mh_parser/vol_split/4 - Numbers/Chapter 34.xml

<div2 id="Num.xxxv" n="xxxv" next="Num.xxxvi" prev="Num.xxxiv" progress="80.89%" title="Chapter XXXIV">
<h2 id="Num.xxxv-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxxv-p0.2">CHAP. XXXIV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxxv-p1">In this chapter God directs Moses, and he is to
direct Israel, I. Concerning the bounds and borders of the land of
Canaan, <scripRef id="Num.xxxv-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.1-Num.34.15" parsed="|Num|34|1|34|15" passage="Nu 34:1-15">ver. 1-15</scripRef>. II.
Concerning the division and distribution of it to the tribes of
Israel, <scripRef id="Num.xxxv-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.16-Num.34.29" parsed="|Num|34|16|34|29" passage="Nu 34:16-29">ver. 16</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom id="Num.xxxv-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.34" parsed="|Num|34|0|0|0" passage="Nu 34" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Num.xxxv-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.1-Num.34.15" parsed="|Num|34|1|34|15" passage="Nu 34:1-15" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.34.1-Num.34.15">
<h4 id="Num.xxxv-p1.5">The Boundaries of Canaan. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxv-p1.6">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxv-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxv-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying,   2 Command the children of Israel,
and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this
<i>is</i> the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance,
<i>even</i> the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:)   3
Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along
by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost
coast of the salt sea eastward:   4 And your border shall turn
from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and
the going forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadesh-barnea,
and shall go on to Hazar-addar, and pass on to Azmon:   5 And
the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of
Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea.   6 And
<i>as for</i> the western border, ye shall even have the great sea
for a border: this shall be your west border.   7 And this
shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out
for you mount Hor:   8 From mount Hor ye shall point out
<i>your border</i> unto the entrance of Hamath; and the goings
forth of the border shall be to Zedad:   9 And the border
shall go on to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at
Hazar-enan: this shall be your north border.   10 And ye shall
point out your east border from Hazar-enan to Shepham:   11
And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east
side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the
side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward:   12 And the border
shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the
salt sea: this shall be your land with the coasts thereof round
about.   13 And Moses commanded the children of Israel,
saying, This <i>is</i> the land which ye shall inherit by lot,
which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxv-p2.2">Lord</span> commanded to give
unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe:   14 For the
tribe of the children of Reuben according to the house of their
fathers, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to the
house of their fathers, have received <i>their inheritance;</i> and
half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance:  
15 The two tribes and the half tribe have received their
inheritance on this side Jordan <i>near</i> Jericho eastward,
toward the sunrising.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxv-p3">We have here a particular draught of the
line by which the land of Canaan was meted, and bounded, on all
sides. God directs Moses to settle it here, not as a geographer in
his map, merely to please the curious, but as a prince in his
grant, that it may be certainly known what passes, and is conveyed,
by the grant. There was a much larger possession promised them,
which in due time they would have possessed if they had been
obedient, reaching even to the river Euphrates, <scripRef id="Num.xxxv-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.11.24" parsed="|Dan|11|24|0|0" passage="Da 11:24">Deut. xi. 24</scripRef>. And even so far the dominion of
Israel did extend in David's time and Solomon's, <scripRef id="Num.xxxv-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.9.26" parsed="|2Chr|9|26|0|0" passage="2Ch 9:26">2 Chron. ix. 26</scripRef>. But this which is here
described is Canaan only, which was the lot of the nine tribes and
a half, for the other two and a half were already settled,
<scripRef id="Num.xxxv-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.14-Num.34.15" parsed="|Num|34|14|34|15" passage="Nu 34:14,15"><i>v.</i> 14, 15</scripRef>. Now
concerning the limits of Canaan observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxv-p4">I. That it was limited within certain
bounds: for God <i>appoints the bounds of our habitation,</i>
<scripRef id="Num.xxxv-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.17.26" parsed="|Acts|17|26|0|0" passage="Ac 17:26">Acts xvii. 26</scripRef>. The borders
are set them, 1. That they might know whom they were to dispossess,
and how far the commission which was given them extended (<scripRef id="Num.xxxv-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.53" parsed="|Num|33|53|0|0" passage="Nu 33:53"><i>ch.</i> xxxiii. 53</scripRef>), that they
should <i>drive out the inhabitants.</i> Those that lay within
these borders, and those only, they must destroy; hitherto their
bloody sword must go, and no further. 2. That they might know what
to expect the possession of themselves. God would not have his
people to enlarge their desire of worldly possessions, but to know
when they have enough, and to rest satisfied with it. The
Israelites themselves must not be <i>placed alone in the midst of
the earth,</i> but must leave room for their neighbours to live by
them. God sets bounds to our lot; let us then set bounds to our
desires, and bring our mind to our condition.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxv-p5">II. That it lay comparatively in a very
little compass: as it is here bounded, it is reckoned to be but
about 160 miles in length and about fifty in breadth; perhaps it
did not contain more than half as much ground as England, and yet
this is the country which was promised to the father of the
faithful and was the possession of the seed of Israel. This was
that little spot of ground in which only, for many ages, <i>God was
known, and his name was great,</i> <scripRef id="Num.xxxv-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.1" parsed="|Ps|76|1|0|0" passage="Ps 76:1">Ps.
lxxvi. 1</scripRef>. This was the vineyard of the Lord, the garden
enclosed; but, as it is with gardens and vineyards, the narrowness
of the extent was abundantly compensated by the extraordinary
fruitfulness of the soil, otherwise it could not have subsisted so
numerous a nation as did inhabit it. See here then, 1. How small a
part of the world God has for himself. Though the <i>earth is his,
and the fullness thereof,</i> yet few have the knowledge of him and
serve him; but those few are happy, very happy, because fruitful to
God. 2. How small a share of the world God often gives to his own
people. Those that have their portion in heaven have reason to be
content with a small pittance of this earth; but, as here, what is
wanting in quantity is made up in quality; <i>a little that a
righteous man has,</i> having it from the love of God and with his
blessing, is far better and more comfortable <i>than the riches of
many wicked,</i> <scripRef id="Num.xxxv-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.37.16" parsed="|Ps|37|16|0|0" passage="Ps 37:16">Ps. xxxvii.
16</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxv-p6">III. It is observable what the bounds and
limits of it were. 1. Canaan was itself a <i>pleasant land</i> (so
it is called <scripRef id="Num.xxxv-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.8.9" parsed="|Dan|8|9|0|0" passage="Da 8:9">Dan. viii. 9</scripRef>),
and yet it bordered upon wilderness and seas, and was surrounded
with divers melancholy prospects. Thus the vineyard of the church
is compassed on all hands with the desert of this world, which
serves as a foil to it, to make it appear the more beautiful for
situation. 2. Many of its borders were its defences and natural
fortifications, to render the access of enemies the more difficult,
and to intimate to Israel that the God of nature was their
protector, and with his favour would <i>compass them as with a
shield.</i> 3. The border reached to the <i>river of Egypt</i>
(<scripRef id="Num.xxxv-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.5" parsed="|Num|34|5|0|0" passage="Nu 34:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), that the
sight of that country which they could look into out of their own
might remind them of their bondage there, and their wonderful
deliverance thence. 4. Their border is here made to begin at the
<i>Salt Sea</i> (<scripRef id="Num.xxxv-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.3" parsed="|Num|34|3|0|0" passage="Nu 34:3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>), and there it ends, <scripRef id="Num.xxxv-p6.4" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.12" parsed="|Num|34|12|0|0" passage="Nu 34:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. This was the remaining lasting
monument of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. That pleasant
fruitful vale in which these cities stood became a lake, which was
never stirred by any wind, bore no vessels, was replenished with no
fish, no living creature of any sort being found in it, therefore
called the <i>Dead Sea.</i> This was part of their border, that it
might be a constant warning to them to take heed of those sins
which had been the ruin of Sodom; yet the iniquity of Sodom was
afterwards found in Israel (<scripRef id="Num.xxxv-p6.5" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.16.49" parsed="|Ezek|16|49|0|0" passage="Eze 16:49">Ezek.
xvi. 49</scripRef>), for which Canaan was made, though not a salt
sea as Sodom, yet a barren soil, and continues so to this day. 5.
Their western border was the <i>Great Sea</i> (<scripRef id="Num.xxxv-p6.6" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.6" parsed="|Num|34|6|0|0" passage="Nu 34:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), which is now called the
<i>Mediterranean.</i> Some consider this sea itself to have been a
part of their possession, and that by virtue of this grant, they
had the dominion of it, and, if they had not forfeited it by sin,
might have rode masters of it.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Num.xxxv-p6.7" osisRef="Bible:Num.34" parsed="|Num|34|0|0|0" passage="Nu 34" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Num.xxxv-p6.8" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.16-Num.34.29" parsed="|Num|34|16|34|29" passage="Nu 34:16-29" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.34.16-Num.34.29">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxv-p7">16 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxv-p7.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying,   17 These <i>are</i> the names of
the men which shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest,
and Joshua the son of Nun.   18 And ye shall take one prince
of every tribe, to divide the land by inheritance.   19 And
the names of the men <i>are</i> these: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb
the son of Jephunneh.   20 And of the tribe of the children of
Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud.   21 Of the tribe of
Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon.   22 And the prince of
the tribe of the children of Dan, Bukki the son of Jogli.   23
The prince of the children of Joseph, for the tribe of the children
of Manasseh, Hanniel the son of Ephod.   24 And the prince of
the tribe of the children of Ephraim, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan.
  25 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Zebulun,
Elizaphan the son of Parnach.   26 And the prince of the tribe
of the children of Issachar, Paltiel the son of Azzan.   27
And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the
son of Shelomi.   28 And the prince of the tribe of the
children of Naphtali, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.   29 These
<i>are they</i> whom the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxv-p7.2">Lord</span>
commanded to divide the inheritance unto the children of Israel in
the land of Canaan.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxv-p8">God here appoints commissioners for the
dividing of the land to them. The conquest of it is taken for
granted, though as yet there was never a stroke struck towards it.
Here is no nomination of the generals and commanders-in-chief that
should carry on the war; for they were to get the land in
possession, <i>not by their own sword or bow, but by the power and
favour of God;</i> and so confident must they be of victory and
success while God fought for them that the persons must now be
named who should be entrusted with the dividing of the land, that
is, who should preside in casting the lots, and determine
controversies that might arise, and see that all was done fairly.
1. The principal commissioners, who were of the <i>quorum,</i> were
Eleazar and Joshua (<scripRef id="Num.xxxv-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.17" parsed="|Num|34|17|0|0" passage="Nu 34:17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>), typifying Christ, who, as priest and king, divides
the heavenly Canaan to the spiritual Israel; yet, as they were to
go by the lot, so Christ acknowledges the disposal must be by the
will of the Father, <scripRef id="Num.xxxv-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Matt.20.23" parsed="|Matt|20|23|0|0" passage="Mt 20:23">Matt. xx.
23</scripRef>. Compare, <scripRef id="Num.xxxv-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:Eph.1.11" parsed="|Eph|1|11|0|0" passage="Eph 1:11">Eph. i.
11</scripRef>. 2. Besides these, that there might be no suspicion
of partiality, a prince of each tribe was appointed to inspect this
matter, and to see that the tribe he served for was in no respect
injured. Public affairs should be so managed as not only to give
their right to all, but, if possible, to give satisfaction to all
that they have justice done them., It is a happiness to a land to
have the princes of their people meet together, some out of every
tribe, to concert the affairs that are of common concern, a
constitution which is the abundant honour, ease, and safety, of the
nation that is blessed with it. 3. Some observe that the order of
the tribes here very much differs from that in which they hitherto,
upon all occasions, been named, and agrees with the neighbourhood
of their lots in the division of the land. Judah, Simeon, and
Benjamin, the first three here named, lay close together; the
inheritance of Dan lay next them on one side, that of Ephraim and
Manasseh on another side; Zebulun and Issachar lay abreast more
northerly, and, lastly, Asher and Naphtali most northward of all,
as is easy to observe in looking over a map of Canaan; this (says
bishop Patrick) is an evidence that Moses was guided by a divine
Spirit in his writings. Known unto God are all his works
beforehand, and what is new and surprising to us he perfectly
foresaw, without any confusion or uncertainty.</p>
</div></div2>