  they  put  their  Hair  to  be  there  burnt,  as  a 
 Teftimony  that  their  Nazaritefhip  was  at  an  end  5  and 
 that  they  had  no  further  Obligation  to  let  their  Hair 
 grow  in  obfervance  of  this  Law.     And  according  to 
 this  account,  that  Queftion  is  refolved  which  many 
 have  made  5  Whether  the  Nazarites  Hair  was  to  be 
 burnt  with  holy  Fire,  (viz.  that  on  the  Altar)  or  with 
 common.     For  it  was  burnt  with  that  which  was  un- 
 der the  Pot,  or  Cauldron,  in  which  the  Peace-offer- 
 ings were  boiled  :  which  was  common  Fire.  And  in- 
 deed it  had  been  unfeemly  to  burn  Hair  upon  the  Al- 
 tar 5  it  being  God's  Table,  where  his  Meat  was  kt 
 before  him  :  for  it  would  not  have  been  grateful  at 
 one  of  our  Feafts.     Yet  the  Fire  under  the   Peace- 
 offerings  may  in  fome  fort  be  called  holy  $  as  it  was 
 imployed  to  boil  holy  Meat :  and  in  that  regard  more 
 Sacred  than  other  Vulgar  Fire. 
 
 There  are  thofe  who  think  no  account  can  be  gi- 
 ven of  fuch  Ordinances  as  thefe,  but  only  thisy  that 
 it  was  fo  general  a  Cuftom,  and  fo  very  ancient  a- 
 mpng  Mankind,  to  let  their  Hair  grow  on  purpose, 
 
 and, 
 
104  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  anc*  to  P^ait  #lt  in  Locks,  that  they  might  at  a  certain 
 yj       time  cut  it  off,  and  devote  it  to  fome  of  their  Gods  : 
 ^/~V"NJ  that  in  all  likelyhood  the  Ifraelites  would  have  fol- 
 lowed their  Superftition,  if  God,  to  prevent  it,  had 
 not  inftituted  a  way  of  doing  what  the  reft  of  the 
 World  did,without  their  Idolatry.     For  the  Directi- 
 ons which  God  here  gives  about  it,  are  manifeftly 
 oppofite  to  the  way  of  the  Gentiles.     For  the  Naza- 
 rites  are  here  directed  to  cut  their  Hair  (when  tht 
 time  of  their  Separation  was  compleated)at  the  Door 
 of  the  Tabernacle  ^  where  it  was  alfo  to  be  burnt: 
 whereas  the  Gentiles  hung;  their  Hair,  when  they  had 
 cut  it,  upon  Trees  ^  or  Confecrated  it  to  Rivers,  (as 
 I  obferved  ^.5.)  or  laid  it  up  in  their  Temples,there 
 to  be  preferved.     The  Hebrew  Nazarites  alfo  are  re- 
 quired to  offer  various  forts  of  Sacrifices,  when  they 
 cut  their  Hair  5  of  which  we  rarely  read   any  thing 
 among  the  Gentiles.     And  all  the  time  of  their  Se- 
 paration were  to  drink  no  Wine,  nor  eat  Grapes,dv. 
 which  was  not  known  among  the  Heathen.     From 
 whence  it  is,  one  may  think,  that  they  are  fo  often 
 put  in  mind  of  the  LORD,  in  this  Law  of  the  Na- 
 zarites.   Who  are  faid  to  be  Separated  unto  the  LORD, 
 v.  1,  5,6.  and  t\\zConfecration  of his  God  is  faid  to 
 be  upon  his  Head,  v.  7.  and  all  the  days  of  his  Se- 
 paration he  was  holy  to  the  LOR  X),  v.8.  unto  whom 
 he  confecrated  the  days  of  his  Separation  ,  v.  12.     To 
 put  them  in  mind,  that  though  they  ufed  this  Rite, 
 which  was  common  to  other  Nations,  yet  it  was  in 
 honour  of  the   LORD  only  5    whom  they  ac- 
 knowledged to  be  the  Author  of  Health,and  Strength, 
 and  Growth.     For  the  Devil  alfo  had  his  Nazaritesf 
 as  appears  from  IX  Hofea  10.     All  this  is  faid,  and 
 much  more,  with  a  fpecious  (how  of  Truth ,  by  a 
 
 moft 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  105 
 
 nioft  ingenious  and  learned  Friend   of  mine,  now  Chapter 
 with  God,  in  his  excellent  Book  de  Legibus  Hebr£0~       VI. 
 rum  Ritualibus,  &c.  Lib.  III.  Dijfert.  I.  cap.  6.  L/~V%J 
 
 But  there  are  two  things  wanting  to  make  this  O- 
 pinion  probable.  FirSi  ,  None  can  tell  how  the 
 World  came  by  fuch  a  Cuftom  of  letting  their  Hair 
 grow  for  Sacred  ufes  \  unlefs  they  had  it  from  Mofes. 
 Who  tells  us  whence  he  derived  it,  viz.  from  God  : 
 who  appointed  this  Rite  for  fuch  Reafons,  as  then 
 were  plain,  but  now,  perhaps  do  not  appear  to  us. 
 Befides,  "Secondly,  there  is  not  the  leaft  Evidence  that 
 this  Cuftom  was  fo  old  as  Mofes  his  time  :  which  to 
 me  feems  not  likely,  but  rather  that  it  was  derived, 
 among  the  Gentiles,  from  an  imperfeft  Knowledge  of 
 what  is  here  ordained  by  Mofes.  For  the  chief  .part 
 of  this  Nazaritefhip,  confiding  in  letting  their  Hair 
 grow,  and  confecrating  it  unto  God ,  the  Gentiles 
 took  it  to  be  a  piece  of  great  Devotion,  Wi  Xroxsi- 
 pwv  ?Jcf  wcufruv  7zz$  KApuQxs,  &c  as  Theodoret  fpeaks, 
 §>ud>Ii.  XXVIII.  in  Levit.  not  to  cut  off  their  Chil- 
 drens  Hair,  but  let  it  grow,  and  after  a  certain  time 
 dedicate  it  to  their  Demons.  Many  Authors  have 
 written  much  of  this  Cuftom  5  for  which  there  was  a 
 certain  day  appointed  at  Athens,  viz.  the  third  day  of 
 the  Feaft  called  5A:ra7a£/a.  Which  day  was  called 
 Kxpi'Jm*;,  becaufe  then  the  Hair  of  their  grown  Chil- 
 dren was  (horn  oft!,  and  facrificed  to  Diana.  See 
 Petr.  CafteUanus  in  his  Syntagma  de  Fejlis  Gr£corum. 
 Where  he  quotes  a  paffage  out  of  Hej)chitts(p.  2  8. J 
 who  fays,  That  before  they  cut  off  their  Hair,  they 
 brought  a  Meafure  of  Wine,  which  they  offered  to 
 Hercules  ^  and  then  all  that  were  prefent  drunkof  it. 
 Which  is  fome  imitation  of  the  Drinl^offering  here 
 mentioned  by  Mofes  ^  which  was  offered  at  the  Com- 
 
 P  pletion 
 
io6  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  pletion  of   their  Nazaritefhip.     And  Grotius,   and 
 VI.      Huctius  have  made  it  fo  plain  that  the  Atth\  Laws 
 
 L/"V\J  were  derived  from  Mofes  :>  that  I  cannot  doubt  but 
 this  Cuftom  alfo  flowed  from  the  fame  Fountain. 
 
 And  if  we  muft  give  an  account  of  the  reafon  of 
 this  Inftitution  among  the  Hebrews,  I  think  that  of 
 Maimonides  is  better  then  this  again  ft  which  I  have 
 excepted,  viz.  that  this  Law  about  their  Hair  was 
 made  in  oppofition  to  the  opinion  of  the  ancient 
 Idolaters,  called  Zabij  5  who  held  all  things  which 
 were  feparated  from  the  Body  to  be  impure  5  as  the 
 Hair,  the  Nails,  and  the  Blood.  From  whence,  all 
 Barbers  among  them  were  accounted  impure  Perfons, 
 becaufe  they  cut  Men's  Hair,  and  let  Blood.  And 
 whofoever  fuffered  aRafor  to  pais  upon  his  Fle(h,was 
 required  to  wafh  himfelf  in  pure  Fountain-water;  as 
 he  (hows,  More  Nevochin/,  P.  III.  cap.  47. 
 Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  And  the  Prietf  flail take  the  fodden  ffjoulder 
 of  the  Raw.']  The  left  Shoulder,  which  he  was  to 
 take  out  of  the  Pot,  as  it  was  boiling  :  for  the  right 
 Shoulder,  (which  is  called  the  Heave-floulder  in  the 
 next  Verfe)  was  the  Prieft's  Portion,  by  a  Law  made 
 before  this,  VII  Lev.  32,33. 
 
 And  one  unleavened  Cake  out  of  the  Basket,  and  one 
 unleavened  Wafer."]  The  Basket  of  unleavened  Bread 
 was  ordered  to  be  offered  before,  v.iy.  and  now  he 
 orders  one  of  the  Cakes,  and  one  of  the  Wafers  (men- 
 tioned with  the  Bread,  v.  15.)  to  be  put  into  the 
 Hands  of  the  Nazarite  :  the  reft  being  burnt,  I  fup- 
 pofe,  upon  the  Altar. 
 
 And  flail  put  them  into  the  hands  of  the  Nazarite.  1 
 That  he  might  give  them  to  the  Prieft,  in  token  of 
 his  Thankfulnefs  to  him  for  his  pains. 
 
 After 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  107 
 
 After  the  Hair  of  his  Separation  is  fhaved.]  And  his  Chapter 
 Vow,  in  a   manner,  compleated:  as  it  was  irnme-      VI. 
 diately    after    thefe    things    were   prefented     unto  L/VNJ 
 God. 
 
 Ver.  20.  And  the  VrieSl  fhall  wave  them.']     BothVerfe  20. 
 the  fodden  Shoulder,  and  the  Cake  and  Wafer. 
 
 For  a  Wave-offering  before  the  LO  R  D.~]  See  VII 
 Lev.%0,  31. 
 
 This  is  holy  for  the  Priefi  ,  with  the  Wave-Breajl, 
 and  Heave-fhoulder. ]  Thefe  two  were  the  Priefts 
 Portion  out  of  all  Peace-offerings,  as  I  obferved  be- 
 fore from  VII  Lev.  34.  but  in  this  Peace-offering  he 
 had  moreover,  the  other  Soulder  3  as  a  fpecial  To- 
 ken of  the  Nazarite's  Gratitude  for  his  Cleanfing. 
 
 And  after  that  the  Nazarite  way  drinks  Wine!]  He 
 was  reftored  to  his  former  Freedom,  to  live  as  other 
 Men  did. 
 
 Ver.  2 1 .  This  is  the  Law  of  the  Nazarite,  who  hath  yerfe  2  x 
 vowed,  and  of  his  Offering  to  the  LORD  for  his  Se- 
 paration."]    All  thefe  things  he  was  bound  to  per- 
 form, before  he  could  be  freed  from  his  Vow,  though 
 he  was  never  fo  poor. 
 
 Befides that  that  his  hand  fo  all  get.]  Befides  which 
 he  might  add  if  he  pleafed,  according  to  his  Abi- 
 lity. 
 
 According  to  the  Vow  which  he  vowed ,  fo  tnuSi  he  do^ 
 after  the  Law  of  his  Separation.]  There  was  a  necef- 
 fity  that  he  fhould  perform  what  his  Vow  obliged 
 him  unto ,  according  to  the  Law  of  Nazarite/hip  : 
 though  he  might  voluntarily  offer  what  he  thought 
 good,  over  and  above  his  Oblation  5  now  that  he 
 was  executing  his  Vow.  His  Friends  alfo  might 
 joyn  with  him,  in  the  Expenfe  he  was  at  for  fo  ma- 
 ny Sacrifices  as  he  was  enjoyned  to  offer  :  or  in  pro- 
 
 P  2  viding 
 
2o8  ACOMMENTAKY 
 
 Chapter  viding  voluntary   Offerings,  beyond   his  Oblation 
 VI.      Thus  we  read  in  XXI  A&s  23,  24.  that  St.  Paul,  by 
 
 L/^T\J  the  advice  of  St.  James,  and  the  Elders  ztjerufalem^ 
 was  at  charges  with  certain  Men  that  had  this  Vow 
 upon  them,  and  purified  himfelf with  them:  Which 
 was  agreeable  to  the  Cuftom  among  the  Jews,  as  Pe- 
 tHm  and  others  have  obferved  out  of  Maimonides  ^ 
 who  fays  others  might  help  the  Nazarites  to  fulfil 
 their  Vow,  and  partake  with  them  in  it,  by  ab- 
 staining from  Wine  ,  &c.  for  fome  time,  as  they 
 did. 
 
 Verfe  22.  ^r'  22t  ^n^  fhe  LO  R  Dfpake  unto  Mofes,  faying."] 
 '  The  Tabernacle  having  been  lately  ere&ed,  to  which 
 the  People  were  all  to  refort  3  they  are  invited  to  it 
 by  the  Dire&ions  here  given,  how  they  fhould  be 
 Uifmifled ,  when  they  came  to  Worfhip.  Which 
 was  in  fuch  a  manner ,  that  they  might  not  doubt 
 (  as  R.  Menachem  gloffes  )  but  the  Divine  Beneditti- 
 on  would  come  down  upon  them  from  his  Celeftial 
 Habitation^  when  they  devoutly  frequented  his  Houfe 
 here  on  Earth. 
 
 Verfe  23.  Ver.  23.  Speakjinto  Aaron  and  unto  hh  Sons, faying."} 
 Whofe  proper  Office  it  was  to  blefs  the  People  $  as 
 it  was  to  oifer  their  Sacrifices,  and  burn  Incenfe,  XXI 
 Dent.  5. 
 
 On  this  wife  hejhatt  blefs  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  fay- 
 ing unto  them.~]  Standing  fo  that  they  might  be  feen  5 
 with  their  Hands  lifted  up  and  fpread  \  fpeaking  with 
 a  loud  voice,  with  their  Faces  towards  the  People. 
 See  IX  Lev.  21. 
 
 Verfe  24.      ^en  24'  ^K  LORD  blefs  thee,and  keep  thec.~]  Give 
 k  'thee  ail  good  things ,    and  preferve  thee  from  all; 
 evil. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon  N  U  M  B  E  R  S.  105? 
 
 Ver.  25;  The  LORD  make his  Face  to  Jhine  upon  Chapter 
 thee,  and  be  graciom  unto  thee 7\     Be  favourable  unto      VIL 
 thee,  and  pardon  all  thy  Sins  L/"V%J 
 
 Ver.  26.  The  LORD  lift  up  hh *  Count "an ance  #/><?#  Verfe  25- 
 thee,  and  give  thee  Peace.']     Be  alwayi  with  thee  to  Verfe  26. 
 proteft  and  defend  thee,  and  give  thee  perfeft  Hap- 
 pinefs. 
 
 When  this  Benedi&ion  was  faid  iir  the  San&uary, 
 (if  we  may  believe  the  Jews )  it  was  but  one,  and 
 pronounced  without  any  Paufe  :  The  People  keep- 
 ing a  profound  Silence  5  but  out  of  the  San&uary 
 (in  their  Synagogues)  they  made  three  of  it,  the 
 Prieft  paufing  at  the  end  of  every  Verfe,  and  the 
 People  faying  Amen  to  each  of  them.  In  the  San&u- 
 ary  alfo  they  pronounced  the  name  J  E  H  Q  V  A  B, 
 which  is  here  thrice  repeated  5  but  in  their  Syna- 
 gogues they  ufed  fome  other  name  inftead  of  it.  Sa 
 the  Mifchna  Sot£0  Cap.  VII.  Self.  6. 
 
 The  Repetition  of  this  Name  three  times,  in  thefe 
 three  Verfes,  and  that  with  a  different  Accent  in  each 
 of  them,  (as  R.  Menachem  obferves)  hath  made  the 
 Jews  themfelves  think  there  is  fome  Myftery  in  it: 
 Which  we  underftand,  though  they  do  not.  For  it 
 may  well  be  lookt  upon  by  us  as  having  refpeft  to  the 
 three  Perfons  in  the  Bleffed  Trinity  5  who  are^  one 
 God  :  from  whom  all  Bleffings  flow  unto  us,  2  Co* 
 rrnth.  XIII.  14.  This  Myftery,  as  Luther  wifely  ex- 
 preffes  it,  (upon  Pfalm  V.)  is  here  occulti  infinuatum, 
 fecretly  insinuated,  though  not  plainly  revealed.  And 
 it  is  not  hard  to  fhow,  if  this  were  a  place  for  it,  how 
 properly  God  the  Father  may  be  faid  to  blefs  and  keep  - 
 us  5  and  God  the  Son,to  be  gracious  unto  us^  and  God 
 the  Holy  Ghoft  to  give  us  Peace* 
 
I  IO 
 
 A    COMMENTAKT 
 
 C ho  nrer       Ver.  2  7 .  And  they  flail  put  my  Name  upon  the  Children 
 
 VI       of  JCrael  1     To  put  God's  Name  upon  them,  was  to 
 
 ,^X;  commend  them  to  his  Almighty  Goodnefs  ;  or    to 
 
 Vcrie  27.blefs  them  by  calling  upon  the  Lord     and  be- 
 
 feeching  him  "to  beftow  all  that  they  defired  upon 
 
 ^And  I  will  blefs  them.~]  The  Jews  from  hence  ob- 
 ferve  that  Gods  Bleffing,  in  feme  fort,  depends  up- 
 on the  Bleffing  of  the  Prieft  :  Which  they  thought 
 fo  neceflary,  that  fuch  Prieftsas  were  admitted  to  no 
 other  Service,  might  perform  this  5  for  fear  the  Peo- 
 ple ffiould  at  any  time  want  it.  So  Chaskiiin  upon 
 XXI  Dent.  5.  and  Jdlk»t,  (as  Wagenfeil  obferves  up- 
 on the  Gemara  SoU,  Cap.Vll.  Sett.  26.)  whqfe  words 
 are  thefe,  The  Bleffing  pronounced  by  a  Rriefi,  who 
 hath  fome  bkmifl)  in  his  Body,  ought  to  be  accounted  le- 
 
 glt%nlthan  here  paraphrafes  thefe  words  in  this 
 
 manner,    I  will  blefs  them  in  my  HORD,    or  by  my 
 
 WORD  :    Which  is  the  Apoftolical  Doctrine,  that 
 
 '     God   the  Father  hath  lie  fed  us  with  all  Spiritual  Blef- 
 
 Qnes,  in  or  by,  thrift,  1  Ephef.  3.      Who  with  the 
 
 Holy  Ghoft,  is  mod  high  in  the  Glory  or  God  the 
 
 Father.     And  it  is  obfervable,   that  the  Jews  think 
 
 it  utterly  unlawful  to  add  a  fourth  Benediction  to 
 
 thefe  three  ;  though  they  find  one  in  the  1  Deut.  II. 
 
 The  LORD  God  of  your  Fathers,  mal^e  you  a  thoufand 
 
 times  fo  many  mo  as  you  are  5  and  blefs  you,   as  he  bath 
 
 promifed  you- 
 
 CHAP. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  in 
 
 Chapter 
 '      '      L .  — —         VII. 
 
 CHAP.     VII. 
 
 Ver.  I.    A  ND  it  came  to  pafs  on  the  day  that  Mofes  Verfe  i. 
 
 JLY  had  fully  fit  up  the  Tabernacle."]  Which 
 he  did  upon  the  firft  Day  of  the  firft  Month  of 
 the  fecond  Year,  after  they  came  out  of  Egypt,  XL 
 Exod.  17,  18. 
 
 And  had  anointed  it,  and  fanUificd  it,  &c.~]     See 
 VIII  Levit.  10,  11.  where  it  is  faid  he  anointed  alfo 
 (as  it  here  likewife  follows)    all  belonging    to  it. 
 Which  being  feven  days  in  doing,    as  appears  from 
 v.  35.  of  that  Chapter,    it  is  evident  that  the  word 
 Day  doth  not  here  precifely  denote  the  very  Day  on 
 which  the  Tabernacle  was  ere&ed  :    but  more  large- 
 ly, at  or  about  that  time,  (as  itmuft  neceffarily  figni- 
 fie,  v.  84.  of  this  Chapter)    after  he  had  fet  up  the 
 Tabernacle  5  and  not  only  fan&ified  and  anointed  it, 
 but  received  Orders  about  Sacrifices,    and  anointed 
 the  Priefts,^with  the  reft  mentioned  in  the  Book  of 
 Leviticus*)  and  alfo  had  numbred  the  Peuple  5  or- 
 dered their  Encampment,    and  the  Encampment  of 
 the  Levites  5    and  given  them  their  Charge  about  the 
 Tabernacle.     In  (hort,  when  Mofes  had  done  all  the 
 things  mentioned  hitherto  in  this  Book,    then  fol- 
 lowed this  Dedication  of  the  Altar.     And  whofoever 
 will  compare  this  Chapter,  with  thz  fecond,  may  eafi- 
 ly  be  convinced,    that  this  Offering  of  the  Princes, 
 was  not  made  till  the  Camp  was  formed,  and  the 
 Tribes  ranged  under  their  feveral  Standards.    For  the 
 Princes  Offer  held  in  the  fame  Order  and  Method,  that 
 they  are  difpofed  there. 
 
 Ver. 
 
in  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  2 .  That  the  Princes  of  Ifrael,  heads  of  the  Hcufi 
 VI.       of  their  Fathers.']     Mentioned  Chap.  I.  5,  16. 
 
 L^V^O       And  were  over  them  that  were  nun/ bred.  ]     This  evi- 
 
 Verfe  2.  dently  (hows  thatthis  Offering  of  the  Princes,  was  af- 
 ter the  numbring  of  the  People. 
 
 Offered.']  In  the  Order  that  is  fet  down  in  this 
 Chapter. 
 
 Ver.  5.  Ver.  3.  And  they  brought  their  Offering.']  The  LXX 
 tranllate  the  Hebrew  word  Korbanan^ii  bs££cvaj5~ 
 r»r,  their  Gift,  or  their  Prefcnt,  which  they  made 
 to  God  :  Which  conlifted  of  feveral  things,  for  di- 
 vers ufes. 
 
 Before  tlx  L  ORD.]  u  e.  At  the  Door  of  the 
 Tabernacle  5  as  it  is  explained  in  the  end  of  the 
 Verfe. 
 
 Six  covered  Wagons,  and  twelve  Oxen.]  In  the 
 firft  place  they  made  a  Prefent,  for  the  Service  of  the 
 Tabernacle  it  felf.  That  iiich  parts  of  it  as  were  mod 
 cumberfome  might  be  more  conveniently  carried  5 
 and  that  they  might  be  free  from  Duft,  Rain,  or 
 Hail.  The  Wagons  were  covered^  being  not  ordi- 
 nary Carriages,  but  fuch  as  were  ufed  by  great  Per- 
 fons.  So  the  LXX  underftood  it  5  who  translate 
 the  Hebrew  word  Tzabbim,  by  ^a/ucryiir,  in  the  LXVI 
 If  a.  20.  and  here  a/Luc^a<;  A^tjW^;.  Now  as 
 Pollux  reckons  XcLfATmw  among  the  Wagons  and  Cha- 
 riots then  ufed  :  So  Hcfychius  tells  us  (as  Learned 
 Men  have  obferved  )  it  fignifies  fuch  Wagons  as  il- 
 luftrious  Men  and  Women  ufed  5  and  that  they  were 
 covered  above. 
 
 A  Wagon  for  two  -of  the  Princes.]  This  (howsplain- 
 ly  enough,  that  they  were  fumptuous,  and  had,  per- 
 haps, rich  Coverings  ^  in  that  two  of  the  great  Men 
 joyned  in  the  Prefentof  one  Wagon. 
 
 And 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  113 
 
 And  for  each  one  an  Ox.']     That  there  might  be  a  Chapter 
 Pair  of  Oxen  to  draw  each  Wagon.     And  it  is  pro-      VII. 
 bable,  thofe  Oxen  were  yoked  together,  which  were  L/*V^VJ 
 offered  by  thofe  two  Princes,  who  joined  in  offering 
 one  Wagon. 
 
 And  they  brought  them  before  the  Tabernacled]  Set 
 them  before  the  entrance  of  it. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  the  LORD  fpake  unto  Mofes,  faying.]  Verfe  4. 
 It  feems  Mofes  did  not  accept  thefe  Prefents,till  he  had 
 Orders  from  the  Lord,  in  the  next  words. 
 
 Ver.  5.  Take  it  of  them.']     Receive  their  Prefent,  as  Verfe  5. 
 acceptable  to  me. 
 
 That  they  may  be  to  do  the  fervice  of  the  Tabernacle 
 of  the  Congregation.]  He  direfts  their  ufe  ?  which  was 
 to  carry  the  Tabernacle,  when  they  removed  from  one 
 place  to  another. 
 
 And  thou  foalt  give  them  to  the  Levites."]  In  or- 
 der to  which,  he  direfts  him  to  beftow  them  up- 
 on the  Levites  ^  who  had  the  charge  of  that  Car- 
 riage. 
 
 To  every  Man  according  to  his  Serviced]  In  fuch 
 Proportions,  as  the  things  they  had  to  carry  re- 
 quired. 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  Mofes  took,  the  Wagons  and  Oxen0  and  Verfe  6. 
 gave  them  to  the  Levites.']    In  fuch  Proportions  as  fol- 
 low in  the  next  two  Verfes. 
 
 Ver.  7.  Two  Wagons  and  four  Oxen  to  the  Sons  of  Verfe  7. 
 Gerfion^  according  to  their  Service!]  As  they  were 
 feweft  in  number  that  could  do  Service,  fo  they  had 
 lefs  burdenfome  things  to  carry  than  the  Sons  of  Me- 
 rariy  IV.  2  5, 40.  and  therefore  had  fewer  Carriages  al- 
 lowed them. 
 
 Q  Ver. 
 
n4  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  8.   And  four  Wagons  and  eight  Oxen  he  gave 
 VII.      unto  the  Sons  of  Merari,    according  to  their  Service,"] 
 L/""V\j  They  were  the  moft  numerous,  but  had  the  greateft 
 Verfe  8.    burden  ^  and  therefore  had  allowance  of  more  Car- 
 riages and  Oxen,  IV.  3 1 ,  3  2 ,  48. 
 
 'Under  the   hand  of  Ithamar  the  Son  of  Aaron  the 
 Priefi.]  Who  had  the  Infpeftion  and  Care  both  of  the 
 Gerfhonites  and  Merarites,  IV.  28,  33. 
 Verfe  9.         Ver.  9.  But  unto  the  Sons  of  Kohath  he  gave  none."] 
 For  the  reafon  that  follows. 
 
 Becaufe  the  Service  of  the  SanUuary  belonging  unto 
 them,  was  that  they  fiould  bear  upon  their  Shoulders.  ] 
 The  LXX  trandate  it  more  exactly,  becaufe  they  had 
 the  Service  of  the  holy  thing,  (78  dytx,  as  the  Ark  is 
 called,  IV.  4.)  they  Jkall  carry  it  on  their  Shoulders. 
 Which  was  for  the  greater  Honour  and  Dignity  of 
 the  Ark,  and  of  the  Law  contained  in  it,  as  Maimo- 
 nides,  R.  Levi  ben  Gerfem,  and  others  obferve.  And 
 that  the  Form  and  Structure  of  the  Ark  might  not  be 
 difcompofed,  (as  Maimonides  adds,  More  Nevochim, 
 P.  III.  Cap.  XLV.)  nor  the  Ephod,  and  the  Breads 
 plate  rufled,  as  they  might  have  been,  by  the  (ba- 
 king of  a  Wagon.  Yet  they  all  obferve  this  was  not 
 fo  peculiar  to  the  Sons  of  Kohath,  but  that  the  Priefts 
 the  Sons  of  Aaron,  upon  fome  fpecial  occafion  car- 
 ried the  Ark  5  particularly  when  they  went  over  Jor- 
 dan, III  Jojh.  3.  and  at  the  Siege  of  Jericho  5  at  both 
 which  times  a  great  Miracle  was  to  be  wrought.  And 
 when  Zadok_  and  Abiathar  carried  it  back  to  Jerufa- 
 km,  2  Sam.  XV.  29.  (though  that,  Iobferved  before, 
 may  be  otherways  interpreted,  and  there  feems  no 
 reafon  why  they  (hould  carry  it  back,  when  the  Le- 
 vites  brought  it,  ver.  24.)  and  when  Solomons  Tem- 
 ple was  built,  1  Kings  VIU.  6.  for  the  Levites  might 
 
 not 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  115 
 
 not  go  into  the  Holy  Place,  and  therefore  it  was  then  Chapter 
 carried  by  the  Priefts.  \rIL 
 
 Ver.  10.  And  the  Princes  offered.']  They  brought  LO/"\J 
 the  Offerings,  which  they  defired  might  be  prefented  Verfe  io. 
 unto  God. 
 
 For  the  dedicating  of  the  Altar.]  The  Hebrew  word 
 Chanac,  which  in  one  place  of  the  Pentateuch  figni- 
 fies fimply  to  begin,  to  ufe,  or  enjoy  an  Houfe,  XX 
 Dent.  6.  here,  and  feveral  other  places  fignifies  the 
 firft  Appl'js  :ion  and  Addi&ion  of  any  thing  to  Sacred 
 Ufes,  or  to  the  Divine  Service  5  to  which  it  had  been 
 deiigned  and  confecrated.  And  this  was  done  with 
 fome  certain  folemn  Words  and  Actions  \  as  Mr.  Sel- 
 den  oblerves,  Lib.  III.  de  Synedr.  Cap.  XIII.  n.  i.  and 
 Cap.  XV.  ;/.  3.  And  fo  among  the  Latins  the  word 
 inchoare,  when  applied  to  Sacred  things,  fignifies,  to 
 perfeft  or  confammate,  as  "-erv?us  obferves  upon  the 
 VI  Mneud.  And  both  Civil  and  Sacred  Initiations, 
 were  accompanied  with  great  Joy  and  Gladnefs.  But 
 this  is  not  to  be  underftood,  as  if  the  Dedication  of 
 the  Altar  was  the  fetting  of  it  apart,  and  fan&ifying 
 it  for  the  Service  of  God^  (which  had  been  done  be- 
 fore, and  VII  days  fpcnt  therein,  XXIX  Exod.  27. 
 Vlll  Lev.  11.)  but,  as  the  word  properly  fignifies, 
 the  beginning  to  ufe  it,  after  it  had  been  fo  fan&i- 
 fied. 
 
 Ln  the  day  that  it  was  anointed.]  At  the  time  that  it 
 was  fet  apart  5  and  all  other  things  ordered  for  the 
 Safe-guard  of  the  Tabernacle.     See  v.  1. 
 
 Even  the  Princes  offered  their  Offering.]  Prefented 
 their  Gifts,  (as  the  LXX  trandate  it)  which  they  de- 
 fired  God  would  accept  upon  this  great  occafion! 
 
 Q.  2  Eefi 
 
 ore 
 
n6  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Before  the  AltarS]     At  the  Door  of  the  Tabernacle, 
 VII.      near  unto  which  the  Altar  ftood,  XL  Exod.  6.  for  he 
 
 L/"VNJ  fpeaks  of  the  Altar  of  Burnt-offerings. 
 
 Verfe  1 1 .  Ver.  1 1 .  And  the  LOR  Dfaid  unto  Mofes,  they  flail 
 offer  their  Offering.']  Here  again  R aft  obferves,  that 
 Mofes  would  not  receive  their  Offering,  till  he  knew 
 the  Mind  of  God:  Who  directed  in  what  manner 
 and  order  their  Gifts  (hould  be  offered  to  him. 
 
 Each  Prince  on  hk  day,  for  the  dedication  of  the  Al- 
 tar.']    This  made  the  Dedication  a  very  long  Solem- 
 nity,   which   continued  twelve  days.     When  thefe 
 XII  days  began,  it  is  not  eafie  to  determine  $    but  it 
 feems  to  me  a  very  teafonable  Computation,  which 
 Fortunatus  Scacchm  hath   made  of  this  whole  bufi- 
 'nefs,  Myrothec.  Sacr.  EUochrifm.  Lib.  2.  Cap. LXXIV. 
 Where  he  fuppofes  that  the  Tabernacle  being  erefted 
 the  fir  ft  Day  of  the  firft  Month  of  the  fecond  Year, 
 after  they  came  out  of  Egypt,  feven  days  were  fpent 
 in  the  Confecration  of  it,  and  of  the  Altar,dv.  And 
 on  the  eighth  day  Mofes  began  to  confecrate  Aaron, 
 and  his  Sons,  which  lafted  VII  days  longer.      Then 
 the  fifteenth  day  of  that  Month  was  the  firft  day  of 
 Unleavened  Bread  :  Which  God  commanded  (as  we 
 read  here  Chap.IX.)  to  be  obferved  in  the  firft  Month  $ 
 and  lafted  till  the  Two  and  twentieth.    The  reft  of  the 
 Month  we  may  well  fuppofe  was  fpent  in  giving,  re- 
 ceiving, and   delivering  the  Laws  mentioned  in  the 
 Book  of  Leviticus.     After  which  on  the  firji  day  of 
 the  fecond  Month,   he  began  to  number  the  People, 
 according  to  the  Command  in  the  beginning  of  this 
 Book  :    Which  may  be  fuppofed  to  have  lafted  three 
 days.     And  then  on  the  fourth  the  Levites  were  num- 
 bred  :    On  the  next  day  we  may  fuppofe  they  were 
 offered  to  God,  and  given  unto  tbePriefts$  on  the 
 
 fixth 
 
upon  NUMBER  S.  ir; 
 
 fixth  Day  they  were  expiated  and  confecrated  (as  we   Chapter 
 read  in  the  next  Chapter. J     And  on  the  fcventh  Day      VII. 
 their  ieveral  Charges  were  parted  among  them,  (ofL/*V%J 
 which  we  read  Chapter  IV.)    After  which  the  Princes, 
 he  fuppofes,  began  to  offer  upon  the  eighth  Day  of 
 thtfecond  Month,  for  the  Dedication  of  the  Altar  : 
 which  lafted  till  the  nineteenth  Day  inclusively  :  and 
 on  the  twentieth  Day  of  this  Month  they  removed 
 (as  we  read  X.  1 1,12.)  from  Sinai  to  the  Wildernefs 
 ofParan. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  he  that  offered  hk  Offering   the  firliVzxfe  \i. 
 day.'}     By  God's  order,  no  doubt. 
 
 Was  Nahfion  the  Son  of  Amminadab,  of  the  Tribe  of 
 Jndahr\  He  held  the  principal  place  among  the  Is- 
 raelites, being  the  N  A  S  I,  the  Prince  or  Captain  (as 
 we  tranfhte  it,  II  Numb.  3.  )  of  the  Children  ofju- 
 dah :,  who  had  the  firft  Standard.  And  yet  he  alone 
 of  all  the  Twelve  great  Men  here  mentioned,  is  not 
 called  NASI,  Prince  ofjudah,  as  all  the  reft  are 
 called  Princes  of  their  Tribe ,  v.  18,  24,  30,  See.  but 
 (imply  Nahfion  of  the  Tribe  of  Judah.  .  The  jfea?jgive 
 feveral  reafons  of  it :  but  perhaps  it  was  ,  becaufe  he 
 offered  firft  5  which  was  honour  enough :  and  there 
 needed  no  more  to  be  faid  of  him.  ^ 
 
 Ver.  13.  And  hk  Offering  was  one  fiver  Charger,  Verfe  12. 
 the  weight  thereof  was  an  hundred  and  thirty  Shekels, 
 and  one  fiver  Bowl$&:7\  It  appears  by  the  Metal  that 
 this  Charger  and  Bowl  were  of ,  that  they  were  for 
 the  life  of  the  Altar  of  Burnt-offerings,  in  the  out- 
 ward Court  :  for  all  the  Veflels  of  the  San&uary 
 were  of  Gold.  And  I  take  this  Charger  (or  broad 
 Did],  or  Platter)  to  have  been  offered,  for  receiving 
 the  Flefh  which  was  offered  at  the  Altar,  or  the  fine 
 Flour  for  the  Meat-offerings.     And  the  Bowl  received 
 
 the 
 
„8  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  the  Bloody  or  was  u fed  for  pouring  out  Wine. 
 VI L  Both  of  them  were  full  of  fine  Flour  mingled  with  Oyl, 
 
 l/V\j^r  a  Meat-offering.~\  Which  was  to  attend  upon  the 
 Burnt- off erh?g  and  the  Peace-offering  mentioned  ^.15, 
 1 7.  See  IV.  7.  where  I  obferved,  it  was  not  difficult 
 to  procure  this  fine  Flour,  in  the  Wildernefs. 
 
 Verie  14.  Ver.  x4-  ®nc  $Pom  °f  ten  Shekels  of  Gold,  full  of 
 '  InccnfeT]  Both  the  Metal  of  which  it  was  made,  and 
 that  which  was  in  it,  (hows  this  Spoon  was  for  the 
 ufe  of  the  Golden  Altar,  in  the  Sanctuary.  Which 
 may  incline  one  to  think,  that  both  Altars  were  now 
 dedicated :  that  is,  firft  began  to  be  ufed,  for  the 
 Service  of  the  whole  Congregation.     See  v.  88. 
 
 Verfe  1 5 .  Ver. 1 5  *One  young  Bullock^  one  Ram0one  Lamb  of  the 
 firUTear  JThere  are  fo  many  Sacrifices  mentioned  here, 
 and  in  the  two  following  Verfes,  (  no  lefs  than  XXI. 
 in  all)  that,  together  with  the  filver  and  gold  Plate, 
 they  look  like  too  great  a  Prefent,  to  be  made  out 
 of  one  Mans  private  eftate.  And  therefore  fome  have 
 thought,  that  the  reft  of  the  great  Men  of  the  Tribe 
 of  Judah  joyned  with  Nahfion  in  their  Contributi- 
 ons towards  it :  and  that  it  was  offered  in  his  own, 
 and  their  Names. 
 
 For  a  Burnt-offeringT]  This  is  firft  mentioned  :,  as 
 being  the  moft  ancient  fort  of  Sacrifice  ^  long  before 
 we  read  of  any  other  :  and  being  an  Acknowledgment 
 of  God's  Soveraign  Dominion  over  all. 
 
 Verfe  16  Ver.  l^'  ®ne  ^^  of  the  Goats  for  a  Sin-offering.  ~] 
 This  in  all  likelyhood  was  firft  offered,  though  the 
 other  be  firft  mentioned.  For  in  the  next  Chapter  we 
 find  the  Burnt-offering  enjoyned  in  the  firft  place  5 
 but  the  Sin- offering  offered  before  it,  VIII.8,i2.  The 
 like  I  obferved  before  VI.  16.     See  there. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  n9 
 
 Ver.  17.  And  for  a  Sacrifice  of  Peace-offerings ,  two  Chapter 
 Oxen,  five  Raws,  five  He-goats,  five  Lambs  ofthefirfi       VII. 
 year7\     Thefe  Sacrifices  were  more  numerous,  than  L^V*\j 
 the   Burnt-offering  or  the  Sin-offering  5    becaufe  the  Verfe  1 7. 
 Priefts,  and  the  Princes,  and  as  many  of  the  People 
 as  they  invited,  had  their  (hare  of  them  :  and  feaft- 
 ed  before  the  LORD  upon  them,  with  great   re- 
 joycing.     Which  Cuftom  ,  as  Mr.   Selden  obferves, 
 flowed    from  hence  to  the  Gentiles,  who  dedicated 
 their  Altars,  and  Temples,  and  Statues,  dv.with  much 
 ceremony  :  and  the  ancient  Greeks  ,  mhtiliK&sl&v;  fc 
 peioic,,  with  more  fumptuom  Sacrifices.      See  L.  HI.  de 
 Synedriis,cap.\\.num.  111.     Where  he  alfo  (hows 
 how  they  were  dedicated   among  the  Romans  with 
 Plays,  and  Feafting,  and   Publick  Largeffes :  and  at 
 laft,  their  Feafts  became  Anniverfary,  as  the  FeaU  of 
 Dedication  among  the  Jews  was,  after  the   times  of 
 Antiochus,  num.  6,  7.     In   which  Feaft   there  was 
 Av^voxvix,   Illuminations,  (as  we  now  fpeak)  by  fet- 
 ting  up  of  Candles  or  Lamps,in  token  of  Joy/^p.13. 
 num.  9. 
 
 This  was  the  Offering  of  Nahjkon,  the  Son  of  Ammi- 
 nadab.~\  And  was  the  pattern,  which  all  the  reft  fol- 
 lowed. 
 
 Ver.  18.  On  the  fecond  Day.  "]'  Their  Offerings  Verfe  i8i. 
 were  thus  diftributed,  to  be  offered  on  fcveral  Days  5 
 that  Confulion  might  be  avoided  5  and  that  every 
 Tribe  might  diftinctly  exprefs  their  Devotion  to  God, 
 and  be  gracioufly  accepted  by  him  :  and  the  Solem- 
 nity be  made  the  more  remarkable  by  continuing  it 
 fo  long  as  twelve  Days.  For  which  reafon  the  i* eatt 
 of  Dedication,  after  Matt  at  bias  had  purged  the  Tern* 
 pie  and  the  Altar,  after  the  prophanation  of  them  by 
 Antiochus,  was  kept  eight  days,  by  the  Jews ,  in  fol- 
 lowing 
 
ll0  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  lowing times  5  And  this  Parafcha  (as  they  call  it)  of 
 
 VII.      the  Law  from  VI.  22.  to  VIII.  4.  of  this  Book  ,  was 
 
 L/-VNJ  wont  to  be  read  at  that  Feaft,  as  the  fame  Mr.  Selden 
 
 obferves,  cap.  13.  n.j.  As  among  the  Romans  he  ob- 
 
 ferves  (cap.  14.  n.  7.)  there  was  a  Feaft  of  like  nature 
 
 kept//*  Days. 
 
 Nathaniel  the  Son  ofZuar,  Prince  of  Ijfachar,  did 
 offer.']    This  Tribe,  and  Zebulun,  being  under  the 
 Standard  of  Judah,  are  the  next  that  offer.     And  fo 
 they  proceed  in  the  fame  order,  Reuben ,  and  thofe 
 under  his  Standard  offer  next  5  becaufe  they  incatnp- 
 ed  next  to  them,  v.  30,  36,  42,  Sec. 
 Verfe  19.      ^er*  I9*  He  offered  for  his  Offering,  one Jilver  Char- 
 ger, the  weight  whereof,  was  an  hundred  and  thirty  She- 
 kels, &C.3     It  may  be  obferved ,  once  for  all ,  that 
 there  is  no  difference  in  the  Offerings  of  thefe  Prin- 
 ces :  but  all  offered  Plate  of  equal  weight  $  and  an 
 equal  number  of  Sacrifices,  without  the  leaft  variati- 
 on.    Either  by  common  Agreement,  or  by  the  Di- 
 vine Appointment :  that  the  Vanity  of  vying  one 
 with  another  might  be  prevented  5  and  none  might 
 brag  of  their  out-doing  their  Brethren  5    and   all 
 might   be  confident,   that  they  were   equally   in. 
 terefted  in  the  Altar  ,  and  accepted  by  the  Divine 
 Majefty. 
 Verfe  24.      Ver.  24.  On  the  third  day  Eliab  the  Son  of  Helon, 
 See."]     Here  it  may  be  obferved, that  Mofes  thought  fit 
 to  fet  down  diftin&ly,  and  at  length,  the  Offerings 
 of  the  Princes  of  every  Tribe,  (as  he  doth  here,  and 
 in  the  following  part  of  this  Chapter)  though  they 
 were  the  very  fame,  without  any  difference  }  that  an 
 honourable  mention  being  made  of  every  one  apart, 
 none  might  think  themielves,  in  the:  leaft  neglett- 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  121 
 
 Ver.  30.  On  the  fourth  day  Eliz>ur0  Stcf]     There  is  Chapter 
 nothing  new  to  be  noted  of  him,  or  any  of  the  reft  }      VII, 
 becauie  the  fame  thing  is  repeated,  for  the  reafon  l/Wi 
 fore-mentioned.  Verfe  30. 
 
 Ver.  48.  OnthefeventhdayElifian/a^Scc.  offered.  "]^^Y^  4^- 
 This  Solemnity  was  not  interrupted  by  the  Sabbath  5 
 but  the  Offerings  continued  then  ,   as  upon  other 
 days. 
 
 Ver.  84.  This  was  the  Dedication  of  the  Altar '."]  By  Verfe  84. 
 thefe  Oblations  and  Sacrifices :  which  were  fimple 
 and  plain ^  though  coftly  and  magnificent.  With 
 which  the  Gentiles  were  not  content,  but  ufed  fome- 
 times  barbarous  Rites  in  their  Dedications,  as  appears 
 by  their  TALIROBOLIA  and  CRIOBOLIA  in  ho- 
 nour of  the  Mother  of  the  Gods,  &c.  See  Selden  in 
 the  fore- named  Book,  cap.  14.  n.  8,  9. 
 
 hi  the  day  when  it  was  anoint ed.~]  The  Dedication 
 lafting  twelve  Days,  it  is  apparent  the  word  day/m 
 this  place,  necefiarily  fignifies  the  Time  (were  it  more 
 or  lefs)  wherein  a  Thing  was  done  3  as  I  obferved 
 v.  i.  and  fee  v.  88. 
 
 By  the  Princes  of  IfraeW]  From  whofe  Examples 
 Princes  and  great  Men  (hould  learn(as  Conradus  Pelli- 
 canus  well  applies  all  this)  c  to  be  devoutly  Religi- 
 c  ous  3  and  to  poffefs  the  Fear  and  Reverence  of  the 
 cLORD  God  in  their  Breads:  to  be  ftrong  in 
 c  Faith  :  far  from  Covetoufnefs  5  unanimous  in  their 
 c  indeavours  to  do  Honour  to  God  :  to  give  a  good 
 c  Example  of  Faith  and  Good  Works  to  others  3  to 
 c  feek  the  Profit  of  their  Subje&s  5  affift  the  Servants 
 c  of  God  3  lend  their  helping  Hand  to  the  Proficien- 
 c  cy  of  true  Piety  $  provide  the  Minifters  of  the 
 6  Church  with  all  things  neceffary,  that  Religion  be 
 *  not  negle&ed  and  contemned  by  their  Poverty :  for 
 
 R  the 
 
l22  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  c  the  fake  of  God  whom  they  ferve,  to  do  them  ho- 
 VII.      c  nour  by  word  and  deed  ;  and  follow  their  godly 
 
 L/"V\J  c  Admonitions,  &c.  This  is  a  profitable  Allegory  , 
 c  faith  he,  of  this  Hiftory  :  and  we  need  not  feek  for 
 c  one  more  ingenious.  As  for  thole  who  highly  va- 
 c  lue  the  allegorical  Sence  of  all  thefe  things,  Habent 
 c  alios  qui  guflui  fuo  confident  &  curiofitati.  They  may 
 c  find  other  Commentators  to  pleafe  their  Tafte,  and 
 1  fatisfie  their  Curiofity. 
 
 Twelve  Chargers  of  Silver  ^  twelve  fdver  Bowls,  &CC.  ~\ 
 In  thefe,  and  the  following  words,  the  whole    Sum 
 of  the  Oblations  and  Sacrifices  is  fet  down  by  Mofes  5 
 that  every  Reader ,  in  all  future  Times,  might  fee 
 (without  the  trouble  of  cafting  up  the  account)  how 
 devout,  and  generous  their  Anceftors  were. 
 Verfe  87.       ^er.  87.  All  the  Oxen  for  the  Burnt- offering   were 
 twelve  Bullocks^  &c.^|     Whether  there  were  any  Pray- 
 ers made  for  a  gracious  acceptance  of  the  Sacrifices, 
 which  fhould  be  hereafter  made  on  this  Altar,  we  are 
 not  told.     But  the  Sacrifices  themfelves  were  in  the 
 nature  of  Supplications^  and  its  likely  they  that  offer- 
 ed them,   made  their  humble  Petitions  with  them. 
 And  fo  the  Gentiles  always  did  at  the  Dedication  of 
 their  Temples  or  Altars.     An  inftance  of  which  is 
 obferved  out  oiGruter  by  Fort.Scacchus  and  by  Selden, 
 in  thefe  words  5  HANC  TIBI  ARAM  JUPPITER 
 OPT.  MAX.  DICO  DEDICOQUE  UTI  SIS  VO- 
 LENS  PROPITIUS  MIHI  COLLEGISQUE    ME- 
 l%&c.  Which  is  a  Dedication  of  an  xAJtar  to  Jupiter, 
 with  a  Prayer  that  he  would  be  gracious  to  him  that 
 dedicated  it,  and  to  his  Friends  and  Neighbours.  The 
 like  Dedication  there  is  of  a  Temple  to  PRIAPUS 
 near  Padua,w\th  this  Prayer  that  he  would  conftant- 
 ly  guard  their  Fields,  &c.  Myroth.  Sacr.  EUochrif.2. 
 £.28. L.Ill.de  Syncdr.c.i^.p.2C)0^cc).  With 
 
^NUMBERS, 
 
 123 
 
 With  their  Meat-offering.'}     Which  was  brought  in  Chapter 
 the  twelve  Chargers  and  Bowls  ,  as  a  neceiTary  Appen-      VH. 
 dix  to  the  Burnt- offerings  and  the  Peace- offerings  ;  as  is  L/"V~VJ 
 fully  explained  XV. 8,9. 
 
 Ver.83.Thk  was  the  Dedication  of  the  Altar.l  Which  Verfe  83* 
 is  repeated  here  again  ,  to  (how  why  it  was  called  the 
 Dedication:  becaufe  this  was  thefirfl:  folemn  Sacrifice 
 which  was  offered  fortheTribes,or  particular  Perfons 
 among  them:,  and  therefore  was  the  morefumptuous. 
 
 After  that  it  was  anointed.]  Here  the  word  day  is 
 omitted,  (which  isufed  sM.and  ^.84.)  Mofes  intend- 
 ing only  to  let  Pofterity  know  that  this  Dedication 
 followed  not  long  after  the  anointing  of  the  Taber- 
 nacle and  the  Altar  5  whereby  it  was  fanctified  to  God's 
 Service. 
 
 Ver.  89.  And  when  Mofes  was  gone  into  the  Taberna-  Verfe  89, 
 cle  of  the  Congregation  Jo  fyeak^with  him"]  That  is,  with 
 God.  This  feems  to  be  here  mentioned,  becaufe.he 
 had  lately  had  a  fpecial  occafion  to  go  and  enquire 
 particularly  of  God,  about  a  matter  of  great  Concern- 
 ment, as  will  appear  from  IX.  8, 9.  And  it  is  likely 
 he  had  gone  in  twice  upon  this  occafion,  to  confult 
 him  about  the  Offering  of  the  Princes,  ^.4,55,10,  11. 
 And  now,  it  is  poffible,  went  in  again  t6  know  if  the 
 LORD  would  give  him  any  further  Directions. 
 
 Then  he  heard  the  voice  of  one  fpe  aiding  unto  him, from 
 off  the  Mercy-feat ,&c.J  There  God  promifed  to  meet 
 him,  and  to  commune  with  him, Sec.  XXV  Exod.22. 
 Which  fuppofes  he  would  be  always  prefent  there. 
 And  fo  he  was  }  for  the  Cloud  of  Glory  filled  the 
 Houfe  after  it  was  fet  up, LXfix^. 33,34.6x^1  whence 
 God  fpake  unto  him,  I  Lev  a.  and  told  him  he  would 
 appear  (i.  e.  refide  conftantly)  in  the  Cloud  upon  the 
 Mercy-feat,  XVI  Lev.  2.    Now  here  he  relates,  how 
 
 R  2  God 
 
ia4  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  GoJ  appeared  and  communed  with  him  from  thence, 
 VII.      which  was  by  a  voice,  that  he  heard  of  one  fpeaking 
 
 L/"V%J  to  him,  as  he  ftood  in  the  outward  part  of  the  San- 
 ctuary. So  the  Jews  underftand  it  5  particularly  R. 
 Solomon,  who  thinks  that  Mofes  only  entred  into  the 
 San&uary,  and  ftanding,  in  the  very  entrance  of  it, 
 heard  the  voice  fpeaking  to  him  from  between  the  two 
 Cherubim s  :  which  was  very  clear  and  ftrong^  but 
 went  no  farther  than  into  the  San&uary,  where  Mofes 
 alone  at  that  time  was.  So  they  obferve  in  Sipkra,  as 
 Buxtorf  notes  in  his  Hiftor.  Area  Fcedem  ,  cap.  1  5. 
 
 And  hefiake  unto  htm.  ]  With  an  audible  voice  5 
 and  fo  diltin&ly,  that  he  perceived  and  underftood  e- 
 very  word.  Which  Abarbinel  thinks  God  vouchfafed 
 for  this  reafon  5  That  as  he  vifibly  reprefented  to  him 
 in  the  Mount  the  pattern  of  the  Tabernacle,  and  of  e- 
 very  thing  belonging  to  it,  whereby  the  form  and  fi- 
 gure of  every  particular  was  imprinted  on  his  Mind, 
 and  he  was  the  better  able  to  give  direftions  how  to 
 make  them  exaftly:  So  he  being  to  write  in  his  Law 
 all  that  God  required  them  to  do,  he  delivered  every 
 thing  to  him  in  an  audible  voice  y  that  he  might  fet 
 down  in  thefe  Books  the  very  Words  and  Phrafes 
 which  he  heard  with  his  Ears  from  the  Mouth  of  God, 
 as  plainly  as  if  he  had  defcribed  them  from  fome  an- 
 cient Volume. 
 
 To  which  I  cannot  but  add,  That  this  audible  ar- 
 ticulate voice  from  God,  which  was  perceived  by  Hu- 
 mane Ears5reprefented  God  as  if  he  was  incorporate  : 
 and  may  well  be  lookt  upon  as  an  earned:  of  that 
 great  Myftery,G<?^  manifested  in  thefleffj  ^  who  in  the 
 Fulnefs  of  Time  became  a  Man,  and  fpake  to  all  the 
 Jews  familiarly  in  their  own  Language. 
 
 CHAR 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  125 
 
 Chapter 
 ______ _____ — _ —       VIII. 
 
 CHAP.     VIII. 
 
 Ver.  1.    A  ND  the  LORDfiake  unto  Mofes, faying.~\Vzxk  I. 
 
 jTx  When  this  was  ipoken  is  not  certain.  If 
 Mofes  went  into  the  Tabernacle  immediately  after  the 
 Princes  had  offered,  (v.  89.  of  the  foregoing  Chap- 
 ter) it  may  be  thought  he  then  fpake  thefe  things  to 
 him.  But  both  this,  and  what  follows  concerning 
 the  LevHes,  feem  rather  to  have  been  delivered,  after 
 the  order  for  giving  them  to  the  Priefts,  and  fetling 
 their  feveral  Charges,  (Chap.  III.  and  IV.)  But  ibme 
 other  things  intervening  which  depended  upon  what 
 had  been  ordered  concerning  their  Camp,  and  that  of 
 the  Ifraelites,  (fee  v.  4.)  Mofes  omits  this,  rill  he  had 
 fet  down  them,  and  feme  other  matters,  which  he  had 
 received  from  God.     See  VII.  1 1. 
 
 Ver.  2 .  Speaks  unto  Aaron,  and  fay  unto  him,  when  Verfe  2 . 
 thou  lighteft  the  Lamps f\  At  the  fame  time,  the  Pub- 
 lick  Service  of  God  began  at  the  Altar  of  Burnt-offer- 
 ings, (of  which  he  fpeaks  in  the  foregoing  Chapter) 
 the  fetting  on  the  Shew-bread,  offering  Incenfe,  and 
 lighting  the  Lamps,  was  begun  in  the  San&uary.  The 
 laft  of  thefe  is  only  here  mentioned  ,  but  it  fuppofes 
 the  other. 
 
 Thefeven  Lamps  ft  all  give  light  over  againji  the  Can- 
 dlejlick-~\  Unto  the  Table,  which  was  over  againft 
 the  Candleftick  5  as  the  vulgar  Latin  very  well  ex- 
 plains it :  Which  is  rather  a  Paraphrafe  upon  thefe 
 words,  than  a  Tranflation  of  them,  in  this  manner. 
 When  thou  lighteft  the  feven  Lamps,  let  the  Candle ftichjbe 
 fet  upon  theSwth-fide,  (for  fo  it  was  ordered,  XXVI 
 
 Exod. 
 
l26  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Exod.%%.  and  fo  Mofcs  fet  it,  XL.  24.)  and  let  the 
 VI 1.  Lamps  look,  towards  the  North,  over  again fl  the  Table 
 L/'VNJ  of  Sherv-bread.  See  XXV  Exod.  37.  where  there  is 
 the  like  obfcure  Exprefiion,  but  to  this  Senfe.  And 
 thus  this  Verfe  may  be  tranllated,  exactly  out  of  the 
 Hebrew,  When  thou  fetteft  up  the  Lamps,  the  [even 
 Lamps  f mil  foinc  before  the  face  of  the  Candlestick^  :  u  e. 
 enlighten  all  the  room,  that  is  oppofite  to  it  5  for  there 
 were  no  Windows  in  the  Sanftuary^  and  therefore 
 thefe  Lamps  were  lighted. 
 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  3*  ^nd  Aaron  d'idfo,  he  lighted  the  Lamps  there- 
 of  Sec/]  For  God's  Table  being  placed  over  againft 
 the  Lamps,  where  he  was  reprefented  as  Feafting  with 
 his  People,(which  no  body  doth  in  the  dark)  it  was 
 but  fit,  that  there  ftiould  be  continual  light  in  that 
 Place.  And  this,  as  I  take  it,  is  the  firft  time  that 
 the  Lamps  were  lighted  5  when  the  Altar  was  dedi- 
 cated, and  the  Publick  Service  of  God  began,  which 
 continued  ever  after. 
 
 Verle  4.  Ver.  4.  And  this  work  of  the  Candleflicl^was  of  beaten 
 Gold,  Scc.^l  Upon  this  occafion  he  briefly  repeats, 
 what  is  more  largely  faid  concerning  the  Stru&ure  of 
 this  Candleftick,  XXV  Exod.  31,  &c.  and  XXXVII. 
 17,  Sec. 
 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  And  the  LO  RD  fyake  unto  Mofcs,  faying."] 
 That  which  follows  plainly  belongs  to  what  was  faid, 
 Chap.  UI.7. 
 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  Take  the  Levites  from  among  the  Children  of 
 Ifrael.]  In  that  place  (III. 7.)  he  bad  Mofcs  give  them 
 to  Aaron  and  his  Sons,  out  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael  -0 
 and  now  he  executes  it. 
 
 And  dcanfe  them."]  He  had  given  them  their  Charge, 
 (Chap.lV.)  and  now  he  prepares  them  for  the  perform- 
 ance of  it.     For  they  could  not  be  fit  to  attend  in  the 
 
 Taber- 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  i2y 
 
 Tabernacle  till  they  were  purified  $  and,  in  fome  fort,  Chapter 
 confecrated  to  that  Service.  VII. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  thus  floalt  thou  do  unto  them,  to  cleanfe  L/,>/"\J 
 them."]    Here  he  directs  how  they  were  to  be  purified  5  Verfe  7.. 
 and  then,  (v.  9, 10, 8cc.)  how  they  were  to  be  confe- 
 crated or  dedicated  to  God. 
 
 Sprinkle  the  Water  of  purifying  upow  them.  ~]  The 
 manner  of  making  this  Water  is  not  defcribed,  till 
 XIX.  9.  but  in  all  likelihood  had  been  ordered,  and 
 made  before  -0  becaufe  the  Levites  were  fprinkled  with 
 it  y  as  thofe  alfo  were  who  had  been  defiled  by  the 
 dead,  XIX.  15. 
 
 And  let  themflmve  all  their  Flefi.]  The  greateft  Pur 
 rity  was  required  in  them  5  for  they  are  here  ordered 
 to  be  cleanfed,  according  to  the  cleanfing  of  a  Leper., 
 XIV  Levit.  8,  9.  and  of  a  Nazarite,  when  he  was  de- 
 filed by  the  dead,  VI  Numb.  9.  R.  Levi  ben  Gerfom 
 thinks  there  was  this  moral  Signification  in  this  fha- 
 ving  5  that  they  were  hereby  admoni(hed,T^  caft  away 
 all  worldly  Cares,  as  much  as  might  be,  and  wholly  give 
 t hem/elves  to  their  J acred  MiniUry. 
 
 And  wajh  their  Cloths.  ~]  That  their  Bodies  be- 
 ing cleanfed,  might  not  be  defiled  by  foul  Ap- 
 parel. 
 
 Ver.  8.  Then  let  them  take  a  young  Bullock/]     For  a  Verfe  8. 
 Burnt-offering,  as  is  manifeft  from,  v.  12. 
 
 With  hk  Meat-offering.']  Which  always  attended 
 upon  Burnt-offerings,  XV.  9. 
 
 And  another  young  Bullock^  foalt  thou  take  for  a  Sin- 
 offering.]  This  being  offered  for  the  whole  body  of 
 the  Levites,  is  the  fame  Sacrifice  that  is  ordered  when 
 the  whole  Congregation  of  Ifrael  finned  through  Ig- 
 norance, IV Levit.  13,14. 
 
 Ver.-. 
 
iaS  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  9.    And  thou  fi alt  bring  the  Levites  before  the 
 VII.       Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation.']     To  the  Door  of 
 L/'VNJ  it,    where  the  Altar  of  Burnt-offerings  flood,    XL 
 Verie  9.    Exod.  6. 
 
 And  thou  /halt  gather  the  whole  Affembly  of  the  Chil- 
 dren of  Ifrael  together.']  The  Hebrew  words  COL  A- 
 DATH,  which  we  tranllate  the  whole  Ajfembly,  fre- 
 quently fignifies  all  the  Elders  oflfracl:  As  in  XV.  4. 
 XXV.  7.  XXXV.  12.  And  it  cannot  well  have 
 any  other  lenfe  in  this  place,  as  appears  from  the  next 
 Verfe. 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  And  thou  /halt  bring  the  Levites  before  the 
 LORD.']  Prefent  them  to  him,  at  the  Altar. 
 
 And  the  Children  of  JfraelT]  The  Elders  of  the  Peo- 
 ple mentioned  in  the  foregoing  Verfe.  For  all  the  Chil- 
 dren of  Ifrael  could  not  poffibly  do  what  is  here  en- 
 joyned}  but  fome  of  them  in  the  name  of  the  reft  ^ 
 and  none  fo  proper,  as  their  Rulers  and  Governors, 
 who  were  their  Reprefentatives. 
 
 Shall  put  their  hands  upon  the  Levites 7]     As  Men  u- 
 fed  to  do  upon  their  Sacrifices.     Which  fignified  the 
 devoting  of  that  Beaft  to  God,    by  him  who  laid  his 
 Hand  on  it  at  the  Altar  ^  for  fuch  Purpofes  as  he 
 brought  it.     And  this  was  done  by  private  Men  in 
 their  Burnt-offerings,  and  Peace-offerings,    as  well  as 
 in  their  Sin-offerings,  (fee  I  Levit.  4.  HI.2.  VIII.13.) 
 but  the  Jews  obferve,  that  the  whole  Congregation 
 laid  their  Hands  only  upon  the  Sin-offering  that  was 
 offered  for  them,    IV  Lev.  15.     Therefore  the  Le- 
 vites are  here  to  be  confidered  under  that  notion  5  as 
 is  manifeft  from  v.  19.  where  God  is  faid  to  have 
 given  them  to  Aaron,  &C  to  wake  an  Atonement  for 
 the  Children  of  Ifrael.     For  the  Levites  being  given  to 
 God  inftead  of  the  Firft-born,  by  the  SancYification  of 
 
 which 
 
upon  NUMBER  S.  129 
 
 which  Firft-born  to  God,  (as  it  is  called,  XIII  Exod.  Chapter 
 1.)  the  whole  Family  was  fan&ified,  and  their  Sin      VIII. 
 after  a  fort  expiated  5    the  Offering  of  the  Levites  af-  l/VX; 
 ter  this  manner  to  God,  was  to  have  the  fame  effect, 
 that  the  Offering   of  the  Firft-born  had,  viz.  the 
 Sanftification,  and  Atonement  of  the  Children  of  If 
 rael. 
 
 Ver.  I 1 .  And  Aaron  foal/  offer  the  Levites  before  the  Verfe  1 1 . 
 LORD,  for  an  Offering  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael7\ 
 The  Hebrew  words  are  more  fignificant,  Aaron  jhall 
 wave  the  Levites  before  the  LOR  Z),  for  a  Wave- 
 offering,  Sec.  I  have  often  obferved  before,  that  this 
 Waving,  or  Agitation  too  and  fro  before  the  Altar, 
 (of  which  fee  XXIX  Exod.  24.)  was  a  folemn  Con- 
 secration of  a  thing  to  God,  as  a  Sacrifice :  And  there- 
 fore the  Levites  were  prefented  unto  him,  under  the 
 fame  Confideration,  as  the  Firft-born  were.  But  it 
 was  impoffible  for  Aaron  to  wave  them,  as  he  did  fome 
 parts  of  a  Sacrifice  5  and  therefore  it  is  probable  that  he 
 lifting  up  his  Hands,  and  turning  about  to  all  fides  (as 
 he  did  when  he  offered  a  Wave-offering)  they,  at  his 
 Command,  imitated  the  fame  motion  5  and  fo  were 
 offered  up  to  God,  and  became  wholly  his.  See 
 ver.  21. 
 
 That  they  may  execute  the  Service  of  the  LORD."] 
 Or,  as  it  is  more  fignificantly  in  the  Margin,  that 
 they  may  be  to  execute,  Sec.  Which  expreffes  the  In- 
 tention of  this  waving  them  before  the  LORD  $  that 
 being  wholly  given  up  to  him,  they  might  become 
 meet  to  execute  that  Service,  to  which  he  appointed 
 them  at  his  Houfe. 
 
 S  -Ver. 
 
130  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  12.  And  the  Levites  Jhall lay  their  Hands  upon 
 VIII.       the  Heads  of  the  Bullocks  f\\t  being  evident  from  v.  19. 
 
 L/^"V"\J  that  the  LevHes  were  considered,  as  an  expiatory  Sa- 
 Verfe  I2.crifice  5  and  yet  not  being  to  be  devoted  to  Death, 
 (no  more  than  the  Firft-born  were)  thefe  two  Sacri- 
 fices, one  for  Sin,  the  other  a  Burnt-offering,  were 
 fubftituted  in  their  (lead.  Upon  which  therefore 
 they  were  to  lay  their  Hands,  that  the  Sin,  which 
 the  Children  of  Ifrael  laid  upon  them,  (z/.io.)  might 
 be  transferred  to  thefe  Beafb:,  by  laying  their  Hands 
 upon  them  to  be  actually  iacrificed  unto  Cod  by 
 (bedding  their  Blood. 
 
 The  one  for  a  Sin-offering,  and  the  other  for  a  Burnt- 
 offering  unto  the  L0RD7\  The  Burnt- offering  was 
 mentioned  fir  ft,  (v.  8.)  being  the  mo  ft  ancient  of  all 
 Offerings,  from  the  beginning  of  the  World  :  But 
 the  Sin-offering  is  offered  firft  to  make  the  other  ac- 
 ceptable. And  fo  it  was  when  Aaron  was  confe- 
 crated,  VIII  Levit.  14.  18.  and  when  he  offered  for 
 himfelf,  IX  Levit.  8,  12.  and  for  the  People,  v.  15, 
 16.  and  (to  name  no  more)  in  the  Cleanling  of  a 
 Leper,  XIV.  19. 
 
 To  make  an  Atonement  for  the  Levites.")  The  Sin- 
 offering  properly  made  the  Atonement  5  and  the 
 Burnt-offering  declared  its  acceptance. 
 Verfe  13.  Ver.  13.  And  thou  fhalt  fet  the  LevHes  before  Aaron, 
 and  hk  Sons.']  As  they  were  brought  before  the 
 Lord,  becaufe  they  were  to  be  given  unto  him,  v.  9. 
 So  now  they  were  fet  before  Aaron  and  his  Sons,  be- 
 caufe they  were  given  by  God  to  them,  z/.  1 9. 
 
 And  offer  them  for  an  Offering  unto  the  LORD.  ~]  Or, 
 as  it  is  in  the  Hebrew,  and  wave  them  for  a  Wave- 
 offering  unto  the  LORD.  Some  imagine,  that  as 
 Aaron  waved  them  before,  v,  1 1 .    fo  now  they  were 
 
 in 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  131 
 
 in  like  manner  waved  by  Mofis.     But  it  feems  to  me  Chapter 
 more  probable,    that  the  meaning  is  5    they    being    VIII. 
 waved,  &c.  fhould  be  fit  before  Aaron  and  hk  Sons,  L/*VNJ 
 and  prefented  to  them  as  God's  Gift,    according  to 
 his  order,  III.  9.     And  fo  thefe  words  ought  to  be 
 tranilated,    after  thou  bafi  waved  them,   for  a  Wave- 
 offering.  That  is,  after  Aaron  by  his  Order  had  waved 
 them.    And  thus,  the  like  words  muft  be  underftood, 
 %>.  15.     See  there. 
 
 Ver.  14.  Thus  f}  alt  thoufiparate  the  Levites  from  a-  yerCe  u 
 mong  the  Children  of  Ifrael.]     By  the  fore-mentioned 
 Purification,  v.  7.  and  Oblation,  v*  io>  11. 
 
 And  the  Levites  ft  all  be  mine.]  They  became  his,by 
 this  folemn  Oblation  of  them  to  him,  a.i  1. 
 
 Ver.  15.  And  after  that f/jall  the  Levites  go  in.']  To  Verfe  l<?. 
 the  Court  of  the  Tabernacle,  where  they  were  to  at- 
 tend upon  the  Priefts,  and  affift  them  in  their  Mini- 
 ftry,  and  in  taking  down  the  Tabernacle  when  it  was 
 to  remove. 
 
 To  do  the  Service  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congrega- 
 tion.'] In  the  Court  of  the  Priefts  where  the  Altar  of 
 Burnt-offering  flood.  For  into  the  San&uary  it 
 felf  none  but  the  Priefts  entred  $  and  there  was  no 
 Miniftry  there,  in  which  the  Levites  were  to  af- 
 fift. 
 
 And  thou  Jfjalt  cleanfe  them,  and  offer  them  for  an  Of- 
 fering^] Or  rather,  after  thou  hafl  cleanfid  them,  and  of- 
 fered,fkc.  according  as  was  direfted,  ^.7,11. 
 
 Ver.  16.  For  they  are  wholly  given  unto  me,  Sec]  Verfe  16. 
 God  commanded  them  before  to  be  taken  from  among 
 the  Children  of  Ifrael,  III.  45.  and  now  they  are  gi- 
 ven to  him.  The  word  is  repeated  twice  in  the  He- 
 brew, given,  given,  (which  we  trandate  wholly  gi- 
 ven)  becaufe  the  Children   of  Ifrael  had  devoted 
 
 S  2  them 
 
232  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  them  to  him,   by  laying  their  Hands  on  them,  v.  ic. 
 VIII.      and  Aaron  had  waved  them  as  a  Wave-offering  to  the 
 L/"V\J  Lord,  v.  ii. 
 
 Inftead  of  fuch  as  open  every  Womb,  Sec.  ]     See  III. 
 
 12,  I?. 
 
 Verfe  17.      Ver.  17.    F<?r  d//  f/>e  Firft-born  of  the  Children  of 
 Ifrael  are   mine,    both   Man  and  Be  aft,  &C.  ]      XIII 
 Exod.  2. 
 
 Verfe  i3.  Ver.  18.  And  I  have  taken  the  Levites  for  all  the 
 Firft-born  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael."]  By  the  exchange, 
 mentioned  III.  2,13,45. 
 
 Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  And  I  have  given  the  Levites  as  a  Gift 
 to  Aaron,  and  to  hk  Sons,  Sec.  ~]  In  the  Hebrew  the 
 words  are  mure  emphatical,  /  have  given  the  Le- 
 vites given,  Sec.  That  is,  the  Levites  which  are  gi- 
 ven unto  me,  v.  16.  I  have  given  unto  Aaron,  and 
 his  Sons,  III.  9. 
 
 To  do  the  Service  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael.']  See 
 III.  7.  The  Vulgar  Latin  tranflates  it,  to  ferve 
 me  for  the  Children  of  Ifrael  5  /.  e.  to  do  them  Ser- 
 vice, by  afMing  the  Priefts  in  offering  Sacrifice  for 
 the  People. 
 
 In  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation?]  See  v.  1  5 . 
 Af?d  to  make  an  Atonement  for  the  Children  of  Ifrael."] 
 Not  by  offering  Sacrifice,  for  that  was  the  work  of 
 the  Priefts  alone  ^  but  by  being  offered  themfelves,  in 
 the  nature  of  an  expiatory  Sacrifice  unto  God,  as  I 
 obferved  before,  v.  10,  and  12.  For  though  they 
 were  not  (lain  at  the  Altar,  as  Sacrifices  were,  yet 
 they  might  expiate,  as  the  Scape-Goat  did  :  Which 
 was  fent  away  alive  into  the  Wildernefs,  after  it  had 
 been  prefented  unto  the  Lo&D,  asthefe  Levites  were, 
 XVlLevit.  7.)  10. 
 
 That 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  133 
 
 That  there   be  no  Plague  among  the  Children  of  If-   Chapter 
 raeW]     As  there  would  have  been,  if  any  Man  had     VIII. 
 prefumed  to  officiate  in  the  Houfe  of  God  ^  but  fuch  L/^'WJ 
 as  were,  in  this  manner,  taken  by  himfelf  tominifter 
 there. 
 
 When  the  Children  of  Ifrael  come  nigh  unto  the  San- 
 Uuary7\  To  worfhip  God  :,  and  to  bring  their  Sa- 
 crifices to  be  offered  at  his  Altar. 
 
 Ver.  20.  And  Mofes  and  all  the  Congregation  of  If  Verfe  20- 
 rael.~]  i.  e.  The  Elders  of  the  People,  v.  9,  10. 
 
 Did  to  the  Levites  according  unto  all  that  the  LORD 
 commanded  Mofes  concerning  the  Levites,  Scc^)  Sepa- 
 rated them  to  God  from  the  reft  of  the  Ifraelites,  as 
 he  had  directed,  v.  14. 
 
 Ver.  21.  And  the   Levites  were  purified,    and  theyVerk  21. 
 wafted  their  ClothesT]     According  to  the  order  given 
 v.j. 
 
 And  Aaron  offered  them  an  Offering  before  the  LORD.~\ 
 Or  rather,  Waved  them  a  Wave-offering,  &c.  As  I  ob- 
 ferved  v.  11.  To  which  may  be  added,  That  it  is 
 likely  fome  of  the  Levites  were  thus  waved  in  the 
 name  of  all  the  reft :  for  there  being  Two  and  twen- 
 ty thoufand  of  them,  (III.  39.)  one  cannot  well  con^ 
 ceive  how  they  (hould  be  every  one  thus  offered. 
 
 And  Aaron  made  an  Atonement  for  them  to  cleanfe 
 them7\     See  v.\i. 
 
 Ver.  22.  And  after  that  the  Levites  went  in  to  do  Verfe  22.„ 
 their  Service  in   the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation.^ 
 According  to  the  Dire&ions  given  ^.15. 
 
 Before  Aaron  and  before  hk  Sons.  ~]  In  their  pre- 
 fence,  and  by  their  direftion. 
 
 Ver.  23.  And  the  LORD  Jpake  unto  Mofes,  fay-  Verfe  23. 
 ing7\     After  the  foregoing  Commands,  he  gave  him 
 fome  further  Inftruftions, 
 
 Ver, 
 
I34  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  24.  This  H  is  that  bclongeth  unto  the.  Levites.] 
 VIII.      Add  this,  to  what  hath  been  faid  about  them. 
 
 (^/"V"\J       From  twenty  and  five  years  old  and  upward  they  fa  all 
 
 Verie  i^goinT]  Then  they  might  begin  to  take  the  Cuftody 
 of  the  Tabernacle  upon  them  5  and  to  be  Door-keep- 
 ers, to  keep  out  Strangers,  and  fuch  as  were  unclean  : 
 but  not  to  load  the  Wagons ,  and  do  fuch  like  work 
 of  burden  till  they  were  thirty  years  of  Age.  See 
 IV.  3. 
 
 To  wait  upon  the  Service  of  the  Tabernacle,  Sec."]  In 
 the  Hebrew  the  words  are ,  To  war  the  warfare  of  the 
 Tabernacle.  Which  is  a  Phrafe  often  ufed  before,  IV. 
 3,  23,  Sec.  and  there  applied  to  thofe  that  carried  the 
 Tabernacle.  Which  they  might  not  do  till  thirty 
 years  of  Age:  but  might  go  in  to  learn  at  five  and 
 twenty,  as  fome  reconcile  thefe  two.  But  Abarbinel 
 notes,  That  there  is  nothing  faid  of  their  learning, 
 but  of  their  Service,  or  Miniftry  :  and  therefore  at 
 twenty  five  years  old  they  began  that  part  of  the  Ser- 
 vice }  which  confided  in  the  Cuftody  of  the  Taber- 
 nacle. 
 
 Verfe  2*.  Ver.  25'  And  from  the  Age  of  fifty  years  they  fljall 
 ceafe  waiting  upon  the  Service  thereof]  In  the  Hebrew, 
 Shall  return  from  the  warfare  of  their  Service:  i.e.  be 
 difcharged  from  their  Fun&ion  3  and  no  longer  bur- 
 dened with  any  laborious  work  3  as  that  of  carrying 
 the  Tabernacle  was. 
 
 And  pall  ferve  no  more.  ~]     In   fuch  manner   of 
 work. 
 
 Verfe  26.  Ver.  26.  But  flail minifler  with  their  Brethren.]  This 
 Miniftry  is  explained  in  the  following  words,  To  keep 
 the  charge  :  that  is,  to  take  care  of  the  Tabernacle  ; 
 unto  which  they  were  to  be  a  Guard. 
 
 In  the  Tabernacle  of  tlx  Congregation.  ]     See  IV.  3. 
 
 An 
 
 i~d 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  135 
 
 And  Jhall  do  no   Service."]     In   the  Hebrew,    Serve  Chapter 
 no  Service  :  that  is,  do  no  laborious   work,  (  as  was     VIII. 
 faid  before)  their  Age  beginning  to  require  eafe  and  L/^V^W 
 reft  :   and   therefore  no  Miniftry  was  required  of 
 them,  but  what  they   might  well  perform  without 
 pains  and  labour. 
 
 Thus  /halt  thou  do  unto  the   Levites  touching  their 
 charge."]     Appoint  them  their  Miniftries,  according 
 to  thefe  Rules  :  which  were  obferved  after  the  Ark 
 of  God  was  fettled ,  and  there  was   no  occalion  to 
 remove  it  any  more.     When  David   therefore  ,  in- 
 ftead  of  carrying  the  Ark  and  the  Tabernacle,  (  for 
 which  there  was  then  no  further  occafion)  appoint- 
 ed them  to  be  Singers  in  the  Temple  ,  and  Porters, 
 -  &c.     For  which  they  were  fit  at  twenty  years  of  Age : 
 but  continued  their  Employment  no  longer  than  till 
 fifty,  (  as  the  'jews  tell  us )  when  their  Voice  began 
 to  decay.     Whence  that  Obfervation  of  Abarbinel 
 upon  this  very  Chapter :     Age  makes  Levites  unfit 
 for  Service  ,     not   Blemifoes    in    their    Bodies :     but 
 Priejis  are  unfit    by  Blewi/hes  in  their  Bodies,  not  by 
 Age.     For  Priefts  continued  their  Service  as  long  as 
 they  lived :  and  though  they  did  not  begin  it   till 
 twenty  years  of  Age  5  yet  no  Law  of  God  forbad 
 them  to  begin  fooner. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
136 
 Chapter 
 
 IX. 
 L/-VNJ 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 CHAR     IX. 
 
 Verft  I.     Vcr,  I.    A  ND  ihe  LORD  (pake  unto  Mofes  in  the 
 l\  WilderntfsofSinaQ     Or,   the  LORD 
 
 hadjpoken  :  for  he   relates  now  what  was  done  a 
 Month  ago  3  but  not  recorded  till  now,  for  a   fpe- 
 cial  reafon.     Which  was ,  that  God  having   com- 
 manded them  in  the  Month  before  this ,  to  keep  the 
 Paffoyer,  fome  Perfons  were  unprepared  for  it :  and 
 thereupon  a  queftion  arofe,  What  Courfe  they  fhould 
 take?  tor  they  were  much  troubled  they  could  not  do 
 as  their  Brethren  did.     Which  produced  a  new  Com- 
 mand from  God,  that  they  fhould  keep  the  Paflbver 
 in  this  fecond  Month  of  the  first  Tear  after  they  came 
 out  of  Egypt.     This  Mofes  being  to  give  an  account 
 of,  as  a  matter  of  great  importance  ,  he  doth  it  in 
 the  proper  place  for  it,  when  he  was  relating  what 
 things  were  done  in  this  Month,  (  I.  1.  )  and  defer- 
 red the  mention  of  keeping;  the  Paflbver  in  the  firff 
 Month  5    till  he  could  fpeak  of   them   both  toge- 
 ther. 
 
 In  the  fir  ft  Month  of  the  fecond  ye^ar^  after  they  were 
 come  out  of  the  Land  of  Egypt.  ~]  In  which  Month 
 they  were  commanded  to  keep  the  Paflbver  ,  in  me- 
 mory of  their  wonderful  Deliverance  from  the  Land 
 of [Egypt. 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  Let  the  Children  of  Jfrael  alfo  keepi  the  Pafs- 
 ovcr  at  kk  appointed  feafon.~]  Aaron  having  been  late- 
 ly confecrated,  and  having  offered  all  forts  of  Sacrifi- 
 ces for  himfelf  and  for  the  People  3  and  God  having 
 declared  his  acceptance  by  Fire  from  Heaven  (VIII  Sc 
 
 IX  Lev.  J 
 
^NUMBERS.  137 
 
 IX  Lev.)  God  commanded  the  People  flhould  keep  Chapter 
 the  Paflbver  5  which  he  had  lately  admonilhed  them       IX. 
 was  one  of  the  Feafts  of  the  LORD,  XXIII  Lev. 5.  'yY\J 
 But  the  firft  order  for  theobfervation  of  it,being  that 
 they  fbould  keep  this  Service,  when  they  came  to  the  pro* 
 tnifed  Land,  XII  Exod.  2  5. they  might  thence  conclude, 
 there  lay  no  Obligation  upon  them,  to  keep  it  here 
 in  the  Wildernefs.     And  therefore  by  a  Special  Pre- 
 cept they  are  required  to  keep  it,  (  when  the  year 
 was  come  about  to  the  time  of  its  firfl  Obfervation  ) 
 that  the  memory   of  fo  .lingular   a  Benefit ,  might 
 net    prefently  (lip  out  of  their    mind.      See  XIII 
 Exod.  5. 
 
 Ver.  3.  In  the  fourteenth  day  of  this  Month  at  Even,  Verfe  3. 
 ye  foal/  kgep  it  in  his  appointed  Sea/on.  ^     So  it  was  or- 
 dained XII  Exod.  6.  XXIII  Lev.  5.  * 
 
 According  to  all  the  Rites  of  it.~\  With  unleavened 
 Bread,  and  bitter  Herbs  ,  and  the  other  Rites  menti- 
 oned XII  Exod.  9,  10. 
 
 And  according  to  all  the  Ceremonies  thereof]  If 
 there  be  any  difference  between  Ceremonies  and  Rites, 
 I  fhould  think  this  belongs  to  their  Eating  it  in  hafte, 
 with  their  Loyns  girt,  Shoes  on  their  Feet,  and  Staves 
 in  their  hands,  XII  Exod.11.  Unto  which  they  were 
 not  bound,  when  they  came  into  the  Land  of  Ca- 
 naan, when  they  were  no  longer  Travellers  5  but , 
 it  is  likely,  were  obferved  here  in  the  Wildernefs, 
 when  they  were  in  an  unfettled  Condition. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  Mofes  fpake  unto  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  Verfe  a. 
 that  theyfhould  keep  the  Pajfover.  ]     According  to  all 
 the  Rites  and  Ceremonies  belonging  to  it. 
 
 Ver. 
 
138  >it~tOMMENTARr 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  5.  And  they  kept  the  Pajfover  on  the  fourteenth 
 
 IX.      day  of  the  JirU  Month  at  Even.']     It   was  not   hard 
 
 L/"VNJ  to  procure  fo  much  Flour,  as  would  ferve  to  make 
 
 Verfe  5.    unleavened  Bread  for  that  Even,  from  fonre  of  their 
 
 Neighbours,  about  the  Wildernefs.     See  IV.  7. 
 
 /;/  the  Wildernefs  of  Sinai. "]  Where  they  refred 
 almoft  a  whole  Year.  But  after  they  removed  from 
 thence ,  were  fo  uncertain  in  their  Motions  from 
 place  to  place  ,  that  they  did  not  Circumcife  their 
 Children  :  who  confequently  could  not  eat  of  the 
 PafTover.  And  therefore  we  never  read  of  its  being 
 kept  after  this,  during  their  forty  Years  ftay  in  the 
 Wildernefs  :  nor  would  they  have  been  obliged,  as 
 I  faid,  to  keep  it  now ,  without  this  Special  Com- 
 mand. Yet  their  Do&ors  fay,  That  this  is  written 
 by  Mofes  as  a  reproach  to  the  Jfraelites  ,  that  they  ob- 
 ferved  no  Pajfover  in  the  Wildernefs,  hut  this  one  alone. 
 Yet  there  are  Chriftian  Writers,  who  deliver  it  as 
 the  Opinion  of  the  Hebrews  themfelves,  that  they 
 kept  another  Paflbver,  a  little  before  they  ended  their 
 Wandrings  in  the  Wildernefs,  viz.  in  the  firft  Month 
 of  the  Year  wherein  Miriam  died.  See  Selden  de  Sy- 
 nedr.  Lib.  II.  cap.  2.  n.  I. 
 
 According  to  all  that  the  LORD  commanded  Mo- 
 fes, fo  did  the  Children  of  Ifrael.  3  They  kept  the 
 PafTover  on  the  fourteenth  Day  at  Even  :  but  perhaps 
 did  not  keep  the  Feaft  of  Unleavened  Bread,  for^- 
 ven  Days  following.  For  here  is  no  mention  of  that, 
 and  it  had  not  been  eafie  to  provide  fo  much  Bread, 
 the  want  of  which  was  fupplied  by  Manna. 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  there  mere  certain  Men  who  were  defi- 
 led by  the  dead  Body  of  a  Man7\  And  by  a  late  Law, 
 (  for  there  is  Nothing  about  this ,  in  the  Original 
 
 Law 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  i5p 
 
 Law  of  the  Paffover,  XII  Exod.  )  no  Unclean  Per-  Chapter 
 fon  might  eat  of  Holy  Things,  VII  Lev.  20.  IX. 
 
 That  they  could  not  kpep  the  Pajfover  on  that  day.  ~]  t/Y\j 
 On  the  fourteenth  Day  of  the  firft  Month  at  Even  ^ 
 when  the  reft  kept  the  Paffover,  who  were  not  de- 
 filed. 
 
 And  they  came  before  Mofes  and  before  Aaron  on 
 that  day!]  On  the  very  Day  that  the  Paffover  was 
 kept. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  thefe  Men  faid  unto  him.']  Though  Verfe  7. 
 they  came  before  them  both ,  whom  they  found  fir- 
 ting  together }  yet  they  applied  themfelves  to  Mofes 
 only,  as  the  Supreme  Judge  in  fuch  lingular  Cafes. 
 Fof  the  Judges  which  were  conftituted  by  the  Ad- 
 vice of  Jethro,  could  not  refolve  this  hardqueftion  : 
 and  therefore  they  reforted  to  Mofes,  unto  whofe 
 Judgment  all  difficult  Caufes  were  referved,  XVIII 
 Exod.  22,26.  SztSelden,  L.  II.  deSynedrw,  cap.i. 
 n.  3. 
 
 We  are  defiled  by  the  dead  Body  of  a  Man. "]  And 
 therefore  fome  may  think  (hould  have  been  excluded 
 out  of  the  Camp,  (according  to  what  was  ordain- 
 ed V.  2.)  and  confequently  kept  from  coming  with 
 fuch  Queftions,  or  about  any  other  Bufinefs  to  Mo- 
 fes.  But  it  muft  be  confidered  ,  that  when  this  hap- 
 ned,  the  Law  now  mentioned  was  not  given :  for 
 this  was  in  the  firft  Month  of  the  fecond  Year ,  and 
 that  Law  was  not  given  till  the  fecond  Month,when 
 the  Camps  were  formed. 
 
 Wherefore  are  we  kept  back;]  It  was  againft  their 
 will  that  they  were  defiled  by  the  dead  Body  of  a 
 Man,  (  which  perhaps  they  were  bound  to  bury ) 
 and  therefore  they  expoftulate  with  Mofes ,  about 
 their  being  denied  the  Liberty  which  others  had  : 
 
 T  .2  plead- 
 
 L 
 
i4o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 ■ 
 
 Chapter  pleading,  in  efreft,  it  was  not  their  Fault  that  they 
 IX.       were  defiled  by  the  Dead  ,  but  rather  their  Unhap- 
 
 L/^T\J  pinefs  5  and  therefore  why  might  they  not  challenge 
 a  Right  in  this  Sacrifice,  as  well  as  others ,  fee- 
 ing they  had  not  forfeited  it  by  any  voluntary 
 Guilt. 
 
 That  rve  may  not  offer  an  Offering  of  the  LOR  D.~] 
 The  Paffover  is  called  the  KORBAN  of  the 
 L  0  R  D  5  becaufe  it  was  to  be  killed,  and  its  Blood 
 fprinkled,  (which  (hows  it  to  be  properly  a  Sacri- 
 fice )  and  then  eaten  by  God's  Commandment  ,  in  a 
 grateful  remembrance  of  an  exceeding  great  Benefit: 
 which  fhows  it  to  be  an  Euchariftical  Sacrifice.  For 
 though  the  firft  Sacrifice  in  Egypt  was  to  procure  De- 
 liverance to  them,  and  to  avert  the  Evil  which  fell 
 on  the  Egyptians  by  the  deftroying  Angel  :  Yet  e- 
 ver  after  it  was  a  Thankfgiving  for  Deliverance  then 
 wrought ,  by  God's  fpecial  favour  to  them.  Of 
 which  there  was  a  compendious  Commemoration 
 made  ,  in  their  Pafchal  Elites,    XII  Exod.  25,  26, 
 
 In  his  appointed feafon  among  the  Children  of  Jfrael.  J 
 For  if  they  did  not  perform  this  Service  now,  they 
 knew  it  was  not  lawful  to  be  done  at  any  other 
 time. 
 -  8.  Ver.  8.  And  Mofes  faid  unto  them,  Hand  slil/.~]  Or 
 wait  here  a  while.  In  which  words  Mofes  himfelf 
 acknowledges  the  difficulty  of  the  cafe  3  which  he 
 could  not  refolve,  till  he  had  firft  confulted  the  Dir 
 vine  Majefty  about  it.  Which  teach  Judges  not  to 
 be  afhamed  to  confefs  their  Ignorance,  and  take  adr 
 vice  in.  Matters  dubious,  as  the  Hierufalem  Tar  gum 
 here  obferves.  But  I  fee  no  fuch  good  ground  for  the 
 other  part  of  his  Obfervation  on  this  Verfe  5    that 
 
 there 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  141 
 
 there  being  four  difficult  Caufes  brought  before  Mo-  Chapter 
 fes,    in  two  of  them  he  made  hafte  to  determine  5      IX. 
 but  in  the  other  two  he  was  ilow.  Thofe  of  the  firft  L/^sOvJ 
 fort  were  this,  and  that  of  the  Daughters  of  Zelophc- 
 had,  Chap.  XX.    thefe  he  judged  prefently,    becaufe 
 they  were  pecuniary  Matters  3    but  the  other  two 
 (viz.  about  him  that  blafphemed,  XXIV  Levit.  and 
 him  that  gathered  Sticks  on  the  Sabbath-day,  XV 
 Numb.}  being  capital  Caufes,  he  took  longer  time  to 
 judge,  for  he  put  them  in  Ward  till  the  Mind  of  the 
 Lord  was  known.     To  teaclr  thofe  that  fucceeded. 
 him  in  the  Office  of  Judges,  to  make  quick  difpatch  in 
 Money  Matter  s^    but  to  proceed  flowly  in  Capital  Caufes. 
 But  as  this  was  no  pecuniary  Caufe  5   fo  it  doth  not 
 appear  but  he  took  as  much  time  to  underftand  the 
 Mind  of  God  in  it,  as  in  the  other  two  about  Blafphe- 
 my,  and  Sabbath-breaking  :    For  he  went  in  to  con- 
 fult  with  him,  as  he  did  alfo  in  the  cafe  of  Zelop/je- 
 had's  Daughters,    whofe  Caufe  he  brought  before  the 
 LORD,  XXVII.5. 
 
 I  will  hear  what  the  LORD  will  command  concer?r- 
 ing  you."]  Thefe  words  feem  to  fignifie  that  Mofes 
 might  go  into  the  Holy  Place  when  he  pleafed,  to 
 enquire  of  God  5  where  God  fpake  with  him  in  an 
 audible  Voice,  VII.  89.  whenfoever  he  defired  Satis- 
 faction about  anv  Doubt.  So  AbarbineL  who  in  this 
 for  fakes  the  Talmudifs  :  For  they  fancy,  that  becaufe 
 God  called  to  Mofes,  and  then  fpake  to  him  out  of 
 the  Tabernacle,  (I  Levit.  1.)  he  could,  never  go  in- 
 to the  Holy  Place,  but  when  he  was  called.  Which 
 was  true  only  at  that  time  when  the  Glory,  of  the 
 Lo&D  had  newly  filled  the  Tabernacle  5  fo  that  he 
 durft  not  come  into  it,  till  he  was  invited  :  But  was 
 not  a  general  Rule  to  be  obferved  in  all  his  Collo- 
 quies 
 
H7  &   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  quies  with  the  Divine  Majefty,  (that  he  (hould  wait 
 IX.       till  he  had  a  fingular  Call  to  come  to  him)  for  it  is  plain 
 
 U^VNJ  by  thi$  place,  that  he  went  in  to  fpeak  with  him,  when- 
 foevet  he  had  occafion. 
 
 Verfe  9.  V?r.  9.  And  the  LORD  fiake unto  Mofes,  faying.'] 
 He  brought  this  Cafe  before  the  Lord,  as  his  man- 
 ner was  in  fuch  Doubts,  and  the  Lord  gave  him 
 the  following  Anfwer :  Which  was  to  be  a  Rule 
 not  only  to  thefe  prefent  Enquirers,  but  to  all  Pdfte- 
 rity. 
 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  If  any  Man  of  you,  or  ofyourPofterity,  Jhall 
 be  unclean^]  From  hence  the  Jews  obferve,  that  this  is 
 a  Law  concerning  particular  Perfons  only  ^  not  con- 
 cerning all  the  People,  or  the  major  part  of  them. 
 For,  as  the  Mifchna  faith  in  the  Title  Pefachim,  Cap.j. 
 if  all  the  People,  or  the  greater  part,  or  the  Priefts 
 had  contrafted  any  Defilement,  they  ought  notwith- 
 ftandmg  to  keep  the  Paflbver,  even  in  that  Defile- 
 ment But  if  the  leffer  part  only  were  defiled,  then 
 they  that  were  clean  ought  to  keep  it  in  the  firft 
 Month,  and  they  that  were  defiled  in  the  fecond. 
 This  they  ground  upon  the  very  firft  words  of  this 
 Law,  v.  6.  There  were  certain  Men  5  and  upon  thefe, 
 if  any  Man  of  yon,  &c.  From  whence,  faith  Maimo- 
 nldes,  this  Dottrine  follows,  out  of  ancient  Tradi- 
 tion, that  there  were  fome  private  Perfons,  who  were 
 adjourned  to  the  fecond  Pajfover  \  but  if  the  generality 
 flwuld  be  defiled  by  the  dead,  they  were  not  to  be  fo  ad- 
 journed, but  to  facrifice  hi  that  Uncleannefs.  A 
 great  deal  more  to  the  fame  purpofe  may  be  feen 
 in  the  fore- named  Mr,  Sehkn^  Lib.  2.  de  Sy?jedr,  Cap, I. 
 m  3. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  145 
 
 By  reafon  of  a  dead  body7\     This  Cafe  is  mentioned  Chapter 
 inftead  of  all  other,  of  like  nature.     For  there  was      IX. 
 the  fame  reafon  for  thofe  who  were  unclean  by  a  Le-  L/"W-> 
 profie  ^    for  Women  in  Child-bed,    or  that  were 
 menftruous,  or  thofe  that  had  a  EUmning-i(Tue,or  had 
 touched  a  dead  Carcafs.  And  this  fome  of  them  ground 
 upon  v.  1 3.  Where  fpeaking  of  thofe  who  (hould  keep 
 the  Paflbever,  it  is  (aid  in  general,  the  Man  that  is 
 elean^&c.  therefore  he  that  was  any  way  unclean, 
 might  not  keep  it. 
 
 Or  be  in  a  Journey  afar  off.~]  Out  of  his  own  Coun- 
 try, (for  it  could  not  be  kept  any  where  but  in  Jud<ca, 
 XVI  Dent.  2.)  or  at  fuch  a  diftance,  that  he  could  not 
 reach  the  Tabernacle  upon  the  Day  appointed.  In  the 
 Mifchna  indeed  this  derecl^  recho\ah^  as  it  is  in  the 
 Hebrew ,  ( a  long  way  off)  is  defined  to  be  fifteen 
 Miles  from  Jerufalem,  or  the  place  where  the  Taber- 
 nacle was.  Whence  Maimonides  faith,  If  any  Man 
 on  the  fourteenth  Day  of  the  Month  Nifan,  at  Sun  ri- 
 fing  was  fifteen  Mile,  or  more  from  Jerufalem-y  this 
 was  a  remote  way  :  but  if  he  was  not  fo  far  from  it, 
 he  was  not  comprehended  in  this  remote  way  5  for  he 
 might  be  at  Jerufalem  time  enough  in  the  Afternoon, 
 to  keep  the  Paflbver  that  Evening  $  though  he  went 
 but  a  flow  pace,  and  that  on  foot.  But  I  do  not  take 
 this  to  be  a  reafonable  Explication.  Philo  hath  de- 
 termined the  diftance  a  great  deal  better,  according  to 
 the  Interpretation  I  mentioned  at  firft,  (L.  III.  de  Vi- 
 ta Mofis.)  Where  he  faith,  the  fecond  Paffover  was 
 permitted,  70%  /ucck^^  x*Qv  oww^tyuas  ^Ai/o/zii/as,  &c. 
 To  fuch  who  were  kindred  by  their  Travels-  into  Coun- 
 tries a  great  way  offy  from  facrificing  with  the  reji  of 
 their  Nation.  For  it  was  not  their  fault  that  they  were 
 deprived  of  thk  honour  3    efpecially  confidering  that  fc 
 
 fmaU, 
 
 L 
 
H4  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  ff&dU  a  Country  as  Jud£a  could  not  contain  fuch  a,  popu- 
 IX.  bus  Nation,  but  fent  out  Colonies  into  many  places.  As 
 L/^V^VJ  for  thofe  who  were  only  XV  Mile  from  Jerufalem, 
 they  might  eafily  have  come  to  the  Feaft,  if  not  on 
 the  Fourteenth  day,  yet  the  day  before  5  and  if  this 
 difhnce  had  been  a  good  reafon  to  excufe  their  ab- 
 fence,  moft  of  the  Nation  might  have  ftaid  away  with- 
 out any  danger. 
 
 Tet  hefiallkeep  the  Pajfover  unto  the  LORD.~]  When 
 that  Uncleannefs  is  gone  3  and  he  is  returned  to  his 
 own  Country  again. 
 Verfe  1 1 .  Ver.  1 1 .  The  fourteenth  day  of  the  fecond  Month 
 at  Even,  they  JIjoJ/  keep  it.  ]  They  had  a  whole 
 Month's  time  given  them,  to  difpofe  themfelves 
 and  their  Aftairs  fo,  that  they  might  be  able  to 
 keep  it. 
 
 And  eat  it  with  unleavened  Bread,  and  bitter  Herbs."] 
 Thofe  Jews  who  are  called  Karaites,  as  Mr.  Selden 
 obferves  in  the  place  before-named ,  n.  7.  ex- 
 prefly  fay,  that  they  were  not  bound  in  the  fecond 
 Month  Paffover,  unto  more  than  this  5  to  eat  the 
 Lamb  with  unleavened  Bread,  and  bitter  Herbs :  but 
 they  were  not  obliged  to  keep  the  Feaft  of  Unlea- 
 vened Bread  feven  days  3  becaufe  they  might  do  that 
 in  the  Paffover  of  the  firft  Month.  For  the  Unclean 
 are  only  prohibited  to  eat  the  Paflbver  3  but  not  to 
 keep  the  Feaft  of  Unleavened  Bread. 
 
 If  the  fame  Perfons  that  could  keep  it  in  the  firft 
 Month,  hapned  again  to  be  unclean  in  the  fecond, 
 they  could  not  keep  it  in  the  third,  or  the  fourth 
 Months :    For  this  had  been  to  confound  one  Feaft 
 
 ith  another  ;  and  there  is  no  order  for  it. 
 
 Ver. 
 
^NUMBERS.  14^ 
 
 Ver.  12.  They  fliaU  leave  none  of  H  till  the  mornings  Chapter 
 nor  breah^any  bone  of  it. "]     This  belongs  to  the  eating       IX. 
 of  the  Pafchal  Lamb,  XII  Exod.  10,  46.  L^V^J 
 
 According  to  all the  Ordinances  of  the  Paffover,  ^yVer(e  12. 
 pall  keep  it7\     See  v.  3.  This  is  to  be  underftood  of 
 all  the  Rites  that  were  proper  to  the  Offering,  and  to 
 the  eating  of  the  Pafchal  Lamb  :  but  not  to  the  keep- 
 ing of  the  Seven  Days  of  Unleavened  Bread. 
 
 Ver.  13.  But  the  Manthat  is  clean,  and  is  not  in  ^Verfe  13. 
 journey  ^and  forbeareth  to  keep  the  PaffoverT^     In  the  firft 
 Month,  which  was  the  time  appointed  for  it. 
 
 Even  the  fame  flail be  cut  off  from  his  People  7\  By  the 
 hand  of  the  Judges  5  or  of  God. 
 
 Becaufe  he  brought  not  the  Offering  of  the  LORD 
 in  his  appointed  feafon^     See  v.  7. 
 
 That  Man  flail bear  his  fin.  ]  The  Punilhment  of 
 it 
 
 Ver.  14.  And  if  a  Stranger  jloall  foj our n  among  yoit.']  Verfe  14. 
 He  fpeaks  of  a  Profelyte,  who  had  not  intirely  em- 
 braced their  Religion }  but  was  no  Idolater. 
 
 And  will  keep  the  Pajfoverunto  the  LO  R  D.~]  Hath 
 a  defire  to  joyn  with  you  in  this  Solemnity. 
 
 According  to  the  Ordinance  of  the  Pajfover,  and  ac- 
 cording to  the  manner  thereof  fo  (loallhe  do.  ]  He  was 
 to  be  Circumcifed,  and  his  whole  Family  $  or  other- 
 wife  he  could  not  be  permitted  to  keep  it.  See  XII 
 Exod.  44.  If  he  was  made  an  intire  Profelyte  after 
 the  Paffover  in  the  firft  Month,  and  before  that  in 
 the  fecond  5  it  was  a  queftion  whether  he  might  keep 
 it  then,  or  no. 
 
 Ye  flail  have  one  Ordinance  both  for  the  Stranger, and 
 for  him  that  was  born  in  the  hand.  See  XII  Exod. 
 49. 
 
 V  Ver. 
 
i46  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  15.   And    on  the  day  that  the  Tabernacle  was 
 
 IX.       reared  up.]     This  is  here  mentioned  again  by  Mofes  3 
 
 L/^v^vj  becaufe  he  is  going  to  fpeak  of  their  removal  from 
 
 Verfe  15. Sinai:  which  was  by  the  direction  and  guidance  of 
 
 this  Cloud  5  which  fettled  upon  the  Tabernacle  when 
 
 it  wasfirftere&ed,  XLExod.  34. 
 
 The  Cloud  covered  the  Tabernacle^  namely  the  Tent  of 
 the  Teftimony.~\  The  words  may  be  exactly  rendred 
 out  of  the  Hebrew^  The  Cloud  covered  the  (Mifchan^ 
 or)  dwelling  place  ofGod,  upon  (or  over)  the  Tent  of 
 the  Testimony  :  that  is,  over  that  part  of  the  Taber- 
 nacle where  the  Ark  was,  the  Cloud  appeared  vifible 
 to  all,  viz.  over  the  mod  holy  Place  ^  where  the 
 LORD  appeared  in  a  glorious  Cloud  upon  the  Mer- 
 cy Seat,  XVI  Lev.  2. 
 
 And  at  Even.']     When  it  grew  dark. 
 
 There  was  upon  the  Tabernacle.'}  Upon  that  part  of 
 it  now  mentioned. 
 
 As  it  were  the  appearance  of  fire.  ~\  The  fame  Cloud 
 which  was  outwardly  dark,  was  bright  within  :  and 
 turned  that  light  fide  towards  them  in  the  Night  5 
 when  the  cloudy  part  could  not  be  feen,  nor  be  ufe- 
 ful  to  them. 
 
 Till  the  morningJ]     Till   it  was  day,  when  the 
 Cloud  was  more  ferviceable  to  them  than  the  Light. 
 Verfe  16.      Ver.  16.  So  it  was  alway."]     All  the  time  of  their 
 continuance  in   the  Wildernefs.     See   XIII  Exod. 
 21. 
 
 The  Cloud  covered  it  by  day."]  The  word  by  day  is 
 not  in  the  Original :  it  being  the  manner  of  the  He- 
 brew Language  to  omit  a  word  fometime  in  one  part 
 of  a  Sentence  5  which  the  other  part  neceifarily  fup- 
 plies:  As  in  LXXXIV  Pfal.  11.  One  day  in  thy  Courts 
 is  better  than  a  thoufand  3  u  e.  in  any  other  place. 
 
 *  And 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  i47 
 
 And  XCI  Pfal.  7.  A  thoufand  fhall fall  at  thy  fide,  (i.e.   Chapter 
 on  thy  left  hand)    and  ten   thoufand   at  thy  right      IX. 
 hand.  L/^VNJ 
 
 And  the  appearance  of  fire  by  night.  ~]  As  the  dark 
 fide  of  the  Cloud  appeared  by  Day  over  the  holy 
 Place,  when  they  had  need  of  no  other  Light  but 
 that  of  the  Sun  $  fo  the  bright  part  appeared  every 
 Night,  and  that  like  Fire  3  when  the  Cloud,  by  rea- 
 fon  of  darknefs,  could  not  be  feen,  nor  be  fervice- 
 able  to  them  for  their  dire&ion.     See  XL  Exod. 
 
 38. 
 
 Ver.  17.  And  when  the  Cloud  was  taken  up.~]  Or  Verfe  17. 
 went  up  from  off  the  Tabernacle,  which  it  before 
 covered  ,  and  appeared  higher  in  the  Air.  From 
 hence,  to  the  end  of  the  Chapter,  Mofes  gives  an  ac- 
 count of  their  removal  from  Mount  Sinai :  and  the 
 reafon  of  their  fraying  a  longer  or  fhorter  time  in 
 thofe  places  to  which  they  removed,  all  the  time  of 
 their  Travels  in  the  Wildernefs. 
 
 Then  after  that  the  Children  of  Ifrael  journey  ed.~]They 
 took  down  the  Tabernacle ,  when  the  Cloud  was 
 gone  up  from  it,  (as  had  been  directed  IV.  5,  &c] 
 and  followed  the  Cloud,  which  went  before  them, 
 and  led  them  to  the  place  where  they  were  to  reft, 
 XIII  Exod.  21. 
 
 And  in  the  place  where  the  Clond  abode.']  Where  it 
 ftopt  its  motion,  and  flood  ftill. 
 
 There  the  Children  of  Ifrael  pitched  their  Tents.  " 
 Set  up  the  Tabernacle  3  and  encamped  round  about 
 it. 
 
 Ver.  18.  At  the  commandment  of  the  LORD  the  yerfe  j8. 
 Children  of  Ifrael  journeyed.  ']      The  motion  of  the 
 Cloud  was  an  indication  of  the  Divine  Pleafure , 
 that  they  fhould  move  alfo,  and  go  towards  another 
 
 V  2  Station  3 
 
i48  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Station  :  which  they  did,  and  went  on,as  long  as  the 
 
 IX.  Cloud  moved. 
 l/YM  And  at  the  commandment  of  the  LORD  they 
 pitched.  3  For  when  the  Cloud  flood  ftill,  that  was 
 a  Divine  Direftion  to  them  to  (land  ftill  alfo,  and 
 there  to  fix  their  ftation  where  the  Cloud  ftood. 
 Which,  as  foon  as  the  Tabernacle  was  fet  up  again  , 
 came  down  and  fettled  upon  it,  in  its  wonted  place, 
 over  theTentofthe  Tejiimony,  v.  15. 
 
 As  long  as  the  Cloud  abode  upon  the  Tabernacle,  they 
 refled  in  the  Ttnts7\  And  as  long  as  the  Cloud  refted 
 immoveable,  in  that  new  place  to  which  it  had 
 conducted  them  ;  they  likevviie  refted  in  Tents  round 
 about  it. 
 Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  And  when  the  Cloud  tarried  long  upon  the 
 Tabernacle  many  days.']  As  it  fometimes  did  :  for 
 Maimomdes  reckons  that  they  ftaid  eighteen  years  in 
 one  place. 
 
 Then  the  Children  of  Ifrael  kept  the  Charge  of  the 
 LOR  £).]  This  Phrafe  is  ufed  here  fomething  dif- 
 ferently from  the  fenfe  it  hath  III.  25,28,  &c.  figni- 
 fying  their  Obedience  to  God  in  fixing  their  abode 
 there  where  the  Cloud  refted,  till  it  moved  again  5 
 though  it  refted  never  fo  long. 
 
 And  jour ned  not.']  This  is  the  Explication  of  the 
 foregoing  words  ,  they  kept  the  charge  of  the  LORD  : 
 Not  daring  to  ftir  without  the  Conduft  of  God  , 
 though  fometimes  they  ftaid  fo  long  in  a  place,  that, 
 no  doubt,  ic  was  very  irkfome  to  thofe,  who  were 
 very  defirous,  if  not  impatient,  to  be  in  the  Land  of 
 Promife.  This  is  an  Inftance  of  fome  regard  they 
 had  to  the  Divine  Majefty  3  though  they  did  not  fear 
 and  reverence  him  fo  much  as  they  ought  to  have 
 done :  Which  appeared  by  their  frequent  Mutinies 
 
 and 
 
upon  NUMBERS-  149 
 
 and  Difobedience,  mentioned  in  the  following  Sto-   Chapter 
 ry.  IX. 
 
 Ver.  20.  Andfo  it  was,  when  the  Cloud  was  a  few  L^V^VJ 
 days  upon  the  Tabernacle  f  according  to  the  command-  verie  20* 
 went,  8cc,J     If  they  had  a  defire  to  reft  a  while  lon- 
 ger in  fome  ftation,   which  was  very  convenient  for 
 them  $  yet,  upon  the  motion  of  the  Cloud ,  they 
 took  down  their  Tents  and  moved  alfo. 
 
 Ver,  21.  And  fo  it  was  when  the  Cloud  abode  from  Verfe  2I> 
 Even  unto  the  Morning,  and  the  Cloud  was  taken  up  in 
 the  Morning,  then  they  journed.~]  That  is,  if  it  did 
 not  ftay  a  whole  Day  in  a  place,  but  fettling  in  the 
 Even  upon  the  Tabernacle,  it  was  taken  up  again  the 
 next  Morning  5  yet  they  followed  its  motion.  This 
 is  a  great  Inftance  of  their  Obedience  in  this  Particu- 
 lar: for  having  refted  but  one  Night,  they  might  be 
 weary  5  and  very  unwilling  to  take  down  their  Tents 
 and  the  Tabernacle,  and  Travel  again  the  next  MQrn- 
 ing. 
 
 Whether  it  was  by  Day  or  by  Night  that  the  Cloud 
 was  taken  up,  they  journeyed^]  This  is  a  further  In- 
 ftance of  their  being  perfe&ly  guided  by  God  in  this 
 Matter  5  that  though  they  were  at  reft  in  their  Beds, 
 yet  if  notice  was  given  of  the  motion  of  the  Cloud, 
 they  rofe  up  and  went  after  it.  For  they  were  fenfi- 
 ble  their  fafety  depended  upon  the  Prote&ion  and 
 Guidance  of  this  Cloud. 
 
 Ver.  22.  Or  whether  it  were  two  Days,  or  a  Month ,  Verfe  22 
 or  a  Tear,  that  the  Cloud  tarried  upon  the  Tabernacle, 
 &cf|  Thefe  words  may  feem  fuperfluous  (faith  Mai- 
 monides^  P.  III.  More  Nevochim,  cap. 50.)  unto  thofe 
 who  do  not  confider  the  intention,  of  Mofes  in  this 
 Relation  :  Which  was  to  confute  the  conceit  of  pro- 
 phane  People,  who  imagined  the  reafon  of  the  If 
 
 raelites 
 
I$o  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  raelites  ftaying  fo  long  in  the  Wildernefs,  wasbecaufe 
 IX.       they  loft  their  way.     For  the  Arabians,  he  faith,  in 
 
 L^V>U  his  days,  ftill  called  the  Wildernefs,  in  which  they 
 tra veiled, the  wandring  Defcrt }  fancying  the  Ifradhes 
 here  bewildred  ,  (as  we  (peak)  and  could  not  find 
 their  way  out }  but  wandred  like  Men  in  the  dark, 
 backward  and  forward  -0  not  knowing  which  way  to 
 turn  themfelves:  Therefore  the  Scripture  punctually 
 fhows,  that  all  their  Removals  (which  were  irregular) 
 and  the  Time  they  refted  in  any  Place,  (which  wTas 
 very  unequal  3  being  fometimes  for  eighteen  Years, 
 fome  only  for  one  Day,  or  one  Night)  were  all  or- 
 dered by  a  fpecial  direction  of  God.  For  which 
 Caufe  all  the  Circumftances  of  their  Motion  are  reci- 
 ted fo  particularly  by  Mofes.  Which  (hows  alio  that 
 the  way  from  Horeb  to  Kadefh-bamea  (  on  the  Bor- 
 ders of  the  Land  of  Canaan,  was  a  plain,  known  and 
 beaten  Road,  of  about  eleven  days  Journey  ^  which 
 it  was  not  eafie  for  them  to  mifs.  And  therefore  the 
 Caufe  of  their  going  about,  and  of  their  ftaying  for- 
 ty  years  in  the  Wildernefs,  is  that  which  Mofes  re- 
 lates. 
 Verfe  2  2.  Ver.23.  At  the  commandment  of  the  LO  RD  they 
 refled  in  the  Tents,  Sec.]  This  is  the  ufual  recapitu- 
 lation of  what  goes  before.  See  Chapt.  H.34.  IV.49. 
 VI.  ai.  And  here  was  the  more  neceflary,  becaufe 
 it  gives  an  account  of  a  moft  material  thing,  their 
 long  ftay  in  the  Defert,  through  which  God  thought 
 fit  to  lead  them,  XIII  Exod.  17,  18. 
 
 They  kept    the  charge  of  the    LORD.~]     Moved 
 or  refted  according  to  the  Direction  which  God  gave 
 rhem. 
 At  the  commandment  of  the  LO  R  D.]     See  v.  1.8. 
 
 By 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  151 
 
 By  the  hand  of  Mofes."]     By  his  Miniftry,  who  told  Chapter 
 them  they  were  to  be  guided  in  their  Motions  by  the      X. 
 Cloud.     And  therefore  they  expe&ed  no  other  Com-  L/V^VJ 
 mandment  but  that :    the   LORD  being  in  that 
 Cloud,  and  telling  them  by  its  Motion  or  Reft  what 
 they  (hould  do.     And  when  it  did  move,  no  que- 
 ftion,  it  was  fo  leifurely,  as  that  they,their  Children, 
 and  Cattel  might  follow  it  with  eafe,  and  be  able  to 
 take  their  neceflary  Refrefhment. 
 
 It  is  obfervable,  that  in  all  thefe  verfes,  18,  20,  23. 
 where  it  is  faid  they  journeyed  or  refted  alpi,  (at  the 
 Month)  which  we  well  tranflate  at  the  Commandment 
 of  the  LORD.  Onkelos  renders  it  at  the  Mouth 
 (or  Commandment)  of  the  WO  RD  of  the  LORD  : 
 Which  WORD  he  takes  to  have  given  to  Mofes  all  the 
 Commandments  he  received:  For  fo  he  tranilates  thofe 
 words  XXV  Exod.  22.  And  there  will  I  meet  thee,  by 
 thefe  5  and  I will  prepare,  (or  appoint)  my  WORD 
 to  thee  there:  to  deliver  ,  that  is,  the  Divine  Oracles 
 and  Aniwers  to  him. 
 
 CHAP.     X. 
 
 Ver.  1.  \NDthe  LORD  jpake  unto  Mofes,  fay  Verfe  1. 
 
 x\  ing7\  This  Commandment  concerning 
 the  Trumpets,  it  is  very  likely  was  given  before,  but 
 not  mentioned  till  now  ,  when  there  was  an  occafi- 
 on  for  one  principal  ufe  of  them,  viz.  the  removal  of 
 their  Camp,  zvni 
 
 Ver.  2.  Make  thee  two  Trumpets."]     There  were  fe-  Verfe  2. 
 veral  forts  of  Trumpets ,  of  different  form   among 
 the  Ancients,as  Euflathlus  (hows  upon  Homers  Iliad  2. 
 
 p.  1 1 38. 
 
tlp  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  p*  1138.  where  he  mentions  fix.     The  fecond  of 
 X.       which  was  s^fyJAw,   turned  up  round  like  a  Ram's 
 l^V"\J  horn  5  which,  he  faith,  the  Egyptians  ufed  (it  being 
 found  out  by  Ofirk)  when  they  called  the  People  to 
 their  Sacrifices  ^  Xp-2v1aLf  Si  cfjury  tt^Js  dv&Jiav  ^ASrfs; 
 rise;  ovA&  ^  cuj-th;.     It  was  called  in  their  Language 
 Xv8ri.  "  Now  in  this  Mofes  oppofed  the   Egyptians  , 
 (which  they  would  do  well  to  take  notice  of,  who 
 make  their  Cuftoms   to    be  of  the   greateft  Anti- 
 quity) for  thofe  which  he  here  ordered  to  be  made 
 were  long,  fuch  as  we  ufe  at  prefent.     So  Jofephm  tells 
 us,  in  whom  there  is  a   large  defcription  of  them, 
 Lib.  III.  Antiq.cap.  11.  where  he  faith  they  were  a 
 Cubit  long,  and  narrow  like  a  Pipe  5  but  wider,  as 
 ours  are,  at  the  bottom. 
 
 Though  only  two  be  now  ordered  for  prefent  ufe, 
 it  did  not  hinder  their  making  more  hereafter  ^  when 
 both  Priefts,  and  People  alfo  were  multiplied.  See 
 iChron.  V.  12.  where  in  Solomon  %  time  there  were 
 an  hundred  and  twenty  Priefts  founding  with  Trum- 
 pets. And  Jofephus  mentions  a  vaft  number  more, 
 Lib.  VIII.  Antiq.cap.  2. 
 
 Of  fiver.]  Thefe  being  Sacred  Trumpets,  as  Jo- 
 fephus frequently  calls  them,  it  was  fit  they  (hould  be 
 made  of  this  pure  Metal :  which  gave  them  alfo  a 
 (hriller  found. 
 
 Of  one  whole  piece  flmlt  thorn  make  them."]  As  he  did 
 the  Candleftick,  XXV  Ex<  d.  31.  which  made  them 
 the  more  firm  5  and  apter  to  give  a  certain  and  di- 
 ftinft  found. 
 
 That  thou  mayefi  ufe  them  for  the  calling   of  the  Af- 
 
 [.    .     i       fembly,  and  for  the  journeying  of  the  Camps.  ]     Thefe 
 
 are  the  two  great  ufes  for  which  they  were  defigned. 
 
 Unto  which  fume  think  a  third  is  added  ,  v.  9.     See 
 
 there. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  j^ 
 
 there.     It  is  certain  that  in  v.  10.  another  ufeof  them  Chapter 
 isaffigned.  X. 
 
 Ver.  3 .  And  when  they.'}     u  e.  The  Priefts,  v.  8.        rKsL/*\ 
 
 Shall  blow.]     With  an  equal  and  continued  found.  Verfe  3. 
 
 With  then/.']  With  both  the  Trumpets  5  as  appears 
 from  v.  4. 
 
 AH  the  Ajjembly  flail  ajfemhle  themf elves  to  thee.  ] 
 By  this  kind  of  found,  with  both  the  Trumpets,  the 
 People  underftood  that  the  whole  Congregation  was 
 called  to  meet  together. 
 
 At  the  Door  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation.  ] 
 Which  feems  to  have  been  the  ufual  place  where  they 
 aflerabled  3  and  made  their  meeting  the  more  folemn, 
 becaufe  it  was  before  the  LORD. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  if  they  blow  but  with  one  Trumpet,  then  Verfe  4. 
 the  Princes  which  are  Heads  fee]     If  only  one  Trum- 
 pet made  the  found  before-mentioned,  it  was  in* 
 tended  tofummon  only  the  Princes  oilfrael  to  attend 
 Mofes. 
 
 Shall  gather  themfelves  to  thee.]  At  the  Door  of 
 the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation,  as  was  faid  be- 
 fore. 
 
 Ver.  5.  When  ye  blow  an  alarm.]  When  they  did  Verfe  5. 
 not  (imply  blow,  with  a  long,  even  and  plain  blaft  5 
 but  with  an  interrupted,  and  a  broken  or  trembling 
 found:  which  had,  as  the  Jews  fay,  a  plain  Note 
 before,  and  after  that  a  quavering.  We  generally 
 explain  it  by  a  Tara-tan-tara  :  but,  that  word5  (as  Dr. 
 Lighifoot  obferves)  fignifies  a  blaft  ,  which  put  the 
 quavering  Sound  before  and  after,and  the  plain  Note 
 in  the  midft  5  which  is^contrary  to  the  Jewifh  de- 
 fcriptionof  it.  See  Temple  Service,  chap.  7.  feB.  2. 
 Hottinger  makes  no  other  diftindion  between  the 
 foregoing  Sound,  v.  3.  called  Tekiah^  and  this  called 
 
 X  Teruah: 
 
154  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Teruah  :  but  that  the  former  was  equal ,  and  this  was 
 X.        quick  and  concife,  Analccf.  Diflert.  III.  p.  152. 
 
 L/*VNJ  TI6e«  the  Camps  that  lye  on  the  Ea ft  parts  foali  go  for- 
 ward."] viz.  If  this  Alarm  was  blown  only  once, 
 (as  appears  from  Verfe  6.)  then  the  Hofts  that  were 
 under  the  Standard  of  Judah  began  to  march.  See 
 Chapt.  II.  3. 
 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.6.  When  ye  blow  an  Alarm  the  fecond  time,&c.~] 
 Having  ceafed  for  a  while,  if  the  Alarm  was  blown 
 again,  then  thofe  Tribes  which  were  under  the  Stan- 
 dard of 'Reuben  (Chapt.  II.  v.  10,  1 1,  8tc.  )  began  to 
 move,   who  lay  on  the  South-fide. 
 
 They  Jhall  blow  an  Alarm  for  their  Journeys.]  That 
 is,  they  (hall  blow  a  third  and  fourth  Alarm  ,  for  the 
 moving  of  the  other  two  Standards.  So  the  LXX. 
 rightly  explain  it,  in  fo  many  words  at  length  3  Te 
 Jlmll  blow  an  Alarm  the  third  time,  and  the  Camps  that 
 lye  towards  the  Sea  (i.  e.  on  the  Weft-fide)  Jhall  take 
 their  Journey  5  and  ye  full  blow  the  fourth  Alarm,  and 
 they  JJjaU  lye  towards  the  North ,  8cc.  In  what  order 
 the  Camp  of  the  Levites  moved  ,  is  related  after- 
 wards, v.  17,  21. 
 
 Verfe  7.  ^er.  7k  -^nd  when  the  Congregation  k  to  be  gathered 
 together,  you  Jhall  blow,  but  you  Jfja//  not  found  an  A- 
 larm.~]  Here  is  a  manifeft  diftinftion  between  plain 
 blowing  &x\&  founding  an  Alarm  :  which  were  for  dif- 
 ferent  purpofes  $   and  accordingly  to  be  ufed,  v. 
 
 3,5- 
 Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  And  the  Sons  of  Aaron  the  Priejis  Jhall  blow 
 with  the  Trumpets.]  None  elfe  was  permitted  to  ufe 
 them,  either  for  calling  the  Aflembly  together  5  or 
 for  their  March,  or  at  their  Feafts :  becaufe  God 
 would  have  the  greater  regard  paid  to  the  Sound 
 which  was  made  by  his  Minifters  3    as  if  he  him- 
 
 felf 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  i^ 
 
 felf  called  upon  them    to  attend  his  Summons.        Chapter 
 
 And  they  Jloall  be  to  you  for   an  Ordinance  for  ever         X. 
 throughout  your  Generations."]  Thefe  Trumpets  (hall  be  L/"V%J 
 ufed  by  you,  not  only  while  you    (lay  in  the  Wil- 
 dernefs  5  but  in  future  Ages,  as  long  as  you  are  a 
 Nation. 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  if  you  go  to  war  in  your  Land,  againU  yerfe  9, 
 the  Enemy  that  opprejfeth  you,  Sec.  "]  This  is  thought 
 to  be  a  third  ufe  of  the  Trumpets  -0  when  they  were 
 going  to  give  Battel  to  their  Enemies.  Which  may 
 be  confirmed  from  XXXI.  6.  and  from  2  Chron.Xlll. 
 12.  But  this  doth  not  exclude  another  meanings 
 which  is3  that  they  called  the  People  together  to  Faft, 
 and  pray  to  God,  before  they  went  out  to  Battel. 
 For  it  is  certain  that  a  Fail:  was  proclaimed  by  blow- 
 ing of  the  Trumpet,  II  Joel  15,  &c.  Which  juftifies 
 what  Maimonides  faith  in  Taanioth,  cap.  1.  that  they 
 blow  with  the  Trumpet,  not  only  when  they  were 
 in  danger  from  their  Enemies  $  but  in  all  other  Di- 
 ftrefles,  by  Famine,  or  Peftilence,  &c.  For  he  makes 
 this  blowing  with  the  Trumpets  in  this  place,  to  be 
 the  fame  with  that  Precept,  L  Pfal.  14.  Call  upon  me  in 
 the  day  of  Trouble,  More  Nevoch.  P.  III.  cap.  36.  The 
 only  Obje&ion  that  I  can  find  again  ft  this  Expofition 
 (which  is  very  ancient)  is,  that  Mofes  fpeaks  here  of 
 blowing  an  Alarm  with  the  Trumpets  :  which  was  not 
 ufed  ( v.  7.)  for  calling  the  Aflembly  together  5  but 
 for  the  motion  of  the  Camps,  v.  5.  yet  one  cannot 
 conceive  how  they  fhould  be  gathered  together  to 
 make  an  Army  to  fight  with  their  Enemies,  but  by 
 fome  fort  of  Sound  with  the  Trumpet,  (See  III  Judg. 
 27.  VI.34.)  and  being  met,it  is  highly  probable  they 
 called  upon  God  by  Prayer  and  Fading,  for  good 
 Succefs  3  as  the  latter  part  of  this  Verfe  intimates. 
 
 X  2  Be- 
 
5 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Befides,  thefe  filver  Trumpets  feem  to  have  been  ufed 
 X.       only  at  the  San&uary  5  and  other  Trumpets  were  u- 
 
 L/*WJ  fed  when  they  went  to  War.  For  at  the  Siege  of  Je- 
 richo, the  Priefts  blew  with  Horns  ,  not  with  thefe 
 filver  Trumpets.  Therefore  they  may  well  be  thought 
 here  to  have  called  them  to  the  Sanftuary  to  pray  to 
 God,  before  they  went  to  War  3  and  that  by  blow- 
 ing an  Alarm  5  whereby  they  underftood  the  mean- 
 ing of  the  Summons.  And  if  we  may  believe  the 
 Jews,  they  ufed,  when  the  Temple  was  built,  to  blow 
 an  Alarm  every  Morning,  at  the  opening  of  the  Gates 
 of  it  ^  particularly  at  the  opening  of  the  Eali  Gate, 
 called  the  Gate  of  Nicanor,  (as  Dr.  Lightfoot  obferves 
 in  the  place  above-named)  For  which  ,  though  there 
 was  no  exprefs  Command,  yet  it  was  grounded  on 
 this  Reafon,  That  the  Levites,who  were  God's  Hoft, 
 (as  they  are  often  called  in  this  Book,  IV.  3,  Sec. 
 VIII.  24.)  might  be  awakened  to  come  and  attend 
 their  Service  in  the  Houfe  of  God. 
 
 And  ye  frja/I  be  remembred  before  the  LORD  your 
 God.']  He  will  be  merciful  to  you  ,  and  grant  your 
 Requefl:  3  as  the  next  words  explain  it. 
 
 And  ye  frail  befaved  from  your  Enemies,  j  Which 
 is  to  be  underftood  with  this  Condition  ,  That  they 
 turned  to  him  with  unfeigned  Repentance  -0  which  was 
 the  proper  intention  of  their  Prayer  and  Fading. 
 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.io.  Alfi  in  the  days  of  your  glaclnefs.']  Here  is  a 
 fourth  ufe  of  thefe  Trumpets,  which  were  blown  when 
 they  r e joy ced  for  the  good  Succefs/uppofe,  of  their 
 Arms  ,  or  any  other  great  Deliverance  ^  like  that 
 mentioned  IX  Efiher  19.  when  they  feafted  upon  the 
 Peace-offerings,  which  were  then  offered.  And  thus 
 it  was  when  Solomon  built  the  Temple,  2  Chron.  V.  1 2. 
 VII.  6.  and  at  the  laying  the  Foundation  of  the  fc- 
 
 cond 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  157 
 
 cond  Temple  after  the  Captivity,  III  Ezra  10.  and  at  Chapter 
 the  Dedication  of  the  Walls  of  Jerufalem  ,  XII  Ne-      X. 
 hem.  27,  35.  L/"WJ 
 
 And  in  your  folemn  Days. "]  Mentioned  in  XXIII 
 Levit.  which  were  proclaimed  by  Sound  of  Trum- 
 pet, (See  there  v.  2.)  and  there  were  great  Feafts 
 upon  many  of  them,  at  which  the  Levites,  the  Poor,  . 
 and  the  Widows  were  entertained.,  XVI  Deut.  11. 
 VlUNehem.10,12.  But  they  were  not  all  Feajis 
 which  are  there  mentioned,  for  one  of  thofe  Solemn 
 Days  was  a  Fall,  viz,,  the  great  Day  of  Atonement; 
 And  therefore  the  Hebrew  word  MOED  fhould  ra- 
 ther be  tranllated  Days  of  Ajfembties,  as  our  Wiv. Thorn- 
 dike  obferves  5  who  (in  his  Book  concerning  the  Ser- 
 vice of  God  at  Religious  Affemblies)  notes,  that  Mofes 
 here  diftinguifhes  three  forts  of  Solemnities.  Firft, 
 The  Days  of  your  Gladnefs,  which  fignifie  Solemnities 
 to  be  celebrated  with  cheerful  nefs  of  heart,  i.e.  Feafts. 
 Then,  The  Solemn  Days  of  Ajfemblies,  (as  he  translates 
 it)  containing  befides  thofe,  Affemblies  for  Humilia- 
 tion, as  the  Day  of  Atonement.  And  laftly,  The  be- 
 ginnings of  your  Months,  to  which  there  was  a  pecu- 
 liar Service  appointed,  XXVTII.  11. 
 
 And  in  the  beginning  of  your  Months.  ~]  On  the 
 New  Moons,  which  the  jFt^v  obferved,not  like  thofe 
 other  Feftivities  and  Days  of  Affemblies,  upon  which 
 they  abftained  from  all  Servile  Work  -0  but  with  fpe- 
 rial  Sacrifices,  which  God  appointed  to  be  offered  to 
 him  upon  them,  XXVIII  Numb.  11,  14.  and  with' 
 the  Solemnity  of  Blowing  with  Trumpets ,  LXXXI 
 Pfal.  3.  And  they  were  the  more  careful  to  obferve 
 the  New  Moons,  becaufe  their  great  Feftivals  depend- 
 ed upon  it  ^  though  they  are  not  reckoned  among 
 •  their  Feftivals  or  Solemn  Affemblies ,  XXIII  Levit. 
 
 but 
 
5* 
 
 A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  but  only  the  firft  Day  of  the  feventh  Month ,  was  a 
 X.        memorial  of  Blowing  of  Trumpets,  v.  24.  which 
 
 L/^V^VJ  gave  occafion  perhaps  for  obferving  all  the  New 
 Moons  in  the  Year.  And  there  being  no  exprefs 
 Command  for  obferving  the  firft  Day  of  the  Month, 
 but  only  for  peculiar  Sacrifices  upon  it,  and  Blow- 
 ing of  Trumpets,  feme  argue  from  thence,  that  in 
 the  moft  ancient  Times  before  the  Law  of  Mofes, 
 New  Moons  were  obferved  with  Feftival  Joy,  (it  be- 
 ing plain  that  they  were  fo  in  the  Days  of  Hefiod  ) 
 of  which,  though  we  can  have  no  certainty,  yet  it  is 
 very  probable,  that  the  Idolatry  of  worfhipping  the 
 Sun,  Moon  and  Stars,  being  then  in  the  World,  they 
 were  wont  at  the  appearance  of  every  Moon,  to  ex- 
 prefs much  ]oy,  and  offer  Sacrifices  to  ir.  From  which 
 God  intended  to  preferve  his  People,  by  appointing 
 fpecial  Sacrifices  (with  blowing  of  Trumpets)  to  be 
 offered  unto  himfelf  at  that  time.  And  itismanifeft, 
 the  Jews  were  fo  obfervant  of  the  New  Moons,  that 
 they  feem  to  have  regarded  them  next  to  their  Sab- 
 bath, as  Times  of  Religious  Worfaip  of  the  Divine 
 Majefty,  2  Kings  IV.  23.  and  LXVI  If  at.  23.  VIII 
 Amos  5. 
 
 And  thus  I  find  that  among  the  Athenians  (whofe 
 Laws  are  obferved  by  many  to  have  been  derived  from 
 Mofes)  the  firft  day  of  the  Month  was  iigsfl&ni  fi/ue&t^ 
 as  Plutach  fpeaks,  a  moU  holy  day  5  and  yet  it  was  not 
 a  Feftival :  ncr  was  it  confecrated  to  any  particular 
 God,  but  unto  all.  And  there  was  a  Law,  r£;  Na- 
 fjL!wl<xjjq  3&W,  that  they  offer  Sacrifices  upon  the  firft 
 Day  of  the  Month  5  when  they  went  up  to  the  Aero- 
 pohi  (as  Demofthenes  tells  us)  to  pray  for  the  Publick 
 Welfare  of  the  City,  and  for  their  own  Private  Hap- 
 pinefs.  See  Sam-  Pctitm  in  his  Comment.in  Leges  At- 
 ticas,  Lib.  I.  Tit.  1.  p.  85.  Over 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  15^ 
 
 Over  the  Burnt-offerings.  ~\     Efpecially   the  Morn-  Chapter 
 ing  Sacrifice  5  at  the  offering  of  which  the  Trumpets      X. 
 began  to  Sound,  2  Chron.  XXIX.  27.  L/"V\J 
 
 And  over  the  Sacrifice  of  your  Be  ace- offerings  7\  Which 
 being  Sacrifices  of  Thankfgiving,  it  was  very  proper 
 to  have  them  attended  with  the  Sound  of  the  Trum- 
 pets. 
 
 That  they  may  be  to  you  for  a  memorial  before  your 
 God.~]  i.  e.  That  he  may  gracioufly  accept  your  Offer- 
 ings, and  blefs  you,  fas  the  Phrafe  fignifies  in  the 
 foregoing  Verfe).  when  he  fees  his  Service  to  be  your 
 Delight  and  Joy. 
 
 / am  the  LORD  your  God. ]  By  whofe  Sove- 
 raign  Authority  thefe  Commands  were  given  -0  and  in 
 the  obfervance  of  which  they  might  be  afTured  of  his 
 Bleffing. 
 
 Ver.  1 1.  And  it  came  to  pafs  on  the  twentieth  Day  of  Verfe  1 1. 
 thefecond  Month ,  in  the  fecond  Tear. "]     After  their 
 coming  out  of  Egypt,  as  appears  from  Chapt.  I.  1 . 
 
 That  the  Cloud  was  ta\en  up7\  In  token  that  they 
 were  to  begin  to   move,    as  the  Cloud    did,  IX. 
 
 From  off  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Tejlimony."]  i.  e%  The 
 mod  holy  Place,  over  which  it  refided,  IX.  15. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  the  Children  of  Ifrael  tool^  their  Jour«  yerfe  ,  2 
 neys.']  After  the  Cloud  was  taken  up  ,  it  ftood  ftill 
 for  fome  time,  till  they  had  fc  taken  down  the  Taber- 
 nacle, and  packt  up  their  own  Tents  and  Houfhold- 
 ftuff.  Or  elfe,  while  thofe  under  the  firft  Standard 
 moved,  they  took  down  the  Tabernacle:  But  ftill 
 the  three  Tribes  which  firft  moved  ,  upon  the  going 
 up  of  the  Cloud  ,  muft  have  fome  time  allowed  to 
 take  up  their  own  Tents,  &c. 
 
 Out 
 
l6o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Out  of  the  Wilder nefs  of  Sinai.]     Where  they  had 
 X.       ftayed  near  a  Year. 
 
 {^^T\j      And  the  Cloud  refied.]     After  three  Days  motion, 
 v.  33. 
 
 In  the  V/ildcrnefs  of  Par  an.]  Where  they  had  fe  ve- 
 rai  Stations,  betides  this  ^  which  was  the  Mid-way 
 between  the  Red  Sea  and  the  Land  of  Canaan  :  and 
 from  the  Graves  of  thofe  that  lufted,  was  called  Ri- 
 broth-hattaavah  ,  XL  33.  XXXIII.  16.  where  they 
 ftayed  a  Month  f,  and  from  thence  went  to  Haze- 
 roth  :  and  were  ftill  in  the  Wildernefs  of  Parany  XII. 
 16. 
 
 Verfe  12.      Ver.  13.  And  they firfl  took  their Journey.]     In  the 
 '"  Hebrew  the  words  are,  They  journeyed  at  the  fir  Si  5 
 i.e.  at  their  firft  Removal  3  which  was  this. 
 
 According  to  the  Commandment  of  the  LORD  by 
 the  hand  of  Mofes.~\  Not  whether  they  pleafed  them- 
 felves,  but  according  as  God  had  before  dire&ed  , 
 when  the  Cloud  was  taken  up  5  and  in  fuch  order  as 
 he  appointed.  See  IX.  18.  And  there  feems  to  have 
 been  a  fpecial  Direftion,  by  an  exprefs  Command, for 
 this  firft  Removal,  I  Deut.  6,  7. 
 
 Verfe  14..  ^er'  I4*  In  the  firfi  place  went  the  Standard  of  the 
 *  Children  of  Judah,  &c.j  By  this  it  appears  that  the 
 foregoing  words,  concerning  their  Removal  accord- 
 ing  to  the  Commandment  of  the  LOiJD,relates  to  the  or- 
 der of  their  March,  as  well  as  to  the  way  they  went.See 
 concerning  thofe  that  marcht  under  his  Standard,  and 
 their  Commanders  (which  are  here  mentioned,  and  in 
 the  two  next  verfe ■/,)  Chapt.  II.  1,3,5,7. 
 
 Verfe  17.  Ver.  17*  And  the  Tabernacle  was  taken  down.]  By 
 the  Leviies  (I.  51.)  who  went  about  this  work,  as 
 foon  as  the  Cloud  went  up  from  the  Tabernacle  5 
 while  the  three  Tribes  under  the  Standard  of  Judah 
 were  fitting  themfelves  to  move.  —    And 
 
^NUMBERS,  161 
 
 And  the  Sons  ofGerjhon,  and  the  Sons  of  Merari  fet  Chapter 
 forward.']     They   immediately  followed    the  three       X. 
 Tribes,  which  encamped  on  the  Eaft  of  it,  under  the  L/*V*\J 
 Standard  of  Judah. 
 
 Bearing  the  Tabernacled]  Such  parts  of  it,  as  were 
 committed  to  each  of  their  Charge,  IV.  24,  &c. 
 31,  Sec. 
 
 Ver.  18.    And   the   Standard  of  the  Camp  of  Rat- Verb  18. 
 ben  fet  forward,  according  to  their  Armies,  &c]     Of 
 this,    and  the  two   following  Verfes,    fee   II.  10, 
 12,  14. 
 
 Ver.  21.  And  the  Kohathites  fet  forward,  bearingVzrit  21, 
 the  SanUuaryT]  That  is,  the  Ark,  the  Holy  Table,  the 
 Candleftick,  &c.  and  other  things  belonging  to  the 
 Sanftuary,  (IV.  1 5 ,1 6,&c.)  which  the  Kohathites  car- 
 ried in  the  middle  of  the  four  Camps  for  their  greater 
 Security. 
 
 And  the  other.  ~]  u  e.  The  Gerfionites  and  the  Me- 
 rarites  before-mentioned,  v.  17. 
 
 Did  fet  up  the  Tabernacle  againji  they  came."]  When 
 the  Cloud  refted,  the  two  fore-going  Camps  under 
 the  Standards  of  Judah  and' Reuben  refted  alfo  3  and 
 fettled  themfelves  in  their  Tents.  Which  while  they 
 were  doing,  the  Gerfhonites  and  Merarites,  (who 
 marched  between  them)  fet  up  the  Tabernacle  that 
 it  might  be  ready  to  receive  the  Ark,  and  the  other 
 Holy  things,  which  followed  immediately,  under  the 
 care  of  the  Kohathites.  This  fhows  the  excellent  Or- 
 der wherein  they  always  moved  5  not  only  without 
 any  tumult  or  confufion,  but  with  fuch  a  Difcipline,  as 
 fignified  they  were  under  the  Conduft  of  a  moft  skil- 
 ful Leader. 
 
 Y  Ver. 
 
162  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  22.  And  the  Standard  of  the  Children  of  E- 
 
 X.        phraim  fet  forward,  according  to  their  Armies. "~\     After 
 
 L/^n^NJ  the  Kohathitcs  followed  three  other  Tribes,  who  were 
 
 Verfe  22.  under  this  Standard.  See  Chap. II.  18,20,22,24.  Where 
 all  that  was  needful  hath  been  faid  of  the  two  follow- 
 ing Verfes. 
 
 Verfe  25.  Ver.  25.  And  the  Standard  of  the  Children  of  Dan 
 fet  forward,  &c.  3  See  concerning  him,  and  thofe 
 mentioned  in  the  two  next  Verfes,  Chap.  IL  ^.25, 
 27,  29. 
 
 Which  was  the  rereward  of  all  the  Can/ps  ,  throughout 
 their  Hofis. "]  The  Hebrew  word  Meajfeph  (which 
 we  tranilate  was  the  rereward  )  comes  from  a  word, 
 which  every  where  fignifies  to  gather  together,  or  col- 
 left.  And  therefore  is  here  to  be  fo  underftood  5  and 
 the  whole  Sentence  thus  rendred  :  Then  fet  forward  the 
 Standard  oft  he  Camp  #/Dan,  gathering  to  it  all  the  Camps, 
 throughout  their  Hojts  :  Or,  according  to  their  Armies^ 
 as  we  here  tranilate  the  laft  part  of  thefe  words,  z>.  14, 
 1 8,  22.  So  Forfterus  tranflates  it  }  the  meaning  be- 
 ing, that  all  the  reft  of  the  People,  who  were  not  a 
 part  of  the  four  before-mentioned  Camps,  all  under 
 XX  Years  old,  (who  were  not  able  to  go  forth  to War) 
 together  with  the  mixt  multitude  that  came  with 
 them  out  of  Egypt,  (XII  Exod.  38.)  and  all  the  un- 
 clean Perfons,  who  were  fliut  out  of  the  Camp,  (V. 
 2.)  came  after  this  hindermoft  Standard  of  the  Chil- 
 dren of  Dan. 
 
 Verfe  28.      Ver.  28.  Thus  were  the  Journey ings  of  the  Children  of 
 Ifrael,  &c]    In  this  order  they  marched,  when  they 
 removed  from  one  ftation  to  another. 
 
 Verfe  29.      Ver.  29.  And  Mofes  faid  unto  Hobab.~]    His  Wives 
 Brother,  as  Theodoret  underftands  it. 
 
 The 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  163 
 
 The  Son  ofRaguel  the  Midianite.]     The  Son  of  Je-  Chapter 
 thro  Prieft  of  Midian :  For  Raguelmd  he,  are  thought        X. 
 by  many  to  be  the  fame  Perfon  5  (llExod.id.  III.  1.)  L/"V"NJ 
 or  one  was  the  Fatherland  the  other  the  Son  5  and  then 
 Hob  ah  was  the  Grand-fonof  RagueL 
 
 Mofes  his  father-in-law."]  Thefe  words  may  either 
 refer  to  Raguel,  who  is  fuppofed  to  be  Jethro  5  and 
 then  it  is  rightly  tranflated  Father-in-law  5  or  they 
 may  as  well  refer  to  Hobab,  and  be  tranflated  Bro- 
 ther-in-law. For  fo  the  Hebrew  word  Choters  fome- 
 times  fignifies,  a  very  near  Kinfman.  It  cannot  with- 
 out great  draining,  be  otherwife  expounded  in  the 
 I  Judg.  16.  and  IV.  11.  After  Jethro  therefore  was 
 gone  back  to  his  own  Country,  XVIII  Exod.  27. 
 Hobab,  his  Son,  ftayed  ftill  with  his  Sifter  Zipporah  3 
 and  accompanied  Mofes  all  the  time  he  ftayed  near 
 Sinai :  Which  was  not  far  from  Midi  an.  Whether  he 
 thought  to  return,  now  the  Ifrelites  were  marching 
 away  from  that  Neighbourhood  5  but  Mofes  was  de- 
 firous  to  have  his  company  further,  even  to  the  Land 
 of  Promife. 
 
 We  are  journeying  unto  the  place ,  of  which  the  LORD 
 faid,  I  will  give  it  you."]  i.e.To  the  Land  of  Canaan  5  for 
 thither  God  intended  to  have  brought  them,  fhort- 
 ly  after  this  removal  3  as  appears  from  I  Dent.  6j. 
 
 Come  thou  with  us,  and  we  will  do  thee  good. "]  See 
 verfe  32. 
 
 For  the  LORD  hathfyokgn  good  concerning  IJrael."] 
 Promifed  to  beftow  a  noble  Country  upon  us,  for  our 
 Inheritance. 
 
 Ver.  30.  And  hefaid,  I  will  not  go."]     This  was  his  Verfe  30* 
 prefent  Refolution  5  till  Mofes  had  further  perfwad- 
 ed  him. 
 
 Y  2  But 
 
»<$4 
 
 Chapter 
 X. 
 
 Verfe  31 
 
 Verfe 
 
 o2 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 But  J  will  depart  to  my  own  LandT]  Which  he  was 
 ioth  to  leaver  merely  in  hope  of  what  the  Ifraelltes 
 had  not  yet  in  poffeflion. 
 
 And  to  my  Kindred."]  With  whom  all  Men  love  to 
 live  and  die. 
 
 Ver.  3 1 .  And  he  /aid.']     1.  e.  Mofes  replied. 
 
 Leave  us  noty  I  pray  thee.']  Do  not  perfift  in  that 
 Refolution  3  but  be  perfwaded  to  go  along  with 
 us. 
 
 Forafwuch  as  thou  knoweft^  horc  we  are  to  encamp  in 
 the  JV/Jdemcfs.']  He  being  a  Borderer  upon  this  Wil- 
 dernefs,  was  well  acquainted  with  every  part  of  it  ^ 
 and  the  better  able  to  advife  them,  how  to  fecure 
 their  Camp,  (for  the  Cloud  only  ferved  to  direct 
 them,  where  it  (hould  be  pitched)  and  defend  them- 
 felves  from  the  People,  on  all  fides,  that  might  be  in- 
 jurious to  them.  Which  made  Mofes  fo  earned  with 
 him 'to  flay  with  them  3  while  they  had  fuch  need  of 
 his  affiftance. 
 
 And  thou  ma.ye.ft  he  to  us  in  fie  ad  of  Eyes."]  To  give 
 them  Advice  and  Counfel  in  any  difficulty  they 
 might  meet  withal,  in  the  places  where  they  ftayed  $ 
 or  to  direct  them  how  to  provide  themfelves  with 
 fuch  things,  as  they  wanted.  For  he  having  lived 
 long  thereabouts,  could  not  but  underftand  the 
 Neighbouring  Countries.  The  LXX  underftand 
 this  Paffage,  as  if  he  defired  him  to  continue  to  be 
 what  he  had  been  hitherto  in  the  Wildernefs,  (viz.  a 
 good  Advifer,  like  his  Father  Jethro)  afTuring  him, 
 they  would  look  uponhimasan£/der/  That  is,  have 
 him  in  great  honour. 
 
 Ver. 32.  And  It  fiall  be^  If thou  go  with  us.']  Not  only 
 (lay  with  us,  while  we  are  here  in  theWildernefs  5  but 
 go  along  with  us  into  Canaan. 
 
 Tea, 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  16$ 
 
 Tea,  it  (lull  be.~]     Depend  upon  it.  Chapter 
 
 That  what  Goodnefs  the  LORD  flail  do  unto  us,       X. 
 the  fame  will  tee  do  unto  thee.  ]     Give  thee  feme  part  L/~V"NJ 
 of  the  PofTeffion  which  God  (hall  beftow  upon  us. 
 Accordingly  it  appears,  that  as  Mofes  prevailed  with 
 him  to  accompany  them  ,  fo   he   and  his  Pofterity 
 were  fettled  among  the  Ifraelites,  I  Judg.  16.  IV.  n.    . 
 (  where  either  he  or  his  Father  is  called  the  Kenite  ) 
 who  lived  in  Tents,  not  in  Houfes,  after  the  manner 
 of  their  Fore-fathers  in  Midi  an. 
 
 Ver.  33.  And  they  departed  from  the  Mount  oftheVzrk  33. 
 LO  RD.']  viz.  Horeb'm  the    Wildernefs  of  Sinai, 
 where  they  had  ftayed  a  long  time,  I  Deut.  6. 
 
 Three  days  journey.  ]  They  travelled  three  Days 
 before  the  Cloud  fettled  again  upon  the  Tabernacle  ; 
 though  it  ftood  ftill  fome  times(but  did  not  defcend) 
 to  give  them  time  for  neceffary  Refrefhment ,  and 
 for  Sleep.     See  XI.  1. 
 
 And  the  Arl^  of  the  Covenant  of  the  LO R  D  went 
 before  them,  in  the  three  days  journey  7\  It  is  faid  #.£!.- 
 that  the  San&uary  was  carried  between  the  two  firft 
 Standards,  and  the  two  lad  5  L  e.  in  the  midli  of  the 
 Camp,  as  we  exprefly  read  II.  17.  Which  Abarbinel 
 thinks  is  to  be  underftood  not  of  all  their  Journeys  , 
 but  only  this.  That  was  the  conftant  order  of  their' 
 March  5  firft  went  the  Standard  otjudah  -7  next  that 
 of  Reuben  :  after  this,  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congrega- 
 tion ^  then  followed  the  Standard  of  Ephraim  -0  and 
 laft  of  all  that  of  Dan.  But  now,  in  their  firft  Re- 
 moval, God  did  them  the  honour  to  appoint  the  Ark 
 to  go  before  them,  in  the  front  of  all  the  Camps  5  as 
 he  did  when  they  paffed  over  Jordan $il  Jo(Ij.6.  That 
 is,  in  their  firft  and  laft  Journeys,  this  extraordinary 
 Favour  was  Ihown  them  :  but  in  all  the  reft  the  Ark 
 
 went 
 
X66  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  vvent  in  the  midft  of  them.     And  thus  Aben   Ezra 
 X.        upon  this  place  5  This  first  Removal  was  not  like  the 
 
 ^yYV  rc&  °f  the"'  Removals.  But  I  fee  no  good  ground 
 for  this  Exposition.  The  plain  meaning  feems  to  be, 
 That  the  LORD,  as  their  King  and  Governour, 
 led  them  by  the  Cloud,  which  was  always  over  the 
 Ark  :  juft  as  a  General  leads  his  Army  5  though  he 
 be  not  in  the  front  of  it,  but  in  the  midft ,  from 
 whence  he  Iffues  out  his  Orders. 
 
 To  fear ch  out  a  rejling  place  for  them.  ~]  There  was 
 no  need  of  enquiry  after  a  fitting  Station  for  them  : 
 but  he  fpeaks  after  the  manner  of  Generals,  who  fend 
 Officers  before  them,  to  take  up  the  moft  convenient 
 Quarters  for  their  Army.     See  I  Dent.  33. 
 
 Verfe  34.  Ver.  34.  And  the  Cloud  of  the  LORD  was  upon 
 them  by  day,  when  they  went  out  of  the  Camp.}  It  feems 
 this  Removal  of  their  Camp  from  Sinai,  was  in  the 
 day  time  (as  fome  times  they  removed  in  the  night , 
 IX.  21.)  and  the  Cloud  being  taken  up  from  off  the 
 Tabernacle,  fo  moved  over  the  Ark,  as  to  overfpread 
 them  all  by  day  :  As  the  Pillar  of  Fire  was  over  them 
 by  night  5  to  give  them  affurance  of  the  Divine  Pro- 
 tection. See  Note  upon  XIII  Exod.  21.  and  CV 
 Pfal.  39. 
 
 Verfe  35.  Ver.  35.  And  when  the  Ark^fet  forward.  3  There 
 being  the  letter  Nun  turned  the  wrong  way  in  the 
 Hebrew  word  for  fet  forward  5  as  there  is  in  the  word 
 for  complained,  in  the  firft  verfe  of  the  next  Chapter  : 
 the  Jewifh  Do&ors  fancy  it  denotes  here  God's  gra- 
 cious converting  his  Face  towards  them,  at  the  Pray- 
 er of  Mofes  5  and  in  this  following  Story,  the  Peo- 
 ples averfion  to  God,  and  ungrateful  turning  away 
 their  hearts  from  him. 
 
 Mofes 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  i6y 
 
 Mofes  /aid.']     It  was  his  Cuftom  to  pray  in  this  Chapter 
 manner  upon  fuch  occafions  3  as  R.  Levi  ben  Gerfom       X. 
 expounds  it.  U^V%j 
 
 Rofe  up.~\  This  is~n  expreffion  (faith  Abarbinel) 
 like  that  in  XXXIII  If  a.  10.  Now  mil  I  rife,  faith  the 
 LORD,  and  will  be  exalted ,  Sec."]  Where  his  ta- 
 king vengeance  upon  his  Enemies,  is  called  hk  rifing. 
 According  to  XXXI  Job  14.  What  Jhall  I  do,  when 
 God  rifeth  upjkc.  The  next  words,  Let  thy  Enemies 
 be fcattered^fkc.  juftifie  this  fenfe. 
 
 LOR Dr\  It  feems  very  ftrange  to  me,  that  any 
 fhould  alledge  this  place,  as  a  proof,  that  the  Ark  is 
 called  JEHOVAH:  when  the  Prayer  of  Mofes  is 
 fo  plainly  directed  to  the  LORD  himfelf,  (who 
 was  there  in  a  glorious  Symbol  of  his  Prefence  )  and 
 not  to  the  Ark.  Considering  alfo,  that  in  other  pla- 
 ces where  this  very  form  of  Speech  is  ufed,the  LORD 
 and  the  Arh^  are  moft  manifeftly  diftinguifhed,  the 
 one  from  the  other.  See  1  Chron.  VI.  41  .and  CXXXfl 
 Pfal.8.  And  yet  an  Anonymus  Anti-Trinitarian  Wri- 
 ter (confuted  by  Jofeph  de  Voifin  fifty  Years  ago)  ob- 
 ferving  that  the  Chaldee  here  inftead  of  the  L  O  R  D, 
 hath  the  W  O  R  D  of  the  LORD,  is  fo  abfurd  as 
 to  fay,  that  the  Ark  is  called  the  WORD,  Becaufe 
 God,  faith  he  (p.  2  34.  J  ante  III  am  rejponfa  vel  oracn- 
 lafua  dabat,  &c.  before  the  Ark  gave  his  Anfwers  or 
 Oracles,  when  the  Prieffc  in  dubious  Matters  conful- 
 tedthe  Mouth  of  the  LORD.  Which  Expofition 
 carries  its  own  Confutation  in  it  5  for  if  the  High- 
 Prieft  confulted  the  Mouth  of  the  LORD  (as  he 
 fpeaks  )  then  by  the  WORD  which  gave  the  An- 
 fwer,  muft  be  meant  the  LORD  himfelf..  To 
 whom  Mofes  here  directs  his  Prayer  ,  as  the  Hierufa- 
 km  Targnm  excellently  Paraphrafes  this  verfe  3  And  it 
 
 came 
 
158  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  came  to  pafs,  when  the  Arkwas  tak.cn  up,  that  Mofes  lifi- 
 X         ed  up  his   hands    in  prayer  ,  and  faid ,  I^  #0#> ,  0 
 
 L^V-NJ  IV  0  RD   of   the  LORD,  in  the  (trength  of  thy 
 Power,  and  fcatter  the  Enemies  of  thy  People,  &c. 
 
 And  ^t  thine  Enemies  he  fc  ottered?]  This  is  a  Pray- 
 er, that  God  would  put  all  thofe  to  flight  (as  he  had 
 done  the  Amalekites,  Exod.  XVII.  )  who  oppofed 
 their  paffage  to  the  promifed  Land.  As  after  they 
 came  thither,  they  uted  this  Prayer  (LXVIII  PfaL  i. ) 
 for  his  Aid  againft  all  thole,  who  fought  to  difpofefs 
 them  of  it. 
 
 And  let  them  that  hate  thee,  flee  before  thee."]  This 
 is  a  Repetition  of  the  fame  Prayer,  as  is  ufual :  For 
 thy  Enemies,  and  thofe  that  hate  thee,  fignifie  the  very 
 fame,  XXI  PfaL  8.  IV  Daniel  19.  I  Luke  71. 
 
 Verfe  26.      ^er-  3^.  And  when  it  refied.]     As  it  did  wherefo- 
 ever  the  Cloud  ftaid,  and  moved  no  further. 
 
 He  fa/d.']  He  prayed  again.  So  the  Hierufalem 
 Tar  gam  underftands  both  this  and  the  former  verfe, 
 Mofes  lifted  up  his  hand  in  Prayer,  and,  faid,  &c.  and 
 Jonathan  Z)zielides,  Mofes  flood  in  Prayer,  and  begged 
 Mercy  of  God,  faying,  Sec. 
 
 Return,  0  LORD,  unto  the  many  Thoufands  of 
 Jfrael.]  Which  Onkelos  thus  Paraphrafes,  Come  again, 
 and  dwell  with  thy  Glory  in  the  midft  of  us.  And  fo  he 
 did  5  the  Cloud,wherein  the  Divine  Majefty  refided, 
 ietling  upon  the  Tabernacle,  over  the  Ark  of  the  Te- 
 ftimony,  as  foon  as  it  was  again  pitched.  Others 
 tranflate  it,  Give  rctf,  0  LO^RD,  (  which  the  He- 
 brew words  will  bear)  fecure  us,  that  is,  in  Peace,  a- 
 gainft  the  Incurfions  of  our  Enemies,  and  all  other 
 Dangers.  R.  Levi  ben  Gerfom  expounds  it, bring  bacl^ 
 the  Ifraelhcs  into  the  Land  of  Promife,  where  their 
 Forefathers  dwelt  when  they  were  few  in  number  5 
 
 whofe 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  169 
 
 whofe  Pofterity  was  now  increafed  to  ten  thoufand  Chapter 
 thoufands,  as  the  laft  words  are  in  the  Hebrew.     And       XL 
 there  are  thofe,  who  will  have  this  to  be  a  Prayer,  L/*Wj 
 for  their  Increafe  and  Multiplication?intomany  more 
 Thoufands  than  they  were  already.     And  thus  the 
 Hierufalem  Tar  gum  (who  ftill  by  the  LORD  un- 
 derftands  his  WORD)  Return  now,  0  WORD 
 of  the  LO  RD,  from  the  vehemence  of  thy  Anger,  and 
 come  bach^to  us  in  thy  merciful  Goodnefs  :  blefs  the  My- 
 riads,  and  multiply  the  Thoufands  of  Ifraelites. 
 
 CHAP.     XL 
 
 Ver.  1.    A  N  D  when  the  People  complained."]  Or,  asVerfe  1 
 
 _i\  it  is  tranllatedin  die  Margin,  were  as  it 
 were  Complainers,  or  Mutterers.  Which  words,  D. 
 Kimchi  in  his  Michol,  brings  as  an  Inftance  to  prove 
 that  the  Particle  Caph  (  which  we  trandate  as  )  doth 
 fometimes  ferve  only  to  fignifie  the  truth  of  a  thing, 
 and  to  confirm  it,  and  imports  nothing  of  likenefs. 
 For  the  Difcontent  of  the  People  did  not  reft  in  their 
 Minds,  but  broke  out  into  open  Murmurings  and  un- 
 dutiful  Complaints.  The  like  he  obferves  XXV  Gen. 
 31,39.  and  V  Hofea  1  o.  The  Princes  of  Judah  were 
 like  them  that  remove  the  bound.  Where  we  make  it 
 to  fignifie  a  Similitude,  but  fhould  only  have  taken  it 
 as  a  ftrong  Affirmation  of  the  truth  of  the  thing. 
 See  Theod.  Hachfpan  Dijpttt.  IV.  de  Locutionibus  Sacrk^ 
 n%  4. 
 
 Z  Com- 
 
i7o  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Complained.]  Of  their  long  March  for  three  Days 
 XI.  together,  with  their  little  Children,  Cartel,  and  all 
 L/^/^\j  their  Baggage.  So  it  is  commonly  thought  ^  but  I  can 
 fee  no  good  ground  for  it.  For,  no  doubt,the  Cloud 
 flood  (till,  (though  it  did  not  come  down  and  fettle, 
 as  I  faid,  X.  33.)  that  they  might  make  fome  conve- 
 nient Refts  in  their  Journey:  elfe  how  (hould  they 
 gather  the  "Manna  that  fell  every  Night  about  their 
 Tents,  and  would  keep  but  one  Day  ,  as  we  read 
 XVI  Exod.  I  conclude  therefore  that  this  Mutter- 
 ing, was  the  beginning  of  thofe  loud  Complaints , 
 which  were  made  a  little  after,  ^.4,  5,  Sec.  becaufe 
 they  were  not  brought  by  this  Removal  to  a  place, 
 where  they  might  have  had  other  Food  than  Manna  : 
 of  which  they  now  grew  weary,  having  lived  upon  it 
 near  a  whole  Year. 
 
 It  dijpleafed  the  LOR  D/]  In  the  Hebrew,  It  tolas 
 Evil  in  the  Ears  of  the  LO  RD  :  That  is,  though  it 
 was  only  a  Muttering,  which  did  not  come  to  the 
 Ears  of  Mofes,  (as  this  Complaint  fhortly  after  did  ) 
 yet  the  LORD  took  notice  of  it,  and  was  much 
 offended  at  it  5  as  it  here  follows. 
 
 And  the  LORD  heard  it,  and  his  Anger  was  kin* 
 died.']  Or,  When  the  LORD  heard  ft,  he  demon- 
 ftrated  he  was  highly  offended  ,  by  fending  a  Fire 
 among  them. 
 
 And  the  Fire  of  the  LORD  burnt  among  them,  j 
 Some  take  this  Phrafe,  Fire  of  the  LO  RD,  to  fig- 
 nifie  a  great  Fire  5  as  Mountains  of  the  LORD  ,  are 
 high  Mountains.  Which  came  either  from  Heaven, 
 like  Lightning,  (as  in  2  Kings  I.  12.)  or  from  the 
 Pillar  of  Cloud  and  Fire,over  the  Tabernacle  5  where 
 the  Glory  of  the  LORD  appeared  fome  times  like 
 unto  Fire. 
 
 And 
 
upon  NUMBERS-  tyt 
 
 And  confumed,  them  that  were  in  the  utter  moU parts  Chapter 
 of  the  Camps.']     Where  the  mixt  Multitude  were  (as      XL 
 I  obferved,  X.  25.)  who  came  out  of  Egypt-?  and  L/V"NJ 
 may  well  be  fuppofed  to  have  (lirred  up  the  Ifiaelites 
 to  complain  of  their  tedious  Journey,  which  had  not 
 yet  brought  them  near  to  the  Land  of  Cannan.     And 
 perhaps  fome  of  them  lagged  behind  on  purpofe,that 
 they  might  complain  of  Wearinefs,  (  as  fome  take  it) 
 or  rather  of  want  of  ftronger  Food.     But  Boc hart us 
 hath  demonftrated  that  this  word  which  we  tranOate 
 the  utter  mo  fl  parts,  fignilies  in  all,  or  throughout.     Of 
 which  he  gives  many  Inftances  out  of  Lud.  de  Dieu 
 upon  XXXIII Ezek.  1.  See  XIX  Gen. 4.  XLVII.2,8cc. 
 Hierozoicon.  P.  I.  L.  II.  cap.  34.     And  therefore  fo  it 
 fhould  be  hererendred,  Confumed  fome  in  every  part  of 
 the  Camp  5    where  they  began  to  make  Complaints 
 one  to  another  ,  of  their  being  ftill  in  a  Wilder- 
 nefs. 
 
 Ver.  2.  And  the  People  cried  unto  Mofes.]  Of  whofe  yerfe  2. 
 power  with  God  they  had  great  Experience  5  but 
 had  reafon  to  diftruft  their  own  Intereft  in  him  5  be- 
 caufe  of  their  murmuring  Humour.  For  it  is  like 
 they  are  the  fame  People  ,  that  cried  now  to  Mofes, 
 who  before  complained,  v.  1. 
 
 And  when  Mofes  prayed  unto  the  LO  R  Z).]  As  they 
 begg'd  he  would. 
 
 The  Fire  was  quenched.]  Went  out  ?  and  no  figns 
 of  it  appeared.  So  the  Hebrew  Phrafe  fignifies,/^^- 
 What  number  of  them  was  burnt,  we  are  not  told  : 
 it  is  likely  not  many,  becaufe  the  terrour  of  it,  in- 
 ftantly  made  them  deprecate  God's  Difpleafure,  by 
 Mofes  their  Interceflbr  5  which  put  a  ftop  to  it. 
 
 Z  2  Ver. 
 
172  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.3:  And  he  called  the  name  of  the  place  Taberah."] 
 XL      Which,  for  another  reafon,   was  alio  called  Kibroth- 
 
 L/~WJ  hattaavah,  v.  34.     They    are  mentioned    indeed  in 
 
 Verfe  3.  \X  Dent.  22.  as  if  they  were  two  diftinct  places :  but 
 it  is  plain  by  the  ftory,  that  the  things  which  occasi- 
 oned both  thefe  Names,  hapned  in  one  and  the  fame 
 ftation.  And  therefore  they  were  only  different 
 Names  for  the  fame  Place :  unlefs  we  fuppofe  Kibroth- 
 hattaavah  to  have  been  the  name  of  that  particular 
 piece  of  Ground  in  that  place,where  the  Lulteis  were 
 buried. 
 
 Becaitfe  the  Fire  of  the  LOR  D  burnt  among  them.  ~] 
 This  is  the  reafon  of  the  Name  of  Taberah  (  which 
 figmfies  a  burning)  which  was  impoied  on  this  place, 
 to  preferve  the  Memory,  both  of  God's  Judgments, 
 and  of  his  Mercy. 
 
 Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  And  the  mixt  Multitude  that  was  among 
 them.']  The  Hebrew  word  hafaphfuph,  is  well  trail- 
 dated  by  Bochartus,  Populi  colluvies  undecitnque  colle- 
 ct a,  the  Dregs  or  Scum  of  the  People  gathered  toge- 
 ther from  all  parts.  For  the  doubling  of  words  in- 
 creafes  their  fenfe,  in  the  Hebrew  Language  ^  and 
 makes  the  fame  with  the  Superlative  Degree  in  ether 
 Tongues.  Of  which  he  gives  many  Inftances  in  his 
 Hierozoicon,  P.  II.  Lib.  V.  cap.  6.  See  XIII  Lev.  19. 
 where  Adamdameth  fignifies  exceeding  red  :  as  hafaph- 
 fuph  here  doth  a  very  great  collection  of  all  forts  of 
 People  5  both  Egyptians  and  other  Neighbouring  Na- 
 tions :  who  were  invited  by  their  wonderful  Delive- 
 rance out  of  Egypt,  to  joyn  themfelves  to  the  Ifrae- 
 lites,  as  Profelytes  to  their  Religion.  SeeXIlE.xW4 
 38.  Thejfeu?/,  \x\Tanchnma,  fay,  there  were  Forty 
 thoufand  of  them  5  and  Jannes  and  Jambres  at  the 
 Head  of  them. 
 
 Fell 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  173 
 
 Fell  a  tufting."]  He  doth  not  fay  for  what  5  and  the     Chapter 
 Jews  have  taken  the  liberty  to  fancy  what  they  pleafe.      XL 
 Some  of  them  fay  that  they  lufted  after  filch  Wo-  u^VNJ 
 men,  as  Mofes  had  lately  forbidden  them  to  marry. 
 So  the  Paraphrafe  ofFzielides^  Mofes  heard  the  People 
 weeping,  becaufe  thofe  that  were  near  of  kin  to  them  were 
 forbidden  in  Marriage.    And  he  makes  as  if  thefe  Pro- 
 felytes  petitioned  Mofes  to  abrogate  thofe  Laws  about 
 Inceft.     Such    Conceits    others    have   indulged   to 
 themfelves,  (as  Mr.  Selden  (hows,   Lib.  II.  de  Synedr. 
 Cap.  IV,  p.  202.)  when  the  words  (in  the  end  of  this 
 Verfe,  and  v.  13,  18.)  plainly  (how  they  .lufted  for 
 Flefl)  to  eat. 
 
 And  the  Children  of  Ifrael  alfo."]  Though  the  mixt 
 multitude  were  the  firft  Fomentors  of  this  Difcontent, 
 yet  it  run  among  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  throughout 
 the  whole  Camp  :  And  rofe  fo  high,  that  they  fell  in- 
 to a  great  Paffion. 
 
 Wept  again."]  They  had  fhed  fome  Tears,  it  feems, 
 before,  (when  they  complained,  verfe  1.)  but  now 
 they  wept  aloud,  out  of  Anger,  Vexation,  and 
 Grief.  Or  elfe  this  weeping  again,  refers  to  their 
 firft  Murmuring  a  Year  ago^  like  unto  this,  XVI 
 Exod.  3. 
 
 Andftid.~]  They  could  not  refrain  from  burfting 
 out  into  fuch  difcontented  Language  5  as  argued  they 
 were  extreamly  angry,  or  rather  inraged. 
 
 Who  yi hall  give  us  fiejh  to  eat  f\  It  is  an  Expreffion  of 
 a  vehement,  impatient  Defire  (mixed  with  Defpair) 
 after  flefh-Meat.  Which  they  needed  not  to  have 
 wanted,  if  they  would  have  billed  their  Cattel,  which 
 they  brought  with  them  out  of  Egypt  in  great  abun- 
 dance, (XII  Exod.  38.)  but  they  preferved  them  for 
 breed,  when  they  came  to  Canaan :  and  if  they  killed 
 
 them 
 
I74  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  them  daily,    they  would   not  have  lafted  long  to 
 XI.       fuffice  Six  hundred  thoufand  People,    befides  Wo- 
 
 L/"V*\J  men  and  Children.  (See  ^.21,22.)  Befides  this, 
 while  they  continued  in  the  Wildernefs,  they  were 
 not  permitted  to  eat  any  Fleth  but  only  their  (hare 
 of  the  Peace-offerings,  that  were  offered  at  the  Altar, 
 XVII  Levit.  3,  4,  5.  Which  lafted,  the  Jews  think, 
 till  they  came  to  the  Land  of  Canaan,  when  this  Re- 
 ftraint  was  taken  off,  XII  Deut.  15,16.  And  indeed 
 the  Wildernefs  was  fo  barren  a  place,  that  they  could 
 there  have  no  great  increafe  of  Cattel  5  fcarce  fuffici- 
 ent  for  Sacrifice.  They  were  angry  therefore,  that 
 they  were  not  yet  brought  to  a  Country  where  they 
 might  have  had  all  forts  of  Flefh,  without  killing 
 their  own  Cattel  5  and  have  taken  their  fill  of  that 
 and  all  other  Food,  (as  appears  by  the  next- Verfe) 
 at  as  eafie  rates  as  they  had  done  in  Egypt.  Whereas 
 now,  they  defpaired,  as  I  faid,  of  getting  any  fuch 
 Food  3  for  fo  fuch  Queftions  as  this  fignifie,  CXIII 
 Vfal.  5.  LIII  Ifa.  8.  VIII  Job.  16. 
 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  We  remember  thefifb.]  This  (hows  that  all 
 kind  of  Food  is  comprehended  under  FleJJj,  for 
 which  they  longed  3  particularly  this,  which  is  one 
 fort  of  Flefti,  1  Corinth.  XV.  39. 
 
 Which  we  did  eat  in  Egypt  freely.']  Or,  for  nothing. 
 For  they  could  eafily  catch  them  in  the  River  of 
 Egypt,  which  abounded  with  them,  (XIX  Ifa.  8.) 
 and  in  the  Sea  alfo,  which  was  not  far  from  them  3 
 wherein  was  exceeding  great  plenty  of  excellent 
 Fifh. 
 
 The  Cucumbers,  and  the  Melons,  &c  ]  None  of 
 which  grew  here  in  the  Wildernefs,  but  were  there 
 in  fuch  Plenty  and  Perfection,  that  they  were  the 
 common  Food  of  the  Egyptians.     Who  were  noted 
 
 anciently 
 
upon   NUMBERS-  175 
 
 anciently  for  the  Meannefs  of  their  Diet,  as  Cafau-  Chapter 
 bon  obferves  in  Lib,  IX.  Athen£i  Deipnof.  Cap.  XI.  XL 
 p.  674.  Some  fancy  thefe  things  were  the  cheaper  L/"V*NJ 
 there,  becaufe  the  Egyptians  durft  not  eat  either  Fi(h, 
 or  Leeks,  or  Onions  5  as  is  faid  by  Juvenal,  Sat.  XV. 
 Pliny,  Lib.  XIX.  Cap.  6.  and  Herodotus,  Lib.  II.  £37* 
 where  he  faith  it  was  not  lawful  for  the  Egyptians  to 
 tafte  of  Fi(h.  But,  in  my  opinion,  thefe  words  of 
 the  People,  demonftrate  rather,  that  they  were  not 
 fo  fuperftitious  in  the  days  of  Mefes  5  for  they  were 
 not  the  words  merely  of  the  Ifraelites,  but  of  the 
 mixt  Multitude  j  who  were  the  Beginners  of  this 
 Mutiny,  and  of  this  fort  of  undutiful  Language. 
 Which  one  would  think  they  put  into  the  Mouths 
 of  the  Jfiaelites  5  who  could  not  otherwife  have  had 
 the  Impudence  to  magnifie  their  Condition  in  Egypt y 
 where  they  groaned  under  the  foreft  Slavery. 
 
 It  is  a  ftrange  fancy  of  one  of  the  Doftors  in  the 
 Tidmud,  (in  the  Title  Jona)  who  by  Fifhes  under- 
 ftands  Harlots  5  whom  thefe  Crew  of  mixed  People 
 lufted  after. 
 
 The  Onions."]  The  Hebrew  word  Chatzir  properly 
 fignifies  Grafs  5  Which  being  no  part  of  Humane 
 Food,  the  LXX  here  render  the  word  Onions  3  as 
 agreeable  to  the  other  words  that  accompany  it.  But 
 the  learned  Ludolphus  thinks  they  had  no  other  reafon 
 for  it  3  and  therefore,  out  of  the  Arabian  Language, 
 rather  interprets  it  Lett  ice  or  Sallets,  in  general, 
 which  were  mod  excellent  in  Egypt.  Dijfcrt.de  Locufiis* 
 P.  II.  Cap.  14. 
 
 Ver.6.  But  now  our  Soul  k  dried  away."]   They  fpeak  Verfr 
 as  if  they  were  ftarved:,  and,  as  we  fpeak,  had  nei- 
 ther Life  nor  Soul  left  in  them.     Such  is  the  vile  Na- 
 ture of  difcontented  Ingratitude  5  which  makes  Men 
 
 that 
 
1?6  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  that  are  advanced  from  a  poor  to  a  plentiful  Conditi- 
 XI.      on,  contemn  their  prefent  Enjoyments,  and  praife  their 
 
 C/^V"NJ  former  wretched  ftate. 
 
 There  is  nothing  at  all,  bejides  this  Manna,  before  our 
 Eyes  7]  They  were  angry  that  they  were  come  to  a  place, 
 where  they  found  nothing  but  that  of  which  they  were 
 now  grown  weary  3  and  therefore  fpeak  of  it  with  dif- 
 dain. 
 
 Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  And  the  Manna."]  Upon  this  occafion  he 
 defcribesmore  fully,  what  kind  of  thing  it  was  which 
 they  defpifed  :  That  it  might  appear  how  juftly 
 God  was  difpleafed  with  them,  for  their  Ingrati- 
 tude. 
 
 Was  as  Coriander-feed.  ~_  Not  in  Colour,  (for 
 that  was  like  Bdellium,  as  it  here  follows)  but  in 
 its  Shape  and  Form  0    being    round,    XVI  Exod. 
 
 14- 
 
 And  the  Colour  of  it  as  the  Colour  of  Bdellium 7\    Of  a 
 
 pure  White  Colour,  and  bright  like  Pearl :    So  that  it 
 was  very  grateful  to  the  Eye,  as  well  as  pleafant  to  the 
 Tafte.     See  XVI  Exod.  31. 
 Verfe  8.        Ver.  8.  And  the  People  went  about.  ]     Round  their 
 Camp.    XVI  Exod.  1 3. 
 
 And  gathered  it.  ]  Frefh  every  Morning  3  which 
 made  it  ftill  more  acceptable.  XVI  Exod.  18, 
 19. 
 
 And  ground  it  in  Mills.]  Into  Flour,  with  an  Hand- 
 mill. 
 
 Or  beat  it  in  a  Mortar.  ]  Bruifed  it  with  a  Peftle 
 in  a  wooden,  or  ftone  Mortar. 
 
 And  baked  it  in  Pans.]  Or  elfe  boiled  it  (as  R.  Be- 
 chai  expounds  it)  in  a  Pot. 
 
 And 
 
^NUMBER  S.  17; 
 
 And  made  Cakes  ofrt.~\     Or  made  Cakes  of  it  in  an  Chapter 
 Oven,  or  in  a  Pan.     That  is,  faith  the  fame  R.  Be-      XL 
 char,  it  was  of  fuch  an  excellent  Composition,  that  it  L/"V"Vi 
 might   be  dreffed  divers  ways,  or  eaten  as  it  fell. 
 For,  if  they  would  they  might  ufe  it,  faith  he,  for 
 Food  immediately,   as  they  gathered  it  5    or  they 
 might  grind  it  5  or  bruifeit^  and  then  either  boil  it, 
 or  bake  it  $  and  it  was  agreeable,  in  what  way  foe- 
 ver  it  was  prepared.    Which  Mofes  mentions  to  (how 
 how  ungrateful  they  were  to  God  5  who  by  one  thing 
 entertained  them  with  great  variety. 
 
 And  the  tajie  of  it  was  as  the  tafte  offiefi  Oil.']  When 
 it  was  newly  fain,  it  tafted  like  Honey  ^    but  when 
 it  was  prepared  by  Boiling,  or  Baking,  it  tafted  like 
 frefh  Oil :  See  XVI  Exod.  31.  Or  to  feme  it  had  the 
 tafle  of  Honey  5   to  others  of  frefh  Oil.     The  Jews 
 indeed  fay  it  had  all  forts  of  Taftes,  according  to 
 every  Man's  defire.     So  the  Author  of  the  Book  of 
 Wifdom  fpeaks,  XVI.  20,  21.  from  the  ancient  Tra- 
 dition of  the  Hebrews.     Whereby  I  fuppofe  they 
 meant  no  more,  but  that  it  pleafed  every  Man's  Pa- 
 late 3  and  had  in  it  all  that  could  be  defired  in  any 
 Meat  5  being  grateful  to  the  tafte  of  young  and  old  3 
 and  refrefhed  the  Spirits }  and  kept  up  the  Flefti  of 
 their  Bodies  in  good  plight.    For  it  is  not  unreasona- 
 bly obferved  by  the  aforefaid  R.  Bechai  5  that  it  is 
 compared  by  Mofes  to  frefh  Or /,  which  is  fat  as  well  as 
 fweet  5  to  (how  how  unjuft  their  Complaint  was,  that 
 they  had  no  Moifture  left  in  them,   but  were  dried  a- 
 way,  v.  6. 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  when  the  dew  fell  up wn  the  Camp  in  the  Verfc  o. 
 Night.']     There  was  a  great  Providence  of  God  in 
 this,    faith  the  fame  Bechai^    which  fent   it   in  the 
 Night,  while  they  flept  quietly  in  their  Beds  3    that 
 
 A  a  when 
 
i78  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  when  they  role  in  the  Morning  they  might  find  their 
 
 XI.       Fcod  ready  for  them.     And  thus,  faith  he,  it  was 
 
 L/"VNJ  vvhen  they  came  to  Canaan  $    the  Rains  were  wont 
 
 to  fall  in  the  Night-feafon,  and  not  in  the  Day-time  : 
 
 that  they  might  not  be  hindred  from  their  work  in 
 
 the  Fields,  and  in  their  Plantations. 
 
 The  Manna  fell  upon  it^]  That  is,  upon  the  Dew  $ 
 for  it  did  not  fall  upon  the  Camp,  but  round  about 
 it.  See  XVI  Exod.  1 4.  This  is  a  further  Aggravation 
 of  their  Ingratitude.that  they  defpifed  this  rare  Food  5 
 which  came  not  out  of  the  Earth,  cr  the  Waters,  but 
 from  above  out  of  the  Air  :  And  therefore  was  more 
 pure  and  fpiritous  than  Cucumbers  and  Leeks,  &c. 
 Which  crude  and  grofs  fort  of  Food,  their  depraved 
 Minds  preferred  before  this  Celeftial  Nourifhment  : 
 Which  by  Falling  on  the  Dew  was  kept  clean  and 
 pure  for  their  ufe. 
 
 Huetius  obferves  that  feveral  Authors,  both  ancient 
 and  modern,  mention  Manna  as  a  thing  which  fome- 
 times  falls  in  thofe  Countries  (particularly  in  Arabia, 
 and  upon  Lib  an  m)  which  they  call  aerial  Honey  ^  or 
 dewy  Honey,  and  Syrian  Dew :  which  was  fit  for 
 Food.  But  it  never  fell  in  fuch  quantity,  nor  fo 
 conftantly  ^  every  day,  for  the  fpace  of  XL  years  5 
 and  fo  delicious  and  hearty.  All  this  was  mi- 
 raculous 5  as  was  alfo  its  melting  when  the  Sun 
 {hone  upon  it  5  and  that  it  putrified  before  the  next 
 day,  except  on  the  Sabbath  5  and  yet  kept  in  an  Urn 
 many  years.  See  Alnetana  Qit<ejl.  L.  II.  Cap.  XII. 
 N.  XVII. 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  And  Mofes  heard  the  People  weep,  through- 
 out their  Families.  ~]  Or,  for  their  Families  :  or,  a- 
 bout  the  State  and  Condition  of  their  Families  as 
 fome  of  the  Jews  underftand  it  5  though  to  a  foolifh 
 
 fenfe. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  iy9 
 
 fenfe.    See  Selden,  L.  II.  de  Synedr.  Cap.  IV.  />.  203.)  Chapter 
 who  they  pretended  could  not  live  any  longer  up-       XL 
 on  Manna.  t/y\] 
 
 Every  Man  in  the  door  of  hk  Tent."]  It  may  be  un- 
 derftood  of  Mofes  his  Tent  5  about  which  the  heads 
 of  the  feveral  Families  were  gathered  5  as  mutinous 
 Souldiers  are  wont  to  be,  about  the  Door  of  their 
 Chief  Commander. 
 
 And  the  Anger  of  the  LORD  was  handled  greatly."] 
 Which  brake  forth  fhortly  after,  in  a  great  plague  up* 
 on  them,  v.  34. 
 
 And  Mofes  alfo  was  diff  leafed. "]  The  fame  Phrafe 
 with  that  v.  1. 
 
 It  was  evil  in  the  Eyes  of  Mofes."]  7.  e.  Grieved  him  fo, 
 that  it  made  him  wifla  himfelf  rid  of  the  burden  of 
 their  Government. 
 
 Ver.  n.  And  Mofes  faid  unto  the  LORD."]     I  fup-  Verfe  11. 
 pofe  he  went  into  the  San&uary  to  bewail  himfelf, 
 and  pray  God  to  relieve  him.    See  v.  24. 
 
 Wherefore  haft  thou  affiUed  thy  Servant  ?~]  By  com- 
 mitting this  People  to  his  charge. 
 
 And  wherefore  have  I  not  found  favour  in  thy  fight."] 
 By  granting  the  Prayer  which  he  made,  at  his  firft  Call 
 to  this  Office,  III  Exod.  2.  IV.  10. 
 
 That  thou  layeft  the  burden  of  this  People  upon  me  f] 
 j.  e.  The  principal  Care  of  fuch  an  untraftable  Multi- 
 tude, upon  one  Man  5  to  whom  they  reforted  in  all 
 difficulties.    XVIII Exod.  22,  26. 
 
 Ver.  12.  Have  I  conceived  all  this  People ,  have  I  be-  Verfe  12. 
 gotten^hem  f]     Are  they  my  Children  5  that  I  fhould 
 make  provifion,   for  the  Satisfa&ion  of  all  their  de- 
 fires? 
 
 A  a  2  That 
 
8o 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        That  thou  haft  faid  unto  me,  carry  them  in  thy  Bofom 
 
 XI.  (as  a  nurfing  Father  beareth  the  fitckjng  Child)  unto  the  ■ 
 l/Y\J  Land,  &c. "]  Take  a  tender  Care  of  them,  as  a  Parent 
 doth  of  a  little  Infant  5  and  conduit  them  into  G- 
 naan,  Sec.  Nothing  can  more  lively  exprefs  the  Af- 
 fection that  Princes  ought  to  have  for  their  People  (if 
 they  have  any  regard  to  the  Will  of  God)  than  this 
 Divine  Command  to  Mofes. 
 Verfe  13.  Ver.  13.  Whence  (/wild  I  have  Fle/I)  to  give  unto  all 
 this  People  .<?]  It  is  impoffible  for  me  to  do,  what  they 
 defire. 
 
 For  they  weep  nnto  me,  frying,  Give  us  Flejlo  that  we 
 may  eat.~]  And  yet  they  will  not  be  fatisfied  without  it. 
 He  feems  to  be  affected  with  their  weeping,  as  the  mod: 
 loving  Parents  are  with  the  Tears  of  a  fucking  Child  5 
 when  it  cries  for  that,  which  they  have  not  for  it. 
 Verfe  1 4.       Ver.  1 4.  1  am  not  able  to  bear  all  this  People  alone  5  be- 
 canfe  it  is  too  heavy  for  wc.~]  Let  me  have  fome  joined  to 
 me,  to  take  part  of  this  trouble  with  me  j  and  help  to 
 manage  them  in  fuch  Mutinies  :  For  it  is  beyond  my 
 ftrength  to  undergo  the  toil  of  hearing  all  their  Com- 
 plaints 5   and  appealing  their  Tumults.     Some  may 
 imagine  there  was  noreafon  for  thisrequeft  j  he  ha- 
 ving feveral  Perfons  already  appointed  to  aflifthim  by 
 the  advice  of  Jethro,  (XVIII  Exod.)     But  Raft  thinks 
 thofe  Men  were  burnt  in  the'late  fire  5  becaufe  they  did 
 not  fupprefs  the  beginning  of  this  Mutiny,  (v.i.)  but 
 perhaps  join  in  it:  And  to  Bechai.     But  the  true  ac- 
 count rs  rather  this,  that  they  were  fet  only  to  hear  and 
 judge  fmaller  Caufes  5    all  the  weighty  and  difficult. 
 Ca-ufes  being  ftill  brought  before  Mofes }  to  whom  al- 
 fo  the  laft  Appeal  was  made  in  everv  Caufe.     Which 
 was  fo  great  a  burden  that  he  complained  for  want  of 
 help  in  thofe  great  things5which  lay  wholly  upon  him. 
 See  XVIII  £*<*/.  22.       '  Ver. 
 
^NUMBERS.  i8t 
 
 Ver.  1 5.   And  if  thou  deal  thus  with  me.  ~]     If  thou   Chapter 
 leaveft  me  ftill  alone  in  this  Office.  XL 
 
 Kill  me,  I  pray  thee,  out  of  hand  ,  if  I  have  found  L/^V^NJ 
 favour  in  thy  fight 7\  I  fhall  take  it  for  the  greateft  ^er^e  I51 
 kindnefs,  to  be  taken  immediately  out  of  the  World. 
 And  let  me  not  fee  my  wretchednefs."]  Live  to  be  a 
 moft  miferable  Creature.  For  to  fee  voretchednefs  ,  is 
 to  be  wretched  ^  as  to  fee  death  is  to  dye  ,  LXXXIX 
 Pfal.  48.  And  what  could  make  fuch  a  tender  Pa- 
 rent as  he  was  more  miferable ,  than  their  perpetual 
 untowardnefs  :  together  with  the  intolerable  trouble 
 it  would  give  him  5  to  fee  heavy  Punifhments  conti- 
 nually befal  them  for  their  Wicked neis,  and  the  Ene- 
 mies of  God  rejoyce  in  their  Ruin. 
 
 Ver.  1 6.  And  the  LOR  Dfaid  unto  Mofes.~]  Here  Verfe  1 6, 
 is  not  the  leaft  fign  of  God's  dillike  of  this  Expoftu- 
 lation  of  Mofes  with  God  $  which  feems  not  very 
 dutiful  :  becaufe  the  Vexation  this  ftubborn  People 
 gave  him,  was  really  fo  great,  that  he  had  reafon  to 
 defire  to  be  eafed  of  it.  Which  ,  though  he  begged 
 with  much  earneftnefs,  yet,  ho  doubt,  with  no  lefs 
 fubmiffion  to  God's  holy  Will  and  Pleafure. 
 
 Gather  unto  me7\  Thefe  words  are  interpreted  by 
 the  Talmudifts,  as  if  the  meaning  was,  that  they  may 
 be  a  Sanhedrim  to  my  hand  5  /.  <e.  a  holy,  perpetual, 
 ftanding  Council,  to  endure  throughout  all  Genera- 
 tions. For  wherefoever  we  meet  with  this  word  U 
 unto  me,  they  think  it  fignifies  a  thing  to  be  efta- 
 blifhed  by  God  to  all  Generations.  The  Examples 
 they  alledge  of  it,  are  thefe  5  of  Aaron  and  his  Sons 
 he  faith,  they  fhall  Minifter  unto  me  in  the  Priefts 
 Office,  XXVIII  Exod.  41.  and  of  the  Levites  ,  he 
 faith,  III  Numb.  12.  they  fhall  be  mine.,  or  unto  me  ^ 
 and  of  thzJfraelftes  ,  XXV  Lev.    550  unto   me  the 
 
 ChiL- 
 
i82  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Children  of  Jfrad are  Servants.  The  like  isjaid  of 
 XI.  the  Frrsi-bom,  III  Numb.  13.  of  the  Sanctuary,  XXV 
 L/"V^vJ  £xW.  18.  of  the  Altar ,  XX  £xW.  24.  of  the  /w/y 
 Oyntment,  XXX  Exod.  31.  of  the  Kingdom  of  Da- 
 vid, 1  Sam.  XVI.  1.  and  of  the  Sacrifices  ,  XXVIII 
 Numb.  2.  See  Mr.  Selden,  Lib.  II.  deSynedr.  cap.  4. 
 «.  2. 
 
 Seventy  Men  of  the  Elders  of  Ifrael]  This  Number 
 is  generally  thought,  both  by  the  Jewifh  and  Chri- 
 ftian  Writers ,  to  be  derived  from  the  number  of 
 Perfons,  that  came  down  into  Egypt  with  Jacob,XLVl 
 Gen.  27.  Who,  faith  R.  Bechai,  were  a  kind  of  Pro- 
 totype of  this  Number  in  future  Ages.  For  hence 
 they  were  governed  by  fo  many  Elders  when  they 
 were  in  Egypt,  III  Exod.  16.  (where  there  is  no  men- 
 tion indeed  made  of  Seventy,  but  he  gathers  it  from 
 what  followed)  and  thofe  were  the  Seventy  whom 
 we  find  at  the  giving  of  the  Law,  a  little  after  they 
 came  out  of  Egypt^  XXIV  Exod.  1,  9.  who  are  cal- 
 led Nobles,  or  Great  Men,  v.ii..  So  that  this  num- 
 ber was  not  now  firft  conftituted  $  but  rather  conti- 
 nued and  confirmed. 
 
 Whom  thou  knovoell  to  be  the  Elders  of  the  People."] 
 For  there  were  many  Elders,  out  of  whom  Seventy 
 were  chofen.     See  XXIV  Exod.  1. 
 
 And  Officers  over  them."]  That  is,  faith  R.  Bechai, 
 whom  thou  knoweft  to  be  of  the  number  of  thofe, 
 who  when  they  were  Officers  in  Egypt  over  the  Peo- 
 ple, were  beaten  by  Pharaoh's  Task-mafters,  V  Exod. 
 14.  Which  word  Officers  doth  not  fignifie  Men  that 
 had  any  Judicial  Authority  5  but  only  fuch  as  had  an 
 infpe&ioii  over  others,to  fee  they  did  their Work,and 
 to  give  an  account  of  them.  But  it  is  very  likely, 
 they  were  Perfons  of  note,  who  had  more  than  ordi- 
 nary 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  183 
 
 nary  Underftanding  and  Breeding,  which  advanced  Chapter 
 them  to  be  Infpe&ors  of  others.     And  therefore  the       XL 
 Talmudifts  rightly  obferve,  that  the  Elders  and  Officers  L/V^VJ 
 here  mentioned,  were,  no  doubt,  Men  of  Wifdom 
 and  Judgment  5  who  knew  how  to  ufe  the  Authority 
 that  was  committed  to  them.     And  it  is  not  impro- 
 bable (as  fome  of  them  affirm)  that  they  were  chofen 
 out  of  thofe  lefTer  Courts,  which  were  ere&ed  by  the 
 Advice  of  Jethro.     See  Selden  in  the  fame  place,/e#.5. 
 who  at  large  confutes  Baromus  and  others  5  who  fay 
 that  the  number  of  the  great  Sanhedrim  (which  deri- 
 ved its  Original  from  hence  )  was  Seventy  two ;  and 
 makes  it  appear  they  were  only  Seventy  5  and  with 
 Mofes  their  Head  Seventy  one,  fe&.  8.     And  it  is  not 
 unworthy  our  notice,  that  about  the  fame  time  (as  he 
 obferves  Jeff.  12.)  that  this  number  of  Seventy  Judges 
 was  here  conftituted  in  the  Wildernefs,  the  great 
 Judicature  in  Areopagus  was  conftituted  among  the 
 Greeks,  viz.  in  the  Reign  of  Cecrops,  the  firft  King 
 of  Athens,  after  the  Ogygian  Flood:  when,  according 
 to  Eufebius,  the  People  of  Ifrael  were  brought  out 
 of  Egypt.     The  Marmora  Arundeliana  indeed  fay,  this 
 Court  was  erefted  in  the  time  of  Cranaus  5  but  that 
 makes  no  great  difference,  for  he  was  the  Succeffor  of 
 Cecrops.     We  do  not  find  of  what  number  it  confift- 
 ed,  but  it  is  certain  it  was  the  higheft  ymvlvv  7$  dp 
 7v?<;  %?hm  1uju&ej.uv ,  of  all  the  Courts  among  the 
 Greeks.     And  it  is  no  lefs  obfervable.,  that  as  that 
 Court  began  about  the  fame  time  with  the  Conftituti- 
 on  of  this  among  the  Hebrews  3    fo  they  both  ended 
 in  the  Reign  of  the  Emperor  Vefyaftan  ,  as  the  faid 
 Mr.  Selden  (hows  in  that  Book,  cap.  \6.feU.  10. 
 
 And 
 
^4  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chanter        And  bring  them  unto  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congrega- 
 XI.      t/on.~]     That  there  they  might  be,  as  it  were,  confe- 
 L/VSJ  crated  unto  God  :  and  that  the  People  might  know, 
 they  received  their  Authority  from  him. 
 
 That  they  may  flan  A  there  with  thee.']  As  thofe  Men 
 who  were  to  be  lharers  with  him  in  his  Authority  : 
 and  were  t¥k$  to  him  M  WiJUtm^ Piety yakd  Dejcent.     So 
 Maimonrdcs  gloffes  upon  thefe  words  in  Hill{.Sanhedr. 
 cap.  2.  where  he  faith,  none  were  made  Members  of 
 the  Sanhedrim,  but  Priefts  and  Levites ,  and  fuch  of 
 the  IfraeUtes,  as  were  defcended  from  the  nobleft  Fa- 
 milies :  and  quotes  thefe  words  to  prove  it. 
 Verfe  17.      Ver.  17.  And  I  will  comedown.']     In  a  vifible  man- 
 ner, verfe  25. 
 
 And  tal^with  thee  there.]  To  declare  (perhaps  in 
 their  Audience)  that  he  appointed  them  to  the  Of- 
 fice of  being  the  Affiftants  of  Mofes,  in  the  Govern- 
 ment. 
 
 And  I  will  take  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  upon  thee,  and 
 put  it  upon  them.]     He  did  not  take  away  from  Mo* 
 fes  any  of  the  Gifts  which  he  had  beftowed  upon 
 him  5  nor  did  he  diminifti  them  :  but  conferred  upon 
 thefe  Men  fome  of  the  Gifts  (which  are  here  meant  by 
 Spirit)  viz.  of  Wifdom,  and  Judgment ,  and  Cou- 
 rage 3  with  all  others  that  were  needful  in  a  Gover- 
 nor.    This  R.  Solomon  Jarchi  illu  ft  rates  by  the  com- 
 parifon  of  a  great  Lamp  fet  up  in  a  room  ^  at  which 
 many  others  are  lighted,  without  the  leaft  diminuti- 
 on of  its  Light.     See  further  verfe  25. 
 
 And  they  (Id all  bear  the  burden  of  the  People  with  thee!] 
 By  this  it  appears  it  was  the  Spirit  of  Government, 
 which  God  intended  to  give  them  :  that  they  might 
 eafe  Mofes  by  a  (lifting  him  ,  with  the  fame  Authority 
 that  he  had,  to  hinder,  or  to  appeafe  fuch  Mutinies, 
 as  now  the  People  were  fain  into.  That 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  185 
 
 That  thou  bear  it  not  thy  felf  alone. "]     That  all  the  Chapter 
 Murrnurings  of  the  People  might  not  be  only  againfl:      XL 
 him^  but  fome  of  their  Complaints  might  be  diver-  i/v%J 
 ted  unto  others.     Who  might  alfo  help  him  in  the 
 judging  of  fuch  Caufes,  as  had  hitherto  been  referved 
 to  him  alone.     For  it  is  plain  that  thefe  Seventy  Per- 
 fons  made  an  higher  Court,  than  any  of  thofe  confU- 
 tuted  by  the  advice  of  Jethro. 
 
 Cornelius  Bertram  indeed  fanfies,  that  thefe  Rulers 
 of  Thoufands,  Hundreds,  Fifties,  and  Tens,  not 
 being  fufficient  for  the  bufinefs  committed  to  them, 
 (though  he  like  wife  conceives  they  had  fome  of  their 
 feveral  Families  joyned  with  them  )  God  appointed 
 thefe  Seventy  for  their  affiftance :  to  whom  they  were 
 to  bring  all  Caufes  which  they  could  not  determine, 
 before  they  troubled  Mofes  with  them,  Lib.de  Repub. 
 Jnd.  cap.  6.  But  our  learned  Mr.  Thorndihe  in  his 
 Rights  of  the  Church  ,  chap.  2.  hath  well  obferved, 
 that  thofe  Captains  were  to  be  in  place,  only  during 
 the  Pilgrimage  of  the  Wildernefs  :  For  when  they 
 came  to  the  Land  of  Promife,  the  Law  provided  that 
 Judgesand  Miniflers  fhouldbe  ordained  in  every  City, 
 XVI  Dent.  18.  who,  if  there  fell  any  difference  a- 
 bout  the  Law,  were  to  repair  to  the  place  where  God 
 dwelt,  to  the  Succeffors  of  Mofes,  and  thefe  Seventy, 
 for  flefolution  in  it,  XVII  Dent.  1 1 ,  12.  For  as  he 
 judiciouily  notes  in  his  RevieTPrf.69.  (futabletowhat 
 is  here  delivered)  they  were  affumed  to  affift  Mofes 
 in  his  great  Office  of  judging  the  hardeft  Caufes  3  and 
 by  that  Law,XVII  De//f.8,Scc.  were  afterwards  made 
 a  (landing  Court,  refident  at  the  Place  of  the  Taber- 
 nacle ^  to  judge  the  laft  Refultof  all  Caufes  concern- 
 ing the  Law,  and  to  determine  all  Matter  of  Pvight 
 not  determined  by  the  Letter  of  the  fame. 
 
 B  b  Ver. 
 
t85  ^    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  18.  And  fay  thou  unto  the  People."]     All  that 
 XI.       he  faid  hitherto  concerned  Mofes  himfelf  5  in  anfwer 
 L/'VNJ  to  his  Requeft.     Now  he  tells  him  what  he   fhould 
 Verfe  18.  fay  to  the  People,   in  anfwer  to  their  Complaint. 
 
 Sanffifie  your  fclvcsT]  Here  the  word  Sancfifie  feems 
 to  fignifie  no  more  ,  but  to  prepare  and  make  them- 
 felves  ready  to  receive  what  they  defired.  So  the  Ch ai- 
 de* expounds  it :  and  fo  the  word  is  tranflated  by  us, 
 feveral  times  in  the  Book  of  Jeremiah  \  VI.  4.  XII. 3. 
 LI.  28. 
 
 Again  fl  to  morrow.']  He  feems  at  the  fame  time  to 
 gratifie  Mofes  and  fatisfie  them :  for  his  fetting  the  Se- 
 venty Elders  before  the  LOR  D,  and  their  eating 
 Flefh,  fucceed  one  another.  Or  elfe,  he  immediate- 
 ly gathered  the  Elders:,  and  the  next  day  the  Quails 
 came  for  their  Food. 
 
 And  ye  pall  eat  Flefi,  for  ye  have  wept  in  the  Ears  of 
 the  LO  RD0  Sec]     You  (hall  have,  what  you  long 
 for  with  fuch  vehemence  5  that  it  hath  made  you  ut- 
 ter Complaints  againft  the  LOR  D. 
 Verfe  1 9.      Ver.  1 9.  Ye  Jljall  eat  not  one  day.  ~]     As  they  did  a- 
 bout  a  Year  ago,  XVlExod.  12, 13. 
 
 Nor  two  days,  nor  five  daysfitc,~]  Not  for  a  fhort 
 time  only. 
 Verfe  20.  Ver.  20.  But  even  a  whole  Month."]  So  long  (  the 
 Hebrews  gather  from  hence)  they  ftaid  in  this*  part  of 
 the  Wildernefs  ofParan:  Or  rather,  a  little  longer. 
 For  they  came  hither  on  the  twenty  third  Day  cf  the 
 fecond  Month,  in  the  Even  :  on  which,  if  we  fuppofe 
 the  Fire  to  have  burnt  among  them,  v.  1.  and  that 
 the  next  Morning  (  which  is  fcarce  credible  )  they 
 1  ufted  after  FleJh:,  and  in  a  tumultuous  manner,  de- 
 manded it  of  Mofes  5  who  promifed  they  fliould  have 
 it:  we  inuft  allow  a  little  time  for  the  conftituting 
 
 of 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  i87 
 
 of  the  Seventy  Elders.      And  fuppofe  it  was  done  on  C  haptcr 
 the  twenty  fifth  Day,  and  that  the  next  Day  the'Qnails      XL 
 came,  (as  we  tranihte  it)  they  were  two  Days  in  ga-  \^Y~\J 
 thering  them.  From  whence  if  we  begin  this  Moiuh, 
 it    will  appear  they   ftayed   here  longer   than   that 
 fpace. 
 
 Until  it  come  out  at  your  Nofbrils.  ~\  Till  you  be 
 glutted  with  it  :,  and  vomit  it  up  fo  violently,  that 
 it  come  not  only  our  at  your  Mouth,  but  at  your  No- 
 ftrils.       ' 
 
 And  it  be  loathfom  to  you. "]  Which  was  both  the 
 Caufe  and  the  Effeft  of  Vomiting. 
 
 Becaufe  that  ye  have  dejpifed  the  L0RD.1  For- 
 getting all  that  he  had  done  for  them  ,  as  if  it  had 
 been  nothing  5  and  flighting  his  Servant  Mofes. 
 
 Which  k  among  you.]  By  a  vifible  Token  of  his 
 glorious  Prefence  in  the  Sanftuary  :  where  he  dwelt 
 among  them,  XXV£x^.  v.  8. 
 
 And  have  wept  before  him , faying,  U  hy  came  roe  forth 
 out  of  Egypt."]  As  if  he  had  undone  them,  by  their 
 Deliverance  from  thence. 
 
 Both  Onkelos  and  Jonathan  tranflate  this  verfe  in 
 fuch  a  manner,  that  one  cannot  but  think  they  had  a 
 Notion  in  their  Days  of  more  Perfons  than  one  in 
 the  Godhead.  For  thefe  are  the  words  of  the  latter 
 of  them,  Becaufe  you  have  dejpifed  ( or  reje&ed,  as 
 Onkelos)  the  WORD  of  tie  LORD,  for  glorious  k 
 hk  Majefty  which  dweileth  among  m.  For  I  cannot  fee 
 how  the  word  M  EM  R  A  can  lignifie  any  thing  in 
 this  place  (whatfoever  it  may  do  in  icme  others)  but 
 a  Peribn  equal  to  JEHOVAH.  And  yet  the  A- 
 nonymm  Writer  againft  the  Trinity  (  confuted  by  dc 
 Vbifen)  hath  the  ftrange  unaccountable  boldnefs  to 
 pafs  it  by  with  this  filly  glofs,  Proprie  de  Lege  accipi 
 
 B  b  2  poteji. 
 
i88  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  potetffcc.  it  may  be  properly  underftood  of  the  Law, 
 XI.      which  may  be  contemned  or  tranfgrefled :  as  if  this 
 
 L/V^vJ  could  be  called  theglorioits  Majefty  of  the  L  0  R  D, 
 which  dwelt  among  them.  What  will  not  Men  fay, 
 or  do,  to  ferve  a  Caufe? 
 
 Verfe  2 1 .      Ver.  2 1 .  And  Mofes  faid,  the  People  among  whom  I 
 am7\     Over  whom  I  prefide,  as  their  Governor. 
 
 Are  fix  hundred  thoufand  Footmen. "]  Who  were  a- 
 ble  to  carry  Arms  5  befides  Women  ,  and  Children, 
 and  Slaves ,  and  the  mixt  Multitude  5  who  in  all 
 may  well  be  fuppofed  to  have  made  Thirty  hundred 
 thoufand. 
 
 And  thou  haft  faid,  J  will  give  them  Flcfl),  that  they 
 may  eat  an  whole  month.  *]  1.  e.  How  can  this  be  ? 
 Which  is  a  down-right  diftruft  of  God's  Promife,  if 
 we  regard  merely  the  words  5  and  do  not  confider 
 that  they  were  fpoken  haftily,  and  fomething  incon- 
 siderately, while  his  Mind  was  very  much  difturbed 
 by  the  Tumult  which  the  People  made.  For  which 
 reafon,  a  fevere  notice  is  not  taken  of  it  5  but  he  on- 
 ly put  in  mind  of  God's  Eternal  Power,  f.23.  Which 
 may  make  it  probable,  that  they  were  only  words  of 
 Admiration,  how  fuch  a  Provifion  fhould  be  made 
 for  fuch  a  vaft  number  3  and  thofe  uttered  on  a  Hid- 
 den. 
 
 Verfe  22.  Ver.  22.  Shall  the  Flocks  and  the  Herds  he  flain  for 
 them,  tofuffice  them  f\  In  the  Hebrew  the  words  are, 
 If  the  Flocks  and  the  Herds  he  flam  for  them  ,  will  they 
 befufficient  for  them  ?  That  is,  there  will  not  be  e- 
 nough  for  a  whole  Month.  And  fo  the  next  Paflage 
 is  to  be  tranllated,  If  all  the  Fifi  of  the  Sea  be  gathered 
 for  them,  will  they  be  fuffichnt  for  them  ? 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon  N  U  M  B  E  R  S.  189 
 
 Ver.  23.  And  the  LORD  faid  unto  Mofes,  is  the  Chapter 
 L  0  RD's  Hand  waxed  ftort  .<?]  7.  e.  I  need  not  tell      XL 
 thee,  that  my  Power  is  as  great  as  lever.  i^V'VJ 
 
 Thou  JI) alt  fee  now  whether  my  Word  JI)oll  come  to  pafs  Verie  23. 
 unto  thee,  or  not.']  For  thou  (halt  be  convinced  of  it 
 by  the  fpeedy  performance  of  my  Promife. 
 
 Ver.  24.  And  Mofes  went  out?]  I  fuppofed,  z/.n.  Verfe  24, 
 that  Mofes  went  into  the  Sanctuary  to  make  his  Ad- 
 dreffes  to  God  for  relief  5  and  if  that  be  true,  then 
 that  is  the  place  from  whence  he  now -went  out.  But 
 there  is  this  Obje&ion  againft  it,That  if  he  had  gone 
 to  confult  God  in  the  Sanctuary,  (as  he  did  on  fome 
 occafiuns,  VII.89.)  it  would  net  have  been  faid  that 
 he  went  out  5  but  that  he  came  out.  For  that  is  the  u- 
 fual  Expreffion  in  this  matter.  Therefore  we  may  ra- 
 ther think  he  now  went  out  of  his  own  Tent,  where 
 the  People  ftood  murmuring,  v.  10. 
 
 And  told  the  People  the  Words  of  the  LORD.']  Both 
 concerning  them,  and  concerning  himfelf. 
 
 And  gathered  the  feventy  Men  of  the  Elders  of  the 
 People.']  That  is,  fent  out  his  Summons  to  them  to  at- 
 tend him  5  though  two  of  them,  it  appears  afterwards, 
 did  not  come,  v.  26. 
 
 Andfet  them  round  about  the  Tabernacle?]  That  is, 
 required  them  to  come  thither,  and  there  place  them- 
 felves  $  that  the  People  might  underftand  they  re- 
 ceived their  Authority  from  God  5  and  that  from 
 thence  he  might  fend  his  Holy  Spirit  upon  them. 
 For  God  alone ,  who  fwas  their  King ,  could 
 appoint,  who  (hould  bear  Rule  among  them. 
 There  alfo  were  the  great  Affemblies  held.  See 
 XXVII.  2. 
 
 Ver, 
 
■ipo  A    COMMENTART 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  25.  And  the  LORD  came  down  In  a  Cloud.'] 
 XI.       The  SCHECHINAH,  or  Divine  Majefty,  appear- 
 iy~y~\j  ed  from  Heaven  in  a  Cloud  5  or,  in  the  Pillar  of  the 
 Verfe  25.  Gfo*aJ,  as  it  is  in  XII.  5. 
 
 And  (pake  unto  bimPs  As  he  had  promifed,  v.  1 7. 
 declaring,  it  is  likely,  the  Reafon  and  Intention  of  his 
 appearing,  on  this  occafion. 
 
 And  took  of  the  Spirit  that  was  upon  him,  and  gave  it 
 unto  the  feventy  Elders.     See  there  v.lj. 
 
 rid  it  came  -to  pafs  that  when  the  Spirit  rejied  upon 
 them7\     i.e.  As  foon  as  they  received  it. 
 
 They  prophcfied.~\  Either,  by  fetting  forth  the  Pro- 
 mifes  of  God  in  fuch  a  ftrain,  as  none  elfe  could  i- 
 mitate  5  or  giving  fuch  admirable  Inftruftions  to  the 
 People,  as  manifefted  they  were  raifed  above  them- 
 felves  5  or  perhaps  by  declaring  things  to  come  (par- 
 ticularly that  they  fhould  have  Quails  (as  we  render 
 the  word)  in  great  abundance  very  fhortly,  as  fome 
 of  the  Jews  take  it)  though  that  could  not  gain  them 
 juft  credit,  as  the  other  Gifts,  till  their  Predi&ions 
 were  fulfilled.  And  thefe  the  Jews  call  the  fecond 
 degree  of  Prophecy  :  Concerning  which  Maimomdcs 
 1  peaks  in  his  Preface  to  his  More  Ncvochim.  but  more 
 fully  in  his  fecond  Part  of  it,  Cap.  XLV.  Where  he 
 faith  the  firft  degree  was,  that  which  moved  and  ena- 
 bled Men  to  fome  heroick  Undertaking,  with  aflu- 
 rance  they  were  put  upon  it  from  God  5  as  to  deli- 
 ver Men  from  Tyranny  and  Oppreilion.  Which  was 
 riie  Spirit  of  the  LORD,  that  came  upon  GIDEON 
 and  SAMSON,  and  the  reft  of  the  Judges  of  Ifrael: 
 who  were  carried  by  an  extraordinary  Power  to  per- 
 form fuch  things,  as  other  wife  they  thought  not 
 themfelves  fit  to  undertake.  And  the  fecond  degree 
 was,  when  a  Man  found  a  Power  upon  him,  exciting 
 
 him 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  ipi 
 
 him  to  fpeak  either  Pfalms,  or  Hymns  $  orwholefome  Chapter 
 Precepts  of  living  5   or  about  Political  Affairs,  and      XL 
 Civil  Government,    far  beyond  his  Natural  Capaci-  L/"V\J 
 ties  $   and  all  this  waking,  and  in  the  full  vigour  of 
 his  Senfes.    This  is  alfo  called  the  Holy  Spirit  $  and  in 
 this  number  he  places  thefe  LXX  Elders.    Who  were 
 endued  with  the  Spirit  of  Mofes,  for  the  Government 
 of  the  People  with  him  j  in  fuch  meafure  that  they  at- 
 tained to  be  Prophets.     Juft  as  in  the  New  Tefbment, 
 the  Prophets  are  placed  next  to  the  Apoftles  x,  fo  thefe 
 Men  were  next  to  Mofes. 
 
 Andceafed  not.~]  In  which  Translation  we  follow 
 the  Chaldee  Paraphrafts,  as  feveral  others  do  :  But  the 
 LXX  tranllate  it,  and  they  added  no  further,  (which 
 the  Hebrew  words  will  well  bear)  taking  the  mean- 
 ing to  be  5  that  they  prophefied  that  day,  but  not  af- 
 ter. And  this  is  the  ienfe  of  the  Talmudijis  5  parti- 
 cularly of  Jarchi.  Who  in  his  Glofs  upon  this  place, 
 faith  :  All  thefe  Elders  prophefied  only  thtsfirfl  time,  that 
 the  Sfirit  rejied  on  them,  as  they  flood  about  the  Tabcr- 
 nable  $  hut  they  did  not  prophefie  after  that.  The  like 
 fay  feveral  others  mentioned  by  Mr.  Selden,  L.  II.  de 
 Synedr.  Cap.  IV.  Sett.  2.  And  indeed  the  Spirit  was 
 not  fcnt  upon  them,  to  make  them  Prophets  3  but  to 
 make  them  Governors  and  Judges.  And  therefore  the 
 Gift  of  Prophecy,  which  God  gave  them  for  the  pre- 
 fent,  was  only  to  procure  them  Reverence  from  the 
 People  5  as  an  evident  Sign  that  they  were  chofen  by 
 God  to  be  Co-adjutors  to  Mofes,  in  the  exercife  of 
 his  Supream  Authority  over  them.  And  thus  I  find 
 Theodoret  underftood  it,  (£>tf£Ji.  XX.  in  Num.)  The 
 LX  X  did  not  prophefie  beyond  thk  day,  on  « it£$p\r&cL$ 
 yd^v  aA\'  o&ftjulo?,  Sec.  becaufe  God  promoted  them, 
 not  to  prophefie^  hut  to  govern  :    Which  St.  Paul  alfo 
 
 reckons 
 
ip2  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter   reckons   among  other   Gifts  beflowed  upon    Chriflrans^ 
 XI.      i  Corrnth.XU.26.    Now  that  it  might  appear  God  had 
 
 ^Y"\J  conferred  this  Divine  Gift  of  Government  upon 
 them  5  they  alfo  prophefied,  the  firft  day  that  they  re- 
 ceived it.  And  I  do  not  fee,  why  ourTranilation 
 {did  not  ceafe~]  may  not  be  interpreted  to  this  fenfe  5 
 that  is,  they  did  not  ceafe  all  that  day,  while  they  flood  a- 
 bout  the  Tabernacle. 
 Verfe  26.  Ver  26.  And  there  remained  two  of  the  Men. ~]  Of 
 the  LXX  Elders  5  whom  Mofcs  ordered  to  appear, 
 and  fet  themfelves  about  the  Tabernacle.  So  the  Hie- 
 rufalem  Tdrgutn,  thefe  were  of  the  number  of  the  LXX 
 wife  Men  ,  neither  did  the  LXX  wife  Men  go  from  the 
 Tabernacle  while  Eld  ad  and  Med  ad,  prop  he  fed  in  the 
 Camp.  And  fo  R.  Levi  ben  Gerfom  notes,  It  feems  to 
 be  plain  out  of  the  Text,  that  thefe  two  were  of  the  LXX 
 Elders.  Which  our  Tranflators  thought  neceflary  to 
 exprefs  by  adding  thofe  words  of  the :  For  in  the  He- 
 brew there  is  no  more  faid,  but  only  there  remained  two 
 Men. 
 
 In  the  Camp."]  Among  the  reft  of  the  People  5 
 from  whom  they  would  not  come  :  Out  of  Modefty, 
 faying,  They  were  not  equal  to  fuch  a  dignify^  as  the 
 words  are  in  the  Gemara  Babylpnica.  Tit.Sanhedrin. 
 Or  perhaps  they  loved  a  private  life  f,  and  were  afraid 
 of  being  envied  by  the  People:  Whom  they  faw  to 
 be  fo  unruly,  that  it  made  them  decline  the  bur- 
 den 5  as  Saul  did,  when  he  hid  himfelf  among  the 
 fluff. 
 
 The  name  of  the  one  was  tldad,  and  the  name  of  the 
 other  Medad.j  We  do  not  find  the  names  of  any 
 other  of  the  LXX  Elders,  but  only  thefe  two  5  who, 
 Jonathan  faith,  were  Mofes  his  Brothers  by  the  Mo- 
 ther's fide.     And  St  Hrerom  himfelf  mentions  fuch 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  193 
 
 a  Tradition,  that  they  were  his  Brethren.    But  there  Chapter 
 is  no  certainty  of  this  5  nor  of  what  others  of  the      XL 
 Jews  fay  concerning  them.     See  Selden,  Lib.  II.    de  L/^V^Vi 
 Synedr.  Cap.  4.  Se&.  3 . 
 
 It  may  be  they  are  mentioned  in  honour  of  their 
 vertuous  Modefty  ^  which  made  them  think  them- 
 felves  unworthy  of  fo  high  a  dignity. 
 
 And  the  Spirit  rejied  upon  them."]  As  it  did  upon 
 thofe  who  were  about  the  Tabernacle,-^ .  25.  Where- 
 by God  marked  them  out  to  be  in  the  number  of 
 thofe, whom  he  had  chofen  to  be  Affiftants  unto  Mo- 
 fes. 
 
 And  they  were  of  them  that  were  written ,  &c.^|  Whofe 
 Names  Mofes  put  into  the  Summons,  which  he  fent 
 to  thofe  whom  he  judged  fit  to  be  advanced  to  this 
 Authority.     The  Jews  (particularly  Solomon  Jarchf) 
 fay  they  were  chofen  by  the  way  of  carting  Lots,} 
 and  according  to  their  manner  they  tell  the  Story 
 thus,  in  the  place  mentioned  before  in  the  Gemara. 
 Mofes,  fay  they,  was  in  doubt  how  he  ihould  exe- 
 cute God's  Command,  v.  16.  becaufe  if  he  did  not 
 chufe  an  equal  number  out  of  every  Tribe,  it  might 
 be  ill  taken.     And  if  he  chofe  Six  out  of  each  of  the 
 XII  Tribes,  they  would  exceed  the  number  of  LXX  5 
 if  but  five,  they  would  fall  ihort  of  it.    He  refolved 
 therefore  at  laft  to  chufe  VI  out  of  each  Tribe,  which 
 in  all  were  LXXII  Perfons  :  And  in  LXX  Schedules 
 he  wrote  the  Name  of   Elder  3    but  the  other  two 
 were  Blanks.     Then  mixing  all  thefe  in  an  Urn,  he 
 bad  them  come  and  draw  :    And  to  every  one  who 
 drew  a  Schedule,    that  had  the  Name  of  Elder  in  it, 
 he  laid,    God  hath  fanUified  thee  5  but  to   him   that 
 drew  a  Blank,  he  faid,  God  hath  not  chofen  thee. 
 And  thofe  two  Blanks,  fome  of  the  Jewifh  Do&ors 
 
 C  c  fay, 
 
IP4  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  fay,  came  into  the  hands  of  Eldad  and  Mcdad  :  who 
 XI.        therefore  were  left  behind  in  the  Camp.     And  this 
 
 L/^T\j  Conceit  our  very  learned  Dr.  Lightfoot  himfelf  en- 
 tertained, faying  (in  his  (hort  account  of  this  Chap- 
 ter )  That  fx  of  a  Tribe,  wade  up  the  number  of  the. 
 Sanhedrim,  (which  was  chofen)  and  two  over.  And 
 thofe  two  were  Eldad  and  Medad  ^  who  were  written 
 for  Elders,  but  the  Lot  cafi  them  out  \  that  there  might 
 be  but  LXX.  Tet  did  the  LO  RD  honour  them  with  the 
 Spirit  of  Prophecy. 
 
 But  as  this  whole  Story,  of  the  manner  of  Chu- 
 fing  the  Elders,  is  very  dubious  5  fo  other  Jews  of 
 great  Authority,  fay,  that  Eldad  and  Medad  were  of 
 the  number  of  the  LXX  that  were  chofen.  Particu- 
 larly Jonathan  faith  exprefly,  they  were  of  the  num- 
 ber of  thofe,  whofe  Schedules  came  up,  with  the 
 Name  of  Elder  in  them  :  But  they  did  not  go  to 
 the  Tabernacle,  becaufe  they  had  no  mind  to  be 
 Governours.  Nay  the  Talmudical  Glofs  upon  the 
 fore-named  place  of  the  Gemara,  faith,  that  when 
 LXX  of  the  LXXII  had  drawn,  two  of  them  had 
 Blanks  5  whereby  Eldad  and  Medad  knew  that  the 
 two  remaining  Schedules  had  the  Name  of  Elder  in 
 them  :  and  therefore  would  not  draw  them,  becaufe 
 they  were  fure  not  to  have  Blanks.  The  very  fame 
 Mr. Selden  (hows,  is  in  other  noted  Books  of  theirs.  So 
 that  it  is  generally  received,  they  were  in  the  number 
 of  thofe  LXX  which  were  chofen  to  be  joined  with 
 Mofes  in  the  Government.  See  L.  II.  de  Synedr. 
 Cap.  4.  SeS.  7. 
 
 And  they  prophefied  in  the  Cawp.~]  Which  was  a 
 greater  thing,  than  if  they  had  prophefied  at  the  Ta- 
 bernacle :  Denoting  them  to  be  Men  fo  highly  in  the 
 Favour  of  God,  that  he  would  diftinguifh  them  from 
 
 other 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  Ip5 
 
 other  Men  wherefoever  they  were,  and  not  want  their  Chapter 
 Service,     The  Hierufalem  Targum  relates  what  each  of      XI. 
 them  foretold,  (for  to  that  he  reftrains  their  Prophe-  l/"VNJ 
 fying)  and  what  they  both  foretold  5  but  it  is  not 
 worth  the  mentioning. 
 
 Ver.  27.  And  there  ran  a  young  Mm,  and  told  Mofes  Verfe  27. 
 and  J aid ,  Eldai  and  Mzdad  do  propheftc  in  the  Camp.] 
 The  Jews,   who  will  feem  ignorant  of  nothing,  fay 
 it  was  Ger/Ijom  the  Son  of  Mofes -^  who  carried  theieTy- 
 din<y$  to  his  Father. 
 
 Ver.  28.    And  Jofiua  the  Son  of  Nun.  ]     From  Verfe  28. 
 whence  fome  conclude  that  he  was  none  of  the  LXX 
 Elders  5  though  a  Man  of  a  mod  excellent  Spirit.  And 
 indeed  this  is  likely  enongh,he  being  to  fucceed  Mofes, 
 and  fo  to  become  the  Head  of  them. 
 
 The  Servant  of  Mofes.']  Who  miriiftred  to  him, 
 as  a  confeant  Attendant  on  his  Perfon,  XXIV  Exod. 
 13. 
 
 One  of  his young  Men.]  The  word  one  is  not  in  the 
 Hebrew,  which  may  be  tranOated  from  among  his 
 young  Men  :  1.  e.  The  reft  of  thofe  that  waited  on 
 him. 
 
 My  Lord  Mofes  forbid  them.]  Perhaps  he  thought 
 they  could  have  no  Authority  5  not  being  at  the  Ta- 
 bernacle. Or  rather,  that  their  Prophefying  too 
 much  leflened  the  Authority  of  Mofes  5  by  whofe 
 Confent,and  in  whofe  Prefences  the  reft  were  joined 
 to  him  5  but  thefe  two  without  his  Knowledge,  and 
 being  abfent  from  him,  became  his  Conforts  in  Spi- 
 ritual Gifts.  This  he  thought  tended  to  the  Dimi- 
 nution of  his  Mafter  $  for  whom  he  exprefled  a  great 
 Honour.  The  two  fargums  fay  that  they  prophefied 
 of  the  Death  of  Mofes,  and  the  Advancement  of  Jo- 
 fiua  to  be  the  Leader  of  God's  People  5  which  made 
 
 Cc  2  Jofhua 
 
i96  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  JoJIma  the  more  concerned  to  have  them  fupprefled. 
 XL      But  this  is  like  the  reft  of  their  Conceits  5    feveral  of 
 
 U''"  Wl  which  are  mentioned  by  Mr.  Selden  in  the  place  before- 
 named,  SeS.  3. 
 
 Verfe  29.  Ver.  29.  And  Mofes  faid  unto  him,  Envi  eft  thou  for 
 my  fake  $  ]  This  (hows  that  Jof/ma  thought  it  a  Di- 
 fparagement  unto  Mofes,  that  they  fhould  have  the 
 Gift  of  Prophecy  beftowed  on  them  $  and  be  no 
 way  indebted  to  Mofes  for  it.  As  the  other  were  3 
 who  were  brought  by  him  to  the  Tabernacle,  where 
 he  prefented  them  to  God,  as  Men  fit  to  partake  of  it  : 
 But  thefe  two  feemed  to  have  no  dependance  on  him, 
 for  what  they  received. 
 
 Would  God  that  all  the  LORDs  People  were  Pro- 
 phets.'] This  (hows  alfo  that  the  Gift  of  Prophecy, 
 was  a  diftinct  thing  from  the  Gift  of  Government  : 
 For  he  did  not  wi(h  they  might  all  be  made  Ru- 
 lers 3  than  which  nothing  could  have  been  more  ab- 
 furd. 
 
 And  that  the  LO  RD  would  put  his  Spirit  upon  them.'] 
 That  they  might  all  break  forth,  by  his  Infpiration, 
 into  his  Praifes.  Which  is  an  high  Demonftration 
 of  that  moll  excellent  Spirit  that  dwdt  in  Mofes  3 
 which  had  nothing  of  Envy,  Pride,  or  Vain-glory 
 in  it  :  For  he  fought  not  himfelf  in  the  leaft,  but 
 purely  the  Glory  of  God,  and  the  Good  of  his  Peo-« 
 pie.  Which  admirable  Temper  of  Mind  St.  James 
 from  hence,  commends  to  all  Chriftians,  when  he 
 faith,  IV.  5.  Do  ye  think,  that  the  Scripture  faith  in 
 vain^  the  Spirit  that  dvoelleth  in  us  lujieth  to  Envy  ? 
 But  he  giveth  more  Grace.  Where  doth  the  Scripture 
 (by  which  word  the  Apoftles  commonly  mean  the 
 Old  Teftaiiient)  fay  any  thing  like  this  3  unlefs  it  be 
 in  this  £  lace  ?   the  Senfe  of  which  is  fully  expreffed 
 
 by 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  ipy 
 
 by  St.  James,  as  Hermannus  Witzrus  well  explains  his  Chapter 
 meaning,  Dolh  that  Spirit  whereby  we    are  regenerated      XI. 
 and  governed,  move  us  to  Envy,  or  any  fuck  like  vici-  L/"VNJ 
 ous  Defire  ?  No,  far  from  that  3  it  giveth  greater  Grace, 
 and  maizes  us  rejoyce  in  the  good  of  our  Neighbours,  &C. 
 asMofes  did,  when  he  faid,  Dofl  thou  envy  for  my 
 fake  ?  and  thereby  excited:  me  to  the  like  Envy  ?  Is 
 that  fuitable  to  the  Spirit  that  is  in  us  >  which  I  wifh 
 God  would  beftow  upon  all  his  People.     This  agrees 
 with  what  St.  James  faith,  But  he  giveth  more  Grace. 
 Mifcell.  Sacr.  L.  I.  cap.  18.  n.  27. 
 
 Ver.  30.  And  Mofes  gat  him  into  the  Camp. ~]  Fromyerfe  30, 
 the  Tabernacle  where  the  Elders  had  been  prefented 
 unto  God,  and  indued  with  his  Spirit. 
 
 He  and  the  Elders  of  Ifrael."]  That  they  might  ex- 
 ercife  their  Authority  }oyntly  with  him.  And  there, 
 I  fuppofe,  Eldad  and  Medad  were  aflumed  into  the 
 fame  Authority  5  for  we  do  not  read  that  they  wefe 
 brought  to  the  Tabernacle  3  being  fuflBciently  appro- 
 ved by  God  in  the  Camp. 
 
 Ver.  31.  And  there  went  forth  a  Wind  font  the  Verfe  31 
 LOR  D.]  At  the  Prayer  ( it  is  likely  )  of  Mofes 
 and  the  Elders,  who  promifed  the  People  Flefh  e- 
 nough  3  a  mighty  Wind,  of  an  extraordinary  force, 
 was  railed  beyond  the  common  Courfe  of  Nature.The 
 Pfalmisl  informs  us  from  what  Quarter  this  Wind 
 blew,  when  he  faith  LXXVIII  Pfal.  26.  He  caufed 
 the  Eatf-wind  to  blow  in  the  Heaven,  and  by  his  power 
 he  brought  in  the  South-wind.  Which  fome  underftand 
 as  if  fometimes  an  Eaft-wind  blew ,  and  foinetimes  a 
 South  3  that  thefe  Quails  (as  we  call  them)  might  be 
 brought  from  feveral  Coafts.  But  the  Hebrews  want- 
 ing compound  words,  make  ufe  of  thefe  two  words, 
 to  exprefs  that  which  we  call  a  South-tall  Wind.  Or, 
 
 as 
 
,98  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  as  Bochartm  will  have  it,  the  Hebrew  word  Kadni, 
 XI.       which  properly   Signifies  the   East,  doth  fometimes 
 
 L/VNJ  fignifie  the  South  5  and  is  by  the  LXX  often  fo  transla- 
 ted :  of  which  he  gives  a  great  many  Inftances.  And 
 therefore  the  PfalwiU  (as  the  manner  of  the  Hebrew 
 Language  is)  repeats  the  fame  thing  in  other  words. 
 See  Hierozoic.  P.  II.  L.I.  cap.  15.  And  fo  the  fa- 
 mous Ludolphus,  both  in  his  Commentary  upon  his 
 JEthiopicl^HiSlory,  and  in  his  Differtation  de  Locuftis, 
 faith  they  were  brought  in  by  a  South-wind  3  blowing 
 from  all  Points  of  that  Quarter. 
 
 And  brought  QuailsT]  No  Body,  that  I  have  met 
 withal,  hath  laboured  fo  much  to  give  a  clear  Expli- 
 cation of  this  whole  following  Difcourfe,  as  Job  Ln- 
 dolphus  in  his  mod  learned  Commentary  upon  his 
 JEthiopicl^Hiftory,  Lib.  I.  cap.  13.  n.96.  Where  he 
 hath  a  long  Difcourfe  (to  which  I  refer  the  Reader) 
 to  (how  that  the  Hebrews  do  not  take  the  word  Sc- 
 lav (here  ufed)  to  fignifie  Quails  :  but  we  take  that 
 translation  of  it  only  from  Jofep/.us.  See  what  I  have 
 noted  on  XVlExod.  13.  The  no  lefs  learned  Bo- 
 chartus,  indeed,  hath  faid  a  great  deal  to  juftifie  Jofe- 
 phus  :  and  hath  fhown  that  Egypt,  and  the  Neigh- 
 bouring Regions  abound  ftill  with  Quails^  from 
 whence  this  Wind  blew  fair  to  bring  them  to  the 
 Hebrews.  And  every  one  knows,  that  there  are  cer- 
 tain Winds  called  Omithias  5  from  their  bringing 
 great  Flights  of  Birds  along  with  them.  Quails  alfo 
 he  obfervesare  wont  to  fly  from  the  Southern  Coun- 
 tries to  the  Northern,  in  the  Spring  time,  (as  it  now 
 was)  and  to  fall  fometimes  in  fuch  vaft  quantities,  as 
 to  fink  a  Ship.  Notwithftanding  all  which,  and  a 
 great  deal  more,  which  he  alledges,with  great  learn- 
 ing, there  are  feveral  things  faid  in  the  following 
 
 Re- 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  199 
 
 Relation,  which  by  no  means  can  be  brought  to  agree  Chapter 
 to  guails  :  and  therefore  Ludolphus  rather  takes  Sc-  XL 
 Ian  to  fignifie  Locufts  5  by  which  it  is  eafie  to  give  a  L/V>J 
 plain  Explication  of  all  that  is  faid  of  them.  It  is 
 certain,  they  were  not  only  ufed  for  Food,  inthofe 
 Parts  of  the  World  :  but  that  (bine  of  them  were  ve- 
 ry delicious  Meat  in  feveral  Countries  :  for  they  that 
 have  eaten  them,  (  See  XI  Lev.  22. )  compare  them 
 to  young  Pigeons  5  or  to  a  frefh  Herring  $  or  to  a 
 Crab,or  Lobfter,  (  like  to  which  they  are  in  Shape 
 and  Figure)  and  they  are  feveral  ways  prepared,  and 
 accounted  very  wholfome  Food  5  when  they  have 
 thrown  away  the  Heads,  and  Wings  and  Leggs. 
 Pliny  faith,  that  fome  Parts  of  Ethiopia  lived  upon 
 them$  and  that  they  were  prefer vtd/fumo  &  fale,  by 
 being  dried  in  the  Smoak  and  falted,  for  their  nou- 
 rilhment,  throughout  the  whole  Year.  Now  all  that 
 is  faid  in  this,  and  in  the  following  verfes^  will  have 
 a  plain  and  eafie  meaning  ,  (as  I  faid)  if  we  follow 
 this  Interpretation  :  but  not,  if  we  take  them  for 
 g>uails,  or  Pheafants,  or  Sea-fowl.  As  for  example, 
 what  was  faid  before,  concerning  God's  fending  a 
 mighty  Wind,  is  not  hard  to  underftand ,  ifwefup- 
 pofchimto  fpeakof  Locufts  5  which  all  Authors  fay 
 are  brought  with  a  Wind  :  But  it  was  never  heard  to 
 bring  §>uails^  which  cannot  fly  high,  nor  far  5  much 
 lefs  fo  far,  as  from  the  Sea  to  the  middle  of  Arabia 
 Petr£a.  Nor  would  the  Locufts  have  come  this  way, 
 had  not  this  Wind  brought  them  from  their  ordinary 
 Courfe. 
 
 From  the  Sea."]  Viz.  From  the  Red-fea  -y  yet  not 
 excluding  the  Perjian  Gulph.  Which  muft  not  be 
 underftood,  as  if  they  came  out  of  the  Sea  5  but  from 
 the  Sea-coaft :  And  it  is  very  probable  out  of  Africa^ 
 
 where 
 
a00  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  where  they  abound.     So  the  aforefaid  Ludolplm  ex- 
 XI.      pounds  it,  in  his  late  Dijfertatio  de  Locujlk, Pars  II. 
 
 And  let  them  fall  by  the  Camp."]  Or  poured  them 
 down  upon  the  Camp  ^  as  Dutt  or  Ram  falls  thick 
 upon  the  Ground.  For  both  thefe  Companions  the 
 Pfalmili  ufes  in  the  place  before-named,  LXXVIII. 
 27.  And  this  is  exprefled  in  Exodus  XVI.  13.  by  co- 
 vering their  Camp. 
 
 As  it  were  a  days  journey  on  thk  fide,  and  as  H  were 
 a  days  journey  on  the  other  fide7\  A  days  Journey,  as 
 Bochartus  makes  account,  is  at  lead  Twenty  Miles.  See 
 the  place  before-named,  Hierozoic.  P.II.  I  ib.l.cap.i^. 
 p.  105.  Or,  as  Ludolphus  makes  the  Computation, 
 Sixteen  Miles,  in  his  Differtation  de  Locufih,  P.  II. 
 cap.  44,  &c.  Take  it  either  way,  it  (hows  there  was 
 a  vaft  number  of  them :  For  he  adds, 
 
 Round  about  the  Camp7\  So  that  which  way  foever 
 they  went  for  fixt een  or  twenty  Miles  together,  there 
 lay  heaps  of  them  upon  the  Ground  :  which,  it  we 
 underftand  this  of  Quails,  cannot  be  conceived  with- 
 out a  heap  of  Miracles.  And  if  we  refort  to  that  , 
 what  need  was  there  of  a  Wind  to  bring  them,  when 
 God  muft  be  fuppofed  miraculoufly  to  have  created 
 them,  as  he  did  Manna.  And  yet  fuch  a  quantity  of 
 £>uails  was  not  to  be  found  any  where,  without  a  Mi- 
 racle, as  would  cover  the  Heavens/^  Miles  (accord- 
 ing to  Bochartus)  on  all  fides.  But  that  which  would 
 have  been,  on  manv  accounts  miraculous,  if  we  un- 
 derftand it  o(£>jtails,  will  be  found  lefs  wonderful, 
 or  rather  natural,  if  it  be  underftood  of  Locufis  : 
 who  come  in  very  great,  and  thick  Clouds,  which 
 darken  the  Sky  5  as  all  Authors  tell  us.  See  LudoU 
 phut  Comment,  in  Hijior.  JEthiop.  p.  188. 
 
 And 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  201 
 
 And  as  it  were  two  Cubits  high,  upon  the  face  of  the  Chapter 
 Earth.']  This  Interpreters  look  upon  as  impoffible :  XI. 
 for  then  the  Quails  would  have  been  choaked  and  L/"V%J 
 ftifled  5  if  they  had  been  heaped  fo  deep  one  upon 
 another.  And  therefore  they  have  devifed  the  addi- 
 tion cf  a  new  word  5  and  refer  this  not  to  their  fal- 
 ling upon  the  Ground,  but  to  their  flying  in  the 
 Air,  two  Cubits  high  above  the  Earth  :  that  fo  they 
 might  the  more  cafily  be  taken  by  their  Hands.  So 
 the  Jews,  and  fo  VaL  Schindler  in  his  Lexicon  upon 
 the  word  Selau.  But,  befides  that,  there  is  nothing 
 of  this  in  the  Text  ^and  is  contrary  to  what  the  Pfal- 
 miSl  fays,  that  they  fell  in  the  midfi -of  their  Camp, 
 verfe  28.  and  that  they  came  down  like  Rain,  which 
 always  falls  upon  the  Ground  :  there  are  many  other 
 Difficulties  in  this  Interpretation,  (as  he  (hows p.  189. 
 and  defends  what  he  there  aflerts  in  his  Dififertation 
 de  Locuflk,  P.  II.  cap,  49,  50.)  And  therefore  it  is 
 better  to  expound  it  oiLocufis  5  who  though  they  fall 
 one  upon  another,  to  a  great  depth,  are  not  thereby 
 fuffocated  :  by  reafon  of  the  length  of  their  Feet,and 
 the  thinnefs  of  their  Wings. 
 
 Ver.  32.  And  the  People  flood  up,  (or  rather,  rofeVzrk  32. 
 up )  all  that  day,  and  all  that  night ,  and,  all  the  next 
 day.']     They  were  intent  upon  the  gathering  of  them 
 for  thirty  fix  hours. 
 
 A.nd  they  gathered  the  §^iiails7\  By  this  it  is  evi- 
 dent that  they  gathered  fomething  lying  upon  the 
 Ground,  and  not  flying  in  the  Air :  for  we  do  not 
 gather  things  there,    but  take  or  catch  them. 
 
 He  that  gathered  leaU7\  Viz.  The  Mafter  of  every 
 Family  for  himfelf,  and  for  thofe  belonging  to  him. 
 For  we  are  not  to  fuppofe,  that  every  Man  in  Ifrael 
 gathered  fo  many  as  follows. 
 
 D  d  Gathered 
 
202  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Gathered  ten  homers.')  A  va ft  quantity,  if  they 
 XL  were  S&ails  5  which  would  have  ierved  them ,  not 
 L/*VSJ  for  a  Month,  but  for  a  Tear  ox  two  :  as  Ludolphm  ob- 
 ferves0  p.  I 90.  of  his  Commentary  on  his  Aithiopic. 
 Hift.  Befides,  we  do  not  ufe  to  meafure  Fowl,  but  to 
 number  them.  And  therefore  Bochart,  being  fenfible 
 of  this  impropriety,  takes  the  word  homer  here  to 
 iignine  an  heap.  Which  is  confuted  by  Lndolphus  in 
 his  Dijffertatio  de  Locuflts,  P.  II.  cap.  54,  55,  &C. 
 
 And  they  Jpread  them  all  abroad  for  them/elves, 
 round  about  the  Camp.]  This  is  another  plain  indica- 
 tion that  they  were  Locufts  5  which  they  fpread  to  be 
 dried  in  the  Sun  :  but  if  they  had  been  Quails  would 
 have  been  very  prepofterous  5  for  it  would  have  made 
 them  the  fooner  (link.  Interpreters  therefore  com- 
 monly pafs  by  this,  and  give  no  account  why  they 
 fpread  them  abroad  :  and  the  Vulgar  Latin  omits  this 
 word  Jpread.  Whereas  all  Authors  tell  us,  this  is 
 the  principal  way  of  preparing  Locufts  5  and  preser- 
 ving them  for  a  Month  or  more.  Which  they  boil'd, 
 or  other  ways  made  fit  to  eat,  when  they  had  occasi- 
 on. See  Lndolphus  in  his  fore -mentioned  Comment  a- 
 ry  5  and  in  his  Defence  of  it  lately,  in  his  Differta- 
 tlo  de  LocnSik,  P.  II.  cap.  97,  98,  &c. 
 Verfe  33.  Ver.  33.  And  while  the  flefr  was  yet  between  their 
 teeth.']  While  they  were  eating  :,  and  therefore  were 
 in  good  health,  and  had  a  good  Stomach. 
 
 lire  it  was  chewed. "]  Before  they  had  fwallowed 
 it. 
 
 The  Wrath  of  the  LORD  was  handled  against  the 
 Peopled]  They  felt  unexpected  effe&s  of  God's  difplea- 
 fure  5  being  taken  perhaps  with  a  fudden  vomiting,of 
 which  they  died,^.2o.  This  was  in  the  Conclufion  of 
 the  Month  5  for  fo  long  (he  there  faith)  they  fhould 
 cat  flefh.  And 
 
upon  NUMBER  §.  203 
 
 And  the  LOR  D  fmdte  the  People  with  a  very  great  Chapter 
 Plague.  ]     He  fent  a  Peftilence  among  them  as  Aben      XL 
 Ezra  fuppofes.     Or,  as  others  think ,  they  Wafted  a-  L^V"SJ 
 way  in  a  Confumption  :  the  Vomiting  perhaps  con- 
 tinuing fo,  that  they  could  never  retain  any  Meat, 
 till  they  died.     This  they  gather  from  CVI  Pfal.  15. 
 where  the  PfalmiU  faith,  He  fent  Leannefs  into  their 
 Soul.     But  Bochartus  and  Menochius  think  he  burnt 
 them  up  with  a  Fire  from  hisPrefence  ,  as  at  the  be- 
 ginning of  this  Murmuring,  verfe  1.  where  it  is  faid, 
 as  it  is  here,  The  Anger  of  the  LO  RD  was  kindled. 
 But  Bochartus  grounds  this  chiefly  upon  LXXVIII 
 Pfal.  2 1 ,  where  it  is  faid,   A  Fire  was  kindled  in  Ja- 
 cob 5  which  he  refers  to  this  Story. 
 
 It  may  feem  ftrange  to  fome  ,  that  now  they 
 fhould  be  punifhed  fo  heavily  ,  when  about  a  Year 
 ago  they  murmured  for  Flefli,  as  they  did  now  $ 
 and  he  gave  it  them  in  the  Even,  together  with 
 Manna  in  the  Morning  5  without  any  Punifhment 
 at  all.  But  it  is  to  be  confidered  ,  that  as  it  was  a 
 greater  Fault  to  fall  into  the  fame  Sin  again,  after 
 God  had  been  fo  good  to  them  5  fo  they  were  not 
 in  fuch  Neceffity  now,  as  they  were  then  3  when 
 they  were  really  pinched  with  hunger  :  whereas 
 now  they  were  fed  with  Bread  from  Heaven  ^  and 
 therefore  cried  for  Meat,  not  out  of  need,  but  wan- 
 tonnefs.  And  it  may  be  added,  That  they  were 
 not  then  fo  well  taught,  as  they  had  been  fince, 
 by  the  giving  of  the  Law  to  them  at  Mount 
 Sinai^aud  many  other  Inftru&ions  from  the  Houfe 
 of  God, 
 
 Dd  2  Ver. 
 
jo4  ^  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  34.  And  he  called  the  name   of  that  place  Ki- 
 
 XI.      broth-hattaavah.  3     That  is,   the  Graves  of  Luft  :  be- 
 
 L^VNJ  caufe  their  Wanton  Appetites  threw  them  intothofe 
 
 Verfe  34.  Graves  5  for  there,  as  it  follows,  they  buried  thofe 
 
 that  lufted. 
 
 For  there  they  buried  the  People  that  lujled.  ~\  Not 
 all  that  lufted  5  for  then  all  the  People,  who 
 were  guilty  of  this  Sin  ,  would  have  been  buri- 
 ed :  but  all  that  died  of  the  Plague,  which  was 
 infli&ed  for  this  Sin.  Who,  perhaps ,  were  thofe 
 that  began  and  headed  this  Mutiny  5  or  were  mo  ft 
 violent  in  it. 
 Verfe  35.  Ver.  35.  And  the  People  journeyed.]  When  the 
 Cloud  was  taken  up  again ,  IX.  1 7. 
 
 From  Kjbroth'hattaavahr\  From  whence  they  de- 
 parted about  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  Month  , 
 called  Tarn  mux,. 
 
 Unto  Hazeroth.  ~\  Another  place  in  the  Wil- 
 dernefs  of  Varan  :  but  how  far  from  the  former 
 Station  ,  whether  a  days  Journey,  or  more,  we  do 
 not  find. 
 
 And  abode  at  Hazeroth.  ~]  There  the  Cloud  refted, 
 and  accordingly  there  they  incamped.  But  we  do  not 
 read  how  long  :  only  we  are  fure  they  ftayed  there 
 at  leaftaWeek,  XII.  15. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  205 
 
 Chapter 
 . XII. 
 
 CHAP.     XII. 
 
 Ver.  I.    A  ND  Miriam  and  Aaron  fiake  againft  Mo-  Verfe  1. 
 
 ±\  fes.~]  I  can  fee  no  good  Reaion  that  can 
 be  given,  why  Miriam  is  put  here  before  Aaron  5  but 
 becaufe  (he,  it  is  highly  probable,  was  the  Beginner 
 of  this  Sedition,  and  drew  her  Brother  Aaron  into 
 it. 
 
 Becaufe  of  the  JEthiopian  Woman7\  Or  rather  Arabian 
 Woman.     See  X  Gen.  6. 
 
 Whom  he  had  married.  ~]  Whom  moft  both  of  the 
 Jewifti  and  Chriflian  Writers  take  to  have  been  Zip- 
 porah  5  though  fome  few  fancy,  he  fpeaks  of  ano- 
 therWoman,whom  he  had  lately  married  5  Zipporah 
 being  either  dead,  or  divorced.  The  only  difficul- 
 ty is,  why  they  fhould  quarrel  with  him,  about  Zip- 
 porah  ;  Who,  if  (he  had  been  dead,  or  divorced,  it 
 is  not  likely  he  would  have  married  a  Cttfhite,  but  a 
 Jewifti  Woman.  The  Hebrew  Doftors  have  devifed 
 ftrange  Stories  about  his  forbearing  her  Company  5 
 which  may  be  read  in  many  Authors  5  particularly 
 \nSelden,  L.  III.  TJxor.Hebr.  cap.  26.  where  he  recites 
 many  of  their  Opinions  about  this  matter.  The  moft 
 common  is,  that  they  were  angry  at  his  Marriage 
 with  a  Woman  of  another  Nation  5  whom  they 
 would  have  had  him  put  away,  and  taken  another 
 Wife.  So  they  interpret  the  following  words  ^  for 
 he  had  married  an  JEthiopian  Woman  :  as  if  his  mere 
 Marriage  with  her,  was  the  thing  they  fpake  againft. 
 Which  is  not  at  all  probable,  if  this  be  meant  of  Zip- 
 porah 3   for  he  had  been  married  to  her  forty  Years  $ 
 
 which 
 
106  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  which  if  they  had  difliked,  one  would  think  fhould 
 XII.      have,    long  before  now,    been  charged  upon  him  as 
 
 L/*V"NJ  a  Fault.  I  rather  think  that  they  were  jealous,  of  his 
 being  ruled  too  much  by  her,  and  by  her  Relations. 
 For  it  was  by  her  Father's  Advice,  that  he  made  the 
 judges,  mentioned  XVIII  Exod.  21,  22.  and  per- 
 haps they  imagined  (lie  and  Hobab  had  a  hand  in 
 chufing  the  LXX  Elders  lately  made,  as  we  read  in 
 the  foregoing  Chapter.  With  which,  this  Story  be- 
 ing immediately  conne&ed  5  it  makes  me  think  it 
 hath  fome  relation  to  that.  For  thofe  Elders  were  no- 
 minated, it  is  evident,  by  Mofes  alone  5  without  con- 
 sulting Aaron,  or  Miriam  :  Who  taking  themfelves 
 to  be  negle&ed,  in  fo  great  an  Alteration  made  of 
 the  Government,  without  their  Advice,  were  very 
 angry.  And  not  daring  to  charge  Mofes  dire&ly 
 with  this  Negleft  of  them,  they  fall  upon  his  Wife  5 
 whom  in  Scorn,  they  call  a  Cujlrite,  or  Arabian  Wo- 
 man :  Which  in  after- times,  were  accounted  a  vile 
 People,  as  appears  from  IX  Amos  7.  For  that  Coun- 
 try was  inhabited  by  divers  Nations,  mingled  toge- 
 ther, viz.  Jfomaelites,  Midianiies,  Amalekjtes,  and 
 fuch  like.  Who  from  thence,  fome  think,  were  cal- 
 led by  the  general  name  of  Arabians  5  becaufe  of  their 
 mixture.  For  Ercb  in  Hebrew,  fignifies  a  Mifcellane- 
 ous  Company^  or  mixture  of  many  People.  See  XXV 
 Jerem.  20,  24.  where  he  calls  thefe  very  People,  by 
 this  name. 
 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  And  they  f aid,  Hath  the  LORD  indeed 
 Jpoken  only  by  Mofes  f  ~]  Here  it  appears  that  it  was 
 really  Mofes,  with  whom  they  were  offended  5  who 
 alone  had  called  what  Men  he  thought  good  to  be  pre- 
 fented  unto  God,  to  be  conftituted  by  him,  his  Affift- 
 ants  in  the  Government,  XI.  24* 
 
 Hath 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  207 
 
 Hath  he  not  alfo  fpoken  by  us  i  ~]     Are  not  we  alfo  Chapter 
 acquainted  with  God's  Mind  5  being  Prophets?   For      XII. 
 fo  Aaron  was  made,  IV  Exod.  14, 15.  and  Miriam  fo  ^VV%J 
 acknowledged,  XV  Exod.  20.     And  moreover  the 
 Prophet  Mieah,  VI.  4.  mentions  them,  as  Conductors 
 of  the  People,  while  they  were  in  the  Wilderneis  to- 
 gether with  Mofes.  Which  might  make  them  ftomach 
 it,  that  he  took  no  notice  of  them,  when  he  chofe  the 
 LXX  Elders,  who  were  to  be  his  Co-adjutors;  but 
 did  it  of  himfelf. 
 
 And  the  LORD  heard  it.  ]  Obferved  their  Ill- 
 behaviour  towards  him  5  though  he  himfelf  took  no 
 notice  of  it. 
 
 Ver.  3.  Now  the  Man  Mofes  was  very  meeh^  above  dTVeffe  3. 
 the  Men  which  were  upon  the  face  of  the  Earth."]  This 
 is  added  as  the  Reafon,  why  he  paffed  by  the  Affront 
 they  put  upon  him,  and  why  God  avenged  it  5  be- 
 caufe  he  was  fo  exceeding  meek  and  patient,  (or  as 
 others  tranllate  it,  fo  humble  and  lowly  )  that  he 
 would  have  been  expofed  to  further  Affronts,  if  God 
 had  not  chaftifed  their  Infolence.  Mofes  alfo  might 
 think  fit  to  fet  this  down,  as  a  Confutation  of  their 
 Charge  againft  him  5  being  fo  far  from  that  Pride 
 which  they  imputed  to  him,  that  he  did  not  refent 
 (though  he  was  fo  very  much  above  them)  their  un- 
 dutiful  Behaviour  towards  him.  Who  had  converfed 
 immediately  with  God  himfelf,  and  been  with  him 
 in  the  Holy  Mount  many  days  together  5  who  fent 
 feveral  Commands  to  Aaron,  as  well  as  to  the  Peo- 
 ple by  him  alone :  Which  made  fuch  a  Difference 
 between  him  and  all  others,  that  as  it  was  an  unac- 
 countable Arrogance  in  them  to  equal  themfelves  un- 
 to him  5  fo  he  demonftrated  how  far  he  was  from  be- 
 ing 
 
108  ^  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  ing  proud  of  his  Superiority,  by  meekly  bearing 
 XII.      their  haughty  Behaviour  towards  him. 
 
 U^V^NJ  So  little  caule  there  is  for  their  Cavils,  who  from 
 hence  argue,  that  Mofes  was  not  the  Author  of  thefe 
 Books  5  becaufe  he  commends  himfelf  in  them.  For 
 this  is  not  fu  much  a  Commendation,  as  a  necefiary 
 Account,  of  himfelf  5  to  fhow  how  cauilefs  their 
 Charge  againft  him  was.  To  fuch  Vindications  of 
 themielves  the  humbleft  Souls  may  be  conftrained, 
 by  the  Calumnies  of  wicked  Men  :  As  we  fee  not 
 only  in  St.  Paul,  but  our  blefled  Saviour,  who  were 
 put  upon  Glorying,  and  Magnifying  themfelves,  by 
 the  Malignity  of  their  Enemies.  See  X  Job.  36. 
 2  Corinth.  XL  10,  23,  Sec.  And  this  is  the  more  al- 
 lowable I  when  Men  know  not  only  that  they  write 
 the  Truth,  but  that  it  is  notorious  to  all  that  are  ac- 
 quainted with  them,  and  cannot  be  contradifted. 
 The  holy  Writers  alio  are  not  to  be  confined  to  our 
 Rules  \  being  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghoft  to  fet  down 
 fuch  things,  which  if  they  had  been  left  to  them- 
 felves, they  would  not  have  mentioned.  And  Men 
 who  have  a  due  Reverence  to  the  Kolv  Scriptures, 
 will  look  upon  this  rather  as  the  Kolv  Ghofc's  Tefti- 
 mony  concerning  Mj/ex,  than  Mofes  his  Testimony 
 concerning  himfelf.  But  we  have  to  do  now  with  a 
 Generation  of  Men,  that  write  upon  thefe  Books,  not 
 as  of  a  Divine  Original,  but  as  they  do  upon  common 
 Authors. 
 
 Vcrfe  4.  Ver.4.  And  the  LOR  Dflxtkefuddettfy  unto  Mofes.'] 
 The  Lord  thought  fit  immediately  to  ftifle  their 
 Infurreftion  ;  which  might  have  proved  dangerous, 
 if  it  had  fpread  among  the  People.  And  perhaps  the 
 word  fuddenly  may  relate  to  the  manner  of  his  cal- 
 ling 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  io? 
 
 ling  to  them  ^  with  a  quick  and  hafly  Speech,  as  one  Chapter 
 provokedand  highly  difpleafed.  XII. 
 
 And  unto  Aaron,  and  unto  Miriam.~]  It  is  uncertain  L^V\J 
 whether  God  fpake  to  thefe  two  by  himfel  f,  or  by 
 Mofes.  It  is  likely  he  fpake  to  them  all  together, 
 (while  Aaron  and  Miriam  were  expoftulating  with 
 Mofes)  with  fuch  a  Voice,  as  he  was  wont  to  ufe  when 
 he  communicated  his  Mind  to  the  Prophets. 
 
 Come  out  ye  three. ~]  It  is  likely  they  were  all  in  Mo- 
 fes his  Tent  5  whether  his  Brother  and  Sifter  were 
 come  to  utter  their  Complaint. 
 
 Unto  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation.  ~]  Which 
 was  God's  Tent,  wherein  he  dwelt  among  them  5  and 
 from  whence  he  declared  his  Will  to  them. 
 
 And  they  came  out.  ~]  To  attend  the  Pleafure  of  the 
 Divine  Majefty. 
 
 Ver.  5 .  Axnd  the  LORD  came  down  in  the  Pillar  Verfe  5 . 
 of  the  Cloud. "]  The  Pillar  of  the  Cloud,  which  was 
 wont  to  be  over  the  mod  Holy  Place,  where  the 
 Lord  dwelt }  came  down  from  thence,  and  the 
 SCHECHINAHm  it  5  and  ftood,  as  it  here  fol- 
 lows, at  the  Door  of  the  Tabernacle. 
 
 And  ftood  in  the  Door  of  the  Tabernacle. "]  As  if  it 
 would  leave  them  5  as  it  did,  v.  9. 
 
 And  called  Aaron  and  Miriam.  "]  Who  were  at 
 fome  diftance,  I  fuppofe:,  and  are  commanded  to 
 come  nearer. 
 
 And  they  came  forth.  ~]  From  the  place  where  they 
 were,  when  he  called  them:  Or,  from  Mofes,  with 
 whom  they  came  from  his  Tent  5  and  now  are  requi- 
 red to  ftand  by  themfelves. 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  he  faid,  hear  now  my  Words.  ]     Mark  Verfe  6. 
 what  I  fay  to  you. 
 
 E  e  If 
 
1  10 
 
 A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       If  there  be  a  Prophet  among  you.  ~]     This  doth  not 
 XII.      make  a  doubt  of  it,    but  fuppofes  that  they,    and  o- 
 
 L/"V%J  thers  among  the  People,  were  Prophets  -0  as  they  al- 
 ledged,  v.  2.  But  God  would  have  them  to  under- 
 stand, that  he  did  not  communicate  his  Mind  to 
 all  alike  5  nor,  in  the  fame  way  and  manner  5  but  fo 
 differently,  as  to  make  a  remarkable  Diftin&ion  be- 
 twem' Mofes  and  others. 
 
 Whether  there  were,  in  thofe  days,  Men  brought 
 up  and  trained,  to  be  made  fit  to  receive  this  Gift 
 beftow'd  upon  them  5  we  do  not  know  :  But  in  af- 
 ter-times, it  is  evident  there  were  certain  Colledgesof 
 Prophets,  wherein  Difciples  of  Prophets  were  bred. 
 Such  was  that  1  Sam.X.  5.  and  XIX.i8,e£v.  Where 
 the  Sons  of  the  Prophets,  i.  e.  their  Scholars  or  Difci- 
 ples, (as  Jonathan  always  tranflates  that  Phrafc)  were 
 brought  up.  And  for  the  moft  part,  fuch  only  were 
 endued  with  this  Gift,  who  were  fo  educated  in 
 thofe  Schools,  in  the  Study  of  the  Law,  and  in  Pie- 
 ty. Though  God  did  not  tye  himfelf  to  difpenfe  it 
 to  fuch  Perfons  alone  $  but  beftowed  it  upon  whom 
 he  pleafed,  though  they  had  fpent  no  time  in  thofe 
 Schools  of  the  Prophets.  This  is  apparent  from  that 
 Proverbial  Speech,  Is  Saul  alfo  among  the  Prophets  .<? 
 1  Satn.X.  11.  XIX.  24.  This  had  been  no  wonder 
 (as  this  Saying  imports)  if  it  had  been  ufual  for  Per- 
 ions  to  be  endowed  with  this  Gift,  on  a  fudden  5 
 who  was  never  bred  up  in  fuch  a  courfe,  as  led  to  it. 
 But  to  (how  how  this  came  to  pafs,  one  of  that  place 
 anfwered  and  faid,  (as  it  there  follows,  v.  12.)  but 
 who  is  their  Father  ?  That  is,  this  is  no  fuch  wonder, 
 if  it  be  confidered,  who  makes  Men  Prophets  5  viz. 
 God,  who  is  the  Father  of  all  the  Children  of  the 
 Prophets  5  and  therefore  may  infpire  whom  he  plea- 
 
 fes 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  2u 
 
 fes.     As  he  now  might  have  imparted  this  Gift,  to  Chapter 
 meaner  Perfons  than  the  LXX  Elders  prefented  to      XIL 
 him  by  Mofes  $    and  made  them  equal,   if  he  had  l/"V\J 
 thought  fit,  with  Aaron  and  Miriam.     For  this  was 
 the  cafe  of  Amos.,  in  after-ages  5  who  was  no  Prophet, 
 nor  a  Prophet's  Son,  (ashehimfelf  relates,  VIL  14.) 
 but  an  Herds-man  5  and  yet  the  LORD  took  him,  as 
 he  followed  the  Flock^  and  had  him  go  and  prophefie,  un- 
 to his  People  IfraeL 
 
 I  the  LORD.  ]  Here  is  the  Original  of  Prophecy  5 
 will  make  my  felf  known  unto  him,  communicate  to  him 
 my  Mind  and  Will. 
 
 In  a  Vifion. "]  This  was  one  way  of  difcovering 
 his  Mind  to  the  Prophets  3  by  representing  things  to 
 them,  when  they  were  awake,  as  if  they  had  per- 
 ceived them  by  their  Senfes  §  which  at  that  time  were 
 lockt  up,  and  all  tranfa&ed  by  a  Divine  Operation 
 upon  their  Mind  and  Imagination.  See  XV  Gen.  j. 
 and  VIII  Dan.  1,15.  Abarbinel  mentions  one,  who 
 obferves  that  the  word  Marah  (the  Plural  of  which 
 Maroth  fignifies  Look^ng-GUffes,  in  XXXVIII  Exod. 
 8.)  is  a  different  word  from  Mareh,  which  is  com- 
 monly ufed  for  Vifion.  And  teaches  us,  that  all  the 
 Reprefentations  made  in  this  way  to  the  Prophets, 
 were  only  as  the  Images  of  things  reprefented  in  a 
 Glafs  s  ^  which  we  behold  the  outward  Shape,  or 
 Shadow,  as  we  may  call  it  3  but  not  the  thing  it 
 felf.  And  fo  St.  Paul  feems  to  have  underftood  this 
 word  (if  he  alludes  to  this  place,  as  Grotius  thinks 
 he  doth  )  when  he  faith,  now  we  fee,  S  imfl^ 
 eV  divlyjuum,  through  a  Glafs,  dark})  3  1  Corinth. 
 XIII.  12. 
 
 Ee  2  And 
 
2i2  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        And  I  will  Jpeal^unto  him  in  a  Dream. ~\     This  was 
 XTT.      another  way  of  God's  revealing  his  Mind  unto  the 
 
 L/^v^V,  Prophets,  in  their  deep  5  when  they  not  only  faw 
 reprefented  them  ,  but  alfo  heard  a  voice. 
 And  both  thefe  fcem  fome  times  to  have  been  mixed 
 together,  or  to  have  followed  cne  another  5  as  in 
 XVI  Gen.  12.  VII  Dan.  1.  VIII.  16,  17,18.  And 
 it  is  a  Maxim  among  the  Jews,  that  there  is  no  degree 
 of  Prophecy,  but  it  is  comprehended  under  one  o£ 
 thele,  Vijions  or  Dreams.  So  Maimonides  in  his  More 
 Nevochim,P.\\.  cap.  52.  and  41.  and  again  cap.  45. 
 where  he  faith,  There  is  no  third  degree  of  Prophecy  be- 
 fides  thefe  two.  For  as  for  that  Divine  Spirit,  which 
 moved  Men  to  fpeak  of  things  appertaining  to  the 
 Knowledge  of  God  and  his  Praifes  ,  beyond  their 
 natural  or  acquired  Abilities,  without  feeing  any  Fi- 
 gures, a(]eep  or  awake,  though  with  Aflurance  that 
 it  was  from  God,  they  will  not  have  it  called  Pro- 
 phecy :  though  they  acknowledge  thofe  Parts  of 
 Scripture  which  they  call  Cctuvim,  and  the  LXX. 
 dyizy^i^Xj  i.  e.  written  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  were  indi- 
 ted by  that  Divine  Spirit  5  and  therefore  we  cannot 
 reafonably  deny  thofe  that  were  infpired  by  it  ,  the 
 Name  of  Prophets. 
 
 Verfe  j\  Ver.  7.  My  Servant  Mofes  is  not  fo.~]  Doth  not  re- 
 ceive my  Mind,  in  either  of  thofe  ways  5  and  there- 
 fore is  more  than  a  Prophet  ^  having  it  communica- 
 ted to  him  in  a  far  more  noble  and  clearer  manner, 
 which  placed  him  in  a  higher  rank  than  any  other 
 jnfpired  Perfon. 
 
 Who  k  faithful  in  all  my  Honfe.~]  Becaufe  he  was  in- 
 truded (fo  the  word  may  be  underftood) with  Gods 
 whole  Family  :  that  is,  with  all  the  Children  of  If 
 y-id_ :  and  faithfully  difcharged  the  Truft  repofed  in 
 
 him, 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  213 
 
 him,  by  acquainting  them  with  all  God's  Will  5  and  Chapter 
 executing  all  his  Commands  3  and  doing  nothing  of     XII. 
 himfelf  (as  now  he  was  fafly  accufed)  but  only  what  U^VNJ 
 God  required.     This  is  a  high  Teftimony  to  him  *r 
 and  the  Jews ,  when  they  are  in  the  humour  of  exalt- 
 ing Mofes,  fay  he  was  more  faithful  than  the  Angels  of 
 the  Miniftry  :  They  are  the  words  of  R.  Jofe  in  5/- 
 phri :  and  if  he  had  faid,/lf  faithful  as  the  Angels  of  the 
 Miniftry,  it  might  have  paffed  for  a  good  Explication. 
 
 Ver.  8.   With  him  will  I  fpeah^,  month  to    mouth.  3  Verfe  8. 
 In  a  moft  familiar  manner  ^  as  one  Friend  difcourfes 
 with  another.     So  it  is  explained  XXXIII  Exod.  1 1. 
 From  whence  Abarbinel,  in  his  Rofch  Amana,  gathers, 
 That    Mofes  his  Prophecy  differed  from  others,  in 
 thefe  four  things  :  FirSl,  That  God   fpake  to  others 
 by  a  Mediator,  (that  is,  as  he  explains  it,  by  fome 
 Angel)  but  to  him  by  himfelf  3  without   the  inter- 
 vention of  any  other.     Secondly,  That  they  never 
 prophefied,  but  their  Senfes  were  all  bound  up,either 
 in  Vifions  or  in  Dreams  5  whereas  he  was  as  perfect- 
 ly awake,  as  we  are  when  we  difcourfe  one  with  a- 
 nother.     Thirdly,  That  after  the  Vifion  was  over6 
 they  were  often  left  fo  weak  and  feeble,  that  they 
 could  fcarce  ftand  upon  their  feet}  as  appears  from 
 X  Dan.  8,  1 1.  but  Mofes  fpake  with  the  Divine  Ma- 
 jefty  without  any  confirmation  or  alteration  5  his 
 converfation  with  him  being  like  that  of  one  Friend 
 with  another.     And  laftly,  No  Prophet  but  he  could 
 underftand  the  Mind  of  God  when  they  pleafed  3  for 
 he  communicated  himfelf  to    them  only  when  he 
 thought  good  :  whereas  Mofes  might  at  any  time  re^- 
 fort  to  God,  to  enquire  of  him,  and  receive  an  anfwen 
 See  IX. 8.  To  the  fame  purpofe  alfo  Maimonides  writes 
 an  his  Book  de  Enndamentk  Legk,  cap.  7, 
 
 Even  , 
 
2H  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Even  apparently.']  Plainly,  clearly,  and  diftinfrly} 
 XII.      fo  that  there  was  no  difficulty  to  apprehend  hismean- 
 
 L^V^vJ  ing  3  nor  need  of  an  Explication.  Thus  he  proclaim- 
 ed his  Name  to  Motes,  XXXIV  Exod.  6,  7. 
 
 And  not  in  dark  Speeches.']  Or,  in  Parables,  and  E- 
 nigmatical  Representations.  Such  as  the  Ladder,  which 
 Jacob  faw  in  a  Dream  $  the  Boiling-pot  which  was 
 lhown  to  Jeremiah  5  the  If  all,  the  Plumb-line, and  the 
 Basket  of  Summer-fruits,  which  Amos  faw  ^  the  Beajls 
 which  were  reprefented  to  Daniel  3  the  Lamps,  Moun- 
 tain, Horfes  and  Chariots,  to  Zachariah  3  the  Roll  of 
 the  Book  which  Ezekicl  was  to  eat.  By  all  which  the 
 Prophet  (as  Maimonides  obferves,  whofe  llluftrations 
 thefe  are  of  thefe  words)  was  given  to  underftand 
 fome  other  thing,  which  was  intended  to  be  made 
 known  to  him  by  thefe  Figures.  More  Nevoch.  P.  II. 
 c.  43.  who  in  his  Book,  concerning  the  Foundations 
 of  the  Law,  further  obferves  ^  that  fome  of  thefe  Pro- 
 phets had  both  the  Parable,  (as  he  calls  it)  and  its  In- 
 terpretation reprefented  to  them  3  others  the  Parable 
 only  without  any  Expofition  5  arid  to  fome  was  only 
 delivered  the  Explication. 
 
 And  the  Similitude  of  the  LORD  flmU  he  beholdT] 
 I  am  apt  to  think  the  word  not  (hould  be  here  again 
 repeated  (as  it  muft  be  in  fome  places  to  make  out  the 
 Senfe,as  XXV  Pr^.27.)  which  will  make  the  meaning 
 plainly  this,  he  flmU  not  behold  the  LORD  in  Simi- 
 litudes and  Refemblances,  as  other  Prophets  did.  For 
 the  Hebrew  word  Temunah  fignifies  the  Shape  of  a 
 thing  reprefented  either  to  the  outward  Senfes,  or  to 
 the  Imagination,  not  the  thing  it  felf.  Therefore  it 
 would  be  to  equal  Mofes  with  the  reft  of  the  Pro- 
 phets to  fay,he  (hould  fee  the  Similitude  of  the  Lo  a  D  5 
 for  fo  did  they.      Amos,  for  inftance,  faith  he,  faw 
 
 the 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  215 
 
 the  LO  R  D  fianding  upon  the  Altar,  IX.  i.  that  is,  Chapter 
 fome  Angelical  Appearance  in  a  glorious  fhape.  And  XII. 
 Eliphaz,  faith)  Thai  a  Spirit  pajfed  before  him,  the  form  L/"V\J 
 (or  afyzU)  whereof  he  coidd  not  difcern  :  only  the  Te- 
 munah  (we  render  it  an  Image)  was  before  hk  Eyes  , 
 IV  Jeb  15,16.  But  God  did  not  thus  reveal  himfelf 
 to  Mofes  by  Images,  and  Similitudes  of  Things  5  but 
 fpake  to  him  himfelf,  as  it  goes  beforz,mouth  to  mouth. 
 Which  led  Maim  oxides  into  the  opinion  (which  he 
 often  repeats)  that  when  God  is  faid  to  fpeak  to  any- 
 other  Man,  it  was  by  an  Angel  5  and  that  he  never 
 fpake  to  any  one  himfelf,  but  only  to  Mofes.  Nor 
 did  any  Man  before  him  fay  ,  that  Godftake  to  him  5 
 or  that  he  fent  him  on  a  Meflage  unto  others :  but 
 Mofes  v/as  the  firft  that  had  this  honour  5  More  Ne- 
 voch.  P.  I.  c.  63,  and  P.  II.  cap.  39. 
 
 But  if  we  follow  our  Tranflation  ,  which  fhould 
 run  thus,  But  the  Similitude  of  the  LO RD  pa//  he 
 behold,  it  relates  to  that  wonderful  Apparition  of 
 God  to  him  in  the  Bufh,  III  Exod.  6.  as  Maimonides 
 thinks,  More  Nevochim,  P.  I.  cap.  5.  (where  he  faith, 
 God  poured  upon  him  as  much  as  he  could  contain)  but 
 efpecially  to  that  Revelation  which  God  made  of 
 himfelf  to  him,  when  he  told  him  that  he  could  not 
 fee  his  Face,  but  (hould  behold  his  back  P^r//,XXXIII 
 Exod.  20,  23.  Which  was  a  Priviledge  granted  to 
 none  but  him.  And  thus  the  Similitude  of  the  LORD, 
 or  his  Likenefs  ,  fignifies  the  LORD  himfelf,  XVII 
 PfaL  ult.  When  thy  Likenefs  pall  awake,  (that  is,  thou 
 thy  felf  appear  for  me)  I  pall  be  fatkfied. 
 
 Wherefore  then  were  ye  not  afraid  to  (peak,  againji  my 
 Servant  Mofes  f\  Who  is  my  prime  Minifter  5  em- 
 ployed by  me  in  the  higheft  Services. 
 
 Ver. 
 
2l6  A -COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  9.  And  the  Anger  of  the  LORD  was  kindled 
 
 XII.      again  ff  them."]     As  appeared  by  what  follows. 
 t^"W3      And  he  departed.']     He  withdrew  his  Prefence  from 
 Verfe  9.    the  Door  of  the  Tabernacle,  immediately  before  they 
 could  make  any  anfwer.     Which  was  a  token  of  ex- 
 ceeding great.  Difpleafure :  as  it  is  in  us,  when  we 
 will  not  fo  much  as  hear  what  Men  fay  for  them- 
 felves,  when  they  have  highly  and  notorioufly  of- 
 fended us,  and  we  reprove  them  for  it :  but  turn  a- 
 way  from  them. 
 Verfe  10.       Ver.  to.  And  the  Cloud  departed  front  the  Taberna- 
 cle."]    It  was  not  merely  taken  up  from  it,  (  as  it  was 
 wont  to  be,  when  they  were  to  remove  their  Camp  ) 
 but  quite  difappeared  for  a  time  5  or  flood  at  a  great 
 diftance  from  them:  till  Miriam  was  removed  from 
 the  Tabernacle,  and  carried  out  of  the  Camp.      For 
 that  was  one  reafon  of  its  departure  5  the  Divine  Ma- 
 jefty  not  defigning  to  ftay  where  fo  impure  a  Crea- 
 ture was.  And  this  was  alfo  a  manifeft  token  of  God's 
 high  Difpleafure  againft  them  3  which  moved  him  to 
 forfake  them. 
 
 And  behold  Miriam  became  leprous.  ~]  Or,  was  become 
 leprous.  A  proper  Punifhment  for  pride,  and  evil 
 fpeaking.  Which  was  not  inflifted  upon  Aaron,  be* 
 caufe  he  was  to  judge  of  Leprofie:,  and  was  not  the 
 fir  ft  in  the  Tranfgreflion.  And  befides ,  it  is  likely  , 
 God  would  not  have  one,  that  was  but  newly  made 
 his  High-Prieft,  become  vile  and  contemptible. 
 
 White  as  Snow  7]  Which  was  a  mark  of  an  incura- 
 ble Leprofie  5  when  all  the  Body  was  over-fpread  with 
 it,  IV  Exod.  6.  2  Kings  V.  27. 
 
 And  Aaron  looked  upon  Miriam .~]  As  the  Prieft  was 
 bound  to  do  3  whole  Office  it  was  to  infpeft  it,  and 
 judge  whether  it  was  a  Leprofie  or  no5XIII  Lev.2&c. 
 
 And 
 
upon  NUMBER  S.  217 
 
 And  behold,  foe  was  leprous.  *]     He  could  not  but  Chapter 
 judge  her  to  have  a  Leprofie  5  and  confequently  pro-      XII. 
 nounce  her  unclean.  L/"V~vi 
 
 Ver.  11.  And  Aaron  fa? d  unto  Mofes.  ~     He  was^erfe  i*« 
 made  fenfible  that  Mofes  had  greater  intereft  in  God 
 than  himfelf :,  and  therefore   defires  his  interceffion 
 for  them. 
 
 Alas  my  Lord!  Have  pity  upon  us,  miferable 
 Wretches. 
 
 I  befeechthee,  lay  not  the  Sin  upon  us,"]  He  fuppli- 
 cates  him  as  his  Superior  ,  and  humbly  begs  his  par- 
 don 5  and  that  he  would  obtain  remiffion  of  the  Pu~ 
 nifhment  which  they  had  juftly  deferved  by  their  Sin. 
 For  he  was  afraid  he  himfelf  might  fufFer ,  as  he  faw 
 (he  did. 
 
 Wherein  we  have  done  foolifoly,  and  wherein  we  have 
 pnned.~\  He  prays  him  to  look  upon  their  Offence, 
 as  proceeding  from  Folly  and  Weaknefs  5  though  in 
 it  felf  a  great  Sin. 
 
 Ver.  1 2.  Let  her  not  be  as  one  dead ,  8cc.  ~\  For  fo  Verfe  1 2* 
 (he  was,  not  only  legally,  being  to  be  feparated  from 
 the  Lmng  $  but  naturally  alfo  :  this  being,  as  I  faid, 
 the  worft  kind  of  Leprofie,  which  eat  into  the  very 
 Flefb,  and  made  her  look  like  an  Abortive  (as  it  here 
 follows)  or  Still-bom  Child  :  which  had  lain  long 
 dead,  and  was  half  wafted  away  in  its  Mothers 
 Womb. 
 
 Ver.  1 3 .  And  Mofes  cried  unto  the  LOR  D.]  Moft  Verfe  1 3 « 
 earneftly  petitioned  the  LORD  for  her  :  fuch  was 
 his  Meeknefs  and  Piety.     And  his  crying ,  perhaps, 
 fuppofes  the  Divine  Majefty  to  be  gone  afar  off,  if  not 
 out  of  fight. 
 
 F  f  Heat 
 
QI8  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Vltd  her  novo,  0  God,  I  befeech  thee.']     For  it  was 
 
 XII.      beyond  any  other  power  but  his,  to  recover  her. 
 U/**N/r"\J       Ver.  14.  And  the  LORD  faid  unto  Mofes,  if  her 
 Verfe  14.  Father  had  but  Jpit  in  her  face.']     An  expreffion  of 
 extream  Anger,  abhorrence  and  contempt,  XXX  Job 
 10.  Llllfa.6. 
 
 Should  fie  not  be  aft  Anted  [even  days  f]  She  could 
 not  have  had  the  confidence  to  come  prefently  into 
 his  Prefence  :  but  be  afliamed  ,  for  a  great  while,  to 
 look  him  in  the  Face. 
 
 Let  her  be/hut  out  of  the  Camp.']  Much  more  is  it 
 fit,  that  Miriam  (hould  avoid  my  Prefence,  and  not 
 prefume  to  come  before  me  :  who  have  fet  a  greater 
 Mark  of  my  Indignation  and  Deteftation  upon  her. 
 For  Spittle  might  foon  be  wiped  off:  but  the  Leprofic 
 ftuck  to  her,  and  made  her  unfit  for  all  Conventi- 
 on, with  God  or  Man. 
 
 Seven  days.']  Which  was  the  time  for  legal  Clean- 
 fing  from  fuch  great  Impurities,  XIV  Lev.  8.  VI 
 Numb.  9.  XXXI.  19. 
 
 And  after  that  let  her  be  received  in  again.  ]  I  fup- 
 pofe  (he  was  prefently  freed  from  her  Leprofie :  but 
 kept  out  from  the  Camp  fo  long,  to  declare  God's 
 Difpleafure  again  ft  her  5  and  to  humble  her,  by  ex- 
 pofing  her  to  (hame. 
 Vcrfe  15.  Ver.  15.  And  Miriam  wasjhut  out  of  the  Camp  fe- 
 ven  days.']  That  her  Offence  might  be  known  to  all, 
 by  her  open  Punifhment. 
 
 And  the  People  journeyed  not  till  Miriam  was  brought 
 in  again."]  For  the  Cloud  was  gone  which  fhould  have 
 dire&ed  them  in  their  Motions.  And  befides,  this 
 refpeft  perhaps  was  (hown  unto  her,  becaufe  fhe  was 
 a  Prophetcfs :  and  hereby  (he  had  time  given  her  to 
 
 humble 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  up 
 
 humble  her  felf  before  God5and  to  beg  his  Pardon  for  Chapter 
 her  Sin.  XII. 
 
 Brought  in  again.']  When  one  would  have  ex-  L/^VNJ 
 pe&ed  that  fuch  Sacrifices  fhould  have  been  offered 
 for  her  Cleanfing,  as  are  required  in  XIV  Lev.  But 
 this  was  an  extraordinary  Cafe  ^  (he  being  on  a  hid- 
 den miraculoufly  ftruck,  with  the  highefl:  Degree  of 
 the  Plague  of  Leprofie  ^  and  as  fuddenly  cured  by 
 the  fame  Hand  that  ftruck  her. 
 
 Ver.i6.  And  afterward  the  People  removed.']  Which  Verfe  16. 
 fhows  that  the  Cloud,  which  departed  from  the  Ta- 
 bernacle, v.  10.  returned  again  to  it,  together  with 
 Miriam :  that  it  might  guide  them  in  their  removal  to 
 another  Station.  For  till  it  was  taken  up  from  the 
 Tabernacle,they  ftirred  not  from  the  place  where  they 
 were,  IX.  17,  18. 
 
 From  Ua%eroth7]  After  they  had  abode  there  feven 
 days  at  the  leaft. 
 
 And  pitched  in  the  Wildemefs  of  Par  an.]  Where  they 
 were  before,  (See  X.12.)  but  now  were  brought  into 
 another  part  of  it,called  Rithmah,  XXXIII.18.  which 
 was  call  cl  alfoby  another  mm^Kadejh-bamea.XUl.iS 
 I  De//M9.0r  elfe  wemuft  fuppofe,thefe  two  Places,  to 
 have  been  fo  very  near  together, that  they  might  be  faid 
 to  have  pitched,  either  in  the  one  or  the  other.  This 
 Station  was  at  the  foot  of  the  Mountain  on  the  South 
 part  of  Canaan,  I  Deut.io.  fo  that  their  next  removal 
 was  to  have  been  into  the  Land  promifed  to  them,  if 
 they  themfelves  had  not  hindred  ,  by  their  renewed 
 Rebellion.  This  removal  was  in  the  fourth  Month 
 of  the  fecond  Year  after  they  came  out  of  the  Land 
 of  Egypt.    Sec  XL  2  o,  3  5 . 
 
 Ffa  CHAP, 
 
22o  A*  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter 
 XIII. 
 
 CHAP.     XIII. 
 
 Verfe  I.  Ver.  I.  A  ND  the  L  0  RD  /pake  unto  Mofes,  fay 
 ±\  hig7\  They  being  now  come  to  the  Bor- 
 ders of  Canaan,  the  LORD  ordered  Mofes  to  ex- 
 hort them  to  go  up,  and  take  poffeilion  ofit  5  and 
 not  to  fear  nor  be  difc  our  aged  5  as  we  read  in  I  Dent. 21. 
 Eut  the  People  (pxxl  of  a  diftruft  of  God's  Power,  as 
 Mofes  feems  to  intimate,  IX  Dent.  23.)  defired  they 
 might  firft  fend  fome  to  fearch  out  the  Land,  before 
 they  attempted  its  Conqueft,I  Dent.  22.  About  which 
 it  is  likely  Mofes  confulted  the  Divine  Majefty  5  who 
 gave  them  leave  fo  to  do. 
 
 Verfe  2.  Ver-  2-  Se}2c^  t^ou  MemJ]  For  their  greater  fatisfa- 
 ftlon,  God  ordered  them  to  have  their  defire.  For 
 there  feems  to  have  been  a  general  Fear  upon  them 
 (every  one  of  them  coming  to  Mofes  with  this  requeft, 
 \Dent.  22.)  which  could  not  beremoved,butby  lend- 
 ing fome  to  bring  them  intelligence,  what  kind  of 
 Country  it  was,  and  what  People  they  had  to  deal 
 withal,  v.  18, 19,  2C. 
 
 TI:at  they  may  fearch  the  Land  of  Canaan.  ]To  make  a 
 difcovery,both  of  the  Country.and  of  the  Inhabitants^ 
 •and  thebeft  wav  to  invade  it,  I  Dent.  22. 
 
 Which  I  give  unto  the  Children  of]frae!.~]  To  the  pof- 
 fefiion  of  whichGod  now  intended  to  introduce  them. 
 For  he  had  already  brought  them  to  the  Confines  of  it, 
 and  bidden  them  go  up  and  poffefs  it,(I  Deut. 20,2 l.) 
 but  they  would  needs  make  this  delay, for  a  difcovery 
 of  the  condition  of  the  Country:  which  was  their  own 
 contrivance  at  the  firft,  and  not  a  Divine  CounfeL 
 
 Of 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  221 
 
 Of  every  Tribe  of  their  Fathers  Jh  all  ye  fend  a  Man.']  Chapter 
 That  there  might  be  no  fufpicion  of  Partiality  in  their    XIII. 
 Report.  L^NTVJ 
 
 Every  one  a  Ruler  among  then/.']  Men  of  Authority, 
 and  Prudence  5  who  might  be  the  more  believed  : 
 Yet  not  of  the  higheft  Rank,  (for  fuch  are  called  by 
 the  name  of  Princes,  I.  16.  )  but  Rulers  perhaps  of 
 Thoufands,  who  were  very  considerable  in  their 
 Tribes.  For  they  are  called  by  the  fame  name  in  the 
 Hebrew  5  every  one  being  laid  to  be  a  N  A  S  I  and  a 
 ROSCH,  a  Leader  and  a  Head  in  their  Tribes  5 
 which  may  incline  one  to  think,  that  there  were  high- 
 er and  lower  Perfons  of  this  fort,  who  had  the  fame 
 Title,  in  every  Tribe. 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  Mofes  by  the  Commandment  of  theVtvk  3. 
 LORD."]  Which  was  given  him  in  the  fifth  Month 
 (called  Ah,  as  St.Hierom  notes  from  the  Jews)  of  the 
 fecond  Year  after  they  came  out  of  Egypt :  It  is  not 
 certain  upon  what  day  5  but  it  is  likely  in  the  begin- 
 ning of  the  Month ,  which  anfwers  to  the  nineteenth 
 of  our  July,  fent  them  from  the  Wrldernefs  of  Varan. 
 From Radeft-Bamea.  XXXII.8.  I  Dent. i%20.  IX.23, 
 XIV  Jofi.  7. 
 
 All  thofe  Men  were  heads  of  the  Children  of  Jfrael."] 
 So  the  Rulers  of  Thoufands  and  Hundreds  are  cal- 
 led, XVIII  Exod.  25,  as  well  as  the  Princes,  I  Numb. 
 16.  But  thefe  were  a  lower  fort  of  Heads., or  great  Men,  , 
 m  the  feveral  Tribes  of  Jfrael. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  thefe  are  their  Names  :  Of  the  Tribe  of Verfe  4, 
 Rexben,  Shammuathe  Son  ofZaccur."]  There  is  little 
 to  be  obferved  concerning  this  Verfe,  and  thofe  that 
 follow,  to  the  With,  but  that  it  is  evident  thefe 
 were  not  the  fame  Men,  who  in  the  firfc  Chapter  of 
 this  Book  are  called  the  Heads  and  Princes  of  the 
 
 Tribes ; 
 
m  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Tribes  }    being  inferiour   Perfons,    who  ruled  over 
 XIII.    fome  part,   not  over  a  whole  Tribe.     The  three  firft 
 
 L/"V"\J  Tribes  alfo  that  are  here  mentioned,  fprang  from  the 
 three  eldeft  Sons  (for  Levi  did  not  make  a  Tribe  in 
 lfraet)  of  Jacob  :  But  in  the  Enumeration  of  the  reft, 
 there  is  not  any  Order  obferved,  of  which  I  can  give 
 an  account.  Perhaps  they  being  to  difperfe  them- 
 felves,  when  they  entre'd  the  Country  they  were  to 
 fearch,  (fee  verfe  22.)  and  thinking  it  not  prudent 
 to  go  above  two  (at  the  moft)  in  company  ,  caft 
 Lots  who  (hould  be  affociated  :  And  the  firft  Lot 
 fell  to  thofe  of  the  Tribe  of  Reuben  and  Simeon  5  the 
 next  to  thofe  of  Judah  and  Jjfachar  5  and  fo  to  the 
 reft. 
 
 Verfe  11.  Ver.  1 1 .  Of  the  Tribe  ofjofepb.']  u  e.  Of  the  other 
 Branch  of  Jojeph's  Family,  viz.  oftbeTribeofManaf- 
 feh,  as  it  here  follows. 
 
 Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  Tbefe  are  the  Names  of  the  Men  that  Mofes 
 fent  tofpy  out  the  Land7\  He  would  have  their  Names 
 remembred  (which  is  the  reafon  of  this  Remark)  for. 
 the  fake  of  thofe  two  worthy  Mm,Caleb  and  Jojhua^ 
 whofe  Vertue  was  very  illuftrious,  in  the  midft  of  a 
 crooked  and  perverfe  Generation. 
 
 And  Mofes  called  Ofiea  the  Son  of  NunJ]     So  he 
 is  called,    v.  8.    being  named  for  the  Tribe  of  E- 
 $hraim. 
 
 JehoJ/jHa."}  He  was  called  by  this  name  prefently 
 after  they  came  out  of  Egypt y  (XVllExod.  9.)  when 
 he  went  to  fight  with  Amalek.  Whom  he  having  o- 
 vercome,  Mofes  lookt  upon  it  as  a  Token  that  he 
 Should  fave  and  deliver  the  People  of  Ifrael^  and  then 
 called  him  by  this  Name.  Which  imports  fome  thing 
 more  than  Ofliea  ?  for  that  denotes  only  a  Prayer  for 
 Salvation,  (as  Mcnocbiw  obferves)  but  this  carries  in 
 
 it 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  223 
 
 it  a  Pro  wife  of  it.     And  fome  think  the  addition  of  Chapter 
 the  firft  Letter  in  the  name  Jehofhua,    was  from  the    XIII. 
 name  of  J  E  H  O  V  A  H  :    Implying  that  the  Lo  R  p  L/V%J 
 would  imploy  him,  in  leading  and  conducing  his 
 People  into  the  Land  of  Promife.     Wherein  he  was 
 a  Type  of  the  Saviour  of  the  World,    the  LOR  D 
 JESUS,  (whofe  Name  is  the  fame  with  this)  who 
 condu&s  thofe  that  believe  on  him,  to  an  Heavenly 
 Inheritance, 
 
 If  I  could  find  the  like  comfortable  Signification  in 
 the  reft  of  the  Names  of  thefe  Men ,  I  (hould  think 
 there  might  be  fome  ground  for  their  Opinion  ,  who 
 fancy  Mofes  chofe  Jojhua  becaufe  there  was  a  good 
 Omen  in  his  very  Name.  For  all  Nations  took  great 
 care  that  no  Man  Ihould  be  imployed  in  Affairs  of 
 moment,  whofe  Names  carry  any  unlucky  Significa- 
 tion in  them.  So  Ocero  obferves  in  his  firft  Book  of 
 Divination,  that  the  Generals  of  Armies,  and  the 
 Cenfors,  took  care  that  none  (hould  fo  much  as  lea'd 
 the  Sacrifices  to  the  Altar,  but  who  were  bonk  Nomi- 
 nibm,  of  Names  that  fignified  Good.  Of  which  the 
 Confab  alfo  were  very  obfervant,  ut  primus  miles  fiat 
 bono  nomine,  that  the  firft  Souldier  whom  they  lifted, 
 ftiould  be  of  a  good  Name  5  fuch  as  Valerius,  Salvius, 
 Statorius,  or  the  like.  On  the  contrary,  the  Name  of 
 N<evi*f  was  deemed  fo  bad,  that  in  his  Oration  pro 
 UninU.  Sext.  he  faith,  having  named  the  Man,methinl{$ 
 I  have  J aid  enough. 
 
 Ver.  1 7.  And  Mofes  fent  themtofpy  out  tfo  Land,  and  Vcrfe  j  jt 
 faid  unto  them.~]    That  is,  when  he  fent  them  to  fpy  out 
 the  Land,  (as  was  faid  in  the  foregoing  Verfe)  he  gave 
 them  the  following  Dire&ions, 
 
 Get 
 
2H  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Get  ye  up  this  way  Southward."]    This  South-part  of 
 XIII.      Canaan  fell  afterward  to  be  part  of  the  Lot  of  the 
 
 L/"V\J  Tribe  of  Judah,  XV  Jof/j.  1,2,  3.  and  was  very  dry, 
 and  confequently  barren,  I  Judg.  15.  and  therefore 
 fitted  for  their  entrance  to  fpy  out  the  Land  unob- 
 ferved  ^  being  lefs  inhabited,  than  the  better  parts  of 
 the  Country.  Befides,  it  was  neareft  to  the  place 
 where  they  now  were  encamped. 
 
 And  go  up  into  the  Mountain.]  Where  the  Amorites 
 dwelt,  I  Deut.  19.  together  with  fome  Av/alekites,  and 
 other  People,  XIV.43,45.  From  whence  they  were  to 
 go  down  into  the  Valleys. 
 
 Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  And  fee  the  Land  what  it  #5  and  the  People 
 that  dwell  therein.  ]  Thefe  are  the  general  Dire&ions 
 which  he  gave  them  3  to  inform  themfelves,  both  of 
 the  Country,  and  of  its  Inhabitants. 
 
 Whether  they  befirong  or  weak^  few  or  manyT]  In  par- 
 ticular, with  refpeft  to  the  latter,  he  direfts  them  to  in- 
 form themfelves  whether  the  Inhabitants  were  ftrong 
 bodied,  or  feeble  3  and  whether  their  number  was  great 
 or  final  1. 
 
 Verfe  I 9.  Ver.  1 9.  And  what  the  hand  is  that  they  dwell  in^  whe- 
 ther it  be  good  or  bad.  ]  And  with  refpeft  to  the  for- 
 mer, he  would  have  them  bring  an  account  j?r/2,  what 
 fort  of  Country  it  was,  whether  healthful  and  de- 
 lightful, or  unwholefome  and  unpleafant. 
 
 And  what  Cities  there  be,  that  they  dwell  in.]  And 
 then  how  large  their  Cities  were,  and  of  what 
 ftrength. 
 
 Whether  in  Tents,   or  in   ftrong  Holds.']     Whether 
 
 'they  lived  in  Tents,    as  the  Arabians  did,    (and  the 
 
 Ifraelites  while  they  were  in  the  Wildernefs)    or  in 
 
 Houfes  ,  and  whether  they  were  fortified.    Or  rather 
 
 (as  we  would  fay  in  our  Language  J  whether  in  open 
 
 Villages^ 
 
upon  NUMBERS-  21$ 
 
 Villages,  or  in  walled  Cities  :  For  fo  the  word  Maha-  Chapter 
 naim  fignifies,  not  Tents  (as  we  here  tranflate  it)  but     XIII. 
 Hofls  or  Camps,  XXXII  Gen.  i.  and  here  Towns  with-  t/V\J 
 out  Walls,  as  the  LXX.  interprets  it:  And  the  Fi/-Verfe  2c 
 gar  alfo,  only  inverting  the  order  of  the  words,  whe- 
 ther in  walled  Towns,  or  without  walls. 
 
 Ver.  20.  And  what  the  Land  is,  Stc/]  And  laft  of 
 all,  what  is  the  Soil  of  the  Country  }  whether  rich 
 and  fertile,  or  poor  and  barren  :  and  alfo  whether  it 
 be  a  woody  Country,  or  otherwife  ? 
 
 And  be  ye  of  good  courage,  and  bring  of  the  fruit  of 
 the  Land."]  In  which  Difcoveries,  there  being  fome 
 hazard,  he  bids  them  be  confident  God  would  pre- 
 ferve  them :  fo  that  they  might  venture  to  bring  a- 
 way  with  them,  fome  of  the  Fruit  which  the  Coun- 
 try produced. 
 
 Now  the  time,  was  the  time  of  the  firli  ripe  Grapes.'] 
 Towards  the  Vintage. 
 
 Ver.  2 1 .  So  they  went  up  ,  and  fearched  the  hand  Verfe  2 1 . 
 from  the  Wildernefs  of  Zin7\  Which  was  on  the  South 
 of  the  Land  of  Canaan  ,  XXXIV.  3.  XV  Jofh.  I,  3. 
 being  different  from  the  Wildernefs  of  Sin  x,  which 
 lay  near  to  Egypt,  XVI  Exod.  1 . 
 
 Unto  Rehob,  as  Men  come  to  Hamath.  ]  The  City 
 of  Rehob  lay  in  the  North  of  the  Land  of  Canaan  5 
 and  fell  to  the  Lot  of  the  Tribe  of  Afier,  XIX  Jofh. . 
 28.  And  it  lay  not  far  from  Hamath  (  which,  in 
 after  times,  was  called  Ephiphania)  a  City  which  we 
 very  often  read  of  afterwards,  as  the  bounds  of  Ju- 
 ddea  Northward  }  which  Mofes  faith  was  unto  the  en- 
 trance of  Hamath,  XXXIV.  8.  So  that  they  took  a 
 Survey  of  the  whole  Country,  from  one  end  of  it  to 
 the  other,  South  and  North  :  and  alfo,  as  they  paffed 
 along,  obferved  thofe  Parts  that  lay  Eaff  and  Wett. 
 
 Gg  For 
 
116  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  For  they  gave  an  account  of  the  Canaanites,  as  dwel- 
 XIII.      ling  ly  the  Sea,  (which  was  Weftw   -d)  and  by  the  Coaji 
 
 L/"W>  of  Jordan  ^  which  was  on  the  Ea\i  ,  v.  29.  Or,  if 
 by  the  Sea  we  underftand,  not  the  iVeJlern  Ocean,  but 
 the  dead  Sea,  (as  fome  do)  yet  it  appears  by  thefe  ve- 
 ry words,  that  they  bent  their  Cour(e,  as  they  pafled 
 from  South  to  North,  unto  the  Wcftern  and  Eajlem 
 Parts  alfo.  For  Rehob  and  Hamath  both  lay  at  the 
 foot  of  Li  ban m  :  one  to  the  North-well  (towards  Si- 
 don)  and  the  other  to  the  North-east. 
 Verfe  22.  Ver.  22.  And  they  afcendedby  the  South.]  In  their 
 return  from  fearching  the  Country. 
 
 And  came  unto  Hebron.~]  That  is,  Some  of  them. 
 For  the  words  in  the  Hebrew  is  not  they  came,  (as  it  is 
 they  afcended)  but  he  came.  Which  demonftrates  that 
 they  did  not  go  all  of  them  together  in  a  Company, 
 (for  that  had  been  dangerous,  and  might  have  made 
 them  taken  notice  of )  but  difperfed  themfelves  5 
 fome  going  to  difcover  one  place ,  fome  another. 
 And  it  is  a  probable  Conje&ure  of  fome  of  the  He- 
 brew  Doftors,  that  Caleb  was  the  Man  that  went  to 
 take  a  view  of  Hebron  5  and  was  fo  little  affrighted 
 at  the  fight  of  the  Giants  there,  that  he  was  the  very 
 Perfon  that  afterward  drove  them  out  5  and  had  this 
 place  given  him  for  his  Portion  :  For  it  was  in  the 
 •  South  part  of  the  Lot  of  the  Tribe  of  Judah  5  being 
 formerly  called  Kirjath-Arba,   XIV  JoJ/j.  9,12,14. 
 
 Where  Ahiman,  Shefloai,  and  Talmai ,  the  Children 
 of  Ana1\  were."]  Thefe  were  the  Grand-children  of 
 Arba  (from  whom  Hebron  had  the  name  of  Kirjath- 
 Arba,  i.  e.  the  City  of  Arba  J  who  was  the  Father  of 
 Anak.  Whofe  Family  was  more  eminent  than  any 
 other  in  Canaan  :  thefe  three  Sons  of  his,  being  Men 
 not  only  of  great  Bulk  ,  but  Prowefs  and  Valour. 
 
 Bochartus 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  327 
 
 Bochartus  thinks  (Lib.  I.  Canaan,  cap.  1 .)  that  Anak.  Chapter 
 fignifies  as  much  as  the  Roman  name  Toropiatm  3  being      XIII. 
 like  to  that  Gaul  whom  Manlius  vanqui(hed.     And  ISVSJ 
 Ahiman  fignifies  as  much  as,  Who  is  my  Brother  ?  im- 
 porting there  was  none  to  be  compared  with  him. 
 Sefai  he  takes  to  be  as  much  as  Sixtius,  viz.  Six  Cubits 
 high,  as  Goliath  was.     And  Talmai  he  derives  from 
 Talam,  a  Furrow  :  as  if  he  feemed  in  length  to  equal 
 a  Furrow  in  the  Field.    Thefe  were  the  People  that 
 made  the  Ifraelites  tremble  :  for  it  is  likely  their  whole 
 Family  were  of  a  very  large  Stature,  though  not  fo 
 big  as  thefe.     And  indeed,  they  were  fo  very  terri- 
 ble to  all  their  Neighbours,  that  it  became  a  Prover- 
 bial faying  in  thofe  Countries ,  Who  can  fiand  before 
 the  Children  of  Anal^?  IX  Dent.  2. 
 
 Now  Hebron  was  built  fev en  years  before  Zoan  in  £- 
 gypt~]  The  Egyptians  boa  (led  of  the  great  Antiquity 
 of  their  Nation  and  Cities:  But  Mofes  (hows  that 
 Hebron  was  built  before  the  Capital  City  of  their 
 Country.  For  fo  Zoan  was  ,  and  called  in  after  A- 
 ges  Tank  :  lying  not  far  from  that  Mouth  of  the  Ri- 
 ver Nile,  which  from  thence  was  called  by  Plutarch 
 Tuvilixtvg-QLut,  R.  Solomon  will  have  it,  that  Hebron 
 was  built  by  Cham,  one  of  the  three  Sons  of  Noah9 
 and  the  Father  of  Mizraim  5  from  whom  the  Egypti- 
 ans defcended.  But  of  this  there  is  no  certainty  ;  and 
 the  Gemara  upon  Sota,  cap.  7.  faith,  It  is  not  likely 
 that  a  Man  would  build  a  Houfe  for  his  younger  Son, 
 before  he  had  built  one  for  his  elder  ^  for  Canaan  wa§ 
 the  youngeft  of  all  the  Sons  of  Cham,  X  Gen. 6.  Yet 
 thofe  Doctors  are  willing  to  fuppofe  that  Cham  built 
 both  thefe  Cities  5  and  therefore  interpret  the  word 
 banah,  which  is  rightly  tranflated  built,  as  if  it  figni- 
 fied  fruitful,  (according  to  XVI  Gen.  2.)  and  make 
 
 G  g  2  the 
 
aa8  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  the  Senfe  to  be ,  That  Hebron  was  feven  times  more 
 XIII.     fruitful  than  Zoan.     Which  is  very  foolifh$  as  upon 
 
 L/"V~vJ  other  accounts,  fo  on  this  ,  that  Hebron  was  a  ftrong 
 place,  and  therefore  not  fertile. 
 
 Verfe  23.  Ver.  23.  And  they  came  unto  the  Brool^  Efrchol.  3 
 A  place  which  lay  in  a  Valley,  at  the  foot  of  the 
 Mountain,  I  Dent.  24. 
 
 And  cut  down  from  thence  a  Branch  with  one  Clujier 
 of  Grapes."]  This  was  done,  no  doubt,  in  fome  pri- 
 vate place ,  upon  the  Southern  Borders  of  Canaan  5 
 juft  as  they  were  returning  to  the  Camp  of  Ifrael  a- 
 gain.  For  it  would  have  given  the  Country  too  great 
 an  Alarm,  if  they  had  marched  in  the  High-way, 
 with  this  Bunch  upon  their  Shoulders. 
 
 And  they  bare  it  between  two.']     A  great  many  Au- 
 thors mention  Vines  and  Grapes  of  an  extraordinary 
 bignefs  in  thofe  Eajlern  and  Southern  Countries.     I 
 need  only  refer  to  Strabo,  who  fays  the  Vines  in  Mar- 
 giana,  and  other  places,  were  fo  big  that  two  Men 
 could  fcarce  compafs  them  with  their  Arms  5  and  that 
 they  produced  fiorpuju  $w)(Uju,  a  Bunch  of  Grapes  of 
 two  Cubits,  Lib.  II.  Geograph.  p.  73.  and  Ub.JUl.  p. 
 516.     Which  is  in  part  juftified  by  Olearius  in  his 
 late  Travels  into  Perfia^  Book.  HI.  where  he  faith,  not 
 far  from  AJiracan,  he  faw  Vines,  whofe  Trunks  were 
 fo  thick,  that  a  Man  could  do  no  more  than  grafp 
 them  about  with  both  his  Arms.     And  Forfterus  in 
 his  Dittionarium  Hebraicum,  p.  862.  faith  there  was 
 a  Preacher  at  Norimberg,  called  Achacim,  who  lived 
 as  a  Monk  eight  Years  in  the  Holy  Land,  (as  they  call 
 it)  who  told  him  upon  his  Sick-bed,  That  in  his  time 
 there  were  Clufters  of  Grapes  at  Hebron^  of  fuch  big- 
 nefs, that  one  fingle  Kernel  was  fufficient  to  quench 
 his  Thirft  a  whole  day  ^  when  he  was  fick  there  of  a 
 
 Tym- 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  229 
 
 Tympany,     jf.    Conradus  Dieterius  hath  colle&ed  a  Chapter 
 great  deal  more  to  this  purpofe  out  of  Leo  Africans     XIII. 
 and  N?c.  Radzivil/ius,  and  other  Authors,  in  his  An-  U^V^NJ 
 tiq.  Biblic£,  p.  249.     And  fince  him  the  mo  ft  learned 
 Huetius  in  his  gutifl? ones  Alnetan£  ,  Lib.  II.    cap.  12. 
 n.  24.  where,  among  other  things,  he  obferves  that 
 Crete,  Chios,  and  other  Iflands  in  the  Archipelago,  af- 
 ford Bunches  of  Grapes  of  ten  pound  weight  ,  fome- 
 times  of  thirty  fix,  yea,  of  forty.     And  he  mentions 
 Grapes  of  a  prodigious  bignefs  in  the  Kland  of  Ma- 
 dera. 
 
 Upon  a  Staffs     See  IV.  10. 
 
 And  they  brought  of  the  Pomegranates  and  Figs.  3 
 Which  grew  in  the  parts  neareft  to  the  place  where 
 the  Jfraelites  were  encamped. 
 
 Ver.  24.  The  place  was  called  the  Brooke  Eficol,  be-  Verfe  24. 
 caufe  of  the  Clujier  of  Grapes  which  the  Children  of  If- 
 rael  cut  down  from  thence.~]  That  is,  when  the  Isra- 
 elites got  pofleffion  of  the  Land, they  called  this  Brooke 
 (or  Valley)  by  the  name  of  Eficol,  in  memory  of  this 
 Bunch  of  Grapes :  forfo  Ef/jcol  fignifies. 
 
 Ver.  2  5 .  And    they  returned  from  fearching  of  the  Verfe  2  5 
 Land."]     Came  back  to  the  Camp  of  Ifrael. 
 
 After  forty  days.']  This  (hows  that  they  did  not 
 take  a  curfory  view  of  the  Country  5  but  took  time 
 enough  to  make  their  Obfervations.  And  the  ripe 
 Fruit  which  they  brought  with  them,  after  they  had 
 been  forty  Days  from  the  Camp,  demonfHates  that 
 their  return  was  in  the  latter  end  of  the  fextb  Month, 
 very  near  to  the  feventh  5  that  is ,  in  the  end  of  the 
 Year,  according  to  the  old  Stile  of  that  Nation.  For 
 on  the  fifteenth  Day  of  the  feventh  Month  God  order- 
 ed the  Feaft  of  Tabernacles  to  be  celebrated  :  a  lit- 
 tle before  which  they  gathered  both  their  Harveftand 
 
 their 
 
*f 
 
 A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  their  Vintage,  XXIII  Exod.i6.  XXIIIIe^.  39.  XVI 
 XIII.     Dent.  13. 
 
 L/*"V~VJ       Ver.  26.  And  they  went  and  came  to    Mofes  and  to 
 
 Verfe  26.  Aaron,  &c]     They  went  up  the  Mountain  from  £/&- 
 
 col }  and  came  down  on  the  other  fide  of  it ,  to 
 
 Mofes  and  Aaron,  and  all  the  Congregation  ,  I  Dent. 
 
 24,25. 
 
 Vnto  the  Wildernefs  of  Paran,  to  Kadefi.  ]  Unto 
 the  place  from  whence  they  were  fent  ^  which  was 
 Kadefi-bamea,  (  See  v .  3.  &  IX  Dent.  23.)  which  is 
 here  in  fhort  called  Kadejh  3  but  is  quite  different 
 from  that  Kadefi  we  read  of  afterward,  XXI.  1 .  For 
 that  was  in  the  Wildernefs  of  Sin  }  and  they  did  not 
 come  to  it  till  the  fortieth  Year  after  they  came  out  of 
 Egypt,  XXXIII.  37,  38.  whereas  they  were  at  this 
 Kadejl)  in  the  fecond  Year  3  before  they  were  doom- 
 ed to  wander  forty  Years  in  the  Wildernefs. 
 
 And  brought  bach^  word  unto  them  ,  and  unto  all  the 
 Congregation.^  Gave  a  publick  Account,  before  Mofes 
 and  Aaron,  of  what  they  had  difcovered. 
 
 And  f jewed  them  the  Fruit  of  the  Land.  ]  And  at 
 the  fame  time  prefented  to  them  the  Clufter  of  Grapes, 
 the  Pomegranates  and  Figs  which  they  had  brought 
 with  them. 
 Verfe  27.  Ver.  27.  And  they  told  him,  and  faid.~]  They  ad- 
 drefs  their  Relation  to  Mofes  5  becaufe  he  fent  them, 
 v.  2. 
 
 We  came  unto  the  hand  whether  thou  fent  eft  vs.~\  I 
 fuppofe  they  chofe  fome  of  their  number,  to  fpeak 
 in  the  name  of  the  reft  :  and  firft  they  give  an  account 
 of  the  Land,  as  he-required,  v.  19,  20. 
 
 And  furely  it  floweth  with  Mill^and  Honey.  ]  Their 
 report  of  the  Condition  of  the  Land ,  was  as  ho- 
 ned as  could  be  defired  :   for  they  teftifie  it  to  be 
 
 fuch 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  arg* 
 
 fuch  as  God  promifed  to  beftow  upon  them,  XXXIII  Chapter 
 Exod.  3.  XIII. 
 
 And  thk  k  the  Fruit  of  it.']  They  prove  what  they  WVSJ 
 fay,  by  a  Sample  of  the  Produft  of  it.  Which  was 
 fo  large,  that  fome  of  the  Jews  fancy  there  were 
 tight  Men  imployed  to  carry  this  one  Clufter,  as  they 
 fay  in  the  Gemara  Sot£  ,  cap.  7.  Of  which  the  Spies 
 made  this  wicked  ufe,  as  from  thence  to  tell  their  Bre- 
 thren, Toufee  thk  goodly  Fruity  how  vaji  it  k  :  hut  be- 
 lieve us,  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Country  exceed  us  ,  and 
 all  other  Men  in  ftature,  as  much  as  thk  Fruit  exceeds 
 all  other  of  the  fame  kind,  throughout  the  World.  So 
 Wagenfeil  explains  the  fenfe  of  their  Difcourfe  in  that 
 place,  Seff.  4. 
 
 Ver.  28.  Neverthelefs  the  People  be  ftrong  that  dwell Verfe  28, 
 in  the  hand  5  and  the  Cities  are  walled  and  very  great.] 
 This  is  an  account  of  the  other  part  of  the  Enquiry 
 Mofes  commanded  them  to  make  ,  concerning  the  In- 
 habitants, and  their  Cities,  v.  18. 
 
 And  moreover,  wefaw  the  Children  of  the  Anakims 
 there."]  See  v.  22.  All  this  was  true  5  but  fpoken  in 
 fuch  a  manner  as  to  reprefent  the  Conqueft  of  the 
 Country  exceeding  difficult,  if  not  impoffible.  So 
 they  explain  their  meaning  in  down-right  words, 
 v.  31.  and  fo  the  People  underftood  them,I  Deut.28. 
 where  thefe  frightful  People  are  called  the  Sons  of  the 
 Anakims.  For  they  faw  not  only  thofe  three  men- 
 tioned before,  v.  22.  but  others  alfo  that  were  de- 
 fcended  from  them  ^  who,  as  I  there  noted,  weregi- 
 gantick  Perfons.  So  the  LXX.  tranflate  thefe  words 
 vpl  yiyivlw,  and  fo  the  Chaldee  5  and  fo  the  Jews  ufe 
 the  word  Anakim  to  fignifie  Giants  :  particularly 
 Benjamin  Tudelenjis  ,  p.  3.  of  his  Itinerary.  Where 
 LEmpereur  thinks  it  probable  they  were  called  Ana- 
 
 kims~, 
 
^  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  kjnts^  *  torque  quo  col/a  fuperbe  cingebant^  from  a  Col- 
 XIII.      lar  or  Chain,  which  they  proudly  wore  about  their 
 
 L/*W>  Necks  :  for  the  word  Ana\  properly  fignifies  collum 
 torque  cingere,  (p.  136.)  to  wreath  a  Chain  about  the 
 Neck.  But  it  is  evident  they  had  their  Name  from 
 their  Progenitor,  Anakjhz  Son  of  Arba  :  whence  he 
 was  fo  called,  we  do  not  know. 
 
 Verfe  1Q.  ^er.  29.  The  Aw  ale  kites  dwell  in  the  hand  of  the 
 South.']  They  do  not  reprefent  the  Aw  alettes  as  In- 
 habitants of  the  Land  of  Canaan  5  but  they  obferve 
 that  they  lay  on  the  South  border  of  it.  Where,  if 
 they  went  about  to  enter,  in  all  probability,  that  Na- 
 tion (  which  were  their  early  Enemies  when  they 
 came  out  of  Egypt)  would  help  to  oppofe  them  in 
 their  Attempt,  as  much  as  the  People  of  Canaan.  For 
 that's  their  intention,  in  the  following  report,to  (how 
 what  a  ftout  People  they  muft  encounter,  which  way 
 foever  they  endeavoured  to  enter  into  Canaan. 
 
 And  the  Hittitesy  and  the  Jebttfetes,  and  the  Awo- 
 rites.']  An  account  of  alltheie,  fee  XV  Gen.  2  c,  21. 
 Dwell  in  the  Mountains.']  Which  were  in  the  en- 
 trance of  the  Land  of  Canaan  on  the  South-east  part  of 
 it.  Particularly  the  Aworites,\t  is  evident,were  plant- 
 ed there,  upon  the  Mountains  of  the  Borders  of  Cm* 
 naan,  I  Deut.  27.  44.  And  many  of  them  had  made 
 an  expedition  into  thtCountry  beyond  Jordan,  where 
 they  had  poflefled  themfelves  of  Bafian  and  Hefibon, 
 and  all  the  Land  between  the  Rivers  Jabbok  and  Ar- 
 non.  For  they  were  a  very  warlike  People,  and  of 
 great  ftature,  WAwosy.  which  made  thefe  Searchers 
 of  their  Land  afraid  ot  them  5  and  bid  their  Bre- 
 thren conGder  whether  rhey  thought  they  fhould  be 
 able  to  difpute  their  paffage  with  them:  which  they 
 plainly  luggeft,  in  their  Opinion,  they  could  nor. 
 
 For 
 
^NUMBERS.  233 
 
 For  the  Jebufites  were  another  mighty  People,  whom  Chapter 
 after  the  Conqueft  of  Canaan,they  could  not  of  a  long      XIIF. 
 time  difpoffefsof  Mount  6W.     I  need  not  fay  howiA^ 
 terrible  the  Hittites  were  5  for  it  is  probable  from 
 thence  came  the  word  bittha,  which  fignifies  a  Fright 
 and  iudden  Confternation,   as  Bochartus  hath  obfer- 
 ved  in  his  Phalag.  Lib.  IV.  cap.  36. 
 
 And  the  Canaamtes.']  Thofe  who  were  particu- 
 larly called  by  this  Name.     Sec  XV  Gen.  21. 
 
 Dwelt  by  the  Sea.]  It  is  certain  that  the  Canaamtes 
 dwelt  by  the  Ocean,  called  the  Midland-Sea  5  for  they 
 feem  to  have  had  their  Names  from  Merchandizing  5 
 for  which  that  (ituation  was  mofc  proper;  and  for  that 
 reafon  others  of  them  were  feated  near  Jordan.  This, 
 I  think,  is  plain  from  I  Dent.  7.  And  befides,  the 
 word  Sea  alone,  commonly  fignifies  that  great  Ocean. 
 But  it  being  plain  that  they  were  alfo  feated, as  it  here 
 follows,  upon  the  River  Jordan,  it  is  poffible  that 
 by  Sea,  may  be  meant  in  this  place,  the  dead  Sea,  or 
 the  Lake  of  Genefereth,ox  both  of  them  5  becaufe  they 
 were  near  Jordan,  which  ran  into  them. 
 
 And  by  the  Co  ail  of  Jordan.']  Where  the  Canaamtes 
 were  alfo  feated,  as  is  evident  from  XI  Deut.^o.  For 
 there  were  both  Weftern  and  Eaftern  Canaamtes,  as 
 appears  from  XI  Jofo.  3.  and  they  are  frequently 
 joyned  with  the  Pcrizzftes  (particularly  I  Judg.^.  ) 
 who  were  a  fierce  fort  of  rough  People,  that  dwelt 
 in  the  woody  part  of  the  Mountains.  So  that  the 
 Intentions  of  the  Men,  who  made  this  Report,  was, 
 to  reprefent  to  the  People,that  whether  they  invaded 
 the  Land  by  the  Southern  Parts,  or  the  Eaftern,  they 
 would  find  both  ftrongly  guarded  by  a  mighty  People, 
 much  fuperiour  to  them  in  force.  Which  account,  the 
 following  verfe  (hows,  put  the  People  into  a  Tumult. 
 
 H  h  Ver. 
 
254  A   cbktiEkfAkf 
 
 oter  Ver.  3c.  And  Caleb  fli  lied  the  People.']  It  is  plain  by 
 XIII.  this,  that  the  People  underftood  by  mar.  way  of 
 t/>AJ  fpeaking,  Countenances  and  Geftures,  that  the  mean. 
 ing  of  thefe  Men  who  made  this  Report  (which  was 
 not  falfe  in  it  felf  )  was,  ^hat  though  the  Country 
 indeed  was  very  rich  and  definable,  yet  it  was  impof- 
 fible  for  them  to  drive  the  Inhabitants  out  of  it. 
 Which  put  them  into  a  mutinous  Difpofition,  as  Ca- 
 leb perceived  by  their  Looks  and  their  Muttering  5  and 
 therefore  ftept  forth,  before  it  brake  out,  to  quiet 
 their  Spirits  with  his  Account  of  the  Country  and  In- 
 habitants, in  which  Jofirua,  no  queftion,  joyned  with 
 him.  It  is  not  indeed  here  mentioned  ,  becaufe  Ca- 
 leb perhaps  ftood  next  to  thoie  who  began  to  make  a 
 Commotion,  and  therefore  ipake  firft  :  but  he  was 
 feconded  by  JofJjua,  we  may  be  fure  5  becaufe  we  find 
 him  mentioned  in  the  next  Chapter  ,  and  in  the  firft 
 place,  together  with  Caleb  ,  as  indeavouring  to  ap- 
 •peafe  the  -Tumult.  And  he  is  not  only  exempted 
 from  the  Punifhment  inflifted  upon  the  People  Tor 
 their  Rebellion,  XIV.  30,  38.  but  is  exprefly  laid  to 
 have  followed  the  LORD  fully,  as  well  as  Caleb , 
 XXXII.  x 2. 
 
 Before  Mofes.']  The  Hebrew  Phrafe  El  Mofcheh,  may 
 fignifie  that  he  ftilled  them,  as  they  were  coming  to- 
 wards Mofes  in  a  Seditious  manner  5  or.quieted  them 
 _fo  far,  as  to  make  them  hearken  to  Mofes  j  or,  as  we 
 render  it,  in  his  Prefence,  when  they  were  ready'to 
 fly  in  his  Face.  One  of  the  Do&ors  in  the  Gemara 
 before-mentioned,  cap.  9  faith,  That  JoJIma  being  a- 
 bout  to  fpeak,  they  bitterly  reproached  him,  and 
 would  not  fufter  him  to  proceed.  And  therefore  Ca- 
 leb thought  good  to  give  them  a  great  many  blandi th- 
 ing words,andto  call  Mofes  this  Son  of  Amram^ which 
 
 lookt 
 
upon  N  IJ  M  B  £  R  S.  ^35 
 
 lookt  like  Contempt  of  him^  whereby   he    ftilled  Chapter 
 them,  and  dilpofed'thefti  tb  liften  to  him.     And  then       XHIi 
 he  faid,  Is  not  he  the  V  erf  on  that  brought  us  out  ofE-  IS\*\J 
 gypt,  that  divided  the  Red  Sea,  fir  Us  to  pafs  through 
 if  }  that  §ave  us   Manna  from  Heaven?  What1  if  he 
 JJjould  bid  us  make  Ladders  and  climb  up  into  the  Skies  7 
 jjjould  we  not  obey  him  ? 
 
 And  f aid,  J^et  us  go  up  at  once  ?"]  Or,  go  up  im- 
 mediately, without  a  fto£. 
 
 Andpoffefs  it.~]  He  fpeaks  as  if  it  were  already  their 
 own,  (as  indeed  it  was^y  Gbd's  gift)  arid  they  need 
 only  enter  and  take  poffeffion  of  it: 
 
 For  we  are  able  to  overcome  it.7]  There  will  be  no 
 fuch  difficulty  "  as  thefe  Men  reprefent ,  in  the  Con- 
 quelt  of  it. 
 
 Ver.  31.   But  the  Men  that  went  up  with  him."]  The  Verfe  31. 
 reft  of  the  Company  that  went  to  fearch  the  Land  5 
 who  if  they  had  hot  perfifted  in  their  Unbelief,    the 
 People  perhaps  might  have  been  perfe&ly  appeafed 
 ty  Caleb  md  JoJIma. 
 
 Said,  We  be  not  able."]  .Now  they  open  their  Minds 
 more  plainly,  in  their  Reply  to  Caleb.  Whom  they 
 oppofe  direftly  5  and  declare  their  Opinion  down- 
 right, that  they  were  not  an  equal  Match  for  their 
 Enemies. 
 
 To  go  up  againfi  the  People."]  To  beat  them  out  of 
 the  Mountains,  which  they  inhabited. 
 
 For  they  arejlronger  than  ive."]  Thefe  Men  had  no 
 confidence  in  the  Promife  and  Power  of  God ,  on 
 which  Caleb  and  Jofiua  relyed  }  but  meafured  all 
 things  by  Human  ftrength. 
 
 Ver.  32.    At? d  they  brought  up  an  evil  report   of  ^/^  Verfe  32. 
 Land  which    they  had  fe  arched,  unto  the   Children  of 
 IfraeL]     In  rii'2  heat  oi  their  O'ppofition,  they  now 
 
 H  h  2'  difparage 
 
53<S  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  difparage  the  Country,  which  they  had  before  praif- 
 XIII.      ed,  v.  27.  and  alfo  ftretch  their  Report  of  the  Inha- 
 
 L/^V^vJ  bitants  beyond  the  Truth. 
 
 Sajtng,  The  Land  through  which  we  have  gone  to 
 fearch,  is  a  Land  that  eateth  up  the  Inhabitants  thereof.'] 
 Unlefs  we  fuppofc  that  there  was  a  great  Plague  at 
 this  time  in  the  Country,  as  the  Hebrews  do  (who 
 love  to  excufe  their  Fore-fathers  fins)  this  was  a  groife 
 lie.  But  take  it  as  they  fuppofe,  yet  this  was  a  very 
 malignant  Report.  For  if  they  faw  the  People  of 
 the  Country  every  where,  as  they  pafled  along,  carry- 
 ing their  Neighbours  to  their  Graves,  (as  the  Jews 
 tell  the  Tale)  this  which  they  fhould  have  afcribed 
 to  the  Providence  of  God,  who  fent  this  Mortality 
 that  they  might  have  fewer  Enemies  to  oppofe  them, 
 and  that  theieSpies  might  pafs  more  freely, and  lefsob- 
 ierved  5  they  moft  wickedly  afcribe  to  the  badnefs  of 
 the  Air  :  which  being  very  unhealthful  to  the  Na- 
 tives, might  well  be  thought  would  be  much  more 
 fo  to  Strangers.  Thus  bad  Minds  (as  the  aforefaid 
 Gemara  glofies  well  enough  upon  this  Story )turn  that 
 which  God  intends  for  their  Benefit,  into  their  Hurt. 
 And  if  we  had  any  better  Authority  for  this  Story, 
 the  word  achal  (which  we  tranllate  eat  up)  would 
 well  enough  agree  with  it.  For,  as  Maimonides  ob- 
 ferves  in  the  fir  ft  part  of  his  More  Nevoch.  cap.  30.  it 
 is  ufed  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  concerning  any  kind  of 
 Confumption,  Deftru&ion,  or  Delegation  :  As  here 
 in  this  Book,  XI.  1.  XXVI  Lev.  38.  2  Sam.  II.  26, 
 &c 
 
 And  all  the  People  that  we  faw  in  it  were  Men  of  great 
 Stature."]  The  Hebrew  Phrafe  is,  Men  of  Meafures , 
 ivfrpv;  ^ip/uwxw,  as  the  LXX.  tranflate  it,  Men  of 
 larger  fize  than  the  reft  of  Mankind.   Which  we  have 
 
 no 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  237 
 
 no  reafon  to   think   was  true  :   But  having  feen  the  Chapter 
 Sons  of  Anak^m  one  part  of  the  Country,  they  ima-     XIII. 
 gined  all  the  reft  of  the  People  to  be  near  unto  their  L/*V"NJ 
 Stature.     For  this  is  the  Defcription  of  that  Giant  of 
 Gath,  mentioned  1  Chron.  XX.  6.  where  he  is  called 
 a  Man  of Meafure  3  and  2  Sam.  XXI.  20.  .where  he  is 
 called  in  the  Plural  Number,  (as  they  arc  here)  a 
 Man  of  Meafures^   avrip  vrnpfjuiyiSn^  a  Man  above  the 
 common  bignefs.    And  thus  very  great  Houfes  are  cal- 
 led Houfes  of 'Me afure ,  XXII  Jerem.  24. 
 
 Ver.  33.   And  there  we  faw  the  Giants.  ]     Men  of  Verfe  33, 
 greater  Bulk  and  Strength,  than  the  biggeft  of  thofe 
 very  great  Men,  (fee  VI  Gen.  4.)  which  they  fpake 
 of  in  the  foregoing  words. 
 
 The  Sons  of  AnakJ]  They  had  mentioned  this  once 
 before,  v.  28.  and  now  repeat  it  again  5  becaufe  they 
 were  ftruck  with  fuch  a  Terror  at  the  fight  of  them, 
 that  they  were  always  at  their  Tongues  end.  Juft,  as 
 Homer  mentions,  T%oi&<;  -n  ^  "ExmggL,  as  Bochartm 
 makes  the  Comparifon,  Lib.  L  Canaan,  cap.  1. 
 
 Which  came  of  the  Giants.  ~]  Who  were  defcended 
 from  a  Gigantick  Race  of  Men  5  particularly  from 
 Arba,  who  was  their  Grand-father,  as  Jofhna  tells 
 us,  XIV.  1 5.  XV. I3,i4,&c.  Where  he  (hows  how 
 Caleb  drove  thefe  Anakjms  out  of  their  Cities,  and 
 made  them  fly  to  the  Philifiims  -y  where  there  were 
 fome  Remainders  of  them,  till  the  days  of  David. 
 And  others  of  them,  perhaps,  fled  into  Greece  5  for 
 there  was  a  Race  of  Men  among  the  Greek/  called 
 *AvaxA<;  ^  who  Voffius  thinks  it  probable  might  defcend 
 from  thefe  Children  of  Anak.  Lib.  I.  de  Orig.  &  Pro- 
 greffn  IdoloL  cap.  XIII.. 
 
 And. 
 
2  3$ 
 
 A    COMMEUTARX 
 
 Chapter       And  we  were  in  our  own  fight  as  Gra/boppers.^  T\\^ix 
 
 XIII.    Fear  magnified  them  above  meaftire }  thpugh  no  dqijtjt 
 
 IVWJ  they   were   Men  of  fuch  |Q  extraordinary  heigj-jtfi, 
 
 Verfe  26.  that  they  might  look  upon  themfelves  to  be  as  (mall 
 
 and  contemptible,    as    CraGioppers  ^re  compared 
 
 with  us.  And  fuch  very  tall  Men  there  are  iVill  in  fome 
 
 parts  of  the  World,  as  Job  Ludolphys  observes  in  his 
 
 Commentary  vvponhb  Hijfor.  Mthiopha,  Jjh-  I;  <#£•?• 
 
 H.   22. 
 
 Andfo  we  were  in  their  fight.  ]]  -One  of  ,the  Jewifti 
 Do&ors  makes  bold  to  call  thefe  Men  Liars  :  For 
 though  their  Fearimigkt  make  them  feem  in  their  ,own 
 ■fight  as  iGrafhoppers,  -yet  how  could  they  tell,  faith 
 -he,  that  they  were  fo  in  cthe  iight  of  the  Children  of 
 Anal^t  Here  the  Gcmarifts  (,in  the  place  I. mentioned 
 above,  cap.  10.)  endeavour  to  hqlp  themout,  by  con- 
 tinuing the  Tak  of  the  great  Mortality,  which  was 
 then  in  thofcCountfiies.  Where  a  Funeral-F^aft  (as 
 the  manner  w$s)  being  one. day  made  x\qc\zx  certain 
 Cedar-trees,  which  are  very  fhady.5  the  Spies  got  up 
 to  the  top  of  them,  itohide  themfelves. among  the 
 thick  Boughs.  But  the  tPeople  below  hapning  to 
 lookup,  the  Spies  heard  them  fay,  there  are  Men_  got 
 up  into  the  Trees,  who  look  like  Grafboppers.  But 
 there  needs  no  fuch  Inventions  to  defend  them,  when 
 an  Hyperbole  will  do  it:  Their  plain  meaning  being 
 this,  that  the  Anakims  looked  down  upon  them  with 
 the  utmoft  Contempt. 
 
 By  all  which  it  appears,  that  they  had  not  only  a 
 fight  of  the  Analgias  ^  but  the  AnakiMszKo  faw  them  } 
 and  lookt  upon  them,  it  is  likely,  as  they  did  upon 
 other  Travellers  5  who  were  wont  to  come  thither, 
 either  for  their  Pleafure,  or  to  traffick  in  their  Coun- 
 try 5  or  in  their  way  to  other  places.     Whom  it  was 
 
 not 
 
upoh  N  U  MBER  S.  *fy 
 
 tfot  theft  Ouftbm  to  examine  ftrictly,   whence  they  Chapter 
 came,  and  what  their  birfkefs  was  $  bat  let  pafs  to  and     XVI. 
 fro  among  them  freety.  IW"\j 
 
 iMB^ffi-   I        -     !"       I  J  ********** 
 
 C  H  A  P.     "XIV. 
 
 '.  1.    \  ND  all  the  Congregation^]  By  all  the  Con*-  yerre  - 
 XJL  "relation  may  be  here  meant  all  the  great 
 
 Ver. 
 
 gregation  may 
 Men,  (for  fo  the  Phrafe  fometimes  fignifies)  except 
 Caleb  and  Jofhua,  and  perhaps  feme  few  others. 
 
 Z//^  up  their  Voice  and  cried.]  Shrieked,  snd  made 
 loud  Lamentations. 
 
 And  the  People  wept, .]  Which  put  all  the  People  into 
 Tears. 
 
 That  night.  ] [Which  followed  after  the  Report  made 
 by'the  Spies.  " 
 
 Ver.  1.  And  all  the  Children  of  I frael  murmured  a-  Verfe  2. 
 -#*/#/£  Mofes,   and  againji  Aaron.  Q     As  they  had  fre- 
 quently done  befdre  5  but  now  in  a  more  tumultuous 
 manner. 
 
 And' the  whole  Congregation  faid  unto  then/.']  The 
 great  Men  fpake  in  the  name  of  the  whole  body  of  the 
 People. 
 
 Would  God  that  we  had  died  in  the  Land  of  Egypt."] 
 In  a'Fit  of  Fury  and  Defpair,  they  quite  forgot  how 
 miraculoufly  God  had  brought  them  from  thence  3 
 and  confeqiiently  could  as  eafily  bring  them  into  Ca- 
 nudn. 
 
 Orw'duld  God  we  h'ad'diedin  this  Witdemefs.']  When 
 feveral  of  their  Brethren  were  burnt,  ami  fmote  with 
 a  very  great  Plague 3  in  this -Very  Wildernefs  of  Pa- 
 ran,  XL  1,  33. 
 
 Ver- 
 
Ho  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  3.  Wherefore  hath  the  LORD  brought  us  int§ 
 XIV.      this  Land  f\  Having  vented  their  Paffion  againft  God's 
 
 V-!/"V"NJ  Minifters,  they  moft:  undutifully  accufe  him,  as  if  he 
 
 Verfe  3.    had  dealt  deceitfully  with  them. 
 
 To  fall  by  the  Sword.~]  Of  the  Children  of  Anah^,  who 
 they  fancied  were  irrefiftible. 
 
 That  our  Wives  and  Children  flwuld  be  a  prey  .<?"]  To 
 the  People  of  Canaan,  after  all  the  Men  of  Ifrael  were 
 killed. 
 
 Were  it  not  better  for  us  to  return  into  Egypt  $  ~\ 
 Their  Rage  deprived  them  of  the  ufe  of  their  Rea- 
 fon. 
 
 Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  And  they  faid  one  to  another,  let  us  ntak$  a 
 Captain,  and  lei  us  return  into  Egypt.  ~]  They  knew 
 that  Mofes  would  not  condutt  them  thither  5  and 
 therefore  they  thought  of  chufing  another  Leader. 
 But  though  they  might  in  a  Raging  Fit  fpeak  of  re- 
 turning to  Egypt,  yet  it  is  an  amazing  thing  that  they 
 (hould  continue  in  this  Madnefs,  and  deliberate  a- 
 bout  it  5  nay  actually  appoint  them  a  Captain,  as  Ne- 
 hemiah  faith  they  did,  IX.  17.  For  how  could  they 
 get  thither  without  Food  ?  which  they  could  not  ex- 
 pert God  would  fend  them  from  Heaven,  when  they 
 had  forfaken  him.  Or  how  could  they  hope  to  find 
 their  way,  when  his  Cloud,  which  direfted  them,  was 
 withdrawn  from  them  >  Or  hope  to  deal  with  thofe, 
 that  might  oppofe  their  Paflage,  if  they  hit  upon  the 
 right  way  >  And  after  all,  if  they  came  into  Egypt, 
 what  Entertainment  could  they  look  for  there,  a- 
 mong  a  People,  whofe  King,  and  Princes,  and  Firft- 
 born,  had  lately  perifhed  on  their  account  ?  Nothing 
 can  be  faid  in  anfwer  to  thefe  things  5  but  that  outra- 
 gious  Diicontent  will  not  fuffer  Men  to  confider  any 
 thing,  but  that  which  grieves  them  3  and  that  foul  In- 
 gratitude 
 
Upon  NUMBERS.  241 
 
 gratitude  and  Forgetfulnefs  of  God's  Benefits,  and  that  Chapter 
 throws  them  into  fuch  Difcontents.  XIV. 
 
 Ver.  5 .  And  Mofes  and  Aaron  fell  on  their  faces, >~]  To  L/^V^NJ 
 deprecate  God's  Difpleafure^    which  lately  arofe  a-Verfe  5. 
 gainft  them,    upon  a  lefs  occafion  than  this,  XL  33. 
 and  they  might  juftly  fear  would  now  deftroy  them 
 all,  for  their  incurable  Infidelity  5   as  Jofephus  ex- 
 plains it. 
 
 Before  all  the  Ajfembly  of  the  Congregation  of  the  Chil- 
 dren of  IfraeW]  Some  fancy  that  their  falling  down 
 before  them,  was  to  befeech  them  to  defift  from  their 
 Murmuring  5  and  to  truft  in  God,  who  would  go 
 before  them,  and  fight  for  them  $  as  he  faith  he  told 
 them,  I  Dent.  29,  30.  But  falling  on  their  Faces 
 being  the  Pofture  of  the  moft  humble  Supplicants  to 
 God,  and  not  to  Men,  (as  all  underftand  it  in  other 
 places,  particularly  XVI.  4.  XX.  6.)  their  falling 
 down  before  the  Ajfembly  fignifies  no  more,  but  that 
 in  their  prefence  Mofes  and  Aaron  humbled  themfelves 
 deeply  before  the  Divine  Majefty  3  and  prayed  to 
 him  with  the  greateft  Earneftnefs,  to  forgive  them, 
 and  to  beftow  a  better  Mind  upon  them.  Which  they 
 did  in  their  prefence,  to  awaken  them  to  confider  the 
 danger  they  were  in  by  their  heinous  Sin  $  that  they 
 themfelves  might  cry  to  him  for  Mercy.  For  the  u- 
 fual  Pofture  of  Prayer  in  that  Nation  was  (landing  ^ 
 but  in  very  great  Diftrefs,  and  Anxiety  of  Mind,  when 
 they  were  exceeding  felicitous  to  obtain  their  Peti- 
 tion, they  kneeled  down,  and  fometimes  fell  on  their 
 Faces -^  which  was  ftillafignof  greater  Ardor,  and 
 Concernment,  as  appears  from  our  BlefTed  Saviour, 
 XXVlMatth.  39.  XXII  1^41. 
 
 Ii  Vet. 
 
Hi  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  6.  And  Joflma  the  Son  of  Nun,    and  Caleb  the 
 XIV.     Son  ofjephunneh,  which  were  of  them  that  fe  arched  the 
 
 L/'VSJ  Land,rent  their  Clothes."]  As  the  manner  was,  on  any 
 
 Verfe  6.  fad  and  doleful  occafion  5  efpecially  when  they 
 heard  any  Man  blafpheme  the  Divine  Majefty  >  in 
 Deteftation  of  the  Impiety,  and  to  declare  their  Sor^ 
 row,  and  Indignation,  and  Dread  of  God's  Judg- 
 ments 5  as  appears  from  XXXVI  Jcrem.  24.  Where 
 the  Stupidity  of  Jehojakim,  and  his  Servants,  is  repre- 
 fented  by  this,  that  when  they  heard  the  words 
 which  the  Prophet  declared  in  God's  Nameagainft 
 Judahy  they  were  not  afraid,  nor  rent  their  Garments. 
 
 Vtrfe  7.  Ver.  7.  And  they  fpal^e  unto  all  the  Company  of  the 
 Children  of  Ifrael,faying.~]  This  fhowed  great  Courage, 
 that  they  durfl  declare  their  Opinion,  contrary  to  the 
 Senfe  of  fo  great  a  multitude. 
 
 The  Land  wBch  we  pajffed  thorough  to  fear  ch  it,  is  an 
 exceeding  good  Land.  "]  This  is  oppofed  to  what 
 their  Fellows  had  faid,  that  it  was  a  Land,  which  eat 
 up  its  Inhabitants,  XIII.  32^  Quite  contrary  theyaf- 
 fure  them  it  was  veryy  very  good  $  as  the  words  are  in 
 the  Hebrew  :  And  fo  exprefled  by  the  Chaldee,  and 
 the  LXX,  exceeding,  exceeding  good.  That  is,,  every 
 way  defirabk  5  for  thus  the  Hebxewt  exprefs  the  Su- 
 perlative Degree.^ 
 
 V?tfe,&;;  Ver.  8.  If  the  LORD  delightin  usyihen  he  will 
 bring  m  into  this  Land,  and  give  it  ut.~]  If  we  do 
 not  forfeit  his  Favour,  he  will  make  us  fo  happy,  as 
 to  drive  out  the  CanaaniUs,  and  feftle.us  in  the  Pof- 
 feffion  of  this  Land. 
 
 A  Land  which floweth  with  Mil\and  Honey. ~\  As  thek 
 Companions  themfelyes  had  confefled,  XIII.  2  7. 
 
 Ver.- 
 
upon  N  tl  M  B  E  R  S.  ^43 
 
 Ver.  9.  Only  rebel  ye  not  again fl  the  LO  RD.~]     By  Chapter 
 flighting  his  Goodnefs,  by  Murmuring,  and  difcon-       XIV. 
 tented  Speeches,  and  talking  of  going  back  to  Egypt,  WV~\J 
 v.  2,3,4.  Verfe  9. 
 
 Neither  fear  ye  the  People  of  the  Land."]  This  is  op- 
 pofed  to  what  the  reft  of  the  Spies  had  faid,  concern- 
 ing the  mighty  Power  and  Strength  of  the  Inhabi- 
 tants of  Canaan,  XIII.  28,  29,  31,  &c. 
 
 For  they  are  Bread  for  us  7]  We  (hall  as  eafily  vanquifti 
 them,  as  we  eat  our  Meat. 
 
 Their  Defence  is  departed  from  them7\  In  the  Hebrew 
 the  words  are,  their  Shadow  3  whereby  Men  being 
 defended  from  Heat  in  thofe  Countries,  it  fignines 
 the  Proteftion  which  God  gives  Men  from  thofe 
 things  that  might  hurt  them.Which  Divine  Proteftion 
 they  tell  the  People,was  now  withdrawn  from  the  Ca- 
 naanites^  who  had  filled  up  the  meafure  of  their  Ini- 
 quities, (XV  Gen.  16.)  and  now  were  expofed  as  a 
 Prey  to  the  Ifraelites. 
 
 And  the  LORD  is  with  u?.~]  For  on  the  contrary, 
 they  entreat  the  People  to  confider,that  God  who  was 
 departed  from  the  Canaanites,  was  with  them  to  aid 
 and  affift  them  in  the  Conqueft  of  the  Country* 
 And  for  both  thefe  reafons,  they  needed  not  to  fear 
 them.  So  they  conclude  their  Speech,  like  Men  of 
 an  undaunted  Spirit,  in  thefe  words  $  fear  them 
 not. 
 
 Ver. -10.  But  all  the  Congregation.']     The  Hebrew  Verfe  xe< 
 words  Col  Ha  Edah,  as  I  obferved,  v.  1.  fignifies  all 
 the  great  Men  5  the  Rulers  of  the  reft. 
 
 Badjlone  them  withftonesT]  Ordered  the  People  co 
 ftone  them  to  Death  5  as  they  had  done,  it  is  likely,  if 
 they  had  not  been  deterred  from  the  Attempt,  by  the 
 Appearance  of  the  Divine  Majefty.     For  the  Hebrew 
 
 I  i  2  word 
 
i44  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  word  amar  (as  Maimonides  obferves  in  his  More  Ne- 
 XIV.      vochiw.  P.  I.  cap.  65.)  is  ufed  not  only  concerning 
 
 UY\J  that  which  is  fyoken  or  thought,  but  of  what  is  de- 
 creed and  refolved.  And  he  produces  thefe  words  as 
 an  inftance  of  it,  together  with  II  Exod.  14.  2  Sam. 
 XXI.  16. 
 
 And  the  Glory  of  the  LORD  appeared.  1  The 
 SCHECHINAH  which  redded  within  the  Taber- 
 nacle, upon  the  Mercy-Seat ,  now  openly  appeared, 
 in  a  bright  flaming  Light,  like  Fire  :  And,  in  all 
 probability,  after  fuch  an  amazing  manner  as  terrified 
 them  from  their  Defign.  Thus  it  appeared  on  Mount 
 Sinai,  to  fright  them  from  approaching  near  unto  it, 
 XXIV  Exod.  1 7.  (from  whence  Mofes  faith  the  LORD 
 thy  God  is  a  consuming  fire,  IV  Deut.24..^  and  thus  it 
 appeared  afterward,  XVI  Numb.  1 9, 42. 
 
 In  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation.']  Or  rather  up- 
 on the  Tabernacle,  (for  in  the  Tabernacle  the  Peo- 
 ple could  not  have  feen  it,  as  now  they  did)  over  the 
 mod  Holy  place  5  which  the  Cloud  conftantly  cove- 
 red, over  the  Mercy-Seat,  where  the  Divine  Glory 
 dwelt.     See  IX.  15. 
 
 Before  all  the  Children  of  Ifrael.  ]  Both  to  fright 
 them,  as  I  faid,  from  their  purpofe  of  (toning  JoJIma 
 and  Caleb  5  and  to  (how  his  Anger  and  Difpleafure  at 
 their  Rebellion  ,  which  it  is  likely,  appeared  by  the 
 Flafhes  that  came  from  theglorious  Flame. 
 
 Verfe  11.      Ver.11.  And  the  LORD  faid  unto  Mofes ."]  Inan- 
 fwer,  I  fuppofe,  unto  his  Prayer,  v.  5. 
 
 How  long  wiUthk  People  provoke  mef\  Shall  I  always 
 bear  with  their  mod  undutiful  Behaviour  5  which  will 
 provoke  the  greateft  Patience  unto  Anger  ? 
 
 How 
 
upon  N  UMBER  S.  £4$; 
 
 •  How  long  will  it  be  ere  they  believe  me.']     Doft  thou    Chapter 
 not  fee  that  their  belief  is  incurable  >  XIV. 
 
 \  For  all  the  Signs  which  I  have  Jhewed  among  them  f]  L/"V""SJ 
 Since  they  continue  in  it,  notvvithftanding  all  the 
 Wonders  I  have  done, to  convince  them  of  my  Power 
 and  Faithfulnefs. 
 
 Ver.  12.  I  will  fmite  them  with  a  Pejlilence.]     Send  Verfe  12. 
 a  Peftilential  Difeafe  among  them,  to  fweep  them  a- 
 way  at  once  :  as  the fifteenth  Verfe  interprets  it.     See 
 XXHilVExod.  10. 
 
 And  dijinherit  them.']  And  fo  deprive  them  and 
 theirs  of  the  Country  which  I  promifed  to  their  Fa^ 
 thers  for  an  Inheritance,  XV  Gen.  7.  This  was  not 
 an  irrevocable  Decree,  but  a  Threatning :  which  God 
 changed  into  another  fevere  Punilhment. 
 
 And  will  make  of  thee  a  greater  Nation,  and  mightier 
 than  they.]  Fulfil  my  Promife  to  Abraham,  by  ma- 
 king thee  the  Father  of  a  more  numerous  People,and 
 more  powerful,  than  they  whom  I  rejeft. 
 
 Ver.  13.  And  Mo fe s  f aid  unto  the  LORD,  thenVtrk  1 3- 
 the  Egyptians  will  hear  it,  (for  thou  broughteli  up  this 
 People  by  thy  might  fiom  among  them.  J]  It  is  an  abrupt 
 kind  of  Speech, proceeding  from  the  great  difturbance 
 which  this  Threatning  made  in  his  Mind  :  being  as 
 much  as  if  he  had  faid,  If  thou  thus  deftroy  them, 
 the  Egyptians,  when  they  hear  of  it  will  Triumph  : 
 and  thou  wilt  lofe  all  the  Honour  thou  haft  got,  by 
 the  wonderful  Deliverance  thou  didft  work  for  thy 
 People  from  their  Bondage. 
 
 Ver.  14.  And  they  will  tell  it  to  the  Inhabitants   of  Verfe  14, 
 this  Land."]     Or  YZther,they  will  fay  to  the  Inhabitants 
 of  this  Land,  /.  e.  the  Canaanites  $  with  whom  the  E- 
 gyptians  had  frequent  Commerce. 
 
 1or 
 
H*  A    COMMENT AKT 
 
 Chapter       For  4 hey  have  heard,  Scc.'J     The  word/^r  is  not  in 
 
 XIV.     the  Hebrew  :  and  the  Senfe  will  be  more  plain  if  we 
 
 L/"VV>  omit  it ,  and  tranflate  the  whole  thus  }  They  will  fay 
 
 to  the  Inhabitants  of  this  Land  ,  they  have  heard  thai 
 
 thou  LORD  art  among  thk  People.  That  is,  that  there 
 
 was  a  glorious  Token  of  thy  Prefence  among  us. 
 
 That  thou  LO  R  D  art  fecn  face  to  face.'}  And 
 fpakeft  to  us  from  Mount  Sinai  out  of  that  glorious 
 Cloud  ^  which  there  appeared  unto  all  the  People, 
 XIX  Exod.  18.  XX.  1.  XXIV.  16,  17.  IV  Dent, 
 12. 
 
 And  that  thy  Cloud  flan deth  over  them. "]     X  Numb, 
 
 34- 
 
 \    And  that  thou  goejl  before  them  ,  by   day  time   in    a 
 
 Pillar  of  a  Cloud,  and  in  a   Pillar  of  Fire  by  Night.  ~ 
 
 XIII  Exod.  21. 
 
 '  Verfe  1 5 .      Ver.  1 5 .  Now  if  thou  Walt  kill  all  this  People. "]     Or 
 
 rather,  But  thou  hatl  hilled  all  this  People. 
 
 As  one  Man."]  On  a  fudden,  with  one  ftroke :  as 
 if  they  had  all  but  one  Life. 
 
 Then  the  Nations  which  have  heard  the  fame  of  thee, 
 will  fyeal^,  faying7\  Of  which  the  Nations  that  have 
 heard  the  fore-named  Report  of  thy  Majefty  ,  will 
 make  this  ConftrudHon. 
 
 SVerfe  16-  ^er#  l^'  Becanfe  tfje  LORD  was  7iot  able  to  bring 
 this  People  into  the  Land.  ~]  Becaufe  he  whom  they 
 called  Omnipotent,  was  indeed  defeftivein  his  Pow- 
 er :  which  at  laft  failed  him,  fo  that  he  could  not 
 compleat  what  he  had  undertaken. 
 
 Which  hefwareunto  them.'}  XV  Ge//.  17, 18.  XXIV.  7. 
 
 Therefore  he  hath  flain  them  in  the  Wildernefs.  ]] 
 Killed  them  all,before  they  came  to  the  Land  he  had 
 folemnly  promifed  to,  them:  for  that  was  an  eafler 
 work,  than  to  make  good  his  word. 
 
 The 
 
up**   N  U  M  B  E  R  S.  247 
 
 The  fum  of  this  Argument  is,  That  it  would  be  a  Chapter 
 great  difparagement  to  the  Divine  Majefty,  if  he  now    XIV. 
 deftroyed  this  Nation,  becaufe  his  Enemies  would  U"VSJ 
 conclude,  he  had  deluded  them  with  falfe  Promifes,. 
 which,  he  wanted  Power  to  effeflv 
 
 Ver.  17.  And now ,  I  befeech  the,  let  the  Power  ^jfVerfe  *7* 
 my  LO  RD  be  great. ]  That  is,  let  it  appear  to  be 
 unlimited,  by  bringing  them  into  the  Land  which  he 
 fwareto  give  them,  (v.  16.)  or  by  pardoning  their 
 Sin,  which  had  provoked  his  high  difpleafure  againft 
 them,  v.i  i.  For  by  Power  may  be  meant,  either  that 
 which  is  properly  called  by  that  Name,  viz.  his  Om- 
 nipotence, which  can. conquer  all  Oppofition :  Or, 
 his  Mercy  and  Clemency,  in  overcoming  his  Anger, 
 and  bearing  with  an  ungrateful  People.  Which  a* 
 grees  very  well  with  what  follows :  but  both  tend  to 
 the  fame  meaning,  that  he,  would  not.deftroy  them  5 
 but  beftow  the  Land  of  Canaan  upon  them,  according  . 
 to  hi&Intentions. 
 
 According  as  thou  hall  fyokgn,  faying.']  Which  will 
 be  fuitable  to  thy  bleffed  Nature  5  which  thou  didft 
 proclaim  to  me,when  thy  Glory  pafled  by  me,  XXXI 
 Exod.22.  XXXIV.  5,  6. 
 
 Ver.  1 8.  The  LO  RD  is  long-fuffering,and  of  great  Verfe  1 8.  > 
 mercy,  forgiving  iniquity,  &c.^     In  thefe  very  words 
 (though  fomethirig  more  largely  }  God  proclaimed 
 his  Name  to  Mofes,  when  he  fhowed  him  his  Glory, 
 XXXIV  Exod'.  6,  7.  where  they  are  explained. 
 
 And  by  no  means  clearing  the  guilty 7\  Even  thefe 
 words  (according  to  the  Interpretation  I  have  there 
 given  of  them)  are  a  plain-  Argument  to  move  the 
 Divine  Goodnefs  to  pardon  their  Sin.  But  .the  next 
 words  [yifting-  the  iniquity  of  the  Fathers  upon  the 
 Children,  6CC.3  feem  to  be  dire&ly  contrary  to  the  in- 
 tention/! 
 
h"3 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  tention  of  his  Petition,   till   it  be  confidered  ,  that 
 XIV.      they  had  not  now  committed  Idolatry,againft  which 
 L/VNJ  Sin,  God,  in  thefe  words,  particularly  declares  his 
 Severity  \  and  that  Mofes  did  not  now  plead  for  an 
 ablblute  Pardon,  without  any  Punifhment  at  all :  but 
 only  that  he  would  not  deftroy  the  whole  Nation, 
 as  one  Man,  and  utterly  difinherit  them  5  as  he  feem- 
 ed  refolved  to  do,  v.  12,  15.     This  Threatning  he 
 hoped  his  gracious  Nature  would  incline  him  to  re- 
 voke 5  notwithftanding  which  he  might  vijit  the  Sin 
 of  the  Fathers  upon  the   Children  ,  unto   the  third  and 
 fourth  Generation.     That  is,  punifh  them  and  their 
 Pofterity  a  long  time.     And  fo  this  latter  part  of  the 
 verfe  is  to  be  interpreted  (  according  to  what  I  obfer- 
 ved,  XXXIV  Exod.  7.)  in  making  defolate  he  will  not 
 make  quite  defolate,  though  he  vijit  the  iniquity  of  the 
 Fathers  upon  the  Children,  &C. 
 Verfe  19.      Ver.  19.  Pardon,  I hefeech  thee,  the  Iniquity  of  this 
 People.]     So  far  as  not  to  deftroy  them  utterly. 
 
 According  to  the  greatnefs  of  thy  Mercy.  ~]  Which  God 
 himfelf  had  proclaimed,  v.  18. 
 
 As  thou  haft  forgiven  thh  People,  ftom  Egypt,  even 
 -until  now7\  This  looks  like  an  Argument  againft  them: 
 for  they  having  provoked  him  fo  often,  as  they  had 
 done  fince  they  came  out  of  Egypt  in  the  fpace  of  one 
 Year  and  a  little  more,  (See  v.  22.)  and  been  as  of- 
 ten forgiven  -0  it  might  feem  more  reasonable  that  he 
 fhould  now  punilh  them,  and  not  forgive  them  any 
 more.  But  he  appeals  to  that  long-fujfering  Goodnefs 
 which  he  mentions  as  the  prime  Charafter  of  the  Di- 
 vine Nature,  v.  18.  which  though  it  had  been  exer- 
 cifed  by  them  many  ways,  yet  he  hoped  would  ftill 
 bear  longer  with  them. 
 
 Ver. 
 
^NUMBERS-  24^ 
 
 Ver.  20.  And  the  LORD  faid,  I  have  pardoned  Chapter 
 according  to  thy  word."]     Granted  thy  defire  3  not  to      XIV. 
 deftroy  them  utterly,  and  altogether,  ^.12,15.  i^Wi 
 
 Ver.  21.  But  as  truly  as  I  live,  all  the  Earth  JhaB  be Verfe  20. 
 filled  with  the  Glory  of  the  LORD."]  In  the  Hebrew  Verfe  21. 
 the  words  run  plainly  thus,  As  true  as  I  live ^and  that 
 all  the  Earth  fljaff  be  (  or  ,  hath  been)  filled  with  the 
 Glory  of  the  LORD.  For  fo  the  Egyptians  themfelves 
 confeffed,  (v.  14.  J  that  the  fame  of  it  was  come  to 
 them  :  and  afterwards  he  did  many  more  wonderful 
 things,  when  he  brought  them  into  Canaan.  Unto 
 which  (if  thefe  words  be  taken  in  the  Future  Tenfe) 
 he  hath  refpeft,  when  he  faith.  As  true  as  that  he  would 
 in  a  mott  glorious  manner  fubdue  the  Canaanites,  not 
 one  of  thefe  murmuring  Ifraelites  Jlwuld  come  into  that 
 good  Land. 
 
 Ver.  22.  Becaufe  all  thefe  Men  ,  Sec."]  The  fence  Verfe  22* 
 would  have  been  clear,  if  we  had  left  out  the  word 
 becaufe,  as  we  might  have  done  ,  the  Hebrew  Particle 
 ki  being  fometimes  only  an  expletive  :  or  if  we  had 
 tranflated  it  that,  as  it  fignifies  in  XXII  Gen.  17.  and 
 many  other  places.For  the  meaning  plainly  is, though 
 the  words  be  fomething  intricate,  That  all  the  Men, 
 of  whom  he  is  fpeaking,  fhould  perifh  3  and  not  one 
 of  them  come  into  Canaan. 
 
 Which  havefeen  my  Glory 7]  Which  appeared  to  them 
 in  the  Cloud  upon  Mount  Sinai.md  refided  in  theTa- 
 bernacle. 
 
 And  my  Miracles  which  I  did  in  Egypt."]  Mention^ 
 ed  in  the  IV,  VII,  VIHth  ,  and  following  Chapters 
 of  the  Book  of  Exodus. 
 
 And  in  the  Wildernefs.  ~\  Where  he  divided  the 
 Red  Sea  for  them  to  pafs  through  on  dry  Land  3  and 
 gave  them  Manna  conftantly  from  Heaven  3  with 
 
 K  k  Water 
 
q5o  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Water  out  of  a  Rock,  which  followed  them  whither- 
 XIV.     foever  they  went,dv. 
 
 \>y\r\J  And  have  tempted  me  now  theft  ten  tiniest]  That  is, 
 very  oft,  as  this  Phrafe  ten  times  fignifies  ,  XXXI 
 Gen.  7,  41.  IV  Nehem.12.  XIX  Job  3.  Butfomeof 
 the  Hebrews  will  not  be  iatisfied  with  this  Explicati- 
 on 5  but  indeavour  to  find  out  precifely  juft  ten  Pro- 
 vocations of  which  they  were  guilty.  Though  to  do 
 this,  they  are  forced  to  begin  with  one  which  fell  out 
 before  they  came  to  the  Red  Sea,(XIV  ExW.i  1,1 2.) 
 and  all  the  other  Nine  they  find  in  the  Wildernefs. 
 See  Pirke  Avoth,  cap.  5.  and  Paulus  Fagius  his  Scholia 
 upon  it}  with  Genebrard upon  the  LXXVIII  Pfal. 
 v.  46.  Mr.  Mede  hath  obferved,  that  to  tempt  God 
 in  Scripture  Language,  is  to  provoke  him  by  fome  pre- 
 fumptuous  Faff  to  anger  3  as  it  were,  to  try  whether 
 he  will  punifh,  or  not :  or  in  fewer  words,  to  dare 
 God.  Book}-Difconrfe26.p.  153.  And  the  follow- 
 ing words  in  the  next  ^er/e,juftifie  this  Notion  in  this 
 place. 
 
 And  have  not  hearkned  to  my  Voice.  *]  This  feems 
 particularly  to  refer  to  their  Difobedience,  when  he 
 bad  them  go  up,  and  poffefs  the  Land  0/ Canaan  3  not- 
 withjianding,  they  would  not  go  up,  but  rebelled  againli 
 the  Commandment  of  the  LORD  their  God,  I  Deut. 
 
 2I,26,&C. 
 
 Verfe  23.  Ver.  23.  Surely  they  foal/ not  fee  the  Land,  &zc.~]  The 
 Hebrew  Particle  im,  when  it  follows  an  Oath,  is  to 
 be  fimply  tranflated  not.  And  fo  the  words  run  clear- 
 ly here5  They  ft  all  not  fee  the  Land  which  Ifware  unto 
 their  Fathers. 
 
 Neither  Jball  any  of  them  that  provoked  me,  fee  it.  ~] 
 This  is  but  an  Explication  of  the  foregoing  words , 
 and  might  have  been  better  tranflated  ,  Even  all  that 
 
 provoked 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  251 
 
 provoked  me  (by  their  Difcontent  and  Murmuring5d°c,  Chapter 
 v.  1,2,  3.)  they  fialf  not  fee  it.  This  heavy  doom  XIV. 
 was  paffed  upon  them  on  the  ninth  Day  of  the  Month  L/"V\J 
 Ab,  (which  anfwers  to  our  July)  as  Mofes  Kotzenfis 
 reports  the  Opinion  of  their  Do&ors.  On  which  day, 
 they  fay,  both  the  firft  and  fecond  Temple  were  le- 
 velled with  the  Ground  5  and  Pritter  likewife,  a  great 
 City,  was  taken  on  the  fame  day,  in  which  were  ma- 
 ny thoufand  Jews  5  who  ,  with  their  King  (  as  they 
 called  him)  ben  Cofiba,  and  his  whole  Army  ,  were 
 cut  in  pieces.  And  to  make  this  Day  ft  ill  more  dif- 
 mal,  Tumus  Rufus ,  one  of  the  Roman  Captains , 
 ploughed  up  the  Ground  on  which  the  Temple  and 
 Buildings  about  it  ftood,  upon  this  very  Day.  See 
 Wagenfeil  upon  Gemara  Sot£,  cap.  7.  feU.  10.  An- 
 not.  8. 
 
 Ver.  24.  But  my  Servant  Caleb,  ]  He  alone  is  here  Verfe  24. 
 particularly  mentioned,  becaufe  this  is  the  firft  proof 
 we  read  of  his  Sincerity  and  Refolution.  But  Jojhka 
 is  as  much  concerned  in  this  Chara&er  and  Promife  5 
 whofe  Faith  and  Courage  were  tried,  as  foon  as  they 
 came  out  of  Egypt,  by  nghting  with  the  Amalefytes. 
 And  therefore  there  was  no  need  to  fpeak  here  of  his 
 Integrity  :  though  afterward  it  is  exprefly  remembred 
 in  the  very  fame  words  ufed  in  this  place  concerning 
 Caleb,  XXXII.  12.  And  here  below  in  this  Chapter, 
 v.  30.  he  is  aflured  of  coming  into  the  Land  of  Pro- 
 mife as  well  as  Caleb :  with  whom  he  joyned  in  op- 
 pofing  the  mutinous  Multitude,  v.  6.  where  he  is  na- 
 med firft  in  that  Heroick  A&ion. 
 
 Becaufe  he  had  another  Spirit  with  them.  ~]  Was  o- 
 therways  aftefted  (as  we  now  fpeak  )  trufting  in  the 
 Power  and  Promife  of  God  :  and  not  at  all  afraid  of 
 the  Strength  of  their  Enemies. 
 
 K  k  a  And 
 
2<$2  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       And  hath  followed  me  fully.  ]     The  Hebrew  Phrafe 
 XIV.      is,    hath  fulfilled  after  we  5  i.e.  compleated    his  Obe- 
 
 U^V\J  dience  to  me  5  or  fulfilled  my  will  and  commands  in 
 every  thing :  being  not  only  full  of  Courage  him- 
 felf  ,  but  indeavouring  to  put  it  into  others  ,  I 
 Dcut.  36. 
 
 Him  will  I  bring  into  the  Land  ,  whereunto  he  went.~] 
 Into  Canaan  5  particularly  to  Hebron  and  the  Parts  a- 
 bout  it :  which  were-beftowed  upon  him  by  the  order 
 of  Al^himfelf,  XWjofi.  9,  13,  &c.  See  XIII.  of 
 this  Book,  v.  22. 
 
 And  his  Seed  fiall  pofefs  it  J]  Or,  as  feme  tranflate 
 it,  frail  expel  it$  i.  e.  drive  out  the  Inhabitants  of 
 that  place,  and  the  parts  adjacent  5  as  we  read  he  and 
 his  Brother  did,  XV  JoJIj.  13, 14,  15,  Sec. 
 
 Verfe  25.  Ver.  25.  Now  the  Amalekites  and  the  Canaanites 
 dwelt  in  the  Valley^]  Thefe  words  being  read  with- 
 out a  Parenthcjts,  in  conjun&ion  with  thofe  that  fol- 
 low, are  very  plain,  being  thus  tranilated  5  Both  the 
 Amalekites  and  the  Canaanites  dwell  in  the  Valley.  That 
 is,  at  prefent  lye  in  wait  for  you,  at  the  bottom  of  the 
 other  fide  of  the  Mountain.  For  they  were  not  far 
 from  one  another,  XIII.  29.  and  the  Hebrews  ufe  the, 
 word  Jafbab  for  any  abode  in  any  place  5  though  it  be 
 not  a  Settlement,  but  for  a  (hort  Time.  See  v.  43. 
 To  morrow  turn  you. "]  Therefore  do  not  go  for- 
 ward, as  I  formerly  commanded  you  ,  leaft  you  fall 
 into  their  Ambufhes  3  but  face  about,and  return  from 
 whence  you  came,  &c.  This  he  bid  them  do  to  mor- 
 row, i.  e.  hereafter  3  at  their  next  removal :  for  they 
 did  remain  fome  days  in  Kadefi  before  they  turned  a- 
 bout,  (I  Deut.  ult. )  And  fo  the  word  to  morrow  is 
 ufed  in  XIII  Exod.  14.   for  the  time  to  come. 
 
 And 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  253 
 
 And  get  ye  into  the  Wilder 'nefs,  by  the  way  of  the  Red   Chapter 
 Sea.']     Into  that  Wildernefs  which  led  to  the  Red     XIV. 
 Sea,  and  fo  to  Egypt,    whether  they  defired  to  return,  L/V\J 
 v.  3,4.     This  Command  was  fo  grievous  to  them  , 
 that  it  fet  them,  as  I  take  it,  into  a  new  fit  of  Mur- 
 muring :  which  is  the  occafion  of  what  follows  in 
 the  next  verfes,  26,  27. 
 
 Ver.  26.  And  the  LORD  Jpafe  unto  Mofes  and  Ver k  26. 
 unto  Aaron ,  faying.]     He  now  fpeaks  unto  Aaron, what 
 he  only  fpake  to  Mofes  before,  v.  it. 
 
 Ver.  27.  How  long  (hall  I  bear  with  thk  evil  CW-Verfe  27* 
 gregation.]  It  is  a  (hort  imperfeft  fort  of  Speech  in 
 the  Hebrew,  fuch  as  Men  ufe  when  they  are  very  an- 
 gry 3  how  long  to  this  evil  Congregation,  i.e.fhall  I  (hew 
 Mercy.  Which  is  the  fame  with  bear  with  them,  as  we 
 tranflate  it,  to  fupply  the  Sence. 
 
 Which  murmur  again fi  me  f]  Whom  nothing  will 
 pleafe,  unlefs  they  have  their  own  will  in  evejry 
 thing. 
 
 I  have  heard  the  murmurings  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael, 
 which  they  murmur  againji  me.  ]  This  feems  to  figni- 
 fie  that  there  was  anew  Difcontent^  which  ,  in  all 
 likelyhood,  arofe,  becaufe  God  would  not  conduft 
 them  forward  to  Canaan  5  but  bad  them  go  back  from 
 whence  they  came.  Which  order  he  tells  them  in  the 
 following  words,  he  would  never  revoke. 
 
 Ver.  28.  Say  unto  them,  at  truly  as  I  live,  faith  the  r  f  p 
 L  0  KD.]  This  Oath  made  what  he  had  refolved  ,  v  erle  2* 
 unalterable. 
 
 As  ye  have  fyokgn  in  mint  Ears.  ]  V.2, 
 So  will  I  do  unto  you.']  Give  you  your  own  withes, 
 to  die  in  the  Wildernefs  :  which  was  exactly  fulfilled, 
 XXVI.  65. 
 
 Ver, 
 
o54  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       ^er.  29-  ^our  Carcafes  {hall  fall  in  thk  WildemefsJ] 
 
 Xiv.    He  repeats  their  own  defire. 
 i^V^vJ       A?2d  all  that  were  numbred  of  you.]     Which  number 
 Verfe  29.  was  taken  about  half  a  year  ago$  as  we  read  in  the 
 firft  Chapter  of  this  Book,  v.  3,18,  &c. 
 
 According  to  your  whole  number,  from  twenty  years  old 
 and  upward."]  Which  amounted  in  all  to  Six  hun- 
 dred and  three  thoufand,  five  hundred  and  fifty,  v. 
 46.  befides  the  Levites,  who  were  not  numbred  at 
 this  time,  as  we  read  in  the  next  verfe,  47.  And  when 
 they  were  numbred ,  their  number  was  not  taken 
 from  twenty  years  old  5  but  from  a  month  old  and 
 upward,  III.  15.  And  therefore  the  Levites  are  not 
 comprehended  in  the  heavy  Sentence  here  denounced, 
 no  more  thin  the  Children  under  twenty  years  old, 
 or  the  Wives  of  the  Men  that  murmured  5  but  only 
 the  Men  of  War,  who  were  above  twenty  Years  old. 
 And  accordingly  we  find  Eleazar,  who  is  mentioned 
 at  the  numbering  of  the  Levites,  III.  32.  alive  at  the 
 dividing  of  the  Land  of  Canaan,  XIV  Jojfj.  i. 
 Verfe  20  ^er*  3°*  L)oubtlefs  ye  jlmll  not  come  into  the  Land.] 
 He  would  not  have  them  retain  the  leaft  hope  of  ha- 
 ving this  Sentence  reverfed  3  being  eftablifhed  by  God's 
 Oath. 
 
 Concerning  which  I J  ware  to  make  you  dwell  in.  ]  Not 
 to  make  thefe  particular  Men,  but  the  Seed  of  Abra- 
 ham inhabit  it  5  zsGrotius  rightly  obferves,  Lib.ll.  de 
 Jure  Belli  &  Pack,  cap.  13.  feci.  3.  The  Land  was 
 promifed  by  Oath ,  non  perfonk  ,  fed  populo,  not  to 
 Perfons,  but  to  the  People,  viz.  to  the  Pofterity  of 
 thofe  unto  whom  God  fware  to  give  it,  v.  23 .  Now 
 fuch  a  Promife,  as  he  obferves,  may  be  performed  at 
 any  time  5  becaufe  it  is  not  tied  to  certain  Perfons. 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  a$$ 
 
 Save  Caleb  the  Son  ofjephunneh,  and  Jojlmatbe  Son  Chapter 
 ofNunT]     They  are  excepted  ,  becaufe  they  had  di-     XIV7. 
 ftinguifhed  themfelves  from  the  reft ,  by  their  emi-  L/VNJ 
 nent  Faith  and  Courage,  in  the  midft  of  a  perverfe 
 Generation. 
 
 Ver.  31.  But  your  little  Ones.  ~\     All  under  twenty  Vzrk  31, 
 Years  old. 
 
 Which  ye  faid  fiould  be  a  prey.']  He  upbraids  them 
 with  their  difcontented  and  diftruftful  Language, 
 v.  3. 
 
 Them  wiH  I  bring  in,  and  they  full  know  the  Land.~] 
 That  is,  enjoy  it. 
 
 Which  ye  have  dejpifed.]     XIII.  32. 
 
 Ver.  32.  But  as  for  you,  your  Car  cafes  they  fid  all  jfe#Verfe  22. 
 in  this  Wildemefs.]     He  repeats  it  again,to  make  them 
 fenfible  of  the  certainty  of  it  5  and  in  their  own  words 
 (v.  2.  J  to  humble  and  put  them  to  confufion. 
 
 Ver.  33.  And  your  Children  fo  all  wander. ~\  So  the  Verfe  33; 
 Chaldee  interpret  what  in  the  Hebrew  is  [hall  feed  ,  or 
 graze,  as  Sheep  do  in  the  Defarts.  Or  rather,  after 
 the  manner  of  the  Arabian  Shepherds,  who  could  not 
 ftay  long  in  one  place,  but  were  forced  to  remove 
 their  Tents  to  another,  that  they  might  find  Pafture 
 for  their  Flocks.     So  R.  Solomon  interprets  it. 
 
 Forty  Years."]  Reckoning  from  their  firft  coming, 
 out  of  Egypt  3  from  whence  they  were  brought  into 
 the  Wildernefs  a  Year  and  a  half  ago  5  and  now  are 
 condemned  to  make  up  their  time  of  wandering  in  it, 
 full  forty  Years. 
 
 And  bear  your  Whoredoms.]  That  is,  the  Punifh- 
 ment  of  their  Whoredoms  ^  as  Idolatry  is  peculiarly 
 called,  XV.  39.  XXXIV  Exod.  15.  Ill  Jerem.14.  Of 
 which  they  had  been  guilty  prefently  after  they  came 
 out  of  Egypt,  when  they  made  the  golden  Calf  and 
 
 wor- 
 
-256  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  worGiipped  it  j  and  continued  other  Idolatrous  Pra- 
 XIV.  aiceSjJXVII.  Lev':$^.  Which  God  punifties  now 
 L/"V"NJ  that  he  vifits  their  prefent  Rebellion.  For  it  was  not 
 that  alone  to  which  he  threatens  this  Punifhment } 
 but  he  reckons  with  them  for  all  the  reft  of  their 
 Iniquities,  (IX  Dent.  18,24.)  efpecially  for  the  great- 
 eft  of  them  all  5  which  he  declared  he  would  not 
 forget  to  punifh  upon  any  new  occafion,  (See  XXXII 
 Exod.  34.)  which  they  now  gave  him.  It  muft  be 
 acknowledged  alio,  that  other  heinous  Sins  are  called 
 by  this  Name  of  Whoredoms  in  Scripture,  as  well  as 
 Idolatry,  LXXIII  Pfalm  26.  See  Mr.  Selden,  L.  III. 
 Uxor.  Hebr.  cap.  23.  p.  489. 
 
 Until  your  Carcafes  be  wafted  in  the  WildernefsT]  This 
 is  the  third  time  he  reflects  upon  their  foolilh  wifh, 
 v.  29,32. 
 Verfe  34.       Ver.  34.  After  the  number  of  the  days  in  which  ye 
 fearched  the  Land,  even  forty  days.']     XIII.  25. 
 
 (Each  day  for  a  year)  Jlja/I ye  bear  your  Iniquities ,  e- 
 ven  forty  years."]  Reckoning  the  time  paft,  fince  they 
 came  into  the  Wilder nefs,  which  was  a  Year  and  an 
 half.  So  that  the  meaning  is,  they  (hould  wander 
 forty  Years  in  the  Wildernefs,  before  they  got  out  of 
 it.  Which  is  not  to  be  underftood  fo  precifely,  as 
 to  want  nothing  at  all  of  it :  For  they  came  out  of 
 Egypt  on  the  fifteenth  Day  of  the  firft  Month,  on  the 
 morrow  after  the  Paffover,  XXXIII.  3.  and  they  came 
 into  Canaan  and  pitched  mG/lgal^  upon  the  tenth 
 Day  of  the  firft  Month,  of  the  one  and  fortieth  Year 
 after  their  departure  from  Egypt  ,  IV  Joffj.  19.  and 
 confequently  there  wanted  five  Days  of  full  f$rty 
 Y^ars. 
 
 And 
 
^NUMBERS.  2$7 
 
 And  ye  full  know  my  breach  of  Promife.]     In    the  Chapter 
 Hebrew  the  words  are  no  more  then   thefe,  Te  Jhall     XIV. 
 know  my  breach.     Which  the  Ancients  underftand  of  \*/V\J 
 Gods  breaking  in  upon  them,  to  take  vengeance  of 
 them  for  their  Sini     So  the  LXX.  ypoiaodt  tdv  Svjulqv 
 ■rife  op^Jfe  ^ta,  Te  foall  hpow  the  fury  of  my  Anger  :    and 
 the  Vulgar  tranilates  it,  ultionem  meam  ,  my  Venge- 
 ance.    That  is,  you  fhall  find  that  1  am  the  Aven- 
 ger of  Iniquity.     And  it  is  the  fame,  if  we  under- 
 ftand my  breach  to  fignifie,  God's  departure  from 
 them,  who  had  fo  (hamefully  departed  from  him. 
 Or,  according  to  our  Tranflation,   it  fignifies,  a  Re- 
 vocation of  the  Blejjing  promifed  to  them.     Which  was 
 fo  nullified,  that  they  were  left  without  any    hope 
 of  having  the  like  Promife  ofentring  into  Canaan, 
 renewed  to  them. 
 
 Ver.  35.  I  the  LORD  have  f aid.]     Decreed  and  Verfe  35; 
 pronounced  this  Sentence. 
 
 /  will  fur  ely  do  it  to  all  this  evil  Congregation.}  Break 
 from  them:  or  break  in  upon  them 5  to  confume 
 them,  and  utterly  difinherit  this  untoward  Genera- 
 tion. 
 
 That  are  gatlyered  together  againll  me*~]  Whom  they 
 accufed,  as  well  as  Mofes  and  Aaron,  v.  2,  3. 
 
 In  this  Wilder nefs  they  fjall  be  confume dy  and  there 
 pall  they  die.']  The  repetition  of  this  fo  frequently 
 (v.  29,32,330  was  to  convince  them  ,  the  Decree 
 was  peremptory  and  irreverfible. 
 
 Ver.  36.  And  the  Men  which  Mofes  fent  to  fear  ch  the  Verfe  36, 
 Land.~\     That  is,  Ten  of  them. 
 
 Who  returned."]     XIII.  25,  26. 
 
 And  made  all  the  Congregation  to  murmur  againU 
 him,  by  bringing  up  a /lander  upon  the  Land.  *]  XIII. 
 31,  32.  XIV.  2. 
 
 L 1  Ver. 
 
2$8  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  37.  Even  thofe  Me;/,  &c.  died  by  the  Plague,  j 
 
 XIV.     Either  by  the   Peftilence ,  threatned  v.  12.  or    by 
 
 U^V"\J  Lightning;  5    or  fome  other  fudden  Death.     Aiout 
 
 Verfe  37.  which  there  is  a  difpute  among  the  Hebrew  Doctors, 
 
 in  the  Gcn/ara  on  Sota,  cap.  7.  feci.  11.  where  fome 
 
 of  them  fay,  they  died  of  a  Quinfey,  which  choak- 
 
 ed  them  5  or,  as  others,  their  Tongues  fwelled,  and 
 
 hung  out  of  their  Mouths  down  to  their  Navels,  and 
 
 were  full  of  Worms,  &c.  So  that   their  Punifhment 
 
 was  fuitable  to  their  Sin,  (as  they  conclude)  with  their 
 
 Tongues  they  offended,  and  i?i   their  Tongues  they  fiif- 
 
 fcrcd. 
 
 Before  theLO  R  D.~]  Whofe  Glory  appeared  up- 
 on  the  Tabernacle,  before  them  all, a.  10.  unto  which 
 I  take  thefe  words  to  relate:  fignifying  that  they  died 
 in  his  Prefence  (and  perhaps  by  a  flafti  of  Fire  from 
 thence)  on  that  very  Day,  upon  which  this  Murmu- 
 ring was  raifed  by  their  falfe  Report. 
 Verfe  38.  Ver.  38.  But  JoJImathe  Son  of  Nun,  and  Caleb  the 
 Son  of  Jephunneh,  which  were  of  the  Men  that  went  to 
 fearch  the  Land.']  Here  J  of/ma  is  mentioned  with  Ca- 
 leb 5  and  placed  firft,  (as  in  the  6th  verfe)  as  Caleb 
 was  in  verfe  30. Which  fhows  there  was  no  difference 
 made  between  them. 
 
 Lived  fcill.~]  This  is  fet  down,  to  (how  God's 
 faithfulnefs,  in  his  promife  to  them.  Who,  I  fup- 
 pofe,  were  now  in  the  Company  of  the  reft  of  the 
 Searchers  of  the  Land,  before  the  L  O  R  D,  and  had 
 no  hurt,  when  all  the  other  Ten  fell  down  dead  on 
 a  fudden  5  which  made  their  Prefervation  the  more 
 remarkable. 
 Verfe  39.  Ver.  39.  And  Mofes  told  all  thefe  fayings  unto  all 
 the  Children  of  Ifiael.~]  Acquainted  them  with  the 
 Doom  which  God  had  pafled  upon  them. 
 
 And 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  ^9 
 
 And  the  People  mourned  greatly."]     Were  extreamly  Chapter 
 affii&ed  at  the  news  :  but  did  not  befeech  him  to  pray       XIV. 
 for  them,  (as  at  other  times,  XI.  2.)  becaufe  he  had  L^V%J 
 told  them  the  Doom  was  irreverfible. 
 
 Ver.  40.  And  they  rofe  up  early \]     Or,  But  they  rofe  Verfe  40. 
 up,  Sec. 
 
 In  the  Morning.']  The  next  Morning  after  they  were 
 told,  what  God  had  decreed  againft  them. 
 
 And  gat  them  up  into  the  tap  of  the  Mount  aw."]  They 
 refolved  they  would  go  up  5  or  they  prepared  them- 
 felves  for  it :  for  they  did  not  yet  a&ually  go  up  ^ 
 as  appears  by  the  following  words. 
 
 Saying,  Lo,  we  be  here."]  We  are  ready  to  do  as 
 Jofiua  and  Caleb  exhorted  us,  XIII.30.  XIV.9.  They 
 feem  now  to  be  as  forward,  as  before  they  were 
 backward,  to  goto  poffefs  the  Land  :  which  their  fi- 
 fing early  fignified. 
 
 And  we  will  go  up  to  the  place  which  the  LO  R  D  hath 
 promifed.]  They  pretend  now  to  depend  upon  his 
 Promife,  and  to  truft  he  will  make  it  good. 
 
 For  we  have  finned.]  Are  fenfible  of  our  Sin,  and 
 repent  of  it.  Ov,though  we  have  finned,  yet  we  hope 
 he  will  make  good  his  Promife. 
 
 Ver.  41.  And  Mofes  faid ,  wherefore   now    do  you  yerfe  ^^ 
 tranfgrefs  the  Command.ment  of  the  LORD  ?]  Why 
 do  you  ftill  continue  in  your  Difobedience  to  God  3 
 who  commands  you  to  return  ,  and  not  to  go  for- 
 ward? v.  25. 
 
 But  it  full  not  prober -.J  You  (hall  not  fucceed  in 
 yourEnterprife :  which  thefe  words  (how  they  ftood 
 ready  to  take  in  hand. 
 
 Ver.  42.  Go  not  up.  ]     Though  they   fought  the  Verfe  42 
 renewal  of  God's  Promife  with  Tears,  (v.  39.)  and 
 now  were  ready  to  teftifie  their  Repentance  with  the 
 
 LI  2  hazard 
 
 L 
 
a6o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  hazard  of  their  Lives,  he  would  not  recal  the  Sen- 
 XIV.      tence  pafled  upon  them. 
 
 l.yV'NJ  For  the  LO  RD  is  not  among  you,  *]  The  Cloud 
 did  not  far  to  conduct  them  5  by  which  they  might 
 have  underftood,  that  their  Attempt  was  presumptu- 
 ous. 
 
 Tlmt  ye  be  notfmitten  before  your  Enemies.  ~]  Who  , 
 without  God's  help  ,  would  be  too  ftrong  for 
 them. 
 Verfe  &2.  ^er*  43*  For  the  Amalehjites  and  the  Canaanites  are 
 'there  before  you. ~]  Either  they  were  removed  out  of 
 the  Valley  where  they  were  before,  ^.25.  Or,  their 
 main  Body  being  there  below,  they  fent  a  ftrong  Par- 
 ty to  poffefs  themfelves  of  the  top  of  the  Mountain, 
 and  to  make  good  the  Pafs  againft  the  IfraelHes. 
 
 And  ye  fo  a  11  fall  by  the  Sword.']     Lofe  your  Lives  in 
 the  Attempt. 
 
 Becaufeye  are  turned  away  from  the  L  0  R  D,  there- 
 fore the  LO  R  D  will  not  be  with  yon. "]     This  was  a 
 "powerful  Reafon  to  check  their  Motion ,  and  to  re- 
 train them  from  their  Attempt :  But,  after  the  man- 
 ner of  obftinate  Sinners,  they  go  on  ftill  in  their  Un- 
 belief 5  as  the  next  words  inform  us. 
 Verfe  44.      Ver.  44.  But  they  prefumed  to  go  up  to  the  Hill  top.  ~\ 
 They  audacioufly  endeavoured  to  afcend  the  Moun- 
 tain,againft  the  Divine  Command  .-Which  is  a  ftrange 
 inftance  of  hardned  Infidelity. 
 
 Neverthelefs  the  Arh^  of  the  Covenant  of  the  L  0  R  J), 
 and  Mofes  departed  not  out  of  the  Camp.~]  The  Cloud 
 ftood  ftill  over  the  Tabernacle  3  and  therefore  Mofes 
 and  the  Levites  and  the  Ark,  (which  went  before  them, 
 when  they  fir  ft  removed  from  Sinai,  X.  33,)  did  not 
 ftir  out  of  the  place  where^hey  were  encamped,  to 
 .  conduft  them.     But  this  feems  to  fignifie  that  all  the 
 
 other 
 
upon  N  U  M  B  E  R  S.  261 
 
 other  Camps,  except  that  of  the  LevitesJ.e.  the  whole  Chapter 
 Body  of  armed  Mtn,  moved  without  the  guidance  of    XIV. 
 God  5  who  would  not  favour  them,becauie  they  mo-  l^VSJ 
 ved  againft  his  exprefs  Command. 
 
 Ver.  45.  Then  the  Amalehjtes  came  down  and  */je  Verfe  4* 
 Canaanites.~\     With  whom  the  Amorites  alfo  joyned, 
 I  Dent.  44. 
 
 Which  dwelt  in  that  Hill.']  Who  had  ported  them- 
 felves  there,  and  poffeffed  themfelves  of  the  top  of 
 the  Mountain,  v.  43.  and  fee  v.  25. 
 »  And  [mote  them,  j  Having  a  great  advantage  of 
 them  that  were  climbing  up  the  Hill :  from  whence 
 they  came  pouring  down  upon  them. 
 
 And  difcomjited  them.]  It  is  not  faid  how  great  a 
 Slaughter  they  made  of  them  5  but  it  is  likely  it  was 
 not  fmall,  becaufe  thty  chafed  them  a  good  way. 
 Thus  began  God's  threatning  to  be  immediately  ful- 
 filled (that  their  Carcafes  fbould  fall  in  thatWikter- 
 nefs,  v.  29.)  by  their  own  wilfulnefs. 
 
 Even  unto  Hormah.]  A  place  in  the  Confines  of 
 Canaan  near  the  dead  Sea  :  So  called  from  the  defini- 
 tion that  was  here  made  of  the  Ifraelites0  and  after- 
 ward of  the  Canaanites,  XXL  3. 1  Jndg.  1 7.  And  up- 
 on the  occafionof  this  Calamity  which  befel  the  Ifra- 
 elites,  and  the  great  Mortality  which  followed,while 
 they  ftayed  in  the  Wildernefs  ,  Mofes  is  thought  to 
 have  penned  the  XC  Pfalm.  In  which  he  fignifies  the 
 Life  of  Man  was  now  fliortned,  and  reduced  to  Se- 
 venty or  Eighty  Years  :  that  is,  made  but  half  as  long 
 as  the  Lives  of  their  Fore-fathers. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
262  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter 
 
 XV. 
 
 CHAP.     XV. 
 
 Verfe  i.  Ver.  i.  A  ND  the  LORD  flake  unto  Mofes,  fay- 
 ±\  ing.~]  We  read  in  I  Dent.  ult.  that  they 
 abode  in  Kadejlo  (  where  the  foregoing  murmuring 
 was)  many  days.  During  which  time  (and  in  the 
 latter  part  of  this  fecond  Year  after  they  came  out  of 
 Egypt)  it  is  very  probable  all  that  we  read  in  this 
 Chapter,  and  in  the  four  following,  was  tranfadt- 
 ed. 
 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  Speak  unto  the  Children  of  Jfrael,  and  fay 
 unto  them.~]  Thefe  words  were  not  directed  to  the 
 whole  Congregation ,  but  to  the  younger  fort  ^  who 
 had  not  forfeited  the  favour  of  God,  as  their  Fathers 
 had  done.  Several  of  which,  it  is  likely,  were  al- 
 ready dead,  according  to  the  Doom  God  had  pafled 
 upon  them  5  and  the  reft  lookt  upon  themfelves  as 
 difinherited,(XIV.  12.)  and  therefore  thefe  Precepts 
 were  not  delivered  to  them. 
 
 When  ye  come  into  the  hand  of  your  Habitations , 
 which  I  give  unto  you \]  This  (hows  he  fpeaks  to  the 
 Children  of  the  Murmurers  ,  whom  he  promifed  to 
 bring  into  the  Land  of  Canaan,  XIV.31.  and  would 
 therefore  have  well  inftru&ed  in  the  manner  of  Sacri- 
 ficing :  wherein  God's  Worfhip  and  Service  very 
 much  confifted^which  is  the  reafon  why  he  further  ex- 
 plains, what  he  had  heretofore  faid  about  this  matter. 
 But  hence  it  appears  that  they  were  not  bound  to  ob- 
 serve thefe. Laws  till  they  came  toCanaan. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  263 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  will  mak^  an  offering  by  fire  unto  the  Chapter 
 LORD.']    This  comprehends  all  the  Sacrifices,     XV. 
 which  were  burnt  upon  the  Altar  :    either  in  whole  L/"V\J 
 or  in  part.  Verfe  3. 
 
 A  Burnt-offering.']  This  was  the  principal ,  and 
 moft  ancient  Sacrifice  of  all  other  :  which  was  whol- 
 ly burnt  upon  the  Altar,  every  Morning  and  every 
 Evening,  (XXIX  Exod.  40.)  of  which  he  treats  in 
 thzfirSl  of  Leviticus. 
 
 Or  a  Sacrifice."]  This  undoubtedly  fignifies  Peace- 
 offerings,  as  appears  from  v.  8.  and  from  the  words 
 here  following  :  and  likewife  from  the  ufe  of  the 
 word  Sacrifice  in  other  places, XVIII  Exod.  12.  XVII 
 Levit.  5, 8.  And  from  this  confederation  alfo  ,  that 
 Sin-offerings  had  no  Meat-offerings  attending  on  them  5, 
 but  only  in  the  Cafe  of  a  Leper,  XIV  Lev.  10. 
 
 In  performing  a  Vow^or  in  a  Free-will-offering.~]  Thefe 
 words  explain  what  he  means  by  aSacrificeyiz.Peace- 
 offerings :  which  were  offered  in  performance  of  fome 
 Vow,  or  freely  of  their  own  accord ,  (  VII  Lev.  16. 
 XXII.  21.)  or  by  God's  command  upon  their  Solemn 
 Feafts  ^  as  it  here  follows. 
 
 And  in  your  folemn  Feajls. "]  Mentioned  XXIII 
 Levit.     See  there  v.  37.  and  XXIX  Numb.^y. 
 
 To  make  a  fweet  favour  unto  the  LO  R  D.  3  I  Le- 
 vit. 9. 
 
 Of  the  Herd  or  of  the  Flock;  "]  Under  the  word 
 Flock,  is  comprehended  both  Kids  and  Lambs.  For 
 the  Hebrew  words  tfon  and  feh  fignifie  both }  as  many 
 have  obferved  $  particularly  Bochart  in  his  Hierozoi* 
 con,   P.  I.  Lib.  II.  cap.  42. 
 
 Ver.  4.  Thenjloall  he  that  offereth  his  Offering  untdYQtk  4», 
 the  LOR  Dr\     Of  any  of  the  fore-named  forts. 
 
 Bring 
 
iff  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Bring  a  Meat-offering!]     As   a  neceffary  Appurte- 
 \V.      nance  to  fuch  Sacrifices. 
 
 L/VNJ  Of  a  tenth  deal  of  flour.']  That  is,  the  tenth  part  of 
 an  Ephah,  (as  is  exprefly  declared,  XXVIII.  5.)  which 
 was  an  Omer.     See  XVI  Exod.  36. 
 
 Mingled  with  the  fourth  part  of  an  hin  ofOyl.]  See 
 XXIX  Exod.  40.  In  this  ,  fuch  Meat-offerings  as 
 were  AcceiTories  to  other  Offerings,  and  a  part  of  the 
 Sacrifice  which  went  before, differed  from  thofe  Meat- 
 offerings  which  were  not  dependant  upon  a  fore- 
 •  going  Sacrifice  \  but  offered  alone  by  themfelves.  For 
 in  thefe  latter  the  Oyl  was  only  poured  upon  the 
 Meat-offering,  (II  Lev.  i,8tc.)  and  net  mingled  and 
 macerated  with  the  flour  ^  as  it  is  here  ordered.  And 
 there  was  this  further  difference  between  them,  that 
 thofe  Meat-offerings  which  were  acceffory  to  other  Sa- 
 crifices, were  all  burnt  on  the  Altar,  in  honour  of 
 God,  as  Jofephus  obferves,  Lib.lll.  cap.  10.  but  when 
 a  Meat-offering  was  folitary,  (as  we  may  call  it)  as  the 
 principal  Offering  which  a  Man  then  made  I  a  little 
 part  of  it  only  was  burnt  upon  the  Altar,  and  the 
 Pried  had  the  reft  5  as  appears  from  the  fecond  Chap- 
 ter of  Leviticus. 
 
 Verfe  «?.  ^er.  5.  And  a  fourth  of  a  hin  of  Wine  for  a  Drink- 
 offering  [halt  thou  prepare,  j     See  XXIX  Exod.  40. 
 
 With  the  Burnt- offering  or  Sacrifice.  3  Whether  it 
 were  a  whole  Burnt -offering,  or  a  Peace-offering,  v.  3. 
 This  Wine  was  wholly  poured  upon  the  Altar  5  and 
 the  Pried  had  none  of  it. 
 
 For  one  Lamb.']  It  was  the  fame  for  one  Kid.  If 
 there  were  more  than  one,  the  Drink-offering,  as  well 
 as  the  Meat-offering,  was  iucreafed  ^  particularly  up- 
 on the  Sabbath,  XXVIII.  9.  And  the  true  reafon 
 why  Meat-offerings  and  Drinfcofferings  are  required  to 
 
 attend 
 
 ; 
 
upon  NUMBERS-  z6t> 
 
 attend  upon  the  Burnt-offerings  and  Peace* offerings,  Chapter 
 was,  becauie  thefe  Sacrifices  were  a  Frail  ,  and   are      XV. 
 called  the  Bread  cr  Food  of  God,  XXVIII.  2.     And  L/^VSJ 
 therefore  as  Bread  and  Wine,  as  well  as  Flefh,  are 
 our  Refe&ion  ,  fo  God  required  them  at  his  Table. 
 And  Salt,  though  not  here  named,  was  alio  added, 
 (becaufe  it  was  to  be  omitted  in  no  Sacrifice,  11  Lev. 
 15.)  as  alfo  Frankincenfe  z,  becaufe  it  is  faid  both  v.j. 
 and  v.  10.  this  Drin goffering  was  for  a  fiveet  favour 
 unto  the  LORD  :  which  feems  to  alude  to  the  fra- 
 grancy  of  Frankincenfe. 
 
 This  was  a  thing  fo  well  known,  that  the  Heathen 
 imitated  this  pra&ife,  in  all  their  Sacrifices ,  which 
 were  ever  accompanied  with  a  Meat-offering.  Info- 
 much  that  Pliny  faith  ,  without  this  tmlafalfa ,  no 
 Sacrifice  was  thought  to  be  good  :  Nullum  Sacrifidum 
 r  at  urn  fieri  exiftim  ant,  Lib.  XXX.  cap.  5.  And  long 
 before  him  we  meet  with  it  in  Homer ,in  thofe  known 
 words  of  his, 
 
 And  as  for  Wine  Brentiutva  his  Preface  to  Leviticus \ 
 takes  notice  of  that  Phrafe  in  him,  no  lefs  obvious3 
 
 "    " 'OTTt  &    cU^VTSQV  oTvOP 
 
 Which  they  not  only  poured  upon  the  Sacrifice,  as  it 
 ftood  at  the  Altar  ready  to  be  offered  ,  but  upon  its 
 Flefla  when  it  was  burning  there  :  as  we  find  in  Vir- 
 gil. Georg.  IV« 
 
 Ter  tiquido  ardenteni  perfudit  Neffareflammaw* 
 
 M  m  and 
 
i66 
 
 A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Verie  6. 
 
 Verfe  7. 
 
 Verfe  8 
 
 Chapter  and  in  many  other  places.     See  Dilherrm  in  his  Dif- 
 XV.      fert.  Specials  de  CacozeliaGentilium,  cap.  10. 
 
 Ver.  6.  Or  for  a  Ram,  thou  fa  alt  prepare  for  a  Meat- 
 offerings  two  tenth  deals ,  Stc.^  This  being  a  noblej* 
 Sacrifice  than  a  Lamb,  a  larger  Meat-offering  (and 
 Drinl^-offeringMo,  as  appears  by  the  next  verfe )  is 
 required  to  attend  it. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  for  a  Dr in  goffering  thou  /halt  offer  a 
 third  part  of  a  hin  ofPVine,&c.~]  Whereas  for  a  Lamb 
 a  fourth  part  was  fufficient,  ii.  5. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  when  thou  prepareji  a  Bullock.  ~]  This 
 is  a  Sacrifice  of  the  Herd,  as  the  former  of  the  Flocks  5 
 mentioned  v.  3. 
 
 For  a  Burnt-offering,  or  for  a  Sacrifice  in  performing 
 a  Vow, or  Peace-offerings  unto  the  LO  R  D."]  That  is, 
 Free-will-offerings :  which  were  one  fort  of  Peace- 
 offerings  ^  as  thofe  for  performance  of  a  Vow  were 
 the  other.  See  v.  3.  But  Free-will-offerings  are  pe- 
 culiarly called  by  the  name  of  Peace-offerings ,  becaufe 
 they  were  the  moft  acceptable  of  this  fort :  being  of- 
 fered purely  out  of  Love  and  Affe&ion  to  God  3  and 
 not  as  a  Payment  which  was  due  upon  a  Vow. 
 
 Ver.  9.  Then  he  JhaU  bring  with  the  Bullock^,  a  Meat- 
 offering of  three  tenth  deals  of  Flour,  &C.^  The  Meat- 
 offerings  increafed  proportionably  to  the  Sacrifices  up- 
 on which  they  attended :  one  tenth  Deal ,  with  a 
 fourth  part  of  a  Hin  of  Oyl,  being  fufficient  for  a 
 Lamb,  v.  4.  and  two  tenth  Deals,  with  a  third  part 
 of  a  Hin  of  Oyl,for  a  Ram,  v.  6.  but  three  tenth 
 Deals  of  Flour,  and  half  a  Hin  of  Oyl ,  is  here 
 required  to  accompany  the  Sacrifice  of  a  Bul- 
 lock, 
 
 Verfe  9. 
 
 Ver. 
 
^NUMBERS.  26j 
 
 Ver.  10.  And  thou  p  alt  bring  for  a  Drin^offering  Chapter 
 half  a  hin  of  Wine,  8cc.  ]     The  fame  was  to  be   ob-      x  V. 
 ferved  in  the  Drink-offering  $  which  is  larger,  in  this  L/"VSJ 
 Sacrifice,  than  in  the  two  former,  ^.5,7.  Verfe  10. 
 
 Ver.  11.  Thus  pa// it  be  done  for  one Bulloch^,  orforVerfe  n. 
 one  Ram,  or  for  a  Lamb^  or  a  Kid. "]  He  repeats 
 what  he  had  faid  more  diftin&ly,  proceeding  from 
 the  Sacrifice  laft  mentioned,  unto  the  firft  ;  which 
 v.  5.  is  faid  to  be  one  Lamb  5  but  here  explained  to 
 comprehend  alfo  a  Kid.  For  fo  the  laft  part  of  this 
 verfexxms  in  the  Hebrew^  for  a  young  one  (which  he 
 calls  Sth)  either  of  the  Sheep,  or  of  the  Goats. 
 
 Ver.  1 2.  According  to  the  number  that  ye  flu/1 prepare,  Verfe  12. 
 Jo  fha/J  ye  do  to  every  one  ,  according  to  their  number.  ~\ 
 This  I  take  to  be  a  general  Rule,  by  which  thefe  Of- 
 ferings were  to  be  governed  5  that  proportionable  to 
 the  number  of  Bullocks,  Rams,  Sheep,  or  Goats  that 
 were  offered,  fhould  be  the  quantity  of  the  Meat- 
 offering  and  Drink-offering :  for  Bread  and  Wine 
 muft  bear  proportion  to  the  Meat  fet  on  the  Ta- 
 ble. 
 
 Ver.  13.  All  that  are  born  in  the  Country,  flull  do  Verfe  13, 
 thefe  things  after  thk  manner  Q  i.  e.  all  Ifraelites. 
 
 In  offering  an  Offering  made  by  fire ,  &c.  ]      When 
 they  offer  any  of  the  fore-named  Sacrifices,  v.  3. 
 
 Ver..  14.  And  if  a  Stranger  fojourn  with you.~]  There  Verfe  14, 
 were  two  forts  of  Strangers,  it  is  vulgarly  known,  a* 
 mong  the  Ifraelites.  Some  that  intirely  embraced  and 
 profefTed  the  Jewifh  Religion,  into  which  they  were 
 admitted  by  Circumcifion,dv.  Others  that  were  per- 
 mitted to  live  among  them  ,  having  renounced  all  I- 
 dolatry,  but  did  not  fubmit  to  their  whole  Religion. 
 The  Talmudijis  expound  this  place  of  the  former 
 fort. 
 
 Mm  2  Or 
 
68 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Of  whofoevtr  he  be  among  you  in  your  Generations. ~] 
 
 XV.      One  would  think  this  fhould  fignifie  the  other  fort  of 
 
 C/'WJ  Strangers  5  but  they   make   it  only  an  Explication 
 
 of  the  former  :  Whether  he  was  a  Proielyte  that  fo- 
 
 journed  for  a  time,  or  were  fettled  among  them. 
 
 And  will  offer  an  offering  made  by  fire,  of  a  fweet  fa- 
 vour unto  the  LO  R  D.~]  Any  of  the  fore-mentioned 
 Offerings  5  which  could  be  offered,  as  is  here  direct- 
 ed, by  none  but  one  that  was  fubjedt  to  their  Law. 
 For  though  another  Profelyte,  who  worfhipped  the 
 true  God,  but  was  not  Gircumcifed,  might  bring  a 
 Burnt- offerings  yet  they  fay  it  was  without  a  Meat- 
 offering and  Drinh^  offering  5  and  no  Feace-offerrngs 
 were  accepted  from  him. 
 
 As  ye  do,  fo  he  fia/l  do7]     Offer  according  to  the 
 Rules  above  given  :  which  is  farther  explained   in 
 the  following  Verfes. 
 Verfe  15;      Ver.  15.  One  Ordinance"]     Viz.  About  Sacrifices. 
 Shall  be  both  for  you  of  the  Congregation.']     i.  e.  For 
 yon  Ifraelkes. 
 
 And  alfo  for  the  Stranger  that  fojourneth  with  yon.  *] 
 Here  the  LXX.tranOate  it,  tt&wh&to*  7^0^/xiw 
 dp  v/Jky  Profelytes  that  are  added,  or  joyned  to  you  ^ 
 or  are 'juris  veflri  participes  ,  as  Mr.  Selden  expounds 
 it,  L.  II.  de  Jure  Nat.  &  Gent.  cap.  2.  p.  147. 
 
 An  Ordinance  for  ever,  Sec.]}  Never  to  be  repealed 
 as  long  as  your  Religion  lafts. 
 
 As  ye  are,  fo  fhati the  Stranger  be  before  the  LORD  J] 
 In  Matters  of  Religion  and  Divine  Worftiip,  though 
 riot  in  all  Civil  Things.  Far  no  Profelyte,  they  think, 
 could  be  chofen  a  Member  of  the  Sanhedrim,  or  great 
 Council  at  Jerufakm.  The  Jews  extend  thefe  words 
 to  the  way  and  manner  of  being  made  Profelytes , 
 by  Circumcifion,  Baptifm,  and  Sprinkling  of  Blood  : 
 
 as 
 
 N 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  269 
 
 as  the  Jews  were  originally,  they  fay,  initiated  into   Chapter 
 their  Religion.     Selden,   Lib.  I.  de  Synedrik^  cap.  3.     XV. 
 p.  34.  U^VNJ 
 
 Ver.  16.  One  Law,  and  one  manner  Jloall  be  for  j'*?//,  Verfe  16. 
 and  for  the  Str anger  that  foj  our  neth   with  you.  ~\     This 
 general  Rule  was  made  ,    to   invite  and  incourage 
 Strangers  to  become  Profelytes  to  the  Jewifh  Religion^ 
 and  to  engage  the  Jews  to  be  kind  to  them :  they 
 being  admitted  to  an  faSipbtz,  as  Philo  calls  it ,  an  e- 
 qual  Priviledge  with  thofe  who    were  born-  Jews. 
 Yet  this,  the  Jews  fay,  is  to   be  received  with  fome 
 diftin&ions.     For  the   Laws  of  Mofes,  either  con- 
 cerning the  Duties  they  owed  to  God  ,  and  one  to 
 another  $    or  concerning  Magiftracy  and  Marriages, 
 they  fay, thofe  of  the  fir  ft  fort  belonged  to  Profelytes, 
 as  much  as  to  original  Jews  ^  yet  with  fome  tempe- 
 rament, (as  Mr.  Selden obferves,  Lib.  II.  de  Jure  Nat.. 
 &  Gent.  cap.  4.)     But  in  thofe  of  the  fecgnd  fort , 
 they  had  not  an  equal  priviledge  :  for  they  were  not 
 to  have  any  fort  of  Command,  either  CWil  or  Milita- 
 ry 5  and  though  they  might  marry  with   the  Jews, 
 yet  not  with  the  Prieftsj  and  fome   Marriages  were 
 permitted  to  them,  which  were  forbidden  to  the  If- 
 *raelites.     See  there/?.  167. 
 
 Ver.  1 7.  And  the  LO  R  DJpake  unto  Mofes,faying.~\  Verfe   1 7. 
 Thefe  Commands  were  given,  in  all  likelyhood,  at 
 the  fame  time  with  the  foregoing. 
 
 Ver.  18.  Spea\  unto  the  Children  of  Jfrael,   andfayVevfc  28. 
 unto  them."]     See  z/.  2.  , 
 
 When  ye  come  into  the  Land,  whither  I  bring  you.  3 
 See  there  alfo  ^  only  add  this,That  the  Jews  acknow- 
 ledge, fuch  kinds  of  Offerings,  as  here  follow,  and 
 Firft-fruits^  were  due  by  the  Law,  only  from  the 
 Cora,  &c>  that  giew,  m  the  hm&  of  Canam':  but  by 
 
 the 
 
A    COMMENTARY 
 
 the  Decree  of  their  wife  Men,they  were  to  bring  them 
 out  of  Syria,  and  out  of  the  Land  of  Og,  and  Sihon  $ 
 as  Matmomdes  faith  in  his  Treatife  called  Biccurin/, 
 cap.  2. 
 
 Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  When  ye  eat.~]  i.  e.  When  it  is  ready  to 
 be  eaten:  for  they  ottered  it,  before  they  ate  of 
 it. 
 
 Of  the  Bread  of  the  Land.']  So  Corn  is  called,ClV 
 Vfalm\\.  and  the  meaning  feems  to  be,  that  when 
 they  made  Bread  of  the  new  Corn  of  the  Land,  they 
 fhould  out  of  the  Dough  firftmake  a  Cake,  and  of* 
 fer  it  to  the  L  O  R  D,  before  they  baked  Bread  for 
 their  own  ufe. 
 
 Te  jhall  offer  up  an  Heave-offering  unto  the  LORD."] 
 This  is  explained  in  the  next  verfe,o(  offering  a  Cake 
 out  of  the  firft  Dough  5  whether  it  were  of  Wheat, 
 or  Barley,  or  Rye,  or  Oats,  or  that  which  they  call 
 Cufen/in/,  (which  they  defcribe  to.be  a  kind  of  Wheat, 
 or  Barley  ,  different  from  that  which  is  commonly 
 known  by  thofe  names)  For  of  thefe  five  kinds  of 
 Grain,  the  Talmudijls  fay,  this  Cake  was  to  be  offer- 
 ed 5  and  that  out  of  the  Gleanings,  and  the  Sheaf  left 
 in  the  Field,  and  out  of  the  Corners  of  the  Field. 
 
 Verfe  20.  ^en  20t  Ye  flail  offer  up  a  Cake  of  the  fir  ff  of  your 
 Dough,  for  an  Heave-offering.']  Not  upon  the  Altar, 
 but  it  was  given  to  the  Priefts  5  on  whom  God  be- 
 ftowed  all  their  Heave-offerings,  XVIII.  8.  yet  they 
 are  faid  to  be  offered  unto  the  LO RD  ,  becaufe  they 
 were  heaved,  or  lifted  up  to  him ,  as  the  Creator  of 
 Heaven  and  of  Earth  5  and  then  given  to  his  Mini- 
 fters,  who  had  it  in  his  right. 
 
 As  ye  do  the  Heave-offering  of  the  Threfiing-floor,  fo 
 fial/ ye  heave  it.~]     That  is,  as  the  Firft-fruits  of  the 
 Harveft  were  given  to  the  Priefts,  and  not  offered  up- 
 on 
 
upon   NUMBERS-  271 
 
 on  the  Altar,  fo  (hould  this  be  given  them,  XXIII  Chapter 
 Lev.  1 6,  17.     And  fo  was   the  Firlt-fruits  of  their     XV. 
 Oyl  and  their  Wine,  &c.  XVIII  Numb.  12,  13.  All  L/"V%J 
 which  the  Jews  call  the  great  Terumah,  or  Heave- 
 offering. 
 
 Ver.  21.  0/  the  fir  $1  of  your  Dough  foall  ye  give  unto  Verfe  2 1  ~ 
 f £e  L  0  R  D  an  Heave-offering  in  your  Generations.  ] 
 This  being  a  new  Law,  not  given  before  ,  he  repeats 
 it,  that  they  might  be  the  more  obfervant  of  it.  As 
 we  may  fee  they  were  by  this  5  that  it  was  one  of  the 
 things  which  rendred  a  Woman  infamous,  (  though 
 notfo,  as  to  give  her  the  bitter  Water)  if  fhe  did 
 not  feparate  this  Cake  from  the  firft  Dough  of  the 
 new  Corn,  to  be  prefented  to  God  :  but  either  made 
 her  Husband  believe  (he  had  done  it,  when  (he  had 
 not  5  or  ate  it  her  felf  ^  as  Mr.  Selden  obferves,  L.III. 
 Uxor.  Hebr.  cap.  17.  And  therefore  at  this  very  day 
 the  Jews  are  fo  nice  in  this  point,  that  they  take  e- 
 nough  to  make  a  Cake,  as  foon  as  the  Meal  is  mingled 
 with  Water.  •  The  proportion  is  not  mentioned  in 
 the  Law  ^  but  their  wife  Men  fay,it  was  to  be  the  forty 
 fourth  part  of  the  whole  Dough.  See  Buxtorf.  Syna- 
 gog.  Jud.  cap.  34.  TheG^///?xobferving  that  this 
 verfe  begins  with  the  Letter  Me/?/,andends  with  Mem, 
 conclude  (after  their  way)  that  therefore  they  were 
 to  give  the  fortieth  part  3  becaufe  Mem  is  the  numeral 
 Letter  for  forty. 
 
 Ver.  22.  And  if ye  have  erred,  and  not  obferved  all  Verfe  22. 
 thefc  Commandments,  which  the  LO  RD  hath  Jpoken 
 unto  Mofes.~]  Which  have  been  now  given  concern- 
 ing Sacrifices:  for  to  fuch  Commandments  thefe  words 
 feem  to  have  refpedt.  Maimonides  in  his  Treatife  of 
 the  Worftiip  or  the  Planets,  (and  the  Jews  generally) 
 faith  this  concerns  Idolatry. 
 
 Ver. 
 
171  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  23.  Even  all  that  the  LO  RD  hath  command- 
 XV.      cd  you  by  the  hand  of  Mofes.~\     That  is,  all  the  Com- 
 
 L/"yVJ  mandments  in  the  Book  of  Leviticus,  about  fuch  Mat- 
 
 Verfc  23.  ters  of  God's  Worthip  and  Service. 
 
 From  the  day  that  the  LORD  commanded  Mofes."] 
 The  word  Mofes  is  not  in  the  Hebrew  ^  andtheSencc 
 is  plainer  without  it  5  as  the  Vulgar  hath  tranflated 
 thefe  words,  from  the  day  he  began  to  command. 
 
 And  hence  forward.  "]  Or  rather,  thence  forward , 
 until  now  :  or  until  he  made  an  end:  of  command- 
 ing. So  this  Phrafe  is  ufed  in  XXII  Lev.  27.  From 
 the  eighth  day,  and  thenceforth,  Creatures  were  clean, 
 to  be  offered.     See  XXXIX  Ezek,  22. 
 
 Among  your  Generations 7\  In  the  Hebrew,  to  your 
 Generations.  And  fo  LXX.  ei;  m<;  yiM^%c,,  to  be  ob- 
 ferved  throughout  all  Generations. 
 
 Verfe  24.  Ver.  24.  Then  it  ft  all  be,  that  if  ought  he  committed 
 by  ignorance,  without  the  knowledge  of  the  Congregation  7\ 
 It  is  commonly  faid,  that  Mofes  here  fpeaks  concern- 
 %  ing  Sins  of  Om/jfion,  (as  we  call  them)  as  in  IV  Lev. 
 13.  he  doth  of  Sins  of  Ccmmiffion  :  or  doing  that 
 which  ought  not  to  be  done  5  as  here  not  doing 
 that  which  ought  to  be  done  :  for  which  different 
 forts  of  Sacrifices  are  appointed.  But  others  think 
 that  he  fpeaks  in  both  places  of  the  fame  Errors:  on- 
 ly in  that  Law,  IV  Lev.  14.  concerning  thofe  com- 
 mitted by  the  whole  Congregation  5  here  of  fuch  as 
 were  committed  by  fome  leffer  number  of  them,  cal- 
 led, the  Congregation  :  fuppofe  the  LXX.  Elders,  or 
 the  Rulers  of  Thoufands,  and  Hundreds,  &c.  who 
 are  fome  times  called  by  this  Name,  XXV.7.  XXXII. 
 12.  XXIV  jfo/S.  4.  But  the  Jews  generally  think  Mo- 
 tes here  fpeaks  of  Jirange  Worfiip  ,  which  was  to 
 be  expiated  by  this  Sacrifice  of  a  Goat  for  a  Sin-offer- 
 ing 
 
upon  NUMBERS,  273 
 
 ing.  And  therefore  an  excellent  Perfon  of  our  own,  Chapter 
 after  long  confederation  of  this  matter,  comes  to  this  XV. 
 conclufion,  That  in  Leviticus  he  requires  a  young  lyV^sJ 
 Bullock  to  be  (lain  for  a  Sin-offering,  when  the  whole 
 Congregation,  though  adhering  to  the  true  Worfhip 
 of  God  in  every  thing ,  were  led  ignorantly  to  do 
 fomething  again  ft  fome  Negative  Precept  (as  they  call 
 it)  to  pra&ife,  that  is,  what  God  had  forbidden  , 
 (fo  thofe  words  feem  to  import,  IV Lev.  13,  14.  ) 
 but  this  Rid  of  the  Goats  here  mentioned  for  a  Sin- 
 offering,  together  with  a  young  Bullock  for  a  Burnt- 
 offering,  was  to  be  facrificed  ,  when  all  the  People 
 forgetting  the  holy  Rites  prefcribed  by  Mofes  (which 
 often  hapned  under  bad  Rings )  fell  by  a  common 
 Error  into  Idolatrous  Worfhip:  which  agrees  very 
 well  with  what  is  faid  in  the  two  verfes  before- 
 going  :  where  he  fpeaks,  as  I  noted  ,  of  not  obfer- 
 ving  thefe  holy  Rites  about  Sacrifices.  See  Dr.  Ovo- 
 tram,  Lib.  I.  de  Sacrifices,  cap.  \\.feU.  2. 
 
 Then  all  the  Congregation  fhall  offer  one  young  Bul- 
 lock for  a  Burnt-offering.']  Having  negle&ed  thefe 
 Laws  ordained  by  Mofes,  and  worfhipped  God  in  a 
 wrong  manner,  according  to  the  Rites  ufed  in  other 
 Countries,  (or  at  leaft  miftaking  the  proper  Sacrifices 
 and  Rites  belonging  to  them,  which  they  ought  to 
 have  offered)  this  Burnt-offering,  I  fuppofe,  is  com- 
 manded to  be  offered,  when  they  faw  their  Error,  in 
 token  that  they  returned  to  God's  true  Religion,  and 
 that  way  of  Worfhip  which  he  had  prefcribed. 
 
 With  lm  Meat-offering ,  and  his  Drink-offering.  ~] 
 prefcribed  above,  v.  8,  9,  10.  Which  perhaps  they 
 had  hegle&ed  to  offer  formerly  with  the  Burnt- 
 offering. 
 
 It  is  well  obferved  by  Mr.  Thorndike  out  of  Maimo- 
 
 N   n  ttides . 
 
a;4  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  nicies,  That   all  the   Congregation  (if  we  underftand 
 XV.       thereby  the  whole  Body  of  the   People)  could  not 
 
 L/"V"\J  poffibly  offer  thefe  Sacrifices :  but  the  great  Confifto- 
 ry  offered  them  as  often  as  they  occasioned  the  Ereach 
 ot  the  Law,  by  interpreting  it  erroniouily  5  Rights  of 
 the  Church  in  a  Chriflian  State,  p.  159. 
 
 And  one  Kid  of  the  Goats  for  a  Sin-offering.  To 
 expiate  for  what  had  been  done  after  the  manner  of 
 the  Heathen,  contrary  to  the  Laws  of  God's  Wor- 
 fhip  here  delivered  by  Mofes  5  or  otherwife  then  he 
 dire&ed.  From  whence  it  was  (  which  adds  much 
 probability  to  this)  that  when  Hezekjah  reftored  the 
 true  Worfhip  of  God ,  after  the  Temple  had  been 
 (hut  up,  and  the  daily  Sacrifice  omitted,  and  many  I- 
 dojatrous  Rites  there  ufed,  by  the  Ignorance  of  the 
 People,  in  the  days  of  his  Father,  (2  Chron.  XXVIII. 
 24.  XXIX.  3.)  he  caufed  feven  Bullocks  to  be  offer- 
 ed for  a  Burnt-offering  ^  and  as  many  Goats  for  a 
 Sin-offering.  And  fo  Ezra  did  at  the  Reftoration  of 
 the  Divine  Service  after  they  came  out  of  Babylon , 
 VIII  Ezra  35.  And  it  makes  no  difference,  that  Mo- 
 fes here  requires  only  one  of  a  fort  to  be  offered, 
 whereas  Hezekiah  offered  feven  ,  and  Ezra  twelve  : 
 for  this  only  proves  that  one  was  absolutely  neceffa- 
 ry  5  but  more  than  one  was  acceptable :  efpecially 
 when  exceeding  great  Errors  had  been  committed  in 
 God's  Worfhip. 
 
 Verfe  25.  Ver.  25.  And  the  Priett  [hall  n/ake  an  atonement  for 
 all  the  Congregation.']  Who  had  thus  committed  an 
 Error,  in  the  Worfliip  of  God,  out  of  Ignorance  : 
 being  mifled  by  the  great  Interpreters  of  the  Law  5 
 who  therefore  were  to  bring  this  Sacrifice  in  the  name 
 of  them  all.  For  it  is  apparent  by  this,  as  well  as  the 
 former  verfe,  that  aU  the  Congregation  were  concerned 
 
 in 
 
 \ 
 
upon  N  UMBERS.  ^ 
 
 in  this  Sacrifice,  as  much  as  in  that  IV  Lev.  ig.   And  Chapter 
 the  fame  appears  from  the  next  verfe,  where  he  faith,      XV. 
 All  the  People  were  in  ignorance.  L/"V"\J 
 
 And,  it  foall  be  forgiven  them  ,  for  it  is  ignorance.  ] 
 Proceeding  from  an  erronious  Interpretation  of  the 
 Law,  or  fome  other  miftake:  not  from  contempt  of 
 God  and  of  his  Laws  ,  for  then  they  were  to  be  ut- 
 terly cut  off,  v.  30,  31. 
 
 And  they  fo all  bring  their  Offering,  a  Sacrifice  made  by 
 fire  unto  the  L  0  R  A]  That  is ,  a  Burnt-offering : 
 which  is  not  prefcribed  in  Leviticus ,  (as  I  obferved 
 before)  and  therefore  was  a  different  fort  of  Offering, 
 for  a  different  Offence. 
 
 And  their  Sin-offering  before  the  LO  RD.~\  Pre- 
 fcribed in  the  fore-going  verfe. 
 
 For  their  ignorance."]  Which  made  them  capable 
 of  a  Pardon  5  though  not  without  thefe  Sacri- 
 fices. 
 
 Ver.  2 6.  And  it  fiall  be  forgiven  all  the  Congregation  Verfe  26. 
 of  the  Children  of  JfraeW]  He  repeats  it  again  ,  that 
 they  might  not  doubt  of  Reconciliation  to  him, 
 when  they  repented  as  foon  as  they  underftood  their 
 Error,  and  acknowledg'd  it,  and  beg'd  his  pardon 
 by  thefe  Sacrifices. 
 
 And  the  Stranger  that  foj  our  net  h  among  them.~\  Who 
 were  obliged  to  the  fame  Laws  with  the  Ifraelites^ 
 and  had  the  fame  priviledges,  v.  14, 15,  16. 
 
 Seeing  all  the  People  were  in  ignorance.  ~]  It  was  a 
 common  Error  $  and  therefore  no  wonder  Strangers 
 were  carried  away  with  it. 
 
 Ver.  27.  And  if  any  SouL~]  i.  e.  Any  particular  Per-  Verfe  27. 
 fon. 
 
 Sin  through  ignorance.^  Offend  in  Matters  of  Re- 
 ligion ^  by  not  obferving  the  Rites  here  prefcribed, 
 
 N  n  2  or 
 
2j6 
 
 Chapter 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 or  by  doing  contrary  to  them,  through  mere  igno- 
 XV.      ranee.     To  this,  I  think,  thefe  words  are  to  be  limi- 
 
 L/^V\J  ted  :  wherein  they  differ  from  that  Law,  IV  Lev. 27. 
 which  fpeaks  of  all  manner  of  Oifences,  through  ig- 
 norance. 
 
 Then  he  Jhal/  bring  a  She-goat  of  the  firff  year  ,  for  a 
 Sin- offering.']  This  Sin-offering  differs  from  that  in 
 Leviticus  (IV.  28.)  which  was  only  a  Female  Kid  of 
 the  Goats. 
 
 Verfe  28.  Ver.  28.  And  the  Pries}  fa  all  make  an  Atonement  for 
 the  SohI  that  finneth  ignorantly."]  As  he  was  to  do  for 
 the  whole  Congregation,  v.  25. 
 
 When  he  finneth  by  ignorance  before  the  L  0  R  JD.  ~] 
 Thefe  words,  before  the  LORD,  feem  to  me  to  im- 
 port, that  he  fpeaks  of  Sins  committed  about  the 
 Worfhip  of  God  3  and  confirms  what  I  have  faid 
 upon  v.  24.  For  in  IV  Levit.  both  v.  13.  and  ^.27. 
 he  fpeaks  in  general  of  Sins  committed,  either  by  the 
 Congregation,  or  by  particular  Perfons ,  againft  any 
 of  the  Commandments  of  the  LOR  D  5  not  before  the 
 LORD,  i.e.  (as  I  underftand  it )  in  his  Worfhip 
 and  Service. 
 
 To  make  an  atonement  for  him,  &c.  ^  He  repeats  it 
 again,  to  (how  them  that  he  would  no  more  have  a 
 particular  Perfon  fuffer  for  his  Error,  than  the  whole 
 Body  of  the  People. 
 
 Verfe  29.  Ver.  29.  Tqh  faall  have  one  Law  for  him  that  finneth 
 through  ignorance,  both  for  him  that  is  among  the  Chil- 
 dren oflfrael^andfor  the  Stranger  that  foj our net h  among 
 themT]  See  v.  1 5.  This  muft  neceffarily  be  meant  of 
 aProfelyteofJujiicc,  as  they  called  him,  that  was 
 Circumcifed,  and  undertook  to  keep  the  whole  Law  ^ 
 for  he  fpeaks  of  fuch,  whether  Natives  or  others  ,  as 
 erred  in  n<?t  obferving  all  his  Commandments,  v. 2  2,  25. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon  NUMBERS-  ijj 
 
 Ver.30.  But  the  Soul  that  doth  ought  prefumptncufy  ,~\    Chapter 
 Not  merely  knowingly,  but  wilfully  and  audaciouf-     XV. 
 ly  $  in  contempt  of  the  Divine  Majefty  and  his  Au-  L^V^sj 
 thority  :  For  fo  the  Hebrew  Phrafej*v7A  an  high  hand,  Verfe  3.0. 
 fignifieS}  as  Maimonldes  obferves  in  his  More  Nevoch. 
 P.  III.  cap.  41.  where  he  faith,  it  imports  a  Sin,  not 
 only  publickly  and  openly  committed, but  with  Pride 
 and  Infolence  :  it  proceeding  not  merely  from  an  ill 
 cuftom  a  Man  hath  got  of  doing  amifs ,   but  from  an 
 exprefs  intention  to  contradidt  the  Law  of  God,  and 
 to  fet  himfelf  in  defiance  of  it.     Which  is  the  reafon 
 of  what  follows,  the  fame  reproacheth  the  LORD. 
 
 Whether  he  be  bom  in  the  Land,  or  a  Stranger."]  Here 
 the  word  Stranger  is  (imply  ufed,  without  the  additi- 
 on ofyhat  fojourneth  among  them,  (as  in  the  preceding 
 verfe)  and  therefore  Mr.  Selden  well  concludes,  that 
 even  the  Rrofelytes  of  the  Gate  were  concerned  in  this 
 Law,  (  as  it  related  to  Idolatry  and  Blafphemy  ) 
 though  not  in  the  foregoing  5  and  that  they  were  lia- 
 ble to  be  cut  off' by  the  Hand  of  Heaven  5  but  whether  . 
 to  be  punifhed  by  the  Judges  or  no,  it  doth  not 
 appear,  Lib.  II.  de  Jure  Nat.  &  Gent.  cap.  11. 
 
 The  fame  reproacheth  the  LOR  £>.]  c  No  Man  fin- 
 c  ned  thus  (faith  Maimonldes  in  the  place  fore-named) 
 c  but  he  who  had  a  fettled  Opinion  in  his  Mind,  con- 
 c  trary  to  the  Law  of  God  \  in  which  he  diflented 
 1  from  it.  And  the  common  received  Exposition  of 
 c  this  place  is,that  it  fpeaks  of  an  Idolater  5  becaufe  he 
 c  oppofed  the  chief  and  principal  Foundation  of  the 
 c  Law.  For  no  Man  worfhippeda  Star,  or  a  Planet, 
 *  but  he  that  believed  its  Eternity  :  which  is  the  mofc 
 c  repugnant  of  all  other  things  to  the  Law  of  God  5 
 4  which  in  the  very  firft  words  of  it  declares,  that  all 
 v  the  World  had  a  beginning,  and  was  made  by  him 
 
 c  whom 
 
i;B  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  c  whom  the  Jews  wor  (hipped.    Thus  he.     But  doing 
 XV,      any  thing  with  an  high  /w/z^doth  not  fignifieany  one 
 
 L/"V\J  certain  kind  of  Sin,  as  the  Jews  genera]  ]y  fancy  (who 
 think  he  fpeaks  here  only  of  an  idolater  or  Blafphe- 
 nier  }  See  Sclden  ,  Lib.  I.  de  Synedr.  cap.  6.  p.  101.  ) 
 but  a  certain  manner  of  finning  5  with  defpight  to  the 
 Commands  of  God,  and  Contempt  of  his  Authority, 
 in  any  kind  of  Sin  whatfoever.  And  this  Maiwoni- 
 des  himfelf  afterward  acknowledges, in  the  words  fol- 
 lowing. c  There  feems  to  me  to  be  the  fame  reafon  in 
 c  all  other  Tranfgreflions,  which  are  committed  con- 
 c  temptuoufly  againft  any  Law  of  God,  as  if  an  IJrae- 
 c  lite  feethed  a  Rid  in  its  Mother's  Milk  5  or  wore 
 c  heterogeneous  Garments  ,  or  rounded  the  Corners 
 c  of  his  Head  ,  or  his  Beard ,  in  contempt  of  the 
 c  Law.  For  the  confequence  of  this  is,  that  he  be- 
 c  lieves  this  Law  not  to  be  true  :  which  in  my  judg- 
 c  ment,  faith  he,  is  the  meaning  of  thefe  words,  He 
 c  reproacheth  the  LORD. 
 
 And  that  Soul  JJ) all be  cut  off  from  among  his  People."] 
 No  Sacrifice  could  make  an  Atonement  for  fuch  a 
 Man  3  but  he  was  to  die,  either  by  the  Hand  of  Hea- 
 ven, or  of  the  Judges.  Sometimes  God,  faith  he, 
 will  cut  off  Idolaters,  and  fuch  as  confulted  Familiar 
 Spirits,  XX  Lev.  5,  6.  Sometimes  he  only  faith  cer- 
 tain Offenders  (hall  be  cut  off  5  as  here  in  this  ,  and 
 many  other  places.  Of  which  Phrafe  I  have  given 
 an  account  XVII  Gen.  14.  where  the  Reader  may 
 fee  the  feveral  Opinions  that  have  been  about  it  3  and 
 that  its  meaning  muft  be  determined  by  the  matter  in 
 hand.  Accordingly  Maimonides  hath  judicioufly  re- 
 folved,  that  in  this  place  it  fignifies  cutting  off  by  the 
 Hand  of  the  Magiftrates ,  as  in  the  Cafe  of  Apoftafy 
 to  Idolatry,  XIII  Dent.  13,  dv.     Not  that  all  their 
 
 Goods 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  279 
 
 Goods  were  to  be  deftroyed,  and  nothing  left  to  their  Chapter 
 Heirs,  (as  when  they  ferved  other  Gods)  but,  though     XV. 
 a  whole  Tribe  had,  with  an  high  hand,  tranfgreffed  L/"V"NJ 
 any  Precept  of  the  Law,  that  is,  denied  it  to  be  God's 
 Law,  he  thinks  they  were  only  to  be  all  killed.     Juft 
 as  all  the  People  thought  in  the  Cafe  of  the  Reube- 
 nites,  Gaditcs,  and  half  Tribe  of  Manaffeh,  who  on- 
 ly building  an  Altar  on  the  other  fide  of  Jordan.con- 
 trary  to  God's  Law,  as  was  imagined,  all  the  reft  of 
 the  Tribes  of  Ifrael  gathered  together  to  go  up  to  War 
 aga'wtf  them,  and  cut  them  off,  XXII  JoJh.n9i2,&c* 
 22,  23.  where  they  acknowledge  they  deferved  to  pe- 
 rifh  ,  if  they  had  built  an  Altar  for  Worfhip,  as  their 
 Brethren  thought  they  had  done. 
 
 Ver.  3 1 .  Becaufe  he  hath  dejpifed  the  Word  of  the  Verfe  3  r . 
 LOR  D.~]    This  (hows  the  Nature  of  the  offence  5 
 which  was  fetting  at  nought  God's  Laws,  and  deny- 
 ing them  to  be  of  Divine  Authority. 
 
 And  hath  broken  his  Commandment 7]  Not  only  6y 
 doing  contrary  to  it ,  but,  in  effeft,  difannulling  it} 
 by  reje&ing  its  Authority  ,  and  affirming  he  is  not 
 bound  to  obferve  that  Precept. 
 
 That  Soul  jhall  be  utterly  cut  off."]  They  fhall  have 
 no  Mercy  upon  him. 
 
 His  Iniquity  foall be  upon  him.']  Not  upon  thofe 
 who  put  him  to  death  5  but  upon  himfelf. 
 
 "Ver.  32.  And  while  the  Children  of  Ifrael  were  in  the  Verfe  3,2. 
 WildernefsT]  In  this  part  of  the  Wildernefs,  at  KadeJIj- 
 Barnea,  it  is  very  probable.     See  v.  1. 
 
 They  found  a  ManT]  The  Jews],  who  would  not 
 be  thought  ignorant  of  any  thing,  fay  this  Man  was 
 one  of  thofe  that  prefumed  to  go  up  to  the  Moun- 
 tain, when  Mofes  forbad  them,  XIV.44.  ^n^  f°me 
 of  them  fay  exprefly,  his  name  was  Zelophehad  5  a- 
 
 bout 
 
*&>  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  bout  the  dividing  of  whofe  Eftate  a  queftion  after- 
 XV.      ward  arofe,  XXVII.  i9&b.     So    the  Lhaldee  Para- 
 L/"WJ  phrafe  afcribed  to  Jonathan  and  others.     See  Selden, 
 Lib.  II.  de  Synedr,  cap.  I.  n.  9. 
 
 Utaf  gathered  Jiickj-']  Or  was  binding  up  flicks  , 
 which  he  had  gathered,  and  pluckt  up  by  the  Roots 
 out  of  the  Earth  ^  as  fome  of  the  Jews  underftand 
 the  Hebrew  word,  (Mr.  Selden  there  cbferves)  from 
 V  Exod.  7. 
 
 0#  f/?e  Sabbath-day.  ~]  This  the  Jewifi  Do&ors 
 would  have  to  be  the  very  next  Sabbath  after  its 
 firft  Inftitution  in  the  Wildernefs  ^  which  is  to  make 
 this  Hiftory  mifplaced,  and  the  foregoing  alfo,  with- 
 out any  neceffity. 
 Verfe  2  2.  ^er#  33*  And  they  that  found  him  gathering  flicks.] 
 *'  Admonilhed  him  (as  the  Jews  alio  fay)  of  the  un- 
 lawfulnefs  of  it,  and  wifht  him  to  defift.  But  he 
 would  not  hearken  to  them  3  and  therefore  (as  it  here 
 follows)  they  brought  him  unto  Mofes,  8tc.  as  one  that 
 contemptuouily,  and  with  an  high  hand,  had  offend- 
 ed God.  For  they  make  this  an  inftance,  of  fuch  a 
 prefumptuous  Sin,  as  is  mentioned  before  v.  30,  51. 
 which  is  not  improbable.  And  it  appears  from  hence, 
 that  they  obferved  the  Sabbath  while  they  were  in 
 the  Wildernefs }  and  therefore  did  not  bring  him  be- 
 fore Mofes  on  that  day,  but  the  next  after  ,  or  at  leaft 
 he  was  not  judged  till  the  next  day. 
 
 Brought  him  unto  Mofes  and  Aaron,  and  unto  all  the 
 Congregation']  Who  were  now,  they  fancy,  hearing 
 a  Sacred  Lefture,  when  they  brought  the  Man  before 
 Mofes.  For  he  was  the  chief  Judge,  who  was  to  de- 
 termine fuch  Cafes :  though  we  may  conceive  the 
 LXX.  Elders  (who  were  con ftituted  before  this  hap- 
 ned,  XI.  24,  8cc  )  to  have  been  now  fitting,  and 
 
 Mofes 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  281 
 
 Mofes  at  the  Head  of  them.     But  he  being  not  de-  Chapter 
 prived  of  any  Authority  by  their  Creation,  who  were      XV. 
 added  only  to  give  him  eafe,  it   is  more  likely  this  l/~V~\J 
 Man  was  fet  before  Mofes,  as  the  fole  Judge  of  this 
 Cafe.     For  God  fpeaks  to  hitn  alone,  ^.35.  when  he 
 directs  what  (hould  be  done  with  him.     Yet  Aaron, 
 and  the  Elders,  it  appears  by  thefe  words,  were  pre- 
 fent  (and  called  here  all  the  Congregation)  when  this 
 Olfender  was  brought  before  him. 
 
 Ver.  34.  And  they  put  him  in  ward."]     By  the  order  Verfe  34. 
 of  Mofes  (as  they  did  the  Man  thatb!afphemed,XXIV 
 Lev.  12.)  to  fecure  him,  till  the  Mind  of  God  was 
 known,  how  he  (hould  be  punifhed. 
 
 Becaufe  it  was  not  declared  what  foottld  he  done  to 
 him."]  They  knew  very  well,  that  he  was  to  dye;f 
 for  it  had  been  declared,  XXXI  Exod.14.  XXXV.  2. 
 but  they  queftioned  what  kind  of  death  he  {hould 
 fuffer,  as  the  Jews  interpret  it.  For  they  obferve  this 
 difference  between  that  Cafe,  of  the  Blafphemer  in 
 Leviticus,  aud  this  here  of  the  Sabbath- breaker,  that 
 there  they  doubted  whether  he  (hould  be  punifhed  by 
 them,  or  by  the  Hand  of  Heaven  :  but  here  ,  what 
 kind  of  Death  they  (hould  inflid  upon  him.  Though 
 there  are  fome  (  as  Mr.  Selden  there  obferves,  n.  8.  ) 
 who  imagine,  the  queftion  here  alfo  was,  Whether 
 the  fence  of  the  Law  was,  that  they  fhould  expeft  his 
 Puniftiment  from  God,  or  he  be  put  to  Death  by  the 
 Court  of  Judgment  ? 
 
 Ver.  35.  And  the  LORD  faid  unto  Mofes J]  Who  Verfe  35* 
 went,  I  fuppofe,  into  the  San&uary  to  enquire  what 
 the  Pleafure  of  God  was  in  this  Matter  ^  as  he  did  in 
 another  Difficulty,  IX  Numb.  8. 
 
 Oo  The 
 
2%2  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       The  Man  be  furely  put  to  death.']     By  this  Anfwer, 
 XV.      it  feems  to  me,  the  queftion  was  not  at  firffc  ,  What 
 L/VNJ  Death  he  fhould  dye?  but  whether  he  fhould  be  put 
 to  Death  or  nc>   That  is,  Whether  the  gathering  and 
 binding  up  Sticks  into  a  Faggot,  was  fuch  a  work  as 
 is  forbidden  in  the  Law,  (XX  Ezod.)    unto  which 
 Death  was  afterwards  threatned  in  the  places  before- 
 mentioned.     And  the  Refolution  was,that  he  fhould 
 be  put  to  Death  ,  as  a  Man  that  denied  God  ,  the 
 Creator  of  the  Work!  5  though  not  in  words,  yet  in 
 fad.     For  he  who  did  any  Work  on  the  Sabbath,  (as 
 Aben-Ezra  notes  upon  XX  Exod.)  denied  the  Work 
 of  Creation  :  though  he  did  not  in  down-right  terms 
 deny  God  himfelf.     For  the  Sabbath  being  a  Sign  (as 
 God  calls  it)  that  they  were  the  Worlhippersof  him, 
 who  made  all  things  ^  the  Contempt  of  that  was  a 
 renouncing  of  their  Religion,and  therefore  deferved 
 to  be  punifhed  with  Death  $    the  Belief  of  the  Crea- 
 tion of  the  World  being  the  very  Foundation  of  the 
 Jewifh  Religion  5  as  the  belief  of  its  Eternity  was 
 the  Foundation  of  the  Pagan.     This  made  the  breach 
 of  this   Precept  ,  of  keeping  the  Sabbath   ftri&ly  , 
 (which  is  more  frequently  repeated  than  any  other, 
 for  the  reafon  fore-mentioned)  fo  heinous  a  Crime, 
 and  fo  feverely  punifhed  :  for  by  this  a  true    Wor- 
 fhipper  of  God  was  diftinguifhed    from  a   profane 
 Perfon  and  an  Idolater. 
 
 AH  the  Congregation  Jlull  Jlone  him  withfiones,  with- 
 out the  Camp7\  This  was  a  Punifhment  inflifted  for 
 very  enormous  Crimes.  See  XX  Lev.  2.  XXIV.12. 
 And  this  Man  was  condemned  to  fuffer  it ,  becaufe 
 he  was  the  firft  breaker  of  this  Sacred  Law.  And  he 
 doing  it  prefumptuoufly  (  as  is  fuppofed  from  the 
 
 con- 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  283 
 
 eonne&ion  of  this  Story,  with  v.  30,  31.)  in  con-  Chapter 
 tempt  of  the  Law }  and  not  defifting  from  his  Im-      XV. 
 piety,  when  he  was  admoniflbed  to  forbear,  (  as  I  U'VSJ 
 (aid  v.  33.)  it  highly  aggravated  his   guilt  5  being; 
 no  lefs   than  a  reproaching   of  the  LORD,  and  a 
 deftrfing  of  his  Word.    Whence  the  Vulgar  faying  of 
 the  Talmudiffs,  He  thai  denies  the  Sabbath,  is  like    to 
 him  that  denies  the  whole  Law. 
 
 Ver.  36.  And  all  the  Congregation  brought  him  with-  Verfe  26. 
 out  the  Camp,    andfloned  him,  &c.  ~]     Not  on  the  Sab- 
 bath-day, as  I  faid  before  5  for  that  was  unlawful , 
 (as  Philo  obferves)  but  the  next  day  after  5  or  as  foon 
 as  Mofes  had  pafled  Sentence  upon  him. 
 
 Ver.  37.  And  the  LO  R  D  fpake  unto  Mofes,  fay-  yerfe  „ 
 ing.  ~]  This  was  fpoken  ,  it  is  moft  likely,  about  the 
 fame  time  that  the  foregoing  Paffage  hapned,  and  the 
 Commands  mentioned  in  the  beginning  of  this  Chap- 
 ter, were  delivered.  For  this  that  follows,  is  a  dire- 
 ction for  the  better  obfervance  of  all  the  reft  of  God's 
 Commandments. 
 
 Ver.  38.  Speaks  unto  the  Children  of  Ifrael ,  andbidy^fe  28. 
 them  that  they  make  them  Fringes.^  This  is  the  be  ft 
 word  we  have  in  our  Language, to  exprefs  the  Hebrew 
 word  Tzitzith,  which  imports  fomething  of  an  Or- 
 nament refembling  a  Flower,  as  the  word  tzltz  figni- 
 fies.  Of  how  many  threds  they  confift  ,  and  after 
 what  fafhion  they  are  made  by  the  Jews  at  this  day, 
 fee  Buxtorfs  Synagoga  Judaic  a,  cap.  9. 
 
 In  the  Borders  of  their  Garments.  3  Or,  (as  it  is  'n 
 the  Hebrew)  in  the  Wings  of  their  Garments:  which 
 had  four  Skirts,  it  appears  by  XXII  Dent.  12.  Ac 
 the  bottom  of  each  of  which  ,  they  were  to  have  a 
 Fringe.     Which  feem  to  have  been  only  Threds  left 
 
 O  o  2  at 
 
2%  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter  at  the  end  of  the  Web  unwoven  5  at  the  top  where- 
 
 XV.      of  they  put  a  Lace,  as  it  here  follows. 
 L/~\*\J      Throughout  their  Generations^]     To  be  a  perpetual 
 ,     Mark  of  their  Religion.an  J  put  them  in  mind  of  their 
 
 Duty. 
 
 And  that  they  put  upon  t he  T  Fringe  of  the  E  rdcrs  a 
 Riband.]  Or  a  Lace:  which  both  bound  the  Fringe 
 faft  at  the  top,  and  alfo  made  it  more  confpicuous 
 andobfervable  :  which  was  the  intention  of  it.  For 
 by  this  they  were  diftinguifhed  from  all  other  People 
 who  were  not  Jews  ,  as  well  as  put  in  mind  of  the 
 Precepts  of  God,  as  it  follows  in  the  next  verfe. 
 
 Of  blue."]  Or  as  feme  would  have  it  tranflated,  of 
 Purple.  But  the  Hebrew  Writers  fay  Theceleth  figni- 
 fies  that  colour  which  we  now  call  Ultramarine  ^  as 
 Braunius  hath  obferved,  Lib.  I.  de  Veftitu  Sacerd.Hebr. 
 cap.  13.  and  Bochart  Hierozoic.  F.  II.  Lib.  V.  cap. 
 10,  11. 
 
 There  is  another  very  learned  Perfon  alfo,  who 
 hath  more  lately  fhown  ,  out  of  an  excellent  MS.  in 
 his  pofleffion,  what  the  Jews  deliver  concerning  the 
 way  and  manner  of  dying  this  Colour.  Which  be- 
 ing not  eafie  to  compafs,  the  Jews  at  this  day,  inftead 
 of  this  Colour,  are  contented  to  ufe  White.  See  J. 
 Wagenfeil  upon  the  Gemara  Sot£,  cap.  2.  Annot.  8. 
 ¥.£rfe  39.  Ver.  39.  And  it  flmll  be  to  you  for  a  Fringe."]  Or 
 rather,  it  (that  is  the  Riband)  fiall  be  unto  yon  upon 
 the  Fringe  i)  or >  to  the  Fringe :  added  to  it,  to  make  it 
 the  more  noted  5  being  of  a  diftinft  Colour  from 
 the  Fringe,  which  was  of  the  fame  Colour  with  the 
 Garment.  The  Jews  fay,  in  the  Selvedge  of  which 
 thefe  Fringes  were,  was  their  upper  Garments  called 
 Tjilifb,  being  a  kind  of  Cloak. 
 
 That 
 
upon  N  U  M  B  E  R  S.  a8$ 
 
 That  ye  may  look_  upon  it,  and  remember  all  the  Com*    Chapter 
 mandments  of  the  LOR  D.~]     ft  e.  When  they  look-     XV. 
 ed  down,  this  Fringe  and  Lace  which  they  faw  there.,  L/'VNJ 
 might  put  them  in  mind  of  the  Duty  they  owed  to    , 
 God  5  who  commanded  this,  not  for  it  felf,  but  to 
 remember  them  that  they  were  a  holy  People,  bound 
 to  God  by  peculiar  Laws,  which    they  fhould  be  as 
 careful  to  obferve,  as  to  wear  thefe  Fringes.     Hence 
 it  was  that  they,   who  pretended  to  greater  San&ity 
 than  others,  enlarged  thefe  Fringes  (  as  our  Saviour 
 obferves,  XXIII  Matth.  5.)  t%  e.  extended  them  to  a 
 greater  length,  fo  that  they  fwept  the  Ground,  which 
 made  them  more  obfervable,   as  Braunius  notes  out  of 
 the  Gemara  ofGittim,  Lib.   I.  de  Veli.  Sacerd.  Hebr. 
 cap.  3.  n.  16.     Where  he  alfo  obferves,  That  their 
 Superftition  grew  fo  much,  as  with  great  Subtilty  to 
 contrive,  that  thefe  Fringes  might  be  fo  wrought,  as 
 to  denote  the  DCXIII.  Precepts  contained  in  the  Law 
 of  Mofes  $  and  fo  they  might  be  put  in  mind  of  ALL 
 the  Commandments  of  the  LO  R  D.      See  BuxtorfdXio 
 in  the  place  before-named  -0  and  Bifhop  Montagu  in 
 his  Apparatus,  cap.  7.  n.  32. 
 
 And  do  them. "]  Which  was  the  end  of  remem- 
 bring  them ,  as  that  was  of  their  wearing  them : 
 though  the  Jews  proved  fo  foolifh,  as  to  pride  them- 
 felves  in  the  bare  ufe  of  thefe  Ornaments  3  i.e.  in  their 
 being  a  felett  People,  which  ought  to  have  made  them 
 more  careful  to  do  the  whole  Will  of  God. 
 
 And  that  ye  feek_  not  after  your  own  heart."]  Follow 
 not  your  own  Thoughts  and  Imaginations,  (as  Mai- 
 montdes  expounds  it,  More  Nevoch.  P.  I.  cap.  3 9. )  ox 
 rather,  your  own  defires.  Or  the  word  feek^  may  im- 
 port, inventing  other  ways  of  ferving  God,  according 
 to  their  own  fanfies. 
 
 And- 
 
2U  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       And  your  own  eyes.']     Nor  follow  the  Example  of 
 XV.      others  5  as  they  were  prone  to  do,  it  appears  by  their 
 L/*WJ  making  the  Golden  Calf  5  that  they  might  have  fuch 
 a  vifible  Reprefentation  of  God,  as  other  Nations 
 were  wont  to  have. 
 
 After  which  ye  ufe  to  go  a  whoring.  3  It  appears  by 
 this,  that  the  foregoing  words  have  a  peculiar  regard 
 to  the  Worfhip  of  God,  (which  he  fpeaks  of  in  the 
 beginning  of  this  Chapter)  from  which  ,  when  they 
 departed,  they  arefaid  to  go  a  whoring  from  God,  un- 
 to whom  they  were  efpoufed. 
 Verfe  40.  Ver.  40.  That  ye  may  remember  ,  and  do  all my  Com- 
 mandments.~]  He  would  not  have  them  think  there 
 was  any  San&ity  to  be  placed  merely  in  wearing 
 thefe  Fringes :  but  they  were  to  be  confidered  only  as 
 Inftruments,  to  call  their  Duty  to  remembrance,  and 
 excite  them  to  the  performance  of  it.  And  (0  the 
 Jews  themfelves  fometimes  call  them  ,  as  Buxtorf  ob- 
 ierves  in  the  place  before-named  ,  Means  and  Inftru- 
 ments of  obferving  the  Precepts. 
 
 And  be  holy  unto  your  God.~]     By  obferving  all  his 
 Commandments:  efpecially  keeping  themfelves  from 
 Idols. 
 Verfe  41.      Ver.  41.  I  am  the  LOR  DyourGod.']     Their  So- 
 veraign  and  Benefa&or. 
 
 Which  brought  you  out  of  the  Land  of  Egypt. ~]  He  re- 
 members them  of  the  moft  peculiar  Obligation  ihey 
 had  upon  them,  to  obferve  this  Law,  and  all  the  reft 
 of  his  Precepts. 
 
 To  be  your  God.~]  They  were  Redeemed  by  him  on 
 purpofe,  when  none  elfe  could  deliver  them ,  that 
 they  might  acknowledge  no  other  God,  but  only 
 him,  to  whom  they  owed  their  Liberty,  to  ferve 
 him. 
 
^NUMBERS,  287 
 
 I  am  the  L  0  R  D  your  God."]     This  feems  to  be  Chapter 
 repeated,  to  encourage  them  to  hope  that  he  would     XVL 
 ftill  continue  good  to  them,  notwithftanding  the  Re-  L/^V^NJ 
 bellion  of  their  Fathers  }  for  which  he  had  condem- 
 ned them  to  die  in  the  Wildernefs.  Where  he  would 
 preferve  them,  (their  Children )  and  at  laft  bring 
 them  into  Canaan,  if  they  would  follow  his   Di- 
 rections. 
 
 C  H  A  P.     XVL 
 
 WE  have  nothing  here  faid  to  di reft  us  to  the 
 Time  and  Place,  when  and  where  this  uqw 
 Rebellion  hapned  5  but  it  is  very  probable  (  as  I  faid 
 XV.  1.)  that  it  was  in  fome  part  of  the  latter  half. of 
 the  fecond  Year  after  they  came  out  of  Egypt  ,  before 
 they  removed  from  Kadefo-Barnea. 
 
 Ver.  1.  Now  Korah  the  Son  of  Izhar ,  the  Son  0/Verfe  t 
 Kohath,  the  Son  of  Lev L  ]  By  this  it  is  evident  that 
 Korah  was  Cofin-German  (  as  we  fpeak  )  to  Mofes 
 and  Aaron  -0  for  Izhar  (Koratis  Father)  was  the  fe- 
 cond Son  of  Kohath,  as  Amram(K the  Father  of  Mofes 
 and  Aaron)  was  hiseldeft  Son,VI  Exod.  18.  1  Chron. 
 VI.  2. 
 
 And  Dathan  and  Abham  the  Sons  of  Eli ab.  ~\  This 
 El/ah  was  the  Son  of  Rallu  ,  the  fecond  Son  of  Reu- 
 ben, as  appears  from  XXVI.  5,  8,  9. 
 
 And  On  the  Son  of  Relet h.'j  He  alfo  was.defcended 
 from  Reuben,  as  well  as  Dathan  and  Abiram,  (as  the 
 next  words  tell  us,  Sons  of  Reuben)  but  of  what  Fa- 
 mily it  doth  not  appear.     Nor  is  this  Man  any  where 
 
 again 
 
.88  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  again  mentioned,  no  not  in  the  progrefs  of  this  Con- 
 XVI.      fpiracy:  which  inclines  me  to  think,  that  though  he 
 
 L/V*\J  entred  into  it  ,  yet  he  afterward  withdrew  himfelf, 
 or  was  fo  inconfiderable,  that  no  notice  was  taken  of 
 him. 
 
 Tool^  Me//.]  The  word  Men  is  not  in  the  Hebrew  -0 
 but  (imply  Korah  took.  Which  word  took^btmg  the 
 firft  word  in  the  HebrervText  ,  the  whole  verfe  may 
 be  thus  tranflated,  Korah  the  Son  oflzhar^&c.  tool^ 
 both  Dathan  and  Abiram  the  Sons  of  Eliab,  and  On  the 
 Son  of  Peleth,&c.li  That  is,  he  drew  thefe  into  a 
 Confpiracy  with  him.  Or ,  he  betook  himfelf  to  a 
 Party,  as  the  Chaldee  underftands  it,  he  divided  him- 
 felf'5  w7ith  an  intention,  that  is,  to  make  a  Sedition. 
 But  the  Sence  is  the  fame,  if  we  follow  our  Tranfla- 
 tion,  hetoohJbAen^  that  is,  Complices  or  Affociates 
 with  him,  in  his  Rebellion.  By  which  we  may  un- 
 derftand  the  Two  hundred  and  fifty ',  mentioned  in  the 
 next  verfe. 
 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  And  they  rofe  up."]  Made  an  Infurre&ion  : 
 in  which  Korah  feems  to  have  been  the  Ring-leader  3 
 having  drawn  the  reft  into  it.  Which  he  might  the 
 more  eafily  do,  becaufe  the  Kohathites  and  Reubenites 
 lay  encamped  on  the  very  fame  fide  of  the  Taberna- 
 cle, (II  Numb.  10.  compared  withlll.  29.)  by  which 
 means  they  had  opportunity  often  to  Confpire  toge- 
 ther. Whence  R.  Solomon  makes  this  Refle&ion,  Wo 
 to  the  Wicked,  and  wo  to  his  Neighbour.  The  caufe  of 
 the  Infurre&ion  is  generally  thought,  both  by  Jews 
 and  Chrijiians,  to  have  been,  that  Korah  could  not 
 brook  the  Preferment  of  Aaron  and  his  Family  , 
 fo  high  above  the  reft  of  the  Levites,  who  were  made 
 only  their  Minifters ,  III.  6,  9.  VIII.  19.  For  he 
 thought  this  was  too  great  a  difference  between  the 
 
 Children 
 
upon  NUMBERS-  i%9 
 
 Children  of  two  Brothers,who  were  of  equal  Deferts.  Chapter 
 Nay,  Aben-Ezra  thinks,  that  he  wholly  diiliked  the  XVI. 
 late  Exchange  of  the  Firft-born  for  the  Levites.  t/Y\l 
 And  befides,  it  may  be  thought  that  he  ftomacht  the 
 late  Preferment  oiEUzaphan  the  Son  of  Vzziel,  who 
 was  the  youngeft  Son  of  Kohath^  to  be  chief  of  the 
 Family  of  the  Kohathites/Jll.^o.')  which  he  thought 
 rather  belonged  to  himfelf,  who  was  the  Son  of  the 
 fecond  Son  of  Kohath.  And  finding  himfelf  too 
 weak  to  make  an  Infurreftion  alone ,  he  perfwaded 
 Dathan  and  Abiram,  (of  the  Tribe  of  Reuben)  and 
 thofein  whom  they  had  an  intereft  to  joyn  with 
 him,  upon  another  pretence }  that  they  were  de» 
 fcended  from  the  eldeft  Son  of  7/5W,  to  whom  the 
 chief  Authority  in  the  Nation  belonged  ,  which  Mo~ 
 fes  had  taken  upon  himfelf  5  and  likewife  preferred 
 the  Tribe  of  Judah  to  the  principal  place  in  their  en- 
 campment, (II.  3.)  and  alfothe  LXX.  Elders  to  be 
 his  Aliiftants,without  their  Advice,  and  leaving  them 
 out  of  the  number. 
 
 Such  as  thefe  may  be  thought  to  be  the  grounds  up- 
 on which  they  proceeded  :  Korah  feeking  the  Prieft- 
 hood,  and  the  Sons  of  Reuben  the  Civil  Dignity.  But 
 it  feems  to  me  that  the  ground  of  the  Quarrel  was 
 wholly  upon  the  account  of  the  Priefthood,  (  as  I 
 fhall  (how  upon  the  next  verfe)  and  that  they  ftruck 
 at  Mofes  only  as  advancing  his  Brother,  and  his  Fa- 
 mily, by  his  own  Authority,  and  not  (as  they  pre- 
 tended) by  God's  direftion.  For  as  Dathan  and  Abi- 
 ram  did  not  appear  openly,  when  they  had  formed 
 this  Fa&ion,  (for  we  find  them  in  their  Tents,*;.  12. 
 and  refufing  to  come  to  Mofes  when  he  fent  for  them) 
 fo  in  the  next  verfe,  they  feem  to  fpeak  of  nothing 
 but  the  Priefthood  :  And  fo  Mofes  underftood  their 
 meaning,*/.  5, 10, 15.  P  p  Be- 
 
i9o  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Before  Mofes.~]     In  an  open  defiance  of  his  Autho- 
 XVI.    rity  5  who,  they  pretended  had  no  power  to  make 
 L^V\J  fuch  Alterations  as  he  had  done. 
 
 With  certain  of  the  Children  of  IfraeL  ~]  It  is  not 
 faid  out  of  what  Tribe  5  but  it  is  likely  out  of  feve- 
 ral  5  if  not  fome  out  of  every  Tribe,  in  whom  they 
 had  any  intereft. 
 
 Two  hundred  and  fifty  Princes  of  the  Affembly^  &C.  3 
 The  LXX.  divide  their  Chara&er  inro  three  parts. 
 Firft,  That  they  were  Princes  of  the  AjferMy,  dp%Yiy*s 
 auuayttfk,  Rulers  of  Thoufands,and  Rulers  of  Hun- 
 dreds, &c.     And  Secondly, 
 
 Famous  in  the  Congregation."]  Which  they  tranOate 
 attoktoflw  jSaAjfe,  who  ufed  to  be  called  to  Publick 
 Confutations,  when  they  were  to  deliberate  about 
 weighty  Affairs.  And  fo  feveral,  both  ancient  and 
 modern  Tranflations,  as  Mr.  Selden  hath  (hown,L.II. 
 de  Synedrik,  cap.  4./*.  10.  where  he  faith,  they  were 
 called  maxime  puto,  ft  non  folurn,  deliberandi  caufa, 
 chiefly,  if  not  only,  to  have  their  Advice.  And  then 
 laftly, 
 
 Men  ofrenownT]  Such  who  had  got  a  great  Name 
 (that  is,  Fame  and  Credit)  among  the  People,  upon 
 thefe,  or  other  accounts.  This  made  the  Infurre&ion 
 the  more  dangerous,  that  fuch  great  Perfons  were 
 engaged  and  appeared  in  it. 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  3.  And  they  gathered  themfelves  together. 1  The 
 fore-named  Company  came  in  a  Body. 
 
 AgainSi  MofesT]  As  an  arbitrary  Difpofer  of  all 
 Preferment. 
 
 And  againli  Aaron.  3  Who  was  promoted  by  Afo- 
 fes  to  the  Office  of  High-Prieft  ,  which  he  himfelf 
 had  difcharged  before  Aaron  s  Confecration :  which, 
 perhaps,  they  made  a  ground  of  their  Quarrel, 
 
 And 
 
upon  NUMBERS,  api 
 
 And  f aid  unto  them,  Te  take  too  much  upon  you."]     In    Chapter 
 the  Hebrew  the  words  are  Rab-lachem ,  it  is  fuflicient     XVI. 
 for  you.     That  is,  you  have  domineered   long  e-  U""V%J 
 nough  5  reflgn  your  Places  to  others :  for  all  of  us, 
 nay,  every  Man  in  Ifrael,  is  as  good  as  you. 
 
 Seeing  all  the  Congregation  are  holy, every  one  of  them."] 
 Here  feems  to  be  the  Root  of  the  Quarrel.  Before 
 Mofess  time  every  one  might  offer  Sacrifice  in  his  own 
 Family,  (as  I  have  often  obferved)  which  Cuftom 
 thefe  Men  would  have  had  ftill  continued  :  being  an- 
 gry that  this  high  Office  was  confined  to  one  Family 
 alone,  who  were  to  enjoy  all  the  Benefits  of  it  5  which 
 were  exceeding  great.  For  the  Priefts  had  a  large 
 {hare  in  moft  Offerings ,  and  fome  thing9  wholly  to 
 themfelves.  This  is  the  more  probable,  becaufe  it 
 was  fo  very  hard  to  convince  the  People  ,  that  God 
 had  fettled  this  Dignity,  and  all  the  Profits  belong- 
 ing to  it,  in  Aaron s  Family,  For  though  God  did  a 
 new  thing  never  heard  of  before,  to  demonftrate 
 thefe  People  that  rofe  againft  Mofes  and  Aaron,  to  be 
 Seditious,  yet  it  was  neceffary  ftill  to  do  more.  For 
 after  the  Earth  had  fwallowed  up  Dathan  and  Abi- 
 ram,  and  Fire  confumed  Korah  and  his  Company, 
 and  a  Plague  deftroyed  many  more  of  them  5  the 
 LORD  did  another  Miracle,  XVII.  8.  in  making 
 Aaron  s  Rod  bloflbm,  and  bud,  and  bring  forth  Al- 
 monds in  one  Nights  time  5  when  all  the  reft  of  the 
 Rods  remained  dry  Sticks.  Which  makes  it  probable, 
 as  I  faid  before,  there  were  fome  in  all  the  Tribes  , 
 who  were  engaged  in  this  Sedition  5  and  were  fo  deep- 
 ly infefted  with  the  falfe  Notions  of  Korah,  that  it 
 was  neceflary  to  give  them  all  this  Satisfa&ion. 
 
 Pp  2  And 
 
api  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       And  the   LORD  k  among  them7\     The  People 
 XVI.     need  no  other  Governour  but  him, who  dwells  among 
 
 L/V^VJ  them  in  his  Tabernacle  $  where  they  can  prefent  their 
 Sacrifices  to  him  themfelves ,  without  your  Afli- 
 ftance. 
 
 Wherefore  then  lift  you  tip  your  J elves  above  the  Con- 
 gregation  of  the  LO  R  D.~]  Since  God  owns  us  all 
 for  his  fpecial  and  peculiar  People,  why  do  you  take 
 upon  you  fuch  high  Places  and  Dignity  above  us  all  > 
 For  Mofes  difpofed  and  ordered  all  things :  and  Aa- 
 ron,  by  his  order,  took  upon  him  to  be  folely  God's 
 chief  Minifter  in  his  San&uary. 
 
 Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  And  when  Mofes  heard  ft,  he  fell  upon  hk 
 face7\  With  Aaron  alfo,it  is  likely  5  as  they  did  late- 
 ly, XIV.  5.  And  for  the  fame  end,  (See  there)  to 
 deprecate  God's  difpleafure,  (which  they  might  juftly 
 think  would  now  rife  higher  than  ever  )  and  to  beg 
 his  dire&ion,  what  to  do,  in  fuch  a  dangerous  ftate  of 
 things. 
 
 ¥erfe  5.  Ver.  5.  And  he  Jpal^e  unto  Korah  ,  and  unto  all  hk 
 Company.']  This  fhows  that  Korah  was  the  Head  of 
 this  Faction,  and  Dathan  and  Abiram  did  not  at  the 
 firft  (I  guefs  from  hence)  appear  with  him. 
 
 Saying.~]  Being  rifen  up  from  Prayer,  he  made  this 
 Anfwer  to  the  Seditious  People,  by  order  from  God  $ 
 who,  no  doubt,  direfted  him  to  this  way  of  fuppref- 
 iing  them. 
 
 Even  to  morrow  the  LO R  D  will JIjow ,8cc. ~]  In  the 
 Hebrew  the  words  are,  To  morrow  (or  ,  in  the  Morn- 
 ing) and  the  LORD  wiUfiow,  &c.  That  is,  flay 
 but  till  to  Morrow,  and  it  ihall  appear,  without  any 
 further  delay,  whether  you  or  we  be  in  the  right. 
 He  would  keep  them  in  fufpenfe  no  longer  -0  and  yet 
 gave  them  fo  much  time  to  confider  better,  and  re- 
 pent, 
 
upon  NUMBER  S.  2?y 
 
 pent.     Some  obferve  that  the  Morning  was  the  time    Chapter 
 of  executing  Juftice,  and  therefore  here  appointed.        XVI. 
 Will  the  LORD  f!)or»r\     By  feme  vifible  Token.    U'VSJ 
 Who  are  hfr.~]     Or,  Who  appertain  to  him :  viz.  As 
 his  Minifters. 
 
 And  who  k  holy7\  Separated  and  folemnly  Confe- 
 crated,  by  his  appointment,  to  the  Sacred  Office  of 
 Priefchood. 
 
 And  will  caufe  him  to  come  near  unto  him.~\  Make  it 
 appear  that  they  are  the  Perfons  who  ought  to  burn 
 Incenfe,  and  to  offer  Sacrifice.  For  to  come  near ,is  to 
 perform  thefe  Offices,  as  may  be  learnt  from  XIX  Le- 
 vit.22.  but  efpecially  from  X  Levit.  3.  And  the  very 
 word  Cohen  denotes  it  5  for  it  fignifies  a  Minijier  next 
 to  the  King. 
 
 And  him  whom  he  hath  chofen,  will  he  caufe  to  come 
 near  unto  him.']  They  (hall  difcharge  the  Office  of 
 Priefthood,  whom  God  himfelf  hath  chofen  to  it  3 
 and  no  Body  elfe. 
 
 Ver.  6.  This  do7\     I  put  you  to  this  Trial.  Verfe  6, 
 
 Take  your  Cenfers.~]  Perform  the  Office  of  Priefts, 
 unto  which  you  pretend  a  right. 
 
 Korah,  and  all  his  Company  J]  All  the  Two  hun- 
 dred and  fifty  Men  ,  and  whofoever  elfe  were  in  the 
 Faftion  of  Kcrah.  Whom  he  orders,  no  doubt,  by 
 God's  dire&ion,  to  execute  the  Office  to  which  they 
 afpired. 
 
 Ver.  7.  Put  Fire  therein,  and  put  Incenfe  in  them. "]  Verfe     ] 
 As  the  Priefts  were  wont  to  do. 
 
 Before  the  LORD  to  morrow.  ~]  At  the  Altar  of 
 Incenfe,as  fome  conceive,before  the  moft  Holy  Place. 
 So  Menochius.  But  this  is  contrary  to  v.  18.  where 
 we  read,  they  flood  in  the  door  of  the  Tabernacle,  with 
 their  Cenfers,  Fire,  and  Incenfe.     Nor  would  the 
 
 Sanctuary 
 
a$>4  A     COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  San&uary  contain  fuch  a  Company  :  or,  if  it  had 
 XVI.    been  large  enough,  the  People  could  not  have  leen  , 
 
 L/*W  either  their  Offering,  or  their  Punifhment  from  the 
 LORD  for  their  Sin.  Therefore  thefe  words  before 
 the  LO R  D  fignifie,  with  their  Faces  towards  the 
 San&uary,at  the  Gate  of  which  they  flood  :  for  what 
 was  done  there,  is  faid  to  be  before  the  LOR D, 
 XXIX  Exod.42. 
 
 And  it  full  be, that  the  Man  whom  the  LORD  doth 
 choofe,  he  Jhall  be  holy7\  This  comprehends  both  the 
 Man  and  all  his  Family :  fo  the  meaning  is,the  LORD 
 would  declare  whether  Aaron  and  his  Sons  (hould 
 execute  the  Priefthood  alone,  or  Korah  and  his  Com- 
 pany be  admitted  to  it. 
 
 Te  take  too  much  upon  you,  ye  Sons  of  Levi.']  It  is 
 the  fame  Phrafe  which  we  had  before,.^.  3.  Rab- 
 lachem^  you  are  high  enough  already  ,  let  the  (Nati- 
 on wherein  you  are  fuffice  you,  and  afpire  not  after 
 greater  Dignity.  The  following  words  juftifie  this 
 Interpretation. 
 Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  And  Mofesfaid  unto  Korah,  hear  I  pray  you, 
 ye  Sons  ofLcviJ]  By  this5and  by  the  foregoing  verfe, 
 it  appears,  not  only  that  there  were  fome  of  the  Le- 
 vites  in  this  Sedition,  together  with  Korah,  at  the 
 Head  of  them  :  but  that  they  were  the  chief  Incendi- 
 aries, (though  others,  as  I  faid  before,  were  drawn 
 in  to  joyn  with  them)  becaufe  Mofes  addrefles  himfelf 
 only  to  them. 
 
 Verfe  Q.        Ver.  9.  Seemethit  afmallthingunto  you7\     Do  you 
 take  it  to  be  no  honour  to  you. 
 
 That  the  God  of  Ifrael  hath  feparated  you  from  the 
 Congregation  of  IfraeL~\  Made  choice  of  you  above 
 all  other  Ifraelites,  to  wait  upon  him  in  his  Family,as 
 his  Domeftick  Servants,  UlNuwb.12.  VIII.  6, 14. 
 
 To 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  2p$ 
 
 To  bring  you  near  to  himfelf]     Though  not  fo  near  Chapter 
 as  the  Priefts  $  yet  nearer  than  all  other  Men  :  being     XVI. 
 the  fole  Attendants  upon  the  Priefts,  III.  6.  VIII.  ^^v-^-^; 
 
 10,  II. 
 
 To  do  the  Service  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  LO  R  D.~] 
 III.  7,  8.  particularly  the  KohathHes  were  chofen  to 
 do  the  Service  of  the  Tabernacle,  about  the  molt  holy 
 things,  IV.  4,  19.. 
 
 And  to  ft  and before  the  Congregation ,to  minifter  unto 
 them,  VIII.  11,  19. 
 
 Ver.  10.  And  he  hath  brought  thee  near  to  him,  and  Verfe  ro , . 
 all  thy  Brethren  the  Sons  of  Levi  with  thee.']  Or,  Though 
 he  hath  brought  thee  (fpeaking  unto  Korah)  thus  near 
 to  him  ^  and  all  the  reft  of  the  Levites  thy  Brethren. 
 See  VIII.  10,  ii,  15,19. 
 
 Andfeeh^ye  the  Priejihood  alfo  ?~]  Will  it  not  con^ 
 tent  you,  that  you  alone  are  chofen  to  minifter  un- 
 to the  Priefts,  III.  6.  but  you  muft  be  advanced,  to 
 minifter  unto  God  in  their  Office  ? 
 
 Ver,  1 1.  For  which  caufe  both  thou,  and  all  thy  Com-  Verfe  1  m 
 pany,  are  gathered  together  again  ft  the  LO  RD.~]  By 
 whofe  order  Aaron  and  his  Sons  were  appointed  to 
 ferve  him  in  the  Office  of  Priefts  5  as  was  declared 
 when  the  Levites  were  taken  to  minifter  unto  them, 
 III.  3.  IV.  15, 19,  20.  And  therefore  to  rife  up  a- 
 gainft them,  was  to  rife  up  againtt  the  LORD , 
 and  oppofe  his  Authority  ,  who  made  them  his 
 Priefts. 
 
 And  what  is  Aaron 7]  Or,  And  Aaron ,  what  hath  he 
 done  s?  Wherein  is  he  faulty  ? 
 
 That  ye  murmur  againft  him  f\  For  taking  upon 
 him  the  Office  of  Priefthood  5  into  which  he  did  not 
 intrude  himfelf,  but  was  chofen  and  appointed  by 
 
 God; 
 
■296  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  God  to  do  him  that  Service :  who  would  have  been 
 XVI.     angry  with  him,  if  he  had  refufed  it, 
 
 L/^VfSJ       Ver.  12.  And  Mofes  fent  to  call Dathan  and  Abiram 
 
 VerfeJ  12.  the  Sons  of El/ah.]  To  Summon  them  to  the  place 
 where  Mofes  now  was  5  which  the  Jews  fay  was  the 
 Court  of  Judgment.  This  (hows  that  either  thefe 
 Men  (as  I  laid  v.2.*)  did  not  openly  appear  with  Ko- 
 rah  and  his  Company  againft  Mofes, \.  3.  Or,if  they 
 did,  they  retired  to  their  Tents ,  before  he  rofe  up 
 from  his  Prayer,  to  give  them  an  Anfwer. 
 
 What  became  ot  On,  we  are  not  informed:  for 
 he  is  neither  mentioned  here  ,  nor  in  the  following 
 part  of  this  Narrative,  concerning  their  Sedition  5 
 rjor  any  where  elie  in  the  Holy  Scripture. 
 
 Which  fard.  We  will  not  come  tip."]  They  bad  the 
 Mefienger,  who  fummoned  them  to  appear  before 
 Mofes,  to  tell  him  plainly  that  they  denied  his  Au- 
 thority. For  that's  the  meaning  of  this  Language, 
 He  hath  no  Authority  to  command  m,  who  are  none  of  his 
 Subjects  5  and  therefore  will  not  obey  him. 
 
 Verfe  ijo  Ver.  13.  Is  it  a  fm all  thing  with  thee,  that  thou  hafl 
 brought  w  up  out  of  a  Land  flowing  with  Milk, ,  and 
 Honey,  to  kjH  us  in  the  Wildernefs  f\  Though  they 
 would  not  come  to  him,  yet  they  returned  him  this 
 Meflage  §  Have  we  not  fuftered  enough  ,  by  being 
 brought  out  of  a  rich  and  plentiful  Country  ^bound- 
 ing with  all  good  things,  into  a  barren  Wildernefs, 
 where  we  are  ready  to  ftarve  ?  Nothing  could  be 
 more  infolentand  ungrateful,  than  to  defcribe  Egypt 
 in  the  very  fame  Language  wherein  God  himfelf  had 
 often  fpoken  of  the  Land  of  Promife  :  particularly 
 when  he  fent  Mofes  to  tell  them,  he  would  bring  them 
 up  out  of  the  Affliction  of  Egypt ,  under  which  they 
 groaned.  Ill  Exod.  16,  17. 
 
 Except 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  2^7 
 
 Except  thou  make  thy  f elf  altogether  a  Prince  ever  usf\  Chapter 
 Unlefs  we  allow  thee  to  make  what  Laws  thou  think-      XVI. 
 eft  good,  and  itnpofe  what  thou  pleafeft  upon  us  ?  L/'VNJ 
 A  moft  rude  and  infolent  Speech  5  fignifying  that 
 they  had  not  lhaken  off  the  Yoke  of  Bondage  3  but 
 only   exchanged  it :    and  inftead  of  the  Rich  and 
 Wealthy  Oppreffion  of  Pharaoh,  were  come  under  the 
 Poor  and  Hungry  Tyranny  of  Mefes.     For  fo  the 
 next  verfe  imports. 
 
 Ver.  14.  Moreover,  thou  hatt  not  brought  us  into  a  Verfe  14. 
 Land  thatfloweth  with  Milk^and  Honey ,&c.]  Or5  cer- 
 tainly, this  is  not  the  good  Land  into  which  thou 
 didft  promife  to  condudt  us.  It  feems  to  be  a  Sarca- 
 fiical  Speech  5  Upbraiding  him,  as  if  he  had  put  a 
 Cheat  upon  them,  and  fed  them  only  with  good 
 Words  5  to  which  they  would  no  longer  truft. 
 
 Or  given  us  Inheritance  of  Fields  and  Vineyards.  ~] 
 But  told  us  it  {hall  be  beftowed  forty  years  hence,when 
 we  are  all  dead.  This  ftill  (hows  they  took  him ,  for 
 a  Deluder  of  them  with  deceitful  Promifes. 
 
 Wilt  thou  put  out  the  Eyes  of  thefe  Men  .<?  ]  Some  of 
 them  fpake  this  in  the  name  of  the  reft,  who  were 
 now  with  Dathan  and  Abiram :  and  the  meaning  is, 
 Doft  thou  think  to  blind  us  fo,  that  none  of  us  (hall 
 difcern  this  Impofture  ?  Or,  (hall  we  fufFer  thee  to 
 lead  us  about  like  blind  Men,  whither  thou  pleafeft  § 
 fometimes  towards  Canaan ,  and  now  back  again  to- 
 wards the  Red  Sea,  and  Egypt  g 
 
 We  will  not  come  up."]  A  peremptory  Refolution, 
 not  to  own  his  Authority  5  which  they  denied  at  the 
 firft,  ^.12. 
 
 Ver.  15.  AndMofeswas  very  wroth.']     For  fuch  be-  Verfe  15, 
 haviour  and  Language  was  fo  provoking,  that  it  was 
 no  wonder  it  incenfed  the  meekeft  Man  upon  Earth , 
 
 Q.  q  XII. 
 
ap8  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  XII.  3.     Yet  the  LXX.  tranflate  the  words,  as  if  he 
 XVI.     only  took,  it  very  heavily ,  iGcL^jSv/AMtt  <?$&&.,  it  made 
 
 L/~VSJ  hta  exceeding  fad. 
 
 And  J aid  unto  the  LORD,  rcfyetf  not  their  Offer- 
 ing.~]  He  calls  the  Incenfe,  which  they  were  about 
 to  offer  by  the  Name  of  Mincha ,  which  commonly 
 fignifies  a  Meat-offering  3  but  fometimes  any  inanimate 
 thing  that  was  confumed  in  honour  of  God,  as  In- 
 cenfe was  5  and  muft  fo  fignifie  in  this  place,  for  they 
 offered  nothing  elfe.  And  when  Mofes  defires  it  may 
 not  be  accepted,  he  means  a  great  deal  more  3  that  God 
 would  give  fome  Sign  of  his  diflike  to  it.  Hence  it 
 feems  plain  to  me,  That  Dathan  and  Abiram^s  well  as 
 Korah,  quarrelled  at  the  confining  the  Prieftood  unto 
 Aaron  s  Family  3  for  Mofes  calls  this  their  Offering  5 
 by  the  Acceptance  or  Reje&ion  of  which,  this  Con- 
 trover  fie  was  to  be  decided. 
 
 /  have  not  taJ^en  one  Afs  from  them.  ~]  This  feems 
 to  be  an  Appeal  toGod,againft  their  unjuft  Charge, 
 that  he  a&ed  Arbitrarily->and  did  with  them  what  he 
 lift,  v.  1 3.  From  which  he  was  fo  far  ,  that  he  de- 
 clares before  God  he  had  not  taken,  i.  e.  received  by 
 way  of  Gift  or  Reward,  (So  the  LXX.  and  the  Vnl- 
 gar  underftand  it)  the  fmalleft  thing,  (  for  fuch  a 
 fingle  Afs  was)  much  lefs  extorted  any  thing  from 
 them. 
 
 Nor  have  J  hurt  any  one  of  them7\  None  can  fay 
 that  I  have  done  any  kind  of  Evil  to  them  5  but  con- 
 trarily,  all  good  Offices.  For  that  he  did  not  feek 
 himfelf,  appeared  in  this,  That  he  had  not  advanced 
 his  own  Family  to  the  Prieftood,  but  left  them  in  the 
 number  of  the  other  Levites^upon  the  fame  level  with 
 Korah  and  his  Company. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon  N  U  M  B  E  R  S.  *99 
 
 Ver.  1 6.  And  Mofes  faid  unto  Korah ,  Z>e  f/W  tf^  Chapter 
 all  thy  Company  before  the  LO  R  D,  &c. "]     He  repeats     X  VI. 
 what  he  had  faid  to  him  before,*;.  6tf.  only  adding,  u/"V"VJ 
 that  he  would  have  Aaron  alfo  there,  together  with  Verfe  16. 
 them.     So  it  follows  ,  Thou  and  they  ,    and  Aaron  to 
 morrow. 
 
 Before  the  LO  R  D.]  L  e.  In  the  Court  of  the  Ta- 
 bernacle, (See  v.j.)  where,by  an  extraordinary  Com- 
 tniffion  from  the  Divine  Majefty,  this  Trial  was  to 
 be  made.  And  therefore  Aaron  himfelf  did  not  now 
 go  into  the  San&uary  to  offer  Incenfe  (which  was  the 
 proper  and  only  place  allowed  by  the  Law)  but  flood 
 with  them  without.  As  in  another  great  neceffity 
 he  offered  Incenfe  in  the  midSl  of  the  Congregation,  v. 
 46, 47.  Both  which  was  done  by  a  Difpenfation  from 
 him  that  made  the  Law. 
 
 Ver.  1 7.  Take  every  Man  his  Cenfer,  and  put  Incenfe  Verfe  17. 
 in  them,  and  bring  ye  before  the  LO  RD  every  Man 
 his  Cenfer.~\  Let  every  Man  of  them  (land  before  the 
 LORD,  at  the  Door  of  the  Tabernacle,  to  do  the 
 Office  of  Priefts }  to  which  they  pretended  as  good  a 
 right  as  Aaron  and  his  Sons. 
 
 Two  hundred  and  fifty  Cenfers7\  This  fhows  that 
 the  Incenfe  being  offered  by  fo  great  a  number  (as  it 
 appears  it  was,  ^.35.)  they  did  not  offer  it  in  the 
 San&uary^  which  would  not  contain  fo  many  Per- 
 fons. 
 
 Thou  alfo  and  Aaron,  each  of  yon  his  Cenfer."]  This 
 feems  to  fignifte,  as  if  Korah  was  commanded  to  ftand 
 by  Aaron  ,  fince  he  pretended  to  be  his  equal.  5 
 which  made  the  Hand  of  God  the  more  remarkable 
 upon  him,  when  he  was  (truck  with  Lightning,  and 
 no  harm  came  to  Aaron,  who  ftood  by  him.  But 
 it  may  be  doubted,  what  way  Korah  perifhed. 
 
 Qq  2  Ver. 
 
3oo  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  18.  And  they  took  every  Man  hk  Cenfer."]  That 
 XVI.     is,  the  Two  hundred  and  fifty  Men  did  as  they  were 
 IVWj  commanded  :  but  Korah  went  firft  to  mufter  up  as 
 Verfe  18.  many  as  he  could  get  together  againft  Mofes  ,  v.   19. 
 and    then   feems   to  have  gone  to  his  Tent,  v.  24. 
 Herein  thefe  Men  fubmitted  to  the  way  of  decifion 
 which  Mofes  propounded,  though  they  had  fo  bold- 
 ly denied  his  Authority.     For  they  could  not  but 
 think,  that  God,  whom  they   owned  to  be  among 
 them,  v.  3.  would  approve  of  them,  if  they  were  in 
 the  right  5  and  make  good  their  Allegation,  That  all 
 the  Congregation  were  holy,  by  accepting  their  Incenfe5 
 as  much  as  Aaron  s.     To  whom  they  did  not  deny 
 an  equality  with  themfelves  3  but  only  a  Superio- 
 rity. 
 
 And  put  fire  in  them .]  From  the  Altar  of  Burnt- 
 offering,  which  flood  in  the  Court ,  at  the  Door  of 
 which  they  were  placed,  (I  Lev.  5.)  for  Aaron  durft 
 not  take  it  from  any  other  place  :  his  Sons  having  loft 
 their  Lives  for  offering  with  ftrange  Fire.  The  re- 
 membrance of  which,  it  is  likely,  deterred  thefe  Men 
 from  doing  other  wife  5  who  did  not  as  yet  put  in 
 the  Fire,  but  only  took  their  Cenfers,  and  put  In- 
 cenfe  in  them,  (which  is  all  that  is  ordered  in  the 
 preceding  Verfe)  and  put  Fire  in  afterwards. 
 
 And  flood  in  the  door  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congre- 
 gation with  Mofes  and  Aaron.~]  As  if  they  were  nothing 
 inferiour  to  them. 
 Verfe  19.  Ver*  *9-  And  Korah  gathered  all  the  Congregation 
 againfl  them7\  The  LXX.  tranflates  it,  Korah  ga- 
 thered all  hk  Congregation,  i.  e.  all  the  Men  of  his  Fa- 
 ction. But  the  Hebrew  words  import  that  he  gather- 
 ed all  the  Congregation  of  Ifrael,  at  leaft  all  the  great 
 Men  3  who  are  fometimes  called  by  the  Name  of  all 
 
 the 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  331 
 
 the  Congregation,  XIV.  1.  whom  he  got  together,  that  Chapter- 
 they  might  be  Witnefies,  at  leaft,  of  the  iffue  of  this      XVL 
 Trial :    though  their  coming    together  with  Korah  L/*V"\J 
 and  his  Company,  rather  than  with  Mofes  and  Aaron, 
 is  too  plain  an  Indication  that  they  were  inclined,  if 
 not  to  throw  off,  yet  to  doubt  of  their  Authority. 
 
 Unto  the  door  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation."] 
 Where  they  themfelves  flood,  v.  18.  And  io  did 
 Mofes  and  Aaron  :  but  the  Ifraelites,  that  Korah  had 
 gathered  together,  flood  on  his  fide,  as  appears  from 
 the  foregoing  words,  and  from  v.  24. 
 
 And  the  Glory  of  the  LORD.]  The  SCHECHI- 
 NAH,  or  Divine  Majefty,  came  forth  out  of  the  moft 
 Holy  Place,  where  it  ufually  refided. 
 
 Appeared  unto  all  the  Congregation.}  Openly  (hew- 
 ed it  felf  in  the  fight  of  all  the  People  :  and  ,  it  is 
 likely,  in  fuch  an  amazing  manner  ,  as  it  had  done 
 before,  XIV.  10.  But  where  it  appeared,  we  are  not 
 told:  I  fuppofe  in  the  Cloud,  which  was  juft  over 
 the  Ark  of  the  Teftimony,  IX.  15..  not  in  the  Door 
 of  the  Tabernacle,  for  there  Korah  and  his  Company 
 flood.  See  XVI  Exod.  10.  And  the  end  of  the 
 LORD's  appearing  was  to  to  give  Sentence  in  this 
 cafe  5  and  to  declare,  by  a  vifible  Token,  whom  he 
 accepted  as  his  Priefls.  Thus  the  Glory  of  the 
 LORD  appeared  the  firft  time  that  Aaron  and  his 
 Sons  offered  Sacrifice,  IX  Lev.  6,  23. 
 
 Ver.  20.  And  the  LORD  Jpake  unto  Mofes  and  Verfe  20, 
 Aaron,  faying.]     A  little  before  they  put  Fire  in  their 
 Cenfers. 
 
 Ver.  21.  Separate  your felves  from  this  Congregation."]  Verfe  2  5* 
 Viz.  From  Korah  and  his  Company,  and  the  People 
 they  brought  along  with  them  $  who  feemed  to  fa- 
 vour them,  v,  19, 
 
 That 
 
3o2  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Tfjat  I  may  confume  them  in  a  moment^]     As  he  did 
 
 XVI.    Korah  and  his  Companions. 
 W"V"NJ       Ver.  2  2.   And  they  fell  on  their  faces.  ]     To  pray  to 
 Verfe  22*  God,  as  they  had  done  before,  ^.4. 
 
 0  Godf]     The  mod  mighty. 
 
 The  God  of  the  Spirits  of  all  Fle/h."]  Who  haft  crea- 
 ted the  Souls  of  all  Mankind,  (fo  Flefh  often  figni- 
 fies  all  Men,  VI  Gen.  13.)  and  therefore  fearcheft  in- 
 to their  mod  fecret  Thoughts  and  Inclinations.  So 
 thefe  words  fignifie,  XXVII.  16. 
 
 Shall  one  Man  fin.~\  Korah,  who  was  the  chief  In- 
 cendiary and  Contriver  of  this  Sedition. 
 
 And  wilt  thou  be  wroth  with  all  the  Congregation  f] 
 Many  of  which  he  thought  might,  through   weak- 
 nefs,  be  feduced  into  this  Faction  :  having  no  Malice 
 at  all  in  their  hearts.     Which  God  knew  perfeftly  3 
 and  therefore  he  begs  of  him  that  he  would  make  a 
 diftincYion,  between  fuch  as  thefe, and  the  Men  that 
 milled  them. 
 Verfe  23.       Ver.  23.  And  the  LORD  Jpake  unto  Mofes,  fay- 
 ing7\     He  bad  him  rife  up,  having  granted  his  Peti- 
 tion. 
 Verfe  24.      Ver.  24.   Speak,  unto  tlx  Congregation.  ~]     Whom 
 'Korah  had  gathered  together,  and   brought  along 
 with  him  to  the  Door  of  the  Tabernacle,  v.  19. 
 
 Get  ye  up  from  about  the  Tabernacle  of  Korah  ,  Da- 
 than,  and  Abiram.~]  Which,  it  feems  ,  was  not  far 
 off}  or  wherefoever  it  was,  there  a  great  number  of 
 People  was  gathered  together,  to  fee  what  would  be 
 the  Conclulion  of  this  Conteft.  The  word  Taberna* 
 cle\%  in  the  Singular  Number 5  but  includes  all  the 
 Tents  belonging  to  thefe  Men,  as  appears  (romv.26. 
 Or,  perhaps,  they  had  fet  up  one  great  Tabernacle, 
 (for  the  word  here  is  Mifchcan, which  may  be  thought 
 
 to 
 
upon  NUMBER  S.  033 
 
 to  fignifie  more  than  Ohel,  a  Tent, v. 26  J)  unto  which  Chapter 
 abundance  of  People  reforted,  as  the  place  that  Ko-    XVI. 
 rah  and  the  reft  had  appointed  for  the  general  Ren-  L/VNJ 
 devour  (as  we  now  fpeak)  of  all  their  Party.     For 
 here  Dathan  and  Abiram,  it  is  evident,  (^.27.)  were 
 with  him :  but  there  is  no  mention  at  all  of  On  -0 
 which  makes  it  probablehe  had  forfaken  them,  asMo- 
 fes  wiftit  all  the  People  to  do  -0  on  which  Condition 
 Cod  promifed  to  pardon  them. 
 
 Ver.2  5.  And  Mofes  rofe  up  and  went  unto  Dathan  and  Verfe  2  5. 
 Abiram."]     To  try,  I  fuppofe,  if  he  could  reduce  them 
 to  their  Obedience,and  prevent  their  ruine.  He  feems 
 to  have  had  no  hopes  of  Korah  3  but  lookt  upon  him 
 as  incorrigible. 
 
 And  the  Elders  of  Israel  followed  him.  ]  Either  the 
 LXX.  Elders,  who  were  lately  chofen  out  of  the 
 reft,  (XI.  16.)  or  the  whole  Body  of  thofe  who 
 were  called  by  that  Name,  and  were  Men  of  Autho- 
 rity, attended  upon  him,  to  make  this  Afrion  more 
 folemn^  and  to  let  Daihan  and  Abiram  fee  how  much 
 Mofes  was  reverenced  by  better  Men  than  themfelves, 
 who  refufed  to  come  to  him,  v.  12, 14. 
 
 Ver.  26.  And f^ake  unto  the  Congregation,  faying.  ]  verre  off- 
 It  feems  Dathan  and  Abiram  refufed  to  hear  him  ,  as 
 they  did  to  come  to  him  :  for  here  is  no  mention  of 
 any  thing  he  fpake  to  them  5  but  only  to  the  Congre- 
 gation, who  were  gathered  about  their  Tents. 
 
 Depart,  I  pray  you,  from  the  Tents  of  thefe  wicked 
 MenJ]  I  fuppofe  now  they  were  gone  to  their  own 
 Tents,  where  their  Families  were  5  from  which,  he 
 befeeches  the  People  to  remove  with  all  fpeed.  And 
 he  doth  not  mean  merely  that  they  fhould  remove 
 their  Per fons  from  them,  but  their  Tents,  and  their 
 Goods,  and  Cattle, 
 
 And 
 
3o4  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       And  touch  nothing  of  theirs."]     Becaufe  all   belong- 
 XVI.     ing  unto  them  wasunder  anAnathema.whkh  God  had 
 sw^-v^-^  .paffed  upon  them.     That  is,  was  devoted  to  defini- 
 tion, and  therefore  not  to  be  touched ,  XIII  Dent. 
 17. 
 
 Lett  ye  be  confumcd  in  all  their  fins.  ]  Deftroyed 
 with  them  5  who  had  finned  fo  grievoufly  ,  as  to  fall 
 under  the  Curfe  before-mentioned. 
 Verfe  27.  Ver.  27.  So  they  gat  up  from  the  Tabernacle  of  Korah, 
 Dathan,  and  Abiram.]  Where  the  greateft  number  of 
 People  were  gathered  together,  as  I  obferved,  v.  24. 
 For  here  is  the  fame  word  Mifchcan  again,  in  the  Sin- 
 gular Number  5  denoting  fome  fpacious  Habitation, 
 where  perhaps  they  held  their  Confutations  3  and 
 unto  which  there  was  the  greateft  refort. 
 
 On  every  fide."]  From  which  we  may  conclude, 
 that  the  People  had  come  from  all  quarters  of  the 
 Camp,  to  thefe  Rebels  ^  either  to  joyn  with  them,  or 
 out  of  Curiofity  to  fee  how  things  would  go. 
 
 And  Dathan  and  Abiram.']  With  Korah  alfo  ,  it 
 may  be  thought,  becaufe  he  is  mentioned  in  the  be- 
 ginning of  the  Verfe.  Yet  this  Conclufion  cannot 
 be  drawn  from  thence,  for  it  is  not  faid  he  was  now 
 there  5  but  that  it  was  the  Tabernacle  of  Korah ,  Da- 
 than and  Abiram  3  where  they  ufed,  I  fuppofe,  to 
 meet. 
 
 Came  out.']  From  the  Tabernacle  before-mention- 
 ed. 
 
 And  flood  in  the  door  of  their  Tents."]  Of  their  own 
 Tents  5  where  they  commonly  dwelt. 
 
 And  their  Wives,  and  their  Sons,  and  their  Children.] 
 With  their  whole  Families.  This  was  the  higheft 
 degree  of  audacious  and  hardned  Infidelity  3  where- 
 bj  they  declared  that  they  feared  not  what  Mofes 
 
 (who 
 
^NUMBERS.  3o5 
 
 (who  had  given  the  greateft  proof  he  was  a  Man  of  Chapter 
 God)  could  do  unto  them.  XVI. 
 
 Ver.  28.  And  Mofes  fa/d.]  Unto  all  the  People  u^y^sj 
 of  Ifrael  $  or  to  the  Elders,  and  as  many  as  could  Verfe  28. 
 hear  him. 
 
 Hereby  you  fiall  knowT]  I  will  now  give  you  an  e- 
 vident  Demonftration. 
 
 That  the  LORD  hathfent  me  to  do  allthefe  works.'] 
 That  I  have  been  commiffioned  by  God  to  do  all  the 
 things  with  which  thofe  Men  find  fault  :  particularly 
 to  take  upon  me  the  Government  of  them  5  and  to 
 put  Aaron  and  his  Family  into  the  Priefthood}  and 
 make  the  Levites  only  their  Minifters,dv.  See  ^.2,3, 
 13,14. 
 
 For  I  have  not  done  them  of  my  own  mind.  ]  In  the 
 Hebrew  the  words  are.,  And  that  not  out  of  my  heart.  It 
 was  none  of  my  own  device  or  contrivance.  I  did  it 
 not  out  of  an  ambitious  defire  to  be  great  my  felf,  .or 
 out  of  private  affe&ion  to  my  Brother. 
 
 Ver.  29.  IfthefeMen'die  the  common  death  of  all  Verfe  29. 
 Men.]     In  the  Hebrew  it  is,   As  die  all  Mankind  :  that 
 is,  a  Natural  Death,  as  we  now  fpeak. 
 
 Or  they  be  vijited  after  the  vi fetation  of  all  Men.  " 
 i.  e.  Such  Judgments  of  God  come  upon  them,  as  are 
 ufual  and  common  in  the  World,  viz.  a  Peftilence,the 
 Sword,  or  Famine. 
 
 The  LORD  hath  not  fent  me."]  Then  look  upon 
 me  as  an  Impoftor. 
 
 Ver.  30.  But  if  the  LORD  make  a  new  thing.  ]  Verfe  ^0# 
 In  the  Hebrew  the  words  are,  If  the  LORD  create  a 
 Creature  ^  i.e.  do fomething  that  was  never feen,  nor 
 heard  of  in  the  World  before.  The  Jews,  in  feveral 
 of  their  Books,  (particularly  in  PhkeAvoth)  iay,there 
 are  ten  things  which  God  created  after  the  World 
 
 R  r  was 
 
3o6  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter   was  perfe&edrand  they  mention  the  month  of  the  Earth 
 XVI.     for  one  of  them  5  that  is,  the  gaping  of  the  Ground, 
 
 L/VNJ  to  {wallow  up  thefe  wicked  People.  Which  is  faid 
 to  be  created,  zsAben-Ezra  well  obferves ,  becaufe  by 
 this  Miracle  God  altered  the  Courfe  of  Nature,and  did 
 a  thing  extraordinary. 
 
 And  the  Earth  open  her  mouth,  and  [wallow  them  up 
 with  all  that  appertain  unto  them  r\  i.e.  On  a  fudden  } 
 when  there  is  no  Earthquake  ,  but  all  is  calm  and 
 ftill  5  and  itfwallow  up  none  but  them  alone. 
 
 And  they  go  down  quichjnto  the  Pit.']  Be  buried  a- 
 live  5  when  they  are  in  perfeft  health.  By  this  place 
 it  is  apparent  that  the  Hebrew  word  Sheol  doth  of- 
 ten fignifie  the  Grave:  which  Bel/ermine  (and  o- 
 thers  )  moft  earneftly  contend  never  fignifies  fo,  but 
 Hell^  which  from  hence  he  aflerts  to  be  in  the  Center  of 
 the  Earth  ,Lib.  IV.de  Chrijlo,  cap.io.  not  obferving, 
 that  if  it  fignifie  Hellm  this  verfe  ,  and  v.  33.  then 
 the  Houfes  of  thefe  Men,  and  their  Houlhold-ftuff  > 
 and  all  that  appertained  to  'them,  went  down  thi- 
 ther 5  which  is  very  abfurd.  It  is  hard  alfo  to  think 
 that  all  their  little  Children  went  down  into  Hell 
 for  their  Father's  fin  5  though  they  did  into  the 
 Grave. 
 
 Then  ye  fiat/  under/land  that  thefe  Men  have  provoked 
 the  LORD.~\  You  (hall  be  fufficiently  convinced, 
 that  they  have  unjuftly  accufed  me,  and  brought  this 
 deftru&ion  uponthemfelves. 
 
 Verfe  31.  Ver.  ?*•  And  ?*  came  to  pafs,  that  as  he  had  made 
 an  end  of  fteakjng  all  the  words ,  that  the  Ground  clave 
 afunder  that  was  under  them."]  He  had  no  fooner  done 
 fpeaking,  but  immediately  what  he  faid  was  verified} 
 whkh  made  it  the  more  remarkable. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  307 
 
 Ver.  £2.  And  the  Earth  opened  her  mouthy  and  fad-  Chapter 
 lowed  them  up.  ~]     Viz.    Dathan  and   Abiram  before-      XVI. 
 mentioned,  (v.2j.)  who  ftood  in  the  Door  of  their  L/"V~\J 
 Tents,  outfacing  Mofes.  Verfe  32. 
 
 And  their  Hoiifes.~]  i.  e.  All  their  Family  5  or  ,  as 
 Mofes  himfelf  hath  explained  it,  XI  Dent.  6.  Their 
 Houfholds,  and  their  Tents  ^  and  all  the  Subjlance  that 
 was  in  their  pojfejfton. 
 
 And  all  the  Men  that  appertained  unto  Korah.  "]     We 
 are  not  told  what  became  of  Korah  himfelf:  for  it  is 
 not  faid  he  was  fwallowed  up  -0  but   all  that  apper- 
 tained to  him  3  i.  e.  all  that  were  at  that  time  in  his 
 Tent :  His  whole  Family,  except  his  Sons,  who  efca- 
 ped,  XXVI.  11.  taking  warning,  I  fuppofe,  from 
 what  Mofes  faid^.26.  Which  hath  made  fome  think 
 that  Korah  was  at  the  Head  of  his  Two  hundred  and 
 fifty  Men,  who  were  the  great  Abetters  of  his  Fafti- 
 on  :  who,  if  he  had  forfaken  them  at  this  Trial  that 
 was  made  who  were  in  the  right,  we  may  well  think 
 would  have  withdrawn  themfelves  alfo,  and  not  have 
 ftood  to  it  without  their  Chieftain  ,  as  we  find  they 
 did,  ^.35.     Yet  he  is  not  mentioned  there,  as  perifh- 
 ing  with  them,  by  Fire  from  the  L  O  R  D ;  and  Mo* 
 fes  feems  to  fay,  XXVI.  10.  that  Dathan  and  Abiram 
 were  fwallowed  up  together  with  Korah :  who  had  as 
 much  reafon,  or  more  perhaps,  to  think  it  neceflary 
 to  be  with  that  other  Company  which  he  had  gather- 
 ed againft  Mofes,  (v%  19.)  and  to  incourage  them  to 
 perfift  in  their  Resolution  ,  than  to  be  with  the  Two 
 hundred  and  fifty  Men,  who  were  Men  of  fuch  Au- 
 thority, (v.  2.  J  that  they  may  be  thought  to  have 
 needed  none  to  fupport  them.     It  may  be  added  alfo, 
 that  the  word  appertaineth  is  not  here  in  the  Hebrew , 
 (  which  makes  thefe  words  found  as  if  the  meaning 
 
 R  r  2  were 
 
3o8  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Ckpter  were  only  thofe  that  were  of  Koratis  Family)  but 
 XVI.     fimply,  all  the  Men  that  were  to  Kor ah ,  i.  e.  were  ga- 
 
 L/'WJ  thered  to  him,  and  were  at  that  time  with  him. 
 Which  feems  to  be  an  Indication  that  they  and  he 
 were  fwallowed  up  together.  How  many  there  were 
 that  ftaid  with  him  there,  is  not  certain  :  but  the  ge- 
 nerality left  him,  v.  27.  where  it  is  exprefly  faid  they 
 gat  up  from  the  Tabernacle  of  Korah,  Dathan,  and 
 Abhatn,  as  Mofes  had  commanded  v.  24.  Which  may 
 be  taken  for  a  further  Indication  ,  that  he  was  fwal- 
 lowed up  in  the  Tabernacle  where  he  was  3  or  in  his 
 own  Tent  after  he  came  out  of  that  Tabernacle.  But 
 thofe  places,  I  obferved  before,  may  be  otherwife  un- 
 derftood  :  that  place  alfo,  which  is  the  main  founda- 
 tion of  this  Opinion  ,  XXVI.  10.  may  likewife  re- 
 ceive another  Interpretation,  as  I  (hall  fhow  when  I 
 come  thither.  And  they  that  are  of  the  other  Opi- 
 nion, think  his  Tabernacle,  and  his  Family,  and  all 
 his  Houfhold-ftuff  might  be  fwallowed  up,  though  he 
 himfelf  was  not  with  them  5  but  was  burnt  by  Fire, 
 with  the  Two  hundred  and  fifty  Men  that  offered 
 Incenfe  3  for  Mofes  bad  him  take  his  Cenfer,  as  well 
 as  they,  v.  17.  Which  fince  they  did,  and  put  Fire 
 and  Incenfe  therein,  why  fhould  it  be  thought  he  did 
 not  do  the  fame?  It  feems  to  me  highly  probable 
 that  he  did,  otherwife  he  would  have  feemed  to  di- 
 ftruft  his  Caufe  :  but  it  muft  be  confeffed  that  it  is 
 obfcure  which  way  he  periftied  3  and  therefore  it  is 
 not  fit  to  contend  about  it. 
 
 And  all  their  Goods.  ]  All  their  Houfhold-ftuff , 
 and  Cattle  5  and  whatfoever  was  in,  or  about  their 
 Tents. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  309 
 
 Ver.3  3.  They  and  all  that  appertained  to  them."]     See  Chapter 
 XI  Dent.  6.  XVI. 
 
 Went  down  alive  into  the  Pit.']  As  Mofes  had  foretold,  L/VNJ 
 v.  30.  Verfe  33- 
 
 And  the  Earth  clofcd  upon  them.']  This  made  it  the 
 more  wonderful/ that  the  Earth,  having  fwallowed 
 them  all  up,  had  no  Cleft  remaining  in  it  3  but  clo- 
 fed  up  again,  and  was  as  firm  as  before. 
 
 And  they  perifbed  fiom  among  the  Congregation.  ~] 
 Were  never  more  feen. 
 
 Ver.  34.  Ana  all  Ifrael  that  were  round  about  them^y^k  2±. 
 fled  at  the  cry  of  them.]  Though  they  were  at  a  di- 
 stance from  their  Tents,  (  whence  they  had  removed 
 on  all  fides,  v.  27.)  yet  they  heard  them  (hriek  fo 
 loudly,  as  they  funk  down  into  the  Ground,  that  it 
 put  them  into  a  great  fright,  and  made  them  fly  ftill 
 further  off. 
 
 For  they  f aid,  letf  the  Earth  fwallow  us  up  alfo.]  Some 
 of  them  were  confcious  to  themfelves,  that  they  had 
 favoured  this  wicked  Fa&ion  3  and  all  of  them  knew 
 how  highly  they  had  lately  offended  God,  by  their 
 unbelief  and  murmuring,  (Chapt.XlV.)  which  might 
 make  them  juftly  fear  the  fame  Fate  with  their  Bre- 
 thren. 
 
 Ver.3  5.  And  there  came  out  a  Fire  fiom  the  LORD."]  yerfe  o* 
 From  the  Glory  of  the  LOR. D,  which  appeared 
 unto  all  the  Congregation,  (v.  19. J  as  ready  to  de- 
 cide theControverfie:  This  fell  out  either  at  the  fame 
 time  the  Earth  fwallowed  up  Dathan  and  Abiram,  or 
 immediately  after  it. 
 
 And  confirmed  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  men  that 
 offered  Jncenfe.~]  Which  was  a  plain  declaration  that 
 they  ufurped  the  Office  of  Priefts  5  and  therefore  were 
 thus  punilhed  by  God  himfelf  for  their  prefumption. 
 
 It; 
 
3io  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  It  is  not  certain  whether  they  were  devoured  by  the 
 XVI.      Fire,  or  only  ftruck  dead,  as  Men  are  fometimes  on  a 
 
 L/*VNJ  fudden  by  Lightning,  and  perhaps  fcorched,  as  they 
 likewise  fometimes  are.  The  latter  feems  raoft  pro- 
 bable from  what  follows,  v.  37.  and  from  the  like 
 punifhment  by  Fire  from  the  LO  R  C,  which  is  faid 
 to  devour  Nadab  and  Abihu,  and  yet  their  Bodies  re- 
 mained intire,  X  Lev.  2,  4.  This  was  the  more  a- 
 ftonilhing  ,  becaufe  Mofes  and  Aaron  ,  who  flood 
 with  them  at  the  Door  of  the  Tabernacle  (v.  18.  ) 
 had  no  hurt. 
 
 Verfe  26.  ^er*  3^#  And  the  LORD  fpake  unto  Mofes ,  fay- 
 ing."]    Immediately  after  the  Death  of  thofe  Men.  * 
 
 Ver.  57.  Speak.  nn^°  Eleazarthe  Son  of  Aaron  the 
 Prieff.~]  Who  it  is  likely  ftood  by  them,  as  next 
 Succeffor  to  Aaron,m  the  Office  which  was  disputed  : 
 And  therefore  perhaps  imployed  in  what  follows  ra- 
 ther than  Aaron,  that  his  Succeffion  might  be  confirm- 
 ed. Though  others  will  have  it ,  that  it  was  below 
 the  Dignity  of  Aaron  to  perform  fuch  a  mean  Office  : 
 and  befides,  he  might  have  been  in  danger  to  be 
 polluted  by  the  dead  Bodies  of  the  Men  that  were 
 burnt. 
 
 That  he  take  the  Cenfers  out  of  the  Burning.  ~]  Out 
 of  the  place  where  the  Men  were  burnt,  as  fome  un- 
 derftand  it.  Or  (which  differs  net  much)  from  a- 
 mong  the  dead  Bodies,  which  were  burnt  :  Burning 
 being  put  for  Bodies  burnt  5  as  Captivity ,  XXI.  1.  for 
 thofe  that  were  carried  Captive  ,  or  made  Prifoners , 
 as  we  there  tranflate  it.  But  there  is  no  need  of  ei- 
 ther of  thefe  Additions 5  burning  fignifying  the  Fire 
 which  burnt  in  them  :  which  he  orders  Eleazar  to 
 throw  out,  that  the  Cenfers  might  be  brought  a- 
 way. 
 
 And 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  311 
 
 And  fcatter  thou  the  Fire  yonder. ~\     The  Men  were    Chapter 
 burnt  as  foon  as  ever  they  put  fire  to  the  Incenfe  in     XVI. 
 their  Cenfers,  (v.  18. J)  which  flaming  at  the  Door  L/"V\J 
 of  the  Tabernacle  where  they  ftood,  (near  the  Altar 
 from  whence  they  took  the  Fire)  God  commanded  to 
 be  thrown  away  without  the  Camp :  into  that  place, 
 I  fuppofe,  where  they  were  wont  to  throw  the  Afties 
 (VI Lev.  11.)  or  rather,  into  fome  unclean  place, 
 where  they  threw  the  Duft  fcraped  from  the  Walls 
 of  Leprous  Houfes,  XIV  Lev.\\.  For  it  was  to  (how 
 that  God  abhorred  their  Offering. 
 
 For  they  are  hollovped7\  Or  had  Fire  from  the  Altar 
 put  into  them  5  which  fome  think  fan&ified  them. 
 But  the  plain  reafon  is  given  in  the  next^er/e,becaufe 
 they  offered  them  before  the  LO  R  D  -y  i.  e.  they  had 
 been  employed  to  an  holy  ufe  ,  and  that  by  God's 
 command,  (v.  6,17.)  and  therefore  God  would  not. 
 have  them  hereafter  ferve  for  any  other. 
 
 Ver.  39.   The  Cenfers  ofthefe  Sinners  againlt their  Verfe  39. 
 own  Souls. ~]     Who  have  brought  deftru&ion  upon 
 thernfelves,  by  their  Prefumption. 
 
 Let  them  make  of  them."]  Either  Aaron,  or  Eleazar 
 were  to  caufe  them  to  be  beaten  into  fuch  Plates  as  here 
 follow. 
 
 Broad  Plates  for  a  covering  of  the  Altar  7]  Of  Burnt- 
 offering  5  which  was  covered  with  Brafs,  (XXVII  Ex- 
 od.  12.)  butthefe  Plates  were  to  be  laid  upon  that 
 Covering  which  it  had  already,  for  the  end  menti- 
 oned in  the  Conclufion  of  this  verfe.  And  hereby 
 alfo  the  proper  Covering  of  the  Altar  lafted  the  lon- 
 ger. 
 
 For  they  offered  them  before  the  LOR  D.^  Prefen- 
 ted  them  before  the  LORD  ,  when  they  offered  In- 
 cenfe in  them,  ^.35. 
 
 There- 
 
3i2  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Therefore  they  are  hallowed."]  Or  holy  :  That  is,  I 
 XVI.  will  have  them  feparated,  for  this  reafon,to  my  ufe  a- 
 W\~\J  lone,  and  nqother.  It  is  a  thing  worthy  to  be  taken 
 fpecial  notice  of,  that  the  Impiety  of  the  Men  that 
 offered  Incenfe,  did  not  discharge  their  Cenfers  of  the 
 discriminative  Refpeft  (  as  our  famous  Mr.  Mede 
 fpeaks)  due  unto  things  facred.  As  thefe  in  fome 
 fort  were,by  being  prefented  to  the  L  O  R.  D,  which 
 made  it  unlawful  to  imploy  them  to  common  ufes. 
 For  as  the  LO  R.  D  himielf  is  that  fingular,  incom- 
 municable, and  abiblutely  Holy  One,  and  his  Service 
 and  Worfhip  therefore  incommunicable  to  any  other  5 
 fo  fhould  that  alfo  which  is  confecrated  to  his  Ser- 
 vice, be  in  fome  proportion  incommunicably  ufed  5 
 and  nor  promifcuoufly  and  commonly,as  other  things 
 are.     See  Bcol^\.  Difcomfe  2.  p.  18. 
 
 :  hey  pa!!  be  a  Sign  unto  the  Children  of  Ifrael."\ 
 That  God  accepts  no  Sacrifice,  which  is  not  prefented 
 by  the  Hands  of  the  Sons  of  Aaron.  This  the  Le- 
 vites  were  to  remember  who  attended  upon  the  Priefr, 
 when  they  faw  thefe  Plates  laid  upon  the  Altar  of 
 Burnt -offering  every  day. 
 Verfe  39.  Ver.  39.  And  Eleazar  the  PrieTi  took  the  brazen 
 Cenfers,  &c/]  By  this  it  appears  thefe  Cenfers  were 
 made  of  the  lame  Metal  (though  it  was  not  faid  be- 
 fore) that  Aaron  s  Cenfer  was  of,  and  wherewith  the 
 Altar  was  overlaid.  He  took  them  up  out  of  the 
 burning,  no  doubt,  immediately  upon  the  ioregoing 
 Commands  :  and  as  fcon  as  the  Mutiny  was  quite 
 quelled,  they  were  employed  as  Mofes  had  directed. 
 
 Ver.  40.   To  be  a  Memorial  unto  the  Children  of  If- 
 
 J.~]     This  explains  what  is  meant  by  a  Sign,  v.  38. 
 
 viz.  to  put  them  in  mind  3  or  rather ,  to  keep  in  their 
 
 mory. 
 
 That 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  313 
 
 That  no  Stranger.']     Though  he  were  an  Ifraelite,  Chapter 
 nay  a  Levite,  if  he  were  not  (as  it  here  follows)  of     XVI. 
 the  Seed  of  Aaron ,  he  was  reputed  a  Stranger  to  this  U'VNJ 
 Office. 
 
 Come  near  to  offer  Incenfe  before  the  LORD.' 
 Prefume  to  execute  the  Office  of  a  Prieft  in  the  San- 
 ctuary. 
 
 That  he  be  not  as  Korah  and  hk  Company.]  Deftroy- 
 ed  in  a  dreadful  manner.  By  this  it  appears  that  Ko- 
 rah perifhed  as  well  as  the  Two  hundred  and  fifty 
 Men  5  and  it  is  likely,  as  they  did  ,  by  Fire  from  the 
 LOUD. 
 
 As  the  LO  R  Dfaid  unto  him.']  i.  e.  To  Eleazar. 
 
 By  the  hand  of  Mofes.]     Ver.  36,  37. 
 
 Ver.41.  But  on  the  morrow.]     An  aftonifhing  In-Verfe4ic 
 ftance  of  the  incurable  hardnefs  and  infenfibility  *of 
 fome  Mens  hearts  5  which  were  not  in  the  leaft  alter- 
 ed by  God's  terrible  judgments,and  lingular  Mercies  5 
 but  inftantly  forgat  both. 
 
 All  the  Congregation  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael.]  Not 
 merely  the  Rulers  of  the  People,  (as  this  Phrafe  fome- 
 times  fignifies)  but  all  the  People  in  general,  f  Z/.47O 
 who  were  incited,  it  is  probable,  by  that  lewd  Rout 
 which  Korah  had  gathered  together  againft  Mofes  and 
 Aaron^  v.  19.  Some  of  which  were  fwallowed  up, 
 but  moft  of  them  remained  ftill  alive,  to  do  more 
 Mifchief. 
 
 Murmured  againtf  Mofes  and  againU  Aaron.]  In 
 fuch  a  mutinous  and  threatning  manner,  as  demon- 
 ftrated  the  contagious  Nature  of  a  Seditious  Humour, 
 beyond  all  example.  For  from  a  difcontented  Party, 
 who  grumbled  that  they  were  not  preferred,  fuitably 
 to  the  opinion  they  had  of  themfelves ,  it  fpread  it 
 felf  into  the  whole  Body  of  the  People.     And  fo  in- 
 
 S  s  feted 
 
314  ^    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  ft&ed  them,  as  to  kindle  a  new  Flame,  as  foon  as  the 
 
 XVI.     former  had  been  extingui(hed,by  fuch  a  terrible  Ven- 
 
 L/~sT\J  geance,  as  one  would  have  expected  (hould  not  have 
 
 left  the  fmalleft  Spark  of  this  mutinous  Humour  in 
 
 them. 
 
 Saying,  Te  have  filled  the  People  of  the  LOR  D. 
 So  they  impudently  call  thofe  Men,  whom  God  him- 
 felf  had  declared,  by  a  vifible  Token,  to  be  prefump- 
 tuous  Sinners  againft  their  own  Souls.  Some  imagine 
 they  quarrelled  with  Mofes  and  Aaron,  becaufe  they 
 had  not  prevailed  with  God  to  pardon  them  5  which 
 they  could  as  well  have  done,  as  procured  this  Judg- 
 ment upon  them.  But  the  difpleafure  which  God 
 here  expreffes  againft  this  new  Murmuring,  (hows  this 
 not  to  be  a  true  Excufe  for  them. 
 Verfe  42.  Ver.  42.  And  it  came  to  pafs  when  the  Congregation 
 was  gathered  againll  Mofes  and  againJi  Aaron.]  Their 
 Murmuring  prefently  proceeded  to  an  Infurreftion. 
 
 That  they  looked  toward  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congre- 
 gation.'] i.  e.  Mofes  and  Aaron  implored  help  from 
 God  :  which  is  implyed  in  their  looking  toward  his 
 Dwelling-place. 
 
 And  behold ,  the  Cloud  covered  it.  ]  One  would 
 think  by  this,  that  it  had,  for  fome  time,  withdrawn 
 it  felf  from  the  Tabernacle,  when  the  dead  Bodies  of 
 Kora/Ss  Company  lay  dead  at  the  Door  of  it. 
 
 And  the  Glory  of  the  LORD  appeared."]  To  com- 
 fort them  in  this  Diftrefs }  and  to  fhow  he  was  ready 
 to  fupport  and  vindicate  them. 
 Verfe  43.  Ver.  43.  And  Mofes  and  Aaron  came  before  the  Ta- 
 bernacle of  the  Congregation?]  Perhaps  for  Safety  and 
 Security  :  or,  to  hear  what  Directions  God  would 
 give  them. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  315 
 
 Ver.  44.  And  the  L  0  RDJpake  unto  Mofe  staying."]   Chapter 
 Out  of  the  Tabernacle  $  before  which  he  ftood,  wait-     XVI. 
 ing  for  the  L  O  R  Ds  Orders.  L^VNJ 
 
 Ver.  45.  Get  ye  upfront  among  this  Congregation V]  Verfe  44. 
 He  fpeaks  to  Aaron  and  Eleazar,  I  fuppofe,  as  well  as  Verfe  45. 
 unto  Mofes. 
 
 That  I  may  confume  them  as  In  a  moment.  ~]  As  he 
 was  inclined  to  do  before,  (v.  i\.)  and  now  had  a 
 greater  reafon. 
 
 And  they  fell  on  their  faces  7\  To  befeech  God  not 
 to  punilh  the  People  as  they  deferved,  v.  22. 
 
 Ver.  46.  And  Mofes  f aid  unto  Aaron.  ~]  By  God's  Verfe  46. 
 Dire&ion. 
 
 Take  a  Cenfer^and  pit  Fire  therein  from  off  the  Altar. ~\ 
 Near  to  which  they  now  were,  v.\%. 
 
 And  put  on  Incenfe.~]  Upon  the  Fire  5  but  not  till 
 he  came  into  the  midft  of  the  Congregation,  v.  47. 
 
 And  go  quickly  nnto  the  Congregation.  ]  With  .the 
 Incenfe  ^  which  regularly  was  to  be  offered  only  at 
 the  golden  Altar,  within  the  San&uary  :  but  now  in 
 this  extraordinary  Cafe,  by  God's  fpecial  Order,  Aa- 
 ron is  fent  with  it  into  the  Camp  ;,  that  they  might 
 all  be  Witneffes  of  his  Power  with  God,  and  that, 
 by  his  Authority  ,  he  was  fettled  in  the  Prieft- 
 hood. 
 
 And  make  an  Atonement  for  them."]  Which  was  u- 
 fually  performed  by  the  Blood  of  a  Sacrifice:  but  there 
 was  not  time  for  that :  and  therefore  now  it  was  made 
 by  the  Incenfe,  wherewith  their  daily  Sacrifices,Morn- 
 ing  and  Evening,were  concluded  5  and  was  accompa- 
 nied by  the  Prayers  of  the  People,  while  the  Prieft, 
 as  he  offered  it,  made  Interceiiion  for  them,  CXLI 
 Pfalm  2.  Thus  as  St.Hierom  gloffes,  Currens  ira  Dei, 
 Sacerdotij  voce prohibebatur  5  the  Divine  Anger,coming 
 
 S  f  2  with 
 
V6  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  with  full  fpeed  upon  them, was  flopped  by  the  Voice 
 XVI.     of  the  Prieft.     Which  was  a   notable  Type  of  the 
 l/Y\.,  Power  of  our  great  High  Prieft  and  IiiierceiTbr  with 
 God,  the  LORD  Jefus. 
 
 tar  there  is  Wrath  gone  out  from  the  LORD.'] 
 Who  would  not  wholly  grant  their  Prayer  for  a 
 Pardon,  (v.  45  J  but  inflicted  fome  Puniihment  up- 
 on them. 
 
 The  Plague  is  begun.']     A  Peftilence,  in  all  proba- 
 bility 5  of  which  feveral  immediately  died. 
 Verfe  47.       Ver.  47.   And  Aaron  took,  as  Mofcs  commanded.]    A 
 Cenfer,  and  Fire  from  the  Altar  5  with  Incenfe  rea- 
 dy to  be  put  upon  it,  v.  46. 
 
 And  ran."]  According  to  the  Command  of  Mojes, 
 (v.  46.  J  who  bad  him  go  quickly* 
 
 Into  the  nridSt  of  the  Congregation*]  Perhaps  into 
 the  midft  of  each  of  the  four  Camps,  of  Judah,  Ren- 
 ben,  Ephraim ,  and  Dan  (  mentioned  in  the  fecond 
 Chapter)  being  broke  out  every  where. 
 
 A?id  behold,  the  Plague  was  begun  among  the  People,] 
 .   He  faw  People  die  on  all  fides  of  him. 
 
 And  he  put  on  Incenfe.]  Whereupon  he  put  Incenfe 
 upon  the  Fire,  which  he  brought  along  with  him 
 from  the  Altar,  v.  46. 
 
 And  made  an  Atonement  for  ¥he  People.  ]  Inter- 
 ceded with  God  for  them  3  and  obtained  what  he  de- 
 fired. 
 Yerfe  48.  Ver.  48.  And  he  flood  between  the  dead  and  the  li- 
 ving.] This  feems  to  intimate  that  the  Plague  be- 
 gan in  the  Skirts  of  their  Camps,  and  was  proceed- 
 ing into  the  heart  of  them  5  where  Aaron  ftood,  as  a 
 Mediator  for  thofe  who  were  not  yet  fmitten. 
 
 And. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  317 
 
 And  the  Plague  wot  flayed."]     A  ftop  was  put  to  its  Chapter 
 progrefs.     Which  was  a  further  Evidence  of  Aaron  s    XVII. 
 right  to  the  Priefthood,  by  God's  appointment :  who  t/v\j 
 not  only  preierved  him  when  he  offered  Incenfe  to- 
 gether with   Korah's  Company,  (v.  17.  J  but  now 
 makes  him  an  Instrument  of  preferring  others  from 
 deftruftion. 
 
 Ver.49.  Now  they  that  died  m  the  Plague  were  Four-  Verfe  49. 
 teen  thonfand  and  feven  hundred.~\     Who  it  is  likely, 
 were  of  the  forwarded  Men,  to  affociate  thcmfelves 
 with  Korah,  v.  19. 
 
 BeJ/des  them  that  died  about  the  matter  ofKorah.  ~j 
 Whofe  juft  number  is  not  known  5  for  befides  the 
 Two  hundred  and  fifty  Men,  mentioned  v.  25.  the 
 whole  Families  of  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram  were 
 fwallowed  up. 
 
 Ver.  50.  And  Aaron  returned  unto  Mofes  unto  theVerk  50. 
 door  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation \]     To  carry- 
 back his  Cenfer. 
 
 And  the  Plague  was  flayed*  ~]  Or  rather ,  For  the 
 Plague  was  flayed  :  and  fo  ,  having  done  his  bufinefs, 
 he  returned  to  the  Tabernacle, 
 
 CHAP.     XVII 
 
 Ver 
 
 1.  \ND  the  LORDJpake  unto  Mofes,  faying.°]ycrfe 
 l\  Not  long  after  the  Plague  was liayed. 
 For  though  there  had  been  enough  done  to  fatisfie 
 the  People,  that  Aaron  was  advanced  to  the  Prieft- 
 hood  by  God's  appointment,  and  not  by  Mofes  his 
 Affection  to  his  Kindred  3  yet  their  Minds  had  been 
 
3i8  A     COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  fo  poifoned  by  Korah  and  his  Complices ,  with  the 
 
 XVII.   contrary  Opinion,  that  it  was  neceflary  to  do  ftill 
 
 L/^V^W  more  to  root  it  out.  Which  was  the  occafion  of  what 
 
 follows. 
 Vcrfe  2.         Ver.  2.  Speak,  unto  the   Children  of  IfraelT]     Order 
 them  to  bring  what  I  require  thee  to  take  of  them. 
 
 And  take  of  every  one  of  them.  "     i.  e.  Of  every 
 Tribe. 
 
 A  Rod.']  Or  a  Staffs  as  the  Hebrew  word  Matteh 
 is  often  tranflated.  Which  fome  take  for  an  ordinary 
 Walking-ftaff  5  or  for  the  Staff  which  was  the  Badge 
 of  their  Authority,  as  Princes  of  the  feveral  Tribes  5 
 neither  of  which  feems  to  me  to  be  true.  For  what 
 reafon  have  we  to  think  that  every  Mans  Staff,  which 
 he  commonly  ufed,  was  made  of  the  Wood  of  an 
 Almond  Tree  ?  as  thefe  were,  one  may  probably  con- 
 clude from  the  8th  verfe.  And  therefore,  1  take  it, 
 they  were  all  now  cut  off  from  fome  Tree  of  that 
 kindt  and  it  is  likely  from  one  and  the  fame  Tree , 
 that  none  might  fancy  there  was  any  difference  be- 
 tween them.  For  the  Miracle  was  great  enough 
 (which  here  follows)  without  fuppofing,  as  fome  do, 
 that  thefe  Rods  were  all  of  fome  other  common 
 Wood  5  and  yet  Aaron  s  Rod  produced  Almonds  ^ 
 which  were  not  the  proper  Fruit  of  it :  Though  it 
 muft  be  confefled,  that  if  they  were  not  of  the  wood 
 of  an  Almond  Tree,  the  wonder  was  greater  that  his 
 Rod  fhould  bring  forth  Almonds  5  and  ftruck  their 
 Minds  more  ftrongly. 
 
 According  to  the  Houfe  of  their  Fathers.  *]  In  the 
 Hebrew  it  is  Father,  in  the  Singular  Number  5  deno- 
 ting the  principal  Perfon  or  Patriarch  (as  we  call  them) 
 of  whofe  Houfe  or  Family  he  was  to  take  one  Rod. 
 
 Of 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  ^ip 
 
 Of  all  their  Princes,  according  to  the  Houfe  of  their  Chapter 
 Fathers."}.     This  explains  the  meaning  more  fully.,    XVII. 
 that  the  Prince  of  every  Tribe,  who  was  the  Head  o^-v-w 
 of  the  Houfe  of  their  Fathers,(hould  bring  thefe  Rods. 
 Their  Names  we  have  in  the  firff  Chapter  of  this 
 Book,  v.  5,  6.  and  VII.  2,  12,  &c. 
 
 Twelve  Rods.  ~]  Befides  Aaron  s :  for  fo  many 
 Tribes  there  were  befides  that  of  Levi.  And  too 
 great  a  number  of  every  Tribe,  in  all  likelyhood,  had 
 joyned  with  Korah  in  their  difcontended  Murmu- 
 rings,  at  the  confinement  of  the  Priefthood  unto 
 Aaron  s  Family  alone  ^  to  which  they  all  fanfied  they 
 had  as  much  nght  as  he.  Which  is  the  reafon  of  ta- 
 king a  Rod  from  every  Tribe  $  that  they  might  all 
 be  convinced,  that  none  of  them  but  he  and  his  Fa- 
 mily alone,  were  owned  by  God  for  his  Priefts.  See 
 XVI.  3. 
 
 Write  thou  every  Mans namemufon  his  Rod."]  Either 
 by  an  Incifion  into  the  very  Wood  5  or  with  fuch 
 Ink  as  they  wrote  withal  in  thofe  days,V.  22.  This 
 he  did  in  the  Prefence  of  the  Princes  $  that  they 
 might  not  afterward  fufpefl:  any  Fraud ,  when  they 
 came  to  take  their  Rods  again  5  but  be  Satisfied  they 
 were  the  very  fame  which  they  faw  noted  with  their 
 Names. 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  thou  foalt  write  Aaron  s  name  upon  the  Verfe  g. 
 Rod  of  Levi!]  Becaufe  God  had  made  him  the  Prince 
 of  that  Tribe,  by  giving  him  the  High-Priefthood. 
 And  he  would  have  them  fee,  that  as  no  other  Per- 
 fon  in  any  of  the  Twelve  Tribes,  fo  no  other  Levite 
 ought  to  pretend  unto  that  high  Office,  which  he  had 
 
 inverted  him  withal,,  and  him  alone. 
 
 For 
 
g2o  A  COMMENTART 
 
 Chapter        For  one  Rod  fiall  be  for  the  Head  of  the  Houfe  of 
 XVII.     their  Fathers.^]     One  Rod  was  fufficient,  becaufc  the 
 
 ks-^s**^  Head  of  the  Tribe  comprehended  the  whole  Tribe. 
 Who  were  all  excluded  from  the  Priefthood  ,  by  the 
 Exclufion  of  him  who  reprefented  them. 
 
 Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  And  thou  f/jalt  lay  them  up  in  the  Taberna- 
 cled]    In  the  molt  Holy  Place. 
 
 Before  the  TeJiin/onyJ]  1.  e.  Before  the  Ark  5  called 
 in  many  Places  the  Arh^of  the  Tejiimony,  XL  Exod.  3. 
 becaufe  therein  Mofes  put  the  Teftimony  ,  (  or,  two 
 Tables  of- Stone,  and  the  Mercy  Seat  above  it,  v.  20, 
 21.)  where  the  Divine  Glory  refided.  Therefore  to 
 lay  the  Rods  before  the  Teftimony,  was  to  lay  them  be- 
 fore the  Divine  Majefty  :  who  intended  by  them  fi- 
 nally to  determine  the  prefent  Controverfie. 
 
 Where  I  will  meet  with  you.~]  There  he  promifed 
 to  meet  with  Mofes,  XXV  Exod.  22.  by  whom  he 
 communicated  his  Mind  unto  the  People.  For  he 
 neither  met  with  them,  nor  with  Aaron  there,  any  o- 
 ther  way,  but  by  Mofes.  And  therefore  the  Vulgar 
 Latin  here  tranflates  it,  minding  the  fence  rather  than 
 the  words,  Where  I  willfyeah^  to  them.  And  fo  the 
 LXX.  By  which  I  will  be  made  known  to  thee  there. 
 And  indeed  meeting  with  them  here,  is  nothing  but 
 declaring,  or  making  known  his  Mind  to  them  all, 
 by  what  was  done  there  upon  Aaron's  Rod.  So  it 
 follows  in  the  next  verfe.  And  for  this  reafon  the 
 Tabernacle  of  the  L  O  R  D  is  called  OHEL  MOED, 
 the  Tabernacle  of  Meeting  :  not  of  Mens  meeting  there 
 (as  is  commonly  fuppofed,  by  our  tranflating  it,  The 
 Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation)  but  of  God's  meeting 
 there  with  Men.  For  fo  the  LORD  himfelf  gives  the 
 reafon  of  the  Name,both  here  arid  in  XXIX  Exod. 42. 
 XXX. 36.  where  I  have  noted  the  fame  out  ofMr. Mede. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  321 
 
 Ver.  5.  And  it  Jhallcome  to  pafs,  that  the  Maris  Rod  Chapter 
 whom  Iftall choofe,  fiall blojfom.']     The   Rods   being    XVIL 
 laid  before  me,  I  will  tell  you  whom  I  have  chofen  u^y^\j 
 to  minifter  to  me  in  the  Priefthood  ,  by  making  the  Verfe  5. 
 Rod  upon  which  his  Name  is  written,  to  bloiibrn, 
 when  all  the  reft  remain  as  they  were  before,  without 
 any  Alteration.     This  was  a  kind  of  new  choice  (as 
 the  words  import)    whereby    Cod   confirmed  the 
 choice  he  had  formerly  made  of  Aaron  to  be  High- 
 Prieft. 
 
 And  I  will  make  to  ceafefiom  me  the  Murmurings  of 
 the  Children  oflfrael,  whereby  they  murmur  againli you7\ 
 AncTfrereby  ftop  all  their  Mouths  from  murmuring 
 any  more  about  this  matter  :  unlefs  they  will  oppofe 
 me  direftly,  who  declare  before-hand,  how  I  intend 
 to  give  Judgment  in  this  Cafe,  and  put  an  end  to  this 
 Difpute. 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  Mojesfiafy  unto  the  Children  of  Ifrael."]  Verfe  6. 
 Told  them  what  God  had  faid,  that  they  might  be  all 
 confentingto  this  way  of  Decifion. 
 
 And  every  one  of  their  Princes  gave  him  a  Rod  apiece.'] 
 For  they  could  not  refufe  fuch  a  fair  Propofal. 
 
 For  each  Prince  one,  according  to  their  Fathers  Hou- 
 fes0  even  twelve  Rods."]  Obferving  herein  the  Com- 
 mands of  Mofes  3  who  wrote,  no  doubt,  every  Man's 
 Name  upon  his  Rod,  as  he  was  alfo  commanded, 
 v.  2. 
 
 And  the  Rod  of  Aaron  was  among  their  Rods.~\  Not 
 one  of  the  twelve,  as  the  Jews  fancy  ^  but  befides  the 
 twelve  Rods  for  the  twelve  Tribes,  (as  was  directed 
 v.  2.  and  obeyed  by  them,  as  the  foregoing  words 
 tell  us)  his  Rod  was  put  among  them,  with  his  Name 
 upon  it,  as  their  Names  were  upon  their  Rods.  And 
 therefore  the  Vulgar  tranflates  it,  having  regard  to  the 
 
 T  t  fence 
 
322  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  fence  only,  There  were  twelve  Rods  be/ides  the  Rod  of 
 XVII.     Aaron.     Which  the  LXX.  intended  in  their  Tranfla- 
 L/~V~\J  tion,   Kou  ft   pb^  'Aapj'  avcL/ubi<wv  r^  pxSShv  <xjuv^\ 
 and  the  Rod  of  Aaron  in  the  midjl  of  their  Rods.   And 
 if  it  were  cut  from  the  very  fame  Tree  with  theirs, 
 the  Miracle  became  the  more  remarkable. 
 Verfe     7.       Verj.Jlnd  Mofes  lard  up  the  Rods  before  the  LORD."] 
 Who  was  by  them  to  declare  his  choice,  ^.5. 
 
 •n  ihe  Tabernacle  of  WhmfsJ]  In  that  part  of  the 
 Tabernacle  where  the  Ark  was  ,  which  had  in  it  the 
 WiVmfs  or  Teftimony  which  God  gave  Mofes,  (XXV 
 Exod.  2i.)  who  alone  could  go  into  that  place. 
 Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  And  it  came  to  pafs  that  on  the  morrow. "] 
 It  is  likely  God  told  him,  he  would  forthwith  (how 
 whom  he  had  chofen. 
 
 Mofes  went  into  the  Tabernacle  of  ll''rtaefs.~]  The 
 mod  Holy  Place,  where  the  Rods  were  laid  up  by 
 God's  order. 
 
 And  behold,  the  Rod  of  Aaron.  ~]  Which  had  his 
 Name  written  on  it. 
 
 For  the  Houfe  of  Levi  J\  Or,  To  the  Houfe  of  Levi  : 
 i.  e.  whdffi  God  had  made  Head  of  the  Levites. 
 
 Was  budded,  and  brought  forth  Buds,  and  bloffom~ 
 ed  Blojfoms,  and  yielded  Almonds.']  In  fome  places  of 
 the  Rod,  I  fuppofe,  there  was  an  appearance  of  Buds 
 coming  forth  5  in  others  the  Buds  were  fully  thruft 
 out  5  and  in  others  they  were  opened  and  (hot  forth 
 into  Bloffoms  5  and  thofe  Bloflbms  in  other  parts, 
 knotted  and  grown  into  Almonds.  Mlyv?w  iy  to?<;  d- 
 ttizolc,  SzuyuoL,  &c.  as  Gregory  Nyffen  fpeaks  in  the  Life 
 of  Mofes,  /?.  185.  The  greateft  Miracle,  even  in  the 
 judgment  of  Unbelievers }  who  now  acknowledged^ 
 that  which  before  they  oppofed,  ^.12,13.  For  that 
 in  one  Night,  a  dry  Stick  (  as  fome  fuppofe  them  all 
 
 to 
 
upon  NUMBERS,  323 
 
 to  have  been)  (hould    produce  Buds,  and  Flowers,    Chapter 
 
 and  Fruit,  when  all  the  reft,  which  perhaps  were  cut   XVII. 
 
 from  the  fame  Tree,  were  as  dry  as  they   were  be-  U""V\J 
 
 fore,could  not  but  be  very  amazing :  and,  unlefs  they 
 
 would  (but  their  eyes,  make  them  fee  the  diftin&ion 
 
 which  the  LORD  made  between  Aaron  whofe  Name 
 
 that  Rod  bare,  and  all  the  reft  of  the  Children  of 
 
 Ifrael,  whom  the  other  Rods  repreiented. 
 
 .    The  Heathen  did  not  think  fuch  things  incredible, 
 
 as  Huetius  hath  fliown  in  his  §>u<eftiones  Alnetan<e,L.\. 
 
 cap.  12.  n.  24. 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  Mofes  brought  out  all  the  Rods  fro m  be-  Verfe  9. 
 fore  the  LORD  unto  all  the  Children  of  Ifrael.~]    Be- 
 fore whom  they  were  expofed  to  open  view,that  they 
 might  fee  the  difference  God  had  made. 
 
 And  they  looked  and  took^  every  Man  his  Rod. ,"]V iew- 
 ed  them,  and  taking  them  into  their  Hands,  exa- 
 mined them  5  and  found  they  were  the  very,  fame 
 Rods,  which  they  had  delivered  unto  Mofes  with 
 their  Names  on  them,  without  any  alteration. 
 
 Ver.  IO.  And  the  LORD  faid  unto  Mofes,  bring  Verfe  10. 
 Aaron  s  Rod  again.']  Which  either  Mofes  held  in  his 
 Hand,  or  delivered  it  to  Aaron  (as  he  did  the  reft  to 
 the  feveral  Princes  of  the  Tribes  )  who  fhowed  it  to 
 the  Children  of  Ifrael,  with  the  Buds,  Bloffoms,  and 
 Almonds  upon  it.  After  which  God  commanded  it 
 to  be  returned  unto  him. 
 
 Before  the  Teftimony7\  To  be  laid  up  in  the  place, 
 where  it  was  before  it  was  thus  changed,  v,  4,  7. 
 
 To  be  kept  for  a  Token  ag&inli  the  Rebels.~]  That  it 
 might  be  produced  as  a  fufficient  Convi&ion  of  their 
 Impiety,  if  any  prefumed  hereafter  to  rebel  a  gain  ft 
 Aaron  s  Authority.  Or  rather,  that  it  might  prevent 
 all  Infurreftions  againft  it  for  the  future.    For  it  re- 
 
 T  t  2  mained, 
 
3H  ^  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  mained,  we  find,  in  the  mod  Holy  Place  for  fome 
 XVII.     time  5  as  appears  both  from  the  Apoftle,  IX  Hebr.  4. 
 
 i^V^V  and  from  the  reafon  of  its  being  put  here,that  it  might 
 be  preferred  as  a  Sign  or  Proof  of  Aaron  $  Authori- 
 ty, and  Supprefs  all  oppofition  to  it.  But  how  long 
 it  continued,  we  cannot  tell,  (for  it  is  not  mention- 
 ed, when  the  Ark  was  brought  into  the  Temple  of 
 Solomon,  1  Kings  VIII.  9.)  nor  is  it  certain  whether 
 it  continued  in  that  verdure  wherein  it  now  appear- 
 ed, with  the  Buds,  Bloffoms ,  and  Fruit  5  though  it 
 is  highly  probable  it  did  :  becaufe  it  was  to  be  a  Te- 
 ftimony  that  the  Honour  of  the  Priefthood  fhould 
 continue  to  Aaron  $  Family  alone,  through  all  Gene- 
 rations. 
 
 There  are  thofe  who  take  this  Rod  which  blof- 
 fomed,  and  was  laid  up  in  the  mod  Holy  Place ,  to 
 have  been  the  Rod  of  Slofes,  wherewith  he  wrought 
 fo  many  Miracles  in  Egypt,  and  at  the  Red  Sea.  Con- 
 cerning which  the   Jews  tell  very   many  incredible 
 things :  as  that  it  came  from  a  Branch  of  the  Tree  of 
 Life,  which  an  Angel  gave  to  Sett,  who  planted  it  in 
 the  Wildernefs,  where  Mofes  found   it  grown  to  a 
 Tree,  and  cut  this  Rod  from  it.  For  when  they  came 
 toMarah,  and  could  not  drink  the  Waters,  becaufe 
 they  were  bitter,  God  fhowed  them  this  Tree,  that 
 with  it  he  might  make  them  fweet.  Upon  which  Tree 
 he  afterward  placed  the  brazen  Serpent  ,  by  looking 
 on  which  the  People  were   healed,  &c.     Thus  the 
 CabbahVts  generally  tell  this  Tale  5  but  fomeof  them 
 much  otherwife  5  who  fay   it  was  given  to  Adam, 
 and  by  him  to  Enoch,  and  fo  on  till  it  came  to  Jofeph, 
 in  whofe  Houfe  the  Egyptians  found  it  when  he  died, 
 and  brought  it  to  Pharaoh  5  from  whom  Jethro  ftole 
 it,  &c.  with  a  great  deal  of  fuch  like  fluff:  Which 
 
 Alar., 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  325 
 
 Abarblnel  faith  is  to  be  underftood  my  ftically.     But  all  Chapter 
 the  ground  they  have  for  this  Fancy,  of  the  Rod  here    XVII. 
 laid  up  being  Mofes  s  Rod,  is  from  XX.  8,  9.  where  LS\~\j 
 it  is  faid,  That   Mofes  took^  the  Rod  from  before  the 
 LORDy  wherewith  he  brought  Water  out  of  the 
 Rock,  and  this  Rod  is  faid  v.  11.  to  bz  Mofes  his 
 Rod.     Dr.  Owen,  upon  the  Epiftle  to  the  Hebrews^ 
 follows  this  Conceit,  and  endeavours  to  find  many 
 Myfteries  in  it.     But  it  is  evidently  falfe  :  for  as  there 
 is  not  the  leaft  intimation  here  that  it  was  the  Rod  of 
 Mofes  ^  but  quite  contrary,  it  is  called  the  Rod  of  Aw 
 ron,  v.  6.  fo  it  had  not  been  a  fufficient  Argument  to 
 convince  the  Infidelity  of  the  Ifraelites,  if  Aaron's* 
 Rod  had  not  been  of  the  fame  kind  with  all  the  reft. 
 For  they  might  have  afcribed  what  came  to  pafs  to  the 
 lingular  quality  or  vertue  of  that  Rod,  efpecially  if 
 it*  were  Mofes  his  Rod,  (wherewith  Wonders  ufed  to 
 be  wrought)  and  not  to  a  fpecial  Hand  of  God  ap- 
 pearing to  eftablifh  the  Authority   of  Aaron.    "And 
 befides,  a  Rod  full  of  Bloffoms  and  Fruit ,  had  been 
 very  unfit  to  be  ufed  to  fmite  the  Rock  withal :  for 
 which  purpofe  that  Rod  (which  feems  to  have  been 
 his  Paftoral  Staff )  wherewith  he  fmote  the  Rock  in 
 Horeb  was  moft  proper,  XVII  Exod.  5,6. 
 
 And  thou  fo  alt  quite  take  away  their  Murmurings  from 
 me7\  i.  e.  Silence  all  their  Cavils  againft  Aaron  and 
 his  Family  ^  which  the  LORD  here  declares  he 
 would  no  longer  bear,  if  they  continued  in  them  af- 
 ter this  demonftration  of  his  Will  and  Pleafure.  For 
 here  were  a  great  many  miraculous  things  concurred 
 together  to  convince  them,  that  to  oppofe  Aaron0  was 
 to  oppofe  Godhimfelf  The  Jews  reckon  up  eight. 
 Firtf,  That  Aaron s  Rod  Ihould  bring  forth  Buds, 
 Bloffoms,  and  Fruit,  all  in  one  Night,  when  the  other 
 
 Rods3 
 
3i6  A     COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Rods-)  which  were  of  the  fame  nature,  brought  forth 
 XVII.    nothing.     And  then  fecondly,  That  the  Buds  brought 
 
 L/^V^W'  forth  Leaves  $  for  fo  they  interpret  thofe  words,  v.  8. 
 the  Red  of  Aaron  was  budded  5  i.  e.  brought  forth 
 Leaves  ^  for  the  next  words  fpeaks  of  its  budding  , 
 which  followed  after.  And  thirdly  ,  That  it  thruft 
 out  Leaves  before  the  Bloffoms,  which  is  contrary  to 
 the  Nature  of  the  Almond  Tree.  And  next,  that  it 
 put  forth  Bloffoms  all  the  Rod  over  5  as  they  inter- 
 pret thofe  words,  bloomed  Bloffoms.  And  then  that 
 a  dry  Stick  (as  they  underftand  it)  (hould  produce 
 Fruit,  and  this  Fruit  Almonds,  which  fuch  Trees 
 (they  think)  as  that  Rod  was  taken  from,  did  not 
 bear.  And  further,  That  it  produced  r/pe  Almonds, 
 as  the  Hebrew  word  Schekedim  imports.  And  laftly, 
 That  Mofes  (howed  the  People  all  thefe  at  one  view, 
 the  Leaves,  Buds,  Bloffoms,  and  Fruit  in  perfe&ion. 
 By  which  multiplicity  of  Miracles  the  Dignity  of  Aa- 
 ron was  fo  demonftrated,  that  we  do  not  find  they 
 at  any  time  hereafter  adventured  to  rife  up  againft 
 him.  For  befides  all  thofe  Wonders  now  mention- 
 ed, it  may  be,  that  it  was  not  the  Seafon  of  the  Year 
 for  Almonds,  nor  fo  much  as  for  the  budding  of  that 
 Tree :  which  made  it  the  more  aftonifhing.  But  the 
 greateft  thing  of  all  was,  the  continuing  of  this  Mi- 
 racle to  future  Ages  5  which  might  well  make  them 
 afraid  to  open  their  Mouths  again  in  Murmurings  a- 
 gainft  Aaron. 
 
 That  they  die  not.']  Be  not  confumed  in  a  moment, 
 as  God  had  more  than  once  formerly  threatned  (XVT. 
 21,45.)  and  now  declared,  if  they  did  not  mend 
 their  Manners,  and  ceafe  their  Murmurings  about  this 
 matter,  he  would  inftantly  execute. 
 
 Ver. 
 
npon    NUMBERS.  327 
 
 Ver.  1 1 .   And  Mofes didfo :  as  the  LORD  com-  Chapter 
 mandedfo  did  he.']     Both  brought  the  Rod  again  to    XVII. 
 him,  and  laid  it  up  before  him  5  and  told  the  Chil-<->~vr"^-'' 
 dren  of  Ifrael  the  reafon  of  it :  which  occafioned  what  Verfe  1  r 
 follows. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  the  Children  of  Ifraeljpake  unto  Mofes ',  Verfe  12 
 faying,  Behold  we  die,  we  perifi  ,  &C.  J  Mofes  having 
 told  them  that  he  laid  up  the  Rod  for  this  end,  to  be 
 a  Witnefsagainftthem,  that  (if  they  murmured  any 
 more)  they  deferved  to  be  all  cut  off ,  as  they  (hould 
 certainly  be  5  it  moved  them  to  make  this  doleful 
 Complaint :  Wherein  they  feem  to  be  convinced  of 
 their  Guilt,  and  to  bewail  their  miferable  ftate.  For 
 the  fence  of  thefe  two  verfes  is,  Some  of  us  died  before^ 
 and  now  lately  more  have  perif/yed,  and  we  are  all  in  the 
 fame  danger  :  furely^  we  ftall  never  have  done  dying,  till 
 we  he  all  confumed. 
 
 Behold^  we  die.]  This  feems  to  relate  to  thofe 
 Judgments  which  had  paflfed  upon  them  hereto- 
 fore. 
 
 We  perif).]  And  this  to  what  had  very  lately  hap- 
 md  to  Korah,  D at han  and  Abiram^  with  their  Com- 
 pany :  and  to  thofe  that  murmured  the  next  day  af- 
 ter, XVI.  49. 
 
 We  all perifl).~\  This  will  be  the  Fate  of  the  whole 
 Congregation. 
 
 Ver.  15.  Whofoever  cometh  any  thing  near  tinto  the  Verfe  i.2| 
 Tabernacle  of  the  LO  R  D.]     Who  was  not  a  Prieft  3 
 and  yet  approached  nearer  than  God  allowed. 
 
 Shall  die.]  So  Mofes  had  threatned  3  and  they  now 
 believed  him.  And  were  afraid  withal^  they  (hould 
 fometime  or  other  incur  God's  Difpleafure  by  their 
 Rafhnefc. 
 
 Shall: 
 
328  A  COMMENTART 
 
 Chapter  Shall  we  he  consumed  tv/th  dying  .<?"]  They  feem  to 
 XVIII.  be  afraid,  left  for  their  late  Murmurings  and  Infurre- 
 ftion.^after  fuch  a  heavy  Puni  foment  for  that  Sin  (XVI. 
 41,  42.)  God  (hould  further  plague  them,  as  by  this 
 new  Sign  he  convinced  them,  they  juftly  deferved. 
 And  therefore  beg  of  Mofes  to  intreat  God  to  {pare 
 them,  and  not  to  go  on  utterly  to  deftroy  them. 
 
 CHAR     XVIII. 
 
 Verfe  1.  Ver.  I.  \ND  theLO  R Dfa/d  unto  Aaron.']  By 
 ±\  the  hand  of  Mofes,  it  is  mod  likely  ^ 
 unto  whom  God  was  wont  to  Communicate  all  that 
 he  would  have  delivered,  either  to  Aaron,  or  to  the 
 People.  XVII.  4.  And  having  done  more  Miracles 
 than  one,  to  eftablifh  Aaron  in  the  Priefthood  5  he 
 now  lets  him  know  that  the  Honour  he  had  done 
 him,  was  an  Office  of  great  Weight  and  Burden  5 
 wherein  he  was  to  behave  himfelf ,  with  great  Care 
 and  Circumfpeftion.  And  withal,  he  again  declares 
 what  the  Duty  of  the  Levites  was,  together  with  the 
 Pr/ejls  5  from  v.  1.  unto  v.  8.  And  from  thence  he 
 proceeds  to  tell  them,  what  Maintenance  he  had  fet- 
 led  upon  both  ^  for  their  encouragement  in  doing 
 their  Duty :  as  I  fliall  obferve  in  the  proper  pla- 
 ces. 
 
 Thou  and  thy  Sons  ,  and  thy  Father  s  Houfe  with 
 thee.]  You  and  the  Levites,  (whom  he  calls  hisi7*- 
 thers  Houfi  )  who  had  the  Charge  of  the  San&u- 
 ary. 
 
 Shall 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  ^2p 
 
 Shall  bear   the   Iniquity   of  the  Sanffiuary."]     If  the  Chapter 
 San&uary  were  profaned ,  through   the  Negligence   XVIIL 
 of  the  Levites  ^n\\o  were  to  keep  Strangers,  and  Peo-  u^V^SJ 
 pie  in  their  Uncleannefs,  from  entring  into  it  $  and 
 if  the  Priefts  wereremifs,  and  did  not  take  care  to 
 fee  the  Levites  do  their  Duty  $  the  Puni(hment  of 
 fuch  Prophanation,  he  tells  them,  fhould  fall  upon 
 them. 
 
 And  thou  and  thy  Sons  with  thee.  ~\  i.  e.  Aaron  and 
 the  Priefts  alone. 
 
 Shall  bear  the  Iniquity  of  the  FrieJlhood.~]  Suffer  the 
 Punifhment  of  it  5  if  they  permitted  any  Perfon, 
 who  was  not  of  the  Line  of  Aaron  to  offer  Incenfe  , 
 or  perform  any  part  of  the  Prieft's  Office  :  or  if  they 
 themfelves  (hould  minifter  in  their  Uncleannefs,  or 
 having  any  Blemifh,  or  did  any  thing  contrary  to  the 
 Rules  of  their  Office. 
 
 This  was  fome  comfort  to  the  People,  who  .were 
 afraid  they  (hould  die,  for  every  Error  committed  in 
 their  Approaches  to  the  San&uary  ,  (XVII.  12,  13.) 
 for  which  he  affaires  them  he  would  punifh  the  Priefts 
 and  the  Levites,  and  not  them.  And  it  alfo  ferved 
 to  remove  the  Peoples  Envy  to  the  Prieft,  whofe  Dig- 
 nity they  faw  accompanined  with  fuch  great  Dan- 
 ger. 
 
 Ver.  2.  And  thy  Brethren  alfo  of  the  Tribe  of  Levi^  Verfe  2* 
 the  Tribe  of  thy  Father^  This  alfo  was  a  Comfort  to 
 the  Levites^  and  defigned  to  make  them  more  con- 
 tented than  they  had  been,  in  their  Inferior  Offices, 
 that  the  Prieffs  were  to  look  upon  them  as  their  Bre- 
 thren. 
 
 Bring  thou  with  thee. "]     Into  the  Tabernacle. 
 
 That  they  may  be  joyned  with  thee.']  As  AffiftantS  to 
 thee  there, 
 
 V  v  And 
 
33o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        And  minifter  unto  thee7\     In  fuch  things  as  I  have 
 
 XVIII.    mentioned  5  See  upon  III.  6. 
 
 lw/*V"\J  But  thou  and  thy  Sons  with  thee  flail  minifler  before 
 the  Tabernacle  of  \Yitnefs.~]  The  words,  flail  minifter, 
 not  being  in  the  Hebrew,  fome  think  he  ftill  fpeaksof 
 the  Levites,  and  tranllate  the  words  thxxsJBoth  to  thee 
 and  to  thy  Sons  with  thee  (they  (hall  minifter  ,  as  was 
 faid  before)  before  the  Tabernacle  ofWitnefs.  But  they 
 that  are  of  this  Opinion,  do  not  confider  what  is 
 meant  by  the  Tabernacle  of  Witnefs,  which  fignifiesthe 
 moftHoly  Place,  (See  IX.  15.  X.  11.)  before  which 
 the  Levites  did  not  minifter  5  but  before  the  Taberna- 
 cle of  the  Congregation,  zsMofes  exprefly  fpeaks,  III.  7. 
 (See  there)  where  they  attended  upon  the  Priefts  in 
 the  Court  of  the  San&uary  ^  in  which  the  Priefts  on- 
 ly could  minifter }  as  Aaron  alone  did,  upon  one 
 certain  day  only,  in  the  moft  Holy  Place. 
 
 Verfe  3.  Ver.  3.  And  they  flail  keep  thy  Charge, and  the  Charge 
 of  all  the  Tabernacle.']  Of  the  outward  part  of  it.  See 
 III.  7,  8.  and  carry  the  Veflels  belonging  to  the  in- 
 ward part,  viz.  the  San&uary,  IV.  15. 
 
 Only  they  flail  not  come  nigh  the  Veffels  of  the  SanUua- 
 ry."]  They  were  not  to  touch  them  when  they  carri- 
 ed them,  IV.  1 5.  nor  to  fee,  when  they  were  cover- 
 ed by  the  Priefts,  IV.  19,  20. 
 
 And  the  Altar.]  I  take  this  to  be  meant,  not  only 
 of  the  Altar  oflncenfe,  but  alfo  of  the  Burnt- offering: 
 unto  which  they  were  not  to  approach, nor  touch  it, 
 while  they  attended  upon  the  Priefts  5  who  only 
 could  minifter  there.  This  is  juftified  from  XXIX 
 Exod.  37.  where  this  Altar  is  faid  to  be  moll  holy^ 
 and  whofoever  touched  it,  is  required  to  be  holy. 
 
 That 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  331 
 
 That  neither  they  nor  you  alfo  die,  ~]  They  for  pre-  Chapter 
 fuming  to  go  beyond  the  Bounds  of  their  Office ;  and  XVIII. 
 the  Prieft  for  permitting  them.  L/"V~Vj 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  they  fiall  be  joyned  unto  thee7\  He  would  Verfe  4, 
 have  the  Priefts  look  upon  the  Levztes,  as  part  of 
 that  facred  Body  of  Men,  that  waited  upon  God  in 
 the  Tabernacle,  though  in  an  inferiour  Otiice.  And 
 indeed,  the  very  Name  of  Levi  imported  as  much  ; 
 and  denoted  them  to  be  Adjun&s  to  ibme  other  Per- 
 fons.  Accordingly  we  find,  in  after  times,  that  as  the 
 Levites  were  a  guard  on  the  outfide  of  the  Temple, 
 fo  the  Priefts  watched  within  it. 
 
 And  keep  the  charge  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congre- 
 gation, for  all  the  Service  of  the  Tabernacle.  ^     See  III. 
 
 7,  8.  The  heavieft  part  of  their  Service  ,  which  is 
 called  their  Burden,  is  mentioned  particularly  IV.3, 
 4.  and  the  reft  of  that  Chapter. 
 
 A  Stranger  foall  not  come  nigh  unto  you.  1  Thisfeems 
 to  relate  both  to  the  Priefts,  and  to  the  inferiour  Mi- 
 nifters  5  that  none  (hould  prefume  to  perform  the 
 Office  of  the  former,  but  only  the  Family  of  Aaron  5 
 nor  of  the  latter,  who  were  not  of  the  Tribe  of  Le- 
 vi. But  the  Hebrew  Doctors,  particularly  Maimoni- 
 des  by  Zar  (a  Stranger)  underftand  in  this  place,  e- 
 very  one  that  was  not  of  the  Seed-male  of  Aaron. 
 So  that  the  Sons  of  his  Daughters  (hould  not  mini- 
 fter.  For  the  Sons  of  Aaron,  faith  he,  (Riath  Ham- 
 mikdajl),  cap.  9.)  are  appointed,  and  none  other,  to 
 lay  things  in  order  for  Sacrifice,  I  Lev.  5.  and  to  burn 
 the  Fat  of  the  Peace-offerings  upon  the  Altar,  III  Lev. 
 
 8.  His  Daughters  were  uncapable  of  it ,  and  fo  were 
 all  thofethatdefcended  from  them.  The  fame  may 
 be  faid  of  the  Levites. 
 
 V  v  1  Ver. 
 
332  &   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  5.  And  ye  flail  keep-  ~]     That  is,  the  Priefts 
 
 XVIII.    were  bound  to  do  what  follows. 
 
 L/V\J       The  charge  of 'the  Sanffuary.~]     Whereas  they  alone 
 
 Verfe  5.    were  to  minifter  5  fo  they  were  to  take  care  of  all  the 
 
 holy  Things  therein  contained,  (the  Shew-bread, 
 
 Lamps,  &c.)  and  to  cover  them  when  they  were  to 
 
 be  removed,  IV.  5,  6,  &c. 
 
 And  the  charge  of  the  Altar.']  Of  Burnt-offering  ^ 
 where  they  only  were  to  offer  Sacrifice,  and  to  take 
 care  of  every  thing  belonging  to  it,  IV.  3,  14. 
 
 That  there  be  no  wrath  any  more  upon  the  Children  of 
 IfraeW]  That  ycu  may  by  your  care  and  conftant 
 Admonitions,  prevent  the  Children  df  IJrael  from 
 running  into  fuch  Prophanations,  much  more  from 
 fuch  Intrufions  into  the  Sacred  Offices ,  as  may  bring 
 God's  mod  high  Difpleafure  again  upon  them. 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  /,  behold,  I  have  taken  your  Brethren 
 the  Levites ,  fiom  among  the  Children  of  I fraeL~]  III.  12, 
 41,  45.  VIII.  6, 16,  18.  The  Levites  are  again  cal- 
 led their  Brethren,  that  the  Priefts  might  not  defpife 
 them,  becaufe  they  ferved  in  a  lower  Condition  ; 
 but  treat  them  with  Kindnefs  and  Brotherly  AfFe- 
 ftion. 
 
 To  you  are  they  given  as  a  gift."]  See  III. 9.  but  efpe- 
 dally  VIII.  19. 
 
 For  the  L  0  RD.~]  To  aflift  you  in  your  mini- 
 ftry  to  theLO-RD. 
 
 To  do  the  Service  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregati- 
 on.'] This  hath  been  repeated  very  often,  III.  7,  8. 
 IV.  3,  4,  23^  8cc.  VIII.  19,  22,  24.  and  here  is  men- 
 tioned again  ,  that  the  Levites  might  be  poflefled  with 
 this  opinion,  that  they  were  but  Minifters  to  the 
 Priefts  5  and  therefore  ought  not  to  prefume  here- 
 after,to  afpire,as  Korah  didjto  theOffice  of  Priefthood. 
 
 Ver, 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  333 
 
 Ver.  7.  Therefore  thou  and  thy  Sons  with   thee  flail  Chapter 
 fyep  your  Pricjis  Office,']     Preferve  it  to  your  felves  ,    XVIH. 
 and  fuffer  no  other  Perfon  to  invade  it.  IVVNj 
 
 For  every  thing  of  the  Mar.  ]     Thefe  words  ,  and  Verfe  7. 
 the  following,  briefly  declare  what  is  meant  by  the 
 Priefts  Office.     Firli^  To  offer  Sacrifice  at  the  Altar 
 of  Burnt-offering.and  fprinkle  the  Blood,  &c. 
 
 And  withm  the  Veil.}  Next  to  perform  all  the  Ser- 
 vice of  God  within  the  Sanctuary.  For  in  the  He- 
 brew  the  wrords  are,  and  for  w'lihin  the  Veil :  which  is 
 a  (hort  form  of  Speech,  importing  both  all  that  was 
 to  be  done  in  the  San&uary,  by  the  Sons  of  Aaron  D 
 (as  burning  Incenfe,  putting  on  the  Shrew-bread,  and 
 lighting  the  Lamps)  and  likewife  all  that  was  to  be 
 done  in  the  moft  Holy  Place,  by  Aaron  himfelf  on 
 the  Day  of  Atonement.  For  the  word  Paroceth  al- 
 ways fignifies  the  inner  Veil  before  the  moft  Holy 
 Place  \  the  outward  Veil  being  conftantly  called-M*- 
 fack.  And  therefore  the  exa&eft  Tranflation  of  the 
 Hebrew  words  lemibbeth  laparoceth  is  this,  for  within 
 the  Houfe  (i.e.  the  Holy  Place)  for  the  Veil  $  i.e.  with 
 the  Veil,  in  the  molt  Holy  Place. 
 
 And  ye  flail  ferve.~]  In  thefe  Places  ye  alone  (hall 
 ferve^  and  imploy  no  Body  elfe. 
 
 /  have  given  your  Priefts  Office  unto  you^  as  a  Service 
 of  gift. ~]  He  would  have  the  Levites  to  know,  that 
 Aaron  and  his  Sons  had  not  arrogantly  ufurped  this 
 Office  of  miniftring  alone  at  both  the  Altars  5  but  he 
 had  freely  beftowed  it  upon  them,  and  appropriated 
 it  unto  them. 
 
 And  the  Sir  anger. ~\  Though  a  Levite^  if  he  be  not 
 of  the  Family  of  Aaron. 
 
 Thai 
 
334  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  That  comet h  nigh.]  Prefumes  to  offer  Sacrifices  at 
 XVIII.  the  Altar  of  Burnt-offering  ;  or  Incenfe  at  the  golden 
 L/VNJ  Altar. 
 
 Shall  be  pit  to  death.]  This  is  repeated  by  reafon 
 of  the  late  Rebellion  of  Korah  and  his  Complices } 
 who,  afpiring  to  the  Priefthood,  came  to  a  fearful 
 end.  See  III.  10. 
 Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  And  theLO  RD  Jpake  unto  Aaron,  faying.] 
 Having  told  him,  in  the  foregoing  part  of  the  Chap- 
 ter  (particularly  in  the  foregoing  verfe)  whatfhould 
 be  the  Work  of  him  and  his  Sons,  he  proceeds  to  tell 
 him  what  recompence  he  (hould  have  for  his  Service 
 at  the  Altar  of  Burnt -offerings  ,  and  in  the  SanUuary. 
 Of  which  he  gives  him  a  large  account,  (  from  this 
 verfe  to  the  loth)  that  he  might  want  no  incourage- 
 ment  to  Care  and  Diligence  in  his  Employment. 
 
 Behold,  1  alfo,  I  have  given  thee  the  charge."]  He 
 bids  him  obferve  the  large  Grant  which  he  now 
 makes  him,  as  well  as  the  Work  he  had  laid  upon 
 him.  For  by  giving  him  the  charge  of  what  follows, 
 he  means  beftowing  them  upon  him  for  his  own 
 ufe  5  with  a  Charge  to  let  none  have  them  but  him- 
 felf. 
 
 Of  my  Heave- offerings,  of  all  the  hallowed  things  of 
 the  Children  of  Ifrael.  See  VII  Lev.  34.  and  below 
 v.  1 1 .  of  this  Chapter. 
 
 Unto  thee  have  I  given  them, by  reafon  of  the  anoint- 
 ing.] Becaufe  thou  art  Confecrated,  by  being  anoint- 
 ed with  the  Holy  Oyl  to  the  Office  of  a  Prieft,  VIII 
 Lev.  12. 
 
 And  to  thy  Sons  by  an  Ordinance  for  ever.]  See  VII 
 Lev.  34. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  33$ 
 
 Ver.  9.  This  ft) all  be  thine  of  the  moll  holy  things,  j    Chapter 
 He  begins  with  thofe  things  which  might  be  eaten   XVIII. 
 only  by  the  Priefts  themfelves.  L^V^J 
 
 Reserved  from  the  fire7\  From  the  Altar  of  Burnt-  ^erfe  9- 
 offering  :  for  there  were  fome  things,  called  moll  holy, 
 which  were  their  Portion,  that  came  not  from  thence, 
 but  out  of  the  San&uary  \  viz.the  twelve  Cakes, which 
 were  taken  off  the  Table,  and  given  to  Aaron  and  his 
 Sons  every  Sabbath  Day,  XXIV  Lev.  5,  6,  7,  8,  9. 
 
 Every  Oblation  of  their s.~]  In  the  Hebrew,  all  their 
 Korbans  :  which  is  a  larger  word  than  Sebach  5  com- 
 prehending not  only  fuch  Sacrifices  as  were  killed  at 
 the  Altar,  (which  are  properly  called  Zebachim)  but 
 all  the  Minchas  or  Meat-offerings  (  as  we  tranflate  it) 
 which  were  of  things  inanimate.  And  the  Sacrifices 
 of  Birds  alfo,  whofe  Blood  was  never  poured  out  at 
 the  Altar.  s  And  therefore  Korban  feems  here  to  be  a 
 general  word,  comprehending  all  the  Particulars 
 which  follow  :  efpecially  if  all  be  tranflated  exaftly 
 as  the  words  are  in  the  Hebrew. 
 
 Every  Meat-offering  of  theirs,  &cc.~]  In  the  Hebrew 
 the  words  are,  For  all  their  Meat-offerings.  Which 
 makes  the  fence  plainer,  if  the  whole  be  thus  tran- 
 flated, AU  their  K-orbans  (or  Oblations)  for  all  their 
 Meat-offerings,  and  for  all  their  Sin-offerings,  and  for 
 all  their  Trefyafs- offerings  :  of  all  which  the  Priefthad 
 a  part.  Concerning  the  Meat-offerings,  or  rather  the 
 Bread-offerings,  (for  fo  Mincha  may  moft  fitly  be 
 tranflated,  the  Sacrifices  being  Flefh,  which  were  not 
 eaten  without  Bread  and  Drinks  that  were  their  Con- 
 comitants) See  II  Le^.  3,  10.  VI.  15,16.  Where  the 
 Flefh  of  the  Sin-offerings,  except  thofe  whofe  Blood 
 was  brought  into  the  moft  Holy  Place  ,  is  given  alfo 
 unto  them,  v.  26.  And  fo  are  the  Trefpafs- offerings  al- 
 
336 A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  fo,  in  the  next  Chapter,  VII  Lev.6j.     As  for  Burnt- 
 
 XVIII.    offerings,  they  were   wholly    the  LORD'S^    and 
 
 \S~sT\J  Peace-offerings  were  not  accounted  things  moll  holy  $ 
 
 but  reckoned  among  the  lefs  holyjs  appears  from  ^.i  i . 
 
 of  thisprefent  Chapter. 
 
 Which  they  foall  render  unto  me.~\  Thefe  words  re- 
 late only  to  the  Trefpafs-offerings^mmzdhtdy  before- 
 named  :  which  were  attended  with  a  recompenfe  of 
 the  Wrongs  done,  either  unto  the  L  O  R  D ,  V  Lev. 
 15,  16.  or  unto  their  Neighbours,  VI  Lev.  5.  V 
 Numb.  8,  9. 
 
 Shall  be  moll  holy  for  thee,  and  for  thy  Sons."]  To 
 be  ufed  by  none  elfe^  as  it  follows  in  the  next 
 verfe. 
 
 Verfe  10.      ^er.  IO*  ^n  *^e  m0^  ^°b  P^ace  floa^  *^0H  ea*  **'  ' 
 t.  e.  In  the  place  where  they  performed  their  Sacred 
 
 Office,  (in  that  part  of  the  Tabernacle  next  the  San- 
 
 ftuary)  which  is  called  mottholy,  in  comparifon  with 
 
 the  reft,  which  were  further  off  :  becaufe  none  might 
 
 enter  into  it  but  the  Priefts  alone.     See  Note  upon 
 
 VI  Lev.  16.  where  it  is  faid  exprefly,  It  Jhall  be  eaten 
 
 in  the  holy  place  }  in  the  Court  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the 
 
 Congregation.     And  fee  v.  26.  and  X,  12,  13. 
 
 Every  Male  foaU  eat  it."]  And  none  elfe,  as  the  pla- 
 ces fore-mentioned  exprefly  limit  it,  II  Lev.  3,  10. 
 VI.  18,  29.  VII.  6. 
 
 It  flail  be  holy  unto  thee.]  Peculiarly  feparated  from 
 the  ufe  of  all  other  Perfons,  but  only  Aaron  and  his 
 Sons. 
 Verfe  1 1 .  Ver.  1 1 .  And  thk  is  thine.  *]  Now  he  mentions 
 the  lefs  holy  things,  as  before  the  mo!i  holy :  which 
 he  beftowed  upon  him  and  his  whole  Family. 
 
 The 
 
upon  NUMBERS,  ^7 
 
 The  Heave-offerings  of  their  Gift,  with  all  the  Wave-    Chapter 
 offerings  of  the  Children  ofl/rael."]     That  is,  the  Bread     XVIIL 
 of  their  Peace-offerings,  (which  are  here  called  their  L/"V*VJ 
 Gift)  which  was  waved  before  the  L  O  R  D  5  and 
 the    right  Shoulder  heaved  3  and  then  given  to  the 
 Prieft  for  his  Portion  ,  VII  Lev.  30,  31,  32,  33,  34. 
 And  fo  was  the  right  Shoulder  of  the  Ram  ,  which 
 was  offered  for  the  Nazarite,  VI  Numb.  19,  20, 
 
 I  have  given  them  unto  thee,  and  unto  thy  Sons,  and 
 to  thy  Daughters  with  theefkcT]  Thefe  were  not  con- 
 fined to  the  Males  only  ,  but  might  be  eaten  by  their 
 Daughters  alfo,  XLev.  14. 
 
 Every  one  that  is  clean  in  thy  Houfe,  full  eat  of  it.  1 
 Not  only  their  Wives,  and  their  Daughters  that  were 
 not  married ,  but  thofe  who  were  Divorced,  or  Wi- 
 dows, and  returned  to  their  Fathers  Houfe,  without 
 Children  5  or  had  Children  begotten  by  a  Prieft,(See 
 XXIlLe-z/.^Otogether  with  their  Servants  alfo,whe- 
 ther  bought  with  their  Money,or  born  in  their  Houfe^ 
 though  not  hired  Servants,  or  mere  Sojourners,  XXII 
 Lev.  10, 1 1.  But  thefe  things  were  to  be  eaten  in  a 
 clean  place,  (XLeu.  14.  )  fome  where  within  the 
 Camp  ,  as  afterward  in  Jerufalem,  (XII  Deut.  6,7,1 7, 
 1 8.)  And  no  unclean  Perfon  permitted  to  eat  of  them, 
 VII  Lev.  20,  2i.  XXII.  4.  And  befides,  when  any 
 Ifraelite  killed  an  Ox,  a  Sheep,  or  a  Goat  for  his  own 
 ufe,  he  was  bound  to  give  the  Prieft  the  Shoulder, 
 the  two  Cheeks,  and  the  Maw  3  as  the  Jews  under- 
 ftand,  XVIII  Deut.  3. 
 
 Ver.  12.  All  the  beji  of  the  OyJ,   and  all  the  bell  tf/Verfe  12. 
 the  Winejkc.~\     The  Greeks  trandate  the  Hebrew  word 
 Cheleb  (fat)  by  fjjuc\%,  marrow,  XLV  Gen.  18.  but 
 here  d7mp$,  the  Firtf-fruits  of  the  Oyl ,  &c.  figni- 
 fying  thefe  Firft-fruits  were  to  be  of  the  very  beft  of 
 
 Xx  all 
 
338  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  all  the  things  here  mentioned  ^  which  were  to  Be 
 XVIII.  brought  in  the  beginning  of  the  Vintage,  and  of  the 
 U'VSJ  Harveft.  The  precife  quantity  of  which  is  no  where 
 determined  ^  but,  they  fay  it  was  at  lead  the  fixtieth 
 part  of  the  whole  ,  See  XXII  Exod.  29.  XXIII.  19. 
 XVIII  Dent.  4.  where  he  fpeaks  of  the  Firft-fruits, 
 which  every  private  Man  was  to  offer  5  befide  which 
 there  was  a  Firft-fruits  offered  in  the  Name  of  the 
 whole  Congregation,  XXIII  Lev.  10, 1 7.  All  which 
 belonged  to  the  Priefts  as  a  Reward  of  their  Ser- 
 vice. 
 
 The  FirSl-fruits  of  them,  which  they  Jl) all  offer  unto 
 the  LOR  D,them  have  I  given  thee.^  Our  Mr. Thorn- 
 dike  thus  diftinguifhes  the  two  forts  of  Firft-fruits, 
 mentioned  here, and  in  other  places.  The  one  was 
 to  be  taken  by  the  Priefts  at  the  Barn  and  Wine-Prefs, 
 as  he  thinks  that  here  fpoken  of  was.  The  other  was 
 to  be  brought  to  the  Sanftuary,  viz.  thofe  mentioned 
 XXII  and  XXIII  Exod.  and  XXVI  Deut.  1,  2.  The 
 quantity  of  either  of  them  being  in  the  moderate  ac- 
 count, a  fiftieth  part,  as  S.  Uierom  determines  upon 
 XLV  Ezeb  which  is  agreeable  to  the  Jewijb  Confti- 
 tutionsin  Maimonides  of  FirSt-frnits ,  cap.  2.  and  of 
 Separations,  cap.  5.  But  the  Scripture,  XLV  Ezek.i%. 
 requires  only  the ftxtieth  part.  See  Rights  of  the  Church 
 in  a  Chrifiian  State,  p.  2 1  o. 
 Verfe  13.  Ver.  13.  And  whatfoever  is  fir  it  ripe  in  the  Land 
 which  they  full  bring  nnto  the  LORD,  /ball be  thine. ~\ 
 Some  take  this  to  fignifie  the  FirSt-fruits  of  all  other 
 things,  befides  Corn,  Wine  and  Oyl  mentioned  irr 
 the  foregoing  Verfe.  But  it  being  a  different  word 
 from  that  which  we  tranflate  Firft-fruits,  (viz.  Pfrcu- 
 rim,  not  Rejhith)  it  is  moft  likely  he  here  intends, 
 either  the  things  fir  ff  ripe  (as  we  tranflate  it)  before 
 
 the 
 
upon  NUMB  E  R  %  33P 
 
 the  reft  of  the  Harveft  and  Vintage  $  or  thofe  volun-    Chapter 
 tary  Offerings  of  this  fort,  which  any  one  pleafed  to    XVIII. 
 make :  which  feem  to  be  intended  in  thefe  words,  L/^V\J 
 which  they  fiall  bring  unto  the  LO  R  D  3  i.  e.  of  their 
 own  good  will  3  over  and  above  the  ordinary  Firft- 
 fruits. 
 
 The  Jews  generally  underftand  by  Biccurim  fuch 
 things  as  are  ripe  before  the  reft  ,  either  in  the  Field 
 as  elfewhere  3  whether  they  were  Wheat,  Barley,  or 
 any  other  fort  of  Grain  5  or  Figs,  Grapes,  Pomegra- 
 nets,  Olives  or  Dates,  which  they  bound  about  with 
 a  Rufti,  and  faid,  Let  this  be  for  the  Firfl-fruits.  Which 
 every  Man  might  bring  in  what  meafure  he  pleafed, 
 none  being  appointed  by  the  Law. 
 
 Every  one  that  is  clean  in  thy  Houfe  fljalf  eat  of  it.  1 
 The  whole  Family  of  the  Priefts,  if  they  were  under 
 no  pollution.     See  jr. it. 
 
 Ver.  14.  Every  thing  devoted  in  Ifraelftall  be  thine.']  Verfe  14^ 
 Of  thofe  things  which  the  Hebrews  call  Cherem  (  a 
 thing  devoted)  Mofes  fpeaks  in  XXVII  Lev.  21,  28. 
 And  they  were  either  (imply  devoted,  in  fuch  words 
 as  thefe,  Let  this  thing  be  a  Cherem  :  Or  with  an  addi- 
 tion (determining  it  to  a  certain  ufe)  Let  this  be  a 
 Cherem  offered  by  me,  for  holy  ufes.  The  firft  fort  were 
 wholly  the  Priefts :  but  the  latter  were  employed  a- 
 bout  the  Temple,  or  the  VefTels  of  it ,  or  the  Priefts 
 Garments.  And  thefe  devoted  things,which  became  the 
 Priefts  Portion,  diifered  in  this  from  Free-ivill-offer* 
 ings ,  that  every  thing  which  was  offered  as  a  Cherem, 
 might  be  eaten  only  by  the  Priefts  in  the  Holy  Place  5 
 but  other  Free-will-offerings  by  the  whole  Family,  in 
 any  clean  place. 
 
 Ver.  15.  Every  thing  that  openeih  the  Matrix  in  all  Verfe.  15. 
 Flejh  which  they  bring  unto  the  LORD,  whether  it  be  of 
 
 X  x   2  Men 
 
34o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Men  or  Beajls,  flail  be  thine.~]     That  which  fir  ft  came 
 
 XVIII.    out  of  the  Womb  of  any   Creature   was  to  be  the 
 
 U^VNj  Priefts,if  it  were  a  Male.     If  a  Female  were  the  Firft- 
 
 born,  and  a  Male  followed  next ,  that  was  not  the 
 
 Priefts,  becaufe  it  did  net  open  the  Womb,  as  the 
 
 Hebrews  expound  it.     See  XIII  Exod.  2. 
 
 Neverthelefs  the  Fir jl- born  of  Man  ft  alt  thou  fur ely 
 redeem^  and  the  Firfiling  of  unclean  B e aft s  JJj alt  thou  re- 
 deem.'} See  XIII  Exodr  1 3-  XXXiy.20. 
 Vrerfe  16.  Ver.  16.  And  ihofe  that  are  to  be  redeemed.  ]  Viz. 
 Of  the  Firft-born  of  Men  mentioned  before,  (not  of 
 unclean  Creatures  which  were  to  be  redeemed  by  a 
 Lamb,  XIII  Exod.  13.)  and  that  after  they  were  eight 
 Days  eld,  XXII  Exod.  30. 
 
 From  a  Month  old  ftalt  thou  redeem."}  Then  the  Mo- 
 ney was  due,  but  they  commonly  ftaid  till  the  forti- 
 eth Day,  when  the  Woman  was  purified. 
 
 According  to  thy  eftimation.  ~]  Some  think  this  re- 
 lates not  to  what  follows,  that  the  Prieft  ftiould  fet  a 
 value  upon  them,  (for  that  was  a  fet  rate ,  five  She- 
 kels for  every  one)  but  to  what  goes  before  ,  that  af- 
 ter a  Child  was  a  Month  old  ,  the  Prieft  {hould  ap- 
 point a  day  for  the  payment  of  the  Redemption-mo- 
 ney :  either  immediately  after  the  Women  had  lain 
 in  a  Month,  or  on  the  fortieth  Day,  that  (he  might  be 
 Purified, and  the  Child  redeemed,  both  together.  But 
 it  rather  refers  to  what  follows  5  for  though  the  price 
 be  determined,  yet  fo  it  is  in  another  cafe>  XXVII 
 Lev.  3,  4.  and  notwithftanding  is  faid  to  be  by  the 
 eftimation  of  the  Prieft  5  becaufe  he  was  to  take  this 
 Money,  not  according  to  the  quality  of  the  Perfon, 
 but  as  much  of  a  poor  Man  as  of  a  rich,  and  not  more 
 of  a  rich  Man  than  of  a  poor. 
 
 For 
 
upon  NUMBERS;  341 
 
 For  the  Money  of  five  Shekels ,&c.  ]  Which  was  the  Chapter 
 price  fet  upon  the  Firft-born,  when  they  were  ex-  XVIII. 
 changed  for  the  Levites0  IH.46,47.  This  Redemp-  *-^/-^ 
 tion  of  every  Firft-born,  was  a  matter  of  great  Im- 
 portance, and  therefore  fo  often  mentioned,  as  a 
 very  learned  Friend  of  mine  ,  Dr*  Atix-  obferves  in 
 his  Reflexions  on  the  four  latt  Books  of  Mo  fes  ,  Chap.  3. 
 For  as  the  Separation  of  the  Tribe  of  Levi  to  God 's. 
 Service  inftead  of  the  Firft-born,  whom  God  fpared 
 and  preferved  in  Egypt,  (of  which  we  read  in  the 
 third  Chapter  of  this  Book  )  made  every  Levite  be- 
 come a  living  Memorial  of  that  great  Miracle  wrought 
 at  the  Jfraelites  going  out  of  Egypt  5  fo  this  Law  con- 
 cerning the  Redemption  of  the  Firft-born,  made  a 
 further  impreffion  upon  their  Minds,  of  that  mighty- 
 Hand  of  God  which  compelled  Pharaoh  to  let  the 
 Jfraelites  depart  out  of  his  Country. 
 
 Ver.  17.  But  the  ftrfllingof  aCovo,  or  of  aSkee^  or  Verfe  i=^ 
 a  Goat,  thou  fid  alt  not  redeem.]     For  they  were  clean. 
 Creatures  :  and  only  unclean  Beafts  were  to  be  Re- 
 deemed, v.  15. 
 
 Tloey  are  holy.']  Separated  by  my  appointment  for 
 an  holy  ufe^  viz.  to  be  offered  in  Sacrifice  5  not  re- 
 deemed, or  put  to  any  other  ufe. 
 
 Thou  JJj alt  Jprinkje  their  Blood  upon  the  Altar, and  burn-, 
 their  fat ,&c.j  Juft  as  they  did  with  their  Peace- 
 offerings,  VllLev.  31,  33. 
 
 Ver.  18.  And  theflefl)  ofthemfiall  be  thine.]     The  Verfe  rS*. 
 whole  Body  of  the  Beafts,  (not  merely  feme  part  of. 
 them)  after  the  Fat  was  burnt,  became  the  Priefts  in- 
 tirely. 
 
 As  theWave-breafl  and  the  Heave-right-fhoulder  are 
 thine.]  As  thefe  parts  of  the  Peace-offerings  were  the. 
 Priefts,  (See  v.  11.)  fo  that  all  their  Family,  who. 
 
 were 
 
34^  A     COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  were  clean,  might  eat   of  the  Flefti  of  thefe  Firft- 
 XVIII.    lings,  as  they  did  of  thofe  parts  of  the  Peace-offer- 
 L/^V*%J  ings. 
 
 Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  AS  the  Heave-offerings  of  the  holy  things, 
 which  the  Children  of  Ifrael  offer  unto  the  LO  R  D.~] 
 He  repeats  what  he  had  faid  in  the  beginning  of  this 
 Difcourfe,  v.8.  that  he  had  given  him  all  the  Heave- 
 offerings  5  which  comprehend  thofe  mentioned  VI. 
 fg,  70. 
 
 Have  I  given  thee,  and  thy  Sons  and  thy  Daughters 
 with  thee,  by  a  Statute  for  ever.  ~]  Settled  upon  the 
 Priefts  and  their  whole  Family  for  their  Support,  by 
 an  unalterable  Law.     See  tMl. 
 
 It  k  a  Covenant  of  Salt  for  ever  before  the  LORD, 
 unto  thee,  8tc/]  i.  e.  An  everlaftirg  Covenant,  never 
 to  be  revoked.  See  upon  II  Lev.  13.  And  thefe 
 things  being  to  be  eaten  before  the  LORD,  there  was 
 a  place  in  the  Court  of  the  Women,  where  they  feaft- 
 ed  upon  them,  as  LEmpereur  obferves  upon  Middoth, 
 cap.  i.fctt.  6. 
 Verfe  20.  ^er.  20*  ^nd  the  LORD  fpahg  unto  Aaron  ,  fay- 
 tng.")     See  v.  1. 
 
 Thou  JI) alt  hqye  no  Inheritance  in  their  Land ."]  i.e.  In 
 the  Land  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  whom  he  fpeaks  of 
 in  the  foregoing  verfe.  Where  having  told  him  what 
 reward  he  and  his  Family  (hould  have  for  his  Service, 
 he  bids  them  be  fatisfied  therewith ,  and  not  expect 
 any  more.  And  indeed  it  was  fo  very  liberal  a  Pro- 
 vision, that  their  defires  could  not  reafonably  extend 
 any  further.  For  as  they  had  two  forts  of  Firft-fruits 
 (as  I  obferved  v.  1 2.)  fo  after  a  Tythe  of  that  which 
 was  given  to  the  Levites,  there  was  another  Tythe  of 
 what  remained  to  be  fpent  in  facrificing  at  Jerufalem  : 
 that  is,  for  the  moft  part,  upon  the  Priefts  and  Ze- 
 
 vitts. 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  343 
 
 «Ste/t  unto  whom,  and  unto  the  Poor,  it  wholly  be-  Chapter 
 longed  every  third  Year  ,  XIV  Dent.  22,28.  XXIII  XVIII. 
 Exod.  19.  XXXIV.  20.  Add  hereunto  the  Firft- 
 born,  all  the  Sin-offerings ,  and  their  fhare  in  the 
 Peace-offerings,  and  the  Skins  of  the  Sacrifices  (which 
 alone,  as  Philo  obferves,  was  a  great  Revenue  )  and 
 it  will  appear,  it  could  not  be  fo  little  as  &  fifth  part 
 of  the  Fruit  of  the  Country  that  came  to  the  Priefts 
 for  their  Maintenance,  as  Mr.  Thorndifg  obferves  in 
 the  Rights  of  the  Church  in  a  Chrijiian  State,  p.2H. 
 
 Neither  J/j alt  thou  have  any  part  among  then/.]  When 
 the  Land  was  divided,  no  fields,  or  Vine  -yards,  &c. 
 were  to  be  given  to  the  Priefts,  or  to  any  of  the 
 Tribe  of  Levi.  And  as  the  Jewjb  Do&ors  fay,  they 
 were  to  have  no  part  among  their  Brethren  in  the 
 Spoil.  So  Jarchi  upon  this  place,  and  Maimonides  > 
 and  others,  who  indeavour  to  anfwer  the  Objection 
 which  may  be  raifed  againft  this  from  the  XXXIft 
 Chapter  of  this  very  Book,  ^.28,  29.  Where  a  Tri- 
 bute was  taken  of  the  Prey  they  got  from  the  Midi  a- 
 nites,  and  given  to  Eleazar  and  the  Levites.  This 
 Tribute,  fay  they,  was  offered  becaufe  the  Spoil  came 
 by  executing  God's  Vengeance  upon  a  Land  that  was 
 not  theirs,  XXV.  1 7.  But  of  the  Land  of  Sihon  and 
 Og,  (which  God  beftowed  upon  them,  as  he  did  the 
 Land  of  Canaan)  nothing  was  given  to  the  Priefts 
 and  Levites  5  for  they  wereadmonifhed  to  the  con- 
 trary (as  they  underftand  them)  by  thefe  words,  Nei- 
 ther fial't  thou  have  any  fart  among  them  3  no  not  of 
 the  Spoil. 
 
 Certain  it  is, that  of  the  Land  of  the  Country  they 
 were  to  have  10  part,  God  having  otherwife  provi- 
 ded for  them  $  that  they  might  attend  wholly  to  his 
 Service^  and  not  fpend   their  time  in   Tilling  the 
 
 Ground- 
 
344  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Ground,  or  feeding  Cattle  :  which  would  have  ta- 
 XVIII.  ken  up  their  Thoughts  very  much  from  their  Sacred 
 Employment.  Yet  the  Levitts  had  certain  Cities  and 
 their  Suburbs  aftigned  to  them,XXXV.2,dfcc.  (which 
 was  executed  by  Jojiwa,  as  God  commanded ,  XXI 
 JoJIj.  2,5.)  whereby  they  were  difperfed  among  the 
 Tribes  of  Ifrael,  that  they  might  the  better  inftruft 
 the  People  in  the  Divine  Law  ,  XXXIII  Dent.  10. 
 2  Cfwon.  XXX.  22.  II  Malachi  4,5,  &c.  By  accident 
 alio  the  Priefts  came  to  have  fome  Land.  See  XXVII 
 ■1  ev.  20,  &c.  and  my  Notes  there. 
 
 1  am  t  hy  part  and  thine  inheritance  among  the  Chil- 
 dren of  Ifrael.']  For  they  were  maintained  in  his 
 Houfe,  and  lived  upon  his  Altar,  and  fed  from  his 
 Table  5  as  it  is  explained  in  XIII  JoJJj.  14.  The  Sa- 
 crifices of  the  LO  R  D  God  of  Ifrael  made  by  fire,  are 
 their  inheritance,  as  he  /aid  unto  them.  Which  is  gi- 
 ven as  the  reafon  why  Joflma  gave  them  no  Inheri- 
 tance. And  fee  v.  33.  of  that  Chapter,  where  the 
 LORD  God  of  Ifrael  k  f aid  to  be  their  Inheritance. Who, 
 it  appears  by  the  foregoing  part  of  this  Chapter,  and 
 other  places  ,  made  fuch  an  ample  Provifion  for 
 them,  that  if  he  had  given  them  any  part  of  the 
 Land  of  Canaan  together  with  it,  there  had  been  too 
 great  an  inequality  between  them,  and  the  reft  of 
 the  Tribes  of  Ifrael.  For  without  any  (hare  in  the 
 Land,  their  Portion  was  far  richer  than  that  of  any 
 other  Perfons  whatfoever.  I  have  faid  enough  to 
 prove --this  already,  but  it  may  not  be  amifs  to  fet  it 
 before  the  Reader  again,  a  little  more  diftinftly. 
 As  they  had  yearly  the  Firft-fruits  of  the  whole 
 "Country,  which  was  at  leaft  the  fixtieth  part  of  the 
 Fruits  it  produced  5  and  the  tenth  part  of  the  Tithe 
 given  to  the  Levites,  (as  it  follows  below  v.  26.)  and 
 
 all 
 
upon  NUMBERS-  345 
 
 all  Free-will-offerings  5  together  with  the  Money  Chapter 
 which  arofe  out  of  Perfons  and  Things  devoted  unto  XVIII. 
 God  5  and  all  the  Firftlings  of  Cows ,  Sheep  and  U"V\J 
 Goats  }  and  the  Redemption-Money  for  the  Firft- 
 lings of  fuch  Creatures  as  were  unclean  :  So  they  had 
 all  the  Meat-offerings,  Offerings  for  Sin  and  Trefpafs- 
 offerings  -0  together  with  the  Bread:  and  Shoulder  of 
 all  Peace-offerings,  and  the  Skins  of  all  Burnt-offer- 
 ings 5  and  the  Loaves  made  of  the  firft  Dough ,  and 
 the  Shew-bread,  and  (as  Jofephus  and  others  expound 
 XVIII  Dent.  3.)  a  confiderable  part  of  every  beaft 
 that'  was  killed  for  private  ufe  5  befides  the  Cities  and 
 Land  about  them  which  were  affigned  to  the  Levites. 
 Which  if  well  weighed,  there  will  appear  a  vaft  dif- 
 ference between  the  Priefts  and  the  reft  of  the  Peo- 
 ple. For  the  Firft-fruits  alone,  if  they  were  not  lefs 
 than  the  fixtieth  part  of  the  produd  of  the  Country 
 might  feem  fuflicient,  efpecially  if  the  Firftlings  be  ad- 
 ded 5  the  Priefts  not  being  the  fixtieth  part  of  the 
 People  $  no,  nor  the  hundred  part ,  as  learned  Men 
 have  computed.     See  Bonfrerius. 
 
 Ver.  2 1 .  And  behold7\  Now  he  gives  the  Levites  Verfe  2 1. 
 notice  of  the  Recompence  he  would  make  them  for 
 their  Service,  as  he  had  told  the  Priefts  what  they 
 fliould  have  for  theirs.  And  Aaron  hath  the  delivery 
 of  this  Grant  made  to  them  from  God, that  they  might 
 fee  he  did  not  mind  himfelf,  and  the  Intereft  of  his 
 own  Family  only. 
 
 I  have  given  the  Children  of  Levi  all  the  tenth  in  If- 
 rael.~]  See  XXVII  Lev.  30.  and  2  Chron.  XXXI.  9,6. 
 where  they  are  diftin&ly  mentioned.  Aben-Ezra 
 thinks  the  tenth  rather  than  any  other  part  was  affign- 
 ed, becaufe  it  was  a  per  fed  Number  :  Ten  being  in 
 fimple  Numbers  the  higheft  to  which  we  can  arife, 
 
 Y  y  with- 
 
346  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  without  repeating  the  Numbers  under  it.  For  it  is 
 XVIII.  (as  he  fpeaks)  the  beginning  of  the  fecond  Combina- 
 L/*Wi  tion,  and  the  end  of  the  firft  5  whereupon  all  Num- 
 bers do  depend.  Which  our  Mr.  Mede  hath  expref- 
 fed,  in  my  judgment,  far  better:,  who  looks  upon  it 
 as  God  s  favourable  dealing  with  Men,in  requiring  but 
 the  Tenth  5  which  is  in  truth  the  \eali  part  of  their 
 Goods,  according  to  the  firft  Divifion.  For  when 
 we  proceed  beyond  Ten,  we  begin  to  make  a  new  Di- 
 vifion, as  Eleven  is  ten  and  one,  &c.  But  we  need 
 not  have  recourfe  to  fuch  Niceties.    See  upon  Qenefis 
 
 XXVIII.  22. 
 
 For  an  Inheritance.']   Inftead  of  a  (hare in  the  Land 
 of  Canaan,  which  other  Tribes  had  divided  among 
 them.     And  a  larger  Inheritance  this  was  than  any  o- 
 ther  Tribe  poffeffed :  for  this  was  the  fmalleft  Tribe 
 of  all,  as  appears  by  comparing  the  account  which  is 
 given  of  them,  in  the  beginning  of  this  Book.     For 
 all  the  Males  of  this  Tribe,  from  a  Month  old  and 
 upward,  were  but  Two  and  twenty  thoufand,  III.29. 
 Whereas  in  the  Tribe  of  Judah  alone  there  were  a- 
 bove  Threefcore  and  fourteen  thoufand  Men  of  War, 
 I.  26,  27.     And  yet  the  Levites  had  a  tenth  part  of 
 the  produft  of  the  whole  Country  5  and  the  twelve 
 Tribes  had  only  the  other  nine  parts  among  them. 
 Such  a  care  had  God  of  thofe  who  were  peculiarly 
 devoted  to  his  Service. 
 
 For  the  Service  which  they  ferve,  &c/]  As  a  Reward 
 of  their  Service  5  of  which  fee  Chapter  IV. 
 Verfe  22.  Ver.  22.  Neither  mufi  the  Children  of  Ifrael  Unct- 
 forth  come  nigh  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation!]  Or 
 rather,  Therefore  the  Children  of  Ifrael  mnft  not  come 
 nigh,  fo  as  to  perform  any  of  the  Offices  belonging 
 to  the  Priefts  and  Levites  5  who  were  appointed  to  do 
 
 every 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  g47 
 
 every  thing  belonging  to  the  Service  of  God  there  5  Chapter 
 and  had  their  Reward  for  it  alfo  appointed.  XVIII. 
 
 LeSl  they  bear  fin  ,  and  die.  ~\     Be  punifhed    with  L/"V"Nj 
 Death  :  which  is  often  threatned  to  fuch  Prefump- 
 tion. 
 
 Ver.  23.  But  the  Levites  flw.ll  do  the  Service  of  the  Verfe  22. 
 Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation.']  It  was  their  work 
 and  no  Bodies  elie  :  and  therefore  no  other  Perfons 
 were  to  meddle  with  it.  That  is,  they  alone  guard* 
 ed  the  Tabernacle,  and  afterwards  the  Temple  ^  open- 
 ed the  Gates  of  it  5  kept  out  all  Strangers  ,  (i.  e.  all 
 but  Priefts  and  Levites)  carried  the  Tabernacle,  and 
 its  Veffels  when  they  were  to  be  removed,  &c. 
 
 And  they  [hall  bear  their  Iniquity.  ~]  They  (hall  die 
 for  it  ,  if  they  permit  any  one  elfe  to  come  there 
 and  do  their  work.     See  v.  1. 
 
 It  jhall  be  a  Statute  for  ever  throughout  their  Generati- 
 ons, that  among  the  Children  of  Ifrael  they  have  no  In- 
 heritance^ As  all  other  Perfons  were  excluded  from 
 ferving  in  the  Tabernacle  ^  fo  they  who  ferved  there 
 were  (hut  out  from  having  any  Inheritance  among 
 their  Brethren.  This  was  made  an  unalterable  Law, 
 which  provided  another  feparate  Maintenance  for 
 them,  by  the  Tythes  of  all  the  Land  5  as  here  it  a- 
 gain  follows. 
 
 Ver.  24.  But  the  Tythes  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael \which  Verfe  24* 
 they  offer  as  an  Heave- offering  unto  the  LOR  D.~\  That 
 the  People  might  not  grudge  to  pay  them  the  Tythes 
 for  their  Service,he  reprefents  them  as  an  Heave-ofter- 
 ing  which  they  offered  to  God,  in  Gratitude  to  Rim, 
 of  whom,  as  the  Supreme  Landlord,  they  held  that 
 Land.  Not  that  they  were  heaved  up  or  waved  be- 
 fore the  L  O  R.  D  5  but  they  were  of  the  fame  Na- 
 ture with  thofe  things  that  were  fo  offered  to  him,/.e. 
 
 Yy  2  Holy 
 
34§ 
 
 A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Holy  Things,  feparate  to  his  ufes :  all  which  are  cal- 
 XVIII.    led  by  this  Name  of  Terumah  ,  v.  8.     And   particu- 
 l/Y\j  larly  all  the  Offerings  which  God  required  to  be  free- 
 ly brought,  for  the  building  him  a  San&uary,are  cal- 
 led by  this  Name  of  Terumah,  or  Heave-offering  , 
 XXV  Exod  2.  See  there. 
 
 /  have  given  to  the  Levites  to  inherit."]  The  Israe- 
 lites gave  them  to  God  $  and  he  gave  them  to  the  Le- 
 vites for  their  Inheritance  5  who  had  as  much  right 
 to  them  i  as  the  other  Tribes  had  to  their  Land. 
 Which  was  the  reafon  he  ordered  they  (hould  have 
 no  Portion  of  the  Land  of  Canaan  with  the  other 
 Tribes,as  it  here  follows-jherefore  have  I faid  unto  them, 
 among  the  Children  of  Ifrael  fid  all  they  have  no  Inheri- 
 tance :  For  he  had  given  them  the  Tythes  to  inherit. 
 But  R.  Solomon  Jarchi  obferves  alfo,  that  the  Levites 
 themfelves  had  no  right  to  them,  till  they  had  taken 
 out  the  tenth  part  from  their  Tenth,  and  given  it  to 
 the  Priefls  3  as  is  here  immediately  directed. 
 
 Verfe  25.  Ver.25.  And  the  LOR  DJpake  unto  Mofes,  faying."] 
 In  all  the  foregoing  part  of  the  Chapter,  (v.  1,8,20.) 
 the  L  O  R  D  fpake  unto  Aaron  (  though  by  Mofes  ) 
 but  here  his  Order  is  particularly  directed  to  Mofes  3 
 becaufe  that  which  follows  would  better  come  from 
 him,  than  from  Aaron  :  Who  was  employed  in  ac- 
 quainting the  Levites  with  the  Donation  God  had 
 made  of  the  Tythes  to  them,  v.  21.  but  it  would 
 not  have  been  fo  proper  for  him  to  tell  them,  what 
 was  to  be  given  out  of  the  Tythes  to  himfelf,  and  to 
 the  Priefts. 
 
 Verfe  26.  Ver.  26.  Thus  fyeak^unto  the  Levites  ,  and  fay  unto 
 them,  When  ye  take  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael  the  Tythes, 
 which  I  have  given  you  from  them  for  your  Inheritance.  ~] 
 In  thefe  words  Mofes  confirms   the   report  which 
 
 Aaron 
 
upon   NUMBER  S.  349 
 
 Aaron  had  made  to  them,   that  the  Tythes  of  the  Chapter 
 Land  (hould  be  theirs,and  their  Brethren  the  Children   XVIII. 
 of  Ifrael  have  no  right  to  them.  L/*V"\J 
 
 Then  floall  ye  offer  up  an  Heave-offering  for  the 
 LOR  D."]  As  the  Jfraelites  made  their  grateful  Ac- 
 knowledgments to  God  by  offering  their  Tythes  to 
 him,  for  the  ufe  of  his  Servants  the  Levites,  (v.2^) 
 fo  it  was  but  fit  that  the  Levites  (hould  be  fo  grateful 
 as  to  offer  to  him  the  Tythe  of  their  Tythes  (as  it 
 here  follows)  for  fuch  ufes  as  he  (hould  appoint. 
 
 Even  a  tenth  part  of  the  Tythe."]  For  the  tenth  part 
 which  God  referved  to  himfelf  out  of  the  Land  which 
 he  gave  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  was  a  kind  of  Rent 
 paid  to  him  their  Supreme  LORD:  And  he  align- 
 ing this  Rent  over  to.  the  Levites  for  their  Mainten- 
 ance, thought  good  notwithftanding  to  referve  a 
 Tythe  of  this  tenth  part  to  himfelf  5  that  thereby  he 
 might,  as  it  were,  hold  his  PofTeffion,  and  keep  $ez- 
 fin  ( as  the  Lawyers  fpeak )  of  his  own  Inheri- 
 tance. 
 
 Ver.  27.  And  this  your  Heave-offering  JJoall  be  rec-  Verfe  27; 
 kpnedunto  you."]     Be  accepted  by  God  ,  as  the  Of- 
 ferings heaved  up  to  him  in  the  San&uary  are,  (v.i^.) 
 though  it  be  but  the  hundredth  part  of  the  whole 
 Fruit  of  the  Land. 
 
 As  though  it  were  the  Corn  of  the  Thre flung- floor,  and 
 as  the  fulnefs  of  the  IVine-prefs.]  As  if  you  paid  fuch 
 a  Tythe,  as  the  Jfraelites  do  to  you,  out  of  all  their 
 own  Fields  and  Vineyards.  That  is ,  they  were  to 
 believe  their  Offering  of  this  fmall  part  to  be  as  accep- 
 table to  God,  as  that  of  all  the  Tribes  of  Ifrael :  and 
 that  they  (hould  have  the  fame  right  to  what  remain- 
 ed, when  they  had  done  this  ,  as  the  People  had  to 
 
 all 
 
3^o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  all  the  reft  of  the  Fruits  of  the  Earth,  when  they  had 
 XVIII.    paid  the  tenth  part  to  the  Levites. 
 L/"V*VJ       Ver.  28.  Lhus  you  alfo  Jhall  offer    an  Heave-offering 
 Verfe  28.  unto  the  LO  RD  ,  of  all  your   Tythes    which  ye    re- 
 ceive of  the  Children  oflfraeW]     He  would  have  them 
 know  that  he  ordered  this,  becaufe  he  would  not  have 
 the  Levites  alone  offer  nothing  to  him  ,  from  whom 
 they  received  fo  much  5  but  they  alfo  (hould  make 
 him  a  grateful  Acknowledgment  as  well  as  others. 
 
 And  ye  pall  give  thereof  the  LOR  D's  Heave* 
 offering?]  It  is  called  fo  often  the  LOR  D's  Heave- 
 offering,  that  they  might  the  more  willingly  pay  it  5 
 out  of  a  thankful  fenfe  of  what  they  owed  to  him,the 
 Donor  of  all. 
 
 To  Aaron  thePrieli.  ]  This  Tythe  is  thought  by 
 fome  to  have  been  defigned  for  the  High-Prieft  alone. 
 Two  great  Men  in  their  time  were  of  this  Opinion, 
 viz*  Nicolaus  Lyra,  and  the  famous  Alphonfus  Tofiatus. 
 And  another  very  learned  Perfon  of  our  own  (Bi- 
 fhop  R.  Montagu)  thinks  it  not  altogether  improba- 
 ble, that  fuch  a  Provision  as  this,  might  be  made  for 
 the  High-Prieft  and  his  Family,  State  and  Dignity  5 
 he  being  a  Man  of  great  Power  and  Might,  only  lefs 
 than  the  Kings  of  Ifrael  3  and  the  inferiour  Priefts 
 having  a  noble  Maintenance,  without  this,  from  the 
 Firft-fruits  and  Offerings  of  the  People. 
 
 But  there  is  nothing  to  fupport  this  ,  but  the  mere 
 Letter  of  the  Text  3  for  Jofephus  exprefly  fays  the 
 contrary  ,  Lib.  VI.  Arch&olog.  cap.  4. )  and  fodo  the 
 generality  of  the  Jewifl)  Writers,  and  St.  HieromzXto  : 
 that  all  the  Priefts  had  their  (hare  in  this  Tenth  paid 
 by  the  Levites.  Which  till  it  was  paid,  the  Levites 
 might  not  fpend,  to  their  own  ufe,  any  part  of  their 
 
 Tythe, 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  351 
 
 Tythe.  And  to  fecure  this,  the  Priefi  was  to  be  with  Chapter 
 the  Levites,  when  they  took,  Tythes,  (  as  we  read  X  Ne-  XVIIL 
 hem,  37,  38  )  to  take  care  that  they  fet  out  a  tenth  L^VNJ 
 part  of  them  for  the  Priefts.  Where  by  the  Prieff  the 
 Son  of  Aaron ,  I  cannot  think  is  meant  the  High-Prieft 
 himfelf,  (for  that  had  been  below  his  Dignity  )  but 
 fome  Prieft,  I  fuppofe,  appointed  by  him,  who  took 
 care  of  the  Concerns  of  the  whole  Order  of  Prieft- 
 hood,  and  particularly  of  the  High-PrieiYs  intereft^ 
 who,  it  is  probable,  had  a  principal  (hare  among  the 
 reft  in  this  Revenue,  perhaps  a  tenth  part  out  of  their 
 Tenth.  But  for  this  I  have  no  Authority :  though  I 
 take  it  for  certain,  that  when  he  faith  this  Tenth 
 fhould  be  given  to  Aaron  the  Prieff,  the  meaning  is, 
 that,as  it  was  not  for  himfelf  alone,  but  all  his  Sons 
 had  a  (hare  in  it,  fo  he  himfelf  was  not  excluded 
 from  an  honourable  portion  of  it. 
 
 It  may  feem  ftrange  perhaps  that  there  is  no  parti- 
 cular portion  fet  out  for  the  High-Prieft  by  himfelf , 
 if  this  be  not  it.  But  it  is  to  be  considered,  that  all 
 the  forenamed  Provifion  (  from  v.  8.  to  v.  20.  )  was 
 made  for  him,  in  the  firft  place  5  and  for  the  Priefts 
 together  with  him.  For  fo  the  words  runs  5  Vnto 
 thee  have  I  given  them,  and  to  thy  Sons,  v.  8,  9,  c£v. 
 And  he  had  this  priviledge  alfo ,  that  he  did  not  Mi- 
 nifter  by  Lot,  as  the  other  Priefts  did  in  their  feveral 
 Courfes,  but  when  he  pleafed  5  and  might  take  to 
 himfelf  what  Sacrifices  he  thought  good  to  offer, 
 (V.9,10.)  as  Maimonidcs  tells  US,  in  Cele  Mikdafch, 
 cap.  5.  where  he  fpeaks  concerning  tire  High-Prieft ;s 
 Prerogatives. 
 
 Ver.  29.  Outtf  all  your  Gifts  r\     Not  only  out  ofVerfe  29. 
 theirTythes,but  out  of  all  their  otherPoffeffions,which 
 
 God 
 
352  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  God  gave  them  5  their  Fields,  for   inftance  ,  which 
 
 XVIII.    were  in  the  Suburbs  of  their  Cities. 
 
 W"V"\J      Te  fiall  offer.']     Make  a  Prefent  to  the  Priefts. 
 
 Every  Heave-offermg.~]Some  portion  of  every  thing 
 God  gives  you  to  poffefs. 
 
 Of  the  LO  R  D.~]  As  a  thankful  acknowledgment 
 of  the  Divine  Bounty  to  you,  upon  whom  he  hath 
 beftowed  fo  many  good  things.     See  v.  28. 
 
 Of  all  the  beftt hereof, T]And  that  not  of  the  refufe,but 
 of  the  beft  of  theTythe,and  other  things  that  were  gi- 
 ven them.  By  which  is  not  to  be  underftood,that  they 
 were  bound  to  pick  out  the  very  beft, Wheat  fuppofe, 
 and  feparate  it  from  the  worfe(which  would  have  been 
 to  have  given  them  more  than  a  tenth  part  )  but  they 
 were  to  give  the  Priefts, as  good  as  they  left  for  them- 
 felves.  For  that  was  the  Rule,  XXVII.  Lev.  32,  33. 
 And  it  was  but  reafon  the  Priefts  (hould  have  this  ho- 
 nourable provifion  made  for  them  above  the  Levitts  , 
 their  Vocations  being  more  honourable,  and  their 
 Service  more  noble,  in  the  very  San&uary  it  felf.  For 
 which  caufe  this  tenth  of  the  Tythe  of  the  Land  was 
 affigncd  them  }  which,  they  being  but  few  in  com- 
 panion with  the Levites,  made  the  allowance  to  eve- 
 ry one  of  them,  much  greater  than  to  any  of  the  Ze- 
 vites.  And  yet,  as  an  augmentation  to  it,  they  had 
 the  Firft-fruits,  and  their  Fees  ,  as  I  faid  before,  out 
 of  the  Sacrifices,  and  other  things,  wholly  to  their 
 own  ufe. 
 
 Even  the  hallowed  part  thereof  out  of  it.']  The  fa- 
 cred  part  was  the  tenth  part,which  they  might  not  ufe^ 
 it  being  taken  by  God  for  his  part,XXVII  Lev. 30.  By 
 which  all  the  reft  was  fantiified  to  the  ufe  of:  the  own- 
 er, when  this  part  was  taken  out  of  it  5  which  may 
 poffibly  be  here  alfo  intended. 
 
 Ver. 
 
^NUMBERS.  353 
 
 Ver.  30.  Therefore  thou  ftalt  fay  unto  them.  ~]     Tell  Chapter 
 them  the  reafon  why  this  tenth  part  muft  be  feparated    XVIII. 
 from  the  reft.  U'VNJ 
 
 When  ye  have  heaved  the  beji  thereof  from  it.~]    Taken  Verfe  30. 
 out  the  tenth  part,  as  an  Offering  to  the  LORD. 
 
 Then  it  Jljall  be  counted  to  the  Levites,  as  the  increaje 
 of  the  Threfjing- floor  ^  and  as  the  mcreafe  of  theWine- 
 $refs.~\  Then  the  remainder  may  be  as  freely  ufed 
 by  them,  as  the  Corn  or  the  Wine  of  any  Mans  Land 
 in  Ifrael,  when  he  had  paid  his  Tythe.  But  till  then, 
 it  was  unlawful  for  him  to  en  joy  it,  becaufe  God  was 
 firft  to  be  ferved.  This  is  made  more  plain  in  the  next 
 verfe. 
 
 Ver.  31.  Andyefialleatit.']     After  the  hallowed yerfe  ^u 
 part  was  taken  out  (v.  29.  )  all  the  reft  was  theirs  5 
 to  be  enjoyed  as  Men  do  that  which  is  their  own. 
 
 In  every  placed]  This  feems  to  be  faid  ,  to  diftin- 
 guifh  theie  from  the  holy  things  given  by  God  to  xhe 
 Priefts.  Which  being  offered  at  the  Altar,  were  to 
 be  eaten  only  in  the  Holy  Place  ^  but  the  Tythes, 
 though  they  were  a  kind  of  Offering  to  the  LORD, 
 yet  not  being  prefented  at  the  Altar,  might  be  eaten 
 any  where ,  after  the  tenth  part  was  given  to  the 
 Priefts. 
 
 And  your  houjholds.~]  All  their  Family,  Servants  as 
 well  as  others5might  eat  of  them  5  whether  they  were 
 clean  or  no.  And  more  than  this ,  they  might  fell 
 them  to  Strangers,  to  buy  other  Neceffaries  with  the 
 Money  they  yielded ,  or  exchange  them  for  other 
 Commodities. 
 
 For  it  is  your  reward  for  your  Service  in  the  Tabernacle 
 oftheCongregation.~]     See  v.  21* 
 
 Ver.  32  .  And  ye  foallbear  no  fm.~\  Suffer  no  punifli- 
 ment. 
 
 Zz  By 
 
3^4 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        By  reafon  of  it.']     For  eating  it ,    with  your  Hou- 
 XIX.      (holds. 
 
 \ymsT\J  When  ye  have  heaved  from  it  the  belt  ^/zV.^When  they 
 had  taken  out  the  tenth  part,  as  facred  to  God's  ufcs, 
 (v.  28. )  they  might  fafely  ufe  the  reft  themfelves,  as 
 they  pleafed :  For  God  had  given  it  to  them  for 
 their  fupport,  and  therefore  would  not  punifh  them 
 for  eating  it,as  he  did  thofe  that  did  eat  holy  Things 
 which  did  not  belong  to  them. 
 
 Neither  [hall  ye  pollute  the  holy  things  of  the  Children 
 of  Ifrael.  3  Nor  would  there  be  any  danger  of  pol- 
 luting the  holy  Things  (which  God  had  referved  to 
 himfelf)  by  turning  them  to  a  common  ufe  5  as  there 
 would  have  been  if  they  had  eaten  the  Tythes,  or  o- 
 ther  Gifts,  before  the  tenth  part,  which  was  God's, 
 was  taken  out  of  them. 
 
 LeHyedie.~\  In  the  Hebrew  it  is,  Nor (t)all  ye  die  ^ 
 as  thofe  did,  who  meddled  with  the  holy  Things, 
 which  God  referved  for  his  Minifters  alone. 
 
 CHAP.     XIX, 
 
 Verfe  1.    Ver.  *•   \^D  the  LORD  Jpake  unto  Mofes,  and 
 
 l\  unto  Aaron,  faying.  ~\     They  were  both 
 
 concerned  in  what  follows  ^  Mofes  to  deliver  the 
 
 Command,  and  Aaron  to  fee  it  executed. 
 
 Verfe  2.        Ver.  2.  This  k  the  Ordinance.']     Or,  the  Confkitu* 
 
 tion. 
 
 Of  the  Law  which  the  LORD  hath  commanded.  ] 
 Which  is  now  pafled  into  a  Law  by  God's  command  5 
 who  had  ordered  this  Water  of  Purification  to  be 
 
 made 
 
^NUMBERS.  355 
 
 made  fome  time  before,  as  appears  from  VIII.  7.  But  Chapter 
 now  fetsdown  a  Rule  for  all  Pofterity  to  obferve,    XIX. 
 in  the  making  of  it.     It  is  the  rather  mentioned  now  L/"V\J 
 after  the  foregoing  Hiftory,  to  free  the  People  from 
 that  great  fear  they  were  in  of  perifhing  in  their  II  n- 
 cleannefs,  (XVII.  12,  13.)  by  fhowingthem  a  way, 
 how  to  be  purified  from  the  greateft  Pollution,before 
 they  approached  to  the  Tabernacle. 
 
 Speak,  unto  the  Children  of  Ifrael  that  they  bring  thee.~] 
 At  the  common  Charge  of  the  People  ,  becaufe  it  was 
 for  their  common  benefit. 
 
 A  red  Heifer.  ~]  The  Hebrew  word  Par  ah,  which 
 we  tranilate  Heifer ',  fignifies  a  young  Cow  5  as  Par  fig- 
 nifies  z  young  Bullocks  not  above  two  or  three  years 
 old  at  molt,  as  Kimchi  and  others  obferve, 
 
 Without  $ot.~]  This  the  Jews  refer  to  the  word  red, 
 which  goes  before.,  and  take  it  to  fignifie perfectly  red, 
 without  the  mixture  of  any  other  colour:  for  as  to 
 any  other  Imperfe&ions ,  they  are  provided  againft 
 in  the  next  words,  without  blemifh.    Infomucti  that 
 Maimonides,  in  his  Treatife  on  this  Subjeft,  faith, 
 That  if  this  Cow  had  two  Hairs  black  or  white,  it 
 was  unfit  for  this  ufe.     From  whence  other  Nations, 
 particularly    the  Egyptians ,  derived  the  cuftom  of 
 facrificing  red  Oxen,  as  Plutarch  tells  us  in  his  Book 
 de  Ifide  &  Ofiride,  t$J  @qw  rx;  wyp:p8$  ^3igpdL!scny,Scc. 
 And  he  faith  they  fearcht  them  fo  very  narrowly, 
 that  if  they  found  one  hair  black  or  white  ,  they 
 counted  it  a3i/7oy,unfit  to  be  facrificed.     See  Bochartus 
 P.  I.  Hierozoic.  Lib.U.  cap.  39.  where  he  (hows ,  this 
 was  the  moft  common  colour,  among  that  fort  of 
 Creatures,  in  fome  Countries. 
 
 Wherein  is  no  blemifh7\     See  XXII  Lev. 2.0,2 1,22. 
 
 Z  z  2  And 
 
356  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       And  upon  which  never  came  yoke."]     Had  never  been 
 
 XIX.      imployed  in  ploughing  the  Ground  ,  or  any  other 
 
 L/^VSJ  Work :  for  according  to  the  common  fenfe  of  all 
 
 Mankind  ,  thofe  Creatures  which  had  been  made  to 
 
 ferve  other  ufes,  became  unfit  to  be  offered  to  God. 
 
 Whence  Diomedes  promifes  Pallas  a  Cow  of  a  year 
 
 old. 
 
 JjJo  aWse)  \j&Q  tyyhv  rytyiv  dvv*. 
 
 Which  no  Man  hitherto  had  brought  under  the  yoke.  Ill- 
 ad.K.  And  fo  doth  Nefior  Odyjf.  T.  and  the  like 
 Bochartusobkxvzs  out  o£ Virgil^  Ovid,  and  others,  in 
 his  Hierozoicon,  P.  I.  Lib.  II.  cap.  33. 
 
 All  this  is  very  plain  5  but  why  a  young  Cow  ra- 
 ther then  a  Bullocks,  (which  is  commonly  appointed 
 in  Sacrifices)  and  why  one  perfectly  red  ,  is    not  fo 
 eafie  to  underftand.     If  we  had  any  reafon  to  believe 
 that  thofe  Superftitions  were  among  the  Egyptians  in 
 the  days  o(Mofes,  which  were  when  Plutarch  or  He- 
 rodotus lived,  we  might  very  probably  fay,  (  as  fome 
 Men  of  Learning  have)  that  this  Precept  was  given 
 to  preferve  the  Ifraelites  from  their  Religion.     For 
 they  abhorred  to  offer  a  Cow,whom  they  honoured, 
 as  facred  to  Ifis.     So  Herodotus  5  they  facrificed  Males, 
 both  old  and  young,  to$  3  Sv\\la.$  £  apiv  ffyzi  dv&v, 
 hut  it  is  not  lawful  for  them   to  offer    Females,  Lib.  II. 
 cap.  41.     And  therefore  God,  it  might  be  thought, 
 ordered  a  Cow  to  be  burnt,  rather  than  a  Bullock. 
 And  for  the  fame  caufe  one  perfectly  red,  becaufe 
 that  was  a  Colour  odious  and  abominable  to  the  £- 
 gyptians^  who  fancied  Typhon  (the  Author  of  all  Evil 
 in  their  account)  to  be  of  that  Colour^  and  therefore 
 offered  him  red  Oxen,  as  hateful  to  them,  as  red  Men 
 
 and 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  3$7 
 
 and  Afles  were.     Thus  Plutarch  and  Diodorus  Siculm.  Chapter 
 In  oppofition  to  which  ,  it  may  be   thought  that  a    XIX. 
 Cow  of  this  colour  was  acceptable  to  God,  becaufe  U/"V~\J 
 hated  and  abhorred  by  thofe  Idolaters.     But  I  look 
 upon  what  fuch  late  Writers  fay,  as  of  no  Authority 
 in  this  matter.     And  as  there  is  no  proof  of  any  fuch 
 Cuftoms  among  the  Egyptians  in  Mofes  his  time ,  fo 
 there  is  an  high  probability  that  the  whole  Fable  of 
 Typhon  was  framed  out  of  the  ftory  of  Mofes  ^  as  Bo- 
 chartus  hath  mod  ingeniouily  indeavoured  to  make 
 out,  by  many  Obfervations  out  of  that  Book  of  Pin- 
 tarch  and  other  Authors ,  Hierozoic.  P.  I.  Lib.  II.  cap. 
 34.  p.  340,  341,  Sec. 
 
 But  fuppofing  the  Antiquity  of  thofe  Superftitions 
 among  the  Egyptians,  to  have  been  as  great  as  fome 
 fancy  them,  I  cannot  think  that  if  Mofes  had  had  any 
 refpeft  to  them,  he  would  have  ordered  fuch  a  great 
 number  of  Sacrifices,  as  we  read  of  in  his  Law,with- 
 out  the  leall:  confideration  of  the  colour  of  any  one 
 of  them,  and  only  mention  the  colour  of  this  Cow, 
 which  was  no  Sacrifice.  I  rather  think  this  perfedt 
 red  colour  was  chofen,  becaufe  of  its  rarity  5  it  being 
 hard  to  find  a  Cow  without  any  the  leaft  mixture  of 
 other  hair.  And  though  it  were  not  a  Sacrifice,  yet 
 being  defigned  to  the  fame  end,  there  was  a  refpeft 
 herein  to  that  great  Expiation  which  was  made  by 
 the  Sacrifice  of  Chrift.  With  whofe  Blood  ,  though 
 the  Apoftle  doth  not  compare  the  Blood  of  this  Hei- 
 fer (becaufe  it  was  not  offered)  yet  he  doth  compare 
 it  with  the  Allies  of  this  burnt  Heifer,  put  into  the 
 Water  of  Purification.  See  IX  Hebr.  13.  Where  af- 
 ter the  Blood  of  Bulls  and  Goats ,  he  mentions  the 
 Ajhes  of  this  Heifer  far  inkling  the  unctean.Fov  they  were 
 a  more  extraordinary  fort  of  Purification  than   any 
 
 under 
 
35* 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  under  the  Law  5  of  which  we  no  where  read,  but  in 
 XIX.      this  place  5  nor  of  any  Command  for  the  repeated 
 
 L/^WJ  burning  of  fuch  an  Heifer  to  Alhes,  (  as  there  is  for 
 the  Anniveriary  Sacrifice  on  the  Day  of  Atonement) 
 but  only  of  the  ufe  of  the  Water  made  of  thefe 
 Allies,  as  oft  as  there  was  occafion.  But  of  this  it 
 will  be  more  to  treat  in  the  following  part  of  the 
 Chapter. 
 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  3.  Andyejloall  give  her.']  They  who  brought 
 her  in  the  Name  of  the  whole  Congregation,  were 
 to  bring  her  to  Mofes^  as  the  foregoing  vcrfe directs: 
 and  he  and  Aaron  were  to  deliver  her  to  Eleazar. 
 
 Unto  Eleazar  the  Pr/etf.~]  It  is  commonly  thought 
 that  Aaron  might  not  be  employed  in  the  following 
 Work,  becauie  it  would  have  defiled  him,  and  made 
 him  unfit  to  minifter  before  God  for  a  feafon.  Which 
 he  was  bound  to  avoid,  even  when  natural  Affe&ion 
 feemed  to  require  it,  XXI  Lev.  11,  12.  yet  a  vulgar 
 Prieft  was  not  intrufted  with  this  Service,  but  it  was 
 committed  unto  the  very  next  Perfon  to  Aaron  ,  who 
 was  to  be  his  Succeffor  3  becaufe  it  was  of  very  great 
 weight  and  importance. 
 
 That  he  may  bring  her  forth  without  the  Camp.']  As  a 
 thing  exceeding  unclean  5  more  impure  than  any 
 common  Offering  for  Sin.  For  the  greater  the  Im- 
 purity was,  that  was  laid  upon  any  Sacrifice,  the  fur- 
 ther ftill  off  from  the  San&uary  it  was  carried.  The 
 Bullock,  for  inftance,  which  was  offered  for  a  Sin 
 committed  by  the  Prieft,or  the  whole  Congregation, 
 wasinpart  offered  at  the  Altar  }  but  the  far  greater 
 part  was  to  t>e  burnt^without  the  Camp ,  IV  Lev.  1 2., 
 20.  And  fo  was  the  Bullock  and  Goat,  offered  for 
 all  the  Sins  of  the  People,  on  the  great  Day  of  Ex- 
 piation, XVI  Lev.  27.     And  the  Scape-Goat,  which 
 
 was 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  359 
 
 was  defigned  for  the  fame  purpofe,  was  not  fo  much   Chapter 
 as  burnt,  but  banifhed  into  a  Land   not  inhabited  ,    XIX. 
 no  Body  knows  whether.     All  which  more  partial-  L/VYJ 
 lady  reprefented  Chrift  in  his  Sufferings,  as  the  Apo- 
 ftle  obferves,  XIII  Hebr.  11,  12.  and  fo  did  this  in 
 part  ^  having  fomething  of  the  nature  of  a  Sacrifice 
 in  it.     For  though  it  was  not  a  Sacrifice  brought  to 
 be  (lain  at  the  Altar  ,  yet  it  was  intended  to  be  ufed 
 to  the  fame  purpofe,  for  the  cleanfing  of  the  People 
 from  the  greateft  Legal  defilement. 
 
 And  one  fh  all  flay  her  before  hk  faceT]  Some  Perfon 
 appointed  by  Eleazar  (for  it  was  not  neceflary  a  Prieft 
 {hould  do  it)  was  to  kill  her  without  the  Camp. 
 Where  it  is  plain  from  v.  5,8,  9.  there  were  more 
 than  one  concerned  in  this  Office.  But  it  could  not 
 be  (lain  unlefs  Eleazar  was  there  5  and  it  was  to  be 
 done  in  his  prefence,who  was  the  chief  of  the  Priefts: 
 to  (how  that  it  was  intended  for  God's  Seryice, 
 though  not  offered  as  Sacrifices  were  at  the  Taber- 
 nacle, before  the  LORD.  And  this  is  the  reafon 
 perhaps,  why  the  care  of  this  Heifer  is  committed  to 
 Eleazar ,  and  not  to  Aaron  5  becaufe  he  officiated  on- 
 ly at  the  Tabernacle. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  Eleazar   the   Prhtf  flail  ta\e  of  her  Verfe  41 
 Blood  with  hk  finger 7\     As  they  did  in  Expiatory  Sa- 
 crifices, IV  Lev.  6. 
 
 And  Jprinkje  of  her  Blood.']  In  the  fprinkling  of 
 the  Blood,  as  the  Jews  obferve ,  confided  the  very 
 Eflence  of  an  Expiatory  Sacrifice.  Therefore  though 
 this  was  not  a  Sacrifice,  yet  it  had  fomething  of  that 
 nature  in  it,  and  may  be  called  a  Viamhim,  an  Ex- 
 piatory Thing ':  though  nothing  was  called  KOR- 
 B  A  N,  a  Sacrifice^  but  what  was  offered  at  the  Altar, 
 as  our  Dr.  Owtram  hath  moft  judicioufly  obferved 
 
 again  ft 
 
36o  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  againft  Abarbinel,  who  calls  this  red  Cow  an  Offering 
 XIX.     for  Sift. 
 
 ^/"V^SJ  DireSly  before  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation.] 
 This  Rite  ofjprinklwg  the  Blood  was  never  ufed,  but 
 In  Sacrifices  flain  at  the  Altar,in  the  prefence  of  God  5 
 and  in  this  red  Cow,  which  was  flain,  in  the  pro- 
 fpe&  of  the  San&uary.  Towards  which  the  Prieft 
 was  to  look  ftedfaftly  while  he  fprinkled  it :  other- 
 wife,  the  Jews  fay,  it  was  in  vain.  Which  (hows 
 that  the  validity  of  this  Aft,  and  of  the  Purification 
 to  be  made  by  it,  was  to  be  expe&ed  from  the  San- 
 ctuary. For  the  Blood  of  that  Heifer  ,  whofe  Head 
 was  cut  off  to  cleanle  a  City,  near  to  which  a  Man 
 was  found  flain  by  an  unknown  Perfon,  was  not 
 fprinkled  5  being  (lain,  not  in  fight  of  the  San&u- 
 ary,  but  in  a  Valley,  near  that  City,  XXI  Dent.  3, 4, 
 &c.  And  in  this  the  Jews  were  fo  curious,  that  after 
 the  Temple  was  built,  this  Blood  being  to  be  fprink- 
 led dire&ly  before  the  Porch  of  it ,  they  took  care 
 the  Gate  Shnfoan,  which  was  before  it,  (hould  have 
 lower  Battlements  than  any  other  Gate  of  the  Tem- 
 ple had,  that  the  Prieft  might  fee  the  Face  of  the 
 Porch  of  the  Houfe  of  God. 
 
 Seven  times.']  This  fignifies  the  perfeftion  of  the 
 Expiation  that  was  to  be  made  by  this  red  Cow  $  on 
 whofe  Afhes  the  Jews  thought  fo  much  depended, 
 that  they  took  care  the  Prieft,  who  was  to  fee  her 
 burnt,  (hould  be  put  apart  in  a  Chamber  of  the  Tem- 
 ple (called  the  Houfe  of  Stone)  that  they  might  be 
 certain  he  was  free  from  all  pollution  by  a  Grave,  or 
 a  dead  Corps.  For  the  A(hes  of  this  burnt  Cow,  be- 
 ing the  great  and  only  cleanfer  for  that  Defilement, 
 they  took  fuitable  care  that  he  (hould  not  be  defiled 
 who  went  to  burn  her.  See  Dv.Dghtfoot's  Temple  Ser- 
 vice, 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  361 
 
 vice ,  chap.  17.  fett.  2.  where  he  defcribes  out  of  Chapter 
 Maimonides  and  others,  how  folemnly  the  Prieft  was     XIX^ 
 attended,  when  he  went  about  this  work.     And  the  L/'VNJ 
 Apoftle  had  reafon  to  mention  the  Afhes  of  this  Hei- 
 fer, wherewith  the  Water  was  made  for  fprinkling 
 the  Unclean,  as  the  Principal  Thing  that  fanttified  to 
 the- purifying  of  the  Flefl),  i.  e.  taking  away   bodily- 
 Defilements.     With  which  he  compares  the  Blood  of 
 Chrifl:  as  infinitely  more  powerful,   for  the  purifying 
 of  the  Confcience  from  dead  works  ,   IX  Hebr.    15,   14. 
 In  which  words,  dead  work/,  there  is  a  refpeft  (as 
 our  Dr.  Jackson  obferves)  to  the  main  intention  of 
 thefe  Afhes,  which  were  for  the  Purification  of  thofe 
 defiled  by  dead  Bodies.     And  he  feems  to  me  alfo, 
 not  to  be  led  by  Fancy,  but  by  a  folid  Judgment, 
 when  he  confidered  thefe  Afhes  alfoas  a  notable  Fi- 
 gure of  the  everlafting  Efficacy  of  Chrift's  Blood,  of 
 which  the  Apoftle  there  difcourfes.     For  if  the  fre- 
 quent occafion  for  the  ufe  of  the  Water  of  Purifica- 
 tion, had  not  fpent  all  the  Afhes  of  this  Heifer  now 
 flain  and  burnt  by  Eleazar,  they    might  have  been 
 preferved  for  this  purpofe   without  any  danger  of 
 Putrifa&ion,  for  a  longer  time  than  the  Law  of  Ce- 
 remonies lafted.     For  A(hes  being  well  kept,  never 
 perifti  5  and  therefore  are  an  Emblem  of  Immortality. 
 But  it  muft  be  confidered  that  the  frequent  ufe  of 
 thefe  Afhes  might  exhauft  the  whole  ftock  of  them 
 made  at  this  time,  and  make  it  neceflary  the  Priefts 
 fhould  burn  another  Heifer  for  the  fame  end  5  as  the 
 Jews  fay  they  did,  though  fo  rarely  (as  I  ftiallnote 
 below)  that  this  burning  of  a  red  Heifer  was   not 
 reiterated,  if  we  may  believe  them ,  till  the  deftru- 
 ftion  of  Solomons  Temple.     Which   makes  them  a 
 more  notable  Figure,  though  not  a  perfedt  one  (  for 
 
 Aa  a  no 
 
3^2  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  no  fuch  can  be   found  )  of  the  Power  of  Chrift's 
 XIX.      Blood  to  purifie  us  for  ever,  without  the   repetition 
 U^V^w  of  it  continually  5  which  was  the  imperfection  of  the 
 Legal  Sacrifices,  that  they  muft  he  often  oifered. 
 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  And  one  ft  all  burn  the  Heifer  in  hk  fight, 
 her  Skin,  and  her  flefo,  and  her  Blood.with  her  Dung, 
 JImII  he  burn7\  There  was  a  great  Pile  of  Wood  (to 
 which  they  let  fire  immediately  after  he  had  done 
 Sprinkling)  in  which  this  Heifer  was  more  intirely 
 burnt  than  any  publick  Expiatory  Sacrifice  before- 
 mentioned,  v.  2.  (for  here  the  remainder  of  the 
 Blood  is  ordered  to  be  burnt)  becaufe  this  was  of  all 
 other  things  the  mod  unclean  5  and  to  be  utterly  con- 
 fumed  at  a  diftance  from  the  San&uary. 
 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  the  Priett  Jhall  take  Cedar-wood  ,  and 
 Hyfop.and  Scarlet. ~]  Thefe  three  things  compofed  that 
 Inftrurnent  which  thePrieft  made  ufe  of  for  fprinkling 
 of  leprous  Perfons,  or  Houfes,  when  they  were  to  be 
 cleanfed,  XIV  Lev.  6,  7,49,50,8a:.  (  where  fee  what 
 I  have  noted)  And  the  Apoftle  mentions  two  of  them, 
 as  ufed  by  Mofes  himfelf ,  when  he  fprinkled  the 
 Book  of  the  Covenant,  and  all  the  People,  with  the 
 Blood  of  the  Sacrifice,  IX  Hebr.  19.  Which  though 
 not  mentioned  in  Exodus  ,  yet  the  Apoftle  knew  was 
 the  ancient  way  of  Sprinkling.  And  therefore  thefe 
 things  which  were  ufed  of  old  as  Cleanfers,  either  of 
 inward  or  outward  Filth,  are  ordered  here  to  be 
 thrown  into  the  fire,  while  the  Heifer  was  burning 
 in  it,  whofe  Afhes  were  to  be  the  great  Means  of  Mens 
 Purification  from  the  higheft  Pollutions. 
 
 And  call  it7\     He  fpeaks  as  if  thefe  three  things, 
 being  bound  together,  became  one. 
 
 Into 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  363 
 
 Into  the  midfl  of  the  burning  of  the  Heifer.']     To  de-    Chapter 
 note  the  great  vertue  which  the  Water  made  of  the    XIX. 
 Aflies  of  all  thefe  things  fhould  have,  to  clcanfe  thofe  U^VXJ 
 who  were  fprinkled  with  it :  one  of  thefe   things 
 (viz.  Hyfop)  being  ordered  to  be  dipt  into  the  Water 
 for  thaf  purpofe,  v.i%. 
 
 Ver.  7.  The  Priefi  f/jall  waflj  hk  Clothes^  and  flail  Verfe  7. 
 bathe  hk  FUJI)  in  Water,  and  afterward  he  fljall  come 
 into  the  Camp.']  Though  we  do  not  find  that  Eleazar 
 was  imployed,  either  in  killing  or  in  burning  this 
 Heifer  5  which  were  only  to  be  done  in  his  prefence  3 
 yet  having  touched  her  Blood,  he  became  unclean. 
 And  therefore  was  to  ufe  thefe  Ceremonies  for  his 
 Cleanfing,before  he  returned  to  the  Camp  :  as  Aaron 
 did  when  he  had  offered  the  great  Sacrifice  of  Ex- 
 piation, on  the  Day  of  General  Atonement,  XVI 
 Lev.  24. 
 
 And  flail  be  unclean  until  the  Even.  ~]  So  as  not  to 
 come  into  the  Camp  ,  I  fuppofe  ,  much  lefs  to-  the 
 San&uary  until  Sun-fet :  Which  was  but  a  fhort  time, 
 confidering  the  greatnefs  of  this  Heifers  impurity  3 
 this  being  the  common  time  of  remaining  Unclean, 
 for  the  fmalleft  Defilements,  XI  Lev.  24,  25,  27, 
 &c. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  he  that  bumeth  her  flail  waff)  his  Clothes  Verfe  8. 
 in  Water,  &c."]  This  was  a  general  Maxim  among 
 the  Jews,  that  the  Bodies  of  thofe  Beads,  whofe  Blood 
 was  carried  into  the  Holy  Place,  polluted  thofe  that 
 touched  them.  Which  is  juftified  by  XVI  Lev.  28 
 And  therefore  he  that  burnt  this  Heifer,  whofe  Blood 
 was  fprinkled  towards  it,  was  to  do  the  fame  ,  as  he 
 that  carried  the  Scape-Goat  into  the  Wildernefs,  was 
 alfo  bound  to  do,  XVI  Lev.  26. 
 
 A  a 'a  %  Ver. 
 
364  A   COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Vcr.  9,   And  aMan  that  is  clean.]    Free  from  any 
 XIX.      Legal  Defilement. 
 
 L/^TNJ      Shall  gather  up  the  Afies  of  the  Heifer 7\     They  were 
 Yetfe  9.    the  principal  Aihes,  though  the  Afhes  of  the  Cedar- 
 wood,  Hyfop,  and  Scarlet-wooll,  were  alfo  mingled 
 with  them  5  which  being   taken  up,  were  pounded 
 and  fifted,  as  the  Jews  tell  us. 
 
 And  lay  them  up  without  the  Camp  in  a  clean  place. 
 The  Jews  fay  that  the  Heifer,  in  after  times,  be- 
 ing burnt  en  the  pitch  of  Mount  Olivet ,  which  was 
 over  againft  the  Temple  ,  they  laid  up  fome  part  of 
 the  Afhes  in  a  place  near  that  Mount ,  for  the  Sprink- 
 ling of  the  People^  and  another  part  was  delivered 
 to  the  XXIV.  Courfes>  for  the  Sprinkling  of  the 
 Priefts  5  and  another  third  part  laid  up  for  a  Memo- 
 rial in  the  Inclofure  of  the  Court  of  the  Temple.  See 
 Dr.  Lightfoot  in  the  place  before-named.  But  there 
 is  no  certainty  of  this,  and  it  contradifts  in  part,  what 
 is  here  commanded5that  they  fhould  be  laid  up,  with4- 
 out  the  Camp.     See  v.  12. 
 
 Andit  fiallbe  kept.~]  Laid  up,  e?$  SteMprnv,  as  the 
 LXX.  tranflate  it,  to  be  referved  and  kept,  for  the  ufe 
 of  thofe  who  had  defiled  themfelves  by  the  Dead  ^ 
 unto  whom  it  was  delivered  when  they  had  occafion 
 for  it.  And  this  word  referved,  or  kept,  imports , 
 that  thefe  Afhes  were  not  for  the  ufe  of  that  Genera- 
 tion only,  but  for  all  Pofterity.  And  as  Manna 
 (which  was  commanded  in  the  fame  form  ot  Speech 
 to  be  kept  or  referved  in  the  Ark)  was  a  Type  ofChrift, 
 as  he  was  the  Food  of  Life,  or  the  Bread  that  came 
 down  from  Heaven  :  So  were  thefe  Afhes  kept,  as  an 
 Emblem  of  the  everlafting  Efficacy  of  his  Sacrifice. 
 For  there  is  no  bodily  Subftance  under  Heaven  (  as 
 Dr.  Jackson  fpeaks,  Bool^X*  chap.  5 5. J)  which  can  be 
 
 fo 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  36$ 
 
 fo  true  an  Emblem  or  Model  of  Incorruption,as  Afhes  Chapter 
 are :  for  being  the  remainder  of  Bodies  perfe&ly  dif-    XIX. 
 folved  or  corrupted,  they  are  not  capable  of  a  fecond  L/*V\J 
 Corruption. 
 
 For  the  Congregation  of  the  Children  oflfraeW]  This 
 one  Heifer,  being  {lain,  and  its  Blood  fprinkled,  and 
 Body  burnt,  afforded  Afhes  enough  to  feafon  as  ma- 
 ny Veffels  of  Water,  as  the  whole  People  of  Ifrael 
 Ihould  need.  Wherein  it  was  a  notable  Reprefenta- 
 tionof  Chrift's  Blood,  fhed  for  the  whole  World, 
 to  cleanfe  m  from  all  unrighteoufnefs.  Yea,  they  were 
 fufficient  for  all  the  People,  for  many  Generations  3 
 though  they  had  frequent  occafion  to  ufe  them  for 
 Legal  Purification.  Wherein  ftill  they  more  live- 
 ly reprefented  the  Vertue  of  ChrifVs  one  Sacrifice  $ 
 which  continues  for  ever.  For  the  Jews  fay,  this  red 
 Heifer  was  killed  but  nine  times,  while  their  State 
 lafted.  F/Vi?,  By  Eleazar  here  in  the  Wilderne.fs  5 
 which  was  not  repeated  till  after  the  Deftru&ion  of 
 Solomons  Temple,  i.  e.  not  during  the  fpace  of  more 
 than  a  Thoufand  Years.  The  fecond..  time  it  was 
 burnt  by  Ezra,  after  their  return  from  the  Captivity 
 of  Babylon  :  and  but  feven  times  more,  till  the  De- 
 finition of  the  fecond  Temple.  Since  which  they 
 have  not  adventured  to  make  thefe  Afhes ,  but  exped 
 it  to  be  done  the  tenth  time  by  the  King  MeJJim 
 Who  indeed  came  to  put  an  end  to  this,  and  all  a- 
 ther  Legal  Rites :  not  after  the  Legal  manner,  but 
 by  ofter\ngh\mfc\f  once  for  all ,  inftead  of  all  other 
 Sacrifices  or  ways  of  Purification. 
 
 For  a  Water  of  Separation."]  To  be  put  into  Springs- 
 water,  (which  was  always  accounted  more  pure  than 
 other)  by  which  thofe  Perfons  were  to  be  cleanfed,, 
 who.  for  their  Pollutions  were  feparated  from  the 
 
 Con^ 
 
^~V~W 
 
 366  A     COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Congregation  5  and  thofe  things  alfo  which  had  been 
 XIX.  defiled,  were  reftored  to  their  common  life.  Afties, 
 all  know,  are  of  great  ufe  in  fcouring  things  pollu- 
 ted :  and  the  ancient  Gentiles  ufed  them  much  in 
 their  Luftrations  ,  as  appears  from  Virgil,  Ovid,  and 
 many  other  Authors.  But  the  Water  into  which  they 
 put  them  was  prepared  with  Magical  Rites  t,  and,  for 
 the  mod  part,  was  drawn  out  of  fome  pretended  Sa- 
 cred Fountain  $  and  fometimes  it  had  a  burning 
 Torch  taken  from  the  Altar,  quenched  in  it $  and  in 
 fome  places  they  put  Sulphur,  and  Spittle,  and  other 
 cleanfing  things  into  it.  In  which,  I  fuppofe,  at  firft 
 they  imitated  this  Rite  prefcribed  by  Mojes  5  but  in 
 procefs  of  time  added  many  Superftitions  of  their  own 
 to  it. 
 
 It  is  a  purification  for  fin.  *]  In  the  Hebrew  the 
 words  are,  It  k  fin  :  and  we  add  a  purification,  to 
 explain  the  fence.  For  it  was  not  a  proper  Sacrifice 
 for  Sin,  (as  this  Phrafejfcr  fin  fometimes  imports,  IV 
 Lev.  24.)  but  had  fomething  of  that  Nature  in  it,  (as 
 I  obferved  before)  and  may  be  properly  faid  to  Puri- 
 fie,  orCleanfeMen  from  their  Sin  5  i.  e.  from  fuch 
 Legal  Defilements  as  are  mentioned  afterwards.  And 
 it  may,  in  a  lefs  proper  fence,  have  the  Name  of  a 
 Sin-offering,  inafmuch  as  the  Body  of  it  was  burnt 
 without  the  Camp,  (as  the  great  Sin-offering  was  on 
 the  Day  of  Atonement)  and  its  Blood  fprinkled  fe- 
 ven  times  towards  the  Sandruary  5  though  not  (hed  at 
 the  Altar  :  Whereby  it  became  a  more  compleat  Re- 
 prefentation  of  the  Sacrifice  of  Chrift.  Especially  if 
 we  confider  that  this  Purification  here  mentioned, 
 doth  not  fignifie  only  one,  or  a  few  Afts  of  Purifi- 
 cation, but  a  continued  Purification  :  the  Afhes  being 
 to  be  laid  up  as  a  Treafure  or  Store-houfe  (to  ufe  Dr. 
 
 Jack 
 
upon    NUMBERS. 
 
 Jack  fins  words)  for  making  as  many  Purifications, 
 or  Waters  of  Sprinkling,  as  the  Israelites  fhould  have 
 occafion  toufe.  For  therein  confifted  the  Excellence 
 of  this  Purification,  that  the  Afhes  were  not  to  be 
 made  by  burning  a  Heifer,  every  time  the  People  had 
 occafion  for  them  x,  but  the  Afhes  of  this  one  Sacrifice 
 (as  we  call  it )  was  fufficient  for  the  ufe  of  many 
 Generations.  Accordingly  the  Apoftle  faith  our 
 LORD  Chrift ,  t&Sx&tcyuov  TromtraLfMv®* ,  having 
 made  a  purification  of  our  fins,  I  Hebr.  3.)  fat  down  at 
 Gods  right  hand.  Which  word  purification  in  that 
 place-,  doth  not  fignifie  one  Aft  or  Operation,  but 
 implies  that  by  this  one  aft  of  Sacrificing  himfelf,  he 
 was  confecrated  to  be  a  perpetual  Fountain  of  Purifi- 
 cation 5  being  ftill  the  propitiation  for  our  fins. 
 
 Ver.  10.  And  he  that  gather eth  the  Afies  of  the  Hei-  Verfe  10. 
 fir,  jhall  waff}  hk  Clothes,  and  be  unclean  until  the  E- 
 ven.~\  This  is  one  of  the  ftrange  things  ,  which  the 
 Jews  fay  Solomon  himfelf  did  not  underftand,  (  and 
 Maimonides  profeffes  he  could  find  no  reafon  of,  More 
 Nevochim,  P.  III.  cap.  47.  and  the  Author  of  Sepher 
 Cofri  alio  afcribes  purely  to  the  Will  and  pleafure  of 
 God,  of  which  he  could  give  no  account,  P.  lU.fetL 
 53.)  that  the  fame  thing  fhould  both  cleanfe  and  pol- 
 lute $  as  thefe  Afhes  did, which  polluted  him  that  ga- 
 thered them,  and  made  thofe  that  ufed  them  clean 
 from  the  higheft  Legal  Pollutions.  But  this  is  not 
 ftrange  to  thofe  who  confider,  that  all  thofe  great  Sa- 
 crifices which  were  offered  for  Sin,  (which  I  menti- 
 oned v.  7.)  though  they  purified  thofe  for*  whom 
 they  were  offered,  were  very  impure  themfelves  f  be- 
 caufe  the  Sins  of  Men  were  laid  upon  them  5  as  all 
 our  Sins  were  upon  Chrift  5  who  therefore  is  laid  to 
 be  made  fin  for  us  (2  Cerinth.  V.  21.)  that  we  might 
 
 be 
 
36S  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  be  made  the  Righteoufnefs  of  God,  i.  e.  freed  from  all 
 XIX.      Sin. 
 
 WVNJ  And  it  [hall  be  unto  the  Children  oflfrael,  and  unto 
 the  Stranger,  &c."]  All  Profelytes  to  their  Religion 
 were  to  have  the  benefit  of  this  Purification,  as  well 
 as  the  Jews  ,  by  an  unalterable  Law.  By  which  was 
 figured  the  Propitiation  Chrift  made  for  the  Sins  of 
 the  whole  World. 
 
 Verfe  ii.  Ver.ll.  He  that  toucheth  the  Body  of  any  dead  Man 
 fiall  be  unclean  feven  days."]  This  long  Uncleannefs 
 by  touching  a  dead  Body,  was  the  ground  of  thofe 
 ftrift  Injunctions  to  the  Prieft,  about  mourning  for 
 their  dead  delations  :  which  is  forbidden,  left  they 
 fhould  be  hindred  too  long  in  their  Miniftration.  See 
 XXI  Lev.  He  that  touched  the  Carcafe  of  any  un- 
 clean Creature,  was  defiled  only  till  the  Even,  XI 
 Lev.  24.  nor  was  he  longer  who  touched  the  Bed  of 
 him  that  had  an  Iflue,  or  his  Seat,  &c.  XV  Lev. 5, 6, 
 7,8,dv. 
 
 He  Jldall purifie  hi mf elf  with  it."]  With  the  Water  of 
 Separation  mentioned  v.  9.  Which  feems  here  to  be 
 defigned  chiefly,  if  not  only,  for  the  purging  of  this 
 great  Impurity,  by  touching  any  Mans  dead  Bo- 
 dy. 
 
 On  the  third  day."]  Then  he  was  to  begin  his  Pu- 
 rification, by  being  iprinkled  with  it.  Which  makes 
 it  probable  that  thefe  Afhes  were  kept  in  more  places 
 than  the  Jews  mention  without  the  Camp,  ( as  after- 
 wards near  Jerufalem)  and  it  is  moft  likely,  in  all 
 the  Cities  of  the  Country.  For  it  had  been  too  hard 
 for  all  the  People,  nay  impoffible  for  thofe  who 
 were  remote,  to  go  to  Jerufalem  the  third  Day  after 
 they  were  defiled,  to  fetch  thefe  Afhes :  which  there- 
 fore were  kept  in  feveral  clean  places,  where  every 
 
 Body 
 
upon    NUMBERS.  3^ 
 
 Body  might  eafily  have  them  to  put  into  Water,  and  Chapter 
 be  fprinkled  with  it.     For  as  there  was  no  Sacrifice,     XIX. 
 fo  no  Prieft  required  to  make  this  Purification  5  but  L/^>T\J 
 any  clean  Perfon  might  fprinkle  the  Water,  v.  18, 
 19. 
 
 And  on  the  feventh  day  he  Jhall be  clean.]  Then  his 
 Purification  was  perfe&ed  5  but  not  without  a  new 
 fprinkling  on  this  Day,  ^.19. 
 
 But  if  he  purifie  not  himfelf  the  third  day,  then  the 
 feventh  day  he  fo  all  not  be  clean.]  If  he  did  not  begin 
 his  Purification  on  the  third  day,  his  fprinkling  on 
 the  feventh  would  not  make  him  clean.  But  it  is  ve- 
 ry probable,  that  though  he  omitted  it  on  the  third 
 day,  yet  if  he  purified  himfelf  on  the  fourth  ov  fifth, 
 or  any  day  following,  that  being  reckoned  as  if  it  had 
 been  the  third  5  when  he  had  made  up  the  number 
 feven,  his  cleanfing  might  be  compleated. 
 
 Ver.  13.   Whofoever  toucheth  the  dead  Body  of  any  \TqY[q  j^ 
 Man  that  is  dead,  and  purifieth  not  himfelf 7]     With  the 
 Water  of  Separation,  in  the  manner  before  prefcri- 
 bed,  v.  12. 
 
 Defileth  theTabernacle  of  the  LORD.']  If  he  ap- 
 proach unto  it,  without  this  Purification. 
 
 And  that  Soulfoallbe  cut  off  from  Ifrael.]  He  was  to 
 die  for  it,  if  he  did  it  prefumptuoully. 
 
 Becaufe  the  Water  of  Separation  was  not  fprinkled  up- 
 on him.']  Becaufe  he  negle&ed  the  Means  of  his  Pu- 
 rification. 
 
 He  foall  be  unclean.*]  Remain  in  his  Unclean- 
 nefs. 
 
 His  uncleannefs  is  yet  upon  him.]  Not  to  be  puri- 
 fied now  by  this  Water  of  Separation  ,  but  cut  off 
 from  the  Body  of  the  People.  This  ftill  concerns 
 thofe  that  came  to  the  Tabernacle  prefumptuoufly, 
 
 B  b  b  being 
 
37o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  being  unpurified.     If  they  did  it  ignorantly,  a  Sacri- 
 XIX.      fice  was  admitted  for  their  Atonement  ,  V  Lev.  3,  6, 
 L/^VV;  17,  18. 
 
 Verfe  14.      Ver.  14.  This  is  the  Law.~]     Concerning  fuch  De- 
 filements as  thefe,  by  the  dead  Bodies  of  Men. 
 
 When  a  Man  dkth  hi  aTent.~]  Wherein  they  now 
 lived  during  their  ftay  in  the  Wildernefs :  and  the 
 fame  Law  obliged  them,  when  they  came  to  dwell  in 
 Houfes,  in  the  Land  of  Canaan. 
 
 All  that  come  into  the  Tent .,  and    all   that  is  in  the 
 Tent,  flail  be  unclean  feven  days.']  The  meaning  fcems 
 to  be,  that  every  Perfon  vho  came  into  the  Tent 
 while  the  dead  Body  lay  there,  (or  before  the  Tent 
 was  purified)  as  well  as  they  who  were  in  it  when 
 the  Perfon  died,  (hould  be  unclean.     For  all  the 
 Goods  of  the  Houfe  were  not  made  unclean  5  but  on- 
 ly all  open  Veffels, 
 Verfe  15.      Ver.  15.  And  every  open  Vejffel  which  hath  no  cover- 
 ing  bound  upon  it,  is  unclean /]     Becaufe  the  Air  in  the 
 Houfe,  which  was  fuppofed  to  be  tainted  by  the  dead 
 Body  ,<  came  as  freely  into  fuch  Veffels  as  it  did  to  the 
 dead  Body.     Tho.  Aquinas  fancies  that  this  Law  was 
 made  to  prevent  Idolatry  5  for  the  ancient  Idolaters 
 thought  that  if  a  Moufe  or  a  Lizzard  ,  or  fuch  like 
 thing,  which  was  dedicated  unto  their  Idols,  fell  in- 
 to a  Veffel,  or  into  Water ,  they  became  thereby  ve- 
 ry acceptable  to  their  Gods.     And  he  faith  this  Su- 
 perftition  continued  till   his  days  ^  in  which  feme 
 Women  were  wont  to  leave  their  Veffels  uncovered 
 on  purpofe,  in  obfervance  of  the  Nofturnal  Deities, 
 whom  they  called  Janas,  See  ima  2d*  ^n<eft.io2.  Ar- 
 tie. 5. )  Toabolifh  which  Superftition  God  required, 
 he  thinks,  all  Veffels  left  uncovered,  where  the  dead 
 lay,  (hould  be  polluted  3    u  e.  not  acceptable  unto 
 
 God, 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  371 
 
 God5  nor  imployed  to  holy,  no  nor  common  ufes.  Chapter 
 If  fuch  Cuftoms  had   been  in  Mofes  his  days,  this    XIX. 
 might  be  better  applyed  to  what  we  read  in  XI  Lev.  L/"V"NJ 
 
 3^33- 
 
 Ver.  16.  If  hofoever  toucheth  one  that  is flain  with  the  Verfe  16. 
 Sword  in  the  open  Fields.  ~]     Or  killed  any  other  way^ 
 it  appears  by  the  words  following. 
 
 Or  a  dead  Body 7]  Of  a  Man  that  falls  down  dead 
 ofafudden,  or  is  executed  for  his  Crimes. 
 
 Or  a  Bone  of  a  Man.]  Taken  out  of  a  Grave,  or 
 the  Grave  it  idt Where  the  dead  Body  lies$  as  the  next 
 words  are. 
 
 Shall  be  unclean  [even  days7\  As  long  as  if  he  had 
 touched  the  dead  Body  it  ielf. 
 
 Ver.  17.  And  for  an  unclean  perfon."]   i.  e.  For  the  Verfe  17. 
 cleanfing  of  one  defiled  any  of  thefe  ways. 
 
 They  fo  all  take  of  the  Afies  of  the  burnt  Heifer  of  Pu- 
 rification for  Sin.']  It  is  not  faid  what  quantity,there- 
 fore  I  fuppofe,  whether  it  were  little  or  great",  it 
 would  ferve  the  turn.  It  is  obfervable  that  the  Allies 
 of  the  burnt  Heifer  are  here  called  Chattah  (Sin) 
 which  (hows  they  had  the  Vertue  of  a  Sin-offering  in 
 them.     See  v.  9. 
 
 And  running  Water  J!) all  be  put  thereto  in  a  Veffel.  ] 
 The  Afhes  being  put  into  a  Veffel,  they  were  to  put 
 pure  Spring,  or  at  leaft  River-water,  upon  them  : 
 which  became  the  Water  of  Separation. 
 
 Ver.  18.  And  a  clean  perfon.  ]  It  is  not  faid  a  Verfe  18. 
 Prieft  $  andtherefore  I  fuppofe  any  other  Perfon, 
 who  was  not  unclean,  might  do  this:  as  any  fuch 
 Perfon  might  flay  the  Heifer  and  burn  her,  v.  3,  5. 
 But  in  this  the  Jews  were  fo  curious,  that  their  Tra- 
 dition made  this  extend,  not  only  to  a  Perfon  that 
 was  at  prefent  clean,  but  that  never  had  been  defiled 
 
 Bbb  2  by 
 
372  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  by  a  dead  Corps  in  all  his  Life.  And  therefore  tell  us, 
 XIX.      what  devices  they  had  to  keep  Perfons  thus  clean,  for 
 L^VNJ  this  very  end  and  purpofe.     See  Dr.  Lightfoot  in  his 
 Temple  Service,  chap  lj.fecf.  2. 
 
 Shall  take  Hyfop-')  When  the  Pried  fprinkled  the 
 Lepers  or  their  Houfes,  with  the  Blood  of  a  Bird  kil- 
 led over  running  Water,  he  dipt  Hyfop,  Cedar-wood, 
 and  Scarlet -woo//  in  them,  XIV  Lev.  4,  6,  7,  49,  50, 
 &c.  But  here,  the  fprinkling  being  made  by  fome 
 Neighbour,  Hyfop  alone  fufficed  :  which  every  one 
 knows  was  a  cleanfing  Herb,  and  eafily  procured.  In- 
 ftead  of  which  the  Gentiles,  in  their  Superftition,  u- 
 fed  Branches  of  Laurel ,or  of  Olive  5  as  we  learn  from 
 Juvenal  and  Virgil. 
 
 And  fyrinkle  it  upon  the  Tent,  and  upon  all  the  Veffels, 
 and  upon  the  perfons  that  were  there,&£.~]  For  the  pu- 
 rifying of  all  the  Things,  and  all  the  Perfons  above- 
 mentioned,  v.  14,  15,  16. 
 Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  And  the  clean  perfon  ft all fyrinkle  upon  the 
 unclean,  on  the  third  day,  and  on  thefeventh  day.']  Here 
 he  explains  what  was  not  fo  diftinftly  delivered,^.  12. 
 And  I  fuppofeboth  Perfons  and  Things  were  to  be 
 fprinkled  on  both  days ,  becaufe  he  faith  in  general, 
 upon  the  unclean }  which  feems  to  relate  to  all  that  is 
 mentioned  in  the  foregoing  verfe. 
 
 And  on  the  feventh  d,ay  he  ft  all  purifie  himfelf  &C.  ~\ 
 This  feems  to  be  meant  of  the  clean  Perfon  who 
 fprinkled  the  unclean }  and  by  coming  near  them, 
 was  in  fome  fort  defiled.  But  he  was  not  to  be  puri- 
 fied by  the  Water  of  Separation }  but  only  by  waft- 
 ing hk  Clothes,  and  bathing  himfelf  in  Water  i,  and  his 
 uncleannefs  lafted  but  till  the  Even,  as  it  here  follows 
 in  the  reft  of  this  verfe.     See  tfe  21. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon     NUMBERS.  373 
 
 Ver.  20.  But  the  Man  that  (lull  be  unclean.  ]     By  a    Chapter 
 dead  Body,  a  Bone,  or  a  Grave,  &c.  XXI. 
 
 And  foallnot  purifie  himfelf]     By  the  Water  of  Se-  o^/-v-» 
 paration,  appointed  for  that  purpofe.  Verfe  20. 
 
 That  Soul  foal!  be  cut  off  from  among  the  Congregation, 7] 
 As  a  Contemner  of  this  Law  of  God. 
 
 Becaufe  he  hath  defiled  the  SanUuary  of  the  LOR  Dy 
 8cc]  This  and  the  following  words  are  only  a  Re- 
 petition of  what  was  faid  v.  13.  for  the  greater  con- 
 firmation of  it. 
 
 Ver.  21.  And  it  jloallbe  aferpetual  Statute  unto  them,  Verfe  2i»v 
 that  he  that  fprinl{leth  the  Water  of  Separation,  flail  vpajl) 
 hk  Clothes."]     Be  reputed  unclean,  until  he  hath  wafh- 
 ed  his  Clothes  5  which  I   fuppofe  comprehends  his 
 Body  alfo,  v.  19. 
 
 And  he  that  toucheth  the  Water  of  Separation."]  As  a 
 Man  might  chance  to  do,  when  he  mingled  the  Wa- 
 ter and  Afhes  together,  v.  17. 
 
 Shall  be  unclean  until  Even."]  And  wa(h  his  Clothes, 
 it  muft  be  fuppofed  from  the  foregoing  words.  For 
 mere  ftaying  till  Even  purified  no  Body ,  without 
 fome  Rite  of  Cleanfing.  And  there  was  more  reafon 
 for  him  that  touched  the  Water,  immediately  to 
 wafh  his  Clothes ,  than  for  him  who  only  fprinkled 
 with  it. 
 
 Ver.  22.  And  whatfoever.].    Or  whomfoever.  Verfe  22^ 
 
 The  unclean  perfon  toucheth,//) all  be  unclean.']  He  doth 
 not  mean  by  the  uncleanPerfon0h\m  who  was  made  un- 
 clean by  touching  the  Water  of  Separation,  (for  his 
 Undeannefs  was  fo  flight ,  that  any  one  would  think 
 he  {houldmake.no  Body  unclean  by  histouch)but  the 
 unclean  Perfon  fpoken  of  all  along  in  this  Chapter  5 
 who  was  defiled  by  touching  a  dead  Body.  He  whom 
 
 fuch: 
 
g74  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  fu:h  a  Perfon  touched  was  made  unclean,  and  there- 
 XIX.    fore  was  to  wafh  his  Clothes  ,  and  not  be  thought 
 
 t/V%j  clean  until  the  Even, 
 
 And  the  Soul  that    toucheth   H.  ~]      Or    toucheth 
 him. 
 
 Shall  be  unclean  until  Even.']  Not  only  he  whom 
 the  unclean  Perfon  touched,  but  he  who  touched  the 
 unclean  Perfon,  or  any  unclean  thing,  was  to  be  un- 
 clean till  the  Even,  and  wafh  his  Clothes  (  as  I  faid 
 before)  for  his  Cleanfing.  No  other  Cleanfing  was 
 neceffary  for  fuch  kinds  ofllncleannefsas  thefe.  For 
 Sacrifices  were  required  only  for  the  uncleannefs  of 
 Lepers,  and  of  a  Childbed-woman  5  and  of  a  Flux 
 of  Blood,  or  Seed:  all  others  wrere  purged  without 
 Sacrifice. 
 
 By  this  nice  care,  which  is  here  taken,  about  the 
 fmalleft  bodily  Defilements,  God  intended  ( I  make 
 no  doubt )  to  make  them  fenfible  how  neceffary  it 
 was  to  preferve  inward  Purity  5  without  which  they 
 could  not  be  acceptable  to  God,  though  they  ap- 
 proached to  his  Sanctuary.  For  thefe  Laws  extend- 
 ing to  what  was  done  at  home  ,  as  well  as  abroad  , 
 were  a  plain  Inftru&ion,  both  that  it  was  not  fuffici- 
 ent  to  be  pure  in  the  Eyes  of  Men,  and  that  nothing 
 could  be  concealed  from  the  Divine  Majefty  ,  who 
 fees  what  paflfeth  in  fecret. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  375 
 
 Chapter 
 
 XX. 
 
 CHAP.     XX. 
 
 Ver.  I  •/"T"S  HEN  came  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  even  Verfe  I, 
 
 X  the  whole  Congregation,  into  the  Wilder- 
 nefs  of  7jin7\  From  Rithmah,  or  Kadeflj-bamea,  they 
 came  at  laft  into  this  Wildernefs,  after  many  Remo- 
 vals to  other  Stations,  of  which  Mofes  gives  an  ac- 
 count in  the  XXXIIId  Chapter,  from  v.  19.  to^.  36. 
 For  God  led  them,  by  the  Cloud  ,  quite  back  again 
 to  the  Red  Sea,  (XIV.  25.)  and  from  thence  brought 
 them  into  this  Wildernefs  of  Tzin.  Which  is  quite 
 different  from  that  mentioned  XVI  Exod.calYd  Sin  : 
 for  this  lay  on  the  Confines  of  Idumaa  ,  as  appears 
 from  v.  14, 15. 
 
 In  the  firtt  Month.']   Of  the  fortieth  Year  after  they 
 came  out  of  the  Land  of  Egypt.     For  Mofes  gives  an 
 account  of  the  Tranfa&ions  only  of  the  two  firft 
 Years  after  they  came  from  thence,  and  of  the  laft  : 
 the  reft  he  pafleth  over  in  filence,  being  fpent  in  tire- 
 feme  Journeys  }  whereby  all  above  Twenty  years  old 
 were  confumed,  by  one  Difeafe  or  other.     In  tbofe 
 Travels  he  (hows  how,  at  feveral  Removals  (  menti- 
 oned Chapter  XXXIII.)  they  were  led  back  from  7G- 
 dejh-bamea  unto  Ezion-Geber  ,  (  that  is  ,  from  the 
 North  to  the  South  of  the  Shore  of  the  Red  Sea  )  in 
 which  Journey  they  compared  the  Land  of  Edom  ma- 
 ny Days,  (II  Dent.  1.)  that  is,many  Years.     For  from 
 the  time  they  left  Kadefh-barnea  till  they  returned 
 back  again,  was  thirty  eight  Years,  II  Dmt.  14. 
 
 And 
 
376  A  COMMENTART 
 
 Chapter        And  the  People  abode  in  Kadejl).  ~]     Not  in  Kadeffj- 
 XX.       barnea,  which  was  their  fifteenth  Station  ,  and  in  the 
 
 iy^T\J  Confines  of  the  South  part  of  Canaan,  XXXIV.  4. 
 XV  Jofl).  3.  But  another  Kadefh  on  the  Confines  of 
 the  Land  of  Edom,  towards  the  Red  Sea  ,  XXXIIL 
 36.    II  Dent.  3.  XI  Judges  17. 
 
 And  Miriam  died  there.']  Four  Months  before  her 
 Brother  Aaron,  (KXXIIL38.)  and  eleven  Months  be- 
 fore Mofes  3  being  elder  than  either  of  them.  For 
 {he  was  near  an  Hundred  and  thirty  Years  old,  as  may- 
 be gathered  from  II  Exod.\,  7.  where  it  appears  (he 
 was  not  a  Child,  when  Mofes  was  born. 
 
 And  was  buried  there.']  In  Kadefi,  where  (he  died. 
 But  we  read  of  no  mourning  for  her,  as  there  was  for 
 Aaron  a  little  after,  v.  29. 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  And  there  was  no  Water  for  the  Congregation."] 
 The  Water  that  hitherto  followed  them  ,  from  the 
 Rock  in  Horeb,  now  failed.  Which  hapning  juft  at 
 the  Death  of  Miriam,  the  Jews  have  a  foolifh  con- 
 ceit, that  as  her  Piety  procured  it  for  them  ,  fo  fhe 
 being  dead,  it  was  taken  from  them,  and  was  re- 
 ftored  again  for  the  Piety  of  Mofes  and  Aaron.  It  is 
 more  reafonable  to  think,  that  God  fuffered  the  Wa- 
 ter to  be  difcontinued  for  a  time,  that  he  might  try 
 the  Faith  of  this  new  Generation,  whether  they  were 
 any  better  than  their  rebellious  Fathers ,  and  withal, 
 to  convince  them  that  the  Water  out  of  the  former 
 Rock,  was  not  contained  in  it,  if  he  had  not  produ- 
 ced it  5  who  could  bring  forth  Water  out  of  any  o- 
 ther  place,  as  well  as  that.  Or,  they  being  now  go- 
 ing towards  Canaan,  and  near  a  Country  where  Wa- 
 ter might  be  had  for  Money  ,  (or  they  might  have 
 found  it  by  digging  for  it)  God  thought  fit  to  let 
 the  Miracle  ceale  5  that  they  might  fee  he  would 
 
 fhortly 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  377 
 
 fliortly  provide  for  them  otherways.  For  it  is  very  Chapter 
 likely,  that  in  their  laft  Station,  where  they  were  be-  XX. 
 fore  this,  at  Ezion-Geber,  (XXXIII.  36.)  the  Water  L^Y~\J 
 that  had  followed  them  in  all  their  Journeys  thither, 
 fell  there  into  the  Red  Sea,  and  fo  was  fwallowed  up : 
 they  being,  aslfaid,  to  return  towards  Canaan  ,  by 
 places  where  Water  might  be  procured  without  a  Mi- 
 racle, For  being  upon  the  edge  of  the  Land  of  Edow, 
 when  Aaron  died  in  their  next  Removal,  (v.  28. 
 XXXIII.  37.)  we  read  exprefly  that  they  prefently 
 after  came  to  a  Land  of  Rivers  of  Water  ,  X  Dent.  7. 
 And  indeed  not  long  after  they  removed  from  Mount 
 Hor,  where  Aaron  died,  we  find  in  the  next  Chapter 
 to  this,  that  they  came  to  Oboth,  XXI.  10.  which 
 figmfying  Bottles  ,  it  is  no  unreafonable  Conjecture, 
 that  here  they  met  with  Water,  with  which  they 
 filled  their  empty  Bottles.  And  next  to  that  Station, 
 they  came  to  Jie-Abarim,  v.  11.  heaps  of  Fords  5  or, 
 as  the  Chaldee  expounds  it,  The  Ford  of  thofe  thatpafs 
 over.  And  then  to  the  Valley  of  Zared7  v.  1 2.  or  to 
 the  Brooke  Zered,  as  it  is  in  II  Dent.  13,  14.  And 
 then  to  the  River  Arnon,  v.  13.  and  thence  to  Beer, 
 where  they  digged  a  famous  Well,  XXI.  16,  17,  18. 
 which,  perhaps,  they  might  have  done  before  in  o- 
 ther  places,  if  they  had  made  Experiment:  for  Ka- 
 defo0  where  they  now  were,  was  in  the  Border  of  a 
 Country  inhabited. 
 
 And  they  gathered  themfelves  together  againB  Mofes, 
 and  againli  Aaron."]  Juft  as  their  Fathers  had  many 
 times  done  $  particularly  upon  fuch  an  occafion  as 
 this,  XVII  Exod.  2,3. 
 
 Ver.3.  And  the  People  chode  with  Mofcs.~]     Inftead  Verfe  3* 
 of  condoling,  with  him,  and   comforting  him,  for 
 the  Death  of  hk  Sifter  and  their  Prophctefs ,    (  as 
 
 C  c  c  Abar- 
 
37^  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Abarbhtcl  obferves )  they  came  in  a  rude  manner  to 
 
 XX.  (cold  at  him. 
 i/Y\J  Anclfiake,  faying^  Would  God  that  we  had  died,  when 
 our  Brethren  died  before  the  L  0  R  D.~]  By  a  fudden 
 Death,  rather  than  linger  away  by  Thirft.  They  al- 
 lude to  the  ftrokes  of  God  upon  their  Brethren,  XL 
 1,33.  XIV.  37.  XVI.  32,  35-,  46.  Which  one  would 
 have  thought  fhould  have  affrighted  them  from  utter- 
 ing fuch  very  difcontented  Language,  XIX.  2.  But 
 nothing  will  alter  thofe,  who  will  not  lay  to  heart, 
 and  prefer ve  in  mind  God's  Mercies  and  Judgments. 
 
 Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  And  why  have  ye  brought  the  Congregation  of 
 the  LO  R  D  into  this  Wildernofs,  that  we  and  our  Cat- 
 tleJJjould  die  there  .<?^The  very  words  of  their  Fathers, 
 prefently  after  they  came  out  of  Egypt,  XVII  Ex- 
 od.  3. 
 
 Verfe  <J.  Ver.  5.  And  wherefore  have  ye  made  us  to  come  up  out 
 of  Egypt.~]  They  fpeak  as  if  it  had  not  been  their 
 own  defire  5  but  that  they  were  perfwaded  to  it  by 
 Mofes  to  leave  Egypt  5  who  was  fent  to  tell  them  God 
 heard  their  fighing,  groans  and  crys,  and  would  de- 
 liver them,  II  Exod.  23,  24.  III.  17.  But  in  a  dif- 
 contented fit  nothing  of  this  was  remembred. 
 
 To  bring  us  unto  this  evil  place  ?~]  They  do  not 
 fpeak  of  returning  to  Egypt ,  as  their  Fathers  did  5 
 XIV.  3,  4.  but  they  repented  that  they  were  come 
 out  of  it.  So  fhamefully  forgetful  they  were  of  all 
 God's  benefits,  who  had  in  a  wonderful  manner  re- 
 deemed them  from  the  heavieft  Slavery,  and  hither- 
 to provided  for  them  miraculoufly  in  the  Wilder- 
 nefs,  which  was  a  better  place  than  fuch  an  ungrate- 
 ful People  deferved. 
 
 It  is  no  place  of  Seed.'}  i.  e.  of  Corn. 
 
 Or 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  37P 
 
 Or  of  Figs,  or  of Vines ,  or  Pomegranates, &ZC.~]  Now    Chapter 
 they  complain  for  want  of  other  things  ,  as  well  as      XX. 
 Water:  wherein  they  (till  imitate  their  unbelieving  L/"V~\J 
 Fathers,  .XVI.  14. 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  Mofes  and  Aaron  went  fiom  the  prefence  Verfe  6. 
 of  the  Affembly,  unto  the  Door  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the 
 Congregation."]     To  pray  to  God  to  pardon  their  Sin, 
 and  to  fupply  their  Wants. 
 
 And  they  fell 'upon  their  Faces.]  As  they  had  often 
 done  before,on  other  fuch  like  occafions,  particularly 
 XIV.  5. 
 
 And  the  Glory  of  the  LORD  appeared  unto  them.] 
 Unto  all  the  People,  it  is  likely  :  as  it  had  done  fe- 
 veral  times  to  iilence  their  Murmurings.  See  XIV.  10. 
 XVI.  19,42. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  the  LOR  Dfyake  unto  Mofes. ~]  From  Verfe  7. 
 that  Glory  which  appeared  upon  the  Tabernacle. 
 
 Ver.  8.  Take  the  Rod.~]  That  famous  Rod  where- 
 with Mofes  had  wrought  fo  many  Miracles  in  Egypt , 
 and  at  the  Red  Sea,  &c. 
 
 And  gather  thou  the  Ajfembly  together.  ~\  This  word 
 Edah  fignifying  fometimes  only  the  Aflembly  of  the 
 Elders,  not  of  the  whole  People,  it  would  be  uncer- 
 tain which  of  them  he  is  bid  to  gather  together,  (for 
 it  is  a  different  word  from  that  which  we  tranllate 
 Ajfembly,  v.  6.)  if  the  tenth  verfe  had  not  determi- 
 ned, that  it  was  the  Kahal ,  or  Congregation  of  the 
 People,  as  the  word  Edah  alfo  fignifies  juft  before, 
 v,  8. 
 
 Thou  and  Aaron  thy  Brother^  For  the  People  were 
 gathered  together  againft  Aaron,  in  a  mutinous  man- 
 ner, as  well  as  againft  Mofes,  v.  2. 
 
 C  C  C  2  And 
 
38 
 
 A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Andjpeakye  unto  the  Roc\before  their  eyes, ,"]  To  the 
 XX.      fir  ft  Rock  you  meet  withal,(faith  Nachmanides)  and, 
 
 L^VNJ  that  is  within  their  fight.  For  this  is  not  the  fame 
 Verfe  9.  Rock  out  of  which  the  former  Water  flowed,  as  the 
 Jews  fancy  5  but  quite  different.  Their  very  Names 
 are  different,that  being  called  Tznr  5  this  SeUL  That 
 was  in  Rephidim  5  this  in  Kadefi  :  two  very  diftant 
 places.  Thus  Cbask***  5  fome  think  this  the  fame  with 
 that  in  Exodm  5  but  it  h  not  the  fame  Hijlory.  For 
 the  former  was  in  Horeb,  this  in  Kadcjl) :  which  is  in  the 
 Extremity  of  the  Land  of  ML&om.  But  whether  God 
 pointed  him  to  a  Rock,which  was  then  in  their  fight 
 (as  he  did  at  Horcb,  XVII  Exod.  5,  6.)  or  left  him 
 to  chufe  any  ftony  place,  is  not  certain.  But  it  is  a 
 mere  fancy  of  fome  of  the  Jews, that  becaufe  God  here 
 bad  them  Jpeakso  the  Rock  ,  Mofes  offended  God  in 
 fmiting  it.  For  to  what  purpofe  ftiould  he  take  the 
 Rod,  if  he  was  not  to  fmite  the  Rock  with  it,  as  he 
 had  done  formerly.  Juft  fuch  another  conceit  there 
 is  in  Schalfchelct  Hah^abala,  where  JR.  Gedaliah  faith, 
 That  he  had  given  an  account  of  this  Sin  in  another 
 Book,  which  he  gathered  out  of  various  Writers,and 
 found  there  were  XXVIII.  different  Opinions  about 
 it.  But  he  preferred  this  before  any  of  them  $  that 
 whereas  God  bad  Mofes  gather  the  Edah  together,  -that 
 is,  the  Affembly  of  the  People,  v.  8.  he  gathered  the 
 Kahal,  i.  e.  the  Congregation  of  the  Princes  and  El- 
 ders (as  he  will  have  it)  whofe  Faith  needed  no  Con- 
 firmation. See  Hottinger  in  his  Smegma  Orientate 
 cap.  8.  p.  451. 
 
 And  it  fljid!  give  forth  his  ■  Vater.']  The  Jews  puzzle 
 themfelves  about  this  Expreffion  :  which  founds,they 
 think,  as  if  the  Water  was  contained  in  the  Rock  5 
 and  Mofes  only  made  a  Gap  for  it  to  gu(h  out.     But 
 
 it 
 
^NUMBERS.  381 
 
 it  feems  to  be  fpoken  in  oppofition  to  the  Waters  if-  Chapter 
 firing  out  of  the  former  Rock,  which  had  fupplyed      XX. 
 them  hitherto,  but  now  ceafed  to  flow.     It  being  as  U^V~\J 
 much  as  if  he  had  faid,  This  (hall  give  forth  Water, 
 as  that  did  before  :  now  it  (hall  be  called  the  Water  of 
 this  Rock  5  not  that  of  Horeb. 
 
 And  thou  fialt  bring  forth  to  them  Water  out  of  the 
 Rock.]    Renew  the  former  Miracle. 
 
 So  thon  ft  alt  give  the  Congregation  and  their  Bea/is 
 drink:']  So  that  they  and  their  Cattle  (  which  they 
 fear  will  perifh,  v.  4.)  fhall  be  as  plentifully  provi- 
 ded for,  as  ever. 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  Mofes  took  the  Rod  from  before  theVerk  9. 
 LO  RD^  as  he  commanded  him.']  From  hence  fome 
 conclude,  that  this  was  the  Rod  of  Aaron  which  blof- 
 fomed  5  becaufe  he  is  faid  to  take  it  from  before  the 
 LO  RD  5  where  Aaron  sKod  was  laid  up,  XVII. 10. 
 But  this  Rod  is  fo  exprefly  called  Mofes  hk  Rod,v.u. 
 which  was  the  Inftrument  of  bringing  the  former 
 Water  out  of  the  Rock  in  Horeb  ,  that  I  cannot  but 
 think  this  was  the  very  fame  Rod.  Which  being 
 there  called  the  Rod  ofGod0  (XVII  Exod.  9.)  as  it  is 
 at  the  firfi:  mention  of  it,  IV Exod.  20.  it  is  very 
 probable,  that  by  God's  order  it  was  laid  up  fome- 
 where  before  him  in  the  San&uary  5  though  not  be- 
 fore the  Ark  of  the  Teftiraony .  For  having  been  im- 
 ployed  in  doing  fo  many  Wonders,  it  was  not  leem- 
 ly  it  (hould  lye  in  his  own  Tent  3  as  a  common  Staff  ^ 
 but  in  the  Houfe  of  God,  as  a  Sacred  Wand.  This 
 indeed  is  no  where  mentioned,  no  more  than  many 
 other  things,  which  notwithftanding  are  plainly  in- 
 timated. 
 
 Ver. 
 
 \ 
 
382  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  10.   And  Mofes  and  Aaron  gathered  the  Congre- 
 XX.      gation  before  the  Rock.  1     As  God  had  commanded, 
 
 Verfe  10.      £„£  he  f aid  unto  t/Mfo.']     Mofes, who  was  the  chief 
 A&or,  (aid  unto  them. 
 
 Hear  ye  now,  ye  Rebels.  ~]  The  Talmudifts  fancy 
 that  this  is  the  great  Sin  for  which  Mofes  and  Aaron 
 were  denied  to  go  into  Canaan,  becaufe  he  called 
 God's  People  Rebels.  From  whence  they  have  fra- 
 med this  Maxim,  He  that  treats  the  Church  content ptu- 
 oujly,  which  ought  to  be  honoured,  is  as  if  he  blafphemed 
 the  Name  of  God.  But  they  fubvert  the  Truth,  who 
 build  it  upon  no  better  Foundations.  For  Mofes  the 
 great  Minifter  of  God,only  ufes  God's  own  Language 
 to  their  Fathers,  XVII.  10.  where  he  bids  him  lay 
 up  Aaron  s  Rod,  as  a  Tokpn  againft  the  Rebels.  And 
 if  this  were  a  Sin,  Mofes  committed  it  again,  not  long 
 after  this,  and  in  an  higher  ftrain,  (  which  no  Body 
 can  think  he  would  have  done  ,  if  it  had  coft  him 
 io  dear)  when  he  faith  ,  IX  Deut.  24.  Te  have  been 
 rebellious  again  f/  the  LO  RD  ever  fin ce  J  knew  you. 
 
 Mh0  we  fetch  you  Water  01.  t  of  this  Rockf]  In  thefe 
 words  alio  fome  of  the  Jews  (particularly  Nachman) 
 think  they  find  the  Sin  of  Mofes  and  Aaron  5  who 
 here  (they  fancy)  afcribe  to  themfelves  that  which 
 they  ought  to  have  acknowledged  the  Work  of  God 
 alone.  But  this  is  without  any  ground  $  for  the  plain 
 meaning  of  the  words  is  quite  contrary  5  Is  it  in  our 
 power  to  bring  Water  out  of  a  Rocl^?  So  the  Vulgar  La* 
 tine  tranOates  it  3  it  being  a  Speech  of  thofe  that  won- 
 der, like  that  1  Kings  XXI.  19.  Haft  thou  killed,  tnd 
 alfo  taken  pojfcjfion  ?  As  if  Mofes  had  faid  ,  Strange  J 
 that  you  fhould  think  it  poffible  for  us  to  bring  you  H  ater 
 wit  of  a  Rocko  which  is  the  work,  only  of  an  Omnipotent 
 P/>wer«  Ver. 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  383 
 
 Ver.  1 1 .   And  Mofes  lift  up  hk  hand  ,  and  with  hk  Chapter 
 Rod  he  fmote  the  Rocl^twlce.')  It  feems  the  Water  did      XX. 
 not  gufhout  at  the  firft  ftroke  3  which  made  him  re-  <-^*v^^ 
 peat  it.  ^  Verfen. 
 
 And  the  Water  came  out  abundantly,  and  the  Congre- 
 gation dranh^  and  their  Beajis  alfo~\  So  that  their  pre- 
 sent Neceffity  was  fupplyed  ^  and  they  alfo  filled  their 
 Veffels  when  they  left  this  place ,  to  ferve  them  till 
 they  met  with  the  convenience  of  Water,  as  they  did 
 I  fhowed  upon  v.  2. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  the  LORD  $ake  unto  Mofes  andVzrk  1 2*. 
 Aaron,  becaufeye  believed  me  not,  ]  Here  Interpreters 
 have  been  much  troubled  to  find  what  it  was  for 
 which  God  was  offended  at  Mofes  and  Aaron :  for 
 though  theText  tells  us  exprefly  it  was  for  their  Un- 
 belief, (whereby  they  gave  great  Scandal  ,  and  did 
 not  fanUlfie  him  as  they  did  formerly  ,  before  the  If- 
 raelltes)  yet  it  doth  not  clearly  appear  wherein  this 
 Unbelief  declared  it  felf.  Abarblnel  hath  collefted 
 feveral  Opinions  of  the  JewiJIs  Doflcors  about  this 
 matter,  which  are  no  lefs  than  ten  3  after  which  he 
 delivers  his  own,  which  feems  tome  as  unfatisfa&o- 
 ry  as  the  reft  were  to  him  ^  for  it  is  far  fetcht,  with  too 
 much  nicety  and  fubtilty,  and  relies  alfo  upon  Uncer- 
 tainties. The  plaineft  account  of  it,  I  think,  is  this, 
 which  none  of  them  take  notice  of  5  That  the  Water 
 now  ceafing  at  the  fame  time  that  Miriam  died,  Mofes 
 was  very  fad  both  for  her  Death  ,  and  perhaps  for 
 the  Ceafing  of  the  Water  :  And  being  unexpectedly 
 affaulted  by  the  People,  who  ought  to  have  had  a 
 greater  Reverence  for  him,  in  a  time  of  Mourning  e- 
 fpecially,  it  was  the  occafion  of  a  greater  Commotion 
 of  Anger  and  Indignation,  than  was  ufuallyin  him. 
 Which  gave  him  fuch  aDifturbanceinhisMind,  and 
 
 fo 
 
 \ 
 
3S4  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  fo  difordered  his  Thoughts,  that  when  God  bad  him 
 XX.      take  his  Rod,  and  go  and  fpeaktothe  Rock,  he  fell 
 
 WV"\J  *nto  f°me  doubt,  whether  God  would  grant  them  the 
 Favour  he  had  done  before  ^  either,  becaufe  they  were 
 fo  wretched  a  People,  that  it  was  not  fit  God  fhould 
 do  any  thing  for  them  3  or  becaufe  he  thought  per- 
 haps, Water  might  be  othervvays  procured  for  them. 
 And  becaufe  of  this  doubting,  I  fuppofe,  it  might  be 
 that  upon  the  firft  ftriking  of  the  Rock  ,  no  Water 
 came  forth  5  (God  alfo  perhaps  fo  ordering  it,  that 
 he  might  try  him)  and  hereupon  his  Diffidence  in- 
 creafed  into  Unbelief,  and  a  fettled  Perfwafion  they 
 fhould  have  no  Water.  His  Anger  alfo  at  fuch  a  re- 
 bellious Generation,  it  is  likely,  made  him  the  more 
 diftruftful,  that  God  would  do  nothing  for  them. 
 For  both  thefe  are  mentioned  by  the  Divine  Writers 
 that  touch  upon  this  Hiftory,  that  he  did  not  believe  $ 
 and  that  his  Spirit  was  fo  provoked,  that  hefyake  un- 
 advisedly with  his  lips  ,  (  CVI  Pfabn  32,  33.)  which 
 was  when  he  fpake  thofe  words  v.  ic.  Must  we  fetch 
 you  Water  out  of  this  Roc^  i.e.  is  that  a  likely  matter  ? 
 They  being  words  of  the  fame  fort  with  thofe  of  Sa- 
 rah, XVIII  Gen.  13.  Shall  I  of  a  furety  have  a  Child, 
 who  ant  old?  that  is,  I  cannot  believe  it.  And  when 
 he  faw  the  Water  did  not  come  out  at  the  firft  ftroke, 
 he  might  be  fo  rafh  as  to  fay,  Now  it  is  plain  God  will 
 give  you  none,  but  let  you  peri  fo  :  or  words  to  that  ef- 
 feft. 
 
 I  know  nothing  more  probable  than  this  5  unlefs 
 the  Reader  likes  the  Opinion  of  Jofeph  Alio  better, 
 which  is  the  ninth  Opinion  mentioned  by  Abarbinel: 
 That  M<?/ejand  Aaron  having  had  fuch  long. Experi- 
 ence of  God's  goodnefs  to  this  People,  and  of  his 
 readinefs  to  help  them  ,  ought  not  to  have  gone  and 
 
 made 
 
upon    NUMBERS,  385 
 
 made  their  Complaints  to  God  about  the  want  of  Wa-  Chapter 
 ter5  (v.  6  J  but  immediately  ,  of:  themfelves  ,  gone      XX, 
 to  the  Rock,  (being  confident  of  God's  Power  and  L/"V"\J 
 Mercy  which  had  never  failed  them  )  and  called  for 
 Water  to  come  out  of  it.     For  now  the  Tabernacle 
 was  built,  and  they  had  God  dwelling  among  them, 
 (which  they  had  not  when  he  fmote  the  Rock  at 
 firft)  which  ought  to  have  bred  in  them  the  higheft 
 Affurance  that  God  would  fupply  them.     Dr.  Light- 
 foot  hath  another  Conje£ture,(which  I  (hall  propound 
 that  the  Reader  may  judge  which  is  moft  likely)  That 
 Mofes  and  Aaron  began  to  diftruft  God's  Promife  of 
 entring  into  the  promifed  Land,  at  the  end  of  forty 
 Years  5  imagining  that  if  they  brought  Water  again 
 out  of  the  Rock,  it  muft  follow  them,  as  long  as  the 
 other  had  done.     For  this  he  makes  the  fence  of  their 
 words,  What  ye  Rebels  I  muft  we  bring  Water  out  of  a, 
 Rock^,  &  we  did  at  Horeb  ?  Are  all  our  Hopes  and  Ex- 
 pectations of  getting  out  of  the  Wildernefs  come  to  thk  ? 
 We  never  fetcht  yon  Water  out  of  a  Rock  but  once  5  and 
 that  was  becaufe  ye  were  to  ft  ay  a  long  time  in  the  Wilder- 
 nefs, &c.     Now  that  is  gone,  muft  we  fetch  Water  out 
 of  another  Rock^  ?  0  ye  Rebels,  have  ye  brought  it  to 
 thispafs  by  your  Murmurings,  that  we  muft  have  a  new 
 ft  ay  in  the  Wildernefs  .<?  Are  we  to  begin  our  abode  here 
 again,  when  we  thought  we  had  been  at  the  end  of  our 
 Travels  ?  At  this  rate  we  flail  never  get  out.     Where- 
 upon he  prefently  fmote  the  Rock  twice,  in  a  fume  5 
 whereas  God  bad  him  only  fpeak  to  it,  v.  8. 
 
 Tofanttifie  me  in  the  Eyes  oft  he  Children  ofIfrael.~]ite. 
 Openly  to  affert  me  to  be  the  holy  One  of  Ifiael  ^  faith- 
 ful to  my  Promifes,  (as  well  as  infinite  in  Power) 
 of  which  they  had  given  the  Israelites  bccafibri  to 
 doubt,  by  declaring  fome  diftruft  of  what  Go:1  faid 
 
 Ddd  to 
 
 \ 
 
38<5 
 
 4  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  to  them,  y.  8.     For   thefe  words  plainly  (how  that 
 XX.      their  Sin  did  not  confift  only  in  an  inward  Diffi- 
 C^V"SJ  dence,  but  infuch  outward  Expreffions  of  it  in  their 
 Anger  and  Impatience,  as  might  be  apt  to  breed  Un- 
 belief in  the  Israelites  ^  who  were  already  too  prone 
 thereunto.     And  it  is  no  improbable  Conjecture  of  a 
 Jewitli  Doftor,  (in  his  Book  of  the  Death  ofMofes) 
 that  the  Divine  Glory  not  appearing  now  upon  this 
 Rock,  as  it  did  at  Horeb  ,  (  XVII  Exod.  6.)  which 
 perhaps  they  expected  $  it  gave  feme  occafion  to  their 
 Unbelief.     Which,  he  thinks,  was  not  fo  great  a  Sin 
 in  it  felf,  as  to  have  deferved  the  following  Punifo- 
 ment  5    had  not  God,  in  paffing  this  Sentence,  had 
 a  refpeft  to  the  Excellency  and  Dignity  of  their  Per- 
 fons :  in  whom  a  Fault  of  this  Nature,  was  far  more 
 grievous  than  in  an  ordinary  Man. 
 
 Therefore  ye  jjjal/  not  bring  this  Congregation  into  the 
 Land  which  I  have  given  them."]  They  brought  them 
 into  the  Land  of  Sihon^  and  of  Og  :  but  not  into  Ca- 
 naan ^  which  was  properly  the  Land  promifed  to 
 them. 
 ¥erfe  13  Ver-  *3-  T&is  Is  ^e  W*ter  of  Meribah.]  Called 
 Meribah-kadefh ,  XXXII  Dent.  51.  to  diftinguifh  it 
 from  that  Meribah  mentioned  XVII  Exod.  7.  where 
 the  Ifraelites  were  guilty  of  the  fame  Crime. 
 
 Becaufe  the  Children  oflfraeljirovewith  the  LORD.] 
 Expoftulated  with  him  moft  undutifully  ^  and  ac- 
 cufed  him  of  unkindnefs  to  them,  v.  3,4. 
 
 And  he  was  fanffified  in  them.']  The  Hebrew  Do- 
 ctors differ  very  much  in  their  Opinions  about  this 
 alfo  ,  Whether  he  was  fan&ified  in  the  Waters,  or  in 
 the  People  of  Ifrael^  or  in  Mofes  and  Aaron.  Some 
 fancy  it  is  meant  of  the  Waters  ,  viz.  that  God  did 
 himfelf  great  honour  in  bringing  Waters  again  out 
 
 of 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  387 
 
 of  a  Rock  $  and  therefore  the  Name  of  the  p!  ce  was  Chapter 
 called  Kadeflj,  from  his  being  fanftified  there,  'thai  XX. 
 Chaskiim.  But  it  feems  to  have  been  called  io  before  u/^WJ 
 this  3  being  a  place  well  known  to  the  Edomites  ,  v, 
 \6:  The  common  Opinion  is  that  he  fpeaks  of  Mo- 
 fes and  Aaron  :  for  God's  Name,  faith  R.  Solomon,  is 
 much  revered,  when  he  doth  not  fpare  even  his  holy 
 Ones,  X  Lev.  3.  But  Nachmanides  expounds  it  of 
 the  Ifraelites,  before  whofe  face  (as  he  expounds  fan- 
 dified in  them)  God's  Power,  and  Faithfulnefs ,  and 
 Goodnefs  appeared :  and  who  alone  are  mentioned 
 in  this  verfe^  not  Mofes  and  Aaron^  But  all  three  O- 
 pinions  in  the  Iffue  concur  in  this  one  ^  that  God 
 made  his  Power,  &c.  appear  in  the  Eyes  of  all  the 
 Ifraelites,  by  bringing  Water  out  of  a  Rock  :  and  at 
 the  fame  time  demonstrated  his  Holinefs  and  impar- 
 tial JuiVice,in  punifhing  his  greateft  Friends  for  their 
 Unbelief. 
 
 Ver.  14.  And  Mofes  fent  Mejfengers. "]     By  God's  Verfe  14. 
 order ,  as  his  words  feem  to  import,  in  II  Dent.  2, 
 
 3,4- 
 From  Kadeflj.  ]     On  the  Confines  of  the  King  of 
 
 Edoms  Country. 
 
 Unto  the  King  of  Edom.~]  When  the  IfraelHes 
 came  out  of  Egypt,  Mofes  fpeaks  of  Edom  as  governed 
 by  Dukes,  XV  Exod.  1 7.  for  the  Sons  of  Efan  at  firft 
 had  no  higher  Title,  XXXVI  Gen.  i5,e£r.Not  long 
 after,  it  feems,  their  Pofterity  became  Kings :  and 
 now  (Nine  and  thirty  Years  after  the  Ifraelifcs  co- 
 ming out  of  Egypt)  they  were  ftill  under  Kingly  Go- 
 vernment. And  this  King,  to  whom  Mofes  now 
 fends  Meffengers,  the  great  Primate  of  Ireland  ,  takes 
 to  have  been  Radar ,  the  lafl:  of  thofe  that  Mofes 
 mentions,  XXXVI  Gen.^y.  who  for  his  Inhumanity 
 
 D  d  d  2  to 
 
 \ 
 
 1 
 
388  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  to  the  Children  of  Ifrael^  was  (hortly  after  punifhed 
 XX.  with  Death  $  and  the  Kingdom  turned  again  into  the 
 L/VNj  Government  by  Dukes.  For  Mofes  (as  he  thinks  ) 
 writing  the  BookofGenefis  in  the  latter  end  of  his 
 Life,  (or  then  adding  what  was  neceflary  to  what  he 
 had  written  before)  reckons,immediately  after  Hadar, 
 feveral  Dukes  reigning  all  at  one  time,  in  feveral  parts 
 of  the  Country,  which  they  had  fhared  among  them. 
 See  ZJ/fer.  Chronolog.  Sacra,  cap.  1 1 . 
 
 Thus  faith  thy  Brother  Ifrael.]  In  the  Language  of 
 thofe  times,  all  that  were  near  of  Kin  called  one  ano- 
 ther Brethren :  and  thefe  two  Nations  defcended  from 
 twro  twin  Brothers. 
 
 Thou  knowett.~]  For  they  could  not  but  have  re- 
 ceived Intelligence  before  this  time  of  fuch  publick 
 things. 
 
 All  the  Travel  that  hath  befaln  us.  3  How  we,  and 
 our  Fathers  before  us ,  have  travelled  from  place  to 
 place  ,  without  any  certain  Habitation.  See  CV 
 Pfalm  13. 
 Verfe  15.  Ver.  15.  How  our  Fathers."]  After  feveral  Remo- 
 vals from  one  part  of  Canaan  to  another. 
 
 Went  down  Into  Egypt.]  Which  was  fo  publick  a 
 thing  (they  being  invited  by  Pharaoh,  who  fent  Car- 
 riages for  them)  that  the  Edomites  could  not  be  igno- 
 rant of  it. 
 
 And  we  have  dwelt  in  Egypt  a  long  time.']  See 
 XII  Exod.  40, 41.  and  what  I  have  obferved  there. 
 
 And  the  Egyptians  vexed  us  and  our  Fathers.  ~]     See 
 I  Exod.  11, 12,  1 3,  &c. 
 Verfe  16.      Ver.  16.  And  when  we  cried  unto  the  LORD,  he 
 heard  our  voice.]     II  Exod.  23,  24^  25.  III.  7,  8. 
 
 And 
 
upon     NUMBERS.  38^ 
 
 Andfent  an  Angel7\  See  III  Exod.2,Scc.  Maimo-  Chapter 
 //inhere  by  Angel  underftands  Mofes  himfelf 5  for  XX. 
 the  Prophets  are  fometimes  called  Angels,  i.  e.  Mef- 
 fengers  fent  from  God,  Wjudg.  1.  This  he  afferts 
 in  the  firft  part,  and  more  than  once  in  the  fecond 
 part  of  More  Nevochim :  but  it  is  very  unreafonable 
 to  think,  that  Mofes  would  thus  magnifie  himfelf  to 
 the  King  of  Edom,  who  underftood  not  fuch  Lan- 
 guage^ and  could  not  but  be  more  moved  to  hearken 
 to  his  Embafly,  if  he  believed  the  Ifraelites  were  un* 
 der  the  Conduft  of  a  heavenly  Minifter  :  who,  as  o- 
 ther  Jews  think,  was  Michael  the  Prince  of  the  hea- 
 venly Hoft  ^  whom  they  commonly  underftand  by 
 the  Angel  here  mentioned.  But  many  great  Men, 
 particularly  Mafimr  think  this  is  fhort  of  the  Truth, 
 unlefs  we  underftand  by  Michael,  the  Eternal  Son  of 
 God  5  who  was,  ashefpeaks,  the  "perpetual  Prince  and 
 Direffor  of  the  People  of  God.  For  though  he  was 
 then  properly  made  the  Meffenger  of  the  Father,wh*en 
 he  took  on  him  our  Flefh,  and  dwelt  here  among  us; 
 yet  from  the  beginning  it  was  his  conftant  care  to 
 reconcile  Men  to  God,  and  preferve  Religion  among 
 them.  So  that  he  might  be  called  the  Angel  of  God 
 before  he  became  a  Man,  becaufe  God  the  Father  by 
 him  communicated  with  Men  about  all  things  necef- 
 fary  for  their  Good.  And  the  Jews  feem  to  have  had 
 fome  obfcure  Notion  of  this :  For  what  elfe  could 
 Mofes  Gemndenfis  mean  ,  when  he  faith  the  Angel 
 whom  Mofes  faw  in  the  Bufh,  was  the  fame  whom 
 Jacob  calls  the  God  of  Bethel,  and  whom  he  calls  the 
 Angel  Redeemer :  of  whom  Mofes,  he  faith,  fpeaks  in 
 this  place,  and  in  VI  Deut.21.  The  LORD  brought 
 m  out  of  Egypt.  Certain  it  is,  that  thus  the  ancient 
 Chriftians  underftood  fuch  places,  taking  the  Angel 
 
 here 
 
39o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  here  fpoken  of  to  be  the  Eternal  L  0  G  0  S ,  or 
 XX.  W  O  R  D,  as  St.  John  calls  the  Eternal  Son  of  Cod. 
 L/'V'VJ  Whofe  fence  no  Man,  I  think,  hath  better  explained 
 than  our  Mr.  Thomdike  :  who,  though  he  confefles 
 it  to  be  plain  by  the  Scriptures,  that  it  was  always  an 
 Angel  that  appeared  under  the  Old  Teftament,  who 
 is  fometimes  called  by  the  proper  Name  of  God  (]  E- 
 H  O  V  A  H  )  yet  this  is  no  prejudice  to  what  the  Fa- 
 thers of  the  Church  teach,  concerning  the  Appearing 
 of  the  Eternal  WORD.  Who  was  that  LORD  who 
 then  aflumed  fome  Angelical  Nature,  wherein  he 
 might  appear  to  deal  with  Men  for  a  fliort  timer  after 
 which  he  difmifled  it,  when  he  had  done  that  Bud- 
 nefs  for  which  he  aflumed  it. 
 
 And  hath  brought  us  forth  out  of  Egypt."]  XIII  Exod. 
 22.    XIV.  19. 
 
 And  behold,  we  are  in  Kadejh.]  Near  to  Kadeflj  $ 
 for  it  is  not  likely  they  were  admitted  into  the  City  it 
 felf  ^  which  gave  its  Name  to  the  adjacent  Coun- 
 try. 
 
 A  Oty.']  Or  Town  :  for  it  doth  not  feem  to  have 
 been  a  walled  place. 
 
 In  the  uttermoU  of  thy  Borders.  ]  In  the  Confines 
 of  the  King  oiEdoms  Country  5  and  belonging,  it  is 
 likely,  to  his  Dominion. 
 Verfe  I7.  Ver.  17.  Letuspafs,  I  pray  thee,  through  thy  Coun- 
 try.'] In  our  way  to  the  Land  of  Canaan-^  which  God 
 hath  promifed  to  give  us. 
 
 We  will  not  pafs  through  the  Fields  ,  or  through  the 
 Vineyards.]  They  engaged  not  to  turn  afide,  as  they 
 went  along,  into  any  private  Man  s  Grounds.    See 
 
 XXI.  22. 
 
 iSTrf- 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  391 
 
 Neither  will  we  drink  of  the  Water  of  the  Wells.']    Chapter 
 Which  any  private  Perfon  had  digged  for  his  own      XX. 
 life  :  but  only  of  the  Rivers ,  which   are  common  L/"V\J 
 to  all  Creatures. 
 
 We  will  go  by  the  Kings  High-way.  ]  Keep  in  the 
 common  Rode,  which  is  made  for  all  Paffengers,  by 
 the  King's  allowance. 
 
 We  will  not  turn  to  the  right  hand^or  to  the  left.']  Out 
 of  the  Rode  ^  but  go  ftrait  on. 
 
 Until  we  have  faffed  thy  Borders.]  Got  to  the  other 
 fide  of  the  Country  of  Edom. 
 
 Ver.  18.  And  Edom  faid  unto  him.]     This  founds  Verfe  18. 
 as  if  the  whale  Country  had  joyned  in  the  following 
 Anfwer. 
 
 Thou  fjalt  not  fafs  by  me. ]  Go  through  our  Coun- 
 try, v.  20. 
 
 hell  I  come  out  againlt  thee  with  the  Srvord.]  The 
 King  bids  them  not  attempt  it  5  for  he  would  op- 
 pofe  their  paflage  with  all  his  Forces.  He  was  afraid, 
 no  doubt,  left  they  (hould  feize  his  Country,orfpoil 
 it  5  and  therefore  would  not  truft  their  Declarations 
 which  they  made  to  the  contrary. 
 
 Ver.  19.  And  the  Children  of  Ifrael.]     Who  were  *  erfe  J9- 
 fent  upon  this  Meflage,  v.  14.  Or  elfe  fome  new  Am- 
 baffadors,  whom  Mofes  difpatched  with  new  Intrea- 
 ties,  after  he  underftood  his  Denial. 
 
 Said  unto  him  J]  Gave  him  new  Affurances  of  their 
 honeft  Intentions. 
 
 We  will  go  by  the  High-way.]  Believe  usD  we  will 
 not  ftep  out  of  the  common  Rode. 
 
 And  if  I  and  my  Cattle  drink  °f  thy  Water.]  Out 
 of  the  Wells  before-mentioned,  v.\y.  which  private 
 Men  had  digged  5  and  therefore  had  a  Propriety  in 
 them. 
 
 Then 
 
3p2  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Then  I  will  pay  for  it.  ]     For  Water  was  commoly 
 XX.      fold   in  thofe  dry  Countries  5   where  it  was  very 
 
 L/"V"NJ  fcarce. 
 
 I  will  only,  without  doing  any  thing  elfe 7}  The  He- 
 brew words  ein  dabar  (which  we  translate,  without  do- 
 ing any  thing  clfe  )  literally  fignifies  in  our  Language, 
 it  k  no  word,  i.e.  not  mere  fair  Promifes :  but  we  will 
 perform  what  we  fay. 
 
 Go  through  on  my  feet.  ~\  Go  through,  as  fail:  as  we 
 can  travel  on  foot. 
 Verfe  20.  Ver.  2  c.  And  he  faidjhouffjalt  not  go  through."}  He 
 perfifted  in  his  Refolution  5  and  would  not  rely  on 
 their  moft  folemn  Aifeverations.  Yet  he  confented 
 (as  appears  by  II  Deut.  28,29.)  to  furnifh  them  with 
 neceflary  Provifions,  both  of  Meat  and  Drink,  for 
 their  Money. 
 
 And  Edom  came  out  again  ft  him  with  much  People, and 
 with  aftrong  hand.}  For  fear  they  (hould  prefs  into 
 his  Country,  he  raifed  a  great  and  powerful  Army  to 
 oppofe  them  3  and  fhowed  himfelf  ready  to  fight 
 them  if  they  moved  that  way. 
 Verfe  21.  Ver.  21.  Thus  Edom  refufed  to  give  Ifrael  paffage 
 through  hh  Border  .~\  Which  Grotius  cenfures  in  his 
 fecond  Book  de  Jure  Belli  &  Pack,  cap.  2.  feU.  13. 
 as  contrary  to  the  Law  of  Nations :  by  which  the 
 High-ways,  as  well  as  the  Sea,  and  the  Rivers  of  all 
 Countries,  ought  to  be  free  for  all  that  have  a  mind 
 to  pafs  through  them,  upon  juft  occafions.  And  he 
 gives  many  Examples  of  fuch  permiffion  ,  out  of 
 Heathen  Story  :  and  therefore  looks  upon  the  denial 
 of  this,  as  a  juft  ground  of  War  with  Sihon  and  Og, 
 (mentioned  in  the  next  Chapter  ,  where  I  (hall  con- 
 fider  it)  as  it  might  have  been  with  Edom  and  Moab, 
 had  not  God  prohibited  it.    Nor  doth  the  fear,  he 
 
 thinks, 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  3p3 
 
 thinks,  which  the  Edomites,  it  is  likely,  had  of  let-  Chapter 
 ting  fuch  a  vafl:  number  of  People  pafs  through  their  XX. 
 Country,  alter  the  cafe  5  for  no  Mans  fear,  is  to  take  LS*\r\J 
 away  another  Mans  right.  And  there  might  have  been 
 Means  contrived  to  remove  this  fear,  by  letting  them 
 pafs  through  in  fmall  Companies  at  a  time  ,  or  un- 
 armed. He  had  better  have  faid,  in  my  opinion,  by 
 giving  Hoftages  on  both  fides,  for  the  performance  of 
 Conditions :  For  it  might  have  put  the  Ifraelites  m 
 as  great  fear,  to  have  gone  through  in  fmall  Parties } 
 or  if  they  (hould  have  difarmed  themfelves.But  when 
 all  is  faid,  it  feems  not  clear,  that  all  Men  have  fuch 
 a  right,  as  that  great  Man  thinks  they  may  claim. 
 For  no  Man  can  challenge  a  paffage  through  a  private 
 Man's  Ground,  without  his  leave  :  and  every  Prince 
 hath  the  fame  dominion  in  all  his  Territories ,  that  a 
 private  Man  hath  in  his  Land.  There  are  many  Ex- 
 amples alfo,  as  Gronovius  hath  obferved  ,  of  Coun- 
 tries which  have  fuffered  extreamly  by  granting  this 
 Liberty,  (which  (how  that  Princes  have  reafon  to 
 deny  it,  for  their  Peoples  Security)  and  the  Exam- 
 ples of  thofe  who  have  granted  it ,  are  Examples  of 
 Faff,  rather  than  of  Right  3  and  of  fuch  as  were  not 
 in  a  Condition  to  refufe  what  was  demanded.  See 
 SeldensMareChiifuni,  Lib.  I.  cap.  20. 
 
 Wherefore  Ifrael  turned  away  from  him*  ~\  By  God's 
 command  :  who  ordered  them  alfo  to  buy  what  they 
 wanted  of  the  Edomites  ,  II  Dent.  5,  6.  For  they 
 flayed  fome  time  in  KadeJ/j,  by  their  confent,  before 
 they  removed  5  that  they  might  furnifh  themfelves,  as 
 they  offered,  with  Neceffaries,  XI  Judges  17. 
 
 Ver.  22.  And  the  Children  of  Ifrael^  even  the  whole  Ver fe  2  2. 
 Congregation^]     For  they  might  not  divide  into  feve- 
 ral  Bodies,  lying  in  feveral  places  5  but  all  march  to- 
 
 E  e  e  gether, 
 
394  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  gether,  when  the  Cloud  moved ,  in  the  order  God 
 
 XX.  appointed,  X.  13,  14,  Sec. 
 L/'W*  Journeyed  fiom  KadejJj^  and  came  to  Mount  Hor. "] 
 Another  place  upon  the  edge  of  the  Edomites  Coun- 
 try, XXXIII.  37.  where  they  pitched  in  a  part  of 
 that  Mountain  which  was  called  Mofera,  X  Dent.  6. 
 Whether  Mount  Hor  gave  the  Name  of  Hori  to  him, 
 who  was  the  Anceftor  of  Seir  ,  and  the  firft  Planter 
 of  the  Country,  which  was  afterward  conquered  by 
 Efau,  (XXXVlGe*.  20,  30.  II  Dent.  12.)  or  had  its 
 name  from  him,  cannot  be  determined.  But  Hori 
 we  are  fure  wasthe  firft  Poffeffbr  (of  whom  there  is 
 any  memory)  of  this  Mountain  Hor--,  which  was  af- 
 terward called  Seir  (  from  one  defcended  from  him) 
 and  afterward  Edom. 
 Verfe  23.  Ver.  22.  And  the  LORD  ffake  unto  Mofes  and 
 Aaron  in  Mount  Hor."]  At  the  foot  of  the  Mount,  as 
 appears  from*;.  25. 
 
 By  the  Coaft  of  the  Land  of  Edom.]     XXXIII.  3  7. 
 Verfe  24       ^er.  24*  Aaron  fhaU  be  gathered  unto  his  People.  ] 
 *'  Shall  die,  v.  26. 
 
 For  he  fid  all  not  enter  into  the  Land  which  I  have  gi- 
 ven unto  the  Children  of  Ifrael.~]  v.  1 2.  A  manifeft  To- 
 ken that  the  earthly  Canaan  was  not  the  utmoft  Feli- 
 city at  which  God's  Promifes  aimed  }  becaufe  the  beft 
 Men  among  them  were  (hut  out  of  it. 
 
 Becaufe  ye  rebelled  againji  my  Word^  at  the  Water  of 
 Meribah.  ~]  By  this  word  rebelled^  it  appears  there 
 was  fomething  of  Obftinacy  in  their  Unbelief,  men- 
 tioned v.  12. 
 Verfe  y<.  ^er.  25.  Take  Aaron  and  Eleazar  hk  Son.  ]  Speak 
 ''  to  them  in  my  Name.  For  it  is  exprelly  faid  XXXIII. 
 38.  that  they  went  up  at  the  Commandment  of  the 
 LORD. 
 
 And 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  395 
 
 And  bring  them  up  unto  Mount  Hor. "]     This  (hows    Chapter 
 that  they  pitched  their  Tents  at  the  bottom  of  it       XX. 
 in  a  place  called  Mo/era.     See  X  Deut.  6.  where  this  L^VNJ 
 feems  alfo  to  have  been  the  Name  of  the  whole  Hill, 
 as  well  as  Hor. 
 
 Ver.  26.  Andjirip  Aaron  of  hk  Garments,*]  i>  e.Of  Verfe  26. 
 his  Prieftly  Robes,  (as  Jofephus  rightly  expounds  it, 
 r!w  dp^^lixfjuo  ?o*!w)  mentioned  XXVIII  Exod.  2, 
 3,&c.  wherewith  he  was  clothed  when  he  was  a- 
 nointed  to  the  Office  of  High-Prieft,  VIII  Lev.  7,  8, 
 9.  which  he  put  on,  I  fuppofe,  in  the  Camp  ,  and 
 went  up  in  them  to  Mount  Hor$  that  he  might  die 
 gloriouily  5  not  in  his  Robes,  but  immediately  after 
 he  put  them  off,  to  be  put  upon  his  Son.  For  this 
 ftripping  him  of  his  Robes  was  in  effeft  ,  the  divert- 
 ing Aaron  of  his  Office,  that  it  might  be  conferred  up- 
 on his  Son  $  which  was  done  as  follows. 
 
 And  put  them  upon  Eleazar  hk  Son.  "]  Which  was 
 the  inverting  him  with  the  Office  of  High-Prieft,  in- 
 to which  he  now  fucceeded ,  in  his  Fathers  ftead  3 
 and  was  by  this  Ceremony  admitted  to  it.  The  Tal- 
 mudifts  fay,  the  manner  was ,  firft  to  put  on  the 
 Breeches,  then  the  Coat  3  which  being  bound  about 
 with  the  Girdle,  then  the  Robe,  upon  which  was  the 
 Ephod,  and  then  the  Miter  and  golden  Crown.  See 
 Selden  de  Succejjion.  in  Pontif.  Lib.  II.  cap.  8. 
 
 And  Aaron  foall  be  gathered  unto  hk  People  ^  and  die 
 there."]  This  was  faid  before,  in  fhort,  ^.24.  but  now 
 the  time  of  his  Death  is  exprefly  declared,  (  imme- 
 diately after  he  laid  down  his  Office,  and  had  the  fa- 
 tisfaftion  to  fee  his  Son  inaugurated  in  his  Room  ) 
 and  the  place  of  it,upon  Mount  Hor.  Of  this  Phrafe, 
 Gathered  to  hk  People,  fee  XXV  Gen.  8, 1 7. 
 
 E  e  e  2  Ver. 
 
 __. 
 
S96  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  27.  And  Mofes  did  as  the  LO  R  D  command- 
 XX.      cd  b  an^  they  went  up  ™to  Mount  Hor,   in   the  fight  of 
 
 U/-VVJ  all  the  Congregation.']     That  they  might  all  be  Wit- 
 
 Verfe  27.  neffes  of  the  Succeffion  oi  Eleazar  to  the  Office  of  his 
 Father. 
 
 Verfe  28.  Ver.  28.  And  Mofes  fir 'typed  Aaron  of his  Garments, 
 and  pit  them  upon  Eleazar  hk  Son.  3  This  Mofes 
 did  as  the  Minifter  of  God  $  who  now  translated  the 
 Priefthood  to  another. 
 
 And  Aaron  died  there  in  the  top  of  the  Mount."]  And 
 was  buried  alfo  there,  XDeut.6.  For  great  and 
 heroick  Perfons  were  in  ancient  days  ufually  buried 
 in  high  Places.  So  Jofhua  was,  XXIV.  30,  33.  and 
 Eleazar,  II  Judges  9.  and  Cadmus  and  Harmonia  ^  who 
 lived  near  the  time  of  Joflma,  as  Bochartus  obferves  in 
 his  Canaan,  Lib.  I.  cap.  23. 
 
 And  Mofes  and  Eleazar  came  down  from  the  Mount. ] 
 After  they  had  feen  him  laid  in  his  Grave,  by  thofe 
 that  attended  them.     * 
 
 This  fell  out  in  the  fortieth  Year  after  they  came 
 out  of  Egypt,  on  the  firfi  day  of  the  fifth  Month  5 
 when  Aaron  was  an  Hundred  and  three  and  twenty 
 Years  old,  as  we  read  XXXIII.  38,39.  In  the  new 
 Moon  of  the  Month,which  the  Athenians  called  He- 
 catomb<eon,  the  Macedonians,  Lous  ,  and  the  Hebrews 
 called  Sabba,  as  Jofephus  gloffes.  But  that  laft  word 
 ftiould  be  Ab,  not  Sabba,  as  Jacobus  Capellus  obferves 
 (in  his  Hiflor.  Sacra  &  Exotica  ad  An.  2  542.  )  which 
 anfwers,  he  thinks,  to  the  nineteenth  of  our  July. 
 And  fo  the  Hebrews  fay  in  Seder  Olam,  Aaron  died  on 
 thefirtt  day  of  the  Month  Ab  :  upon  which  there  is  a 
 Faft,  in  their  Rituals,  in  memory  of  it. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon   NUMBER  S.  3^7 
 
 Ver.  29.    And  when  all  the  Congregation  faw  that  A  a-  Chapter 
 von  was  dead.]  i.  e.  Underftood  (as  the  word  See  is    XXI. 
 ufed  XLII  Gen.  1.)  that  God  had  taken  him  out  of  L/~VNJ 
 the  World,  as  Mofes  and  Eleazar  told  them  3  whoVerfe  29. 
 alfo  came  down  from  the  Mount  with  him. 
 
 They  mourned  for  Aaron  thirty  days.']  Till  the  end 
 of  the  Month.  For  fo  long  their  Mourning  feems,  in 
 thofe  days,  to  have  been  continued  for  great  Perfons, 
 (as  it  was  for  Mofes  ,  XXXIV  Dent.  8.  )  though  a 
 Week  fufficed  for  private  Perfons. 
 
 Even  all  the  Houfe  oflfrael.']  Both  Men  and  Wo- 
 men. 
 
 CHAP.     XXL 
 
 Ver.  1.   AND  when  King  At  ad  the  Canaanite7\    In  yerfe  r 
 
 ii  the  Hebrew  the  words  are  thus  placed, 
 When  the  Canaanite  King  Arad  :  And  fo  they  are  in 
 the  LXX.  and  the  Vulgar  :  And  Arad  may  as  well 
 fignifie  a  Place,  as  a  Perfon  :  nay,  there  feems  more 
 reafon  to  tranflate  the  words  thus  ,  The  Canaanitifi 
 King  of  Arad  :  becaufe  there  wasfucha  City  in  Ca- 
 naan, mentioned  XII  jfo/fr.14.  and  I  Judges  16.  One 
 of  the  Sons  of  Canaan  being  called  Arad,  (as  both  the 
 LXX  and  the  Vulgar  tranflate  the  Hebrew  word  Ar- 
 vad,  X  Gen.  18.  J  who  it  is  likely  gave  his  Name  to 
 this  part  of  the  Country  5  the  chief  City  of  which 
 was  alfo  called  after  him. 
 
 Which  dwelt  in  the  South. ~]  In  the  South  part  of 
 the  Land  of  Canaan ,  towards  the  Eaftern  Angle  of 
 it,  near  the  Dead  Sea.     See  XXXIII.  40. 
 
 Heard 
 
A     COMMENTART 
 
 Heard  that  Ifrael  came  by  the  way  of  the  Sp/es.~]\Vh\ch 
 were  fent  by  the  King  Arad  (as  many  fuppofe)  to 
 -ring  him  Intelligence  which  way  the  Ifraehtcs  mar- 
 ched. For  it  being  Eight  and  thirty  Years  fince  the 
 Spies  fent  by  Mofes  went  that  way  ^  or  rather,  they 
 going  fo  fecretly,  that  it  was  not  known  which  way 
 they  went,  it  is  thought  ,  not  probable  that  Mofes 
 i peaks  of  them  in  this  place.  But  there  is  no  neceffi- 
 ty  of  taking  the  Hebrew  word  Atharhn  to  Ggnifie  Spies$ 
 but  it  may  as  well  be  the  Name  of  a  Placets  the  1 XX. 
 underftood  it,  by  whom  it  is  tranflated  ASap^/a. 
 And,  if  the  fituation  would  agree  to  it,  one  might 
 probably  conjecture,  the  place  was  fo  called  from  the 
 Spies  that  went  from  thence  by  Mofes  his  order  to  fur- 
 vey  the  Country.  For  that  was  a  thing  fo  memora- 
 ble, that  as  it  could  not  well  (lip  out  of  the  Minds  of 
 the  People  of  Canaan ,  fo  they  found ,  I  make  no 
 queftion,  after  they  were  gone  ,  which  way  they 
 came  into  their  Country,  ( though  for  the  prefent 
 they  pafled  unobferved )  and  everafter  called  it  the 
 way  of  the  Spies. 
 
 Then  he  fought  againft  Ifrael  ~]  He  marched  out  of 
 his  Country  with  an  Army  5  and  fell  upon  the  Ifra- 
 elites  as  they  pafled  that  way. 
 
 And  tooh^fome  of  them  Prifoners.  ~]  He  attacked,  it's 
 likely,  at  firft  only  the  Skirts  of  their  Camp,  where 
 he  furprifed  fome  of  them,  and  carried  them  away 
 captive,  as  the  words  are  in  the  Hebrew. 
 Verfe  2.  ^er#  2*  ^n^  Vrae^  vowed  a  vow  ttnto  the  LORD.'] 
 It  was  refolved,  it  feems,  that  they  fbould  engage 
 them  5  but  the  Ifraelites  being  afraid  of  them,  becaufe 
 they  were  unexperienced  in  War,  implored  the  Di- 
 vine Aid  by  this  Solemn  Vow. 
 
 if 
 
npon   NUMBERS.  35^ 
 
 If  thou  wilt  indued  deliver  this  People  into  my  hand."]  Chapter 
 Give  us  the  Vi&ory  over  them.  XXI. 
 
 Then  mil  I  utterly  defiroy  their  Cities.  ~]     They  vow  ^^sr^^ 
 to  referve  none  of  the  Spoil  to  their  own  ufe  $  but 
 devote   it  all  to    definition.      For   fuch  was  the 
 Nature  of  this   Vow  ,  called   Cherem.    See  XXVII 
 Lev   29. 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  the  LORD  hearkned  to  the  voice  ofVtik  3, 
 lfrael.~]     He  approved  their  Vow. 
 
 And  delivered  up  the  Canaanites.  ~]  The  Ifraelites 
 vanquifhed  their  Army. 
 
 And  they  utterly  dejlroyed  them  and  their  Cities."]  lit- 
 terly  devoted  them  to  deftru&ion,  according  to  their 
 Vow.  For  they  did  not  now  adtually  deftroy  them, 
 they  remaining  when  Joflma  came  to  Canaan  jn\\o  exe- 
 cuted this  Cherem, ox  Curfeupon  them,XII.i4.Which, 
 if  it  had  been  executed  now,  they  muft  have  entred 
 into  the  Land  of  Canaan  at  this  time  3  from  whence 
 we  cannot  imagine  they  would  have  returned  ,  to 
 march  further  about  before  they  got  into  it  \  but  have 
 gone  on  to  profecute  their  Vifrory  ,  by  fubduing  the 
 Country,  ^as  they  had  begun. 
 
 And  he  called  the  name  of  the  place  Hormah7\  From 
 the  Cherem  (or  Herem  as  fome  write  it  )  which  was 
 pronounced  againft  it.  Which  when  it  was  put  in 
 execution  ,  this  Name  became  more  proper  to  it, 
 I  Judges  17. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  they  journeyed  from  Mount  Hor.~\  Where  Verfe  4. 
 their  Camp  was  pitched,  when  the  Ring  of  Arad  af- 
 faulted  them  5  and  whither  they  returned ,  after  they 
 had  overthrown  him. 
 
 By  the  way  of  the  Red  Sea.~\  Towards  Ezion-Gaber, 
 as  we  read  II  Deut.  8. 
 
 To 
 
4oo  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       To  compafs  the  Land  of  Edom.~]     Which  extended 
 XXI.      it  fel  f  unto  the  Red  Sea. 
 
 \y\T\J  And  the  Soul  of  the  People  was  much  dij corn-aged  be- 
 caufe  of  the  way.']  The  word  we  tranilate  difcouraged, 
 fignifies  two  things  :,  to  faint ,  and  to  breathe  fiort^ 
 through  the  anguifh  and  bitternefs  of  ones  Spirit,  VI 
 Exod.  9.  And  fecondly,  to  be  angry  at ,  or  at  leaft 
 impatient,  by  reafon  of  feme  Trouble.  And  fo  it 
 may  be  beft  taken  in  this  p!ace,(as  Buxtorfius  obferves 
 in  Hiflor.  Serp.  IRnei,  cap.  1.  )  not  (imply  for  their 
 *  being  tired,  with  a  tedious,  long ,  and  troublefome 
 March  5  but  that  accompanied  with  no  fmall  Indig- 
 nation and  Wrath.  Which  did  not  only  burn  with- 
 in, but  broke  out  into  words  of  great  Impatience, 
 as  appears  by  what  follows.  Whence  the  Hebrew 
 words  Ketzar-Ruach  (Jl)ort  of  Spirit)  fignifies  Angry 
 or  Hafty,  XIV  Prov.  29.  and  in  XXI  Job  4.  we 
 tranllate  it  troubled,  and  in  XI  Zach.  8.  loathed: 
 where  it  had  better  been  translated,  /  was  angry  with 
 them.  Now  that  which  made  the  People  thus  fret,  or 
 faint,  (if  we  will  have  it  fo  interpreted)  was  the  way 
 wherein  they  were  now  led  5  which  was  about  the 
 Land  of  Edom.  For  when  they  were  come  towards 
 Canaan,  in  the  middle  of  the  fortieth  Year,  (at  the  end 
 of  which  they  were  promifed  to  enter  in  and  poffefs 
 it)  they  are  carried  back  again  towards  the  Red  Sea  , 
 whether  God  had  fent  their  Fathers ,  after  they  had 
 brought  a  falfe  Report  upon  the  Land.XfV7  25. 
 This  made  them  think,  perhaps,  that  theyfliould  ne- 
 ver come  to  Canaan  5  or,  at  lean,  it  was  tedious  to 
 march  fuch  a  great  way  about,  after  they  had  been 
 kept  fo  long  from  their  Inheritance  ,  and  were  lately 
 in  fuch  hopes  of  it,  when  Mofes  demanded  a  paflage 
 into  it  through  the  Country  ofEdom. 
 
 Ver. 
 
^NUMBERS.  4oi 
 
 Ver.  5.  And  the  People  jpafa  again!}  God>  and  a-  Chapter 
 gainli  Mofes.~]     This  (hows  they  were  in  a  very  great    XXL 
 rage  $  which  made  them  fo  forgetful  of  their  Duty,  u^sTSJ 
 as  to  charge  God  himfelf  with  ill  Conduct.    Where-  Verfe  5. 
 as  their  Fathers  were  wont  only  to  murmur  againfk 
 Mofes  and  Aaron. 
 
 Wherefore  have  ye  brought  us  oat  of  Egypt."]  The 
 Hebrew  word  heelithunu  (made  us  to  go  up)  is  zjirange 
 word,  (as  Dr.  Lightfoot  calls  it  )  in  this  Language : 
 declaring  the  great  fume  they  were  in  when  they  ut- 
 tered it. 
 
 To  die  in  the  Wildernefs  .<?]  As  if  they  had  faid  (fo 
 Abarbinel  explains  it)  what  can  we  expeft  or  hope 
 for  but  Death,  from  this  long  ftay  in  the  Wilder- 
 nefs? 
 
 For  there  is  no  Bread ,  neither  is  there  any  Water.  ~] 
 For  we  want  the  mod  necefTary  things  for  the  fup- 
 port  of  Life  (as  he  alfo  well  explains  it)  which  they 
 fpake  in  a  rage  :  for  they  had  both  ,  by  a  miraculous 
 Providence  over  them.  They  themfelves  immedi- 
 ately confefs  they  had  Manna  $  and  they  had  lately 
 received  Water  out  of  a  Rock.  But  nothing  would 
 fatisfie,  unlefs  they  were  brought  to  a  Country  ,where 
 Bread  and  Water  was  to  be  had  without  a  Miracle. 
 For  the  meaning  of  their  Complaint  was ,  that  God 
 did  not  deal  with  them  as  he  did  with  other  People, 
 who  (to  fpeak  in  our  Phrafe)  do  not  live  from  hand 
 to  mouth  :  As  the  Ifraetites  did,  who  had  Bread  gi- 
 ven them  only  to  fuffice  for  one  day  ,  and  no  more  ^ 
 and  that  fuch  Bread  as  they  defpifed.  It  is  likely  alfo 
 they  began  now  to  want  Water  again,  which  did  not 
 follow  them,as  formerly,  out  of  the  Rock  :  and  what 
 they  had  in  their  Veffels,  perhaps  was  near  fpent. 
 
 Fff  And 
 
402  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  And  our  Soul  loatheth  this  light  Bread."]  As  for  the 
 XXI.  Bread  God  beftowed  upon  them  ,  they  were  fo  far 
 L/~V^\J  from  being  fatisfied  with  it,  that  they  loath  it,  and 
 call  it  by  the  fcornful  Name  of  light  Bread.  So  we 
 tranflatethe  Hebrew  word  Hah&lkel:  which,  being 
 the  doubling  of  a  word  which  fignifies  light  or  vile 
 in  that  Language^  imports  as  much  as  very  defpica- 
 ble,  exceeding  vile  5  or,  as  the  LXX.  tranilate  it,  ve- 
 ry empty  5  having  no  Subftance  in  it  to  fill  their  Sto- 
 machs. So  Abarbinel  expounds  this  paflage ,  We  are 
 tired  with  long  Journeys,  which  require  more  [olid  Bread 
 than  thk  to  fupport  us. 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  the  LO  RD  fent  fiery  Serpents  among 
 the  People.~]So  moft  of  the  Jews  translates  this  place  ^ 
 taking  Seraphim  for  an  Adje&ive  (as  Grammarians 
 fpeak)  and  confequently  rightly  tranflated/^.  But 
 there  are  thofe  who  take  it  to  fignifie  a  peculiar  fort 
 of  Serpents  }  being  added  to  Nechafiim  ( Serpent s)by 
 way  of  oppofition  (  as  they  fpeak  )  and  Signifying 
 fuch  Serpents  as  the  Greeks  call  Tiptop e$  and  Knuaw*;, 
 whom  Pliny  reckons  among  the  Sceleratijjimi  Serpen* 
 to*, moft  pernicious  Serpents,  Lib.  XXI V.cap.  13.  Or, 
 as  others  will  have  it,  thofe  called  Atirjrth;,  becaufe 
 they  made  great  Inflamations  in  Mens  Bodies,  and  an 
 unquenchable  thirft }  being  alfo  of  a  flame  colour. 
 But  the  famous  Bochartus  hath  alledged  a  great  many 
 Arguments  to  prove,  that  they  were  a  fort  of  Serpents, 
 called  Hydrus,  becaufe  in  Winter  they  lived  in  Fens 
 and  Mar (hes  5  which  being  dried  up  in  Summer,  they 
 were  called  Cherjydrus ,  becaufe  then  they  lived  in 
 dry  places,  and  in  the  hot  Seafon  had  a  moft  fharp, 
 flinging  Poifon.  Which,as  Nicander  faith,made  fuch 
 Inflamations,  as  brought  upon  him  that  was  ftung  by 
 them,  a\yix  fjuutict  ,  innumerable  griefs.     See  Hiero- 
 
 zoicon 
 
upon  NUMBERS,  403 
 
 zoicon  P.  H.  Lib.  III.  r^/?.  13.  where  he  fhows  alfo    Chapter 
 they  were  flying  Serpents,  of  which  the  Prophet  Ifai-    XXI. 
 ah  (peaks,  XIX.  29.  XXX.  6.  and  that  now  was  a  hot  LfsTSJ 
 Seafon,  wherein  they  were  wont  to  be  moft  venomous. 
 For  Aaron  dying  the firii  day  of  the  fifth  Month, 
 (which  anfwers  to  the  nineteenth  of  our  July  )  and 
 they  mourning  for  him  thirty  days  5  after  which  fol- 
 lowed their  encounter  with  the  Canaanites ,  and  then 
 this  murmuring,  and  this  puniflhment  3  it  mull:  fall 
 out  in  the  latter  end  of  AuguH,  when  the  Dog-days 
 were  going  out.     See  Voffius  de  Orig.&  Vrogreffu  Ida- 
 lol.  Lib.  IV.  cap.  56. 
 
 And  they  bit  the  Veople7\  This  Aben-Ezra,  and  o~ 
 thers,  think  was  a  Puniftiment  fuitable  to  their  Sin  3 
 which  was  evil  fpeaking  againft  the  LORD,by  calum- 
 niating his  Providence.  For  Solomon  compares  a  Ca- 
 lumniator to  a  Serpent,which  bites  if  it  be  not  charm- 
 ed, X  Ecclef.  11. 
 
 It  is  a  ftrange  fancy  of  Fortunatus  Licetvs,thzt'Mo- 
 fes  here  fpeaks  of  a  Difeafe  bred  in  the  Body,  which 
 in  Children  is  called  Dracunculus  5  and  not  of  the 
 biting  of  Serpents  from  without,  Lib.  de  Ortu  Sponta- 
 neo  Viventium,cap.  5 1 .  For  which  there  is  no  ground 
 at  all  5  and  on  the  contrary,  nothing  more  certain 
 than  that  in  Arabia,  and  Egypt,  and  other  Countries 
 of  Africa,  there  are  fuch  Serpents  as  are  here  defcri- 
 bed.  Yet  Bartholinus  feems  to  think  that  his  Opini- 
 on may  be  defended  againft  Ezekjel  de  Caftro  who 
 confuted  it.     SzeEpijiol.  Medic.  Centur.  I.  Epifi.  32. 
 
 And  much  People  of  Ifrael  died.']  The  whole  Wil- 
 dernefs  through  which  the  Ifraelites  marched  fo  many 
 years,  was  full  of  fiery  Serpents  and  Scorpions,  as 
 Mofes  his  words  import,VIII  Dent.  if.  which  makes 
 it  the  more  wonderful,  that  we  never  hear  of  their 
 
 F  f  f  2  being 
 
4o4  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chanter  being  bitten  and  killed  by  them,  until  now.  But  it  is 
 XXI.  to  be  confidered,  that  they  were  protefted  by  the 
 l^^V^vJ  Cloud  from  this,and  from  all  other  dangers,  (as  the 
 Hebrews  we\\  obferve)  which  now  withdrew  its  fha- 
 dow  from  them,  and  let  in  the  Serpents  upon  them. 
 Or  rather  (  as  Mofes  here  exprelly  faith  )  God  who 
 had  hitherto  kept  them  off,  now  fent  them  :,  and  per- 
 haps brought  them  from  remote  parts  of  the  Wilder- 
 neis,  to  infeft  the  whole  Congregation. 
 Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  Wherefore  the  People  came  to  Mofes,andfaid, 
 we  have  finnedf]  It  doth  not  appear,  whether  they 
 were  immediately  fenfible  of  their  Sin  ,  and  confefled 
 it,  upon  the  biting  of  the  Serpents,  and  the  direful 
 effe&s  of  it  5  or  ftaid  till  there  had  been  a  great  Mor- 
 tality among  them.  It  is  likely  they  inftantly  made 
 their  Addreffes  to  him  :  but  before  a  Remedy  was 
 found  out,  by  ere&ing  the  brazen  Serpent ,  many  of 
 them  perifhed. 
 
 For  we  have  finned  againll  the  LOR  D,and  againfi 
 thee.)  They  make  a  particular  Acknowledgment  of 
 their  Guilt,  as  a  Token  of  the  Sincerity  of  their  Re- 
 pentance. 
 
 Pray  unto  the  LO  R  Djhat  he  take  away  the  Serpents 
 from  m.~\  In  the  Hebrew  the  words  Jake  away  the  Ser- 
 pent, in  the  Angular  Number ,  about  which  the  Jews 
 make  a  great  many  curious  Obfervations,  as  if  there 
 was  one  evil  Angel  that  governed  them  all.  And  if 
 there  be  any  truth  in  this  Obfervation,  we  Chriftians 
 cannot  but  think  thefe  words  point  to  the  old  Ser- 
 pent, the  Devil,  who  loft  his  Sting  by  the  lifting  up 
 Chrift  on  the  Crofs,  as  the  brazen  Serpent,it  here  fol- 
 lows, was  lifted  up  for  the  Cure  of  the  biting  of 
 thofe  Serpents.  But  the  fimple  truth  is,  that  in  this 
 Language  the  Singular  Number  is  often  ufed  collective- 
 
 b 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  405 
 
 ly  for  the  Plural.     As  in  VIII  Exod.6.  The  Frog  came  Chapter 
 up  and  covered  the  Land,\.e.  a  vaft  multitude  of  Frogs.     XXI. 
 And  fo  Mofes  fpeaks  in  the  place  juft  now  named,  L/"V~\J 
 VIII  Dent.  1 5.  where  he  calls  this  Wildernefs  where- 
 in they  travelled,**  place  of  a  fiery  Serpent  and  Scorpion^ 
 i.  e.  faith  Jonathan,,  full  of  fuch  Creatures. 
 
 And  Mofes  prayed  for  the  People.  ~\  Here  R.  Becai 
 and  others  obfervethe  great  Meeknefs  and  Charity  of 
 Mofes  5  and  thence  draw  this  Inftru&ion ,  That  he 
 of  whom  any  one  asks  pardon  for  an  Offence  ,  ought  not 
 to  be  haxd-hearted,  but  ready  to  forgive.  Thus  Abra- 
 ham prayed  for  Abimelech  ,  XX  Gen.  17.  Job  for  his 
 Friends,  XLII.  10.  It  would  be  a  fin  to  do  other- 
 wife,  1  Sam.  XII.  19,20, 23. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  the  LOR  Dfaid  unto  Mofes.~]  In  an- 
 fwer  to  his  Prayer. 
 
 Make  thee  a  fiery  Serpent."]  The  Figure  of  one  of 
 thofe  Serpents  which  bite  the  People.  Abarbinel 
 thinks  that  upon  Mofes  his  Prayer  the  Serpents  were 
 removed  3  but  ftill  there  remained  many  among  the 
 People  forely  affiifted  by  the  venomous  effe&s  of  their 
 biting  5  for  whofe  Cure  God  gracioully  gave  this  di- 
 rection. 
 
 It  isfomething  ftrange  that  any  learned  Chriftian, 
 ftiould  fo  much  admire  the  Egyptian  Learning,  as  not 
 to  forbear  the  mention  of  their  incantations  of  Ser- 
 pents, when  they  fpeak  of  this  relation  which  Mofes 
 makes,  concerning  the  brazen  Serpent  which  God  or* 
 dered  him  to  fet  up.  Yet  Sir  John  Marfham  ( in  his 
 Chronicon^fe&.^.)  when  he  comes  to  treat  of  this 
 Station  of  the  Ifraeliter  at  Tfalmona,  hath  a  long  dif- 
 courfe  to  (how  how  famous  the  Egyptians,  and  other 
 Nations  were  in  this  fort  of  Magick  :  and  thus  con- 
 cludes it,  that  Mofes  putting  this  brazen  Serpent  up- 
 
 em 
 
A    COMMENTARY 
 
 on  a  Perch,  non  tarn  Serpentes  igneos  incantabat  nt 
 nocerent,  cjuam  eorum  venerium  extinguebant ,  did  not 
 fo  much  charm  thefe  Serpents  that  they  (hould  not 
 hurt,  asextinguifh  their  Venom.  This  feems  to  me 
 a  Scurvy  intimation,  that  Mofes  had  their  Pra&ifes  in 
 his  Mind  3  but  went  beyond  them.  He  (hould  have 
 faid  Mofes  abominated  their  wicked  Arts,  (if  they  had 
 any  fuch  in  thofe  days)  and  dire&ed  the  Ifraelites  to 
 look  up  to  God  for  healing.  So  the  Jews  themfelves, 
 particularly  Aben-Ezra  $  who  takes  notice  that  fome 
 Superftitious  People  fancied  that  this  Serpent  was  a 
 Talifaan,  made  to  receive  I  know  not  what  Influ- 
 ence from  the  Stars.  But  God  forbid,  faith  he,  God 
 forbid,  we  (hould  have  any  fuch  thought.  This  was 
 made  by  the  Divine  order  5  the  reafon  of  which  let 
 us  not  fcrupuloufly  fearch.They  thought,  that  is,there 
 was  fomething  extraordinary  in  it,  as  Jonathan  plain- 
 ly declares  in  his  Paraphrafe  of  the  lait  words  of  this 
 verfe  -0  he  foal/  be  healed  if  he  dire  ft  his  heart  to  the 
 Name  of  the  WORD  of  the  LORD.  Where  no 
 Chriftian  can  forbear  to  think  of  our  Blefled  Saviour, 
 the  Eternal  WORD,  who  was  prefigured  (  as  I 
 (hall  (how  in  the  following  verfe)  by  the  ere&ing  of 
 this  Serpent  here  mentioned,  upon  a  Pole,  that  all 
 might  look  upon  him,  and  live. 
 
 Andfet  it  upon  a  Pole.']  So  high,  that  every  one  in 
 the  Camp  might  fee  it.  For  the  word  fignifies  fuch  a 
 Pole  as  made  their  Enfign  or  Banner,  to  which  all  the 
 Army  was  to  refort.  Concerning  this  word  Nes,  See 
 Botztius,  Lib.  II.  cap.  4. 
 
 And  itfloall  come  to  pafs  that  every  one  that  is  bitten^ 
 when  he  hok§th  upon  it.~\  The  Jews  generally  have  fo 
 much  underftanding  as  to  fay,  that  the  mere  behold- 
 ing of  it  did  not  cure  them  5  but  that  they  were  to 
 
 look 
 
^NUMBERS.  407 
 
 look  up  to  God  (as  the  Scripture  fpeaks)  when  they  Chapter 
 beheld  it,  and  expert  a  Cure  from  him.     So  the  Au-    XXI. 
 thor  of  the  Book  of  Wifdom,  XVI. 7.  He  that  turmd^^sT^ 
 hi mfe If  toward  it0  was  not  healed  by  the  thing  which  he 
 faw^  but  by  thee  that  art  the  Saviour  of  all.    And  there- 
 fore he  calls  it,  in  the  foregoing  Verfe  ,  A  Sign  of 
 Salvation^  to  put  them  in  remembrance  of  the  Command* 
 ment  of  the  haw* 
 
 Shall  live.  ~]  '  Be  cured ,  and  reftored  to  perfeft 
 health.  Which  the  Jews  think  the  greater  Miracle, 
 becaufe  naturally  it  would  have  made  the  Inflamati- 
 on  greater.  So  Nachmanides  5  this  rather  would  have 
 increafed  the  Difeafe  3  for  they  who  are  bit  by  ve- 
 nomous Beafts  ( according  to  the  Prefcriptions  of 
 Phyficians)  muft  not  fee  the  Image  of  the  Beaft  by 
 whom  they  are  bitten  :  But  this  was  commanded  by 
 God,that  the  Ifraelites  might  know,  both  their  Difeafe 
 and  their  Medicine  came  from  God  ,  who  made  that 
 whofeAfpeft  was  hurtful,  to  be  the  Means  of  their 
 Cure. 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  Mofes  made  a  Serpent."]  Whence  this  Verfe  o. 
 place  feems  to  have  been  called  Zalmonah^  XXXIIL 
 41.  which  imports  an  Image  ^  Similitude,  or  Refem- 
 blance  of  a  Thins;  reprefented  by  it.  And  another 
 place  thereabouts ,  as  Dr.  Lightfoot  obferves,  called 
 Maakh  Akyabbim,  feems  to  have  had  its  name  from 
 the  fame  thing,  it  Cigritfying  the  going  up  of  Scorpions^ 
 XVjoJh.3. 
 
 OfBrafs.~\  Pollifhed  5  that  it  might  refemble  a 
 Serpent  of  a  flaming  Colour  3  and  being  very  glit- 
 tering, might  be  the  better  feen  far  and  near.  Sofe- 
 veral  of  the  Hebrew  Writers,  particularly  Nachmani- 
 des and  Abarbinel,  who  obferve  that  God  did  not  bid 
 him  make  a  Serpent  of  Brafs,  but  only  a  Saraph^  v.8. 
 
 i.  e. 
 
468  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  *•  *•  a  Refemblance  of  a  Flaming  Serpent ;  which 
 XXI.  could  not  be  made  fo  well  of  any  other  Metal  as  of 
 V^W-'  Brafs  ,  thofe  Saraphs  (  which  we  render  fiery  Ser- 
 pents J  being  fiery  Red,  like  Copper  or  Brafs.  Of 
 which  there  was  good  ftore  not  far  off  from  this 
 place  :  for  the  next  Station  to  Zalntonah,  where  they 
 now  were,  was  Pnnon,  or  Pinon ,  as  Mofes  tells  us, 
 XXXIII.  42.  a  place  belonging  to  the  Edomites^ 
 (who  had  an  ancient  Duke  of  this  Name,  XXXVI 
 Getf.41.1  Chron.l.52.')  famous  for  Mines  of  Brafs,as  Be- 
 charter  (hows  out  of  feveral  of  the  Fathers  5  who 
 fpeak  of  KaA*2  idt-ntfca,  g^  $<x4vq?.  From  whence 
 Mofes  perhaps  had  this  Brafs,  Hierozoicon^  P.ILL.III. 
 cap,  13. 
 
 And  put  it  upon  a  Pole.']  As  he  had  been  dire&ed 
 in  the  foregoing  verfe. 
 
 And  it  came  to  pafs^  that  if  a  Serpent  had  bitten  any 
 Man7\  Which  was  not  prefent  Death  ,  but  made  an 
 Inflamation,  and  fuch  Ulcers  (as  fome  conceive)  as 
 were  incurable. 
 
 When  he  beheld  the  Serpent  of  Brafs ,  he  lived,  j 
 Though  Naturalifts  fay  the  fight  of  Brafs  was  hurt- 
 ful to  thofe  who  were  bitten  \  yet  hence  they  recei- 
 ved their  Cure :  as  the  fight  of  Chrift  crucified  na- 
 turally filled  his  Crucifiersonly  with  Anguifh,  when 
 they  beheld  him  whom  they  had  pierced  ,  and  were 
 convinced  he  was  their  Mefjiah  5  but  by  the  Grace  of 
 God,  became  their  only  Salvation  through  Faith  in 
 him. 
 
 The  Hebrews  cannot  but  acknowledge  a  Myfiery  in 
 this  brazen  Serpent ,  as  Mofes  Gerundenfis  calls  it: 
 which  our  LORD  Chrift  himfelf  hath  explained 
 in  his  Difcourfe  with  Nicodentus,  III  John  14.  As 
 Mofes  lifted  up  the  Serpent  in  the  Wildernefs,  even  fo 
 
 mult 
 
upon  NUMBERS. 
 
 mnli  the  Son  of  Man  be  lifted  up  :  that  whofoever  be-  Chapter 
 lieveth  in  him,  flwuld  not  perifij,  &c.  Where  he  doth  X. 
 not  compare  himfeif  to  the  Brazen  Serpent,  (for  what  l/~sT\J 
 likenefs  cm  there  be  found  between  ihe  Serpent  and 
 the  Seed  of  the  Woman  5  or  how  fhould  Light  ,  be 
 fore-fhadowed  by  Darknefs,  as  Dr,  Jackson  fpeaks ) 
 but  he  compares  the  lifting  up  of  this  Serpent  on  the 
 Pole,  with  his  Lifting  up,  or  Crucifixion  on  the 
 Crofs.  For  fo  he  himfeif  exprefles  his  Death  ,  and 
 the  manner  of  it,  XII  John  32.  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted 
 tip  from  the  Earth,  will  draw  all  Men  unto  me.  And 
 their  looking  on  the  Serpent  in  the  Wildernefs,  as  e- 
 vidently  reprefented  Mens  believing  on  Chrift  5  and 
 their  Cure,  the  powerful  Vertue  of  Chrift's  Death  to 
 preferve  all  thole  that  believe  on  him  from  perifhing  , 
 (as  he  fpeaks  in  the  place  named  before  )  and  procu- 
 ring for  them  everlasting  Life.  For  by  his  Death ,our 
 Saviour  destroyed  him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that 
 is  the  Devil,  (as  the  Apoftle's  words  are,  II  /Mr.  14.) 
 which  was  notably  reprefented  in  this  Brazen  Serpent 
 put  upon  a  Pole  :  which  was  not  a  Figure  of  Chrift, 
 but  of  the  old  Serpent  himfeif  (the  Devil)  as  wound- 
 ed, bruifed,  and  dead,  by  the  Lifting  up  of  Chrift 
 upon  the  Crofs  5  where  he  intirely  difarmed  him  of 
 all  his  Power  to  hurt  us. 
 
 I  cannot  tell  whence  Juftin  Martyr  concluded,this 
 Brazen  Serpent  to  have  been  made  in  the  form  of  a 
 Crofs,  as  he  faith  it  was  in  his  Second  Apology  5  unlefs 
 we  conceive  it  to  have  been  made  with  Wings  at  the 
 bottom  of  its  Neck,  which  might  give  it  that  Figure. 
 But  his  obfervation  in  his  Book  again  ft  Xry/?A<7  (p.322, 
 338.)  feems  very  confiderable  ^  that  there  muft  be 
 feme  Myftery  in  it,  that  God  ,  who  forbad  all  mar* 
 ner  of  Images,(hould  now  command  one  to  be  ma 
 
 Ggg 
 
4io  A    COMMENTAkr 
 
 Chapter  of  which,  he  faith  ,  one  of  the  Jews   confeffed  he 
 
 XXI.      could  never  hear  a  Reafon  from  their  Do&ors.  Who 
 
 L/*V^vJ  cannot  underftand  it,  till  they  believe  in  Chrift  and 
 
 him  crucified  5  whofe  Victory  over  the  Devil,  by  his 
 
 Crofs  and  Paffion,  was  herein  mod  lively  reprefented. 
 
 1  (hall  only  add,  that  this  Lifting  up  the  Brazen  Ser- 
 pent, was  a  thing  fopublick,  and  fo  well  known  to 
 all  Neighbouring  Nations,  that  the  fame  of  it,  in  all 
 likely  hood;,  went  into  b?d/a.  Where  they  ftilj  fetup 
 an  Idol  in  form  of  a  wreathed  Serpent,  upon  a  Perch 
 fix  or  feven  Foot  high,  which  they  folemnly  wTorfhip. 
 And  carrying  it  along  with  them  in  their  Travels ,  fet 
 it  up  every  Morning  for  the  Company  to  pay  their 
 Adorations  to  it.  So  Taverneir  relates  in  his  Travels 
 to  that  Country,  /?.  28.  And  fee  the  prefent  Lord 
 Archbifhop  of  Canterbury  s  excellent  Treatife  of  Ido- 
 latry^ p.  351,8a:.  with  Huetius  his  Demonflr,  Evang. 
 p.  96.  and  his  Quaftiones  Alnetan<e  ,  cap.  12.  n.  25. 
 where  he  (hows  the  Talifmans,  in  all  likelyhood,were 
 an  imitation  of  this  Serpent.  Of  which  the  Jews 
 were  fofond,  that  they  burnt  Incenfe  to  ft  in  the  days 
 of  Hezektah.and  had  done  fo  we  know  not  how  long, 
 
 2  Kings  XVIII.  4.  Which  may  make  it  the  lefs  won- 
 der, that  the  poor  Indians  fhould  worfhip  a  Serpent 
 upon  a  Pol^when  they  that  fhould  have  underftood 
 better,  committed  fuch  a  foul  Idolatry,  as  to  do  Di- 
 vine Honour  to  the  Figure  of  the  greatefl:  Enemy  of 
 God  and  of  Mankind. 
 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  And  the  Children  of  Ifrael  fet  forward.  ] 
 After  they  had  been  at  two  other  places  5  which  Mo- 
 fes  now  omits  for  brevitys  fake,  becaufe  he  intended 
 hereafter  to  give  an  exaft  account  of  all  their  Remo- 
 vals, at  one  view  :  Which  he  doth  in  the  XXXIIId 
 Chapter  of  this  Book.     See  v.  41 ,  42 . 
 
 And. 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  41 1 
 
 And  pitched  in  Qboth.~]     Where, it  is  probable,they    Chapter 
 found  Water  ^  of  the  want  of  which  they  complain-    XXI. 
 ed.     See  XX.  2.  L/V^J 
 
 Ver.  11.   And  they  journeyed  from  Oboth,  and  pitched  Verfe  II. 
 in  Jie-Abarim.']     Not  that  Mount  Abarim  where  Mo- 
 fes  died,  (XXVII.  12.)  but  another  place  in  the  Con- 
 fines of  Moab,  as  it  here  follows.     See  what  I  have 
 obferved  XX.  2.  >. 
 
 In  the  Wildemefs  which  fa  before  Moab.~\  Called  the 
 Wildemefs  of  Moab,  II  Dent.  8. 
 
 Towards  the  Snn-rifingT]  On  the  Eafi  part  of  it,  as 
 Jephthah  obferves  a  great  many  Years  after  this,  That 
 they  came  by  the  Easi  Jid,e  of  the  Land  of  Moab,  XI 
 Judges  18. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  from  thence  they  removed."]  As  they  Verfe  12. 
 were  about  to  remove  from  this  laft  place,  they  recei- 
 ved a  Command  from  God,  not  to  meddle  with  the 
 Country  ofMoab,  II  Deut.y.  Which  is  the  reafon 
 (as  Abarbrnel  obferves)  that  Mofes  here  fets  down  brief- 
 ly, whence  and  whether  they  went,  and  where  they 
 pitched  5  that  it  might  appear  they  did  not  tranfgrefs 
 that  Command. 
 
 And  pitched  in  the  Valley  ofZared.  *]  Or,  as  tome 
 tranllate  it, in  Nachal-Zared :  which  is  called  Dibon- 
 Gad,  XXXIII.  45.  For  this  place  had  two  Names., 
 (as  the  fame  Author  obferves)  and  it  was  juft  eight 
 and  thirty  Years  fince  the  Spies  went  up  to  Survey  the 
 Country,  from  Kadeflj-barnea  till  their  paffing  this 
 Brook^  as  we  tranflate  it,  II  Dent.  14.  But  I  take 
 Dibon-Gadmhzr  to  have  been  a  place  which  lay  up- 
 on the  Brooke  Zered. 
 
 Ver.  13.  And  from  thence  they  removed,  and  pitched  Verfe  13. 
 on  the  other  fide  of  Arnon7\     The  Hebrew   word  mehe- 
 ber,  may  be  tranflated  on  this  fide  .>  or  on  the  other  fide. 
 
 G  g  g  2  And 
 
4is  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  And  fome  think  they  were  now  on  this  fide  of  theRi- 
 XXI.      ver,  and  not  yet  gone  over  it.     Nor  did  they  imme- 
 
 L^V\j  diately  come  hither  from  their  former  Station  ;  but 
 firffc  to  Almon-Diblathaim^  XXXIII.  46.  which  is  al- 
 fo  called  Bcth-Diblathaim  in  theWildernefs  of  Moab, 
 XLVIII.  Jerew.  22.  and  Diblah,  VlEze^.  13.  And 
 then,  palling  by  Ar  in  the  Confines  of  Moab,  and 
 approaching  to  the  Country  of  the  Children  of  Am- 
 nion^ God  commanded  them  not  to  invade  the  Ammo- 
 nites,  being  Defendants  from  Lot ,  as  well  as  the 
 Moabites,  II  Dent.  18,  19,37.  but  to  pafs  over  the 
 River  Arnon,  (11  Deut.  24.)  to  that  fide  of  it  which 
 belonged  to  the  Amorites.  For  this  River ,  at  that 
 time,  divided  the  Moabites  from  the  Amorites,  as  it 
 here  follows. 
 
 Which  is  in  the  Wildemefs  ,  that  cometh  out  of  the 
 Coafts  of  the  Amorites.']  Runs  by  the  Wildernefs  of 
 Kedemoth,  unto  which  the  Amorites  extended  their 
 Dominion,  II  Dent.  26. 
 
 For  Arnon  k  the  Border  of  Moab,  between  Moab  and 
 the  Amorites.  1  This  River  flowed  from  the  Moun- 
 tains of  Arabia,  where  it  had  its  rife,  and  fell  into 
 the  Dead  Sea,  (  as-  Jofephus  faith  ,  Lib.  IV.  Antiq.  ) 
 lejjCpv  r!w  rg  MtoxZirtuu  £  'A/aceJiriv ,  bounding  the 
 Country  of  the  Moabites,  and  of  the  Amorites  5  the 
 Country  of  Moab  lying  on  one  fide  of  it,  and  that  of 
 the  Amorites  on  the  other.  For  though  the  Moabites 
 formerly  poffeffed  the  Country  on  both  fides  of  Ar- 
 non, as  far  as  Hejhbon,  yet  the  Amorites  had  driven 
 them  out  of  that  part  of  it  which  lay  next  to  them  ^ 
 and  made  the  River  the  Boundary  of  their  two  King- 
 doms, v.  26,  27.  This  Mofes  recites  the  more  ex- 
 aftly,  that  it  might  appear  the  Ifraelites  invaded  none 
 of  the  Moabites  Pofleffions,  but  what  was  now  pof- 
 feffed 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  4r3 
 
 feffed  by  the  AmorHes.     By  which  Jephthah  defended  Chapter 
 the  Right  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  in  future  times,   XXL 
 againft  the  Ammonites,  who  pretended  this  Country  t-^V"\J 
 belonged  to  them,  XI  Judges  13,  14,  15,  Sec. 
 
 Ver.  14.  Wherefore  it  is  faid  in  the  Bool^of  the  Wars^^^  *4? 
 of  the  LORD.~]  A  proof  of  this  Mofes  thought 
 good  to  alledge  out  of  an  Authentick  Record  in 
 thofe  Countries,  containing  the  Hiftory  of  all  the 
 Wars  that  had  been  in  thofe  Parts  :  which  are  here 
 called  the  Wars  of  the  LO  RD  ,  becatife  he  is  the 
 great  Governour  of  the  World,  (  as  Abarbinel  inter- 
 prets it)  from  whom  and  by  whom  are  all  things,  who 
 putteth  down  one,  and  fetieth  up  another  (as  the  Pfalmift 
 fpeaks)  at  his  good  pleafnre.  This  Book  ,  he  thinks* 
 was  written  by  fome  of  the  Wife  men  of  thofe  Na- 
 ons,  (and  fo  thinks  Nachmanides)  who  looking  upon 
 this  Conqueft  made  by  Sihon  ,  as  a  very  memorable 
 thing,  put  it  down  in  their  Annals  5  which,  after  the 
 way  of  thofe  Countries,  were  written,  he  thinks,  in 
 a  Poetical  manner.  There  are  thofe  who  are  of  opi- 
 nion, that  this  Book  was  written  by  Mofes  himfelf^ 
 who  left  in  it  dire&ions  to  Joflma,  how  to  proceed 
 in  the  Wars  of  the  LORD ,  when  he  conquered  Ca- 
 naan. So  Dr.  Lightfoot  conjectures  5  and  Bonfrerius 
 doth  not  much  differ  from  him.  But  I  take  the  for- 
 mer account  to  be  the  more  probable,  that  Mofes  ju- 
 ftifies  what  he  writes  concerning  this  Conqueft,  out 
 of  their  own  Books  5  which  he  quotes,juftas  St.  Paul: 
 in  the  New  Teftament ,  doth  one  of  the  Greek. 
 Poets. 
 
 What  he  did  in  the  Red  Sea.']  Thefe  are  the  words 
 of  the  Book,  out  of  which  he  quotes  a  fmall  Frag- 
 ment. And  the  Marginal  Tranflation  of  them  is 
 moft  proper,  Vaheb  in  Supheh^  only  the  word  ethis 
 
 omitted*, 
 
4Y4  A     COMMENTART 
 
 Chapter  omitted,  which  makes  the  Sence  to  be  this,  againSt 
 XXI.  Vaheb  in  Snpheh.  That  is,  he  came  (fome  fuch  word 
 *-*"V^"*  muft  be  underftood)  againft  Vaheb  (a  King  of  the 
 Moabites)  and  overthrew  him  in  Suphah,  a  place  in 
 the  Frontiers  of  Moab.  Seel  Dent.  i.  Others  un- 
 der (land  by  Vaheb  the  place  where  Sihon  gave  theM*- 
 abiies  this  blow  5  which  he  did  by  falling  upon  them 
 on  afudden,  with  a  terrible  Fury.  So  Nachmanides 
 underftands  thefe  words  befuphah  5  he  ftormed  the  Ci- 
 ty, and  made  a  furious  Aflault,  when  they  thought 
 not  of  it.  For  Snphah  fignifies  a  Whirlwind ,  or  for- 
 my  Tempeff,  V  If  at.  28. 
 
 And  in  the  Brooks  of  Anion ."]  The  fame  Nachma- 
 nides  takes  the  word  veeth,  which  we  tranflate  and  in, 
 to  fignifie  rather  and  with  :  and,  thefe  being  ftill  the 
 words  of  the  Book  before-mentioned  ,  the  fence  is 
 this  :  In  the  fame  manner  he  fmote  the  Brooks  or 
 Torrents  of  Arnon^  upon  which  he  fell  like  aTem- 
 peft,  and  carried  all  before  him. 
 Verfe  I  5.  ^er.  l  5-  And  at  the  Streams  of  the  Brook.']  None, 
 I  think,  hath  given  a  better  account  of  thefe  words, 
 than  the  fame  Naehman,  who  by  Efched  hannechalim, 
 (which  we  tranflate  the  Streams  of  the  Brooks)  under- 
 ftands either  a  Cliff  from  whence  the  Torrents  flowed, 
 (isAfchdod  and  Happifgah,  III  Deut.ij.  are  the  Hills 
 from  whence  the  Springs  gufhed  )  or  the  Valley 
 through  which  the  Torrents  ran  5  where  they  made  a 
 great  broad  Water,  which  is  here  called  an  Effufion 
 of  Torrents,  as  R.  Levi  ben  Gerfoom  interprets  the  He- 
 brew words,  Efched  hannechabim. 
 
 That  goeth  down  to  the  dwelling  of  Ar.~]  Which  ex- 
 tends it  felf  as  far  as  Ar,  a  City  of  Moab0  v.  28.  R. 
 Levi  ben  Gerfom  takes  the  word  Schcbet  (which  we 
 tranflate  dwelling )   to  fignifie  a    Place  as  well  as 
 
^NUMBERS,  415 
 
 Ar  J  towards  which  thefe  Torrents  bent  their  Courfe.  Chapter 
 
 Arid  lyeih  upon  the  Borders  of  Moab.  "]     Which  lean-     XXI. 
 eth  or  belongeth  unto  Moab,  being  in  the  Border  of^^sr**** 
 that  Country. 
 
 Thus  far  are  the  words  of  the  Book,  of  the  Wars  of 
 the  LO  RD:  And  the  meaning  of  them  is,  That  the 
 King  of  the  Amorites -took  all  thefe  Places  by  a  fud- 
 den,  furious  Invafion  :  which  Mofes  therefore  pun- 
 ctually recites,  to  Glow  that  the  Country  of  the  Afo- 
 abites  now  reached  no  further  than  Arnon  :  All  the 
 Brooks,  or  Torrents,  and  all  the  EfFufions  of  Water 
 as  far  as  Arnon,  (u  c.  all  the  Country  about  them  ) 
 being  taken  from  them  by  the  Amor/tes,  in  whofe  pof- 
 feffion  it  now  was,  and  perhaps  had  been  a  long 
 time.  And  therefore  the  Ifrael/tcs  took  nothing  from 
 the  Moabites  when  they  conquered  this  Country.,  (as 
 was  faid  before  )  nor  from  the  Ammonites  neither  5 
 part  of  whofe  Country  the  Amorites  alio  had  got 
 from  them,  (III  Deut.  11.)  and  the  Ifraelites  took 
 from  the  Amorites,  when  they  conquered  Sihon  and 
 Og ;  and  it  fell  to  the  {hare  of  the  Qad/tes,  XIII  Jofh. 
 
 25» 
 
 Ver.  16.  And  from  thence  they  went  to  Beer.']     A  Verfe  16. 
 
 Place  which  took  its  Name  from  thePzVor  We#,  which 
 
 was  here  digged  by  God's  order,  as  the  next  words 
 
 tell  us. 
 
 That  is  the  Well  whereof  the  LORD  (pake  unto  Mo- 
 fes.~]  That  is,  faith  Abarbmel ,  that  Place  was  re- 
 markable for  the  Well  that  God  gave  us,  of  his  own 
 accord,  without  our  Petition  5  which  he  prevented 
 by  bidding  Mofes  dig  it  for  us. 
 
 Gather  the  People  together,  and  I  will  give  them  Wa- 
 ter."] Which  they  now  again  wanted,being  removed 
 from  the  River  Arnon  ^  but  did  not  murmur  about 
 
416  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  it,  as  they  had  done  formerly :  and  therefore  God 
 XXI.      mod:  gracioufly,  when  hefaw  their  Diftrefs,  provi- 
 
 WV\J  ded  it  for  them. 
 
 Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  Then  Jfraelfang  this  Song.  ]  This  extra- 
 ordinary Kindnefs  of  God,  which  prevented  their 
 Prayers,  and  gave  them  Water  out  of  his  own  good 
 Pleafure  alone,  (as  Abarbincl  fpeaks)  tranfported  them 
 with  fuch  Joy,  that  it  made  them  expreis  their  Thank- 
 fulnefs  in  this  Song. 
 
 Spring  up,  0  Wdl7\  As  foon  as  they  faw  Mofcs,znd 
 the  Princes,thruft  their  Staves  into  the  Earth,  and  the 
 Water  began  to  bubble  up,  they  faid  with  a  loud 
 voice,  Come  up,  0  Well  3  that  is,  let  Waters  flow  a- 
 bundantly  to  fatisfie  us  all. 
 
 Sing  ye  unto  it."]  Or,  as  it  is  in  the  Margin  ,  An- 
 fiver  unto  it.  The  manner  of  the  Hebrews  was  anci- 
 ently to  fing  their  Songs  of  Praife  alternately,  as  ap- 
 pears from  XV  Exod.  20.  And  fo  one  Company  ha- 
 ving faid,  Spring  up,  0  Well ,  (  which  it's  likely  they 
 repeated  often)  they  calkd  to  the  reft  to  anfwer 
 to  them  1  which  they  did,  I  fuppofe,  in  the  follow- 
 ing words. 
 
 Verfe  18.      Ver-  *8-  The  Princes.']  i.e.    The  LXX.   Elders, 
 and  Heads  of  the  Tribes. 
 
 Digged  the  WeB7\  Very  eafily  ,  only  turning  up 
 the  Earth  with  their  Staves. 
 
 The  Nobles  of  the  People  digged  it.~]  The  other  fide 
 of  the  Quire,  perhaps,  took  up  the  Song  again,  re- 
 peating the  Sence  of  what  the  former  Company  had 
 faid. 
 
 By  the  dire&ion  of  the  Laiv-gzver. "]  Or  ,  Together 
 with  the  Laiv- givers,  who  began  the  Work, and  whole 
 Example  they  followed, 
 
 With 
 
upon    NUMBERS.  4i7 
 
 With  their  Staves.']    With  no  more  labour  but  on-  Chapter 
 ly  thrufting  their  Staves  into  the  Ground,  and  turn-     XXL 
 ing  up  the  Earth.     For,  as  R.  Levi  ben  Gerfom  takes  L/*VNJ 
 it,  the  Ground  here  being  Sandy  and  very  foft,  was 
 eafily  penetrated  ^  though  they  were  not  likely  to 
 find  Water  in  it.     But  they  believing  Mofes,  and  fol- 
 lowing his  direftion,  God   fent   it  cop'ouOy  unto 
 them  5  and  with  no  more  pains,  than  a  Scribe  takes 
 when  he  writes  with  his  Pen.     For  fo   he  tranflates 
 the  Hebrew  word  Mechokek  (whkh  we  render  Law- 
 giver) a  Scribe,  or  DoUor  of  the  Law. 
 
 And  from  the  Wilder nefsJ]     Mentioned  v.  t%. 
 
 They  went  to  Mattanah.~]  This,  and  the  place  fol- 
 lowing,are  otherwife  named  in  the  XXXIIIth  Chapter, 
 as  the  forenamed  ben  Gerfom  underftands  it.  But  o- 
 thers  think  thefe  were  not  Stations  (which  alone  Mofes 
 gives  an  account  of  in  the  XXXIIIth  Chapter)  where 
 the  Ifraelites  pitched  their  Tents,  but  Places  through 
 which  they  paffed,  till  they  came  to  the  Station5from 
 whence  they  fent  to  Sihon  for  leave  to  pafs  through 
 his  Country. 
 
 Ver.  1 9.  And  fiom  Mattanah  to  Nahahel,  &C.~]  This,  Verfe  1 9. 
 as  well  as  the  place  next  mentioned  in  this  z^r/^feems 
 to  have  been  on  the  Borders  of  Moab. 
 
 Ver.  20.  Andfom  Bamoth  in  the  Valley.  ]  Rather, 
 From  Bamoth  (which  fignifies  a  very  high  place)  to 
 the  Valley.  Or,  it  may  be  translated  fiom  Bamoth  a 
 Valley  (that  is,there  is  a  Valley)  in  the  Field  of  Moab, 
 &c.  unto  which  they  came  next  :,  for  feme  fuch  thing 
 muftbe  under ftood. 
 
 That  is  in  the  Country  of  Moab."]     Or  ,  near  to  it. 
 
 To  the  top  ofPifgah.~\  Or,  To  the  beginning  (as  the 
 Hebrew  word  Rofch  may  be  interpreted)  of  the  high 
 Mount  Pifgah.     That  is ,  they  pitched  at  the  foot  of 
 
 Hhh  it, 
 
4iS  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  it,  where  the  Mountain  began  :  which  Mountain  was 
 XXI.      a  part  of  the  Mountains  oi  Abarin/,  as  appears  from 
 L/-WJ  XXXII  Dent.  49.  XXXIV.  1. 
 
 Which  looks  towards  Jefoimon.  ~]     Or  ,  Towards  the 
 Wildernefs.     For  fo  R.  Levi  ben  Gerfom  interprets  it  3 
 to  a  Land  that  was  foemumah,  unfilled  and  defolate, 
 viz.   to  the  Wildernefs   of  Kedetnoth:  where  they 
 pitched  and  fettled  their  Camp  3  and  from  thence  fent 
 Meflengers  to  Sihon. 
 Verfe  21.      Ver.  21.  And  Ifrael  fent  Mejfengcrs  to  Sihon  King 
 of  the  Amorites7\     Thefe  Meflengers  were  fent  from 
 the  Wildernefs  of  Kedemoth,  which  was  in  the  Skirts 
 of  his  Country,  (\\Deut.  26.)  or  lay  juft  upon  it: 
 For  there  was  a  City  of  this  Name  in  that  Country, 
 which  was  given  to  Reuben,  in  the  Divifion  of  the 
 Land,  XIII »  18. 
 Verfe  22.      Ver.  22.  Let  me pafs  through  thy  Land.~]     They  do 
 not  feem  to  defire  a  Paffage  through  the  midft  of  his 
 Country,  but  only  the  extream  Parts  of  it  5  which 
 would  have  much  (hormed  their  Journey  to  the  Fords 
 of  Jordan. 
 
 We  will  not  turn  into  the  Fields,  or  into  the  Vineyards, 
 we  will  not  drink^ofthe  Waters  of  the  Well,  8cc."]  This 
 is  the  very  fame  civil  Meflage  which  they  fent  to  E- 
 dom,  XX.  1 7.  By  whofe  Example  they  preffed  Sihon 
 to  grant  them,  at  leaft,  as  much  as  the  Edomite*  and 
 Moabites  had  done.  See  II  Dent.  28,  29. 
 Verfe  23.  Ver.  23.  And  Sihon  would  not  fuffer  Ifrael  to  pafs 
 through  his  Border.']  This  (hows  that  they  askt  only 
 to  pafs  through  the  Skirts  of  his  Country.  See  II 
 Deut.  30. 
 
 But  Sihon  gathered  all  his  People  together.  ~]  He  not 
 only  refufed  to  grant  their  Requeft  5  but  came  in 
 an  Hoftile  manner,  with  all  the  Forces  he  could 
 
 raife, 
 
upon  N  U  M?B  E  R  S.  41^ 
 
 raife ,    to  oppofe    their    paflage  over    Arnon*  Chapter 
 
 And  went  out  again  &  IJracl  into   the  Wildernefs.  "\     XXL 
 From  whence  they  fent  their  friendly  Meflage  to  him,  L/*Wi 
 ^.21.  which    Mofes  in  II  Dent.  26.  calls,  Words  of 
 Peace. 
 
 And  he  came  to  Jahaz.~}  A  City,  it  is  probable,  be- 
 longing to  the  Moabites  5  whether  the  Ifraelites,  per- 
 haps, retreated  when  Sihon  denied  them  a  Paflage 
 through  his  Country.  For  Jfaiah  plainly  mentions 
 Jahaz,  as  a  place  either  in  the  Country  of  Moab,  or 
 near  it,  XV.  4.  and  Jeremiah  alfo,calling  it  Jahazah, 
 XLVIII.  21. 
 
 And  fought  againSt  Ifrael.~]  Who  had  orders  from 
 Cod,  not  to  decline  the  Battle  (as  they  did  with  the 
 Edomites  and  the  Moabites)  and  aflured  them  of  Vi- 
 ctory, II  Dent,  a  1.  For  they  were  Amorites,  whofe 
 Country  God  promifed  to  Abraham,  (XV  Gen.  21.  ) 
 being  part  of  the  Canaanitcs,  whom  they  were  com- 
 manded to  deftroy  ^  for  they  were  defcended  from 
 one  of  the  Sons  of  Canaan,  X  Gen.16.  Which  made 
 this  War  with  them  to  have  a  juft  ground  5  not  be- 
 caufe  they  denied  the  IfraelHes  a  Paflage  through  their 
 Country,  againft  the  right  of  Nations,  as  Grotius 
 thinks,  (which  was  but  the  occafion,  not  the  ground 
 of  the  War)  but  becaufe  they  wTere  one  of  the  Seven 
 Nations  condemned  by  Cod  to  deftru&ion,  (whofe 
 Land  he  beftowed  upon  the  IfraelHes,  III  Jojh.  10.) 
 and  becaufe  Sihon  came  out  armed  againft  them ,  be- 
 yond the  Bounds  of  his  own  Dominions  ^  and  fell 
 upon  them,  when  they  had  given  him  no  provoca- 
 tion. 
 
 Ver.  24.  And  lfraelfmote  him  with  the  edge  of  theVcrk  24. 
 Sword.]     Utterly  overthrew  his  Army  5  and,  putting 
 
 H  h  h  2  them 
 
*9t 
 
 42o  ^  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  them  all  to  the  Sword,  made  themfelvcs  Mafters  of  his 
 XXI.      Country. 
 t/"V*\j      Andpojfejfed  hk  Land7\     For  they  deftroyed  all 
 the  Inhabitants,  Men,  Women  and  Children,II  Deut. 
 
 33,34- 
 
 From  Amnion  unto  Jabboh^  even  unto  the  Children  of 
 
 Amnion^]  This  is  a  brief  Defcription  of  the  Extent 
 of  Sihons  Country  \  which  reached  from  the  River 
 Arnon^  the  bound  of  the  Moabites  Country  on  the 
 South  (XXII.  36.)  unto  Jabbok.,  which  was  the 
 bound  of  the  Ammonites  Country  on  the  North ,  III 
 Dent.  16.  Xlljojh.2.  XIII.  10.  But  they  meddled 
 with  no  place  that  lay  upon  the  River  Jabbok^  which 
 belonged  to  the  Ammonites -0  for  that  God  had  for- 
 bidden, II  Deut.  37.  By  which  Jephthah  (  as  I  ob- 
 ferved  before)  Two  hundred  and  fixty  Years  after 
 this,  juftified  the  Title  of  the  Jfraelites  to  all  the 
 Country  here  mentioned  $  which  they  took  not  from 
 the  Ammonites ^ox  Moabites ,but  from  the  Amorites,  who 
 were  the  Owners  of  it,  when  they  conquer'd  it,  XI 
 Judges  13,  15,  22,  23.  For  Sihon  had  got  half  of 
 their  Country,  as  well  as  part  of  the  Country  of 
 Moabj  as  appears  from  III  Deut.  n.  and  from  XIII 
 J0JI3.  25.  Where  it  is  plain,  Jofhua^st  the  Gadites 
 half  of  the  Country  of  the  Children  of  Amnion  , 
 which  was  now  taken  from  the  Amorites^  who  had 
 difpoflefled  them.  Jofephus  defcribes  it  as  lying  be- 
 tween three  Rivers,  like  an  Ifland  5  for  the  Banks  of 
 Amon  were  the  Bounds  of  this  Region  on  the  South 
 fide^  and  Jabbol^on  the  North  ,  which  running  in- 
 to Jordan ,  loft  its  Name  5  and  the  Weftern  Traft  of  it 
 was  waiht  by  Jordan  it  felf :  and  on  the  Eali  part  it 
 was  furrounded  with  the  Mountains  of  Arabia. 
 
 For 
 
upon     NUMBERS.  421 
 
 For  the  Border  of  the  Children  of Ammon  was  ftrong."]   Chapter 
 This  is  not  mentioned  here  as  a  Reafon  why  the  If    XXI. 
 raelites  did  not  fet  upon  their  Country,  (for  they  were  sx^^s^ 
 exprefly  forbidden  to  do  it,  II  Dent,  19.  )  but  why 
 Sihon  conquered  none  of  the  Ammonites  Country  be- 
 yond Jabbok,  (as  he  did  all  from  Arnon  thither  )  be- 
 caufe  their  Frontiers  on  that  fide  of  their  Country 
 were  very  ftrong,  by  the  Fortifications,  which  it  is 
 likely,  they  had  made  upon  the  River. 
 
 Ver.  25.  And  Ifrael  took  allthefe  Cities.  "]     All  the  Verfe  25. 
 Cities  of  that  Country,  which  lay  between  Arnon  and 
 Jabboh^:  Some  of  which  are  named  v.  3a 
 
 And  Ifrael  dwelt  in  all  the  Cities  of  the  Amorites.  ~] 
 Having  deftroyed  the  former  Inhabitants ,  as  I  noted 
 before,  II  Dent.  34. 
 
 In  Heftbon?]     Even  in  their  Royal  City. 
 
 And  in  all  the  Villages  thereof  ]  In  Hebrew  the 
 Daughters  5  as  Villages  and  Caftles  are  called,  which 
 depend  upon  the  Metropolis,  as  Daughters  on  their 
 Mother. 
 
 Ver.  26.  For  Flefibon  was  the  City  of  Sihon  the  King  Verfe  2& 
 of  the  Amorites.']  He  had  made  this  the  Seat  of  his 
 Kingdom,after  his  Conqueft  of  this  Country.  Which 
 Mofes  obferves  (together  with  what  follows)  that  it 
 might  appear  to  Pofterity,  they  Invaded  no  part  of 
 the  Moabites  Territories,  or  of  the  Ammonites  ,  but 
 what  was  in  the  quiet  poffeffion  of  the  Amorites  , 
 who  had  taken  this  Country  from  them,  and  perhaps 
 in  a  juft  War,  and  long  enjoyed  it. 
 
 Who  had  fought  againU  the  former  King  ofMoab^&CC."] 
 It  is  not  certain  that  this  Sihon  ,  whom  the  Ifraelites 
 now  vanquifhed,  hid  difpoffeffed  the  Moabites  of  this 
 Country  ^  but  more  likely  fome  of  his  Anceftors,who 
 were  all  called  by  the  Name  of  Sihon ,  (  as  the  Kings 
 
 of 
 
42:i  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  of  Palejline  were  all  called  Abimelcch ,  XX  Gem   2. 
 XXI.     XXVI.  1.  and  the  Kings  of  Egypt  called  Pharaoh) 
 
 L/^VNJ  who  had  fought,  not  with  the  prefent  King  of  Mo- 
 ab,  but  with  one  of  his  Predeceflbrs,  and  conquered 
 him  and  his  Country. 
 
 The  former  King  of  Mcab.~]  Thefe  words  are  not 
 to  be  underftood,  as  if  he  fought  with  the  King  of 
 Moab,  who  immediately  reigned  before  Bala\  :  but,as 
 I  faid,  with  fome  of  his  Predeceflbrs.  So  the  LXX. 
 to  ir^Jn^cv,  that  heretofore  was  King  of  Moab  :  and  in 
 the  Hebrew  the  words  are  literally,  The  Kingof  Moab, 
 the  firs!  :  perhaps,  of  the  prefent  race. 
 
 Verfe  27.  Ver.  27.  V\  herefore  they  that  Jpeak^in  Proverbs."]  In 
 the  Hebrew  the  words  are,  wherefore  the  Proverbialijls  : 
 that  is,  the  Poets,  whofe  Compofures,  in  thofe  days, 
 were  very  Sententious. 
 
 Say7\  Have  this  Song  in  their  Mouths  :  which 
 feems  to  have  been  compofed  by  fome  of  the  Amo* 
 rites,  upon  the  Viftory  which  Sihon  got  over  the 
 Moab'ites  5  particularly  upon  the  taking  of  Hefibon^ 
 which,  I  fuppofe,  he  befieged  immediately  upon  the 
 Routing  of  their  Army.  This  Mofes  thought  good 
 to  infert  in  his  Hiftory,as  an  Evidence  that  this  Coun- 
 try belonged  to  the  Amorites,  when  the  Ifraelites 
 fubdued  it.  Thus  he  quotes  a  common  Saying  about 
 Nimrod,  to  juftifie  what  he  writes  of  his  Greatnefs. 
 See  X  Gen.  9. 
 
 Come  into  Hcftbon.~]  The  words  either  of  Sihon 
 calling  to  his  People  5  or  of  the  Anionics  exhorting 
 one  another,  to  go  to  Hcfibon,  and  help  to  repair 
 the  Ruins  that  had  been  in  it  by  the  War,  that  it 
 might  become  the  Royal  City  of  their  Country.  For 
 that's  the  meaning  of  the  following  words. 
 
 Let 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  423 
 
 Let  the  City  of  Sihon  be  built  and  prepared.]     Let    Chapter 
 that  Place  which  Sihon  hath  chofe  for  his  Seat,  be    XXI. 
 built  up  again,  and  made  fit  for  his  Reception.  L/"V"NJ 
 
 Ver.  28.  For  there  is  a  Fire  gone  out  of  Hefibon.^Vevfe  28* 
 Now  the  Poet  riles  into  a  Rapture,  and  Prophecies 
 the  Conqueft  of  the  whole  Country,  by  the  Army  of 
 Sihon  marching  out  of  Flefljbon.  For  in  the  Prophe- 
 tical Language,  the  Defolations  made  by  War,  are 
 compared  to  the  Fire,  and  to  Flames ,  which  con- 
 fume  all  they  come  near,  I  Amos  7,  10,12,14.11.2,5. 
 A  Flame  fiom  the  City  of  Sihon.  *]  This  is  but  a  Re- 
 petition (as  the  manner  is)  of  what  was  now  faid 
 in  other  words  3  expreffing  the  certainty  of  this  Pre- 
 fage. 
 
 It  hath  confnmed  Ar  of  Moab.']     He  fpeaks  as  if  he 
 already  faw   the   thing  done    which  he  foretold  : 
 though  it  never  came  to  pafs.     For  they  did  not  con- 
 quer Ar,  which  remained  in  the  pofleffion  of  Moab 
 in  Mofes  his  time,  as  appears  from  II  Dent.  9, 18,  29. 
 But  in  his  Poeticalheat,  (or  fury,as  they  fpeak)  he  in- 
 fults  as  if  they  had  aftually  taken  the  Capital  City  of 
 Moab.     For  fo  Ar  was  5  and  afterwards  called  Rab- 
 bath,  and  Rabbath-moba,  i.e.  the  great  City  of  Moab  $ 
 to  diftinguifh  it  from  Rabbah-Ammon,  i.  e.  the  great 
 City  of  the  Aimmonites.     For  fo  we  find  in  Stephanus 
 (de  Vrbibus)  Vo&6£3rtJLVfJux.  (it  (hould  be  VaggdS- 
 fj/jct*  as  Bochartus  hdith  truly  corre&ed  it,  in  his  Pre- 
 face to  his  Phaleg.)  which  he  calls  Tlo\i;  r^i-m;  ITa- 
 Agj/ct/ws  fi  ivv'AprjTtoM.     For  Ar,  as  I  faid,  was  the 
 old  Name  of  it,  HDc/^29.  XVI  Ifa.  1. from  whence 
 came  the  name  oPAftWu$,\vhich  it  retained  in  later 
 Ages.  * 
 
 And 
 
4H  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        And  the  Lords  of  the  High-places  of  Arnon.  "]     The 
 XXI.      Majlers,  or  Owners  (as  the  word  Baale  may  be  tran- 
 
 L/"V~\J  Hated)  of  the  High-places,  Stc.  i.  e.  thofe  that  dwell 
 in  the  ftrongeft  Fores  of  the  Country.  Or,  as  fome 
 fancy,  the  Priefts  of  the  Places  are  here  meant  ^  or, 
 rather  their  Temple  where  Bad  was  worfhipped. 
 For  we  find  a  place  in  this  Country  called  Bamoth- 
 Baal,  XIIIjf<#-i7-  The  High-places  of  Baal.  And  it 
 is  evident,  this  Poet  triumphs  in  this  'E-rnnW  over 
 their  Gods  and  their  Religion  ,  as  well  as  over 
 them. 
 
 Verfe  29.  Ver.  29.  Wo  unto  thee,  Moab.~]  He  goes  on  to  fore- 
 tell the  Calamity  of  the  whole  Country. 
 
 Thou  art  undone,  0  People  of  Che m of).']  So  he  calls 
 the Moabites, who  ferved  (as  theChaldce  tranllatesit) 
 or,  wor (hipped  Gbemojh  as  their  Cod  :  For  fo  we  read 
 he  was  ,  XLVII1  Jo-cm.  7,  13.  1  Kings  W.  7.  XI 
 Judges  24.  which  St.Hierom  thinks  differs  from  Baal- 
 Pear  only  in  Name.  See  Vojjius  de  Orig.  &  Progr. 
 Idolol.  Lib.  II.  cap.  8.  Some  take  Chentofi  to  be  Sa- 
 turn 5  particularly  Scharajlanius :  the  manner  of  whofe 
 Worlhip  fee  in  Dr.  Pocockis  excellent  Annotations  in 
 Spccim.  Hi !i.  Arab.  p.  316.  I  (hall  only  add,  That 
 as  the  Moabites  are  called  the  People  ofChemofl),  becaufe 
 they  worfhipped  him  as  their  God  ,  fo  the  Ifraelites 
 are  called  the  People  of  the  LORD,  and  the  People  of 
 God,  becaufe  they  worfhipped  the  LORD  alone, 
 V  Judges  11.  2  SamYAV.  15.  For  in  the  Days  of 
 Paganifm,  as  Mr.  Mede  obferves,  every  Country,  nay 
 every  City,had  their  proper  and  peculiar  Gods,which 
 were  deemed  as  their  Guardians  and  Proteftors :  From 
 whence  rfie  Nations  themfelves  are  expreffed  by  the 
 Name  of  their  Gods.  That  is  evident  from  this  place^ 
 but  it  is  not  fo  plain,  that  when  God  threatens  to  de- 
 liver 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  425 
 
 liver  up  Ifrael  to  ferve  other  Gods  ,  he  means  giving  Chapter 
 them  up  into  the  Hands  of  the    People   of  ftrange    XXL 
 Countries  5  which  he  takes  to  be  intended  in  IV  Deut.  l/WJ 
 28.  XXVIII.  64.  XVI  Jerem.  16,  &c.  See  Book.  IV. 
 p.  977.  And  fo  he  thinks  the  words  of  David mnj  be 
 expounded  ,   I  Sam.  XXVI.  19.  They  have  driven  me 
 out  this  day  from  abiding  in    the  Inheritance    of  the 
 LO  R  D,  faying.  Go  ferve  other  Gods  5  i.e.  baniftied 
 me  into  the  Country  of  Idolaters.  See  Book  IU.^.823. 
 where  this  is  more  largely  explained. 
 
 He  hath  given  his  Sons  that  efcaped,  and  his  Daugh- 
 ters into  Captivity,  unto  Sihon  King  of  the  Amor it es.  ~] 
 
 This  is  a  manifeft:  triumph  over  their  god  Chemofh, 
 who  was  notable  to  fave  his  Worfhippers(whomhe 
 calls  his  Sons  and  his  Daughters,  i.  e.  his  Children  ) 
 who  were  under  his  Protection.  No  ,  he  could  not 
 fo  much  as  preferve  thofe  that  efcaped  the  fury  of  the 
 Sword,  but  they  were  afterward  taken  Captive  5  to 
 make  up  part  of  the  Triumph  of  Sihon  King  of  the 
 Amorites. 
 
 Ver.  30.  We  have  fhot  at  them ,  Hefobon  is  periJhedVerk  30. 
 even  unto  Dihon7\  The  Hebrew  words,  vanniram  a- 
 bad  Hejhbon  ath  Dibon,  may  as  well,  if  not  better,  be 
 tranilated  their  Light  is  periled  (or  taken  away)  from 
 Hejfjbon  unto  Dibon.  SoForjterus'wi  his  Lexicon,an& 
 the  Tigarin  Verfion,  and  others.  That  is,  their  Glo- 
 ry is  gone,  from  one  end  of  the  Country  to  the  other. 
 For  Hefibon  and  Dibon  were  two  famous  places  in 
 this  Territory,  XIII  Jo}h.  17.  And  fome  think  this 
 is  the  place  called  Dibon-Gad,  XXXIII.  45.  Which 
 was  the  more  noted,  becaufe  there  Nebo,  one  of  their 
 Gods,  was  worfhipped.  For  in  XV  Ifai.  2.  Dibon 
 is  mentioned  as  one  of  their  High-places  5  and  there 
 Nebo  is  lamented, .7.  e.  their  God  which  was  there 
 
 I  i  i  wor- 
 
426  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  worfhipped.     When  Hcjychius  faith,  Atv&dv  (which 
 XXI.      no  doubt  is  this  D'ibon  }  toit@^  (Mx  "fyvlaij  U^Jv  Moa- 
 L/*VNJ  grnwv,  a  Place  where  the  Moabites  had  a  Temple.  See 
 Selden  de  dikSyrk,  Syntagm.  2.  cap.  12. 
 
 We  have  laid  themwajie-  even  unto  jSophah.  "  Ano- 
 ther place  in  that  Country  ,  as  appears  by  the  words 
 following. 
 
 Which  reacheth  unto  Medeba.']  That  is  ,  the  Terri- 
 tories of  Nophah  extended  as  far  as  Medeba ,  which 
 was  certainly  a  place  in  the  Country  of  Moab,  XV  /- 
 far.  2.  But  the  word  reacheth  is  not  in  the  Hebrew^ 
 and  the  words  without  it  may  be  thus  truly  translated, 
 and,  as  far  as  Medeba.  For  fo  the  Hebrew  Particle  of 
 cher  is  fometimes  ufed  to  fignifie  fimply  and  5  as  VI 
 Ecclef.11.  afcher  mi, and  who  can  tell^V.So  here  afchcr 
 ad,  and  unto,  &C. 
 
 And  here  I  think  fit  to  note,  That  it  is  likely  thefe 
 Verfes  were  fome  part  of  the  Hiftory  of  thofe  Coun- 
 tries :  For  a  Poetical  way  of  writing  was  in  ufe  be- 
 fore Profe,  as  Strabo  tells  us,  Lib.  I.  Geograph.  p.  18. 
 where  he  faith,  6  -mZ(&,  Aoy^o  5*  ^Ugk^xotulIv©^ 
 
 JUUL/AMjUAL  tS   \0w1lK&     IT f)'J)Tl?X   *}&  Y]  TTOwllKH,  &C     All    fet 
 
 or  artificial  Speech,  (whether  Historical  or  Rhetori- 
 cal) was  but  an  imitation  of  Poetical  Compositions  g 
 the  Ancients  knowing  no  other  :  Cadmus,  and  Phcre- 
 cydes,  and  Hecataus,  being  the  firft  who  brought  in 
 this  form  of  writing  now  in  ufe.  See  Salmafim  in 
 Sclinum,  p.  841.  and  O/perus  in  his  Apotheofis  Homer}, 
 p.  55*.  However,this  is  certain, that  they  who  would 
 inftrntt  the  People,  put  their  Leffons  into  Verfe ,  as 
 Strabo  there  (hows :  where  he  fays,  p.  15.  cl  Uot^ol 
 $i\07npi'zv  nvx  Myxm  irp-jorlw  Ttwirowlixlw  &tW)/87ttJ',6tC. 
 The  Ancients  call  Poetry  the  fir U  Philofophy,  forming  our 
 Lives  from  tender  years ,  teaching  good  manners,  go- 
 verning 
 
upon  NUMBERS. 
 
 verning  the   pajf/ons  and  actions   with  pleafure.     For    Chapter 
 which  caufe  the  Greeks  inftituted  their  Children  in     XXL 
 their  Cities  by  Voziy  g^u%&y»fa$  %a&v  bw&w  <)*Xfc,  L/V%* 
 dTT^x  mppoviyuS  ,  not  merely  for  the  fake  of  bare  dele- 
 Station  i  but  to  form  them  to  fobriety. 
 
 Ver.  3 1 .  Thus  Ifrael  dwelt  in  the  hand  of  the  Amo-  Verfe  2 1 . 
 rites.]  This  he  mentions  again,  to  make  it  the  more 
 obferved,  that  this  was  the  Country  of  the  Amorites, 
 into  which  the  Children  of  Ifrael  entred  ,  not  of  the 
 Moabites  5  w7ho  had  been  expelled  out  cf  it,  as  was 
 notorioufly  known  $  there  being  a  Song  in  every 
 Bodies  mouth ,  which  continued  the  memory  of 
 it. 
 
 Ver.  32.  And  Mofesfent  tofyyoutJaazer.~]  A  no- Verfe  32. 
 ther  City  formerly  belonging  to  Moab,  but  now  in 
 the  poffeffion  of  the  Amorites.  Which  the  lfraelites 
 did  not  take  at  the  firft  5  but  after  they  had  conquer- 
 ed all  the  Country  before- mentioned,  they  fent  fome 
 Men  to  bring  them  Intelligence,  which  way  it  was 
 bed  to  attack  that  City  alfo,  and  the  Country  about 
 it.  It  was  not  far  from  Mount  Gilead,  2  Sam.  XXIV. 
 5,  6.  1  Chron.  XXVI.  31.  and  both  of  them  were  fa- 
 mous for  good  Pafture,  and  therefore  given  to  the 
 Tribe  of  Reuben  and  Gad,  who  had  much  Cattle, 
 XXXII  of  this  Book,  i5  3,4,  35,  36.  After  the  ten 
 Tribes  were  carried  Captive  from  their  own  Land,  it 
 fell  into  the  Hands  of  the  Moabites  again  3  as  may  be 
 gathered  from  XL VIII  Jerem.  32. 
 
 And  they  took  the  Villages  thereof]  As  well  as  the 
 Cityitfelf. 
 
 And  drove  out  the  Amorites  that  dwelt  there.  "]  If  it 
 had  not  been  pofleffed  by  them,  they  would  not  have 
 meddled  with  it. 
 
 I  i  i  2  Ver, 
 
4^8  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  33.  And  they  turned."]     Or  ,  returned  (  as  the 
 
 XXI.      LXX.haveit)  fromjaazer. 
 
 L/*"V"NJ       And    went   up  by  the   way  of  Baflian.~]     A  famous 
 
 Verfe  33  Mountain  (LXVIII  Pfal.  15.)  lying  more  Northerly 
 
 than  the  Country  of  S/hon ,  and   belonging  alfo  to 
 
 the  Amorites  ^  where  was  very  rich  Pafture,  and  an 
 
 excellent  Breed  of  Cattle  ,  XXXII  Dent.    14.  XXII 
 
 Pfal.  12.  and  (lately  Oaks,   XXVII Ease*.  &• 
 
 And  Og  the  King  of  Bapan."]  The  whole  Coun- 
 try of  which  he  was  King,  had  its  Name  from  that 
 Mountain,  and  was  called  the  Kingdom  ofOgin  Ba- 
 fjan^  III  Deut.  10.  where  he  is  faid,  as  well  as  &'- 
 hon,  to  be  a  King  of  the  Amorites ,  v.  8.  and  v.\\. 
 that  he  was  of  the  Remnant  of  the  Giants ,  or  of  the 
 Rephaim  5  who  were  a  mighty  People  in  that  Coun- 
 try of  Bafian,  (See  XIV  Gen.$.)  which  in  after  Ages 
 was  called  Batanta. 
 
 Went  out  againtt  them.  ]  To  oppofe  their  Paf- 
 fage. 
 
 He,  and  all  hk  People.'}  With  all  the  Men  of  War 
 in  his  Country. 
 
 To  the  Battle  at  Edrei.]  A  City  near  that  Coun- 
 try, afterward  called  Adara ,  as  St.  Hierom  tells  us  in 
 his  Book  de  Lock  Hebraick.  He  offered  the  Ifraelites 
 Battle  5  which,  by  God's  order,  they  accepted. 
 Verfe  34.  Ver.  34.  And  the  L  ORD  faid  unto  MofesT]  That 
 he  might  report  it  to  the  People. 
 
 Fear  him  not."]  They  had  reafon  to  be  courageous, 
 (and  not  affrighted,  becaufe  he  was  a  Giant)  having 
 lately  overcome  a  mightier  King  than  he  ^  of  which 
 God  puts  them  in  mind  in  the  end  of  this  verfe. 
 
 For  1  have  delivered  him  into  thy  hand,  and  all  hk 
 People,  Sec]  For  their  greater  incouragement ,  he 
 adds  his  Promife,  on  which  he  bids  them  rely ,  as  if 
 
 they 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  42  c? 
 
 they  favv  it  already  done,  that  he  would  give  them  Chapter 
 the  Vi&ory  over  Og,  and  all  his  Forces,  and  beftow    XXII. 
 upon  them  his  Country.     This  Hiftory  Mofes  reports  L/~sT\J 
 more  at  large,  III  Dent.  1,  2,  3,  Sec. 
 
 Ver.  35.60  they  [mote  him,  and  his  Sons,  and  all  his  Verfe  3  5 . 
 People,  until  there  was  none  left  him  alive.~]  After  they 
 had  overthrown  him  and  his  Army,  they  purfued  the 
 Vi&ory,  till  they  had  deftroyed  all  the  People  of 
 the  Country,  Some  part  of  which  held  out  longer 
 than  the  reft,  (as  appears  from  XXXII.  39,  &c.)  but 
 at  length  was  wholly  fubdued  by  Jair  the  Son  of  . 
 Manaffeh,  who  had  all  the  Region  of  Argob  given 
 him  for  his  pains,  XXXII.  41.  Ill  Deut.  14. 
 
 And  they  poffejjed his  Land.']  Wherein  were  fixty 
 walled  Cities,  befides  a  great  many  fmall  Towns, 
 III  Deut.  4,  5.  XIII  Joft).  30.  All  which  was  given  to 
 the  half  Tribe  of  Manafeh  0  III  Dent.  13,  XIII  JF^».. 
 29,  30.   I  KingslV.  13. 
 
 CHAP.     XXII. 
 
 Ver,  1.  \ND  the  Children  of  Ifrael  fet  forward. "]  yerfe  r 
 
 l\  In  what  Month  of  the  fortieth  Year  this 
 which  follows  fell  out,  we  cannot  tell,  but  it  is  like- 
 ly in  the  feventh  5  when  they  removed  from  the 
 Mountains  of  Abarim,  XXI.  20.  XXXIII.  48. 
 
 And  pithed  in  the  plains  ofMoab7\  Which  had  for- 
 merly belonged  to  the  Moabites,  from  whom  it  took 
 its  name :  but  had  been  taken  from  them  by  the  A- 
 morites  -0  and  now  was  in  the  pofieffion  of  the  Jfrae- 
 lites. 
 
 On. 
 
430 
 
 A     COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       On  this  fide  Jordan7\  Unto  which  River  this  Plain 
 
 XXH.    extended  :  and  they  pitched  near  to  it,  from  Beth- 
 
 *-^"V>^  Jcfimoth  unto  Abel-Shittim,  XXXIII.  49.  where  they 
 
 ftayed,  till  under  the  Conduct  of  Jojlwa.  they  came  to 
 
 Jordan,  and  paffed  over  it,  III  Joflj.  1. 
 
 By  Jericho.']  Rather  againtf  Jericho,  as  the  LXX. 
 tranflate  it  :  For  Jericho  was  on  the  other  fide  of  Jor- 
 dan, direftly  oppoiite  to  the  place  where  they  now 
 pitched.  And  therefore  the  Vulgar  Latin  tranflates, 
 or  rather  paraphrafes  \tJThere  Jericho  kfituated  beyond 
 Jordan  :  i.  e.  paffing  the  Ford,  they  came  dire&ly  to 
 Jericho. 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  And  Balal^the  Son  of  Zippor.  ~]  Who  was 
 King  of  the  Moabites  at  this  time  5  and  defcended,  it 
 is  likely,  from  the  ancient  Kings  of  that  Country, 
 XXI.  26. 
 
 Saiv  all  that  Ifrael  had  done  to  the  Amorites.  ~]  To  Si' 
 hon  and  Og,  the  two  Kings  of  the  Amorites,  (  as  they 
 are  called  III  Dent.  8.)  who  were  fuch  near  Neigh- 
 bours to  Balak,  that  he  not  only  fawy  but  confidered 
 (as  the  word  implies)  what  a  fpeedy  Conqueft  the 
 Jfraelites  had  made  of  their  Country. 
 Verfe  3.         Ver-  3.   And  Moab  was  fore  afiaid  of  the  People.  J 
 Left  they  {hould  expel  them  out  of  their  Country  , 
 as  they  had  done  the  Amorites  :  for  they   knew  no- 
 thing of  God's  Command  to  the  Jfraelites,  not  to  di- 
 ■rb  them  in  their  PofTeffions.     Some  imagine,  but 
 i  fee  no  good  ground  for  it,  that  they  were  afraid  the 
 Jfraelites  (hould  get  poffeffion  of  the  Land  of  Canaan, 
 unto  which  they  thought  themfelves  perhaps  to  have 
 a  better  Title^being  defcended  from  the  eldeft  Daugh- 
 ter of  Lot,  who  was  the  Son  of  Abrahams  elder  Bro- 
 :r^  fox  Abraham  was  the  youngeft  Son  of  Terak 
 no  Body  can  fee  any  Right  that  this  Defcent  gave 
 
 Lot 
 
upon    NUMBERS.  43* 
 
 Lot  or  his  Children  5  there  being  no  Promife  made  Chapter 
 of  it  by  God  to  any  Perfon,  but   Abraham  and   his    XXII. 
 Pofterity.  c-/-v"s*«' 
 
 Becaufe  they  were  many7\  Too  frrong  for  the  Mo- 
 abites  to  deal  withal  $  having  conquered  thole  who 
 had  been  too  hard  for  them ,  and  taken  a  great  Ter- 
 ritory from  them,  XXI.  26. 
 
 And  Moab  was  dijirejfed  becaufe  of  the  Children  ef 
 Ifrael.~]     As  Mofes  in  his  Song,  after  they  had  pa  fled 
 the  Red  Sea  ,  foretold  they  would  be  ,  XV  Exod. 
 
 15- 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  Moabfaid.~]     By  Meffengers ,  which  yerfe  , 
 
 were  fent  (it  is  moft  likely)  by  the  King ,  and  the 
 Princes  of  the  Country. 
 
 Unto  the  Elders  of  Midi  an. ~]  Who  were  their 
 Neighbours  and  Confederates.  The  Title  of  Elders, 
 it  appears  by  this, .  was  given  in  other  Nations.as  well 
 as  among  the  Ifraelites,  to  the  greateft  Perfonsin  their 
 Countries  :  or  the  Ifraelites,  after  their  manner  ,  To 
 called  Men  every  where,  who  were  in  high  Autho- 
 rity. For  thefe  Perfons  who  are  here  called  Elders, 
 are  called  Kings,  XXXI.  8.  and  Princes  ,  XIII  Jofh. 
 21.  In  like  mariner  they  who  in  the  feventh  verfe  of 
 this  Chapter,  are  called  the  Elders  of  Moab,  are  in  the 
 next  verfe  called  the  Princes  of  Moab.  Which  ,  it  is 
 evident,  was  the  ancient  Language  among  the  Egyp- 
 tians, L  Gen.  7.  (unlefs  we  fuppofe  Mofes,  as  I  faid, 
 to  have  fpoken  in  the  Language  of  the  Jews)  and,  it 
 is  very  likely,  was  alfo  the  ancient  Language  of  Ph&- 
 nicia,  and  the  Countries  thereabouts^  and  perhaps  in 
 much  remote  parts.  For  it  is  a  known  Story,  That 
 when  the  Phoenicians  fled  before  Jojhna  ,  and  forfook 
 the  Land  of  Canaan,  they  fixed  in  Afric^  where  they 
 left  this  name  of  Elders  among  the  Carthaginians.    See 
 
 Mr.. 
 
 / 
 
43*  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Mr.  Selden  Lib.  l.de  Synedr.  cap.  14.  p.  587,80:. 
 XXII.  Midian.~\  This  is  not  the  Country  wherein  Jetl.ro 
 <u/"V"\J  was  a  Prince  5  for  that  was  not  far  from  Mount  Si- 
 nai,  as  appears  from  III  Exod.  1.  whereas  this  was 
 remote  from  that  place,  adjoyning  to  the  Moabites, 
 and  near  to  Palejt'me*  Though  it  is  very  probable, 
 the  People  cf  both  thefe  Countries  were  defcended 
 from  Abraham^  by  one  of  the  Sons  he  had  by  -Ketu- 
 rah,  XXV  Gen.  2. 
 
 -  Now  foall  thk  Company.]     The  Army  of  Ifrad  en- 
 camped in  the  Plains  of  Moab,  v.  1. 
 
 Lick  up  all  round  about  us7\  u  e.  Devour  us,  and 
 all  our  Neighbours,  (or,  our  whole  Country)  unlefs 
 we  joyn  together  to  oppofethem. 
 
 As  the  Ox  ticket!)  up  the  Grafs  of  the  Field.~]  They 
 ufe  this  Metaphor,  to  fignifie  how  eafily  the  Ifraetites 
 would  conquer  them,  without  a  timely,  reiblute,  and 
 unanimous  Opposition :  and  likewife,  what  an  Uni- 
 verfal  Defolation  they  would  make.  For  the  words 
 are  in  the  Hebrew,  the  green  of  the  Field,  i.  e.  not  on- 
 ly the  Grafs,  but  the  Leaves  of  Trees,  which  Oxen 
 eat,  as  Bochartus  obferves  out  of  the  Scripture, as  well 
 as  other  Authors,  XXVII  Ifii.  20.  Ami  to  tick^  up  is 
 not  lightly  to  touch  with  the  Tongue,  but  to  eat  and 
 confume.     See  Hierozoicon,  P.  I.  Lib.  II.  cap.  51. 
 
 And  Balak^  the  Son  of  Zippor  was  King  of  the  Mo  a- 
 bites  at  that  time."]  He  was  mentioned  before,  (v. 2.) 
 but  here  recorded  to  have  been  King  of  the  Country  3 
 who  endeavoured  to  fecure  himfelf,  by  the  afiiftance 
 of  his  Neighbours  and  Allies.  Unto  whom  he  fent 
 this  Embaffy,  to  advife  with  them  what  Courfe  it  was 
 beft  for  them  to  take  for  their  common  Safety, 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon    NUMBERS.  433 
 
 Ver.  5.    He  fent  Meffengers  therefore."]     The  Refult  Chapter 
 of  the  Treaty  with  Midi  an  was,  That  with   joynt     XXII. 
 Confent  they  fhould  fend  Ambaffadors,  of  each  Na-  L/"v\j 
 tion,  and  of  the  fame  Quality,on  the  following  Mef-  Verfe  5. 
 fage,  v. 7.  And  this  Counfel,  it  is  likely,  was  given 
 by  the  Midianites  5  for  Balak  faith  nothing  of  it  by 
 his  Meffengers :  but  it  was  refolved   on  when  they 
 came  there,  as  the  mod  effectual  Means  for  their  Se- 
 curity.    This,  I  think,  the  word  therefore  imports. 
 
 Unto  Balaam."]  A  famous  South-fayer  ,  or  Divi- 
 ner, as  he  is  called  in  XIII  Jojls.  22.  That  is,  onewho 
 pretended  to  foretel  Future  Things,  and  difcover  Se- 
 crets, &c.  though  not  by  good  and  allowable  Arts, 
 but  fuch  as  were  absolutely  prohibited  to  God's  Peo- 
 ple, XVIII  Dent.  10.  He  had  been  formerly  a  good 
 Man,  and  a  true  Prophet  ,  till  loving  the  wages  of 
 Unrighteoufnefs,  he  apoftatifed  from  God  ,  and  be- 
 came a  Rofem,  which  we  tranflate  a  Diviner.  That 
 is,  faith  Aben-Ezra ,  an  Aftrologer  5  who  obfervi-ng 
 when  Men  were  under  a  bad  Afpeft  of  the  Stars,  pro- 
 nounced a  Curfe  upon  them  ^  which  fometimes  co- 
 ming to  pafs,  gained  him  a  great  Reputation.  But 
 this  is  not  the  import  of  that  word,  as  I  (hall  (how 
 in  its  proper  place.  Let  it  fuffice  now  to  obferve,that 
 the  Jews  are  fo  much  of  this  Opinion  that  he  had  been 
 a  better  Man  than  he  was  now,  that  they  take  him,  as 
 St.  Hierom  obferves,  to  be  the  fame  Perfon,  who  in 
 the  Book  of  Job  is  called  Elihu.  But  Origen  ,  and 
 fome  others,  think  he  was  no  Prophet,  but  only  one 
 of  the  Devils  Sorcerers,  of  whom  he  went  to  En- 
 quire 3  but  God  was  pleafed  to  put  the  Devil  by,and 
 give  what  Anfwer  he  thought  fit :  which  Balaam  him- 
 felf  plainly  difcerned,  and  therefore  calls  himfelf,  He 
 who  heard  the  words  ofGod^&c.    On  which  fide  the 
 
 K  k  k  Truth 
 
434  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Truth  lies,  we  (hall  be  able  to  judge  ,  when  we  come 
 XXII.    to  confider  what  paffed  between  God  and  him,  in  the 
 U'Wi  following  Hiftory. 
 
 The  Son  of  Beor.]  Who  was  alfo  called  Bofor,  as 
 fome  gather  from  i  Pet.  II.  1 5.  though  that  place  may 
 have  another  Interpretation. 
 
 To  Pethor.~]  A  City  in  Aram  ,  or -Mefopot  ami  a, 
 XXIII.7.  XXIII  Deut^.  This  was  the  ancient  Name 
 of  the  place  ;  which  in  after  times  the  Syrians  called 
 Bofor,  by  an  eafie  change  of  two  Letters,  which  is 
 very  ufual.  So  Grotius  underftands  thofe  words,  2 
 Pet.  II.  15.  BxAa^V  ™  Botd*  ,  Balaam  (  not  the  Son, 
 but)  of  the  City  of  Bofor. 
 
 Which  is  by  the  River  of  the  Land  of  the  Children  of 
 his  People."]  i.  e.  Near  to  Euphrates  5  which  is  com- 
 monly in  thefe  Books  called  by  the  Name  of  the  Ri- 
 ver, XV  Gen.  18.  and  many  other  places.     This  de- 
 termines Aram  (which  was  the  Name  of  fe veral  Coun- 
 tries thereabouts  )  to  fignifie  that  which  is  called  in 
 Scripture  Aram  Naharaim  5  that  is ,  the  Aram  which 
 lay  between  the  two  famous  Rivers  of  Euphrates  and 
 Tygrk.     The  former  of  which  was  called,  by  way  of 
 Eminence,  the  River \  (though  the  other  alfo  was  e- 
 minent)  becaufe  it  was  neareft  ,  and  bed  known  to 
 the  Israelites.     And  Ptolemy  mentions  a  City  called 
 Pachoria  in  his  time ,  upon  this  River  ,  which  fome 
 take  to  be  Pethor.     And  it  is  very  probable  that  Abra- 
 ham, before  he  came  into  Canaan,  lived  here  about , 
 XXIV  Gen.  4,  10.   XXIV  Jofh.2.  And  here  Jacob  al- 
 fo ferved  for  his  Wife,  and  begat  all  the  Patriarchs, 
 except  Benjamin,  (whence  the  Jfraelites  acknowledg- 
 ed their  Father  to  have  been  a  poor  Aramite,ox  Syrian, 
 as  we  tranflate  it,  XXVI  Dent.  5.)    By  which  means 
 fome  Relicks  of  true  Religion  ftill  remained  in  this 
 
 Country, 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  435 
 
 Country,  though  mixed  with  a  great  deal  of  Super-  Chapter 
 ftition.  XXII. 
 
 To  call  him.']     To  invite  him  to  come  to  them.       t/^NJ 
 
 Saying,  There  is  a  People  come  out  of 'Egypt, ,~]  Which 
 all  the  Power  of  Pharaoh  could  not  hinder. 
 
 They  cover  the  face  of  the  Earth.']  Are  exceeding  nu- 
 merous. 
 
 And  they  abide  over  again!}  me. "]  Lye  incamped 
 not  far  from  me,  and  are  ready  to  invade  my  Coun- 
 try. 
 
 Ver.  6.  Come  novo  therefore,  I  pray  thee.  *]  They  Verfe  6. 
 weretofpeak  in  the  Name  of  the  King  of  Moab, 
 (  whofe  words  thefe  are  faid  to  be,  v.  7.)  there  be- 
 ing no  King,  perhaps,  at  this  time  in  Midian  ^  but 
 feveral  little  Princes  ,  who  are  called  Kings , 
 XXXI.  8. 
 
 And  Curfe  me  this  People."]  It  feems  they  had  an 
 Opinion  in  thofe  days,  which  prevailed  much  in  af- 
 ter times,  That  feme  Men  had  a  power,  by  the  help 
 of  their  Gods,  to  blaft,  not  only  particular  Perfons, 
 but  whole  Armies  j  fo  that  they  (hould  not  be  able  to 
 effeft  their  Defigns.  This  they  are  faid  to  have  done, 
 fometimes  only  by  bare  words  of  Imprecation :  of 
 which  there  was  a  Set-form  among  fome  People , 
 which  JEfchines  calls  ho^ji^Ofjikvhu  ag&v  ,  the  deter- 
 minate Curfe.  Sometimes  they  alfo  offered  Sacrifices, 
 and  ufed  certain  Rites  and  Ceremonies,  with  Solemn 
 Charms :  a  famous  inftance  of  which  we  find  in  the 
 Life  of  Crafftts.  Where  Plutarch  tells  us,  ThztAttejus 
 Tribune  of  the  People,  made  a  Fire  at  the  Gate,  out 
 of  which  Craffus  was  to  march  unto  the  War  againft 
 the  Parthians  %  into  which  he  threw  certain  Things 
 to  make  a  Fume,  and  offered  Sacrifices  to  the  mod 
 angry  Gods,  with  horrid  Imprecations  upon  him> 
 
 K  k  k  2  which 
 
 . 
 
436  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  which,  he  faith,  according  to  ancient  Tradition,  had 
 XXII.     fuch  a  power,  that  no  Man,  who  was  loaded  with 
 L/"V\J  them,  could  avoid  being  undone. 
 
 For  they  are  too  mighty  for  me.  ~]  I  am  not  able  to 
 deal  with  them  without  thy  help. 
 
 Per  adventure^  But  I  hope,  &c.  For  the  Hebrew 
 word  iVix  is  not  a  Particle  of  Doubting,  but  of  Ho- 
 ping :  Non  eli  particula  dubitantis,  fed  bene  ominantk 
 &fhtrantk,  as  Forjlertts  obferves,  XXXVII.  Ifai.  4. 
 II  Zephan.%. 
 
 I  Jhall  prevail,  that  I  may  fmite  them  ,  and  that  I 
 may  drive  them  out  of  the  Land7\  I  hope,by  thecon- 
 junftion  of  thy  Curfes  with  my  Sword,  I  may  be  a- 
 ble  to  deftroy  them  3  or  at  lead  to  drive  them  out  of 
 this  Country. 
 
 For  I  wot  that  him  whom  thou  bleffeSi,  is  blejfed  5  and 
 he  whom  thou  curfeli ,  is  curfed.  ~\  The  ancient  Pro- 
 phets had  fuch  power  with  God  to  obtain  great  Blef- 
 fings  from  him,  for  others :,  as  appears  by  the  ftory 
 of  Abraham  and  Abimelech,  XX  Gen.  10.  and  o£  Ja- 
 cob, who  bleffed  Pharaoh,  XLVIlGe*?.  7.  and  after- 
 ward all  his  own  Sons.  And  no  doubt  their  Impre- 
 cations were  as  powerful,  when  there  was  a  juft  caufe 
 for  them  ^  according  to  what  we  read  2  Kings  II.24. 
 And  it  is  likely,  while  Balaam  (who  was  a  Prophet, 
 as  appears  by  what  follows,  and  is  fo  called  by  St. 
 Peter)  continued  a  good  Man,  he  blefled  and  curfed 
 no  other  way,  but  by  Prayer  to<5od,  and  by  Impre- 
 cations in  his  Name.  Which  was  imitated  by  other 
 great  Men  ^  particularly  by  King  Cambyfes  in  his 
 Speech  to  the  Perfians,  recorded  by  Herodotus  in  Tha- 
 lia, cap.  65.  where  he  faith,  If  you  do  what  I  require^ 
 then  let  your  Land  bring  forth  plentifully -^and  your  Wives 
 and  your  Flocks  be  fruitful,  and  your  felves  enjoy  your 
 
 liberty  ^ 
 
upon     NUMBERS.  457 
 
 liberty  *0  but  if  you  do  not,  to  <£#olv1U  rxloTai  dpiojuuti  6-    Chapter 
 fjuv  ytvi&ctj)  I  imprecate  the  quite  contrary  things  to  thefe,     XXIL 
 to  fall  upon  you.     But  when  Balaam  degenerated  into  ^^•^-^ 
 a  falfe  Prophet,  and  became  a  Diviner,  then  he  ufed 
 Spells  and  Inchantments  (as  is  plain  by  this  Hiftory) 
 and  fuch  Rites  and  Ceremonies  as  were  the  Inventi- 
 on of  wicked  Spirits  5  which  Pharaoh's  Magicians, 
 the  Jews  fancy,  madeufe  of  to  ftop  the  Israelites  at 
 the  Red  Sea.     See  XIV  Exod.2. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  the  Elders  of  Moab  and  the  Elders  of  Verb  J 
 Midian.]  I  take  thefe  two  Nations  to  have  been  an- 
 cient Confederates  5  but  the  Jewifh  Tradition  is,that 
 they  had  been  always  at  Enmity,  and  now  reconci- 
 led by  a  common  Danger.  Juft  as  two  MaStifs  (fo  . 
 they  explain  it)  who  are  continually  fighting,  when 
 they  fee  the  Wolf  fet  upon  one  of  them,  joyn  toge- 
 ther for  their  Defence,  becaufeif  he  devour  the  one, 
 the  other  will  not  long  furvive  him. 
 
 Departed  with  the  rewards  of  divination  in  their 
 hand.']  It  was  the  Cuftom  among  God's  People, 
 when  they  came  to  confult  with  a  Prophet,  to  bring 
 him  a  Prefent  5  as  appears  from  1  Sam.  IX,  7,  8.  And 
 indeed,  from  ancient  time,  Men  were  not  wont  to 
 approach  great  Perfons  without  one.  See  XLIII  Gen. 
 11,  25,  26. 
 
 And  they  came  unto  Balaam,  andftake  unio  him  the 
 words  of  BalahJ]  Delivered  their  Metfage  $  having 
 firft,  as  the  manner  was,  made  him  the  Prefent. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  he  faid  unto  them,  Lodge  with  me  rfefVerfe  8, 
 night.']  That  was  the  time,  it  feems,  wherein  he  was 
 wont  to  receive  Anfwers  to  his  Enquiries  5  either  in 
 a  Dream,  or  by  Apparitions ,  or  fome  other  way, 
 There  are  thofe,  who  think  he  now  began  to  betray 
 the  naughtinefs  of  his  heart,  in  taking  time  to  advife 
 
 about 
 
438 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  about  this  Matter  :  which  ,   if  he  had  been  a  faithful 
 XXII.    Servant  of  God,  he  would  inftantly  have  reje&ed 
 L^VNJ  with  Difdain.     And  it  is  likely  enough,  by  what  fol- 
 lows, that  he  was  as  defirous  of  their  Money,as  they 
 were  of  his  Imprecations. 
 
 And  I  will  bring  you  word  again,  as  the  LORD 
 foall Jpeal^nnto  me7\  You  fhall  have  my  Anfwer,  ac- 
 cording to  the  Dire&ions  which  the  LOUD  (hall 
 give  me.  By  this  I  take  it  to  be  evident,  that  he  was 
 not  a  Stranger  to  the  true  God  ,  with  whole  Name  it 
 is  certain  he  was  acquainted  5  and,  it  is  probable,had 
 received  Revelations  from  him,  till  he  became  a  co- 
 vetous mercenary  Prophet,  and  addi&ed  himfelf  to 
 Superftitious  Rites  and  Ceremonies.  Making  ufe  of 
 Teraphim  perhaps,  which  had  been  of  ancient  pra- 
 ctice in  his  Country,  and  worfhipping  God,  perhaps, 
 by  other  Images.  See  XXXI  Gen.  19,24,  30,49. 
 where,  it  is  evident  that  Laban  had  ftill  communica- 
 tion with  the  LORD,  though  he  ufed  Teraphim, 
 and  calls  them  his  Gods.  Which  perhaps  put  that 
 idle  conceit  into  the  Head  of  fome  of  the  Jews,  that 
 it  was  one  and  the  fame  Perfon,  who  is  there  called 
 Laban,  and  here  Balaam.  Who  falling,  as  I  faid, 
 unto  Idolatrous  Pra&ices,  was  forfaken  by  God,  and 
 delivered  up  to  the  impoftures  of  Evil  Spirits  :  though 
 he  ftill  continued  to  enquire  of  the  L  O  R  D.  Who 
 was  pleafed,  at  this  time,  to  make  his  Mind  known 
 to  him,  for  the  Prefervation  of  his  People  Ifrael. 
 
 And  the  Princes  of  Moab  abode  with  Balaam.  ~]  As 
 did  thofe  of  Midian  alfo  $  who  are  mentioned  in  the 
 foregoing  verfe.  Though  fome  of  the  Jews  have  a 
 fancy  that  the  Elders  of  Midian  went  away  (  which 
 they  give  as  the  reafon  that  they  are  not  here  menti- 
 oned) as  foon  as  they  heard  Balaam  fay,  he  would 
 
 addrefs 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  439 
 
 addrefs  himfelf  for  Advice  unto  the  L  O  R  D  $  who    Chapter 
 they  knew  would  be  favourable  to  Ifrael.     And  on    XXII. 
 the  other  fide,  feme  Chriftians  have  been  of  Opini-  L/'VNJ 
 on,  that  he  addreffed  himfelf  to  the  L  O  R  D,  only 
 to  try  if  he  could  draw  him  by  his  Charms,  to  take 
 part  with  the  Moabites :  Juft  as  the  Romans,  when 
 they  laid  Siege  to  a  City,  endeavoured  by  all  means 
 they  could  invent,  to  perfwade  the  Tutelar  Gods  of 
 that  place  to  forfake  it,  and  come  over  to  their  fide. 
 Which  Rite  is  defcribed  by  Macrobius, 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  God  came,  unto  Balaam."]     As  he  is  faid  Verfe  9. 
 to  have  done  unto  Abimelech  in  a  Dream,  XX  Gen.%. 
 Where  I  obferved  that  Maimonides  makes  a  diftin&i- 
 on  between  God's  coming  to  a  Perfon  ,  and  his  faeakc 
 ing  to  him.     But  that  cannot  be  made  ufe  of  here  5 
 for  God  did  both  come  and  freak,  to  Balaam,  as  ap- 
 pears from  v.  32,35.  where  we  read,  the  Angel  of 
 the  LORD  {pake  to  him.     And  here  it  will  be  fit 
 to  note,  That  all  Nations,  of  whom  we  have  any 
 knowledge,  have  been  poflefled  with  this  Opinion, 
 that  God  was  wont  to  appear  frequently  unto  Men  3 
 efpecially,  cum  recentes  h  Deo  ejfent,  (as  Seneca  fpeaks 
 in  Epiff.XC.)  when  they  were  newly  come  out  of 
 his  hand  :  and  that  he  alfo  was  pleafed  to  reveal  his 
 Mind  and  Will  unto  them,  by  fome  means  or  other  5 
 particularly  by  his  Angels ,  whom  he  fent  on  Mefla- 
 ges  to  them,  as  long  as  there  was  any  Goodnefs  left 
 among  them.     This  is  moft  admirably  expreffed  by 
 Catullus, 
 
 Prtfentes  namque  ante  domof  invifere  cafias 
 Stfpius*  &  fefe  mortall  ojiendere  c<etu 
 CcelhoU,  nondum  frreta  pktate,  folebant. 
 
 See 
 
44o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  See  Huctius  in  his  gujefi  tones  Alnetantc,  Lib.llcap.ii. 
 XXII.    n.  1,2.     And  indeed  no  account  can  be  given  how 
 
 L/"V~\J  it  came  into  the  Head  of  Homer,  and  other  Poets,  to 
 bring  in  the  Gods  appearing  fo  oft,  as  they  do,  upon 
 every  occafion ,  if  God  had  not  been  wont,  in  an- 
 cient time,  to  manifeft  himfelf,  not  only  to  the  IJrae- 
 lites,  but  toother  Nations  alfo,  efpecially  before  the 
 diftin&ion  of  this  People  from  them.  So  he  did  to 
 Abunelech,  Laban,  Sec.  as  well  as  to  Abraham,  Ifaac 
 and  Jacob.  For, as  Dr.  Jackfon  hath  well  obferved 
 (in  his firU  Book,  upon  the  Creed,  chap.  1 1.  )  if  they 
 had  never  heard  nor  read  of  any  fuch  thing,  all  the 
 Wits  in  the  World,  had  they  beat  their  Brains  never 
 fo  much,  could  not  have  thought  of  bringing  the 
 Gods  in  a  vifible  (hapeupon  the  Stagey  or  interlacing 
 their  Poems  with  their  frequent  Apparitions.  Nor 
 can  any  other  account  be  given,  how  this  came  to  be 
 the  common  Belief  of  the  World,  from  one  end  of  it 
 to  the  other,  that  the  Gods  revealed  their  Mind  to 
 Men  :'  the  Phiiofophers,  as  well  as  ordinary  People, 
 in  the  Eatf,  West,  North  and  South,  making  no  doubt 
 of  it.  For  Abark  Hyperboreus^  and  Zamolxk  Geta, 
 were  no  lefs  famous  in  the  North,  than  the  Egyptian 
 Prophets  were  in  the  South. 
 
 But  when  Mankind  degenerated,  and  corrupted 
 themfelves  by  all  manner  of  Wickednefs  ,  then  God 
 forfook  them,  and  permitted  evil  Angels  to  take  the 
 place  of  the  good,  and  plunge  Mankind  further  into 
 ail  manner  of  Filthinefs^  efpecially  into  abominable 
 Idolatries.  So  that  Balaam,  who,I  queftion  not,had 
 at  firft  familiarity  with  God,  and  his  holy  Angels, 
 abufing  this  Honour  God  had  done  him,in  making  him 
 a  Prophet,  by  imploying  it  to  ferve  his  vile  Cove- 
 toufnefs,  God  gave  him  up  to  the  Delufion  of  evil 
 
 Spirits  5 
 
upan  NUMBERS.  441 
 
 Spirits  5  of  whWhekarntlnchantments.   But  at  this  Chapter 
 time  God  was  pleafed  again  to  appear  to  him  himfelf,    XXII. 
 for  the  good  of  his  People  Ifrael,  and  to  over-rule  all  L^VVJ 
 his  bad  Inclinations  :  Infomuch  that  Mofes  fays  at  laft 
 he  did  not  go,    as  he  had  done,  to  feci;  Inchantments, 
 (XXIV.  1.)  but  gave  up  himielf  wholly, for  the  pre- 
 fent,  to  the  ConduS:  of  God's  Spirit,  as  I  (hall  there 
 obferve. 
 
 And  faid  unto  him.l  By  an  Angel,  as  Maimonides 
 interprets  it,  More  Nevoch.  P.  II.  cap,  41. 
 
 What  Men  are  thefe  with  thee  .<?]  He  asks  this  que- 
 ftion,  partly  to  prove  Balaam,  whether  he  would 
 tell  him  the  truth  of  their  Bufinefs^  and  partly  to  make 
 way  for  the  following  Direction. 
 
 Ver.  10.  And  Balaam  faid  unto  God.~]     To  whom  Verfe  10. 
 (it  appears  by  this)  and  to   the  way  wherein  God 
 communicated  himfelf,  he  was  not  a  Stranger. 
 
 Balak^  the  Son  ofZippor,  King  of Moab,  hath  fent 
 unto  me,  fayingT]  This  (hows  the  Erabafly  was  fent 
 principally  in  his  Name  5  the  Midi  unites  only  joyn- 
 ing  in  it,  v.  5. 
 
 Ver.  11.  Behold,  there  is  a  People  come  out  of  Egypt,  Verfe  1 1. 
 &c."]     This  verfe  contains  only  a  brief  Report  of  the 
 Meffage  that  was  fent  him  :  to  which  he  defired  God 
 would  tell  him,  what  Anfwer  he  (hould  return. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  God  faid  unto  Balaam."]  By  an  Angel,  Verfe  12. 
 v.  9.  and  ^.35. 
 
 Thoujhdlt  not  go  with  them  5  thou  JI) alt  not  curfe  this 
 People,  for  they  are  blejfed.~]  He  not  only  forbids  him 
 to  comply  with  Bala!(s  defire ,  but  gives  him  fuch  a 
 reafonaswas  likely  to  prevail  with  him,  if  his  Pro- 
 hibition was  not  fuificient  5  that  it  was  impoffible , 
 with  all  his  Inchantments ,  to  reverfe  the  Blefling 
 which  God  had  beftovved  upon  this  People. 
 
 Lll  Ver. 
 
442  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  1 3.  And  Balaam  rofe  up  in  the  mornings  and  f aid 
 
 XXII.     to  the  Princes  of  Bala^  get  ye  to  your  oven  Land.']    He 
 
 L/V\j  feems   refolved  to  obey   God,  rather  than  comply 
 
 Verfe  13.  with  them:  and  therefore  difpatcht  them,  asfoonas 
 he  could,  with  the  following  Anfvver. 
 
 For  the  LORD  refufeth  to  give  me  leave  to  go  with 
 you,']  He  acquaints  them  only  with  half  of  God's 
 Anfwer  :  for  he  omits  the  reafon,  which  was  the 
 principal  thing.  Though  it  may  be  thought  to  be 
 implyed  5  that,  if  the  LORD,  orr  ,111  re 
 
 he  pretended  to  depend,  refufed  to  let  him   go,  it 
 was  in  vain  to  attempt  to  Curfe  them. 
 
 Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  And  the  Princes  ofMoabrofe  up.  "  They 
 did  not  ftand  to  difpute  the  Muter  with  him,  or  to 
 importune  him  :  which  (hows,that  he  had  given  them 
 a  peremptory  Denial. 
 
 And  they  went  unto  Balak^and  faid,  Balaam  refufeth 
 to  come  with  us.]  They  report  his  Anfwer  as  imper- 
 fectly, as  he  did  God's:  faying  not  a  word  ,  that  the 
 LOUD  refufed  to  let  him  come.  They  were  loth 
 perhaps  (as  the  manner  of  fuch  Perfons  is)  to  deliver 
 unwelcome  News  to  their  Mafter. 
 
 Verfe  i<.  Ver.  15.  And  Balal^fent  yet  again  Princes  moe,  and 
 '  more  honourable  than  they.']  He  being  ignorant  of  the 
 true  Caufe  of  his  Refufal  ,  imagined  that  Balaam 
 thought  himfelf  flighted  5  and  expected  a  greater 
 number  of  Perfons,  and  of  greater  quality  ,  (hould 
 have  been  fent  to  him.  For  Prophets,  in  ancient 
 time,  were  Men  highly  efteemed  5  as  not  only  Sacred 
 Perfons,  but  who  had  a  great  Intereft  in  God  :  of 
 whom  they  could  obtain  whatfoever  they  defired. 
 God  himfelf  thought  this  fufficient  to  keep  Abimelcch 
 from  injuring  Abraham,  to  acquaint  him  that  he  was 
 a.  Prophet ,  XX  Gen.  3.  And  therefore  they  were  cal- 
 led 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  443 
 
 led  Men  of  God :  being  thought,*  by  the  very  Gentiles,    Chapter 
 to  be  full  of  fome  Numen  or  other  5    whereby  they     XXIL 
 became  Interpreters  of  the  Gods,>(as  they  called  them)  LSV%J 
 who  miniflred  e^  ^km  Si-Zv  %  i\%^^v,  between  the 
 Gods  and  Men.     Infomuch  that  Women,  when  they 
 became  PropheteflTes,  had  very  great  Authority  5  as 
 we  find  in  Deborah,  who  calls  her  felf  a  Mother  in  If- 
 rael ,  V  Judges  7.  And  therefore  all   fuch   Peribns 
 were  under  the  fpecial  Prote&ion  of  Heaven,   CV 
 Pfd.15. 
 
 Ver.  x6.  And  they  came  unto  Balaam,  and  faid,Thus  Vzvk  16. 
 faith  Balal^  the  Son  of  Zippor.']     They  feeni  to  fpeak 
 of  their  Mailer  in  an  higher  flyle  than  the  former  Am- 
 bafladors  did,  v.  7.  where  it  is  only  faid,  they  fyake 
 unto  him  the  words  ofBalak* 
 
 Let  nothing,  I  pray  thee  ,  hinder  thee  from  coming  to 
 me.']  Yet  they  fubmiffively  befeech  him  ,  in  their 
 Mailer's  name,  not  to  differ  any  thing  to  keep  him 
 from  coming  to  him  :  for  he  thought,  perhaps,. that 
 Balaam  might  be  detained  by  other  more  profitable 
 Employments. 
 
 Ver.  1 7.  For  I  will  promote  thee  to  very  great  honour. ~\  Verfe  1 7. 
 He  imagined,  it  is  probable,  that  Balaam  lookt  upon 
 the  Rewards  of  Divination,  which  he  fent  him,  as  not 
 fufficient  Encouragement:  and  therefore  he  promifes 
 him  to  advance  him  to  fome  high  Preferment  in  his 
 Court. 
 
 And  I  will  do  whdtfoever  thoufayeli  unto  me.~\  And 
 moreover,  he  promifes  to  bellow  an  Eftate  ,  as  great 
 as  he  would  defire,  to  iupport  his  new  Dignity. 
 
 Come  therefore,  I  pray  thee.~]  They  add  Importu- 
 nity to  their  earned  Requefl. 
 
 L  1  1  2  Cur 
 
444  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Curfe  me  this  People."]     Having  heard  (as  David 
 XXII.    Chytrtus  underftands  this)  that  the  IJraelites  conquer- 
 
 L/"V"\J  ed  their  Oppofers  by  Prayers,  rather  than  by  Arms, 
 (as  they  had  done  Pharaoh  and  the  Amalckites)  the 
 King  of  Mo  ah  thought  he  might  prevail  againft  them 
 by  the  fame  means. 
 
 Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  And  Balaam  anfwered,  and  J aid  to the  Ser- 
 vants of ^Balak,  ]  To  the  Meffengers  whom  he  had 
 fent,  who,  it  appears  by  this,  were  principal  Officers 
 in  his  Court,  e>.  15.  For  the  Servants  of  Pharaoh  are 
 called  the  Elders  of  his  Houfe,   L  Gen.  7. 
 
 If  Balali  would  give  me  his  Houfe  full  of  Silver  and 
 Gold,  I  cannot  go  beyond  the  word  of  the  LO  RD  my 
 God,  to  do  more  or  lefsT]  This  is  not  the  Language 
 of  one  that  was  a  Stranger  to  the  true  God  5  for  no 
 Prophet  in  Jfraelzvev  ("pake  of  him  in  more  familiar 
 terms  than  thefe,  the  LO  RD  my  God.  And  for  the 
 prefent,  the  Command  of  God  feems  to  havefuppref- 
 fed  his  Covetous  and  Ambitious  Defires,  fo  that  he 
 durft  not  yield  to  them  5  though  it  appears,  by 
 what  follows ,  he  was  ftrongly  inclined  to  follow 
 them. 
 
 Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  Now  therefore,  I  pray  you,  tarry  you  alfo 
 here  this  night.']  Take  a  Lodging  with  me,  as  your 
 Predeceflbrs  did,  v.  8. 
 
 That  I  may  know  what  the  LO  R  D  will  fay  unto  me 
 now."]  Whether  the  LORD  will  alter  his  Mind, 
 as  he  hoped  he  might  5  otherwife  he  would  have 
 refted  in  die  firft  Anfwer  he  received  from  God,  and 
 not  tried  again  if  he  could  prevail  by  his  Importuni- 
 ty to  get  leave  to  go  5  as  thefe  great  Promifes  of  Ri- 
 ches and  Honour  made  him  defire. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  445 
 
 Ver.  30.  And  God  came  unto  Balaam  at  night 7\  Not-    Chapter 
 withftanding  which  God  was  pleafed  again  to  vifit    XXIL 
 him  with  his  Prefence  :  at  kaft  by  one  of  his  Ange-  ^y~^* 
 lical  Minifters.  "  Verie  2C' 
 
 And  faid  unto  him,  If  the  Men  come  to  call  thee P\ 
 Prefs  thee  again  to  comply  with  them. 
 
 Rife  up,  and  go  with  them.']  Since  thou  had:  fuch 
 a  Mind  to  go,follow  thy  Inclinations.  Thefe  words 
 feem,  to  be  fpoken  angrily  ,  though  not  farcaftical- 
 ly  5  as  fome  would  have  them  like  thofe  1  Kings 
 XXII.  15. 
 
 But  yet  the  word  which  Ijhall  fay  unto  thee,  that  fl)  ah 
 thou  do7\  Some  take  thefe  words  to  be  not  fo  much 
 a  Command,  as  a  Prediction  :  that  he  (hould  not  be 
 able  to  fay  a  word  but  what  he  was  ordered  by 
 God. 
 
 Ver.  21.  And  Balaam  rofe  up  in  the  morning  ,  and  Verfe  21, 
 fadled  hk  Afs.~]  Commanded  his  Afs  to  be  made  rea- 
 dy 5  for  he  had  Servants  to  wait  upon  him,  v.  22. 
 And  great  Perfons ,  in  thofe  Countries ,  were  wont 
 to  ride  upon  Affes :  of  which  we  find  Examples  be- 
 fore, this  in  Abraham,  XXII  Gen.  i.  and  in  Mofes^ 
 IV  Exod.  20.  and,  in  after  times,  the  Judges  oflfrael 
 were  thus  mounted,  V  Judges  10.  and  their  Chil- 
 dren, X.  4-  XH.  M- 
 
 And  went  with  the  Princes  of  Moah.  "  They  fet 
 out,  perhaps  together }  or  he  defired  them  to  go  a 
 little  before,  and  he  would  follow  them.  For  it  ap- 
 pears by  the  following  part  of  this  Relation,  that 
 he  did  not  make  a  part  of  their  Train  ^  but  travelled, 
 at  leaft  fome  part  of  the  way,  with  his  two  Servants 
 alone. 
 
 Ver. 
 
446  A     COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  2  2.  And  God's   anger  was  handled  becaufe  he 
 XXII.    went.']     This  may  feem  Orange,  fince  he  had  a  per- 
 
 V"^^  mifiion  to  go  along  with  them :  But  the  meaning  is 
 
 Verfe  22.  not  that  God  was  difpleafed  becaufe  he  did  as  he  was 
 permitted  ^  but  becaufe  he  w7ent  fo  readily  (  without 
 offering  to  (lay  at  home,  as  he  had  been  commanded 
 at  the  firft)  and  becaufe  he  carried  along  with  him  an 
 evil  Mind,  deiirous  to  get  the  Money  and  the  Ho- 
 nour that  was  proferred  him  5  and  confequently  with 
 an  Inclination  to  curfe  Jfrael  5  and  with  hopes  that 
 he  might,  by  feme  means  or  other,  compafs  that  wick- 
 ed end.  This  is  plainly  fignified  by  the  Angel's 
 words,  v.  35.  where  he  permits  him  (till  to  go  on, 
 but  with  a  Caution,  not  to  attempt  to  fpeak  a  word, 
 otherwife  than  he  bad  him.  This  is  more  plainly  e- 
 vident  from  XXIII  Dent.  5. 
 
 And  the  Angel  of  the  LO R  D.~]  The  fame  An- 
 gel, which  is  thought  to  have  fpoken  to  him,  v.  12, 
 20. 
 
 Stood  in  the  way.~]  In  the  very  path  wherein  his 
 Afs  was  going. 
 
 For  an  Adverfary  againft  him.~\  To  ftop  his  pro- 
 ceedings, that  he  might  not  go  on  in  his  fin,  and  pe- 
 rifh  5  as  R.  Solomon  glofles. 
 
 JSow  he  was  riding  upon  his  Afs ,  and  his  two  Ser- 
 vants were  with  him.'}  He  was  in  his  Journey  upon 
 the  Rode,  but  feparated  from  the  reft  of  the  Com- 
 pany 5  having  only  his  own  two  Servants  with  him, 
 who  waited  on  him. 
 
 Verfe  23.      Ver.  23.  And  the  Afs  faw  the  Angel  of  the  LORD 
 
 Jianding  in  the  way.']     The  LORD,  iaith  the  fame 
 
 R.  Solon/ox ,  let  the  Afs  fee  what  his  Matter  could 
 
 not  3  his  Mind  being  blinded  by  his  Converfe  with 
 
 Dcen/ons  5  or  rather,  God  deprived  him,  for  the  pre- 
 
 fent. 
 
npon   NUMBERS.  447 
 
 fent>  of  the  power  of  feeing  what  ftood  jaft  before  Chapter 
 him.  XXII. 
 
 And  hk  Sword  drawn  in  hk  hand.]     Threatning  to  L/^VNJ 
 kill  him,  if  he  went  forward. 
 
 And  the  Afs  turned  aflde  out  of  the  way.  ]  Out  of 
 the  Rode,  wherein  they  were  travelling. 
 
 And  went  into  the  Field,  ]  Which  lay  on  the  fide 
 of  the  High-way. 
 
 And  Balaam  fmole  the  Afs  to  turn  her  into  the  way,  ] 
 As  the  manner  is  (till,  when  fuch  Creatures  are  un- 
 ruly. 
 
 Ver.  24.  And  the  Angel  of  the  LO  RD  flood  in  the  Verfe  24; 
 path  of  the  Vineyards.']     It  is  uncertain  whether  the 
 Afs  turned  into  the  way  again,  or  went  on  in  the 
 Field,  till  they  came  to  thefe  Vineyards. 
 
 A  Wall  being  on  thk  fide,  and  a  Wall  on  that  fide,  ] 
 In  a  very  narrow  Pafiage. 
 
 Ver.  25.  And   when  the    Afs  faw  the  Angel  of  the  Verfe  25. 
 LORD.]     Which  oppofed  him  here  again,  as  Jie 
 had  done  in  the  broad  High-way. 
 
 She  thrutf  her  felf  unto  the  Wall.]  To  avoid  the 
 Angel. 
 
 And  crufl)t  Balaam  s  foot  again Tl  the  Wall.]  The 
 Angel  and  his  drawn  Sword,  which  it  is  likely  he 
 brandifhed,took  up  fo  much  of  the  way  on  both  (ides, 
 that  there  was.  not  room  for  the  Afs  to  pafs,  without 
 going  too  clofe  to  the  Wall. 
 
 And  he  fmote  her  again.]  Being  very  angry  at  her 
 untowardnefs. 
 
 Ver.  26.  And  the.  Angel  of  the  LO  R  D  went  fur-  Verfe  26. 
 ther,  and  flood  in  a  narrow  place.]     Through  which 
 Balaam  was  to  pafs. 
 
 Wh 
 
 WZ 
 
44» 
 
 A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter     Where  there  was  no  way  to  turn,  either  to  the  right  hand, 
 
 XXI f.    or  to  the  left.]  Where  the  Angel  took  up  the  whole  Paf- 
 
 \^\T\j  fage,and  left  no  fpace,cn  either  fide,for  the  Afs  to  go. 
 
 Verfe  27.      Ver.  27.  And   when   the  Afs  faw  the    Angel  of  the 
 
 LOR  D.~]     And  no  way  to  avoid  h'm. 
 
 She  fell  down  under  Balaam.  ^  Being  unable  either 
 to  turn  back,  the  way  was  fo  narrow  5  or  to  go  for- 
 ward, becaufethe  Angel  filled upall  the  Paffage. 
 
 A.nd  Balaam V  anger  was  kindled,  and  he  fmote  the 
 Afs  with  a  Statf.~]     Harder  than  he  had  done  before. 
 Verfe  28.      Ver.  28.  And  the  LORD.']    By  his  Angel,  as  Bo- 
 chart  interprets  it. 
 
 Opened  the  Mouth  of  the  Afs.]  Which  naturally  is 
 a  dumb  Creature,  having  no  Organs  of  Speech  :  but, 
 by  an  extraordinary  power  of  God,  who  made  Man's 
 mouth,  had  her  Tongue  fo  moved  to  the  Palate, 
 Teeth  and  Lips,  and  the  Air  was  focomprefled  with- 
 in her  Mouth,  as  to  form  words  as  plain  as  we  fpeak. 
 
 And  fie  faid  unto  Balaam.']  That  an  Afs  (hould,  by 
 the  power  of  God,  be  made  to  fpeak,  one  would 
 think  (hould  not  leem  incredible  ro  Chriftians,  when 
 Heathens  did  not  disbelieve  fuch  things,  but  received 
 them  as  undoubted  Truths.  Witnefs  what  they  fay 
 of  the  Afs  upon  which  Bacchus  rode  5  and  the  Ram 
 ofPhryxr/s  $  and  the  Horfes  of  Achilles  and  Adrafius  5 
 and  the  Bull  ofEurpa  $  and  the  Lamb  in  Egypt  when 
 Bocchoris  reigned  there  5  and  the  Elephant  of  Porn*. 
 in  India  :  All  which  are  reported  to  have  fpoken  5 
 and  vaft  numbers  of  other  Inftances  are  heaped  up  by 
 two  eminently  learned  Frenchmen,  Bochartus  in  his 
 Hierozoicon^  P.  I.  Lib.  IT.  cap.  14.  and  Huetim  in  his 
 Alnetan£  §>n <efii ones, Lib. \l  cap.  12.//.26.  which  things 
 ^re  alledged  out  of  their  Books,  not  to  prove  all  fuch 
 Stories  to  be  true  j  but  that  they  thought  them  true, 
 
 and 
 
upon    NUMBERS.  449 
 
 thought  it  did  not  exceed  the  power  of  their  Gods  Chapter 
 to  effeft  fuch  things.     Nor  could  they  except  againft     XXII. 
 the  Bible,  becaufe  of  the  ftrange  things  there  reported,  L/"V~\J 
 the  like  Wonders  being  commonly  believed  among 
 themfelves.    Which  if  they  were  devifed  by  the  Gen- 
 tile Writers,    it  was,  in  all  likelyhood ,  out  of  this 
 Sacred  Hiftory  5  that  they  might  not  feem  to  come  be- 
 hind the  j^iP-rinany  thing,  which  might  give  credit 
 to  their  own  Religion. 
 
 liMaimon'ides  had  been  acquainted  with  fuch  things 
 asthefe,  he  would  not  have  faid,  that  all  this  which 
 hapned  to  Balaam  in  the  way  to  Balak,  was  done  in 
 a  Prophetical  Vifion ,  P.  II.  More  Nevochim,  cap.  42. 
 which  is  the  Conceit  of  R.  Levi  ben  Ger/0/// alfo,  who 
 compares  this  with  what  we  read  I  Hof.  3,  &c.  con- 
 cerning the  Prophets  taking  a  Wife  of  Whoredoms, 
 &c.  and  denies  the  literal  fence  merely,  becaufe  he 
 could  not  imagine  how  an  Afs  (hould  be  made  to 
 fpeak.  No,  nor  could  he,  or  anyManelfe  tell,  how 
 fuch  a  Reprefentation  could  be  made  to  the  Prophet's 
 imagination  in  a  Vifion,  but  by  the  power  of  God  5 
 to  whom  the  one  was  as  eafie  as  the  other. 
 
 What  have  I  done  unto  thee,  that  thou  haft  f mote  me 
 thefe  three  times  ?~]  There  was  fome  caufe  5  for  his 
 Foot  was  crufhed,  and  he  fell  with  her :  but  the  Afs 
 could  not  help  it. 
 
 Ver.  29.  And  Balaam  faid  unto  the  Afs.~]  One  would  Verfe  29. 
 have  expected  that  he  fhould  have  been  aftonifhed, 
 and  ftruck  as  dumb  as  the  Afs  naturally  was,tohear  her 
 fpeak  fo  plain,and  expoftuiate  with  him.But  he  was  in 
 a  rage,  or  rather  fury  5  fo  that  for  the  prefent,he  did 
 not  confider  any  thing  ,  but  her  untoward  crofnefs. 
 St.  Peter  obferves  fo  much  ,  when  he  faith  the  dumb 
 Afs  rebuked  the  madnefs  of  the  Prophet.     Where  the 
 
 M  m  m  word 
 
450  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  word  n*e£Pe*»"*  is  unufual  in  the  Greeks  Language 
 
 XXII.  fignifying  that  he  was  beftde  himfclf,  not  knowing 
 U"VNJ  what  he  faid  or  did :  partly  out  of  Anger  b  and  part- 
 ly becaufe  he  was  poffefled  with  an  eager  defire  and 
 hope,  to  ferve  Balai,  and  get  the  Rdches  and  honour 
 he  promifed  him,  now  that  he  had  got  leave  of  God 
 to  go  to  him. 
 
 Becaufe  thou  haft  mocked  me.~]  Or,  as  the  Arabick. 
 Verfion,  printed  at  Pom,  tranflates  it,  thrown  me  in 
 the  dirt.  But  they  feem  to  have  read  the  word  other 
 ways  than  it  is  in  the  Hebrew :  where  it  fignifies  either 
 mocking,  or  expofing  to  Scorn  and  Laughter. 
 
 I  would  there  were  a  Sword  in  my  hand,  for  now  would 
 I  kill  thee."]  This  (hows  the  heighth  of  his  Rage,  to 
 be  thus  crofled  in  his  Defigns  5  and,  as  the  Jewifj 
 Doctors  take  it,  the  height  of  his  folly  alfo  :  that  he 
 ihould  pretend  to  be  able  to  deftroy  the  whole  Con- 
 gregation of  Ifiael  with  his  Inchantments,  who  need- 
 ed a  Swotd  to  kill  a  poor  Afs. 
 Verfe  30.  Ver.  30.  And  the  Afs  faid  unto  Balaam,  am  not  I 
 thine  Afs.~]  This  doth  not  prove  that  the  Afs  under- 
 stood what  Balaam  faid,  and  thereupon  returned  this 
 pertinent  Anfwer  5  but  that  the  fame  power  which 
 made  the  Afs  fpeak  at  firft,  continued  to  form  fuchan 
 Anfwer  as  might  convince  Balaam  of  his  Error. 
 
 Vpon  which  thou  haft  ridden  ever  Jince  I  was  thine, 
 unto  this  day?-]  The  Hebrew  words  will  not  bear 
 this  fence  5  but  are  exactly  rendred  in  the  Margin  of 
 our  Bibles,  ever  Jince  thou  waft,  that  is,  a  Rider  •  e- 
 yer  fince  thou  beganft  to  ride,  as  Aben-Ezra  expounds 
 it.  Whence  many  render  it,  from  thy  youth  ;  which 
 may  be  fuppofed  to  be  a  long  time;  Balaam,  in  all 
 likelyhood,  being  now  no  young  Man,  but  for  ma- 
 ny years  a  famous  Prophet. 
 
 Was 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  4^1 
 
 Was  I  ever  wont  to  do  fo  unto  thee  ?]     Haft  thou  not  Chapter 
 had  fufficient  Experience,  in  fomany  years  as  I  have     XXIL 
 ferved  thee,  of  my  fare  going?  As  much  as  to  fay,  t/V^SJ 
 thou  fhouldft  have  thought  fome  unwonted  Caufe 
 had  forced  me  to  do  three  times  what  I  dever  did  be- 
 fore. 
 
 And  hefaid,  Nay."]  He  could  not  but  allow  the 
 truth  of  what  was  fpoken  by  the  Afs. 
 
 Ver.  31.  Then  the  LO  RD  opened  the  Eyes  ofBa-^j    r 
 laam.']     He  was  not  blind  before  }  but  his  Eyes  were    er   J>1' 
 held,  as  the  Eyes  of  the  Men  of  Sodom  were,  who 
 could  not  fee  Lot's  door  ,  though  they  found  their 
 way  to  their  own  home,  XIX  Gen.  1. 
 
 And  hefaw  the  Angel  of  the  L  0  R  D  Jianding  in  the 
 way^  and  his  Sword  drawn  in  his  hand.]  He  under- 
 ftood  the  true  Caufe  of  the  Affes  turning  afide,  and 
 falling  under  him. 
 
 And  he  bowed  down  his  head  ,  and  fell  flat  upon  his 
 face.]  He  firft  bowed  his  Head,  and  then  his  whole 
 Body,  in  token  of  his  moft  profound  Reverence. 
 
 Ver.  32.  And  the  Angel  of  the  LORD  faid  untoV&k  32, 
 him  ,  wherefore  hast  thon  fmitten  thy  Afs  thefe  three 
 times  ?~]  This  ferves  to  teach  us ,  faith  Maimonides^ 
 not  to  ufe  Cruelty  towards  Beafts,  but  to  treat  them 
 gently  and  mercifully,  More  Nevochim,  P.Wl.cap.ij. 
 or  rather,  as  another  of  them  makes  the  Angel  fay  to 
 Balaam  ^  If  I  am  commanded  to  reprove  thee  for  thy 
 Injuftice  to  thy  Afs,  how  much  more  for  thy  wick- 
 ed Intention  to  deftroy  a  whole  Nation.  But  the 
 drift  of  this  Speech  feems  to  be ,  to  reprehend  the 
 brutifh  ftupidity  of  the  Prophet,  in  not  apprehend- 
 ing fome  extraordinary  Hand  of  God,  which  turned 
 his  Afs  afide  fo  oft,  and  at  laft  made  her  fpeak. 
 
 M  m  m  2  Behold^ 
 
452  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Behold,  I  went  out  to  withjiand  thee.  "]     I  was  tlie 
 XXII.     caufe  of  thy  Afles  turning  out  of  the  way,  and  fal- 
 L/'VX;  ling  down,  by  my  (landing  in  the  Path  to  oppofe 
 thee,  and  ftop  thy  proceedings,  v.  22. 
 
 Becaufe  thy  way  is  per  v  erf e  before  me.~]  His  Intenti- 
 ons and  Purpofes  were  not  fincere  and  honeft  :  for 
 pretending  to  obey  God,  he  defigned ,  if  he  could, 
 toferveBrf/rf^.  The  word  we  tranflate  perverfe,  fig- 
 nifies  perplexed  and  intricate  in  the  Arabian  Language: 
 and  fo  Bochartus  thinks  it  fhould  be  translated  here. 
 Verfe  33.  Ver.  33.  An  A  the  Afsfaw  me,  and  turned  away  from 
 me  thefe  three  times."]  I  was  merciful  unto  thee,  in 
 letting  the  Afs  fee  me  3  which  faved  thy  Life  :  as  it 
 here  follows. 
 
 Unlefs  the  Afs  had  turned  from  me,  furely  now  I  had 
 flain  thee,  and  faved  her  alive."]  It  had  coft  thee  thy 
 life,  if  the  Afs  had  gone  forward  5  and  thy  Life  a- 
 lone  :  for  I  would  not  have  done  any  hurt  to  her. 
 
 Ver.  34.  And  Balaam  faid  unto  the  Angel  of  the 
 LORD,  I have  finned.]  It  is  not  certain  that  this 
 refers  to  any  fenfe  he  had  of  the  perverfe  difpofition 
 of  his  Heart  3  for  it  may  have  refpeft  only  to  hisout- 
 rageoufnefs  againft  his  Afs ,  which  he  confefTes  was 
 without  caufe* 
 
 For  J  knew  not  that  thou  Jloodeli  in  the  way  againft 
 me.]  Or  rather,  But  I  knew  not ,  &c.  for  this  feems 
 to  be  faid  in  excufe  of  himfelf  ;  from  his  ignorance, 
 that  the  Afs  was  turned  out  of  the  way  by  the  An- 
 gel. 
 
 Now  therefore,  if  it  dijpleafe  thee,   I  will  get  me  back^ 
 again."]     He  would  not  underftand  the  Angel  right  $ 
 who  did  not  find  fault  with  his  going  to  Balal^,  but 
 with  his  going  with  fuch  bad  Intentions. 
 
 Ver, 
 
upon     NUMBERS.  453 
 
 Ver.  35.  And  the  Angel  of  the  LOR  D  faid  unto   Chapter 
 Balaam,  Go  with  the  Men7\     As  God  had  before  bid-     XXII. 
 den  him,  v.  20.  and  did  not  fend  the  Angel  to  for-  t^s^s*^ 
 bid  what  he  had  allowed.  Verfe  35. 
 
 But  the  word  that  I  Jloall fyeak^  unto  thee,  that  thou 
 floalt Jj>eak-~]Thde  words  are  fomething;  different  from 
 thofe  in  v.  20.  importing  both,  that  he  (hould  not 
 prefume  to  fpeak  a  word  but  what  he  ordered  ,  and 
 that  he  (hould  not  forbear  to  fpeak  what  he  bad 
 him. 
 
 And  Balaam  went  with  the  Princes  of  Balak^Nhom 
 he  overtook  after  this  ftop,  either  at  the  place  where 
 they  lodged,  or  where  they  ftaid  for  him  :  but  he 
 did  not  tell  them  what  he  met  withal  in  the  way. 
 
 Ver.  36.  And  when  Balah^  heard  that  Balaam  wasVerk  26* 
 come.']     By  feme  Meflenger  fent  before,  to  acquaint 
 him  with  his  coming. 
 
 He  went  out  to  meet  him.~]  Partly  out  of  joy  5  and 
 partly  out  of  refpeft  to  him. 
 
 Unto  a  City  of  Moab,  which  is  in  the  border  of  Ar- 
 non.~]     This  City  feems  to  have  been  Ar,  XXI.  1 5. 
 
 Which  is  in  the  utmoft  CoaftT^Az  did  him  the  honour 
 to  meet  him,  at  the  very  entrance  of  his  Country  5 
 and  did  not  think  it  fufficient  to  fend  fome  of  his 
 Court  to  receive  him. 
 
 Ver.  37.  And  Balah^  faid  unto  Balaam,  did  not  7  Verfe  27. 
 earnestly  fend  unto  thee  to  call  thee  f\  After  this  Com- 
 plement was  paid  to  Balaam,  the  King  could  not  for- 
 bear to  let  him  know,  he  did  not  think  himfelf  well 
 ufedbyhim^  whom  he  had  earneftly  intreated  to 
 come  to  him,  and  at  the  firft  he  would  not. 
 
 Wherefore  camefi  thou  not  unto  me  f\  As  foon  as  I 
 fent  for  thee* 
 
 Am 
 
454 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Am  I  not  able  indeed  to  promote  thee  to   honour  $  " 
 XXII.     Doft  thou  doubt  of  my  power  to  make  thee  a  great 
 l^VNJ  Man,  if  thou  gratified  me  in  my  defire?    And  his 
 readinefs  he  ftiowed  by  this  honourable  Reception  of 
 him, 
 Verfe  38.       Ver.  38.  And  Balaam  [aid  unto   Balak,   Lo,  I  am 
 come  unto  thee.]     Say  no  more  of  that  5  but  be  fatis- 
 fied  that  I  am  now  come. 
 
 Have  I  now  any  power  at  all  to  fay  any  thing  f]  Yet 
 he  would  not  have  him  expeft,  that  he  fhould  do  all 
 that  ILz/^defired,  or  he  himfelf  was  inclined  to  do : 
 for  he  was  under  an  higher, over-ruling  Power,  which 
 he  could  not  gainfay. 
 
 The  word  that  God  putteth  in  my  mouth  ,  that  frail  I 
 (j>eal{.~]  He  feems  to  acquaint  him,  that  he  had  recei- 
 ved fuch  a  Command  from  God,  ^.35.  and  he  muft 
 be  obedient. 
 Verfe  39.  Ver.  39.  And  Balaam  went  with  Balak.  ]  This  did 
 not  difcourage  the  King  of  Moab  from  carrying  Ba- 
 laam along  with  him  into  his  Country  5  where  he 
 hoped  he  might  be  perfwaded  to  do  as  he  would  have 
 him. 
 
 And  they  came  unto  Kirjath-huzoth.  ~]  The  Royal 
 City,  it  is  likely  $  for  it  fignifies  in  our  Language  the 
 City  of  Streets  :  that  is,  a  large  City,  which  had  ma* 
 ny  Streets  (and  confequently)  Inhabitants  in  it. 
 
 Verfe  4.0-  ^er*  40,  ^n^  ^a^  °fferec^  Oxen  and  Sheep."]  In 
 thankfulnefs  that  he  had  procured  Balaams  affiftance, 
 as  he  hoped,  againft  his  Enemies. 
 
 And  fent  to  Balaam."]  They  were  fuch  Sacrifices  as 
 the  Jews  called  Peace-offerings  5  of  which  the  Offerers 
 had  a  fhare  for  themfelves  and  for  their  Friends :  and 
 the  Sacrifice  being  over,B^4  invited  Balaam  to  come 
 to  the  Feaft  he  made  thereupon. 
 
 And 
 
upon  NUMBERS-  455 
 
 And  to  the  Princes  that  were  with  him."]     The  Prin-    Chapter 
 ces,  I  fuppofe,  of  Midian  and  of  Moab,  who  were   XXII. 
 fent  on  the  EmbaflTy  to  him,  and  had  fucceeded  in  itD  L/"VSJ 
 
 ©.  7»  I5'- 
 
 Ver.  41.  And  it  came  to  pafs  that  on  the  morrow.  ~\  Verfe  41, 
 
 Having  refted  one  Night  after  his  Journey,  Bala\ 
 would  have  him  immediately  go  about  his  bufinefs  , 
 and  fee  what  he  could  do  for  him. 
 
 Balak  took^  Balaam.'}     Into  his  Chariot. 
 
 And  brought  him  tip  into  the  High-place's  of  Baal.  ] 
 All  Nations  worfliipped  their  Gods  in  High-places  3 
 and  Baal  was  the  God  of  this  Country  3  who  was 
 worfliipped  in  more  High-places  than  one  3  unto  all 
 which  he  brought  Balaam  ,  that  he  might  fee  where 
 he  could  take  the  fulleft  view  of  the  Israelites  ,  and 
 which  of  them  would  be  fitted:  for  his  purpofe.  Thefe 
 High-places  were  full  of  Trees  and  very  (hady,  (  as  I 
 obferved  XXVI  Lev.  30.)  which  made  them  the  fitter 
 both  for  the  folemn  Thoughts  and  Prayers  of  fuch  as 
 were  devout,  and  for  the  filthy  Inclinations  and  In- 
 tentions of  the  wicked.     B^/was  the  Name  of  fe~ 
 veralGods,  both  Male  and  Female^  as  our  Selden 
 (hows  in  his  Syntagma  II.  de  Dm  Syris^  cap.  1.     And 
 I  fuppofe  Chemojhi  the  God  of  Moab  ,  is   here  called 
 by  this  Name,  (fignifying  a  Lord)  though  that  great 
 Man  feems  to  take  it  for  Baal-Peor  ,  cap.  2.  of  that 
 Book. 
 
 That  thence  he  might  fee  the  utmost  of  the  People.  ] 
 i.  e.  All  their  Armies  3  to  the  very  skirts  of  their 
 Camp. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
456 
 
 Chapter 
 XXIII. 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 CHAP.     XXIII, 
 
 Verfe  I.    Ver.  I.    A  JV  D  Balaam  faid  unto  Balal^,  build  mt 
 
 Jf\  here.']    Upon  one  of  the  High-places } 
 
 which  Balaam,  it  is  likely,  pitched  upon  as  fit  for  his 
 
 purpofe.  -n 
 
 Seven  Altars.  ~\  The  number  Seven  was  much  ob- 
 ferved  we  find  among  the  Hebrews,  by  God's  order, 
 (See  IV  Lev.  6.)  but  we  never  read  of  more  than  one 
 Altar  built  by  the  Patriarchs,  when  they  offered  their 
 Sacrifices  $  nor  was  more  than  one  allowed  by  Mofes. 
 Therefore  in  this  there  was  fomething  of  the  Heathen 
 Superftition  :  who  worfhipping  the  Sun,  (  who  is 
 principally  meant  by  Baal)  offered  alfo  to  all  theye- 
 ven  Planets.  Unlefs  we  allow  the  Conje&nre  of  For- 
 tunatm  Scaccm,  who  imagines  that  as  Mofes  ere&ed 
 twelve  Pillars  according  to  the  number  of  the  Chil- 
 dren of  Ifrael,  when  he  entred  them  into  the  Cove- 
 nant of  God,  (XXIV  Exod.  4.)  fo  Balaam  ordered 
 feven  Altars  to  be  ere&ed,  according  to  the  number  of 
 the  principal  Houfes  of  Moab,  Myrothec.  Sacr.  EUo- 
 chr'jfm.  P.  II.  cap.  59.  But  there  is  no  ground  for  the 
 conceit  of  Abarbinel^  who,  in  his  Preface  to  Leviti- 
 cus, fe&.  4.  faith,  Balaam  ordered  this  in  emulation 
 of  the  feven  acceptable  Altars  to  God,  built  by  feven 
 Men  famous  for  Piety  5  viz,  Adam,  Abel,  Noah,  Abra- 
 ham, Ifaac,  Jacob,  and  Mofes.  There  is  more  cer- 
 tainty in  this,that  thefe  Altars  were  erefted  in  honour 
 either  of  the  mod:  High,  or  of  the  greateft  of  their 
 Gods.     For  according  to  the  account,  which  both 
 
 Fefiuf 
 
upon  NUMBER  S.  457 
 
 Feflus  and  Servius  have  giv.cn  us  of  the  ancient  times,  Chapter 
 they  facrificed  to  the  Calejtial  Gods  only  upon  Jltars    XXIII. 
 (which  were  fo  called,  becaufe  they   were   ar<e  alu^l^VSJ 
 built  high  and  lofty)  whereas,  to  the  lerrefirial  thzy 
 facrificed  upon  the  Earth  ;  and  to  the  Infernal  God% 
 in  holes  digged  in  the  Earth. 
 
 And  prepare  -me  here  [even  Oxen  and  f even  Rams.  ] 
 To  offer  one  of  each  upon  the  feveral  Altars  ,  as  it 
 follows  v.  i.  This  number  was  ufed  by  pious  Per- 
 fons,  both  in  thefe  days ,  XLIIjW.8.  and  in  after 
 times,  i  Chron.  XV.  26. 
 
 Ver.  2.  And  Balak  did  -as  Balaam  had  $ok$n7\  Cau-Verfe  2. 
 fed  the  Altars  to  be  built  (which  was  foon  done.,  ei- 
 ther of  Stones,  or  of  Turf  )  and  the  Sacrifices  to tae 
 brought. 
 
 And  Balak^and  Balaam  offered  on  every  Altar  a  BuU 
 lock,  and  a  Ram.']  Kings^in  ancient  times,  were  rPrieds 
 alfo  $  as  appears  by  Melchi<z,ede\ :  But  perhaps  Balak 
 only  prefented  the  Sacrifices  to  be  offered  for  him,and 
 for  his  People  5  and  Balaam  performed  the  Office  of 
 a  Priefl:.  If  he  only  doubt  is,  to  whom  thefe  Sacrifi- 
 ces were  offered.  I  fuppofe  each  of  them  had  their 
 feveral  Intentions :  Balak,  fupplicating  Baal  by  them  5 
 and  Balaam  making  his  Prayer  to  the  LORD, 
 though  with  fuch  Superfluous  Ceremonies,  it  is  like- 
 ly, as  were  ufed  by  the  Worfhippersof  Baal^  in  one 
 of  whofe  High-places  thefe  Sacrifices  were  offered. 
 But  it  may  alfo  be  fuppofed,  that  Balaam  telling  Ba- 
 lak he  could  not  effeft  any  thing  without  the  LOUD, 
 the  God  of  Ifiael ,  perfwaded  him  to  joyn  with  him 
 at  prefent  in  his  Worlhip,  that  they  might  prevail 
 with  him  to  withdraw  his  prefence  from  the  Jfrae- 
 lites.  For  there  is  no  reafon  to  think,  that  Balaam 
 would  go  to  enquire  of  the  LORD,  when  he  hid  Sa- 
 
 N  n  n  crificed 
 
45S  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  crificed  to  other  Gods.  And  it  appears  evidently 
 XXIII.  from  v.\.  that  he  pretended  to  Sacrifice  unto  God  $ 
 L/^V"\J  and  would  not  have  prefumed  furely  to  tell  him  fo,  if 
 
 he  meant  otherwife. 
 Verfe  3.        Ver.  3.  And  Balaam  fa'id  unto  Balak7\     When  he 
 had  laid  the  pieces  upon  the  Altars. 
 
 Stand  by  the  Burnt-offering.']  Attend  thy  Sacrifice, 
 and  pray  to  God  to  accept  it.  By  this  it  appears  that 
 thefe  Sacrifices  were  of  a  different  Nature  from  thofe 
 mentioned  in  XXII.  40.  being  Burnt-offerings  which 
 were  wholly  confumed.  And  one  of  them  feems  to 
 have  been  offered  particularly  for  Balah^ which  he  calls 
 his  Burnt-offering  5  as  the  reft  were  for  the  Princes  of 
 Moab,  who,  it  is  likely ,  ftood  by  them  reprefenting 
 all  the  People. 
 
 And  here  it  is  to  be  obferved,  that  in  old  time,  be- 
 fore the  Law  ofMofes  was  g\ven,Burnt-offerings  ferved 
 for  all  purpofes  in  Divine  Worfhip  :  whether  they 
 gave  thanks  for  Bleffing:,  or  deprecated  evil  things, 
 or  prayed  for  good.  Thus  Noah,  when  he  returned 
 Thanks  to  God  for  his  prefervation  in  the  Ark,offered 
 Burnt-offerings, VIII  Gen.  20.  And  when  Job  befeech- 
 ed  God  to  pardon  his  Sons  ,  I.  5.  and  his  Friends, 
 XLII.  8.  he  offered  Sacrifices  of  this  fort :  andfo  did 
 Balal^md  Balaamherz  ufe  them,  to  procure  BlefHngs 
 upon  Moab,  and  a  Curfe  upon  Ifraet. 
 
 And  I  will go.~]  By  my  felf,  into  fome  private 
 place,  to  confult  with  God,  and  to  exercife  his  In- 
 chantments  (as  may  be  gathered  from XXIV. i.)where- 
 by  he  thought  he  might  prevail  for  fuch  a  power 
 as  he  defired,  of  Curfing  the  People  of  Ifrael. 
 
 Ver  adventure  the  ,ORD  will  come  to  meet  me.  ] 
 He  durft  not  be  col  jdent,becaufe  he  had  lately  oppo- 
 fed  his  proceeding  (XXII.31.)  in  a  frightful  manner. 
 
 And 
 
upon  NUMBERS,  45c? 
 
 And  whatfoever  he  fie wet h  me.']     Whatfoever  he  rer    Chapter 
 veals  to  me,   either  by  word  ord.herwife.  XXIIL 
 
 I  will  tell  thee.^j     Deal  faithfully  with  thee,and  con-  u^V%J 
 ceal  nothing  from  thee. 
 
 And  he  recnt  to  an  High- place.]  Or  rather,  into  a 
 Valley,  for  he  was  now  in  an  High-place  when  he  Sa- 
 crificed 3  and  did  not  go  into  another  High-place, 
 but  down  into  the  Plain  (as  the  Hebrew,  word  pro- 
 perly fignifies  )  where  he  might  in  iome  folitary  Re- 
 tirement, addrefs  himfelf  to  Cod  ,  and  expeft  his 
 Prefence  with  him.  So  we  tranflate  it  in  the  Margin, 
 he  went  folitary.  Therefore,  if  we  retain  the  other 
 translation,  it  rauft  be  under  flood  of  feme  part  of 
 the  High-place,  where  he  might  be  folitary,  viz.  into 
 the  Grove,  which  High-places  feldom  wanted.  In 
 thefe  High-places  they  built  their  Temples,  and  had 
 their  Oracles  3  as  we  learn  from  Jujlin,  Lib.  XXIV. 
 cap.  6.  where,he  faith, the  Temple  of  Apollo  ,  pofittim 
 eli  in  monte  Parnafo,  &c.  was  feated  upon  the  Moun- 
 tain Parnaffus  :  and  from  Paufanias,  who  fpeaking'of 
 the  Cave  of  Trophonius  in  Bceotia,  faith,  %&  g  70  /llccv 
 t£ov  \gs$f  70  aAo-©^  &3ri  tS  opus,  the  Oracle  is  in  a 
 Grove  upon  a  Mountain.  The  like  might  be  obfer- 
 ved  of  other  Oracles :  which  may  countenance  this 
 Conje&ure,  that  fome  fuch  pretended  Oracle  might 
 be  in  this  High-place,  where  Balaam  went  for  dire- 
 ction from  God. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  God  met  Balaam.  ]  Appeared  unto  yerfe  a 
 him,as  he  had  been  wont  to  do  in  other  places,XXII. 
 9,  20.  where  the  word  Elohim  is  conftantly  ufed,  as 
 it  is  here,  and  every  where  elfe,  till  we  come  to  verfe 
 16.  Which  ftrengthens  the  opinion,  that  the  LORD 
 hitherto  fpake  to  him  only  by  an  Angel. 
 
 N  n  n  2  And 
 
4«5o  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       And  hefaidunto  hint."]  i.  e.  Balaam  (aid  unto  God, 
 XXIII.    when  he  (aw  him  appear. 
 
 [^~\/~\J  '  I  have,  prepared  feven  Altars,  and  have  offered  upon 
 every  Altar  a  Bul/ock^nd  a  Ram.']  This  (hows  he  fa- 
 crificed  unto  God,  and  not  unto  Bad:  and  he  repre- 
 fents  it  to  God,  that  he  might  be  moved  thereby,  to 
 condefcend  to  his  defire.  tor  Sacrificing  was  a  form 
 of  Supplication,  as  we  find  in  other  places  ,  particu- 
 larly 1  Sam.  XIII.  12.  and  that  which  he  begged  of 
 God,  was,  in  all  likelyhood,that  he  would  give  him 
 power  to  Curfe  Ifrael. 
 
 Ver.  5.  And  he  put  a  word  into  Balaam  s  month.  ] 
 Told  him  what  he  (hould  fay.  And  therefore,  faith 
 Maimonides,  he  fpake  by  the  Spirit  of  God:  which 
 he  makes  account  was  the  fecond  degree  of  Prophe- 
 cy. Whence  that  Deicription  Balaam  gives  of  him- 
 felf,  he  hath  faid,  who  heard  the  words  of  God,  P.  II. 
 More  Nevoihim,  f.  45. 
 
 And  faid,  Return  unto  Balal^,  and  thus  /halt  thou 
 fpeakf]  He  commanded  him  to  fpeak  unto  Balal^, 
 "at  his  return  to  him,  as  he  was  inftru&ed,  and  no  o- 
 therwife.  The  words  he  bad  him  fpeak  ,  are  thofe 
 that  we  read  below,  v.  7,  8,  &c. 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  he  returned  unto  him,  and  lo  he  flood  by 
 kfc  Bumt-facr/fice.~]  He  found  him  in  the  very  fame 
 pofture  wherein  he  left  him  (  v.  3.  )  Which  (hows 
 Balaam  did  not  go  far,  nor  (lay  long  before  he  re- 
 turned :  and  that  Balak,  was  earneft  in  his  Supplica- 
 tions. 
 
 He  and  all  the  Princes  of  Mo  a  I?. ~]     Who  were  con- 
 cerned in  the  good  Succefs  of  this  Negotiation. 
 Verfe  7.        Ver.  7.  And  he  took.up.~\     An  Hebrew  phrafe  for 
 jpealyng  aloud. 
 
 Hk 
 
upon  NUMBER  S.  %6t 
 
 His  V arable.'}  Or,  Prophetical  Speech  5  which  was   Chapter 
 fometimes  delivered  in  Parables,  properly  fo  called :    XXIII. 
 that  is,  not  in  plain  Words^  but  in  apt  Figures,  and  s-'*"V->^ 
 Resemblances  y  (  concerning  which   fee  Maimonides, 
 P.  II.  cap.  43.)    But  here  the  word  Parable  Signifies, 
 as  it  doth  in  the  Book  of  Job,  a  weighty  Speech,  ex- 
 preflfed  in  fublime  and  majeftick  words,  XX VII  Job- 1. 
 XXIX.  1. 
 
 And/aid,  Balak^the  King  of  Moab  hath  brought  me 
 from  Aram.}     See  XXII.  5. 
 
 From  the  Mountains  of  the  EaB.}  The  Country  of 
 Mefopotamia  lay  Eaftward  of  Moab :  and  in  that  part 
 of  it  towards  Arabia,  was  ftony  and  mountainous.  See' 
 Bochartus  in  his  Phaleg.  Lib.  II.  cap.  6. 
 
 Saying,  Come  curfe  me  Jacob,  and  come,  defie  Ifrael.} 
 Two  different  Expreflions  for  the  fame  thing  5  only 
 the  latter  word  (which  we  tranflate  defie)  imports 
 fomething  of  fury  -0  becaufe  he  would  have  had  him 
 curfe  them  in  fuch  a  Prophetick  Rage,  as  Should  have 
 the  moft  direful  Effe&s  upon  them. 
 
 Ver.  8.  How  flail  I  curfe  him  whom  God  hath  #0*  Verfe  8. 
 curfed,  See]  As  much  as  if  he  had  faid  ,  Balak^  de- 
 fires  of  me  that  which  is  impo'iible.  In  the  Hierufa- 
 lem  Targum  this  verfe  is  thus  paraphrafed  ,  How  flail  I 
 curfe  the  Houfe  of  Jacob,  when  the  WORD  of  the 
 LORD  hath  blejfed  them  ?  or  how  flail  I  diminifl)  the 
 Family  of  Ifrael,  when  the  Word  of  the  LORD  hath 
 multiplied  them  ? 
 
 Ver.  9.  For  from  the  top  of  the  Rocks.}  Upon  which  Verfe  9, 
 he  then  ftood,  when  he  fpake  thefe  words. 
 
 I  fee  him.}  As  Balak  dzfaed  he  might,  (XXII.41.) 
 though  for  another  purpofe^  that  he  might  curfe 
 them. 
 
 And 
 
452  A     COMMENTART 
 
 Chapter  ■  And  from  the  Hills  I  behold  hUxT]  The  fame  thing 
 XXIII.  again,  in  other  words,  according  to  the  manner  of 
 the  Eaftern  People.  And  both  thefe  may  relate,  not 
 only  to  the  prefent  view  he  had  of  the  Camp  oflfrael, 
 but  to  their  future  Settlement  in  their  own  Land  5 
 wherein  they  were  reprefented  to  him  as  dwelling  fe- 
 curely  ,  under  the  fpecial  Protection  of  the  Al- 
 mighty. » 
 
 Lo,  the  People  fiall  dwell.  ~]  In  the  Land  of  Caz 
 naan. 
 
 Alone."]  Not  mingled  with  other  Nations,  but  fe- 
 parated  from  them  by  different  Laws,  Religion,  and 
 Manners.  It  feems  alfo  to  import  their  Security  and 
 Safety,  by  the  Situation  of  their  Country,  and  God's 
 care  of  them. 
 
 And jh all  not  be  reckoned  among  the  Nations."]  Be 
 a  peculiar  People  by  themfelves  $  and  therefore  not 
 liable  to  the  power  of  my  Curfes,  like  other  Nations. 
 All  this  came  to  pafs,  partly  by  the  natural  fituation 
 of  their  Country,  which  was  furrounded  with  high 
 Mountains,  and  rocky  Precipices,  fo  that  the  coming 
 to  it  was  very  difficult :  but  more  efpecially  by  their 
 Rites  and  Cuftoms  ^  and  particularly  by  their  Diet, 
 which  retrained  them  from  common  Converfation 
 with  other  Nations  ,  becaufe  they  could  not  eat  of 
 their  Food  (Swines*flefh,for  inftance,which  was  a  de- 
 licate Di(h  among  the  Gentiles,  was  an  Abomination 
 to  the  Ifraclites)  By  which  means  they  were  the  bet- 
 ter fecured  from  learning  the  Religion  of  the  Gen- 
 tiles,  having  fo  little  Communication  with  them,  that 
 they  were  called  by  Diodorus  Siculus,  and  others,  an 
 vnfociable  People,  and  thought  to  have  an  Enmity  to 
 the  reft  of  the  World. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon    NUMBERS.  463 
 
 Ver.  10.  Who  can  count  the  dull  of  Jacob?"]     This  Chapter 
 may  refer  either  to  their  prefent,  or  their  future  In-    XXII I. 
 creafe  $  which  was  fo  great,  that  they  might  be  com-  l/V\j 
 pared  to  the  Duft  of  the  Earth,  or  the  Sand  on  the  Verfe  10. 
 Sea-fhore,  which   is   without  number.     Hereby  he 
 confirmed  the  Promife  made  by  God  to  Abraham  JL\\\ 
 Gen.  16.  and  to  Ifrael,  XXVIII.  14.  where  he  faith 
 exprefly,  Thy  Seedfiall  be  as  the  duft  of  the  Earth. 
 
 And  the  number  of  the  fourth  fart  of  Ifrael.  ~]  Any 
 one  of  their  Camps  5  every  one  of  which  was  grown 
 to  a  vaft  number.  For  the  whole  Hoft  of  Ifrael  was 
 divided  into  Jw/r  Camps,  under  the  Standards  of  Ju- 
 daic Reuben,  Ephraim  and  Dan,  (as  we  read  in  the 
 fecond  Chapter  of  this  Bool^ )  one  of  which  Camps  lay 
 more  plainly  before  him  than  the  reft,  viz.  that  on 
 the  Weft,  under  the  Standard  of  Ephraim. 
 
 Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous .]  By  the  Righ- 
 teous he  means  Ifrael :  who  were  now  a  People  free 
 from  Idolatry  5  which  was  the  great  Crime  of  thofe 
 days.  And  he  defires  either  to  be  as  happy  as  they 
 in  the  other  World  5  or  that  he  might  not  die  an  im- 
 mature and  violent  Death,  but  enjoy  fuch  a  long  Life 
 here,  as  was  promifed  to  them.  The  Author  of  &- 
 phar  Cofri  takes  it  in  the  former  fence  5  ailed ging  this 
 place  as  a  proof  that  a  future  ftate  was  believed  in  an- 
 cient Times,  though  not  fo  clearly  expreffed  in  the 
 Prophetical  Writings,  as  other  things  are  :  for  there 
 is  a  certain  Prayer,  faith  he,  of  one  that  prophecied 
 by  the  Holy  Ghoft,  who  defired  that  he  might  die  the 
 death  of  the  righteous,  Pars  \.fe&.  115. 
 
 And  my  lali  end  be  like  his7\  Or ,  Let  my  Pofierity 
 (for  fo  the  word  we  here  tranflate  lafi  end  often  figni- 
 fies,  CIX  PfaL  13.  XI  Dan.  4.)  or,  thofe  that  come  of- 
 ter  me^  be  like  unto  his  Defendants. 
 
 Ver. 
 
464  A    COMMENTART 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  1 1 .  And  Bala'k.  faid  unto  Balaam, what  haft  thou 
 XXII.    done  unto  me  f\     This  is  very  furprifing. 
 
 ^/^v^VJ       I tool<^ thee  to  curfc  mine  Enemies ,   and  behold,  thou 
 
 Verfe  1 1 .  half  bleffed  them  altogether."]  Thou  haft  not  only  fru- 
 ftrated  my  defires,  in  not  curfing  them  5  but  quite 
 contrary ;haft  pronounced  great  Bleffings  upon  rtiem, 
 Yoy  to  the  Hebrew  words ■  fignifie  ,  Bfeffed  them  with 
 bUffings* 
 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  And  he  anfwered  and  faid,  Muff  I  not  take 
 heedtojpcak.  that  which  the  1  0  RD  hath  put  in  my 
 mouth  fS  He  had  told  him  fo  before,more  than  once, 
 (XXII.  2].  XX1IL  3.)  and  now  makes  him  Judge, 
 Whether  it  was  fafe  for  him  to  difobey  the  L  O  R  D, 
 to  comply  with  his  Defires. 
 
 Verfe  I 3.  ^er*  l  3*  And  Balakfaid  unto  him,  come  I  pray  thee 
 with  me,  to  another  place.]  He  thought  Balaam  gave 
 him  a  reafonable  Anfwer^  and  therefore  gently  in- 
 treatshim  to  make  a  trial,  whether  God  would  be 
 pleafed  to  be  more  favourable  to  his  defires,  if  he 
 fought  him  in  forne  other  place.  For  whatfoever 
 Bcilaam  thought  of  this  matter  ,  Balal^  was  poffeffed 
 with  a  Superftitious  Fancy,  that  the  very  Place  or 
 Profpeft  had  been  a  Caufe  concurrent  to  produce  the 
 contrary  Effeft  to  whathedefired  3  and  therefore  in- 
 treated  he  would  come  with  him  to  another,where  he 
 might  not  fee  too  many  of  them  at  once. 
 
 From  whence  thou  maifl  fee  them.']  It  feems  this 
 was  thought  neceflary  to  make  their  Curfes  effeftual  \ 
 that  they  fhould  have  a  fight  of  thofe  whom  they  cur- 
 fed,  and  that  they  fhould  look  upon  them. 
 
 Thou  /halt  fee  but  the  ntmoff  part  of  them.~]  The 
 Skirts  of  their  Camps, 
 
 And 
 
upon    NUMBERS.  465 
 
 And  fialt  not  fee  them  all.']     He  imagined  perhaps  Chapter 
 that  Balaam  was  affrighted  at  the  fight  of  their  Mul-    XXIII. 
 titude  ^  and  therefore  durft  not  meddle  with  them,    L/"V\j 
 
 And  curfe  me  them  from  thence^]  He  feems  to  defire 
 him  to  curfe  only  thatfmall  parcel  of  the  IfraeUtes  , 
 whom  he  law  in  the  utmoft  part  of  the  Camp  5  ho- 
 ping he  might  by  degrees  get  them  all,  in  like  manner, 
 deftroyed. 
 
 Ver,  14.  And  he  brought  him  unto  the  field  of  Zo-Verk  14. 
 phim.~]  Or,  as  feme  tranflate  it,  unto  Sede-Zophim  : 
 a  place  by  the  very  name  apt  to  enchant  a  Superftiti- 
 ous  Mind  with  expectation  of  Succefs,  as  Dr.  Jack- 
 fon  fpeaks.  It  is  thought  by  fome  to  be  fo  called 
 from  the  Watchers,  that  were  placed  here  5  which  the 
 word  Zophim  imports. 
 
 To  the  top  of  Pifgah.']  A  very  high  Mountain  in 
 the  Country  of  Moab,  from  whence  one  might  fee  a 
 great  way,  and  take  a  view  of  all  the  Parts  of  Ca- 
 naan, III  Dent.  27.  XXXIV.  1  ,  2,&c.  but  on  that 
 fide  of  it  whether  Balak  brought  him,  Balaam  could 
 not  fee  much  of  the  Camp  of  Ifrael.  It  is  likely  he 
 thought  by  bringing  him  to  a  place  fo  exceeding 
 high,  he  (hould  be  nearer  Heaven,  and  fo  procure  a 
 more  favourable  Audience  than  before. 
 
 And  built  feven  Altars,  and  offered  a  Bul/ock,,  and  a 
 Ram  on  every  Altar. ~]  As  he  had  done  before  at  Ba- 
 laams defire,  in  another  High-place  ,  (  v.  1,  2.  )  for 
 there  only  he  imagined  their  Sacrifices  would  be  ac- 
 ceptable. From  hence  Conradus  Vellicanus  concludes 
 Balaam  to  have  been  a  Worfhipper  of  the  true  God, 
 (as  Jethro  was)  becaufe  he  ftill  continues  to  offer  on- 
 ly fuch  clean  Creatures,  as  were  wont  to  be  facrificed 
 to  him  by  his  own  People. 
 
 O  o  o  Ver. 
 
A66  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Ver.15.  And  he  J aid  unto  Baldly,  ft  and  here  by  thy 
 XXIII.  Burnt-offering.']  The  fame  Direction  which  he  had 
 IV" W!  given  before,  v.  3. 
 
 Verfe   1 5.      While  I  meet  the  LORD  yonder.  ]     In  a  place  to 
 which  he  pointed.     Balaam  made  a  peradventure  of 
 it  before,  whether  the  LORD  would  come  to  meet 
 him,  or  no,  (y.  3.)  but  now  he  confidently  expetts 
 it  ,  though  he  endeavoured  (it  appears  from  XXIV. 
 1.)  ftill  to  compos  his  bad  ends  ,  by  his  Enchant- 
 ments. 
 Verfe  16.      Ver.  16.  And  the  LORD  met  Balaam?)     This  is 
 never  faid  before,  but  only  that  Cod  met  him,  (  by 
 his  Angel,  as  the  Jews  interpret  it)  which  I  take  to 
 be  much  fhort  of  what  is  here  faid,  that  the  L  O  R  D 
 himfelf  now  met  him.     That  is,  there  was  a  glorious 
 Appearance  of    the    SCHECHINAH    to   him, 
 (though  not  in  fuchluftfe,  I  fuppofe,  as  when  it  ap- 
 peared to  Mofes)  which  fo  amazed  him,  that  after 
 this  he  never  went  fo  much  as  to  enquire  what  he 
 fhould  fay  or  do.     For  though  he  doubted,  perhaps, 
 of  what  the  Angel  faid,  yet  now  he  was  fully  aflured 
 the  Jfraelites  muft  be  bleffed. 
 
 And  he  put  a  word  in  hk  mouth.  ]     Inftru&ed  him 
 what  he  fhould  fay  to  Balak. 
 
 And  faid ,  go  again  unto  Balak-,  and  fay  thus.]  Viz. 
 All  that  we  read  v.  18,  19,  20,  &c.  which  is  a  great 
 deal  more  than  he  had  faid  before. 
 ¥erfe  I7.  Ver.  17.  And  when  he  came  to  him  ,  behold  he  food 
 by  hk  Burnt- off ering^and  the  Princes  ofMoab  with  him.'] 
 See  v   6. 
 
 And  Balak,  faid  unto  him,  what  hath  the  LORD 
 $oken.~]  He  was  more  folicitous  to  know  his  doom, 
 than  he  was  before,  when  he  askt  no  fuch  queftion  : 
 
 and 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  467 
 
 and  plainly  demonftrated,  that  he  believed  Balaam  Chapter 
 went  to  enquire  of  the  LOR.  D.  XXIII. 
 
 Ver.  18.  And  he  tool^  up  hk  Parable.  ~]     See  v.  7.       L/'V^sJ 
 
 And/aid,  rife  up  Balal^  and  hear. ~]  If  this  word  Verfe  18. 
 rife  up  hath  refpeft  to  the  outward  Reverence,  which 
 was  wont  to  be  (hown  to  all  MefTages  brought  from 
 God,  (which  was  exprefied  by  rifing  up  to  receive 
 them,  as  appears  from  the  ftory  of  another  Ring  of 
 Moab,  III  Judges  20.)  then,  afterjtfhe  Sacrifice  was 
 ended,  at  which  they  flood,  Balal[  fat  down  until 
 Balaam  could  be  ready  to  acquaint  him  with  the  Mind 
 of  God.  But  it  may  have  refpeft  only  to  thS  Mind, 
 and  fignifie,  Jtir  up  thy  felf  to  attend  5  awaken  thy 
 thoughts,  and  liften  to  what  I  fay. 
 
 And  hearken  unto  me, thou  Son  of  Zrppor.~]  The  fame 
 thing  repeated  with  more  earneftneis.  For  to  give 
 ear,  as  the  word  is  in  the  Hebrew,  imports  fomething 
 more  than  merely  to  hear  5  v/z.  diligent  and  ear-neft 
 attention  of  Mind  to  what  is  fpoken. 
 
 Ver.  1 9.  God  k  not  a  man  that  he  flyould  tie.  ~]  Do  \rerfe  ig 
 not  imagine  that  God  is  like  to  one  of  us :  He  can  by 
 no  Sacrifices,  or  Prayers,  or  other  Means,  be  induced 
 to  break  his  word.  And  therefore  it  is  in  vain  for  me 
 any  longer  to  importune  him  to  curk  Ifraely  when  he 
 hath  faid  he  will  blefs  them. 
 
 Neither  the  Son  of  Man."\  An  nfual  variation  of  the 
 Expreffion  of  the  fame  thing,  VIII  Pfal.  4. 
 
 That  he  Jhould  repent.~\  Alter  his  Mind,  when  he 
 hath  abfolutely  refolved  any  thing.  Balal^  feems  to 
 have  fancied  that  by  the  change  of  the  place  where 
 he  ficrificed,  (v.  15.)  he  might  procure  a  change  of 
 the  Divine  Counfels. 
 
 Ooo  2  Hath 
 
468  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Hath  he  /aid,  andfljallhe  not  do  it  i~\  What  fhould 
 XXIII.    hinder?  for  he  wants  no  power  to  execute  his  WilJ  -y 
 L/~\T\j  and  he  cannot  be  moved  to  revoke  his  Word,by  bet- 
 ter Information  3  nor  can  any  thing  happen  which  he 
 did  not  foreiee,  to  make  him  do  otherwife  than  he 
 intended. 
 
 Or  hath  he  fyoken,  andftall  he  not  make  it  good  $  ] 
 This  is  the  fame  with  the  former,  after  the  Propheti- 
 cal manner  of  ip^aking,  Omnia  perjuga  repetendo  (  as 
 Conradus  P "elite an its  gloffes)  ad  exagerationu,!.     Only 
 the  foregoing  words  may  brt  thought  to  refer  to  his 
 Threatfiings,  and  thefe  to  his  Promifes. 
 Verfe  20.      Ver.  20.  Behold,  I  have  received  commandment  to 
 blefs  5  and  he  hath  blejfed,  and,    I  (dnnot  rcverfe  it,  ] 
 In  thefe  words  he  applies  the  general  Proportion,  in 
 the  foregoing  verfe,  to  his  particular  Cafe.    God  hath 
 ordered  me  to  pronounce  a  Bleffing  upon  Ifrael,  for 
 he  himfelf  hath  bleffed  them  :  and  I  can  neither  re- 
 verfe  that  Blefling,  nor  go  againft:  his  Order. 
 Verfe  2 1 .      Ver.  2  T  •  He  hath  not  beheld  iniquity  in  Jacob,  nei- 
 ther hath  he  feen  perverfenefs  in  Ifrael.  \  Both  the  word 
 aven  (which  we  tranllate  iniquity)  and  the  word  a- 
 mal  (which  we  tranflate perverfenefs)  fignifie  frequent- 
 ly in  Scripture  the  higheft  wicked nefs,  viz.  Idolatry. 
 And  fo  Onkelos  here  underftood  it,  when  he  thus  pa- 
 raphraied  thefe  words,  /  fee  that  there  are   none  who 
 rcorfnp  Idols  in  the  Houfe  of  Jacob,  nor  any  Servants  of 
 Trouble  and  Vanity  (  fo  they  called  Idols  )  in  Ifrael. 
 And  accordingly  the  Vulgar  Latin  exprefly  translates 
 this  verfe  thus,  There  h  no  Idol  in  Jacob,  nor  is  there 
 any  Image  feen  in  IfraeL~\     Which  feemed  fo  clear  a 
 truth  to  Johannes  Forfterus,  a  famous  Profeffor  of  the 
 Hebrew  Tongue,  in  the  beginning  of  the  Reformati- 
 on, that  in  his  Explication  of  both  thefe  words  in  his 
 
 Lexi- 
 
upon     NUMBERS.  4^ 
 
 Lexicon^  he  faith,  From  this  place  all  the  Prophets  bor-  Chapter 
 rowed  thcfe  Phrafes,  and  translated  them  to  exprefs  lw  XXIII. 
 piety  ^  i.  e.  Idolatrous  Worfoip ^devifed  according  to  Mens 
 own  humours  and  defires^  and  by  the  InfhinB  of  the  De- 
 vH  •  1  or  Moles  wm  the  Fountain  of  all  the  Prophets. 
 1  hus  he  wrues  upon  the  word  flKJ  and  he  repeats  it 
 again  upon  the  word  hvy.  So  that  this  is  the  reafon 
 Balaam  gives,why  God  had  bleffed,  and  he  could  not 
 curfe  them,  becaufe  they  were  free  from  Idolatry  : 
 unto  which,  unlefs  they  could  be  feduced,  there  was 
 no  hope  that  God  would  deliver  them  unto  the  pow- 
 er of  their  Enemies.  For  which  retfon^Balaam  after- 
 wards counfelled  this  Prince,to  entice  them  to  this  Sin 
 by  beautiful  Women,  as  the  only  way  to  move  God 
 to  be  angry  with  them. 
 
 There  are  indeed  a  great  many  that  take  thefe 
 words  in  the  common  fence,  for  all  manner  of  Sin  : 
 which  God  is  faid  notto^eein  this  People,  /.  e.  to 
 as  to  mark  it  out  for  Puniftiment.  For  though  they 
 were  many  ways  great  Offenders,  yet  he  had  fuch  an 
 indulgent  Kindnefs  to  them,  that  he  would  not  cor- 
 rect them  for  every  Sin  which  they  committed.  But 
 this  returns  to  the  former  Expofition  ^  that  they  were 
 fafe,  as  long  as  they  kept  themfelves  from  the  great 
 TranfgreJJion,  that  is,  Idolatry. 
 
 The  LO  RD  his  God  is  with  him.  ~]  They  wor- 
 fhipping  God  alone,  were  therefore  under  his  fpecial 
 Care  and  Prote&ion.  Onkelos  renders  it,*/je  WORD 
 of  the  LO  R  D  his  God  is  his  help.  And  fo  the  Hie- 
 rofol.  Targum. 
 
 And  thefhout  of  a  King  is  among  them.  ~]  God  be- 
 ing their  King ,  he  prophecies  that  they  fhould 
 always  triumph  over  their  Enemies.  For  he  alludes 
 to  the  Shouts  which  are  made  when  a  King,  or  great 
 
 Captain 
 
47o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Captain  returns  vi&orious,  with  the  Spoils  of  thofe 
 XXIII.   he  hath  vanquifhed.     So  the  meaning  of  the  whole 
 L//"V*NvJ  verfe  is  this/m  brief  5  Since  they  do  not  worfbip  Idols, 
 but  cleave  to  the  LORD  their  God  ,  and  ferve  him 
 alone,  he  is  preient  with  them,  not  only  to  prefcrve 
 them  from  their  Enemies,  but  to  give  them  glorious 
 Vi&ories  over  them. 
 Verfe  22.      Ver.  22.  God  brought  them  cut  cf  Egypt. ~]  That  they 
 might  be  his  Worfhippers  and  Servants,  which  if  they 
 continue,  he  will  not  defert  them.     For  God  brought 
 them  forth  from  thence,  that  they  might  be  his  pecu- 
 liar People,  and  he  their  Ring  and  their  God,  as  he 
 often  faith  himlelf,  Xlle^.45.  XXII.  23.  XXV.38. 
 XV  Numb.  41.  all  which  places  are  obferved  by  the 
 Author  of  Cepher  Ccfri,  Pars  ll.feff.  50. 
 
 He  hath  as  it  were  the  fir  en gth  of  an  Unicom.']  Some 
 would  have  this  referred  to  God,  who  brought  them 
 out  of  Egypt  by  a  mighty  Power  5  becaufe  he  fpeaks 
 in  the  Plural  Number  of  thofe  to  whom  the  former 
 Sentence  belongs.  But  this  is  no  good  reafon  5  for 
 the  Scripture  frequently  varies  the  Number,  when 
 the  fame  Perfon  is  fpoken  of.  And  in  XXIV.  8.  it 
 is  expredy  laid,  God  brought  him  (i.  e.  Jfrael )  out  of 
 Egypt  5  and  he  hath  the  Jlrength^fkc.  Which  every  one 
 allows  is  fpoken  of  the  Ifraelites  :  who  are  faid  to 
 have  xhtfirength  of  this  Creature  ,  with  whom  they 
 c-re  compared  3  or  rather  the  heighth,  as  the  Hebrew 
 word  certainly  fignifies,  XXV  Pfal.  4.  The  jlrength  of 
 the  Hills,  (or  rather,^  height  hs  of  the  Hills,  as  it  is  in 
 the  Margin)  are  his  alfo  :  and  XXII  Job  25.  The  Al- 
 mighty fo  all  be  thy  defence,  and  thou  /halt  have  plenty  of 
 Silver.  So  the  fence  led  our  Interpreters  to  translate 
 the  Hebrew  word  m2  ym,  which  may  be  literally  here 
 rendered  great  heaps  of  Silver.     Thefe  are  the  only 
 
 places 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  471 
 
 places  where  this  word  is  found.     The  only  difficult   Chapter 
 ty  is,   what  Creature  it  is  which  is  here  called  Reem  $   XXIII. 
 which  we  tranflate  (as  many  others  have  done)  an  L/"VNJ 
 Unicorn  :  which  though  mod  now  take  to  be  a  fabu- 
 lous Creature,  that  is  not  in  being,  yet  7  ho.  Bartholi- 
 n's in  his  Anoiomical  Histories  (Centttr.ll.  Hiflor.  6 1. J) 
 tells  us,  that  an  Ambaflador  from  the  King  of  Guinea 
 to  the  Duke  of  Cnrland,  allured   him  at  Copenhagen  5 
 that  there  is  a  Beaft  in  Africa  of  the  bignefs  of  an  or- 
 dinary Horfe,  very  fwift  and    fierce,  which  hath  a 
 Horn  in  its  Forehead,  about  three  Spans  in  lengthy 
 the  dead  Carcafe  of  which  he  had  feen,  though  never 
 one  alive.     But  if  this  be  fuppofed  to  be  true,  it  is  not 
 the  Creature  here  meant ,  for  it  is  plain  by  the  Scrip- 
 ture that  the  Reem  hath  two  Horns,  XXXIII  Dent.  17. 
 where  we  read  of  the  Horns  of  the  Unicorn  (  as  we 
 tranllate  it)  to  which  the  two  Tribes  ofEphraim  and 
 Manaffeh  are   compared.      See  alio  XXII  Pfil.  27; 
 Therefore  the  famous  Bochartus ,  after  along  difcufli- 
 on  of  other  Opinions,thlnks  it  mod  probable  that  the 
 Reem  is  a  kind  of  Goat,  which  the  Arabians  called  Al- 
 gazel,  and  is  nov  called  Gaze/las  5  which  is  a  tall 
 Creature  (iome  of  them  as  high  as  a  Stag)  with  long 
 and  fharp  Horns.     So  that  Balaam  foretels  the  lfrae- 
 lites  (hould  be  as  eminent  among  other  People,  as  the 
 Reem  was  among  other  kinds  of  Goats.     Unlefs  we 
 will  think  it  refers  to  what  the  Arabians  obferve,  that 
 it  is  p;oper  to  this  Animal  to  carry  its  Head  very  high, 
 and  to  eredt  its  Ears  ^  which  is  an  excellent  Emblem 
 of  the  People  of  Ifrael  5  who  being  lately  opprefled 
 in  Egypt,  were  aflerted  by  God  into  a  ftate  of  Liber- 
 ty, and  railed  to  a  great  height  of  Glory,  in  order 
 to  be  advanced  unto  an  higher,  Hierozoicon  P.  I.  Lib. 
 III.  cap..  27.     At  this  Onlylos  feems  to  have  aimed, 
 
 when 
 
47a  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  when  he  translates  thefe  words  thus,  Fortitude  and 
 XXIII.  Exaltation  are  his  :  taking  Reem  not  for  a  proper 
 L^V%J  Name,  but  for  an  Appellative  ^  as  if  it  were  derived 
 from  Ram  am,  which  fignifies  to  exalt.  I  (hall  only 
 add,  that  there  is  one,  who  refers  thefe  words,  nei- 
 ther to  God,  nor  to  the  Ifraelites, but  to  Egypt  before- 
 mentioned.  As  if  the  fence  was,  though  the  Egypti- 
 ans were  as  ftrong  as  an  Unicom,  they  were  not  able 
 to  detain  the  Ifraclites  any  longer  in  Bondage  to 
 them  5  but  God  brought  them  thence  with  a  mighty 
 Hand  and  out-ftretched  Arm  :  So  Jofeph  Hifpanus, 
 Lib.  III.  Ih^arim,  cap.  8. 
 Verfe  25.  Ver.  23.  Surely  there  is  no  enchantment  againii  Ja- 
 cob, neither  is  there  any  divination  again  si  lfrael.~]  Nei- 
 ther I,  nor  any  Body  elfe,  have  power  to  hurt  them, 
 by  all  the  fecret  Arts  of  Sorcery  and  Sooth-faying, 
 which  are  practifed  in  the  World.  It  is  not  proper 
 here  to  mention  the  various  forts  of  them  5  but  it  is 
 manifeft  from  ancient  Hiftory,  that  thefe  curious  Arts 
 (as  St.  Luke  calls  them)  had  got  a  kind  of  Soveraign- 
 ty  in  the  Eajiem  Nations  ,  who  for  many  Ages  were 
 much  addifted  to  them.  One  of  our  own  Church 
 hath  faid  many  excellent  things  concerning  the  Origi- 
 nal of  this  Sorcery,  and  Idolatry,  which  commonly 
 accompanied  each  other,  to  whom  I  refer  the  Rea- 
 der :  See  Dr.JacksonsOriginalofVnbelicf&C.cap.iy. 
 The  Vulgar  Latin  takes  thefe  words,  as  if  they  were 
 fpoken  in  praifeof  the  Israelites,  that  there  were  no 
 Enchantments  or  Divinations  nfed  among  them,  nor 
 any  other  Diabolical  Arts,  which  were  forbidden  by 
 their  Law,  in  feveral  places.  From  thefe  they  being 
 as  free  as  from  Idolatry  (mentioned  v.  2 1 .}  they  were 
 fecure  of  God's  favour  to  them.  And  fo  we  acknow- 
 ledge, in  the  Margin  of  our  Bibles,  the  words  may- 
 be 
 
upon   NUMB  ER  S.  473 
 
 be  tran  dated,  There  is  no  Enchantment  ///Jacob,  or  a-    Chapter 
 mongthem  ;  From  which  God  intended  in  all  Ages  to   XXIIL 
 prefervethem  by  the  Prophets  he  raifed  up  to  them.  L/*V%J 
 And  thus  R.  Solon/on  expounds  this  verfe ,  either  to 
 fignifie  that  they  could  not  becurfed,becaufe  they  were 
 not  given  to  Enchantments  and  Divinations :  or  that 
 they  needed  not  to  make  ufe  of  Diviners  and  Magi- 
 cians, having  all  that  was  needful  for  them  to  know, 
 revealed  to  them  by  God's  Prophets,  and  by  Vrim 
 and  Thummim,  Sec. 
 
 According  to  this  time  it  pall  be  faid  of  Jacob  and 
 of  Ifrael,  what  hath  God  wrought !  ~]  The  LXX.  tran- 
 slate the  fir  ft  words  t&fla  xoy^Jv,  when  time  pall  be  ^ 
 or,  upon  aU  occafions :  not  only  now,  but  in  fu- 
 ture Ages,  Men  (hall  relate  with  admiration  ,  what 
 Cod  hath  wrought  for  this  People.  Not  only  in 
 bringing  them  out  of  Egypt,  but  in  conducing  them 
 into  Canaan  5  in  drying  up  Jordan,  as  he  did  the 
 Red  Sea  5  and  fubduing  the  Canaanites^s  he  overthrew 
 Pharaoh  and  his  Hoft,  &c.  If  there  be  any  difference 
 between  Jacob  and  Ifrael,  the  former  fignifies  this  Peo- 
 ple, when  they  were  in  their  low  eftate  5  and  the 
 latter,  when  they  were  eminently  exalted  :  in  both 
 which  God  did  wonderful  things  for  them,  which 
 aftonifhed  all  that  obferved  them. 
 
 Ver.  24.  Behold,  the  People  foall  rife  up  as  a  great  Verfe  24. 
 Lion.~]  The  Hebrew  word  Labi  certainly  fignifies  a 
 Li onejs, which  is  no  lefs,  but  rather  more  fierce  than  a 
 Lion  :  and  fo  reprefented  by  Herodotus,  Lib.  III.  cap. 
 108.  and  many  other  Authors  mentioned  by  Bochar- 
 tus,  in  his  liicrozoicon,  P.I.  Lib.  III.  cap.  I. 
 
 And  lift  up  hi mf elf  as  a  young  Lion.  ]  The  Hebrew 
 word  Art  is  ufed  in  general  for  any  Lion  whatfoever, 
 without  refpect  unto  age.     They  that  would  have  it 
 
 P.pp  "fignifie 
 
474  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  fignifie  a  younger  fort,  take  it  for  a  Lion  full  grown 
 XXIII.  and  adult  (as  they  fpeak)  of  a  middle  Age,  between 
 L/"V"\j  Cephfr,  which  fignifies  a  young  Lion,  and  6W/je/, which 
 fignifies  an  old.  And  the  IJtaelhes  are  here  faid  to 
 rife  up,  and  to  lift  up  themselves  ,  like  to  thefe  fierce 
 Creatures,  to  fignifie  their  Affauhitig  their  Enemies 
 with  an  undaunted  Courage. 
 
 ;  ftatt  not  lye  down  till  he  eat  of  the  prey.]  Which 
 Lions  rend  and  tear  with  their  Claws  and  Teeth.,  ir- 
 refiftibly  and  fpeedily.  So  the  Hebrew  word  tcreph 
 (which  we  render  prey)  imports  5  the  Flefh  of  Beads 
 torn  in  pieces. 
 
 And  drinli  the  blood  of  the  flam.  ~  He  alludes  to 
 the  ravenoufnefs  of  Lions ,  and  fignifies  the  entire 
 and  perfeft  Victory  the  Israelites  fhould  win  over 
 their  Enemies.  For  this  Prophecy  hath  a  peculiar 
 refpedt  to  the  conqueft  of  the  Canaanitcs  under  the 
 conduft  of  Jofoua. 
 
 Verfe  2*5.  Ver.  25.  And  Balal^faid  unto  Balaam,  neither  curfe 
 them  at  all,  nor  blefs  them  at  all.']  It  feems  he  thought 
 his  Bleffings  to  be  as  powerful  as  his  Curfes  :  and 
 therefore  defires  him  to  forbear  both,  if  he  could  not 
 have  what  he  defired. 
 
 Verfe  26.  Ver.  26.  And  Balaam  anfwered,  Told  I  thee  not , 
 faying,  all  that  the  LORD  freaks  that  must  I  do  .<? '  ] 
 As  I  cannot  do  any  thing  againft  the  Mind  and  Will 
 of  God,  fo  I  muft  do  as  he  bids  me,  v.  3,12. 
 
 Verfe  27.  Ver.  27.  And  Balah^faid  unto  Balaam,  Cornel  pray 
 thee,  and  I  will  bring  thee  to  another  place.  "  Still  he 
 fancies,  according  to  the  Superftition  of  thofe  days, 
 there  might  be  fomething  unlucky  in  the  place,  that 
 made  his  Prayers  unfuccefsful  3  which  might  prove 
 acceptable  in  another.  For  as  the  Syrians  imagined 
 in  future  Ages,  that  fome  Gods  were  powerful  in  the 
 
 Hills. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  47^ 
 
 Hills,  who  could  do  nothing  in  the  Plains,  (i  Kings  Chapter 
 XX.  23,  28.)  fo,  it  feems,    there  was  fuch  a  Conceit    XXHI. 
 at  this  time  in  thefe  Countries,that  fome  Gods  delight-  L/"Y"\J 
 ed  more  in  one  Hill,  than  they  did  in  another  «,  for 
 he  ftill  brings  Balaam  to  another  high  place.    Such  a 
 Conceit   we  fee  remains  to  this  day  in  the  Romiflj 
 Church,where  the  Lady,andthe  Rood  of  one  place, 
 are  thought  far  more  powerful,and  therefore  more  fre- 
 quented than  thofe  of  another. 
 
 Per  adventure  H  will  pie  afe  Gody  that  thou  maili  curfi 
 me  them  from  thence7\  He  faid  nothing  of  God's  per- 
 miffion  before,  v.  13.  but  now  was  convinced  his 
 confent  was  to  be  gained.  And  would  not  defpair 
 of  it,  but  thought  it  pofiible,  that  very  thing  might 
 feem  right  and  good  in  his  Eyes  (as  the  Hebrew  phrafe 
 here  is)  in  a  new  place,  which  difpleafed  him  in  both 
 the  former. 
 
 Ver.  28.  And  Balal^  brought  Balaam  to  the  topofVevk  28, 
 Peor.  *]  This  was  the  moll:  famous  High-place  in  all 
 the  Country  of  Moab  ,  where,  as  Mr.  Selden  conje- 
 ctures, Baal  had  a  Temple,  and  was  worfhipped  5  and 
 thence  called  Baal-Peor.  So  Theodoret  and  Suidas% 
 BceA  0  K^Jv^h,  Qeyi* '3  0  7dtt@^  dp  <2>  tijuuito.  Beel  fig- 
 nifies  Saturn,  and  Phegor  (or,  as  we  pronounce  it, 
 Peor)  the  place  where  he  was  worfhipped.  Juft  as 
 the  Greeks  called  Jupiter  by  the  name  oiOlympim,  and 
 Mercurim,  of  Cylenlm,  &c.  And  in  all  likelyhood  by 
 Beth-Peor,  (XXXIV  Deut.6.)  which  in  Englrfi  is  the 
 Houfi  of  Peor, in  the  Land  oi  Moab,  is  meant  the  Tem- 
 ple of  Baal  which  ftood  upon  the  Mountain.  For  fo 
 the  word  Beth  fignifies  frequently  among  the  Hebrews, 
 not  an  ordinary  Houfe,  but  the  Houfe  of  fome  God : 
 As  Beth-Aflitaroth,  1  Sam.  XX XL  1  o.  and  Beth-Baal^ 
 1  Kings  Wl.  32.     And   there  is  often  mention  of 
 
 P  p  p  2  Beth- 
 
47^  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Beth-ffjemefi  in   the  Holy  Writings,  (XV  Jofiwa  ia. 
 XXIII.    I  Judges  3%.  and  many  other  places)  which  fignifies 
 
 L/*V"\J  the  Temple  of  the  Sun.  From  whence  the  word  BsJ- 
 jttytf^*  among  the  Arabians  upon  the  Red  Sea.  ■Which 
 Stcphanus  (de  Vrbibus)  expounds,  g  o!k&  tx :.W«, 
 ?&  i7<?;//c  <?///;c  6W.  See  Syntagma  I.  de  Diis  Syris, 
 cap.5. 
 
 That  looketh  towards  Jefhimon.']     See  XXI. 20. 
 
 V^rfe  29.  Ver.  29.  And  Balaam  J  aid  unto  Balah^  build  mc  here 
 '/even  Altars ,  and  prepare  mc  here  /even  Bullocks ■>  and 
 feven  RamsT]  He  orders  the  very  fame  Sacrifices  he 
 did  at  firft,  without  any  difference,  (v.i.j  either  not 
 knowing  any  other  Method  of  obtaining  their  De- 
 fires  5  or  thinking  it  in  vain  to  devife  any  other. 
 
 Verfe  30,  Ver.  30.  And  Balal^did  m  Balaam  had  faid  ,  and 
 offered  a  Bulloc^  and  a  Ram  upon  every  Altar  J]  He 
 was  wholly  governed  by  Balaam  in  this  :  and  though 
 he  changed  the  place,  made  no  alteration  in  the  Sacri- 
 fices 5  which  were  as  compleat  and  perfeft  as  any  in 
 thofe  times  offered. 
 
 Here  is  no  mention  made  of  the  time  when  thefe 
 things  were  done  5  but  we  may  be  certain  all  the  three 
 forementioned  folemn  Sacrifices,  in  three  feveral  pla- 
 ces, were  not  offered  upon  one  and  the  fame  day. 
 And  fuperftitious  People,  as  all  Hiftories  tell  us,  ha- 
 ving been  as  curious  in  the  choice  of  days ^  as  well  as 
 places,  it  is  probable  that  Balak  pickt  out  fome  day  or 
 /w/r,which  he  thought  might  be  more  lucky  to  him 
 than,  the,  foregoing. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  477 
 
 Chapter 
 __ XXIV. 
 
 CHAP.     XXIV. 
 
 Ver.  I.    A  ND  when  Balaam  fan  that  it  plea  fed  the  Verfe  *. 
 
 J\  LORD  to  blefs  IfraeL"]     Of  which  he 
 
 had  given  him  a  double  proof,  XXII. 5,dv.  i6,dv. 
 
 He  went  not  out,  as,  at  other  th/res.  Q     See  XXIII. 
 
 To  feel{.  for  Enchantments."]  This  implies  that  he 
 had  hitherto,  in  the  procefs  of  this  bufinefs,  ufed  fome 
 wicked  Arts  to  effeft  his  ends,  or  defired  to-  be  dire- 
 cted to  them.  But  being  not  able  to  obtain  any  thing, 
 but  Commands  crofs  to  all  his  Defigns ,  he  gave  him- 
 felf  up  wholly  to  the  conduft  of  God's  Holy  Spirit, 
 and  did  not  fo  much  as  offer  to  feek  for  Enchantments* 
 In  the  Hebrew  the  words  are,  to  meet  with  Enchant- 
 ments 5  unto  which  he  hoped  tobe  direfted,  that  he 
 might  be  able  to  Curfe  IfraeL  For  though  he  addref- 
 fed  himfelf  to  the  true  God,  (whom  he  calls  the 
 LORD,  XXIII.  26  )  yet  it  was  in  a  Superfluous 
 way:,  with  fuch  Rites  and  Ceremonies  of  Worihip, 
 as  were  not  of  God's  appointment:  but  either  devi- 
 fed  by  evil  Spirits,  or  very  grateful  to  them  $  where- 
 by he  hoped  tobe  fhown  by  what  means  he  might 
 difable  Ifrael,  and  deliver  them  into  the  hand  o£  Ba- 
 laki  For  the  ancient  Magick  derived  from  Zoroafler, 
 was  nothing  elfe,  as  Plato  pretends  (  in  Alcibiadel.} 
 but  the  Knowledge  of  Divine  Things ,  and  the  right 
 way  ofworlhippingGod  :  And  Apulei us  faith  tht  fame 
 of  it,  that  it  was  Diis  immortalibus  accepta,  colendi  eos 
 ac  venerandi  pergnara^c*  a  Science, acceptable  to  the 
 
 Immortal  i 
 
478  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Immortal  Gods,  very  skilful  how  to  worftiip  and 
 XXIV.  honour  them  ^  being  pious,  and  knowing  in  Divine 
 \S*V~\J  Things.  Which  fuiiiciently  bewrays  this  Divine 
 •  Knowledge  (as  they  called  it)  to  be  impious  $  for 
 Zoroajier  inftru&ed  his  Difciples  in  the  Worfhip  of 
 the  Fire,  as  an  Emblem,  at  the  beft ,  of  the  Sun  5 
 which  they  lookt  upon  as  a  vifible  Image  of  this  in- 
 vifibleGod,  and  upon  that  account  worfhipped  it. 
 And  after  his  time,  it  ismanifeft,this  heavenly  know- 
 ledge, as  they  efteemed  it,  degenerated  into  more  un- 
 couth Rites,  and  wicked  Arts ,  whereby  they  pre- 
 tended to  be  able  to  make  the  Gods  do  what  they 
 pleafed.  Pliny  mentions  an  Herb,  Lih.WW  .cap.ij* 
 which  he  faith  Magicians  ufed,  qitum  Deos  velint  evo- 
 care,  when  they  would  call  out  the  Gods,  and  draw 
 them  to  their  purpofe.  In  which  power  they  fu  glo- 
 ried, that  the  Witch  in  Apuleius  threatned  the  God's 
 themfelves  with  the  greateft  Mifchief  5  and  boafted  fhe 
 could  deprive  the  Stars  of  their  Light  t,  and  by  her 
 Charms  controul,  not  only  the  Moon  ,  but  the  Sun 
 himfelf,  and  the  Gods  of  all  forts.  And  as  for  Man- 
 kind, nothing  is  more  known  than  thofe  Magical 
 words,  devovere,  defigere,  obligare  5  which  are  proper 
 to  that  Black  Art,  as  Salmafius  obferves  (upon  Solinw 
 p.  1 09 1.)  which  by  Incantations,  Deprecations,  dire- 
 fid  Execrations^  Herbs 5  Fafcinations,  fo  confounded 
 the  Mind  of  him  who  was  thus  devoted ,  (  as  they 
 term  it)  that  he  could  remember  nothing  of  what  he 
 was  about,  nor  difcharge  any  Funftion  of  Nature. 
 The  feveral  Species  of  it  are  mentioned  by  Maimoni- 
 des,  who  faith  the  Zabij  pretended  to  exercife  this 
 power,  not  only  over  particular  Perfons,  but  over 
 whole  Provinces,  by  certain  Words,  and  A&ions , 
 s.nd  Things,    which  no  Body  can  underfhmd  to 
 
 have 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  47c> 
 
 have  any  Vertue  in   them,  More  Nevochim,  P.  III.    Chapter 
 cap.  37.  XXIV. 
 
 But  he  fit  hk  face  toward  the  Wildernefs.]     He  ftir-   ***~\r^* 
 red  not  from  the  place  where  the  Sacrifice  was  offer- 
 ed, as  he  had  been  wont  to  do,  but  only  lookt  to- 
 ward the  Wildernefs,where  the  Israelites  lay  encamp- 
 ed, XXII.  1. 
 
 Ver.  2.  And  Balaam  lift  up  hk  eyes.']     To  lookVerfe  2. 
 round  about  him. 
 
 And  hefaw  Ifrael  abiding  in  hk  Tents,  &c]  In  the 
 order  God  had  appointed  in  the  fe con d  Chapter  of 
 this  Book,  v.  52.  where  he  commands  them  to  pitch 
 their  Tents,  every  Man  by  hk  own  Camp,  and  by  hk  own 
 Standard,  throughout  their  Hojls. 
 
 And  the  Spirit  of  God  came  upon  him.]  From  whence 
 Maimonides  concludes,  he  was  a  Prophet  of  the  fe- 
 cond  rank,  who  fpake  by  the  Holy  Ghoff ,  More  Ne- 
 voch.  P.  II.  cap,  45. 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  he  tooh^up  hk  Parable,  and  f aid.]     He  Verfe  3  * 
 pronounced  what  follows  with  a  loud  voice,  that  all 
 might  hear.     For  fothe  Hebrew  words  may  be  inter- 
 preted, he  lifted  up  hk  Parable.     See  XXIII.  7. 
 
 Balaam  the  Son  of  Beor  hath  faid*  ]  Though  the 
 Spirit  of  God  came  upon  him  ,  which  fuggefted  the 
 words  mentioned  v.  5,  6,  7,8cc.  yet  it  did  not  alter 
 the  Temper  and  Difpofition  of  his  Mind  5  which  was 
 no  lefs  vain  and  ambitious,  than  it  was  covetous,  and 
 poffeffed  with  an  hatred  of  the  Ifraelites  5  as  appears 
 by  the  counfel  which  he  gave  at  laft,  how  to  ruine 
 them :  This  Vanity  feems  to  be  exprefled  in  thefe^and 
 in  the  following  words  ,  wherein  he  magnifies  him- 
 felf  more  than  the  Spirit  of  God. 
 
 And 
 
480  A    COMMENTMKT 
 
 Chapter       And  the  Man  whofe  eyes  were  open  hath  f aid. ~]  Who 
 
 XXIV.    when  he  was  awake,  received  Revelations  from  God, 
 
 ^-^v-*^^  which  was  an  extraordinary  favour  5  for  commonly 
 
 he  appeared  to  Men  in  a  Dream.     Others  tranflate  it  3 
 
 whofe  Eyes  were  font,  i.  e.  who  was  in  a  Trance  or  Ec- 
 
 ftaiie,  fo  that  he  law  nothing  with  his  bodily  Eyes, 
 
 but  only  with  his  Mind.      The   Hierufalem  Targum 
 
 thus  paraphrafes  thefe  words,  (which  (hows  he  lookt 
 
 upon  them  as  a  boafting  of  himfelf )  The  Man  /aid, 
 
 who  was  honoured  above  his  Brethren  3  to  whom  that  was 
 
 revealed,  which  was  hidden  from  all  the  Prophets. 
 
 Verfe  4.-         Ver.  4.  He  hath  f aid,  who  heard  the  words  of  God.  ] 
 
 Mark  what  he  faith,  who  delivers  the  words  which 
 
 he  received  from  God. 
 
 Which  Jaw  the  Vifion  of  the  Almighty.']  With  whom 
 he  was  fo  familiar,  that  he  himfelf,  at  laft,  appeared 
 to  him  in  a  Vilion,  XXIII.  16.  as,  at  firft,  he  appear- 
 ed to  him  by  an  Angel,  XXII.  35. 
 
 Falling  into  a  Trance.']  There  being  in  the  Hebrew 
 only  the  word  Nophel,  which  tigmfizs  falling,  we  fup- 
 ply  the  fence  by  adding  into  a  Twice  5  left  any  one 
 fhould  think  he  fell  to  the  ground,  or  fell  aileep  ^ 
 which  feemsnotto  be  the  meaning  5  but  that  he  was 
 in  a  rapture,  perceiving  nothing  by  his  outward  Sen- 
 fes.  Yet  the  forementioned  Targum  takes  it  as  if  he 
 had  fain  flat  upon  his  face  5  and  the  LXX.tranilate  it, 
 He  fan?  the  vifion  of  God  in  fleep  :  according  to  that 
 XV  Gen.  12.  A  deep  jleep  fell  upon  Abraham^  where 
 the  word  Naphcla  is  thought  by  fome  to  give  a  good 
 Explication  of  Nophel  in  this  place. 
 
 But  having  his  Eyes  open.]  His  Mind  being  then 
 pofleffecl  with  a  clear  apprehenfion  of  things,  which 
 God  revealed  to  him,  when  his  Senfes  were  all  lockt 
 ODj  .and  could  difcern  nothing. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon    NUMBERS.  48i 
 
 Ver.  5.  Horn  goodly  are  thy  Tents,  0  Jacob,  and  thy  Chapter 
 Tabernacles,  0  IfraelT]     The  fame  thing  expreffed  in    XXIV. 
 different  words  :  which    was  an  ufual  Elegancy  in  L/^y\j 
 thofe  Countries.     Wherein  he  declares  his  admirati-  Verfe  5. 
 on  of  the  beautiful  Order ,  in  which  he  faw  them 
 pitched  in  the  Plains  of  Moab. 
 
 Ver.  6.  As  the  Valleys  are  they  jpre ad  forth t~\  This  Verfe  6. 
 refers  either  to  their  Tabernacles,  which  extended 
 thetnfelves  on  each  fide  of  a  wide  fpace,  which,  like 
 a  Valley,  lay  between  ,  or  rather  ,  to  the  Ifraelites 
 thetnfelves,  whom  he  compares  to  thofe  fruitful  Val- 
 leys which  abound  with  Water  :  For  the  Hebrew 
 word  fignifies  either  Valleys  or  Brooks. 
 
 As  Gardens  by  the  River  fide.  ~\  Which  were  far 
 more  green  and  flourifhing,  cool  and  pleafant,  than 
 thofe  that  lay  in  dry  places. 
 
 As  the  Trees  of  Lign- Aloes.  "]  Growing  in  thofe 
 Gardens,  or  by  the  River  fide  5  which  perfumed  the 
 Air  by  their  fweet  Odors.  For  there  are  two  forts  of 
 Aloes  obferved  by  the  Ancients :  the  one  a  Tree  which 
 was  very  odoriferous,  called  KxMjljuo^  'Iv$iko$,  and  E- 
 fvS-pau'^,  growing  in  India  and  Arabia  3  and  the  o- 
 ther  a  Plant  or  Herb, out  of  which  was  preffed  a  purg- 
 ing Juice.  The  former  is  often  joyned  with  Myrrh 
 in  the  Holy  Scripture,  and  was  burnt  as  a  Perfume., 
 and  called  by  the  Ancients  HtAaAoSis,  (as  Salmafius  ob- 
 ferves  in  his  Exerc.Plin.  upon  Solinus,  p.  1053,  io54- 
 Sec.)  which  is  the  Lign  or  Wood-aloes  here  fpoken  of. 
 And  Plutarch  in  his  Syntpofiacs, Lib. VI. cap. j.fa\th,fome 
 were  wont  to  colour  their  Wine,  $  aAo^,  «  Tawa/Mb- 
 itm;,  either  with  Aloes,  or  with  Cinamoms,  (which 
 is  meant  of  this  Wood- Aloes)  which  gave  the  Wine  a 
 pleafant  tafte. 
 
 Q.qq  Which 
 
48a  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Which  the  LORD  hath  planted.']     Which  grew 
 XXIV.    naturally  of  themfelves  (Solo  Dei  Natu,  as  Bochartus 
 L/"V\J  gloffes)  without  any  Labour,  Care,  or  Art  of  Man 
 ufed  about  them. 
 
 And  as  Cedar-trees  befide  the  Waters.  ~]     The  Cedar 
 was  one  of  the  mod  goodly  Trees  in  thofe  Countries, 
 upon  many  accounts  5  particularly  for  its  fragrancy  5 
 the  Greeks  being  wont  to  burn  the  Wood  of  it  upon 
 their  Altars,  as  the  fame  Salmafius  there  obferves,  p. 
 951,952/    By  all  thefe  Metaphors,  Balaam  fets  forth 
 the  prefentand  future  Profperity  of  the  Ifraelites,  and 
 their  fame,which  fpread  it  felf  into  all  Nations  round 
 about  5  and  feems  to  be  reprefented  by  the  fweet  O- 
 dors  here  mentioned. 
 Verfe  7.        Ver.  7-  He  ft  all  pour  the  Water  out  of  his  Buckets.  ~] 
 I  take  this  to  be  meant  of  God's  pouring  down  Rain 
 abundantly,  out  of  the  Clouds  ,  upon  the  Valleys, 
 Gardens,  and  Trees ,  unto  which  the  Ifraelites  are 
 compared  :  fignifying  that  they  {hould  be  exceeding- 
 ly bleffed  by  him  5  for  they  ftood  in  need  of  nothing 
 more  than  Rain  in  thofe  Countries. 
 
 And  hh  Seed  ft: all  be  in  many  Waters."]     Or,  by  ma- 
 ny Waters  :  i.  e.  be  fown  in  a  Ground  well  watered, 
 and  confeqnently  bring  forth  a  plentiful  Crop,XXXTI 
 lfa.20.     There  are  thofe  who  refer  both  thefe  to  their 
 numerous  Pofterity  5  Procreation  of  Children  being 
 fometimes  expreffed  in  Scripture  by  the  Metaphors  of 
 Waters,  and  Fountains  ,  and  Cifterns,  as  every  one 
 knows.     And  both  the  LXX.  and  Onkelos  interpret 
 this  of  one  particular  Perfon  that  (hould  arife  of  their 
 Seed.     For  thus  the  former  of  them  renders  this  part 
 of  the  verfe  5  There  ftmll  come  a  Man  out  of  his  Seed, 
 •who  ft  all  rule  over  many  Nations.     And  the  latter  oi: 
 them  paraphrafes  in  this  manner  3  There  ftjall  be  a  great 
 
 King^ 
 
upon  NUMBER  S.  483 
 
 King,  ivhoflulJ  be  anointed  of  hk  Children  ,  and  Jhall  Chapter 
 have  Dominion  over  many  People  :  which  the  Hicrufa-    XXIV. 
 km  Targum  faith  exprefly  is  Chrift.     For  thus  this  L/V*\j 
 verfi  begins  in  that  Paraphrafe  $  A  King  ./ball  arife  out 
 of  his  Sons,  and  their  Redeemer from  among  them  ,  &C. 
 and  thus  concludes  it,  and  the  Kingdom  of  the  King 
 Meffias  /lull  be  magnificently  exalted. 
 
 And  his  King /lull  be  higher  than  Agag.~]  Thisfeems 
 to  have  been  the  Name  of  all  the  Rings  of  the  Amale- 
 kjtes,  (for  we  read  of  one  called  Agag  long  after  this 
 time,  1  Sam.  XV.  8,  9.)  as  Abimekch  was  the  Name 
 of  the  Philistine  Rings,  and  Pharaoh  of  the  Egyptian. 
 And  at  this  time,no  Nation  thereabouts  was  in  great- 
 er Reputation  than  the  Amalekites,  (v.qo.  )  who 
 thought  themfelves  able  to  obftrutt  the  Ifraelites  paf- 
 fage  into  Canaan  $  and  gave  a  very  early  proof  of  the 
 high  opinion  of  the'tf  own  Power  and  Prowefs,  by 
 attacking  the  Ifraelites  as  foon  as  they  came  out  of  E- 
 gypt.  Balaam  therefore  foretels  the  Ring  of  Ifrael 
 (hould  be  the  greateft  of  all  other,  (for  he  was  ac- 
 quainted with  none  higher  than  Agag)  which  fome 
 think  hath  a  peculiar  refpeft  to  their  firft  Ring  Saul, 
 who  fubdued  the  Amalek$tes^  and  took  Agag  captive* 
 But  his  Succeffor  was  far  greater  than  he  3  and  the 
 Jews  themfelves  think  this  hath  its  full  completion  in 
 the  LORD  Chrift. 
 
 And  his  Kingdom  /hall  be  exalted.']  They  fhall  in- 
 cre.tfe  and  multiply,  till  their  Ringdom  be  greatly 
 enlarged  5  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  David  and  Solo- 
 mon ;  who  were  but  Shadows  of  the  great  Ring  MES- 
 SIAH. 
 
 Ver.  8.  God  brought  him  out  of  Egypt,  he  hath  as  it  Verfe  8. 
 weretheflrengthofanTJnicorn.']     All    the  power   of 
 Egypt  could  not  detain  them  in  flaVery  3  but  they 
 
 Qqq  2  came 
 
4*4 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  came  out  from  thence  with  a  ftrong  and  high  hand, 
 XXIV.    (XIII  Exod.y.  XIV.  8.)  and  are  grown  a   mighty 
 L/*V"Nj  People.     See  the  foregoing  Chapter,^. 2 2.  where  this 
 hath  been  explained. 
 
 He  fiall  eat  up  the  Nations,  his  Enemies.  ~]     Utterly 
 deftroy  the  feven  Nations  of  Canaan. 
 
 And  flail hreal^their  hones.  ~]     So  that  they  (hall  ne- 
 ver recover  their  Strength. 
 
 And  pierce  them  through  with  his  Arrows.  ~]  Having 
 given  them  their  deadly  wound.  Or,  as  ibme  tran- 
 slate the  Hebrew  words,  breahjheir  Arrows  in  pieces^ 
 i.  e.  quite  difarm  them. 
 Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  He  couched,  he  lay  down.]  He  prophefies 
 that  the  Ifraelites,  having  conquered  the  Lanaanites} 
 {hould  fettle  in  their  Land,  and  take  their  reft ,  and 
 live  fecurely.  Which  he  fpeaks  of  with  fuch  confi- 
 dence, as  if  it  were  already  done. 
 
 As  a  Lion,  and  as  a  great  Lion.']  See  XXIII.  24. 
 the  fignification  of  Ari  and  Labi. 
 
 Who  fiallftir  him  up  f\  Give  them  any  difturbance. 
 It  is  obferved  of  Lions, that  they  do  not  betake  them- 
 felves  to  remote  or  fecret  places,when  they  go  to  Oeep$ 
 but  lye  down  any  where,  (as  Oppianus  defcribes  them, 
 Lib.  III.)  as  if  they  underftood,  that  let  them  deep 
 where  they  pleafed,no  Body  durft  meddle  with  them. 
 See  Bochartus  in  his  Hierozoicon,  P.  I.  Lib.  III.  cap.  2. 
 And  therefore  being  applied  to  the  Ifraelites,  fignifies 
 fuch  an  abfolute  and  fecure  pofTeffion  of  the  Land  of 
 Canaan,  that  none  (hould  have  the  boldnefs  toaflault, 
 or  give  them  any  difquiet.  Which  came  to  pafs 
 chiefly  in  the  days  of  David  and  Solomon. 
 
 BleJJed  be  he  that  hleffeth  thee,  and  curfed  is  he  that 
 curfeth  thee.']  Thefe  are  the  very  words  wherewith 
 lfaac  concluded  his  bleffingof  his  Son  Jocob,  XXVII 
 
 Gen.  29* 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  485 
 
 Gen.  29.     Which  God   now  confirmed  from  the   Chapter 
 Mouth  of  one  of  their  Enemies ,  who  fpake,  at  this   XXIV. 
 time,  by  his  Spirit.  L/"VNJ 
 
 Ver.  10.  And  Balal(s  anger  was  kindled  againtt  B U-  Verfe  10. 
 laam.]  He  could  no  longer  forbear  to  exprefs  his  In- 
 dignation, to  be  thus  treated  by  Balaam,  (whom  he 
 hadfentfora  great  way,  and  entertained  for  fome 
 time)  and  therefore  ftopt  him  from  proceeding,  for 
 the  prefent,  any  further  in  his  Prophecy. 
 
 And  J mote  hk  hands  together.  ~]  A  token  of  vehe- 
 ment Anger,  XXI  Ezek*  1 7. 
 
 And  Balak^faid  unto  Balaam.]  It  is  likely  he  was 
 fo  full  of  Wrath,  that  he  could  not  fpeak  prefently, 
 but  expreffed  it  only  in  his  Looks  and  A&ions. 
 
 /  called  thee  to  curfe  mine  Enemies,  and  thou  hall  al- 
 together blejjed  them.]  Thou  haft  not  faid  one  word 
 to  my  purpofe,  but  all  quite  contrary. 
 
 Thefe  three  times."]  Though  I  have  been  at  great 
 expence,  and  built  Altars,  and  offered  many  Sacrifices, 
 in  three  feveral  places.  But  at  what  diftance  of  time, 
 one  from  another,  doth  not  appear. 
 
 Ver.  11.  Therefore  now fiee  thou  unto  thy  place.']  Get  Verfe  11, 
 thee  home  immediately,  and  ftay  not  a  Moment  lon- 
 ger here  :  For  that  is  imported  in  the  word  flee,  which 
 indicates  that  he  could  not  indure  the  fight  of  him , 
 while  he  remained  thus  angry.  And  as  he  banifhed 
 him  his  Prefence,  fo  he  commanded  him  to  make  all 
 pofTible  hafte  out  of  his  Country. 
 
 I  thought  to  promote  thee  to  great  honour.']  And  to- 
 beftow  as  much  Wealth  upon  him ,  as  he  defired  : 
 which  is  included  in  the  word  honour,  XXII.  17. 
 
 But  lo  the  LOR D.]  Whom  thou  pretended:  to 
 obey. 
 
 Hath 
 
4S6  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Hath  kept  thee  bacl^from  honour.']     By  not  permk- 
 XXIV.   ting  thee  to  comply  with  my  defire.     It  is  uncertain 
 
 L^V^sj  whether  thefe  words  were  fpoken  in  anger  andfcorn, 
 or  ferioully  and  in  good  earneft  5  believing  he  was 
 hindred  by  the  L  O  K  D's  will  and  pleafure  from  cur- 
 ling Ifrael.  Which  he  had  more  reaion  to  believe,  than 
 he  had  tchope.he  might  obtain  liberty  tocurfethem, 
 (XXIIL27.)  and  therefore  was,  without  all  reafon, 
 in  this  Paflion  againft  Balaam. 
 
 Verfe  1  ?..  Ver.  12.  And  Balaam  (pake  unto  Balak.  ]  Prayed 
 Balal^  to  hear  him  patiently,  a  few  words,  before  he 
 departed. 
 
 Spake  I  not  alfo  to  thy  Mejfengers,  which  thou  fenteSi 
 unto  me,  faying"]  Did  I  not  before  I  faw  thee,  tell 
 thofe  that  came  to  invite  me  to  thee,  the  very  fame 
 which  I  told  thee  afterwards. 
 
 Verfe   13.      Ver.  13.   If  Balakjwoidd  give  me  his  Heufe  full  of 
 Gold  and  Silver,  I  cannot  go  beyond  the  commandment 
 of  the  LO  RD,  to  do  more  or  lefsT]     So  he  told  his 
 Meffengers,  XXII.  18. 
 
 Of  my  Mind.]  According  as  I  pleafe. 
 But  what  the  LORD  faith,  that  will  I  fteakf]  So 
 he  told  &?/4himfelf,  XXII.  38.  All  which  he  re- 
 calls to  his  Mind,  to  (how  him  that  there  was  no 
 Caufe  for  his  Anger  ,  he  having  performed  as  much 
 as  he  undertook  $  which  was  to  follow  God's  diredti- 
 ons,  as  he  had  done  ftriftly.  And  it  is  likely  5  that 
 by  this  juft  Reprefentation  of  what  had  paffed  be- 
 tween them,  he  brought  Balak  to  a  cooler  temper,  fo 
 that  he  fuifered  him  to  go  on ,  to  deliver  what  fol- 
 lows. 
 
 Verfe  14.  Ver.  x4-  An&  r20w->  behold,  I  goto  my  People."]  And 
 now  I  will  obey  thee,  as  well  as  God^  and  be  gone  to 
 my  own  Country. 
 
 Come 
 
upon  NtIM  B  E  R  S.  487 
 
 Come  therefore, and  I  will  advert ife  thee, Sec]  But  be-    Chapter 
 ore  I  go,  permit  me  to  give  thee  fbrne  Advice.  So  the   XXIV. 
 lebrew  word  Jaatz  constantly  fignifies,  to  give  Conn-  U^V^SJ 
 \l.     And  fo  the  Vulgar  here  translates  it  $  but  took  it 
 or  the  wicked  Advice,  which  we  read,  in  the  next 
 Chapter,  was  executed  after  Balaams  departure,  and 
 >f  which  he  was  certainly  the  Author,  XXXI.  16. 
 nd  therefore  thus  tranllates  the  next  words,  What  thy 
 ^eople  fiall  do  unto  thk  People,     But  the  Hebrew  Text 
 md  the  LXX.  are  dire&ly  contrary  unto  this  :,  being, 
 is  we  tranllate  the  words,  What  this  People  jlxall  do  to 
 hy  People.     Therefore  Onkelos,  to  take  in  the  forego- 
 ing fence,  without  altering  the  latter  part  of  the  verfe, 
 puts  in  one  word,  and  makes  the  whole  run  thus,  / 
 mil  give  thee  counsel  what  to  do ,  and  (  will  flow  thee  J 
 what  thk  People  Jloall  do  to  thy  People  in  the  latter  days. 
 And  the  Hierufalem  Targum  more  largely  and  plainly, 
 Twill  advife  thee  what  thou  jl)  alt  do  to  thk  People  $  make 
 them  to  Jin.     Otherwise  thou  fo  alt  not  have  dominion  o- 
 ver  them,  but  thk  People  pall  domineer  over  thy  People 
 in  the  latter  end  of  days. 
 
 In  the  latter  days."]  In  future  Ages.  This  {hows 
 the  foregoing  words  do  not  fpeak  of  what  Moab 
 fhould  do  to  Ifrael  by  his  Advice  3  for  that  was  done 
 as  foon  as  he  was  gone. 
 
 Ver.  I^>.  And  he  tooh^up  hk  Parable  and  j aid \  Bala-  Verfe   rj 
 am  the  SonofBeor  hathfaid,  Sccf)     This  was*the  Pre- 
 face to  his  foregoing  Prophecy.     See  v.  5. 
 
 Ver.  16.  He  hathfaid,  who  heard  the  words  of  God,  Verfe  1 6 
 &C-3  This  verfe  alfo  is  the  fame  with  the  fourth,  on- 
 ly a  few  words  added,  And  ktiew  the  knowledge  of  the 
 mo i?  High.  Which  he  adds,to  (how  his  intimate  ac- 
 quaintance with  the  Supreme  LOilD  of  the  World. 
 •For  he  fpeaks  of  God  in  the  very  fame  ftile,  which 
 
 Mofes 
 
488  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Mofes  doth,  calling  him  both  E/,  and  Schaddai,  and 
 
 XXIV.    Eljon^nd  Jehovah.     Which  demonftratcs  that  he  was 
 
 **s^*~*^  not  a  Stranger  to  the  true  God  5  though  corrupted 
 
 with  bad  Affe&ions,  and  addi&ed  alfo  to  foul  Su- 
 
 perftitions. 
 
 Verfc  17.      ^er. 17.   IfoaUfee  him.']     Or,  I  do  fee  him,  (  for 
 
 the  Future  Tenfe  is  often  ufed  for  the  Prefent  )  that 
 
 is,he  faw  the  Perfonof  whom  he  was  going  to  fpeak, 
 
 reprefented  to  him  in  a  Vifion. 
 
 But  not  now7\  He  faw  him  not  as  in  being  ,  now 
 at  prefent  5  but  to  come  in  future  times. 
 
 IJhaB  behold  him  ,  but  not  nigh.  "]  The  fame  thing 
 in  other  words  ^  but  more  plainly  telling  them,  they 
 muftnot  expeft  this  Perfon  in  their  time,  nor  in  the 
 next  Generation,  but  in  remoter  Ages. 
 
 There  JImU  come  a  Star  out  of  Jacob.]  A  Star  denotes 
 a  great  Perfon  :  and  being  underftood  to  be  fpoken  of 
 Chriff,  it  denotes  his  Grieftial  Original.  And  both 
 Onkelos  and  Jonathan,  and  the  Hierufalem  Targum , 
 take  the  Mejfiah  to  be  here  meant,  and  fo  doth  R.Mo- 
 fes  Haddarfan,  and  Berefchith  Rabbath  5  and  a  great 
 many  Chriftian  Interpreters  (  as  Huetius  obferves  in 
 his  Demonjlr.  Evang.  Propof.  WW. fell.  9. J  particular- 
 ly Eufebitts  and  Cyril  of  Alexandria  :  Who,  in  his 
 VHIth  Book  againft  Julian,  confutes  his  Exposition 
 of  thefe  words,which  is  this  5  T£c$5  on  *n$  A*Q£  tt^- 
 oix&t,  Kj  7D?s  aV  in&ivx  itpj^Xov  i?t  nx*  That  this  be- 
 longs to  David,  and  to  his  Succeflbrs ,  is  fufficiently 
 manifeft.  To  which  St.  Cyril  replies,  That  if  Balaam 
 had  fpoken  of  David^nd  the  Kings  of  Jfrael^t  would 
 have  fo\<\,ThereJhalI  arife  Stars  out  of]zcob,&c.  where- 
 as he  fpeaks  of  one  alone,  olcv  dp  as^s  ox7rf  g-^B ,as  ve- 
 ry illuftrious  among  the  Stars,  which,  it  is  evident, 
 can  be  none  but  Chrift.    Unto  which  I  fhall  add  the 
 
 words 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  489 
 
 words  of  a  later  Writer  of  the  Jemfi  Nation,  R.Ifaac  Chapter 
 in  his  Illumin.  Fidei,  fet  forth  not  long  ago  by  the  XXIV. 
 learned  Wagenfeil :  Where  he  argues  this  cannot  be  L/^V%J 
 underftood  of  David,  or  any  other  King  of  Ifrael, 
 becaufe  none  of  them  ever  reigned  over  all  the  Earth, 
 (i.  e.  over  all  the  Children  0/Seth,  whom  none  of  them 
 destroyed)  but  it  is  meant,he  concludes,of  the  M  E  S- 
 S  I  A  H  5  who  is  compared  to  a  Star,  becaufe  of  the 
 perennity  of  his  Kingdom,  and  the  fplendor  of  his 
 Dominion,and  his  great  Ads  throughout  the  World, 
 p.  72,  and  80.  Where  he  makes  this  a  Prophecy  of 
 one  Kingdom  alone  to  be  in  the  World,  viz,,  that  of 
 the  Ifraelites,  who  are  called  the  People  of  the  Saints 
 of  the  moSi  High,  VII  Dan.2j.  Which  is  true  enough, 
 if  he  had  underftood  the  right  meaning  of  Ifraelites  3 
 who  are  thofe,  not  after  the  Fleth,  but  after  the  Spi- 
 rit. 
 
 It  is  not  fit  to  conclude  this  without  one  Obferva- 
 tion  more,  that  fo  long  ago  as  the  time  of  the  Em- 
 perour  Adrian,  this  was  underftood  by  the  generali- 
 ty of  the  Jews^  to  be  a  Prophecy  of  the  Mejjiah.  For 
 they  followed  one  whofe  Name  was  Qhocab  ( i.  e.  a 
 Star)  to  whom  the  famous  R.  Ak}ba  (a  Doctor,  who, 
 they  fay,  had  Four  and  twenty  thoufand  Scholars ) 
 applied  thefe  words  of  Balaam,  and  calling  him  Bar- 
 choceb,  i.  e.  the  Son  of  a  Star,  anointed  him  their 
 King,  and  carried  a  Sword  before  him,  crying,  Be- 
 hold  the  very  King  Mejjiah.  This  is  reported  by  the 
 Jews  themfelves  in  Tzenach  David,  and  feveral 
 other  Books.  All  which,  I  think,  doth  not  hinder, 
 but  that  Kins;  David  may  be  hereby  fignified  in  the 
 firft  fence  5  though  as  a  Type  of  the  M  E  S  S I  A  H, 
 the  great  Son  of  David,  in  whom  it  was  complea- 
 ted. 
 
 R  r  r  And 
 
A9o  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  And  a  Scepter  frail  rife  out  of  Ifrael.  ]  This  fome 
 XXIV.  think  may  firft  have  a  refpeft  to  David,  and  then  to 
 L^V-vJ  the  MESSIAH,  the  King  of  Ifrael.  But  the  Cbal- 
 dee  paraphraft  refers  the  whole  to  C/jr/i?5vvhofe  words 
 are  thefe,  A  King  frail  arife  out  of  the  Houfe  of  Jacob, 
 and  the  Mejfiah  frail  be  anointed  of  the  Houfe  fl/ Ifrael. 
 Nor  is  it  any  wonder  that  Balaam  fhould  prophefie 
 of  him,  fo  many  years  before  he  was  born5  and  fo 
 plainly,  that  Mofes  himfelf  doth  not  fpeak  in  plainer 
 terms :  but  it  is  to  be  lookt  upon  as  the  effed:  of  God's 
 infinite  Goodnefs,  who  would  not  have  thofe,  that 
 were  not  of  the  Seed  of  Abraham,  to  be  wholly  igno- 
 rant of  what  he  intended  to  do  for  all  Mankind. 
 And  this  was  neceflary  to  be  plainly  told  them,beeaufe 
 otherwife  they  would  not  have  underftood  it. 
 
 And  fid  all  fmite  the  Corners  of  Moab.  ]  The  latter 
 part  of  this  Prophecy, Huetim  thinks,  belongs  to  Da- 
 vid, as  the  former  part  to  Christ.  Which  was  the  o- 
 pinion  of  Maimonides,  who  divided  the  Prophecy 
 between  them.  And  this  was  indeed  literally  fulfil- 
 led in  David,  who  fubdued  the  Moabites  intirely,  as 
 we  read  2  Sam.  VIII.  8.  LX  Pfal.  8.  CVIII.  9.  Some 
 tranOate  thefe  words,  He  frail  fmite  through  the  Prin- 
 ces of  Moab.  So  the  LXX.  rue  dp%Y\y&$  MozS  :  which 
 doth  not  alter  the  fence.  And  it  is  no  unufual  thing 
 with  the  Prophets  ,  when  they  intend  to  fpeak  of 
 fomething  nearer  to  them,  to  be  tranfported  by  the 
 Spirit  of  God,  to  fpeak  of  things  a  great  deal  more 
 remote.  As  Balaam  here  foretelling  a  great  Ruler 
 fhould  come  out  of  Jacob  ,  firft  fpeaks  of  the  great- 
 eft  of  all,  above  Fourteen  hundred  years  after  his 
 time  5  and  then  of  David,  who  reigned  about  Four 
 hundred  years  after  this. 
 
 And 
 
^NUMBERS.  491 
 
 And  deftroy  all  the  Children  of  Sheth.  ~]  They  who  Chapter 
 interpret  this  of  David,  take  Sheth  to  have  been  fome  XXIV. 
 great  Perfon  in  that  Country,  or  fome  Place  of  great  L/"V\J 
 note,  the  Inhabitants  of  which  are  here  threatned 
 to  be  deftroy ed.  But  thefe  are  mere  conje&ures, 
 which  have  no  foundation  in  Hiftory :  whereas ,  if 
 we  underftandit  of67>rii?,and  tranflate  the  firft  word, 
 not  hejhal/  deftroy  ,  but  (  as  Caftalio  and  others  do  ) 
 hejloallrule  over,  the  fence  is  very  remarkable.  It  be- 
 ing a  Prophecy,  that  in  the  times  of  the  MESSIAH, 
 there  (hall  be  no  longer  fuch  a  diftin&ion,  as  God 
 now  made  between  the  Ifraelites  and  other  Nations, 
 (by  the  peculiar  Laws  he  gave  them  at  their  entrance 
 into  Canaan)  but  all  Mankind  ,  who  are  equally  de- 
 fended from  Sett),  (hall  be  united  under  his  Govern- 
 ment. And  thus  not  only  Lyranus  and  Abulenfis  and 
 others  interpret  it,  but  Onkelos  alfo,  whofe  words  are, 
 Hejhal/  have  dominion  over  all  the  Sons  of  Men.  For 
 he  thought  it  reafonable  by  the  Children  of  Set h  to  un- 
 derstand all  Mankind,  who  were  propagated  from 
 him,  who  fucceeded  in  the  place  of  Abel  that  was  kil- 
 led 5  all  the  Seed  of  Cain  perilhing  in  the  Flood. 
 
 Ver.  18.  And  Edom  Jhall be  a poJfeJJion.~]     SoitwaSyerfe  xg 
 in  the  days  of  David,  2  Sam.  VIII.  14. 
 
 And  Seir  Jhall  be  apojfejjion."]  This  was  a  famous 
 Mount  in  the  Country  of  Edom,  XXXVI  Gen.  3. 
 and  being  the  ftrongeft  part  of  the  Country,  may 
 fignifie  here,that  no  place  ihould  be  able  to  hold  oat, 
 though  never  fo  ftrongly  fortified  by  Nature  or  Art. 
 And  fo  we  read  they  all  became  David's  Servants, 
 2  Sam.  VIII.  14.    I  Chron.  XVIII.  13. 
 
 For  hk  Enemies.']  i.  e.  For  the  Ifraelites. 
 
 K  r  r  2  And 
 
4?2  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       And  Ifrael  Jhall  do  valiantly. ~]     For  they  fubdued  in 
 XXIV.    thofe  days  many  other  Countries  $  as  we  read  in  the 
 L/^\T\j  forenamed  Chapters,  2  Sam.  VIII.  I  Chron.  XVIII. 
 Verfe  19.      Ver.  19.  Out  of  Jacob  fiaU  come  he  that  Jljall  have 
 dominion7\     This  may  relate  to  Chritf  ,  as  well  as  to 
 David,  in  whom  it  was  literally  fulfilled.     And  fo 
 Baal-Hatturim  obferves,  that  v.  16.  it  is  faid  of  Ba- 
 laam, that  he  k^new  the  Mind  of  the  moli  High,  for  he 
 prophefied  of  the  Mejfiah,  when  he  faid,  Out  of  Ja- 
 cobflmll one  come  that  Jloall have  dominion.      The  word 
 jerd,  as  the  Mafcra  notes,  is  ufed  only  here,  and  in 
 LXXII  Pfal.8.  where  the  Pfalmtt  d&fibes  the  Uni- 
 verfal  Kingdom  of  Chrift  in  thekv?ords,He /ball  have 
 dominion  from  Sea  to  Sea,  and  from  the  Rivers  unto  the 
 end  of  the  Earth. 
 
 And  JIj all  deftroy  him  that  remains  in  the  City."]  Not 
 only  rout  them  in  the  Field,  but  take  their  defenced 
 Cities.  And,  it  is  likely,  he  particularly  aims  at 
 fome  great  City,  and  beft  fortified,  which  was  the 
 Metropolis,  and  the  ftrongeft  hold  in  the  Kingdom. 
 Such  a  one  there  was  in  Edom,  as  the  PfalmiU  fug- 
 gefts,  LX.  9, 
 Verfe  20.  Ver.  20.  And  when  he  looked  on  Amalekf\  On  the 
 Country  which  the  Amalekjtes  inhabited. 
 
 He  took,  up  his  Parable  andfaid.~]     See  v.  3. 
 
 Amaleh^vpas  the  firU  of  the  Nations."]  The  mod:  e- 
 minent  among  the  neighbouring  Nations  5  or  one  of 
 the  moft  noble,  as  Bochart  renders  it,  Gens  una  I  no- 
 bilijjimis. 
 
 But  his  latter  end  fl)  all  be,  that  he  perifo  for  ever.  ] 
 This  God  commanded  Saul  to  execute  (1  1SW/.XV.3.) 
 according  to  the  doom  paffed  upon  them,  after  their 
 fight  with  Ifrael,  XVII  Exod.  14,  16.  and  he  loft  his 
 Kingdom  for  doing  his  Work  imperfe&ly.     Which 
 
 the 
 
upon    N  U  M  B  E  R  S.  4^,3 
 
 the  Vulgar  Latin  takes  to  be  the  meaning  of  the^e-  Chapter 
 s/e*/A  verfe  of  this  Chapter.     Onkelos  paraphrafes  the    XXIV. 
 whole  verfe  in  this  manner,  Amalel^was  the  beginning  U^V"\d! 
 of  the  Wars  with  Ifrael5  therefore  Im  end  J/ja/I  be  tope- 
 rr/fj  for  ever.     The  Targum  liter  of  mors,  plainly,  The 
 Amalekjtes  were  the  fir $1  People  that  made  War  againfl 
 Ifrael  $  and  in  the  latter  days  they  fjall  ma/{e  War  against 
 them,  Sec, 
 
 Ver.  1 1 .  And  he  looked  on  the  Kenites. 1  He  ftand-  Verfe  21. 
 ing  now  upon  the  top  of  Peor,  which  was,  it  is  like- 
 ly, the  higheft  place  of  the  Country,  (for  which  rea- 
 fon  Balak,  brought  him  thither,  after  he  had  tried  o- 
 ther  high  places,  XXIII.  28.)  might  fee  a  great  way, 
 and  poffibly  behold  the  very  Rocks  wherein  the  Ke- 
 nites dwelt.  But  what  People  are  meant  by  this  name, 
 is  not  clearly  evident.  For  there  were  a  People  cal- 
 led Kenites,  who  were  a  part  of  the  Nations  that  in- 
 habited the  Land  of  Canaan,  XV  Gen.  19.  thefe  can- 
 not  be  here  intended  5  for  they  were  too  far  oft  frooi 
 this  place.  And  as  for  the  Kenites  mentioned  in 
 I  Judges  16.  IV.  11.  who  dwelt  among  xhz  Israelites 
 when  they  came  into  Canaan,  they  had  as  yet  no  fix- 
 ed ftate,but  were  with  them  in  the  Wildernefs.  There- 
 forest  is  likely,they  were  fome  of  the  Kindred  of  Je- 
 thro  (originally  derived  from  the  fame  Family  that 
 he  was  of)  who  remained  in  Midian  $  and  adjoyn- 
 ed  fo  clofe  to  the  Country  of  the  Amalekitesjhzx  they 
 are  faid  to  dwell  among  them,  1  Sam.  XV.  6.  For  it 
 is  plain,  the  word  Kent  in  Hebrew  is  the  Name  of  a 
 People,  not  of  a  particular  Perfon  5  and  there  might 
 be  a  great  many  of  them  5  fome  m  Canaan,  others  in 
 Midian  ^  and  of  thefe  latter5fome  went  with  the  Ifra- 
 elites  into  Canaan  when  they  conquered  it,and  others 
 remained  ftill  in  their  own  Country.    They  feem  all 
 
 to 
 
494  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  to  have  been  defcended  from  one  Ken  or  Kain  men- 
 XXIV.   tioned  IV  Judges  n.  (as  Scaliger  conje&ures  in  his 
 
 L/"V^NJ  Elenchus  lrih£ref.cap.2%.)  Jethro's  Pofterity  being  but 
 one  Family  of  this  People. 
 
 Strong  is  thy  dwelling-place."]  They  were  but  a 
 {mall  People,  who  dwelt  upon  fteep  Mountains. 
 
 And  putted  thy  NeS  in  a  Rock,]  This  is  but  a  fur- 
 ther defcription  of  their  Country,  in  other  words. 
 For  Netf  fignifies  their  Habitation  5  only  it  feems  to 
 import  that  their  dwelling  was  little,in  craggy  Moun- 
 tains, where  they  lookt  upon  themfelves  as  very  fafe 
 and  fecure,  the  accefs  to  them  being  very  difficult. 
 And  from  hence,  I  fuppofe,  they  were  called  Shela- 
 mites,  (as  both  the  Hieruf.  Tar  gum  and  Onkelos  here 
 term  them  ,  inftead  of  Kenites)  i.  e.  peaceable  Peo- 
 ple $  becaufe  no  body  medled  with  them,  nor  they 
 with  any  body. 
 
 Verfe  22*  Ver.  22.  And  the  Kenite/fjall be  wafted."]  By  little 
 and  little  diminifhed. 
 
 Until  Afhur  fi all  carry  thee  away  captive.  ~]  Till  at 
 laft  they  were  all  carried  away  by  the  Ajjyrians^  when 
 they  over-ran  Syria^  2  Kings  XVI.  9. 
 
 Verfe  23.  Ver.  23.  And  he  took,  up  his  Parable ,  and  J aid.'] 
 Having  refted  a  while,  he  fighed,  and  faid  .aloud. 
 Sees/.  3. 
 
 Alas  !  who  foal/ live  when  God  doth  this  ?  ~]  What 
 miferable  times  will  thofe  be,  when  the  Afjyrians  (hall 
 over-run  a  great  part  of  the  World  >  How  few  will 
 efcape  their  Devaluations  ?  Or,  who  would  not  defire 
 rather  to  die,  than  live  in  thofe  days  > 
 
 But  fome,  I  obferve,  refer  this,  not  to  what  goes 
 before,  but  to  what  follows  5  which  relates  to  the 
 Defolations  made  by  the  following  Empires ,  efpeci- 
 ally  the  Rowan* 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon   NUMBER  S.  493 
 
 Ver.  24.  And  Ships  fhall  come  from    the  CoaSl   of  Chapter 
 Chittim. ~\  Whether  this  Prophecy  hath  refpeft  (in  the   XXIV. 
 word  Chittim  J  to  the  Greeks  or  to  the  Rowans,  or  to   ^  V*v 
 both,  it  was  plainly  fulfilled,  as  the  learned  Huetius  Verfe  24. 
 obferves.     But  it  muft  be  noted,  that  not  only  St.Hie- 
 rom,  but  Onkelos,  and  Jonathan,  and  the  Hiemfalem 
 Interpreter,  and  the  Arabick,  underftand  by  Chittim 
 the  Country  of  Italy,  or  fome  part  thereof.     And  Bo- 
 charts  proves,  by  many  Arguments,  that  the  People 
 of  that  Country  did  defcend  from  Chittim.  See  X  Gen. 
 4.  Yet  it  is  not  likely  that  Chittim ,  being  the  Son  of 
 Javan  who  peopled  Greece,  went  fo  far  at  firft  from 
 the  reft  of  his  Brethren  }  but  his  Children  peopled 
 fome  part  thereabouts.     From  whence,  in  after  times, 
 when  they  were  increafed,  they  fent  Colonies  into 
 Italy.     Particularly  Macedonia  is  called  by  the  Name 
 of  Chittim,  in  the  Book  of  Maccabees,   1  Mace.  I. 1. 
 VIII.  5.     And  therefore  I  take  the  Greeks  under  A- 
 lexander  to  be  here  intended  in  the  firft  place  ,  and 
 then  the  Romans  in  the  next  5  each  of  them  ful- 
 filling the  feveral  parts  of  this  Prophecy. 
 
 And  fhall  affliS  Affur.~]  This  was  done  by  Alex- 
 ander, who  over-threw  the  Rerfian  Empire,  which 
 ruled  over  the  Chald&ans  and  Afjyrians.  So  Theodoret 
 underftands  the  word  Chittim  ,  to  fignifie  Alexander 
 and  his  Macedonians,  whofe  Country  was  anciently 
 called  Msutl'flisL  ,  as  Hefychtus  tells  us,  they  being  a 
 mixture  (as  Mr.  Mede  probably  conjectures  in  his 
 XLVIII  Difcourfe  ,  p.  377O  of  the  Sons  of  Madal 
 and  Chittim.  The  Romans  indeed  afterwards  over- 
 threw the  Gree^Empire,  but  we  do  not  read  that  they 
 made  War  againft  the  Afjyrians  till  the  time  of  Trajan  5 
 who  fubdued  them,  and  reduced  them  into  a  Pro- 
 vince, as  Dio  relates,  Lib.  LXVIII. 
 
 -..:< 
 
4^6  A     COMMENTAKT 
 
 Chapter  And  flail  afflict  Ebcr.~]  This  was  done  by  the  Ro~ 
 XXIV.  wans,  not  by  the  Grecians.  For  we  are  to  under- 
 <^~sr^  ftand  by  Eber  the  Hebrew  Nation,  called  the  Children 
 of  Eber,  XGen.  21.  So  the  LXX.  tranflate  it,  r»s  5E- 
 Sf.ajz;:  the  Name  of  Hebrews  being  as  plainly  derived 
 from  Eber,  as  that  of  Jews  from  Judah.  Now  they 
 were  not  afflicted  by  Alexander  in  his  Conquefts,  but 
 rather  kindly  treated  by  him.  And  therefore  this  cannot 
 be  meant  of  the  Greeks  5  unlets  we  will  think  it  fulfil- 
 led in  the  time  of Antiochua,  who  defcended  indeed 
 from  the  Macedonians,  but  did  not  come  from  that 
 Country  5  nor  did  he  afflict  them  long  }  much  lefs 
 make  them  defolate,  as  the  Romans  under  Vefyafian 
 and  Titus  did  ,  which  feems  to  be  here  intended. 
 
 And  they  alfo  foall perifl)  for  ever. ~\  This  doth  not 
 refer  to  Eber,  but  to  the  Nation  that  afflicted  him, 
 viz.  the  Roman  Empire 5  which  he  prophefies  fhall 
 not  always  affiift  others,but  at  laft  be  utterly  deftroy- 
 ed  it  felf.  Aben-E7.ra  indeed  refers  it  to  the  Kingdom 
 of  the  Seleucid£,  or  the  Greeks  Empire  :  but  R.  Ifaac 
 before-mentioned,  thinks  the  deftrudtion  of  the  Ro- 
 mans is  intended  in  this  Prophecy  5  only  he  fancies 
 it  is  to  be  accomplilhed  by  a  Chrift  not  yet  come. 
 Verfe  2  5 .  Ver.  2  5 .  Amd  Balaam  rofe  up  and  went.  ~]  As  Balak, 
 had  commanded  him,  v.  11. 
 
 And  returned  to  his  place.]  Unto  his  Country, a/&. 
 Mefopotamia.  But  he  was  detained  by  the  Midianites 
 in  his  paffage  thither  ^  among  whom  he  was  Oain,  as 
 we  read  in  the  XXXIth  Chapter.  For  Men  are  (aid 
 to  do  that,  which  they  defign  and  endeavour  to  do, 
 VIII  Exod.  18.  XIV  Numb.  40.  If  this  be  not  the 
 meaning,  then  after  he  came  to  his  own  Country,  he 
 returned  to  the  Midianites,  at  their  intreaty  ,  or  by 
 his  own  inclination  5  and  (either  as  he  was  going 
 
 home, 
 
^NUMBERS.  4P7 
 
 home,  or  when  he  came  back)  gave  that  impious   Chapter 
 Counfel,  which  was  executed  not  long  after  this,  as   XXV. 
 we  find  in  the  next  Chapter.     For  that  he  was  the  Au-  C/^V^J 
 thor  of  it,we  are  allured  by  three  Divine  Writers.  See 
 2  Pet. II.  15.  Jude  v.  11.   II  Revel.  14. 
 
 It  is  a  ftrange  Expofition  which  BaaUhatturim  gives 
 of  his  going  to  his  place  :  that  is  ,  faith  he,  he  went 
 down  into  Hell.  But  it  may  ferve  to  confirm  the  com- 
 mon Interpretation  of  that  which  is  faid  of  Judas, 
 lA&s  25. 
 
 And  Balak^alfo  went  his  way7\  To  Kiriah-Huzothy 
 I  fuppofe,  mentioned  XXII.  39. 
 
 CHAP.     XXV. 
 
 Ver. 
 
 I.    \ND  Ifrael  abode  in  Schittim.']     A  place  yerfe 
 l\  in  the  Plains  of  Moab  (where  they  lay, 
 
 while  all  the  forementioned  things  were  tranfa&ed, 
 XXII.  1.)  called  Abel-Shittim,  XXXIII.  49.  but  it  is 
 ufual  to  cut  off  the  former  part  of  a  places  name,  for 
 fhortnefs  fake.  As  in  this  very  Book,  XXXII.  38. 
 Baal-meon  for  Beth-Baal- meon  ,  as  it  is  called  XIII 
 Joflj.  17.  And  Hermon  commonly  for  Baal-Hermon  ^ 
 and  Nimrim  for  Beth-Nimrim.  To  which  may  be 
 added  Salem  for  Jerufalem,  LXVI  Pfal.  3.  This  Sta- 
 tion was  the  laft  which  the  Ifrael/tes  made,  while  they 
 remained  in  the  Wildernefs  :  in  which  the  reft  of  the 
 things  that  follow,  to  the  end  of  the  Book  of  Deute- 
 ronomy, were  done. 
 
 S  s  s  And 
 
45?8  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       And  the  People  begun  to  commit  Whoredom.']     Both 
 XXV.    bodily  and  fpiritual  5  into  which  they  fell   not  long 
 
 C/'-Wj  after  Balaam  was  gone  from  Balak.  Though  not  all 
 the  People  tell  into  this  Guilt,  but  a  great  many  of 
 them  5  as  appears  from  what  follows,  v.  \,  5,  6. 
 
 With  the  Daughters  of  Mo a  />.]  And  of  Midi  an  al- 
 fo,  as  we  learn  from  v.  6, 17,  18.  But  thofe  of  Moab 
 are  here  alone  mentioned  $  becaufe,  it  is  likely,  they 
 began  this  wicked  pra&ice.  I  fee  no  ground  for  what 
 Greg.  Nyjfen  faith,That  the  Ifraelites  having  vanquifh- 
 ed  the  Moabites  in  a  Battle,  fell  in  love  with  the  Cap- 
 tives which  they  had  taken,  being  overcome  by  Luft, 
 when  they  had  been  victorious  in  War ,  as  he  fpeaks, 
 Lib.  de  vita  Mofis,  p.  186.  It  is  fomething  more 
 probable,  that  the  Prophecy  of  Balaam  being  fpread 
 abroad  among  the  Moabites ,  concerning  the  great 
 Bleflings  God  defigned  to  beftow  upon  the  Ifraelites, 
 particularly  that  of  the  M  E  S  S I  A  H,  it  might  excite 
 in  the  Women  of  Moab  a  defire  to  have  Children  by 
 the  Men  of  Ifrael ,  that  they  might  partake  in  their 
 Bleflings.  Unto  which  they  might  think  they  had 
 fome  title,  being  defcended  from  the  eldeft  Daughter 
 of  Lot,  the  Son  of  Abrahams  Brother.  This  might 
 pafs  for  truth,  if  it  were  not  very  evident  from  the 
 following  ftory,  that  the  Daughters  of  Moab  expofed 
 themfelves,  by  Balaam  sco\xnk\,  to  the  Luft  of  the 
 Ifraelites,  that  by  this  means  they  might  feduce  them 
 to  Idolatry,  and  fo  make  them  lofe  the  Blefling  in- 
 tended for  them.  For  that  this  was  done  by  Balaams 
 advice,  there  is  no  doubt.  See  XXXI.  16.  And  the 
 Jews  have  alio  a  conceit  that  he  ever  had  been  an  E- 
 nemy  unto  Ifrael,  being  one  of  Pharaoh's  Privy  Coun- 
 cil, who  advifed  him  to  drown  their  Children  5  as  the 
 Tale  is  told  in  the  Talmud  in  the  Title  Sanhedrim, 
 
 cap. 
 
^NUMBERS.  4Pp 
 
 cap.  ult.    But  this  is  to  make  him  to  have  been  now  Chapter 
 of  a  greater  Age,  than  we  have  reafon  to  believe  (viz.     XXV. 
 Two  hundred  and  ten  years  old,  according  to  their  \^\^\J 
 own  Computation)  and  quite  contrary  to  what  others 
 of  them  fay,  that  he  lived  but  half  his  time,according 
 to  the  Pfalmist,  LV  Pfal.  23. 
 
 Ver.  2.  And  they.  ]     That  is,  the  Daughters  of  Verfe  2. 
 Moab. 
 
 Called  the  People."]  Invited  them  to  a  Feaft  :  For 
 the  ordinary  Charms  unto  Idolatry ,  were  good  Vi- 
 ctuals, and  bad  Women. 
 
 Unto  the  Sacrifices  of  their  Gods.~]  To  eat  of  the 
 Sacrifices  which  had  been  offered  to  their  Gods,  parti- 
 cularly to  Baal-Peor.  Thefe  Feafts  upon  their  Sacri- 
 fices were  very  magnificent  among  the  Heathen,  being 
 accompanied  with  Mufick  and  Dancing,  and  fome- 
 times  pompous  Proceflions,  which  indeed  youthful 
 Minds  to  partake  of  them.  Here  the  IfraelHes,  cart- 
 ing their  Eyes  upon  the  Daughters  of  Moab  (  which 
 doubtlefs  on  this  occafion  appeared  in  the  beft  Drefs 
 and  richeft  Ornaments)  werefmitten  with  their  Beau- 
 ty, and  courted  their  Enjoyment.  Who  would  not 
 yield  to  this  Motion,  but  upon  condition  that  they 
 would  firft  worfhip  their  Gods:  whereupon,pulling  a 
 little  Image  of  Peor  out  of  their  Bofom,  they  prefen- 
 ted  it  to  the  Ifraelites  to  kifsit,  and  defired  them  to 
 eat  of  the  Sacrifices  that  had  been  offered  to  him.Thus 
 the  Jewljh  Do&ors  tell  the  ftory.  And  indeed  it  hath 
 been  cbferved  by  the  Writers  of  the  Church,  that 
 Women  have  been  the  mod  dangerous  Seducers  of 
 Men  from  the  true  Religion  $  being  from  the  begin- 
 ning the  Spreaders  of  the  old  Herefies.  FGr  Simon 
 Magus  advanced  his  Herefie,  Helen£  meretricls  adju- 
 tm  auxilio^  being  ailifted  by  the  help  of  the  Harlot 
 
 S  S  S  2  Helena. 
 
^oo  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Helena.     Nicolaus  o£Antioch  alfo ,  chores  dttxitf&m- 
 
 XXV.     neos.     The  famous  Marclon  fent  before  him  feme  Ro- 
 
 t/^/^NJ  ntan  Ladies,  to  prepare  his  way.     Apclles  b  Montanm, 
 
 Arius,  Donatm,  did  all  take  the  fame  tourle,  as  St.f/ie- 
 
 rom  (hows  in  his  Book  adverfm  Pclagianos. 
 
 And  the  People  did  eaU\  Which  was  an  aft  of  I- 
 dolatry  (as  to  eat  of  the  LO  R  D's  Sacrifices,  was  an 
 Aft  of  Divine  Worlhip)  whereby  they  owned  them- 
 felves  the  Servants  of  the  Gods  of  Moab.  SeeXXXlV 
 Exod.  15. 
 
 And  bowed  down  to  then  Gods^     This  was  ftill  a 
 more  plain  aft  of  idolatrous  Worlhip  \  exprefly  for- 
 bidden by  God  in  the  fecond  Commandment. 
 Verfe  3.        Ver.  3.   And  lfraehvas  joyned  unto  Baal-Peor.~]T\\\s 
 feems  to  fignifie,  that  they  were  devoted  to  the  Ser- 
 vice of  this  Idol  in  great  affection  3  with  which  they 
 performed  the  forenamed  aftions.     The  Jews  com- 
 monly take  this  Baal-Peor  to  have  been  no  better  than 
 a  Priapus  \  and  the  worlhip  of  him  Co  have  confifted 
 in  fuch  obfeene  Praftices,  or  Poftures  at  leaft  •   as  are 
 not  fit  to  be  named.      Particularly  their  great  Com- 
 mentary upon  Numbers,  faith,  That  the  Lfraelties  be- 
 ing unwilling  to  enjoy  their  Women   upon   thofe 
 terms,they  told,  them  they  needed  only  uncover  their 
 Nakednefs  before  Baal-Peor,  which  was  all  the  Wor- 
 th^ p  required  of  them:  unto  which  they  eafily  fub- 
 mltted.     This  Maimomdes  himfelf  relates  for  a  truth, 
 that  his  Worlhip  confifted   in   revealing  their  Secret 
 Parts  before  him,M«?re  Nevochim,  P.  III.  cap.  45.  But 
 Solomon  Jarchi  goes  further,  making  this  Worship  to 
 confift  in  Aftions  as  ridiculous,  as  they  were  beaftly. 
 All  which  feems  to  me  very  unlikely  5  and  fo  it  doth 
 to  feveral  Men  of  great  Judgment ,  particularly  Mr. 
 Selden  5  who  thinks,  with  great  probability,  that  Pew 
 (as  I  obferved  before,  XXIII.  28  )  being  the  name  of  a 
 
 Moun- 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  501 
 
 Mountain  in  the  Country  of  Moab,  the  Temple  of  Chapter 
 Baal  ftood  upon  it,  (by  whom  fome  underftand  Sa-  XXV. 
 turn,  others  the  Sun, which  ismoft  likely)  and  thence  L/"V%J 
 he  was  called  Baal-Beor,  becaufe  there  he  was  efpeci- 
 ally  worfhipped  5  as  Jupiter  was  called  Olympics,  be- 
 caufe he  was  worfhipped  in  a  famous  Temple,  which 
 ftood  on  the  Mountain  Olympus.  And  every  one 
 knows,  that  anciently  they  chofe  the  higheft  Moun- 
 tains, before  all  other  places,  for  the  Divine  Service  5 
 infomuch  that  at  Jerufalem  the  Temple  was  fet  upon 
 the  Hill  of  Sion,  which  the  Pfdmni  faith  God  pre- 
 ferred before  all  other  places,  LXXVIII  Pfd,  63.  Or 
 Peor  perhaps  was  the  name  of  fome  great  Prince  (as 
 the  fame  Mr.  Selden  conje&ures)  tranflated  into  the 
 number  of  the  Gods :  for  the  Pfdmijl  faith,CVI  Pfd. 
 28.  that  when  they  worfhipped  BaaUPeor,  they  ale  the 
 Sacrifices  of  the  dead.  Which  feems  to  fignifie  ,  that 
 in  him  they  worfhipped  fome  dead  Man,  who  per- 
 haps was  the  fir  ft  Inftitutor  of  this  Worfhip,  what- 
 foeverit  was.  Another  great  Man  of  our  own  Na- 
 tion hath  faid  much  to  ftrengthen  this  Opinion  5  ha- 
 ving (hown  at  large,  that  the  ancient  Heathens  were 
 wont  to  Deify  the  Souls  of  Men,  and  Canonize  them 
 after  Death  ^  and  thefe  we  called  Baalim.  Being  ac- 
 counted an  inferiour  fort  of  Deities,  who  they  fan- 
 cied were  Minifters  for  them,  to  their  Cadeftial  Gods. 
 See  Mr.  Mede,  Book  HI.  p.  724,  &c.  Yet  it  muft  be 
 acknowledged  that  there  are  others  of  great  note , 
 who  take  all  for  truth  which  the  Jewijlo  Writers  re- 
 port, concerning  the  filthy  Worfhip  of  Baal-Pear , 
 and  imagine  that  Fornication  was  a  part  of  it :  as  m 
 future  times  it  was  both  among  the  Greeks  and  Ro- 
 mans, in  the  Worfhip  of  fome  of  their  Gods.  For 
 what  the  Jews  found  then  praftifed,  they  fancied  was 
 
 done 
 
554  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  done  in  thefe  early  days.     But  it  is  obfervable  ,  that 
 XXV.   the  more  ancient  the  Books  of  the  Jews  are,  which 
 
 WVNJ  fpeak  of  this  matter,  the  lefs  they  fay  of  the  impuri- 
 ties in  the  Service  of  Baal-Pcor.  For  Example  ,  the 
 Hierufalem  Talmud  hath  none  of  that  leud  fluff  in  it, 
 which  Solomon  Jarchi  upon  this  place  took  out  of  the 
 Babylonian  5  which  was  compofed  long  after  the  for- 
 mer. 
 
 And  the  anger  of  the  LORD  was  kindled  again  8 
 Ifrael.~]  As  appeared  immediately,  by  the  fevere  pu- 
 nilhment  he  inHi&ed  on  them,  both  for  their  Idola- 
 try and  for  their  Fornication. 
 
 Verfe  4;  Ver.  4.  And  the  LORD  /aid  unto  Mofes,  take  all 
 the  Heads  of  the  People,  and  hang  them  up.~]  The  plain 
 meaning  feems  to  be,  that  he  (hould  take  ,  i.  e.  caufe 
 to  be  apprehended,  the  Heads  of  the  People,  i.e.  the 
 Rulers  of  Thoufands  and  Hundreds,  and  other  prin- 
 cipal Perfons  in  their  Tribes,  who  had  been  guilty  of 
 the  foul  Idolatry  before-mentioned  5  and  by  hanging 
 them  up,  put  a  ftop  to  the  Peoples  lewdnefs  ,  when 
 they  faw  thefe  great  Men  made  Public  k  Examples  of 
 God's  Difpleafure.  For  it  is  very  likely,  more  of  the 
 Princes  of  the  People  were  guilty  befides  Zimri^  e- 
 fpecially  if  it  be  true  which  the  Samaritan  Chronicle  af- 
 firms, that  the  Daughters  of  the  chief  Men  of  Moab 
 were  fent  finely  dreifed  to  allure  the  Ifraelitcs  3  and 
 one  of  the  Kings  Daughters  among  the  reft.  But 
 though  the  LXX.  and  the  Vulgar,  and  Symmarhus,thus 
 underftand  it,  that  he  commanded  the  Heads  of  the 
 People  to  be  hanged  up  5  yet  a  great  many  other  an- 
 cient Tranflators,  and  many  famous  Doftors^take  the 
 word  Otham  (them  whom  he  commanded  to  be  hang- 
 ed up)  not  to  refer  to  the  Heads  of  the  People,  but 
 to  fuch  as  had  joyned  themfelves  to  Baal-Ptor  :  and 
 
 they 
 
^NUMBERS,  503 
 
 they  interpret  the  foregoing  words,  as  if  he  had  bid  Chapter 
 him  take  unto  him  (/.  e.  to  his  afliftance)  the  Heads  of  XXV. 
 the  People,  as  they  think  he  did,  as  is  related  in  the  W  v^v 
 'next  verfe.  The  Judges  indeed  there  mentioned  feem 
 tome  to  be  diftinCt  from  the  Heads  of  the  People  ^  and 
 Mofes  did  not  take  them  to  his  Afiilbnce ,  but  com- 
 manded them  to  do  their  duty.  Yet  it  muft  be  ac- 
 knowledged that  there  is  a  great  current  of  Interpre- 
 preters  which  runs  the  other  way  5  as  if  Mofes  was 
 commanded  to  order  the  Judges  to  aflemble  and  call 
 before  them  fuch  as  were  fufpe&ed  5  and  having  ex- 
 amined the  Fad,  accordingly  proceed  againft  them, 
 and  punifh  fuch  as  had  offended.  Thus  the  Samaritan 
 Copy  reads  it  exprefly,  and  fo  Onkelos,  and  the  Para- 
 phraft  called  ZJzielides,  and  the  Hierufalem  Targum , 
 and  the  Arabick  TranOation  of  Saadia  Gaon^  and  both 
 the  Talmudifts  and  Karaites  agree  in  this  fence  5  as 
 Mr.  Selden  fhows  at  large,  Lib.  II.  deSynedrik,cap.\. 
 n.  10.  And  Job.  Coch  upon  the  Gemara  of  the  Sanhe- 
 drim, cap,  4.  fell. 4.  where  he  obferves  that  Aben-Ezra, 
 and  Solomon  Jarchi  thus  interpret  it,  and  takes  the 
 meaning  to  be  certain,  that  the  Heads  of  the  People 
 fhould  divide  themfelvesintofeveral  Courts  of  Judg- 
 ment, and  examine  who  had  committed  Idolatry  5 
 and  after  Convi&ion  caufe  them  to  be  hang  d.  For 
 there  is  great  reaibn  to  think  the  Conftitution  of 
 Judges,  by  Jethros  advice,  continued  all  the  time 
 they  were  in  the  Wildernefs  ^  who  might  eafily  find 
 out  the  Guilty  in  their  feveral  Divifions, 
 
 Before  the  LOR  D.~]  i.  e.  Before  the  San&uary  53 
 as  Men  who  had  forfaken  the  Worfhip  of  their  God$ 
 and  by  his  Sentence  were  adjudged  to  die. 
 
 Againfl 
 
^D4  A     COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  AgarnsJ  the  Sun.]  Openly,  that  all  the  People 
 XXV.  might  fee,  and  fear  to  Sin.  Soboth  R.  Solomon  and 
 <sm*sr**~'  Aben-E%ra  expound  it.  For  this  was  a  peculiar  mark 
 of  the  Divine  Difpleafure  againft  Idolaters  and  Blaf- 
 phemers,  that  they  fhould  be  hanged  up,  and  pub- 
 Jickly  expofed  after  they  had  fuffered  death-  For 
 none  were  hang'd  alive  among  the  Hebrews  ,  but  firft 
 ftoned  (which  was  the  common  Punifhment  of  the 
 fore-named  Offenders)  and  then  hanged  up  in  the  eyes 
 of  all  $  as  R.  Solomon  expounds  this  Phrafe  agafnjl  the 
 Sun. 
 
 Tliat  the  fierce  anger  of  the  LORD  may  be  turned 
 from  IfradT]  By  their  Zeal  to  vindicate  the  Divine 
 Honour. 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  And  Mofes  f aid  unto  the  Judges  of  IfraeL] 
 Some  take  thefe  for  the  LXX.  Elders  ,  mentioned 
 XL  25-. 
 
 Slay  ye."]  By  hanging  them  up,as  fome  underftand 
 it.  But  the  Hebrew  word  imports  killing  with  the 
 Sword  5  which  they  commanded  their  Officers  to  do, 
 with  the  affiftance  of  fuch  as  abhorred  the  wicked- 
 nefs  of  their  Neighbours. 
 
 Every  one  hk  ManT]  The  LXX.  Elders,  being  ap- 
 pointed to  be  coadjutors  to  Mofes  in  the  Government, 
 made  a  divifion  of  the  People,  it  is  moft  likely,  into 
 fo  many  diftr'ufts:  and  each  of  them  having  the 
 charge  of  one,  all  the  People  therein,  are  called  hk 
 Men  5  of  whom  he  was  to  give  an  account. 
 
 That  were  joyned  unto  Baal-Peorr\  Who  were  fo 
 well  known,  that  there  was  no  danger  of  flaying  the 
 innocent. 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  behold.']  This  which  follows  is  the 
 more  wonderful,  if  the  Judges  had  already  begun,  to 
 execute  the  foregoing  command,  and  argues  Zimri  to 
 t  have 
 
^NUMBERS,  505 
 
 have  been  very  impudently  wicked,who  thought  him-    Chapter 
 felf  fo  great  a  Man,  that  no  Judge  durfl:  meddle  with   XXV. 
 him.  '  LT\T%j 
 
 One  of  the  Children  of  Jfrael  came  and  brought  unto 
 his  Brethren."]  In  the  Camp  of  Jfrael,  or  into  the 
 Tent  where  his  own  Family  dwelt. 
 
 A  Midianitifi  Woman~]  By  which  it  appears  that 
 both  Nations,  Moab  and  Mid/an,  were  in  this  Plot  a- 
 'gain ft  Jfrael. 
 
 In  the  fight  of  Mofes.]  A  high  contempt  of  his  Au- 
 thority 5  and  of  God's  alio,  whofe  Servant  Mofes 
 was. 
 
 And  in  the  fight  of  all  the  Congregation  of  the  Chil- 
 dren of  Ifrael.~J  This  feernsto  be  a  further  aggrava- 
 tion of  his  Sin,  that  he  was  not  content  to  go  to  the 
 Women,  who  invited  them,  (  v.  2. )  but  brought 
 one  of  them  along  with  him  into  the  Camp  of  Jfrael  ^ 
 and  this  he  did  before  the  face  of  all  the  People,  as 
 well  as  of  Mofes  %,  and  that  when  they  were  mourn- 
 ing for  this  Sin,  as  it  here  follows. 
 
 Who  were  weeping  before  the  door  of  the  Tabernacle  of 
 the  Congregation.]  This  (hows  ,  that  though  there 
 were  great  numbers  ingaged  in  this  Defection  ,  yet 
 the  generality  of  the  People  clave  unto  the  L  O  K  D, 
 and  bewailed  the  Wickednefs  of  their  Brethren,  mod 
 earneftly  imploring  God's  Mercy  towards  them. 
 
 Ver.7.  And  when  Phincas^  the  Son  ofEleazarjhe  Son  Verfe  7. 
 of  Aaron  the  Priett,  Sec]     A  Man  of  great  Authority, 
 being  next  to  the  High-Pried.,  whom  he  fucceeded  in 
 his  Office,  as  he  did  Jofloua  (  if  we  may  believe  fome 
 Writers)  in  the  Government  of  all  Jfrael.        x 
 
 He  rofe  up."]  His  Spirit  (as  St.  Luke  fpeaks  of  St. 
 Paul)  was  ftirred  in  him  5  and  being  infpired  with 
 an  holy  Zeal,  was  moved  to  do  what  follows. 
 
 T  1 1  From 
 
^o6  *  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Front  among  the  Congregation."]     Who  were  weep- 
 XXV.    tog  at  the  Dcor  of  the  Tabernacle  5  or  rather ,  from 
 
 ^y\f\J  among  the  Judges  with  whom  he  was  afiembled,  be- 
 ing one  of  them  :  So  Jonathan  j  he  rofe  up  from  the 
 mid  ft  of  the  Sanhedrin.  For  as  Bonav.  Cornel.  Bertra- 
 ms thinks,  Eleazar  after  the  death  of 'Aaron \  appoint- 
 ed his  Son  Phineas  to  be  Prince  of  the  Levitcs.  Which 
 he  thinks  appears  not  only  from  his  riling  up  here, 
 from  the  mid  ft  of  the  Judges  of  Ifracl ,  but  from  the 
 Embaffy  wherein  he  was  employed  by  Jo/ljua,unto  the 
 Refibenitesj.$£C.  beyond  Jordan,  XXII  Jojb.  14.  and 
 from  1  Chron.  IX.  20.  where  he  is  faid  to  be  Ruler 
 over  the  Korah/tes.  Which  fignifies  ,  he  thinks,  fuch 
 a  preheminenceas  Eleazar  himfelf  had  over  the  Le- 
 vies, while  his  Father  Aaron  lived,  De  Repub.Jud.c.15. 
 And  indeed  the  PfalmiU  faith,  that  Phineas  flood  up 
 and  executed  Judgment,  CVI.  39.  Which  feems  to 
 import  that  he  a&ed  as  a  Judge,  but  by  an  extraor- 
 dinary motion  $  which  made  him  kill  the  Offenders 
 with  his  own  Hands,without  a  Judicial  Procefs  againft 
 them. 
 
 And  took,  a  Javelin  in  his  hand.}  Or  a  Sword  ,  as 
 Jofcphus  calls  it  3  which  he  fnatcht  out  of  the  hand 
 of  Mcfes,  as  the  tradition  is  in  PirkeEUefer,  cap.  47. 
 
 Vterfe  8.  Ver.  8.  And  he  went  after  the  Man  of  Ifrael  into  the 
 Tent."]  It  is  an  unufual  word  in  the  Hebrew,  which 
 we  tranflate  Tent  5  importing  a  private  ,  fecret  place 
 like  a  Cave,  asKubba  or  Kobba  is  thought  to  fignifie, 
 which  the  Arabians  call  Alcobba.  From  whence  comes 
 the  word  Alcove  3  which  fignifies,  as  Bochart  obferves, 
 conclave  earner ati  operk ,  quo  leUus  circumdatur :  A 
 Room  of  arched  Work,  which  inclofes  a  Bed  in  it. 
 See  his  Hierozoicon,  Pars  I.  p.  ult. 
 
 t 
 
 And 
 
upon  N  U  M  B  E  R  %  507 
 
 ^W  thruft  both  of  them  through,  the  Man  of  Ifrael,  Chapter 
 and  the  Worn an7\  This  he  did,  faith  Philo^^j^av-  XXV. 
 7<^  Mvvdv;,  by  the  command  of  Mofes.  But  fhould  L^VNJ 
 rather  have  (aid,  by  a  Divine  Inftigation  :,  which  he 
 followed,  when  the  red:  of  the  Judges  were  afraid  (as 
 fome  conceive)  to  meddle  with  fo  great  a  Man  as 
 Zimri  was.  And  upon  this  Fad,  the  Jews  ground 
 that  which  they  call,  the  Judgment  of  Zeal,  which 
 authorized  them,  who  were  full  of  Zeal,  to  punifh 
 fuch  as  blafphemed  God,  or  prophaned  the  Temple, 
 &c.  in  the  prefence  often  Men  of Ifrael,  without  a 
 formal  Procefs  againft  them.  Thus  Matthias  killed  a 
 Jew,  who  facrificed  after  the  manner  of  the  Greeks, 
 1  Maccab.\l.2^.^nd  three  hundred  others  were  killed 
 by  their  Country-men,  as  is  related  in  the  Book  com- 
 monly called  the  Third  Book,  of  Maccabees.  And  upon 
 the  pretence  of  fuch  leal, St.  Step  hen  was  ftoned,and  St. 
 Paul  intended  to  be  killed,  &c.  as  Grot/us  obferves, 
 Lib.  II.  de  Jure  Belli  &  Pack,  cap.  lo.feft.  9.  and  fee 
 Selden  de  Jure  Nat.  &  Gent.  Lib.  IV.  cap./[.  But  this 
 Judgment  (as  they  call  it )  feems  not  to  be  well 
 grounded  upon  the  Fad  of  Phineas  ,  who  was  a  pub- 
 lick  Perfon,  and  had  an  extraordinary  motion,  not 
 to  be  imitated  by  private  Men^  nor  was  it  followed 
 till  the  latter  times  of  the  ftate  of  that  Nation. 
 
 Through  her  belly. ,]  The  Vulgar  hath  it,  through  her 
 Secret  Parts.  And  fo  the  Jews  in  Pirke  Eliezer,  c.  47. 
 and  in  other  Books,  fuch  as  Pefikfa  and  Siphri  : 
 where  they  make  many  Miracles  to  have  concurred  in 
 this  Fa6t  ^  particularly,  they  fay,  that  the  Relations 
 oi  Zimri  going  to  fall  upon  Phineas  for  killing  their 
 Prince,  the  Angel  of  the  LORD  fmote  them,  and 
 cut  them  off, 
 
 Ttt  7  So 
 
508  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       So  the  Plague  was  flayed  fiom  the  Children  of  Ifrael.  ] 
 XXV.     It  feems  a  Peftilential  Diieafe  (as  Jofephus  calls  It) 
 
 L/^VNJ  fvvept  away  many  of  the  Offenders,  who  could  not 
 fo  fpeedily  be  punifhed  by  the  Judges :  But  it  ft  opt  im- 
 mediately upon  this  pious  Aft  of  Phineas. 
 
 Verfe  9.  Ver.  9.  And  thoje  that  died  of  the  Plague  were  Twen- 
 ty and  four  thoufand.~]  There  were  but  Twenty  and 
 three  thoufand,  who  died  of  the  Plague  it  felf,as  the 
 Apoftle  tells  us,  1  Cor.  X.  8.  but  there  were  a  thou- 
 fand more  taken  off  in  the  Plague  time,  or  during  the 
 Plague,  as  the  Hebrew  words  may  be  read.  For  in  the 
 Twenty  and  four  thoufand,  Mofes  comprehends  all 
 thofe  who  were  killed  by  the  Sword,  in  the  day  of  the 
 PLigue,  (as  the  Phrafeisz;.  i3.)  whereas  St.  Paul  rec- 
 kons thofe  only  who  died  of  the  Peftilence,  as  many 
 haveobferved,  particularly  Bochartm,  Lib.  W.Hieroz. 
 cap.  34.  P.  I.  It  is  probable  that  from  hence  it  was, 
 that  the  Author  of  the  Samaritan  Chronicle  took  up  a 
 Conceit,  that  the  King  of  Moab  fent  Twenty  four 
 thoufand  Damfels  to  Seduce  the  Ifraelites,  as  Hottin- 
 ger  reports  his  words,  in  his  Smegma  Orient  ale,  cap.  8. 
 p.  448. 
 
 Verfe  1  o.  Ver.  1  o.  And  the  LORD  ff>ake  unto  Mofes, faying.'] 
 After  the  Plague  was  ftayed,  it  is  likely  Mofes  went 
 into  the  Tabernacle  to  give  God  thanks  for  his  Mercy 
 to  his  People  3  and  then  he  [pake  to  him  what  here 
 follows. 
 
 Verfe  1 1 .  Ver.  1 1 .  Phineas  the  Son  of  Eleazar  ,  the  Son  of 
 Aaron  the  PrieSt,  hath  turned  my  Wrath  away  from  the 
 Children  of  Ifrael 7\  Though  they  wept  and  mourned 
 before  the  Door  of  the  Tabernacle  ,  yet  that  did 
 not  prevail  fo  much  for  Mercy,  as  this  Heroick  A& 
 of  Juftice, 
 
 While 
 
upon    NUMBERS.  50c? 
 
 While  he  was  zealous  for  my  fake  among  them."]  With  Chapter 
 a  fervent  and  courageous  Affection  vindicated  the  Di-   XXV. 
 vine  Honour,  by  a  fpeedy  punhlimentof  thofe  noto-  L/^sTSJ 
 rious  Offenders. 
 
 That  I  confuted  not  the  Children  oflfrael  in  myjea- 
 loufie.']  Did  not  proceed  to  deftroy  them  by  the 
 Peftilence,  when  I  was  fo  highly  incenfed  againft 
 them.  For  it  is  obferved  by  Eerodotvs  himfelf  in  his 
 Euterpe,  that  t$  uJiytK^v  dhw/iyuiT&v ,  f/AytXcuj  gIoj  £ 
 TtiMVPJLcui  Tmvol  7$  (SiSy  for  great  Crimes  there  are  at 
 great  Punijhments fent  fern  God  ^  which  is  nec^ffary 
 for  the  Publick  Good.  For  unlefs,  by  fuch  means,  a 
 flop  be  put  to  open  Impurities,  to  Murders,  and  fuch 
 like  Crimes,  not  only  all  Civil  Society  will  be  over- 
 turned, but  Nations  become  fo  wicked,  that  they  will 
 be  fit  for  nothing  but  to  be  rooted  out ,  by  the  Di- 
 vine Vengeance,  as  the  Canaanites  were,  Thus  Gee* 
 ro  difcourfes  Philip.  VIII.  In  Corpore,  fi  quid  ejuf modi 
 eli,  quod  reliquo  corpori  noceat,  &c.  c  In  the  Body,  if 
 c  there  be  any  thing  which  hurts  the  reft  of  the  Body, 
 c  it  is  neceffary  to  cut  it  off,  or  to  burn  it,  that  fome 
 c  one  Member,  rather  than  the  whole  Body,  perifh. 
 k  And  fo  it  is  in  the  Body  of  the  Commonwealth  5 
 c  TJt  totum  falvum  fit, qui  c  quid  eU  pejiiferum  amputetur  y 
 c  that  the  whole  may  be  preferved,  let  that  which  is 
 c  infe&ious  be  lopped  off. 
 
 Ver.  1*2.  Wherefore  fay. ~]     Unto  Phineas,  or  untoVerfe  12- 
 all  the  People. 
 
 Behold,  I  give  thee  my  Covenant  of  Peace.  ~]  The 
 word  Peace,  in  Scripture  ,  comprehends  all  manner 
 of  Bleffings  5  and  therefore  this  is  a  folemn  Promife 
 and  Engagement  to  make  him  and  his  Family  profpe- 
 rous :  the  particular  Bleffing  which  he  entails  upon 
 him,  following  in  the  next  verfe.     But  fome  will 
 
 have 
 
^io  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  have  this  to  (ignifie  that  he  ffcould  be  the  great  Re- 
 
 •  XXV,  conciler  of  God  toh'is  People,  and  make  Peace  be- 
 W*W>  tween  them  hereafter  ,  as  he  had  done  at  prefent. 
 Philo  feems  to  think  this ,  and  the  Priefthood,  to  be 
 two  diftinft  things }  when  he  faith,  God  crowned  hk 
 Pietj  $bHcu$  $bf.i£$,  lf!juuv\  j£  ItgfmjAip ,  with  two  Giftsy 
 Peace  and  the  Priejihood.  And  the  Jews  make  Peace 
 to  confift  in  a  long  Life  of  Profperity  5  which  was 
 fulfilled  in  Phineas  hisPerfon,  who  lived  till  the  lat- 
 ter times  of  the  Judges,  XXI  J*dg.  28.  Pirke  Elicfer 
 intejprets  it,  he  gave  him  the  life  of  this  World,  and  of 
 the  next. 
 Verfe  13.  Ver.13.  And  he  flail  have  it, and  his  Seed  after  him.~] 
 It  (hall  continue  in  his  Family. 
 
 Even  the  Covenant  of  an  everlajling  Priejihood.  ] 
 This  is  the  particular  Happinefs  which  God  fettled  up- 
 on him  and  his  Pofterity,  as  long  as  their  State  laft- 
 ed.  Which  was  with  fome  limitation,  it  appears  by 
 this,  that  after  fome  Succeflions  in  the  Line  of  Phineas, 
 the  Priejihood  came,  for  a  time  ,  into  the  Family  of 
 Eli,  who  wasdefcended  from  //  ha  mar  the  youngeft 
 Son  of  Aaron.  The  reafon  of  it  is  not  mentioned  in 
 the  Scripture  5  but  fome  great  Sin,  it  is  reafonable  to 
 fup'pofe,  provoked  God  to  fet  afide  the  Line  of  Elea- 
 zs.r  for  fome  years,  till  Eli's  Sons  alfo  became  fo  wick- 
 ed, that  the  Priefthood  was  taken  from  them,  and 
 reftored  in  the  days  of  Solomon  to  the  Pofterity  of 
 Phineas ,with  whom  it  continued  as  long  as  the  Prieft- 
 hood  laded.  What  Sin  this  was,  and  when  commit- 
 ted, we  do  not  know.  Some  of  the  Hebrew  Do&ors 
 are  fo  bold  as  to  fay,  it  was  becaufe  Phineas  would 
 not  abfolve  Jephthah  from  his  Vow  ,  as  Mr.  Sclden 
 obferves,  Lib.  I.  cle  Succejf.  in  Pontif.  cap.  2.  But  as 
 there  is  no  ground  for  this,  and  fuch  like  fancies, 
 
 which 
 
^NUMBERS,  511 
 
 which  others  of  them  have,  fo  it  is  more  probable  Chapter 
 that  lbme  ofPhi»ta$*s Succeffors  offended,  rather  than     XXV. 
 hehimfelf^  his  Pofterity  for  four  Generations  hold-  WV"^> 
 ing  the  Priefthood,  before  it  was  tranflated  to  £//,  as 
 Jofephus  and  others  (mentioned  by  Selden  in  the  place 
 before-named)  make  account. 
 
 JEgidius  Cam  art  us  in  his  Book  de  Rebus  Eli  a,  rap.  3. 
 fed.  5.  and  Con?.  Bertram,  cap.  15.  de  Republ.  Jud.  i- 
 magine  that  in  thofe  confuted  times,  none  of  the 
 Priefts  were  found  fit  to  adminifter  the  Affairs  of  the 
 Nation  but  Eli  alone  :  and  therefore  he  was  appoint- 
 ed by  God  to  it,  as  appears  from  1  Sam.  II.  30.  But 
 LEmperenr  in  his  Annotatious  upon  Bertram  well  ob- 
 ferves,That  it  being  the  conftant  courfe  of  God's  pro- 
 ceedings, to  continue  his  Mercies  to  the  Jfraelites,  ac- 
 cording to  his  promife,  while  they  were  obedient , 
 but  to  take  them  away  when  they  became  difobedient, 
 it  is  highly  reaibnable  to  conclude  there  was  fome 
 great  Offence  given  to  God  by  fome  of  the  Elace  of 
 Phineas,wh\ch  was  the  caufe  that  they  loft  this  Dig- 
 nity. But  fo  conftant  was  God  to  his  Promife ,  that  . 
 he  preferved  his  Line  in  a  continued  Succeffion  of 
 twelve  Perfons  from  Phineas  to  Azariah,  who  execu- 
 ted the  Priefts  Office  in  the  Temple  that  Solomon  built 
 in  Jernfalem,  as  we  read  1  Chron.  VI.  v.  4.  to  the 
 \oth.  From  which  time  to  the  Captivity  of  Babylon, 
 there  were  nine  more,  as  we  read  there  in  the  follow- 
 ing verfes.  And  after  the  end  of  the  Captivity,  unto 
 the  time  of  Antiochm  Eupator,  the  Jews  reckon  fifteen 
 more,  the  laft  of  which,  Onias,  was  killed  by  Lyfias.  . 
 And  after  him  there  were  eight  of  the  Family  of  the 
 Afmon£i  5  the  laft  of  which,  Arijiobulus,  was  killed 
 by  Herod,  who  after  that  made  whom  he  pleafed. 
 
 Be  caufe  he  was  jealous  for  hk  God."]     God,  who 
 
 fearches  - 
 
5i2  A     COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  fearches  the  hearts,  faw  that  this  motion  proceeded 
 
 XXV.     not  from  any  private  Paflion  ,  but  out  of  pure  Love 
 
 <-^-V,^->  and  fervent  Affe&ion  to  him,  and  from  Indignation 
 
 to  fee  his  Divine  Majefty  fo  affronted.     For  Zeal  is 
 
 a  mixed  Affe&ion,  of  Love  and  Anger. 
 
 And  made  an  Atonement  for  the  Children  of  Ifrael.  J 
 Procured  a  Pardon  for  all  his  Brethren,  olltlyjlXHjsu 
 ^  ( 5? /\upy£  GGu'dfry  ,  (as  Philo  exprefies  it)  by  hk  tin- 
 commanded  and fyontaneous  diligence  to  vindicate  God's 
 Honour,  flowing  from  his  fincere  Devotion  to  God's 
 Service. 
 
 Verfe  14.  ^er#  *4-  ^ow  ^Je  numc  of  the  Ifraelite  that  wax  flain, 
 even  that  iv as  flain  iv/th  the  Midianitijl)  Woman.']  God 
 would  have  his  Name  ftand  upon  record,  partly  to 
 make  it  infamous }  and  partly  to  do  honour  to  Phi- 
 neas,  who  durft  venture  to  fet  upon  a  Man,  who  had 
 fo  great  an  intereft  in  his  Tribe,  as  is  mentioned  in 
 the  next  words. 
 
 Zimri  the  Son  ofSaltt,  a  Pr;nce.~]  Not  the  chief 
 of  the  whole  Tribe  ^  but  of  a  great  Family^  in  that 
 Tribe. 
 
 Of  a  Houfe  among  the  Simeonites7\  In  the  Hebrew 
 the  words  are,  of  a  Houfe  of  a  Father.  For  the  Tribes 
 were  divided  into  Families  :,  and  thefe  into  Houfes  ; 
 every  one  of  which  had  a  Head  or  Chief,  (See  the 
 firft  Chapter  of  this  Book,  v.  2.)  and  Zimri  was  one 
 of  thofe  principal  Perfons,  though  not  Prince  of  all 
 the  Simeonites. 
 
 Verfe  15.  Ver.  15.  And  the  name  of  the  Midianitijh  Woman 
 that  was  flain  was  Cozbi^  the  daughter  of  Zur.  ~]  This 
 is  fet  down  alfo,  to  fhow  how  little  Phineas  feared 
 the  great  Men,either  in  Ifrael,  or  elfewhere.  For  Zur 
 is  reckoned  afterwards,  as  one  of  the  Rings  of  Midi- 
 an,  XXXI.  8.  or  Princes,XIII  Jofi.21. 
 
 He 
 
upon    NUMBERS-  ^ 
 
 He  was  Head  over  a  People,  and  of  a  chief  Houfe  in  Chapter 
 MidianJ\     The  Hebrew  word  Vmmoth  (which  we     XXV. 
 tranllate  People )  fignifies  Nations.     So  that  if  we  L/'VNJ 
 tranflate  thefe  words  exa&ly,  they  found  thus,jF&  was 
 Head  of  Natrons,  of  a  Houfe  of  a  Father  in  Midi  an  : 
 that  is,  Chief  of  divers  Families,who  all  fprung  from 
 the  fame  Father  or  Original  in  that  Country. 
 
 Ver.  1 6.   And  the  L  0  RDJpake  unto  Mofes  ,  fay-  Verfe  16. 
 ing.~]     Some  time  after  this,  though  not  long,  (as  ap- 
 pears from  XXXI.  1,2.)  but  a  little  before  Mofes  his 
 death. 
 
 Ver.  17.  Vex  the  Midi anites."]  Among  whom  this  Verfe  17. 
 pernitious  Contrivance  was  hatched.  For  Balak^  be- 
 ing fo  incenfed  againft  Balaam  ,  that  he  bid  him  be 
 gone,  inallhafte,  out  of  his  Country,  (XXIV.n.) 
 Balaam  would  not  ftay  to  propound  unto  him  ,  this 
 mifchievous  Advice  which  was  in  his  Head,  but  went 
 to  the  Midi  anites  y  and  there  difcovered  it.  Which 
 was  the  fame  thing  he  knew  ,  as  if  he  had  acquaint- 
 ed  Balal^with  it,  there  being  a  great  Friendfhip  be- 
 tween the  two  Nations ,  XXII.  4.  It  is  likely  alfo 
 that  the  Midianites  were  the  firft  that  advifed  Balaam 
 fhould  be  fent  for,  which  made  their  Guilt  the  great- 
 er :  but  the  Moabites  did  not  efcape,  though  (for  Lot's 
 fake  perhaps,  II  Dent.  9.)  their  Punifhment  was  de- 
 ferred till  future  times,  as  Balaam  prophefied,  XXIV. 
 17.  And  they  were  alfo  excluded  ,  by  a  Law  made 
 immediately  after  this,  from  the  Society  of  the  Ifrae- 
 lites,  for  this  very  Fatt,  XXIII  Dent.  3,4. 
 
 Andfmite  them.']     With  the  Sword  5  as   we  find 
 they  did,  Chapt.XXXl. 
 
 Ver.  18.  For  they  vex  you  with  their  wiles."]     Have  Verfe  18* 
 forely  diftreffed  you  by  their  fubtil  Devices. 
 
 Wherewith  they  have  beguiled  yon,  in  the  matter  of 
 
 V  v  v  Peorf] 
 
5H  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Peor^\  Drawn  you  in  to  commit  foul  Idolatry.  Here 
 
 XXV.    Peor,  which  was  a  Mountain  in  Moab,  where  Baal 
 
 c/VNJ  had  a  Temple,  (as  I  obferved  XXIII. 28.)  is  ufed  for 
 
 the  Idol  it  felf,  which  was  there  worfhipped  ,  being 
 
 a  contraction  of  Baal-Pcor.     And  fo  it  is  XXXI.  18. 
 
 XXII  Jofh.  17. 
 
 And  in  the  matter  of  Co%bi.  3  And  into  lewd  fil- 
 thinefs  with  Idolatrous  Women. 
 
 The  Daughter  of  a  Prince  of  Midi an, 7]  By  whole 
 confent,  no  doubt,  (he  went  upon  this  wicked  de- 
 fign  5  that  by  her  noble  Garb  and  Attendance,  (he 
 might  the  more  powerfully  intice  the  great  Men  oflf- 
 rael  to  Idolatry. 
 
 Their  Sifter.  ]  Whom  the  whole  Family  were  con- 
 tent to  proftitute,  that  they  might  compafs  the  deftru- 
 ction  of  the  Ifraelites.  But  by  Sifter  may  be  meant, 
 one  of  the  fame  Country  or  Nation  5  the  fame  kind 
 of  Language  being  ufed  among  them  that  was  among 
 the  Jews  5  who  called  one  another  Brethren  and  Si- 
 fters, (being  defcended  from  the  fame  ftock)  as  Chri- 
 stians did  all  thofe  that  were  of  their  Religion. 
 
 Which  wasjlain  in  the  day  of  the  Plague.']     When  fo 
 many  Thoufands  fell  by  the  Peftilence. 
 
 For  Peorsfake.~\  For  worfhipping  Baal-Peor  5  into 
 which  they  were  inveigled  by  the  Women  5  who  in- 
 vited them  to  a  Feaft,  and  there  by  their  Charms  ex- 
 cited another  fieftily  Appetite  in  them :  which  they 
 would  not  let  them  fatisfie ,  unlefs  they  would  both 
 eat  of  their  Sacrifices,  and  worflhip  their  Idol.  And 
 perhaps  they  told  them,  it  was  not  lawful  for  them 
 to  confent  to  their  defire,  unlefs  they  would  be  of 
 their  Religion. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
^NUMBERS,  515 
 
 Chapter 
 m XXVI. 
 
 CHAP.     XXVI. 
 
 1. 
 
 Ver.  1.   A  ND  it  came  to pafs  after  the  PlagHe.~]  Men-  Verfe 
 
 ii  tioned  in  the  foregoing  Chapter,  ^.9,17. 
 Though  fome  fancy  it  refers  unto  all  the  Plagues  that 
 had  fwept  away  all  the  former  Generation,  except  two 
 Perfons.  It  is  likely  this  may  be  done  in  the  eighth 
 Month  of  the  fortieth  Year,  after  they  came  out  of 
 Egypt. 
 
 The  LORD  fpake  unto  Mofes,  and  unto  Eleazar 
 the  Son  of  Aaron  the  Prieff  ,  faying. ~]  As  God 
 had  formerly  joyned  Aaron  with  Mofes,  (  I  Numb.  1, 
 17.  II.  1.  IV.  1,  &c.)  So  now  Aaron  being  dead,  he 
 joyns  his  Son  Eleazar  with  him  5  to  fhow  that  be 
 fucceeded  not  only  in  his  Place  and  Office,  but  alfo 
 in  his  Authority. 
 
 Ver.  2.  Take  the  Sum  of  all  the  Congregation  of  the  Ver fe  2. 
 Children  of  Ifrael.~]  They  had  been  twice  numbred 
 before  this :  Once,before  the  building  of  the  Taberna- 
 nacle,  in  the  firft  year  after  they  came  out  of  Egypt , 
 when  they  paid  every  Man  half  a  Shekel  towards  it, 
 (XXXEx^.n,  13.  XXXVIII.  25.)  And  again, 
 when  they  were  to  be  encamped,  in  the  fecond  month 
 of  the  fecond  year,  I  Numb.  1,  2,dv.  And  now,  all 
 thofe  Men  who  had  been  then  numbred  (thirty  eight 
 yearsago)  being  dead,  (as  appears  from  v.  64-of  this 
 Chapter)  God  commands  them  to  be  numbred  a  third 
 time.  Partly,  that  he  might  demonftrate  his  faith- 
 fulnefs  to  his  word,  in  multiplying  them  vaftly,  not- 
 withftanding  all  their  Provocations,  (for  their  num- 
 
 V  v  v  2  ber 
 
$i6  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  ber  was  within  Eighteen  hundred  and  twenty,  asma- 
 
 XXVI.    ny  as  they  were,  at  their  laft  mufter)  and  partly,that 
 
 U^V%J  the  Land  they  were  now  going  to  poflefs,  might  be 
 
 the  more  eafily  divided  among  the  Tribes,  in  juft  and 
 
 equal  proportions. 
 
 From  twenty  years  old  and  upwards ,  throughout  their 
 Father  s  houfe  5  all  that  are  able  to  go  to  war  in  Ifrael.  ] 
 All  this  is  explained  in  the  fir  ft  Chapter,  v.  2,  3. 
 
 Verfe  3.  Ver.  3.  And  Mofes  and  Eleazar  the  Pridf  Jpake  with 
 them.~]  With  the  Heads  of  the  feveral  Tribes :  who, 
 it  is  likely,  were  to  aflift  in  this  numbring,  as  they 
 did  in  the  former,  I  Numb.  4,  16,  17. 
 
 In  the  plains  of  Moab  by  Jordan  near  Jericho,  faying.'] 
 See  XXII.  1. 
 
 Verie  4.  Ver.  4.  Take  the  Sum  of  the  People.']  Thefe  words 
 are  not  in  the  Hebrew  5  but  fome  words  of  this  kind 
 are  to  be  underftood,  that  they  fpake  with  them  a- 
 bout  numbring  the  People,  from  twenty  years  old  and 
 upwards,  as  it  here  follows. 
 
 As  the  LORD  commanded  Mofes  and  the  Children 
 of  Ifrael,  which  went  forth  out  of  the  Land  of  Egypt.  ] 
 He  bad  them  proceed  according  to  the  dire&ions 
 God  had  formerly  given,  in  the  fecond  month  of  the 
 fecond  year,  after  they  came  out  of  Egypt,  I  Numb.  1. 
 
 Verf.  5,6.  Ver.  5,  6.  Reuben  the  eldest  Son  of  Jacob.  ~]  This 
 nunbring  being  performed  as  the  former  was,  Mofes 
 ufes  more  concife  Language  in  the  account  he  gives  of 
 it  5  as  he  doth  in  the  foregoing  verfe,  and  in  this,  and 
 thofe  that  follow.  Where  he  fets  down  the  number 
 of  every  Tribe,  and  the  Families  from  whence  they 
 fprung,  without  laying,  Thofe  that  were  numbred  of 
 the  Tribe  of  Reuben  were,  Sec.  as  he  doth  I  Numb.  21, 
 &c. 
 
 The 
 
^NUMBERS,  517 
 
 The  Children  of  Hanoch^,  of  whom  came  the  Family    Chapter 
 of  the  Hanochites,  &C."]     The  four  Sons  of  Reuben   XXVI. 
 (whofe  Families  here  follow)  are  mentioned  both  in  L/"WJ 
 Genefu  XLVI.9.  and  in  Exodus  VI.  14.  and  are  here 
 mentioned  again  5  becaufe  he  intends  to  fet  down  the 
 Names,  both  of  the  Children  and  Grand-children  of 
 one  of  his  Sons,  which  he  did  not  before. 
 
 Ver.  7.  Thefe  are  the  Families  of  the  Reubenites.~]V&k  J* 
 The  word  we  tranflate  lw/7/7'e.r,  rather  fignifies  Nati- 
 ons (Gentes)  or  Kindreds,  as  we  tranflate  it ,  XXII 
 Pfal.  27.  For  all  that  fprung  from  thofe  LXX  Per- 
 fons,  who  came  with  Jacob  into  Egypt,  are  called  by 
 this  name  of  Mijpecoth,  which  the  LXX.  here  tranflate 
 SS/ljloi,  People.  Which  were  divided  into  Houfes,  as 
 the  Hebrews  call  them  5  and  thofe  Houfes  into  particu- 
 lar Perfons.  This  is  plain  from  VII  Jojh.  14.  where, 
 for  the  difcovery  of  him  that  had  finned  in  theaccur- 
 fed  Thing,God  commanded  the  Ifraelites  to  be  brought 
 by  their  Tribes,  and  then  that  Tribe  by  the  Families 
 belonging  to  it  5  and  that  Family  which  the  L  O  R  D 
 took  by  Houfiolds  5  and  that  Houfhold  ,  Man  by 
 Man. 
 
 And  they  that  were  numbred  of  them  were  forty  and 
 three  thouf and,  and  feven  hundred  and  thirty  7\  This 
 being  compared  with  I  i\W£.2i.  it  appears  this  Tribe 
 was  lefs  than  it  was  eight  and  thirty  years  ago  ,  by 
 near  three  thoufand  Men  :  For  fome  whole  Houfholds 
 had  been  deftroyed,  as  it  follows  z>.  9. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  the  Sons  of  Pal/u,  Eliab.^    He  fpeaks  Verfe  8, 
 in  the  Plural  Number,  when  there  was  but  one  Son 
 of  Pal/u -^  which  is  very  ufual  in  the  Scripture  Lan- 
 guage.    See  XIX  Gen.  29.  XXI.  7.  XL VI.  7.  and  in 
 this  very  Chapter,  v.  42, 
 
 Eliab.*) 
 
5i8 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Eliab.  ]     He  doth  not  fay  from  him  came  the  Fa- 
 XXVI.    mily  of  the  Eliabites ;  for  he  made  only  an  Houlhold 
 L/"V"nj  in  the  Family  (as  we  call  it)  of  the  Palluites. 
 Verfe  9.         Ver.  9.  And  the  Sons  of  Eliab, Nemuel,  and  Dathan, 
 and  Abirar,i7\     The  fame  muft  be  obferved  of  thefe, 
 that  Families  did  not  fpring  from  them  5  but  they 
 were  HouQiolds  belonging  to  the  Family  of  the  Pal- 
 liates. 
 
 This  is  that  Dathan  and  Abiram.~]  They  are  here 
 again  mentioned  5  partly  to  let  a  new  Brand  upon 
 them,  for  their  infolent  Rebellion  againft  Mofes-^  and 
 partly  to  (how  how  the  Reubcnltes  came  to  be  fo  di- 
 minifhed. 
 
 Famotts  in  the  Congregation^     See  XVI.  2. 
 
 Who  Jlrove  again 'i?  Mofes  and  againU  Aaron  ,  in  the 
 company  ofKorah."]  They  joyned  with  Korah,  who 
 feems  to  have  been  the  chief  Incendiary  :  For  he  is 
 mentioned  firft  in  the  XVI.  1. 
 
 tin  ihcy  firove  again  si  the  L  0  RD.~]  Who  had 
 appointed  Aaron  alone  to  be  the  High-Prieft,  and  his 
 Sons  toMinifcer  in  the  Prieft's  Office:  which  thefe 
 Men  would  have  ufurped,  XVI.  11.  where  it  is  faid 
 exprefly  ,  They  ivere  gathered  together  against  the 
 LORD. 
 Verfe  ic.  Ver.  10.  And  the  Earth  opened  her  mouth,  and  /wal- 
 lowed them  up  together  with  Korah. "]  Thefe  words 
 feem  to  import,  that  Korah  was  fwallowed  up  with 
 Dathan  and  Abiram,zs  I  have  obferved  upon  XVI.32. 
 See  there.  But  it  muft  be  acknowledged  that  thefe 
 words  mav  receive  another  Interpretation  ,  and  that 
 very  natural,  in  this  manner  ^  The  Earth  opened  her 
 mouth  and  fwallowed,  them  up,  (viz.  Dathan  and  Abi- 
 ram,  and  the  reft  mentioned  XVI.  32.)  and  then  the 
 next  words,  veeth  Korah,  may  be  thus  trandated^;/^ 
 t  as 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  519 
 
 as  for  Korah  (who  was  the  great  Incendiary)  when    Chapter 
 that  Company  died,  i.  e.  he  died,  when  the  Company    XXVI. 
 which  offered  Incenfe  died  :  for  there  is  in  many  pla-  L/^V\J 
 ces  a  defeft  of  a  word,to  be  fupplyed  from  the  word 
 that  follows.     This  is  a  very  eade  conftruction,  and 
 agrees  with  the  PfalmiSi,  CVI.17.  where  he  mentions 
 only  Dathan  and  Abirams  Company  as  fwallowed  up, 
 and  then  adds,  v.  1.8.    Afire  was  handled  in  their  Com- 
 pany, (i.e.  in  the  other  Company  of  Rebels)  and  the 
 flame  burnt  up  the  wicked  5  viz.  Korah,  and  thofe  that 
 were  with  him. 
 
 What  time  the  fire  devoured  two  hundred,  and  fifty 
 men.']  XVI.  35.  If  the  Interpretation  now  menti- 
 oned, of  the  foregoing  words,  be  admitted,  then  2G- 
 rah  muft  be  added  to  the  number  of  the  Two  hun- 
 dred and  fifty  Men  5  which  Mofes  takes  occalion  to 
 explain  in  this  place. 
 
 And  they  became  a  fignT]  A  Monument  of  God's 
 difpleafure  againft  thofe  that  affront  hisMinifters$  to 
 give  warning  unto  all  Pofterity  not  to  follow  their 
 pernitious  Courfes. 
 
 Ver.  1 1 .  Notwithjlanding  the  Children  ofKorah  died  Verfe  1 1 . 
 not.']  As  thofe  of  Dathan  and  Abiram  did  5  but  their 
 Family  continued  famous  in  Davids  time.  For  per- 
 haps they  left  their  Fatherland  departed  from  the  Tents 
 of  thofe  wicked  Men  ^  as  Mofes  by  God's  command  ex- 
 horted the  Congreation,  (XVI.  24,26.)  and  they  o- 
 beyed,  v.2j. 
 
 Ver.  1  a,  13.  The  Sons  of  Simeon  after  their  Fami-  Verf.   12, 
 lies,  &c]     His  Sons  reckoned  up  here  juft  as  they  l  3* 
 
 are  XLVI  Gen.  10.  and  VI  Exod.  15.  only  one  of 
 them,  viz.  Ohad,  is  here  omitted  5  becaufe,  either  he 
 had  no  Children,  or  his  Family  was  extinft  before 
 
 «this  time.     The  firft  of  them  alfo ,  viz.  Nemuel,  is 
 there 
 
52o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  there  called  Jemuel  $  and  Jachin  in  1  Chron.  IV.  24.1s 
 XXVI.    called  Jarib  5  there  being  ibme  reafon,  in  procefs  of 
 
 <s~**~^  time,  for  fuch  alterations. 
 
 Verfe  1 4.  Ver.  1 4.  Thefe  are  the  Families  of  the  Simeonites^ 
 twenty  and  two  thoufand,  and  two  hundred.  ~]  There 
 was  a  wonderful  decreafe  of  this  Tribe  in  the  fpace 
 of  thirty  and  eight  years  :  For  they  were  fewer  by  a- 
 bove  thirty  feven  thoufand,  than  they  were  at  the 
 laft  numbring.  See  I.  23.  Many  of  them,  it  is  pro- 
 bable, being  in  the  fame  Crime  with  Zimri,  and  the 
 Plague  falling  molt  heavily  upon  this  Tribe  ,  whom 
 Mofes  in  the  XXXIII  Deuteronomy,  doth  not  blefs. 
 
 *  er.i  5>  Ver.  15,16,17.  And  the  Children  of  Cad  after  their 
 
 jI7  Families.']  They  are  reckoned  here  next  to  the  Sime- 
 onites ,  becaufe  they  lay  encamped  next  to  them,  un- 
 der the  Standard  of  Reuben,  II  Numb.  10, 1 1,  &c. 
 
 OfZephon  the  Family  of  the  Zephonites,  &c.~]  They 
 are  reckoned  up  in  the  fame  manner  XLVIGV«.  16. 
 only  he  that  is  here  called  Zephon,  is  there  called  2/- 
 phion  5  and  Ofni  is  there  called  Ezbon  $  and  Arod  cal- 
 led Arodi. 
 
 Verfe  18.      Ver.  18.  Thefe  are  the  Families  of  the   Children  of 
 Gad,  according  to  thofe  that  were  numbred  of  them,  for- 
 ty  thoufand  and  five  hundred.]     This  Tribe  alfo  was 
 lefs  by  above  five  thoufand  than  before,  I.  25. 
 
 Verfe  19.  Ver.  19.  The  Sons  of  Judah,  Er  andOnanf]  Thefe 
 were  his  eldeft  Sons,  but  died  without  Iflue  before 
 the  Children  of  Ifrael  went  down  into  Egypt,  as  it 
 here  follows.     See  XXXVIII  Gen.  1,  2,  &c. 
 
 Verfe  20.  Ver.  20.  And  the  Sons  ofjudah  after  their  Families 
 were,  Sec.]  Now  he  reckons  thofe  of  his  Sons ,  who 
 made  Families,  which  were  three ;  as  we  read  alfo 
 XLVI  Gen.  12. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon    N  U  M  B  E  R  $.  $2l 
 
 Ver.  21.  And  the  Sons  ofPharczwere  Hezron0&zc.')  Chapter 
 Here  he  numbers  two  of  Judah's  Grand-children,  as   XXVI. 
 he  did  one  of  Retibcn\  v.  6.  only  with  this  difte-  i/v%j 
 rence,  that  thefe  two  made  Families  in  Ifrael,  which  Verfe  2i« 
 his  Grand-fon  did  not  5  they  being  fubftituted  inftead 
 of  Er  and  Onan,  who  died  without  Children.     Or 
 rather,  the  Family  of  Pharez  growing  very  great, 
 there  was  a  fub-divifion  made  of  it  into  the  other  Fa- 
 milies, who  were  all  (till  Pharezites,  (for  Pharezhzd 
 no  other  Children  but  thefe  two,to  make  a  Family  of 
 that  Name)  but  called  by  thefe  two  Names  of  Hefro- 
 nites  and  Hamidites^beczufe  the  Pharezite*  were  grown 
 too  big  to  be  but  one  Family  ,  and  therefore  parted 
 into  two. 
 
 Ver.  22.  Thefe  are  the  Families  of Judah,  according  Verfe  22. 
 to  thofe  that  were  numbred  of  them^  threefcore  and  fix* 
 teen  thoufand  and  five  hundred^]  This  Tribe  was  ve- 
 jy  numerous  before,  above  all  the  reft.  And  now 
 this  new  Generation,  which  fprung  up  inftead  of  the 
 old  (who  were  all  deftroyed  except  Caleb)  exceeded 
 them  two  thoufand.  So  faithful  was  God  to  his  Pro- 
 mife,  that  this  (hould  be  a  moft  powerful  Tribe.  See 
 I  Numb.  27. 
 
 Ver.  2  3.  The  Sons  of  Ijfachar  after  their  Families.*]  Verfe  22. 
 He  and  Zebulon  are  mentioned  next,  becaufe  they  lay 
 encamped  together,  under  the  Standard  of  JudaL 
 See  II  Numb.  5,  6,  7. 
 
 OfTola^  the  Family  of  theTolaites."]  A  wonderful 
 fruitful  Faraily,and  very  valiant :  there  being  of  this 
 one  Family  Twenty  two  thoufand  and  fix  hundred 
 Men  in  the  days  of  David,   1  Chron.  VII.  2. 
 
 OfPua,  the  Family  of  the  PunitesJ]  He  is  called 
 PkuvahXLVlGen.  13. 
 
 X  x  x  Ver, 
 
$22  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  2  4,  Of  Jo/hub."]     Who  is  called  Job  in  the  fame 
 XXVI.    place. 
 
 W^^vJ  Ver.  25.  Threefcore  and  four  thoufand  and  three  hun- 
 Verfe  24.  dredT]  This  Tribe  alfo  was  exceedingly  increafed  5 
 Verfe  25.  being  near  Ten  thoufand  more  now  than  they  were  at 
 
 their  firft  numbring,  I.  29.  II.  6. 
 Verfe  26.      Ver.  26.  Of  the  Sons  of  Zebulun  after  their  Fami- 
 lies^]    There  is  no  change  in  their  Names  ^  which 
 are  the  fame   without  any  alteration,  as  when  they 
 went  into  Egypt,  XLVI  Gen.  14. 
 Verfe  27.      Ver.  27.  Thofe  that  were  numbred  of  them,  threescore 
 thoufand  and  five  hundred^]     This  Tribe  likewife  was 
 increafed  above   Three   thoufand   fince  the  former 
 numbring.  See  I.  31.     And  fo  the  whole  Camp  of 
 Judah  was  mightily  augmented  ,  as  that  of  Reuben 
 was  diminifhed. 
 Verf    28       Ver.  28.   The  Sons  of  Jofeph  after  their  Families.'] 
 
 '  See  XLVI  Gen.  20. 
 Verfe  29.      Ver.  29.  OftheSonsofManaffeh,  of  Machir,  &c.~\ 
 This  was  his  only  Son  5  but  thofe    defcended  from 
 him,  by  an  ufual  manner  of  fpeaking,  are  called  Ma- 
 naffetis  Sons  alfo,  being  his  Grand-fons.     Some  think 
 indeed  that  Manaffeh  had  other  Sons,  which  they  ga- 
 ther from  LGen.  22.  but,  if  he  had  ,  their  Families 
 were  extinft  :  for  none  but  Machir  and  his  Pofterity 
 had  any  Inheritance  in  the  Land  ofCanaan,XVUjoft. 
 1,2.  where  the  Grand- children  are  called  his  Chil- 
 dren. 
 
 Machir  begat  Gilead,  and  of  Gi lead  came  the  Family 
 of  the  GileaditesT]  They  were  not  a  diftinft  Family 
 from  the  Machirites  ^  but  the  very  fame  :  Machir  ha- 
 ving no  other-  Son  but  Gilead.  Therefore  that  Fami- 
 ly which  at  firft  was  called  Machirites,  were  after- 
 wards called  Gileadites  ;  or  they  were  indifferently 
 called,  either  by  the  one  or  the  other.  Ver. 
 
^NUMBERS,  523 
 
 Ver.  30*  Thefe  are  the  Sons  ofGilead,  of  Jeezer.  ]  Chapter 
 Called  Abk\er  XVII  Jojh.  2.  XXVI. 
 
 The  Famuy^of  the  Jeezreites ,  Sec."]     The  Pofterity  l/V\i 
 of  GUead  gre\V  fo  numerous,  that  his  Sons  made  Fa-  Verfe  50. 
 milies,  and  not  only  Houfholds :  So  that  the  name 
 of  GUeadites  being  too  general   to  diftinguifh  them 
 all,  they  were  called,  at  length,  by  the  name  of  his 
 Sons. 
 
 Ver.  31,32.  OfAfr/el,  the  Family  of  the  AfrtelitesVzfe  31  > 
 8cc]    This,  and  all  the  reft  that  follow,  are  men-  32- 
 
 tioned  as  the  Son  s  of  GUead  5  for  each  of  whofe 
 Children  there  was  a  Lot  in  the  Land  of  Canaan, 
 XVII Jojh.  2. 
 
 Ver.  33.  AndZelophead  the  Son  of  Hepher,  had  #0  Verfe  33. 
 Sons,  but  Daughters,  Stc.^)  Whofe  Cafe  is  confidered 
 in  the  next,  and  in  the  laft  Chapter  of  this  Book  : 
 where  they  are  ordered  to  have  an  Inheritance  among 
 their  Father's  Brethren,  but  to  marry  into  their  own 
 Tribe.  And  their  Pofterity,  I  fuppofe,  were  called 
 after  their  Grand-father's  name,  Hephentes  :  for  fuch 
 a  Family  there  was,  as  Mofes  tells  us  in  the  foregoing 
 verfe. 
 
 Ver.  34.  Numbred  of  them  fifty  two  thoufand  andVerk  34, 
 feven  hundred."]  If  this  be  compared  with  I.  35.  it 
 will  appear  that  this  Tribe  was  increafed  above  Twen- 
 ty thoufand.  Which  is  the  greateft  Increafe  of  any 
 other  ^  and  made  good  the  Prophecy  of  Jacob  con- 
 cerning the  Children  of  Jofeph,  XLIX  Gen.  22. 
 
 Ver.  35.  Thefe  are  the  Sons  of  Ephraim  after  their  Verfe  35. 
 Familiesf]     He  is  mentioned  after  Manejfeh,  becaufe 
 he  was  his  younger   Brother  :  yet  in  their  Encamp- 
 ment this  Tribe  had  the  Standard,  under  which  Ma- 
 naffeh  marched,  II  Numb.  18,  &c. 
 
 X  x  x  2  Of 
 
124 
 
 A  COMMEKVART 
 
 Chapter        Of  Shuthelah  the  Family  of  the  Shuthalites,  Sec.]'  He 
 X  a  V I*    is  mentioned  firft  alfo  in  i  Chron.  VII.  20.  Where  the 
 
 ^^T\J  next  Son  Ikcher  is  called  Bere^/  j  and  T^^called  7V 
 Z/?/A.  For  time  is  wont  to  make  great  Alterations  in 
 then.-.mesof  Perfons  and  Places. 
 
 Verfe  36.  Ver.  36.  Tfte/e  dre  the  Sons  of  Shuthelah,  of  Evan 
 the  Family  of  the  Eranites.~]  He  had,  it  feems,  but  one 
 Son  5  whofe  Children  (  after  the  ufual  manner  of 
 fpeaking  before  noted),  were  called  the  Sons,  of  Shu- 
 thelah^ though  they  made  a  diftinft  Family,  under 
 the  name. of  Er  unites. 
 
 Verfe  37.  Ver.  37.  Thofe  that  were  numbred of  them,  thirty  trw 
 thoufand  and  five  hundred.  1  Though  this,  proved  a 
 very  numerous  Tribe  in  future  times,  yet  for.  the  pre- 
 fent  they  were  fewer  by  eight  thoufand,  than  they 
 were  in  the  former  numbring  I.  33.  which  makes  Mo- 
 fess  Prophecy,  a  little  after  this,  the  more  remarkable, 
 XXXIII  Deut.  17.  where  he  makes  the  Ephramites 
 Ten  to  One,  in  comparison  with  the  Mamjfites. 
 
 Verfe  38.  Ver.  38.  The  Sons  of  Benjamin  after  their  Families^ 
 This  Tribe  alfo  was  under  the  Standard  of  Ephrsum, 
 and  therefore  mentioned  here  together  with  him  and 
 ManaJJeh.  When  they  went  into  Egypt,  the  Sons  of 
 Benjamin  were  no  lefs  than  Ten,  XLVI  Gen.21.  Half 
 of  which,  either  had  no  Children,  or  they  were  all 
 Extindi:  before  this  time }  for  here  are  only  Five  na- 
 med. 
 
 OfBelah,  the  Family  of  the  Belaites,  Sec]  The  two 
 firft,  Bela  and  Ajhbel,  are  there  named,  as  they  are 
 here  :  but  the  ntxt,Ahiram,  is  there  called  Ehi^nd  m 
 1  Chron.  VIII.  I,  Ahara  •>  fuch  an  Alteration  doth 
 Time  make  in  Names. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon  N  IT  M  B  E  R  S.  525 
 
 Ver.  39.  Of  Shiipham0&c.~\     He  is  called  Muppim  Chapter 
 in  XLVI  Ge#.  21.  and  Hupham  is  there  called  Hup-    XXVI. 
 /?/>/.  L/"VNJ 
 
 Ver.  40.  X/fo  <SW  of  Bela  were Ard and  Naaman."]  Verfe  39. 
 Though  five  of  his  Sons  were  dead  without  Iffue  3  Verfe  40, 
 yet  two  of  his  Grand-fons,  defcended  from  his  eld- 
 eft  Son,  made  diftind  Families  in  IfraeL  And  the 
 Son  of  one  of  them  was  called  after  the  name  of  his 
 Uncle,  the  youngeft  Son  of  Benjamin-JLINI  Gen.21. 
 whofe  name  was  Ard  5  and  in  I  Chron.  VIII.  3.  (by  a 
 fmall  tranfpofition  of  Letters)  is  called  Adar. 
 
 Ver.  41.  There  were  numbred  of  them  forty  five  thou-  Verfe  41  v 
 fand  and  fix  hundred.     This  Tribe  v/as  grown  to  be 
 Ten  thoufand  more  than  they  were  at  the  laft  num- 
 bring,  I.  37. 
 
 Ver.  42.  Thefe  are  the  Sons  of  Dan."]  Thus  he  fpeaks,  Verfe  42*. 
 though  he  had  but  one.     See  v.  8. 
 
 OfShuham.']  Called  Hufnm ',  by  a  tranfpofition 
 of  Letters,  XLVI  Gen.  23.  Juft  as  the  fame  Tree  is 
 called  Almugim,  1  KingsX.8.  and  Algumim,  1  Chron. 
 II.8 ,  And  the  fame  City  in  which  Jofhna  was  buried, 
 called  Timnath-Serach^  XXIV  Jo/h.  30.  andTimnath- 
 Cheres,  II  Judg.  9.  And,  to  come  ftill  nearer,  the 
 fame  Man  is  called  Rechum,  XII  Nehem.  3.  and  Cher 
 rim^  v.  15.   of  the  fame  Chapter. 
 
 Thefe  are  the  Families  of  Dan  after  their  Families.  ] 
 That  is,  from  thefe  Shuhamites  came  all  the  reft  of  the 
 Families  of  this  Tribe,  which  are  not  here  mention^ 
 ed:  but  into  which  this  Family  was  fab-divided  , 
 when  it  grew  very  great,  as  it  appears  from  the  next 
 words. 
 
 Ver.  43.  All  the  Families  of  the  Shuhamites  ~]    This  Verfe  422$, 
 (hows  there  were  more  than  one  of  them,  who  had 
 names  from  feme  of  the  Children  of  Shuham, 
 
 Were 
 
^6  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Cbapter  Were  threefcore  and  four  thou f and  and  four  hundred.  ^ 
 XXVI.    A  vaft  number  to  fpring  from  one  Man  ^  when  Ben- 
 
 lS*Y~\JJ<iM '*»■>  who  had  ten  Sons,  wan  ted  almoft  twenty  thou- 
 sand of  this  number  :  which  is  Seventeen  hundred 
 more  than  were  in  this  Tribe  at  the  laft  numbring  , 
 I.  39. 
 
 Verfe  44.  Ver.  44.  Of  the  Children  of  After  after  their  Families, 
 &c."]  They  all  retain  the  fame  names  which  they  had 
 when  they  went  into  Egypt,  XLVI  Gen.17.  Only  he 
 that  is  here  called  Jeftui ,  is  there  called  Iflmi  -0  and 
 another  Son  there  mentioned  is  here  omitted  5  his 
 Family,  I  fuppofe,  being  quite  extinft. 
 
 Verfe  45.  Ver.  45.  Of  the  Sons  of  Beriah,  &c.  3  Inftead  of 
 him,  w7hofe  Family  was  quite  loft  ,  the  youngeft  Son 
 of  After  (Beriah)  had  two  Families  fprung  from 
 him. 
 
 Verfe  46.  Ver.  46.  And  the  name  of  the  Daughter  of  After  was 
 Sarah.~]  Or  Serah,  as  (he  is  called  XLVI  Gen.  17. 
 He  doth  not  fay  that  a  Family  fprang  from  her , 
 which  Corn.  Bertramus  (cap.  6.  de  Republ.  Jud.)  feems 
 to  think  probable,  inftead  of  fome  that  were  loft  5 
 but  (he  was  a  Woman,  it  is  likely,  as  eminent  in 
 this  Tribe,  as  any  of  her  Brethren,  for  fome  Vertue 
 or  other.  Infomuch  that  the  Cabbalifis  in  the  anci- 
 ent Book  Zohar,  parting  the  heavenly  Region  where 
 the  Souls  of  holy  Women  are,  into  four  Palaces,make 
 four  great  Women  to  be  a  kind  of  Prefidents  of  them, 
 viz.  Pharaoh's  Daughter  who  educated  Mofes  5  and 
 this  Serah  the  Daughter  of  After  }  with  Jochabed  the 
 Mother  of  Mofes  3  and  Deborah  the  famous  Pro- 
 phetefs.  See  Selden,  Lib.  II.  de  Jure  Nat.  &  Gent. 
 cap.  4.  t 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  527 
 
 Ver.  47.  Were  fifty  and  three  thoufand  and  four  hun-    Chapter 
 dred.~]     This  Tribe  alfo  fru&ified  exceedingly  5  wan-    XXVI. 
 ting  but  an  Hundred  of  Twelve  thoufand  more  than  L^VNJ 
 they  were  at  the  laft  numbring,  I.  41.  Verfe  47. 
 
 Ver.  48,  49.   Of  the  Sons  ofNaphtali  after  their  Fa-  Verfe  48, 
 milks,  Scc.3     There  are  four  of  them,  whofe  Names  49. 
 
 were  not  all  changed,  fince  they  went  into  Egypt.  See 
 XLVI  Gen.  24. 
 
 Ver.  50.   Were  forty  five  thoufand  and  four hundred.]^ Texfe  50. 
 They  wanted  Eight  thoufand  of  their    number  , 
 I  Numb.  43.     Thefe  two  Tribes,  Afjer  and  Naphtali, 
 are  mentioned  together  with  Dan,  becaufe  they  were 
 encamped  under  his  Standard,  II  Numb.  25,26,  8cc. 
 
 Ver.  51.  Thefe  were  the  numbred  of  the  Children  of  Verfe  51. 
 Ifrael,  fix  hundred  thoufand,  and  a  thoufand  feven  hun- 
 dred and  fifty  r\  That  is,*the  whole  Number  amount- 
 ed to  this  Sum  5  which  was  but  Eighteen  hundred  and 
 twenty  lefs  than  they  were,  when  they  were  laft 
 numbred,  Thirty  eight  year  ago,  I.46.  So  great  was 
 the  Goodnefs  of  God,  and  fuch  his  Faithfulnefs  to 
 his  Word,  that  when  he  deftroyed  all  the  former 
 Generation,  (who  were  above  Twenty  years  old)  he 
 multiplyed  their  Pofrerity  fo  faft,  in  that  fpace  of 
 time,  as  to  make  them  equal,  in  a  manner,  to  thofe 
 that  went  before  them. 
 
 Ver.  52.  And  the  LORD  Jf>a{e  unto  Mofes,  fay- Verfe  52* 
 ing.~]     After  the  People  were  thus  numbred  ,  and  e- 
 very    Family,  and  the  Perfons  it  contained  exactly 
 known, then  the  LORD  ordered,  as  follows. 
 
 Ver.  53.  Vnto  thefe. ~]  i.e.  Thefe  Families  before- Verfe  53 
 named. 
 
 The  Land  fid  all  be  divided^  i.  e.  The  Land  ofG*- 
 naan,  into  which  they  were  going. 
 
 For 
 
■$a'8  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       For  an  Inheritance^  Not  to  be  alienated  from  thofe 
 
 XXVI.    Families. 
 
 ±s~*<r^~*  According  to  the  number  of  Names.  ~]  Of  the  Per- 
 sons in  the  feveral  Families,  from  Twenty  years  old 
 and  upward,  v,  2.  So  that  Minors,  who  had  not 
 attained  the  Age  of  Twenty  years, when  this  account 
 was  taken,  the  Jews  fay,  were  not  to  have  any  fhare 
 in  the  Land,  though  they  were  come  to  that  Age,  at 
 the  time  of  the  diftribution  of  it  among  them.  But 
 thofe  Minors  had  Poffeffions  ,  as  Heirs  of  their  Fa- 
 thers, according  to  the  Families. 
 
 Verfe  <±.  ^er#  54'  ^°  many  t^ou  fiah  &lve  f^e  more  Inheri- 
 tance ^  and  to  few  thou  ffj alt  give  the  lefs  Inheritance.^ 
 That  is,  order  Joflwa  to  afiign  them  a  (hare  in  the 
 Land,  proportionable  to  the  number  of  Perfons  in  e- 
 very  Tribe :  Some  of  which  were  far  greater  than  o- 
 thers,  and  therefore  to  have  more  Land,  proportion- 
 ble  to  the  largenefs  of  their  Families.  But  this  was 
 not  meafured  merely  by  the  number  of  Acres,  as  we 
 fpeak  5  but  by  the  goodnefs  of  the  Soil :  for  a  little 
 Ground,  in  a  rich  Country,  would  maintain  more 
 Perfons  than  twice  as  much  in  a  barren.  So  Jofephus 
 Lib.  V.  Antiq.  cap.  1.  where  after  he  had  faid  that  ?<?- 
 flma  made  a  Diftribution  of  the  Land  ,  iyfl<i  jumyi^^ 
 fc^Vtf;  t&v  quX&v^  according  to  the  bignefs  of  each 
 Tribe  ^  he  adds,  that  in  doing  this,  Tifjw(lx<;  juui^Xovn 
 /uutfpriliss  T8$  y>.Y\^  &vcq  S^it  was  neceffary  to  confider 
 rather  the  value,  than  the  meafure  of  every  Portion. 
 And  gives  this  reafon  why  the  Tribe  of  Benjamin  had 
 io  narrow  a  Portion  allotted  them,becaufe  the  Ground 
 was  fo  very  fertil  about  Jerufalcm.  27»07a7(gC  6  x>fii- 
 ,p@u  Sr©^  hx  r!w  trie,  jjfc  dpir!w}ThfS  Lot  ivas  very  fir ait , 
 becauje  of  the  goodnefs  of  the  Soil. 
 
 To 
 
^NUMBERS,  $2p 
 
 To  every  Manjhall  his  Inheritance  be  given.']     That   Chapter 
 is,  to  every  Family.  XXVI. 
 
 According  to  tkofe  that  were  numbred  of  him.*]  Ac-  LfsTSJ 
 wording  to  the  Account  that  had  been  now  taken  5  not 
 confidering  who  might  be  born  after  this,  (and  there- 
 by increafe  a  Family)  or  die  (and  thereby  diminifh 
 it)  before  the  Divifion  of  the  Land  was  made.  For 
 feveral  died,  we  may  well  think,  in  the  Wars  with 
 the  Canaanites,  and  others  were  born  before  the  Coun- 
 try was  conquered. 
 
 Ver.  55.  Notwithfianding  the  Land (Jjall  be  dlvidedVevk  55, 
 by  Lot.]  When  it  was  divided  into  fo  many  equal 
 (hares  as  there  wereTribes,(a  due  refpedt  being  had  to 
 their  Number)  they  were  not  to  choofe  which  (hare 
 they  would  have,  but  that  was  to  be  determined  by 
 Lot.  The  manner  of  which  they  fay  was  this :  Two 
 Urns  being  placed  before  him  that  drew  the  Lots  ,  in 
 one  of  which  wereScrols  of  Parchment,  containing 
 the  Names  of  the  XII  Tribes  of  Ifrael^  and  in  the  o- 
 ther,  the  Portions  of  Land  :  he  firft  put  in  his  hand 
 into  the  Urn  wherein  were  their  Names ,  and  drew 
 our  one,  fuppofe  that  of  Judab  5  and  then  he  put  his 
 hand  into  the  other  Urn,  and  drew  out  the  Portion 
 that  fell  to  his  (hare.  Or  perhaps,  there  was  only 
 one  Llrn,  wherein  were  the  feveral  Portions  of  Land  5 
 and  they  began,  fuppofe,  with  the  eldeft  Son  of  Ifra- 
 el,  viz.  Reuben  5  and  pulling  out  a  Scroll,  faid,  This 
 is  the  Portion  of  Reuben  :  and  fo  with  the  reft.  But 
 which  foever  way  they  proceeded,  there  were  two 
 Diftributions  made  ,  One  of  the  whole  Country  into 
 XII  Parts  5  and  another  of  each  of  thofe  Parts  among 
 the  feveral  Families  that  were  in  each  Tribe.  See  Sel- 
 den,  de  Succejfiombus  ad  Leges  Hebr.  cap.  21,22. 
 
 Y  y  y  Ac- 
 
53o  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       According  to  the  Names  of  the  Tribes  of  their  FamU 
 XXVI.    lies  they  full  inherit.']     This  feem5  to  juftifie  what  I 
 L^V\J  now  faid,  that  they  firft  named  the  Tribe,  whofe  Lot 
 they  would  draw  out  $  and  that  contained  his  Inhe- 
 ritance.    But,after  all  this,  it  might  happen  that  fome 
 of  their  Lots  were  too  fcanty  for  their  Number,  and 
 others  too  large :  In  which  cafe  Eleazar  and  Jofma, 
 and  the  reft  appointed  for  this  Office  ,  XXXI V.  17, 
 Sec. ordered  fome  Portion  to  be  taken  from  thofe  who 
 had  too  much,  and  given  to  thofe  who  had  too  little 
 for  their  Families.     This  appears  from  XIX  Jojh.  9. 
 where  a  Portion  out  of  the  Lot  of  Judah  is  ordered 
 for  Simeon  \  becaufe  the  one  was  too  large,  and  the  o- 
 ther  tco  fmall :  and  the  fame  may  be  faid  of  Dan, 
 v.  47. 
 Verfe  56.       Ver.  56.  According  to  the  Lot  full  the  Poffcffion  be 
 divided.]     The  firft  words,  which  we  tranflate  ac- 
 cording to  the  Lot,  being  in  the  Hebrew,  Al  pi  hagoral, 
 which  literally  fignifies  according  to  the  mouth  of  the 
 Lot,  (which  is  no  more  than,  as  the  Lot  full  declare) 
 the  Jews  have  a  conceit  that  the  Land  was   divided, 
 not  merely  by  Lot,  but  by  Urim  and  Thummim  : 
 which  Eleazar  the  Prieft  then  put  on,  (as  the  Talmud 
 defcribes  it  in  Bava  Bathra)  and  two  Urns  ftanding 
 before  him,  in  one  of  which  were  the  Names  of  the 
 XII  Tribes,  and  in  the  other  the  Names  of  the  Por- 
 tions of  Land,  he  looked  by  the  Holy  Ghoft  upon 
 the  Urim  and  Thummim,  and  faid ,  Let  fuch  a  Tribe 
 come  up  $  which  being  done,  he  faid  again,  Let  fuch 
 a  Portion  of  Land  come  up  for  this  Tribe :  by  which 
 means  all  the  People  (before  whom  this  was  done  ) 
 were  fatisfied  that  their  Portion  was  allotted  to  them 
 by  God  5  and  all  caufe  of  murmuring  and  contention 
 taken  away.     Thus  R.Solomon  and  others  mentioned 
 
 by 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  531 
 
 by  Buxtorf  in  his  Hijior.  Urim  &  Thnmmim^  cap*  3.  Chapter 
 And  Martinim  Mauritius  in  his  late  Treatife  de  Sortiti-    XXVI. 
 one  veter.  Hebr.  cap.  2$.feff.  4,  5.  where  he  obferves,  U'V'NJ 
 how  ancient  the  way  of  dividing  Goods  and  Lands 
 by  Lot  was  in  other  Countries.     But  there  was  no 
 need  of  this  Solemnity,  the  Divifion  of  the  Land  by 
 God's  Order  after   the  manner  of  Lots,  fufficienly 
 fhowing,it  was  not  by  Mans  Dire£tions5but  by  God's, 
 that  fuch  a  (hare  fell  to  them. 
 
 Between  many  and  few.]  Every  Tribe  having  its 
 Land  affigned  them  by  the  Lot,  it  was  then  divided 
 among  the  feveral  Families,  in  the  fame  manner  (as 
 thefe  words  feem  to  fignifie  )  and  then  every  Hou- 
 fhold  had  their  (hare  allotted  them,  according  to  the 
 number  of  Perfons  that  were  in  them.  Which  if  they 
 were  many,  had  a  greater  (hare  -0  if  few,  a  lefs.  By 
 which  means  every  Man  had  reafon  to  reft  fatisfied , 
 becaufe  fuch  was  his  Lot.  That  is,fuch  was  the  good 
 pleafure  of  God,  who  direfted  the  Lots  $  as  we  learn 
 from  XVIII  Jojhua  6,  8,  10.  where  we  read  exprefly, 
 that  in  the  Divifion  of  the  Land,  he  caft  Lots  for  them 
 before  the  LORD  in Shiloh,  that  he  might  order  e- 
 very  one  his  Portion. 
 
 Ver.  57.  And  thefe  are  they  that  were  numbred  of  the  Verfe  57. 
 Levites,  after  their  Families.']  It  was  fit  an  account 
 (hould  be  taken  of  this  Tribe  alfo,  that  it  might  be 
 feen  how  God  had  blefled  them,  as  well  as  the  reft  of 
 the  Tribes  of  Jfrael,  with  a  numerous  Iffue  :  though 
 he  had  cut  off,  in  the  fpace  of  Thirty  eight  years,  all 
 the  former  Generation,  from  Twenty  years  old  and 
 upward. 
 
 Of  Gerfoon^  the  Family  of  the  Gerjlwnitcs,  8cc."]  The 
 principal  Families  in  this  Tribe  were  three,  defcended 
 from  the  three  Sons  of  Levi,  Gerfhon,  Kohath,  and 
 
 Yyy  2  Merari. 
 
532  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Merari.     Whofe  Names  were  not  at  all  altered  fince 
 XXVI.    their  coming  out  of  Egypt ,  until  this  time,   XLVI 
 L^W>  Gen.  li.   VI  Exod.  \6. 
 
 Verfe  58.  Ver.  58.  Thefe  are  the  Families  of  the  Levrtes.l  The 
 three  fore-named  were  the  principal  Families  5  divi- 
 ded into  thofe  letter  Families,  which  here  follow. 
 
 The  Family  of  the  Libnites.~]  Defcended  from  Lib* 
 ni  the  eldeft  Son  ofGerfion.  Who  had  another  Son, 
 whofe  Family  is  here  omitted,  (viz.  Shimi)  though 
 mentioned  VI  Exod.iy.  But  in  this  place  Mofes  doth 
 not  give  a  full  account  of  all  the  Families  of  the  Le- 
 vites  3  nor  is  it  given  in  exaft  order,  becaufe  they 
 were  to  have  no  Inheritance  in  the  Divifion  of  the 
 Land  :  which  was  the  reafon  that  all  the  Families  of 
 the  other  Tribes  are  fet  down  fo  pun&ually. 
 
 The  Family  of  the  Hebronitcs.~]  From  Hebron,  one 
 of  the  Sons  of  Kohath,  VI  Exod.  18.  Ill  Numb. 19. 
 
 The  Family  of  the  Mahlites,  the  Family  of  the  Mu- 
 f/jitesr\  From  the  two  Sons  of  Merari,  who  were 
 called  Mahli,  and  Mufti,  VI  Exod.  19.  Ill  Numb. 
 20. 
 
 The  Family  of  the  Korathites.~]  From  the  great 
 Grand-child  of  Levi,  YlExod.21.  XVI  Numb.  1. 
 
 And  Kohath  begat  Amram.  ]     Who    was  Grand- 
 child of  Levi,  and  Brother  to  the  Father  of  Korah 
 VI  Exod.  18. 
 Verfe  59.      Ver.  59.  And  the  name  of  Amram 's  wife  was  Jocha- 
 bed,  the  daughter  of  Levi. ~]     See  VI  Exod.  20. 
 
 Whom  her  Mother  (viz.  Ze^ihis  Wife)  bare  to  Levi 
 in  Egypt."]     See  this  there  explained. 
 
 Andflje  bare  unto  Amram,  Aaron  and  Mofes  and  Mi- 
 riam their  Sifter. ~]  Who  feems  to  have  been  born  be- 
 fore Mofes,  if  not  before  Aaron,  II  Exod.  4, 
 
 Ver 
 
Hpm   NUMBERS.  5.33; 
 
 Ver.  60.  And  unto  Aaron  was  born  Nadab,  and  Abi-  Chapter 
 hu,  Eleazar  and  Ithamar,  VlExod.2%*  where  he  tells  XXVI. 
 the  name  of  their  Mother.  L/~VXj 
 
 Ver.  61.  And  Nadab  and  Abihu  died,  when  they  0/- Verfe  60. 
 fired  ftrange  Fire  before  the  LORD.'}  See  X  Lev.  2.  Verfe  61.. 
 and  the  third  Chapter  of  this  Book,  v.  4.  But  Elea- 
 zar (who  was  the  eldeft  next  to  them)  was  now  alive, 
 and  made  High-Prieft :  and  it  is  likely  Ithamar  alfo, 
 being  under  Twenty  years  old,  when  the  People 
 murmured  upon  the  Report  of  the  Spies  5  and  fo  not 
 cut  off  with  that  wicked  Generation,  XVI.  29. 
 
 All  this  is  here  recounted,  to  (how  that  the  Tribe 
 of  Levi  was  preferved,  by  the  bleffing  of  God,  as 
 well  as  the  reft  of  the  Israelites :  though  they  were 
 to  have  no  Inheritance  in  the  Land  of  Canaan. 
 
 Ver.  62.  And  thofe  that  were  numbred  of  them,  were  Verfe  624. 
 twenty  and  three  thoufand}  &c.~)     So  they  were  a  thou? 
 fand  more,  than  at  the  laft  numbring ,  III.  39. 
 
 For  they  were  not  numbred  among  the  Children  of  If- 
 rael."]     But  by  themfelves,  for  the  reafon  following. 
 
 Becaufe  there  wtts  no  Inheritance  given  them,  among 
 the  Children  oflfraelT]  For  God  was  their  Inheritance, 
 as  he  told  them,  XVIII.  20, 8cc.  And  therefore  they 
 were  ordered  not  to  be  numbred,  Thirty  eight  years 
 ago,  no  more  than  now,lNumb.  49,  &c.  The  Jews 
 are  fomething  curious  in  their  Obfervations  upon 
 thefe  words,  among  (or,  in  the  midU  of)  the  Children 
 of  Ifrael:  from  whence  they  conclude  that  the  Levites. 
 might  have  Lands  out  of  the  Bounds  of  the  Land  of 
 Canaan,  though  not  within  it ,  among,  their  Bre- 
 thren. 
 
 Ver.  63.  Thefe  are  they  that:  were  numbred  byMofefVerk  6%.$ 
 and  Eleazar  the  Prieft,  who  numbred  the  Children  of  If- 
 rael, in  the  plains  of  Moab,&c~]  By  afpecial  command 
 qf  God,  v.  i,  2,  &c.  Ver., 
 
^34  &    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  64.  Bat  among  theft  there  was  not    a  Man    of 
 XXVII.  them,  whom  Mofts  and  Aaron  the  Prieft  nnmbred,  when 
 <^"V~\J  they  nnmbred  the  Children  of  Jfrael  in  the  Wildemefs  of 
 Verfe  64. 6W.-]     See  the  firft  Chapter  of  this  Book,  s;.  1,2, &c. 
 fo  exa&ly  were  God's  Threatnings  fulfilled,  as  well  as 
 his  Promifes. 
 Verfe  65.      Ver.  65.  For   the  LORD  had  f aid  of  them,  they 
 ftallfurely  die  in  the  Wildemefs.  ]     He  had  pronoun- 
 ced this  irreverfible  Sentence,  upon  the  whole  Con- 
 gregation, XIV.  23,  28,  29.  where  lie  fwears  they 
 fhould  not  enter  into  the  Land  of  Canaan,becmk  they 
 had  brought,  or  entertained  an  evil  report  of  it.  See 
 alfo  II  Dent.  14,  15. 
 
 And  there  was  not  left  a  Man  of  them,  fave  Caleb  the 
 Son  of  Jephunneh,  and  Joftna  the  Son  ofNun^]  Whom 
 God  promifed  to  fpare,  becaufe  they  were  of  another 
 Spirit,  XV.  24,  30,38.  And  their  furvival,  was  as 
 remarkable  an  inftance  of  the  truth  of  God's  word,  as 
 the  Death  of  all  the  reft. 
 
 CHAP.     XXVII. 
 
 Verfe  I.  Ver.  i.^pfliB  A/  came  the  Daughters  of  Zelophe* 
 X  had>  the  Son  ofHepher,  &c.  ~\  Who  are 
 mentioned  before,  XXVI.  33.  juft  as  they  are  here  5 
 only  their  Genealogy  is  here  more  fully  fet  out,  that 
 their  Father  was  the  Grandfon  ofMana/feh  the  Son  of 
 Jofeph,  from  whom  he  was  lineally  defcended,  but 
 left  no  Sons  behind  him.  Now  thefe  young  Wo- 
 men hearing Mofes  fay  (as  he  doth  in  the  foregoing 
 Chapter)  that  the  LORD  commanded  the  Land  of 
 
 Canaan 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  535 
 
 Canaan  (hould  be  divided  among  thofe  that  were  now  C  hapter 
 numbred}  and  obferving  that  only  Males,fromT wen-  XXVII. 
 ty  years  old,  were  numbred  ,  (v.  2.)  prefently  ap-^V^v-* 
 prehended,  that  they  being  Females  ,  were  excluded 
 from  having  any  Inheritance  among  the  IfraelitesQmd 
 fo  the  Family  of  the  Hepherites,  XXVI.   32.)  would 
 be  extinguifhed.     This  was  the  ground  of  what  fol- 
 lows.    Whereby  it  appears  that  every  body  was  im- 
 mediately acquainted  with  the  Laws  which  Mofes  re- 
 ceived from  God  3  and  that  there  was  a  faithful  Re- 
 gifW  kept  of  every  one  that  was  born  in  every  Fami- 
 ly and  Tribe,  to  prevent  all  Difputes  about  the  true 
 Heirs  to  Mens  Eftates. 
 
 Ver.  2.  An  A  they  flood  before  Mofes, Stc]     To  repre-  Verfe  21 
 fent  before  him,  and  the  reft  of  the  Judges,  who 
 were  now  aflembled,  the  Cafe  which  I  have  menti- 
 oned. 
 
 Before  Mofes,  and  Eleazar  the  Priefb,  and  before  the 
 Princes,  and  all  the  Congregation.]  Thefe  made  up 
 the  greateft  Court  of  Judicature  that  at  any  time  fate. 
 For  by  Princes  are  meant ,  either  the  Heads  of  the 
 Tribes,or  the  higheft  of  the  Judges  appointed, XVIII 
 Exod.  called  the  Heads  of  the  People,  v.  2$.  And  by 
 all  the  Congregation  is  meant  the  LXX  Elders  mention- 
 ed in  this  Book,  XI.  24.  For  they  are  called  col  ha- 
 edah(thc  whole  CongregatJon^nd  fometimes  only  Edah, 
 the  Congregation)  as  R.  Solomon  obferves.  See  Bertram 
 cle  Republ  Jud.  p.  72.  Now  at  the  Head  of  all  thefe  fat 
 Mofes,  andnexttohim£/e^2S^r  the  Prieft. 
 
 By  the  door  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation.  ~] 
 Near  to  which  this  auguft  Affembly,  it  is  likely,  was 
 wont  to  fit  ,  when  they  met  together  5  that  Mofes 
 might  prefently,  if  there  were  occafion,  go  and  con- 
 sult with  God  himfelf,  in  any  difficult  matter ,  that 
 
 t  came 
 
 J 
 
$6  A     COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  came^before  them.     And  thus  Mr.  Selden  obfervesout 
 XXVII.  of  Maimotrides^  that  in  future  times  the  great  Sanhe- 
 
 cy"v'~w  drim  followed  the  Tabernacle,  fitting  fometimes  in 
 one  place,  fometimes  in  another,  according  as  that 
 was  fettled.  As  (after  they  came  to  Canaan)  it  was 
 firft  at  Shiloh ,  then  at  M/zpeh  D  and  aft  ards  at 
 Gilgal,  Nob,  Gibeon,  the  Houfe  of  Qbed-^dom,  till  at 
 laft  it  was  fixed  in  Jerufalem,  Lib.  U.de  Syncdr.cap.15. 
 n.  4.  As  concerning  that  which  the  Talwudifls  fay, 
 concerning  the  proceedings  in  this  cafe  of  Zelophe- 
 had's  Daughters,  nothing  certain  can  be  determined. 
 -But  they  give  this  account  of  it ,  That  they  firft 
 brought  this  Caufe  into  the  Courts  appointed  by  the 
 advice  of  Jethro,  XVIII  Exod.  21.  and  began  with 
 the  Rulers  of  ten,  who  knowing  not  what  to  fay  to 
 them,  they  went  to  thofe  of  fifty,  and  from  thence  to 
 the  Centurions^  and  at  laft  to  the  Chiliarchs.  None  of 
 which  durft  adventure  to  give  Judgment,  but  referred 
 the  Caufe,  by  reafon  of  its  difficulty,  to  Mofes  5  who 
 brought  it  to  the  S  C  H  E  C  H  I N  A  H,  as  they  fpeak, 
 i.e.  to  theDivineMajefty,  Seld.  ib.cap.  16.77.  1. 
 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  3.  Saying,  Our  Father  died  in  the  Wilder nefs7\ 
 Among  the  reft  mentioned  v.  64,  65.  of  the  forego- 
 ing Chapter.  They  feem  to  have  drawn  up  their 
 Caufe  in  the  form  of  a  Petition  5  or,  as  Mr.  Selden 
 fpedes,  in  the  Legal  Phrafe,  presented  a  Libel  to  the 
 Court,  containing  the  intire  matter  of  their  Petition, 
 and  that  artificially  enough. 
 
 A77d  he  was  not  one  of  thc7n  that  gathered  themfelves 
 together  against  the  LOR  Djn  the  Company  ofKorah.~] 
 They  ufe  the  very  words  of  Mofes,  concerning  that 
 rebellious  Company,  XVI.  1.1.  And  inftance  in  this 
 Sin,  rather  than  any  other  5  either  to  (how  that  their- 
 -Father  had  a  due  regard  to  the  Authority  of  Mofes, 
 
 (who 
 
upon    NUMBERS,  537 
 
 (who  they  hoped  therefore  would  be  the  more  favou-  Chapter 
 rableto  his  Pofterity)  or,  rather  to  infinuate,  that  he  XXVII. 
 was  not  guilty  of  fuch  a  Crime,  as  might  make  Men  i/VNJ 
 juftly  forfeit  what  they  had,  for  their  Children,  as 
 well  as  for  themfelves.     For  all  the  Family  of Dathan 
 and  Abiram  perifhed  :  and  it  is  taken  notice  of  as  a 
 lingular  Mercy,  that  the  Children  of  Korah  did  not, 
 XXVI.  10,  ii. 
 
 But  died  in  hk  own  Sin."]  i.  e.  For  his  own  Sin  5 
 which  God  had  declared  (liould  not  aftetl  the  Chil- 
 dren, XIV.  31.  For  to  that  General  Sin,in  which  all 
 the  People  were  engaged,  thefe  words  ieem  to  refer. 
 And  To,  it  was  hk  ownfin^wox.  with  refpeft  to  the  reft 
 of  the  People,  (for  they  were  all  alike  guilty  )  but 
 with  refpeft  to  his  Children  ^  it  being  a  perfonal 
 Guiit,  in  which  they  were  not  concerned. 
 
 The  Jews  commonly  fay  that  Zelophehad  was  the 
 Man  that  was  floned  for  gathering  Sticks  on  the  Sab- 
 bath-day. For  which  they  have  no  authority,  but  a 
 fancy  oiR.Aquiba,  who  is  fharply  reproved  for  it, 
 by  another  considerable  Rabbi  5  who  faith  it  is  a  rafii 
 Judgment^  for  if  it  were  true,  fince  the  Scripture 
 conceals  it,  he  ought  not  to  have  revealed  it  :  but 
 hath  reproached  a  juft  Man,  for  any  thing  that  ap- 
 pears.     See  Selden ,  Lib.  II.  de  Synedr.   cap.  1.  feU. 
 
 And  had  no  Son."]  As  was  found  when  the  People 
 were  numbred,  XXVI.  33. 
 
 Ver.  4.  Why  fiould  the  name  cf  our  Father  be  done  Verfe  4. 
 away  from  among  hk  Family  ?~]  One  Family  of  the 
 Tribe  of  Manajfeh,  viz.  the  Hepherites,  being  in  dan- 
 ger to  be  wholly  extinguished.  R.  Judah  will  have 
 the  word  Name  in  this  place  to  fignifie  as  much  as  he- 
 reditary pojffetfion  -0  and  fo  he  thinks  it  fignifies,  XXV 
 
 Z  z  z  Dent. 
 
538  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Dent.  6.  as  Mr.  Selden  obferves  out  of  Pejtkfa,  Lib.  de 
 XXVII.  Succefjionihus*  cap.  14. 
 
 ^/y\j       Becaufe  he  hath  no  Son.']  Merely  for  want  of  Iflue- 
 Male,  when  he  hath  left  many  Daughters. 
 
 Give  unto  m  therefore  a  poffcjfion  among  the  Brethren 
 of  our  Father.]  Let  us  come  in  for  a  (liare  among  thofe 
 that  are  defcended  from  Manaffch.    Which  if  they  did, 
 the  Name  of  their  Father  could  not  be  thereby  prefer- 
 ved,  but  by  the  Son  of  one  of  thefe  Daughters  taking 
 upon  him,  not  the  Name  of  his  Father  that  begat  him, 
 but  of  his  Mother's  Grand-father, viz.  Hcphcr  3  which 
 was  ordered  afterwards  by  a   general  Law  ,  XXV 
 Dent.  6. 
 Verfe  *.         ^er#  5'   ^n^   Mofes  brought  their  Caufe  before  the 
 LOR  Df\     This  was  too  difficult  a  Caufe   ( though 
 there  feemed  to  be  a  great  deal  of  Reafon  on   their 
 fide)  to  be  judged  by  the  great  Court  before-menti- 
 oned 3  and  therefore  it  was  referred  to  Mofes  alone, 
 as  other  weighty  Caufes  ufed  to  be  3  (See  XV.  32. 
 XXV.  4.)  for  neither  Eleazar,  nor  any  other  Perfon 
 (before  whom  it  was  brought,^.  2.)  are  here  menti- 
 oned as  the  Judges  of  this  matter.     And  he  durft  not 
 judge  it,though  the  equity  appeared  very  plain,with- 
 out  bringing  it  before  theLORD  for  his  direction, 
 which  he  could  have  upon  all  important  occafions, 
 XXV  Exod.  22.  VII  Numb.  89. 
 Verfe  6.         Ver.  6.  And  the  LORD  ftake  unto  Mofes,  faying."] 
 This  (hows  that  the  Caufe  was  devolved  upon  Mofes 
 alone  5  for  the  LOUD  tells  him,  and  no  other  Per- 
 fon, how  it  fhould  be  determined. 
 Verfe  7.        Ver.  7.  The  Daughters  of  Zclophehad,  &c]     The 
 LORD  approves  of  their  Claim  5  and  gives  a  Sen- 
 tence in  their  favour. 
 
 Thou 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  ^ 
 
 Thou  floalt  furely  give  them  a  poffefjion   of  an  inheri-  Chapter 
 lance,  among  their  Fathers  Bre/^ra/.]Becaufethe  word  XXVII. 
 for  them  in  the  Hebrew,  is  of  the  Mafculine  Gender,  L/"V*W 
 fome  think  it  fignifies.they  were  to  be  considered  as  if 
 they  had  been  Sons. 
 
 And  thou  f halt  caufe  the  Inheritance  of  their  Father  to 
 pafs  unto  them7\  So  that  they  were  to  enjoy  ,  what 
 would  have  fain  to  his  fhare,  had  he  been  alive  :  oh 
 indutam  def until  patrkperfonam^s  the  Lawyers  fpeak  3 
 becaufe  they  ftood  in  the  place  of  their  dead  Father, 
 and  reprefented  hisPerfon.  And  accordingly  they 
 put  in  their  Claim  at  the  Divifionof  the  Land,and  had 
 their  Portion  therein,  according  to  this  Decifion, 
 XVII  Jofh.  2,  3, &c.  How  the  Portion  was  divided 
 among  them,  according  to  the  Hebrew  Doctors  ,  Mr. 
 Selden  {hows  at  large  in  his  Book  de  Succejfionibus  in 
 hona  defunUi,  cap.  23. 
 
 Ver.  8.  And  thou  fialt  fpeah^unto  the  Children  of  If-  Verfe  8. 
 rael,  faying.'}     Upon  this  occafion  he  pafTes  this  fpe- 
 cial  Cafe  into  a  General  Law ,  to  be  hereafter  obser- 
 ved. 
 
 If  a  Man  die,  and  have  no  Son ,  then  ye  fhall  caufe 
 his  Inheritance  to  pafs  unto  his  Daughter.  ^  It  being  a 
 reafon,as  Maimonides  obferve.s  (More  Nevochim  P. III. 
 cap.  42.)  that  what  aMan  leaves,  (houldcome  to  his 
 Family,  and  to  thofe  who  are  next  of  Kin  to  him  : 
 for  the  nearer  any  Perfon  is  to  us,  we  are  inclined, 
 by  natural  affeftion ,  to  have  the  greater  regard  to 
 him.  But  all  this  is  to  be  underftood  of  Land  :  as 
 for  Money,  and  moveable  Goods  (  which  were  of 
 his  own  getting)  the  Father  might  difpofe  of  them, 
 by  his  Will,  to  whom  he  pleafed. 
 
 Lzz  2  Ver. 
 
5'4o  ^  COMMEKTART 
 
 Chapter  Ver.  9.  And  if  he  have  no  Daughter ,  then  ye  flail 
 XXVII.  jftrc  hfa  Inheritance  ttnto  his  Brethren."]  Unleis  his  Fa- 
 \y\rsj  ther  was  alive,  who  undoubtedly,  the  Jews  fay,  was 
 
 Verfe  9.  the  next  Heir  5  but  not  mentioned,  becaufe  it  was  not 
 neceffary.  Or,as  fome  lay,  becaufe  it  was  too  fad  a 
 thing,  to  fpeak  of  a  Fathers  burying  all  his  Children, 
 without  Iflbe.  See  Selden  deSncceff.  in  bonadepmcli, 
 cap.  12.  Where  he  obferves  that ,  according  to  the 
 Rule  v.  it.  it  muft  come  to  the  Father,  becaufe  he  is 
 iteareji  of  kjn  to  it  And  therefore  the  Jews  interpret 
 this,  as  if  Mofes  had  faid,  If  he  have  no  Daughter,  he 
 flail  give  his  inheritance  to  the  next  of  his  Kindred  (to 
 his  Father  for  inftance)  and  afterwards  ye  flail  give  it 
 to  his  Brethren,  i.  e.  the  Children  of  his  Father.  And 
 the  fame  is  to  be  faid  of  the  Grandchildren  5  unto 
 whom  the  Brethren  of  a  Father  dying  without  iffue, 
 are  heirs.  For  the  Grandfather  ftands  in  the  fame  re- 
 lation  to  a  Father,  that  a  Father  doth  to  his  Son. 
 
 Verfe  1 1 .  Ver.  1 1 .  Ani  if  his  Father  have  no  Brethren,  then 
 ye  flmll  give  it  tv  his  Kinfman,  that  is  next  of  Kin  to 
 him  of  his  Family,and  he  fljall  pojfefs  it.~]  To  his  Bro- 
 thers Children  5  or  to  thofe  who  are  defcended  from 
 them,  or  from  his  Fathers'  Brethren.  But  no  confi- 
 deration  was  to  be  had  of  his  Mother's  Kindred,  (  as 
 the  Jewifl  Lawyers  fay  )  who  could  never  be  capable 
 of  the  Inheritance  :  Which  they  gather  not  only  from 
 thefe  words,  which  determine  the  Inheritance  to  his 
 Family,  (i.  e.  the  Family  of  the  Father  before-men- 
 tioned, not  to  the  Family  of  the  Mother  )  but  from 
 the  frequent  mention  of  the  Father  of  Mifchpachoth, 
 which  we  tranflate  Families  ,  or  rather  Kindreds  of 
 the  Fathers,  in  the  Books  of  Mofes,  Chronicles,  Ezra, 
 and  others.  From  whence  this  folemn  Maxim  of  the 
 Talmudifis,  The  Family,  or  Kindred  of  the  Mother,  is 
 
 never 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  541 
 
 never  called  by  the  name  of  Kindred.     That  is,  it  hath   Chapter 
 not  the  effe&of  a  Kindred  in  Succeffions  to  Inheri-  XXVII. 
 tances.     Which  is  the  fame  with  that  in  the  ancient  L/"VNJ 
 Book  Siphri,  Families  follow  the  Fathers  ,  as   Mr.  Sel- 
 dm  obferves  in  die  place  before-mentioned.     Who  in 
 the  next  Chapter  (  cap.   XIII.  )   gives  an  example, 
 drawn  up  by  Maimonides,  of  fuch  a  Succeffion  out  of 
 the  holy  Scriptures.     Amram  had  two   Sons,  Aaron 
 and  Mofes^s  we  read-  VI  Exod.20.     If  they  had  both 
 died  without  I  flue,  Miriam  their  Sifter  had  inherited. 
 And  if  (lie  had  died  in  life  manner,  the  Inheritance  of 
 the  Family  would  have  reverted  to  Kohath,  the  Fa- 
 ther of  Amram  :  Or  he  being  dead,  to  his  three  Sons, 
 the  Brethren  of  Amram,  viz.  Izhar,  Hebron  and  cUz- 
 ziel,  as  the  Heirs  of  Kohaih.     And  there  would  have 
 been  no  confederation  of  Primogeniture  \  both  fee- 
 caufe  none  of  them  was  the  Firft-born,  and  becaufe 
 the  Inheritance  was  not  in  the  Pofleffion  of   their  Fa- 
 ther, at  the- time- of  his  Death,  &c. 
 
 And  it  flail  be  unto  the  Children  of  Ifrael  a  Statute  of 
 judgment,  &c]  A  Law  whereby  to  determine  fuch 
 Matters  in  future  times,  and  to  be  obferved  inviola- 
 bly. So  that  no  Father  fliould  have  power  to  make 
 any  other  Settlement :  but  if  either  by  Word  or  Wai- 
 ting he  declared  his  will  to  be,  that  his  Son  fhould 
 not  inherit ,  his  Aft  was  null  and  void  :  As  the 
 Jewijh  Lawyersrefolve  from  thefe  very  words,  a  Sta- 
 tute or  Decree  of  Judgment,  i.  e.  as  I  faid ,  a  Kule 
 whereby  to  Judge  of  Succeffion  into  Inheritances. 
 If  therefore  a  Man  made  a  Will  wherein  he  decla- 
 red his  Daughter,  or  Brethren,  &c.  fhould  not  inhe- 
 rit, in  cafe  he  had  no  Son,  it  was  void,  becaufe  con- 
 trary to  this  Law.  See  Selden  dk  Succejfionibus ,  cap. 
 24. 
 
 Ver. 
 
542  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Ver.  I  2.  And  the  L  0  RDfaid  unto  Mofes,  get  thee 
 XXVII.  up /vto  thfc  Mountain  Abarim.l  Either  thefe  words 
 L/"V*\J  were  fpoken  after  all  that  follows  here  ,  and   in  the 
 
 Verfe  12.  Book  of  Deuteronomy,  or  they  were  repeated  again, 
 when  he  had  repeated  his  Laws,  and  inforced  them 
 by  many  excellent  Difcourfes,  and  taught  them  that 
 famous  Song  XXXII  Dent,  where,  in  the  conclusion 
 of  it  (v.  49.)  it  is  faid,  that  very  day  he  bad  him  go 
 up  this  Mount  Abarim.  And  there  we  learn  alfo  that 
 Aibarim  was  a  long  Traft  of  Mountains,one  of  which 
 was  called  Nebo  5  and  the  very  top  of  it  called  Pif 
 gah.     See  XXXIV  Deut.  1. 
 
 And  fee  the  hand -which  J  have  given  to  the  Children 
 of  IfraeL  ~]  Take  a  full  view  of  it  ,  as  he  did  from 
 that  high  neighbouring  Mountain,  III  Deut.  17. 
 XXXIV.  1,  2,3,4. 
 
 Verfe  13.  Ver.  13.  And  when  thou  hajl  feen  it ,  thou  alfo  ft  alt 
 be  gathered  unto  thy  People  ,  as  Aaron  thy  Brother  was 
 gathered^]  Upon  Mount  Hor ,  as  we  read  in  this 
 Book,  XX.  23,  24. 
 
 Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  For  ye  rebelled  againfl  my  Commandment  in 
 the  Defert  of  Zin ,  Sec  ~]  See  Chap.  XX.  I,  12,  24. 
 where  all  this  verfe  is  explained.    . 
 
 Verfe  i*.  Ver.  15.  And  Mofes  Jpa/^e  unto  the  LORD,  fay- 
 ing."] He  did  not  fpeak  thofe  words  which  follow, 
 immediately  after  God  bad  him  go  up  Mount  Abarim 
 and  die^  but  firft  defired  he  might  be  permitted  to  go 
 over  Jordan,  Sec.  Ill  Deut.  24,25,26.  Unlefs  we  can 
 think  that  he  made  the  Prayer  there  mentioned,as  foon 
 as  the  Sentence  was  pafled  upon  him, at  the  Waters  of 
 Meribah  5  which  doth  not  feem  fo  likely. 
 
 Verfe  16.      ^er«  *6«  Let  the  LORD  the  God  of  the  Spirits  of 
 all  Flefi,  &C.3     As  foon  as  he  found  that  God  was  re- 
 folved  he  fhould  not  condud  the  People  into  Canaan,, 
 
 he 
 
upon  NUMBER  S.  543 
 
 he  was  concerned  for  nothing,  but  for  a  fitting  Per-  Chapter 
 fon  to  take  that  Charge  upon  him.  For  he  had  a  XXVIL 
 moft  generous,  publick  Spirit,  wholly  intent  upon  L^VNJ 
 the  good  of  this  People. 
 
 The  God  of  the  Spirits  of  aUFlefh.]     Who  haft  not 
 only  made  the  Souls  of  all  Men,  but  knoweft  their 
 Difpofitions,  (SeeXVI.22.)  and  underftandeft  who . 
 are  fit  for  this  weighty  Employment. 
 
 Set  a  Man  over  the  Congregation"]  To  be  chief  FvU- 
 ler  and  Governour  of  the  People  in  my  place. 
 
 Ver.  17.  Which  may  go  out  before  them^  and  which  Verfe  17* 
 may  come  in  Before  them  3  and  which  may  lead  them  outy 
 and  which  may  bring  them  in.~]  If  the  latter  part  of 
 thefe  words  be  not  a  mere  repetition  of  the  former,  (as 
 is  ufua4)  then  the  one  relates  to  their  Conduft  in  War, 
 and  the  other  to  the  management  of  all  their  Civil  Af- 
 fairs. And  both  of  them  feem  to  be  a  Metaphor  from 
 Shepherds  watching  over  their  Flocks. 
 
 That  the  Congregation  of  the  LORD  be  not  as  Sheep 
 which  have  no  Shepherd.]  Having  none  to  govern  and 
 fake  care  of  them.  This  is  a  defcriptionof  the  moft 
 miferable  condition  a  People  can  be  in  ,  and  became 
 a  Proverb  among  the  Hebrews  ^1  Kings  22.  1 7.  X  Za- 
 chariah  2.    XIII.  7.  WMatth.^6. 
 
 Ver.  18.  And  the  LOR  Dfaid  unto  Mofesjake  thee  Verfe  1 8.: 
 Jpjhua  the  Son  ofNunT]     Who  had  been  a  long  time 
 Servant  unto  Mofes^  and  attended  upon  his  Perfon, 
 (XXIV  Exod.  13.)  well  known  to  Mofes^  and  per- 
 fectly acquainted  with  his  adminiftration.- 
 
 A  Alan  in  whom  is  the  Spirit  7\  Of  Courage  and  Pru- 
 dence, and  the  fear  of  God,  with  all  other  Gifts  ne- 
 ceflary  in  an  excellent  Governour.  Among  which 
 Onkehs  reckons  the  Spirit  of  Prophecy  5  which  is  not 
 unlikely. 
 
 And: 
 
544  *  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       And  lay  thine  hand  upon  himT^     Which  was  a  Cere- 
 
 XXVII.  mony  ufual  in  Blefling,  XLVIII  Qzn.  14,  &c.  and  in 
 
 wv*-'  fetting  Men   apart ,    and  Confecrating  them   to  an 
 
 Office,  VIII.  10.     Upon  which  followed  a  more  a- 
 
 bundant  meafure  of  the  Spirit ,    as  appears   from 
 
 XXXIV  Dent.  9. 
 
 Verfe  19.      Ver.  19.  Andfet  him  before  Eleazar  the  Priefi  ,  and 
 
 before  all  the  Congregation."]     Being  all   affembled  for 
 
 this  purpofe,  that  all  might  acknowledge  him  for  the 
 
 defigned  Succeflbr  of  Mofes  ,  and  be  Witneffes  of  all 
 
 that  Mofes  commanded  him. 
 
 And  give  him  a  charge  i?t  their  fight. ~]  He  told  him 
 before  them  all,  what  God  expefted  from  him  5  and 
 bad  him  not  be  afraid  to  execute  it.  See  XXXI  Dent. 
 7, 8.  Where  he  fets  down  the  words  of  this  Charge  5 
 unto  which  God  prefently  after  added  one  of  his 
 own,  v.  14, 15,  23. 
 Verfe  20.  Ver.  20.  And  thou  floalt  put  fome  of  thy  honour  upon 
 him7\  Communicate  fome  of  thy  Authority  to  him 
 at  prefent  ^  and  not  let  him  be  any  longer  as  thy  Mi- 
 nifies but  as  an  afibciate  in  the  Government.  The 
 word  we  tranflate  honour  being  glory  in  the  Hebrew , 
 it  made  Onkelos  and  other  Hebrew  Do&ors  imagine 
 thefe  words  have  refpect  to  that  Splendor  which 
 ftione  in  Mofes  his  Face  ,  after  he  came  down  from 
 the  Mount.  Some  of  which  they  fuppofe  was  im- 
 parted unto  Jofiua,  to  make  him  appear  more  vene- 
 rable in  the  Eyes  of  the  People.  And  R.  Menachem 
 obferves,  that  it  is  not  faid  impart  thy  glory,  but  of  thy 
 glory  to  him.  From  whence  came  that  ancient  fay- 
 ing, the  Face  of  Mofes  f/jone  like  the  Sun,  but  Jofhuas 
 only  like  the  Moon.  This  might  have  paffed  for  Truth, 
 or  at  leaft  that  hereby  was  meant  fome  great  increafe 
 of  illuftrious  Gifts  of  Mind ,  which  procured  him 
 
 fuch 
 
upon  NUMBERS,  545 
 
 fuch  reverence  as  Mofes  had,  if  it  had  been  faid  that  Chapter 
 God  put  fome  of  Mofes  his  glory  upon  him  ^  where-  XXVII. 
 as  Mofes  is  commanded  to  do  it  5  which  makes  the  L/^sTXJ/ 
 firft  fence  moft  reafonable. 
 
 That  all  the  Congregation  of  Ifrael  may  be  obedient,  ^ 
 That  the  People  may  begin  to  fubmit  to  his  Authori- 
 ty, and  learn  to  obey  his  Commands  ,  as  well  as 
 thine. 
 
 Ver.  21.  And  he  JIj all ft and  before  Eleazar  the  Priefi,  Verfe  2X* 
 Sec."]  For  the  incouragement  of  JoJIma  to  undertake 
 this  Charge,  he  affures  him  he  (hall  never  want  di- 
 rection from  God,  what  to  do,  when  he  was  in  any 
 doubt:  but,  in  the  manner  here  prefcribed,  moft  cer- 
 tainly receive  it.  And  what  is  here  faid  concerning 
 him,  belongs  to  all  their  fucceeding  Governours.  And 
 it  is  obferved  by  Maimonides  and  other  Jerri/I)  Do&ors, 
 that  the  High-Pried  ftood  before  the  Kings  of  Ifrael 
 out  of  great  refpeft  to  them  :  but  no  King  is  faid  to 
 ftand  before  the  High-Prieft,  but  only  in  this  cafe, 
 when  he  was  to  confult  the  holy  Oracle.  That  it 
 might  appear  the  Honour  was  given,  not  to  the 
 Prieft,  but  unto  the  Divine  Majefty,  whom  he  con- 
 futed by  the  Pried:. 
 
 Whofial/askcounfel  for  him,  after  the  judgment  of 
 TJrimJ]  Becaufe  the  word  Thummim  is  here  wanting, 
 fome  underftand  thefe  words,  as  if  he  had  faid  ,  the 
 High-Prieft  (hall  ask  counfel  for  him,  by  the  illumi- 
 nation of  the  Spirit  of  God.  So  Conradm  Pellicanus. 
 But  the  wordThummim,  in  all  likelyhood  is  here  to 
 be  underftood,  though  not  expreffed,  being  always 
 joyned  with  TJrim  ( except  in  this  ,  and  one  other 
 place,  where  TJrim  only  is  named,  after  a  fhort  man- 
 ner of  fpeaking  )  in  XXVIII  Exod.  XXXIII  Dent. 
 II  Ezra,  VII  Nehem.  For  they  were  infeparable  from 
 
 A  a  a  a  the 
 
54* 
 
 A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  the  Breaft-plate  of  Judgment,  as  it  is  called  XXVIII 
 XXVII.  Exod.  30.  (See  there.)  with  which  the  High-Prieft 
 L/*V"YJ  appeared  before  God  when  he  confulted  him, in  great 
 Affairs ,  concerning  the  Publick  Safety  5  more  efpe- 
 cially  in  times  of  War  5  of  which  we  have  many  In- 
 fancies in  I  Judg.i.  XX.18.  1  Saw.XIV.i8:  XXVIII. 
 6.  David  indeed  is  faid  to  confult  God  by  the  Ephod, 
 but  it  muft  be  obferved  that  the  Breatt-plate  was  an- 
 nexed to  it  5  which  Abiathar  brought  along  with  him, 
 when  he  fled  from  Saul,  who  commanded  the  Priefts 
 to  be  (lain,  1  Sam.  XXII.  2,  9.  XXX.  8.  2  Sam.  V. 
 19.  And  it  is  further  to  be  noted,  that  though  Da- 
 vid thus  frequently  confulted  God  this  way  ,  being 
 engaged  in  Wars  -0  yet  we  never  read  that  Solomon 
 asked  counfel  by  it,  being  a  peaceable  King. 
 
 Grotius  alfo  obferves ,  that  Jofiua  now,  and  the 
 Kings  of  Judah  afterwards  ,  therefore  y?<W  before  the 
 Prieft,  that  they  might  be  near  to  the  Vrim  and 
 Thummim,  which  he  had  upon  his  Bread:  5  without 
 which  he  could  not  receive  any  anfwer,  De  Imperii 
 Sum.  Potefi,  &c.  cap.  6. 
 
 Before  the  LOR  D.]  The  High-Prieft  never  in- 
 quired by  ZJrim  and  Thummim  ,  but  (landing  before 
 the  LORD  5  that  is,  before  the  Ark,  where  the 
 SCHECHINAH  was. 
 
 At  his  word  fliall  they  go  out,  and  at  his  word  fljali 
 they  come  in7\  That  is  ,  faith  Grotius  in  the  place 
 fore-named,  at  the  Word  of  the  LOR  D,  by  the 
 Judgment  of  Vrim  }  which  goes  juft  before.  Others, 
 at  the  word  of  the  PrieU :  which  comes  to  the  fame. 
 And  this  the  HebrewDoQtovs  under  (land,  concerning 
 the  People  of  Ifrael  making  War  5  which  is  wont  to 
 be  meant  in  Scripture,  by  the  words,  going  out  and 
 coming  in.     And  they  diftinguifh  between  the  War 
 
 that 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  547 
 
 that  was  made  by  the  Divine  Commandment  (againft  Chapter 
 the  VII  Nations  of  Canaav,and  againfM/We^and  that  XXVII. 
 which  was  voluntary,  againft  any  of  their  Neighbours  L/*V~\J 
 or  others,  as  there  (hould  be  reafon.     In  the  former 
 cafe,  they  think  there  was  no  need,   to  ask  whether 
 they  fhould  make  War  or  no,  becaufe  it  was  com- 
 manded 3  and  Jojhua  and  the  Kings  afterward,  did  it 
 when  they  pleafed.     But  in  the  other,  they  were  not 
 to  make  War  without  this  Divine  Order.     See  Selden, 
 Lib.  III.  de  Synedr.  cap.  12.  n.  4.     But  it  is  plain  from 
 I  Judg.  1.  that  they  confulted  the  LORD  alfoin 
 the  firft  fort  of  War  (  with  the  People  of  Canaan j 
 how  to  manage  it  to  the  bed  Advantage. 
 
 Both  he  and  all  the  Children  oflfrael  with  him,  even  all 
 the  Congregation.']     By  the  firft  word  [he]  the  Jews 
 underftand  Jofoua,  and  all  the  fucceeding  Princes  of 
 Ifrael,  who  were  bound  to  advife  with  God  by  Urim 
 and  Thummlm  before  they  made  War.     And  by  the 
 next  words  [all  the  Children  of  Ifrael  with  him]  they 
 underftand  the  Prieft  that  was  particularly  anointed 
 to  go  with  the  People  to  War,  XX  Dent.  1.  And 
 by  the  laft  words  [the  whole  Congregation]  they  under- 
 ftand the  LXX.  Elders,  or  the  great  Sanhedrim.     So 
 Maimonldes,  Abarhlnel,  and  a  great  many  others,  ex- 
 pound thefe  words  (as  Mr.  Selden  (hows  in  the  fame 
 place)  from  which  they  have  framed  this  general 
 Maxim,  That  no  private  Man  might  confult  this  Ora- 
 cle, but  the  King,  and  the  Head  of  the  great  Sanhe* 
 drim,  and  he  that  was  anointed  by  all  the  People  In 
 their  name.  And  that  Col  haedah  [all  the  Congregation] 
 fignifies  frequently  the  great  Affembly  of  the  Elders 
 and  Judges.     See  alio  Bertram  de  JRepitb.  Jud.p.  72. 
 
 Here  the  Jews  ftart  a  difficulty,  a5  they  account  it, 
 why  we  never  read  in  the  whole  Book  oijojlma,  that 
 
 A  a  a  a  2  he 
 
548  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  he  confulted  the  LORD,  after  this  manner  $  but 
 XXVIL  as  foon  as  ever  he  was  dead  they  did  J  Jndg.  i.  From 
 L/*V%J  whence  Abarbinel  concludes,  thztjoftna  was  bound  to 
 do  this  only  at  the  firft  entrance  upon  his  Office,  that 
 all  Ifrael  might  know  he  was  Mofes  his  Succeffor,  and 
 that  God  was  with  him  :  but  that  afterward  the  Spi- 
 rit of  Prophecy  refted  upon  him,  and  conduced  him 
 without  this  Oracle.  Bur  if  nothing  was  done,  that 
 is  not  recorded  in  the  Scripture,  he  might  as  well 
 have  laid,  that  Jsfima  never  confulted  the  Oracle  at 
 all  5  for  we  do  not  read  he  did,  though  he  be  here 
 fo  ordered.  R.  Lev/  ben  Gerfom  therefore  feems  to 
 me  to  fpeak  more  reasonably,  when  he  fays, that  thofe 
 words  in  the  beginning  of  the  Book  of  Judges,  do 
 not  import  that  they  did  not  confult  God  by  Vrfm 
 in  the  U\it  ofjojlwa,  but  only  that  after  his  Death, 
 the  Children  of  Ifrael  would  not  adventnre  to  pro- 
 ceed in  the  War  of  Canaan,  without  the  fame  dire- 
 ction. 
 
 And  there  is  fomething  elfe,  which  they  might 
 have  obferved  from  this  verfe,  with  great  reafon , 
 which  is,  how  much  inferiour  Joflma  was  to  Mofes, 
 though  he  fucceeded  him  in  the  Conduft  of  the  Peo- 
 ple. For  Mofes  never  made  ufe  of  the  TJrim  and 
 Thiwimim,  to  confult  God  by  the  High-Prieft  $  but 
 went  dire&ly  and  immediately  to  God  himfelf: 
 whereas  Jo/fma  was  not  admitted  to  fuch  Familiarity  5 
 nor  had  he  fuch  frequent  Revelations  from  God  as 
 Mofes  had.  Yet  fometimes  God  vou^hfafed  him  the 
 honour,  to  fpeak  to  him,  as  we  find  in  the  begin- 
 ning of  Jojhna,  III.  7.  IV.  1, 1  ^Scc.  And  there  was 
 a  mod:  illuftrious  appearance  of  God  to  him  before 
 Jericho,  V.  kjfc  &c. 
 
 Ver, 
 
upon    NUMBERS.  ^9 
 
 Ver.  2  2 .  And  Mofes  did  as  the  LORD  command-  Chapter 
 ded  him,  and  he  tool^  Jofroua  and  fet  him  before  Elea-  XXVIL 
 zar^  and  before  all  the  Congregation.  ~]  According  as  L^V^nj 
 he  was  ordered,  v.  18,  19.  In  this  we  fee  the  great  Verfe  22, 
 Integrity,  the  fincere  Humility  and  Self-denial  of 
 Mofes,  that  he  readily  fubmitted  to  have  the  Govern- 
 ment of  Jfrael  tranllated  from  his  own  Family  and 
 Tribe  unto  another  $  who  was  of  the  Tribe  of  £- 
 phraim.  Whereby  his  own  Children  were  reduced  to 
 a  mean  condition  ^  being  not  fo  much  as  Priefts ,  but 
 mere  Levites.  This  demonftrates  he  afted  not  from 
 himfelf,  becaufe  he  acted  not  for  himfelf}  but  was 
 contented  to  have  the  Supreme  Authority  placed 
 where  God  pleafed,  both  in  Church  and  State  $  and 
 to  leave  his  own  Family  in  an  inconiiderable  employ- 
 ment. This  (hows  him  to  have  had  a  Principle, 
 which  raifed  him  above  all  other  Law-givers^  who  al- 
 ways took  care  to  advance  their  own  Families,  andjs- 
 ftablifh  them  in  fome  (hare  of  that  greatnefs  which 
 they  themfelves  poffeffed.  This  likewife  demonftrates 
 that  the  future  Rulers  of  this  Nation,  had  no  temp- 
 tation to  advance  the  Credit  of  Mofes  ,  beyond  what 
 it  really  was  3  fince  they  were  not  defcended  from 
 him,  but  Were  of  other  Tribes. 
 
 Ver.  23.  And  he  laid  hk  hands  upon  him^  and  gave  Verfe  23, 
 him  a  charge  as  the  LORD  commanded  by  the  hand  of 
 Mofes."}  He  did  all  things  which  the  LOR.  D  re- 
 quired to  create  him  his  Succeffcr,  as  the  Jews  fpeak  : 
 For  thus  (by  laying  on  of  hands)  they  in  after  times, 
 made  a  Man  a  Member  of  the  Sanhedrin^  both  of  the 
 great  and  of  the  frnall :  which  continued  to  the  time 
 of  the  deftru&ion  of  the  fecond  Temple  ,  as  Mr.  Set- 
 ^e^fhews,  LibAl.de  Symdr.  cap.j.  n.  1. 
 
 And 
 
^o  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  And  this  folemn  Designation  of  Jofiua  to  the  Go- 
 XXVIII.  vemment  by  the  Divine  Authority,  was  a  clear  Indi- 
 
 s^VNJ  cation  that  God  continued  to  be  their  King,  as  he 
 became  in  a  fpecial  manner,  when  he  brought  them 
 out  of  Egypt,  (as  I  obferved  upon  III  Exod.  10.)  and 
 he  ftill  referved  it  to  himfelf  to  appoint  Governours 
 under  him,  out  of  what  Tribe  he  pleaied  ^  as  he  did 
 Joffma  at  this  time  out  of  the  Tribe  of  Ephraim  s 
 and  not  Caleb  who  was  of  the  Tribe  oijudah,  and  al- 
 fo  a  Man  as  valiant  as  he  was  vertucus,  XIV  Jofo.n. 
 For  there  was  no  Tribe  that  could  lay  claim  unto  this 
 Dignity,  without  the  Gift  of  God.  And  this  is  one 
 of  the  principal  Reafons .,  why  the  government  of 
 this  People,  before  they  had  Kings ,  was  ,  as  Jofc- 
 phus  calls  it,  Qtoxpz-rct,  (that  is,  the  Empire  of  God) 
 becaufe  he  fcirred  them  up  Judges  to  rule  them  when 
 he  pleafed.  Which  being  of  his  immediate  appoint- 
 ment, are  fo  far  acknowledged  by  him,  that  when 
 they  were  weary  of  Samuels  Government ,  and  defi- 
 ned a  King,God  declared,  that  it  was  not  Samuel,  but 
 himfelf  whom  they  rejefted.  And  another  reafon 
 was  fas  our  Mr.  Thorndike  obferves)  becaufe  God  by 
 his  Oracle  of  Urim  and  Thummim  ,  prefcribed  how 
 they  were  to  proceed  in  their  Publick  Affairs,  Re- 
 view of  the  Right  of  the  Church,  pag,  133. 
 
 CHAP.     XXVIII. 
 
 Verfe  1.    Ver.  1.   A  ND  the  LORD  flake  unto  Mofes,  fay 
 Jl\  ing7\     Having  numbred  the  People,  and 
 appointed  his  Succefibr  to  bring  them  to  their  Inheri- 
 tance (which  he  had  ordered  to  be  divided  among 
 
 them, 
 
upon   NUMBER  S.  $51 
 
 them,  proportionable  to  the  number  of  each  Tribe)  Chapter 
 nothing  was  more  neceflary  than  to  perfwade  them  XXVIII. 
 to  be  truly  religious,  whereby  they  might  be  prefer-  w^V^v 
 ved  in   the  enjoyment  of  it.     Unto  which  Mofes  is 
 commanded  to  direft  them,  in  this  and  in  the  fol- 
 lowing Chapters.     Which  may  be  thought  to  have 
 been  delivered  alfo  in  the  eighth  Month  of  the  laft  Year 
 of  their  Travels  in  the  Wildernefs. 
 
 Ver.  2.  Command  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  andfayun-Vzxk2* 
 to  them.']  Thefe  Commands  had  been  given  before  , 
 but  are  here  repeated  ,  becaufe  this  was  a  new  Gene- 
 ration, who  either  had  not  heard  them  ,  when  they 
 were  fir  ft  delivered  Eight  and  thirty  years  ago  5  or  at 
 leaft,  had  need  to  have  their  Memories  refreflied. 
 Some  things  alfo  are  now  more  particularly  explain- 
 ed, concerning  the  Sacrifices  which  were  to  be  offer- 
 ed at  certain  times :  and  they  are  reduced  into  a  cer- 
 tain order  5  fome  being  daily ,  others  weekly,  others 
 monthly,  and  fome  anniversary.  All  which  were  of 
 fuch  importance,  that  Mofes  being  fhortly  to  leave 
 them,thought  good  to  repeat  mod  of  them  once  more, 
 in  the  Book  of  Deuteronomy. 
 
 My  Offering  and  my  Bread."]  The  word  and  is  not 
 in  the  Hebrew  5  but  the  words  are  ,  my  Offerings  my 
 Bread.  Which  Ifaac  Abarbinel  thus  excellently  ex- 
 plains 5  Concerning  Offerings  for  Sin,  and  Trefpafs- 
 offerings,  and  the  reft,  I  fhall  not  need  to  admonifh 
 you  :  but  concerning  my  daily  Sacrifices,  which  pro- 
 perly of  themfelves  are  my  own  Oblation,  my  daily 
 Bread,ox\ny  Food  (which  the  Divine  Prefence  dwel- 
 ling among  them  required,  XXIX  Exod.  42,44,45.) 
 And  fo  others  by  the  word  Bread  understand  Meat  or 
 Food  in  general,  as  we  tranflate  it  v.  24,  though  it 
 may  have  a  particular  refpeft  to  the  Meat-offering , 
 
 which 
 
5$2  A     COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  which  was  made  of  Meal,  and  always  accompanied 
 XXVIII.  the  Burnt-Offerings.  Which  feem  here  to  be  peculi- 
 arly meant }  though  feme  think  thefe  words  relate 
 to  all  the  Sacrifices,  fome  part  of  which  were  God's 
 Portion. 
 
 Far  my  Sacrifices  mack  by  fire. ~j  The  whole  Burnt- 
 rings  are  moft  properly  called  Ifche  (Sacrifices 
 madebyfire)  being  all  confumed  upon  the  Altar  ^ 
 where  the  heavenly  Fire  burnt  continually,  ready  for 
 that  purpofe. 
 
 For  ajwect  favour  unto  m*7\  So  the  Burnt-offering 
 is  called  I  Lev.  9,  13,  17.  See  there.  I  (hall  only 
 add  the  Paraphrafe  of  the  Hierufalem  Targum,  which 
 is  this,  My  offering  of  Bread  which  ye  offer  on  the  Altar, 
 doth  not  the  fire  devour  it  ?  And  yet  it  is  acceptable  to 
 me  from  you,  as  an  Odor  in  which  I  am  well  pie afed. 
 
 Shall  ye  obferve  to  offer  unto  me.  '  Be  very  careful 
 to  fee  duly  performed  :  This  being  the  Food  (  faith 
 Abarbinel)  which,  to  fpeak  after  the  manner  of  Men, 
 was  offered  by  God's  Fire,  upon  his  own  Altar,  tor 
 his  Dinner  and  Supper. 
 
 In  due  feafonJ]  For  thatreafon  this  Sacrifice  was 
 to  be  constantly  offered,  faith  the  fame  Author,  that 
 the  Divine  Fire  which  came  down  from  Heaven  to 
 confume  the  Sacrifices,  might  not  be  difappointed  , 
 and  burn  there  in  vain  ,  without  any  thing  to 
 do. 
 
 From  this  place  the  Jews  endeavour  to  make  out 
 their  Cuftom,  of  having  Stationary  men,  as  they  call 
 them,  to  attend  the  daily  Sacrifice :  taking  Moatho 
 \)n  its  feafoff]  as  if  it  had  been  Omatho  [  in  its  fiati- 
 onf\  but  chiefly  relying  upon  the  firft  words  of  this 
 verfe,  command  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  who  could  not 
 all  be  prefent  at  the  daily  Sacrifice,  and  therefore  fome 
 
 particular 
 
upon    NUMBERS.  5^ 
 
 particular  Perfons  were  chofen  to  reprefent  all  the  Chapter 
 •eft.  For  they  thought  it  very  undecent  to  have  axxvill. 
 Sacrifice  made  for  a  Man,  and  he  not  ftand  by  it }  and  l/"V\j 
 herefore  the  firft  Prophets  ordained  Twenty  four 
 Dourfes  of  Men  chofen  out  of  the  Priefts ,  Levites, 
 tnd  People,  to  ftand  in  the  Temple,  when  the  daily 
 Sacrifice  was  offered  in  the  name  of  all  Ifracl  •  and 
 )ray  that  God  would  accept  it  for  them,  as  if  they 
 vere  all  prefent.  This  account  the  Mifchna  gives  of 
 hem  in  Taanith,  and  other  places :  where  they  fay 
 hefe  Men  were  held  fo  necefiary,  that  it  was  an  ufu- 
 1  Speech  among  xh<zm,without  Stations  the  World  could 
 wt  ftand.  For  without  Sacrifices,  that  is,  the  Wor- 
 hipofGpd,  the  World  would  be  undone  5  and  Sa- 
 rifices  could  not  be  maintained  without  Stations. 
 KtVoyfinde  JubiUo0  cap.  25.  and  our  Learned  Dr. 
 iightfoot  in  hisTemple  Service,  chap.  'j.feU.  3. 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  thou  foalt  fay  unto  them,  this  is  the  ofVzvfe  3- 
 ering  made  by  fire,  which  ye  foal/ offer  unto  the  LORDs] 
 rhat  Offering  which  he  peculiarly  fpeaks  of,  is  the 
 laily  Sacrifice  -0  which  was  appointed  long  ago,  be- 
 bre  the  Tabernacle  was  fet  up, XXIX  Exod.  3 8, 3 9. See 
 ny  Notes  there.  And  add  this ,  that  God's  promife 
 o  meet  them  there,  ^.42,43.  and  afterward  to  dwell 
 mong  them,  v.  45.  feems  to  depend  upon  this  con- 
 tant  Service  which  he  expe&ed  (hould  be  paid  to 
 lim:  which  if  negle&ed,  he  withdrew  himfelf  from 
 hem. 
 
 Two  Lambs  of  tlw  firft  year,  day  by  day  continually^] 
 rhis  is  exprefly  required  in  XXIX  Exod.  38.  On- 
 y  here  it  is  added  without  fpot,  or  perfedt  in  its  kind  : 
 yhich  was  required  in  all  Sacrifices ,  particularly  in 
 he  firft  Lamb  which  they  offered, when  they  came  out 
 >f  Ezypt,  XII  Exod  5.  See  there. 
 
 B  b  b  b  Ver. 
 
5*4 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  4.  The  one  Lamb  ft  alt  thou  offer  in  the  Mom* 
 XXVIIL  wg-i  *t*A  the  other  Lamb/halt  thou  offer  at  Even!]    The 
 iyv\l  very  words  in  XXIX  Exod.  39. 
 
 Verfe  4.         Ver.  5.  A  tenth  part  of  an  Ephah  of  Flour  for  a 
 Verie  5.    Meat- offering,  mingled  with  the  fourth  part  of  ait  bin  of 
 beaten  Qyl.  j     This  alfo  is  there  explained  ,  XXIX 
 Exod.  40. 
 Verfe  6.        Ver.  6.  It  is  a  continual  Burnt-offering.]     To  be 
 continued   throughout  all  your  Generations  every 
 day,  as  it  is  expreffed  XXIX  Exod.  42.     For  it  was 
 in  the  nature  of  a  daily  Prayer  to  God,that  he  would 
 gracioully  continue  his  Mercy  unto  Ifrael,  (as  Abarbi- 
 ■»e/ obferves)  and  increafe  their  Corn,  Wine  and  Oyl, 
 which  they  acknowledged  hereby  they  received  from 
 him. 
 
 Which  was  ordained  in  Mount  Sinai.]     There  Mo- 
 fes  received  both  this  Law,  and  all  the  reft  (which 
 are  mentioned  in  the  Book  of  Exodus  )  concerning 
 the  Service  of  God,  and  the  place  where  it  was  to  be 
 performed,  and  hisMinifters,  &c.     And  this  fuffici- 
 ently  (hows  that  he  fpeaks  here  to  thofe  who  were  fo 
 young  at  the  firft  Inftitution  of  thefe  Laws,  that  they 
 gave  the  lefs  heed  to  them,  or  had  forgotten  them. 
 And  there  are  thofe  who  think  that  for  Eight   and 
 thirty  years  they  had  difufed  them  ,  which  they  ga- 
 ther from  XII  Deut.  8.     But  I  do  not  take  it  to  be 
 likely,  that  Sacrifices  were  wholly  omitted  during 
 that  fpace,  though  perhaps  not  fo  regularly  perform- 
 ed as  when  they  came  to  Canaan.  For  to  fuppofe  that, 
 is  to  fuppofe  that  the  Fire  from  Heaven,  either  went 
 out,  or  burnt  continually  to  no  purpofe  5  and  that 
 the  Divine  Majefty  had  no  entertainment  fet  upon  his 
 Tables  and  confequently  did  not  keep  Houfe,  and 
 dwell  among  them  all  that  time  :  In  fhort,  that  there 
 
 was 
 
^NUMBERS,  555 
 
 was  no  Worflaip  of  God  at  the  Tabernacle.  All  thefe  Chapter 
 Arguments  may  convince  any  Man,  there  were  offer-  XXVI li- 
 ed, at  leaft  the  daily  Sacrifice,  Morning  and  Even,  and  l/'Wj 
 thoie  on  the  Sabbath. 
 
 For  a  faeet  favour,  a  Sacrifice  made  by  fire  unto  the 
 LOR  JD.1     See  XXIX  Exod.  41. 
 
 Ver .  7 .  An  d  the  Drink-offering  thereof fc  all  be  the  fourth  Verfe  7 , 
 fart  of  a  hin,  for  the  one  Lamb."]  So  it  was  ordained 
 alfo  in  Mount  Sinai,  as  appears  from  the  fame  XXIX 
 Exod.  40.  And  in  this  very  Book  there  is  a  general 
 Rule  given  to  this  new  Generation,  that  this  {hould 
 be  the  leaft  quantity  of  Wine,  which  (hould  be  offer- 
 ed with  a  Burnt-offering, or  Peace-offering.  See  XV 
 Numb.  5.  Which  was  a  thing  fo  conftantly  praftifed, 
 that  the  Heathen  never  facrificed,  but  they  poured 
 Wine  upon  the  Flefh  ,  as  it  flamed  upon  the  Altar. 
 For  though  Water  was  fometimes  poured  upon  the 
 Sacrifices,  yet  Nonnus  faith  (Lib.  IV.  Dionyfiac.)  it 
 was  when  Men  knew  not  the  ufe  of  Wine  $  for  after 
 that  was  found  out,  they  never  facrificed  without  it. 
 See  Fort.  Scacchm  Myr -other.  2.  cap.  42. 
 
 In  the  holy  place.']  Upon  the  Altar  of  Burnt  offer- 
 ings, which  ftood  in  the  holy  place,  near  to  the  door 
 of  the  Tabernacle,  XXIX  Exod.  42. 
 
 Shalt  thou  caufe  the  jlrong  Wine  to  be  poured  out  unto 
 the  LO  RD,  for  a  DrinkTojfer}ng.~]ThQ  Hebrew  word 
 Schecar  commonly  fignifies  any  Tort  of  ftrong  Drink, 
 but  here  the  nobleft  and  moft  generous  Wine  $  for  it 
 was  not  lawful  to  ufe  any  other  Liquor  in  their  Sacri- 
 fices :  The  Heathens  had  this  Reverence  to  their  Gods, 
 that  they  alway  offered  to  them  the  moft  excellent 
 Wine  they  had.  Which  appears  by  thofe  words  we 
 meet  withal,  fo  often  in  Homer  (both  in  his  Iliads 
 and  Odyjfes)  of  Mens  pouring  out  their  Sacrifices, 
 
 B  b  b  b  2  ca3n'/m 
 
^6  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter ouSvTm  drfr,  black,  Wine  5  or  of  the  deepeft  Co- 
 
 XXVHT.  lour,  red  as  Blood  5  which  was  the  richeft  of  all  o- 
 u^V^VJ  ther.  And  Hcrodian,  (peaking  of  the  vaft  profufe- 
 nefs  of  Haliogabalus,  who  offered  Hecatombs  of  Oxen 
 every  Morning,  with  great  multitudes  of  Sheep,  up> 
 en  which  he  heaped  all  manner  of  Spices,  adds  this 
 alfo,  (Lib.  V.)  GivH  n  tS  7raAaz/o7aT8  &,  *a/9v<Va  iroM^ 
 djuLtoplcts  7$  /6st>/u3f/  7r^j?^ct)v,  Sec.  pouring  out  many 
 fiaggons  of  the  oldeli  and  moft  excellent  Wine  on  the  Al- 
 tars ;  Sothat  Rivers  of  Wine  and  Blood  ran  mixed 
 together. 
 Verfe  8.  Ver.  8.  And  the  other  Lambfialt  thou  offer  at  Even, 
 &c]  All  the  foregoing  verfes  relate  to  the  Morning 
 Sacrifice  5  and  this  only  briefly  prefcribes,  that  the 
 other  Lamb  (hould  be  offered  in  the  fame  manner  at 
 Even,  with  the  very  fame  Meat-offering  and  Drink- 
 offering.  And  as  no  Sacrifice*  ^s  to  precede  the 
 Morning  Burnt-offeringD  but  it  was  to  be  offered  firft : 
 fo  this  at  Even  was  to  conclude  all  the  Sacrifices  of 
 the  Day,  and  none  to  be  offered  after  it. 
 
 A  Sacrifice  made  by  fire ,  a  fweet  favour  unto  the 
 LORD.']  As  acceptable  to  him,  as  the  Morning 
 Sacrifice. 
 Verfe  9.  ^er*  9«  And*  on  the  Sabbath  day,  two  Lambs  of  tlse 
 first  year  without  Jpot.~\  He  doth  not  mean  that,  where- 
 as every  Morning  and  Evening  they  offered  one  Lamb, 
 on  the  Sabbath  day  they  (hould  offer  two  :  but  that 
 there  fhould  be  two  Lambs  offered  on  the  Sabbath,  o- 
 ver  and  above  the  daily  Offering,  as  appears  from 
 verfe  10.  Whether  one  of  them  was  to  be  ottered  in 
 the  Morning,  and  the  other  added  at  the  Evening  Sa- 
 crifice, it  is  not  faid  5  but  it  is  moft  probable  the  Sa- 
 crifices on  the  Sabbath  werefo  ordered.  For  the  Jews 
 fay,  that  at  the  time  of  this  additional  Sacrifice  in  the 
 
 Morning 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  557 
 
 Morning  of  the  Sabbath,  they  fang  at  the  Temple  the  Chapter 
 Song  of  Mofes  I  Dent,  XXXII.  dividing  it  into  dx  XXVIII. 
 parts,  and  fingingone  part  every  Sabbath  $  fo  that  in  L/^V\J 
 (ix  Weeks  they  had  finifhed  it,  and  then  began  again. 
 And  at  the  Evening  Sacrifice  they  fang  that  Song  of 
 his  Exod.  XV.  at  which  times  the   Pried  founded 
 the  Trumpets  three  times  more  than  they,  did  at  the 
 ordinary  Songs. 
 
 And  two  tenth  deals  of  flour  for  a  Me  at- offering  ming- 
 led with  Oyl0  and  the  Drink: offering  thereof]  As  the 
 Burnt-offerings  were  double  on  this  day,  fo  a  double 
 quantity  of  Flour  is  ordered  for  the  Meat-offering 
 that  attended  the  Burnt-offering,  (for  only  a  tenth 
 part  of  an  Ephah,  v.5.  was  offered  on  other  days)  and 
 confequently  there  was  to  be  as  much  more  Oyl  and 
 Wine  than  daily.  And  here  it  may  be  fit  to  note, 
 that  as  foon  as  the  Drink-offering  was  poured  out , 
 then  the  Song  before-mentioned  began,  with  the 
 Trumpets  and  other  Inftruments  of  Mufick  5  but  not 
 till  then  :  For  the  Burnt-offering  was  not  perfect  till 
 the  Drink-offering,  which  was  to  accompany  it,  was 
 Dffered  5  whereby  it  wascompleated.  See  Dr.Light- 
 fbot  in  htsTempk  Service^  cap.  7.  feci.  2. 
 
 Ver.  10.  This  is  the  Burnt-offering  of  every  Sabbath^  Verfe  io, 
 \efides  the  continual  Burnt-offering  and  his  Drinkcoffer- 
 mg7\  The  daily  Sacrifice  was  not  to  be  omitted  on 
 the  Sabbath,  but  this  was  to  be  added  to  it  5  and 
 thence,  by  the  Jews  called  Mufaph.  Of  which  fert 
 :here  were  feven  more  ^  which  were  to  be  added  to 
 :he  Sacrifice  of  the  day  5  viz.  that  in  the  New  Moon3 
 v.  11.  at  the  Paffover,  v.  19.  and  the  Feaft:  of  Pente- 
 :oft,  v.  26.  in  the  beginning  of  the  Year,  XXIX.  r. 
 3n  the  Day  of  Expiation,  v.  7.  on  the  Feaft  of  Ta- 
 bernacles there  were  peculiar  Sacrifices  for  feven  days 
 
 together, 
 
•i58 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  together,  XXIII  Lev.  35.  and  on  the  laft  day  of  the 
 
 XXVIII.  Feaft  another ,  XXIX  Numb.  35,  36,  37.  All  thefe 
 
 Lyv""\J  were  called  Mufaphim,  or  additional  Sacrifices  to  the 
 
 daily  Sacrifice. 
 Verfe  11.  Ver.  n.  And  in  the  beginnings  of  your  Months  ye 
 JJjal/  offer  a  Burnt-offering  unto  the  LOR  D.~]  This 
 folemn  Sacrifice  feems  to  have  been  ordained  by  God, 
 to  prevent  the  Idolatry  which  was  ufual  among  the 
 Gentiles  5  who  worlhipped  the  New  Moon  with 
 great  Rejoycings  when  it  firft  appeared.  Otherwife, 
 the  firft  day  of  every  Month  was  no  Feftival  $  but 
 only  a  day  on  which  extraordinary  Sacrifices  were  of- 
 fered with  blowing  of  Trumpets,  as  feems  to  be  di- 
 rected X.  10.  See  there:  which  was  ufual  at  all  fo- 
 lemn Sacrifices,  (  as  I  noted  before  )  otherways ,  the 
 Feaft  of  blowing  with  Trumpets,  was  only  on  the 
 New  Moon  of  the  feventh  Month  ,  and  no  other. 
 And  therefore  it  is  obfervable,  that  there  is  no  menti- 
 on made  of  the  firft  day  of  the  Month  ,  among  the 
 Feftivals  appointed  in  XXIII  Lev.  And  confequently 
 Servile  work  was  lawful  on  this  day  $  and  nothing 
 more  required  but  only  the  following  Sacrifices.  The 
 Jews  at  this  day  fay,  this  Solemnity  was  appointed  ra- 
 ther for  the  Women  than  the  Men,  (for  which  they 
 give  a  fabulous  reafon  )  who  are  bound  to  abftain 
 from  all  work;  but  the  Men  only  from  the  moft  labo 
 rious,fuch  as  Plowing  the  Ground, dv.  See  Buxtorfs 
 Synag.  Judaica^  cap.  2  2 . 
 
 Two  young  Bullocks  and  one  Ram  ,  [even  Lambs  of 
 the  firli  year  without  fpot.  ]  All  thefe  were  Burnt- 
 offerings  which  were  offered,  befides  the  daily  Sacri- 
 fice 5  and  befides  the  two  Lambs,if  the  firft  day  of  the 
 Month  fell  out  to  be  a  Sabbath.  In  which  cafe,  and 
 all  others,  where  feveral  Solemnities  met  together  on 
 
 the 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  $££ 
 
 the  fame  day,  the  daily  Sacrifice  was  offered  firft,  and   Chapter 
 then  the  reft  of  the  Sacrifices  peculiar  for  that  day  XXVIII. 
 were  to  be  performed,  every  one  in  their  order.   As  L/V\J 
 for  Example,  If  the  Sabbath,  and  new  Moon,  and  the 
 Feaft  of  Trumpets  fell  out  on  the  fame  day,  they  be- 
 gan with  the  daily  Morning  Sacrifice ;  after  which 
 followed  the  Sacrifices  proper  to  the  Sabbath  5  and 
 after  that  the  Sacrifice  appointed  on  the  New  Moon  5 
 and  then,  thofe  that  belonged  to  the  Feaft  of  Trum- 
 pets 3  and  all  was  concluded  with  the  Evening  Sacri- 
 fice ,  as  Abarblnel  obferves  in  his  Preface  to  the  Book 
 of  Leviticus. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  three  tenth  deals  of  flour. "]      That  is,  Verfe  12. 
 three  tenth  parts  of  an  Ephah,  v.  5. 
 
 For  a  Meat-offering  mingled  with  Oylfor  one  Bulloch^] 
 i.  e.  For  each  Bullock /here  was  to  be  this  proportion 
 of  Flour :  which  is  exa&ly  according  to  the  general 
 Rule  before  given,  XV.  9. 
 
 And  two  tenth  deals  of  flour  mingled  with  Qyl,  for  one 
 Ram.']  This  is  the  proportion  there  prefcribed  for 
 a  Ram,  as  the  other  for  a  Bullock,  XV.  6. 
 
 Ver.  13.  And  a  fever  al  tenth  deal  of  fine  flour  mmg-Vzxfe  13* 
 led  with  Oylfor  a  Meat  offerings  unto  one  Lamb.]  Un- 
 to each  of  the  feven  Lambs,before-mentioned  (^.11.) 
 a  Meat-offering  was  to  be  joyned  in  lefs  proportion 
 than  the  other  5  according  to  the  Rule  there  given, 
 XV.  4. 
 
 For  a  Burnt- offering  of  a  fweet  favour ,  &c.]  See 
 v.  6. 
 
 Ver.  14.   And  theh  Drink-offering  jl)all  be  half  an  hinVzxfc  14 
 of  Wine  unto  a  BiiUothf]     See  XV.  10. 
 
 And  the  third  part  of  an  hin  for  a  RamT]  See  there 
 v.j. 
 
 And, 
 
5<5o 
 
 A  COMMENTART 
 
 Chapter  -n^  &  fourth  part  of  an  bin  for  a  Lawb.~]  See  there 
 XXVIII.  ^«  5-  They  that  allegorize  thefe  things ,  think  the 
 ^^/-v-^  New  Moon  Signifies  the  Pvefurre&ion  to  a  new  Life 
 in  the  other  World,  where  every  one  (hall  receive  a 
 Reward  according  to  his  meafure.  Thus  Procopws 
 Gapaits  :  in  whom  they  that  think  fuch  Expositions 
 ukful,  may  find  entertainment. 
 
 This  is  the  Burnt- offering  of  every  Month  throughout 
 the  Months  of  the  year.']  There  are  more  Sacrifices  ap- 
 pointed on  the  New  Moons,than  on  the  Sabbath  it  felf^ 
 becaufe  they  returned  feldomer.  And  the  Gentiles 
 multiplying  Sacrifices  on  fuch  occafions ,  if  the  'jews 
 had  net  been  thus  imployed  in  the  Worfhip  of  God, 
 they  might  have  been  tempted  to  pay  their  Services 
 to  Idols. 
 Verfe  *  5«  Ver.  15.  And  one  IOd  of  the  Goats  for  a  Sin- offer- 
 ?ng.~]  This  Sacrifice  of  a  Goat  for  a  Sin-offering, 
 faith  the  fame  Precoph/s,  is  coupled  with  the  reft, 
 being  a  fnadow  of  the  Paffion  of  Chrift,  for  whofe 
 fake  all  our  Sacrifices  are  acceptable  unto  God  the  Fa- 
 ther. 
 
 Vnto  the  LOR D.]  It  is  well  obferved  by  Gro- 
 tiw,  that  thefe  words  unto  the  LORD  were  added, 
 to  put  them  in  mind  at  this  time  of  the  right  Objedl 
 of  Worfhip  }  when  they  were  in  danger  to  offer  Sa- 
 crifice to  the  Moon,  after  the  manner  of  the  Heathen. 
 This  is  the  more  to  be  regarded,  becaufe  a  Goat  being 
 appointed  to  be  offered  at  two  other  Solemnities,  and 
 to  be  offered  for  a  Sin-offering,  (v.  22,  30.)  it  is  not 
 faid,  unto  the  LORD,  (though  certainly  fo  in- 
 tended) becaufe  there  was  no  danger  at  thofe  times  to 
 direft  their  Sacrifices  to  a  wrong  Objeft,  as  there  was 
 upon  the  New  Moons  5  when  the  Heathen  offered  a 
 Coat  unto  the  Moon,it  being  a  Creature  whofe  Horns 
 
 *  .  are 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  ^61 
 
 are  like  to  thofe  of  a  New  Moon.  R.Bechai  long  ago  Chapter 
 obferved  this :  A  Goat,  faith  he,  was  offered  to  extir-  XXVIII. 
 pate  the  Religion  of  thofe  who  wor flipped  the  Moon  5  which  l/V^W' 
 makes  the  Scripture  fay  exprejly,  unto  the  LORD. 
 And  Maimonides  more  largely  in  his  More  Nevochim, 
 P.  HI.  cap.  46.  where,  after  he  had  taken  notice  of 
 the  difference  between  Sin-offerings  and  Burnt-offer- 
 ings, the  latter  of  which  being  wholly  burnt,  might 
 be  properly  faid  to  be  unto  the  LO  RD,  whereas  Sin- 
 offerings  were  commonly  eaten  by  the  Priefts  5  he 
 adds,  c  That  this  Sin-offering  is  peculiarly  ftid  to  be 
 c  unto  the  LO RD,  leaft  any  one  (hould  think  this 
 c  Goat  to  be  a  Sacrifice  to  the  Moon,  after  the  manner 
 c  of  the  Egyptians  :  Which  was  not  neceffary  to  be 
 c  faid  of  the  Goats  offered  at  other  Solemn  Times,be- 
 *  caufe  they  were  not  in  the  beginning  of  the  Month, 
 c  nor  diftinguifhed  from  other  days  by  any  natural 
 c  fign,  but  only  by  the  appointment  of  the  Law; 
 c  which  ufes  thefe  words  concerning  this  Goat  pecu- 
 c  liarly,  to  pluck  out  of  Mens  thoughts  thofe  invete- 
 c  rate  and  pernicious  Opinions  of  the  Gentiles  5  who 
 c  had  long  facrificed  to  the  Moon  at  this  time,  as  they 
 c  did  to  the  Sun  at  his  rifing,  and  when  he  entred  in- 
 c  to  the  feveral  Signs. 
 
 Befides  the  continual  Burnt-offerings  and  his  Drinhc 
 offering^  This  is  fo  often  particularly  mentioned , 
 left  any  fhould  imagine  it  might  be  fpared,  when 
 there  were  fuch  liberal  Offerings  of  feveral  kinds. 
 
 Ver.16.  And  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  thefirjl  Month  Verfe  16, 
 is  the  PafTover  of  the  LO  R  D.]     See  XII  Exod.  6,18. 
 XXIII  Lev.  5.  where  itls  called  the  LOR  Ds  PafT- 
 over.    See  XII  Exod.  27. 
 
 Cccc  Ver. 
 
56a  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  17.    In  the  fifteenth  day  of  this  Month  k  the 
 
 XXVIII.   Feali.*]     The  fourteenth  day  at  Even  the  Feaft  of  the 
 L/'VSj  Paffover  was  kept,  as  appears  from  XII  Exod.  14. 
 
 Verfe  17. But  on  the  fifteenth  day  began  another  Feaft,  called 
 the  Featt  of  unleavened  Bread.     See  XXIII  Lev. 6. 
 
 Seven  days  flmll  unleavened  Bread  be  ea\en7\  See  XII 
 Exod.  15.  XIII.  6,  7.  XXIII  Lev.  6. 
 
 Verfe  1 8.  Ver.  1 8.  On  the  fir  It  day  fi ell  be  an  holy  Convocation, 
 ye  flmll  do  no  manner  of  fcrvHc  work  therein."]  See 
 Xll  Exod.  16.  XXIII  Lev.  7. 
 
 Verfe  1 9.  Ver.  1 9.  But  ye  flmll  offer  a  Sacrifice  made  by  fire,  for 
 a  Burnt-offering  unto  the  LORD.']  The  Solemnity 
 was  ordained  before,  and  Offerings  alfo  in  general 
 prefcribed  to  be  made  feven  days,  (See  XXIII  Lev.8.) 
 but  the  particular  Sacrifices  not  fet  down  tell  now. 
 
 Two  young  Bullock*,  one  Ram,  and  feven  Lambs  of 
 the  fir  ft  year,  they  foal/  be  unto  you  without  ff>ot.]  The 
 fame  Sacrifices  which  were  appointed  to  be  offered 
 upon  every  firft  day  of  the  Month,  v.w. 
 
 Verfe  20.  Ver.  20.  And  their  Meat-offering  \hall  be  of  flour 
 mingled  with  Oyl,  three  tenth  deals  Jfjall  ye  offer  for  a 
 Bullocks  and  two  tenth  deals  for  a  Ram.]  The  very 
 fame  which  were  appointed  on  the  firft  day  of  every 
 Month,  z>.  12. 
 
 Verfe  21.  Ver.  21.  A  fever al  tenth  deal  fhalt  thou  offer  for  every 
 Lamb,  throughout  the  feven  Lambs.]  Juft  as  it  was  in 
 the  forementioned  Sacrifice,  ^.13.  And  though  the 
 Drink-offerings  be  not  mentioned,  they  muft  be  un- 
 derftood  to  be  the  fame  5  becaufe  they  alwaj  s  accom- 
 panied the  Meat-offerings  of  Burnt-Sacrifices,  which 
 were  not  compleat  without  them. 
 
 Verfe  22.  Ver.  22.  And  one  Goat  for  a  Sin-offering,  to  make 
 atonement  for  you.]  As  it  was  in  the  New  Moon,z>.  1 5 . 
 But  Meat  and  Drink-offerings  did  not  accompany 
 
 Offerings 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  563 
 
 Offerings  for  Sin,  fave  only  in  the  cafe  of  a  Leper:  Chapter 
 who  was  to  bring  three  Offerings,  a  Sin-offering,  a  XXVIII. 
 Trefpafs -offering,  and  a  Burnt-offering  for  his  clean-  l/^VNJ 
 fing  5  with  three  tenth  parts  of  an  Ephah  of  Flour, 
 XIV  Lev.  10,  &c. 
 
 Ver.  23.  Teff  all  offer  thefe  befide  the  Bumf-offering  Verfe  23. 
 of  the  Morning,  which  is  the  continual  Burnt-offering.  ~] 
 There  are  two  things  that  are  here  to  be  remarked  5 
 that  thefe  Offerings  (as  I  noted  before)  Ihould  not 
 put  by  the  continual  Burnt-Sacrifice,  but  be  added  to 
 it  :  and  that  all  thefe  were  offered  in  the  Morning , 
 after  the  daily  Morning  Sacrifice  5  and  were  not  part 
 of  the  Evening  Sacrifice ,  which  concluded  all. 
 
 Ver.24.  After  this  manner  ye  fhal/ offer  daily  jhrottgh-Verk  24, 
 out  thefeven  days."]  Upon  every  one  of  the  days  of 
 unleavened  Bread  ,  v .  1 7.  which  though  it  was  a 
 great  Expence,  yet  was  but  a  fitting  Acknowledg- 
 ment of  God's  wonderful  goodnefsto  them,in  bring- 
 ing them  out  of  the  Land  of  Egypt  ,  with  all  their 
 Flocks  and  their  Herds  ,  which  was  the  foundation 
 of  all  their  happinefs  afterwards,  by  making  them  a 
 free  People. 
 
 The  meat  of  my  Sacrifice  made  by  fire.']  Here  is  the 
 very  fame  word  with  that  v.  2.  where  he  calls  this 
 Sacrifice  his  lechem,  which  we  there  trandate  his  bread, 
 but  here  very  properly,  his  meat  or  food.  Which  was 
 fetupon  his  Table  (the  Altar)  every  day  5  and  by  his 
 fire  from  Heaven  confumed  5  which,  according  to  the 
 language  of  Men,  was  called  his  eating  of  it  :  as  the 
 Heathen  Gods  alfo  are  faid  to  eat  the  Fat  of  their  Sa- 
 crifices, XXXII  Dent.  38. 
 
 Of  a  fweet  favour  unto  the  LOR  D.~\  Very  accep- 
 table to  him,  as  hath  been  often  obferved. 
 
 C  c  c  c  2  It 
 
$64  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  It  pa//  be  offered  befide  the  continual  Burnt-offering  \ 
 XXVIII.  and  his  Drink- offering7\  There  is  the  grcateft  care 
 iy*V\J  taken  (by  the  frequent  repetition  of  this)  that  they 
 (hould  not  think  to  favc  their  daily  Sacrifice  by  thefe 
 others  -0  which  were  to  be  added  to  it,  and  not  to 
 fupply  the  place  cf  it.  See  v.  1 5. 
 Verfe  25.  Ver.  25.  And  on  thefeventh  day  ye  pal/  have  an  ho- 
 ly Convocation,  ye  pall  do  no  fervile  work  therein.']  This 
 laft  day  of  the  Feaft  was  equal  to  the  firft,  XXIII 
 Lev.  7, 8.  and  is  called  a  Feafi  unto  theL  ORD,  XIII 
 Exod.  6. 
 Verfe  26.  Ver.  26.  Alfo  the  day  of  the  Firli-ffuitsJ]  Called 
 the  Feaft  of  Harvcjl ,  the  Firft-fruits  of  their  Labours, 
 XXIII  Exod.  1 6.  and  the  Feaft  of  Weeks,  when  they 
 brought  the  Firft-fruits  of  Wheat-harveft  ,  XXXIV 
 Exod.  22.  XVI  Deut.  10.  The  Jews  in  their  Writings 
 commonly  call  this  Feaft  by  the  name  of  Atzereth,znd 
 fo  do  the  Chaldee  Paraphrafe  upon  this  place  :  though 
 Abarbinel  obferves  that  this  alone ,  of  all  the  three 
 great  Feafts,  is  never  called  fo  in  the  holy  Scripture. 
 It  is  hard  therefore  to  tell,  why  the  Jews  call  it  fo  in 
 a  lingular  manner  ^  but  our  learned  Dr. Light foot  hath 
 made  feveral  probable  Conje&ures  about  it :  one  of 
 which  (and  moft  pertinent  to  this  place)  is,  becaufe 
 there  was  a  reftraint,  as  the  word  fignifies,  upon  the 
 People,  from  bringing  their  Firft-fruits  till  this  Feaft. 
 If  any  did,  they  received  them  not  from  them,  but 
 laid  them  by  till  this  day  came.'  See  Temple  Service, 
 chap.  \\.fe£l.  4. 
 
 When  ye  bring  a  new  Meat-offering  unto  the  LORD."] 
 Mentioned  XXIII  Lev.  16.  Which  were  two  Loaves 
 made  of  their  firft  Corn,  v.17.  where  they  are  called 
 the  Firfi-fiuits  unto  the  LO  R D. 
 
 After 
 
upon    NUMBERS.  565 
 
 After  your  Week§  be  out  J]  That  is,  the  feven  Weeks  Chapter 
 which  they  were  to  number  from  the  morrow  after  XXVIII. 
 the  Sabbath,  XXIII  Lev.  15.  i.e.  after  the  firft  day  of  U'VNJ 
 unleavened  Bread.  When  they  offered  another  fort 
 of  Firft-fiults,  (which  muft  be  carefully  diftinguifh- 
 ed  from  thofe  here  mentioned  )  viz.  of  the  Barley 
 Harveft,  which  began  at  the  Paflbver  j  when  they 
 were  to  bring  a  Sheaf  of  theirFirft-fiuits  unto  the  Priejl, 
 XXIII  Lev.  10.  the  preferring  of  which  Sheaf  was 
 an  Introdu&ion  to  Harveft,  and  procured  them  liber- 
 ty to  begin  to  put  the  Sickle  into  the  Corn  5  which 
 now,  after  feven  Weeks,  they  reaped,  and  carried  in 
 at  this  Feaft,when  they  brought  thefe  new  Firft-fruits 
 unto  the  L  O  R  D.  All  which  is  a  Defcription  of 
 that  which  in  the  New  Teftament  is  called  the  Feafl 
 ofPentecofi  5  being  fifty  days,  as  we  read  there  in  Le- 
 vlticm,  after  the  other  great  Feaft. 
 
 Te  fhall  have  an  holy  Convocation  ,  ye  f/jaU  do  nofer- 
 vile  workf\     See  XXIII  Lev.  2 1 . 
 
 Ver.  27  But  ye  fo all  offer  the  Burnt-offerings  for  a  Verfe  27. 
 fweet  favour  unto  the  LOR  D.~]  Over  and  above  the 
 Burnt-offering  which  was  prefcribed  to  be  offered  with 
 the  two  loaves  before-mentioned  ,  XXIII  Lev.  18. 
 unto  which  this  was  an  additional  Sacrifice,  plainly 
 diftinft  from  it. 
 
 Two  young  Bullocks ',  one  Ram,  feven  Lambs  of  the 
 ffrfiyear."]  The  very  fame  that  were  ordered  to  be 
 oftered  upon  every  New  Moon ,  and  every  day  of 
 the  Feaft  of  unleavened  Bread,  v.i  1,1 9,8tc.  where- 
 as that  in  Leviticus  is  one  young  Bullock^  two  Rams,  and 
 feven  Lambs. 
 
 Ver.  28.  And  their  Meat-offering  of  flour  mingled  Verfe  28. 
 with  Oyl,  three  tenth  deals  unto  one  Bullock^ ,  &C.3  The 
 very  fame  that  is  prefcribed  to  accompany  the  Burnt- 
 
 offering, 
 
^66  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  offering,  on  the  New  Moon,and  in  the  Feafc  of  Un- 
 XXVIII.  leavened  Bread,  v.  12,  20. 
 
 K^S/^SJ      Ver.  29.  And  a  fevered  tenth  deal  unto  one  Lamb, 
 Verfe  29.  throughout  thefeven  Lar,ibs7\     So  it  is  ordained  before 
 
 in  the  former  Cafes,  cm  3,  21. 
 Verfe  30.  Ver.  30.  And  one  Kid  of  the  Goats  to  make  an  atone- 
 ment  for  you7\  Befide  the  Kid  prefcribed  for  the  fame 
 purpofe,  when  the  two  Loaves  were  offered,  XXIII 
 Lev.  19.  which  was  accompanied  with  two  Lambs  for 
 a  Sacrifice  of  Peace-offerings.  So  that  there  were  a 
 great  many  Sacrifices  offered  at  this  famous  Fefcival  5 
 though  it  did  not  laft  fo  long  as  that  of  the  Paflbver. 
 Verfe  3 1 .  Ver.  31.  Ye  Jloull  offer  them  befide  the  continual  Burnt- 
 offering."]  He  ftill  takes  care  that  this  daily  Sacrifice 
 Ihould  not  be  omjtted,  by  reafon  of  fuch  a  number 
 of  other  Sacrifices,  which  were  to  attend  upon  it,  but 
 not  to  put  it  by,  v.  10,15,23. 
 
 They  Jfjal/  be  unto  you  without  blcmifi.~]  This  might 
 have  been  fufficiently  under  flood,  from  what  was  laid 
 of  the  daily  Offering,^.  3-and  of  all  the  other  prefcrib'd 
 in  this  Chapter,  ©.11,19,  But  leaft  any  prophane 
 Perfon  might  think  there  was  no  need  to  be  fo  fcru- 
 pulous  about  thefe  Sacrifices  ,  becaufe  it  is  only  faid, 
 two  young  Bullocks,  one  Ram,  and  f even  Lambs  of  the 
 fir  ft  year,  v.  27.  thefe  words  are  alfo  here  added  ,  to 
 take  away  all  doubt,  they  foal/ be  unto  you  without  hie- 
 mijlo,  i.  e.  as  perfeft  as  all  the  reft  are  ordered  to  be. 
 It  is  obfervable  that  there  is  not  fo  much  as  one 
 Peace-offering  ordered  in  all  this  Chapter,  which  was 
 a  fort  of  Sacrifice  that  was  moft  for  the  benefit  of 
 thofe  that  brought  them  to  the  Altar  :  But  all  Burnt- 
 offerings  (except  a  few  Sin-offerings)  which  were 
 wholly  for  the  honour  of  Cod,  and  acknowledgment 
 of  his  Sovereign  Dominion  over  them,  and  of  the 
 
 Duty 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  $6y 
 
 Duty  they  owed  him.     And  as  the  Sin-offerings  were  Chapter 
 fliadows  of  that  great  Sacrifice  of  God's  own  Son ,  XXIX. 
 which  was  one  day  to  be  offered  for  the  Sins  of  Men,  ^  V~w 
 out  of  his  infinite  love  to  them  ^  fo  the  whole  Burnt- 
 offerings  (which  were  always  of  the  moft  perfect  Crea- 
 tures, the  fined:  Flour,  the   choiceft    Fruits  of  the 
 Earth  ,  and  the  beft  Liquor  )  were  fliadows  of  that 
 excellent  degree  of  Piety,  which  the  Son  of  God  in- 
 tended to  bring  into  the  World ,  which  would  move 
 Men,  out  of  love  to  God,  to  give  themfelves  wholly 
 up  to  him,  and  devote  all  they  had,  even  their  own 
 Lives,  to  his  Service. 
 
 CHAP.     XXIX. 
 
 Ver.  i.    A  ND  in  the  feventh  Month.']     Which  was  Verfe  i. 
 
 ±\  anciently  the  firft  Month  of  the  Year  5 
 but  now  the  feventh,  reckoning  from  that  wherein 
 the  Pafibver  was  kept  :  which  for  a  fpecial  reafon 
 was  made  the  firft.     See  X  Exod.  2. 
 
 On  the  firft  day  of  the  Month  ye  foall  have  an  holy 
 Convocation,  ye  pall  do  nofervile  workf\  So  it  was  or- 
 dained before  in  XXIII  Lev.  24,  25. 
 
 It  is  a  day  of  blowing  of  Trumpets  unto  you.  ~]  In 
 that  place  of  Leviticus  it  is  called  a  memorial  of  blow- 
 ing of  Trumpets  from  Morning  until  Evening.  Which 
 the  Jews  fancy  was  to  awaken  them  to  Repentance, 
 upon  the  great  Day  of  Expiation,  which  followed 
 on  the  tenth  day  of  this  Month.  But  it  was  manifeft- 
 ly  intended  quite  contrary,  to  excite  them  unto  Joy 
 and  Gladnefs.     For  Zichron  teruah  is  a  memorial  of 
 
 Jubilation, 
 
 ♦ 
 
568  A     COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Jubilation,  Triumph,  and  Shouting   for  Joy  :    the 
 XXIX.   word  tcruah  being  never  ufed  in  Scripture  ,  but  for  a 
 c-v^--'  found,  or  (lioitt  of  Gladnefs,  as  the    Chaldee  word 
 Jabbaba,  which  is  here  ufed  by  the  Paraphraft,always 
 iignifies.     And  this  agrees  with  their  Notion,  who 
 think  it  was  a  fpecial  remembrance  of  the  Creation  of 
 the  World,  at  which  the  Angels  rejoyced.     Or,  it 
 might  be  ordained  to  ftir  up  the  People  to  a  grateful 
 remembrance    of  all  God's  Benefits  the  Year  part. 
 Whatsoever  was  the  caufe,  certain  it  is,  this  feventh 
 Month  was  very  famous  on  this  account,  that  more 
 folemn  days  were  to  be  kept  in  it,  than  in  all  the 
 Year  befldes.     And  upon  that  account,  the  People 
 might  be  awakened,  by  this  blowing  of  Trumpets^  to 
 obferve  them  aright. 
 Verfe  2.        Ver.  2.  And  flail  offer  a  Burnt- offering  for  a  fweet 
 favour  unto  the  LOR  D.~]     Over  and  above  all  o- 
 ther  Sacrifices,  which  were  heretofore  ordered  upon 
 this  day  5  as  appears  from  v.  6. 
 
 One  Bullock^,  one    Ram  ,  and  feven  Lambs  of  the 
 fir  (I  year,  without  blemifo7\     This  is  lefs  than  was  ap- 
 pointed upon  the  foregoing  Feftivals,XXVIII.i  9, 27. 
 becaufe  thofe  very  Sacrifices  were  alfo  to  be  offered 
 upon  this  day,  on  another  account  5  as  I  (hall  ob- 
 ferve on  v.  6. 
 Verfe  3  •        Ver.  3  •  And  their  Meat-offering  full  he  of  four  ming- 
 -  led  with  Oyl,  three  tenth  deals  for  a  Bullock^  and  two  for 
 a  Ram.~]     This  is  the  proportion  appointed,  by  a 
 general  Rule,  for  all  Sacrifices  of  this  kind.    See  the 
 XVth  Chapter  of  this  Book,  v.  6,  9. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  one  tenth  deal  for  one  Lamb^  Sco^     So 
 it  is  there  appointed x  v.  4, 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon    NUMBER  S.  5^ 
 
 Ver.  5.  And  one  Kid  of the  Goats  for  a  Sin-offer ing,  Chapter 
 to  make  an  atonement  for  youT]  As  is  appointed  in  the  XXIX; 
 foregoing Feftivals,  XXVIII.15,  22,30.  iy>/\j 
 
 Ver.6.  Befide  the  Burnt-offering  of  the  Morning,withVtrk  5. 
 his  Meat-offering.']  It  was  appointed  before,  thatinVerfe  6. 
 the  beginning  of  every  Month  there  (hould  be  a 
 Burnt-offering  offered  of  two  Bullocks,  &c.  XXVIII. 
 ii,  12.  which  was  not  to  be  omitted  in  the  beginning 
 of  this  Month  :  but  thefe  other  Sacrifices  added  to  the 
 Offerings  of  every  New  Moon.  Which  made  this  a 
 greater  New  Moon  than  any  other  5  being  the  firft 
 Moon  of  the  old  Civil  Year. 
 
 And  the  daily  Burnt-offering  and  fm  Meat-offering, 
 and  their  Drink-offering.]  With  which  the  Solem- 
 nity of  the  Day  began  :  and  then  followed  the  pro- 
 per Sacrifices  belonging  to  it. 
 
 According  to  their  manner.]  Or,  in  the  order  which 
 God  appointed:  which  I  obferved  before  (on  XXVIII. 
 11.)  was  this  3  That  firft  the  daily  Burnt-Sacrifice  was 
 offered  5  then  the  Sacrifices  appointed  for  the  firft 
 day  of  every  Month  5  and  then  thofe  appointed  for 
 this  firft  day  of  the  feventh  Month. 
 
 For  a  fxceet  favour,  a  Sacrifice  made  by  fire  unto  the 
 LORD.]  Which  was  acceptable  to  the  Divine 
 Majefty,  when  performed  according  to  his  directi- 
 ons. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  ye  flmtt have  on  the  tenth  day  of  thkVztfe  f* 
 Month  an  holy  Convocation.]  This  folemn  Aflembly 
 is  ordered  twice  before  in  the  Book  of  Leviticus^ 
 XVI.  29.  XXIII.  27.  and  here  repeated  perhaps,  for 
 the  fake  of  Eleazar  and  Jofiua  ,  who  were  newly  ad- 
 vanced to  their  feveral  Offices,  that  they  might  take 
 fpecial  Notice  of  it,  and  fee  it  obferved. 
 
 D  d  d  d  And 
 
 Lff» 
 
57o  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter         And  ye  frail  rffliff  your  Souls. ~]     That  was  the  fpe- 
 XX  IX.    cial  intention  ot  it  (as  we  read  in  both  the  forenamed 
 L/'V'NJ  places)  that  they  might  receive  the  benefit  of  the  a- 
 tonemcnt  on  this  day  made. 
 
 YcfiJdll  not  do  any  workj herein.']  It  was  to  be  ob- 
 ferved  as  frrictly  as  a  Sabbath,  XVI  Lev. 31".  XXIII.52. 
 Wherein  they  were  to  abftain,  not  meerly  from  fiir 
 vile  Work^,  but  from  all  manner  of  \\ 'or \  whatfeever^ 
 XVlLcz;.  29.  XXIII.  28,  30. 
 Verfe  8  Ver.  8.   And  ye  jhall  offer  a  Burnt-offering  unto   the 
 
 LORD  for  a ifmet  favour •."]  Endeavour  to  procure 
 acceptance  of  the  reft  of  the  Sacrifices  of  the  Day, 
 with  this  whole  Burnt-offering,  befide  the  daily  Sa- 
 crifice, as  it  follows  v.  ii. 
 
 One  Buttock^  one  Ram^  and  f even  Lambs  of  the  fir  $i 
 yea>\  Sec]     The  dime  that  were  appointed  on  the 
 foregoing  Solemnity,  v.  2.  (except  the  monthly  Of- 
 fering, v.  6.)  to  which  was  added  another  Ram  for 
 a  Burnt-offering,  XVI  Lev.  5.  as  a  devout  Acknow- 
 ledgment that  they  owned  him  alone  for  their  Sove- 
 reign LORD. 
 Verf.o  ic.      Ver.  9,  10,  And  their  Meat-offering  frail  be  of  fine 
 flour \  Sec]     The  Meat-offering  attending  thefe  Burnt- 
 offerings,  were  to  be  in  the  fame  proportion  as  was 
 before  ordered,  v.  3,4. 
 Verfe  1 1  •      Ver.  1 1  ■  One  Kid  of  the  Goats  for  a  Sin-offering."] 
 As  was  appointed  in  the  foregoing  Solemnity,  v.  5. 
 
 Befide  the  Sin-offering  of  Atonement.  ]  Mentioned 
 XVI  Lev.  9 ,  Sec.  whofe  Blood  was  carried  by  the 
 High-Prieft  into  the  moft  holy  place  3  which  was 
 done  in  no  other  Sacrifice  but  that  ,  and  the  Bullock 
 which  was  offered,  as  a  Sin-offering  for  the  Family 
 of  Aaron  on  the  fame  day,  XVI  Lev.  14. 
 
 And 
 
upon  N  U  M  B  E  R  S.  571 
 
 And  the  continual  Burnt- offering  ,  tf//^  f/tf  Meat-  Chapter 
 offering  of  it,  and  their  Drink-offerings."]  Thefe  were  XXIX. 
 no  more  to  be  omitted  on  the  great  Day  of  Atonement,  L/~V"\J 
 than  on  any  other  day^but  the  Service  of  the  day  was 
 to  begin  with  the  continual  Burnc-oftering  5  and  then 
 followed  the  Burnt- offerings ,  with  the  Meat  and 
 Drink-offerings  belonging  to  them,  and  the  Sin-offer- 
 ing here  prefcribed  5,  and  then  the  Sacrifice  of  Atone- 
 ment 3  and  all  that  is  ordered  in  the  XVIth  of  Levi- 
 ticus for  the  Expiation  of  the  Sins  of  all  the  People 
 of  Ifrael  Which  Sacrifice  the  prefent  Jetcs  now  want- 
 ing, and  yet  being  fenfible  of  the  neceflity  of  fome 
 Satisfaction ,  but  not  believing  in  our  blefled  Saviour, 
 who  hath  fully  made  it  for  all  Mankind,  they  are  in 
 a  lamentable  plunge,  and  are  put  to  moft  wretched 
 (hifts  to  devife  fomething  to  fupply  the  place  of  the 
 Sacrifice  of  Atonement,  which  was  wont  to  be  made 
 for  them.  One  is  their  own  death  :  it  being  the  con- 
 tinual Prayer  of  every  one  of  thereupon  their  Death- 
 bed, Let  my  death  be  the  expiation  for  my  fins.  Ano- 
 ther is  (which  is  fo  abfurd,  that  Leo  Modina  faith 
 they  do  not  ufe.it.  now  in  Italy  ,  nor  in  the  Eaflern 
 Countries)  the  killing  of  a  white  Coc  k  (if  one  can 
 be  got)  by  the  Men,  and  a  white  Hen  by  the  Wo- 
 men on  the  Eve  of  this  Day,  faying,  Let  thk  Cockjze 
 an  exchange  for  me  i)  let  it  come  in  my  fie  ad  $  let  it  be 
 my  Expiation  5  let  it  die^  but  I  and  all  Ifrael  live  hap- 
 pily :  as  Buxtorf  (hows  in  his  Synagog.Judaica,  cap. 25. 
 Which  I  (hould  not  heremention,were  it  not  to  (how, 
 that  they  have  the  very  fame  Notion  (till  of  a  Sacri- 
 fice for  Sin  (  even  now  that  they  can  only  make  an 
 imitation  of  it)  which  we  have  of  the  Sacrifice  of 
 Chrift,  who  was  put  in  our  place,  and  offered  him- 
 felf  to  Cod  in  our  ftead  :  and  that  it  ought  to  be 
 
 D  d  d  d  2  pure 
 
 u 
 
573  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  pure  and  innocent,  which  is  offered  inftead  of  a  Sin- 
 XXIX.    ner. 
 
 C^VNJ       Ver.  12.  And    on  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  feventh 
 
 Verfe  12.  Month,  ye  fh all have  an  holy  Convocation,  ye  ftjall  do  no 
 fervile  workf\     See  XXIII  Lev.  35-. 
 
 And  ye  ft:  all  keep  a  Feaji  unto  the  LOR  Dfeven  days.'] 
 viz.  The  Feaft  of  Tabernacles,  XXIII  Lev.  34.  which 
 was  after  the  Harveft  and  Vintage  ,  XVI  Dent.  13. 
 and  kept  feven  days  with  great  Joy  and  gladnefs  of 
 Hearty  but  they  were  not  bound  to  abftain  from  fer- 
 vile  work.M  this  time,  but  only  on  the  fir  ft  day  and 
 on  the  feventh. 
 
 Verfe  13.  Ver.  13.  And  ye  fth  all  offer  a  Burnt- offering,  a  Sacri- 
 fice made  by  fire,  of  a  fweet  favour  unto  the  LO  R  D.~] 
 The  fame  kind  of  Sacrifice  which  was  prefcribed  on 
 the  other  Feftivals,  to  be  offered  up  wholly  in  honour 
 of  God.  But  here  is  afar  larger  proportion  than  in 
 any  other  Solemnity. 
 
 Thirteen  young  Bullocks ,  two  rams ,  and  fourteen 
 Lambs  ofthefirffyear,1kc.~]  On  the  other  Feftivals 
 two  Bullocks  fufficed  ,  XXVIII.  11,  19,  27.  and  on 
 the  Feftival  in  the  beginning  of  this  Month  only  one 
 was  appointed  5  but  here  are  thirteen :  and  fo  they 
 continued  to  be  offered  feven  days  fucceflively,  with 
 the  decreafe  only  of  one  Bullock  every  day  5  till  on 
 the  feventh  day  only  feven  Bullocks  were  offered  5 
 which  in  al)  made  LXX.  Bullocks.  The  Rams  alfo 
 and  the  Lambs  were  in  a  double  proportion  to  what 
 wasufual,  throughout  the  whole  Feftival.  Which 
 was  a  vaft  charge,  but  more  eafie  at  this  time  of  the 
 Year  than  any  other ,  becaufe  now  their  Barns  were 
 full,  and  their  Wine-prefTes  over-flowed  5  and  their 
 Hearts  might  well  be  fuppofed  to  be  more  enlarged 
 then  at  other  times,  in  thankfulnefs  to  God  for  his 
 
 great 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  573 
 
 great  Benefits.     Yet  this  very  grofs,  troublefome,  and  Chapter 
 expenfive  way  of  ferving  God,  made  the  beft   Men   XXIX. 
 among  them  groan,and  long  for  the  coming  of  Chrift  ^  L^VNJ 
 in  whofe  days,  their  own  Do&ors  fay,  no  Sacrifices 
 foall  remain ,  but  thofe  of  Than  (giving,  and  Praife,  and 
 Prayer.  With  which  they  have  been  forced  to  be  con- 
 tent for  above  Sixteen  hundred  years :  and  inftead  of 
 thefe  additional  Sacrifices,  unto  the  daily,  have  ad- 
 ded peculiar  Prayers  (which  they  alfo  call  Mufaphim) 
 unto  the  common  Prayers  they  ufe  every  day.     See 
 Buxtorf  concerning  the  Feaft  of  the  New  Moon/m  his 
 Synagog.  Jud.  cap.  22. 
 
 Ver.  14,  15.  Their  Meat-offering  floall  be  of fine  flour '5  VerC  i± 
 8zc.~]     The  fame  proportions  which  are  ordered,  by     '   *    *2 
 a  general  Rule,  to  every  Sacrifice  of  a  Bullock,  and  of 
 a  Ram,  Chap.  XV. 
 
 Ver.  16.  And  one  Kid  of  the  Goats  for  a  Sin-offer-  Verfe  1*63 
 ing^  befide  the  continual  Burnt-offerings  &C.]  There  is 
 no  augmentation  of  the  Sin-offering  5  but  it  is  the 
 fame  with  that  on  other  Feftivals,  v.$.  And  all  thefe 
 Sacrifices,  it  appears  by  this,  were  to  be  added  to  the 
 daily  Sacrifice. 
 
 Ver.  17.  And  on  the  fecond  day  ye  JI) all  offer  twelve  yeife  x-, 
 young  BuUockj,  8cc. "]  Here  one  Bullock  lefs,  than  on 
 the  day  before,  is  ordered  to  be  offered  }  and  fo  on 
 every  Succeeding  day  there  is  ftill  a  decreafe  of  one 
 Bullock  :  which  is  all  the  difference  between  the  Of- 
 ferings on  the  feven  days  of  this  Feaft  ,  upon  every 
 one  of  which  there  was  the  fame  number  of  Rams 
 and  Lambs,  without  any  diminution.  Which  Mofes 
 thought  fit  to  fet  down  diftin&ly  from  this  verfe  to 
 the  thirty  fifth,  that  there  might  be  no  miftake.  But 
 little  need  be  noted  upon  th^nL 
 
 V*r.. 
 
 \ 
 
574  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  1 8.  Accord/Kg  to  their  number  after  the  manner.  ~ 
 XXIX.   Prcfcribed  v.  14,  15. 
 
 t/V\J       Ver.  35.    On  the  eighth  day  ye  Jhall  have  afolemnAf* 
 Verfe  18.  fembly.'}     There  is  a  peculiar  word  here  ufed,  to  de- 
 Vcrfe  35.  note  this  to  be  a  great  day,    as  I  noted  upon   XXIII 
 Lev.  36.     See  there. 
 
 Ye  jh all  do  no  fervile  work  therein*"]  It  was  to  be 
 obferved  as  the  firft  day  of  the  Feaft  of  Tabernacles : 
 both  of  them  being  called  a  Sabbath,  23  Lev.  39. 
 Verfe  36.  Ver.  36.  But  ye  foall  offer  a  Burnt-offering,  a  Sacri- 
 fice made  by  fire,  of  fweet  favour  unto  the  LO  RD.~] 
 Here  is  a  peculiar  Sacrifice  appointed  upon  this  day3 
 in  the  fame  terms,  as  upon  the  firft  day  of  the  Feaft  of 
 Tabernacles,  v.  13. 
 
 One  Bullock^,  one  Ram,  feven  Lambs  of  the  firft  year, 
 8cc.3  But  though  this  was  an  extraordinary  day,and 
 a  diftinfl:  Feftival  (as  I  (bowed  upon  XXIII  Le^.39.) 
 yet  here  are  fewer  Sacrifices  prefcribed  on  this  day, 
 than  upon  any  of  the  foregoing  feven.  For  on  every 
 one  of  them  two  Rams  were  offered  and  fourteen 
 Lambs  5  and  here  but  half  fo  many  :  And  feven  Bul- 
 locks were  the  feweft  that  were  offered  upon  any  of 
 thofe  days  (and  on  the  firft  day  thirteen)  but  here 
 only  one.  By  which,  God  confulted,  perhaps,  the 
 weaknefs  of  Mankind  ,  who  naturally  grew  weary 
 both  of  the  Charge,  and  of  the  Labour  of  fuch  Ser- 
 vices, when  they  are  long  continued.  And  there- 
 fore he  made  them  every  day  lefs  toilfom  and  expen- 
 fiye  *y  and  put  them  in  mind  likewife,  that  the  mul- 
 titude of  Sacrifices  did  not  procure  their  acceptance 
 with  God  3  and  that,  in  length  of  tine,  they  would 
 come  to  nothing,  and  be  utterly  abolifhed  ,  to  efta- 
 blifli  fomething  better  in  their  room. 
 
 Ver. 
 
 A 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  575 
 
 Ver.  37.    Their  Meat-offerings     and  their  Drink-    Chapter 
 offerings^  for  the  Bullocl^  ,  for  the  Ram  ,  and  for  the    XXIX. 
 Lambs,  and  fh all  be  according  to  their  number \  after  LS~VSJ 
 the  manner, 7\     In  fuch  proportions  as  God  had   be-  Verfe  37. 
 fore  ordained  in  theXVth  Chapter  of  this  Book,  in 
 the  beginning  of  it  ^  as  I  have  often  obferved. 
 
 Ver.  38.  And  one  Goat  for  a  Sw- offering,  be  fide  the  Verfe  28. 
 continual  Burnt-offering,  Sec."]     This  is  never  omitted 
 upon  any  Feftival  ,  XXVIII.  15,  22,  30.  XXIX.  5, 
 11,16,19,  8cc.  to  put  them  in  mind  ,  that  after  all 
 their  Services  they  ftood  in  need  of  forgivenefs. 
 
 Ver.  39.  Thefe  things  fiall ye  do  (or  offer)  unto/ the  y^fe  *nt 
 LO  RD  in yourfet  Feafts.]  All  thefe  Feafts  were  fix- 
 ed and  ftated  at  certain  times  5  on  which  God  was  to 
 be  worfhipped  after  the  manner  here  prefcribed,  in 
 thefe  two  Chapters.  For  all  thefe  Offerings  (  except 
 one  Sin-offering  upon  each  fct  day  )  were  wholly 
 Burnt- offerings  (  as  I  have  already  obferved  )  which 
 may  properly  be  (aid  to  be  done,  that  is,  offered  un- 
 to the  LORD  :  neither  People  nor  Prieft  having  any 
 (hare  in  them. 
 
 Befides  your  Vows  and  your  Free-will-offerings,  for 
 your  Burnt- offerings.']  Befides  thefe,  every  Man  might 
 offer  other  Burnt-offerings  5  either  in  performance  of 
 a  Vow,  or  freely  out  of  his  Affedrion  to  God.  See 
 XV.  3. 
 
 For  your  Meat-offerings, and  for  your  Drink- offerings.'] 
 There  were  five  feveral  forts  of  Meat-offerings  5  which 
 were  left  to  every  Mans  free  will,  to  bring  as  he 
 pleafed.  See  the  fecond  Chapter  of  Leviticus  ,  where 
 they  aredefcribed. 
 
 And  for  your  Peace-offerings.]  Thefe  are  defcribed 
 in  the  third  Chapter  of  that  Book.  A  great  number 
 of  which,  it  is  likely,  Men  offered  voluntarily  upon 
 
 all 
 
 \ 
 
$76 
 
 A  COMMENtARt 
 
 Chapter  all  the  fore-mentioned  Feftivals.  For  otherwife,  they 
 XXX.     would  have  had  no  means  to  feaft  with  God  at  his 
 
 <y*v**-'  Houfe,nor  to  entertain  their  Friends  and  Neighbours, 
 as  the  cuftom  was  at  fuch  times  of  Publick  Rejoyce- 
 ing.  Which  they  did  upon  that  part  of  the  Peace- 
 offerings  which  was  given  them,  after  the  Fat  was  of- 
 fered to  God,  and  the  Wave-breaft  and  Heave-fhoul- 
 der  given  to  the  Prieft,  VII  Lev.  15,  &c.  34. 
 
 Verfe  40.  Ver.  40.  And  Mofes  told  the  Children  of  Jfrad,  ac- 
 cording to  all  that  the  LORD  commanded  Mofes.  ~] 
 He  acquainted  all  the  People  (by  the  Heads  of  their 
 Tribes  perhaps,  of  whom  we  read  in  the  beginning 
 of  the  next  Chapter)  with  all  thefe  Commands  of 
 God,  which  concerned  his  Worftiip  and  Service. 
 
 CHAP.     XXX. 
 
 Verfe  i#  Ver.  I.  A  ND  Mofes  Jpake  unto  the  Heads  of  the 
 ±\  Tribes. ~]  There  were  wont  to  be  extra- 
 ordinary Aflemblies  of  thefe  ,  or  other  great  Men, 
 upon  fpecial  Occafions,  as  Mr. Seldcn  obkrves,  Lib. II. 
 deSynedr.cap.\\.n.  ^.  who  are  fometimes  called,  as 
 they  are  here,  the  Heads  of  all  their  Tribes  ,  and  the 
 Elders,  V  Deut.  23.  and  in  other  places,  the  Heads  of 
 the  People,  XXX  Deut.  5.  the  whole  Congregation  of  the 
 Children  oflfrael,  XVIII  Jojb.i.  XXII.  12.  the  chief 
 of  all  the  People,  XX  Judg.  2.  all  Ifrael,  1  Sam.  VII.  5. 
 all  the  Princes  of  Ifrael,  the  Princes  of  the  Tribes  , 
 I  Chron.  XXVIII. I.  all  the  Elders  of  Ifrael  and  Heads 
 of  the  Tribes,  and  chief  of  the  Fathers,  2  Chron.  V.  2. 
 the  counjel  of  the  Princes  and  Elders,   X  Ezra  8.  And 
 
 it 
 
upon  NUMBERS,  $;7 
 
 it  is  commonly  faid  by  the  Hebrew  Doctors,  concern-   Chapter 
 irig  fuch  Aflemblies,   that  wherefoever  the  Children  of    XXX. 
 Ifrael  were  met  together,  or  the  greater  part   of  them^  L/"V%J 
 there  the  SCHECHIN  AH  (that  is  ,  the  Divine 
 Majefty ,  or  the  Holy  Ghoft,  as  they  (ometimes  fpeak) 
 was  wont  to  reft. 
 
 Concerning  the  Children  of  Ifrael \ fayingT]  Acquainted 
 them  with  a  Matter  which  concerned  all  the  People  $ 
 willing  them  to  communicate  it  to  them. 
 
 This  is  the  thing  which  the  LORD  hath  command- 
 ed7\  It  is  very  probable  there  had  been  fome  Cafe 
 propounded  to  him  about  Vows  5  concerning  which 
 he  here  gives  fuch  Rules,  as  might  dirett  them  in  time 
 to  come. 
 
 Ver.  2.  If  a  Man.']     It  is  reafonable  to  think,  that  Verfe  2. 
 this  includes  the  other  Sex  alfo  5  provided  they  be  in 
 their  own  power,  and  not  fubjeft  to  another,  and  be 
 in  their  right  mind. 
 
 Vow  a  vow  unto  the  LORD.]  Promife  folemnly 
 unto  God  fomething  that  is  for  his  Honour  and  Ser- 
 vice 5  for  that  feems  to  be  meant  by  unto  the  LORD. 
 As  that  he  will  offer  fome  Sacrifice  at  the  Feafts  above- 
 mentioned,  more  than  is  prefcribed  $  or  affiift  his  Soul 
 on  fome  other  day,  befides  the  great  Day  of  Atone- 
 ment.    See  v.  13. 
 
 Or  fwear  an  Oath  to  hind  his  Soul  with  a  bond.] 
 Whether  it  be  a  fimple  Vow,  or  bound  alfo  with  a 
 folemn  Oath  :  which  made  a  double  Obligation,  by 
 calling  God  to  witnefs  the  Sincerity  of  his  Inten- 
 tions. 
 
 Hefial/not  breaks  his  word.]  In  the  Hebrew  it  is, 
 he  fhali  not  prophane  his  word  :  for  it  being  folemnly 
 paffed  to  God,  it  made  him  vile  and  contemptible,  if 
 he  did  not  keep  it.     The  Jewifi  Do&ors  very   pru- 
 
 Eeee  dently 
 
578 
 
 A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  dently  advife, their  Scholars  not  to  accuftom  them- 
 
 XXX.    felves  to  make  Vows  5  but  to  content  themfelves  wi'th 
 
 L/WJ  doing  what  the  Law  commands,  and  abftainingfrom 
 
 what  it  forbids.     But  if  they  did  make  them,  to  look 
 
 upon  it  as  an  high  atTront   to  God  not  to  perform 
 
 them. 
 
 He  foal/  do  according  to  all  that  proceedeth  out  of  hk 
 mouth7\  If  the  thing  be  lawful,  and  poffible.  And 
 if  he  appointed  no  time  for  the  doing  of  it,  he  was  to 
 think  himfelf  obliged  to  do  it  prefently  without  de- 
 lay, XXIII  Deut.  21. 
 Verfe  3.  Ver.3.  If  a  wo  wan  alfo  vow  a  vow  unto  the  LORD.~] 
 As  mo  ft  Interpreters  think  the  word  Man,  in  the 
 foregoing  verfe  comprehends  Women  ,  who  were  in 
 as  perfeft  liberty  as  the  Men  he  ipeaks  of  5  fo  the 
 word  Woman  here  comprehends  all  Men  ,  who  are  in 
 the  fame  Circumftances  with  thofe  Women,  whom  he 
 here  dire&s  in  their  Vows.  Whom  he  confiders  in  a 
 threefold  ftate  5  before  they  are  married,  and  after 
 marriage,  and  in  their  widowhood. 
 
 And  bind  her  f elf  by  a  bond."]  By  an  Oath,  where- 
 with (he  confirms  her  Vow  j  as  it  feems  to  be  inter- 
 preted v*  10,  13. 
 
 Being  in  her  fathers  houfe,  in  her  youth 7\  That  is, 
 being  a  part  of  his  Family,  and  ftill  under  his  go- 
 vernment, and  not  married.  For  the  Father's  pow- 
 er lafbno  longer,  as  Orotic  obferves,  LibAL  de  Jure 
 Belli  &  Paris,  cap.5.  n.j.  In  which  condition  like- 
 wife  are  all  Sons,  who  remain  in  their  Father's  Fa- 
 mily, undifpofed  of  in  marriage  :  And  all  Servants, 
 who  are  manifeftly  in  fubjection  to  their  Matters  3  and 
 therefore  could  no  more  refolve  to  do  what  they 
 pleafed,  then  the  Women  here  mentioned. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon  NUMBERS-  579 
 
 Ver.  4.   And  her  father  heareth  her  vow,  and  her  Chapter 
 bond  wherewith  fie  hath  bound  herfelf."]     The  fir  ft    of    XXX. 
 thefe  may  relate  to  her  fimple  Vow  5  and  the  next  to  U^T\J 
 an  Oath  wherewith  (he  binds  it,  to  make  it  firmer.  Verfe  4. 
 Which  her  Father  is  fuppofed  to  hear,  either  when 
 (lie  fpake  the  words ,  or  when   fhe  acquainted  him 
 with  her  Vow,  as  in  duty  (lie  was  bound  to  do. 
 
 And  her  father  fi all  hold  hk  peace  at  her."]  If  he  did 
 not  declare  that  he  difallowed  what  fhe  had  promi- 
 fed,  it  was  fuppofed  he  confented  to  it:  Unlefs  he 
 faid  he  would  take  time  to  confider }  and  neither  al- 
 low nor  difallow,  for  the  prefent  5  in  which  cafe ,  in. 
 all  reafon,  fhe  was  to  wait  for  his  Refolution. 
 
 Then  all  her  Vows  fi all  ft and,  &c]  It  was  not  in 
 his  power  afterward  to  difannul  any  of  them,  if  he 
 did  not  contradict  them  when  he  was  told  of  them, 
 or  after  the  time  he  had  taken  for  deliberation. 
 
 Ver.  5.  But  if  her  father  difallow  her  in  the  day  that 
 he  heareth.]  As  foon  as  he  comes  acquainted  with 
 it. 
 
 Not  any  of  her  vows,  or  her  bonds  wherewith  fie  hath  .,    r 
 bound  her  foul,  fljall  Jiand.~]     Though  (he  had  bound  S" 
 
 her  Vows  with  an  Oath,  they  were  not  to  be  per- 
 formed, when  her  Father  had  declared  his  will  to  the 
 contrary. 
 
 And  the  LO  R  D fij a  11 forgive  her.]  The  not  per- 
 forming her  Vow-,  (hall  not  be  imputed  to  her  as  a 
 fin. 
 
 Becaufe  her  father  difallowed  her7\  Whofe  confent 
 was  fuppofed  to  be  neceflary  ,  before  the  Vow  could 
 be  binding  }  fhe  being,  while  a  part  of  his  Family, 
 under  his  power,  and  not  her  own.  Some  have  fan- 
 cied that  when  her  Father  was  dead  ,  the  Vow  revi- 
 ved, becaufe  then  (he  was  at  her  own  difpofal :  but 
 
 Eeee  2  it 
 
580  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  it  is  plain,  her  Father  wholly  difannulled  the  Vow, 
 XXX.     when   he  did  not  approve  it,  fo  that  it  could  not 
 
 L/~V~VJ  recover  a  force  it  never  had  ,  being  made  without  his 
 confent.  The  fame  is  to  be  faid  of  a  Guardian,  who 
 was  fuppofed  to  be  in  the  place  of  a  Father,  when  he 
 died  and  left  his  Children  to  his  care.  And  this  pow- 
 er was  fit  to  bereferved  to  Parents  (  as  a  late  learned 
 Man,  Pujfendorf  obferves)  not  only  leaft  Women, 
 in  their  imprudent  years,  (hould  undo  themfelvesby 
 vowing  more  than  their  Fortunes  could  bear  5  but  al- 
 fo  leaft  the  Paternal  Eftate  (hould  be  burdened  by 
 fuch  Vows,  or  the  neceflary  Affairs  of  the  Family 
 hindred.  So  that  this  power  did  not  flow  from  po- 
 fitive  Laws,  but  from  natural  Reafon  ^  no  Body  that 
 is  fubjeft  to  another  having  any  right  to  difpofe  of 
 thofe  things  which  are  under  that  power  to  which 
 they  are  fubjeft. 
 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  if  foe  had  at  all  an  husband  when  flje 
 vowed.']  Was  a  married  Woman,  or  efpoufed  to  an 
 Husband,  though  (till  in  her  Father's  Houfe  (as  it  ap- 
 pears from  v.  10.  this  muft  be  interpreted)  when  (he 
 made  this  Vow ,  then  it  was  to  be  confidered,  not 
 what  her  Father,but  her  Husband  (under  whofe  pow- 
 er (he  now  was)  (hould  determine  about  it. 
 
 Or  uttered  ought  out  of  her  lips,  wherewith  fie  bound 
 her  foul]  Said  any  thing,  which  (he  confirmed  by  an 
 Oath. 
 
 Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  And  her  husband  heard  it.]  Either  was 
 prefent  when  (he  fpake  it,-  or  (he  told  it  him  after- 
 wards. 
 
 And  he  held  hk  peace,  in  the  day  that  he  heard  it.  ] 
 Said  nothing  to  fignifie  his  difallowance  of  it.  See 
 v.  4. 
 
 Then  her  vows  foall  ftand,  &C."]     As  before  v.  4. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  581 
 
 Ver.  8.  But  if  her  husband  difallow  her,  Sec."]     See  Chapter 
 v.  5.   where  there  is  the  fame  Cafe  of  a  Daughter  un-    XXX. 
 der  the  power  of  her  Father,  as  here  of  a  Wife  under  l/"V\j 
 the  power  of  his  Husband.  Verfe  8. 
 
 Ver.  9.  But  every  vow  of  a  Widow  „  or  of  her  that  is  Verfe  9, 
 divorced,  wherewith  foe  hath  bound  her  foul,  fiallfland  a- 
 gainU  her.']  The  reafon  of  this  is  fo  plain,  that  one 
 would  think  it  needed  not  to  have  been  mentioned, be- 
 caufe  fuch  Women  were  wholly  in  their  own  power, 
 being  free  from  their  Husbands.  Therefore,  it  is  very 
 probable,  he  fpeaks  here  of  a  W7idow,  or  divorced 
 Woman,  returned  to  her  Father's  Houfe  (as  the  man- 
 ner frequently  was,  XXII  Lev.  13.)  who  might  be. 
 fuppofed  to  recover  his  ancient  power  over  her,to  dif- 
 annul  her  Vows,  as  he  might  before  ihe  was  married. 
 Which  is  here  abfolutely  condemned  :  for  though  (he 
 lived  with  him ,  (he  was  her  own  Woman,  (as  we 
 now  fpeak)  and  might  difpofe  of  her  felf  and  her. 
 Goods,  as  (he  pleafed,  without  his  confent. 
 
 Ver.  10.  Andifjhe  vowed  in  her  husbands  houfe,  or  Verfe   ic> 
 bound  her  foul  by  a  bond  with  an  oath.~\  /.  e.  Engaged 
 herfelf  in  a  Vow,  and  perhaps  confirmed  it  with  an 
 Oath,    while  (he  and  her  Husband  lived  together,  or 
 before  fhe  was  divorced  from  him. 
 
 Ver.  1 1 .  And  her  husband  heard  it  and  held  hk  peace ^  Verfe  1 1 » 
 and  difalloweditnot,  then  all  her  vows  fhallfl and,  Sec/] 
 She  was  bound,  in  this  cafe,  to  make  them  good  af- 
 ter he  was  dead  ^  or  (he  was  divorced  from  him. 
 
 Ver.  12.  But  if  her  husband  hath  utterly  made  them^J^xk  I2? 
 void  on  the  day  he  heard  them,  &c."]  Then,  when  (he 
 was  in  her  own  power,  by  his  death  or  by  a  divorce, 
 (he  was  not  bound  to  make  them  good  5  becaufe  when 
 (he  made  them,  her  Husband,  under  whofe  power  (he 
 then  was,  had  utterly  made  them  void. 
 
 Ver, 
 
** 
 
 2  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.  13.  Every  vow  and  every  binding  oath  to  affli& 
 XXX.   the  foul.']     This  (hows  what  the  matter  of  thefe  Vows 
 »yy\j  frequently  was  3  to  abftain  from  fuch  or  fuch  Meats, 
 Verfe  13.  though  in  themfelves  lawful  5  ortofaft,  and  eat  no- 
 thing at  all  on  other  days,  as  well  as  on  the  great  Day 
 of  Expiation  5  which  was  the  only  Faft  ordained  by 
 the  Law  of  Mofes. 
 
 Her  husband  may  ejlablif/j  if,  or  her  husband  may 
 ma!{§  it  void7\  There  is  an  excellent  Difcourfe  of 
 Maimonides  in  his  More  Nevochim  (P.  III.  cap.  48.  ) 
 to  fhow  chat  this  is  mo  ft  reafonable  5  where  he  ob- 
 ferves,  that  as  the  Law  prohibited  fome  Meats,  fo 
 pious  People  fometimes  vowed  to  forbear  fuch  as  were 
 not  prohibited  5  that  by  this  means  they  might  learn 
 Contentment  with  a  little,  or  Continence,  and  give 
 a  check  to  an  immoderate  Appetite.  From  whence  the 
 faying  among  the  Doctors,  That^Wj  are  the  hedge  of 
 Separation  3  i.  e.  a  great  guard  to  an  holy  Life.  Burt 
 lince,  through  the  vehemence  of  their  AfFe&ions  and 
 Paffions,  many  Women  are  prone  to  a&unadvifedly, 
 if  Vows  were  wholly  in  their  power,  great  Inconve- 
 niences, Diffentions  and  Confufions  might  arife  in 
 Families,  whilft  this  fort  of  Meat  is  lawful  to  the  Huf- 
 band,  but  not  to  the  Wife  5  this  permitted  to  the 
 Daughter,  but  prohibited  to  the  Mother.  For  which 
 reafon,  faith  he  ,  this  Authority  was  given  to  the 
 Governours  of  Families  5  in  all  things  to  order  them, 
 as  they  faw  would  be  for  their  profit,  or  detri- 
 ment. 
 Verfe  14*  Ver.  14.  But  if  her  husband.']  Or,  For  if  her  Hus* 
 band. 
 
 Altogether  hold  his  peace  at  he)\  from  day  to  day.  ] 
 When  he  knew  what  (he  had  vowed ;  as  it  follows  in 
 the  end  of  the  verfe. 
 
 He 
 
upon   NUMBER  S-  583 
 
 He  ejiablrjbetk  all  her  vows0  Sec.  ~]     His  filence  was  Chapter 
 to  be  interpreted  a  Confent,  to  allow  what  fhe  vow-    XXX. 
 ed.     There  was  no  need  to  add  the  contrary,  which  ^  V^v> 
 is  here  to  be  underftood  :  that  if  he  faid  he  did  not 
 allow  them,  then  they  fhould  not  bind  her. 
 
 Ver.  15.   But  if  he  ft  all  any  ways  make  them   void,Vtvfe  15, 
 after  he  hath  heard  them.~]     Hinder  her  from  perform- 
 ing her  Vow,  after  he  had   given  his  confent,  by 
 faying  nothing  againft  it ,  when  he  heard  her  make 
 the  Vow. 
 
 Then  he  flail  bear  her  Iniquity  J]  God  will  punifh 
 him,  not  her,  for  not  performing  the  Vow.  Paulw 
 Fagim  thinks  the  meaning  is,  that  if  the  firft  day  he 
 heard  of  her  vow  he  did  not  difannui  it ,  but  at- 
 tempted to  do  it  the  next  day,  or  the  third  day  af- 
 ter, he  fhould  bear  the  blame  ,  if  the  Vow  was  not 
 made  good. 
 
 Ver.  16.  Thefe  are  the  Statutes  which  the  LORD  Verfe  16, 
 commanded  Mofes,  between  a  Man  and  his  Wife,  be- 
 tween the  Father  and  his  Daughter,  being  yet  in  her 
 youth,  in  her  Fathers  HmfeS]  It  is  likely  fome  diffe- 
 rences arofe  in  fome  Families  about  thefe  Matters^  and 
 therefore  thefe  Laws  were  made  for  the  fettling  the 
 power  of  Husbands  over  their  Wives,  and  Parents 
 over  their  Children,  while  they  were  young,and  con- 
 tinued a  part  of  their  Family, 
 
 CHAP. 
 
584 
 
 Chapter 
 XXXI. 
 
 A     COMMENTARY 
 
 CHAP.     XXXI. 
 
 Verfe  i.    Ver.  i.    AlVD  the  LORDJpake  unto  Mofes,  fay- 
 l\  ing.~]     Not  long  before  his  death,  as 
 appears  from  the  next  verfe. 
 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  Avenge  the  Children  of  Ifrael  of  the  Midia- 
 nites."]  This  had  been  commanded  before,  but  no 
 time  fet  for  it  5  which  now  is  determined.  The  Moa- 
 hites  are  not  mentioned,  becaufe  the  Midianiies  feem 
 to  have  been  the  firft  or  chief  Contrivers  of  that  Mif- 
 chief  which  befel  thtlfraelitcs,  by  the  enticements  of 
 their  Women.     See  XXV.  17,  18. 
 
 Afterward  flalt  thou  be  gathered  unto  thy  People^ 
 When  he  had  given  a  few  other  Direftions,  concern* 
 ing  their  pofleffing  the  Countries  already  conquered, 
 and  the  Land  of  Canaan,  XXXII,  XXXIV,  XXXV. 
 and  providing  for  the  Lcvites  there,  XXXVI.  God 
 had  warned  him  to  prepare  for  his  death  before  this, 
 XXVII.  12.  but  he  firft  let  him  have  the  fatisfa&ion 
 of  feeing  the  Midianites  punifhed  5  and  gave  him 
 feme  time  to  fettle  the  Publick  Affairs  5  and  to  make 
 alfo  a  long  Exhortation  to  the  JfraelHes^o  obferve  all 
 that  he  had  commanded  them. 
 
 Verfe  3.  Ver.  3.  And  Mofes  Jpake  unto  the  People,  faying.'] 
 He  fpeedily  put  this  Command  in  Execution  :  which 
 might  poffibly  be  in  the  ninth  Month  of  the  fortieth 
 Year. 
 
 Armfome  of  your  f elves  unto  the  War.~]  He  dGth  not 
 at  firft  determine  the  number  5  but  as  many  as  pleafed 
 might  offer  themfelves  voluntarily,to  be  ready  to  obey 
 him. 
 
 And 
 
upon    NUMBERS.  585 
 
 And  let  them  go  againtl  the  Midian/tes,  and  avenge  Chapter 
 the  LO  RDofMidian.~]     The  LORD  bad  him   XXXI. 
 avenge  the  Children  of  IJrael,v.2.  but  Mofes  bids  them  L/"V"\J 
 avenge  the  LORD:  for  they  had  the  fame  intereft  5 
 and  were  both  injured  at  the  fame  time,  and  by  the 
 fame  means.    And  as  God  was  fo  gracious  as  to  refent 
 the  evil  done  to  Ifrael,  fo  Mofes,  in  duty  and  grati- 
 tude to  God,  thought  himfelf  bound  rather  to  con- 
 fider  the  di (honour  that  was  done  to  him.     Whofe 
 War  this  was,  not  only  becaufe  undertaken  by  his     • 
 command,  but  in  his  quarrel,  (with  thofe  who  had 
 drawn  the  Israelites  to  Idolatry)  and  for  the  fake  of 
 his  People. 
 
 Ver.  4.  Of  every  Tribe  a  thoufand,  throughout  all  the  Verfe  4« 
 Tribes  of  Ifrael.fiall ye  fend  to  the  War.  ~\  When  a  great 
 many,  perhaps  all  the  People,  appeared  ready  to  go 
 to  War,  he  ordered  that  only  a  feledt  number  (hould 
 be  fent,  of  a  Thoufand  out  of  each  of  the  Twelve 
 Tribes. 
 
 Ver,  5.  So  there  were  delivered  out  of  the  ThoufandsVerk  5. 
 oflfrael,  a  Thoufand  of  every  Tribe.  3  Their  Officers 
 pickt  out  this  number  from  among  the  reft  3  or  they 
 were  chofen  by  lot  for  this  Service  5  or  they  ftept  out 
 and  offered  themfelves  Voluntiers  (as  we  fpeak)which 
 the  27th  verfe  may  feem  to  countenance  ,  where  they 
 are  called,  thofe  that  took^the  War  upon  them. 
 
 Twelve  Thoufand  armed  for  war  7\  This  was  but  a 
 fmall  number  compared  with  the  whole  Nation  of 
 the  Midianites,  (who  had  five  Kings^.8.)  But  God 
 would  have  them  rely  more  upon  him^than  upon  the 
 multitude  of  an  Hoft  ^  and  let  them  fee  by  their  Sue- 
 cefs  againft  this  People,  that  they  needed  not  fear  the 
 Conqueft  of  Canaan. 
 
 F  f  f  f  Ver. 
 
586  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Ver.  6.  And  Mofes  fcnt  them  to  the  war,  aThoufand 
 XXXI.  of  every  Tribe.']  He  gave  them  their  Commiffion  to 
 U/"V~\J  fight  the  Midianites. 
 
 Verfe  6.         Them,  and  Phinehas  the  Son  of  Eleazar  the  Priest.  ] 
 Who  was  not  their  Commander  in  Chief,  (or  their 
 General,  as  we  now  fpeak  )  for  it  did  not  belong  to 
 the  Prieftly  Office  to  conduct  Armies  :  and  it  is  laid 
 exprelly  in  the  words  following,  he    went  with  the 
 holy  Instruments,  Sec.  to  be  ready  to  perform  all  fuch 
 Sacred  Offices,  ks  (hould  be  required  by  the  General, 
 who,  it  is  mo  ft  likely,  was  JoJIwa.     It  is  true  indeed 
 that  Phineas  was  a  Man  of  great  Courage,  and  had 
 lately  performed  a  lingular  piece  of  Service,  which 
 had  won  him  great  Reputation.  This  hath  made  fome 
 think,he  was  the  fitter  to  go  and  to  avenge  the  LORD 
 of  Midian,  as  he  had  begun  to  do,  XXV.  8.     In  af- 
 ter times  alfo,  in  the  days  of  the  Maccabees,who  were 
 of  the  Family  of  the  Priefts,  the  Armies  of  Ifrael 
 were  led.  by  them  againfc  their  Enemies.     But  then  it 
 muftbeconfidered,  that  they  were  alfo  the  Supream 
 Governours  of  the  People,  and  there  were  no  o- 
 ther. 
 
 With  the  holy  Inftrumentsi]  By  which  Jonathan  un- 
 der ftands   the  Drim    and   Thummim  3    which  fome 
 think  Phineas  carried  along  with  him,  wherewith  to 
 confult  the  Divine  Majefty,  in  cafe  of  any  difficulty, 
 that  might  arife  about  the  management  of  the  War. 
 And  to  make  out  this,  they  fuppofe  Eleazar  to  be  old 
 and  crazy,  or  labouring  under  fome  Infirmity,  which 
 was  the  reafon  that  Phineas  his  Son  was  fubftituted  in 
 his  room  to  perform  this  Office.     See  our  very  learned 
 Dr.  Spencer,  Dijfert.  de  Z)rim&  Thtimmim,cap.6.fec7.2. 
 But  this  may  be  juftly  doubted,  whether  Phineas  be- 
 ing only  the  Son  of  the  High-Prieft,  and  not  yet  ca- 
 pable 
 
upon  NUMBERS,  587 
 
 pable  of  that  Office,  could  be  fubftituted  to  perform  Chapter 
 this  great  Charge,  which  belonged  to  the  High- Fried  XXXI. 
 alone.  Nor  do  we  find  any  warrant  for  consulting  l/'VNJ 
 the  L  O  K  D  by  Urim  and  Thummim,  but  only  be- 
 fore the  mod  holy  Place,  (  See  XXVII.  21.)  And 
 therefore  it  feems  to  me  far  more  likely, that  he  means 
 the  Ark^  which  was  wont  to  be  carried,  in  following 
 times,  into  the  Field,  when  they  went  to  fight  with 
 their  Enemies,  1  Sam.  IV.4,5.  XIV.18.  2  Sam.Xl.i, 
 Yea,  Joflma  himfelf,  not  long  after  this  time,ordered 
 the  Ark  to  be  carried,  with  Priefts  blowing  the  Trum- 
 pets before  it,  when  he  furrounded  Jericho,  VI  Joflj. 
 4,  6,  7,  &c.  And  therefore  the  holy  Injlruments  be- 
 ing here  joyned  with  the  Trumpets  to  blow  in  hk  hand, 
 it  makes  it  the  more  probable  ,  that  the  Arl^  may  be 
 here  meant.  There  being  alio  fomething  in  this  ve- 
 ry Book,  to  countenance  this  Opinion.  See  XIV.44. 
 but  efpecially  XXXII.  20,  22. 
 
 But  it  muft  be  confeffed,  that  it  is  never  thus  ex- 
 preffed  in  any  other  place  of  Holy  Scripture ,  but  al- 
 ways called  the  Ark^of  God,  or  of  the  Covenantor  the 
 Tefiimony,  or  the  like.  And  therefore,  perhaps,  they 
 give  the  trueft  fence  of  thefe  words,who  take  the  fol- 
 lowing words  to  be  an  Explication  of  them.  That 
 is,  the  Trumpets  were  the  holy  Injlruments  ,  which  he 
 carried  in  his  hand. 
 
 And  the  Trumpets  to  blow,  in  hk  hand7\  Which  he 
 delivered  to  the  Priefts  who  followed  him,  to  found 
 an  Alarm,  when  they  went  to  fight  5  according  to  the 
 dire&ionX.  8,  9.  and  as  the  practice  was  in  future 
 Ages,  2  Chron.Xlll.  12. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  they  warred  againfl  the  Midianites.  ^  Verfe  7, 
 It  is  not  certain  whether  the  Midianites  came  out  of 
 their  Country,  to  give  them  battle  3  or   they  firft 
 
 Ffff  2  broke 
 
5-88  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  broke  into  their  Country,  and  then  fought  their  Ar- 
 XXXI.    my. 
 
 L/"V%J  As  the  LORD  commanded  Mofes7\  One  would 
 think  this  meant  no  more,  but  that  they  obeyed  the 
 Commandment  of  God  before-mentioned,  v.  2.  But 
 the  Jews  think  he  hath  refpeft  to  another  particular 
 Commandment,  which  they  fay  was  given  by  Mofes, 
 when  they  went  out  to  this  War  :  That  they  (hould 
 not,  when  they  befieged  any  City,  begirt  it  quite 
 round,  but  only  on  three  fides  5  leaving  one  naked, 
 that  the  befieged  might  flee  away  if  they  pleafed  5  by 
 which  means  effufion  of  Human  Blood  was  preven- 
 ted. So  Gull.  Schickart  obfocves  out  of  Siphri  ia  his 
 MifchpatHammelech^  cap*  5.  Theor.  18.  and  Mr;  Selden 
 fince  him,  Lib.  VL  de  Jure  Nat.  €^  Gent.  cap.  15. 
 where  he  fhows  they  underftand  this  of  all  Wars, 
 but  thqfe  againft  thzfeven  Nations  in  Canaan  and  A- 
 malel^  3  towards  whom  this  kindnefs  was  not  fhown, 
 as  appears  by  the  Siege  of  Jericho,  But  the  Laws  a- 
 bout  managing  Wars,  which  are  mentioned  in  the 
 Book  of  Deuteronomy^  do  not  feem  to  have  been  yet 
 given  5  though  the  Jews  fancy  this  Law  was  now  gi- 
 ven about  Midian,  and  obferved  ever  after. 
 
 And  flew  all  the  Males.~]  Who  were  in  this  fight 
 and  did  not  fave  themfelves  by  flight. 
 
 ¥??k  8.  Ver.  8.  And  they  flew  the  Kings  of  Midland]  Little 
 Kiings^  called  Princes  XIII  Jojh.  21.  where  they  are 
 .  (aid  to.  be  Dukes  of  Sihon,  i.  e.  great  Men  tributary  to 
 Sihonr  while  he  continued  King  of  the  Amorites.  But 
 after  the  IfracUfes  had  conquered  him,  they  took  per- 
 haps the  Title  of  Kings. 
 
 Befides  the  reft  of  them  that  were  flain."]  They  made 
 not  only  a  great  (laughter  of  the  People,  but  killed 
 their  chief  Cornpianders,  who  led.  them  on.  . 
 
 Namely 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  $$$ 
 
 Namely  Evi,  and  Rekcm,  and   Zm\  &£-  1     They   Chapter' 
 are  particularly  named ,  that  all  their  Neighbours    XXXI; 
 might  be  fatisfied  of  the  truth  of  this  Hiftory.     And  Ly^v^NJ 
 he  that  is  called  Zur,  is  thought  to  have  been  the 
 Father  of  Cozb?,  whom  Phineas  Hew. 
 
 Balaam  alfo  the  Son  of  Beor  they  flew  with  the  fword7\ 
 He  had  feen  fuch  good  fuccefs  of  his  wicked  Coun- 
 fel  (which  he  gave  either  as  he  went  home,  or  re- 
 turning again  to  them,  See  XXIV.  tilt.)  that,  prefu- 
 ming  the  JfraeUtes  were  forfaken  of  their  God,  he  ad- 
 ventured to  go  along  w7ith  the  Midianites  unto  this 
 Battle  5  hoping  he  might  curfe  the  Ifraelites  now  that 
 iniquity  f  7.  e.  Idolatry  )  was  found  among  them  $ 
 which  he  could  not  do  while  they  were  free  from  it. 
 Thus  he  perifhed  by  his  own  wicked  devices,and  was 
 fo  far  from  having  his  wi(h,  that  he  might  die  the 
 death  of  the  righteous  (that  is,  livelong)  that  (as  the 
 Jews  fay)  he  was  (lain  in  the  Thirty  fourth  yeac  of 
 his  Age.  The  Doftors  in  the  Gem  am  of  the  Sanhe- 
 drim, cap.  1 1 .  feff.  1 1 .  ask  what  did  he  here  ?  To 
 which  R.  Johanan  makes  anfwer  ,  he  went  to  receive 
 bis  Reward  for  the  Death  of  the  Twenty  four  thou- 
 fand  Ifraelites^  which  he  had  procured,  XXV. 9.  And 
 thus,  faith  another,  it  hapned  unto  him  ,  according 
 to  the  Proverb,  The  Camel  went  to  dc fire  horns  ,  and 
 they  cut  off  hk  ears. 
 
 Ver,  9..  And  the  Children  of  Ifrael  took  aM  the  Women  Verfe  0, 
 of  Midian  captive  ,  and  their  little  ones.  ~]  After  they 
 were  Matters  of  the  Field  (as  we  fpeak)  by  the  over- 
 throw of  their  Armies,  they  fell  upon  their  Cities  5 
 and,  according  to  the  ancient  cuftom  in  the  moft 
 bloody  Wars,  they  killed  only  the  Men,  but  no  Wo- 
 men, nor  Children,  XXXIV  Gen.  25.  1  Kings  XI. 
 16.     And  fo  the  Law  of  God  afterward  required 
 
 *  they 
 
58S  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter    they  fhould  do,  when  they  took  any  City  that  did 
 XXXI.    not  belong  to  the  Canaanites,  XX  Dent.  13,  14.  who 
 t^^V'NJ  were  utterly  to  be  deftroyed,  v.  16,  17.  where  he 
 faith,  Thou  (lo  alt  five  nothing  alive  that  breatheth. 
 
 And  they  took,  the  fpoil  of  all  their  Cattle,  and  all  their 
 Flocks,  and  all  their  Goods^]     As  belonging  to  them, 
 by  the  right  of  Conqueft,  in  a  juft  War. 
 Verfe  10.      Ver.  10.   And  they  burnt  all  their  Cities  wherein  they 
 dwelt,  and  their  goodly  Cajtles  with  fire 7]     Made  the 
 Country  defolate,  that  they  who  fled  might  have  no 
 encouragement  to  return  again  \  nor  be  able  ,  with- 
 out great  hazzard,  to  fettle  themfelves  there,  where 
 they  had  not  a  Fortrefs  left  to  defend  them.     This 
 was  but  a  neceffary  care;,  notwithftanding  which  they 
 had  peopled  the  Country  again  fo  well ,  in  the  fpace 
 of  about  Two  hundred  years,  that  they  were  able  to 
 opprefsthe  Israelites,  as  we  read  VI  Judg.  1. 
 Verfe   ll.      Ver.  11.  And  they  tool^  all  the  Jpoil^  and  all  the  prey , 
 both  of  Men  and  ofBeaJls.~]  They  had  poffefled  them- 
 felves of  them  before,  v.  9.  but  now  they  carried 
 them  away. 
 Verfe  12.      Ver.  12.   And  they  brought  the  Captives, and  the  Prey, 
 and  the  Spoil.']     Here  are  three  different  words  to  ex- 
 prefs  their  Booty,  which  they  brought  to  the  Camp 
 of  Ifrael.     The  firft  of  which  fignifies,  the  Women 
 and  Children  that  were  taken  :  The  fecond,  the  Cat- 
 tle and  the  Flocks  (though  fometimes  it  includes  in 
 it,  Men  and  Women  )  and  the  third  ,  their  Money 
 and  Goods. 
 
 Unto  Mofes  and  Eleazar  the  Prieff  ,  and  unto  the 
 Congregation  of  the  Children  of 'Ifrael."]  Unto  the  LXX, 
 Elders,  and  Princes  of  the  Tribes,  who  were  afiem- 
 bled  with  them,  (See  XXIX.  1.)  as  itfeems  to  be  ex- 
 pounded in  the  next  verfe. 
 
 Vnto 
 
upon  N  U  M  B  E  R  S.  589 
 
 1^0  fta  Camp  at  the  plains  of  Moab,  &c]     From    Chapter 
 whence  they  marched  againft  Midian  5  and  had  been    XXXI. 
 encamped  there  a  great  while  ,  XXII.  1.  XXVI.  3,  L/"V\J 
 63. 
 
 Ver.  13.  ^^  Mj/e/  ^W  Eleazar  the  Prietf,  and  all  Verfe  13. 
 */je  Princes  of  the  Congregation  went  forth  to  meet  them, 
 without  the  Camp.']  Hearing  .they  were  returned  vi- 
 ctorious, they  went  to  congratulate  them,  before  they 
 came  at  the  Camp  :  for  which  there  was  alfo  another 
 reafon,  mentioned  v.  19.  This  fhows  that  Eleazar 
 was  not  fo  infirm,  as  fome  fuppofe  5  and  affords  an 
 argument  to  ftrengthen  their  Opinion  ,  who  think 
 Jofiua  was  now  General  of  the  Hofl: :  otherwife  he 
 would  have  been  mentioned  together  with  Mofes  and 
 Eleazar  as  going  to  meet  them  3  being  chofen  his  Co- 
 adjutor, and  therefore  Superiour  to  all  the  Princes 
 that  are  here  joyned  with  them. 
 
 Ver.  14.   And  Mofes  was  wroth  with  the  Officers  of  Verfe  ia* 
 the   Ho$t  ,   with    the    Captains   over  Thoufands ,    and 
 Captains  over  Hundreds,  which  came  fiom  the  Battk.~\ 
 Who  were  more  to  blame  than  the  Soldiers  3  whofe 
 duty  it  was  to  obey,  not  to  give  orders  3  which  they 
 received,  no  doubt,  from  the  Officers,  to  kill  only 
 the  Men.     Here  now  is  an  Argument  to  the  contra- 
 ry, that  Jofiua  did  not  Command  in  chief:  but  this 
 being  only  a  Detachment  (  as  they  now  fpeak)  from 
 the  Hoft  of  Ifrael,  was  led  by  fome  inferiour  Officer. 
 The  firft  Captain  of  Thoufands,  perhaps  5    for  if 
 Jojhua  had  been  there,  Mofes  would  have  expoftula- 
 ted  with  him,  or  rather  there  would  have  been,  no   • 
 caufe  for  this  Rebuke :  he  being  a  Man  ,  in  whom  was 
 the  Spirit,  XXVIL  18, 
 
 Ver. 
 
.^2  A  COMMENT  ART 
 
 Chapter       Vet.  15.  An  I  Mo  ft  s  fat  d  unto  them,  have  ye  faved 
 XXXI.    all  the  Women  alive.']  Unlefs  he  had  commanded  them 
 
 w-v*-^-'  to  be  killed,  one  cannot  fee  that  they  deferved  to  be 
 
 Verfe  15.  chidden  5  becaufe  they  proceeded  according  to  the 
 Rules  of  all  worthy  Warriours,who  killed  only  thofe 
 who  could  bear  Arms  againft  them.  But  either  he 
 had  given  fome  Dire&ions  who  fhould  be  killed,  or 
 .he  expetted  they  fhould  have  confidered  that  the 
 Women  had  killed  more  by  their  Blandi(hments,than 
 their  Husbands  could  do  by  their  Arms,  (for  they  had 
 not  killed  one  Man,  v.  49.  )  and  therefore  (hould 
 have  been  deftroyed,  as  the  mod  mifchievous :  for  fo 
 it  follows  in  the  next  verfe. 
 
 "Verfe  16.      Ver.  16.  Behold.']  Refleft  upon  what  is  lately  paft, 
 and  confider. 
 
 Thefe  caufed  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  through  the  conn- 
 fel  of  Balaam,  to  commit  Trefpafs  againft  the  LO  RD, 
 in  the  matter  of  Peor,  and  there  was  a  Plague  among 
 the  Congregation  of  the  LOR  D.~]  By  thefe  they  had 
 been  inveigled  into  an  heinous  Sin,and  made  obnoxi- 
 ous to  a  very  heavy  Punifhment,  which  God  inflift- 
 ed  upon  them  on  that  account.  For  though  the  Moa- 
 hitifd  Women  had  a  great  hand  in  it,  XXV.  1. yet  thofe 
 ofMidian  feem  to  have  been  the  chief  Seducers,  v.  6, 
 17,18.  and  perhaps,  he  feared,  might  be  fo  again. 
 
 Verfe  1 7.  Ver.  17.  AW  therefore  kj 11  every  Male  among  the 
 little  ones.]  That  the  Nation  might  be  extirpated,  as 
 far  as  lay  in  their  power. 
 
 And  kill  every  Woman  that  hath  known  Man,  by  lying 
 with  him.']  For  thefe,  it  is  to  be  fuppofed,  had  been 
 the'moft  inftrumental  in  the  Crime  before-mentioned^ 
 either  by  proftituting  themfelves,  or  their  Daughters, 
 to  the  Luft  of  the  Ifraelites,and  thereby  drawing  them 
 to  Idolatry.     In  which  Sin  they  were  fo  fettled,  that 
 
 t  there 
 
upon  N  U  M  B  ERS.  ^3 
 
 there  was  no  hope  of  reclaiming  them  $  but  they   Chapter 
 might  rather  (if  they  had  been  faved  alive)  have    XXXI. 
 inticed  the  Ifraelites  to  commit  the  fame  again.  L/^\T\J 
 
 Ver.  18.  But  all  the  Women-children  that  have  not  Verfe  1 8* 
 kpown  a  Man  by  tying  with  him  ,  keep  alive.  ~]     Being 
 young,  there  was  fome  hope  they  might  be  brought 
 off  from  Idolatry,  and  become  Profelytes  to  the  true 
 Religion. 
 
 For  your  felves.']  To  be  fold  as  Slaves  to  any  other 
 Nation  $  or  to  be  kept  as  Servants  $  or  taken  to  be 
 their  Wives,  after  fuch  preparation  as  the  Law  re- 
 quired, XXI  Dent.  16,  1 7,  &c.  This  was  a  peculiar 
 Cafe,  wherein  a  middle  courfe  was  held,  between 
 thofe  that  were  of  the  Seven  Nations  of  Canaan^  and 
 thofe  that  were  not.  If  they  were  not  of  thofe  Seven 
 Nations,  the  Ifraelites  might  take  the  Women  ,  and 
 little  Ones  unto  themfelves  ,  XX  Dent.  14,  t$.  If 
 they  were,  every  thing  that  breathed  was  to  be  de- 
 ftroyed,  v.  16,  17.  But  here  the  Midianites  being 
 guilty  of  a  very  great  Crime  againft  the  LORD, 
 and  againft  his  People,  are  punifhed  more  heavily 
 than  other  Nations  $  though  not  fo  heavily  as  thofe 
 of  Canaan  were  to  be*  For  they  killed  all  the  Wo- 
 men that  were  not  Virgins,  as  well  as  all  the  Males, 
 both  little  and  great }  but  fpared  the  reft,  together 
 with  the  Cattle,  &c.  Such  an  Execution  was  made, 
 in  after  times,  upon  one  of  the  Cities  of  Ifrael.upon 
 an  high  Contempt  of  Publkk  Authority,  in  a  very 
 great  Exigency,  XKl  Judges  11.  There  is  a  Rule  in 
 XX  Deut.  10.  that  when  they  came  to  fight  againft 
 any  City,  they  (hould  proclaim  Peace  to  it ,  and  if 
 they  would  accept  it,  they  (hould  only  make  the  In- 
 habitants Tributaries  to  them.  From  whence  a  Que- 
 ftion  arifing,  whether  this  extended  to  the  Seven  Na- 
 
 Gggg  tiom 
 
^4  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  tionsof  Canaan}  it  is  refolved  by  Maimonides  that 
 XXXI.  it  did :  which  he  proves  from  XI  Jojh.  19,  20.  But  fo 
 L/'"V\J  great  was  the  Sin  of  this  People  ,  that  they  neither 
 fent  offers  of  Peace  to  them  now,  nor  were  they  to 
 make  any  Peace  with  them  hereafter,  XXIII  Dent.  6* 
 And  the  reafon  is  there  given,  becaufe  they  hired 
 Balaam  to  curfe  them  :  which  is  as  true  of  the  Midia- 
 nites,  as  of  the  MoabHes.  Notwithftanding  which 
 Mai  won  ides  determines,  that  though  the  IJraelitesA\d 
 not  fend  Meflengers  of  Peace  to  them  5  yet  if  they  of 
 their  own  accord  fent  to  defire  Peace  of  the  Ifraelites^ 
 they  were  not  to  reject  them.  See  Cun&us  de  Repuk 
 Hebr.  Lib.  II.  cap.  20. 
 Verfe  59.  Ver.  19.  And  do  ye  abide  without  the  Camp  feven 
 days.']  As  unclean  Perfons.  For  though  it  was  law- 
 ful to  kill  Men,  in  a  juft  War  againfl:  them  ,  yet  ha, 
 tW  dvooVlrhuu  ilj  tioivtw  aujb-fiiv$izv  (as  Philo  fpeaks)  be- 
 caufe of  the  mod  ancient  and  common  Kindred  be- 
 tween all  Mankind,  it  was  fit  Men  fhould  ufe  fome 
 Purification,  to  cleanfe  themfelves  from  that,  which 
 lookt  like  a  Crime,  though  it  was  none. 
 
 Whofoever  hath  Iqlled  any  Perfon^  and  whofoever  hath 
 touched  any  fain,  pur  i ji e  both  your  f elves. ~\  The  whole 
 Army  that  went  to  the  War,  were  to  ftay  without 
 the  Camp  feven  days  :  and  fuch  of  them  as  had  had 
 their  Hands  in  Blood,  or  had  touched  a  dead  Body, 
 though  killed  by  another,  were  to  ufe  a  fpecial  Puri- 
 fication 5  which  was  made  by  the  Water  of  Separa* 
 tion,  mentioned  XIX.  9,  Sec. 
 
 And  your  Captives.']  Or  the  Prey  that  they  had 
 taken  3  of  Garments ,  and  other  things ,  mentioned 
 in  the  next  verfe  :  and  fo  the  word  is  translated  v.26. 
 For  we  cannot  think  that  the  Perfons  they  had  ta- 
 ken ,    being    Gentiles  ,    were  to    be  purified  with 
 
 that 
 
^NUMBERS.  5P5 
 
 that  Water  ,  which  was  peculiar  to  the  Jews.  Chapter 
 On  the  third  day ',  andonthefeventhday.~]  So  the  XXXI. 
 Law  was  XIX.  11,12.  And  fuch  Purifications  were  L^V^J 
 common  among  the  Gentiles  ,  efpecially  the  Greeks, 
 upon  the  like  occasions,  as  Mr.  Selden  obferves,  L.IV. 
 de  Jure  Nat.  &  Gent.  cap.  nit.  Grotius  L.  II.  de  Jure 
 Belli  &  Pack ,  cap.  24.  n.  10.  To  whom  add  our 
 late  learned  Dr.  Spencer  ,  L.  III.  Differt.  3.  feU.  1. 
 where  he  takes  this  to  have  been  a  Cuftom,  derived 
 from  ancient  time  before  the  Law  ofMofes  (which 
 may  be  queftioned)  and  Bonfrerius^  upon  this  place, 
 hath  alledged  the  very  fame  Proofs,  and  feveral 
 more  5  particularly  this  out  of  the  Scholiaft  upon 
 Sophocles  in  his  Ajax  Mafligoph.  e!9-@o  bZ  roTg  7m\ajjo7<; 
 Q7i  w  <povov  ayS'paira,  &c.  it  was  the  Cuftom  among  the 
 Ancients,  when  they  either  killed  a  Man,  or  made  a- 
 ny  other  Daughter,  to  wafti  their  Hands  in  Water, 
 ek  wScipw  jMiofJuoLl-^  for  the  Purification  of  the  De- 
 filement. 
 
 Ver.  20.  And  purifie  all your  Raiment ,  and  all  that  Vzxfe  20, 
 k  made  of  Skins ^  Sec]  With  the  fame  Water  of  Se- 
 paration (or  elfe  by  wafhing  them  in  running  Water, 
 as  the  manner  was  in  other  Cafes ,  XI  Lev.  32,33.) 
 for  they  might  all  be  fuppofed  to  be  defiled  by  dead 
 Bodies,  and  fo  come  under  the  Law,  XIX.  14. 
 
 Ver.  2 1 .  And  Eleazar  the  Priefl  /aid  unto  the  Men  ofVztk  2 1 . 
 War  that  went  to  the  Battle  ,  This  is  the  Ordinance  of 
 the  Law  which  the  LORD  commanded  Mofes."]  This 
 Law  was  to  be  obferved  hereafter  by  thofe  who  went 
 to  War :  For  though  the  Law  before  was,  as  I  obfer- 
 ved, that  he  who  touched  a-  dead  Body,  fhould  be 
 purified  with  the  Water  of  Separation  }  yet  nothing 
 is  there  faid  of  him  that  killed  a  Man  in  War,  but  did 
 
 '     Gggg  2  not 
 
$96-  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  not  perhaps  touch  his  Body  ,  which  now  is  brought 
 
 XXXI.    under  the  fame  Rule. 
 
 t_>'#"V"NJ  Ver.  22,  23.  Only  the  Gold^and  the  Silver, the  Brafs, 
 Vfrf.  2  2,  &Ct  every  thing  that  may  abide  the  fire,  ye  flail  mai\e 
 2  3-  it  go  through  the  fire ,  Stc.j  All  forts  of  Metals  were  to 
 have  this  peculiar  fort  of  Purification  5-  which  the  o- 
 ther  things  (mentioned  v.  20.)  would  not  endure. 
 And  the  fame  Bonfrerius.  obferves  this  was  a  way  of 
 Purification  among  the  Gentiles,  as  old  as  Homers 
 time,but  they  ufed  Sulphur  with  it.  For  fo  he  makes 
 VlyJJes  call  tothe  old  Women ,  to  bring  him  Sul- 
 phur, and  then  Fire,  that  he  might  fume  the  Houfe 
 wherein  the  Woers  had  been  killed.  Which  is  ob- 
 feryed  by  Fort.  Scacchus  alfo.,  Myrothec.  2.  cap.  30. 
 where  he  alfo  notes,  that  Ovid  gives  a  long  account 
 why  thefe  two,  Fire  and  Water ,  were  chofen  for  the 
 Inftruments  of  Purification,  Lib.  IV.  Fajlorum,  where 
 h?  faith  particularly  of  Fire, 
 
 Omnia  pur  gat  edax  ignis,  vitinmque  met alii 
 Excoquit. — *— 
 
 Never thelefs  it  Jhall  be  purified  with  the  Water  of  Se- 
 paration.'] On  the  third  day ,  I  fuppofe,before  it  went 
 through  the  Fire. 
 
 And  all  that  abideth  not  the  fire ^  ye  fiall  make  go 
 through  the  Water. ~]  All  things  that  could  abide  the 
 Fire  were  to  be  purified  both  by  that,  and  by  the  Wa- 
 ter of  Separation. ;  And  fuch  things  as  could  not  a- 
 bide  it,  were  to  be  purified,  not  meerly  by  fprinkling 
 them  wkh  the  Water  of  Separation ,  but  by  making 
 them  go  through  the  Water. 
 
 V$r, 
 
upon    NUMBERS.  59,7 
 
 Ver.  24.  And  ye  fiati  wafi your  Clothes  on  the  fcventh  Chapter 
 dayy  and  ye  Jball  be  clean,  Sec]     Thus  he  that  fprink-    XXXI, 
 led  an  unclean  Perfon  with  the  Water  of  Separation,  lS*V*\j 
 was  bound  to  purifie  himfelf,    XIX.  19.  Vcrfe  24. 
 
 Ver.  2 5 .  And  the  LORD Jpakg unto  Mofes,  faying.]  Verfe  2 5 . 
 After  they  were  purified,  and  come  into  the  Camp. 
 
 Ver.  26-  TaMe  the  fum  of  the  prey  that  was  fallen.  ~]  Verfe  26* 
 In  the  Hebrew  the  words  are ,  Take  the  fum  of  the  prey 
 of  the  Captivity:  which,  it  is  plain  by  what,  fol- 
 lows, iignifies  the  Sum  of  the  Prey,  and  of  the  Cap- 
 tives. For  all  that  they  took  was  of  three  kinds,z/.  12. 
 ThePerfons,  called  Captives:  the  Beajis,  which  are 
 called  the  Prey :  and  Money  and  Goods  (fuch  as  are 
 mentioned  v.  20,  21.)  which  are  called  the  Spoil. 
 
 Both  of  Man  andBeafL]     Here  an  account  is  or- 
 dered to  be  given  of  two  parts  of  what  had  been  ta- 
 ken $  but  nothing  faid  of  the  third  (which  was  the 
 Spoil)  out  of  which  they,  who  had  it5  made  a  vo-  - 
 luntary  Oblation 3  ^.50,53. 
 
 Thou  and  Eleazar  the  Prieff,  and  the  chief  'of *the  Fa- 
 thers."] The  faine  perhaps  with  the  Heads  of  the 
 Tribes ,  XXX.  I* 
 
 Ver.  27.  And  divide  the  prey  into  two  parts ,  he-  Verfe  2jv 
 tween  them  that  took^the  War  upon  them,  who  went  out  to  > 
 the  Battle,  *nd  between  all  the  Congregation.']  By  this 
 Partition,  a  far  larger  (hare  was  given  to  every  one 
 of  the  Warriours,  who  were  but  Twelve  thoufand  , 
 than  to  any  of  their  Brethren,  who  were  near  Six 
 hundred  thoufand.  For  they  had  hazarded  them- 
 felves,which  the  others  had  not  5  who  notwithftand- 
 ing  that,  enjoyed  fome  Fruit  of  their  Labours  5  be- 
 caufe  it  was  a  common  Caufe  in  which  they  engaged, 
 and  the  reft  feem  to  have  been  ready  to  fight,  as  well 
 as  they,  ^.3.    This  Divifion  was  made  by  a  fpecial 
 
 Dire&ion  v 
 
w* 
 
 A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Dire&ion  of  God,  but  was  not  the  Rule  in  after  A- 
 
 XXXI.   ges,  as  appears  from  i  Sam.  XXX.  24,  25.  nor  had 
 
 ^/-\rsj  been  in  ancient  Times,as  the  Jews  interpret,  XIV  Gen. 
 
 24.     See  Selden,  Lib.VL  de  Jure  Nat.  &  Gent. cap.  1 6. 
 
 P-  747- 
 Verfe  -28.  Ver.  28.  And  levy  a  Tribute  unto  the  LORD  of  the 
 Men  ofWar,fkc.~]  The  LORD  was  their  Soveraign, 
 and  therefore  had  a  Tribute  due  to  him,  out  of  that 
 which  they  had  taken  in  War  3  as  a  grateful  Ac- 
 knowledgment ,  that  they  owed  their  Succefs  to 
 him. 
 
 One  foul  of  five  hundred,   both  of  the  perfons.~]    7.  e> 
 Of  the  Women,  and  the  Children. 
 
 And  of  the  Beeves, and  of  the  Affes,and  of  the  Sheep.'] 
 The  Hebrew  word  tzon  fignifies  Goats ,  as  well  as 
 Sheep  :  and  both  being  here  intended  ,  the  LXX.  ex- 
 prefies  them  both.  Here  is  no  mention  of  Camels^ 
 which  it  feems  their  Country  was  not  ftockt- withal 
 at  this  time.  See?;.  34,  &c.  what  I  have  noted  upon 
 XXXVII  Gen.  25.  This  Tribute  to  God  was  but  a' 
 very  fmall  proportion,in  comparifon  with  what  their 
 Kings  challenged  in  following  times,  if  we  may  be- 
 lieve the  Taln/udifts  5  who  fay,  they  had  all  the  Gold 
 and  Silver,  and  fuch  rich  things  that  were  taken,  and 
 half  of  the  reft  of  the  Prey,  which  was  divided  be- 
 tween them  and  the  People.  See  Sclden  in  the  place 
 above-named.  But  anciently  they  had  only  the 
 tenth  part.  See  XIV  Gen.  20. 
 Verfe  29.  Ver.  29.  Take  H  of  their  half  and  give  it  untoElea- 
 %ar  the  Priefffor  an  Heave- offering  unto  the  LOR  Z).] 
 For  the  maintenance  of  the  Priefts5among  whom  this 
 part  of  the  Tribute  was  divided.  And  it  was  jufc  a 
 tenth  part  of  what  the  Lcvites  had  ,  as  they  had  a 
 tenth  part  of  their  Tithes,  which  was  paid  them  for 
 
 their 
 
upon  NUMBER  S.  $99 
 
 their  con ftant  fupport.     So  the  Law  was,  XVIII.21,  Chapter 
 24,  26,&c.  which  was  obferved  in  this  Levy  :  which    XXXL 
 is  called  Tmmah,  as  the  Offering  for  the  making  of  W  v*<v 
 the  San&uary  is  called  XXV  Exod.  2.  where  we  tran- 
 flate  it,  as  here,  a  Heave- offering. 
 
 Ver.  30.  And  of  the  Children  of  IfraeFs  half,  thouVzxfe  go» 
 /halt  take  one  portion  of  fifty, of  the  Perfons,ofthe  Beeves, 
 &C."]  A  far  larger  {hare  is  demanded  of  the'  People 
 (ten  times  as  much  as  was  paid  by  the  Souldiers)  be- 
 Caufe  they  came  more  eafily  by  it,  without  any  pains 
 or  danger.  And  they  pay  it  in  a  very  juft  proporti- 
 on to  the  number  of  thofe  who  went  to  the  War,  and 
 of  thofe  who  ftaid  at  home,  but  were  able  to  go  to  . 
 War^  who  were  above  Six  hundred  thoufand  (XXVI. 
 2,51.)  of  which  Twelve  thoufand  ,  who  were  em- 
 ployed in  this  Expedition,  were  the  fiftieth  part. 
 
 And  give  them  to  the  LevHes.  ~]  Who  were  far 
 more  numerous  than  the  Priefts,  and  therefore  had  a 
 greater  proportion  of  the  Tribute. 
 
 Which  keep  the  charge  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  LORD.J 
 Seel.  50.  IH.6,7,8. 
 
 Ver.  31.  And  Mofes  and  Eleazar  the  VrieU  did  as  y^k  Clo- 
 the LORD  commanded  Mofes.'}  This  Command  is 
 peculiarly  to  Mofes,  v.  25.  but  Eleazar  wis  to  affift 
 him  in  the  execution  of  it,  v.  26.  and  accordingly 
 they  took  the  Sum  of  the  Prey,  both  of  Man  and 
 Bead:,  and  divided  them  between  the  Souldiers  and 
 People  5  and  levied  a  Tribute  upon  each  for  the, 
 L  O  R  D,  who  ordered  them  to  his  Minifters. 
 
 Ver.  32.  And  the  booty,  being  the  re  Si  of  the  prey, 
 which  the  Men  of  Ifrael  had  caught. ~]  i.  e.  Befides  what 
 was  neceiTarily  fpent  for  their  Subsidence,  during  the 
 War  \  and  while  they  lay  out  of  the  Camp,  v.19. 
 
 Was, 
 
■6oo  A     COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       IV at  fix  hundred  thousand ',  andfeventy  thoufand,  and 
 XXXI.    five  thoufandfljeep."]     A  vaft  ftock  ^  far  exceeding  the 
 ^^>r^^  number  of  Men  of  War  which  were  in  Ifrael. 
 %  Verfe  33.      Ver.  33.  And  threef core  and  twelve  t ho uf an d  beeves. ~] 
 It  feems  their  Country  had  good  Pafture  in  it,  as  well 
 as  Sheep-walks.     For  as  Arabia.  Foslix  ,  it  is  certain, 
 had  agrgs  latijjimos  &  fertilijjlmos  (  as   Pliny  fpeaks , 
 Lib.  VI. cap,  28.)  moft  fpacious  and  Fertile  Fields: 
 fo  Arabia  Petr<ea  (  in  which  Midi  an  was  )  did  not 
 wholly  want  them. 
 Verfe  34.      Ver.  34.  And  threefcore  and  one   thoufand  Ajfes.l 
 The  Countries  about  Judea  abounding  with  Camels 
 alfo,  particularly  Arabia,  in  which  Job  had  a  great 
 number,  it  may  feem  ftrange  that  we  read  of  none 
 here  5  efpecially  fince  they  had  vaft  numbers  in  fol- 
 lowing times,  VI  Judges  5.  VII.  12.  and  the  Iflimae- 
 lites  (with  whom  they  were  Aflbciatesin  Trade)  had 
 them  long  before  this  time,  XXXVII  Gen.  27,  36. 
 But  it  is  likely  they  did  not  yet  find  it  for  their  profit 
 to  feed  Camels,  (of  which  they  learnt  to  make  a  Tra- 
 fick  afterward)  no  more  than  Mules ,  of  which  we 
 read   nothing  here,  nor  indeed   in  Judea,  till  the 
 times  of  David.     It  may  be  fuppofed  that,  if  they  had 
 Camels,  they  were  of  that  kind  called  Dromedaries  , 
 which  were  famous  in  this  Country  in  after  Ages, 
 LX  Ifa.  6.  and   that  the  People,  who  efcaped  the 
 daughter,  fled  away  upon  them.     And  that  there 
 were  other  Beaftsin  this  Country,  befides  Beeves,  and 
 Affes,  and  Sheep,  and  Goats,  feems  to  be  plain  from 
 v.  30.  where  after  the  mention  of  thefe,  he  adds,  of 
 all  manner  of  Beafis,  he  (hould  take  a  Portion  for  the 
 JLevites.     But  of  Camels  or  Dromedaries,  I   fuppofe, 
 none  were  found. 
 
 *  Ver. 
 
upon    NUMBERS.  601 
 
 Ver.  35.  And  thirty  two  thoufand  perfcns  in  all,  of  Chapter 
 women  that  had  not  known  Man,  &c]     It   appears  by    XXXI. 
 this  to  have  been  a  very  populous  Country,  in  which  l/"VNJ 
 were  fo  many  Virgins.  Verfe  35. 
 
 Ver.  36.  And  the  half  which  was  the  portion  of  themVerk  36. 
 that  went  out  to  war,  was  in  number  three  hundred  and 
 feven  and  thirty  thoufand  and  five  hundred  Sheep.]  There 
 is  no  difficulty  in  this,  or  in  the  following  vcrfes  : 
 this  being  exaftly  the  half  of  the  whole  number  of 
 Sheep  mentioned  v.  32, 
 
 Ver.  37.  And  the  LOR  Us   Tribute  of  the  Sheep,  Verfe  37. 
 was  fix  hundred  and  ihreefcore  and  fifteen.']     Which 
 is  exa&ly  one  in  five  hundred ,  out  of  this  half  of 
 the  Booty,  as  God  ordered  v.  28. 
 
 Ver.  38.  And  the  Beeves  were  thirty  and  fix  thoufand,  Verfe  38, 
 whereof  the  LOR D's  Tribute  was  threefcore  and 
 twelve."]  The  very  fame  proportions  are  obferved 
 here,  as  in  the  Sheep  5  which  appears  by  comparing 
 this  verfe  with  v.  33.  And  the  two  next^verfes 
 (39,  40.)  give  the  fame  account  of  the  Ajfes  and  the 
 Perfons$  which  were  as  exa&ly  divided  5  and  the 
 LORD  had  the  fame  portion  of  them,  as  v.  34, 
 35.  compared  with  thefe,  demonftrate. 
 
 Ver.  41.  And  Mofes  gave  the  Tribute  which  was  theVtxk  41, 
 LOR  jDV  Heave-offering  unto  Eleazar  the  Priefi,  &tc] 
 This  is  recorded,  to  fliow  how  faithful  Mofes  was, 
 in  performing  obedience  to  God's  Commands,^.^.) 
 and  far  from  defiring  thefmalleft  Portion  for  himfelf, 
 out  of  fo  great  a  Booty.  Which  if  he  had  adted  by 
 his  own  private  Spirit,  he  would  fcarce  have  avoi- 
 ded. 
 
 Ver.  42.  And  of  the  Children  of  Ifraels  half,  which  Verfe  42, 
 Mofes  divided  from  the  Men  that  warred.]     There  is 
 nothing  here,  nor  in  the  following  verfes  to  ^.48. but  a 
 
 H  h  h  h  Repe* 
 
6o2  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter   Repetition  of  what  was  faid  concerning  the  other 
 XXXI.    halt"  before-mentioned  5  to  (how  that  the  fame  exatt- 
 ^/"V"NJ  nefs  was  obferved  both  in  the  Divifion  of  the  Prey  a- 
 moug  the  People,and  in  taking  out  of  it  fuch  a  Por- 
 tion as  God  altigned  to  the  Levites^  which  was  one 
 out  of  fifty  ^  as  out  of  the  Men  of  Wars  part,oneout 
 of  five  hundred,  v.  28,  50. 
 Verfe  48.      Ver.  48.  And  the  Officers  which  were  over  thoufands 
 of  the  Hotf^  the  Captains  of  thoufands,  and  Captains  of 
 hundreds,  came  near  unto  Mofes.  \     The  firft  words 
 of  this  verfe  feem  to  fuppofe,  that  there  were  other 
 great  Officers,  as  well  as  the  General,  who  were  above 
 the  Captains  over  thoufands,  and  the  Captains  over 
 hundreds :  which  is  very  probable. 
 Verfe  49.      Ver.  49.  And  they  fai 'd  unto  Mofes jhy -Servant j-,Scg] 
 The  greateft  Men  fpeak  with  the  greatefl:  Reverence  to 
 Mofes  ^  who  was  in  the  place  of  God. 
 
 Have  taken  the  fum  of  the  men  of  war  which  are  un- 
 der our  charge  ~\  Made  a  mutter  of  them  (as  we  now 
 fpeak)  at  our  return  from  the  War. 
 
 And  there  lacketh  not  one  man  of  m7\    A  wonder- 
 ful Vittory  ^  which  (hows  the  War  was  the  LORD's, 
 (^.3.)     Who  ftruck  fuch  a  Terror  into  them,  that 
 one  would  think  they  turn'd  their  backs,  and  did  not 
 ftrike  a  ftroke  againft  the  IfraclHes. 
 Verfe  50.      Ver.  50.  We  have  therefore  brought  an  Oblation  for 
 the  LOR  D.~]     For  the  Ufes  of  the  Sanftuary  }  ei- 
 ther in  purchasing  Sacrifices,  or  maintaining  God's 
 Minifters,  &c.  For  KOREAN  fignifies  every  thing 
 that  is,  given  to  God,  though  not  facrificed  upon  the 
 Altar. 
 
 What  every  man  hath  gotten^  All  of  them  offered 
 fomething  to  the  L  O  R  D,  out  of  the  Spoil  he  had 
 gotten,  according  to  the  Piety  of  ancient  Times, 
 
 XIV 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  60^ 
 
 XIV  Gen.  20.     For  we  find  no  Precept  in  the  Law  Chapter 
 for  this  $  and  yet  it  was  conftantly  pra&ifed  by  Da-   xXXI 
 <viA  in  after  times,  2  Sam.  VIII.  11,12.  and  by  the  xy^r^i 
 Officers  of  his  Army,  1  Chron.  XXVI.  26,  27.  and  by 
 other  Men,  Samuel,  Saul,  Abner^c.  v.  28,  &c. 
 
 Jewels  ofGolA7\  Veffels,as  the  Hebrew  word  fig- 
 nifies,  or  all  manner  of  Ornaments,  made  of  Gold: 
 the  Particulars  of  which  follow,  viz.  Chains,  Brace- 
 let s,  &c.  But  the  Hkrufalem  Targum  takes  thefe  Jew- 
 els (as  we  tranflate  it)  to  have  been  the  golden  Attire 
 about  the  Heads  of  their  Women. 
 
 Chains.]  Thefe  are  commonly  thought  to  have 
 been  the  Ornaments  of  their  Arms.  But  they  may  as 
 well  be  thought  to  have  been  ufed  about  their  Legs,or 
 their  Necks. 
 
 Bracelets.^  Thefe,  it  is  apparent,  were  Ornaments 
 about  their  Wrifts  or  Hands,  XXIV  Gen.  47.   XVI 
 
 Ez*ek;  II. 
 
 Rings.']  They  were  Ornaments  of  the  Firtgers , 
 XLI  Gen.  42.  Ill  Efther  10. 
 
 Ear-rings.  ~]  Nothing  more  common  in  thofe 
 Countries,  efpecially  among  the  MiAianites  and  7/7j- 
 maelHes  ,  as  we  find  VIII  JuAges  24,  25,  26.  where 
 there  is  a  different  word  ufed  to  exprefs  this  Orna- 
 ment :  yet  the  word  Hagil,  here  ufed,  certainly  figni- 
 fying  fomethingra^,  and  the  Ornaments  incompaf- 
 fing  the  Arms  and  other  parts,  being  before-menti- 
 oned, it  cannot  well  be  thought  to  denote  any  thing, 
 but  Rings  in  their  Ears.  And  fo  we  tranflate  it  XVI 
 Ezek:  12. 
 
 AnA  Tablets.']  Some  Ornaments  about  the  Breafts. 
 See  XXXV  ExoA.  22. 
 
 Hhhh  2  Te 
 
£o4  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       To    make   an  Atonement  for  our  Souls    before    the 
 XXXII.  LORD.']     For  the  Guilt  of  which  Mofes  accufed 
 L/"VNJ  them,  v.14.  or  any  other,  which  they  had  contra&ed 
 in  the  War. 
 
 Verfe  52.  Ver,  52.  And  all  the  Gold  of  the  Offering -which  they 
 offered  up  to  the  LO  RD,  £cc.  was  fixteen  thoufand,  fc~ 
 ven  hundred  and  fifty  jhekelsT]  It  hath  been  obferved 
 before  that  Three  thoufand  Shekels  made  a  Talent  : 
 and  therefore  their  Offering  amounted  to  above  Five 
 Talents  and  an  half. 
 
 Verfe  53.  Ver.  53.  For  the  men  of  war  had  taken  fpoil ,  every 
 man  for  himfelf]  Or  rather,  had  taken  the  Spoil,  men- 
 tioned v.  12.  of  which  part  of  the  Booty,  no  Divi- 
 fion  was  made  between  the  Men  of  War  and  the  Peo- 
 ple, v.  26.  but  they  kept  it  intirely  to  themfelves, 
 and  now  very  gratefully  made  a  Prefent  of  a  confi* 
 derable  part  of  it  to  the  L  O  R  D.  See  ?/.  1 2.  where 
 the  word  Spoil  is  ufed  ftriftly,  for  a  part  of  the  Boo- 
 ty, diftinft  from  the  other  two,  the  Captives  and  the 
 Prey  :  and  fo  it  fignifies  here. 
 
 Verfe  54.  Ver.  54.  And  Mofes  and  Eleazar  thePrieJi  tooJ^  the 
 Gold.~]  This  was  faid  before  s/.  5 1 .  and  therefore  the 
 fence  here  is,  that,  having  received  it  as  an  Offering  to 
 the  L  O  R  D,  they  brought  it  into  the  Tabernacle  of 
 the  Congregation,  as  it  here  follows  in  the  conclufion 
 of  this  verfe. 
 
 Of  the  Captains  of  thoufands  and  of  hundreds^  It 
 was  not  their  Oblation  only,  but  the  Oblation  of  e- 
 very  one  of  the  Men  of  War,  v.  50,  fi.  But  the 
 Commanders  received  it  from  the  common  Soldiers  , 
 *nd  prefented  it  unto  Mofes  and  Eleazar,  from  the 
 whole  Hofi 
 
 And 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  605 
 
 And  brought  it  into  the  Tabernacle  for  a  Memorial  for   Chapter 
 the  Children    of  Ifrael,  before  the   LORD.']     That  XXXII. 
 God  might  be  mindful  of  them,  i.  e.  propitious  to  iyy\j 
 them  5  who  were  fo  grateful  to  him  for  his  Bene- 
 fits. 
 
 The  Hier ufalem  Tar  gum  upon  v.  50.  fancies  thefe 
 Officers  to  have  reprefented  to  Mofes  their  great  Cha- 
 ftity,  when  they  made  this  Offerings  faying,  c  We 
 c  broke  into  the  Chambers  and  Cloiets  of  the  Kings  of 
 c  Midian^nd  there  we  faw  their  beautiful  and  charm- 
 c  ing  Daughters,  from  whom  we  took  the  golden 
 c  Ornaments  upon  their  Heads,  and  in  their  Ears,  and 
 c  on  their  Arms,  their  Fingers,  andBfeafts^  but  did 
 c  not  caft  a  wanton  look  upon  one  of  them :  And 
 c  therefore  they  hoped  this  Oblation  they  made  would 
 c  rife  up  for  them,  in  the  Day  of  the  great  Judgment, 
 c  as  a  Reconciliation  for  their  Souls  before  the  LORD, 
 
 CHAP.     XXXII. 
 
 Ver.  I.\|0  W  the  Children  of  Reuben  and  the  CkH-  Verfe  i; 
 
 l\l  dren  of  Gad 7]  Here  the  Children  of 
 Reuben^  who  was  Jacob's  Firft-born,  are  mentioned 
 in  the  firft  place  5  but  in  the  reft  of  the  Chapter  (v. 2^ 
 6,2  5,29,32.)^  Children  of  Gad  are  conftantly  firft 
 mentioned,  becaufethey  were  the  firft  Movers  of  that 
 which  follows,  as  the  Hebrews  conje&ure. 
 
 Had  a  very  great  multitude  of  Cattle,  ]     More  than 
 any  other  Tribe* 
 
 And 
 
5o6  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  &*&  when  they  faw  the  LandofJazcr.~]  Which  was 
 XXXII.  lately  taken  from  the  Anionics,  atter  they  had  flain 
 L/"V"SJ  Si  hen  their  King,  XXI.  32.  This  City,  and  Coun- 
 try belonging  to  it,  were  near  to  the  Spring  of  the 
 River  Arnon  :  and  there  is  frequent  mention  of  it  in 
 the  Book  of  Joflma,  and  in  Jfaiah  XVI.  8,  9.  and  Je- 
 rewiahXLVUl.  34. 
 
 AndthcLandofGilcad7\  A  noble  Country,  fo 
 called  from  the  Mountain  Gilcad ,  which  bounded  it 
 on  the  Eaft,  as  Jordan  did  on  the  Wed: ,  the  River 
 Jabbok  on  the  South,  and  Mount  Li  ban  us  on  the 
 North. 
 
 That  behold  the  place  was  a  place  of  Cattle7\  Which 
 in  the  fourth  verfe  is  called  a  Land  of  Cattle,  yluu  nfavo- 
 t^pov,  as  the  LXX.  tranflate  it,  fit  for  feeding  of 
 Cattle  ,•  being;  famous  for  Pafture  and  other  grazing 
 Ground.  For  Bafian  wras  in  this  Country,  (III  Dent. 
 12,13.)  where  every  one  knows  the  largeft  and  fat- 
 teft  Oxen  were  bred,  XXII  Pfal.  12.  and  Sheep  alfo, 
 XXXII  Dent.  14.  and  therefore  is  joyned  with  GHc- 
 ad, VII  Micah  x  4.  which,  being  woody  and  moun- 
 tainous in  fome  part  of  it,  was  no  lefs  famous  for 
 breeding  Goats,  (See  IV  Cantic.  1.  )  which  delight 
 to  broufe  on  fuch  Trees  as  Mount  GHead  abounded 
 withal.  See  Bochartus  in  his  Hkrozoicon.  P.I.  Lib, II. 
 cap.  5 1 . 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2#  And  the  Children  ef  Gad,  and  the  Children 
 of  Reuben.^  Neither  here,  nor  in  the  foregoing  verfe ^ 
 is  there  any  mention  of  the  Children  of  Manaffeh^ 
 (half  of  which  had  their  Portion  in  this  Country)  be- 
 caufe  they  were  neither  the  Contrivers, nor  Movers  of 
 this  i,  butitismoft  probable  had  a  lot  affigned  them 
 here,  becaufe  thefe  Countries  were  too  much  for  the  o- 
 ther  two  Tribes  alone  j  and  they  ofManaffeh  had  much 
 Gattle  alft).  Came 
 
upon  NUMBER  S.  607 
 
 Came  and  fyake  unto  Mofcs  and  Elcazar  9  and  the  Chapter 
 Princes  of  the  Congregation.  ]  Who  were  wont  of-  XXXII. 
 ten  to  aflemble,  to  difpatch  Publick AfFairs,XXVII.2.  L^V^U 
 XXX.  1. 
 
 Ver.  3.  Jtarothr\  A  place  which  was  part  of  theVerfe  3. 
 Portion  of  Gad,  as  appears  by  v.  34. 
 
 And  Diboxi]  This  is  mentioned  as  a  place  in  the 
 kingdom  of  Sihon,  XXI.  3c.  and  was  given  to  Gad 
 alfo,  as  we  read  v.  34. 
 
 And  Jazer.~]     See  v.i.  and  35.    where  we  find  this, 
 alfo  belonged  unto  Gad. 
 
 And  Nimrah.~]     Called   Beth-lsimrah,  v.  36.  and 
 given  to  the  fame  Tribe.     It  is  ufual ,  I  obferved  be- 
 fore, for  the  Hebrews  to  cut  off  the  firft  part  of  the 
 Names  of  places,  for  brevity  fake,  (  XXV.  1 .  )  but 
 this  place  is  elfewhere  called  at  length  Beth-Nimrah, 
 XIII  Jofh.  27.  where  it  is  mentioned  as  a  part  of  Si- 
 hons  Kingdom,  and  fignifies  as  much  as  Dotmts  Vardo- 
 rum  ,  an   Habitation  of  Leopards.     So  Boehartus  5 
 who  obferves  that  when  both  I  fat  ah  XV.  6.  and  Je- 
 remiah XLVIII.  34.  fpeak  of  the  Waters  of  Nimrim, 
 they  mean  this  very  place.  Which  was  given  to  Gad, 
 but  in  the  days  of  thole  Prophets,  mentioned  as  in 
 the  Country  of  the  Moabites  y  who  had  ufurped  up- 
 on their  Neighbours  the  Gadites,  and  taken  this  Place 
 from  them,  as  they  had  done  Jazer  alfo,  as  appears 
 from  the    places  above-mentioned ,  XVI  Ifa.  8,  o. 
 XLVIII  Jerem.  34. 
 
 And  Hef/jbon.^  The  principal  City  of  Sihon  King 
 o-fthtAmorites,  XXI.  26,27,28.  and  was  given  to 
 the  Reubenites,  v.  37; 
 
 And  Elealah."]  This  is  frequently  mentioned  with 
 Hejhbon,  as  a. Place  adjoy ning  to it,  v,  37.  XVI  Ifa.9. 
 
 And 
 
6o8  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       AndSheban.~]     Called  alio  Shibwah,v.% 7.  and  Sib- 
 
 XXXI.    mah,  XVI  Ifa.  8,  9.  XLVIII  Jerem.  31.  where  it  ap- 
 
 itS^f****  pears  to  have  been  a  Place  famous  for  Vines :  and  in 
 
 the  days  of  that  Prophet  was  fain  into  the  Hands  of 
 
 the  Moabttes  5  as  were  Hefljbon  and  Eiealah  alfo. 
 
 And  Nebo.~]  Which  was  given  to  the  Reubenites, 
 v.  38. 
 
 And  Beon.  ]  There  is  no  mention  of  this  place  any 
 where  elfe  5  but  it  is  probable  was  part  of  the  Reu- 
 benites  Portion,  being  mentioned  together  with  other 
 Places  that  were  given  unto  them  :  and  podibly  may- 
 be the  Place  called  Baal-Meon  ,  v.  38.  which  they 
 changed  into  BeonJbzcAuk  of  the  name  of  Baal:  but  the 
 Moabites, when  it  fell  into  their  hands,reftored  part  of 
 its  old  name,  calling  it  Beth-meon,  XLVIII  Jerem.  23. 
 Verfe  4.  Ver.  4.  Even  the  Country  which  the  LORD  [mote  be- 
 fore the  Congregation  oflfrael.  "  And  gave  it  to  them 
 for  a  PofTeffion,  as  he  intended  to  do  the  Land  of 
 Canaan.    See  XXL  24,25. 
 
 Is  a  Land  for  Cattle,  and  thy  Servants  have  Cattle. ~] 
 Is  very  fit  for  us,  v.  2. 
 Verfe  5.  Ver.  5.  Wherefore,  J aid  they,  if  we  have  found  grace 
 in  thy  fight 7\  A  Phrafe  often  ufed  by  humble  Peti- 
 tioners 5  even  by  Mofes  himfelf ,  when  he  fpeaks  to 
 God,  XL  15. 
 
 Let  this  Land  be  given  unto  thy  Servants  for  a  Voffef- 
 fion.~)  The  Jfraelites  in  common  poffefTed  it  hither- 
 to, as  belonging  to  them  all  ,  XXL  ult.  But  they 
 defire  to  have  it  affigned  to  them,  as  their  particular 
 Portion. 
 
 And  bring  m  not  over  Jordan."]  We  defire  nothing 
 in  the  Land  of  Canaan. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon    NUMBERS,  6o9 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  Mofes  faid  unto   the  Children  of 'Gad ,  Chapter 
 and  the  Children  of  Reuben  ,  fl) all  your  Brethren  go  to  XXXII. 
 WV  .<?]     Can  you  think:  it  reasonable,  that  the  reft  of  l/^'VNj 
 the  Tribes  fhoald  fight  ftill  for  what  they  are  to  paf-  Verfe  6. 
 fefs? 
 
 And  full  ye  jit  here  f]  And  you  take  up  your  reft 
 here,  and  fettle  in  their  Conquefts,  which  they  have 
 already  made? 
 
 Ver.  J.  And  wherefore  dif courage  ye  the  hearts  of  the  Verfe  7, 
 Children  of  Ifrael^  from  going  over  into  the  Land  which 
 the  LO  R  D  hath  given  them .<?]  He  feems  to  have 
 fufpefted  that  mere  coward ife5  and  a  vile  love  of  eafe, 
 made  them  deiire  to  ftay  where  they  were,  and  go 
 no  further.  Which  ill  Example  might  dithearten  all 
 the  reft  of  their  Brethren,  and  make  them  have  the 
 fame  Inclination  to  fettle  in  the  Land  they  had  con- 
 quered ;  and  not  engage  in  a  War  with  the  Canaa- 
 nites. 
 
 Ver.  8.  Thus  did  your  Fathers."]  i.e.  They  diflieart-  Verfe  8. 
 ned  all  their  Brethren. 
 
 When  I  fent  them  from  KadeJJj  Bamea  to  fee  the 
 Land.]     XIII,  3,  26. 
 
 Ver.  9.  For  when  they  went  up  unto  the  Valley  of  Ef-  Ver fe  9. 
 cholT]  Men  do  not  go  up  into  a  Valley  5  therefore 
 the  meaning  is,  they  went  up  to  fearch  the  Country, 
 (as  it  is  faid  they  did,  XIII.  21,  22.)  and  went  on  in 
 their  fearch,  till  they  came  to  the  Valley  or  Brook 
 of:  Efchol,  (XIIL  23.)  where  they  cut  down  a  Branch 
 with  a  Clufter  of  Grapes,  to  (how  what  Fruit  the 
 Country  afforded. 
 
 Andfaw  the  Land.  ]  Had  taken  a  full  view  of  the 
 Country. 
 
 I  i  i  i  They 
 
6io  A  COMMENJAUT 
 
 Chapter        They  difcouraged  the  hearts  of  the  Children  oflfraeL"] 
 XXXII.  Reprefented  the  People  and  the  Cities  to  be  fo  ftrong, 
 L/V'VJ  that  they  fhould  not  be  able  to  deal  with  them,XIII. 
 28,29. 
 
 That  they  fiould  not  go  into  the  hand  which  the 
 L  0  R  D  had  given  them.]  And  therefore  perfwaded 
 them  not  to  attempt  to  poflefs  themfelves  of  it.  For 
 they  faid  expreily,  we  are  not  able  to  go  againji  the 
 People ,  for  they  are  fir  on ger  than  we,  XIII.  51- 
 Verfe  10.      Ver.  10.  And,  the  LO  R  D's  anger  was  kindled  at  the 
 
 fame  tune,  and  he  fivare,  faying.]     XIV.  21,  28. 
 Verfe  u.      Ver.  11.  Surely  none  of  the  Men  that  were  come  out 
 of  Egypt,  from  twenty  years  old  and  upward.']  XIV.2  2, 
 
 2.9,35- 
 
 Shall  fee  the  Land  which  Ifware  unto  Abraham,  Ifaac 
 and  Jacob.]     XIV.  23. 
 
 Becaufe  they  have  not  wholly  followed  me.]    See  there 
 v.  22. 
 Verfe  12.      Ver.  12.  Save  Caleb  the  Son  of  Jephunneh!]  XIV.24. 
 The  Kenezite.]  A  great  deal  hath  been  faid  by  ma- 
 ny to  prove   that  Caleb  is  called  a  Kenezite,  becaufe 
 his  Father's  Name  was  Kenaz.     And  this  they  prove, 
 becaufe  Othniel's  Father  was  Kenaz,  and  he  was  Ca- 
 leb's Brother,  XV  Jofh.  17.  his  younger   Brother, 
 Ijndg.  13,  III.  9.     So  that  their  Father  muft  have 
 two  Names,  Kenaz  and  Jephunneh.     But  it  is  very 
 ftrange,  if  this  be  true,  that  Caleb  is  no  where  called 
 the  Son  of  Kenaz,  but  conftantly  the  Son  of  Jephun- 
 neh (even  there  where  Othniel  is  juft  before  called  the 
 Son  of  Kenaz,  1  Qhron.  4.  13,  15.  )  nor  is  Othniel  a- 
 ny  where  called  the  Son  of  Jephunneh,  but  always  of 
 Kenaz.     And  indeed  there  is  a  demonftration  againft 
 this  Opinion  5  for  Othniel  married  Caleb's  Daughter  , 
 which  by  the  Law  of  Mpfes  was  utterly  unlawful, 
 
 what- 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  611 
 
 whatfoever  the  pra&ice  might  have  been  before  the  Chapter 
 Law  was  given.     Therefore  others  think  it  more  pro-  XXXII. 
 bable  th&tOthnhl  was  one  of  his  Brother's  younger  L/"VVi 
 Sons,  (for  Uncles  and  Nephews  are  often  called  Bre- 
 thren, as  Abraham  and  Lot  were)  and  that  from  this 
 Brother,  whofe  Name  was  Kenaz  ,  Caleb  is  alfo  called 
 a  Kenezite.     But  this  is  very  abfurd,  for  the  Name  of 
 Kenezzi  in  the  Hebrew^ notes  the  Defendants  from 
 one,  who  gave  this  denomination  to  the  Family  :> 
 which  one  Brother  could  not  do  to  another.     It  is 
 moft  probable  therefore,  that  Kenaz  was  fome  com- 
 mon Anceftor  both  oiOthnkl  and  Caleb  ^  from  whom 
 Othniel's  Father  took  alfo  his  Name.  Accordingly  we 
 find  Jephunneh  called  a  Kenezite  in  XIV  Joflj.   14. 
 where  it  is  faid  that  Hebron  became  the  Inheritance  of 
 Caleb  the  Son  of  Jephunneh  the  Kenezite. 
 
 And  Jofhua  the  Son  of  Nan,  for  they  have  followed  the 
 LOR  D.]     Fully,  XIV.  24,  30,  38. 
 
 Ver.  13.  And  the   LOR  Us  anger  was  kindled  ^-Verfe  13. 
 gaintf  IfraeW]     He  had  faid  this  before,  v.  10.  but 
 repeats  it  again,  to  make  them  the  more  fenfible  of  a 
 thing  that  was  done  Thirty  eight  years  ago  3  and  to 
 deter  them  from  giving  him  the  like  provocation. 
 
 And  he  made  them  wander  in   the  IV/ldernefs  forty 
 years ,  till  all  that  had  done  evil  in   the  fight   of  the 
 LORD  were  confumed.']     XIV.  3 1,  32,33.  XXVI. 
 64,  65. 
 
 Ver.  14.  Ani  behold.']     Mark  what  I  fay.  Verfe  14. 
 
 You  are  rifen  up  in  your  Fathers  flead,  an  increafe  of 
 finful  Men,  to  augment  yet  the  fierce  anger  of  the  LORD 
 towards  Ifrael~]  Are  multiplyed  to  as  great  a  num- 
 ber as  your  Fathers  5  only  to  fucceed  them  in  their 
 fins  :  and  thereby  bring  down  ftill  more  heavy  Pu- 
 nifliments  upon  the  Nation. 
 
 I  i  i  i  2  Ver. 
 
6i2  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  15.'  For  if ye  turn  away  flom  after  him.']     As 
 XXXII.  your  Fathers  did  \  who  refuted  to  go  and  poffefs  the 
 lv^T\j  good  Land  which  he  had  beftowed  upon  them. 
 Verfe    15.       }Je  will  yet  again  leave    them  in   the   Wilder nefsT] 
 Lead  them  back  again  into  the  Defert,  where  your  Fa- 
 thers perifhed  5  and  there  forfake  you. 
 
 And  ye  ftall dcftroy  all  this  People.  ]  Who  follow- 
 ing your  example,  will  refufe  to  go  over  Jordan, 
 (v.  5.)  to  take  poffeffionof  the  Land  of  Canaan. 
 Verfe  16.  Ver.  16.  And  they  drew  near  unto  him.  ~]  As  Peti- 
 tioners are  wont  to  do,  when  they  are  aflbred  of  their 
 Integrity,  and  hope  to  obtain  their  requeft,  XLIV 
 Gen.  19. 
 
 And  J aid,  we  will  build  Sheep  folds  here  for  our  Cattle.'] 
 There  are  five  words  in  the  Hebrew  Language  for 
 Folds  for  Sheep  and  Cattle  5  all  fignifying  a  place 
 fenced  in,  that  they  might  lye  fafely,  and  be  defend- 
 ed from  Wild-beafts.  And  fo  this  word gedera  plainly 
 imports.  See  Bochartus  in  his  Hierozoic.  P.  I.  Lib.  I. 
 cap.  45. 
 
 And  Cities  for  our  little  onesT]  Which  ftood  in  need 
 only  of  repairing  and  fortifying,  {v.  17.  )  for  they 
 already  dwelt  in  thofe  Cities  of  the  Amorites , 
 XXI.  25. 
 Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  But  we  our  felves  will  go  ready  armed  before 
 the  Children  of  Ifrael,  until  we  have  brought  them  unto 
 their  place."]  That  is,  a  confiderable  number  of  them, 
 as  many  as  (hould  be  thought  neceflary,  (III  Deut. 18.) 
 in  all  Forty  thoufand,  IV  J  oft.  12. 
 
 And  our  little  ones  ft  all  dwell  in  the  fenced  Cities.  ~] 
 Where  it  was  neceflary  to  leave  fome  Men  to  guard 
 them  from  their  bad  Neighbours,  and  to  take  care  of 
 their  Cattle. 
 
 Br- 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  6/3 
 
 Becaufe  of  the  People  of  the  Land.]     That  is,  the  Chapter 
 Moabites,who  were  the  ancient  Owners  of  this  Coun-  XXXII. 
 try  (XXL  26.)  and  the  Edomites  ,  who  had  fhow-  l^VNJ 
 ed  no  good  will  to  the  Jfraclites^s  they  paffed  through 
 theWildernefs. 
 
 Ver.  1 8.   We  will  not  return  unto  our  Houfes,  until  Verfe  1 8. 
 the  Children  of  Ifrael  have  inherited  every  Man  his  In- 
 heritance."] Be  fettled  in  the  poffeffion  of  the   Land 
 of  Canaan,  as  we  defire  to  be  in  this  Country. 
 
 Ver.  19.    For  we  will  not  inherit  with  them  on  yonder  Verfe  1  a„ 
 fide  Jordan,  or  forward.  ]     We  will  not  defire  any 
 fliare  in  the  Country  beyond  Jordan,  though  it  lye 
 near  to  us  $  nor  in  that  Country  which  lyes  dill  fur- 
 ther Weftward. 
 
 Becaufe  our  Inheritance  k  fain  on  this  fide  Jordan 
 eajiivard.]  We  look  upon  this  as  our  Inheritance 
 (with  which  we  (hall  be  fully  fatisfied)  here  in  the. 
 Land  of  Gilead.  Which  lay  Eaftward  of  Jordan, 
 and  of  the  Land  of  Canaan. 
 
 Ver.  20.   And  Mofes  faid  unto  them  ,  if  ye  will  do  Verfe  20> 
 this  thing.]     Be  as  good  as  your  word. 
 
 If  ye  will  go  armed  before  the  LO  RD  to  war.]  To 
 go  before  the  LO  RD,  was  to  go  before  the  Ark  , 
 which  was  the  Symbol  of  God's  Prefence,  over  which 
 his  Glory  refided.  And  it  is  to  be  obferved  3  that 
 thefe  two  Tribes^  Reuben  and  Gad,  ( Together  with 
 Simeon)  alway  lay  encamped  before  the  San&uary  3 
 as  appears  from  the  fecond  Chapter  of  this  Book,  v.  10, 
 14,  15,  16,  17.  And  accordingly,  when  the  Camp 
 removed,  they  marched  immediately  before  it,  as  is 
 particularly  noted,  X.  18,  19,  20,  21.  So  that  here 
 he  requires  them,  only  to  hold  their  ufual  place, 
 when  they  went  to  the  War  againft  the  Canaan/tes, 
 And  accordingly  it  is  expreily  faid,  they  did  (toge- 
 ther . 
 
6l4  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  ther  Vvith  half  the  Tribe  of  Manajfeh,  who  were  joyn- 
 XXXII.  cd  WIt^  them)  Pafs  over  before  the  LO  RD  unto  battle, 
 
 Verf.  2 1 .  Ver.2 1 .  And  will  go  all  of  you,  ]  As  many  as  (hall  be 
 required,  and  can  be  fpared,  v.  17. 
 
 Armed  over  Jordan  before  the  LO  RD  ,  until  he 
 hath  driven  out  his  Enemies  from  before  hi  mi]  Not  on- 
 ly bring  us  into  Canaan,  but  continue  with  us,  till 
 we  have  expelled  the  Inhabitants  of  that  Country. 
 Which  he  incourages  them  to  undertake,  by  rcpre- 
 fenting  the  CanaanHes,  as  the  Enemies  of  the  LORD, 
 who  would  therefore  fight  for  them. 
 
 Verfe  22.  VtY.22.And  the  Land  be  fubdued  before  the  LORD.'] 
 By  this  Expreftion,  and  that  in  the  foregoing  words, 
 it  appears  that  the  Ark  was  carried  along  with  them 
 to  the  War  every  where,  till  it  was  ended  5  as  it  was 
 when  it  begun,  at  the  taking  of  Jericho,  VI  Jojfj. 
 6, 7,  &c. 
 
 Then  afterward  ye  fljall  return,  and  be  guiltlefs  before 
 the  LORD,  and  before  Jfrael ,  and  this  Land  floall  be 
 your  pqjjeffion."]  Not  only  be  free  from  all  blame  in 
 this  defire,  but  have  what  you  defire. 
 
 Before  the  LOR D.~]  By  his  order  and  appoint- 
 ment. 
 
 Verfe  23.  Ver.  23.  But  if  yon  will  not  do  fo.]  If  this  be  not 
 your  intention  $  or  if  you  go  back  from  your  word. . 
 Behold.']  Obferve  what  I  fay. 
 TCe  have  finned  againfl  the  L  0  R  D  5  and  be  fure 
 your  fin  will  find  you  out.  ~]  Your  Guilt  is  exceeding 
 great  ^  and  (hall  be  moft  certainly  puniftied,  as  it  de- 
 ferves. 
 
 Verfe  24.  Ver.  24.  Build  ye  Cities  for  your  little  ones,and  Folds 
 for  your  Sheep,  Sec]    As  for  the  reft  of  their  Propo- 
 
 fals, 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  6\t> 
 
 fals,  about  their  Children  and  Cattle,  he  conferred    Chapter 
 to  them,  without  any  Exception.  XXXIL 
 
 Ver.  25.  And  the  Children  of  Gad,  and  the  Children  L/"V%J 
 of  Reuben,  fpake  unto  Mofes,  faying.  ]  '  The  word  for  Verfe  25. 
 fpake,  in  the  Hebrew,  being  jomer  ,  in  the  Singular 
 Number,  infteadof  jomru,  in  the  Plural,  their  Do- 
 ctors take  it  for  an  Indication,  that  feme  one  principal 
 Perfon  fpake  in  the  name  of  all  the  reft.  But  there  is 
 no  need  of  this  x,  for  the  Singular  Number  in  this 
 Language  is  often  ufed  for  the  Plural  5  and  they  ne- 
 ver fpake  all  of  them  together,  but  fome  one  in  the 
 name  of  their  Brethren.  And  it  had  been  better  ,  if 
 they  had  obferved,  that  this  fignifies  one  and  all  (as 
 we  now  fpeak)  were  of  the  fame  mind. 
 
 Thy  Servants  will  do  as  my  LORD  commandeth.~\ 
 And  as  they  themfelves  had  propofed,  v.  17. 
 
 Ver.  26.  Onr  little  Ones,  our  Wives,  our  Flocks,  and  Verfe  26. 
 all  our  Cattle,  full  be  there  in  the  Cities  of  Gilead.  ~] 
 Here  they  promife  to  leave  all  that  was  dear  to  them, 
 in  this  Country,  and  go  to  ferve  their  Brethren. 
 
 Ver.  27.  But  thy  ferv ants  will  fafs  over  every  man^Jtx{t  27* 
 armed  for  war,  Sec]  We  our  felves  will  go,and  fight 
 for  our  Brethren.  It  hath  been  often  faid  (^.17,21.) 
 that  this  doth  not  fignifie,all  the  Men  of  War  among 
 them  fhould  go,  but  as  many  as  could  be  fpared,  and 
 as  were  thought  fufficient.  For  it  is  manifeft,  the 
 far  greater  half  of  them  were  left  in  this  Country  to 
 defend  their  Wives  and  Children,  and  look  after  their 
 Flocks  and  Herds  ^  as  will  appear  by  computing  all 
 the  Men  of  War  that  were  found  in  the  Tribes  of 
 Gad  and  of  Reuben,  which  were  above  Fourfcore  and 
 four  thoufand,  (XXVI.  7, 18,)  to  which,  if  we  add 
 half  of  the  Tribe  of  Manajfeth,  (who  were  in  all  a- 
 bove  Fifty  two  thoufand)  there  were  much  above  an 
 
 Hundred 
 
6l6  A  COMMENYARY 
 
 Chapter  Hundred  tlioufand  Men,  able  to  bear  Arms }  and  not 
 
 XXXII.  above  Forty  thoufand  of  them  marched  into  Canaan, 
 
 ks~ss*^j  as  was  before  obferved. 
 
 Verfe  28.  Ver.  28.  So  concerning  them  Mofes  commanded  Ete- 
 azar  the  Priest,  and  Jofoua  the  Son  of  Nun,  and  the 
 chief  Fathers  of  the  Tribes  of  Ifraet.~]  He  left  this  in 
 charge  with  the  principal  Perfons,  who  had  the  go- 
 vernment of  Affairs  under  him  5  particularly  with 
 Jofata,  who  was  not  unmindful  of  it,  but  remem- 
 bred  thefe  Tribes  what  Mofes  had  faid,  when  he  was 
 about  to  attempt  the  Conqueft  of  Canaan,  I  JoJJj.  13, 
 14,  Sec. 
 
 Verfe  29.  Ver.  29.  And  Mofes  faid  unto  them,  if  the  Children 
 of  Gad  and  the  Children  of  Reuben  tcillpafs  with  you  over 
 Jordan,&c.~]  He  repeats  to  thefe  great  Men, who  were 
 to  fee  it  executed,  what  he  had  faid  to  the  Gadites 
 and  Reubenites  themfelves,  v.  21,  22. 
 
 Then  ye  fl)  all  give  them  the  Land  of  Gilead  for  a  pof- 
 fe{fion.~\  They  had  not  a  right  to  it ,  till  they  had 
 performed  the  Condition  upon  which  it  was  granted, 
 viz.  till  their  Brethren  were  in  poifefiion  of  their  In- 
 heritance in  the  Land  of  Canaan. 
 
 Verfe  30.  Ver.  30.  But  if  they  will  not  pafs  over  before  you  arm- 
 ed.]    Perform  their  Prornife,  v.  17. 
 
 They  JIj all  have  poffejfion  among  you  in  the  Land  of 
 Canaan.]     Take  what  falls  to  their  fhare  there }  and 
 this  Country  be  difpofed  of,  as  God  (hall  order. 
 
 Verfe  21.  Ver.  31.  And  the  Children  of  Gad  ,  and  the  Chil- 
 dren of  Reuben  faid,  as  the  LO  R  D  hath  faid  unto  thy 
 Servants,  fo  will  we  do.~\  They  confirm  what  they  had 
 promifed  to  Mofes,  v.  25.  and  here  take  all  that  he 
 had  faid,  as  fpoken  by  the  order  of  God,  who  be- 
 flowed  this  Land  upon  them,on  the  Condition  often 
 mentioned.    * 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  6iy 
 
 Ver.  32.  We  willpafs  over  armed  before  the  LORD    Chapter 
 into  the  Land  of  Canaan.]     This  they  offered  at  firft   XXXII. 
 of  themfelves,  v.  17.  and  folemnly  promifed,  when  L/W 
 Mofes  accepted  their  Propofal,  v.  27.  and  again  here  Verfe  32. 
 ratifie  and  confirm  it  before  Eleazar  and  Joflma,  and 
 all  the  Princes,  ^.28. 
 
 That  the  pojfejfion  of  our  Inheritance,  ~]  Which  we 
 have  defired  to  have  for  our  Inheritance. 
 
 On  this  fide  Jordan.']  They  were  now  in  the  Land 
 ofGilead,  and  fo  might  properly  call  it,  on  thk  fide 
 Jordan  :  but  when  they  were  in  the  Land  of  Canaan, 
 it  was  faid  to  be  on  that  fide  Jordan. 
 
 May  be  ours.']  Settled  upon  us  and  our  Pofte- 
 rity. 
 
 Ver.  33.  And  Mofes  gave  unto  them.']     Not  an  ab-  Verfe  33, 
 folute  Grant,  but  a  conditional  5  if  they  did  as  they 
 engaged,  v.  29,  30,  31,  Sec. 
 
 Even  to  the  Children  of  Gad,  and  the  Children  of  Reu- 
 ben, and  half  the  Tribe  of  Manaffeh  the  Son  of  J&feph.~] 
 This  half  Tribe  is  not  mentioned  before ,  becaufe 
 they  did  not  put  in  any  Claim,  till  they  faw  how 
 thofe  of  Gad  and  Reuben  would  fucceed  in  their  Pe- 
 tition. Which  being  granted,  it  is  likely  that  there- 
 upon they  reprefented  alfo  what  ftore  of  Cattle  they 
 had  5  and  that  the  Country  would  be  more  than  e- 
 nough,  for  thofe  who  had  defired  k.  This  being 
 found  to  be  true,  Mofes  thought  fit  to  give  them  a 
 Portion  in  it ,  rather  than  any  other  ^  becaufe  the 
 Children  of  Machirfhz  Son  of  Manajffeh,  had  by  their 
 Valour  fubdued  part  of  this  Country  ,  ^.39.  XVII 
 Jojh.  1. 
 
 The  Kingdom  of  Sihon  King  of  the  Amorites,and  the 
 Kingdom  of  Og  King  of  Baffjan.  ~]  XXI.  24,  29. 
 Which  were  the  firft. Countries  that  the  Ifraelites  pof- 
 
 K  k  k  k  feffed  s 
 
6i8  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  feffed.  j  and  were  the  fir  ft  that  were  carried  Captive 
 
 XXXII.  out  of  their  Land,   2  Kings  XV.  29. 
 
 L/^"V\J       T/6e  Lrf^d  nv7A  the  Cities  thereof  in  the  Coafts,  even 
 
 the   Cities  of  the    Country    round   about."]     The  Land 
 
 with  the  Cities,  within  fuch  a  Compals  or  Limits  : 
 
 and  all  the  Towns  within  that  Circuit. 
 
 Verfe  34.  Ver.  34.  And  the  Children  of  Gad  built  Dibon  and 
 Ataro\h7\  Repaired  and  fortified  thefe  Towns,which 
 are  mentioned  before  a.  3. For  they  were  not  deftroy- 
 ed,  but  only  their  Inhabitants,  2  Dent.  34,  35.  and 
 if  they  had,  there  was  not  time  now  to  rebuild  them. 
 Thus  Jeroboam  is  faid  to  have  built  Schechem,\  Kings 
 XII.  25.  which  was  a  City  before,  but  gone  to  decay. 
 And  Azariah  to  have  built  Elah  ,  2  Kings  XIV.  22. 
 which  he  reftored  to  Judah,  as  a  City  formerly  be- 
 longing to  them. 
 
 And  Aroer7\  A  City  of  the  Antorites,  upon  the 
 brink  of  the  River  Arnon,  as  Mofes  tells  us,  II  Dent. 
 36.  III.  11.  IV.48.  It  formerly  belonged  to  the Mo- 
 abites  5  but  was  taken  from  them  by  Sihon. 
 
 Verfe  35.  Ver.  3 5*.  And  Atroth  ,  and  Shophan,  and  Jaazer, 
 and  JogbehakJ]  We  do  not  read  of  any  of  thefe 
 Towns  elfewhere,  but  only  of  Jaazer  :  which  feems 
 to  be  that  called  Jazer,  v.  3. 
 
 Verfe  36.  Ver.  36.  AndBeth-XirsirahT]  Called  v.%.  Kimrah 
 for  fhortnefs  fake  5  as  (it  may  be  further  obferved  ) 
 Jewini  is  put  for  Benjemini  ,  II  Eft  her  5.  Sheba  for 
 Beer-fieba,  XIX  Jofi.  2.  where  we  find  thefe  two 
 mentioned  5  but  they  do  not  fignifie  two  feveral  Ci- 
 ties ,  but  are  two  Names  for  one  and  the  fame  City  5 
 as  if  he  had  faid,  Beerfieba,  which  is  alfo  called  Sheba. 
 Thisisclear  to  a  demonftration  5  for  otherwife  there 
 would  be  more  than  thirteen  Cities  in  the  Tribe  of 
 Simeon^  contrary  to  v.  6.  of  that  Chapter. 
 
 And 
 
^NUMBERS.  <j£p 
 
 And  Beth-haranJ     A  place,  Come  fay,  between  JD/-  Chapter 
 bon  and  Jordan.  XXX  IT 
 
 Fenced  Cities,  and  Folds  for  Sheep.]  All  thefe  Cities  L/^V"\J 
 the  Children  of  Gad  fortified  ^  and   built  Folds  for 
 Sheep  in  the  Paftures  near  to  them. 
 
 Ver.  37.  And  the  Children  of  Reuben  built.']     Re-  Verfe  ^7, 
 paired  and  fortified,  aslfaidz;.  34. 
 
 HeJJjbon  and  Elealah.~]     Mentioned  above  v.  3. 
 And  K.irjathaim7\    A  place  where  a  Giant-like  Peo- 
 ple formerly  dwelt,  called  Emims,  XIV  Gen.  5.  who 
 were  expelled  by  the  Moabites,  as  they  were  by  the 
 Amor  it  es. 
 
 Ver.  38.  And  Nebo.~]     This  City  is  mentioned  in  Verfe  38* 
 XLVIII  Jerem.  1.   when  it  was  fain  again  into  the 
 pofleflion  of  the  Moabites,  as   was  alfo  Kirjathaim. 
 It  feems  to  have  been  near  Dibon,  being  mentioned  to- 
 gether with  it,  XV  Ifa.2.  At  leaft  there  were  in  thefe 
 places  two  famous  Temples  5  for  the  deftru&ion  of 
 which,  the  Prophet  reprefents  the  People  making  La- 
 mentation.    So  the  LXX.  ^reA&m^  0  Ne£dSv,  5  6  $-2- 
 fA@*  VfJfyf,  Nebo  k  dejiroyed  where  your  Altar  is.    And 
 Hefychius  faith  of  AwZqSv  (i.  e.  Dibon)  that  it  was*7&- 
 it\&>  ivSa,  l£pt/l<q  Uejv  MzzSvt&v,  a  place  where  a  Temple 
 of  the   Moabites  was  built.     And   St.  Hierom  fufpe&s 
 that  there  was  an  Oracle  at  this  place  5  the  word  Ne- 
 bo importing  Prophecy,  or  Divination,  as  he  fpeaks. 
 
 And  Baal-Meon.~]  Another  place,where  it  is  like- 
 ly Baal  was  worftiipped  3  which  made  them  change 
 the  names  of  thefe  places,   as  it  here  follows. 
 
 Their  names  being  changed^]  For  Nebo,  as  well  as 
 Baal,  was  the  name  of  a  God,  as  we  learn  from  XLVI 
 Tfaiah  1.  and  feems  to  have  been  an  Ajfyrian  Deity  ^ 
 there  being  footfteps  of  it  in  the  names  of  feveral 
 great  Men  there  3  fuch  as  Nebuchadnezzar,  Ncbuzara- 
 
 K  k  k  k  2  dan* 
 
62o  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  dan,  and  many  others.     And  it  is  not  unlikely,  that 
 XXXII.  the)  therefore  changed  the  names  of  thefe  Cities  into 
 \JrST\J  fprne  other,  becaufe  they  would  abolifli  all  Remain- 
 ders of  Idolatry   in  this  Country,  according  to  the 
 Precept  XXlII Exod.  13.  that  they  ffcould  not  take 
 the  name  of  their  Gods  Into  their  Mouth.     But  not- 
 withftanding  this,  they    ft  ill  retained  their  ancient 
 Names,  as  appears  from  XIII J  of/).  1 7.  XXV  Ezel{.  9; 
 fo  hard  it  is  to  alter  any  thing  for  the  better. 
 And  SibmahT]     See  v.  3. 
 
 And  gave  other  Nantes  unto  the  Cities  which  they  build- 
 edr\  If  this  refer  to  all  the  Cities  here  mentioned,  it 
 ismanifeft  they  either  retained,  or  recovered  their 
 former  Names:  For  we  read  of  them  all  in  future 
 times}  particularly  in  the  XVthand  XVIIth  of  Ifaiah. 
 kwdKirjathaim  is  mentioned  in  the  place  I  now  quo- 
 ted out  ofEzekjeL 
 Verfe  39.  Ver.  39.  And  the  Children  of  Machir  the  Son  of  Ma- 
 najfeh,  went  to  Gilead  and  took^  it.~]  Here  Gilead  is  u- 
 fed  in  a  ftricl:  fence,  not  fo  largely,  as  before,  (v.  1, 
 26,29.)  where  it  is  taken  for  all  the  Country ,on  that 
 fide  Jordan,  where  Gilead  was  5  but  here  for  a  part  of 
 it,  about  Mount  Gilead.  This  is  plain  from  the  next 
 verfe  :  and  Gilead  the  Son-of  Machir, one  would  think5 
 was  the  Perfon  that  took  it,  XVII  Jofb.  1. 
 Verfe  40.  Ver.  40.  And  Mofes  gave  Gilead  unto  Machir,  the 
 SonofManaffehJ]  i.e.  To  the  Children  of  Machir, 
 (for  he  was  dead  long  ago)  who  had  a  confiderable. 
 Portion  of  that  half  of  the  Land  of  Gilead,  which 
 was  given  to  the  half  Tribe  of  MaHajfeh.  For  one 
 half  was  given  to  the  Reubenites  and  Gaditcs^nd  the 
 Other  half  to  them  ,  III  Deut.  \i ,  13.  where  Gilead 
 fignifies  all  that  Country  properly  fo  called  5  neither 
 fo  much  as  the  whole  Territory,  which  thefe  Tribes 
 
 demanded < 
 
npm    NUMBERS.  621 
 
 demanded,  v.  1.  nor  fo  little  as  was  given  to  Machlr,  Chapter 
 v.  15.  where  Mofes  fays,  And  I  gave  Gilead  unto  Ma*  XXXIL 
 
 C&V5  /.  e.  to  that  Family  of  Manajfeh,  which  were  IVW* 
 
 properly  called  Machirites^  XXVI  Numb.  29.  and  to 
 
 that  Family  descended  from  his  Son,  which  from  him 
 
 were  called  Gileadites.     For   as  Manajfeh  had  only 
 
 tin  Son  Machir,  fo  Machir  had  only  Gilead  5  but  he 
 
 had  many,  XXVI.  30,  31,  32.  who  all  raifed  Faniir 
 
 lies.     And  as  to  the  Macharites  (and    I  fuppofe  the 
 
 Gileadites)  was   given   a  Portion  in  this  Country, 
 
 XIII  Jofli.  29,  30,  Sec.  {ojo/lma  gave  to  the  reft  an 
 
 Inheritance  in  the  Land  of  Canaan  ,  XVII.  2.     And 
 
 he  gives  a  reafon  in  the  foregoing  verfe,  why  he  gave 
 
 Gilead  and  Bajloan  to  the  Pofterity  ot  Machir,  becaufe, 
 
 they  were  a  warlike  People,  inheriting  their  Father's 
 
 Valour,  who  was  a  Man  of  War  3  and  therefore  fit  to 
 
 be  placed  in  the  Frontiers  of  that  Country. 
 
 Ver.  41.  And  Jair  the  Son  of  Manajfeh. ~\  One  of  Verfe  41, 
 the  Pofterity  of  Manajfeh,  by  his  Mother's  fide  :  For. 
 he  was  the  Grandfon  of  Gilead,  the  Son  of  Machir,  by 
 his  Daughter,  1  Chron.  II.  21, ,22.  but  his  Father  was 
 of  the  Tribe  of  Judah.  It  feemshe  joyned  with  the 
 Children  of  Machir  in  their  Expedition  againft  Gile- 
 ad, (mentioned  v.  39.)  and  was  10  fuccefsful,  that  he 
 took  feveral  frnall  Towns  in  that  Country  ,  and  fo 
 had  his  Inheritance  among  the  Children  of  Manajfeh, 
 on  this  fide  Jordan,  where  they  now  were.  There 
 were  threescore  of  them  in  the  whole,  which  were  af- 
 terward called  Cities,  XIII  Jofi.  13.  1  Kings  IV.  23. 
 but  he  had  only  twenty  three  for  his  Pofleftion,i  Chron. 
 II.  22,  23. 
 
 And \  called  them  Havoth-J air, ."]  That  is,  the  Habi- 
 tations of  Jair.  For  Havah  is  a  dwelling,  as  Bochart/ts 
 obferves  in  his  Phaleg.  Lib.  IV.  cap.  29.  And  among 
 
 the  . 
 
S22  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  the  Arabians  the  word  Havoth  properly  fignifies,many 
 XXXIL  Tents,  orderly  difpofed  in  a  Ring  or  Circle  3  which 
 i/V"\J  in  thofe  Countries  made  that  which  we  call  a  Village. 
 For  Hava'm  their  Language  fignifies  to  compafs.l  he 
 fame  he  obferves  in  his  Hierozoicon^  P.I.  Lib.  II.c.44. 
 p.466. 
 Verfe  42.      Ver.  42.  AndNobah.']     Who  he  was  we  find  in 
 no  other  place  ^  but  an  eminent  Perfqn,  no  doubt, 
 in  feme  of  the  Families  of  the  Manajjites  :  either  of 
 the  Machirites  or  the  Gileadites.     For  they  only,  as  I 
 take  it,  inherited  on  this  fide  Jordan. 
 
 Went  and  took^Kenath  and  the  Villages  thereof.']  At 
 the  fame  time,  I  fuppofe,  that  Jair  took  the  Towns 
 above-mentioned  5  of  which  this  was  one  ,  1  Chron. 
 II.  23.  But  though  Jair  was  the  chief  Condu&or  in 
 that  Expedition,  yet  he  kept,  as  I  faid,  only  twenty 
 three  Towns  to  himfelf :  the  reft  were  given  to  them 
 who  accompanied  him,  of  whom,  it  is  probable,Afc- 
 hah  was  one. 
 
 And  called  it  Nobafy  after  hk  own  Name.']  But  it  re-' 
 tained  its  old  name  alfo :  for  St.  Hierem  fays  in  his 
 time,  there  was  a  City  called  Canatha,  in  the  Region 
 of  Trachonitis,  not  far  from  Bofra. 
 
 Thus  this  Country  being  fettled  upon  thefe  two 
 Tribes  and  an  half,  the  Land  of  Canaan  was  divided 
 by  God's  Command ,  for  an  Inheritance  to  the  re- 
 maining nine  Tribes,  and  the  other  half  of  the  Tribe 
 oiUanaffeh,  YAllJoJh.y. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
upon  NUMBERS,  £23 
 
 Chapter 
 XXXIII 
 
 CHAP.    -XXXIII. 
 
 Ver.  1/        SHESE  are  the  Journeys  of  the  Children  Verfe  I. 
 
 I  of  Jfrael ,  which  went  forth  out  of  the 
 Land  of  Egypt ■/]  A  brief  recapitulation  of  the  Tra- 
 vels of  the  Children  of  Ifrael  through  the  Wilder- 
 nefs  3  whereby  the  wonderful  Providence  of  God 
 over  them  appears,  in  their  Proteftion  and  Preferva- 
 tion,  from  the  time  they  departed  out  of  Egypt ,  till 
 they  came  to  the  Borders  of  the  Land  of  Canaan. 
 
 With  their  Armies."]  For  they  marched  in  an  or- 
 derly manner,  as  Armies  do.  See  XII  Exod.  41,  51. 
 XIII.  18. 
 
 Under  the  Hand  of  Mofes  and  Aaron."]  By  whom 
 they  were  conduced,  as  the  Minifters  of  God,  XII 
 Exod.  1,  28,  50. 
 
 Ver.  2.  And  Mofes  wrote  their  goings  out  accordingVcrk  2» 
 to  their  Journeys."]     Every  removal  which  they  made 
 from  the  place  where  they  were,  unto  another  whi- 
 ther they  journeyed. 
 
 By  the  commandment  oftheLORD."]  This  may 
 refer  either  to  their  Journeys  (  which  were  by  God's 
 commandment,  X.  13.)  or  rather,  to  Mofes  his  wri- 
 ting this  Epitome  of  their  Travels  5  of  which  God 
 ordered  him  to  give  a  difrinft  account.  Which  was 
 no  unneceffary  Work,  but  mod  ufeful  to  Pofterity  5 
 there  being  no  Hiftory  extant  in  the  World,  as  Da- 
 vid Chytrsus  wellobferves,  (except  that  of  the  Birth, 
 Life,  Death,  and  Refurreftion  of  Chrift)  which  con- 
 tains fo  many  wonderful  Inftances  of  Divine  Provi- 
 
 deuce. 
 
,624  A     COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  dence,  as  this  of  bringing  the  Children  of  Ifrael  out 
 iXXXIILof  Egypt,  and  leading  them  through  the  Red-Sea,and 
 through  the  Wildernefs.  Concerning  which  Ma'wio- 
 nides  hath  an  excellent  Difcourfe,in  his  third  Part  of 
 More  Ncvochim  \  cap.  50!  the  Subftance  of  which  is 
 this  5  That  it  being  impoffible  any  Miracles  fhould 
 continue  throughout  all  Generations,  due  care  fhould 
 be  taken  that  the  Memory  of  them  be  not  loft  ,  but 
 faithfully  preferred  by  the  Hiftory  and  Narration  of 
 them  in  future  times.  Now  there  being  no  greater 
 Miracle  than  the  Subfiftenceof  the  Children  of  Ifrael 
 in  the  Defertfor  Forty  years  ^  a  Defert  full  of  Scor- 
 pions and  Serpents,  deftitute  of  Water,  uninhabited, 
 through  which  no  Man  had  been  wont  to  pafs,  (as 
 Jeremiah  fpeaks,  II. 6.)  where  they  ate  no  Bread, nor 
 drank  Wine,or  ftrong  Drink,XXIX  Dent.6&c.  God 
 would  have  the  particular  places  fet  down  diftinft- 
 ]y  where  they  pitched  in  that  howling  Wildernefs. 
 That  all  Men  might  be  fatisfied  (who  would  take  the 
 pains  to  examine  things)  by  what  a  marvellous  Pro- 
 vidence fuch  a  multitude  of  People  were  fed  every 
 day,  for  Forty  years  together  3  and  none  might  be 
 able  to  Cavil,  and  fay,  that  they  travelled  through 
 a  Country  good  enough,  and  pitched  in  habitable 
 places,  where  they  might  plough,and  fow,  and  reap  5 
 or  where  they  might  have  Herbs  and  Roots  for  their 
 Suftenance^  or  where  Manna  ordinarily  came  down 
 from  the  Clouds  for  Mens  fupport. 
 
 And  thefi  are  their  Journeys,  according  to  their  go- 
 ings  out7\  As  if  he  had  faid  ,  Having  received  this 
 Commandment  from  God ,  this  is  a  true  and  exaft 
 Account,  which  here  follows,  of  their  Travels  from 
 place  to  place. 
 
 t 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon    NUMBERS,  62$ 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  they  departed  from  Ramfees."]     See  XII  Chapter 
 Exod.37.  Here,  in  alllikelyhpod,  they  Sacrificed  the  XXXIII. 
 Pafchal  Lamb,and  were  preferved  from  the  deftroying  L/"V"\J 
 Angel,  which  made  this  place  very  remarkable:  forVerfe^. 
 they  feem  to  have  been  all  fumtiioned  hither ,  to  meet 
 here  as  in  a  common  Rendevquz(asthey  now  fpeak) 
 to  be  ready  to  march  away,  when  God  gave  the  word 
 of  Command. 
 
 In  the  fir  !i  Month,  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  fir  (I 
 Month,  on  the  morrow  after  the  Pafibver."]  Which 
 they  had  kept  in  Egypt  on  the  Fourteenth  ,  XII 
 Exod.  46. 
 
 The  Children  of  Ifrael  went  out  of  Egypt  with  an  high 
 hand.']  XlVExod.8. 
 
 In  the  fight  of  the  Egyptians  J]  Who  thruft  them  out, 
 XII  Exod.  39. 
 
 Ver.  4.  For  the  Egyptians  buried  all  their  firfi-born.\V  zxfe  4. 
 They  were  fo  terrified  with  the  fudden  Death  of  all 
 their  Fir  ft- born,  that  they  prefled  them  to  be  gone, 
 left  they  (hould  be  flainalio,  XII  Exod.  33.  And 
 were  fo  employed  in  Mourning  for  them,  and  giving 
 them  decent  Burial,  that  they  thought  not  of  purfu- 
 ing  the  Ifraelites,  till  feme  days  after. 
 
 Which  the  LORD  had  fmitten  among  them7\  At 
 midnight,  between  the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  days, 
 YAlExod.  29. 
 
 Upon  their  Gods  alfo  the  LO  RD  executed  Judg- 
 ment.'] Which  ftill  more  aftoniftied  them,XII  Exod. 
 12.  XVIII.  11.  2  Sam.  VII.  23.  juft  as  he  did  with 
 Babylon  afterwards,  XXI  Ifa.  9. 
 
 Ver.  5.  And  the  Children  of  Ifrael  removed  from  Ra-  Verfe  %-. 
 mefes^  and  pitched  in  Succdth."]     XII  Exod.  37.  Here 
 they  received  the  Command  to  fet  apart  all  the  Firft- 
 
 L  1  1  1  born 
 
626  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  born  unto  the  LOR  D,in  memory  of  God's  fparine 
 
 XXXIH.them,  when  he  Hew  all  the  Firft-born  of  the  Etpti- 
 
 L/-NTNJ  ans,   XIII  Exod.  i,  12, 13,  jJCC. 
 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  ,W  */,ej,  ^^  ^  Stuc0^  md  ^ 
 in  EtW  &c.]  See  XIII  Exod.  20.  where  it  imme- 
 diately follows,  That  they  were  conduced  hither  by 
 a  miraculous  Cloud,  which  ever  after  led  them  in  all 
 their  Journeys. 
 
 Verfe  7.  Ver.  7.  And  they  removed  fiom  Etham,  and  turned 
 again  unto  I  iha-hiroth.-]  So  it  is  exprefly  recorded 
 XIV  txod.  2.  Hither  they  were  led  on  purpofe,  that 
 they  might  fee  the  wonderful  Power  and  Goodnefs 
 
 uVT  a  Pla,Ce  where  they  had  Wgh  Mountains 
 on  each  fide  ot  them,  and  the  Army  of  Pharaoh  be- 
 hind them  and  the  Red-Sea  before  them.  Through 
 which  God  made  them  a  paflage,  rather  than  let  them 
 fall  again  under  the  Egyptian  Tyranny.  Here  is  alfo 
 the  Singular  Number  for  the  Plural,  in  the  word  turn- 
 ed a^tm  (as  was  obferved  before  in  another  word  , 
 XXXII.  25.)  but  the  obfervation  of  the  Hebrew  Do- 
 
 L  !  l]P°?- Jf'  feei??  ^°  be  frivolous,  That  with  one 
 heart  tcey  did  what  Mofes  commanded. 
 
 Which  *  before  Baal-Zephon  ,  and  they  pitched  before 
 Migdol.-]     This  is  explained  in  XIV  Exod.  2. 
 Verfe  8.  Ver.  8    And  they  departed  from  before  Piha-hiroth, 
 
 ana \  faffed through  the  midfl  of  the  &*.]  XIV  Exod.  23. 
 Where  Pharaoh  and  his  Holt  were  drowned  h  as  they 
 could  not  but  call  to  mind  when  they  read  this  brief 
 r,\uy'  Wh,ch'  k,mi§ht  be  exP^ed,  would  alfo 
 SnreTmbra,^eLth,eir  °wndiftruftof  God,  not- 
 
 them  vtvI  W}1Ch  he  moft  g^cioufly  delivered 
 tnem,  XIV  Exod.  11,12,  &c. 
 
 Into 
 
upon  N  U  M  B  E  R  S.  627 
 
 Into  the  Wildemefs,  and  went  three  days  journey  in  Chapter 
 the  midernefs  of  Ethan;.']     Called  in  XV  Exod.  2  2.  XXXIII. 
 the  Wildemefs  ofShur:  where  they  were  very   much  L/Y\j 
 diftreffed  tor  want  of  Water. 
 
 And  pitched  in  Marah.]  Where  God  obliged  them 
 by  a  new  Miracle,  in  making  the  bitter  Water  fweet, 
 XVE.xW.23,25.  / 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  they  removed  from  Mar  ah,  and  came  to  Verfe  9. 
 Elim,  and  in  Elim  were  twelve  Fountains  of  Water, Sic] 
 See  XV  Exod.  ult. 
 
 Ver.  10.  And  they  removed  from  Elim, and  encampedVerk  10. 
 by  the  Red  Sea.]  Not  by  that  part  of  it,  where  they 
 lately  came  out  of  it  5  but  by  a  more  Southerly  part 
 of  it,  where  it  bends  towards  Arabia.  For  the  Red 
 Sea,which  Ptolomy  calls  the  Arabian  Gulp  h, runs  a  long 
 way,  like  the  Adriatic^  now  called  the  Gulph  ofVe- 
 nice,  or  the  Baltic/^Sea,  as  David  Chytr£us  obferves. 
 Who  compares  thefe  three  together,  as  much  of  a 
 length  5  and  all,  in  fome  places  broader,  and  fome 
 narrower.  This  Station  is  not  mentioned  in  the  Book 
 of  Exodus. 
 
 Ver.  11.  And  they  removed  from  tlx  Red  Sea  ,  and  Verfe  n, 
 encamped  in  the  Wildemefs  ofSin.]YJJ\  Exod.i. where 
 Manna  firft  began  to  rain  upon  them,with  which  God 
 fed  them  forty  years. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  they  took,  their  journey  out  of  the  WiU  Verfe  12, 
 dernefs  of  Sin,  and  encamped  in  Dophkah.]  This  and 
 the  next  Station  (Alufi)  are  not  mentioned  in  Exo- 
 dus }  becaufe  nothing  remarkable  (it  is  fuppofed)  fell 
 out  in  thefe  two  places,as  there  did  in  the  next.  And 
 they  made  no  long  ftay  there. 
 
 Ver.  13.  And  they  departed  from  Dophkah,  and  en-  Verfe  13 
 camped  in  Alufi.]    The  Jewift  Doftors  find  Something 
 remarkable  here,  though  Mofes  faith  nothing  of  it. 
 
 L 1 1 1  2  For 
 
67%  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  For  as  the  Sabbath  was  firft  commanded  at  Marah , 
 XXXIII.  which  was  their  filth  Station ,  fo  it  was  firft  obferved 
 U^VVJ  here  at  Alufi,  as  they  fancy,  which  was  their  Tenth. 
 And  more  than  that ,  this  was  the  only  Sabbath,  in 
 their  opinion,  which  they   exafrly  kept  5  the  very 
 next  being  prophaned.     SezSeldcn0  Lib,  III.  demure 
 Nat.  &  Gentium,  &c.  cap.  \\.  &  Lib.  II.   de  Synedr. 
 cap.  1.     The  Author  of  Sepher  Cofri  faith  the  ancient 
 Tradition  is,  That  at  this  place  the  Manna  firft  de- 
 fended, P.  il.fetf.  20. 
 Verfe  14.      Ver.  14.  And  they  removed  from  Alufo  and  encamped 
 at  Rephidim,  ILVllExod.  I. 
 
 Where  was  no  Water  for  the  People  to  drinhj^     And 
 thereby  an  occafion  given  to  the  Almighty  Goodnefs, 
 tofhew  his  wonderful  Power,in  bringing  Water  out 
 of  a  Rock  for  them,  ^.5,6.  And  here  alfo  Amalekjay 
 in  wait  for  Ifrael,  in  the  way  when  they  came  out  ofE- 
 gypt,  1  Sam.XV.2.  and  fmote  feme  that  lag'd  behind, 
 XXV  Deut.  16.  but  were  vanquithed  by  joflma  in  a 
 pitcht  Battle,  XVII  Exod.  8,  9,  &c.     And  here  Je- 
 thro  alfo  came  to  fee  Mofes,  and  gave  him  advice  a- 
 bout  the  government  of  the  People ,  with  more  eafe 
 both  to  himfelf  and  them,  XVIII  Exod. 
 Verfe  1 5 .      Ver.  1 5 .  And  they  departed  from  Rep  hi  dim  and  pitch- 
 ed in  the  Wilder nefs  of  Sinai \\  XIX  Exod.  1,2.     This 
 was  forty  feven  days  after  they  came  from  Ramefes, 
 on  the  firft  day  of  the  third  Month.     Three  days  af- 
 ter which  (" viz.  on  the  fiftieth  day  after  they  came 
 out  of  Egypt)  God  gave  them  his  Law  from  Mount 
 Sinai.     Where  Mofes  was  called  up  to  him,  and  ftaid 
 with  him  twice  forty  days.  And  was  inftru&ed  there 
 how  to  make  the  Tabernacle,  and  to  fet  it  up  when 
 it  was  made,  with  all  the  Furniture  belonging  to  it. 
 All  forts  of  Sacrifices  were  ordered  while  they  re- 
 mained 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  629 
 
 mained  in  this  Place  ^  Pri efts  confecra ted  j  Laws  gi-  Chapter 
 ven  aboftt  clean  and  unclean  things:,  and  about  Mar-  XXXIII. 
 riages,  and  Feafts,  and  the  Year  of  Jubilee,  with  fe-  L/'VNJ 
 veral  other  things,  mentioned  in  the  Book  of  Levitt- 
 o^.Herealfo  the  People  were  numbred^their  encamp- 
 ment ordered  5  a  fecond  Paflbver  kept  5  Laws  given 
 about  the  Water  of  Jealoufie  and  the  Nazarites ,  with 
 feveral  other  Matters :  And  then,  after  they  had  lain 
 here  eleven  Months  and  twenty  days,  they  are  com- 
 manded to  leave  this  famous  Station  J  the  mod  re- 
 markable of  all  other,  X  Numb.  11,  12. 
 
 Ver.  16.  And  they  removed  from  the  Defeat  of  Sinai,  Verfe  16. 
 and  pitched  at  Kibroth-hattaavah."]  A  place  in  the 
 Wildernefs  oiParan,  three  days  Journey,from  Mount 
 Smai;  X  Numb.  23.  XI.34.  where  there  was  a  dread- 
 ful ilaughter  of  the  People  ,  that  wantonly  defpifed 
 Manna,  and  lufted  after  Fleth.  Yet  here  God  was 
 pleafed  to  vouchfafe  to  fend  his  Spirit  upon  the  LXX. 
 Elders,  for  the  Affiftance  of  Mofes. 
 
 Ver.  17.  And  they  departed  from  Kibroth-hattaavah^Vcrk  17. 
 and  encamped  at  HazerothJ]     See  XL  95.  Where  Mi- 
 riam was  punifhed   for  her  Envy  at  Mofes  ,  XII. 
 
 1,  10. 
 
 Ver.  18.  And  they  departed  from  Hazeroth  and  Verfe  18. 
 pitched  at  Rithmah.']  A  place  alfo  in  the  Wildernefs 
 ofParan,  as  appears  from  this  Book,  XII.  16.  and 
 was  not  far  from  Kadejli-barnea  ,  from  whence  the 
 Spies  were  fent  to  fearch  out  the  Land  of  Canaan.  See 
 XIII.  26.  In  which  place  they  lay  a  long  time, 
 I  Dent.  46. 
 
 Ver.   19.  And  they  departed  from  Rithmah  ,  and  Verfe  19. 
 pitched  in  Rimmon-Parez.)     This  and  the  following 
 Stages  are  no  where  elfe  mentioned  5  and  feem  to 
 have  all  been  in  the  Wildernefs  of  Paran  before  fpo- 
 
 ken 
 
630  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  ken  of.  Which  was  a  very  long  Tra&  of  Ground, 
 XXXIII.  from  Elana,  a  Port  in  the  Arabian  Gulph,  to  Kadefi- 
 L/'V^sJ  barnea :  which,  as  David  Chytr&m  computes  it,  was 
 
 thirty  German  Miles. 
 Verfe  20.  Ver»  20*  And  they  departed  font  Rin/won-Parcz^ 
 and  pitched  in  Libnah7\  This  and  the  reft  to  v.  31, 
 are  places  of  which,  as  I  faid,  we  no  where  elfe  read, 
 and  lb  can  give  no  account  of  them.  They  were  all 
 uninhabited,  and  out  of  the  road  of  all  Travellers  5 
 and  perhaps  had  no  names  till  they  were  given  them 
 by  the  Ifraclites  5  who  encamped  in  fo  many  various 
 places,  (fpmetimes  in  Mountains ,  as  appears  from 
 li.Qj.  and  fometimes  in  the  Plain  )  that  they  might 
 be  taught,  that  God  was  alike  prefent  every  where  to 
 protect,  defend  and  provide  for  them  $  even  there 
 where  no  Man  dwelt.  The  Jews  make  this  ufe  of 
 their  Travels  here  recorded  by  Mofes,  through  fo 
 many  unknown  places,  by  which  he  brought  them 
 at  laft  to  Canaan  5  to  keep  up  their  Spirits  under  this 
 long  Captivity  (as  they  call  it)  wherein  they  now 
 are,  and  have  wandred  uncertainly,  from  Mountain 
 to  Mountain,  from  Kingdom  to  Kingdom,  from  Ba- 
 nifhment  to  Banifhment,  (as  they  themfelves  fpeak  ) 
 till  their  Mcjfiah  come  to  redeem  them.  Which  he 
 will  do  when  their  Eyes  are  opened  to  fee,  what  one 
 o£  their  ancient  Rabbins  (Mofes  Hadarfchan)  hath 
 told  them,  as  he  is  quoted  by  Paulus  Faghts^  That 
 the  Redeemer  was  bom  before  him  who  reduced  Ifrael  in- 
 to thk  Lift  Captivity. 
 Verle  3 1 .  Ver.  3 1 .  And  they  departed  fiom  Moferah  ,  and 
 pitched  in  Bene-Jaakan.~]  In  X  Deut.  6.  Mofes  feems 
 to  fay  the  quite  contrary,  that  they  tool^their  journey 
 from  Beeroth  of  the  Children  of  Jaakan  ,  to  Mofcra.  But 
 there  he  may  be  thought  to  fpeak  of  a  different  place, 
 
 t  as 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  d^i 
 
 as  prnfius  notes  upon  thofe  wordf.Or  if  he  cloth  not,   Chapter. 
 it  is  no  wonder  it,  while  they  wandred  in  this  tedi-  XXXIII 
 ous  Wildernefs,  they  went  backward  and  forward,  L/"V%J 
 from  Bene-Jaakan  to  Moferath,  which  he  mentions  in 
 Deuteronomy^  and  from  Moferatb  back  again  to  Bene- 
 Jaal^an,    which  he  mentions  here. 
 
 Ver.  32.   And  they  journeyed  from  Bene-  J aakan^  and  Verfe  22 
 encamped  at  HorhagJdgad.~]     This  place  was  alfo  cal- 
 led Gudgodah,   X  Dent.  7.  if  Mofcs  fpeaks  there  of 
 the  fame  places  he  doth  here. 
 
 Ver.   33.  And  they   went  from    Horhagidvad    and  Vert.   3  V 
 pitched  in  Jotbathah.']     Called  X  Dent.  7.  Jotbath. 
 
 Ver-  34-  ^  they  removed  from  Jotbathah,  anden-yQTfe  «a 
 cammed  at  Ebronah.]  All  their  removals  mentioned 
 from  v.  16.  to  this  and  the  next  place,  are  an  account 
 of  their  wanderings  in  the  Wildernefs,  from  the  fe- 
 condyezv  after  their  coming  out  of  Egypt  till  the  for- 
 tieth  ^  in  which  time  all  the  Congregation,  above 
 twenty  years  of  Age,  were  confumed,  and  buried  in 
 fome  part  or  other  of  this  great  Defert. 
 
 Ver.  3  5  And  they  departed  from  Ebronah  ,  and  en-  Verfe  350 
 camped  at  Erton~gaber7\  A  place  on  the  Red-Sea, 
 unto  which  they  were  brought  before  they  ended 
 their  Travels,  1  Kings  V/L.  26.  XXH.  18.  It  had  its 
 name  from  the  fnagged  Rocks,  like  to  the  Back-bone 
 which  ftretched  out  a  great  way  on  that  (bore  as* 
 Bochart  obferves.  Which  Rocks  made  this  part  fo 
 dangerous,  that  it  was  forfaken  in  after  times,  and 
 Blah  frequented  as  a  fafer  Harbor.  See  Lib  J.  Canaan, 
 cap.  44.  It  is  not  recorded  how  long  they  remain- 
 ed in  any  of  thefe  places  5  but  it  is  likely  a  confide- 
 rable  time  in  fome  of  them  h  for  they  fpent  Thirty 
 eight  years  in  thefe  Removals, 
 
 Ver. 
 
532  A  COMMENrARY 
 
 Chapter      Ver.  36.   And  they  removed  from  Ezion-Gaber,  and 
 WWW.  pitched  in  the  Wildernefs  of  Zin^  which   is  KadeJ/j.  3 
 o"V~w  See  XX.  1.     He  doth  not  mean  Kadeflj-barnea^which 
 Verie  36.  was  on  the  Borders  of  Canaan  5  but  another  KadeJ/j 
 in  the  Skirts  of  this  Wildernefs,  towards   the  South, 
 not  far  from  the  Port  I  now  mentioned  (which  the 
 Greeks  call  Elana)  on  the  Border  of  Edom.      Where 
 Miriam  died  5  and  where  Water  was  brought  out  of 
 a  Pvock.     See  XX.  8,  14,  16. 
 Verfe  37.      Ver.  37.  And  they  removed  from  Kadefh,  and  pitch- 
 ed in  Mount  Hor^  in  the  edge  of  the  hand  of  Edom.  ~] 
 See  XX.  28. 
 Verfe  38.      Ver.  38.  And  Aaron  went  up  into  Mount  Hor  at  the 
 commandment   of  the  LORD."]     XX.  23,  24,  27. 
 XXXII  Dcut.  5  c.     The  Hebrew  Doftors  are  too  con- 
 ceited in  their  obfervation,  that  becaufe  it  is  faid  of 
 him,  and  of  Mofes ,  that  they  died  al  pi  (at  the 
 mouth)  of  the  LORD^  the  LORD  took  their 
 Souls  out  of  their  Bodies ,  with  a  kifs.     But  Maimo- 
 nides  indeavours  to  make  a  fober  fence  of  this,  by 
 making  their  meaning  to  be,  that  they  expired  with 
 the  tranfeendent  Pleafure  of  Divine  Love^More  Nevoch. 
 P.  III.  cap.  51. 
 
 And  died  therein  the  fortieth  year  after  the  Children 
 oflfrael  came  out  of  the  Land  of  Egypt  ,  in  the  fir  SI  day 
 of  the  fifth  Month."]  A  few  Months  before  his  Bro- 
 ther Mofes. 
 Verfe  39.  Ver.  39.  And  Aaron  was  an  hundred  and  twenty  and 
 three  years  old^  when  he  died  in  Mount  Hor.]  He  was 
 juft  Eighty  and  three  years  old  ,  when  he  and  Mofes 
 firfl:  went  with  a  Meffage  to  Pharaoh^  VII  Exod.  7.  By 
 which  it  appears,  that  they  were  not  long  in  working 
 all  the  Miracles  in  E^p^before  they  brought  the  Peo- 
 ple forth  ^  for  now  Forty  years  after,  he  was  but  an 
 Hundred  twenty  three  years  old.  Ver. 
 
upon  N  U  M  B  E  R.  S.  &fc 
 
 Ver.  40.  And  King  Arad  the  Canaanite^  (whkh  divclt   Chapter 
 in  the  South  ,  in  the  hand  of  Canaan.  J\     See  XXI.  i.  XXXIIL 
 
 Heard  of  the  coming  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael.  ~]  L/'V^W 
 Had  News  brought  him  ,  that  the  Ifraelites  were  Verfe  4c4 
 coming  towards  his  Country  5  whereupon  he  went 
 out  to  oppofe  them  3  and  God  gave  them  Qz$  we 
 read  there)  a  glorious  Vi&ory  over  him.  This  fhows, 
 that  Mofes  intended  in  the  recital  of  all  thefe  places 
 where  they  had  been,  to  bring  to  remembrance  the 
 nioft  remarkable  Paflages  of  God's  Providence  over 
 them  :  fome  of  which  he  exprefly  fetsdown. 
 
 Ver.  41.  And  they  departed  from  Mount  Hoy\  andVerk  41. 
 pitched  in  Zalmonah7\  We  read  in  the  XXIth  Chap- 
 ter of  this  Book,  v.\.  that  they  journeyed  from  Hor, 
 to  compafs  the  Land  of  Edom  5  but  are  not  told 
 there  where  they  pitched,which  is  here  fupplyed,  the 
 name  of  the  place  being  Zalmonah.  Which  carries 
 in  it  the  fignification  of  an  Image  \>  and  therefore 
 here  perhaps  the  brazen  Serpent  was  ere&ed.  See 
 XXI.  9. 
 
 Ver.  42.  And  they  departed  from  Zalmonah  ,  and  Verfe  42. 
 pitched  in  Punon.~]  Where  Bochartus  rather  thinks 
 the  brazen  Serpent  was  fet  up  5  becaufe  after  Mofes 
 hath  given  us  the  Hiftory  of  that,  he  faith,  they  fet 
 forward  and  pitched  in  Qboth,  XXI.  10.  which  was 
 the  place  of  their  abode  next  to  Punon,  as  it  here  fol- 
 lows, Hierozoic.  P.  I.  Lib.  III.  cap.  12.  in  the  latter 
 end  of  it. 
 
 Ver.  45.  And  they 'departed  from  Punon,  and  pitched  Verfe  45. 
 mObothf\     See  XXI.  10. 
 
 Ver.  44.  And  they  departed  from  Ohoth,  and  pitched  Verfe  44. 
 in  J/e-abarim,  in  the  border  of  Moab.~]     See  XXI.  1 1 . 
 This  name  is  tranflated  in  the  Margin ,    heaps  of  Aba- 
 rim:   which  may  poffibly   fignihe  many  heaps  of 
 
 M  m  m  m  Stones, 
 
<$34  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Stones,  which  lay  not  far  from  the  Mountains  of  A- 
 
 XXXIII.  barim,  0.47. 
 
 i^V^sJ      Ver.  45.  And  thy  departed  from  Jim,  and  pitched 
 
 Verfe  45.  in  Dibqn'gad7\  Here  half  the  name  of  the  firft  place 
 is  omitted  5  as  is  ufual  when  the  names  are  long.  This 
 may  feem  not  to  agree  with  XXI.  12.  where  it  is  faid 
 they  removed  from  thence,  and  pitched  in  the  Gal- 
 ley of  Zered  ;  near  unto  which  ,  in  all  probability  , 
 was  this  Dibon-gad.    See  what  I  have  noted  there. 
 
 Verfe  46.  Ver.  46.  And  they  removed  from  Dibon-gdd,  and  en- 
 camped in  Almon-Diblathaim."]     See  XXI.  1 3 . 
 
 Verfe  47.  Ver.  47.  And  they  removed  from  Almon-diblathaim, 
 and  pitched  in  the  Mountains  of  Abarim,  before  Nebo.  ] 
 We  read  no  where,  when  they  came  to  this  Manfion  : 
 but,  it  is  plain,  they  were  not  far  from  it,when  God 
 bid  Mofes  go  into  one  of  thefe  Mountains ,  and  take 
 a  view  of  Canaan.  See  XXVIL  12.  But  this  fol- 
 lowed their  laft  Manfion  3  and  therefore  it  is  moft 
 likely  this  is  the  place  mentioned  XXI.  20.  See  there. 
 Where  I  haveobferved  other  places  mentioned  v.  18, 
 1 9.of  which  there  is  no  notice  taken  in  this  Catalogue. 
 But  they  feem  to  have  been  placed  where  they  only 
 touched,and  made  no  encampment  in  them  -0  which  is 
 the  thing  of  which  Mofes  here  gives  an  account. 
 
 Verfe  48.      Ver.  48.  And  they  departed  Jrom  the  Mountains  of 
 Abarim^and  pitched  in  the  plains  of  M^,8cc.]See  Chap. 
 XXII.  1. 
 
 Verfe  49.  Ver.  49.  And  they  pitched  by  Jordan  ,  from  Beth- 
 Jefhimoth.~]  A  place  where  there  was  a  Temple,  in 
 all  likelyhood,  to  fome  Deity  :  For  fo  Beth  denotes 
 in  many  Compofitions  ,  as  Beth-Peor  (the  Houfe,  or 
 TempTe  of  Baal  on  the  top  of  Peor)  Beth-Aftaroth, 
 and  Beth-Baal-berrth,  IX  Judg.\.  And  Beth-Shemefb 
 is  often  mentioned,  where  the  Sun  was  worftiipped. 
 
 And 
 
^NUMBERS.  655 
 
 And  poffibly  Jejhimoth  may  be  the  fame  with  Jejtimon,  Chapter 
 XXI  20  XXXIII- 
 
 Even  unto  Abel-Shittim,  &c.  ]  Called  (Imply  Shit-  LTsTSJ 
 tint  XXV.  1.  which  feme  fancy  had  the  name  of 
 Abel  added  to  it,  (which  fignifies  mourning)  becaufe 
 of  that  Lamentation  which  was  made  there,  by  fome 
 for  the  grievous  Sin  there  committed;  and  by  others, 
 for  the  heavy  Punilhment  maided  in  that  place.  But 
 it  feems  to  have  been  anciently  Abel-Shittim,befoxe  this 
 time.     See  there.  . 
 
 Ver  so    And  the  LORDftake  unto  Mofes  in  theVtxk  50. 
 P/*»j  */M«w*,  Sec]   After  he  had  prepared  them  for 
 their  entrance  into  Canaan :,  he  ordered  the  hrlt  and 
 principal  work  they  mould  there  undertake. 
 
 Ver   51.  Speaiunto  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  andJayVexk  51. 
 unto  them,  when  ye  are  faffed  over  Jordan    into   the 
 Land  of  Canaan.]    Accordingly  Mofes  did  deliter  this 
 command  unto  them,  VIIDe«M,2. 
 
 Ver  52.  Then  ye  jhall  drive  out  all  the  Inhabitants  vene  52. 
 oftheLandfiom  before  you.~]  Not  fuffer  them  to 
 dwell  in  the  Land  any  longer ;  but  either  deftroy, 
 or  expel  them ;  becaufe  they  were  abominable  Idola- 
 ters devoted  to  extermination,  (XXIII  Exod.  35. 
 XX  !)«**.  16,  17,18.)  by  whom  the  Ifraclites  would 
 have  been  in  danger  to  be  corrupted,  if  they  were  not 
 
 rooted  out.  ,    .  '  , 
 
 And  dejlroy  all  their  Pictures.')  Or  their  Temples, 
 or  Houfes  ofWorfiip,  as  Onkelos  interprets  it.  But  o- 
 thers  (particularly  the  Berufalem  Targuni)  underftand 
 it  of  the  Idols,  or  Statues  fet  up  in  thofe  Temples  5  or 
 fome  Reprefentations  of  their  Gods.  See  concern- 
 ing the  Hebrew  word  Maskjth,  XXV  Lev.  1. 
 
 And  destroy  their  molten  Images.']  XXIII  Exod.  24. 
 XXXIV  1 3.  for  if  they  fufiered  them  to  remain,they 
 
 M  m  ra  m  2  might 
 
6*6  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  might  b*  indeed  to  worfhip  them.  Thefe  were  Idols, 
 XXXIII-  pc'rnaps,  in  publick  places,  or  private  Houfes,  out  of 
 L/'V"\J  their  Temples. 
 
 And  quite  pluck  down  all  their  High-places.  "]  They 
 could  not  throw  down  the  Mountains,  upon  which 
 the  People  of  Canaan  worfhipped  :  but  the  meaning 
 is,  that  they  fhould  cut  down  the  Groves  which  were 
 there  planted  5  and  demolifhall  the  Altars  that  flood 
 in  them.  For  there  were  no  other  Temples,  at  firft, 
 but  thefe  Groves  upon  Mountains  $  where  the  anci- 
 ent Heathen  worlbipped  the  Sun,  Moon  and  Stars: 
 unto  which  they  thought  the  Mountains  approached 
 nearer  than  the  reft  of  the  Earth  5  and  therefore  their 
 Sacrifices  there  would  be  moft  prevalent.  But  of  this 
 I  have  faid  enough  el  fe  where. 
 
 Verfe  53.  Ver.  53.  And  ye  Jhall difpofefs  the  Inhabitants  of  the 
 Land, and  dwell  therein  ;,  for  I  have  given  you  the  Land 
 to  pojfefs  it.']  Yet  he  did  not  intend  they  fhould  dif- 
 poffefs  the  old  Inhabitants  all  at  once,but  by  degrees ; 
 as  he  himfelf  faith  in  XXIII  Exod.  29,  30.  VII  Dent. 
 22. 
 
 Verfe  54.  Ver.  54.  And  ye  fja/l divide  the  Land  by  lot,  for  an 
 Inheritance  among  your  Families."]  Follow  the  dire- 
 ctions I  have  already  given  for  the  dividing  of  the 
 Land  5  after  the  old  Inhabitants  are  expelled,  XXVI. 
 
 53,  55- 
 
 And  to  the  mo  yefljall  give  the  more  Inheritance,  and 
 
 to  the  fewer  the  lifi,  Sec.]  See  XXVI.  54,  56. 
 Verfe  55.  Ver.  55.  And  if  ye  will  not  drive  out  the  Inhabitants 
 of  the  Land  from  before  you.  ]  At  the  firft  they  could 
 not  drive  them  all  out  3  nor  was  it  God's  defign,  as 
 I  before  obferved.  Therefore  Jojhua  would  not  at- 
 tempt it,  while  he  lived  :  but  left  feveral  Nations, 
 or  part  of  them  unfubdued ,  II  Judges  21,  23.    Of 
 
 whicfy 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  637 
 
 which  he  himfelf  takes  notice  a  little  before  he  died,  Chapter 
 XXIII  Joflj.  4,  7.  where  he  warns  them  to  have  no-  XXXIII- 
 thing  to  do  with  them  -y  promifing  them   that  God  u^VSJ 
 would  in  time  expel  them  quite,  v.  5.     But  when  the 
 Ifraelites  grew  flothful  and  cowardly,  and  negligent- 
 ly (offered  the  People  of  Canaan  to  dwell  among 
 them,  and  made  Friendfhip  with  them,  (as  they  did 
 after  Joflma  and  all  that  Generation  were  dead  )  then 
 followed  what  is  here  threatned  in  the  next  words. 
 
 Then  it  Jl)all  come  to  pafs,  that  thofe  which  ye  lei  re- 
 main  of  the m7\  Voluntarily  permit  to  live  among 
 you,  without  indeavouring  to  difpoflefs  them. 
 
 Shall  be  pricks  in  your  eyes,  and  thorns  in  yourfzdes.*] 
 Bring  very  fore  Calamines  upon  you^as  grievous  and 
 as  mifchievous  as  a  wound  made  in  the  Eye,  which  is 
 a  moft  tender  part  5  or  in  the  fide,  when  a  thorn  fticks 
 and  fefters  in  it.  Some  are  fo  curious,  as  by  tlie  firft 
 part  of  thefe  words  (pricks  in  your  eyes)  to  under- 
 ftand  their  being  ftimulated  to  Idolatry  ,  by  behold- 
 ing their  Rites  of  Religion,  and  Manner  of  Wor- 
 fliip.  And  the  next  they  take  to  fignifie  the  Effeft  of 
 it,  in  (harp  Punifhments,  which  fhould  befal  them, 
 for  their  forfaking  God.  Joflma  threatned  the  fame 
 before  he  died,  XXIII.  13.  Of  which  an  Angel,  or 
 Meflenger  of  the  L  O  R  D  minded  them,  II  Judges  3. 
 And  fo  it  came  to  pafs,  as  we  read  there,  v.  14.  and 
 throughout  that  whole  Book. 
 
 And  fliall  vex  you  in  the  hand  wherein  ye  dwell*  ] 
 Make  you  very  uneafie,  nay  figh  and  groan,  in  the 
 good  Land  which  God  gives  you,  by  reafon  of  their 
 oppreffion,  Wjudg.  18.  IV.  3.  VI.  6,&c. 
 
 Ver.  56.  Moreover,  1  will  do  unto  you,  as  I  thought Verfe  %6° 
 to  do  unto  them.']     As  I  purpofed  to  do  unto  them  3 
 /,  e.  make  you  their  Slaves  5  as  they  were  to  feveral 
 
 People^ 
 
638  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  People  whom  they  terved  many  years,  III  Judg.8,14. 
 XXXIV.  VI. 2.  and  many  other  places.  Or  make  you  flee  before 
 L/"V"SJ  them  5  and  at  laft  expel  you  from  the  Land  I  give 
 you. 
 
 CHAP.     XXXIV. 
 
 Verfe   1.    Ver.  I.   \  ND  the  LO  R  D  fake  unto  Mofes,  fay- 
 ±\  ing.~]  In  the  fame  place,where  they  were 
 when  he  laft  fpake  to  him  5  for  they  made  no  other 
 Removals  till  they  marched  for  Canaan. 
 
 Verfe  2.  Ver.  2.  Command  the  Children  of  Ifrael7\  Charge 
 them  to  take  notice  of  this. 
 
 And  fay  unto  them,  when  ye  come  into  the  Land  of 
 Canaan,  this  is  the  Land  that  JIj all  fall  unto  you,  for  your 
 Inheritance^  Having  fpoken  to  them  concerning 
 their  difpofleffing  the  Canaanites^  and  dividing  their 
 Land  among  their  Tribes  :>  it  was  fit  to  defcribe  the 
 Bounds  of  their  Country,  that  they  might  know 
 whom  they  were  to  deftroy ,  and  into  whofe  Poflef- 
 fions  they  were  to  enter. 
 
 Even  the  Land  ofCanaan^and  theCoajls  thereof  J  The 
 Land  beyond  Jordan  5  and  the  Limits  or  Bounds 
 thereof. 
 
 Verfe  ?•  Ver.  3.  Then  your  South  quarter  JJj all  be  from  the  Wil- 
 dernefs  ofZin7\  Mentioned  in  the  foregoing  Chap- 
 ter^ v.  36. 
 
 Along  by  the  Coafi  of  EdomP\  Which  bordered  up- 
 on this  Wildernefs7\     XX.  1,14. 
 
 And 
 
upon  N  U  M  3  E  R  S.  639 
 
 And  your  South  border  Jlo all  be  the  utmost  CodSt.  of  the  Chapter 
 Salt  Sea,']     From  the  very  tongue  of  it,  as   it  is  ex-  XXXIV, 
 prefled  XV  Joflj.  2.  where  it  appears,  this  .was  thev^^^,s,^ 
 Portion  of  the  Tribe  of  Judah.     The  Salt-Sea  is  that 
 which  is  called  fometimes  the  Dead-Sea,  and  in  other 
 Authors,  Lacus  AJphaltites.     See  XIV  Gen.  3.     The 
 Hebrews  call  all  great  Lakes  by  the  Name  of  Seas^ 
 and  this  is  called  the  Salt-Sea,  becaufe  the  Water  of 
 it  is  very  Salt,  or,  as  fome  exprefs  it,  bitter:  and  the 
 Dead-Sea,  propter  aqu£  immobilitatem^s  Jujiin  fpeaks, 
 Lib.  XXXVI.  becaufe  of  the  immoveablenefs  of  the 
 Water,  which  is  never  ftirred  by  the  greatefl:  Winds. 
 See  Vojjius  de  Orig.  &Progr.  Idolal.  Lib.  II.  cap.  68. 
 
 Eastward.  ]  Where  the  Eaftern  and  the  Southern 
 Border  meet. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  your  Border.  ]     That  is,    this  South  Verfe  4. 
 Border. 
 
 Shall  turn.]  Not  go  on  in.a  ftrait  Line  $  but  bend- 
 ing toward  the  Weft. 
 
 From  the  South  to  the  afcent  of  Akrabbim.  ~\  Or  to 
 Maale-Akrabbim  5  a  Mountain  on  the  South-end  of  the 
 Dead-Sea,  XV  Jojh.  3.  I  Judg.  36.  So  called,  as  Bo- 
 chartus  conje&ures,  from  the  vaft  multitude  of  Scor- 
 pions found  here.  From  which  Mountain  alfo,  it  is 
 probable,  the  Region  called  Acrabatena,  near  to  Idu- 
 m£a,  had  its  name  1  Maccab.  V.3.  See  Hierozoicon, 
 P.U.Lib.W.cap.  29. 
 
 Andpafs  on  to  Zin7\  Either  to  a  place  called  Z;//$ 
 or  part  of  the  Wildernefs  of  Zin  :  which  lay  on  the 
 South  of  the  Land  of  Canaan,  XIII.  21. 
 
 And  the  going  firth  thereof  Jhall  be  from  the  South.  "] 
 That  is,  ftill  on  towards  the  South  5  as  appears  from 
 what  goes  before,and  follows  after. 
 
 To 
 
^4o  A     COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  T$  Kddefi-barnca']  From  whence  the  Spies  were 
 XXXIV.  fent  to  fearch  out  the  Land  3  and  are  laid  exprefly  to 
 *-'"V>*-'  have  gone  up  by  the  South,   XIII.  22,  26. 
 
 And  pall  goontoHazar-Addar.]  Or,  to  the  Vil- 
 lage of  Addar,  as  the  Vulgar  Latin  renders  it :  which 
 feems  to  be  juftified  by  XV  J  op.  3.  where  it  is  fimply 
 called  Addar.  There  is  indeed  a  place  called  Hebron 
 joyned  with  it,  which  may  be  th<  tight  to  be  the  fame 
 with  Hazar.  But  fo  is  another  place  alfo  called  Kar- 
 hfla, :  both  which  may  as  well  be  thought  to  be  here 
 omitted,  for  brevities  fake. 
 
 And  pafs  on  to  Azmon."]  A  place  lying  on  the  Weft- 
 end  of  the  Mount  oiEdom. 
 Verfe  5.        Ver.  5.  And  the  border  pall fetch  a  compafsT]  There 
 fhall  be  a  greater  turn  than  that  mentioned  ^.4.  bend- 
 ing ftillmore  Weft  ward. 
 
 From  Azmon  unto  the  River  of  Egypt."]  By  the  Ri- 
 ver of  Egypt  is  properly  underftood  Nile  :  and  fo 
 Jonathan  here  renders  the  Hebrew  word  Nahal  (Ri- 
 ver) by  Nilus.  Which  may  feem  to  have  taken  its 
 name  from  the  word  Nahal;  which  the  Ancients  did 
 not  pronounce  as  we  now  do,  but  called  it  AW,  as 
 we  find  in  Epiphanies.  From  whence  Nilus  was  very 
 eafily  made,  as  Bochartus  obferves ,  Hierozoic.  P.  II. 
 Lib.  V.  cap.  15.  But  if  Nile  be  here  meant,  it  muft 
 be  the  more  Northerly  mouth  of  it ,  where  Relujiuw 
 flood.     See  XV  Gen.  18. 
 
 And  the  goings  out  of  it  pall  be  at  the  Sea.  ]  This 
 Border  ended  at  the  Sea,  called  the  Great  Sea  in  the 
 next  verfe. 
 Verfe  6.  Ver.  6.  And  as  for  the  Weftern  border,  ye  pa//  have 
 even  the  great  Sea.]  That  is ,  the  Mediterranean,  or 
 midland  Sea,  which  lay  on  the  Weft  ofJud£a.  And 
 is  called  by  the  Hebrews  the  Great  Sea,  in  comparifon 
 
 with 
 
upon    NUMBERS,  6^t 
 
 with  the  Lake  of  Genefaret,  and  Afyaltites,  which  they  Chapter 
 alfo  called  Seas.  XXXIV. 
 
 For  your  border. ,~]     On  the  Weft,  as  it  here  fol-  l/"VNJ 
 lows. 
 
 This  fiall  be  your  Weftern  border."]  From  the  River 
 of  Egypt  as  far  as  Zidon^  which  was  a  part  of  the 
 promifed  Land,  as  appears  from  XIII  JoJI).  6.  I  Judg. 
 31.  All  the  Cities  indeed  on  the  (hore  of  this  Sea, 
 were  held  by  the  Philifiines  and  others,  till  the  time 
 of  David :  but  the  Ifraelites  had  a  right  to  them.  And 
 the  famous  Rabbi  Juda  underftands  thefe  words,  as  if 
 they  (hould  have  the  Weftern  Ocean  it  felf  for  their 
 Portion,  as  well  as  the  Land  adjacent  to  it.  For  fo 
 he  expounds  thefe  words,  asifMofcs  had  faid  ,  this 
 fhall  be  your  Weftern  Border,  viz.  The  Border  of  the 
 Sea,  and  the  Ifles  near  unto  It.  And  the  Hierufalem 
 Targum  more  plainly,  And  let  the  great  Sea  be* your 
 Border  i>  i.  e.  the  Ocean,  and  the  Tjles  thereof  and  the 
 Cities,  and  the  Ships  with  the  ancient  Waters,  that  arc 
 m  the  midfi  of  it.  See  Selden  in  his  Mare  Claufum, 
 Lib.  I.  cap.  6.  where  he  alledges  this  as  a  proof,  that 
 Men  anciently  thought  they  might  hive  a  Dominion 
 over  the  Sea,  as  well  as  the  Land. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  this  foall  be  your  Northern  border   fromVevte  7. 
 the  great  Sea.]     From  the  Mediterranean ,  which  lay 
 on  the  Weft. 
 
 Te  (lull  point  out  for  you.']  Mark  out  for  your  Di- 
 rection. 
 
 Mount  Hor.]  Not  that  Mount  where  Aaron  died  5 
 for  that  was  on  the  South  of  the  Land  of  Canaan,  to- 
 wards Edem:  but  this  was  diametrically  oppofite,  on 
 the  North  of  it.  And  therefore  muft  in  all  likelyhood 
 be  fome  part  of  Mount  Libanus,  which  with  Antili- 
 banm  (more  towards  the  great  Sea)  bounded  the  pro- 
 
 Nnnn  mifed 
 
$4*  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  mifed  Land  on  the  North.     But  there  were  feveral 
 
 XXXIV.  partt  of  Mount  Libanut,  which  were  called  byfeve. 
 
 l/V\J  ral  Names  5  and  probably  one  of  them  was  cal- 
 led Hor  ;  becaufe  of  its  eminency  or  height  above  the 
 reft.  So  the  Vqlj  >  tranilates  it  5  reading,I  fuppofe, 
 tne  Hebrew  not  -r  hahar,  i.e.  Hor  the  Mountain, 
 but  Mar  kabar,  the  Mountain  of  Mountain  }  e  the 
 higheft  Mountain  The  Jews  generally  by  this  Mount 
 Hor  underitand  Awcm,  which  is  a  part  of  Taurus 
 (as  Mr.  Selden  obferves  in  the  place  before-named  j 
 which  the  Hierufakm  Targum  calls  more  briefly  Ma- 
 nus. 
 
 Verie  8.         Ver.  8.  From  Mount  Hor  ye  {hall  point  out  your  bor- 
 der to  the  entrance  ofHamath.]     There  were  two  Hat 
 maths  :  one  called  by  the  Greeks  Antiochia  3  the  other 
 tpiphama.     The  former  called  Hamath  the  Great    VI 
 Amos  2.  to  diftinguifli  it  from  the  latter h  which  is 
 the  City  that  is  always  meant,  when  we  read  the 
 Bounds  ofjudsa,  were  to  the    entrance  of  •  :amaih 
 Northward,  as  here  and  XIII.  21.     For  it  i  ce  rtai  - 
 as  Bochartu*  obferves,they  did  not  reach  to  Jtttiictia 
 but  came  near  to  Epiphania ,  Lib.  IV.  Phaleo.         26 
 And  this  makes  it  probable  that  Hor,  as  I  &1 1     [  fore 
 may  be  a  Promontory  of  Libavvs  b  beca<  <ni 
 
 JoJh.$.Hermon  is  joyned  with  the  entr, 
 as  Hor  IS  here.     Now  Herman  was  cei  tainly  a  part  of 
 i/W;  byfome  called  Sirion  j  by  others *  «W 
 III  £>e*/.  9.  and  by  others  Sio»,  IV  De/rt   .-8. 
 
 ™;^*u  '-k 'ieiT  t°rth  °f  'hc  horci  '  M  ^  *>  Z«£*n 
 Which  in  fcsf^/s  time  was  reckoned  the  Northern 
 Border  (together  with  I  Umath)  fca.  the  great  Sea  3 
 juft  as  it  is  here,  XLVIi  &4  1 5, ,  6.  ' 
 
 Ver, 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  643 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  the  border  JIj all  go  on  to  Ziphron."]    A-  Chapter 
 nother  Town  in  thofe  parts  ^  of  which  I  find   no  XXXIV, 
 mention  any  where  elfe.  iVVVt 
 
 md  *he  goings  out  of  it  flail  be  at  Hazar-Enam.^7^^  9" 
 Here  it  acted :  which  was  a  place  that  retained  its 
 name  till  Ezekjel's  time,  XLVII.  17.  David  Chytrt- 
 m  feems  to  have  given  a  full  account  of  this  Northern 
 Border,  in  a  few  words.  It  extended,  faith  he,frorn 
 the  Mediterranean,  by  the  Mountains  of  Libanus,  to 
 the  Fountain  of  Jordan.  In  which  Tract  are  the 
 Towns  of  llamath,  Zadad  (in  the  Tribe  of  Naph- 
 thali)  Ziphron  (in  the  fame  Tribe  at  the  foot  of  £/- 
 banus)  and  Hazar-Enan,  which  he  takes  to  fignifie 
 a  Village  at  the  Fountain,  viz.  of  Jordan. 
 
 Ver.  10.  And  ye  (l)all point  out  your  Eafi  border  Jn?/#  Verfe  i©„ 
 Hazar-Enan.~)     From  the  Fountain  of  JorcLn^s  was 
 faid  before. 
 
 To  Shepham.]  A  place,  not  far  from  thence  :  for 
 the  River  Jordan  was  certainly  the  Eaftern  Limits. 
 
 Ver.  11.  And  the  Coatf.~]     The  Limits,  or  Bounds.  Verfe  1 1, 
 
 Shall  go  down  from  S hep  ham  to  Riblah."]  A  place  no 
 doubt  near  to  Jordan  $  with  which  River  the  Eaftern 
 Limits  go  along.  St.  Hierom  takes  Riblah  to  be  An- 
 tiochia  :  but  that  was  in  Syria  $  to  which  the  promifed 
 Land  did  not  reach. 
 
 On  the  Eaftjide  of  Ain."]  The  Vulgar  reads  it,  the 
 Fountain  of  Daphne.  And  indeed  Ain  figniliesa  Foun- 
 tain :  and  both  Jonathan  and  the  Hierufakm  Targum 
 take  Riblah  for  Daphne  5  as  they  do  Shepham  before- 
 mentioned  for  Apamia.  But  this  is  only  a  vain  Con- 
 ceit of  the  Jews,  who  would  extend  their  Bounds 
 beyond  what  God  gave  them.  For  it  is  certain  the 
 Land  of  Canaan  never  extended  to  thefe  places,  as 
 •Bochartm  observes,  Lib.  I.  Canaan,  cap.18.  And  there- 
 
 N  -n  n  n  2  fore 
 
644  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  fore  Daphne  (which  was  in  the  Suburbs  of  Antwchhi) 
 XXXI V.  cannot  be  here  meant,  unleis  we  underftand  another 
 U'^VNJ  place  mentioned  by  Jofephus^  Lib,  IV.  de  Bellojudai- 
 co,  cap.  i.  which  lay  near  the  Lake  of  Sewechonites  , 
 through  the  middle  of  which  Jordan  ran.  And  then 
 Am  muft  fignifie  another  Fountain  of  Jordan  5  for 
 it  had  more  than  one.  And  thus  David  Chytraus  ex- 
 plains this  part  of  the  verfe,  and  the  fore-going  : 
 The  Eaftern  Bounds  were  the  River  Jordan,  near  to 
 which  were  thefe  places  5  Enan,  which  had  its  name 
 from  the  Fountain  of  the  River  $  and  Shepham,  not 
 far  from  thence  5  and  Riblah,  which  was  alfo  near  to 
 Jordan,  lying  between  the  Lake  of  Semechonites  and 
 Genefaret. 
 
 And  the  border  flail  dcfcend,  and  flail  reach  unto  the 
 fide  of  the  Sea  of  tinner eth  Eajirvard.  ]  To  the  Eaft 
 fide  of  this  Sea  or  Lake,  which  had  its  name  from  a 
 City  fo  called,  XIX  Jofl.$).  an<i  a  Country,i  Kings 
 XV.  20.  or  elfe  it  gave  them  their  names :  For  David 
 Chytraus  will  have  it  called  Cinnerethfiom  the  Hebrew 
 word Cinnor,  which  fignifies  an  Harp  or  Lute,  the 
 Lake  being  of  that  Shape  and  figure  5  about  four  Ger~ 
 man  Miles  long,  and  two  and  a  half  broad.  It  is 
 called  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  or  Tiberias,  in  the  CofpeL 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  12.  And  the  border.]  i.  e.  this  Eaftern  Border. 
 Shall  go  down  to  Jordan.']  That  is,  to  the  River 
 which  was  eminently  fo  called,  (and  was  on  the  Eaft 
 part  of  Canaan,  XIII  Gen.  u.)  for  it  was  very  fmall 
 till  it  came  to  the  Lake  of  Genefaret  before-mentioned. 
 From  whence,  being  augmented  by  feveral  Torrents 
 and  Rivulets,  it  ran  in  a  wider  Stream,  till  it  fell  in- 
 to the  Salt  or  Dead-Sea.  See  Bonfrerius  out  of  Jofe- 
 phvS)  Lib.  lV.de  BeUoJudaico0  cap.  1. 
 
 And 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  645 
 
 And  its  goings  out  foall  be  at  the  Salt-Sea.']  There  Chapter 
 was  the  end  of  this  Border  'y  where  it  met  with  the  XXXIV. 
 Southern,  as  was  obferved  above,  v.  3.  L/^V\J 
 
 This  foall  be  your  Land  with  the  Coajls  thereof,  round 
 about. ~\  As  was  faid  before  v. 7.  therefore  they  were 
 not  to  extend  their  Right  any  farther  5  this  being  the 
 Country  he  promifed  Abraham,  when  he  bad  him 
 lift  up  his  Eyes,  and  look  from  the  place  where  he 
 was,  Northward,  and  Southward,  and  Eajlward,  and 
 Wejlward,  and  wall^  through  the  length  of  the  Land  and 
 breadth  of  it,  which  he  allures  to  his  Pofterity,  XIII 
 Gen.  14,  15,  16,  17.  which  now  he  lays  out  for 
 them,  with  the  exaft  Limits  of  it,  in  all  thofe  four 
 quarters. 
 
 Ver.i  %.And  Mofes  commanded  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  Verfe  13%, 
 faying,  Thk  k  the  Land  which  ye  foall  inherit  by  lot. ~] 
 He  repeats  it  fo  often,  that  they  might  know  what 
 People  they  were  to  difpoflefs,  and  with  whom  they 
 might  make  Friend(hip  ^  and  not  extend  their  De- 
 fires  beyond  the  bounds  of  Gods  gracious  Grant  to 
 them.  By  which  they  were  placed  in  a  very  fertile 
 and  pleafant  Country,  bounded,  as  appears  by  the 
 foregoing  defcription,  on  the  South  (^.4,5.)  by  great 
 Mountains,  which  fheltred  them  from  the  burning 
 Air  of  the  Defarts  of  Arabia  5  on  the  Weft  by  the 
 Midland  Sea,  which  fent  to  them  refrefhing  Breezes  5 
 and  on  the  North  by  Mount  Libanus,  which  kept  off. 
 the  colder  Blafts  from  that  quarter  5  and  on  the  Eaft; 
 the  delightful  Plains  of  Jordan ,  abounding  with: 
 Palm-trees,  efpecially  about  Jericho,  which  yielded 
 them  a  great  Revenue. 
 
 Which  the  LORD  commanded  to  give  to  the  nine 
 Tribes,  and  to  the  halfTribe7\  This  he  had  not  faid 
 plainly  before ,  though  it  was  neceflarily  inferred  , 
 
 from 
 
6^6  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  from  his  granting  to  two  Tribes  and  an  half  their  In- 
 
 XXXIV.  her itance  beyond  Jordan. 
 
 tyVNj       Ver    14.   i  or  the  Tribe  of  the  Children  of  Reuben, 
 
 Verfe  \^sccord  ng  to  the  Houfe  oftheit  :  others  ,  and  the  jy.be 
 of  the  Children  of  Gad,  6^c.  have  recefax  '    / 
 UnceJ]     Upon  xmdition  they  performed  the 
 orife    to  help  the  reft  oi  their  Tribes  to  win  thei 
 heritance  in  (  naa#*     So  thofie  words  are  to  be  under- 
 ftoo.i,  \  XXII.  33.   Mofes 
 
 the  K-ingdj 
 
 Verfe  15.      Ver.  15.    1  s  and  an  half  have   recei 
 
 their  Inheritance,  on  thk  fide  Jordan,  Sec. J  By  the 
 Gift  oi-  God.as  cb :  ves  understood  it,XXXII. 
 
 31.     The  bounds  ol     ^hich  the  Hierufalent  . 
 here  undertake,  to  fet  d  and  makes  rhem  extend 
 
 Eaftward,  as  far  ;  IViver  I  ha  ing 
 
 refpe&J  fupp.^e,  to  1  nefis  18.  an        a  III  Exod. 
 
 30.  Where  he  lets  do.  n  fcfae  Sounds  of  the 
 
 Countries  vie  intended  to  beiCv  7  upon  iiern  in  future 
 times ,  (See  there)  but  here  only'dleferibes  the  Limits 
 of  that  Lam.- ,  which  rhej  were  to  enjoy  in  prefent 
 pofieflion  5  and  was  ail  that  God  granted  to  Abra- 
 ham, when  1  brought  him  out  otChaldaafin.'  nade 
 his  firft  Prom'  e  unto  him,  XII  Gen.  i,  7.  XIII.  14, 
 15,17.  XV.  7. 
 
 Verfe  1 6.  Ver.  16.  J  it&e  L  0  R  D  fpake  unto  Mofes .  fay- 
 ing7\  Havin;  \  them  what  they  fhould  divide,  it 
 was  proper  to  point  fome  Perfcns  to  take  care  to 
 fee  the  Divifio      -,ade. 
 
 Verfe  17.  Ver.  17.  7  are  the  names  of  the  Men  which  f/j all 
 divide  the  La  Though  the  Land  was  to  be  di- 
 
 vided by  Lo  t  it  was  fit  there  fhould  be  fome  Pcr- 
 fonsto  over  e  Bufinefs,  and  take  care  there  fhculd 
 be  no  Frau       .  the  drawing  of  them  :  And  when 
 
 they 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  647 
 
 they  were  drawn,  to  prevent  all  quarrels ,  by  deter-   Chapter 
 mining  what  Portion,  thofe   who  had   too   much  3  XXXIV- 
 ftiould  give  to  thofe  who  had   too  little,  XXVI.  L/V%J 
 
 54.55- 
 
 Eleazar  the  Priest,  and  Joflma  the   Son  of  Nun.  ~] 
 
 Thefe  were  the  principal  Perfons  concerned  in  this 
 great  Affair  :  who  were  fo  confcientious  therein,  that 
 they  did  it  in  the  prefence  of  God,at  the  Door  of  the 
 Tabernacle,  XVIII  Jofi.  6,  8,  10.  XIX.  51. 
 
 Ver.  1 8.  And  ye  fljall  take  one  Prince  of  every  Tribe,  Verfe   1 8. 
 to  divide  the  Land  by  Inheritance.-]     They  are  called  in 
 the  place  laft  named,  The  Heads  of  the  Fathers  of  the 
 Tribes  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael. 
 
 Ver.  1 9 .  The  names  of  the  Men  are  thefe,  of  the  Tribe  Verfe  1 9  • 
 of  Judah  fialeb  the  Son  ofJcphunnehT]     I  have  nothing 
 to  obferve  upon  this,  and  the  following  verfes,  to  the 
 end  of  the  Chapter  }  but  that  the  Tribes  are  not* men- 
 tioned in  fuch  order  as  they  were  at  their  firft  num- 
 bring,  (I.  5,  6,  &c.)  or  at  their  fecond,  XXVI. 5, &c. 
 yet  great  exaftnefs  0  and  a   particular  direftion    of 
 God  may  be  noted  in  their  placing  here  ^  tor  they 
 are  fet  down  according  to  their  fituation  which  they 
 had  afterwards  in  the  Land  of  Canaan  .-  as  if  Mofes 
 forefaw  who  (hould  be  next  Neighbours  one  to  ano- 
 ther.    For  Judah  having  his  Inheritance  given  him 
 firft,  (XV  Jojh.)  Simeon,  who  is  here  next  menti- 
 oned, was  fo  near  him  in  the  Land  of  Canaan,  that  he 
 had  a  Portion  given  him  out  of  the  Lot  of  "judah, 
 which  proved  too  large  for  that  Tribe',  XIX  Jojh.  9. 
 I  Judg.  3, 17.  Then  Benjamin,  who  here  follows,  in 
 the  third  place,  wasfo  near  to  Judah,  that  they  ne- 
 v«r  feparated  when  the  ten  Tribes  were  rent  from 
 them.  Dan  was  not  far  from  Judah  5  and  the  Children 
 of  Jofeph  alfo  were  their  Neighbours,    And  the  reft 
 
 of 
 
548  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  of  the  Tribes,  Zcbulun,  Jjfachar,  After,  Naphtali,axz 
 XXXV.  letdown  here,  juft  in  the  order  wherein  their  Lots 
 fell  to  them  in  Canaan,  XIX  JoJIj.io,  17,  24,  32.  An 
 Evidence  that  Mofes  W£S  guided  by  a  Divine  Spirit, 
 in  all  his  Writings. 
 
 CHAP.     XXXV. 
 
 Verfe  1.  Ver.  1.  A  ND  the  LOR  Dftakeunto  Mofes,  toil* 
 ±\  Plains  of  Moab,  by  Jordan  near  Jericho^ 
 faying.~]See  XXII.  1. Hitherto  nothing  hath  been  faid  of 
 the  Levites  ^  but  that  they  fhould  have  no  Lot  in  the 
 Land  of  Canaan.  But  now  God  provides  that  they 
 Ihould  have  Habitations  affigned  them  to  dwell  in, 
 though  they  had  no  Fields,  nor  Olive-yards ,  &c. 
 as  the  reft  of  their  Brethren  had.  They  might  in- 
 deed have  been  able  to  purchafe  Houfes  for  themfel  ves 
 outSof  the  Tithes ',  and  other  things  which  God  had 
 long  ago  beftowed  upon  them  for  their  Portion  1?  but 
 it  was  not  fit  that  God's  Minifters  fliould  be  left  with- 
 out any  certain  dwelling.  And  befides,  God  would 
 have  them  live  comfortably ,  and  not  only  have 
 Houfes,  but  a  little  Ground  about  them,  for  their 
 more  commodious  Subfiftence. 
 
 Varfe  2.  Ver.  2.  Command  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  that  they 
 give  unto  the  Levites  of  the  Inheritance  of  their  pojfejfion.] 
 Out  of  their  (hare  that  (hall  fall  to  them  in  the  Land 
 of  Canaan^  and  on  this  fide  Jordan. 
 
 Cities  to  dwell  in.  ^  That  they  might  not  be  in 
 danger  to  wander  up  and  down  to  feek  an  Habita- 
 tion. 
 
 And 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  649 
 
 And  ye  {hall  give  alfo  to  the  Levites  Suburbs  for  the  Chapter 
 iCitks  round  about  them.~\  Some  Ground  lying  round  XXXV. 
 about  their  Cities,  the  reafon  of  which  is  given  in  L/^V^W 
 the  next  verfe. 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  the  Cities  they  flail  have  to  dwell  in.  ]  Verfe  3* 
 That  they  may  build  Houfes  for  themfelves  to  dwell 
 in.  Which  did  not  make  it  unlawful  for  them  to 
 hire,  or  purchafe  Houfes  in  any  other  City,  particu- 
 larly at  Jerufalem,  or  the  place  where  the  Taberna- 
 cle was  fettled  ^  for  we  find  in  Scripture  many  proofs 
 of  their  dwelling  in  other  Cities ,  befide  thefe  which 
 are  here  aftigned  to  them.  And  in  like  manner,  ci- 
 ther People  with  their  permiilion,  might  dwell  with 
 them  in  thefe  Cities  ,  without  any  breach  of  this 
 Law. 
 
 And  the  Suburbs  {Id all  be  for  their  Cattle. ~]  To  afford 
 Pafture  for  their  Oxen,   and  Sheep. 
 
 And  for  their  Goods^\  The  Hebrew  word  fignifies, 
 not  only  all  kind  of  HoufhoId-ftufF,  but  whatfoever 
 was  neceffary  for  them  and  their  Cattle  without 
 doors. 
 
 And  for  their  Beajls.*]  Horfes,  Aifes,  Mules,  and 
 all  forts  of  living  Creatures  ,  as  the  Hebrew  word 
 fignifies.  But  it  was  not  lawful  for  them  to  build 
 Houles-in  thefe  Fields,  nor  plant  Vineyards,  nor  fow 
 Corn  :  but  they  were  given  them  only  to  make  their 
 Dwellings  more  fweet:,  and  that  they  might  have  the 
 convenience  of  Cattle  about  them,  for  Provisions  and 
 all  other  ufes. 
 
 Ver.  4.  And  the  Suburbs  and  Cities  which  ye  flail  give  Verfe  4, 
 unto  the  Levites  7\     To  be  their  Po(Tefiion,by  as  good 
 and  full  a.  right,  as  their  Brethren  of  the  other  Tribes 
 had  in  their  Lands,which  fell  to  them  for  their  Inheri- 
 tance by  Lot.      See  XXV  Lev.  31,  32,  33.   where 
 
 O  o  o  o  tkey 
 
650  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  they  themfelves  are  difabled   to  alienate,  either  the 
 
 XXXV.  Houfes  or  Fields  of  their  Cities.     But  if  they  fold  a 
 
 l^/'VVj  Houfe,  it  was  to  revert  at  the  Jubilee  5  and  the  Fields 
 
 they  could  not  fo  much  as  fell  till  that  time. 
 
 Shall  reach  from  the  Walls  of  the  City  and  outward,  a 
 thousand  Cubits  round  about."]  This  fpace  was  for  their 
 Out-houfes  5  as  Stables ,  Places  for  Hay  and  Straw  , 
 and  fuch  like  things  $  and  perhaps  for  Gardens  of 
 Herbs  and  Flowers.  The  Gemara  ,  upon  the  Ninth 
 Chapter  of  Sota,  fed.  9.  faith,  That  under  the  fecond 
 Temple,  the  Lcvites  had  no  Suburbs  5  which  were 
 not  reftored  to  them  after  the  Captivity  of  Babylon. 
 But  there  being  great  care  taken  that  the  People  (hall 
 pay  all  the  Tithe  of  their  ground  unto  the  Levites,  X 
 Kehem.  37.  it  is  unreasonable  to  think  that  care  was 
 not  taken  for  places  to  lay  them  in. 
 Verfe  <>  Ver.  5.  And  ye  ft  all  meafure  from  without  the  City.'] 
 It  is  not  faid,  as  in  the  foregoing  verfe,  from  the  wall 
 of  the  City  5  therefore  I  take  it  to  fignifie  from  the 
 outfide  of  the  Suburbs  before  mentioned. 
 
 On  the  E aft  fide  two  thoufand  Cubits,  and  on  the  South 
 fide  two  thoufand  Cubits  ,  Sec.  ~]  So  there  was  in  the 
 whole  three  thoufand  Cubits  round  about  the  City  : 
 a  thoufand  for  the  Suburbs  properly  fo  called  3  and 
 two  thoufand  more  for  their  Pafture,  called  properly 
 the  Fields  of  the  Suburbs,  XXV  Lev.  34.  This  is  the 
 moft  natural  and  eafie  Explication  of  this  place. 
 
 And  the  City  f mil  be  in  the  midft.~]  So  that  there  was 
 exa&ly,  every  way ,  fuch  a  Circuit  of  Ground  about 
 it. 
 
 Thkfljall  be  the  Suburbs  of  the  CitiesT]  Here  the 
 word  Suburbs  comprehends  the  Fields  alfo.  And 
 Maimonides  faith,  that  by  the  Conftitution  of  the  El- 
 ders,they  fet  forth  alfo  a  Burying  place  for  every  City 
 
 beyond 
 
*pM  NUMBERS.  6$i 
 
 beyond  thefe  Limits:  For  they  might  not  bury  their  Chapter 
 Dead  within  the  Suburbs  or  Fields:  which  they  XXXV. 
 ground  upon  the  foregoing  verfe.whkh  appoints  them  L/"WJ 
 for  other  ufes,  Schemita  vejobel,  cap.  13. 
 
 Ver.  6.  And  among  the  Cities  which  ye  full  give  an-  Verfe  6. 
 to  the  Levites ,  there  jljall  be  fix  Cities  for  Refuge.  ~] 
 Three  in  the  Land  of  Canaan,  and  three  on  the  other 
 fide  'Jordan^.  1 4.  The  names  of  which  are  fet  down 
 XX  Jojk.  7, 8.  And  thofe  on  the  other  fide  Jordan 
 were  fet  apart  by  Mofes  himfelf  before  he  died,  IV 
 Dent.  43.  The  reafon  of  their  being  called  Cities  of 
 Refuge,  is  given  in  the  next  words. 
 
 Which  ye  Jfja/I  appoint  for  the  Man-flayer.']  Such  a 
 Man-flayer  as  is  afterward  defcribed  3  who  killed  ano- 
 ther againft  his  will. 
 
 That  he  may  flee  thither. "]  And  there  be  preferved 
 and  kept  in  fafety,  if  he  was  not  found  guilty-  of  wil- 
 ful Murder.  The  Cities  of  the  Levites  were  appoint- 
 ed for  this  purpofe,  rather  than  any  other,  becaufe 
 they  were  a  kind  of  Sacred  Places ,  inhabited  by  Sa- 
 cred Perfons.  And  here  Men  might  fpend  their  time 
 better,  than  in  other  Cities,  being  among  God's  Mi- 
 nifters  5  who  might  make  them  fenfible  of  the  negli- 
 gence which  Men  were  commonly  guilty  of  in  fuch 
 Cafes,  and  of  fuch  Sins  as  they  might  haveotherwife 
 committed. 
 
 And  to  them  ye  flj all  add  forty  two  Cities.  ^  Which 
 had  all  the  fame  Priviledge,  if  we  may  believe  the 
 Hebrew  Do&ors ,  but  not  equally  with  the  Cvk.  For 
 in  the  fix  a  Man-flayer  was  to  have  anHoufe  to  dwell 
 in  for  nothing  ;  but  in  the  other  forty  two,  he  was 
 to  pay  for  it.  And  the  Levites  could  not  refute  him 
 entrance  into  the  fix }  but  as  for  the  reft  ,  it  was  in 
 their  choice  whether  they  would  receive  him  or  no. 
 
 O0002  Thus 
 
6^2  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Thus  Maimonides  out  of  their  ancient  Authors.     See 
 XXXV.  Selden,  Lib.  IV.  dejure  Nat.  &Gent.juxta  Difcipl. 
 
 L/"V"\J  Hebr.  cap.  2.  where  he  obferves  that  the  Altar  alfo 
 was  a  place  of  Refuge,  according  to  XXI  Exod.  14. 
 but  with  many  Exceptions  5  both  with  relation  to 
 the  parts  of  the  Altar,  and  to  the  Perfons  who  fled 
 thither,  and  to  the  quality  of  the  offence,  and  their 
 ftay  there  5  which  very  much  leffened  the  Priviledge 
 of  this  Refuge. 
 
 Verfe  7.  -  Ver.  7.  Ho  all  the  Cities,  which  ye  jh all  give  to  the 
 Lcv'/tes  J])  all  be  forty  eight  Cities  ,  &c.  ]  Accordingly 
 we  read  J  of/ma  gave  them  fo  many  ,  XXI  Jojb.  41-. 
 Thirteen  of  which  the  Priefts  had  5  and  the  reft  the 
 Levites.  And  in  the  days  of  the  Meffiah  (  whom 
 they  vainly  ftill  expeft)  other  Cities  (hall  be  added 
 to  them  (idiith  MaimomdesJ  which  (hall  belong  to 
 the  Levites. 
 
 Yerfe  8.  Ver.  8.  And  the  Cities  which  ye  full give  them,  full 
 he  of  the  pojfejjlon  of  the  Children  of  Jfrael.~]  And  fo 
 it  is  faid  XXI  Joft.  3.  that  the  Children  of  Jfrael gave 
 unto  the  Levites  out  of  their  Inheritance*  thcfe  Cities  and 
 their  Suburbs.  Where  we  read  alfo,  they  were  given 
 them  by  Lot,  as  the  Children  of  Jfrael  had  their  In- 
 heritance given  them. 
 
 From  them  which  have  many  ye  full give  many,  and 
 from  them  that  have  few  ye  flj all  give  few. 7\  According 
 to  the  Rule  in  diftributing  their  Inheritances  to  the 
 Jfraelites,  XXXIII.  54, 
 
 Every  one  full  give  of  hk  Cities  unto  the  Levites,  ac- 
 cording to  the  Inheritance  which  he  full  inherit.*]  Thus 
 they  gave  Nine  Cities  out  of  the  two  Tribes  ofjudah 
 and  Simeon,  XXI  Jojh.16.  and  but  Four  out  of  Ben- 
 jamin,  which  was  a  fmall  Tribe,  v.  18.  out  of  the 
 Tribes  of  ■  Jffachar  and  After  Four  apiece,  «/.  28,  31. 
 
 and 
 
upon    NUMBERS.  653. 
 
 and  out  of  Naphhli  no  more  than  three,  verf.  32.     Chapter 
 
 Ver.  9.  And  the  LORD  Jpake  unto  Mofes, faying.]  XXXV. 
 This  being  a  matter  of  great  importance,  that  guilt-  l/^V"\j 
 lefs  Men  (hould  not  fuffer,  nor  the  guilty  efcape  Pu-  Verfe  9. 
 niihment,  the  LOUD  gives  Mofes  further  direction 
 about  it,   as  he  promifed  he  would  in  XXI  Exod.  1 3. 
 
 Ver.  10.  Speak  unto  the  Children  of  Jfrae I ,  and  fay  Verfe   10. 
 nnto  them.']     Repeat  this  Command  to  them  5  which 
 God  himfelf  repeated  to  Jo/fjua,  XX.  r5  2. 
 
 When  ye  be  come  over  Jordan,  Into  the  Land  of  Ca- 
 naan.*] When  they  had  pofleffion  of  it  and  divided 
 it,  and  were  fettled  in  it :  So  it  is  explained  XIX 
 Dent.  i,2. 
 
 Ver.  11.  Then  pall  ye  appoint  you  Cities  to  be  Cities  Verfe  II* 
 of  Refuge  for  you.]  This  feems  to  fignifie  that  all  the 
 Cities  of. the  Levites  were  in  fome  fort  a  protection 
 to  the  Man- flayer,  as  I  faid  upon  v.  6.  Such  "places 
 the  Temples  were  among  the  Athenians,  as  Sam.  Peti- 
 tm  obferves  in  Leges  Atticas  ,  p.  12,  13.  yet  not  all 
 of  them  j  for  he  can  find  only  fix  :  that  of  Mercy  , 
 and  that  of  the  Eumenides  and  Minerva ,  and  thofe 
 dedicated  to  Thefeus  (one  of  them  within  the  City  , 
 the  other  without  the  Walls  )  and  that  in  Muny- 
 chia. 
 
 That  the  Man-flayer  may  flee  thither,  which  kjlkth  any 
 perfon  at  unawares.]  Or  as  it  is  XX  Jofh.%. unwittingly, 
 XIX  Deut.^Jgnorantly :  that  is,befides  his  intention,ha- 
 ving  no  fuch  defign,  nor  hatred  to  him,  as  is  there  ex- 
 prelly  faid, and  herebelow,^.2  2.  This  is  repeated  v.i  5. 
 And  the  Inftances  of  it  are  fuch  as  thefe,  mentioned  by 
 Georg.  Ritterhujius  de  Jure  Afylorum,  cap.  4.  If  a  Man 
 cutting  Wood,  the  Hatchet  flying  from  the  Helve, 
 {hould  hit  a  Man  and  kill  him  :  or  aHuntfman  (hoot- 
 ing at  a  Deer  in  a  Thicket  (hould  kill  a  Man,  whom 
 
 he 
 
c^4  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Cha'Dter  he  did  not  fee  1)  ing  there  :  An  Example  of  which 
 XXXV.  we  have  mAdrajlus,  QaentiQned  by  Herodotus,  Lib.  I. 
 «^/*V"NJ  Ver.  12.  And  :!:-\v full  be  unto  you  Cities  for  Refuge 
 Verfe  1 2  .from  the  Avenger. ~]  From  him  who  had  a  right  to 
 call  a  Murderer  to  account  for  the  Blood  he  had  (hed, 
 and  is  therefore  called  the  Avenger  of  Blood ,  v.  19. 
 who  being  ftimulated  with  Anger  and  Grief  for  the 
 Death  of  a  near  Relation,  might  in  a  heat  of  Rage, 
 haftily  kill  him  who  was  not  guilty  of  Murder.  And 
 therefore  this  provifion  is  made,  for  the  prefervation 
 of  an  innocent  Perfon,  againft  the  violent  Profecu- 
 tion  of  the  Avenger.  In  the  Hebrew  the  word  for 
 Avenger  is  Goel,  which  fignifying  a  Redeemer,  plain- 
 ly denotes  that  the  next  of  Kin  to  him  that  was  (lain, 
 is  here  meant.  For  to  that  Perfon  belonged  the  right 
 of  Redemption  of  Eftates,XXV  Lev.  25.  and  of  mar- 
 rying the  Wife  of  a  Kinfman  deceafed  without  Iflue, 
 III  Ruth  12, 13.  And  confequently  fuch  a  Perfon, 
 that  is,  the  neareft  of  Kin,  is  here  intended  to  be  the 
 Revenger  of  Blood  :  And  therefore  no  Man  might 
 undertake  this  Office,  but  he  alonf  who  was  the  next 
 Heir  to  him  that  was  flain  5  as  Mr.  Selden  obferves, 
 Lib.  IV.  de  Jure  Nat.  &  Gent.  cap.  1.  p.  469.  Gro- 
 tins  obferves  the  like  Cuftom  among  the  ancient  Greeks, 
 of  private  Men  taking  Revenge  for  the  Death  of  their 
 Relations  or  Friends,  Lib.  II.  de  Jure  Belli  &Racfc, 
 cap.  20.  feci.  8.  n.  6. 
 
 That  the  Man-flayer  die  not.']  By  a  fudden  heat  of 
 Paffion.  This  was  a  merciful  provifion  (as  Maimo- 
 nides  obferves)  both  for  the  Man-llayer ,  that  he 
 might  be  preferved  5  and  for  the  Avenger,  that  his 
 Blood  might  be  cool'd,  by  the  removal  of  the  Man- 
 ilayer  out  of  his  fight,  by  his  flight  to  another  place, 
 More  Nevochtet,  P.  III.  cap.  40, 
 
 Vntil 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  6^ 
 
 Until  he  fland  before  the  Congregation.']  The  City  Chapter 
 of  Refuge  protected  him  that  fled  thither,  Salvo  ta-  XXXV. 
 men  juris  &  juftiti£  examine,  (as  the  Lawyers  fpeak)  ^  Vv^ 
 yet  fo  that  the  Matter  fbould  be  brought  to  a  fair 
 Trial  before  proper  Judges.  They  of  the  City  of 
 Refuge  examined  him,  before  his  admittance  into  the 
 place,  WjoJJ).^.  But  they  were  not  Judges,  nor 
 could  they  examine  Witnefles.  And  therefore  he  was 
 delivered,  upon  demand,  to  the  Senate  or  Court  of 
 Judgment,  of  that  City  where  the  Fa&  was  commit- 
 ted,  that  they  might  try  whether  he  were  guilty  or 
 no  of  wilful  Murder.  So  the  Hebrews  underftand 
 the  word  Edah,  Congregation.^  in  this  place  (as  in  ma- 
 ny others  )  to  fignifie  the  Sanhedrim  of  XXIII.  as 
 Mr.  Selden  obferves,  Lib.  II.  de  Synedr.cap.$.n.2.znd 
 Lib.  HI.  cap.  8.  n.%.  And  as  by  Congregation  is  meant 
 the  Court  where  Caufes  were  tried  5  fo  it  is  reasonable 
 to  interpret  it  of  that  Court,  which  fat  in  the  City 
 where  the  Fa&  was  committed,  and  not  that  in  the 
 City  of  Refuge  5  becaufe  there  the  Witnefles  were  5 
 and  it  is  expreily  faid,  v.  25.  that  if  the  Congrega- 
 tion found  him  to  be  innocent,  he  (hould  be  restored 
 to  the  City  of  Refuge.  Which  evidently  fuppofes  he 
 was  not  judged  there ,  but  in  another  place  3  and 
 none  fo  proper,  as  that  before  mentioned. 
 
 Ver.  13.  And  of  thefe  Cities  which  ye  Jl) all  give  ,  fix  Verie  Ig 
 Cities  ye  full  have  for  refuge.]  They  might  flee  unto 
 any  other  Cities  of  the  Levites  5  but  in  thefe  fix  they 
 were  moft  certain  to  find  Prote&ion.  See  v.6.  And 
 the  be  ft  provifion  was  made  for  the  Man-flayers  eafie 
 and  fa fe  flying  thither  :  For  the  ways  that  led  thither 
 were  to  be  made  very  plain  and  broad,  ( thirty  two 
 Cubits  wide)  and  to  be  kept  in  good  repair  5  for  which 
 they  al  ledge  (in  the  Title  Maccoth,   cap.  2.  fell.  5.) 
 
 thofe 
 
6$6  A     COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  thofe  words  XIX  Dent.  3.  Thou  /halt  prepare  the&ay0 
 XXXV.  &c.  And  two  Students  in  the  Law  were  to  accom- 
 o^-V^  pany  him  5  that  if  the  Avenger  of  Blood  (V.ould  over- 
 take him,  before  he  got  into  the  City,  they  might 
 indeavour  to  pacifiehim  by  wife  perfwafions.  And 
 that  he  might  not  mifs  his  way  to  the  place  whether 
 he  intended  to  flee,  there  were  Pofts  erected,  where 
 two  or  three  ways  met,with  this  Infcription  MIRLAT, 
 he.  the  City  of  Refuge,  to  dired  him  into  that  Rode 
 which  led  to  it.  A  certain  day  alfo  was  appointed, 
 which  was  the  fifteenth  of  February,  for  the  repairing 
 of  the  High- ways,  and  of  the  Bridges ,  which  might 
 have  been  broken  by  the  Winter  Rains  and  Floods. 
 
 'Verfe  14.  Ver.  14.  And  ye  flail  give  three  Cities  on  this  fide 
 Jordan,  and  three  Cities  in  the  hand  of  Canaan.']  This 
 feems  not  to  be  an  equal  Partition  5  the  Land  of  Ca- 
 naanbzmg  far  bigger  than  the  Territory  beyond  Jor- 
 dan :  for  it  contained  above  three  parts  of  four  of 
 the  Tribes  of  Ifrael.  But  it  is  to  be-confidered,  that 
 the  Country  beyond  Jordan  was  as  long  as  the  Land 
 of  Canaan,  though  not  fo  broad  :  and  that  they  alfo 
 beyond  Jordan  might  flee  to  any  of  the  Cities  in  Ca- 
 nMn%  if  they  were  nearer  to  them.  And  befides,  God 
 commanded  thofe  -  in  Canaan,  if  he  enlarged  their 
 Coaft,  to  add  three  Cities  more,  befides  thefe,  XIX 
 Dent.  8,  9. 
 
 Why  fix  Cities  are  appointed  for  thispurpofe,  and 
 no  more  ^  and  why  three  on  one  fide  of  Jordan,and 
 three  on  the  other,  Philo  alledges  fome  myftical  Rea- 
 fons  5  but  fo  far  fetcht,that  I  do  not  think  fit  to  men- 
 tion them. 
 
 Verfe  1 5.  Ver.  15.  Thefe  fix  Cities  flail  be  a  Refuge.']  They  all 
 began  to  be  fo  at  the  fame  time,  according  to  the-7^/- 
 mudifis.     For  till  thofe  three  in  Canaan  were  let  out, 
 
 thefe 
 
upon    NUMBERS,  6^7 
 
 thefe  three  on  the  other  fide  Jordan  (though  kt  out  Chapter 
 by  Mofes  before  they  went  into  Canaan,  IV  Dent.  43.)  XXXV, 
 did  not  receive  any  Man-flayer.     Which  they  prove  l/*V\j 
 (in  the  forenamed  Title  Maccoth,  cap. 1.  feet.  4.)  from 
 thefe  very  words,  thcfc  fix  jfiall  be  cities  of  Refuge  $ 
 that  is,  when  the  other  three  were  appointed,  then 
 they  all  received  thofe  that  fled  to  them. 
 
 Both  for  the  Children  of  Ifrael  and  for  the  Stranger, 
 and  for  the  Sojourner  among  them.  ]  Both  Strangers 
 and  Sojourners  had  renounced  Idolatry  5  but  had  not 
 equally  embraced  the  Jewifh  Religion  :  yet  both  of 
 them  had  the  fame  (hare  in  this  Benefit,  with  the  na- 
 tive Jfraelites  5  it  being  a  natural  right,  that  every 
 Man  who  was  innocent  (hould  be  prote&ed.  The 
 difference  between  a  Stranger  and  a  Sojourner  hath  been  m 
 often  obferved,  particularly  upon  XIX  Lev.  33,  34. 
 XV  Numb.  15,  16. 
 
 That  every  one  that  Iqlleth  any  perfon  unawares  may 
 flee  thither."]  That  is,  every  one  before-mentioned , 
 whether  Jfraelites,  Strangers ,  or  Sojourners.  But  as 
 for  fuch  as  were  mere  Gentiles  ,  and  not  fo  much  as 
 Profelytes  of  the  Gate,  if  they  killed  another,though 
 a  Gentile,  they  had  not  the  benefit  of  this  Law  5  be- 
 caufe  they  were  not  fuffered  to  dwell  among  them , 
 though  they  traffickt  in  the  Country.  And  if  a  Pro- 
 felyte  of  the  Gate  killed  an  Ifraelite,  or  one  that  was 
 Circumcifed,  he  alfo,  if  we  may  believe  the  Jewifh 
 Doftors,  was  denied  proteftion  in  thefe  Cities.  But 
 if  he  killed  one  like  himfelf,  (J.  e.  a  Proielite  of  the 
 Gate)  then  he  had  the  fame  Priviledge  with  ihtlfrae- 
 lites,  as  they  explain  it.  SeeSelden,  Lib.  IV.  de  Ju- 
 re Nat.  &  Gent.  cap.  2.  p.  477. 
 
 Ver.  16.     And  if  he  fmiie  him7\     Or  rather,  butif\jtx[t  x$9 
 hefmite  him. 
 
 P  p  p  p  With 
 
6fi  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        With  an  Injirument  of  Iron,  fo  that  he  die  ,  he  is   a 
 XXXV.  wardcrcr."]     For  it  was  to  be  prefumed,  that  he  who 
 I  /*V"VI  OKI  at  a  Man  with  a  Sword,  or  any  fuch  Weapon,  in- 
 tended to  do  him   a  Mifchief  5  though  perhaps  he 
 had  no  Malice  to  him  before-hand  5  but  did  it  in  a 
 paffion. 
 
 So  that  he  die.~]     He  never  going  abroad  after  he 
 was  wounded,  XXI  Exod.  19,  20. 
 
 The  Murderer  JJjaUfurely  be  pit  to  death.  ~]     Be  taken 
 away  by  the  Judges,  though  he  were  in  a  City  of 
 Refuge  5  and  the  Faft  being  proved,  condemned  to 
 die  for  it. 
 Verfe  17.      Ver.  17.  And  if  he  fmite  him  with  throwing  a  (lone.'] 
 In  the  Hebrew  it  is,  with  a  ft  one  of  the  hand.     That  is, 
 %     fay  the  Jews,  with  a  great  Stone  that  fills  the  hand  ; 
 not  with  a  frnall  Stone,  with  which  he  could  not  be 
 prefumed  to  intend  to  kill  him  5  though  he  chanced 
 to  do  it,  by  hitting  him  in  the  Eye,  or  fome  other  ve- 
 ry tender  part. 
 
 Wherewith  he  may  die^    With  a  Stone  big  enough 
 to  kill  him. 
 
 And  he  die."]     So  that  it  appears  he  died  of  that 
 blow. 
 
 He  is  a  Murderer  5  the  Murderer  fo  all  fur  ely  be  put  to 
 death.]  He  is  as  guilty,  as  the  forenamed  Perfon, 
 who  fmote  with  an  Inftrument  of  Iron :  and  his  flee- 
 ing to  the  City  of  Refuge  (hall  not  proteft  him  from 
 Death. 
 Verfe  18.  Ver.  18.  If  he  fmite  him  with  an  hand  weapon  of 
 wood."]  Such  as  a  Battoon  (  as  we  now  fpeak  )  or  a 
 Club,  or  any  fuch  kind  of  Inftrument ,  as  is  likely 
 to  kill  him. 
 
 When- 
 
^NUMBERS.  659 
 
 Wherewith  he  may  die,  &ZC.~\     It  made  no  difference  Chapter 
 with  what  kind  of  Weapon  or  Inftrument  he  was  kil~  XXXV. 
 led,  whether  it  were  of  Iron,  Wood,  or  Stone  5  if  i/y\/ 
 he  were  killed  wittingly  and  knowingly,  it  was  Mur- 
 der ^  and  the  guilty  Perfon  was  to  fuffer  for  it.  Aul. 
 Gellius  hath  colle&ed  the  Names  of  the  feveral  Wea- 
 pons, which  are  mentioned  in  ancient  Hiftory  5  of 
 which  there  are  near  thirty,  Lib.  X.  Noll.  Attic,  c.  2  5. 
 one  of  which,  called  Lingula,  he  is  pleafed   to  ex- 
 plain, being  then  not  common,  and    faith  it  was  a 
 little  Sword,  in  the  form  of  a  Tongue,  like  our  Poni- 
 ard, I  fuppofe,  or  Dagger,  or  long  Knife  :   which 
 was  a  dangerous  Weapon,  becaufe  Men  might  hide  it 
 under  their  Clothes,  and  kill  others  while  they  were 
 in  familiar  difcourie  with  them. 
 
 Ver.  19.  The  avenger  of  blood  himfelf.]     See  z/.  12.   Verfe  1^ 
 
 Shall flay  the  Murderer.']  This  is  thought -by  many 
 to  be  a  mere  permiffion,  not  a  Precept.  But  the  Jews 
 think  otherwife  5  that  the  next  of  Kin  (i.  e.  the  Heir 
 of  him  that  was  llain)  ftood  bound  to  do  his  indea- 
 vour  to  avenge  his  Blood.  If  he  would  not,  (  faith 
 Maimonides)  or  if  he  was  not  able  5  or  if  no  fuch 
 Avenger  was  to  be  found,  (J.  e.  the  Murderer  himfelf 
 was  the  next  Heir,  or  the  Man  llain  was  a  Profelyte 
 of  Juffice  without  IfTue)  he  was  to  be  profecuted,and 
 put  to  Death  by  the  Court  of  Judgment,  and  that  by 
 the  Sword.  See  Selden,  Lib.  W.de  Jure  Nat.&  Gent. 
 cap.  1. 
 
 When  he  meetetb  him  he  fa  all  flay  him.']  He  was  not 
 bound  to  ftay  for  the  Sentence  of  the  Court,  but 
 might  kill  him  wherefoever  he  fonnd  him.  See 
 ■v,  31. 
 
 Ver. 
 ■P-P'P'p  2 
 
660  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Ver.  20.  But  if  he  thrust  him  of  hatred,  &c.]]  Or  ra- 
 XXXV.  ther,  for  if  he  thrull  him,  Sec.  That  is,  if  by  any  other 
 IV"WJ  means,  befides  thofe  mentioned  %\  16,1 7,1 8. he  kilfd 
 Verfe  20.  a  Man  wittingly  $  either  by  pufhing  him  down  vio- 
 lently from  an  high  or  deep  place  3  or  throwing  him 
 into  the  Water  5  or  hurling  a  Stone  at  him  3  or  let- 
 ting any  thing  fall  down  upon  his  Head,  though  ne- 
 ver fo  Oily  3  if  Death  followed  ,  and  it  appeared  he 
 bare  a  hatred  to  him,  he  was  to  fuffer  Death,  as  in 
 the  former  Cafes.  See  XIX  Dent.  1 1 .  Now  this  was 
 a  fufficient  proof  of  hatred  to  him  3  if  being  a  Neigh- 
 bour, and  they  having  fome  difference,  he  had  not 
 fpoken  to  him  for  three  whole  days  together. 
 Verfe  21.  Ver.21.  Or  in  enmity  fmote  him  with  his  hand  that 
 he  die,  he  that  f mote  him  fhall  furely  he  put  to  death,  1[ 
 If  he  gave  him  only  a  blow  with  his  fift  ,  of  which 
 he  died,  and  it  was  proved  he  had  Enmity  to  him, 
 it  was  fufficient  to  make  him  a  Murderer  5  and  it  war^ 
 ranted  the  Avenger  of  Blood  to  kill  him  ,  or  obliged 
 him  to  profecute  him,  fo  that  the  City  of  Refuge 
 fhould  not  fave  him. 
 
 The  revenger  of  blood  fhall  flay  the  murderer  when  he 
 meeteth  him!)  The  Civil  Law  declared  him  to  be 
 unworthy  to  enjoy  the  Inheritance  of  one  that  was 
 murdered,  if  he  negle&ed  to  profecute  the  Perfon  that 
 killed  him  in  fome  Court  of  Juftice.  But  the  JewiQi 
 Law  allowed,  or  rather  required  a  great  deal  more  5 
 that  the  next  of  Kin  fhould  kill  the  Murderer  with 
 his  own  hands,  if  he  met  him.  And  thus  the  Abyf- 
 fines  at  this  day  (as  Ritterhufius  obferves  out  of  Alva- 
 rez)  deliver  the  Murderer  into  the  hand  of  the  next 
 Kinfman  to  torture  him.  The  reafon  of  which  Lav/ 
 among  the  Jeivs  was  (as  the  fame  Ritterhufius  obferves 
 dejure  Afylornm^  cap.  4.)  becaufe  they  being  all  de- 
 fended 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  46i 
 
 fcended  from  one  and  the  fame  Stock,and  equally  par-  Chapter 
 taking  of  the  fame  right,  they  were  all  concerned  in  XXXV. 
 the  fhedding  of  the  B!ood  of  any  one  of  them,  efpe-  L/-VNJ 
 daily  they  who  were  neareft  to  him  in  Blood  ,  who 
 feemed  to  be  all  ftruck  at ,  and  injured  in  him.     So 
 that  the  Law  with  great  reafon  allowed  them  to  a- 
 venge  the  Blood  of  him  that  was  (lain.     With  which 
 thefe  Verfes  of  Ovid,  he  thinks,  agrees. 
 
 Cum  tibi  fint  fiatres,  fiatres  ulcifcere  Ufos 
 Cumque  pater  tibi  fit ,  jura  tuere  fatris. 
 
 Ver.2  2.B/tf  if  he  thruli  him  fuddenly  without  enmity."]  Verfe  22* 
 Killed  him  (after  the  manner  fore-mentioned,  v.  20. ) 
 in  a  violent  Paffion,  having  no  fuch  Intention,  and 
 being  perhaps  highly  provoked  by  him  5  or  by  chance, 
 as  we  fpeak,  and  unawares,  it  being  proved  that  there 
 was  no  Enmity  between  them,  no  figns  of  hatred  be- 
 fore this  Fa  ft. 
 
 Or  calf  upon  him  any  thing  without  laying  in  wait.  ] 
 Happen  to  hit  him  with  any  thing,  without  defign  to 
 hurt  him.  ,  See  XXI  Exod.  13.  XIX  Dent.  5. 
 
 Ver.  2  3 .  Or  with  any  Stone  wherewith  he  may  die.  ]  Verfe  2  .3.) 
 Sqzv.  17. 
 
 Seeing  him  not,  and  cajling  it  upon  him,  that  he  die."] 
 Throwing  it  at  fomething  elfe,  or  playing  with  it  3 
 and  having  no  thought  of  him  ,  becaufe  he  did  not 
 fee  him. 
 
 And  was  not  his  enemy,  neither  fought  his  harm.  ] 
 Not  having  any  quarrel  with  him,  nor  threatning 
 him,  or  any  other  way  difcovering  that  he  fought  to 
 do  him  mifchief. 
 
 Ver. 
 
667  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter       Ver.24.  Then  the  Congregation."]     That  is,  the  Judg- 
 
 XX  KV.  es  to  whom  the  Trial  of  fuch  Caufes  belonged.     See 
 
 L^V^sJ  v.  \i.  Where  I  obferved  that  the  Elders  of  the  Gty 
 
 Verfe  24.  of  Refuge  judged  whether  the  Man-flayer,  who  fled 
 
 thither,  (liould  be  received  or  not,  upon  a  fummary 
 
 hearing  of  the  Caufe,  and  fuch  Examination  as  they 
 
 could  make  at  prefent.     But  the  full  Examination  of 
 
 it  was  referved  to  the  Judges  of  the  place  where  the 
 
 •Fad  was  committed. 
 
 Shall  judge  between  the  flayer  and  the  avenger  of  blood.] 
 They  fent  for  him  out  of  the  Cicy  of  Refuge,  to  be 
 brought  before  them  ^  who  heard  what  could  be  al- 
 ledged  again  ft  him,  and  what  he  could  fay  for  him- 
 felf. 
 
 According  to  thefe judgments.]  Upon  Trial  they 
 proceeded  to  give  Judgment,  according  to  the  fore- 
 going Rules :  which  in  brief  are  thefe.  If  a  Man 
 had  no  intention  to  kill  another ,  but  it  was  purely 
 involuntary,  he  was  to  be  a  quitted.  If  there  ap- 
 peared any  deiign  upon  his  Life,  or  fuch  hatred  and 
 enmity,  as  might  move  them  to  conclude  he  had  an 
 intention  to  kill  him,  he  was  to  be  put  to  death.  But 
 here  the  Hebrew  Doftors  (as  Mr.  Selden  obferves)  di- 
 ftinguiih  the  killing  pf  a  Man  into  three  kinds.  The 
 fid}  was,  when,  though  it  was  from  pure  Ignorance 
 and  Error,  yet  there  was  fome  Negligence  in  it,which 
 a  prudent  Man  might  have  avoided.  The  fecond, 
 when  a  Man  kills  another  ignorantly  ,  and  cannot  be 
 blamed  for  any  negligence,  becaufe  fuch  a  thing  fel- 
 dom  happens.  An  Example  of  the// U  they  make 
 to  be,  when  a  Man  coming  down  a  Ladder  falls  upon 
 another,  and  kills  him.  An  Example  of  the  fecond, 
 when  going  up  a  Ladder,  a  Man  happens  to  do  the 
 fame.    The  former  is  more  frequent,  and  therefore 
 
 they 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  66$ 
 
 they  fay,  hath   fome  kind  of  blame  in  it  3  the  other   Chapter 
 feldomer,  and  therefore  hath  none.     A  third  kind ,    XXXV. 
 when  any  Man  kills  another  out  of  ignorance  and  l^V\J 
 error  alfo  ,  but  it  approaches  nearer  to  voluntary 
 Murder.     As  when  a  Man,intending  to  kill  one  Man, 
 happens  to  kill  another,   with  a  Stone  or  other  wife. 
 In  none  of  thefe  cafes,  they  fay,  the  Court  of  Judg- 
 ment could  put  any  Man  to  Death.     And  the  Cities 
 of  Refuge  were  not  provided  for  the  fecond  or  third 
 fort,  but  only  for  the  firft  5  and  that  when  the  Man 
 died  prefently,  and  did  not  lye  and  languifh  of  the 
 Wound :  for  if  he  did,  it  might  be  fuppofed  he  died 
 by  his  own  negligence,  or  other  ways,  as  well  as  by 
 the  Wound.     In  which  cafe  there  was  no  need,  that 
 the  Man  who  wounded  him,  fhould  flee  to  the  City 
 of  Refuge  5  nor  could  the  Avenger  of  Blood -meddle 
 with  him :  No  more  than  he  could  with  a  Father, 
 when  he  gave  his  Son,  or  a  Matter,  when  he  gave  his 
 Scholar  Corre&ion,  and  hapned  to  kill  him.     The 
 fame  was  the  cafe  of  him  ,  whofe  Office  it  was  to 
 Arreft  Men,  by  Publick  Authority,  and  bring  them 
 before  the  Judges,  if  he  ftruck  a  Man  that  refufed  to 
 go  along  with  him,  and    killed  him.     See   Selden^ 
 Lib.  IV.  de  Jure  Nat.  &  Gent,  juxta  Difciplin.  Hebr. 
 cap.  2. 
 
 Ver.  25.   And  the  Congregation  Jloall  deliver  the  flay 'erVerfe  25 
 out  of  the  hands  of  the  avenger  of  blood.~]     If  the  Court 
 found  the  Man  was  killed  cafually,  as  thePerfon  ao 
 cufed  pretended,  (XXjojh.  4.)  then  they  charged  the 
 Avenger  of  Blood  not  to  profecute  any  further. 
 
 Both  here,  and  in  the  foregoing  verfe,  and  in  the 
 next  words  to  thefe ,  by  Congregation,  is  meant  the 
 Judges  of  the  City,  (as  I  obferved  2/.  12.)  who  were 
 to  determine,  in  the  prefence,  and  in  the  behalf  of 
 
 the 
 
66^  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  the  People,  whether  the  Manflayer  was  capable  of  the 
 XXXV.  Priviledge  of  the  City  of  Refuge,  or  not :,  as  we  read 
 XX  Jojh.  4, 6.  Now  thefe  things  (  as  a  very  Learn- 
 ed Perfon  of  our  own  argues)  which  were  done  by 
 the  Elders  (pv  Judges)  being  faid  to  be  done  by  the 
 Congregation  or  Aflembly  of  the  People,  in  whofe 
 behalf  they  were  done^  it  is  no  wrong  to  the  Holy 
 Scriptures,  when  we  fay,  that  which  they  report  to 
 have  been  done  by  the  Church,  was  afted  by  the  chief 
 Power  of  the  Apoftles  and  Elders,  with  the  confent 
 of  the  People.  For  it  is  manifeft:  in  the  New  Tefta- 
 ment,  that  in  the  Apoftlcs  time  all  the  Publick  Ads 
 of  the  Church  were  paffed  at  the  Publick  Affemblies 
 of  the  fame.  As  Ordinations,  I  Atis  23.  V.  36.  Ex- 
 communications,  XVIII  Matth.  18,  19,  20.  1  Corinth. 
 V.  4.  2  Cor.  II.  to.  Councils  ,  XV  Atis  4,  22.  other 
 A&s  ,  2  Corinth.  WW.  19.  And  herewith  agrees  the 
 Primitive  Cuftom  of  the  Ghurch  for  divers  Ages  3 
 whereby  they  gave  Satisfa&ion  to  the  People  of  the 
 Integrity  of  their  Proceedings ,  and  by  the  fame 
 means  obliged  Superiours  to  that  Integrity,  by  making 
 the  Proceedings  fo  manifeft,  and  fo  to  preferve  the 
 Unity  of  the  Church.  And  from  this  Intereft  of  the 
 People  in  fuch  Ads  it  is  at  this  day  ,  that  the  People 
 of  the  Church  of  England  are  demanded,  what  they 
 have  to  fay  again  ft  Ordinations  and  Marriages  to  be 
 made.  See  Mr.  Thorndike  in  his  Rights  of  the  Church 
 in  a  Chriftian  State,  Chap.  3.  p.  159,8a:. 
 
 And  the  Congregation  flmll  rejiore  him  to  the  City  of  his 
 Refuge, -whether  he  vr as  fled. jThey  were  to  fend  him  back 
 again,  from  the  place  where  he  was  tried,  to  the  City 
 where  he  had  taken  Refuge ,  there  to  remain  till  the 
 time  prefcribed  in  the  next  words.  This  was  more 
 merciful  than  the  punifhment  infli&ed  by  the  Attick 
 
 Laws 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  66^ 
 
 Laws  (which  plainly  (how  they  were  borrowed  in    Chapter 
 great  part  from  Mofes)  for  he  who  (lew  a  Man  invo-    XXXV. 
 luntarily,  was   forced  to  fly  his  Country.     So  the  l/"VSJ 
 ScoliaU  upon  the  laft  of  Homer  s  Il/adf^E$&  bZ  7ru- 
 &z  to?;  7m\dUjzT^   rev  d)ib<nov  tpovov  Ipyz-jvljUL&cv,  $JJ,yuv  dx, 
 th$  7ml£J.fr@k>,fkc,  It  was  the  manner  in  ancient  times, 
 for  a  Man  that  had  killed  another  involuntarily,  to 
 flee  his  Country  5  and  betaking  himfelf  to  feme  neigh- 
 bouring place,  to  fit  with  his  Face  covered,  begging 
 to  be  expiated.     But  this  was  only  for  a  certain  time, 
 as  Demofthcnes  tells  us  (in  his  Oration  mAriftocratem) 
 
 fjckvoi<;  Xpovoii,  d-mX^v  mxVjuo  o$tv,  iy  $Juyuvt  ScC.  The 
 Law  requires  him  that  is  condemned  of  killing  a  Man 
 involuntarily,  for  fome  limited  time  to  go  away, and  \ 
 keep  at  an  appointed  diftance  ,  till  he  can  make  his 
 peace  with  the  Kindred  of  him  that  was  (lain:  after 
 which  he  may  return  again,  &c. 
 
 And  he  fiall  abide  in  it."]  Not  ftir  out  of  the  Li- 
 mits of  the  City  5  that  is,  beyond  the  Suburbs,  and 
 the  two  thoufand  Cubits  which  incompafled  them, 
 (^.4,  5.)  within  which  Bounds  he  was  to  keep. 
 
 Unto  the  death  of  the  High-Priefi \which  was  anointed 
 with  ojrl.~]Th\s  looks  like  a  Punifhment  to  theMan-llay- 
 er^ whereby  others  were  taught  to  be  very  watchful  o- 
 ver  themfelvcs,left  by  negligence  they  chanced  tolull 
 any  body,  and  fo  be  forced  to  leave  their  own  home. 
 c  But  Maimonides  takes  it  for  a  prudent  Charity  to  the 
 c  Man-flayer,and  to  theRelations  of  him  that  was  (lain, 
 c  For  by  this  means  the  Man-flayer  was  kept  out  of  the 
 c  fight  of  the  Avenger  of  Bloody  who  might  have  been 
 c  tempted  fome  time  or  other  to  fall  upon  him*  if  he 
 c  had  come  in  his  way  :  but  by  long  abfence,  his  An- 
 c  ger  might  be  mitigated  5  at  leafl:  by  the  Death  of  the 
 *  High-Prieft,  the  moft  excellent  of  all  other  Perfons, 
 
 Q_qqq  c  and 
 
666  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  c  an^  nioft  dear  to  every  cne  in  the  Nation.  Which 
 XXXV.  c  made  the  Publick  Grief  fo  great  when  he  died,  that 
 i^\r\j  c  Men  forgot  their  private  Refentments:  For  nothing 
 c  could  fall  out  more  grievous  to  all  People,  (  faith 
 c  he)  then  the  Death  of  the  High-Prieft,  which  fwal- 
 c  lowed  up  all  other  Grief,  More  Nevoch.  P.  III.r.40. 
 And  in  the  mean  time  the  Jem  fay ,  that  the  Citi- 
 zens of  the  place,  were  bound  to  teach  him  fome 
 Trade,  whereby  he  might  provide  himfelf  with  Ne- 
 ceflaries :  And  he  had  this  comfort  alfo,  during  his 
 abfence  from  his  own  Family,  that  the  Mother  of  the 
 High-Prieft  fent  him  many  Gifts,  that  he  might  re- 
 main there  more  contentedly,  and  not  pray  for  the 
 Death  of  the  High-Prieft.  So  they  tell  us  in  the  place 
 fore  mentioned,  Maccoth  cap.  2.  fe&.  6.  Where  they 
 alfo  obferve,  that  if  a  Man  killed  the  High-Prieft,  or 
 the  High-Prieft  himfelf  hapned  to  kill  a  Man  invo- 
 luntarily, they  were  to  ftay  in  the  City  of  Refuge  as 
 long  as  they  lived  :  yet  they  found  this  temperament, 
 that  if  one  who  had  been  High-Prieft,  but  removed 
 from  his  Office,  was  alive  when  the  (laughter  was 
 committed  5  after  his  death,  both  he  that  killed  the 
 High-Prieft  or  any  other  unawares,  and  the  High- 
 Prieft  himfelf,  who  had  done  the  fame,  were  fet  free 
 from  the  City  of  Refuge.  See  Sdden,  Lib.  II.  de  Sy- 
 nedr.  cap.  y.fecf.  6.  and  Lib.  III.  cap.  8.  fed.  3. 
 
 There  may  feem  to  be  fome  inequality  in  this  Law, 
 becaufe  as  fome  High-Priefts  lived  long ,  and  others 
 but  a  (hort  time,  fo  fome  Man-flayers  fled  to  the  City 
 at  the  beginning  of  their  Priefthood5,  and  others  juft 
 before  their  death.  But  it  muft  be  confidered  that 
 this  could  not  be  better  ordered,  than  to  make  the 
 Man-flay?r's  Liberty  depend  upon  the  death  of  the 
 High-Prieft,  whensoever  it  fell  out  3  that  ^an  higher 
 
 value 
 
^NUMBERS,  667 
 
 value  might  be  fet  upon  him^and  that  it  might  repre-  Chapter 
 fent  our  Deliverance  only  by  the  Death  of  the  Son  of  XXXV. 
 God  5  of  which  many  great  Men  look  upon  this  as  a  C/~y~\J 
 Type  or  Shadow  :  though,itmuft  be  confeffed, there  is 
 not  the  leaft  fignificationofthisin  theN.  Tettament. 
 And  fince  the  great  Expiation,  which  the  High-Prieft: 
 made  every  year  on  the  Day  of  Atonement,  did  not 
 procure  fuch  Men  their  Liberty,  I  cannot  look  upon 
 it  as  the  efteft  of  the  High-Prieft's  Death,  but  only  as 
 that  which  followed  upon  it,  by  vertiie  of  this  Law. 
 For  the  High-Prieft  having  a  great  power  every  where, 
 and  particularly  in  thefe  Cities  of  the  Priefts  and  Le- 
 vites,  over  whom  he  was  the  chief,  it  is  poiiible  the 
 Man-ilayer  might  be  confined  here  by  ifome  peculiar 
 Aft  of  his  Authority  $  which  expiring,together  with 
 himfelf,  he  was  releafed. 
 
 Ver.  26.   But  if  the  flayer  jfmll  nt  any  time.~]     Du-  Verfe  26. 
 ring  the  Life  of  the  High-Prieft. 
 
 Come  without  the  border  of  the  City  ofRefitge,  whither 
 he  was  fled."]  If  he  went  beyond  the  Bounds  of  the 
 Fields,  in  which  he  had  liberty  to  walk  ,  and  might 
 not  be  touched.  For  if  a  Tree  was  planted  (  as  the 
 Mifna  refolves  mMaccoth)  within  the  Borders  of  the 
 Fields  of  the  City,though  the  Boughs  ftretched  them- 
 felves  beyond  the  Bordersjet  the  Man-ilayer  was  fafe 
 under  the  Tree.  In  like  manner  ?  when  Churches 
 became  places  of  Refuge,  the  Civil  Law  allowed  the 
 priviledge  to  extend  to  the  Church-gate :  and  the 
 Council  of  Toledo  to  thirty  Paces  from  the  Churchy 
 which  Pope  Nicholas  enlarged  to  forty.  Thus  among 
 the  Heathen,  the  Bounds  of  the  Refuge  at  the  Tem- 
 ple of  Diana  at  Ephefus,  was  fometimes  more  and 
 fometimes  lefs,  as  Ritterhufius  obferves  in  his  Book 
 before-named,  where  he  (hows  how  far  it  was  ex- 
 
 Qqqq  2  tended 
 
663  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  tended  by  Alexandcr^nd  afterwards  farther  by  others. 
 XXXV.  And  Tacitus,  Lib.  III.  Annalhtm  mentions  a  Temple 
 IS~\T\J  of  hers,  to  which  was  granted  by  feveral  Emperours, 
 duobus  millibus  paffuum  e  and  em  fan&itatem  ,  the  fame 
 Sanftity  for  two  Miles  round  about  it. 
 Verfe  27.  Ver.  27.  And  the  avenger  of  blood  find  him  without 
 the  borders  of  the  City  of  his  Refuge,  and  the  avenger  of 
 blood  kjll  the  flayer,  he  fa  all  not  be  guilty  of  deaths]  The 
 Court  of  Judgment  were  not  to  put  him  to  death; 
 though  perhaps  he  was  obnoxious  to  the  Judgment 
 of  God,  becaufehehad  killed  an  innocent  Perfon: 
 But  he  was  free  from  the  Punifhment  of  the  Law  , 
 that  Men-Hay  ers  might  be  the  more  careful  to  keep 
 within  their  Bounds  5  which  was  a  profitable  reftraint 
 upon  them,  for  the  Publick  Good.  All  Men  feeing 
 how  much  God  hated  Murder ,  by  the  confinement 
 of  him,  who  had  (lain  a  Man  unawares,  to  a  kind  of 
 Imprifonment. 
 
 But  it  may  be  faid,  on  the  other  fide,  that  he  who 
 killed  a  Man-flayer  in  this  cafe,  was  perfe&ly  guilt- 
 lefs  3  becaufe  he  did  not  herein  aft  as  a  Private  Per- 
 fon, but  executed  a  Sentence  againft  him,  who  was 
 condemned  by  Publick  Authority.  Which  gave  no 
 proteftion  to  the  Man-flayer,  but  within  the  Borders 
 of  his  City  of  Refuge  5  leaving  him  to  the  Avenger 
 of  Blood,  if  he  came  out  of  thofe  Bounds,  till  the 
 death  of  the  High-Prieft.  After  which,  if  the  Aven- 
 ger of  Blood  killed  him,  no  doubt  he  was  to  be  pu- 
 niflied  as  a  Murderer. 
 Verfe  28.  Ver.  28.  Becaufe  hef/jould  have  remained  in  the  City 
 of  his  Refuge  ,  until  the  death  of  the  High-Prieft.  ^ 
 Thefe  words  give  the  reafon  ,  why  the  Avenger  of 
 Blood  was  not  to  be  punifhed  in  this  cafe  5  becaufe 
 the  Man-flayer  was  guilty  of  breaking  another  Law, 
 
 and 
 
upon   NUMBERS.  6*9 
 
 and  fo  in   fome  fort  acceflbry  to  his  own  death  5  Chapter 
 for  he  might  have  been  fafe,  if  he  had  pleafed.  XXXV.- 
 
 Rut  after  the  death  of  the  H?gh-Prie$f,  the  flayer  Jhal!  L/"V\J 
 return  to  the  Land  of  hk  poffe\fion7\     Where   he  was 
 not  only  to  remain  fafe,  but  to  be  reftored  to  all  his 
 Honours,  if  he  had  any  before  he  fled  to  the  City  of 
 Refuge. 
 
 Ver.29.-S0  thefe  things  flail  be  for  a  Statute  ofJudg-Verk  29. 
 ment  unto  youJ]     A  Rule  whlreby  to  judge  between 
 Man-flayers  and  Murderers. 
 
 Throughout  all  Generations.  *]  The  like  Claufes  are 
 ufual  in  the  ancient  Civil  Law  :  Hoc  perpetua  lege  fan-, 
 cimus.  Hoc  generali  &  in  perpetuus  valitura  lege  de- 
 cernimus,  Sec. 
 
 In  all  your  dwellings^]  This  the  Jews  interpret  as 
 an  obligation  upon  them,  to  have  Courts  of  Judg- 
 ment wherefoever  they  dwell.  Thus  R.  Solon/on  up- 
 on thefe  very  words  -0  They  teach  us,  faith  he,  the  ufe 
 of  Courts  of  Judgment,  which  ought  to  be  even  out  of  the 
 Land,  all  the  time  that  they  were  ufed  in  the  Land.  So 
 the  ancient  Book  Siphri,  and  many  others  mentioned 
 by  our  moft  Learned  Selden,  Lib.  II,  de  Synedr.  cap.$. 
 n.\. 
 
 Vev.%o.Whofo  hfUeth  anyperfon,  the  murderer  flail Verfe  30, 
 be  put  to  death  by  the  mouth  ofWitneffes.~]  This  dire- 
 ction for  their  proceedings  in  this  Cafe,  was  to  be  the 
 Rule  in  all  others  of  like  nature,  by  examining  Wit- 
 neffes,  who  were  to  be  competent.  Upon  which  ac- 
 count ten  forts  of  Perfons  were  uncapable  to  be  Wit- 
 neffes,  according  to  the  Hebrew  Do&ors,  viz.  Women, 
 Servants,  Minors ,  Fools ,  the  Deaf  and  Dumb ,  the 
 Blind,  Impious^  and  audacious  People ,  near  Relations, 
 and  thofe  that  had  been  convifted  of  bearing  falfe  . 
 witnefs :  and  they  endeavour,  after  their  manner,  to 
 
 find  : 
 
67o  A    COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  find  Reafons  againft  all  thefe  in  the  Law  it  felf.     See 
 XXXV.  Selden,  Lib.  II.  ^?e  Synedr.  cap.  13.  #.  it. 
 \y~V~\J      But  one  ivitnefs  foall  not  tejiifie  against  any  perfon,  to 
 Verle  1 2  ^///e  fe«*  fo  die  J]     This  was  ihch  an  eftabliftied  Rule 
 in  the  Civil  Law,  that  it  faith,  ubi  nnmerus  teflium 
 non   adjicitHK,  fufjiciunt  duo,  where  the  number  of 
 Witneffes  is  not  mentioned,  two  Mices.     Vluralk  e- 
 nim  locutio,  duorum  numero  content  a  efl.     For  where 
 Witneffes  in  the  Plural  Number  are  ipoken  of,  two 
 are  enough   to  anfwer   the   intention  of  the  Law. 
 Which  number  therefore  are  frequently  mentioned 
 expreily  in  Scripture,  as  necefiary  in  all  Cafes,  XVII 
 Dent.  6.  particularly  in  this  of  Murder,  XIX.  15. 
 Yet  where  there  was  but  one  Witnefs  3  or  not  two 
 who  both  together  (aw  the  Man  killed,fo  that  he  who 
 was  accufed  of  the  Murder ,  could  not  be  put  to 
 death  5  he  was  thrown  into  a  very  ftrait  Prifon,  and 
 there  fed  with  Bread  and  Water  of  Affii&ion,  till  his 
 Bowels  were  forely  pinched,  &c.  if  we  may  believe 
 the  Jewifh  Do&ors,  mentioned  by  Selden^LibXS.  de 
 Jure  Nat.  &  Gent.  cap.  1. 
 Verfe  21.      Ver.  31.  Moreover,  ye  flail  take  no  fath faction  for 
 the  Life  of  a  Murderer.']     If  a  Murderer  would  have 
 given  all  his  Eftate  to  fave  his  Life,  or  the  Avenger 
 of  Blood  would  have  accepted  a  Compenfation,  or 
 freely  let  him  go,  the  Judges  (when  they  had  found 
 him  guilty)  could  not  reftore  him  to  the  City  of  Re- 
 fuge 3  but  he  was  to  fuffer  Death.     For  the  Life  of 
 him  that  was  (lain,  was  not  (  as  Maimonides  fpeaks  ) 
 part  of  the  Goods  of  the  Avenger  of  Blood,  but  be- 
 longed to  Almighty  Cod  5  who  fet  fuch  a  value  on  a 
 Man  s  Life,  that  he  would  not  fuffer  any  price  to  be 
 taken  for  it.     See  Selden  in  the  fame  Chapter,  p.  470. 
 
 Ver. 
 
upon   NUMBER  S.  6yt 
 
 Ver.3  2 •  ^n^  Je  flJa^  take  nG  fatkf  allien  for  him  that  Chapter 
 is  fled  to  the  City  of  Refuge,  that  he  may   cowe  to  dwell  XXXV. 
 in  the  Land,  until  the  death  of  the  H/gh*Pr;eff.~]     No  ^  V*^ 
 Money  was  to  purchafe  his   Liberty  to  dwell  any  Verfe  32, 
 where  elfe  but  there,  till  the  time  appointed  by  the 
 Law  :  but  this  Pnnifhment  for  Manslaughter,  was  as 
 indifpenfable  as  death  for  Murder.     And  therefore  if 
 any  Man  hapned  to  kill  another  in  the  City  of  Refuge 
 to  which  he  was  confined,  he  was  forced  to  flee  to 
 another  City  of  Refuge,  and  there  abide  till  the  death 
 oftheHigh-Prieft. 
 
 Ver.  33.  So  ye  full  not  pollute  the  Land  ivherein  yeVev[.  33. 
 are  5  for  blood  defileth  the  Land.  ~]  By  this  it  appears, 
 that  the  next  of  Kin  was  bound  to  profecute  the  Mur- 
 derer unto  death,  for  the  good  of  hisCountry,which 
 otherwife  would  have  had  a  Guilt  upon  it,  and  that 
 very  grievous.  For  they  are  the  greateft  Crimes,  as 
 Maimonides  obferves,  which  are  faid  to  pollute  the 
 Land,  or  them,  or  God's  San&uary  ,  viz.  Ldolatry , 
 XX  Lev.  3.  all  the  filthinefs  that  is  forbidden  XVIIL 
 24,25.  and  Murder  here  mentioned  ,  More  Nevoch. 
 P.  III.  cap.  47. 
 
 And  the  Land  cannot  be  cleanfed  of  the  Blood  that  ?$ 
 fled  therein^  but  by  the  blood  of  him  thatfiedit."]  The 
 fame  Maimonides  obferves  in  the  XLI  Chapter  of  that 
 Book,  c  That  it  is  a  piece  of  Universal  Juftice  to 
 c  make  a  Man  fuffer,  what  he  hath  made  another  fuf- 
 c  fer.If  he  have  hurt  his  Body,  he  mufl  fuffer  for  it  in 
 c  his  own  Body  :  if  in  his  Money ,his  own  Purfe  muft 
 c  pay  for  it :  if  he  have  taken  away  his  Life,  he  muft 
 '  die  for  it  himfelf.  And  the  Punifhment  can  neither 
 4  be  mitigated,  nor  any  compensation  accepted  for  it. 
 4  For  which  he  quotes  thefe  words  $  and  upon  thisao 
 *  count  refolves,  that  if  he  that  was  murdered  fhould 
 
 live 
 
6jz  A     COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  c  live  a  few  days  or  hours  after  his  deadly  wound  , 
 
 XXXV.  c  and  being  in  found  understanding ,  fliould  defire 
 
 ^s-ys**-'  c  he  thrvt  killed  him  might  not  die  for  it ,  declaring 
 
 c  that  he  freely  forgave  him  5  his  defire  was  not  to  be 
 
 c  granted,  but  Bipod  was  to  be  punifhed  with  Blood  : 
 
 c  whether  he  that  was  (lain  was  a  great  Man  or  a  mean^ 
 
 c  a  freeman  or  a  (lave  -0  a  wife  Man  or  a  fool ;  becaufe 
 
 c  there  is  no  Sin  committed  by  Men  greater  than  this 
 
 cis. 
 
 Verfe  34.      Ver.  34.  Defile  not  therefore  the  Land  which  ye  fiall 
 
 inhabit. ~\     By  fuffering  a  Murderer  to  live. 
 
 Wherein  I  dvoell7\  This  is  given  as  a  reafon  elfe- 
 where,  (See  V.  3.)  why  they  fliould  put  all  polluted 
 People  out  of  their  Camps,  becaufe  God  dwelt  ia 
 them,  viz.  in  his  Sanftuary,  which  made  this  Land 
 be  called  the  holy  Land,  and  God's  Pofleffion,  2  Chron, 
 XX.  n. 
 
 For  I  the  LO  R  D  dwell  among  the  Children  oflfrael."] 
 See  XXV  Exod.  8.  The  very  fame  was  pra&ifeda- 
 mong  the  Athenians,  with  fome  little  Alteration.  For 
 Demojlhenes  fays  it  was  one  of  their  Laws,  *o?  ux,  ir£_p- 
 volxq  ^TdK^ivccvIa  S'ccvdrot)  fyjLuSSrajj,  that  he  who  out  of 
 fore-thought  hilled  a  Man,  fhould  be  put  to  death.  And 
 he  tells  us  alfo,  that  it  wTas  not  lawful  for  the  Judges 
 to  take  Money  to  remit  the  Punifhment,  after  he  was 
 Condemned :  though  if  the  Profecutors  compound- 
 ed with  him,  or  his  Friends  before-hand,  and  defift- 
 ed  from  the  Profecution,  his  Life  was  faved.  If  he 
 fled  from  Juftice,  all  his  Goods  were  confifcated, 
 and  he  forfeited  all  the  Rights  of  a  Citizen,both  Civil 
 and  Sacred.  See  Sam.  Pctitus  his  Comment,  in  Leges 
 Micas,  Lib.  VII.  Tit.  1. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
upon    NUMBERS,  6j% 
 
 Chapter 
 
 xxxvl 
 
 CHAP.     XXXVI. 
 
 Ver.  I.    A  ND  the  chief  Fathers  of  the  Families  of  the  Verfe  I* 
 
 ±\  Children  of  Gi  lead,  the  Son  ofMachir,  the 
 Son  of  Manaffeh,  8co]  Not  the  Fathers  of  thofe  Fa- 
 milies, whofe  Inheritance  had  been  affigned  them  al- 
 ready on  this  fide  Jordan,  in  the  Land  of  Gilead  : 
 but  the  other  half  of  the  Tribe  of  Manaffeh,  who  were 
 to  have  their  Inheritance  in  Canaan,wherz  the  Daugh- 
 ters of  Zelophehad  alfo  had  their  Portion,  as  appears 
 from  XVII  Jofi.  £  4,  &c 
 
 Come  near  and  foeaK  before  Mofes,  and  before  the 
 Princes,  the  chief  bathers  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael.  ~] 
 Who  were  met  together  in  a  great  Affembly,  as  they 
 ufed  to  do,  about  Publick  Affairs.  See  XXVII.  2. 
 XXL  XXXII.  2. 
 
 Ver.  2.  And  they  faid,  the  LO  RD  commanded  my  ve$fe  ^, 
 Lord.~]    This  (hows  that  one  of  them  was  the  Mouth 
 of  the  reft. 
 
 To  give  the  Land  for  an  Inheritance  by  lot  to  the 
 Children  of  Ifrael  ]  See  XXVI.  52,  53.  For  there 
 the  Foundation  of  all  thefe  Doubts  was  laid. 
 
 And  my  Lord  was  commanded  by  the  LORD  to 
 give  the  Inheritance  of  Ze  lop  he  had. ~]  Which  fhould 
 have  fain  to  Zelophehad,  had  he  been  alive. 
 
 Our  Brather7\     So  they  called  their  near  Relations. 
 
 Unto  his  Daughters.']  Who  petitioned  him  for  the 
 Poffeffion  which  fhould  have  been  their  Fathers,  and 
 it  was  granted  them.     See  XXVII.  6,  7. 
 
 *  Rrrr  Ver. 
 
674  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter        Ver.  3.  And  if  they  be  married  to  any  of  the  Sons  of 
 XXXVI.   the  other  Tribes  of  the  Children  of  lfrael.~]     They  being 
 iV'VVJ  rich  ,many,  it  might  be  fuppofed,  of  the  other  Tribes, 
 Verfe  3.    as  well  as  their  own ,  would  court  them  for  their 
 Wives  :  and  if  they  (hould  choofe  an  Husband  that 
 was  not  of  their  own  Tribe,  they  reprefent  to  Mofes 
 thelnconveniencies  which  from  thence  would  follow. 
 Then  flail  their  Inheritance  be  taken  front  the  Inheri- 
 tance of  our  Fathers.']  i.  e.  Go  out  of  our  Tribe  ,  to 
 which  it  originally  belonged. 
 
 And  flail  be  put  to  the  Inheritance  of  the  Tribe  there- 
 into they  are  received.*]  Become  a  part  of  the  Inheri- 
 tance of  that  Tribe  into  which  they  married. 
 
 So  flail  it  be  taken  from  the  lot  ofonr  Inheritance  r\  For 
 it  muft  have  defcended  unto  their  Children  ,  who 
 were  of  another  Tribe  by  the  Fathers  fide  5  which  a- 
 lone  was  considered ,  and  not  the  Mothers,  in  this 
 cafe. 
 Verfe  4.  Ver.4.  Andwhen  the  Jubilee  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael 
 flyallbeT]  Which  was  ordained  for  the  preferving  fi- 
 liates in  the  Tribes  and  Families  to  whicluhey  origi- 
 nally appertained,  XXV  Lev.  10,13. 
 
 Then  flail  their  Inheritance  be  put  unto  the  Inheritance 
 of  the  Tribe  whereunto  they  are  received."]  The  Jubilee 
 will  not  help  us  in  this  Cafe,  by  making  their  Inhe- 
 ritances return  as  ether  Lands  do  ^  becaufe  they  are 
 become  the  Inheritance  of  another  Tribe,  by  the  right 
 ofMarriage. 
 
 So  flail  their  Inheritance  be  taken  away  from  the  Inhe- 
 ritance of  the  Tribe  of  our  Fathers.  ~]  So  will  their  fi- 
 liate go  out  of  our  Tribe,  without  remedy  ,  becaufe 
 the  Jubilee  it  felf  will  give  us  no  Relief. 
 Yerfe  5.  Ver.  5.  And  Mofes  commanded  the  Children  of  Ifrael^ 
 according  to  the  Word  of  the  LORD.']    Whom ,  I 
 
 fuppofe, 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  6y$ 
 
 fuppofe,  he  confulted  about  this  matter,  (  as  he  did  Chapter 
 when  the  firfl:  doubt  was  moved  about  the  Inheri-  XXXVL 
 tance  of  thefe  Women,  XXVII.  5.)  and  received  the  L/~V\J 
 anfwer  by  which  he  here  commanded  the  Ifraelites  to 
 govern  themfelves. 
 
 The  Tribe  of  Jofeph."}  In  whofe  name  the  chief 
 Fathers  of  their  feveral  Families  made  this  reprefen- 
 tation  to  Mofes  5  as  became  Men  who  took  care  of  the 
 concerns  of  the  whole  Tribe. 
 
 Hath  faid  well.  ~]  In  defiring  the  Inheritance  of 
 thefe  Women  might  not  go  out  of  their  Tribe  5 
 which  was  prevented  by  the  following  Law. 
 
 Ver.  6.  Thk  k  the  thing  which  the  LORD  dothy^fe  gt 
 command  concerning  the  Daughters  of  Zelophehad,  fay- 
 ing, Let  them  marry  to  whom  they  think  belt.~\  They 
 were  not  confined  to  any  particular  Perfons  5  but 
 might  have  their  choice  among  thofe  who  were  de- 
 scended from  the  fame  Stocky  as  it  immediately  fol- 
 lows. 
 
 Only  to  the  Family  of  the  Tribe  of  their  Father  fi  all  they 
 marry.']  Only  with  thefe  two  limitations,  that  they 
 might  not  marry  a  Man  of  another  Tribe  5  nor  a  Man 
 of  another  Family  in  their  own  Tribe.  For  it  is  ve- 
 ry manifeft,  that  they  are  tied  to  marry  into  the  Fa-  x 
 mily  of  their  Father  ^  and  accordingly  they  did  a&u- 
 ally  marry  their  Cofin-Germans ,  as  we  now  fpeak, 
 v.  11.  For  this  Law  was  made  for  the  prefervation 
 of  Families  ,  (as  well  as  of  Tribes)  as  the  Law  for 
 the  Redemption  of  Lands  was.  And  therefore  thefe 
 words,  the  Family  of  the  Tribe  of  their  Father,  is  well 
 tranilated  by  Grotius  (upon  I  St.  Matthew  16.)  familia 
 ftirpis  pater n£,  the  Family  of  the  Stock  of  their  Fa- 
 ther, which  was  that  they  defired  might  not  perifh, 
 XXVII.  4.  and  was  the  ground  of  the  Law,  which 
 
 Rrrr  2  com- 
 
676  A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  commanded  a  Man  to  marry  the  Wife  of  his  Brother, 
 
 XXXVI.  who  left  no  IfTue,  XXV  Dent.  16.     Therefore  there 
 
 L/"V>J  being  feveral  Families  in  the  Tribe  of  Man  ajfeh, XXVI. 
 
 29,  30,  31,  32.  thefe  Women  could  marry  only  into 
 
 the  Family  of  the  Hepherites. 
 
 Verfe  7.        Ver.  7.  So  ftall  not  the  Inheritance  of  the  Children 
 
 of  Ifrael  remove  from  Tribe  to  Tribe.  ~j     For  by  prefer- 
 
 ving  it  in  the  Family  to  which  it  was  given,  it  was 
 
 neceflarily  preferved  in  the  Tribe. 
 
 For  every  one  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael  (hall  keep  him- 
 f elf  to  the  Inheritance  of  the  Tribe  ofhh  Fathers.']     And 
 not  endeavour  to  get  any  part  of  the  Inheritance  of 
 another  Tribe,  by  marrying  an  Heirefs  in  it.     Plato 
 himfelf  took  care  of  this,  that  when  a  Man  left  only 
 a  Daughter,  his  Eftate  (hould  not  be  carried  by  her 
 to  a  Stranger,  but  ffae  fhould  be  bound  to  marry  >&T 
 czfyz&iav^  one  that  was  neareft  of  kin  to  her.     And  if 
 there  was  a  want  of  near  Kindred,  iMygji  {mv  dfo\<p£ 
 fyS&v  ,  Sec.  it  (hould  defcend  to  the  Children  of  her 
 Father's  Brother,  or  the  Children  of  the  Grandfather, 
 feme  of  which  he  ordains  (hould  marry  her,  Lib.XI. 
 de  Legibus,  p.  924,925.  Edit.  Serrani. 
 Verle  8.         Vet.  8.  And  every  Daughter  that  pojfeffeth  an  Inheri- 
 tance in  any   Tribe   of  the  Children  of  Ifrael.  "]      Here 
 this  Law  is  made  general,  that  all  Women  who  were 
 HeireiTes,as  the  Daughters  of  Zelophehad  were,  (hould 
 do  as  they  are  here  commanded.     And  this  was  one 
 of  the  Jttfc\  Laws  ,  which  ,  as  Grotius   obferves , 
 were  plainly    borrowed   from  the   Law  of  Mofes , 
 Mil  cii-Wflty   ?<%*;    G^rvO&zju,  i%w  tS;  aF^gvUs    yajLi&iv, 
 8cc.  That  an  Heirefs  Jljould  not  marry  out  of  her  Kin- 
 dred, but  difpofe  of  her  felf  and  Eftate,  ts£  ifyt7a1x 
 ypm,  to  one  neareft  of  kin  to  her,  which  was  one  of 
 the  Laws  of  Solon,  as   Sam.    Vetitus  obferves  out  of 
 
 Ifam^ 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  6y'j 
 
 Ifeus,  Pollux  and  others,  in  his  Comment,  in  Leges  At-  Chapter 
 fleas,  Lib.  VI.  Tit.  i.  p.  441.  XXXVI. 
 
 Shall  be  Wife  to  one  of  the  Family  of  the  Tribe  of  her  L/"WJ 
 Father."]  Here  (he  is  confined  to  her  Family  ,and  not 
 merely  to  her  Tribe.  But  this  concerned  only  fuch 
 as  were  Heirefles  :  all  other  Women  might  marry  in- 
 to what  Tribe  they  pleafed  5  as  appears  by  thefe  very 
 Books  5  wherein  we  read  that  Aaron  himfelf  married 
 the  Sifter  of  the  Prince  of  Judah,  VI  Exod.  22.  And 
 if  any  objeft  that  this  was  before  the  giving  of  the 
 Law,  it  is  evident  that  Jehoiada,  a  Pried,  and  con- 
 fequently  of  the  Tribe  of  Levi,  married  King  Jehc- 
 ram%  Sifter,  who  was  of  the  Tribe  of  Judah,  2  Chron. 
 XXII.  1 1.  And  long  before  this ,  all  the  Tribes  of 
 Ifrael  being  in  great  folicitade  ho w  to  find  Wives  for 
 their  Brethren  of  Benjamin,  did  not  fcruple  their  ha- 
 ving them  out  of  any  Tribe,  if  it  had  not  been  for 
 their  Oath,  XXI  jWg.  18.  And,  to  add  no  more, 
 David  himfelf,  of  th^JTribe  of  Judah,  married  Mi- 
 chaeltht  Daughter  of  Saul,  who  was  of  the  Tribe  of 
 Benjamin. 
 
 The  Talmudifts  add, that  even  thefe  Heirefles  might 
 marry  into  what  Tribe  they  pleafed,  after  the  firft 
 Divifion  of  the  Land  by  Jojlma  :  to  which  they  ima- 
 gine this  Law  was  retrained  ^  it  being  a  common 
 faying  among  them,  That  it  did  not  belong  to  any  Age, 
 but  that  in  which  it  was  made.     In  the  following  Ages    . 
 they  pretend  a  Man  might  purchafe  Land  in  any  Tribe, 
 and  poffefs  it  alway  ^  or  have  the  Inheritance  of  it 
 by  Marriage,  though  he  were  of  another  Tribe,  as 
 Selden  (hows  their  Opinion  to  be,  Lib.  de  Succejjioni- 
 bus  ad  Leges  Fiebr.cap.i8.and  Lib.lll.de  Synedr.c.^.n.x. 
 and  Buxtorfde  Sponfal&  Divortik,feB.^.  But  this  is    . 
 well  confuted  by  Grotius  in  his  Annotations   upon    - 
 I'St.  Matthew,  v.  16.  Ver,     . 
 
67% 
 
 A  COMMENTARY 
 
 Chapter  Ver,  9.  Neither  flail  the  Inheritance  remove  from  one 
 XXXVI.  Tr/k  to  another  Tribc.~]  This  eftablifhes  in  general 
 L/*V\J  what  he  had  faid  before,  v.  7.  with  particular  refpefl: 
 Verfe  9.  to  the  Daughters  of  Zclophehad.  But  Mofis  hen  Nach- 
 man  upon  thefe  very  words ,  afierts  the  Talmu- 
 dir\  Opinion  before-mentioned,  that  this  concerns 
 only  the  prefent  Time,  not  future  Ages.  And  puts 
 this  Cafe  (which  is  the  ftrongeft  that  can  be  thought 
 of )  if  a  Woman  were  married  into  another  Tribe, 
 after  which  Marriage  her  Father  and  all  her  Brethren 
 dying  without  Children,  the  Inheritance  fell  to  her, 
 and  confequently,  faith  he,  the  Pofleflion  muff  de- 
 volve from  one  Tribe  to  another,  into  which  (he  had 
 married.  But  according  to  the  Letter  of  thefe  words, 
 the  Inheritance  was  rather  to  defcend  to  the  next  of 
 her  Kindred,  than  by  her  be  carried  out  of  the  Tribe 
 to  which  it  belonged. 
 
 But  every  one  of  the  Tribes  of  the  Children  of  IJrael 
 flail  keep  himfelf  to  his  own  Inheritance.']  Shall  cleave^ 
 or  ftkl^dok  to  his  own  Inheritance,  as  the  Hebrew 
 word  fignifies  3  and  as  the  Greek  and  Latin  exprefles 
 it*  The  reafon  of  the  Command  was ,  as  Procopius 
 Gaz^us  obferves,to  prevent  the  Confufion  of  Tribes. 
 How  the  Vulgar  Latin  came  to  deviate  fo  much  from 
 the  Hebrew  Text,  and  from  the  Intention  of  this 
 Law,  (as  it  hath  done  in  this  and  the  two  preceding 
 verfes)  I  (hall  not  here  examine.  It  is  Efficient  to 
 note  that  Onkelos  hath  exprefled  the  Hebrew  Text 
 word  for  word  3  and  the  LXX.  do  not  depart  from 
 the  fence  of  it. 
 Verfe  10.  Ver.  10.  Even  as  the  LORD  commanded  Mofes, 
 fo  did  the  Daughters  ofZelophehad.~]  Accordingly 
 they  followed  this  direction,  when  they  came  into 
 the  Land  ofCanaan0  and  had  received  their  Portion 
 
 there. 
 
upon  NUMBERS.  679 
 
 there.     Now  there  being  no  fuch  words  added  here,   Chapter 
 as  there  are  in  other  Cafes,  this  Jhall  be  unto  the  Chil-  XXXVI. 
 dren  oflfrael  a  Statute  of  Judgment,  XXVII.  1 1.  much  L/*V\J 
 lefs  a  Statute  of  Judgment  throughout  your  Generations, 
 XXXV.  29.  it  led,  I  conjecture  ,  the  Talmudicl(Qo- 
 ftors  into  the  fore-mentioned  Opinion D  that  this  Law 
 concerned  only  the  prefent  Generation. 
 
 Ver.  II.  For  Mahlah  ,  Tizzah  and  Hog] ah,  andVzrk  II. 
 Milfyth,  and  Noah,  the  Daughters  of Ze lop  he had. 7\  Thus 
 they  are  called  both  in  XXVI.33.&XXVII.1. though 
 they  are  not  there  mentioned  in  the  fame  order  -0  for 
 Tirzah  is  there  named  laft,  who  here  is  named  in  the 
 fecond  place.  Perhaps  they  are  fet  down  here  in  the 
 order  wherein  they  were  difpofedin  Marriage  }  and 
 Tirzah,  who  was  the  younger,  was  married  in  the  fe- 
 cond place. 
 
 Were  married  unto  their  Fathers  Brothers  Sons."]  For 
 Hepher,  no  doubt,  had  other  Sons  befides  Zelophehad, 
 who  had  Iffue-male  ,  though  Zelophehad  had  not. 
 What  their  Names  were,  or  how  many  of  them,  we 
 do  not  know  5  but  fome  fuppofe  them  to  have  been 
 fix  5  one  of  which  died  in  the  Wildernefs  without 
 Iffue.  SzzSelden  de  Succefjionibus,  cap.  23.  where  he 
 difcourfes  at  large  of  the  Portion  which  fell  to  them 
 in  the  Land  of  Canaan. 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  they  were  married  into  the  Families,  Verfe  12. 
 Sec."]     In  the  Margin,  more  exa&ly  out  of  the  He- 
 brew, to  fome  that  were  of  the  Families  5  i.  e.  to  one  of 
 the  Families  of  Manajfeh,  from  whom  feveral  Families 
 defended,  XXVI.29,  8cc. 
 
 And  their  Inheritance   remained  in  the  Tribe  of  the 
 Family  of  their  Father.']     The  word  for  Trihe  fig- 
 nifies  fometimes  merely  a  Family  in  a  Tribe.     And 
 fo  the  LXX.  (as  Grotius  obferves  in  the  place  before- 
 named) 
 
68o  A  COMMENTARl^c. 
 
 Chapter  named)  in  this  very  bufinefs,  ufes  fometimes  the  word 
 XXXVI.  ^A6^*  and  fometimes  puAfi  $  the  former  of  which 
 fignifies  a  part  of  a  whole  Tribe.  And  thus  Jofephus 
 alio  ufes  the  word  ptAJ)  to  fignifie  a  Family.  Mr.  &/- 
 rfe*  hath  the  fameObfervationin  his  Book  de  S-uccef- 
 fionibus,  cap.  1 3.  that  nnsitfO  is  fometimes  t  ran  dated 
 $vAb  ;  and  then  it  fignifies  not  a  Tribe,  but  ttzAzjlxv, 
 0TL/)|?j/eiar'l  familiam  ,  cognationem ,  /e«  ££###  fanguine 
 proximum  j  a  Family,  a  Kindred,  or  thofe  that  are 
 next  in  Blood.  But  there  is  no  need  of  thefe  Obfer- 
 vations,  if  the  words  be  trantlated,  as  they  may  right- 
 ly 5  rfW  their  Inheritance  remained  in  the  Tribe,  and 
 the  Family  of  their  Father,  See  v.  6. 
 Verfe  12.  Ver.  13.  T/je/e  *re  the  Commandments  and  the  J.,  lg- 
 ments  which  the  LO  R  D  commanded  by  the  hand  of 
 Mofes,  to  the  Children  of  Ifrael  in  the  plains  of  Aloab 
 by  Jordan  near  Jericho. "]  He  began  to  deliver  the  Pre- 
 cepts here  intended  at  the  XXVIth  Chapter, (See  ^.3.) 
 and  continues  them  to  this  place.  By  Commandment* 
 feem  to  be  meant  the  Precepts  about  the  Worfhip  of 
 God,  Chapt.  XXVIII,  XXIX,  XXX.  and  by  Judg- 
 ments the  Civil  Laws  about  dividing  their  Inheritan- 
 ces, and  regulating  their  Defcent  to  their  Pofterity  , 
 and  eftablilhing  Cities  of  Refuge  for  Man-flayers  , 
 which  are  exprefly  called  a  Statute  of  Judgment, 
 XXVII.  1 1 .  XXXV.  29.  Some  other  things  are  in- 
 terfperfed,  as  God's  Commandment  to  number  the 
 People,  (which  was  in  order  to  the  aligning  them 
 their  Inheritances  proportionable  to  their  Families ) 
 to  execute  Judgment  on  the  Midianites  $  and  to  fet 
 down  in  Writing  their  Travels  in  the  Wildernefs^ 
 of  which  I  have  given  an  account  in  their  proper 
 places. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
68  r 
 
 By  reafon  of  the  Diftance  of  the  Author ,  thefe 
 ERRATA  havehapned,  which  the  Reader  is 
 defired  to  Correft. 
 
 Page.  Line. 
 
 5.  7.    read  are  reckoned. 
 
 73.  29.  r.See  Levit.  II.  1 5. 
 
 74.  22.  r.  werefigns. 
 82.  12.  r.  Kabboth. 
 96,  4.    r.  aquatiles. 
 
 ult.  r.  fo  that  they  might  not. 
 
 107.  1 3.  r.  other  flioulder. 
 
 1 10.  2.    r.Chat'kimh 
 
 125.  51.  r.  XL.  Exod. 
 
 140.  50.  r.  may  teach. 
 
 152.  5.   r.«po?&«77«''. 
 
 158.  31.  r.  Acropolis. 
 
 163.  10.  r.  Choten. 
 
 1 66.  3 1 .  r.  the  following  ftory. 
 
 1 67.  3.   r.  Rife  up. 
 171.  22.  r.  it  is  likely. 
 
 1 90.  1 2.  r.  Setting  forth  the  Praifes. 
 
 20.  r.  fuch  credit. 
 
 19T.  penult,  r.  oiiwyo^i**. 
 
 195.  2 1 .  r.  whofe  Prefence. 
 
 198.  1.   x.kadim. 
 
 201.  1 1 .  r.  but  befides  that  there  is. 
 
 1 2.  r.  and  it  is. 
 
 210.  28.  r.  as  were  never  bred. 
 
 2 1 6.  1 8.  r.  not  deigning  to  ftay. 
 
 221.  21.  after  July ,begin  a  new  line. 
 
 227.  2.T.TorquatM. 
 
 228.  3 , 4.  r .  a  ftony  place, 
 241.     1.  dele  and  that. 
 251.     7.  r.  Bitter. 
 
 31.  r.  Spirit  with  him. 
 
 282.     1.   r.  The  Manfhall  be. 
 
 584.  31.  r.  And  the  Garment,  the 
 Jews  fay ,  in  the  Sel- 
 vedge, &c. 
 
 Page.  Line. 
 
 284.  a.x.Talhh. 
 
 316.  1 9.  r.  it  being  broke  out. 
 
 332.  3.  r.  whereas. 
 
 333.  2 1 .  r.  within  the  veil. 
 33$.  n.r.  Zebctck. 
 
 358.  7.  r.  more  fit  to  treat. 
 
 357.  7.  r.  as  we  may  call  it. 
 
 387.  26.  r.  SuccefTors  of  Efau. 
 
 402.  1 9.  r.  by  way  of  apportion. 
 
 404.  24.  r.  the  words  are. 
 
 406.  30.  r.  Bootw. 
 
 420.  6.   r.  from  Armii. 
 
 426.  1.  r.  whence  Hefychw. 
 
 22.  T.  <aroi»7»x.«. 
 
 433.  1 8.  r.  Kofem. 
 
 445.  9.  r.  proffer 'd  him; 
 
 468.  9.    r.perjuga. 
 
 469.  7.  r.*7Dj; 
 
 470.  15.  r.  SepherCofrL 
 482.  2.  r.  Vei  nutu. 
 501.  4.   r.Baal-feor. 
 
 26.  r.  were  called  Baalim. 
 
 $  1 9.  30.  r.  are  reckoned. 
 
 $23.  i^.x.Zelophehad. 
 
 $-32.  penult,  r.  who  was  born. 
 
 $  3  9.  2 1 .  r.  being  but  reafon. 
 
 555.  ult.  r.  pouring  out  upon. 
 
 $$6.  4.  r.Heliogabalw. 
 
 $64.  18.  r.  and  fo  doth. 
 
 598.  19.  r.and  what  I  have. 
 
 618.  22.  t.Jogbehah. 
 
 634.  22.  r.  to  have  been  places. 
 
 535.  9.  r.  anciently  called  Abel- 
 
 flnttim. 
 
 67$.  14.  r.  XXXI.  XXXII.  2. 
 
 Sss  $ 
 
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 riation,the  famous  Nun  of  Lisbon.  Ccmpofcd  by  Michael  Ge^j-,D.D.Chan- 
 ceilor  of  the  Cathedral  Church  of  Savum.  Svo. 
 
 Fourteen  Sermons  preached  in  Lambet h  Chappel,  before  the  mod  Reverend 
 Dr.  William  Sancrrft,  late  Lord  Archbifhop  of  Canterbury.  In  the  Years 
 1688,  and  168®,  by  the  Learned  Henry  Wharton,  M.  A.  Chaplain  to  his 
 Grace  •,  with  an  Account  of  the  Author's  Life.  dvo. 
 
 \yc. Willi  am  Owtranis  20  Sermons.  On  feveral  Occafions.  The  2d  Edition.  Bvo. 
 
 Sermons  preached  on  feveral  Occafians.  By  John  Conant  D.D.  The  firft:  and 
 iecond  Volumes.Publifbed  by  Dr.WiUhms,novr  Ld.Bifhopof  Chichefler.Svo. 
 
 The  Fathers  vindicated  :  Or  Animadverfions  on  a  late  Sorinian  Book,Entitu- 
 kdy  [The  Judgment  of  the  Fathers  touching  the  Trinity, again}}  Dr.BuUV  De- 
 fence  of  the  Nicene  Faith.']  By  a  Presbyter  of  the  Church  of  England.  8zo 
 
 A  Fifth  Volume  of  Archbifhop  Tillotjons  Difcourfes,publifhed  by  his  Chaplain 
 Dr.Bai  ker,  on  thefe  following  Subjects :  ^.Proving  Jefus  to  be  the  Mef- 
 fias.  The  Prejudices  agai nit  jefus  and  his  Religion  confider'd.  Jefus  the 
 Son  of  God,  proved  by  his  Refurreftion.  The  Danger  of  Apoftacy  from 
 Chriiliariity.  Chriftthe  Author,  and  Obedience  the  Condition  of  Salva- 
 tion. The  Poffibility  and  Neceffity  of  Gofpel-Obedience  ,  and  its  confi- 
 dence with  Free  Grace.  The  Authority  of  Jefus  Chrift,  with  the  Commii- 
 fion  and  Promife  which  he  gave  to  his  A  pottles.  The  Difficulties  of  a  Chri- 
 stian Life  confider'd.  The  Parable  of  the  Rich  Man  andZ.^rw*.Children 
 of  this  World  wifer  than  the  Children  of  Light.  Svo.  169B, 
 
 A  fecond  Volume  of  Sermons  preached  in  Lambeth  Chappel  before  A  rchb, 
 Sancroft,  \6go.  By  the  Learned  Mr. Henry  Wharton,  his  Graces  Chaplain, 
 Which  with  the  firft  Volume  lately  publiflied,  are  all  that  he  preached. 
 
 A  New  Account  of  India  and  Ferfia ;  being  Nine  Years  Travel,began  1572. 
 and  finifhed  1 6S 1  .Containing  Obfervations  made  of  thofe  Countries:  name- 
 ly, Of  their  Govern  men t,Religion,  Laws,Cuftoms :  Of  their  Soil,Climates, 
 Seafons, Health,  Difeafes.Of  their  Animals,  VegetabIes,Minerals,  Jewels.  Of 
 their  Houfing,Cloathing,  Manufactures,  Trades,  Commodities.  And  of  the 
 Coins,  Weights,  and  Meafures  ufed  in  the  principal  Places  of  Trade  in 
 thofe  Parts.  By  John  Fryer  M.  D.Cantabrig.  and  Fellow  of  the  Royal  So- 
 ciety. Fol-  1 6*98. 
 
 SCRIPTORUM  ECCLESIASTICORUM  Hfioria  Literariafacili  fa  perffkua 
 methodo  digejla.Fars  Altera.Quaplufqua7nDC.Scriptoresr.01i/am  Editi  quam 
 Manufcr'rpti  teetnfentttr  \  Prioribm  plurima  adduntur  ;  breviter  aut  obfeure  di- 
 ll a  illiiih  aniur  ;  relh  afferta  vindicantur.  Accedit  ad  finem  cujufvif  Sceculi 
 CONCIl.lORUM  omnium  turn  Gener ahum  turn  Farticularium  Hiftorica  No- 
 titia.  Ad  Calcem  veto Operis  Diffevtationes  tres  ,  (1)  De  Script  oribiu  Ecclefi- 
 afticit  incerta  atatis.  (  2  )  De  LibrU  fa  Officii*  Ecclefiafticis  Gr&conm. 
 (3)  De  Enfebii  C&farienfs  Arianifmo  adverfus  Joannem  Clericum.  Ad- 
 ):cii  font  Indices  uril'iffimi  Scriptnrum  fa  ConciliorumAlphabetict-Chronologk'u 
 ..'  0  fa  labore  Gulielmi  Cave,  S.T.F.  Canon.  Windeforienfis.  Fof. 
 
 Dr. Caves,  Primitive Chriftianity.     The  Fifth  Edition.  i6$Z. 
 
 UpWrfl^ns  of  the  Principles  &  Duties  of  Natural  Religion.  The  3d  Edition. 
 
 A  Shih  Volume  of  Archbiftop  Tlhtfoih  Difcourfes.  Publiflied  by  Dr.  Barker. 
 Being  upon  the  Divine  Attributes  and  Perfections.  1599, 
 
im