ANNOTATIONS THE PENTATEUCH ®r tfit iFtbe 15ooft6 o( Mosti; THE PSALMS OF DAVID; SONG OF SOLOMON. BY HENKY AINSWORTH. WITH A MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR. VOL. II. BLACKIE & SON, QUEEN STREET, GLASGOW ; SOUTH COLLEGE STREET, EDINBURGH ; AND WARWICK SQUARE, LONDON. MDCCCXLVI. GLASGOW: I.ACKIB AND CO.. PRINTERS, BOOK OF NUMBERS CHAP. XI. 1. The people complaining, God punisheth them with fire, which at Moses' prayer is quenched. 4. They lust for flesh, and loath manna. 10. Moses, grieved at their murmuring, complaincth to God of his charge. 16. God dimdeth his burden unto seventy elders which hear it with him, 18, and promiseth to give the people flesh. 24. The severity elders have the spirit of prophecy. 31. God by a wind hringeth quails into the camp, which the people gathering and eating, do die of a plague at Ki- broth-Juittaavah. 35. The camp removeth to Hazeroth. 'And the people was when they were complamers, evil m the ears of Jehovah : and Jehovah heard, and his anger was kindled ; and a fire of Jehovah burnt among them and consumed them in the Ver. 1. — And the people,] Hitherto in this book, God's grace to his people hath been manifested in the ordering, directing, and go- verning of them in the wilderness, towards theirpromised inheritance: nowfolloweth their unthankfulness and unwortliy carriage among so great blessings, by their many murmurings and rebellions ; whereby both the disobe- dient nature of man, and the impossibility of the law to bring men unto God, is declared. When they were complainers,] Or, as complainers; that is, even complainers, very murmtirers j grudging, and showing them- selves discontented with their estate; and (as is likely) for their so long travel in the wilderness, ' three days journey ' before they came to a resting place, Num. x. 33, and thus Sol. Jarchi here expoundeth it. So whereas they should have rejoiced in the Lord now among them, they showed them- selves as mourners, sorrowful, and (as the Gr. translateth) murmuring. Of such 'murmur- ers ' and ' complainers,' the apostle also speak- eth, Jude ver. 16. Evil,] This seemeth to V'OL. II, have reference to the first, the people was evil, that is, wicked, and so displeasing the Lord: the Gr. referreth it to the latter, the people murmured evil things before the Lord. A fire of JEHOVAH,] That is, as the Gr. ex- poundeth \i,from the Lord, and the Chald. from before the Lord : though it may also mean a great and vehement fire. Their re- bellions before the law was given at mount Sinai, God punished not, Exod. xiv. 11 — 15; XV. 24, 26 ; xvi. 2—4, 9, 20, 27, 28; xvii. 2 — 5, save only when they made the molten calf at the mount, Exod. xxxii. 27, 28, 35. But their sins committed after, he punisheth severely, as here and after is to be seen : for, ' the law worketh wrath,' Rom. iv. 15. And ' all these things happened unto them for en- samples to us,' 1 Cor. X. 5 — 11. Consumed,] Or, devoured, Heb. did eat. The Gr. trans- lateth, ' devoured a part of the camp. In that the fire consumed ' in the utmost part/ it is probable that there the sin began among them that were faint and weary with travel ; as Deut. xxv. 18. NUMBERS. utmost part of the camp. * And tlie people criea out unto Moses, and Moses prayed unto Jehovah, and the fire sunk down. ^ And he called the name of tliat place Taberah, because the fire of Je- hovah burnt among them. "* And the mixed multitude tliat was among them lusted with lust, and the sons of Israel also returned and wept ; and said, Wlio shall give us flesh to eat ? * We remem- ber tlie fish wliich we did cat in Egypt for nought : tlie cucumbers, and the melons, and tlie leeks, and the onions, and tlie garlick. * But now our soul is dried away, there is nothing at all, only our Ver. 2. — Sunk down,] Tiiat is, went out, they had ' for nought,' without price, getting or, was quenched; in Gr. ceased. Thiir them out of the rivers freely ; or, /or wow^/i^, seeliing to the Lord in their afllictions, and that is, for very little, very cheap; as nothing his mercies towards tliem, are mentioned in is used for very little, Acts xxvii. 33 ; John Psal. Ixxviii. 34—38. Ver. 3. — He called,] That is, Moses called: or, as the Gr. translateth, the name of that place was called : see the notes on Gen. xvi. 14. Taberaii,] That is, 6ur?i. ing : which name was given to imprint a memorial of their sin and of God's judg- ments in their hearts, as Moses after meti- tioneth them, in Dent. ix. 7, 22, 24. Ver. 4. — The mixed multitude,] Or, the gathered mtiltitude; so called in Hel). of gathering ; in Gr. and Chald. of mixture: and in the Chald. said to be Jonathans, they aie called, the strangers that were gathered amo7ig them. Tliese were that ' mixed peo- ple ' that came up with Israel out of Egypt, mentioned in Exod. xii. 38. Lusted with i,ust,] That is, lusted greatly and greedily. Returned and wept,] That is, againircpt, the Gr. saith, they sat and wept. The Is- raelites that a little before complained, were punished, and repented ; now again, by the example of the strangers among them, return to their sinful course. Chazkuni here saith, " After that (the sons of IsraeJ) had mur- mured already themselves alone, (ver. 1,) thc^ turned and murmured with the mixed multitude, and wept for desire of flesh." So this was another mutiny, diO'ering from that forespuken of; though in time and place near together. Who shall give,] A wish, meaning, O that some would give us Jlcsh: and a tentation, as not believing that God could do it. This their lusting is rehearsed, iu Psal. cvi. 14; Ixxviii. 18—20, ' tliey tempted God in their heart, asking meat for their soul (or lust:) and they spake against God, they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? Behold he smote the rock, and the waters gvished out, and streams ovi^r- flowed: can he give bread also? or can he prepare flesh for his people? Ver. 5. — We remember,] They stirred aud inflamed their lust with remembrance of their former Egyptian diet. FoR nought,] This may be referred to the ' fish ' which xviii. 20, no7ie for very few, Jer. viii. 6; 1 Cor. ii. 8. It may also have reference to the former, we rememher for nought, that is, in vain: so the Heb. chinnam, and Gr. do- rcan, sometimes signifieth a thing done or spoken iu vain and without eflect, as Prov. i. 17; Ezek. vi. 10; Gal. ii. 21. Garlic,] These gross meats used to be eaten by the poorer sort in Egyjit, and by the Israelites when they were slaves there, they now re- member, (forgetting their slavery;) and pre- fer before the mainia which God gave tliem from heaven, which was both pleasant and wholesome. Of the things liere spoken of, and other the like, the Ilebs. themselves say: " Some meats are exceeding evil, and it is not meet that a man should ever cat of them, as great fishes that are salted and old, &c. and some meats are evil, but not so bad; therefore it is not meet for a man to eat of them, save a little and very seldom; and he may not use to make them his meat, or to eat them with liis meat continually, as great fishes, cheese, &c. and leeks, and onions, and garlic, &c. these meats are naught, which a man should eat of but a very little, and in winter days: but in summer not at all," Maim, in Misn. torn. i. in Degnoth, chap. iv. sect. 9. Ver. 6. — Our soul is pried,] The soul is often put for the body, or whole man, and for the appetite or desire of meat, drink, and other things: so here they complain that they had no nourishment by the ' wheat of heaven' (as manna is called, Psal. Ixxviii. 24,) nei- ther was their appetite satisfied: and here- upon it is said, they asked ' meat for their souls,' Psal. Ixxviii. 18, to satisfy their fleshly lust. Our eyes are,] Or, our eyes behold only the inuntia; that is, we see no other food; neither can we expect for any other, but depend upon manna only. For ' the eyes uuto' any, signify hope and expectation, as Psal. xxv. J 5; cxli. 8. Manua was unto them both a corporal food, and a spiritual, figuring Christ himself, with his word and CHAP. XI. 3 eyes are unto the manna. ' And the manna was as coriander seed, and tlie colour of it as the colour of bdellium. " The people went about and gathered it, and ground it in mills ; or beat it in a mor- tar ; and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it ; and the taste of it was, as the taste of the best moisture of oil, ^ And when the dew fell down upon the camp in the night, the manna fell down upon it. " And Moses lieard the people weeping throughout their families ; everi/ man in the door of his tent ; and tlie anger of Je- hovah was kindled greatly, and in the eyes of Moses it was evil. " And Moses said unto Jehovah, Wherefore hast thou done evil to tliy servant ? and wherefore have I not found grace in thine eyes, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? grace, John vi. 31—33; 1 Cor. x. 3. So the loathiDg of manna, and longing for the meats of Egypt, figured the rejecting of Cln-ist and his graces, for to have nourish- ment and life ijy the works and righteousness of men, Gal. iii. 3, 10; iv. 9. Such men's 'eyes' cannot see the 'manna which is hid,' Rev. ji. 17. Ver. 7. — Manna,] In Heb. man: the reason of this name, see in the notes on Exod. xvi. 14. Cliazkuni on that place saith, " Man, in the Egyptian tongue, is as mah, (that is, what) in the Heb. : and they asked one of another, man, that is, what is this?" Coriander,] Of it, see Exod. xvi. 31. These are the words of Moses, con- demning the people's ingratitude, by the de- scription of manna, which they disdained. The colour,] Hel). the eye, that is, the col- our, or appearance, as the Gr. and Chald. explain it: so eye is used for colour, 8rc. in Lev. xiii. 55; Ezek. i. 16; viii. 2 ; x. 9. Bdelltom,] In Heb. bdolach, in Gr. (and hy Sol. Jarchi's exposition) crystal: which is white and transparent: so manna is said to be ' white,' Exod. xvi. 31. Of bdellium, see Gen. ii. 12. Ver. 8 Went about,] Or, went to and fro, to search, find, espy, as in Jer. v. 1 ; Amos viii. 12 ; Dan. xii. 4, therefore this word is applied sometimes to the eye, as in 2 Chron. xvi. 9. It figured the labour and diligence that men should use to get ' the meat which endureth unto eternal life,' John vi. 27. Ground it,] The grinding and beating of it, &c. figured also the afllictions of Christ, whereby he was prepared to be for us tlie bread of life, John vi. 48—5! ; Hel). ii. 9, 10; 1 Pet. iii. 18. But though the manna was thus hard as wheat to be ground, yet it used to melt as it lay on the earth, with the heat of the sun, that they gathered it only in the morning, Exod. xvi. 21. Baked,] Or, boiled, cooked; the word is sometimes used for bakin", as in 2 Sam. xiii. 8, though usually it signifieth to boil. The BEST moisture OF OIL,] Fresh oil, which hath no lank favour. The Heb. leshad, is the best oily moisture in man's body, Ps. xxxii, 4, so here it is the best sweet mois- ture of oil, which is the uppermost part. It had also the taste of ' wafers with honey,' Exod. xvi. 31. And here the Gr. translatetb it 'wafers of oil,' and the Chald. paste, (or cakes) with oil.' So it was both pleasant and wholesome food, and the taste of ' oil ' and 'honey' figured the sweetness of grace, which we by faith perceive in Clirist the true manna, Ps. cxix. 103; Song v. 10 ; 1 Pet. ii. 3. Ver. 9. — Fell down upon it,] And upon the manna fell dew again, which when it was drawn up by the sun, then the man- na appeared, Exod. xvi. 13, 14, so the man- iia lay as it were hidden between two dews. But after was manifested, and given them of God freely every day, a wheat which they sowed not, nor laboured for, but had for the taking up, a meat which they knew not, neither had their fathers known it: whereby they were taught, that man liveth not by bread only, but by every word that proceed- elh out of the mouth of the Lord, Deut. viii. 3. Ver. 10. — Throughout,] Or, by their fa- milies; so the sin was generally spread among the people. In the door,] That is, openly; and sinned not in secret only, but as it were proclaimed their iniquity, and stirred up themselves, and one another, to follow their lusts. Ver. 11. — Done evil to thy servant,] That is, afflicted me: for «;// when it cometh from God, meaneth trouble and affliction wherewith he chastiseth his servants, and exerciseth their faith and patience; as Jer. xviii. 8 ; Is. xlv. 7; Amos iii. 6. That thou layest,] Heb. /or to lay, or to put: so it hath reference to the foimer part of the speech. See the notes on Gen, vi. 19. The NUMBERS. '- Have I conceived all this people ? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me. Bear them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the suckmg child, imto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers ? ^^ Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people ? for they weep unto me, saying. Give us flesh that we may eat. '* I am not able myself alone to bear all this people, for it is too heavy for me. '^ x'\nd if thou do thus unto me, kill therefore fear him ; he lespecteth uot any that are wise of heart.' And so it is not lawful for him to govern them with contemp- tuous carriage ; although they be the (com- mon) people of the land: neither may he tread upon the heads of the holy people, al- though they be unlearned and base, they are the sons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the armies of the Lord that brought them out of the land of Egypt by great might, and by strong hand ; but he must bear the toil of the congregation, and their burden ; as Moses our master, of whom it is said, ' As a nursing father beareth the sucking child,'" &c. Maim, in Misn. torn. 4, in Sanhedrin, chap. xxv. sect. 1, 2. That which Moses speaketh of a ' nursing father,' the Chald. that goeth in the name of Jonathan, and Targum Jerusalemy, calleth pedagoga, which word Paul useth, when he saith, 'the law was our pedagogue (or schoolmaster) unto Christ,' Gal. iii. 24, whose graces were figured by that ' land ' whither Moses now was to lead them ; as is showed in the annot. on Gen. xii. 5. Ver, 13. — Flesh to give,] By these complaints Moses showeth his insufficiency to govern this people, and to supply their wants: neither indeed could he bring them into the promised land, but died ere they came thither, Deut. xxxiv. whereby the im- possibility of the law was signified, that it could not bring men unto God, or satisfy, or restrain the lusts that reign in our members, though the law itself ' is holy,' Rom. vii. 5 — 12. 'But what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God (hath done) sending his own Son,' Rom. viii. 3, who giveth us not flesh to satisfy our carnal lusts, but his own flesh to be the food of our souls, which he hath given ' for the lile of the world,' and which whoso eateth, ' hath eternal life,' John vi. 51, 54. Ver. 15. — If thou do thus,] To leave the whole burden upon me still. Here the word thou, spoken to God, is of the feminine gender, contrary to common rule of speech, ut, for attah: which some think doth intimate Moses' trouble of mind, as if he could not perfectly utter his words: and the like is in Deut. v. 27, where the people, teirified with the majesty of God when he gave his law, said unto Moses, ' Speak thou (at) unto us,' BURDEN,] The weighty care and charge: so in Deut. i. 12. The Gr. here translateth it anger; but after in ver. 17, violence, or a*- sault. This showeth the great charge that lieth upon governors: so Paul meationeth ' the care of all the churches,' which came upon him daily, 2 Cor. xi. 28. Ver. 12. — Have i conceived,] So also the Gr. translateth it; but the Chald. saith, " Am I the father of all this people ? are they my sons?" Begotten them,] Heb. begotten it; or, brought it forth ; speaking of the people, as of one man, begotten, as by a father; or brought forth, as by a mother. So the apostle applieth both similes to himself, saying to the Corinthians, 'Ye have not many fathers ; for in Christ Jesus I have be- gotten you through the gospel,' 1 Cor. iv. 15, and to the Gal. ' My children of whom I travel in birth again, until Christ be formed in you,' Gal. iv. 19. In this complaint of Moses, the weakness of the law is signified, which begetteth no children to God, Rom. vii. 4, 5, &c.; viii. 3, but by the word of truth, the gospel, and by belief in Christ, we are born of God, Jam, i. 18; 1 Pet. i. 23 — 25; 1 John v. 1. In thy bosom,] That is, lovingly, tenderly, carefully: which Moses the lawgiver could not do as is done by Christ, of whom it is said, ' He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, he shall gather his lambs with his arm, and bear them in his bosom, he shall gently lead those that are with young,' Is. xl. 11. A ncjrsing father,] This showeth the love, mildness, gentleness which should be in governors ; and so it is said unto the church, ' Kings shall be thy nursing fathers,' &c. Is. xlix. 23. And the apostle saith, ' We were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father doth his childion,' I Thes. ii. 7, 11. Accordingly the Hebs. have this rule for all governors of the church, " It is unlawful for a man to gov rn with stateliness over the congregation, ia\A with liaughtiness of spirit, but with meekness and fear. And every pastor that bringeth more terror upon the congregation than is lor the name of God, he shall be punished, and shall not see himself to have a learned wise son: as it is said, (in Job xxxvii. 24,) ' Men do CHAP. XL me I pray thee, kill me, if I have found grace in thine eyes, and let me not see mine evil. ^^ And Jehovah said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men Sol. Jarchi here saith, " The strength of Moses became feeble as a womaD, when the holy blessed (God) showed him the punish- ments that he would bring upon them (the people) for this he said before him, ' If thus, kill me first.' " Kill me,] Or, killing me: that is, kill me quite, and vut of hand ; the word is doubled, for more vehemency and speed. See mine evil,] That is, my misery and affliction. By 'seeing evil,' is meant the feeling or suffering of misery ; as to ' see death,' is to die, Luke ii. 26 ; Ps. Ixxxix. 49, and as on the contrary, ' to see the salva- tion of God,' meaneth the fruition or enjoy- ing thereof, Ps. 1. 23 j xci. 16. Com- pare with this, Elijah's speech, 1 Kings xix. 4. Ver. 16. — Gather unto me,] In Chald. gather before me; and Thargum Jonathan ex- plaineth it, gather in my name seventy worthy men. This is answerable to the number of the seventy souls of the house of Israel, which went down into Egypt, Gen. xlvi. 27 ; Exod. i. 5; Deut. x. 22, and to the seventy elders which went up unto the Lord at mount Sinai, Exod. xxiv. 1, 9. From hence the Hebs. in their commonwealth, continued their chiefest senate in Jerusalem of seventy- one elders, as here there were seventy, and Moses the prince. So they record in Tal- mud Bab. in Sanhedrin, chap. i. and Maim, in Sanhedrin, chap. i. sect. 3—5, explaineth it thus ; " there was in Israel, first a great court (or judgment hall) in the sanctuary ; and that was called the great Synedrion, and their number was seventy-one, as it is writ- ten, 'Gather to me seventy men,' &c. and Moses was chief over them, as it is said, ' And let them stand there with thee,' Num. xi. 16, lo here are seventy-one. The great- est in wisdum among them all, they set him for head over them, and he was called Nasi (the prince) in every place, and he stood in- stead of Moses our master. And they placed the greatest among the seventy, next unto the head, and he sat on his right hand, and was called Abbethdin (the father o^ the judgment hall.) And the residue of the seventy sat before him, according to their years and according to their dignity: whoso- ever was in wisdom greater than his fellow, WHS nearer unto the prince on his left hand. And they sat as in the form of an half circle round, so that the prince, with the father of the court, might see them all. Moreover they set two judgment halls, each of twenty- three judges, the one at the door of the court (of the sanctuary,) the other at the door of the temple. And in eveiy city of Israel wherein were 120, (fathers of families) or more, they set a lesser Synedrion, which sat in the gate of the city, as it is written, ' And establish judgment in the gate,' (Amos v. 15.) And their number was twenty-three judges, and the wisest among them was head of them ; and the residue sat in a round-like half a circle, that he which was head might see them all. If it were a city wliich had not 120 men in it, they set therein three judges, for there is no judgment hall of les3 than three, that there might be more or fewer, if there happened to be among them dissension in judgment. But every city which had not in it two wise men, the one fit to teach the whole law, and the other skilful to hear, and skilful to demand and make answer ; they set no synedrion therein, although it had in it two thousand Israelites," &c. The officers,] In Gr. the scribes; and Thargum Jonathan addeth, " in Egypt:" as if these were such as are mentioned in Exod. v. 14, and of them Sol. Jarclii also understandeth it. What these ' officers ' were after in the commonwealth of Israel, is noted on Deut. xvi. IS. Here it seemeth to be meant of such elders and officers as were well known and had approved themselves for wisdom and good carriage, for which they might with comfort be preferred to this higji senate: 'for they that have ministered well, (as the apostle saith,) purchase to themselves a good degree,' 1 Tim. iii, 13. Afterwards in Israel about the choice of these chief ma- gistrates, it is thus recorded; " Our wise men have said, that from the great synedrion they sent into all the land of Israel, and made diligent inquiry; whomsoever they found to be wise, and afraid to sin, and meek, &c. they made him a judge in his city. And from thence they preferred him to the gate of the mountain of the house (of the Lord:) and from thence they promoted him to the gate of the court (of the sanc- tuary,) and from thence they advanced him to the great judgment-hall," Maim, in San- hedrin, chap. ii. sect. 8. Stand there,] Oi-, present themselves there with thee. They were to stand before the tabernacle, to present themselves unto God, and to receive authority from him ; and with Moses, who was to be chief over them. The Hebs. from the word with, gather a likeness unto Moses, saying, " They constitute none in the synedrion but priests, Levites and Israelites whcse gene- alogy is known, &c. as it is said (in Num. xi. 16,) ' with theej' whicli aro like tl«->e in N U M B E R S. of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest, that tliey are tlic elders of the people and the officers of them, and take them unto the tent of the congregation, tliat they may stand there witii thee. *' And I will come down and will speak with thee there, and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon tliem, and they shall bear with thee the burden of the people, and thou shalt not bear it thyself alone. ''^ And say thou unto tlie people, sanctify yourselves against to-morrow, and ye shall eat liesii ; for ye have wept in the ears of Jehovah, saying, Wlio shall give us flesh to eat ? for it was well with us in Egypt; therefore Jehovah will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. *^ Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days. ^" Un- til a month of days, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be unto you loathsome, because that you have despised Jehovah who is among you, and have wept before him, saying. Wherefore now came we forth out of Egypt ? ^' And Moses said. The people amongst whom I am, are six hundred tliousand footmen ; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, and they shall eat it a month of days. ^^ Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them to suffice t-isdoin, religion, and genealogy," Maim, in transgresseth," Sif Maim, in Sanhediin, Sanhedrin, chap. ii. sect. 1. VeR. 17.— I WILL COME DOWN,] To wit, in sign or apparition; as tlie Cliald. translat- eth, / will reveal myself; and Tliargum Jonathan addeth, " I will rev^-al myself in the glory of my majesty ;" this was in the cloud, ver. 25. I will take,] Or, will se- parate ; iu Chald. will increase of the spirit that is on thee; meaning, the gifts of the Spirit, as ' prophecy,' ver. 25, and other meet for their charge: for ' thi re are diversi- ties of gifts, but the same Spirit,' L Cor. xii. 4. So 'spirits' are named for 'spiritual gifts,' 1 Cor. xiv. 12, 32, and the ' Holy Spirit,' for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, John vii. 39 ; Acts xix. 2,G. Thus the 'spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha,' 2 Kings ii. 15, when he had the same gifts and power of prophecy, miracles, &c. Neither was Moses' spirit hereby diminished ; for as Sol. Jarchi saith, " Moses in that hour was like unto the lamp that was left (burning) on the candle- stick, (in the sanctuary) from which all the other lamps were lighted, yet the light there- of was not lessened any whit." God showed hereby, that none without gifts of his Spirit, are fit for office and government, Exod. xviii. 21; Deut. i. 13 ; Acts vi. 3. The Hebs. have this rule, " Any synedrion, king, or governor, that shall set up a judge for Israel, that is not fit, and is not wise in the wisdom ot Ihe law, and meet to be a judge; although he be wholly amiable, and have in him other good things, yet he that settcth him up. chap, iii. sect. S. Ver. 18. — Sanctify,] In Chald. prepare yourselves: so to ' sanctify war,' is to prepare therefore, Jer. vi. 4 ; Ii. 28. It meaneth an holy preparation to receive the gifts that they desired. Sol. Jarchi expoundeth it, " Prepare yourselves for vengeance ; and so he saith (in Jer. xii. 3,) Sanctify (that is, prepare) them for the day of slaughter:" the twentieth verse showeth that this may be implied. Wept in the ears,] In ver. 20, ' wept be- fore' the Lord; and so the Chald. turneth it here. It meaneth, that the Lord had seen and heard their complaint: for weeping is often joined with lifting up the voice, or cry- ing out; as Gen. xxvii. 39; Judg. ii. 4; xxi. 2; 1 Sam. xi. 4; xxiv. 16; xxx. 4. Ver. 20. — Until a month of days,] To wit, ye shall eat, as the Gr. expresseth. Meaning a * whole month ;' as a ' year of days ' is an whole year, 2 Sam. xiv. 2S. So in Gen. xxix. 14. Loathsome,] Heb. to loathsomeness or alienation; which the Gr. translateth to choler; the Chald. to offence, that is, offensive. Have despised,] Or, contemptuously refused, set at noiight; which the Gr. translateth, disobeyed the Lord; the Chald. rejected the word of the Lord. Who IS,] The Chald. saith, whose majesty (or di- vine presence) remaineth among you, Veu. 22. — To SUFFICE them,] So the Gr. and Chald. expound the Heb. nuitsa, which usually sigiiifieth to find ; b\it here is used for obtaining that which is sufficient: so CHAP. XI. tliem ? or shall all the fislics of tlie sea be gathered together for them to suffice them. ^^ And Jehovah said unto Moses, Is Jehovah's hand waxed sliort ? tliou shalt see now, whether my word shall come to pass unto thee, or not. ^* And Moses went out, and spake unto the people the v.'ords of Jehovah ; and he gatliered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and made them stand round about the tent. ^^ And Jehovah came down in a cloud, and spake unto liim, and took of tlie spirit that ivas upon him; and gave it unto the seventy men the elders ; and it was when the spirit rested upon tlicm, they pro- phesied, and did not add. ^^ And there remained two of the men in the camp ; the name of the one was Eldad ; and the name of tlie second, Medad ; and the spirit rested upon them ; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tent, and they prophesied in the camp. people; see Exod. vii. I ; Gen xx. 7. And thus Paul saith, ' He that prophesieth, speak- eth unto men to edification, and exhortation, and^ comfort,' 1 Cor. xiv. 3. Sometimes it was a singing of praise unto God ; as they that prophesied ' with harps, with psalteries and with cymbals ; to confess and to praise the Lord,' 1 Chron. xxv. 1, 3. Did not ADD,] That is, prophesied no more but that day, as God spake the ten commandments, and ' added not,' that is, spake no more, or after such a manner to the people, Deut. lii. 2. Thus the Gr. here translateth, and they added no more: and Sol. Jarchi saith, " they did not add, i. e. they prophesied not save that day only ; so it is expounded in Siphre." Howbeit the Chald. translateth it, ceased not; in a contrary signification, which sometimes is in the Heb. words. But seeing the Chald. so expoundeth that also in Deut. v. 22, tliat the Lord ' ceased not,' which seemeth to mean a continuance till all those ten words were finished ; we may likewise understand him here to mean a continuance for that day; (as Saul in Naioth ' prophesied all that day and all that night,' 1 Sam. xix. 24,) and not a continuance always ; for this seemeth to be a temporary gift and miracle for confirmation of their office ; as iu 1 Sam. x. 6, 11. Ver. 26.W— Medad,] In Gr. Modad. The SPIRIT,] In Chald, the spirit of prophecy. That were written,] By Moses in a book ; or in papers (as the Hebs. think) and so were appointed among the rest to come to the tabernacle, ver. 16, 24. But went not OUT,] For what cause, the scripture sheweth not: but by comparing this their fact with others, it is probable, that as Saul when he should have been made king, withdrew and hid ' himself among the stufl,' 1 Sam. x. 22, so these two, unwilling to take the charge upon them, withdrew their shoulders, and in Jo=;h. xvii. 16 ; Judg. xxi. 14. Here Moses showeth that tha thing promised was impossible in man's judgment ; both in re- spect of the multitude of men, and length of time: and therefore he mentioneth beasts and fishes which also are flesh, 1 Cor. xv. 39, but speaketh not of fowls, as thinking least of all that they should be filled with them: yet God sufficed them with such, ver. 31. So Philip said unto Christ, 'Two hun- dred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for (this multitude) that every one may have a little,' John vi. 7, 9. Ver. 23. — Hand waxed short,] That is, power abated; the Gr. expoundeth it, Hhall nut the Lord's hand be sufficient ? the Chald. thus, Shall the tvord of the Lord be hindered? Hand is often used for 'power,' as being the instrument wherewith power is shewed, Deut. xxxii. 36 ; Josh. iv. 24 ; viii. 20, ' shortness ' signifieth lessening; and is applied sometimes to the Lord's Spirit, as in Mic. ii. 7, ' is the Spirit of Jehovah short- teued?' Sometimes to his hand, as here, and in Is. lix. 1, 'Behold Jehovah's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save:' and in Is. 1. 2, ' Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem ? or have I no power to deli- ver?' where the latter sentence explaineth the former. Ver. 25. — They prophesied,] This was a gift and eflect of God's Spirit upon them: and is elsewhere so explained : as, ' upon the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my Spirit,' Joel ii. 29, that is, ' I will pour out of my Spirit, and they shall prophecy,' Acts ii. IS. So iu Acts xix. 2, 6. And when Saul was anointed to be king, ' the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied,' 1 Sam. X. 6, 10. Prophesying was not only a foretelling of things to come, but sometimes a declaring of the word of God unto the NUMBERS. ^' xVnd there ran a yonug man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. '* And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his choice young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid thou tlicm. '' And Moses said unto him, Enviest tliou for me ? but O who shall give that all the people of Jehovah were prophets; that Jehovah would give his Spirit upon them. '" And Moses gatliered himself into tlie camp; he, and the elders of Israel. ^* And there went forth a wind from Jehovah, and brought quails from tlie sea, and let them fall by tlie camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's came not to the tabernacle: yet the Lord by his Spirit found them out: for whither shall men go from his spirit ? or whither shall they flee from his presence ? Ps. cxxxix. 7. The Hebs. have here their uncertain conjec- tures : Sol. Jarchi saith, " They were all written expressly by their names, and should have been taken by lots. For the count was made for the twelve tribes, out of every tribe six, except two tribes, of which were but five. Moses took seventy-two papers (or scrolls) and on seventy of them he wrote an elder, and on two, a part : and he chose six out of every tribe, so there were seventy and two. Then he said unto them, Take up your papers out of the basket. Whoso took up with his hand (a paper on which was written) an elder, he was sanctified (to that office:) but he in whose hand came up a part, unto him he said, the Lord will not have thee." Ver. 28. — Of his choice youiVJ wen,] In Gr. his chosen one : the Chald. saith, o/ his young men. The original word signifieth also youth: whereupon some translate it. the minister of Moses from his youth: but this seemetli not fit, for Moses's shepherd's life in Midian, from which he came but a little before this, argueth the contrary. Forbid THOU THEM,] Tliis he spake of envious zeal for his master Moses' sake, (as the ver. fol- lowing showeth ;) that he would not have the use of the gift of prophecy common; or, because they obeyed not Moses to come out as he commanded. So the disciples forbade one that cast out devils in Christ's name, because he followed not with them, Luke ix. 49, 50, Mark ix. 38. Thargum Jonathan explaineth it, ' my lord Moses, request mercy from before the Lord, and forbid them the spirit of prophecy.' Ver. 29. — Enviest thou,] Or, hast thou envious zeal or jealousy for my sake ? which is a prohibition, have it not: as 'think ye that I am come to give peace on earth?" Luke xii. 51 ; that is, ' think it not,' Matt. x. 34, But O who shall give,] Or, and O who, &c.; this is an earnest wish, as would God, or the lilje: the word and, setteth forth the earnestness of his passion, as Acts xxiii. 3 ; Ps. ii. 6. His spirit,] That is, the gifts of his spirit ; as the Chald. saith, ' his spirit of prophesy.' So Paul wisheth that all the church could prophesy, and saith, ' follow after love, and zealously desire spiritual gifts , but ra- ther that ye may prophesy, 1 Cor. xiv. 1. Ver. so. — Gathered,] That is, got him- self, or as the Gr. saith, departed. The elders,] Who were authorised of God to be of the high counsel or synedrion with Moses and his assistants: and thus they differed from those inferior magistrates which had been appointed before by Jethro's advice, Exod. xviii. 21, 25. And as then all hard causes were brought unto Moses, Exod. xviii. 26 ; so after this, such causes were brought to the high court or synedrion first ordained here. This is showed by the Heb. canons in Talmud Bab. Sanhedrin, chap. 1 ; and Maim, in Sanhedrin, chap. v. thus : " they set up no king but by the mouth of the senate of seventy-one (elders:) neither make they any lesser synedrion for every tribe and for every city, but by the senate of seventy-one. Neither judge they a whole tribe revolted, (to idolatry,) nor a false prophet, nor the high priest in judgment of life and death, but by the great synediion. But money matters are judged by the court of three judges. Likewise, they make (or judge) no elder re- bellious, (Deut. xvii.) nor any city drawn to idolatry, (Deut. xiii.;) neither cause they the suspected woman to drink the bitter water, (Num. v.) hut in the great synedrion. Neither do they add unto (or enlarge) the city or the court-yard, neither go they forth to permitted wai," &c. [whereof see the notes on Deut. xx. I,] but by the great syne- drion ; as it is said, (in Exod. xviii. 22,) ' e\ery great matter they shall bring unto thee.' Ver. 31. — A wind,] God ' made an ea^t wind to pass forth in heaven ; and brought on a south wind by his strength,' Ps, Ixxviii. 26. Brought quails,] Such fowls as he had fed them with before, in Exod. xvi. 13 ; them now God again brought swiftly, and as CHAP. XI. y journey on that side, round about the camp : and as it were two cubits above the face of the earth. ^^ And the people stood up all tliat day, and all the night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails ; he that gathered least, gathered ten homers : and spread- ing they spread them for themselves round about the camp. ^^ The flesli was yet between their teeth ; it was not yet cut off, when the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the people, and Jehovah smote the people with a very great plague. " And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people that lusted. ^' From Kibroth-hattaavah, tlie people journeyed unto Hazeroth : and tliey were in Hazeroth. with violence ; which the Chald. translateth made to fly. Let them fall,] Or, spread them abroad ^ so this word is Englished in 1 Sam. XXX. 16. Two cubits,] Sol. Jarchi saith, " they flew so high as against a man's heart, that he was not toiled in getting them, either by reaching high or by stooping low. Ver. 32 — Ten homers,] Or, ten heaps, as the Chald. translateth: for the Heb. homer sometimes signifieth an heap, as in Exod. viii. 3 ; sometimes a kind of measure con- taining ten ephahs or bushels, Ezek. xlv. 11 ; the which measure is called also a cor, Ezek. xlv. 14 ; and so Thargum Jerusalem inter- preteth it here. Thus also the Gr. translat- eth it ten cors ; (for of the Heb. cor, tlie Gr. coros, in Luke xvi. 7 ; and Lat. cortis are derived.) And Chazkuni here explaineth it, " ten homers ; there are in an homer thirty seahs (or pecks,) so ten homers contain three hundred seahs: lo he that gathered least, had every day ten seahs." Of the seah or peck, see the notes on Gen. xviii. 6. This abun- dance of fowls was miraculous, whereupon it is said, ' God rained flesh upon them as dust ; and feathered fowls as the sand of the sea,' Ps. Ixxviii. 27. And with these they filled their greedy lust ; (' feeding themselves without fear,' as Jude ver. 12;) though the Lord had threatened to punish them, ver. 20. Ver. 33. — Not yet cot off,] To wit, from their mouth, that is, not taken fiom them, which the Gr. translateth before it (that is, the flesh) failed. Thus the phrase is opened in Joel i. 5, ' the new wine is cut ofl' from your mouth ;' that is, taken away from you. Or, by cutting may be meant chewing. The psalmist alleging this, saith, * they ■were not estranged from their desire ; Voi>. II. the meat was yet in their mouth when the anger of God came up against them,' &c. Ps. Ixxviii. 30, 31. And here Chazkuni observ- eth how they were plagued of God, " after that he had sufficed all of them with flesh ; that men should not say he had not plagued them, but because he was not able to suffice them all with flesh. A very great flagoe,] Or, vehement great smiiing : Abr. Ezra writ- eth, that ' it was the pestilence; God gave them their request when tliey lusted for flesh; but sent leanness into their soul,' Ps. cvi. 14, 15. ' The anger of God came up against them, and slew of the fat of them ; and smote down the choice young men of Israel,' Ps. Ixxviii. 31. Ver. 34. — He called,] meaning, Moses called, and by the name of the place, left a memorial of their sin and punishment, for a warning to them after, Deut. ix. 22 ; and to us, ' that we should not lust after evil things as they lusted,' 1 Cor. x. 6. Or, as the Gr. translateth it, ' the name of the place was called;' see ver. 3. Kibroth-hattaavah,] That is, as the Gr. expoundeth it, graves (or monuments) of lust. Where lust may be used for the men that lusted : as circumcision, in Rom. ii. 26, is for men circumcised ; pride, for the proud man, Jer. 1. 31, 32 ; Ps. xxxvi. 12; and many the like. See the notes on Gen. xlv. 7. Ver. 35. — Were in Hazeroth,] Or, Chatseroth, in Gr. Aseiroih ; here they were that is, abode or continued, (as Daniel was, that is, continued, Dan. i. 21 ; and they were, that is, continued there, Pv.uth i. 2.) The cause of which abode, was a new trouble which Moses' sister and brother raised against him, Num. xii. 10 N U M B E R S. CHAP. XII. 1. Mary and Aaron speak against Moses about his wife and office. 4. The Lord caUeth them all before him, justijieth Moses, magnijieth his office, rebuketh the murmurers, and departeth in anger. 10. Mary is made a leper, Aaron confesseth sin, Moses prayeth God to heal her. 1 4. The Lord commandeth her to be shut out of the camp seven days. 1 5. The people's journey is stayed till she mas brought in again ; then they go on into Pharan. ^ And Mary and Aaron spake against Moses, because of tlie Ethiopian woman whom he had taken : for he had taken an Ethio- pian woman. ^ And they said, Hath Jehovah spoken only indeed by Moses ? liath he not spoken also by us ? And Jehovah heard Ver. 1. — Mary,] In Heb. Mirjam; in Gr. Miriam ; she was a piophetess, sister of Moses and Aaron, Excel, xv. 20; and she it was that began the quarrel, as in tlie ori- ginal it appeareth, ' Mary she spake ;' there- fore she, not Aaron, was plagued with le- prosy, V. 10. As Satan prevailed first with Eve, then liy her with Adam, Gen. i. 3; so here first with Mary, and then by her, with Aaron the high priest. And as the former sin of lust for flesh began among the baser sort. Num. xi. 4; so this sin of ambition and vain glory began among the chiefest of the church: for these three, Moses, Aaron, and Mary, were the chief guides whom God sent before his people, Micah vL 4. Because,] Or, itpon occasion, for the sake. Ethio- pian,] Heb. Cushite ; which the Gr. traiis- latetli Ethiopian. This seemeth to be no other than Zipporah the Midianitess, whom Moses had married, Exod. ii. 16^ 21; and because the Midianites dwelt in Cush his land, they were called Ciishites (or Ethio- pians;) and it may be also because they were tawny coloured like them. For otherwise Cush was tlie son of Cham, Gen. x. 6; whereas Midian was the son of Abraham, the son of Shem, Gen. xxv. 1, 2. The Chald. instead of Cushith, saitli Fair, which may be spoken by the contrary. Josephus, Philo, and some others take this wife not to be Zipporah, but another Ethiopian. Taken,] To wit, to tvife, that is, married ; so in 1 Chron. ii. 19, 21 ; 2 Chrou. xi. 20; Neh. vi. 18; X. 30. By this it seemeth, the mar- rying of that woman (who was not of the stock of Israel, and who hindered him from circumcising his son, Exod. iv. 24 — 26,) was the occasion of their murmuring. Howbeit, the Heb. doctors make his not companying with liis wife, to be the occasion: for that he being a prophet, daily conversant with the Lord, and frequenting his tabernacle, ab- stained from her lest he should have legal pollution, which would have kept him from the sanctuary, Lev. xv. IG — 31. Compare also Exod. xix. 15. Thus the Chald. ex- poundeth it, " for he had put away (or ab- stained from) the fair wife which he had taken." And Sol. Jarchi thus, " for he had taken a Cushite woman, and had now put her away." Ver. 2. — By Moses,] Or in Moses ; as speaking of inward revelation by the Spirit: the Thargum called Jonathan's, paraphraseth thus ; " hath the Lord spoken only indeed with Moses, who is separated fiom copulation of the bed," meaning with his wife. Also by us.] Or, in us : as David said ' the Spirit of Jehovah spake in me,' 2 Sam. xxiii. 2. Here Sol. Jarchi addeth for explanation, " hath he not spoken also by us, and yet we have not separated ourselves from the way of tlieearth;"meaning,from mutual society,s»ich as is between man and wife ; a phrase taken from Gen. xix. 31. But it may be under- stood, as before is noted, that they would not have Moses esteemed the only prophet, who had so stained himself by marriage with a strange woman. Their drift was by disgrac- ing Moses for his infirmity, to grace and ad- vance themselves; against which it is said, ' let us not be desirous of vain-gloiy, provok- ing one another, envying one another,' Gal. V. 26. Heard it,] That is, took notice of this their speech, to reprove and punish it. So of Reuben's sin, it is said, ' Israel heard it,' Gen. xxxv. 22. Or, God is said to hear it, as a witness of that wliich it may be they murmured in secret: as in Ps. lix. S, ' swords CHAP. XI 11 it. ^ Now tlie man Moses was very meek, above all the men wliich were upon the face of the eartli. * And Jehovah said suddenly unto Moses, ^nd unto Aaron, and unto Mary, Come out ye three unto the tent of tlie congregation, and they three went out. ^ And Jehovah came down in tlie pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tent, and called Aaron and Mary : and they two came fortli. ^ And he said. Hear now my words : if there shall be a prophet among you, I Jehovali will make myself known unto him in a vision, I will speak unto liim in a dream. ' My servant Moses is not so, lie is faithful in all mine are in their lips, for who (say they) doth hear ? and in Ps. Iv. 20, * God will hear and afflict them.' See also Ps. xciv. 7, 8, 9. Vkb. 3. — Meek,] The original word hath affinity with affliction and lowliness, for by affliction, this virtue is furthered. Lam. iii. 27 — 30 ; and is seated in the heart and spi- rit, as the apostle mentioneth ' a meek and quiet spirit,' 1 Pet. iii. 4. As Moses, so Christ is set forth for an example of meek- ness. Matt. xxi. 5; xi. 29. It is a virtue which kuepeth a mean in anger, and avenging of ourselves when we are otfeiided, wronged, and contemned. Above all the men,] Or, more than any man. This commendation the Spirit of God giveth of Moses, though by Moses' own pen (as the apostle also writeth in his own behalf, 2 Cor. xi. 5, 6, 10, 22, &c. ; xii. 11, 12;) although Moses is noted to have been very angry sundry times, Exod. xi. 8; xvi. 20; xxxii. 19; Lev. x. 16; Num. xvi. 15; xxxi. 14; xx. 10, 11; com- pared with Ps. cvi. 32, 33. Ver. 4. — Said suddenly,] So showing the greatness of his displeasure against them, which suffered no delay, Ps. Ixiv. 7; Prov. vi. 15 ; Is. XXX. 1 3 ; and preventing any that might think Moses complained to God and sought revenge. Thus God who will be a swiit witness against evil doers, Alal. iii. 5 ; suddenly rose to plead the cause of his meekest servant. Compare Ps. 1. 19, 20, 21. Ye three,] Both parties are judicially summoned to appear before the Lord in the tent of his habitation ; as he riseth up to judgment, ' to save all the meek of the earth,' Ps. Ixxvi. 9. So in Num. xvi. 16. Ver. 5.— Came down,] In Chald. reveal- ed himself: see Gen. xi. 5. Of the cloud,] As the throne of his glory, out of which he used to appear and speak unto them, Ps. xcix. 7 ; Num. xvi. 42. Unto these appearances those visions of John hath reference. Rev. x. 1, 2, 3; xiv. 14, &c. Ver. 6. — A prophet among you,] Or, of you ; Heb. yoicr prophet : which the Chald. expoundelh, " if there shall be pro- phets to (or among) you." What this word prophet meaneth, see in the notes on Gen. XX. 7; Exod. vii. 1. I Jehovah,] So the Chald. also explaineth it: or it may be inter- preted, of Jehovah ; that is, a prophet of the Lord : so the G r. translateth, a prophet of you to the Lord. In a vision,] Or, by a vision or sight ; that is, as the Chald. saith, in vi- sions ; so God appeared to Abi aham the prophet in a vision. Gen. xx. 7 ; xv. 1 ; and to Jacob, Gen. xlvi. 2 ; to Ezekiel, Ezek. i. 1 ; to Daniel, Dan. viii. 2; and others, Job iv. 13 ; 2 Cor. xii. 1 ; Acts ii. 17 ; where- upon a prophesy is called a vision. Is. i. I ; Obad. i. 1 ; Nahum i. 1. In a dream,] Chald. in dreams : another way by which God revealed his word to the prophets. Gen. xxxi. 11 ; Deut. xiii. 1 ; 1 Kings iii. 5; Jer. xxiii. 25, 28, 32. Dreams are in the night, and then as it were in darkness God spake with the other prophets ; but as R. Menachem here noteth, " it was not so with Moses, for God spake not with him but by day." Moreover, dreams and visions do soon vanish and fly away. Job xx. 8. Ver. 7. — Not so,] Is not such a prophet that I should speak to him by dreams and visions. Faithful in all mine house,] That is, in all my church ; for the house of God is expounded ' the church of the living God,' 1 Tim. iii. 15 ; and so the Chald. here translateth it " in all my people ;" and Jona- than, " in all the house of Isiael my people;" and Chazkuni explaineth it thus, " all the men of my house hold him for faithful." This is further opened by the apostle, saying, ' consider the apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him that made him, as also Moses was in all his house, &c. And Moses verily was faith- ful in all his house, as a servant, for a testi- mony of those things which were to be spoken after, but Christ as the Son over his own house ; whose house we are, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end,' Heb. iii. 1 — 6. Touching Moses' faithfulness, and the confi- dence that Israel reposed in him, see the notes on Exod. xix. 9. 12 NUMBERS. liouse. ^ Moutli to moutli will I speak with him, and in vision, and not in dark speeches ; and the similitude of Jehovah shall he be- Ver. 8. — Mouth to mouth,] That is, familiarly, plainly, in mine own presence, without any interposed mean ; as the Chald. translateth, speech tvith speech. So when Joseph spake without an interpreter, he said, ' it is my mouth that speaketh unto you,' Gen. xlv. 12; and the apostle opposeth it to speech by writing ; as, 'I would not write with paper and ink, but I trust to come unto you and speak mouth to mouth, that our joy may be full,' 2 John ver. xii ; and 3 John xiv. A like phrase is in Exod. xxxiii. 11, ' Jehovah spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend:' and in this manner of communication, Moses excelled all the other prophets, Deut. xxxiv. 10. The Heb. doctors have explained this matter thus; " it is one of the foundations of the law, to know that God maketh the sons of men to prophesy ; and prophesy resteth not but on a wise man, great in wisdom, mighty in his virtuous qualities, that his affections (or natural corruption) prevail not over him in any thing in the world, but he prevaileth by his knowledge over his affections continually, &c. On such a man the Holy Spirit dwel- leth, and when the Spirit resteth upon him, his soul is associated to the degree of angels which are called men, and he is turned to another man, and perceiveth in his own knowledge that he is not so as he was, but that he is advanced above the degree of other wise men, as it is said of Saul, ' and thou shalt prophesy with them, shalt be turned to another man,' (1 Sam. x. 6.) The prophets were of divers degrees : as in wisdom one wise man is greater than another, so in prophesy, one prophet was greater than another. And all of them saw not the vision of prophesy but by dreamj by vision of the night, or iu the day time, after that a deep sleep was fallen upon them, Num. xii. 6 ; and all of them when they prophesied, their joints trembled, and strength of body failed, and their thoughts were troubled, and the mind was left changed to understand that which was seen ; as it is said of Abraham, ' and, lo, a terror, a great darkness fell upon him,' (Gen. xv. ;) and as is said of Daniel, ' and my vigour was turned in me unto cor- ruption, and I retained no strength,' (Dan. X. 8.) The. things that were made known to a prophet by vision prophetically, were made known to him by way of parable, and forth- with the interpretation of the parable was written in his heart, and he knew what it was. As the ladder that Jacob our father did see, and the angels ascending and des- cending on it, (Gen. xxviii. 12 :) and the living creatures which Ezekiel saw, (Ezek. i.) and the seething pot and almond rod which Jeremiah saw, (Jer. i.;)and the epliah which Zechariah saw, (Zech. v.) and so the other prophets, of whom some spake the parable and the interpretation thereof, some the interpre- tation only ; and sometime they uttered the parable only without the interpretation, as part of Ezekiel's and Zechariah's words: and they all prophesied by parables and after the way of dark speeches. None of the prophets prophesied at all times when they would ; but prepared their understanding, and sat joyful, and with cheerful heart, and with contem- plation. For prophesy cometh not upon men, either when they are sorrowful, or when they are slothful, but w hen they are joyful : there- fore the sons of the prophets had before them psalteries, and timbrels, and pipes, and harps, (1 Sam. X. 5 ;) and they sought for prophesy; and this is that which is written, ' and they prophesying,' (1 Sam. x. 5 ;) as if he should say, walking in the way of prophesy, until they do prophesy. Those which forget to prophesy, are called sons of the prophets : and although they prepared their wits (or under- standing,) it might be the Holy Spirit would come down upon them, and it might be not. All these things that we have spoken of, were the way of prophesy for all the former and latter prophets, except Moses our master, the master of all the prophets. And what differ- ence was there between the prophesy of Moses, and of all the other prophets ? All the prophets prophesied by dreams or by vi. sion: but Moses prophesied when he was waking and standing ; as it is written, ' and when Moses was gone into the tent of the congregation, to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto hiin,' (Num. vii. 89.) All the prophets prophesit'l by the hands of an angel, therefore they did see that which they saw in parables and dark speeches: Moses prophesied not by the hands of an angel, as it is said, ' mouth to mouth, I will speak with him,' (Num. xii. 8 ;) it is also said, ' the Lord spake unto Moses face to face,' (Exod. xxxiii. 11 ;) and again it is said, ' and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold, (Num. xii. 8 ;) as if he should say, there is no parable there, but he seeth the thing concerning his Creator, without dark speech, without parable. He it is of whom the law testilieth, ' apparently, and not in dark speeches," (Num. xii. 8 ;) for he pro- phesied not by dark speech, but apparently, for he saw the thing concerning his Creator. All the prophets were afraid, and troubled, and fainted, but Moses was not so ; for the CHAP. xir. 13 hold : and wherefore were ye not afraid to speak against my ser- vant, against Moses ? ^ And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against them, and he went away. " And the cloud departed from Scripture saith, ' as a man speaketh unto his friend,' (Exod. xxxiii. 11;) as if he should say. As a man is not troubled to hear the words of his friend, so there was strength in the mind of Moses to understand the words of prophesy, and he stood on his place safe and well. None of the prophets prophesied at all times when they would: but Moses was otherwise, for at any time when he would, the Holy Spirit clothed him, and pro- phesy came upon him ; and he needed not to prepare his mind and make himself ready for it, for he was prepared and ready, and stood as the angels of ministry, therefore he prophesied at all times, as it is said, ' stand still, and I will hear what the Lord will com- mand concerning you,' (Num. ix. 8.) And this God caused him to trust upon, as it is said, ' but as for thee, stand thou here with me, &c. (Deut. v. 31 :) whereby thou mayest learn that all the prophets, when prophesy was taken up from them, retui-ned to their tents, which was for things necessary to the body of them all, as the rest of the people ; therefore they were not separated from their wives: but Moses our master returned not to his first tent, therefore he was separated from his wife for ever ; and his mind was fast bound unto God the rock everlasting, and his glory was never taken up from upon him, but the skin of his face shined, and he was sanctified as the angels." Maim, in Misn. torn. i. ; in Jesude haturah, chap. vii. sect. 1 — 6, Now as the apostle compareth Christ with Moses, and preferreth him before Moses, Heb. iii. ; so in this gift of prophesy he did excel him: for ' the Lord gave him the tongue of the learned, that he knew how to speak a word in season,' Is. 1. 4 ; and this he learned not by dreams or visions, nor by a'.igels, nor by speech communicated mouth to mouth ; but by clean seeing of God, (which no man ever did at any time ;) and being ' in the bosom of the Father,' John i. 18; and having the Spirit, not by measure, he testified what he had seen and heard with his Father, John iii. 32, 34; viii. 38 ; and in him all fulness dwell, even ' the fulness of the Godhead bodily,' Col. i. 19; ii. 9. Will I speak,] That is, I asuallp speak : the time to come is used to signify a continu- ed action. In vision,] Or, by sight^ or a^- pearance, that is apparently : the Gr. trans- lateth, in an appearance or sight : which word is opposed (in 2 Cor. v. 7 ;) to faith, which is of things not seen, Heb. xi. 1; and here the Lord opposeth it to dark speeches, 80 it meancth an apparent or clear revelation. Aben Ezra explaineth it thus, '' I will show him the thing as it is, as the form of the tabernacle, (Exod. xxv. 40,) and not in a dark speech, (or riddle), like (that in Ezek. xvii. 2;) a great eagle with great wings, &c. Dark speeches,] Or, hidden speeches, rid- dles : a dark speech is called in Heb. Chidah, of sharpness, because it requireth sharpness of wit, both to propound and expound the same, as we have an example in Samson's riddle, Judg, xiv. 13, 14, &c. ; and it is of the nature of a parable, as in Ezek. xvii. 2, 3, ' Son of man put forth a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel ; a great eagle with great wings, long winged, full of feathers which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon,* &c. And all close and hidden doctrine is called a riddle, Ps. xlix. 5. And the Holy Spirit translateth it in Gr. sometime Ainigma, a riddle, 1 Cor. xiii. 12; (as the common Gr. version here hath,) sometime 'hidden things,' Matt. xiii. 35; from Ps. Ixxviii. 2; and so the Chald. of Jonathan expoundeth it here. The apostle showeth the meaning of this word, when he said, ' now we see through a glass in a riddle, (that is, darkly,) but then (we shall see) face to face,' 1 Cor. xiii. 12. The similitude,] Or, the likeness, image, which the Gr. inter- preteth the glory of the Lord. Sol Jarchi saith, " this was the sight of (God's) back- parts," mentioned in Exod. xxxiii. 23. And this prerogative Moses had above all Israel, which saw no similitude of God, Deut. iv. 12, 15; and above all prophets, who saw no vision of God so clear as he did. For even Moses himself could not see the face of God, Exod. xxxiii. 20. ' No man hath seen God at any time,' John i. IS ; neither can see,' 1 Tim. vi. 16. Against my servant, .^gainst Moses,] A manner of speech both earnest and elegant, like that in Gen. xxi. 10, ' with my son, with Isaac;' and that in 2 Sam. vii. 23, ' like my people, like Israel.' Sol. Jarchi noteth, " he saith not against my servant Moses ; but against my servant, against Moses ; against my servant though he were not Moses ; against Moses, for though he were not my servant, it were meet ye should fear before him, how much more see- ing he is my servant ? According to this the apostle speaketh in 2 Pet. ii. 10, ' they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.' Ver. 9. — He went away,] Withdrew the sign of his glorious presence, not vouch- safing to hear their answer; which was a token of his gi'eat displeasure. Ver. 10. — The cloud pepartep,] The 14 NUMBERS. off the tent; and, behold, Mary became leprous as snow: and Aaron looked upon Mary, and, behold, she was leprous. " And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas ! my Lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we liave done foolishly, and wlierein we have sinned. ^^ I beseech thee, let her not be as one dead, of whom when he Cometh out of hismotlier's womb, half liis flesh is even consumed. ■^ And Moses cried unto Jehovah, saying, O God, I beseech thee. Ileal her now. ^* And Jehovah said unto Moses, And if her father had spitting spitted in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days ? let her be shut seven days out from the camp ; and after let her be ga- Ver. 12. — As ONE DEAD,] By continu. ance of the leprosy upon her, whereby she should be shut out of tlie communion of the church, Num. v. 2 ; should defile all that touched her as do the dead ; and in the end be consumed, and die utterly with that fret- ting plague, as the words following show. The Chald. expoundeth this veise thus ; "let her not now be separated iVom among us, for she is our sister: pray now for this dead flesh that is in her, that it may be healed." Is EVEN CONSUMED,] Or, is even eaten, to wit, with the disease: and by coming out of his mother's womb, the Gr. understaudeth and translateth, an tintimely birth and coming out, &c. for as of such a dead birth the flesh is half consumed, so is the flesh of a leper. Ver. 13 Cried out,] That is, as the Chald. translateth, prayed, but earnestly, and as grieved for her affliction ; so the word usually signifieth. O God,] Hebr. jEI, which is one of God's names, signifying his might, and including his mercy; as is noted on Gen. xiv. 18. So in Thargum Jonathan, it is here explained, " And Moses prayed, and besought mercy before the Lord, saying, I beseech for mercy of the merciful God, I beseech God that hath power of the spirits of all flesh, heal her I beseech thee," Ver. 14. — Had spitting spitted,] That is, had but spitted, to wit, in anger. The Chald. expoundeth it, had rehiihed. Spitting on the face, is a sign of anger, shame, and contempt, Job xxx. 10 ; Is. 1. 6 ; which, if it had been from her earthly father, should have made her ashamed and sorrowful seven days: how much more now that it is from her Father which is in heaven ? Seven DAYS,] So long every leper was to be shut up by the law, for ^\%xy trial ; and also at his cleansing ; see Lev. xiii. 4, 5, 21, 26 ; xiv. viii. So long was he unclean that touched a dead man. Num. xix. 11. Gathered,] That is, received in, or as the Gr. translat- eth, enter in. So gathering is used for re- ceiving or taking in, after that one is neglect- ed or forsaken, Juilg. xix. 15; Josh. xx. 4; cloud of the g'ory of the divine presence of the Lord, saith Thargum Jonathan. Leprous as snow,] That is, leprous white as snow ; and this was the sorest leprosy, and most incur- able, see Exod. iv. &; 2 Kings v. 27; and they that had this disease, were put out of the Lord's camp as unclean, Lev. xiii. ; and therefoie God departed now away, for (as Chazkuni here saith,) " It is not the way of the earth, that holiness should stay in an un- clean place." This punishment was very memorable, both for the suddenness and sore- ness of it ; wherefore it is after said, ' re- member what Jehovah thy God did unto Mary bj' the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt,' Deut. xxiv. 9. And if God did thus unto so great a woman for Moses' sake, what will he do to such as rebel against Christ, who is ' counted worthy of more glory than Moses,' Heb. iii. 3. ' For if they escaped not, who refused him that spake on earth ; much more shall not we es- cape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven,' Heb. xii. 25. For Christ is not the servant, but the Son, even ' the Lord from heaven, 1 Cor. xv. 47. Ver. 11. — Alas, my lord,] Or, Ok, my lord, Heb. ttnto me, to wit, have respect ,' the Chald. explaineth it, we pray thee, my lord: see this phrase in Gen. xliii. 20. Aaron as unworthy of access himself unto God now departed, maketh request unto Moses, hon- oureth him (though Aaron himself was both the elder brother and the high priest,) with the title of his lord,confesseth theirsin against him, craveth pardon ; and by Moses' media- tion, to have their sister cured. Sin,] That is, the punishment of sin, (as Lev. xxii. 9 ; Num. xviii. 32 ;) which he desireth that by Moses' intercession, it might not be laid upon them of God. Wherein we have done FOOLISHLY,] Or, because ive are become fool- ish : the Gr. translateth, because ve have done ignorantly in that we have sinned : in which sense it is a lessening of their sin, as done through unadvisedness and oversight, not maliciously CHAP. XIII. 15 tliered in. " And Mary was shut out from tlie camp seven days; and the people journeyed not till Mary was gathered in again. '* And afterward the people journeyed from Hazeroth, and en- camped m the wilderness of Pharan. Ps. xxvii. 10. Here Thargum Jonathan was a special honour unto Mary above other atldeth this paraphrase, " And I will cause to stay, for thy sake, the cloud of my gloiy, and the tabernacle, and the ark, and all Israel, until the time that she is healed, and after- ward she shall be gathered in." Ver. J 5. — Mary was shut,] In Gr. was separated: this was an example of jus- tice against sinners, without respect of per- sons: therefore they are after desired to re- member this, Deut. xxiv. 9. And even kings when they were lepers, were separated, and dwelt apart, 2 Chron. xxvi. 20, 21. The people journeyed not,] But stayed mourning for her, till she was cured ; which lepers, for whom there was no such stay. Num. V. 2, 4. Because this Mary was one of those whom God sent before his people, Mic. vi. 4; Exod. xv. 20. Sol. Jarchi saith, " The Loid imparted this honour unto her, because she once stayed for Moses when he was cast into the river, as it is written, And his sister stood afar oHi" &c. Exod. ii. 4. Ver. 16. — Wilderness of pharan,] Or, of Paran; which had been ' Ishmael's' habi- tation, Gen. xxi. 21, and the place where they pitched in this wilderness was called ' Rithmah,' Num. xxxiii. 18, and ' Cadesh- baruea,' Num. xiii. 3, 26 ; Deut. i. 19, &c. CHAP. XIII. 1. The Lord enjoinetli Moses to send one man of every tribe, to search the land of Canaan. 4. Their names and tribes. 17. Their instruc- tions. 21. Their acts and return after forty days. 26. Their relation of the goodness of the land, and strength of the inhabitants. 30. Caleb eneourageth the people, but the others discourage them, and bring up an evil report upon the land. 233 ' And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, ^ Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, wliich I give to the sons of Israel: one man, one man for a tribe of his fathers, shall 33 3 Here beginiieth the thirty-seventh section of the law: see Gen. vi. 9. Ver. 1. — Jehovah spake,] By Moses' re- lationafter^it appeareth, thatwhenGodhad led his people from mount Horeb toCadesh Barnea, through the great and fearful wilderness, and they were come to the mountain of the Amo- rites; then Moses said, 'See, the Lord thy God hath given the land before thee ; go up, possess it. And all the people came near unto Moses, and said. We will send men before us, and they shall search out the land fur us, and bring us word again, by what way we shall go up, &c. That word liked Moses well; and he took of them twelve men, and sent them to spy out the land,' Deut. i. 19 — 24. So where here it is said, ' Jehovah spake,' &c. it is not meant, that this motion came first from the Lord; but the people first spake of it to Moses, he consulted with the Lord about it; and the Lerd approved. or at least, permitted the thing which they desired, Ver. 2. — Send thou,] Or, send for thee: which Sol. Jarchi expoundeth to this sense; " I command thee not ; if thou pleasest, send: forasmuch as Israel came and said, we will send men," &c. Deut. i. 22. That they may search,] Oi', and let them search, or espy, by searching round about: and the word implieth the action of the heart and mind, not of the eyes only, Eccl. i. 13 ; vii. 25. Thus God let them go search or espy the land, which he himself before ' had espied for them,' Ezek. xx. 6, and went before them in the way, to search them out a place to pitch their tents in, in fire by night, and in a cloud by day, Deut. i. 33. Of Canaan,] That is, as the Gr. translateth, of the Ca- naanites: named as the chief, for it was the land of seven mighty nations,' Deut. vii. 1. I GiVE.l Or, am giving: so he speaketh as of a IG NUMBERS. ye send every one a ruler among them. ^ And Moses sent liiem irom the wilderness of PJiaran, at the mouth of Jehovah : all those men were heads of the sons of Israel. * And tliese were their names: Of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua tlie son of Zaccur. * Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. ® Of the tribe of Judali, Caleb tlie son of Jeplmnneh. ' Of the tribe of Issachar, Jigal the son of Joseph. ®0f tlie tribe of Ephraim, Hosliea the son of Nun. ^ Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu. '" Of the tribe of Zabulon, Gaddiel the son of Sodi. " Of the tribe of Joseph, of the tribe of Manasses, Gaddi the son of Susi. ^^ Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli. ^^ Of the tribe of Aser, Setlmr the son of Michael. " Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nalibi the son of Vophsi. '^ Of the tribe of Gad, Gevel the son of Machi. '® Tliese are the names of the men which Moses sent here; and sometime Joseph is named for Ephraim, Ezek. xxxvii. 16, 19; Rev. \ii. 8. Here he is named as father of Manas- seh, who was liis first-born, Josh. xvii. 1, although the Heb. give another reason; namely, " Because both of them uttered an ill report ; Joseph, of liis brethren, (Gen. xxxvii. 2,) and the prince of Manasseh, of the land: which Hoshea of Ephraim did not," • Chazkuni on Num. xiii. Ver. 13.— Sethur.] In Gr. Sadour. Ver. 14. — Nahbi,] Or Nachbi; in Gr. Naabi son of Sabi. Ver. 15. — Gevel,] In Gr. Goudiel. Ver. 16.— These are the names,] Chaz- kuni here observeth, " He sent no spy of the tribe of Levi, because he had no portion in the land." Nun,] Called also, Non, 1 Chron. vii. 27, in Gr. Nave. Joshua,] Or, Jehoshua, called sometime ' Jeshuah,' Neh. viii. 17, in Gr. Jesus; and so the New Tes- tament writeth him. Acts vii. 45, Heb. iv. 8, that signifieth a 'Saviour,' Mat. i. 21. And this name Moses gave him by the Spirit of God ; either as foreseeing that he should be his successor, and save the people from their enemies the Canaanites ; or, (as Sol. Jarchi here notetli) praying for him, that the Lord would save him from the counsel of the (wicked) spies. But Chazkuni expound- eth it, " Moses had called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua, not that he now first called him Joshua, but before when he vvas made his minister, and found grace in his eyes." We find him called ' Joshua,' before they came to mount Sinai, Exod. xvii. 9, and after this, when Moses is ready to die, he is called ' Hoshea,' in Deut. xxxii. 44. Where Chaz- kuni saith thus ; " At the first when he was taken to be Moses' minister, Moses called him Joshua; for so is the manner of kings, to change the name of their ministers, Gen. xli. 45 ; Dan. i. 7. But now when he ia thing present, for more assurance. One MAN, ONE man,] An Hebrew phrase, mean- ing, of every tribe one man, excepting the tribe of Levi, for of them none was sent; because they were to have no inheritance in the land, Deut. xviii. 1. A ruler,] Or, a prince ; not of the baser sort, because the business was weighty: whereupon their re- bellion following was of the more note. Ver. 3. — At the mouth,] Oi-, accord- ing to the mouth, that is, the word of the Lord, as the Chald. translateth ; and the Gr. by the voice of the Lord: and this Sol. Jar- chi expoundeth, '' by his permission." So in the commentary called Phesikta, fol. 47, it is said, " The election of the spies was according to the mouth of the Lord; not that God commanded them to send them. If thou sayest, why did he not forbid them to send? To accomplish tlieir desire, and to render them their recompense, and to give unto Joshua and Caleb a good reward." Heads,] That is, as the Gr. saith, chief- rulers ; and Chazkuni expoundetii them, " captains over thousands:" as in Exod. xviii. 25. Ver. 4. — Sh.\mmua,] In Gr. Samiel son of Zacchour Veb. 5. — Shai'Hat,] In Gr. Saphat son of Souri, Ver. 6.— Caleb,] In Gr. Chaleb son of Jephonne. See 1 Chron. iv. 15. His name signifielh hearty : and he brought Moses woid again, as it was in his heart. Josh. xiv. 7. Ver. 7. — Jigal,] In Gr. Jgad. Ver. 8. — Hoshea,] In Gr. Auses son of Nave. Ver. 9.— Palti,] Or, as in Gr. Phalti. Ver, 10.— Gaddiel,] In Gr. Goudiel son of Saudi. Ver. 11 — Of Joseph,] He was father of Ephraim in ver. 8, as well as of Manasseh CHAP. XII T. 17 to spy out the land : and Moses called Hosliea the son of Nun, Josliua. " And Moses sent them to search tlie land of Canaan, and said unto them, Go up this way southward, and go up into the mountain. '^ And see the land what it is, and the people that dwelleth thereon, whether they be strong or weak, whether they he few or many. '^ And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad, and what the cities be that they dwell in : whe- ther in tents or in strong-holds ^^ i^nd wliat the land is, wliether it he fat or lean, whether there be wood therein or not : and be ye of good courage, and take of the fruit of tlie land ; (Now the days were the days of the first ripe grapes.) ^' And they went up made king himself, his first name is restored: nevertheless, through all the scripture he is called Joshua, because he was accustomed tliereto already." By this reason, the change of his name should seem to diminish from his dignity ; whereas it was changed for his hon- our ; as were the names of Abram, Sarai, Jacob, and others, Gen. xvii. 5, 15; xxxii. 2S; Neh. ix. 7; Is. Ixii. 2; Mark iii. 16, 17. Ver. 17. — Southward,] Or, by the south; as in ver. 22, meaning, " the south part of the land of Canaan," as Chazkuni explaineth it. For that was nearest unto them, and the worst part of the land, because it was wilder, ness, and waterless, as the original word Neyeb signifieth dry ground: and Caleb's daughter said to her father, ' Thou hast given me a south (that is, a dry) land, give me also spiings of water,' Judg. i, 15, and, 'rivers in the south,' Ps. cxxvi. 4, meaneth, refresh- ing after bondage and affliction. The Gr. here translateth, go up by this iviiderness: and so in that part was a wilderness, Josh. XV. 1 — 3. And Sol. Jarchi saith, "Go up this way by the south; that was the worst part of the land of Israel : for so is the manner of merchants ; they show the worst things first, and afterward they show the best." The mountain,] Which was inhabited by Amak'kiteSjCanaanites, and Amorites, Num. siv. 40, 45; Deut. i, 44. Of this, Chazku- ni giveth a reason thus; "And when ye shall know how to subdue the mountain, the valley will be easy to subdue." Ver. is. — The land what it is,] This is again repeated in ver. 19, and the third time in ver. 20, which may thus be distin- guished: by 'the land' here, is meant, 'the people' of the land, as after Moses explain- eth it; by 'the land,' in ver. 19, is meant, the air of the country, and the cities, villages, tents, which were by the hand of man set therenn ; and by ' the land,' in ver. 20, is meant the soil or ground itself, and fruits that grew thereon. And the people,] And is liere i'or explanation, that is, or, 1 mean the Vol. II. ( people: see the notes on Gen. xiii. 15. So ia Ps. Ixvi. 4, ' Let all the earth bow down to thee,' that is, all peoples of the earth: likewise in Ps. xcvi. 1, and ex. 1, and often in the scriptures. So, ' house ' for household, or people in it, Gen. xlv. 11, 18. ' Cities ' for citizens, Josh. xvii. 12. Whether THEV,] Hub. whether it be strong, &c. speak- ing of the people, as one in multitude. Ver. 19. — Good or bad,] This seemeth to respect the wholesomeness of the country, for air, waters, &c. as in 2 Kings ii. J 9, ' the situation of this country is good, but the water is bad, and the land causeth to mis- carry.' To this Chazkuni referreth it, saying, "or bad, if it cause the inhabitants thereof to miscarry, or to be barren," as 2 Kings ii. 19, and hereupon they answered, 'It is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof,' Num. xiii. 32. In tents,] Or, in camps, troops' the Chald. calleth them, villages (or unwalled towns,) the Gr. changeth the order saying, in ivalled or in unwalled towtis. Ver. 20. — Fat or lean,] This respect- eth the soil itself, which if it be ' fat,' is fer- tile ; if ' lean,' barren. The Chald. chang- eth the metaphor, saying, "whether it be rich or poor." So in Neh. ix. 25, 35, ' They took strong cities, and a fat land ;' and in Ezek. xxxiv. 14, ' fat pasture.' Wood,] Or, trees, as the Gr. and Chald. interpret it, and Thargum Jonathan, trees of food ; that is, of fruit to be eaten. Be ye of good courage,] Or, strengthen, encourage your- selves. The first ripe grapes,] Or, the first fruits of grapes. And then, as Chaz- kuni observeth, " They had need to have courage, because the keepers (of the vine- yards) watched them there. Ver. 21.— Of zin,] Or, of Tsin : there was a wilderness into which they came be- fore, called ' Sin/ so named of an Egyptian city Sin near it, Exod, xvi. 1 ; Ezek. xxx. 16, 16. This desert of * Zin,' seemeth to be so named, as being a thorny wilderness; for ZAnnim (in the form plural) signifieth 'thorns,' Job v. 5. And as the former 18 NUMBERS. and searched the land, from tlie wilderness of Zin, unto Rehoh, to the entrance of Hamath, ^' And they went up by the south, and he came unto Cliebron : and there were Ahiman, Sheshai and Tal- mai, the childi-en of Anak : now Hebron was built seven years, before Zoan in Egypt. ^ And they came unto the bourne of Esh- col, and cut down from tlience a branch, and one cluster of grapes ; ' Sin' bordered upon 'Egypt,' so ' Zin ' bor- " Who is my brother?" and that he was so dered on the land of 'Canaan,' Num. xxxiv. called, because "none in the world was bro- 3, 4; Josh. XV. 3. Rehob,] Or, Reckob, ther to him (that is, like unto him) in called in Gr. Roob, (as ' Rechabham or Re- hoboam,' 1 Kings xii. 1, is written in Gr. by the Holy Spirit, 'Ruboam,' Malt. i. 7.) This ' Rehob ' was a city in the west part of the land of Canaan, near unto Sidon, which fell by lot to the tribe of Aser, Josh. xix. 2S ; Judg. i. 31. To THE ENTRANCE,] Or, to the entering in of Hamath : so in Num. xxxiv. 8; Josh. xiii. 5; Judg. iii. 3; Amos vi. 14, and so the Chald. here translateth it, Hamath or Chamath, called also ' Hemath the great,' Amos vi. 2, was a city on the north part of Canaan, and on the east side, (as ' Rehob' was on the west) Num. xxxiv. 8 ; Josh. xiii. 5. By this description of their voyage, they went from south to north, and from west to east, so viewing the whole land. This ' Hamath' is in Thargum Jona- than called ' Antiochia,' (and so Hamath was after named of king' Antiochus:) and it was situated under mount Lebanon, by the river Jabok. Ver. 22. — By the south,] Or, south- ward; Gr. ly the wilderness: see ver. 17. And he came to chebron,] Or, unto He- Iron; a place in the south parts of Canaan, w here Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with their wives, had been buried, Gen. xxiii. 2, 19; xlix. 31, see the notes on Gen. xiii. IS. By ' he came,' Sol. Jarchi and others, under- stand " Caleb only;" as if the twelve spies went not in one company, but one or two of them together: and Caleb's coming thither is specially mentioned in Josh. xiv. 9, ' the land whereon thy feet have trodden, shall be thine inheritance;' and in ver. 12, 'now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Loid spake in that day;' and in ver. 14, Chebron ' therefore became the inheritance of Caleb. Others understand 'he came,' that is, ''they came;" as Chazkuni saith, " It is the manner of the scripture, to speak of many spies and liers in wait, in the singu- lar number; as (in Josh. viii. 19,) The lier in ambufh rose quickly out of his place.'' TheGr. translateth, " they came;" the Chald. hath in some copies " Atha, he came;" in other some " Atho, they came." Ahi.man,] Or, as the Gr. writeth h\m, Achiman: he was one on the heathen giants dwelling in Chebron: the Hebs. interpret his name. strength:" yet Caleb slew him and his two brethren; Josh. xv. 14; Judg. i. 10. She- shai,] In Gr. Sesei. Talmai,] In Gr. Thclamei. Children of Anak,] In Gr. generations of Enak: in Chald. sons of the giant (or, of the mighty man.) Anak was the son of Arba, whereupon Chebron was in former times called Kirjah Arba, that is, 'the city of Arba,' Josh. xv. 13; Gen. xxiii. 2. Before Zoan,] Or, Tsoati, called in Gr. and Chald. Tancs: (as of Tsor or Zor, is Tyrus in Gr.) This declai'eth not only the antiquity of Chebron, but by consequence the goodness of the land. For the Anakims which reigned over all, seated themselves in the best places. Sol. Jarchi saith; "It may be that Cham builded Chebron for his younger son Canaan, before he builded Zoan for Miz- raim his elder son, &c. Of all countries, none excelled Egypt; as it is written, 'Like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt,' (Gen. xiii. 10.) And Zoan was the most excellent in the land of Egypt, for there the kings dwelt, as it is written, ' For his princes were at Zoan,' (Is. xxx 4,) but Chebron was seven times belter than it." Ver. 23. — Bourne,] Or, valley, brook. The Hel). nachal signifieth both ' a valley,' Gen. xxvi. 17, 19, and 'a river' or 'brook' running in a valley: our English word ' bourne,' answereth to them both. ' Eshcol' signifieth a 'cluster;' and of the Israelites cutting of the cluster, this place had the name, for a memorial, ver. 24. The Gr. translateth it, the valley of the cluster: this place is reported to have been in the tribe oi Dan, within a little of the valley ' Sorek ' mentioned in Judg. xvi. 4. A branch,] To wit, of a vine, " and one cluster of grapes upon it,'' as the Gr. version saith; and so Jarchi explaineth it, " a branch of a vine, and a cluster of grapes hanging upon it." On a staff,] Or, 071 a bar; the Gr. translateth, on bars (or levers) and omitteth the words following, 'by two:' which seemeth to favour the exposition that Chazkuni giveth heie, " they bar it on a bar of the branch, with two other bars." But the more simple and plain meaning is set down in Thargum Jona- than, thus, " on a bar, on the shoulders oi two of them." CHAP. XIII. 19 and they bare it on a staff, by two : and (they broiujht) of the pomegranates, and of the figs. ^^ TJiat place was called the bourne of Eshcol, because of the cluster whicli the sons of Israel cut down from thence. ^^ And they returned from searching the land at the end of forty days. ^^ And they went and came to Moses and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, unto the wilderness of Pharan, to Kadesh : and brought back word unto them and unto all the congregation ; and sliewed them the iVuit of the land. ^' And they told him, and said, We came unto tlie land whither thou sentest us : and surely it fioweth with milk and honey, and this is the fruit of it. ^^ Nevertheless, the people is strong that dwelleth in the land ; and tlie cities fenced very great : and moreover, we saw the children of Anak there. ^^ Ama- lek dwelleth in the land of the south : and the Chetliite, and the Jebusite, and tlie Amorite dwelleth in the mountain ; and the Ca- Fenced,] With strong holds, high walls and munition ; the Gr. expresseth it by two Ver. 25. — At the end of forty days,] In Gr. after forty days. In Thargnm Jona- than there is added, " in the month of Ab (which we call July) at the end of forty days." And Chazkuni explaineth it further, that they began on the twenty-ninth "of Sl- van (which we name May) and ended on the eighth of Ab (or July.") So many days, our Lord Christ after his resurrection, viewed his disciples, 'being seen of them forty days,' Acts i. 3. And according to this number of days, the Israelites had years allotted them to wander and perish in the wilderness, because they believed not God, but refused to go into the good land proffered them. Num. xiv. 33, 34. Of the mystery in this number forty, see more in the notes on Deut. xxv. 3. Ver. 26.— To Kadesh,] Called also'Ka- desh-barnea,' Deut. i. 19. There was a city of the Edomites called ' Kadesh,' Num. xx. 16, whereupon the wilderness by it was called also ' Kadesh,' Ps. xxix. 8, and the same was called ' the wilderness of Zin,' Num. xxxiii. 36. Chazkuni here saith, "The wilderness of Pharan, and the wilderness of Zin, and Hazeroth, and Kadesh-barnea, and Ilithmah, (Num. xxxiii. IS,) were one near to another." This Kadesh in Gr. Kades. The Ciiald. nameth Rekam. Ver. 27.— They told him,] To wit, Moses, in the hearing of all the congrega. tion. And honey,] That is, with all good things: see the notes on Exod. iii. 8. Thus they acknowledged the truth of God's promises ; they said, 'It is a good land which the Lord our God doth give unto us,' Deut. i. 25. Ver. 28 — Nevertheless,] Or, but that. This latter part of the speech, was from the ten spies (not from Caleb or Joshua) who here take occasion to terrify the people from going to possess the land, Deut. i. 28. words, fenced, walled: in Deut. i. 28, and ix. 1, it is said, 'fenced up to heaven:' and in Deut. iii. 5, ' fenced with high walls, gates and bars.' ChildreiX of Anak,] In Gr. the generation of Enak, in Chald. sons of the giant : so in Deut. i. 28, the Gr. translateth them, sons of the giants; see be- fore on ver. 20. Of these there went a pro- verb, ' Who can stand before the sons of Anak?' Deut. ix. 2. And of the Gr. bor- rowed the word Aiiakes, to signify kings: and by interpretation Anak signifieth ' a chain,' Pi-ov. i. 9, which is an ornament for kings and great personages, and of old, upon their beasts' necks also, Judg. viii. 26. And many such men were chained with 'pride,' as Ps. Ixxiii. 6. Ver, 29. — Amalek,] That is, the Ama- lehites, the posterity of Amalek the son of Esau; of whom see Exod. xvii. 8, &c. "Be- cause they had been smitten by Amalek, (Deut. xxv. 17, 18,) the spies do now make mention of him, to make them afraid," saith Jarchi on Num. xiii. This Amalek (who was the 'first of the nations,' Num. xxiv. 20, and an enemy to Israel) would hinder, as they thought, their entrance on the south side. In the mountain,] That is, the moun- tains, or, as the Gr. translateth, the moun- tain?/ part, for these nations here reckoned, were the most mighty; and the Chethites possessed mount Thabor, the Jebusites Jeru- salem and mountains about it, the Amorites mount Heres, &c. Judg. xxi. 34 — 36, and these Amorites were high as cedars, and strong as oaks, Amos ii. 9, so the land seemed in their eyes impossible to be con- quered. The coast,] Or, side, Heb. the hand of Jordan ; which was towards the east, as the sea was to the west. NUMBERS. naanite dwelleth by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. ^^ And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Going up, let us go up and possess it, for we are well able to overcome it. ^' But the men tliat went up with him, said, We be not able to go up against tlie people ; for they are stronger than we. ^^ And they brought up an evil report of tlie land which they liad searched, unto the sons of Israel, saying. The land through wliicli we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw within it are men of stature. ^^ And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants : and we were in our own eyes as grasshoppers, and so we were in their eyes. Ver. 30 — Caleb,] And Joshua nith him afterward. Num. xiv. 6, 7 ; though now at first it may be Joshua purposely held his peace in prudence, because he was Moses' minister, and let Caleb speak. Stilled THE people before Moses,] Or made the people to keep silence before (or unto) Moses: that is, the people beginning to murmur and speak unto Moses and against him, Caleb stilled them. The Chald. expoundeth it, " he made the people to attend (that is, to hearken) unto Moses ;" and Jonathan in his Thargum saith, " he stilled the people, and caused them to attend unto Moses." And it appeareth by Deut. i. 29, 30 ; that Moses himself spake to encourage the people ; but they would not obey. And said,] That is, Caleb said, as the 31st ver. manifesteth ; and the Gr. addeth, he said unto him. We are WELL able to overcome vt,^Oi; prevailing we shall prevail over it meaning the land ; which the Gr. explaineth, over them, the peo- ple. And this was a speech of faith, believ- ing in the power and promise of God, lor Caleb now spake as it was in his heart. Josh, xiv. 7. Ver. 31.' — But the men,] Heb. and the men; meaning ten of the twelve, all the other spies except Joshua, Num. xiv. 6. Ver. 32. — An evil report,] aninfamy or defamation : of which Solomon saith, ' he that uttereth it is a fool,' Prov. x. 18. And for this their sin, these men ' died by a plague before the Lord,' Num. xiv. 37. This infamy, the Chald. calleth an evil name ; the Gr. here, a dread of the land ; but in Num. xiv. 36, the Gr. expoundeth it, evil tvords. And whereas the Heb. Dibbah, signifieth hut a speech or report, though commonly of faults which may be done without sin ; the word evil is added by Moses, in Num. xiv. 37; to show that this their defamation was very sin- ful. Eateth up,] consumeth ; in Chald. killeth the inhabitants ; which may be under- stood of their civil wars, whereby they de- voured one another. For the Amorites had conquered the Moabites, Num. xxi. 28, 29; the Caphtorims (or Philistines) had destroyed the Avims, Deut. ii. 23. This phrase was afterwards used against the land, when the heathens had destroyed the Israelites in it, ' thou (land) eatest up men, and hast bereav- ed thy nations, Ezek. xxxvi. 13. Of sta- tures,] Or, of dimensions of measures ; that is, of great stature, tall, and great ; as the Gr. translateth, exceeding tall men. And as the prophet openeth it, ' high as cedars, strong as oaks, Amos ii. 9. An example of such a man of stature, we have in 2 Sam. xxi. 20, ' that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes,' &c. ; and ano- ther of an Egyptian five cubits high, with a spear in his hand ' like a weaver's beam,' 1 Chron. xi. 23. So in Jer. xxii. 14, a house of measures, (or of statures,) is for a large high house. Ver. 33. — Giants,] Heb. Nephilim, such as were before Noah's flood; see Gen. vi. 4, with the annot. As grasshoppers,] Or, as locusts ; that is, low, weak, base in compa- rison with them. So it is said of God, ' he sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers,' Is. xl. 22. In their eyes,] That is, they so es- teemed us. And by reason hereof, it may be the spies passed through their land more safely, while these mighty men despised and neglected them, as the Philistine disdained to meddle with little David, 1 Sam. xvii. 24. The Heb. doctors to show this, feign this ex- planation, " we heard them say one to ano- ther. There are pismires in the vineyards, like unto men." Chazkuni on Num. xiii. 33. CHAP. XIV. 21 CHAP. XIV. 1 . The Israelites meep and murmur at the news that the spies hrought out of Canaan ; and speak of returning into Egypt. 6. Joshua and Caleb labour to still and encourage them, hut the Israelites mould have stoned them. W.God threateneth to destroy the people. 13. Moses cntreateth for them, and obtaineth pardon. 23. The murmurers are deprived of entering into the land, and condemned to wander forty years in the wilderness and die there. 36. The spies who raised the evil re- port, die by a plague. 39. The people hearing the sentence of God against them, mourn, and offer themselves to go up ; hut Moses forbid- deth them. 44. Yet they presume to go up, and are smitten by their enemies. ' And all the congregation lifted up, and gave their voice, and tlie people wept that night. ^ And all the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron : and all the congregation said unto them. Oh that we had died in the land of Egypt ! or, in this wilderness, oh that we might die! And wherefore doth Jehovah bring us into this land, to fall by the sword ? our wives and our little ones shall be for a prey -, were it not better for us to return into Egypt ? * And they said every man unto his brother, let us Ver. 1. — Lifted up,] To wit, their voice, as after foUoweth, and as is expressed in Gen. xxi. 16, ' she lifted up her voice and wept.' Or, all the congregation took up, that is, re- ceived, to wit, the evil report which the spies gave of the land, Num. xiii. 32. So the phrase is used, in Exod. xxiii. 1, ' thou shalt not take up a vain report.' This latter, the Gr. version favoureth. Gave their voice,] That is, cried out. This manner of speech is used to signify any loud voice, noise, or cry of any creature, or of God himself; as in Ps. xviii. 14, ' the Most High gave his voice;' in Jer. ii. 15, ' the lions gave their voice ;' in Ps. civ. 12, ' the fowls give the voice ;' in Ps. Ixxvii. 18, ' the skies gave a voice ;' in Hab. iii. 10, ' the deep gave his voice ;' and in 2 Chron. xxiv. 9, men are said to give a voice, when they made a pro- clamation through Judah and Jerusalem. So this people here openly rebelled, and uttered their evil hearts without fear or shame. That night,] Heb. in or through that night, which the Gr. expjaineth, that whole night. Ver. 2. — And against Aaron,] Which were the Lord's ministeis, therefore their murmuring was not against them only, but against the Lord, as Moses told them, in Exod. xvi. 2, 8 ; and as after appeareth in ver, 3. Oh, that we might die,] Or, (would God) that we were dead: they are words of unbelief and despair, and of great unthankfulness : compare Exod. xvi. 3; Ps. cvi. 24, 25. The Gr. translateth, if we were dead: which is a form of wishing, both in the Gr. and Heb. tongues, as in 1 Chron. iv. 10, 'if thou wilt bless me,' that is, ' oh, that thou wouldest bless me ;' so in Luke xii. 49, ' if it were (for, oh, that it were) already kindled ;' and so the Syriac version there explaineth it. Ver. 3. — To fall,] i. e. that we should full, that is, die by the sword. Here they murmur against God himself through unbe- lief; as David saith, * they contemptuously refused the land of desire, (the pleasant land,) they believed not his word, but murmured in their tents ; they heard not the voice of Je- hovah,' Ps. cvi, 24, 25. Were it not bet- ter,] Or, were it not good? The Gr. changeth the phrase thus, ' now, therefore, it is better for us to turn back into Egypt.' 50, ' are they not written,' 2 Kings xx. 20; is explained thus, ' behold they are written,' 2 Chron. xxxii. 32. Ver. 4.— Let us make a Captain,] Heb. let us give a head : whereby give is meant make or appoint, as the Chald. ex- poundeth it ; and by head they mean a cap- tain or chief governor ; as in Num. xxv. 4 ; 1 Chron. iv. 42 ; xii. 20; and as the Gr. here explaineth it. Thargum Jonathan pa- 22 NUMBERS. make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. * And Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congrega- tion of the sons of Israel. "^ And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which icere of them that searched the land, rent their clothes. ' And they said unto all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, Tlie land which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land, ^ If Jeliovah delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and will give it unto us, a land which floweth with milk and honey. " Only rebel not ye against Jehovah, and you fear not the people of the land, for they are bread for us : their shadow is departed from them, and Jehovah is with us, fear them not. '" But all the congregation said, to stone them with stones : and the glory of Jeliovah appeared in the tent of the congregation before all the sons of Israel. " And Jehovah apostates (or revolters) from the Lord: the raphraseth thus, " let us appoint a king over us for head." Of this their sin, the Scrip- ture saith, ' they dealt proudly, and harden- ed their necks, and hearkened not to God's commandments ; and refused to hear, and were not mindful of the wonders that he had done among them: but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain (or made a head) to return to their bondage,' Neh. ix. 16, 17. So their evil words and purpose is counted unto them as the deed done. Sol. Jarclii openeth their words thus, ' let us appoint a king over us ; and he saith, the Rabbins have expounded this, as meaning idolatry. The same is also noted by R. Menachem, who further liken- eth this sin to theirs that builded the tower of Babel, Gen. xi. So their sin was against God, who is ' exalted as head above all,' 1 Chron. xxix. 11. Ver. 5. — Fell on their faces,] As much afl'ected with the murmuring of the people, and they fell down, either to pray unto God for them, as in Num. xix. 22 ; or to entreat them not to proceed in their re- bellion as it followeth, ' before all the assem- bly.' And elsewhere it appeareth, that Moses spake to encourage the people, saying, * dread not, neither be afraid of them : Jeho- vah your God, who goeth before you, he shall fight for you,' &c. Deut. i. 29, SO. Ver, 6. — That searched the land,] As appeareth in Num. xiii. 7, 9, 17. Rent their clothes,] In sign of sorrow, for the people's r-ebellion and blasphemy; for they said, ' the Lord had brought them out of Egypt, because he hated them,' &c. ; neither did they believe the Lord their God, for all that Moses spake unto them, Deut. i. 27 — 32. Of rending garments in sorrow, see Gen. xxxvii. 29; Lev. x. G, in the annot. Ver. 9. — Only,] Or, but rebel not ye; which the Gr. interpreteth, but be not ye Chald. but rebel not ye against the ivord of the Lord. Are bread for us,] Or, shall be our bread, our food, that is, we shall de- vour and consume them. The Chald. ex- poundeth it, ' they are delivered into our liand.' So Balaam prophesied of Israel, ' he shall eat up the nations his enemies,' Num. xxiv. S. And in Ps. Ixxix. 7, ' he hath eaten up Jacob,' that is, consumed: and in Ps. xiv. 4, ' they eat my people as they eat bread.' Also in Deut. vii. 16, ' thou shalt eat (that is, consume) all the people. Their SHADOW,] That is, God their defence, covert, protection ; which the Chald. cxpoundeth, their strength ; so in Is. xxx. 2, ' the strength of Pharaoh, and the shadow of Egypt,' do ex- plain one another ; and shadow is used often for defence: as, ' the shadow of the Al- mighty,' Ps. xci. 1 ; and ' Jehovah thy shadow,' Ps. cxxi. 5 ; and God saith, ' I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand,* Is. li. 16 ; xlix. 2, Jehovah is with us,] The Chald. explaineth it, the tvord of the Jjord is for our help. Ver. 10. — Said to stone them,] That is, spake one to another, that they should stone Joshua and Caleb. An example of notorious obstinacy and outrage ; and at ano- ther time, they had almost done the like unto Moses, Exod. xvii. 4. So after this Jeru- salem stoned the prophets, which spake the things pertaining to her peace, Matt, xxiii. 37. Appeared in the tent,] The Gr, explaineth it, appeared in the cloud over the tent of the testimony. This is confirmed by the like appearance in Num. xvi. 42 ; and Sol. Jarchi here saith, " the cloud descended there. It was an extraordinary appearance, to restrain the people's fury, and to help his faithful witnesses. Ver. 11. — Provoke me,] Or, despite, Maspheine, contemptuously provoke me. So CHAP. XIV. 23 said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me ? and Iiow long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which 1 liave done amongst them ? '^ I will smite them with the pestilence, and dis- inherit them, and will make of thee a nation greater and mightier tlian they. '^ And Moses said unto Jehovah, Then the Egyptians shall liear it ; for thou brouglitest up this people in thy might, from among them. '* And they will say to the inhabitants of this land, for they liave heard that thou Jehovah art among tliis people, that thou Jehovah art seen eye to eye, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and in a pillar of cloud thou goest before them by day, and in a pillar of fire by night. '^ Now if thou shalt kill this people as one man, then the nations will say, which have heard the fame of thee, saying, '" Because Jehovah was not able to bring tliis people into the land which he sware unto them ; therefore he hath slain tlieni in the wilderness. ^^ And now, I beseech tliee, let tlie power of the Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, '^ Jehovah is long-suffering, and much in mercy, forgiving iniquity the apostle expoundeth this word blaspheme, ill Rom. ii. 24; from Is. lii. 5; and it im- plieth also a coutempt or despising, Prov. i. 30 ; XV. 5 ; Is. V. 24. Not believe in BiE,] In Gr. not believe me ; which the Chald. explaiiietli, not believe in my tvord. This unbelief is noted as a chief cause of their re- bellion, and so of their destruction after in the wilderness, Deut. i. 32 ; Heb. iii. IS, 19. For all the signs,] Though many signs and wonders had been showed, yet tliey be- lieved not: so of their posterity it is said, ' though Jesus had doiie so many signs be- fore them, yet they believed not in him,' John xii. 37. Among them,] Heb. in the midst thereof, to wit, of the people. Ver. 12.— Smite them,] Heb. smite him, that is, the people, spoken of as one man: see ver. 15. Pestilence,] In Gr. and Chald. death : see the notes on Exod. v. 3. Disinherit them,] Deprive them of the land promised unto their fathers: the Gr. and Chald. translate, destroy them,. Make OF thee,] Heb. make them to a nation : the like speech God used, when they had made the golden calf, Exod. xxxii. 10. The Gr. here addeth, ' I will make thee and thy fa- ther's house,' &c. Ver. 14. — They will say,] That which after followeth in ver. 16. To the inhabi- tants,] Or, ivith the inhabitants, meaning the Canaanites; so both the one and the other people will take occasion to blaspheme. The Heb. word which usually signifieth unto, is sometimes used for with; as in 1 Sam. xxiii. 23 ; Ezra ii. 63. Thou Jehovah ART,] The Chald. expoundeth it, that thy divine presence (or majesty) abideth among Ms peojile. Art seen,] Or, hast been seeii eye to eye ,• that is, visibly, apparently, plain- ly, according to the like phrase in Num. xii. 8, ' mouth to mouth;' and in Exod. xxxiii. 11 ; and Deut. v. 4, ' face to face.' The Chald. here explaineth it thus, that with their eyes they have seen the majesty of thy glory; and by Thargnm Jonathan, this is refei red to the giving of the law upon mount Sinai. Standeth over them,] As protecting them from evil; wliich in Thaigum Jonathan is explained, " that they should not be liurt with heat or with rain." Compare Exod. xiii. 21, 22 : Num. ix. 17, &c. Ver. 15. — As one man,] Tiiat is, all of them together and suddenly. The fame of thee,] The hearsay or report of thee ; which the Gr. translateth, thy name; the Chald. the fame of thy might. Ver. 16 Was not able,] Elsewhere Moses showeth that he had respect unto two things by which God's name and glory might be impeached among the Gentiles; because he could not, or because he would not, but hated his people, Deut. ix. 2S ; Exod. xxxii. 12. And this is the first argument of Moses' supplication, that God's name might not be blasphemed among the heathens. Ver. 17. — The power of the Lord,] Or, the might, as in ver. 13; that is, as the Gr. explaineth it, the power of thee, 0 Lord. Lord is here in Heb. Adonai, which the Chald. expresseth by the letters for Jehovah, and it signifietli my stays or sustainers : see the notes on Gen. xv. 2. Be great, ] That is, be showed to be great ; the Gr. translat- eth it, be exalted. Ver. 18. — Long-suffering,] Heb. long of anger ; that is, long ere he be angry. Here Moses mentioneth that name of God, 24 NUMBERS. and trespass : and clearing will not clear (the guilty ;) visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons unto the third and unto the fourth generatioJi. " Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people, according unto tlie greatness of tliy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt, even until now. ^'' And Je- hovah said, I have pardoned, according to thy word. ^^ But as- suredly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of Jehovah, ^^ For all the men which have seen my glory, and my signs which I did in Egypt, and in the wilderness, and liave tempted me these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice ; ^^ If they which was proclaimed at mount Sinai, when the people had formerly sinned in making the golden calf, Exod. xxxiv. 5 — 7. In mercy,] The Gr. addeth, and true; from Exod. xxxiv. 6. Forgiving,] Or, as the Gr. trans- lateth, taking away. Inkjuities,] In Gr. iniquities, and unrir/hteousnesses, and sins ,• the Chald. also addeth the word sins, as was in Exod. xxxiv. 7. This is the second rea- son of Moses' request from the nature and covenant of God. The guilty,] This word is supplied also in the Gr. version. Tlie Chald. paraphraseth, ' being merciful unto them that turn to his law, but not clearing them that turn not.' Visiting,] That is, puni.shing ; in Gr. recompensing ; see Exod. XX. 5. Upon the sons,] Or children ; in Chald. upon the rebellious sons. The third,] In Chald. unto the third generation and unto the fourth generation. Thus Moses requested an absolute pardon for all ; but that God would in wrath remember mercy, though in justice he punished the chief transgressors. Ver. 19.. — Even until now,] Or, hither- to ; as for example, when they sinned in mak- ing the calf, Exod. xxxii. (besides other times,) at which time God destroyed them not as they deserved, but some of them only perished. Ver. 20. — I have pardoned,] Or, / do pardon, as the Gr. explaineth it, in the time present. Howbeit, Chazkuni understandeth it of the time past, that God should say, he had pardoned them once when they made the calf; but now he would not pardon them, but execute vengeance. The former sense seemeth best with the limitation following, 'according to thy word,' viz. that he would not destroy them all ' as one man,' at once with the pes- tilence, having respect to the glory of his name. For which CBUse he spared them at other times also, both before and after, as he showeth by the prophets, Ezek. x. 8, 9, 13, 14, 2-1, 22, &c. ; Ps. cvi. 7, 8. And here- upon the people after confessed, ' Thou art a God of pardons, gracious, and merciful, long- suffering, and of great kindness, and forsakest them not,' Neh. ix. 17. Ver. 21. — As I live,] ^\ — Shall feed,] Or, shall be feeding; so likewise the Gr. translateth it: by feed, meaning wander as sheep for pas- ture in the wilderness: the Chald. of Onkelos expoundeth it, " tarry or abide ;" but Jona- than saith, "wander;" and Chazkuni ex- plaineth it, " feed as sheep sometimes here and sometimes there, so your sous shall remove hither and thither till their carcasses be con- sumed." Thus may we understand that in the prophet, * the Lord will feed them as a lamb in a large place,' Rosea iv. 16; that is, will let them wander to destruction. So in other languages, wander is used for feeding, as in Virgil, Bucol. eclog. 2, mille meas Sicu- lis errant in montibus agnce. Forty ye.4RS,J CHAP. XIV. 27 doms, until your carcasses be consumed in the wilderness. " After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, forty days, a day for a year, a day for a year ye shall bear your iniquities, forty years ; and ye shall know my breach (of promise.) ^' I Je- hovah liave spoken, if I do not this unto all this evil congregation, tliat are gathered together against me ; in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there tliey shall die. '' And the men wliich Moses had sent to search the land, and which returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up an evil report upon the land ; ^' Even the men died that did bring up Implying the time past also, from their com- ing out of Egypt: for one whole year, and part of the second were now past already, when God gave this sentence against them, Num. X. 11. Bear your whoredoms,] That is, bear the punishment of your sins ; as theChald. for whoredoms translateth sins; tliough this name whoredom is commonly used for idolatry, Jer. iii. 9 ; Ezek. xvi. 15—17, &c. See Exod. xxxiv. 15, 16; Lev. xvii. 7. Ver. 34. — After,] Or, according to the number ; in the Heb. in is used for as, or according to, as the Gr. translatetli it: see the notes on Lev. xxv. 15. A day for a YEAR, A DAY FOR A YEAR,] That is, each day for a year, or a year for every day : so in Ezek. iv. 6, where the prophet in a figure, bare the iniquity of Israel so many days as they had sinned years. Hereupon in pro- phecies, days are put for years, Dan. ix. 24, &c. ; Rev. xi. 3. Ye shall kxow my BREACH,] To wit, of promise; or simply, my breaking off: that is, ye shall know and have experience by the punishment which you shall suffer, how great your sin is in breaking promise and disannuling your word and cove- nant with me, and in breaking off from me. Thus my breach may be understood, breach, or breaking with me, or from me, as, ' he that eateth my bread,' Ps. xli. 10, is ex- pounded, ' he that eateth bread with me,' John xiii. IS. Or my breach, that is, when I brake promise with you, or break off from you, ye shall know how great evil is upon you. For when men forsake God, he also forsaketh them, and breaketh his covenant with them, that is, perfoi-meth not his pro., mise, which is conditional if men continue in Ids faith, Deut. xxxi. 16, 17 ; Zech. xi. 10; Jude v. 5; Rom. xi. 22. The Gr. translateth, " ye shall know the wrath (or in- dignation) of mine anger:" the Chald. " ye shall know that ye have murmured against me." Sol. Jarchi expoundeth it, " my breach in that ye have broken (that is, turn- ed away) your heart from (following) after me. This word is after used bv Moses, in Num.xxxii. 23, 'wherefore break ye the heart (that is, discourage ye) the sons of Israel from going,' &c. ; and in Num. xxx. 5, ' if her father break (that is, disallow) her, disannul her promise.' Ver. 35.— Have spoken,] The Chald. explaineth it, have decreed by my word. If I DO NOT,] That is, surely I will do, as the Gr. expoundeth it: it is an oath, as before in ver. 23. This sentence decreed, seized upon them, that all this generation died in the wilderness, Num. xxvi. C4, 65; and upon this occasion, Moses made the xc. Psalm, wherein hebewaileth the shortness and misery of man's life, being finished now in 70 or 80 years ; and entreateth God for mercy. And of this and other the like puiiishments, the apostle saith, ' they happened unto them for ensamples ; and they are written for our ad- monition, upon whom the ends of the world are come,' 1 Cor. x. 11 ; * so we see that they could not enter in (to the rest of God) because of unbelief: let us study therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief,' Heb. iii. 19 ; iv. 11. Ver. 36. — The men,] The ten spies. Made tO murmur,] And murmured them- selves ; as the Heb. signifieth both their own act and that which they caused in others. So the Gr. translateth it, " murmured against it, unto (or before) the congregation. A- gainst him,] Against Moses, as in ver. 2, or, as the Gr. translateth, against it ; for they murmured also against the land. Num. xiii. 32 ; xiv. 3. Evil report,] Or, defamation ; in Gr. evil words; in Chald. an evil name. The word evil is expressed in the next ver. see the notes on Num. xiii. 32. Ver. 27. — The plague before Jeho- vah,] That is, by an extraordinary plague from the hand of God ; either the pestilence before threatened, ver. 12 ; or some other death. And before Jehovah may mean sud- den death there by the sanctuary, where ' the glory of Jehovah appeared,' ver. 10 ; as it is said of Uzzah, ' there he died before God,' 1 Chron. xiii. 10 ; which another prophet 28 NUMBERS, the evil report of the land, by the plague, before Jeliovah. '^ But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, lived, of those men that went to search the land. ^^ And Moses spake these words unto all the sons of Israel, and the people mourned greatly. *" And they rose up early in the moniing, and went up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which Jehovah hath said, for we have sinned. ^' And Moses said, Wherefore now do you transgress the mouth of Jeho- vah? but it shall not prosper. *^ Go not up, for Jehovali is not among you, that ye be not smitten before youi* enemies. ^' For the Amalekite and the Canaanite is there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword, for because ye are turned from after Jehovah, and Jehovah will not be with you. " But they loftily presumed to go up to the top of the mountain : but the ark of the covenant of explaineth, ' there he died by the ark of God,' 2 Sam. vi. 7. The Heb. (as Sol. Jar- clii and Thargum Jonathan on this place) re- port these men's death to have been by an inflammation of their tongues, and worms issuing out of them, as a just recompense, be- cause witli their tongues they had sinned. Ver. 3S. — Lived,] That is, remained alive, safe, and in health. So the Judge of all the earth did jud^'ment, and would not slay the righteous with the wicked ; as Gen. xviii. 25. And they survived not only the other spies, but all the rebellious Israelites, and went in and possessed the land of pro- mise, Josh. xix. 10 ; xix. 49. This showeth the small number of God's elect, though many be called to the profession of the faith. The Heb. doctors, speaking of Jer. iii. 14, where it is written, " I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion, do say, as of six hundred thousand Is- raelites, only two entered into the land of promise, to wit, Joshua and Caleb; so shall it also be in the days of Christ." Talmud, in Sanhedrin. chap. xi. ; wherein they bear witness against themselves, that they fulfilled the measure of their fathers in rebelling against Christ, and despising the gospel of their salvation. Ver. 40. — And went up,] That is, gird- ed their weapons of war about them, and pressed forward of themselves to go up, as Moses explaineth it, in Deut. i. 41. For things which men endeavour and are ready to do, are said to be done by them, as Reuben delivered Joseph out of his brethren's hand, when he endeavoured, by exhorting and per- suading them, ' that he might deliver him, (ien. xxxvii. 21, 22. See also the annot. on I'.xod. viii. IS. Will go up,] And fight, Deut. i. 41. We have sinned,] Against Jehovah, Deut. i. 41. Thus they showed a kind of repentance and sorrow for their sin, which was not sincere, nor a godly sorrow, for they turned from one evil to another, and overthrew themselves. Ver. 4J. — Moses said,] Being first com- manded of the Lord so to say, Deut. i. 42. The mouth,] That is, as the Gr. translateth, " the word of the Lord:" and the Chald. addeth, " against the decree of the word of the Lord." But it,] Or, /or it, that is, the thing which ye do shall not prosper, that is, not have good success: in Gr. " it shall not be prosperous unto you." R. Menachem re- ferieth this word it, to Shechinah, the divine majesty which would not prosper them ; and compareth herewith a like phrase in Ezek. i. 13, 'it went up and down among the living creatures.' Ver. 42. — Jehovah is not among you,] Thus, God bade him say, ' for I am not among you,' Deut. i. 42. The Chald. ex- poundeth it, " for Shechinah (the majesty or presence) of the Lord is not among you." Not smitten,] In Chald. not broken; in Gr. and ye shall fall before your enetnics. Ver. 43. — From after Jehovah,] In Chald. "from after the service of tht Lord;" which the Gr. translateth, " disobeying (or not believing) the Lord." Chazkuni ex- plaineth it thus, " Because the spies made you afraid of the Canaanite and Amalekite that abide there, ye are turned from after the Lord, and are afraid to go into the land, and you trust not in him, therefore he will not be with you if you transgress his mouth, to go to fight till after 40 years. Jehovah will not be with you,] This the Chald. expoundeth, " the word of the Lord will not be for your help." Ver. 44. — They loftily presumed,] Or, took upon them by violence with a lofty presumptuous mind: in the Chald. " they dealt wickedly or turbulently." The origi- nal word Aphal, (from which Ophel a tower CHAP. XV 29 Jehovah and Moses, departed not from within tlie camp. ^* And the Amalekite came down, and the Canaanite, which dwelt in that mountain ; and smote them, and discomfited them even unto Hor- mah. or fort is derived, 2 Cliron. xxxiii. 14,) sig- iiifisth ' lifting up,' as in Abak. ii. 4, which the apostle showeth, to mean a ' drawing back' from God by unbelief, Heb. x. 3S, 39. So here in this their presumptuous enterprise, their souls were lifted up in them, but with- drawn from God. And Moses explaineth this by two other words, ' ye pressed forward,' Deut. i. 41, and ' ye were presumptuous,' Deut. i. 43. The Heb. commentary Tan- chuma, compareth it with another like word which signifieth darkness, and explaineth it, *' they went dark (or obscure) for that they went without leave from God:" and Thargum Jonathan, thus; "they set forward in tlie dark, before day dawning:" to which the Lat. version agreeth, translating it " darkened." Departed not,] In Gr. moved not. The ark removed not, but at the removal of the cloud. Num. ix. 15, &c., which God not taking up, showed thereby his dislike of their action, Moses obeying the Lord, would not accompany the presumptuous sinners: so they went without the Lord, and without the signs of his grace, or company of his ministers. Vek. 45. — The canaanite,] That is, the Amorite, Deut. v. 44, which was of the pos- terity of Canaan, Gen. x. 15, 16. Which dwelt,] Or, which sat, lay in wait. Dis- comfited THEM,] Pursued them as bees do, and destroyed them, Deut. i. 44. Because ' they rebelled against God, and vexed his Holy Spirit, therefore he was turned to be their enemy, he fought against them,' Is. Ixiii. 10. Unto Hormah,] In Gr. Hcrma, the name of a place, so called of the event, signifying utter destruction, or anathema: so after in Num. xxi. 3. After this discomfi- ture, the Israelites ' returned and wept before the Lord:' but he would not hear their voice, nor give ear unto them; so they abode in Kadesh many days, Deut. i. 45, 46. These things which ' happened unto them for types,' 1 Cor. X. 11, do show the nature of man, of his free will, and works without faith, that they procure nothing but wrath from God, and destruction unto men. And as Israel carried themselves under Moses, so did they under Christ: for the Lord Jesus himself, and John the Baptist (as Joshua and Caleb) faithfully testified the truth of God's promise, and persuaded the people to enter into the kingdom of God, Matt. iii. 1 — 3 ; iv. 17. But the priests, scribes, and pharisees (like the unfaithful spies) discouraged the people, and would neither go themselves into the kingdom of heaven, nor suffer them that were entering, to go in. Matt, xxiii. 13, but pretended worldly fears, John xi. 48. Yet after they would seem to enter by force, ' going about to establish their own righteous- ness,' but not submitting themselves ' unto the righteousness of God,' Rom. x. 3, so they pleased not God, but filled up their sins al- way, and wrath came upon them to the utter- most, 1 Thes. ii. 15, 16. CHAP. XV 1. The Lord teacheth Israel how they should sacrifice unto him in the land of Canaan, and what measure of meat-offerings and drink- offerings should he for every sacrifice. 13. The stranger is under the same law. 17. The law of the first of the dough for an heave-offering. 22. The sacrifice for sin of ignorance, done hy Israelite or stranger. 30. The -punishment of sin done with an high hand. 32. A man that was found gathering sticks on the Sabbath, is by the com- mandment of God stoned to death. 37. The law of fringes on the bor- ders of their garments, and use that the people should make of them. ' And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, ^ Speak unto the sons of Israel, and say unto them : When ye be come into the Ver. 1. — Spake unto Moses,] After the judgment upon the disobedient Israelites, who should perish in the wilderness, God now re- peateth and enlargeth the law of sacrificing, 30 NUMBERS. land of your habitations which I give unto you. ^ And ye will make a five-offering unto Jehovah, a burnt-offering or a sacrifice, to separate a vow, or a voluntary offering ; or in your solemn feasts, to make a savour of rest, unto Jehovah, of the herd, or of the flock. * Then he that offereth his oblation unto Jehovah, shall they be the oblation of the congregation, or of a private person, or the lamb of a woman after child-birth (Lev. xii. 6,) and those that the high priest offereth, forasmuch as tliey are burnt-offerings, they are charged to have meat and drink-offerings. But the (burnt offerings of) fowls, and the trespass and sin- offerings, they bring no meat or drink-of- ferings with them, save witli the sin-offering of the leper, and his trespass-offering, whose meat-offerings are expressed in the law," (Lev. xiv. 10,) Maim, in Magn. hakor- banoth, chap. ii. sect. 2. To separate,] Or, in separating a vow: whereof see the notes on Lev. xxvii. 2. Voluntary offering,] What these are, and how they differ one from another, is noted on Lev. vii. 16, After in ver. 8, it is called ' peace-offerings.'' And from hence the Hebs. gather, that sin and trespass-offerings were not required to have meat and drink-oU'erings with them; for, "sin and trespass-offerings, and first- fruits, and tithes, and the passover, for as much as they come not by vow or voluntary oflering, they are not charged with the meat and drink-offerings," Maim, in Magnas. ha- Aorio72o